The Reign of Terror and the Salem Witch Trials Reshaping...

The period of the French Revolution known as the Reign of Terror was similar to the trials and tribulations faced by the characters of The Crucible by Arthur Miller. The cycle of oppression, opportunity, and fear created the struggle for power that was key to the outcome of both events. The French Revolution, beginning in 1789, was a lengthy process in which the people of France took over the government and instituted a Republic (Chambers). The overarching goal of the Revolution was to place the power of government in the hands of the people. For two years, whilst France was facing internal disorganization and external wartime threats, the government was run by a war dictatorship under Maximilien Robespierre, the head of the Committee†¦show more content†¦However, the worst was over, and the executions were largely over with. The Reign of Terror had ended. In late 18th century France, the majority of the population, consisting of poor commoners, had little control over their lives. The same was true for the women and children of Puritan societies at the time of The Crucible. Both groups of people lived in an age of political turmoil (for the Puritans, this was the age of King William’s War and similar conflicts) and had little say in their fate. Thus when the opportunity presented itself to have some control over others, they sprang. For the girls in The Crucible, accusing someone of witchcraft gave them authority. They were summoned to court to do â€Å"weighty work†, and the entire town valued what they had to say (Miller 58). For the commoners of France it was largely the same story. They had been given a voice, and they used it however they could. At first, it was often petty revenge that drove them to accuse their neighbors and fellow townspeople, but it quickly grew out of their control (Chambers). A few accusations turned into a widespread hysteria concerning their respective issues—â€Å"the town [had] gone wild† (Miller 52). Soon, everyone believed the illusion. The lie had grown so large that even the accusers believed it. As Mary Warren proclaimed in The Crucible, â€Å"It

Important of Learning Foreign Language Free Essays

Important of learning foreign language Language is systemic sounds or symbol in order to communicate with other people. In a world that increasingly interdependent, we can no longer afford to remain monolingual. Success depends in large measure on ability of an individual to function as members of global village whose members speak a variety of foreign language. We will write a custom essay sample on Important of Learning Foreign Language or any similar topic only for you Order Now Learning language is no longer past time but it is necessity. Learning more than one language is benefits to us because learning foreign languages can help us in working or business, able to travel to a foreign country, foreign language as a secret communication. One major part of learning foreign language is learning foreign languages can help us in working or business. If our work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign language, being able to talk to them with foreign language can help us communicate with them. It may also help us to make sales and negotiate secure contracts. Knowledge of learning foreign language can increase our chances of finding a new job, getting a promotion or transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips. Many English-speakers do not bother to learn foreign language because they believe that most of people they do business with foreign countries can speak English, and if they do not able to speak English, interpreters can be used. Lack of knowledge of foreign language puts the English-speakers at disadvantages. In a meeting, for an example, the people on the other side discuss things amongst themselves in their own languages without the English-speakers understanding. Interpreters slow down everything. In any socializing after meeting, the locals will feel more comfortable using their own language rather than English. The reason of learning foreign language is often being able to travel to a foreign country. Being able to speak native language with the locals has benefits in and of ourselves. Many English speakers seem to believe that wherever they go on holiday they can get by speaking English, so there’s no point in learning any other languages. If people don’t understand you all you have to do is speak slowly and turn up the volume. However, by putting forth the effort to speak with people in their own languages it shows the travelers are doing their best to take care of themselves in different environment. The locals can see their effort and willing to help the travelers. It also good because they can go restaurant, speak with the locals without help of friends or translator. Speaking to the locals is often highlight of many people’s trips. It gives insight on a new way of life and develops a new friendships. The another reason of learning foreign language is we can keep foreign language as a secret communication. The student has study it with a friend, both of you can converse without others knowing what you are saying. This is something that can be immensely helpful when speaking to family about private matters while out in public, or making important decisions in public. For example, a person may be making a large purchase, such as a car, and want to discuss some of its issues but you don’t want to have others eavesdropping. In this situation you could use your other language, especially if it is a language that not many people study, to talk to whoever came along with you. Eavesdropping is something that everyone does, but also something that everyone hates. This problem is easily avoided if the student studies a language that not many people study. Another way to help this is if you can find someone to study with. That, in and of itself, is encouragement. It keeps you accountable and learning with a friend is much more enjoyable. In a conclusion, learning foreign language is important around the world and it helps us in our daily life. The reason that we need to learn foreign language because learning foreign languages can help us in working or business, able to travel to a foreign country, foreign language as a secret communication. Whatever may be the reasons to learn a foreign language the bottom line is an incredible experience, with incredible benefits, this learning process is one of the most satisfying ones because we can use it on our day to day activities, not only for understanding what a block of text says but it makes you aware of other cultures and other people. How to cite Important of Learning Foreign Language, Essays

The Stone Carvers free essay sample

Obsession in The Stone Carvers The Stone Carvers is a book of obsessions. Each one of the characters has their own obsessions that at one point they believe to be a natural and helpful to their lives. However each of the characters in The Stone Carvers learns that these obsessions with perfection, love, adventure, or anything end without them being able to be satisfied and on many occasions without achieving what they were obsessing over. The author Jane Urquhart made a compelling story on the nature obsession and the effects of obsession over any matter. The characters of the novel were fixated on a large range of ideas; they were obsessed with ideas from love to architecture and because of the diversity that Jane has shown that obsession of any form will always end without resolve. The conclusion about obsession can be grasped through the various trials that each character of the story is placed under. In The Stone Carvers Urquhart is able to show that obsession can never lead to a successful happiness, through a few powerful ideas; when someone is fixated on an idea the task may not be able to be completed, a person’s obsession can be counterproductive to their cause, and fixating on one thing can cause the person to lose track of the rest of their life. When someone is fixated on one task or idea their obsession may not ever be complete in their eyes. In Klara’s love affair with Eamon, Klara is obsessed with staying with and caring for Eamon. When Klara was not with Eamon she was thinking of him; â€Å"All the rest of the day she was thinking of the moments when Eamon’s arm was on her shoulder or his hands were in her hair.† (pg. 121) This obsession of love seems like a natural and healthy idea to have however Klara’s work begins to be influenced by their love and she begins to be jealous of anyone with a relationship with Eamon. Klara becomes particularly upset at one point she exclaimed â€Å"I saw you laughing, Eamon, with your friends outside the brewery. I think you’d forgotten me altogether, that’s what I think.† (pg. 117) Klara’s obsession with Eamon was never able to be complete because she would never be able to complete her storybook obsession of loving him and him loving her. Her obsession eventually led to an extended period of grieving her lost lover. Sometimes an obsession with something can actually blind the obsessed person  into actually being counterproductive to their goals. In a minor case in The Stone Carvers Refuto, who broke down because he held himself responsible for his brother’s death, ran from his family to not bear with the pain of reuniting with them. Refuto’s reasoning for not going back to his family was that: â€Å"I could not put the burden of a killer on their shoulders.† (pg. 211) Refuto was obsessed with keeping his name clean and his family safe. When he ran away from home however his family was left to fend for themselves and live without his support. When he and Tilman had become friends was the only time that he realized he had been hurting his friends with his own obsession. When Refuto did get over his obsession and went home, his wife and he talked at length about the family and how they were able to get along for so long without him. Refuto said that â€Å"I was gone but Tilman told me to come back.† (pg. 215) Since his departure Refuto was able to â€Å"clear my head in four directions at once.† (pg. 215) This fixation on Refuto’s name had kept him away from his family but finally he was able to go back and correct what his obsession did to him. His obsession had blinded him to the harm that his actions had caused to his family. Instead of helping keep his family safe he was only harming it and only once he accepted that he had an unhealthy obsession was he able to return to his life with his family. When someone is fixated on an idea they tend to lose focus on other important aspects of their lives. In The Stone Carvers an example of this would be in Tilman and Klara’s mother, Helga. Helga had recently mourned what she thought was her son’s death and became obsessed, as soon as Tilman came home, with controlling where Tilman went and how he would live. Tilman however â€Å"responded neither to her questions nor her attempts at incarceration and intimidation but looked at her with confusion on his perfect face.† (pg. 63) Helga became so hysterically obsessed with keeping him with her that eventually she chained Tilman to the house however â€Å"Helga would never recover – not from his imprisonment and not from his escape.†(pg. 67) Tilman screamed and refused to eat while he was chained and his mother only then realized that she had made a mistake in obsessing over keeping Tilman caged. She pushed Tilman away with her passions for keeping him with her. The Stone Carvers shows that someone who is obsessed  with an idea or task is more prone to making mistakes or causing a problem in a related aspect of their life. Throughout the book Jane was able to show her views on obsessions in persuasive undertones and themes throughout the entire novel. Jane was able to show that no matter how justified a fixation may seem the outcome is always negative. Throughout the novel the theme of obsession can be seen from the minor characters all the way to the major events of the story. Jane makes her case with many examples of the ways obsession can lead to the destruction of a person. She does this through showing that when someone has an obsession they might never be able to complete, a person’s obsession could be counterproductive to their cause, and fixating on one idea can cause the person to lose track of the important parts in their life. The persuasive undertones in the story are able to clearly convey the message of obsession being something that only harms the obsessed person. Walter Allward once said â€Å"I have been eating and sleeping stone for so long it has become an obsession with me. And incidentally, a nightmare.† (pg. VI) The inspiration for such a great novel and theme can be found in this quote because the amount of emotion that went into Walter’s work on the Vimy Ridge Memorial but also the tragic way Walter was unable to be truly happy after his most amazing creation.