Friday, January 31, 2020

Holes Essay Example for Free

Holes Essay Novels are extremely important part in people’s life. They teach us valuable lessons and provide an escape from the real world. Louis Sachar’s novel Holes, allows teenagers to feel for the characters and also allows them to relate to what character is going through. In the novel Holes, there are many characters that teenagers can relate to. One of these characters is Stanley. Stanley is the main character from the novel. When he first arrives at Camp Green Lake Stanley was bullied by the inmates and put in his place. He soon became friends with the inmates from group D. Everyone in group D had a nickname. Stanley had yet to get one but when he was called Caveman for the first time he finally felt that he was accepted into the group. â€Å" you coming caveman? Said squid. Stanley looked around to see that armpit and squid were talking to him†. Another character from the novel that teenagers can relate to is Zero. Zero is a small, shy character who Stanley becomes great friends with in the beginning of the novel. When Zero became friends with Stanley, the reader learnt that Zero is silent because he does not like answering questions because he is cautious of people like Mr. Pendanski, who always mock him. Teenagers can relate to this because they are always wary of what people think about them. Zero was called stupid and dull all the time which makes Zero angry but he can’t do anything about it because he is a lot smaller than the rest of the inmates. â€Å"He is so stupid he doesn’t even know he is stupid†. Zero represents an incompetent teenager that we can all relate to at some point in our life. Louis Sachar uses many themes in the novel Holes. One of these themes is friendship. The benefits of forming solid friendships are clearly shown in the text. Stanley and Zeros friendship leads to survival and wealth. Once Stanley became Zeros friend he feels happier than he has ever felt in his life. False friends who are only friendly when they are getting something they want, like X-Ray, are shown to be dangerous. Once X-Ray stops getting benefits out of his friendship with Stanley, he becomes hostile towards him. â€Å" Another very important theme from the novel is Bullying. Bullying is used throughout the novel, which helps teenagers feel and understand what the characters are going through. Bullying is the act upon a person or persons causing harm physically or mentally. This theme adds extra emotion to the novel. The two characters Zero and Stanley are used to generate an authentic and recognisable aspect in the book. Stanley and Zero bond throughout the text and Sachar modifies the language when they are present to relax the reader, so they can interpret the text in their own way this quote clearly describes the beginning of their friendship and allows the reader to warm up to the characters. Conclusion Louis Sachar uses all these techniques to create a fascinating novel that all teenagers can relate to. Sachar uses language techniques appropriately and it enhances the books attractiveness and makes teenagers continue to read the book

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Oedipus The King :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

The play begins with a request to Oedipus by the townspeople to rid Thebes of the plague, since he had so heroically solved the riddle of the Sphinx in the past. He sends Creon, his brother-in-law and uncle, to the oracles at Delphi. Creon returns with the cause for the plague; the murderer of the former King Laius was never punished for his crime. So Oedipus pledges himself to seek the killer and punish him as the gods wish.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oedipus summons the people of Thebes and demands that the killer, or whoever had knowledge of the killer, reveal himself. He threatens them with the punishment of banishment. Some members of the group suggest consulting Tiresias, the blind prophet. When he comes, he proves to be useless with his intransigent silence. So Oedipus accuses Tiresias of being an accomplice to the murderer, forcing him to speak. Tiresias then charges Oedipus of the murder, which infuriates him, and also preludes to his “shameful intimacy.';   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oedipus then draws upon his solving of the riddle of the Sphinx to undermine the blind prophet, convinced that he, in alliance with Creon, was plotting against him. Creon’s modest rebuttal consisted only of a threat to himself- that if Oedipus’ claim against him were true, then let him not live out the rest of his days. Later, in a conversation with Oedipus, he justifies his denial of the charge that Oedipus had placed against him by illustrating the irrelevance of attempting to dethrone the king. When Jocasta enters, she sides with Creon and respects his oath to the gods. But later, when Oedipus says the claim against him is based on prophecy, she reasons with him since she does not believe in prophetic power. She explains how the prophecy of Laius’ son killing him never came true. Then Oedipus realizes that it was he that had slain Laius and that there was a chance Tiresias was right after all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oedipus pursues his search for his origin through several occasions. A Corinthian messenger is the first. He is the one that was given Oedipus with ankles pinned and in turn gave him to Polybus. The messenger plays an important role in revealing this as well as the fact that Polybus and Merope were not Oedipus’ real parents.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Police scandals are an untallied cost of the drug war Essay

The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and even the Coast Guard have had to admit to corruption. The gravity of the police crimes is as disturbing as the volume. In New Orleans, a uniformed cop in league with a drug dealer has been convicted of murdering her partner and shop owners during a robbery committed while she was on patrol. In Washington, D. C. , and in Atlanta, cops in drug stings were arrested for stealing and taking bribes. New York State troopers falsified drug evidence that sent people to prison. And it is not just the rank and file. The former police chief of Detroit went to prison for stealing police drug-buy money. In a small New England town, the chief stole drugs from the evidence locker for his own use. And the DEA agent who arrested Panama’s General Noriega is in jail for stealing laundered drug money. The drug war is as lethal as it is corrupting. And the police and drug criminals are not the only casualties. An innocent 75-year-old African-American minister died of a heart attack struggling with Boston cops who were mistakenly arresting him because an informant had given them the wrong address. A rancher in Ventura County, California, was killed by a police SWAT team serving a search warrant in the mistaken belief that he was growing marijuana. In Los Angeles, a three-year-old girl died of gunshot wounds after her mother took a wrong turn into a street controlled by a drug-dealing gang. They fired on the car because it had invaded their marketplace. The violence comes from the competition for illegal profits among dealers, not from crazed drug users. Professor Milton Friedman has estimated that as many as 10,000 additional homicides a year are plausibly attributed to the drug war. Worse still, the drug war has become a race war in which non-whites are arrested and imprisoned at 4 to 5 times the rate whites are, even though most drug crimes are committed by whites. The Sentencing Research Project reports that one-third of black men are in jail or under penal supervision, largely because of drug arrests. The drug war has established thriving criminal enterprises which recruit teenagers into criminal careers. It was such issues that engaged law-enforcement leaders — most of them police chiefs — from fifty agencies during a two-day conference at the Hoover Institution in May 1995. Among the speakers was our colleague in this symposium, Mayor Kurt Schmoke, who told the group that he had visited a high school and asked the students if the high dropout rate was due to kids’ being hooked on drugs. He was told that the kids were dropping out because they were hooked on drug money, not drugs. He also told us that when he went to community meetings he would ask the audience three questions. 1) â€Å"Have we won the drug war? † People laughed. 2) â€Å"Are we winning the drug war? † People shook their heads. 3) â€Å"If we keep doing what we are doing will we have won the drug war in ten years? † The answer was a resounding No. At the end of the conference, the police participants completed an evaluation form. Ninety per cent voted no confidence in the war on drugs. They were unanimous in favoring more treatment and education over more arrests and prisons. They were unanimous in recommending a presidential blue-ribbon commission to evaluate the drug war and to explore alternative methods of drug control. In sum, the tough-minded law-enforcement officials took positions directly contrary to those of Congress and the President. One hopes that politicians will realize that no one can accuse them of being soft on drugs if they vote for changes suggested by many thoughtful people in law enforcement. If the politicians tone down their rhetoric it will permit police leaders to expose the costs of our present drug-control policies. Public opinion will then allow policy changes to decriminalize marijuana and stop the arrest of hundreds of thousands of people every year. The enormous savings can be used for what the public really wants — the prevention of violent crime.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

The Quran vs. The Bible Essay - 1047 Words

Why do people confuse Muslims and Christians for serving the same god if their books distinguish incompatible higher power characteristics? It is often hard to differentiate significant events in history, especially if they happened over two thousand years ago. Often times people confuse significant biblical events due to lack of education or preferential teachings. Both the Bible and the Quran claim to have been inspired by God; however, that would mean both conflicting religions are considered absolute truth. This would also conclude that both books were inspired by the same Messiah, even though the Quran and the Bible claim to have different high powers. Many questions arise from such topics, such as: can the Quran and the Bible both†¦show more content†¦The stories in the Quran, not just Cain and Abel, are thought be inserted into the story by Muhammad (Sahih International, Surah 5.31). There are also ethical differences between the Quran and the Bible, such as murder. T he Quran states, O Apostle! rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers: for these are a people without understanding (Sahih International, Surah 8.65). The bible, on the other hand states, â€Å"You must not murder† (New Living Translation, Exodus 20.13). Lastly, in the Bible, â€Å"...God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners† (New Living Translation, John 3.16; Romans 5.8). However, in the Quran, â€Å"Fight against those who fight against you in the way of Allah...† (Sahih International, Suras 2.190). There are hundreds of other examples that reveal conflicting ideas of the Quran and the Bible that prove the books hold opposing ethical standards and historical documentation, thus making the Messiah of the Muslim and the Messiah of the Christians different gods. The fa ct that Allah and God are two opposing Messiahs and reflect different moral and ethical standards shows how the inspirationShow MoreRelatedEssay on Bible vs. Quran1630 Words   |  7 Pagesa large white book with gold-tipped pages. On the cover, prominent gold letters display the words The Holy Bible. This extravagant Christian place of worship, located in St. Petersburg, Florida, shows the importance of religious establishments as additional resources used in teaching religion. Two of the world’s largest religions use faith-powered books, The Holy Bible and The Holy Quran, to educate members. The scriptures in these books have provided direction, spiritual guidance, and theologiesRead MoreChristianity vs. Islam1148 Words   |  5 Pagesfollow the Old Testament. While there is a paralleled beginning to the Holy Bible and the Quran, Islam views the text as corrupt and follows later writings by Mohammed. Christians simply refer to previous texts as the Old Testament, while Muslims call it Injil (Islam vs. Christianity). Muslims maintain that the current version of the Christian Old Testament is corrupt; Christians believe it to be the infallible word of God (Islam vs. Christianity). Although the words are the same in each, the clarificationRead MoreIslam s Views On Islam Ess ay1144 Words   |  5 Pagesactivity in Islam (Islam). The Quran explicitly states that the you give alms during prayer. It also states that â€Å"for those who are greedy and use their money outside of the will of Allah, the Quran has harsh words: the fires of hell will heat up the coins and the greedy will be branded with it† (Abdullah Al).The fourth out of the â€Å"Five Pillars† which is Fasting during the month of Ramadan (sawm): Sawm (also siyam), fasting, commemorates the revelation of the Quran to humanity during Ramadan, theRead MoreThree Religions : One God1467 Words   |  6 Pagesmost popular religion in the world with over 2 billion adherents. Christianity developed out of Judaism in the 1st century C.E and it is founded on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sacred text of Christianity is the Bible, including both the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament), and the New Testament. Traditional Christian beliefs include the beli ef in the one and only true God, who is one being and exist as a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They also believe Jesus isRead MoreThe Rise of Christianity vs. the Rise of Islam740 Words   |  3 PagesThe Rise of Christianity vs. the Rise of Islam The rise of Christianity and Islam happened during a turbulent time in history, when major civilizations like the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire were in decline due to political infighting, disease, and outside barbarians constantly applying pressure. Christianity was adopted in the heart of the Roman Empire, as a way to continue the influence of Rome, while not being able to control all of Europe militarily. (Rise of Christianity, 2012) ThereforeRead MoreThe Story Of Persepolis By Marjane Satrapi1414 Words   |  6 PagesTo most individuals in today’s society, the issues associated with the Islamic religion are widely assumed as extreme and very convoluted. The average person has only heard rumors about what exactly the Quran says or how Sharia law is interpreted and implemented. The story of Persepolis sheds light onto some of the inner workings of how Islamic life and Sharia law affected a population and shaped the Islamic Revolution in Iran. This story is staged du ring a time of extensive change within Iran,Read MoreThe True Beliefs Of The Islamic Religion1885 Words   |  8 Pagesof God. It is a way of life that encourages one to give due attention to a relationship with God and His creation. In this paper, I intend to discuss the true beliefs of the Islamic Religion. I will also discuss women of Islam, Islam vs. Christianity, and Islam vs. Judaism. What is the Islam Religion? Who is Muhammad? The Islamic Religion is â€Å"a major world religion promulgated by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia in the 7th century CE. The Arabic term islÄ m, literally â€Å"surrender,† illuminates theRead MoreIslam Is The Religion Of The Muslims2018 Words   |  9 PagesProphet of Allah. The origin of Islam is dated back to 622 A.D. in Saudi Arabia. Muhammad experienced an angelic visitation. This is how the secular world views the start of Islam, but according to Islam there are much deeper roots. According the the Quran, it did not originate with Muhammad, but it was given by Gabriel to Muhammad. Surah 26:192-195 says, â€Å"This is a revelation from the Lord of the universe. The Honest Spirit (Gabriel) came down with it, to reveal it into your heart that you may be oneRead MoreComparing Islam And Radical Islam2425 Words   |  10 PagesIslam are one and the same and, though there may be some early similarities to the Old Testament, Islam and Christianity are as different as the clouds in the sky to a deep, barbed pit. Though I will not be covering every facet that exists between the Bible and the Qur’an, I will be covering the so-called â€Å"difference† between radical Islam and its â€Å"moderate† counterpart, abrogation and how it works within Islam, differences between Jesus and Muhammad as figure heads, and the ethical behavior between neighborsRead MoreDifferences Between Christianity And Islam2708 Words   |  11 Pagesinterchanged within the legal system. Eventually, the legal system could define and maintain that marriage has no religious value under the law. Christianity: Marriage According to past Christian values, marriage has been both a cornerstone of the Bible and the social system between men and women for thousands of years. In the past, religion played a specific role between man and woman in two ways. First, marriage was considered a spiritual and everlasting commitment between two people and God. Second