Scarlet Letter Analysis Free Essays

Kelsey Federspill Scarlet Letter Literary Analysis R5 12. 2. 12 Over Coming Guilt Remorse is a feeling experienced after committing an act that produces a sense of guilt. We will write a custom essay sample on Scarlet Letter Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now A life lesson can be learned in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, about the theme of guilt. Everyone experiences guilt when they commit a sin or human frailty but the way one handles the feelings of guilt is different. Guilt is expressed in three main ways: ignoring or hiding the sin and letting the guilt build up on the inside, blaming others for the sin and wanting revenge for the way the person feels, and embracing the sin committed and not releasing the guilt. The different ways guilt is experienced determines the way it is punished: by others or no one at all. But punishment for the sin doesn’t always affect the amount of guilt felt by one. Hawthorne uses symbolism and irony to demonstrate that guilt should not take over one’s life, rather it should be a lesson learned of embracement, forgiveness, and acceptance. In The Scarlet Letter, the character Hester Prynne is well known for the scarlet letter that she was forced to wear. Prynne embraced the punishment of the scarlet letter and used the punishment in a unique way, â€Å"On the breast of her gown in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A† (37). The letter ‘A’ represented the sin of adultery that Prynne had committed. The community choose this form of punishment for Prynne to make her feel guilty for the act of adultery she committed and used it as an example to the rest of the community. As Prynne egresses from prison Hawthorne describes the scene, â€Å"the scene was not without a mixture of awe, such as must always invest the spectacle of guilt and shame in a fellow-creature† (39). Prynne chooses to embrace the scarlet letter rather than let the feeling of guilt take over her life because she desired to set a good example for her daughter, Pearl. She was able to embrace her sin and the scarlet letter because she was working to set an example for her daughter. It was ironic how the community tried to force guilt on to Prynne, but in return she embraced the punishment in full stride and even used it to purify herself, â€Å"Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of her guilt, and her should be the scene of her punishment; and so, perchance, the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saint-like, because the result of martyrdom† (55). When the town people saw Prynne as she exited the prison, people said, â€Å"thus she will be a living sermon against sin† (44). The town people would always be reminded of her sin. Prynne did not let the guilt of her sin produce a major impact on her life. Rather she accepted her transgression and learned the importance of not letting her past mistakes and guilt negatively affect her future. Rosebushes are full of beauty but pain can be inflicted on someone who tries to hold it due to the rosebush’s sharp thorns. When Hawthorne depicts the town he describes the rosebush on the side of the prison, â€Å"but, on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rosebush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of nature could pity and be kind to him† (33). The rosebush symbolizes forgiveness from guilt throughout The Scarlet Letter. Pearl, Prynne’s daughter, was visiting the governor’s hall with her mother one day to deliver a pair of embroider gloves Prynne had made. While at the governor’s house, Pearl saw a rosebush and reacted in an unusual way, â€Å"Pearl, seeing the rosebushes, began to cry for a red rose, and would not be pacified,† (73). Pearl responded with this meltdown because she wanted forgiveness for her mother and for her father, Reverend Dimmesdale, to be accepted by the community. Pearl felt guilty but blamed it on others. She was seeking revenge on the townspeople for the way they made her mother feel. The irony of the rosebush is how it hurt Prynne, Pearl, and Dimmesdale, like the thorns on a rosebush when touched. In the end the family moved out of their community attempting to not let the mistakes of the past take over their present lives. Ultimately, they choose a fresh start. Pearl was a product of Prynne’s sin of adultery. Pearl’s birth was very humiliating for Prynne; nevertheless Pearl still meant the world to Prynne. Pearl’s name even has significance, â€Å"but she names the infant ‘Pearl,’ as being of great price,– purchased with all she had,– her mother’s only treasure† (61). The biblical allusion to the pearl is referred to in Matthew 13 about a parable of a man who gave up everything for a pearl of great price. Prynne gave up everything she had for her daughter. She even dresses Pearl in the best clothes, while she dresses very poorly. To Prynne, Pearl was a symbol of strength and overcoming obstacles. Prynne said, â€Å"I can teach my little Pearl what I have learned from this [the scarlet letter],† (76). Prynne is a great example and life lesson to Pearl of how to accept the mistakes made in the past and not let the shame define oneself. Prynne uses Pearl to show how tough a young child can be. On the other hand, the town viewed Pearl as the devil child: evil. The town discussed Pearl as, â€Å"an imp of evil, emblem and product of sin,† (64) and, â€Å"poor little Pearl was a demon offspring,† (68). Pearl herself is truly a symbol of ignorance and hope. Hawthorne described an occurrence of Pearl talking to Mr. Wilson, a pastor, â€Å"after putting her finger in her mouth, with many ungracious refusals to answer good Mr. Wilson’s question, the child finally announced that she had not been made at all, but had been plucked by her mother off the rosebush of wild roses, that grew by the prison,† (76). Pearl believed she was created for good and had an optimistic attitude on life. She did not let guilt become an emotion known in her. Pearl did not let the past effect her future. In conclusion, life lessons were learned about embracement, forgiveness, and acceptance from guilt with the use of symbolism and irony from Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter. The different ways guilt can be handled was demonstrated in The Scarlet Letter, but not letting guilt take over one’s life was key. Moving on and learning from a sin or human frailty is significant and something everyone can learn from. How to cite Scarlet Letter Analysis, Essay examples

What is a Hero Essay Example For Students

What is a Hero? Essay Every person hears the word hero many times in one’s life. People usually call â€Å"hero† a war veteran that fought in the war for the independence of a nation. Also, the word â€Å"hero† is often prescribed to policemen who save civilians from dangerous criminals. At the same time, a person may call â€Å"hero† an ordinary person who helps one in the time of need. Needless to say, when one hears the word hero, her or she will automatically associate it with a sense of respect. However, the questions are: What is the line between a true hero and â€Å"hero† in a figurative meaning? What is the definition of a hero? How can a person be a hero? And do heroes exist in real life? Outline1 What is the definition of a hero?2 Types of heroes3 Qualities of heroes4 How to become a true hero? What is the definition of a hero? In the most general sense, a hero is a person who is ready to sacrifice personal interests and wants to reform the world. He or she will never think about oneself but, contrary to it, will always prioritize the needs of others. In many aspects, heroes are just ordinary people. The only one thing that differentiates them is their goal in life. Most people have a purpose of buying a car, earn more money than others, have a cottage near the sea, or become a celebrity with millions of followers on popular social media. However, heroes have only one main goal in their lives–to exist for the sake of others. Heroes never do something for their goodness. Only through the eyes of heroes may be seen the essence of human existence the problems of the contemporary society, sufferings of all kinds, worldwide diseases and ecological issues. A good hero will not only sympathize a problem but will do one’s best to ease one’s pain and improve the situation. Many people used to think that the term â€Å"antihero† is an antonym of â€Å"hero.† Nevertheless, in some aspects, an antihero is more a kind of hero who also possesses bravery and wants to reform the world. This term may be used for a person who has some problems with the law or is immoral from the viewpoint of society. Nevertheless, antihero’s intentions are often honest and he or she also sincerely tries to solve a particular problem. The term that may be considered an opposite word to â€Å"hero† is â€Å"idol.† All idols want nothing else in this life but to get worldwide recognition, respect, and love. Idol is a person who attracts masses and subconsciously wants to become superior others. Therefore, â€Å"idol† is usually used in context with the word â€Å"hero† to add contrast. Types of heroes In general terms, all heroes may be divided into two broad categories–real-life heroes and literary heroes. As far as real-life heroes are concerned, to this category belong those soldiers, policemen, firemen, social activists, and the representatives of other professions and segments of society who demonstrate their courage and risk their lives just to save the life of others, even if a person is unknown to them. All of them are ordinary people with a different purpose in life aimed at saving humanity. As far as literary heroes are concerned, this group includes the popular characters from books, myths, popular movies, and other sources. They usually become role models for people. It happens their life stories are taken from real-life examples. Nevertheless, in most cases, they are imaginative characters, and the most characteristics of a tragic hero represent idealized representation of human traits. Although, there are such sub  types as a tragic hero and an epic hero. .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 , .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .postImageUrl , .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 , .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052:hover , .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052:visited , .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052:active { border:0!important; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 { 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; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052:active , .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .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; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052 .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc28fcc4f147c79f86aab164dd6f53052:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Dress Code EssayQualities of heroes Self-sacrifice. First of all, the notion of heroism is directly connected with the idea of self-sacrifice. Sacrifice means the willingness to give up something valuable, maybe even one’s life, for the sake of ideas or the happiness of others. In ancient times, people sacrificed even human lives recognizing their duty to the world of the spirits, gods or nature.   All great heroes, such as Martin Luther King or Gandhi, sacrificed their lives for their beliefs. The strength of spirit. True heroes also possess great strength of spirit. At the heart of each heroic story is the death resistance, even if the hero does not face the risk of dying. There must still be a threat, at least a symbolic death. He or she enters a dangerous game and teaches everyone how to resist death. In most cases, heroes stay alive and defeat the death. However, even dying, they do it for the sake of a just cause, a noble ideal or the happiness of humans. One of the heroes who had a great spirit was Dangerfield. In fact, no matter what challenges he faced, Dangerfield persevered his identity through them all. Also, intelligence and mindfulness are other important traits of heroes. He or she not only overcomes difficulties and achieves goals but also gets endlessly new knowledge and becomes wiser. He or she becomes a mentor to other people, showing them the right solution to a situation. Every hero is also a very responsible person. In the moment of greatest danger, he or she should not only demonstrate bravery but also always hold one’s destiny in one’s own hands. Every hero should perform decisive actions that imply the need to take risks and responsibility. Besides, when one makes a particular mistake, he or she will never blame others for this. The willingness to take a risk. Also, the willingness to take a risk belongs to characteristics of a hero. True heroism may be seen when a person risks to face not only defeat or loss, but also the death. Like soldiers who volunteer to fight for a cause, agreeing to die far away from their homeland. How to become a true hero? If a person thinks whether he or she can be a hero, there exists an opinion that it is merely impossible to become a hero. In fact, true heroes are born with innate features such as unselfishness, courage, and a strong spirit. Millions of people experience the feeling of fear when they are confronted with danger. At this point, their body produces a large amount of stress hormone. However, some people who may be called potential heroes, have a different reaction to danger. They are not familiar with the feeling of fear and, at the moment of danger, they stay calm. Therefore, only those people who possess the features mentioned above from the very childhood can be a hero.

Counseling And Psycotherapy Essays - Clinical Psychology

Counseling And Psycotherapy Differences Between Counseling and Psychotherapy Counseling Theories August 3, 1995 Running head: Coun. v. Psychotherapy Counseling v. psychotherapy is there a difference between the two? This paper will attempt to prove that there are several differences between counseling and psychotherapy. While counseling and psychotherapy have several different elements in each, the following information will also attempt to show the reader that there are some areas where the two overlap. At times this was a confusing topic to research. A fine line distinguishes the two topics and one must look hard to see this line. Definition of Counseling One survey taken by Gustad suggests a definition of counseling where he included three key elements. Counseling is a learning-oriented process, carried on in a simple, one to one social environment, in which a counselor, professionally competent in relevant psychological skills and knowledge, seeks to assist the client by methods appropriate to the latter's needs and within the context of the total personn el program, to learn more about himself, to learn how to put such understanding into effect in relation to more clearly perceived, realistically defined goals to the ` end that the client may become a happier and more productive member of his society (1957, p. 36). In lay terms counseling can be described as a face to face relationship, having goals to help a client to learn or acquire new skills which will enable them to cope and adjust to life situations. The focus is to help a person reach maximum fulfillment or potential, and to become fully functioning as a person. Definition of Psychotherapy Psychotherapy is the process inwhich a therapists assists the client in re-organizing his or her personality. The therapist also helps the client integrate insights into everyday behavior. Psychotherapy can be defined as more inclusive re-education of the individual (Brammer

All That Glitters is NOT Gold essays

All That Glitters is NOT Gold essays There were several themes associated with the novel Great Expectations. One of the most fascinating themes dealt with "infatuation and how it compares to and relates to love" ("Infatuation"). Infatuation is basically an obsession, or extravagant affection towards a person (Webster, 667). There is really no definite reason behind their passion, therefore this feeling is often short in duration and indicative of faulty judgement (Webster, 667). The person doesn't know what these feelings mean, this is normally why they mistake it for love. Love, on the other hand, is an intense affectionate concern for another person (Webster, 772). It is a more selfless and settled feeling. You can compare the difference between love and infatuation with the cliche "All that glitters is not gold", the glitter illusion being infatuation and the gold being love, the real thing. As a person grows and experiences their feelings with many other people, the distinction between love and infatuation b ecomes more clear. This is because the person can compare feelings they have experienced in the past, with their present feelings. In Great Expectations we see how Pip's infatuation for Estella is "short in duration" (Webster, 667), as most infatuations are. Despite the fact that Estella is arrogant and rude, Pip is not only infatuated with her beauty and wealth, but also almost envies it. In fact the humiliation Estella puts Pip through, causes Pip to feel very lowly of himself and the way he has been brought up. This causes Pip's expectations to change from expecting to be Joe's blacksmith apprentice, to studying to become a gentlemen noticed and admired by Estella. As years pass, Estella continues to play with Pip's heart, and Pip continues to unconditionally have feelings for her. Later, Estella marries a man named Bently Drummle, only causing Pip to, yet again, confess his love to Estella. Estella tells Pip "I know what you mean as form o...

Three Things I Can`t Live without Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Three Things I Can`t Live without - Essay Example Although they do not cost much, they are the invaluable resources in my life that fuel my passion to go on and help me to live my life so that I can bless others the way loved ones have blessed me. Walking out through the front door of my house every morning, I notice there’s one thing that I never have to check my pockets for to make sure I did not leave it behind – the love of my closest family and friends. No matter where I go, it is with me and can never be taken away. The indispensable love of my mother, Rebecca, is foremost in my heart. She has taught me how to love, how to endure, and how to selflessly care for others. Having born me when she was 15 and raising me without a husband, my mom never had it easy. She could have given up many times and let the gravity of her situation make her bitter and resentful, but she made the choice to love and persevere through the hard times. I often marveled at how she kept things together and loved me unconditionally despite all the heartache and trauma I dragged her through at times. The love of my grandparents is another treasure in my heart that strengthens me each day. My grandfather was a great man and like a dad t o me, as I hardly even know my real father. And it was my grandmother who taught me how to be strong. She was very firm and laid down the strict rules, as opposed to my grandfather, who was really a pushover. If I was not home by the time the streetlights turned on, I knew my grandmother was going to give me a very hard time. Also, a few of my friends who stuck with me through thick and thin showed me that love is not about what you can get out of someone but about what you can give. This tough but unconditional love that friends and family showed me through the years is by far my most cherished asset – one which I could never do without. The second thing I could never live without is my dignity.  

Drinking Water and Sanitation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Drinking Water and Sanitation - Research Paper Example The lack of safe drinking water has led to a number of diseases and deaths, especially among infants. A number of goals have been set over the years with various ten year milestones. These milestones have been beset with various challenges. However, there has been some amount of success. Various strategies including the promotion of breast-feeding to reduce mortality in infants have been used as a means of dealing with the effects of the problem. Introduction Drinking water and sanitation are two important factors in the lives of human beings. Water is required not only to drink but also for personal hygiene, the preparation of meals and to ensure that our surroundings are clean. Some people do not have access to piped water and therefore depend on other sources such as rivers and streams. This water is not treated and in a number of cases is exposed to various factors in the environment. Among these factors are the way we carry out various activities including disposal of industrial and household wastes. In addition to that, there is the problem of inadequate and improper sanitary conveniences which also have implications for the supply of safe water. Over the years a number of goals have been set. However, they have not been fully realized due to various challenges that affect these efforts. Previous Goals and Achievements The period 1981 – 1990 was designated as ‘The International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade’ by the United Nations (Cairncross 1992). During that period the aim was to increase the supply of water and hygienic toilets so that more people especially the poor could have access to these necessities (Cairncross 1992). A number of organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank were involved in this effort. Since then the drive for the improvement in the quality of life has continued as some of the targets were not achieved. In fact, Cairncross (1992) points out that a lot more needs to be done in order to facilitate efforts to make safe water and proper sanitation available to all people. Risk of Inadequate Drinking Water and Sanitation The problems that arise from inadequate drinking water and poor sanitation are far greater than the problems of war, terrorist attack and weapons of mass destruction but they receive less attention (Bartram et al, p. 810). The lack of proper sanitation and waste disposal facilities can lead to waterborne diseases including malaria, schistosomiasis and legionellosis (WHO). This is a serious problem as it results in the death of approximately 3900 children everyday and therefore threatens the achievement of the millennium development goals (MDGs) (Bartram et al 2005). The developing countries are more at risk as microbial organisms which cause diseases are normally found in drinking water in these areas (Ashbolt 2004). The situation is worst in places like Africa and Asia where a substantial portion of their people live in condit ions of extreme poverty. Sequelae and mortality are the result as the body becomes less capable of providing immunity against diseases that are endemic (Pond 2005). Diseases associated with the intestines are generally more severe because of the high levels of mal-nutrition as well as the non-existence of strategies in these countries to deal with these types of problems. The traditional methods of filtration and chlorination continue to be used. However, these are not 100% effective as there are some chlorine resistant pathogens (Ashbolt 2004). The Millennium Development Goals According to Bartram et al (2005) 40% of the world population does not have access to a pit latrine and almost 20% do not have access to

Internal Controls Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internal Controls - Assignment Example Cash is the most important asset of a company due the fact it can be used to pay for the purchases, payroll, and debt obligation of a firm (Deloitte). In the past I have been exposed to internal controls in the workplace. The section below discusses four experiences of mine with internal controls in the workplace. Example #1 A few years ago I worked for a company that had just been opened. The firm operated in a niche industry. I was selected during the first round of recruiting. The company promised its employees a $6 productivity bonus if the employees surpassed the daily production quota. A few months passed by and the bonus was never paid. The employee got angry and started to rebel against the firm. The absenteeism rate of the company increased. The human resource department implemented a new internal control to obtain real time data over the attendance of its employees. An electronic system was installed that would record the exact time the employee arrived, lunchtime breaks, a nd the employees exit. The employees were given a code of four digits that they would enter in the machine. The new internal control system backfired. The employees began to cheat by giving their secret number to another employee so that they would punch in for them. Sometimes the employees never went to work and got paid by letting somebody else enter their secret attendance code. It took the company several months to realize some of the employees were cheating. After this debacle the HR department took more serious measures to deal with the problem. They installed a new internal control measures that was safe proof. The new system made the employees punch into a machine that used their fingerprints to log in. Example #2 Three summers ago I got a chance to work with my uncle for a month. His employee was on vacation. My uncle owned a convenience store. He told me when I started working that he got robbed twice that year and he did not know what to do. He could not afford a security guard and he had gotten two quotations for security systems that costs over $1,500. He was having cash flow problems and did not have the money at the time. I decided to help my uncle. He needed an internal control system that was cheap and effective. I got him a used remote security camera system from eBay that allowed him to record all the video recording on his computer. He could view any of the cameras from his home at any time through the computer or smartphone. The system costs only $250. Example #3 In the past I used to work at a supermarket. The store had a lot of customers, thus it had 10 cashiers open at all times. Control of cash was vital to running the operation effectively. The managers used several internal controls measures to safeguard cash. One of them was that each cashier had to fill a short sales report at the end of the shift and count the cash. The cash was then taken to the manager’s office to put it in a safe. The safe was emptied three times per wee k and a carrier moved the cash from the store to the bank. Example #4 I used to work delivering pizzas. The pizzeria I worked for had some problems with employee not making deliveries and deliveries being late. The manager of the company decided to implement an internal control measure to resolve the problem. When a pizza was delivered the employee had to give the customer a ticked stub that had to sign by customer with the time that the pizza was delivere