Evolution of Folk Music

The Evolution of Folk Music Almost all of the music that we hear today can be traced back in one way or another to folk music. The evolution of folk music is rich in history and it is easy to see how the current events and the times created the changes that were to occur. Folk music got its roots from Anglo-American Folk Music and later evolved into what was known as the blues and continues to influence much of the music that is written to this day. Many artists have had major impacts on the music industry some of which are Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Muddy Waters and B.B. King. Their individual styles were essential in the evolution of music. By taking a closer look at Anglo-American Folk Music and each of these artists we will be able to understand the role that each of them played in their specific genres. Anglo-American Folk Music occurred during the time that the original thirteen colonies were being created. It got its start from what was cal led Psalmody which is the rendering of the 150 psalms of the Old Testament; however they were present in the form of songs. Psalmody is one of the oldest traditions of western music.Psalm tunes were carried over from the old world through the found of the colonies by the English and Dutch. They were often kept in a psalter which is a book that contained psalm tunes. Pilgrims were the first to bring psalters to Plymouth when they arrived in 1620. The religious reform in the 16th century that started in Europe had the greatest impact on the subject matter of Anglo-American Folk Music which was mainly focused on communicating religious matters. Over the course of 100 years we find that two different styles of communicating the old testaments.One of those was in the written format and the other was in what was called â€Å"the usual way† which was through oral communication. The oral tradition is where the Anglo-American Folk style evolved from. It involved what was called  "lining out† which is basically one person singing or reciting lines of psalm tunes. There were many critics of the oral tradition who said that there was not enough variation in the tunes and that there were too many changes in pace. The answer to these criticisms was found in singing school during the American Revolution here we see an increase in the musical abilities of our new nation. Of course these schools mainly resided in more highly populated areas. Out in the country you would often find what were called singing masters and composers who often were no more than just common people like craftsmen or small business owners. It was in these singing masters that we found a return to the lack of variation in tunes which was given the name â€Å"strophic form† which simple means that the music is the same for all lines. Strophic form is very common in folk music.The American folk singer Woody Guthrie lived from 1912 to 1967. Woody grew up in Oklahoma and decided to t ravel out to California during the great depression in hopes of finding better opportunities. However, all he found was more heartache. The economy in California was no better than the rest of the United States. Many of Guthrie’s songs reflect the trials and tribulations of the people he met in his life and of his own life. He is one of the few artists that was truly able to connect to the common people in ways that other artists could not.His music is about the things that happen in people’s everyday lives. He sings about people packing up and looking for better opportunities in other places. His music also varied in its tone. Some of his songs are upbeat and cheerful while others have a more sobering tone to them. In addition to singing and performing Guthrie also had a passion for writing. It is said that he made use of his G. I. bill after the war and attended a college where he took philosophy and writing along with a few other classes. However, he decided to drop out before he finished because he decided he needed to hit the road.Woody Guthrie was unique in his style and lyrics. He never felt the need to alter his style in order to fit in with the changing fads. His style is the epitome of what folk music should sound like. We often hear him make use of the strophic form in his songs. He was an inspiration to many musicians that followed him, which included the well known Bob Dylan. Guthrie enjoyed working with other musicians as well like Pete Seeger. Many folk singers including Woody Guthrie had strong political views which often came through in their lyrics.Much of folk music emerged during times when people felt that government was being unfair in the way the common people were being treated and that changes needed to be made in order to bring equality back. I think this is perhaps the one commonality that many folk singers had in common when it came to their music and what was driving their lyrics. Guthrie, Seeger and Dylan were all ve ry popular during times of war which had major affects on their careers and the choices they made. A fellow folk artist who Guthrie was known to perform with from time to time is Pete Seeger.Like Guthrie, Seeger was another folk activist who often sang songs that called for changes in political matters and more equality for the common people. The Almanac Singers was the name of the band that Seeger was a member of. Seeger formed the group in 1941 which was made up of a group of left-wing New Yorkers. Although the group made drastic efforts to try to create a band where everyone was equal they had difficulty battling the media in attempts to keep Seeger out of the spotlight. The Almanac Singers often found themselves in the company of Woody Guthrie.The group got along easily because they had the same political views and shared the same musical style. Seeger and Guthrie were also known to write songs together. One of their most well known songs is â€Å"Pittsburg† which was a c ompilation of their feelings about the war, environment and corruption in the steel industry. The subject matter of Seeger’s music gave him the title of most boycotted performer in history. There have even been accounts of attacks by people at his performances because of the lyrics his band chose to sing.Right before the Nazi’s invaded Russia the CIO had approached the Almanac Singers to go on a national tour with them. The news of the attack was released the day before they were due to leave for their tour. Since most of their song were anti war people could not make the decision to continue to support their music when it was against something that was now a necessary evil. One journalist said that the grouped â€Å"lacked the true politicians facility for changing overnight and the group soon found themselves in trouble† (Dunaway 91). This came to be the end of the band.Another folk artist who came to be well known because of his songs of protest is Bob Dylan. It seems fitting that one of his major influences and all time idol is Woody Guthrie. Like Guthrie, Dylan wrote songs about â€Å"general human conditions such as poverty† (Lorenzo and Kingman 76). One of his most well known songs is â€Å"Masters of War† which was originally written because of the cold war. However, after the release of the song it was found that the feelings that the song was able to create within listeners was the same during the time of the Vietnam War and even later to the War on Terror.Accounts of a concert that Dylan performed at on Veterans day in 2002 said that the crowd had the same feelings and sentiments that was felt by people during the first release at similar performances. Unlike Guthrie who kept his style consistent throughout the years, Dylan was known to change up his style, sound, type and even material of his music. These changes often caused fans to feel like they no longer could relate to the music of Dylan because they had just grown accustomed to the latest styles of his music. Others were suspicious of his constant changing and often accused him of chasing trends.However, Dylan’s compositions usually stayed true to the original style of protest songs in that they used barrow tunes from older songs with an ostinato found in the accompanying guitar while Dylan did his best to show authenticity in his voice. Regardless of how people feel about Dylan he still is seen as one of the major players in the folk music industry. Another form of music that originated from folk music is the blues. While it is said to be related to Black folk music from the south it is safe to say that Black folk music was highly influenced by American folk music.Black folk music was well known for use of antecedents in the form of hollers and cries which was still present in some forms of blues. The blues relates very closely to folk music by means of their subject matter. It was common for â€Å"some blues to speak of a nam eless depression, work or lack of it, poverty† (Lorenzo and Kingman 76). While some blues tells of hardships it also speaks often of personal lament of the relationships between men and women. One of the best known blues singers is Bessie Smith who is often referred to as the â€Å"Empress of Blues. By the end of her first recording year she was said to have sold over 2 million records and at one point in her career was responsible for saving Columbia Records from going bankrupt. Bessie Smith is most famous for her performances in which she was able to master the use of idioms and delivery her songs with such forcefulness that there are not that could surpass her in the industry. Towards the end of Smiths career she refused to adjust to the more modern tones which eventually led to her falling out of the music industry.Even though she was one of the most highly purchased recording artists she managed to spend all of her earnings without saving anything for her later life. It is said that when she died in a car accident in 1937 that she died without a penny to her name. A major reason for her lack of financial stability could be attributed to her life long battle with alcoholism. Bessie Smith was lucky to have worked with and learned from the Mother of Blues, Ma Rainey. Ma Rainey got her start as a young child in the minstrel-show business. However her music was always closest resembled rural folk blues when compared to other blues artists.Many of Ma Rainey’s song were found to empower females, which was often the opposite of the image that was portrayed by Bessie Smiths lyrics. I think it is important to make a connection between more traditional folk music and the blues that were sung by Smith and Rainey. It is important to remember that many folk singers were inspired by the changing times and unfair poverty that was being forced upon the majority of people during those times. Similarly, the blues era occurred immediately following the abolitio n of slavery.Much of the blues was focused on the expression of individual emotional needs. Considering that blacks had just been given their personal freedoms they were still imprisoned by their social and financial standings. It seems to make sense then that the music would focus on the one thing that they really did gain freedom in which was their love lives and the ability to choose who they would have relationships with. â€Å"Freely chosen sexual love became a mediator between historical disappointment and the new social realities of an evolving African American Community† (Davis n. ag). Many of the songs by Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith were about the changes in what was believed to be the â€Å"place† of women in the world. They were singing for more equality and for people to realize that the sole purpose of a woman was no longer to please her husband and to care for a household but that she could be independent and earn a living and take care of herself and her family if need be. Both the blues and folk music had important messages to communicate in regards to the changes occurring in society. Another well known blues singer was Muddy Waters.He was actually born with the name McKinley Morganfield but he was given the nickname Muddy by his mother and later decided to legally change his name. Waters musical style helped blues to transform into the next style of music which would be names rock and roll. Waters was responsible for introducing amplified music to blues. He is often referred to as the father of modern Chicago Blues which would be in the urban blues category. Urban blues introduced the use of more instruments of which included the piano and drums along with many others. Waters was strongly influenced by the more traditional gospel tradition.However, his own style was not so traditional in any sense. He gained his notoriety by his mastery of a guitar style that is called bottleneck. When Waters was discovered a scout was sent to fi nd a man that worked in the same field that Waters worked in. When the man got there he found that the person he was looking for had passed away and instead he discovered Waters. Race records were common during this time and it is most likely that Waters was discovered during an expedition to record race records that would be able to turn some quick sales.Because Waters was a man with such great talent the scout came back looking for him again and eventually Waters moved to Chicago and make music his life. Waters did not find it easy for him to make a name for himself in the music industry. It was not until after he had toured in England that he was able to return to the U. S. and was finally being seen for what he really was by the American people. Waters has been a major influence on many of today’s artists. Another blues artist who helped to pioneer the change from blues to rock and roll is B. B.King. King experienced the loss of his mother at the age of four years old and has been said to have had the blues running through his veins ever since that day. Like many artists King was able to use the pain and hardships in his life as inspiration for his music. However, his music also covers issues of the Civil Rights Movement and even the complicated politics that surrounded the music industry. His greatest success would have to be the part he played in pushing the limits and finding huge success in changing over from blues to rock and roll.It is often a difficult task to get people to change from their old ways and try something knew but King was able to win over fans and help give birth to one of the greatest musical eras to this day. After looking back at the history of where folk music originated and then taking a closer look at some of the artists of various eras of music it is easy to see how even the songs we hear on the radio today can be traced back to folk music roots. The one thing that music seems to keep in common in all eras is that there w ill often be songs that relate to the current events of the time.Especially when there is an unusually hardship or major event that has shaped society. After the war on terror began there were many artists from all genres that began to sing songs about our soldiers and their families and the heartache and pain that people were experiencing from the loss of loved ones of loneness of being apart. I think that music will continue with this oral tradition of communicating events and problems for the rest of time. Works Cited Candelaria, Lorenzo, and Daniel Kingman. American Music: A Panorama. 4th ed. Schirmer:Cengage Learning, 2004, 2007, 2012.Print Cray, Ed. Ramblin’ Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie. New York: Norton andcompany, 2004. Print. Danchin, Sebastian. Blues Boy: The Life and Music of B. B. King. Mississippi: University Pressof Mississippi, 1998. Print. Davis, Angela Y. Blues Legacies and Black Feminism. New York: Vintage Books, 1998. Print Davis, Francis. The H istory of the Blues: The Roots, the Music, the People. Cambridge: Da CapoPress, 2003. Print. Dunaway, David King. How Can I Keep From Singing? The Ballad of Pete Seeger. New York:Villard Books, 2008. Print.

Training Evaluation

Employee training programs in an organization are very important, they provide a focused training to employees who are either one time basis or a recurring basis. Training programs in an organization can either be developed in-house or the organization can opt to attend programs which are more generic such as colleges, universities or attend training centers, (Sims, 2002). Ryan door should come up with a training program which is whole and looks to all the details of the company. The first step that Ryan should take is to ensure that training provides employees with skills and knowledge necessary for succeeding in their jobs. This should entail provision of training manuals which show all the requirements for the position that the person is about to take and the manuals are up to date with current required knowledge for the position since they keep on changing from time to time. According (Lawson, 2002), new employees should receive a formal training method which is either in-house or from external sources where they an attend seminars because they are more professional and informed. The person leaving the position should not train the new employee because the same mistakes which the person was committing will probably be passed on. Also read: Training and Development of KFC Employees who had help the position before do not have enough knowledge about the position therefore they should also not be used. Second step is to improvise a well structured plan which starts by reviewing company's objectives and evaluating whether the existing training program covers the objectives and if not, decide on the additional training needed to match company needs and employee needs and close the gap. In this case therefore, it is clear that the employees of Ryan door lack enough skills in their jobs and additional training should be provided to employees in the door-design department. This can be done by taking them on step by step door production process, encouraging them to work with the architects and clearly be taught on the specifications and proportions which they need to used so that wastage of resources can be minimized and losses avoided. Ryan should also come up with a simpler way of preparing customers orders, this can be done by ensuring that the orders are clear and the employees knows the different customers available as well what should be filled in the form. New employees on the job should be provided with good training from a formal source which either in built or external. According to (Sims, 2002), the training should not only be based on the position which the person is taking in the organization but rather, they should be diverged to a variety of topics which are associated to the entire work environment. These diverse topics should address cases such as communication. This is where the employees are trained on how well they can communicate either with their co-workers, immediate supervisors or the upper management about issues affecting them. Ryan door should therefore provide efficient and effective communication systems so that instead of employees doing their work contrary to what the president wants, they can communicate their problems and therefore ease the arguments which occur between the president, supervisors and employees. Another topic to be trained on is on quality initiatives and customer service initiative. Ryan employees should be trained on how to come up with quality products for the customers so that they can get quality service for their money. Other topics should include safety, sexual harassment and computer skills among others, (Noe, 1998). Third is to ensure that employees should be trained differently depending on the position and the work which he/she is going to do. Ryan should come up with a training procedure which focuses on independent persons and requirements for their posts. For example, persons working with the machines should be given training which is practical and shows them how to run the machines, for secretaries, they should be shown how to attend to the president and the visitors and does not necessarily need to be practical. This therefore shows that the employees need to be trained differently because the job requirements are different. After all this is provided in the training, Ryan should develop a training rollout plan for the organization. This is meant to ensure that the training program is effective and efficient and can be used in future training of employees. The rollout plan should include project planning, project commencement, implementation and its control. It is clear from the training program in Ryan that the training does not meet the needs for the position that is given to them. Ryan therefore should evaluate their training program to check whether it has been effective, this can be done by giving the trainees some chores related to the training which they have undertaken and check whether they are able to carry them out. If yes, the training program will be good and should be adopted otherwise any problem should be looked into and the style changed to ensure good results. The trainees should then be provided with a certificate of participation which is meant to recognize their efforts they have applied during training. In conclusion, Ryan needs to evaluate their training program timely and severally and the employees should also be evaluated by comparing the newly acquired skills with the skills defined in the objectives. Any discrepancies noted should be adjusted so that the program can meet the organization's goals. The president of Ryan should know that any training program fails to accomplish expectations due to failure of evaluating the process. Timely evaluation prevents training from straying from the organizations objectives and goals.

What The Word 'Green' Means In Architecture Today Definition of Green Term Paper

What The Word 'Green' Means In Architecture Today Definition of Green Architecture - Term Paper Example While there is a specific association with the environmental living, there is also a question of the relevance to the architecture and whether it is truly eco-friendly. The systems and the aesthetics have both been altered to represent the idea of being environmentally conscious. However, many are also associating this with the trends in society, politics and in terms of the economic needs which need to be met. The result is a variety of innovative looks and materials which are being used with the statement of one living in an eco – friendly way. However, many of the structures and developments are only slightly altering the true changes that are a part of the environment and which are associated with the living that is a part of the eco – friendly associations currently in demand both politically and socially. This research paper will examine the essence of the Green Movement and the effects on architecture as well as whether this is a coined term or is being pieced in to action through the new buildings and structures created. Introduction The concept of green architecture is one which is now beginning to rise with different approaches to how buildings should match with the social priority of creating environmentally friendly buildings. The ideologies which are associated with this are inclusive of changing the internal and external structures so they match with the demands of the environmental changes for eco-friendly solutions to living. The structures and changes which are being created in response to this have built and established a variety of points that are associated with how one is able to create the right terms and approaches in response to both ecology and the social movement for green living. Examining the key term of green architecture and understanding the approaches which are associated with this have then developed a different approach to how architecture is being developed and what the associations are in terms of building the co rrect options for green living. Definition of Green Architecture The concept of green architecture has begun because of the push to take more responsibility toward the environment and the associations which have been created in terms of the Green Movement. The Green Movement is one which has taken place both socially and politically with the belief that ecological sustainability needs to be integrated into homes, lifestyles and public places. The concept of politics is one which is stating that the environment needs to be protected. However, there is also a vested interest in the economics of the green movement and the ability to buy green and live green that both politicians and individuals in society are looking toward. The concept is now one which is associated with the need and desire to live green and to state that one is in an ecofriendly area. This changes the attitudes of those in society with many that are associated with the beliefs of needing to save the environment and m ake an individual contribution to the associations which are in society (Soper, 1995). The political concepts associated with the green movement began in the 1970s with President Nixon stating that there were detrimental problems with the environment. However, the current changes began to accelerate in the 1990s when Al Green began to make statements associated with the ozone layer and how each citizen was responsible for changing the environment. This particular concept is one which was directly associated with the changes in society and the sociobiological approach associated with how one was developing within the green movement. The concept is one which is based on building a signifying system that would be able to help with those in society going green and having a better understanding

Louis Esson and Early Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Louis Esson and Early Nationalism - Essay Example (Suryadinata, 2000) The play presents an opposing arena where the ideological left is pitted against the somewhat dull and repetitive depiction of the right. Not only is the play a reflection of the nationalistic principles of Esson, but it illustrates the political environment at the time with the then Prime Minister Andrew Fisher having just gained power. This leader would lay the foundations of Australia's new national statutory structure as well as representing the first federal and senate majority government in addition to the first Labour party majority. (Carroll, 2004). Barrett's speech echoes many of Esson's socialist views, with his hard no nonsense delivery, designed to make the public feel like they have something more to think about beyond the realms of conventionality and traditional party politics. It is an urban play unlike the majority of Esson's later body of work of bush located themed dramas. This play was given an amateur performance in Melbourne and heralded Esson as one of the founders of a distinct new genre of Australian drama. Louis Esson and the Australian Theatre is a correspondence w... Louis Esson and the Australian Theatre Louis Esson and the Australian Theatre is a correspondence with Esson's friend and work colleague Vance Palmer who published the letter, together with other documents relating to the work of Esson in 1948. It provides an insight into the opinions and objectives oat the time of Esson's intensions to fundamentally change the direction and angle of his work. It describes conversations had between Esson and his contemporaries, Yeats and Synge following Esson's extensive travels to Europe. Yeats himself had an overwhelming sense of nationalism, and as the letter demonstrates has persuaded Esson here into believing that the future of his success is dependent on writing and producing plays that have a rural focus set in the country. Only then will the true essence of nationalistic belief in your country be recognized and appreciated. This is supported with damning attacks against other writers of the time who Esson; now completely influenced by Yeats considers superficial, when measuring the content of their work against their inability to be true to life as their writing is only informed by emotions and personal tragedy. Labeled the 'so called intellectual drama'. Yeats's strong nationalistic impression of Ireland as a nation perpetually battling for independence, politically torn apart and steeped in Celtic tradition which he advocates in many of his works is compared to Australia in this letter. (Bell, 1997) He justifies this in terms of its true national ideologies w hich he feels should be recognized and publicized more through Esson's own abilities as a playwright And the reader is told

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The car that saved JLR - Coursework Example The culture of an organization is an eminent part of countless decisions made in business. The ideas, assumptions, ethics, values, attitude, and belief of an enterprise govern ways in which employees think and behave. Culture is considered as a base of organizational strength that directs the resources and holds them together. Culture is often defined as a concoction of inheritance, customs, values, lifestyle, and tradition shared within a social group (Hanges, et al., 2004). Although the definition of organizational culture is unclear, yet it is very important for every organization. The organization culture differs from one organization to another. At many situations, the terms ‘organization culture’ and ‘corporate culture’ are used interchangeably. Corporate culture is the reflection of an organization’s personality. It takes into account shared values, methods, and policies that are implemented by an organization and its employees in order to meet everyday business problems (Milne, 2007). The corporate culture of an organization is reflected in its employee’s attitude and behavior. The culture of any enterprise adds meaning, clarity, and dimensions to its various functions, thereby helping to achieve organizational goals. The organization culture allows employees to be on the same platform and defines the way they interact among themselves (Seel, 2000).According to Fincham and Rhodes (2005), main attributes of culture is that it is symbolic, unifying and holistic in nature.

Newcastle College- Virtualisation Technologies Essay

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Why I desire to become a nurse practitioner Essay

Why I desire to become a nurse practitioner - Essay Example It also has plenty of oppurtunities today for specialization and career advancements. Nursing requires life-long learning as new challenges confront the medical profession everyday. Hence, I am committed to go in for advanced education and training in the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions including chronic illnesses. I would thus be able to provide a broad range of service as do physicians. I feel committed to it and I would maintain close working relations with the physicians. Nursing involves working with people and I have always been good at it. I love interacting with people. Besides, I have compassion for people and I feel overwhelmed when patients are unable to pay the medical bills. I love holistic healing and would encourage the patients to draw upon their inner strength; I would them motivate to learn to heal themselves. As a Nurse Practitioner (NP) I would be able to suggest less expensive treatment and inform them about health care. Perhaps I owe these qualities to my mom, because it seems to run in the family. I know being a NP requires individualized care. Prevention, wellness, and patient education have to be top priorities. Experiences, frustrations and contentment, which I can clearly see on my mom and brother’s face, urge me to move ahead in the profession. Each day comes with a new challenge and requires the skills for strong decision-making (SMC). There are ongoing changes in nursing and the healthcare system. It is demanding on the family life too but in nursing one never gets bored. It is a respectable and a noble profession too despite long hours, emotional load and the health care risks. As a NP I would require tremendous amount of patience, listening skills, I would have to do a lot of counseling, diagnosing and treating acute illnesses. As a NP I would have to deal with the patient’s family and even suggest lifestyle and environment changes. In

ABC Company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Case review - Essay Example ts’ willingness to massively punish large corporations financially, the latter ironically suggests what claims could arise if such a practice were to be over-applied. It is clear by both cases that a balance must be struck which finds a middle-ground between the two extremes. In 1992, Stella Liebeck bought a cup of coffee from her local drive-through McDonald’s restaurant in New Mexico. Having stopped to sugar the coffee, she spilled the contents over her lap upon trying to remove the lid. Her upper legs, groin and buttocks suffered third-degree burns and she spent over a week in hospital to undergo skin grafts and a further two years of treatment. As a result, she lost a considerable deal of weight, and incurred medical costs. A battle then ensued between McDonald’s and Steinbeck, over a settlement for Steinbeck’s medical costs – McDonald’s initially would not cover even the medical costs, and offered a modest $800. Steinbeck then brought a claim of gross negligence, stating that the coffee manufactured by McDonald’s was defective and unreasonably dangerous. McDonald’s refused all offers to settle for various sums of money before the trial took place. The main issue surrounding Liebeck’s case was the temperature at which McDonald’s served its coffee. It was argued that the high temperature would cause third-degree burns in very little time, and that a slight reduction would provide valuable time allowing the spillage to be removed from the skin and reduce the extent of burns. McDonald’s argued that serving coffee at such a temperature would allow it to be drinkable for a long period of time, and that those buying it at the drive-through would want to drink the coffee over (or after) a prolonged period of time. It came to light that 700 other reports and claims existed of other customers being burned by McDonald’s coffee (McDonald’s v Greenlee), although McDonald’s argued that this was not a sufficient number to lower the

Psychology- Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Psychology- Prejudice Essay 1. Evaluate Tajfel’s core study in terms of streotypes and weakness [10] Prejudice and Discrimination have been always controversial and it has become one of the crucial topics in the world of Social Psychology. Henry Tajfel was a British social psychology who is well known for his SIT or Social Identity Theory; ‘Intergroup Discrimination’ (1970). This theory has been useful to identify the social causes of prejudice and as well as explaining individual differences. First of all, this study is aimed to show or demonstrate that merely putting or diving people into groups could cause them to discriminate the other group. Tajfel’s procedure of the experiment involved two laboratory experiments. The subjects of the first experiment contained 64 boys, 14 and 15 year-old from a school in Bristol. The boys from each group knew each other well, since they were actually in the same houses at the school. The second experiment was similar to the first one, since 48 students also already knew each other. In terms of stereotypes and his study, Tajfel proposed that Stereotyping or putting people into groups is based on a normal cognitive; we tend to group or categories things. By the statement, he meant that we see the people in our group are just the ‘same’ with us because there are certain similarities that makes us parallel with them and there’ll be a tendency of us calling the ‘same’ people â€Å"us† and those who are different or out-group â€Å"them†. This study also has its weaknesses and strengths. One of the strengths; Laboratory experiment method, which makes him to able controlling the environment in terms of what the subjects had experienced during the test, therefore he can ensure that there are no influences that would change their behaviour later on. Manipulation of the environment also makes him able to obtain replication due to its standardness in procedures. However, since all of the participants were all male, similar age and came from the same country. In terms of experiment, this study has become biased. It is difficult to decide whether it is good enough to be generalised, due to its gender, age and geographical limitations. The ecological validity is doubtful, considering the experiments were lab studies, where we can jump to an argument that this involved unusual task is held in artificial environment. In other words, the participants acted in the way they thought was demanded of them; Demand Characteristic. This experiment deals with a disruptive and anti-social, very general commons of society in explaining and understanding the causes of prejudice and discrimination. Moreover, this piece of research could be beneficial or helpful to our daily life. Nevertheless, the applications are still limited, regard to ecological validity and the gender, race and cultures.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth: Creative Writing

Journey to the Centre of the Earth: Creative Writing Thus the memorable session ended. This discussion had thrown me into a fever. I left my uncle’s study dazed; I felt there was not enough air to  breath in all the streets of Hamburg put together. So I decided to walk made to the banks of the Elbe. Was I really convinced of the truth or did I just bend under the rule of Professor Lidenbrock’s? However, I must confess that I did remember being convinced, although my enthusiasm was now beginning to fade  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This is all very absurd!’ I exclaimed. â€Å"No sensible man should ever entertain such a proposal. I must have had a bad dream.† I walked along the banks of the Elbe and working my way along the port I reached the Altona road where I saw Grà ¤uben walking gracefully back to Hamburg. â€Å"Grà ¤uben!† I shouted from a distance. â€Å"Axel!† she was rather surprised to see me there. She looked at me and noticed the distress and uneasy look on face. â€Å"What is the matter ?† she asked. And in a few seconds she was fully informed about the position of affairs. She listened attentively and remained silent for a few seconds. â€Å"Axel,† she said at last. â€Å"It’ll be a wonderful journey.† â€Å"Grà ¤uben, are you not going to stop me from going on such an  expedition?† â€Å"No, Axel, and I would have loved to go with but this poor girl will only be in your way† She was not afraid to join in herself and persuaded me  to take part in such an expedition! Night had fallen by the time we got home to Kà ¶nigstrasse. I expected  to find the house quiet, but I had forgotten about the professor’s impatience. I found him shouting and rushing round amongst a crowd of porters who were busy laoding boxes in the passage. â€Å" Axel, where have you been ?† he shouted. â€Å"Your boxes are not packed â€Å" â€Å"Are we really leaving?† I asked as I stood there motionless. â€Å"Of couse, we are!† â€Å"Day after tomorrow, crack of dawn.† I could hear no more and I took refuge in my little room. I could barely catch a wink that night and was called early the next morning. I decided not to open the door. But could resist the sweet voice saying of Grà ¤uben calling me . I came out and dragged Grà ¤uben  into the professor’s study. â€Å"Uncle, it is only the 16th of May and we have time until the end of June. What is the need to hurry?† I asked. â€Å"If we waited until 22 June, we would arrive too late to see the shadow of Scartaris playing along the crater of Snaefells! We have to get to Copenhagen as quickly as possible and try to find some means of transport there. Go and pack your trunk.† There was nothing more I could say. I went back up to my room. Grà ¤uben came with me. She immediately took charge, carefully packing  into a small suitcase the things needed for my journey. Finally the last strap had been tightened round the trunk. I went downstairs again. Throughout the day, more and more suppliers of scientific instruments,  firearms, and electrical apparatus arrived. Martha was in a terrible tizzy. Evening came. I was no longer aware of the passing of time. â€Å"See you tomorrow morning† said my uncle. â€Å"We will depart at six sharp.† I woke at five the next morning. My uncle was at table gobbling his breakfast. I couldn’t eat. At half past five, there was a rattling of wheels in the street. A large carriage arrived to take us to Altona station. It was soon piled up with our trunks. Meanwhile my uncle was solemnly putting the reins of the house in  Grà ¤uben’s hands. She kissed us goodbye. â€Å"Go, dear Axel.† You are leaving a fiancà ©e but you will come back to  a wife.† I held her briefly in my arms, then got into the carriage. She and  Martha waved us a last goodbye from the front door and the two horses, galloped off towards Altona. We had crossed the border into Holstein Province. Altona, a suburb of Hamburg, is the terminus of Kiel railway, which was to carry us to Belts. Soon the carriage pulled up in front of the station. My uncle’s  numerous packages and bulky trunks were offloaded and loaded into the luggage van. At seven o’clock, the steam-whistle blew, we were sitting opposite each other in our compartment and the locomotive moved off. We were off. We were alone in the carriage, but did not speak. My uncle checked his pockets and travelling-bag, I noticed that that not forgotten a single item needed for this project. Amongst other papers, there was a note addressed to the Danish consulate, signed by Mr Christiensen, who was the consul-general in Hamburg  and a good friend of the professor’s, this was to pave the way to an introduction to  the Governor of Iceland. I also noticed the famous document, which was carefully hidden away in a secret compartment of his portfolio. A little later the train reached Kiel, a stone’s throw from the sea and our luaggage was transferred on to the steamship. The streamer, Ellenora was not due to leave until after nightfall. We had nine hours to kill and so we set off to explore the town. At half past ten the smoke rose from the Ellenora into the sky and the steamer moved rapidly over the dark waters of the Great Belt. It was a dark night; there was a strong breeze and a the sea was very rough sea, we could see nothing except some occasional fires on shore and a lighthouse. At seven in the morning reached Korsor, a little town in the west coast of New Zealand. We were then transferred to another train. It took three hours to reach the capital of Denmark. My unclehadn’t shut his eyes all night. Finally we reached Copenhagen at Ten in the morning. We then took a cab to the Phoenix Hotel in Breda Gate. As soon as we reached the hotel, my uncle dragged me out of my room to go to the Museum of Northern Antiquities. He wanted to hand over the letter of recommendation to the director of this establishment, a friend of the Danish consul in Hamburg. The director had been informed that we were tourists bound for Iceland, and he did all he could to assist us. We visited the quays with the object of looking for a next ship to sail. A little Danish schooner, the Valkyrie, was due to sail for Reykjavik on 2 June. The captain, a Mr Bjarne, was on board. He told us to be on board by 7 a.m. on Tuesday. We then thanked Mr. Thomson for all his help and returned to the Phoenix. â€Å"Now let’s eat some breakfast and and then we can visit the town.† We first went to Kongens-nye-Torw, then we had a scrumptous breakfast at a french restaurant run by a French chef called Vincent. Then I took a childish pleasure in exploring the town, with my uncle. But he took notice of nothing ,not even the Royal Palace, nor the pretty seventeenth-century bridge across the canal in front of the museum. Except  when we arrived at the Vor Frelsers Kirke. There was not special about the church but its spire had attracted Professor’s attention. â€Å"Let us go up there,† he said. â€Å"But I may feel dizzy,† I said ‘All the more reason: we have to get used to it.’ I had no choice but to obey him. A caretaker who lived across the on the  street gave us the key, and our ascent began. My uncle went first, and I followed him slowly for I was sure to feel dizzy. At first everything went well. But after 150 spiral steps the air suddenly hit me in the face: we had arrived on the platform. This was where the open-air staircase began, protected only by a thin rail, the steps were now getting narrower, and seemed to up into infinity space. I started feeling dizzy. â€Å" I can’t do this,† I cried ‘Of course you can! You are not a coward? Start climbing!’ my uncle said in a very stern voice. The open air made my head turn. My legs began to give way. Soon I was crawling on my knees, then on my stomach. I closed my eyes and at last we reached the apex. â€Å"Open your eyes, Alex,† he shouted. â€Å"You need take a lesson in abysses† I opened my eyes. Above my head the clouds drifted past. I could see greenery on one side and the sparkling sea on the other side. My first lesson in dizziness lasted an hour. When at last I was allowed to come down and set foot again on the firm pavements of the streets, I was aching all over. â€Å"We shall do this again tomorrow,† said the Professor. And thus I was forced to undergo this anti-vertigo exercise for five days in succession! The day for our departure had arrived. The day before we left, Mr. Thomson visited us and gave us letters of recommendation for Count Trampe, the governor of Iceland, Mr Petursson, the bishop’s suffragan, and Mr Finsen, the mayor of Reykjavik. On 2nd at six in the evening we boarded the Valkyrie. And soon the schooner made full sail through the straits. â€Å"Is the wind favorable?† enquired my uncle. â€Å"Perfect,† replied Captain Bjarne. â€Å"How long will the journey take?† enquired my uncle. â€Å"Roughly about ten days, if we don’t have too many nor’wester passing the Faroes.’ The crossing did not involve any special incident.But my uncle was ill all thought the voyage. As a result, he was unable to converse with the Captian about the subject of Snaefell. He had to put off all his questions until he arrived, and spent all his time lying in the cabin. A few days later the  Valkyrie finally dropped its anchor in Faxa Bay, a little before Reykjavik.The professor finally came out of his cabin, a little weak, but still enthusiastic and with a gleam of satisfaction in his eye. As soon as the schooner was anchored, my uncle rushed out. But  before leaving the deck, he dragged me forward; pointing his finger at a distant mountain with two points on top, a double cone covered with perpetual snows. â€Å"Snaefell,† he shounted with joy and made a gesture indicating total secrecy, and then climbed down into the waiting boat. Soon we were treading the soil of Iceland itself. The first we met was the governor of the island, Baron Trampe himself. The professor presented the governor with the letters from Copenhagen and launched into a short conversation in Danish. My uncle also received a warm welcome from the mayor, Mr Finsen and Mr Fridriksson. Mr Fridriksson was a good natured gentleman who taught natural scienecs  at Reykjavik School. This humble scholar spoke only Icelandic and Latin and  was in fact the only person I could converse with during my entire stay in Iceland. He even offered us two rooms in his house to stay in. â€Å"Axel,† said my uncle, â€Å"there is no time to lose, I am going to the library to look for some manuscript of Saknussemm. â€Å"Okay, I will explore the town while you explore the library’† I said stepped out to roam the streets of Rejkiavik. After a good walk I returned to Mr Fridriksson’s house: my uncle was already there, together with his host at the dinner table. He devoured his portion voraciously. Mr Fridriksson asked him if he has any success at the library. â€Å"Your library is deserted and has nothing but a few tattered books† my uncle replied. If you will tell me what books you are looking for, perhaps I may be of some assistance to you. My uncle hesitated at first and then decided to speak. â€Å" Monsieur Fridrikssen, I wish to know if you have any works of of a certain Arne Saknussemm.† â€Å"Arne Saknussemm! Are you referring to that scholar of the sixteenth Century, the great alchemist,† asked Mr. Fridrikssen. â€Å"Yes, I am!â€Å" replied my uncle. â€Å"His works do not exist, in Iceland or anywhere else,† he cried. â€Å"What, why is that?† my uncle asked in astonishment. Arne Saknussemm was persecuted for heresy, and his works  were burned in 1573 by the hand of the executioner in Copenhagen.† â€Å"Yes, this explains everything,† said my uncle. â€Å" Now I understand why Saknussemm had to conceal the secret in an incomprehensible word-puzzle† â€Å"What secret?† asked Mr Fridriksson keenly My uncle stammered: â€Å"No, nothing.† Mr Fridriksson, was kind enough not to pursue the topic any more. â€Å"I hope that you will not leave our island without exploring its mineral riches?† he told my uncle. â€Å"There are many mountains, glaciers, volcanoes there are to be studied,  and explored! Look at that mountain on the horizon. It is called Snaefell.† â€Å"It is an unusual volcano, whose crater is rarely visited. It is extinct for the last five hundred years,† he continued. ‘Well!’ replied my uncle, frantically tapping his legs and trying really hard so as not to jump into the air. â€Å"I will begin my geological studies with this Snyfil. . . Feless. . . what is it called?† â€Å"Snaefell,† repeated Mr Fridriksson. My uncle was trying really hard to conceal his excitement. â€Å"Yes,’ said my uncle, we will try and climb this Snaefell, perhaps even try and study its crater!† â€Å"It seems a very good idea, Professor Lidenbrock, to begin with this  volcano. But you will have to go by land as we do not possess any small boat in Reykjavik.† â€Å"But I can offer you a guide, who is not only reliable and also very intelligent and speaks perfect Danish,† cried Mr. Fridriksson. â€Å"Very well then, can I meet him today?† asked my uncle. â€Å"I am afraid, he will only be here tomorrow.† â€Å"Tomorrow then,† my uncle replied with a sigh.