Of Mice and Men Character Analysis Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men Character Analysis Essay Write a study of the character of Crooks, showing how Steinbeck uses him to tell us more about the other characters, and about the social and economical context of the book? This novel takes place in the 1930s, it was a time of great depression, there was racial prejudice towards coloured people and there were very few job opportunities making it hard for people to have a good standard of living. Steinbeck wrote this novel to show us the daunting and alarming conditions for workers at this time; he chose each character to represent a different type of person. For example, one of the characters Crooks represents coloured people. When reading the story of mice and man we learn that Crooks is a kind and considerate man You told me to warm up tar for the mules foot. I got it warm this tells us that Crooks is generous man and is always willing to help. I can do it if you want Mr Slim when Crooks is speaking to Slim, he is deferential towards Slim and treats him like a superior by calling him Mr Slim. Although Crooks is a kind man he is not treated fairly and adequate all due racial prejudice they let the nigger come in that night first of all he is not even called by his proper name instead they use racial discrimination to point him out as he is called intimidating and awful words such as nigger and stable buck. He does not bunk with the others workers because the other workers are racist towards him and all due to his colour Crooks has to live in a stable buck where all the other animals live as he is not treated as an equal, had his bunk in the harness-room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn this tells us that Crooks is treated inappropriately as he has to live in appalling conditions. We also get the impression that Crooks is isolated from the other workers making him feel lonely and deserted Crooks said darkly: guys dont come into a coloured mans room very much this tells us that Crooks has no true friends, this is not because he is a atrocious man, it is because of racial prejudice. Another reason why Crooks is lonely is that he segregates himself from the white workers as hes the only black worker on the ranch. We learn that Crooks is well educated as he has books in his room And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a maules copy of the California civil code for 1905. This also tells us that although there is racial prejudice, Crooks knows his rights. We get the impression that Crooks is realistic and scornful and once dreams of owning his own farm Youre nuts. Crooks was scornful. I see hundreds of men come by on the roads an on the ranches with their bindles on their back an that same damn thing on their heads. This tells us that Crooks is like any ordinary man, he also has dreams to own a farm one day. If youguys would want a hand to work for nothing just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. This suggests that Crooks is desperate to get out of this ranch and he is hoping he will one day own that farm. Well, jus forget it, said Crooks. I didnt mean it. Jus foolin. I wouldnt want to go no place like that Crooks now realises there is no way he will ever get out of the ranch and own a farm so he tries to convince himself he never wanted a farm in the first place. The door opened quietly and the stable buck put in his head; a lean negro head, lined with pain, the eye patient. This tells us that Crooks has to be patient when living with the workers as he knows he is below the other workers because he is a coloured man and if Crooks was to make a slight move out of line there will be problems and fights will break out. When Crooks is talking to Candy, Crooks has to treat him well otherwise trouble will break out, you can come in if you want Although Crooks does not want Candy to come in he has to treat the other workers with respect Candy seemed embarrassed. I do know. Course, if ya want me to We get the impression that Candy feels embarrassed to go into a coloured mans room. I was born right here in California. My old man had a chicken ranch, bout ten acres. The white kids come to play at our place this tells us that in Crooks past life, there was nor always racial discrimination and he was once treated as an equal and as he got older there was more racial prejudice. Most of the other workers treat Crooks with no respect except for Slim who treats Crooks like an equal and in return Crooks treats him like a superior . Huh? Oh Hello Crooks. Whats a matter? First of all, this tells us that Slims treats Crooks with respect by calling him by his proper name, we also get the impression that Slims shows consideration to Crooks by asking him Whats a matter? Slim is the only worker that respects Crooks for who he actually is. Well, he aint doin no harm. I give him one of my pups. This shows that Slim is kind and friendly towards everyone and not just Crooks. The majority of the workers at the ranch treat Crooks will no respect and show no consideration where the hell is that God damn nigger? the first impression I get is that the workers do not treat Crooks reasonably, as they do not call him by his name, they call him racial words such as nigger and stable buck. When the workers get angry all anger is taken out on Crooks, this tells us that Crooks is not treated like a human being all due to racial prejudice. Cause Im black. They play cards in there, but I cant play because Im black. They say I stink. This shows us that not only a small amount of workers are racist towards Crooks, the majority of the workers are. Smitty says he woulda killed the nigger this tells us that the workers not only hate him but they want to kill him, this gives us the impression on the amount of racial discrimination. Even Curleys wife who is not a worker at the ranch is racist towards Crooks Listen, Nigger, she said. You no what I can do to you if you open your trap Crooks is treat badly by the majority of workers on the ranch due to racial discrimination Crooks has to treat them well Yes maam Although Crooks knows his rights, he has very few of them and he always has to show respect towards the other worker The other characters show no respect towards Crooks as they are racist, unfair and cruel towards him, the majority of the workers do not even call Crooks by his name and call him racial words such as nigger where the hell is that God damn nigger? The only character who shows any sign of respect towards Crooks is Slim, Slim treats him like an equal Hello Crooks. Whats a matter? Although in the time this novel was set there was racial discrimination Slim was not racist towards Crooks because he was a fair and respectable man. In return Crooks treats Slim like a superior I can do it if you want, Mr Slim We get the impression that Lennie does not even no who Crooks is as he has a very immature behaviour and a childish mind

THE EVOLUTION OF THE US WHEAT INDUSTRY :: essays research papers

The US wheat industry demonstrates how integration across the food chain can raise efficiency. At the beginning of the century, it was much like what India is today. It was fragmented, with a proliferation of small regional markets. There was no standard grading system; each state had its own informal grades. Farmers, although large, were exploited by traders, who often bought wheat at low prices by claiming that it was poor or that demand was weak. The storage, handling, and transport infrastructure was limited. The result was high intermediary margins, a dearth of accurate market signals to producers, waste, and low processing yields. Today, however, the US industry is the benchmark for efficiency in grain processing and procurement. Its farmers produce 36 bushels per acre, one of the highest yields in the world, and its millers achieve flour extraction levels of 75 percent. Its average waste level of 2 percent is the lowest in the world, and well ahead of the 8 to 11 percent in I ndia. Large, integrated grain processors such as Cargill and Archer Daniel Midland (ADM) played a central role in this transformation. They have influenced all parts of the chain – agricultural inputs, agricultural production, procurement, and processing – and in so doing have been able to build profitability in a low-margin business. Agricultural inputs - Cargill has developed high-yielding seed varieties that are resistant to disease and pests, raising productivity and reducing the need for agrochemicals. Agricultural production - Large, integrated processors have established joint ventures with farmers’ cooperatives and provided marketing support, access to credit, and extension services. ADM, for example, works with Growmark, a cooperative of 175,000 farmers, to encourage them to use better seed varieties and improve farming practices. Procurement - Integrated companies have invested in upstream infrastructure to streamline procurement. ADM owns almost 200 grain elevators in which grain is stored according to moisture content, grade, and dockage (impurities). The elevators allow incoming streams of wheat to be blended to achieve uniformity of grade and functional characteristics. ADM also owns almost 1,900 barges, 800 trucks, and 130,000 railcars for the rapid movement of grain. All loading and unloading is done using pneumatic blowers. Investment in infrastructure enables companies like ADM to achieve waste levels as low as 1 to 2 percent. Integrated companies have also influenced grain marketing. They played a key role in the development of grading systems and the standardization of grades in 1916.

Impact of nitrogen and phosphorous inputs on water quality Essay

Both Nitrogen and Phosphorous are necessary in agriculture for a farmer to achieve optimum yields in most crops, they have to use fertilizer which often contains either nitrogen or phosphorous. Despite their importance, these elements in excess can affect the environment adversely. Eutrophication is enhanced when nitrogen and phosphorous are in excess in surface waters and where nitrogen is in excess in ground water. (www. soil. ncsu. edu/) Nitrogen makes up about 78 percent of the gases in the atmosphere. A major constituent of proteins it is abundant in most living things. Nitrogen gas (N2), nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2) and ammonia NH3 are the common forms in which in organic nitrogen exists. Organic nitrogen exists in proteins. (http://kywater. org/). Compounds that contain nitrogen are found in water bodies such as reservoirs, streams and rivers. There are various routes by which nitrogen enters water bodies. These include wastewater (municipal and industrial), animal wastes such as bird wastes and wastes of fish, septic tanks and runoff from fields and lawns that have been fertilized. In certain parts of the United States, especially the northeast, some forms of nitrogen are deposited through acid rain (Baird, 1990). Nitrites are then converted to nitrates by bacteria, a process that uses up oxygen. (http://kywater. org). Surface and subsurface drainage are some of the ways through which nitrogen from fertilizers enter streams. When there is heavy rainfall following surface application of nitrogen fertilizers, most of the nitrogen is lost and even more is lost if the area is sloppy. When the fertilizer is mixed with soil the runoff is decreased. However, the loss of nitrogen becomes substantial when heavy rainfall causes soil erosion and movement of debris. The highly soluble nature of nitrogen makes it be absorbed easily into the soil when it rains heavily. Findings from research studies show that leaching does contribute to the presence of nitrates in groundwater. This however does not cause much contamination since the concentrations of nitrogen do not reach high enough levels. The crop uses up to 50 percent of the applied nitrogen leaving about 30 percent to 50 percent available for leaching. This, from a study done on North Carolina soils leads to leaching to a level of only two feet where there was 3 inches of percolated water (Baird, 1990). Eutrophication is a slow process whereby streams and lakes are enriched with natural nutrients. This process leads to the accelerated ‘aging’ of lakes and reservoirs. Eutrophication generally means excess growth of algae. The growth and decomposition of algae causes depletion of oxygen available in water. Nitrogen has a fertilizing effect in algae and other plankton which are food to other organisms in water such as fish and invertebrates. Overproduction and decomposition of these plankton uses up oxygen, meaning that other oxygen-dependent animals have inadequate oxygen which leads to their death. (http://kywater. org/). In addition to using up oxygen excessively, the overgrowth of algae and other plankton can lead to clogging up of water systems such that water flow is inhibited. This is especially common at points of water intakes. A lot of sea plants also block light from reaching the deeper waters (http://ga. water. usgs. gov/). This has the effect of compromising respiration for aquatic invertebrates and fish, making the death of animals and plant inevitable. High concentrations of nitrites produce a condition called brown blood disease which is fatal to fish. (http://kywater. org/). Eventually diversity of animal and plant life is lost. The death of fish results in offensive odours, and affects the water such that it cannot be used for recreative purposes like swimming, boating and fishing. Mueller and Helsel conducted a study of 12,000 ground water samples and approximately 22,000 samples of surface water at over 300 sites. The samples were collected within NAWQA study units. They report that the concentrations of nutrients in water have a close relationship to how land is used upstream or in the area that overlies a ground water aquifer. According to the analysis there were higher concentrations of nitrates in groundwater than surface water bodies. The regions with the highest concentration were the Northeast, the Great Plains and areas along the West Coast (Mueller and Helsel, 1996). Agricultural areas have a higher likelihood of having water with increased concentrations of nitrates. Research shows that public-supply wells and domestic supply wells outside areas where land is used for agriculture generally have lower concentrations of nitrates compared to wells in agricultural areas. On the other hand, urban areas have higher concentrations of Ammonia and phosphorous in surface water (Mueller and Helsel, 196). For water to be considered safe for domestic water supply, nitrates or nitrite level should be below 10mg/L. (United States Public Health Service). Nitrites undergo a direct reaction with haemoglobin in humans and warm-blooded animals leading to the formation of methemoglobin. This compound leads to decreased ability of red cells to transport oxygen. The most affected by this inability are infants less than three months because the babies develop methemoglobinaemia (blue baby disease. (http://kywater. org/ww/ramp/rmnox. htm). Due to this reason, when nitrates levels exceed 1. 0mg/L, the water should not be used to feed babies. In older people high nitrate levels cause disturbances in the digestion system. (http://kywater. org/). Phosphorous is a naturally occurring element that can be found in rocks and mineral deposits. Phosphate ions are soluble in water and are released when rock undergoes the weathering process. Phosphates have three forms of existence, metaphosphate, orthophosphate and organic phosphate. Orthophosphate is mainly produced by natural processed but there are man-made sources that produce orthophosphate. These include untreated sewage and partially treated sewage, use of certain fertilizers and runoff from sites where the main land use is agriculture. Metaphosphate or polyphosphate are used in treatment of detergents and boiler waters. When in water metaphosphate changes to orthophosphate and it can be used up by plants in this form. Organic phosphate occurs tied to organic material like plant tissue or waste solids. When decomposition occurs organic phosphate is converted to orthophosphate (www. water-research. net/phosphate. htm). Phosphorous is necessary for animal and plant growth and acts as a growth limiting nutrient in lake ecosystems. Well-oxygenated waters have low amounts of phosphates. Phosphate undergoes a complex process of uptake and mineralization to be retained in the soil, unlike the nitrogen cycle which is simpler. Soluble phosphate is incorporated by plants and animals in their biological systems to form compounds like ATP, DNA and RNA. ATP is necessary for energy production via the Kreb’s cycle while DNA and RNA have genetic importance. Phosphorous is therefore necessary for photosynthesis to occur (www. water-research. net/) Phosphates enhance growth of aquatic plants which are the food source for other organisms. Increased production of plankton result in an initial increase in population of fish and the entire biological system of the water body. This however has an adverse effect because as the phosphate levels build-up the process by which the water ecosystem is aging is speeded up leading to an imbalance of nutrients where production begins to exceed consumption. Phosphates like nitrates also cause eutrophication resulting in more plants than can be consumed by the system. The result is anoxic waters, presence of algal blooms that are toxic and a reduction in biodiversity as well as destruction of food supply and habitat. (www. water-research. net) Eutrophication is an issue that compromises water quality and has received much attention since 1980 when there was extensive occurrence of blue-green algae in fresh water systems. These blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) sometimes produce toxins that cause harm to human beings and farm animals. Poor conditions resulting from eutrophication have been noted in eastern North Carolina in the Chowan, Neuse and Pamlico River systems (Baird, 1990). Water that has very high levels of phosphates causes digestive problems to people. The negative effect of high levels of phosphate then is more indirect to humans but has a bigger impact because by altering the environment and destroying habitats the destruction caused is much harder to reverse. A compound like nitrates dissolves in water and moves in water in surface streams and ground water. Most forms of phosphorous, however, are transported together with soil that has undergone erosion especially when runoff is high flowing precipitation and irrigation. This is because instead of dissolving they attach themselves to soil particles. As such phosphorous is more likely to contaminate surface water rather than ground water (USGS, Circular1225, 2007). Findings from a USGS report indicate that phosphorous has a greater effect in causing eutrophication with 0.1mg/L of phosphorous being sufficient to cause excessive growth of aquatic plants (USGS, Circular 1225, 2007). In urban areas, the most significant point sources are urban streams which have discharged from wastewater treatment plants. A report of the US Geological service indicates that the streams in the semiarid western and south-western cities coupled with those in urban areas on the East had high levels of phosphorous (USGS, Circular1225). Recent research shows that phosphorous can travel with ground-water flows. The study was conducted in Cape Cod, Massachusetts where there has been contamination of the groundwater with phosphorous, an unlikely thing since most scientists generally believe that phosphorous is not transferable via groundwater (McCob et al, 2003; Stollenwerk, 1996). The main factors influencing vulnerability to contamination are the type of soils and slope of land. These two factors determine how fast and how much runoff there will be. Areas with steep slopes, poorly drained clay soils and little vegetation have higher likelihood of contamination of their surface waters. In urban centres, pavements and drains made of tile cause acceleration of flow of streams. Ground water on the other hand has a high chance of contamination if the soils drain well and the subsurface material is highly permeable. Some practices of crop-management designed to decrease sediment flow may increase infiltration leading to greater contamination of groundwater (USGS, Circular, 1225). To reduce the impact of phosphorous and nitrogen in water quality, strategies need to be employed that reduce the use of chemicals and alter transportation of the hydrologic system (USGS). In planning these strategies consideration of watersheds, patterns of land use and the differences in vulnerability to contamination in various areas should be foremost to ensure that whatever interventions are put in place are effective. References Baird J (1990) Nitrogen management and water quality retrieved from www. soil. ncsu. edu/publications/soilfacts/AG-439-02 Harvard, Olson and Cooke, 1999, Impact of soil phosphorous loading on Water Quality in Alberta, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. McCob T D, Leblanc DR, Watter DA, Hess KN Kent DB and Smith RL 2003, Phosphorous in a Ground-water contaminant Plume Discharging to Ashumet Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 1999: US Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4306, 70p Mueller D K and Helser D R, Nutrients in the Nation’s water-Too much of a Good Thing? National Water-Quality Assessment Program USGS, retrieved from http://water. usgs. gov/nawqa/CIRC-1136. html National findings and their implications for water policies and strategies, USGS, Circular 1225, retrieved from http://pubs.usgs. gov/circ/circ1225/html/nawqafind. htm/. Nitrogen and water quality retrieved from http://kywater. org/ww/ramp/rmnox-htm Stollenwerk K-G 1996, Simulation of phosphate transport in sewage-contaminated groundwater, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Applied Geochemistry, V. 11. no 1-2 pp 317-324 The effects of urbanization and agriculture on water quality: Nitrogen retrieved from http://ga. water. usgs. gov/edu/urbannitrogen. html Total phosphorous and Phosphate impact in surface waters Wilkes University, Environmental. Engineering and Earth Science retrieved from www.water. research. net/phosphate. htm Water-quality patterns in agricultural areas, USGS, Circular 1225 retrieved from http://pubs. usgs. gov/circ/circ1225/html/wq-agri. htm/ Water-quality patterns in urban areas, United States Geological Society, retrieved from http://pubs. usgs. gov/circ/circ1225/html/wq-urban. htm/ Water-quality patterns in areas with mixed hand use and a range of hydrologic and environmental settings, USGS, Circular 1225 retrieved from http://pubs. usgs. gov/circ/circ1225/html/wq-hydro. htm/.

2. Understand the factors that influence children and...

Understand Child and Young Person Development 2. Understand the factors that influence children and young people’s development and how these affect practice. 2.1 Explain how children and young people’s development is influenced by a range of personal factors. Personal factors are those which are part of the genetic make-up of a child (nature, not nurture). As such, they cannot be changed, although their influence upon development can be addressed to give children the best possible chance to achieve their potential. Personal factors influencing development include: †¢ Health status: From common colds to serious illness, a child’s health status will impact upon their development in some way. Frequent colds or other mild illness, for†¦show more content†¦These children will need additional support in order to maximise their potential in class. A dyslexic child will struggle more than her peers to acquire confidence in reading and writing, which can affect other areas of cognitive development. Her confidence may also suffer, and she may suffer frustration and anger at not being able to do what her peers can do with ease (read a sentence; differentiate between b and d). Whilst considering the effects of personal factors on child development it is worth mentioning that some factors may influence development in an advantageous way. For example, a dyslexic child may be able to think more creatively about certain types of problem solving, or they may be very artistic. This can have a positive influence on social and emotional devel opment. Every child is an individual and the better that personal and external influences on development are understood, the better that child can be supported as she grows, learns and develops. †¢ Genetic inheritance: A child not only inherits physical attributes from his parents, but also character traits such as sensitivity or gregariousness. Both will influence his development, along with other personal and external factors. For example, a child who inherits long limbs from his parents may develop physically at a different rate than his peers. He may be more prone to growing pains, which may affect him emotionally and he may look older than his real age which can causeShow MoreRelatedSSD2 Module 4 Notes Essay28478 Words   |  114 Pagesï » ¿MODULE 04 Cross-Cultural Competency Culture Culture is the pattern of action and the ways of perceiving, feeling, and thinking acquired growing up in a particular group of people Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is the attitude held by the members of a culture that theirs is the only true, right, and best way to view and act in the world. Cultural relativism Cultural relativism is the idea that human behavior, ideas, and emotions must be understood in the context of the whole culture in which they occur