Though I know your books have seen their share of praise and love, I still find it ironic to be writing an appreciation letter to an author of several series that parents have declared too ‘vulgar’ and ‘horrific’ for the ‘tender eyes of children’. I have always been a fan of your work ever since my friend introduced me to the Cirque du Freak series in seventh grade, but it has been your book The Thin Executioner that has captured my heart the quickest. All of my life, I have been criticized by my peers whether it concerns my supposed negative attributes or my accomplishments. However, there is one aspect of my life that I consider mostly untouched by the judgements of my peers, mostly because to reach my creativity they would have to delve deep inside my …show more content…
However, I still had my imagination which I utilized on a daily basis in order to have fun, but growing up I realized that many aspects of my imagination were different from the rest of my friends. I understand now that it is natural to have similarities and differences in views and even imaginations, but it still made me feel a little excluded from my peers. Due to this exclusion, I had no will to utilize my imagination in any way or form. When I began to read, especially your books, I realized that just because others do not agree with your ideas or actions, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stop doing what you enjoy. As sappy as it sounds, I found myself resonating somewhat with Jebel as he finally realized at the end of his journey that he should not be afraid to be himself and to follow his own beliefs. Though I used to be a more reserved person with little to no desire to write, I now aspire to come up with new ways to conjure up colorful personalities, travel across worlds, and explore the unknown and it all started by cracking open a
In the essay “Death and Justice”, Ed Koch, the former mayor of New York City, presents an argument defending the use of capital punishment in heinous murder cases. In advancing his viewpoint on the subject matter, Koch addresses the arguments made by those who oppose the death penalty. This novel approach to making an argument not only engages the reader more in the piece, but also immediately illustrates his balanced understanding of both sides of the argument. Rather than simply presenting a biased or one-sided argument regarding his opinion, Koch explores a full range of issues surrounding the incendiary issue and displays both balance and erudition in expression his opinion on the issue of capital punishment.
In conclusion, critical evaluation of what makes a book good or bad depends on the selection criteria and agenda of those making the evaluation. The prizes have been criticised through the years and the selection committees have risen to this by changing the selection process, even if this change has been slow. Children’s Literature is in flux due to the ever-changing ideas and perceptions of childhood. Children’s books seen as prestigious today may become, like Blyton, unpalatable to the critics of tomorrow.
Is it justifiable to inflict the death penalty on individuals who have committed murder? As majority would have it, yes. There are many arguments in favor of capital punishment. Some of these include taking a murderer out of this world once and for all, and saving money that would be spent on them if they were given a life sentence, as well as the majority rule of citizens of the United States wishing it to stay. In Truman Capote’s nonfiction novel, In Cold Blood, Dick and Perry were assigned the death penalty for the cruel murders of four members of the Clutter family in a small town in Kansas. Not only did this pair of men deserve what they got, but it is also better for the state that they were executed.
The sentencing of underage criminals has remained a logistical and moral issue in the world for a very long time. The issue is brought to our perspective in the documentary Making a Murderer and the audio podcast Serial. When trying to overcome this issue, we ask ourselves, “When should juveniles receive life sentences?” or “Should young inmates be housed with adults?” or “Was the Supreme Court right to make it illegal to sentence a minor to death?”. There are multiple answers to these questions, and it’s necessary to either take a moral or logical approach to the problem.
...ary friend when we are younger. Our imaginary friend is very real to us, but as we get older or make the ascent to the world of knowledge, we reject our imaginary friends. We are faced with a different reality where we start to believe that what our eyes show us is the only truth. We forget to question things and don't realize that maybe there is yet another ascent, out of this bigger "cave" of the light.
"Capital punishment is a term which indicates muddled thinking." George Bernard Shaw The "muddled thinking" that Shaw speaks of is the thinking that perpetuates the controversy over capital punishment in the United States today. The impractical concurrence of a theoretical, moral argument and definite, legal application has left all sides in this controversy dissatisfied with the ultimate handling of the issue. There are legitimate ethical and empirical considerations that stand on both the side that favors and on the side that opposes the death penalty. The general incompatibility of these considerations renders them irreconcilable. It is within this condition of irreconcilability that the government must initiate and implement its policies regarding capital punishment. This fixed condition has led to the necessity for and creation of comprises between both sites of this debate, attempting to synthesize the considerations of the two. The contentious issue of the capital punishment was rekindled in the 1970s when, in 1976, the Supreme reinstated the practice after a four-year hiatus. The arguments that comprise much of the legal debate on the issue stem from the eighth and fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution. The eighth reads, "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." 1
Imagination is one of the most powerful attributes a character can possess, and one of the most undervalued. In this day and age, materials seem to be desired by the majority of the people in our generation, whether it’d be elaborate clothing, advanced gadgets, or luxurious cars. We value the accessories that allow us to feel extravagant, rather than appreciating the remarkable abilities gifted to us by human nature. Because of this, the potency of imagination is neglected. However, what happens when we take those material goods away? What happens when we are left with nothing, only ourselves and our minds? This isolation from the material world gives us a chance to explore the possibilities that we disregard while we are blinded by it. With
CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT IN THE UNITED STATES 2 Cruel and Unusual Punishment in the United States: Continuity and Change within the Last Two Centuries A significant aspect of the eighth amendment to the United States Constitution is that the infliction of cruel and unusual punishments is prohibited. However, interpretations of the definition of what a cruel and unusual punishment consists of have become extremely ambiguous. For example, many argue that the death penalty is unconstitutional because it is cruel to take another person’s life willingly; however, others argue that it is acceptable if it is done in a controlled and humane manner. Over the course of the United States history, punishments have ranged from public whippings and hangings, to the electric chair and life in prison. Physical punishments have decreased as society has progressed, yet they continue to be a major source of controversy.
Main Point 1: Imagine someone that has been accused of murder and sentenced to death row has to spend almost 17-20 years in jail and then one day get kill. Then later on the person that they killed was not the right person.
Punishment, when speaking on serious terms, is socially valuable because it deters criminals from repeating their crimes and may keep others from repeating the same acts. If in fact the deterring effect misses its point, it is the fault of the justice system the all the red tape found behind it. At its current standing, the system is viewed as a joke because no authority is taken, no one believes, let alone fears, the system. Both the lengthy time and the high expense result from innumerable appeals, including many technicalities which have little nothing to do with the question of guilt or innocence. If these wasteless amount of appeals were eliminated or at least controlled, then the procedure would be much shorter, less expensive and more
A death penalty is the sentence of execution for murder and some other capital crimes. Capital punishment can also be applied for treason, espionage, and other crimes. The death penalty, or capital punishment, may be prescribed by Congress or any state legislature for murder and other capital crimes. The Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty is not a per se violation of the Eighth Amendment 's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
During the spring semester I read Evangelium Vitae: The Gospel of Life. Paragraphs 27 and 56 of this encyclical prompted a discussion of the death penalty with other students. Their first reaction was that the Pope was against it and that he was saying that the penalty has no justification. There was general resistance to the suggestion that while the Pope's attitude toward the death penalty is, to put it mildly, unfavorable, he did not flat out say that it was immoral, wrong, without justification.
The death penalty refers to a legal process where a criminal gets the punishment of execution due to committing crimes like murder, drug trafficking or rape. The proponents believe that it is a fair form of punishment and should be mandatory. Personally, I disagree that the death penalty should be mandatory for murderers as it will promote social insecurity; and is a form of an inhumane act that promotes violence against violence.
Michael Sanders, a Professor at Harvard University, gave a lecture titled “Justice: What’s The Right Thing To Do? The Moral Side of Murder” to nearly a thousand student’s in attendance. The lecture touched on two contrasting philosophies of morality. The first philosophy of morality discussed in the lecture is called Consequentialism. This is the view that "the consequences of one 's conduct are the ultimate basis for any judgment about the rightness or wrongness of that conduct.” (Consequentialism) This type of moral thinking became known as utilitarianism and was formulated by Jeremy Bentham who basically argues that the most moral thing to do is to bring the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest number of people possible.
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a governmental sanctioned practice where a person is executed by the state as punishment for murder. There are 31 states in the United States that continue to uphold the death penalty (Death). Although the death penalty has faced a great deal of opposition, it is enforced and is a moral punishment for heinous crime. The cost of maintaining death row inmates is expensive, but allows families and friends to have closure after their loved one has been murdered. Executions are carried out respectfully and humanely and help to prevent future crimes. The death penalty serves as a vital purpose and holds criminals accountable for their crimes against human beings.