Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Analysis of the film Double Indemnity - 2728 Words

Double Indemnity (dir. Billy Wilder 1944) is a film about an insurance sales man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) that falls for a highly sexual, scandalous woman, Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) who attempts to kill her husband. Even though Walter dismisses Phyllis attempt to purchase life insurance policy for her husband; he is unable to stay away from Phyllis for long. In the time they spend together, Walter and Phyllis try to hatch a fool-proof plan to get rid of her husband and get a double indemnity from the insurance company. Walter Neff boss Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) is a man of skill and knowledge, and has been working in the same job for twenty-six years, and has always been able to tell who is a cheater and who is an†¦show more content†¦The article also touches base with other critics and discusses the rise of criticism for noir film. The article also calls for a attention to the movement, that instead of having fixed gender roles in other film noir fi lms, that change may occur and that with change a new type of noir may emerge. In the article â€Å"Towards a Definition of Film Noir† by Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton tries to define what a film noir is and considers the element involved. As Borde and Chaumeton argue in article, â€Å"one could simplify the problem by assigning to film noir qualities such as nightmarish, weird, erotic, ambivalent, and cruel. . . often the noir aspect of a film is linked to a character, a scene, a setting † (18). The problem of trying to define film noir is a difficult one, but the aspect of it can be applied to Double Indemnity. These aspects are seen in the film when Phyllis is hiding behind the door in the scene where for this purpose will be call Woman Hides behind the Door. The shot captures all three of the characters, and produces an almost nightmarish, weird and ambivalent shot, where both Walter and Barton are being wanted and they are not aware of who is watching them. The woman is seen in this shot as having all the power, and is cast in a key-lig ht to show sharp shadows on her, to produce almost a black widow image by hiding in dark waiting for her prey. To start, the noir film Double Indemnity female character is Phyllis, who isShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Double Indemnity1052 Words   |  5 PagesDouble Indemnity is a film noir directed by Billy Wilder in 1944, and it was based on the novel of the same name â€Å"Double Indemnity† which was published in 1943. This film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, but it did not win any prize. Double Indemnity is a story about the crime of Phyllis and Neff. Phyllis plans to kill her husband to receive the claim of an accident insurance and Neff set up a scheme to get twice the amount of a clause. Although a classic â€Å"femme fatale† of the noir era, PhyllisRead MoreCrime: A Popular Genre in Literature and Films1232 Words   |  5 PagesAn Examination of Textual Form in 4 Crime Texts Crime is one of the most popular subjects in literature and film. At the same time, however, the genre also boasts an exceptional number of texts that experiment with form, doing so in a manner that causes audiences to reflect on the nature of crime and the relationship between crime and the average citizen. In this vein, one of the challenges of crime writing is to represent justice and crime while doing so in a manner that challenges conventionalRead MoreHistorical Analysis of the Movie, Citizen Kane Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pages Historical Analysis, Citizen Kane: Camera Movement Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles, was an exemplary and ground-breaking work. In narrative structure and film style, Welles challenged classical Hollywood conventions and opened a path for experimentation in the later 1940s. Gregg Toland’s deep-focus cinematography and Welles’ use of low-key lighting are often discussed aspects of the movie. True, these were areas of innovation, but when watching the movie in class I was particularlyRead MoreBilly Wilders Double Idemnity1367 Words   |  6 PagesDouble Indemnity - Scene Analysis Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity is one of the best representatives of the film noir era in Hollywood as it contains all the main characteristics of the genre. The general darkness present throughout the movie is embodied in the plot which reveals the moral bankruptcy of the main characters. It is also present in the mise-en-scene choices such as the dark costumes and modest lighting with the great emphasis on shadows (Allyn 1978, p. 117). The main character’sRead MoreL.a Confidential Film Noir Essay978 Words   |  4 PagesThe Key Conventions Of Film Noir In L.A Confidential L.A Confidential (Curtis Hanson, 1997) is a neo-noir film about a shooting at an all night diner and the three Las Angeles policeman who investigate in their own unique ways. It is based on the book by James Ellroy and after a very well adapted screenplay, won nine academy awards. It starred actors with big names like Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce and Danny Devito, which made it a very high earning film. The Narrative or storyline is muchRead MoreJames M. Cain s Mildred Pierce And The Movie Version ``896 Words   |  4 PagesThere is a common belief, in modern and traditional film industry, that almost every adaptation (loose, faithful and strict) from novel to film is considered a backslide or a disloyalty to the original author and readers. However, in 1945 Warner Bros. produced the movie Mildred Pierce based on the same name novel written by James M. Cain. This film not only became an exception in this general view, but also amazed the audience and even Cain himself by extraordinary performances and unique edit techniqueRead MoreAmerican Film Noir For Present Day1829 Words   |  8 Pages American Film Noir Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation American Film Noir There have been several debates over a long period of time concerning the validity of film noir as a distinct genre. Essays and books have debated the term for years using various criteria and rubrics to back up their respective positions on the subject. As the 21st century brings new and creative trends from screenwriting to post-production and everything in between, the boundaries of noir become evenRead MoreClassical Hollywood1981 Words   |  8 PagesGavan Duffy TVF Media analysis assignment Classical Hollywood Cinema In the following essay I have been asked to write a 2000 word essay discussing the main characteristic features of the classical Hollywood narrative film. This is a style of clarity where the viewer should not be confused about space, time, events or characters motivations and although a number of classical narrative traditions have been modified, or even rejected, this unfussy style of making movies it is still very muchRead MoreMovie Noir : Film Noir1841 Words   |  8 Pages#1 Film Noir is a film genre that has a very distinct style and mood. But what exactly this style and mood are seems to vary from scholar to scholar. Like all genres, different people have different feelings about what makes or does not make a film noir. In this essay, I will be analyzing film noir definitions from Naremore, Harvey, and Borde and Chaumeton; to understand how each party views film noir in their own subjective way. In Naremore’s book, he describes film noir as a genre that is veryRead MoreThe Studio System Essay14396 Words   |  58 Pagesthe business. The Hollywood Studio System: A History is the first book to describe and analyse the complete development, classic operation, and reinvention of the global corporate entities which produce and distribute most of the films we watch. Starting in 1920, Adolph Zukor, head of Paramount Pictures, over the decade of the 1920s helped to fashion Hollywood into a vertically integrated system, a set of economic innovations which was firmly in place by 1930. For

Evaluation of the performance of the European bond market Free Essays

Abstract This study addresses the contemporary issues that affect the performance of European bond over the recent period of 18 months. In order to identify the major events that have impact on the European bonds, analysis of the yield curve spread between 10 year and 2 year maturity was conducted. The results indicate that since the global crises of 2008 and the performance of Eurobonds have been widely violated and the weak performances of some European economies have created a problem of trust among the global investors. We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluation of the performance of the European bond market or any similar topic only for you Order Now In light of those evidences, it could be concluded that although with all the financial supports to stimulate the European bond market â€Å"EBM†. The results of those supports would take a while before fully recover the current crises. 1. Introduction The increasing importance of mutual funds in society by the individual investors and portfolio managers explains the massive number of studies conducted and broadcasted in the financial and academia press. The bond market is a topic which has been less studied comparing the stock market (Otten and Schweitzer 2002). With exception of the US bond market, others bond markets have been a reasonably negligible area which need more research to be conducted. Even though many researches were investigated the bond market in Europe, those studies were conducted about one country at the time[1]. According to Otten and Schweitzer (2002, P (1)) â€Å"An important explanation for the lack of studies is the institutional setting of the industry in different European countries†.Hence, the aim of this study came from the motivation of further exploration of this topic and gives a comprehensive analysis of the performance of EBM over a relatively short period of 18 months. Many reasons were beh ind the selection of EBM; one of the most important reasons was the creation of the European currency â€Å"the euro† has stimulated strong interest in EBM. Another reason is the fact of increasing demand for mutual fund services in Europe which has fuelled up the interest in the European mutual fund industry. 2. Definition of the European Bond Market A simple definition of European bond was provided by Gros Lannoo (2000) where they stated that Eurobonds are international bonds issued by the European governments and companies in any international currency often denominated in non-European currencies for instance dollar and yen (Flowers Lees 2002). The EBM consists of investors, banks, borrowers, and trading agents that buy, sell, and transfer Eurobonds. International bodies such as the World Bank have the right as well to issue Eurobond. Moreover, the original creation of the EBM was in 1963, but not until the early 1980s when the EBM has become a large and active in the international market. The fact that Eurobonds offer certain tax shelters and anonymity to their buyer as well as providing the borrowers with advantageous interest rates and international exchange rates have made them very popular with issuers and investors. EBM has superiority over others bond markets due to numerous reasons; firstly, it is one of the most developed and sophisticated market in the world. The adoption of series of innovations have given a further extend to this market along with the special character which is offering certain types of government and corporate finance that are not provided somewhere else make the investors more convenient to trade in EBM (Choudhry, 2001). Secondly, Eurobonds have been designed with a range of instruments that are not available to certain investors in their domestic area. Finally, the tax advantages and the fact of issuing the bonds in different currencies, countries and trading in many financial centres have all attributed to make the EBM in top of all bon d markets. 3. Evolution of the performance of the European bond market In order to understand the performance of a bond market, the reasons that affect this performance have to be clarified. Generally, a bond appears to be an easy-to-understand security. It generates interest for a limited period at a specified interest rate and then sells it for a precise price. However, several external factors could affect the price of a bond, and change its yields through the changing in the price. Even though the bond generates an unchangeable and fixed interest rate, the market interest rate plays very important role in determining the price of individual bond in the market. Generally, it is controversial relationship All bonds are subject to inflation risk. Therefore, unpredictable level of inflation would move the price of bond in unsynchronised way and, consequently, its yield. Any changing on credit ration of bonds reflects directly the level of risk that the investors bear by holding those bonds. Finally, Bond prices are greatly influenced by the reputation and financial situation of the issuing institution. Any problems with the issuing institution would definitely reflect on their bonds prices. Since the creation of the EBM, the yields on bonds issued by different European governments moved on synchronised way. Especially after the adoption of Euro and the benefits that every member state suddenly gain from â€Å"free-riding† in the Euro-zone bond market, or borrowing at approximately the similar interest rates as Germany, regardless of whether the country’s economic fundamentals justified the lower rate. However, the impact of the global financial crises 2008 in the EBM was clearly noticed by the underperformance of 16 member Euro-zone bonds. The duration of this underperformance of the bond was long which explained the violated of the yield’s curve till the beginning of 2010, where the curve witnessed an appreciation. However, for many years, Greece, Spain, and Ireland took advantage of the easy money that came their way, borrowing beyond their treaty-set limits, while their trade deficits remained wide. Particularly Greek the big deficit of 14% in GDP in last year made the Greece government unable to honour their liabilities. An addition to Greece deficit, all of Spain, Portugal and Ireland have caused serious problems to the European economy in general, and the EBM in particular. Many affords have been made by the advanced countries in European to rescue the struggling economies. This support programme started with Greece by providing a support up to ˆ30 billion of three-year fixed- and variable-rate loans in the first 12 months. The recent agreements which has been made by last summit on 11 of march reached in principle to increase the effective lending capacity of the European Financial Stability Facility to ˆ440 billion, offer it greater flexibility and lower lending costs, and specifically, to lower the cost of loans to Greece by 100 basis points and to extend maturity to 7.5 years. 4. Conclusion The development of the mutual fund industry has made the subject of performance evaluation one of the most highly debated issues in the finance literature. The performance of EBM appeared to be effected by the global and domestic crises. In order to support the EBM, many financial affords has been made to save the Eurobonds from further deprecation. With all that affords to stimulate the European economy, however many of the economists believed that the financial supports are worthwhile as long as it permits the struggling countries to organise and grow their economies. Yet there is a risk that the rescue is treated as an opportunity to relax which would influence the performance of EBM. In light of the uncertainty of recovery of the damaged economies, the global investors will be more selective and demanding higher interest rates, that put a massive pressure on the European leaders to solve the problem of high interest rates and to recuperate the reputation and financial situation of some European countries. 5. Reference Basarrate, B.; Rubio, G. (1999), â€Å"Nonsimultaneous Prices and the Evaluation of Managed Portfolios in Spain†, Applied Financial Economics 9 (3), 273-281. Cesari, Riccardo; Panetta, Fabio (2002), â€Å"The Performance of Italian Equity Funds†,Journal of Banking and Finance 26 (1), 99-126. CHOUDHRY, M. 2001. The bond and money markets: strategy, trading, analysis, Butterworth-Heinemann. FLOWERS, E. B. LEES, F. A. 2002. The euro, capital markets, and dollarization, Rowman Littlefield Publishers. GROS, D. LANNOO, K. 2000. The Euro capital market, Wiley. Maag, Felix; Zimmermann, Heinz (2000), â€Å"On Benchmarks and the Performance of DEM Bond Mutual Funds†, The Journal of Fixed Income 10 (3), 31-45. OTTEN, R. 2002. A comparison between the European and the US mutual fund industry. Managerial Finance, 28, 14. Stehle, Richard; Grewe, Olaf (2001), â€Å"The Long-Run Performance of German Stock Mutual Funds†, Working Paper, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin. How to cite Evaluation of the performance of the European bond market, Essay examples

Lord Of The Flies †Chapter Summaries Essay Paper Example For Students

Lord Of The Flies – Chapter Summaries Essay Paper Lord of the Flies Chapter SummariesChapter One: The Sound of a Shell. The first chapter concentrates on describing character personalities. Ralph, Piggy, Jack and the rest of the choir are introduced after Ralph blows the conch. The group elects Ralph, the chief and they begin to establish rules and boundaries. Ralph, Jack and Simon explore the island and begin plans for shelters from the weather. The trio find that the island is a fertile place. It has natural fruit, fresh water and wild pigs which could be hunted as a form of meat. Piggy is immediately ostracized from the group and Ralph also decides that a bonfire on the mountain should be lit permanently on the mountain as a constant smoke signal. Chapter Two: Fire on the Mountain. Ralph calls another meeting to discuss the fire on the mountain. Jack decides forming a hunting party to hunt pigs. A small boy claims to have seen a serpent-like beast, but the idea is quickly discarded after Ralph and Jack convince the group otherwise. The group hurriedly rushes to the mountain and collects wood for a fire, which breaks up the meeting. At first the boys have nothing to light the fire, until Jack robs Piggy of his glasses and uses them to magnify the suns rays to heat the tinder-dry wood. The fire, although majestic, unfortunately only generates a tiny amount of smoke, so the boys stack green branches on to get more smoke. At the next meeting, Ralph decides that more rules should be introduced, including groups to be set out for specific tasks (e.g. Shelters, Fire, Hunting). Also, Piggy brings up a subject of concern. He reveals that one child is missing, and the group fear for his life. Chapter Three: Huts on the Beach. Ralph and Simon start to build shelters on their own and become angry because of the amount of kids who wont help. Ralph and Jack chat about each others views of their predicaments, and find that they are very different. Jack starts to become obsessed with hunting and killing pigs and loses sight of their goal- to be rescued. The younger children spend more and more time playing and less and less time helping. Chapter Four: Painted Faces and Long Hair. The hunters start painting themselves to stay camouflaged from their targets. Piggy suggests making a sundial to tell the time, but has no support. A ship sails past the island but doesnt notice the boys because Jacks choir had let the fire out completely. The boys had lost interest in the fire and decided to go hunting instead. This makes Ralph angry. Jack and his hunters catch a pig, but Ralph doesnt care. Jack re-lights the fire and prepares the pigs meat for a feast. Ralph is still not satisfied and calls a meeting down on the platform, beneath the mountain. Chapter Five: Beast from Water. Ralph calls a meeting, still using the conch system to give kids the right to talk. He tells the group that there idea of water carriers quickly became boring to them and that shelters were being slept in by all but only two people were making them. He was also displeased with the younger children, expelling bodily waste wherever they pleased, instead of in the rock, near the bathing pool, as they agreed. This brought a chorus of laughter. The conversation soon switched to the beast. Some, even most of the group had doubts on whether it was just a figment of the littleuns imaginations. Jack talks out of turn and this sparks a verbal brawl between Jack and Ralph. The group now starts to go their separate ways- either with Jack, or Ralph. Jacks hunters decide to hunt the beast and settle the mind of the young kids. .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 , .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .postImageUrl , .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 , .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6:hover , .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6:visited , .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6:active { border:0!important; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6:active , .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6 .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u607173975de0ff9a2a86105a9e43d3a6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Vampires, Obsession Throughout Eternity Obsession Analysis EssayChapter Six: Beast from Air. Ralph and his friends fetch wood for the fire. Later that night, the twins rush to Ralph and Piggy and tell them that they have seen the beast. They ask to use their spears. Ralph went with the other to hunt for the beast. They venture into the jungle and into a cave but find nothing. Jack decides that the cave is a good place for

Friday, May 1, 2020

Mountain Due Case free essay sample

What changes in the environment provided the opportunity for the Dewmocracy approach? The opportunities that created the environment was a new wave of marketing normal TV ads and news papers and magazines were not being as affective. So with the millennium wave, dewmocracy starting using internet and especially social media such as blogs, twitter, facebook, MySpace etc. Mountain Dew decided to focus on the customers they already had and harnesses their passion for mountain dew. Which of the promotional elements described in Figure 17-2 were used by Mountain Dew in its Dewmocracy 2 campaign? Explain your answer. The promotional elements that were used in the Dewmocracy 2 campaign are advertising, sales promotion and direct marketing. The reason why I say advertising because mountain dew is trying to reach the mass which is efficient for a large amounts of people. Every time they market a product they advertise. It was also sales promotion because the campaign very flexible and for the mass. We will write a custom essay sample on Mountain Due Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The customers felt comfortable in their social media and online on the dewocracy websites chatting. It was also direct marketing because it was used over the computer and people were creating mountain dew twitter accounts to vote for their favorite drink. Also making videos of testing things which goes to the customization part the customer was able to choose the drink that they thought was the best. #3 What are some of the different ways Mountain Dew can assess the success of its campaign? Be specific using information you have learned from the textbook. Note that the Grade Center on Blackboard has these cases listed. Mountain Dew can definitely asses the success of their campaign first just by looking at their market sales. Using their variable cost, fixed cost and so forth. Also they can assess their success by the market testing they did they went by they went by the new product process which increased their chances of doing well which they did.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

How to Write a Sample Grant Application Essay

How to Write a Sample Grant Application EssayIf you have ever been told that you need to write a sample grant application essay, you know the burden that it can cause. It seems like the first thing that you have to do is write an essay, but it really isn't necessary.As you are reading this, a grant may be granted to your university or student organization. You have probably already prepared a grant proposal and some other basic information, but you can still learn a lot by writing a sample grant application essay. Many students and college faculty alike are still skeptical about whether grants are effective. They assume that there is no point in applying for grant money if the money will not be given to the students and faculty who need it.However, a grant application essay is one of the most effective ways to explain your ideas, your goals, and the importance of your grant. Since so many of the grants are competitive, being able to express yourself clearly in a concise way will be v ery important.Grant proposals generally outline what the grant funds will be used for and why it is necessary. That means that they are a great place to highlight your talents and your objectives as a scholar.This also works very well when you talk about the process that led up to the grant. Don't just talk about the grant itself, however. Talk about why the funding is needed and the importance of the projects you will be working on. These will be discussed in detail in the grant proposal, and they are also crucial to the success of the grant.The grant application essay is a great place to find out what people think about your application. Since so many people are reviewing and judging your application, it is a good idea to let them know more about your experience and achievements. Since so many people are reviewing your application, you want to make sure that you give them everything they need to know.Students who don't participate in any research and development projects, who atte nd lecture seminars, and students who have to be at their classrooms at a certain time each day are not likely to be included in the grant selection process. So you want to focus on these groups of people, and by writing a grant application essay you can ensure that you get a grant.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

4000310515center Essays - The Great Gatsby, Film,

4000310515center 9/28/20173300095000 9/28/2017420003263900880008851265 Sanvir Gill 450000 Sanvir Gill 420003263900175001760220 The Great Gatsby Journal Assignment450000 The Great Gatsby Journal Assignment Chapter 1-3 Summary The novel opens with the narrator of the story, Nick Carraway. Nick introduces his fathe r's advice that had received when he was younger, and it has stuck with him ever since. The advice Nick's father gave him was "Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." Nick states that this advice from his father has made him inclined to reserve judgement. By Nick narrating that he reserves judgement, it gives the reader the first piece of information on a character. We now know that Nick reserves his judgement, or at least attempts to. Further into the no vel, Nick moves to west egg to begin his career as a Bond man. Nick rents a small house in the middle of 2 huge neighbouring homes, more signifi cantly, beside a man as Gatsby. Nick visits his distant cousin Daisy, who lives with his Yale class member Tom. Jordan is introduced to Jordan Baker, a famous golfer. Nick is also introduced to the oppression that Daisy adheres on a daily basis from Tom. After visiting Daisy, Nick returns home and sees his neighbour, Gatsby staring and reaching out for the green light on Daisy's dock. In the following chapter, we are taken to a new setting, known as the valley of ashes. This new setting represents poverty. Subsequently w e are introduced to Tom's mistress Myrtle and her husband George Wilson , as well as an important symbol known as the billboard of the eyes of doctor T.J Eckleburg, that watch over the valley of ashes like the eyes of God. Nick is forced to spend the day with Tom and Myrtle and he later witnesses Tom hitting her and breaking her nose for mentioning Daisy. Afterwards, Nick realizes that one of the reasons behind Gatsby's popularity is because of his huge parties. Nick is the only person to receive an invite, so he is intrigued and decided to go. Nick finally meets Gatsby for the first time and he is surprised by the way Gatsby acts like such a gentleman. Gatsby then tells Jordan something privately but is not able to tell Nick just yet. Following the party, Nick be gins a relationship with Jordan, however he also claims that she is dishonest. Personal Response In my opinion the beginning chapters of the novel are very thought-provoking and demonstrate the true potential of the novel. I believe that the advice Nick's father had given him as a child is solid advice and could be used to prevent early judgement towards a person. The advice has really stuck with me because now when I begin to judge somebody right away I remember that I may have some advantages that they do not and therefore I should reserve my judgement. This has really helped me grow and will prove to be very helpful in the future because it has changed my perspective on judgement. This advice from his father also revealed what I think is a very important part of Nick's personality. He believes that he reserves his judgement however in his actual life he creates judgements of people very quickly. Knowing that Tom is cheating on Daisy and abusive to Myrtle makes me feel angry. This is because I know the novel takes place in the 1920s and in this time, a man of power and wealth such as Tom had the ability to do anything he wanted. However, his actions really demonstrate that he has a very aggressive and deceiving personality. Another thing about this situation that makes me angry and sad is that Daisy does not have the ability to leave Tom even though she knows perfectly well about the other woman. In these 3 chapters, various symbols are also introduced including the green light. The green light symbolizes Gatsby's desires and dreams and Gatsby often attempts to reach out and grab it. This tells us that Gatsby is set on his goals and wants to achieve them very desperately. I feel that having an

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Pros and Cons of Whole Group Discussion

Pros and Cons of Whole Group Discussion ​ Whole Group Discussion is  a method of teaching that involves a modified form of classroom lecture. In this model, the focus is shared between the instructor and the students throughout the information exchange. Typically, an instructor will stand before a class and present information for the students to learn but the students will also participate by answering questions and providing examples. Pros of Whole Group Discussion as a Teaching Method Many teachers support this method as whole group discussions typically provide greater interaction between teacher and students. It provides a surprising amount of flexibility in the classroom, despite the lack of the traditional lecture. In this model, instructors give up the format of dictating the lecture and instead control what is being taught by steering the discussion. Here are a few other positive outcomes from this teaching method: Auditory learners find them appealing to their learning style.Teachers can check on what students are retaining through questions posed.Whole group discussion is comfortable for many teachers because it is a modified form of the lecture.Students have a tendency to stay focused on the lesson because they might be called on to answer questions.Students may feel more comfortable asking questions during whole group discussions. Cons of Whole Group Discussion as a Teaching Method: Whole group discussions can be unsettling for some teachers, as they require setting up and enforcing ground rules for students. If these rules are not enforced then there is a possibility that the discussion could quickly go off-topic. This requires strong classroom management, something that can be a challenge for inexperienced teachers. A few other drawbacks of this option include: Students who are weak in note-taking skills will have trouble understanding what they should remember from group discussions. This is even more so than in lectures in many cases because not only the teacher but fellow students are talking about the lesson.Some students may not feel comfortable being put on the spot during a whole group discussion. Strategies for Whole Group Discussions Many of the strategies below can help prevent the cons created by whole class discussions. Think-Pair-Share:  This technique is popular in the lower elementary grades to encourage speaking and listening skills. First,  ask  students  to think  about their response to a question, then ask them to pair up  with another person (usually someone nearby). The pair  discusses their response, and then they  share that response with the larger group. Philosophical Chairs:  In this strategy, the teacher reads a  statement that has only two possible response: to agree or to disagree. Students move to one side of the room marked agree or to the other marked disagree. Once they are in these two groups, students take turns defending their positions. NOTE: This is also an excellent way to introduce new concepts to the class to see what students know or do not know about a particular topic. Fishbowl: Perhaps the most well-known of classroom discussion strategies, a fishbowl is organized with  two-four students who sit facing each other in the center of the room. All the other students sit in a circle around them. Those students seated in the center discuss the question or predetermined topic (with notes). Students on the outside circle, take notes on the discussion or on the techniques used. This exercise is a good way  to have students practice discussion techniques using follow-up  questions, elaborating on another person’s point or paraphrasing. In a variation, students on the outside may provide quick notes (fish food) by passing them to students on the inside for use in their discussion. Concentric Circles Strategy:  Organize students into  two circles, one outside circle and one inside  circle so that each student on the inside is paired with a  student on the outside. As they face each other, the teacher poses a question to the whole group. Each pair discusses how to respond.   After this brief discussion, the students on the outside circle move one space to the right. This will mean each student will be part of a new pair.  The teacher can have them share the results of that discussion or pose a new question.  The process can be repeated several times during a class period. Pyramid Strategy: Students begin this strategy in pairs and  respond  to a discussion question with a single partner. At a signal from the teacher,  the first pair joins another pair which creates a group of four. These groups of four share their (best) ideas. Next, the groups of four move to form groups of eight in order to share their best ideas. This grouping can continue until  the whole class is joined up in one large discussion. Gallery Walk: Different stations are set up around the classroom, on the walls or on tables. Students  travel from station to station in small groups. They perform a task or respond to a prompt. Small discussions are encouraged at each station. Carousel Walk:  Posters are set up around the classroom, on the walls or on tables. Students are divided into small groups, one group to a poster. The group brainstorms and reflects on the questions or ideas by writing on the poster for a specific duration of time. At a signal, the groups move in a circle (like a carousel) to the next poster. They read what the first group has written, and then add their own thoughts by brainstorming and reflecting. Then at another signal, all groups move again (like a carousel) to the next poster. This continues until all the posters have been read and have responses. NOTE: The time should be shortened after the first round. Each station helps students to process new information and read the thoughts and ideas of others.   Final Thoughts: Whole group discussions are an excellent teaching method when used in conjunction with other methods. Instruction should be varied from day to day to help reach the most students possible. Teachers need to provide their students with note taking skills before starting discussions. It is important that teachers be good at managing and facilitating discussions. Questioning techniques are effective for this. Two questioning techniques that teachers employ is to increase their wait time after questions are asked and to only ask one question at a time.