Lesbian Representation in the Vampire Classic CARMILLA

Lesbian Representation in the Vampire Classic CARMILLA Sponsored by  Carmilla by Kim Turrisi from KCP Loft. An adaptation of Shaftesburys award-winning, groundbreaking queer vampire web series of the same name, Carmilla mixes the camp of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the snark of Veronica Mars, and the mysterious atmosphere of Welcome to Nightvale. In 1872, J. Sheridan Le Fanu wrote a novella. It’s about a vampire who slowly sucks the life out of the young girls it charms in the daytime hours, only to be hunted down in by a male protector and killed in its coffin. This vampire is a woman. Le Fanu’s Carmilla predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula by a good 26 years. It’s provocative, it’s a quick read, and it is very, very gay. “I took her hand as I spoke. I was a little shy, as lonely people are, but the situation made me eloquent, and even bold. She pressed my hand, she laid hers upon it, and her eyes glowed, as, looking hastily into mine, she smiled again, and blushed.” via GIPHY (Oh yeah, and watch the Carmilla web series) The narrator is Laura, a lonely teenage girl living in Austria. A carriage accident near her home brings Carmilla, a mysterious girl who immediately becomes extremely close with Laura. If you’re used to reading Victorian literature, the sexual-laden prose of their interactions will be shocking. “What!” you will cry. “I thought Victorian literature women only brought baskets laden with things to the poor or else died in the streets due to having had sinful sex.” Well Le Fanu has some things to tell you. Mostly in the form of heavy breathing: “Sometimes after an hour of apathy, my strange and beautiful companion would take my hand and hold it with a fond pressure, renewed again and again; blushing softly, gazing in my face with languid and burning eyes, and breathing so fast that her dress rose and fell with the tumultuous respiration. It was like the ardor of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet over-powering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips traveled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever. Then she had thrown herself back in her chair, with her small hands over her eyes, leaving me trembling.” While this heaving bosom talk may bring to mind classic associations with the male gaze, especially as regards women’s sexuality as it relates to other women, Carmilla is not that easily dismissed. While its titular character is still hunted down in the end, the reader feels an intense sympathy for her, despite talk of her being a monster. Reading between the lines of Laura’s narrative is almost unnecessary. You can feel the weight of the paternalistic 19th century on her as she talks about feeling “embarrassed” and “even frightened” when Carmilla professes her love. Laura has been asked to write this story by a doctor. That doctor’s essay on her story will be published and read, presumably by men. That she is as honest as she is in her recounting of what Carmilla makes her feel is astounding. Almost no less astounding is Le Fanu’s reliance on two main female characters to drive his story. On looking to its far more popular descendant, Dracula, we see Jonathan Harker locking horns with Count Dracula over Mina Murray (Lucy Westenra is also there). In Carmilla, the men are sidelined but manage to remain condescending: The morning after I saw this apparition I was in a state of terror, and could not bear to be left alone, daylight though it was, for a moment. I remember my father coming up and standing at the bedside, and talking cheerfully, and asking the nurse a number of questions, and laughing very heartily at one of the answers; and patting me on the shoulder, and kissing me, and telling me not to be frightened, that it was nothing but a dream and could not hurt me. That Bram Stoker took elements of Carmilla, a woman-centered story about female sexuality, and used them for his own story is beyond doubt. That anyone who is reading Dracula should also read Carmilla is beyond doubt. In a time in our world when we need stories where the disempowered control the narrative, Carmilla is a balm to classic fiction where the women are frequently flat pieces of cardboard pasted into a scene, and exist to change anyone but themselves. Also In This Story Stream 9 Vampire Novels With a Unique Twist The Evolution of Vampires 7 Wonderfully Diverse Vampire Novels 4 Takes on Non-Western Vampires Fangs for Nothing: 12 Underappreciated Vampire Novels How Teaching 6th Grade Made Me Unconditionally and Irrevocably Love TWILIGHT The Best Vampire Adaptations The Vampire as Sexual Predator in LOOK FOR ME BY MOONLIGHT Always Gold, Never Silver: Wealth, Art, and Vampires View all Vampire Day 2019 posts--> The latest and greatest from the world of horror Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

How to Start and Maintain a Book Club

Amazing Grace - 865 Words

Amazing Grace â€Å"When people speak of great men, they think of men like Napoleon – men of violence. Rarely do they think of peaceful men. But contrast the reception they will receive when they return home from their battles. Napoleon will arrive in pomp and in power, a man who’s achieved the very summit of earthly ambition. And yet his dreams will be haunted by the oppressions of war. William Wilberforce, however, will return to his family, lay his head on his pillow and remember: the slave trade is no more.† Those words are uttered by the character Lord Charles Fox in the British House of Commons towards the end of the 2006 movie Amazing Grace. They sum up the singular accomplishment of William Wilberforce (1759 – 1833), British†¦show more content†¦He was passionate to the point of being obsessive. Yet he also knew when to speak and when to make a tactical retreat. His timing was impeccable as were his patience and commitment. He wasn’t successful with every social justice campaign he took up. First elected to Parliament in 1780, he campaigned unsuccessfully for penal and electoral reform. It was in 1787, at the encouragement of William Pitt the Younger — his long-long friend and Prime Minister — that he took up the cause of abolition at Westminster. But his humanitarian and ethical arguments had to meet the economic interests of those who had made vast fortunes from the slave trade or the use of slave labour. Many of his fellow Parliamentarians had deep vested interests that wanted to see the status quo continue. Others were in the pay of slave traders. It was not until 1807 — full 20 years after Wilberforce first started his campaign — that the Abolition Bill was finally passed. Just before that, Wilberforce wrote his famous ‘Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, Addressed to the Freeholders and Other Inhabitants of Yorkshire’, justifying his preoccupation with abolition against claims that he was neglecting their local interests at Westminster, and setting out all his arguments against the slave trade. Then, as now, elected people’s representatives have to perform this difficult balancing act — between their constituency’s immediate, everyday needs and the greater good or national interest.Show MoreRelatedAmazing Grace Essay795 Words   |  4 Pageschildren in Jonathan Kozols Amazing Grace. Who defines them as other? How? What makes them feel like nobodies? What makes them feel like somebodies? What is the role of religion in this daily struggle for human dignity? Drugs, violence, prostitution, pollution, infestation, and sickness of all kinds are present in South Bronx, New York. Unfortunately, children are surrounded and involved in all these problems and more. In Jonathan Kozol’s novel Amazing Grace, an evil reality full of racialRead MoreEssay on Amazing Grace1770 Words   |  8 Pages Jonathan Kozols Amazing Grace is a book about the trials and tribulations of everyday life for a group of children who live in the poorest congressional district of the United States, the South Bronx. Their lives may seem extraordinary to us, but to them, they are just as normal as everyone else. What is normal? For the children of the South Bronx, living with the pollution, the sickness, the drugs, and the violence is the only way of life many of them have ever known. In this book, theRead MoreEssay on The Analysis – Amazing Grace747 Words   |  3 PagesThe Analysis – Amazing Grace Kiel Carino ENG 125 Professor Olabisi Adenekan October 29, 2012 The Analysis – Amazing Grace The poetry â€Å"Amazing Grace† by John Newton is one of the most famous poems ever written and composed. â€Å"Amazing Grace† has been particularly influential and has affected lives since it was written. The reasons why â€Å"Amazing Grace† is influential are for the same reasons why I found this poem very interesting and engagingRead MoreAmazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol690 Words   |  3 PagesAt first glance and after reading through Amazing Grace, it seems that Jonathan Kozol is going to take us on a journey through the lives of the underprivileged, but similar to the ones you read about, or hear in the news. However, this is not the case; the real underlying theme seems to be how the life and society they live in is very alike to a life in a prison, not because it talks explicitly about prison conditions in this area, but also because their lives are portrayed as being a prison. KozolRead MoreJonathan Kozols Amazing Grace Essay852 Words   |  4 Pageso r are glad to be separated from them. Such is the problem in New York City today and in Mott Haven in Jonathan Kozols Amazing Grace. I have lived in New York City all my life and I had no idea that these problems were going on so close to home. If I live about three miles away from Mott Haven and I am not aware of the situation there, then who is? Chapter 1 of Amazing Grace opens with a startling fact. It tells the reader that when one boards the Number 6 train from Manhattan to the South BronxRead MoreAmazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol Essay788 Words   |  4 Pages Jonathan Kozols book, Amazing Grace, analyzes the lives of the people living in the dilapidated district of South Bronx, New York. Kozol spends time touring the streets with children, talking to parents, and discussing the appalling living conditions and safety concerns that plague the residents in the inner cities of New York. In great detail, he describes the harsh lifestyles that the poverty stricken families are forced into; day in and day out. Disease, hunger, crime, and drugs are of theRead MoreView Of Justice Reflected By Amazing Grace Essay1998 Words   |  8 PagesJustice Reflected in Amazing Grace In the Republic, Socrates starts the discussion with the definition of justice. When Thrasymachus angrily interrupts and gives his own definition, he in fact takes an opposite view on justice and argues that injustice is more advantageous and profitable. Glaucon and Adiemantus further develop Thrasymachus’ view with a theory of the nature and the origins of justice and claim that justice is desired only for the sake of rewards. In Amazing Grace, injustice happensRead MoreEssay about Jonathan Kozols Amazing Grace 1553 Words   |  7 PagesJonathan Kozols Amazing Grace  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      While reading Amazing Grace, one is unable to escape the seemingly endless tales of hardship and pain. The setting behind this gripping story is the South Bronx of New York City, with the main focus on the Mott Haven housing project and its surrounding neighborhood. Here black and Hispanic families try to cope with the disparity that surrounds them. Mott Haven is a place where children must place in the hallways of the building, because playing outsideRead MoreWhats so Amazing About Grace Book Report Essay741 Words   |  3 PagesCameron Peterson Mr. Oswald Romans Period 4 11 January 2012 What’s So Amazing about Grace? Book Report What’s So Amazing about Grace? is a book written by Philip Yancey. It begins with a twisted story of a prostitute living on the streets. She is unable to feed her two-year old child and has to find another way to earn money. She could not think of any other alternatives and began selling her child out for prostitution. She could make much more money this way than she could in one night. TheRead MoreEssay on Poverty and Child Development1589 Words   |  7 Pagespeople in between. I’ve always heard of poverty and didn’t know much more about it except for the fact that people existed that were less fortunate, those who lived in this supposed poverty. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Jonathan Kozol’s book â€Å"Amazing Grace† depicts the issues that face families who are living in a world of poverty, homelessness and in a world where less fortunate is an understatement. Kozol writes about his experience in the South Bronx where he comes across some of the most disturbing

The Constructionist Perspective of Obesity Free Essays

string(376) " child eating and nutrition were meaningfully related to the kinds of foods available in the home and to children’s activities, both potential risk factors for childhood overweight, Gable Lutz, \(2000\) Children’s roles in their own physical health and well-being cannot be discounted however, it is the parent who instill these values into their children\." Abstract In this paper I will explore the social construction of obesity and how it formed into a social problem. Recent and growing media attention surrounding obesity in the United States, the so-called obesity epidemic remains a highly debated scientific and social fact. This paper examines the contemporary obesity debate through systematic examination of the claims and claim-makers involved in the controversy. We will write a custom essay sample on The Constructionist Perspective of Obesity or any similar topic only for you Order Now I will not take sides, but merely show and clearly explain each side’s views on the obesity epidemic. Social Construction of Global Warming . Social Construction Process: Creating a social problem using the social constructionist approach requires an audience who believes that there is in fact a problem before that topic is considered a social problem. There is a process to creating a social problem starting with â€Å"claims, claims-making, audiences and claims competitions. Regardless of whether claims are verbal, visual, or behavioral, they are the social problems work of claims- makers who want to convince audiences how to think about social problems and how to feel about these problems. † (Lose,2009) In this paper I will discuss the process n which obesity is viewed as an epidemic so therefore is a social problem. We have to ask ourselves, who are the people making this claim, who are they trying to target, and are they being successful? In other words is the targeted audience being persuaded in the belief: obesity is an epidemic? In this process I will compare and contrast two arguments dealing with obesity. One set of views is obesity is a problem of individuals making bad choices and on the other hand there is a belief the food industry has increased portion sizes and markets unhealthy food options with high fat, calories etc. So that obesity is understood as more than Just an individual issue. The sub argument is how should treatment is administered. Do healthcare professionals target individuals and teach them a healthy lifestyle or do you target the food industry to make changes in their products? II. Claim-maker of Obesity: The healthcare industry finds the obesity epidemic of great interest due to the strong connection between obesity and obesity related health side effects. Many studies have been done to monitor the increase of obesity with in United States. â€Å"Adult obesity rates increased in 16 states in the past year and did not decline in any state, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2011, a report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (ROWS). Twelve states now have obesity rates above 30 percent. Four years ago, only one state was above 30 percent. † (â€Å"F as in,† 2011) As a result of these findings augments among health care professionals were establish focusing on the cause of obesity. One group of healthcare professionals believes the problem is an individual person’s poor decision making which leads to obesity. If a person is making bad hoicks in their eating habits and does not exercise then that person will eventually become obese. The other set of professionals would argue it is not in individual choice, but their environment in which they live in. Food companies are targeting their consumers with ads and their increased potion sizes so therefore more and more people are becoming obese. Both sides of the argument believe there is connection between obesity and obesity related health side effects. Each side has different beliefs on how to combat the obesity epidemic. One side of the house is focused on curing obesity while the other side focuses on prevention. A. Individual Problem: Claim-makers who feel obesity is an individual problem use individualism as their targeted moralities. There is a belief system that people embrace individualism, autonomy, and responsibility for their actions. The belief in the importance of individual’s freedom to choose the types of food they consume and to have a more active lifestyle is embraced by most people. It is estimated that the leading cause of death in the United States is caused by â€Å"lifestyle† such as smoking, diet, exercise and sexual practices. (Adler Stewart, 2009) Since studies have shown lifestyle is a cause f obesity, medical professionals using the medical model focus on the individual patient for a cure. They not only focus on lifestyles but genetics and family history. To them behavioral choices and therapy is the main target for intervention. Obesity is more than calories in verses calories out. There are other factors that go into this problem. More and more research is indicating that America’s obesity crisis cannot be blamed entirely on too much fast food and too little exercise. Genetics plays a factor into which people are becoming obese. There are â€Å"natural and synthetic chemicals known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (Deeds), or as searchers have begun to call them, obsesses. Obsesses are chemicals that disrupt the function of hormonal systems; many researchers believe they lead to weight gain and, in turn, numerous diseases that curse the American populace. † (Perrine Warlock, 2010) Other hormone disorders come into effect such at thyroid, adrenal glands, pituitary glands, ovaries which can also contribute to obesity. In many cases of weight loss management requires a balance of behavioral and medical intervention. This balance is created through the guidance of a physician. Another factor in the rise of obesity is parents of young children who have poor dating habits raise children who are obese. â€Å"Today’s children are the first generation of Americans projected to have a shorter life span than their parents -? with one out of three at risk of developing Type Two diabetes, a crippling disease once seen only in adults. † (Stone, 2006) Parents instill healthy lifestyles in their children. They do this through family democracies, and beliefs and attitudes in eating and physical activity. The significant associations between household, parent, and child variables offer a glimpse into the potential processes at work prior to a child’s status as obese. For instance, measuring of general parenting and parent attitudes to-ward child eating and nutrition were meaningfully related to the kinds of foods available in the home and to children’s activities, both potential risk factors for childhood overweight, Gable Lutz, (2000) Children’s roles in their own physical health and well-being cannot be discounted however, it is the parent who instill these values into their children. You read "The Constructionist Perspective of Obesity" in category "Papers" B. Public Health â€Å"The public health model differs from the medical model not only in its emphasis on prevention but also in its consideration of a wider range of causative factors. † (Adler Stewart, 2009) These factors focus is mainly on the food industry. Their believe system is the food industry exploits people by targeting lower income families and their environment. They do this through marketing, advertisements. Public health approaches in solving obesity does include health education, they approach the problem through legislative and regulatory means. Examples are nutrition standards for school lunch programs; bans on sugar-sweetened beverages in school’s vending machines; requirements for developers of residential subdivisions to include bicycle paths, sidewalks, and parks; and zoning regulations for fast-food outlets. This group is using the moralities of equality of opportunity and equality under the law. Although obesity affects all demographics in the United States, some healthcare professional would argue obesity is target. Racial and ethnic minority adults, and those with less education or who make less money continue to have the highest overall obesity rates† (â€Å"F as in,† 2011) Published finding have reveal companies who produce products such as sodas, candies and alcoholic beverages target minorities verses the general audience. These advertisements are found on billboards in communities in predominantly African American and Hispanic. The advertisements are also seen in commercials and magazines th at target African American and Hispanic audiences. The environment in which people live directly affects people food choices. Lewis and colleagues (2005) also identified substantially more point-of-sale advertising and promotion of unhealthful foods in restaurants in low-income African American and Latino communities than in more affluent white communities in Los Angels County. (Yankee, Cole, Brown, Williams, Hillier, Kline, Ashes Beckman, 2009) Opportunities for physical activity, in low income neighborhoods are very low. Parks and walk able areas are scarce. Perceptions of resource quality, safety, and cultural relevance also affect physical activity levels. Research as concluded safety and quality factors in traffic fatalities, crime rates and park size effect obesity rates because counter to predictions, subpopulations generally considered vulnerable to obesity (and environmental injustices more generally) are more likely to live in willable neighborhoods and have better walking access to neighborhood parks than other groups. However, crime is highest in willable neighborhoods with large Latino and African-American populations and parks are smaller in areas populated by Latino/as. Given the higher prevalence of obesity and related diseases in lower income and minority populations the results suggest that benefits of built environments may be offset by social characteristics Ill. Audiences: The target audience for awareness of the obesity as a social problem targets every U. S. Citizen. Obesity is becoming a worldwide problem however the United States in the lead globally ranking the highest rates of obesity. Mainly the focuses is on physicians, nurses, dieticians/Dart’s, nutritionists, fitness professionals, health educators, public health professionals, social workers, psychologists, physical harpists, occupational therapists, teachers, administrators and school counselors. The other side tries to appeal to lawyers, food companies, and political representatives. These groups of people have the tools to promote change. IV. Power Relationships: As the obesity epidemic continues to intensify, it’s becoming clear that there’s more to obesity than lifestyle choices. Therefore, endocrinologists carefully examine the genetic and physiological causes and effects of obesity and develop treatment options that can produce concrete results. Endocrinologists are doctors that are facially trained to diagnose and treat diseases related to the body endocrine system – which regulates appetite, metabolism (food burning and waste elimination), and growth through chemicals known as hormones (â€Å"Combating obesity,† 2012) The same lawyers who battle the cigarette makers are now fighting the food companies. Dry, William Jacobs says â€Å"From the days of â€Å"reefer madness,† that old anti- drug movie, the word â€Å"addiction† has conjured images of out-of-control behavior. But today, cutting edge science is shedding new light on addiction and its connection to chemical changes in the brain. If those changes can lead to compulsive behavior, mom scientists wonder if fatty foods and drugs Just might have more in common† (Stone, 2006) While most consumers would say what you eat is your choice. It’s a matter of personal responsibility what you eat, but several academics and lawyers are arguing you’re far less free to choose what’s on your plate than you realize. While each group is made up of professionals who are notable, it is matter of persuading the audience to which solution is correct. V. Conclusion: Targeting obesity has support across the political spectrum. In the US, discussions of the supposed obesity epidemic usually take place within the context of a larger concussion, which assumes that the increasing weight of the population is a sign of increasing moral laxity and that overweight and obesity are playing a significant role in driving up health care costs. This linkage is attractive for those who are ideologically committed to a focus on ‘individual responsibility, rather than on structural factors that continue to drive health care costs ever upward, and leave one out of every seven Americans without health insurance of any kind. Anxieties about increasing weight resonate with those on the left of the political spectrum as well, ho tend to interpret the ‘obesity epidemic’ as both a by-product and a symbol of rampant consumer overcompensation and greedy corporations. Camps, Sashay, Reemerges, Oliver, Greaser, 2005) In this paper I have shown the construction of obesity as a social problem has been made through a series of steps used in the social construction of a social problem. Claims were made by those who feel obesity is problem of individual making bad lifestyle choices and those who feel is the food industry plays a huge role in why more people are obese today. Both groups validate obesity is an epidemic and th erefore a social problem however these groups battle the way we are to combat this problem. How to cite The Constructionist Perspective of Obesity, Papers

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Rhetoric Essay Example

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Rhetoric Essay Jonathan Edwards was a Puritan preacher present during the time of the Great Awakening, a time period in colonial America when religion gained a massive resurgence. He (as well as George Whitefield) was a key figure in the time, due primarily to his awe-inspiring sermons depicting the horrors of hell.One of his sermons, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, held many similarities to his others: it depicts the scorching fire, and the suffering, and the wickedness, and the reality of a hell that all unconverted people will go to if they do not completely accept God as their true savior and lord. In order for Edwards to have grasped his audience with fear, he showered upon the audience vivid imagery, threatening diction, and analogies to get his point across: there is a hell, and God’s hand is ready to flick you into its fiery pit, unless God is accepted and you go through conversion.Edwards delivers such a passionate sermon so that he can help revive the religious fervor he beli eves should be spread. To introduce his sermon, Edwards was very quick to make real the concept of a hell. He utilized horrifying imagery with words such as â€Å"hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them,† that vividly portrayed what Edwards identified as hell. The vivid portrayal was used to form a concrete image of hell, a definite, tangible, fiery hell.The congregation at the time likely had their ears and minds penetrated by the macabre Edwards had produced – which is exactly what he wanted to happen. However, he wasn’t doing this all for shock factor. He wanted to do more than create some cheap thrills for his audience. He genuinely wanted the congregation to â€Å"wake up† and face the reality that Jesus must be accepted as savior, and conversion was a must-do. The title of the sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, makes clear that sinners are being held in the Lord’s hand.Clearly stating this in his sermon, Edw ards said, â€Å"if God should withdraw His hand, [your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means your use for your own preservation] would avail no more to keep you from falling. † With that said, he was implying that it is God’s hand that provides a barrier between your soul and the fires of hell. Similarly to the vivid imagery used previously, Edwards also compared God’s hand with great waters, the likes of which are, â€Å"constantly rising. † In the odd case that one would not understand that God is the sole purpose many people are not urrently burning in hell, Edwards continued his analogies, stating, â€Å"the bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string. † Essentially, the great waters and bow comparisons mean the same thing. They both mean that at any time, similar to a flood or the shot of an arrow, God’s hand can release the firm grasp it has on the damned human souls resting upon it, sending them straight to hell. The parallel was used to show the simplicity of the situation; no ifs ands or buts. As the sermon closed, Edwards did not forget to leave the congregation with some final morbid images.He produced a degrading image of an angry God holding a sinner over the pit of hell, as one would a spider, furthering the thought that God is the only reason one is not currently burning in hell. Additionally, Edwards said that, â€Å"you (the sinner) are ten thousand times more abominable in His eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. † Once again, one can see Edwards’ continued use of bringing in abstract concepts, such as hell and God’s perspective, and putting them into tangible ideas. This technique served to produce an even more realistic image of what being unconverted and unfaithful to God carries.All in all, it is evident why so many colonial Americans followed the religious bandwagon of the first Great Awakening. With s ermons similar to Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, one can be easily swayed to have an alteration of perspectives on religion. With vivid imagery so vivid allowing words to be tangible, cringe worthy diction, and analogies bringing forth abstract concepts to put into real ones, Edwards had gotten his point across: hell is real, and only those who accept God will be the fortunate ones to miss witnessing the hell’s horrors.

10 Myths About Online High Schools

10 Myths About Online High Schools Don’t believe everything you hear about online high schools. Dispel your misconceptions by finding out the truth behind the ten most common myths. Myth #1 - Colleges Won’t Accept Diplomas From Online High Schools. Colleges around the country have accepted and will continue to accept high school diplomas from students who have done their work online. There is a catch, however: in order to be widely accepted a diploma must come from an online school that has accreditation from the proper regional board. As long as this is covered, colleges should accept diplomas from distance learning schools in the same manner they accept diplomas from traditional schools. Myth #2 - Online High Schools Are for â€Å"Troubled Kids.† Some online programs cater to students who haven’t been successful in traditional schools. But, there’s a host of other schools targeted towards different groups: gifted students, adult learners, students interested in a specific topic, and people from particular religious backgrounds. See also: Is Online High School Right for My Teen? Myth #3 - Online Classes Aren’t as Challenging as Traditional Classes. It’s true that some online classes aren’t as challenging as traditional high school classes. But, some traditional high school classes aren’t as challenging as other traditional high school classes. When looking for an online school, you’ll find a wide range of difficulty. The nice thing is that you can pick the school and class type that fits your knowledge and ability best. Myth #4 - Online High Schools Are as Expensive as Private Schools. Some online high schools are pricey, but there are also many quality schools with low tuition rates. Even better, state-sponsored charter schools give online students the opportunity to learn for free. Some charter schools will even provide a home computer, internet access, specialized materials, and personal tutoring at no cost. Myth #5 - Distance Learning Students Don’t Get Enough Socialization. Just because a student isn’t socializing at school, it doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t have the opportunity to socialize outside of the classroom. Many distance learning students connect with friends in their neighborhoods, meet others through community organizations, and participate in outings with other online students. Online schools may also provide the opportunity to interact with students and teachers through message boards, email addresses, and live chat. Is the half hour lunch break at traditional high schools really enough time to socialize anyway? Myth #6 - Online High School Students Do Less Work Than Traditional Students. Online students may finish their work faster than traditional students, but that doesn’t mean they’re doing less. Consider the interruptions in a traditional school day: breaks, transition periods, busy work, waiting for other students to catch up, teachers trying to quiet down the class. If there were some way to take out those interruptions and just let students focus on their work, they’d probably finish in about the same time it takes  online learners  to complete their assignments. Of course, this isn’t an absolute and the amount of work can vary between online schools. Some may offer a lighter load and others may challenge students with even more work than traditional schools. Myth #7 - Students Who Earn Credits Online Won’t Be Able to Transfer Them to Traditional High Schools. As long as the online high school is accredited, the credits should be able to transfer to a traditional high school. Sometimes credits don’t transfer because the traditional high school has different graduation requirements than the online school. In this case, the credits  don’t transfer because the traditional school has nowhere  to record them, not because the online school isn’t being recognized. The same issue can be a problem when students try to transfer credits between two traditional high schools. Myth #8 - Distance Learning Students Don’t Get Enough Physical Activity When They Take Classes Online. Most online schools require that students complete a physical education requirement in order to graduate. Many distance learning students also participate in community sports teams and other athletic activities. Some  traditional schools  even make exceptions allowing local distance learning students to participate in school sports programs. Myth #9 - Distance Learning Students Can’t Participatein Extracurricular Activities. It’s true that most online students will miss out on prom. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t have access to exciting, worthwhile activities. Some online schools organize social outings for students. With special permission, many traditional high schools will allow local students to participate in specific activities while continuing their studies elsewhere. Online students can also become involved in community clubs, classes, and volunteerism. Myth #10 - Online High Schools Are Just for Teenagers. Adults looking to get their high school diplomas are welcome to participate  in many online high school programs. Distance learning schools are often convenient for adults who hold jobs and can only complete assignments during certain hours. Some schools even have programs created specifically for mature students.

Pragmatics Gives Context to Language

Pragmatics Gives Context to Language Pragmatics is a branch of linguistics concerned with the use of language in social  contexts  and the ways people produce and comprehend meanings through language. The term pragmatics was coined in the 1930s by psychologist and philosopher Charles Morris. Pragmatics was developed as a subfield of linguistics in the 1970s. Background Pragmatics has its roots in philosophy, sociology, and anthropology. Morris drew on his background when he laid out his theory of pragmatics in his book Signs, Language and Behavior, explaining that the linguistic term deals with the origins, uses, and effects of signs within the total behavior of the interpreters of signs. In terms of pragmatics, signs refers not to physical signs but to the subtle movements, gestures, tone of voice, and body language that often accompany speech. Sociology- the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society- and anthropology played large roles in the development of pragmatics. Morris based his theory on his earlier work editing the writings and lectures of George Herbert Mead, an American philosopher, sociologist, and psychologist, in the book Mind, Self, and Society: From the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist, writes John Shook in  Pragmatism Cybrary, an online pragmatism encyclopedia. Mead, whose work also drew heavily on anthropology- the study of human societies and cultures and their development- explained how communication involves much more than just the words people use: It involves the all-important social signs people make when they communicate. Pragmatics vs. Semantics Morris explained that pragmatics is different from  semantics, which  concerns the relations between signs and the objects they signify. Semantics refers to the specific meaning of language; pragmatics involves all the social cues that accompany language. Pragmatics focuses not on  what  people say but  how  they say it and how others interpret their  utterances  in social contexts, says Geoffrey Finch in Linguistic Terms and Concepts. Utterances are literally the units of sound you make when you talk, but the signs that accompany those utterances give the sounds their true meaning. Pragmatics in Action The  American Speech-Language-Hearing Association  (ASHA) gives two examples of how pragmatics influences language and its interpretation. In the first, ASHA notes: You invited your friend over for dinner. Your child sees your friend reach for some cookies and says, Better not take those, or youll get even bigger. You cant believe your child could be so rude. In a literal sense, the daughter is simply saying that eating cookies can make you gain weight. But due to the social context, the mother interprets that sentence to mean that her daughter is calling her friend fat. The first sentence in this explanation refers to the semantics- the literal meaning of the sentence. The second and third refer  to the pragmatics, the actual meaning of the words as interpreted by a listener based on social context. In another example, ASHA notes: You talk with a neighbor about his new car. He has trouble staying on topic and starts talking about his favorite TV show. He doesnt look at you when you talk and doesnt laugh at your jokes. He keeps talking, even when you look at your watch and say, Wow. Its getting late. You finally leave, thinking about how hard it is to talk with him. In this scenario, the speaker is just talking about a new car and his favorite TV show. But the listener interprets the signs the speaker is using- not looking at the listener and not laughing at his jokes- as the speaker being unaware of the listeners views (let alone his presence) and monopolizing his time. Youve likely been in this kind of situation before, where the speaker is talking about perfectly reasonable, simple subjects but is unaware of your presence and your need to escape. While the speaker sees the talk as a simple sharing of information (the semantics), you see it as a rude monopolization of your time (the pragmatics). Pragmatics has proved helpful in working with children with  autism.  Beverly Vicker, a speech and language pathologist writing on the  Autism Support Network  website, notes that many children with autism find it difficult to pick up on what she and other autism theorists describe as social pragmatics, which refers to: ...the ability to effectively use and adjust communication messages for a variety of purposes with an array of communication partners within diverse circumstances. When educators, speech pathologists, and other interventionists teach these explicit communication skills, or  social pragmatics, to children with autism spectrum disorder, the results are often profound and can have a big  impact in improving their conversational interaction skills. Importance of Pragmatics Pragmatics is the meaning minus semantics, says  Frank Brisard in his essay Introduction: Meaning and Use in Grammar, published in Grammar, Meaning and Pragmatics. Semantics, as noted, refers to the literal meaning of a spoken utterance. Grammar, Brisard says, involves the rules defining how the language is put together. Pragmatics takes  context  into account to complement the contributions that semantics and grammar make to meaning, he says. David Lodge, writing in the Paradise News, says that pragmatics gives humans a fuller, deeper, and generally more reasonable account of human language behavior. Without pragmatics, there is often  no understanding of what language actually means, or what a person truly means when she is speaking. The context- the social signs, body language, and tone of voice (the pragmatics)- is what makes utterances clear or unclear to the speaker and her listeners.