Ruth Benedict Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Ruth Benedict - Scholarship Essay Example Please do these questions on that pamphet: World War Two has taught Americans that no matter how different we all are, we all basically live in one world, no matter how big it is, or how different we all look. It has also taught us that though we come from different races, we are all the same. We are all human beings. We all have our differences but there is nothing which is irreconcilable. The key is unity and understanding compromise. We must all learn to live together or perish together, if we will not be able to learn to put up with our differences. Man must believe in his good nature that a certain kind of world understanding would be reached, that he has his virtues and is capable of putting them into practice. Science has taught us of the unity of the human race and that we are all the same. Our superficial physical differences are just a by-product of the region where each group of people lived. Just like what is stated in the text "the world's small population was dispersed into different places and they slowly developed physical differences". This fact has changed in a way that it has been made stronger. More nations are now united. Technology has paved the way for this. Now, the world seems to be geared into acquiring a universal language in the form of the English language. Aside from the bible truth that we were all born of Adam and Eve, science also proves that all human beings are all the same. The differences are just all superficial. The anatomy of the human body just basically proves that we all just have one makeup. We have the same number of bones, the same set of organs, eyes, ears, teeth, etc. One could break down every living cell in our body, everything would point out, and taxonomy affirms that the human race is just one big family. Our bodies are undeniable proofs of the brotherhood of men. 4. List all the typical features that are usually associated with racial differences. (173ff.) According to Benedict:The Negro has dark skin while the white men's skin is considered too sallow. The shape of the head is also a racial trait. People's hair is often the same over great areas: frizzy hair, lank hair, wavy hair. Europeans remained quite hairy, but in some parts of the world body hair almost disappeared. Blue eyes appeared in the north. In some places in Asia, a fold of skin developed over the inner corner of the eye and produced what we call a slant eye. Some noses were too flat or too pointed. The body structures are also different. 5. What did Europeans do with these differences (172/3) Do people still do that today In a way, these differences prompted men, not only the Europeans to discriminate. Appearances were used to set standards and eventually judge people not for who they are, for their abilities and the worth of their existence but on how they look. The Europeans categorized people into many different races. Each race was described according to skin color, kind of hair, kind of lips, height, and head shape. People still discriminate. Some are quite blatant while some do it covertly. The point is people could look different or could be different but that

An Analysis of Jane Austin's Emma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

An Analysis of Jane Austin's Emma - Essay Example The protagonist belongs to the highest social position in Hartfield’s estate in Surrey, in the village of Highbury of Regency England. He has social responsibilities towards other members holding lesser or poor social positions. Emma is a young woman possessing great amount of charm and tenacity, but misguided by imaginative skills that cloud her judgment. Jane Austen's â€Å"Emma† is a sophisticated example of fiction employing the art of high wit, elements such as irony, subtlety, diction etc to achieve overall effect to the narrative. "Emma," set in a fictional village of rural England within the timeline of the early nineteenth century, is structured around consummated and/or anticipated marriages. The narrative implies the relationship among different characters in a subtle way, providing deeper understanding of the characters that are apparent to only a vigilant reader. The novel involves the development of the character, Emma, from being an ambivalent and naive p erson to a mysterious individual. The plot involves the courtship and romantic connections of three major couples and their ultimate marriages. Austin presents marriage as a fundamental aspect of the society that appropriates and solidifies the social status of individuals. In â€Å"Emma† the institution of marriage is also used as the reason for all conflicts and excitement among its characters. Apart from the primary theme of courtship and marriage, the theme of social class also plays a vital role in the novel. Through this novel, Austin asserts the necessity of compassion and charity among the members of higher classes, which is evident from taking Harriet Smith of the lower class and bringing her to almost an equal social level. The readers can also see Emma pointing out the lower - class distinction of Harriet and the assertion that she would not have been accepted by the higher class, if she did not have Emma's influence. This causes confusion for Harriet who is caught between the desire of marriage and acceptance from higher class and the fear of rejection from her peers, like the Martins. Love is another major theme of the story. Even though Emma considers the possibility of her marriage to Frank Churchill, the reader finds that she is immune to romantic love. She even acknowledges that she does not love Churchill and that she is happy in his presence as well as in his absence. Here, Austin seems to argue that for the society, love is not a requirement for marriage. On the other hand, the social class, fortune and logical qualities become the decisive factors for marriages. However, we can see that Emma, who is financially independent, does not need to succumb to the above logical considerations and that she is able to marry Mr. Knightley solely for love. The marriages of Harriet Smith and Jane Fairfax also involve love, though their alliances also serve the purpose of financial and social security. The novel also involves the theme of imaginat ion vs. reason, which becomes unraveled only to the eyes of the audience. There exists constant conflict between desires and judgment in this novel. When Emma misreads Mr. Elton's behavior, she imagines that he is in love with Harriet. Mr. Elton, on the other hand, is in love with Emma and misreads her behavior for encouragement. Mr. Knightley is unable to form an infallible judgment of Frank Churchill, as he is jealous of Churchill's