ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Dennis Lehane is a prolific author who has over five famous book titles under his belt. Most of his novels feature a pair of private investigators namely Angie Gennaro and Patrick Kenzie. Like his other books, “Mystic River” features the mystery literature genre. Dennis Lehane was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts and he has lived in Boston for some time. Most of his books are set in the Boston area and this makes his fiction a lot more credible. Prior to writing “Mystic River” the author had written “Darkness, Taken My Hand”, “Gone Baby Gone”, and “Prayers for Rain”. Lehane’s work has been compared to that of fellow mystery writers like James Crumley and Lee Burke.”Mystic River” has won several literary awards including the Anthony Mystery Award and the Barry Best Novel Award. The book focuses on three childhood friends whose lives are changed by the events of a single day. The book’s story takes place in two periods that are divided by a period of twenty-five years. In this book, three boys namely Sean Devine, Dave Boyle, and Jimmy Marcus are very close as children. Their lives are turned upside down when a strange car with two men approaches them to take a ride in the men’s car. Only Dave accepts this offer while the other two decline. After this event, Dave goes missing triggering a police search. During the police search, the two friends cannot identify the car and all they can say about the abductors’ car is that it smelled like apples. Dave returns after four days and to the chagrin of the town residents, he reveals nothing about what had happened to him. His silence triggers a lot of suspicion and rumors that he had been molested during his abduction. The book then fast-forwards to twenty-five years after the abduction. During this time, Sean has become a homicide detective, Jimmy has already been convicted for armed robbery, and Dave is a married man who is living a very complicated life. As a homicide detective, Sean has a habit of second-guessing his actions. Jimmy is trying to reclaim his life as citizen after spending time in jail. He also has a wife and a nineteen-year old daughter named Katie. Although life is particularly tough for Jimmy, he does all he can to avoid falling back into his old ways. Neither Jimmy nor Sean has any serious connections to their old friend Dave. Dave is now married to Celeste with whom he has one child. Celeste is a faithful wife who never questions her husband’s actions including his past ones. The lives of these three men are once again upset by the disappearance and the consequent murder of Jimmy’s daughter. Matters become even more complicated when the investigation points towards Dave as the main suspect. The title of the book refers to the river in which bodies and murder weapons are dumped. The “Mystic River” does not play by the usual murder mystery ru
The constitution of America has received a lot of ideas from analysts on how it should be treated and used by the people. The constitution was written many years ago yet it is always going through various amendments to ensure that it satisfies the current needs of the citizens. Despite some of the rigid laws that are presented in the document, they are usually subject to different interpretations depending on the lawyer or judge that is dealing with a certain case. This has been the main point of argument between two analysts, Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer on whether the original meaning and interpretation should be adopted or not. Scalia has presented valid arguments that support the fact that the original meaning should be used in interpretation while Stephen has presented arguments in disapproval of the same. In this paper, we focus on their arguments and a general opinion on the same. According to Antonin Scalia, the judges must find out what the people that originally wrote the constitution meant before making any further interpretations. This is basically because what many be used to define some of the sections may not necessarily be what the current society feels is right. As a solution to any misinterpretation of the law, basically because of the probable fact that times have changed and that the original meaning may not make sense, there is usually room for amendments that can be utilized. He considers the instances where almost every lawyer and judge has their interpretation of the document as an abuse of it. It is the original meaning that will enhance its proper use and ensure that the citizens that are relying on it for justice get the same on its original form. On the other hand, Stephen Breyer feels that the constitution should be interpreted following the changes taking place. In support of his arguments, he says that what was originally placed on the papers was to favor the kind of life that the people of that time lived which can not apply to the current society. About amendments, he observes that a case may not be left pending in court simply because the parties are waiting for a certain section that affects them to be amended. In such situations, the judges have to take urgent action and pass the necessary judgment after critically looking at the situations that surround the case. This does not however give a loophole to any individual that is in the wrong to simply interpret the law in their favor. There is usually the judicial system which is the sole determinant of the direction that a certain case will take. In my opinion, I tend to agree and at the same time disagree with the points that have been raised above. As much as it is necessary to consider the original meaning of the sections in the constitution before using them, they may completely be mean
Books Callaghan, D. (Ed.). (2016). A feminist companion to Shakespeare . John Wiley & Sons. Callaghan’s (2016) book provides a thorough analysis of the manner in which female characters are portrayed in Shakespeare’s famous plays, including “Hamlet.” Specifically, the author refers to the problem of being confined in the prison of gender stereotypes that can be experienced when reading Shakespeare’s works. Thus, a detailed analysis of how Shakespearean characters represent or embody gender stereotypes is provided. Rhodes, K. (2017). Ophelia and Victorian visual culture: Representing body politics in the nineteenth century . New York, NY: Routledge. Rhodes’ (2017) study addresses the character of Ophelia directly, explaining her tragedy and the development that she experienced throughout the play. Specifically, the author mentions Ophelia’s madness as the symbol of rigid gender expectations and stereotypes to which people had to conform at the time. As a result, a comprehensive overview of Ophelia’s character development is offered. Reports from Organizations and Government Documents The characthers of Hamlet and Ophelia. Characther analysis. (2020). Web. Giving an insight into the characters of Ophelia and Hamlet simultaneously, this paper seeks to engage with the reader by examining the connection and reciprocity between the specified characters. The author compares the fate of Ophelia to that one of Hamlet, yet the nature of their death is different in the poem. Nevertheless, the play still sets the tone and the mood for the further development of the plot immediately, for which the authors of the play should be credited. Women’s History Month events at the Library of Congress. (2018). Web. Allowing participants to gain insights into the history of women by providing them with access to the foundational pieces written by women, the Library of Congress has contributed to the active promotion of book literacy, as well as a more nuanced interpretation of the author’s childhood. As a result, the reader gains insight into the historical
According to Frederick Douglas, slaves did not get a chance to know much about own mothers and their birthdays, such unawareness considerably influenced their mental well being – they could not be fully alive and were a kind of property of their masters. Frederick Douglas compared slaves to horses, who neither knew their age (Douglas, 25). In fact, slavery was one of the most horrible tools, which served to destroy people’s identity, ethnicity, and humanity. Slaves were treated as animals and working tools, this is why their diminished humanity meant nothing for their masters, and slaves themselves even forgot about such a significant issue as human rights. However, many slaves were happy to work at the Great House Farm, as it was considered to be a privilege. Slaves’ songs were some kind of evidence that slaves were happy to live and work, however, Douglas found such songs as slaves’ greatest anguish. But still, songs were the only ones opportunities, which helped to develop slaves’ language and skills to communicate properly. It was known that many southern slaveholders preferred to keep their slaves illiterate, because they believed that if the latter could not write, they could not share their troubles with the others, describe how poor the conditions to work were, and how cruel their owners were. According to Douglas, education and slavery were two incompatible things. Slaves did want to become educative, however, their holders deprived them from such opportunities in order to be sure that slaves did not get a chance to tell about their owners’ treatment and punishment. In spite of the fact that many slaves were uneducated, they still could distinguish the profit from the work, be able to choose better working conditions, and even argue between themselves whose owners is the richest. To prove such assumption, Mr. Douglas used such a phrase, full of irony and sarcasm: “To be a poor man’s slave was deemed a disgrace” (Douglas, 40). By means of numerous quotations, Douglas also wanted to underline how terrible the treatment of slaveholders was. “It was worth a halfcent to kill a ‘nigger,’ and a half-cent to bury one” (Douglas, 45) is one of such quote that proves that slave’s life did not mean anything for the owners. Slaves’ deaths were not about pity or some emotions. It was all about more money and owners’ costs, which had to be spent to bury a person. Colonel Lloyd was the brightest example of wealth and terrible owners; he had so many slaves that “he did not know them when he saw them” (Douglas, 39). He demanded too much subservience from all his slaves and very often, his punishment was too cruel. Such wealth corrupted owners’ self of justice, because owners kept slaves ignorant and gained the necessary power, and all the play was not fair, because slaves could not resist such treatment and did obey
Mission Statement The mission statement for Cambridge Public Schools is to provide the best learning environment in an attempt to ensure the students become successful in every curricular area. Several steps were used to develop the mission statement. The first process was to brainstorm and identify the educational needs of the targeted community. The mission was aimed at addressing the educational needs of the targeted students. The next step was to analyze the action plans that would be undertaken by the institution. The third stage was to examine the roles of different stakeholders. The final stage was to formulate the above mission statement. These steps played a critical role in the development of the best mission statement for the organization. Several players were i
Hinduism is one of the oldest and widespread religions in the world; currently it is practiced by people who may live in very different countries. This paper is aimed at discussing the main principles of Hinduism, it cultural aspects and its impact on the society in the United States. The knowledge of these issues is important for understanding the diversity of modern societies in which people may have different beliefs, values or even perceptions of God. Overall, one can identify the following characteristics of Hinduism, namely the acceptance of different religious views, the belief in reincarnation of soul, and the idea that God can take many different forms. Furthermore, it should be noted this religion is now practiced in many Western countries, such as the United States and its presence increases the diversity of modern American society and makes people more aware about the variety of religious beliefs. First of all, Hinduism is very difficult to define because this religion incorporates a variety of beliefs that recognize the moral authority of the Vedas which are religious texts originating from ancient India (Mittal and Thursby 3). Moreover, Hinduism includes several denominations or groups of people who may have different rituals. It should be noted that there are several distinct features of Hinduism. Certainly, the supporters of this religion accept the existence of God as a higher power that created the universe. Moreover, God is present in every living being. Yet, Hindus think that an individual can worship God in different forms. The deity can have different identities such as Shiva, Vishnu, or Brahma (Neusner 186). It is difficult to determine whether Hinduism is monotheistic or polytheistic religion. The thing is that in some denomination of Hinduism, people can accept the existence of several deities (Neusner 186). Thus, Hindus do not accept the idea that God can take only one form. This is one of the issues that people should remember. Moreover, people should take into account that Hinduism is not based on some specific canon or a set of written sources. The Vedas do play an important role in the lives of Hindus, but various religious leaders could provide their own interpretation of God and morality. Secondly, it is worth noting that this religion does not set direct requirements for the worshipers who may follow different religious rituals. More importantly, Hinduism does not reject other forms of religious faith. It is not opposed to Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Hindus do not argue that their view on God and the universe is the only possible one. These are the main distinctions of the religion and people should remember about them when interacting with Hindus. One should also discuss the culture of Hinduism. It should be taken into consideration that Hinduism evolved in the course of several millennia during which Indian subcontinent witnessed many political, social, and demographic changes. Furthermor
“Nonviolence implies voluntary submission to the penalty for non-cooperation with evil. I am here, therefore, to invite and submit cheerfully to the highest penalty that can be inflicted upon me for what in law is a deliberate crime and what appears to me to be the highest duty of a citizen”. Mohandas K. Gandhi, “Gandhi on Nonviolent Protest” (1922) Why has Gandhi deliberately broken the law? Gandhi deliberately breaks the law for the right reasons. He has a strong case for breaking the law. Gandhi believes that his cause is just and the act of disobedience is morally acceptable. However, he must provide reasons for supporting such acts and reasons for choosing nonviolence to show disobedience to the authority. First, if Gandhi advocates a legitimate cause for citizens, then he must have good reasons for choosing nonviolence to advocate for equal rights among citizens. Gandhi had a desire of achieving equal treatments for all citizens i.e., equality of rights ought to serve all citizens regardless of their races. Second, in some cases, people may have their reasons for a given cause, but their actions may not support the cause. Therefore, if one wants to defend a legitimate cause, he must formulate an appropriate strategy for the cause. People have a duty to obey and follow the law, especially when such laws are fair. Therefore, people also have the obligation to follow appropriate channels to solve their grievances before resorting to illegal activities. Based on this observation, we can argue that Gandhi used nonviolence as a last resort to advocate for equality in society. In most cases, people in power often oppose causes by minority groups. Therefore, any legal approach to defending such causes may not be effective. In addition, it is not obvious when one can claim that the cause only needs civil disobedience a last resort approach. In order to eliminate challenges from apathetic and immovable majorities, then civil disobedience may be the last resort in situations where legal means have failed. According to Rawls, one can only gain confidence through civil disobedience when handling such matters (Rawls 374). Rawls also argues that the use of any form of civil disobedience requires coordination with other minority groups. Gandhi deliberately decides to break the law through an act of nonviolence against the British. People who engage in such forms of protests believe that the authority should arrest them. In some cases, protesters normally consider training in order to avoid any form of resistance and cooperate with the authority. It is fundamental for such protesters to coordinate and plan for arrest in order to have good consequences for the minority. Gandhi acts on nonviolence protests can only be effective if there are chances of achieving positive change for the minority. This is an appropriate justification for exposing one’s
Introduction The term of social class has been under discussion of many sociologists for a long period (Argyle 1994). It was discovered that considerable differences between classes have an impact on human behavior, outcomes, social mobility, and the development of conflicts between people of different classes. Class differences are based on factors like speech style, sexual preferences, education, and even self-esteem. After a thorough evaluation of class differences in mental health, it becomes clearer that people from the working classes face more problems with mental health in comparison to people from the middle class: downward drift, working conditions, and mental health diagnosis influence the correlation of class and mental health. In this paper, the analysis of poverty will help to define the factors, which become influential for the mental health conditions of people from different classes. Poverty causes the development of stresses, changes in lifestyle, and even challenges in working conditions. Mental health problems turn out to be a crucial issue for people of different social classes because of the challenges with education, inabilities to get necessary incomes or/and working conditions, and varieties of stresses; varieties of social classes are characterized by different ways of treatment, different marital statuses and child development, and different lifestyles. Discussion Poverty and mental health: the variety of social inequality . “Poverty is not a certain small amount of goods (but)… a relation between people…a social status…and the invidious distinction between classes” (Wilkinson & Pickett 2005, p. 1774). The representatives of any country, where the problems of poverty are still considered to be troublesome, are under a threat of such health risks as “smoking, alcohol drinking, being overweight, and being physically inactive” (Mooney, Knox, & Schacht 2008, p.50). First, poverty makes people limit their living conditions and suffer from inabilities to choose more comfortable and healthier places. A considerable amount of noise, constant fights with air, water, and earth pollution, litter congestion may be regarded as the main environmental stressors. Second, poverty already deprives people of an opportunity to get better treatment and physical examination. It is also necessary to admit that though a rich person can get better treatment and choose the location, that is more convenient to live in, it is impossible to say for sure that they feel certainly better than people of lower classes do. Of course, environment and work have a certain impact on human mental health; however, some people may have problems with mental health from their births, and it becomes impossible to change this truth but only accept it and try to support a challenged person. In general, the relation of poverty as the main factor of class differences and mental health is obvious. Even more, when we talk about this kind of
Introduction The article “Bias in Consumer Expectations of Services: Implications for Customer Satisfaction Measures” tells about the possible ways of studying the impact of consumer needs in the current market (Clow and Seshadri 391). The paper is taken from the proceedings of the 1994 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference. It also presents various ways to improve the situation and potential factors that contribute to the empowerment of producers. The topic is revealed through the research of responses from consumers about products from different manufacturers and the experience of different clients concerning specific goods and services. Also, the authors offer several theories that help measure customer satisfaction. Possible Research Methodology As a possible technique for studying the suggested phenomenon, Clow and Seshadri propose to consider customer expectations before rendering any services and review their opinions on the quality of sales after that (392). According to the authors of the research, the use of this technique will eliminate the bias on the part of clients, and any prejudices caused by primary assumptions (Clow and Seshadri 392). Using this method of research will make it possible to compare people’s expectations at the initial stage and their opinions after buying or considering a particular product or service. The researchers introduce three main hypotheses, which are likely to confirm their theory and prove the relevance of introducing such methodology. Research Hypotheses The first hypothesis proposes to study the responses of consumers to a particular product or service before its purchase. According to the authors, the distribution of responses among consumers can positively influence the evaluation of the stated research topic (Clow and Seshadri 392). This approach provides an opportunity to consider consumer demand in more detail and conclude about the interest of clients in specific issues. The essence of the second hypothesis is to assess the experience of customers’ as a result of the acquisition of a particular product or service. Clow and Seshadri believe that this measure will evaluate clients’ satisfaction with the services provided and will give a chance to understand whether the interest of a particular product is biased or not (393). This measure of research is a rather good way to find out how people react to actual services if they anticipate the possible outcome of the purchase. The third hypothesis proposes subtracting the scores calculated at the stage of clients’ expectations from those that were obtained after the evaluation of the goods and the experience gained. According to the authors, it will give an approximate picture of how much consumers’ expectations differ from actual thoughts about a particular purchase (Clow and Seshadri 395). All three hypotheses are entirely justified and help to study the attitude of people to the proposals of the market in detail. Personal Evaluat