The Essential Elements of Giving a Speech free essay sample

Educational level varies from high-school graduates to degree-holders. Economic background is mostly middle class, with a minority from the poorer classes, and only a few have more privileged backgrounds. SPEECH: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for attending this workshop. My name is Kerry Chin, from BBC Private Limited, and I am here to present a little speech on, ironically, The Essential Elements of Giving a Speech. . First I would like to thank my employer for giving me the opportunity to present a speech, and I would Like to thank my dear colleagues for supporting me during my reparation.I would also Like to thank the organizers for preparing such a wonderful and useful workshop, and for handling all the details so well. Now that we have the notable mentions out of the way, let us move on to the topic at hand. Since I dont want to bore any of you, Im going to keep this speech short. We will write a custom essay sample on The Essential Elements of Giving a Speech or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Basically, I will talk about the three basic components of a speech: the beginning, where I will tell you how to catch your audiences attention; the middle, where I will inform you how to keep your audience engaged in the speech; and the end, where I will teach you how to make your speech memorable.Some of you may be asking: why do we need to know how to give a speech? You many think: l dont Intend to go up on podiums and address the public at large, so why should I learn about giving speeches? . But let me tell you this, ladles and gentlemen, that there Is no greater skill that can make or break your career and business better than effective public speaking. It doesnt matter whether youre In a boardroom speaking to a small committee of five decision makers, or in an arena raise, knowing how to present your point of view persuasively without being pushy an really make a difference in thriving or Just merely surviving in the competitive world of corporate business. Why do we give speeches? The basis of a speech is to create awareness for your chosen topic. From a marketing point of view, awareness is always the first goal you have to achieve in public speaking. Im sure most of you know that if you and your idea never receives exposure, there is no way you can present it to the public at large.Public speaking, when well-executed, can deliver your message better than any other medium, simply because you are talking about something that is important to tooth you and the audience. But practically any speech will create some awareness for your message. If you truly want to see the results you want, you have to go beyond that superficial first i mpression. You have to make your audience understand your message. To do that, you have to deliver your presentation of your message with skill and charisma. The stronger your presentation skills, the better your audience will remember and understand the key points of your message.Even so, it isnt enough. Your audience may understand what you are trying to say, but it doesnt mean that they would agree to your message. So you have to persuade your audience to not only remember the key points, but also to actually buy that message. You want your message, combined with your speech style to reach these people on an emotional level where they can find interest in your message. Finally, the ultimate result is to present your message so powerfully that your audience is moved to take action Suggested by you, of course.This is certainly the most difficult result to obtain from giving a speech, but this is the ultimate goal you as a speaker must have in mind. What are the benefits you can get from learning how to make speeches effectively? Lets see, how does increased credibility sound to you? Since most people are afraid of speaking to a group, the fact that you can, and do it with passion and skill, will definitely draw admiration from your peers, and theyll be convinced youre an expert if you deliver your message well. Also, if you are able to speak on a subject with authority and enthusiasm, people will regard you as an expect. After all, you wouldnt be constantly called upon to speak unless you know what youre talking about and can talk about it well, would you? Secondly, youll get increased exposure. Exposure is the very bare bones of every marketing strategy. Since most of the time youre putting yourself on a pedestal, literally or figuratively speaking, more people will start to notice you, and what better way to show off your leadership skills? With the credibility youd from the early stages, you may find yourself invited to conduct seminars or give motivational talks.A one-hour keynote speech may lead to a half-day seminar at a national convention. Who knows? You may be even asked to make videotapes or to write articles, and all those recording and printing copyrights will generate a pretty tidy sum of money. Look at Donald Trump and all those books he wrote! Okay, maybe not all of us can be hat good, but we can dream, cant we? In short, public speaking makes you visible, and can lead to other forms o f exposure that will make you even more visible, and it and business an edge above your competitors.In short, public speaking makes you visible, and can lead to other forms of exposure that will make you even more visible, and it is this snowballing of exposure that will put you on the fast track, giving your career and business an edge above your competitors. But first, how can you deliver an effective speech? First, you have to catch your audiences attention. Most of the time when you start your speech youll see people ailing about, talking with each other, eating, or even napping. So grab their attention! Ever seen how a coach catches the sports teams attention?There is a good reason why they have that whistle dangling around their neck. One sharp blow, and everyone is alert. The speakers equivalents to that whistle are humor and anecdotes. A quick Joke, or an appropriate story, or even a catchy phase, will do wonders to catch attention. In addition, little things like Jokes and stories will develop and build a rapport with your audience. This in turn allows them to become more receptive of your message. We hear what we like to hear, after all, and if you like someone youll tend to listen more. The best of stories, of course, are short ones that nevertheless are full of meaning.Using the words of the poet Cooper: A tale should be Judicious, clear, succinct, The language plain, the incidents well-linked; Tell not as new what everybody knows; And, new or old, still hasten too close. When looking for anecdotes, try to keep to personal ones based on your own experience. Not only are they original and safer, there is also less risk of repeating a story everyone else had heard before. Unless, of course, you are a well-established speaker will a massive fantasy, at that point which you should be good enough to keep looking for new material to keep your speeches from being repetitive. Your stories can be humorous, or they can be dramatic, but more importantly, be sincere about your stories. The point of using anecdotes based on your own experiences is to show your audience a little bit of yourself, and that enables them to connect with you. It isnt necessary for you to recite every detail from a certain event, but using your own experiences that are relevant and appropriate of your audience ill help you enforce or drive home a point while at the same time allowing you to build that all-important rapport between you and the audience.All right, some of you may be asking: is humor necessary for making a good speech? The answer is no, but it can be a useful tool. Some of the best speeches in the world, like Winston Churchill Iron Curtain in 1946, or Nelson Mandelas l am Prepared to Die in 1964, are some of the best historic speeches in the world, and both are perfectly serious. We also cannot forget about Martin Luther King, who was not trying to be funny at all when he said l Had a Dream at the March on Washington of 1963. But when well-utilized, humor can become a critical part of an effective presentation. As Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote: Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Proper use of humor not only maintains the interest of your audience, but also that, your audience is more likely to remember a point that is delivered with humor than with seriousness. More importantly, however, it builds more rapport between you and the audience. The downside, however, is that humor is difficult to master. Not everyone is funny, and if youre the kind that isnt, then its better not to try. Trying to be funny when youre not is intensely embarrassing to both you and the audience.So how does one utilize humor in presentations? One, it must, of course, be funny. Something that tickles your funny bone may not work with the audience. Two, it must be original. Repeating old Jokes and cliches may be easy, but might not get any reaction from the audience simply because they are too stale. It doesnt mean you have to totally come up with new material, of course. Simply putting your own original spin on a funny story thats relevant to the point youre trying to make is good enough. Three, whatever humor you want to use, make in relevant.Remember, people are spending precious time with you to learn something. If you spend half that time more on getting them in stitches than trying to deliver your message, then join a comedy club. Always remember that humor is a tool, not the whole point of your speech. Whether you used humor or storytelling, once you have the attention of your audience, only then you can start to interact with your audience. Involving your audience in your presentation is a powerful and incredibly useful way to connect with your audience, and it will drive your message home even more.Some of the techniques used include audience surveys, quizzes, handouts, and written exercises. But you must do it with a purpose in mind. Only use audience participation when you want to enforce a point or want to uncover information you need to make a presentation, not simply because you can. For example, the nine-dots-in-a-box puzzle. In a speech or seminar on thinking beyond the boundaries, this is a very effective way of conveying that message. Your goal is to connect all the dots with four straight consecutive lines, without repeating a line or lifting your pen off the paper.A reader version involves using only three consecutive lines. While this is a fun exercise, if youre presenting this puzzle in a speech on, say, preventing drug abuse, you will not only distract the audience, but you will lose credibility because the audience may think that youre trying to manipulate them. But if there is one thing that can quickly turn off an audience more than anything else, it is a boring speaker. Drone on in a monotone, with a robotic expression on your face, and most will be nodding in their seats in a heartbeat. Always remember: be lively, be energetic. Nothing spurs the audience more than an enthusiastic beaker. Use eye contact, and adjust your voice according to the importance of what youre saying. If you can put your emotions into your speech, by all means go ahead. Remember, you are in the public eye, and you are there to portray a certain image, whether you like it or not. So embrace the spotlight and be an actor, but be very careful to not become over dramatic, which will drawn snigger more than respect.A person of power knows how to restrain himself or herself, so to project an image of authority and control, use sharp, well-controlled gestures that makes you seem as if oh move with purpose; which is basically what you should be doing. Gestures, body language and voice modulation. Firstly, gestures. Gestures can be the most powerful form of non-verbal communication that you as a speaker can employ. Gestures clarify and support your words, provide emphasis, act as a kind of visual aid, are highly visible, helps dissipate nervousness, and more importantly stimulates audience participation.To use gesturing, simply allow your body to respond naturally to your thoughts, words and feelings. Natural, spontaneous gesturing that looks smooth and well-time can do wonders for maintaining your audiences attention. But keep nervous gestures like head-scratching and the fig-leaf, where you stand with your hands over your body near your abdomen, to a minimum or get rid of them altogether. They serve no point, and only conveys your nervousness. Just remember not to overdo your gestures, and you shouldnt have to worry.While gestures refer to the use of hand and arm movement, body language refers to the way you carry yourself. In other words, you posture, and the way you move onstage. Your body language reveals exactly how confident you are, and can deliver a stronger impact than merely gesturing alone. Lets say for example that if you speak with shoulders slumped, head down and eyes on the floor, while walking with a shuffling gait. You can have the most expressive gestures in the world, but the audience is only going to see one thing: lack of confidence. On the other hand, if youre bouncing around in a hyperactive manner on stage like a Durable bunny that just swallowed a whole coffee farm, donkeys and all, you are going to project an image of nervousness. Body language has a great part in influencing your audiences reception of your words, so make sure that you project positive body language. The simplest way is to give an image of confidence: shoulders back, spine straight, chest out, and chin up. This not only gives you an air of self-confidence, it also helps relieve whatever nervous tension you might have.Creating positive body language is a lot to do with practice and habit. Make sure that when you are on stage, you do not overdo any kind of movement unless you are deliberately using it for dramatic effect in a story. Dont try imitating others; let your body respond in a natural, smooth-flowing, and spontaneous way. Let yourself mirror your own feelings. You must strive to look as if oh are speaking informally with friends or family. And yes, as contrary as it sounds, you need to practice how to be spontaneous so that you make it into a habit. Again, practice, practice, practice comes to play here.Nothing builds confidence faster than good preparation. If you are prepared, the knowledge itself will translate on stage as confidence. What about voice modulation? Its simple, really; nothing kills a presentation faster than a powerful word or statement spoken in a monotone. Martin Luther King is a historical figure who has a powerful way of using voice modulation. I have a clip here n Powering showing his voice, an excerpt from his The Drum Major Instinct. As you have heard, his voice places emphasis on certain words, like wonderful, greatness, and serve.He raises his voice, or lowers it, as he sees fit to emphasize his message. To learn how to use voice modulation, start by recording your speech. Listen to that recording. Then practice, practice, practice. Once you go out onstage, have a group of listeners whose opinion you trust and respect listen to you, and later your speech, then you have a keeper. After that, you must make sure your audience remembers your speech. You may eve the greatest idea in the universe, but if two hours later everyone has forgotten about it, there is simply no point.How do we go about making an impact? First, encourage your audience to take notes on important points of your speech, and after the speech give handouts containing details. This double emphasis will let the message sink more in your audience. You can also provide visual aids, which will serve as memory Joggers. By stimulating you audience in both sight and sound, youll create a greater impact in their minds. In addition, try to use visual aids at any appropriate chance you get; they an do wonders for creating interest and variety in your presentations.Visual aids not only allows your audience to understand and retain your message better and faster, it helps keep your presentation on track and eases your nerves, since you are essentially doing no more than demonstrating and embellishing what is shown through your visual aid. Of course, make sure that the equipment provided will actually help you present your visual aids. Theres no point bringing a DVD with a killer Powering Presentation using the latest techniques when you arena doesnt even have video projectors. Always do your research before doing something.What are the best kinds of visual aid? There is no answer to this. It depends on available equipment, on available time, and on available resources. It depends on the size of the room, the number of participants, and the location of the event. Visual aids can range from simple written or printed material like flowcharts, to physical objects like props, to electronic and mechanical equipment like transparencies, 35 mm slides, prerecorded videos, and computer presentations. Each allows you to prepare them well in advance of your scheduled presentation.However, only aliphatic and transparencies allow you to create the visual DURING your presentation. This is why they are often used during parts of the talk that involves audience participation. Chalkboards and whiteboards cannot be pre-prepared and is used exclusively for on-the-spot visuals as you present your material. Take the Powering presentation, of which I am sure that all of you are familiar with. With the ever-increasing advances in information technology, most of use nowadays would have used or been exposed to Powering in one way or another.A program like Powering allows you to design screens on your computer with a omelet array of text, colors and illustrations. In fact, with slightly more advanced knowledge you can incorporate music, videos, and graphic images. Then you can arrange these screens in any sequence you which, and you can even use limited animation to create interest in your slides. But in order to use Powering to present information during your presentation, you need two pieces of equipment: a notebook and a projector, whether video or standard overhead.Both of these equipment are not only rather expensive and thus poses a bit of cost and some security risk, they are also relatively bulky and hard to transport around. Also, it is difficult to change the sequence of your screens while in the middle of your presentation, which can pose a bit of a problem when y our audience wants to move in a slightly different direction, and you might not able to bring the visuals along with you. Not to mention means that there is a margin for error, since the program can easily crash or fail to work properly.When it works correctly, Powering presentations can provide a very impressive and memorable impression on your audience. But when something goes wrong, it can easily disrupt your whole speech. In the end, the choice of visual aids lies in your hands. It very much depends on where and when are you giving your speech, as well as your own personal preference. You can also use props, which is essentially a three-dimensional object you have bought or made. When you want to use props in your presentation, make sure you plan, plan, plan. Plan how to use the prop.Plan when to use the prop. Plan where to use the prop. And make sure that when you use it, you inform your audience why you are using it. The process is relatively simple. First, go through your speech or your seminar outline and identify a point or a story where a prop can be used to enhance and enforce your message. Make or buy the prop that you need, and then practice using it in your presentation until you feel confident and comfortable using it. Then demonstrate this in front of friends who can provide feedback, and use their suggestions to modify or correct your presentation.Once youve perfected your delivery with this prop, simply repeat the process for the next prop. Props can generate impact, but used in the wrong context, can be outright distracting and may actually hurt your presentation. So chose wisely, and make sure you are confident enough to use it. When it comes to transporting props, it depends on its bulk, rigidity, and how dangerous it is. Certain props that include gimmicks like pyrotechnics are sometimes tricky to bring around, especially when you have to go through places with security measures, the airport being a good example.But I always maintain the belief that YOU are your best visual aid. An effective speech, in the end, always comes from the heart, and with the use of emotions, gestures, and a bit of acting, you can deliver a strong message on your own. How you dress, move and sound already does most of the talking for you. To impact your audience, you have to master your non-verbal communicating skills; facial expression, tone of voice, and movements all contribute to you making an effective and evocative speech. Use your hands to gesture and illustrate movement and form, and when you move make it natural and confident.Use your voice to reflect emotions. Slow down, speak distinctly without straining your voice, and use occasional pauses to catch and hold attention. Dress in proper attire suited to the occasion, and try to keep colors and accessories from being too loud. If your audience cant keep their eyes off your technicality batik shirt, for example, or the massive flower youve mined to your color, then youre definitely going to lose impact since their so distracted by your colorful fashion sense. Repetition is also an important key in getting your audience to remember you. Devices like this heightens drama, which leads to greater impact.Remember the speech from Martin Luther King youve Just heard? See? You remember his words because he uses a lot of repetition. With the use of repetition, hes driving home the point that you have to serve. But remember to limit your contents. Too much detail can be overwhelming to the average listener, and he or she will respond by immemorially tuning you out in order to process all that information youve bombarded handful of well-chosen points, illustrated with simple supporting ideas, and summed up with a powerful conclusion, will almost always be remembered better than a 50- page long speech filled to brim w ith data. Finally, review and summaries. This is the oldest teaching principle in the book, and there is a good reason why professional speakers still use it today. Because essentially, your audience is going to remember two things most clearly, the beginning of your speech, and the end of your speech. By first telling what youre going to tell, telling it, then telling what youve Just told, youre essentially using repetition. For example, you first state your thesis statement in your introduction, which is basically a summary of the main points in your speech.Then you move on to your speech, where you elaborate and embellish your main points with supporting statements and arguments. Finally, when you reach the end of your speech, you restate your thesis statement, slightly modified, and inform the conclusion of the speech. This Three Times Over method is the single most effective way to imprint our message in your audiences brain. If you are able to use your conclusion to reinstate your points As Lord Macaroon once said: A speech is like a love affair-?any fool can start one, but to end it requires considerable skill. Finish off with a strong, powerful conclusion that summarizes all your points and reinforces your thesis statement, and youll leave behind a powerful memory. Ladies and gentlemen, before I finish off I want you to remember that when all things are said and done, a speech is a speech, and a speech is nothing more than a way to deliver your message to your chosen audience. All of us, I am sure, have something of interest to say, yet do not know how to say it.The tips I have given you today are simply the very bare bones of the art of successful speaking, of how to gain trust and enhance your credibility. I have told you how to capture the attention of your audience with the use of humor an d well-chosen anecdotes, how to hold on to their interest as you deliver your message by controlling your gestures and modifying your voice tone and volume, and how to leave a great impression once youve finished using repetition and visual aids. The nature of oral communication is fleeting one, and the best way to learn how to speak is to go out and do it.

Innovations and Inventions for the Hearing Impaired

Innovations and Inventions for the Hearing Impaired No one person invented sign language; it evolved worldwide in a natural fashion, much the way any language evolved. We can name a few people as the innovators of specific signing manuals. Each language (English, French, German, etc) developed their own respective sign languages at different times. American sign language (ASL) is closely related to French sign language. In 1620, the first book on sign language that contained the manual alphabet was published by Juan Pablo de Bonet.In 1755, Abbe Charles Michel de L’Epee of Paris founded the first free school for deaf people, he used a system of gestures, hand signs, and fingerspelling.In 1778, Samuel Heinicke of Leipzig, Germany founded a public school for deaf people, where he taught speech and speechreading.In 1817, Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet founded Americas first school for deaf people, in Hartford, Connecticut.In 1864, Gallaudet College, in Washington, D.C was founded, the only liberal arts college for deaf people in the world. TTY or TDD Telecommunications TDD stands for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf.  It is a method of coupling Tele-Typewriters to telephones. Deaf orthodontist Doctor James C Marsters of Pasadena, California shipped a teletype machine to deaf physicist Robert Weitbrecht in Redwood City, California and requested a way to attach it to the telephone system so that phone communication could take place. The TTY was first developed by Robert Weitbrecht, a deaf physicist. He was also a ham radio operator, familiar with the way hams used teleprinters to communicate over the air. Hearing Aids Hearing aids in their various forms have provided needed amplification of sound for many persons experiencing hearing loss. Since hearing loss is one of the oldest of the known disabilities, attempts to amplify sound go back several centuries. It is unclear who invented the first electric hearing aid, it may have been the Akoulathon, invented in 1898 by Miller Reese Hutchinson and made and sold (1901) by the Akouphone Company of Alabama for $400. A device called the carbon transmitter was needed in both the early telephone and the early electric hearing aid. This transmitter was first commercially available in 1898 and was used to electrically amplify sound. In the 1920s, the carbon transmitter was replaced by the vacuum tube, and later by a transistor. Transistors allowed electric hearing aids to become small and efficient. Cochlear Implants The cochlear implant is a prosthetic replacement for the inner ear or cochlea. The cochlear implant is surgically implanted in the skull behind the ear and electronically stimulates the nerve of hearing with small wires touching the cochlea. External parts of the device include a microphone, a speech processor (for converting sounds into electrical impulses), connecting cables, and a battery. Unlike a hearing aid, which just makes sounds louder, this invention selects information in the speech signal and then produces a pattern of electrical pulses in the patients ear. It is impossible to make sounds completely natural because a limited amount of electrodes are replacing the function of tens of thousands of hair cells in a normally hearing ear. The implant has evolved over the years and many different teams and individual researchers have contributed to its invention and improvement. In 1957, Djourno and Eyries of France, William House of the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, Blair Simmons of Stanford University, and Robin Michelson of the University of California, San Francisco, all created and implanted single-channel cochlear devices in human volunteers. In the early 1970s, research teams led by William House of the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles; Graeme Clark of the University of Melbourne, Australia; Blair Simmons and Robert White of Stanford University; Donald Eddington of the University of Utah; and Michael Merzenich of the University of California, San Francisco, begin work on developing multi-electrode cochlear implants with 24 channels. In 1977, Adam Kissiah a NASA engineer with no medical background designed a cochlear implant that is widely used today. In 1991, Blake Wilson greatly improved the implants by sending signals to the electrodes sequentially instead of simultaneously - this increased clarity of sound.

Construction technology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Construction technology - Coursework Example e however very complicated in residential areas where several requirements have to be considered and put in place to ensure that the people residing in these areas are well catered for with regard to their needs. These needs will often include comfort and aesthetic requirements among other needs. The environmental concerns are as well a dire factor that has to be taken into consideration in order to avoid its pollution and mishandling in various ways opposed to the regulations put forth by the environmental watch bodies. For this reason, one has to ensure that the available space designed for developmental purposes are well established and planned in order to cater for all these needs and concerns. Changes in the use of the formally planned region often call for fresh planning and construction ideas which would call for the demolition of the pre- existing structure to create space for the new structures which comes with its own requirements, different from the previous ones. Effective planning areas such as the lounges, car parks, pavements as well as other important regions in any residential region have to be well established to promote their aesthetic value, longevity/ duration of stay as well as the reduction of flooding problems especially on car parks (Allen Burton & Pitt, 2001). This can effectively and efficiently be won by using the soft designing features such as planting of trees, meadows, shrubs and other related live protections around the delicate and stringent areas. This paper will look at the planning mechanisms to be employed by the residential housing developers at a site located in Chester-Le-Street, Durham formally owned by a transport company. The paper w ill also look at the various ways of effectively planning the region taking into consideration the need to avoid pollution and flooding in the residential areas besides observing the aesthetic value of the place. Given the limited scale of the space available for development purposes and the

Comparable Destinations, Different Paths Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Comparable Destinations, Different Paths - Essay Example The letters also explain why nobody else has been to Utopia. The reason is so ridiculous that it lends believability to the statement--someone had coughed and the exact longitude and latitude had not been heard, but Raphael was being sought to disclose the information. The first book tells of the traveler Raphael Hythlodaeus, to whom More is introduced in Antwerp and also explores the subject of how best to counsel a prince, a popular topic at the time. Plato doubtless did well foresee, unless kings themselves would apply their minds to the study of philosophy, that else they would never thoroughly allow the council of philosophers, being themselves before, even from their tender age, infected and corrupt with perverse and evil opinions (More 8). More tries to persuade Raphael that into the lucrative service of royalty, acting as an advisor to kings or lords. Raphael, however, seems to be saying that his views would not be listened to because such men are too corrupt to understand so pure a study as philosophy. Raphael speaks of Plato, of whom he seems to emulate the thoughts and ideals. The above statement screams of Platonic thought, suggesting that kings must be philosophers as well in order to rule fairly and wisely. More seems to consider it a philosopher's duty to ... While Raphael has chosen to embrace the idea of starting again, the character More desires to fix things as they are. "The difference is only a matter of one syllable," Raphael says as a way to illustrate the short distance from service to servitude (More 7). One syllable indeed. This simple sentence may offer a clue that can answer a question of much debate in regards to More's Utopia. The question is, as a reader, can one accept this imaginary society as a realistic blueprint for a working nation On the other hand, should one assume that More had no intention of his book being taken seriously One could arguably maintain either position. More's Utopia most definitely works if viewed as a satire. By taking into account More's use of these puns, one can deduce that his intention in writing Utopia is to reveal more about the current state of politics in 16th England than it is to offer a model for an ideal society. Support for such an argument can be easily supported by simply looking at the title of the book. The word "Utopia" has two roots. However, depending on which root is chosen, the meaning of the word changes drastically. "Utopia" is a combination of the syllable eu, which can be translated as "good," and the word topos, which means "place." At the same time, if one assumes that the ou prefix is used, which has a negating tone and translates into "no," then suddenly More's "good place" becomes "no place." The difference is only a matter of one syllable. More's hints at absurdity extend beyond simply the use of pun in the title/name of the island, being found in even his description of the island of Utopia. According to the

Odysseus vs Rama Essay Example for Free

Odysseus vs Rama Essay Two exciting epics that are widely read and well-known across the globe hold many likenesses between the heroes. The Odyssey by Homer and The Ramayana by Valmiki, tell the tales of two heroes who hold many similarities between them even as their stories differ. Both poems are epics because their heroes are great men, well-known to their worlds, both suffer long difficult journeys, and both are aided by as well as taunted by gods and goddesses of their religions and cultures. But in the end both men overcome great tragedy and catastrophes to rightfully rule as kings of their own lands. Odysseus and Rama were both strong warriors of great stature. Athena speaks of Odysseus to his son and calls him â€Å"a mighty man† (Homer, Odyssey, Book I,p. 7). Griffith describes Rama as â€Å"Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb,† (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1) who has â€Å"†¦massive jaw and ample chest† and â€Å"strong arms reach below his knee† (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1). Throughout the story these men both are challenged and use their great strength of the warrior to defeat their challengers. Odysseus is challenged by the sea many times and with great strength survives the power of the sea against him. In the house of King Alcinous he describes many a plight where he fought against the drowning waves and the storms of Poseidon. â€Å"†¦. Zeus with white bolt crushed my swift ship and cleft it in the midst of the wine-dark deep†¦. I clung with fast embrace about the keel of the curved ship, and so was I borne for nine whole days†¦. † (Homer, Osdyssey, Book VII, p. 105). Only a man of great strength and endurance could cling in the moving waters for nine whole days without fail. Then, against Poseidon’s enormous waves, Odysseus later survives a storm at sea by swimming through the forcible waves to reach land. For Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred up the same, who roused against me the winds†¦. Thus the storm winds shattered the raft, but as for me I cleft my way through the gulf yonder†¦. † (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 105). Odysseus exhibits godly strength against the seas and her challenges. Rama displays an unconquerable stamina in Griffith’s epic. Rama slays a giant to gain the friendship of Agastya but this leads to his being attacked by the giantess Surpanakha and her three sisters. Still they are no match for Rama as â€Å"†¦. they and myriad fiends beside Beneath the might of Rama died† (Griffith, Book I stz. ). Both heroes are challenged by enormous odds and yet both are victorious proving stout strength and stamina above all other men. However, physical strength is not the only weapon these heroes wield. Cunning and strategy play an important role in defeating more powerful enemies. Odysseus exhibits such mental strength against Cyclops when he helps his companions to escape the Cyclops’ cavern. Odysseus devised a plan to deceive Cyclops and in his cunning is even smart enough to predict Cyclops’ call for help from his brethren. And in knowing this, he tells Cyc lops his name is â€Å"Noman. Thus does Cyclops call out for help after Odysseus blinds him with the torched end of a stake and cries â€Å"My friends, Noman is slaying me by guile, nor at all by force† (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 137-8). Thus his friends who thought â€Å"no man† was assaulting their brother determined his suffering to be a sickness sent by Zeus and bade him to call upon his father Poseidon for help and went their ways. Odysseus further exhibits his craftiness when he devises a plan of escape. When Cyclops is blinded, he sets himself before the cave entrance with arms wide to prevent the men’s departure through the cavern mouth. However, Odysseus is more clever than he and fastens three sheep together across and ties a man beneath the middle one’s underbelly. For himself he hangs on beneath the magnificent ram until sunrise when they are allowed through the mouth of the cavern by Cyclops out to pasture to graze. Once far from Cyclops Odysseus comes out from under his ram and then unfastens his men, and they are all able to escape. By their hiding beneath the sheep, Cyclops only felt the fleece and thereby allowed the men to pass through. This is a grand display of cunning. Rama also portrays some semblance of intelligence when he chooses his allies against the demon king, realizing that he can win their loyalty by defeating their enemy and convincing the king of the monkeys that they share a suffrage because they both have been banished from their homelands, Rama is able to convince the monkey army to come to his aid (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1) . â€Å"Who, knowing all the tale, before The sacred flame alliance swore. Sugriva to his new-found friend Told his own story to the end: His hate of Bali for the wrong And insult he had borne so long. And Rama lent a willing ear And promised to allay his fear† (Griffith, Book I, Stz. 1). With his crafty ways, Rama knew since he had slain the object of Sugriva’s , the monkey king’s, hatred, that he would be allied at once with the monkey armies. This was his key to finding his wife, Sita, and rescuing her. Odysseus and Rama were both intertwined with the deities of their cultures. Odysseus had the help of Athena throughout his entire trip home after the war in Troy and his exile with Calypso on her lonely island where he was a kept man by the goddess (Homer, Odyssey, Book I, p. ). Athena bodes Zeus â€Å"O father†¦. if indeed this thing is now well pleasing to the blessed gods, that wise Odysseus should return to his own home, let us then speed Hermes the Messenger†¦. to the island of Ogygia. There with all speed let him declare†¦. our unerring counsel, even the return of the patient Odysseus, that so he may come to his home† (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book I, p. 3). If not for Athena’s plea and reminder to Zeus, Odysseus would have remained with Calypso forever. But Athena provides further assistance and stays beside Odysseus along the way. She is with him when he travels to the house of King Alcinous and tries to protect him and to guide him. â€Å"At that same hour Odysseus roused him to go to the city, and Athene shed a deep mist about Odysseus for the favour that she bare him, lest any of the Phaeacians†¦. should meet him and mock him†¦. † (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 97). And disguised as a maiden she journeys with him home on the ship and stays until he has defeated his wife’s wooers who have consumed the spoils of his home. She lends her assistance when needed such as when she cloaked Odysseus and his son and his men in darkness so that they may leave the town to come back to defeat the wooers in battle. Athena provides even more aid as she convinces his son Telemachus to search for his father and to bring him home. She also gives him advice such as having his mother hide Odysseus’ bow that no man can string other than Odysseus, foreseeing the contest to prove his identity later after his journey (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book II, pp. 25-7). Rama himself is a god although he does not know this. He is the born human entity of the god Vishnu Narayana who has a premeditated plan to take human form and then to defeat the demon god, Ravana hated by all supernatural gods and goddesses alike. But it is not until the end of his epic journey that Rama remembers that his true essence is the god Narayana (Griffith, Book I, stz. 19). This is unlike Odysseus who was favored by the gods and knew of their help and their interest in him as he bore them many sacrifices in return. One such sacrifice being in the cave of the Cyclops as they awaited his return from shepherding his flock. â€Å"Then we kindled a fire, and made burnt-offering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 132). Such offerings are made throughout the story before and after challenges are met. Once the Cyclops was defeated, Odysseus took the best ram for offering â€Å"†¦the ram for me alone my goodly-greaved company chose out, in the dividing of the sheep, and on the shore I offered him up to Zeus†¦. and I burnt the slices of the thighs. † (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 142). From this a conclusion could be drawn: it is expected of a hero to make offering to the gods who find favor with him. Likewise, Rama shows respect to the gods and his father, King Dasaratha, when he unfailingly responds to their commands without question. When asked by Queen Kaikeyi if he promises to honor his father’s vow and do his bidding, Rama replies, â€Å"I, at the bidding of my sire, Would cast my body to the fire, A deadly draught of poison drink, Or in the waves of ocean sink: If he command, it shall be done,My father and my king in one† (Griffith, Book II, stz. 8). Rama leaves for his banishment without delay and without question to honor his father’s vow to Kaikeyi. He meets his challenges without hesitation and follows what the Indians name â€Å"dharma†, the will of the gods (Brockington, 1984, p. 33) or what the Greeks refer to as fate, a story of life darned out by the Muse (Homer, Iliad, 1950, p. 175). Both epics contain heroes who follow their dharma or fate without question and praise and honor their gods. It is when the heroes anger or disrespect the gods that evil befalls them. For example, when Odysseus tells king Alcinous how he injured Cyclops and this angered the creature’s father, Poseidon who aided Cyclops as he attacked the ship with hilltop and large boulder causing waves to drive the ship back to shore. (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 141-2). Or when Rama slays the giant and angers the demon king Ravan, because Rama is vigilant in his respect to the gods, he overcomes the challenges brought before him when his wife is stolen from him. Rama is the example of true dharma and a great hero to the Indian religion of Hindu. Brockington, 1984, p. 8). Odysseus and Rama both face a great journey and banishment. Odysseus takes twenty years to return from the battle of Troy and suffers many hardships along the way that detain him from reaching his homeland for which he desires. One such suffering be at the hands of Calypso on the Isle Ogygia for seven years where she forced his stay as he had no means by which to depart until Calypso was bade by the gods to sent him adrift on a raft (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book V, pp. 74-75. Among these misadventures that halted Odysseus’ return, was the Isle of the Lotus-Eaters, where the men ate of the Lotus which made them lose their desire to continue their journey home, and the Sirens who attempted to attract them to their own deaths (Homer, Odyssey, Book IX, p. 128-130). The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus’ journey home once he has befallen these challenges after the War of Troy. This journey takes more time as he meets hardships mostly set upon him by Poseidon, who â€Å"†¦. saw Odysseus as he sailed over the deep; and he was mightily angered in spirit†¦. (Homer, Odyssey, Book V, p. 79) and reveals â€Å"it must be that the gods at the last have changed their purposes concerning Odysseus†¦. But methinks that even yet I will drive him far enough in the path of suffering† (Homer, Odyssey, 1950, p. 79). Thus another journey begins and Odysseus is troubled once again, taking a total of twenty years before he reaches his homeland. If not for Athena’s aid and the aid of the other gods, Odysseus would not have been successful. Rama is also taken from his homeland. On the eve of his preparations to take over the throne for his father, one of his father’s other wives, Queen Kaikeyi , to whom King Dasaratha owes two vows as she had saved his life previously, beseeches the king to throne her son, Bharat and exile Rama for fourteen years to the forest. â€Å"These rites in Ramas name begun Transfer them, and enthrone my son. The time is come to claim at last The double boon of days long-past, When Gods and demons met in fight. And thou wouldst fain my care requite. Now forth to Dandaks forest drive Thy Rama for nine years and five, And let him dwell a hermit there†¦. (Griffith, Book II, stz. 11). With these words Kaikeyi reminds Dasaratha of his promise to her when she saved his life by caring for a fatal wound. She then asks for her son to be throned without challenge from Rama and also that Rama be exiled for fourteen years to live as a hermit in the forest. Kaikeyi only does such a greedy act because her maid Manthara has convinced her that horrible tidings await her future and that of her son if Bharat does not take the throne and Rama is enthroned (Griffith, Book II, stzs. -8). Still, honoring his father’s lamenting bid, Rama departs, ready to make a life anew with his wife and his one half-brother, Lakshmana (Griffith, Book II, stz. 19). As did Odysseus, so did Rama face many sufferings once he left in exile and his journey was not yet over. Sita, his wife, is stolen from him while he is away. Thus Rama, takes on the tasks of allying with the monkey armies to have aid in finding and saving his beloved wife. Then he faces Ravan, the demon king, to save her (Griffi th, Book IV, V, VI). Odysseus’ and Rama’s stories both reveal the importance of a warrior’s weaponry and strength in their respective cultures. When Odysseus returns home, with the deviousness of Athena, he and his son and wife, Telemachus and Penelope, devise a contest to prove his identity so that Odysseus may overtake his kingdom of Ithaca once more. Whosoever can string Odysseus’ prominent bow will have Penelope for his wife and all the kingdom of Odysseus for his own. So does Penelope set the bow and quiver before the wooers. And one by one they attempt to string Odysseus’ mighty bow. But none can accomplish this feat. Once Telemachus convinces the wooers to let the beggar who is his disguised father attempt the feat, â€Å"†¦. Odysseus straightaway bent the great bow, all without effort, and took it in his right hand and proved the bow string, which rang sweetly at the touch, in tone like a swallow â€Å" (Homer, Odyssey, 1950, Book XXI, p. 336). All at once he revealed his true identity and all was lost to the suitors of his wife.

The sandinista Revolution Essay -- essays research papers

During the forty-three year Somoza dictatorship a revolution was proved inevitable. During the period of the Somoza regime many conflicts between the government and the people arose. Some of these conflicts were mainly with the National Guard, but in 1978 conflicts hit its climax. In 1978, Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, a salient newspaper editor and leader to the Somoza opposition was assassinated; it is believed that by one of Somoza’s business man. This mans death gave a deep feeling of commotion throughout the country, establishing a nation wide strike against the Somoza government. The National Guard responded to the attacks by assassinating many civilians and violating many others rights. On August 1978, a Sandinista Commando (headed by Eden Pastora) seized control of the national palace,...

Reasons for bullying behaviour Essay

Olweus (1980) identified that bullying children are usually impulsive and have an aggressive temperament and children who are bullied have a shy or weak temperament. Some of the children who are bullied lack assertiveness skills. Also, being different in some way such as being from a different ethnic group increases the chances of being bullied. In addition, children with special educational needs, with a physical disability or mild or moderate learning difficulties are also at risk of getting bullied. Researches conducted by Petterson, DeBaryshe and Ramsay (1989) also identifies factors at home as reasons for bullying. Factors such as lack of warmth between the parents or among other members of the family, use of physical violence within the family or lack of clear guidance for behaviour to the children or even lack of monitoring of children’s activities. Study conducted by Olweus (1980) in Norvegia also indicated links of family background to bullying. For bullied children, Olweus (1993) found that over-protective parenting may increase the risk of being bullied. Children in over-protected family environments usually do not develop skills as much as children who are independent and hence become vulnerable by the bullies. Bowers, Smith and Binney (1992) conducted research on the children’s, who are either the bullies or the victims, perception of their families. They studied and compared the perceptions of bullies, victims, bully/victims and control children. The study indicated that many bullies and bully/victims perceived that their families were relatively lacking affection among the family members. The study also revealed that there were very poor monitoring procedures. The children who are only involved in bullying perceived that their families have power relationships between the siblings and the other members of the family. In this case of bully/victims the children perceived difficulties with the parental behaviour such as punitive ness and lack of involvement. The children perceived that their parents were more concerned about their own position in the family. (Smith, P. K. et al, 2007) Peer-level characteristics associated with bullying and victimisation Peers are considered to be the most influential group in issues related to bullying. Various studies such as Espelage et al (2003), Pellegrini & Long (2002), Rodkin et al (2000) have studied the influence of peers in how individuals take to aggression and bullying. Homophily Hypothesis This hypothesis is based on the similarity of individuals within a group. In the late childhood and early adolescence, the peer group becomes extremely important for the individuals. During this time, the peer group involves in similar behavioural dimensions such as smoking, academic achievements and so on. This similarity within the group is called homophily. In studies conducted on middle school students, homophily was found to be true in explaining the extent of how much the peer influenced each other in bullying their peers. The effect of peers was found to be higher for bullying than fighting. This provided evidence that peer influence plays an important role in low-level aggression than fighting. It was found that students generally hang out with the kids who bullied others. It was found that the students who bullied at similar frequency were found to hang out more. Dominance theory Dominance theory is based on the observation that during the early adolescence, children look to increase their dominance. Pellegrini (2002) observed that the transition to middle school requires children to renegotiate their dominance relationships. Bullying is found to be a deliberate strategy for attaining the dominance, especially in a newly formed peer groups. Studies indicate that bullying was used more frequently by boys who targeted their aggression towards other boys during this transition. This theory is structured around the complex interaction among the adolescent for the need of dominance, changes in the social surroundings and peer-group structure and the desire to interact with the opposite sex. Attraction Theory Attraction theory is based on the change in behaviour of young adolescents. It focuses on their need to establish a separation from their parents and also become attracted to other people in their age group who possess characteristics that is a reflection of independence. This independence can be interpreted as delinquency, aggression, disobedience and similar characteristics. In this period, these adolescents are less attracted to individuals who possess characteristics of childhood such as compliance and obedience. This makes these early adolescents attracted to peers who are aggressive. This was also found during a study of 217 boys and girls by Bukowski, who found that the girls and boys were more attracted to aggressive peers when they entered the middle school. The increase in attraction for aggressiveness was more for girls. The different theories, especially the homophily hypothesis, dominance theory and attraction theory demonstrate the complex nature of bullying during the early years of adolescence.