Reflection Of Liverning In Lifeguarding - 1698 Words

There are very many activities that one would suspect have nothing to do with reading or writing. In fact 3 years ago I would have thought the same thing about lifeguarding when I decided to become a lifeguard in Jacksonville Beach. However it is very surprising how nearly all things on this planet have literate communities that are actively engaged in discourse and the lifeguarding organization that I became a member of happened to be one of them. Typically a lifeguarding organization such as Jacksonville Beach’s would fall under the same kind of literate community as any other emergency medical responder; their main discourse being on medical related topics. However, because our organization is 105 years old we have our own literate†¦show more content†¦To uphold such an aged community such as our own there must be rules, standards, and history that set this organization apart from any other life saving organization. The initial difference that exists between our or ganization and many others is the process by which you go through to join the organization. People that wish to join must take part in a 12 week recruit class that takes place every Sunday and lasts the entire day. In this class is where recruits are taught the required medical procedures such as BLS and CPR as well as proper lifeguarding techniques and the tradition behind everything we do in our organization. The recruit class alone already contains lots of tradition that has been significant for the last 100 years. For example, recruits must wear a wooden sign around their neck that is about a foot wide and 5 inches tall that says the words â€Å"Recruit (their name).† The recruits are also expected to wear all black and respect all members senior to them. During Initiation recruits are expected to complete a series of rituals that are all upheld by tradition, such as wearing a dead fish with a string tied to it around their neck. Once apart of the organization members are kept permanently unless they are discharged or resign so they never have to do the recruit class again. In the

Poverty, What Makes People Poor Free Essays

The rich, the middle class, and the poor; are described by the way we live and the amount of money one has. There are many different ways of describing what poverty is, whether it is by how you live, how much money you have, or in statistical terms. Poverty isnt always a bad thing it is just another way of living, another way of life. We will write a custom essay sample on Poverty, What Makes People Poor or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are different kinds of poverty that you can measure. There is relative poverty that can be measured to the rest of the population. Relative poverty is measuring less than fifty percent than the average income or wealth that a person has. That means that if you make less than half of what the average person makes you are poor. Relative poverty still means that you are able to survive, but not to the standard that most are at. There is also absolute poverty. This means that you are unable to provide the necessary things that you need to survive in your daily life. Things like food shelter and medical attention. This is the measure that has set The Poverty Line developed by the Social Security Administration. The current poverty line is measured at $16,588 for a family of four. The poverty line is measured by the emergency food budget times three. This means that the food that a family needs to survive multiply by three. You must think that the family must pay for their bills, mortgage, and their food with this money. Seventy percent of a families income goes to house them. According to the United States Census Service there are 34.5 million Americans that are poor. This consists of 12.7 percent of the United States population. This is an under estimate of the real poverty rate because the poverty line is very conservative. About eleven million people are just above the poverty line. United States has the highest poverty rate of the worlds industrialize countries. Some people have it worse than other people. For instance women make up two-thirds of the adult poor population. This could be the cause of many things like divorce, and poor job opportunities. Even though the men and the women get divorced the men income still tend to rise. The single parent household that is headed, by a women tend to have a high poverty rate. Twenty nine and nine tenth percent of single parent families are headed by females. African American females are three time to be poor. Black female head 40.8 percent of black households. Women earnings are seventy cents to the dollar to a male worker. Children are also affected by the single parent families and are the cause of high poverty rate. Children make up 26 percent of the United States population. But they make up forty percent of the poor population. This means that 18.9 percent of all children are poor. Fifty five percent of these children are under six years old. The infantalization of poverty is the fastest growing group in poverty. This can be caused by divorce, wedlock, or a death of a parent. Children out of wedlock are more likely to be poor than any other children. There are many myths about poverty that may lead some people on. One myth is that many people think that the poor do not want to work. In reality, 41 percent of the poor worked and 13 percent of the poor work full time. Even though some people can work forty hours a week they still cant make the poverty line. The minimum wage does not keep up with the inflation of the dollar. Only about 3.5 percent of the poor population, can work, but dont. The two earner families are also the fastest growing group in poverty. Another myth is that most people on welfare are cheating the system. This however is not the case, only about five percent actually cheat the system. This is no more than another government program. The United States is not as generous on the welfare system as it is. The fact is that the United States are very stingy about their welfare system compared to other industrialize nations. Another myth is that people live off the welfare system and doesnt want to get off of it. Most people go off of the welfare within the first two years. They dont want to be on welfare, circumstances put them on it. Like lost job, death of spouse, illness, disability, or a child at home. Some people blame the poverty on the person that is poor. Things they may say would be like, they are too lazy to work or they are taking advantage of the system. These people believe in the person blame approach. The person blame approach focuses on social problems stem from pathological defects in an individual. This approach requires a person to be repaired psychologically in order to fix the social problem. The problem with this is that there is no blame on the persons environment and the social system of society. It is very hard to isolate what has happen in a persons life that caused the problem. It is even harder to fix a persons problem. This would require too many more doctors, institutions, and medical facilities To blame the social system is to take the system blame approach. This means that you are blaming the social problems on a government, a society, and anything else that might act on an individual. System blame stems from situations in which individuals are involved. The problem with system blame is that it leaves off all the blame from the individual, saying that they have no agency, or the ability to act on ones own, no free will. The question that no one ever thinks to ask is: If we had no poverty would we still have the same kind of life. The answer is no. Poverty is a necessary form of the economic and social structure. Without poverty our society would most likely break down and inflation would sky rocket. Think if everybody had a job, money and a good standard of living. Wouldnt that make it harder to find and provide jobs. Employers would have to pay outrageous sums of money so the corporation can hire the employee. This would be a disaster because no one would need to stay at their job if there is no competition for it. The will and hard work of the citizens of this country has work to hard to throw it all away. Poverty effects not only the people who have it, but those who dont want it. In conclusion a poor person is not a diseases, not something that is contagious, but a living thing that everybody should think about. Most poor people are not a bad person, but a person that may have ran into some tough times in their life. How to cite Poverty, What Makes People Poor, Essay examples

One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale Essay Example For Students

One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale Essay One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic individual, as well as an extremely important symbol- one who is constantly changing. Pearl is involved in a complex history, and as a result is viewed as different and is shunned because of her mothers sin. Pearl is a living Scarlet A to Hester, as well as the reader, acting as a constant reminder of Hesters sin. Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl. She is first described as the infant; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion. 81. From the beginning of her life she is viewed as the product of a sin, as a punishment. Physically, Pearl has a beauty that became every day more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw its quivering sunshine over the tiny features of this child. 81-82. Pearl is ravishing, with beauty that shone with deep and vivid tints a bright complexion, eyes possessing intensity both of depth and glow, and hair already of a deep, glossy brown, and which, in after years, would be nearly akin to black. Combining with her extreme beauty, are the lavish dresses that she wears. The exquisite dresses and her beauty cause her to be viewed as even stranger from the other typical Puritan children, whom are dressed in traditional clothing. As a result, she is accepted by nature and animals, and ostracized by the other Puritan children. Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the whole peculiarity, in short, of her position in respect to other children. 86. Pearl was not accepted by the children; her unavoidable seclusion was due to the sin of her mother. On the rare occasion that the children would show interest in Pearl she would grow positively terrible in her puny wrath, snatching up stones to fling at themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 87 A s a result of Pearls seclusion from society nature sympathizes with Pearl, which can be seen with the role of the sunshine in the forest. The light lingered about the lonely child, as if glad of such a playmate, 168. The sunshine is grateful for Pearl, accepting her as an equal. Hawthorne describes another sign of acceptance as the great black forestà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦became the playmate of the lonely infant. 187. Eventually it is declared, The truth seems to be, however, that the mother-forest, and these wild things which it nourished all recognized wildness in the human child. 188. Because Pearl isnt accepted by the community she takes on the characteristics of nature because nature accept her as one of its own. Pearls character lacked reference, and adaptation to the world into which she was born. The child could not be made amenable to rules. 83. This quote shows a striking resemblance in description between Pearl and nature. Pearl and nature are referred to as not adapting to Puritan society. This characteristic makes Pearl so different because she is unaffected by the community, and is a product of nature and its ways. Hawthornes descriptions and developments of the relationship between Pearl and Nature further characterizes Pearl who has been thrust out of Puritan society. The members of the Puritan society view Pearl as a weird, strange little girl, born from a sinful act. However, the characters with a closer, more in depth relationship to the child, feel differently towards Pearl. She is a strange child! I hardly comprehend her! But thou wilt love her dearly, as I do, and wilt advise me how to deal with her 186. Hester describes her unbalanced feelings and emotions to Dimmesdale. This statement shows that although Pearls quirks and oddities cause her to become strange in the eyes of others, they form into a love from Hester. This relationship between Hester and Pearl is important because both are ostracized for their irregularities and for the sin and shame of Hester. Dimmesdale responds to Hesters statement with, I have long shrunk from children, because they often show distrust- a backwardness to be familiar with me. I have even been afraid of little Pearl! 186. As Dimmesdale has been trying to find peace with himself because of his sin, he has also been attempting to develop a relationship with Pearl. However, this is impossible because he is unable to acknowledge Pearl in public. Because Pearl continuously demands public recognition seen in Chapter 19, as well as Chapter 21 Dimmesdale grows a fear towards her. Therefore, it is understood that Pearl does not accept him as a father or loved one until he acknowledges her on Election Day. Hester, again, describes her relationship with Pearl while attempting to convince the Governor to allow her to maintain Pearls mother. She is my happiness! She is my torture, none the less Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too! 104. This quote examines the importance of Pearl in Hesters life. She allows Hester to feel happiness, as well as serves as a constant reminder and punishment of the sin that Hester has committed. Through the quotes and feelings of the other characters the reader is able to see a more complex side of Pearl. Pearl is involved in an extremely perplexing and elaborate history and background. Pearls mother, Hester, was punished for adultery, therefore Pearl was the result of her sin. Pearl, being Hesters child as a result is involved in Hesters history as well. Pearl is brought up with only a mother, whom is ostracized from society as well. She does not know who her father is and Hester will answer none of her questions about her past. Because of her nonexistent history she naturally becomes a very curious child. She desires to know what Hester will not tell her. She is also viewed as different from the rest of the community. She lives alone with just her mother, which is extremely unusual unless she is widowed and her father is unknown to everyone, except her mother. Her unusual history and background is the cause of her curiosity, as well as her seclusion from the community. Pearl plays one of the most crucial roles in The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses Pearl as an effective and dynamic character; she is a constant reminder to Hester of her sin. When we were first introduced to Pearl, she was immediately drawn to the scarlet A on Hesters bosom. But the first object of which Pearl seemed to become aware was the scarlet letter on Hesters bosom! One day, as her mother stooped over the cradle, the infants eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter and, putting up her little hand, she grasped at it, smiling not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam. 88. Beginning at infancy, Pearl served as a reminder of the Scarlet A on her bosom. Hawthorne shows this symbolism various times. In Chapter 7 Pearl and Hester go to the Governors house and Pearls attire inevitably reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life! 93. Pearl is dressed in a scarlet dress with gold fringe exactly resembling the scarlet A on Hesters bosom. Pearl had a natural inclination to focus on the scarlet letter, which is show in its fullest in Chapter 15. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Pearl took some eel-grass, and imitated, as best as she could, on her own bosom, the decoration with which she was so familiar on her mothers. The Roses of Eyam by Don Taylor EssayThis relationship between Hester and Pearl is important because both are ostracized for their irregularities and for the sin and shame of Hester. Dimmesdale responds to Hesters statement with, I have long shrunk from children, because they often show distrust- a backwardness to be familiar with me. I have even been afraid of little Pearl! 186. As Dimmesdale has been trying to find peace with himself because of his sin, he has also been attempting to develop a relationship with Pearl. However, this is impossible because he is unable to acknowledge Pearl in public. Because Pearl continuously demands public recognition seen in Chapter 19, as well as Chapter 21 Dimmesdale grows a fear towards her. Therefore, it is understood that Pearl does not accept him as a father or loved one until he acknowledges her on Election Day. Hester, again, describes her relationship with Pearl while attempting to convince the Governor to allow her to maintain Pearls mother. She is my happiness! She is my torture, none the less Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too! 104. This quote examines the importance of Pearl in Hesters life. She allows Hester to feel happiness, as well as serves as a constant reminder and punishment of the sin that Hester has committed. Through the quotes and feelings of the other characters the reader is able to see a more complex side of Pearl. Pearl is involved in an extremely perplexing and elaborate history and background. Pearls mother, Hester, was punished for adultery, therefore Pearl was the result of her sin. Pearl, being Hesters child as a result is involved in Hesters history as well. Pearl is brought up with only a mother, whom is ostracized from society as well. She does not know who her father is and Hester will answer none of her questions about her past. Because of her nonexistent history she naturally becomes a very curious child. She desires to know what Hester will not tell her. She is also viewed as different from the rest of the community. She lives alone with just her mother, which is extremely unusual unless she is widowed and her father is unknown to everyone, except her mother. Her unusual history and background is the cause of her curiosity, as well as her seclusion from the community. Pearl plays one of the most crucial roles in The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses Pearl as an effective and dynamic character; she is a constant reminder to Hester of her sin. When we were first introduced to Pearl, she was immediately drawn to the scarlet A on Hesters bosom. But the first object of which Pearl seemed to become aware was the scarlet letter on Hesters bosom! One day, as her mother stooped over the cradle, the infants eyes had been caught by the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter and, putting up her little hand, she grasped at it, smiling not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam. 88. Beginning at infancy, Pearl served as a reminder of the Scarlet A on her bosom. Hawthorne shows this symbolism various times. In Chapter 7 Pearl and Hester go to the Governors house and Pearls attire inevitably reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life! 93. Pearl is dressed in a scarlet dress with gold fringe exa ctly resembling the scarlet A on Hesters bosom. Pearl had a natural inclination to focus on the scarlet letter, which is show in its fullest in Chapter 15. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Pearl took some eel-grass, and imitated, as best as she could, on her own bosom, the decoration with which she was so familiar on her mothers. A letter, the letter A, but freshly green, instead of scarlet! 163. Throughout Pearls continuos questions Hester has never denied the significance of the scarlet A on her bosom. However, in this scene Hester eventually has to deny its significance to Pearl after she ceaselessly confronts her mother of its significance. One of the most symbolic scenes in the novel occurs in the forest as Pearl Hester are traveling to meet Dimmesdale. Pearl remarks to Hester that the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. 168. Sunshine, which symbolizes untroubled happiness, the approval of G-d and nature, rejects Hester because of her sin and the thing on her bosom. Therefore, Pearl constantly reminds her of her sin and her punishment. In one of the most dramatic scenes in the novel Pearl prevents Hester from escaping her sin and shame. Pearl bursts into a fit of passion and will not go to her mother until she puts the scarlet A back on her bosom and places her hair back underneath her cap. In the one moment that Hester attempts to escape her sin, Pearl refuses to recognize and acknowledge her until she returns to the shameful mother that she has always known. Pearl is a guiltless child, with all a childs freshness and spontaneity, however to Hester is a persistent remembrance to the scarlet A, which she must bare on her bosom. There are many continuous themes in which Pearl and her actions are large contributions to their overall portrayal. The theme of alienation, which is exhibited throughout all of the main characters, is clearly seen in the descriptions of Pearl. Pearl is always unaccepted by the community which has already been addressed; she is shunned because of her mothers sin. This can easily be viewed by analyzing the many various ways she is described by Hawthorne, by being weird and eerie, having imaginary friends, and continuously being called elf-child. She is ostracized and alienated from the Puritan society and the children of the community, contributing largely to the theme of alienation. Another theme in which she contributes to is the theme of beauty and its portrayal. So smooth and quiet that it reflected a perfect image of her little figure, with all the brilliant picturesqueness of her beauty, in its adornment of flower and wreathed foliage, but more refined and spiritualized than the reality. 190. This quote describes the beauty that Pearl has attained while she is playing in the forest and Hester and Dimmesdale talk. Her natural beauty is enhanced as she approaches Hester and Dimmesdale, her mother and father. This beauty brings together the theme of love, that is present between the three, as well as the importance of shame. While Pearl approaches her mother, whom is not wearing the scarlet A and whose hair is down, she refuses to acknowledge her without her A and capped hair. This shows Pearls dissent for beauty as a solution to sin, which is expressed in the first few chapter when Hester is lightly punished for her adultery. Because of Pearls banishment from Puritan society she was thrown to another way of life and her wildness and peculiarity is a direct product of her banishment. Her character acts as a mysterious and interesting symbol in The Scarlet Letter. Pearl is an important character, as she is a constant reminder to Hester, as well as to the reader, of the constant sin of Hester. She contributes largely to the themes of the noel through her peculiar history. The one character that seems to play the most uninvolved role in the noel, is one of the most intense symbols and individual throughout.