picking cotton essay Essays

picking cotton essay Essays picking cotton essay Paper picking cotton essay Paper Let The Truth Finally Be Revealed Jennifer Thompson was a straight-A student at Elon University in Burlington, North Carolina. She had her life all planned out: maintain straight As, graduate with a 4. 0 GPA, and marry her boyfriend, Paul. Jennifer said frightened Who is that? Whose there? I said, Allowing myself to think it must be Paul, or someone playing a stupid joke (12). Then suddenly she looked and saw a stranger in her room. Before she knew it, she was getting raped. During her attack, she made sure she paid attention to her attackers features and his voice. The rapist began to hiss Shut up or Ill cut you! he hissed, while clamping a glove hand down her mouth (12). He proceeded to brutally rape her, with a knife at her throat. Im afraid of knives. I told him, l cant relax until you put it down. Can you put it outside? On my car? (15-16). Jennifer stayed as calm as possible, trying to remember as many details about her assailant as she could, until she managed to escape. She tried staying calm and having conversations with this man and stayed calm the entire time. When she had the chance and knew he wasnt there she began to run and was shouting for help. As she ran screaming to the top of her lungs a nice family opened the door and let her in. They took care of Jennifer and took her to the hospital. Through an inept summary and analysis of Picking Cotton, readers will be able to understand key points throughout the book, and determine why or why not they should pursue reading the book. After Jennifer got out of the hospital police were all over her case they detectives wanted to find out who would do such a thing? So the police would have to take Jennifer down to the police department where she would meet with Detectives. As she got to the police department Jennifer went down to meet a sketch artist. Once the sketch was done, the lead detective on her case was Detective Gauldin. Detective Gauldin decided that it would be best if the department released the sketch on the local news. Jenifer was told, Detective Gauldin is going to lay down six photos of black male for you to look at. The suspect may or may not be included in these (32). As Jennifer looked at a few sketches she narrowed it down to two sketches. After she got to see a real picture of these men and she happened to pick the sketch of a man amed Ronald Cotton. Ronald had been in trouble with the police before. Jennifer began to say, When I looked at one photo, the image of the man performing oral sex on me came back so violently I thought I would be sick right there. The memory was to sharp and clear. This is the one, while she was pointing to the picture l think this is the guy. Its him, said Jennifer youre sure? asked Detective Gauldin positive said Jennifer (33). As Jennifer picked out the man who she thought raped her police began to look for evidence. The police department had identified, she icked out the one she recognized the best: Ronald Cotton, who already had a less- than-desirable record with the police. When Cotton was told of the charges, he went to the police station to clear his name, but instead he was arrested. Jennifer had to come fa ce to face with a couple of men selected by the police. When Jennifer walked in all she could think about was what would he do to her if he saw her pick him. Jennifer began to say in fear If he was here, now he knew what I looked like in broad Jenifer picked out Ronald Cotton Just like the sketch and picture. The detectives began to ask her Did he beat you? hey asked cut you? When I shook my head up, they shrugged. They were sorry it happened to me, but it Just didnt seem like that big a deal, because it was Just sex (39). Ronald Cotton was found guilty on January 18th, 1985 and sentenced to life in prison plus fifty years, on charges of first-degree breaking and entering and first-degree sexual assault. On top of all the things going on in her life Jennifers love life wasnt going to well either. Jennifer and Paul started to drastically separate slowly. They got into a huge argument over the rape. Their relationship changed so much after Jennifer had been raped. Paul wanted her to move back into town and Jennifer couldnt she never wanted to go back there. Paul wasnt very understanding about it. Jennifer stated, The relationship ended then, although we would continue to pretend it hadnt for several more months (40). DNA testing and eyewitness results can really show a lot and prove that someone really is innocent. Ronald did not really do this crime, and he was living in prison for a crime he did not commit. Keeping faith in God, Cotton underwent an eleven-year ordeal, being transferred from prison to prison. In prison he met a fellow inmate, incarcerated for the same crimes. His name was Bobby Poole, and he even resembled Cotton in appearance. Cotton requested that he and Poole go back to court to appeal his innocence. Jennifer, along with another woman who was raped the same night, again chose Cotton as her rapist and he was sentenced to two life sentences plus fifty-four years. As Cotton languished in prison, Jennifer remained tormented by the image of her attacker. She was eventually able to settle down and marry a man named Vinny. But right as she began to get comfortable, she was informed Cotton had requested a DNA test. Still confident that he was guilty, she agreed. A few weeks later Cotton was freed, after eleven long years in prison; it was Bobby Pooles DNA found in her rape kit, and Poole had confessed to the crimes. Jennifer was devastated, but she decided she wanted to meet Cotton. Ronald Cotton agreed to meet Jennifer at a church and, miraculously, forgave her. Since then, theyVe formed an unlikely friendship and have started travelling across the country advocating actual innocence investigation, hoping to prevent the Justice system from repeating the mistakes of their case. This rape truly impacted Jennifers life in many ways; such s she couldnt control her actions. For instance, she wasnt satisfied with herself and made poor decisions like drinking and doing drugs. Jennifer says, There wasnt much I could control about the way my life was going, but I could control whether I let my rage get the best of me (118). Jennifer tried to change her life around and she started to attend church. At the end when Ronald got released, they met at a church where Jennifer apologized to him. Jennifers father really got onto her about praying. Jennifer says My father and Diane were always on me to go to take up prayer (119). I would truly recommend this book to anyone because the story behind this book is so impacting and touching. You get to truly hear a story that you probably will never hear anywhere else. This book is very fascinating and leaves you speechless; by the time youre done with it all you can do is wonder and think wow I didnt know that could happen. You realize how anyone can make a mistake and how the eyewitness tests work and showed how many prisoners today could also not have committed a police, Judges and detectives that he was an innocent man through DNA and eyewitness testing. I dont think there has ever been a time that someone was able to get away and show they were innocent after being convicted and accused with what Ronald was accused of. The DNA testing showed that Ronald was innocent and the Bobby Poole did this. It is so interesting to see how something like this can occur and how identical these two men look. Jennifer was so sure that Ronald had raped her. She told the police and detectives that she was one hundred percent sure. It is truly incredible to see how our memory can even play games with us. Humans arent perfect and we think we know what we saw but our minds can play games. When Jennifer was told that she was wrong and that she picked the wrong person was probably very hard for her. I cant even imagine what went through her head when she heard Cotton didnt do the crime she thought he committed. When reading this, you Just want to keep reading to find out what happens to Ronald it is very interesting and catching. When finished with the book you think to yourself, my goodness it makes me so happy he is finally shown innocent. Then it warms your heart to know that Ronald and Jennifer become really close friends after all this that happened.

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Business law - Essay Example A property based legal system is one that revolves around the notion of property – which is the legal right to exclude or keep others from interfering with one’s property, which is what one owns. Under this concept, there would be three kinds of property (a) public property which is owned by the Government (b) private property, which comprises the resources that an individual owns and (c) common property, which comprises land and other kind of property which people own jointly. There is greater incentive for people to develop those resources which they own because they can control what they produce.In the United States, the capitalist system and the free market allows individuals to develop, to freely benefit and profit from the property and resources that they own. Therefore, this provides them the incentive to work hard to develop their resources. For example, in the United States, I can use my talent and financial resources to start a small business and I will be ent itled to make as much profit as I can and keep most of that profit for myself. In a similar way, I will also have the right to enter into deals with other businesses and customers which will bring me the maximum profit and therefore I will have the incentive to work hard at my business to develop it.The property based system is one that is based on a free market system and that of private enterprise. The level of Government control is very low and it is easy for individuals to exercise ingenuity in developing successful business tactics to make the maximum profits.

Performance management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Performance management - Essay Example Performance management concept links the individual interests and objectives with the mission and strategic objectives of the organisation thus enabling employees to focus on the performance objectives (Aguinis 2012). Historical development of performance management Some of the earliest theorists of scientific management include Fredrick Winslow Taylor who advocated for scientific management concepts with the aim of improving the productivity of each individual employee. According to Taylor, simplification of the jobs would increase employee productivity, and enable cooperation in the organisation. Ideally, Fredrick Taylor contributed to performance management through advocating for the replacement of the ‘rule of thumb’ and replace it a scientific method that could enhance the efficiency of work in the organisation. Taylor’s second scientific management principle is geared at matching workers to their jobs depending on the job description, skills and capabilities of each individual inn the organisation. ... ocation of the work between management and workers in a manner that managers spend most of their work time while laying out strategies and training while workers perform the routine activities in an efficient manner. Taylor made a contribution to performance management through ensuring job description, task specialization and incentive schemes for the highly performing employees (Aguinis 2012). Another early theorist of performance management in organisations was Mc Gregor. He came up with improved performance appraisal methods and measures of improving organisational effectiveness. According to Mc Gregor, performance management should involve appraisals that cater for administrative needs such as salary levels and promotion opportunities, information need such as the need for feedback and suggestion and finally motivation of the workforce. McGregor challenged the original notions of Taylor since employees could not be machine parts that can be redesigned or even eliminated. He perce ived employees as individuals with unique needs thus introduced a human relations approach to performance management. According to his theory X and Y, theory X asserts that average employees dislike work and thus individuals must be coerced since they tend to avoid both work and responsibility. Some of the modern methods that have been implemented in order to encourage this category of employees perform effectively include punishments and rewards (Bacal 2011). Theory Y asserts that work is natural just like play and people will apply self-direction and control in attaining organisational objectives, thus eliminating the need of coercion and punishments. In addition, employees will accept and seek more responsibility if rewards are associated with achievement and creativity of the individual

Approaches of New Criticism Essay Example for Free

Approaches of New Criticism Essay A literary movement that started in the late 1920s and 1930s and originated in reaction to traditional criticism that new critics saw as largely concerned with matters extraneous to the text, e.g., with the biography or psychology of the author or the works relationship to literary history. New Criticism proposed that a work of literary art should be regarded as autonomous, and so should not be judged by reference to considerations beyond itself. A poem consists less of a series of referential and verifiable statements about the real world beyond it, than of the presentation and sophisticated organization of a set of complex experiences in a verbal form (Hawkes, pp. 150-151). Major figures of New Criticism include I. A. Richards, T. S. Eliot, Cleanth Brooks, David Daiches, William Empson, Murray Krieger, John Crowe Ransom, Allen Tate, F. R. Leavis, Robert Penn Warren, W. K. Wimsatt, R. P. Blackmur, Rene Wellek, Ausin Warren, and Ivor Winters. Archetypal/Myth Criticism A form of criticism based largely on the works of C. G. Jung (YOONG) and Joseph Campbell (and myth itself). Some of the schools major figures include Robert Graves, Francis Fergusson, Philip Wheelwright, Leslie Fiedler, Northrop Frye, Maud Bodkin, and G. Wilson Knight. These critics view the genres and individual plot patterns of literature, including highly sophisticated and realistic works, as recurrences of certain archetypes and essential mythic formulae. Archetypes, according to Jung, are primordial images; the psychic residue of repeated types of experience in the lives of very ancient ancestors which are inherited in the collective unconscious of the human race and are expressed in myths, religion, dreams, and private fantasies, as well as in the works of literature (Abrams, p. 10, 112). Some common examples of archetypes include water, sun, moon, colors, circles, the Great Mother, Wise Old Man, etc. In terms of archetypal criticism, the color white might be associated with in nocence or could signify death or the supernatural. Psychoanalytic Criticism The application of specific psychological principles (particularly those of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan [zhawk lawk-KAWN]) to the study of literature. Psychoanalytic criticism may focus on the writers psyche, the study of the creative process, the study of psychological types and principles present within works of literature, or the effects of literature upon its readers (Wellek and Warren, p. 81). In addition to Freud and Lacan, major figures include Shoshona Felman, Jane Gallop, Norman Holland, George Klein, Elizabeth Wright, Frederick Hoffman, and, Simon Lesser. Marxism A sociological approach to literature that viewed works of literature or art as the products of historical forces that can be analyzed by looking at the material conditions in which they were formed. In Marxist ideology, what we often classify as a world view (such as the Victorian age) is actually the articulations of the dominant class. Marxism generally focuses on the clash between the dominant and repressed classes in any given age and also may encourage art to imitate what is often termed an objective reality. Contemporary Marxism is much broader in its focus, and views art as simultaneously reflective and autonomous to the age in which it was produced. The Frankfurt School is also associated with Marxism (Abrams, p. 178, Childers and Hentzi, pp. 175-179). Major figures include Karl Marx, Terry Eagleton, Fredric Jameson, Raymond Williams, Louis Althusser (ALT-whos-sair), Walter Benjamin (ben-yeh-MEEN), Antonio Gramsci (GRAWM-shee), Georg Lukacs (lou-KOTCH), and Friedrich Engels, Theordor Adorno (a-DOR-no), Edward Ahern, Gilles Deleuze (DAY-looz) and Felix Guattari (GUAT-eh-ree Postcolonialism Literally, postcolonialism refers to the period following the decline of colonialism, e.g., the end or lessening of domination by European empires. Although the term postcolonialism generally refers to the period after colonialism, the distinction is not always made. In its use as a critical approach, postcolonialism refers to a collection of theoretical and critical strategies used to examine the culture (literature, politics, history, and so forth) of former colonies of the European empires, and their relation to the rest of the world (Makaryk 155 see General Resources below). Among the many challenges facing postcolonial writers are the attempt both to resurrect their culture and to combat preconceptions about their culture. Edward Said, for example, uses the word Orientalism to describe the discourse about the East constructed by the West. Major figures include Edward Said (sah-EED), Homi Bhabha (bah-bah), Frantz Fanon (fah-NAWN), Gayatri Spivak, Chinua Achebe (ah-CHAY-bay) , Wo le Soyinka, Salman Rushdie, Jamaica Kincaid, and Buchi Emecheta Existentialism Existentialism is a philosophy (promoted especially by Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus) that views each person as an isolated being who is cast into an alien universe, and conceives the world as possessing no inherent human truth, value, or meaning. A persons life, then, as it moves from the nothingness from which it came toward the nothingness where it must end, defines an existence which is both anguished and absurd (Guerin). In a world without sense, all choices are possible, a situation which Sartre viewed as human beings central dilemma: Man [woman] is condemned to be free. In contrast to atheist existentialism, SÃ ¸ren Kierkegaard theorized that belief in God (given that we are provided with no proof or assurance) required a conscious choice or leap of faith. The major figures include SÃ ¸ren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre (sart or SAR-treh), Albert Camus (kah-MUE or ka-MOO) , Simone de Beauvoir (bohv-WAHR) , Martin Buber, Karl Jaspers (YASS-pers), and Maurice Merleau-Ponty (mer-LOH pawn-TEE). Structuralism Structuralism Structuralism is a way of thinking about the world which is predominantly concerned with the perceptions and description of structures. At its simplest, structuralism claims that the nature of every element in any given situation has no significance by itself, and in fact is determined by all the other elements involved in that situation. The full significance of any entity cannot be perceived unless and until it is integrated into the structure of which it forms a part (Hawkes, p. 11). Structuralists believe that all human activity is constructed, not natural or essential. Consequently, it is the systems of organization that are important (what we do is always a matter of selection within a given construct). By this formulation, any activity, from the actions of a narrative to not eating ones peas with a knife, takes place within a system of differences and has meaning only in its relation to other possible activities within that system, not to some meaning that emanates from nature or the divine (Childers Hentzi, p. 286.). Major figures include Claude LÃ ©vi-Strauss (LAY-vee-strows), A. J. Greimas (GREE-mahs), Jonathan Culler, Roland Barthes (bart), Ferdinand de Saussure (soh-SURR or soh-ZHOR), Roman Jakobson (YAH-keb-sen), Vladimir Propp, and Terence Hawkes. Post-Structuralism and Deconstruction Post-Structuralism (which is often used synonymously with Deconstruction or Postmodernism) is a reaction to structuralism and works against seeing language as a stable, closed system. It is a shift from seeing the poem or novel as a closed entity, equipped with definite meanings which it is the critics task to decipher, to seeing literature as irreducibly plural, an endless play of signifiers which can never be finally nailed down to a single center, essence, or meaning (Eagleton 120 see reference below under General References). Jacques Derridas (dair-ree-DAH) paper on Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences (delivered in 1966) proved particularly influential in the creation of post-structuralism. Derrida argued against, in essence, the notion of a knowable center (the Western ideal of logocentrism), a structure that could organize the differential play of language or thought but somehow remain immune to the same play it depicts (Abrams, 258-9). Derridas critique of structuralism also heralded the advent of deconstruction thatlike post-structuralismcritiques the notion of origin built into structuralism. In negative terms, deconstructionparticularly as articulated by Derridahas often come to be interpreted as anything goes since nothing has any real meaning or truth. More positively, it may posited that Derrida, like Paul de Man (de-MAHN) and other post-structuralists, really asks for rigor, that is, a type of interpretation that is constantly and ruthlessly self-conscious and on guard. Similarly, Christopher Norris (in Whats Wrong with Postmodernism?) launches a cogent argument against simplistic attacks of Derridas theories:

Whitewater vs. Watergate :: American America History

Whitewater vs. Watergate. Both are political sandals that have rocked the nation. As Watergate unraveled, many of Nixon's dirty tactics were learned, including assorted lists of enemies (a number of which became targets of IRS tax audits), wiretapping, political sabotage, burglary, blackballing, and smear campaigns. Similarly, as Whitewater unfolded, the scandal appeared to involve more than just an illegal loan. It touched on possible hush money paid to witnesses and includes the acquisition of more than 900 confidential FBI files on Bush and Reagan appointees. In many aspects, the two are very similar. They are alike in the cover-ups they both produced. But they still are about two totally different events. Each of these scandals is associated with a central criminal event and both involved a web of political intrigue.1 First, what were Whitewater and Watergate? Whitewater started as a land development of riverfront property in Arkansas in the 1980s. The Clintons received a large share of the development without putting up any money. The development went bad, so additional capital was needed. There is evidence and testimony suggesting that this cash was obtained illegally from the federal government and never paid back. As for Watergate - though it was revealed by the Senate Watergate committee as an unprecedented abuse of presidential power that was extremely dangerous to the country, it is remembered 25 years later as a strange and unsuccessful burglary in the Watergate office building by people linked to the reelection committee of Nixon. But Watergate was so much more than a political burglary. The Senate hearings showed Watergate was composed of constant criminality by the Nixon White House, and was driven by an extreme commitment to maintain control of power by any means, including criminal co nduct. It included the break-in of a psychiatrist's office for the purpose of smearing Daniel Elsberg - the leaker of the Pentagon Papers; the misuse of the IRS and other federal agencies to punish those on the president's "enemies list"; the illegal wiretapping of journalists and members of Nixon's own administration; and the purposeful editing of government documents to enhance a political agenda.2 Many similarities come up when discussing Whitewater and Watergate. The scandals may be separated by two decades, but much irony is evident when they are compared. For example, in 1974, Hillary Rodham was employed as a lawyer by the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment inquiry, along with Bernard Nussbaum, former chief counsel at the Clinton White House. Whitewater vs. Watergate :: American America History Whitewater vs. Watergate. Both are political sandals that have rocked the nation. As Watergate unraveled, many of Nixon's dirty tactics were learned, including assorted lists of enemies (a number of which became targets of IRS tax audits), wiretapping, political sabotage, burglary, blackballing, and smear campaigns. Similarly, as Whitewater unfolded, the scandal appeared to involve more than just an illegal loan. It touched on possible hush money paid to witnesses and includes the acquisition of more than 900 confidential FBI files on Bush and Reagan appointees. In many aspects, the two are very similar. They are alike in the cover-ups they both produced. But they still are about two totally different events. Each of these scandals is associated with a central criminal event and both involved a web of political intrigue.1 First, what were Whitewater and Watergate? Whitewater started as a land development of riverfront property in Arkansas in the 1980s. The Clintons received a large share of the development without putting up any money. The development went bad, so additional capital was needed. There is evidence and testimony suggesting that this cash was obtained illegally from the federal government and never paid back. As for Watergate - though it was revealed by the Senate Watergate committee as an unprecedented abuse of presidential power that was extremely dangerous to the country, it is remembered 25 years later as a strange and unsuccessful burglary in the Watergate office building by people linked to the reelection committee of Nixon. But Watergate was so much more than a political burglary. The Senate hearings showed Watergate was composed of constant criminality by the Nixon White House, and was driven by an extreme commitment to maintain control of power by any means, including criminal co nduct. It included the break-in of a psychiatrist's office for the purpose of smearing Daniel Elsberg - the leaker of the Pentagon Papers; the misuse of the IRS and other federal agencies to punish those on the president's "enemies list"; the illegal wiretapping of journalists and members of Nixon's own administration; and the purposeful editing of government documents to enhance a political agenda.2 Many similarities come up when discussing Whitewater and Watergate. The scandals may be separated by two decades, but much irony is evident when they are compared. For example, in 1974, Hillary Rodham was employed as a lawyer by the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment inquiry, along with Bernard Nussbaum, former chief counsel at the Clinton White House.

A Model of Christian Charity & Letter to Philip Sidney

Winthrop, as mentioned before Is a dedicated Puritan, which are English colleens who believed that the Church of England was corrupt and needed to be â€Å"purified,† During this time period many Puritans and those of other religions were ridiculed and discriminated because of their faith. Many restrictions were placed on them, and additional taxes were added tot their Income. Winthrop believed the only way to purify the church was to leave England now and begin a new way of life. In his essay describes his perfect society as the inhabitants begin one with God and each other.He implies that a move now is the best way to begin purification. Hastily, and English writer and geographer saw many benefits form the colonization of the New World. With his background in geography he knew that North America would be filled with various types of raw materials and wild life. His letter gave examples of this variety mentioning the different types of wood such as cedar, oak, walnut and sund ry. He explained how these resources would not only benefit the colonies but also benefit England.He believed the resources available loud be able to be divided equally among the colonies and England. He also saw the financial benefits that they could come from colonization. Money was the most important reason for his proportions to colonize. Money was big factor in his argument. In these essays both Winthrop and Hastily emphasized that the best way to receive their desired outcome was to go now. To Hastily going now would be the best way to receive the maximum benefits from the North American raw materials.Winthrop believed leaving now was the only way to purify the church, saying that thing could be done for the church in England. Also stating the by leaving now would make the purification process to go faster. They also shared the ground on which they settled which was Massachusetts. They each believed a colony near the coast would help the more economically. A Model of Christian Charity & Letter to Philip Sidney By larders published an essay to inform his followers of his solution to the problem if the corrupt Church of England.This solution in fact was moving to the New World. Richard Hastily, in 1582, sent a letter to Philip Sidney to inform of the great believed the solution to their issues was to go and colonized North America. Winthrop, as mentioned before is a dedicated Puritan, which are English citizens who believed that the Church of England was corrupt and needed to be â€Å"purified. † During this time period many Puritans and those of other religions were ridiculed additional taxes were added tot their income. Winthrop believed the only way to coast would help the more economically.

Running a Private School