Sociology. Describe and evaluate the influence of CLASS on life Essay

Sociology. Describe and evaluate the influence of CLASS on life chances in Britain - Essay Example Class analysis can be broadly defined as ‘the empirical investigation of the consequences and corollaries of the existence of a class structure defined ex-ante† (Breen & Rottman, 1995, 453). Based on a definition, the sociologist then finds out the extent to which differences in life style and life chances amongst individuals are formatted according to the class structure, as is perceived within the concerned society. Life chances within a social stratification are dependent on many external factors. These are: â€Å"health, income and wealth; education; life expectancy; infant mortality; housing; consumer goods ownership; access to leisure† (Sociology intermediate 1 and 2, 2006, 16). The presence of classes within the UK social structure was brought into prominence in 1980, after the publication of the Black Report, which showed that there were large differences in the mortality rates amongst the British working classes. It highlighted the fact that inequalities within the UK social structure were very much present. The report dispersed the myth, and the utopian feeling that was so prevalent amongst the pre-80s British mindset, which believed that UK was moving towards becoming an egalitarian society, where class divisions and inequalities based on socio-economic factors did not play much role. In this article I will take up this concept of ‘class’ and examine it from various perspectives (social theories), while analysing the various common notions and annotations associated with the term class. The outward manifestation of the disparity in social classes, like the ‘economic standing (wealth and income), prestige, and power’ will be di scussed, along with the various factors that come under the purview of life chances, which are dependent on this ‘class’ aspect; all the time keeping in view and focussing on the social conditions of UK, as is prevalent in today’s context. What is

Documentary Summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Documentary Summaries - Essay Example Lars Larson, a gay man, is the documentary’s first interviewee and speaks positively and in an undisguised manner about being a homosexual. The interview is followed by a CBS News poll that shows opinions from Americans that homosexuality harms America even more than prostitution or adultery. Another gay man is interviewed and he talks about coming out and being treated like a wounded animal, which differs from the opinion of the next interviewee, Warren Adkins, who claims his family treated him warmly. The documentary then talks about homosexuality’s legal aspects with North Carolina Judge James Craven, who notes that the US should decriminalize homosexuality like in England. Frank Kameny, the co-founder of the Washington D.C. Mattachine branch then makes an impassioned plea to allow security clearance for homosexuals. There is also a debate on homosexuality between Albert Goldman and Gore Vidal who argue for and against homosexuality respectively. The interviews end w ith a family man who claims he is gay and that the US was too narcissistic for two men to form a long-term relationship. The documentary ends with the filmmaker contending that the homosexual in America is anonymous, displaced, and an outsider. One of the most poignant moments in the documentary is the short interview involving the gay man, Warren Adkins, who contends that one’s sexual orientation is their innermost aspect and that, just as a heterosexual would not give their orientation up; a homosexual like himself would not either (Kraemer 1). He responds to a question on what causes him to be a homosexual by saying that he does not concern himself with it, putting his homosexuality in the same category as having blonde hair. He contends that he does not dwell on why he is gay, just as a person with blonde hair would not worry about the chromosomes or genes that caused them to have blonde hair. As a part of the broadcast documentary’s research, the TV station carrie d out a demographic survey, which found that at least 90% of people in the US considered homosexuality to be a sickness (Kraemer 1). Majority of them even favored legal punishment for acts of homosexuality carried out anywhere, including sex between two consenting adult males in private. One fascinating aspect of this segment is the manner in which it completely neglects to do a survey on lesbians as part of the society of homosexuals, while also portraying homosexual men as incapable of being monogamous long-term unions and as naturally promiscuous. Even as this point to the failures of civil rights and general trauma that these issues caused in the late 60s, it is interesting that the same debate rages on to date as the world argues on gay marriage and the right of gay men and lesbians to legalize their monogamous relationships in the long term. It leaves one wondering whether a documentary made on lesbians and gays today would sound as antiquated and foreign as this documentary f ifty six years from today (Kraemer 1). While this documentary was made and released at a time when the United States had transgender people, bisexuals, gay men, and lesbians had come out, these people were fewer than they are today, as well as courageous (Kraemer 1). This documentary is particularly important when looking at the people, in this case men, who have fought for the equality of homosexuals in society. Because these people were courageous enough to be on a documentary, including Albert Goldman and Lars Larsson, they made things happen and were important in the progress made towards equality. This documentary, especially its uninspiring and biased ending that claims homosexuals are

Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Article - Essay Example For this matter, the article has also cited various countries where the business performance has increased as result of established relationship between culture and relationship marketing. These countries include Brazil, India, Russia, and China. This article is important especially with the dawn to globalization. The aspect of culture cannot be overlooked as it exhibits both threat and opportunity dimensions. This article is instrumental in disregarding the threat dimension and taking advantage of the opportunities. This research has been conducted to specifically evaluate the role played by various cultural aspects that determine the effectiveness of relationship marketing. Mainly, the report has described each aspect as dimensions and analyzed each of them through experiments and extensive research. In this article, Stephen, Samaha, Joshua Beck, and Robert (2014) assert that accounting for culture is essential for effective international relationship marketing. According to the results they obtain from various researches, they have provided a theoretical insight into how and when culture dimension regulates specific joints in the relationship marketing framework. Accordingly, individualism (states isolating themselves from the rest of the world in a globalized concept) is significant as it suppresses many relationship building strategies. The article has also considered the Uncertainty avoidance concept. Accordingly, this is the extent to which a certain culture feels vulnerable to unknown situations. This dimension presents itself as a barrier as it prevents acceptance of new risks and flexibility. As such, it will prevent effectiveness of integrating a particular culture in the relationship marketing. On the other hand, Masculinity to femininity was found to be independent variable as far as RM is concerned. Similarly, the model used in the article predicts

Chanel Company - Chanel Bags Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Chanel Company - Chanel Bags - Essay Example Therefore, the profit margin always increases with fall in the prices of these channel bags. Another crucial factor that affects the supply of these products is the income differences. In any case, there is an increase in the income levels of a population holding other factors constant, the sales for channel bags increase because the extra amount will be spent on purchasing them and an increase in profit margin is realized. Although when income spent decreases, the households will only concentrate on the most essential commodities lead to a fall in sales of channel bags, as it will be considered a luxurious need. The price at which other related goods are sold will affect demand in that if a bag like travelling bag with the same features is offered for a relatively low price compared to that of channel bags there will be a fall in demand for the channel bags, which results to low sales and profit. In case there is an increase in demand of the travelling, all customers will shift to c hannel bags hence rise in sales and profit margin. Advertisement also affects sales in such a way that whenever there is an effective awareness created on the channel bags there is a boost in sales and profits.The channel bags being in fashion is another factor that has boosted its sales. Many customers always prefer whatever product that is in fashion hence there is increased demand. The supply of channel bags can be affected by price changes. If an increase in the price of channel bags is factored in, the supply of this product will increase with an expectation of widenig the profit margin but if the prices fall the supply will be low. Low supply leads to a decrease in sales while an increase in supply leads to incresed sales. Lastly, change in technoloy employed matter a lot. Up to date technology makes production to be very effective and efficient hence increased supply that enjoys from economies of scale hence incresed profit margin. Demand curve The above graph shows that an increase in price of the bags leads to a fall in demand of the bags and decrease in price of the bags leads to an increase in demand of the bags. Other actors will lead to a shift of the curve. An increase in demand leads to a shift to the right while a decrease in demand leads to a shift to the left. Supply curve The above graph show how increase in the price of a commodity leads to an increase in the supply of the commodity. In case there is a fall in price of the bags, there will be a consequent fall in supply of the bag. . Other factors will lead to a shift of the curve. An increase in supply leads to a shift to the right while a decrease in supply leads to a shift to the left. b) Market structure The kind of market structure for channel bags is a perfect competition kind of market. This is simply because there are no barriers for new sellers into the market; there are many sellers and buyers. In this market, there are many other sellers. All these companies are allowed free entry into these markets where there are many buyers. c) The channel bags company should move from this kind of market structure because there is maximization of profits. The most ideal market structure is the monopoly kind of market where the firm can dictate its own profits and prices. The most

Formation of Corporations and Stocks Essay Example for Free

Formation of Corporations and Stocks Essay * Why does a company choose to form as a corporation? What are the steps required to become a corporation? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the corporate form of doing business? Corporations are created in order to separate the businesses finances from the person’s individual finances so that they can protect themselves financially. The advantages of forming a corporation are that the business can obtain the credibility so that consumers are more comfortable. Since consumers normally prefers to do business with a corporation. Also by forming a corporation the person protects their assets and name by forming a corporation. The disadvantages are that the process is lengthy and pricey. Also corporations often end up paying more in taxes. Corporations are also monitored very closely and must be in compliance with several entities. * Why is preferred stock referred to as preferred? What are some of the features added to preferred stock that make it more attractive to investors? Would you select preferred stock or common stock as an investment? Why? Preferred stock is considered preferred because it has dividend preference over common stock. Preferred stockholders have the right to receive dividends before common stockholders. The per share dividend amount is stated as a percentage of the preferred stocks per value or as a specified amount. Preferred stockholders must ne paid their annual dividend plus any dividends in arrears before common stockholders receive any dividends. I would select referred stock over common stock because I want to get paid as quickly as possible. * What are the different types of dividends corporations may issue? When should a corporation pay dividends? Do you prefer a stock dividend or a cash dividend? Why There are four types of dividends: 1. cash dividends, 2. property dividends, 3. scrip (note), and 4. stock dividends. A corporation should pay dividends when it has retained earning, adequate cash, and a declaration of dividends. I would prefer a cash dividend. If the corporation issues stock, they are not having to spend actual cash. I want to be reassured that the business actually has my money. I have seen it too many times where huge corporations lie and cheat on paper. I also do not really like the stock market and never have been good at buying, selling, or owning stock.

Diaspora Placed By Amitav Ghosh English Literature Essay

Diaspora Placed By Amitav Ghosh English Literature Essay RECONFIGURATION OF DIASPORA IN THE CIRCLE OF REASON AND THE GLASS PALACE BY AMITAV GHOSH. Objective: To trace the the notions and feeling of diaspora placed by Amitav Ghosh in his two novels. Diaspora, etymologically derived from the Greek term diasperien where dia means across and sperien means to sow or scatter seeds, diaspora can perhaps be seen as a naming of the other which has historically refereed to displaced communities of people who have been dislocated from there native homeland through the movements of migration, immigration or exile. First used to describe the Jews living in exile from the homeland of Palestine, diaspora suggests a displacement from the homeland, circumstances or environmental location of origin and transfer in one or more nation states, territories or foreign countries. The term diaspora then has certain religious significance and pervaded medieval writings on the Jewish, to describe the plight of Jews living outside of Palestine (586BC.). Another early historical reference is the Black African diaspora, beginning in the sixteenth century with the slave trade, forcibly exporting West African out of their native land and dispersing them into the New World, parts of North America, South America , the Caribbean and elsewhere that slave labor was exploited through the middle passage. These early historical references reveal that diaspora is not always voluntary. Diaspora in, the rapidly changing world we now inhabit, speaks to diverse persons and communities moving across the globe from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney , Harare to Toronto , Paris to Marrakesh or even Calcutta to Trinidad, just as earlier in the twentieth century it mapped the movements of Palestinian refugees from Jerusalem to Amman or Beirut and Pakistani refugees from Karachi to Der-es- salaam. In thinking through the category of diaspora and its link to geographical entities such as nation states, it is thus crucial to consider the important role of nation formation and constitution during the post world war II era. While cultural and literary interrogate contemporary form of movement, displacement and dislocation from travel to exile. Mass migration movements, the multiple waves of political refugees seeking asylum in other countries, the reconfiguration of nation state, particularly in central the concept of nationhood take account of the specific geopolitical circumstances that precipitate the movement of people. The term diaspora used to describe the mass migration and displacement of the second half of the twentieth century, particularly in reference to independence to movements in formerly colonized areas, waves of refugees fleeing war-torn states and fluxes of economic migration. Diaspora has been particularly loosely associated with other terms, particularly transn ationalism, to describe the disjunction and fractured condition of late modernity, however , diaspora needs to be extricated from such loose association and its historical and theoretical specification made clear. While diaspora may be accurately described as transnationalist, it is not one and the same with transnationalism. Transnationalism may be defined as the course of citizens, thoughts, possessions and capital across nationalized territories in a way that undermines ethnic group and nationalism discrete categories of classification, money-making organization and political constitution. But there is a some what slight difference between diaspora and transnationalism, however, in that diaspora refers specifically to the movement forced or voluntary of the people from one or more nation state to another. Whereas transnationalism speaks to larger, more impersonal forces specifically those of globalization and global capitalism. Diasporic subjects are distincted by hybridity and h eterogeneity- artistic, linguistic, cultural, national and these subject are defined by the transversal of the borders demarcating nation and diaspora. Diaspora does not, however, transcends difference of race, class, gender and sexuality nor can diaspora stand alone as an epistemology and historical category of analysis, separate and distinct from interrelated categories. More complexly, diasporic scholars have suggested innovative and nuanced ways of thinking across the once demarcated terrains of identity and exploring the imbrications of ethnic and national categories, while offering insight into the cultural construction of identity in relation to nationality, diaspora, have, gender and sexuality, of course, class inflicts, if not haunts the formation of all these categories. To that end, class disrupts and complicates often in productive ways the intersection of race, gender and sexuality. Diaspora has been theorized from many diverse points of departure- East Asian, South Asi an, South East Asian, Asia Pacific, Carribean, South American, Latin American, African and Central European. Recent uses of homeland, rational ethnic identity and geographical location to deployment of diaspora conceptualized in term of hybridity or heterogeneity. While diasporic studies has emerged as an important new field of study , it is not without its critics. The term diaspora has been critiqued as being theoretically celebrated while ethologically indistinct and a historical. Some scholar, arguing that diaspora enters into a semantic field with other terms and terrains, such as that of exile, migrant, immigrant and globalization, have assented that diaporic communities are epitome of the transnationalist moment, other critics have resisted and critiqued such celebratory models of thinking diaspora, noting that such celebration are often a historical and apolitical, failing to note the different contexts allowing or prohibiting movement globally or even locally. For example, Bruce Robbins(1995) offers a close readings of four journals diaspora, boundary 2, social text and public culture that have broken new ground in stimulating and supporting work in the international area, the non specialist area beyond area studies, and each of the m see the work it publishes as in some senses adversarial(P97). In his analysis he describe diaspora as one of the four journals which has gone furtherest through never without qualification toward celebrating transnational mobility and the hybridity that results from it as simple and sufficient goods of themselves (P98). While Robbinss description of diaspora as a journal that celebrates transnational mobility is itself somewhat problematic, the article importantly as how and why do reputed academic journal contribute to and also map out terrain of intellectual engagement centering around the question of nation formation and migration within a transnational frame? And how do these journals valorize certain types of the theorization of nation specifically those centered on global mobility over others? Analogous of the problematic use of the term border within branches of area and ethnic studies in general, the term risks loosing specificity and critical merit if it is deemed to spea k for all movement and migration between nations, within nations, between cities and within cities. Some feel separated when they are out of their country while there are some people who feel separated and alienated even in their own country, and colonial power was one of the major reason for their alienation. Many Indian writers have contributed to the rich tradition of English literary studies. Writers like Mulk Raj Anand, Raja Rao and R.K.Narayan ,were the ones who made Indian English literature recognized and all were subjects of the British rule in India. Writers like Nirad. C.Chaudhari chosen the English coasts because his views were not willingly accepted in India. Salman Rushdies imaginary homeland encompasses the world over. Salman Rushdie, V.S Naipaul, Amitav Ghosh, Anita Desai, Rohinton Mistry, Vikram Seth have all made their names while residing abroad. These nonresident Indian writers have tried to discover the feelings of displacement in all of their literature. In one of his interviews, Amitav Ghosh said that I dont think migration signifies one thing. There are so many reasons why migrations take place it could be economic, social, political or even related to education. Amitav Ghosh is one of the well known face in English literature. His work received great critical acclaim: winning several awards and major nominations. His work deals with remarkable themes set against historical backdrops. His writings reveals about his subterranean connections and patterns. But his all the various ideas that inform his work are basically his characters whose life engages us and take us to some magnificent imagined places and times. Some of his novels are: The Circle of Reason (1986), Shadow Lines (1988), The Calcutta Chromosome (1995), The Glass Palace (2000), The Hungry Tide (2005), Sea of Poppies (2008). THE CIRCLE OF REASON The Circle of Reason is the first novel of Amitav Ghosh. The Circle of Reason is remarkable for many reasons. Its theme is different from traditional concerns of Indian English fiction. It challenges a direct and simple appreciation. In fact, it needs a different types of approach to be grasped fully. The book itself is sort of a paradox. It exuberates restlessness with extreme control and poise. The new thrust and lift that came to Indian English fiction duing late eighteenth and nineteenth century is partly due to this path breaking work. It is daring in its experimentation with form, content and language of the novel. The novel, although not strictly organized, is episodic in nature or we may call it picaresque. The novel is a journey in irregular. Traditionally the protagonist Alu should have gone from tama (darkness) to satwa (purity). Ghosh freely mixes a chain of thoughts. He superbly mixes past, present and future of his book. He describe one incident and if the incident links itself to any past happening, he immediately goes to that past incident. Through whole novel he played with changing consciousness. So the whole fabric of the novel keeps floating, goin backward and forward. In any case present is born out of past. So why should one not go to the great reservoir of memories, dreams and desires i.e past. The novel is crowded with characters. Alu is the only constant factor who lives by trial and error method, falls at times, stand up again and finally moves on to realize his potential, if he has any. The novel, without becoming a melancholic case history, underlines the troubled times, t hrough which all of us are living. Like a typical ended novel, it ends without providing readymade solution. There is a soothing effect at the end. Different threads seen to draw together yet there is no effort at preaching. In a typical picaresque fashion, Alu moves from Lalpukur in India to Al- Ghazira in Egypt and then to a small town in north eastern edge of the Algerian Sahara. The first section of the book contains many instances of migration. One of the instance from the book is that of Balarams birth year 1924, which forces author to think about the mass Indian migration to West. The People of Lalpukur, for example, had seen vomited out of their native soil(p 59) in the massacre connected with the partition of Indian. Within the novel people witnessed one more time that the spectacle of people being thrown miles away because of the civil war that led to the emergence of Bangladesh. The journey of Alu, although, does not bring any kind of satisfaction or success. It celebrat es the sense of unquiet wanderings. Its goes on and on searching a vision suitable for present timer. It is like chasing a phantom that ultimately vanishes into the thin air. The Circle of Reason has both historical as well as mythological elements . Mythical references have been moulded to reflect contemporary condition in a true new historicist fashion. Here ghosh nicely weaves ideas, characters and metaphors through magic and irony and develop his fictional motifs. Characters in the novel are not far from metaphors, they become metaphors. The charcters as well as different situation of the novel stand for rootlessness. Sometimes, I also wonder of our fascination about the idea of rootlessness. The present piece of work seems obsessed with his idea of migration. Migration, diasporic feeling, rootlessness and a new kind of sensibility born out of these factors what is new, typical and unique of our age is loneliness and sense of vacuum that comes with the individual migration or m igration of comparatively smaller groups. In real sense everyone is away from the roots- where have all the roots gone. There is nothing in this novel that can ordinarily be called a home. Sometimes novel seems confused and one is not sure about the city or village. Its goes back and forth from Bangladesh to Calcutta, then Middle East to Kerala. The story moves in very uncertain atmosphere. The novel can be called an eternal chronicle of restlessness, uncertainty and change. The novel basically tells three stories. The first part deals with the story of Balaram. He is rationalist and is very much influenced by Louis Pasteur. He has no involvement with people and he is equally cynical. Alu (Nachiketa), the protagonist, is a nephew of Balaram. He is a only one who survives in the family. The second part of the novel tells another tale. An earthly, zestful trader tries to bring together the communities of India and Middle East. But those efforts remain unrealistic. The third part in the story of Mrs. Verma, who, outrightly rejects the rational thinking. At the end of the novel, these three are in the search of newer horizon, unformed hopes and ideas. On an allegorical plane Alu is someone rooted in identity. But as we will see by his torturous wandering, Alu seems only to satirize his name. Ghosh divide man as mechanical man and other type of man can be easily assumed, thinking man. In this thinking, Ghosh, is talking about the Man on the loom or even furth er the idea behind on loom and not just the instrument. It is also the idea behind history. Loom united human race at times, it divides at other. It brought victories to some, subjugation to others. This passage is significant in its historical perspective, simply because the author here goes not to mere events or states of being but to themes that run then. The anti colonial note against the monopoly of hand shine cloth in obvious. There the relation of loom to computer, the most advanced achievement of Man at machine, is beautifully and factually established. Through this book Amitav Ghosh portrayed his diasporic feelings, loss of homeland and rootlessness which were clearly understandable and warmly felt. THE GLASS PALACE Tracing Indian lives in Burma, Amitav Ghoshs The Glass Palace (2000) recall Burma as a part of British India. Ghosh, who is from India, attempt to bring the suppressed history of subaltern in this novel. The Glass Palace is therefore condemned to record in exit ential dilemma. Where in the subjects is inevitably partitioned, a confused refugee never quite focus nor contained within the frame. Ghoshs characters, in this most spacious of his fiction, literally include both kings (Thebaw, Queen Supalayat, The Burmese Princess) and commoners ( Dolly, Raj Kumar, Saya John, Uma) but what unities them all is the unavoidable narrative of colonial dislodgment. If any single motif frames the grand picture, it is the occurrence of the English soldiers. That these soldiers as turn out more often that be Indian sepoys and some time ever, Indian officers- compound the puzzling effect. As Ghosh tells us , that smoke of dusts tend to hang over the imposing scenario. Whole cities are on the run and it is often impossible to see far given the apprehensive conditions. The Glass Palace of his title, it turn out, indicates both the magnificient half of mirrors which form the centre piece of the Mandalay residence of Burmese royalty are the name of a small photo studio where the books action appropriately ends. A writers business was to write and problematic values could, in his view, be interrogated as effectively in chapter sixteen. The rest of the forty eight chapters of The Glass Palace concern, during period of history both harrowing and exciting, the interaction between three families: of Dolly and Raj Kumar in Burma, of Uma and her brother in India and of say John, Raj Kumar and Matthew in Malaysia. Ghoshs novel, one can argue that coincidence represents what post modernist would call break in the logic of narration, just as post colonialism mark a disjunction from the earlier trajectory of colonialism. Migration in this book of Amitav Ghosh is the real experience: the protagonist suffer from it to larger extent as the role was assigned to him. Ghosh tries to focus on the reason of Indian involvement in imperialism and also takes in the economic perspective. Many Indians who were in the roles of businessmen and soldiers were involved and victims who throughout helped the British to conquer and sustain their empire. Other characters of the novel struggled for the Indian independence and few even revolted against the Britishers. In the light of emigration as a worldwide phenomenon it is indeed, Ghosh in his novel The Glass Palace managed to confine the past and what it must have meant to move to abroad settled down there and then be thrown out of there by war. It gives out the feeling of conquered and exploited and the terrible pressures and tensions of those people who were part of more than one ethnicity and culture, an almost usual result of the movement of people and the British empire set in motion. In his writings, Amitav Ghosh portrayed his diasporic feelings, loss of homeland and rootlessness which were clearly understandable and warmly felt while going through his work. Selected Bibliography Ghosh, Amitav , The circle of reason, publish (ravi dayal publishers) 2003 Ghosh, Amitav, the glass palace, new York, random house inc,2002 The Indian Diaspora: Dynamics of Migration,(sage publication)2004 Robbins, Bruce, Internationalism in Distress. Essays : The Imam and the Indian (2002) Exile literature and Diasporic Indian writers by Amit Shankar Saha Interviews: Migration of the reality of my times by Amitav Ghosh to India e news.

My Family Tradition Essay -- Personal Narrative Divorce Marriage Essay

My Family Tradition While preparing for this paper, I thought very hard about any specific traditions that my family has or has had in the past. Although thinking and brainstorming for a long time I could not come up with one tradition that my family has. I think that the main reason for that is because, almost everyone in my family has gone through a divorce. Ending a marriage seems to be very popular in our society today, one statistic states that, â€Å"50% of first marriages end in divorce.† However common divorce may be the pain and heartbreak seems meaningless, until it happens to you. The reason why I can’t think of any family traditions is because all of my family traditions have been ripped apart because of two people’s ill feelings toward each other. Therefore, my family tradition is divorce. I know it seems strange for a family tradition to be divorce, but opening presents on Christmas Day and eating a fancy dinner on Thanksgiving, have all been overshadowed by something far more traditional in my family. My great-grandmother and great-grandfather lived in England and brought eight beautiful daughters into this world. Two years after my grandmother and her twin were born; my great-grandparents ended a 15-year marriage in divorce. When my grandmother was 17 she met my grandfather an American man who was in the US Air Force. Shortly after their meeting, they found out they were having a baby and were married soon after. My grandmother then moved to the States and they began their life together. Eventually the Rains family had two more children, my mother and my Uncle Les. Unfortunately, this was never a fairytale life for any member of the family. My grandfather was an alcoholic, due to the stress in his job and be... ... the biggest impact that divorce will have on me as a teacher is, that I realized that the best thing I could give these children is love. Because of all the heartbreak in my family, I know that love is one thing that no one can live without. School is more than reading and writing, it is about life and I feel that the biggest part of life is love and being loved. Even though I have been through such a horrible experience, I am not alone in this world, nor will I be the last one to ever go through such an experience. Mariah Carey, who is my favorite singer, writes the following. The words describe a part of me that isn’t always seen, which is, the part of me that is fighting to move on from this experience. â€Å"I know there is a rainbow for me to follow to get beyond my sorrow, thunder precedes the sunlight, so I’ll be all right, lf I can find that rainbow's end."