Routine message free essay sample

Also called positive/neutral informative messages or routine announcements, Routine Informative Messages are a common type of Professional Communication. To practice writing a Routine Informative Message you will write a one-page memo to employees announcing the new and revised employee education policies. Read the scenario below and present a solution in your own words, using your own analysis. You will not use all of the information included in the scenario. Some of the information will help you understand the context and implications of the document you create but would not be included in the actual message. Remember it is never appropriate to cut and paste entire sections from the scenario as a substitute for your own writing and thinking. Communication Scenario: Announcing an Employee Education Program You are the human resources director for Easy to Be Green (EBG), an innovative new company that helps homeowners, businesses, and municipalities become more environmentally friendly. We will write a custom essay sample on Routine message or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page EBG wants all employees, whatever their position, to be able to discuss with customers, at least in a basic way, the scientific concepts behind the company’s products and services. Therefore, all employees are given a thorough orientation and ongoing training in these concepts. However, the trainers have begun to realize that for this training to be successful many employees need background work in reading, writing, and math. In addition, because of the company’s rapid growth and because of continuing developments in the field, even employees with advanced scientific training are having trouble keeping up with new developments. Beginning six months from now, EBG will offer basic, intermediate, and advanced courses in reading, writing, and math. In the meantime, managers will evaluate employees and may recommend that employees take one or more of these courses. In addition, employees can choose to take a course or courses without their manager’s recommendation. The courses will be offered during  work hours, employees will be paid for the time they spend in class, though homework and studying must be done on employees’ own time. Books will be provided. Progress in these courses will be taken into account in employees’ quarterly performance reviews and annual salary reviews. Employees who are beyond these basic courses but who need help in keeping up with scientific developments related to their work are encouraged to take courses at local universities, using the company’s tuition reimbursement program. Employees have expressed the following concerns about the tuition reimbursement program: 1) that the maximum reimbursement is not high enough for the better schools 2) that the program doesn’t cover books, 3) that new employees are not eligible. Therefore, also beginning in six months, the company will enhance its existing tuition reimbursement program. The current maximum reimbursement of $3000 a year will increase to $5000 a year, and employees will be reimbursed for books as well as tuition and fees. Currently, full-time employees must be with the company for six months to be eligible; now all full-time employees will be eligible. Additionally with approval from their managers, employees will be able to take off a half day, with pay, on the days their courses meet. To receive reimbursement under these special conditions, however, employees must receive at least a B in the course. Otherwise the required grade for reimbursement is C. Other current tuition reimbursement policies will remain the same. Finally, to help employees who have not been able to find appropriate courses, the company will provide a list of available and recommended courses at local universities Assignment Write a one-page memo to employees announcing the new and revised employee education policies. In your memo, select, organize, and format the necessary information into an effective, reader-friendly routine informative message. Plan carefully which information you need to include and which information you will leave out. Introduce the message in a short first paragraph with the goal of encouraging readers to take advantage of the program. The first paragraph should serve as an introduction to the message as a whole; therefore, it should avoid focusing on one aspect of the message to the exclusion of others. It should provide a brief overview of the information in the message. Organize the necessary information under headings in the body of the message. Use headings that make the information as easily accessible to readers as possible. Do not use a heading for the first and last paragraph, both of which should be fairly brief. Headings and bulleted/numbered lists should follow principles of logic and parallel structure. For reasons of logic, there must be at least two headings; for reasons of readability, avoid more than about five. Keep items in a bulleted or numbered list logically and formally parallel. The bulleted or numbered points can be phrases, sentences, or brief paragraphs, as long as the list as a whole is consistent. A sample is included below. Adapt your approach for the assigned topic.

Creative history essays

Creative history essays Exceptional Works: Herodotus and Homer Telling history through authors such as Homer and Herodotus allows them to tell the stories of the ancient time with fictional excitement for the readers enjoyment. Herodotus is also known as the Father of History. Herodotus told stories of the Persian wars. These stories give information to help understand the cultural and political concepts that occurred during the Classical Age of Greece. He did this through his book The Histories which was about the Peloponnesian Wars which was between the smaller Greek city of the west and their counterpart from the east. Homers Odyssey tells of a character named Odysseus whos trying to return home and has different obstacles to go through. Odysseus survived all that happened to him. In both stories, the importance of the gods in Greek tradition is shown from the interaction between humans and gods. In book nine of the Odyssey, Odysseus and his men travel to the land of the Cyclops, where they meet Polyphemus, Cyclops and the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. Odysseus and his men meet Polyphemus. It started as a peaceful greeting, but ended with Polyphemus killing two of Odysseus men and the rest of them are detained. They are blocked in a cave by a giant boulder in which only Polyphemus is able to move it. Homer is displaying the power that the gods had in everyday life in this situation. He knows only Polyphemus is able to move the boulder, so he does not instantly challenge him by sword. Odysseus found a huge portion of an olive tree and they sharpened it in the fire. Odysseus and four other men agreed to use the weapon. When Cyclops came back, Odysseus offered him the wineskin and he drank it all. Once he is drunk, Odysseus said to him: "Kyklops, you ask my honorable name? Remember the gift you promised me, and I shall tell you. My name is Nohbdy: mother father and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy. (Book 9, lines ...

Chinese Etiquette for Visiting a Chinese Home

Chinese Etiquette for Visiting a Chinese Home It is becoming more and more popular for foreigners to be invited into Chinese homes for dinner. Even business associates may receive an invitation to be entertained at their Chinese counterpart’s home. Learn the proper etiquette for visiting a Chinese home. 1. Be sure to either accept or decline the invitation. If you must decline, it is important to give a specific reason as to why you can’t attend. If you are vague, the host may think you are not interested in having a relationship with him or her. 2. At the entrance to many homes, you may see a rack of shoes. Depending on the home, the host may greet you at the door in slippers or even stocking or bare feet. If this is the case, take off your shoes. The host may give you a pair of slippers or sandals or you may just walk around in your socks or bare feet. In some homes, a separate, communal pair of plastic sandals is worn when using the restroom. 3. Bring a gift. The gift may or may not be opened in front of you. You can suggest the gift be opened in your presence but don’t push the issue. 4. Guests will be immediately served tea whether you want it or not. It is impolite to request a drink or request an alternate beverage. 5. The mother or wife is typically the person who will prepare the meal. Since Chinese meals are served course-by-course, the cook may not join in the feast until after all dishes have been served. Dishes tend to be served family style. Some restaurants and homes will have separate chopsticks for serving the dishes while others may not. 6. Follow the lead of the host and serve yourself, however, he or she serves himself or herself. Eat when the host eats. Be sure to eat plenty of food to show you are enjoying it but don’t eat the last bit of any dish. If you finish off any dish, it will signal that the cook has not prepared enough food. Leaving a small amount of food is good manners. 7. Do not leave immediately once the meal has concluded. Stay for 30 minutes to an hour to show you have enjoyed your meal and their company. More About Chinese Etiquette Chinese Business Meeting EtiquetteChinese Customs for Meeting New People

Different IT Systems used in Retail Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Different IT Systems used in Retail - Assignment Example It is notable that there are no two ERP vendors that are the same in the services they offer. The differences are noticed in their product executions based on the functionalities of their products. The applications may be similar in a number of factors that also display negligible exceptions in their developments. Most of the software applications are used to support different tasks as per the requirements of and objectives for which the application was designed. It is essential for the software vendors to establish the benefits of taking care of the business needs of the small and midsized companies. Oracle offers different modules from SAPs that are distinctive in terms of the needs and requirements of the applications being developed. This is seen in the ERP frameworks that the two vendors have to offer because the clients they deal with choose products that suit their business needs. Some of the common needs that companies grapple with include financial management, distribution management, and Personnel management. It is the duty of the vendors to narrow down on specific needs to offer the best services. It is essential for prospective clients to contact vendor before they can start developing solutions. Supply chain management software is essential for companies to have an advantage in the management of its supplies. They are meant to transform the usual supply chains into systems that are meant to bring substantial value to the company’s businesses. They provide an appropriate platform for the transformation of the company’s businesses there by changing the fortunes of the company. The systems bring about flexibility and reliability of company’s operations, which is likely to translate to increased profitability. Supply chain management systems ensure that organizations are able to scale up their operations because of the flexibility brought

Guantanamo Bay Closing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Guantanamo Bay Closing - Essay Example In 2002, more than hundreds of Afghani prisoners were detained in this prison and did not have any rights, which were defined by the Geneva Conventions. However, they were given minimum rights in the year 2006 (Londras, 52). This paper seeks to analyze and investigate the 'Guantanamo Bay closing", it impact on U.S security and international security, in the lights of broad and diverse academic resources. After the September eleventh attack on United States, detention camp was made at Guantanamo base for detainees who were believed to be terrorists. After the U.S invasion in Afghanistan, majority of the suspected Afghani terrorists were move into Guantanamo detention camp(Fletcher, 125). These prisoners were considered to be the associated with Al Qaeda. Guantanamo Bay served as a detention center, where these prisoners were interrogated in order to get information on future terrorist attacks and to track down other terrorists groups. Donald Rumsfeld, the Defense Secretary, had authorized special interrogative methods which were used to compel the detainees to give information regarding terrorist groups and their activities. This was done in order to prevent international terrorism. However, methods such as invading prisoner's privacy, chaining them, exposing them to humiliation, etc were used for interrogation (Fletcher, 129). These acts were subjected to severe criticism. Media, human rights activists and peacekeepers severely criticized these methods and declared them inhumane practices, which violated human rights. In the year 2006, former President George Bush declared that suspected terrorists would be held at Guantanamo Prison. However, minimum rights were given to these prisoners (Mariner, 312). In 2009, President Barack Obama became the President of United States and took measures to close the Guantanamo Bay's prison (Brophy-Baermann & Conybeare, 200). United States of America is considered to be the country, which believes in liberty and human rights. According to critics, the methods devised by Donald Rumsfeld in order to break silence of the prisoners were inhumane and barbaric and they violated basic human rights. Prisoners were forced to wear female underwear on their heads, chained, lashed or exploited sexually so that they break their silence (Fletcher, 131). The military had the authority to use these methods in order to gain information on terrorists groups and activities. According to media reports, these strategies were specially devised for these detainees and were considered to be general procedure for interrogators. Reports also indicate these interrogators threatened detainees if they didn't cooperate with them. Several human right organizations believed that this was violation of human rights. Arguments against Guantanamo Bay Closing Although more than billion of innocent people are subjected to inhumane treatment and tyranny by governments of different countries such as Sudan, China, Somalia, etc, majority of human rights organization have concentrated on Guantanamo Bay Prison. It has been subjected to severe criticism because it had introduced special methods for interrogation. Although it has violated human rights, proponents have failed to articulate a rational and practical rationale for its closing.

Federalist papers-The House of Representatives and the Senate Essay Example for Free

Federalist papers-The House of Representatives and the Senate Essay The United States congress which is also the legislature one of the three arms of government is divided into two chambers; the House of Representatives ‘house’ and the Senate. They both serve a vital role in ensuring that the proper policies and laws that represent the citizen’s views are passed. The House of Representatives is made up of representatives from all the states. The Senate being the upper house is made up of individuals two from every state who are chosen by not looking at the populations in the states. Thus ensuring equal representation. They have the powers of consenting treaties, appointing federal officials for instance judges, secretaries in the cabinet and even the senior military personnel. The Publius writings are the name under which the Federalist papers were referred to back in the day when they were being formulated. These papers aid in highlighting the functions of the House and Senate in relation to how they were formed, the principles that govern how the members are elected, how they work and how their role plays an important part in the formulation of policies. There are several differences and similarities between these two chambers. The differences include that the senate is headed by the sitting Vice President who will vote in case there is a tie. The House of Representative is headed by the speaker who is elected by the members. â€Å"The senate is made up of 100 senators while the house has about 435 representatives and the number is determined by the populations they represent. In addition, the senators serve six year terms while the representatives serve 2 years (Patrick 225).† Though having many people means that the citizens’ views are well represented, these large numbers are said to inhibit them reaching a solution quickly. Since the senate is made up of fewer individuals, they form a strong team that is able to make and reach decisions quickly. This is well stated by James Madison in the Publius no. 63,   where it states that the senates’ small number makes it more stable and because of this, they are in a better position to form strong and lasting relations with foreign countries. moreover, he says that because the senators serve a longer period, this ensures that they will be held accountable for actions as well as policies   they have formulated. By being aware of this fact, they are always cautious of what they do. â€Å"The representatives on the other hand serve a smaller term therefore they will not be as keen as the senators after all they will not be around to be held responsible (Grossman 70).† This is further enhanced in the federalist no. 53 which states that the people who are chosen should be governed that are given to the House are not enough because during that period they have just known how the office works therefore their knowledge on foreign affairs is limited. The functions of the House of Representatives are mostly legislative purposes. â€Å"This is because their numbers enable them to pass ordinary legislation, override vetoes and make amendments (Wescott 127).† This is much more than what the senate can do. In the Federalist no. 66, Hamilton says that there is likelihood that the senators can act corrupt more so because they will side with the president or influenced by the public to make invalid decisions. For this reason, he does not see why they should be allowed to pass judgments. Though they are restricted to serving these purposes mostly, they can contribute in the impeachment of legislators. Senators are also engaged in the legislative matters but will also try those political offenses that the house has agreed on. On top of this, it acts as an executive council to the state. When the president wants to engage in treaties with other countries, the Senate has to agree on it before it is signed. This is quoted in the federalist no. 64 as it is said that, â€Å"the Senates advice is valuable and necessary.† Moreover if he appoints people to the high offices; the senate has to agree on the same issue. These powers of engaging in international treaties are not found within the House. The similarities are that there gender equality is observed in both chambers as men and women are elected. The role of both the Senate and the house is to ensure that proper laws are passed and that they are adjusted regularly so that they can fit with the changing times. Another similarity between the House and the Senate is that they both ensure that the system of election is just and according to the constitution. This therefore shows an example with which the national elections are conducted such that all individuals are treated fairly. â€Å"This is seen in Federalist 78 where constitution morality with regard to the proper use of the judicial system so as to enhance trust in the judicial system is enhanced (Wescott 144).† The House carries the banner for the whole constitution as the representatives are elected in a just manner and they represent the populations. This is because the voters in such electors are the same ones who elect state legislators as found in the Federalist no, 52.   These elections are administered by the states and are done in proper organized manner. For this reason, the system is fair and shows that the federal state elections need to be conducted in such an orderly manner. The same applies to the senate because only the competent individuals with prior experience in state matters are chosen. â€Å"Madison in the Federalist no. 62 says that the Senate is structured so that it can overcome the various organizational structures that face government institutions thus enhancing its stability (Millican 171).† Both the senate and the House of Representatives have the power to make pass policies that will impact different sectors of the economy with regards to what they feel is right for the people. This is because before a bill becomes law, it has to be approved by majority of the senate and the House of Representatives. To ensure that they do their work well, the Senate and the House engage in frequent meetings where they discuss issues that face the country and what needs to be done, share ideas, debate over issues as this aids in making strategic decisions and voting on bills. By doing this, they are fulfilling their constitutional rights to the people. Conclusion Though the Senate presence is considered to be more superior to the House of Representatives, they both play an important part in congress as they work in unison with other arms of government to ensure that the country is propelled in the right direction. The Federalist papers therefore ensure that there is balance within the system especially in the distribution of power so as to ensure that laws are passed in proper ways without bias. Works Cited Grofman, Bernard Wittman Donald. The Federalist Papers and the new institutionalism Algora Publishing, 1989 Grossman Jay. Reconstituting the American renaissance: Emerson, Whitman, and the politics of representation. Duke University Press, 2003 p.70 Millican Edward. One united people: the Federalist papers and the national idea. University Press of Kentucky, 1990 p. 171 Patrick John J. Founding the Republic: a documentary history. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995 p. 225 Wescott C. George. The Federalist: design for a constitutional republic. University of Illinois Press, 1994

Toulmin Analysis of Attraction Essay -- essays research papers

Toulmin Analysis of â€Å"Attraction†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"The Mystery of Attraction,† Harville Hendrix claims that attraction between human beings is based on a number of factors that ultimately leave human beings baffled on exactly how humans experience such intense emotions as seen in romantic love and why so many couples tend to have complementary characteristics. He supports this claim by explaining several theories of attraction. His biological theory of courtship states that â€Å"we instinctively select mates who will enhance the survival of the species† (483). This theory suggests instinctive evolutionary attraction such as a female’s rosy cheeks on a slender frame and a male’s muscular physique are the features which take paramount importance in mate selection. Another theory, which he calls the exchange theory, emphasizes that â€Å"we select mates who are more or less our equals† (483). This theory proposes the act of mate selection as being a game of weighing the po sitive and negative characteristics in hopes of attaining equality in all aspects of both mates. His final idea, which is called the persona theory, â€Å"maintains that an important factor in mate selection is the way a potential suitor enhances our self esteem† (483-484). Attraction as it pertains to this theory places emphasis on what others think and the image of how others perceive someone with a certain mate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hendrix’s argument has one warra... Toulmin Analysis of Attraction Essay -- essays research papers Toulmin Analysis of â€Å"Attraction†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"The Mystery of Attraction,† Harville Hendrix claims that attraction between human beings is based on a number of factors that ultimately leave human beings baffled on exactly how humans experience such intense emotions as seen in romantic love and why so many couples tend to have complementary characteristics. He supports this claim by explaining several theories of attraction. His biological theory of courtship states that â€Å"we instinctively select mates who will enhance the survival of the species† (483). This theory suggests instinctive evolutionary attraction such as a female’s rosy cheeks on a slender frame and a male’s muscular physique are the features which take paramount importance in mate selection. Another theory, which he calls the exchange theory, emphasizes that â€Å"we select mates who are more or less our equals† (483). This theory proposes the act of mate selection as being a game of weighing the po sitive and negative characteristics in hopes of attaining equality in all aspects of both mates. His final idea, which is called the persona theory, â€Å"maintains that an important factor in mate selection is the way a potential suitor enhances our self esteem† (483-484). Attraction as it pertains to this theory places emphasis on what others think and the image of how others perceive someone with a certain mate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hendrix’s argument has one warra...

Conflict and Functionalist Theory Differences Essay

Introduction The conflict theory originated from Karl max, the famous sociologist, during his original development of the theory and his fine-tuning work, he included the qualifications of other sociologists like Georg Samuel and Max Weber which he considered were necessary (Cliffs 1971: 12-16).   According to the theory, positivism does not necessarily answer everything contrary to believes of functionalists. In general, the conflict theory states that everything happens for reasons other than a general believe that it was just supposed to happen; there are causes and influences which cause such things to happen and the responsibility lies solely on the people and there main purpose is not to gain knowledge only as a functionalist but the transformation of the gained knowledge into action (Durkheim 1915: 23-27).   According to the theory even scientists should be activist with regard to their theories, not only explain why such things happen, instead, they are supposed to instigate the necessary changes in their theories in order to help resolve these issues (Cliffs 1971: 17-20). Read more: Functionalist and Conflict Perspectives The theory differences The believers of conflict theory and functionalist theory have clear differences in their beliefs, because when functionalist say that they do everything they do because ‘we love to do it’, the conflict theory belief that our societies are not guided necessarily by stability or anything of the sort, but it is possible to transformed the whole society into something totally new (John & Simpson 1951: 16-20). Karlmax, Simmed and Weber, and the believers of conflict theory belief that anything that can cause a difference has the capacity to cause a conflict also, be either in areas of competition, opinions, interests and even power, but to a functionalist these issues do not have any serious problems even though conflict theorists do believe that they exhibit other unseen reasons other than the issue of just because â€Å"we like it† (Merton 1968: 10-15). The way functionalists see the world All functionalists believers emphasize on the importance of value consensus in society and they do not expect any conflict to occur and if it occurs it is seen as being temporal which will be simply counteracted as the society continues to become better and their main concern of these conflicts is to accept them as small issues when compared to the need for consensus and stability in the society (Cliffs 1971: 20-26). An example of a functional analysis; Shils and Young notes how ceremonies and rituals are meant to serve the purpose of promoting social integration in their society; the rituals concerning monarchy, church, government leaders, are mainly involved in public promise while the family is seen as the role it plays for members of society, like personal stability and socialization (Parsons 1951: 19-23). Comparing it with conflict theory by Marx According to Marxists and his believers of the conflict theory, there exists a fundamental conflict between different groups in our society, because, the conflict continues to increase and persist and therefore it is not temporal as functionalists clam it to be:   For example, according to Marx analyzing the conflict theory, all societies are constructed in order to survive, and we enter into relationships with the sole purpose of production (Parsons 1951: 21-25). Therefore the combined forces of production and social relationship form basis for economic or infrastructure of any society, while other aspects, like superstructures are shaped by infrastructure, for instance education system is shaped by economic factors and therefore any changes in infrastructure will lead to eventual changes in the superstructure (Simpson 1964: 21-23). The Marxist theory states that all societies have contradictions; this means there is exploitation by one social group, which leads to the creation of conflict of interests because of the main reason that this one social group owns all the factors of production which only benefits them at the expense of others who are mainly the workers (Parsons 1951: 25-28).   They therefore, propose that this trend should be stopped.   For example; the society is comprised of classes, and in its simplest form, there are two main classes of classification. The main determination of an individual to these classes is their relationship to the means of production, which are land, labor and factories (Merton 1968: 16-18). This means that this class that owns the factors of production and therefore, the most powerful. The least powerful class is therefore the one which sells its labors in order to make a living out of it. To be more specific, let us consider wages versus profit achieved by the Bourgeoisie; according to the theory, all societies operate through class of conflict as mentioned; and in a capitalist society there are oppositions between bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The real wealth is only created by the labor power of workers, but low wages are paid to the workers below the profits made the owners and this creates the major contradiction (Durkheim 1915: 29-31). Conclusion In the recent past, workers have become more differentiated and this has eliminated homogeneity in terms of class-consciousness and thus they have increased their awareness of differences between themselves and this has made the above class groups to be split and not united (John & Simpson 1951: 21-23).   It is not important therefore for the society to be characterized by the competing interest groups who are in conflict; therefore we should have ties of the following; economic power and social and secondly political ties to the ownership of means of production (Simpson 1964: 24). Work cited Cliffs, E. (1971). The System of Modern Societies. NJ: Prentice-Hall: pp12-26 Durkheim, E. (1915). The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life: A Study in Religious  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sociology. Translated by Joseph Ward Swain. New York: Macmillan press:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   pp.23-31 John, A. S. and Tr. Simpson, G. (1951). Suicide: A Study in Sociology: New York IL:    Free Press: pp.16-23 Merton, R. K. (1968). Social Theory and Social Structure; New York: Free Press: pp.10-18 Parsons, T (1951). The Social System; Glencoe, IL: Free Press: pp.21-28 Simpson, G. (1964). The Division of Labor in Society; New York: Free Press: pp.21-24

The American Dream

The American Dream is the idea that hard work and commitment will result in prosperity and completion of personal goals. It is perceived by many to be an easy way of pursuing and following through on their goals in life. Beginning in the late 1800s immigrants came into the United States looking for employment and the opportunity to succeed. These new opportunities would help lead them towards fulfilling their American Dream. The social class system in America determines the lifestyle and outcome of one’s life.The majority of people who are born into a low social class will continue to be poor throughout the rest of their lives. These people may have a goal to become wealthier, but these goals will never be fulfilled because of their negative ascribed and achieved characteristics. Positive ascribed and achieved characteristics help push people ahead in society and the social class structure. Negative ascribed and achieved characteristics hold people back and force them to overc ome these obstacles in order to succeed. Ascribed and achieved characteristics greatly affect the pursuit the Dream for people. The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, and Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck perfectly portray the effect of the social class system and these personal characteristics on the American Dream. Determining one’s success or failure is based upon these characteristics and ultimately determines the social class in America. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, contains many different circumstances in which these characteristics affect their pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the book, pursues his dream by becoming wealthy. Born into a poor family, Gatsby tries to earn his dream girls’ love by making money.For five years he makes a great amount of money only to try and impress this woman’s expectations. He faces the problem of not realizing that the past is gone and he cannot get things that are impossible to reach. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, shows the effect of social class and personal drive to reach the American Dream. Lennie, who is mentally retarded, faces an obstacle he will never be able to overcome. Although his dream is simple, it will never be reached because of this ascribed characteristic. Another character in the book is Curley’s wife. An ascribed characteristic that she strives from is her beauty.A negative characteristic that holds her back from achieving her dream is her low social class and the fact that she’s a woman. All of these characters have different limitations, but they will all affect their pursuit of the American Dream and result in the same outcome. The Great Gatsby shows the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics upon the upper class. Jay Gatsby was born into a low social class. He falls in love with Daisy Buchanan who is very wealthy. His desire for love is an impossible feat that he cannot obtain because of his low social class. â€Å"Rich girls do not marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby† (Movie: The Great Gatsby).He pursues his dream by becoming wealthy and hoping that she will accept him as the same social class. A positive ascribed characteristic that will help him is the fact that he is a white male. This helps him because white men have a better chance of getting what they desire over any other gender or race. A negative ascribed characteristic is the fact that he was born into a lower class family. This will hold him back and greatly affect his pursuit of the American Dream. A positive achieved characteristic that Jay Gatsby, is the fact that he is rich after overcoming an extraordinary obstacle of beginning in a lower class position in society.His rise in the social structure from lower to upper-lower only took him five years to obtain. This is an astonishing feat in which he has succeeded and pushed himself ahead in pursuing his dream. â€Å"Almost five years! [†¦] It had gone by her, beyond everything† (Fitzgerald 101). Although he had become extremely wealthy, there is a negative side to his climb in the social structure. His negative achieved characteristic is the way in which he got all his money. The way that he made his fortune was through drugs and illegal actions. He lied to many people he was close to about his past because he knew that the truth would intrude upon his goal. I am the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west [†¦] San Francisco† (Fitzgerald 69). Gatsby figures that the only way to pursue his dream is to lie about his past. Jay Gatsby could never overcome his obstacles so he was unsuccessful in pursuing his American Dream. He focused on obtaining Daisy’s love and undoing the past. â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light [†¦] tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out further† (Fitzgerald 189). The biggest problem that Gatsby faces is the fact that he cannon overcome his unrealistic purs uit of Daisy.Jay Gatsby’s failure is a full result of pursuing something that he will never get; therefore, his dream cannot be fulfilled. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck portrays the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics on people in the lower class. Lennie and George travel together in order to find employment and make a living. This story takes the reader through the pursuit of a dream by two men and what they go through along the way. Their mutual dream is to â€Å"get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and—† (Steinbeck 14).Lennie is a very strong, hardworking man who has a simple dream. The biggest problem he faces is that he is retarded. This negative ascribed characteristic is an impossible obstacle to overcome. A positive ascribed characteristic that somewhat helps him is the fact that he is a white male. A positive achieved characteristic is that he is extreme ly hardworking. â€Å"He’s awright. Just aint bright [†¦] But he can do anything you tell him† (Steinbeck 22). His problem is keeping a job in order to make money and earn a living plays a big role in his pursuit of the American Dream.His friend, George, says â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy [†¦] I could get a job an’ not have no mess† (Steinbeck 103). His retardation leads to his problem with keeping a job and not being able to function in normal society. Not only did his negative ascribed characteristic of being retarded affect the pursuit of his dream, it ultimately led to his death. These obstacles are impossible to overcome. In result, he cannot follow through with his American Dream. Curley’s wife has extremely high expectations for her American Dream. One positive ascribed characteristic that helped her was her beauty. Her looks helped her throughout life.She was born into a low social class and later on in life she marrie d into the lower class. These are both negative ascribed and achieved characteristics of Curley’s wife. Another negative achieved characteristic of Curley’s wife is that she is a whore. She has the â€Å"eye† for other men. â€Å"She gonna make a mess [†¦] She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger† (Steinbeck 51). Before she got married to Curley she had a chance of obtaining her dream as an actress. She missed out on the opportunity and married Curly, a ranch hand. â€Å"I tell ya I could’a went with shows [†¦] she was breathless with indignation† (Steinbeck 78).When she looks back on it she finds herself to be very disappointed in her decision. She does not approve of Curley because he does not make enough money and is not up to her standards. â€Å"Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do [†¦] Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house? † (Steinbeck 78) Even though she is in the lo wer social class, she visualizes herself in a higher position above others with whom she associates herself with. If it was not for her low social status I believe that she would have been successful in her dream as an actress.Her beauty took her a long way in life and it helped her become close to her desired goal. Even though her dream was not very realistic, she had many qualities that helped her. The biggest setback that she had was the fact that she was a woman in the lower section of the social structure in America. Her ascribed characteristic of being poor determined the difference between her death and fulfilling her American Dream. Throughout the novels Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters portray the effect of personal characteristics upon their pursuit of the American Dream.Jay Gatsby’s personal achievement could not overcome all of the obstacles he had to work around in order to obtain his dream. Even th ough he became rich, the past was over and he could not retrieve Daisy’s love. Lennie had some extremely helpful qualities, but he could not overcome his ascribed characteristic of being retarded. For Lennie, it wasn’t his personal achievement, but instead it was his ascribed characteristics which held him back from his American Dream. Curley’s wife had the desire to become an actress, but instead she married a ranch hand who was in the lower class like herself.Her negative ascribed characteristic of being born into the lower social class held her back from reaching her goal. These characters all contained their own distinguishable problems, but they all had the same outcome. Ascribed and personal characteristics determine the future and outcome of one’s desired goal and for these three characters, this was true. Personal achievement and effort cannot always overcome all obstacles and for many the American Dream is just an impossible destination to reach. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (Fitzgerald 189). The American Dream The American Dream: Money, Success, and A Home The American Dream changes over time, always based on society. In the 40's and 50's the American Dream was to have a white picket fence, a dog, a two parent home, and a couple of children. Today, it's a little bit different, the American Dream is to have money, cars, fame and success. The things I would have to say would never change about the American Dream and what It consists of would be money, success, and a home.The American Dream consists of money. I would have to say the American Dream consists of money because in todays society of money because in oday's society money talks. The more money you have, the more power you have. Money and power are what bring some advantages in America. It allows you to get your house, your cars, and your connections (the people you know). The American Dream today Is to have all these things, when you have money and power you tend to think you're invincible and at times in society you are.With all of this money and power you're not going to keep it a secret. Which brings me to my next topic, in which the American Dream consists of. Success and fame more importantly Success. The American Dream consists of success because in society seems to be one f the main goals. In everything we do we are told to succeed. Whether be sports, education, and our Jobs. So It wouldnt be a wonder that begng successful and known would be a part of the American Dream.Although gaining success would be reaching a personal goal and gaining money and power, success will not get you the last thing the American Dream consists of†¦ A home. Through all the years and times one thing has continued to be wanted and dreamed up, and that is a home. Not a house, not a mansion, but a home. A home is made up of love, care, and kindness. Everybody reams of having a home with a moderate sized family filled with love and compassion. A secure, serene, and yet free environment.That is a home, one of the things that t he American Dream is made of. In conclusion, The American Dream has changed over the times, but some things are clear. the dream is to have money, success, and a home. Money to gain power, ands with that money and power comes success and fame. All those things can never get you a home though. What does society say about what the American Dream Consists of: Society says the American Dream should say that you should have almost nothing but money. Money, ig mansions, a whole bunch of cars.To hang out with the celebs and Just be famous and known The American Dream By aminahpeacel 998 change about the American Dream and what it consists of would be money, success, todays society money talks. The more money you have, the more power you have. Dream today is to have all these things, when you have money and power you tend to of the main goals. In everything we do we are told to succeed. Whether it be sports, education, and our Jobs. So it wouldn't be a wonder that begng successful and known Dream has changed over the times, but some things are clear, the dream is to have The American Dream 1. In text two â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† by Arnold Schwarzenegger we are presented to the writer himself as an immigrant. He informs us about the responsibilities as an immigrant. As an immigrant you can’t come to America and take the best the nation have to offer without giving something back. You will succeed at the American Dream with hard work and determination and because of the generosity of the American people. We are introduced to the way to become a great American citizen.You have to learn the language and blend in with the culture but in the meantime you can still be proud of your own heritage. You also have to participate in the political process. To maintain a strong democracy with real change you have to be involved. It is a way to freedom and many Americans have sacrificed their lives in war to preserve their freedom. Last but not least you hav e to give something back. As well as former great immigrants who performed a great service for the nation, new immigrants ought to do the same. There is no limit on what you can achieve.In text three â€Å"Whose American Dream Is It, Anyway? † by Anya Kamenetz we become aware of the fact that Americans are more pessimistic about their lives now than at any time in the past half-century. One of the most fundamental assumptions of the American Dream is the belief that money and ownership of material things will increase. But this is no longer how the situation is. We reached a point where this will not make us any happier. In addition to this fact it seems that the planet can’t take the increasing pollution which follows.We are presented to a prediction that young people will choose a scaled down lifestyle and trade money for time. We need a new American Dream that will restore the social safety net and we need optimism for that. Text four â€Å"Is the American Dream St ill Possible? † by David Wallechinsky comes across the question written in the title. The question is based on the fact that many Americans are struggling financially. Nevertheless they still take responsibility for their own financial destiny. This is showed by an example with a single mother providing for 4 children. 2. Compare language, tone and style in texts 1 and 2.The two texts â€Å"What is the American Dream† and â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† are very different in their way of influencing the readers. In text one is used a very eloquent language which indicates that we are dealing with a well-educated writer. Another sign of the fact that he is well-educated is the use of difficult words which mean that you have to know synonyms of the words to fully understand the text. The text contains alliterations, a definition and a lot of quotes from well- known authorities.The style of the text is to question some relevant elements but on the other hand it expresses a really certain way of using the words. It makes you give everything an extra thought. The form of the text gives you the impression that the American Dream is attainable for everyone because of the fact that we all have unalienable rights. Contrary to text one text two is more personal. This is indicated by the use of many personal pronouns like â€Å"I† and â€Å"you† in the language. The language is very common which means that everyone can understand. Therefore the text approaches a wider target group.A lot of alliterations are used: â€Å"Honor, heritage†, â€Å"learn language†, and â€Å"died defending†. The text also contains a lot of positive words as freedom and the American Dream. The style of this text is more convincing, personal, and average so everyone can participate and understand, than text two. It is a very obliging an d explanatory tone. It expresses that everyone is worth something great. 3. As it is questioned in text four â€Å"Is the American Dream Still Possible? †: â€Å"Does the dream survive? I believe that everyone has a dream. It might not be the same dream but it is there.We all believe in our dream and hope for it to come true. We do our very best to achieve our dream. We do this with optimism even though times can be tough and the means can be poor. Our dream will show us the way back from tragedy and depression, our dream is where we are headed. The American Dream is a common dream. Many people unite around the fact that they have the same dream. It is a good dream because dreams keep our hopes up and lead us in the right direction. So I find the American dream a positive and good focal point in our lives. If we lose sight of our own dreams we still have the American Dream.It is of great value for those who lost track and need something good to believe in. We can affect the American Dream by making it our own dream. Therefore I believe that the American Dream will survive, it will survive in many of us. When going through rough times is when we realize that the dream is most needed. The dream of something better than you are going through at the time, is what you need. Which dream you have chosen to follow is not the important part. You will be recognized for your effort whether you have chosen the American Dream or another dream, as long as you have a dream. The American Dream 1. In text two â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† by Arnold Schwarzenegger we are presented to the writer himself as an immigrant. He informs us about the responsibilities as an immigrant. As an immigrant you can’t come to America and take the best the nation have to offer without giving something back. You will succeed at the American Dream with hard work and determination and because of the generosity of the American people. We are introduced to the way to become a great American citizen.You have to learn the language and blend in with the culture but in the meantime you can still be proud of your own heritage. You also have to participate in the political process. To maintain a strong democracy with real change you have to be involved. It is a way to freedom and many Americans have sacrificed their lives in war to preserve their freedom. Last but not least you hav e to give something back. As well as former great immigrants who performed a great service for the nation, new immigrants ought to do the same. There is no limit on what you can achieve.In text three â€Å"Whose American Dream Is It, Anyway? † by Anya Kamenetz we become aware of the fact that Americans are more pessimistic about their lives now than at any time in the past half-century. One of the most fundamental assumptions of the American Dream is the belief that money and ownership of material things will increase. But this is no longer how the situation is. We reached a point where this will not make us any happier. In addition to this fact it seems that the planet can’t take the increasing pollution which follows.We are presented to a prediction that young people will choose a scaled down lifestyle and trade money for time. We need a new American Dream that will restore the social safety net and we need optimism for that. Text four â€Å"Is the American Dream St ill Possible? † by David Wallechinsky comes across the question written in the title. The question is based on the fact that many Americans are struggling financially. Nevertheless they still take responsibility for their own financial destiny. This is showed by an example with a single mother providing for 4 children. 2. Compare language, tone and style in texts 1 and 2.The two texts â€Å"What is the American Dream† and â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† are very different in their way of influencing the readers. In text one is used a very eloquent language which indicates that we are dealing with a well-educated writer. Another sign of the fact that he is well-educated is the use of difficult words which mean that you have to know synonyms of the words to fully understand the text. The text contains alliterations, a definition and a lot of quotes from well- known authorities.The style of the text is to question some relevant elements but on the other hand it expresses a really certain way of using the words. It makes you give everything an extra thought. The form of the text gives you the impression that the American Dream is attainable for everyone because of the fact that we all have unalienable rights. Contrary to text one text two is more personal. This is indicated by the use of many personal pronouns like â€Å"I† and â€Å"you† in the language. The language is very common which means that everyone can understand. Therefore the text approaches a wider target group.A lot of alliterations are used: â€Å"Honor, heritage†, â€Å"learn language†, and â€Å"died defending†. The text also contains a lot of positive words as freedom and the American Dream. The style of this text is more convincing, personal, and average so everyone can participate and understand, than text two. It is a very obliging an d explanatory tone. It expresses that everyone is worth something great. 3. As it is questioned in text four â€Å"Is the American Dream Still Possible? †: â€Å"Does the dream survive? I believe that everyone has a dream. It might not be the same dream but it is there.We all believe in our dream and hope for it to come true. We do our very best to achieve our dream. We do this with optimism even though times can be tough and the means can be poor. Our dream will show us the way back from tragedy and depression, our dream is where we are headed. The American Dream is a common dream. Many people unite around the fact that they have the same dream. It is a good dream because dreams keep our hopes up and lead us in the right direction. So I find the American dream a positive and good focal point in our lives. If we lose sight of our own dreams we still have the American Dream.It is of great value for those who lost track and need something good to believe in. We can affect the American Dream by making it our own dream. Therefore I believe that the American Dream will survive, it will survive in many of us. When going through rough times is when we realize that the dream is most needed. The dream of something better than you are going through at the time, is what you need. Which dream you have chosen to follow is not the important part. You will be recognized for your effort whether you have chosen the American Dream or another dream, as long as you have a dream. The American Dream The American Dream is the idea that hard work and commitment will result in prosperity and completion of personal goals. It is perceived by many to be an easy way of pursuing and following through on their goals in life. Beginning in the late 1800s immigrants came into the United States looking for employment and the opportunity to succeed. These new opportunities would help lead them towards fulfilling their American Dream. The social class system in America determines the lifestyle and outcome of one’s life.The majority of people who are born into a low social class will continue to be poor throughout the rest of their lives. These people may have a goal to become wealthier, but these goals will never be fulfilled because of their negative ascribed and achieved characteristics. Positive ascribed and achieved characteristics help push people ahead in society and the social class structure. Negative ascribed and achieved characteristics hold people back and force them to overc ome these obstacles in order to succeed. Ascribed and achieved characteristics greatly affect the pursuit the Dream for people. The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, and Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck perfectly portray the effect of the social class system and these personal characteristics on the American Dream. Determining one’s success or failure is based upon these characteristics and ultimately determines the social class in America. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, contains many different circumstances in which these characteristics affect their pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the book, pursues his dream by becoming wealthy. Born into a poor family, Gatsby tries to earn his dream girls’ love by making money.For five years he makes a great amount of money only to try and impress this woman’s expectations. He faces the problem of not realizing that the past is gone and he cannot get things that are impossible to reach. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, shows the effect of social class and personal drive to reach the American Dream. Lennie, who is mentally retarded, faces an obstacle he will never be able to overcome. Although his dream is simple, it will never be reached because of this ascribed characteristic. Another character in the book is Curley’s wife. An ascribed characteristic that she strives from is her beauty.A negative characteristic that holds her back from achieving her dream is her low social class and the fact that she’s a woman. All of these characters have different limitations, but they will all affect their pursuit of the American Dream and result in the same outcome. The Great Gatsby shows the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics upon the upper class. Jay Gatsby was born into a low social class. He falls in love with Daisy Buchanan who is very wealthy. His desire for love is an impossible feat that he cannot obtain because of his low social class. â€Å"Rich girls do not marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby† (Movie: The Great Gatsby).He pursues his dream by becoming wealthy and hoping that she will accept him as the same social class. A positive ascribed characteristic that will help him is the fact that he is a white male. This helps him because white men have a better chance of getting what they desire over any other gender or race. A negative ascribed characteristic is the fact that he was born into a lower class family. This will hold him back and greatly affect his pursuit of the American Dream. A positive achieved characteristic that Jay Gatsby, is the fact that he is rich after overcoming an extraordinary obstacle of beginning in a lower class position in society.His rise in the social structure from lower to upper-lower only took him five years to obtain. This is an astonishing feat in which he has succeeded and pushed himself ahead in pursuing his dream. â€Å"Almost five years! [†¦] It had gone by her, beyond everything† (Fitzgerald 101). Although he had become extremely wealthy, there is a negative side to his climb in the social structure. His negative achieved characteristic is the way in which he got all his money. The way that he made his fortune was through drugs and illegal actions. He lied to many people he was close to about his past because he knew that the truth would intrude upon his goal. I am the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west [†¦] San Francisco† (Fitzgerald 69). Gatsby figures that the only way to pursue his dream is to lie about his past. Jay Gatsby could never overcome his obstacles so he was unsuccessful in pursuing his American Dream. He focused on obtaining Daisy’s love and undoing the past. â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light [†¦] tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out further† (Fitzgerald 189). The biggest problem that Gatsby faces is the fact that he cannon overcome his unrealistic purs uit of Daisy.Jay Gatsby’s failure is a full result of pursuing something that he will never get; therefore, his dream cannot be fulfilled. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck portrays the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics on people in the lower class. Lennie and George travel together in order to find employment and make a living. This story takes the reader through the pursuit of a dream by two men and what they go through along the way. Their mutual dream is to â€Å"get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and—† (Steinbeck 14).Lennie is a very strong, hardworking man who has a simple dream. The biggest problem he faces is that he is retarded. This negative ascribed characteristic is an impossible obstacle to overcome. A positive ascribed characteristic that somewhat helps him is the fact that he is a white male. A positive achieved characteristic is that he is extreme ly hardworking. â€Å"He’s awright. Just aint bright [†¦] But he can do anything you tell him† (Steinbeck 22). His problem is keeping a job in order to make money and earn a living plays a big role in his pursuit of the American Dream.His friend, George, says â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy [†¦] I could get a job an’ not have no mess† (Steinbeck 103). His retardation leads to his problem with keeping a job and not being able to function in normal society. Not only did his negative ascribed characteristic of being retarded affect the pursuit of his dream, it ultimately led to his death. These obstacles are impossible to overcome. In result, he cannot follow through with his American Dream. Curley’s wife has extremely high expectations for her American Dream. One positive ascribed characteristic that helped her was her beauty. Her looks helped her throughout life.She was born into a low social class and later on in life she marrie d into the lower class. These are both negative ascribed and achieved characteristics of Curley’s wife. Another negative achieved characteristic of Curley’s wife is that she is a whore. She has the â€Å"eye† for other men. â€Å"She gonna make a mess [†¦] She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger† (Steinbeck 51). Before she got married to Curley she had a chance of obtaining her dream as an actress. She missed out on the opportunity and married Curly, a ranch hand. â€Å"I tell ya I could’a went with shows [†¦] she was breathless with indignation† (Steinbeck 78).When she looks back on it she finds herself to be very disappointed in her decision. She does not approve of Curley because he does not make enough money and is not up to her standards. â€Å"Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do [†¦] Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house? † (Steinbeck 78) Even though she is in the lo wer social class, she visualizes herself in a higher position above others with whom she associates herself with. If it was not for her low social status I believe that she would have been successful in her dream as an actress.Her beauty took her a long way in life and it helped her become close to her desired goal. Even though her dream was not very realistic, she had many qualities that helped her. The biggest setback that she had was the fact that she was a woman in the lower section of the social structure in America. Her ascribed characteristic of being poor determined the difference between her death and fulfilling her American Dream. Throughout the novels Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters portray the effect of personal characteristics upon their pursuit of the American Dream.Jay Gatsby’s personal achievement could not overcome all of the obstacles he had to work around in order to obtain his dream. Even th ough he became rich, the past was over and he could not retrieve Daisy’s love. Lennie had some extremely helpful qualities, but he could not overcome his ascribed characteristic of being retarded. For Lennie, it wasn’t his personal achievement, but instead it was his ascribed characteristics which held him back from his American Dream. Curley’s wife had the desire to become an actress, but instead she married a ranch hand who was in the lower class like herself.Her negative ascribed characteristic of being born into the lower social class held her back from reaching her goal. These characters all contained their own distinguishable problems, but they all had the same outcome. Ascribed and personal characteristics determine the future and outcome of one’s desired goal and for these three characters, this was true. Personal achievement and effort cannot always overcome all obstacles and for many the American Dream is just an impossible destination to reach. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (Fitzgerald 189). The American Dream The American Dream is the idea that hard work and commitment will result in prosperity and completion of personal goals. It is perceived by many to be an easy way of pursuing and following through on their goals in life. Beginning in the late 1800s immigrants came into the United States looking for employment and the opportunity to succeed. These new opportunities would help lead them towards fulfilling their American Dream. The social class system in America determines the lifestyle and outcome of one’s life.The majority of people who are born into a low social class will continue to be poor throughout the rest of their lives. These people may have a goal to become wealthier, but these goals will never be fulfilled because of their negative ascribed and achieved characteristics. Positive ascribed and achieved characteristics help push people ahead in society and the social class structure. Negative ascribed and achieved characteristics hold people back and force them to overc ome these obstacles in order to succeed. Ascribed and achieved characteristics greatly affect the pursuit the Dream for people. The Great Gatsby, by F.Scott Fitzgerald, and Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck perfectly portray the effect of the social class system and these personal characteristics on the American Dream. Determining one’s success or failure is based upon these characteristics and ultimately determines the social class in America. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, contains many different circumstances in which these characteristics affect their pursuit of the American Dream. Jay Gatsby, the main character of the book, pursues his dream by becoming wealthy. Born into a poor family, Gatsby tries to earn his dream girls’ love by making money.For five years he makes a great amount of money only to try and impress this woman’s expectations. He faces the problem of not realizing that the past is gone and he cannot get things that are impossible to reach. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, shows the effect of social class and personal drive to reach the American Dream. Lennie, who is mentally retarded, faces an obstacle he will never be able to overcome. Although his dream is simple, it will never be reached because of this ascribed characteristic. Another character in the book is Curley’s wife. An ascribed characteristic that she strives from is her beauty.A negative characteristic that holds her back from achieving her dream is her low social class and the fact that she’s a woman. All of these characters have different limitations, but they will all affect their pursuit of the American Dream and result in the same outcome. The Great Gatsby shows the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics upon the upper class. Jay Gatsby was born into a low social class. He falls in love with Daisy Buchanan who is very wealthy. His desire for love is an impossible feat that he cannot obtain because of his low social class. â€Å"Rich girls do not marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby† (Movie: The Great Gatsby).He pursues his dream by becoming wealthy and hoping that she will accept him as the same social class. A positive ascribed characteristic that will help him is the fact that he is a white male. This helps him because white men have a better chance of getting what they desire over any other gender or race. A negative ascribed characteristic is the fact that he was born into a lower class family. This will hold him back and greatly affect his pursuit of the American Dream. A positive achieved characteristic that Jay Gatsby, is the fact that he is rich after overcoming an extraordinary obstacle of beginning in a lower class position in society.His rise in the social structure from lower to upper-lower only took him five years to obtain. This is an astonishing feat in which he has succeeded and pushed himself ahead in pursuing his dream. â€Å"Almost five years! [†¦] It had gone by her, beyond everything† (Fitzgerald 101). Although he had become extremely wealthy, there is a negative side to his climb in the social structure. His negative achieved characteristic is the way in which he got all his money. The way that he made his fortune was through drugs and illegal actions. He lied to many people he was close to about his past because he knew that the truth would intrude upon his goal. I am the son of some wealthy people in the mid-west [†¦] San Francisco† (Fitzgerald 69). Gatsby figures that the only way to pursue his dream is to lie about his past. Jay Gatsby could never overcome his obstacles so he was unsuccessful in pursuing his American Dream. He focused on obtaining Daisy’s love and undoing the past. â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light [†¦] tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms out further† (Fitzgerald 189). The biggest problem that Gatsby faces is the fact that he cannon overcome his unrealistic purs uit of Daisy.Jay Gatsby’s failure is a full result of pursuing something that he will never get; therefore, his dream cannot be fulfilled. The book, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck portrays the effect of ascribed and achieved characteristics on people in the lower class. Lennie and George travel together in order to find employment and make a living. This story takes the reader through the pursuit of a dream by two men and what they go through along the way. Their mutual dream is to â€Å"get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs and—† (Steinbeck 14).Lennie is a very strong, hardworking man who has a simple dream. The biggest problem he faces is that he is retarded. This negative ascribed characteristic is an impossible obstacle to overcome. A positive ascribed characteristic that somewhat helps him is the fact that he is a white male. A positive achieved characteristic is that he is extreme ly hardworking. â€Å"He’s awright. Just aint bright [†¦] But he can do anything you tell him† (Steinbeck 22). His problem is keeping a job in order to make money and earn a living plays a big role in his pursuit of the American Dream.His friend, George, says â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy [†¦] I could get a job an’ not have no mess† (Steinbeck 103). His retardation leads to his problem with keeping a job and not being able to function in normal society. Not only did his negative ascribed characteristic of being retarded affect the pursuit of his dream, it ultimately led to his death. These obstacles are impossible to overcome. In result, he cannot follow through with his American Dream. Curley’s wife has extremely high expectations for her American Dream. One positive ascribed characteristic that helped her was her beauty. Her looks helped her throughout life.She was born into a low social class and later on in life she marrie d into the lower class. These are both negative ascribed and achieved characteristics of Curley’s wife. Another negative achieved characteristic of Curley’s wife is that she is a whore. She has the â€Å"eye† for other men. â€Å"She gonna make a mess [†¦] She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger† (Steinbeck 51). Before she got married to Curley she had a chance of obtaining her dream as an actress. She missed out on the opportunity and married Curly, a ranch hand. â€Å"I tell ya I could’a went with shows [†¦] she was breathless with indignation† (Steinbeck 78).When she looks back on it she finds herself to be very disappointed in her decision. She does not approve of Curley because he does not make enough money and is not up to her standards. â€Å"Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do [†¦] Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house? † (Steinbeck 78) Even though she is in the lo wer social class, she visualizes herself in a higher position above others with whom she associates herself with. If it was not for her low social status I believe that she would have been successful in her dream as an actress.Her beauty took her a long way in life and it helped her become close to her desired goal. Even though her dream was not very realistic, she had many qualities that helped her. The biggest setback that she had was the fact that she was a woman in the lower section of the social structure in America. Her ascribed characteristic of being poor determined the difference between her death and fulfilling her American Dream. Throughout the novels Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many characters portray the effect of personal characteristics upon their pursuit of the American Dream.Jay Gatsby’s personal achievement could not overcome all of the obstacles he had to work around in order to obtain his dream. Even th ough he became rich, the past was over and he could not retrieve Daisy’s love. Lennie had some extremely helpful qualities, but he could not overcome his ascribed characteristic of being retarded. For Lennie, it wasn’t his personal achievement, but instead it was his ascribed characteristics which held him back from his American Dream. Curley’s wife had the desire to become an actress, but instead she married a ranch hand who was in the lower class like herself.Her negative ascribed characteristic of being born into the lower social class held her back from reaching her goal. These characters all contained their own distinguishable problems, but they all had the same outcome. Ascribed and personal characteristics determine the future and outcome of one’s desired goal and for these three characters, this was true. Personal achievement and effort cannot always overcome all obstacles and for many the American Dream is just an impossible destination to reach. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (Fitzgerald 189). The American Dream 1. In text two â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† by Arnold Schwarzenegger we are presented to the writer himself as an immigrant. He informs us about the responsibilities as an immigrant. As an immigrant you can’t come to America and take the best the nation have to offer without giving something back. You will succeed at the American Dream with hard work and determination and because of the generosity of the American people. We are introduced to the way to become a great American citizen.You have to learn the language and blend in with the culture but in the meantime you can still be proud of your own heritage. You also have to participate in the political process. To maintain a strong democracy with real change you have to be involved. It is a way to freedom and many Americans have sacrificed their lives in war to preserve their freedom. Last but not least you hav e to give something back. As well as former great immigrants who performed a great service for the nation, new immigrants ought to do the same. There is no limit on what you can achieve.In text three â€Å"Whose American Dream Is It, Anyway? † by Anya Kamenetz we become aware of the fact that Americans are more pessimistic about their lives now than at any time in the past half-century. One of the most fundamental assumptions of the American Dream is the belief that money and ownership of material things will increase. But this is no longer how the situation is. We reached a point where this will not make us any happier. In addition to this fact it seems that the planet can’t take the increasing pollution which follows.We are presented to a prediction that young people will choose a scaled down lifestyle and trade money for time. We need a new American Dream that will restore the social safety net and we need optimism for that. Text four â€Å"Is the American Dream St ill Possible? † by David Wallechinsky comes across the question written in the title. The question is based on the fact that many Americans are struggling financially. Nevertheless they still take responsibility for their own financial destiny. This is showed by an example with a single mother providing for 4 children. 2. Compare language, tone and style in texts 1 and 2.The two texts â€Å"What is the American Dream† and â€Å"Arnold Schwarzenegger Recalls Lesson From 25 Years as a U. S. Citizen – Learn English, Participate in Politics, and Give Back† are very different in their way of influencing the readers. In text one is used a very eloquent language which indicates that we are dealing with a well-educated writer. Another sign of the fact that he is well-educated is the use of difficult words which mean that you have to know synonyms of the words to fully understand the text. The text contains alliterations, a definition and a lot of quotes from well- known authorities.The style of the text is to question some relevant elements but on the other hand it expresses a really certain way of using the words. It makes you give everything an extra thought. The form of the text gives you the impression that the American Dream is attainable for everyone because of the fact that we all have unalienable rights. Contrary to text one text two is more personal. This is indicated by the use of many personal pronouns like â€Å"I† and â€Å"you† in the language. The language is very common which means that everyone can understand. Therefore the text approaches a wider target group.A lot of alliterations are used: â€Å"Honor, heritage†, â€Å"learn language†, and â€Å"died defending†. The text also contains a lot of positive words as freedom and the American Dream. The style of this text is more convincing, personal, and average so everyone can participate and understand, than text two. It is a very obliging an d explanatory tone. It expresses that everyone is worth something great. 3. As it is questioned in text four â€Å"Is the American Dream Still Possible? †: â€Å"Does the dream survive? I believe that everyone has a dream. It might not be the same dream but it is there.We all believe in our dream and hope for it to come true. We do our very best to achieve our dream. We do this with optimism even though times can be tough and the means can be poor. Our dream will show us the way back from tragedy and depression, our dream is where we are headed. The American Dream is a common dream. Many people unite around the fact that they have the same dream. It is a good dream because dreams keep our hopes up and lead us in the right direction. So I find the American dream a positive and good focal point in our lives. If we lose sight of our own dreams we still have the American Dream.It is of great value for those who lost track and need something good to believe in. We can affect the American Dream by making it our own dream. Therefore I believe that the American Dream will survive, it will survive in many of us. When going through rough times is when we realize that the dream is most needed. The dream of something better than you are going through at the time, is what you need. Which dream you have chosen to follow is not the important part. You will be recognized for your effort whether you have chosen the American Dream or another dream, as long as you have a dream.

Memorandum Essay Example

Memorandum Essay Example Memorandum Essay Memorandum Essay This is to request your approval to distribute the Depression Handout prepared for the institution’s entire population. The handouts are support materials to the powerpoint presentation to be used during our regular learning session at the end of the month where we scheduled the topic on depression. They are worded and formatted for easy understanding of the inmates and induce support and cooperation. Depression may be experienced by a number of inmates especially that a growing number of them are resorting to alcoholism and drugs. It is important that knowledge of this condition be known to everybody so that whoever may be in having depression will be understood and provided treatment. It is the objective of this project to identify who among the inmates are experiencing depression and may be encouraged to subject themselves to treatment. With this humble project, Michael and many others may be saved from further sufferings and at least make their stay in this institution worthwhile living. For your approval, please. Handling Depression â€Å"I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would be not one cheerful face on earth. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not. To remain as I am is impossible. I must die or be better it appears to me.† Abhraham Lincoln (who suffered from depression in his adult life) We are one community in this institution. We have among us, those that suffer from depression. It may be them, it may be you. What is important is that you know the circumstances, what it is and how to go about it. 1. What is depression? When you feel an extremely deep sadness and lose the interest in any thing you do, a feeling of worthlessness and hopelessness, and when you cannot eat and sleep well and have problems in concentrating and physical complaints, chances are, you have depression. 2. If you are depressed, then you are not alone. One out of five people will have depression at some time in their life. One in 2o Americans suffer from depression severe enough to require medical treatment. (Bloomfield 1996) 3. You do not have to suffer, depression can be treated. Statistics say that more than 80% of people with depression can be successfully treated. Treatments are usually short term and through medication or counseling therapy. (Bloomfield 1996) Treatment of the illness is usually inexpensive but there is no price for better health, efficiency, improved relationship and enjoyable life. 4. Alcohol and drugs will not help. Resorting to alcohol and drug abuse will not help the situation. It will only worsen and there will be no relief. Many inmates tried to get drunk just to get over the emotional low, but they never felt relieved of it, worse, some tried even suicide which is very dangerous. 5. If you know that you need help then do not hesitate. Let the doctor know. Going through depression on your own does not make you brave. Asking for help is brave. There is no price for better health, efficiency, improved relationship and enjoyable life. References 1. Bloomfield, Harold H. and Peter McWilliams (1996) â€Å"How to Deal with Depression† About.com. Retrieved 12 October 2007 from http://alcoholism.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Yasdn=alcoholismcdn=healthtm=49gps=61_12_788_419f=20su=p247.3.140.ip_p284.8.150.ip_tt=14bt=0bts=0zu=http%3A//www.hypericum.com/dep/dep1a.htm 2. â€Å"Depression† (2007) Psychiatry24x7.com Jannsen Pharmaceutica NV. Retrieved 12 October 2007 from psychiatry24x7.com/homes/depression.jhtml

Kennedy Last Name Meaning and Origin

Kennedy Last Name Meaning and Origin The Irish and Scottish surname  Kennedy  has more than one possible meaning or etymology: A name that means ugly head, a surname derived  from the  Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Ceannà ©idigh, meaning descendant of Ceannà ©idigh.  Ceannà ©idigh is a  personal name derived from ceann, meaning head, chief or leader and à ©idigh, meaning ugly.An  anglicized form of an Old Gaelic personal name Cinneidigh or Cinneide, a compound of the elements cinn, meaning head, plus eide,  translating variously as grim or helmeted. Thus, the Kennedy surname could possibly be translated as helmet head. Kennedy is one of 50 common Irish surnames of modern Ireland. Surname Origin:  Irish,  Scottish (Scots Gaelic) Alternate Surname Spellings:  KENNEDIE, CANNADY, CANADY, CANADAY, CANNADAY, KENEDY, OKENNEDY, CANADA, KANADY, KENNADAY, KANADAY Interesting Facts About the Kennedy Surname The OKennedy family were an Irish royal dynasty, a sept of the Dl gCais, founded in the Middle Ages. Their founder was the nephew of  High King  Brian Boru  (1002–1014). It is said that the famous  Kennedy family  of the United States descends from the Irish OKennedy clan. Where in the World Is the Kennedy Surname Found? According to WorldNames public profiler, the Kennedy surname is most commonly found in midwest Ireland, specifically the counties of Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, Wexford, Carlow, Wicklow and Dublin. Outside of Ireland, the Kennedy surname is most commonly found in Australia, and in Nova Scotia, Canada. Famous People With the Surname Kennedy Joseph Patrick Kennedy -  American businessman, investor, and politician, and father of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Ted Kennedy.John F. Kennedy - 35th president of the United StatesFlorynce Kennedy - American lawyer, activist, civil rights advocate and feministGeorge Kennedy - American actor Genealogy Resources for the Surname Kennedy Kennedy Society of North AmericaSeveral hundred active members belong to this society,  a non-profit social and historical organization interested in the Scots, Scots-Irish, and the Irish Kennedys (including spelling variations,) and their descendants who came to America. Kennedy Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Kennedy surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Kennedy surname query. Kennedy Family DNA ProjectA Y-DNA project set up on FamilyTreeDNA to utilize DNA testing to help prove a family connection between Kennedys and related surnames when a paper trail cannot be established. FamilySearch - Kennedy GenealogyExplore over 3.8 million results, including digitized records, database entries, and online family trees for the Kennedy surname and its variations on the FREE FamilySearch website, courtesy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kennedy Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Kennedy surname. DistantCousin.com - Kennedy Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Kennedy. References Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1967. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. New York:  Oxford University Press, 2003. MacLysaght, Edward.  Surnames of Ireland. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1989. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Political parties Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Political parties - Personal Statement Example He or she achieves this by coming up with a lose-lose model which creates war between the political parties. Political parties in U.S are divided into two. First are the traditionalists or republicans who are contented with how things are. Secondly are the progressives or the democrats who believe in moving the society forward. Both groups believe in different ideologies. Therefore, the loser meets his or her political greed by holding on to the party ideology, thus forcing other members to vote against a particular motion in parliament. This becomes difficult for the government to meet its objective effectively, living the citizens unattended. As a state, Americans need to realize that traditionalists and the progressives have views that will never complement each other. With this in mind, they should not allow the losers ideologies to take down what they voted for in order for the government to deliver its promises to