Is Jarhead a simple copy of Platoon Essay Example Essay Example

Is Jarhead a simple copy of Platoon Essay Example Paper Is Jarhead a simple copy of Platoon Essay Introduction The war film is a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. Sometimes they focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles. Their stories may be fiction, based on history, docudrama or occasionally biographical. War films have a huge impact on society, influencing people to believe that account of what happened if it is based on real life events. I will be assessing two war films Jarhead and Platoon.The first Jarhead was made in 2005, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Jake Gyllenhaal playing Anthony Swofford, it is based on Swoffords 2003 Gulf war memoir- Jarhead a marines chronicle of the gulf war and other battles. Platoon is an award winning 1986 Vietnam War film written and directed by Oliver Stone and the story is loosely based on Stone’s experiences as an Army combat infantryman in Vietnam and w as written by him upon his return as a counter to the vision of the war portrayed in John Wayne’s The Green Berets.Platoon’s impact was both criticized and liked. The film however portrayed the Americans as violent and sometimes sick. Jarhead was credited for its unique portrayal of Gulf War Marines who battled more boredom and a sense of isolation rather than enemy combatants.Anthony Swoff Swofford is sent to the 1st gulf war to fight but tackles boredom and isolation rather than enemy combatants. Jarhead was based on the memoirs of the real-life Anthony Swofford, who did serve as a sniper in the 1991 Gulf War; the title comes from military slang for a Marine enlistee.There are a lot of signs used in Jarheads opening scenes. The film starts off with the main character ‘Swoff’ non diagetic narrating on a blank screen showing that this film will be in his perspective in 1st person. His voice is calm and gives the impression of something loud or big is going to happen to clash with his calmness. It then shows a close up shot of ‘Swoff’ using hard light. He looks to his right indicating someone is there. In the back round you here a loud, harsh voice also indicating this will not be a calm film but a harsh, loud film. It cuts to a long shot showing the whole hall and all the troops wearing their combat gear and with military hair cuts; the lighting used is artificial coming from the lights in the ceiling. A series of close ups between the drill instructor and Swoff are then shown using hard light. It then shows a long shot of Swoff doing press-ups. They then use non diagetic sound with Swoff narrating. He also states that joining the marines might have been a bad decision.It then cuts to Swoff and the drill instructor. They still use close ups to capture the hate and power of the drill instructor and the pain and anguish of Swoff. They are using diagetic sound, the voices of the characters. The D.I grabs Swoff and pushes hi m down, using a high angle shot, to show the D.I’s position in power. After arguing with the D.I Swoff gets his head banged against the blackboard, this is a sign to show that the character is not going to have an easy time and that that was only the beginning of the suffering. They use a rack focusing shot and freeze it to show the pain on Swoffs face and for the opening of a new scene and the use of a non diagetic sound, back round music.They chose Don’t Worry Be Happy-Performed by Bobby McFerrin. This is an upbeat song and shows the contrast of what is happening to what the song states. It then goes on to show the busses carrying the new troops in a long shot and natural light. Narration is used again while showing close ups of Swoff and long shots of the whole of the bus indicating that if he does go through a lot of pain and hardship, he is not alone. It then shows a picture of his girlfriend who he will miss. He gets off the bus using close up shots and the sunli ght seeping in, in the back round shows the use of natural light. Also he looks nervously at some older soldiers using the low angle shot and natural light, who have been there longer showing that he is scared and nervous.The characters are shown through the dialogue and their actions and facial emotion. We are shown that they have something to do with the army in the first shots as they are wearing military uniform. We are also told that Swoffs father served in Vietnam, giving us a clue to when this is set as Swoff is about 20 years old. We are also told through Swoffs narration that he joined the marines. It then has a caption at the bottom of the screen showing that it is 1989 and in Camp Pendleton, which is located in southern California. You cannot predict the ending from the start of the movie, which for me is a good thing. Although the opening narration where he says that a man who goes to war and fires a rifle will always have the feeling of that rifle, clearly states that i f he is talking about himself he does go to war and does survive.A gritty and emotional look at the lives of a platoon of American soldiers as they patrol, fight and die in the jungles of Vietnam as seen through the perspective of a young recruit. Two veteran sergeants clash when one of them precipitates a massacre of villagers. Platoons opening scenes also show a lot of signs, such as the opening scene when it is all foggy and hectic showing signs of confusion. Then it goes onto a plane with its door opening showing fresh recruits and implying that they are entering a whole new world. The camera focuses on one soldier indicating that he is the main character. He is then shown body bags of dead soldiers; this obviously shows danger and the fear in these new recruits. He then walks past older soldiers and looks nervously at them. A camera shows the top of the forest these soldiers are in indicating how closed in they are. They are in near darkness and it is quiet which can mean dange r! The signs used in Jarhead are quite different as Platoon is more depressing and dark. Although in Jarhead and Platoon the main character looks nervously at older soldiers, which shows they both were nervous.This film starts off looking like it is going to be in 3rd person, but then later has the main character narrating which tells us that it is in 1st person which is the same as Jarhead. The sound codes on the opening scenes of Platoon are quite different to Jarhead as no dialogue can be heard till later on. The non diagetic sound used in this opening is the musical score Adagio For Strings-Barber by The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. This is a very sad and calm piece of music which is very different to Jarheads Don’t worry be happy song which is very upbeat and positive whereas the song in Platoon is quite negative. There is also diagetic sounds such as the planes, cars and helicopter.The lighting used in Platoon is mostly natural light to add to the realism, especially w hen the light shines through the huge trees almost covering the sun. This is quite different to Jarheads Hard light use on close ups. Also the camera shots are a lot different. Where in Jarhead there are a lot of close ups showing the emotion on the face, Platoon focuses on long shots of the whole airfield and an ariel shot which shows the tops of the trees in the forest. This certainly shows the vast land which the troops were made to fight. The costumes and props in this film are a lot like Jarheads as they both are military uniforms. Of course Jarheads uniforms are updated and they were fighting a different type of war in a whole different time and place. Platoons guns were older as it was set in 1967 and Jarhead was set in 1989. Also in Jarhead all the marines had the same shaven haircuts, but in Platoon everyone had a different hair style.In Platoon we are just thrown into a war film, it does not actually say that they are in Vietnam or what year it is. This is very different t o Jarhead where you are actually told what the year was and where they were. We also aren’t told what type of soldier he is or how he got there until later in the film. I don’t think you can predict the ending of the film based on the start as it reveals very little although it does show body bags coming back from the war, indicating that that might be a fate for him. This again is quite different to Jarhead as he reveals at the beginning narration that after a war a man never forgets his rifle implying that he survives.In conclusion, I think that both films have successfully shown the codes and conventions of the war genre. When thinking of war movies, you often think of bombs, explosions, blood, and gore. What people usually fail to acknowledge, however, is the other conflict that is going on – the conflict that does not involve gunfire and grenades. This is a mental war that goes on in the heads of every soldier on the battlefield. It doesn’t matter wh ich war is being fought, where the location is, or even what time period you’re in. Both these films show a mentally challenging war and don’t really focus on the physical warfare. This maybe because America actually lost these wars, The Vietnam war and the 1st Gulf war and they consider them their worst defeats in history.As these films were made by Americans, their portrayal as suffering and surviving may be an excuse on why they lost, as America are very proud of the wars they have won. Both films showed narrative as at the beginning of Platoon, Chris Taylor, the main character arrived as a rookie. He was treated bad by some other troops with more experience and was new to war. The Disequilibrium, the actual fighting in the war, the loss of friends, the constant struggle really showed. The new equilibrium was that he survives and goes home like before, but with the knowledge and experience he gained he is a new man, a hero. In Jarhead, the main character is a rookie and new to war. He was treated badly by some other troops but kept on. The Disequilibrium was that the actual boredom of the war and that they could never kill was a huge problem; he started to lose himself and showed that by turning on friends. At the end, the new equilibrium is put in place as he returns home, a hero but with the mental scars that wounded him.I think that Jarhead is not just a simple copy of platoon. It is very similar in some ways but different in a lot more. The wars which are being fought in both films, they lost which adds to the similarity, but they are different films because of the characters in them. You do not find that the characters in Jarhead are like the characters in Platoon. But both characters do at first say maybe it was a mistake to join and both start as rookies. But after that the films are very different although they do both focus on the mental warfare rather than the physical. I can see how some people might think that Jarhead is just a cop y but I see it as two very different independent movies. Is Jarhead a simple copy of Platoon Essay Thank you for reading this Sample!

10 Critical Essay Topics on Police Brutality

10 Critical Essay Topics on Police Brutality If you are tasked with writing a critical essay on police brutality, you may be unsure of what facts would best substantiate your case. For this reason, and many more, you will find a list of helpful facts below which can be used to help you write your next piece: The vast majority of American police officers feel strongly that the use of force beyond that which is legal is not acceptable. Nonetheless cases of extreme abuse of authority do take place infrequently. Many departments will take tough stands against police abuse and at times, many fellow officers disregard this and use more force than is necessary when they make an arrest. On that note, the officers who witness this unnecessary use of force ignore the conduct. In order to mitigate the high rates of police brutality training and education must be integrated into the modern police force. First line supervisors in tandem with department chiefs play a critical role in the prevention of abuse among police officers. Policies which are community oriented have very little impact in reducing the abuse of authority among police officers. More importantly, black and non-black police officers hold very different views about the impact that race and socio-economic background has on the likelihood that police officers will abuse someone. The code of silence is among one of the worst culprits of continued police brutality. Officers face serious struggles reporting other officers. There is a big gap found between the attitudes that officers hold about reporting other unit members and the actions that they take. Even if officers do not believe that they should protect those who conduct themselves illegally, they will not often turn in officers whom they know have broken the law. Over 80% of police officers surveyed reported that they do not accept the idea of the â€Å"Code of Silence†, which refers to remaining quiet in the face of other officers engaging in misconduct, is necessary in order for police officers to maintain mutual levels of trust among one another. However, nearly one quarter of the same surveyed group agreed that whistle blowing on others is not worth the hassle that accompanies it and two thirds of that group reported that the officers who do report other officers for misconduct are given the c old shoulder. That same group reported that as a result, almost all officers will simply turn a blind eye. There is a significant gap between the thoughts held about reporting other officers and the actions taken by other officers such that 61% of officers surveyed stated that police officers rarely report serious criminal violations which involve another officer abusing their authority. There is a significant role played by the race, class, and demeanor of those involved. Citizens who are disrespectful or show hostility toward the officer increase their chances of being arrested. What’s more, research from the Police Foundation indicates that American police officers are evenly divided as to whether officers are more likely to arrest someone who shows what the officer in question believes to be a â€Å"bad attitude†. Half strongly disagree that showing a bad attitude increases the chances of being arrested while the other half feel that it strongly does. Some studies indicate that 17% of officers treat whites better than other minorities. An addition 11.1% of officers indicated that they believed more violence was shown toward blacks compared to whites. Another 14% stated that officers should use increased physical force against those who are poor compared to those who are middle class and in the exact same criminal situation. The responses indicate that white police officers believe that class and race are not important with regard to abuse of authority, but police officers who are black or another minority view the opposite. One study reviewed 1,565 cases and the results from that review indicates that reasonable force was used in 3.3% of cases with excessive force used in 1.8% of cases. This indicates that the use of excessive force constituted 35% of the daily encounters. This information was collected and reviewed in 1980 and since then the ability to garner the same level of insight into the frequency of excessive force has been significantly more challenges because of difficulties collecting such data and a lack of reports by other officers. Police forces have comparatively low psychological requirements to other federal or government branches where weapons are used. The lower psychological requirements and lower education levels results in increasing numbers of officers who regularly use excessive power. This, in tandem with the code of silence which often is enforced, results in the abusers being allowed to do as they please and not being stopped. In American the majority of officers do not approve of the use of excessive force. But a substantial minority do believe that using more than is necessary in a given situation is sometimes permissible. 30% of officers surveyed believed that police officers are not allowed to use the maximum amount of allowed force when they make arrests. Yet another 25% agreed that controlling someone who is assaulting an officer requires the use of more than what is the legal and allowable amount of force. In addition to this, 40% believe that using more force than necessary does not allow them to get their jobs done properly. The vast majority of surveyed police officers do not think that other officers use excessive force but 4.1% of officers regularly use more physical force than is necessary in a given situation. The issue here lies in the fact that the few who do are not reported by their fellow officers even if they witness it and this gives them a clean report. Having a clean report allows said officers to continue in their abuse of power and authority without the need to worry about being reported. Without the reports being filed, the individuals who oversee the fight against police brutality are unable to see a problem and therefore unable to fix it. Police brutality doesn’t stop to bother people because the stats of abusing the authoritative power are only growing. That’s why it’s necessary to write about this. As a result we also gathered sample topics on police brutality with a sample essay that will show you the idea of a proper paper. Moreover, you may use our tutorial on writing a critical essay. With all of this you’ll certainly know how to write a superb text. References: Bandes, Susan. Patterns Of Injustice: Police Brutality In The Courts.  SSRN Electronic Journal  n. pag. Web. Bartollas, Clemens, and Larry D Hahn.  Policing In America. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. Print. Bayley, David H., and Sailendra Misra. Police Brutality: An Analysis Of Police Behaviour..  The Journal of Asian Studies  47.1 (1988): 184. Web. Brandl, Steven G, and David E Barlow.  The Police In America. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2004. Print. Champion, Dean J.  Police Misconduct In America. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Print. Cothran, Helen.  Police Brutality. San Diego, Calif.: Greenhaven Press, 2001. Print. Dudley, William.  Police Brutality. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1991. Print.

Business Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Business Decision Making - Essay Example The individual, the community and the social and political hierarchy that constitute the system, now face new risks brought forth by the choices they have to make or will make in the future. This is a result of the deluge of information, the flooding of goods in a free market economy and the proliferation of environmental and scientific awareness that conflict with other pieces of information, alternative goods and concepts that are readily available at a flick of a finger. These aforementioned conveniences and awareness are sometimes deemed liabilities in contemporary society as access to specialized knowledge and the profound understanding of risks have deemed it difficult for societies to formulate institutional and collective decisions. However, individuals, with their predilection for personal control, are in some ways encouraged by consumerism and their ability to purchase and thus, decision-making can easily be generated in the personal level. The present transition of societies from industrial to knowledge societies has significantly affected not just individuals but also the economy and our political structure as well. With the societies' and the individual's volume of knowledge at the effortless disposal increasing at a high-speed rate and doubling every five years, the rise of the new social order founded on knowledge is inevitable (Stehr, 2001). The swift metamorphosis that our society will undergo in the near future will affect our politics and our democratic ideals. Nico Stehr asserts that knowledge is not just a 'constitutive' factor of the market economy but a fundamental 'organisational principle' upon which we base our very existence - even our way of life (2001). Living in a knowledge society only means that we systematize our social and political structures on the basis of what we know. This has significant implications in that knowledge and technology have freed us from the clutches of religious, military an d monarchic hegemony - monolithic institutions which are now considered obsolete. However, it is important to note that the political system's regulation of social circumstances, involving mainly careful planning, controlling, managing and forecasting of the aforesaid social conditions, has increasingly become difficult as society has faced fragility. This is not brought about by the emergence of the global culture and economy or the 'economisation' of social relations but the disappearance of political power in the face of increasing knowledge. The rise of a more hierarchal society which sprang from the attainment of knowledge has become more noticeable in more liberal democratic states as equality of knowledge of complex issues plaguing many democracies around the world is necessary for political legitimacy - one which arises from democratic participation (Teune et al, 2001). The key concept that most citizens consider is the legitimacy of the hierarchy in the political realm whic h could not be achieved unless democratic participation is encouraged and effected. For democracy to work, the surfacing of the informed citizenry which is passionately involved in participatory democracy is necessary. Understanding of these complex issues, however, requires the use of knowledge, and with the shaping of the general public to a robust knowledge society, differences and conflicts in opinion and ideas usually hampers the swift promulgation of policies that are necessary for the

911 Commissino Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

911 Commissino Report - Essay Example Bush in late 2002, is chartered to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks. The Commission is also mandated to provide recommendations designed to guard against future attacks". (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States)Meanwhile, to preview the 9/11 attack on American, it is very significant to state that "the 9/11 attack was in some ways more devastating. It was carried out by a tiny group of people, not enough to man a full platoon. Measured on a governmental scale, the resources behind it were trivial. The group itself was dispatched by an organization based in one of the poorest, most remote, and least industrialized countries on earth. This organization recruited a mixture of young fanatics and highly educated zealots who could not find suitable places in their home societies or were driven from them". (Historical Per spective)The Public Reports of the Commission was released on July 22, 2004, while August 21, the Commission also released two staffs monograph. Meanwhile, after the released, there were lots of comments from people in United States on her they received the final draft. Some also regarded the reports as Lie. "Those who would conceal the truth have tried (with some success) to condition the public into associating any questioning of the official version of events with the label "conspiracy theory" (and implicitly, "lunatic conspiracy theory"). A moment's consideration will reveal that this is quite a stupid claim, since to question, or to cast doubt upon, some claim or story is not in itself to put forward any other claim or story, and still less any "theory". One may (as many do) disbelieve the U.S. government's story about what happened on 9/11 without being obliged to provide any explanation at all as to what happened on that day". (The 9/11 Commission Report: A 571-Page Lie) "The final report of the 9/11 commission confirms many of the panel's preliminary findings that have--or should have--embarrassed the Bush administration. The commission does note, "Our aim has not been to assign individual blame. Our aim has been to provide the fullest possible account of the events surrounding 9/11 and to identify lessons learned." And it is true that the report does point to screw-ups and negligent policymaking committed during both the Bush II and Clinton administrations. But George W. Bush is the incumbent president who has to face the voters in November. Although Republicans in recent days have been highlighting the mistakes of the Clinton years, it is not inappropriate for voters to focus on what report tells us about Bush and his administration. As a public service, here is a look at several of those critical portions". (The 9/11 Reports: Bad News to Bush) The US Political leaders and other relations of the victims also reacted on how they received the final reports of 9/11 Commission. US President Bush, comments that "They've done a really good job of learning about our country and learning about what went wrong prior to 11 September, and making very sound, solid, recommendations about how to move forward. I assured them that where government needs to act, we will. "There is still a threat. We in the government have an obligation to do everything in our power to safeguard the American people." (Reaction to 9/11 Reports) CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we have seen and make assessments on the genesis of the 9/11 Commission which was inaugurated in order to investigate the causes of 9/11 attack on America. While members of the Commission seemed to

Symbolism, Central Conflict and Character Essay Example for Free

Symbolism, Central Conflict and Character Essay August Wilson’s Fences remains as one of the most renowned play until now because of its good facility to discuss intricate social issues about the African Americans coupled with carefully designed literary devices such as symbolisms and metaphors. The play tackles about the queer and complicated life of African American Troy Maxson, the protagonist of the story, a former baseball player star in the Negro League who becomes a garbage lifter in the sanitary department. Among the central conflicts that the play has successfully portrayed is the wide discrimination of the Whites to the African Americans even though slavery has already totally eliminated in their way of life. Through the characterization of Troy and his friend Bono, the coming of age within the cycle of damaged Black Americans’ manhood is perfectly discussed in the play. Troy and are portrayed in the story as individuals with problematic childhood days due to their cruel and oppressive fathers. Troy’s father is described as an evil that no woman stayed with him for a long time and this makes Troy grew up almost motherless. His father even raped the girl he loves just only to give Troy a lesson for his disobedience. Bono, likewise, had experienced difficulty with regards to his father who is described as a man who prevents to stay in one place for long and moves often from one woman to another. Unlike Troy, Bono did not feel the fathering role that Troy’s father provided to his children. Through the characterizations of Troy and Bono, the idea of the Blacks about becoming a man was carefully revealed. For the Africans during that time, becoming a man means leaving the man that raised them due to a violent conflict. Troy and Bono achieved their manhood when they left their abusive and cruel fathers and started to live their own lives. Another characterization that adds to the portrayal of the wide discrimination among the African Americans because of the color of their skin, in addition, is the type of job that Troy and Bono have. The setting of the story tells that the Blacks had already escaped from the cruelty of slavery. Nevertheless, even though slavery was totally vanished in their way of life, the Africans are still subjected to injustices in the society. For instance, the play portrays Troy and Bono as garbage lifters in the sanitary department, the job that is considered only for the Black Americans. Even though Troy was promoted in the later part of the story, there is still an implied discrimination among them since Troy had to work hard just only to become a truck driver of the garbage collector. The play portrays how the Africans are discriminated during that time as they hold menial jobs working as domestic servants, sharecroppers, maritime workers, common laborers and farmers (Shannon 20). Likewise, wide discrimination among colors is perfectly justified when Troy is ignored in the field baseball because he is a Black. Their race is being discriminated even in the sports that everybody should enjoy. Furthermore, the story exposes the backward, racial, ignorant, and unjust ways of the Old South through the traits and attitudes shared by the main protagonist of the play. Troy is described as an irresponsible father through the various symbolisms and metaphors present in the plot of the story. The train where Troy rides going back to Rose symbolizes his hope to change his life but also reveals his weakness as a man who committed infidelity with a woman named Alberta. Troy even asked Rose to take care of Raynell, the fruit of his sin with Alberta. Another symbolism that adds to the negative portrayal of the Blacks is the unfinished fence around the backyard of Troy’s family. The unfinished fence, symbolizes Troy’s laziness and lack of commitment to marriage. Troy, aside from being impure in their relationship, does like want to marry Rose since he is afraid of commitment. Moreover, the house itself of Troy’s family is also a metaphor of Troy’s imperfection. Aside from being the symbol of his pride, since providing a house means responsible fathering to a family, the house of Troy is also the object of shame because it was built from the perspiration of Gabriel Maxson, his brother who was given check as casualty of the World War II. Apart from the negative implications about the Africans, there are also scenes in the story which give a hint about the brighter side of the characters in the story. Rose, the wife of Troy, epitomizes the unconditional love that a woman can ever give to a man. In the play, Rose wants to finish the fence around their backyard because the fence for Rose symbolizes the security and commitment of her love to Troy. Rose wants their family, amidst the hardships and difficulties, to be reunited and secured with enduring love and relationship. Another invincible act that Rose has done is her acceptance of the child Raynell who epitomizes the sin and infidelity of her husband Troy. Rose, by accepting the child, indeed sacrificed her hatred for the sin that her husband committed. Another good implication about the Africans as portrayed in the story is their hope to become a responsible father amidst their personal limitations and problems. Troy’s father, eve though described as cruel and abusive, shows a responsible fathering to his children since he did not left them in the absence of their mother. Likewise, Troy somehow served as a responsible father when he owned the responsibility of taking care for Raynell. Despite his bad implications as head of the family, he still managed to become a justified father since he never left and ignored his family. Amidst the problems that they encountered, Troy still managed to be with his family unlike the father of Bono who keeps on moving from one woman to another. In total, August Wilson Fences is to be considered as a great work of art since it illuminates important issues about the African Americans through the successful facility of literary devices such as symbolisms and metaphors. Works Cited Shannon, Sandra Garrett. August Wilson’s Fences. CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003.

Be Quiet :: Bible Critics

Bible critics assert that the beloved apostle Paul was a male chauvinist. One might inquire, â€Å"How do they support such a claim?† Critics of the sacred writings often flee to 1st Corinthians 14:34-35 to buttress their accusations of apostolic misogyny citing Paul’s infamous command, â€Å"The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.† Let us employ some excellent, fundamental, Bible study techniques to determine the meaning of Paul’s words. First, Biblical passages do not contradict one another, â€Å"The sum of Your word is truth† (Psalm 119:160). 1st Timothy 2:11-12 states that edification for women in the assembly is allowable provided it’s accompanied by a quiet, submissive attitude. Also, women may prophesy as long as their head is covered (1st Cor. 11:5). Therefore, we must interpret the silence of 1st Cor. 14:34 with the former passages in mind. Moreover, let us remember the ancient Biblical real estate law, â€Å"Location, location, location, â€Å"Context, context, context.† Biblical passages must be interpreted with the context in mind, and the context of 1st Corinthians 14 is the Corinthian is authority and the abuse of spiritual gifts. Therefore, let us examine the word silence in its proper context. Silence is the Greek word sigao, and it’s not used to denote absolute, unqualified silence. Therefore, we must look to the context to determine the type of silence in view. Allow me to illustrate. Discussing the physical toll of refusing to confess sin, David wrote, â€Å"When I kept silent about my sin †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Psalm 32:3). The word silent doesn’t mean he never spoke, rather it means he never spoke or confessed his adultery. Let’s look at a New Testament example. Jesus took Peter and the sons of thunder, James and John, with him on the mountain to pray. The blessed trio witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, saw and heard his discussion with Moses and Elijah, and they heard God’s command from heaven to listen to his Son. How did the disciples respond? Be Quiet :: Bible Critics Bible critics assert that the beloved apostle Paul was a male chauvinist. One might inquire, â€Å"How do they support such a claim?† Critics of the sacred writings often flee to 1st Corinthians 14:34-35 to buttress their accusations of apostolic misogyny citing Paul’s infamous command, â€Å"The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.† Let us employ some excellent, fundamental, Bible study techniques to determine the meaning of Paul’s words. First, Biblical passages do not contradict one another, â€Å"The sum of Your word is truth† (Psalm 119:160). 1st Timothy 2:11-12 states that edification for women in the assembly is allowable provided it’s accompanied by a quiet, submissive attitude. Also, women may prophesy as long as their head is covered (1st Cor. 11:5). Therefore, we must interpret the silence of 1st Cor. 14:34 with the former passages in mind. Moreover, let us remember the ancient Biblical real estate law, â€Å"Location, location, location, â€Å"Context, context, context.† Biblical passages must be interpreted with the context in mind, and the context of 1st Corinthians 14 is the Corinthian is authority and the abuse of spiritual gifts. Therefore, let us examine the word silence in its proper context. Silence is the Greek word sigao, and it’s not used to denote absolute, unqualified silence. Therefore, we must look to the context to determine the type of silence in view. Allow me to illustrate. Discussing the physical toll of refusing to confess sin, David wrote, â€Å"When I kept silent about my sin †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Psalm 32:3). The word silent doesn’t mean he never spoke, rather it means he never spoke or confessed his adultery. Let’s look at a New Testament example. Jesus took Peter and the sons of thunder, James and John, with him on the mountain to pray. The blessed trio witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus, saw and heard his discussion with Moses and Elijah, and they heard God’s command from heaven to listen to his Son. How did the disciples respond?

Analysis Paper: Zinsser’s Book on Writing Essay

How can I, as a writer, balance writing for myself and for my readers without sacrificing the other? That is the question I was struck with while reading Zinsser’s book On Writing Well, and one he presents.In his book, writers are encouraged to adopt a style that is fitting of themselves, yet capture and maintain the attention of readers. What if my style does not capture readers? What if what captures the attention of readers does not do the same for me as I write? Am I stuck wrestling between this paradox of uncertainty or is there a way out? Note to self: NOT writing is not an option. Luckily, Zinsser, who is a writer, editor and teacher, offers solutions in chapters four, five, and nine that I found very helpful and will serve as a guide in future writing assignments. He advises that I eliminate any unnecessary words and keep my language simple. This won’t take away from my style, but enhance it by removing the â€Å"excess or murkiness [that] has crept into [my] style† and obstructs the message I am trying to convey to readers. Style is something that every writer possesses and makes him/her equally unique. So, the first step in capturing my audience while writing for myself is to relax and be myself. Zinsser states: The reader will notice if you are putting on airs. Readers want the person who is talking to them to sound genuine. Therefore a fundamental rule is: be yourself (19). Before writing, I should relieve myself of any pressure to write in a way that feels unnatural, produce an awesome paper that will rock everyone’s socks off, or me et a certain page length. Just sit down, believe in my own identity and opinions, and write! Aside from being myself, the second step is to determine the audience of my paper. A writers’ audience will first and foremost be him/herself. Zinsser continues to reiterate this point of authenticity by saying, â€Å"Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience – every reader is a different person†¦You are writing primarily to please yourself, and if you go about it with enjoyment you will also entertain the readers who are worth writing for (24).† Oftentimes, I forget about myself when writing in an effort to complete the assignment and give the teacher what I think he/she may be expecting from someone at my educational level. Those assignments have been the ones I least enjoyed writing and/or have been told was missing my voice. By writing in this manner, I have been performing a huge disservice to my audience by not giving them what they need: me. I apologize! Along with expressing my personality, I should not neglect my craft. There is no excuse, as Zinsser states, for sloppy workmanship. I should respect my audience enough to pay close attention to technical details and ensure that their reading process is one of clarity then artistry. Third and final, I should start and end all of my writing assignments with â€Å"freshness, or novelty, or paradox, or humor, or surprise, or with an unusual idea, or an interesting fact, or a question† that will capture my readers (55). Zinsser says that the most important sentence in any article is the first one. If the reader has not been attracted to my subject through that sentence then there are no chances the reader will want to read further. Along with creatively beginning and ending my writing assignment, the information I present must give the reader a sense of purpose while reading. Readers need to know why I have chosen my topic, why they should read it, and be given enough information that leaves them feeling well-informed. As I continue to hone my writing skills and further develop them in other students, I want to carry Zinsser’s central message of authenticity with me. Writing at its best is unique, informative, and â€Å"an intimate transaction between two people, conducted on paper, and it will go well to the extent that it retains its humanity† (20). I want to urge my students to never forget the most essential piece in their writings: themselves. If that is forgotten, then the â€Å"intimate transaction† that is needed between them and their audience will be distant and ineffective.