Studies in Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Studies in Literature - Essay Example A plot carries nine elements including exposition, foreshadowing, inciting force, conflict, rising action, crisis, climax, falling action and denouement. The three elements of plot have been described below: (ii) Conflict: Conflict is the central and most dominant part of the piece of literature, which is the basic element in the creation of plot itself. The developments in the story are dependent of rising of man’s conflict with his social set up, culture, religious belief or his own self. (iii) Rising Action: Rising action simply means the subsequent chain of events created in the aftermath of conflict. Rising action is generally the outcome of immediate provocation or inciting force that paves the way towards reaching the climax point. NOVEL: Literally means something new, latest or innovative, novel refers to the work of fiction, story or tale, narrating some anecdote about one or few specific character(s) in a long prose form. Novel is stated to be the invention of 18th century, and Richardson’s Pamela (1741) is considered as the first novel in the history of English literature. Though novel arrived as a genre of literature very late in comparison with the drama and poetry, yet it immediately captured the attention of the readers everywhere, and has become one of the most popular forms of modern literature. A novelette also contains the same characteristics as carried by a novel, but the major difference between the two is this that novel consists of comparatively large number of words and characters, while a novelette is precise in respect of words and list of characters. Tolstoy maintains remarkable command over portraying the bitter realities of life on the one hand, and pointing out the prevailing social evils on the other. Being a highly sensitive writer and a brilliant observer, he skilfully inter-knits the events happening in the life of his

The effects of fluency, vocabulary, and language development on Research Paper

The effects of fluency, vocabulary, and language development on comprehension - Research Paper Example In addition, different factors such as phonemic awareness, alphabetic understanding, fluency, genre consideration, vocabulary and language development affects comprehension. Effects of fluency on comprehension Fluency refers to the speed, accuracy and expressions that an individual applies while reading a text. It also involves the application of varied skills while reading a text. It is vital to conduct an accurate assessment that will analyze readers’ speed, accuracy and expression. Fluency is fundamental in literature because it influences comprehension. Lack of fluency affects an individual’s performance because an individual usually applies cognitive skills while trying to identify words. It also influences students’ comprehension because when the material and volume of work in school increases, the students who are not fluent face many barriers when trying to keep up with schoolwork (Nagy, 2008). Students who are not fluent also have trouble comprehending t exts. Furthermore, they usually shun oral and silent reading because they do not want to fail. This affects their comprehension. Fluency is vital in comprehension because it connects with decoding and reading of comprehension. Therefore, fluency acts as a connector between decoding and comprehension; furthermore, it highlights the capability of an individual to decode varied words from a given text. If an individual moves quickly and accurately through the words in a given text, then the individual’s decoding skills are perfect. This implies that the person can comprehend the text easily. Finally, it is important for students to practice fluency in their reading because it enables them to increase their reading speed and comprehension skills; thus, improving their performances (Nagy, 2008). Effects of vocabulary on comprehension Vocabulary refers to the study of different concepts including the meaning of words as each word has a different meaning. It also determines the appl ication of the words, the root words, analogies, prefixes and suffixes. There is a very strong relationship between vocabulary and comprehension (Wagner, Andrea & Kendra, 2007). This is because; vocabulary acts as a predictor of reading capabilities of an individual. An individual who is knowledgeable about vocabulary has an advantage when it comes to comprehension (Wagner, Andrea & Kendra, 2007). Vocabulary knowledge is also essential to students because it helps them in decoding, which facilitates comprehension. In addition, vocabulary knowledge is fundamental to learners because it allows them to comprehend their first and second language. This is because students with less information concerning vocabulary are unable to comprehend the given texts. Inadequate knowledge on the vocabulary affects the performance of students in their test passage and questions because they encounter problems while trying to comprehend the texts. Therefore, it is important for students to vocabulary because it helps them in determining the meaning of varied words; thus, increasing their comprehension level. Vocabulary is important to children because its absence leads to comprehension problems especially when they find new words in a given text. Therefore, knowledge on vocabulary is beneficial as it helps a

Peter Winchs The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Essay

Peter Winchs The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Philosophy - Essay Example According to the scholars on the topic of social science, this subject of study has been slow to imitate the natural sciences and liberate from the dead hand of philosophy and this has resulted in the slow growth of this branch of study. They maintain that it is important for the social science to follow the methods of natural science rather than those of philosophy if it should make some significant progress. The main purpose of Peter Winch is "to attack such a conception of the relation between the social studies, philosophy and the natural sciences." (Winch, 1958, p 1). According to Peter Winch, a successful social science in general and sociology in particular would more nearly resemble literacy criticism than physics and other physical sciences and he provides several justifications for his claim all through his book. Winch's justification of his claim becomes evident in a reflective analysis of his distinctions between and among 'understanding and explanation,' 'motives, reason s, and causes,' and the difference between the sociologist's and the physical scientist's relation to the phenomena that they investigate (the 'subject matter' of the social sciences), and this paper undertakes an analysis of these aspects of the book along with a summary. In his The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Philosophy Winch... cience in general and sociology in particular would more nearly resemble literacy criticism than physics and other physical sciences and he provides the central core of his argument under the title 'Understanding Social Institutions.' He maintains that 'understanding' is more essential phenomenon than 'explaining' and it clarifies his major arguments. According to him, it is essential to use the term 'understanding' rather than explaining, though he does not mean to allude to the distinction made by Webber between 'casual explanation' and interpretive understanding'. "The point I have in mind is a rather different one. Methodologists and philosophers of science commonly approach their subject by asking what the character of the explanations offered is in the science under consideration. Now of course explanations are closely connected with understanding. Understanding is the goal of explanation and the end-product of successful explanation Unless there is a form of understanding that is not the result of explanation, no such thing as explanation would be possible. An explanation is called for only where there is, at least thought to be, a deficiency of understanding." (Winch, 1990, p X). Winch considers 'understanding' as the standard against which the deficiency of the knowledge must be measured and this calls for explanation. The understanding one already has is expressed in the concepts which constitute the form of subject matter that one is concerned with. On the other hand, these concepts also express certain aspects of the life characteristic of the people who apply them. The interconnections among these aspects are the major subject of explanation in the book by Winch. It is also vital to understand the connections among concepts such as motives, reasons, and

Friedrich Nietzsche a Philosopher in Society Essay

Friedrich Nietzsche a Philosopher in Society - Essay Example This essay analyzes that nationalism is the belief that groups of people are bound together by territorial, cultural and (sometimes) ethnic links (Glossary, online). Capitalism is an economic system in which the production and distribution of goods depend on invested private capital and profit-making. Politically, this means the dominance of private owners of capital and production for profit. By extension, 'capitalism' has also taken in the belief that government should have nothing to do with the economy (Glossary, online). Capitalism is a form of government for a nation state, or for an organization in which all the citizens have a vote or voice in shaping policy (Democracy, online). Socialism is a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the community as a whole should own and control the means of production (Glossary, online). Conservatism is a political philosophy or attitude that emphasizes respect for traditional institutions, distrust of gover nment activism and opposition to sudden change in the established order (Glossary, online). Liberalism is a term that gained significance in the 19th century when it meant the limiting of government power and the increase of social reform (Glossary, online). ... All Too Human, Daybreak, The Gay Science, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, On the Genealogy of Morals, The Case of Wagner, The Twilight of the Idols, The Antichrist, Ecce Homo, Nietzsche Contra Wagner, and The Will to Power (Friedrich Nietzsche a, online). Friedrich Nietzsche is famous for his rejection of Christianity (Friedrich Nietzsche b, online). He described Christianity as a nihilistic religion because it evaded the challenge of finding meaning in earthly life, creating instead a spiritual projection where mortality and suffering were removed instead of transcended. He believed nihilism resulted from the "death of God", and insisted that it was something to be overcome, by returning meaning to a monistic reality. He sought instead a "pragmatic idealism," in contrast to the prominent influence of Schopenhauer's "cosmic idealism" (Nihilism, online). He is also famous for his idea of "will to power". Hopes for a higher state of being after death are explained as compensations for failures in this life. The famous view about the "death of God" resulted from his observations of the movement from traditional beliefs to a trust of science and commerce. Nietzsche dissected Christianity and Socialism as faiths of the "little men," where excuses for weakness paraded as moral principles. John Stuart Mill's liberal democratic humanism was a target for scorn, and he called Mill "that blockhead" (Friedrich Nietzsche b, online).

Understanding Whiteness or white identity Annotated Bibliography

Understanding Whiteness or white identity - Annotated Bibliography Example Banks explains that in order to define whiteness, African Americans were necessary. This is because constructing other racial categories helped as a source of identification for powerful main groups like whites (p.22). In this article, bank has discussed racial theories developed by intellectual leaders and also explains how Franz Boas, Robert E Park and African American scholars and social scientist strived for racial reconstruction. Banks’ article helps student to realize how racial knowledge is constructed and how it is evolved over time. Banks also emphasises the importance of having transformative teaching and learning. Ralph Linton’s article â€Å"The one hundred percent American† humorously describes that most of the things an American use in everyday life are originated from other countries. Linton brilliantly analyses that majority of materials a typical American uses are un-American, and yet they consider themselves as â€Å"one hundred percent American†. Linton has explained almost every routine including activities like waking up, taking shower, having breakfast, going out in rain, catching train and reading paper, and finds out that American uses un-American materials for all these needs. This includes a pyjama he wears which is of East Indian origin or bed he sleeps which is from Persia or Asia Minor (p.1). Linton shows us that most of the American way of doing things exists because of the other countries which invented them. For students, this article is really informative and may help them understand the extent to which American culture is unique. The article â€Å"Do we need a common American identity?† discusses about the complex issues in American identity. The title question is supported by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr (1992) who asserts that multiculturalism is a threat for basic values of Americans. While Michael Walzer (1990) opposes the title question and suggests that multicultural identity cannot be avoided in America. According to

Peter Winchs The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Essay

Peter Winchs The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Philosophy - Essay Example According to the scholars on the topic of social science, this subject of study has been slow to imitate the natural sciences and liberate from the dead hand of philosophy and this has resulted in the slow growth of this branch of study. They maintain that it is important for the social science to follow the methods of natural science rather than those of philosophy if it should make some significant progress. The main purpose of Peter Winch is "to attack such a conception of the relation between the social studies, philosophy and the natural sciences." (Winch, 1958, p 1). According to Peter Winch, a successful social science in general and sociology in particular would more nearly resemble literacy criticism than physics and other physical sciences and he provides several justifications for his claim all through his book. Winch's justification of his claim becomes evident in a reflective analysis of his distinctions between and among 'understanding and explanation,' 'motives, reason s, and causes,' and the difference between the sociologist's and the physical scientist's relation to the phenomena that they investigate (the 'subject matter' of the social sciences), and this paper undertakes an analysis of these aspects of the book along with a summary. In his The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Philosophy Winch... cience in general and sociology in particular would more nearly resemble literacy criticism than physics and other physical sciences and he provides the central core of his argument under the title 'Understanding Social Institutions.' He maintains that 'understanding' is more essential phenomenon than 'explaining' and it clarifies his major arguments. According to him, it is essential to use the term 'understanding' rather than explaining, though he does not mean to allude to the distinction made by Webber between 'casual explanation' and interpretive understanding'. "The point I have in mind is a rather different one. Methodologists and philosophers of science commonly approach their subject by asking what the character of the explanations offered is in the science under consideration. Now of course explanations are closely connected with understanding. Understanding is the goal of explanation and the end-product of successful explanation Unless there is a form of understanding that is not the result of explanation, no such thing as explanation would be possible. An explanation is called for only where there is, at least thought to be, a deficiency of understanding." (Winch, 1990, p X). Winch considers 'understanding' as the standard against which the deficiency of the knowledge must be measured and this calls for explanation. The understanding one already has is expressed in the concepts which constitute the form of subject matter that one is concerned with. On the other hand, these concepts also express certain aspects of the life characteristic of the people who apply them. The interconnections among these aspects are the major subject of explanation in the book by Winch. It is also vital to understand the connections among concepts such as motives, reasons, and

Understanding Whiteness or white identity Annotated Bibliography

Understanding Whiteness or white identity - Annotated Bibliography Example Banks explains that in order to define whiteness, African Americans were necessary. This is because constructing other racial categories helped as a source of identification for powerful main groups like whites (p.22). In this article, bank has discussed racial theories developed by intellectual leaders and also explains how Franz Boas, Robert E Park and African American scholars and social scientist strived for racial reconstruction. Banks’ article helps student to realize how racial knowledge is constructed and how it is evolved over time. Banks also emphasises the importance of having transformative teaching and learning. Ralph Linton’s article â€Å"The one hundred percent American† humorously describes that most of the things an American use in everyday life are originated from other countries. Linton brilliantly analyses that majority of materials a typical American uses are un-American, and yet they consider themselves as â€Å"one hundred percent American†. Linton has explained almost every routine including activities like waking up, taking shower, having breakfast, going out in rain, catching train and reading paper, and finds out that American uses un-American materials for all these needs. This includes a pyjama he wears which is of East Indian origin or bed he sleeps which is from Persia or Asia Minor (p.1). Linton shows us that most of the American way of doing things exists because of the other countries which invented them. For students, this article is really informative and may help them understand the extent to which American culture is unique. The article â€Å"Do we need a common American identity?† discusses about the complex issues in American identity. The title question is supported by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr (1992) who asserts that multiculturalism is a threat for basic values of Americans. While Michael Walzer (1990) opposes the title question and suggests that multicultural identity cannot be avoided in America. According to