The Importance of Higher Education Through Community College Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Higher Education Through Community College Essay Why is higher education important you may ask through community colleges? There are many benefits to life that come with the achievement of higher education. Furthering your education puts you at a competetive edge with todays evolving technology and the aggressiveness of the present job market. Higher education plays such a huge factor in today’s society and yet there are still very many people out there who cannot afford to go to a big university because of the cost. Four out of ten graduating high school students start their college careers at community colleges. Along the same lines community colleges are the largest and fastest growing area of higher education which means that more and more people today are exploring and learning about the benefits of pursueing higher education through community colleges. There may be many reasons why we choose to further our education through community college. We all live busy lifestyles and at times just our daily lives, routines and obligations can dictate just how much time people can devote to pursuing a higher education. Some of us may already have families or may even be working at a job. There are also a great number of people as well who simply just spend beyond their means. All of these examples can play a huge roll on affordability and how much time a person can spend inside the classroom.And because of this, these obstacles may prevent or even discourage people from being able to become a full time student. Community colleges offer the opportunity to higher education at a lower expence and present the student with the opportunity to take advantage of the many various scholarships and programs that these community colleges have available. There are a great number of community colleges to choose from in every state of the country. And many of these schools have a lot to offer potential students. Community colleges such as Ivy Tech and Oakland City University for example, have a vast amount of programs and benefits that will allow people a chance to attend class no matter how much time their daily lives and routines require them to spend. These schools offer the student a selection of online classes, courses and even degree programs all ready to take from their home or office all online. In addition to online classes these two schools also omake available full or part time student enrollment, day time and night time classes are also available if needed to help accommodate all types of lifestyles,schedules and obligations. With all of these programs in place it makes pursuing your future that much easier to grasp. By allowing the availability to attend community college online and at different times of the day and by using government and student financial aid such as Pell grants and the Stafford student loan people can often get a degree without going into so much debt. Sometimes the availability of these classes can help people get degree’s even faster than they normally would if they had to be on campus at all times. With our busy lifestyles and the competitiveness of the job market in todays economy it is vital to have an education. Even though at times we may think to ourselves that we just cannot afford to attend community college or are simply just too busy with the demands of daily life to dedicate accomplishing such an important task. In my oppinion, othing can be further from the truth. Making the choice to attain higher education through community college is a fantastic decision for anyone wanting to be a competitive force in todays ever evolving technological world and try to win in the current job market. Going to a community college may be intimidating to some people for various reasons whether it is having enough time, money or obligations. And at times, may even let these issues disuade their decision to attend. There are no obstacles too big in your way of pursuing your future and your dreams. And by taking advantage of all the programs and benefits that these schools have to offer can and will help to ease any anxieties you may have of becoming a student pursuing a higher education through community college.

The Great Gatsby :: The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Great Gatsby" is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald which takes place in the early 1900's. This book consists of five main characters, Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan, Jay Gatsby and Jordan Baker. When I completed this novel, I came to a conclusion that this is a well - written book. The two main reasons that makes this novel so superior is that Fitzgerald writes from his personal experience and makes good use of his literary elements. Throughout this novel, Fitzgerald's life plays a major part in the scenes and in the story. For example, the conflict in this novel is that Gatsby is trying to get Daisy from Tom, after Daisy turned him down because he wasn't wealthy. Similarly, Fitzgerald and Zelda liked each other, but before they could get married, Fitzgerald needed to earn some money. Obviously, his money came from writing great novels. Another example that portrays Fitzgerald's life in this novel is the vast use of alcohol. In the novel, alcohol is mentioned so often that it changes character's lives. Firstly, Dan Cody, Gatsby's mentor was an alcoholic who died from alcoholism. And secondly, during Gatsby's parties, people were getting drunk (the man in the library saying the books are real!). In Fitzgerald's life, partying and getting drunk was a frequent routine. Coincidentally, Fitzgerald was also an alcoholic who suffered from alcoholism. Not only does Fitzgerald write from his personal experience to enhance his writing, but he also uses good literary elements. Fitzgerald's use of irony and foreshadowing makes his writing so highly - rated. One scene when foreshadowing kicks is when Fitzgerald describes the scene outside the room where Gatsby and Daisy are sitting together. Fitzgerald describes, "Outside the wind was loud and there was a faint flow of thunder along the sound." Thunder is added on purpose; to foreshadow the unstable relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. He uses irony in describing his characters. For example, when Nick goes to Tom's house for the first time and Daisy describes her husband, Tom as being smart and profound. Later on in this novel, we find out how unintelligent Tom is and it takes him great amount of time to figure out that Gatsby and Daisy have something going on.

Ethnic Unbonding in South Africa Essay

Manuel Castells notion of ‘ethnic unbonding’ refers to: the gradual withdrawal certain African-Americans are undergoing, so that they no longer are a member of their initial ethnic group. ‘Ethnic unbonding’ is a process where individuals remove themselves from their ethnic groups, because they are either ashamed or humiliated to be associated as part of a stigmatized ethnic identity. â€Å"So, race matters a lot. But, at the same time, the class divide among blacks has created such fundamentally different living conditions that there is growing hostility among the poor against those former brothers that left them out. Most middle-class blacks strive to get ahead not only from the reality of the ghetto, but from the stigma that echoes from the dying ghetto project on them through their skin. They do so particularly, by insulating their children from the poor black communities (moving to suburbs, integrating them into white-dominated private schools), while, at the same time, reinventing an African-American identity that revives the themes of the past, African or American, while keeping silent on the plight of the present† Castell, M p.57. Manuel Castell raises cognizance to the fact that black South Africans are gradually disassociating themselves from their original ethnic identities. (‘Black South Africans’ refers to the non-white individuals of South Africa, those who were disadvantaged and traduced in the homelands during the Apartheid regime). These ethnic unbonding patterns were first noticed among African-Americans and now South Africans too are gradually adopting them. Citizens split from their ethnic groups to mainly better their lives, since being a part of a stigmatized ethnic group cannot ensure a successful and pleasant lifestyle. Parents want a better life for the children and they find that to live a better quality lifestyle one needs to firstly get an education. So they get a good education and become a success in life only to put their stigmatized ethnic background behind them, to avoid risking the loss of their achievements. Ethnic performances are rarely practised and individuals lose sight of where they come from. â€Å"In the last two decades, geographers have become extremely interested in the issue of ethnicity. Ethnic groups are found in essentially all societies. Ethnic groups are populations that feel a common bond and have a sense of common origin that distinguishes them from other groups. Religion, language, national origin, and skin colour are all used to various degrees by ethnic groups to distinguish themselves from others. It is estimated that the 200 or so independent countries recognized by the United Nations are made up of about 5000 ethnic groups. Increased migration of people in the last 200 years has produced a complex pattern of ethnic groups. Essentially, ethnicity is a spatial concept. Ethnic groups are associated with clearly recognized territories, either some large homeland district or some smaller urban or rural enclaves in which they are the primary or exclusive occupant. In addition, they have somehow marked these places with certain distinguished cultural signs. † (http://teacherweb. ftl. pinecrest. edu/snyderd/APHG/Unit%203/culturenotes. htm). Ethnicity is socially important. It gives certain individuals a feeling of belonging and prevents one from feeling isolated and alone. It contributes immensely to one’s core identity, focusing mostly on the construction of one’s personal identity, and in turn having an effect on the type of person an individual turns out to be in the future. It forms the basis of an individual’s structure and agency. Ethnicity also promotes national strength which can be built from the diverse cultural resources present in South Africa. It brings together a national identity. ‘Afrikaners historically considered themselves the only true South Africans and, while granting full citizenship to all residents of European descent, denied that status to people of colour until the democratic transition of 1994. British South Africans retain a sense of cultural and social connection to Great Britain without weakening their identity as South Africans. A similar concept of primary local and secondary ancestral identity is prevalent among people of Indian descent. The Bantu-speaking black peoples have long regarded themselves as South African despite the attempts of the white authorities to classify them as less than full citizens or as citizens of ethnic homelands (â€Å"Bantustans†) between 1959 and 1991. Strong cultural loyalties to African languages and local political structures such as the kingdom and the chieftaincy remain an important component of identity. National identity comes first for all black people, but belonging to an ethnic, linguistic, and regional grouping and even to an ancestral clan has an important secondary status. (http://www. everyculture. com/Sa-Th/South-Africa. html). As a result of years of racial separation and discrimination, the majority of South African citizens of which are black, have been severely ill-treated based on the colour of their skin. â€Å"A race is a population that shares visible physical characteristics from inbreeding and that thinks of itself or is thought of by outsiders as distinct. It has been used by societies to justify poor treatment of minority groups† ( http://www. sociologyguide. com/questions/ethnicity. php). For decades black people have been slandered and stereotyped by the white superior citizens, to be uncultured individuals. White people were entirely prejudiced against the black people. ‘Prejudice is a judgment based on group membership or social status. Prejudice may be formed through both individual and group influences including socialization, rationalizing through stereotypes, the scapegoating process, reinforcement of a self-fulfilling prophecy ramification of an authoritarian personality and degree of contact with minority groups.’ http://www. sociologyguide. com/questions/ethnicity. php. How black ethnic groups emerged? Being ethnic is relating to or a characteristic of a sizable group of people sharing a common and distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic or cultural heritage. (http://www. thefreedictionary. com. ) Just like the trends in America, black citizens of South Africa formed groups based on commonalities. These people shared hardships and sufferings, as a result of being excluded from having any opportunities and privileges, by the white superiorities. The white citizens undermined the black citizens for centuries and thus blacks were forced to form close relationships with one another based on the fact that they had common deprivations. ‘Bantustans’ were formed in South Africa and these areas were wastelands of hardship. Residents of these areas were forced to deal with struggle and poverty thus leading to an increase in crime rate. People did what they could to survive. Stealing, drug dealing etc. all the forms of violence and corruption exploded from these areas. Put a group of homeless and poor people together and what do you get? Chaos. White people were aware of the disorder in the homelands and ever since then stereotypes were given to black people. What provoked ethnic unbonding? Ethnic unbonding is when individuals from an ethnic group break away from their core cultural identity and instead pursue an identity of their own. Individuals mainly do this to improve their standards of living. The stigmas attached to certain ethnic groups are undesirable and individuals are afraid of being part of these unpleasant stereotypes. Certain groups especially ethnic groups have harsh associations linked to them and for these people to improve their quality of life they need to detach themselves from their ethnic groups. The negativity one receives from being part of a stigmatized ethnic group for some is too much to handle. People want to be freed from the harmful judgements of the past, and thus completely detaching themselves from their core ethnic identity is the best way out. ‘’Race and ethnicity are central – to America, as to other societies’ dynamics – their manifestations seem to be deeply altered by current social trends. ’’ (Castells, 1997: 53). Globalisation affects people’s choices on being or not being part of an ethnic group. Westernization transforms certain cultures and moulds them into a more modernized culture, with less practices and more simplicity. Cultural identity is a victim of globalization. Culture is being altered so much by globalization and media effects that soon the culture will transform into something completely different. According to Tomlinson, J. p. 23 states that â€Å"it is fair to say that the impact of globalization in the cultural sphere has, most generally, been viewed in a pessimistic light. Typically, it has been associated with the destruction of cultural identities, victims of the accelerating encroachment of a homogenized, westernized, consumer culture. † Conclusion Ethnic unbonding is inevitable. Every single individual wants a decent lifestyle and a decent life is one with no racial, gender or ethnic inequalities. Ethnic unbonding will continue to take place in South Africa as well as the rest of the world, because the desire for one to have an improved standard of living exceeds the desire to want to belong to an ethnic area. Castells concept of ethnic unbonding is a notion unknowingly practiced amongst the people of South Africa. Castell believes that individuals belonging to certain ethnic groups are developing boundaries within themselves. However, I think that people can still live a better life and yet maintain a part of their ethnicity. Lifestyles can be adjusted so that some form of their religion and culture is integrated into their everyday life and not forgotten. Future generations might be at risk of never knowing exactly where they come from, and being clueless about their ethnic and cultural heritage. 1. Castells, Manuel. 1997. The power of identity. Cambridge, MA. Blackwell, 52-59 2. Tomlinson, John. Globalization and cultural identity http://www. polity. co. uk/global/pdf/gtreader2etomlinson. pdf(12September 2011) 3. Definitions of race, prejudice and discrimination: http://www. sociologyguide. com/questions/ethnicity. php (12September 2011) 4. Countries and their Culture – South Africa http://www. everyculture. com/Sa-Th/South-Africa. html (12September 2011) 5. THE GLOBALIZATION OF CULTURE, AND THE GEOGRAPHY OF INEQUALITY: RACE, ETHNICITY & GENDER http://teacherweb. ftl. pinecrest. edu/snyderd/APHG/Unit%203/culturenotes. htm (12September 2011) 6. Definition of Ethnic: http://www. thefreedictionary. com (12September 2011).

The Role of the Great Mother in Beowulf Essay - 1990 Words

The Role of the Great Mother in Beowulf Grendels dam is not simply a wandering fiend (1621), a swamp thing from hell (1518), or a troll-dam (1391). She is an example of what Erich Neuhmann in his book, The Great Mother, calls an embodiment of the Great Mother in her negative elementary character (147). Her realms are the underworld, a cave below a lake, both symbols of the unconscious. She is begetter and child bearer, creator and destroyer of life; she nourishes and ensures the fertility of the land and people through her thirst for blood and sacrifice as a ritual for rebirth. As a pre-Christian goddess, she is not categorized as evil, but rather as a necessary power to balance light and dark, life and death.†¦show more content†¦She is the tiger, the vulture, the wolf, voraciously licking up the blood seed of men and beasts, and, once fecundated and sated, casting it out again in new birth (Neuhmann 149-150). In Beowulf, her domain is the underworld, the cave below the mere, a hellish turn-hole (1513), her womb of death (Neuhmann 172), where she attracts and draws in all living things (Neuhmann 172). In the text, it is clear that Grendels dam falls into the negative classification of the Great Mother: she is a monstrous hell bride (1258), a hell-dam (1292), a force for evil (1339). Here, we can clearly see that the Christian labeling of the Great Mothers negative aspect has been applied to Grendels dam and she is not viewed as the balancing and necessary opposite of the positive, but has become evil, kin to the devil. As a devil/demon she has been forced down into fearful waters (1292), suppressed and denied, by the Christian usurpers of her domain, yet she lives on and e xtends a presence in the land of Hrothgar. Indeed, his subjects continue to pay homage to the pagan gods despite the influence of Christianity as the narrator suggests: sometimes at pagan shrines they vowed offerings to idols, swore oaths that the killer of souls might come to their aid and save the people (175-178). Christianity has failed to protect against the wergild demanded by the Great Mother; incensed at the desertion of her worshipers, the Great Mother and her son seekShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Beowulf, Grendel s Mother, And The Fire Dragon782 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the epic of Beowulf there are three main battles; the battle with Grendel, Grendel s Mother, and the Fire Dragon. While there are notable differences be- tween the battles, common motivations and themes exist. The epic s protagonist King of Geats Beowulf, is a great warrior who fights with courage and honor to fulfill his role as a hero. The sense of duty associated with being a hero inspires him to fight, but ultimately leads him to his demise. 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