Inequality Causes and Consequences

Introduction The 21st century has been characterized by an emphasis on democracy and an upholding of the principle of equality which holds that selection is on a basis of merit.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Inequality: Causes and Consequences specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Equality of opportunity has been pursued with the view of ensuring equal opportunity to all the members of the society. Despite this emphasis on equality, today’s world continues to be plagued by many social inequalities among people. Wilkinson (2005, p.51) suggests that social inequality is positively related to social vices such as homicide and racism and inevitably fosters social instability. With this recognition, many governments have sought ways to reduce social inequality in their respective countries. Many political systems have been formulated in a bid to overcome social inequalities with the aim being to eliminate social inequalities by distributing resources in an equitable manner among the members of the society. Considering the significance that the issue of social inequality holds for the well being of the society, it makes sense to explore the subject of social inequality and highlight its causes. This paper shall set out to report on Social Inequality: causes and consequences. This shall be in a bid to provide a better appreciation of the issue thereby leading to an enhanced understanding of social inequality and how it affects the society. Causes of Social Inequality While the 21st century has witnessed an increase in the access to education for most people, education still remains to be a cause for inequality. This is because the quality of the education offered depends on the context of the school or class. The reason for this is that different schools will therefore offer different qualities of education for varied reasons. Duru-Bellat (2004, p.47) reveals that school have unequal effectiv eness especially in countries where there is no minimum level of quality guaranteed. Another effect of education is that it influences a person’s social capital. Social capital is defined as â€Å"a person’s potential to activate and effectively mobilize a network of social connection on mutual recognition of proximity† (OECD, 2001, p.2). Social capital can be uses as private goods by an individual to achieve certain goals. An individual can use his/her accumulated social capital to from this social capital. This inequality is linked by social proximities where people cluster themselves into groups based on some common property.Advertising Looking for report on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Careers and jobs have also become a source of status distinction among people. Studies also indicate that the returns to skill (measure of the difference in earnings between more-skilled and less-skil led workers) have changed radically over the past 3 decades. From the 1980s, there was a heightened increase in the wage differential in the labor market (Ryscavage 1999, p.115). The main differentiating factors were by education or experience. Emphasis on education resulted in higher institutes of learning graduates earning more than similar workers who had only high school diplomas. Due to this shift, higher wages are paid to workers who are more skilled or occupy management and administrative positions than to workers involved in the manual section of the organization. It follows logically that income gaps attributed to education levels are significant since only a small proportion of the population get to pursue the highest levels of education. This observation implies that children of poorer parents are less likely to become rich in future than children of richer parents. Globalization has resulted in increased social inequality in developed nations. Globalization is a process characterized by major integration of economies and cultures. This trend is becoming rife and with it a shift in the way business and societies operate. Fligstein (2002, p.206) suggests that globalization is more of a gradual process whose impacts on economies are less revolutionary in nature. One of the outcomes of globalization is mass immigration as people move in search of job opportunities and better income. The immigrants and their children are disadvantaged as a result of â€Å"unequal distance† which exists between their native language and the language of their host country. Duru-Bellat (2004, p.33) asserts that the institutes in the home country are permeated by the culture of dominant groups and therefore, only those who inherit this culture can perform well. Another cause of social inequality is social stratification which is characterized by grouping people into different social classes. Some people in society are given more power and freedom as a result of their social class. Class stratification results in the society dividing itself into different classes of people mostly on the basis of economic wellbeing. The members of different classes have varying access to resources and power therefore creating a rift between the various classes. Dragos and Leskosek (2003) rightfully state that individuals with various characteristics do not start their lives in neutral or unstructured environments but rather, they are flung by education or even birth into various social spaces. These social spaces in some instances determine the opportunities that are available to them and therefore their achievements later in life.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Inequality: Causes and Consequences specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Social inequality also occurs as a result of the gender of a person. The cause of this kind of inequality is mostly as a result of the dual roles of paid and unpai d workers that most women play in a capitalistic world. Male dominance results in women playing second roles since gendered job segregation results in males maintaining superiority over the women (Goldthorpe, 2009). In some countries, women are considered second class citizens and their economic options are significantly decreased therefore making them dependent on the men. Consequences Research suggests that social inequality may be a significant determinant of health. This is mainly because inequality results to a great difference in access to resources across the community which results in greater differences in health across communities. Health care acquisition thereby becomes almost an unattainable affair for the low earners since the cost of health care and a healthy lifestyle becomes more expensive in the community. Berkman and Kawachi (2000) articulate that social inequality leads to lack of solidarity and social cohesion thereby dramatically decreasing life expectancy also, the socioeconomic position of an individual has a direct relationship to their risk of heart disease and other lifestyle related illnesses. These assertions borrow from the psychosocial environment interpretations which theorize that inequality produces a social environment that ultimately affects the individual’s health. The linkage between inequality and crime is especially troubling. Yoonseok and Donggyun (2008) hypothesized that, as the income distribution becomes more bipolarized, the interaction between the two groups from the different sides of the income divide is further minimized. This in turn lowers both the expected future income of the poorer and their incentive to supply labor in the legal labor market is thus weakened. Findings indicate that the crime incentive for the richer is far lower due to high income while it remains heightened for the poorer (Yoonseok and Donggyun 2008). This is because individuals feel more frustrated when they belong to the low incom e group than high income group. This leads to antagonism by the low earners to the high earners which lead to the propagation of crime. Wilkinson (2005) also asserts that the relationship between inequality and violence is a robust one and poverty is independently associated with higher levels of violence. In recent years, studies to indicate the effects of income inequality have been sanctioned. It contended that inequality may hinder the economic growth of a nation (Boix, 2009). In the earlier days, income inequality was indeed a sign of economic growth since it marked the population shift from rural to urban with the urban population earning higher. As such, it was seen as a necessary condition of economic takeoff.Advertising Looking for report on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, Boix (2009) proposes that inequality leads to redistributive demands in the form of heavier tax burdens and lack of incentives for investors which lead to the slowing down of growth. In addition to this, inequality leads to instability to the political system which becomes characterized by riots, assassinations and even outbreak of civil wars. This state discourages investments thereby further plunging a nation into reduced earning. However, not all the consequences of social inequality are negative in nature and this inequality may result in progress in the society. Bernasek, an economic reporter for the New York Times contends that the effects of income inequality are not inherently adverse (Bernasek, 2006). She asserts that without inequality, there would be no motivation for anyone to earn more than the rest of the people. However, given the many adverse effects that sprout from social inequality, the virtue of inequality as a motivating factor seems to pale in comparis on. Dragos and Leskosek (2003) go as far as to state that social inequality should not be tolerated by any society since they go against the notion of benefiting everyone and results in disharmony. There is therefore a pressing need to come up with means that alleviate the gap in income thereby leading to a more harmonic society. Conclusion Inequality has been universally acknowledged as a major roadblock in the way for economic and social prosperity. This paper set out to outline the causes of social inequality and the consequences that arise from it. To this end, the paper has articulated the issue of social inequality that faces both developing and developed nations alike. The evidence presented herein suggests that globalization, education and a social stratification are some of the major causes of social inequality. From this paper, it is clear that social inequality has many negative impacts on the society. With recognition that social inequality results in gross injustices, s olutions should be looked for to address the problem. Whereas social equality may never be completely attained, increasing equality is an achievable goal that can be attained should the governments and other relevant institutes diligently measures to deal with the causes of inequality that have been outlined in this paper. A more equitable community will not only be harmonious but will also lead to more industrial growth hence a higher standard of living for most members of the society. References Boix, C 2009, The Conditional Relationship Between Inequality and Development, PS, Political Science Politics: Research Library Core, ProQuest. Dragos, S Leskosek, V 2003, Social Inequality and social capital. Institute for contemporary Social and Political Studies. Duru-Bellat, M 2004, Social inequality at school and educational policies, UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning. Fligstein, N 2002, The Architecture of Markets: An Economic Sociology of Twenty-first-Centur y Capitalist Societies, Princeton University Press. Goldthorpe, J 2009, â€Å"Analysing Social Inequality: A Critique of Two Recent Contributions from Economics and Epidemiology†, European Sociological Review, DOI:10.1093/esr/jcp046 OECD, 2001, The Well-being of Nations: The Role of Human and Social Capital. OECD Publishing. Ryscavage, Paul. â€Å"Income inequality in America: an analysis of trends† USA: M.W. Sharpe, 1999. Print. Wilkinson, G 2005, The Impact of Inequality: How to Make Sick Societies Healthier, Routledge. Yoonseok, L, Donggyun S, What Aspect of the Income Distribution Matters in the Crime Model?. Web. This report on Inequality: Causes and Consequences was written and submitted by user Kelly E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Global Capitalism -- Critiques from Sociologists

Global Capitalism Critiques from Sociologists Global capitalism, the current epoch in the centuries-long history of the capitalist economy, is heralded by many as a free and open economic system that brings people from around the world together to foster innovations in production, for facilitating exchange of culture and knowledge, for bringing jobs to struggling economies worldwide, and for providing consumers with an ample supply of affordable goods. But while many may enjoy benefits of global capitalism, others around the world in fact, most do not. The research and theories of sociologists and intellectuals who focus on globalization, including William I. Robinson, Saskia Sassen, Mike Davis, and Vandana Shiva shed light on the ways this system harms many. Global Capitalism is Anti-Democratic Global capitalism is, to quote Robinson, â€Å"profoundly anti-democratic.† A tiny group of global elite decide the rules of the game  and control the vast majority of the world’s resources. In 2011, Swiss researchers found that just 147 of the world’s corporations and investment groups controlled 40 percent of corporate wealth, and just over 700 control nearly all of it (80 percent). This puts the vast majority of the world’s resources under the control of a tiny fraction of the world’s population. Because political power follows economic power, democracy in the context of global capitalism can be nothing but a dream. Using Global Capitalism as a Development Tool Does More Harm than Good Approaches to development that sync with the ideals and goals of global capitalism do far more harm than good. Many countries that were impoverished by colonization and imperialism are now impoverished by IMF and World Bank development schemes that force  them to adopt free trade policies in order to receive development loans. Rather than bolstering local and national economies, these policies pour money into the coffers of global corporations that operate in these nations under free trade agreements. And, by focusing development on urban sectors, hundreds of millions of people around the world have been pulled out of rural communities by the promise of jobs, only to find themselves un- or under-employed  and living in densely crowded and dangerous slums. In 2011, the United Nations Habitat Report estimated that 889 million people- or more than 10 percent of the world’ population- would live in slums by 2020. The Ideology of Global Capitalism Undermines the Public Good The neoliberal ideology that supports and justifies global capitalism undermines public welfare. Freed from regulations and most  tax obligations, corporations made wealthy in the era of global capitalism have effectively stolen social welfare, support systems, and public services and industries from people all over the world. The neoliberal ideology that goes hand in hand with this economic system places the burden of survival solely on an individual’s ability to earn money and consume. The concept of the common good is a thing of the past. The Privatization of Everything Only Helps the Wealthy Global capitalism has marched steadily across the planet, gobbling up all land and resources in its path. Thanks to the neoliberal ideology of privatization, and the global capitalist imperative for growth, it is increasingly difficult for people all over the world to access the resources necessary for a just and sustainable livelihood, like communal space, water, seed, and workable agricultural land. The Mass Consumerism Required by Global Capitalism is Unsustainable Global capitalism spreads consumerism as a way of life, which is fundamentally unsustainable. Because consumer goods mark progress and success under global capitalism, and because neoliberal ideology encourages us to survive and thrive as individuals rather than as communities, consumerism is our contemporary way of life. The  desire for consumer goods and the ​cosmopolitan way of life they signal is one of the key pull factors that draws hundreds of millions of rural peasants to urban centers in search of work. Already, the planet and its resources have been pushed beyond limits due to the treadmill of consumerism in Northern and Western nations. As consumerism spreads to more newly developed nations via global capitalism, the depletion of the earth’s resources, waste, environmental pollution, and the warming of the planet are increasing to catastrophic ends. Human and Environmental Abuses Characterize Global Supply Chains The globalized supply chains that bring all of this stuff to us are largely unregulated  and systemically rife with human and environmental abuses. Because global corporations act as large buyers rather than producers of goods, they do not directly hire most of the people who make their products. This arrangement frees them from any liability for the inhumane and dangerous work conditions where goods are made, and from responsibility for environmental pollution, disasters, and public health crises. While capital has been globalized, the  regulation of production  has  not. Much of what stands for regulation today is a sham, with private industries auditing and certifying themselves. Global Capitalism Fosters Precarious and Low-Wage Work The flexible nature of labor under  global capitalism  has put the vast majority of working people in very precarious positions. Part-time work, contract work, and insecure work are the norm, none of which bestow benefits or long-term job security upon people. This problem crosses all industries, from manufacturing of garments and consumer electronics, and even for  professors at U.S. colleges and universities, most of whom are hired on a short-term basis for low pay. Further, the globalization of the labor supply has created a race to the bottom in wages, as corporations search for the cheapest labor from country to country and workers are forced to accept unjustly low wages, or risk having no work at all. These conditions lead to poverty, food insecurity, unstable housing and homelessness, and troubling mental and physical health outcomes. Global Capitalism Fosters Extreme Wealth Inequality The hyper-accumulation of wealth experienced by corporations and a selection of elite individuals has caused a sharp rise in wealth inequality within nations and on the global scale. Poverty amidst plenty is now the norm. According to a  report released by Oxfam  in January 2014, half of the world’s wealth is owned by  just one percent  of the world’s population. At 110 trillion dollars, this wealth is 65 times as much as that owned by the bottom half of the world’s population. The fact that 7 out of 10 people now live in countries where economic inequality has increased over the last 30 years is proof that the system of global capitalism works for the few at the expense of the many. Even in the U.S., where politicians would have us believe that we have â€Å"recovered† from the economic recession, the wealthiest one percent captured 95 percent of economic growth during the recovery, while  90 percent of us are now poorer. Global Capitalism Fosters Social Conflict Global capitalism  fosters social conflict, which will only persist and grow as the system expands. Because capitalism enriches the few at the expense of the many, it generates conflict over access to resources like food, water, land, jobs and others resources. It also generates political conflict over the conditions and relations of production that define the system, like worker strikes and protests, popular protests and upheavals, and protests against environmental destruction. Conflict generated by global capitalism can be sporadic, short-term, or prolonged, but regardless of duration, it is often dangerous and costly to human life. A recent and ongoing example of this surrounds the  mining of coltan in Africa for smartphones and tablets  and many other minerals used in consumer electronics. Global Capitalism Does the Most Harm to the Most Vulnerable Global capitalism hurts people of color, ethnic minorities, women, and children the most. The history of  racism  and gender discrimination within Western nations, coupled with the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, effectively  bars women  and  people of color from accessing  the wealth generated by global capitalism. Around the world, ethnic, racial, and gender hierarchies influence or prohibit access to stable employment. Where capitalist based development occurs in former colonies, it often targets those regions because the labor of those who live there is â€Å"cheap† by virtue of a long history of racism, subordination of women, and political domination. These forces have led to what scholars term the â€Å"feminization of poverty,† which has disastrous outcomes for the world’s children, half of whom live in poverty.

Food Supply and Environmental Issues Research Paper

Food Supply and Environmental Issues - Research Paper Example According to past trends, there have been plans of increasing food production in order to counter the increasing consumption rates. Despite the existence of such plans, the consumption rates have often surpassed the production rates (World Centric, 2013). This explains why there are people succumbing to hunger in the developing world. Moreover, the globe lives under the threat of food insecurity because of the changes in climate and diminishing resources. It is a fact that the population will increase immensely in the next thirty years if population growth rates persist. The current seven billion people are likely to increase to about 9 billion in three decades (Diouf, 2010). The world faces challenges in feeding the current population, but must exhibit preparedness to feed an extra two billion people. Such increase will likely cause more strain in the agricultural and fishing sector in order to cater for the rising need. Moreover, with people adopting different lifestyles, the world will likely need more fish and animal livestock (Diouf, 2010). These animals and fish will require feed and this only increases the need. Food is not the only need because population will present a higher energy need for the globe. In order to ensure a level of security in the future, application of new techniques in agriculture to increase yield and combat climate change has been the way for most of the nations. The new techniques include the adoption of new farming methods, search for better seed varieties and improved animal breeds. For some time, conventional breeding seemed to offer a promise for the future but not anymore. There are new problems that challenge the new techniques adopted. Pesticides and insecticides that were once effective are no longer efficient with the increasing resistance from pests (Vidal, 2012). Moreover, stretching the agricultural sector presents its limits because of the potential environmental effects. Therefore, the discovery of better biotechnological methods has been the focus of many scientists in the recent past. Although genetically modified organisms (GMOs) present a glimpse of hope for the future, the politics and criticisms behind them only serve to prove that the worl d needs a better solution. Although the use of GMOs can assure the globe of food security to a certain level, they present new challenges as well, and scientists are still figuring out what they can do to ensure safety (Vidal, 2012). However, these still provide the world with fortified foods presenting a new capacity for agriculture to provide a balanced diet to its ever growing and needy population. Many have urged that green technology will present a better solution (Woody, 2012). The technology comes with handy benefits because it can provide good yields while conserving the environment as well. Although it comes with multiple benefits, it is expensive for the local farmer doing it at small scale. Moreover, the adverse climatic changes that have resulted because of over-exploitation of the

Globalization and Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Globalization and Education - Essay Example be a consensus among many scholars regarding the association between the interests of the richer countries’ programs and the prevailing states of poverty and adversity in the developing world. The scholars also cite the impact of colonialism within the general aspect of inequality (Bigelow & Peterson, 2002). Some of the themes that appear common in many of these discourses include the association between formal education and inequality and the association between globalization and world poverty. These themes tie together with the challenges facing Africa, The Caribbean, and other struggling parts of the world (Bigelow & Peterson, 2002). Regarding the theme of education and global inequality, the scholars contend that the formal education system lacks tune with the needs of the developing world. The scholars explore the manner in which the western powers imposed their systems of education on the natives in the different places they conquered. Such imposition ignored the previou sly existing structures of education and resulted in a serious mismatch between the needs of the natives and the objectives of the system of education. The study cites the case of the Maya who lost their reading materials to the Spanish at the time of the conquest (Bigelow & Peterson, 2002). The destruction of the traditional Mayan educational system resulted in the destruction of the people’s reservoir of culture. The Spanish case of destroying the Mayan culture represents a trend of the colonial culture where dominant powers systematically destroyed indigenous cultures using brute force and replaced them with foreign systems of education. Alienation of the weaker civilizations resulted from the education system that was based purely on the foreign systems. Loss of culture eventually led to... This paper approves that this pressure resulted in the systematic weakening of the indigenous economic systems that underpinned the growth of the economy. Farming and the production of powder milk were ruined due to the influences that followed the economic interventions of the developed countries and the structures created by the global financiers. These interventions appeared well meaning at first but gradually descended into ruin in the aftermath. Some of the long-term consequences included job losses and the destruction of local investing capacities. Many theorists and economic analysts argue that globalization essentially denies weaker countries the opportunity to trade favorably with the stronger powers. Cases are given of Jamaica, which continues to experience the devastating effect of global economic competition as a result of yielding to the pressure of structural reforms. This essay comes to the conclusion generally, globalization denies the developing powers the opportunity to protect their own markets. Globalization entails liberalization of the market economies, which essentially means that the developing world opens up its markets to global competition with the world powers. Weaker powers have stronger marketing powers and often use the synergies of their development to dominate the markets and push the weaker countries out of the markets. In the long term, the weaker countries become increasingly dependent on the developed countries for their sustenance. This dependency eventually yields a situation where the poor countries increasing descent into a cycle of debt.

Transfer Personal Statement Essay Example for Free

Transfer Personal Statement Essay To learn in life has always been one of my passions. Education cannot be taken away from me no matter how many years I have to live my life. The pursuit of Education drove me to left my country, Korea, momentarily and travel to the Philippine Islands then eventually to the country of the free people, America, which I found to be a great country with diverse groups of people whom I can relate with since I like to meet people. It was a great decision for me to become an international student; coupled with the fact that I would be separated with my family and friends whom I’ve known for almost all of my life. But, the idea of visiting foreign places and learning new things and cultures always enticed me since I was a child, so I eventually decided to pursue my dream. Luckily I have a very supportive family. They bid me farewell with smiles on their faces. I first went to the Philippines and enrolled at one of the colleges there during the year 2004. At first, sadness and longing settled in me, but later on as I learned to adapt to my new environment, my enthusiasm for learning began to be felt again. I completed one year of my studies there. Since the educational system in the Philippines is different, the feeling that I don’t know what to do with my life seeped into my consciousness and with that I realized that I was not completely happy. I never enrolled again for my second year in college in the Philippines; instead I went to Seattle and enrolled at Seattle Central Community College.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Taking up a degree in A.A., majoring in Philosophy, I settled in at this college rather a little quickly. That meant that I like the place. I persevered in class although my classmates and surroundings are new to me. I met with people, exchange ideas and different concepts with the students and instructors. And during this time, I began to feel confident with myself and suddenly found what I wanted to do with my life. In March this year, I will graduate at this college and will achieve one of my dreams of learning more in school and at the same time learning more the intricacies of life. After this, I planned of extending my stay in the United States and apply at a university with the best quality of education that it can give. Apart from having a good education, I take pleasure in watching or playing soccer. I also enjoy going to bookstores (perhaps, I can say that I’m a bookworm) and there I spend a lot of time, in fact hours. I usually browse through literature books, from the classical era to the contemporary writings and do some doodles in my notebook. I have this habit of trying and experiencing new things that will eventually help me in molding myself into a better person.   I personally believe that each individual has a natural disposition to excel in life if not hindered by jealousy, hatred or envy by other people. So, it is imperative that we, as inhabitants of this world, should live with each other free from prejudice. We should start to share with each other what we have. This thinking can be achieved through education. This is one of the reasons that I continually search for an institution that will cater to my dreams and hopes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studying at a premier university will provide me with the necessary tools to survive in the outside world. It will expand my view about the world and the people living in it with different people and background. With this in mind, I was driven to realize that I have it in me to persevere and learn the course subjects that I will be taking when I am accepted at a particular university of my choice. I have to persevere. Being an international student, coming from a different culture and country, would prove to be hard, yet the desire and will in to pursue education and take it is never diminished by these alone. The fact that I have endured being separated with my family, traveling from place to place, and adapting to different environments are testaments to the fact that I am determined to achieve my educational goals. I hope that in the near future if I graduate with a degree from a university of my choice, I will be able to impart what I have known and learn within the confines of the educational institution to other people. There are people who are not fortunate enough to have sufficient material possession to help them in pursuing their dreams of going to a university, especially in my homeland; I will make this as a personal objective that I will be of assistance to them through the education that I’ll learn from university. Education is free. It is a given right, since our birth, for us to know our world and the people living in it. With that, I am exercising that right.

Call It Sleep by Henry Roth :: Call it Sleep Essays

Call It Sleep   by Henry Roth      The book Call It Sleep written by Henry Roth is a literary work that explores immigrant life as they adjust to the new and unfamiliar ways of American life.   The book is somewhat of a social commentary on the period of the Eastern European immigration to America at its peak.  Ã‚   The novel gives an inside view on how foreigners (primarily Jewish immigrants) fit into main stream society.  Ã‚   Throughout the course of the novel, you travel along with the main character David Schearl as he ages from six to eight and grows up in Brownsville on the lower East side of New York.   David is torn between the love of his over protective mother and the hatred of his angry and mentally disturbed father in a quest to make sense of his life in contrast with all of the other immigrant children that he comes in contact with.   All of the adventures that David encounters and all of the people that he comes in contact with are simply the author’s way of depicting an immigrants inne r struggle and dealing with the pressures of life as seen through the eyes of a remarkably perceptive and imaginative child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The opening scenes are set in New York harbor in 1907 at a time when the inflow of   foreigners is at its peak. A woman and her small child come off of the boat to reunite with her husband that had gone before them to the new world to start a better life than they were used to in their old country.   The author has you experience what it is like to come into New York Harbor and see the city skyline and the lights; and also to experience the feeling of hope and promise for a brighter future for the immigrants.   However when Albert Schearl shows up late and uncaring to greet a wife and son who don’t recognize him right away, it is hinted to the reader that trouble is in store for the Schearl family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The father Albert Schearl is introduced as a very haughty and proud individual that believes that he should abandon all signs of his former upbringing and conform to the American ways of life.   He is a printer by trade however he cannot hold down a job long enough due to his violent and uncontrollable temperament.   He thinks that people are constantly watching his every move therefore he cannot give

Natsume Soseki has written Kokoro

Natsume Soseki has written Kokoro in such a way that the reader be acquainted with Boku and Sensei.   Through them, Soseki believed that a person’s actions should be coming from their true emotions and not by what others perceive of it.   A person should always do things in accordance to what he thinks is right and not by merely considering what the people dictates to him.   Sometimes people tend to live up to what the people tell them because their reputation is at stake.   Just like the planned graduation party of Boku[1].   Even though Boku did not want to have a party, his parents insisted because his father has a reputation to maintain in their community. Kokoro was also written in such a way that there is a special connection between Sensei and Boku in being able to see their imperfections by means of their shallowness.   Despite the two characters having different worldly views, they still found company in each other’s presence.   Boku is somewhat a person who wants to know who Sensei really is and Sensei was not the type of person who would reveal the real him. The style of the first part of Kokoro resembles that of a detective novel, and helps first to establish the reader’s curiosity towards Sensei. Narrator Boku provides no self-introduction and no adequate explanation for his interest in Sensei. Instead, he continuously feeds the reader small ‘clues’ – pieces to the puzzle of Sensei – to gain the reader’s curiosity. ‘â€Å"I cannot tell you why,† Sensei said to me, â€Å"but for a very good reason I wish to go to that grave alone. Even my wife, you see, has never come with me.† [End of passage]’[2] Sudden breaks in narrative are often used to leave these clues hanging, helping to compound the suspense felt by the reader. Additionally, despite having already experienced all the events he describes, Boku chooses to present them in the original chronological order and to narrate his original thoughts regarding each event.    â€Å"I wondered also why Sensei felt the way he did towards mankind.†[3] Revealing his thoughts and experiences in this manner assists Boku in linking with the reader, as it constructs between them a shared interest towards Sensei. Soseki seeks to direct this interest, as evident in the sentence: â€Å"Had I been curious in an impersonal and analytical way, the bond between us would surely not have lasted.†[4] This explanation of the nature of Boku’s curiosity can be interpreted as a suggestion to the reader; in order to complete the puzzle of Sensei, the reader needs to explore Sensei on a more personal level – not simply to analyse from a third person perspective, but rather to attempt to interpret Boku’s regard for Sensei by examining the similar attitudes and values that the two espouse. In the third part of Kokoro, Soseki switches to a new narrative frame, and we read Sensei’s letter through the eyes of Boku. Sensei directly addresses Boku in the letter – driving us as readers even closer to Boku, as we to try to interpret Sensei’s words through the mindset of Boku. Contrastingly, despite the title ‘My Parents and I’, part two of the novel serves to distance the reader from Boku’s family. As readers, our interest draws to a peak when Sensei agrees to tell Boku about his past. However, Sensei does not, and instead Boku’s father’s illness forces Boku to leave for home. This is frustrating for Boku, and for the reader, as is revealed in the passage: ‘†¦ there was much that I did not know about Sensei. He had not told me about his past, as he had promised. I could not be content until he was fully revealed to me.’[5]  Even as Boku’s father lies on his deathbed, Boku’s thoughts wander towards Sensei – physically represented by his moving back and forth between his bedroom and his father’s bedroom. In the process of affiliation with Sensei and Boku, the reader is exposed to the two characters’ disdain towards external appearances and opinions.  Both Sensei and Boku show their disregard for academia. Boku shows little regard for his diploma – he ‘pretends his diploma is a telescope’ surveys the world outside his window in it, and then throws it down on his desk. Similarly, Sensei does not know where he put his diploma.  In contrast, Boku’s parents hold Boku’s diploma in the highest regard. They scold Boku for not having taken better care of the diploma, and display it in the house. Boku’s narration shows that he also is not interested in the appearance of things.   He tends to observe, conclude and investigate on it.   Just like what happened when he saw Sensei at the beach centre.   He overlooked at Sensei’s appearance and focused his attention more on his behaviour thus speculating Sensei’s state of mind.  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"He was always aloof and [†¦] seemed totally indifferent to his surroundings†.[6] Sensei bears a similar disregard towards appearances to others and describes it:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I used to consider it a disgrace to be found ignorant by other people. But now, I find that I am not ashamed of knowing less than others †¦Ã¢â‚¬ [7]  Sometimes people tend to pull themselves down because they think they know less about things.   But come to think of it, even though a person does not graduate high school or college, it means that he is more ignorant than those who have graduated.   People know different things and not all individuals can learn everything. With these, it forms a sharp contrast with Boku’s parents.   The parents of Boku have a high regard for the physicality of things while Sensei and Boku do not.   Boku’s parents seem to relate the physical aspect of a thing with its value just like the diploma.   For them, being able to have a diploma is something that should be cherished, treasured and be well cared of.   While for Sensei and Boku, a diploma is somewhat like a representation of the knowledge acquired while in the university.   A diploma is just a paper, nothing more, nothing less.   What is important are the learning obtained during the years studying in the university. In conclusion, Kokoro is a classic example of presenting two characters that may turn out to be indifferent from one another at first but later on saw their similarities.   Even though these two characters obviously come from different generations, they still were able to find a common ground.   These two started out as complete strangers and tended to avoid the fact that they needed each other’s company but in the end, it just proves that no matter the distance of two persons, they still are close when always remembered. Bibliography Soseki, Natsume. Kokoro (Part 2) Chicago: Regnery Gateway, 1957. 21 Jan. 2000. http://www.eldritchpress.org/ns/k2.html [1] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Online Version, 2001. part 2                                                                                                                               [2] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p11 [3] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p22 [4] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p11 [5] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p65 [6] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p5 [7] Natsume, Soseki. Kokoro. Quiet Vision Publishing, 2001. p37