Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Criminology Theories and Capital Crimes - 1182 Words

Criminology Theories and Capital Crimes: As part of the distinct aspects of criminal justice policy, the different criminology theories have significant impacts on the criminal justice system. The different theories of crime are used to explain criminal justice policy and the criminal justice system. These theories were developed by different people in attempts to explain criminal justice. In addition, criminological theories assist is shaping the societys reaction to offense in relation to preventing criminal behavior and reaction to it after it takes place. One of the major reasons for the development of these theories by criminologists is to explain why crimes occur through observing criminal behavior. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the theories of crime have become increasingly multidisciplinary since they span across different fields of study. This trend is attributed to attempts by independent criminologists to understand crime itself instead of examining it as general psychological or sociological theory (L ynch, n.d.). Classical, Routine Activity, and Rational Choice Theories: The classical theory of crime was introduced by legal authorities in Europe who believed that criminal behavior or crime itself was a product of supernatural forces. This school of thought basically revolves around evolving from a capital punishment perspective to more humane means of punishing criminals. Therefore, decisions to break the law in classical criminology are evaluatedShow MoreRelatedPunishment Vs Classical Criminology1745 Words   |  7 PagesCriminal Justice Theory Introduction Crime has existed in the society from time immemorial. Different cultures have dealt with it differently. While some have adopted very cruel, inhumane, and creative ways of punishment, others have chosen a relatively fair system of justice. Nevertheless, each system has had and served its purpose in fulfilling a given role in the society they are established. The classical criminology as envisioned by Bentham and Beccaria in the 1700’s and 1800’s has been theRead MoreThe Classical School Of Criminology935 Words   |  4 PagesClassical School of Criminology? The major principles in the Classical School of Criminology are that humans are rational and that our behavior comes from free will, and our human behavior is derived from pain and pleasure. To deter criminal’s punishment is necessary, which may set an example for others. As well as crime prevention should be implemented with quick regulated punishment for violations of the law. What were some forerunners of classical thought in criminology? Some forerunners ofRead MoreThe Moral, Legal, and Economical Aspects of Capital Punishment1509 Words   |  7 PagesCapital punishment has long been a topic for heated debate throughout the United States of America and the civilized world. For many politicians, the death penalty has been a key pillar to winning a state or election; and, to some extent, politics have been a key influence in America’s justice system. Many nations have outlawed capital punishment, with the United States included between 1972 and 1976. In the United States, there has been a renewed movement for this â€Å"eye for an eye† method, citingRead MoreThe Integral Role Sentencing Plays in the Criminal Justice Process904 Words   |  4 Pageshold to the severity of the crime. This philosophy is not the same as revenge because retribution is more concerned with the rules of society as a whole, rather than the individualism revenge has had on the victim or victims the offender. Most dictionaries give the meaning of retribution as â€Å"repayment†. Public speakers and media hold forth that criminals â€Å"repay their debt to society†. Deterrence- Deterrence is a philosophy that is concerned with preventing crimes as opposed to retribution.Read MoreEssay about Criminological Theories1544 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent theories of crime and how they affect the criminal justice system. The Classical School of criminology is a theory about evolving from a capital punishment type of view to more humane ways of punishing people. Positivist criminology is maintaining the control of human behavior and criminal behavior. They did this through three different categories of Biological studies, which are five methodologies of crime that were mainly focused on biological theories, Psychological theories, which containsRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Classical and Positivist School of Criminology872 Words   |  4 PagesLombroso, Ferri Garofolo). Introduction During the mid to late seventeenth century explanations of crime and punishment were embraced by many philosophers Thomas Hobbs (1588-1679), John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) and such theorist as Beccaria (1738), an Italian who was highly recognised by his great success through his essay ’Dei delitti e delle pene’ (On Crimes and Punishment) publicised in translations of 22 languages, effectively leaving huge impressions on theRead MoreThe Criminal Justice System1700 Words   |  7 PagesCriminal Justice System to effectively deter crime, it is imperative to understand what causes crime, understand why crime exists and why offenders engage in criminal behaviour. In the 18th century criminologists such as Jeremy Bentham, Cesare Bonesana-Beccaria and Cesare Lombroso all established criminological theories, in an attempt to achieve this goal. The most influential theories are known as the Classical and Positivist perspectives. Both of these theories have had a long-term influence on the currentRead MoreThe Role Of Criminology And The Criminal Justice System1565 Words   |  7 Pagesis concerned. Violation of these set rules is a crime and it is punishable as stipulated in most state constitutions across the world. Through criminal justice systems, people’s conducts are judged according to guiding laws and principles and those found guilty are punished for their crimes. Criminological enterprise In the above context, criminology therefore refers to the scientific approach to studying criminal behavior. Apparently, every crime committed is usually motivated by different factorsRead MoreCrime And Social Control Theory Essay1712 Words   |  7 PagesSocial control theory refers the ideas that society is responsible for maintaining law abiding citizens and/or producing deviant behavior (Hagan, 2016). The textbook generalizes that social control theories â€Å"view crime as taking place when social control or bonds to society break down† (Hagan, 2016, p. 170). This is concluded by the theories of four theorists – Walter Reckless, Travis Hirschi, Michael Gottfredson, and John Hagan – who investigated and theorized different philosophies that explainRead MoreWhat Makes An Individual A Murderer?1112 Words   |  5 Pagescategory of classical school of criminology. The Classical School of Criminology was developed by Jeremy Bentham and Cesare Baccaria. Bentham was an English philosopher who focused on utilitarianism, he lived through 1748 to 1832. As a believer of utilitarianism, he stated â€Å"that people have a right to happiness and as a result should lead happy lives.† (Beccaria, 2016) This philosophy set the rules to help deter punishment and create punishment that is appropriate to the crime committed. This is the beginning

Sunday, May 17, 2020

The Use Of Drugs And Alcohol On College Campuses - 873 Words

The use of drugs and alcohol on college campuses has always been a problem but the drastic increase in the amount of college students binge drinking and abusing prescription and illegal drugs from the early 90’s till now is becoming more alarming and has to be acted upon. American colleges have had a problem with alcohol abuse since the first colleges were created, but until recently college drinking has been ignored, and tolerated, although it is proven to have negative effects not only on the students drinking but also on those who have to share the campus with them. The use of illegal drugs such as cannabis, LSD, cocaine, MDMA, and ecstasy on college campuses has also seen a drastic increase since the 90’s but it is not nearly as large as the increase of college students using and abusing prescription drugs, which although legal can be extremely dangerous and addictive. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse(CASA) the amount of college stud ents who drink is at 70% which is quite alarming because a large proportion of these students are under the age of 21. Among these 70%, 40% (half of full time students) report to have binge drank or had 5 or more drinks in 2 hours for men and 4 of more drinks in 2 hours for women. Although the amount of students who binge drink has remained around the same amount since the 90’s the frequency in which they binge drink has shot up. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health those who bingeShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Alcohol on Campus Essay1367 Words   |  6 PagesAlcohol on campus has always been a problem. Since the beginning of higher education, students have rebelled against the rules and laws of the university and the state. Underage drinking has become a nationwide pandemic. With the legal drinking age now at twenty-one, at least half of the college population is underage, leaving room for more students to engage in binge drinking at fraternities, ath letic events, and dorm rooms. The fact that half the students are underage makes them more rebelliousRead MoreThe Rules Of Attraction Essay1111 Words   |  5 PagesAttraction, drug and alcohol abuse runs rampant throughout the novel. The main characters of the novel, Sean Bateman, Lauren Hynde, and Paul Denton, heavily use drugs and alcohol throughout the novel. Moreover, as the author portrays, drug and alcohol use are heavily integrated into the college campus culture, as nearly every character is using a wide assortment of drugs or alcohol readily available in the 1980s. Even though awareness of this problem is spreading, drug and alcohol use is still a bigRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Binge Drinking Essay1206 Words   |  5 PagesSubstance Abuse and Binge Drinking in Bryan College Station Substance abuse is a major problem that takes place on college campuses across the nation in today’s society. According to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse half of all full-time college students binge drink, abuse prescription drugs and/ or abuse illegal drugs. This amounts to 3.8 million students. This research essay will be focusing on substance abuse in the Bryan College Station area among students, and what solutionsRead MoreShould Guns Be Allowed On College Campuses?948 Words   |  4 PagesComparison and Contrast Paper: Should Guns Be Allowed on College Campuses? Hi I am a college student at Palm Beach State College in Florida West Palm Beach. One time I went to a guns store in which you can also practice how to use a gun. I was fourteen years the first time that I used a gun. I went to the place with my sister, three cousins and my father. The truth is that it was fun to use a gun, although we all knew it was dangerous to use one if we had not have any experience with it beforehandRead MoreEffects Of Depression Among College Campuses Essay1500 Words   |  6 PagesDrug use among adolescents has been a problem in the United States for numerous years. The age frame of adolescents can bring many changes in a teenager’s life. Many life-altering events can take place during this time of one’s life and affect the person either positively or negatively. Depression can occur when adolescents are transitioning into young adult years. Moving away to college, schoolwork load, and maintaining a social life are all big parts of this time f rame in life. Many cognitive problemsRead MoreShould Guns Be Permitted On College Campuses?930 Words   |  4 PagesShould guns be permitted on College Campuses? Across the country, there has been so much concern for the safety of college students and their well being that the use and carrying of guns has been brought into case with the introduction of bills. Allowing guns on college campuses would potentially be dangerous for everyone, including students and faculty members. A lot of damage and harm could occur. While some students might use them for protection, legalizing them would also increase the chancesRead MoreSubstance Abuse Among Teenagers And Adolescents1703 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), substance abuse among teenagers and adolescents is transforming into America’s number one public health problem, as numbers of high school and college students abusing drugs and alcohol are on the rise (2011). In a national survey done by CASA at Columbia University, they found that 75 percent of high school students have used an addictive substance. In addition, 46 percent o f high school students reported currently using anRead MoreShould We Put Guns On Our Campuses?954 Words   |  4 Pagesresponsible for this massacre. This has every school in America asking the question, should we put guns on our campuses? No, you shouldn t though it sounds like a great idea now you must think about the future impact in would have on the student population. College campuses are having an especially hard with this considering the age group in which their student body lies. If this law was passed campuses around America would have to face the fact that student would be able to carry around dangerous weaponsRead MoreShould Guns Be Guns On College Campuses?999 Words   |  4 Pageswith permits to carry concealed guns on college campuses. I am writing this from the library of a college campus in Florida two months after that bill was passed. Instead of concentrating on my work, I find my eyes wandering to my classmates. I am wondering which one of them is carrying a gu n in the library. Is it the man in the corner reading a calculus book? How about the woman across from me typing away on the library computer? How safe am I on my college campus, a place where I should be freeRead MoreHigh Frequency Of Sexual Assaults On Campuses950 Words   |  4 Pagesinto the back of a uniform vehicle. In college, there are many contributing factors to the high frequency of sexual assaults on campuses. Well of course they would not have known as they were most under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Another factor would be their living environment, and the societal norms. Drugs also lead to the occurrences of sexual assaults on college campuses. There are many drugs that people use, known as â€Å"date rape† drugs. Drugs such as Gamma Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB)

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Wayward Puritans Book Review Essay - 1064 Words

As a sociologist, Kai T. Erikson looks at history as a reflection of changes in societal norms and expectations. Erikson re-visits his look at historical happenings of the Puritans in his novel â€Å"Wayward Puritans: A Study in the Sociology of Deviance†. By examining several â€Å"crime waves† throughout history, Erikson points out several aspects of how we see deviance. After researching Puritan lifestyle and the corresponding influences of deviance, Erikson explores the Antinomian Controversy, the Quaker Invasion, and the Witches of Salem Village. In his first chapter, Erikson gives regard to a foremost leader in sociology; Emile Durkheim. As he notes, crime is really a natural kind of social activity. If crime is a natural part of†¦show more content†¦In some cases, as Erikson explains, labeling and isolating deviants together creates an even worse problem than the initial crime. Prison systems are notorious for a hierarchical system of criminals, wi th those on top teaching and grooming the amateurs for worse crimes. With this in mind, Erikson looks at a much lesser yet historically relevant form of deviance; the Puritans’ detachment from the Church. Erikson explains that to most English people of the 16th century, Puritans became an annoying sect of rebels. Overbearing and unrelenting, many detested the exaggeration of conventional values that the Puritans displayed. Feeling restricted by the formalities of the Church, Puritans quickly became deviant in the eyes of society. By moving to Massachusetts Bay, Puritans hoped to create their own ideas of what is â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong†, much like any community attempting to set boundaries. However, problems arose when laws were to be mandated in a Biblical sense. God could not sit at a pulpit in a courtroom, so then how would a strictly religious group maintain itself? As Erikson states, â€Å"one of the surest ways to confirm an identity, for comm unities as well as individuals, is to find some way of measuring what one is not†. From this, they developed a keen sense of Devil distinction – that is, ways in which the Devil presented himself through the behaviors of individuals. Three separate yet similarly crisis provoking â€Å"crime waves† swept throughShow MoreRelatedPerspectives on Love in Reality Parenting Shows1194 Words   |  5 Pagesthose parents who are struggling with their wayward son or daughter because parents can get tips on how to approach their children. Teenagers of these generations nowadays are much more aggressive, librated and impatient compared to the past generations. They are so curious they want to try everything without second thoughts. From being a blessing, they suddenly became a burden to their parents and this is the reason behind why a lot of parenting shows, books and websites suddenly appears but stillRead MoreHistory of Social Work18530 Words   |  75 Pagesespecially because its members do not have a great deal of individual responsibility and because it still lacks a written body of knowledge and educationally communicable techniques. 1917 Mary Richmond publishes Social Diagnosis. Social workers use her book as a primary text and as an answer to Flexner. ï‚ · The first organization for social workers is established. The national Social Workers Exchange exists primarily to process applicants for social work jobs. 1919 The 17 schools of social work that existRead MoreA Streetcar Named Desire: the Importance of Being Earnest9437 Words   |  38 Pagesnotion of â€Å"Bunbury† or â€Å"Bunburying.† As defined by Algernon, Bunburying is the practice of creating an elaborate deception that allows one to misbehave while seeming to uphold the very highest standards of duty and responsibility. Jack’s imaginary, wayward brother Ernest is a device not only for escaping social and moral obligations but also one that allows Jack to appear far more moral and responsible than he actually is. Similarly, Algernon’s imaginary invalid friend Bunbury allows Algernon to escapeRead MoreSociological View on Deviance and Drug Use Essay8777 Words   |  36 Pageshow society views drug use. This literature review will use a selection of available documents on the topic, which contain information, ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint to fulfill certain aims or express certain views on the nature of the topic and how it is to be investigated, and the effective evaluation of these documents in relation to the research being proposed. {Chris Hart, Doing a Literature Review, 1998, p.13}. This paper will focus on the labeling

Gendered Concept Dimensions Of Disability - 1913 Words

Q5. Meekosha (2007) argues that disability is gendered concept. identify 3 gendered concept dimensions to disability and discuss critically. illustrate your argument by drawing on real-world example. Meekosha (161) argues that disability is a gendered concept. Race, Ethnicity and gender are three gendered concept dimensions to disability. They can be seen in real world through social and medical models where disability is defined diversely in different backgrounds. In various contexts disabled people face gender based problems like sexuality and their disability is mutually inflected by race. Despite them facing all these gendered based problems society provides them with many facilities like: disabled games/sports, public places-different toilets and parking which are easily available and convenient for them (Reynolds et al. 14). These differences like separate toilets, parking, etc makes them standout from normal people, this reveals disabled person’s identity, them being different and separated from the normal world . This shows that they are respected and have special rights in the community (Reynolds et al. 14). This essay will primarily address the key issues in re lation to disabled people, how they are categorised in different dimensions and based on that they face lot of gendered based problems like exclusion from social community, culturally powerless- seen as invisible, their gender is questioned- disabled women and men’s sexuality called into question,Show MoreRelatedThe Sociology of Women: A Study4847 Words   |  19 Pages Sociology of Women Table of Contents 13 Myths and Misconceptions about Trans Women 3 Abortion is every womans right 4 Women with Disabilities: The Double Discrimination 5 Sex Segregation in the Workplace 6 The Fourth Wave of Feminism- Psychoanalytic Perspectives Introductory Remarks 7 The Social Construction of Sexuality 8 Masculinity as Homophobia Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity 9 Homophobia as a Weapon of Sexism 10 Before Spring Break, theRead MoreGender Inequality in Europe2011 Words   |  9 Pagescentury. For example, in UK, a European country, there is the political oratory about Britain s conventions of liberty and tolerance , but the UK actually has a long history of inequality and discrimination on grounds of age, race, religion, disability, and specially gender, sexual orientation (Thane, 2010). 4.2. Natural Differences: The natural differences between the sexes based on biological and structural factors, remarkably in reproductive roles. Biological differences include chromosomesRead More Race, Class and Gender1851 Words   |  8 PagesDarwinist rhetoric. McClintock (1992) cited that social evolutionists applied the allegory of a tree as an indication of subordination and hierarchy of racial groups. There were concepts such as the family of man whereby a racialized and cultural hierarchy relegated black people to the bottom of the chain within a gendered order. Economically, white men came first, and then white women; black men and women followed respectively. Thus black men, although observation and living within an imposed binaryRead MoreImmigration, Cultural Boundaries, By Open And Closed Geographic Borders Essay2636 Words   |  11 Pageswomen face great scrutiny and attention in the media and society at large. This paper seeks to give these women a chance to speak up and represent themselves. Cultural discrimination has always existed but it has still not been recognized as a legal concept in most nations. This paper shall be divided into two parts. The first part contains the theoretical background of the study giving the need for relational, multilevel framework to investigate diversity management issues. The second part gives anRead Morebiology 125894 Words   |  24 Pageslives with a theoretical stance positing the interlocking nature of oppression (Collins, 1993/2008, p. 3) Three Dimensions of Oppression: (Sandra Harding) Institutional Dimension of Oppression- systemic relationships of domination and subordination structured through social institutions such as schools, businesses, hospitals, the workplace and government agencies. Symbolic Dimension of Oppression- ideologies or stereotypes of race, class and gender groups Ex. Masculine - aggressive - leader Read MoreThe way masculinity and gender influence in institutions2403 Words   |  10 Pagesparticipant-observation day, that the staff was pretty fixated on the mentioned moral panic, which they approached us with. Between the first pilot observation and the indulgence of the fieldwork throughout November, it became clear that we needed to rethink the concept. To achieve this we all reflected on the bias that we potentially had created by speaking openly about the subject. We might had ruin the possibility of tacit knowledge or thick description, as any staff member only likely would offer us a thinRead MoreAmerica Is Built On Diversity2267 Words   |  10 Pagesdifferent resistant therapy approaches can serve as strong means of keeping social support while continuing to keep cultural traditions existent within the household. Authors Hawley and DeHaan compared how individual and family resilience as a concept in family therapy which targets and helps define â€Å"the path a family follows as it adapts and prospers in the face of stress, both in the present and over time†. (3) When considering families such as the Alvarez or even Ortiz family it is primary toRead MoreExam 3 Study Guide Essay4934 Words   |  20 Pagesfear-potentiated startle response? How is the fear-potentiated started acquired by rats? 6. What is the International Affective Picture System (IAPS)? How is research done with the IAPS? Emotion has two dimensions, valence (pleasant and unpleasant) and arousal. What kinds of images are associated with dimensions? What are the three primary motive systems, according to Dr. Gewirtz? What is meant by a motive system? IAPS: 800+ pictures with normative ratings of valence (pleasant versus unpleasant) and arousal Read MoreContributions of Management6175 Words   |  25 PagesIt discusses some of the major management concepts including the role of the manager, strategic planning, systems theory and contingency theory, which are critical to the practice of emergency management. The overlap between management theory and disasters may be seen in concepts associated with crisis management and the importance of values, diversity, and legal issues to both management theory and emergency management. A solid foundation in concepts of management will form the basis for any emergencyRead MoreGender Discrimination5921 Words   |  24 PagesDiscrimination is treating differently on the basis of sex or race. On the basis of above definitions we can conclude that basically sex/gender discrimination is preference of one gender upon other. The gender discrimination may exist in various dimensions which include hiring discrimination, discrimination in education, discrimination in sports, differences in salary and wages, discrimination/differences in promotion and inequity related to different goods and facilities etc Gender manifests itself

A Shameful Affair free essay sample

Here Mildred is forced to recognize and struggle with her sexuality. Mildred is obviously a young woman who has continually repressed the sexual side of her nature. She is attracted to Fred Evelyn from the first time she sees him and goes out of her way to get his attention. After he has refused her request to drive her to church, she walks down to the river where she knows he will be fishing. She knows he will be alone, because earlier all the other farmhands had gone forth in Sunday attire (150). Even though it is obvious to the reader that Mildred is pursuing Fred, she conceals this knowledge from herself. She labels Fred as a clumsy farmhand and notes quite inaccurately that farmhands are not so very nice to look at (148). After she has had her sexual nature awakened by his kiss, she tells herself that the desire she feels for him is a shameful whim that chanced to visit her soul, like an ugly dream (152). We will write a custom essay sample on A Shameful Affair or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mildred has been able to avoid facing her sexual repression in the past only because she has been away in a civilized, urban environment where social conventions have allowed her to keep men at arms length. She has refused [her] half dozen offers (149) and ironically has come to the farm to seek the repose that would enable her to follow exalted lines of thought (150). The imagery that Chopin uses to describe the farm and Mildreds relation to it reveals that Mildred has entered a sensuous environment that she is trying to resist by clinging to symbols of civilization. The farmhouse itself, as a man-made structure, can be considered an island of civilization amidst the swelling acres [of] undulating wheat that gleam in the sun like a golden sea (148) and connote pulsating fertility. At first Mildred remains seated in the snuggest corner of the big front porch of the Kraummer farmhouse, behind her Browning or her Ibsen (148), which conveys the image of someone who is trying to isolate herself intellectually in a farmhouse that is itself isolated in an ocean of natural fertility. Mildred has to abandon her island of civilized social convention when she becomes interested in Fred Evelyn, and nature begins to take its effect on her when she does. She must go down a long, narrow footpath through the bending wheat (150) to encounter Fred at the river. This footpath is like a tunnel through the yellow wheat that reaches high above her waist (150) on either side, which suggests the nearly overwhelming aspect of the fecundity that is almost enveloping her. Mildreds close contact with her sensuous surroundings causes her own repressed sexuality to come to the surface. Her brown eyes become filled with a reflected golden light (150) from the wheat as she passes through it, and her lips and cheeks become ripe with color that the sun had coaxed there (150). Nature has now begun to erode the self-control that Mildred has exercised over her passions. Mildreds losing battle against the effects of the fertility around her is conveyed through Chopins inspired use of imagery during the scene at the river. While she is watching Fred fish, Mildred is standing very still and holding tight to the book she had brought with her (150). The book is a sort of life-preserver (a repression-preserver, rather), a symbol of civilization and social restraint. When she carefully lays the book down and takes into her hands the phallic fishing pole that Fred gives her, she has given in to her sexual instincts. The voluntary act of setting aside the book and picking up the pole symbolically foreshadows her willing participation in the passionate kiss that follows. After she has unwittingly and temporarily surrendered to her sexual desires at the river, Mildred once again retreats into her customary repressive behavior. When she feels the first moment of shame after Fred has kissed her, she determines to return to her room in the farmhouse. She will be isolated from nature there, and she can give calm thought to the situation, and determine then how to act (151). Only when she is back on the very narrow path through the wheat that [is] heavy and fragrant with dew (153) is she able to admit to herself what Chopin has already shown to the reader in the scene at the river: she is partly responsible for Freds impulsive kiss. Being greatly disturbed at this knowledge, she tells Fred that she hopes to someday be able to forgive herself (153). Chopins theme in A Shameful Affair, the enlightened idea that sexual repression is harmful, is brought out by her contrasting images of civilized society and liberating natural fecundity. Mildreds consistent retreat from sexuality, associated with symbols of societal repression, causes her to become a troubled and confused young woman. She will never be a complete and healthy human being, Chopin is saying, until she comes to terms with the golden, undulating sea of her passions. Reference Chopin, Kate. A Shameful Affair. The Awakening and Selected Stories of Kate Chopin. ed. Barbara H. Solomon. (New York: Signet, 1976) 148-53.

The Thinker free essay sample

Essay Again I am a problem solver. Persisting through challenges, I possess the freedom to take intellectual risks. My parents call me â€Å"Doomatel†, which in Russian, means, â€Å"the Thinker.† I spend hours unintentionally analyzing data, whether it be a sudden change in weather or one of Walt Whitman’s elaborate poems, for I see my world through the scientific lens of data, research, and discovery. On any given day, I pause, and realize that if it were not for my family’s decision to emigrate to the United States from Russia, then my chances of passionately pursuing the luxury of intellectual curiosity – the ability to delve into why happiness exists or what motivates us- would probably be very slim. My parents escaped persecution, discrimination, fear, and economic hardship in Russia, all while in search of a chance to create a successful future. Forced to adapt to a new form of living, they used their everyday experiences to learn how to evaluate courses of action that would lead them to either success or failure. We will write a custom essay sample on The Thinker or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Their sacrifices of the past exist for me today in order to emphasize the gravity embodied by making a singular decision. My parents’ struggles are the fabric of my personal narrative, and from them, I learned the importance of taking chances and finding the most efficient ways to dissect various obstacles. Appreciating my parents background made me realize that nothing worthwhile in life comes without effort and struggle. Often, people believe that by simply doing what they love all the time, they will reach their goals. If I were to do what I love all the time, I would live with the cast of Grey’s Anatomy, spend my time discovering new places, traveling the world, relaxing under a palm tree somewhere in the tropics, and sampling the world’s finest chocolate. Sometimes though, it takes stepping out of the way of your own trajectory to accept the reality of that which you love. For me, stepping out of my own way by doing something I normally wouldn’t do, was a risk. However, it was a risk that I needed to take. I took this risk of personal discovery while teaching a large group of three-year olds—twenty to be exact—on a tennis court. My job was to physically teach these toddlers the game of tennis. Both impatience and frustration would take over me as rackets flew wildly, knees scraped mercilessly, and equipment broke unforgivingly. The game I love, which was once so relaxing and mentally stimulating, became one of my greatest burdens as I watched screaming toddlers strike one another with bright yellow balls. It wasn’t until the end of a two-hour long lesson that one of my students ran up to me. Expecting to hear a complaint, I was surprised when the curly-haired boy handed me a crumpled note. â€Å"Thank you† and a picture of two smiling stick figures, each with a tennis racket, one labeled â€Å"You† and the other â€Å"Me,† was all it took to make me smile. It took me a minute to understand that all of my strain had managed to bring happiness to this one student. I felt appreciated. I realized that through my work, there now was someone else who may feel as amorous about tennis as I feel. From that moment, coaching younger children was no longer a burden. Instead, coaching had become an opportunity to share my passion for the game and to re-discover my personal drive. I think that I will always be a Doomatel. I open-heartedly embrace the challenge of tough choices as they make me feel alive and motivated. They act as a puzzle, forcing me to spend time searching for the essence of each piece until I can finally reveal a masterpiece.