Alice’s Adventure of Self Discovery in Wonderland

The bildungsroman novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll elucidates the idea of humans needing to be faced with a drastic situation, in order to grow and develop their own identity. Alice begins in the novel as a respectful and naive child, one typical of the Victorian Era. She struggles with adjusting to the new situations, as well as the growth and changes of her body. Alice’s escapades in Wonderland allow her to change her views with regard to authority as well as to understand different life situations. Alice’s time in Wonderland compels her to become more independent as well as to stand up for herself, ergo becoming a mature, self-reliant young woman. Alice’s adventures in Wonderland permit her to understand and accept her body’s baffling changes. As Alice enters Wonderland, a world where nothing is the same, her body changes sizes eleven times, something that is drastic for anyone, not only a young girl. When â€Å"she sat down and began to cry again† (Carroll 17), this was in regard to her body’s rapid and confusing changes. Alice’s body changed, she was completely hopeless as well had no idea on how to deal with the situation, much like a child entering puberty. When a child first enters puberty, they are extremely uncomfortable, but eventually they become more and more comfortable with the changes and in their own skin. Alice proves that she is becoming more comfortable with herself and her identity when she declares, â€Å"Oh dear! I’d nearly forgotten that I’ve got to grow up again! Let me see-how is it to be managed† (39). Alice’s body no longer has control over her, but instead she has control over her own body. Throughout Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice continues to become more comfortable with her body as well as in foreign and unfamiliar situations. Alice’s adventure allows her not only to become more comfortable with her body, but also more comfortable in regard to understanding the role that authority plays in society. When Alice first enters Wonderland, she is a confused, helpless child, who does not understand how to stand up for herself. In the beginning of the novel, Alice is thrown into a world where the strict rules she lives by no longer apply, and as a result does not understand how to act, especially in regard to authority. When the Rabbit makes a mistake of calling to Alice saying, â€Å"Why Mary Ann, what are you doing here? †¦ Alice was so frightened she ran off at once without saying a word† (10), Alice clearly acknowledges and understands the mistake. Due to her strict, traditional Victorian upbringing, she was taught to obey authority at all costs and never to contradict someone who was in a position of power. In Wonderland however, all that Alice thought she knew about authority is tossed aside, as those rules no longer apply. Although Alice indubitably knows she is not Mary Ann, the Rabbit’s maid, she is too afraid to disobey authority and point out the error of his ways. However, further on in the novel, as well as further on in Alice’s growth as a human, she becomes more comfortable with speaking up to authority. When Alice contradicts the Queen and her poor decisions when the Queen exclaims, â€Å"Off with her head! Off with her.. † but Alice barges in and declares that it is â€Å"nonsense. † (72). Alice not only becomes more comfortable as herself, but more comfortable speaking up and against authority, an important aspect of maturing. Alice’s growth and maturing not only depends on her physical size, but it also depends on her ability to adapt to new situations. In Wonderland, all of the new rules that come with these strange games, from the caucus race to the croquet game are metaphors to social situations. At the beginning of Alice’s adventure, Alice is confused by these new social situations, and does not quite now how to react to them. During the croquet game, Alice is unsure and â€Å"rather doubtful whether she ought not to lie down on her face like the three gardeners. † (35). Alice had never been in a situation like this, and she clearly did not know how to react, something that is learned over time as a person matures. Another example further along in the novel is when Alice is thrown into a new situation, where a baby is in danger, irrefutably a situation she had never been in before. Although Alice was unfamiliar with the social protocol, or what one would typically do in such a situation, she was mature enough to trust her instincts and stand up for the child by exclaiming at the Duchess, â€Å"Oh please mind what you’re doing! You nearly took his nose off! † (39). As Alice continues to mature and emerge as a young adult, she begins to trust her intuitions as well as defends her thoughts and ideas. Through Alice’s journey, she becomes more mature and as a result, adapts to new situations more easily. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a fantasy, bildungsroman novel that explores coming of age, in regard to puberty as well as social maturity. Although within the novel, it is Alice’s physical size that changes quite often, she matures throughout the novel while in Wonderland, adapting more easily to new, frightening situations as well as developing her moral courage. Alice begins her adventure as a frightened young girl, one who can barely cope in a situation, and she ends her journey being a strong, fearless and independent young woman.

Literature as a Medium Which Conveys the Culture of the Target Language Essay

The purpose of this paper is to familiarize foreign language instructors with the effectiveness of using literature as a mean of bridging the cultural gap between students and the target language. It will also discuss how teaching literature can help students become more effective communicators in the target language and at the same time making them appreciate other cultures different from their own. This may lead to say that, one of the major functions of teaching literature in a foreign language classroom is to serve as a medium to transmit the culture of the target language of the people who speak the language in which it is written. Therefore, literary texts can offer to the students a colorful world that reflects the culture of the language community. As readers; students get engaged within these texts, they come to understand how the characters in such literary works experience life and how they speak and behave in different settings. However , the study of literature can be considered as a method in which students can dive into the cultural experience of the language throughout the imagery and metaphors mentioned in a given text, as Gray points out: â€Å" Students learn to see a world through another’s eye,observing human values , different kind of living and discovering that others live very different societies. they will understand and become broadly aware of the social,political,historical,cultural events happening in a given society. . The role of literature in language teaching Literature, when defined as a subject of study, is an activity that involves and uses language (O’Sullivan, 1991). Ganakumaran et al (2003) stated that it is also referred to as the big â€Å"L† that focuses on the literariness of a text. It is an example of language in use and a context for language use. Literature is seen as a medium in which students’ appreciation of different system language organizat ion can be developed. Therfore, studying literature, on the whole, may not be considered as a reaction but rather as an interaction between the reader , the writer and their cultures. From an other parameter ,the teaching of literature in foreign language classrooms is essential and can be used as a perfect instrument to stimulate and speed up the teaching and learning process Carter and Long (1991). In other words, literature contributes in helping the students to explore knowledge ,promote their literacy development and fosters their language proficiency. Also, literature may provide effective, attitudinal and experiential factors which will motivate students to read McKay (1982). As a matter of fact, Obeidat (1997) said that literature has much to offer than language would normally do, since it has greater freedom and since it acknowledges no linguistic barriers which could refrain our ability to use language. Therefore, it is undeniable that literature helps to improve students’ command of language and the ability to use it freely, not solely as a linguistic, but as a cultural, intellectual, social and psychological medium of expression. In terms of using literature to teach language, Brumfit and Carter (1986) asserted that literary texts not only can grip the reader’s imagination more strongly but they can also be promoted for the examination of language at work. Littlewood (2005) also observed that although such texts were predominantly valuable for developing reading skills, it could be exploited for purposes such as explaining grammar teaching and indicating various types of language usage. Since literary texts contain language intended for native speakers, literature stands as a model for language learners to become familiar with different forms and conventions (Collie and Slater, 1991). Containing real examples of grammatical structures and vocabulary items, the literary texts raise learners’ awareness of the range of the target language and advance their competence in all language skills (Povey, 1967). Second, using literature in language teaching has the advantage of providing cultural information about the target language. Literary texts increase foreign language learners’ insight into the country and the people whose language is being learnt (Collie and Slater, 1991), which fosters learners’ ability to interpret discourse in different social and cultural target language contexts (Savvidou, 2004). . Literature as an instruments that stimulates the knowledge of the culture Teaching literature stimulates the imagination of the students and develops their critical abilities by getting them involved in interpreting the different symbols and meanings found in the text. They become more productive and adventurous when they perceive the richness and diversity of the language. Therefore, it is vital if educators create a harmonious literary atmosphere ,they may enable their students to immerse themselves in the story by turning the classroom into a cultural island where students interact with the text, share different viewpoints about the settings, the style, the language. Researchers have recognized that the benefits of using literature in three core areas: First , literature is beneficial to language development( John and Louis, 1987; Morgan, 1998; Myonghee, 2004;Sage,1987); second, literature enhances the knowledge of ulture and society which is too complicated to be captured by any single piece of expository writing; Third, literature fosters critical thinking by offering readers multiple perspectives especially in books with issues such as immigration, cultural differences, social upheavals (Edmondson 1995/6). John Lye (2003) believed that literature captures the complexities of the human situation, illustrating (dramatically, imaginatively, compellin gly) the grounds and the meanings of values, and the nuances of our experiences. It also allows us imaginatively to inhabit the lives, the experiences, the meanings of others. Lye(2003) added that literature challenges the sentimentalization of values, and those distortions of values which serve the ends of the powerful, the opportunistic, and those who want only to serve their own desires ,from an other parameter, literature explores and reflects conflicts in the culture itself, conflicts in the values and ideas of the culture, the conflict of social groups (ethnic, racial, class, gender, religious and so forth), in addition to that ,it offers a sense of identity and community, by establishing and founding narratives which capture the ‘essence’ of what typifies the culture or community, or by dramatizing those particular stories and images which give the culture a sense of common meaning and purpose. 4.  Applying literature and culture in language teaching classroom When it comes to learning a new language there can be no substitute for actually living in a country where this language is spoken. Besides, teaching literature does not mean ,limit students to take a passive role but to stimulate students to be engaged proactively within the target language. However, foreign language teachers can provide literary texts best by turning their literature classes into a community where students can engage themselves actively with the culture and the language they are studying and where the emphasis in class could be on ‘cultural experience rather than cultural awareness. As Duff and Maley point out, â€Å"literature offers universal themes which are relevant to students’ own experience,it is also a mirror that reflects and heightens each learner’s perception of the social world. Thus, literary texts are opened to multiple interpretations and interactions†. Students cannot remain passive if they are to interpret and understand what they are reading. They are placed â€Å"in an active interactional role in working with and making sense of the target language guided by the teacher, they have to actively participate and interact with each other. Literature and culture in foreign language teaching can provide linguistic and artistic elements and perspectives to students.  Through literature as well as culture, students could have the opportunity to establish a connection with the target language and realize that their own personal, social,cultural and historical contexts have been influenced by a foreign language and a foreign culture and how, in a symbiotic process, this other culture has been nourished. Culture, on the other hand, offers an interdisciplinary field that includes artistic discourses, social conventions, and reflexive impacts. It opens the door for students to increase their knowledge of the target culture as they can contemplate and critically comment on people’s way of life, values, attitudes, and beliefs, and regard how these elements can have an impact in linguistic categories and forms. Indeed,language found a soulmate in literature, and they are inserted in culture.

Biology in Everyday Life

This Perspective from Penney Gilbert and colleagues from the USA and Sweden focuses on adult stem cells found in skeletal muscle, also known as satellite cells. They address the problem that, once extracted from muscle and placed into culture, satellite cells quickly lose their ability to self-renew, complicating studies into their biology. The development of new bioengineering approaches, such as hydrogel microwell arrays, could solve this problem. These approaches can accurately monitor the behavior of satellite cells and provide robust data sets, thanks to the number of different tests that can be carried out in parallel. To illustrate the usefulness of such tools, the authors show how stem cell division and self-renewal can be tracked in clonal assays using time-lapse microscopy. By increasing the stiffness of the hydrogel microwells in the assays, satellite cells can be maintained in culture for up to one week and successfully engraft back into mouse muscle. Stem cells hold the potential to become part of powerful medical treatments and therapies, but only if we understand how we are changing them by removing them from their niche. This Perspective pushes this issue to the fore and offers some suggestions as to how we can further improve stem cell culture http://the-scientist. com/2012/04/01/are-cancer-stem-cells-ready-for-prime-time/ Biology in Everyday Life This Perspective from Penney Gilbert and colleagues from the USA and Sweden focuses on adult stem cells found in skeletal muscle, also known as satellite cells. They address the problem that, once extracted from muscle and placed into culture, satellite cells quickly lose their ability to self-renew, complicating studies into their biology. The development of new bioengineering approaches, such as hydrogel microwell arrays, could solve this problem. These approaches can accurately monitor the behavior of satellite cells and provide robust data sets, thanks to the number of different tests that can be carried out in parallel. To illustrate the usefulness of such tools, the authors show how stem cell division and self-renewal can be tracked in clonal assays using time-lapse microscopy. By increasing the stiffness of the hydrogel microwells in the assays, satellite cells can be maintained in culture for up to one week and successfully engraft back into mouse muscle. Stem cells hold the potential to become part of powerful medical treatments and therapies, but only if we understand how we are changing them by removing them from their niche. This Perspective pushes this issue to the fore and offers some suggestions as to how we can further improve stem cell culture http://the-scientist. com/2012/04/01/are-cancer-stem-cells-ready-for-prime-time/

Vision of the type of organization that will be needed in the future Essay

Vision of the type of organization that will be needed in the future - Essay Example This paper will describe this kind of organization considering that people as a product and the notion of talent in relation to the workforce as the greatest resource and asset of the organization. It is evident from studies that having the best people in an organization are not enough. The human resource practices are also vital in developing a visionary organization because it drives the operations of the business and exactly how it will be done. Hence the paper will also highlight the good human resource practices that the organization should employ. This is what makes the vision of the organization that will be needed in the future. A good organization begins from the top and works its operations down. An ideal organization that will be needed in future should have a strong and effective management that is aware of its mission and the mechanism of getting there. The management will composed of great and talented leaders who are ready for any impediments and obstacles that can com e there way and still be able to lead others in spite of the differences in opinions and personalities. The organization will have a united workforce with respect to their superiors, educated, and enjoys their duties in the organization. As a leader, I will hold a managerial position in such organization to drive the vision of the organization using my leadership skills and talents to unite the best people for the accomplishment of the vision (Lawler, 1998). The mission statement of the organization that will be needed in future is one that let people working in the organization know what the organization does, such vision statement has a loftier goal: it should showcase how the organization views the future. The vision of that particular organization will describe what the success of the organization would look like; the highest bar the organization always endeavor for. The organization will have both an ambitious and realistic vision statement, in other words, the vision statement should challenge the staff of the organization without overpowering them. This will ensure that performance benchmarks are created along with organizational objectives that are achievable (Barney, 2006). In the future, organizations that will be needed are those whose vision statements answers questions like â€Å"What would a world that do not need our kind of organization look like?† and â€Å"What would a perfect organization in the world look like?† such are the questions that drive change in the organization. That can only be achieved if the best people in the organization are united and work together as a team with a common goal. This type of vision unites and motivates people as a reminder that a lot of work is still pending unaccomplished. As the leader of the organization, I will use my talent to make decision on what makes sense of our organization. Occasionally, there is no particular vision statement that is intrinsically better than the other. That is why as a manager and a leader, one should be able to ascertain that which make the most sense to the organization, and that is what makes an organization exemplary. An exemplary organization, one that will be needed in the future and one organization I will be in and serve as a manger, must have a shared and an inspiring mission at its

Investigation on Whether Nokia Should Quit the UK Essay

Investigation on Whether Nokia Should Quit the UK - Essay Example The main research objective is find out whether it would be viable to minimize expansion of the Nokia brand in the U.K market. Nokia as evident from the analysis has been experiencing a decline it its market share in the named market. Competition has stifled with other companies providing equal or better quality mobile handsets. Handsets are now a requirement for a majority of people. Statistics has shown a decline in number of handsets purchased and an ever increasing number of smartphones acquired. It is a technologically changing world that can be attributed to this trend. People want the best, and since it is affordable, they can get it. Nokia holds a high popularity of mobile phone manufacturing companies in the world. It had the biggest market share of mobile users, but this is changing. This research focuses on finding out changes in the performance of Nokia and if it is a viable idea for to withdraw itself from the U.K market. In trying to answer this, several factors have to be investigated on the reasons that have led to this aftermath in the Nokia Company. 1.2: Research objectives. The research problems highlight the areas of importance in this study. They seek to encompass the most crucial factors involved in this project. They revolve around the Nokia Mobile statistics. They are, to determine the factors behind the decline of Nokia smartphone market share, changing trends in the mobile market, to identify measures to be taken against this issue and know if it is wise to leave the U.K market or not. 1.3: Research questions What are the reasons for declining market share in U.K, how can it be controlled and what are the appropriate ways to control it. 1.4: Statement of problem Factors influencing Nokia mobile market share the U.K and factors influencing changes in the mobile market in U.K 2.0: LITERATURE REVIEW In recent times, with the advancement of technology, operating systems became one of the major determinants of a company’s performance in the market. With the need for faster and efficient mobile systems, there has been competition on who provides the best operating system customers prefer in the U.K. Apple has the most popular OS scooping a share of 42%, Blackberry with 36% and android with a share of 12%. It is surprising because Nokia, known for its popularity and with the changing trends and stiff competition, stands to make its way to the top or quit the smartphone market for better standing mobile companies. This research focuses on finding out what appropriate measure to take, whether quit or continue in the race of attracting customers to use their smartphones. In trying to investigate this, it has to identify the gap existing the company and the competitors. Strategies used in pricing, promotion, quality provision and the 4ps of marketing have a large part in determining the performance of a company’s products. For example, while price may not be a substantial factor to consider because of affordab ility in the current market of smartphones it is still pertinent to know that is the crucial factor customers consider for any product. They may want to operate in the market with the highest margins. This can only be realistic in a monopolistic market where they are the sole suppliers of a product. That is why the Nokia Company have to identify what strategy to use to maintain their share, increase it or exit the market. They should

Statistics Problems Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statistics Problems - Speech or Presentation Example 32. Dole Pineapple, Inc., is concerned that the 16-ounce can of sliced pineapple is being overfilled. Assume the standard deviation of the process is .03 ounces. The quality control department took a random sample of 50 cans and found that the arithmetic mean weight was 16.05 ounces. At the 5 percent level of significance, can we conclude that the mean weight is greater than 16 ounces? Determine the p-value. 38. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reported that the 30-year mortgage rate is now less than 6 percent. A sample of eight small banks in the Midwest revealed the following 30-year rates (in percent): As the p – value is greater than 0.01, the null hypothesis can be accepted. Hence it can be concluded that there is no significant difference in the mean number of times men and women take – out dinners in a month. 46. Grand Strand Family Medical Center is specifically set up to treat minor medical emergencies for visitors to the Myrtle Beach area. There are two facilities, one in the Little River Area and the other in Murrells Inlet. The Quality Assurance Department wishes to compare the mean waiting time for patients at the two locations. Samples of the waiting times, reported in minutes, follow: 52. The president of the American Insurance Institute wants to compare the yearly costs of auto insurance offered by two leading companies. He selects a sample of 15 families, some with only a single insured driver, others with several teenage drivers, and pays each family a stipend to contact the two companies and ask for a price quote. To make the data comparable, certain features, such as the deductible amount and limits of liability, are standardized. The sample information is reported below. At the .10 significance level, can we conclude that there is a difference in the amounts quoted? 23. A real estate agent in the coastal area of

Genesis in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible Essay

Genesis in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible - Essay Example Mankind now has to work the ground to obtain his needs for survival. (Genesis 3:23). Eve's downfall is due to Satan's temptation. The lesson teaches to focus on God's Word with complete obedience and never be tempted by Evil. The serpent told Eve to take and eat the forbidden fruit. Jesus tells his followers to take and eat his body and blood in the holy sacraments. The forbidden fruit makes the consumer a sinner while Jesus' offering heals a sinner. Adam's son, Cain killed his brother Abel. God tells Cain that He knows what has happened and that he will be punished. Adam has another son, Seth, to replace Abel. Seth in turn has his most famous son, Noah, who is chosen by God to build his Ark. (Genesis:4). God favors obedient people. He saves Noah from the Great Flood because he was 'blameless among the people of his time.' (Genesis 6:9). God tells Noah to build an Ark and take his family inside it, along with certain species of animals. God flooded earth and killed every living thing. At the end of two months, the waters dried up and Noah knew it was safe to descend back to land. Noah immediately built an altar to offer sacrifice to God. Noah is an example of a righteous man who maintained his relationship with God despite living in an environment full of wickedness. This is a lesson to teach that God will help those who follow God's Word. God makes a covenant to Noah; '"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind."'(Genesis 9:13-15). God speaks to Abram and reveals prophecies to him. When Abram travels into Egypt, he is afraid that the Pharaoh would kill him to take over Sarai because she is beautiful. He instructs Sarai to lie and say that she is Abram's sister. The Pharaoh does not know the truth and takes Sarai to become his wife. God is angry and inflicts diseases upon the Pharaoh and his household. The Pharaoh eventually discovers the truth and releases Abram and Sarai. (Genesis:12). When Abram and Sarai cannot conceive a child, Sarai sends her servant, Hagar, to sleep with her husband so that they will get a descendant. Sarai cannot wait for God to do His work but takes matters into her own hands. Then, Sarai makes a mistake when she ill treats her servant Hagar because she was jealous of Hagar's pregnancy with her husband Abram. Hagar runs away but God comforts her and she returns to Abram and Sarai. God tests Sarai with the birth of Ishmael. Thirteen years later, God makes Sarai pregnant with a son called Isaac. It has been a hard time waiting for Sarai and Abram while maintaining their beliefs. Sarai is ninety years old and Abram is one hundred when they become parents. This is His reward to them. He renames Abram as Abraham, and Sarai as Sarah to celebrate God's blessing on them. God says to Abraham; ' I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you , and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.' (Genesis 17:6-7). Isaac is soon born. God decides to test Abraham by ordering him to offer Isaac as a human sacrifice to God.