Sunday, May 24, 2020

The Battle Of The Civil War - 1850 Words

Although the Civil War is nearly 150 years the effects are continuously evident. For many the Civil War is still very prevalent in their everyday lives. That being said the effects are different now for different groups of people. For some the war has become a simple part of the past, for others their ties to the war have been warped by time, and still others feel the sting of the war as if it happened yesterday. An easy way to see the modern-day effects of the Civil War is in classrooms across the United States. Tony Horwitz in his book Confederates in the Attic found himself interacting with three different types of students. The first was a group of home-schooled children touring the capital building in Montgomery, Alabama. All white with conservative parents, they decided to create their kid’s curriculum from a Christian perspective, in this case teaching their children that slavery was not a big deal in starting the war. The kids were excited and visibly intrigued by the tour, but their gaps in knowledge became evident to Horwitz the longer he talked with the parents (355). The next class was taught by Rose Sanders, the director of the Voting Rights Museum in Selma, Alabama, a museum dedicated to commemorating the gaining of rights by African Americans. In an attempt to help the black out of the area Sanders created a high school specially for black teenagers who dropped out of high school. Horwitz, upon visiting realized the deep-seeded anger installed in theseShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of The Civil War1127 Words   |  5 Pagesshaken by the Civil War because some states wanted to separate themselves from this unity that had lasted for approximately 100 years. The American Civil War is a historic affair and one of the bloodiest battles in history of the US (Engle, Krick, 2003). It is considered one of the bloodstained happenings in the history of the US because more than 600, 000 people died. A majority of this number were soldiers. This fatal b attle happened between the years 1861 to 1865. The Civil War emerged becauseRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War Essay1424 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the years 1861 to 1865 the American Civil War took place and it is known as Americas bloodiest war. The cause of the Civil war was the debate between free states and slave states over the government trying to prohibit slavery. In 1860 Abraham Lincoln became president of the United States and ran on the platform to keep slavery out of the new unclaimed territories of the United States. Once Lincoln became president seven southern states seceded from the Union ultimately creating the ConfederateRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War1666 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil war was one of the biggest turning points in United States history. The nation’s failure to compromise on the subject of slavery led to an outbreak of war. Battles such as Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Shiloh led to what we know of today as a free nation. Great technological advancements in weaponry led to mass c asualties among both north and south, often making death inevitable. Those who bravely served and those who were forced to serve lived a life of fear, starvation, and commitment toRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War1191 Words   |  5 PagesWhen the Civil War started both sides thought the war would be over by Christmas. But little did they know this small war would turn into the deadliest war in American history. The Civil War was fought between the Confederacy and the Union. The Confederacy was consisted of Southern states that did not agree with the views of the Union states. After years of sectional differences in the United States between the north and south, tension between the states grew and a war between the north and southRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War1073 Words   |  5 PagesThe Civil War was a war that was thought to would have lasted no longer than ninety days. After all was said and done, the war lasted more than four years and claimed tens of thousands of li ves of both The Union and The Confederate States. There were several battles fought on Northern and Southern soil, battles that forced bloody mortal combat between brothers in the fight for equality amongst all men. It tested the strength of the foundation that the United States was built upon. The Civil War wasRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War960 Words   |  4 PagesHave you ever wondered why the Civil War happened or why it was so substantial to American History? What was the battle that changed it all; that made it the history it is today? Many people have made speculations on the causes of the war and what the major turning point was, but cannot really narrow it down. In James McPherson’s Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam he points out the pivotal moments in American history that led up to and changed the Civil War, so that the reader can get a better insightRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War1197 Words   |  5 PagesMarianna, FL. The battle will be virtually unkno wn in the history of the Civil War, but its success marked the longest successful incursion of Union troops into Florida (Cox, 2014). This raid had two goals; the first was to rescue the reported Union prisoners and the second was to liberate and enlist any slaves that were found along the route (Calvin, 2014). The prisoners were not located, but more than 600 slaves were liberated along their route (Cox, 2014). The subsequent battle did not last longRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War1163 Words   |  5 Pageshad already decided to secede from the Union. Those 7 states started the Confederate States of America, run by their own President, Jefferson Davis. This same issue was the catalyst for the Civil War which started on April 12, 1861. One of the major and well-known battles of the Civil War was the Battle of Gettysburg. It was on this backdrop that Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech that is â€Å"universally recognized by historians and scholars alike as the most famous and most important speech everRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War1233 Words   |  5 PagesIt is evident that the Civil War helped shape America into the country it is today. The strong factional division -based on slavery- between the Union and the Confederacy guaranteed certain achievements of both sides. Much of what we consider history today remains a part of the outcome from these multiple bloody battles. Activist John Muir of the Civil War-era stated, â€Å"the traces of war are not only apparent on the broken fields, burnt fences, mills, and woods ruthlessly slaughtered, but also onRead MoreThe Battle Of The Civil War1133 Words   |  5 Pagesfierce battles were fought to secure the rights and freedom of both men and women, irrespective of their religion, gender, and race. Of all of the battles, the American Civil War stands out. Divided into the Union and the Confederacy, the American civil war broke out after the southern states seceded due to slavery that spread in many parts of the country. The Civil War began in the year 1861 and ended four years later. The end result was the Union becoming victorious in 1865. The Civil War was a

Monday, May 18, 2020

Shocking Principles Terrifified Victorian Readers in The...

The sophisticatedly-constructed novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ was devised in 1886, during the revolutionary Victorian era, by the author, Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson developed a desire to write in his early life and ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ cemented his reputation. The novel is widely known for its shocking principles that terrified and alarmed the Victorian readers. ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ plays with the idea of the dual nature of man, his two identities. On the surface, Dr Jekyll is a conventional, Victorian gentleman, but below the surface lurks the primitive, satanic-like creature of Mr Edward Hyde. One of the elements that play a significant part in the novel is setting. Stevenson subtly uses the setting to†¦show more content†¦Powerful adjectives such as ‘blistered’ and ‘distained’ (disease decay bit etc). The creation of mysteriousness and tension is crucial to the Gothic genre. However, the front of Jekyll’s house ‘wore a great air of wealth and comfort, though it was plunged in darkness’, which shows that evil was not far away from good and this creates tension and the image that evil is fighting good in a chaotic battle. In addition to this, Stevenson splits up the locations to symbolise the good and evil. The main house shows a typical, Victorian structure. However, the laboratory and the cabinet represent the evilness behind the shield of normality. The cabinet is very significant in the novel, as it is locked until the final chapter, when Mr Utterson and Poole break down the door. It is found to contain the ‘cheval-glass’ (the mirror), in which Jekyll would watch himself transform into the repulsive figure of Hyde. Hyde’s apartment was set in Soho, a very sleazy, corrupted part of London at the time. Living in Soho links Hyde was the lowest levels of society: prostitutes, foreigners and primitive, immoral behaviour. Also, Soho had eerie weather- ‘a great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven’, representing the malicious crimes being committed and the blocking out of God. This reflects the mysterious, depraved attributes of Hyde’s

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Gerund Definition and Examples

A gerund is a  verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun. Adjective: gerundial or gerundival. The term gerund is used in traditional grammar. Many contemporary linguists prefer instead to use the term -ing form. A gerund accompanied by its objects, complements, and/or modifiers is called a gerund phrase or simply a noun phrase. Like nouns, gerunds and gerund phrases can function as subjects, objects, and complements in a sentence. Unlike nouns, however, gerunds do not take inflections; in other words, they dont have distinct plural forms. For a discussion of the differences between gerunds and present participles (both of which end in -ing), see Examples and Observations below. EtymologyFrom the Latin, to carry on Examples and Observations Going to college is expensive.Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.(William Arthur Ward)Binx Bolling, the hero of Walker Percys The Moviegoer, enjoys riding the bus that runs from Gentilly down Elysian Fields and into the French Quarter of New Orleans.I never believe nor disbelieve. If you will excuse my speaking frankly, I mean to observe you closely, and to decide for myself.(Wilkie Collins, Percy and the Prophet, 1877)They cut down elms to build asylums for people driven mad by the cutting down of elms.(George Barker, The Dead Seagull, 1950)Shooting paintballs is not an art form.(Bart Simpson, The Simpsons)Humor is laughing at what you havent got when you ought to have it.(Langston Hughes, A Note on Humor, 1966)All talk of winning the people by appealing to their intelligence, of conquering them by impeccable syllogism, is so much moonshine.(H. L. Mencken, quoted by Carl Bode in Mencken, 1969)There are times when parenthood seems not hing but feeding the mouth that bites you.(Peter De Vries, The Tunnel of Love, 1954)This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.(George Bernard Shaw, Epistle Dedicatory to Man and Superman, 1903) Gerunds and Verbal Nouns Because they are nounlike, we can think of gerunds as names. But rather than naming persons, places, things, events, and the like, as nouns generally do, gerunds, because they are verbs in form, name activities or behaviors or states of mind or states of being.(Martha Kolln and Robert Funk, Understanding English Grammar. Allyn Bacon, 1998)A gerund is derived from a verb by adding the suffix -ing. The result is still a verb, and it exhibits ordinary verbal properties, such as taking objects and adverbs. Example: In football, deliberately tripping an opponent is a foul. Here the verb trip occurs in its gerund form tripping, but this tripping is still a verb: it takes the adverb deliberately and the object an opponent. However, the entire phrase deliberately tripping an opponent, because of the gerund within it, now functions as a noun phrase, in this case as the subject of the sentence. So, a gerund is still a verb, but the phrase built around it is nominal, not verbal. Very different is a verbal noun constructed with -ing. Though derived from a verb, a verbal noun is strictly a noun, and it exhibits nominal properties . . ..  (R.L. Trask, Mind the Gaffe! Harper, 2006) Differences Between Gerunds and Participles Because some [participles] are identical to gerunds, they can get confusing: Visiting relatives can be fun. Does this mean that the act of visiting (visiting as a gerund) can be fun, or that relatives who are visiting (visiting as a modifier) can be fun? We dont know.(June Casagrande, It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences. Ten Speed Press, 2010) Present participles and gerunds look similar as words, and they also look similar as phrases. Again, it is the -ing verbal form that causes this problem. To clearly distinguish these, we need to consider their grammatical functions. A present participle functions as a non-finite form of a verb phrase, after verbs of motion and position; it can be an adverb complement after these verbs; it can qualify/modify as an adjective does. In contrast, gerunds like nouns have naming roles and can occupy the place of nouns in many of their grammatical functions. Unlike nouns, they do not name persons, places, things, or events; they name actions, states, and behaviors.(Bernard ODwyer, Modern English Structures: Form, Function, and Position, 2nd ed. Broadview, 2006)How do linguists decide unusual or borderline cases? They test difficult examples against various prototypical patterns and decide which pattern the case at hand most resembles. In the following examples, is listening a gerund or an ad verbial participle? 45a. While listening to the concerto, Marcia decided to study music.45b. After listening to the concerto, Marcia decided to study music. Listening is a participle in (45a), and the phrase is adverbial. It is a reduced form of the adverbial subordinate clause While she was listening to the concerto. Listening in (45b) has a different origin. It cannot be derived from After she was listening to the concerto. In fact, after is a preposition in (45b) and listening to the concerto is a gerund phrase that can be replaced by the pronoun that.(Thomas P. Klammer, Muriel R. Schulz, and Angela Della Volpe, Analyzing English Grammar, 4th ed. Pearson, 2004 A Note on Gerundive Although a small number of traditional grammarians use the term gerundive as a synonym for gerund, the gerundive is a distinct verb form in Latin grammar. There is no grammatical equivalent [to the Latin gerundive] in English, and the term is rarely used (Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar, 2014). Pronunciation: JER-end

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Essay on Racism in Childrens Literature - 2376 Words

For my research project I chose the topic of Racism in Childrens Literature. I chose this area of study because it is something that bothers me and I know as a child in school I was very uncomfortable with assignments that dealt with racism. One day I would like to make a difference to all the people who are affected by racism. My hypothesis states that if educators are better trained to deal with the delicate subject of racism in childrens literature, books would not be banned, yet actually teach the lesson the authors of these books intended for all of us to learn. During an International Board on Books for Young People conference in New Delhi, India, Spyros Kyprianou stated, Books for young people are the main cultural nourishment†¦show more content†¦There has been a move by many to ban these books, but is that really the answer to the problem? As a mother, secure in my belief, I want my children to read these books. I want my children to be angry, to form their own opin ions based on what they read, to understand what people in other times were put through, and most importantly, I want them to understand who wrote these books and why they were written. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has over two hundred references of the N word. However, Ernest Hemingway said, All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. Its the best book weve ever had. These angry words full of hatred were called the best by one of the most known authors in the world, why? I read this book in high school myself. I served many afterschool detentions because I refused to read aloud the words of hate. I did not connect to it then, yet as I have aged I believe it was the way the book was taught. Why did my teacher not tell us more of the background of Mark Twain? Mark Twain was not a racist, yet it took me many years to realize that. I finally found a respect for him that I should have known before I turned that first page. Even though the book has many racial slurs, it shows that not just a friendship, but a strong bond could be formed between a young white boy and a black man. They haint no right to shut him up! Shove! - and dont you lose a minute. Turn him loose! He aint a slave, hes asShow MoreRelated Comparing the Loss of Innocence in Cullens Incident and Naylor’s Mommy, What Does Nigger Mean?1196 Words   |  5 Pagesanswer to this question depicts the racism that still thrives in America (345). Both Gloria Naylor’s Mommy, What Does Nigger Mean? and Countee Cullens Incident demonstrate how a word like nigger destroys a child’s innocence and initiates the child into a world of racism.   Though the situations provoking the racial slur differ, the word nigger has the same effect on the young Naylor and the child in Cullen’s poem. A racist society devours the white children’s innocence, and, consequently, theRead MoreLangston Hughes : Black Poets Impact On African American L iterature857 Words   |  4 Pages Black Poets Impact In African American Literature Michael Winston English 132-11 Prof. Dr. Harmon 11-20-2017 African American literature is literature written from African descents that focused on the early time to recent time movements. Early as the 1700’s and late as the 1900’s where African American literature was in progress. Poetry was a substantial part of African American literature, because black poets talked about culture, racism, slavery, and equality rights. Black poetsRead MoreChildren s Books Do Not Reach Children Alone Essay1572 Words   |  7 Pages Despite the title of the genre, children’s books do not reach children alone. In order to reach their designated audience, these books must undergo countless layers of scrutiny by teachers, parents, booksellers and librarians before they are deemed worthy to put in front of the eyes of a child. A child is often unable to write books for other children, therefore, children’s books are created and distributed by adults. When the books exist simply for entertainment purposes or to help a child understandR ead MoreModern American society is still using the constructs from the eighteenth century. With the1100 Words   |  5 Pagessociety is still using the constructs from the eighteenth century. With the innovating discoveries in technology and science one would think social sciences would have a greater impact on our social constructs. Slavery was ended in 1865; unfortunately racism and white power was not. The integration of African Americans into American society has been a bumpy road and clearly has not been socially accepted in numerous locations within America. Social policies, frames, projects and the lack of educationRead MoreEssay Lesson Before Dying Racism1034 Words   |  5 Pages Skindeep Throughout history and in literature, Black has always been portrayed as evil, whereas White has represented purity and light. These oversimplified stereotypes of something so abstract as skin color has plagued our culture with prejudice and hatred. Ernest E. Gaines, author of A Lesson Before Dying, tells the story of a young black boy named Jefferson who is set to die for essentially being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a schoolteacher who is faced with the task of makingRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1544 Words   |  7 PagesTo understand whether or not racism is learnt, we first have to divulge into the nature of racism. It is usually assumed that racism has been a part of civilisation since civilisation started, that it is embedded into how people work and that no matter what, it will always exist. Another assumption is that racism derives from the capitalism of the slave trade by white elitist men seeking to dehumanize people for economic gain, and used racism a s a way to mask their financial motives to justify enslavementRead MoreThe Impact Of Media On Racism In Society954 Words   |  4 Pagesthe news and social media? How do we teach them about racism, prejudice, and discrimination? Research from Harvard University recommends children as young as three years old, when exposed to racism and discrimination tend to accept and mimic it, even though they might not understand their feelings. By age five, white children are considerably biased towards whiteness. To reverse this bias, experts suggest acknowledging and naming race and racism with children as early and as often as possible (Burnett)Read MoreHuckleberry Finn Persuasive Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagescompletely banning the book, creating sanitized versions, or even replacing the book for another American literature novel. â€Å"What is so wrong about this novel?,† someone may ask, well that is a great question because there is absolutely nothing wrong with the novel, it si mply touches a sensitive topic in American history that many people can be scandalized about. It is the history of slavery and racism in this country that nonetheless, is a truth, a truth that should not be covered up and sugar coatedRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance with Langston Hughes1676 Words   |  7 PagesHarlem Renaissance with Langston Hughes The Harlem Renaissance brought about uniqueness amongst African Americans; everything was new. The visual art, the jazz music, fashion and literature took a cultural spin. During this time writer Langston Hughes seemed to outshine the rest with amazing works. The Harlem Renaissance brought about many great changes. It was a time for expressing the African American culture. It is variously known as the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Literary RenaissanceRead MoreCriticism And Analysis Of Puddn Head Wilson 800 Words   |  4 Pagesof Puddn’head Wilson In American history, we have good authors, great authors and some bad. One of the most famous authors and probably the greatest that everyone has heard of is Mark Twain. Twain was an American author and humorist in American Literature. Twain was born in Florida, Missouri, on November 30, 1835. In his first writing, he adopted his pen-name from a well-known call of the man sounding the river in shallow places. In 1861 he went to Carson City, Nevada, as secretary to his brother

Sino Soviet Split Free Essays

Communism in US was embraced as an ideology but in China it was seen as an alternative)bureaucracy, different levels of productive force, dominant role of peasantry,( in china, they had no clue, so the role of town workers and farmers in US and China) different perspective to imperialism ( when communism was instilled in SO, Stalin etc was interested in bringing about a strong US empire, so they felt that other countries should subordinate to theirs, because they feel they were the leader. US volcanically and militarily aided the countries to spread communism-China, believed strictly In sovereignty, no Interference In domestic policies. Mao received extremely Limited aid, he spread It Individually. We will write a custom essay sample on Sino Soviet Split or any similar topic only for you Order Now Hence, China did not see why they should have to succumb to SUE leadership. He refused to conform. In the long march to the mountain, when he recruited and spread communism, the used the farmers, and the loyalty was instilled thru how communism could help their socio economic problem. China has plenty of cheap labor. So Mao Sedona took into account all this factors. -As a result of all the difference in ideology, dominant players, ways, what happen is that when Mao finally established communism in China, he felt independent, he did not feel obligated to SO. They did not respect US s the supreme leader of communism as opposed to Eastern European countries. Ideological – approach + practice difference ( policies headed of , 2 different directions – personality , challenges to USSR supreme leadership. Communist Crises 1) Sino soviet split 2) Chinese Economic Reforms (1978) -by 1980 china was already full on economic reform. Resulting in a major crises June 4th mass demonstration and Attainment Square massacre 1 ) agriculture and farming -leasing land to the farming, in return a fixed quota, incentive to increase farming. Decentralized party power. Province power increased to make decisions. Adoption of household responsibility system. 2) industry- as china began to reform, how are you going to measure economic efficiency? What measures were taken to modernize Industry 1) gradual approach 2) pilot project XSL Chuan, starting with the smaller SEE, they were given autonomy. More than 6000 See’s were given power. All the state Industrial, manufacturing and production of Industrial products, they were also supposed to be financially independent. They were supposed to increase the among the farmers. But the SEE failed, because of corruption, lack of training of skilled people, lack of enterprising managers. 3) open door policy 4) How to cite Sino Soviet Split, Papers

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay Paper Example For Students

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay Paper Sir Gawain and the Green Knight:Sir Gawain Faces TemptationSir Gawain was known as a noble and honest man who was willing to stare death in the face to protect King Arthur. However, the courtly Sir Gawain is submitted to the unexpectednot to the test he expects, but to one he does not expect (qtd. in Spearing). The underlying theme throughout the entire poem is temptation, which, is Sir Gawains greatest challenge because he is not aware of it. He faltered not nor fearedBut quickly went his way, His road was rough and weird,Or so the stories say. (qtd. Stone 47)Sir Gawain stands up just as the Green Knight challenges King Arthur. Gawain saves his uncle from the humiliation the Green Knight imposes on the King from his badgering; for this Gawain is very brave. He has no fear in approaching the Green Knight and accepting the game. Sir Gawain was a man who was held in high esteem before the people at Camelot. Thus, he was given the title Sir Gawain, which sealed his noble existence. A kn ight is a man who, for some achievement, is given honorary rank and thus entitling him to use Sir before his given name (qtd. in Websters pg. 747). Berry 2King Arthur was a very honorable man, one with boyish spirits and youthful persona. The King also displays his humble nature when at the table, he refused to begin eating before any of his guests. However, when the Green Knight confronts him he does not cower before him. He raged as roaring gale;His followers felt the same. The King, not one to quail, To that cavalier then came. The Green Knight was described as a handsome, muscular man. Because every article of clothing the Green Knight wore was green, including his skin and hair, he is reminiscent of a fertility god. This idea of a fertility god plays a role when introducing the theme of temptation on the behalf of the Lords wife. He was very confident and witty. Green and huge of grain, Mettlesome in mightAnd brusque with bit and rein-A steed to serve that knight!The opposition between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight began when the knight entered the kings hall on New Years Eve. He challenged anyone present to strike him with an axe, providing that he could do the same one-year later. Gawain, not wanting the King to partake in such a game, takes up the challenge and cuts off the Green Knights Berry 3head. The knight then, picks up his head, and tells Gawain to meet him at the Green Chapel in one year. Gawain goes searching for the Green Chapel ten months later. He stays at a nearby castle for Christmas an d New Years, entertained by the Lords wife. At the end of each day Gawain was to exchange with the lord whatever he had gained. While the Lord is off hunting, his wife, attempts his Gawains chastity (Stone 11). However, the wife can do no more than kiss Gawain, for he would not allow it. The wife of the Lord tries one more time to seduce the noble knight in his bed. This time she is dressed much more provocatively. Gawain, amazed at her appearance, says: God love you gracious lady (Norton 234). Further, he is happy that a very beautiful woman like the Lords wife spends time talking with him: it is a pleasure surpassing it comforts my hurt (Norton 234). Afterwards she tries to kiss him again, but Gawain is very defensive so that no fault appears but only complete happiness. She kisses him for a second time: They linger and laugh awhile and she departs without more ado (Norton 234). But the during the third, and final attempt to seduce Gawain, she persuades him to accept her girdle, which she convinces him will protect his life. Gawain conceals this gift from the Lord because he cannot exchange it. .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 , .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .postImageUrl , .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 , .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3:hover , .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3:visited , .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3:active { border:0!important; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3:active , .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3 .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9df73ef1a6aae33d8d4e3b9f27a377b3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: In Todays World There Are Many Moral Issues That Take Place In Society EssayGawain is hesitant to be involved with the Lady for three equally important reasons. First, she is the Lords wife and, being a noble gentleman, he would not want to dishonor him. Second, if he sleeps with her, he has to exchange it with the Lord. Finally, he is afraid to commit sin before he faces God because his death is almost certain once he Berry 4meets with the Green Knight. This shows what an important role religion played in the lives of men at this point in time. The fear of god far exceeded that of any mortal man. When Gawain finally meets with the Green Knight at the Green Chapel the Knig ht give him three feinted blows, just barely cutting him on the third. The Knight then explained that he was Gawains host and that the first two blows were for his honesty in giving him his wifes kisses and the cut was for Gawains failure to reveal the gift of the girdle. After hearing the story Gawains peers judge that he has brought honor to the Round Table (Stone 12). We are placed on the side mortality itself, and can thus, with the Green Knight, forgive Gawain for his single act of cowardice: what he did was done not out of sensual lust but for love of lifethe less, then, to blame. In the context of this affectionate sympathy, Gawains own violent anger at the revelation of his fault must itself be viewed with amusement, as part of his human fallibility. (Borroff, Introduction)He expects (and we expect with him when we first read the poem) that the real test he has to nerve himself for is meeting the Green Knight at the Green Chapel and receiving a presumably mortal blow from his axe. But when, after a tremendous effort of will, he does bring himself to face the Green Knight and accept the blow, it turns out that this is not the test itself. This test is only the symbol of a previous test which was carried out by the Green Knights wife, and which Gawain has already failed, marked by the girdle he accepted as a gift. Berry 5Works CitedAbrahms, M.H . The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W.W. Norton Company, Inc., 1993. Borroff, Marie. Sir Gawain and The Green Knight: A New Verse Translation. New York: W.W. Norton Company, Inc., 1967. Spearing, A.C.. Patience and the Gawain-Poet. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Ed. F. Denton. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Stone, Brian. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New York: Penguin Group. 1959.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Financial Issues

Question: Write an essay on Financial Issues? Answer: Historical Summary of SOX Enactment: The SOX Act was enacted due to corporate chaos like Adelphia, WorldCom. The Congress was pressurized from the public to address the unruly behavior of the executives of the companies engaged in public trade. The main aim of the act was to increase the confidence of the people on the financial market. The scandals also led to the shameless disrespect of the Generally Accepted Accounting Practices. The loss that accrued to WorldCom in 2001 was covered by a sum of 3.8 billion dollars. There was also an overstatement of profit of 586 million dollars by Enron. The investors were fooled by this overstatement of profits and this resulted in plummeting of the stock prices of the company. The obvious results led to company being bankrupt and investors losing in millions. Life savings of the employees of Enron was lost due to the bankruptcy (Anand, 2007). Arthur Anderson who was the audit firm of the company also became bankrupt. After the SEC had started an inquiry over Enron, Anderson reveal ed all the documents of the company. Tyco scandal was due to immoral and unethical behavior of the corporate firms. The CEO and CFO of the company Tyco was caught stealing 150 million dollars of the company (Sherman Chambers, 2009). The family of Rigas was caught stealing 3.1 billion dollar and was supported by Adelphia. There was overstatement of capital expenses and hiding of debt by Adelphia. The jury of the federal court convicted CEO and CFO of the company Adelphia on the charges of looting about 100 million dollars, concealing an amount of 2 billion dollars in debt and revealing false financial and operational details to the public (Anand Tarantino, 2010). There were similar other stories like this that showed that the abuse of power by the corporate. The Act Sarbanes-Oxley was presented by Senator Paul Sarbanes who happens to be a Democrat from Maryland and Michael Oxley, a Congress man from Ohio the bull was signed by the former president George Washington Bush on 30 July 2002. Ethical components of SOX: The key components of SOX are the need to produce Code of Ethics for the senior financial members and also the mechanisms of enforcement. The auditors coming from outside should given tenure of maximum five years and then consider a rotation for them. The other significant factors that need to be considered are independence of directors, responsibility of audit, nomination of committees and providing compensation, ethics guidelines, control and procedure disclosures, control over internal reports of finance etc (Valentin Dijksman Chiche, 2000). Before the SOX implementation the committee of Audit took the responsibility of accuracy of finance with due respect to internal control of finance. The independent auditor of the company is chosen by the committee of Audit rather than the CEO of the company (Brewer, 2006). The committee of audit was appointed by the Board of Directors after the enactment of the SOX act. Before the SOX enactment it was the responsibility of the CEO to choose the committee members of Audit. This, as a result, has prevented many conflicts to be based on interests. In case of Tyco, the CEO has also become the Board of Directors Chairman. This led him to take advantage of his powers and was successful in looting the company of its resources. Criticism arose on the part of the Board of Directors for not taking proper actions regarding this (Garner, McKee McKee, 2008). After the SOX enactment, the committee of audit assisted the board of directors to take a look over the finances. The responsibilities and duties of the committee of audit was to look into the financial reporting, monitoring the reporting and independence of the individual auditors of the company and maintain a communication with the board of directors, the management and the individual auditors. When then Board of Directors and the auditors meet they generally discuss on how well they are meeting the requirement of the SOX Act. The company must follow the sections of 404 and 302. According to section 302, the CEO needs to leave the control on internal auditing and financial statements of accuracy (Jackson Fogarty, 2005). Section 404 defines on how the management can take up control in assessing the internal control. Social Responsibility on the publication of Corporate Ethics: The Act suggests that individual companies should enlist some Code of Ethics to be followed the senior officers of finance (Orin, R.M, 2008). The officers of the company must be socially responsible towards the customers, employees, stakeholders, and stockholders. The corrupt steps taken by the companys officers led to spoiling of the reputation of the company and also hurt the sentiments of the employees and the investors. The aim of the SOX act was to prevent the harmful actions of the company to affect the society. There are instances that showed that SOX had a significant effect. The most evident fact was no revelation of corporate scandal since the year 2002 . In a forum in New York, Senator Sarbanes and other debated on whether the act was successful or not (Kaplan Kiron, 2004). He said in the COMMIT Forum that it was a very necessary safety instrument that made investors trusts the statement of finances. The law helped in solving the accounting problems and also helped in une arthing the problems in the system. The act helped in forming independent board of directors according to Zhu, Zhang and Ding. A study by them on 500 companies that included 64 different industries showed CSR with the presence of women directors and outside directors. According to Krishnamurthy and Cohen, the SOX Act has been effective but they feel that its too much focused on the directors of the board to the rules of accounting. This has led the act to miss out on the 2008s financial crisis. Too much focus on the requirements of SOX led to less focus on the corporate strategies and also the things related to technology advancement in relation to business environment. This also leads to the question that what social responsibility motives would be. The main motive would be to earn profits. Through profits, the company can continue to pay its employees and provide dividends to its shareholders so that they are not affected by the poor decisions of business and will help in continue d investment in the economy. SOX have affected the CSR as it sees profit as the best way to help the society. Criticism related to unfair burden of the Act on the small firms: With the enactment of the SOX law, the critics felt that it was a burden on the public companies. It was a costly affair for the company to comply with the sections 302 and 404. It was a common affair to have accounting cost of more than a million dollar (NAWA, 2007). The biotech companies felt difficulty in meeting these costs. The cost of capitalization was 15 million dollar for the company and no revenue. The small companies also faced the burden of the costs due to the implementation of the SOX Act. The companys with less than a billion evaluations was suggested to move out from SOX according to the new law. The companies were also exempted for the first five years after their IPO. The person who favors the Act says the benefits have outweighed the cost. This has improved the investors position and also led to financial reporting reliability. This Act has also aroused the awareness on ethical issues among CEO, auditors, directors of the board and the employees. The critics want t he SOX Act to be revised so that it becomes favorable to the small companies. SEC softened few requirements and also pushed the deadlines back for a few companies. It was suggested that the Act was valid and was best suited to the interest of the country (Karanja Zaveri, 2014). Congress agreed to the conditions of the SOX Act. It was found by Martin, Newman and Akhigbe that the SOXs wealth effect favored the large firms that gained benefit from an asymmetry of information. While, for the small firms it was less favorable as it involved a higher cost of compliances. There were two modes of engaging stakeholders as per Simmons and Mason. The two modes are Habermasian and Ethical Strategists. The approach of the Habermasian required the importance to be placed on ethical purity rather than cost. The approach of Ethical Strategies suggests that there should not be any differences between strategy and morality. Suggestions related to SOX legislation improvement: A suggestion to improve the SOX legislation is to remove all the interests that aroused conflicts. The SOX does not allow the audit firms to provide consulting services. This is a very good step that has been adopted because Andersen less revenue from the services and more revenue from consulting. Still there are conflicts of interests. This was reflected by the newly formed PCAOB. The appointment of the five-member group was not done by the president (Kessel M., 2011). The decision to hire and fire vested on the SEC. This led to a violation of the Separation of Powers as suggested by Sarbanes in 2008. It was felt that as PCAOB was the governments arm so it would be better if the President appointed the board members. The other ways to improve the SOX is concerns on the five-year tenure of Auditors and then a rotation. A better way of rotating was to include rotation of the entire firm. The area that has already shown an improvement is the protection of the Whistleblowers. They are been provided protection by the Whistleblowers office of SEC, reforms of The Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumers Protection Act of 2010. The employers can no longer make any discrimination against the whistleblower according to the law. A report can be filed by the Whistleblowers anonymously. The Dodd-Frank Act gave more provisions to the whistleblowers under the SOX Act by including the public companys employees and also the employees of the private affiliates and subsidiaries. There was an enhancement of the legislation of the Whistleblowers recently (Lahti Peterson, 2005). The US Supreme Court stated in 4th March, 2014 that the protections of the Whistleblowers were not only for the employees of the public companie s but also for the employees whose contractors are owned by private companies and employees of subcontractors of public companies (Mesa Graziano, 2003). The legislation on the whistle-blowing led to the fight against the corruption by the corporate in the United States. The other way to improve SOX was the revisions proposed in 2012 by Sarbanes that would help the companies that is private to go public. More revisions in the SOX Act must be formulated so that the costs of SOX can be borne by the small companies. References Anand, S. (2007). Essentials of Sarbanes-Oxley. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Anand, S., Tarantino, A. (2010). Sarbanes Oxley in leading economies. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Brewer, D. (2006). Security controls for Sarbanes-Oxley section 404 IT compliance. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Pub. Garner, D., McKee, D., McKee, Y. (2008). Accounting and the global economy after Sarbanes-Oxley. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe. Jackson, P., Fogarty, T. (2005). Sarbanes-Oxley for nonprofits. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Kaplan, R., Kiron, D. (2004). Accounting Fraud at WorldCom. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. Karanja, E., Zaveri, J. (2014). Ramifications of the Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) Act on IT governance.International Journal Of Accounting Information Management, 22(2), 134-145. doi:10.1108/ijaim-02-2013-0017 Kessel M., K. (2011). Sarbanes-Oxley over burdens biotech companies. Lahti, C., Peterson, R. (2005). Sarbanes-Oxley. Rockland, MA: Syngress Pub. Mesa Graziano, C. (2003). Best practices of Sarbanes-Oxley implementation. Florham Park, N.J.: Financial Executives Research Foundation. NAWA, K. (2007). Sequestered science and SOX Act for scientific research. Journal Of Information Processing And Management, 50(6), 367-368. doi:10.1241/johokanri.50.367 Orin, R.M, O. (2008). Ethical guidance and constraint under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Sherman, W., Chambers, V. (2009). SOX as Safeguard and Signal: The Impact of The Sarbanesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Oxley Act of 2002 on US Corporations Choice to List Abroad. Multinational Business Review,17(3), 163-180. doi:10.1108/1525383x200900022Valentin Dijksman, L., Chiche, F. (2000). Worldcom. Paris: Eurostaf.