Thursday, December 26, 2019

Ten Principles of Economics - 2000 Words

CHAPTER 1 In this chapter, look for the answers to these questions: What kinds of questions does economics address? What are the principles of how people make decisions? What are the principles of how people interact? What are the principles of how the economy as a whole works? Ten Principles of Economics Macroeconomics N. Gregory Mankiw Premium PowerPoint Slides by Ron Cronovich  © 2009 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning, all rights reserved PRINCIPLES OF 1 What Economics Is All About Scarcity: the limited nature of society’s resources Economics: the study of how society manages its scarce resources, e.g. how people decide what to buy, how much to work, save, and spend how firms decide how much to produce, how many workers to†¦show more content†¦Blue book value is $6500 if transmission works, $5700 if it doesn’t Answers Observations: The $1000 you previously spent on repairs is irrelevant. What matters is the cost and benefit of the marginal repair (the transmission). The change in incentives from scenario A to scenario B caused your decision to change. Benefit of fixing the transmission = $800 ($6500 – 5700). It’s worthwhile to have the transmission fixed. B. Blue book value is $6000 if transmission works, $5500 if it doesn’t Benefit of fixing the transmission is only $500. Paying $600 to fix transmission is not worthwhile. 12 13 The principles of HOW PEOPLE INTERACT HOW PEOPLE INTERACT Principle #5: Trade Can Make Everyone Better Off Rather than being self-sufficient, people can specialize in producing one good or service and exchange it for other goods. Countries also benefit from trade specialization: Get a better price abroad for goods they produce Buy other goods more cheaply from abroad than could be produced at home TEN PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS 15 HOW PEOPLE INTERACT Principle #6: Markets Are Usually A Good Way to Organize Economic Activity Market: a group of buyers and sellers (need not be in a single location) â€Å"Organize economic activity† means determining what goods to produce how to produce them how much of each to produce who gets them TEN PRINCIPLESShow MoreRelatedTen Principles Of Economics And The Data Of Macroeconomics Essay1216 Words   |  5 PagesTen Principles of Economics and the Data of Macroeconomics Mankiw explains that economics is the study of how society manages its scarce resources. And, how the combined choices of millions of households and firms determine how those resources are allocated. To understand these complex concepts, economists must study how people make decisions, how people interact with other people, and the forces and trends that affect the entire economy (p. 16). To do so, economists assume many roles. EconomistsRead MoreN Gregory Mankiws Ten Principles of Economics1312 Words   |  5 Pagesrestrictions, such use was prohibited, study was difficult, and doctors hesitated to prescribe due to possible criminal prosecution (Szalavitz, 2011, n. p.). The article discusses dynamic factors that illustrate most of N. Gregory Mankiws Ten Principles of Economics (Nantz and Miners, 2007), which is important to me as the debate about U. S. marijuana decriminalization unfolds over states that have and those that have not repealed prohibition. All future voters and health care consumers have a responsibilityRead MoreTen Principles Of Economics And How Markets Works. Rian1593 Words   |  7 PagesTen Principles of Economics and How Markets Works Rian Kotter ECO/365 Principles of Microeconomics January 19, 2017 Michael Blakley Ten Principles of Economics and How Markets Works As a part of the firm’s marketing research committee we need to understand the fundamentals of microeconomics and the ten basic principles associated with economics and its workings. (Mankiw, 2013) As discussed in Principles of Microeconomics, the following four principles deal with understanding the decision makingRead MoreEconomic Cartoon Analysis Essay618 Words   |  3 PagesIn today’s grim economic climate, cartoonists across the country have taken pen to paper to satirize and make light of the gloomy situation the United States is currently in. This particular cartoon deals with several major economic principles, such as the idea that people face tradeoffs (Raj). To illustrate, in society, there is a tradeoff between efficiency and equity. Efficiency means society is getting the most it can from its resources, whereas equity is distributing economic prosperity fairlyRead MoreSocial Justice Issues Take Place At Various Levels : Global, National, Regional, And L ocal1397 Words   |  6 Pagesfor reducing it. The principles of Catholic social teaching can be employed to in analyzing how racism undermines the catholic teachings. The Catholic social principles help us in taking our stance, realizing if we are going in the right direction while analyzing the issue, and analyzing if our conclusion in harmony with the catholic teachings. These teachings â€Å"broader issue of the applicability of Catholic social thought to a range of issues that go beyond the economic to include family, religiousRead MoreEconomics of Daily Life Essay1228 Words   |  5 PagesEconomics of Daily Life Leah Hand Stevens-Henager College Economics of Daily Life Economics is a study of how society manages its scarce resources. The literal translation for economy is â€Å"one who manages a household.† â€Å"In an increasingly complex world connected by social and economic interaction and interdependence, news of stock market fluctuations, consumer confidence scores, and various economic indicators fill the media† (Broome amp; Preston-Grimes, 2011). This means that economics isRead MoreEssay on Brazil Unemployment Rate1017 Words   |  5 Pageslast recorded as 190 million and 81% of that 190 million live in the urban parts of Brazil. This aids economic development but could also create serious social, security, environmental, and political problems for major cities. Brazil has been proactive in recognizing its potential threats. From the help of the former President Lula, surging exports, economic growth, and social programs helped lift tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty. And for the first time, a majority of Brazili ans are nowRead MoreBusiness Ethics-Written Assignment for Module 2 Essay1536 Words   |  7 Pagesutilitarianism. What are these two forms. Briefly describe each and use examples. Act Utilitarianism and Rule Utilitarianism are the two different forms of utilitarianism that Shaw and Barry distinguish. Utilitarianism refers to the greatest happiness principle for the most amounts of people. Act utilitarianism â€Å"states that we must ask ourselves what the consequences of a particular act in a particular situation will be for all those affected. If its consequences bring more net good than those of any alternativeRead MoreDemocracy And The American Dream1358 Words   |  6 Pagesdefinition for democracy is a system of government by the whole population of a state, typically through elected members. The original idea of democracy that America’s Founding Fathers promoted has shifted throughout the years. America was founded on the principles of freedom and liberty and many of these freedoms and liberties are being stripped away, or are at risk of being stripped away, by the American government. America is no longer a democracy, but it is an oligarchy. America is considered an oligarchyRead MoreThe Government Of The People1353 Words   |  6 Pagesdefinition for democracy is a system of government by the whole population of a state, typically through elected members. The original idea of democracy that America’s Founding Fathers promoted has shifted throughout the years. America was founded on the principles of freedom and liberty and many of these freedoms and liberties are being stripped away, or are at risk of being stripped away, by the American government. America is no longer a democracy, but it is an oligarchy. America is considered an oligarchy

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Social Media And Its Effect On Society - 1708 Words

Social media can be both an extremely positive and extremely negative part of today’s society. In our current day and age, a majority of teenagers use social media apps every single day. Social media allows people to connect with friends and family, allows you to see what is going on in the world, and gives you the ability to express yourself to a large audience. As nice as that may sound, there are also negatives to social media. For example, some people use the power of social media to do harm. For most teenagers body image is extremely important. Even if you’re confident in yourself, nowadays people base their self worth on how many likes their picture gets, or even worse, by comparing themselves to the unrealistic, photoshopped pictures of celebrities that clutter the internet. Over time many people around the globe have recognized this problem and small steps have been taken to create a change; however, more people need to band together to solve this problem on a g lobal level. The longer this problem goes unsolved, the more our youth is affected. I’m sure that everyone has looked in the mirror at least once in their life and pinpointed one specific thing they dislike about their body, and in many cases these people do not like that specific feature because it is not celebrated in the media. Every day that the problem of unrealistic photoshopping in the media is not solved, the number of people affected increases drastically. Celebrities and news outlets should workShow MoreRelatedSocial Media And Its Effects On Society1597 Words   |  7 PagesSociety Crumbles into Smithereens One Post at a Time You are walking out of the new Star Wars movie, posting about how superb it was, when suddenly you are swooped up and thrown in the back of a vehicle. No one would have thought posting about how you were there earlier would provoke such a situation. After all, social networking is â€Å"safe† and â€Å"friendly.† Now, social media is defined as â€Å"A form of electric communication through which users create online communities to share information,† accordingRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effect On Society1711 Words   |  7 Pagesinfluence usually are not the first words you would expect to come to mind when thinking about the term â€Å"social media,† yet with a little digging you will soon realize it could be the perfect description. Social media can be defined as forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages and other content. Most often social media is understood as a p ositive concept because of the ways it has allowed us to attain cheap and easilyRead MoreThe Effects Of Social Media On Society1359 Words   |  6 PagesIn a broad sense, Social media refers to elements such as websites, television, blogs, IM, and other applications that enable users to create and share various forms of content such as messages, pictures, and information, or to be able to participate in social networking. Social media depends on web-based applications, which allow a high level of virtual interaction on various levels such as social, professional, and educational levels. Social media has had various contributions to the developmentRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effects On Society1592 Words   |  7 Pagesdevelopment of vast social media networks has improved our communications and interactions. These networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, are essential to how information is shared and criticized. The Social Media Handbook defines social media as â€Å"networked information services designed to support in-depth interaction, community formation, collaborative opportunities and collaborative work† (Hunsinger, 2014 p.1). Having an account or profile on these sites is more than a social norm; it is a requirementRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effects On Society1359 Words   |  6 PagesPeople may say social media is good for you but is it really? Everyday, everywhere I always see people on social media calling people bad names, not being able to communicate face to face with each other. Social media, social media, social media†¦ oh what is has done to the world, so many students grades have dropped, criminals PROMOTE crimes. Ultimately, what is at stake here is social media will one day take over the world. People’s safety will be in danger, crimes will increase, people will getRead MoreThe Effects Of Social Media On Society Essay1644 Words   |  7 PagesSocial media has become prominent parts of life for many young people today. Most people engage with social media without stopping to think what the effects are on our lives, whether positive or negative. Are we as a society becoming more concerned with Facebook friends than we are with the people we interact with face-to-face in our daily lives? What will the longterm effects of today s social media use be? There are many positive aspects, but there are equally as many dangers that come withRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effect On Society1601 Words   |  7 Pagesrecent editorial titled â€Å"Hazards of Social Media† on your LinkedIn page on February 10t h, 2016. It was very interesting to read your perspective on social media and its effect on society. Having an undergraduate major in Psychology at the University of Southern California and currently conducting research on social media usage at the Brain and Creativity Institute of USC, I have spent significant time researching the issue of social media.Though I agree that social media can be hazardous if not used effectivelyRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effect On Society998 Words   |  4 Pagesis bound to be a shift in social norms. As the times change, so does societal views on acceptable values. One such possibility is the standard value accepted by mainstream society in which the way a female body is sexually portrayed in the media. It appears that society has not only accepted this standard, but has increasingly encouraged a more sexualized representation of the female body. Social media is an informational highway about what is accepted by the larger society and inferred by the individualsRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effect On Society1151 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Media The Workplaces’ Largest Enemy Being employed means that an individual will in most cases have coworkers and bosses; the environment shared between the employees is known as the workplace. In the time before technology, people being fired from their jobs was not an unheard of situation. The difference now is people are being terminated from their jobs because of something they posted on social media. If this was not the case, it would set a precedent that posting inappropriate or hurtfulRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effects On Society Essay1396 Words   |  6 PagesIn our modern world, the use of social media is overwhelming and second nature due to the availability. Several people all around the world possess some form of an electronic device that is capable of accessing social media, rather it be Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and many more. â€Å"Technology’s rampant popularization over the past decade in terms of social media has meant that texting, Facebook, and Twitter have inevitable take n over as the most efficient ways of communicating with each

Monday, December 9, 2019

Difficulties Encountered by Grade Six Pupils in Lemery Pilot Elementary School free essay sample

Introduction Learning English language is a continuous process and whatever knowledge the student acquires upon studying it will pay off once he or she landed a remarkable job. Hence, as we lengthen our study of English our ability to express ourselves through writing and speaking increase. A grade six pupil who had encountered and received ample usage of the English language in reading, listening, speaking and writing instructions during the past schooling will have a valuable asset in pursuing into high school level. Five years were devoted to formal reading, listening, writing and speaking English. Teachers have often taught students to make good use and apply what students had learned in English in their day-to-day activities especially in communication, and it is done either in oral or written communication. Most of this activities regarding communication need to be developed like reciting, delivering a report, debate, demonstration and others. In light of this, pupils like Grade Six wanted to use English properly cannot afford to be lazy. Continuous studies and practice of English language in normal course of schooling is necessary for the student to be adept with it and be his tool in meeting the need of employment in the future. Since English played an important role in the acquisition of a particular job, and for this reason it should be efficient and effectively taught and learned. Hence the researcher was motivated to go deeply with regards to then Grade Six pupils of Lemery Pilot Elementary Pilot difficulties in English as a subject. II. Background of the Study To have an accurate, thorough and comprehensive analysis, enough facts should be at hand, facts that will serve as explanation and foundation in doing such activity, the reason for which the writer sought the ideas, views and options of others pertaining to the matter of the study. If the pupil felt the absence of learning materials when he is studying English he might also find the absence of speech patterns and such language features as intonation, sound, rhythm, symbolization and structures which are both important to supplement his desire to communicate with other people efficiently and effectively. A typical student should have knowledge about speech because it will be used by him as tool for communication. According to Alfredo Consulta et. al. , (2002) the skills and competencies for effective communication that you will try to develop and enhance will include the following: 1. ) Skill in expression – when you talked about yourself, when conversing, discussing and explaining things, giving options, telling stories, supporting arguments, reacting to issues, when asking and giving information, requesting public speaking. 2. ) Competence in adjusting listening strategies so that you can effectively assimilate what you are listening to; get main points maintain the concentrate; analyze, criticize and evaluate speaker’s ideas, feeling attitudes and hidden messages; follow his trend of thought; make comparisons and mental processes. 3. ) Ability to read aloud any reading matter, observing correct diction, pausing, stress, intonation and feeling. 4. ) Enrichment of you vocabulary with a great variety of words and useful idiomatic expressions. 5. ) Correct usage of sentences, grammatical forms, prepositions and language functions. 6. ) Skill in organizing and writing paragraphs and the various types of compositions. Pupils are also called upon to speak in public but without the background of the mechanics of English this will not be successfully met. In a book entitled, â€Å"The Power of Speech I† Llarena (2002) qualifies that communication is a process. This happens when a message is passed on from one party called the source to another party, called the receiver. The message may be in the form of information, an idea, a feeling, an opinion, observation, perception, insight, falsity, or truth. The manner by which such a process is done varies depending on the interplay of its element. For instance, the approach employed by one communicator differs from that of another. There cannot be exactly the same reaction from two persons even though the stimulus is similar. Thus communication is a distinct art. One who communicates and does it properly has an edge in terms of self-expression. It is a tool for a person to share, be heard, be understood, and be appreciated. It is means by which he acquires knowledge, ideas, information or insights. Though this process he understands himself, other people, and the community where they belong. In a global oriented society, the English language is a gate pass to relate with others. It is the link between or among cultures. It is a tool to reach out, to complete, and to progress. Without it people and nations will not understand or appreciate each other. For as long as it is universal, the English language remains essential to Filipinos. â€Å"Developing English Proficiency in College† authored by Felicidad C. Robles (1985) tackles the significance of English. She cited numerous reasons for which the Filipinos and specially pupils notably found its importance. These are the following: 1. English is the main medium of instruction in the Philippine schools. 2. It is the language of profession. 3. English is an intellectualized language- it makes the world’s knowledge available and accessible. The book of knowledge in booth humanities and the Sciences are in English. 4. Filipino pupils need English proficiency to assimilate the learning that is available in English but not in the national language. 5. English is still used in government official transactions. 6. Most business instructions are done in English. 7. Foreign relations and international trade are carried on in English. 8. The mass media are mostly in English. 9. English is the language used by the Filipino abroad. 10. Religious services are invariably conducted in English. 11. The signs and symbols that are used everyday human activities are mostly in English. III. Statement of the Problem This research aimed to determine the difficulties encountered in English as a subject by the grade six pupils of Lemery Pilot Elementary School and to find out ways by which these problems may be discarded or lessened. It is in this regard that the study attempted to answer the following questions: 1. What is the demographic profile of the grade six pupils in terms of (a) age, (b) sex? 2. What are the causes of the students’ difficulties in their PAST studies of English? 3. In what area of the language do the students find it easy or difficult? IV. Scope of the Action Research A total of six female and four male grade six pupils of Lemery Pilot Elementary School are the respondents of this study. This study is focused on their PREVIOUS English studies from Grade I to V levels. The assessments of the respondents of the different areas under study were taken through the questionnaire prepared by the researcher and answered by the respondents. In order to arrive at the right interpretation, different statistical tools were used such as frequency, ranking and weighted mean to determine the problems and difficulties in English as a subject by the grade six pupils of Lemery Pilot Elementary School. Percentage % = x 100 Where F – frequency N – total number of respondents 100 constant Weighted Mean WM = where: WM = weighted mean; n = number TV = total value of respondents V. Problem Analysis and Preliminary Data Gathering The researcher observed that many of the grade six pupils can hardly communicate or express themselves in English. In this regard the researcher deemed it necessary to conduct a study on the difficulties encountered by them. This study was envisioned to discover ways and means in order to improve the teaching and learning of English. It is the researcher’s belief that with this study, it would reveal the actual problems and difficulties besetting the pupils of English. Since the study aimed to analyze and interpret the problems and difficulties encountered by the pupils, result of the study may be of help to English teachers in designing English language program for elementary pupils. VI. Formulating Inferences The following inferences were advanced for this study. 1. That both the teacher and the students should work efficiently and effectively. The methods of teaching demonstrate greater contribution to English language literacy. 2. That grade six pupils encountered difficulties in English as a subject. 3. That different strategies could be utilized so that these problems could be overcome. 4. That improvement on the performance of students in English would be manifested after the strategies were implemented. VII. Action Taken The researcher prepared the questionnaires to be answered by the six female and four male grade six pupils. The questionnaire consisted of three parts. Part I is on the demographic profile of the students in terms of age and sex. Part II is on the causes of their difficulties in English. Part III is on the areas of speech respondents know how to use. The researcher sought approval to conduct a study through a letter addressed to the principal as well as with the subject adviser. Upon approval of her request, the researcher personally distributed the questionnaires and explained the study to the respondents. The questionnaires were retrieved after one week with 100 percent turnover. Then the results were analyzed and interpreted. 1. Profile of the Grade Six Pupils Table 1 shows the demographic profile of respondents in terms of sex and age. Table I Demographic profile of the respondents Sex Male Female Total Number 4 6 10 Percentage 40% 60% 100% Average age 11 12 Total Number 3 7 10 Percentage 30% 70% 100% This shows that most of the pupils of Lemery Pilot Elementary School are female. Less number of male was included. Among 10 respondents, 3 or 30% are 11 years old, 7 or 70% are 12 years old. It disclosed that most of the grade six entrance age is 12. 2. Respondents’ Language Problem Table II – A is on the respondents’ Language problem Table II-A Respondents’ Language Problem FrequencyRank Listening Comprehension14 Reading Comprehension05 Composition Writing22. 5 Speaking22. 5 Vocabulary51 As indicated in Table II-A, then major problem in language is â€Å"vocabulary†, followed by â€Å"composition writing† and â€Å"speaking†. â€Å"Listening comprehension† ranked fourth and â€Å"reading comprehension† ranked fifth. Most of the respondents found vocabulary difficult. The common reason of the pupils for being unable to express idea in compositions is their inability to choose correct word to use in a sentence. Their problem in vocabulary might be because they are not interested in reading books. An interview reveals that most of them spend their free time in playing computer games rather than reading books. They depend on context clues that’ s why they were good in comprehension but poor in vocabulary when words are isolated. Table II-B presents the data that influence the present difficulties of students in English. Table II-B Factors That Lead To Students English Problem CAUSESFrequencyRank Mismatch of teaching methods applied by the teacher05. 5 Lack of time duty22. 5 Lack of interest in subject matter22. 5 Lack of instructional materials05. 5 Lack of concentration51 Lack of reading skills14 As shown in Table II-B â€Å"lack of concentration† ranks first among the former problems causing difficulties of pupils in English. It maybe because there are various activities that they engage in that their time for studying is lessened. This means that the poor ability of students to concentrate is the primary factor causing their difficulty in the Language. Table II-C presents the parts of speech respondents know how to use. TABLE II-C Parts of speech respondents know how to use Parts of SpeechWeighted meanRank Nouns3. 53 Pronouns3. 34 Verb Tenses3. 81 Adjectives3. 62 The data shown in Table II-C indicates that the respondents know how to use â€Å"verb tenses† with a weighted mean of 3. 8. It maybe because they found verb tenses easy since it has been taught in elementary. Adjectives ranked second with the weighted mean of 3. 6. Nouns ranked third with the weighed mean of 3. 5. The grade six pupils find it difficult to use pronouns with the weighted mean of 3. 3. VIII. Summary of Findings From the data gathered, interpreted and analyzed, the study generated the following findings. 1. )That the pupils have difficulties in vocabulary. 2. )That lack of concentration gave pupils difficulties in their past studies of English. 3. )Majority of the pupils know verbs and phrases well. IX. Conclusions The grade six pupils’ difficulties in learning English can be traced back to the way they were taught when they were in Grade I-V levels. The grade six pupils have difficulties in vocabulary and they lack concentration, interest in subject matter and lack of time to study which in turn gave them difficulties in English. X. Recommendations In order to have effective knowledge of English the following recommendations are suggested based on the findings drawn from the survey. For the students: 1. )It shall be the pupil’s responsibility to acquire learning aids as reference materials. 2. )That pupils should expose themselves to reading materials that could help enrich their vocabulary. 3. )That pupils should give more time to lessons in English. For the teachers: 1. )Encourage or motivate pupils to participate and engage on whatever activities the school had that will contribute to the growth and development of pupils. 2. )That they provide materials relevant to the changing needs and interests of pupils. 3. )That more drills and practices on the different parts of speech be provided to the pupils. 4. )That the Speak English campaign be strictly imposed during English class. 5. )That teachers should ask pupils to make book reports. XI. Challenge Lemery Pilot Elementary School is challenged to have immediate action to minimize or eliminate the problems encountered by the grade six pupils in English. The challenge to grade six English teachers who facilitate learning and enhance the knowledge of pupils is how they could uplift their skills in teaching. They need to utilize the best teaching strategies to produce well trained pupils in English to be globally competitive individuals. Teachers and pupils should be aware of the current trends of education, innovation and even technology. REFERENCES Books Consulta, Alfredo et. al. Achieving Fluent English. Isa- Jecho Publishing Inc. , 2002. Llarena, Melody Grace. The Power of Speech I (1st Edition). Manila: Rex Bookstore Inc. , 2002. Philips, Sam. 30 Days To A Better Vocabulary. 7 Jalan bangsar Chama Tiga, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Synergy Books International S Abdul Majied and Co. , 2001. APPENDIX A LEMERY PILOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Lemery, Batangas Dear Respondents, I am currently conducting an action research on the difficulties in English as a subject of the grade six pupils. In this regard, I would like to solicit your help by answering the attached questionnaire. Rest assured that this is solely for academic purposes. Thank you and may God’s grace be poured upon you! Truly Yours, Jennie Lyn A. Carolino APPENDIX B DIFFICULTIES IN ENGLISH AS A SUBJECT BY THE GRADE SIX PUPILS OF LEMERY PILOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PART I DIRECTIONS: Fill up the blank with the appropriate information needed. Name ______________________________________ Age _______ Sex_______ Section: __________________________________ PART II DIRECTIONS: Listed below are check lists (/) for you to accomplish. Please answer this honestly and correctly. 1. Areas in English I found difficulties: ______a. Listening Comprehension ______b. Reading Comprehension ______c. Composition Writing ______d. Speaking ______e. Vocabulary ______f. orthography ______g. logic ______h. grammar ______i. pronunciation ______j. spelling ______k. vocabulary ______l. literature ______m. phonology 2. Causes of my difficulties in past studies of English: ______a. Mismatch of teaching methods applied by the teacher ______b. Lack of time to study ______c. Lack of interest in subject matter ______d. Lack of instructional materials ______e. Lack of concentration ______f. lack of reading skills ______g. lack of motivation ______h. lack of technology ______i. bilingualism ______j. DIRECTIONS: Below are areas in grammar. Please indicate your answers by putting a check mark (/) on the space provided. FIVE POINT SCALE 5Very Well Learned 4 Well Learned 3 Fairly Learned 2 Not Learned Well 1 Never Learned Areas in Grammar54321 Nouns Pronouns Verb Tenses Adjectives

Monday, December 2, 2019

Irony Analysis of the Gift of the Magi Essay Example

Irony Analysis of the Gift of the Magi Paper Chase Tidmore Intro To Lit Analyst Ms. Sheperis 10/20/11 Irony Within â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† â€Å"Irony is a disciplinarian feared only by those who do not know it, but cherished by those who do†, Soren Kierkegaard knew what he was talking about when he said these famous words. â€Å"The Gift of the Magi†, written by William Sidney Porter, often known by his pen name O. Henry. It is a short story depicting literary elements of irony, romance, and Porters sense of twist endings, and is all about a poor couples Christmas. Because of the end results of Della and Jims sense of self sacrifice, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† displays almost a word for word example of what irony is defined as. Irony is a rhetorical literary device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions. In this sense, the world irony would mean speech that means the opposite of what it is actually intended to be used. Irony could be broken into a few different categories: verbal irony (most commonly sarcasm), dramatic irony, and situational irony. We will write a custom essay sample on Irony Analysis of the Gift of the Magi specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Irony Analysis of the Gift of the Magi specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Irony Analysis of the Gift of the Magi specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For something like situational irony, the actions or events in a story will usually be enacted by a specific character and unbeknownst to the character, their action will have an effect that is completely opposite of their desired intentions. â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† was a great example of this, because the lovers tried to fake their deaths, only to actually die in the process (this is, of course, a very morbid example). Porter does a much better example of situational irony in â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† when he writes his twist ending to fit into ironic story at the end. The Gift of the Magi† is a great example of irony, situational irony to be specific. If one were to look again at what â€Å"situation irony† is, Merriam-Webster would define the term as â€Å" irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite of what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what is expected†. This is laid out first when Della lear ns that Jim had bought her a beautiful set of tortoise shell combs with bejeweled rims for her (once) beautiful hair. This example is a textbook example of what situational irony is. Della had spent hours and hours looking for a way to make any money so that she could buy Jim the perfect gift, but the only way she could make any money was to get rid of her most prized possession: her hair. Leaving the story at this would have been a great romantic endeavor, but the author decided that he would display a masterful element to change the entire dynamic of the tale by having Jim bring home a set of beautiful combs for her. Now lets recap, situational irony is when actions that have an opposite of the intended effect. So with that definition repeated, the readers see that even though Author William Porter spent a majority of the story having Della selling her â€Å"rippling and shining. cascade of brown waters†, only so that her majestic combs be deemed useless. However, the ironic twists do not end with a set of tortoise shell combs. It has already been established that the irony was evident with Della gift from Jim, but what about his gift? Della sold her hair so she could buy a â€Å" platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design She sells her brown locks of hair so her husband can have the perfect accessory to his most prized possession, his generations old pocket watch. So Della may have a useless gift of combs that she can not use for her short hair, but at least she was able to get a great gift for Jim right? Before that is answered, do not forget that Porter spent a little time explaining that Jim only made 20 dollars a week. So how did he manage to buy the most beautiful set of c ombs when they were clearly out of reach of his budget? Simple, he sold his watch so he could get enough money, only to receive a chain for said watch. That was the irony train making its shipping route come in full circle. Once again, irony is an action that is that is opposite of its intentional effect. What the author presented the audience with is a young poor couple that literally sold their most prized possession, hair and a pocket watch respectively, out of love for one another, only to receive accessories for the very items they just sold. This is something that is usually only seen on TV sitcoms, for example, when two people wear the same outfit in an embarrassing fashion. It was clearly dumb luck (or misfortune, depending how the reader reads it) that on the same day each lover sheds their precious material good to do what they feel is more important, to make their respective spouse happy, no matter what. Situational irony is any actual irony involving a situation in which action have a have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what is expected. The situational irony set in place Porters world of Jim and Dellas house is almost tangible it is so obvious. What the audience has is a wife who sold her hair to buy a chain for a pocket watch, only to receive combs that were bought from the earnings of said sold watch. The story ends on a quirky note, a note that one might feel could be a deep and meaningful lesson in life. Jim tells Della of the ironic situation that they had put themselves into, only to follow up by asking her to put the pork chops on the oven for supper.