Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Country Lovers Essay Example for Free

Country Lovers Essay The narrative elements of literature are crucial when writing a story as they are what raises the story above being a line of strung together sentences and give the story meaning. It is especially important to have a clear idea of these elements when wring short stories because, unlike novels, the writer is only given a small amount of space to get his/her point across. By reading literature and searching for these narrative elements one can get a true feeling for their importance to the story and improve their own writing. Recently I have had the pleasure of reading the short story â€Å"Country Lovers†, by Nadine Gordimer and in this paper I will explain how she used the narrative elements of plot, theme and point of view to enhance her story and make it a richer experience. The story â€Å"Country Lovers† written by Nadine Gordimer is a story about love and race. This story starts with a childhood love and grows into adulthood. â€Å"Country Lovers† is a story that deals with a forbidden love between a black woman named Thebedi and a white man whose name is Paulus. Thebedi gets pregnant by Paulus which is not allowed in the 1900’s and Paulus did not know about this pregnancy. Thebedi decides to get married after Paulus leaves for collage and the man she marries accepts the child as his own. After Paulus returns and finds out about the pregnancy the child mysteriously dies. In W. R. Clugston’s book, The Journey Into Literature he defines plot as â€Å"a dynamic element in fiction, a sequence of interrelated, conflicting actions and events that typically build to a climax and bring about a resolution† (Clugston, 2010, p. 5. 1). This is a story of a romance between a white man and a black woman who discover their love is restricted by the law, which is troublesome for them both because they love each other deeply and in the end this restriction ends in tragedy. In W. R. Clugston’s book, The Journey Into Literature, he also describes how to identify the theme in a story: â€Å"To identify a storys theme its necessary to look beyond the plot. The plot tells you what happens in a story, but the theme tells you what the story is about† (Clugston, 2010, p. 7. 1). The theme of the story helps the story evolve and come to life. The theme of this particular story is love and race and as I pointed out earlier the race part of the theme is a white man falls in love with a black woman. Even though there is so much going on in this the overall theme to this story is love, specifically a forbidden love. Now let talk about the point of view of the story â€Å"Country Lovers†. Cluston defines point of view as, â€Å"Point of view refers to who tells the story—how the action is presented to the reader. When you read a story, you are sensing everything in it through the eyes of the narrator. Its important to remember that the narrator, whether a character inside the story or one looking on from outside the action, is a voice invented by the author for the purposes of the story† (Clugston, 2010, p. 5. 1). The point of view in this story is third–person omniscient. This means that the narrator is not a character in the story and we are reading the story from the narrator’s and not the character’s view. The omniscient part of the point of view is the narrator is helping us to experience the feelings of the characters. Point of view has so much impact on the story because it gives us the feeling of the story. The article â€Å"Country Lovers† explains why the third person narrative is essential to this story: â€Å"It [†¦] used third person because then we get a neutral point of the story, and we don’t natural[y] take side[s] with one of them†( Country Lovers, 2012,). If someone writes a story in a first person you are getting everything from the character s point of view and a person reads what they see, feel, and hear. This will change the story dramatically because people don’t know if what they see is real or not. It is the character who makes people feels the way someone does. As for third person the narrator tells us what is really going on in the story. People know what the truth is and what is not. When someone gets to read a story in third person they get the whole perspective. All of the literary elements help a story come together. If someone does not have all the parts of the story such as plot, theme, tone and point of view then the story will be lacking. The plot of the story lays everything out what is going to happen, the theme of the story tells you what kind of story it is going to be, the tone determines how the story will be told (Clugston, 2010, p. 5. 3), and the point of view can change everything. These elements are all critical in turning words on a page into literature and if you take even one piece away even the great works of history would be reduced to nothing. I. B. singer said it best when he said, â€Å"A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise. Because that is how life is full of surprises† (Singer, 2001).

Monday, January 20, 2020

Electricity Policy Reform and Responsible Government in India Essay exa

With many different religious, ethnic, and social groups, the Republic of India is a unique and diverse state. Since gaining independence, India has faced a challenge of encouraging the variegated people within its borders to embrace and celebrate a common Indian identity even while nurturing their distinct cultures and traditions. This diversity is reflected throughout social and political challenges in Indian society. Although the different federal states are given a certain amount of leeway to accommodate for the population’s heterogeneity, the central government maintain a great amount of power for purpose of holding the nation together. As India has developed, one of its focuses has been the energy sector and increasing Indian citizens’ access to electricity. The government has historically carried a large influence over India’s vital electricity sector,. Electricity is a concurrent subject under the Cons titution, falling under the purview of both the central government and the states. Whether by influencing the electricity sector through private companies collaborating with the central government or acting directly through state-owned companies and bureaucracies, India has maintained a large degree of centralized control over the electricity sector. Since passing the Energy Conservation Act of 2001, the government has pursued a national policy of increasing Indian electricity independence and access. In order to meet these goals, India has used state-owned enterprises and bureaucratic institutions to maintain direct control over the sector. However, the Electricity Act of 2003 reformed India’s electricity policy, allowing for more electricity sector privatization and fewe... ...ar, Shailesh. "UP Farmers Continue Protest over Land Acquisition by Reliance." Down To Earth. N.p., 15 Feb. 2007. Web. 11 May 2014. "Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill." StudyMode.com, 01 January 2014. Web. 11 May 2014. Mona Sur and Dina Umali-Deininger, â€Å"Public Expenditures and Subsidies in Indian Surface Irrigation: Who Benefits,† paper presented at Water Week 2003, conference organized by World Bank, Washington, DC, 4-6 March 2003. Web. May 15, 2014. Tongia, Rahul. â€Å"The Political Economy of Indian Power Sector Reforms,† pp. 109-174 in: D.G. Victor and T.C. Heller, (eds.) 2007, Reforming Electric Power Markets in Developing Countries: Politics, Law and Institutions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. March 2007. Web. 11 May 2014. United Nations. â€Å"Population and Vital Statistics Report.† January 1, 2013. Web. May 15, 2014.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

The Day She Left Me Home Alone

The day she left me home alone. Realizing when ones childhood is beginning to fade is not an event that can be targeted at an exact time in an individual’s life. Childhood begins to vanish differently for people based on culture, age, and life experiences. My childhood started to end when I was 7 years old; the day she left me home alone. My mother had just become a single mother running from an abusive relationship with my father and had to begin life anew.My strong dependency on my mother and the illusion of being an only child, due to me being the youngest of several older brothers and sisters, made the thought of â€Å"growing up† a nightmare. Realization of my soon approaching adulthood became evident, as I had to face the difficulties of being distant from my mother, learning to connect socially with peers, taking on more self-responsibility, and the building of self-confidence. These trials and tribulations would help to lead me to a higher level of maturity and a true realization of life.Although what I endured forcefully was difficult, the most challenging would be my distancing from my mother the security that linked me to my youth. Severing the bond between a mother and child is a tough task at any given stage of life. This was especially difficult for my mother as I was her only girl and youngest child. Being a single mother and working two jobs created excessive hardship for my mother. Her constant struggle with taking me to her place of work left her with no other choice than to leave me at home.This was the first time that I had to truly cope with being away from her and it was an immense strain on my emotional state. My next challenge ensued when I had to begin spending time with my father. Several years after my parent’s separation my father later remarried became a new man, giving the judicial system the opinion that I should see my father more often. My pursuit into the new world known as my father’s house, otherwi se known to me as â€Å"hell†, forced me to spend countless weekends and summers with my new family, my step siblings and step mother.This unfamiliar change was the cause of my strong desire to remain sheltered beneath my mother’s wing but instead nature would drive me towards a more self-reliant road. Be that as it may, I would not change overnight. I still struggled to be away from my mother when it came time for school. Most children struggle with the concept of going to school. Leaving ones comfort zone and journeying into a strange new territory is of great significance in an individual’s life. Most children learn to adapt with in the first year or so. I however, was the exception to the rule.Attending public education was an adjustment of epic proportions in my young life. I struggled with the issue for several years. Every year school started I wished to be expunged from existence. My problem was not with the other children; I worked well with others. Rat her my issue was with the thought of being away from my mother. Although I got along smashingly with the other children, I did not converse very much. My close relationship with my mother led me to believe she and only she was someone I could truly convey my ideas with.I also did not speak with others because their tales of their lives at home seemed somewhat abnormal to me. Tales of brothers and sisters, close families and a home consisting of a mother and a father seemed unusual. Although I had brothers and sisters, we were distant. I knew of my father, but he and my mother did not live under the same roof. Another issue I had to face was my abnormal mother. What made her abnormal was the fact that she was a single, hard working mother. This indifference from my peers and societies opinions gave me the impression that I was an outcast.Eventually I would come to realize that I was not the only person in the world under such circumstances. Learning to open up to others caused me to realize that I wasn’t alone. Interacting with other children like myself helped me to be more social and gain greater connections with my peers. I then had the ability to deal with others, but still lacked in dealing with myself. Responsibility is an inherited trait. It is not cast upon an individual in one particular place or time. At certain stages of life, responsibility starts to become more important and has a greater affect on a person’s growth and development.From the time I could talk, my mom began teaching me the importance of responsibility. Nevertheless, my first true test came when I was left alone at home. While my mother was away, she entrusted me with the task of preparing my own food. Learning to cook for myself gave me more confidence and helped me to be less dependent on my mother. As my mother became aware of my newly responsible personality, she decided to entrust me with greater responsibilities. After moving, my mother did not want to switch me fr om the school I was attending so I remained there until the end of that school year.In the beginning, she rode the public bus and walked down the neighborhood to get me. After noticing that I could reside at home alone and care for myself my mother decided that I could handle walking down the neighborhood to meet her at the bus. Being with my peers was hard, dealing with my stepsiblings was an ordeal, and being at home alone was unimaginable. Nonetheless, the most unbearable of them all was walking alone; surrounded by strangers and an unfamiliar environment made me uneasy.Eventually, I came to realize that it was a part of life, part of being responsible and that I was growing up. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was finally learning to deal with my several issues. The responsibilities laid upon me helped me to be more understanding of life and the ways of the world. My self-dependence began to grow as well as my self-confidence. Growing out of childhood and into adulthood does no t instantly occur; many people experience several events that transpire before they reach adulthood.In spite of that, there are always significant moments that have to pin point the beginning of one’s journey. For me this consisted of being left to fend for myself at home, learning to adapt socially with individuals amongst me and beginning to deal with real life responsibilities. These several adversities strengthened my confidence, stability, and self-reliance, as well as my outlook on the world and others. My childhood and my attachment to my mother where far from severed relatively the experience had opened to door to a new path of life, helping me to grow further from my old mind frame.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Applying for U.S. Government Jobs Guide

Projecting to hire 193,000 new employees over the next two years, the U.S. government is a great place to look for a great career. The federal government is the largest single employer in the United States, with almost 2 million civilian workers. About 1.6 million are full-time permanent employees. Contrary to popular belief, five of six federal employees work outside the Washington, D.C. area, in locations across the U.S. and even abroad. Federal employees work in 15 cabinet-level agencies; 20 large, independent agencies and 80 smaller agencies. When you apply for a job in federal government, there are some specific instructions you need to follow in order to give your application best chance of winning an interview: Applying for  a Government Job The best and easiest way to find and apply for government jobs is now online through the USAJOBS.gov website, the federal government’s official employment portal. Applying for jobs on USAJOBS.gov is a six-step process: Create a USAJOBS account: You will first need to create a Login.gov personal account on USAJOBS. Login.gov is service that that offers safe, secure, and private online access to a wide range of government programs, such as federal benefits, services, and applications. A single login.gov account enables you to use the same username and password to sign into multiple government websites, including USAJOBS.gov.Create a USAJOBS profile: A USAJOBS account and profile allows you to save jobs you are interested in, save and automate job searches, and manage the forms and other documents needed to complete job applications.Search for jobs: Be sure to sign into your USAJOBS account before doing a job search. USAJOBS uses your profile information to better mold your job search results to your needs. In addition, you can use filters such as location, salary, work schedule or agency to narrow your results.Review Job Announcements: Each job announcement includes qualifications and eligibility req uirements you must meet and include in your application. Since these qualifications and eligibility requirements may differ from job-to-job and agency-to-agency, it is important to read the job announcement completely and carefully.Prepare your application in USAJOBS: Each job announcement will include a â€Å"How to Apply† section you should read before starting the application process. To start your application, click â€Å"Apply† in the job announcement and USAJOBS will guide through the process during which you’ll attach your resume and any required documents. As you work through the application process you can review, edit, delete and update your information. USAJOBS automatically saves your work as you go.Submit your application to the agency: When your application is finished, USAJOBS sends it to the agency’s application system where can submit your application. The agency may ask you to complete other agency-specific steps such filling out an onli ne questionnaire or uploading additional documents. Once your application has been submitted, you can check its status anytime by accessing your USAJOBS account. If You Have a Disability   Persons with disabilities can learn about alternate methods of applying for federal jobs by calling the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) at 703-724-1850. If you have a hearing disability, call TDD 978-461-8404. Both lines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Selective Service  Requirement If you are a male over age 18 who was born after December 31, 1959, you must have registered with the Selective Service System (or have an exemption) to be eligible for a federal job. What to Include with Your Application Although the federal government does not require a standard application form for most jobs, they do need certain information to evaluate your qualifications and determine if you meet legal requirements for federal employment. If your resume or application does not provide all the information requested in the job vacancy announcement, you may lose consideration for the job. Help speed the selection process by keeping your resume or application brief and by sending only the requested material. Type or print clearly in dark ink. In addition to specific information requested in the job vacancy announcement, your resume or application must contain: The job announcement number, and title and grade(s) of the job you are applying for. All of this information will be listed in the job announcement.Personal information:- Full name, mailing address (with ZIP Code) and day and evening phone numbers (with area code)- Social Security Number- Country of Citizenship (Most jobs require US citizenship.)- Veterans preference information- Reinstatement eligibility (If requested, attach form SF 50.)- Highest Federal civilian job grade held​ if any. (Also state job series and dates held.)Education:- High School (Schools name and address, Date of diploma or GED)- Colleges or universities (Schools name and address, Majors, Type and year of degrees, or credits and hours earned.)- Send a copy of your transcript only if the job announcement calls for it.Work experience:- Supply the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job you are applying for: (Do not include job descriptions.)Job title (include seri es and grade if federal job)Duties and accomplishmentsEmployers name and addressSupervisors name and phone numberStarting and ending dates (month and year)Hours worked per weekHighest salary earned- Indicate if the hiring agency may contact your current supervisorOther Job-Related Qualifications- Job-related training courses (title and year)- Job-related skills, for example, other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed- Job-related certificates and licenses (current only)- Job-related honors, awards and special accomplishments, for example, publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, and performance awards (include dates, but do not send copies of documents unless requested.)