We Have No Class (Middle Class) Essay Example for Free

We Have No Class (Middle Class) Essay In Paul Krugman’s Confronting Inequality, we are told, as citizens of the United States, the damages of high and rising inequality within our country. Krugman describes America as a place of unclear economic progress for the middle class while the share of economic growth in the past 3 decades has gone to the wealthy 1%. Krugman next describes the impact such inequality has on our society and republic. First starting with social inequality, he states â€Å"The fact is the vast income inequality inevitably brings vast social inequality inevitably brings vast social inequality in its train† (589). What Krugman is trying to convey is that as the gap between classes grows, it brings with it greater and greater inequality. Within this social system, the author tells us of how desirable school districts are decreasing in number and are becoming much more expensive to live in, making it so that children with low-income parents get a â€Å"bad start† in their education. Krugman also states that corrupt politics are a direct result of the difference between the 1% and rest of the country. Using that point as fuel he argues for the removal of tax cuts for the wealthy. Krugman shows us that the Urban-Brookings Joint Tax Policy Center estimated that if Bush tax breaks expired in 2010 for those who have an income of over $200,000 then the money gained from taxes could fund a universal healthcare system for the entire nation. Krugman’s main solution was to generally close obvious loopholes within the American system. The next problem, Market Inequality, is also brought to inquisition. Krugman says that a raise in minimum wage as well as a steady union movement would assist the wage inequality. Finally, Krugman discusses how accessible these changes are and how rapidly they can happen. He feels as though the changes can be easily reached, but not likely. Richard Wilkinson, a social researcher, discussed in his 2011 â€Å"TED talk† the correlation seen between social issues and the distance in between economic classes. A logical connection can be made to Krugman’s paper on the same topic; however beyond the obvious similarity of a s imilar topic, they seem to agree that America is in sore shape. With Wilkinson’s emphasis on a lack of social mobility he asks if the most important thing for a child is their father’s income. â€Å"Do rich fathers have rich sons and poor fathers have poor sons, or is there no relationship between the two?

Essay on Achilles as the Hero of Homer’s Iliad -- Iliad essays

Achilles as the Hero of Homer’s Iliad      Ã‚  Ã‚   When Homer lived, the stature of a hero was measured by the yardstick of fighting ability. In Homer's Iliad, the character of Achilles represents the epitome of the Greek 'heroic code'. Only Achilles fights for pure heroics, while the characters of Diomedes and Hector provide good contrasts. "Prowess on the battlefield was ranked supreme, high above any considerations of morality"(Martin 26). Nestor, for example, tells Agamemnon and Achilles that he has known much "better men than them" meaning men who are better at fighting. Achilles refuses Lycaon clemency because Patroclus. who is dead. was a much better man than he is by far i.e. a much better fighter. Achilles urges Hector to show his "worth" and fight like a man: "worth" means simply ability to fight. By this criterion Achilles ranks second to none. He is an immensely talented fighter and he considers himself a "prince among men". It is a reflection of his ability that the action speeds up rapidly on his return to the battle after Book 16 and Patroclus' death. Two thirds of the epic arc slow and tedious: on Achilles' return the last third is fast and moves most speedily. Achilles' unstoppable battle madness surpasses without doubt that of the other heroes in the lliad. He is brave, vicious and powerful. He splits the Trojans and drives them back without difficulty at all. Moreover, his bravery is not restricted to humans. He is angry with Apollo for deceiving him and his battle with the river god Xanthus ends in more success than Diomedes' attempts against the gods in Book 5 (although he admittedly has much divine support). The heroic code was recognised as a desire to excel. For the heroes 'excellent' was ... ... Finkelberg, Margalit. "Odysseus and the genus 'hero' ." Greece and Rome v. 42 (Apr. '95) p. 1-14. Goodrich, Norma. Myths of the hero. New York: Orion Press, 1962. Homer: Iliad. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books, 1990. Martin, Richard. The Language of Heroes: Speech and Performance in the Iliad. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1989. Parry, Adam M. The Language of Achilles and Other Papers. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. Schein, Seth L. The Mortal Hero: An Introduction to Homer's Iliad. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984. Shive, David M. Naming Achilles. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. Van Nortwick, Thomas. Somewhere I have travelled: the hero's journey. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Whitman, Cedric H. Homer and the Heroic Tradition. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1958.

Of Mice and Men Film/Book Comparison

The lack of interaction between the Weak' ones of the ranch in the film version of Of Mice and Men results in the obscuring of the theme of handicaps that is present throughout the novel. In the film, the scene begins with Leonie approaching Crooks as the rest of the men are in the nearby town. They discuss Lien's desire to tend rabbits and later on, Leonie makes it clear his intention for George and he to be together till the end. George comes in, escorts Leonie out of the room where they encounter Curlers wife as she complains of her unhappy marriage and runs away.The book varies in the way that Curlers wife and Candy are both in the room as they all talk. As Candy, Leonie, and Crooks discuss the promise of a brighter future, Curlers wife is quick to crush their dreams with the reality of each of their situations. After she humiliates them, they are defeated and their harsh circumstances sink in. It is important to notice in the novel that each character has their own handicap, whe ther it is age, gender, race, mental capability, or physical capability; although they show strength even with their weak descriptions, the purpose of the theme is to convey the low tolerance their society has of handicaps.For example, Crooks, even being a bitter man, latches onto their dream of the little house for the promise of companionship, but because of his race and the prejudice during the time period, Curlers wife makes sure he knows that he will never be accepted. Although the handicaps are physically portrayed In the film, they are not reinforced well enough because there isn't as big of a power difference between Leonie and Crooks as there is between them and Curlers wife. Curlers wife may be handicapped as her loneliness makes her desperate, but she has the ability to take away any hope they eave.Also, in the novel, Curlers wife mentions that the men left the three Weak' ones at home. This comment serves to further describe the time period as there Is never enough prote ction for the weak from the strong. The theme of handicaps Is essential to the comprehension of the novel as It grasps the concept of Inequality; without the theme's distinction, there Is no closure, positive or negative, that Is needed for the reader to comprehend the negative Impact the fictional world has on a group of people that are not as strong as society requires them to be.

Humanity’s Evil Inspired William Golding’s Lord of the...

â€Å"Drug dealers go big, use Boeing for coke run†, â€Å"11 killed in Pakistan by suicide bomber†, â€Å"Parents largely unaware teen binge drinking is growing deadlier† (Edmonton Journal, November 18, 2009). It is truly staggering to see the number of articles concerning crime, felony and death in a newspaper, everyday. It is not hard to find articles about laws being broken, about lawbreakers going free and about people being killed. The concept of newspapers full of stories showing humanity’s evil suggests that there is something wrong with today’s world, but newspapers have always been full of such articles and events. It is clear that humanity’s evil inspired William Golding’s Lord of the Flies: a commentary on the innate evil in all man. In†¦show more content†¦However, these inventions were not flukes, as the Islamic inventors created the experimentation process, which constitutes testing a theory over and over until it is consistent; this method is still used today. In fact, all of the Islamic inventions of that era are still useful, and cherished today. Therefore, the world today has benefited from the Islamic quest for knowledge. Though Muslim’s had a quest for knowledge, a more recent group had a quest for peace: Live Aid was a series of concerts in 1985 dedicated to relieving hunger in Ethiopia. All the artists at Live Aid, such as David Bowie, Queen and Paul McCartney, performed for free, and all the profit from the concerts was donated to solving hunger in Ethiopia. These artists are used to making millions of dollars for touring the world, and selling their records, however, they all volunteered for a dire situation and made a much greater difference than if they had simply continued touring. Furthermore, in 2005, another series of concerts, entitled Live 8 were dedicated to attempting to solve certain issues in Africa, such as relinquishing their debt. Africa’s debt and Et hiopia’s needs were aided greatly by these performers. The performers from these concerts and anyone with computer access certainly use a utility that has facilitated the use of the internet: Google is a search-engine created by Lawrence PageShow MoreRelatedWilliam Golding s Lord Of The Flies1389 Words   |  6 PagesA response to Lord Of The Flies Imagine an airplane crash. The heat of flames scorch passengers’ backs in addition to the wind burning their faces. Lucky, this crash was over water and near an island so most passengers survive, with an exception of the airplane staff and the pilot. Even though alive, many are in fits of fear and panic, and others are in shock. After hurried deliberation, a lone member of the group is elected leader in hopes that they will calm the panic, and make the hard, but necessaryRead MoreWilliam Golding s Lord Of The Flies1044 Words   |  5 PagesSimilar to most literary classics, William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies contains allusions to the Christian Bible and character archetypes that convey universal ideas. Golding’s story focuses on a group of British schoolboys who are stranded on an island and ultimately succumb to their innate savage tendencies. Literary analysts often compare components of Lord of the Flies to various aspects in the Christian Bible. For instance, the setting in Lord of the Flies is often linked to the Garden ofRead MoreHuman Nature In Lord Of The Flies Essay1136 Words   |  5 Pagesthinking, feeling, and acting, which humans tend to have naturally. William Golding’s book. â€Å"Lord of the flies† is an excellent novel that describes how humans, when put in a rough environment, react to power they are given. The title of the book â€Å"Lord of the Flies† refers to the Boars head idol that was surrounded by flies was later created by the boy. The title also represents the fall of the boy’s civilization. The reason William Golding used this title was because of his experiences from the navyRead MoreSAT Top 30 Essay Evidence18536 Words   |  75 Pages......................................................................... 27 Fiction and Literature: Hamlet by William Shakespeare (â€Å"To be? Or not to be?†) ...................................................................... 29 Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (Witches, Wizards, and Muggles!) .......................................................... 31 Lord of the Flies, by William Golding (Murderous schoolboys stranded on an island!) ......................... 33 The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott