Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Essays

Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Essays Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Paper Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Paper Romanticism, a literary trend during the period between 1780 and 1830, was heavily influenced by the social and political changes of the era experienced in Great Britain. These changes were a catalyst in literature as writers, in particular poets, produced highly influential and memorable work. Within these works major themes could be detected such as childhood for example. Both William Wordsworth and William Blake produced some of the most memorable poetic literature of the Romantic period that reflected the nature of childhood. The set extract has been taken from William Wordsworth autobiographical poem, The Prelude. Within these verse paragraphs, the reader is given an insight of Wordsworth upbringing, who as the speaker of the poem recollects his childhood memories. As such the reader is able to detect the magnificence of childhood that Wordsworth believed was fundamental in his growth as a poet. The Prelude makes use of iambic pentameter which in conjunction with enjambment, the long uninterrupted sentences provide the fluency of a conversation, a natural speech pattern which the reader can relate. The extract opens with the speakers account of growing up in that beloved Vale (l.309), Wordsworth attended Hawkshead Grammar School in Esthwaite from 1779 -to 1788, (Owens Johnson, 1998, page 428). While a formal education took place, nature provided a symbolic education, Fosterd alike by beauty and by fear (l.307), and as such adopting the role of a substitute parent, therefore nurturing the speaker as a child. The speaker narrates how he would wander half the night (l.315), setting traps and becoming a fell destroyer (l.319). The metaphor symbolises the first stems of guilt the speaker experiences. The tone of the poem becomes more urgent with the speakers repetition of hurrying, (l.320-321), as the progresses at a quicker reflecting the urgency of the speaker. There appears to be a hidden force in nature, the speaker feels trouble to the peace, (l.323) as he is overcome to take the bird of anothers toils (l.327). Fear and guilt overcome the speaker as the forces of nature pursuing him provide a spiritual element. With the solitary hills (l.329) and low breathings (l.330) a symbolic metaphor become apparent reflecting the child speakers developing conscience and the relationship with nature. The relationship with nature has been forged, will progress further in the future. The presentation of metaphor is once again created as the speaker describes stealing a birds nest. This destructive act will have long term consequences, a fate the speaker is well aware of. However, it is only when the speaker is hanging upside down that he is finally able to see nature in a different light, the sky seemd not a sky Of earth, and with what motion movd the clouds! (L.350 to 351). Reminiscing over these childhood exploits the adult speaker of The Prelude, reflects philosophically upon the effect of the incidents that he found terrifying as a child. Personification of a dark Invisible workmanship (l.353-354), the speaker considers there was a force consciously developing him. The early miseries, regrets, vexations, lassitudes, (l.357-358), of the childhood game have ensured the speaker has matured, learning to respect the natural world. With this in mind the speaker continues with the personification of nature, the tone and language towards the natural environment becomes religious. Nature nurtured the child to frame A favord being (l.364), developing the mind, heart and soul of the later poet. William Blakes The Schoolboy is an example from the collection of Songs of Experience. The poem discusses the issue of a formal education, which Blake disagreed with strongly believing children should discover the enjoyment of childhood and therefore gain an education through life experiences. The provocative poem reflects William Blakes own concerns regarding childrens welfare through the poetic devices of metaphor, rhyme and imagery. The Schoolboy consists of six stanzas, each with fives line. It is clear that from the first stanza that the poem has a set rhyme scheme of ABABB, which is continued throughout the poem a direct contrast to Wordsworth verse paragraphs in The Prelude. The poem opens with the speaker waking on a summer morning, the use of positive words such as love, rise and morn, (l.1) suggest an upbeat tone to the poem. However, an ambiguity is quickly followed as The distant huntsman winds his horn (l.3), a sense of threat detected with the horn as the warning sound. The natural world is clearly a source of inspiration to the speaker. The birds and trees mentioned in to the first stanza later develop as significant metaphors as The Schoolboy progresses. Blake establishes an idyllic scene, where the speaker lives in mutual harmony with nature as the skylark sings (l.4) with the speaker on this summer morning. This idyllic harmony shatters as the tone of the poem changes in the second stanza. With the speakers But (l.6), providing a link between the first and second stanza, the scene transforms from the peaceful countryside to the forbidding environment of the schoolroom. The repetition of in a summer morn (l.1, l.6) in the first and second stanza establishes a parallel link providing a comparison that shows an enlightening contrast of joy in the first instance, and melancholy in the second. With the speakers description of the teacher, a cruel eye, (l.7), further deepens the despair the child feels with the forced education, the sighing and dismay portraying the broken spirit that is visible to the reader. Entrapment experienced by the speaker becomes a focal point in third stanza. As noted previously, the natural world provides significant metaphors in The Schoolboy. Drooping (l.11) of the speaker evokes an image of a wilting plant, rather than of a child sat at his desk. The posture of the speaker reflects the state of a plant outside the protective environment of a bower (l.14); the speaker is clearly separated from the natural environment that stimulates his mind. The lessons taught by the teacher have stifled the speakers spirit with its dreary shower, (l.15). Metaphors are once again employed in the fourth stanza as the speaker continues, How can the bird, that born for joy, Sit in a cage and sing? (l.16-17). Children have been denied the joys of nature and are forced to sit in the classroom, which is therefore the metaphorical cage. Blake believed children were not allowed to enjoy the freedom of their youth with a formal education. This education does more harm than good as the fears of punishment is what drives the system and no genuine passion for learning is instilled into the child whose droop his tender wing, And forgets his youthful spring, (l.19-20). The final stanzas of The Schoolboy illustrate how brutal the education system can be to a child as the metaphors of plants and seasonal changes play an important theme. The buds are nipped, And blossoms blown away, And if the tender plants are stripped (l.21-23), connects the metaphor of a caged bird from the fourth stanza. Neither the flower nor the bird feel happy feels happy with the separation from the outside world, in parallel with the speaker who also feels the isolation from nature. This bleak image is continued into the final stanza of the poem, as the speaker talks of the vanishing summer season ending on the fearful line When the blasts of winter appear? (l.30), once again exposes the melancholy of the schoolroom. The poems composed by Wordsworth and Blake are both highly emotional in terms to the theme of childhood. While the styles of poem are contrasting, the poets have used symbolic metaphors to convey the importance of childhood and in turn the readers response to each poem. Wordsworths The Prelude relates the importance of spots of time, (Bygrave, 1996, page 12), a powerful impression that is a deep source of inspiration to an adult in later. In the case of The Prelude, Wordsworth advocates his childhood exploits as showing him the true magnificence of nature, and in turn the education that he learnt through the physical activities that he enjoyed as a child. While in comparison William Blakes The Schoolboy, brings restrictions of a formal education to the forefront of the poem. The strict rules of a teacher not only causes apprehension of a child but also restricts that lessons a child can learn from life experiences, therefore reducing the quality of childhood. The Schoolboy sympathises with children from poorer social backgrounds who are restricted to the classroom, rather than enjoying the books in the wonder of nature, as Blake believed was imperative. With these opinions formed it is imperative to note that both poets have conveyed a sense nature reflect freedom to grow not only as poets but as well happy child and later adults.

English Tips for Job Interview Questions and Answers

English Tips for Job Interview Questions and Answers Congratulations! You have applied for a job and now you are getting ready for that important job interview. Use this page to make sure your English makes a great impression, in addition to your skills. Opening Questions When you walk in the room the very first impression you make on the interviewer is key. It is important that you introduce yourself, shake hands, and be friendly. To begin the interview, its common to engage in some small talk: How are you today?Did you have any trouble finding us?What do you think of the weather lately? Take advantage of these questions to help you relax: Human resources director: How are you today?Interviewee: Im fine. Thank you for asking me in today.Human resources director: My pleasure. Hows the weather outside?Interviewee: Its raining, but I brought my umbrella.Human resources director: Good thinking! As this example dialog shows, its important to keep your answers short and to the point. These type of questions are known as ice-breakers because they will help you relax. Strengths and Weaknesses You can expect to be asked about your strengths and weaknesses during a job interview. Its a good idea to use strong adjectives to make a good impression.  Use these adjectives to describe yourself by talking about your strengths.   accurate -  Im an accurate bookkeeper.active -  Im active in two volunteer groups.adaptable -  Im quite adaptable and happy to work in teams or on my own.adept -  Im adept at identifying customer service issues.broad-minded -  Im proud of my broad-minded approach to problems.competent -  Im a competent office suite user.conscientious -  Im efficient and conscientious about paying attention to detail.creative -  Im quite creative and have come up with a number of marketing campaigns.dependable -  Id describe myself as a dependable team player.determined -  Im a determined problem solver who wont rest until weve come up with a solution.diplomatic -  Ive been called in to mediate as Im quite diplomatic.efficient -  I always take the most efficient approach possible.enthusiastic -  Im an enthusiastic team player.experienced -  Im an experienced C programmer.fair -  I have a fair understanding of programming languages.firm -  I have a firm grasp on the comp lexities facing us.innovative -  Ive often been complimented on my innovative approach to shipping challenges. logical -  Im quite logical by nature.loyal -  Youll find that Im a loyal employee.mature -  I have a mature understanding of the market.motivated -  Im motivated by people who love to get things done.objective -  Ive often been asked for my objective views.outgoing -  People say Im an outgoing person whos very personable.personable -  My personable nature helps me get along with everyone.positive -  I take a positive approach to problem-solving.practical -  I always look for the most practical solution.productive -  I pride myself on how productive I am.reliable -  Youll find that Im a reliable team player.resourceful -  You might be surprised by how resourceful I can be.self-disciplined -  Ive often been complimented on how self-disciplined I remain in difficult situations.sensitive -  I do my best to be sensitive to others needs.trustworthy -  I was so trustworthy that I was asked to deposit company funds. Make sure to always have an example ready as an interviewer might like  more details: Human resources director: What do you consider your greatest strengths?Interviewee: Im a determined problem solver. In fact, you might call me a trouble-shooter.Human resources director: Could you give me an example?Interviewee: Certainly. A few years ago, we were experiencing difficulties with our customer database. Tech-support was having difficulties finding the problem, so I took it upon myself to dig into the problem. After two days of brushing up on some basic programming skills, I was able to identify the problem and resolve the issue. When asked to describe your weaknesses, a good strategy is to select weaknesses that you can overcome by a specific action. Once youve described your weakness, state how you plan to overcome this weakness. This will demonstrate self-awareness and motivation.   Human resources director: Could you tell me about your weaknesses?Interviewee: Well, Im a little shy when first meeting people. Of course, as a salesperson, Ive had to overcome this problem. At work, I make an effort to be the first person to greet new customers to the store despite my shyness. Speaking About Experience,  Responsibilities Making a good impression when speaking about your past work experience is the most important part of any job interview.  Use these verbs to specifically describe responsibilities at work. As with  speaking about your greatest strengths, youll need to have specific examples ready when asked for further details. act -  Ive acted in a number of roles in my current position.accomplish -  It took only three months to accomplish all our goals.adapt -  I can to adapt to any circumstance.administer -  Ive administered accounts for a wide range of clients.advise -  Ive advised management on a wide range of issues.allocate -  I allocated resources across three branches.analyze -  I spent three months analyzing our  strengths and weaknesses.arbitrate -  Ive been asked to arbitrate between colleagues on a number of occasions.arrange -  Ive arranged shipments to four continents.assist -  Ive assisted management on a wide range of issues.attain -  I attained the highest levels of certification.built -  I built out two new branches for my company.carry out -  I was responsible for carrying out managements decision.catalog -  I helped develop a database to catalog our clients needs.collaborate -  Ive collaborated with a wide range of clients.conceive -  I helped conceive of a  new marketing approach.conduct -  I conducted four marketing surveys. consult -  Ive consulted on a wide range of projects.contract -  Ive contracted with third parties for our company.cooperate -  Im a team player and love to cooperate.coordinate -  As project manager, Ive coordinated major projects.delegate  -  I delegated responsibilities as supervisor.develop -  We developed more than twenty applications.direct -  I directed our last marketing campaign.document -  I documented workflow processes.edit -  I edited the company newsletter.encourage -  I encouraged coworkers to think outside the box.engineer -  I helped engineer a wide range of products.evaluate -  I evaluated sales operations throughout the country.facilitate -  I facilitated communications between departments.finalize -  I finalized quarterly sales reports.formulate -  I helped formulate a new market approach.handle -  I handled foreign accounts in three languages.head -  I headed the RD department  for three years.identify -  I identified produ ction issues to streamline development.implement -  I implemented a number of software rollouts. initiate -  I initiated discussions with personnel to improve communications.inspect -  I inspected new equipment as part of quality control measures.install -  Ive installed more than two hundred air conditioners.interpreted -  I interpreted for our sales department when necessary.introduce -  Ã‚  I introduced a number of innovations.lead -  I led the regional sales team.manage -  I managed a team of ten for the past two years.  operate  -  Ive operated heavy equipment for more than five  years.  organize -  I helped organize events at four locations.presented -  I  presented at four conferences.provide -  I provided feedback to management on a regular basis.recommend -  I recommended changes to help improve workflow.recruit -  I recruited employees  from local community colleges.redesign -  I redesigned our company database.review -  I reviewed company policies on a regular basis.revise -  I revised and improved plans for company expansio n.supervise -  Ive supervised project development teams on a number of occasions. train -  Ive trained new employees. Human resources director: Lets talk about your work experience. Could you describe your current responsibilities?Interviewee: Ive taken on a number of roles in my current position. I collaborate with consultants on an ongoing basis, as well as evaluate ​the  job performance of my team members. I also handle foreign correspondence in French and German.Human resources director: Could you give me some more details about job evaluation?Interviewee: Certainly. We focus on project-based assignments. At the end of each project, I use a rubric to evaluate individual team members on key metrics for the project. My evaluation is then used as reference for future assignments. Your Turn to Ask Questions Towards the end of the interview, its common for the interviewer to ask you if you have any questions about the company. Make sure to do your homework and prepare for these questions. Its important to ask questions that show your understanding of the business rather than just simple facts about the company. Questions you might ask could include: Questions about business decisions such as why a company decided to expand into a specific market.Questions that show off your intimate understanding of the type of business.Questions about current projects, clients and products that go beyond information you might find on the companys website. Make sure to avoid any question about workplace benefits. These questions should be asked only after a job offer has been made. Choose Your Verb Tenses Well Here are some tips on verb tense usage during the interview. Remember that your education took place in the past. When describing your education use the past simple tense: I attended the University of Helsinki from 1987 to 1993.I graduated with a degree in agricultural planning.If you are currently a student, use the present continuous tense:I am currently studying at the University of New York and will graduate with a degree in Economics in the spring.I am studying English at the Borough Community College. When talking about current employment be careful to use the  present perfect  or  present perfect continuous. This signals that you are still performing these tasks at your current job: Smith and Co. have employed me for the last three years.I have been  developing intuitive software solutions for more than ten years.When talking about past employers use  past tenses  to signal that you are no longer working for that company:I was employed by Jacksons from 1989 to 1992 as a clerk.I worked as a receptionist at the Ritz while I was living in New York.