The Life of Pi by Yann Martel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel - Essay Example This leads to the creation of another version of the same story; this time, however, instead of animals on the raft there are people, Taiwanese sailor, his mother, the cook and the blind French man. The characters in the new story resembles to the animals in the life boat of the original story. And after two hundred and twenty-seven days adrift Pi is the only survivor. Somehow this second story told with hardly any details and seems more believable. By telling two different stories, Author wants to highlight the single most important concept and raised the question. Which story is better - the story with animals or the story without animals This faith revolves around the entire novel and serves as its conclusion. The center meaning of the book is to convey about man's relationship to animals. Pi is cast adrift in a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and a huge Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Eventually, just the tiger and he are left in the boat, tale of 227 days at sea. The boat is well stocked for a human. Pi only hope for survival is to keep the tiger content and subservient to him. Pi lives in constant terror of Richard Parker, but manages to keep him supplied with fish, turtles, and fresh water so that he doesn't turn on him. Pi limited Richard Parker territory to the floor of the boat .In real life Richard Parker resembles dangerous people .A boundary should always be drawn and restricts them from crossing their limits or invading our territory Pi becomes increasingly convinced that his fate and the tiger's are inextricably linked and progresses to an uneasy truce between adversaries. Ultimately over the months they are together, he develops an ever-deepening relationship with the animal. But Richard Parker is a wild animal. He never forms an emotional attachment with Pi. Near the end of the novel, Richard Parker disappears into the forest without a trace and never returns. Not a single time he looked back. He unceremoniously concludes the relationship and left Pi with tears and a heavy heart. For Pi, caring for the tiger becomes his darkest moments in life. Like Dangerous people Richard Parker and other animals in the novel are never colored with sentimentality .They are revolving around our lives for their own cause and benefit. And they will never hesitate to leave us. 3. Explain why the author chose a tiger as the main animal protagonist instead of an elephant or rhinoceros Martel portrayed Richard Parker to be anything more than a dangerous Bengal tiger and Pi never to be more than a desperate boy lost at sea. His main aim was to show a 16-year old Indian boy, Pi relationship with a dangerously wild animal and survival through the use of his wits and sheer determination for 227 days at sea. So he chooses Richard Parker main animal protagonist unlike elephant or rhinoceros. A tiger symbolizes a carnivorous, wild and unsentimental animal. As the law of nature eventually rules in the lifeboat and Pi ends up as the tiger's last remaining occupant who lives in constant terror , but manages to keep of Richard Parker supplied with fish,

Discuss the racial stereotypes of Mexicans that underpinned Manifest Essay

Discuss the racial stereotypes of Mexicans that underpinned Manifest Destiny - Essay Example The American people held a superior position and felt that their motive to apply their expansionist policies was religiously justified for their God chosen race. In this regard, the presidential candidate embraced the Manifest destiny, whose optimal goal was to ensure that the American territory spans across the seas. In reality, the race stereotypes of the Mexicans underpinned Manifest destiny during the implementation of the expansionist policy by the Americans. Even before the existence of the term Manifest Destiny, the notion of American inferiority was already looming and the Mexicans were already anticipating wars from the American people. In the year 1803, the president of America, Jefferson, acquired the Louisiana territory and the American slowly drifted towards the west becoming among the most dangerous neighbours of the Mexican people. By the time president Poll was getting into power, Mexico was the country that was standing between the United States and the Pacific Ocean . When Poll got into power in 1845, he raised the spirit of Manifest Destiny and the effort to expand USA further west via Mexico was revived. Being a democrat, Poll felt that there was need to develop this political culture across the territories to make a dominant culture (Litke, 2012, p. 198). To the American, the underpinning thrust of the expansionist policy was the urge to democratize the entire of North America and Mexico was a barrier to this legitimate expansion. Shane (2009, P. 10) points out the notion of Americans that Catholics were an inferior religious race. The American’s were obsessed with the motive to grow and develop their countries to become exemplary to the countries that were â€Å"religiously inferior.† This was a stereotypic reference that American used to refer to the Mexican’s who American’s regarded as inferior for the reason that they were catholicists, a religion that was inferior to the protestant group. American’s fe lt that they were the anointed race and that their motive to expand was just a fulfilment of one of the promises that God had made to them. This religious superiority was a source of conflict that intensified the tension between American and the Mexican’s that were already familiar with the intention of President Poll to expand his territories beyond the Mexican boundaries. From this perspective, American’s stereotypical reference of Mexican as a religiously inferior race was a trigger pin that culminated into the war between the two countries. From the US History Guide Book (2010, p. 6), the American leaders were obsessed with the notion to create an admirable city that would be unique from those of the inferior nations. The proponents of expansionism reflect to the idea of Puritans who were the first people to settle in the northern Atlantic, and who, under the inspiration Governor Winthrop, came to believe that their settlement was equivalent to â€Å"a city on a h ill.† Horsman (2009, p. 116) makes a connection between this city on a hill and the term that was later used by Ronald Reagan later in 1980 to describe a different perspective of expansion in America. Reagan referred to America as a â€Å"shining city upon a hill† in his endeavour to paralyse communism and create a country that embraced pure democrats, what he perceived to the

Low Birth Rate in Hong Kong

Low Birth Rate in Hong Kong Nowadays, the world population just over 6 billion and consistently estimate to increase to 9 billion in the next 50 years. The growth rate is mostly come from those developing countries, especially from Africa. Nevertheless, the birth rate which we would call it as population growth rate is decreasing in Hong Kong. The local birth rate reached the lowest level in the world. According to the report from the Census and Statistics Department, around 30,000 babies will be generated by mainland couples while 69,000 will be born in Hong Kong each year. In 2006, 984 babies were produced each 1000 expectant mothers. The estimation of the following 30 years, the birth rate will be lower than 900 babies would be born with each 1000 expectant mothers. We can use the graph from Census and Statistics Department to indicate the change by birth rate. In the fig. 1.1, the lines are representing the population in 1996 while bars are representing the 2006s. We would see that the population in Hong Kong is going to form a reverse triangle as fewer are born in the base. Moreover, we would see that the birth rate was continuing decrease from 1981 to 2006. Basically, the government has been put aware on the issue. In one of a meeting of legislative council, the councilors have put out this as one the items of agenda. The decrease in birth rate may help to save the sustainable resources in the world, but it would cause out many society problems as well. Actually, aging problem is a serious issue happening in the society. And, this would cause out many consequences to make the society become poor. Aging problem will lead the tax payer having a heavy tax. As the decreasing birth rate cause out, fewer tax payers will need to fall into the tax system. While the number of elderly would increase to form an unhealthy population, the Government would have a financial problem on subsiding them. The government need to bear heavy costs on medical services, elderly health care and retirement such as social security allowance. On the other hand, the education system may need a reform. The demand would decrease as fewer children entering the education system. Those schools will be terminated by a low birth rate, and employers like teachers will be being unemployed. This is already happened in the society in 2006. Many schools are warned to shut down by insufficient students. As a result, encouraging the birth rate is a must. Recently, the government noticed that the importance of having a good birth rate and formed a committee to put concern and finding out solutions in low birth rate issue. The effective way is the government encourage the citizens to improve the birth rate. 1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE In this study, we would like to help to find out the reason of causing low birth rate. Besides, we would not only want to know the causes but also want to find out solutions and the ways of government would able to give a hand. Therefore, our research objectives will be set as the followings: Understand the reason of low birth rate occur Evaluate the effectiveness of various methods to increase birth rate Understand the value of having baby (promotion purpose) Evaluate the impact of various media on the decision to have a child Obtain the demographic of response 1.3 CONTRIBUTION Through this marketing research, we would define clear why the low birth rate was caused out. Afterwards, we can find out the most effective solution to improve the birth rate, in order to prevent the next generation to pay the heavy tax to the government which is our generation and beyond. On the other hand, we would the report will be indicated out that the effective way of promotion by the government which he citizens would thinks it does work. It is beneficial to the government whether the aging problem is solved, the financial burden will reform. The government is able to put the subsidies on the other ways that make Hong Kong becoming a most successful city that people would like to live. 2.1 EXPLORARATY RESEARCH To begin our research, we may need to use exploratory research to provide the insights of the low birth rate problems. From the various types of exploratory research technique, we have used secondary data analysis and focus group when doing this project. Secondary data Low birth rate which is a big issue for the Hong Kong government, so there are plenty of data about this issue on the website of the Census and Statistics Department and also the newspaper. The reasons why we are using the secondary data are because they are low cost and useful as background information. Also, some of the data are realistic as those data are collected from the official department of Hong Kong Government. As the government highly concern about the low birth rate, there are policies and promotions about how to improve low birth rate, which helps us on creating the questions for our questionnaire. Focus Group Focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their attitude towards a product, service, concept, advertisement or idea. And there will be a moderator to introduce the topic of discussion and to encourage the group to discuss. Using focus group can allow the participants to discuss their true feeling and convictions, fast to collect data, easy to execute and flexible with low cost. Forming this focus group, our purpose is to understand the reason of low birth rate, evaluate the effectiveness of various methods to increase the birth rate, understand more the value of having a baby, evaluate the impact of various media on the decision to have a child, obtaining the demographic of response. After doing the focus group, we can combine the observations to understand the culture, the social group, sampling the sites to study, and creating news issues or topics we didnt think of. We would form 2 focus groups which consist of 6 respondents each. Besides, we need to hire a professional analyst to lead the focus group on the discussing track. Then, we need to book a one-way mirror room to observe the progress of the focus group. The most important is we should jot down the discussion by notes as an alternative way if the video recording devices does not work. The topic of discussion was focus on five main issues we focused on reasons affecting the birth rate, methods to improve birth rate, value on birth rate, ways to promote generation, demographic. To acquire the information we need, an analyst is needed to lead the focus group to discuss on the aspects. We did set the suggest questions: How do you think to generate a child? What are the costs to generate a child? What do you think the consequence to generate a child? Which ways do you suggest to encourage generation? How do you think the policies of government promotion? Summary of Findings Section We have been held focus groups in the March. After the focus group, we were given out some ideas of the low birth rate issue. In the focus groups people are all agree the late marriage is the trend in Hong Kong, many ladies are become focusing on their work. But they conclude that the cost of having a baby is the main cause of low birth rate. They need to quit their job, after the baby growth, their job opportunities will be probably lower as they disconnected with the society. They discussed that the birth rate from the middle class is important to improved. Later, they discuss that the method to improve the birth rate. Most of them thought that the government subsidies are the ways to help. Education allowance is the most effective as most of them agreed. It is because they think it is a long-term subsidy that their children need to study nearly 10 years. It is benefit if it would save their cost. However, no one concern on public housing because they thought that it is relate to the marry cost, not related to having a baby. They would think that the value of having a baby is to generate their breed. Most of them think that the TV commercial is the effective way to encouraged by government. It is because animation and sound would give them memorized. 2.2 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH To choose a suitable method to fit with our case, we would like to use the mall intercept personal interviews for collecting primary data. The process involves stopping the targets, screening them for appropriateness, and either administering the survey on the spot or inviting them to a research facility located in the mall to complete the interview. And, we decided to set up in Women Health Centre and the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong etc, therefore we are able to get the result that related to our expectation and purpose. The characteristic of the method is confined place to conduct the survey but speed of data collecting is fast, and conductors are easier to reach the assigned quantity with a specific time. It will have the highest degree of interviewer influence of answers. Although geographical flexibility is confined in a selection place, we can poll a large number of target respondents with a successful planning. There will have low anonymity of respondents however, the respondents may not actively to cooperate. It is difficult to follow up or call back but it is not an actual problem. Essentially, interviewers can provide clear explanations for the questions asked, respondents will be clearer to answer the questions through face-to-face interview. So, the possibility of respondent misunderstanding will be the lowest. On the other hand, if the respondent cooperation is not enough to meet the planned quantity, we may also use phone survey to back up mall intercept personal interview. The advantages of using phone survey is competitive reduce cost and the respondent cooperation are good. So, it is a good back-up proposal for anything goes wrong in the mall intercept personal interview. There are some measurements guiding us in design our questionnaire. We should concern that each questions should have a reason behind asking and the type of answers you would like to receive y open-ended or close-ended. Later, we should concern on the questionnaire wording. In designing our questionnaire, we have avoided long questions that will give people confusing by using short and clear wording. Secondly, we avoid emotional and socially desirability response by loaded and assumption questions. So, the validity will be increased. Be sure all answer choices are mutually exclusive, check for ambiguity in wording the question, and ensure if the respondents can interpret the meaning of words differently. We also put aware on the personal pronouns (gender references) never use only him (his) or her (her) unless you are referring to a specific gender. Be specific, rather than general questions and word them so that they communicate uniform meaning. Avoid using double negatives, especi ally possible when using Agree/Disagree. 2.3 RESEARCH INSTRUMENT Scale There are several scale in setting questionnaire, interval scale, nominal scale, ordinal scale and ratio scale. We used Interval Scale in Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 in our questionnaire. An interval scale is a measurement scale in which a certain distance along the scale means the same thing no matter where on the scale you are, but where 0 on the scale does not represent the absence of the thing being measured. The Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales are examples. It is uniquely classifies, in preserves order and equal intervals. We used Nominal Scale in Q.5B, Q.5C, Q.5D, Q.5E in our questionnaire. A nominal scale is really a list of categories to which objects can be classified. For example, asking the gender and give Male and Female, for asking status, given Single Married and Divorce. The data so classified are termed categorical data, which are reflecting the classification of objects into different categories. We used Ordinal Scale in Q.5A, Q.5F and Q.5G in our questionnaire. An ordinal scale is a measurement scale that assigns values to objects based on their ranking with respect to one another. For example, Q.5G, we are asking about the monthly income of each target ordinance, from [1] Less than $5000 to [5] above $30,000. While you know that [5] is having more income than [1], but there is no implication that [5] is twice times more than [1]. All we know is that there are 5 categories, with obviously that [2] are having more income than [1], [3] are having more income than [2], etc. The higher the value assigned, the higher the category. 2.3.2 Pretest Procedure It is very important for us to do the pretest before the questionnaire being publicized; the aim of pretesting questionnaire is to ensure that it can be clearly understood. Since the questionnaire may have a lot of mistakes, therefore, we need to conduct and find out the information on that issue. Correct all the mistakes in the questionnaire are necessary, if the survey did not properly set, the purpose will not be achieved to conduct the accurate information what we looking for. For our questionnaire, in order to achieve the effectiveness of pretest, we are going to read the questionnaire for at least 15 times after setting. Besides, we are also going to ask for 15 respondents to test our questionnaire. Finding correct and relevant respondents can help to increase the efficacy of pretest. The varieties respondents would be desire for our Low Birth Rate questionnaires are the professionals, such as English teachers; lecturers, schoolmates from universities, and also our parents. We chose them for the questionnaire pretest procedure, since some of them have sufficient knowledge to state out our problems, for example, English teachers can correct our grammar and spelling mistakes, rectify the question wording into more format type. Lecturers can check the flow of questions and give suggestions on the question, ensure that we are using the multiple-grid format and have been separated them into variety of groups before conducting. And, some of them are easy to re ach, like our schoolmates, their feedbacks help us to predict our target ordinance reaction to the questionnaire, they also may help to estimate the time-taking. After all, we can rearrange the follow up and one by one. Use our questionnaire as an example, after the pretest procedure; we rectify the question wording to make the questionnaire become more clarify. Such as, using Very Unimportant and Very Important to replace Most Important and Least Important. Use full sentence, Are you working now? (If yes, please continue to answer the following questions. Otherwise, jump to à ¯Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ Hà ¯Ã‚ ¹Ã… ¾) instead of a single word Occupation etc. (Appendix fig. 2.2, fig. 2.3) 2.4 SAMPLING Sampling is the simple way to reach out targets with a subset of the population instead of reaching the entire population. Compare with reaching the entire population, sampling will help to save time, cutting cost for budgeting and manpower. Firstly, we should figure the target group out. Our target group is men and women who have visited Women Health Centre and the Family Planning Association. It is because they will have a brief concern and knowledge on the birth rate issue. To reach our target group, we would use the convenience sampling indeed. There is no sampling frame while it is actually a non-probability sampling method. Those respondents are unknown member form our target group because of using the non-probability sampling. Our interviews will select the most available targets arbitrary. However, we would set the 200 respondents as our sample size. As the mall intercept personal interview is suitable to associate with our research, it has many advantages indeed. First, the mall intercept personal interview can be conducted faster and inexpensive. Also, the mall intercept can poll a large number of respondents and control the speed of the survey. As we want to poll a large number of respondents in target group, we decided to interview in Women Health Centre and the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong within 3 days. As the mall intercept is a face-to-face contact with the interviewees, it will lead us easier follow-up and make corrections of the unclear or misunderstanding answers. These advantages will encourage us to conduct a better survey. Unfortunately, there is no perfect method existing in the world. We would just choose the method which consist the least disadvantages. In the mall intercept, we would require a lot of labour force to conduct. This will lead the research cost climb higher by hiring cost for interviewers. Furthermore, low accuracy of the survey is also a disadvantage of this method. It is difficult to follow up if we find out any problem while analyzing the answers. Further, the result sampling may not represent the entire population in a place. Therefore, we would find out some solutions to fix them. We would not employ volunteers as our group members can be the volunteers in the research. Perhaps, cost of the employment will be relatively lower. In order to improve the accuracy, setting up more intercept places for interview can enhance the representative level of the results. Also, after conducting the survey, interviewees would politely to ask the respondents to leave their contact information if they are willing to do that. Hopefully, it may improve the disadvantages of the survey method. We would do the survey over 3 selected places within 3 day. On 28th April, we would conduct in the Family Planning Association at Wan Chai while conducting in the Women Association in Tuen Mun in the following day (29th April). Finally, we would reach the Family Planning Association at Wong Tai Sin in 30th April. These 3 locations will be assigned a team to play the role as interviewers. Each team will consist of 3 member do stay within the place in the operation hours. The selection of those 3 places is due to improving the accuracy of the sampling over territories. In addition, easy to reach who concern birth rate, prepare to have a child or even avoid having child as well.

The American Hero :: essays research papers

The American Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For many years the American Hero has filled the silver screen and wide screened television sets, along with shelves of countless bookstores. Audiences love to see the protagonist overcome great odds, defeat the forces of evil, and save the beautiful girl at the last second. The character of the American Hero however, is not a new idea. James Cooper, in the 1800’s, created the archetype of the American Hero. Natty Bumpo, also called Deerslayer, embodied many qualities of the great American Hero. Modern day heroes are simply following the example set by Cooper’s creation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two qualities that many heroes possess are bravery and honesty. In the excerpt â€Å"Deerslayer Escapes†, Natty Bumpo exhibits these two traits when he returns to accept his punishment for killing a great Huron warrior. His punishment for killing is death. Knowing this and still returning to the tribe shows tremendous bravery. After Deerslayer returns, Cooper writes the reaction of the tribe. The leader, Rivenoak, describes Natty of being brave and honest, by saying, â€Å" Paleface, you are honest. We shall treat you as a brave.† Natty Bumpo speaks of his own honesty when he refuses to take their compromise for death. The solution is against what Deerslayer believes in so he doesn’t go along with the plan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heroes are also expected to stick to their beliefs, regardless of consequences. After killing the Huron’s best warrior, the Hurons offer Natty a solution. He must marry the widow of the fallen warrior. The reason is because there is no one to hunt or provide for the family. Deerslayer doesn’t mind providing for the family, but refuses to marry the widow, who is old enough to be his mother. He responds with this â€Å"As for feeding the children, I would do that cheerfully, could it be done without discredit.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The stereotypical hero is usually skilled with a weapon. Natty is in pioneer times, so there isn’t much choice in weaponry. Besides his gun that he kills deer with, there isn’t much that Deerslayer can do. When facing the tribe, waiting on his sentence, Le Panther, the Huron leader, throws a tomahawk at Natty. With his quick thinking he grabs the tomahawk before it even gets to him. He throws it back at Panther.

Dear Nobody by Berlie Doherty Essay

The novel is split between two points of view, a first-person narrative presenting the events as Chris recalls them in retrospect, interspersed with a series of letters from Helen to their unborn child (Nobody), telling her side of the story as she experiences it. The framing sequence is set in autumn as Chris is on the verge of leaving for Newcastle University. A parcel of letters is delivered for him, and he recognizes Helen’s handwriting. He begins to read the letters, all addressed to â€Å"Dear Nobody†, and they remind him of the past nine months. The subsequent chapter headings are all the names of months, beginning with January. Helen and Chris make love for the first, and only, time. Chris is prompted to ask his father about his marriage breakdown, and decides to get in touch with his mother. Shortly afterwards Helen begins to fear she is pregnant. Chris is disturbed by her distant behaviour. In late February she finally tells him her suspicions, and writes her first letter to â€Å"Dear Nobody†: â€Å"You’re only a shadow. You’re only a whisper†¦ Leave me alone. Go away. Go away. Please, please, go away.† Later when a pregnancy test proves positive, she tries to abort the pregnancy by going riding, risking her life in a wild gallop, to no avail. In April, Helen’s mother finds out, and arranges for her to go to an abortion clinic. However, Helen decides to keep the baby. Mrs Garton refuses to have Chris in the house, but he and Helen continue to see each other. They visit Chris’s mother in Carlisle. In June, Helen and Chris sit their A-levels. After they are over Helen tells Chris she has decided they should break up, believing it is best for both of them. Chris is bewildered, and feels bereft. To get away from all the memories in Sheffield, he goes to France with Tom. He meets a girl called Bryn, but cannot forget Helen. In September, Helen learns her mother’s greatest secret – that she is illegitimate, a great disgrace when she was growing up – and finally begins to understand her. When her contractions start, she has a sudden impulse to send her â€Å"Dear Nobody† letters to Chris. Chris finishes reading the letters, realizes the baby is coming and rushes to the hospital, where he meets his newborn daughter, Amy.

The Importance of Education to an Individual

Education involves a solid student/teacher relationship, as well as both student and teacher incorporating imagination into the teaching process. Both student and teacher must work together to reach an understanding of education in the classroom; this enables students to grasp full advantage of the material being taught by the teacher. Knowledge in most cases, allows you to see yourself, and to understand what you can produce. The most important aspect of education is change. Change is basically what education is; you are becoming educated and expanding your mind or in other words changing it. The more educated you become, the more able you are to approach the world, and the better off you are to introduce new thoughts to your society. A key example in demonstrating the teacher/student relationship and education as a whole, is explained by Sheldon Solomon. In Solomon's lecture on education, he discusses critical thinking and aesthetic awareness. Both, form creativity, and creativity equals change. Change, in the sense of altering ideas or approaching concepts from different angles as you become more educated and mature. Creativity allows you to take your ideas in any direction that you wish. When you start your education in elementary school you learn very easy concepts. As you proceed, you build upon early ideas with more advanced concepts. Your intuition increases through education and you have a broader background of facts and information to use. In addition to critical thinking, aesthetic awareness includes a change of your emotions. Deep visions start forming with all the information you have gathered through the years. Visions, in the sense of what the future will bring to one's life and what can be accomplished in the years to come. With these visions, students can determine what they want to do with the rest of their life. In addition, Professor Solomon includes a â€Å"dynamic interaction between active students and active teachers† (Solomon 9/9/99), as one of the five integral parts of a solid education. Students and teachers should work together to decide what and how they will be taught. The role of the professor is to keep the students interested, while the task of the students is to do what is asked of the professor. When students and teachers work together to find an effective and interesting way to learn material, the students don't have any excuse but take full advantage of the education that is being presented to them. To ensure student interest, a re-evaluation of the teaching methods should be reviewed every so often to keep the level of enthusiasm. One of the most important aspects of a person's education is the direction in which it takes you. The course the student wants to take is up to his or her imagination. As Alfred North Whitehead states, â€Å"imagination is not to be divorced from the facts: it is a way of illuminating the facts. It works by eliciting the general principles, which apply to the facts, as they exist, and then by an intellectual survey of alternative possibilities, which are consistent with those principles. In enables men to construct an intellectual vision of a new world, and it preserves the zest of life by the suggestion of satisfying purposes† (Whitehead, 15). Many individuals in my generation have very short attention spans. They can't be fully interested in school, without the freedom to express their own ideas and imagination. I believe that capturing student's interests involves acts of incorporating imagination in the classroom and being encouraged by the teacher. If this happens, students will use their talents to their fullest potentials â€Å"illuminating the facts. † Standard curriculum in schools can incorporate imagination as the key to students understanding boring information that they think they'll never use again in their life. An example of this is teaching mathematics, word for word, right out of the textbook in elementary school. The kids do the work mostly because they are required to do so rather than the desire to learn. If math is taught with objects on tables and a group interaction of the specific lesson is incorporated, a better understanding of the material will occur. These objects are the things that get you to imagine concepts and personal ideas. From an idea, imagination can spark the brain to open up to other possibilities and renditions of their original idea. A personal concept of an idea gives forth a creative personalized understanding. An excellent example of what a teacher should not aspire to is Gradgrind. I disagree with the narrow mind of Gradgrind, in Charles Dickens, â€Å"Hard Times for These Times. Teachers' should constantly doubt the credibility of the content and teaching methods. The idea of giving students a mass quantity of facts is very appealing because it will act in a way similar to an encyclopedia. However, Gradgrind failed to link these facts in an interesting, imaginative way. He was useless to his students and the students were useless to him. The clever point of this piece is the use of satire incorporated into Dickens' writing, clearly implying that the students should be incorporated into the teaching process. In no way, should they feel inferior, or feel like prisoners to the teacher. When a teacher dictates to students, they shut their brains and they become irritated by the teaching process. The teacher must provide encouragement plus interest with his or her students. Students want to accomplish work for themselves but also need the respect from their teachers to feel positive about their learning. When the teacher works at the level of the student it makes both feel equal, and better communication occurs, a friendship develops. Both student and teacher work together to reach this understanding of knowledge. My belief is that both students and teachers absolutely must work together to reach the ideal education. It is my experience that there will always be a disagreement of opinion about what and how students should learn, but in the end, I think that it is the responsibility of the students and their teachers to find this equality. If teachers weren't viewed as the dictators of life but rather education tools, I believe that students would get a little more out of the average education. Most importantly, teachers would be able to see the enjoyment of teaching, and find their jobs more rewarding.