Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Morningstar Awards gold Rating to Four 529 Plans

Financial Professional content If you have clients with children or grandchildren, you should be talking about 529 plans. While these investment vehicles are the best way for most families to save for college, they are unique in the way they operate and can be very confusing to the novice investor. If you reside in a state that offers a tax credit or deduction for contributions, you might be inclined to simply recommend your clients enroll in their home stateï ¿ ½s direct-plan. 34 states, including the District of Columbia, currently offer this perk. In some cases, this is great advice. In addition to the state tax break, many direct-sold plans offer less costly, index-based investment options. But remember, your clients donï ¿ ½t have to invest in their home stateï ¿ ½s plan. In fact, six of these states will offer a tax benefit for residents who invest in any stateï ¿ ½s plan. There are also a number of other scenarios where clients could use your help finding the best 529 plan. Perhaps theyï ¿ ½ve claimed the maximum tax deduction for their home stateï ¿ ½s plan, and want to diversify their college savings by enrolling in additional plan from another state. Or your might live in a state such as California, which doesnï ¿ ½t offer a tax benefit for 529 contributions, or you reside in one of the seven states with no income tax. And even if your state does offer benefits for residents who use their home stateï ¿ ½s plan, you may be able to find superior investment performance or lower fees in another stateï ¿ ½s plan that outweigh the tax break. This presents an opportunity for you to add value as a trusted advisor by helping your clients plan for one of the most significant expenses their family will face ï ¿ ½ college. Morningstar and Savingforcollege.com offer helpful tools that can help you sift through the hundreds of 529 plan options available to help find the most suitable investment for your clientsï ¿ ½ needs. RELATED: Find out how much your stateï ¿ ½s tax benefit is really worth Morningstar recently released their annual 529 college savings plan rankings after evaluating 63 direct- and advisor-sold plans based on the following pillars: Process - the planï ¿ ½s investment options People ï ¿ ½the reputation of the underlying money managers Parent ï ¿ ½ the states and program and asset managers Price - the cost of the underlying investment options Performance ï ¿ ½ the planï ¿ ½s risk adjusted track record and expected future performance. Plans were categorized as Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral or Negative. This year, 29 plans were received one of the top three ratings, because they are expected to outperform peers on a risk-adjusted basis. 32 plans were rated ï ¿ ½Neutralï ¿ ½ and only two plans were rated ï ¿ ½Negativeï ¿ ½. 2015ï ¿ ½s highest rated 529 college savings plans included direct-sold options from Maryland, Alaska, Nevada and Utah. At Savingforcollege.com, we also publish our own 529 Plan Composite Rankings on a regular, quarterly basis, based on the underlying performance of portfolios in seven asset allocation categories. These include separate ranking lists based on distribution ï ¿ ½ direct-sold plans, advisor sold plans and plans offered through RIA channels ï ¿ ½ in order to provide an accurate comparison for our readers, depending on how they will purchase their plan. Savingforcollege.comï ¿ ½s 529 Plan Composite Rankings also include separate lists based on 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year periods to give families a better idea of how plans are performing currently and since inception. Direct-sold rankings are available to the general public, and advisor-sold and RIA channel 529 plan rankings are available with a Savingforcollege.com premium subscription. RELATED: 5 ways to judge your 529 planï ¿ ½s performance College is a major investment for todayï ¿ ½s families, so itï ¿ ½s crucial to ensure your clients are using the best plan to help reach their savings goals. The methodologies used by Morningstar and Savingforcollege.com are quite different, so itï ¿ ½s important to explore both studies when evaluating a 529 plan. For example, hereï ¿ ½s how Morningstarï ¿ ½s 2015 Gold rated plans fared according to Savingforcollege.comï ¿ ½s 529 Plan Composite Rankings for direct-sold plans, as of June 30, 2015: Maryland College Investment Plan ï ¿ ½ ranked 51st, 19th, 15th and 9th for the 1-, 3-, 5- and 10 year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan (AK) ï ¿ ½ ranked 49th, 7th, 5th and 5th for the 1-, 3-, 5- and 10 year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan (NV) ï ¿ ½ ranked 20th, 16th, 18th and 17th for the 1-, 3-, 5- and 10- year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com Utah Education Savings Plan ï ¿ ½ ranked 14th, 11th, 6th, and 1st for the 1-, 3- 5- and 10-year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com RELATED: 6 biggest advisor misconceptions about 529 plans Financial Professional content If you have clients with children or grandchildren, you should be talking about 529 plans. While these investment vehicles are the best way for most families to save for college, they are unique in the way they operate and can be very confusing to the novice investor. If you reside in a state that offers a tax credit or deduction for contributions, you might be inclined to simply recommend your clients enroll in their home stateï ¿ ½s direct-plan. 34 states, including the District of Columbia, currently offer this perk. In some cases, this is great advice. In addition to the state tax break, many direct-sold plans offer less costly, index-based investment options. But remember, your clients donï ¿ ½t have to invest in their home stateï ¿ ½s plan. In fact, six of these states will offer a tax benefit for residents who invest in any stateï ¿ ½s plan. There are also a number of other scenarios where clients could use your help finding the best 529 plan. Perhaps theyï ¿ ½ve claimed the maximum tax deduction for their home stateï ¿ ½s plan, and want to diversify their college savings by enrolling in additional plan from another state. Or your might live in a state such as California, which doesnï ¿ ½t offer a tax benefit for 529 contributions, or you reside in one of the seven states with no income tax. And even if your state does offer benefits for residents who use their home stateï ¿ ½s plan, you may be able to find superior investment performance or lower fees in another stateï ¿ ½s plan that outweigh the tax break. This presents an opportunity for you to add value as a trusted advisor by helping your clients plan for one of the most significant expenses their family will face ï ¿ ½ college. Morningstar and Savingforcollege.com offer helpful tools that can help you sift through the hundreds of 529 plan options available to help find the most suitable investment for your clientsï ¿ ½ needs. RELATED: Find out how much your stateï ¿ ½s tax benefit is really worth Morningstar recently released their annual 529 college savings plan rankings after evaluating 63 direct- and advisor-sold plans based on the following pillars: Process - the planï ¿ ½s investment options People ï ¿ ½the reputation of the underlying money managers Parent ï ¿ ½ the states and program and asset managers Price - the cost of the underlying investment options Performance ï ¿ ½ the planï ¿ ½s risk adjusted track record and expected future performance. Plans were categorized as Gold, Silver, Bronze, Neutral or Negative. This year, 29 plans were received one of the top three ratings, because they are expected to outperform peers on a risk-adjusted basis. 32 plans were rated ï ¿ ½Neutralï ¿ ½ and only two plans were rated ï ¿ ½Negativeï ¿ ½. 2015ï ¿ ½s highest rated 529 college savings plans included direct-sold options from Maryland, Alaska, Nevada and Utah. At Savingforcollege.com, we also publish our own 529 Plan Composite Rankings on a regular, quarterly basis, based on the underlying performance of portfolios in seven asset allocation categories. These include separate ranking lists based on distribution ï ¿ ½ direct-sold plans, advisor sold plans and plans offered through RIA channels ï ¿ ½ in order to provide an accurate comparison for our readers, depending on how they will purchase their plan. Savingforcollege.comï ¿ ½s 529 Plan Composite Rankings also include separate lists based on 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year periods to give families a better idea of how plans are performing currently and since inception. Direct-sold rankings are available to the general public, and advisor-sold and RIA channel 529 plan rankings are available with a Savingforcollege.com premium subscription. RELATED: 5 ways to judge your 529 planï ¿ ½s performance College is a major investment for todayï ¿ ½s families, so itï ¿ ½s crucial to ensure your clients are using the best plan to help reach their savings goals. The methodologies used by Morningstar and Savingforcollege.com are quite different, so itï ¿ ½s important to explore both studies when evaluating a 529 plan. For example, hereï ¿ ½s how Morningstarï ¿ ½s 2015 Gold rated plans fared according to Savingforcollege.comï ¿ ½s 529 Plan Composite Rankings for direct-sold plans, as of June 30, 2015: Maryland College Investment Plan ï ¿ ½ ranked 51st, 19th, 15th and 9th for the 1-, 3-, 5- and 10 year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan (AK) ï ¿ ½ ranked 49th, 7th, 5th and 5th for the 1-, 3-, 5- and 10 year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com The Vanguard 529 College Savings Plan (NV) ï ¿ ½ ranked 20th, 16th, 18th and 17th for the 1-, 3-, 5- and 10- year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com Utah Education Savings Plan ï ¿ ½ ranked 14th, 11th, 6th, and 1st for the 1-, 3- 5- and 10-year periods, respectively, according to Savingforcollege.com RELATED: 6 biggest advisor misconceptions about 529 plans

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Reasons For Asian High School Students - 782 Words

Out of the many reasons why Asian high school students are not applying to colleges, this paper will discuss two reasons. First being, some Asian students are not able to pay for tuition. According to Gildersleeve (as cited by Hellen, 2002), for the past 20 years it has been more difficult for lower-income students to afford for college through merit-based financial aid in comparison to students who comes from middle to higher-income families. The second reason is because of their ethnicity. Which is why it is vital for school counselor to be multicultural competence and promote higher education for the Asian community. Within the Asian community, Hmong students are â€Å"among the poorest students, poorer than other immigrant and refugee students in the American educational system (Vang, 2005; as cited by Siu, 1996; Vang, 1999; Vang; 2001). According to Savitz-Romer (2012; as cited by Bolland, 2003), it is â€Å"common among low-income and minority youth and further deters student s from actively engaging in college planning and decision-making behaviors (p. 100). Fallon K. Dodson (2013) wrote that â€Å"One of the major challenges school counselors face is uncertainty about whether they are sufficiently prepared to meet the needs of multiracial, multilingual, and multicultural students† (p. 18). The purpose of Dodson’s study was to examine the self-perception multicultural competence. Dodson believes that school counselors will be able to adequately work with diverse students, families,Show MoreRelatedAsians and the Causes for Genius1212 Words   |  5 PagesAsians and the Causes of Genius For many students in the western world, school, especially math, can be a great challenge that they struggle with. However, Asian schools have a much more rigorous system, yet their students breeze through lessons and consistently overachieve. Many people have attempted to explain this discrepancy, and this may come from the unique Asian culture. The cultures of the East and West are very different from each other. The Asian background causes students to surpass theirRead MoreAn Example Of A Ethnicity Race Report ( PDF )1229 Words   |  5 Pageswithin every individual Frisco ISD high school, middle school, and elementary school.Through these different statistical percentages, there is a visible trend that is seen in every Frisco ISD school is a sharp increase in the amount of Asians in each school. In specific schools, Asians are the largest minority and in certain schools are even the majority such as Fowler Middle School. This document highlights the increase in Asian representa tion within the schools and fulfills one aspect of the overallRead MoreThe Freedom Writers, Newly Licensed High School1679 Words   |  7 Pageslicensed high school teacher Erin Gruwell is teaching a large group of students who are different in race and ethnicity and are participants and/or indirectly affected by gang violence in L.A. The name Freedom Writers is a name given to her students by which they were inspired by the Freedom Riders activists in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. The film is based on the true story of Woodrow Wilson High School in L.A. that has given up on students such as Erin Gruwell’s English students that theyRead MoreImpact Of Technology On Asian Students And United States Students985 Words   |  4 Pageswith a student’ education. There are so many uses for technology that can show beneficial for both Asian students and United States students. Throughout the United States there is a wide variety of technology available for teachers. Mathematics Analysis Software, like scientific calculators, function graphers, and geometry packages are made available for students. Since the 1990’s a change in mathematics education has taken place because of the implementation of new ways to help students understandRead MoreParental Involvement And Children Academic Success Essay825 Words   |  4 Pagestwenty plus years of teaching in both the public and private school and dealing with hundreds of parents and students and watching the effects of parental involvement on student success. Parent involvement has been shown to have positively influenced children’s education; however, many parents do not get involved in their child’s education, especially in middle school and high school. That is why I decided to focus my study on the reasons why some parents are more involved in their child’s educationRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Asian Stereotypes922 Words   |  4 Pagespeople stereotype the Asian race as the world currently does? It is found to be very common to be stereotyped based off appearance and cultural background. Most commonly the Asian ethnic group, who would be stereotyped as, geniuses, smart, good at math, short, being unable to see and many other things. Some stereotypes might be taken as a compliment or even be true for some however, the Asian race is not entitled to these stereotypes nor do they have to follow them. Asians should not be stereotypedRead MoreThe Importance Of Stereotyping1104 Words   |  5 Pageshave to live b y the stereotype – suffering about how smart they are due to their ethnicity. Positive stereotypes motivate some Asian Americans, most of the time to do better in performance and in outcome, while another stereotypes would not be exactly positive to other races as well. While some white Americans see going to school as a requirement of the government Asian Americans do not. Nowadays people do not think before saying a stereotype thoroughly and that, it affects the person’s mentallyRead MoreLike The Leader Of An Orchestra1448 Words   |  6 PagesMartti Hellstrà ¶m stated, â€Å"Like the leader of an orchestra. I try to get the best out of each and every person in our school.†(Salberg, 2013, p.36). Martti Hellstrà ¶m is the headmaster of the Aurora Primary School located in Finland. Pearson is a leading company in education that provides most of students’ educational materials such as textbooks. Pearson also holds a standing of countries on an index that measures cognitive skills and education. The cognitive skills are measured by looking at globalRead MoreUsing Material from Item a and Elsewhere Assess the Sociological Explanations for Ethnic Differences in Educational Success663 Words   |  3 PagesThere are many reasons for educational underachievement and it has been said that ethnicity is one of these key factors. It has be en found that Indian and Asian pupils are of higher educational achievement than White, African-Caribbean, and Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils. One possible cause of ethnic differences in education could be at the fault of the education system. To investigate this Sewell conducted a study using semi-structured interviews and observations in an inner-city boys’Read MoreThe Achievement Gap Between Minority And Nonminority Children974 Words   |  4 PagesIn school there are always those students who exceed, but there are also individuals who struggle significantly. However, minority students tend to struggle more than nonminority students. According to an article called â€Å"Addressing the Achievement Gap Between Minority and Nonminority Children by Increasing Access to Gifted Programs,† by Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, Seon-young Lee, and Mephie Ngoi, â€Å"The most significant educational problem in the U.S. is the fact that the achievement of minority children

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Hawthorne s Effect On Human Relations - 1506 Words

Summary of Concept The Hawthorne effect is the tendency when people are monitored, watched, or treated differently within a setting they tend to work harder. They may change their behavior due to the attention they are receiving from supervisors rather than manipulation of independent variables. The Hawthorne test studies began in 1924-1933 in three stages at Western Electric Company in Cicero, Illinois. Under the supervision of Elton Mayo, who was an industrial research professor at Harvard University conducted this study. The Hawthorne officials did not anticipate how long these studies would last, however, the results found within these experiments sets them apart as a significant theory in behavior and human relations. The Hawthorne studies are considered to be one of the most important studies in human relations because it was the first study to introduce other factors beyond pay that can contribute to worker productivity. Also, this study altered the common perception of employees as machines. Th is research may be common knowledge in the 21st century, however, the Hawthorne studies began a legacy of questioning and improving the relationship of attention and productivity. In 1924 the National Research Council funded a study to see if workers would become more productive with different levels of lighting in the factory. The researchers hypothesized that increasing factors such as meal periods would increase productivity and dimming the lights would decreaseShow MoreRelatedHawthorne Studies804 Words   |  4 PagesCarey A. (1967) The Hawthorne Studies: A Radical Criticism, American Sociological Review, Vol.32, No.3, Jun. 1967, p.403-416. Clark D (1999) â€Å"Hawthorne Effect† Retrieved November 20, 2007, Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/hawthorne.html Coutts B, (2003) â€Å"The Hawthorne Experiments† Retrived November 25, 2007, Retrived from http://www.hawthorne-academy.org/publication6.html Draper S.W (2006) â€Å"The Hawthorne, Pygmalion, Placebo and other effects of expectation: someRead MoreThe Human Relations Movement Of George Elton Mayo949 Words   |  4 PagesFrederick Taylor began the movement of scientific management in the 1880’s. Scientific management looked to improve productivity through means of scientific analysis of worker’s tasks and work processes rather than the old â€Å"rule of thumb† (Taylor, 1914). Taylor believed that he could maximize worker efficiency and productivity through focusing on workers specific hand motions and patterns. After this period, beginning in about the 1930’s, managers looked to take productivity to yet another level by studyingRead MoreThe Human Relations Movement?890 Words   |  4 PagesThe Human Relations Movement When you hear human relations movement what do you think of? Do you know what the human relations movement is? To answer these questions first you need to understand which time period this movement came out of. Take a guess. To give you a hint this was the time of booming industrialization. Most men, women, and even children spent from before dawn to after dusk working in factories for minimal pay. If you guessed the 1920’s-30’s you would have been right. The human relationsRead MoreClassical and Neo Classical Theories1300 Words   |  6 PagesClassical and Neo-Classical Theories of Management Classical management theory There are three well-established theories of classical management: Taylor,s Theory of Scientific Management, Fayol’s Administrative Theory, Weber’s Theory of Bureaucracy. Although these schools, or theories, developed historical sequence, later ideas have not replaced earlier ones. Instead, each new school has tended to complement or coexist with previous ones. Theory recognizing the role that management plays in anRead MoreEssay about Hawthorne Studies1529 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will review the writings of â€Å"Hawthorne, the myth of the docile worker, and class bias in psychology† an article by D. Bramel and R. Friend. It will then go on to further critique academic articles that both support and disagree with the primary source and demonstrate how the Hawthorne studies have influenced contemporary organizations. The Hawthorne experimental studies conducted at the Western Electric Company Works has attracted considerable amounts of sharp critical scrutiny; itRead MoreHuman Relations Movement856 Words   |  4 Pageswere a lot of theorists that tried to explain what was that triggered and sustained human behaviour. As a result, the research of these â€Å"behavioural scientists† (kreitner 1999) became to what today is called the human relations movement. This study will be demonstrating the need for human relations movement and also if it has completely replaced classical and scientific management. (131) Before the human relations movement, companies were looking for a way to grow their profit by increasing the productivityRead MoreThe Birth Mark By Nathaniel Hawthorne1730 Words   |  7 PagesHawthorne illustrates an awe-inspiring example of how human imperfection is natural and the way we are created is how we shall remain, perfectly imperfect. It is difficult not to consider the world today and how much plastic surgeons profit and customers pay, just to reflect an ideal image. This story is published in the eighteenth century, which depicts a mad scientist (Aylmer) who claims to have the ability to create perfection in the imperfect, Godly creation of his wife (Georgiana). The marriageRead MoreSymbolism By Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1140 Words   |  5 PagesWaggoner has to say about the Hawthornes creativity.† But in between the surface and the depths movement is constant and complex, and it is in this middle that the principal value of the work lies.†(Waggoner 73)What Waggoner is talking about is the Symbolism that is used by Hawthorne. Hawthorne s symbolism is complex and creative.When symbolism is used there must always be symbols. Symbols can take many forms and three of these forms are, places, things, and people. Hawthorne uses these forms of symbolsRead MoreBeing A Single Parent By Nathaniel Hawthorne1574 Words   |  7 Pagesto England together with Pearl, but later find their plans foiled by Hester’s long-lost husband. In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne, in his role as a Transcendentalist, communicates the idea that isolation in the natural world establishes a higher level of thought and wisdom within the individual through the use of characterization. Though Nathaniel Hawthorne is considered to be a gothic writer, his novel, The Scarlet Letter, reveals ideas of Transcendental nature. One of these ideas isRead MoreHuman Relation1698 Words   |  7 PagesHuman Relations Theory Introduction The Human Relations Theory of organization came in to existence in 1930s as a reaction to the classical approach to organizational analysis. This is because the classical theorists neglected the human factor in the organization. The Classical theorists took a mechanical view of organization and underemphasized the sociopsychological aspects of individual’s behaviour in organization. It is this critical failure of the classical theory that gave birth to the human

Romeo and Juliet free essay sample

Romeo and Juliet Young love, it’s the most lifting feeling in the world. William Shakespeare takes it to the extremes and portrays this love’s theme with tragic effect. In the play Romeo and Juliet, the two destined lovers meet at a party and fall in love at first sight. As the story progresses, tensions rise as their love is forbidden, secretly continued, and fatally ended. The suicidal impulse of Romeo and Juliet displays the fast-paced, obsessive and irrational theme of young love. Romeo and Juliet display the fast-paced events of young love in this play. This is all begins to unfold at the Capulet’s party when Romeo catches the eye of Juliet on the dance floor. Neither knowing whom the other one is, they begin to dance together. Time quickly passes and they are infatuated with each other as they start to kiss and speak words of love. Another similarity is both types of love have a strong aspect of protection. Parental love the parents protect the child and care for them, where in romantic love spouses feel the need to protect each other. The differences in the essay are parental love you are born into this love and romantic love you are attracted into this love. Another difference in the two loves is parental love is never ending love but romantic love could end. The differences and similarities between parental love and romantic love are parental love you are born into it, parental love is never ending and romantic love may end and you are attracted into this type of love. Similarities between the two are, both have life lessons and you have a strong aspect of protection. I chose these because the two loves have very strong similarities.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Symbolism in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” Essay Example

Symbolism in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† Paper Mary Flannery O’Connor was an influential American writer who was born in 1925, writing two novels, thirty-two short stories and numerous essays and reviews. Her life was complicated by a fifteen-year battle with lupus and she died at the age of thirty-nine. Her philosophy on fiction writing was that it should first and foremost be based in the solidly concrete world (Olson, 42). This is the essence of how she breathed life into her work. She explored symbolism and deeper themes as well, but they came after the concrete details. Some persistent symbolic themes in her writing include farms, small towns, hallucinations or hallucinations, the south, violence, prejudice, self-discovery, and, her most common theme, religion and the Catholic faith (Irving, 113). O’Connor uses recurring themes and symbolism in all of her stories, none more so that â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find. † These symbols are hidden in the prose and unlocking them adds to the depth, influence and impact of the story. The prevalent symbolism used pertains to the Catholic faith, Jesus and judgment. She also uses color and character to tie in the idea of the changing times and society’s disintegration. Everything from the name of the town they are seeking, the forest and the journey itself are used by in this story to represent a deeper truth. They explore the innermost struggle of man and the quest for self-identity and understanding and the need for a person to face their own reality by delving into their character rather than the place they believe they hold in the society and the concrete world. We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The characters of the grandmother and the Misfit symbolize different aspects of human self-awareness as well as the idea of Jesus, redemption and hypocrisy. Their depiction as symbols instead of solidly real individuals is evident in their names – they are not given one. Instead they are referred to by the place they hold in society, the â€Å"grandmother†, the â€Å"Misfit,† which is more important than who they are as people. The grandmother is the sinner, so blinded by her own self-perceived morality and social identity that she is blinded to her own faults and therefore fails to repent. Her faith is all about appearances rather than sincerity, such as her selection for her attire and the reason for it, Her collars and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady (O’Connor, 118). The Misfit, while the villain of the tale, sits as judge and jury. He is the only one in the story that contemplates the deeper truth to man’s existence, indicating his contemplative nature and the need for man to question their existence, â€Å"Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead . . . He shouldn’t have done it . . . If He did what He said, then it’s nothing to do but throw away everything and follow Him, and if He didn’t, then it’s nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left† (O’Connor, 132). While the grandmother fails to recognize her own faults, the Misfit knows not only his own failings but also those of others, indicating the all-seeing eye of Jesus (Bonney, 351). When she is left alone with the Misfit, after several tries, she manages to say, â€Å"Jesus, Jesus,† meaning that the Misfit should pray, yet it came out as a curse. This statement is evidence that she secretly blames God and Christ for her dilemma. The Misfit on the other hand does not believe in a higher power even as he symbolizes one. Additionally, the Misfit originally chose the pseudonym he holds because he believed he was punished excessively for his perceived crime, which he does not remember. This is similar to how Jesus died for the sins of all mankind, as He did not have any of his own. The grandmother brings up Jesus and prayer because she is trying to find a way out so she hopes to instill grace and regret in the Misfit; she does so to save her own life rather than because she believed: she is a hypocrite. After recognizing the Misfit’s identity, much as one recognizes the presence of God at the time of judgment, the grandmother devotes herself to trying to escape the net she is caught in rather than in the act of prayer. She even denies Jesus, even calling the Misfit Jesus, in an attempt to stave off her own demise and offers counterfeit affection to the Misfit in order to persuade him to relent, â€Å"’Why you’re one of my babies . . . one of my own children! ’ She reached out and touched him† (O’Connor, 132). The Misfit recognized the falseness of her actions and shot her through the chest, much as Jesus knows when a person’s belief is true or if they merely seem faithful. While the grandmother has a greater capacity for grace than the Misfit does, she fails to fulfill it (Bandy, 110). The family’s journey itself is a symbol of man’s walk of faith. The grandmother does not wish to go to Florida, does not wish to walk the correct path and stay true to her beliefs. When her requests are ignored and she is forced to travel to Florida instead of Tennessee, she dresses it up in artifice rather than sincerity. At the first opportunity, she attempts to detour the family to another road, using persuasion and deception to generate supporters, she steers others away from the path of God as well. This is their undoing as it places them directly in the way of tragedy. Here too, the Misfit symbolizes Jesus. As Jesus knows when a person is unfaithful, the Misfit judges and punishes the family for their lack of faith (Bandy, 111). At the beginning of the story, the children play the game of identifying shapes in the clouds. This ties into the use of symbols to represent the grandmother’s superficial faith. Clouds are ever changing decorations of the sky, much as she ‘decorates’ herself in lady like apparel in order to portray an image that she does not feel. The clouds present an appearance of one thing but are in fact quite different. After the family’s accident, the Misfit comments that the sky is without sun or clouds: the artifice has been stripped away as well as the guide for the grandmother to follow – the sun, which is always present in the day, is identified as absent here. The Misfit sees the truth of the grandmother’s character and does not allow her to hide behind false pretenses or recover her lost path; she is to be punished for her crime. Here, the Misfit is the vengeful God and the sinner is not so innocent. Rather that symbolizing innocence, as children often do in works of fiction, in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† they represent the aspects of life that one cannot control and the truth that those events hold. In the beginning of the story, as the grandmother attempts to dissuade the family from going to Florida and to go instead to Tennessee, John Wesley asks the grandmother why she does not just stay home. June Star replies â€Å"She wouldn’t stay home to be queen for a day. † Only June Star recognizes this aspect of her grandmother’s personality and is forthright enough to mention. Throughout the story, June Star speaks her truth honestly and openly, though her opinions are high-minded and prejudicial. The Misfit mentions his unease with children, saying that they make him nervous. He recognizes their capacity for unpredictable behavior, as the road of life is unpredictable, and asks his companions to rein them in. There are many symbols of death through the story, particularly toward the end of the family’s journey. The name of the town the grandmother is seeking is called Toombsboro, clearly calling to mind the image of a tomb. She is inadvertently seeking death. The dark and heavy forest near where the family has their accident is a symbol of death as well, with its shadows, hidden threats and unknowable reality. Indeed, five members of the family find their end in these woods. The car driven by the Misfit and his two companions is described as â€Å"hearse-like;† a very blatant symbol of death and one’s journey to what waits beyond. Another symbol used throughout the story is the color red, used to represent the fact that society is changing. Red is the most used color in the work, creating a link for each character and event to follow. The grandmother and Red Sammy, the restaurant owner, reminisce together on better times, revealing their own prejudice on how things have changed. This identifies Red Sammy as a symbol of those changing times. When she later remembers that the plantation is in another state, she goes â€Å"red. † This ties her embarrassment to Red Sammy – red and Red – and their discussion of the good old days. She had failed to recall them correctly and she was deeply embarrassed. Later, when the men get out of the car, it is revealed that one of the occupants was wearing a red sweatshirt, another tie to red. The third man’s ankles were also described as red as he was climbing down the embankment and the Misfit’s eyes are described as â€Å"red-rimmed. † It also symbolizes anger as the grandmother is angered by the fact that the times had changed. These images further symbolize the way society had altered as these men represent those changes. This color symbolism ties each of these aspects of the story together in a united theme. The symbolism used in this story instills in the reader a deeper sense of appreciation as well as a desire to look into themselves in order to discover their own truth. The united themes and symbolism tie the story together and without them, the depiction created would be hollow, without a soul or any real meaning. O’Connor centers her stories around the concrete world; yet, it is the depth she weaves into her fiction that makes it so valuable. The Christian faith is clearly her resounding symbol in this story, yet other aspects of it stand forth as well. The grandmother and the Misfit are not people; they are representations of the flaws and frailties in all human beings, the ones that define man as a sinner and make mankind run from itself. By penning these startling tributes to self-discovery and truth, O’Connor is able to grasp the very real and necessary desire for society to examine itself neutrally rather than with rose-colored glasses. Works Cited Bandy, Stephen. â€Å"`One of My Babies: The misfit and the grandmother. † Studies in Short Fiction; Winter96, Vol. 33 Issue 1. 107-118. Bonney, William. â€Å"The Moral Structure of Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find. † Studies in Short Fiction; Summer 90, Vol. 27 Issue 3, 347-356. Irving, Malin. â€Å"Flannery O’Connor and the Grotesque. † In the Added Dimension: The Art and Mind of Flannery O’Connor. Melvin Friedman and Lewis A. Lawson, eds. New York: Fordham University Press, 1966. 113-114. O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find. † The Complete Stories. New York: Ferrar, Straus and Giroux, 1971. 117-133. Olson, Steven. â€Å"Tarwater’s Hats. † Studies in the Literary Imagination; Fall 1987, Vol. 20, Issue 2, 37-49.

Monday, March 16, 2020

Losing the War on Drugs essays

Losing the War on Drugs essays America is spending millions of dollars to run ad campaigns with teenage waifs smashing up the kitchen with frying pans, brain fried egg commercials, and other inaccurate and misleading ads put fear into our nations youth and adults alike. One such ad showed a flat line brain scan purportedly hooked up to a drug user. It was later proven that it was hooked up to nothing and most of our nations kids now know it. Seeing the "Land of the Free" turn into a nation that imprisons more of its citizens than any other industrialized nation on earth is neither effective or a good message to send our children. We are building 9 new prisons for every one new university( ). Which do you want built for your children? In this country, we are locked in war we simply cannot win. We strive to protect over 10,000 miles of border, against enemies who are driven by the lure of an obscene really resulted from this war is the overcrowding of prisons, the expansion of law and distrust. If its not obvious already, I am referring to the war on drugs. As time goes on, it becomes more and more evident that the war on drugs is as useless as officials, who use the war as a reelection tool. To study this problem, I visited government web pages for statistics and facts dealing with the war, and was surprised what I found. To most people the fiscal reasons for ending the war are the most convincing. For example, it costs over $30,000 per year to house a prisoner - this does not include processing and legal fees, only the actual prison costs - food, water, electricity and guards ( ). There are over 1.5 million non-violent drug law offenders in prison right now, and this number is increasing daily( ). That means we are spending a minimum of $45 billion per year keeping former tax-paying citizens, most of whom had jobs and were contributing to the economy in some way, locked up with murderers and rapists. When these pe...

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Analysis of the Spike Lees Movie Do the Right Thing

Analyzing Spike Lee's movies to do the right thing For my lens analysis, I chose a shot from the Spike Lee movie Do the right thing. This is the second shot after the climax riot. It is characterized by the mayor of Da's and the sister of the mother corresponding to the noisy incident of the previous night. After the police killed Rahhim Radio, the block was destroyed because he and Thrall were destroyed due to a fight due to Radio Rahim's radio box capacity. The struggle at a very superficial level is related to loud stereo, but the real meaning of struggle is related by the climax of anger and tension among the characters of previously caused movies. Let's see Do Do Right Thing as an example of the first film analysis paper. This is a movie supervised by Spike Lee released in 1989. In 2007, it appeared in the most controversial movie list. It is a famous movie, but many people have not seen it yet, but often assign right things. Writing an analysis article for a movie is not too di fficult. You will love to look at the movie and drill down on its core meaning. If you still do not know how to write a paper, please refer to the following article. I will analyze my thesis and explain how to write analysis papers. You can borrow a custom lighting service. Analyzing Spike Lee's movies to do the right thing For my lens analysis, I chose a shot from the Spike Lee movie Do the right thing. This is the second shot after the climax riot. It is characterized by the mayor of Da's and the sister of the mother corresponding to the noisy incident of the previous night. After the police killed Rahhim Radio, the block was destroyed because he and Thrall were destroyed due to a fight due to Radio Rahim's radio box capacity. The struggle at a very superficial level is related to loud stereo, but the real meaning of struggle is related by the climax of anger and tension among the characters of previously caused movies. The movie title, Do The Right Thing, is a powerful rhetorical design used by Spike Lee. Da Mayor, played by a recent great actor, Ossie Davis, told Spike Lee to play Mookie to do the right thing. Nobody has said correct content in the movie. Lee told the audience to do the right thing, but he never told them what it is. Instead he created a context in the film and forced the audience to draw their own conclusions about what is right. Some people think Li's words are obvious and easy to identify, but it is obvious that you can react without knowing what Li is trying to react to you. Spike concluded that this response reflects the personal belief of the race. He wants the understanding of what is right for the audience. Spike advocates three arguments about what is right, but never did we tell us in the movie what he thought it should be. The first parameter is the movie itself.