Scrapbook of Styles Ritual in Maya Angelous Caged Bird

Born in St. Louis and then reared by her grandmother in the segregated community of Stamps, Arkansas, Maya Angelou overcame great adversities in her roller-coaster life to become a successful writer, dancer, singer, and African-American activist. The passages here have been drawn from Chapter 22 of the first volume of her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings  (1969). In these paragraphs, Angelou recalls the first funeral that she attended as a child, that of Mrs. Florida Taylor, a neighbor who had left young Maya a yellow brooch. The ritual that Angelou describes also marked the girls first recognition of her own mortality. A Passage From I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings* (1969) by Maya Angelou The mourners on the front benches sat in a blue-serge, black-crepe-dress gloom. A funeral hymn made its way around the church tediously but successfully. It eased into the heart of every gay thought, into the care of each happy memory. Shattering the light and hopeful: On the other side of Jordan, there is a peace for the weary, there is a peace for me. The inevitable destination of all living things seemed but a short step away. I had never considered before that  dying, death, dead, passed away, were  words  and  phrases  that might be even faintly connected with me.But on that onerous day, oppressed beyond relief, my own mortality was borne in upon me on sluggish tides of doom.No sooner had the mournful song run its course than the minister took to the altar and delivered a sermon that in my state gave little comfort. Its subject was, Thou art my good and faithful servant with whom I am well pleased. His voice enweaved itself through the somber vapors left by the dirge. In a monotonous tone he warned the listeners that this day might be your last, and the best insurance against dying a sinner was to make yourself right with God so that on the fateful day He would say, Thou art my good and faithful servant with whom I am well pleased...Mr. Taylor and the high church officials were the first to file around the bier to wave farewell to the departed and get a glimpse of what lay in store for all men. Then on heavy feet, made more ponderous by the guilt of the living viewing the dead, the adult church marched up to the coffin and back to their seats. Their faces, which showed apprehension before reaching the coffin, revealed, on the way down the opposite aisle, a final confrontation of their fears. Watching them was a little like peeping through a window when the shade is not drawn flush. Although I didnt try, it was impossible not to record their roles in the drama.And then a black-dressed usher stuck her hand out woodenly toward the childrens rows. Th ere was the shifty rustling of unreadiness but finally a boy of fourteen led us off and I dared not hang back, as much as I hated the idea of seeing Mrs. Taylor. Up the aisle, the moans and screams merged with the sickening smell of woolen black clothes worn in summer weather and green leaves wilting over yellow flowers. I couldnt distinguish whether I was smelling the clutching sound of misery or hearing the cloying odor of death.It would have been easier to see her through the gauze, but instead I looked down on the stark face that seemed suddenly so empty and evil. It knew secrets that I never wanted to share. *I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the first volume of Maya Angelous autobiography, was published by Random House in 1970. It is also available in a Random House paperback edition (2009).

Types of Actors - 1436 Words

3.4 Types of Actors Figure 3.2 Types of Actors and Some Current Actors Who Fit Each Category Impersonators Dustin Hoffman brings Lenny Bruce to life. The performance is so convincing and Lenny so gritty that today’s audiences may think they are seeing Lenny Bruce himself.Photo by Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/courtesy Everett Collection The term impersonator is considered somewhat demeaning in the acting world, suggesting that the actor has simply copied the manner, dialect, and behavior of a character, instead of creating the character. There are times when such a skill is useful—when a filmmaker needs a portrayal of a recognizable historical figure, for instance, but doesn’t want to distract the audience by casting a recognizable actor in†¦show more content†¦Even though he can be considered a personality actor, no one would argue that Nicholson, who has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won three, is a brilliant actor. And actors like Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant remain popular personalities more than half a century after their heyday. But a lesser talent who relies too much on personality risks staying power. Will audiences 50 years from now recognize the strength of personality? Or will it simply seemed mannered and curious, a distraction instead of a beloved trait? Stars To define a star, think about a personality actor, only more so. A star is a distinctive screen persona, who is well–known and popular with the moviegoing public, often to the point that some avid movie fans become deeply curious about the actor’s private life Hollywood has a long love affair with stars, since the days of Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. Stars are actors who are simply famous on–screen and off, personalities so magnetic that we are interested not just in their movies but in their personal lives as well. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are both talented actors. But they’re also famous stars, so much so that tabloids and gossip sites endlessly speculate on their relationship, their children, and every other aspect of their lives. Obviously this has been taken to almost absurd extremes today, where Web sites breathlessly report the content of text messages between actors and their mistressesShow MoreRelatedSystem and Change in Industrial Relat ions Analysis990 Words   |  4 Pagesconflicting theories and reasons for the emergence and importance of this field. Edmond Heery outlines and analyses the justaposition of two different views of modeling this vast and often debated area of industrial relations. His article looks at two types of model building in IR. First, the traditional model of systems-thinking set forth by John Dunlop, one of the pioneers of IR theory. Introduced in 1958, Dunlop’s system theory of IR tries to provide tools to understand the widest possible range ofRead MoreThe Kabuki Theater1516 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough it started out as just another type of dance, Kabuki eventually emerged into an important and fascinating theatre where elaborate makeup and costumes combined to put on entertaining performances for audiences throughout the centuries. Kabuki started out as a style of dance in the early sixteenth century, also known as the Edo period. Kabuki is an exclusive type of theater in which only males can act on stage. For over 400 years, women have only been allowed in the audience and not on stageRead MoreThe Work Of Art And The Age Of Mechanical Reproduction911 Words   |  4 Pagesnow plays a larger part in these values, where the ability to reproduce the art changes how people experience the art, both physically and mentally. This type of involvement also leads to an increase in the quantity of people involved in creating art, which has led to the increase in the quality of the art being produced. It is with these types of ideas, however, that Benjamin ends this piece bringing forth the idea that this reliance on technology that has been developed will inevitably start aRead MoreAnalysis Of The Play Waiting For Godot 994 Words   |  4 Pagesthere are some elements of the absurd, which are dictated by the presentat ion of Beckett’s play in a smaller venue, such as the Skirball Theater at New York University. The â€Å"Irishness† of the play is typically found in the Irish accents used by the actors, which is found in the expert interpretation of Beckett’s language in the Gare St Lazare production. Of course, the accents of Lane and Irwin are authentic, which gives a blend of traditional Irishness of the play, especially since Godot was an IrishRead MoreNon-State Actors Affected International Relations1225 Words   |  5 PagesNon-State Actors: Have an ability to affect International Relations 1 Introduction By the Peace of Westphalia ended the thirty years war, began the world politics and began the establishment of political system. There are global organizations controlled by states like United Nations (UN) and regional organizations which are the members from the nearest area with the same ideologies and take same principal of the organization like European Union (EU). Other side there are informal organizationRead MoreThe Play A Play As An Event That People Go And Witnesses1311 Words   |  6 PagesA play is the fundamental part of theatre, it’s an event that people go and witnesses. There are two major types of plays, comedies and tragedies, and every play should have a beginning, middle and an end. A play’s structure also known as dramaturgy, the vertical axis where it revolves around the characters and the action, while the horizontal axis consists of the time and plot. Plays exists in a worldly structure the preplay, play and the post play. Preplay is when the adv ertisement for the playRead MoreEssay about Gay and Lesbian Theater689 Words   |  3 Pageswhen I believed it would not be interesting or crowded. Other people know if actors are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, but few people would disagree that the theater world is friendly toward a variety of nonconformist than most professional fields. Same-sex love has been associated with acting for over 2000 years in the west during Roman times. It has been said that these types of relationships are accepted in this type of profession because it’s considered the least respectful environment. ViewersRead MoreThe Elizabethan Era 1663 Words   |  7 Pagescomposed new types of music, poets expressed their feeling through poetry, and playwrights wrote plays of different types of genres. Social classes and gender roles also contributed to the entertainment culture. During the Elizabethan era, people were entertained by sources of entertainment, such as plays, music, and poetry. Music was one of the many sources of entertainment during the Elizabethan Era. Elizabethan music was more refined and sophisticated than previous types of music. QueenRead MoreThe Drama And The Performance Background Of Japanese Theatre1723 Words   |  7 Pagesfurther exotic creatures. At the end, there is an energetic dance piece finale with a big cast. The ultimate purpose is to entertain the audience and to let the actors to reveal their skills. Nevertheless there is a didactic part, that represented by the reward of moral people and the punishment of immoral people. Therefore, in the plays the actors correspond to conflicts with religious facts, to show the transitioning of nature from the world of Buddhism, and the weight of responsibility from ConfucianismRead MoreA Bright Room Called Day by Tony Kushner678 Words   |  3 Pageshis character)is that he talks more rather taking action. One type of acting shown by the character of Husz is representational. This type of acting is playing from the inside. Husz is a person who doesnt know a lot about what is going on around him, what is going to happen, and how it is going to affect him and his love. However, he focuses on his work and tries to do propaganda art in his movies. The most important part for the actor before performing is to know everything about the character,

Favorite Place free essay sample

Comfort is something that is not easy to come by. There are many habits and simple pleasures that we indulge in to escape from the everyday stress of life. However, there is one treatment for stress that can provide an ideal amount of comfort. That treatment is being in your favorite place. Kingsley Lake has become an annual vacation spot every summer for my family and also for short weekend getaways. For this reason, Kingsley has become my favorite place to be to escape from the world for a while and enjoy myself. From the start of the day, and all the way to the end of one, the lake never fails to let me down in any aspect. Over the several memorable years of vacationing there, observing the sunrises became a daily routine. The sheer beauty of the scarlet red sun as it peaks over the pines is an addicting sight as it delivers the first of the day’s heat. We will write a custom essay sample on Favorite Place or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Faint sounds of hummingbirds catch my attention in the morning as well while they mingle around in the dense flower garden. The serene relaxation of the morning doesn’t last long however, because my dad never fails to strike up singing as he bakes muffins or mixes pancake batter in the kitchen. But his poor singing voice is always forgiven due the aroma of his pancakes and muffins that he has perfected over the years. Since my hunger rises from the smell slowly filling the rest of the lake house, I’ll usually distract myself with a warm cup of coffee that never fails to burn my mouth. The sound of feet fumbling down the stairs is the next thing I hear as my family and cousins wake up with the strengthening sunlight. After breakfast we all become anxious to go for a swim after eating breakfast. The walk down to the dock and into the water is always bitter sweet as the heat and humidity hit me like a wall. I always become quickly acclimated to the heat and race across the smoldering dock towards the water. The sight of all my sisters, brothers, and cousins all leaping into the water always causes me to laugh, since they all try to barrel down the dock to beat everyone to the water. Sounds of splashing and laughter became the only thing that is heard from the dock for the remainder of the day. The only thing to interrupt it is the roar of the boat engine as it fires up and takes us all out to tube or water ski. After several hours down at the lake the only thing left to stop the fun is a slight feeling of exhaustion, accompanied by a raging hunger. Soon my aunt and step-mom will have enough barbeque pork, beans, roles, and potato salad ready to feed an army. At this point everyone rushes up stairs to get some much needed nourishment. The bright blue sky soon will fade to darkness after the several hours of feasting. The only thing left to do is to take the boat out one more time for some night fishing. The anticipation of an unlikely success is what fuels my brothers and me to embark on this fishing experience. The sight of a fishing rod bending over backward when I get a big bite is enough motivation for me. As the midnight hour approaches, a well-deserved sit on the porch is the next thing on my list. The smell of a cheap cigar fills the air as my uncle cracks jokes and tokes. Soon the overwhelming exhaustion will get the best of me and I’ll refresh myself once more in the shower and crash into the sheets of the bed. When a day at the lake draws to an end I can only hope to savor the last of the remaining days left.

UFO Essays (1400 words) - Unidentified Flying Objects,

UFO Witness On June 24th, 1947 while searching for the remains of a downed Marine C-46 transport, lost somewhere in the Mount Ranier area, a young Idahoan businessman named Kenneth Arnold spotted something that would change his life forever. Just north of his position flying at an altitude of 9,500 feet and an unprecedented airspeed of 1,700 mph he spotted nine circular aircraft flying in formation. According to his estimate the aircraft were approximately the size of a DC-4 airliner ( Jackson 4). This account was the first sighting to ever receive a great deal of media attention. This sighting gave birth to the phrase "flying Saucer" coined by a reporter named Bill Begrette. Although not the first UFO sighting in history, Kenneth Arnolds account is considered to be the first documented UFO sighting. The following day Mr. Arnold discovered that in addition to his sighting there were several others in the Mount Ranier area that same day (Jackson 6). When most of think of UFO sightings we picture an unemployed, half- crazed, alcoholic hick living in a trailer park in the middle small town USA. Often times this description, although a little exaggerated, seems to fit fairly well. In the past when the average person spotted a UFO they were quickly discounted as a kook or con-artist in search of either attention or monetary reward. It wasn't until more reputable figures in our society began to come forward that we that we started looking at this issue a little more seriously. An article written 1957, entitled " Strange lights over Grenada" written by Aime' Michel describes just such an account: At 10:35 p.m. on September the 4th, 1957 Cpt Ferreira ordered his wing to abandon a planned exercise and execute a 50 degree turn to port. Ferreira was attempting to get a closer look at what he described as brilliant, pulsating light hanging low over the horizon. When the turn was completed he noticed that the object had turned too. It was still directly over his left. There was absolutely no doubt that the orange light was shadowing the F-84s. For another 10 minutes, it followed the jets without changing direction or appearance. The pilots watched as four small yellow discs broke away from the large red object and took up a formation on either side of it. All at once the large luminous disc shot vertically upward while the smaller discs shot straight towards the F-84s. In an instant the flat disc sped overhead in a hazy blur and vanished. When Cpt Ferriera was questioned by Portuguese Air Force Investigators he was quoted as saying: "Please don't come out with the old explanation that we were being chased by the planet Venus, weather balloons, or freak atmospheric conditions. What we saw up there was real and intelligently controlled. And it scared the hell out of us. (32) This is only one of literally hundreds of pilot accounts that have been documented and cross verified by other sources. To date the Portuguese Government has taken no official position as to what the luminous discs were. The United States has had more than it's fair share of unexplained aerial objects. In February of 1960 the N.A.A.D.S. (North American Air Defense System) spotted a satellite of unknown origin orbiting the Earth. They knew that it wasn't a Soviet satellite because it was orbiting perpendicular to trajectory produced by a Soviet launch. It also had a mass estimated at 15 metric tons, no evidence of booster rockets and traveled at speed three times faster than any known satellite. The satellite orbited for two weeks and disappeared without a trace. Before its disappearance, the object which appeared to give off a red glow, was photographed over New York several times (Jackson 19). Lights in the sky aren't the only evidence that suggests we may have cosmic company. In the book "A History of UFO Crashes", the author Kevin D. Randal gives detailed accounts of numerous UFO crashes in history. Perhaps the most famous of these crashes occurred on July 4th, 1947 in Roswell New Mexico. The crash at Roswell was witnessed from afar by over a hundred people. Until just recently, no one who was involved in the recovery operation was talking, but thanks to continued pressure from UFO enthusiast our government has begun to declassify much of its UFO related material. Perhaps more startling are than the government documents are the accounts given by local police and members of the recovery team. According to one unnamed witness, a member of the Roswell

The sacrament of marriage Essay Example

The sacrament of marriage Essay The Roman Catholic Church has a very specific interpretation of marriage and how it should be accepted. Marriage is one of the sacraments. It is one of the ceremonies that the Roman Catholic Church expects a devoted catholic to go through. It is believed to bring you one step closer to God. Marriage is also a covenant, a promise to one another. It is an eternal agreement between two people to allocate themselves to each other.The Catholic Church believes that the relationship between two people should be like the creation story. Adam and Eve are model parents and set an example to all couples. God wants all Catholics to have a bond between each other shown in the creation story.Jesus had a different view to the Old Testament which was that two people become one once they unite. Jesus said No human being must separate what God has joined together, meaning that it is not our job to choose to separate. Jesus was completely against the idea of divorce.The Pope has a similar opinion to Je sus that a man and a woman pledge themselves to one another in an unbreakable alliance meaning that a marriage is unbreakable and that they are choosing to enter an alliance, a life long commitment.Hosea emphasised that marriage was a symbol of Gods covenantal love.He said show your love for a woman who is committing adultery with a lover. He is trying to say that we should be able to forgive if we have sinned against one another. The love between two people should help their marriage survive through a crisis.The Catholic Church believes it is unacceptable for two people to divorce as this is emphasised in the New Testament although it does conflict with Moses teachings who said that divorce was acceptable. Although a marriage can be annulled if it is proven that it was never real or happened for the wrong reasons.One of the main views of the Catholic Church is that marriage is there for two people to become one. There is a special union that a couple shares in a marriage, sexual in tercourse is a sign of this union where two become one. If both partners choose to separate they are still joined after becoming one and God lets no one divide. In a marriage sex is seen as a proper expression of the love of a man and a woman only within marriage. They are able to have children with the encouragement of the church. The churches teachings explain that the sex and the possibility of having a child should not be separated. The church teaches that marriage is the only appropriate relationship, within which sexual intercourse should take place.In a marriage ceremony, two people make a commitment which is done by the marital vows. These vows include what their duties are and what they are expected to do as husband/wife. For richer for poorer is one of the vows meaning that they must stand by each other if they are experiencing any financial difficulties. In sickness and in health meaning that if one partner unfortunately is sick, the other must support them and continue t heir marriage. There are many other vows which explain their responsibilities.The Catechism is a book on moral issues which explains the Catholic Churches views on society. One of the categories that are highlighted in the catechism is that adultery, divorce, polygamy and free union are all offences against the dignity of marriage. Masturbation pornography and homosexual practices are also considered to be sins. The Catholic Church is strongly against any one that does not follow the creation, the uniting of a man and woman.Polygamy is another category that the church does not approve of where some one is married to more than one person. This is explained in 1 kings11: 3 that Solomon had married 700 princesses and also had 300 concubines. Solomon had disobeyed Gods laws and was lead astray by these women.The Catholic Church basically believes that when two people are married they have made a promise and are united. They are able to have sexual intercourse and then be able to have a child. People are expected to keep their vows and accept the moral issues mentioned in the catechism.AO2: Explain how in the course of their marriage the couple would apply these beliefs and highlight specific instances where Christian belief makes a real difference to a healthy marriage, you may include a variety of Christian responses to the beliefs andProblems that arise in marriage (598 words)Many marriages are successful and do not experience any serious problems whereas there are many marriages which do experience serious problems. These problems can be related to their vows or other social problems. Many things can be done to help save a marriage during a crisis with help from the church or groups.When a marriage is going through problems they can often reflect on the vows by keeping them. These marital vows can help resolve problems. For richer for poorer is one of the vows that we are expected to follow. Marriages can run through financial difficulties which can lead to pr oblems. One partner may feel they are unable to live with the other if they are not being supported financially. Marriages running through these difficulties are expected to love each other even if they are experiencing financial problems.Another vow that is expected to help resolve problems is in sickness and in health. This vow means that if either partner is having health problems, the other should support them. Many marriages can break down as one partner may feel they are unable to love and care for them. Using this vow they should be able to continue loving each other and enable them to resolve the problem by making time to care for the person. Two people in a marriage are expected to be together till death do us apart. People can reflect on this vow and help them want to continue the marriage and love each other until either partner dies.A marriage can experience many problems and pressures in society. Marriages can break down for many reasons. Some times there could abuse in the marriage leading the victim to feel the only way out it is to separate. A large percentage of marriages fall out due to one partner committing adultery and the other may feel they cannot forgive. In these situations divorce can be inevitable. A couple may have an annulment if they prove that the marriage was either rushed or one was forced or it happened for the wrong reasons. Once a marriage has been annulled it has the advantage of completely being eradicated from the churches records and are able to re-marry in a catholic church.When a couple is experiencing problems they can get help from the church where there are certain groups organised for marriage problems. They can all receive help from counselling groups such as Marriage and Relate.A couple may feel that they must stay together no matter what due to certain reasons. If children are involved the couple may feel that they have to stay together for them and to prevent the family from breaking up. A couple may stay toget her for religious reasons. They may be religious and determined to keep the marriage together to obey the Roman Catholic views. After having marital problems it could make a relationship much stronger between two people.In an R.E video, R.E collection, I learnt about couples who have truly kept the vow in sickness and in health. Anita and Glenn were together for five months and then married for 6 months. Unfortunately Glenn suffered in an accident and became disabled. Anita was enable to care for him and had to look after her child. She did not divorce Glenn and visits him very often feeling that her marriage is still very alive and true even though she is no longer able to have a sexual relationship with him. This is an example of a true Christian who continues to love her husband in sickness and in health.AO3: Life long marriage is too much for Christians to live up today. The church should be willing to drop this vow. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer showing that you ha ve thought about more then one point of view. (462 words)I disagree with this statement and that this vow should not be dropped. I think people need someone they can rely on and be able to share the rest of their life with as this is essential in a fast changing world. They can have a future together that they can look forward to. When getting married a couple speak out their vows. The vow death do us part should not be broken as the Roman Catholic Church says. Jesus wanted marriage to be permanent just like his love for the church, which is permanent. He made it clear that he did not like the idea of divorce. A couple should not be parted until one has died.Getting married is necessary to show the couple is ready to make a commitment to each other. A couple needs this security, this commitment to show the eternal unity between two people. Marriage can enable a couple to have stability therefore a couple are able to provide a loving home for children. It gives the couple and childre n security. If the couple have a strong lasting relationship it can prevent adultery. A couples relationship can grow and their love deepens.Jesus made it clear that when two people are joined it is not up to us to decide to separate. Having a divorce is a direct violation to the vows and Jesus teachings. He wanted us to work through what ever problems or difficulties we have in relationships which could help make a couple stronger.How ever in many situations it could help if this vow were to be dropped. Couples might be having serious problems such as physical abuse. If there is abuse in the relationship it may be extremely difficult to get through and divorce could be inevitable. Some relationships could be experiencing insoluble money problems. They could be in debt and the relationship is just not progressing. There could be serious sexual problems in the relationship. One partner may desperately want a child whereas the other may not or one partner may be unable to have childre n. Either way it could cause serious problems leading to divorce.Sometimes relationships have no trust where one partner maybe committing adultery or one partner may not be able to trust the other leaving a very weak relationship as trust is essential in a marriage.Many people feel the love between two people dies out after a while making it impossible for them to be able to make an honest commitment. As people seem to be living longer we are expected to love our partner for a long time the rest of our lives, which can be difficult, and divorce maybe necessary. If children are involved, divorce can have a big impact on their lives.

The Execution of Stoddart and Conolly in Bukhara

The Execution of Stoddart and Conolly in Bukhara Two gaunt, ragged men kneeled beside the graves they had just dug in the square before Bukharas Ark Fortress. Their hands were bound behind their backs, and their hair and beards crawled with lice. In front of a small crowd, the Emir of Bukhara, Nasrullah Khan, gave the signal. A sword flashed in the sun, severing the head of Colonel Charles Stoddart of the British East India Company (BEI). The sword fell a second time, decapitating Stoddarts would-be rescuer, Captain Arthur Conolly of the BEIs Sixth Bengal Light Cavalry. With these two strokes, Nasrullah Khan ended Stoddart and Conollys roles in The Great Game, a term that Conolly himself coined to describe the competition between Britain and Russia for influence in Central Asia. But the Emir could not have known that his actions in 1842 would help shape the fate of his entire region well into the twentieth century. Charles Stoddart and the Emir Colonel Charles Stoddart arrived in Bukhara (now in Uzbekistan) on December 17, 1838, sent to try to arrange an alliance between Nasrullah Khan and the British East India Company against the Russian Empire, which was expanding its influence south. Russia had its eye on the khanates of Khiva, Bukhara, and Khokand, all important cities along the ancient Silk Road. From there, Russia could threaten Britains hold on its crown jewel - British India. Unfortunately for the BEI and especially for Colonel Stoddart, he offended Nasrullah Khan constantly from the moment he arrived. In Bukhara, it was customary for visiting dignitaries to dismount, lead their horses into the square or leave them with servants outside, and bow before the Emir. Stoddart instead followed British military protocol, which called for him to remain seated on his horse and salute the Emir from the saddle. Nasrullah Khan reportedly stared pointedly at Stoddart for some time after this salute  and then stalked off without a word. The Bug Pit Ever the supremely self-confident representative of imperial Britain, Colonel Stoddart continued to commit gaffe after gaffe during his audiences with the Emir. Finally, Nasrullah Khan could bear the affronts to his dignity no more and had Stoddart thrown into the Bug Pit - a vermin-infested dungeon under the Ark Fortress. Months and months went by, and despite the desperate notes that Stoddarts accomplices smuggled out of the pit for him, notes that made their way to Stoddarts colleagues in India as well as his family in England, no sign of a rescue appeared. Finally, one day the citys official executioner climbed down into the pit with orders to behead Stoddart on the spot unless he converted to Islam. In desperation, Stoddart agreed. Pleasantly surprised by this concession, the Emir had Stoddart brought out of the pit and placed into a much more comfortable house arrest in the chief of polices home. During this period, Stoddart met with the Emir on several occasions, and Nasrullah Khan began to consider allying himself with the British against the Russians. Arthur Conolly to the Rescue Busy propping up an unpopular puppet ruler in Afghanistan, the British East India Company had neither the troops nor the will to launch a military force into Bukhara and rescue Colonel Stoddart. The Home Government in London also had no attention to spare a lone imprisoned emissary, since it was embroiled in the First Opium War against Qing China. The rescue mission, which arrived in November of 1841, ended up being just one man - Captain Arthur Conolly of the cavalry. Conolly was an evangelical Protestant from Dublin, whose stated goals were to unite Central Asia under British rule, Christianize the region, and abolish the slave trade. A year earlier, he had set out for Khiva on a mission to convince the Khan to stop trading slaves; trade in Russian captives gave St. Petersburg a potential excuse for conquering the khanate, which would disadvantage the British. The Khan received Conolly politely but was not interested in his message. Conolly moved on to Khokand, with the same result. While there, he received a letter from Stoddart, who was just under house arrest at that particular time, stating that the Emir of Bukhara was interested in Conollys message. Neither Briton knew that Nasrullah Khan was really using Stoddart to lay a trap for Conolly. Despite a warning from the Khan of Khokand about his treacherous neighbor, Conolly set out to try to free Stoddart. Incarceration The Emir of Bukhara initially treated Conolly well, although the BEI captain was shocked at the emaciated and haggard appearance of his fellow countryman, Colonel Stoddart. When Nasrullah Khan realized, however, that Conolly did not bring a reply from Queen Victoria to his own earlier letter, he grew enraged. The Britons situation grew even more dire after January 5, 1842, when Afghan militants massacred the BEIs Kabul garrison during the First Anglo-Afghan War. Just one British doctor escaped death or capture, returning to India to tell the story. Nasrullah immediately lost all interest in aligning Bukhara with the British. He tossed Stoddart and Conolly into prison - a regular cell this time, though, rather than the pit. Execution of Stoddart and Conolly On June 17, 1842, Nasrullah Khan ordered Stoddart and Conolly brought to the square in front of the Ark Fortress. The crowd stood quietly while the two men dug their own graves. Then their hands were tied behind them, and the executioner forced them to kneel. Colonel Stoddart called out that the Emir was a tyrant. The executioner sliced off his head. The executioner offered Conolly the chance to convert to Islam in order to save his own life, but the evangelical Conolly refused. He too was beheaded. Stoddart was 36 years old; Conolly was 34. Aftermath When word of Stoddart and Conollys fate reached the British press, it rushed to lionize the men. The papers praised Stoddart for his sense of honor and duty, as well as his fiery temper (hardly a recommendation for diplomatic work), and emphasized Conollys deeply-held Christian faith. Outraged that the ruler of an obscure Central Asian city-state would dare execute these sons of the British Empire, the public called for a punitive mission against Bukhara, but the military and political authorities had no interest in such a move. The two officers deaths went unavenged. In the longer term, the British lack of interest in pushing their line of control into what is now Uzbekistan had a profound effect on the history of Central Asia. Over the next forty years, Russia subdued the entire area that is now Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Central Asia would remain under Russian control until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Sources Hopkirk, Peter. The Great Game: On Secret Service in High Asia, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. Lee, Jonathan. The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan, and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Leiden: BRILL, 1996. Van Gorder, Christian. Muslim-Christian Relations in Central Asia, New York: Taylor Francis US, 2008. Wolff, Joseph. Narrative of a Mission to Bokhara: In the Years 1843-1845, Volume I, London: J.W. Parker, 1845.

Study skills Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study skills - Term Paper Example Mind, body and the environment plays an important role in the learning process. Apart from the facts stated above learning can be affected by the study skills like note taking, reading, comprehension, time management, preparing for and taking exams, learning styles etc. Recent brain based researches has shown that our ability to generate new brain cells accounts for the brains plasticity or its ability to continue to learn and update its database. Moreover, body and mind work together to help us pay attention, solve problems, and remember solutions (Weiss). A sound mind is important for the proper learning purpose. An agitated or restless mind cannot concentrate on studies and effective learning will never take place in such minds. For example consider a student coming from a restless family; he cannot concentrate on his studies even at schools since his bitter experiences at home will haunt him even at schools. Same way sound health or body is also important for learning. A sick person or a handicapped person may not be able to concentrate on his studies because of his bad health. Most of the times the body needs may dominate his study needs and he cannot concentrate on studies. Moreover our physical health and mental status are connected each oth er. Generally, a sound mind will rest on a sound body. Environment has an important role in memory retrieval as per the studies conducted by University of Toronto. The above study also concluded that animals absorb information about their environment and modulate their behavior accordingly (Bio-medicine) Heredity and environment are the two main parameters which affect learning. A positive environment is essential for effective learning. It is foolishness to think that effective learning may takes place even if the school is situated in a market place. Calm and quiet atmosphere and healthy atmosphere are essential for learning and that is why most of the schools and colleges are located in isolated regions away