Fieldwork Research Paper - Buddhism Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fieldwork - Buddhism - Research Paper Example This fieldwork project was carried out during two trips to the Center on April 27th, and May 1st. This researcher had sent a preliminary e-mail query on April 23rd describing summarily the fieldwork to be performed. Lama Chuck replied personally and said that he would be happy to oblige and thought that it would be beneficial for me to attend the evening classes on the 27th, which included: 6pm, Meditation Instruction; 7pm, Group Meditation Practice; and 7:45pm, Becoming Enlightened. The latter class included an induction to the foundations of Buddhism as well as comparing and contrasting it with other religions. This seemed advantageous as the purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of Buddhism and its ability to translate its teachings to other cultures as well as other religions. This researcher was intrigued by the fact that on its website this center describes itself as, â€Å"†¦a (non-sectarian) Center dedicated to the cultivation of wisdom and compass ion.† (The Rime Center 2011) Which seems odd since one might think that Buddhism is a religion and therefore sectarian, or is it a philosophy and therefore non-sectarian? A further question arose as to one of the central practices of Buddhism, as well as other Eastern religions/philosophies, the practice of meditation. What is it? Is it a spiritual experience or simply a stress reduction method as viewed by the western eye? Again is it sectarian or non-sectarian? These are the core questions that this research will attempt to unravel. Research: Literature During this researchers filed trip to the Rime center, Lama Chuck recommended several books which are presented here as well as much of my own research of different articles and items that added to the overall appreciation of this Buddhist center. They are presented first to give the reader an overall view of Buddhism and some insight into the conversations and interviews that took place during the filed study. It is generall y considered that there are two traditional lines of Buddhist thought Theravada and Madhyamaka. Theravada is the more conservative and traditional Buddhist approach. This Pali word literally means â€Å"the teaching of the elders† and it is the oldest of the Buddhist practices. â€Å"Theravadin Buddhists study the early scriptures in Pali, honor the life of renunciation, and follow mindfulness meditation teachings.† (Fisher 2005: 142) In this tradition the Buddha is certainly an historical figure that now no longer exists but has left his teachings or the â€Å"Dharma† as a guide for his followers.. Madhyamaka (also known as Mahayan) regards the Buddha as a universal principle. Literally translated as â€Å"The Middle Way,† Madhyamaka represents in a sense the line between conservative and liberal of the traditions and in life itself. It is the dividing line between polar opposites. Metaphysically, Buddha is said to be an immanent presence in the universe with three aspects, or â€Å"bodies†: first, the enlightened wisdom of a Buddha, which is formless; second, the body of bliss, celestial aspect of Buddhahood that communicates the dharma to bodhisattvas; and the third body of transformation, by which the Buddha

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Essay Example for Free

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Essay The Old Man and the Sea is a story, in my view, about man vs. the elements, individuality, and one mans obsession to dominate his world. For Ernest Hemingway far more than for most men, the specter of age was a terrible specter indeed, and the virtue of action upon which he had based his art in his life was the virtue of the young. This, I believe, pervaded the legendary figure of Ernest Hemingway as the youthful, virile adventurer, tempered with humility. Hemingway has been notably preoccupied with individualism as well as self-endurance and, in my view, no where is this more exemplified than in his novel The Old Man and the Sea. The Old Man and the Sea is basically a story about an old man who sets out in a small boat on what presumes to be a routine fishing expedition. Unexpectedly, he connected with a very large fish which precipitated a struggle which appeared interminable. The fish was a marlin, and the struggle resulted in the death and capture of this enormous fish. At that point, he secured the marlin and headed home. Unfortunately, along the way, he was besieged by sharks which he was unable to fight off. The time span in the novel The Old Man and the Sea is relatively short. The old mans name is Santiago, and he spends all of eighty-four days without catching a fish. After his first nibble from this great marlin, he struggles greatly to hang on to this fish even though every muscle in his body causes him the greatest pain à ¾ and the second night he nibbles on a small fish and sleeps for the first time, whereupon a furious jerk of the line awakens him. Its during the third day that the great marlin begins to circle the boat and, in almost no time, the sharks (beginning with a mako) begin to move in on Santiagos catch. Even after Santiago brings in the bare remains of the flesh-stripped marlin, it creates a big stir among the village fisherman, and tourists observe with detached amusement the skeletal remains of Santiagos three-day battle. They do not understand the nature or significance of Santiagos experiences. Hemingway refers to the fishing rod being part of a life-death cycle. While the rod is alone without a fish on the other end, it is dead. However, when there is a fish on the end of the line, the rod becomes a living rod. This life ends, however, when the fish is removed from the line. The struggle for life is aptly presented in this story by Hemingway through describing the struggle of a fish and a man in which the fish struggles to free himself, while the man struggles to maintain him. It is a huge fish and he puts up a great fight. Two Hearted River: Part II à ¾ Summary and Analysis. Another story regarding life and death and the struggle for life was Ernest Hemingways short story Two Hearted River: Part II. he warmth and life-giving quality of the sun is mentioned early in the story. In the morning, it is as if the grasshoppers are lifeless. It takes the warmth and life-giving quality of the sun to spring these creatures to life. One grasshopper slowly works its way out of the b ottle Nick was holding. It seemed that temporarily this grasshopper had found life. However, as it jumped into the stream, its life was over as a trout ate the small animal and killed it. Another grasshopper was taken from the bottle. It was alive and squirming in Nicks hand. Nick then took a hook and thrust it into the thorax and the abdomen of the creature, killing it. Thus, life occurs one moment and death takes over the next. Another struggle is identified by Hemingway in this story. A living trout is hooked by Nick once more. The trout puts up a desperate struggle to free himself from the hook in his mouth. However, the struggle is lost and Nick hauls in the fish. Although he is allowed to live temporarily in a small sack that is filled with water, the fate of this fish is obvious. Nick holds the fish and whacks him against a log. The life in the fish ceases. The wriggling of the body stops as he turns rigid and lifeless. The death of a tree is also mentioned in this story. A huge, living elm had been uprooted by the force of the river, and it was not dead and lifeless. The aforementioned, Two Hearted River: Part II, is a minor work by E. Hemingway. At the same time, I chose this particular story because I felt it had particular significance for the primary subject of this research paper. Published Criticism At this point, I should like to proffer some criticism of Ernest Hemingway à ¾ and at the same time attempt to relate this to the primary topic of choice, i.e. The Old Man and the Sea. Whether Hemingway every achieved an ultimate solution to the dilemma of his approach to age, virtue and boyishness is not for us to judge, although the circumstances of his death indicated that he could not and would not abide a final weakening of those powers which were so important to the protagonists of his stories. In the last decade or so of his life, however, Hemingway did find a way to cope with the fact of his own age. He would dramatize what he could not avoid. Because of his absolute youthfulness, he regards old age as an utter and complete tragedy, as it is of course the only true tragedy, and he is not going to degrade himself by maturing or anything absurd of that sort. All the same, since he has a sense of costume, he will emphasize his decline in all its hopelessness by sprouting a white beard and generally acting the part of Senex. To a large extent, I believe that this critique has to do with the old man who has to give up on catching this fish. Similarly, in my mind , there is strong metaphysical evidence in terms of the old man and his refusal to give up on a struggle which he personally acknowledges is particularly difficult due to his old age à ¾ but yet he refuses to capitulate to this inevitability. Why is it that Ernest Hemingway pursues such thematic material with such drive and vigor? I believe that the answer may be found within the man himself. It has been acknowledged by critics à ¾ almost unanimously à ¾ that much of his thematic material reflects the man himself as, in my view, do his novels and short stories, as already indicated. To this extent, I should like to offer some biography on Ernest Hemingway which may serve to illuminate this belief. Hemingway was the second of six children of Clarence and Grace Hemingway. Upon graduation from Oak Park High School in 1917, he chose journalism instead of college, and spent seven educational months as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. Hemingway secured a part-time job as a feature writer for the Toronto Star and, in the fall of 1920, he became contributing editor of a trade journal in Chicago wherein he met one, Hadley Richardson, whom he married in September of 1921. Together they sailed for France and, for nineteen months occupied a walk-up flat in the Latin quarter of Paris. Hemingways serious writings began tentatively with the Paris publication in 1923-24 of two slender books of pros and poetry, yet his name was still little known in the U.S. Subsequently, he divorced Hadley and moved to Key West, Florida in 1928. He remained there for twelve years and completed A Farewell to Arms. There is much to be said about this man, and his experiences in Spain represented an entire chapter unto themselves. In Cuba in 1945, Hemingway began a romantic novel of reminiscences, including The Garden of Eden which, to date, to my knowledge, remains unpublished. Considering Hemingways passion for the sea à ¾ where he spent much of his life à ¾ and fishing, the thematic content of The Old Man and the Sea, to me, underscores the thematic content of individualism, struggle against the elements, and the refusal to bend to the challenges of time and old age.

Delegation :: essays research papers

Delegation Human Resources Management Ever watch good delegates in action? They know exactly which jobs to hand and to whom. They know the old talents to tap and the new talents to test. Somehow, they even make the busiest people feel privileged to do even more. Delegating is a management tool that should be used in every company out there. Mark Twain once said, â€Å"To be good is noble, but to teach other’s how to be good is nobler—and much less trouble.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Webster’s Dictionary defines delegating as entrusting authority to another. The key to delegating is the word entrust. When you delegate, you entrust the entire matter to the other person along with sufficient authority to make it work. It involves authorizing others to carry out specific tasks under your general supervision. It forces the manager to be more organized because the supervisor must outline projects, assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and check progress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several guidelines to effectively delegate. You must communicate fully the degrees of freedom and judgment you expect the other person to use. Delegate authority as well as responsibility. Your subordinate must have the authority to carry out the responsibilities they have been delegated. Setting performance standards also allows the individual to understand the outcome you expect. Finally, delegate your reoccurring work, and don’t dump. The supervisor must not abdicate his responsibilities, and must understand that the responsibilities are never lifted from his shoulders, and understand that the responsibilities of the results of the unit are still the managers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are five steps to delegation. First you must define the task completely. You then must determine to whom to delegate the project to. The most important step is to provide clear communication of what the instructions are and your expectations regarding the task. The delegator and delegatee must than reach a mutual agreement about the task and any deadlines you may provide. Finally, you must monitor and evaluate the results and provide feedback to let the individual know your thoughts on the task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyone benefits from delegation by having time to accomplish the management duties that often get neglected. This may include long range planning, innovation, and coordination with your work group and representing your work group and its members to higher management. These things don’t get done well when you are heavily involved in the day-to-day work of your section. The delegator has more time for advance skills while the delegatee gains new skills and abilities.

Promoting Morality in the Aeneid and Metamorphoses Essay -- Comparison

Promoting Morality in the Aeneid and Metamorphoses    Just as the authors of the Bible use an evocative, almost mythological vehicle to convey covenants and laws that set the moral tone for Hebrew and Christian societies, Latin poets Virgil and Ovid employ a similarly supernatural method to foster their own societal and moral goals in Roman society. Where Virgil's Aeneid depicts Aeneas as the ideal, duty-bound Roman patriarch absent from the conflicted Rome of Virgil's youth, Ovid's Metamorphoses lacks the patriotic undertones of Virgil's epic. Instead, Ovid's lighthearted Metamorphoses depicts several mythical stories - some not unlike the etiological justifications found in the early Hebrew scriptures - which chronicle the transitory nature of life and its effect on society. When Augustus defeated Marc Antony at Actium and began the first acts in his rule of what would be one of history's most powerful empires, he sought to restore the morality and patriotism characteristic of pre-civil-war Rome. The stolid Roman patriarch, thought lost in the melee of civil strife, became the center of Augustus' propaganda and legislative campaign to once again bring honor and morality to his empire. It is from Virgil's unfinished epic The Aeneid that this exemplary citizen arises, one who is not only a fierce warrior but foregoes personal happiness for the welfare of his country as well. Virgil's unfinished epic - almost discarded by its author until Augustus intervened - not only serves to smooth over the violence and slaughter of the past civil wars by attributing them to the course of fate but also uses this strife as a tool to carve Aeneas as an ideal patriarchal figure. All these images on Vulcan's shield His mother's gif... ...y. 6 Oct. 1999 Gillis, Daniel. Eros and Death in the Aeneid. L'ERMA, di BRETDCHNEIDER, ROMA, 1983. Henry, Elisabeth.   The Vigour of Prophecy, A Study of Virgil's Aeneid. Bristol Classical Press, Great Britain, 1989. Lyne, R.O.A.M. Further Voices in Vergil's Aeneid. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1987. Mandelbaum, Allen, trans. The Metamorphoses of Ovid. By Ovid. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & company, 1993. Poschl, Viktor. The Art of Vergil, Image and Symbol in the Aeneid. Trans. Gerda Seligson, Greenwood Press, Connecticut 1986. Silvestris, Bernardus. Commentary on the First Six Books of Virgil's Aeneid. Translated by Schreiber and Maresca. University of Nebraska Press. London, 1979. Quinn, Kenneth. Vergil's Aeneid, A Critical Description. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London. 1968.

B-Tec Sport Risk Factors

Figure 1: Head injuries (e.g. concussion, unconsciousness), spinal injuries, simple and compound fractures, joint injuries (e.g. dislocations, tennis and golf elbow, torn cartilage, twisted ankle), soft tissue, cuts, grazes and blisters, dehydration and hypothermia. Risk Factor Sporting Situation Most likely injury to occur Impact of injury on successful sports performance Short term Effects Long term Effects Lack of warm-up Football Pulled muscles e.g. pulled hamstring, pulled quadriceps etc†¦ The short term affect of a lack of warm up is that it you could pull your muscles. The time that you are out of action for will depend on the extent of the injury. The normal period of time that you will be out for with pulled muscles is 2-3 weeks. The long term affects of a lack of warm up is that it could take longer for you to recover from any injuries that you might have. A constant lack of warm up will result in you being out of action for a longer period when you are injured in the future. Lack of cool down Football Cramp The short term affect of a lack of cool down is that it can cause a build up of lactic acid which will lead to cramp. To prevent this, all you need to do is do a short cool down at the end of each physical activity e.g. light jog around the playing area. The long term affects of a lack of cool down is that you will be required to warm up more than usual to loosen up any tight muscles before participating in any future physical activities. Constant lack of cool down may cause you to get cramp persistently. Poor physical fitness/physique Football Pulled muscles e.g. calf strain, pulled quadriceps The short term affect of poor physical fitness and a poor physique is that it will cause pulled muscles. To prevent this, all that is required is for you to stay in shape by doing regular exercise. The exercise does not have to be done at a high intensity level as long as you exercise regularly. The long term affects of poor physical fitness and a poor physique is that it will take you longer to recover from injuries. For example if you get a hamstring injury, it will normally take you two weeks to recover from it. However, if you have poor physical fitness and a poor physique, it might take you 3-4 weeks. Risk Factor Sporting Situation Most likely injury to occur Impact of injury on successful sports performance Short term Effects Long term Effects Inadequate diet Boxing Back strain, dehydration, unconsciousness. The short term affect of having an inadequate diet is that can cause injury. Carrying extra weight can cause you to get a back strain. It can also cause you to perform poorly. Sports stars especially boxers need to have a good diet consisting of carbohydrates, calcium, fats (not too much), fibre, minerals, proteins and vitamins. The long term affects of having an inadequate diet is that it can limit the amount of time that you are involved in sport at the highest level. If you eat too much fatty foods it will lead to weight gain, which will then be harder to get rid of as you get older. Over dehydrating can also cause you to fall unconscious. This can be a big risk to your general health. Misuse of alcohol & drugs Boxing Unconsciousness, drowsiness, dehydration etc†¦ The short term affect of misuse of alcohol and drugs is that it can cause drowsiness and dehydration. Too much alcohol and drugs could even lead to you fainting. There are not many negative short term affects of taking performance enhancing drugs. However, there are negative long term affects. For misuse of alcohol and drugs. The long term affects of misuse of alcohol and drugs are that it can cause permanent damage to organs in the body which can affect performance in sport. Too much alcohol can cause damage to the liver which can make it difficult for the athlete to perform. Misuse and overuse of alcohol and drugs can also result in decrease in stamina. Stamina is one of the most important aspects of a boxer. Drinking alcohol and taking drugs excessively can also slow down your reactions. Environment Football Cuts, grazes and dislocations. The short term affect of an environment with dangerous surroundings is that you could injure yourself e.g. if a player slid into the advertisement boards he could get cut etc†¦ The long term affect of an environment with dangerous surroundings such as advertisement boards is that you can dislocate a part of your body which can result you being out of action for a while. Poor technique Rugby Dislocations, broken arm, broken leg, bruising etc†¦ The short term affect of poor technique can be a minor injury such as bruising. This might keep you out of action for about a week depending on the extent of the bruising. If a rugby player has not been taught the correct way to tackle, he could injure himself as well as the opposing player. The long term affects of poor technique are that it can cause a serious injury. These injuries can include a dislocated shoulder, broken arm, broken leg etc†¦ These injuries can keep you out for quite a long time. Another long term affect is that until you don't work on your technique, you will continue to cause injury and you will also be a technically poor athlete. Risk Factor Sporting Situation Most likely injury to occur Impact of injury on successful sports performance Short term Effects Long term Effects Lack of skill Basketball Twisted ankle, ligament damage. The short term affect of a lack of skill is that you can get an injury such as a twisted ankle. If a basketball player tries to a slam dunk but he lands awkwardly he might twist his ankle. The long term affects of a lack of skill is that you can get ligament damage. This is the type of injury that can affect your future performances even when you have fully recovered. Inappropriate clothing Rugby Torn ligaments, broken leg. The short affect of inappropriate clothing is that it can affect your performance. For example if you make good runs but you have a loose t-shirt, an opposing player is likely to take advantage by constantly pulling you t-shirt which will prevent you from playing your best. The long term affects of inappropriate clothing is that it can cause serious injury. If you have a loose t-shirt on and an opposing player pulls your t-shirt and you fall down in an awkward position you could get seriously injured. You could get torn ligaments there is even a possibility of you breaking you leg. This will keep you out for a long time. Overtraining Football Pulled hamstring, pulled quadriceps, cramp, muscle fatigue. The short term affect of overtraining if muscle fatigue and cramp. Overtraining is bad for the body. You should only train according to how much your body can endure. This will prevent muscle fatigue and cramp. The long term affect of overtraining is also muscle fatigue. If continue to persistently over train, your body will finally give in and you will have to take a long break from any physical activity. Constantly overtraining can also cause you to pull you muscles such as pulled quadriceps. Weather conditions Football Twisted ankle, ligament damage. The short term affect of poor weather conditions is that it can have a negative affect on your performance. If the football pitch is waterlogged, it will be difficult to play well. The long term affect of poor weather conditions is that you can get injured. The weather might be so poor that it might affect the pitch in a bad way which can cause the players to get injuries such as twisted ankles and ligament damage. Playing surface Football Twisted ankle, ligament damage. The short term affect of a poor playing surface is that can affect your performance in the game. If the pitch has lumps and big patches of mud, players will find it difficult to perform well. The long term affect of a poor playing surface is that it can cause injury. Your foot might get caught in the ground which can result in a twisted ankle or ankle ligament damage. Risk Factor Sporting Situation Most likely injury to occur Impact of injury on successful sports performance Short term Effects Long term Effects Lifting and carrying procedures for specialist equipment Rugby Back strain, twisted ankle. The short term affect of not using the correct procedure when lifting something is injuring yourself as well as the player you are lifting. The correct way of lifting something or someone is to bend your knees and back. The long term affect of not using the correct procedure when lifting something or someone is permanent damage. If you lift something or someone in an incorrect way you could do some permanent damage to your back. This will limit what you can do in future physical activities. Inappropriate or lack of specialist sporting equipment Rugby Bruising, cuts, concussion. The short term affect of having a lack of specialist sporting equipment is that it can cause injury. For example If a rugby player is not wearing a mouth-guard, he could get his teeth knocked out. The long term affect of having a lack of specialist sporting equipment is that can affect your performance and it can cause you to get injured more often. Misuse of protective equipment Boxing Groin injury, concussion etc†¦ The short term affect of misuse of protective equipment is that you will be more prone to injuries. For example if a boxer needs to wear a foul protector but he doesn't he will get injured if he gets punched in the groin. The long term affect of misuse of protective equipment is that you will get injured very easily. If you don't use a mouth guard when boxing, you could get damage to the mouth. Faulty and damaged equipment Football Twisted ankle, bruising to the shin, shin splits etc†¦ The short term affect of using faulty and damaged equipment is that it might cause injury. If you don't wear shin pads, you will come out with bruising to the shin in the least possible scenario. The long term affect of using faulty and damaged equipment is that you can get seriously injured. If a player tackles you with a lot of force on your shins, you can split your shins. This is a very painful injury and will keep you out of action for a while. Behaviour of other participants endangering others Football Bruising, cuts, grazes, concussion etc †¦ The short term affect of this is that you will pick up an injury that will probably keep you out of physical action for about a couple of weeks. The long term affect of this is that you might get permanent scaring or cuts if players start going out of order e.g. fighting.

Effective Speaking Skills

————————————————- Effective Speaking Skills ————————————————- the basics for The Ice-breaker The icebreaker! (Aurora Australis) No not that one†¦ You’re first speech as a Toastmaster and, arguably, you’re most important. The icebreaker is the pretext for all speeches to follow and the one in which you’re good and bad speaking habits are identified. My talk tonight will include the Icebreakers; Purpose, structure and provide you with information on how to write and present your first speech as a toastmaster.It is important to note that in the fourth and final night of speech craft you will all be giving your own icebreakers. So firstly what is the purpose of the icebreaker? Quite simply the icebreaker is designed to give new participants a n introduction to public speaking; to give the speaker a feel for presenting a topic in front of a captive audience. The icebreaker is also used to discover speaking skills that you already have and identify which areas of your abilities need development.The icebreakers structure is typical to that of most speeches having an introduction, body and conclusion. Now without revisiting the fifth grade let me summarize quickly the most important features of each component. The introduction is used to reveal the topic and maybe most importantly GRAB ATTENTION. Continuing with your speech from this point would be futile if the listener has no reason to actively follow your speech. Great attention grabbers are things such as asking rhetorical questions, making startling statements, using humor or narrative and arousing curiosity.While most toastmasters are just as good listeners as they are speakers it is a simple truth that, outside of these walls, unless you give someone a reason to liste n to you; they won’t. The body of course is the crux of your talk and the reason you are standing in front of your peers. We will touch more on what the body of an icebreaker speech would normally include shortly. Finally the conclusion is used to summarize your speech and should always finish with impact.This can be achieved by closing with a quotation or narrative. The second and most unique component to the Icebreakers structure is its timing. The Icebreaker is a four to six minute speech and as you will notice on the timekeepers lights; the green light appears at four minutes, the amber at five and the red at six. So how do I write and present my icebreaker speech? The best way to begin your speaking experience is to talk about a familiar subject – yourself.It would be near impossible to condense your life into 5 minutes so you must narrow it by selecting some significant and interesting life events that will give your fellow toastmasters an introduction and brief insight into you as an individual. This might include your birthplace, education, family and/or future ambitions. You could speak of your recent travels to Asia and tell of some funny stories whilst there or you could simply give a brief chronological account of your life to this point highlighting the key parts.Select your visual aids carefully should you choose to use them. Be wary not to provide too much or too little information so as to confuse the viewer and listener. For instance; if I was suddenly giving a lesson on the special theory of relativity it’s simply a gross impracticality to provide all the information in a single slide expecting the listener to understand. Instead provide your visual be it a slide presentation or object with as much simplicity and symbolism as possible so as to maximize meaning whilst minimizing clutter.

An Omnipotent Government: Utopia or Dystopia Essay

â€Å"Utopia: an idealized place of perfection or a visionary scheme for a perfect society† (Agnes). However, what if the ideals of utopia result in the seeds of dystopia? What if a government that is able to rule a perfect society, oversteps its bounds and causes destruction of freedom? In the dystopian novels 1984, A Brave New World, and The Giver, the government controls every thought, every fear, every story, and every emotion. These novels warn of the threat of a government that becomes too involved in its citizens’ lives. When citizens allow themselves to be uncaring and uninformed about their government, the ultimate price is freedom and liberty. These novels show that freedom is much to high a cost; momentary contentment should never come at the expense of liberty. Adolf Hitler once said, â€Å"If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed† (Huxley). Propaganda is a very powerful tool that can be used for good or evil. In 1984 the Party’s slogan, â€Å"WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH,† convinces its citizens that they want what the government has given them: war, slavery, and ignorance (Orwell). They do not want freedom because it is slavery. They are made to believe that peace and serenity come only during war. They are uninformed about their world, and this gives them strength. This type of government propaganda controls what citizens think by controlling what is heard on the radio, the television, the newspaper, and all other forms of media. In A Brave New World, propaganda is not only forced on citizens through media, but also during sleep. At the time Huxley wrote his novel, a new technique of â€Å"sleep learning† had become popular. The technique hypnopaedia was an interesting concept but actually caused negative behavior. Huxley used this in his novel as a form of government brainwashing. In A Brave New World, those in power used â€Å"sleep lea rning† to instill their beliefs in the citizenry of London (Clareson). This â€Å"sleep learning† is a type of non-rational propaganda. Huxley compares the two kinds of propaganda, rational and non-rational. Rational propaganda appeals to a person’s own best interest. Rational propaganda can only be used in a society where people have reason and morals. They could use the propaganda to rationalize what is in their best interest. Nevertheless in a society without reason or morals, what kind of propaganda is effective? Non-rational propaganda appeals not to any person’s best interest, but to their emotions. â€Å"The power to respond to reason and truth exist in all of us. On the other hand, unfortunately, does the tendency to respond to unreason and falsehood—particularly in cases where the falsehood evokes some enjoyable emotion† (Huxley 265). Huxley applies Hitler’s rule that the behavior of the masses is not determined by knowledge, but by feelings and innate drives. The propaganda in A Brave New World appeals to passion instead of reason (Clareson). Punishment is a powerful method of controlling any person. The fear of something that causes pain or unhappiness is usually an effective way to keep a person from rebelling. In The Giver, the fear of â€Å"release† or death kept all the citizens from breaking any rules. Even a simple mistake could cost a life. When a pilot in training accidentally flew over the city, the elders comforted the citizens, â€Å"Needless to say, he will be released† (Lowery 21). The citizens in The Giver did not understand that â€Å"release† meant death, but they could comprehend that it was not a desirous thing. In Lowery’s novel, no one broke rules. When Jonas’ father looked at the name of a baby before the naming ceremony, Jonas was shocked. He could not believe his father had broken a rule. In 1984, many people were hanged for a crime. â€Å"Thought Crime† was punishable by death. The Thought Police could not watch everyone’s thoughts simultaneously, but if they came across a belief that did not align with the party, death was the result. However public execution is not the only form of death in 1984. â€Å"Disappearances† were a common occurrence throughout the novel. Often those guilty of â€Å"thought crimes† just disappeared. All records of their existence were erased, and the Party attempted to remove all memories of them through â€Å"double think† (Orwell). Huxley takes a completely different approach in his novel. Pleasure is the key to controlling the citizenry in A Brave New World. A review of the book states, â€Å"Pleasure is the most powerful motivator of man† (Clareson). Research has proven that rewarding good behavior is more effective than punishing wrong behavior. Where the citizens in 1984 are controlled by fear of punishment, the citizens in A Brave New World are controlled by reinforcing desirous behavior. The main tools used by the government to regulate society are sex and Soma, a drug used by all citizens in the novel. The people’s awareness is suppressed to th e point that the World Controller refers to them as â€Å"nice tame animals.† They sacrificed their entire future for the pleasure of the moment. If a citizen disagreed with the government in A Brave New World, they would be given soma and through â€Å"sleep learning† be retaught the importance of government and their place in society (Huxley). The government fundamentally brainwashes its citizens to keep them ignorant of anything other than what they need know. Knowledge is a valuable thing. â€Å" If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and will never be†¦the people cannot be safe without information. Where the press is free, and everyone is able to read; all is safe† (Huxley). One important factor in controlling a large group of people is limiting his or her knowledge and resources. In 1984, the government uses a new form of speaking called â€Å"news speak.† Newspeak is a simplified version of the truth. The problem with this is when things are simplified we do not get the full version of the truth; instead we get a biased form of it. In 1984, the government controls information allowing only what reflects well on them to be released. â€Å"Don’t you see the whole aim of newspeak is to narrow the range of thought† (Orwell). Lowery also shows a limitation of knowledge in her novel. In The Giver, the elders censor their peoples’ language, emotions, and behaviors. Only the Giver and Receiver are allowed access to books and memories. The citizens in this novel are childlike in their understanding of things (Hanson). They literally have a limited vision and no way to think for themselves, or to make decisions without the Giver’s help. Taking away knowledge is a powerful thing and dangerous thing. â€Å"Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present controls the past† (Orwell 32). History and memories are essential to a society. When citizens forget the past; it numbs the entire citizenry. In 1984, the government constantly changes the past so it portrays them in a better light. â€Å"The party is at war with Eurasia therefore it always has been at war with Euras ia† (â€Å"Eternal Vigilance†). â€Å"Double think† is a form of thinking created by the government in Orwell’s novel. To â€Å"double think† is to have two contrary beliefs and believe both of them, while only expressing one. Orwell’s main character Winston knows when something is a lie, but has no evidence to controvert it. He says, â€Å" The past†¦had not merely been altered, it had been destroyed† (Orwell 33). In The Giver, only the Giver himself and Jonas the Receiver are allowed access to the history of their city. Upon discovering the outside world and time Jonas says, â€Å"I’m sorry sir. I don’t know what you mean when you say ‘the whole world’ or ‘generations before him.’ I thought there was only us. I thought there was only now.† Before becoming the Receiver, Jonas like all the others in his community only understood the here and now. To them everything outside of their own city simply was â€Å"elsewhere† (Low ery 56). When Jonas does discover his people’s past, he longs for a different future; knowing that there was more to life then what was offered by his elders. Emotion is an essential part of a human being. In these dystopian novels, emotion is either used as a tool for the government or completely eliminated from society. In 1984, negative emotions are used to create a common enemy among the people. Every day, all citizens were required to participate in the â€Å"two minutes hate.† During this time, they focused on an enemy of â€Å"The Party† and exhibited very animalistic behavior (Orwell 5). They also trained children from a very young age making Party minions. Winston describes his neighbor Parsons, â€Å"a man of paralyzing stupidity, a mass of imbecile enthusiasm- one of those completely unquestioning devoted drudges on whom†¦the stability of ‘The Party’ depended† (Orwell 22). Lowery instead of using emotions, tried to completely suppress them. In The Giver, there is no such thing as color, love, or joy. Jonas’ world is dependent of content people who ask few questions and see no need fo r change. Their lives are planned for them; spouses are picked out and children are applied for. All these monumental decisions are made by the council of elders. Jonas is accustomed to a life of â€Å"sameness.† Upon turning twelve and becoming the Receiver, Jonas’ lackluster world transforms into a vibrant new place. The memories given to him allow Jonas to experience love and warmth. â€Å"I like the feeling of love†¦but I can see that it was a dangerous way to live† (Lowery 126). In The Giver, â€Å"stirrings† are treated with a subduing drug. This represses any curiosity and imagination the young people have. Adults are also required to take medicine that eliminates their sexual desires (Henson). There is nothing beyond what is required and no desire for something more. In each of these cautionary novels, there are uneducated people who have no desire to become informed. Government has become so controlling that even history has been changed. Propaganda and emotions are only means to advance the government. Liberty is the price paid for stability, safety, and community. Their world did not become the desired utopia instead it became a dystopia. Webster’s dictionary defines dystopia as â€Å"a place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives† (Agnes). Liberty and freedom must be earned and guarded. Enlightened and empowered citizens must keep them alive. The dystopian life shown in these novels is only a threat if citizens allow their freedoms to be taken away. When citizens allow themselves to be uncaring and uninformed about their government, the ultimate price is freedom and liberty. These novels show that freedom is much to high a cost; momentary contentment should never come at the expense of liberty. Works Cited Agnes, Michael, ed. â€Å"Utopia.† Webster’s New Dictionary and Thesaurus. Cleveland, Ohio: Wiley Publishing Inc., 2002. Print. Clareson, Thomas P. â€Å"The Classic: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World.† Extrapolation 3.1(Dec. 1961): 34-40. Rpt in Contemporary Literature Critisism. Ed. Carolyn Riley. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research, 1973. Literature Resource Center. Web. 23 January 2013. â€Å"Eternal Vigilance.† New Statesman [1996] 1 June 2009: 41+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 29 Jan. 2013. Hanson, Carter F. â€Å"The Utopian function of memory in Lois Lowry’s The Giver.† Extrapolation 50.1 (2009): 45+ Literature Resource Center. Web. 23 January 2013. Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited. New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 2004. Print. Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Dell Laurel –Leaf, 2002. Print. Orwell, George. 1984. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1991. Print.