Does Crime Pay A Criminal Pursuit of the American Dream

Does Crime Pay: A Criminal Pursuit of the American Dream American society places value on individual success. While becoming rich is revered and seen as a sign of prestige, the method in attaining wealth is not closely scrutinized. Many people are content playing the game safely, working long and hard aspiring to attain wealth through their own work. Whatever they cannot attain in their lifetime they leave to their children to aspire to. They are content moving up this game of life one step at a time to a safe victory. Others are not as patient. While some people may become professional athletes or innovators to jump ahead in the game, others would rather break the rules and work outside the law in pursuit of wealth. â€Å"Once theyve made it and bought the big house in the right neighborhood and sent their kids to the right schools, it doesnt matter how they got there. And it didnt take two generations of plodding, dull work or long hours in the classroom. They took a shortcut†(Simon). The â€Å"American Dream†, a dream tha t anybody can become successful through hard work, is a catalyst for crimes-- promoting people who completely believe in the American Dream to break the law in hopes of economic success. The American Dream encourages an exaggerated emphasis on monetary achievements while devaluing alternative criterion of success-- promoting a preoccupation with the realization of goals while de-emphasizing the importance in the ways in which these goals are pursued(RobinsonShow MoreRelatedThe American Dream By John Winthrop1168 Words   |  5 Pages What is the â€Å"American Dream†? The American Dream has always been characterized by a thriving job market, opportunities for advancement, stability, etc. It is â€Å"the pursuit of individual achievement without consideration for moral or legal restrictions† (Angulski, 2013). This idea dates back as far as 1630 to the puritan colonists. It was first established within a sermon given by John Winthrop while sailing to Massachusetts. This sermon set into motion the ideals that we have adapted today envelopingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Jurgis Rudkus 1520 Words   |  7 Pagescorruption and oppression which exist within Packingtown but soon experiences it first hand as poverty, hunger and loss weigh heavily on his family. Following the death of his wife and son, Jurgis leaves his remaining family and becomes involved in crime and political scandal. Eventually, Jurgis reconnects with his family and discovers socialism, a political ideology which rekindles his hopes f or a future of equality and opportunity for all. Ona Lukoszaite is Jurgis s wife. She is a gentle and quietRead MoreImmigration Is A Major Controversial Issue1471 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States in search of better jobs and healthier lifestyles. They hope to live the â€Å"American Dream†. But that dream comes at a costly price. So many undocumented aliens creates an overwhelming security dilemma. â€Å"Even though they pose no direct security threat, the presence of millions of undocumented migrants distorts the law, distracts resources, and effectively creates a cover for terrorists and criminals† (Johnson and Kane). Unfortunately, efforts to decrease the influx of immigrants only encouragesRead MoreWhy A Person Would Commit Crimes1759 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout history people have tried to explain why a person would commit crimes. Some consider a life of crime better than a regular job—at least until they are caught. ( © Bettmann/Corbis) The mainstream of American society have always struggled to achieve the American Dream. The dream usually consists of graduating from college, earning a well-paid salary from a respected employer, a family, a nice car, and owning a home. We strive to have the perfect smile, the perfect body, the best clothesRead MoreThe Legal History Of Government Policies1604 Words   |  7 Pagesoverstepped their boundaries on many occasions for the benefit of their American citizens. Government policies were voted into law in pursuit of a better society for the U.S. citizens even if the laws infringe on their constitutional rights. Controversial subjects such as the constitution s second amendment, the right of the people to bear arms, is a prime example of the government involvement yielding uncertain social challenges. As Americans this is important when it comes to our future rights as citizensRead MoreDurkheim s Theory And Social Theory Essay1963 Words   |  8 Pagesthey are acts of devi ancy against the collective agreement and collective conscience, also known as crime. Durkheim strongly believes that the process of social solidarity through social integration and social regulation is essential to the building of a rational and rule-abiding citizen. Without the individual not engaging in society’s social solidarity, he or she will then retreat to course of crime and deviancy. In keeping his concepts in mind, there will be an assessment of Merton’s Anomie TheoryRead MoreCorruption Of The American Dream1516 Words   |  7 PagesCorruption of the American Dream The American Dream can be understood by many people to mean many different things. Even with various meanings, to the greater part of people, it is to be happy, wealthy and successful in life; however money does not always led to happiness. You can always buy things that satisfy your want, when you have large amount of money. This stuff will make you happy for a short amount of time, but after the consumer may become uninterested with having everything he/she couldRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2017 Words   |  9 PagesXingyao Chen Mr. Eaton Honors American Literature January 7, 2015 Written in 1925, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald follows Jay Gatsby in his quest to win back Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years earlier. Gatsby’s endeavor leads him from poverty to wealth, and eventually to death. The novel presents a clear picture of 1920’s culture in America, where people’s idea of the American Dream is simply riches and fame. The American Dream is the fundamental force which drives most charactersRead MoreEnduring Physical and Mental Abuse in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs1253 Words   |  6 Pagesinstitutions; even with the Fair Lending Act and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act there is still discrimination. As citizens of the United States we are protected under the Fair Lending Act, race does not take precedence over interest rates or the type of loan; fair means unbiased. Yet in 2012, Wells Fargo agreed to pay a settlement of $175 million; for racial discrimination against black and Hispanic borrow s. Although Wells Fargo stated they set credit guidelines for the mortgage brokers, nonethelessRead MoreConflict Theory And Merton s Anomie Theory2781 Words   |  12 Pages Prostitution and Commercialized Vice is a unique category of crime in that it is the only crime for which a greater number of women are arrested than men, and where the arrest rates for white offenders is greater than that of any other race combined (United States 2014). As used in this essay, prostitution is defined as the exchange of sexual acts and services for money (Walsh, Section XIII, p. 500). The key players in the crime of prostitution include those who exchange sexual acts and services

Essay on Comparison of Animal Rights Texts - 777 Words

Comparison of Animal Rights Texts I am going to compare two pieces of text called: Its a crying shame and Sorry, but I think dying people are more important than dumb animals, by an Animal Rights Group and Polly Toynbee respectively. The first article is intended to appeal to a younger audience who think that killing animals is wrong because they are cute etc. The second extract is aimed at adults who are interested in the welfare of human beings. The Animal Aid leaflet is persuasive as it is trying to pledge donations to stop animal experiments. The newspaper article is informative and persuasive by saying that killing an animal to save humans is good because would you rather die than an†¦show more content†¦I find this rather effective and it would catch my eye if I glanced at the article and draw my attention towards reading it. On the Animal Rights Leaflet there is a main image of a dog on the front, which I think appears to be crying. This looks the part and the dog really does look sad. This attracts attention as if the dog was crying for help. The use of colour is used well as the picture of the dog is a golden brown shade, which is very attractive I would say. People will instantly want to read this leaflet because of the expression on the dogs face. On the back of the leaflet there is picture of a mouse with some sort of growth coming off its side, I suspect that this is a tumour of some sorts. Personally I dont find this disturbing but a vast majority of the public will do and will never want that to happen again so they will want to pledge money to help stop animal experimentation. There is another picture of a monkey of some sorts and it appears to be very sad as if it has been tortured etc. I think the choice of pictures on this leaflet is rather good and will help put the point across to the re ader. The newspaper articles picture is very plain and boring. It is just aShow MoreRelatedA Comparison of Two Media Texts Essay886 Words   |  4 PagesA Comparison of Two Media Texts I am going to compare two articles about medical testing on animals. One is a newspaper article written by Polly Toynbee and is called ‘Sorry, but I think dying people are more important than dumb animals,’ this was published in the Guardian. The other is a leaflet with the title ‘It’s a crying shame’ which is design for animal aid. The Guardian news article is for medical testing on animals. The Animal Aid is against medical testing onRead MoreContemporary Civilizations : An Essential Part Of An Individual s Highest Level Of Achievement1461 Words   |  6 Pagestypes of communities different texts discuss, we have come across the conversation relating an individual’s inner nature and his (or her) external circumstances. Up to the point of Teresa de Cartagena’s texts, writers argue that an individual’s highest level of achievement is primarily influenced by their internal nature and only secondarily reinforced by external circumstances. Teresa’s argument contradicts this idea. Since the purpose of this course is to discuss texts reexamine the values on whichRead MoreOthello - shakespeare and saxs film adaptation923 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Texts reflect their contexts. Is this true of Shakespeare’s Othello and Sax’s film Othello? (700-800 words). Texts reflect their contexts and this is evident in both William Shakespeare’s Othello and Geoffrey Sax’s film Othello. This reflection is established through the two ideas of racism and the inequality between genders. The context of a text plays an essential role as it is the way in which the composers convey their message and this is done effectively as both composers are conveying anRead MorePower Struggle In The Handmaids Tale By Margaret Atwood1373 Words   |  6 Pagesstruggles and their correlation to gender through their respective texts. Shakespeare and Atwood use the genders of their central characters to focus on power in historical and dystopian settings. Both authors explore religious frameworks, the types of power in a patriarchal society, and the implications of gender on power through use of stylistic devices and literary techniques. Gender stereotypes play a major role in both texts, with the authors conforming to the stereotype that men are violentRead MoreThe Animal Symbols Of Animals920 Words   |  4 PagesAnimals are often used in literature to describe elements of one’s character or appearance. Different species of animals have various characteristics with which they are associated, which is a tool that authors use to illustrate characters in a more abstract way. Some animal descriptions also give key insight to the societal or cultural norms that are present within a particular text. The animal symbolism used in literature often represents elements of humanity and also highlights varying culturalRead MoreHistory Of Natural History By Pliny1374 Words   |  6 Pagessections Pliny talks about the womb, animals which have suet, the marrow, bones and the nerve. Furthermore, the paper will also include a short biographical section on who Pliny was, and an assessment of whether or not he is advancing f urther knowledge on the subject or merely repeating what he has heard. Summary The 11th book, volume 2 of the naturalis historia begins with an elaborate description of the womb. According to Pliny, every woman and some animals share the same organs. The one thatRead MoreAdvertising Is An Art Form1234 Words   |  5 Pages focuses on conservation of nature and animals. This ad instead acts as a public service announcement, looking to raise awareness for its cause and raise funds. It brings attention to the plight of the Bluefin Tuna, which has been overfished to the brink of extinction. Smartly, this ad is crafted to appeal to all demographics. I think it would be particularly influential to younger adults. Those who are young enough to fondly remember learning about animals in school, and nostalgic about field tripsRead More`` The Moral Instinct By Paul Bloom911 Words   |  4 Pagesthat this sense comes after experiences. In the text, â€Å"’The Moral Instinct’ (2008)† Steve Pinker argues that, moral sense has been a science that every individual create in their own in order to focus on ethics, separately of what society has established as the rights and wrongs. Giving numerous experiments that support his claim, Pinker creates a strong essay e that explains morality. Nevertheless, Pinker’s claim can be compared to other ideas. The text â€Å"The moral life of babies (2010)† by Paul BloomRead MoreControversy Within Racism And Religion1738 Words   |  7 Pagesstill? I would like to think that racism should not even matter base d off what is now happening today. Within the essay I will discuss to the reader about three stories that to me had many similarities in comparisons; with controversy, racial segregation and biblical context. I will explain how the text related subject of racial profiling which showed a symbolic idol of (God) in the form of faith during these early times. I will then speak on the controversy that the narrator tried to convey the audienceRead MoreThe Poaching Of Animals And The Subsequent Trading Of Illegal Animals1621 Words   |  7 PagesThe poaching of animals and the subsequent trading of illegal animal products are issues that have been prevalent in the media and environmental groups for quite some time. Although one may assume that poaching has declined in recent years due to an increase in overall global awareness, it nevertheless continues to be a pressing concern. A study performed by the Minister of Environmental Affairs for South Africa found that 2015 was the deadliest y ear for rhinos in decades, with 1,305 killed (Minister

The Swimmer Free Essays

The Swimmer Not everyone enjoys being afraid, but there are a lot of us who really enjoy the experience. Fear is an emotional response, which triggers a change in the brain and organ function, as well as in behavior. Fear may occur when facing danger such as a threat or a confrontation. We will write a custom essay sample on The Swimmer or any similar topic only for you Order Now Fear can lead us to flee, hide, or fight. Nevertheless, sometimes fear can also be what drives us to cross our own boundary and do what we long to do. The short story â€Å"The Swimmer† by S. Butler deals with a woman whose fear for being watched by others, keeps her from doing what she really wants. Her sudden desire for fear draws her closer and ends up making her do something even more fearsome, which luckily turns out to help her being set free. The story has an all-knowing third person narrative technique with focus on the protagonist and the setting around her. The short Story Starts by using the first five sentences to present the weather. â€Å"Three weeks of windless sun†. This establishes the overall setting for the reader. The setting is basically described as being a hot summer day, which has lasted for three weeks, with no cooling wind, and the suns heat burning on the ground. The cooling and moving water is in contrast to the clouds and the wind. â€Å"Nothing moves except the water†. There is a longer introduction to the water but it continuous from a different perspective. This leads to an introduction of both the water but also the main character. â€Å"She sits at her desk in the back room gazing out at the river. Where it rounds the first bend there’s an eddy as the current twists out into the middle†¦ . J. S Butler is using sentences like the one above to set focus on the importance of the protagonist and the setting and thereby indirectly ailing the reader that the woman and the lake are of significance to the story. The main character is a woman who is sitting at a desk with her window open, which gives her a view to a lake nearby. Throughout the story, her job seems to b e of less and less importance to her; meanwhile her interest in the lake grows. This comes to show in some of her thoughts while working: â€Å"No one has passed for at least three hours†. Unlike her work, the woman feels some kind of fascination towards the lake while working. Whether or not she is ratiocinating from her work by using the summer heat, as an excuse to take a swim in the lake is unclear at this point, but she – despite her fear of being watched while swimming -? makes the decision to go down to the lake. All ready before making this decision she had put her swimwear near her, which indicates that she had had the idea of taking a swim before, but had been reluctant about actually going. However, taking the initiative to go doesn’t mean she overcame her fear. Due to the fact that it’s a hot summer day, she defies her fear and goes into the lake. Out on the river path she takes long fast steps†. In addition, she is very aware Of the fact that if she hesitates, she might turn around and go back to her desk. In the water, she finds a swan. Its beauty amazes her and while knowing that it can be a very dangerous animal, she feels drawn by the fear. While trying to get closer to the swan, she spends a lot of time in the lake, which gradually helps her overcome her fear. The fact that she slowly overcomes her fear the first time and her new interest for the swan, she found the courage to go into the lake once more, and once more, and once more, each time getting closer to the swan and later on close enough to touch it. The woman’s observations made from a distance indicate that the swan is dead, but also alive. â€Å"It doesn’t hiss, nor arch its wings†. This brings a somewhat mysterious element to the story. The swan of course is a symbol, and the lag of movement and the fact that the swan doesn’t really notice the woman, could suggest that it is dead already. However, warm blood blends into the water, which indicates that the swan is alive. She thinks -? and the orator describes it as if – the swan where caught up in some of the fishermen’s net, as it flew down onto the water. The swan has probably been caught up in the net for some time and has been suffering a lot. Like the woman, the swan, was probably fascinated by the waters beauty and decided to fly onto the Water. The Woman and the swan have both been drawn towards the water, because of the heat, but the swan is more relatable to the women then one might think. The woman can relate to the feeling of being held back. Of course, there is a entrant between being held back physically and held back by fear. Meanwhile the swan is trapped, the woman began to spend more and more time observing the swan, and be more and more attached to it. â€Å"She cannot stop thinking about the swan†. The fear she felt disappeared, as if it was a decreasing exponential equation to the time she spends in the lake. As a product of this decreasing fear, the woman began to untie herself from the reluctant and fear controlled life she had had. â€Å"Untwisting the line where the bird bound itself in its struggle†. There are many similarities between the caught up swan and the â€Å"caught up† woman. They are both struggling to get free and their endings have somewhat similar traits. Without the help of the woman, the swan could not get free. And without the â€Å"help† of the swan, the woman probably wouldn’t have been freed from her fear of swimming in the lake. The theme of fear in the story is expressed by the main character s development. Other subsystems such as person development, mental freedom, helping others and the beauty of nature, are all shown in the legislation the woman establishes with the swan. Of course, the overall themes are fear and overcoming fear, but also themes such as unhappiness and maybe even the female role as the weak gender comes to show as possible themes, however these are somewhat out of focus and thereby not central themes. The similarities between the woman and the swan suggest that the narrator is describing the same situation twice but from the different perspectives. How to cite The Swimmer, Papers The Swimmer Free Essays The Swimmer â€Å"The Swimmer† is an allegorical story of Neddy Merrill, the protagonist, and his journey home from the cocktail party that was eight miles away from his home through private and public swimming pools on Sunday afternoon that depicts his journey through life. The author presents the protagonist both directly and indirectly and tells the story in third person point of view that leads him to reveals the protagonist’s thoughts. â€Å"Neddy names his journey Lucinda River after his wife to invoke the security and longevity of his marriage and family, but his choice of names becomes ironic after the denouement†(Nydam). We will write a custom essay sample on The Swimmer or any similar topic only for you Order Now Neddy’s desire to drink and the loss of memory are his internal conflicts. Despite a terrible hangover from the cocktail party that everyone there was talking about, on his journey home Neddy is still asking for a drink at every pool that he stops by even when they treat him with hostility. The more he wishes something he used to get easily, the more he is turned down. Neddy is humiliated at the Biswangers’ party where Grace calls him a gate crasher and the bartender serves him a drink rudely. â€Å"At the Sachs, he cannot recall that they do not keep drinks at their house since Eric’s operation. This loss of memory of his also appears when Mrs. Halloran, Helen Sachs’s mother, is telling him that they have been terribly sorry for their misfortunes and he does not recall that his house is sold either†(Cheever 520). Neddy has external conflicts that are alcoholism, the affair with Shirley Adams, his old mistress, his social standing, and his wife and daughters for they left him. His social standing develops in him the art of denial of invitations from the people that he considers below him, the Biswangers for instance. According to Cummings, the climax occurs when Neddy finds himself standing on the shoulder of Route 424 amid litter while passersby ridicule him and one throws a beer can at him. †¦ â€Å"He had no dignity or humor to bring to the situation,† the narrator says. †¦Neddy could have gone back, but he didn’t (Cheever 518). The dilemma was to go back or to continue his route of adventure. He decides to continue his route that leads him to his downfall even if he is not evil. The author goes into his mind sometimes in order to make his feelings available to the readers, â€Å"making his way home by uncommon route gave him feeling that he was a pilgrim, an explorer, a man with destiny, and he knew that he would find friends all along the way† (Cheever 515). The author also presents the protagonist directly â€Å"At the beginning of the story, the narrator tells us that Neddy is no longer young, but he does his best to act young by sliding down a banister and diving headlong into a pool† (sparksNotes). Neddy’s social standing is one of his antagonists, his own house is in a good neighborhood, the Bullet Park. The Biswangers and some other few neighbors do not belong to Neddy’s set, and they are not even on Lucinda’s Christmas Card list†(Cheever 521). Considering their social standing, the Merrills have developed the art of denial of the invitations from the neighbors whom they regard as socially inferior, for example , â€Å"where Grace Biswanger tells Neddy â€Å"you don’t seem to pay much attention to invitations† ( Cheever 522). As an allegorical story, â€Å"The Swimmer† has many symbols, and the story itself symbolizes Neddy’s journey through many years of his life. The change in weather is symbolic. â€Å"At the beginning of the story, Neddy is warm in the sunshine, conscious of nothing but his own happiness and the pleasures of the day. †¦ Shortly into his journey, a storm passes, marking a turning point in Neddy’s plans† (SparksNotes). The scattering of leaves depicts fall and his final swimming is in freezing-cold water. Along his journey as the moment is going on he gets colder and weaker, finally ends in winter, and his happy life is complete. Briefly, in this story â€Å"The Swimmer† the protagonist’s journey represents more than meets the eye. It represents life problems and struggles that make him weaker and tired as life goes on where people he once rejected are now rejecting him. A climatic moment happens when he returns home he is terribly humiliated, people in the roads are throwing cans at him, and his former mistress refuses to welcome him and even to get him a drink. Heading â€Å"to the Biswangers he thinks that they would be honored to give him a drink† (Cheever 521) instead they treat him with hostility. The denouement is Neddy’s downfall where after seeing fall, autumn, and winter symbols he is alone facing the empty house that is locked. His daughters, his wife after whom he names his journey, alcohol, social standing, and everything he considers happiness or pleasure are all gone. Works Cited Cheever, John. â€Å"The Swimmer. † Perrine’s Literature Structure, Sound and Sense. 10 Ed. Helen Triller and Cheryl Forman. Wadsworth. Lyn uhl. 2006-327. Print. Cummings, Michael. â€Å"The Swimmer Study Guide. † Cummingsstudyguides. 2011. Web. 31 jan. 2013 Nydam, Rebekah. â€Å"Drowing in the Suburbs. † hubpages. n. d. Web. 30 jan. 2013 SparkNotes Editors. â€Å"SparkNote on The Swimmer. † SparkNotes. com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 27 Jan. 2013. How to cite The Swimmer, Papers