English Language Arts Choice Board Middle School Short Stories

English Language Arts Choice Board Middle School Short Stories This resource contains three different choice boards that align with “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury, “The Fun They Had” by Isaac Asimov, and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell. Each of the choice boards includes various multiple intelligence opportunities for students to show true knowledge through differentiated assessment. It is suggested that teachers who are using these resources pair these activities with pre-assessments that pertain to social-emotional aspects of student learning, text-dependent questions that allow students to analyze literary elements, word choice, and theme/central idea. These resources should be used as a summative assessment at the end of the reading. In preparation for state testing, teachers could also create rigorous multiple-choice/select items that pertain to each short story and blend that type of assessment with the inclusion of a choice board. For example, the assessment that the classroom teacher would give would have 2 parts: multiple-choice/select questions, then a choice board for students to further prove their knowledge of the text.

Essay about Real Family Values - 764 Words

â€Å"Real† Family Values What are some things that you could never live without? You might say food, water, shelter, or clothing. Other, less conventional, answers might include a cell phone, lip gloss, or Starbuck’s coffee. However, according to psychologist Abraham H. Maslow, all people need belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization. Carol Shields sustained that family values include qualities such as nurturing caring, and emotional support in her essay entitled Family Is One of the Few Certainties We Will Take with Us Far into the Future. I agree with Shields that these family values are important because they provide sources of belongingness, esteem and self-actualization that are basic needs for life.†¦show more content†¦Examples of belonging are the comfort that children have for their caretakers and comfort that adults feel with their relationship with a partner or spouse. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In addition to belong, family values help individuals to feel recognition. This recognition helps to build a person’s esteem. Self-esteem involves the positive or negative image that a person holds about himself or herself and his or her accomplishments. A family will support its members and even, if difficult, will help its members to be successful. Examples of this value in a family situation are a single mother who encourages her only daughter to go away to college, even thought it is difficult for the single mother to live alone. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Finally, one of the most important values that can be fulfilled by family is for its individuals to have self-actualization, or to have a feeling that they can â€Å"be all that they can be.† This is a need that most often parents provide for their children, but it is not bound by age or experience. Having a family that endorses family values means that each individual has a support structure to use when he or she needs it. This helps the person to have the courage to accomplish all that is possible. Self-actualization will help an adult to is in the process of changing careers and help children to perform their best in school. In short, the courage to succeed,Show MoreRelatedPersonal Narrative : My Political Identity1242 Words   |  5 Pageswell for the economy we do well for everyone. Growing up, my family had always been strictly Democratic with a conservative view here and there and it surely has influenced my political stance. Not only that but being a Democrat to me means being a humanitarian and genuinely having hope for the future of America and all its inhabitants. Republican viewpoints on government assistance,skewed view of meritocracy, and traditional family values reflects the selfish and negligent behaviors of privilegedRead MoreEssay on The Triangular Silas Marner2580 Words   |  11 Pagesthe man he seems he should be.    By denying Marner the possibility of a traditional family from the start, Eliot immediately brings forward the question of family values. A question that she answers in the course of her novel. Jeff Nunokawa, in his essay The Misers Two Bodies: Silas Marner and the Sexual Possibilities of the Commodity, claims that Eliot simply shows support for family values (Nunokawa 273), and that she encourages them through her narrative (Nunokawa 290). As evidenceRead More Growth in William Faulkner’s Barn Burning and James Baldwin’s Sonny’s Blues1826 Words   |  8 PagesJames Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† The word family evokes an image of trust and a bond of loyalty. In William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† and James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, the main characters in both these stories demonstrate the idea of family loyalty in several ways. While they continue to express the values of family loyalty, the main characters have to overcome several obstacles. Searching for ways to communicate effectively with their families and maintaining their changing identities trapRead MoreCultural And Society Trends That Affect The Prices Of Real Estate1402 Words   |  6 Pagestrends that affect the prices of real estate. They are discussed in detail below. Population Trends (Stability, Migration, Growth, and Decline) It is the common belief that increase in population greatly influences the value of real estate due to the fact that demand increases mostly in urban areas. This implies that migration of people from rural to urban areas affects the value of real estate and a perfect example of these is New York City where the prices of real estate continue to escalate as moreRead MoreReal Estate Industry In The Rental Market Essay1279 Words   |  6 PagesReal Estate Industry in the Rental Market Abstract â€Å"Real estate is land, all of the natural parts of land such as trees and water, and all permanently attached improvements such as fences and buildings. People use real estate for a wide variety of purposes, including retailing, offices, manufacturing, housing, ranching, farming, recreation, worship, and entertainment.† (Answers.com) In order to more specifically focus on a specific area of real estate this discussion will deal with the housingRead MoreInvesting Inside A Qualified Retirement Plan913 Words   |  4 Pagestimes past with Real estate, Real Estate Investment Trust s (REIT s), Derivatives, Hedge funds, Currencies and so many more thrown into the mix. Here we will consider Real estate investing, the different types of real estate to consider and why one serves the investor over another as it relates to investing inside a qualified retirement plan. Unlike so many other investments, real estate is unique because it can be leveraged. Banks will lend upwards to 60% percent of the properties value with non-recourseRead MoreFamily Values1487 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish  111   16  October  2014  Ã‚   Family  Value  and  Truth   Family  in  society  is  a  social  structure.  Family  plays  a  key  role  in  human  life  because  it  can  give   people  a  sense  of  home,  or  a  loving  and  supportive  group.  In  most  cases  when  people  think  of  families   they  think  of  having  a  mom,  dad,  brother,  sister.  Ã‚  However,  nothing  in  life  is  perfect.  Today,  we  have   separated  ,  same  sex,  extended,  and  blended  families.  Society  tries  to  explain  these  more  contemporary   families  but  has  a  harsh  way  of  doing  soRead MoreCommercial Real Estate Essay examples973 Words   |  4 PagesCommercial real estate is any property other than a single family home or a residential lot in a neighborhood. The commercial real estate market is handled very similarly industrial and residential real estate markets. The commercial real estate market goes through ups and downs just like any other investment market however investments into commercial real estate can be a very wise decision. Commercial real estate is similar to industrial and residential real estate in that when you buy it you areRead MoreRiverside Is California s Largest County915 Words   |  4 Pagesoffering real estate values and community characteristics very few southern California locations can match let along compete, when it comes to selecting a location to call home. Within in this vase valley surrounded by rivers, mountains, and deserts, it may be the most diverse location and good reason for over 2 million people deciding to purchase residential homes. Although the area is still developing and market trends for real estate fluctuate form month to month, Riverside CA real estate isRead MoreA Solution To the Foreclosure Crisis Essay955 Words   |  4 Pagesreached new heights since the all-time high deficit in the economy. U.S. foreclosure rates went up more than 81% and 861,664 families lost their homes to foreclosure in 2008 (Les Christie). Also, 54 households received a foreclosure no tice last year (Les Christie). So what is the solution? Bold action is needed to address this serious issue. I suggest a â€Å"real estate pause† for a temporary amount of time, similar to what Roosevelt did with the â€Å"bank holiday† during the Great Depression

The Foolproof Argumentative Synthesis Essay Topics Strategy

The Foolproof Argumentative Synthesis Essay Topics Strategy The Fundamentals of Argumentative Synthesis Essay Topics Revealed There are lots of aspects about a sport that may be argued in an essay. Thus, for your coursework, you are going to want to have the very best ideas. The role of assigning an essay to middle school students is to make awareness and permit them to develop writing skills. Everyone would like to generate fantastic papers, get the greatest marks, and get the standing of a hardworking student. Understanding Argumentative Synthesis Essay Topics Whenever you make an order on our site, you get all extra guarantees. Just like any excellent essay, organization is important. If you aren't pleased with your paper, you can secure the total refund according to our company policy or ask us for corrections. Thus don't be concerned about writing homework and get our paper help when possible. Argumentative essays are frequently more philosophical and synthetic essays are devoted to a specific matter. Following that, you must construct your own claim, and compose an essay around that. Usually, it doesn't include references and quotes in it. It is crucial to select a great topic so as to compose a fantastic paper. The last price is based on the kind of paper, page sum, deadline, and other criteria. By way of example, in college, you might be requested to compose a paper from the opposing standpoint. There is not sufficient info to create a last choice. When there's information which goes against your key points, don't ignore it. Whether there are differences between sources, it's recommended that the paper shows information concerning the differences or similarities in an informative way. Make certain that you have read all your sources. You should employ a significant amount of sources. Many of your sources will likely have information that could support either side of an argument. The topic needs to be handled in a thorough and objective method. English language classes usually take a lot of writing. Sarcasm is employed in various situations, as an example, some might use it in order to clearly show their anger or dissatisfaction about something. When the paper was completed, the conclusion provides the last touches by giving suggestions or further comments. Getting in a position to compose a strong argument will allow you to succeed in society. You must be quite diligent in your approach so you can find with a very good work. A complete topic for a synthesis paper is one which encourages you to have a stance on a debatable iss ue. The Hidden Secret of Argumentative Synthesis Essay Topics Argumentative essay is about arguing and debating on a subject, which is debatable. Researching the topic permits you to find out more about what fascinates you, and should you pick something you truly like, writing the essay will be more enjoyable. In some manner, this issue of your upcoming essay is dependent on what you would like to do by your paper and the sources you rely on. A good topic for a synthesis essay is one which encourages you to opt for a position on a debatable topic. You don't need to acquire super technical with legal argumentative essays, but remember to do your homework on what the recent laws about your preferred topic actually say. Now that you know what a lousy topic appears like, it's time to chat about what an excellent topic resembles. Quite frequently, the very best topic is one which you truly care about, but you also will need to get well prepared to research it. It's important to select debatable argumentative essay topics as you need opposing points you could counter to your own points. New Questions About Argumentative Synthesis Essay Topics Lousy synthesis topics can arrive in a number of forms. Critical thinking and analysis must make sure high excellent synthesis essay content. Research is really the most important portion of the argumentative synthesis essay. If it is all about figuring out how to compose an AP English synthesis essay, it's important to open the official AP website with the present requirements and study the grading rubric to comprehend what things to concentrate on. In the instance of a synthesis essay, it's supplied by the instructor. Well, grading papers can be rather dull. In conclusion, to learn to compose a very good synthesis essay, a student should discover more regarding the area of research. The most important argument in favour of Walmart is it provides employment to a massive amount of people, while the little and medium towns also gain from a reduced quantity of trips to the neighborhood shop. Understanding how to compose a strong argumentative paper will help you advance your very own argumentative thinking. Bear in mind you can make funny argumentative essays if you do a few things. When you're picking your topic, bear in mind that it's much simpler to write about something which you currently have interest ineven in case you don't know a good deal about it.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes Free Essays

Honors Literature Independent Reading Assignment Staying Fat For Sarah Brynes The book Staying Fat For Sarah Brynes revolves around a young swimmer by the name of Eric. Eric was also called Moby by his classmates due to excessive weight. Throughout the book Chris Crutcher allows readers to witness a transformation that takes place for Eric not only physically but emotionally. We will write a custom essay sample on Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes or any similar topic only for you Order Now The hundred meter freestyle champion was determined to shed his weight and replace it with muscle. His dream of ending the days students called him Moby was placed on halt due to his commitment to one of his close friends Sarah. Sarah was a girl who lived a familiar lifestyle to Eric. She was constantly teased by the students who attended her school. At a young age Sarah’s face and hands were placed on a woodstove by her dad leaving her with untreated scars that later turned into dead tissue. The scars would later serve as a sign on strength and self-unity . â€Å"You learned a good lesson about pain,† when you can’t take it anymore, your body stops feeling for you, (Crutcher89) . One of the major themes Chris Crutcher portrayed in â€Å"Staying Fat For Sarah Brynes is friendship . Eric and Sarah became friends as social outcasts. Both were often rejected by society so they learn to appreciate each other . They discovered ways to understand each other and soothe each other’s pain. They learned to be there for each other through the thick and thin. â€Å"Look, if you keep eating like a starving Biafran turned loose at the Food Circus just to prove me wrong about why were friends , you’ll die of a heart attack before your fifteen† (Crutcher page 93). This showed how much Sarah Byrnes friendship meant to Erick, because he was willing to continue to be fat, even though he had always been made fun of, just to prove to her that he would not stop being her friend. Throughout the book Crutcher takes readers on an adventure of some of the things Sarah faced on an everyday basis. By providing readers with this discrepancy it showed the building structure of Eric and Sarah’s friendship. It made onlookers realize the seal of respect they had for each other. Even though outside sources tried to detour Eric’s love and compassion for Sarah â€Å"Taking on someone else’s monster will kill you† Crutcher 219-220) he stalwartly stood by her side . The book states that Eric came face to face with Sarah’s dad to confront him on the mistreating of his friend. Sarah’s dad was symbolized throughout the book as a troubled guy who battled alcoholism most of his adult life. The courageousness of Eric to stand up to him despite putting his life in danger shows the commitment he had to Sarah. Apart of supporting Sarah it made Eric a stronger person. While witnessing the harsh reality of Sarah’s life and how she dealt with it inspired him to be as strong as her. â€Å"I wanted to be tough like Sarah Byrnes , to stand straight and, oblivious to gut eclipsing my belt buckle. He learned that without her friendship his life would have been the same and he would have never learned that he had valor. Erick gave the ultimate sacrifice by putting his life on the line in order for Sarah Byrnes to escape from her father. He helped the world know about the horrible abuse that Sarah Byrnes went through every day of her life. How to cite Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Papers

Untitled Essay Research Paper Introduction free essay sample

Untitled Essay, Research Paper Introduction Some clip in the history of the existence, no 1 is rather certain when, there was born a adult male. This adult male would finally be the first to establish a monotheistic faith. The name of this adult male is Zoroaster ; the name is really a corruptness of Zarathushtra. Zoroaster # 8217 ; s birth day of the month, along with whether his faith is really monotheistic, is a topic of great argument. The sentiments refering his birth, and accordingly about the beginning of this great faith, scope from every bit early as 6000 old ages before Plato to every bit late as 500 B.C.E. In any instance he was born someplace in Iran, although whether in the East or West is besides arguable. In the early writings the people belonging to this faith are called Zarathustris ; the system he taught is called Mazdaism. The present twenty-four hours followings are called Parsees. We will write a custom essay sample on Untitled Essay Research Paper Introduction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Zoroaster removed the multiplicity of divinities from faith and created a religion in which there were two, or possibly, one God. All other higher existences were regarded as devils, or evil liquors. No 1 knows for certain the different phases of popularity that Zoroastrianism experienced. We do cognize that at the clip of Darius I, 558? -486 B.C.E. , it was protected by royalty. Later, nevertheless, Zoroastrians were continually chased by the members of the Islamic faith through Kathiawar in India, and Surat, and eventually they settled once more in Bombay. The existence is the battlefield. The oppositions are Mazda Ahura, subsequently to be known as Ahura Mazda, and Anra Mainyu, subsequently name ed Ahriman. Ahura Mazda is the good force and the bad is Ahriman. The conflict will last till Ahura Mazda lickings Ahriman in the twelvemonth 12,000 ( we are now presumptively around 11,500 ) . This is the universe and its hereafter in conformity with Zoroastrian beliefs. Zoroaster Zoroas ter had a really non-conforming head and was forced to fly his parents # 8217 ; house without his parents # 8217 ; consent because of the rebuking he gave to those who sacrificed cowss or drank intoxicant soma. He fled to the mountains and gave himself to God. Sometime between the ages of 30 and forty an angel appeared to him and brought him to the throne of the highest God, Ahura Mazda. After this occurred, the prophesier tried for 12 old ages to change over people, but to no available. During this period many visions were revaled to him. A milepost in the patterned advance of the faith occurred when Zoroaster converted Vishtaspa, the male monarch of Persia. He besides converted the male monarch # 8217 ; s boy, brother, counselor, and expansive vizier. Zoroaster married, along with two other adult females, the counselor # 8217 ; s girl. Zoroaster was killed at the age of 77 by Ardshataspa, a adjacent prince, who invaded Vishtaspa # 8217 ; s capital. Harmonizing to the Parsees, Vishtaspa is the male parent of Darius, who reigned from 521-485 B.C.E. Another position holds that Zoroaster lived 258 old ages before Alexander the Great ; he would hold hence lived between 570 and 500 B.C.E. The Greeks tend to put him six thousand old ages before Plato. Ahura Mazda, while non needfully discovered by Zoroaster, was found on an lettering dating about 714 B.C.E. In ancient Persia, before Zoraoster # 8217 ; s reforms, faith was polytheistic. Zoroaster objected to these dieties and referred to them as devils. Many of the rites and Supreme beings that he removed were subsequently reinstated due to the fact that the people were still emotionally attached to them. We can see this from the fact that on the epigraphs of Artaxerxes II Mnemon ( 404-358 B.C.E. ) the Mithras and Anahita, ancient Gods, are mentioned. Temples and images of God were besides introduced into the faith at a ulterior day of the month. Zoroastrian Beliefs The Zoroastrian faith is based on the cardin al construct of a changeless conflict of good against immorality. The good is represented by Ahura Mazda while the bad is represented by Ahriman. Ahura Mazda created this universe as a trap for Ahriman. Human beings pull Ahriman into this universe ; he will leap at any opportunity to do others to make evil. He will so be come ining Ahura Mazda # 8217 ; s universe, and when people choose good over evil voluntarily this will weaken Ahriman to the point where he can be destroyed. It is difficult to accommodate the two opposing positions on the dieties in the Zoroastrian faith. The claim is made that the faith is monotheistic ; it is besides alleged that the opposing forces in the universe, good and evil, are represented by two equal Gods. Modern twenty-four hours Parsees resolve the contradiction by explicating that Ahura Mazda has ever and will ever stand above all. Anra Mainyu, or Ahriman, was merely created due to an evil idea that one time entered Ahura Mazda # 8217 ; s caput. Th e existent opposition of Ahriman is Spenta Mainyu, the good spirit. The universe is divided into three subdivisions. The upper universe is bathed in visible radiation, the Earth is divided into seven subdivisions, and the underworld is a dark topographic point. The forces of good and immoralities will make conflict for the 12 thousand old ages of the universe # 8217 ; s entire being. In the beginning, as Ahriman attempts to kill Ahura Mazda, he is stopped and pulled off. Both of the Gods agree to a period of peace that will last 9,000 old ages. During the first three thousand old ages Ahura Mazda creates angels, good liquors, and Frava shis. These Fravashis are the original celestial images of work forces populating in the upper universe. During the following three thousand old ages the Fravashis come down to Earth. There they lead a perfect impeccant life. Anra Mainyu is angry because of the advantage he sees the Ahura Mazda has gained over him in readying for the concluding confl ict. He tries to convey immorality to the universe, but he is rendered powerless by the sacred Ahunavairya expression that Ahura Mazda utters. In the following three thousand old ages Anra Mainyu invades the universe. He kills the early adult male and animate being and disperses devils throughout the universe. However a human twosome arises from the seed of the early adult male and a cow from the seed of early animate being. These existences are assorted and must take between the good and evil that now inhabits the universe. The concluding three 1000 twelvemonth period begins and Ahura Mazda sends Zoroaster down to the universe. Zoroaster had been in fravashi, or religious, signifier since the beginning of the 2nd period. After Zoroast er # 8217 ; s decease, every thousand old ages till the terminal of this three thousand twelvemonth period, a prophesier will originate. This prophesier will come from a virgin who is fertilized by leftovers of Zoroaster # 8217 ; s seed, which is pr eserved in a lake. The prophesier will convey about an betterment in society for a short period of clip. The last of these Prophetss, Saoshyant, or # 8220 ; helper # 8221 ; , will convey about a Resurrection of the dead. The concluding battle will so happen and the decease of Ahriman will take topographic point. All evil will vanish and the universe will be cleansed by a ardent watercourse of metal which will convey about a complete transmutation, or Frashokereti. Ahura Mazda will govern over all everlastingly. Zoroastrian Literature The chief beginning for the instructions of Zoroaster is the Avesta. These are the lone Hagiographas which come straight from Zoroaster and are written as if spoken to him by God Himself. Due to the fact that the Iranians couldn # 8217 ; t compose, all this information was passed down orally ; this, in portion, led to the eventual loss of this stuff. Around the 5th century an Avestan alphabet was created for this intent. These paperss day of the mont h back to 1323. The Gathas are sacred literature which are hard to interpret and are believed to inclu de rites, supplications, anthem, visions of God, His intents, and prognostications. The Gathic parts of the Yasna were preserved by being included in the Yasna Hagiographas which involved the worship procedure of every twenty-four hours. The younger Avestan parts of the Yasna were being written throughout all the centuries finally holding 72 subdivisions. These contained many subjects and protected the basic Gathic texts. Some of the Extended Avesta was taken from the Yashts which were anthems addressed to the lesser godly existences and were really poetic. These were written in the Avestan idiom. The Gathas on the other manus, were memorized due to their sanctity. The Vendidad were written in the late younger Avestan period. They included Torahs on pureness and on contending immorality. The Visperad is an extension of the Yasna and the Vendidad. They dealt with the seven holy days of faith. The Nayesh and Goh were prayers recited, on the average, eight times a day. They were for priests as well as lay persons. Some were directed at certain forces of nature and were said less frequently. The Khorda, or Little Avesta, is a book of common prayers. Each Khorda had the same prayers but in different orders. They were previously memorized and only said by priests, but now, because they are printed, are said by everyone. The Great Avesta is grouped into twenty-one nasks, or books. They were last written in the sixth century and contain all the previous works and much more. They included the life and legends about the prophet, the religious doctrine, the end of days, law, creation of the world, and science. These were placed in all the temples, but during the Islamic period all the temples were destroyed and not a copy remains. A book, the Denkard, has a detailed summary of these works in Pahlavi and it seems that the Extended Aves ta took a quarter of the whole canon. The only reason that the Pahlavi survived is because they were used extensively and therefore known by heart, and priests made copies of them at their houses. Zands, or intrepertations, on the Avesta have always been written. The old ones are included with the Avesta. This continued until the fourth century when the Sasanians, the last Zoroastrians to rule Iran, c hanged the language to Middle Persian, or Pahlavi. The ones written in this Pahlavi language are the only ones that fully remain of the Zand and so are considered the Zand. The Yashts are the only part of the Avesta not to have a Zand written together with it. The Pahlavi works were written as if being said aloud. Because of this free style of being written they were changed or added to freely by future people. In subsequent times the Zoroastrian community was very persecuted and they were lowered to a group of poor and intellectualy isolated people. They reduced the writings to the ba sics and much of their writings are simply copies of previous texts. They also left their Pahlavi writings for the more current Persian. As the religious community moved about they translated their writings into many of the different languages of the places where they were residing at that time. Not much was added and even the writings they retained were copied with mistakes. In later times, from the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries, because of the split in the Zoroastrian communities, one being in Iran and the other in Persia, the writings were not very frequent. The writings basically consisted of Parsi questions to their Iranian counter parts, usually about law and purity, and the answers. These writings were known as the Persian Rivayats. From the mid-nineteenth century and on the Parsis prospered greatly. This brought about an increase in the amount of literature. The literat ure was written in many languages including Gujarat (one of the previous places of residence) and Engl ish. These consisted mainly of the religion’s beliefs and observances. The Zoroastrian religion makes an abrupt turn at this point and changes from its previous highly orthodox religion and writing. The society is hurt and confused because of a sudden plunge into modernity. The society searched for new ways to explain the older writings. The writing is transformed into one writing influenced by the beliefs of many of the surrounding religions including Christianity and Hinduism. Some writings simply talk of a belief but advocate no actual observance requiring any actions. Into the twentieth century the writings decrease and show a greater influence by the Muslims. Zoroastrian History From around 550-330 B.C.E. the Iranian tribes left the steppes where they had been previously living and conquered and moved into modern-day Iran. The eastern Iranians brought the Zoroastrian faith to the western Iranians, the Meads, and the Persians. It became the religion of the Achaemenian emp ire. The Avestan writings, however, remained in the eastern dialect. Alexander slaughtered many of the Zoroastrian priests thereby also harming the transmission of the texts. The Asacids, from north-east Iran, later established the second Iranian empire. The empire was called the Parthian empire. The few written records they had indicated a tolerance of the Zoroastrian religion. This empire ruled from approximately 144 B.C.E. through 224 C.E. The Sasanian period was from 224 to 651 C.E. By this time Zoroastrianism had returned to many of the things that Zoroaster had taken out at the beginning of the religion. They had gone back to their old ways of sacrificing, drinking haoma, and believing in more than one God. However, even as the orthodoxy of the religion declined, its popularity increased to the greatest point in its history. After the fall of t his empire Persia was converted to Islam. About fourteen thousand remain in Iran today. The others either converted or moved to India, where different religions were more tolerated. The Zoroastrians there are called Parsees, and most live around Bombay. They number about 150,000. They have greatly prospered, and probably owe this to their honesty and generosity. Ethics Zoroaster based his concept of good and evil on the things that happened to be good and bad for the people of his time. Animals which were used for cattle bearing were considered good and created by Ahura Mazda. On the other hand, animals which were harmful to cattle were created by Ahriman. Large families were praised, and any attempt to stop sex from having children was forbidden. The main purpose of man is always to make good decisions and to fight with Ahura Mazda against the forces of Ahriman. Life after Death Cadavers are unclean and therefore should not be allow ed to touch the holy fire and earth. The Zoroastrians have devised a way of dealing with this in which they place the dead bodies on dakhmas, the towers of silence. Certain people who have received this position by inheritance, as it is unholy, bring the bodies into these towers. Once placed on the towers of silence the bodies are devoured by vultures in a matter of hours. Water is then poured over the bones and is run into the sea. Modern ways of dealing with the dead are by placing them into cement containers or by burning with electricity. Spiritually, after a person dies, his body remains in the area in which he died for three days. After this his conscience appears to him in the form of a woman. If the person had a bad conscience the woman is ugly; if he had a good conscience the woman is beautiful. The woman then takes him over a bridge called the Chinvat Peretu, the accountants’ bridge. If the person led a good life he walks over the bridge into paradise; if he led a bad l ife he falls to hell. If the person is not evil nor good he reaches the intermediate kingdom, Hamestakans, which is between paradise and hell. After the end of the world is reach ed, the spirits will be returned to their bodies and it is only then that their final fate will be decided. Conclusion In conclusion I think that the following observation correctly summarizes the enduring contributions of Zoroastrianism. It is an inspired ideology which is based upon three beli efs: there is a battle between good and evil, there will be an end to the world together with a final divine judgment and the purification of earth, and there is a paradise, a perfect society in heaven. These ideas have had far reaching effects upon other religions and people. Zoroastrianism has brought a concept of a sense of the religious meaning of history along with a stronger monotheism and ethics. It has removed the religious identification with nature and states of consciousness. There are those that believe that the Ancient Hebrews only adopted the concepts of a resurrection of the dead, an end to the world, and a final judgment, once they came into contact with the Zoroastrians. All of these ideas are presently important to the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. We can all see how far reaching and important the Zoroastrian religion has been on the evolution of the important religions out of which most modern civilizations have evolved.

Free Essays on The Protagonist Of The Scarlet Letter

Dimmesdale: The Bearer of the Scarlet letter Who should bear the stigma of sin? Hawthorne’s novel is a story of adultery, social judgment, and moral redemption. Hester cannot hide the consequences of her mistake, so she is exposed to public judgment and forced to wear the scarlet letter. However, it is Dimmesdale’s guilty conscience and struggle to rise above the sin that makes the essence of the narrative. The argument for Dimmesdale as a protagonist lies in the answers to the following questions. Does Dimmesdale’s character change throughout the story? Does he have an antagonist and a helper? Do his actions bring about the climax of the story? Finally, does he solve the problem? Hawthorne uses character development to show how a person can change. A well-developed character stirs emotions in the reader to make a powerful story. All three main characters, Hester, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale undergo changes that mark the development of events. However, it is Dimmesdale who changes the most. The reason for his change is the sin he commits with Hester. At the beginning of the book, we meet a young and self-confident minister who is trusted by the townspeople, as their moral and religious leader, â€Å"So powerful seemed the minister’s appeal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (74). As the story progresses we see Dimmesdale become weaker physically, due to his moral torment â€Å", who’s health had severly suffered† (119). In Chapter 8, we see him through Hester’s eyes, as a man who â€Å"Looked now more careworn and emanciated than as we described him at the scene of Hester’s public ignominy: and wether it were his failing health, or whatever the cause might be, his large dark eyes had a world of pain in their troubled and melancholy depth† (124). For a large part of the novel Dimmesdale becomes both, very sick physically and ment... Free Essays on The Protagonist Of The Scarlet Letter Free Essays on The Protagonist Of The Scarlet Letter Dimmesdale: The Bearer of the Scarlet letter Who should bear the stigma of sin? Hawthorne’s novel is a story of adultery, social judgment, and moral redemption. Hester cannot hide the consequences of her mistake, so she is exposed to public judgment and forced to wear the scarlet letter. However, it is Dimmesdale’s guilty conscience and struggle to rise above the sin that makes the essence of the narrative. The argument for Dimmesdale as a protagonist lies in the answers to the following questions. Does Dimmesdale’s character change throughout the story? Does he have an antagonist and a helper? Do his actions bring about the climax of the story? Finally, does he solve the problem? Hawthorne uses character development to show how a person can change. A well-developed character stirs emotions in the reader to make a powerful story. All three main characters, Hester, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale undergo changes that mark the development of events. However, it is Dimmesdale who changes the most. The reason for his change is the sin he commits with Hester. At the beginning of the book, we meet a young and self-confident minister who is trusted by the townspeople, as their moral and religious leader, â€Å"So powerful seemed the minister’s appeal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (74). As the story progresses we see Dimmesdale become weaker physically, due to his moral torment â€Å", who’s health had severly suffered† (119). In Chapter 8, we see him through Hester’s eyes, as a man who â€Å"Looked now more careworn and emanciated than as we described him at the scene of Hester’s public ignominy: and wether it were his failing health, or whatever the cause might be, his large dark eyes had a world of pain in their troubled and melancholy depth† (124). For a large part of the novel Dimmesdale becomes both, very sick physically and ment...

Read The Lowest Animal by Mark Twain

Read The Lowest Animal by Mark Twain Fairly early in his career – with the publication of numerous tall tales, comic essays  and the novels Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  Mark Twain earned his reputation as one of Americas greatest humorists. But it wasnt until after his death in 1910 that most readers discovered Twains darker side. Composed in 1896, The Lowest Animal (which has appeared in different forms and under various titles, including Mans Place in the Animal World) was occasioned by the battles between Christians and Muslims in Crete. As editor Paul Baender has observed, The severity of Mark Twains views on religious motivation was part of the increasing cynicism of his last 20 years. An even more sinister force, in Twains view, was the Moral Sense, which he defines in this essay as the quality which enables [man] to do wrong. After clearly stating his thesis in the introductory paragraph, Twain proceeds to develop his argument through a series of comparisons and examples, all of which appear to support his claim that we have reached the bottom stage of development. The Lowest Animal by Mark Twain I have been scientifically studying the traits and dispositions of the lower animals (so-called), and contrasting them with the traits and dispositions of man. I find the result humiliating to me. For it obliges me to renounce my allegiance to the Darwinian theory of the Ascent of Man from the Lower Animals; since it now seems plain to me that the theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer one, this new and truer one to be named the Descent of Man from the Higher Animals. In proceeding toward this unpleasant conclusion I have not guessed or speculated or conjectured, but have used what is com ­monly called the scientific method. That is to say, I have sub ­jected every postulate that presented itself to the crucial test of actual experiment, and have adopted it or rejected it according to the result. Thus I verified and established each step of my course in its turn before advancing to the next. These experiments were made in the London Zoological Gardens, and covered many months of painstaking and fatiguing work. Before particularizing any of the experiments, I wish to state one or two things which seem to more properly belong in this place than further along. This in the interest of clearness. The massed experiments established to my satisfaction certain gener ­alizations, to wit: That the human race is of one distinct species. It exhibits slight variations (in color, stature, mental caliber, and so on) due to climate, environment, and so forth; but it is a species by itself, and not to be confounded with any other.That the quadrupeds are a distinct family, also. This fam ­ily exhibits variations – in color, size, food preferences, and so on; but it is a family by itself.That the other families – the birds, the fishes, the insects, the reptiles, etc. – are more or less distinct, also. They are in the procession. They are links in the chain which stretches down from the higher animals to man at the bottom. Some of my experiments were quite curious. In the course of my reading I had come across a case where, many years ago, some hunters on our Great Plains organized a buffalo hunt for the entertainment of an English earl. They had charming sport. They killed seventy-two of those great animals; and ate part of one of them and left the seventy-one to rot. In order to determine the differ ­ence between an anaconda and an earl (if any) I caused seven young calves to be turned into the anacondas cage. The grateful reptile immediately crushed one of them and swallowed it, then lay back satisfied. It showed no further interest in the calves, and no disposition to harm them. I tried this experiment with other anacondas; always with the same result. The fact stood proven that the difference between an earl and an anaconda is that the earl is cruel and the anaconda isnt; and that the earl wantonly destroys what he has no use for, but the anaconda doesnt. This seemed to suggest that the anaconda was not descended from the earl. It also seemed to suggest that the earl was descended from the anaconda, and had lost a good deal in the transition. I was aware that many men who have accumulated more millions of money than they can ever use have shown a rabid hunger for more, and have not scrupled to cheat the ignorant and the helpless out of their poor servings in order to partially appease that appetite. I furnished a hundred different kinds of wild and tame animals the opportunity to accumulate vast stores of food, but none of them would do it. The squirrels and bees and certain birds made accumulations, but stopped when they had gathered a winters supply, and could not be persuaded to add to it either honestly or by chicane. In order to bolster up a tottering reputa ­tion the ant pretended to store up supplies, but I was not de ­ceived. I know the ant. These experiments convinced me that there is this difference between man and the higher animals: he is avaricious and miserly; they are not. In the course of my experiments I convinced myself that among the animals man is the only one that harbors insults and injuries, broods over them, waits till a chance offers, then takes revenge. The passion of revenge is unknown to the higher animals. Roosters keep harems, but it is by consent of their concu ­bines; therefore no wrong is done. Men keep harems but it is by brute force, privileged by atrocious laws which the other sex were allowed no hand in making. In this matter man occupies a far lower place than the rooster. Cats are loose in their morals, but not consciously so. Man, in his descent from the cat, has brought the cats looseness with him but has left the unconsciousness behind (the saving grace which excuses the cat). The cat is innocent, man is not. Indecency, vulgarity, obscenity (these are strictly confined to man); he invented them. Among the higher  animals  there is no trace of them. They hide nothing; they are not ashamed. Man, with his soiled mind, covers himself. He will not even enter a drawing room with his breast and back naked, so alive are he and his mates to indecent suggestion.  Man  is The Animal that Laughs. But so does the monkey, as Mr. Darwin pointed out; and so does the Australian bird that is called the laughing jackass. No!  Man  is the Animal that Blushes. He is the only one that does it or has occasion to. At the head of this  article  we see how three monks were burnt to death a few days ago, and a prior put to death with atrocious cruelty. Do we inquire into the details? No; or we should find out that the prior was subjected to unprintable muti ­lations. Man (when he is a North American Indian) gouges out his prisoners eyes; when he is King John, with a nephew to render untroublesome, he uses a red-hot iron; when he is a reli ­gious zealot dealing with heretics in the Middle Ages, he skins his captive alive and scatters salt on his back; in the first Richards time he shuts up a multitude of Jew families in a tower and sets fire to it; in Columbuss time he captures a family of Spanish Jews and (but  that  is not printable; in our day in England a man is fined ten shillings for beating his mother nearly to death with a chair, and another man is fined forty shillings for having four pheasant eggs in his possession without being able to satisfacto ­rily explain how he got t hem). Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one that inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it. It is a trait that is not known to the higher animals. The cat plays with the frightened mouse; but she has this excuse, that she does not know that the mouse is suffering. The cat is moderate – unhumanly moderate: she only scares the mouse, she does not hurt it; she doesnt dig out its eyes, or tear off its skin, or drive splinters under its nails – man-fashion; when she is done playing with  it she  makes a sudden meal of it and puts it out of its trouble.  Man  is the Cruel Animal. He is alone in that distinction. The higher animals engage in individual fights, but never in organized masses.  Man  is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities, War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him and goes forth in cold blood and with  calm  pulse to exterminate his kind. He is the only animal that for sordid wages will march out, as the Hessians did in our Revolu ­tion, and as the boyish Prince Napoleon did in the Zulu war, and help to slaughter strangers of his own species who have done him no harm and with whom he has no quarrel. Man  is the only animal that robs his helpless fellow of his country – takes possession of it and drives him out of it or destroys him.  Man  has done this in all the ages. There is not an acre of ground on the globe that is in possession of its rightful owner, or that has not been taken away from owner after owner, cycle after cycle, by force and bloodshed. Man  is the only Slave. And he is the only animal who en ­slaves. He has always been a slave in one form or  another,  and has always held other slaves in bondage under him in one way or another. In our day he is always some mans slave for wages, and does that mans  work; and  this slave has other slaves under him for minor wages, and they do  his  work. The higher animals are the only ones who exclusively do their own work and provide their own living. Man  is the only Patriot. He sets himself apart in his own country, under his own flag, and sneers at the other nations, and keeps multitudinous uniformed assassins on hand at heavy ex ­pense to grab slices of other  peoples  countries, and keep them from grabbing slices of  his. And in the intervals between cam ­paigns, he washes the blood off his hands and works for the universal brotherhood of man, with his mouth. Man  is the Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Ani ­mal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion – several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as  himself,  and cuts his throat if his theology isnt straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brothers path to happiness and heaven. He was at it in the time of the Caesars, he was at it in Mahomets time, he was at it  in  the time of the Inquisition, he was at it in France a couple of cen ­turies, he was at it in England in Marys day, he has been at it ever since he first saw the light, he is at it today in Crete (as per the telegrams quoted above), he will be at it somewhere else tomor ­row. The higher animals have no religion. And we are told that they are going to be left out, in the Hereafter. I wonder why? It seems questionable taste. Man  is the Reasoning Animal. Such is the claim. I think it is open to dispute. Indeed, my experiments have proven to me that he is the Unreasoning Animal. Note his history, as sketched above. It seems plain to me that whatever he is he is not a reasoning animal. His record is the fantastic record of a maniac. I consider that the strongest count against his intelligence is the fact that with that record back of him he blandly sets himself up as the head animal of the lot: whereas by his own standards he is the bottom one. In truth, man is incurably foolish. Simple things which the other animals easily learn, he is incapable of learning. Among my experiments was this. In an hour I taught a cat and a dog to be friends. I put them in a cage. In another hour I taught them to be friends with a rabbit. In the course of two  days  I was able to add a fox, a goose, a squirrel and some doves. Finally a monkey. They lived together in peace; even affectionately. Next, in another  cage  I confined an Irish Catholic from Tipperary, and as soon as he seemed tame I added a Scotch Presbyterian from Aberdeen. Next a Turk from Constantinople; a Greek Christian from Crete; an Armenian; a Methodist from the wilds of Arkansas; a Buddhist from China; a Brahman from Benares. Finally, a Salvation Army Colonel from Wapping. Then I stayed away two whole days. When I came back to note results, the cage of Higher Animals was all right, but in the other there was but a chaos of gory odds and ends of turbans and fezzes and plaids and bones – not a specimen left alive. These Reasoning Animals had disagreed on a theological detail and carried the matter to a Higher Court. One is obliged to concede that in true loftiness of character, Man cannot claim to approach even the meanest of the Higher Animals. It is plain that he is constitutionally incapable of  approaching  that altitude; that he is constitutionally afflicted with a Defect which must make such approach forever impossible, for it is manifest that this defect is permanent in him, indestructible, ineradicable. I find this Defect to be the Moral Sense. He is the only animal that has it. It is the secret of his degradation. It is the quality  which enables him to do wrong. It has no other office. It is incapable of performing any other function. It could never hate been intended to perform any other. Without it,  man  could do no wrong. He would rise at once to the level of the Higher Animals. Since the Moral Sense has but the one office, the one capacity to enable man to do wrong – it is  plainly  without value to him. It is as valueless to him as is  disease. In fact, it manifestly  is  a disease. Rabies is bad, but it is not so bad as this disease. Rabies enables a man to do a thing, which he could not do when in a healthy state: kill his neighbor with a poisonous bite. No one is the better man for having rabies: The Moral Sense enables a man to do wrong. It enables him to do wrong in a thousand ways. Rabies is an innocent disease, compared to the Moral Sense. No one, then, can be the better man for having the Moral Sense. What now, do we find the Primal Curse to have been? Plainly what it was in the beginning: the infliction upon  man  of the Moral Sense; the ability to distinguish good from evil; and with it, necessarily, the ability to do evil; for there can be no evil act without the presence of consciousness of it in the doer of it. And so I find that we have descended and degenerated, from some far ancestor (some microscopic atom wandering at its pleasure between the mighty horizons of a drop of water perchance) insect by insect, animal by animal, reptile by reptile, down the long highway of  smirchless  innocence, till we have reached the bottom stage of development – nameable as the Human Being. Below us – nothing. Nothing but the Frenchman.