Discuss the relationship between the 1st and 2nd Amendments and Essay

Discuss the relationship between the 1st and 2nd Amendments and contemporary political issues - Essay Example all make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.† The Second Amendment states â€Å"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed† (â€Å"The Constitution†, 2006). Freedom of the press is essential to democracy and has been accurately described as the ‘Fourth Estate’ of government. As the three branches of government act to check and balance each other, the press watches over them all. Sources of information are essential to the work of the press. Some sources wish to remain confidential so as not to jeopardize their position. Without these sources, government misdoings such as the Watergate scandal would never have come to light. Whether or not a journalist has the right to protect the identity of their sources is a constitutional issue that remains controversial. The freedom of religion has been interpreted by many as a constitutional right to the freedom from religion, as issue that refers to many topics not the least of which involves the teaching of the Biblical account of human creation in public schools. The Second Amendment is interpreted very differently by those for and against the right for private citizens to own guns. This discussion will address these three issues as they relate to the First and Second Amendments. The Founding Fathers considered a free press one of if not the most important aspect in the formation of a free and democratic society. Though much of American law is patterned from the English legal system, the Founders wanted to distinguish the newly formed government from England where the press was tightly censored. Journalists who questioned the King’s decisions were often jailed or worse. The Founders knew

Ancient judaism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ancient judaism - Essay Example Another important issue that strikes me is whether the Baal stele representing the image of Baal is the one that Elijah challenged from during the mount Camel protest. The book portrays how the temple warning inscriptions were of great importance to the Jewish community during ancient time (Shaye, 2006). I perceive that the temple inscription is vital is vital understanding the study of biblical archaeology and gives us the real picture of how events unfolded in the temple or synagogue. The book has helped gain insight on how the Maccabees ruled the Jews up to the time of Mishna publication in second century when Jesus Christ was on earth. In addition, the issues of intellectual, social, and literary aspects are well explained in trying to understand the literature of early Christianity. During the time of Jesus, when he saw the inscription he understood that his own life would be used to save the gentiles go past their problems and barriers. The temple in ancient Judaism helped in major religious ceremonies in that it was a place specifically designed for education, charitable work, and prayer, as well a social place where only people from Judah were allowed to enter. This implies that they were very serious on matters concerning worship. It is also vital to note that the history of the temple as presented in this book depicts how Judaism developed from the time of Roman Empire up to the time of Jesus Christ. This conclusion is made after a careful analysis of how events unfolded in Judah (Shaye, 2004). The bar kohba revolted against the roman empire which led to the establishment of an independent state in the same way students need to revolt against barbaric philosophies of these and strive to work hard as independent figures without influence from other people. Inaddition, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai gave lectures of Rabban and Rebbe Gamliel even though he lived before them. from

The Fundamental Changes of Adolescence Essay Example for Free

The Fundamental Changes of Adolescence Essay Puberty is the sum of all the changes that occur in the growing girl or boy as the individual passes from childhood into adulthood. This phase of rapid physical and psychological and social changes prepares the child into a period of full sexual maturation. Furthermore, this phase is manifested by growth spurt and development of secondary sex characteristics. Growth hormones are the reason for the development of secondary sex characteristics which can be described as the changes in the outward appearance that signal the onset of reproductive maturity. These include growth of pubic hair, changes in the appearance of sex organs and breast development. Accompanying these changes is the feeling of anxiety and shame of these rapid bodily changes so without proper guidance during this turbulent stage in his life may not prepare him for the more complex problems of adulthood. Not all adolescents undergo these changes at the same time; some mature late while some mature early. The onset of puberty can occur as early as age 7 years in girls and 9 and ? in boys or as late as 13 in girls and 13 ? in boys. In girls, the interval between the first sign of puberty and complete physical maturation can be as short as six years and in boys, the comparable interval ranges from about two years to five years (J. Tanner, 1962. ) For the boys, the sign that he has reached sexual maturity is termed spermache. Spermache is the first ejaculation of the seminal fluid generally occurring a year after the beginning of growth of his primary sexual organ, the penis. On the other hand, girls have reached sexual maturation with the onset of her first menstruation and the term for this occurrence is menarche. Psychological Effect of Puberty The bodily changes during adolescent stage can affect teen’s behaviour and psychological functioning. The increase of hormone testosterone is directly linked to the increase in boy’s sex drive. Bodily changes will also make the children more conscious with his physical appearance. There is also a change in how others react to the adolescents’ new image in turn these reaction will elicit change in the adolescents’ self-image. During this period, the adolescent also sets high ideals, dreams and aspirations. They wanted to act like an adult but society cannot yet grant him the privileges that adults enjoy. In wanting to reach his high ideals, adolescents can realize that they cannot reach those ideals and this leads to loss of self-confidence and may experience a feeling of inadequacy. Timing and Tempo of Puberty There are factors which can affect the timing and tempo of puberty. One of the prime reasons is the genetic makeup of the individual. There are studies which reveal that African-American female mature earlier than their American counterparts. Study also shows that maturity occurs much earlier in prosperous countries as compared to less developed countries and scientists believe that better nutrition, improved sanitation and better disease control caused the early maturation. Those teens that have experienced maturity during normal period have the high incidence of having less emotional and psychological problems than those who matures early or late because they have the right amount of time spent in childhood which can make them cope better with the demands of adolescence (Fundamental Changes in Adolescents, p. 26.). Reaction to Early Maturation Boys and girls have different reactions when dealing with early maturity. For the girls, it has both positive and negative effects. The positive effect is that when compared with late maturing, early maturing girls are more independent minded, more popular with boys and felt better with their figure. They also dated more frequently. Because of their more independent attitude, they can be more likely to get into trouble at school because they tend to speak their mind without thinking if their comments might hurt another’s feelings. Girls who mature early also have the tendency to get low grades in class because they are in dates often and they neglect their school duties. Early maturers are treated as more mature by peers and adults so they have the tendency to show adult behaviours and can cope easily with the emotional turmoil brought about by the sudden physical and psychological changes. For boys early maturation mean competitive advantage over peers in the field of sports and in leadership. They are also more attractive to girls than their awkward looking peers and are often viewed as sophisticated, poised and self-confidence. One disadvantage is that early maturers have less time for childhood games and fun because adults expect them to do more mature roles. There is less time to adjust to physical maturity so they tend to be socially immature. Reaction to Late Maturation Same as with early maturation, boys and girls have different reaction to late maturation. Girls who are late maturers are under less pressure because adults don’t expect her to behave and act maturely. Late maturers also mature at the same time as boys so they are in the same social and psychological level that they don’t have difficulty in forming intimate relationship with the opposite sex. Potential disadvantage of late maturity in boys is that late-maturing boys cannot compete with early maturers in forming boy-girl relationships because they are still conscious with their physical appearance and because they still have underdeveloped muscles and hoarse voice and this leads to the development of negative self-concept: a feeling of inadequacy, a feeling of hopelessness and rejection. It is easy to spot late and early maturers. Physically, their difference is marked by their body built. Those with athletic build are likely to be early maturers but those with slight build are the late maturers. Knowing the potential advantages and disadvantages of these types of adolescents may help the parents and adult guardians understand the crisis they face and can easily formulate methods to help these adolescents pass this rite of passage and built a positive self-image. References: Tanner, J. M. , 1962, Growth at Adolescence, 2nd edn (Oxford: Blackwell Scienti ®c Publications). â€Å"Development Needs of Children and Adolescents†, retrieved May 20, 2010 at the website http://www. bhojvirtualuniversity. com/ss/online_cou/b_ed/secp_02/cp2b2u2p3. asp â€Å"The Fundamental Changes of Adolescence† retrieved on May 20, 2010 at the website http://highered. mcgraw-hill. com/sites/dl/free/0072414561/16698/ch01. pdf

Nigerian Benefits And Advantages Of Globalization Politics Essay

Nigerian Benefits And Advantages Of Globalization Politics Essay Globalization of the world economy is the integration of economies throughout the world through trade, financial flows, the exchange of technology and information, and the movement of people. The level of movement towards integration is clearly reflected in the rising importance of world trade and capital flows in the world economy. Furthermore globalization refers to the fact that we all are increasingly living in one world, so that individuals, groups and nations will become ever more interdependent. According to globalization 101, the Levin institute university of New York. He said globalization is the integration of economic, political, and cultural systems across the globe? Or is it the dominance of developed countries in decision-making, at the expense of poorer, less powerful nations? Is globalization a force for economic growth, prosperity, and democratic freedom? Or is it a force for environmental devastation, exploitation of the developing world, and suppression of human ri ghts? Does globalization only benefit the rich or can the poor take advantage of it to improve their well-being? Globalization refers to the fact that we are increasingly living in one world, so that individuals, groups, and nations become ever more interdependent. Globalization in this sense has been occurring over a long period of human history and it is certainly not restricted to the contemporary world. Nevertheless, current debates are much more focused on the sheer pace and intensity of globalization over the past 30years or so. Baylis and Smith defined globalization as the process of interconnectedness between societies such that events in one part of the world more and more have effects on people and the societies far away. E.g. the attack of 9/11 took place in a single country-the USA [9/11/2001]-but the event was seen around the world instantaneously on TV screens. The attack was carried out by the Al Qaeda, a loosely non-state organizations with followers in around 50 countries. They were arranged using globalised technology such as international bank accounts and internet. Globalization has cultural, economic, and political effects or impacts. In each of these areas the world seem to be shrinking so that geographical distance plays less of a role in limiting social life. The intensification o worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. (Giddens 1990:21) The integration of the world economy. (Gilpin 2001:36) De-territorialization or the growth of supraterritorial relations between people. (scholte 2000:46) Time space compression (Harvey 1989) LITERATURE REVIEW According to martin Griffiths, he said globalization has certain identifiable characteristics, although there is no consensus in the field about any of them. In the first place, it involves a growing consciousness of the world as a single place. This is reflected in phrases such as global village and the global economy. Few places are more than a days travel away and communication across territorial borders is now almost instantaneous. In 1980 there were about 1 million international travelers per day. In 2000 more than 3 million people crossed territorial borders as tourists each day. And in 2003, the WTO estimated that global tourism generated nearly us693 billion. Second, new information and communication technology has improved access to overseas markets and streamlined both production and distribution of goods and the trade in foreign exchange. Third, human being are becoming more and more dependent upon one another as problems such as global warming, the international drugs trade and terrorism can only be managed through greater cooperation at a supranational level. It is true that not everybody benefits from globalization. To take full advantages of globalization it requires both capital and access to technology. Many states in the international system have neither. A large proportion of the worlds population, for example does not have access to the telephone. Being on the net is not something which makes a lot of sense to those living in the poorest parts of the third world. In other words, globalization may not be global after all. At best, its spread and impact are uneven. From the perspective of the OCECG countries, there are many unresolved issues with respect to globalization. Among them is its relationship to democracy. If globalization is indeed weakening the ability of states to make autonomous economic and political decisions, then one might argue that globalization is a dangerously anti-democratic force. According to Anthony Giddens, he argues that globalization is the result of industrialization and modernization, which picked up pace in the late 19th century. And in fact a strong case can be made that the world was highly globalized 100 or more years age. In the late 19th century, people could not move across national borders without passports. The extent of international trade and capital flow in the late 20thcentury only restored the level achieved before world war (1914-1918). According to Haralambos he said global economy is no longer basically agricultural or industrial in its basis but rather, it is progressively more dominated by activity that is light and insubstantial. This light or weightless economy is one in which products have their base in information, as is the case with computer software, media and entertainment products and internet-based services. The process of globalization is often portrayed exclusively as an economic occurrence. Much is made of the role of transnational corporations, whose colossal operations now extend across national borders, influencing global production processes and the international distribution of labour. Transnational corporations are companies that produce goods or market services in more than one country. These may be comparatively small firms with one or two factories outside the country in which they are based, or extremely large international ventures whose operations criss-cross the globe. Examples Coca-Col a, Kodak, Mitsubishi, etc, are oriented towards global markets and global profits; they are at the centre of economic globalization. They account for 2/3rds of all world trade, and are instrumental in the circulation of new technology around the globe and are major actors in international financial markets. Few years after the 2nd world war Tnc became a global process, its spread in the initial post war years came from firms based in the United States, but by 1970s, European and Japanese firms increasingly began to invest abroad. In the late 1980s and 1890s, Tcs expanded drastically with the establishment of three powerful regional markets; Europe [the single European market], Asia-Pacific [the Osaka Declaration guaranteed free and open trade by 2010] and North America [the North American free trade agreement]. Since the early 1990s countries in other areas of the world have also liberalized restrictions on foreign investment. By 21stc there were few economies in the world that stoo d beyond the reach of Tcs, in the past decade they have expanded their influence in the developing countries and in the societies of former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Others point to the electronic incorporation of global financial markets and the mammoth volume of global capital flows; banks, corporations, fund managers and individual investors are able to shift funds internationally with the click of a mouse. Still others focus on the unmatched capacity of world trade, involving a much broader variety of goods and services than ever before. Since World War 11 globalization has been driven by Trade negotiation rounds, originally under the auspices of GATT [General Agreement on Trade led to a treaty to create the World Trade Organizations [WTO], to mediate trade disputes. Other bi-and trilateral trade agreements, including section of Europes Maastricht Treaty and the North American Free Trade Agreement have also been signed in pursuit of the goal of reducing tariffs and barrie rs. According to Alain Anderson, he talked about the effect of globalization; he said that globalization is leading to a fall in the price of some goods and services because production is being switched from high cost location to low cost locations. For example, switching production of television sets from Wales to china will lead to a fall in labour costs because Chinese workers are prepared to work for a fraction of the wages of welsh worker are prepared to work for a fraction of the wages of welsh workers. Equally, the globalization of technology of technology means that a Chinese factory can employ the most advanced machines and methods of production to ensure lowest cost. However he also said globalization is leading to a rise in price in some goods and services. This is because globalization is raising average world incomes. Higher income means higher demand for individual products. According to Joshua s. Goldstein, he said that two keys events of recent globalization. The terrorists who plotted and carried out the September 11/2001, attacks used the internet t assist in planning, coordination and fundraising f or the attacks. And global economic recession of 2008-2009, which began with a collapse of the U.S home mortgage market, spread quickly to other nations. Highly integrated global financial markets created a ripple effect across the globe. Thus, two hallmarks of globalization-expanding communications technology and integrated markets-facilitated events that directly impacted our daily lives. According to Jon c. pevehouse, he sees globalization as the fruition of liberal economic principles. A global market place has brought growth and prosperity (not to all countries but to those most integrated with the global market). This economic process has made traditional states obsolete as economic units. States are thus losing authority to supranational institutions such as the international monetary fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU) and to transnational actors such as MNCs and NGOs. The values of technocrats and elite, educated citizens in liberal democracies are becoming global values, reflecting an emerging global civilization. The old north-south division is seen as less important, because the global south is moving in divergent directions depending on countries and regions integration with world markets. A second perspective is skeptical of these claims about globalization. This skeptics note that the worlds major economies are no integrated today than before World War 1 (when British hegemony provided a common set of expectations and institutions). The skeptics also doubt that regional and geographical distinctions such as the north-south divide are disappearing in favor of a single global market. Rather, they see the north-south gap as increasing with globalization. Also, the economic integration of states may be leading not to a single world free trade zone, but to distinct and rival regional blocs in America, Europe, and Asia. The supposed emerging world civilization is disproving by the fragmenting of large units (such as the Soviet Union) into smaller ones along lines of language, religion and other such as cultural factors. A third school of thought sees globalization as more profound than the skeptics believe, yet more uncertain than view of supporters of liberal economics. These transformationalists see state sovereignty as being eroded by the EU the WTO, and other new institution so that sovereignty is no longer an absolute but just one of a spectrum of bargaining leverage held by states. The bargaining itself increasingly involves no state actors. Thus globalization, but transformed to operate in new contexts with new tools. For the realist part, globalization does not alter the most significant feature of world politics, namely the territorial division of the world into nation-states. While the increased interconnectedness between economies and societies might make them more dependent one another, the same cannot be said about the states-system. Here, states retain sovereignty and globalization does not render obsolete the struggle for political power between states. Nor does it undermine the importance of the balance of power. Globalization may affect our social, economic and cultural lives, but it does not transcend the international political system of states. For the liberal part, the picture looks very different because they tend to see globalization as the end product of a long running transformation of world politics. For them, globalization fundamentally undermines realist accounts of world politics since it shows that states are no longer such central actors, of differing importance according to the issue area concerned. Liberals are particularly interested in the revolution in technology and communications represented by globalization. This increased interconnectedness between societies, which is economically and technologically led, results in a very different pattern of world political relations from that which has gone before. States are no longer sealed units, if ever they were, and as a result the world looks more like a cobweb of relations than like the state model of realism or the class model of Marxist theory. For Marxist theorists, globalization is a bit of a sham. It is nothing particularly new, and is really only the latest stage in the development of international capitalism. It does not mark a qualitative shift in world politics, nor does it render all our existing theories and concepts redundant. Above all, it is western led phenomenon which basically simply furthers the development of international capitalism. Rather than make the world more alike, it further deepens the existing divide between the core, the semi-periphery, and the periphery. For constructivist theorists, globalization tends to be presented as external force acting on states, which leaders often argue is a reality that they cannot challenge. This constructivists argue, is a very political act, since it underestimates the ability of leaders to challenge and shape globalization and instead allows them to duck responsibility by blaming the way the world is. Instead, constructivists think that we can mould globalization in a variety of ways, notably because it offers us very real chances to create cross national social movements aided by modern technological forms of communication such as the internet. The skeptical view of globalization. The skeptical accounts of globalization tend to dismiss its significance for the study of world politics. They do so on the ground that By comparison with the period 1870 to 1914, the world is much less globalized economically, politically and culturally. Rather than globalization, the contemporary world is marked by intensifying geopolitics, regionalization and internationalization. The vest bulk of international economic and political activity is concentrated within the group of OECD states. By comparison with the heyday of European global empires, the majority of the worlds population and countries in the south are now much less integrated into the global system. Geopolitics, state power, nationalism and territorial boundaries are growing, not less, importance in world politics. Internationalization or regionalizations are creatures of state policy not corporate actor or capitalist imperatives. Globalization is at best a self serving myth or ideology which reinforces western and particularly US hegemony in world politics. (hirst and Thompson 1999,2003) The impact of globalization on the developing countries by Chandrasekaran Balakrishnan Globalisation is the new exhortation that has come to dominate the world since the nineties of the last century with the end of the cold war and the break-up of the previous Soviet Union and the global development towards the regular globe. The frontiers of the state with increased dependence on the market economy and renewed faith in the private capital and resources, a process of structural adjustment spurred by the studies and influences of the World Bank and other International organisations have started in many of the developing countries. Also Globalisation has brought in new opportunities to developing countries. Greater access to developed country markets and technology transfer hold out promise improved productivity and higher living standard. But globalisation has also thrown up new challenges like growing inequality across and within nations, volatility in financial market and environmental deteriorations. Another negative aspect of globalisation is that a great majority o f developing countries remain removed from the process. Turn over the nineties the process of globalisation of the Indian economy was constrained by the barriers to trade and investment liberalisation of trade, investment and financial flows initiated in the nineties has increasingly lowered the barriers to competition and hastened the rate of globalisation POPULATION SIZE: 10 people. THE INSTRUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION: internet, books, use of questionnaires. OBSERVATION My observation on globalization is that the notion that the indirect benefits of financial integration, which may be difficult to pick up in regression analysis, could be quite important. Also, the long-run gains, which in some cases have not yet been realized, may exceed the short-term costs. For instance, although Europes efforts to achieve monetary integration resulted in its being buffeted by severe and costly crises in the early 1990s, these efforts eventually brought about the transition to the single currency in use throughout much of Europe today. EXPERIENCES My experience of globalization has a great degree. Different from the level of development at which a country has engaged with it. Some developing countries and countries with economies in transition have been well positioned to take advantage of the new opportunities for trade and investment, and building on domestic savings, foreign investment and capital inflows, technology transfers, human resource development and export orientation, have achieved rapid economic growth. CONCLUSION The main conclusions is that, so far it has proven difficult to find robust evidence supporting the proposition that financial integration helps developing countries to improve growth rate.

Psychologists Essay -- essays research papers

Psychology is the study of human behavior, how we think, feel and act. Psychologists study both normal and abnormal behavior to understand it. Psychologists also try to use what we learn from that study to help people change aspects of their behavior that they want to change. Areas of psychology are clinical, industrial, and developmental. Careers in Psychology offer varied opportunities. Employment opportunities for capable psychologists are expected to be slightly better than average over the next several years. However, if you're interested in a career in Psychology, you should know that the training program to become a psychologist is a long one. There is also stiff competition for places in graduate training programs in Psychology. So why major in Psychology if it is going to take so long? First of all, it is an interesting profession that offers the opportunity to increase the well-being of one's life. It requires critical thinking skills, statistical reasoning skills, and research design skills. Also a major part of being a successful psychologist is having practical knowledge about people and a charismatic self. People who want to major in psychology usual get a 4-year degree at a university. During the first four years, the student obtains scientific and clinical knowledge in Psychology. It is also possible to get an internship during the third year of schooling. As well, students will get some opportunity to see what applied practice in Psychology will actually look like by taking courses and seminars in areas of special interest. Following the undergraduate degree, a two year program of graduate studies in Psychology in a university will lead the student to a Master's degree. Part of that two-year program will usually involve completing a research project in Psychology. Some areas allow persons with a Master's degree in Psychology to be registered as a psychologist. However, many people, particularly those who want to practice in a specialty area of Psychology, will go on to complete their doctoral degree in Psychology before becoming registered or licensed to practice. This will take another three to four years of study on average. As part of the doctoral program, students will complete a more complex research project in Psychology that will serve as their doctoral thesis. They will also complete an intensiv... ...uch as visual perception and the behaviour of single cells in the brain to complex studies of the behavior of large groups of people.Psychologists may choose to work in a firm, dealing one on one with people who have enlisted for the psychologist's help. In this area, a psychologist may work with abuse victims, abusers, drug abusers, children, marriage problems, and people with an array of disorders, problems, and some who just need help with a problem. Ted Bosack, the director of the Psychology department of Providence University, was kind enough to answer a few questions I sent to him about psychology. He stressed that the best psychologist isn't necessarily the one with the highest I.Q. It takes dedication and an extreme connection with people.Mr. Bosack said, "When you've got a high I.Q., you can write a book on marriage. When you've got a high E.Q., you have a great marriage." He thinks the best psychologist needs, not only high intelligence, but high emotional understanding to better understand people. I think his outlook sums up what a psychologist should be; someone open to those in need of one's understanding, one that will be a confident, as well as a friend.

Nelson Mandela Essay -- Essays Papers

Nelson Mandela A transformationals Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla, South Africa's first black president. Mandela was widely revered by blacks throughout Africa as a symbol of black liberation. He gained almost legendary status through the 1980s as South Africa's leading antiapartheid figure, assuming the forefront of the black struggle after his release from prison. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born July 18, 1918 near Umtata in Transkei, in the Eastern Cape, into the royal family of the Tembu, a Xhosa-speaking tribe. He was educated at a British missionary boarding school and at Fort Hare University, from which he was expelled in 1940 for leading a strike with Oliver Tambo. He returned home, but ran away to Soweto in Transvaal province, giving up his hereditary chieftanship to avoid an arranged marriage. He eventually obtained a law degree from the University of South Africa. Helped by Walter Sisulu, Mandela and Tambo set up South Africa's first black law firm. In 1944, the three men formed the African National Congress Youth League, which came to dominate the ANC in 1948. He became president of the league in 1950. Meanwhile Mandela married Evelyn Ntoko, with whom he had three children. The couple later were divorced. Mandela was arrested in 1955 and was acquitted of treason in 1961. After the trial, Mandela took up armed insurrection, traveling abroad for military training. Upon his return to South Africa, he went underground and formed the ANC's military wing,...

Century Prose : Short Stories Essay

Choose two of the pre-20th century short stories that you have studied. Compare and contrast the ways in which they make use of character, plot and language to create tension. The two chosen short stories to be compared and contrasted in such a way as to examine the tension created are â€Å"Hop-Frog† -otherwise known as â€Å"The Eight Chained Ourang-Outangs†- and â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, both written by the same author: Edgar Allan Poe. Poe was considered as the best known American writer of the nineteenth century, mostly writing stories that could be found under headings such as ‘Horror’ or ‘Supernatural’. Taking a look at his background, one can note that his childhood was a very troubled one, and the tension in all his stories is possibly due to this significant fact. Young Edgar Poe’s unsettled childhood initiated with the death of his mother when he was only 2 years old, and not long after he was taken in by another family, the ‘Allan’ family, hence his two surnames. His teenage years were no better, for after enrolling at the University of Virginia, he was quickly expelled for drunkenness and debt. He soon joined the Army, taking a teaching post at the West Point military academy, only to have it taken away from him again after being court martialled in 1832 for gambling and, again, drunkenness. This scandal pursued him during the rest of his life, until in 1836 when he married Virginia; the 13 year old daughter of his favourite aunt. When she died in ‘suspicious circumstances’ eleven years later, Poe undertook a series of semi-public love affairs until his early death in 1829. We will first consider the way in which the characters in the two stories create tension, and we can observe that in both, the way they are presented is very important. It may be a coincidence, but it is unnerving to note that both are disabled. In â€Å"Hop-Frog†, the main character is described in great detail, and we find out that he is physically disabled, being a cripple and a dwarf, and this in itself brings about tension for Hop-Frog is someone clearly conscious, but troubled by his disabilities, for since he is a jester in court he is constantly made fun of about his physical appearance, and we learn he is a very secretive character, who keeps his feelings to himself, and seems to have much inner bitterness and rebellion, though he does not show it. He also has troubles walking -hence his name ‘Hop-Frog’- and can only move â€Å"by a sort of interjectional gait† which is not very reassuring. The reader is left quite unsettled as we wonder what is go ing on in the dwarfs mind behind his ‘funny walk’ and his mask of fake placidity. â€Å"The dwarf laughed [†¦] and displayed a set of large, powerful, and very repulsive teeth† We also learn the dwarf has a certain liability to mild insanity upon drinking alcohol, and when forced to drink alcohol before the king’s banquet, the tension is high, and it leaves us apprehensive and fearful of what will come of this act. â€Å"He placed the goblet nervously on the table, and looked upon the company with a half-insane stare† In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† the main character, who is also the narrator, is mentally disabled, but hardly at all portrayed physically. We only know of his ill state of mind, which he tries with much vigour to deny even with the first few lines of the text where the narrator begins by assuring us that he is not mad and then, through the story he relates, he convinces us beyond any shadow of a doubt that he is as mad as a hatter. â€Å"Why WILL you say that I am mad? [†¦] How then am I mad?† And being very persistent he sets out to prove his sanity by explaining to us how he planed and executed the perfect murder. Although the narrator seems to be blatantly insane, and thinks he has freedom from guilt, the feeling of guilt over the murder is too overwhelming to bear. His nervousness and guilt eventually lead him to the admittance of the murder he accomplished. This story shows Poe’s underlying desires to kill, his true madness, and thoughts of revenge. The plot of is essential to the build up of any story, and to the two studied, to the build up of tension. The plot of â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† is a story of conflict. There is a mental conflict within the narrator himself, and through obvious clues and statements, Poe alerts the reader to the mental state of the narrator, and to his obsessions. The insanity itself is described as an obsession with the old man’s eye, which in turn leads to loss of control and eventually results in violence, ultimately, with the death of the old man. With the appearance of the police, the narrator, who in the beginning attempts to prove his fake innocence, cannot tolerate the guilt any longer and eventually confesses to his â€Å"perfect† crime. â€Å"Villains! [†¦] I admit the deed! — Tear up the planks!† We feel the tension mount throughout the story as we learn what happens, and since it is written in first person, we discover the storyline as the narrator tells it, it is written as a confession, as if the narrator was trying to find a way to ‘pardon his sins’. There is clear tension in the way the story is narrated. Though our main protagonist attempts to tell his story in a calm manner, as he describes various parts he begins to rant with a great deal of passion and enthusiasm, occasionally getting caught up in his own words. â€Å"And they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises† We also remark that he pays particular attention to emphasize specific parts of his story, for example, he is sure to highlight the fact that he is simply nervous, that he could not possibly be mad because as he says, â€Å"the disease had sharpened my senses† referring to his madness, rather than the disease, it only allows him to hear more clearly the sounds of his imagination, to see what his mind wanted him to see, rather than see the truth Even at the beginning of the story, we are prepared for a tragic ending. As we learn of the plot, more tension builds up around how the narrator prepares, in an insanely obsessive way, the murder he wishes to commit. We sense right from the commencement a sense of tension behind the speaker’s words, and as he narrates the story, his agitation rises, and visibly reaches a peak at the arrival of the officers in the room where he hid the body. In â€Å"Hop-Frog† the tension doesn’t start at the beginning. The initial description is of life in a â€Å"normal† medieval court. With the benefit of hindsight due to the text being written in 3rd person, the narrator gets hints of tension by clues such as the emphasis placed on jokes and the subtle information that this court is not like any other court for its king has a special likeness for practical and verbal jokes. â€Å"I never knew any one so keenly alive to a joke as the king was.† This intrigues the reader though it doesn’t create a lot of apparent tension. Tension starts to build up at the end, when the dwarf starts to drink wine and chains the king and his ministers. At that moment the reader feels that trouble is brewing, the tension is clearly visible as Hop-Frog reveals his plans, and as the end approaches there is transparent madness in the air. In this story the duration of the tension is shorter, but stronger than in â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† for it is unexpected and more powerful. The killing the king and his ministers is much more abrupt and shocking, while in the â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, the reader is being prepared throughout the whole story for an unexpected end. â€Å"I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever† The ending of hop frog is surprising for the naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve reader. At the beginning of the short story we aren’t prepared for a dramatic end, there is nothing unusual in the way the story starts. The reader is aware that life mustn’t be very pleasant for the dwarf but his is like that of any other jester of any other king. Though there are numerous indices throughout the text, the reader only becomes truly aware of the extent of the jester’s hatred towards the king and his ministers only at the end, during his last speech and act. Apart from the plot and the description of character, the author also uses language to create tension in the two stories. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† the story is written in first person, therefore the reader feels closer to the character and shares the narrator’s thoughts and emotions as he himself experiences them. The story thus seems to evolve in its own time, as the narrator adds information in the order he remembers them in. The result of this is a rather jumbled mixture of feelings, actual happenings and insane ramblings. The abundance of punctuation also plays a big part in the creation of tension. though we notice no abuse of punctuation in the beginning of the tale, it initiates very well structured, but as the story unfolds and the narrator gets more and more excited and nervous, we feel the tension mounting as paragraphs get shorter, punctuation becomes frenzied, and use of capitals becomes much more plentiful. â€Å"No doubt I grew VERY pale [†¦] Yet the sound increased [†¦] It was a LOW, DULL, QUICK SOUND-MUCH SUCH A SOUND AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN ENVELLOPED IN COTTON.† The use of words in â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† clearly indicate the tale was written as a speech, which shows s the spontaneous side behind the writing, how the narrator gets carried away in his own emotions and story telling, proven by the use of words such as: â€Å"oh†, â€Å"Ha!†, â€Å"no, no?† or â€Å"Almighty God!†. The repetition of certain words is used frequently as the tale develops and the tension mounts, for it is used to emphasise the nervousness and instability of the narrator, for example the word ‘mad’ is repeated many times throughout the text, but also other repetitions such as â€Å"nervous, very, very dreadfully nervous†, â€Å"Hark! louder! louder! louder! LOUDER!† â€Å"It grew quicker and quicker and louder and louder, every instant†. The phrases are often short and sharp, with a certain pulsing rhythm to mimic the quickened beating of a nervous or anticipating heart. We also note, especially in the last paragraph of the text where the narrator’s tension overbears him, a certain 3 word repetition, a confirmation of his agitation and anxiety, his unwillingness to give himself up as a criminal, but as his insanity and inner guilt overpower him he is forced him to confess. â€Å"I foamed — I raved — I swore!† â€Å"They heard! — They suspected! — They KNEW!† â€Å"It grew louder — Louder – -louder!† In contrast, the author of â€Å"Hop-Frog† uses a much more Gothic style of writing, which gives a mysterious, secretive aspect to the story. The language in this short story is less charged with emotions for it is from an external neutral point of view. Poe uses the third person to narrate the story, and the role of an observer is given to the reader, and we learn about the plot as it evolves chronologically, though not once do we delve into Hop-Frog’s thoughts. The vacancy of such emotion leaves us uncertain of how the story will end, and we find out at the same time as an observer would the drastic end of the tale. The abundance of punctuation in â€Å"Hop-Frog† is only visible in dialogues. A characteristic of this style is the emphasis of words in italic. â€Å"It was passed about the waist of the kind, and tied†; â€Å"A low harsh and protracted grating sound† This story also has apparent repetition at the beginning of mocking words, words such as â€Å"jokes† and â€Å"fool†: â€Å"a joke†, â€Å"the joke†, â€Å"for joking†, â€Å"as jokers†, â€Å"inimitable jokers†, â€Å"by joking†, â€Å"a lean joker†, â€Å"practical jokes†, â€Å"their fools†, â€Å"his fool†, â€Å"was not only a fool†, â€Å"as fools†. The repetition of these words have a very strong effect upon the reader, who realizes these words must be important, and though we are not sure of the significance of this clear repetition at the beginning, it still brings about uneasiness and tension. In â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† the author uses many metaphors and similies all through the story, for example when he writes about the eye he refers to the â€Å"vulture eye† or the â€Å"Evil Eye†, and when he writes about the heart beat he compared it to the sound that â€Å"a watch makes when enveloped in cotton†. These enrich the text thus emphasizing the impression of tension that the author wants to create. In â€Å"Hop-Frog† there are fewer metaphors and similies, one being the word ‘monster’ used to describe the king, though there are many more descriptions of Hop-Frog, usually referring to animals. He is said to resemble ‘A squirrel, or a small monkey, rather than a frog.† And his gait is to be called â€Å"something between a leap and a wiggle† which also brings us back to the animal connotations, and a bizarre way of describing the jester. In conclusion, we can clearly see that both stories effectively use tension, though in different ways. The tension in â€Å"Hop-Frog† the tension is much more subtle and the end much more unexpected, while the 3rd person point of view doesn’t reveal much about the storyline and the ending, and the reader has to read into the discreet clues that the author gives about the emotional state of the characters. In opposition, the blatant tension of â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† that is shown even in the first two lines of the tale. â€Å"TRUE! Nervous, very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am† The tension Poe faced in his life clearly reflects upon the way he writes and the way tension is shown in his prose, through the use of punctuation, language, plot, character description, all indicating tension in his stories.