The Problem Of Violence In Schools Essay Example For Students

The Problem Of Violence In Schools Essay The problem of violence in schools today is a major concern. Crime in and around schools threatens the well being of students, as well as the school staff and the surrounding communities. It also holds back learning and student achievement. The problem is more defined in the public school system than in catholic schools. Catholic schools seem to express a better-rounded teaching environment. Most catholic schools have less tolerance than they do in public schools. It is said that the wearing of a uniform helps to keep more peace in the school. The students do not get made fun of for not wearing brand name clothing. The laughing and making fun of the other students is what contributes to low self-esteem, which one of the traits for a student who is likely to bring violence into school. More than half of U.S. public schools have reported at least one crime incident in 1997. Also one in ten schools reported at least one serious violent crime during this school year. Ten percent of all p ublic schools had experienced one or more serious violent crimes (e.g. murder, rape, suicide, sexual battery, and physical attack of fighting with a weapon or robbery) reported to police or other law enforcement during 1997. We will write a custom essay on The Problem Of Violence In Schools specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Crime and violence seem to be more of a problem in middle and high schools than in elementary schools. In 1997 forty-five percent of elementary schools reported one or more acts of violence. Seventy-four percent of middle schools and seventy-five percent of high schools had reported incidents of violence. One of the goals of the National Education Goals states that by the year 2000, all schools in America will be free of drugs and violence and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol, and offer a disciplined environment that is conducive to learning. This goal has obviously not yet been reached, but there still is some time left for them to reach this goal. The crimes that are most frequently occurring in most schools are vandalism, theft/larceny, and physical attack or fight without a weapon. Six percent have reported physical attack or fight with a weapon. Even though the percentage of weapon related crimes is not as high as many of the rest, it is still one of the biggest and must be eliminated. It is the one of the worst acts of violence that could happen in a school. The school administration should adopt a policy that will help to eliminate the violence. They should either consider a zero tolerance strategy or something similar. The school environment should be a safe one for staff and students. Students should be able to go to school and not be concerned with any in or outside forces that will distract them from learning, or injure them in some way. Many potentially violent incidents continue to plague schools. School administrators are reviewing security and crisis plans, but many administrators are quick to point out that there is no one answer to providing a safe school environment. Everyone wants a simple solution, but the is not a one. People have to work towards getting and maintaining school safety. But no matter how well prepared or how safe everyone thinks a plan to be; it will never be one hundred percent foolproof. Someone will always find a way to get around even the most strategized effort to control the violence. Most incidents could and can be prevented by students, parents, teachers, or citizens coming forward and sharing the information that they know with either the school or police. It is known that prior to a major violent attacking, in most schools someone knows that it is going to happen other than the person who is planning it. But they do not go forward because they think that something like that could never happen in their school. Violence can happen anywhere, at any time. For example, take the Jonesboro incident or Columbine, it is common knowledge that someone knew about what the students were planning, but did not share it with the school or police officials. Schools should pay attention to not only the major incidents like Columbine, but also to the smallest threat. Schools in Allen, Texas, cancelled the remaining two weeks of classes due to repeated bomb threats. But after parental and community outrage, officials opened the schools on a limited basis a few days later. Four bo ys were charged with plotting a shooting in their Port Huron, Michigan, middle school similar to the massacre at Columbine. Reaction like these should always be taken to incidents as such. It prevents the tragedies like Columbine and others from happening again. A common trend in most school shootings is that they have all occurred in communities in which people felt safe. The perception of schools as being safe havens has changed over the past few years since the rash of shooting incidents. But the fact still remains that schools are the safest places for children. But, still, schools have always been easy targets for violence. Even though the number of violent incidents in schools is dropping, the use of firepower by students is growing. .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 , .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .postImageUrl , .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 , .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366:hover , .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366:visited , .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366:active { border:0!important; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366:active , .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366 .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue85d8891dccf5f150e082eedbd09d366:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Scarlet Letter Description EssayLately, medal detectors, security cameras, ID cards, and other security hardware and systems have been finding the nations schools as a home. This is mainly due to the need to show students, staff, and parents that security measures are being taken. Schools should be safe enough that they there is no need for security devices as such. Although medal detectors are very useful, but they are only part of the solution. Schools must also look at other prevention methods. Administrators have agreed that they will not find just one specific solution to the school dilemma that would be one hundred percent effective. Something that must be changed is the fact that in every incident in the last two years, the kids have spoken about their act before the committed it. And for some reason or other, adults have refused to pay attention to it. It must be changed. People listen to a cry for help when they hear it, why not this? It is basically the same thing; they should pay just as much attention to it. Safety is not a sometimes thing, it is an all-the-time thing, students should be able to go to school and feel safe. It has been said that violence on television has been a contributor to kids committing these acts of violence. But is this really true? Sure, the violence on television is a contributor. But it is not as big a contributor as most people make it out to be. Most of the students, who do commit crimes in school, all fit basically the same profile. They were alienated, angry and had a history of emotional problems. They are students who hold a grudge. Most of these students often write about these things in advance, they perhaps signal that they are going to happen. Experts say that there is no foolproof way to spot potential killers. But, by early next year, the FBI will release a report listing problematic traits to help educators and parents identify the seriousness of a students threat. The report will detail warning signs in four areas of a students life: 1.) Personality, 2.) Family, 3.) School behavior, and 4.) Other factors such as drugs and alcohol. This report should be very helpful to the parents and administration in controlling the safety of their school. Some of the indicators of what would make a student turn to violence are: social withdraw, excessive feelings of isolation and persecution, and a history of aggressive behavior. The question of what went wrong early on in these kids lives is brought up more that one. It is wondered what made them into killers where they would go out and without any conscience just kill people, their friends and classmates and then themselves. No one will ever know except for himself or herself. What steps should be taken to helping kids like this? Having school psychologists is a good idea; they are traditionally the first lines of defense. But lately they have been preoccupied in assessing kids who need to help with learning disorders. Many schools are now adopting zero tolerance policies, pulling out kids who do anything suspicious. This works, but not always. When a school expels a student for something like violent imagery in creative writing, it is an overreaction. Or the twelve year old boy in Virginia who was expelled for waiving a stapler around on a school bus; a Florida girl was suspended for bringing a nail clipper to class, and the suspension of a nine year old boy who wrote you will die with honor when his teacher asked him to compose a fortune cookie message. It is all-ridiculous. There is no reason to go that far. The zero tolerance rule is a good idea, but not for things like that. But for a kid who brings a gun to school or a kid who starts a fire in the sc hool, they should be removed immediately, with no questions asked. Zero tolerance polices should cover clear and serious offenses involving weapons, violence, threat, harassment, bomb scares, drugs, alcohol and cheating. Not in simple matters like those mentioned above. Crime rates in the United States are decreasing which is very good. Statistics show that crime rate in the U.S. has declined 6.4 percent and the murder rate has declined 7.4 percent in 1998. A poll shows that forty years ago, fifty percent of Americans reported having guns in their homes. Last year the figure was thirty-five percent. Which is good. This lessens the easiness of a child getting a gun to bring into school. A New York Times/CBS poll asked kids if they worry about being crime victims at school or on the streets and twenty-four percent said yes. So, obviously the kids are not as concerned about a killer attending their school as the adults are. .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 , .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .postImageUrl , .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 , .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0:hover , .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0:visited , .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0:active { border:0!important; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0:active , .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0 .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue7552c3872162bf6d777e4c0f922b1a0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Frailty Thy Name Is Woman EssayIt is not clear at this point if schools are engaged in another cycle of violence or if we have evolved into a society whose culture has embraced violence as a characteristic and permanent feature. It is argues that the youth of today are coming more and more from backgrounds where antisocial behavior is more normal rather than unusual. These young people are highly agitated and invested in antisocial attitudes. They tend to see the behavior and intentions of others as biased against them. They frequently decide to react aggressively to situations they view as challenging or threatening, very often with tragic consequences. This kind of aggression and reaction is what makes the schools dangerous. There are four factors that generally accelerate youth violence. They are: 1.) Easy access to weapons, especially hand guns, 2.) Early involvement with drugs and alcohol, 3.) Association with antisocial groups and 4.) Pervasive exposure to violent acts depicted in the media. Eight-one percent of weapons brought to school come from the home. A safe school is characterized as effective, accepting, freedom from potential physical and psychological harm, absence of violence, and being nurturing, caring, and protective. Some school based protective factors are positive school climate and atmosphere, clear and high performance expectations for all students, good values and practices throughout the school, strong student bonding to the school environment, high levels of student participation and parent involvement in social development, and schoolwide conflict-resolution strategies. An unsafe school is characterized by lack of cohesion, chaotic, stressful, disorganized, poorly structured, ineffective, high risk, gang activity, violent incidents, unclear behavioral and academic expectations. Some risk factors are poor design and use of school space, overcrowding, lack of caring but firm disciplinary procedures, student alienation, rejection of at-risk students by teachers and peers, anger and resentment at school routines and demands for conformity, and poor supervision. Impacts and influences of school violence are: 1.) Large schools and classrooms of students, that prevents teachers from developing meaningful relationships with students and 2.) Overcrowded schools normally have higher rates of discipline problems and vandalism than schools that are at or below the enrollments for which they are intended. We must begin to reform the schools who need it. There are direct strategies as well as indirect strategies. Examples of the direct include things such as locks on doors, metal detectors, and random searching for weapons. Indirect strategies include requiring school uniforms, and establishing a positive school climate. It is likely that more direct strategies are more effective than the indirect, but they do not change the culture of the school. It is recommended that schools maintain a zero tolerance policy for weapons, fighting, or other acts of violence, minimized the number of unlocked entrances, exits, and halls for students and visitors, require students to carry a hall pass when roaming about the school during classes and to limit the hall passes to an absolute minimum. These few strategies can be the stepping stones to making a better school enviroment. BibliographyWork CitedLessons Learned. American School University, July99, Vol. 71 Issue 11Agron, JoeWatching for Warning Signs. Newsweek, 12/20/99, Vol. 134 Issue 25, p.39Kantroitz, Barbara; Wingert, Pat; Struzzi, DianeCracking down on kids. U.S. News World Report, 12/13/99, Vol. 127 Issue 23, p19Leo, JohnGround zero of zero-tolerance for violence. Christian Science Monitor, 11/18/99, Vol. 91 Issue 247, p1 McLaughlin, AbrahamPreventing School Violence. FDCH ABC Nightline, 04/21/1999Sawyer, Diane; Gibson, CharlesDangerous Schools? Christian Science Monitor, 11/05/99, Vol. 91 Issue 239, p11Schorr, DanielMaking Schools Safer and Violence Free. Intervention in School Clinic, March97, Vol. 32 Issue 4, p.199. Walker, Hill M.; Gresham, Frank M. Social Issues Essays

Rising Action in Literature Keeps Readers Engaged

Rising Action in Literature Keeps Readers Engaged Have you ever kept reading well into the night because you just couldnt put a book down? The rising action of a plot refers to the events that provoke conflict, build tension, and generate interest. It adds that edge-of-your-seat element that motivates you to keep reading until you reach the story climax. Rising Action in Action You can find rising action in many stories, from a complex novel to a simple childrens book. For example, the rising action in The Three Little Pigs takes place as the pigs set out and begin to make their own decisions. You can surmise that two of the pigs are asking for trouble when they choose flimsy materials to build their houses. Little suspicions such as these (along with the wolf lurking in the background)  build suspense: with each page, readers come to understand that these characters are headed for disaster. Things get more and more exciting and tense each time the wolf blows down a house. The action builds to the ultimate showdown between pig  and wolf. In literature, the rising action encompasses the decisions, background circumstances, and character flaws that lead a story from the opening exposition through the drama and run-up to the climax. The primary conflict  can be an external one, such as a clash between two men trying to exert their dominance at work, or it can be internal, as in the case of a college student who realizes she wants to leave school but cringes at the thought of telling her parents. Rising Action in Black and White As you read a novel, pay attention to clues that predict trouble down the road. It could be anything from  the appearance of  a character who  seems shady and untrustworthy, to the description of a clear morning marred by one dark cloud on the horizon.  You can practice identifying rising action by considering how the tension builds in the following tales: Little Red Riding HoodWhat is the first sign of trouble? Were you a bit unnerved when you learned that this innocent child would walk through the dangerous forest alone?Snow WhiteIn the original version, this story contains the ultimate evil character: the wicked stepmother. Her presence signals trouble to come. And that magic mirror adds another layer of intrigue to the story.CinderellaCinderella also  finds herself tormented by an evil stepmother. Her first meeting  with the prince foreshadows the complications to come, while the clock ticking closer to midnight on the night of the ball creates real tension.Hansel and GretelWhats with all the evil stepmothers? And who doesnt suspect that a confectionery cottage is too good to be true? It can be easy to see the suspense building in the short stories from childhood. But if you consider how subtle clues informed and cautioned you, you can find the same types of signs in more sophisticated books. Think about the suspenseful moments that build in each story to get a better sense of the development of rising action in the novels you read.

What can the study of the history of learning tell us about learning Essay

What can the study of the history of learning tell us about learning today - Essay Example While in the beginning, learning was considered to be an end to itself, in the course of the progression of technology learning became the means to an end, which made the purpose of learning deviate from its origins (Carmack, n.d.). It is important to find out how such changes happened, as well as why these occurred since in order to find out how to adjust learning methods effectively, it is vital that learning methods of the past must also be studied because these information will give valuable insights on how to make learning purposeful and effective for students, based on the current perspectives of contemporary society. In order to present the importance of understanding the relevance of how learning operated in the past, examples of contrasting elements between ancient learning such as in the times of the Greco-Roman cultures and the modern progressive learning methods that most contemporary society now experiences today will be used. Three possible differences that can be obser ved are: 1) the reasons for learning; 2) the lessons to be learned by the students; and 3) how these methods are implemented in schools. These three differences are relevant to the explanations since the evolution of learning was affected by mostly societal and cultural changes, especially during the Industrial Revolution, and beyond (Power, 1991). Thus it would be easier to correlate the importance of learning in any kind of society as well as the changes that occur in the process of passing on knowledge on each succession of generations. It can be said that the shifting priorities of the society, from having strong relations with the past and traditions, to looking forward to new possibilities in the future were able to usher such changes, which not only made learning a widely-accepted idea, but also essential to everyday living (Lawrence, 1970). In the past, greater focus is given to the artistic side of living, which can explain why in ancient learning there has been a bigger em phasis on the rhetoric, grammar, styles, as well as oratorical prowess of students, with particular mention of the upper and middle classes, while skills related to craftsmanship are passed down to the working classes. Based on the premises, education can either be an end, or a means to an end, depending on the societal ranking of the learners. Also, there is a prominent idea that students must adjust to the lessons, as well as having to learn general subjects without having to put too much focus on narrowed-down careers, thus leaving no room for the development of individuality. On the other hand, due to the development of various fields, not only do students have greater choices in careers, they are also given other options in what to learn, which is very different from the concept of learning during ancient times. In modern learning there has been greater focus both on the individual aspect as well as the specificities of lessons, depending on what end is needed to be achieved (C armack, n.d.). At present, students are not forced to learn pure rhetoric, and are actually encouraged to choose lessons that interest them or would make good careers in the future. Thus, with regards to the difference between ancient and modern learning, the former gives greater importance on passing classical knowledge of arts to the next generation, while in the latter there is greater importance on learning various aspects of how society operates in preparation for jobs or careers in the future. In relation to the reasons for learning, the kinds of lessons that students must learn also differ between modern and ancient times due to the influence of changes in societal needs and trends. For example, ancient learning focuses more

INTB3000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INTB3000 - Essay Example lobal, acting local and thinking local, acting global, need to exist side by side because contrary to the general perception that building a brand sells it, the actual key to success is local passion for the brand coupled with a feeling of local pride and ownership. Examples of thinking global, acting local: 1. Retaining a clearly focused target product, so that the nature of the product was clear in the customer’s mind – Vicks was a rub for colds 2. Not growing complacent with the 20% growth that made Vicks no: 1 in India, but growing the market and benchmarking against the best in the world 2. Using an efficient, low cost local distribution system and 3. Using local ayurvedic medicinal products to prepare additional Vicks preparations apart from the rub for colds. Thinking local, acting global: 1. The global strategy was to increase advertising during the winter months, but Vicks Vaporub stepped up its advertising in the monsoon months, when local conditions caused more colds. 2. Positioning the 5 gm tin for the middle class and pricing a package of 4 such tins lower than a 19 gm jar, because it was specifically targeted at the middle class. Das and Vicks Vaporub were so successful in India because they were able to understand their consumers and act to satisfy their needs. They were able to use the existing, low cost distribution networks perfected by traders to avoid excessive costs along the supply chain. When chemists and pharmacists across the nation came together to boycott Vicks, the Company changed its registration from Western to Indian medicine to extend this distribution networks to food shops and local grocers, thus avoiding the strike altogether. 1. Being receptive to regional variations, i.e, suiting the product to fit opportunities available in the local market; for example using the monsoon as an opportunity to step up advertising during summer months. In a country like Russia, the economy was in a state of transition from a

Amy Tan, Two Kinds Essay Example for Free

Amy Tan, Two Kinds Essay This storys main events take place in Chinatown throughout the 1950s and perhaps early 1960s. The main character of the story, who is also the protagonist, is the author herself: Amy Tan. The antagonist happens to be her own mother, who is always pushing Amy to discover some hidden talent and be someone she is not. There are a few other minor characters in the story. There is Lindo Jong (who she calls Auntie Lindo), who is a close friend of Amys mother. Waverly Jong is Auntie Lindos daughter, who is close to Amys age. Amys piano instructor, who she calls Old Chong, plays a small role in the story. Amys dad is included in the text, but does not play much of a role. In Two Kinds, the exposition is clear in the first couple of pages. The story begins by explaining that Amys family moved to America when she was a baby, in 1949. Her mother is clear in her goals: she wants Amy to be a child prodigy (a person with exceptional talent) and famous. Although in the beginning Amy seems accepting of her mothers goal, there are some undertones which are clear to the reader that her mother may go too far. Symbolism in literature might include visual or sound elements as well as language. Amys piano was the main symbol of this story. In the end of the story, the fact that she had it tuned and actually sat down to play shows us that she really cared about her mother-and the piano-after all. The songs that she plays at the end are also a symbol of the story, itself. She mentions playing two songs. The first is titled Pleading Child, and the second one: Perfectly Contented. These are songs that she had played when she was a child. She notices for the first time, after all of these years, that these two songs are actually two halves to the same song. The song represents Amys life. This is how the story ends. We get a pretty good idea of what Amys story is about and the theme behind it. She regrets not trying her best, and the way she has taken her mother for granted in her life. A strong message like this makes us reflect on our own lives and relationships with the ones we love. Amy constructs the story in a way that makes the plot flow, and we are interested in what will happen to her next. Some of us may even feel like she is too hard on the protagonist-her mother. The ending resolves these feelings, because we discover she feels this, too.

J.R.R.Tolkien: Master of Fantasy Essay -- John Ronald Reuel Tolkien Bi

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (J.R.R.Tolkien) was a philologist in the very strict sense of the word. This term, philologist, comes from Greek [φÎ ¯ÃŽ »ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š (philos) and ÃŽ »ÃÅ'ÃŽ ³ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š (logos)] and literarily means ‘love for words’. According to the Oxford Dictionary, it is â€Å"the scientific study of the development of language or of a particular language†, which is precisely what Tolkien did all through his life. Tolkien was, as has been said, a profound lover of words, which he begun developing from a quite early age. In 1900, when he and his family had to move to Birmingham in order to be closer to King Edward’s School, Tolkien discovered Gaelic, a language toward which he showed a great interest and which â€Å"opened him to another linguistic world† (â€Å"le abrià ³ otro mundo lingà ¼Ãƒ ­stico†, Carpenter, 2002:37). When he returned to King Edward’s, after a year in St. Philip’s School, he started learning Greek; he already knew Latin as his mother had taught him at home. When his literature teacher read The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer, in the original Middle-English â€Å"he decided to learn more about the history of the language† (Carpenter, 2002:39), â€Å"why languages are as they are† (â€Å"por quà © eran como eran† Carpenter, 2002:46). His discovery of Anglo-Saxon was also an important element in his approaching to philology. As can be seen, his encounter with these ‘new-old’ languages was continuous: Old Norse, Gothic, etc. It was also the starting point of his creation of private languages (Naffarin). Thanks to his deep study of these languages we have today works like The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, or The Lord of the Rings, as Tolkien’s imagination came not from any other place but from language itself, as Segura (2008) states saying that â€Å"his imagination was... ...o. -Carretero, M. -â€Å"Catastrophe†. Oxford Learners Dictionaries. 2014. http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/catastrophe -Coleridge, S.T. 1984. Biographia Literaria. P.6. Princeton: Princeton University Press. -â€Å"Eucatastrophe†. Oxford Dictionaries, Language Matters. 2014. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/es/definicion/ingles/eucatastrophe -Lewis, C.S. 2002. On Stories and Other Essays on Literature. EE.UU: Mariner Books. -Segura, E. 2008. J.R.R.Tolkien: Mitopoeia y Mitologà ­a, reflexiones bajo la luz refractada. Spain: Portal Editions. -Segura, E. 2001. El Viaje del Anillo: Mapa narrativo de la Tierra Media. -Tolkien, J.R.R. (lecture given in 1939). On Fairy Stories. -Tolkien, J.R.R. 19. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. -Olsen, C. 2010. On Fairy-Stories. http://www.festivalintheshire.com/journal5hts/5tolkienprofessor.html

Criticism of the Church in the Canterbury Tales Essay

The Canterbury Tales, a collection of tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, was written in Middle English at the end of the 14th century (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2011). It is considered to be the best work of literature in English in the Middle Ages (Johnston, 1998). Chaucer uses literary devices as no one had ever done. In addition, he chose to use English instead of Latin. This masterpiece is structured in a similar way as Bocaccio’s Decameron. The tales are organized within a frame narrative (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2011) explained in the General Prologue by the narrator: a group of pilgrims that are going to visit St.  Thomas Becket in Canterbury’s Cathedral. These pilgrims are from different estates of the medieval society: nobility, the church and peasantry (The Norton Anthology, 1993: 76). Through the characters, Chaucer reveals some aspects of the society he lived in. In other words, instead of creating typical role models, the characters are exaggerated individuals very different from the prototypical idea. The author uses hyperbolic characters and irony to create humour and criticism. For example, the knight is not the typical medieval soldier the reader would expect. He avoids conflict being a very romantic person. In a similar way, the characters that are part of the Church are also very peculiar. At the time when Chaucer wrote this poem, the Catholic Church was very powerful and rich. The clergy enjoyed great fortunes and a high quality of life compared with the peasantry who was starving and dying. In this essay, I’m going to deal with the criticism towards the Catholic Church analysing the ironic portrays of the Prioress, the Monk, the Friar and the Pardoner. Chaucer begins writing about the hypocrisy of the church in the General Prologue when the Prioress is introduced. The Prioress is a nun with very good manners (e. g. she wipes her lips before drinking, lines 133-134) that behaves as if she were a lady of the court (e. g. she speaks French but with a very bad accent, lines 124-125). The Prioress is also very romantic as we can see in her brooch and her motto: â€Å"Amor vincit omnia† -â€Å"Love conquest all†- (Dr. Melillo, 1996). She is also very kind and sensitive. For instance, she cries when a mouse falls in a trap and feeds her dogs meat so they do not starve. This image of nice person contrasts with the reality of the time. If her words and actions are analyzed, the audience can understand that this was not the typical behavior of a nun. She is more worried about her pets than the commoners who actually did starve and rarely ate meat. The narrator is portraying her as a very naive person in a very nice tone that hides the irony. Nevertheless, the audience was aware that she is not fulfilling the aim of the Church: take care of people (The Norton Anthology, 1993:76). The Monk is the following pilgrim described in the General Prologue. According to his description he is very interested in hunting and in horses (line 166). A monk should not be riding and hunting but obeying, praying, copying and studying. In addition, the Monk is fully aware that his order does not allow these practices and he admits that he does not follow the rules of his order (Jokinen, 2010) (lines 174-175). When the portrait of the Monk finishes in the General Prologue, the man described is bald, fat and well-dressed. Any person in that time that heard this description would immediately think about a lord not a monk. Although the narrator likes the life style of the Monk and his description is not very acid, we can see how Chaucer is criticizing some monk’s lives. Monks are supposed to be obedient and to embrace vow of poverty not to reject rules and live the life they want. After analyzing two characters against who the narrator does not show great rejection, I am going to analyze the Friar and the Pardoner who the narrator describes in a very ironic and bitter tone. A friar is a roaming priest that begs for living whose goal is to help beggars and lepers selflessly. On the contrary, this friar really detests this kind of action because he does not get any benefice from it (lines 242-247). He likes to enjoy life and pleasures. He shows that he is not like a normal friar implying that he is above (lines 210-211) like an aristocrat (Knapp, 1999). In this sense, he acts like the Prioress does, pretending not to be who he really is, a beggar. The reader also knows that he accepts bribes and gives easy penance for extra donations so he can live better. He justifies his conduct explaining that giving money is a sign of repentance. Nevertheless, the Friar, as the Monk, is supposed to have done the vow of poverty. Contradicting any preconceived ideas the reader may have about friars, he has a good quality life thanks to keeping the money he should give his order nd receiving extra incomes. In the description of the character, the audience understood how Chaucer is condemning the abuses of the Church by creating a person who does not follow any of the prototypical characteristics of a good Christian friar. Finally, I am going to explain in detail the character of the Pardoner. The Pardoner resembles the Friar in the fact that both get money from people (with a religious reason behind) for a living and keep it for themselves. However, there are some differences: the Pardoner is not part of an order whereas the Friar is; and he does not believe in what he does either while the Friar justifies it. The Pardoner is considered the most hypocrite character of all because he embodies all the sins he preaches against. He sells papal indulgences in exchange of donation that he keeps for himself showing avarice (lines 389-391). In addition, he admits that he does not feel guilty and that the relics he sells are a fraud. Furthermore, he tells the other pilgrims his tricks implying that he lies and manipulates people to get money. Ironically, after he has admitted that he is a liar, the Pardoner gives a kind of sermon against gluttony, drunkenness, gambling and swearing. Moreover, his tale can be considered an exemplum (Patterson, 1976) that warns against avarice and drunkenness. He gives an instance of the kind of person he is when he tries to sell one of his relics to the Host even when he has already told them they are forged and useless. Apart from being described as, what we would call now, a con artist and a sinful person, there are allusions to his condition of homosexual and eunuch (Jokinen, 1998). All these characteristics make him appear in the margins of society. As I said before, this character is the one that better represents the hypocrisy that Chaucer shows in this work. As I said, he represents all the sins he preaches against: he drinks (his finishes his drink before stating the tale); he lies (about his relics, line 394), and he is greedy (he keeps the money, line 409). Through this character, the author shows a very sinful and corrupt church away from their goal. To conclude, Chaucer shows a very hypocrite and selfish members of the Church in The Canterbury Tales. In the 14th century, the Catholic Church was very influential and religion was present in everyday life. The purpose of the Church was supposed to be the caring of the people. Nonetheless, the characters in this poem do not worry about anything else that themselves and their actions are directed always to their own benefit. Through their words and actions described ironically by the narrator, the characters reflect their sins and their corruption and by extension, the sins and corruption of the Church. It can be concluded that in The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer makes a social criticism showing the dishonesty of the Church. However, it should be pointed out that the characters are an exaggerated version of the original people because the main aim of this work is to be enjoyable for the audience.