Character Traits of Chris McCandless of Into The Wild Essay -- Into th

Christopher Johnson McCandless is a respectable man in so many ways but, yet such a foolish man in many others. Chris McCandless possessed a seemingly ever-lasting bravery that constantly shined through his unique and matchless character. He was very righteous in himself to the point in which he kept himself from any sin or evil, committing his life to what seemed like an idea of celibacy, not just in refraining from any desire of flesh but also in all lusts of life with his diligent power of will that constantly shined through his exterior. Onto the contrary of his good characteristics, McCandless remained to be very foolish in his decisions and under takings, whether it be by his arrogance of sheer narrow mindedness. Over all he was a boy of many talents and knowledge, with a bright soul and good heart but, still somewhere in the depths of his thoughts he lacked something that made him think things through, and in this his foolishness he would lose his life. As stated previously, McCandless had a deep bravery that protected him from the darkness of fear or negative thought. Never once in this story does he seem frightened in that he might lose his life, grow ill or become hurt, and in one way he proves this by his insatiable habit of hitchhiking, I mean, with all do respect he could have been picked up by a serial killer and that probably would have cut his adventure a little short. In addition, he does not cower to much of anything, his bravery led him to some pretty interesting place such as digging dead rats from farm equipment, diving waist deep in grime, muck, and not to mention stench, that is if you would consider all of that to be brave. Set aside the trivial matter, his true bravery is shown... ...lse in his former life. In review McCandless was a man with boyish and romantic ambitions or maybe he was a boy with an intellectual mind stuck in the body of a man, because that theory would certainly exist as plausible in describing his foolish ways. Let us not forget that Chris did have a truly unique idea with good intention and maybe he did accomplish what he set out for, true inner peace with himself and the world around him maybe he did find himself in this whole ordeal. Yes McCandless was a bright soul but, in the end his foolishness or maybe even it was his bravery lead him to his demise, his lonely death in starvation. With all of this said was McCandless brave or was he foolish and stupid, well, for certain he never acted in any stupid way, but he did act in both foolishness and bravery because in many ways it takes quite some foolishness to be brave.

Into the Wild Essay

In writing â€Å"Into the Wild,† Krakauer’s intention was to uncover the facts (or at least get as close to the facts as possible) surrounding Christopher McCandless’ journey â€Å"into the wild. † Krakauer discusses and presents theories and explanations about McCandless’ reasons for going off into a potentially fatal journey, and also presents investigations into how McCandless came to such a state in his life. Krakauer gives us some idea of the direct cause of McCandless’ death, and his reasons for doing what he did. Krakauer aims to give readers with invaluable insight into the mind of McCandless—how McCandless came about the idea of going to the Alaskan wilderness, what his motivations were, how he planned and managed to survive the grueling trek, and most importantly, â€Å"why? † The author seeks to understand what happened to McCandless in the wild, and to explain why someone so full of promise, who seems to have such an ideal life and much of all that he could ask for, could do what McCandless did. However, Krakauer does not presume to be certain about McCandless reasons, but he presents some very good explanations and allows us to understand McCandless’ mind even more. By revealing many things about the reasons behind McCandless’ death, Krakauer shows us that McCandless was far more than a simple and reckless fool who wasted his life. McCandless, who was an intelligent young man, went off into the Alaskan woods to â€Å"find himself† and to reunite with nature. He was heavily influenced by the literature he had read, to such an extent that he became, most of all, a man in search of himself and of a purpose in life. In order to really â€Å"find† himself, he felt it necessary to cut all ties from society, from his family, and reinvent himself as Alexander Supertramp, thus cutting his ties with his old identity. Whether or not he found what he was looking for in the wild is open to speculation, however Krakauer describes McCandless’s psychological terrain by including anecdotes and quotations from people who were in a similar state of mind as McCandless, as well as drawing parallels with his own life as a mountaineer and adventurer. Each chapter presents different tales from others who have been in the same road as McCandless, people who have also sought the solitude of the wild. Krakauer also interviewed people who have come in contact with McCandless during his journey. By the end of â€Å"Into the Wild,† the readers gains significant understanding of McCandless’ personality. Whether McCandless was brave or foolish, his journey of self-discovery is something that almost everyone can relate with and understand on some level. However, while the book is accessible to anyone who could have some interest in the controversial life and death of Christopher McCandless, it is most geared towards those who have sentiments similar to those that McCandless held regarding society, nature, and how to live. â€Å"Into the Wild† helps us understand McCandless’ character, although by the end of the book, it is still up to the reader to decide if McCandless was â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong† in having done what he did – whether he was courageoeus or merely foolish.

Multiculturalism: For and Against

Points For and Against For: †¢ Australian society, often in the face of major difficulties. †¢ multiculturalism is good for the society as it brings cultural diversity to the society, can foster a tolerant society, and improve relations with other countries †¢ Multiculturalism is a set of practical policies aimed variously at improving the absorption of migrants and harmoniously integrating a culturally diverse society around liberal democratic values. ’[11] As such, multiculturalism is a conscious political and social choice made by the state and society in response to diversity. Against multiculturalism is bad, perhaps under the belief that migrants take jobs, that they bring racial tension to Australia, and that they create and settle in ghettos †¢ Multiculturalism can be seen as a set of norms or principles that uphold the right of the individual to retain, express and enjoy their culture. It also upholds the right of all individuals to have access to a nd participate in the social, cultural, economic and political life of the country to which they belong. †¢ Multiculturalism is a practical and principled response to the rapid increase in the global movement of people, commodities and ideas.People migrating to Australia often face problems associated with economic, social and cultural dislocation. These problems are exacerbated for people from non-English speaking backgrounds †¢ . Australian multiculturalism is a vital, long term social investment that aims, simultaneously, to address issues of social disadvantage and community relations More info:. 1)multiculturalism as a sound policy framework consistent with HREOC’s legislative mandate to promote understanding, respect and friendship among racial and ethnic groups in Australia and to combat prejudices that lead to racial discrimination. 4]2 )Multiculturalism is also a set of norms or principles compatible with HREOC’s vision for an Australian society in w hich the human rights of all are respected, protected and promoted. [5] In particular it resonates with a notion of equality which enables all Australians to participate fully in the social, cultural, economic and political life in Australia irrespective of race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin. 3) Finally, multiculturalism, both as policy and as principles, supports the ideals of a democratic society in which every person is free and equal in dignity and rights

Temple of Heaven

The layout and architecture of the Temple of Heaven is filled with symbolism. According to symbolic tradition, Heaven is round and the earth is square. Therefore, all of the buildings in the temple complex are round in shape, while their retaining walls and the axis are square. The surrounding walls of the complex also reflect these traditions. The southern side of the wall is square and the northern is round. The emperor would enter the temple complex from the south and this would symbolize his transition from earth to heaven. The glazed roof tiles of the major buildings in the temple complex are blue, symbolizing heaven.Other buildings have green or yellow roof tiles. The green tiles represent Buddhism and the yellow represent the emperor. Only imperial or imperial sanctioned buildings were allowed the colored tile roofs. The building was built without a single nail. The beams, pillars, and rafters were built in such a way that the weight of the building holds the structure togethe r. The hall has 28 pillars which symbolize the 28 constellations. In the center of the hall are four pillars known as the Dragon Well Pillars. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is surrounded by a square surrounding wall.On the east and west sides of the hall are two halls which was where the gods of the sun, the moon, the stars, thunder, and lighting were prayed to. These halls now exhibit the musical instruments played during the ceremonies at the Temple of Heaven. A round building with a single-gabled roof topped with a gilded ball, the Imperial Vault of Heaven is located directly south of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It was first built in 1530 and rebuilt in 1752 by Emperor Qianlong. Its design is similar to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, but on a much smaller scale.It is built on a single tiered marble base. The vault housed the tablet of the Emperor of Heaven and the emperor’s ancestral tablets. These tablets were prayed to and offered offerings and we re used as a symbolic representation of the emperor’s ancestors. The surrounding wall around the Imperial Vault of Heaven is commonly referred to as the Echo Wall. Because of the way it was built, if a person standing on one side, facing the wall and whispers towards it, a person on the opposite side can hear it clearly. Directly in front of the Imperial Vault of Heaven is what is known as the Triple Sound Stone.If a person stands on the first stone and speaks towards the vault, his words will echo once. If he stands on the second stone, his words will echo twice. If he stands on the third stone, his words will echo three times. It is quite remarkable and absolutely true. Circular Mound Altar: South of the Imperial Vault of Heaven lies the Circular Mound Alter. Originally built in 1530 by Emperor Jiajing, it was rebuilt in 1740 by Emperor Qianlong. The altar is a three tiered plinth made entirely of white marble. It is here that the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties off ered sacrifices to heaven annually on the winter solstice.The ceremony was meant to thank heaven and ensure that the next year would be prosperous. The numbers of stones which make up each tier are in multiples of nine, which is a prevailing theme at the Temple of Heaven and in fact, all imperial sites. In Daoism, even numbers represent women and odd numbers represent men. The highest odd number is nine and it is representative of the emperor. In the center of the top terrace is a round stone known as the Heaven’s Heart Stone. Usage Since the emperor of China was considered the Son of Heaven, he was responsible for administer earthly matters on behalf of heaven.He did this by offering sacrifices to heaven. Twice a year, the emperor, along with thousands of eunuchs, ministers, and princes would proceed to the Temple of Heaven. The emperor would fast in the Hall of Abstinence located near the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests for several days. He would live in the complex during the ceremonies. The entire country relied on the emperor for good harvests and weather. The ceremonies were prepared for months in advance and it was believed that it had to be perfectly performed because the smallest mistake would be a bad omen for the coming year.If there was a year of flooding or famine, the people would believe that the emperor had fallen out of favor with heaven, so it was of extreme importance for the emperor to ensure everything went perfectly. Outside of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the emperor would personally use oxen to plow a few rows to symbolize the first plowing and planting of the season. At the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the emperor would pray to the Emperor of Heaven and his ancestors, and on the Circular Mount altar, he would pray to heaven for a year of good weather and luck. All of these rituals ensured that the emperor and the empire would be prosperous.Currant Usage For centuries, no commoner was allowed to look inside the Temple of H eaven. Today it is open to the public and has become a beautiful park that is as popular with locals as with tourists. The complex is very large and the areas around the temples are large and filled with ancient cypress trees. Locals will arrive early in the morning to perform taichi, play badminton, chess, or dance, play music, or sing with their friends. The temple complex has a real community feel to it and it is a wonderful place to mingle with locals and see firsthand what locals do in their free time.Built as a place of worship, the temple is different from any other imperial structures. There are two parts in the temple zone. The outer wall of the temple zone is 6,416 meters in length while the inner wall 3,292 meters long. The architecture of the temple represents two themes: in the heaven and on the earth. The 6 meters high walls of the temple constitute a semi- circle in the north and a semi- rectangle in the south. This special layout illustrates an important belief in an cient China that the heaven is round and the earth rectangular.The northern section of the wall is high while the south is low, which means that the heaven is higher and superior to earth. All the essential architecture of the temple were built along a north – south central axis and are linked by a bridge called Danbi. The four main structures from the south to the north are the Circular Mound later (Huang Yuan Qiu Tan), the Imperial Heavenly Vault (Huang Qiong Yu), the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qi Nian Dian), and the Hall of Imperial Zenith (Huang Qi Dian). Other interesting places in the park include the Hall of Abstinence, the Dressing Platform and the Nine Dragon Cypress.

Human Rights Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Rights Paper - Essay Example 3) points out, Canada was the first country to adopt an official government policy on diversity. Its multicultural policy, which entered into legislature over thirty years ago, was "Canada's official legislative response to ethnic plurality for a multicultural society (Mahatani, 2002, p. 3). This does not mean, however, that there are no racial and ethnic tensions in Canada but only that the nation is comparatively more tolerant and accommodating of diversity than are many others. If Canada is to maintain relative ethnic and racial harmony it must diffuse the poisoned environment phenomenon which pervaded in the case of Clive Stevens and Robert Symister versus Lynx Industries. In 2005, two black Jamaicans were dismissed from Lynx Industries, allegedly for race-based reasons. The case was brought before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. The plaintiffs alleged that they had been subjected to racist treatment by Lynx Industries and its employees. The alleged racist treatment encompassed all of racial slurs, race motivated harassment and racist graffiti on the bathroom walls. The defendants denied all allegations but admitted to the graffiti incident. Their legal representative, however, cautioned that it had been a single, isolated incident. The Tribunal was unconvinced and found that the plaintiffs were not credible. The complaint was, therefore, dismissed. Even though the complaint... Interestingly, the Commission contends that "unlike harassment which requires repeated behaviour, a poisoned environment can be created by a single incident, if serious or substantial enough" ("Racial Harassment and Poisoned Environment," 2008, para 5). The creation of a poisoned environment is contrary to the Commission's Code. Importantly, employers are held responsible for either the prevention of the creation of poisoned environment or for taking immediate action against those responsible for it ("Racial Harassment and Poisoned Environment," 2008, paras 5-6). An environment which has been tainted by racism, even if it has assumed the form of a single incident, is considered poisoned because racial tolerance has been undermined, even violated. Indeed, poisoned environments may very well become intolerable for racial minorities, thereby forcing them to leave. While it is important to acknowledge the Tribunal's findings, the fact of the matter is that Lynx Industries did admit to the presence of racist graffiti on the bathroom wall. Certainly, it did caution that it was a single incident and there was no reoccurrence. The fact of the matter is, however, that it did occur and the Commission considers such occurrences a breach of its policies ("Racial Harassment and Poisoned Environment," 2008, paras 1-2). Within the context of the stated, the Commission's findings appear contradictory to its own guidelines. Indeed, even if one assumes that the defendants were truthful in claiming that the plaintiffs were not dismissed for racial reasons but for their on-the-job performance, it could very well be that the environment had been poisoned to the extent where Stevens and Symister could not perform their jobs to the best of their

Battle of Okinawa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Battle of Okinawa - Research Paper Example a period of 80 days, the â€Å"Typhoon of Steele† as it was referred to, raged on as the Allied Forces made headway in the battle to make Japan surrender. The attack itself took place on April 1, 1945. The Americans had sent in two United States Marine and Army Divisions to land via amphibious vehicle on the island of Okinawa. The Japanese troops were thought to number at least 150,000 covering ground, air, and naval troops. 10th U.S. Army Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. was in command of the Allied troops that consisted of III Amphibious Corps and XXIV Army Corps. Even though the Allied Forces had sent a formidable troop assignment to the island, the Japanese still felt that the war was going to end with them as the victors. After all, the Japanese were fighting on their home territory, 350 miles from the Japanese homeland. However the Americans had other plans for this battle as they pulverized the island of Kyushu. The Japanese by this point knew that the battle was lost and yet they soldiered on. The Japanese soldiers fought based upon honour and military logic. But the bombings of the American planes coming from the Marianas Islands would soon conquer Japan. Truth be told, there was too much land coverage in Okinawa for the troops that were first sent to cover. Thanks to the Army, the new 6th Marine Division, the war became a winnable battle for the Americans. Eric Hammel, noted Pacific War historian recounted the battle as follows: Coming to put their defense arrangement to the test was the Tenth Army. The new 6th Marine Division (1st Provisional Marine Brigade plus the 29th Marines and attachments) would land over the northernmost beaches on the western side of Okinawa a little south of the islands midpoint. It was to strike across the island, then turn north to pacify a little more than half of Okinawa on its own. To the right, the 1st Marine Division was also to strike across the island, then become part of the Tenth Army reserve.

Emerging Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Emerging Marketing - Essay Example The emerging markets' countries are rapidly growing economically and are characterized by fast growth in infrastructure, manufacturing industries, general industries and have matured politically and socially. These factors have been the key movers of the economy. However, these countries are also facing certain challenges. Some of these challenges pose great risks and may discourage investors and laborers if they are not well addressed. Emerging countries have been trying their best to address these challenges in different ways. No wonder there is a great influx of people of all walks of life to Mexico every year (Li, n.d). This paper will analyze Mexico as an emerging market, opportunities and challenges faced. Global Overview Mexico is the 14th largest country by total land area and the 11th most populous country in the world today. It is made up of 31 states and one federal district with Mexico City as the capital, housing most important administrative and legislative offices. The city is among the largest in the world with a population of ore than 20 million people. Mexico has an interesting history. It had many ancient civilizations, including Maya, Aztec, Olmec, Zapotec, African, Toltec, Inca, French and Spanish. The country is accredited for having the first printing press in North America and for introducing chilies, chocolate and corn to the world. Mexico got independence from Spain in 1810, and the constitution was introduced in February 1917. The Mexican government is made up of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary (World Fact Book, 2013). Social Factors Mexico has a population of about one hundred and twelve million people. About fifty-one percent of the population is women, and the remaining forty-nine percent are men. The wealthy represent just about ten percent of the Mexican population yet they control more than 90 percent of the economy. Majority of Mexicans are poor and the economic changes that are witnessed there currently have b een changing this. The very poorest population in Mexico account for just about 1 percent of the economy while the rich 10% absorb more than forty percent of the economy. Poverty levels have been decreasing, and the middle class group has been increasing exponentially. Mexico has one of the fastest growing middle class populations in the world today (Johnson, 2012). Economic Factors Mexico has been changing rapidly in the last three decades, thanks to the policies and reforms introduced by the government in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This played an important role in changing the economy of Mexico at that time, and that pace has been gaining momentum year after year. There are several statistics that can be used to show these changes. Take, for example, the trade with United States, the major trading partner of Mexico. The value of goods traded between the two countries was about 130 billion dollars in 1997. The value increased to a staggering 450 billion dollars in the year 201 1. That is close to four times the 1997 value (Villarreal, 2012). Mexico has many resources, which have been attracting investors from across the world. Other emerging markets countries are becoming expensive to live in and to set up industries. A study by Damien Cave, A renowned New York Times writer indicates that Mexico is attracting many immigrants every