Anne Lamott’s Overture: Lily Pads

Anne Lamott’s â€Å"Overture: Lily Pads†, presents a chain of bumbled ventures for a mind-blowing duration by indicating that each falter has made her more grounded and exhibited that each disaster and tribulation of her reality has permitted her to become one bit nearer to God. My goal is to acquire an upgraded comprehension of the nature and capacity of Anne Lamott’s venture into her chose religion, which closes with her picking Christianity by tolerating Jesus’ everlasting adoration into her life. I will clarify her excursion just as how I might suspect she comprehends the idea of being â€Å"born again†. I wish to introduce how her definition, viewpoint and comprehension takes after or potentially even contrasts from that of my own, empowering me to look at and comprehend from another’s perspective. Anne Lamott’s mother and father were a long way from that of confidence and had the mentality that accepting implied that you were moronic. I think Lamott’s father hugy affected her drawn out excursion into Christianity as she unmistakably clarifies his contempt of the confidence. Growing up longing for his satisfaction and endorsement she claims to excuse God to fulfill him. Her excursion begins with an affection for Catholic Church. Her thoughts and impression of God originated from her companions convictions and her own energetic individual perspectives. She experienced childhood in a house flooding with liquor, pot, and skepticism, through and through undeniably meddling with her stroll with Christ. As a kid she implored alone: â€Å"I simply realize I generally accepted and that I didn't tell a soul† (Lamott 624). The statement shows the dejection and disarray she should have involvement with such a youthful age. Later Lamott starts to encircle herself with her friend’s family who all read the holy book, quote sacred writing and appeal to God for their youngsters every day, at long last affecting her such that she appears to be agreeable and anxious about. Be that as it may, as Lamott entered her mid teenagers she bit by bit floated from confidence and supplanted it with liquor, medications and sex. I accept school had a huge effect on why she picked Christianity as her religion of decision. She gets attracted to Judaism as an impact of having numerous Jewish school companions, however doesn't really change over. Anyway in the wake of perusing a Christian book of scriptures story in one of her classes she states, â€Å"I left class accepting †tolerating †that there was a God† (Lamott 635). All through the following scarcely any pages her perspectives on Christianity keep on changing, as she goes to and fro from having confidence in Christ to returning to her medication and sex crazed life. The gathering of another minister and visiting the Church occasionally manages her the path back to God. Towards the last hardly any pages of the composing Lamott is visited by Jesus after disease following an ongoing fetus removal, dissipating every last bit of her mistrusts, fears and empowering her to progressively discard the things she felt was shameless in her life, finishing with a strong and favored establishment of trust and confidence. Anne Lamott unmistakably communicates the highs and lows of her Christian walk, empowering the crowd to get a handle on the assortment of impacts and moreover delineating that her otherworldliness is really the tie that ties them all together. My comprehension of the idea being â€Å"born again† alludes to being conceived from above. From my perspective being â€Å"born again† implies realizing that God and Jesus are genuine. Being flooded with the Holy Spirit that brings the vibe of harmony and comprehension. To be conceived again is being pardoned for all past transgression, regardless of what obscurities or wrongdoings you have submitted previously, as the sublime leniency of God is given uninhibitedly. To be conceived again is to start from scratch, to kill every single unfortunate propensity and sins just as adhering to the principles of the good book. Anne Lamott’s high school comprehension of â€Å"born again† was that of a negative one because of her recently spared English instructor. Lamott composes; â€Å"I sobbed in Sue’s class at the selling out, and the delicate belittling endeavors to support me† (631). This was an outcome of her teacher’s choice to now depict and instruct her student’s through Christ’s eyes. This negatively affected Lamott, driving her the other way of Jesus, constraining her to get irritated and pugnacious conduct towards different Christians. Anne Lamott’s section portrays the snapshot of her transformation into Christianity, she composes; â€Å"I hung my head and said â€Å"Fuck it: I very. I took a long full breath and said for all to hear, â€Å"All right. You can come in† (643). My own concept of being conceived again maybe wouldn’t incorporate coarse language and just ‘allowing† Jesus in, however would incorporate graveling at his feet, asking and longing for his pardoning of all my negligent sins. Which is the reason Anne Lamott’s comprehension of being spared contrasts so particularly from my own. Approaching the finish of the content we learn of Anne Lamott’s submersion, finishing pregnancy a man she was dating. This moreover shows the distinction between my own and Lamott’s convictions. It shows that she isn’t totally following Gods will, untraditionally making a human life outside of the family structure God expected for each kid. In ‘Corinthians 7:2’ of the ‘Holy Bible’ it clarifies that endless evil individuals have improper sex with only one parent present and should initially be hitched, so the spared can satisfy their interests in an ethical manner. Despite the fact that I believe myself to be a new devotee, I feel that I should rehearse Gods demands, consequently instructing me directly from wrong. Despite the fact that Anne Lamott’s Christian convictions may not be viewed as immaculate to a few, with all due respect she doesn't profess to have her life completely all together. It is a surprising story of how Jesus has had such a conspicuous effect on her life. ‘Overture: Lily Pads’ is a reasonable and authentic model for any peruser to identify with, as it is like our own excursions throughout everyday life. It promptly demonstrates what we have faith to start with isn't generally the end we arrive at long last. Anyway the excursion is about the ride, helping us to get a handle on the procedure and exercise what we find en route.

The Beanie Babies Boom :: Beanie Babies Ty Business Essays

The Beanie Babies Boom Jump, Prance, Zip, Canyon, and Snip, came, decisively, from the mouth of my little girl when I gave her five arbitrarily chose Beanie Babies from the one hundred or so that are in her room. She barely needed to consider her reaction she named them for me. She knows them all by name. I was fascinated. My little girl, and my better half, are commonly exceptionally particular to their greatest advantage and interests. There are no Tickle Me Elmos or Furbys in our home. We have never fallen prey to the bait of pet shakes or Cabbage Patch dolls, yet the sheer number of Beanie Babies we have has made me inquisitive about these charming easily overlooked details. The present Beanie Babies marvel is to some degree confounding to me, as most well known rages may be. What makes these things so extraordinary that my little girl knows them all by name, or that individuals hold up in line at six in the first part of the day to get them? Who precisely is getting them, and who are they being purcha sed for? These are questions I believed I required a few responses to. Over portion of the Beanie Babies that we own are currently resigned, which amounts to simply the way that on the off chance that we needed to purchase similar ones now, they would cost three or multiple times what they did when we got them the first run through. The producer of Beanie Babies, the Ty Company, resigns certain models every month which drives the cost of the retirees up, in optional markets, right away. Is this essentially an explanation that no more are being made, or is it only an advertising ploy to drive deals? In any case, I feel that anything that has cost my family more than 700 dollars has the right to be glanced in to. At the point when I asked about what made these specific creatures so interesting, I figured I would go right to the nearest, most solid sources that I had. I previously asked my little girl, who is seven years of age. Her reaction was that they were adorable and that they had charming names. When I asked my significant other, she revealed to me that they were charming, and that they were delicate and cuddly. Presently I recognize what one may think, however one thing should be clarified.

How to Select Presentation Topics Ideas

How to Select Presentation Topics IdeasNo matter how much time you allot to create your presentation topics ideas and written speech, you will find that the delivery will still be lacking in one aspect. You may think that this is because the topics were badly planned.However, the fact remains that you will be a good speaker only if you know how to choose a topic. When it comes to creating topics ideas for your presentation, you should not be afraid to make mistakes. And with that said, here are some pitfalls to avoid when you are trying to select a topic:o What you will try to convey by using some great presentation topics ideas will be blurred. You might even be tempted to do some suggestive things so that the audience can better understand your speech. However, there is no sense in doing that, especially if your audience will not be able to understand what you intend to say.o Try to avoid speaking about anything that is related to strong emotion. This is true regardless of whether it is about politics religion, love or anything else. What you will be delivering is supposed to convey information, which is why you should be very careful with the way you deliver it.o With regard to the performance of your presentation, make sure that the presentation topics ideas you use are easy to follow. If you do not have any idea about how to relay information, you will not be able to get your point across very easily.o One of the worst things that you can do while choosing presentation topics ideas is to make use of bullet points. While this is not necessarily wrong, bullet points will only confuse your audience if you try to present them in an unclear manner.o When you are trying to select a topic for your speech, you will find that you will find that there are many sites where you can get ideas. Some of these ideas will be acceptable but some of them will be utter rubbish.In general, there are no real pitfalls in the process of finding out how to select a topic for your presentation. Just make sure that you use these tips to make sure that you will achieve your goals.

The Broken Head And The Real Friendship - 778 Words

The Broken Head and the Real Friendship The day had been perfect, till I got the call†¦ I awoke to the smell of light, fluffy pancakes slathered in maple syrup, and greasy, fat bacon, just how I like it. â€Å"Shea, come downstairs and eat! We have to leave by 10,† My dad yelled from the kitchen. Our cousins had invited us to go to their lake house at Cedar Creek Lake; we accepted with enthusiasm because we had never seen it before. â€Å"Coming right down.† I shouted back to my dad. Hopping out of bed, I pulled on my favorite t-shirt and most comfortable shorts, stuffed some clothes into a small duffel bag, and pounded down the stairs. We left at 11, late as usual. All five of us squeezed in the silver Volvo, hip to hip, blasting country music as we ventured into the Dallas suburbs. At 11:35 AM, my phone buzzed and Cammy Davis’, my best friend Eliza’s mom, name lit up on the screen. This is odd, Cammy rarely calls me. Shouldn’t Eliza call me instead? Turning down the music, I answered the phone. â€Å"Hey Cammy! What’s up?† I asked. â€Å"Are you in Dallas?† She asked in a panicked voice, but I could hardly hear her because of the cacophony from the other line. I wondered where she was. â€Å"Burberry, Eliza’s horse, bucked her off and now Eliza is unconscious, she has been for the last six minutes. I am in an ambulance and we are going down to Presbyterian Hospital, come if you want. I just thought you should know.† The line crackled then went dead. In a serious but quiet voice IShow MoreRelatedSelf Reflection Essay1399 Words   |  6 Pagesout of our prayer centered worship night my heart cried out. These feelings will soon fade by the time this article actually post, but I feel like I need to reflect on it. I cried for the first time not about my lacking of faith, school, boys, or friendships, but the darkest parts of me that I try so hard to hide. Those demons that I have fought long to fight off, but sometimes they come creeping back. I reflect on the past week and the news of suicide that destroyed my small town.This is somethingRead MoreShooting Stars By Lebron James And Buzz Bissin ger1175 Words   |  5 Pagestheir time together runs out, or will they fail again?’ Throughout this book, the reader is provided with intriguing information about these 5 characters that provide a refreshing feel as they are easily relatable. Because these characters are all real people it makes it easy to understand their feelings and actions. Lebron was an extremely talented athlete and an even better friend. For most of his childhood he couldn’t make friends because he was constantly changing schools and houses. This leadRead MoreThe Silent Suffering Victim1323 Words   |  6 Pageshelp. And the rest are like Alexi - victims who have lost their ability to cry out, to say no. Victims who fear coming out, who fear that everything they know will change once word of it gets out. Its portrayal of the silent suffering victim was so real and genuine that it felt like being in her shoes, and it was such a crappy, crappy feeling. Hurting yourself to keep the pain inside, putting on a mask pretending everything s okay to hide the truth from yourself... it made me sad and angry for herRead MoreEssay about The Screwtape Letters - Types of Love1321 Words   |  6 Pagesone of the most influential Christian writers of the 20th century. One of the better known books from C.S. Lewis is The Screwtape Letters. The Screwtape Letters is a fiction book comprised of thirty-one letters from Screwtape, a senior tempter and head in a department in Hell, to his nephew who is a novice tempter Wormwood. These letters are detailed instructions on how to cause Wormwood’s patient to fall from the Christian life. Screwtape, in all his devilish wisdom, pin points certain tribulationsRead MoreEssay about Summary of Flight from the Conversation1032 Words   |  5 Pagesbecause of the Internet; we make friends with people thousands miles away through social networks; and we can have artificial intelligence or applications like SimSimi to accompany us when we are lonely. With time, these connections can start to replace real face-to-face conversation. In comparing the two different kinds of communications --conversation and mere connection-- in her writing â€Å"Flight from Conversation,† the M.I.T psychologist and profess or, Sherry Turkle reveals the trends of a plugged-inRead More The Importance of Friendship Essay1582 Words   |  7 PagesThe Importance of Friendship Although relationships with parents determine in large measure our longer-term preferences, attitudes and values, during adolescence it is often relationships with friends that cause most concern and which pre-occupy the thoughts of young people as they grow up. Friendships are based on a completely different set of structural relationships to those with parents. They are more symmetrical and involve sharing and exchange. Friendships are important to young childrenRead More Adopted Children Should Know T Essay562 Words   |  3 Pages â€Å"Giving birth is like pulling your lower lip over your head† -Carol Lucawikz When a mother gives birth to her child it is the ultimate bonding experience. And when a mother gives her child up for adoption, it is a selfless act for the child’s best interests, but not a painless one. Every parent that is involved in an adoption arrangement will wonder and worry about their child for many days of many years. Curiosity is powerful, and it is not uncommon to long to be reunited with one’s own fleshRead MoreEntering The Real World And Becoming A Teenager Essay1340 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Entering The Real World and Becoming A Teenager† I wanted to grow up and become a teenager so bad, and now I wish I can go back in time and start everything all over again. As a teenager I made so many decisions and mistakes, that I would have never thought I had to make. I had so many problems that occurred in my life that I wasn t quite ready for and really didn t expect it. If only I could have waited a couple of more years. I should have let my child hood last as long as it could have,Read MoreWhile Ishiguro’S Seminal Novel Never Let Me Go Explores1723 Words   |  7 PagesWhile Ishiguro’s seminal novel Never Let Me Go explores relationships, notably friendships and romance, Duffy’s collection of poetry in The World’s Wife contains multiple perspectives, voices and views of love, friendship, revenge and sex. In terms of relationships between the sexes, the presentation of women as objects or stereotypes is one that Duffy challenges in her poetry. Both interestingly are written from the female†™s perspective allowing the reader to experience a deep insight into theRead MoreHarry Potter And The Sorcerer s Stone1655 Words   |  7 Pagesthe 3 headed dog and games like quidditch that resemble modern games like football and soccer. One theme from this book is friendship. Making friends is arguably one of the best things about going to Hogwarts. Without friends, life can be pretty sad for Harry. Yet for Harry Potter and some of the other characters who ve been set apart by their magical abilities, making real friends is only possible at wizarding school. Wizard friends are lifesavers, literally: who else can you collaborate with to

Learn About the Central Asian Country of Afghanistan

Afghanistan, officially called the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a large, landlocked country located in Central Asia. About two-thirds of its land is rugged and mountainous, and much of the country is sparsely populated. Afghanistans people are very poor and the country has recently been working to achieve political and economic stability despite the reemergence of the Taliban, following its fall in 2001. Fast Facts: Afghanistan Official Name: Islamic Republic of AfghanistanCapital: KabulPopulation: 34,940,837 (2018)Official Languages: Afghan Persian or Dari, PashtoCurrency: Afghani (AFA)Form of Government: Presidential Islamic republic  Climate: Arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers  Ã‚  Total Area: 251,827 square miles (652,230 square kilometers)Highest Point: Noshak at 2.839 feet (7,492 meters)Lowest Point: Amu Darya at 846 feet (258 meters) Afghanistans History Afghanistan was once a part of the ancient Persian Empire but was conquered by Alexander the Great in 328 BCE. In the 7th century, Islam arrived in Afghanistan after Arab peoples invaded the area. Several different groups then tried to run Afghanistans lands until the 13th century, when Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire invaded the area. The Mongols controlled the area until 1747, when Ahmad Shah Durrani founded what is present-day Afghanistan. By the 19th century, Europeans began entering Afghanistan when the British Empire expanded into the Asian subcontinent and in 1839 and 1878, there were two Anglo-Afghan wars. At the end of the second war, Amir Abdur Rahman took control of Afghanistan but the British still played a role in foreign affairs. In 1919, Abdur Rahmans grandson Amanullah took control of Afghanistan and began a third Anglo-Afghan war after invading India. Shortly after the war began, however, the British and Afghans signed the Treaty of Rawalpindi on August 19, 1919, and Afghanistan officially became independent. Following its independence, Amanullah attempted to modernize and incorporate Afghanistan into world affairs. Beginning in 1953, Afghanistan again closely aligned itself with the former Soviet Union. In 1979, though, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and installed a communist group in the country and occupied the area with its military until 1989. In 1992, Afghanistan was able to overthrow Soviet rule with its mujahideen guerrilla fighters and established an Islamic Jihad Council that same year to take over Kabul. Shortly thereafter, the mujahideen began having ethnic conflicts. In 1996, the Taliban then began rising in power in an attempt to bring stability to Afghanistan. However, the Taliban imposed strict Islamic rule on the country, which lasted until 2001. During its growth in Afghanistan, the Taliban took many rights from its people and caused tensions throughout the world after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 because it allowed Osama bin Laden and other Al-Qaida members to remain in the country. In November 2001, after the United States military occupation of Afghanistan, the Taliban fell and its official control of Afghanistan ended. In 2004, Afghanistan had its first democratic elections and Hamid Karzai became Afghanistans first president. Government of Afghanistan Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic that is divided into 34 provinces. It has executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. Afghanistans executive branch consists of a head of government and chief of state, while its legislative branch is a bicameral National Assembly made up of the House of Elders and the House of People. The judicial branch is comprised of a nine-member Supreme Court and High Courts and Appeals Courts. Afghanistans most recent Constitution was ratified on January 26, 2004. Economics and Land Use in Afghanistan Afghanistans economy is currently recovering from years of instability but it is considered one of the poorest nations in the world. Most of the economy is based on agriculture and industry. Afghanistans top agricultural products are opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, and lambskins; its industrial products include textiles, fertilizer, natural gas, coal, and copper. Geography and Climate of Afghanistan Two-thirds of Afghanistans terrain consists of rugged mountains. It also has plains and valleys in the northern and southwestern regions. The valleys of Afghanistan are its most populated areas and much of the countrys agriculture takes place either here or on the high plains. Afghanistans climate is arid to semiarid and has very hot summers and very cold winters. More Facts About Afghanistan †¢ Afghanistans official languages are Dari and Pashto.†¢ Life expectancy in Afghanistan is 42.9 years.†¢ Only 10% of Afghanistan is below 2,000 feet (600 m).†¢ Afghanistans literacy rate is 36%. References Central Intelligence Agency. CIA - the World Factbook - Afghanistan.Geographica World Atlas Encyclopedia. 1999. Random House Australia: Milsons Point NSW Australia.Infoplease. Afghanistan: History, Geography, Government, Culture -Infoplease.com.United States Department of State. Afghanistan.

Modern Media vs Literature - 1684 Words

Modern Media and Literature: Iago vs. Ingrid Robert South, an English poet once said All deception in the course of life is indeed nothing else but a lie reduced to practice, and falsehood passing from words into things.(1) The art of being skilled in rhetoric can either be a positive or negative gift. However, when jealousy and vengeance intermix with the skill, its effects can become detrimental. The effects will begin to take a psychological and emotional toll on a person, as it advances. Manipulation and deception can branch from this skill, and potentially lead a person to their greatest downfall. In the movie White Oleander, Ingrid, who is played by Michelle Pfeiffer, exhibits constant manipulation and deception in Astrids†¦show more content†¦In the end, Othello stabs Iago about three times but does not kill him, and Iago is sentenced to execution as his punishment. Likewise, in the movie White Oleander, Michelle Pfeiffer, plays the role of Ingrid, Astrids incarcerated mother who is charged for first degree murder, also showcases her qualities of manipulation as well as deception in her daughters life. Ingrid has a bit of an intimidating look to her in conjunction with her long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Her motto of Astrid thinking for herself is constantly being drilled into Astrids mind. Ingrid forces Astrid to believe for a while that she is the only one who can keep her on the right track. Ingrid does not will Astrids happiness, every time Astrid visits the prison and talks about her new foster parents she always has something derogatory to say. When she learns about Star, who is played by Robin Wright Penn, introducing Astrid to Christianity that becomes a big problem for her, and she tells Astrid that Star is Ortiz 4 brainwashing her with mislead beliefs. On Astrids way out of the prison she removes the cross that Star gave her. Ingrids manipulation is fueled by her ongoing jealousy of the new people Astrid encounters in her life. She gets angry at Astrid when she mentions a boy named Paul that she met at the McGinley Foster Hall. Ingrid is not amused by Pauls artwork and calls them mere cartoons. SheShow MoreRelatedFairy Tales And Folk Stories1668 Words   |  7 Pageswell-known examples of a fairy tale that has been influential in American culture is the classic tale of Cinderella. Though the details of the tale can vary with different authors and cultures, aspects of it have taken on a certain significance in modern American culture in multiple ways and the story keeps changing as society progresses. Cinderella now serves as a reference point in American culture that contains societal messages about gender roles, beauty, and femininity that people have incorporatedRead MoreHow Social Media Has Impacted Politics Essay1738 Words   |  7 Pages1. Introduction and Background Social media has become a major part of communication today. It has changed the way people find each other, share interest and ideas, not to mention how it has changed how companies advertise and communicate with their customers. Based on this year alone, social media has impacted politics in a major way. The goal was to reach the young generation by engaging in social media platforms by simply posting, commenting and video sharing [10]. Social networking sites hasRead MoreMarketing Apple Fanatics : Self Identity1307 Words   |  6 Pagespublicity, but they maintain the same level of devotion. Many people exclusively wear Nike or Jordan. Some may make a cup of Starbucks coffee a part of their morning routine. Over the years, brand wars have gained media attention and marked generations: Ford vs. Chevrolet, Microsoft vs. Apple, Coke vs. Pepsi, the list goes on. The bottom line is that major brands often create an obsession among their consumers that can be compared to religious worsh ip, which in turn negatively affects cultural identity.Read MoreThe widespread image of American culture is seen to hold a strong base for globalisation. The1000 Words   |  4 PagesThe widespread image of American culture is seen to hold a strong base for globalisation. The extensive connectivity of the modern world, confirms Marshal McLuhans prediction of the global village. Globalisation is commonly seen as western culture imputing international cultures. Internet and television have also created transnational media whereas globalisation is commonly seen as a flow of information impending of western culture. Whereas, how will the younger generation will not be able to enjoyRead MoreGreek Mythology Throughout The Ages916 Words   |  4 Pagesand the nature of the world. They also reveal much about their religious beliefs and practices during Ancient Greece. Today modern scholars study these myths in an attempt to better understand the religious and political practices of Ancien t Greece and its civilization of way back when. Greek mythology can be seen in multiple forms such as spoken narratives, in literature and in various art forms (statues, vases and paintings). The known Greek myths attempt to explain the origins of human beingsRead MoreGenetics And The Unknown Cross1190 Words   |  5 PagesDrosophila Genetics and the Unknown Cross Abstract Introduction Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk, known today as the father of modern genetics. Through his experiments in his monastery’s garden, Mendel essentially discovered the basic laws that govern how traits are transferred from parent to offspring using pea plants (Levina 83). Pea plants have seven distinct traits and offspring is quickly and easily produced. Mendel cross-pollinated pea plants that had evidently opposite characteristicsRead MoreInternet Vs Knowledge1441 Words   |  6 Pages Internet Knowledge vs Mind Knowledge Over the last two decades’ technology has had an important role in the world. We are living in the time of new technology, smart phones, iPads, and laptops are used as providers of digital information. The Internet has become a main part of the advances around the world, connecting networks the information is transferred in seconds to any digital device. Internet is the modern way to develop learning in different matters suchRead MoreConflicting Paradigms On Gender And Sexuality1453 Words   |  6 Pagesof health issues. They have researched the actual content in lyrics in relation to gender and sex. This paper compares literature in relation to gender and sexuality involved with rap music from many different perspectives, a huge base is the feminism theory, along with culture studies and relations. This review shows that conflicting paradigms, come together in this literature and that very few studies are both strong and rich, these paradigms including misogyny or sexual agency . Research in theRead MoreReview Ofshow And Tell By Scott Mccloud1285 Words   |  6 Pagesread stories? There is a better method to read a story, and that method is through comics. In McCloud s graphic essay Show and Tell, McCloud proves that through the use of both writing and illustrations in comics, comics are the best form of literature to convey a story. By proving this, McCloud demonstrates how visual representation is very important while conveying a message, as it provides a bigger range of emotion and expression. As humans, we like creativity and emotions and thus, visualRead MorePhilosophy of Education Essays1644 Words   |  7 Pageswhat leads us to the successes and failures all people meet; education is the foundation of life. Personally, I believe in the value of a high school English and literature class. Education is to be seen as a lifelong pursuit, rather than a stopping point, or a stepping stone. Knowledge gives us the power we need to survive in a modern-day society. Without education, we would lack the development and ability necessary to thrive in today’s world. Schools give us the training that is required to survive

Comparison Between Egypt and Mesopotamia free essay sample

Comparison Essay Leith Kusmider Before the modern civilizations we all live in came to be as they are today, countless others have risen and fallen before our time. No two civilizations are exactly the same, but they all do what is necessary to survive and thrive. Many find survival through military power while others find it through trade or an agriculturally based economy. It has been like this since the birth of civilization. Two of the civilizations that marked the birth of all others that rose after them, were Mesopotamia and Egypt. Although they are similar in their geographic stand points and their agriculturally based economy, they have distinct differences in their government structures and their social stratification. The placement of a civilization on a globe often defines how that civilization survives; Mesopotamia and Egypt are no exception. Each civilization was heavily affected by their geographic standing, Egypt was found in a desert that would be nearly uninhabitable if not for the large river that the Egyptian civilization was able to build its massive empire surrounding, the Nile river. The Nile is the reason Egypt was able to thrive in such a harsh climate. With no other constant source of water found for hundreds of miles, Egypt learned to use their only source of water efficiently. They were dependent upon the Nile for food, water, transportation, irrigation and to use as a natural barrier from possible enemies. The ancient Egyptian civilization was dependent upon the Nile while Mesopotamia was dependent upon the Fertile Crescent; the obviously fertile land was between the Euphrates and Tigris River. Similar to the Egyptians, Mesopotamia was dependent upon the rivers surrounding them to survive. They used these rivers as Egypt used the Nile, it provided fertile land for growing crops, water, irrigation and it provided a faster source of transportation. But in many ways the Fertile Crescent lead to the fall Mesopotamia, it is placed in such a spot that it was often visited by invaders. Many different civilizations, such as the Hittites, Assyrians and Babylonians; visited this land, conquered this land and fell in this land. These two lands were similar in uses, although the Nile differed from the Fertile Crescent in many ways. One difference was the predictability of the Niles flooding. This flooding carried silt from the river onto the land making it easy to grow the crops necessary to survive, it provided excellent irrigation and ancient Egypt used it for multiple religious rituals. The Tigris and Euphrates River lacked this predictability in flooding which lead to droughts and bad harvests. Egypt and Mesopotamia were not the practical scientist we are today, rather than having a scientifically explanation for most things such as we do now, they explained much of the unexplained through mythology and religion. Religion gives purpose to the lives of many, it gives explanation to the mysterious of the universe. The largest difference between the majority of modern day religions and many ancient religions is the fact that most regions in this era were polytheistic. Both Mesopotamia and Egypt shared this religious quality. Although neither civilization worshiped the same god they did have many of the same basic principles in their religions. For example both civilizations believed in the principle of an afterlife, this is one of the reasons for building the massive pyramids in Egypt, they believed it aided pharaohs in the afterlife. They placed gold weapons, coins, and statues in the tombs of the dead and even mummified their dead with the belief that it would aid them in the afterlife. The religious complexes both Egypt and Mesopotamia built were similar, Mesopotamia built large complexes called Ziggurats. They were thick pyramids with multiple terraces and stories, they were constantly used by priest for religious ceremonies. Lastly on religion, both Mesopotamia and Egypt placed their priest extremely high in the social classes, the only person above them being the ruler of either civilization. This shows how important religion was to each ancient civilization Mesopotamia may have similar geographic stand points and similar religious beliefs, but they also have the distinct difference in their government structure. Egypt is known for their great monuments and tombs to their rulers, of which are called pharaohs. Egypt believes these Pharaohs are gods on earth, only here to maintain the ma’at, meaning peace, order and balance. Whether or not these pharaohs are successful in maintaining this order, all of Egypt is still required to obey their every whim. This title of Pharaoh is passed down through blood and usually to the oldest male. Every so often, the oldest male is not present or is not eligible due to age, in such a case the wife of the pharaoh would become ruler. Similar to Egypt, Mesopotamia does have an absolute Monarchy, but such a ruler would never be women in Mesopotamian culture and the people of Mesopotamia do not believe this ruler is a god. Usually the ruler of a city state or empire is a wealthy aristocrat whom rises to power through military force. Despite the differences in rulers, the other major difference between the two government structures is the unification of Egypt and the lack of from Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia is made up of cities that often have their own government, farms, markets etc. These massive cities are called city-states. The city-states of ancient Mesopotamia often go to war with their neighboring city-states. whether it’s over water, land or food, these city-states are fighting constantly. Every so often these city-states are conquered and united by outside invaders such as the Sumerians, who unified Mesopotamia under the rule of king Sargon. But early Mesopotamia was simply a group of fighting city-states, each having their own smaller differences in their government. Egypt was not unified until 3150 BCE, the upper and lower half of the Nile were brought together under one government by King Menes, although there is debate that king Narmer unified the civilizations, historians usually recognize Menes for conquering the north and unifying Egypt. This unification made transportation and trade along the Nile much more effective and the taxing of the 42 Egyptian nomes (districts) helped strengthen the central government and build the massive monuments we all know today. Taxing in Egypt was split up between 42 nomes, 22 in Upper Egypt and 20 in Lower Egypt. These taxes were paid for by Egyptian currency and labor. This taxation labor lead to the making of the massive monuments in Egypt such as the great Sphinx of Giza and the ancient pyramids. Both ancient civilizations had their own distinct differences in social structure as well. Much of what we know about the social structure of Mesopotamia was due to the code of laws in the time, The Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi was the ruler who came up with this 270+ list of strict laws. One thing we learned from this list is the behavior towards women and slaves in this era were horrible. Women could not testify, own property and they were constantly bounded by rules and judgments such as not being able to divorce, borrow money or sign contracts. Slaves were not even so lucky, they were beat often with no punishment and crimes against them could be paid off with ease. In Egypt, women could own land, testify, borrow money and in some cases become pharaoh over the great civilization. Women were treated as equals to men. Egypt did have slaves and treated them like such. But slaves were allowed to marry, be freed or even win their freedom. The Egyptian social pyramid was similar to many other ancient civilizations, the ancient Egyptian social pyramid consisted of a pharaoh on top, followed by the pharaohs advisors, then priest and high noble men, after that came scribes and government officials, soon after that were craftsmen and merchants and lastly at the bottom were slaves, peasants and farmers. The Mesopotamian social structure consisted of the same order. One slight difference between the two ancient civilizations were their different styles of writing, Egypt used a system called hieroglyphics, a series of pictograms. each symbol was an idea or concept, similar to Mesopotamia, although they used a system called cuneiform. Since the beginning of civilizations, no two have had the same culture, beliefs and values. Each does what they can to survive and thrive, as you can see ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia are no exception. They have their similarities in their geographic stand points, which helped form the culture and society they abided by, and they have key similarities in religion. But they also have key differences in their government structure and social stratification, each civilization developed differently and did what they had to do to survive and thrive. No two civilizations are exactly the same, but as you can see ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia shared many similarities and had many differences