Courage Cowardice Bravery

Courage Cowardice Bravery ‘Private Peaceful: a critical study. The theme of bravery is contrasted with cowardice. Discuss. ‘Courage and ‘cowardice words that adorn the front cover of the book: ‘Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo and it is this theme that I intend to examine. Throughout the novel bravery is contrasted with that of cowardice and although they represent opposite ends of the spectrum, at times it proves impossible to untangle one from the other and we are left in a state of confusion as to the exact meaning of these terms. When we stop to consider bravery and cowardice it is invariably in the physical form bravery, where a person bodily performs a spectacular feat without hesitation or fear that they themselves may suffer harm; cowardice where a person is too afraid to move or act in a confrontational situation. Throughout the novel we are presented with many examples of this type of bravery and cowardice, which I will expand on later. However, bravery and cowardice can also be considered from a moral perspective. Moral heroism is when a staunch and resolute stance is taken, irrespective of the views of others, whilst moral cowardice is where a person is too frightened or weak to disobey or even question authority. Morpurgo fails to give us his definition of the terms cowardice and bravery and as I have already stated, at times it proves difficult to unravel and disentangle the two. The novel Private Peaceful is a poignant story of a young soldier who is reminiscing about his life. The novel which yo-yos between the present and the past, is written in the first person narrative through Tommos eyes (one of the protagonists), and to begin with we have a childs perspective whilst at the end, it is a young adult being reflective. Dramatic art is used in a simplistic manner to create a powerful and heart rending story. Morpurgos handling of bravery and cowardice is not prejudiced by the fact that the book will be read by schoolchildren as well as adults. The regiments camp is a pitiful place perched on the edge of ‘no-mans-land and it is through the use of imagery that the horrendous squalor and rancid conditions that the soldiers had to endure in the trenches and dugouts are vividly depicted. We acknowledge that men who are able to survive such conditions are undeniably brave soldiers. Indeed, Morpurgo manages to convey the terror and ferocity of warfare witho ut the need to be too explicit when detailing the carnage; all of which would be unsuitable for the younger readers. The novel makes compelling reading through our ability to become emotionally involved with the characters. It is through our ability to empathise that we can start to decipher the irony of bravery and cowardice depicted within the novel. The novel is full of emotion and atmosphere where Tommo is determined to recall every incident that has happened to him. The reader is left to ponder the relevance and importance of such a need and it is during this vigil that the concepts of bravery and cowardice as established, bureaucratic principles are exposed and discussed. The novel ends with a poignant postscript which highlights the plight of 290 British and Commonwealth soldiers who were court-martialled and sentenced to death by execution for alleged cowardice. It would appear that no humanitarian rationale (such as these soldiers being traumatised by the ravages of war), has been taken into consideration and therefore it could be contested that they had received an unfair trial. It also highlights the British governments failure to award posthumous pardons to these soldiers. The inclusion of this postscript establishes the books political agenda and the significance of Charlies story and unwarranted capital punishment. Mo rpurgo has developed a juxtaposed situation where a hero has been produced only to be executed by his own regiment for cowardice. The notion of people dying in war to no avail emulates the harsh cynicism of the war poet Wilfred Owen who wrote: â€Å"The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori†. (War Poems Manuscripts of Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum est) In the novel, one of the protagonists is shot, not during combat, but at the mercy of those he has stood shoulder to shoulder with on the battlefield. This gives a harrowing and heart rending effect to this cynicism. For many people, death in war is irrational and pointless but death by those that are on your own side is absurd. Throughout Owens poem, ‘The Hero, contempt for the notion of ‘devotion to duty, is interspersed with a harsh but realistic representation of life on the frontline. Another World War One poet who shares the same sentiments as Owen, is that of Siegfried Sassoon. Likewise, there are similarities between his wartime experiences and those found in this novel. Sassoon, single-handed seized a German trench, was decorated with medals for bravery and sustained war injuries. He defied orders to return to the war zone following his recovery from injury but, unlike Charlie Peaceful, Sassoon was fortunate enough not to be court-martialled; instead he was sent to a hospital to recuperate. Ideological parallels exist between Sassoon and Morpurgos views on bravery and cowardice where both men can be considered to have a contemptuous attitude with regard to patriotism. The novel exposes how many people, automatically associate death during wartime with the concept of heroism. It stems from the notion that soldiers die whilst defending their country and family. However, it is the fear of cowardice that impels Tommo to sign up to go to war. The old womans teasing makes him resolute: â€Å"I had to prove myself. I had to prove myself to myself† (p.103), only to realize and discover that war has very little to do with bravery. When Charlie and Tommo pass another regiment returning from the front line, they do not consider them as victorious heroes but â€Å"haunted and hunted† (p.124) individuals. Whilst on patrol duty in the trenches, Tommo remarks that courage is not about heroic acts but instead, possessing the skill not to show your fear (p.127). He even acknowledges that the Germans are â€Å"are brave too. They do not falter† (p.140). Morpurgo does recognise and acknowledge that soldiers out on the battlefield are brave, but he proposes that true heroism manifests itself through camaraderie. After a successful attack, Tommo remarks: â€Å"I feel a surge of triumph inside me, not because we have won, but because I have stood with the others.†(p.140). It can be considered that by the time we finish the novel, Tommo fulfils his need to be brave, but this is achieved not through strength of mind and character, but instead by a betrayal of those in charge and a breaking of his inner spirit: â€Å"taken away our spirit, drained the last of our strength, destroyed our hope† (p.161). Although it is important to be able to identify the difference between ‘institutionalised bravery and a persons heroic action, the concept of bravery and cowardice becomes increasingly problematic as the novel progresses. Morpurgo fails to actually define the terms bravery and cowardice but instead opts to expose their complexities through the two protagonists, Charlie and Tommo. The two brothers personify two juxtaposed characters where Charlie is motivated by courage and impetuosity, whereas Tommo is constrained by fear and restraint. These contrasting roles are implanted from the very onset of the novel as we learn about the brothers experiences from childhood through to life in the war zone. The novel allows us to make an analogy between the terrors that Tommo suffers when he attends school for the first time, to that which he experiences on the frontline. Tommo fails to differentiate between the two feelings and repeatedly equates being afraid with that of being a coward which will result in subsequent disgrace. For him it is impossible to demarcate between acceptable anxiety and irrational fear. The start of the novel informs us about the apprehensiveness of Tommo on his first day at school along with the considered concerns of loss of innocence and change (p.8). We understand Tommo to be a shy, thoughtful and pensive person. A shy temperament is not indicative of a coward, but Tommo is powerless to interpret and comprehend it in any other way, because it is always in contrast with Charlies. As readers we progressively realize that the concept that determines a heroic action or decides whether a person can be classified as being ‘brave is down to individual perception. : Tommo perceives Charlie as â€Å"the bravest brother in the world† (p.24), whilst he sees himself as being plagued by fear. Tommo is under the delusion that having the self assurance to confront a person or problem is equivalent to bravery, especially as this is the mode that Charlies bravery takes. Tommo admires and commends Charlie for not only confronting, but also for defying authority at school, he goes head-to-head with Jimmy Parsons in the school playground, brazenly admits to the Colonels face that he stole his foxhound, and he is insubordinate when he defies Sergeant Hanley. This impulsiveness and impetuosity is balanced by Charlies feelings of dignity and pride, as exemplified by his honourable silences when caned by Mr Munnings (p.24) or smiling at Tommo as he displayed fortitude during the punishment inflicted by Sergeant Hanley (p.118). These inner qualities originate from Charlie‘s self determination, fortitude and will-power, as well as from his moral principles. His moral judgements and beliefs as to what is right and wrong often underlie his actions and behaviour. Repeatedly we see Charlie protecting the victim or underdog Bertha the old bloodhound, Big Joe his autistic brother, Molly the girl he loves and of course Tommo who causes his final demise. Charlies execution is the result of his refusal to leave his wounded brother on the battle-field, as well as for openly refuting Sergeant Hanleys orders. Charlie considered Hanleys orders to be imprudent and irrational, so he chose to defy them (p.172). Throughout the novel it is apparent how Tommo has great admiration for his brave brother in whose â€Å"glow† (p.127) he lives in; but as a reader it is important in addition, to consider ones own perspective of bravery. Tommo lacks Charlies impetuosity, recklessness and die-hard temperament and it is these traits that Tommo is in awe of. Tommo believes that these qualities, which he himself lacks, are what makes his brother brave. Charlies impulsiveness is always judged as being a positive quality never negative. It is this acceptance of Charlies bravery without any questioning, which echoes his reticence and powerlessness to make a distinction as to whether his own actions are brave or cowardly. When Jimmy Parsons calls Big Joe names, Tommy: â€Å"discovered that sometimes youve got to stand up for yourself and fight for whats right, even when you dont want to.† (p.22). Tommo fails to recognise that this stance that he took was a brave action. Although Tommo perpetually manages to conquer his early qualms and insecurities, throughout the novel, he fails to acknowledge or give recognition to his achievements. The novel opens with Tommo fearing school but no reference is made to this again, and similarly when he finally plucks up courage to take off all his clothes to go swimming in Okement Pool, or after he manages to talk to Anna from the estaminet, there is no acceptance that he has been courageous. Similarly, even though he has managed to overcome these fears, Tommo never considers himself as brave for even when he is victorious on the battle field, he views it pessimistically. Tommo believes his actions are defying cowardice as opposed to an act of bravery: â€Å"I feel a surge of triumph welling inside me, not because we have won, but because I have stood with the others. I have not run.† (p.140) Tommo fails to accept that he consciously made the decision to stay rather than abscond. Tommo has no self esteem and no confidence in his own abilities. Our observations of Tommo as a coward, is for the most part, at his own admission. Tommos perception and interpretation of his own fear as being that of a coward has been primarily shaped by a harrowing incident, where fear of death made his legs freeze and â€Å"incapable of movement† (p.14). The result was that Tommos father demonstrated the ultimate act of bravery by surrendering his own personal life for his son. When a falling tree is about to crush Tommo, James Peaceful manages to reach the child and push him out of the way, crushing him instead. Tommo blames himself for his fathers death because he was too afraid to move when danger loomed and he has shown more cowardice by not being brave enough to tell anyone the exact circumstances to his fathers death. Nevertheless, fear for Tommo metamorphoses from a weakness to an indispensable asset, as exemplified when he is on sentry duty in the trenches. It is fe ar that gives Tommo the power to stay awake all night and in doing so, it transforms into a strength. Ultimately, the novel is as much Tommos tragedy as Charlies. Charlies heroic temperament and innate bravery is scarred by being found guilty and convicted of cowardice. On the other hand, Tommos introspective temperament is shattered, and although he is involved in heroic feats they are not perceived as being brave because they come from hopelessness (p.163). When Tommo contemplates deserting even his â€Å"courage to be a coward had evaporated† (p.161). Indeed, Tommos perceptions of bravery do not coincide with the mundane concepts of bravery. We have already noted that he regards staying with his battalion as cowardly compliance. Tommo, on the other hand, considers that desertion would represent true bravery because it necessitates insubordination to authority coupled with courage for any punitive reprisals that may be inflicted. Morpurgo infers, without overtly stating, that cowards are not those that are afraid, which is how Tommo misguidedly perceives it, but, are those that prey on the weak and take advantage of their vulnerability. In the novel, the cowards are: the colonel who would have no reservations about evicting a widow and her three children and threatens to shoot a harmless old dog, an aunt that maltreats a child with learning difficulties, a vindictive sergeant who intimidates and persecutes his troops to attain power. So who are the true heroes of the novel? These can be identified as Charlie, Tommo, Mother, Molly and Sergeant Wilke, all of whom were committed to shielding those who were more vulnerable than themselves. The novels underlying message on individual bravery is implicit from the first page. When Tommo nervously sets off to school for the first time, Charlie takes him by the hand and reassures him that all will be alright and it is Molly who helps restore self confidence when she shows him how to tie his shoelaces. Morpurgo illustrates how friendship and camaraderie are the essential ingredients to conquer fear and generate bravery. The nursery rhyme ‘Oranges and Lemons, is a theme which surfaces when there is a dilemma or a situation of conflict. When sung it unites families, friends and troops who are all trying to overcome fear in the face of adversity. Within the novel, bravery and cowardice are presented as a paradox. We are left to decide whether it is braver to conform, obey rules and orders and so become a model soldier or whether it is braver to listen to and follow ones own inner beliefs. Charlie and Tommo represent each of the questions, Tommo the first and Charlie the second. However, throughout the novel both brothers exhibit their own mode of bravery and neither can be considered a coward. This corroborates the belief that how a person perceives bravery and cowardice is personal and does not follow an institutionalized ideal. In the end, Tommo survives not through fearlessness but because he has promises to keep and a family to protect. This brave view is in marked contrast to the Tommo we met at the start of the novel who was weak and afraid. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Morpurgo, M. (2003), Private Peaceful, HarperCollins Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary/keystage3/downloads/en_novel_privatepeaceful.doc (Accessed on 23rd February) Private Peaceful, (Durrington High School) http://www.tes.co.uk/resources/Resource.aspx?resourceId=473sitestat=resourcebank.from.search_results (Accessed on 23rd February) The Thin Line Between Bravery and Cowardice in the Things They Carried www.researchover.com/termpaper/The_Thin_Line_Between_Br (Accessed on 23rd February) War Poems Manuscripts of Wilfred Owen, Dulce et Decorum est, http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/jtap/warpoems.htm#12 (Accessed on 23rd February) http://www.quotationsbook.com/quote/7973/ (Accessed on 11th March) http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/003321.php(Accessed on 11th March)

Answer pastpaper

Answer all the questions. Give non-exact numerical answers correct to 3 significant figures, or 1 decimal place in the case of angles in degrees, unless a different level of accuracy is specified in the question. Where a numerical value for the acceleration due to gravity is needed, use 10 m s-2. The use of an electronic calculator is expected, where appropriate. You are reminded of the need for clear presentation in your answers. At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.The total number of marks for this paper is 50. Questions carrying smaller numbers of marks are printed earlier in the paper, and questions carrying larger numbers of marks later in the paper. This document consists of 3 printed pages and 1 blank page. UCLES 2011 [Turn over 2 A car of mass 700 kg is travelling along a straight horizontal road. The resistance to motion is constant and equal to 600 N. (i) Find the driving force of the car's engine at an instant when the acceleration is 2 m s-2. Given that the car's speed at this instant is 15 m s-l , car's engine is working. find the rate at which theA load of mass 1250 kg is raised by a crane from rest on horizontal ground, to rest at a height of 1. 54 m above the ground. The work done against the resistance to motion is 5750 J. (i) Find the work done by the crane. (it) Assuming the power output of the crane is constant and equal to 1. 25 kW, find the time taken to raise the load. 3 q 15. 5 N A small smooth ring R of weight 8. 5 N is threaded on a light inextensible string. The ends of the string are attached to fixed points A and B, with A vertically above B. A horizontal force of magnitude 15. 5 N acts on R so that the ring is in equilibrium with ngle ARB = 900 .The part AR of the string makes an angle B with the horizontal and the part BR makes an angle B with the vertical (see diagram). The tension in the string is T N. Sho w that T sin 12 and T cos B = 3. 5 and hence find B . [6] 4 A block of mass 11 kg is at rest on a rough plane inclined at 300 to the horizontal. A force acts on the block in a direction up the plane parallel to a line of greatest slope. When the magnitude of the force is 2X N the block is on the point of sliding down the plane, and when the magnitude of the force is 9X N the block is on the point of liding up the plane.

Racial Identity Development Essay

I am an Asian and I am from a prominent region of the continent—Hong Kong. When I am abroad, I become a lesser equal of other people especially the citizens of the country where I am visiting. I become deprived of several powers and privileges for a variety of reasons. For the most part, racial differences take a big role in stripping non-citizens of any country of a number of powers and privileges. Others see my race as inferior to their own race which, in effect, puts me in a lower social position. Gender and ethnicity are two other factors which contribute to the inequalities mentioned. I am a male and I personally do not believe in gods. Because of those traits, it is personally difficult on my part to be involved in social groups and enjoy certain privileges that people with strong religious affiliations can enjoy. However, I have observed that there are still influences of male dominance. Since I am a male, I am still able to have an advantage over females in many ways, from physical endurance to the capacity to perform physical work over a longer duration. I think I am in the stage of â€Å"pseudo-independence† because I have experienced racial oppression in many ways, from simple to complex ones. I am still trying to understand the differences that people have, including race, gender and ethnicity. I believe I have been able to progress from the stage of â€Å"reintegration† because I have gone past acknowledging the supremacy of the White race. In the past, I have been slightly intolerant towards people who belong to other races. I viewed my Asian heritage as far more superior than the rest during those days. However, I have come to know that there are generally perceived privileges given to the Euro-American race. I believe that, as of now, I only have the conceptual knowledge about the sociopolitical aspects of different races. In the coming days, I am looking forward to actually experiencing these things and encounter how it feels like to actually fight racial bias, prejudice and discrimination even in my own little ways. The impact of the generally accepted perception of White supremacy and the inferiority of other races on my self is that I am unable to fully become an autonomous individual. Everywhere I go, I am confined to how the White race has perpetuated the idea that to be White is to have better access to various social services and privileges. Whenever I hear the news about Asians being heavily scrutinized in airports out of suspicion of being a terrorist, I cannot help but think about how White people are exempted from that security routine in many places. The status quo where the White race is perceived as the better race indeed have far reaching consequences to myself and to others. Sometimes, I even wish that I belonged to the White race so that I can get rid of the racial prejudices and biases. My current perception towards â€Å"the other† or those people who are not Asians is that they are partly intolerant of my own race. Although not all people profess and practice racial intolerance, I think there are individuals living in the world who either fear or disgust my race. The society has constructed the very idea of White supremacy and, as a result, other races like the Asian race had to endure living in a world where they are the â€Å"lesser† equal. In Hong Kong, there is still that construed image Westerners as people who frequently travel to far places such as ours and spend their resources just to enjoy some of life’s finest luxuries. They see White people as wealthy and, therefore, as individuals who have the power and privilege to relax and indulge in what Hong Kong can offer. Johnson’s concept of stubborn ounces reminds us that we should not take for granted the little efforts that we do (Johnson). No matter how small my efforts can be to push back the causes and effects of racial bias, prejudice and discrimination, they still serve their own little purposes. I think that my goal of at least being free from all thoughts of racial intolerance can be fulfilled with the help of what other people may see as â€Å"stubborn ounces†. I can try every day to get closer to people who are of a different race such as Latin Americans and even Europeans. I can smile at them whenever I walk in front of them or wave a hand at them as simple gesture of kindness. These â€Å"ounces†, when put together, can turn into a huge chunk of effort in giving my own share towards a world free from racial intolerance. Like the monopoly game, our society sometimes rewards those who have the greed for wealth and power. However, the game also contains what Johnson considers as â€Å"paths of least resistance†; these â€Å"paths† are acceptable ways of behaving in the society. Since entering college, I have learned that we should try to reach out to other people who may or may not be of the same race as ours. Instead of avoiding or hating one another, we should strive to respect each other and tolerate our differences as if there were none at all. Because society sometimes rewards the greedy, we should strive to change that social system and replace it with a better one. However, it does not mean that we should take actions that stray away from the rules. Rather, we should take the paths of least resistance and consider every ounce of effort as part of the larger picture. Indeed, it is entirely better if part of the collective ideological pursuit of removing racial intolerance comes from those who are perceived to be perpetuating it such as Whites and Europeans. Since entering college, my understanding of the broad concept of race has widened. Yet I know that it does not end there because the greater challenge lies in real life situations.

Topography, an ABA Term to Help Describe Behavior

Topography is a term used in applied behavior analysis (ABA) to describe behavior—specifically what behavior looks like. Topography defines behavior in an operational way, free of the coloration of values or expectation. By describing the topography of behavior, you avoid many of the problematic terms that find their way into definitions of behaviors. Disrespect, for example, is more often a reflection of the teachers reaction than the students intent. By contrast, the phrase refusing to comply with a direction would be a topographical description of the same behavior. The Importance of Topography Clearly defining the topography of behavior is especially important for creating appropriate interventions for children whose disabilities are in part defined by behavior, such as emotional and behavioral disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. Teachers and administrators without extensive experience or training in dealing with behavioral disabilities often overreact and create more problems by focusing on the social constructs surrounding misbehavior without observing the actual behavior. When they do so, these educators are focusing on the  function of a behavior  rather than its topography. The function of a behavior describes why the behavior occurs, or the purpose of the behavior; whereas, the topography of the behavior describes its form. Describing the topography of the behavior is much more objective—you are simply stating objectively what happened. The function of the behavior tends to be much more subjective—you are trying to explain why a student exhibited a certain behavior. Topography Versus Function Topography and function represent two very different ways of describing a behavior. For example, if a child throws a tantrum, to explain the topography of the behavior, it would not be enough for a teacher to simply say the child threw a tantrum. A topographical definition might state: The child threw herself on the floor, and kicked and screamed in a high-pitched voice. The child did not make physical contact with other individuals, furniture, or other items in the environment. The functional description, by contrast, would be open to interpretation: Lisa became angry, swung her arms and tried to strike other children and the teacher while screaming in that high-pitched voice she often uses. Each description could be defined as a tantrum, but the former contains only what the observer saw, whereas the latter includes interpretation. It is not possible to know, for example, that a child intended to injure others through a topographical description, but paired with an  antecedent, behavior, consequence (ABC)  observation, you may be able to determine the function of the behavior. It is often helpful to have several professionals observe the same behaviors and then provide both functional and topographical descriptions. By observing the antecedent—what happens immediately before the behavior occurred—and determining the function of the behavior as well as describing its topography, you gain additional insights into the behavior that you are observing. By combining these two methods—decribing the topography of a behavior and determining its function—educators and behavior specialists can help chose a replacement behavior and create an intervention, known as a  behavior intervention plan. Loaded Descriptions Versus Topography To truly understand how topography might describe a behavior, it can be helpful to look at loaded (emotionally tinged) descriptions of a given behavior versus topographical descriptions (objective observations).  Behavioral Learning Solutions  offers this method of comparing the two: Loaded Description Topography Sally got angry and started throwing items during circle time trying to hit others with the items. The student threw items or released items from her hand. Marcus is making progress and, when prompted, can say â€Å"buh† for bubbles. The student can make the vocal sound â€Å"buh† Karen, happy as always, waved goodbye to her teacher. The student waved or moved her hand from side to side. When asked by an assistant to put away the blocks, Joey got mad again and threw the blocks at the assistant trying to hit her. The student threw blocks on the floor. Guidelines for Topography of a Behavior When describing the topography of a behavior: Avoid value-laden descriptions, such as good, best, and bad.Describe as much of the behavior as you can in as objective a manner as possible.Ask another professional to observe the behavior and review the topographical description.Set aside time to observe the behavior more than once.   The topography of a behavior may also be referred to as the operational definition of behavior.