King Louis XIV: A Disastrous Ruler Essay -- European History Essays

King Louis XIV: A Disastrous Ruler It is often debated whether or not the reign of King Louis XIV had a positive or negative effect on France. Although there were improvements during his reign in transportation, culture, and national defense, there were far more negative aspects. He depleted the national treasury with his liberal spending on personal luxuries and massive monuments. His extreme fear of the loss of power led to poor decision making, which caused the court to be of lower quality. King Louis XIV’s disastrous rule brought about a series of effects that influenced the French Revolution in the following century. King Louis XIV's 72 year reign was incredibly influential in shaping French history. King Louis XIV’s childhood was traumatic because of â€Å"La Fronde† which was a noble rebellion against the monarchy. This experience taught King Louis XIV to distrust the nobles. It was for this reason that he eventually excluded nobility from the council and surrounded himself with loyal ministers whom he could control. He also separated the aristocracy from the people of France by moving the court to the Palace of Versailles. One of the most notable of King Louis XIV’s decisions was that he refused to appoint another Prime Minister after the death of Prime Minister Mazarin. Every decision, from the declaration of war to the approval of a passport, went through him personally. During his reign as king, France participated in several wars including the War of Devolution, in Anglo-Dutch War, and the War of the Spanish Succession. Another major action he took was the proclamation of the Edict of Fontainebleau, which revoked the Edict of Nantes, imposing religious uniformity through Catholi... ...roblems and turned a great number of people against the monarchy. These events lead to the resentment that was another key factor in beginning the French Revolution. The end of King Louis XIV’s rule was especially disastrous. After the death of his advisor Colbert, King Louis XIV made even more horrible and costly decisions. He further enlarged the military and entered into many wars in which he lost a great deal of her newly acquired territories and increased the national debt even more. In short, the reign of King Louis XIV had a disastrous impact on France. His liberal spending, appointing of easily controlled people to court, revoking the freedom of religion, and poor decision making sparked the economic burdens and resentment of the aristocracy that were major factors in the French Revolution and the eventual downfall of the French monarchy.

Poverty in America Essay

Poverty is an epidemic that has swept the American nation many times over. Whether it be quietly lingering under the surface, or blatantly staring us in the face as it is in this current recession, it affects people across America on individual, community and national levels alike. While there are many causes and effects of poverty, it is important to view the issue of poverty and its causes from all angles when one seeks to tackle the problem. These factors include socio-economic status, mental illness, family values and work ethics, to name a few. In this essay, I will be examining these factors as they are discussed in the book, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls (referred to as Glass Castle throughout essay), as well as in the article Poverty in America from the Congressional Digest, December 2010 (referred to as Census throughout the essay). When children are born into poverty, it is the only life they know. They often grow up to either see life from the viewpoint of, â€Å"that’s just the way it is,† or become determined to better their status when they are old enough to do so. Children don’t often realize they live in poverty until they are told by their peers, such as when they are called poor and see people taking pity on them or make fun of them. They may also realize they are different when they are exposed to what other people have and realize that they have much less. As noted in Poverty in America, poverty level, in itself, is merely based on an income deficit, whereas one’s household receives less money than another; it also relates to the standard of living (Census, pg. 300). When one has less income, less things are afforded, however living within those means will often create or hide the barrier that is poverty. While one family may learn to utilize their resources effectively and appropriate funds where they belong, another will attempt to make fast money such as through crime or gambling. As in the story of the Glass Castle, the father spends the money the family has on gambling, sometimes paying off and spending the money on lavish dinners out and treats; other times they are deeper in poverty since gambling funds are not the most stable income (Glass Castle, p. Living in Las Vegas). Addictions and mental illness have impacted the nation and led many families into poverty. While not directly discussed in the article, it may be  presumed that these issues play a role in keeping people from holding jobs, working full time and gain the skills necessary to find gainful employment. The article cites work experience and less-than-full-time workers as being affected by increased poverty rates, especially in this recent economic downturn. Additionally, whereas it was normal for a single mother to stay home and care for her children in the 1950’s when the poverty census was first started, it is expected now for single parents to work and better their economic status for the well-being of their family. With the costs of daycare and living skyrocketing since the 50’s, women sometimes seek easier means of making money and still staying at home, including prostitution and drug dealing. Many of these women were also sexually abused and preyed upon because of th eir economic status and other issues affecting their childhood, which may lead to substance abuse in adolescence and early adulthood. Sexual abuse was a prominent theme in the Glass Castle, as the parents were very hands-off and flighty, leaving the children exposed to predators and even victim to family members. While Jeanette’s parents felt that the children will only become stronger by facing hardship, these factors will often cause self-esteem, trauma, depression and anxiety in children who grow up into alcohol and drug abusing adults; this may also begin the poverty cycle for generations to come. The cycle of poverty being exacerbated by drug and alcohol use is first noted in the Glass Castle with insight into Rex’s drinking problems. While he has attempts at periods of sobriety, he always returns to the bottle. It is apparent that he has dreams of grandeur, always telling the children that they will one day live in a glass castle, going so far as to build blueprints. He is a self-proclaimed inventor and thinks very highly of his skills and self, but is constantly losing jobs and sweeping the family away to avoid the law. While he has the emotional support of his family, he is battling his own demons of feeling like a failure, leading him to steal his wife’s money, gamble profusely and even takes steps toward selling his own daughter for a quick buck (Glass Castle, pg. rex takes to bar to play pool, win money back). He also seeks the comfort of a prostitute, probably to have the company of someone who makes him feel better about himself (Glass Castle, pg. Brian tells Jeanette about reading comic while Rex/Ginger were  in hotel). It’s also interesting to examine the impact of the sexual abuse Rex may have been exposed to as a child by his mother, which could have been the start to his cycle of living in a dream-world, using alcohol and low self-esteem (pg. when they tell Rex Erma tried to molest Brian and wonder if he was abused). Beyond addiction issues, mental health problems were also a focus of the Glass Castle, as it appears that Mary was, deep inside, a solid person with a good family upbringing, an education and was probably capable of being a good mother. Unfortunately, she was an â€Å"excitement addict† (Glass Castle, pg. inherited house in phoenix) and even gave up her teaching job to be an artist (Glass Castle, p. Mary returns from Bluefield), even though her children were starving. She also followed her husband through all of these adventures, partaking in all the excitement and neglect/abuse of the children, seemingly oblivious to any wrongdoing. Following the periods of excitement addiction, she would have depressed moods, staying in bed and complaining of the burden of raising a family and missing out on her chance to be an artist (Glass Castle, p. when they find diamond ring). It would appear to me that, while Mary has her times of trying to do what’s best for her family, she may be suffering from a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, making choices that are mostly selfish to fulfill her fun and excitement; she also makes very poor financial choices for her family, such as not selling the million-dollar property to feed her family (Glass Castle, pg. Mary wants to borrow money from Eric to buy adjacent land) and not using money from work to stick with a budget so that food and indoor plumbing and coal can be bought (Glass Castle, pg. Mary is teaching and Lori and Jeanette make a budget and ask to hold money). In addition, mental illness is often thought to be genetic, with some syndromes passing through generations. While most of the children in the Walls family eventually become successful adults with seemingly normal lives, Maureen adapts some of the characteristics of her parents, ultimately ending up living a bizarre life of chasing cults a nd getting locked up in a state hospital (Glass Castle, p. Maureen stabs Mary). Family values play a large role in bringing, and keeping, people in poverty; especially families. Although there have been separate social classes throughout history, values and work ethics are two factors that can change over time and create a different outcome of values and ethics. Through the article, the reader learns that recessions have caused disparities at different levels since the census began recording this material in 1959 (Census, p. 298). While each recession has differed slightly, the length and severity of increased poverty has happened in different extents, leading one to believe that the values/ethics of the time may be affecting how people handle changes in their economic situations; how families handle ongoing poverty over generations will also determine the overall success of that family coming out of poverty or remaining in it. The work ethics and values were definitely confused throughout the Glass Castle, with Rex having a history of serving in the Air Force and Mary being educated in teaching and falling back on that from time to time, barely keeping the metaphoric family head above water. There is also question about the values that are being taught to the children; where one parent proclaims to be a devout catholic that doesn’t attend church or follow the commandments and another parent despises and puts down the religion. Other family values that the children are exposed to include shoplifting (Glass Castle, p. where they steal dresses and get caught) and stealing from the bank (Glass Castle, p. where dad and mom are stealing money), as well as stealing lunches at school and dumpster diving; all of this yet Mary refuses to even consider government aid when the idea is mentioned, presenting herself as better than that. Also, family traditions that the children see other people participating are often ruined (Glass Castle, p. where dad lights tree on fire) and the family learns to deal with it by just understanding there is nothing they can do. Hope still remains for those in poverty. We know that, economically, everything that goes up must come down, and when it comes to the economy, the opposite is likely to occur as well. As the Census shows us on p. 298, while poverty levels have dropped and risen over the past five decades, they do resume along with the economy and each person in poverty still has a chance at changing their situation if they work hard enough. The coping  skills that people learn when they live a life of poverty to effectively live within their means prioritize can make or break the future options they have before them. As the Walls children show us, one can change their future when they put their mind to it. The children lived through so many experiences of suffering and neglect, and were always trying to help their parents get it together so they could have a better life. While the children learned to cope with their parent’s ways, they also were intelligent and ambitious, and having been taught to dream, they were able to imagine a better future and a higher standard of living. While poverty has been an ongoing issue, there are many causes and facto s associated with this social construct, and many ways to overcome it. In this essay, which combined poverty information from the 2010 Census and the book, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, the effects of mental illness, addiction, family values and work ethics on poverty were discussed and examined. The overall conclusion of this writer would be that poverty can be overcome as long as individuals are willing to help themselves and their dep endents and overcome the obstacles that they face in order to create a better outcome. References 1.Congressional Digest (December, 2010). Poverty in America: Census Population Report. Retrieved April 1, 2011 from www.congressionaldigestdebates.com. 2.Walls, J. (2005) The Glass Castle: A Memoir. New York, Simon & Schuster.

The Kennedys and Their Politics - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 982 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/05/05 Category Politics Essay Level High school Tags: John F Kennedy Essay Did you like this example? The Kennedys are a broad topic to elaborate on. There are many interesting facts throughout history that explains the life of the family before and during the presidential election of 1960. Even before John F. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Kennedys and Their Politics" essay for you Create order Kennedy became our 35th president, he acquired many accolades throughout his career in government. In 1946 Jack which was a nickname he gained from his family ; also a common name used with John ran for Congress successfully. He held this position for two years. A couple of years later, after his term in congress ended, he ran for Senate in 1953 successfully and held this position until 1960. This year was also the year of the presidential election which he won and served a term of three years from his inauguration in 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Early life of John F. Kennedy Backing up to the early 1900s John F Kennedy was born May 29, 1917 in the town of Brookline Massachusetts. His family was very wealthy and large I might add. His parents were Joseph and Rose Kennedy. Jack also had eight siblings: Joseph Patrick Junior, Rose Marie, Kathleen Agnes, Eunice Mary, Patricia, Robert Francis, Jean Ann and Edward Moore Kennedy. They all attended a local public school named Edward devotion school. Jack attended there from kindergarten and 1922 until the start of his third grade year and 1925. He missed school a lot due to bad health. JFK (John F. Kennedy) caught scarlet fever-a fatal illness in those days. After he recovered, he became sick many more times and dealt with this for most of his childhood, adult life and his presidency. When his third-grade year began him and his brother Joseph, were transferred to a private school in Dedham, Massachusetts called Noble and Greenough school. According to history.com his parents decided to move the two brothers for disciplinary reasons and thought they would be better off at a private school. Said by thoughtco.com, the Kennedy family was one of the small amount of Irish families attending Noble and Greenough school at this time. Throughout the school, there were little to no jewish children and most students that attended were of the protestant faith. Years later, the school itself was bought by developers. Joseph Kennedy, Jacks father, wanted to help start a new school called Dexter school and only boys institute in Brookline Massachusetts.(JFK elementary school years) When the dust settled, the Kennedy family moved to New York, planting their feet in Riverdale which at the time was a nice neighborhood in the Bronx. Jack attended many schools throughout his childhood, as you can tell and there are too many to say without boring you so lets get to the important ones. He finishes high school at Choate in Willingford, Connecticut where he is a part of a social club called the Muckers (founded by JFK himself)This club consists of people he was friends with and his partners-in-crime. Eventually moving onto college. The Choate school itself had a lasting impact on Jacks life moving forward. He used what he learned and skills he acquired throughout his presidential speeches in years to come. (Blythe Grossberg) John F Kennedy had a poor academic record and when he apply for colleges things were not looking so good for him. He put in an application for Harvard and as we all know today that the school is very tough to get accepted to. According to an article in the Huffingon post They looked through his transcript and said that it was less than spectacular and they were not impressed. He had complications in many of his core classes finishing his high school years out with mini failing grades, yet his grades in history were his best out of all; which was an average of an honorable 85 B. ( JFKs Academic Record and Harvard Application) John F Kennedy graduated in 1940 from Harvard University with a bachelors degree of arts in government. The following fall he planned on attending Stanford university but set this aside to pay more attention to President Roosevelt declaration following the pearl harbor attack. Later joined the Navy in 1941 and also became an ambassador for great Britain. In 1944, Jack was promoted to lieutenant after fighting in our US Navy for three previous years. Due to injuries you received during this time they had to send him stateside to receive treatment and physical therapy in Arizona.JFK was discharged from the US Navy with honor in 1945. Injuries from water can worsen over time without being active and because of this Jack had to have back surgery eight years following his discharge. In 1960, JFK (age 46) ran in the presidential election. His opponent, Vice President Richard Nixon -republican nominee- lost in the close fight against Kennedy -democratic nominee. President Kennedy?s inauguration took place on January 20, 1961. Her served a 2 ? year term before his assassination on November 22 1963 during a parade at Dealey Plaza, Dallas Texas. John was shot in the head while seated in his car with his wife by who people are to believe a man named Lee Harvey Oswald. The weapon used in this case was an infantry rifle. This incident caused such a commotion in the United States and lift people with many questions and concerns. Oswald was killed on live TV in the basement of a local night club two days later by Jack Ruby who is the owner of the club. The weapon used in this case was a 38 revolver. Even though Ruby was trying to do the right thing for the people of the United States he was still taking into custody and charged with first-degree murder. To learn more information on the Kennedy assassination and complex to follow the documents and in files have been recently opened to the public by President Trump and the year of 2018. I would highly recommend taking a look throughout these files. There are many interesting facts you can discover within them.

Essay about James Joyces The Dead - 3163 Words

James Joyces The Dead In The Dead, James Joyce lets symbolism flow freely throughout his short story. James Joyce utilizes his main characters and objects in The Dead to impress upon his readers his view of Dublin’s crippled condition. Not only does this apply to just The Dead, Joyce’s symbolic themes also exude from his fourteen other short stories that make up the rest of Joyce’s book, Dubliners, to describe his hometown’s other issues of corruption and death that fuel Dublin’s paralysis. After painting this grim picture of Dublin, James Joyce uses it to express his frustration and to explain his realistic view that the only solution to the issues with Dublin depends on a move to the West and towards a new life, rather than†¦show more content†¦Coupled with his depiction of Dublin’s immobile status through his characters, James Joyce also exemplifies his theme of paralysis through snow. In Daniel R. Schwarz’s psychoanalytic criticism of The Dead, he explains that â€Å"the snow imagery focuses our attention on a world outside Gabriel†¦where as ice, it suggests the emotional sterility of a world reduced to social gestures, empty talk, and loveless relationships† (Schwarz 123). However, I disagree with Schwarz and believe that James Joyce uses snow to symbolically represent the cold and dead Dublin due to its uncertain political period. When Gabriel first enters his aunt’s party, â€Å"A light fringe of snow lay like a cape on the shoulders of his overcoat and like toecaps on the toes of his galoshes; and as the buttons of his overcoat slipped with a squeaking noise through the snow-stiffened frieze, a cold fragrant air from out-of-doors escaped from crevices and folds† (The Dead 23). This symbolism comes back at the end of The Dead through Gabriel’s later thoughts on how the snow â€Å"was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills†¦falling upon every part of the lonely churchyard,† and touching both the living and the dead, symbolizing that not only Gabriel, but his entire country, both the living and the lifeless had been united inShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of James Joyces The Dead And Araby1651 Words   |  7 Pagesencounter. Jame Joyce’s works portray his characters to display both inner struggles and difficulty being socially accepted. During the party, Gabriel is anxious and nervous because he wants to uphold this reputation of a confident man. Therefore, he creates a script allowing him to have a sense control and comfort which he lacks. In Contrast, the little boy perceives himself to be self-assured and sociable when in reality these ideas are inflicted by his imagination. James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead† and â€Å"Araby†Read More Reader Response to James Joyces The Dead Essays1072 Words   |  5 PagesReader Response to Joyces The Dead       James Joyces story The Dead has a tremendous impact on the readers, especially those who are familiar with the political situation in Ireland at the time about which the Joyce wrote the final story in Dubliners.   In exploring the meaning of James Joyces long short-story, The Dead, there are many critical approaches to take.   Each approach gives readers a lens, a set of guidelines through which to examine and express ideasRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Gabriel in James Joyces The Dead596 Words   |  2 PagesGabriel: The hollow man of James Joyces short story The Dead In James Joyces short story The Dead, the character of Gabriel begins the story confident of what he knows, and ends the story depressed, realizing he is a hollow shell of a man. The T.S. Eliot poem The Wasteland famously portrays a world in which all meaning is lost, and men are hollow and stuffed with nothing of true substance. What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow/Out of this stony rubbish? asks Eliot in hisRead MoreEssay on James Joyces quot;The Deadquot;964 Words   |  4 Pages James Joyces short story The Dead deals with the meaning of life. This title is significant and enhances several aspects of the story. First of all, it reveals that the characters are unable to be emotional. They are physically living but emotionally dead. Second of all, it contributes to the main subject of the story, Gabriels epiphany. The title contributes to these aspects of the story by adding meaning and acting as a reminder of the overall theme of the story. The title, The DeadRead More Human Identity in James Joyces The Dead Essay928 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Identity in The Dead nbsp; The short story, The Dead, is the final story in Dubliners, but it is characteristic of a number of previous stories. In the first story, The Sisters, a young boy is confronted with the death of an influencing figure in his life. The women in Eveline and Clay are haunted by death: Eveline, by the memory of her mother, and Maria, by the omen of her own death. A Painful Case is the story of the tragic death of a rejected woman. A dead political figure isRead MoreEssay on Vitality and Death in James Joyces The Dead2238 Words   |  9 PagesVitality and Death in The Dead  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In his short story The Dead, James Joyce creates a strong contrast between Gabriel, who is emotionally lifeless, and the other guests, who are physically aging and near death. Though physical mortality is inevitable, Joyce shows that emotional sterility is not, and Gabriel ultimately realizes this and decides that he must follow his passions. Throughout the story, a strong focus on death and mortality, a focus that serves as a constant reminder of ourRead More Comparing the Living Dead in James Joyces The Dead and Dubliners1172 Words   |  5 PagesDubliners and The Living Dead      Ã‚  Ã‚   In his work The Dead, James Joyce utilizes his character Michael Furey, Gretta Conroys deceased love from her youth, as an apparent symbol of how the dead have a steadfast and continuous power over the living.   The dominant power which Michael maintains over the protagonist, Gabriel Conroy, is that Gabriel is faced with the intense question of whether his wife, Gretta Conroy, loves him and whether he honestly loves her.   Joyce provides substantial informationRead MoreEssay on James Joyces The Dead - Gabriels Search for Self3552 Words   |  15 PagesGabriels Search for Self in The Dead       The study of Gabriels character is probably one of the most important aims in James Joyces The Dead1. What shall we think of him? Is the reader supposed to think little of Gabriel or should he/she even feel sorry for him? This insecurity already implies that the reader gets more and more aware that he/she develops ambivalent feeling towards Gabriel and that his character is presented from various perspectives. Gabriels conduct appears to be splitRead MoreModernism and Existential Loneliness Demonstrated in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness and James Joyces The Dead855 Words   |  4 Pagesmodernism in its rawest form are Joseph Conrad and James Joyce. Both Conrad and Joyce incorporate one of the key characteristics of modernism throughout their works, Conrad in Heart of Darkness and Joyce in The Dead. The key characteristic that each writer targets in on is existential loneliness. It is a predominant theme throughout both of their works. A working definition of existential l oneliness as illustrated throughout Conrad and Joyce’s works is the inability of one character to feel acceptedRead MoreModernism Defined in T.S. Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and James Joyces The Dead1506 Words   |  7 PagesIn fact, no one is exactly sure if the movement has even ended yet. But that’s befitting of the period, as well as the pieces of literature that serve to define Modernism. Two pieces, T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† and James Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead†, are epitomes of this modernism. In both, the main characters are paralyzed by an inability to communicate, even while speaking. Whether through Prufrock’s musings concerning love life, or Gabriel’s inability to evoke certain feelings out

The Current State Of Americas Meat Industry - 1569 Words

Key to the current state of America’s meat industry, according to Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, is the fact that it is primarily hidden from the consumer. The consumer, as well as corporations, have chosen to build walls instead of demanding transparency. The general public and journalists are not permitted to enter abattoirs of many corporations, leaving the judgement of how animals should be slaughtered to the businesses themselves. State and federal regulations are not often put into practice as they should be, enabling the corporation to decide what is ‘humane’ and what is not. Handing this judgement to a profit organisation enables the corporation to find the most efficient and most lucrative system, ignoring†¦show more content†¦Pollan argues that transparency in the meat industry would hold businesses accountable to regulations and to the desires of the consumer as well as preventing the abuse of our natural resources. Po llan’s statement in Omnivore’s Dilemma, ‘No other country raises and slaughters its food animals quite as intensively or as brutally as we do’, is not a claim to fame for the USA. Many Americans would not necessarily agree with this statement because they are ignorant of the system, they have chosen not to see what really happens to the animals they eat every day. Corporations have been permitted to pursue profit irrespective of the cost. Pollan explores the issue by discovering what he would consider the wrong ways as well as the right ways to slaughter animals for their meat. In his effort to find the right way, when working on Polyface farm, Pollan dreaded being a part of processing the chickens. Yet, he knew that because he ate meat, he needed an education in the reality of killing animals. He could not go on as a meat eater if he was not willing to be fully acquainted with what having meat on a dinner plate entails. By killing a chicken and coming to terms with how that made him feel, he could develop a personal insight into the ethics of eating animals. Pollan intended to continue eating meat but he could not ignore his own ethical quandary when faced with throwing the chicken guts into the compost. He

The messenger essay task free essay sample

‘In what way is The Messenger about ‘response to challenge’? How does this relate to changes in Ed over the course of the novel?’ Even though Ed has a series of questions throughout his journey, the main part of his challenge is to overcome his own personal barriers that he built himself. His challenge is himself, and his self-doubt. Ed encounters many different types of physical, intellectual and emotional challenges. Each quest Ed undertakes changes and molds him into his full potential. Ed is faced with a huge challenge right from the start. The writer, Markus Zusak, gives the reader the impression that Ed is capable of taking on a challenge. For example; the bank robbery: Ed jumps to the challenge, saving thousands of dollars, and making him look like a hero when he takes the gun, and defeats the robber. However, Ed disregards his ability to be a leader, just as he ignores that he is the hero in this bank robbery; he doesn’t believe that he deserves the recognition that he gets. We will write a custom essay sample on The messenger essay task or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Markus Zusak has shown that Ed is a better person than he thinks he is. Ed speaks of himself as a lazy, unclean, man who can’t even finish school, which tells the reader that Ed has a negative self-image. This small section at the beginning of the book gives, the reader the impression that Ed can quite easily take control over a situation and makes the right decisions; he just doesn’t know it yet. This is where Ed starts his journey. From the moment the robber walks into the bank, Ed is faced with the challenge: let the man walk out with everyone’s money, or step up and take control. Ed is faced with another challenge; 45 Edgar Street, midnight written on the ace of diamonds. All he has is a piece of paper with three words on it. He doesn’t know how to respond to this challenge. He shows initiative when he travels to Edgar Street, and watches the family to find out if can see an obvious problem to solve. It doesn’t take long for Ed to see what the problem is, a man raping his wife, leaving her to cry most nights on the front porch. Ed doesn’t respond to this confronting situation straight away, this was the first time anyone had relied on him for anything. His first challenge was to act on what he had encountered. He has the chance to make a life changing decision for someone, and feels as if he couldn’t walk out on this, but he did. This shows that Ed still has room to grow, and that his journey is not over yet. By the end of the book, Ed is more aware of what he has to do: figure out what the subject needs help with, and fix it. He is stunned; however, when he finds out the subject is his own mother. Everything he has learned from his previous cards is put aside. Other times, Ed has helped strangers, and it was easier to watch them, and pick out their problems, than someone he knows and loves. This is a setback for him: he doesn’t know how to respond to it, as it is so close to home. This is an informal important part of Ed’s journey because he is now realizing that all these cards and addresses have been chosen for him. He knows it’s no coincidence that it is his mother that he is to help now. He accepts that whoever is behind this has thought this through well and knows more about him then he had first thought. The challenge however was not so much for his mother, but for Ed to accept and tell his mother that he is okay with her moving, on and to see his mother happy. This challenge helps him to recognize that he is changing as a person. He has never stood up to his mother before, even though he has strong opinions about her, but had always kept them to himself. Ed finds himself yelling and confessing his true thoughts and feelings about his mother, on her front porch a few days later. He knows that he has changed when he walks away, holding his head high. He knew that he would have of never had the courage to do this before. He is finally starting to accept that he is changing and becoming a better person. Previously, Ed had not known how to respond to challenges, and had never taken initiative when faced with obstacles. After his journey, when Ed was faced with a consequence that he could not ignore, he was able to face challenge constructively and positively. Each challenge he was given helps Ed grow into, a brave and motivated person. The way Ed responds to challenge is different from his first card to the last, and he finally has the motivation to set goals and strive to achieve them.

Finding Waldo free essay sample

1987 brought the world a hide-and-seek legend. It brought us the stripes-clad, glasses-wearing Waldo who in every illustration resides among the mess of cartoon scenery. Find Waldo, each page instructs, but how? What if each of us is Waldo, drawn into a pandemonium that we must first make sense of? Some drawings are simpler than others, and Waldo can be found in less time. Others require a break, to come back and reassess Waldo’s location. Still others implore the help of another person. Once Waldo is found, though, the page is turned. We, the Waldos, are lost once again. Likely without knowing it, British illustrator Martin Handford created a metaphor for the ultimate search in life: the search to find oneself. My quest to find Waldo took me seventeen years- essentially my entire life. I did not realize its importance, though, until after my freshman year and after listening to stories of all the excitement my friends had lived through. We will write a custom essay sample on Finding Waldo or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In my mediocre life of maintaining perfect grades, competing in a side sport, and keeping family values, I had not considered anything except the planned future. College, a career, and this abstract idea of accomplishment were there, but the words of Frank Zappa terrified me. â€Å"If you end up with a boring miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, you teacher, your priest, or some guy on television telling you how to do [it] then you deserve it.† I did not want to deserve it. I wanted to complete my quest, to find Waldo before time ran out and my perceived mundane future loomed before me. This past summer, I finally figured out that he can indeed be found. Waldo is where the heart is. Waldo is the two seconds in the air between cliff and water after I jump. He is skiing hand in hand with my friends and the ski bum town I feel so at home in. He is making breakfast with two of my favorite people and the laughter that echoed through the kitchen when one of the pancakes, flipped off the skillet in my attempt to show off, hit the ceiling. Waldo is rock climbing, fountain running, beach walks, teaching myself to play ukulele, and performing for the block-long line at the frozen yogurt joint. Waldo is sleeping under the stars but usually not sleeping at all. He’s music: by the campfire, in the pool, or spilling freely out of every open car window as I ride my bike down the street to pick up my mango juice. Waldo is a week with the camp folk I call my family and falling in love each day I spend there. Waldo is indescribable moments, snapshots in a scrapbook I’m not yet ready to put away. I found Waldo this summer, not in one place but on every page in the story I lived this season. As with every book, I was saddened to finish it, but more await, and I am ready.