The Tragic Downfall Of Oedipus The King By Sophocles

In the world of greek literature, characters often have flaws that lead to a tragic downfall. One of these tragic flaws is hubris, which is defined as â€Å"exaggerated pride or self-confidence† (Merriam-Webster). This trait is most commonly found in characters who come to power and allow themselves to be consumed by their newfound hierarchy. The play Oedipus the King by Sophocles embodies the trait and displays it in different ways throughout the story. Oedipus is a victim of hubris as seen when he disregards the prophecy given to him, challenges a group of travelers at the crossroad, and publicly announces his plans to avenge King Laius’ death. Hubris is first presented when Oedipus hears rumors that King Polybus and Queen Merope are not his biological parents. Because of these suspicions, Oedipus sought an oracle in hopes of discovering the truth about his upbringing. Instead, he is given a prophecy that he would one day murder his father and marry his own mother. Oe dipus’ hubris is introduced here as he believes that he can challenge the fate that was foretold. Fearing that the prophecy would come true, Oedipus makes his first desperate attempt to avoid fate by leaving the city of Corinth to get away from King Polybus and Queen Merope, of whom he still believes to be his biological parents. During his journey to the city of Thebes in hopes of avoiding his fate, he encounters a group of men at a crossroad. Little does Oedipus know, one of the men in that group is hisShow MoreRelatedOedipus-a Tragic Hero706 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: Oedipus-A Tragic Hero Research Paper ENGL 102: Literature and Composition) Fall 2015 Melinda Meeds L26683811 APA Outline Thesis: In Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus†, Oedipus is exemplified as a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition because his story appeals to the reader’s humanity in the way he maintains his strengths after inadvertently causing his own downfall. I. Oedipus A. The noble birth. B. Describe Oedipus’ character. II. Tragedy A. DescribeRead More tragoed Oedipus as the Ideal Tragic Hero of Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)1217 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus as the Ideal Tragic Hero of Oedipus the King In the introduction to Sophocles Oedipus the King, Sophocles defines a tragic hero as one who [behaves] admirably as a man, [but who] is nevertheless tripped up by forces beyond his control and understanding... (Sophocles 76).   In Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the tragic hero. The force that trips up the hero is fate, or, moira. It is Oedipuss actions that set the events into motion,   but it is ultimately his fate, and his attemptedRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1094 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles to accept the truth and lets his temper over power him. He can be displayed as a tragic hero. His refusal to accept the truth led to Oedipus’ down fall. A tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, â€Å"is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.† Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. In the play, Oedipus unknowingly has cursed the entire town of Thebes. He was cursedRead MoreJocasta as a Tragic Hero Essay1222 Words   |  5 Pages2012 Upholding Jocasta as the Tragic Hero What makes a tragic hero? Aristotle lays down groundwork of a tragic hero as being essentially good. They are neither villain nor saint because they have flaws. Several elememts are nevcesary to have a tragic hero, they are the tragic flaw, the reversal, recognition, and hubris. These generally make up the story of the tragic hero, and in the case of Jocasta, the wife and mother of Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, she posses all three. Yet sheRead MoreEssay about Oedipus: A Tragic Hero677 Words   |  3 Pages Oedipus: A Tragic Hero Oedipus Rex, or Oedipus the King is Sophocles’s first play of â€Å"The Theban Cycle.† It tells the story of a king that tries to escape his fate, but by doing so he only brings about his downfall. Oedipus is a classic example of the Aristotelian definition of a tragic hero. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a basically good and noble person who causes his own downfall due to a flaw in his character. Oedipus is a man of noble blood; his parents, who raised himRead MoreOedipus the Tragic Hero1390 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus; The Tragic Hero In the Fourth Century BC, a famous philosopher named Aristotle wrote about the qualities that a tragic hero must possess. Ever since that time, there have been many examples of tragic heroes in literature. None of those characters, however, display the tragic hero traits quite as well as Oedipus, the main character from the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Oedipus is, without a doubt, the absolute quintessence of a tragic hero. His example shines as clear as a sunny summerRead MoreHamlet vs. Oedipus Essay898 Words   |  4 Pagesby William Shakespeare and Oedipus in Oedipus King by Sophocles In Aristotles literary discourse, Poetics, he discusses his theory of tragedy, wherein he introduces the concepts of tragic flaw or hamartia, which serves as the catalyst for the protagonists downfall or the tragedy of the story to happen. He determines a tragedy as a drama that brings about a sorrowful conclusion, arousing fear and pity in the audience (Roberts and Jacobs, 1998:1189). Tragic stories are identified throughRead MoreEssay on Oedipus: The Reign of a Tragic Hero1266 Words   |  6 PagesWithout knowing what Greek theater was all about, how can someone expect to truly understand a tragic play and the history it comes with? The history behind the character of Oedipus, in the play Oedipus the King, is very complicated. His intricate past dealing with prophecies, family members, and murder is the main focus of the story. There are many characteristics that complete Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero; these being the presence of hamartia and peripeteia, a sens e of self-awareness, theRead MoreTragic Flaws Of Oedipus Rex950 Words   |  4 Pages Tragic Flaws of Oedipus Rex The ancient Greek’s culture was greatly influence by their belief in in many gods. They believed that the gods would guide them and that everyone was destined to live out their fates. In the case of Oedipus Rex Fate drove him into a downfall. Oedipus Rex is a part of the great Sophoclean play, written by Sophocles. Sophocles’ write this story to portray a tragic hero, using character flaws to explain his downfall. Oedipus is a perfect tragic hero because his whirlwindRead MoreOedipus Rex : A Tragic Hero945 Words   |  4 Pagesfates. In the case of Oedipus Rex Fate drove him into a downfall. Oedipus Rex is a part of the great Sophoclean play, written by Sophocles. Sophocles’ write this story to portray a tragic hero, using character flaws to explain his downfall. Oedipus is a perfect tragic hero because his whirlwind of a life force the audience to admire him in the beginning of the story as a privilege young man and also pity him a he falls into a crushing do wnfall. Sophocles intentionally gave Oedipus certain flaws because

Hip Hop Nationalism Free Essays

Hip hop is a form of art that has been popular for the past twenty years. Although people in recent years often mistake rap music as vulgar and ill-mannered, the hip hop community continues to provide a great way to channel emotion and soul into their music. In his article, â€Å"The State of Rap: Time and Place† Jeffrey Louis Decker illustrates the black nationalism within the hip hop community by exploring how Black Nationalism can be accounted for within the hip hop music. We will write a custom essay sample on Hip Hop Nationalism or any similar topic only for you Order Now Before hip hop was introduced into the American culture, the black community felt as if their place of origin was Africa. This was the time where the black community romanticized their own politics (Decker 2008, 54). Garveyism, introduced by Marcus Garvey, sparked the early Black Nationalist movements. During the Black Nationalist movement it promoted an array of black pride which later provided great inspiration for upcoming hip hop artists who â€Å"rapped† to their audience the struggles of the everyday black individual. The styles of artists later became more â€Å"Afrocentric† which meant that the music revolved around expressing self worth. Artist such as Afrika Bambaataa introduced his style of music to the world having his music known as the earliest form of hip hop. As for women, they were interested in promoting the idea that they were from â€Å"Mother Africa†. Women hip hop artist were fascinated by the idea of black women liberation, so most of them started to incorporate those ideas in their verses. There are rap songs that promote the militant â€Å"Nation of Islam† which later became known as the Black Panther Party. As more injustices occur to the black community, hip hop music became a pedestal to voice their opinions. For example, when Rodney King was brutally beat by the LAPD on March 3, 1991 (Decker 2008). The whole Rodney King incident consequently gave Ice Cube inspiration for his album Death Certificate. Hip hop artists are usually not involved in politics but are most strongly involved in the cultural politics which tie to the working and urban poor blacks. Eventually hip hop artists later regarded themselves by the name â€Å"hip hop nationalists†. In the sixties, self proclaimed hip hop nationalist rapper Paris debut his album, The Devil Made Me Do It, which sent a message on how he plans on building the black nation. From his tracks â€Å"Panther Power† to â€Å"The Hate That Hate Made†, Paris made sure that his audience knew he associated with the Black Panther Party. During 1988, hip hop marked a landmark on rap music history ever since MTV promoted their hip hop program called â€Å"Yo, MTV Raps! † and within the same year a hip hop group, Public Enemy, released their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, which gave the black nationalist its first publicized expression for two decades. The multiple times the black community was socially mistreated, hip hop artists continued to voice their opinions. I believe hip hop is great to voice an opinion and promote self worth. Ordeals such as the Rodney King case sparked a huge outrage within the black community. Decker mentions in the article that during the Rodney King trial, the white officers from LAPD have been acquitted by an all-white jury charged for the brutality of Rodney King (Decker 2008, 55). Ice Cube was called in for an interview, yet he declined because of the ties he has made with the black community. Situations such as the Rodney King trail provided a lot of social tension between whites and blacks. Decker claims that many of nation-conscious rappers, like Ice Cube, try to sustain their ties to the black community which their music is a part of. Hip hop artists who rap about Black Nationalism are needed because it uncovers the truth about how whites often mistreat blacks. Rapping is a way to express one’s opinion and also give perspective. Rappers such as Paris capture their perspective in their lyrics they have in his album, The Devil Made Me Do It. The music that is promoted by the rappers offer the black population self worth. At the time, the moral of the black population had been at an all time low considering that blacks were most of the time given the shorter end of the stick. Small aspects living became more tiresome to deal with. Being that many of the African descent were slaves, the white population often slandered blacks as if they were animals. However, as hip hop music was introduced, it allowed many black individuals become proud that they were from the â€Å"Nation of Islam†. Mainstream hip hop music often produces music that does not represent what the true intensions of rap music. The style of rap music has made it easy for one to voice their opinions. The art of rap has been around ever since the Black Panther Party decided to utilize black nationalism in their verses. I believe that it was important for the black community to promote hip hop music because it allows one to fully deliver their opinion while at the same time promote self worth. Particularly for the black community, I find it as a great way to inform the youth about the real world injustices their ancestors once lived in. By speaking up, they promoted social equality simply by having the guts to say what is on their mind. By understanding other’s point of view, maybe we all can comprehend others in different ethnic groups. How to cite Hip Hop Nationalism, Papers

P2P Networking for Information Sharing Typical Client-Server

Question: Discuss about the P2P Networking for Information Sharing for Typical Client-Server. Answer: Introduction In a typical client-server architecture that is most commonly used by organizations for information sharing within and out of their networks, a single server is used for storing information. In such a case, whenever, information is required by any member or node connected to network and the same to be shared to any other node, the member would take the file from this server, download it, and then perform sharing. Users have somewhat passive roles to play in this information sharing, as they do not contribute to information but only updates the repository(In Tae Youn Sung, 2015). On, the other hand, a new technology that has emerged over the past few years involves a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network for information sharing. In such a network, any information can be made available, by any of the peer connected to the network, for distribution to the network. In such a network, any peer can connect to any other peer node and can download the data. This technology provides equal rights and capacities to all the connected nodes for information sharing(Parameswaran, Susarla, B.Whinston, 2001). Some examples of P2P information sharing networks include Napster that has a centralized repository, which is replicated using P2P network for sharing of music in MP3 versions and Gnutella, which is a file sharing network that allows users to share files(Oram, 2001). Figure 1: Napster Architecture (Din, Nutanong, Buyya, 2003) Napster: Users can search and share MP3 files using Napster, which works of the centralized model of P2P, file sharing network architecture. In this model, a central server is used to maintain directories of MP3 files being shared over registered nodes and these directories are updated every time a user logs in. Client looking for files can automatically connect the a meta-server acting as an arbiter which is actually a less loaded server selected from the cluster and can handle up to 15000 users load. This server allows connected users to access and share files in the Napster community(Back, 2003). Figure 2: Gnutella Topology (Din, Nutanong, Buyya, 2003) Gnutella: It uses a flat network of peer nodes called servents and these nodes maintain the directory of the content system, acting both as a server and as a client as and when required. A node can choose to accept or reject a connection based on available connection slots, protocol versions and so on. To avoid flooding in the network, Time-To-Live field is included in header of every message, which is decremented each time it passes through a servant such that when the TTL reaches a value of zero, message is dropped(Vollet, Ingham, Ezhilchelvan, 2003). Uses P2P networks can majorly be used in two types of information sharing applications including multitasking and active networking. P2P Multitasking: A multimedia streaming content provider can use P2P network for multitasking by sending data from one source and replicating the same on different nodes in far downstream allowing the new node to act as a secondary source. Such data can thus be easily distributed to the local user community making it easier for them to download content from any node, which would be in proximity (Parameswaran, Susarla, B.Whinston, 2001. P2P Active Networking: Active networks can be used to carry codes that can be used to identify traffic usage patterns such that decisions about content redistribution can be taken dynamically based on P2P and active networks. This can also help in establishing certain level of control on participants as well as enforce guidelines for preventing distribution of malicious codes. Benefits P2P information sharing technology provides some major advantages over the regular client-server architecture used for information sharing such as enhanced load balancing, creation of dynamic repositories of information, improved tolerance for faults, content-based addressing, and improved searches. Improved Load Balancing: proactive load-balancing schemes can be used in a P2P network as traffic and information item profiles can be used for deciding strategies for redistribution of content by locating closest locations for high demand items. These techniques require less sophisticated solution than required in a distributed caching system. Further, strategies like automatic content relocation and replication can be used for dynamic monitoring of usage patterns such that content can be effectively replicated for optimizing the load balance. Dynamic Repositories for Information: In a P2P network, the information on one node can be easily shared and replicated across different nodes. Thus, the content availability grows with more spread over the network. With the combined networks containing comprehensive collection of all the content available for a community, even least searched items can be easily searched. For instance, most rare or an old songs MP3 file can also be searched as easily and fast as any high search MP3 file in a Music repository working on P2P model(Buford, Yu, Lua, 2009). Redundancy and Tolerance for Faults: As P2P, networks allow replication of information across different nodes; the redundancy is high thereby enhancing the availability of information. Moreover, if information has a high level of demand, the same can be replicated to more nodes making it faster to reach and download for users. Moreover, with this decentralization of information across nodes, if one node fails in the network, it would not fail the entire network, making the system more faults tolerant(Lin, Lin, Wang, 2008). Content-based addressing: On web pages, URLs may not directly relate with the content they have. In a P2P network, the content stored at a node is made transparent such that the grouping of web pages addresses is done based on the content that specific nodes are carrying. This type of addressing makes searches easier for users who do not specific URLs but content identifiers. With more uniform resource identifiers in the form of content-based indexing, a more refined information repository that is easy and fast to search can be formed(Fukuda-Parr Lopes, 2002). Figure 3: Search model comparison (Parameswaran, Susarla, B.Whinston, 2001 Better Searches: Internet search queries are executed by searching content only from public databases, which is not immediately updated especially in case the respective server goes down. On the other hand, in a P2P network information-sharing model, user node is indexed only when a user is online and the index is continuously synchronized with the status. At the time of search, a P2P network would not need to depend on search engine robots but can use the dynamically index content making it easier for P2P communities to access and share information within community (Parameswaran, Susarla, B.Whinston, 2001. Limitations The technology no doubt provides several technological advantages but it also comes with certain limitations such as: Traffic Redistribution Challenge: In P2P networks, traffic coming to one node can be redistributed to other nodes such that the information is replicated. If this traffic were needed to be reduced then it would require the source to be located close to the destination, which requires development of complex algorithms requiring high computing power. Thus, not all available computing resources can actually meet the computing power requirements of P2P networks and thus, it may not remain feasible for all information sharing solutions(Pagani, 2007). Free-rider problem: As any one node can connect to any other node in the network, it becomes easy for one node to steal and replicate quality information available on other node. Such an information can then be bundled into offers where the information acts as one component to replicate the same over network treating the same as own. In lack of capability to differentiate between the original and replicated content, it would become difficult for the receivers to identify if the information received is from originator or replicator. Moreover, receivers may not even care about the source as long as they are getting the required information(Krishnan, Smith, Telang, 2002). Legal and regulatory Issues: Such a model presents opportunities for users to do copyrights infringement, malicious code propagation, and intellectual piracy and so on, as no control may be imposed on the type of information that is being shared by users in most P2P solutions. This problem only is resolved through a self-regulatory system that may be established for a community using the network. However, it can still face security risks as well as litigations from other interest groups demanding government intervention that can further lead to complete shutdown of activities if found objectionable by government(Zhang, Shi, Wang, Zhang, 2007). Noise: There is a possibility that the information listed in the P2P network may be cluttered with a significant level of noise making it difficult for users to get effective information (Parameswaran, Susarla, B.Whinston, 2001. Conclusions Traditional file sharing systems used centralized server-client architecture in which every time a file is requested by a user, the request goes to server for its retrieval. In P2P network architecture, the centralized repository is actually replicated across nodes and a directory is maintained centrally such that every time, a user needs to fetch or share a file, the closest node can be reached to complete the operation. Such a technology has several benefits such as improved load balancing, dynamic repositories, improved fault tolerance; content based addressing and improved searches. However, the network also faces certain challenges or limitations such as requirement of high power for traffic redistribution, free-rider problem, noise in information shared, and legal or regulatory issues. References Back, T. (2003). P2P Information Sharing in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks. Helsinki University of Technology. Buford, J., Yu, H., Lua, E. K. (2009). P2P Networking and Applications. Mordan Kaufmann. Din, C. H., Nutanong, S., Buyya, R. (2003). Peer-to-Peer Networks for Content Sharing. Australia: The University of Melbourne. Fukuda-Parr, S., Lopes, C. (2002). Capacity for Development: New Solutions to Old Problems. New York: EarthScan Publications Limited. In Tae, L., Youn Sung, K. (2015). Technology Information Sharing and Technology Innovation Performance: An Empirical Study of the Mediating Role of Technology Development Capability. International Journal of u- and e- Service, 217-230. Krishnan, R., Smith, M. D., Telang, R. (2002). The Economics of Peer-To-Peer Networks . Pittsburgh,PA: Carnegie Mellon University. Lin, F.-r., Lin, S.-c., Wang, Y.-f. (2008). Can Peer-to-Peer Networks Facilitate Information Sharing in Collaborative Learning? IEEE, 2-10. Oram, A. (2001). Peer to Peer: Harnessing the Benefits of Disruptive Technologies. OReilly Associates. Pagani, M. (2007). Encyclopedia of Multimedia Technology and Networking. Italy: IGI Global. Parameswaran, M., Susarla, A., B.Whinston, A. (2001). P2P Networking: An Information-Sharing Alternative. ICS. Vollet, E., Ingham, D., Ezhilchelvan, P. (2003). JMS on Mobile Ad-hoc Networks. Personal Wireless Communications (PWC) (pp. 8-15). Venice, Italy: IFIP WG 8.6. Zhang, Y., Shi, H., Wang, X., Zhang, J. (2007). Collaborative Legal Information Sharing on P2P Network. IEEE, 335-371.

The Seal Killers Essays - NYPD Blue, Pinniped, Uncle,

The Seal Killers This is the realistic fiction story of two people who catch two commercial fishermen killing off seals. In the beginning, a guy named Andy agrees to fly from Montana to California to work for his uncle at a gas station for boats. In exchange, his uncle would teach him all about boats. It was Andy's dream to drive out in the sea. He goes out in a boat with his uncle and he teaches him some things. They noticed that seals were dyeing. Andy's uncle said it might be some kind of disease. So then his Aunt gets sick so his uncle has to spend time with her and didn't really have time to teach Andy about boats. One day Andy was working at the boat gas stop and a girl his age comes to fill up. She didn't look at him though, she was looking at the dead seals. She said that she really hated that and the commercial fishermen were killing them for lots of reasons. One was they were eating the boat and scaring the fish away. Anyway, then she left and came back in the evening. She filled up and introduced herself. Her name was Molly and she knew a lot about boats. Andy said where he came from and how he wanted to learn about boats. So then they made a deal that she would teach him how to use the boats and in exchange they would try to track the seal killers. So then a huge boat comes to the gas station. It was owned by the Jackson brothers. They were the two meanest commercial fishermen in the town. Molly had a suspicion that they were the ones killing the scenes. Then they take Andy's money and he tells his uncle. His uncle said those guys are crazy and that he shouldn't bother them. A few days later, Andy and Molly go where the Jackson brothers hang out and they follow them. They heard them saying something about killing seals tonight. So Andy and Molly go on Andy's uncles boat and follow the Jackson brothers. They spotted them and started shooting them. Then Andy and Molly speeded up but the Jacksons crashed into rocks and got stuck. So then Andy and Molly called the police and the fishermen got arrested. Andy learned a lot about boats and his uncle was very proud of him.

Dong Chang Essay Example

Dong Chang Essay Example Dong Chang Essay Dong Chang Essay Background: Dong Chang, a secret police and service sets up by eunuchs during the Ming Dynasty in 1420 and direct under the leadership of the Ming Dynasty. Dong Chang is founded by Zhu Di (the King, Emperor). Although there was a current organization â€Å"Jin Yi Wei† over that period of time, Zhu Di did not trust that organization. Therefore, Zhu Di revolted a number of eunuchs and turned into a very strong organization. Zhu Di believes eunuchs are more reliable. Analyze the Organization (Strategy, size, management, environment, external relationship): The leader of Dong Chang is eunuch called â€Å"Chang Gong†. The punishment and spy departments are the major departments for Dong Chang. Dong Chang has a strict hierarchy of authority. The position is named by the number of staffs. For example, â€Å"Hundred† means that the officer can manage one hundred staffs. Dong Chang is a large organization which covered over Ming Dynasty which is larger than current China and small counties nearby Ming Dynasty. Each type of work have special name. For example, there are officials of various ministries to monitor North Korea, and secretary to watch/to hear the prison criminals in the entire local government. Dong Chang is not only in institutions, but with reasonable staffing in the investigation developed action system. The management is quiet simple. First day of every month their investigation would focus on the work arrangement. Dong Chang’s function is to investigate the plotters and heresies as great wickedness. Dong Chang is powerful as Jin Yi Wei, one person in charge and gives the right to do to follow it. At the beginning, Dong Chang is only responsible to the investigation, arrests, and the rights to without trial the prisoners. But at late of the Ming Dynasty, Dong Chang has its own prison. Dong Chang has the right to monitor government officials, scholars, and other political forces because Dong Chang only needs to report to the emperor. Therefore, because Dong Chang is a special secret service, all officials and scholars are afraid about it, so the external relationship is limited. But Dong Chang does not need to care about the external relationship because its power is too strong and has the right to arrest and kill all people. Critique the Structure of the Organization: Dong Chang is only responsible to the emperor they can do whatever they want. There is no privacy, no one can say no to them. They are watching/hearing every move every word of people. They only trust themselves. They are using an autocracy system. Therefore, sometimes even they carry out illegal actions no one can punish them which is bad and why it fails eventually. A good organization should care about the complaint and to improve, not â€Å"Autocracy†. Insights and Recommendations: This type of organization structure has been around for centuries which placed the CEO (emperor) at the top and everyone else was arranged in layers down below, as illustrated in the diagram above. The emperor gave authority to Dong Chang’s leader (Chang Gong) but one must still report to the emperor for any kind of activities. With hierarchy of authority and specific rules and procedures, bureaucracy control is taking place. However, this approach has many disadvantages such as slow response to new opportunities, unforeseen threats like terrorist attacks, or organizational crises. Our recommendation is to use a temporary structure to respond to an emergency or crisis situation. This means that it still get to maintain the efficiency and control benefits of bureaucracy yet prevent the problem of slow response. The hierarchical side with its rules, procedures, and chain of command maintain control and ensure obedience to rules that have been developed and tested over many years to cope with well-understood problems and situations. However, during times of high uncertainty, the most effective structure is one that loosens the lines of command and enables people to work across departmental and hierarchical lines to anticipate, avoid, and solve unique problems within the context of a clearly understood mission and guidelines. This would be more effective in any type of military organization.

Discovering the Occupations of Your Ancestors

Discovering the Occupations of Your Ancestors Do you know what your ancestors did for a living? Researching ancestral jobs and occupations can teach you a great deal about the people who make up your family tree, and what life was like for them. An individuals occupation may give insight into their social status or to their place of origin. Occupations can also be used to distinguish between two individuals of the same name, often an essential requirement in genealogy research. Certain skilled occupations or trades may have been passed down from father to son, providing indirect evidence of a family relationship. Its even possible that your surname derives from the occupation of a distant ancestor. Finding An Ancestors Occupation When researching your family tree, it is usually fairly easy to discover what your ancestors did for a living, as work has often been something used to define the individual. As such, occupation is an often listed entry in birth, marriage and death records, as well as census records, voter lists, tax records, obituaries and many other types of records. Sources for information on your ancestors occupations include: Census Records - A good first stop for information on your ancestors job history, census records in many countries- including the U.S. census, British census, Canadian census, and even French census- list the primary occupation of at least the head of household. Since censuses are usually taken every 5-10 years, depending upon the location, they may also reveal changes in working status over time. If youre U.S. ancestor was a farmer, the U.S. agricultural census schedules will tell you what crops he grew, what livestock and tools he owned, and what his farm  produced.   City Directories - If your ancestors lived in an urban location or larger community, city directories are a possible source for occupational information. Copies of many older  city directories can be found online on subscription-based  websites such as Ancestry.com and  Fold3.com. Some free sources of digitized historical books such as  Internet Archive also may have copies online. Those that cant be found online may be  available on microfilm or through libraries in the area of interest. Tombstone, Obituary and other Death Records  - Since many people define themselves by what they do for a living, obituaries generally mention the individuals former occupation and, sometimes, where they worked. Obituaries may also indicate membership in occupational or fraternal organizations. Tombstone inscriptions, while more brief, may also include clues to occupation or fraternal memberships.   Social Security Administration - SS-5 Application RecordsIn the United States, the Social Security Administration keeps track of employers and employment status, and this information can generally be found in the SS-5 application form that your ancestor filled out when applying for a Social Security Number. This is a good source for the employers name and address of a deceased ancestor. U.S. Military Draft RecordsAll males in the United States  between the ages of 18  and 45  were required by law to register for the World War One draft throughout 1917 and 1918, making WWI draft records a rich source of  information on millions of American males born between about 1872 and 1900, including occupation and employment information. Occupation and employer can also be found in World War II draft registration records, completed by millions of men living in America between 1940 and 1943. Wills and  probate records, military pension records, such as Civil War union pension records, and death certificates are other good sources for occupational information.   What is an Aurifaber? Occupation Terminology Once you find a record of your ancestors occupation, you may be puzzled by the terminology used to describe it. Headswoman and hewer, for instance, are not occupations you commonly come across today. When you run across an unfamiliar term, look it up in the Glossary of Old Occupations Trades. Keep in mind, that some terms may be associated with more than one occupation, depending upon the country. Oh, and in case you are wondering, an aurifaber is an old term for goldsmith.   What Made My Ancestor Choose This Occupation? Now that youve determined what your ancestor did for a living, learning more about that occupation may provide you with additional insight into your ancestors life. Begin by trying to determine what might have influenced your ancestors choice of occupation. Historical events and immigration often shaped the occupational choices of our ancestors. My great-grandfather, along with many other unskilled European immigrants looking to leave behind a life of poverty with no promise of upward mobility, immigrated to western Pennsylvania from Poland in the early 20th century, and found employment in the steel mills and, later, the coal mines.   What Was Work Like for My Ancestors? Finally, to learn more about your ancestors day-to-day work life, you have a variety of resources available to you: Search the Web by occupation name and location. You may find other genealogists or historians who have created engaging Web pages full of facts, pictures, stories and other information on that particular occupation. Old newspapers may include stories, ads, and other information of interest. If your ancestor was a teacher you may find descriptions of the school or reports from the school board. If your ancestor was a coal miner, you may find descriptions of the mining town, pictures of the mines and miners, etc. Thousands of different historical newspapers  from around the world can be accessed online. Fairs, festivals, and museums often afford the opportunity to watch history in action through historical reenactments. Watch a lady churn butter, a blacksmith shoe a horse, or a soldier recreate a military skirmish. Take a tour of a coal mine or a ride a historic railroad and experience the life of your ancestor first hand. How to Learn Your Ancestors Occupation Visit your ancestors hometown. Especially in cases where a lot of residents of a town held the same job (a coal mining town, for example), a visit to the town can offer the chance to interview older residents and learn some great stories about day-to-day life. Follow up with the local historical or genealogical society for even more information, and look for local museums and displays. I learned much about what life was probably like for my great-grandfather through a visit to the Frank Sylvia Pasquerilla Heritage Discover Center in Johnstown, PA, which re-creates what life was like for the Eastern European immigrants who settled the area between 1880 and 1914. Look for professional membership societies, unions, or other trade organizations related to your ancestors occupation. Current members can be a great source of historical information, and they may also maintain records on the occupation, and even past members.

Oscar Schindler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Oscar Schindler - Essay Example But this is exactly where the problem lies. The events have been resurrected for the present - as well as for the future - generations. There are issues here like Jew hatred, and now freedom of speech, when holocaust is being discussed even from a historical point of view. These have provided fires to Oscar Schindler's story. This paper gives a brief description of the event and then make a stand that Oscar Schindler is indeed a hero. On April 28, 1908 in Zwittau, Czechoslovakia, Oscar Schindler, a man destined to be great, was born. His life and accomplishments during the war became the subject of a best selling book by Thomas Keneally. Then Steven Spielberg made it into a powerful film, winning many Academy Awards and other honors from the movie industry (Klein n.d.). But how did a member of the Nazi party, war profiteer of slave labor, womanizer, alcoholic and compulsive gambler end up being honored Through "Schindler's List," the true story of a German businessman and Nazi sympathizer is revealed (Scileppi 2003). Poldek Pfefferberg, a black market trader was said to have initiated this incredible story, him who had business links with Schindler and who gave him goods which the latter used as gifts to impress Nazi officers. The whole thing worked, and Schindler became friends with some of the highest ranking officers in the German army (Ibid). SchindlerSchindler was then doing business in 1938 in Poland and found the Nazis' rise to power as his chance to make money. He had started a cookware and utensil company, and to be able to get a series of Nazi military contracts, he applied his natural skills in socializing, flattering and bribing his way (New Internationalist 1994). Itzhak Stern became accountant and financier to assist him in his factory but the more important role was to liaison for Jew workers that Nazi troops herded into Crakow's ghetto by (Scileppi 2003). Kracow's Jews soon filed into Schindler's factory to work. Unknown to the workers, Schindler helped his Jewish employees by falsifying the factory records. For example, their ages were adjusted so that old people were recorded as being younger; juveniles were listed as adults. Professionals were registered as metalworkers, mechanics, and draughtsmen, considered essential to war production. The workers were protected from the extermination commissions that looked into Schindler's records from time to time (Steinhouse 1994) His workers did not know that at the same time, Schindler spent his evenings entertaining many of the local SS and Wehrmacht officers, cultivating friendships and strengthening his position wherever possible. .With an easy charm, Schindler became popular in Nazi social circles in Cracow {Steinhouse 1994). In 1942, when Krakow's Jews are assigned to Plaszow, a Forced Labor Camp run by Commandant Amon Goeth, the survival of the Jews were put in jeopardy. Schindler placed efforts in pleasing Goeth and was able to arrange the continued use of Polish Jews in his plant. (New internationalist 1994). Events that followed made Schindler realize that only he and his factory were what came between his workers and the Nazi death camps. From there he completely gave up generating wealth, and began using his remaining finances as bribes to procure more Jewish workers and maintain the factory's current staff. By the time the allies defeated Germany, his fortune was used up, but by