Children and Happiness Essay Example for Free

Children and Happiness Essay What makes children happy? ‘That’s easy, you might say, ‘a new toy, an ice cream or a trip to the amusement park.’ While these things bring an immediate smile to many children’s faces, they are probably not the things that will keep them happy day by day, or turn them into happy adults. The basic ingredients that make children happy during childhood seem to be the same ones that help them to become happy adults: a secure relationship with parents gives the base to confidently explore the world and develop a sense of mastery and recognition, all important components in the recipe for happiness. However, in the short term, the new toy might provide a smile too! Man has to pass through many stages of life, since he is born until he dies. He passes through infancy, childhood, boyhood, youth, middle age and old age. Childhood continues from the 6th to the 12th year of age. Boyhood continues from the 12th to the 19th year of age. Youth lasts from the 20th to 35th year of age. Middle age lasts from the 36th to the 55th year of age. Old age continues from 56th year until death. Of all the stages of life childhood is the most important. Because it is the formative period of life. It is also the first conscious stage of life. Important of childhood: Childhood is the formative period of life. Human character takes its shape in childhood. Man gets deep and lasting impressions in his childhood. Because at this stage mens mind is soft, receptive and plastic. It is just like the potters clay. So human character should be properly shaped in childhood. What should be done in childhood: Childhood is one of the growing stage in mans life. The human beings grow up to 24th year of age. So, the health of the child should be properly looked after. He should be given balance diet. He should be encouraged to from healthy habits like early rising. He should be taught to be neat and clean, to do exercise regularly, to eat, sleep, read and play at habits. He should be kept happy and cheerful. All these will help him to grow healthy in body and mind. Proper and appropriate food should be provided to the childs mind. He should be given the most carefully chosen books to read. he should be given childrens magazines. He should be given interesting and instructive pictures. At this stage, records should be kept of the childs inclination, aptitude, knack, mood, temperament, interest, abilities and his latent qualities. On the basis of these records, the future of the child should be planned. The child should be trained on the basis of this plan. Care of parents and teachers: In the modern system of society and education in India, nobody takes the responsibility of the childs welfare. The parents think that it is a responsibility of the teachers, because the child stays in the school for six hours a day. The teachers think that it is the responsibility of the parents, because the children belong to their parents, and in future the children will come to any use only to their parents and families. But in the interest of society, nation, country and above all mankind all have responsibility for the welfare of the children. Conclusion: It is the foremost duty of the Government to see to the welfare of the children. But in India we find that a lot of children in schools are dying by food-poisoning in the Government Mid-day meal system. The school buildings are defectively constructed. So the buildings breakdown and many children die underneath. the milk-powder that comes to Panchayats and Block offices is said to be put to black-marketing. Government should look to all these affairs. Childhood is the most important period in a mens life. So, the Government should take utmost care of it.

Literature and Virtue in Sidneys Apology for Poetry Essay -- Apology

Literature and Virtue in Sidney's "Apology for Poetry"      Ã‚  Ã‚   In "An Apology for Poetry" Sir Philip Sidney attempts to reassert the fundamental importance of literature to society in general as well as to other creative and intellectual endeavors. Though Sidney's work does provide a synthesis (and in some cases an aberration) of much Greek and Roman literary theory, his argument aspires to go beyond an esoteric academic debate. Literature can "teach and delight" in a manner which other methods of communication do not possess (138). The moral/ethical impact any literary text has upon a reader is of paramount importance to Sidney. The argument Sidney presents and develops is built around the assumption that literature has the capacity to teach most effectively and to demonstrate virtue. Perhaps in better understanding how Sidney specifically supports this claim, we can better assess its strength or validity.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sidney places literature in an hierarchical relationship with all other forms of learning; literature inhabits the highest and most influential tier. Literature is "the first light-giver to ignorance", and from it all other sources of knowledge have been nurtured (135). As the first use of language beyond the completely utilitarian, literature stretches and expands language to accommodate broader and more conceptual inquiries. Though an ardent admirer of Platonic philosophy, Sydney, in order to serve his intellectual exercise, rewrites or rehabilitates Plato's harsh stance on the worthlessness of literature. Unlike Plato's poet who perpetuates images far removed from the Truth, Sidney's poet can dip into the world of Forms, the Ideal, and provide us with knowledge of virtue. While the tangible world of... ...ry" (150).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sidney's responses have become the mainstay of the supporters of a liberal arts education. Unfortunately, literature has become sanctified to the extent that knowledge of literature has become practically synonymous with virtuous action. Such modern interpretations of Sidney's defense of literature seem to strike against the very heart of his argument. Sidney seems to understand all too well that human beings house both virtuous and vicious impulses; it is within our power to infuse our creations with both the sinister and the sublime. Because this is true of any human invention, Sidney counsels that the potential of literature for good or ill should not be easily discounted or dismissed.    Works Cited Sidney, Philip. "An Apology for Poetry" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989.

Brendon Gallacher and Medusa Essay

Loss is a key, reoccurring theme in my two poems of choice; ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa. ’ ‘Brendon Gallacher’ is an affectionate elegy for an imaginary, eponymous childhood friend, ‘Medusa’ is a poem divided into stanzas of mostly equal length. Both poets use varying language to help the reader visualise the characters’ feelings and persona. Emptiness and loss are presented in both poems through numerous techniques including alliteration, imagery and refrain. There is a childlike quality to Jackie Kay’s elegy for the death of an imaginary friend. The persona uses simple language and a range of techniques such as colloquialism. Contrastingly, in Medusa, Duffy uses a sombre tone thought the poem which helps the poem flow naturally and contributes to the developing sorrow. In ‘Brendon Gallacher’, Jackie Kay’s use of a repetitive refrain gives a song-like quality; this is further reinforced by the interjections that show grief in the last lines: ‘Oh Brendon, Oh my Brendon Gallacher’. The passing of Brendon leaves an empty void, filled by the repetition of ‘Brendon Gallacher’, which demonstrates fixation and inability to let ones feelings pass – an emotional attachment; ‘Brendon’ as opposed to the full name previously used. The repetition of the possessive pronoun emphasizes the idea that Brendan belongs to the narrator, and emphasizes the theme of loss and longing for something that is gone. Similarly, Duffy uses evocative language immediately by beginning on the theme of obsession/mistrust. Duffy emphasises this by the list of three, â€Å"suspicion, doubt and fear† which â€Å"grew in her mind†, allowing the flow of thoughts through enjambment. This doubt and fear shows that Medusa is somewhat compulsive and has lost any freedom or ability to control her thoughts. Moreover in Brendon Gallacher, they meet ‘in the open air’, as if Brendon represents autonomy and journeying; he talks of ‘Some place far’, which offers a purpose for the narrator to live on. This is all lost with the ‘death’ of Brendon. A physical loss rather than emotional loss is demonstrated through the words â€Å"we’d been friends for years† and â€Å"he would hold my hand† which suggests there is an emptiness of physical intimacy. Similarly, Medusa was once a beautiful woman who was transformed into a horrible monster by the Greek goddess, Athena. Jealousy and paranoia transform the hair upon â€Å"Medusa’s† head, in the poem, into â€Å"filthy snakes. † Already the reader is aware of the change ‘turned the hairs’, giving the impression that she was not always like this and did at one point have beautiful hair. Both poets have used descriptive techniques and imagery to show the physical changes and loss each character has undergone. â€Å"One day when it was pouring and I was indoors†, this paragraph in Brendon Gallacher uses pathetic fallacy to make the mood evoke a loss of innocence which is reflected by the rainy weather. Immature language and description is used to help the audience visualise the narrator’s childhood, â€Å"He had six brothers and I had one† can be conveyed as quite childish and this might have been used to emphasise that the narrator is talking about her past when she was younger, her childhood emptiness and loss. Also, in Medusa the rhetorical questions, â€Å"Wasn’t I beautiful? Wasn’t I fragrant and young? † show insecurity due to the repetition of questions but also shows a side of innocence as is normally related to young people. Both poems show a loss of innocence, albeit in different ways. â€Å"Look at me now. † The single line in Medusa emphasises the final request that appears as a paradox, a plea for sympathy but also a threat. Another, loss, this time more mentally affecting, Medusa has lost control over her decisions, this is further enforced by her turning of others into stone; â€Å"bullet tears in my eyes†, â€Å"you were stone†, Medusa has lost her ability to even look at others, and much like her tears, her fate is set in stone. This varied sentence length is indulging and engrossing as it really questions the empathy of the reader. All in all, both poems have certain similarities when trying to present loss. Both ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa’ use language to bring alive the thoughts of the characters. Duffy focuses more on the imagery and tone of the poem whereas Kay brings to life the exact detail to provide the full picture.

Bacterial Communities Associated With Organic And...

Bacterial Communities Associated with Organic and Conventionally Grown Red Delicious Apples Overview Many studies have been done pertaining to ways to remove different types of bacteria from the fresh fruits and vegetables that are commonly consumed. Currently there is little research available that maps the types of bacteria commonly found on fruits and vegetables (Leff and Fierer 2013). Many different standards have been set forth to measure produce quality with some of these standards including a count of the coliforms, Escherichia coli, and the aerobic bacteria count (Wood et. al). This study aims to compare the number of coliforms found on organic vs. conventionally grown Malus pumila before and after washing with distilled water.†¦show more content†¦One of the biggest areas of this demand is in the produce department (Mukherjee et.al 2006). Statically during this same time frame there has been an increase in foodborne illness stemming from fresh produce. From the 1970s to 2006 the percentage of foodborne illness caused by fresh fruits and vegetables went from 6% to 1 2% (Mukherjee et.al 2006). Due to these increased percentages of foodborne illness, and data supporting more coliform bacterial colonies present on organic produce than the conventional counter parts researchers are beginning to speculate that organic produce has a higher risk to people’s health then the conventional counterparts (Mukherjee et.al 2006). There is still very little previous research comparing the microbial colonies found on organic vs conventional produce to fully assess the possible increased health risks of organic produce. Another area of lacking data that adds to the confusion is in the United States the number of foodborne illness outbreaks have not been documented based on organic vs conventional produce (Mukherjee et.al 2004). In order to help control foodborne illness outbreaks an in-depth understanding of the bacteria commonly found on the produce needs to be known. If a core taxa of bacteria was known there could be a comprehensive method of testing produce for any bacteria that is not typically found to be present. Thanks to next generation sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicon a more comprehensive list can be created in a