The Speech of the Corinthians an Example of the Topic History Essays by

The Speech of the Corinthians by Expert Sweet-Cathy | 29 Nov 2016 The Speech of the Corinthians and the Speech of the Athenians The Debate at Sparta elucidates the reasons and motivations that precipitated the Peloponnesian War (Woodruff 29). While the speeches of the representative of the main contending forces both have the same end the pursuit of their respective interests their arguments and the manner by which they expressed them to persuade their listeners interestingly differs. Need essay sample on "The Speech of the Corinthians" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed University Students Frequently Tell Us: Who wants to write paper for me? Essay writers suggest: Get Your Essay Before The Deadline The main thesis of the Corinthian speech is that engaging in war against Athens is both essential and urgent for the simple reason that the Athenians intend to dominate the Greek world. And its main argument is that "the Athenians encroached upon their neighbors little by little" (Woodruff18) evidenced by the fact that "they have subjugated some of us", "have taken Corcyra from us by force" and "besieged Potidaea" (Woodruff 18). Footnote 60 by P. Woodruff, 1993 indicating the strategic importance of Potidaea in northern Greece suggests Athenian's intention as alleged by the Corinthian. The Athenians' fundamental assertion, on the other hand, is that engaging in war against them would be a bad decision, which should be avoided. They argued that in the war against the Persians "we took risks to achieve benefits that partly went to you" even "when no one came to help us" and that "we are not being unreasonable in holding on to our possessions" (Woodruff 21) since "we did not take the empire by violence; it was the allies who came and begged us to take command" (Woodruff 22).And to further deter them from waging war against them they boldly asserted,"we are a city to be reckoned with" (Woodruff 21) and recounted how their "zeal and intelligent strategy during the Persian Wars"(Woodruff 22) consolidated the Greek victory over them even when the Spartans withdrew from the war. As a fundamental strategy for setting the tone of their persuasion, both the Corinthians and the Athenians approached the debate by juxtaposing themselves with the Lacedaemonians.The Corinthians, however, highlighted their difference with the Lacedaemonians in regard to their respective attitude towards Athenian adventurism; and pointed out that whereas they have the worst complaint against the Athenians to the point of advocating war against them, the Lacedaemonians have conversely remained indifferent and procrastinated in taking any action. Furthermore, the Corinthians projected an accusatory attitude towards the Lacedaemonians and challenged them to make up for their procrastination by taking immediate and decisive action. On the other hand, the Athenians set the tone for their persuasion by aligning with the Lacedaemonians' penchant for peace and enticing them towards the arena of right reason and common inclination to rule. And they further bolstered the need for restraint in "making bad decision on important matters" (Woodruff 21) by boldly asserting, "we are a city to be reckoned with" (Woodruff 21). With regard to their persuasion strategies, both the Corinthians and the Athenians reviewed the past in the light of the needs of their then current situation and used it to justify the actions they are advocating. The Corinthians, however, focused on the more recent past as a basis of their incitement for war and to advance with more precision their argument for forced change, whereas the Athenians appealed to the more distant past and used it as a more comprehensive justification for maintaining the status quo. In implementing their persuasive strategy, the Corinthians commenced withgiving in advance the balm for the wounds their stinging barbs of arguments would inflict to the Lacedaemonians through acknowledging and respecting their confidence in their own government and society and their culture of self-control,which can be qualified as "prudence", "moderation" and "clear-headedness" (Woodruff17) all positive and admirable qualities.And then they launched into series of accusation by recounting their failures of the recent past: completely ignoring their guidance, neglecting them when attacked by the Athenians and the less recent past: allowing the Athenians to consolidate their power. And for all these the Corinthians audaciously lay the blame and responsibility to the Lacedaemonians. And the prime weakness that the Corinthians took issue against them was their procrastination both in the conflict among Greeks and in their conflict with the Persians.And to drive the final nail to the c offin of Lacedaemonians' perceived ascendancy over them they denied them credit for the victory over the Persians by attributing the victory to the Persian's blunder more than to any help from them. This strategy is meant to lay the rationale as well the moral foundation for forcing them to take the opposite action of their repeated procrastinations and that is, to take decisive action by"immediately attacking Attica" (Woodruff 20). The second persuasive strategy taken by the Corinthians is to put up another balm for the wounds they have just inflicted. This balm is the affirmation of their friendship and then unmasking to the Lacedaemonians, whom they judge as "ignorant in foreign affairs" (Woodruff 17), the nature of the true enemy the Athenians. And by showing how different and unmatched the conquering and aggrandizing character of Athenians with the Lacedaemonians' sense of fairness and justice, they drove the point that peaceful means, particularly the respect for treaty, will not deter the Athenian expeditionary and conquering nature and implied that this should be their primary premise for waging war against them. The persuasive strategy of the Athenians hinged on the moral and rational justification for holding on to the empire. In calling to mind the Persian Wars, the Athenians' primary contention is that they "took risks to achieve benefits" (Woodruff 21) that are partly shared by the rest of the Greek world and equally by the Lacedaemonians. They said "our action did you at least as much good as it did us" (Woodruff 22). In effect it is saying that without the victory against the Persians, they would be in a far worse situation than what they complained of at that moment.And to pierce more deeply this justification to the heart and consciousness of their audience, the Athenians brought to the forefront the essential elements of their valor, sacrificial actions, brilliant gambit and intelligent leadership that sealed the victory for the Greeks.This served as the foundation for the second level of moral justification for their keeping the empire: it is a gift from the allies as a reward for taking the helm of leadership and achieving victory for the rest of the Greek world. The second persuasive strategy of the Athenians is to justify their holding on to the empire by appeal to shared human motives and propensities and common philosophy of power. They openly acknowledged that they were compelled to develop the empire out of fear, ambition and self interest, contending that their pro-active self-defense was instigated by the behavior of the rebel state that the Corinthians supported. And they moved the arena of contention from the right of those who are ruled to the right of those who rule; an arena where the Lacedaemonians are themselves vulnerable. And from hereon the Athenians shifted the argument towards similarity of their actions and inclinations, not only with human nature but with Lacedaemonians' practice, habit and inclination as well. And through all of these the Athenians downplayed their strong handedness and insisted that the Lacedaemonians would not have been more lenient than them.They supported this contention with what they claim as a ph ilosophy of power, which by practice is shared by the Lacedaemonians themselves. "It has been established that the weaker are held down by the stronger" (Woodruff 23) and "those who have the power to use force . . . have no need at all to go to law" (Woodruff 24). All these array of arguments played upon their audience's cultural character of self-control and sense of justice; the latter, though, applied in a more restricted manner to their common practice as rulers. How did their audience respond? The majority was persuaded that the Athenians have committed injustice and that it is justified to go to war immediately. However, their king, Archidamus, warned that war is not an enviable option; but when compelled to engage with, it required intelligent planning and adequate preparation. Despite the tight arguments of the Athenians, which appealed to the likes of King Archidamus, "who had a reputation for intelligence and prudence" (Woodruff 25) the Lacedaemonians were more persuaded by the Corinthian's argument of the Athenians' threat of domination. The Athenians argued to their defeat by offering nothing new by way of relief but simply justifying themselves, calling for sobriety and appealing to the treaty which the Lacedaemonians perceived have already been broken by them, having deprived member states of their autonomy(Dunkle, "The Peloponnesian War," Par. 12). Analysis of the speech and their consequences affirmed what has been commented upon that "Speeches in Thucydides rarely affect action ..." (Woodruff 82). The same motives fear, ambition and own advantage - which the Athenians advanced to justify their behavior were the same motives that moved their listener to ignore their appeal for prudence and reason and to opt for war against them. How true then are their statements which the Lacedaemonians took to heart and which the Corinthians demonstrated with crystal clarity and force enough to drive their listeners to clamor for decisive and immediate action. No matter what the strategies adopted by the two speakers, their success and failure pivoted on how they handled the basic emotion of fear which according to Woodruff is "Thucydides' favorite explanation for violence and injustice (22). Works Cited Dunkle, Roger. "The Peloponnesian War."Classics Technology Center. 1998-2000. Able Media 28. November 2008 Woodruff, Paul, Ed. On Justice, Power, and Human Nature: Selections from History of the Peloponnesian War. Hackett Publishing Company Inc, 1993

Pride and Prejudice Quotes

Pride and Prejudice Quotes The following quotes from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen are some of the most recognizable lines in English literature. The novel, which follows the push-and-pull relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, deals with themes of love, pride, social expectations, and preconceived opinions. In the quotes that follow, well analyze how Austen conveys these themes with her trademark wry wit. Quotes About Pride I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine. (Chapter 5) When Elizabeth speaks this quote, she’s fresh off Darcy’s slight of her at the first ball, where she overheard him judging her not â€Å"handsome enough† for him to dance with. In context, where she and her family are discussing the ball with their neighbors, she tosses the line off in a good-natured, quipping sort of way. However, a closer read does suggest some element of truth to it: as the story progresses, it becomes evident that this unpleasant first meeting has colored Elizabeth’s perception of Darcy, making her more susceptible to Wickham’s lies. This quote is also the beginning of a running pattern through the novel: Elizabeth and Darcy are each able to acknowledge that they possess a shared flaw (Elizabeth acknowledges a degree of pride, Darcy admits that his prejudices are formed quickly and irrevocably). The theme of pride often connects to an inability to recognize one’s own flaws, so although the characters still have a ways to go before they’ll reach a happy conclusion, an admission of some flaws indicates that this will be a comedy where that conclusion is possible rather than a tragedy where a tragic flaw will be realized too little, too late. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us. (Chapter 5) Mary Bennet, the middle Bennet sister, is neither frivolous like her younger sisters nor well-adjusted like her older sisters. She’s studious to a fault and is quite fond of philosophizing and moralizing, as she does here, where she inserts herself into a conversation about Mr. Darcy’s behavior at the ball by seizing on their mention of his â€Å"pride† and jumping in with her philosophy. It’s a clear indicator of her lack of social skills and her simultaneous desire to be included in society. Although it’s delivered in Mary’s moralizing, pretentious manner, this quote is not entirely untrue. Pride – and vanity – are central themes to the story, and Mary’s definitions give readers a way to distinguish the social snobbery of Miss Bingley or Lady Catherine and the inflated self-important of Mr. Collins from the pride of Mr. Darcy. Pride and Prejudice explores personal pride as a stumbling block to true understanding and happiness, but it also presents the proudest character – Darcy – as one who does not care much what other people think of him, as evidenced by his cold social behavior. The contrast between care for perceptions and care for internal values is explored throughout the novel. â€Å"But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself.† (Chapter 36) There is a term in classical Greek drama, anagnorisis, that refers to a character’s sudden realization of something heretofore unknown or misunderstood. It often connects somehow to a shift in perception or relationship with an antagonist. The quote above, spoken by Elizabeth to herself, is Elizabeth’s moment of anagnorisis, where she finally learns the truth about Darcy and Wickham’s shared past via Darcy’s letter to her, and subsequently realizes her own flaws and mistakes. Elizabeths moment of self-awareness and character pivot indicates the literary skill at work here. Anagnorisis is something that appears in complex works with classical structures and multifaceted, flawed heroes; its presence is further proof that Pride and Prejudice is a skillful narrative, not simply a comedy of manners. In tragedies, this is the moment where a character comes to a much-needed realization, but learns their lesson too late to stop the tragic events already in motion. Because Austen is writing a comedy, not a tragedy, she allows Elizabeth to gain this needed revelation while there’s still time to reverse course and achieve a happy ending. Quotes About Love â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.† (Chapter 1) This is one of the most famous opening lines in literature, up there with â€Å"Call me Ishmael† and â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.† Spoken by the omniscient narrator, the line essentially sums up one of the key premises of the novel; the rest of the story operates under the assumption that the reader and the characters alike share this knowledge. Although the themes of Pride and Prejudice are certainly not limited to marriage and money, those do loom large. It is this belief that leads Mrs. Bennet to push her daughters forward at every turn, both towards worthy candidates such as Mr. Bingley and unworthy ones such as Mr. Collins. Any single man with some fortune is a marriage candidate, plain and simple. There is a particular turn of phrase worth noting here as well: the phrase â€Å"in want of.† Although it sounds, at first glance, that it’s stating a rich, single man always wants a wife. While that’s true, there’s another interpretation. The phrase â€Å"in want of† is also used to indicate a state of lacking something. Thus, the other way to read it is that a rich, single man is lacking one crucial thing: a wife. This reading emphasizes the social expectations placed on both men and women, rather than one or the other. â€Å"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.†Ã‚  (Chapter 58) At the romantic climax of the novel, Mr. Darcy delivers this line to Elizabeth. It comes after all has been revealed between the two of them, all misunderstandings cleared up and both in full knowledge of what the other has said and done. After Elizabeth thanks Darcy for his assistance to Lydia’s marriage, he confesses that he did it all for Elizabeth’s sake and in hopes of proving his true nature to her. Because of her positive reception so far, he makes an attempt to propose to her again – but this could not be more different than his first proposal. When Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth, it’s overlaid with a snobbish – though not inaccurate – appraisal of her social status relative to his. He uses language that â€Å"seems† romantic (insisting that his love is so great it overcame all rational obstacles), but comes across as incredibly insulting. Here, however, he not only approaches Elizabeth without pride and with genuine, unrehearsed language, but he also emphasizes his respect for her wishes. Rather than following the classic trope of â€Å"pursue until you win her over,† he calmly states that he will step away gracefully if that’s what she wants. It’s the ultimate expression of his unselfish love, as opposed to his previous self-centered arrogance and hyperawareness of social status. Quotes About Society â€Å"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.† (Chapter 11) This quote is spoken by Caroline Bingley, while she is passing time at Netherfield along with her brother, sister, brother-in-law, Mr. Darcy, and Elizabeth. The scene is, at least from her perspective, a subtle competition between her and Elizabeth for Darcy’s attention; she is, in fact, mistaken, as Elizabeth has no interest in Darcy at this time and is only at Netherfield to tend to her ill sister Jane. Miss Bingley’s dialogue is a constant stream of attempts to get attention from Darcy. While she’s rhapsodizing about the joys of reading, she’s pretending to read a book that, as the sharp-tongued narrator informs us, she only chose because it was the second volume of the book Darcy had chosen to read. Often taken out of context, this quote is an excellent example of the gently satirical humor Austen often uses to poke fun at the social elite. The idea of taking pleasure in reading is not silly in and of itself, but Austen gives this line to a character who we know to be insincere, and compounds it by exaggerating the statement past any possibility of sincerity and making the speaker sound desperate and foolish. People themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever. (Chapter 9) Elizabeth’s dialogue is typically witty and laden with dual meanings, and this quote is a definite example. She delivers this line during a conversation with her mother, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Bingley about the differences between country and city society. She remarks upon her delight in observing people – which she intends as a barb at Mr. Darcy – and doubles down with this quote when he suggests that provincial life must be quite boring for her observations. On a deeper level, this quote actually foreshadows the lesson Elizabeth learns over the course of the novel. She prides herself on her powers of observation, which creates her â€Å"prejudiced† opinions, and she certainly does not believe that Mr. Darcy, of all people, will ever change. As it turns out, though, there is actually much more to be observed than she has at the point when she makes this sarcastic comment, and Elizabeth comes to understand that truth later on.

Why Spanish Uses EE. UU. as Abbreviation for U.S.

Why Spanish Uses EE. UU. as Abbreviation for U.S. Once you learn that Estados Unidos is Spanish for United States, you might predict that its abbreviation would be EU, just as we often use U.S. (or USA) in English. But the standard abbreviation is EE. UU. The Rule for Plural Abbreviations Although the abbreviation may seem unusual to Spanish students, abbreviations like it are common in standard written Spanish when shortening plural forms. Although the use of the periods in the abbreviation is standard usage and considered mandatory by some authorities, it isnt unusual to see the abbreviation without the periods: EEUU or EE UU. Sometimes the abbreviation EUA (for Estados Unidos de Amà ©rica) is used, and even USA can be found in trendy circles. Basically, the doubled letters (such abbreviations are called abreviaturas dobles in Spanish) are used to indicate that the main word abbreviated is plural. However, such a doubling of letters isnt if the plural word isnt the main noun in the phrase. For example, Organizacià ³n de las Naciones Unidas (United Nations) is ONU (U.N. in English.) The main noun here, the one that gives the phrase its gender, is singular: organizacià ³n. The doubling of letters comes from Latin, which explains some of the double-letter Latin abbreviations used in English also, such as pp. for pages and mss. for manuscripts. Identical abbreviations are used in Spanish: pp. for pginas and mss. for manuscritos. (Also commonly used is pgs. for pginas.) Such doubling is used typically when a single letter stands for a word. It isnt used used for most other abbreviations. For example, while ejemplo (example) can be abbreviated as ej., the plural form (that is, for examples) is ejs. Similarly, while usted (singular you) is abbreviated Ud., its plural form (plural you) is Uds. One of the exceptions is that the abbreviation for Buenos Aires (the city in Argentina) is Bs. As. Other Doubled Abbreviations Here are some of the other Spanish abbreviations that double the letters in the same way as EE. UU.: AA. PP. for Administracià ³n Pà ºblica (public administration)aa. vv. or AA. VV. for autores varios (various authors); VV. AA. and vv. aa. are also usedAA. VV. for asociaciones de vecinos (neighborhood associations)CC. AA. for comunidades autà ³nomas (self-governing communities)CC. OO. for comisiones obreros (labor commissions)DD. HH. for derechos humans (human rights)FF. AA. for Fuerzas Armadas (armed forces, used in Spanish and several Latin American countries)FF. CC. for ferrocarriles (railways or RR)FF. DD. for Fuerzas de Defensa (Defense Forces, used primarily in Panama)RR. HH. for Recursos Humanos (human resources or HR)RR. PP. for Relaciones Pà ºblicas (public relations or PR)JJ. OO. for Juegos Olà ­mpicos (Olympic Games)RR for reverendos (Reverends, Revs.)ss. for por siguientes (as follows, the following)SS. AA. for Sus Altezas (Your Highnesses)SS. HH. for Servicios Higià ©nicos (sanitary facilities, such as restrooms)SS. MM. for Sus Majestades (Your Majesties) Other Unusual Abbreviations Spanish also has a few common abbreviations that use punctuation (other than the period) or superscripts in ways that English doesnt. The more common ones are listed below; in many cases, more conventional forms are often used in addition to these. arto  for  artà ­culo  (article in legal documents)Bo  for  barrio  (neighborhood)Cà ­a  for  compaà ±Ãƒ ­a  (company)c/u  for  cada uno  (apiece, per unit)com.à ³n  for  comisià ³n  (commission)desct.o  for  descuento  (discount)N.a  S.a  for  Nuestra Seà ±ora  (Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary)s/f  for  sin fecha  (no date given)s/l  for  sin lugar  (no place given)s/n  for  sin nà ºmero  (no number given) Additionally, there are some forms such as  Abg.da  and  Dr.a  that have been used to refer to a female lawyer or doctor, respectively, although these are growing in disfavor. Key Takeaways The standard abbreviation for Estados Unidos (United States) in Spanish is EE. UU., although variations are sometimes used.The double letters are used in some other abbreviations as well when a single letter standards for a plural of the main noun.Some Spanish abbreviations use slashes and superscripts.

Construction and Maintenance of Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Construction and Maintenance of Building - Essay Example In addition, the primary source of energy for the building will be generated from a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit. Combined power and heat integrates the production of usable heat and power (electricity), in one single, cost effective and highly efficient process. The CHP system is sustainable, clean and renewable. CHP generates electricity while also capturing usable heat that is produced in this process its efficiency is greatly increased. This is unusual contrasts with conventional ways of generating electricity where heat is simply wasted and in the process impacting negatively on efficiency. In today’s coal and gas-fired power stations, up to two-thirds of the entire energy consumed get lost in such a way, frequently witnessed as a cloud of smoke rising from the cooling turrets, the process is very environmentally unfriendly. This will be a very eco-friendly aspect of construction as it is very efficient in its purpose and design. Sub-structure or Foundation- is the lower section of the building, located below the ground level and the damp proof course. A foundation is part of the structure that is in direct contact with the ground to which the loads are equally transmitted to the supporting surrounding soil. Shrinkable soils are those types whose contents are made up of more than 35% have a modified plasticity index greater or equal to 10% and of fine particles. The fine soil particles are having nominal diameters of 60 Â µm. Plastic index of a given soil is its measure of the change in volume potential that is determined by Atterberg Limits test. Soil particles whose nominal diameters after the test are greater than 425 Â µm are eliminated through sieving in advance. Particles with diameters smaller than 425 Â µm are promptly reported for Atterberg Limits test. The Plasticity index of the soil multiplied by the real percentage of particles with contents less than 425

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Strategic Management - Essay Example mpany to simplify entire transaction completing cycle since it does not include any complicated features that are difficult to understand and implement. It benefits management in a way that it reduces total employee training costs and time. As far as core technical benefit of POS is concerned, it is worthwhile to mention that it is extremely helpful in initiating promotion activities because it reduce dependence on manual process (that may take up to 48 hours from stores) currently used at MYER store. After induction of POS, the Myer store will have access to and be able to manage all in-store information relating to promotions and pricing directly from company headquarters. Secondly, the system enables the company to offer additional services to customers besides routine services because it offers flexibility and adaptability. Needless to mention that the system has ability to enhance service speed thereby improving customer satisfaction and perceived loyalty. Thirdly, POS help in r ecognizing customers as it records their facial expressions and other information besides keeping individual transaction records. In addition, POS offers a unique feature of keeping inventory records and stock availability options that facilitates top and middle managers in decision making and problem solving. In short, Point of sale is a real time information system that manages all areas of a business organization including sales back office, inventory management, warehousing, data mining, distribution center and others etc. In simple words, it is a multipurpose system that increases organizational productivity, efficiency and effectiveness besides reducing total business

Symbolism in Alice Walkers Everyday Use Essay -- Alice Walker Everyda

Symbolism in Alice Walker's Everyday Use History in the Making Heritage is something that comes to or belongs to one by reason of birth. This may be the way it is defined in the dictionary, but everyone has their own beliefs and ideas of what shapes their heritage. In the story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, these different views are very evident by the way Dee (Wangero) and Mrs. Johnson (Mama) see the world and the discrepancy of who will inherit the family’s quilts. Symbolism such as certain objects, their front yard, and the different characters, are all used to represent the main theme that heritage is something to always be proud of. The main objects of topic throughout the story are the quilts that symbolize the African American Woman’s history. Susan Farrell, a critic of many short stories, describes the everyday lives of African American Women by saying â€Å"weaving and sewing has often been mandatory labor, women have historically endowed their work with special meanings and significance† and have now embraced this as a part of their culture. The two quilts that Dee wanted â€Å"had been pieced together by Grandma Dee and then Big Dee and me [Mother] had hung them on the quilt frames on the front porch and quilted them† (par. 55) showing that these quilts were more valuable as memories than they were just blankets. The fabrics in the quilts â€Å"were scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn fifty and more years ago. Bits and pieces of Grandpa Jarrell’s paisley shirts. And one teeny faded blue piece, about the piece of a penny matchbox, that was from Great Grandpa Ezra’s uniform that he wore in the Civil War† (par. 55) putting forth more evidence that these are not just scraps, but have become pieces of family history. The q... ...big yard, and the characters are all symbols that have gotten the theme across that you must always cherish your heritage. Dee will go back to the city and support her more broad perspective of all blacks as Mama will stick to her tighter confines of family history. The one young lady (Maggie) that has yet to be engulfed by others opinions will be the one to press on both histories as one: When Maggie finally smiles ‘a real smile’ at the end of the story as she and her mother watch Dee’s car disappear in a cloud of dust, it is because she knows her ‘mother holy recognition of the scarred daughter’s sacred status as quilter is the best gift if a hard-pressed womankind to the fragmented goddess of the present.’ (Piedmont-Marton) This story full of symbols will carry on generation to generation because as things change so will the people and their outlooks on life.

A major change or decision in your life

Since my early childhood I was a kid without confidence and would want to occupy the lowest places in any public or family get together, I had believed and looked at myself as a failure, a stammer, one who is not worth of any good things in life.I would appreciate other children and admire the way they looked and played their performances in school and their ability to express themselves fluently. I was my parents only child and taken longer that usual to learn how to talk and even after I learnt how to talk I would stammer.My stammering made life impossible for me for I chose to be silent most of the times than talk and get embarrassed; my mother had tried to show me that it was okay but I would hear none of her consolations. I infact hated myself; I always avoided seeing my image at the mirror, for I always saw a failure.My life became so hard and I started contemplating on how I would drop out of school, this was at the age of 9. My worst moments in school would when our teacher c ould ask us to read in class a person at time a paragraph from a text.I could try to open my mouth but before the first word got out I would be shaking with fear and shame. I came up with a plan that any day I knew we would have those lessons in class I would wake up and start crying before leaving my bed so that my mother would think I am sick, and I would end up going to school late or missing the whole day.My doctor must have noted this trait and one day when I was taken to him as I had claimed to have a headache, he examined me and then told my mother to excuse us and this become my turning point!He took so much time with me and I just found myself opening up to him but with a lot of crying, I had never shared my fears and attitude to any one not even my mother.He held me and talked to me, he assured me that the situation would go if only I was willing to start having a different look at things, he gave a magazine and asked me read aloud, I tried but still†¦., he encouraged me, he gave me the opportunity to repeat the hard words, he made me believe I could do it, that I could do better, that the power of change was right within me, that he had handled cases more complicated than mine and was successful because the victims were ready for a change.He gave me a mirror and asked me to tell myself that I am the best, the cutest, that I will reach the highest possible there is. Honestly by the time I was leaving the room I was smiling to myself, I could look at my image and notice the beautiful eyes, smile and see the white well arranged teeth! I could not believe it.Although he talked to my Mother and they agreed that I should be going to him so that he can see if am improving once every week, he made my whole life change.I become interested in reading any material that came my way, trying to pronounce those hard and long looking words, tried to say a word which someone on the television would pronounce with a little more effort, when I went wrong I could simply smile and get to the mirror and assure myself that next time I will say it well.I started performing so well in school and I couldn’t believe it, I started mixing well with other children, I stopped comparing myself with any one, I had understood and believed that I am uniquely me. I have come to know that I would have hindered my talent in English and Literature from growing because as it is this is my best area.