Category Archives: Year 4

V for Vendetta: A Synopsis

Dale Martin

Caveat Emptor: Several plot spoilers occur in the ensuing abbreviated synopsis. It also contains rather mature content. Read at your own risk. Don’t let this spoil you for reading the real thing. It’s even better.

V for Vendetta is a brilliant book written by Alan Moore. The setting for the book is a post-nuclear war in the early nineties. The book presents the reader with an ever-changing plot that ends in the perfect way for this type of book. V for Vendetta is one of the greatest works of post-apocalyptic comics that has ever come from Britain.

The book starts with a woman who is not yet name getting dressed in rather provocative clothing. She is listening to propaganda by the ruling government. The government at this time is called Norsefire. They have weeded out any potential resistance and have full control of the country. Norsefire controls people through five branches. The Eyes see everything that goes on in the city of London. The Ears listen to all communication throughout the city. The Nose and the Mouth regulate the air waves. The Fingers are the enforcers of the other branches. They truly do the work of the rest of the branches. They all follow the leader who relies on “Fate,” a computer that tells him how to rule the country. Another person is preparing to go out as well as the woman. The woman walks out onto a street known for prostitutes. She finds a man sitting there waiting and she proceeds to ask him if he wants to have sex. Now the law at this time forbids prostitution and the punishment was death (and whatever the Fingers did to you before they killed you). The woman unknowingly had asked one of the Fingers to comply with prostitution. He proceeds to let her know her mistake and calls over his friends for some pre-judgment fun with the woman. To the woman’s delight a man with a mask jumps and kills three of the Fingers and saves the woman. She passes out during the excitement and awakes to the man standing near her, making sure she is all right. He is still wearing the mask and welcomes her into his home.

The man calls himself V and is in the process of overthrowing the government. He has started with the abduction of the main voice of the Mouth. We learn this man once worked at a resettlement camp, which is equal to the Nazi German concentration camps. We also find V was at one of these camps and was a victim of this man’s ill treatment of the residents at the camp. We also discover a clue to V’s name: he was in a test room labeled number five in Roman numerals. V begins to mentally torture the man by making him recall the past, and to culminate the torture he burns the man’s precious collection of dolls in front of his face. Later we find the man is mentally unstable and is practically useless to the government. The woman, who by now we know is named Evey, begs V to allow her to help in his work. V unwillingly allows her to help him. She is to become a play toy to the bishop of the church in England. She does this and is nearly raped, when she makes a move on the bishop and runs away. Then comes V to the rescue and takes the bishop to another room to have a talk. Just before this incident occurs the greatest quotation in the book is said concerning the bishop and his “midnight snacks.” The butler to the bishop states “The unrighteousness may not have peace but the righteous can get a piece whenever they want too.” Of course, this not true but this almost makes sense of what the bishop is doing. He claims to be a teacher of God, yet does the things he wants. Now the bishop’s punishment administered to him by V is death by a communion wafer poisoned with cyanide. Evey is distraught to find she was an aide to a murder. V states she wanted to help despite his warnings. Evey has an argument with V that ends with V dumping her off on some random street. She is picked up by a kind man who takes care of her for a while. They have a relationship, but he was in some shady business and is killed. Evey, angry at this outcome, attempts to murder the man who killed him. She is stopped.

During V’s little vacation of sorts we find V has killed a woman who was ultimately the cause for his insanity. As a result, her lover who works with the government, decides to hunt him down for this. We also find V has killed every single person who worked at the resettlement camp that were previously thought to be accidents. We then find Evey about to commit a murder but is stopped by a masked man. Evey awakes in a jail cell charged with attempted murder, which is true except she is charged as an accomplice of V, which is false. She is tortured and tortured until finally she would rather have death than to have life through a lie. Then she is set free. She finds out V had constructed this to free her from the confinement of happiness. V, now having finished his theatrical performance of the destruction of the government, has set in place everything and begins to tell Evey things that seem random at the time but come together at the end. We see the lover of the doctor previously killed has caught up to V and is high on LSD. To his amazement he succeeds in mortally wounding V. Now V passes the rights to Evey and asks of her to give him a Viking burial. This consists of a train packed full of explosives. The government, which is now in ruins tries to recover now knowing that V is dead, or so they thought, when they see another V continuing the legacy. The new V in the process of the confusion saves another person and so the story begins again with a new V and a new student.

The Use of Impression Management Tactics

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Nicole Moore Sanborn

As in any industry, many problems exist in the industry of business and in what is commonly referred to as “the business world.” Interviews are a major tool used within the realm of business to get to know people as well as determine job capability. It is important to note here that interviews are widely used, so this is not just an issue within business. Within interviews, it is common for interviewees or applicants to attempt to alter how interviewers perceive them with what are called impression management tactics. Impression management tactics are a concern within interviews and many believe the use of these tactics is a serious problem. Many argue against the use of impression management tactics, saying they sway the interviewer toward the applicant too much and thus alter who is employed. The problem of the use of impression management tactics within interviews needs to be observed more thoroughly and addressed. Once addressed, a solution should be executed. The best and primary solution to the solving the issue of the use of impression management tactics is increasing interview structure, thereby giving the employers more control and ways to better detect the use of impression management tactics.

Some classify impression management tactics in two forms: verbal and nonverbal. Verbal impression management tactics can further be classified into self-focused tactics (directing the conversation towards themselves) and other-focused tactics (directing the conversation to the interviewer or the company). Within self-focused verbal impression managements there are more subcategories: self-promotion (demonstrating qualifications), exemplification (convincing the interviewer that the applicant’s behavior can be used as a model for others), and discussing how the applicant is responsible for past achievements (Chen, Chiu, and Tsai, 2005). According to Aleksander Ellis, Bradley West, Anne Marie Ryan, and Richard DeShon (2002), another definition for impression management tactics is “a conscious or unconscious attempt to control the images that are projected in social interactions” (p. 1200). Ellis et al. (2002) claims there are two broad categories displaying types of impression management tactics: assertive and defensive. Ellis et al. (2002) defines assertive tactics as self-promotion tactics and ingratiation tactics. The self-promotion tactics are the same as the ones listed above, with the emphasis being to display competence and intelligence and make a favorable impression to the interviewer. Ingratiation tactics are essentially the “other-focused” tactics above, that is, when an applicant seeks to evoke interpersonal liking and establish good rapport with the interviewer. Defensive tactics, however, are designed to protect or repair one’s image. Defensive tactics include excuses, justifications, and apologies. Defensive tactics are used less often than assertive tactics. Defensive impression management tactics are most commonly used to justify past behavior and potentially to spin a negative quality in the applicant’s favor (Ellis et al., 2002).

The traditional interview has historically been scrutinized and left suspect to whether or not it truly examines and determines the qualifications and the preparedness of the applicant for the job position. More structured interviews are becoming more and more common, and researchers favor them because they are less prone to issues such as impression management (Ellis et al., 2002). A wide array of topics and actions fall under the term “impression management tactics.” They are exactly as they sound: tactics applicants use to manage their impression before their interviewer. What does impression management look like? The first aspect of impression management is in making the first impression. Robert Lount, an assistant professor at Ohio State University, says “First impressions matter when you want to build a lasting trust. If you get off on the wrong foot, the relationship may never be completely right again” (Quast, 2013, par. 3). According to the Image Consulting Business Institute, image management is “the ongoing, pro-active process of evaluating and controlling the impact of your appearance on you, on others, and the achievement of your goals” (Quast, 2013, par. 4). Lisa Quast (2013), contributor to Forbes magazine, lists five things to consider when making a positive first impression: attire, calculated verbal communication, evaluation of non-verbal communication, wariness of attitude, and scrutinization of grooming, including hair, makeup, and cleanliness.

According to Ellis et al. (2002), the relationship between an applicant’s use of self-promoting tactics and higher interview ratings is a result of a theory called the attribution theory. Attribution theory suggests that humanity has an inherent need to understand the behavior of other individuals and evaluate the cause of other individuals’ actions (Ellis et al., 2002). Thus, the interviewer, when evaluating an applicant, may attribute actions during the interview to the use of self-promoting impression management tactics and maintaining their overall image. Because the interviewer attributes an applicant’s actions to impression management tactics, the theory is titled attribution theory.

Why is the use of impression management tactics an issue? Many believe the use of these tactics is an issue because the use of tactics may sway the interviewer one way or the other in their review of the applicant. Suppose a well-spoken individual applies for a job and uses impression management tactics during their interview. Meanwhile, another individual who is less well spoken but better qualified walks into the interview and either does not use impression management tactics or does not use them as well. If the interviewer favors the first individual over the second individual due to the use of impression management tactics (tactics which made the first individual more likeable or appear more qualified), the use of these tactics could become an issue.

When observing the negative aspects of the use of impression management tactics, one must consider industry. Some employment opportunities have a “customer-contact requirement.” (Chen, Chiu, and Tsai, 2005). Sales representatives must prove job competence when talking to customers. Journalists must be able to present themselves well to conduct interviews. Public relations and marketing employees must network and expand the horizons of the company. Essentially, there is a customer-contact requirement in many job and business settings. However, employment opportunities for scientific research jobs or jobs in the engineering field have less of a customer-contact requirement. While these people must know how to present themselves, they do not go out and talk to the public or other businesses on a daily basis, and thus the ability to use impression management tactics well is far less important. Impression management tactics are also less of a problem in these fields. This paper observes business-specific interviews, where employees are required to be in contact with customers more frequently. Thus, impression management tactics affecting and intervening with employment decisions is more widespread in the realm of business.

This poses an issue for interviewers. If the applicant uses impression management tactics to sway the interviewer to approval, the issue of authenticity within the interview arises. Karl Nunkoosing (2005) discusses the issue of truth and authenticity in interviews. In his essay, the interviewer is considered a researcher. The interviewer is indeed a type of a researcher, gathering information from stories about applicants. Nunkoosing poses the issue of the “researcher” or the interviewer only basing employment decisions off of the stories applicants tell. He argues that not only does the applicant choose the aspects of life he or she is most interested in telling, but also that a person may “have a well-rehearsed story totell” (Nunkoosing, 2005, pg. 701). The issue of impression management even boils down to what stories are told.

Amy Gallo (2012), author in the Harvard Business Review, cites John Lees, a career strategist and author of books about interviews. Gallo says that Lees dismisses the advice to “be yourself” in an interview. He emphasizes being the best version of you. His advice essentially screams the use of impression management tactics to put your best foot forward in an interview setting. However, simply because one is being the best version of themselves does not mean they are being a false version of themselves. It must be pointed out here, however, that impression management tactics do not necessarily fabricate someone’s personality. The issue of the use of impression management tactics swaying the interviewer ties into Lees’ advice to “put your best foot forward” and persuade the interviewer to favorably judge. The issue is that you do not know if the applicant is lying about their personality, tendencies, or capabilities to appear favorable. In some extreme cases, lying is a possibility. Other times, resources could be wasted attempting to figure out whether or not the applicant is lying. Companies have more important issues to attend to than to figure out whether or not an interviewee is being hurtful. Thus, the use of impression management has the potential to be a problem in many facets of business.

Another aspect that must be taken into consideration is the type of questions being asked in an interview. Ellis et al. (2002) divide interview questions into two types: situational and experiential. These two types of questions are commonly referenced in many other sources. Experiential interview questions are questions about an applicant’s past experience and focus on what has already been accomplished. Ellis et al. (2002) hypothesizes that more self-promotion tactics are used in answering experiential questions. This makes sense, as self-promotion tactics include self-promotion (qualification focused) and exemplification (saying they could be a model for behavior) tactics. When an applicant focuses on his or her past achievements they will focus on why they are qualified for the job and look to past achievements to prove he or she can be a model employee. Situational interview questions focus on the future, where the interviewer asks the applicant what they would do if put in a specific future situation. The use of more ingratiation tactics is expected (Ellis et al., 2002) in answering situational questions, specifically justification, where the applicant would justify their behavior in a future situation the interviewer asked about. Because different tactics are used when different questions are asked, it can be difficult to determine the totality of the effects that the use of impression management tactics has on interviewers. The use of impression management tactics is a problem nonetheless that needs to be solved so that interviews are based more on the qualities and qualifications of the applicant rather than on how much the applicant persuaded the interviewer to act favorably toward them.

The best solution to the issue of using impression management tactics in interviews is increasing the structure of interviews. Before interviews can be restructured, the current structure of interviews must be observed. According to Northwestern University (2013), every interview follows a similar structure. In each interview, there is the arrival of the applicant (nonverbal cues are utilized here), the introduction to the interviewer, an information exchange, and the wrap-up. Within the information exchange aspect, four different question types are asked: behavioral, closed-ended, preference, and follow-up questions. Behavioral questions focus more on past behavior of the applicant and experiences, while closed-ended questions typically have brief answers and are where the interviewer has more control. Behavioral and preference questions are more open-ended and are where the applicant can typically take charge. Preference questions are exactly as they sound: the interviewer asking about the preferences of the applicant. Follow-up questions are typically asked in response to an applicant’s answer to a specific question and are where the interviewer can take charge and direct the conversation. The introduction and wrap-up aspects of the interview are quite similar, as both typically involve a handshake and either introductions or farewells. However, in the wrap-up, the employer typically asks the applicant if they have any questions. At this time it is important for the applicant to demonstrate how interested they are in the job position as well as how serious they are about getting hired (Northwestern, 2013). Even in structured interviews the basic layout above remains. According to the online Business Dictionary (2014), a structured interview is a “fixed format interview in which all questions are prepared beforehand and are put in the same order to each interviewee” (BusinessDictionary.com, 2014). Structured interviews are said to provide precision and reliability that is required in certain situation (BusinessDictionary.com, 2014).

One way to decrease the effectiveness of the use of impression management tactics is to know how to spot types of employees the company is not looking to hire. Carol Goman (2013), contributor to Forbes.com, writes about how to spot a liar during an interview. While outright lie detection is not directly related to impression management tactics, some of these tips can also be used to spot the use of impression management tactics. She suggests watching for stress signals and watching the applicant’s eyes. By watching for stress signals, the interviewer can observe when the applicant attempts to calm himself down and attempt to manage the interviewer’s impression of him. When this is observed through noticing the applicant’s eyes, the interviewer can guard himself from impression management tactics. Another tip is to notice when the applicant isn’t really answering the question, but is finding a way to avoid the direct question that was asked. This can be an attempt to cover something up or manage an impression (Goman, 2013).

The final two tips Goman gives are to listen to vocal stress and detect emotions hidden by smiles. If it seems obvious that the applicant is stressed or is covering up a feeling by smiling, impression management tactics are most likely being used to either cover something up about the applicant or give a false impression of who he or she truly is. Admittedly, the interviewer could exaggerate detecting these signals (they could think the applicant is lying and be wrong), and signs of stress could simply be related to the fact that the applicant is in an interview for a position they are trying to obtain. As a result, these tips for lie detection as they relate to impression management tactics are only the beginning of the solution to decrease the efficacy of the aforementioned tactics.

As previously stated, the best solution to combat the efficacy of impression management tactics is to increase the structure of the interview. Now that the structure of interviews has been explained and tips for interviewers to use to detect the use of impression management tactics have been given, how to structure the interview will be discussed. As explained earlier when defining impression management tactics, the issue is also an issue of industry, and this paper is business specific. Beth Leech of Rutgers University writes about techniques for how to ask questions in interviews (2002). The first step is for the interviewer to establish rapport. Rapport in this sense is not simply making the applicant feel comfortable. The interviewer should appear professional and generally knowledgeable about the applicant, without knowing too many specific details but appearing to know the basics of the applicant. Leech also discussed question wording in interviewers. The words used in the questions being asked should be non-judgmental, non-suggestive, non-presumptuous and non-threatening. If the interviewer knows the applicant did not like their old boss or was in a sticky job situation or maybe messed up in a previous place of employment, the interviewer should watch the question working. If the question seems accusatory, the applicant is likely to put up walls and engage in impression management tactics to attempt to control the situation. When non-suggestive words are used in a question, the applicant is more likely to give the interviewer more information (Leech, 2002). Thus, wording and what angle the interviewer is coming from plays a role in an applicant’s use of impression management tactics. Interviewers should carefully consider how questions are worded to get the most honest answer from their applicants.

When structuring interviews, question type is imperative. Question type can be the key to controlling the interview and can be used to determine whether or not the applicant is engaging in impression management tactics. Pulakos and Schmitt (1995/2006) say that two types of interview questions are experience based questions and situational questions. Situational questions discuss the future, where the applicant explains what he or she would do in a future situation while on the job. Experience-based questions, however, look to past experiences and actions to determine the preparedness of the applicant. An example of a situational based interview question is as follows: “What actions would you take in a situation where you know another employee is faking the books or embezzling money from the company?” An example of an experienced based interview question could be “What have you done in the past that has prepared you to organize the books and financial records of the company?”

Pulakos and Schmitt (1995/2006) conducted a study to determine whether situational questions or experienced based questions are better to determine future job performance. It is important to note here that applicants can and will still use impression management tactics when answering each question type. The goal is to find a solution where the interviewers are more in control and aware of the use of impression management tactics, thereby rendering the tactics less effective. Pulakos and Schmitt (1995/2006) found that although situational questions were viewed as potentially better to determine job performance, their hypothesis was incorrect. Experience-based questions were a better predictor of job performance, according to the meta-analyses and statistical analysis of the data collected (Pulakos & Schmitt, 1995/2006). Therefore, experienced-based questions should be used to better predict job performance. Interviewers should ask these questions and watch for the use of impression management tactics.

Although applicants can choose which experiences to discuss in the interview and manage their impression as such, looking to past experiences is a better predictor of job performance, as previously stated. Employers should be aware that impression management tactics will be used but should be able to detect them better. Therefore, to be more in control of the interview, despite the use of impression management tactics, interviewers should primarily ask experience-based questions. This way the interviewer can close in on the applicant and make a judgment as to whether or not he or she is telling the truth. If enough experience-based questions are asked, the interviewer will get a broader sense of who the applicant truly is by controlling the interview and forcing the applicant to tell of enough past experiences. The interviewer will still have to watch for the use of impression management tactics.

Impression management tactics are commonly used in interviews, specifically in the business world. Impression management tactics have various categories, and applicants apply these tactics depending on the question being asked (situational or experiential). The use of impression management tactics is considered a problem because the use of these tactics sways the interviewer more favorably toward that applicant. This, in turn, raises questions about if the applicant was really a better applicant than those who did not use impression management tactics. There are many tangible solutions to the issue of the use of impression management tactics in interviews, the primary one being interview structure. The use of impression management tactics will not cease to exist because likeability will always play a role in an interviewer’s decision-making. An applicant cannot be chosen based on measurable qualities alone. However, with increasing interview structure, interviewers will be more aware of the use of these tactics and there will be less wondering about whether or not the applicant swayed the interviewer into employing him or her when someone better suited for the job also applied.

References

BusinessDictionary.com. Structured interview. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/structured-interview.html.

Chen, C., Chiu, S., &, Tsai, W.. (2005). Exploring boundaries of the effects of applicant impression management tactics in job interviews. Journal of Management, 31 (1): 108-125.

Ellis, A., West, B., Ryan, A., &, DeShon, R.. (2002). The use of impression management tactics in structured interviews: A function of question type? American Psychological Association, 87 (6): 1200-1208.

Gallo, A.. (2012). Stand out in your interview. HBR Blog Network. Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/2012/09/stand-out-in-your-interview/.

Goman, C.. (2013). Seven tips for spotting liars. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2013/05/20/7-tips-for-spotting-liars-at-work.

Leech, B.. (2002). Asking questions: Techniques for semi-structured interviews. Political Science and Politics, Volume unlisted (4): 665-668.

Northwestern University. (2013). Structure of an interview. Retrieved from http://www.northwestern.edu/careers/students/employment-skills/interviews/structure-of-an-interview-.html.

Nunkoosing, K.. (2005). The problems with interviews. Qualitative Health Research, 15 (5): 698-706.

Pulakos, E., &, Schmitt, N.. (2006). Experience-based and situational interview questions: Studies of validity. First published online 7 December 2006. Reprinted from 1995, Personnel Psychology, 48 (2): 289-308.

Quast, L.. (2013). Five tips to create a positive first impression. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/09/09/5-tips-to-create-a-positive-first-impression/.

The Great Depression

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Daniel Coats

The Great Depression is remembered as one of the darkest periods in American history ever. A period where life was hard and desperate and where there was little hope for recovery. Consequences and effects from the Great Depression are still affecting America today and America will never be the prosperous flourishing country it used to be. Instead America is reinventing itself since this horrible era. The people of America had and still have pioneer spirits and stayed positive throughout the depression and that is how America got through the depression and picked itself back up and darted for the top. (Although nowadays we are going downhill again.) This unfortunate tragedy was so devastating that it affected many other countries, especially Europe. Because of God’s grace, leadership, and a plan, America was able to turn around and recover after many years of unemployment and poverty.

In October 1929 the stock market crashed, which triggered the Great Depression. This caused investment and consumer spending to plummet which lowers industrial output extremely meaning more unemployed citizens because of failing businesses. The main reasons behind the stock market crashing was actually happening during the “roaring twenties” when America was prospering. During this era income increased from 74 billion dollars in 1923 to 89 billion dollars in 1929. Although this seems great, the “Coolidge Prosperity” of the 1920’s was not shared evenly among all Americans (McElvaine 38). “According to a study done by the Brookings Institute, in 1929 the top 0.1% of Americans had a combined income equal to the bottom 42%; That same top 0.1% of Americans in 1929 controlled 34% of all savings, while 80% of Americans had no savings at all” (McElvaine 38). While the disposable income per capita rose 9% from 1920 to 1929, those with income within the top 1% enjoyed a stupendous 75% increase in per capita disposable income (McElvaine 39). As you can see this is a recipe for disaster.

Why was there this large and increasing difference from the rich and the middle class? Wages for jobs in manufacturing only grew 8% while productivity increased four times as fast. Production costs dropped and wages grew very slowly. Corporate gains grew 62 percent! Obviously money is not being distributed evenly. Henry Ford is a big example of corporate gains over wages growing. He made 14 million dollars a year while his workers were making an average of 750 dollars. In today’s money Henry would be making over 300 million dollars while his workers would be making around 18,000 dollars. This is absurd and was happening all over the U.S during the roaring twenties and into the depression.

Although it seemed that the Depression will finally come to an end with Franklin D. Roosevelt’s social security bill being passed and with industries beginning to hire people, unfortunately it did not work as well as everyone wanted it to. In fact, it didn’t really improve at all until the United States decided to take action and join forces with the Allies in World War II. Millions of jobs were created when the United States decided to up their game on defense and when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, millions of more jobs were created when the U.S actually declared war after the fatal attack against the U.S. By the time the War ended, the U.S was back on top and the Great Depression was pretty much wiped out.

Lessons that can be learned from the Great Depression are when bad times come and there’s not much people can do individually about it, stay active with people and stay active in the community. It is easier to get through things with fellow friends and people. That is the main thing that kept people alive and hopeful and strong during the Great Depression. As well as having a positive mind set through hardships, people need to be wise financially. Now that Americans have credit, it is easier to have debt. Back then if you had no money, you had no money. Nowadays people can borrow and borrow and get deep into debt which not only hurts themselves but also the economy. We have already almost gotten into another Great Depression in 2007 (The Great Recession). If America does not want to go through another terrible era like this again Americans must become financially savvy and work together.

Bibliography

“Great Depression, The.” History.com. A+E Networks, 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.

McElvaine, Robert S. The Great Depression: America 1929-1941. N.p.: n.p., 1984. 38-39. Print.

“Timeline of the Great Depression.” PBS. WHRO, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.

The Role of God vs. The Role of the gods

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Sydney Harris

We’ve recently read the Iliad in English class, which is the epic tale of bravery, courage, and vengeance. The story depicts the quest for honor and glory among the gods and men. This story is a Greek and Trojan tale, so therefore includes Greek and Trojan gods and goddesses in them. Divine intervention was a major part in Homer’s Iliad. The gods that are seen most in this book are Zeus, Hera, Athena, and Poseidon. Most of the gods have favorites and are on a particular side to win. Although, as the just and highest god, Zeus is equal in loyalty to both the Greeks and Trojans. Even when his son Sarpedon is about to die, for example, he lets the outcome go unaltered. The gods in the Iliad are extremely active in the lives of their people in a very obvious and straightforward way.

As Christians we have one deity we look to for help and wisdom, and that is God. God is also very involved in our lives and cares deeply for us. He wants our praise and worship like the Greek gods but doesn’t do harm to us if we don’t. He is jealous but doesn’t show His wrath upon us like the gods repeatedly do throughout that time period and in the book. He doesn’t pick sides and is only doing and deciding what is right and good. He answers our prayers like the gods in the Iliad do but not always the way we want Him to. He has been very evident in the history of this world, nation, and personal lives of everyone who accept Him.

History has opened a lot of doors for questions in relation to where is God when you need Him or how He lets bad things happen. As Christians we struggle with answering this question for people and frankly ourselves. In the Bible it states God is all-powerful and wise and just. So, when bad things happen, we wonder how a wise and loving God would do such a thing. We also know the earth is Satan’s domain, and he wishes to kill, steal, and destroy. God doesn’t use His power over Satan because He knows he won’t stop, and He is righteous and will never force us to worship Him. Bad things happen because sin entered the world through Adam and Eve and cannot be completely removed until Jesus comes back and recreates a new Heaven and Earth.

In history the Greek gods and goddesses have been known to not be perfect and make a lot of mistakes. They have bad tempers, do what they want with humans, and don’t care for anyone but themselves. The only way they would show mercy to you is if you were their child (or a demi-god), or you gave them sacrifices. These gods committed adultery, murder, and a list of other things any normal deity figure would not do. The Greek and Trojan people had no concept of one god making the whole universe and everything in it, so they made up their own gods. They knew the stories and theories they made weren’t true, but they compromised the truth so they could do what they wanted.

The Christian God is the only way to Heaven or anything after death through His Son Jesus, who died for our sins. He made the Heavens, Moon, Stars, and everything in it. Our God is personal and real, the main difference between the two. He wants to be involved and relevant in each single person out of the billions of people He uniquely created for a purpose. He cares enough about us to give us rules and regulations and abides by them, earning our respect. We have a reverent fear of God, but the gods only create a natural fear in their believers. A lot of religions today are about works and just the religion, not the relationship. That’s what Christianity is all about, the relationship we create with our Heavenly Father and how we share His love with others while we are on this planet.

Transcendentalism

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Luke Kline

Transcendentalism began to develop in the 1820s. It was the idea that our human spirits were involved with yet went beyond the natural world. The natural world is not the only real thing. Transcendentalists tend to view nature as a way of communicating the condition of the human soul.

An example of the transcendentalist worldview is displayed in Walt Whitman’s poem “The Ship Starting.” Whitman uses extremely figurative language and personifies ordinary natural objects to represent human souls. In the poem the ship represents humans sailing on the vast ocean. The vast ocean represents the ever-changing and unpredictable life of humans. Upon reading this poem literally one may just observe a narrative about a large ship sailing on the ocean. However, each item in the poem represents something bigger than itself. Everything is a symbol for something else. This is the embodiment of transcendentalism itself.

For transcendentalists nothing is merely physical. Spiritualism and divinity are a part of all aspects of life. This is why you will rarely find a transcendentalist writing literally. Almost everything in their works stands for something else. The natural world represents the spiritual world.

Another aspect of transcendentalists is the idea of individualism. Every individual is made equal and all are called to a certain purpose. An excellent example of this worldview is found in another of Whitman’s poems entitled “I Hear America Singing.” In the poem Whitman describes all different types of people performing their duties. Everyone is “singing” while they perform their duty. This can be interpreted as everybody is happy and satisfied with what they are doing. Another aspect of a transcendental view of human nature is revealed here. It is that all humans are inherently good. When people perform their duty there should be no grumbling and complaining. By fulfilling their duties they are good and satisfied.

Besides secular aspects, transcendentalists also have their religious views of religion. In general, they tend to denounce the traditional creeds and traditions of the church. Rather, they seek to find God in their soul and in spirit. Instead of studying the Bible to receive the Holy Spirit, they desire a special revelation from God Himself. Transcendentalists are firm believers in oracles and direct inspiration from God. Here we again observe this reoccurring idea of putting aside the physical world and searching for the true things of the spiritual world.

Finally, the idea of coming out of the old and into the new is prevalent in a transcendentalist’s worldview. Transcendentalists were not satisfied with the church or the political parties. When the movement commenced, many separated themselves from church and state and sought fellowship with people who had the same mindset as them. This idea of embracing the new is what caused them to not take faith in the “old church” and seek God in His present day being. Transcendentalists support modernization of religion. With all this, it is clear to see that transcendentalism centers around the idea of change and the embracing of new things.

Bibliography

Miller, Perry. The American Transcendentalists: Their Prose and Poetry. New York: Doubleday Anchor. 1957. Print.

Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Philadelphia: D. McKay, 1900. Print.

Hard vs. Soft Science Fiction

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Chris Glock

Like most genres of literature, science fiction can be divided into sub-genres. Of these sub-genres there is hard sci-fi and its opposite hard sci-fi. Of these two genres there are many famous writers and works in each. The line between the two is very grey with varying levels of hardness and softness as opposed to having just hard and just soft.

Science fiction is a fictitious genre that focuses on real and hypothetical science. Usually science fiction takes place in the future, however there is a good number occurring in a modern setting and some even taking place in the past. People often lump science fiction under the fantasy genre of which many sci-fi books could fall.

Hard science fiction had a focus on scientific fact or accuracy. This definition however says nothing about the actual literary content of the book, which is why to many people it is not as alluring as soft science fiction. Because of this hard sci-fi is sometimes scrutinized for putting scientific accuracy above all else. People who aren’t fans of this sometimes see them as textbooks filled with knowledge rather than an entertaining story.

A great example of this hard science fiction is “Day Million” by Frederik Pohl. This book tells the story of Don and Dora from the future, day one million to be precise. While like all books it has a plot and main characters, they serve only to keep readers interested. The book primarily talks about how different life is in the future. Don is cybernetic and has a metal body, while Dora is some sort of modified human with gills and a tail. At the end they both get married then never see each other again, this is because they both download the other’s personality into their minds so that they can see, hear, and feel, the other at any given moment. That is the entirety of the plot; much more attention and detail goes into describing how this futuristic world functions.

Soft science fiction in contrast is any work of literature set in a fictitious scientific setting despite how inaccurate or realistic it is. Many people prefer this, and for a good reason, too: without being held to the realism set by hard science fiction, the writers have easier times creating and interesting and captivating story for their audiences. These books also tend to be better known as people who aren’t fans of the scientific side of them can still find the story fascinating.

A famous work of soft science fiction is H.G. Wells’s The Invisible Man. It tells how a man named Griffin turns himself invisible; while conducting research, Griffin gets himself in trouble with the town. He is then chased down and killed by everyone in the town. This is soft science fiction because, while it does have scientific principles, it is used as a backdrop to the rest of the story. The book doesn’t even mention how Griffin had become invisible except for it had been an accident during an experiment.

Bibliography

Blish, James B. “Surface tension.” N.p.: Gnome Press, 1957. Print.

Clarke, Arthur C. “Childhood’s End.” N.p.: Ballantine Books, 1953. Print.

Pohl, Frederick G. “Day Million.” Lanham: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1979. N. pag. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. <http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/Sci-Tech-Society/stored/day_million.pdf>.

Wells, Herbert G. The Invisible Man. N.p.: C. Arthur Pearson, 1876. Print.

Hi There!

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Christopher Rush

Welcome back! Your dreams, indeed, were your ticket out, but here we are together again, wouldn’t miss it. How are we doing? Same as always. We are back in the saddle once again. We have shaken off the dust, polished the fine silverware, and wound our pocketwatches for a new season. How are you doing?

I know what you’re thinking: “Why? You ended on top, masters of your field! It ended so beautifully, so heartwarmingly optimistically — there’s no chance to be as great as it once was!” Easy, now. In a world in which Monty Python can reunite to sold-out shows, Rush can be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Batman is finally released in Blu-ray in its entirety (the Adam West version, of course), and Bob Seeger, AC/DC, U2, and Pink Floyd(!) can release new albums, surely we, too, are allowed to do something unexpected and unhoped for.

At the beginning of series two, I made a list (in approximately 28 seconds) of the various topics I wanted to write about, including every entry in the much-beloved “Forgotten Gems” series. During series two and three, I wrote them all. The journal and I accomplished everything we set out to do. It was a rewarding yet tiring experience. New opportunities came along, people grow old, things change, many factors that need not be enumerated here (or ever) … it was time for a break.

And yet here we are again. Yes, despite the positive surprise occurrences mentioned above, the world is much different, darker, angrier, more confused place than it was when we left (a world in which the Forces of Darkness are met not by Armies of Light but by apologetic open letters), but what better reason to return and bring more hope back to a world that needs it so much? We don’t have to be what we once were — we won’t even try. We’ll just be who we are now, not trying to emulate ourselves or “the good ol’ days,” and see the world perhaps not as it is but as it should be, making Cervantes (O’Toole’s Cervantes, at least) proud as we go.

Reedeming Pandora is no longer an elective, and thus we will be different by necessity. Instead of having the same core group of seniors contributing work each issue, we will expand our horizons and broaden our vision. Most of the diverse selections will be the sundry projects from Honors English students, grades 10-12. This relates to the general change of the Honors program in English: instead of having all Honors students do the same task each quarter, students are pursuing individually-tailored courses of study, what we’ve informally nicknamed “More Better Different.” Along with this freedom comes a variety of ways students are proving their learning. Some will be papers, some will be modified slideshows, some will be … I have no idea what some will be. This is awfully exciting. We are trying to bring that freshness into Redeeming Pandora.

True, this spontaneity may make it difficult to advertise what will occur from issue to issue, as even I don’t have much of a plan for what to write about, but as we like to say around the office, our motto at Summit is “Keepin’ it Fresh.”

As always, we will welcome the contributions of old friends (alumni), and perhaps we will see contributions by new friends (who may or not be alumni or even people who have never been to Summit). Perhaps we will revisit some old series like Forgotten Gems, perhaps we will pay more attention to the world around us now. We’ll find out together. There are truly no lines on the horizons (other than the limitations of the printed page, of course).

One thing I do know, we will continue to bring laughter and warmth and hope to your lives and ours. It’s not the time to give up and allow the darkness free reign over the world and our souls.

So buckle up, boys and girls! The band is back together. It’s Magic Time.

Cue the Collective Soul (believe me, it sounds better than it reads):

Welcome all, welcome all
Welcome all my friends.
Welcome all, welcome all
Welcome all again.
Welcome all, welcome all
Welcome all my friends.
Welcome all, welcome all
Welcome all again.
Welcome all again
Welcome all again
Welcome all again
Welcome all again!