Initial Peopling of North America

Initial Peopling of North America Introduction The question of how and when human beings reached North and South America is an interesting topic of debate (Muckle 2010). Some general understandings and consensuses are that the native populations inherited their genetic pool from Asian groups that initially occupied Siberia before the last glacial period (Jablonski 2002). However, the actual time and process through which these groups reached America remains unknown (Dixon 2003).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Initial Peopling of North America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A number of theories attempt to address this question, but none of them provides adequate information to show how these groups reached the continents. In the recent times, genetic studies have proved to be effective in determining the relationship between the Native Americans and the Asian groups. In fact, these studies have shown that the American natives are closely r elated to a number of Asian groups. Several theories such as the Pacific Rim, Biringia, Solutrean and others have attempted to develop models that explain how the Asian groups reached America. The purpose of this paper is to analyze some of these postulates in order to draw some information that may provide a better understanding of the initial people of North America. Theoretical explanation of initial peopling in North America According to scholars in Linguistics, archaeology and evolutional biology, Native Americans moved from some places in Northeastern parts of Asia. During the last Ice Age, geographical conditions could not allow possible migrations of humans from Asia into America (Dickason 2007). Therefore, the most important task is to explain the route and time that allowed migrations from Asia to America. It is suggested that humans used two routes to reach America- the Bering Land Bridge (Beringia) and along the Northwest coast (watercraft methods). Based on this informa tion, a number of hypotheses have emerged to explain how the ancient people migrated into the New World, despite the large volume of ice. Two major hypotheses, the ice-free corridor and the coastal migration, tend to agree that the initial people of Americas had ancestral ties with populations that lived in Siberia and that the major route was via Beringia. Beringia, also known as the Bering Land Bridge, was a large ice-free area that connected north-west part of North America with north-eastern edge of Asia (Dickason 2007). Several Paleoenvironmental research studies have shown that the area on Beringia has a large volume of animals and plants, which acted as resources for the migrating humans. These resources supported the human populations during the entire late ice age, which suggests that the migration was in progress at this time.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The ice-free corridor hypothesis The ice-free corridor hypothesis is considered one of the most effective models of addressing the migration question. This theory, which is based on the understanding that at various stages during the last Ice age, the northern part of America (Canada) was covered with two large sheets of ice (Burns 2006). The southern region of the ice sheets was approximately along the line that marks the modern boundary between the US and Canada. One of the sheets was covering most of the areas that lie to west of the Rocky Mountains while the other sheet was on the areas to the east of these mountains. It is believed that the sheets were joined during most of the last ice age, but they must have been separated, which provided a stretch of iceless land known as the ice-free corridor (Burns 2006). According to theorists, the ice-free corridor makes an important landmark during the migration into the new world. Proponents of this hypothesis believe that people from northeastern parts of Asia first reached Beringia and settled in this region for several years because the two sheets of ice had not separated. However, these populations increasingly moved closer to the areas bordering the ice as it increasingly became warmer. The theorists believe that the populations simply migrated down the corridor when it developed from warming up of the ice sheets (Dillehay 1994). Noteworthy, several animals were the first organisms to migrate down the corridor, which means that humans were following them. In fact, there is substantial information supporting this theory of migration, most of which tend to show that the increase in the human populations in Beringia must have forced some groups to move down the corridor in search of animal resources. For instance, Paleoenvironmental evidence suggests that this route was one of the most possible methods through which human and animal populations reached the northern part of the Americas. However, it is worth no ting that the theory is somehow weak because there is no archaeological evidence to support the hypothesis. In fact, there no archaeological sites in the ice-free corridor, especially the ones that older than 13,000 years, yet the theory attempts to explain that the migrations down the corridor must have taken place more than 15,000 years ago (Dickason 2007). This means that the theory cannot be relied on as the sole method of solving the migration problem. Nevertheless, the hypothesis provides some basic information as well as a platform for additional research to solve the question.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Initial Peopling of North America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Coastal migration hypothesis Secondly, the coastal migration hypothesis attempts to use a different approach to the migration problem. Theorists argue that rather than depending on the large number of animals as resources, the ea rly populations in Asia were largely adapted to the maritime and mostly lived on the coastlines, where food security was assured (Dickason 2007). Therefore, populations spread along the coastlines rather than the interior. This means that the populations migrated along the coastlines. They went round southern margins of the land in Beringia before moving down the west coast of the American continent until they passed the two large sheets of ice (Erlandson 2004). According to some variations of the hypothesis, the earliest populations used boats to move across large water masses before reaching the continent. However, other theorists suggest that it was possible to move on land along the coastlines because the large glaciers did not cover the entire land in the coast (Fladmark 2000). In fact, it is worth noting that most glaciers in the ice ages did not cover the coastlines, which gave some good environment for the survival of animals and plants. This phenomenon must have given the p opulations a chance to maintain foot travel to other continents. In the case of migration into the Americas, a number of evidence supports the coastal migration hypothesis. For instance, locations with a lot of animals and plants needed to maintain the human populations have been found along the coastlines that dates back to 18,000 (Fladmark 2000). This is an important finding because the age falls within the period in which humans populations from Asia migrated into the northern parts of Americas. However, it is clear that the hypothesis lacks archaeological support because there are no archaeological sites along the coastal region, with the few one dating less than 12,000 years. The implication is that there is a gap in knowledge in this explanation and that the theory can only be used as a platform or basis for further studies. In the 20th century, most scientists disputed this theory based on lack of archaeological evidence. They thought that the number of locations of animal an d plant life on the coastlines, which meant that the human populations could not have used a route devoid of these resources. Nevertheless, environmental studies are increasingly providing new information to support this hypothesis, especially because the populations are thought to have achieved maritime adaptations few years after glaciations (Erlandson 2001). These studies show that human populations stretched from Alaska to California during the migration period (Erlandson 1994).Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These two hypotheses are largely based on the knowledge on the Clovis culture, a big-game hunting culture that archaeologists identify as the main way of life among the Asian groups of people during the last ice age. According to Erlandson (1994), artefacts that had fluted and projectile points mainly characterize this culture. The first evidence of these tools was found at Clovis region in New Mexico, USA, following an excavation in 1932. Subsequent excavations reveal that the culture was prominent in all parts of North America and later moved to South America with the migrating groups. In particular, the culture was designated by the use of Clovis, a typical set of tools that had flaked flint and a â€Å"speared† point inserted into a flute-like object. The flute allowed users to insert and remove the point from the shaft when travelling. The flute is one of the most important aspects of the tools in use during human migrations. Carbon dating for Clovis culture has produced substantial information regarding the migration patterns from Asia to North America. Carbon dating these tools has been done in association with animal bones, which has revealed that the tools were used some 13,000 and 12,000 calendar years ago (Stanford and Bradely 2012). Despite this, a number of studies have produced controversial evidence that seems to argue that the tools may not be the most important way of explaining the migrations. For instance, it has been shown that at least 11 out of 22 sites excavated have inherent problems. In fact, some studies indicate that even the sites at Clovis, New Mexico, are problematic. According to such studies, the datable samples in these sites have undergone contaminations due to their integration with earlier materials, rendering them useless in providing evidence to support the migration patterns. Noteworthy, the Younger Drayas Impact Event made an important and effective influence on the existence of the Clovis culture in North America . About 13,000 calendar years ago, the Younger Drayas event had a major impact on the populations, causing the decline of the culture. In addition, the Clovis culture is a relatively weak theory in explaining human migrations in North America. A number of problems are associated with this model. For instance, the model fails to explain why there was a short time between the time of human occupation in North America and their arrival at the south most tips of South America (Gruhn 2004). Humans radiated southwards from Asia to America and South America some 12,000 calendar years ago. This means that the time span used to propagate the populations from the northern end of North America to the southern tip of South America is very short, which shows that it was not possible, considering the geographical and environmental barriers at the time. In addition, evidence collected at the Monte Verde site in Chile has suggested that the Clovis model is relatively weak. Archaeological evidence f rom this site produced some radiocarbon evidence that predate Clovis sites found on the Midwest by more than 1,000 years (Erlandson, Graham, Bourque, Corbett, and Estes 2007). The evidence, however, provides support to the coastal migration model as the most possible route by which the human populations of the last ice age used to reach the south. It suggests that the populations that used the coastlines for migration were able to move fast than their counterparts who used inland migration routes. Noteworthy, a number of studies have shown that the populations had a wide range of food resources, including tubers, shellfish and turtles. This is an additional indication that humans did not rely on the big game culture that involved hunting mammoths, horses, longhorn bison and camels that were the primary food resources for the populations that followed the inland routes from Asia to North America. Charcoal evidence and other human artefacts have also led to confusions in explaining th e entry and existence of human populations in the New World. For instance, along the banks of River Savannah in Allendale, South Caroline, a site known as the Topper archaeological site shows that charcoal and other human artefacts were already in use some 50,000 years ago. Radiocarbon dating of these materials has shown that humans were already in existence some 40,000 years before the purported time of entry into the new world. In fact, it implies that humans already inhabited the New World years before the last glacial period. The implication is that the Clovis culture and the migration models based on it may be ineffective in explaining the migration of humans into Americas. Nevertheless, these new evidences have also been a topic of debate over the last few years. For instance, some studies indicate that charcoal could have resulted from wild fires while geofacts could be mistaken for human artefacts. In fact, it is evident that the region experienced several wildfires caused b y the natural processes years before the entry of first humans in the New World (Heaton 2005). Apart from the Clovis culture model, a number of other theories have been developed with the hope of providing alternative explanations for migration from Eurasia to Americas. The watercraft migrations models are important in explain how humans reached the New World from the populated regions in Asia and Europe. The Pacific coastal model argues that human populations travelled along the coastal regions, which made it possible to reach North America. According to the proponents of this theory, it is clear that coastlines provided the human populations with a good and friendly environment for humans because they support a wide range of resources, including plants and animals (Heaton 2005). Both terrestrial and aquatic lives were protected and maintained at the coastlines, which means that human populations depended on the coastlines for their food. The model attempts to show that humans move d along the coast both on land and on using watercrafts to reach various regions between Asia and America. It explains how the human populations colonised distant regions new Bering point, including the Taima-Taime region in Venezuela as well as the controversial Monte Verde region in Chile. Archaeological excavations have found two layers of cultural components at the Monte Verde site in Chile, which have led to the hypothesis that the Pacific coastal models must have been the most possible routes of migration. The youngest layer is dated about 14,000 years old. It contains various kinds of seaweeds that were used by the coastal inhabitants. The older layer was found to be more than 30,000 years, but it is highly controversial and not used as strong evidence to support the Pacific coastal migration hypothesis (Dixon 2005). The Solutrean Hypothesis A third theory attempts to provide some additional information regarding the migration of the Eurasian populations into the Americas. Kn own as the Solutrean hypothesis, the explanation suggest that the migration did not involve Asian groups, but rather the groups came from Europe across the Atlantic. In fact, the term Solutrean is derived from a culture that was existed in Europe some 18,000 to 20,000 years ago. The possible route must have involved boat and raft migration across the Atlantic before moving down beyond the periglacial environment in the eastern parts of the modern day Canada. Although this hypothesis provides an alternative to the Asia-America migration routes, it has a number of weaknesses. For instance, it lacks biological evidence because most of the indigenous people in North America are biologically related to Asian populations rather than European groups. In addition, the indigenous populations in North America and Asia have a number of general similarities such as cultural attributes. For instance, the stone tool technologies in these two regions are similar especially those developed between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago (Jones 2005). These have been located in various parts of Beringia and north-west parts of North America. On the other hand, there is little archaeological evidence linking the Indigenous groups in America with those of Europe, which suggests that the Solutrean migration theory is not viable. Most archaeologists argue that there are few similarities in stone tools and technologies between the Europeans and North American populations some 20,000 years ago cannot be used to explain the routes of migration into the new world. The Paleoindian hypothesis The Paleoindians of the coast (East Asians) migration model, attempts to show that the earliest humans to reach North America originated from East Asia and were largely boat builders (Stanford and Bradley 2011). Some scholars suggest that boast building communities used crude boats to reach as far south as Chile. For instance, the theory shows that in the coast of British Columbia, a human population known as the Haida that colonized Queen Charlotte Islands must have been one of the groups that used this migratory route from Asia. It is estimated that the group were descendants of early Asian miners that left Asia between 24,000 and 10,000 years ago. Like the Clovis migration models, the watercraft migration models have a number of weaknesses that make them less effective in determining the exact routes and processes of human migration from Eurasia to the New World. For instance, this theory cannot explain how humans and animals survived along the coastlines after the glaciations that submerged most coastal regions by more than 100 meters. For instance, it is clear that sea levels in the world have risen by more than 100 meters after the end of the last glaciations period, which has led to submergence of the old coastlines. These are the coastlines thought to have been used by the migrating groups, which make it difficult to explain how the migrations took place (Dixon 2009). Secondly, i t is worth noting that the theories lack archaeological evidence to support their claims. For instance, there are few sites associated with these migrations and it has become difficult for scientists to discover new sites along the coastlines. In addition, it is worth noting that the former coastlines are now submerged, which means that it is difficult to excavate sites under the water. In addition, genetic studies have shown that some of these theories do not apply at all because there is little evidence to link some European or Asian groups with the indigenous Americans. With genetic studies, it has been shown that some theories like the Solutrean are unlikely and wrong. In the next section, a review of genetic linkages will be developed to show the relationships between the indigenous Americans and some human populations in Asia (Jablonski 2002). Genetic evidence and population linkage theory The development of strong genetic studies, including the polymerised chain reaction and molecular markers improved the process of determining linkages between different organisms. In studying human populations and their relationships, these technologies have proved effective in solving some problems in anthropology and archaeology. Most genetic studies focussing on indigenous Americans are based on the human Y-Chromosome DNA halogroups as well AS HAPLOGROUPS OF Human mitochondrial DNA (Eshleman, Ripan and Smith 2003). These use these groups to determine the relationship between indigenous Americans and other populations in other parts of the world. For instance, according to Perego, Angerhofer, Pala, Olivieri et al (2010), a growing number of mitochondrial genomes from Beringia indicate that human populations migrated from Asia to America through the Beringian routes. Haplogroup C1 of human mitochondrial DNA for Asian and indigenous Americans were sequenced and found to have two C1 halogroups as the founder genomes foe the Paleo-Indians. This study indicates that the A merican natives are closely related with some Asian populations and not European groups. In addition, other studies have shown that several gene linkages, founding halotypes and a wide range of homozygosity and heterozygosity are evident. They indicate that human populations spread from Asia to America through Beringia and involved coastline and inland settlements. For instance, the Alaskans, Inuit and Na-Dene exhibit mutations in their haplogroup Q of their Y-chromosomes. This phenomenon is also evident in some Asian groups but missing in European or African populations. Conclusion This paper indicates that American natives are closely related to a number of Asian groups. Several theories such as the Pacific Rim, Biringia, Solutrean and others have attempted to develop models that explain how the Asian groups reached America. However, genetic studies appear to show that watercraft theories are unlikely, but Clovis migration patterns are important. References Cited Burns, J, 2006. V ertebrate Paleontology and the Alleged Ice-Free Corridor: The Meat of the Matter. Quaternary International 32: 107-112. Dickason, Olive, 2007.  Canadas First Nations: A History of the Founding Peoples from the Earliest Times. Oxford University Press, New York Dillehay, T. 1994. A Late Ice-Age Settlement in Southern Chile. Scientific American 25:100-109. Dixon, James, 2003.  Quest for the Origins of the First Americans. University of New Mexico Press, New Mexico. Dixon, James, 2005.  Bones, Boats, and Bison: the Early Archeology of Western North America. University of New Mexico Press, New Mexico. Dixon, James, 2009.  Bones, Boats, and Bison: Archeology and the First Colonization of Western North America. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. Erlandson, J, 1994.  Early Hunter-Gatherers of the California Coast. Plenum Press, New York, NY. Erlandson, Jon, 2001. The Archaeology of Aquatic Adaptations: Paradigms for a New Millennium. Journal of Archaeological Research, 9 : 287–350. Erlandson, Jon, 2004.  Early Hunter-Gatherers of the California Coast. Plenum Press, New York. Erlandson, Jon, Graham, H, Bruce Bourque, Debra Corbett, and James A. Estes, 2007. The Kelp Highway Hypothesis: Marine Ecology, The Coastal Migration Theory, and the Peopling of the Americas. Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2: 161–174. Eshleman, Jason, Ripan Malhi, and David Smith, 2003. Mitochondrial DNA Studies of Native Americans: Conceptions and Misconceptions of the Population Prehistory of the Americas. Evolutionary Anthropology, 12:7–18 Fladmark, R. 2000.  Times and Places: Environmental Correlates of Mid-to-Late Wisconsin Human Population Expansion in North America. Sage Publication, Beverly Hills. Gruhn, R. 2004.  The Pacific Coast Route of Initial Entry: An Overview. Method and Theory for Investigating the Peopling of the Americas. Center for the Study of the First Americans, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Heaton, T. 2005, Mid dle Wisconsin Bear and Rodent Remains Discovered on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Current Research in the Pleistocene 12:92-95. Jablonski, Newman, 2002.  In The First Americans: The Pleistocene Colonization of the New World. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco. Jones, Peter 2005. Respect for the Ancestors: American Indian Cultural Affiliation in the American West. Bauu Institute Press, New York. Muckle, Robert, 2010.  Indigenous Peoples of North America. University of Toronto Press, Toronto. Perego, Ugo, Norman Angerhofer, Maria Pala, Anna Olivieri, and Hovirag Lancioni, et al., 2010 The initial peopling of the Americas: A growing number of founding mitochondrial genomes from Beringia. Genome Research 20: 1174-1179. Stanford, D and Bruce A. Bradley, 2011.  Across Atlantic Ice: The Origin of Americas Clovis Culture. University of California Press, Berkerly Stanford, D and Bruce Bradely, 2012.  Pre-Clovis First Americans: The Origin of Americas Clovi s Culture. University of California Press, Berkerly

Week 4 discussion 1 and 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 4 discussion 1 and 2 - Essay Example Freud’s theory asserts that crime is an act that is affected by mental disorder, which causes a conflict between the id, ego and superego, or it may result from an incorrect recording in one of the stages in development. The mental disorder is usually manifested as behavioural problems like social passivity or full aggression. The theory believes that criminal activities committed by individuals are due to personality defect that were affected and disrupted by lack of progressions during childhood developmental stage. A pointing example is that, a boy who commit crime were twice more likely to have experienced severe punishments from their parents. Another study done on juvenile offenders showed that young offenders who were separated from their natural mothers were prone to delinquency in their adolescence stage. Such a study asserts that the association between a child in his/her tender age and their primary caregiver forms the baseline for personality and development in their moral behaviours in adulthood. Defence mechanism as discussed by Freud has an influence in the development of criminal behaviour. For example, in a defence mechanism like displacement; an individual who gets frustrations from their employer may displace the hunger back to children at home by beating or verbally abusive. In addition, his action can lead to misdemeanour like maim which is an offence. However, some defence mechanism like sublimation may prevent an individual from committing an offence. For example, an aggressive person who feels like killing people can go and work in an animal slaughterhouse and slaughter animals rather than kill human beings (Gedo, 2002). Freud theory has some pros and cons. On the pros, the theory provides an insight as to why an individual is involved in criminal activity, and this can be used by a defence counsel in court to seek for the reduction of charges against an accused. However, the

Global Interdependence Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Interdependence - Article Example l idea of Simon’s article is the worldwide sense of exhaustion, particularly in the Islamic world, as a result of local conflicts, interference by the US and terrorism. The Israeli-Arab conflict, its fallout on the relations between Syria & Lebanon, the 9/11 disaster leading to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the sanctions against Iran and the latest act of terrorism against Mumbai by suspected terrorists from Pakistan – all continuing disastrous events evading resolution, have been touched upon by Simon to point out that the world is exhausted and looking forward to a new messiah to bring these conflicts to an end. President-elect Mr. Barack Obama, according to Simon, carries this great ‘burden of expectation’ by the people across the globe. If trade or economic matters are the bye-words of globalization, the word Obamania is no less in a globally interdependent world. Mr. Obama assumes office as President on 20th January 2009, and the eagerly awaited change of course from the present administration’s policies. Without saying it in so many words, Krugman hints at the interdependency of the global economy and politics to suggest that expectations indeed run high on both counts at home and abroad. The end of the cold-war period signified by the fall of the former Soviet Union, gave rise to globalization as the solution to economic co-operation and growth. The USA promoted this approach aggressively and prompted most nations to fall in line. Indeed, many poor countries have been seeing the benefits of global marketing, by exporting cheap manufactured products into the rich markets of the western world. However, the success on the economic side has not been repeated in the political area. The decades old conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians continued without abatement and if anything, worsened into an all out conflict between the Islamic and non-Islamic (mainly Christian, Jewish and Hindu) faiths. Exhausted by the expensive wars on one side

Fast Food Nation Essay Example for Free

Fast Food Nation Essay The growth of the fast food industry over the past few decades into what it is today is an undeniable phenomenon that has occurred in an alarmingly rapid pace. The fact of the matter is it seems that a person has a very realistic chance of finding a McDonalds within a 4 mile radius of any household in the country, it is also arguable that this is already the case for the world as well, and if not now then very soon indeed. According to an article â€Å"Good Home CookingRight off the Assembly Line,† by James Bone on the Times Online Web site said, â€Å"only one-third of Americans cook meals from scratch†, meaning with fresh ingredients. Bone also reports that â€Å"Americans spend only thirty minutes cooking dinner, compared with 2-1/2 hours in the 1960s†. In his book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser says, â€Å"one-quarter of Americans eat in a fast-food restaurant each day† (3). Why are Americans eating so much fast food? The answer is simple: they are willing to trade quality for speed. While Americans may be attracted to food that is fast and easy, they are missing some important benefits of slowing down. In fact, Americans’ obsession with fast food is hurting not only their health but also the quality of their lives. The main reason that Americans are getting take-out food and cooking prepared meals is obvious: they don’t have enough time. Bone said â€Å"in more than two-thirds of households in America, two people are working†. People with demanding work schedules have little time for food shopping and cooking. Another reason that mealtime has become so short is that many younger adults grew up in what one might call a fast-food culture. In the past fifty years, inventions such as televisions, fax machines, and computers have increased the pace of life. At the same time, microwave ovens, drive-through restaurants, and TV dinners have changed the way Americans eat. Many people now prefer to eat quickly, even in their cars or in front of the television, instead of taking time to cook a meal and sit at the table. In this culture of instant gratification, people don’t think food is important enough to spend much time on. Even though Americans think that they are saving time and improving their lives by eating precooked and prepackaged food, their obsession with fast food is causing the quality of their lives to go down. Fast food doesnt contain the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. They have lots of preservatives, fat, sugar, and salt to hide the fact that they are not fresh. As a result, people may feel chronically fatigued and lack the energy they need to complete daily tasks. If people do not eat fresh foods that provide necessary vitamins and minerals, they may become tired and sick, and they will miss out on opportunities to enjoy their lives. Another serious health concern is obesity. There is an obesity epidemic in America today, especially with young person, that is related to the way people are eating. According to Schlosser, â€Å"the rate of obesity among American children is twice as high as it was in the late 1970s† (240). Obesity can lead to many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In The Link Between Fast Food And The Obesity Epidemic. Dustin Frazier writes, â€Å"deaths due to poor diet and physical inactivity increased 33 percent over the past decade†. It cites a study concluding that, â€Å"poor diet and physical inactivity may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death in this country†. Certainly, if fast food causes people to become obese, and then obesity causes them to get sick or die, fast food cannot be considered â€Å"improvement† in Americans’ lives. Even though Americans may think they are saving time and improving their lives by eating fast food, they will actually have healthier and more enjoyable lives if they change the way they cook and eat. Making dinner from scratch is much healthier than getting burgers and fries from a fast-food restaurant. And people get more than just a full stomachthey get more time with family and friends and a good feeling from creating something healthy. People should learn to choose fast food carefully and remember the pleasure of eating good food in good company. Work Cited Bone, James. â€Å"Good Home CookingRight off the Assembly Line. † TimesOnline 27 Mar. 2006. 9 Oct. 2006http://www. timesonline. co. uk/article/0,,11069-2105427,00. html. Frazier, Dustin A. The Link Between Fast Food And The Obesity Epidemic. Health Matrix: journal Of Law-Medicine 17. 2 (2007): 291-317. Academic Search Complete. Web. 17 Sept. 2012. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York, NY: Perennial, 2002. Print.

Free Native Son Essays: Bigger :: Native Son Essays

Native Son: Bigger    In his most famous novel, Native Sun, Richard Wright successfully develops three major themes: Racism, violence as a personal necessity, and social injustice. He has captured the powerful emotions and suffering, the frustrations and yearnings, the restlessness and hysteria, of all the Bigger Thomas's in this grippingly dramatic novel.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wright shows to us, through Bigger Thomas, how bad things were for the black race. He tells how Bigger was raised in a one ªroom apartment, living with his family and rats. The rent was very high, and his mother was barely able to pay it. Bigger's education like most blacks at that time , did not exceed the eighth grade. Without the help of the Relief Agency, Bigger and his family may not have been able to keep up much longer financially. Bigger had no money, except for the spare change his mother gives him, so he would usually just hang out at the pool hall, which was in the black district, or southside.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bigger used to pull little jobs with his friends, but all of them including Bigger wanted to pull off a big job, by robbing Blum's store. They were afraid though, of getting caught for robbing a white man. They know the police don't care about blacks, and would probably accuse them of many more crimes. Luckily for Bigger, though, the Relief Agency did find him a job with the Daltons. When Bigger went to the Daltons house for the first time, he brought his gun, because it made him feel equal to the white people.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Bigger got to the Daltons house, he didn't know whether to enter the house by the front or back door. He looks for a way to the back, and realizes the only way in is through the front door. As he rang the doorbell, he felt very disturbed. And when he started talking to Mr. Dalton, Mr. Dalton asks Bigger about his past crimes, which made Bigger feel pressured. Then Mary Dalton walked in and asked Bigger if he was in a union, if he knew about communism, and then still more questions, until her father finally asked her to leave the room. Bigger was afraid that this little brat was going to get him to lose his job. Then he met Peggy, a maid, Who asks Bigger all these questions, like he could understand what Free Native Son Essays: Bigger :: Native Son Essays Native Son: Bigger    In his most famous novel, Native Sun, Richard Wright successfully develops three major themes: Racism, violence as a personal necessity, and social injustice. He has captured the powerful emotions and suffering, the frustrations and yearnings, the restlessness and hysteria, of all the Bigger Thomas's in this grippingly dramatic novel.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wright shows to us, through Bigger Thomas, how bad things were for the black race. He tells how Bigger was raised in a one ªroom apartment, living with his family and rats. The rent was very high, and his mother was barely able to pay it. Bigger's education like most blacks at that time , did not exceed the eighth grade. Without the help of the Relief Agency, Bigger and his family may not have been able to keep up much longer financially. Bigger had no money, except for the spare change his mother gives him, so he would usually just hang out at the pool hall, which was in the black district, or southside.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bigger used to pull little jobs with his friends, but all of them including Bigger wanted to pull off a big job, by robbing Blum's store. They were afraid though, of getting caught for robbing a white man. They know the police don't care about blacks, and would probably accuse them of many more crimes. Luckily for Bigger, though, the Relief Agency did find him a job with the Daltons. When Bigger went to the Daltons house for the first time, he brought his gun, because it made him feel equal to the white people.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Bigger got to the Daltons house, he didn't know whether to enter the house by the front or back door. He looks for a way to the back, and realizes the only way in is through the front door. As he rang the doorbell, he felt very disturbed. And when he started talking to Mr. Dalton, Mr. Dalton asks Bigger about his past crimes, which made Bigger feel pressured. Then Mary Dalton walked in and asked Bigger if he was in a union, if he knew about communism, and then still more questions, until her father finally asked her to leave the room. Bigger was afraid that this little brat was going to get him to lose his job. Then he met Peggy, a maid, Who asks Bigger all these questions, like he could understand what

Hong Kong

What about Hong Kong? If we explore the culture of Hong Kong through the lens of the 5-D Model, we can get a good overview of the deep drivers of its culture relative to other world cultures. Power distance This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal – it expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.At 68 Hong Kong has a high score on PDI – i. e. a society that believes that inequalities amongst people are acceptable. The subordinate-superior relationship tends to be polarized and there is no defense against power abuse by superiors. Individuals are influenced by formal authority and sanctions and are in general optimistic about people’s capacity for leadership and initiative. Individualism The fundamental issue addr essed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members.It has to do with whether people? s self-image is defined in terms of â€Å"I† or â€Å"We†. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to ‘in groups’ that take care of them in exchange for loyalty. At a score of 25 Hong Kong is a collectivist culture where people act in the interests of the group and not necessarily of themselves. In-group considerations affect hiring and promotions with closer in-groups (such as family) are getting preferential treatment.Whereas relationships with colleagues are cooperative for in-groups they are cold or even hostile to out-groups. Personal relationships prevail over task and company. Communication is indirect and the harmony of the group has to be maintained, open conflicts are avoided. Masculinity / Femininity A high score (masc uline) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner / best in field – a value system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational behaviour.A low score (feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others and quality of life. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine). At 57 Hong Kong is a somewhat masculine society –success oriented and driven. The need to ensure success can be exemplified by the fact that many will spend many hours at work.Service people (such as hairdressers) will provide services until very late at night. Another example is that students care very much about their exam scores and ranking as this is the main criteria to achieve success or not. Uncertainty avoidance The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways.The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is reflected in the UAI score. At 29 Hong Kong has a low score on uncertainty avoidance. Adherence to laws and rules may be flexible to suit the actual situation and pragmatism is a fact of life. The people in Hong Kong are comfortable with ambiguity; the Chinese language is full of ambiguous meanings that can be difficult for Western people to follow. They are adaptable and entrepreneurial. Long term orientationThe long term orientation dimension is closely rel ated to the teachings of Confucius and can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue, the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional historical short-term point of view. With a score of 96 Hong Kong is a highly long term oriented society in which persistence and perseverance are normal. Relationships are ordered by status and the order is observed. People are thrifty and sparing with resources and investment tends to be in long term projects such as real estate. Traditions can be adapted to suit new conditions.

Stevensons Use of Literary Techniques to Portray Evil in...

This essay will focus on how Robert Louis Stevenson presents the nature of evil through his novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. Using ideas such as duality, the technique used to highlight the two different sides of a character or scene, allegories, an extended metaphor which has an underlying moral significance, and hypocrisy; in this book the Victorians being against all things evil but regularly taking part in frown able deeds that would not be approved of in a ‘respectable’ society. This links in with the idea of secrecy among people and also that evil is present in everyone. The novel also has strong ties and is heavily influenced by religion. Stevenson, being brought up following strong†¦show more content†¦This gives the impression that Hyde is a monster than comes out only when it is dark and nobody can see him. Whatever he is, he cannot be called human. In Victorian England, if a person looked ugly, criminal-like or ‘giving an impression of deformity’ they were considered to be ugly and criminal-like inside to. If you imagine a person reading this story when that was what was thought, the description of Mr Hyde would instantly label him as the bad character. During the story Hyde’s actions compounds our first impressions of him. Stevenson never says exactly what Hyde takes pleasure in on his nightly forays but it is thought to be of things that would ruin Jekyll’s reputation if they ever came out. There is thought to be strong ties to drugs, alcohol addiction and other dangerous dealings; ‘he had once visited her (the maid’s) master and for whom she had conceived a dislike’. In the very first chapter, Mr Enfield tells his friend, Mr Utterson, a story where he witnessed a strange looking man walking along a deserted street, who ‘trampled calmly over (a) child’s body and left her screaming on the ground’ whe n they collided. When Mr Utterson approaches Hyde in the street, Hyde shrinks back ‘with a hissing intake’. The word ‘hissing’ procures up the image in the mind of a snake, like the devil in the form of a serpent in the bible. During the book there are many references and motifs to hell and evil; ‘really like Satan’,’ devilish little man’,Show MoreRelatedThe Way Robert Louis Stevenson Uses Literary Techniques in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde1103 Words   |  5 PagesThe Way Robert Louis Stevenson Uses Literary Techniques in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a novella that was written an 1886 and has gone down in history as one of the most famous works of gothic horror fiction. The term Jekyll and Hyde personality is used in society today to depict someone with a dual personality who is a kind of schizophrenic, describing someone who lives a double life of outward morality and inward iniquity. AtRead More How Does Robert Louis Stevenson use literary techniques to illustrate2496 Words   |  10 PagesHow Does Robert Louis Stevenson use literary techniques to illustrate the social, historical and moral points he is trying to make in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde? Throughout the Novella, ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, the author Robert Louis Stevenson uses a wide range of literary techniques in a skilful and sophisticated way to help achieve his effects and put his points across. Stevenson’s unique use of language is vital to the success of the Novella, with the structural and linguistic devices playingRead MoreStevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde2427 Words   |  10 PagesStevensons Use of Literary Techniques in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Robert Louis Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells of how a scientist abuses his knowledge so that he can become another being but the double he becomes is one that cannot be directly blamed for his crimes and actions. Throughout the story Stevenson uses many different literary techniques to convey how the characters feel. These can be categorized into many different themes: the