The Handmaids tale Essay Example for Free

The Handmaids tale Essay Moreover, Offred is constantly looking for a way out, as she is hopeful that there is a resistance fighting back. She refers to this in one of her many daydreams, where she hopes for her husband, who disappeared during the overtake: â€Å"He made contact with the others; there must be a resistance, a government in exile. Someone must be out there, taking care of things. I believe in the resistance, I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather no shadow unless there is also light. † (Atwood 130) Though she does not know anything for certain, the thought of him, her husband, fighting back and the hope that she may one day join him and the others – combined with her rebellious actions gives Offred strength to move forward with her life. Very much also a non- conformist is Offred’s long lost friend Moira. Moira was also forced into the role of a Handmaid; though, after a short period of time she became lethargic and, through a faking an illness, snuck out of the household that she had been staying at and found herself at Jezebels (an illegal strip club). Moira found her drive in becoming her own person, very unique from the conformed people, especially women that the government created. She was a powerful female character who stood up for herself and did what she had to, to get her way: Moira had power now, shed been set loose, shed set herself loose. She was now a loose woman. (Atwood 167) Moira goes against all norms, breaks free from the conformity and overall, participates in illegal activity – all in order to look for resistance and show that she is not owned by anyone, officially, or not. These two women, Offred and Moira, do not follow the conformity placed upon them; instead, they fight back, and from there gain willpower to stay happy and to push forward into situations that have the potential to make a difference in society, not only for themselves but also for the people around them. Atwood’s portrayal of both conformists and non-conformists serves as a commentary of women’s role in society. By contrasting the two types of characters, Atwood demonstrates the differences women are able to make in society if they oppose the conformist pressures of the male dominated world. In the novel, as discussed earlier, both the aunts and the wives are conformists; Atwood does not even give them personal names – they are usually referred to as a whole, with no distinctive characteristics. These women are dismissed as little more than bystanders, as they do not make their own decisions or stand up for their beliefs; instead, they merely go along with what others tell them. Contrary to these women are Offred and Moira, the non-conformist characters. These women are not afraid to take charge and fight against what is being forced upon them as ‘right. ’ In their roles, Offred and Moira are making, or attempting to make, a difference in their society by standing up for their morals and opinions. This therefore makes them strong female characters. Ultimately, it is not clear whether or not Offred is successful in finding the resistance; but, unlike the women who conformed, Offred at least attempted to make changes in her life so that she could be happy. Atwood thus uses the contrast between the conformist and non-conformist characters to demonstrate the effects of following the rules and the effects of going against them. The Handmaid’s Tale serves as a commentary about the role of women in society and the chances that they have to make a difference. Atwood’s overall theme is that women need to stand up for themselves in order to be happy and be in control of their lives. Works Consulted: Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaids Tale. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1986. Print. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Margaret Atwood section.

Time Devices :: essays research papers

Definition of "'Time"': Term used to describe how long it takes to an event to occur. Time is used to classify events to "Events that happened" and "Events that will happen". It seems that time passes in the same pattern, and that time is equal to all but the "Theory of Relativity" proves otherwise. "Time is a relative thing" according to Einstein, which came out with the theory of Relativity. History of time: Records of time keeping are found 25,000 years ago, but of course, they weren't as accurate as now a days. Man used nature to indicate time e.g. Full Moons. It is widely suggested today that time was kept in a "Calendar"' way. This means that they divided the time into big units and could only tell the time in specific occasions. e.g. a normal person, 20,000 years ago couldn't tell his partner the time at any given period. He had to wait that the moon would go full, or the sun will dawn, or by looking at the stars, etc. They almost couldn't describe when in the future, a thing is to happen. They would say something like "In 2 full moons and a high sun we'll go hunting". He couldn't tell exactly in how many hours or minutes things will happen because as I said before Nature was his time keeper + The term "Seconds", "'Minutes, "Hours", etc, didn't exist back then. As mankind evolved, better ways to keep track of time were found. Man invented more and more devices as he evolved, and some of these devices are listed in the next section: Clocks: A time device used to keep track of the passing time. A clock must have 2 basic components: 1. Power Source 2. A "Release Power" source. Up till the beginning of the 1800's, sun clocks were the leading time devices worldwide. During the 14th century, the Italian Donadi family were the first to draw numbers on those sun clocks. The invention of the spring for clocks during the 16th century and the pendulum in 1671 were the first steps toward the replacement of the sun clocks with mechanical clocks. The hand clock (watch) was invented by A French Company named Berege back at 1810. During the 1800's a drastic advancement has occurred in mechanical clocks with the invention of the naval time keeper which is used up till today by sailors to find their position in an area.

Community Assessment and Analysis Essay

Yuma Community Of all the problems faced by Yuma community, along with the state ranking for teen births, the community also takes third place. (County Health Rankings, 2012). Programs that will help to educate teens on the importance of using birth control in order to stop undesirable pregnancies are a rising need within the community. Additional health problems for this community include obesity in the adolescent population; in 2005, the Yuma community had approximately thirty six percent of its adolescent in obese category, comparing to twenty nine percent in the entire state. (Centers for Disease Control, 2005). In the state The Steps program steered by the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care Centers, targeted five communities and over 2,200 children mostly decreasing sugary drinks, cumulative fiber intake and wholegrain foods. The state of Arizona as a whole is facing another larger issue in the Vaccination rate. World Health Organization mandates 95% of vaccination rate for the entire population. The rate of vaccination set by the state is 90% and the current rate of the State is 70%, which far below the target goal and is alarming. (Arizona Department of Health Service, 2011). Arizona Republic magazine reports that, I the upper and middle class one of the reason for non-compliance with immunization is fear of causing Autism. If given opportunity, the lower class families seem to show better compliance with immunization when cost factor is elicited (Alitucker, 2011). Location and climate play an important role in the health issues of this community. Mexico and California are the two borders of Yuma community. The economy and budget gets divided among law enforcement and Border patrol. The increasing crime rate requires the state to contribute a major part of its budget towards law enforcement and protection of its citizens, which takes a down toll on the availability of the public health res ources initiation. A health initiative, to utilize funding ,such as to ensure free water supply to all the community could benefit to elicit problems related to Dehydration in this desert climate. Educational status is another concern of this community. Hispanic population accounts for sixty percent. High rate of drop outs from school is considered to be related to language barrier. Education can play a vital role in enabling the community to critically to acknowledge problems and to find remedies to stay healthy as a community. Yuma Community can benefit from added funding to support and to maintain programs to stay healthy as a community. With the limited funding, community is able to assist with citizens with housing, health insurance including dental coverage in the community (Need Help Paying Bills, 2011). Yuma community cannot be considered totally poor, because the community consists of one main acute care hospital and two smaller hospitals inside a sixty mile distance. But the lack of Medical specialty such as Cardiac surgeries or those require high skilled treatments are not easily available within the community. The nearest specialty hospitals for children and adults are in Phoenix. Fatal accidents accounts as first reason for the higher death rate in the community. In 2007, the total death rate for the city of Yuma is higher than the state average in total, directing to fatal accidents as the source (Yuma, AZ, 2012). The functional health assessment of Yuma community, we have learned that there are many problems that can be considered in the County. Some of the key problems prominent are high rates of obesity, alcoholism, drug addiction, and teen pregnancy. Though the total obesity rates are close to national average, the statistics show that County has a much higher rate of adults that do not exercise. In order to care for the mental health needs of the community, the County has six addiction treatment centers. The suicide rate remains high even with the availability of mental health service within the community. There are two military bases to serve the community. The increased poverty rate is believed to be the reason for higher addiction rate. Yuma is the eleventh largest city in the state, but they have the third highest rate of teen births. There are several facilities in the county to assist socially with issues related to parenting; poverty, and employment, addition of more funding and facilities can be helpful to the community, to rebuild a healthier community. Even with all of these problems, several people are proud to call Yuma County their home. The friendship felt within the communities such as a military social function, the local bar, at the river, or out on the ridges leads many people to find a pleasant and happy life here. There are plenty of resources to help the population discover the services they require, and to enjoy a cleaner and healthier environment. With an added focus on the health issues, Yuma community can stay healthy and happy. Sleep and rest. The sleep habit of the people in Yuma is mostly uninterrupted. Most of them are sleeping 6-8 hrs at night. Going to bed At 10 pm and waking at 0600.There are full time workers with 12 hour and 8 hour schedules. Some of the members are doing the part time work, some are doing voluntary work. Some of the older population states that very seldom they use sleeping pills to promote sleep. Few of the ladies have the habit of drinking, hot milk before going to bed, limited number of ladies have the habit of drinking wine before sleep. Some of the adult populations have sleep apnea problems. Sound sleep indicates sound health of mind and body. Cognitive/Perceptual The primary language for this community is English. Increasing numbers of older adults have access to and are knowledgeable about computers. They are well educated and most of them are well employed. No communication barriers noted among this group. Libraries and internet facilities are available in the community for the members use. Most of the older people using glasses for the visual impairment and few of them were using hearing aid for the auditory impairment. The people go to the community college for short term career goals. It was interesting to note that some of the older people are continuing education. Self-Perception/Self-Concept Yuma city population consist of 29.6% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. Agriculture is a major industry in Yuma, topping Arizona counties in agricultural sales. In addition, Yuma County also houses the US Marine Corps Air Station and US Army Yuma Proving Grounds are located near Yuma City. Yuma County is thus characterized by large transient populations, as it is a temporary place of residence for agricultural migrant workers, winter residents and military personnel. With the beginning of the winter growing season in October, the county has a large influx of migrant farm workers and winter residents. In 2008, Yuma County was a temporary home to 41,314 migrant and agricultural workers and to 12,600 winter residents (Yuma Special Area Statistical Profile-2008). Hunting is a popular sport, as the county offers a variety of different types of game. Fun, Friendship, Freedom and fulfillment are the mission of Yuma County. The members are bound together by these missions. Some of the major attractions in Yuma County are the historical Territorial Prison, the Yuma Crossing Historic Park. Other great places to visit are the Kofa Mountain Range and Wildlife Refuge, and Martinez and Mittry Lakes. Sexuality/Reproductive The people in Yuma County believe that teen pregnancy and/or STDs are a major health issue in Yuma County. Youth and teens are most affected along with Hispanics and Native Americans. Compared to the 2010 health targets, however, Yuma County falls short in reducing teen pregnancy among 15-17 year olds, prenatal care, low birth weight, and fetal/infant death. The family environment was mentioned as a factor contributing to negative health outcomes stemming from the breakdown of the family. One interview respondent felt that â€Å"children do not have a sense of self-worth or self-esteem and are no longer being nourished; only sustained.† Interview respondents felt that parents do not have time for their children and there is a lack of communication between parents and children. Further, they felt parents are not involved or are not educated on how to take care of their children’s health. Most of the members are having annual physical checkup with mammogram and Pap smear. Community awareness program including the transmission and prevention of STD/ HIV / AIDS are being held in the community. Coping/Stress An important aspect of healthy ageing is the ability to cope with and adapt to life conditions and transitions. Participation in social activity helps the Yuma county people to cope with transitory, acute and chronic stressors in their lives. The accumulation of chronic health conditions can negatively affect psychological wellbeing and quality of life. In addition to health-related stressors, the death of a spouse is often a challenging loss for older population. Related to this, social isolation, loneliness and loss of social support systems may be additional stressors in older people’s lives that affect psychological wellbeing. There is evidence that both personal attributes and social resources influence the perceived severity of a stressor, and also the types of coping strategies that older women use to manage these stressors. The Yuma county members managing stress with multiple ways. Reference Best Places. (2012). People in Yuma County, Arizona. Retrieved November 29, 2012, from http://www.bestplaces.net/people/county/arizona/Yuma Centers for Disease Control. (2005). Teen obesity statistics. Retrieved November 27, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov Child, youth, and school services. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.yumamwr.com/cys.html City of Yuma. (2012). Parks and recreations. Retrieved November 22, 2012, from http://www.ci.yuma.az.us/1357.htm County Health Rankings. (2012). Yuma, Arizona teen birth rates. Retrieved from http://m.countyhealthrankings.org/node/246/14

Oranges and Fair Trade Essay

In both poems â€Å"Oranges† and â€Å"Fair Trade† by Gary Soto, the author explores the recurring theme of compassion and pride. Both poems have several ways to show the theme. The poem â€Å"Oranges† is about young love and knowing how it once felt. At the beginning of the poem, I get the sense that the boy is a little apprehensive in meeting his girl as he states, â€Å"Cold and weighted down / with two oranges in my jacket. † Certainly two oranges aren’t going to weigh anyone down, therefore the image described must be the nervousness along with the anticipation of seeing meeting her. As I walked toward / her house, the one whose / porch light burned yellow / night and day, in any weather,† tells me about his burning passion for her. â€Å"She came out pulling / at her gloves, face bright / with rouge,† tells me that she is also excited to see him and that she is either blushing or has applied some makeup in the manner a young inexperienced woman would. As she comes out of her house, some of that nervousness exits him because he smiles and even has the courage to touch her shoulder. The line about the â€Å"used car lot† and â€Å"newly planted trees† is imagery about his reality and what kind of life he lives. As they enter into the drugstore and look at the candies, the boy is probably feeling for the first time a sense of maturity as he asks her what she wanted; because he’s able to buy her something. â€Å"The lady’s eyes met mine, / and held them, knowing / very well what it was all / about. † The imagery here provides some tension for the reader: â€Å"Will the boy ask the girl to change her selection? Will the saleslady demand cash or no sale? Although his courage is impressive, the risk was also a safe and intelligent bet: If the saleslady had refused to honor his orange for payment, he would still have the two oranges to share with the girl on their way home. The oranges give the narrator â€Å"weight† and importance, and then they became a medium of exchange used to buy the candy. â€Å"I took my girl’s hand / in mine for two blocks,† The boy’s reference to the girl as â€Å"my girl,† shows that he now feels in control. The boy proves himself and impresses the girl, which was the goal in the first place, and he is rewarded for his bravery by being allowed to hold her hand on the walk home. As the narrator describes â€Å"I peeled my orange / that was so bright against / the gray of December / that, from some distance, / someone might have thought / I was making a fire in my hands,† symbolizes the new energy of confidence he has in himself, as well as his increased affection for his girl. As a result, the imagery in this poem reflects the boy’s struggle in life from adolescence to adulthood. The poem â€Å"Fair Trade† is about money, pride, and sympathy. The title gave off an aura of sarcasm as he states, â€Å"she said, â€Å"Dollar thirty,† / I thought, No meat or butter. It wasn’t really a fair trade, because a dollar thirty for two slices of bread is quite expensive at his time. Neither did the waitress offered meat nor butter. â€Å"The man / hesitated, then fumbled for / coins from his pocket,† tells me that the man is poor, because he wouldn’t have been taken aback if he have lots of cash. Only the narrator sympathize the Mexican man as he states, â€Å"I stabbed the carrots, / hurting for this man. † I conclude that the bread may not have satisfied the man because he didn’t leave anything on his plate. At the end of the poem, the narrator tells us that the experience had left him a mark, that he wouldn’t forget the memory of that day. The images of the poem reflect the Mexican man’s pride and the narrator’s compassion towards him. Both poems teach us the same lesson; â€Å"Compassion comes from seeing others struggle. † The poems’ similarities are that they both have people who show sympathetic pity and concern to others. In the poem â€Å"Oranges,† the narrator describes compassion by his own experience, how pride affected him. On the other hand, the poem â€Å"Fair Trade,† describes the narrator’s interpretation of pride.

Joseph Winters and the Fire Escape Ladder

Joseph Winters and the Fire Escape Ladder On May 7, 1878, the fire escape ladder was patented by Joseph Winters. Joseph Winters invented a wagon-mounted fire escape ladder for the city of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A historic marker was placed in 2005 at the Junior Hose and Truck Company #2 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania noting Winters patents for the fire escape ladder and hose conductor and his work on the Underground Railway. It lists his dates of birth and death as 1816-1916. Life of Joseph Winters There are at least three different, widely varying birth years given for Joseph Winters, from 1816 to 1830 by various sources. His mother was Shawnee and his father, James, was a black brickmaker who worked at Harpers Ferry to build the federal gun factory and arsenal. The familys tradition said that his father was also descended Powhatan chief  Opechancanough. Joseph was raised by his grandmother Betsy Cross in Waterford, Virginia, where she was known as the Indian Doctor woman, a herbalist and healer. His later knowledge of nature may have stemmed from this time. At that time there were free black families in the area and Quakers who were active abolitionists. Winters used the nickname Indian Dick in his publications. Joseph also later worked at Harpers Ferry sanding brick molds before the family moved to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. In Chambersburg, he was active in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom. In Winters  autobiography, he claimed to have arranged the meeting between Frederick Douglass and abolitionist John Brown at the quarry in Chambersburg before the historic Harpers Ferry raid. Douglasss autobiography credits a different person, local barber Henry Watson. Winters wrote a song, Ten Days After the Battle of Gettysburg, and also used that as the title for his lost autobiography. He also wrote a campaign song for presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, who lost to William McKinley. He was noted for hunting, fishing, and fly-tying. He engaged in oil prospecting in the Chambersburg area but his wells only hit the water. He died in 1916 and is buried in Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Chambersburg. Fire Ladder Inventions of Joseph Winters Buildings were being built taller and taller in American cities in the late 19th century. Fire crews at that time carried ladders on their horse-drawn fire engines. These were usually normal ladders, and they couldnt be too long or the engine wouldnt be able to turn corners into narrow streets or alleys. These ladders were used to evacuate residents from burning buildings as well as to give the firemen and their hoses access. Winters thought it would be smarter to have the ladder mounted on the fire engine and be articulated so it could be raised up from the wagon itself. He made this folding design for the city of Chambersburg and received a patent for it. He later patented improvements to this design. In 1882 he patented a fire escape that could be attached to buildings. He reportedly received much praise but little money for his inventions. Fire Ladder Patents US patent #203,517 Improvement in fire-escape ladders, granted on May 7, 1878.US patent #214,224 Improvement in fire-escape ladders, granted on April 8, 1879.US patent #258186 Fire escape, granted on May 16, 1882.

Jomon Culture Hunter Gatherers of Japan

Jomon Culture Hunter Gatherers of Japan Jomon is the name of the early Holocene period hunter-gatherers of Japan, beginning about 14,000 B.C.E. and ending about 1000 B.C.E. in southwestern Japan and 500 C.E. in northeastern Japan. The Jomon made stone and bone tools, and pottery beginning at a few sites as early as 15,500 years ago. The word Jomon means cord pattern, and it refers to the cord-marked impressions seen on Jomon pottery. Jomon Chronology Incipient Jomon (14,000–8000 B.C.E.) (Fukui Cave, Odai Yamamoto I)Initial Jomon (8000–4800 B.C.E.) (Natsushima)Early Jomon (ca 4800–3000 B.C.E.) (Hamanasuno, Tochibara Rockshelter, Sannai Maruyama, Torihama Shell Mound)Middle Jomon (ca 3000–2000 B.C.E.) (Sannai Maruyama, Usujiri)Late Jomon (ca. 2000–1000 B.C.E.) (Hamanaka 2)Final (1000–100 B.C.E.) (Kamegaoka)Epi-Jomon (100 B.C.E.–500 C.E.) (Sapporo Eki Kita-Guchi) The Early and Middle Jomon lived in hamlets or villages of semi-subterranean pit houses, excavated up to about one meter into the earth. By the late Jomon period and perhaps as a response to climate change and a lowering of sea levels, the Jomon moved into fewer villages sited mainly on the coastlines and there relied increasingly on river and ocean fishing, and shellfish. The Jomon diet was based on a mixed economy of hunting, gathering, and fishing, with some evidence for gardens with millet, and possibly gourd, buckwheat, and azuki bean. Jomon Pottery The earliest pottery forms of the Jomon were low-fired, round and pointed-based forms, created during the Initial period. Flat-based pottery characterized the Early Jomon period. Cylindrical pots are characteristic of northeastern Japan, and similar styles are known from mainland China, which may or may not suggest direct contact. By the Middle Jomon period, a variety of jars, bowls, and other vessels were in use. The Jomon have been the focus of much debate concerning the invention of pottery. Scholars today debate whether pottery was a local invention or diffused from the mainland; by 12,000 B.C.E. low-fired pottery was in use throughout East Asia. Fukui Cave has radiocarbon dates ca. 15,800–14,200 calibrated years BP on associated charcoal, but Xianrendong Cave in mainland China so far holds the oldest pottery vessels discovered on the planet, by perhaps a thousand years or so. Other sites such as Odai Yamomoto in Aomori prefecture have been found to date the same period as Fukui Cave, or somewhat older. Jomon Burials and Earthworks Jomon earthworks are noted by end of the Late Jomon period, consisting of stone circles around cemetery plots, such as at Ohyo. Circular spaces with earthen walls up to several meters high and up to 10 meters (30.5 feet) thick at the base were built at several sites such as Chitose. These burials were often layered with red ochre and were accompanied by polished stone staffs which may represent rank. By the Late Jomon period, evidence for ritual activities is noted at sites by elaborate grave goods such as masks with goggle eyes and anthropomorphic figurines accompanying burials placed in ceramic pots. By the Final period, farming of barley, wheat, millet, and hemp developed, and the Jomon lifestyle diminished all over the region by 500 C.E. Scholars debate whether the Jomon were related to the modern Ainu hunter-gatherers of Japan. Genetic studies suggest that they are likely biologically related to the Jomon, but the Jomon culture is not expressed within modern Ainu practices. The known archaeological correlate of the Ainu is called the Satsumon culture, who are believed to have displaced the epi-Jomon about 500 C.E.; Satsumon may be a descendant of the Jomon rather than a replacement. Important Sites Sannai Maruyama, Fukui Cave, Usujiri, Chitose, Ohyu, Kamegaoka, Natsushima, Hamanasuno, Ocharasenai. Sources Craig OE, Saul H, Lucquin A, Nishida Y, Tache K, Clarke L, Thompson AH, Altoft DT, Uchiyama J, Ajimoto M et al. 2013. Earliest evidence for the use of pottery. Nature 496(7445):351-354.Crawford GW. 2011. Advances in Understanding Early Agriculture in Japan. Current Anthropology 52(S4):S331-S345.Crema ER, and Nishino M. 2012. Spatio-temporal distributions of Middle to Late Jomon pithouses in Oyumino, Chiba (Japan). Journal of Open Archaeology Data 1(2).Ikeya N. 2017. Group migration and cultural change following the Akahoya volcanic ashfall: Identifying the pottery production centers at the beginning of the Early Jomon period of Japan. Quaternary International 442(Part B):23-32.Moriya T. 2015. A Study of the Utilization of Wood to Build Pit Dwellings from the Epi-Jomon Culture to the Satsumon Culture in Hokkaido Region, Japan. Journal of the Graduate School of Letters 10:71-85.Nakazawa Y. 2016. The significance of obsidian hydration dating in assessing the integrity of Holocene midden , Hokkaido, northern Japan. Quaternary International 397:474-483.

The Impact of Transportation on the Environment Essay

The Impact of Transportation on the Environment - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  the impact of the transportation industry on the environment can be classified into three categories such as direct impact, indirect impact and cumulative impact. Direct impact deals with immediate consequences of transportation activities on the environment where the cause and effect relationship is clearly specified or explained. Indirect impact explains the secondary   impact or effect of the transportation activities on the environment.This essay discusses that  the consequences of the indirect impact are higher as compared to the consequences of direct impact of transportation on the environment but the relationship between the direct and the indirect impact of the transportation on the environment is difficult to establish. Cumulative impact can be considered as the multiplicative, additive or synergic consequences of transportation activities on the environment. The cumulative impacts take into consideration the varied or different impac ts of the transportation on the ecosystem which are generally unpredictable in nature.   The transportation industry selected for discussion in this paper is trucking industry.   The trucking industry is often subsidized by public sector especially through the maintenance and construction of road infrastructure which is generally free of access. In developed countries the environmental regulations have been imposed by the government to reduce the emission of individual vehicles.