Comparing and Contrasting Two Golf Greats Essay Example for Free

Comparing and Contrasting Two Golf Greats Essay Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are respectively the two greatest golf players in the history of the sport. Nicklaus and Woods both dominated the game and nearly set unattainable standards that future players can only dream of achieving. The records that Nicklaus and Woods have set are legendary and only a brilliant prodigy could possibly surpass them. Currently, Nicklaus is the greatest player in the history of the sport, but as a retired player he can achieve no more. In contrast, Woods who is an active player continues his quest to surpass Nicklaus and establish himself as the greatest player in history. As Woods continues to achieve greatness, comparisons are often made between himself and Nicklaus and although their success in golf is comparable, they are two distinctly different people. However, whatever their differences and similarities are Nicklaus and Woods’ are on a collision course with history to determine who will be the greatest golf player in history of the sport. Nicklaus and Woods are comparable when it comes to golf and one of the major similarities they share is their dominance of the game. Woods and Nicklaues became dominate early in their careers, they both won their first majors at the ages of 21 and 22 respectively (Diaz) and Woods became the youngest player in golf history to win a Major. Both men proved they were forces on the tour, â€Å"in their first nine years as pros, Nicklaus won eight majors (1962-70) and Woods has won ten (1997-present)† (Diaz) and both players also attained the number one ranking. Woods and Nicklaus have also earned comparable amounts of prize money. According to Tiger Woods’ official profile on the PGA Tour’s website; Woods has earned an astonishing $68,179,382 in prize money, while â€Å"Nicklaus has earned $5,734,031† (Tiger vs. Jack), which is worth over 50 million dollars when inflation is adjusted. Furthermore, Nicklaus and Woods can also be compared with their contributions to the sport. Nicklaus is credited for making golf a spectator sport, while Woods is credited for brining in minority viewers and players. Despite all the similarities they share, Nicklaus and Woods also have many contrasts. One major contrast between Nicklaus and Woods is their backgrounds. Nicklaus comes from a white middle-class family, while Woods comes from a multi-ethnic family. Nicklaus and Woods are also different in regards to how they rose to prominence in golf. For instance, Nicklaus played in many sports and didn’t seriously focus on golf until his late teens. Nicklaus once said, â€Å"I didnt even decide that golf was a significant part of my life until I was 19 (qtd. in Diaz), which was a drastic contrast from Woods. From the age of 2 Woods was groomed to be a golf player and was considered a prodigy and by 19 was already a celebrity, unlike Nicklaus. Another significant difference between Nicklaus and Woods is that Woods is a marketing superstar who endorses many products, thus giving Woods a much higher international profile than Nicklaus. Lastly, the most important difference between the two greats is that played in different eras. Some argue that Woods’ era is far more difficult because it’s more competitive and has greater depth, while others argue that Nicklaus’ era was more competitive and produced more golf record holders. However, regardless of whose era is stronger both eras produced Nicklaus and Woods who are the two greatest golf players in history. Nicklaus and Woods are the greatest golfers in the history of the sport. They both added brilliance to the sport and although the chapters in Nicklaus’ career are over, few players will ever come close to achieving what he has. The only player that currently has a chance of surpassing Nicklaus is Woods, whose chasing records and glory of his own. Works Cited â€Å"Tiger vs. Jack: A Head-to-Head Comparison. † golfdigest. com. 4 April 2007. http://www. golfdigest. com/majors/pga/index. ssf? /majors/pga/tigervsjack. html. Diaz, Jamie. Tiger Woods vs. Jack Nicklaus: Who is the Greatest Player of All Time? There Has Never Been a Better Time to Compare. golfdigest. com. December 2002. 4 April 2007. http://www. golfdigest. com/features/index. ssf? /features/gd200212 tigervsjack. html. â€Å"Tiger Woods Profile. † Pgatour. com. 4 April 2007. http://www. pgatour. com/players/00/87/93/index. html.

Prime Minister: British System of Government

Prime Minister: British System of Government INTRODUCTION This essay mirrors the roles of the Prime Ministers and their Cabinet members, and discusses how dominant the role of Prime Minister is in the British system of Government, and to what extent can the power be exercised. The essay begins with a vivid explanation of what the core executive arm of the British government is made up of, what position the Prime Minister stands for in the business of coordinating the affairs of the well-meaning British citizens. Moreover, on the other hand, this essay seeks to address the roles Prime Ministers have played in the Civil Service and the changes they have effected in the past decades. The next point will describe, compare and contrast the leadership styles of some dignitaries who have served in the capacity of a Prime Minister to the British government in the twentieth century to the present Leader Gordon Brown. The next important area this essay will address includes historical decisions former Prime Ministers have made in shaping the British polity and policy formulation. We will resume our discussion with a brief consideration of the structure of the British system of government and gladly guide our discussion into the roles and powers of the Prime Minister in the affairs of the government. THE BRITISH SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT The British system of government is known to be Europes oldest parliamentary democracy. The British parliament was established in the eleventh century and, after King John signed the Magna Charta in the year 1215, it came into power and became the main figure in the British system of government. By this singular act, England piloted the idea of democracy in the whole of Europe. The British constitution, unlike that of most of other countries in Europe and the world at large, is not written as a single document. It is partly formed by statute, and partly by common law and conventions respectively. The constitution can be altered by an Act of Parliament, and/or by general agreement to change convention(s) (Coxall et al, 2003:179-181; 2006: 182-189; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). Britain is a constitutional monarchy and currently has her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. Practically, she reigns but does not rule. The country is administered, in the queens name, by the Government comprising of a body of ministers, which is referred to as the Cabinet and consists of 22 leading ministers, who are responsible to carrying out Parliamentary functions. The origin, traditions, customs and beliefs of the Great Britain are derived from its four countries (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). Each of these countries is well represented in the British Parliament, which sits at Westminster (at the heart of London) this is the ultimate legislative authority in the kingdom. The Parliament is composed of three arms: the Sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons (Coxall et al, 2003:182-186; 2006: 185-190; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). In practice, the Sovereign arm officially summons and dissolves the Parliament and generally begins every new yearly assembly with a speech from the throne. The House of Lords consists of traditionally inherited peers and peeresses, which also includes the law Lords. They are so appointed to undertake the judicial duties of the House, and the Lords Spiritual (made up of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and other 24 bishops). On the other hand, the House of Commons is elected by universal adult suffrage and made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) there are approximately 650 seats for the MPs. The chief responsible officer of the House is the Speaker, who is elected by the MPs to take charge of the affairs of the house and presides over the house meetings. The ultimate authority for lawmaking resides in the House of Commons (Coxall et al. 2006: 185-188; Kavanagh 2006: 250-251). Every five years, a general election must be conducted only citizens who are eighteen (18) years of age and above are allowed to participate in the voting exercise; and candidates for various elective positions must be over 21. There are four major political parties, namely: Social Democratic, Labour, Liberal, and Conservative parties The winning party forms the Government. Ministers are chosen by the Prime Minister (leader of winning party). The second party becomes official Opposition to the ruling party and forms the Shadow-Cabinet. MPs who are members of the Opposition blocs are called back-benchers. THE PRIME MINISTER In modern era, the United Kingdoms Prime Ministers lead a major political party, and command a majority in the House of Commons (the Legislative arm), who is also the leader of the Cabinet (the Executive arm). However, it should be noted that under the British system of government, there is a unity of powers rather than separation. The Premiership was not deliberately created as an official position, but has however, evolved into a much structured official power. The office gradually evolved over three hundred years, and defined by customs in the form of conventions that later became generally accepted by everyone. The Prime Ministers relationship with the Sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet was completely defined by these conventions until the twentieth century. Despite its growing supremacy in the constitutional chain of command, the Premiership was accorded with little formal recognition the legal imaginary tale upheld was that the Sovereign still governed directly. For example, many of the Prime Ministers legislative and powers are largely derived from Royal sanctions and are still formally vested in the Head of State the Sovereign (Coxall et al, 2003:180-182; 2006: 185-190; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). Under this arrangement, UK appears to possess two independent executives: the Prime Minister and the Sovereign. However, the notion of the crown settles this paradox. The Royal Crown stands as a symbol of the states authority to govern making laws and executing them, imposing taxes and collecting them, declaring war and making peace. Until the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Sovereign had worn the Crown and exercised the powers it stands for. Thereafter, Parliament gradually took Sovereigns out of the corridor of political powers to a more neutral position. Parliament placed the Crown in commission, thereby entrusting its authority to responsible Ministers including the Prime Minister and the Cabinet crew, who are made accountable for their policies and actions to the Parliament and the people Great Britain. Nevertheless, the Sovereign still wears the Crown and her sanction powers are still legally intact in practice, Parliament has taken everyday governance from her, leaving her with three constitutional rights: to be kept informed, to advise, and to warn (Coxall et al. 2006: 185-188; Kavanagh 2006: 247-250). The Prime Minister is responsible for recommendations of dignitaries for honour in the various annual special honours lists. The Prime Minister has a distinctive role in the area of national security; being the national leader, the PM represents the country at global events, such as, playing host to heads of government of other countries and international conferences, (Coxall et al, 2003:187-189; 2006: 182-202). The PM also appoints top civil servants. Dating back to the late seventies, it is gathered that quite a lot of key reforms of the civil service has evolved. Margaret Thatcher (the then Prime Minister) highly scrutinised the civil service commission; her civil servant reforms meant making the civil servants more efficient. This effectively reduced the numbers of civil servants in office. The Blair government also continued with this reform. This reform was, however, formally initiated by the previous Conservative government, (Martin 2003:69-70). Notwithstanding, the leadership styles of Prime Ministers have varied historically. Thatcher is famous with having a dominant leadership style in which she had a direct approach, however, the political writer Martin J Smith has described her leadership style as being autocratic. Generally, the Prime Minister seeks advice from the Chancellor of the Exchequer and treasury before economic, foreign policy proposal are made, nevertheless, the final decisions are made by the PM who is central in shaping policies. Over the past forty-five years in the UK government, Prime Ministers had to take an important role in various schemes bothering the different quarters of the economy such as challenges facing the industrial trade unions and issues in Northern Ireland. On the other hand, PMs might delve into areas they fervently believe in, which might sometimes risk being displeasing to other ministers. For example while Margaret Thatcher bought in the poll tax, James Callaghan the PM during the late seventies intervened in educational and health matters, however, Tony Blair, on his opinion, put into operation the millennium dome, had an enthusiastic interest in law and order and supported President Bush in the Iraq war. Gordon Brown has made several decisions (such as cl osing the gaps that exits in the tax haven) that he believes will lead his people out of the current financial crisis. The PM has the power to advise the monarch the arrangement of disbandment of parliament within a five-year period. This strengthens the PMs authority against the oppositional parties; however this political weapon can sometimes flop, for instances James Callaghan in failing to call for a general election in 1978, while his predecessor Edward Heath called an election in 1974, can mean defeat. Final decisions on election dates are generally made after proper consultations with chief whips and cabinet have been initiated. Historically, British Prime Ministers possess distinctive responsibilities to discharge healthy governance to the people of Great Britain, notably in world wars and recent crisis like foot and mouth and fuel crisis. Prime Ministers importantly must govern in a democratic way, by getting a consensus if they are to do well in office. The support of the party gives the prime minister the right and influence to carry out their duties, relationships within the party are paramount and are two way. The relationships the PM has between cabinet ministers and close associates do not necessary have to do with personally as generally they are part of a structural relationship which is linked by the rules of the Whitehall circle, which are made up of institutions of governments, past policy decisions and by outside political and economic matters. Cabinet ministers and the prime minister have resources available to them; however, to achieve this they have to go through a process of exchange. This clearly has to do with the particular framework, which the prime minister would have achieved on the election result, if the PM were unpopular in the polls, and then they become more reliant on others for advice (Coxall et al 2003: 187-193; 2006: 182-202). A prime minister has the most authority after an election victory. CONCLUSION The PM achieves little or nothing in office if they do not have the support of their cabinet ministers. Furthermore, the Prime Minister being in office is based on legitimacy; hence, the PM is reliant on the cabinet. Tony Blair, being aware of how support is vital, owed his position, in many ways, to Browns loyalty. In return, Blair has given Gordon Brown the authority and autonomy to administer the governments socio-economic policies/affairs. Although, Blairs leadership style making of executive decisions which he (Blair) feels is best for the country irrespective of what the bulk of the cabinet members think is more superior to Browns. In conclusion, British Prime Ministers are clearly in a powerful position of authority in the British system of government, which has evolved over time. REFERENCES Coxall B., Robins L., and Leach R. (2006): British Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. Coxall B., Robins L., and Leach R. (2003): Contemporary British Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, 4th ed. Kavanagh D. (1996): British Politics: Continuities and Change. Oxford University Press, 3rd ed. Kavanagh D. (2006): British Politics: Continuities and Change. Oxford University Press, 6th ed. Martin J. S. (2003): Governing as New Labour. Palgrave Macmillan

A Feminist Perspective of The Good Mother :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism

A Feminist Perspective of The Good Mother   The Good Mother is carefully structured to make the reader identify strongly with the narrator Anna. The story begins with a close look at the intensely loving relationship between Anna and her daughter. We then learn some of Anna's family history and personal background which prepares us for the stark contrast made by her relationship with Leo. Though there are hints, as Anna relates her story, that Leo is now a part of her past, the reasons and details are withheld from the reader so that we feel as shocked as Anna by the phone call from her ex-husband, saying that he is going to fight for custody of Molly and why. The suspense during the court battle is sustained by the terse descriptions which focus on the facts of the events and the words spoken during the interviews and trial. Because of this reserve, although, like Anna, we fear that she will lose Molly, we are still stunned by the verdict and empathize with her feelings of loss, helplessness, and rage. I think the book is very well written and moving. But I am left wondering why Miller wrote this involving book with such a bittersweet ending, one that's much more sad than sweet. Did she simply want to depress us or to give us a portrait of someone we should feel sorry for? There's not much point in that, of course, so I doubt it. Was the book intended as some sort of moral lesson? The narrator clearly relates her own behavior to her past and her family, but I don't think Anna can be read as either a total victim or as a person who is fully to blame for her own fate as a result of having always made completely informed choices; she was certainly not making informed choices as a child or adolescent. Nor do I think we are supposed to fully blame Anna's family for her behavior; Anna herself says that she "had misread all the signals" (p. 129) from her mother's overwhelming family. Maybe Miller's intent was to make the reader ponder the reasons for a person feeling the way that Anna feels about herself. Why is she so full of guilt and shame and self-hatred? Like Ursula who asks Anna why she didn't fight harder to keep her daughter and Leo, I wonder why Anna responds the way that she does to events throughout her life. A Feminist Perspective of The Good Mother :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism A Feminist Perspective of The Good Mother   The Good Mother is carefully structured to make the reader identify strongly with the narrator Anna. The story begins with a close look at the intensely loving relationship between Anna and her daughter. We then learn some of Anna's family history and personal background which prepares us for the stark contrast made by her relationship with Leo. Though there are hints, as Anna relates her story, that Leo is now a part of her past, the reasons and details are withheld from the reader so that we feel as shocked as Anna by the phone call from her ex-husband, saying that he is going to fight for custody of Molly and why. The suspense during the court battle is sustained by the terse descriptions which focus on the facts of the events and the words spoken during the interviews and trial. Because of this reserve, although, like Anna, we fear that she will lose Molly, we are still stunned by the verdict and empathize with her feelings of loss, helplessness, and rage. I think the book is very well written and moving. But I am left wondering why Miller wrote this involving book with such a bittersweet ending, one that's much more sad than sweet. Did she simply want to depress us or to give us a portrait of someone we should feel sorry for? There's not much point in that, of course, so I doubt it. Was the book intended as some sort of moral lesson? The narrator clearly relates her own behavior to her past and her family, but I don't think Anna can be read as either a total victim or as a person who is fully to blame for her own fate as a result of having always made completely informed choices; she was certainly not making informed choices as a child or adolescent. Nor do I think we are supposed to fully blame Anna's family for her behavior; Anna herself says that she "had misread all the signals" (p. 129) from her mother's overwhelming family. Maybe Miller's intent was to make the reader ponder the reasons for a person feeling the way that Anna feels about herself. Why is she so full of guilt and shame and self-hatred? Like Ursula who asks Anna why she didn't fight harder to keep her daughter and Leo, I wonder why Anna responds the way that she does to events throughout her life.

Introspective Knowledge and Displaced Perception :: science

Introspective Knowledge and Displaced Perception "Dretske remarks that there are ‘two important differences between introspective knowledge and other forms of displaced perception’ (p. 60). What are these differences? Are they enough to call into question his view of introspective knowledge as displaced perception?" The second chapter of Naturalizing the Mind is in the main an attempt to provide an account of introspective knowledge consistent with the Representational Thesis. Dretske takes introspective knowledge to be a given and proceeds by trying to explain how such knowledge is possible without appealing to an ‘inner sense’, an idea that seems to conflict with the Thesis’s commitment to externalism about the content of mental states. To this end, he proposes that introspection is a species of displaced perception. However, he highlights two important differences between introspective knowledge and other forms of displaced perception that seem to suggest that introspective knowledge cannot in any relevant sense be viewed as an instance of displaced perception. As a result, Dretske fails to explain how introspective knowledge is possible and therefore fails to provide a compelling alternative to the ‘inner sense’ account of introspective knowledge. Introspective knowledge is "knowledge the mind has of itself" (p. 39). For example, knowing, when I perceive a yellow box, that I am having a certain experience (namely an experience of a yellow box) is, for Dretske, an instance of introspective knowledge. This knowledge is not about the box’s being yellow or indeed about the box at all, it is knowledge about myself, knowledge that I am having a certain experience (on Dretske’s view, knowledge that I am representing a, perceived, box as yellow). Introspective knowledge seems to have some strange properties. "Natsoulas defines one form of consciousness—reflective consciousness—as a privileged ability to be non-inferentially aware of (all or some of ) one’s current mental occurrences. We seem to have this ability. In telling you what I believe I do not have to figure this out (as you might have to) from what I say or do. There is nothing from which I infer that A looks longer than B. It just does." (p . 39) Dretske take! s the notion that humans have introspective knowledge as a given. His interest in the matter arises when one attempts to "explain how we come by such knowledge and what gives us this first-person authority"(p. 40) Dretske wants to reject one possible explanation, namely the idea that introspective knowledge is garnered by the mind perceiving its own workings.

Reflective Essay: The Writing Process -- Reflective Essay

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - - - Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the semester I have had to write a number of essays using a variety of techniques. Before college, I would write assuming that the only reader, or audience, would be my teacher. Composition helped me realize the many steps that are involved in the writing process from free writing to making a final copy. In order to create a good paper you need organize your ideas. Also, I realize what needs to be in a essay and what doesn’t.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I have improved in my writing but organization has been my problem, and even though I’ve made a progress. I still believe I have not fully succeed on this area but I’m going to improve on it. The process of using multiple drafts has improved me to over look on my mistakes. Before I would never go back and have someone else to revise on my papers. The most valuable lesson I have learned about the writing process this semester is mostly editing and revising drafts to lead to a perfect final paper. Able to write on college level, I am going let other people revise my papers. Then I can improve myself as a writer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My favorite assignments was the rhetoric and advertising because it was something I have never done before. I found that describing the same scene in different circumstances was difficult because they all had a similar scene. I be...

Research Paper Mark Twain

Isabella Thomaz Donna Hunter – Period 2 Research Paper – Mark Twain October 26, 2012 MARK TWAIN: A REMARKABLE MAN WHO PAINTED THE WORLD â€Å"Classic' – a book which people praise and don't read. † When Samuel L. Clemens (more often referred to as Mark Twain) said this, he meant it in a humorous sense, but he also wanted people to understand it’s meaning. People call books like Huck Finn and Gatsby classics, yet the idea that these books are actually read by everyone isn’t so. Twain isn’t just a classical writer because we deem him so, he is given that title for the political influence he managed to present to his readers.He wanted to show that the idea of romanticism was healthy for young children unless used excessively. He expressed this point by creating Tom Sawyer, a boy who idolized romanticism; a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy o f the individual. And to have a balancing opposite, Huckleberry Finn was added into the equation – a boy who had no education but grew up both mentally and physically quickly because of his poverty.Twain’s idea of this political influence was a major impact on the people in his time because of the segregation of the whites and blacks – which was such a very big issue in that time with protests and such – and so his views were very democratic. We still value his influence today, not just because of the slavery issue but because of the controversy between romantic dominance and peaceful intelligence, romanticism having a more imaginative effect and intelligence striking your knowledge and building it on facts.That is why The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are meant for different aged readers – to impact a certain influence at a younger age when you read Tom’s story which is widely more imaginative, and to see t he change of Twain’s attempt to get his point across of romanticism being unhealthy for people like Tom in Huck’s story. At the beginning of Huck’s story, there is a robber’s scene where the two boys and their friends try and create an environment such as in a wild west book and it is told in both boys’ perspectives, however they are viewed or seen entirely differently.William F. Byrne descbribes it as a change in Huck and Tom’s characters from the Adventures of Tom Sawyer to the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because where Tom describes them, â€Å"We ain’t burglars. That ain’t no sort of style. We are highwaymen. We stop stages and carriages on the road, with masks on, and kill the people and take their watches and money. † (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: 26-28) Huck chooses to call themselves robbers, and eliminate the imagination by saying that they don’t kill people and that he was only in it for the profit, to which he found none.And then as Byrne points out, â€Å" In the earlier book Huck was the odd man out on issues of the imagination; the other boys welcomed the opportunity to share Tom’s dreams. In this case, however, we are told that all the boys resigned; it is Tom who is the odd man out. The other boys are perhaps getting too old for this kind of imaginative play, but not Tom. He alone remains determined to re-enact the kinds of dramatic events he has read about in fiction. † (Byrne, William F. Things have changed in the boys life and this is how Twain begins to reveal his controversial conflicts with romantic imagination in both Tom and Huck’s stories. A further demonstration of Twain’s political implications is Huck’s response to both Tom’s and the ‘duke’ and ‘dauphin’s’ (two men who happen to hop onto Huck’s raft with Jim, an escaped slave) dominance of being in charge. Huck, in order to prev ent quarrels and maintain peace. He allows them to take charge and does whatever they say.The only difference between Tom’s dominance and the two men who hop on Jim and Huck’s raft is that Huck only follows Tom because he offered the poverty-stricken boy friendship. Also Tom’s fascination with romantic imaginations entertains Huck because it is the only bit of boyish quality he can attain to. The ‘duke’ and ‘dauphin’ have a sense of charge to the point that Huck actually has no say in the matter because even though he has grown up and craves more to the understanding of real-world problems, he is but a boy and Jim is an escaped slave.But there is something more Twain included to Huck’s behavior, and this is that because of his father’s physical dominance, he has shriveled into a sheep. He naturally allows himself to be put below someone else. â€Å"The silent assertion that nothing is going on which fair and intelligent m en are aware of and are engaged by their duty to try to stop. † (Mark Twain) Twain’s words describe Huck’s form of character simply and this is a fascinating idea that Twain uses to distinguish Huck’s realism to Tom’s romanticism cognitive thinking.Twain shows how people have become so much more involved in romanticism imagination without even knowing it. The technological advances in society drive man to a more dominant state of mind and that men value their strive for dominant success over things like a family member’s death. He uses the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, two families and neighbors with an ongoing feud that causes conflicts with the family members who want nothing to do with it, feud to express this for example when one from each family secretly gets married and this causes a battle that inevitably kills Huck’s friend, Buck.This is an influential topic more to present day society than from his time because everywhere you look, mankind is fighting with each other and we relentlessly regard what should be valued over money and political problems – our family’s well being and to look around our crumbling society that can only be reconstructed by everyone dropping their arms and helping one another out to become one with peace without having to give in to a dominant force as Huck Finn has allowed to be done to him.There is definitely a classical sense about Mark Twain, but it is not because someone just says ‘Oh hey this guy is a really good writer,’ it is a remarkable sense because he has a very powerful and political influence that was seen both in his time and ours, specifically with his books Tom Saywer and Huck Finn. Even if they are different. I believe his influence will continue to strive forward because if it’s one thing he made distinct, a part of mankind will always strive for dominance and those who see it and want to solve real-world problems will likely b e the sheep created by physically dominated men like Huckleberry Finn.But they won’t be alone. Because as Twain influence reaches more and more sheep, they will become the lions and end the dominant strive and will maintain peace through equality. Works Cited: – Marshall, Donald G. â€Å"Twain, Mark. † World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. – Foner, Eric, and John A. Garraty. â€Å"Twain, Mark. † The Reader's Companion to American History. Dec. 1 1991: n. p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 28 Oct 2012. – â€Å"Mark Twain. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Oct. 012. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . – â€Å"Twain, Mark (1835-1910). † The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide. Abington: Helicon, 2010. Credo Reference. Web. 28 October 2012. – Byrne, William F,. â€Å"Realism, Romanticism, and Politics in Mark Twain. † Realism, Romanticism, and Politics in Mark Twain. National Hu manities Institute, 1 Nov. 1999. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. . – Twain, Mark. â€Å"Chapter 4. † Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Random House, 1996. 26-28. Print.

The Haunted Resort (English Creative Writing Coursework)

It was one o'clock when I finally arrived at the Marigold's Mansion Resort. I am so excited to be here, to get away from home and the office for a few days, even though I so am spooked out to be staying in this haunted hotel. But, like Susie advised, I can't keep writing websites about haunted hotels without actually staying in one and experiencing ghosts. So, this is it. My first haunted hotel. I was horrified at the sight of the man at the desk. His bushy eyebrows and grey, shaggy hair made him look as if he might be a werewolf. He told me that the hotel was originally the home of John and Mary Marigold, but it had to be rebuilt after it was burned down. Apparently, Mary decided to leave John and locked him out of the home and, furious, set fire to the house. I guess he thought burning the house down would force her to come out and see him, but she got stuck inside or something and couldn't save herself. He had to rush in to try and save her and they both died a â€Å"flaming agonizing death†, as the check-in guy said. The hotel was rebuilt to look like the original, with a steep roof and fancy architecture. The room is old-fashioned. Most of the furniture is wooden, like the doors, windows and even the toilet seat. It makes me feel at home, with blankets and pillows scattered around the room. Some old family photographs have even been left out on the desk, including a man with dark, sad-looking eyes and a weird fringe, hugging a laughing blonde, young girl. I quickly turned them over. It almost felt as if they were staring at me. Anyway, have to go to bed now. Hope I can find more evidence for the existence of ghosts tonight so I can finish writing the website and want to get up early to tour the hotel tomorrow morning at 8am. Report # 105 Date: 15th November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Arrived at the resort at 1900 hours. The man at the desk looks like an actor from a bad horror movie and would not be surprised if he puts on a white sheet and runs around trying to scare guests at night. He gave me the background story – wife wants to leave husband, husband gets jealous and burns down house, and dies in romantic attempt to save wife. How scary. Looks like they have rebuilt the house, to look like the original one before it burnt down. It's Mock Tudor with steep pitched roofs and mullioned windows, looks quite pretty. This feels like all the other ‘haunted' hotels I have investigated – isolated, in the middle of nowhere, always ready to scare people. The room looks as if someone knitted it, with blankets and pillows everywhere. A pile of photographs on the desk – a bunch of smiling people. I guess it was designed to scare us, and give us the feeling that someone is watching us, but why chose cheery people, grinning to the camera? They look way more joyful than my own family. Pictures of a blonde, laughing woman, being hugged by another man who looks so gloomy seem way too happy to be in this gloomy, ‘haunted' room. Diary – 16th November, 2008 Last night was the night I had prepared myself for! Heard continuous knocking, but was too petrified to get up and open the door. The knocking grew louder but I just tried to ignore it. Pulled the covers over my head and that was when I heard a creak. I saw the door open and close. Questions formed in my mind. â€Å"Was the knocking the knocking of the man? Is he in the room?† Wonder if it was a fight between the ghost couple – the man trying to get in and the wife forcing him back out. Should add this to the website. The hotel is immense, with photos everywhere, nailed to the walls and doors. Got the creeps when looking at them. There are a lot of rooms in the resort, and all, except one, have wooden doors. According to the tour guide, the room with a steel door used to be the couple's bedroom, the only room not destroyed completely in the fire. After the disaster, no one has slept in the bed ever since. So, went in to explore, and since it was daylight, couldn't sense any ghosts lurking around. The bedroom is twice as big and neat as my own room back home and the walls inside are painted white, the bed looks very comfy and a cover white in colour with small pink roses sewn on was lying on top of the bed. It didn't seem as if John and Mary had slept in this room before. Report # 106 Date: 16th November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Something that sounded like knocking could be heard last night. Was typing up the report when situation occurred. Immediately went to check whether the check-in guy was tapping on the door. I looked for hidden knockers or any gadgets that might be placed to produce the sound of a knock on a door. Found out later that it was the heating system with air trapped in it that was making the noise. Doors seemed to be opening and closing as well. It could be either the open window that caused the door to slam shut or the wood expanding and contracting repeatedly, not quite sure which. Old buildings often creak, and only superstitious people find it haunted. If I was meant to be scared because there was a ‘ghost', I was never afraid. Went out for a walk this morning, and enjoyed the bright sunshine. Breakfast was scrambled eggs with toast and there was cereal as well. Drank orange juice that tasted more like water. Next to the dining room was a door made of steel. Seems to be the only door that is not wooden. Opened it and saw a king-sized bed with two pillows and a duvet that looked as soft as silk. In the corner of the room was a wardrobe as tall as me. Could not open it. On the left side of the bed, there was another room. This door was made of a different type of wood – walnut wood, I'm assuming – than the other doors, which are made of old cherry wood. I opened the door and inside was a bathroom. It was like a proper hotel. It had a proper toilet made of shiny, white plastic and a shower, with a gold handle. The tap was gold too, and as I admired its beauty, I saw the word ‘Marigold' carved in the gold. Rich people†¦ Diary – 20th November, 2008 Yesterday night was one of the most horrifying nights I have ever experienced in my entire life! When I was in the shower, I saw a tall shadow outside, pacing backwards and forwards. It made me jump, my heart nearly leapt out of my body. I was so shocked I could feel myself shivering, and hid myself behind the curtains in the shower. Then, just when I was about to fall asleep last night, I heard voices. These voices sounded like someone was crying, not out of agony, but out of grief. The sound made every single piece of hair on my body stand upright, and for a few seconds I could not move or even breathe. I hid myself under the covers, panicking. Many pictures popped into my mind, ones of a man feeling guilty, trying his best to save someone. The voices never died down until the sun came out. Went out for a walk this morning, trying to forget last night's shock. When I reached the garden behind the resort, I saw a statue of a man. It felt as if he was staring at me, watching all of my moves. I dashed away immediately from the artificial man, kicking the scary feeling out of my mind. I walked towards the pond in front of the resort and saw some pretty ducklings as well as many fish swimming freely. Looking at these happy animals, the hotel did not seem as scary to me, in the day. Report #107 Date: 20th November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Found it hard to sleep well last night. Saw shadows strolling outside. When I opened the door in curiosity, wanting to see who it was, no one was there. I looked left and right only to see that the shadow there a few seconds ago, had vanished. Looked for gadgets that make people hallucinate, to achieve the ‘haunted' effect. Thought over the scene in my mind – no one can run away as fast as that. Perhaps it was the shadow of a vehicle passing? Soon after, the wind began to blow really hard. I got up to shut the windows but the wind just blew harder, banging on the glass used to make the windows. Woke up at 1000 hours today. Noise finally died down at around 0535 hours. Lunch was spaghetti bolognaise which tasted quite diluted. There was a lot of spaghetti but a very small amount of sauce on top. After lunch, went upstairs for a look. Nothing interesting upstairs, just 13 identical guest rooms. Went outside for some fresh air and saw fish and ducks in a pond nearby – looks joyful, outside a ‘haunted' resort. Diary – 21st November, 2008 When I first arrived, I hoped to see a ghost. What a foolish thing to wish for! My dream turned into a nightmare last night. At midnight, suddenly a bright light from the old lamp on the desk began shining into my eyes. Seeing such an ancient lamp turn on unexpectedly, I screamed the loudest scream ever. I was so afraid. The sudden flame produced shadows across the room and for a second I saw a face, the face from the photographs. Was the ghost angry again, and trying to set something on fire? Then, I heard a heart pounding. It could've been mine, but it seemed quite far away, yet gradually getting louder. The lamp light grew brighter and a tall man with dark eyes was suddenly in front of me, holding a bright lamp. He dropped the lamp and a fire spread across the floor. The man moaned. He had a special fringe that I recognized from then photos on the desk. The fire began to burn the walls and I must have passed out because the next thing I remember that happened was waking up to a sunny morning, in a clean room. Report #108 Date: 21st November 2008 Location: Marigold Mansions Resort Am extremely puzzled. I need to get out of here. Went to bed at 2330 hours because I felt exhausted. At exactly 0000, a bright orange coloured light suddenly shone into my eyes. I opened my eyes, thinking it was the sun coming out, but the light seemed to be coming from an antique lamp. I checked before and there was no battery or electric cable supplying the lamp with electricity. Had to be honest I was frightened and could not understand what was making the lamp brighten? I was confused. This time, I had no answer to this situation. A moment later, I heard a loud and deafening scream. I know the noise could not be a gadget in this room because the sound seemed far away. Suddenly, the lamp fell on the floor and it seemed as if a fire was spreading. In the sudden bright light, I thought I saw a woman appear in front of the desk. She had blonde, wavy hair and was wearing a dress. I recognized her from the picture on the desk. Why was I imagining such things when I know ghosts do not even exist? Was I drugged? The more I think about it, the more confused I get. The woman in the picture must have sneaked into my room and set the trick up. But how? Something must be happening to me. Why can't I find a good explanation for this? Need to leave now and see a doctor before my condition gets worse.