The Crucible the Importance of a Good Name Essay Example for Free

The Crucible the Importance of a Good Name Essay The Crucible there are many themes floating around. One of the most notable themes is the importance of a good name. To several of the characters the only matter of importance seems to be their name and what it seems to be associated with. Amongst this dialog we find that because the hysterical environment of Salem causes persecution of calumny became a common fear of a good, respectable name to be tarnished. Early in the play we are introduced with our first couple of victims due to the infamous fear. Our first encounter is with Abigail when Reverend Parris questions her about as to why Elizabeth Proctor had fired her Abigail responds â€Å"My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar! † We can see here that she believes that Goody Proctor is trying to spoil her name due to the belief that she had been having an affair with John. As the play continues it is evident how she accuses other people of witchcraft so that her name is in the light and she is absolved from partaking in the witchcraft herself. Though it seems that Abigail’s only worry is her name, she is very dissembling. We later find out that her name seems to only be the light of her worries. Her main motive is to rid John of Elizabeth so that she can freely be with John. Her uncle, Reverend Parris, is naive to her hidden motives for false accusations. It isn’t much longer in the story when we find Abigail’s uncle, Reverend Parris is also sporting this same worry when we read a conversation between him and a trusted villager Thomas Putnam. Due to Betty, Parris’s Daughter who has fallen ill, and the village is suddenly buzzing with slander of witchcraft. In a conversation with Thomas Putnam it is apparent how this affects Parris. â€Å"Thomas, Thomas, I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you-least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house. † This shows that Reverend Parris is almost more caught up in what people think of him rather than how daughter, Betty Parris, is doing or rather how the Doctor, who has found nothing to cure her, will solve her illness. Parris is now continuously accusing his least faithful parishioners with having a contract with the devil. One of which is John Proctor, the man Abigail is having an affair with. John Proctor is known as a rebel in this story. Though a good Christian he rarely makes it into Parris’ Sunday Masses because he is working in the field and he doesn’t want to hear of Parris’ weekly ranting of the devil and hell. It is because of this reputation his wife is among the accused of witchcraft. When he tries to defend her he reluctantly admits to lechery. John Proctor was very reluctant to admit this because he wanted his name to stay respected. When judge Danforth doesn’t believe him they ask his wife Elizabeth if this is true. Unknowing that he had confessed and trying to respect his wishes of keeping a good name she says that she doesn’t believe that he had ever had an affair with Abigail Parris. When Abigail turns on Marry Warren, Marry Warren turns on John Proctor calling him the Devil’s Man. This causes his arrest and accusation of Witchcraft. Proctor’s importance of a good name is most portrayed in the last act, Act V, when he is begged to save himself by signing a confession sheet. He finally refuses to sign it saying that â€Å"Because it is my Name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to Lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name! † John Proctor is the epitome of wanting to preserve his name. He willingly dies to preserve his name. In the story of The Crucible, Arthur Miller is able to illustrate the importance of a good name through many of the characters. We were easily able to convey this theme and build off of it. Since many of the characters’ main objective was too keep their name in good light we were able to better understand the reasons behind their actions, helping us receive a better understanding of the story.

Unpacking the ‘Education’ in Civic Education :: Education Learning essays

Unpacking the ‘Education’ in Civic Education Abstract Unpacking the ‘Education’ in Civic Education In this paper, we explore civic education through an examination of two approaches to the introductory course in American government. Our goal is to identify how differences in pedagogical method affect student learning and attitude formation. We do this through a comparison of two equivalent groups of students; one group experiencing a standard text-lecture-test approach and the other having the additional experience of a three-week character-playing simulation of the congressional policy process. While we find that both groups of students make short-term gains on factual knowledge and both experience attitude shifts in our hoped for directions, the effects are greater in the standard lecture course. Our overall findings help clarify directions for further revision in both formats of the course. The importance of civic education has been well-established. From the earliest political theorists, we see discussion of the importance of a well-informed citizenry for the health of a polity. While skeptical of the power of the people to self-govern, the framers of American democracy still argued that the ultimate power rested in the people, who would even have the right to overthrow government should it violate the â€Å"social contract† with those over whom it governed (as in the Declaration of Independence, where we see Jefferson’s thoughts so clearly influenced by Locke). Closer to modern times, much public opinion literature has engaged in discussions about Americans’ levels of political knowledge, and the consequences that flow from this (see, for just a very few prominent examples, Campbell, Converse, Miller and Stokes 1960; Converse 1964; Delli Carpini and Keeter 1991, 1996; Graber 1994; Jennings 1996; Nie, Verba and Petrocik 1979). To our minds, civic education is about preparing our students to be citizens in the American democracy. This involves teaching them the rudiments of knowledge required for reading a newspaper (or political web site), watching the news on television, and understanding what is going on in the world. Civic education also concerns itself with attitudes; for example, teaching students to have a healthy skepticism for what goes on in government, but grounding this skepticism in a reality that does not hold unrealistic expectations for government or its officials (see Hibbing and Theiss-Morse 1995, 2002 for a useful discussion of unrealistic expectations). Finally, civic education also concerns behaviors, as we encourage students to make intelligent, informed decisions about the extent to which they will participate in the political system. Unpacking the ‘Education’ in Civic Education :: Education Learning essays Unpacking the ‘Education’ in Civic Education Abstract Unpacking the ‘Education’ in Civic Education In this paper, we explore civic education through an examination of two approaches to the introductory course in American government. Our goal is to identify how differences in pedagogical method affect student learning and attitude formation. We do this through a comparison of two equivalent groups of students; one group experiencing a standard text-lecture-test approach and the other having the additional experience of a three-week character-playing simulation of the congressional policy process. While we find that both groups of students make short-term gains on factual knowledge and both experience attitude shifts in our hoped for directions, the effects are greater in the standard lecture course. Our overall findings help clarify directions for further revision in both formats of the course. The importance of civic education has been well-established. From the earliest political theorists, we see discussion of the importance of a well-informed citizenry for the health of a polity. While skeptical of the power of the people to self-govern, the framers of American democracy still argued that the ultimate power rested in the people, who would even have the right to overthrow government should it violate the â€Å"social contract† with those over whom it governed (as in the Declaration of Independence, where we see Jefferson’s thoughts so clearly influenced by Locke). Closer to modern times, much public opinion literature has engaged in discussions about Americans’ levels of political knowledge, and the consequences that flow from this (see, for just a very few prominent examples, Campbell, Converse, Miller and Stokes 1960; Converse 1964; Delli Carpini and Keeter 1991, 1996; Graber 1994; Jennings 1996; Nie, Verba and Petrocik 1979). To our minds, civic education is about preparing our students to be citizens in the American democracy. This involves teaching them the rudiments of knowledge required for reading a newspaper (or political web site), watching the news on television, and understanding what is going on in the world. Civic education also concerns itself with attitudes; for example, teaching students to have a healthy skepticism for what goes on in government, but grounding this skepticism in a reality that does not hold unrealistic expectations for government or its officials (see Hibbing and Theiss-Morse 1995, 2002 for a useful discussion of unrealistic expectations). Finally, civic education also concerns behaviors, as we encourage students to make intelligent, informed decisions about the extent to which they will participate in the political system.

Bless Me Ultima Ultima Is a Witch Essay

In the book Bless Me, Ultima, Ultima is an old woman who was invited to stay at our protagonist house, Antonio, to live the remainder years of her life with the Marez family. But there is a controversy to who is Ultima, a witch or curandera? Ultima calls herself a curandera, someone who uses herbs and old customs to heal someone else, but some people in the book call her a bruja, which is Spanish for witch. Ultima is called a witch many times in the novel but neither denies nor accepts the accusation. The Author of the book, Anaya Rudolfo leaves us with the question of who really was Ultima, a witch or curandera? In my opinion I believe that Ultima is a witch. Throughout the novel Ultima shows many characteristics of being a witch and in this essay I will show you how Ultima is a witch. First is the relationship between Ultima and the owl. In the book when Ultima moves in with the Marez family, an owl follows. The owl can be a symbol of witch and is even said so in the novel, â€Å"In many cuentos I had heard the owl was one of the disguises a bruja took†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg13). Ultima has a very strong connection with the owl and is even said that the owl was Ultima’s soul or life force. An example of Ultima and the owl being the same person is at the end of the novel when Antonio buries the owl, â€Å"†¦ and after mass we would take her body [Ultima] to the ceremony in las Pasturas for burial. But that would only be prescribed by custom. Ultima was really buried here. Tonight† (pg262). That quotation means that when Antonio buried the owl he was also burying Ultima because they shared souls. If Ultima has the soul of witch then she herself has to be evil. Another evil connection between Ultima and the owl is when in page 134 of the book Ultima’s owl rips out Tenorio’s eye. If Ultima was really a curandera would she really hurt a man, when her duty of a curandera was to help and help people? Next are the acts of Ultima. Ultima shows many witch like personality when she was curing Lucas. First was that she had dolls of the three witches and she had used them like voodoo dolls, â€Å"†¦and when he breathed on them they seemed to squirm in her hands. I shuddered to see those clay dolls take life. Then she took pins†¦she stuck a pin into each doll† (pg101). Here Ultima appears to do some evil voodoo ritual. A curandera relies on herbs and nature to heal people and not evil voodoo. Second is the fact that she cursed someone, â€Å"†¦ and what you sought to do will undo you† (pg101). Here is where Ultima was removing the curse that was placed on Lucas, Antonio’s uncle. Ultima does not only remove the curse but sends it back to witches that cursed Lucas. If she was a curandera shouldn’t she have the intents to only heal Lucas instead of also cursing the witches too? Last is the quote â€Å"You must understand that when anybody, bruja or curandera, priest r sinner, tampers with the fate of a man that sometimes a chain of events is sent into motion over which no one will have ultimate control. † This happens and it leads to death of Tenorio’s daughter, enraging him, to kill Narciso. Ultima knew this and it ended up killing a man. Could this have been an evil plot by Ultima? Last is the source of Ultima’s powers. The idea of Ultima’s powers are brought up in page 93, â€Å"Toma, Tenorio shouted. He crossed his fingers and held the sign of the cross in front of Ultima’s face. She did not budge†¦Either she was not a bruja, or their way of thinking, she had powers that belonged to the devil himself. † It is possible for Ultima to have the powers of the devil because off all the past reasons listed. She has done evil for the reasons show before and now since she can take the cross you can see that she has powers stronger than a witch, or even powers â€Å"from the devil himself†. To further proof of her devil gifted powers you can see from this quote, â€Å"Would the magic of Ultima be stronger than all the powers of the saints and the holy mother church†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg97). Here you can see that Ultima’s powers are not of the church and are stronger. Last is the ultimate test that was made in the book. Ultima was given the test to walk through a door that had the mark of a cross made by two blessed needles. She successfully goes through the door but with an exception. Everyone goes home thinking she is not a witch, but Antonio finds the needles on the ground. If the needles were on the ground then Ultima could have walked through the door with ease. Ultima could have sabotaged the needles when the idea of the test was first brought on. Her knocking down the needles can prove her fear of God and everything holy, saying she is a witch. In conclusion you can see that Ultima is a witch. She has a spiritual connection with an animal that is said to be a witch, which is her owl. Ultima also has the soul of a witch. Ultima has practiced voodoo in the book along with cursing other people. Finally her powers are from the devil himself. Because of all the reasons stated I believe that Ultima is a witch in the story Bless Me, Ultima.

Weaknesses Of Dracula - 1674 Words

‘Count’ His Powers, ‘Count’ His Weaknesses Is a vampire a sinister blood sucking monster, or is a vampire an attractive teenager who sparkles? Dracula was written in 1897 and is the first piece of literature that includes vampires and sets up the characteristics of future vampires. Dozen of works of literature has been created based off of the creature in Dracula for example the novel Twilight and as time goes on literature has tweaked some of the vampire’s traits, powers and weaknesses. Dracula is a gothic novel with gothic elements such as a decaying setting and supernatural beings or monsters. Bram Stoker is an author from Britain during the Victorian era, and it is shown that this novel was written in that era as they were prudish,†¦show more content†¦Heidelberger gives the illusion that Dracula in fact looks â€Å"undead† meaning decaying. These characteristics are widely know, just like the powers of a vampire. Stokers novel Dra cula also outlined the supernatural powers that a vampire possesses. Van Helsing states, â€Å"He can, within his range, direct the elements: the storm, the fog, the thunder; he can command all the meaner things: the rat, and the owl, and the bat—the moth, and the fox, the wolf† (Stoker 237). Van Helsing, the vampire expert in the novel tells some key powers that the vampire Dracula has which is the ability to control weather and the ability to command animals such as: rats, owls, bats, moths, foxes and wolves. When Van Helsing is talking about Dracula’s powers he also says, â€Å"he can grow and become small; and he can at times vanish and come unknown† (237). These powers are shapeshifting and teleportation. Shapeshifting is the ability to change into whatever shape and size that the person who obtain this power wants to, and teleportation is the ability to teleport from place to place. In Allan Johnson’s article â€Å"Modernity and Anxiety in B ram Stoker’s Dracula† he says, â€Å"While Dracula can transform into mist and summon bloodthirsty wolves, these powers prove to be poorly matched against the new technologies and conveniences of everyday life in England† (Johnson 5). Johnson is saying how even though DraculaShow MoreRelatedDracula s Power : The Weaknesses Of The East During Great Britain s Most Powerful Era1472 Words   |  6 Pagesfirst introduced by Jonathan Harker as he witnesses the â€Å"swept [of] his long arms, as though brushing aside some impalpable obstacle, the wolves fell back and back further still† (20). Knowing that Dracula can command wolves at his will, will send chills down anyone’s spine if they have to make Dracula their enemy. Bram Stoker created a monster that possesses a wide range of powers like: commanding wolves and rats, transformation into animal forms and mist, immense strength, restoring youthfulnessRead MoreComparison Between Dracula And Dracula110 8 Words   |  5 PagesDracula is one of the first famous vampire books. Although it is famous for its time, modern day vampire stories have produced some of the bestselling TV shows, books, and movies. Dracula laid the foundation down for these modern day stories to rise to popularity. If you have read Dracula and seen one of these new stories, then you can see a lot of similarities in both stories. These modern day stories share many traits as the book Dracula, but most of the stories have their differences. ThisRead MoreDracula, By Bram Stoker1492 Words   |  6 PagesIn the 1897 novel â€Å"Dracula† by Bram Stoker, a vampire named Count Dracula is brought about and brung into the â€Å"real world†. Many stories, books, movies, and games have developed from this novel. In the novel, Dracula has a lot of myths attached to him. These myths are what make him a vampire, and so when other people come up with these new stories or books or movies, they also implemen t myths into their characters to give them life as a vampire. In every story, most of the characters are consideredRead MoreEssay on Dracula and the Modern Vampire1622 Words   |  7 Pagesteeth sharp; he’s Dracula, the original vampire. Bram Stoker’s famous novel Dracula, which was written in 1897, started the vampire craze that still lasts today. It has sparked numerous novels, movies, and songs across the world through the year, and its popularity is still growing. As times have changed, so have Dracula and his predecessors. Dracula is about Count Dracula meeting this human Jonathan Harker for business and Jonathan along with his friends learn that Count Dracula is a vampire. InRead MoreComparing Dracula, And I Am Legend By Richard Matheson1584 Words   |  7 Pages Since the beginning of time vampires have been categorized into different types† and are portrayed in different ways throughout several books. This paper will focus on three vampires from the following books: Dracula by Bram Stoker, and I am Legend by Richard Matheson. Dracula is considered to be the traditional vampire, where it all started, and the vampires in Matheson’s book, follow somewhat Stoker’s concept, but is more of a modern â€Å"type† of vampires. Certain vampire elements have beenRead MoreIn the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker There are many characters but there is only one specific600 Words   |  3 PagesIn the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker There are many characters but there is only one specific character that stands out from the rest and that character is count Dracula, while the rest of the characters are good. Dracula is an evil person. Dracula kills for a living in order to survive but he is also the main point of the novel he is probably the most important character in the novel. But how can you tell Dracula is the most important character in the novel? Well, simply because Bram Stoker choseRead MoreAnalysis Of Dracula By Bram S toker1434 Words   |  6 PagesThe story of vampires throughout the years has been one of horror and fear. Bram Stoker’s, Dracula, takes this legend and uses it to show how this tremendous source of evil reaffirms the promise of Christianity. Once Dracula comes into their lives, the characters must fight to save people, particularly women, from being turned into vampires. Being a vampire means a life of servitude to both death and damnation. Recognizing a dangerous entity like this, means risking their lives as a mean of protectingRead MoreDracula, Gothic And Epistolary Novels Of Dracula And Bram Stokers Dracula1357 Words   |  6 Pagesinformation and old European folktales to create famous Gothic novels like Dracula; Before writing Dracula, he studied for eight years stories of vampires. The title of Stoker’s story has historical significance to Vlad Dracul the 3rd, a Wallachian ruler who impaled his victims on stakes. Bram Stoker also was influenced by his lifetim e, before the publication of Dracula, Gothic and Epistolary novels were on the rise hence why Dracula is classified as both. Stoker’s life as a Victorian can be seen in hisRead MoreA Comparison Of Dracula By Jonathan Harker And Van Helsing903 Words   |  4 Pagesinteresting characters in the story. Jonathan is the first character in the story to encounter Dracula, and Van Helsing is the professional who assembles the band of vampire hunters. Both men are important to Dracula’s inevitable downfall, although Jonathan has more to lose since his wife is also involved in this nasty work. Jonathan Harker starts off the book with his journal of his travels to meet count Dracula, and begins to regret ever leaving home soon after. Jonathan is very observant, noting detailsRead MoreThe Novel Dracula And The Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?1032 Words   |  5 PagesThe novel Dracula by Bram Stoker and the poem Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been ? by Joyce Carol Oates both possess extremely monstrous characters. We are going to attempt to compare the main villains in both works : Count Dracula and Arnold Friend in order to show that a human can be more of a monstrous character than a stereotypical goul. In order to do this we will base our comparison on the description of the physic of both protagonists as well as their limitations and strengths. To