The Impacts of the Politeness Principle on Foreign Language Term Paper

The Impacts of the Politeness Principle on Foreign Language Acquisition, Geoff Leech - Term Paper Example An example of these words is the word conduct. If the stress is placed on the first syllable, conduct means â€Å"behavior.† But if the stress is placed on the second syllable, the word means â€Å"to carry out.† Plural words also cause difficulty on the part of the learner. It is sometimes very difficult to explain to the learner why some words can be made plural by adding -s and why some cannot. For example, words like monkey can be made plural by adding -s. But the rule cannot be applied to the word money. The teacher should pay attention to these idiosyncracies to help the learner have a clear idea of when and how to use an aspect of the language being studied. As a result, the learner is able to proficiently and efficiently make use of the language and avoid being misunderstood or hurting the feelings of the person he or she is talking to. This is where the politeness principle comes in. The politeness principle which was developed by Geoff Leech is a series of max ims which help explain how politeness operates in conversational exchanges. According to Leech, â€Å" politeness are forms of behavior that establish and maintain comity or the ability of participants in a social interaction to engage in interaction in a friendly social atmosphere(Leech, 2005). Leech uses two terms for referring to two kinds of illocutionary acts. He calls representatives â€Å"assertives† and directives â€Å"impositives† (Leech, 2005). The politeness principle is comprised of six maxims. Each maxim has a sub-maxim which has less importance (Leech, 2005). These are used to show that negative politeness or avoidance of discord is more important than positive politeness or seeking discord. Leech says that not all the maxims are equally important. He also says that speakers may adhere to more than one maxim of politeness at the same time. The Tact Maxim Theoretical Application The first of the maxims is the tact maxim. This maxim aims to minimize cost and maximize benefit to another person (Leech, 2005). Examples of the tact maxim are â€Å"Peel these potatoes†, â€Å" Hand me the newspaper†, and â€Å" Could you possibly answer the phone?†. According to Leech, there are two levels of politeness in the tact maxim. Commands like â€Å"Sit down†, â€Å"Get a cup of water†, and â€Å" Close the door† are considered impolite while requests such as â€Å"Please sit down†, â€Å"Could you kindly get me a glass of water†, and â€Å"Won’t you have another drink† are considered polite. Leech explains that indirect illocutions are more polite because they give the person being addressed to an option of whether or not to obey. Reiter explains in her book Linguistic Politeness in Britain and Uruguay: A Contrastive Study of Requests and Apology that â€Å"politeness is a form of social interaction, a form that mediates between the individual and the social† (Reiter, 2000). She also adds that politeness assumes that each society has its own prescriptive social rules for different cultural contexts (Reiter 2000). Trosborg in her book Interlanguage Pragmatics: Requests, Complaints, and Apologies that â€Å"politeness is a pragmatic mechanism in which a variety of structures work together according to the speaker’s attention to achieving smooth communication† (Trosborg, 1995). that Leech also explains that the more indirect

The films Bladerunner and Fahrenheit 451 :: essays papers

The films â€Å"Bladerunner† and â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† The films â€Å"Bladerunner† and â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† are similar in the way they show emotions in their depictions of distopias. The emotions shown are not normal to us, but are controlled by the government. The inhabitants of these worlds are being persuaded that emotions are bad, unhealthy. However, some do break free from the system. The cases in these movies are not of really living at all, but just of going through the motions of life. The movie â€Å"Bladerunner† was about androids that were made to not have feelings and not to live longer than 4 years. Rachel is a good example of they tried to control emotions. As one of the new model replicants, Rachel was implanted with memories and could recall emotions. What she did not realize was that her memories were really the memories of her maker’s niece. She did not even know she was an android until Decker did the test on her. She was very upset when she realized that he was right, because she did not know what feelings were real and what feelings belonged to someone else. She worked with the man that created androids, the owner of the Tyrell Corporation, which makes her more upset that she did not know. This is when she exclaims to Decker, â€Å"I am not in the business, I AM the business.† Although she though she was living a normal human life, Rachel was going through the motions of everything humans do, but she did not have real feelings or even her own memories. Therefore, she was not even being her own self. Another aspect of the movie â€Å"Bladerunner† is of those that broke away from the system. The â€Å"Nexus 6† were androids that developed emotions and escaped from slavery, because they wanted to live longer. Roy and Priss are good examples of androids showing that they have emotions. They were manipulative, passionate for what they wanted, and even had loving sides. Roy was the leader of the â€Å"Nexus 6† and Priss was his girlfriend . Priss acted like a helpless girl to get J.F. Sebastian to let her into his house, into which she later let Roy. They made J.F. show them to the owner of the Tyrell Corporation’s house, so they could fight to get an extension on their lives.

The Angel – Ted Hughes Poem Analysis

1) What is the poem about? My personal view is that Ted Hughes has attempted to interpret his inner feelings relating to the deaths of his two wives and mother in his writing. The poem is centred around Halifax and I think this is of relevance because Ted Hughes grew up in the town so will always be able to make a connection between the actual place, his family and his upbringing. I find it significant that Hughes was frequently accused of writing poetry which is unnecessarily violent as my opinion is that he was simply being a typically blunt Yorkshire man, describing visions as he sees them. I am aware that the understandings of meanings may vary from reader to reader, but from studying the poem I understand that Hughes is describing a vision of what he thought to be an angel over the Calder Valley landscape. I also think that Hughes may use his poetry as a method to display his emotions and guilt felt towards both of his wives committing suicide. Also you can read Analysis July at the Multiplex 2) How does the poet use language to convey the meaning, give examples of use of any figurative or metaphorical language? Hughes endeavours to use his poetry as a powerful way of reaching our feelings and emotions in a subconscious manner. In his position as a writer, Hughes attempts to help release our suppressed creative energies, and he believes that poetry is particularly effective for this purpose. Hughes technique involves using appropriate wording to influence the reader's imagination which results in the effect being a release of emotional energy. I don't think his language and structure of writing is necessarily easy to understand. My approach to this was to study the background of Hughes as a person, this helped me to appreciate his work and recognize the style in which Hughes aspires to create a vision. I have researched more of Hughes poetry and upon doing so, noticed and become aware of the fact that certain images recur in his work. In his poem The Angel, Hughes uses metaphors such as â€Å"it was a swan the size of a city!† this type of wording will attract the reader's attention with an element of surprise as a metaphor is a phrase or figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing, is used to designate another. The result is it makes an implicit comparison. â€Å"Smoking Snow† is an oxymoron as two contradictory terms are combined. Realistically, it is not possible for snow to smoke but this is designed to add effect as it sounds quite dramatic. â€Å"Rippling its fringed edges† – Rippling is an onomatopoeia as is fluttered. Hughes uses these types of words to imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to (such as fluttered referring to dress). â€Å"Glowed like the night-cloud over Sheffield† would be classed as a simile as it is making a comparison and using the word like. I find the wording â€Å"Strange square of Satin† to be alliteration as Hughes is repeating the consonants to result in the same types of sounds. My view is that Hughes has used the word â€Å"enigmatic† as a personification as it is giving a human attribute to an inanimate object (square of satin). 3) What senses is the poet using to convey his vision and meaning? I think Hughes mainly tries to illustrate his poem The Angel as a vision in which we can receive a vivid and quite clear picture in our heads of the events and images. I think this is particularly correct of the sentence â€Å"She was cast in burning metal† as I can actually envisage the sight of the angel surrounded by the hot, flaming metal. Part of Hughes piece also appeal to my touch senses such as â€Å"When I next saw that strange square of satin I reached out and touched it†. This comment made me think of the soft and silky feel of holding satin in my hand. When Hughes is quoting his vision of the words of advice spoken by his mother it appeals to the senses of sound. Read also  Case 302 July in Multiplex 4) Which pieces of the poem do you especially like and why? The first reason I favour the poem is because I am familiar with the towns he is referring to (Halifax and Sheffield) and I think it is important to comprehend the significance of his Yorkshire origins in order to understand his work. I am curious of the fact that there is often a darker side to Hughes poetry. I particularly enjoyed the section where Hughes was describing his vision of an angel and how it suddenly changed into an omen surrounded by burning metal as I receive a clear picture of the event in my imagination and I can almost feel the terror and panic that Hughes aspires to describe. I like the way that Hughes describes his experiences realistically and does not try to express himself in the traditional and romantic way for which other English poets are famous. I especially favoured The Angel as it arouses strong emotions and it is not a conventional piece. I have noticed that Hughes frequently does not conform to the conventions which society expects of him, and naturally this upsets people.

The Bloody Babe And The Collapse Of Order - 977 Words

The Bloody Babe and the Collapse of Order in Macbeth One of the pervasive motifs in Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the bloody babe. Three major examples of the bloody babe are Lady Macbeth’s imaginary child, Duncan, who looks like a â€Å"naked new-born babe† and the apparition from the witch’s cauldron. These images have abundant symbolic meanings and help construct the chaotic world in Macbeth by showing the collapse of familial order, hierarchical order and time, . The world in Macbeth is not fit for innocent children. It is a world of bloody babes that are harmed by evil acts. The first bloody child shows the collapse of familial order in Macbeth’s household. Lady Macbeth takes on more masculinity than Macbeth in the murder of Duncan. After Duncan has gone to sleep, Macbeth panicked and wanted to quit the business. Lady Macbeth gave the unsettling yet powerful speech to entice Macbeth: I have given suck, and know How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn As you have done to this. (I.7.54-59) Through this violent speech, Lady Macbeth takes on a violent and masculine role. At first, the babe is depicted as â€Å"smiling† and has â€Å"boneless gums.† It is innocent of the vice in the world and its forthcoming fate, and vulnerable to any external harm. It â€Å"symbolizes pity, and the necessity for pity.† (Muir 235) It depends totally on its mother. LadyShow MoreRelated Macbeth Essay901 Words   |  4 Pages then you were a man; / And, to be more than you were, you would / be so much more the man† (I, vii, 49-51). She tells Macbeth that she would kill her own child to have a chance like this â€Å" I have given suck, and know / how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: / I would, while it was smiling at my face, / Have plucked my nipple from its boneless gums, / and dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you / Have done to this† (I, vii, 54-8). Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to commit a murder thatRead MoreMacbeth By William Shakespeare s Macbeth1623 Words   |  7 Pageshidden in some individuals based on the strength of their values, beliefs and morals. Those individuals that follow their ethical aspirations and moral beliefs live a joyous, peaceful and sane life, whereas those who jeopardize their conscience in order to satisfy their unethical aspirations live an ill-fated and accursed life. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth exhibits clear and concise examples of individuals overridden by immoral impulses which ultimately lead to their downfall. In the play, the characterRead MoreEssay about A Freudian Perspective of Shakespeares Macbeth2612 Words   |  11 PagesMacbeth:   A Freudian Perspective   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth and Lady Macbeth   We may take as an example of a person who collapses on reaching success, after striving for it with single-minded energy, the figure of Shakespeares Lady Macbeth. Beforehand there is no hesitation, no sign of any internal conflict in her, no endeavour but that of overcoming the scruples of her ambitious and yet tender-minded husband. She is ready to sacrifice even her womanliness to her murderous intention, without reflectingRead MoreOrder and Disorder in Macbeth4047 Words   |  17 Pagesevents that later aid Macbeth’s descent into complete insanity, Macbeth is portrayed from the very beginning as a fierce and violent soldier. As the play goes on, several internal conflicts inside of Macbeth become clear. After he performs several bloody tasks, the madness inside of Macbeth is unmistakably visible to everyone around him. As a result of this insanity, he sees visions and hallucinations. Each time Macbeth hallucinates, he plung es further into insanity that is essentially caused by misguidedRead MoreMacbeth Power Relations3173 Words   |  13 PagesMacbeth’s soliloquy, contrasts with the strong rhythms and violent imagery of Lady Macbeth’s speech. Images of nurturing are used to contrast the two speeches of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. When Macbeth speaks of Duncan, he says â€Å"pity, like a new-born babe†, which contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s violent imagery of ‘dashing the brains out’. Macbeth acknowledges Lady Macbeth’s manliness when he exclaims she should â€Å"Bring forth men-children only†, as she is so bold and courageous. The fact that Macbeth succumbsRead MoreExpo5600 Words   |  23 PagesHe must be silenced, and Fleance disposed of too, so that the prophecy may be improved. But Banquo s ghost attends the banquet, obedient to Macbeth s Fail not our feast; more suspicions are aroused or confirmed. Macbeth must trudge on along his bloody path, trying to keep secure a position which no longer has any worth or meaning for him and which is now a punishment rather than the anticipated goal. Shakespeare s deviation from his sources here, allowing the regicides no period of peaceful acceptanceRead MoreMacbeth9435 Words   |  38 PagesContents   Ã‚  [hide]   * 1  Characters * 2  Plot * 3  Sources * 4  Date and text * 5  Themes and motifs * 5.1  Ambition * 5.2  Masculinity * 6  Analysis * 6.1  As a tragedy of character * 6.2  As a tragedy of moral order * 6.3  As a poetic tragedy * 6.4  Witchcraft and evil * 7  Superstition and the Scottish play * 8  Legacy * 8.1  Performance history * 8.1.1  Shakespeare s Day to the Interregnum * 8.1.2  Restoration andRead MoreModern English Macbeth21221 Words   |  85 Pageslike a tidal wave. Two sentries brought a limping, bleeding soldier to the King. The man clutched his torn side, resisting an overwhelming desire to pass into unconsciousness. It was clear that he had something important to tell the King. ‘What bloody man is this?’ said Duncan. ‘I can see he s just come from the battlefield so he ll be able to give us the latest news.’ ‘Ah!’ exclaimed Malcolm. ‘This is the sergeant who struggled so valiantly to save me from captivity. Hello, brave friend.Read MoreModern History.Hsc.2012 Essay25799 Words   |  104 PagesNY city alone. Cleveland had an unemployment rate of 50% in 1932. Akron 60%. Toledo 80%. The collapse of agriculture (especially cotton) in the south left many black americans without income. By 1932 over 50% of the Blacks in the South were unemployed. Afro-Americans were unemployed at twice the rate of whites. ‘blacks were the last hired and the first fired’ Poverty and starvation / collapse of living standards for many millions Inadequate relief provided by Hoover, who relied on charitiesRead MoreIgbo Dictionary129408 Words   |  518 Pagesconversion of the character codes. It seems that two different systems of coding diacritics were used and more than two IPA phonetic fonts. Furthermore, for some reason, the typing of the grammar sketch which precedes the manuscript is incomplete. In order to make the manuscript available, I have therefore joined together the fragments of the electronic manuscript and converted all the diacritics to a single system. I hope I have done this consistently, but errors may still remain. Where something was

Rhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech - 1601 Words

Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech titled â€Å"I Have a Dream† on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. In this speech, Dr. King is trying to persuade all races specifically Blacks and Whites to take action in order to gain freedom and harmony in the community. He tries to do this by using different techniques to appeal to his audience. It is shown that he uses pathos or emotional appeal throughout his speech. Also there are clear signs of logical appeal which is called logos. In addition, to logos and pathos, Dr. King uses ethical appeal to strengthen his argument. One of the key main techniques that Dr. King uses is figurative language which gives his speech more emphasis on why action is needed. The first technique†¦show more content†¦MLK furthers his argument by then taking a different approach to his audience and switches to logical appeal. As his speech continues the speaker talks about specific dates that happened up until his speech. In the speech, Martin Luther King Jr. talks of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution and Declaration declared that â€Å"all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the â€Å"unalienable Rights† of â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. (MLK speech pg1)† However, instead of letting blacks and whites live as equals blacks are treated as if they are inferior to whites. Dr. King says â€Å"Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked â€Å"insufficient funds. (MLK speech pg1)† He doesn’t suggest that the Negro community just gives up and accepts this â€Å"bad check†. Instead of giving into this injustice he says, â€Å"We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.(MLK speech pg1)† He doesn’t want the Negro community to take this injustice and do nothing about it. There has been extreme segregation and segregation between the Blacks and Whites. There are â€Å"Whites Only† bathrooms and restaurants that blacks can’t evenShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech924 Words   |  4 Pagesis his â€Å"I have a dream† speech. The reason â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech made massive impacts, is due to It struck directly into the hearts of Americans both black and white making America realize just wh at is really going on in this world. King informed people about racial equality and fairness. This speech hit home so well just by the way he structured his speech. You can notice that MLK structures his speech to appeal to the different types of audience, supporting it with the three rhetorical modes;Read MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech752 Words   |  4 Pages28, 1963 At the Lincoln Commemoration 200,000 individuals accumulated after the Walk on Washington. This is the place Dr. Martin Luther conveyed his discourse I Have a Dream to America. He talked about the treacheries of isolation and separation of African Americans that was occurring in our country. In his first explanation he stated, I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. In this announcement heRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech1198 Words   |  5 PagesThe, â€Å"I Have a Dream† sp eech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is arguably the most emotionally moving and persuasive speech of all time. But, to understand the speech one must first understand the context. At this time, the slave era was far gone but, not forgotten. Negro men and women were still experiencing segregation in the 1960’s. There was negro bathrooms, negro schools, negro water fountains, and even negro restaurants. Martin Luther King Jr. was an influential black man who took on theRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech1058 Words   |  5 PagesMartin Luther King Jr’s â€Å"I have a Dream† demonstrates the combination of the rhetorical appeals to support his argument for equality and social justice because he draws attention to the past history of America’s Injustice and oppression towards black Americans. One of the explanations that the I Have a Dream address by Martin Luther King Jr. is memorable is that it contains a superb balance of Aristotles 3 rhetorical appeals: attribute, pathos, and logos. Ethos is associate charm to authorityRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech1061 Words   |  5 Pagesleader in the Civil Rights Movement. He is widely known for his speech that took place on 28 August 1963, â€Å"I Have a Dream.† This speech aimed toward the entire nation. King’s main purpose in this speech was to convince his audience to demand racial justice and for them all to stand up together for their rights. In this speech, King uses emotional and logical appeal to gain the audiences support. He applied many rhetorical devices to his speech to connect with the audience’s emotions, and to logicallyRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech900 Words   |  4 PagesThe speaker of this essay that I will be writing about is Martin Luther King Jr. He was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia at his family house. He was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Ri ghts Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great American, worked for civil rights in the United States in the 1950s and 60s. He became so popular and well liked that he was hated just as intensely by those who disagreed with theRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech865 Words   |  4 Pagesin history. Throughout his speech, King employs many rhetorical devices that further his appeal for civil rights. King establishes his credibility as soon as he steps to the podium. King, an American civil rights activist and leader, was already known by the American people for his leadership throughout the civil rights movement. His leadership role as a civil rights activist asserts his message as credible and true to the American people. King’s â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech addresses the grueling topicRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech768 Words   |  4 PagesBrandon Lim CU English 9/29/17 P:2 Using a variety of rhetorical devices, Martin Luther King Jr’s purpose of his â€Å"I Have A Dream Speech† takes a huge step for black americans by voicing the opinions of the people in a civil, non violent manner. He’s a role model for future activists to present the point clearly without hostility or anger, but with a firm tone and many of rhetorical devices. Dr. King gives the speech to help his cause of nonviolent activism against segregation and in favor of civilRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech901 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the most acknowledged Civil Rights activists in this history of the United States, Martin Luther King, in his empowering speech, â€Å"I Have a Dream,† proposed his desire for racial equality across the globe in a strong-minded manner. King’s purpose for both writing and orally publishing this speech at the March on Washington affair was to motivate his audience into demanding racial justice and an amalgamated society for all people. He acquired a shameful but dedicated tone as he described theRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech1018 Words   |  5 PagesI Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cruelty, inequality, death, sorrow, misery. All words to be associated with the hardships Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. passionately describes in his I Have A Dream speech. King, an activist and civil rights leader gave an empowering speech on August 28, 1963 in Washington D.C. Millions of hearts were touched and inspired to fight for their rights(â€Å"American Rhetoric: Martin Luther King Jr.†). This speech is aimed towards every race in a different specific

Roman Ethnography Bias Of The Roman Empire - 1014 Words

Roman Ethnography: Bias of the Roman Empire The Roman ethnographies, interpretations of outside cultures, on the tribes people they encountered during the Empire’s expansion reveal more about unique Roman characteristics than the characteristics of the barbarian tribes. The Roman Empire was vast, densely populated, and militarily, politically and socially sophisticated. This structure created shared customs, religious beliefs, orders, values, and goals for all Roman citizens. During the Roman Empire’s expansion, Roman historians wrote ethnographies about the different foreign tribes of people encountered. The shell-shock of hearing and experiencing new and different cultures for the first time contributed to the Roman bias found†¦show more content†¦A similar view can be found in Strabo’s ethnography when he describes the tribe’s people of Gaul as barbaric and exotic due to their custom of hanging the decapitated heads of their enemies around thei r horses necks after a victorious battle (Strabo 12). Both Strabo and Ammianus insinuate that the tribes violent cultures result from their exotic customs and gruesome characteristics. These prejudice undertones are born out of the Roman value of mos maiorum (the way of the elders). The Romans avoided change and valued keeping old traditions and customs passed down from previous generations; to illustrate, Strabo and Ammianus were prejudice towards the lack of uniformity and continuity of the tribes peoples strange customs and differing characteristics. Prejudice is only one of the ways we can see Roman bias in these ethnographies. Throughout their observations of the Gauls and the Huns and Alans, both Strabo and Ammianus have a Roman agenda implicating the supreme values and status of the Roman Empire to Roman readers in order to bolster their ethnocentrism . When referring to the Celtic people (tribes of Gauls), Strabo reveals the ethnocentrism of the Roman Empire, â€Å"At the present time, they are all at peace, since they have been enslaved and are living in accordance with the commands of the Romans who captured them, but it is from the early times that I am taking this account of them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Strabo 4).Show MoreRelatedAgricola and Germania Essay1604 Words   |  7 Pagespurposes: The Agricola is a eulogy praising Tacituss father-in-law, and commander of Britian, Agricola. The Germania is an ethnography on German people. Both stories are told through the eyes of Tacitus as he indirectly criticizes Roman politics and society. His reason for snaking in these criticisms in such a crafty manner had b een due to his friendship with high ranking Roman officials whom he did not want to upset. His criticisms were derived from his experiences with Agricola, speeches given byRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesto the world. Later I will return to these issues and will demonstrate how they contribute to the routinization of Rastafari in Jamaica. The nature of this book dictates a heavy reliance on documentary analysis. My focus is interpretation not ethnography. Therefore, I have not sought to generate primary data on the movement but to analyze and re-analyze the growing body of scholarly and popular literature on the movement, including sociological and anthropological studies, biographies, monographsRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagesthe assumed atomistic behaviour of organizational participants using accounting disciplinary mechanisms. Correspondingly, Tinker et al. (1982: 191) argue that management accounting is implicated in the perpetuation of a ‘neoconservative ideological bias’, playing an increasingly important role in the allocation of resources throughout society. These writers are particularly critical of a lack of overt awareness of the social and political forms of power enmeshed in, and garnered by, this approach

McDonough’s Purpose in Writing the Book Free Essays

Of all of the events in American history, few would argue that the Civil War is the most debated, written about and discussed event. While it is beyond the scope of this research to pinpoint the all of the reasons why the Civil War still captures the imagination of historic scholars to this very day, but it is possible to take one of the many books written on the topic and provide a thorough review. In this research, Shiloh-In Hell before Night by James L. We will write a custom essay sample on McDonough’s Purpose in Writing the Book or any similar topic only for you Order Now McDonough will be the work reviewed from several different vantage points. McDonough’s Purpose in Writing the Book. It would be easy to simply say that McDonough’s purpose in writing his book was to depict the people and events of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, which took place in the Tennessee Valley on April 6, 1862, when hundreds of thousands of Union and Confederate troops clashed, fought and died (McDonough, 1977). Upon a closer reading of the work, however, a larger purpose becomes apparent. Within the pages of the book, McDonough uses the writing style of the great fiction writers of all time to create an historic account that reads like a novel. Moreover, through the use of quotes from many of those who were involved in the battle, these people come back to life in a way and tell their own story, lending credibility and accuracy to the work. The Main Argument of the Work James L. McDonough’s main argument in this work is that the Civil War was not just a series of battles, wins and losses, but rather was a struggle for opposing people to try to direct a way of life for everyone to follow. He does this by using actual quotes from the main individuals involved in the battle of Shiloh which show how they felt and what lengths they would go to in order to put forth those beliefs. Was the Goal of the Book Accomplished? Generally speaking, the goal of the book was accomplished in that McDonough was able to make the point that even in defeat, there is honor to a certain extent, and also that the cause of the Confederate States of America was as much a commitment to the preservation of a way of life that had existed for generations and hundreds of years as much as it was a fight to break away from a government that was seen as oppressive and dictatorial. McDonough, in his vivid characterizations and flowing style, makes the point that even when a decisive victory is not gained, even the act of fighting for one’s beliefs is in itself a form of victory. By doing this, McDonough shows that the Civil War was a far more complex event in American history than simply two sides fighting to win battles. This most certainly contributes to the ongoing fascination with the Civil War that was mentioned as this research began, and it is authors like McDonough that both satisfy the reader’s thirst for more information about the Civil War and sparks additional interest at the same time, which is quite a feat for any book about any historic period. Strengths/Weaknesses of the Book In fairness, McDonough’s book has its share of relative strengths and weaknesses which became clear in reading the book and are worthwhile to present and discuss in this review. An overall strength of the book which became apparent from the very first paragraph was the realization that this was not the usual, dry historic text. Rather, McDonough took on a narrative style that made the presentation of the necessary elements of any historic account something that the reader would in fact look forward to reading, and as such, the more that was read, the more that was learned. In this sense, it could also be cited as a strength that this book serves to educate, as well as entertain the reader. Weaknesses also exist in the book. Understandably, McDonough wrote the book from a southern point of view, and while there is no way to ethically change the result of the battle- a Confederate retreat which can fairly be seen in retrospect as a defeat- it is fair to say that McDonough’s narrative style and attempt to make the key players in the battle come to life tends to glorify even those who ultimately failed to perform up to standards in the battle, and of course, in the end, were not victorious. This is not to say that McDonough distorted any facts, but he did tend in some ways to over dramatize unsuccessful leaders like Beauregard and others. Is McDonough’s Book a Valuable Contribution to the Study of the American Civil War? In conclusion, the remaining point to be discussed is whether or not McDonough’s book is a valuable contribution to the study of the Civil War. The point has already been made that the book is able to both provide information and spark a desire to learn more, all in an entertaining and vivid style. Also, it was discussed that McDonough was able to convey something far beyond history- the mindset and tradition which led to the Civil War and inspired thousands on both sides of the conflict to make the ultimate sacrifice for their beliefs. Based on all of this, it can fairly be said that this book is a valuable study of the Civil War, for anytime that facts and figures from the past can be brought to life and spark the imagination of the reader, the work is most worthwhile, and this work is no exception. Therefore, in closing, let it be said that Shiloh-In Hell before Night, decades after its publication, is still deserving of high continued review. Works Cited McDonough, James Lee. 1977. Shiloh: In Hell before Night. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press. How to cite McDonough’s Purpose in Writing the Book, Papers