Pursuing a PhD in English Literature Essay -- College Admissions Essay

Pursuing a PhD in English Literature Education has always been the highest priority in my family. After attending university and graduate school in the US, my parents moved to Florida, turning down a masters in architecture at Harvard for my mother for a position at an engineering firm for my father. Still relatively new to this country and language, my mother established her own architectural firm. In the midst of this transition, both spatially and professionally, my parents insisted on sending my brother to an expensive private school. My mother was trying to get her own firm going at the time and money was scarce. Yet the first priority was always to provide the best education for both my brother and myself no matter what the cost. Along with this focus on education, my parents have also seen it necessary to give us exposure to other cultures. Born into a family that is already multicultural, my very large extended family also helped in this regard. With relatives located in Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Chile, as well as being spread out through most of the US, we had the opportunity to travel extensively even early on when money was scarce. These trips were always as much education as they were entertainment with a strong focus on exposing us to the arts. Museums, theater, and historical site always took precedent over relaxation and leisure. As a result of this upbringing, I have always been extremely focused on my academic pursuits. In high school I participated in numerous competitions and had my curriculum restructured to challenge me. In the end, I graduated a year early, over-eager to go to college. In retrospect this may have been a mistake. I fell into the stereotypical trap of assuming I could coast t... ...le fulfilling my parent’s own desires. Entering into academics fulfils their desires for a son with a graduate degree and a respectable career while maintaining my own interests. While my interests have developed beyond simple admiration for the texts, at the core I chose this particular path with the intent of working with something I love. Thus, my multicultural background has provided me with the education and the focus I needed. However it simultaneously hindered my interests, for a while at least. It is a continuing struggle to balance my Korean heritage with my American upbringing, embodied not in the least by my academic and professional concerns. My parents provided me with an excellent education, both formally and in our personal lives, yet the obligation incurred nearly pressured me into pursuing a life that would have been at its core dishonest.

Art Exhibit on Nature Essay

The planet earth is the only known habitat for humankind. For millions of years, it served as the home to numerous living things such as animals, plants and people. More so, it has been a witness to many events that have shaped the course of world history. Because of this, it is suffice to say that our beloved Mother Earth has played a vital role in nourishing and sustaining the existence of humans. In return for all the benefits and nourishment that Mother Earth has provided to humans, human beings have showed their gratitude by expressing their appreciation and admiration for the beauty and splendor of nature. For centuries, human beings have captured the magnificence of the diversity and uniqueness of the environment which was shown using various art forms such as painting, sculptures, photography, architecture and many others. In line with this, throughout history, several art movements have emerged. There were the Classical, Renaissance, Baroque, Modernism and many others. The dominant and styles and themes differed in these art periods. However, there was one theme that has remained constant until the present day. This is known as landscape or nature art. This form of art is defined as the illustration of mountains, flora and fauna, bodies of water and the sky. More so, it is a celebration of the majestic beauty of nature. This trend in the art world has continued to persist throughout the ages. Aside from this, it has also evolved in terms of styles and techniques. Every part of the globe has developed their own approach on how to translate the beauty of nature into a canvas. Because of the variety in culture and tradition, nature and landscape artworks have surfaced as distinctive copies of the wonders of the environment. With this, nature had become a worldwide art phenomenon and these artworks have made nature a timeless masterpiece that will be forever treasured and recognized. On the other hand, due to changing times, the seemingly everlasting beauty of nature is apparently gradually diminishing. If before humans respected the significant role of Mother Earth in the cycle of life, nowadays, humans have abandoned their vital task of being the steward. Instead of taking care of the natural wonders of the world, humans have opted to obliterate it. This sudden change was caused by the desire to improve the ways of living of people. Initially, the intention may seem innocent and harmless but if one would look closely, traces of selfishness and greed can be uncovered. People wanted to advance the human race but at the expense of damaging the environment. Because of this, a drastic natural occurrence has been plaguing the contemporary society. This has claimed lives of many people and destroyed millions worth of properties. This phenomenon has been labeled as climate change or global warming. In the recent years, Mother Earth has been experiencing unusual changes such as the increase in temperature of the atmosphere, extinction of some animal and plant species, loss of land mass and many others. These alterations have posted an alarming threat to the existence of many living things. If humans would permit this condition to carry on, in time people would be left homeless and without any nourishment. To help intensify awareness on the present state of the environment, an art exhibit will be put up. This exhibit will showcase the nature artworks of American artist, Ansel Adams, French painter, Paul Cezanne, and a Japanese artisan named Hokusai. The objective of the exhibit is to help the viewers realize the importance and connection of nature with the existence of humans. More so, this nature-themed art exhibit will explore the various perceptions of artists on nature from different periods. It will demonstrate how people saw and appreciated the beauty of the environment during their respective eras. By incorporating artists from different continents such as North America, Europe and Asia, viewers will also be given a 360 degrees view of the world’s most beautiful places. Hopefully, after they have seen the exhibit, the viewers will have a new-found respect on the beauty and vigor of Mother Earth. Ansel Adams is an American photographer who has mastered the artistry of capturing wonderful shots of landscapes in scenic places strewn all over the United States. Aside from being an artist, he was also a dedicated environmentalist â€Å"who encouraged understanding of, and respect for, the natural environment. † Even though he initially got noticed as a noted photographer in commercial photography, he excelled in the field of landscape photography (Notablebiographies. com). The black and white landscape photographs have become Adams’ trademarks. Two of Adams most recognized photographs are the â€Å"The Tetons and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming† and â€Å"‘Old Faithful’ geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming† (TheHistoryPlace. com). Adams was commissioned to take these pictures for the National Park Service in 1941. The photographs were intended to be used to make the â€Å"photo mural for the Department of the Interior Building in Washington, DC. † The main theme was focused on showcasing nature â€Å"exemplified and protected in the U. S. National Parks† (U. S. National Archives and Records Administration). These two photographs have illustrated the grandiose and picturesque beauty of the mountain ranges and national parks in the US. Furthermore, he used his creativity to â€Å"preserve the wilderness and one of the first to promote photography as an art form† (TheHistoryPlace. com). Paul Cezanne is considered as one of the masters of post-Impressionism. He is also well-known for pioneering an avant-garde movement then called cubism in the late 1800s. Because of his quirkiness and modern styles, Cezanne was misunderstood by the people. But this did not discourage him to advance his creativity. He â€Å"grew out of Impressionism and eventually challenged all the conventional values of painting in the 19th century through its insistence on personal expression and on the integrity of the painting itself. † Through these innovations, he was recognized as the â€Å"father of modern painting† (Pioch). But before Cezanne ventured into cubism, he created several simple yet exquisite landscape paintings that â€Å"immortalized the Provencal countryside† in France. In his two paintings, â€Å"Etude: Paysage a Auvers† (Study: Landscape at Auvers) and â€Å"Jas de Buffan† (The Pool), Cezanne was able to depict nature as real as he can. These two oil paintings were generated in 1873 and 1876 respectively. For Cezanne, nature cannot be accurately duplicated in a canvas. He tried to link the natural and artistic worlds by showing his own perceptions about nature. In relation to this, most of his artworks are advised to be seen as a whole and not per part in order to fully appreciate their artistic essence (Pioch). Hokusai is a famous Japanese painter. Compared to the previous artists, his choice of material for painting is unconventional. Hokusai used wood as his canvas to celebrate the beauty of nature. A native of Edo, which is now called Tokyo, Hokusai is regarded as â€Å"one of the outstanding figures of the Ukiyo-e or pictures of the floating world (everyday life), school of printmaking† (Pioch). In the â€Å"The Breaking Wave Off Kanagawa or The Great Wave,† Hokusai illustrated the splendor of the sea. Since Japan is surrounded by water, this painting has become the quintessential representation of Japanese aesthetics. This seascape painting with a Japanese natural landmark, Mt. Fuji, had represented the Asian geography. More so, it showed the combination of western and eastern influences with regards to art production. Moreover, this particular Japanese art have preserved its authenticity and oriental aesthetic by â€Å"flattening the texture and using color surfaces as an element. † On the other hand, this painting also showed how nature can be so powerful which was expressed on the giant which was on the verge of devouring the people aboard the two boasts (Andreas. com). Works Cited â€Å"ANSEL ADAMS Biography. † 2007. Notablebiographies. com. 12 December 2008 . â€Å"Ansel Adams Photograph. † n. d. U. S. National Archives and Records Administration. 12 December 2008 . â€Å"Best of Ansel Adams. † 1999. TheHistoryPlace. com. 12 December 2008 . â€Å"Hokusai. † 2008. Andreas. com. 12 December 2008 . Pioch, Nicolas. â€Å"Cezanne, Paul. † 19 September 2002. Webmuseum, Paris. 12 December 2008 . Pioch, Nicolas. â€Å"Cezanne, Paul: Landscapes. † 19 September 2002. Webmuseum, Paris. 12 December 2008 . Pioch, Nicolas. â€Å"Hokusai, Katsushika. † 19 September 2002. Webmuseum, Paris. 12 December 2008 .

Ielts Task

www. ieltsbuddy. com – Free online IELTS Advice IELTS Sample Essay – Alternative Medicine This IELTS sample essay tackles the subject of alternative medicine. When you are asked whether you agree (or disagree), you can look at both sides of the argument if you want. This shows that you have good academic skills as you are able to see both sides of the issue. It can also sometimes be a good idea to look at both sides of the argument because it may be easier for you to brainstorm ideas. If you just look at one side, you may run out of ideas. If you look at both, then there are more ideas to discuss.In this IELTS sample essay, the writer disagrees overall with the opinion presented – that alternative medicine is ineffective and possibly dangerous. However, in the first body paragraph the writer discusses what those who agree with this opinion think. In the second body paragraph the writer then gives the reasons why he/she disagrees. In other words: Body 1 = the disa dvantages of alternative medicine Body 2 = the advantages of alternative medicine It is then a good balanced conclusion as the writer states that they are best used together. Question:You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Present a written argument to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the following topic. Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine. However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be dangerous. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. You should write at least 250 words. www. ieltsbuddy. com – Free online IELTS Advice www. ieltsbuddy. om – Free online IELTS Advice IELTS Sample Essay Model Answer Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine and it is still used by many people all over the world. I am unconvinced that it is d angerous, and feel that both alternative and conventional medicine can be useful. There are several reasons why the conventional medical community is often dismissive of alternatives. Firstly, there has been little scientific research into such medicine, so there is a scarcity of evidence to support the claims of their supporters.Furthermore, people often try such treatment because of recommendations from friends, and therefore come to the therapist with a very positive attitude, which may be part of the reason for the cure. Moreover, these therapies are usually only useful for long-term, chronic conditions. Acute medical problems, such as accidental injury, often require more conventional methods. On the other hand, there remain strong arguments for the use of alternatives. Despite the lack of scientific proof, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest that these therapies work.In addition, far from being dangerous, they often have few or no side effects, so the worst outcome would be no change. One of the strongest arguments for the effectiveness of alternative therapies in the West is that, whilst conventional medicine is available without charge, many people are prepared to pay considerable sums for alternatives. If they were totally unhelpful, it would be surprising if this continued. I strongly believe that conventional medicine and alternative therapies can and should coexist.They have different strengths, and can both be used effectively to target particular medical problems. The best situation would be for alternative therapies to be used to support and complement conventional medicine. (280 words) Comments The writer in this IELTS sample essay introduces the topic in the introductory paragraph (Alternative medicine†¦ ) and puts forward a clear view on the issue (I am unconvinced†¦ and feel†¦ ). The essay has a well-balanced argument looking at both sides of the issue. The first body paragraph expresses some doubt about alternativ e therapies (†¦ ittle scientific research.. .only useful for long term†¦ ), but in the second body paragraph the writer takes a different view (On the other hand†¦ ) and examines the benefits (†¦ few side effects). The writer's concluding paragraph offers a strong opinion (I strongly believe†¦ ) and sums up the fact that both types of treatment are valid today. There is also a good range of grammatical structures (If they were totally unhelpful, it would be†¦ ), and connectors (despite the fact, in addition, finally). www. ieltsbuddy. com – Free online IELTS Advice

Ethics of Consumption Essay

Once you have read the textbook chapter and the Reading, answer discussion questions 1, 3- 5 (ignore questions 2 and 6). Q1. Who is the â€Å"we† in the question â€Å"Why do we consume so much?† Is Juliet Schor correct that â€Å"there is increasingly little that we do which is not a consumption experience† And that we have become a culture of excessive consumption? Explain your answers. The â€Å"we† in the question â€Å"why do we consume so much?† is stands for the majority of Americans those whose basic needs are met, who have discretionary income, the large middle classes whose standard of living has risen so dramatically over this century. Juliet Schor is correct that â€Å"there is increasingly little that we do which is not a consumption experience†. For example, the average American home has increased by more than 50% since 1970s and the number of vehicles per person has increased. And we have become a culture of excessive consumption due to $20,000 outdoor grills, $17,000 birthday parties for teen girls FAO Schwartz, diamond studded bras at Victoria Secrets, professional appliances for people not home to cook, designer clothes for 6 year olds as well as $1000 bed sheets. Q3. Explain why Schor believes that â€Å"more leisured. Less consumerist lifestyles are structurally blocked†. Why can’t people simply choose to work less and enjoy more free time? Do you agree that working long hours encourages people to consume more? Schor believes that â€Å"more leisure, less consumerist lifestyles is structurally blocked† because we are undermining our quality of life, we fail to take enough leisure, and live excessively busy and stressful lives. People cannot simply choose to work less and enjoy more free time because the employers set work norms and schedules, and those are tied to jobs. A full-time worker is paid per person, not per hour, and the employers prefer to hire fewer people, as well as employees who work longer hours are more financially dependent on the firm. Also, the income that people earned determines the level of consumption. The more they earned, the more or luxury goods they are able to purchase. I do not agree that working long hours encourages people to consume more. I have some working experiences before. After working for the whole day, I felt very tired and I thought money does not come easily, so I would not buy as much as I earned. I would like to save it and buy wait until I think the price of the good I want to buy is acceptable and it is useful. Q4. Schor refers to the second structural feature that creates too much consumption as â€Å"the ecological bias†. What does she mean by this? Do you agree with her that it is serious? Schor means that people overuse of the ecological resources of the earth, which account for global warming, species extinction, ecosystem depletion, water shortages, deforestation and soil erosion. I absolutely agree with her that overuse of natural capital is serious because the rate of resource use, pollution, and ecological degradation exceeds earth’s absorptive and regenerative capacities. We are already beyond a sustainable relation with earth. If rest of the world lived like the Americans do, need an additional four planets to support this lifestyle. Q5. Explain why you agree or disagree with Schor’s contention that consumption has become a social competition. How has the old concept of â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses† changed? Do you agree that it is difficult for individuals to resist or drop out of the consumption competition? Explain why or why not. Yes, I agree with Schor’s contention that consumption has become a social competition because more and more people buy luxury goods to show off, which  it stand for recognition, esteem, status, and even envy it confers. Especially young teenagers, they like to keep up with their classmates or schoolmates. As a result, branded goods were carried by students is obviously around the school. The old concept of â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses† has changed because Americans’ consumer aspirations now has become more vertical, which is in terms of economic and social standing. Young Americans regarded Rockefeller or Bill Gates who makes $100,000 a year or more as an important aspirational target. They are more squint towards a decent or comfortable standard of living. I agree that it is difficult for individuals to resist or drop out the consumption competition. Since everyone is using the latest products, we have to elevate ourselves as well. If we refused to upgrade our belonging, we will fall behind the others, it may account for inconvenience in our life. For example, nowadays, some homework has to type it out or submit online, if we do not have a laptop at home, then it will be troublesome and inconvenience. Thus, individuals are getting more and more difficult to drop put the consumption competition.

Essay on protection individuals from abuse

Identify two reports on serious failures to protect individuals from abuse. Write an account that describes the unsafe practices in the reviews. Abuse can happen anywhere anytime, but especially to vulnerable people. I have researched into two cases reported for abuse in adults. The Winterbourne case and the Orchid View case. Six care workers at the Winterbourne View care home were given prison terms for â€Å"cruel, callous and degrading† abuse of disabled patients. Orchid View care home was branded Britain's cruelest care home with neglect stemming from institutionalised abuse contributing to the deaths of five elderly residents.Staff at Winterbourne care home were using unsafe practices, They were caught on CCTV slapping vulnerable residents, soaking them in water and trapping them under chairs, staff were caught physically abusing these residents as well as emotionally and verbally abusing them by taunting and swearing at them. The individuals were not able to defend thems elves, this is an abuse of power and trust. Winterbourne were putting profits before humanity, it was run with a view to profit and with a lack of interest to its residents or staff.Poor working practices are seen here, one member of staff stated that he was originally shocked by the ill treatment of patients at Winterbourne yet became use to it over time. This is unsafe practice, not reporting incidents is also abusing the residents as they are still in danger. It was this member of staff’s responsibility to report what was happening. His behaviour was inappropriate. Unsafe practices were also seen in the Orchid View case. There was multiple accounts of maltreatment to elderly people in this home, there was institutionalised abuse throughout the home which started at a very early stage and nobody did anything about it.The home was mismanaged and understaffed meaning that the environment was not safe for the residents. There were several severe cases of neglect in this home, residents were left soiled and unattended while others were locked in their rooms. Another lady has a fractured ankle left undiagnosed for days. There was so many incidents of neglect reported in duty of personal care, another being unsafe administration of medication, for example failing to check the dosage. One lady had been overdosed and then her medical records were destroyed when it became clear she needed medical treatment.This is also inappropriate communication, not giving out the appropriate paperwork. Police and social workers where called into the home after a whistleblower reached breaking point after being told there was 28 errors in administrating drugs in a single shift. This shows the failure in ensuring supervision and staff being trained correctly. In both of these homes residents came into them to be looked after and to feel safe, yet lost their dignity, independence and some even their lives because of the unsafe practices being used and the abuse not being repor ted soon enough.

How does globalisation impact on the management of Chinese firms Essay

How does globalisation impact on the management of Chinese firms - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the Chinese society is generally considered to be guided by traditional norms and values. The Chinese business culture is unique, traditional and conservative by nature. Chinese business culture is large influenced by the ‘guanxi’ system. According to this system, ‘special relationships’ are given exceptional preference for establishing business connections. Therefore, very close relationships (such as family relationships) receive special attention in the business world, while the level of importance declines with distance in the relationship among networking individuals. However, the business environment is changing fast at the global level and the Chinese business culture is also changing fast along with the changing pattern of global business. Before the economic crisis of 2008, China’s economy grew at the rate of more than 11 percent. In this context, it is imperative to identify the key thrust tha t gears up the economy. In China, there are three types of firms; large private-owned firms, large state-owned firms and small family-run (private owned) firms operating inside and outside the Chinese border. Globalization has cast a significant effect on the economic activities of the Chinese economy. The biggest trend can be noticed in the form of international expansion of the small privately owned Chinese firms. Globalization is the intricate concept that covers a vast area including the economy, business, financial structure, culture and society and overall development of the small and large business corporations. It is the result of intensified of global networks that improve interconnectedness among the different economic agents and within the sectors. Since the effect of globalization is varied, it casts different effects on the different sectors of the economy. Hence any singular aspect of globalization cannot describe this gigantic phenomenon. Through globalization, intera ction takes place among diverse communities that leads to exchange of cultural and commercial attributes. Domestic cultures and businesses of the emerging economies evolve, adapt and modernize along with the incoming flow of foreign culture and practices. Six different aspects of globalization can be identified through in-depth study of the characteristics of the Chinese economy and business activities. These aspects are mentioned below: Faster rate of capital and information flow Improvement in modes of interaction and intensification of different connections Expansion and extension of cultural, social and political practices Greater level of interdependence between the global and local landscapes Greater effect of the western culture and practices on emerging economies of the developing countries Customisation of foreign ideas according to values embedded in domestic economies All these factors affect the small privately owned family businesses in China. The major benefits receive d by small firms as a result of globalization are increased technological knowledge, better ways of production and cheaper products. Rate of flow of capital and information, labour and goods has increased as a result of globalization. This is because, under globalization, channels of communication have increased and have become highly advanced.

Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Drama - Essay Example The film also reflects how Mozart constantly challenged traditional musical conventions. He did this in his choice of subject matter, which often introduced ideas that seemed lewd and vulgar to the upper elite, but that is not such a shock to today’s audience. The film brings this shock-factor out by focusing on Mozart’s sometimes bizarre behavior and outlandish outfits. For example, he is very dramatic in his staging of Figaro. He emphasizes the emotional qualities of the story, but is told music does not entertain. Accepted wisdom held that the purpose of music is to make the listener think and to bring his thinking closer to God. Yet, this is exactly what Mozart’s music does for Salieri, â€Å"God was singing to all the world of perfect absolution.† Throughout the film, lighting and costuming show Mozart to be seeking ways of being different. However, it is the music that drives the audience. This is emphasized by Salieri’s reverent descriptions, â€Å"replace one note and it would be diminished, displace one phrase and the structure would fall. Here again was the very voice of God.† Even the darkest music presented in the film, the final scene of Don Giovanni, is presented as a heavenly voice and drives