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Human Relationships and the Land in "O Pioneers!", 2008.
An analysis of human relationships in Willa Cather's novel "O Pioneers!".
1,620 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 52.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the theme of human relationships in the novel "O Pioneers!" by Willa Cather. The paper contends that human relationships are at the heart of the novel, but at the same time, those relationships are shaped and colored by the vital relationship with the land, as an inheritance and a way of life. The paper also maintains that family is a central theme connected to the land, with the character of Alexandra the focus for the family, just as the land becomes her focus as a substitute for her father. The paper argues that, although much of the novel seems pessimistic about human relationships, ultimately the novel's protagonist, Alexandra, as an embodiment of the land, shows how the struggle for the land would one day lead to an accommodation between human beings and the land.
From the Paper
"Cather seems to doubt the possibility for human beings to form meaningful and lasting relationships, and in the novel, those who try fail or even die before achieving what they seem to want. There are a number of unhappy marriages in the novel, including that of the woman Emil loves, a relationship that ends tragically for all. The one love that persists is love for the land, though that is also a love that is sorely tested again and again by weather, drought, storms, and other hardships faced by the pioneers, who either last through the crisis of fail and turn back. The novel celebrates the pioneer in America and the way the pioneer went to work and shaped the land, but what the pioneer did was also decided by the needs and wants of the land itself. In the end, the hard realities of pioneer life were anything but romantic, and the lives of the characters in this novel shows how they would often act impetuously and then suffer the consequences as far as human relationships were concerned."
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Rae Yang's "The Spider Eaters - a Memoir", 2008.
A critical review of Rae Yang's book "The Spider Eaters - a Memoir".
1,050 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper takes a look at Rae Yang's "The Spider Eaters - a Memoir", a book addressing the Cultural Revolution from the perspective of a person who was caught up in a frightening time in the early People's Republic of China (PRC).The paper considers the book a disturbing reflection on the youth of the Red Guard and the vicious sort of fascism created by Chairman Mao. It concludes that the book is well written and informative.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Maoism and Youth
Divisions
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Yang writes in a way that is immediate and also indicating that her days in the Red Guard were far away, a dream somehow, and as much of the volume moves back and forth between the present and the past and with anecdotes to do with her childhood and family adding to a surreal and very personal explanation of a frightening time and different people's reactions to it. A chapter "A Strange Gift from the Pig Farm" refers to her habit of waking at 3 a.m. that remained after she was placed in the Manchurian countryside just as millions of other young people to finish high school were sent for menial labour away from the cities. She had had to waken at 3 a.m. to perform part of her assigned work and the habit remained, years later. (pp. 1-2) So much forgetting a disturbing time, or the person she had become, as 3 a.m. waking in America showed that some things could not be washed away. The inability to reconcile what Maoism preached, what happened, and came into view as very wrong with the CCP movement produced despair later and a wish to die which took time to overcome. Rae Yang embarked on graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts. She graduated from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 1981 and in the U.S., completed her M.A. in 1985 and her Ph.D. in 1991, obtaining a post at Dickinson College where she specializes in pre-modern and modern Chinese literature."
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The Devolved Assemblies of Scotland and Whales, 2008.
A review of the history of nationalism and the devolution process in Scotland and Whales.
1,931 words (approx. 7.7 pages), 15 sources, MLA, $ 61.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the devolved assemblies of Scotland and Wales and at their relative achievements. It focuses on explaining why devolution has worked well for everyone and should even proceed further. The paper reviews nationalism and the precipitating historical factors which led to the devolution process in both lands. In the end, the paper argues that it is not at all a bad idea to continue the process - especially in Wales which (as of yet) still lacks the sweeping powers bequeathed to the Scottish assembly.
From the Paper
"Finally, besides the rather obvious fact that devolution in both Scotland and Wales gives "local" assemblies taxing powers of some significance, the devolutionary process also gives legislative bodies the tools they need to really affect meaningful change. In the case of Scotland, local executive councils, free of interference from Westminster, provide to the general public minutes, background notes, discussion papers and other items that are all part of an ongoing effort to connect the voting citizenry with the decision-makers. In effect, devolution in Scotland has filtered down from the national assembly to the local level, and that has been ultimately good for everyone, with progressive steps being taken in a number of areas ("Local Decision-Making and Public Scrutiny," 2007)."
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Hong Kong's Economic History, 2008.
A discussion of the economic history of Hong Kong from the mid-19th century to today.
4,300 words (approx. 17.2 pages), 12 sources, MLA, $ 113.95
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Abstract
This paper recounts Hong Kong's economic history from the time it became a British colony in the mid-19th century until the present. Hong Kong has prevailed as a remarkably prosperous territory since then, surviving various calamities, and has maintained its success even under the rule of the People's Republic of China. The paper concludes that Hong Kong's economic history has produced a distinctive culture that seems permanent, different from what is found in newly industrialized and advancing areas of Mainland China.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The 19th Century
World War II and Beyond
The 1960s and 1970s
The End of British Hong Kong
Conclusion
From the Paper
"In the 1930s, the Global Depression affected all Chinese ports including Hong Kong. Small scale manufacturing engaged many Chinese by this time whereas outsiders tend to think that most people were employed in the port of Hong Kong or its support trades and industries. The completion of the Canton-Kowloon railway was a boon because goods could be moved quickly from the Mainland, undercutting steamers and junks that once took goods to Hong Kong for onward shipping. (Chui, 1973, 55) Also, Chinese business experience allowed many to tough out years of lower demand finding new niche markets in simple goods required elsewhere in East and Southeast Asia. Clan and family networks allowed small profits from goods said to be needed in the Netherlands East Indies or Rangoon or Malaya, the general 'survivability' of the business community seen. In December of 1941, the invasion of the Imperial Japanese Army destroyed nearly built up in a hundred years of activity. No one knows how many local Chinese were murdered, foreigners interned, as Allied soldiers and local reservists tried to defend the colony, many of whom were killed or taken as prisoners of the Japanese. This time is remembered by Hong Kong people as an era of suffering and destruction. (See Banham, 2003)"
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European Revolution of the Nineteenth Century, 2008.
A review of the European revolution of the 19th century, based on D. Mason's book "Revolutionary Europe 1789-1989-Liberty, Equality, Solidarity."
1,316 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the social and political movements that developed in the 19th century in Europe, which were based around certain ideas about human behavior and society and the relationship between the two. It argues that these various systems contributed to the rise of modernity by rejecting the older, more authoritarian systems and pressing more for a system based on reason and the power of ideas. The paper bases its arguments on D. Mason's book "Revolutionary Europe 1789-1989-Liberty, Equality, Solidarity."
From the Paper
"In international terms, though, the policy was not to let things be but to follow a policy of expansion, moving into parts of the world previously separate and often to impose Western control, as Britain did in India, the Dutch in South Africa, the French in parts of Africa, and so on. This has also been called the age of imperialism, and the growth of empire is the basic subject of this book, showing how the nations of Europe expanded into the Third World, imposed various levels of administration and control, exploited resources, and created a different relationship between Europe and the rest of the world. In the long run, this expansion did not so much alleviate regional tensions as expand these as well, spreading some nations too thin to maintain control of their acquisitions, and in other cases creating new battlegrounds for old enmities. The consolidation of European influence ended with the horrors of the Great War in 1914, later leaving a world divided on new lines, with the Soviet Union a different sort of counter force, and with the nations of Europe releasing themselves from colonial obligations over time."
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Gangster Film Genre, 2008.
An analysis of the historical context of the rise of the gangster film genre in the United States and its development from 1930 to 1960.
1,897 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the history of the gangster film genre in the United States from the 1930s to the 1960s. It specifically looks at the impact that this film genre has had on American society and culture. The paper discusses the historical context of the rise of the gangster film genre and why it appealed to Americans at that time in their history. It gives specific examples of films and characters that fit into this category.
Table of Contents:
The Rise of the Gangster Genre
The Postwar World
1960's and Beyond
From the Paper
"As World War I ended, the 18th Amendment ushered in Prohibition and with it a wave of crime matched only by the drug and gang wars of our own era. Where brewing and distilling were once respectable trades, the importation, production, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages was taken over by criminals during the 1920s. In big cities like New York or Chicago, headline grabbing mobsters battled for control of this illegal market. Competition among newspapers sensationalized and romanticized the stories of events like the St. Valentine's Day Massacre or the exploits of "Scarface" Al Capone. Our contemporary war on drugs can be seen as a parallel event - both of which run counter to the dominant free market and individual free choice ideology of the United States. Just as ethnic minorities were disproportionately represented as violating prohibition in the 1930s, those portrayed in modern gangster films are disproportionately Latino and Black or immigrant."
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The Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, 2005.
A discussion of the failure of the Articles of Confederation and the consequent emergence of the Constitution of the United States.
965 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 13 sources, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
This paper recounts the drafting, implementation, amendment, and eventual rejection of the Articles of Confederation. The paper states that its main failure was that it was aimed primarily to prevent usurpation of power by the government, rather than provide for effective governance. A more effective Constitution was drafted as a result, which reduced state sovereignty and allotted greater power to the central government. In summary, the paper contends that the Articles of Confederation reflected the fear of governmental usurpation of power and created a government so powerless it could not function, while the Constitution gave the new government the power it needed to function.
From the Paper
"In Federalist # 51, James Madison argued that the government was structured to preserve liberty. No one branch could hold sway over the others, and judge, appointed by the other branches, would be selected for quality, not popularity. (Federalist # 51) By creating the checks and balances, the government could control public excesses, but could not itself usurp power. The legislature, the most dangerous branch, was the most checked. Meanwhile, the size of the nation would prevent mob rule, because factions would check one another. (Federalist # 51)"
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The Greek Civil War, 2008.
A discussion of the Greek Civil War and its devastating effects on the nation, as well as its significance in the international geopolitical realm.
1,550 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the Greek Civil War which, in one form or another, ravaged Greece from roughly 1942 to 1949. In particular, the paper looks at the human and social toll of the war and also the geopolitical and international dimensions of the conflict as it raged on contemporaneously with the Second World War and then, later, with the early years of the Cold War. In the final analysis, the Greek Civil War exacted a terrible toll upon the people of Greece while, at the same time, made Greece one of the "hot-spots" in a much larger war between the world's two reigning superpowers.
From the Paper
"From a social point-of-view, the Greek Civil War was a tragedy to the people of that land. The war tore apart families, razed villages, literally wiped out some communities, and tore at the fabric binding together Greeks of all political persuasions. More than that, the Greek Civil War, in the years from 1946 to 1949 when the conflict was at its worst - featuring as it did brutal and unrelenting warfare between the communist-controlled Democratic Army of Greece and the British and US-backed Greek National Army - about 80,000 people were killed and approximately 700,000 were forced to flee their homes - all this in a nation of only seven million souls (Clogg, 164). During the final phase of the war, in the late 1940s, Greek citizens residing in Northern Greece - especially along the Albanian and Yugoslavian borders - saw their villages over-run by government forces during the day and by partisans during the night. Furthermore, the Royal Greek Air Force bombed these communities at the same time as inhabitants were forced into the Democratic Army. Needless to say, many of these communities never recovered, with those civilians who survived the bloody warfare escaping to Europe or to North America to find better lives for themselves (Danforth, 174)."
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Just War Theory, 2008.
A discussion of just war theory as delineated by two main authors on the subject, Michael Walzer and Brian Orend.
1,650 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper provides a basic outline of just war theory, drawing from Michael Walzer's book "Just and Unjust Wars" and Brian Orend's book "The Morality of War". Just war theory is used to determine whether or not a war is indeed justifiable. In simplest terms, a war is just if one country imposes moral and physical aggression on another country. The paper uses this theory to examine particular examples from contemporary history, such as the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the war on Iraq and terrorism. In conclusion, the paper maintains that determining whether a war is just or unjust remains complex and controversial.
From the Paper
"Just war theory begins with a theory of aggression and a consideration of the limits of aggression. Such an approach is not surprising to most people today as it might have been in the past. After the War in Vietnam, the issue of the just war has been much argued as political leaders and the press consider every potential military action and whether or not it can be justified as an ethical and moral decision. War as a defensive measure is more clearly an ethical action, for instance, while any sort of pre-emptive war has to be justified. The current war in Iraq was justified by the Bush administration as a pre-emptive act to defend against purported nuclear weapons (or weapons of mass destruction, as they were called), and such a defensive act would make this a just war. The fact that no such weapons were found after the fact raised numerous questions about the justness of the war, questions which the administration continues to gloss over while trying to justify the war on the basis of crimes committed by Saddam Hussein, or because of supposed terrorist ties, or for whatever reason works best. Orend would not accept such shifting territory as a real justification, and certainly Michael Walzer, the best known theorist on the subject, also would not."
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Women's Suffrage Movement in Canada, 2007.
An analysis of the role of Canadian women in the social reform movement from 1870 to 1921.
2,688 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 80.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the role of Canadian women in the social reform movement during the time period 1870-1921. The paper focuses on the role that Canadian women played in achieving social reform with regard to winning the vote for women. It explains that suffrage is the focus of the paper, because, it is argued, once women had a political voice, other social reforms for women (such as the right to work, or the right to work for equal pay) could more easily follow. The writer then looks at how suffrage may be seen as the fundamental social reform that paved the way for the continuing reform of social conditions, and more especially for the continuing reform of social conditions for women. The writer also strongly asserts that it is also important to see it within the context of what women saw as important aspects of social reform, such as combating problems associated with industrialization and urbanization. The writer notes that while the suffrage movement was impacted by larger historical factors, such as the First World War, ordinary Canadian women played an important role in the fight for votes for women.
From the Paper
"These missionary groupings were the most common alliances in the 1870s and 1880s, but these decades also saw the rise of somewhat more secular organizations, such as The Woman's Christian Temperance Union. These organizations have been described as "testaments to women's growing awareness of social, and particularly urban, problems" (Strong-Boag 89). Women hoped to work within these organizations to rehabilitate the degenerate and the poor - reflecting the common assumption that women were the morally superior sex (Strong-Boag). Indeed, many historians agree that the suffragists justified their fight to penetrate the public sphere by the argument that as women were morally superior, their presence in the public sphere would benefit society, due to the fact that the public sphere would be improved by the influence of what were seen as women's traditional virtues (Bacchi)."
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Authority and Leadership in Medieval Spain, 2008.
An analysis of the tension between religions in Medieval Spain and the authority and leadership that existed at the time.
3,079 words (approx. 12.3 pages), 14 sources, MLA, $ 90.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the history of Spain. It focuses on authority and leadership in Medieval Spain, particularly with reference to the three religions that had a large presence there - Islam, Christianity and Judaism. It describes the tensions between the religions and the impact this tension had on the development of the country. The paper analyzes the culmination of the tensions in 1492 with the expulsion of the Jews from Spain by the Christian leaders of the time.
From the Paper
"It is interesting to look at leadership and knowledge in Spain, for it behooves people to see the differences that three religions with same backgrounds can come to. All religions shared the same history, the same patriarchs, and a monotheistic belief system (although Jews and Muslims would disagree that Christians are monotheistic). All religions promoted the pursuit of love and good. All sought to find the image of God in his creation. Yet despite the clarity of the teachings of the Koran, the Bible, and Jesus, two of these religions sought war and destruction, using their faith and their God as a reason to destroy the other. Both acted out of a poor knowledge of their scriptures, and both acted wrongly on the authority of their Deity. This resulted in the Muslim destruction of the Visigoth kingdom and the Christian crusade to eliminate the Moors in Spain. This unfortunate series of events culminated in the Inquisition and death of far too many Jews and Muslims, something that is difficult to excuse or justify."
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The Vietnam War, 2008.
An analysis of the foreign, military and economic factors that made the Vietnam War a necessity for American policy-makers and working class people.
1,255 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 42.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at why the Vietnam War was necessary - at least to many American policy-makers and to many ordinary Americans in the 1960s. Specifically, it outlines the general sentiments which made many draft-eligible baby-boomers suspicious of the war and how their suspicions were not shared by literally millions of other working-class Americans. Finally, the paper discusses the foreign policy and the military and economic considerations that also made the decision to go into Vietnam so imperative - and kept the war a major priority for US policy-makers even when things began to go sour in the final years of the conflict.
From the Paper
"To close, this paper has looked at the factors which made the war in Vietnam so vital to so many. Not least of all, many Americans in that epoch took pride in the United States' pre-eminent role in beating back the forces of Communism, and many others believed that US institutions would come under increasing fire from outside the nation's borders if the spread of Communism was not stemmed in Southeast Asia. In the end, while it is easy to ridicule some of those decisions now, placing those determinations within the context of their times reveals that US fears were perfectly understandable."
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Archaeoastronomy, 2007.
This paper discuses archaeoastronomy using sites from Mesoamerica as examples.
1,050 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that archaeoastronomy is the study of the astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions and world-views of all ancient cultures. The author points out that many of the great monuments and ceremonial constructions of early civilizations, such as the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt, were astronomically aligned. The paper relates that many of the major structures of Mesoamerica have been found to have an astronomical connection. The author states that the astronomical knowledge of these ancient people from different parts of the world were not connected in any known way yet they undertook some similar approaches to studying the skies and to building monumental structures with astronomical purposes. The paper examines the Mesoamerican sites of the Olmec, the Teotihuacan, the Toltec, the Mayan, the Zapotec and the Aztec civilizations.
From the Paper
"The links between the Olmec and the later Maya are numerous, and some believe that the Olmec may have been Maya speakers. Olmec emerged around 1,500 B.C. and came to dominate most of Mesoamerica. Olmec-style monumental art and architecture developed in the northwestern and southeastern edges of the lowlands. Much of this monumental art shows squat figures topped by rounded hats as a key feature of this art. In the southern lowlands during the Classic period, progressive growth and increasing complexity were the norm."
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Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-Shek, 2008.
A comparison of the personalities of Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-Shek and a discussion of their relationship with each other.
1,394 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 46.95
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Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the personalities of Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-Shek. The paper discusses the characteristics and actions of both men and their relationship with each other. After providing examples from their lives, the paper concludes that while their personalities appear to have had some similarities, particularly that both men were resolute, Mao was a far more ruthless and intolerant man.
From the Paper
"On the other hand, the most outstanding aspect of Chiang's personality appears to have been his fixity of purpose. This fixity of purpose played no small part in the fact that Chiang's Kuomintang party became the official government of China in the early 1930's. However, his army was defeated by Mao's army in 1949, clearing the way for Mao to found the PRC. While Mao went on to be dictator of China, Chiang was able to become the dictator of the Republic of China on the island of Taiwan for 26 years. Thus, one thing the two men certainly had in common was that they both came from relatively humble beginnings to eventually be dictators for decades - no mean feat, and certainly a testament to the very strong characters of both of them."
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Martin Luther King's Leadership, 2008.
This paper discusses the charismatic leadership of Martin Luther King Jr.
1,097 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 3 sources, APA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses Martin Luther King's belief in freedom for his people, which affected the way he gave many of his speeches and the way he lived his life. The paper shows how his charismatic personality grabbed the attention of his audience and motivated them into making changes.
From the Paper
"Most people when they hear the name, Martin Luther King Jr., they immediately remember his persuasive speech called, "I Have a Dream." Yet, what made people stop and listen to Martin Luther King Jr. a leader that both whites and African Americans would listen to? Yes, he was a civil rights activist, but others stood behind the beliefs of civil rights and did not get the attention that King did. A study of Martin Luther King Jr. will show that he was a charismatic, persuasive leader with spiritual energy that grabbed the attention of his audience and his persuasion led people to make changes."
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