‘Anything that people approve of is good.’

'Anything that people approve of is good.' What is good? Good is good and that is final is what G.E Moore said. How can we approve of something that we, ourselves cannot define? There is no list in the world, which is split in two, telling us what is 'good' and what is 'bad'. We can only associate 'good' with something that we have experienced and been taught from a very young age, so that we can weigh out good and bad. For example, if a young boy pushes over another little child, the mother would tell her son off, saying to him that he was naughty and he wasn't being a good boy. Now this boy will learn that hurting some one else is not good and learn to compare his actions with a foundation that his mother built for him. As he grows up he would be able to understand any actions that may cause others pain, not just physical but emotional and mental pain, i.e., to hit, to steal, to kill etc. is wrong. However, one can argue that if a child was brought up believing that hurting someone would be beneficial for them or for his or her people, than in their eyes that is also good. An example of this is the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Every day there is a new generation of suicide bombers being born in both Palestine and Israel because these babies are being born in a world where both sides are the enemies. The Palestinian children will grow up believing that

  • Word count: 911
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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English essay: "Piano and Drums."

English essay: "Piano and Drums." Discuss the poet's treatment on culture in Piano and Drums. Due: a long time ago In the poem "Piano and Drums" the poet Gabriel Okara depicts and contrasts two different cultures through symbolism of pianos and drums. The Poem is divided into four stanzas. The first two stanzas represent the "drum" culture and the second two stanzas show the "piano" culture. The description of the drums is in two stanzas, but is one sentence long. The first line of the first stanza: 'When at break of day at a riverside' Uses trochees to emphasize the deliberate broken rhythm. The stanza has savage words, "bleeding flesh," "urgent raw," "leopard snarling," "spears poised," to show that this is a primitive culture, one which has dependency on the environment, as is represented by the "hunters crouch with spears poised." The environment in this culture is physically dangerous, surrounded by wild animals. Drums here are a way of communication, and "jungle drums telegraphing the mystic rhythm, urgent, raw..." shows the way of life in this culture. This is life which is simple, near the beginnings of man. The stanza uses alliteration, consonances and similes to give a rhythm that is like that of a drum. Threatening imagery is also used to give the image of danger and show physical hazards. The first stanza mainly describes the way of life and sets the

  • Word count: 1151
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Distinction between North and South in ‘Season of Migration to the North’

Distinction between North and South in 'Season of Migration to the North' The ways in which the author, Tayeb Salih, illustrates the difference between North and South is slightly unclear in the sense in which he portrays the characters feelings towards the North. To look at the differences in a better light I will show what Tayeb Salih writes in his novel about the North and compare this view with one that he illustrates in the South. A very significant part of the book is page three in which the protagonist has just returned. He is being questioned by all of those he left behind. They ask about his journey and the life he spent in Europe. '...there are some farmers among them. They've got everything - workers and doctors and farmers and teachers, just like us. I preferred not to say the rest that had come to mind: that just like us they are born and die...that some have been given more than they deserve by life, while others have been deprived by it, but that the differences are narrowing and most of the weak are no longer weak. I did not say this to Majhoub, though I wish I had done so...' This passage is significant for the simple reason that it illustrates that the differences between the two cultures are virtually nothing. You can read this when referring to the other things the protagonist would rather not mention. You can tell that in addition to thinking the same

  • Word count: 629
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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The new Managing Director transformed the operation, culture and structure of the organisation

2.2 The new Managing Director transformed the operation, culture and structure of the organisation. Describe the issues and dangers in trying to bring about cultural and structural change and discuss their impact on the organisation with respect to the medium and large term. The first task in this question will be to give a definition of culture and structure. Culture is defined by Schwartz and Davis as: "A pattern of beliefs and expectations shared by the organisation's members. These beliefs and expectations produce norms and powerfully shape the behaviour of individuals and groups in the organisation." 6 To change the culture of a company is a very complex and slow task, due to that there are a lot of variables which influence in culture and the construction is very difficult to alter. A culture just can be successful if it fits with the environment in which it operates and if it's appropriate to its structure. The structure and environment can change quickly, so we will find few situations when the company will be out of step with changes.7 Culture change is applicable through a variety of methods like strategic planning, training, organisation, redesign to promote teamwork, and changes to appraisal systems. Many writers through their methods and techniques to change the culture of a company. In our opinion the most effective method to achieve the

  • Word count: 984
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Compare the poems 'Presents from my aunts in Pakistan' with 'Search for my tongue.

Compare the poems 'Presents from my aunts in Pakistan' with 'Search for my tongue. The writer, Moniza Alvi, reveals her past in an autobiographical way in her poem Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan. The poem shows the reader her feelings for Pakistan, the country she was born in. The line "of no fixed nationality" sums up the tone of the poem, that because she lives in England, speaks English but is from Pakistan, she does not seem to belong anywhere. The poem Search for my Tongue, written by Sujata Bhatt, has similar connotations to Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan, The line "I thought I spit it out" refers to the metaphor the whole poem is based on, that to speak two languages, to be a part of two cultures, is just as difficult as speaking with two tongues at once; it is impossible. While both poems are to inform the reader about the awkwardness of being of mixed race, the authors go about it in different ways. Moniza Ali shows the contrast in cultures by making the description of her presents from her aunts in Pakistan as vivid and exciting as possible: "glistening like an orange split open" and "embossed slippers". This creates an image in the reader's mind of Pakistan being a vibrant, exciting place. Moniza Ali cleverly contrasts this with the clothing she herself would prefer: "jeans and corduroy" just so that she can fit in. This makes the reader empathise with

  • Word count: 634
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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In What Were They Like and Nothings Changed, both Levertov and Afrika illustrate a sense of meaning about Viet Nam and District Six by using linguistic and structural techniques.

Compare the ways poets use structure and language to convey meaning in 'What Were they Like?' and one other poem In 'What Were They Like' and 'Nothing's Changed', both Levertov and Afrika illustrate a sense of meaning about 'Viet Nam' and 'District Six' by using linguistic and structural techniques. Levertov explores the loss of the Vietnamese cultures while Afrika represents the racial divide that continues to exist even post-Apartheid. Firstly, both writers use strong language choices to demonstrate their anger towards the loss of culture and racial divide that is apparent in both areas. In 'Nothing's Changed' the poet uses words such as 'hot, white [anger}' to illustrate how frustrated he is. The anger and rage that has developed inside the protagonist has affected him both physically and emotionally. Indeed, he wants to break the barrier between the two races as he yearns for 'a stone, a bomb, to shiver down the glass'. Similarly, in 'What Were They Like', Levertov also expresses her resentment but in a more subtle way. She uses phrases such as 'their light hearts turned to stone'. This suggests that the Vietnamese people, who were light-hearted and simple people, have become inflicted with pain and distress. The contrast of 'light' against 'stone' which is heavy effectively shows this. The poets also use references to words that accommodate the semantic field of

  • Word count: 768
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Culture; what is it and where does it come from?

Culture; what is it and where does it come from? There are many different meanings for culture for example you may believe it to be one thing while I believe it's something else. It's a way of life for some, from the clothes that they wear, the way that they act to the things that they eat. You can't say that one culture is more superior to another because there are many different cultures to relate to. Culture is a part of our daily lives; from when we get up until we go to sleep there is a touch of culture in everything we do. Your culture is you're past your present and your future, its nothing to be ashamed of; people can have as much cultures as they do girlfriends or boyfriends. With a difference; having lots of different culture to associate with is something to be proud of and having too much girl/boyfriends is something to see the psychiatrist about. In various cultures you can find customs or traditions that link the people together, this brings them together whether it be from the same background, the same ethnicity or something else they have in common. New cultures can be made but old cultures can't be broken, you can find many different cultures in one place. In this piece of work I will be relating my positive and negative experiences with the poems. Some are personally experienced and others have been seen from more of a third person's view. There is a hint of

  • Word count: 2716
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Blessing' by Imtiaz Darker and 'Presents From Pakistan' by Moniza Alva. The two poems are similar because they both give a different view about culture and religion. The two poems are about southwest Asian

Comparison - 'Blessing' vs. 'Presents From Pakistan' Kashif Hussein I am going to compare 2 poems, which are called 'Blessing' by Imtiaz Darker and 'Presents From Pakistan' by Moniza Alva. The two poems are similar because they both give a different view about culture and religion. The two poems are about southwest Asian countries. The poets are also linked with the countries. I know this because of their names therefore their parents or relative can be from Pakistan or India. The poet's show how they feel about other countries and hoe it affects them and their culture. Culture can be made up in different ways. Some religions like Islam on allow Muslims to enter Saudi Arabia. This makes up a religious culture. Some people live by their race or ethnicity like in north Europe many people like to live with people from there and people who are the same colour as them. In some countries some people don't mind, they just live with a normal life style in their own world. In central Africa the majority of people live with a similar culture but t they are differed because of the languages spoken. I am going to explore the elements of the poems, to see how they go along with cultures and how they give us an insight to other culture. First of all the poem blessing is a poem that shows the feeling of someone seeing some villagers suffer because there is no water for them near by. He

  • Word count: 776
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Snakes and Pigeons Poetry comparision

Nikita Patel 9th February 2011 "Compare and contrast DH Lawrence and Richard Kell's treatment of their subject in their poems Snake and Pigeons. Take into account all aspects of presentation." Snake and Pigeons are both poems with the same theme as animals but both poets portray their subject in a different way. Kell seems very fond of pigeons but Lawrence is not to sure weather he likes or dislikes the snake. In the poem 'Snake' the format of the poem is laid out in a very unique way. The stanzas do not have the same number lines. Its is almost long and flowing like a snake which gives you the effect of that you can imagine the snake being really long and flowing around the stanza. Also the poem is a narrative poem, it is telling story, so you are intrigued and it makes you read along. In the first stanza there is enjambment "A snake came to my water trough On a hot, hot day, and I in pyjamas for the heat, To drink there.", the enjambment creates the effect that a snake gives, it flows from the first two lines. Also the snake is like an intruder to his water trough. So at the moment Lawrence doesn't like the snake. In the poem snake, "...On a hot, hot day ..." sets the scene of where this is happening, the country is very hot. In the second stanza, there are a lot of 's' sounds and they carry through the stanzas like a snake and thy also tell you about the snake, "...

  • Word count: 1354
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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comparing blake's london and wordsworths unpon west minster bridge

How do the poets use Structure, language and form in the two poems to help present their visions of London? William Blake's 'London' 1793 and William Wordsworth's 'Composed upon Westminster Bridge' 1802 stage two contrasting views of London. Having both been written in the Romantic period, the two poets use their personal experience of London to illustrate the different visions of the city. Wordsworth adopted the Petrarchan pattern (abba abba cdcdcd) to create his flowing sonnet that describes the silent, undying beauty of London; the intimacy with his description could be inspired by classical poets such as Horaz, Virgil and Ovid. Blake however hardened to use a more harsh approach, delivering his dramatic reality of the dejected city. The two poems hold an expressive passion throughout and both have a deeper inner meaning than what's seen at surface value. At a first glance, these two poems seem the complete opposite. One compliments the natural beauty of London whilst the other only states the traumatic situations faced through a sinister, dark city. This style could have been inspired by Blake's surrounding of the French revolution which was imminent over London, there's a possibility that the murder and violence could have encouraged Blake to give his reality of the capital in the 18th century. Despite the obvious differences, the techniques and narrative set out by

  • Word count: 876
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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