Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day Essay Example

Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day Essay The first of the two poems, Wordsworths Daffodils is about a man remembering that some daffodils cheered him up one day. The poem starts off with the person being described as a cloud and how he slowly joins a host of golden daffodils. But the reader does not know at first that this poem is actually a memory until further down in the poem. Throughout the poem Wordsworth refers back to the daffodils and makes a connection with other things like them such as stars. Wordsworth also depicts how the daffodils dance. In the last verse the reader finally finds out that the poem is a recollection. Whilst the second of the two poems, Miracle on St. Davids Day written by Gillian Clarke is about a mentally ill patient reciting Wordsworths Daffodils in front of a crowd of other patients and daffodils. From the title Miracle on St. Davids Day it is revealed to the reader what this poem is about. It is obvious that a miracle is the main point of the poem, meaning something holy yet unexpected. The poem starts off in a very positive setting among the cedars and enormous oaks but by the second verse the reader finds out that Clarke is, in reality, describing an Insane Asylum. We will write a custom essay sample on Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Daffodils and Clarkes Miracle on St. Davids Day specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The poet describes herself reading poetry to the insane as she does a huge and mild man recites Wordsworths Daffodils with no emotion the memory of the poem is perfect but the sound isnt because he hadnt spoken in a long time. He recites the poem in front of the other patients and ten thousand daffodils outside. Both these poems have the theme of memory and daffodils but each are represented in a different way. In the first line of Daffodils Wordsworth describes himself as a cloud, wandering lonely. The verb and adverb tell us that the cloud isnt moving very fast and that the cloud is a distance from everything else. This is also personification because the cloud could also be a person outcast by society, for example Wordsworth could be trying to describe his own experience. In the second line of the verse the poet uses another slow verb floats. Half way through the verse there is a change of pace all at once and the reader then sees the crowd of daffodils. Additionally the poet using two adjectives to describe the numbers of daffodils host and crowd showing that there must have been at least one hundred. This could also mean that the person being described as a cloud being accepted back into society. Wordsworth describes the daffodils as golden with illustrates the radiant colour and wealth of the memory. In the last line of the first verse Wordsworth uses personification to give the daffodils human characteristics when he uses the verbs Fluttering and dancing which are also metaphors. The verb dancing also gives the sense that the daffodils were dancing all together in rhythm. In the first verse and throughout the poem the poet uses rhyming couplets at the end of each line. Wordsworth also uses the rhyme scheme of ABABCC in each verse. Wordsworth in the second verse talks about stars and how many there were and makes a connection between them and the daffodils. The poet describes the stars, as continuous showing the reader that there are countless numbers of them. In the second line the writer uses the adjective and verb twinkle to describe the stars; there is also a connection between twinkle and golden because stars are also golden. The poet carries on to say, they stretched in a never-ending line which supports the other quotes. Most of the second verse goes on about how many stars there actually are. In the fourth line the poet says Ten thousand saw I at a glance which shows he wasnt paying attention to how many there were it also gives us the impression that the stars saw him. Wordsworth makes another connection between the daffodils and the stars because they both dance. He uses the verb tossing and the adverb sprightly to describe the way they danced. Wordsworth connects the daffodils and the stars by telling us that they both danced. Wordsworth, throughout the poem, has repeated the dancing, the daffodils and the fact that in every verse there is a mentioning of water, in the first verse it was lake in the second bay and finally in the third waves. And again in the first line of the third verse the poet repeats the fact that he saw something dance. He says the waves beside them danced, but . The mood then changes with the use of the word but, because it makes the reader expect something. After all the describing of the magical and romantic atmosphere, the reader feels pessimistic that something is going to change the whole mood of the poem. The reader then discovers that nothing terrible happens but the but was only to shame the waves, as the daffodils were more effective out-did the sparkling waves in glee. This means that the daffodils were better than waves. The atmosphere is now light and fantastic again, glee meaning merriment and cheerfulness. There is a colon in the middle of verse three indicating a pause, which continues with Wordsworth commenting on his feelings and actions. I gazed- and gazed- but little thought. The dashes slow the line down by breaking it up gradually. By doing this Wordsworth indicates the end of the description of the daffodils. There is also a metaphor in this verse, what wealth to me the show had brought. The wealth in this verse is a metaphor describing the memory, experience and emotion of seeing the daffodils. The last verse indicates that the poem was a memory or flashback. The reader knows this from the first line of the verse, For oft, when on my couch I lie. The reader knows that the memory is frequently visited because oft means often. The next line creates an empty mood, far away, drifting and dreaming. The mood and atmosphere is quite strongly put forward to the reader with vacant or in pensive mood. This means absent and dreaming, inattentive and expressionless but with a thoughtful frame of mind. Verse four has a special meaning. It is a time in Wordsworths life when he is having a look back at his experiences, which is so emotionally overwhelming to him that it has created an extremely long lasting impression in his mind. Wordsworth sums up his feelings from the experience in the last verse they flash upon that inward eye; here he is saying that the vision of the crowd of daffodils is stuck in his imagination for the rest of his life. This brings great happiness to him, which is the bliss of solitude. By using the word bliss, Wordsworth expresses his emotion of complete happiness. Solitude, meaning being alone completely with no-one near you at all, tells the reader that this experience was very personal to him and special, and only he will ever know the wonder of it even if he describes is as best as he can to others and then my heart with pleasure fills. This is a personification as there is an image of a jug being filled to the brim with pure joy. Also there is another personification in the last verse, and dances with the daffodils. It is a further personification of a lively person who dances. In this last line Wordsworth is saying that his heart is dancing with the daffodils. Daffodils do not dance, but to Wordsworth they give off life, joy and radiant beauty. The last three lines of verse four create a pure and lovely mood. In The Daffodils Wordsworth is trying to teach the reader to appreciate the beauty of nature and to understand the importance of memory. I also think that he is trying to teach the reader about how the effect of just one experience in your life can be so strong and powerful that it can be remembered as vividly as it was the day of the experience many years later. Miracle on St Davids day starts off very positively in the first verse. With the use of slow verbs the atmosphere becomes very relaxed An afternoon yellow and open-mouthed. Clarke uses the sun to describe the rest of the setting The sun treads the path. Clarke uses very descriptive adjectives to describe the setting and the trees such as the enormous oaks. But in the fourth line there is a cast of doubt to this happy place when it says, It might be as well as a warning it also adds mystery to the poem. In the last but one line of the first verse we finally find out that it is a country house with guests strolling, this sounds like the perfect fantasy for most people. But in the second verse the perfect image is shattered I am reading poetry to the insane this is a shock for the reader because it was totally unexpected. It is a very bold statement to put in to a poem. The reader finds out that the perfect country house is actually an insane asylum or a hospital. From being very positive, Miracle on St Davids day has turned into a very negative poem. The verse carries on to describe the audience sitting down listening to the poem, A beautiful chestnut -haired boy although these people are mentally ill Clarke still tries to describe them as if they were normal people. Another shock is that the child she described so perfectly was actually, a schizophrenic on a good day. Gillian Clarke describes the hospital further by saying In a cage of first March sun this statement gives you the image of a prison not a hospital. But the bars of the cage are actually only the blinds on the window but it still gives you the idea that the patients are trapped inside the hospital. The poet then describes a woman not listening, not seeing, not feeling Clarke uses the techniques of tripling and repetition of the word not to describe the womans mental state. Gillian Clarke further explains that the woman was absent meaning that she wasnt really listening just sitting there. Gillian Clarke at the end of the third verse mentions, A big mild man is tenderly led to his chair. We have know idea what is wrong with him; all we know is that he is a big, mild man this shrouds the patient in mystery because we dont know what he is going to do or say. But immediately after the man has been led to his chair Clarke reveals to us he has never spoken whilst being a patient at the hospital. Although the man seems a tough guy the reader finds out that he actually isnt he rocks gently to the rhythms of the poems. Gillian Clarke depicts herself reading to their absences, presences she uses rhyme contrast to describe the patients she is reading to. In the last line she once more describes the silence man as she did in the previous verse big, dumb labouring man as he rocks. The verb and adjective labouring portrays an image of a strong but unintelligent man. To start off the fifth verse Clarke uses the technique of sibilance, tripling and alliteration to describe the mans movements suddenly standing, silently. These three words put together are called sibilants. The man had never really been noticed before until now. Although the man hasnt done anything Gillian Clarke is still afraid of him, she says huge and mild, but I feel afraid. The poet uses similes to describe the man breaking through his silence, like slow movement of spring water. In the last line of verse five the man starts to recite The Daffodils. Clarke describes the nurses are frozen silenced and shocked by the miracle before them that the man can actually speak. Clarke describes him as hoarse but word perfect this reinforces the fact that he hadnt spoken in a long time. As he recites the poem outside we find out that there are daffodils as still as wax which is another simile. The daffodils are also shocked by the man speaking because they are frozen as well. They are also his audience. Clarke describes the numbers of daffodils and how their syllables are unspoken. In the last but one verse we find out how the man knew the poem. 40 years ago in a valleys school although it is a short poem he still remembered it after 40 years. After starting to speak again h had remembered there was a music of speech but he did use to speak and that he once had something to say. At the end of the mans poem before the applause, we observe the flowers silence. A thrush sings and the daffodils are flame. Gillian Clarke portrays a vivid and colourful image of the daffodils. She describes them as flame but the reader knows that they are actually clapping. These two poems the Daffodils by William Wordsworth and Miracle on St. Davids Day by Gillian Clarke are both very similar in style, content and ideas both have some mentioning of daffodils. And both have the theme of memory except theyre represented in a different way. These two poems talk about the importance of memory to a person; in Wordsworth case a man remembering a great day he had with some daffodils and in Clarke case a mental patient remembering the poem The Daffodils after 40 years without speaking. Both these poems have a lot in common with each other. But they are also connected by their style of writing.

Regrouping and Carrying Over in Mathematics

Regrouping and Carrying Over in Mathematics When kids are learning two-digit addition and subtraction, one of the concepts theyll encounter is regrouping, which is also known as borrowing and carrying, carry-over, or column math. This is an important mathematics concept to learn, because it makes working with large numbers manageable when calculating math problems by hand. Getting Started Before tackling carry-over math, its important to know about place  value, sometimes called base-10. Base-10 is the means by which numerals are assigned place value, depending on where a digit is in relation to the decimal. Each numeric position is 10 times greater than its neighbor. Place value determines a digits numerical value.   For example, 9 has a greater numerical value than 2. They are also both single whole numbers less than 10, meaning their place value is the same as their numerical value. Add them together, and the result has a numerical value of 11. Each of the 1s in 11 has a different place value, however. The first 1 occupies the tens position, meaning it has a place value of 10. The second 1 is in the ones position. It has a place value of 1. Place value will come in handy when adding and subtracting, especially with double-digit numbers and larger figures. Addition Addition is where the carry-over principle of math comes into play. Lets take a simple addition question like 34 17.   Begin by lining up the two figures vertically, or on top of one another. This is called column  addition because 34 and 17 are stacked like a column.Next, some mental math. Start by adding the two digits that occupy the ones place, 4 and 7. The result is 11.  Look at that number. The 1 in the ones place will be the first numeral of your final sum. The digit in the tens position, which is 1, must be then placed on top of the other two digits in the tens position and added together. In other words, you must carry over or regroup the place value as you add.  More mental math. Add the 1 you carried over to digits already lined up in the tens positions, 3 and 1. The result is 5. Place that figure in the tens column of the final sum. Written out horizontally, the equation should look like this: 34 17 51. Subtraction Place value comes into place in subtraction as well. Instead of carrying over values as you do in addition,  you will be taking them away or borrowing them. For example, lets use 34 - 17. As you did in the first example, line up the two numbers in a column, with 34 on top of 17.Again, time for mental math, beginning with the digits in the ones position, 4 and 7. You cant subtract a larger number from a smaller one or youd wind up with a negative. In order to avoid this, we must borrow value from the tens place to make the equation work. In other words, youre taking a numerical value of 10 away from the 3, which has a place value of 30, in order to add it to the 4, giving it a value of 14.  14 - 7 equals 7, which will occupy the ones place in our final sum.  Now, move to the tens position. Because we took away 10 from the place value of 30, it now has a numerical value of 20. Subtract the place value of 2 from the place value of the other figure, 1, and you get 1. Written out horizontally, the final equation looks like this: 34 - 17 17. This can be a hard concept to grasp without visual helpers, but the good news is that there are ​many resources for learning base-10 and regrouping in math, including teacher lesson plans and student worksheets.

Strategiespoliciesprograms could be utilized to reduce the healthcare Essay

Strategiespoliciesprograms could be utilized to reduce the healthcare cost to the taxpayers for uninsured Texans - Essay Example These areas are prescription drug coverage, technology, managed care, reducing the number of uninsured, and innovative programs. There are several aspects of the prescription drug program that need to be reviewed. Currently Texas has a local health care system where the counties are responsible for the healthcare of its residents. Care often falls to charity or safety net hospitals (Uninsured in Texas n.d. p.4). There needs to be more focus on regional and statewide cooperation involving the purchase of prescription drugs. This would provide a centralized point of purchase, which would aid in the negotiating power of the state on drug prices from the pharmaceutical companies. In addition to lower price there needs to be some forms of cost control on the use of prescription drugs. There should be a review of the formulary for drug availability that would exclude some drugs from coverage. These would include cosmetic, hair loss, and investigational drugs. Drugs with a high potential for abuse such as amphetamines and barbiturates should also come under review. These exclusions would have to be accomplished within the current federal guidelines. Generic drug use should also be encouraged. ... This would also help reduce public resistance to low cost generic drugs. A preferred drug list of the lowest cost drugs should be utilized to pre-authorize a particular drug. Prior authorization would be necessry for any drug not on the list. Several other state programs have used this approach with some success. It may be seen as a burden to physicians and pharmacists and should be introduced in a step program beginning with non-emergency treatments such as anorexants and anti-ulcer reflux medications (Kaiser Commission 2002 p.9). Emergency supplies for short-term treatment could still be provided without prior authorization. There should also be a 'failed first policy' on prescription drugs. If a new more expensive drug is available, it should not be used until the older and less expensive substitute has been proven ineffective. Fail first programs may not be appropriate for rapidly evolving medications such as used for the treatment of mental illness (Fail-first policies 2003). This program would need to be strictly monitored and have a physician right to supersede it. 2. Technology Improved technology has the potential to save billions of dollars in health care costs. Texas needs to adopt the most recent innovations in medical technology. Shared medical records across a network would aide physicians and emergency rooms in reducing redundant tests and procedures. It also has the capacity to make the most recent knowledge and diagnosis available across the network in a virtual care coordination system. The creation of a cross care coordinated network would be a valuable tool for the uninsured as well as offering health care providers easy access to medical records. A system of community based care

Teenage pregnancy does not effects the future of both the child and Essay

Teenage pregnancy does not effects the future of both the child and the mother - Essay Example They further assert that most people are willing to support young ladies as well as their children. This is evidenced by what takes place in the U.S.; the citizens of the U.S. participate significantly in raising enough cash for the upbringing of the young children as well as for the care of their mothers. For instance, it is documented that the U.S. spent approximately $9 billion on teenagers’ children in 2004. The dollar amount rose significantly in 2008; approximately $11 billion was spent on children born out of marriage. From this amount, one can deduce that the U.S. spends approximately $1,647 on each child born to teenagers each year (Misra, Goggins & Matte, 2014). Thus, it beats logic when a person to asserts that the future of teenage mothers and their children is doomed. The current society is also full of humane people. This is evidenced by the fact that there are organizations as well as individuals who participate in upbringing of teens’ children. It is also evident that working together of the government with non-governmental organizations aid in the addressing the socioeconomic challenges that teen mothers face in life (Misra, Goggins & Matte, 2014). Although teen mothers, as well as their children, receive support from taxpayers money, government, and non-governmental organizations, it is evident their future lives will be affected significantly. In most occasions, teenage pregnancy affects the future of both the mother and the child negatively. This is evidenced by the Bhana and MCambi’s article. According to Bhana and MCambi (2013), teenage pregnancy is associated with a high level of stigmatization. Teenage girls when pregnant as well as when having children find it very hard to relate with their fellow students because of self-denial. The rearing of a child while at school is also a big problem to teenage mothers. In most occasions, such mothers are requested by their respective schools

GCC Economics and OPEC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

GCC Economics and OPEC - Research Paper Example The common market agreement among the GCC countries took effect from 1 January 2008. The members of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an association of developing countries, which include Venezuela, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nigeria, Libya, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Ecuador, Angola and Algeria. OPEC was formed to help market oil and stabilize oil prices in the world. United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates whose capital city is Abu Dhabi, Dubai covers an area of 82,880 Km2 and the land is predominantly desert with few pockets of agricultural areas. It is a member of OPEC. The country has an opened and highly developed economy, which is among the fastest growing in the world. The rate of inflation in United Arab Emirates is low and was 0.9 percent and 1.6 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. To boost trade, a free trade zone for manufacturing and distribution purposes. Presence of a deep-water port has also promoted international trade. The rate of interest charged by commercial banks was also lower at 6.2 percent and 5.9 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. Figure 1: GDP growth rate There was a sharp decline in the real GDP growth from 3.2 percent in 2008 to -3.2 in 2009. Sharp decline is attributed to the global financial turmoil. However, there was a strong growth in real GDP growth rate to 5.3 percent in 2010 due to recovering economy and increasing oil prices. OPEC Quotas in United Arab Emirates is 2.3 million barrels daily but its capacity is 2.8 million barrels daily. According to CIA (2011), United Arab Emirates’ reserves are estimated to be 97.8 billion barrels. Non- oil sectors include agriculture that produce dried fish, dates, watermelons, vegetables, eggs, poultry and dairy products (Department of State 2011). Non-oil sector covers tourism and international finance. United Arab Emirates produces cement, aluminum, fertilizers, boat building, commercial ship repair, textiles and handicrafts. Major trade pa rtners include Japan, India, China, United States, Germany, Iran, South Korea and Thailand Saudi Arabia Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whose capital is Riyadh also referred to as Saudi Arabia covers an area of 2,149,690 km2 with arid climate. It is a member of OPEC. It has a command economy, where government controls major economic activities and depends heavily on oil exports. The GDP of Saudi Arabia was $623 billion in 2010. Inflation rate is slightly lower at 5.4 percent and 5.1 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia was 10.8 percent, 10.5 percent and 9.8 percent in 2010, 2009 and 2008 respectively. High unemployment rates are among the highest rates in the gulf region. Commercial bank interest rates were 7.3 percent and 7.2 percent in 2010 and 2009 respectively. The country’s proven oil reserves are 262.6 billion barrels (Sfakianakis 2011). Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves with and is the world top oil exporter. Oil generates 75 per cent of the total budget revenues and comprises about 90 percent of total exports. Increase in oil prices caused by increasing demand has improved the economy of Saudi Arabia. The current quota for Saudi Arabia as set by OPEC is 9.4 million barrels daily. However, the country can produce up to 10.52 millions barrels daily. The non-oil sector real GDP growth r

Analysis of Living Standards in the UK

Analysis of Living Standards in the UK Assignment Title: Living Standards The UK in 2013 had a population of approximately 64 million; standards of living are used to monitor and identify which areas of the UK and the world are living in penury and which areas are more affluent and are thriving. The government is responsible for identifying the contributing factors towards a wealthy region or a poor region. Burtless, G (1987, p.232) defines standards of living as â€Å"the sustained level of consumption of goods and services that can be afforded on the basis of a household’s current assets and current and future income†. Economists and economic research companies have tried and tested many different ways to record the standard of living in the UK. Living standards is a hot topic in political conversations, and the government are pressured to focus on improving the well-being of the population. Elliot, L (2014) recent article for the Guardian discusses the views of Andrew Harrop, general secretary of the Fabian Society who exclaims that â€Å"What we measure – and how we measure it – matters. The financial crisis proved that simply targeting the headline goals of GDP growth, unemployment and inflation was totally inadequate as these measures failed to identify major economic weaknesses as they emerged†. This would suggest that the government need to revisit their policy on standards of living on focus on refining them in order to achieve their objectives. Mankiw, N (2011) suggests that policymakers must accumulate factors of production quickly in order to make the population more efficient and more positive. There are many different measures of standard of living that have been developed over the past 30-40 years, there are the more traditional ways of measurement and modern, innovative and experimental measures that are both used in the world of business. Traditional standard of living measures Crafts et al (2007) suggests that historically, standards of living have been measured by assessing real wages. Real wages is the income of a person and with consideration of the inflationary effects on purchasing power. Recent UK and US wage statistics compiled by Branchflower Machin (2014) suggests that after a healthy upwards movement of the average wage in the UK in the 1990’s and early part of the 2000’s; there is an alarming downward trend from the year 2010 to 2013 where wages rates are increasingly lowering. From the graph it is also clear that the US wage growth is very little historically and there are no major fluctuations in comparison to the UK. (See Appendix 1). The Economist (2014) blames the fall in real wages on the UK’s ‘dismal productivity’ since the recession, output in the UK is below the pre-financial crisis peak. This would suggest that Britain needs more highly skilled jobs and possible incentives to boost productivity and create an efficient labour market. Real wages are effective in measuring standards, real wages statistics can be used to identify trends in wages in different countries over a particular period, this is further emphasised by the International Labour Organisation (2003) who suggest that real wages are useful for identifying differences in purchasing power of wages in different world economies, real wages can also provide an idea of the progress of a working population. Nordhaus (1997 p.30) criticises the method of calculating real wages, he states that â€Å"If we are to obtain accurate estimates of the growth of real incomes over the last century, we must some-how construct price indexes that account for the vast changes in the quality and range of goods and services that we consume†. It could be argued that countries such as the US and the UK have already constructed price indexes with the use of the Retail Price Index, the Consumer Price Index in the last century. Another of the more traditional measures of living standards is GDP; the main GDP elements that are important for living standards are GDP per capita and Real GDP per capita. GDP per capita is the total output divided by the population of a country. Recent figures from the ONS (2014) shows a comparison of the top economies in the world of the year 1997 and 2012; from the graph (see Appendix 2) it is clear to see that the UK GDP per capita has risen but not as much in value as the likes of the US, Canada and Germany – the UK still however has the 4th biggest GDP per capita in the world. Nominal GDP per capita is often criticised by economists because it does not take inflation into consideration, so it is better to use Real GDP as the measurement because it is relevant and reflects a true value. Eurostat’s graph (see Appendix 3) shows the year on year growth percentage of real GDP per capita in the UK, the research shows a large dip after the financial crisis and since that has happened the percentage growth rate has never reached the peaks pre-financial crisis, this would suggest that productivity in the UK is low and there needs to be more employment created, which could lead to an increase the output of the country. The main positive of using GDP per capita as a measure is that it is used nationwide and recorded fairly frequently, GDP per capita is measured in quarters and allows countries to evaluate the figures and look at trends over different periods – this is important to identify which countries are trending downwards and is important at a regional level, governments can identify what areas are lacking in output and where investment needs to be focused. Whereas real wages are said to be useful in comparing the difference in wealth in economies International Labour Organisation (2003), Tucker (2013) argues there are several issues when comparing countries using GDP per capita, he suggests that low economically developed countries are not as accurate as wealthier countries when recording the data necessary for GDP. He also suggests that some countries have very different income distribution using the United Arab Emirates as an example; the majority of income comes from oil which is only distributed amongst a number of rich families. Real GDP per capita is important because it can give a true value after inflationary adjustments are made, however this measure also has some limitations. Similarly to GDP per capita, real GDP per capita fails to identify inequalities in income and wealth in a country, there is also the issue of the ‘black market’ which can he hidden amongst the value of real GDP per capita. Another traditional measure of living standards to consider is the Gini coefficient; the Gini index measures the actual distribution income in a country in comparison to an equal distribution of income. The index measures the difference between a Lorenz curve and a line of equality. The Gini index line of 0 represents equality whereas 100 would indicate inequality. The Poverty Site (2010) Gini Coefficient graph (see Appendix 4) shows a comparison of the 27 members of the European Union, at the time the UK figure stood at just over 30% which ranks sixth highest in inequality in Europe and higher than the EU27 average of 30%. The graph also shows how Scandinavian countries such as Sweden Finland have a much more equal society in terms of income despite their questionable taxation policies. The United Kingdom would likely try and target a smaller percentage to achieve better equality amongst the population. Concerns over income inequality have been raised recently. Treanor Farrell (2014) recent article for the Guardian discusses how the UK is the only G7 country with growing inequality, the article discusses findings from a Credit Suisse global wealth report show that the UK’s richest 10% of people represent 54.1% of the total national income. There will be inevitable pressure on the government from low income families that have been suffering from rising utility bills and only a small rise in wages. The Gini Co-efficient is very effective in showing the inequality in countries throughout the world, it can also help economists and businessman understand and support their thinking if they believe the country is increasing in terms of inequality of income. McKinley, T (1995 p.141) writes that â€Å"the Gini coefficient does not concentrate merely on differences from the mean; it is a much more direct measure of inequality because it accounts for the differences between every pair of observations†. The Gini co-efficient isn’t without its limitations, Parrillo (2008) suggests that the measure does not alter much when transfers are made between the rich and the poorer people. Another disadvantage of the Gini coefficient is that it fails to inform you of the changes in the distribution of income between income groups as opposed to alternative measures of living standards. Alternative standard of living measures Throughout the last 20-30 years there have been a number of alternative measures developed across the world, trying to find a better way to measure living standards. The Human Development Index was originally developed by the UN to monitor and develop a ranking of countries by the following criteria; average years of schooling, expected years of schooling, life expectancy from birth and gross national income per capita. From the most recent HDI data (see appendix 5) the United Kingdom ranks at #14 in the top 15, the HDI shows some interesting developments and differences between the nations of the world. The United States for example has a high GNI Per capita compares to other countries, their life expectancy however ranks lower than any other country in the top 15; this could suggest that the United States standard of living is not truly reflected in the HDI. Although the Scandinavian countries rank high on the HDI, Henrietta Moore of The Guardian (2014) argues that they are not the model for global prosperity; she suggests that their principles of autonomy and self determination are the reasons for their high human development. Moore summarises statistics that suggest that the Scandinavian countries are consuming resources far too quickly they rank top of both the carbon emissions usage and they rank high in the WWF’s scale of ecological impact. It could be argued that it is important to consider the environmental impacts of nation’s activities before considering their Human Development ranking. The obvious advantage of the HDI is that it makes it simple to monitor the changes in development of countries over a period of time, it is also effective to use when comparing different countries around the world and how they are developing and which element of the criteria is changing most. There is a drawback to the HDI, Soubbotina Sheram (2000) suggests that it fails to show the significance of the different elements and fails to support why a countries index may have altered over time. It could be argued that the United Nations needs to provide more reasoning and evidence to support changes in figures. Another of the more recent innovative measurements of living standards is the Happy Planet Index developed in 2006; countries are measured on life expectancy, well-being and ecological footprint. Each country is given a particular colour as in the HPI (see Appendix 6) based on their performance; green being good, amber being middle or average, red being bad performance after accumulating the different components for each country. From appendix 6, the countries performing worst are the United States and a lot of African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria. The United Kingdom is ranked in the middle ranking as a result of their poor ecological footprint in which they rank #121 out of the 151 countries. Surprisingly Mexico is one of the best performing countries based on the index ranking 23rd out of 151 with a healthy well-being score. The Happy Planet Index became very popular when it first came out because of the results it produced. Simms Boyle (2009) praises the measure suggesting it is the first measure to combine well-being and environmental impact to find a countries efficiency. A social factor and criticism of the Happy Planet Index is described by Murray, P (2011) he argues that families may find that they do not welcome giving information on personal health to help determine life expectancy and levels of personal health, this suggests that the information for some countries may be inaccurate because a lot of people may have refused to give such sensitive personal information. Another alternative measure which has been viewed as a successor for GDP is the Genuine Progress Indicator, this measure is designed to measure improvements made in economic welfare. GPI takes several factors into consideration including monetary value of voluntary and unpaid work, leisure time. Similarly to the previous measures discussed, GPI takes into consideration income distribution, environmental impacts and state of the environment. The GPI also accounts for the cost of crime in the country being measured. The GPI has been tested across the world in a number of different experiments. Bagstad Shammin (2012) looked at testing different GPI factors in 17 counties in Ohio and compared the results of change from 1990-2005 (see appendix 7), from the table we can see the differences in 15 years in some important factors to the people of Ohio. There have been drastic changes in some factors including net capital investment which is good for the areas because it may improve job prospects. The advantage of GPI in this particular testing process in Ohio is that it combines an element of consumption, GDP per capita and Gini coefficient. The GPI is being used increasingly around the world because it has a number of advantages in comparison to traditional methods such as GDP, the GPI is said to take into consideration negative contributions to growth such as pollution and crime, GPI is effective in measuring people’s living standards and not just a measure of output as is the primary objective of GDP. GPI is much more useful in long term planning than GDP because environmental impacts are taking into consideration and be addressed in the long term. Although GPI takes the value of leisure time and environmental impacts, these factors are very hard to determine a specific value to include in the calculations, GDP per capita in comparison is a much simpler method; GPI is also ineffective in relation to a business cycle. Measures of living standards are ever changing; there may never be a measure more accurate or reliable as another because they all have their criticisms and drawbacks that are fresh within economist’s minds. It is clear that there is a shift of focus from just measuring output of a population through GDP per capita to recognising the issues and factors that affect a population; the alternative measures each focus on social factors such as life expectancy. Rather than looking at just earnings and wages, the newer measures of living standards focus on what is actually relevant to people around the world. GDP per capita and real wages show some difference in the level of wealth and income inequality but it is methods like the Human Development Index which can be used to determine a more global perspective of living standards, to summarise the more traditional methods are useful for measuring the wealth whereas the alternative and more innovative measures focus on the social facto rs that indicate a populations standard of living. Appendices Appendix 1 Source: Branchflower Machin (2014) Appendix 2 Source: ONS (2014) Appendix 3 Yearly change in percentage of Real GDP per capita growth in the UK Source: Eurostat (2014) Appendix 4 Source: The Poverty Site (2010) Appendix 5 HDI Index 2013 top 15 rankings, Source: United Nations Development Programme (2013) Appendix 6 Source: Happy Planet Index (2012) Appendix 7 Source: Bagstad Shammin (2012) Bibliography Bagstad,K, Shammin, R. (2011) ‘Can the Genuine Progress Indicator better inform sustainable regional progress?—A case study for Northeast Ohio’, Ecological Indicators, 18, pp.330-341, Science Direct (Online) Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com.ergo.glam.ac.uk/science/article/pii/S1470160X11003918# (Accessed 22/11/14). Boyle, D., Simms, A. (2009). The New Economics: A Bigger Picture. Oxford: Routledge. Branchflower, D., Machin, S. (2014) ‘Falling real wages’, Paper No CEPCP422, 19 (1) pp. 19-21. CentrePiece (Online). Available at: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp422.pdf (Accessed 17/11/14) Burtless, G (1987). 1st edn. Work, Health and Income among the Elderly. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution. Crafts, N., Gazeley, I. Newell, A. (2007). Work and Pay in 20th Century Brtiain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Elliot, L (2014) ‘Living standards should be central measure of UK economic performance’ 12 March (Online) Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/12/living-standard-measure-economic-growth (Accessed 16/11/14) Eurostat (2014). Real GDP per capita, growth rate and totals. Available at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/graph.do?tab=graphplugin=1pcode=tsdec100language=entoolbox=sort. Accessed (17/11/14). Happy Planet Index (2012). HPI 2012: Map View. Available at: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/data/. (Accessed 21/11/14) International Labour Organisation. (2003). 3rd edn. Key Indicators of the Labour Market. Geneva: ILO Publications. Mankiw, N (2011). 6th edn. Principles of Economics. Ohio: South-western publishing. McKinley, T (1995). The Distribution of Wealth in Rural China. Oxford: Routledge. Moore, H (2014). ‘Why Scandinavia is not the model for global prosperity we should all pursue’. 1st December (Online). Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/dec/01/why-scandinavia-is-not-the-model-for-global-prosperity-we-should-all-pursue. (Accessed 1/12/14) Murray, P. (2011). The Sustainable Self: A Personal Approach to Sustainability Education. Oxford: Routledge. Nordhaus, W. (1997). P.27-70. The Economics of New Goods. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ONS (2014). The UK has one of the fastest growing economies in the G7. Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/elmr/gdp-and-the-labour-market/q1-2014may-gdp-update/sty-gdp-g7-economies.html. Accessed (17/11/14). Parrillo, V (2008). Encyclopedia of Social Problems. Washington DC: Sage Publications. Soubbotina, T., Sheram, K. (2000). Beyond Economic Growth: Meeting the Challenges of Global Development. Washington DC: World Bank Publications. The Economist (2014). What recovery? Real wages 413(8910), 32(US). 25th October. Retrieved from: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA387050752v=2.1u=uwcnit=rp=STNDsw=wasid=a520ff594e7283ba19a015fcb5d8e35f (Accessed 17/11/14). The Poverty Site (2010). European Union: Gini Coefficient. Available at: http://www.poverty.org.uk/e14/index.shtml. Accessed (17/11/14). Treanor, J Farrell, S (2014). ‘UK only G7 country with wider inequality than at turn of century’. 14th October (Online). Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/14/uk-inequality-wealth-credit-suisse. Accessed (17/11/14). Tucker, I (2013). Macroeconomics for Today. 8th edn. Ohio: South-western publishing. United Nations Development Programme (2013). Human Development Index and its components. Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-1-human-development-index-and-its-components. (Accessed 21/11/14)

Maturation of Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee Ess

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird Jem and Scout change tremendously. They do not change physically, but rather mentally. Their maturation can be seen as the novel progresses and by the end of the story they seem to be two completely different people. As the novel goes on, the reader can see that Jem and Scout mature even when the rest of the town does not. In part one, Jem and Scout are terrified of Boo Radley because of stories they have heard. They have never actually seen or talked to him and yet they are still children and believe most of the things they hear. The stories about Boo eating cats and squirrels are enough to scare them out of their shoes. The children love to play the game they made called â€Å"Boo Radley† which always ends with someone getting â€Å"stabbed† in the leg, just as Boo Radley stabbed his father’s leg. In part two on the other hand, Jem and Scout stop playing their game and stop telling the stories because it no longer entertains or scares them. If they had not matured, these games and stories would still frighten them. Because they have matured however,...