The different views of London presented by the two poets Essay Example for Free

The different views of London presented by the two poets Essay Compare the different views of London presented by the two poets. Refer closely to the text in your answer. The poems London by William Blake and A View From Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth were both written around the turn of the 19th century. Both describe London in very different ways, highlighting the aspects of Londons alter ego. Blakes poem is a scathing attack on both the city and its inhabitants. In contrast, Wordsworths poem reflects the aesthetical value of the scene. The craft employed by the poets helps to reflect the difference in tone between the two poems. In Blakes poem, London is brutally painted as a dark, dirty, disease ridden and deprived place. He does this by describing the people who live in this hapless city and the mind forged manacles that bind the people to their lives of misery. Wordsworths poem describes a scene in the early morning of the view from Westminster bridge .It uses grandiose imagery to describe the beautiful majesty of the city and praises both nature and mans achievements, and how they can co-exist harmoniously the beauty of the morning; silent, bare, /ships, towers, domes, theatres. This is very different from Blakes poem which talks of the people, like the chimney sweepers cry and the hapless soldiers sigh. As Blake wanders thro each chartered street hes seeing these people and acknowledging their sadness. The purpose of Blakes poem is to outline the hardships and low standard of living within London. Blake calls the streets chartered, Chartered can be interpreted to mean responsibility of the church or state or licensed; on the other hand it can be use to mean licentious and freely immoral. Taken in context with the rest of the poem I consider it to mean freely immoral. Blake shows an obvious disgust for the city and its people. He sees in the people marks of weakness, marks of woe clearly showing that the people are living poor lives in squander. On the other hand, Wordsworths poem is an exaggerated tribute to the beauty of London. He says the city like a garment doth wear the beauty of the morning. Wordsworth is touched by the scene and is moved to write this poem describing the deep sense of calm and awe evoked in him. He wants to infect his readers with this feeling. Wordsworths poem immediately sets out how the author feels in the first line saying Dull would he be of soul who could pass by, a sight so touching in its majesty. Inferring that the sight of London would evoke strong views in everyone who sees it as it clearly does in Wordsworth. Wordsworths poem is made more charged in the penultimate line where he says Dear God! The very houses seem asleep; He is so overwhelmed by the tranquillity of London that he feels the need to invoke gods name. In contrast nowhere in the Blake poem does he use direct speech to heighten any of the emotions. Wordsworths poem uses words like glideth and smokeless air to give a sense of calm tranquillity to his words. This makes me feel peaceful and almost sleepy as the words flow along in an almost dreamlike fashion. William Blakes poem conveys his feelings in a more abstract style, when he uses the people of London to represent the institutions, which they are associated with. He says the hapless soldiers sigh runs in blood down palace walls. Here he is criticising the monarchy and government for condemning young men to death by sending them off to fight in foreign wars. It is obvious from words such as woe and appals that Blake is disgusted with what he sees in London. The reader would undoubtedly feel great pity for the people of London at this time. The poets use different symbolism to convey their ideas to the reader. Wordsworth shows his feelings for London in a figurative way. He personifies the sun, river and the city. He continues this simile giving the river a will. He says The City now doth like a garment wear the beauty of the morning this gives the impression that the city is alive and therefore more exciting and wonderful instead of it being an inanimate collection of buildings. Wordsworths sonnet is written in regular iambic pentameter which emphasises the rhyme and thus the beauty of London. Wordsworth also uses lists, Ships, towers, domes, theatres, so that it seems that he is so overwhelmed by the amount of beauty he cannot get his words out fast enough. He also uses hyperbole in saying, Never did sun more beautifully steep. Wordsworth cannot know this so he uses exaggeration to heighten the tone and impact. William Blakes London is written in four, four line stanzas. Each line of each verse has the same number of syllables; this creates a regimented effect that orders the poem well whilst accentuating the depressing tone of the poem. Without using over exaggerated language the poet reflects his own disgust at the scene. It uses alternate line rhyming . street flow . meet woe which makes the poem sound regular and draws the readers attention to the last word of each line creating a bigger impact. Blake also uses repetition to begin three lines with, In every.. This drums the message home for the reader, which coupled with the violent vocabulary, blood, creates a bigger impact. Each verse of the Blake poem attacks a different aspect of London so although the tone does not change the focus of the attack does and the reader is struck with more evidence of the appalling state of London. In the last verse of the Blake poem there is the image of sexually transmitted disease, which is a symbol of their society. It describes the youthful harlots curse blasting the newborn infant. This is showing that sexually transmitted disease affects everyone because the young are born into this promiscuous society. The last line uses the image of a marriage hearse being blighted by plagues. This image in my opinion is the sexually transmitted disease. Both poems show very different feelings towards London. You would have to compare them to other texts of the time to see which is more accurate though I believe it is Blakes poem. If I had to pick which I preferred I would choose the Blake poem. Wordsworths poem is indeed very beautiful and profound in its testament towards the beauty of London in the early morning. But Blakes poem has a deeper meaning as with the imagery of the sexually transmitted disease. It also describes London from the eyes of its people whereas Wordsworths poem only speaks of the beauty of the morning and no people are mentioned anywhere. So where Wordsworth is perhaps looking at the scenery with rose-tinted spectacles or hankering after a by-gone age, Blake depicts the reality of the newly industrialised London and all its woes. I believe this is the main defining difference between the poems and that this contrast makes it very difficult to rate one above the other as their strengths lie in different places.

Philosophy in the South Asian Subcontinent: A Unity in Maladjustment :: Philosophical Globalization Essays

Philosophy in the South Asian Subcontinent: A Unity in Maladjustment ABSTRACT: Philosophy in the south Asian subcontinent differs from Western philosophy in the following three ways: (1) it is based upon religion; (2) love of tradition becomes an obstacle for philosophical development; and (3) authority is accepted as a source of knowledge. I argue that future philosophical development demands that the above three differences be removed. Furthermore, philosophers from the subcontinent must concentrate on contemporary issues. If I ask myself about the extent of the philosophical heritage, which I may claim to have inherited from the past, I shall find myself in a difficulty in finding a precise answer. If I look back for my heritage, beyond fifty years towards the past, I shall find that the past heritage to which I belong, incidentally coincides with that of the South Asian subcontinent. In the context of philosophy, that heritage is what we find mainly in the traditions of the Vedic philosophical schools (specially the Vedanta school), Buddhism and Jainism. These philosophical traditions are also considered as oriental philosophies. An orientalistic outlook in the context of these philosophical traditions may find it difficult to draw a line of demarcation between the past and the present status of these traditions. It is my intention to draw attention to the fact that, in the context of philosophy, our past heritage is in a sense an obstacle to our future progress; and to this extent, our heritage and our future are in a unity in maladjustment. I shall draw attention to some historical situations, and some claims of heritage based on these situations. It is claimed that, it is possible 'to trace the rise of philosophy to a period earlier than the Greeks...'. (1) This claim may lead to wonder whether Thales is the father of philosophy. In this context it is further claimed that: 'The first Greek thinker whom we can appropriately describe as a philosopher was Thales', and that 'When, however, we look at India of the sixth century B.C., we see a completely different picture. ... It was not a case of the dawn of philosophy as in Greece but what may be described as the full glow of philosophical day'. (2) What implications are meant to follow from such claims? Can we say that W. T. Stace is wrong in claiming that Thales is the father of philosophy? (3) Should one rather say that Thales is in fact the father of western philosophy only? Philosophy in the South Asian Subcontinent: A Unity in Maladjustment :: Philosophical Globalization Essays Philosophy in the South Asian Subcontinent: A Unity in Maladjustment ABSTRACT: Philosophy in the south Asian subcontinent differs from Western philosophy in the following three ways: (1) it is based upon religion; (2) love of tradition becomes an obstacle for philosophical development; and (3) authority is accepted as a source of knowledge. I argue that future philosophical development demands that the above three differences be removed. Furthermore, philosophers from the subcontinent must concentrate on contemporary issues. If I ask myself about the extent of the philosophical heritage, which I may claim to have inherited from the past, I shall find myself in a difficulty in finding a precise answer. If I look back for my heritage, beyond fifty years towards the past, I shall find that the past heritage to which I belong, incidentally coincides with that of the South Asian subcontinent. In the context of philosophy, that heritage is what we find mainly in the traditions of the Vedic philosophical schools (specially the Vedanta school), Buddhism and Jainism. These philosophical traditions are also considered as oriental philosophies. An orientalistic outlook in the context of these philosophical traditions may find it difficult to draw a line of demarcation between the past and the present status of these traditions. It is my intention to draw attention to the fact that, in the context of philosophy, our past heritage is in a sense an obstacle to our future progress; and to this extent, our heritage and our future are in a unity in maladjustment. I shall draw attention to some historical situations, and some claims of heritage based on these situations. It is claimed that, it is possible 'to trace the rise of philosophy to a period earlier than the Greeks...'. (1) This claim may lead to wonder whether Thales is the father of philosophy. In this context it is further claimed that: 'The first Greek thinker whom we can appropriately describe as a philosopher was Thales', and that 'When, however, we look at India of the sixth century B.C., we see a completely different picture. ... It was not a case of the dawn of philosophy as in Greece but what may be described as the full glow of philosophical day'. (2) What implications are meant to follow from such claims? Can we say that W. T. Stace is wrong in claiming that Thales is the father of philosophy? (3) Should one rather say that Thales is in fact the father of western philosophy only?

Ethical and Cultural Implications in the U.S. Supermarket Industry Essay

The supermarket industry in the U. S. is currently facing many challenges in ethics and culture. The industry not only consists of traditional grocers but other different types of retailers, like Wal-Mart and Target, that are attempting to make profits from the food industry. An estimation of the amount that consumers spend on food annually is $500 billion. The traditional supermarkets are losing their market shares because of supercenters like Wal-Mart, Costco, Sam’s Club and Dollar stores. In 2001, Wal-Mart became the largest seller of food. The supermarket industry is facing many challenges in attracting shoppers that are attracted to the lower prices offered at the larger supercenters. Approaches that supermarkets may focus on to attract more of the market share include offering organic foods, friendlier â€Å"neighborhood market† service, fully-prepared or semi-prepared foods, cultural and ethnic foods, friendly, helpful employees and service, technological advancements, digital signs, self-check-outs, and mobile terminals for employees making their services more available to customers. While the larger supercenters are providing much competition, it will force the supermarket industry to make the necessary changes that will attract customers who prefer friendlier service, quality foods, prepared foods, and quality service due to more advanced technology. Over time, the American consumer will be attracted to a food industry that caters to quality of product and service, rather than the supercenters that provide products at discounted prices and offer a lower quality of service and product. This paper addresses the ethical and cultural dilemmas facing the supermarket industry, and how it can make changes to ensure that both consumers and companies are ethical and culturally sensitive to the changing industry.

Real School Issues That Negatively Impact Learning

Schools face several issues daily that negatively impact student learning. Administrators and teachers work hard to overcome these challenges, but it is often difficult. Regardless of the strategies schools implement, there are some factors that will likely never be eliminated. However, schools must do their best to minimize the impact these issues have while maximizing student learning. Educating students is a difficult challenge because there are so many natural obstacles that hinder learning.   Not every school will face all of the challenges discussed, though the majority of schools across the country face more than one of these issues. The overall makeup of the community surrounding the school has a significant impact on the school itself. Schools facing a large portion of these issues will not see significant internal changes until external issues are addressed and changed within the community. Many of these issues can be deemed as societal issues, which can be nearly impossible for schools to overcome. Bad Teachers The vast majority of teachers are effective at their job, sandwiched in between the great teachers and the bad teachers. While bad teachers represent a small percentage of educators, they are often the ones who generate the most publicity. For the majority of teachers, this is frustrating because most work hard every day to ensure that their students receive a quality education with little fanfare. A bad teacher can set a student or group of students back considerably. They can create significant learning gaps making the next teacher’s job that much harder. A bad teacher can foster an atmosphere full of discipline issues and chaos establishing a pattern that is extremely difficult to break. Finally and perhaps most devastatingly, they can shatter a student’s confidence and overall morale. The effects can be disastrous and nearly impossible to reverse. This is the reason that administrators must ensure that they make smart hiring decisions. These decisions must not be taken lightly. Of equal importance is the teacher evaluation process. Administrators must use the evaluation system to make informed decisions when retaining teachers year after year. They cannot be afraid to put in the necessary work required to dismiss a bad teacher who will damage students in the district. Discipline Issues Discipline issues cause distractions, and distractions add up and limit learning time. Every time a teacher has to handle a discipline issue, she loses valuable instructional time. In addition, each time a student is sent to the office on a discipline referral that student loses valuable instruction time. Any discipline issue will result in the loss of instruction time, which limits a student’s learning potential. Teachers and administrators must be able to minimize these disruptions. Teachers can do this by providing a structured learning environment and engaging students in exciting, dynamic lessons that captivate them and keep them from being bored. Administrators must create well-written policies that hold students accountable. They should educate parents and students on these policies. Administrators must be firm, fair, and consistent when dealing with any student discipline issue. Lack of Funding Funding has a significant impact on student performance. A lack of funding typically leads to larger class sizes and less technology and curriculum materials, and the more students a teacher has, the less attention he can pay to individual students. This can become significant when you have a class full of 30 to 40 students at varying academic levels. Teachers must be equipped with engaging tools covering the standards they are required to teach. Technology is a tremendous academic tool, but it is also pricey to purchase, maintain, and upgrade. The curriculum in general continuously changes and needs to be updated, but most states curriculum adoption runs in five-year cycles. At the end of each five-year cycle, the curriculum is totally outdated and physically worn out. Lack of Student Motivation Many students simply do not care about attending school or putting in the effort necessary to maintain their grades. It is extremely frustrating to have a pool of students who are only there because they have to be. An unmotivated student may initially be on grade level, but she will fall behind only to wake up one day and realize it is too late to catch up. A teacher or administrator can only do so much to motivate a student: Ultimately, it is up to the student as to whether she decides to change. Unfortunately, there are many students in schools nationally with tremendous potential who choose not to live up to that standard. Over Mandating Federal and state mandates are taking their tolls on school districts across the country. There are so many new requirements each year that schools do not have the time or resources to implement and maintain them all successfully. Most of the mandates are passed with good intentions, but the spacing of these mandates puts schools in a bind. They are often underfunded or unfunded and require a lot of extra time that could be spent in other critical areas.  Schools do not have enough time and resources to fulfill many of these new mandates. Poor Attendance Students cant learn if they arent at school.  Missing just 10 days of school each year from kindergarten to 12th grade adds up to missing almost an entire school year by the time they graduate. Some students have the ability to overcome poor attendance, but many who have a chronic attendance problem fall behind and stay behind. Schools must hold students and parents accountable for consistent excessive absences and should have a solid attendance policy in place that specifically addresses excessive absences. Teachers cannot do their jobs if students are not required to show up every day. Poor Parental Support Parents are typically the most influential people in every aspect of a child’s life. This is especially true when it comes to education. Typically, if the parents value education, their children will be academically successful. Parental involvement is essential to educational success. Parents who provide their children with a solid foundation before school begins and stay involved throughout the school year will reap the benefits as their children become successful. By contrast, parents who are minimally involved with their child’s education have a significant negative impact. This can be extremely frustrating for teachers and makes for a  continuous uphill battle. Many times, these students are behind when they start school due to a lack of exposure, and it is extremely difficult for them to catch up. These parents believe it is the school’s job to educate and not theirs when in actuality there needs to be a dual partnership for the child to be successful Poverty Poverty has a significant impact on student learning. There has been much research to support this premise. Students living in affluent, well-educated homes and communities are far more academically successful, while those living in poverty are typically behind academically. Poverty is a difficult obstacle to overcome. It follows generation after generation and becomes the accepted norm, which makes it almost impossible to break. Though education is a significant part of breaking the grip of poverty, most of these students are so far behind academically that they will never get that opportunity. Shift in Instructional Focus When schools fail, administrators and teachers almost always take the brunt of the blame. This is somewhat understandable, but the responsibility of educating should not fall solely on the school. This deferred shift in educational responsibility is one of the greatest reasons for a perceived decline in public schools across the United States. Teachers are doing a far superior job of educating their students today than they ever have been. However, the time spent teaching the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic has been significantly decreased due to increased demands and responsibilities to teach many things that used to be taught at home. Any time you add new instructional requirements you take away time spent on something else. The time spent in school has rarely increased, yet the burden has fallen to schools to add courses such as sex education and personal financial literacy into their daily schedule without an increase in time to do so. As a result, schools have been forced to sacrifice critical time in the core subjects to ensure that their students are being exposed to these other life skills.