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Affirmative action policies
Affirmative action on racial equality
Affirmative action policies
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Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination
"That student was accepted because of affirmative action policies."
With my first intake of the phrase, I realized that the student, whom I
knew and worked with so many times, the one with such a lack of
motivational ability, confidence, and ideas, was now occupying my chances
towards a preferred school. "Affirmative action", I soon found out, was
used by President John F. Kennedy over 30 years ago to imply equality and
equal access to all, disregarding race, creed, color, or national origin.
As a policy setting out to resolve the problems of discrimination,
Affirmative Action is simply nothing more than a quota of reverse
discrimination.
Affirmative Action emphasizes prospective opportunity more towards
statistical measures. It promotes the hiring and acceptance of less
experienced jobs of the workforce and less able students. Sometimes the
affirmative action policies forces employers and schools to choose the best
workers and less privileged students of the minority, in all, regardless of
their potential lack basic skills. As remarked by Maarten de Wit, an
author who's article I found on the World Wide Web, affirmative action
beneficiaries are "not the best pick, but only the best pick from a limited
group." Another article I found, "Affirmative action: A Counter-
Productive Policy" by Ernest Pasour also on the W.W.W., is one example
which reveals that Duke, a very famous and prestigious university, adopted
a resolution requiring each of it's department to hire at least one new
African-American for a faculty position the 1993 date. More proofs of
Affirmative Action in action is the admission practices at the University
of California Berkeley. In the same article by Pasour, it states that
while whites or Asian-Americans need at least a 3.7 grade point average
through high school to be in consideration for admission in Berkeley, most
minorities with much lower standards are automatically admitted. All the
preferential treatment may provide a basis for employers, employees, as
well as real applicable students to fight for an end to Affirmative Action.
The development of more racial tensions are yet another part of the
Affirmative Action policy. Tensions between blacks and whites and other
racial groups at U.S. colleges are related to preferential treatment.
Tensions at the workplace also deal with the toleration of race and sex
The setting of the story helps to magnify its impact on the reader because it is set in a small town similar to the one many of us may know of, and that is symbolic of everything that we consider to be right in America. The story begins on a wonderful summer day in a small town. The author describes the day as very joyful but strikes a contrast between the surroundings of the town and the atmosphere of the people gathered in the square. The atmosphere is sober, where the adults ?stood together, away from the stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather then laughed."(268) This, in just the third paragraph, is a indication through symbolism of the townsfolk?s sober mood that something was amiss. The setting for the lottery also takes place in the same place as the square dances, the teen-age club, and the Halloween program.(268) This unifies our lives with those of the story sense we can relate to those types of events, and is symbolic in showing that even though this dastardly deed happens here that it is still the main place of celebration. Showing how easy it is for us, as human beings, to clean our conscientious by going back to a place that, on June 27, is a place of death and make it a place of delight.
Discrimination is still a chronic global issue, and drastic inequalities still exist at the present time. Thus, the Affirmative Action Law is an important tool to many minorities most especially to women, and people of color, for the reason that this program provides an equality on educational, and professional opportunities for every qualified individual living in the United States. Without this program, a higher education would have been impossible for a “minority students” to attain. Additionally, without the Affirmative Action, a fair opportunity to have a higher-level career...
First and foremost Gregor was betrayed by his own parents who failed to care for him after his transformation. The initial reaction of the parents, especially his father, set the tone for the whole novel. Instead of trying to resolve the issue with a reasonable solution, his father physically abuses him, “when from behind, his father gave him a hard
Throughout The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka shuns Gregor. At first glance, Gregor’s transformation creates the only isolation. As the story evolves, the Samsa family’s segregation begins to play a larger role. Through intuitive actions, each family member isolates themselves. The Samsa’s accommodate the renters generously, in order to win communal approval. Failing the renters positions the Samsa’s lower in society than they previously were. Not only do the Samsa’s isolate themselves, they are also secluded from society. Many instances allow the Samsa’s severance from society to shine through Gregor’s isolation.
Gregor Samsa awakes one morning to discover that he has been transformed into a repugnant vermin. One may never know what initiated this makeover, but the simple truth is that Gregor is now a bug, and everyone must learn to live and move on in this strenuous situation. In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the characters that interact with Gregor, including his mother, his father, and his sister Grete, must come to terms with his unfortunate metamorphosis, and each does so by reacting in a unique way. Gregor’s family members are constantly strained by this unusual event, and all three of them are pressed to their breaking point.
Gregor is the focal point of the family, he provided for them when they needed the money. Gregor also brought the family into turmoil with his change. Just as Gregor brought them into turmoil he brought on growth for the family. His death gave his family a new life. Before Gregor’s metamorphosis, his family was a helpless and selfish. There was little meaningful interaction among them. Once Gregor had become a creature the family had to become resourceful, they learned valuable skills. Gregor gave his family something that could bond them together, they discussed what to do about Gregor almost every night. Gregor’s tragedy brought his family together. Gregor served as a “savior” for his family, he played the same role that Jesus did for the world. Gregor’s life was taken so that the rest of his family may achieve salvation. His family had changed from a selfish and lazy group of people to a loving and caring family. As Gregor grew closer toward death, his family grew closer to
Thirdly, he suffers isolation from the physical world, which he is no longer able to participate in due to his presence and lack of mobility. Lastly, he suffers isolation from other people around him, especially his family. By the end even his sister, Grete, the most compassionate member of the family, explanations that they should stop thoughtful of the creature as the person they knew. She says that “the fact that we’ve believed it so long is the root of our trouble” (Kafka 48), which can be taken to mean that at some point Gregor stopped being a person not only because of his entrance but since of his non-conformist actions. The beating he receives from his father shows the extent of the cruelty he endures, though his father knows that “family duty compulsory the conquest of disgust and the use of endurance, nothing but patience” (Kafka 36). The tragedy is that this alienation ends up killing Gregor, who “dies not as a vermin, but as a human being thinking of his family”. The transformation is an indication of the breakdown of Gregor’s psyche and alienation within his self. The reader is not told how the transformation
and to believe the lottery is something wonderful like it is today. The small town atmosphere and beautiful summer day symbolize the idealistic picture most Americans have of what is right and good about this country. This is reinforced by the fact that the lottery is held in the same place as many of the town's celebrations such as the square-dances, teenage club, and the Halloween program, and clearly shows how easy it is for people to clear their conscience of such horrible actions by being able to have such joyous occasions in the same place. The attitude and actions of the characters slightly allude to the reader that something is amiss, but causes little cause for concern or suspicion. The children were playing and building rock piles. The men were talking about rain, taxes, and tractors while the women gossiped. But there was little laughter between the adults, and they stayed completely away from the rock piles.
One way in which Gregor was unselfish was the fact that he was the reason he and his family were living in such a nice apartment. Gregor was the one who had a job and supported his family and he did it with a great sense of pride. Because he wanted to give his family the best life he could, he hired a cook and a servant and he was hoping to send his sister, Grete, to the conservatorium to further enhance what he believed to be musical talents. He sacrificed his social life for his work; never making friends or going out at night. His only hobby was worrying, sitting alone in his room. In all of the five years he had worked, he had never once been absent. Always ready to go out on his rounds as early as possible, he never took advantage of time for a break. By the time he got back, the other employees were still eating breakfast. He even tells us that if it had not been for his parent's debt, he would have quit a long time ago. "If I didn't to curb my tongue because of my parents, I'd have given notice long time ago. I'd have gone up to the director and told him from the bottom of my heart exactly what I thought" (337-338).
Typically, when someone thinks of a lottery they think of something positive and exciting but contrary to this idea in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”, the connotation has an entirely different meaning. As the story begins, readers lean towards the belief that the town in which Jackson depicts is filled with happiness and joy. “The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green” (Jackson 247) We soon realize that this notion is far from the truth. As the townspeople gather in the square for the annual lottery, which sole purpose is to stone someone to death by randomly pulling a paper out of a black box with a black dot on it, it is learned
In Kafka's Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa, whose life is controlled by his work and family, wakes up a giant insect. Prior to this metamorphosis, Gregor obsequiously goes about his life of routine, despite his hatred for his works and a complete emotional disconnect between Gregor and the family which he works so hard to support. Gregor's metamorphosis marks an important transition in Gregor's life as well as an escape from the monotony of his previous life. Sokel theorizes that Gregor's metamorphosis allows Gregor to express previously repressed feelings of rebellion while not being held accountable for his these tendencies stating "The metamorphosis enables Gregor to become free and stay "innocent", a mere victim of uncontrollable calamity."(206). While his metamorphosis does allow him to free himself from some of the suffering, it traps him in a new cycle, trapped by his families obligation to help him. Throughout his life, Gregor is plagued by a cycle of suffering caused by his families dependence on him which leads to further alienation leading to a dependence on his family's dependence. Though Gregor is broken out of this cycle in his metamorphosis he does not find true freedom until his death.
Many views of existentialism are exposed in Kafka's Metamorphosis. One of these main views is alienation or estrangement which is demonstrated by Gregor's relationship with his family, his social life, and the way he lives his life after the metamorphosis. Namely, it suggests that man is reduced to an insect by the modern world and his family; human nature is completely self absorbed. Kafka reflects a belief that the more generous and selfless one is, the worse one is treated. This view is in direct conflict with the way things should be; man, specifically Gregor should be treated in accordance to his actions. Gregor should be greatly beloved by his family regardless of his state. This idea is displayed in three separate themes. First, Gregor's family is only concerned with the effect Gregor's change will have on them, specifically the effect it will have on their finances and reputation. They are more than willing to take completely gratuitous advantage of Gregor; he works to pay their debt and they are happy to indulge themselves with luxury. Gregor is the soul employed member of his family and this is their primary interest when Gregor is transformed. Secondly, Gregor is penalized for his efforts to be a good son, and a good worker; his toils are completely taken for granted by his family. The Samsa family is not interested in Gregor beyond their own needs, outsiders are reverentially treated. Thirdly, it is displayed by the positive changes that occur in the Samsa family as Gregor descends into tragedy and insignificance. As Gregor's life becomes more painful, isolated, and worthless the Samsa family becomes more functional and self-reliant.
Because Gregor is no longer capable of filling the role of "provider", his actions no longer define the lives of his family, and they are freed from inauthenticity by this revelation. Much like the philosophers of the existentialist movement, Gregor's family realizes that in the face of absurdity, the only choice one has is to define their own existence. As time wears on, Gregor's family becomes contemptuous of the burden which comes from caring for him and hiding him from the eyes of the public. In reaction to their contempt, each chooses to prevent Gregor's new dependent role from hindering their authenticity. The father feels a sense of renewed pride in once again being the head of the household.
In The Metamorphosis Gregor was a working class man who only concerned himself with working and providing for his family. He had no friends, no life or love interest. Gregor was capital to his boss and his family. Without his labor his boss had no product to sell or money to make and without Gregory money his family would not have had a comfortable lifestyle. Once Gregor transformed into giant vermin he became useless to society and his family. He could no longer provide for his family, which in turn like the bourgeois, began treating him like a worthless nobody by not caring for him when he needed it the most.
Camus concludes, however, that like Oedipus, Sisyphus must feel that `all is well'. He has dictated his own fate, he has overcome the gods even in the throes of his punishment, and his entire existence is now focused on an exercise which, by its very futility, has become an end in itself and a demonstration of his own independence of awareness and consciousness. This is, he asserts, the only successful way of perceiving the human condition: to pass through the elements of unconscious absurdity, conscious tragedy and conscious absurdity, and finally arrive at the point where one understands that despite the punishments handed out by the gods, one can still retain the mastery of one's own fate, even while suffering those punishments.