The Virtues of Ambition by Joseph Epstein Research Paper

The Virtues of Ambition by Joseph Epstein - Research Paper Example He bases this  argument  towards viewing ambition as a  delightful  and supremely crucial aspect of both  society  and humanity. He argues in such a manner as to shun those that view  ambition  from a wrong point. Consequently he also argues out the need for control and  constraint  when it comes to ambitions such that they do not  turn  for the worst. According to Epstein, ambitions make a person what they are in  form  and character, in daily life. It is the  thing  that describes what a person is or will  become  that is different from the common humanity features. That through these ambitions one gets dreams and desires. These dreams and desires may not always be favored by courses of life, but this should not stop people from being ambitious (Mei & Dasgupta, 2007). The unpredictability and uncertainty in the outcomes of the future should not stop one from being  ambitious  in life. This is because through the possible  achievement  of such ambitions a person discovers themselves and gains their desires. He continues to  argue  that being  ambitious  is suitable for a  person  as it enables for the fulfillment of one’s dreams or the dreams of others. One can be  ambitious, to gain glory, love, distinction, wealth, and fight for the welfare of others, among other aspects (Mei & Dasgupta, 2007). ... Moreover, there is a strong link between  ambition  and  individualism  (Mei & Dasgupta, 2007). These are people that work for their own  achievement  disregarding those of others. This trend bears Jesuitical behavior where people think their personal achievements are beneficial to others. This aspect tends to downplay morals of the ambitious, as a result, brings questions to their achievements. These are such questions that  rise  crimes against humanity such as  greed  and corruption. Though this is sometimes true, it harms those that are  true  successful  of  ambition. Epstein argues that the negative view of  ambition  has raised a  trend  of hypocrisy amongst people towards the subject. This is through shunning away from  ambition  and the aspects that come with it such as  success. It is evident in the media the educated saying that they have given up on the idea of  ambition  while they are the products of  benefit  from  ambition  itself.  People do not own up to their dreams of success while others  form  a  state  in which such fruits of success seem to be  normally  available attributes to them.  Other people have developed a natural state of  distrust  of ambition, as a result, view ambition as an uncontrollable part of humanity. Some even go to the extent of blaming ambition for the misdeeds that  happen  in their life. He  further  argues that to shun  ambition  to guard against its adversities is to  restrain  its successes. Through ambition, people  desire  and such de sires  amplify  their hard work and  discipline  towards the  achievement  of such goals.

Geography assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Geography - Assignment Example In reality, Western Europe probably has the resources to handle the aging population. What many experts are noting, however, is the reality that many traditional values are slowly being forgotten due a decrease in the native population of the region. The number of immigrants flooding into the region, bringing with them their own culture, values, and ways of life, is slowly blending in with other Western Europe traditions. This is slowly creating a new culture that many fear will mean the loss of many long-standing traditions that have been in place across the continent for centuries. Russia is facing yet a different crisis in terms of their recent decline in the native population. In previous decades, war and cultural conflicts have nearly decimated various sectors of the native population. This is quite troubling to the Russian people and they are fervently seeking out ways to reverse this trend and protect the less dominant groups residing within their borders. This brief paper wil l examine the issues surrounding this population decline within both Western Europe and Russia in an effort to better understand the importance of reversing this trend moving forward. Western Europe Western Europe has been undergoing a period of decline in terms of native population for quite some time now. Take Germany as an example. In Germany, if you take away immigration numbers, the net population would actually be declining. If these trends continue, Edmonston (2006) points out that, â€Å"The German population will eventually decline because of below replacement fertility, if net immigration does not counteract that decrease† (p. 513). Even if immigration does make up for the initial decline, the fear is that German culture will slowly be eroded and rewritten. The argument here is not centered on whether or not immigrants can assimilate into German culture. The reality is that immigrants are fulfilling a labor need and they are adjusting to the German way of life in re cord numbers. If this trend continues, however, certain traditions and values that Germans have held dear for centuries could easily become forgotten. The reality of population decline and the potential erosion of cultural values is not limited to Germany. All over Western Europe countries are grappling with the reality that native population growth is simply not keeping up with an aging and dying society. From the United Kingdom to France to Scandinavian countries, governments are faced with difficult decisions about how to deal with the problem. Part of the problem in Western Europe appears to be sociological in nature. Europeans, under systems of democracy, have seen less of an emphasis on class divisions in recent years. In addition, the general population is more materialistic than before and young adults have big dreams and ambitions for their life. Because of this, and the sheer expense of raising children, the birth rate has plummeted to levels never before seen. All of thes e reasons, and others, combine to form a reality where population growth simply becomes difficult to achieve (Ross, 2003, pp. 710-711) Russia The entire region of Russia has been experiencing a decline in their native population as well. In

The Coral Reef Bleaching Environmental Sciences Essay

The Coral Reef Bleaching Environmental Sciences Essay Coral are very old animals that have evolved over millions of years to become reef-building organisms. On Earth, coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse places to be found. They may only cover a small percent of the ocean, about .2 percent, but more than 25 percent of the marine life resides there. The two main types of coral are hard coral and soft coral. Hard coral is the major species that build reefs. Similar to tropical rainforests, coral reefs are usually located within 30 degrees latitude of the equator. Water temperatures for the reefs are between 16 and 30 degrees Celsius, though there are coral outside these regions with somewhat colder temperatures. The ideal development waters for reefs are tropical waters which are low in nitrogen, phosphorous and other nutrients, stable temperatures, as well as stable salt content. The coral reefs we see today are a result of thousands of years of production and cycling through life and death. Coral only contribute a smaller portion of life found in the reefs, though they create a habitat for various amounts of other species. There are three main types of coral reefs: barrier reefs, fringing reefs, and atolls. Respectively, these reefs are offshore, separated by water from land, continuous with land, and islands made of coral that flank lagoons. Though there are different types, the general coral makeup is the same. After years of mystery, we now know that coral is very complex in its design. Coral is a symbiotic relationship with the small animals that make up coral called polyps, and the microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside the coral. [1][2] Coral reefs lives in colonies consisting of many polyps using living tissues to connect to each other. Each polyp resembles a cupcake shape with a circle of tentacles near the opening. To capture zooplankton for food, the tentacles are equipped with stinging cells for trapping. The small polyps secrete limestone, also known as calcium carbonate. The exoskeleton of the coral is made of these secretions, just like the shell of a snail. Reefs are able to grow from the stone. [4] The algae that live in the corals use the process of photosynthesis, taking sunlight to converts water and carbon dioxide into sustenance. The polyps receive most of their energy this way, although they are carnivorous. For providing the corals with energy, the algae are provided shelter to live, taking the coral waste for their own growth. A situation where two organisms live together gaining benefit is called mutualistic symbiosis.[15] In every ecosystem, there are three groups of organisms: producers, consumers, and decomposers. Producers are usually organisms that take in sunlight to produce energy. The consumers are above the producers, and range from herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore. Next are decomposers that break down dead plants and animals that help provide food back to the producers. [12] At a first glance, the initial food source may not be very apparent in coral reefs, as there are usually low levels of actual plants to the visible eye. However, the microscopic algae as stated before take in sunlight, use photosynthesis, and create energy for the other animals and the coral. At the base of all food chains, the primary producers, also known as autotrophs are found. The producers have the ability to synthesize intricate, organic compounds like glucose using inorganic molecules and sunlight. This process is called photosynthesis. Less common producers are some bacteria. These get energy by oxidizing other inorganic compounds like hydrogen sulfide. These are better suited to live in more hostile areas such as deep sea vents. The greater proportion of production happens in the euphotic zone. This zone is within the first 70 meters of water. The way productivity is measured, is in grams of carbon produced per meter of ocean surface per year, better written as g C/m2/yr. Total productivity of the ocean is estimated to be between 75 and 150 g C/m2/yr. Common producers in the coral reefs are phytoplankton, the symbiotic zooxanthellae that live with the corals, different types of algae like coralline and turf algae, along with some seaweed. One of the more important primary producers is phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is a group of organisms like diatoms, dinoflagellates, some bacteria, and smaller species known as nanoplankton which grow about 2.0-20mm long, and picoplankton. These grow to about 0.2-2.0mm.[21] Next come consumers. Consumers rely on the producers and other consumers as their main source of energy. The first set of consumers is organisms like zooplankton, some species of corals, sea urchins, green sea turtles, herbivorous fish, and herbivorous larvae. Secondary consumers are generally carnivores, going for primary consumers. After the carnivores, come tertiary consumers, and prey on secondary consumers. These consumers tend to be carnivores as well, but can also be omnivores as well. Common types of zooplankton are copepods, amphipods and ciliates. These zooplankton, along with many more types, are the most plentiful consumers. Phytoplankton evels in the waters of coral reefs can be around 15 to 65 percent lower than neighboring open waters in the ocean because of the large amount of primary consumers that live there. Some species of coral and benthic grazers feed by filtering water to trap phytoplankton. Other creatures eat seaweed, and even the coral itself.[21] Secondary consumers are the animals that prey on primary consumers, therefore making them carnivorous. They are split up into four main groups: plankton feeders, corallivores (feeding on coral tissues), feeders that prey on other invertibrates, and fish eaters also known as piscivores. Barnacles, smaller damselfish, whales sharks, and some invertebrates make up the group of plankton feeders. The corallivores go a step further, being divided into four more groups: Coral tissue generalists, coral scrapers, polyp eaters, and mucus feeders. The most destructive sub group are the coral tissue generalists. Flatworms, parasitic snails and nudibranchs, and the Crown of Thorns sea star devour coral, leaving skeletons behind. The mucus feeders dine on slimy mucus that comes from the coral. Some examples animals of this group are shrimps and coral guard crabs. Parrot fish, butterfly fish, and certain species of trigger fish are some commonly known coral scrapers. The fish that are well adapted to eat coral polyps are able to stretch out or elongate parts of their bodies to cherry pick polyps singly out of a coral animal. Damsel fish, and many species of butterfly fish are some examples. Benthic invertebrates such as crustaceans and mollusks are eaten by many species of fish. Cephalopods focus on eating arthropods like lobsters and mantis shrimp, along with shelled invertebrates. Cone shells have been specialized on certain, specific invertebrates. Crown of Thorns sea stars are eaten by Tritons, or Charonia tritonis. Many species of fish, as well as some mollusks and arthropods are piscivores, feasting upon other fish for food. At the top of the food chain, where the animals prey on smaller fish, are the tertiary consumers. These animals are marine animals like dolphins, seals, and if they are around, even sea birds are considered. [21] In all ecosystems, decomposers are one of the most important parts of the food chain. Decomposers break down deceaced biological matter and waste from other organisms. They then transfer these things into energy, meanwhile they return the important materials back to the environment. In coral reefs, the main decomposers are bacteria. Bacteria play a very important part in the nitrogen cycle in which ammonia, or NH4 is turned into nitrite, NO2 using the bacteria in the genus Nitrosomonas. Nitrite is then turned into nitrate, NO3 by bacteria in the Nitrobacter genus. Ultimately, the end result is levels in wastes that are toxic tend to be very low, and are processed into bits that the main producers can easily use. Detrivores, or animals that scavenge, have a somewhat similar job in turning out dead and waste material. Other organisms that contribute to this are sea cucumbers, bristle worms, and some species of snails.[21]Coral reef trophic structureThis is a diagram of the food chain i n the coral reef. It better describes how the energy is transferred between the tiers. Solar energy is taken in by the primary producers, the primary consumers eat the primary producers, the secondary consumers eat the primary consumers, and the tertiary consumers eat the secondary and primary consumers. Each of these tiers can be decomposed and have their energy given back to the primary producers. Also between each stage of the ecosystem pyramid is the loss of heat energy. [20] Though they may seem like a stable ecosystem, many threats are present to coral reefs. Their delicate structure can be very easy to disrupt, pollute, damage, and overall harm. Things like the acidification of the ocean, global warming, coral bleaching, levels in carbon dioxide, water pollution, sedimentation from construction, fishing practices that are destructive like blast fishing, and coral mining are good, yet terrible examples of threats.[9] Carbon dioxide, along with other gasses that trap heat is being constantly thrown up into the atmosphere, helping the process of global warming. Acting as a sort of shield, these gasses do not allow the heat we get from our sun to leave the Earths atmosphere. One of the main reasons this happens is deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels. When heat isnt allowed to exit the Earth, water temperatures rise. This is very dangerous to coral reefs, which are super sensitive to changes in temperature, as the reefs require a certain temperature range to function. When the coral polyps become stressed from rising temperatures, they discharge the algae living within them, which give the coral most of its energy. When this happens, the colour also goes with the algae, leaving the coral looking bleached. As bad as this seems, there are chances for coral to recuperate if the environment returns back to normal in a fair amount of time. Most bleached coral die, however. [14] Coral Reef Bleaching This diagram shows how the process of bleaching occurs. Healthy corals have zooxanthellae all around the body. As conditions worsen, the zooxanthellae leave the coral. The coral starves and dies. After a while, another kind of algae covers the coral, making it harder for the corals to gain back their zooxanthellae. [9] Carbon dioxide content in the air has increased by about one third over the past few decades. The carbon dioxide also mixes into the water, which also is thought to be dissolving the coral, letting other threats like wave damage, fishers using destructive means, and possibly even tourists who do not care too much about being careful become much more of a threat than usual[9] Pairing with global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer is caused by chemicals in the atmosphere, one of which is commonly known as CFCs, or chlorofluorocarbons. These chemicals further the depletion of the ozone layer, pumping up the amount of the suns radiation. In more shallow areas, it is believed that the damage done to corals increase.[9] One of the leading causes for the destruction of coral reefs scientists have found is pollution. Pollution of all sorts damage the reefs, be it oil, gas, or pesticides. These reefs and the organisms that live within the system are poisoned whenever animal and/or human wastes, fertilizers, and chemicals are dumped into the ocean, or get carried by rivers into the ocean into the waters that reefs exist. When these bad things are introduced, levels of nitrogen in the coral reefs grow, resulting in an abundance of algae. The extra algae then start cutting off sunlight from the coral, starving it of important nutrients. Floating trash and other similar wastes can cover and block the reefs from getting sunlight as well. Mistaking plastic bags for sea jellies, turtles will often go after them and eat the bags. If they do, the plastic inside will starve them to death because of blockage in the digestive tract. Ghost nets or nets that have been lost, discarded, or forgot about may catch hold of reefs, strangling many fish, turtles, and other marine mammals. [9] Careless tourists and things affiliated with tourism can pollute damage and kill corals reefs as well. Resorts near sites with reefs might have septic tanks that leak, seeping sewage into the waters nearby. These establishments might also simply dump waste they want to get rid of into the waters. The people themselves can damage the reefs as well by either accidentally or purposefully step on, kick or grab corals or the sediment around them, stirring up sand and sediments that can block sunlight as well as damage the corals directly. Setting down boat anchors nearby can destroy corals too. This usually happens when people attempt to mine the reefs of coral colonies. Broken pieces of coral can be used for bricks, road filling and when ground up into limestone, will be mixed into cement for construction. This is not the only reason corals are taken. They can be sold as tourist souvenirs, jewelry, and decorative pieces.[9] Certain ways of fishing are pretty destructive to the environment as well. Practices like over-fishing, using blasts or charges to kill fish, and even fishing with cyanide are all threats to reefs, and any other ecosystem. Most fish caught using cyanide are sold in primarily in Asian countries, and given to customers in restaurants. Catching fish with cyanide involves fishers actually diving down into reefs and squirting cyanide into the crevices of corals and onto fast moving fish, stunning them for catching. Other fish nearby along with coral polyps are poisoned by this.[9] Over fishing is another big cause of coral damage. A lot of times, a population near a reef will catch too many fish from a single reef to feed themselves. Things like banging sticks against the reef destroy formations of coral that provide homes for fish. Blast fishing, or fishing with explosives, is very bad for coral. When a charge is set off, the surrounding area is blown to bits, leaving little intact.[9] Numbers of people that live along coasts have risen, leading to higher uses of the resources from the coastlines. This is causing many problems for waters near land developments, especially for coral reefs. Some cities like Hong Kong, Singapore and Honolulu had beautiful coral reefs. Due to the rising populations, however, things went sour for the reefs. Pollution, construction, docks and piers to name a few have been made. Some establishments have even been made directly on top of the reefs, both destroying them and leaving the little coral that survived barely any sunlight. Reefs are still experiencing this fate as more human communities grow along the shores. image This is a diagram showing some -but not all- threats to coral reefs. By following the arrows, it is evident that just one these threats can lead to a multitude of consequences. This diagram does not even list all the potential threats. It is safe to assume that if all the threats were listed and shown this way, the result would be extremely overwhelming. The more word spreads about how much can harm a coral reef, the better.

Essay --

Aditya A R Flat no 102, E.S. Apartments, F-73, Madhura Nagar, Hyderabad, India, 500038 Tel: +91-8333820576 E-mail : adityaalur@gmail.com Department of Computer Sciences, University of Pennsylvania Statement Of Purpose â€Å"What imagination makes possible, computer science makes real.† While there may be no limit to what technology can accomplish—from space travel to robots that can build cars—none of it is possible without key breakthroughs in computing theory, artificial intelligence, data analysis, and application design. For this reason, I want to develop a deep understanding of computing theory and applications that will serve as a springboard to future discoveries. Absorbing new technologies has always been a pleasure to me. I like to be ahead of others in knowing new technologies, and that’s why I want to study further. It is this desire that made me apply for the master’s degree in computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania. During my Undergraduate degree program at SASTRA University, the area which was of special interest to me was the design and analysis of algorithms. My first encounter with algorithms was when I wrote code for the popular video game Pac-Man (in C++). Thereafter, I developed a liking for the subject and challenged myself with tougher algorithmic problems by participating in programming contests hosted on sites like Codechef , Sphere Online Judge and TopCoder. I stood 10th in India in the Codechef February challenge-2009 and was consistently ranked in top 200 in TopCoder. Later that year, our team of 3 members qualified for the Asian regionals of the prestigious ACM(Association For Computing Machinery) Inter-Collegiate Programming Contest . I also went on to top my department i... ...and innovative work, especially when it leads to practical applications. My ideal vision of a career has always been a job that involves creativity, innovation and flexibility. I am confident that higher education would give me the desired push towards a career in research and an opportunity to do well in my chosen field of interest. I am eager to work under the guidance of the distinguished faculty members of the University of Pennsylvania. I am convinced that the facilities in the department of computer and information science in your university will be very useful for dedicated involvement in research projects. I believe that the CIS program at UPenn is compelling enough to whet my appetite for solving difficult problems in the field of computing and the best impetus I can get to my career. It would be an honor to be accepted as a student in this institution.

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman (cited) Essay

Willy and Nora: Tragic Heroes or Home-wreckers? No one has a perfect life. Despite what Aaron Spelling and his friends in the media might project to society today, no one’s life is perfect. Everyone has conflicts that they must face sooner or later. The ways in which people deal with these conflicts can be just as varied as the people themselves. Some procrastinate and ignore their problems as long as they can, while others attack problems to get them out of the way as soon as possible. The Lowman and Helmer families have a number of problems that they deal with in different ways, which proves their similarities and differences. Both Willy Loman, the protagonist of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and Nora Helmer, protagonist of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House experience an epiphany where they realize that they were not the person the thought they were: while Willy’s catharsis brings about his death, Nora’s brings her to a new life; hers. Bo th character’s flaws bring about their departure from their respective families as well. They are both overly concerned with the appearances they and their families present to society: as a result they both project false images to others. From their appearance, both seem to be involved in stable marriages and appear to be going places. Willy’s job as a traveling salesman seems stable (although we never know what it is he sells) when he tells his family that he â€Å"knocked ’em cold in Providence, slaughtered ’em in Boston† (Miller 1228). It is not until Willy’s wife, Linda tells us that he â€Å"drives 700 miles and when he gets there, no one knows him any more, no one welcomes him† (Miller 1241). If that’s not enough to convince readers of his failure on the job, the fact that he gets fired after working for the same company for 36 years cements his incompetency in the business world to readers. While Nora does not work in the business world, (few woman, if any did over 120 years ago) her failure to take care of her responsibilities becomes quite evident as well. See more: citing an essay When the play opens and Nora enters with a Christmas tree and presents for the children, she gives off the impression of a good mother trying hard to prepare a great Christmas for her family. Upon further analysis we see that Nora’s duties, in general, are restricted to caring for the children, doing housework, and working on her needlepoint. Nora cannot complete these duties even with the full-time help of Anne Marie, a housekeeper who cleans up after Nora just as much as the children. When Nora and Kristine are having a discussion towards  the start of the play, Nora informs her friend that, â€Å"I’m so happy and relieved [with my marriage]. I must say its lovely to have plenty of money and not have to worry. Isn’t it?† (Ibsen 1119). The rosy picture she painted of her family and marriage are in stark contrast to the â€Å"stranger of a man† (Ibsen 1168) she refers to her husband as. We realize that she had not been living her life at all; rath er the life that her husband wanted her to live. While both Willy and Nora succeed in giving of the appearance of being competent, efficient and helpful family members who contribute to the well being of their respective families, they prove otherwise as the plays progress. While the two plays take place nearly 100 years apart, are set on different continents and each have completely different family members, both engage in lies and deceit that hurt their families; after which each protagonist leaves their family. Not only does Willy lie about his performance on the job, he lies about his â€Å"faulty car† as well. He tells his family that the Studebaker keeps malfunctioning when in reality we find out through Linda that he has been deliberately trying to kill himself. The biggest way in which Loman deceives his family is by cheating on his wife while away for work in Boston. When his eldest son discovers his father’s unfaithfulness, he loses all trust for his father, and Biff’s life pretty much goes downhill from there. Willy Loman’s lies, deceit, unfaithfulness have resulted in huge problems for his family. Nora also starts trouble in her household through lies and deceit. Nora’s crime of forgery is not even a crime in her mind; she does not realize that the law does not take into account people’s motivations behind their actions. While she knows that Krogstad has been associated with shady law practices, she does not realize that his crime was on the same level, if not less illegal than the one that she has committed. When Tourvald opens the letter and finds out about her crime, he goes ballistic, and cannot believe that his own wife could be capable of such a crime. This is ultimately the reason / situation that helps Nora realize that she must leave her family in order to begin to live her own life. But Nora even lies about the little things in life such as the eating of macaroons (Ibsen 1126). Her husband forbade her from eating them on account that they will rot her teeth, and when she is seen eating them in her house, she says that they are a gift from Kristine, which is a lie. Both Willy and Nora’s lies and deceitfulness frustrate their families to the  point where each protagonist much leave their family; although Willy’s departure is his death, Nora’s is the start of her real life. Both main characters also use an escape mechanism to leave reality when they realize that their lives are on the wrong path. When Loman starts to realize that his pride and joy in life, Bi ff, â€Å"is a lazy bum† (Miller 1218) he begins to talk to himself (Miller 1221). These mental lapses bring Loman to a happier place and time, when his kids were young and innocent and he thought that the best part of his life lay still ahead. This acts almost as a defense mechanism against the pains of reality for Willy. In the final scene, after Biff tells his father that he is â€Å"a dime a dozen† and that the Loman name really doesn’t mean much, Willy engages in the ultimate escape mechanism; suicide. Although it may appear on the surface to be a selfish and coldhearted move to spite his family, he actually did it so that his family may live a better life with money he thinks they will receive from his life insurance policy. When faced with the harsh pains of reality, Nora also uses defense / escape mechanisms to ignore the problems at hand first, then to conquer them in the end. She believes that she has done nothing wrong, and that if what she has done is illegal, that her good intentions will nullify the illegality of her forgery. When Krogstad informs her otherwise, tells her the possible repercussions of her act, and ultimately gives her an ultimatum, this is her first touch of reality outside of the doll’s house that she lives in. To cope with the harshness outside of t his doll’s house, she immediately retreats back inside and attempts to distract herself with Christmas decorations (Ibsen 1133). She uses the tree and presents to distract her from her problems, and tells the nursemaid Anne Marie that she’s too busy to play with her kids who want to see her because she must try to distance her mind from the subject at hand. Here she is only making the problem worse by not dealing with it. When she finally realizes that her â€Å"main duty [is] to [her]self† (Ibsen 1166), and that she has been living life according to what her father and husband have wanted rather than what she has wanted, Nora’s epiphany is complete. She knows that the only possible solution that can work for her is to leave right away. Willy and Nora both escape their problems first by drifting away with mental distractions, then when they fully realize their problems, they both must physically leave their families. For Willy this means death, for Nora, the  start of (a new) life. Willy and Nora share a fatal flaw: they try to make others happy before making themselves happy. All that Willy ever wanted in life was to be â€Å"well-liked† and for his sons to follow in his footsteps. Their lives focused too much on fulfilling others rather than themselves, and in the end this flaw led to their departure from each of their respective families. When Charley asks Willie â€Å"when the hell are you ever going to grow up?† and Biff declares that â€Å"we never told the truth in this house for 10 minutes† (Miller 1280) we realize that Willy will never grow up and that he must leave his family because he will never grow up and that nearly his whole life has been a farce. Similarly, when Nora tells her husband that the only way he (and her) can only change if Tourvald has â€Å"his doll taken away† (Ibsen 1168) we realize that Nora’s life too has been a farce and that she must leave in order to begin her own life.

Christ Impact on My Life

CHRIST IMPACT ON MY LIFE Gary English Literature II April 7, 2013 CHRIST IMPACT ON MY LIFE How Christ has impacted my life is not really the question to ask. The better question would be how has Christ not impacted my life. Every since I gave my life to Christ everything has changed. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says â€Å"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold all things have become new. † Now don’t get me wrong, this change didn’t completely happen overnight. When I decided to follow Christ I wanted to follow Him wholeheartedly.In the beginning it started with a hunger for His word. I couldn’t read or study enough to satisfy that hunger. If I was going to follow Christ then I would need to know exactly what I was suppose to know and do. What changes needed to be made in my life. Now you have to understand I grew up in church. I knew who all the characters were. I had heard all the stories in the bible as a kid, however that’s all it had ever really been to me was a story. When I got out on my own I tried to live my life and do things my way. I was now a 31 year old man with a wife and a six year old son of my own.I knew that there was more to life than what I had been doing. My wife had already been attending a church for about two years without me. I decided it was time to give it a shot. I started going to this church where the people didn’t just talk about living for Christ, they acted it out too. For the first time in my life I felt the love of Christ coming from other people. The more I read about this man, the one who left heaven, became flesh, and died for me, the more intrigued I became. I am the kind of person that if I am going to do something then I am all or nothing.I decided that if Christ would die for me then the least I could do was live for Him. Anything in my life that did not line up with the Bible I tried my best to get it out. Some things took time to stop and I did struggle some. The closer I got to Christ, the more joy I had. It is a feeling that is hard to explain to anyone who has not experienced it for themselves. There is just such a freedom in following Christ. I began to feel like I had a purpose and a calling in life. Since I started following Christ life has been so much more enjoyable.I found that things that were important to me before just wasn’t that important anymore. No matter what it is you are facing in life, Christ has the answer. In the seven years since I started following Christ a lot has happened. This journey hasn’t always been a walk in the park, but it has been so worth it. Even though there was not a major event that happened to me physically that day I gave Him my life; that day was probably the most important day of my life. This new life has giving me a whole new outlook on life. I see people the way Christ sees people. I want others to experience that kind of love.I dove head first into serving others as well. I have been a part of food distribution ministry called Angel Food Ministries were we handed out food that was purchased at a much discounted price. My wife and I have taught Sunday school classes for both youth and adults. We have also had the privilege of leading the youth group which was a huge blessing for me. I really have a heart for teaching young people about Christ and just helping them with life’s problems. I have led a bible study group for men as well as been the over-seer of a married couple’s ministry.I have even completed one year of Bible College. One of the main reasons I decided to go to college was so that I could get my degree and use it to help other people. I have big dreams for my future, but an even bigger God. In Philippians 4:13 it says â€Å"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. † I really believe that with Christ on your side that you can do anything. You just have to surrender to Him and acknowledge that you cannot do it on your own. I can’t say Christ has just impacted my life, because he didn’t just impact it, He gave me a new one.