Comparing Letters from an American Farmer and Thoreaus Various Essays

Comparing Crà ¨vecoeur's Letters from an American Farmer and Thoreau's Various Essays  Ã‚   St. Jean De Crà ¨vecoeur's Letters from an American Farmer and Henry David Thoreau's various essays and journal entries present opposing views of what it means to be an American. To somewhat simplify, both writers agree that there are two kinds of Americans: those who are farmers and those who are not. Crà ¨vecoeur views farmers as the true Americans, and those who are not farmers, such as frontier men, as lawless, idle, inebriated wretches (266). Sixty years later, Thoreau believes the opposite: farmers are doomed and bound to their land, and free men who own nothing posses the only true liberty (9). Both Crà ¨vecoeur and Thoreau judge men and their professions on industry, use of nature, freedom, and lawfulness. As America grew during these six decades, industrialization and higher education created more compact communities unable to economically provide the land needs of farmers. In Crà ¨vecoeur's America, "some few towns excepted, we are all tillers of the earth"(263). In 1850, Thoreau's Concord was among the many towns allowing people to leave their farms for a more urban setting to house their law practices, shoe stores, or surveying businesses. The separation of farmers from the rest of society leads to intellectualizations of the profession by thinkers like Thoreau. Removed from the simple, hard labor of farming, it is easy for urbanized society to forget the farmer's purpose and importance in Western civilization. Crà ¨vecoeur states that "industry, which to me who am but a farmer, is the criterion of everything"(264). Indeed, a lack of industry in any vocation eventually leads to failure. Thoreau, however, sees little value in indu... ...d as Thoreau was from self-supporting agriculture, modern America is light years away. Thoreau's ideal lifestyle is now an impossibility. Many Americans would settle for an unadorned life on a small farm, and a clean, dry home. Possibly the day will come when [the land] will be partitioned off into so-called pleasure-grounds, in which a few will take a narrow and exclusive pleasure only-when fences shall be multiplied, and man-traps and other engines invented to confine men to the public road, and walking over the surface of God's earth shall be construed to mean trespassing on some gentleman's grounds. ... Let us improve our opportunities, then, before the evil days come. (Thoreau 667) Works Cited: Crà ¨vecoeur, J. Hector St. John de. Letters from an American Farmer and Sketches of Eighteenth-Century America. Ed. Albert E. Stone. New York: Penguin, 1981.

Female Foeticide in India

What is female foeticide?The act of aborting or terminating a foetus while it’s still in the womb, because it is female, is known as female foeticide. This can be done after determining the sex of the child before it’s born, through ultrasound scans. Although, sex determination in India is illegal, the practice is rampant and has become a multi-million dollar industry. Coupled with prospective parents desperate for a boy child, and physicians who are carrying out these abortions, female foeticide has become a shameful and shocking reality of our nation. What is the main cause of female foeticide?For centuries, families across many parts of India have regarded a male child as the preferred of the two sexes. There have been many social, financial, emotional and religious reasons for this preference and while times have changed, many of these reasons and beliefs continue to remain. Today, some of the key reasons that exist for the preference of a male child are as follows: The tradition of paying dowry at the time of a daughter’s marriage is alive and kicking. This amount can be so huge that many parents will go to extreme lengths to avoid having a daughter in the first place. A son is seen as someone who can earn and care for his parents in their later years, while a daughter will get married and go away.A son can carry on the family name, while a daughter becomes part of her husband’s family. Girls are seen as consumers, whereas boys are seen as producers. Many families consider it a status symbol to have a son, and a point of shame to have a daughter. Often, the pressure to bear a male child on the woman is so great that she herself might choose to get sex determination done and abort the baby if it’s a girl. Illiteracy, poverty and the tag of ‘burden’ that is assigned to a girl child, makes the desire for a male child even stronger.Modern technology has made it very easy to determine the sex of the child while it ’s still in the womb, giving parents-to-be the option of aborting the foetus and continuing to try to conceive till they get a male child. While sex determination has been banned by the Indian government, it does not stop families from going to great lengths to find out anyway. Not only are there plenty of scanning centres that reveal this information, many of the wealthier families fly the pregnant mother to neighbouring countries  where sex determination is legal, to find out the gender of the baby. Once the gender of the baby is known, families that are keen to have a baby boy choose to abort the female foetus. The law on aborting is also strict, and the Indian government allows it only under certain circumstances.Therefore, by determining the sex of the baby and aborting it because it’s a girl, the parents as well as the participating physicians are breaking two major laws.What impact does female foeticide have on the sex ratio?Sex ratio refers to ratio of female s to males in a given region. Practices like female foeticide and female infanticide (killing a baby girl after she is born) have had an adverse effect on the sex ratio of a nation and gives rise to further social evils. As per the Indian Census 2011 report, the sex ratio of India (females per 1000 males) is as follows: Average India sex ratio – 933Rural sex ratio – 946 Urban sex ratio – 900 State with highest female sex ratio – Kerala – 1058 State with lowest female sex ratio – Haryana – 861 What are the long-term impacts of female foeticide?The most important impact of female foeticide is the skewed ratio it gives rise to. The dearth of females leads to other complications like female trafficking, kidnappings and in increase in assault and rape against women. Female foeticide is a horrific and illegal practice that has got to be stopped. The way to do this is by implementation of stronger laws and bringing about a change in the mind -set of our countrymen – uphill tasks, but absolutely crucial nevertheless.

Houyhnhnms In Action

Houyhnhnms In Action Free Online Research Papers In Jonathon Swift’s Gulliver’s travels, part four introduces the Houyhnhnm race. The Houyhnhnms are the leaders of their land, which the main character, Lemuel Gulliver, finds shocking since they are horses. What Gulliver sees in this group and what Swift was actually portraying are opposite. On the surface the race seems to follow a Utopian like lifestyle, yet underneath they are far from perfect. There seemingly noble creatures follower a strict lifestyle that they say does not involve any type of evil. The hypocrisy in this is how uncivilized they treat the less superior race, Yahoos, who have striking similarities to humans. Some suggest they are the biggest example of satire in Swift’s entire work. Other’s suggests their downfalls represent why humans do not live the Utopian lifestyle. While there are many good, noble qualities in their land, some necessary privileges as an individual are stripped. In Houyhnhnms, the good of the individual is nullified for the good of the race as a whole. The Houyhnhnms represent an ideal of rationality. Their lifestyle is based on simplicity and their rules all work towards the common goal of bettering the race. The â€Å"ideal† plan that each individual follows tells how each one will love, communicate, breed, and, in simpler terms, live. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of their culture is the lack of any lies, deceit, jealousy, hatred, or anything else considered â€Å"evil†. These ideas do not even exist in their world; there is no word for â€Å"lie† in the language. Another huge appeal in their lifestyle is how everything is thought through in order to benefit from it. Instead of jumping to certain conclusions, the Houyhnhnms take the good out of situations. When dealing with Gulliver, they observe him in the beginning enough to understand he is unlike any Yahoo they have ever encountered. The Houyhnhnm master even goes as far as communicating with Gulliver to learn more about his life. E. Sullivan compares Houyhnhnms to men saying, â€Å"Houyhnhnms are more rational than men†¦ man ought to be swayed by reason†¦clean†¦decent-but†¦ they have to refer to our world.† (Sullivan) Another distinct difference between this race and man’s is their strict practice of family planning. The word â€Å"love† seems to have a completely one-sided meaning. They love everyone equally, therefore no one individual is loved more than another. This practice not only prevents jealousy, it restricts forming relationships to a breeding purpose. Mary P. Nichols states, â€Å"Just as they are free from envy and malice, so are they free from sexual passions.† (Nichols) She also goes on to discuss the many reasons for their mating based relationships that are found in part four. Rather than finding mates on a mental compatibility, they search for a perfect blend of genetics. The Houyhnhnms choose others that will make well-blinded colors in their offspring. They also, â€Å"[†¦] value the strength in the male and comeliness in the female [†¦]† (Nichols) These relations were not based on love so they could preserve their race from degenerating. Extending what they will do, families will actually swap children to keep the ratio of one female offspring to one male offspring. This concept reflects on a time much later than the piece was written; this family dynamic relates to a more modern yet classic idea of the perfect four-piece family. Reflecting on this race being based on reason, they believe marriage is a necessary act of a reasonable being. Another paradox in the Houyhnhnms and the Utopian idea is with Eden itself. The race itself shares certain ignorance towards anything malice just as Adam and Eve did. Swift includes many references throughout the final journey but leaves out religion. Perhaps this was done on purpose to see if readers would wonder what was missing. Although religion as a subject is missing there are various similarities that push the underlying theme of religion anyway. Margarot Thickstun suggests that Swift presents Houyhnhnmland as a somewhat Eden-like place because, â€Å" [†¦] the reason with which he endows the Houyhnhnms is not a philosophical concept but an example of the ‘erect Reason’ of Adam and Eve in Paradise.† (Thickstun) Perhaps Swift was suggesting that by nullifying evil in their society, grave saves them. Thickstun discusses many powerful points that describe the Houyhnhnms as â€Å"prelapsarian† beings, they are comfortable in their bodies as w ell as their environments; Just as Adam and Ever were before their expulsion from Eden. Better stated, â€Å"They do not require clothes for warmth, they do not become ill†¦they do not understand the meaning of shame.† (Thickstun) The connection between the two on the Eden level is only one part of the paradox. The Houyhnhnm master argues that, â€Å"Nature and Reason were guides for a reasonable animal, as we pretended to be, in showing us what we ought to do, and what to avoid.† While much good stems from the Utopian/ Eden lifestyle, some unintended betrayal of personality come hand in hand. For a land so concentrated with peace and well-being, they seem infatuated with disgust for the Yahoo people. The idea of enslaving a creature to the extent of what they do seem out of the ordinary. With the humanlike Yahoos answering their every beck and call, even pulling their wagons. They are symbolized by sin, greed, lust, and everything else the society does not participate in. Gulliver notices the similarities in figures but does not identify with the Yahoos on any other level. Thickstun points out, â€Å"He sees a connection, but he does not yet see it with conviction.† (Thickstun) The Yahoos seem to represent a dramatized and over emphasized version of Europeans, what Gulliver is, and the Houyhnhnms represent what Gulliver is working for so the world will be fixed. Swift also seemed to have taken two roles and reversed them to confuse people on what they truly believe is right and wrong. The cruelty to the Yahoos seems unlawful because readers can relate to the m on a human bases, yet if Swift had the Yahoo’s be the civilized colony and the horses were the ones pulling them around it would not seem unsettling. This parallel entertains the mind into reorganizing ones morals. The Houyhnhnms are perceived by Gulliver as a righteous, virtuous, and as an all around good race. Yet due to the certain ways they govern themselves, the evil seeps through. Although it seeps sparingly, it is still present. Human nature does not naturally fit the mold for the simple morals of this race, for regular mankind is extremely complex with emotion and intuitions. These feelings are was created Gulliver’s initial reaction. Yet in time, the Houyhnhnms manipulate Gulliver’s thoughts to push him away from his normal identity and more into their thought process. Nichols explains, â€Å"In his love of the Houyhnhnm, Gulliver accepts an idea of perfection which makes it impossible for him either to understand or to participate in human life.† (Nichols) They take him out of his normal comfort zone and present their own outlooks in life, not giving him any of their downfalls. Thickstun ties Gulliver’s actions to the underlying religious aspects of t he story, â€Å" Gulliver’s decision mirrors a Puritan impulse to withdraw, or separate, into ‘pure’ communities.† (Thickstun) After Gulliver becomes completely devoted to the Houyhnhnms lifestyle, they turn on him. In the start they judge him as a superior to the regular filthy, malicious Yahoos, but in the end they kick him out. The decision to eject Gulliver from their Paradise is evidence of how fallible they truly are. Gulliver being kicked out also related to Adam and Eve’s decent from Eden. When he returns to Europe he is faced with all the evils that infiltrated the world long, long ago. It was his love for the simple society that he struggled to find for so long, yet even this perfect world ended up hurting him in the end. After all his journey’s to find a society that he felt more in place with, this was the one, yet it took the opposite by actually rejecting him as not good enough. Though the Houyhnhnms seem to have an extremely virtuous lifestyle, there are crucial elements mankind possesses that their race did not have. Sullivan suggests, â€Å"The ‘horses’†¦ obviously represent the rationality and natural virtue that only a ‘modern’ fool†¦would presume mankind to be possessed of.† (Sullivan) The lack of individuality seriously depletes from their characters. By erasing certain words in their language, they are erasing the emotions that form personalities. Emotions like envy and passion have life lessons that go along with them. Love is also a major difference. If one feels only an even amount of love for everyone, there is a lack of intimate relationships between individuals. No one individual really knows another on an extremely personal level. This falls back into the idea of mating for a strictly breeding purpose. Nichols explain, â€Å"The Houyhnhnms†¦seem to have nothing of their own to which they are attached.† (Nichols) They do not even love their offspring enough due to their practice of trading out one offspring for another if it is of the same sex as the first offspring. Another situation that suggests the race is detached from any persons is if a couple that is past the age of childbearing loses an offspring, another is donated to them. It is seen more as a trade off than the human type of adoption programs. â€Å"The Houyhnhnms neither feel nor offer compassion [†¦]†, states Thickstun. Only appearing to be, â€Å"representatives of admirable and attainable qualities.† (Sullivan) They were void of humor, creativity, and passion; yet still seem to come off a bit arrogant at times. Aside from personality traits that are lacking, there are the simplest of individuality aspects they do not possess. There are references to the difference characters, yet none of them have proper names. Even their language is basic, used solely to communicate their needs. With all of these aspects, the race itself is interchangeable, owning no individual identities. In a seemingly black and white situation, the Houyhnhnms are both the simplest and the most complex of Swift’s characters. They are an incredibly stagnant society with no extreme ups and downs; In short, they lack dynamic. Their daily life is predictable, leaving no room for experiencing life. The Utopian lifestyle they portray seems enjoyable to an onlooker at first glance, even Gulliver fell for the charade. However, in the end, he felt more emotion than they understood by getting expelled from their society. Through the ideas of the community, they end up representing the most rational aspects of humankind. Swift insists his reader question what love was if there was no jealously or passion. Without sad how would one know they were happy? Swift causes his readers to question if a â€Å"perfect† life really could be perfect. Although one may find versions of  "Gulliver’s Travels† in the children’s section of the library, the book questions the very morals of mankind, and is a moving and high impact piece of literature that forces its reader to do some soul searching and deep thinking. Nichols, Mary P. â€Å"Rationality and Community: Swift’s Criticism of the Houyhnhnms.† Studies in English Literature (Rice) 34.3 (Summer 1981): 318. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Burlington County Library, Burlington, NJ. 1 December 2007. Sullivan, E.E. Houyhnhnms and Yahoos: From Technique to Meaning. Studies in English Literature (Rice) 24.3 (Summer 1984): 497. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Burlington County Library, Burlington, NJ. 1 December 2007.. Thickstun, Margaret Olofso. The puritan origins of Gullivers conversion in Houyhnhnmland. Studies in English Literature (Rice) 37.3 (Summer 1997): 517. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. 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