6 Strategies for Teaching Idioms in any Election

Politicians are always campaigning. They run  campaigns to get votes to win their political office or seat. They run campaigns to win votes to keep their political office or seats. It does not matter if the politician is running for local, state or federal office, a politician is always communicating with the voters, and much of that communication is in the language of campaigns.    In order to understand what a politician is saying, however, students might need to become familiar with campaign vocabulary. Explicit teaching of election terms important for all students, but particularly important with English language learners (ELs, ELLs, EFL, ESL). That is because campaign vocabulary is filled with idioms,  which means a word or phrase that is not taken  literally. Take for example, the idiomatic phrase to throw ones hat in the ring: Announce  ones  candidacy  or  enter  a  contest,  as  in The  governor  was  slow  to  throw  his  hat  in  the  ring  in  the  senatorial  race.This  term  comes  from  boxing,  where  throwing  a  hat  in  the  ringindicated  a  challenge;  today  the  idiom  nearly  always  refers  to  political  candidacy.  [c.  1900] (The Free Dictionary-Idioms) Six Strategies for Teaching Idioms Some of the political idioms would confuse any level of student, so using the following six strategies may be helpful: 1. Provide these election idioms in context:  Have students find examples of idioms in speeches or campaign materials. 2. Stress that idioms are in most often used in the spoken form, not written. Help students to understand that idioms are conversational, rather than formal.  Have students practice the idioms by creating  sample  conversations that they can share  to help them understand.   For example, take the following dialogue featuring the idiom â€Å"political hot potato† in school: Jack:  I have to write my top two issues that I would like to debate.For one of the issues, I am thinking of choosing Internet privacy. Some politicians see this issue as a political hot potato.Jane:  Mmmmm. I love hot potatoes. Is that whats on the menu for lunch?Jack:  No, Jane, a political hot potato is an issue that  can be so sensitive that those taking a stand on the issue could risk being embarrassed. 3. Be sure to explain how each word in an idiom may have a different meaning then what is meant in the whole idiomatic phrase. Take, for example, the term convention bounce: Convention means: a meeting or formal assembly, as of representatives or delegates, for discussion of and action on particular matters of common concernBounce means: a  sudden  spring  or  leapThe term convention bounce does not mean that the one of the actions the representatives or the entire assembly performed was a spring or leap.   Instead convention bounce means the  surge of support that U.S. presidential candidates in the  Republican  or  Democratic  party typically enjoy after the televised  national convention  of their party. Teachers should be aware that some of the idiomatic  vocabulary is also  cross-disciplinary.  For example, personal appearance can refer to a persons wardrobe and demeanor, but in the context of an election, it means an event that a candidate attends in person.   4. Teach a few idioms at a time:   5-10 idioms at a time is ideal. Long lists will confuse students; not all idioms are necessary to understand the election process. 5. Encourage student collaborations in studying idioms, and use the following strategies: Ask students to discuss idioms with one another;Ask students to restate the meaning of each idiom in their own words;Ask students to compare their descriptions of an idiom;Have students explain to each other any new information they have learned about the idioms;Find any areas of disagreement or confusion and help clarify;Have students can make revisions to their own work. (NOTE:  Ã‚  let students whose primary existing knowledge base is still in their native language to write in it.) 6. Use idioms in teaching the election process:  Teachers can use specific examples  (exemplification)  Ã‚  with what students know in order to teach some of the vocabulary.   For example, the teacher may write on the board, â€Å"The candidate stands by his record.† Students may then say what they think the term means. The teacher can then discuss with the students the nature of a  candidates record  (something is written down or what a person says). This will help students understand how the context of the word  record  is more specific in an election: record: a list showing a candidates or elected officials voting history (often in relation to a specific issue) Once they understand the meaning of the word, students can research a particular candidates record in the news or on websites such as  Ontheissues.org. Supporting the C3 Frameworks by Teaching Idioms Teaching students the popular idioms used in political campaigns allows teachers the opportunity to incorporate  civics  into their curriculum. The new  Social Studies Frameworks for College, Career, and Civic Life  (C3s), outlines the requirements teachers must follow to prepare students to participate in a productive constitutional democracy: ....[student] civic engagement requires knowledge of the history, principles, and foundations of our American democracy, and the ability to participate in civic and democratic processes (31). Helping students understand the language of political campaigns- our democratic processes -makes them better-prepared citizens in the future when they exercise their right to vote. Vocabulary Software Program-Quizlet One way to help students become familiar with any election year vocabulary is to use the digital platform  Quizlet: This free software gives teachers and students a variety of modes: specialized learning mode, flashcards, randomly generated tests, and collaboration tools to study words. On Quizlet teachers can create, copy, and modify vocabulary lists to suit the needs of their students; not all words need to be included. 53 Political Election Idioms and Phrases The following list of idioms is also available on Quizlet: Political Election Idioms and Phrases-Grades 5-12. 1.Always a bridesmaid, never a bride:  used to talk about someone who is never the most important person in a situation. 2.A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush:  Something of some value that on already has; not risking what one has for (im)possibilities. 3.Bleeding Heart:  A term describing people whose hearts bleed with sympathy for the downtrodden; used to criticize liberals who favor government spending for social programs. 4.The buck stops here:  said by someone who is responsible for making decisions and who will be blamed if things go wrong. 5.Bully Pulpit:  The Presidency, when used by the President to inspire or moralize. Whenever the President seeks to rouse the American people, he is said to be speaking from the bully pulpit. When the term first came into use, bully was slang for first rate or admirable. 6.Caught between a rock and a hard place:  in a very difficult position; facing a hard decision. 7.A chain is only as strong as its weakest link:  A successful group or team relies on each member doing well. 8.Cheat/fool me once, shame on you. Cheat/fool me twice, shame on me!:  After being tricked once, one should be wary, so that the person cannot trick you again. 9.Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades:  Coming close but not succeeding is not good enough. 10.Closing the barn door after the horse escapes:If people try to fix something after the problem has occurred. 11.Convention Bounce:  Traditionally, after the official convention of the party of a US Presidential candidate during an election year, that partys nominee would see an increase in voter approval in polls. 12.Do not count your chickens before they hatch:  you should not count on something before it happens. 13.Do not make a mountain out of a molehill:  meaning its not that important. 14.Do not put all your eggs in one basket:  to make everything dependent on only one thing; to place all ones resources in one place, account, etc. 15.Do not put the horse before the cart:  Do not do things in the wrong order. (This can imply that the person you are addressing is impatient.) 16.The end justifies the means:  A good outcome excuses any wrongs committed to attaining it. 17.Fishing Expedition:  An investigation with no defined purpose, often by one party seeking damaging information about another. 18.Give him/her enough rope to hang him/herself: I f one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions. 19.Hang your hat:  to depend on or believe in something. 20.He who hesitates is lost:  One who cannot come to a decision will suffer for it. 21.Hindsight is 20/20:  A perfect understanding of an event after it has happened; a term usually used with sarcasm in response to criticism of ones decision. 22.If at first you do not succeed, try and try again:  Dont let a first-time failure stop further attempts. 23.If wishes were horses then beggars would ride:  If people could achieve their dreams simply by wishing for them, life would be very easy. 24.If you can not take the heat, stay out of the kitchen:  If the pressures of some situation are too much for you, you should leave that situation. (Somewhat insulting;implies that the person addressed cannot tolerate pressure.) 25.It is not whether you win or lose, it is how you play the game:Reaching a goal is less important than giving our best effort. 26.Jumping on the bandwagon:  to support something that is popular. 27.Kicking the Can down the Road:  a delaying of a difficult decision made by passing short and temporary measures or laws instead. 28.Lame Duck:  An officeholder whose term has expired or cannot be continued, who thus has lessened power. 29.The lesser of two evils:  The lesser of two evils is the principle that when faced with selecting from two unpleasant options, the one which is least harmful should be chosen. 30.Let us run it up the flagpole and see who salutes:  to tell people about an idea in order to see what they think of it. 31.Opportunity only knocks once:You will only have one chance to do something important or profitable. 32.A political football:  A problem that doesnt get solved because the politics of the issue get in the way, or the issue is very controversial. 33.A political hot potato:  Something potentially dangerous or embarrassing. 34.Politically correct/incorrect (PC):  To use or not use language that is offensive to some person or group - often shortened to PC. 35.Politics makes strange bedfellows:  Political interests can bring together people who otherwise have little in common. 36.Press the flesh: to shake hands. 37.Put my foot in my mouth:  to say something that you regret; to say something stupid, insulting, or hurtful. 38.Reach Across the Aisle:  A term for making an effort to negotiate with member(s) of the opposite party. 39.Skeletons in the closet:  a hidden and shocking secret. 40.The squeaky wheel gets the grease:  When people say that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, they mean that the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service. 41.Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never harm me:  Something in response to an insult which means that people cannot hurt you with bad things they say or write about you. 42.Straight as an arrow:  Honest, genuine qualities in a person. 43.Talking Points:  A set of notes or summaries on a particular topic that is recited, word for word, whenever the topic is discussed. 44.Throw in the towel:  to give up. 45.Throw your hat into the ring:  to announce your intention of entering a competition or election. 46.Toe the party line: to conform to the rules or standards of the political party. 47.To get on/off your soapbox:  To talk a lot about a subject you feel strongly about. 48.Vote with your feet:  To express ones dissatisfaction with something by leaving, especially by walking away. 49.Where there is smoke, there is fire:  If it looks like something is wrong, something probably is wrong. 50.Whistlestop: a brief appearance of a political candidate in a small town, traditionally on the observation platform of a train. 51.Witch Hunt:  A vindictive, often irrational, investigation that preys on public fears. Refers to witch hunts in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, where many innocent women accused of witchcraft were burned at the stake or drowned. 52.You can lead a horse to water but you can not make it drink:  You can present someone with an opportunity, but you cannot force him or her to take advantage of it. 53.You can not judge a book by its cover:  something that you say which means you cannot judge the quality or character of someone or something just by looking at them.

A Reflection On The Educator - 1084 Words

1. It is important to have frequent interactions with children as this enables them to know us and vice versa. When we get to know them it is easier for us to know about their likes and dislikes, their interests, preferences and this helps us to organise activities for them. It is important to have caring and respectful interactions as when the children feel that the educator care for them they will feel safe and will be able to trust the educator. The trust will bring confidence in the child. When the educator respects the children the children will respect the educator in return. A way that the educator can promote these interactions is when talking to the child, be at their level, talking using a friendly tone. To show that we care we†¦show more content†¦Use gesture while talking to them so they understand better and learn easier. If we can talk the language from their background we try to. 3. It is important to communicate sensitively and positively with children as communication is a vital part of developing and maintaining positive relationships in children so if we do not communicate sensitively and positively that’s affect the children and on his turn he will not communicate correctly. Also we educators with the parents are the people who communicate more often with the children so it is important to communicate sensitively as this will build trust. Also we are model for children so if we do not communicate sensitively and positively, they won’t either. According to the EYLF communication is crucial to belonging, being and becoming, communication will help the child to develop his sense of identity, his sense of purpose that why it is important to communicate sensitively and positively. When communicating with children we should show that we are listening to them, we should show our feelings, make them feel that we care. 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Rockhampton Essay Research Paper Rockhampton Facilities and free essay sample

Rockhampton Essay, Research Paper Rockhampton Facilities and Popular Attraction Compared to Other Cities Rockhamptons biggest attractive force would be that it is the beef capital of Australia. { more information how it was the beef capital and when it was } Rockhampton was discovered in 1850 when gold and Cu were discovered about 100 kilometers off advancing this town # 8217 ; s growing as an agricultural market and port. Good Morning Our City Rockhampton has one of the biggest tourer attractive forces compared to other metropoliss like bundaberg, Mackay, Gladstone and Townsville. Some of Rock Hamptons biggest attractive force is that it has a repute of holding historical edifices in forepart of the seaport playing as a waterfront. The Dreamtime Cultural Centre which is devoted to expose Aboriginal art and history, besides this town boasts by holding usage houses, an outstanding gardens, which shows an drawn-out scope of trees, workss and animate beings. Other metropoliss does non hold every bit much tourer attractive force as Rockhampton. We will write a custom essay sample on Rockhampton Essay Research Paper Rockhampton Facilities and or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some have bigger shopping centres and larger featuring installations but they don # 8217 ; Ts have a repute of holding outstanding houses or topographic points to demo off their natural milieus

Three Waves Of Ska Essays - Jamaican Music, Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae

Three Waves of Ska Music is one medium through which a generation can express itself. For a generation of suppressed, restless, working-class youths living in early 1960's Jamaica, this voice was a genre of music known as ska. Since its original appearance, ska has resurfaced twice. Ska music has been presented to three generations of fans in three separate "waves." Its humble beginnings lead to one of the most influential styles of music present in the world. By 1962, Jamaica was no longer under British rule. Jamaican culture and music began to reflect the new found optimism in its independence. Since the early 1940's, Jamaica had adopted and adapted many forms of American musical styles. The predominantly black inhabitants of Jamaica took a liking to rhythm and blues music (Davis and Simon 38), and with imported American records, "enterprising businessmen attempted to string up small sound systems consisting of radio, turntable, and independent speaker boxes" (Davis and Simon 38). These portable sound systems provided entertainment at dance halls. Owners of different sound systems competed against each other at the halls. The sound systems were run by two individuals, the deejay and the selector, dressed in "spangled waistcoats, black leather Dracula capes, imitation ermine robes, Lone Ranger masks, and rhinestone-studded crowns" (White 4). The deejay job was to introduce each record and to enhance the rhythm of the music! by chanting along with the record. Selectors chose records and used the controls to increase or decrease bass, treble, or volume. Musicians picked up on the elements of the rhythm and blues and combined it with traditional Jamaican mento music. The result was the first wave of ska. Musically, ska is "a shuffle-rhythm close to mento but even closer to the backbeat of the r&b, with the accent on the second and fourth beats, often moving in a 12-bar blues-frame. The afterbeat, strummed by a rhythm guitar or played on the piano . . . came to be characteristic of the form" (Davis and Simon 38). A horn section, usually consisting of trumpets, trombones, and saxophones, was vital to the music. Skilled musicians began to team up. Classic bands, such as the Skatalites, were formed and backed up vocal groups and singers. The Wailers (including Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Livingston), Desmond Dekker, the Maytals, and Laurel Aitken were the most popular performers at the time. Songs written about Trench Town (the ghettoes), rude boys (street thugs), and about romance were prevalent, however, religious themes could also be found in the songs. In 1965, the Skatalites disbanded, and slowly ska transformed into another type of music, rock steady. Rock ste! ady is more dependent on the rhythm, provided by the bass guitar and drums, than ska was. For the meantime, ska took a backseat to the new styles sweeping the country. After ska had been developed in Jamaica, it was "exported" by artists traveling to Great Britain. There it was known as "blue beat." By the mid 1970's, early British punk bands were infusing reggae, a style of music that came from rock steady, into their music. Near the end of the decade, bands began to use ska instead of reggae because of its upbeat, danceable rhythm. This faster paced ska came to be known as 2 tone. One of the messages of 2 tone ska was the promotion of racial harmony. One of the symbols of 2 tone was a cartoon character named Walt Jabsco, a man in a black suit, white shirt, black tie, sunglasses, pork pie hat, white socks and black loafers. The use of black and white in the drawing was supposed to symbolize the peaceful coexistence of different races. As Strauss noted, "The attitude of ska music has always been one of having fun in the face of oppression, as encapsulated in a warning made famous by the Jamaican legend Prince Buster: 'Enjoy yourself! . It's later than you think.'" (n. pag.). The third wave of ska began around 1990 in America. Bands influenced by the 2 tone ska scene began to use more punk and metal music. The combination is much faster than 2 tone, and sounds very different from the original Jamaican brand of ska. The sound has transformed much since its

Concept of Consumer Society in Modern Society

Concept of Consumer Society in Modern Society Key Concepts Living in the modern world people live in the consumer society. To get a closer understanding of the notion ‘consumer society’, people should pay attention to the life style they follow. Having a lot of different goods at the market, people consume those and buy more and more other goods. One of the main characteristic features of a consumer society is that while consuming different products people do not do it independently, in vacuum. People are inevitable participants of the consumer society, as buying products they want to buy more and more other related or dependant ones. For example, when people buy a toothbrush, they are unable to use it isolated from other objects, they need toothpaste to get the highest effect from the bought product. The same is about other products, buying some goods, people always want to buy more. Ideology Ideology is a notion which may refer to different spheres of human life. One of the broadest meanings of this notion is the way people think. Ideology is not just the ideas people have in their minds in the relation to one specific problem. Ideology is a set of rules and norms people live with. People should not confuse ideology and culture as these are two absolutely different notions. Culture is an objective notion which just exists in the society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concept of Consumer Society in Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Culture is created out of traditions which have been formulating for many years. Ideology is a personal subjective treatment of the surrounding world, the attitude to each other and the desire to show a piece of a picture as a whole. Ideology tends to make complex notions simple. Propaganda is one of the sides of ideology, as its main idea is the conviction of other people that his way of thinking is the only correct. Semiotics Semiotics is a notion which is aimed at exploring diffe rent signs and symbols. One of the best practical applications of semiotics is the creation of different planned or constructed languages. Living in the modern world, it is impossible to imagine contemporary life without computers. Programming languages are an inevitable part of any computer program and software. Being divided into different branches, semiotics studies different qualities of sign systems, the relation between signs and symbols and their meaning, the connection between symbols their interpretation. Speech and language are the main objects of research in semiotics. Envy, Desire and Belonging in Advertising Envy, desire and belonging in advertising are the notions which can exist only in the consumer society. When people watch advertising they want what they see. The feeling of desire may be provoked by a number of reasons. It is not a problem when people want what they see because they need it, advertisement just helps them choose a brand. The problem appears when peo ple want to buy a product because they envy those who possess it. This is called an advertising belonging. No matter whether people need this product or not, they will surely buy it as their desire to possess the thing others have is too big. All these notions, envy, desire and belonging in advertising are closely related. To become free from advertising belonging, people should either stop envy those who has an opportunity to belong a specific product or should enclose themselves from the desire to buy it. Essay Introduction There are a number of different definitions of mass culture, and depending on the stress the author makes in his/her definition, this notion have either positive or negative connotation. Having referred a contemporary culture to both mass and popular, it is possible to compare and contrast these two different opinions.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the one hand, â€Å"mass culture is not and can never be good† (Macdonald 43), on the other hand, being mass, â€Å"popular culture is linked, for so long, to questions or tradition, of traditional form of life† (Hall 442). Thus, identifying the notion of contemporary culture, we have faced the problem whether to consider it as a positive or a negative issue. To answer the question whether mass and popular cultures are the elements of contemporary culture and whether they are identified as positive or negative phenomena, we are going to consider different opinions and key arguments offer by the following thinkers, Stuart Hall, F.R. Levis, Dwight Macdonald, and Raymond Williams. â€Å"Mass Culture Is not and Can Never Be Good† Having stated this idea, Macdonald strictly supports it with the arguments. He is sure that a culture is something individual, which is created by and provided for a human being. Mass use of culture eliminates the very idea of indiv iduality that makes this notion lose its primary meaning. The following idea is used in support, â€Å"a large quantity of people [are] unable to express themselves as human beings because they are related to one another neither as individuals nor as members of communities – indeed, they are not related to each other at all, but only as something distant, abstract, nonhuman†( Macdonald 43). Looking at the problem from this angle, it is possible to agree with Macdonald, but to investigate the truth, it is important to check the meaning of the word ‘culture’ to make sure that the author considers it in a proper way. Reading an essay by Raymond Williams who tries to explore the origin and etymology of the words ‘culture’ and ‘mass’, many different definitions of the word ‘culture’ was identified. But, there was not mentioned that culture means individual expression or a possession to a specific human being. Moreover, Ray mond underlines that the variations of whatever kind of the word ’culture’ â€Å"necessarily involve alternative views of the activities, relationships, and processes which this complex word indicates† (Raymond 28). Thus, the word culture does not mean a specific characteristic of one particular person, it is a set of issues which characterizes a group of people. The Benefits of Mass Culture According to Hall, popular culture has a positive connotation as it reflects traditions people have. To make the discussion clear, popular culture is a mass culture, as â€Å"the things are said to be ‘popular’ because masses of people listen to them, buy them, read them, consume them, and seem to enjoy them to the full† (Hall 446). The main idea of this opinion is that if the culture is mass and people like it, it is popular and there is no need to speak about negative connotation of mass culture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concept of Consumer Society in Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But, Levis tries to contradict this point of view by means of providing some negative effect of such mass popular culture. It is not a secret that culture changes. The changes which occur in the society may be too fast and people may not even notice those, but, if too look at the problem broadly, it can be easily noticed that parents are unable to understand their children, â€Å"generations find it hard to adjust themselves to each other, and parents are helpless to deal with their children† (Levis 34). Thus, the generations which are so close have different cultures. The inability to have an individual or at least family culture leads to misunderstanding and conflicts. Hall can contradict this opinion stating that it is not the culture which changes and makes people become different, it is the change in the relationships. Culture changes when a specific tradition becomes dominant over another one. He states that â€Å"almost all cultural forms will be contradictory in this sense, composed of antagonistic and unstable elements† (Hall 449). Contemporary Culture as Mass and Popular One: Personal Opinion Having considered an opinion of different thinkers on the problem devoted to culture and its essence, I came to the conclusion that contemporary culture is a mass popular culture which denotes the present ideology of people. Thus, I definitely disagree with Macdonald and his point of view that â€Å"mass culture is not and can never be good† (Macdonald 43). The problem of likes and having a personal opinion appears in the frames of this issue. Living in the age of mass entertainment, some people still manage to appreciate high and avant-garde culture. So, it may be concluded that popular culture in the contemporary world is more than just an opinion of the vast majority of people, being interesting to a limited group of p eople, a specific culture may be popular as well. It is not the opinion of a separate individual, so it is also mass. Being in demand among a group of people, it is considered to be popular and mass. Mass in this meaning may denote something revolutionary and opposite (Williams 32). Turning to the personal opinion, I mostly agree with Hall who states that popular culture is a mass one which expresses the ideas of people who consume the cultural products. Culture should be and is referred to the tradition. It can be even stated that culture and tradition are interconnected notions which should always come together. Still, I also agree with Levis, who highlights that culture is in crisis now (34), thus it is impossible to discuss this problem.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One may state that culture and tradition are not related as there are numerous directions in the modern culture of one specific nation. A close consideration of this problem allows us state that the culture of one specific nation is changing by means of influence and domination of different streams, but still, there is always something traditional in ach new trend which makes this very culture related to the national tradition of people. Conclusion In conclusion, contemporary culture is both mass and popular as the characteristic features of these notions coincide with the understanding of the modern culture. I strongly believe that culture should be connected with traditions as only in this way each nations will remain particular and unique. Cultural and traditional features are the most characteristic for describing different nations. Hall, Stuart. â€Å"Notes on deconstructing ‘the popular.† Cultural theory and popular culture: a reader. Ed. John Storey. Upper Saddl e River, NJ: Pearson, 1998. 442-453. Print. Levis, F.R. â€Å"Mass Civilisation and Minority Culture.† Popular culture: a reader. Eds. Raiford Guins, and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz. New York: SAGE, 2005. 33-38. Print. Macdonald, Dwight. â€Å"A theory of mass culture.† Popular culture: a reader. Eds. Raiford Guins, and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz. New York: SAGE, 2005. 39-46. Print. Williams, Raymond. â€Å"’Culture’ and ‘Masses’.† Popular culture: a reader. Eds. Raiford Guins, and Omayra Zaragoza Cruz. New York: SAGE, 2005. 25-32. Print.

A Complete Analysis Becoming Abigail English Literature Essay

A Complete Analysis Becoming Abigail English Literature Essay Young Abigail is a Nigerian girl alternating short sections focusing on her past as well as her present life. She is Abigail the daughter but there is the dominant Abigail, the mother who died giving birth to her. The death of Abigail’s mother plays a huge role in the entire novel. Abigail is portrayed as an affliction child, without a mother, striving to discover her future. She is an African girl, symbolizing the corrosion of national and confined cultural distinctiveness into the end monumental continental identity of Africa. Abigail tries to personify and preserve herself in her mother’s figure and bequest. The father is chronic drunkard who foregoes his paternal obligations and responsibility. He has his daughter who constantly reminds him of his late wife. Abigail’s is characterized by misery and tragedies. Her childhood is pathetic and she spends most of it mourning her late mother in commemorative self-induced rituals. She mutters incarnations, cuts hers elf, tears and burns her mother’s photos, burns herself (Abani, p.10). â€Å"And this. Even this,† (p.18). The novella starts. In less significant hands, this may not be a hopeful starter, but Abani steers us out of the fog swiftly. â€Å"This memory like all the others was a lie.† (p.18). Abigail, a youthful girl in Nigeria, is nostalgically recalling her mother’s memorial service. Abigail act of mourning is to some extent troubling. It is symbolised by among other acts, the killing of birds and later dressing them in lace from her mother’s bridal dress. But, as written by Abani, explaining the symbol from an authorial distance, we realize that not much is substantiated in the rest of the book, â€Å"this tradition recognized complex ways to be human, and she was allowed to mourn.† (p.18). In addition, another frequently evident symbolic device is the use of two alternating strands, â€Å"Now† and â€Å"Then,† throughout the n arrative. The latter is associated with Abigail’s reminiscence of life in Nigeria with her depressed father and his choice to send her to London with a strange family member named Peter. Nearing to their departure, Abigail’s father performs suicide, despite the fact that he had intuited the agonies in anticipation of his daughter. The end of the first chapter leaves us with the impression that Abigail takes after her mother. Their extreme resemblance makes the author propel us through the mind of her father as he watched her mourn her mother’s death similar to watching his dead wife grieve. She is likened to a younger version of her mother grieving her death in advance. Her father â€Å"turned and looked at her and she saw the photo and recognized it. She resembled her mother that when he saw her suddenly, she knew he wanted her to be Abigail.† (Abani, p.20) Although Abigail is now a grown-up, she misses her childhood, one that she never got to enjoy. The author takes us through her mind which juggles us from the present to her past and childhood. That’s when the author alternates the two titles, Now and Then. Abigail has had an experience with men that she remembers with so much regret. All the in her life had never been interested in knowing her true personality neither appreciate her beauty, not to mention how she was careful with her hair to make sure that she looked presentable. She was light-skinned – An inherent feature from her great-grandmother. The author likens her to a foreign country, especially when it comes to the men in her life as they never stayed.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment Example Most sweatshop employees are working in incredibly harsh conditions and suffer a great deal. Surprisingly, this is even a problem for staff in North America, because all of the jobs go to employees in sweatshops since they get paid barely anything to work. The manufacturers of these products are perfectly satisfied with providing incredibly low wages because it is not against the law to make deals like this. The employees are suffering while the manufacturers are extremely wealthy. The press is constantly describing the troubles that the sweatshops cause for their employees. As mentioned, the conditions are incredibly harsh and no Canadian or American worker would survive in those conditions. Some Mexicans even try crossing deserts in order to escape the rule of the sweatshop employer. Some of the measures that can be done to prevent people working in sweatshops is to create North American ideas to consumers about avoiding buying products from those labels. If Nike does not sell anyt hing, it can no longer function and would have to close down.