Make Your Final Exam Essay Topics Good

Make Your Final Exam Essay Topics GoodWhat are composition final exam essay topics? Are they some type of scam that will make you want to quit your job and start writing novels about love and loss? Let's talk about what the best subjects for an essay are.I can't think of a better or a better subject for an essay than love and loss. It's an old and classic subject, but there are just so many great subjects that fit the bill.In order to win arguments, we must know how to know what we are talking about. To win arguments, you must know your audience and their concerns and needs. To win arguments, you must be able to find solutions to their problems.A good subject for an essay is a topic that is powerful and memorable. It will bring up issues and give insight into how the writer sees and understands the world around them. It will let you know what makes them tick.A good topic is one that engages the reader. If the topic you choose is uninteresting, people won't take it seriously. People l ove to read over again. People like to make connections.This is a subject that really can take you to another level. It requires you to take risks. It is the subject that gives you the opportunity to speak up, the subject that allows you to challenge assumptions. So, in order to score high on the exam, you must have this quality as well.Good topic that scores high on the examination is a topic that connects you to the reader. Good topic that scores high on the examination is a topic that allows you to connect to the reader and make them feel comfortable.

The FEDs Expansionary and Contractionary Monetary...

During these hard times, people are facing one of toughest job markets in our nation’s history. Even though the media says economic recovery is imminent, many are still wondering when they will see the light at the end of the tunnel. The Federal Reserve Bank or FED is already being asked to prepare an â€Å"exit strategy† due to the concern that the expansionary monetary policy they used will quickly turn the recession into high inflation. This â€Å"exit strategy† can also be described as contractionary monetary policy and is going to be used to counteract the inflation sure to follow the economy’s recovery. Critics of this plan argue about when it should be implemented because it could make a recession worse or the inflation just as bad as the†¦show more content†¦The discount rate is also lowered allowing the banks to worry less about debt and loan to people with lower credit scores. This encourages people to make loans because of the lower int erest rates which increase investment and consumer spending; this makes the economy expand ending recessions. Eventually all the increase in demand translates directly into higher prices or inflation. These prices can soar out of control which can be a problem for people without cost of living adjustments or (COLA’s) added to their income. To keep prices stable the money supply must be decreased which means reserve requirements and the discount rate must be raised. Consequently, banks will have less money to loan and will loan to fewer people decreasing demand. The Federal Reserve will also sell bonds for currency that will be taken out of circulation to decrease demand. The change will mean that people will have less disposable income resulting in less demand and lower prices. Timing is crucial when deciding which policy to use, when the fed used expansionary monetary policy many were worried that there was too much liquidity put into the system. The main critics say that th e fed should use contractionary monetary policy to soak up excess liquidity, but the chairman of the fed says he wants to see signs of a recovery first. No one canShow MoreRelatedThe Great Depression Was The Single Most Devastating Economic Catastrophe Essay1809 Words   |  8 PagesThe Great Depression was the single most devastating economic catastrophe that had resounding effects and consequences on people all over the world. Did the various expansionary monetary policies employed by the Fed help the US pull out of the Great Depression during the Hoover administration? What was done differently after Roosevelt became president? Many economists and historians have argued that the misguided monetary policies during the Hoover administration including the mistiming of interestRead MoreQuestions and Answers on US Economy and Fiscal Budget1366 Words   |  6 Pagesservices. As the citizens of the state and policy makers dwell much on decisions made that concern revenue and expenditu re, it is very crucial to find out how the government uses the revenue it collects. In the financial year 2011, the federal government spent 24% that is part of Gross Domestic Product for the country: it is estimated to be $3.6 trillion in figures. As the level expenditure for 2011(which is a share of the GDP) increases because of the economic downtown, the planning of the budget isRead MoreExercises for Microeconomics17876 Words   |  72 PagesEXERCISES FOR MICROECONOMICS TOPIC 1 Economics: An Introduction (Chapters 1 2 in the Textbook) EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWINGTERMS ââ€"Ž Average benefit ââ€"Ž Average cost ââ€"Ž Economic surplus ââ€"Ž Economics ââ€"Ž Microeconomics ââ€"Ž Macroeconomics ââ€"Ž Marginal benefit ââ€"Ž Marginal cost ââ€"Ž Normative economics ââ€"Ž Positive economics ââ€"Ž Rational person ââ€"Ž Sunk cost ââ€"Ž Opportunity cost ââ€"Ž Absolute advantage ââ€"Ž Comparative advantage ââ€"Ž Attainable point ââ€"Ž Unattainable point ââ€"Ž Efficient point ââ€"Ž Inefficient

Evaluating The President Is The Best President - 1243 Words

Evaluating the President Essay ‘â€Å"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man s character, give him power.’ -Abraham Lincoln† (Quotes†, par. 4). Lincoln was able to lead the country successfully in a position of great power, even when there was pressure and hardship. President Lincoln is the best president because he was decisive, kindhearted, and trustworthy. Decisiveness is essential for a great leader because they must know what they want to do, and then they must confidently act on it. One example where Lincoln showed decisiveness is his decision to hold Fort Sumter, and later his decision to declare war. One day after President Lincoln took office, he received a message from Major Robert Anderson, commander of the troops at Fort Sumter. Lincoln was informed that the troops were running low on supplies, such as ammunition and food. Lincoln had to decide whether to order the troops to stay, or to give up the Fort to the Confederacy by leaving and coming back to the Union. He asked his cabinet for advice, and even though there were conflicting opinions, Lincoln did what he thought was best . Lincoln decided that he would continue to have the troops hold the fort. He would try to get supplies to them by sending an unarmed boats to Fort Sumter. The boats were unarmed so that if the Confederate troops attacked, they would look aggressive an d violent. In the end, this approach helped prevent four states from seceding the Union (â€Å"Fort Sumter† 1-5). TheShow MoreRelatedFederal Bureaucracy and Tasks Specialization1724 Words   |  7 Pagesare appointed by __________ and confirmed by __________. a. the president; the Senate b. the president; the House of Representatives c. the president; the Supreme Court d. the Senate; the president e. the House of Representatives; the Supreme Court Political appointees in the federal bureaucracy __________. a. may remain in office until a new party majority in Congress b. may remain in office until a new president is elected c. often remain in office despite political changes Read MoreBirch Paper Company723 Words   |  3 Pagesdivision’s profit margin he would accept Eire Paper Company’s bid because their bid presents the best profit margin for Northern Division. Kenton should accept the Eire bid. (2) Which bid is in the best interest of Birch Paper Company? - The Thompson bid is in the best interest of the Birch Paper Company. The out of pocket costs are much lower for Birch when keeping the bid internal. When evaluating the out of pocket costs associated with the different bids, it’s clear Birch cuts costs drasticallyRead MoreAudit Evidence of Grande Store Case Essay1009 Words   |  5 Pageswhy there were 28 credit memos (fictitious). Then when the auditors looked at the credit memos they indicated the credits were for three other reasons. The auditors wanted to a conformation of the credits. So the president of Grande Stores acted like he called the Springbrook president. Handing the phone to the auditors not letting them know it really was an officer of Grande Stores. This officer confirmed the credits over the phone. But the officer would not give a written confirmation supportingRead MoreThe Organizational Culture Of The Lincoln Electric Company1035 Words   |  5 Pagesbelieves that, the Christian ethic should control our acts. If it did control our acts, the savings in cost of distribution would be tremendous. Advertising would be a contact of the expert consultant with the customer, in order to give the customer the best product available when all of the customer s needs are considered. Competition then would be in improving the quality of products and increasing efficiency in producing and distributing them; not in deception, as is now too customary. Pricing wouldRead MoreThe Power to Persuade Essay1028 Words   |  5 PagesRichard Neustadt states that the power of the president lies in the power to persuade. According to Neustadt, the key to presidential success and influence is persuasion. Although some may view the president as a powerful authority figure, the checks and balances established by the founders makes the president’s skills of persuasion crucial. The president’s accumulation of personal power can make up for his lack of institutional powers. The president must act as the â€Å"lubricant† for the other sectorsRead MoreExecutive And Ceo Of The Exxon Mobil Corporation1547 Words   |  7 Pagesand Texas. (b) His first overseas assignment was as president of Exxon Yemen, Inc. (c) In January 1998 he became vice president of Exxon Ventures (CIS) and president of Exxon Neftegas. He Looked After Company’s operations in Thailand’s Khorat Plateau, the Caspian Sea, and Russia’s Sakhalin Island. (d) After Exxon merged with Mobil Corp. in 1999 to form Exxon Mobil, he held a number of senior executive positions. (e) He was named President of Exxon Mobil in 2004, a post which remained vacantRead MoreThe Northrop Grumman Corporation Financial Analysis1213 Words   |  5 PagesFinancial analysis overview When evaluating the Northrop Grumman Corporation financial analysis, projects, budgets and other finances the organization must first determine their suitability for investment. The financial analysis, analyzes whether the organization is stable, in the black, liquid, and profitable enough for the organization to be invested in. When investors look at the Northrop Grumman Corporation, Annual Report financials they primarily focus on the income statement, balance sheetRead MoreCia Research Paper1266 Words   |  6 Pagesand its distribution to policymakers—principally to the president, the National Security Council (NSC) and the Departments of State and Defense; although in recent years many other departments and agencies have become major users of intelligence as well. This is a well-known area, and I will address it only summarily... About CIA The Central Intelligence Agency was created in 1947 with the signing of the National Security Act by President Harry S. Truman. The act also created a Director of CentralRead MoreThe Responsibilities Of A Sport President931 Words   |  4 Pageshowever, rely on the way the managers perform the following; roles, functions, tasks and also the skills that are necessary for the organisations to work at its best. These mentions necessities will be discuss and outline in this essay as well as the key responsibilities of a Sport President in a sport organisation and also in what way the President use the functions and skills in the organisation. Management is the process of leading people to achieve an objective and getting work done (ChelladuraiRead MoreSpeech Relations in Constructivism Theory1599 Words   |  6 Pagescreates about issues affecting international community. In his speech, President John F. Kennedy brings to play many ideas, which likely changed many perceptions in the international arena. In the fifth part of the speech, he says, â€Å"In short, both the United States and its allies and the Soviet Union and its allies, have a mutual deep interest, genuine peace, and in halting the arms race.† In this statement, the idea that the President is floating is that of world peace. He speaks as if he is speaking

Silver Ships Essay - 1377 Words

1. What are the key elements of Silver Ships’ strategy? Which of the five generic strategies is the company pursuing? The first key element of Silver Ship’s strategy is multiple growth opportunities. Ramp;D, technology, and product design are also key elements of Silver Ship’s strategy. McCarty adhered to the highest possible quality and performance standards and made taking care of his employees a high priority. The generic strategy that Silver Ships is using is planned proactive moves to attract customers and out compete rivals via improved product design, better features, higher quality, wider selection, lower prices, etc. 2. Explain the competitive pressures facing the aluminum military and workboat industry. What can a†¦show more content†¦We believe all companies have weakness, but in reviewing the case we are having a hard time identifying these weaknesses. Market opportunities exist with continuing to promote the company at boat shows and bidding on demands from the military and law agency. Another marketing opportunity is using with exist resources to focus on a new innovation for small-scale terrorist operations, a significant new area in naval warfare and the Army’s planned replacement for bridge erection boats. We agree that McCarty external threats are the stagnant economy and existing rivals. McCarty must be careful with decision to expand with the current slow pace of economic recovery. McCarty never had to lay off employees before and wanted to keep this trend. Existing rivals’ expansion may nibble at McCarty’s current clients depending on McCarty’s strategic decisions. 5. What is your assessment of Silver Ship’s financial performance and condition? Is the company in good financial shape? Why or why not. Use financial rations to help support your assessment. Silver Ships is in a mediocre financial condition as of 2009. From 2006 to 2009 Silver Ships increased net sales by five million dollars. Silver Ships net income dropped during the recent recession, but began to grow again in 2009. Return on equity also dropped during the recession but began to climb in 2009.Show MoreRelatedSilver Ships Case Study Essay6823 Words   |  28 Pages As a new hire of Silver Ships, you have been asked to prepare an industry and company analysis for Mr. Mike McCarty, owner of Silver Ships. Your report should also provide specific recommendations with brilliant justifications based on your industry and competitive analysis. Rev. Confirming Pages g Silver Ships’ Strategy in the Military and Workboat Industry CASE 14 David L. Turnipseed University of South Alabama s Mike McCarty walked through the Silver Ships shipyard monitoringRead MoreSilver Ships Case Study3058 Words   |  13 PagesSilver Ships is not as well prepared for the future as it could be in terms of succession planning, diversification and capital structuring. The attached report recommends that Mike McCarty take immediate action to establish a strong plan for the future of the company. The company is currently funded entirely by equity, and the appropriate use of debt to grow the company would provide for opportunities to expand and diversify. McCarty must rely on his vision and innovative skills to expand andRead MoreAnalysis of Strategy: Silver Ship and the Military Industry1374 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of Strategy: Silver Ship and the Military Industry Introduction Strategy is important for any business, as the combination of goals, perspectives, beliefs, and actions that comprise a companys strategy have a direct impact on that companys success, profitability, and impact on the industry, environment, and community in which the company operates (Thompson et al, 2011). Without a proper strategy in place any business is ultimately doomed to failure, as improper strategies or a completeRead MoreThe Silver Trade : The World s First True Global Trade System1080 Words   |  5 Pagesthe most precious metal, silver was the most sought after good. The silver trade was the first global trade network and it dominated for thousands of years.Unlike the trade during the southernization time period, the silver trade included the newly discovered Americas. The main silver trade occurred between Asia and Europe with silver coming from all over the world. The Silver trade had both positive and negative impacts on the areas involved; the large quantities of S ilver all over the world causedRead MoreCollecting Coins Vs Stacking Bullion2395 Words   |  10 Pagescoins and private mint bullion items can fluctuate much higher than prevailing precious metal spot prices. For example see the bullion shortage premium effect from late 2008 into 2009 on the world’s most demanded government guaranteed silver coin, the American Silver Eagle. Should you buy collector coins or simply stack low premium bullion items? This is too a complex question to answer in a mere fashion. Your decision will likely rest on several important factors to consider. The range ofRead MoreDescriptive Essay About Love2096 Words   |  9 PagesThank You, Emmeline One late morning in 1914, I leaned against the newly painted silver railings of the large Majestic, a beautiful ship with a black bottom and a bright white top. Murky, charcoal-black smoke came out of the three enormous, grey, cylinder-shaped chimneys, which began combining with the fresh sea air. The thunderous boat horn was then suddenly blasted, interrupting the beautiful, calming noises of the sea. I heard the screeches of the white seagulls choke as they flied throughRead MoreThe Medieval Chinese Economic Revolution576 Words   |  2 PagesWhen they needed to ship commercial crops that they started to grow, the coastal shipping and inland shipping industries were created. Marco polo claimed to see no less than fifteen thousand vessels at a single port. Because of the booming shipping industry, a device used to tell direction was invented. Its name was the compass. It originally was a needle floating in water and was attached to a stem. It eventually was updated and put in a case with a glass top for use on ships. The first known useRead MoreThe Mutual Impact Between Amsterdam And The Voc2165 Words   |  9 Pagesdirectly where their homes or stores were. Although this made loading goods easier, traders first had to take convoluted routes through twisting rivers to sell their wares because their boats were unfit for the open-sea. Then, with the invention of a ship called a cog, trading routes could now stretch across seas. The cogs themselves could also carry five to ten times more cargo than earlier boats. Because Dutch traders could go to farther ports to trade, their cities, namely Amsterdam, became increasinglyRead MoreA Tale of Two Ships990 Words   |  4 PagesThe following story is a tale of two ships, both with the same story. It takes a spin on perspective, and plays with your imagination. Each of the two prefaces gives a different introduction to each ship and story, so Reader Beware: read but one preface, or the perspective and imaginative aspect of this tale will be forever lost... Historical Fiction - 1779 - Aboard the Continental Navy ship, the USS Alliance, captain Charles Stewart has orders to intercept the kings royal navy, which constantlyRead MoreThe Fall Sioux City Crash1369 Words   |  6 PagesFAA ought to have obliged the at distinctive sections of the several feet of pressure driven lines on the DC – 10 and other air ship . After the American Airlines Chicago DC – 10 accident happened , the requirement for circuit valves all through the DC – 10 water powered frameworks was clear.†Ã¢â‚¬Æ' 2- The Silver bridge disaster 1967 Introduction: - The breakdown of the Silver Bridge (1967) when it was 39 years of age , was examined and brought about the Government examination Standards (NBIS) to keep

The Memory Of The Vietnam War Essay - 1668 Words

The memory of war is one that often focuses on larger political and military topics while the average person often overlooks micro scale events, such as the refugee experience. Nonetheless, these events are more capable of giving a sense of the objects that were truly at stake in a conflict between larger parties. Ling Dang, a refugee of the Vietnam War, has a distinct memory of the Vietnam War because of the fact that she was born in the year of the Fall of Saigon. As a result, Linh’s memory of Vietnam, up until the age of 10, lies in the middle of a spectrum between memory and postmemory. I must admit that prior to interviewing Linh, I expected to hear a narrative that was much more traumatic like those we had covered in the course. Thankfully Lihn’s story wasn t as traumatic as others that experienced the war first hand and after conducting the interview and listening to others, I find Linhs story to be one that resonates with memory of older Vietnamese refugees and post memory younger Vietnamese-Americans. Similar to Angela Ho, Lihns childhood experience shaped her outcome that many would associate with the term â€Å"model minority†. Like older older refugees, such as Tam Duong, Linh maintains a patriotic stance on the War, although not as praising of the United States. The concept/ myth of the model minority is one that has intrigued me through the later part of the course simply because I can see the many reasons why people would deem the model minority idea to be true.Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie The Vietnam War By Kristen Ann Hass s Making A Memory Of War897 Words   |  4 PagesWhen discussing the topic of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War and the toll it had on America as a whole, it can be rather controversial. Many people wonder what the war was even about and some even bring up that the Vietnam War could be considered another Civil War for America. An example of this is how Marilyn Young argues in her article, â€Å"The Vietnam War in American Memory,† how many Americans treat Vietnam as something that happened amongst themselves. I believe what Young meant by thisRead MoreThe Vietnam War Era Of American History1700 Words   |  7 Pages Stanley Karnow describes the Vietnam War era of American history as à ¢â‚¬Å"†¦a tragedy of epic dimensions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 1 and it is fair to postulate that this is no understatement. One of the more pertinent ramifications of the Vietnam War was the deconstruction of fundamental, if somewhat illusory, American conceptions and ideals. The war shattered America’s hitherto unshakeable â€Å"confidence†2 in its political hegemony, military prowess and assumed authority in world order, i.e. â€Å"†¦its moral exclusivity, its militaryRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1686 Words   |  7 PagesThe Vietnam War, or also known as the American War to the Vietnamese people, is a catastrophic battle that has left both nations reeling with the casualties and the irreversible emotional, physical, and mental destruction for civilians and soldiers alike. Spanning over two decades, the war has taken away not only the lives of its soldiers, but also the souls of its survivors. Aware of its impact, artists, writers, and filmmakers from both side s have attempted to capture the post-war memories andRead MoreThe Vietnam War : A Black Eye952 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam war is a black eye in American history. Most soldiers were drapted into the war. Most of the soliders did not believe in the war. However, most Soldiers only had one chance to prove themselves to the platoon leader only one thin line between staying alive or dying. Surviving the Vietnam war was the main focus of the soldiers fighting amongst each other. Some soilders left the battle field with memories, but some soldiers memories faded away. Memories is what united the soldiers afterRead MoreFacing It By Yusef Komunyakaa1158 Words   |  5 Pageshimself is the one who is speaking, the poem is about his own life experience at the Vietnam Memorial. The way a person can tell if the own poet of the poem is the speaker is by the use of first person. In this case, the poet uses words like â€Å"I† and â€Å"I’m† that support the fact that h e is the speaker. The Vietnam War was a Historical event taken place in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Which was one of the first War that African Americans were integrated with White people, and the majority of the soldiersRead MoreEssay On The Things They Carried1629 Words   |  7 Pagessoldiers during the Vietnam era who were sent to the Vietnam War. The author, Tim O’Brien, describes the things that the men carry during their tour of duty. The items carried are both physical and impalpable items and what these things are is subject to the individual soldier. They carry the necessities for survival in the jungles of Vietnam as well as the personal things each soldier feels necessary to make life as comfortable as possible. Additionally, each of the men carries the memories and fears ofRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1459 Words   |  6 Pages1950’s, the Vietnam War turned to be the modern pinnacle for battles resulting in the deaths of 58,000 Americ an soldiers and millions of Vietnamese death. It saw the viable destruction of modern technology such as the newly fashioned M-16 rifle and the Apache, a helicopter made for mass destruction. For the soldiers experiencing Vietnam, it was truly an experience which would shape their hearts and minds forever. As evidenced in Tim O’ Brien’s The Things They Carried, The Vietnam War was an emotionalRead MorePsychological Changes During Soldiers From The Vietnam War981 Words   |  4 PagesSOLDIERS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR The survival of a soldier depends on what he wears. In war, the line between life and death is thinner than ever, and often, supplies, weapons, and the equipment of a soldier is the only thing that can cause the line not to clear. But, a soldier also carries his memory, memories, amulets, ghosts of the past, and trivial objects that do not let him forget that there is another life-the life-beyond war. Soldiers of Alpha Company, who fought in Vietnam, carry everythingRead MoreThe Bible By Abel Cain And The Other Abel1292 Words   |  6 PagesPrior to Abel’s murder, there was no war, man had not fought and sword had not been raised. It was from Cain punishment, which struck the feeling of hatred and the idea of war to solve problems. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, was a military struggle fought in Vietnam from 1959 to 1975 between the United States Forces and the Vietnamese army. Vietnam was the first significant war lost by the United States of Americ a. It was the first war to be broadcasted nightly through televisionRead MoreAmbush by Tim O Brien994 Words   |  4 Pagesis correct or not, it leaves an indelible memory. In Tim OBriens confessional writing, Ambush, he creates a flashback and recalls his memory in Vietnam. With detail descriptions, Tim OBrien expresses his guilt towards killing an innocent young man. Furthermore, reinforcing his opposition against war with the writing. In paragraph 2 and 3, Tim OBrien has created a flashback to present his regretful memory of the past. He was involved in the Vietnam War and accidentally killed a young man. However

Biblical Narrative free essay sample

The Art of Biblical Narrative, by Robert Alter, presents us with an introduction to a literary approach to the Bible. Specifically, he treats the prose of the Bible as highly sophisticated fictional narrative for the purposes of literary and analysis, countering notions that the often bewildering features encountered in it are a result of primitive writing technique or confused synthesis of varied sources. After opening with an introductory example and a survey of the current state of the literary study of the Bible (as of 31 years ago at least), he moves on to the core of his argument. He begins by discussing prose fiction and sacred narrative in general, and then moves on to discuss the use of convention within Biblical narratives. Next is the function of, and relationship between, narration and dialogue in the Bible. Next is the Biblically ubiquitous rhetorical device of repetition. Next he discusses the way the Bible deliberately leaves out details where our modern ears would expect them. After that, he analyzes the multi-sourced aspect of the Bible. Finally, he restates and expands the earlier discussion of the purpose and value of fiction and why it appears as it does in the Bible. First I will distill the gist of his theses, and then I will offer my own commentary. Alter’s first and central thesis, that, in terms of literary genre, the Biblical narratives are prose fiction, specifically, vacillating between historicized prose fiction and fictionalized prose history. Some important explanation: First, this terminology is primarily meant to indicate the literary sophistication of the narratives in contrast to the terms commonly given to them, legend, folklore, fairy tales, sagas, anecdotes, etc. The stories are not primitively inferior, as our modern ears are apt to hear many of the foreign literary devices, but rather, understood in their context, they are meticulously crafted and compiled stories by master storytellers. Next, the prose of the Bible stands in direct and stark contrast with the epic poetry of its pagan neighbors. The very usage of prose instead of poetry constituted a worldview rebellion from the powers of the time; prose was invented by the Hebrews as a new, counter-culture way of talking about the nature of the world. Prose depicted the universe more, well, prosaically, while epic poetry imparted a cosmic ritual-ness to the story-tellers and their story. The difference between the prose and the epic poetry is almost perfectly analogous to the differences of theology and worldview between the biblical authors and their contemporaries. The grammar was permitted to be looser, and significantly more ambiguity was allowed, in prose than in ANE epic poetry; the worldview of the Bible presents a much more (almost explicitly) nuanced, indeterminate understanding of man’s place in the world than the fixed, eternally subservient office of man in ANE epic poetry. Those sacred narratives were characteristically cyclic, focusing upon the unchanging, timeless events bound by the poetry, whereas the Bible offers a fixed beginning and unpredictable characters. The Bible doesn’t provide us with the fixed characters of myth and legend. It always gives us complex, nuanced characters as a challenge to the surrounding worldview. Three quotes serve to elucidate the way Alter sees the relationship between this literary conception of the Bible and its historical nature. First, â€Å"The point is that fiction was the principal means which the biblical authors had at their disposal for realizing history. † [p32] Second, â€Å"The author of the David stories stands in basically the same relation to Israelite history as Shakespeare stands to English history in his history plays. Shakespeare was obviously not free to have Henry V lose the battle of Agincourt, or to allow someone else to lead the English forces there, but working from the hints of historical tradition, he could invent a kind of [coming-of-age story] for the young Prince Hal † [p36] And third, commenting on the story of Ehud and Elgon, â€Å"It is perhaps less historicized fiction than fictionalized history history in which the feeling and the meaning of events are concretely realized through the technical resources of prose fiction† [p41 emphasis mine]. Finally, a key point about the nature of prose fiction is the artistic enjoyment in crafting a compelling story, and the enjoyment of the listeners/readers when encountering those stories. There was a serious distinction between prose and poetry in the types enjoyment to be had, both in weaving the story and hearing it. The authors used their artistic license to tell the story in a meaningful way, but in a way that was enjoyable to create and to experience. Observing the essentially aesthetic nature (as distinct from the informational or confessional natures) of the Bible’s composition is crucial to grasping what it is trying to express. â€Å"[S]erious playfulness can crystallize subtle and abiding truths of experience in amusing or arresting or gratifying ways,† [p46] and this is one more reason why prose fiction was immeasurably more suited to expressing the truths of God than the standard ANE epic poetry. After his introduction to the function and value of prose fiction in the Bible, Alter discusses convention. First, he uses an example of convention in Hollywood westerns to demonstrate how easily readers without an awareness of the conventions of the genre can utterly misunderstand the reason certain story events recur, and the significance carried by any deviation from those conventions. Then, he sheds light on some passages frequently assumed by scholars to be constructions from shared sources, and argues that their similarities arise not from the authors mixing up sources, but from convention; specifically, the three â€Å"betrothal at the well† scenes: Isaac and Rebecca , Jacob and Rachel, and Moses and Zipporah. The story of a good betrothal follows a relatively strict pattern, deviation from which can signal meaningful change in artistic intention. Careful literary analysis of the Bible requires attention to these patterns or at least a keen awareness that we have no access to sources necessary to indicate to us where many patterns are. After this, Alter analyzes the relationship in Biblical stories between narration proper and dialogue between characters. He argues that in the Bible, dialogue (either between characters, or, more rarely, inner-dialogue) is the preferred vehicle of narrative and character development, whereas descriptive narration proper is used only in certain instances, namely, 1) actions essential to the plot, 2) exposition setting the stage, and 3) â€Å"verbatim mirroring, confirming, subverting, or focusing in narration of statements made in direct discourse by the characters† [p77]. When narration mirrors dialogue, it is meant to draw attention back to the dialogue in some way. Alter argues that the reason for this emphasis is because â€Å"the biblical riters are less concerned with actions in themselves than with how individual character responds to actions or produces them[. ]† [p 66] One common device in characterization through dialogue is the contrast between the respective brevity or loquacity of characters’ speech to each other; a short question with a long reply, or a long question with a short reply, depending on the situation, can tell the attentive listener nearly everything he needs to know about that character. Questions of appearance, or other descriptions which moderns would ask, had virtually no presence in the ancient Israelite mind. This all alerts us to two things. First, any variation on this conventional preference for dialogue should be significant enough to draw closer attention, as well as any variation on the conventional ordering of exposition, actions, mirroring, and dialogue. Second, the biblical authors only included descriptive details which they thought were completely essential to the story, and thus special attention must always be paid to actions and details within biblical stories, and to their significance to the import of the story. For example, when Eve gave the fruit to Adam, the following words, â€Å"who was with her,† would have had such significance as to mean, â€Å"who had been standing there with her the whole time! † But we today are much more accustomed to expository detail, and don’t tend catch the significance that resided in those details. The next stage of Alter’s literary treatment of the Bible is focused on the all-pervasive presence of repetition within Biblical narration. He addresses four types of repetition in the Bible: Leitwort, motif, theme, sequence of actions, and type scene; but first points out that the original audience and authors must have taken pleasure in the mechanism of repetition in ways that we simply do not. Indeed, in English prose, word repetition is tedious and usually interrupts flow. Leitwort, the label Alter uses for this sort of word repetition which English avoids, where a specific word or set of words appear with regular frequency in a given narrative, is one of the commonest and easily observable techniques of repetition in the Bible. Since this technique also takes advantages of Hebrew word constructions that don’t necessarily come off in translation, it is, of course, much more visible in the original language, and so familiarity with the original language offers access to a deeper layer of meaning beyond syntax and vocabulary. This feature of Hebrew narrative is the most noticeable difference from most modern languages and literature, and its usage is always both intentional and meaningful. Because of the Bible’s heavy reliance on repetition as discussed here, key meanings can be discovered by paying attention to the variations (additions, subtractions, word changes) between verbatim quotations as they appear in a given story. The second category of repetition is motif, a flexible term for an idea or thing, usually something concrete, repeated at key points of a given narrative, which helps to tie the story together in memorable ways. The third type is theme, which is larger and more composite than motif, as motif is to leitwort. It is reflective more of the value system of the story and teller, and is the pedagogical or hortative aspect of the story. The fourth category of repetition is sequence of actions, a further step larger and more composite than theme. This is when, in a single story, a character does or experiences a certain set of actions or events more than once, such as Balaam’s three failures to direct his donkey, Delilah’s repeated attempts to sap Samson’s strength, or Job’s sequential loss of everything. This technique of repetition is usually for the purpose of memorability. Finally, the largest and most composite sort of repetition in the Bible, Type-scene, is seen when seemingly entire stories are told again, but perhaps with different characters, but which are really conforming to convention. Once again, the variations between individual samples of repetition like type-scene are significant to the meaning of a story. The next feature of prose fiction relevant to literary study of the bible is â€Å"reticence,† and it is particularly idiosyncratic to the Bible. In short, this is the Bible’s unusual (to us) habit of leaving the internal (emotional, mental) lives of its characters almost completely un-described and uncommented-on. For a long time, the trend was to attribute this lack of description as poor, primitive storytelling and characterization. The biblical writers DO demonstrate the ability to do so on occasion, so the careful literary critic will realize that this reticence is deliberate and craftful. It is simply a method, foreign to us, for circuitously communicating depth and ambiguity. As pointed out earlier, austere economy in exposition and narration proper is the rule in Biblical prose, so careful attention must be paid to what inner life is described, and how certainly, in order to catch many of the authors’ meaningful hints. The unique level of ambiguity produced by this narrative technique is uncannily apt for the monotheistic worldview held by the Biblical authors for whom the tension between God’s ordering and man’s disordering is never far out of mind. The chief impediment to analysis of the Bible as literature is the reality that it was not written by one author, but rather composed by multiple authors, editors, redactors and compilers, even within individual books. Is any one particular instance of narrative contradiction the intentional (or even intuitive) result of a skilled storyteller, or the incidental result of multiple editors/redactors attempting to cobble together irreconcilably disparate sources? Alter argues that contradiction and inconsistency within a narrative are indeed the result of an author pulling together multiple sources, but that the contradictory elements are the vessels of meaning indispensable to the author. For example, the introductory stories of David sharply contradict, but this is because they are describing aspects of David which naturally suggest contradiction, that is, the realities of both his private person and his public figure. Thus, rather than editorial incompetence, the presentation of the two stories together reflects a nuanced, artful awareness of the complexity of David’s character. â€Å"Without both these versions of David’s beginnings and his claim to legitimacy as monarch, the Hebrew writer would have conveyed less than what he conceived to be the full truth about his subject. † (p153, emphasis mine) â€Å"Would it not be frivolous on the part of an anonymous Hebrew writer charged with the task of formulating sacred traditions for posterity to indulge in writerly [sic] pleasures? Alter asks as a hypothetical challenge to his conception of the Bible as fictionalized history/historicized fiction. â€Å"The repertoire of techniques for telling a story,† with fiction prose, he tells us, were (and indeed, still are) more abundant and more fit to convey knowledge about Yahweh than any other form of literature of the time. â€Å" [E]xaggeration or stylization may be a means of exposing what is ordinarily hidden, and fantasy may faithfully represent an inner or suppressed reality[. † In this way, the playfulness and artfulness of the fiction prose of the Bible is not frivolous, but profoundly and unexpectedly serious. And far from being a way to deceive, mislead about the truth of what happened, or invent entire stories from whole cloth, the prose fiction of the Bible serves as the vehicle for the authors’ depiction of history. Once more, â€Å"fiction was the principal means which the biblical authors had at their disposal for realizing history. Alter’s core thesis is both brilliant and simple, yet open enough for a wide range of interpretation that its value can hardly be overstated. Furthermore, he is right that fiction can often convey knowledge that other methods of expression struggle with. (There is a truth to Winnie the Pooh completely absent in any newscast or history textbook. ) And really, is it possible, even in theory, to relate any past event without some degree of imaginative fictionalization? One’s choice of words, starting point, ending point, excluded details, emphasis, and even the act of remembrance, will all necessarily involve acts of imagination, so why ought the Bible and its creation be exempt from fictionalization, especially considering all the features which seem only to be there for their aesthetic effect? Alter’s examples and explication of specifics were superb at delineating why it is so difficult for us to catch those features, and pointing in the direction of further study. While it was a masterful work, The Art of Biblical Narrative was not without its problems. His discussion of the common ground between fiction narrative and â€Å"historical† narrative was painfully short, and I believe I myself only grasped it because of my prior education in the subject. Additionally, he gives the impression, despite occasional qualifications, that the narrative of the Bible all employs the same fictional techniques, as if they were all by the same author. He gives very little time to possible differences from author to author, especially over time. For an example of how this is problematic, the supposed Biblical/Hebrew preference for dialogue over action seems absent especially in the early parts of Genesis. We are also given no direct information about which school of literary criticism he belongs to, in order to more accurately judge his arguments over the backdrop of his educational context. Finally, he doesn’t clearly explain exactly what fiction is. Despite these shortcomings however, Alter’s work still towers as the authoritative work on the subject thirty years later, and with good reason.

Should Norway become a Member free essay sample

After serious consideration, I have decided to write about the EU-membership. Since the EU was first started, there have been many discussions around this particular theme. This is one of the reasons why I have turned to it in my essay. I think the different parts of the discussion of why Norway should be a member, are very engaging, and there are many good arguments coming from both sides. For the many members who can join the EU-membership, including Norway, the membership is considered to have many positive consequences. The EU’s expansion into Norway will make an increased competition for the Norwegian economic life and trade, but it will also cause an expansion of the market we know today. The positive consequences of the expansion is partially tied up with a joint regulation wich will cause stabile boundaries for each of the parts it involves. The Norwegian fishmarket will benefit in many ways because of the increased spending power. We will write a custom essay sample on Should Norway become a Member? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, the downside is that the membership will not secure the fishtrade interests. Another thing we have to take into concideration is that the Norwegian economic life can suffer of a suppression from the other members. It is said that EU is a democracy, but when the many interest-parts want’s to benefit from the membership, it can swiftly cause problems for a country like Norway. A country with not so large population as other countries, but with much more potentially/real resources. Such a suppression can easily cause a crack of the Norwegian market. Joining the EU will also come with many commitments. That I am not sure the of people of Norway are capable of handling. A part of the countries that can or has joined the EU, are very pour and this causes economical commitments towards them. On the long run, the helpers may benefit of the development of these countries, but in what degree is not sure. Suppression of the countries outside EU, will defenitely cause disputes, and maybe also bring out extremists groups. EU was started because certain countries wanted to make a kind of a union, to prevent further wars in the European continent. In my opinion, EU has changed their point of view, and likes the idea of a large democracy built upon many other democracies. The EU is starting to look more like a superpower in development, it is getting larger and larger, and the question is; Will the the EU go so far to put the remaining countries outside the EU under a forced membership? I don’t think the step will go so far, but the ever growing â€Å"union† will faster and faster develop a economically and psychological advantages. The EU can grow so large that the other superpowers in the world may begin to think of the EU as a threath. When a union grows so large, with so many important countries involved, they can easily lose face and be concidered to be a threath to another powerful superpower’s economy. Also, a democracy built upon so many countries and interests, will fall easier. There are many good reasons for joining the EU, but I think there are just as many on not to. Deciding a country’s future like this is very hard, and I can therefore understand the cleavage that has come to show in this discussion. The whole thing is so confusing, and it is hard to see the consequences, that is also why I haven’t decided which side I am on. One thing is certain, Norway has got to make a choice, and then we have to decide if dare to bet on this, or to lock ourself in, and fight for our resources. As my final point, I would like to direct attention to the fragileness of the EU. It is like a house of cards, if you remove one of the cards, the house will fall.