Old Man And The Sea Essays (936 words) - The Old Man And The Sea

Old Man And The Sea "The Old Man and the Sea" is a heroic tale of man's strength pitted against forces he cannot control. It is a story about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin. Through the use of three prominent themes; friendship, bravery, and Christianity; the "Old Man and the Sea" strives to teach important life lessons to the reader while also epitomizing Santiago, the old fisherman, as a Hemingway code hero. The relationship between Santiago and the boy is introduced early in the story. They are unlikely companions; one is old and the other young, yet they share an insuperable amount of respect and loyalty for each other. Santiago does not treat Manolin as a young boy but rather as an equal. Age is not a factor in their relationship. Manolin does not even act as a young boy; he is mature and sensitive to Santiago's feelings. He even offers to disobey his parents and accompany Santiago on his fishing trips. Santiago is viewed as an outcast in his village because he has not caught any fish for more than eighty-four days and is therefore "unlucky". Nonetheless Manolin is loyal to Santiago and even when his parents forbid him he wants to help his friend. Their conversations are comfortable, like that of two friends who have known each other for a long time. When they speak it is usually about baseball or fishing, the two things they have most in common. Their favorite team is the Yankees and Santiago never loses faith in them even when the star player, Joe DiMaggio is injured with a heel spur. In this way Santiago not only teaches Manolin about fishing but also about important characteristics such as faith. In the story Santiago's bravery is unsurpassed but it is not until he hooks the "great fish" that we truly see his valor and perseverance. Through Santiago's actions Hemingway teaches the reader about bravery and tenacity in the face of adversity. He demonstrates that even when all is lost and seems hopeless a faith and willful heart will overcome anything. Santiago had lost his "luckiness" and therefore the respect of his village. Through the description of his cabin we also suspect that Santiago is a widower. Although Santiago has had many troubles he perseveres. He has faith in Manolin, in the Yankees, in Joe DiMaggio, and most importantly in himself. This is perhaps his greatest attribute because without it he would never have had the strength to persevere and defeat the giant Marlin. Faith is not the only thing that drives his perseverance. Santiago also draws upon his past victories for strength. After he hooks the Marlin he frequently recalls his battle with a native in what he calls "the hand game". It is not just an arm wrestling victory for him it is a reminder of his youthful days. His recollections of this event usually proceed a favorite dream of his in which he sees many lions on a peaceful shore. These lions represent him when he is young and strong and could overcome any challenge. Although he is an old man and his body is no longer like it used to be his heart is still great and he eventually defeats the Marlin. Santiago's perseverance and bravery are further illustrated when he tries to fight off the sharks. He was a fisherman all his life and therefore he knows that the fate of his catch is inevitable yet he persists to fight the sharks. The battle between him and the sharks is about principles not a mere fish. Santiago is still a great warrior at heart and warriors fight until the end. One of the greatest and most obvious pieces of symbolism in the story is Christianity. From the beginning of the story the reader is shown a unique relationship between Santiago and Manolin. Their relationship parallels that of Christ and his disciples. Manolin is Santiago's disciple and Santiago teaches Manolin about fishing and life. One of the greatest lessons that Santiago gives is that of a simple faith. "Have faith in the Yankees my son." This type of faith reflects the basic principles of Christianity. Hemingway's description of Santiago further illustrates Christian symbolism. Hemingway gives a reference to the nail-pierced hands of Christ by stating that Santiago's "hands had deep creased scars". Hemingway also parallels Santiago's suffering to that of Christ by stating that "he settled ...against the wood and took his suffering as it came". Even more profound is the description of Santiago's

Inclusion - Both Practice and Educational Philosophy

Inclusion - Both Practice and Educational Philosophy Definition Inclusion is both a practice and a basic underpinning of modern educational philosophy. A Practice The practice of inclusion in public schools is based on the legal concept of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) When Congress passed PL94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, it was in response to the findings of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971 in PARC (Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Citizens) vs. the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The decision stated that children with handicaps were protected under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Least Restrictive Environment has come to be known, through legal challenges and due process, as that educational experience that is most like that received by non-disabled students. Districts (the Local Education Authority) are expected to offer a full spectrum of placements in the best interest of children, from full inclusion, which means receiving all instruction in the general education setting, to residential treatment,when it is in the best interest of the child, and all alternate levels of restriction have been exhausted.   It also requires that students with disabilities attend schools in their neighborhood, rather than in special schools.   Most students receive support and services in something between the two extremes, as for students with significant academic challenges, they often do the best when they receive explicit instruction in the resource room, where the difference in their skills and their need to focus are not compromised by active students.  Ã‚   The amount of time spent in a special education setting needs to be designated in their IEP, as well as being justified there. Inclusion as a Philosophy Inclusion is also an educational philosophy. Supported by research, it fosters belief that children with disabilities do better in general education settings with typically developing peers. It also advances the understanding, also supported by research, that best practices in special education, especially differentiation, provide the most success for general education as well as special education students. Unlike mainstreaming which proposed to stick students qualifying for special education in general educations to sink or swim, inclusion holds that students of broadly differing abilities can succeed with appropriate support. Although integration is sometimes used interchangeably with inclusion, it is more generally understood as the effort to bring minorities, English Language Learners and new immigrants from diverse populations, into local educational communities, and the practices that best foster smooth integration into social and cultural groups.   Certainly, good teaching is good teaching, and strategies that help integrate English Language Learners also supports students with specific learning disabilities in building and enriching language development.    Pronunciation: in-kloo-shun Also Known As: integration, inclusional (in Canada and England) Examples: The Rye, New Jersey school district has clearly demonstrated its commitment to inclusion by hiring and training extra special education teachers to co-teach in middle school and high school classrooms with general education teachers.