Superheros and Engendering Differences Essay Example For Students

Superheros and Engendering Differences Essay Being able to fly, to defeat all the villains of the world, and having supernatural power are just some of the supernatural characteristics of a superhero. However, these characteristics are the personification of what society would indicate to be the perfect man; or, depending on what superhero, a woman. I grew up admiring and idolizing Superman. From wearing his underwear to owning every one of his videos, I yearned to become Superman. This, however, was obviously impossible. Superman can fly, create a laser beam from his eyes, and he can lift the heaviest of objects. Thus, not being a totally clueless kid, it was the ideals of being a man, that superman possessed, that I tried to copy: having incredible strength, being flagrantly courageous, and being heroic. This, through my admiration of Superman, is what I thought a man should be. Some would say that aggressive male behavior is innate; however, it also has to do with the glamorously powerful superheroes that act as role models to males as they are growing up. Superman?s incredible strength has led him to victory over even the biggest and strongest of enemies. Watching him, I thought I could prove my strength by defeating other kids. We will write a custom essay on Superheros and Engendering Differences specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This did not mean that I went and tried to beat everyone up. Instead, I tried to be better than others at everything. I would try to hang on the monkey bars the longest, be the person who got picked first for any sport, and wrestle anyone to submission. Although my behavior sometimes got to aggressive, and got me in trouble, it always seemed to make me feel like more of a man. Superhero?s also possessed that perfect body that went along with being powerful. They would have perfect biceps, gigantic pecks, and six-pack abs. Although body image is more of an issue with teenagers and adult, this does have an effect on kids. The role models, that kids are introduced to, almost always have a perfect body. Superman, undoubtedly, had a perfect male body: lots of muscle and no fat. In fact, I cannot remember a superhero, male or female, that did not have a perfect body when I was a kid. It is from these images that teach kids, from the beginning, that being fat and weak is ugly. This translated into the ?ugly? kids being made fun of. I, too, fell into the trap of mocking others, who were not perfect, when I was a kid. I also remember trying to hide any blemish of my own body, so that I would not become a victim of the scorn. Besides the many physical strengths of a superhero, they also possess great mental strengths. It takes allot of courage to deal with evil villains and all their devious trickery. Superman encounters many difficult and virtually impossible challenges, and manages to take them head on without any evidence of fear on him. Watching him be so courageous had great impacts on me as a kid. I never liked to cry, especially if others were watching. That was probably the worst thing you could get caught doing in elementary school. Another effect it had on me was that I never showed fear even if I was petrified. An example of this would be with the first time I sat on a roller coaster. Although I was completely scared to go on the Vortech when I was eight years old, every one else was going on it. Instead of getting ridiculed by the others, I decided to suck in my fear and hop on the ride. There were many other examples just like this one in my life: swimming, diving, and bungee jumping are just a few. In many of these cases I felt that I had to be fearless and brave, just like superman, because that is what being a man is all about. A characteristic of all superheros is their great heroism. Superman, no matter how dangerous the situation, is constantly saving the world and others from harm. Although I did not have supernatural powers to save everyone and everything, I always tried to help the people I loved. I was always the first the person . Superheros and Engendering Differences Essay Example For Students Superheros and Engendering Differences Essay Being able to fly, to defeat all the villains of the world, and having supernatural power are just some of the supernatural characteristics of a superhero. However, these characteristics are the personification of what society would indicate to be the perfect man; or, depending on what superhero, a woman. I grew up admiring and idolizing Superman. From wearing his underwear to owning every one of his videos, I yearned to become Superman. This, however, was obviously impossible. Superman can fly, create a laser beam from his eyes, and he can lift the heaviest of objects. Thus, not being a totally clueless kid, it was the ideals of being a man, that superman possessed, that I tried to copy: having incredible strength, being flagrantly courageous, and being heroic. This, through my admiration of Superman, is what I thought a man should be. Some would say that aggressive male behavior is innate; however, it also has to do with the glamorously powerful superheroes that act as role models to males as they are growing up. Superman?s incredible strength has led him to victory over even the biggest and strongest of enemies. Watching him, I thought I could prove my strength by defeating other kids. We will write a custom essay on Superheros and Engendering Differences specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This did not mean that I went and tried to beat everyone up. Instead, I tried to be better than others at everything. I would try to hang on the monkey bars the longest, be the person who got picked first for any sport, and wrestle anyone to submission. Although my behavior sometimes got to aggressive, and got me in trouble, it always seemed to make me feel like more of a man. Superhero?s also possessed that perfect body that went along with being powerful. They would have perfect biceps, gigantic pecks, and six-pack abs. Although body image is more of an issue with teenagers and adult, this does have an effect on kids. The role models, that kids are introduced to, almost always have a perfect body. Superman, undoubtedly, had a perfect male body: lots of muscle and no fat. In fact, I cannot remember a superhero, male or female, that did not have a perfect body when I was a kid. It is from these images that teach kids, from the beginning, that being fat and weak is ugly. This translated into the ?ugly? kids being made fun of. I, too, fell into the trap of mocking others, who were not perfect, when I was a kid. I also remember trying to hide any blemish of my own body, so that I would not become a victim of the scorn. Besides the many physical strengths of a superhero, they also possess great mental strengths. It takes allot of courage to deal with evil villains and all their devious trickery. Superman encounters many difficult and virtually impossible challenges, and manages to take them head on without any evidence of fear on him. Watching him be so courageous had great impacts on me as a kid. I never liked to cry, especially if others were watching. That was probably the worst thing you could get caught doing in elementary school. Another effect it had on me was that I never showed fear even if I was petrified. An example of this would be with the first time I sat on a roller coaster. Although I was completely scared to go on the Vortech when I was eight years old, every one else was going on it. Instead of getting ridiculed by the others, I decided to suck in my fear and hop on the ride. There were many other examples just like this one in my life: swimming, diving, and bungee jumping are just a few. In many of these cases I felt that I had to be fearless and brave, just like superman, because that is what being a man is all about. A characteristic of all superheros is their great heroism. Superman, no matter how dangerous the situation, is constantly saving the world and others from harm. Although I did not have supernatural powers to save everyone and everything, I always tried to help the people I loved. I was always the first the person .

Great White Fleet Circles the Globe

Great White Fleet Circles the Globe A Rising Power In the years after its triumph in the Spanish-American War, the United States quickly grew in power and prestige on the world stage. A newly established imperial power with possessions that included Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico, it was felt that the United States needed to substantially increase its naval power to retain its new global status. Led by the energy of President Theodore Roosevelt, the US Navy built eleven new battleships between 1904 and 1907. While this construction program greatly grew the fleet, the combat effectiveness of many of the ships was jeopardized in 1906 with the arrival of the all-big gun HMS Dreadnought. Despite this development, the expansion of naval strength was fortuitous as Japan, recently triumphant in the Russo-Japanese War after victories at Tsushima and Port Arthur, presented a growing threat in the Pacific. Concerns with Japan Relations with Japan were further stressed in 1906, by a series of laws which discriminated against Japanese immigrants in California. Touching off anti-American riots in Japan, these laws were ultimately repealed at Roosevelts insistence. While this aided in calming the situation, relations remained strained and Roosevelt became concerned about the US Navys lack of strength in the Pacific. To impress upon the Japanese that the United States could shift its main battle fleet to the Pacific with ease, he began devising a world cruise of the nations battleships. Roosevelt had effectively utilized naval demonstrations for political purposes in the past as earlier that year he had deployed eight battleships to the Mediterranean to make a statement during the Franco-German Algeciras Conference. Support at Home In addition to sending a message to the Japanese, Roosevelt wished to provide the American public with a clear understanding that the nation was prepared for a war at sea and sought to secure support for the construction of additional warships. From an operational standpoint, Roosevelt and naval leaders were eager to learn about the endurance of American battleships and how they would stand up during long voyages. Initially announcing that the fleet would be moving to the West Coast for training exercises, the battleships gathered at Hampton Roads in late 1907 to take part in the Jamestown Exposition. Preparations Planning for the proposed voyage required a full assessment of the US Navys facilities on the West Coast as well as across the Pacific. The former were of particular importance as it was expected the fleet would require a full refit and overhaul after steaming around South America (the Panama Canal was not yet open). Concerns immediately arose that the only navy yard capable of servicing the fleet was at Bremerton, WA as the main channel into San Franciscos Mare Island Navy Yard was too shallow for battleships. This necessitated the re-opening of a civilian yard on Hunters Point in San Francisco. The US Navy also found that arrangements were needed to ensure that the fleet could be refueled during the voyage. Lacking a global network of coaling stations, provisions were made to have colliers meet the fleet at prearranged locations to permit refueling. Difficulties soon arose in contracting sufficient American-flagged ships and awkwardly, especially given the point of the cruise, the majority of the colliers employed were of British registry. Around the World Sailing under command of Rear Admiral Robley Evans, the fleet consisted of the battleships USS Kearsarge, USS Alabama, USS Illinois, USS Rhode Island , USS Maine, USS Missouri, USS Ohio, USS Virginia, USS Georgia, USS New Jersey, USS Louisiana, USS Connecticut, USS Kentucky, USS Vermont, USS Kansas, and USS Minnesota. These were supported by a Torpedo Flotilla of seven destroyers and five fleet auxiliaries. Departing the Chesapeake on December 16, 1907, the fleet steamed past the presidential yacht Mayflower as they left Hampton Roads. Flying his flag from Connecticut, Evans announced that the fleet would be returning home via the Pacific and circumnavigating the globe. While it is unclear whether this information was leaked from the fleet or became public after the ships arrival on the West Coast, it was not met with universal approval. While some were concerned that the nations Atlantic naval defenses would be weakened by the fleets prolonged absence, others were concerned about the cost. Senator Eugene Hale, the chairman of the Senate Naval Appropriation Committee, threatened to cut the fleets funding. To the Pacific Responding in typical fashion, Roosevelt replied that he already had the money and dared Congressional leaders to try and get it back. While the leaders wrangled in Washington, Evans and his fleet continued with their voyage. On December 23, 1907, they made their first port call at Trinidad before pressing on to Rio de Janeiro. En route, the men conducted the usual Crossing the Line ceremonies to initiate those sailors who had never crossed the Equator. Arriving in Rio on January 12, 1908, the port call proved eventful as Evans suffered an attack of gout and several sailors became involved in a bar fight. Departing Rio, Evans steered for the Straits of Magellan and the Pacific. Entering the straits, the ships made a brief call at Punta Arenas before transiting the dangerous passage without incident. Reaching Callao, Peru on February 20, the men enjoyed a nine-day celebration in honor of George Washingtons birthday. Moving on, the fleet paused for one month at Magdalena Bay, Baja California for gunnery practice. With this complete, Evans moved up the West Coast making stops at San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco. Across the Pacific While in port at San Francisco, Evans health continued to worsen and command of the fleet passed to Rear Admiral Charles Sperry. While the men were treated as royalty in San Francisco, some elements of the fleet traveled north to Washington, before the fleet reassembled on July 7. Before departing, Maine and Alabama were replaced by USS Nebraska and USS Wisconsin due to their high fuel consumption. In addition, the Torpedo Flotilla was detached. Steaming into the Pacific, Sperry took the fleet to Honolulu for a six-day stop before proceeding on to Auckland, New Zealand. Entering port on August 9, the men were regaled with parties and warmly received. Pushing on to Australia, the fleet made stops at Sydney and Melbourne and was met with great acclaim. Steaming north, Sperry reached Manila on October 2, however liberty was not granted due to a cholera epidemic. Departing for Japan eight days later, the fleet endured a severe typhoon off Formosa before reaching Yokohama on October 18. Due to the diplomatic situation, Sperry limited liberty to those sailors with exemplary records with the goal of preventing any incidents. Greeted with exceptional hospitality, Sperry and his officers were housed at the Emperors Palace and the famed Imperial Hotel. In port for a week, the men of the fleet were treated to constant parties and celebrations, including one hosted by famed Admiral Togo Heihachiro. During the visit, no incidents occurred and the goal of bolstering good will between the two nations was achieved. The Voyage Home Dividing his fleet in two, Sperry departed Yokohama on October 25, with half heading for a visit to Amoy, China and the other to the Philippines for gunnery practice. After a brief call in Amoy, the detached ships sailed for Manila where they rejoined the fleet for maneuvers. Preparing to head for home, the Great White Fleet departed Manila on December 1 and made a week-long stop at Colombo, Ceylon before reaching the Suez Canal on January 3, 1909. While coaling at Port Said, Sperry was alerted to a severe earthquake at Messina, Sicily. Dispatching Connecticut and Illinois to provide aid, the rest of the fleet divided to make calls around the Mediterranean. Regrouping on February 6, Sperry made final port call at Gibraltar before entering the Atlantic and setting a course for Hampton Roads. Reaching home on February 22, the fleet was met by Roosevelt aboard Mayflower and cheering crowds ashore. Lasting fourteen months, the cruise aided in the conclusion of the Root-Takahira Agreement between the United States and Japan and demonstrated that modern battleships were capable of long journeys without significant mechanical breakdowns. In addition, the voyage led to several changes in ship design including the elimination of guns near the waterline, the removal of old-style fighting tops, as well as improvements to ventilation systems and crew housing. Operationally, the voyage provided thorough sea training for both the officers and men and led to improvements in coal economy, formation steaming, and gunnery. As a final recommendation, Sperry suggested that the US Navy change the color of its ships from white to gray. While this had been advocated for some time, it was put into effect after the fleets return.

Ornament and Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ornament and Architecture - Essay Example The origin of architectural ornamentation can be traced back to the 19th century when classical design is said to have reached its peak in the U.S in what is popularly known as the the American Renaissance. What was evident on the architectural pieces at the time is that they had a style that was commonly used by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio in the first century B.C. What is notable in Vitruvius work and those who heed to his records regarding the classical style, design and ornamentation is that they were based on imitations (Polio 56). Furthermore, the technology applied during this time followed strict rules, which did not give room for innovation since preconception hindered harmonious ornamentation. Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), like Vitruvius, is another architect who influenced a lot artwork during the American Renaissance. He considered ornament as something applied or added. In fact, he defined ornament as a type of additional light that was aimed at complementing beauty (Alberti 7). I believe, from this definition, that beauty is something inherent in property, which is supposed to be manifested in the body of a beautiful, whereas ornament instead of being inherent is added or attached to a piece. Alberti argues that beauty is found in nature and may be the main reason for building. Nevertheless, several questions arise from Alberti’s argument because ornamentation is done on the whole work and is part of the whole. Therefore, it is not reasonable for him to have thought that beauty and ornament were separate. Furthermore, it is not reasonable to say that an attached or added ornament is beautiful. Ornamentation of a building is supposed to enhance beauty. Louis Sullivan was the first architect to have understood that ornamentation of a building is essential in enhancing beauty. His works mainly centered on creating an architectural works dependent on context of the project, with integral ornamentation. Sullivan focused mainly on principle of design rather than preconceived rules. He mainly believed in the principle â€Å"form ever follows function† (Dorra 111). From this principle, Sullivan made attempts to fuse his naturalistic ornament with the building’s structure as was seen in Wainwright Building at Saint Louis, Missouri (1890-91) (Dor ra 112). The building is a classical example showing how Sullivan used naturalistic orna