Quarter One
ACE Paragraph
In Anne Bradstreet’s romantic poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband”, the author uses metaphors as well as allusions to Puritan values during the colonial period to show her undying love for her husband. The metaphor “my love is such that Rivers cannot quench” proves that the reader feels as though nothing can overcome or “quench” how strong her feelings are. In addition to using figurative language, Bradstreet also references the term “predestination” which was a term widely used during the colonial period. This means that every instant has already been decided by God. Bradstreet states that “the heavens reward thee manifold”. The author believes that God decided she and her husband should be together and that they are being rewarded with a strong and beautiful love. This poem conveys to the reader how the author feels about her husband by effectively using figurative language and references to the colonial period and Puritan values.
In Anne Bradstreet’s romantic poem “To My Dear and Loving Husband”, the author uses metaphors as well as allusions to Puritan values during the colonial period to show her undying love for her husband. The metaphor “my love is such that Rivers cannot quench” proves that the reader feels as though nothing can overcome or “quench” how strong her feelings are. In addition to using figurative language, Bradstreet also references the term “predestination” which was a term widely used during the colonial period. This means that every instant has already been decided by God. Bradstreet states that “the heavens reward thee manifold”. The author believes that God decided she and her husband should be together and that they are being rewarded with a strong and beautiful love. This poem conveys to the reader how the author feels about her husband by effectively using figurative language and references to the colonial period and Puritan values.
Argument Essay
Should the Amount of Homework High School Students Receive Be Decreased?
The National Education Association claims that teenagers should spend an average of about 10 minutes per night per grade level on homework. However, studies show that students are spending a lot more time than that on work that teachers have assigned. Today they spend over three hours a night on homework with eleventh graders spending the most time out of all twelve grades. Personally, I spend about five hours a night on homework, which is well above the “suggested” amount. Studies have shown that more than two hours of homework a night does not benefit a student’s grade; therefore, the amount of homework assigned by teachers should be greatly decreased. Teachers should decrease the amount of homework a student must complete per night because a large amount takes away from extracurricular activities and downtime, reduces the amount of sleep students get, and puts pressure on the family as a whole. Therefore, homework should not exceed over two hours per night.
Many students, especially student athletes, struggle with balancing their extracurricular activities and academics. With the pressures of society to be “perfect” students often feel as though they have to be the best in both their sport and in school. This is especially true for older students because they strive to be “well-rounded” in order to be accepted into the best colleges. To be the best at a sport a student has to put hours and hours into practicing, and in order to be the best in school, students must complete their homework. Both homework and sports take hours out of a teen’s day and this time can add up and place large amounts of stress on a student. I am a student athlete and I play on the varsity tennis team. Tennis matches tend to run very long, and after a match I get home around eight o’clock and am able to start homework around nine o’clock. After exercising for a large amount of time starting homework so late can be very tiring, and I am often up into the early hours of the morning struggling to complete the night’s homework. Should students have to choose between good grades and a sport? Finding a balance between school and tennis is very stressful for me and also takes away from the sleep I get.
Most teenagers should get between eight to ten hours of sleep, however most teenagers report getting between five to seven hours of sleep per night. On school nights, only 15% of students report getting eight and a half hours of sleep (Lohmann). A lot of this sleep deprivation in students can be attributed to homework. With over three hours of schoolwork a night, sports, downtime, family time, and school at seven o’clock in the morning, there is barely any room left for sleeping. Lack of sleep has huge number of negative effects which almost all students are at risk for. Sleep deprivation causes moodiness in many teenagers as well as behavioral changes. Teens who are low on sleep are more likely to engage in risky behavior such as drinking and driving fast, and cognitive ability is also impaired, so attention, memory, and decision making are affected. This will have negative outcomes for a student in school. One of the most dangerous effects is drowsy driving. This could lead to many accidents and even death while driving to school tired after pulling an all-nighter on homework.
Lastly, a surplus of homework can put pressure on both the student and the parents. Often, parents pressure their children to do well in school and can feel stressed when they do not meet their expectations. Adults can also have trouble with children who are simply uninterested in doing homework, and this push and pull between this child and parent can be extremely taxing on the relationship and lead to further problems between the two. On the other hand, being the parent of a child striving to be perfect can also be taxing, watching your child pull all-nighters and run themselves ragged trying to complete homework can be extremely worrying. Not only does a surplus of homework affect the student, it affects people around them as well. Why should homework affect the entire family?
Teachers argue that the purpose of homework is to reinforce the materials learned in school, and that practice is necessary in order to fully understand the subjects taught. In addition, homework is often taken as a grade which factors into what the student receives in the class, and in these circumstances homework is needed. Homework can also be used to show who was paying attention in class, and in this case those students are rewarded. However, a few practice problems a night get is often all a student needs in order to learn the material. While a little bit of homework is necessary in order to understand the subjects taught that day, over three hours is unnecessary and overkill. However, homework should never be an extended class period. Homework should only cover the subjects already learned and students should never have to try and teach themselves the concept. I personally have spent hours pouring over problems that I was never taught how to solve and this lead to many late and stressful nights. While the intended purpose of homework is to be beneficial for students, it turns harmful when it starts to affect extracurricular activities, sleep, and family and therefore I believe homework should be limited to two hours per night.
Should the Amount of Homework High School Students Receive Be Decreased?
The National Education Association claims that teenagers should spend an average of about 10 minutes per night per grade level on homework. However, studies show that students are spending a lot more time than that on work that teachers have assigned. Today they spend over three hours a night on homework with eleventh graders spending the most time out of all twelve grades. Personally, I spend about five hours a night on homework, which is well above the “suggested” amount. Studies have shown that more than two hours of homework a night does not benefit a student’s grade; therefore, the amount of homework assigned by teachers should be greatly decreased. Teachers should decrease the amount of homework a student must complete per night because a large amount takes away from extracurricular activities and downtime, reduces the amount of sleep students get, and puts pressure on the family as a whole. Therefore, homework should not exceed over two hours per night.
Many students, especially student athletes, struggle with balancing their extracurricular activities and academics. With the pressures of society to be “perfect” students often feel as though they have to be the best in both their sport and in school. This is especially true for older students because they strive to be “well-rounded” in order to be accepted into the best colleges. To be the best at a sport a student has to put hours and hours into practicing, and in order to be the best in school, students must complete their homework. Both homework and sports take hours out of a teen’s day and this time can add up and place large amounts of stress on a student. I am a student athlete and I play on the varsity tennis team. Tennis matches tend to run very long, and after a match I get home around eight o’clock and am able to start homework around nine o’clock. After exercising for a large amount of time starting homework so late can be very tiring, and I am often up into the early hours of the morning struggling to complete the night’s homework. Should students have to choose between good grades and a sport? Finding a balance between school and tennis is very stressful for me and also takes away from the sleep I get.
Most teenagers should get between eight to ten hours of sleep, however most teenagers report getting between five to seven hours of sleep per night. On school nights, only 15% of students report getting eight and a half hours of sleep (Lohmann). A lot of this sleep deprivation in students can be attributed to homework. With over three hours of schoolwork a night, sports, downtime, family time, and school at seven o’clock in the morning, there is barely any room left for sleeping. Lack of sleep has huge number of negative effects which almost all students are at risk for. Sleep deprivation causes moodiness in many teenagers as well as behavioral changes. Teens who are low on sleep are more likely to engage in risky behavior such as drinking and driving fast, and cognitive ability is also impaired, so attention, memory, and decision making are affected. This will have negative outcomes for a student in school. One of the most dangerous effects is drowsy driving. This could lead to many accidents and even death while driving to school tired after pulling an all-nighter on homework.
Lastly, a surplus of homework can put pressure on both the student and the parents. Often, parents pressure their children to do well in school and can feel stressed when they do not meet their expectations. Adults can also have trouble with children who are simply uninterested in doing homework, and this push and pull between this child and parent can be extremely taxing on the relationship and lead to further problems between the two. On the other hand, being the parent of a child striving to be perfect can also be taxing, watching your child pull all-nighters and run themselves ragged trying to complete homework can be extremely worrying. Not only does a surplus of homework affect the student, it affects people around them as well. Why should homework affect the entire family?
Teachers argue that the purpose of homework is to reinforce the materials learned in school, and that practice is necessary in order to fully understand the subjects taught. In addition, homework is often taken as a grade which factors into what the student receives in the class, and in these circumstances homework is needed. Homework can also be used to show who was paying attention in class, and in this case those students are rewarded. However, a few practice problems a night get is often all a student needs in order to learn the material. While a little bit of homework is necessary in order to understand the subjects taught that day, over three hours is unnecessary and overkill. However, homework should never be an extended class period. Homework should only cover the subjects already learned and students should never have to try and teach themselves the concept. I personally have spent hours pouring over problems that I was never taught how to solve and this lead to many late and stressful nights. While the intended purpose of homework is to be beneficial for students, it turns harmful when it starts to affect extracurricular activities, sleep, and family and therefore I believe homework should be limited to two hours per night.
Timed Writing One
The Tempest
Julie Taymor’s cinematic style in the film “The Tempest” addresses the issue of colonialism by developing relationships between the characters Prospera, Ariel, and Caliban in order to show the audience the vast differences in power and perception between colonizers and the colonized. When Prospera and Caliban have their first interaction, Taymor purposely places Caliban on a lower ground than prospera, making him seem interior. In addition, Prospera calls him things like “Earth” and “Turtle” to dehumanize Caliban, saying he is so much lower than her they are ot even the same species. Costume also plays a large role throughout the film. Taymor’s choices in this area represent a hierarchy. The slaves on the last level wear little to no clothes, Ariel is naked and Caliban’s clothing is very small. Prospera and Miranda are outcasts from Milan and therefore are the second level, and Miranda wears a ragged dress. Lastly, the men on the ship are royalty and therefore the highest class, and wear cloaks and nice clothing because they are “superior” to all the others.
Just like the slaves during the colonial period, Ariel and Caliban are inferior to their colonizers. Although Caliban is physically stronger than Prospera, Prospera is seen as a God because of her powers. Native Americans also thought their colonizers were Gods as Hariot says in his article “Of the Nature and Manners of the People”, “they thought they were rather the works of Gods than of men, or at leastwise they had been given and taught us of the Gods.” Just like Caliban, the slaves saw their masters as a higher race, like Gods. In addition, the characters Ariel and Caliban illustrate how colonizers thought of the natives. Caliban thinks the should own the island because he was there first which Snider in his article “Shakespeare’s Tempest” states that “The claim of Caliban to the sovereignty of the island by right of birth, against the right of intelligence, is a rather severe satire against the principle of legitimacy…” Just like Prospera, the colonizers never even thought of the possibility that the New World belonged to the Natives, they immediately assumed it was theirs. Caliban revolted against his master, and here you can tell what others think of him because of this. Just like unwilling natives were beaten and punished, Caliban was punished and viewed as a monster. On the other hand, Ariel obeys orders and is seen more as a friend than an enemy. This proves that colonizers believe that well-behaved natives deserve more than natives who believe they are equal. By using these editing skills and developing the characters Ariel and Caliban, Taymor brings the issues of colonialism to the screen.
The Tempest
Julie Taymor’s cinematic style in the film “The Tempest” addresses the issue of colonialism by developing relationships between the characters Prospera, Ariel, and Caliban in order to show the audience the vast differences in power and perception between colonizers and the colonized. When Prospera and Caliban have their first interaction, Taymor purposely places Caliban on a lower ground than prospera, making him seem interior. In addition, Prospera calls him things like “Earth” and “Turtle” to dehumanize Caliban, saying he is so much lower than her they are ot even the same species. Costume also plays a large role throughout the film. Taymor’s choices in this area represent a hierarchy. The slaves on the last level wear little to no clothes, Ariel is naked and Caliban’s clothing is very small. Prospera and Miranda are outcasts from Milan and therefore are the second level, and Miranda wears a ragged dress. Lastly, the men on the ship are royalty and therefore the highest class, and wear cloaks and nice clothing because they are “superior” to all the others.
Just like the slaves during the colonial period, Ariel and Caliban are inferior to their colonizers. Although Caliban is physically stronger than Prospera, Prospera is seen as a God because of her powers. Native Americans also thought their colonizers were Gods as Hariot says in his article “Of the Nature and Manners of the People”, “they thought they were rather the works of Gods than of men, or at leastwise they had been given and taught us of the Gods.” Just like Caliban, the slaves saw their masters as a higher race, like Gods. In addition, the characters Ariel and Caliban illustrate how colonizers thought of the natives. Caliban thinks the should own the island because he was there first which Snider in his article “Shakespeare’s Tempest” states that “The claim of Caliban to the sovereignty of the island by right of birth, against the right of intelligence, is a rather severe satire against the principle of legitimacy…” Just like Prospera, the colonizers never even thought of the possibility that the New World belonged to the Natives, they immediately assumed it was theirs. Caliban revolted against his master, and here you can tell what others think of him because of this. Just like unwilling natives were beaten and punished, Caliban was punished and viewed as a monster. On the other hand, Ariel obeys orders and is seen more as a friend than an enemy. This proves that colonizers believe that well-behaved natives deserve more than natives who believe they are equal. By using these editing skills and developing the characters Ariel and Caliban, Taymor brings the issues of colonialism to the screen.
Timed Writing Two
The Crucible
During this scene of the play “The Crucible” the director uses unsettling music and powerful negative diction to set a scene that if full or anxiety and tension. When the sequence begins, we already know that the fate of the trial rests on the shoulders of Elizabeth Proctor and the audience is tense, eagerly waiting to see what Elizabeth will say. Then, when Judge Danforth begins asking questions, the music turns dark, going up and down, adding to the tension in the scene. The jarring noises lead the reader to the end where the music its at its height because we know that Elizabeth will not give her husband up and we don’t want this to happen. This example of dramatic irony results in our tension being the highest at this point, just as the director wanted. In addition to music the director also uses negative diction in his questions such as “Has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery?” and “Is your husband a lecher!” These words create tension because they are strong and straight to the point, putting Elizabeth on the spot. In addition, the director chose the questions to be worded this way because they place the blame on her husband. Instead of phrasing the question: “Is Abigail Williams a whore?” or “Did Abigail Williams take your husband away from you?” Elizabeth is forced to incriminate her husband as a sinner which in this way is not as easy to do. These questions create tension within Elizabeth as well as the audience, because of the word choice as well as the way they are shouted at Elizabeth. In addition, these questions in particular stand out because they are written the way we speak today. MIller states that he was “drawn into writing the Crucible because it gave [him] the chance to use a new language- that of the seventeenth-century New England.” The entire scene is spoken in the dialect of those who lived in seventeenth-century New England, except for those questions. This also creates tension because of the sharp contrast between the interrogation and the rest of the scene, and also adds to the weight the questions carry. This is significant because it emphasized the importance of this scene because it decided the fate of John Proctor. By using these techniques, the director is able to create tension within the audience while they wait to see if Elizabeth will make it out alive.
The Crucible
During this scene of the play “The Crucible” the director uses unsettling music and powerful negative diction to set a scene that if full or anxiety and tension. When the sequence begins, we already know that the fate of the trial rests on the shoulders of Elizabeth Proctor and the audience is tense, eagerly waiting to see what Elizabeth will say. Then, when Judge Danforth begins asking questions, the music turns dark, going up and down, adding to the tension in the scene. The jarring noises lead the reader to the end where the music its at its height because we know that Elizabeth will not give her husband up and we don’t want this to happen. This example of dramatic irony results in our tension being the highest at this point, just as the director wanted. In addition to music the director also uses negative diction in his questions such as “Has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery?” and “Is your husband a lecher!” These words create tension because they are strong and straight to the point, putting Elizabeth on the spot. In addition, the director chose the questions to be worded this way because they place the blame on her husband. Instead of phrasing the question: “Is Abigail Williams a whore?” or “Did Abigail Williams take your husband away from you?” Elizabeth is forced to incriminate her husband as a sinner which in this way is not as easy to do. These questions create tension within Elizabeth as well as the audience, because of the word choice as well as the way they are shouted at Elizabeth. In addition, these questions in particular stand out because they are written the way we speak today. MIller states that he was “drawn into writing the Crucible because it gave [him] the chance to use a new language- that of the seventeenth-century New England.” The entire scene is spoken in the dialect of those who lived in seventeenth-century New England, except for those questions. This also creates tension because of the sharp contrast between the interrogation and the rest of the scene, and also adds to the weight the questions carry. This is significant because it emphasized the importance of this scene because it decided the fate of John Proctor. By using these techniques, the director is able to create tension within the audience while they wait to see if Elizabeth will make it out alive.
Quarter Two
ACE Paragraph
In Pablo Picasso's painting "The Old Guitarist", the artist uses color scheme and juxtaposition of different objects in order to illustrate an unhappy man whose life is centered around music. Almost all of the colors that Picasso chooses to use in his painting are blue. From these choices you can infer that the man in the painting is very sad, because the phrase "feeling blue" means to feel down or unhappy and blue is often associated with sadness. In addition, the man's head is faced down towards the ground and he has a very sad facial expression. However, the guitar the man is holding is in stark contrast with the rest of the painting. It is brown instead of blue, and is juxtaposed with the man by being in the center of the painting instead of the sides. One can infer that music is the center of this man's life based on where the guitar is in the painting. In addition, the man is wearing dirty, tattered clothing, and no shoes. Instead of selling his guitar for a new pair of clothes or some food, he chooses to keep his guitar with him. Therefore, music is one of his first priorities and he values it above everything else in his life.
In Pablo Picasso's painting "The Old Guitarist", the artist uses color scheme and juxtaposition of different objects in order to illustrate an unhappy man whose life is centered around music. Almost all of the colors that Picasso chooses to use in his painting are blue. From these choices you can infer that the man in the painting is very sad, because the phrase "feeling blue" means to feel down or unhappy and blue is often associated with sadness. In addition, the man's head is faced down towards the ground and he has a very sad facial expression. However, the guitar the man is holding is in stark contrast with the rest of the painting. It is brown instead of blue, and is juxtaposed with the man by being in the center of the painting instead of the sides. One can infer that music is the center of this man's life based on where the guitar is in the painting. In addition, the man is wearing dirty, tattered clothing, and no shoes. Instead of selling his guitar for a new pair of clothes or some food, he chooses to keep his guitar with him. Therefore, music is one of his first priorities and he values it above everything else in his life.
Research Essay
Work Culture in South Korea
Many American workers complain about their jobs' long hours, and the few times a week they may clock out after five o'clock. But what if working an excessive amount of hours was actually killing thousands of people every year? In South Korea, this is a reality (Kwon and Field). There is even a word for it, gwarosa, which means “death by overwork” in Korean. According to government data, South Koreans work an average of 240 more hours a year than an American worker; this is the equivalent of working another month, or thirty days, for eight hours every day (Lee and May). The idea of overwork as a positive idea stems South Korea’s culture, in which working long hours is seen as honorable and something for which to strive. However, these deaths are preventable. In order to save citizens from overwork deaths, South Korea must overcome the harsh and controlling ideals of its past that put pressure on citizens to work long hours. It must also enforce a newly enacted law that decreases the maximum number of hours an employee can work per week. South Korea must also work to increase pay to make up for the wages from the shorter, and more humane, work week.
In the past, the idea of overworking benefited South Korea, and the pressure put on citizens today is a result of the fortunate outcomes that resulted many decades ago from those long hours of work. After the Korean War, a strong work ethic helped "propel the once-rural country out of the ashes of war and transform it into an economic power" (Field and Kwon). This caused the idea of overwork to be seen as honorable, especially for a male breadwinner in a patriarchal society. While the country's success after the war affected how hard work was viewed, these ideals can be traced even further back. C. Harrison Kim, an assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii who specializes in the Koreas, states that "Korean society is framed by order and hierarchy and this demand to meet expectations" (Kasulis). These societal expectations have been around for years before the Korean war. For decades, South Korea has had one of the lowest birth rates in the world. Today, the nation ranks number 220 out of 226 countries in the world for child births. This is because Korean society pressures women as well as men into having careers, and therefore choosing their jobs over marriage and starting families. Koreans consider families with two or more children large for this reason (South). This is evidence that Korea's idea of overwork and the pressure it puts on its citizens has always had a hold on the nation, but the consequences are becoming more dire today. Just because something was beneficial in the past does not necessarily mean the same for the present. Although hard work helped South Korea in the past, taken to extremes, it is having the opposite effect on the nation today.
The Korean government has only recently noticed the severity of the hold overwork has over the nation. In this year alone, the number of deaths caused by gwarosa has spiked into the thousands. The actual cause of gwarosa deaths are heart attacks, starvation, or car accidents, caused from being sleep-deprived as a result of working late into the night (Kwon and Field). In addition to these deaths that are a direct result of work, the pressure of work "plays a role in more than 500 suicides a year out of a national total of about 14,000" (Lee and May). As shown by the evidence above, the issue of overwork can no longer be overlooked. Gwarosa is a killer, so the Korean government must do something to stop it. For these reasons, Korea has issued a law protecting employees against overwork that will be enforced in 2019.
The Korean government has announced that there will be a new change starting in 2019 to combat these recent deaths. This new law will change the maximum hours an employee can work per week, from 68 to 52 hours. Although this is a step in the right direction, this law will not be enforced until next year, to give companies time to adjust to the change (Chan). Another downside is, the law only requires that companies with 300 employees or more enforce the law (Kwon and Field), so employees of small businesses could still fall victim to overwork. However, the number of deaths caused by gwarosa will fall considerably in 2019. Managers of large companies are deterred from overworking their employees because they face fines of up to $17,815, and executives could be imprisoned for up to two years (Chan). Faced with these serious charges, executives will be discouraged from mistreating employees.
Many may argue that this change could harm South Korea, but this is not the case. Overwork can sometimes lead to increased productivity; however, South Korea is in the bottom third of OECD's, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, list of most productive countries (Kwon and Field). Even though South Korea works the second longest hours behind only Mexico, it does not have the results to show for it (Haas). In addition to preventing thousands of unnecessary deaths, this law has another positive result. The Ministry of Labor announced that the new law is expected to create an estimated 43,000 new jobs because companies will be hiring new workers instead of making old ones work extra hours. Not only is it saving the employed from an early death, it is helping the unemployed population of South Korea to obtain jobs.
Although this law will create new opportunities for those without jobs, it could potentially harm citizens who work in manual labor or jobs with unpredictable hours. Many people in South Korea are now working second, and sometimes even third, jobs as an “unintended consequence of a law aimed at capping working hours and giving people more free time” (Haas). This is the opposite of the intended effect, which is to get people to work less. This consequence is harming the poorer community of South Korea. Many workers are now facing wage cuts, and the National Assembly predicts that up to 15,000 workers could lose up to 410,000 won, the equivalent of almost $400, per month while trying to find a living wage (Haas). To make matters worse, before the law, Koreans had incomes similar to Americans despite working 240 more hours a year (Lee and May). Now, with the new law, they will be making even less. The answer to this problem is to make hourly wages higher. People should not be punished for following a law, and should make enough money to not have to work more jobs than they had before. If wages are increased, the law will benefit the rich as well as the poor. There are some problems with the law, but they can be changed so that society as a whole profits.
Kelly Kasulis, a writer from the website Quartz, stated that "If there was a prize for the most stressed-out nation in the world, South Korea would be a good contender", but it does not have to be this way anymore. If this law is properly enforced by the Korean government next year, it could have a hugely beneficial effect on the country and the way its citizens live. This law could result in fewer deaths and also provide greater benefits for the economy. In addition, South Korea could move towards becoming a society that is not primarily focused on work, and more focused on starting families and spending time with loved ones. South Korea's citizens have been forced to suffer unnecessarily for a years, but this could all end next year.
Work Culture in South Korea
Many American workers complain about their jobs' long hours, and the few times a week they may clock out after five o'clock. But what if working an excessive amount of hours was actually killing thousands of people every year? In South Korea, this is a reality (Kwon and Field). There is even a word for it, gwarosa, which means “death by overwork” in Korean. According to government data, South Koreans work an average of 240 more hours a year than an American worker; this is the equivalent of working another month, or thirty days, for eight hours every day (Lee and May). The idea of overwork as a positive idea stems South Korea’s culture, in which working long hours is seen as honorable and something for which to strive. However, these deaths are preventable. In order to save citizens from overwork deaths, South Korea must overcome the harsh and controlling ideals of its past that put pressure on citizens to work long hours. It must also enforce a newly enacted law that decreases the maximum number of hours an employee can work per week. South Korea must also work to increase pay to make up for the wages from the shorter, and more humane, work week.
In the past, the idea of overworking benefited South Korea, and the pressure put on citizens today is a result of the fortunate outcomes that resulted many decades ago from those long hours of work. After the Korean War, a strong work ethic helped "propel the once-rural country out of the ashes of war and transform it into an economic power" (Field and Kwon). This caused the idea of overwork to be seen as honorable, especially for a male breadwinner in a patriarchal society. While the country's success after the war affected how hard work was viewed, these ideals can be traced even further back. C. Harrison Kim, an assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii who specializes in the Koreas, states that "Korean society is framed by order and hierarchy and this demand to meet expectations" (Kasulis). These societal expectations have been around for years before the Korean war. For decades, South Korea has had one of the lowest birth rates in the world. Today, the nation ranks number 220 out of 226 countries in the world for child births. This is because Korean society pressures women as well as men into having careers, and therefore choosing their jobs over marriage and starting families. Koreans consider families with two or more children large for this reason (South). This is evidence that Korea's idea of overwork and the pressure it puts on its citizens has always had a hold on the nation, but the consequences are becoming more dire today. Just because something was beneficial in the past does not necessarily mean the same for the present. Although hard work helped South Korea in the past, taken to extremes, it is having the opposite effect on the nation today.
The Korean government has only recently noticed the severity of the hold overwork has over the nation. In this year alone, the number of deaths caused by gwarosa has spiked into the thousands. The actual cause of gwarosa deaths are heart attacks, starvation, or car accidents, caused from being sleep-deprived as a result of working late into the night (Kwon and Field). In addition to these deaths that are a direct result of work, the pressure of work "plays a role in more than 500 suicides a year out of a national total of about 14,000" (Lee and May). As shown by the evidence above, the issue of overwork can no longer be overlooked. Gwarosa is a killer, so the Korean government must do something to stop it. For these reasons, Korea has issued a law protecting employees against overwork that will be enforced in 2019.
The Korean government has announced that there will be a new change starting in 2019 to combat these recent deaths. This new law will change the maximum hours an employee can work per week, from 68 to 52 hours. Although this is a step in the right direction, this law will not be enforced until next year, to give companies time to adjust to the change (Chan). Another downside is, the law only requires that companies with 300 employees or more enforce the law (Kwon and Field), so employees of small businesses could still fall victim to overwork. However, the number of deaths caused by gwarosa will fall considerably in 2019. Managers of large companies are deterred from overworking their employees because they face fines of up to $17,815, and executives could be imprisoned for up to two years (Chan). Faced with these serious charges, executives will be discouraged from mistreating employees.
Many may argue that this change could harm South Korea, but this is not the case. Overwork can sometimes lead to increased productivity; however, South Korea is in the bottom third of OECD's, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, list of most productive countries (Kwon and Field). Even though South Korea works the second longest hours behind only Mexico, it does not have the results to show for it (Haas). In addition to preventing thousands of unnecessary deaths, this law has another positive result. The Ministry of Labor announced that the new law is expected to create an estimated 43,000 new jobs because companies will be hiring new workers instead of making old ones work extra hours. Not only is it saving the employed from an early death, it is helping the unemployed population of South Korea to obtain jobs.
Although this law will create new opportunities for those without jobs, it could potentially harm citizens who work in manual labor or jobs with unpredictable hours. Many people in South Korea are now working second, and sometimes even third, jobs as an “unintended consequence of a law aimed at capping working hours and giving people more free time” (Haas). This is the opposite of the intended effect, which is to get people to work less. This consequence is harming the poorer community of South Korea. Many workers are now facing wage cuts, and the National Assembly predicts that up to 15,000 workers could lose up to 410,000 won, the equivalent of almost $400, per month while trying to find a living wage (Haas). To make matters worse, before the law, Koreans had incomes similar to Americans despite working 240 more hours a year (Lee and May). Now, with the new law, they will be making even less. The answer to this problem is to make hourly wages higher. People should not be punished for following a law, and should make enough money to not have to work more jobs than they had before. If wages are increased, the law will benefit the rich as well as the poor. There are some problems with the law, but they can be changed so that society as a whole profits.
Kelly Kasulis, a writer from the website Quartz, stated that "If there was a prize for the most stressed-out nation in the world, South Korea would be a good contender", but it does not have to be this way anymore. If this law is properly enforced by the Korean government next year, it could have a hugely beneficial effect on the country and the way its citizens live. This law could result in fewer deaths and also provide greater benefits for the economy. In addition, South Korea could move towards becoming a society that is not primarily focused on work, and more focused on starting families and spending time with loved ones. South Korea's citizens have been forced to suffer unnecessarily for a years, but this could all end next year.
Reflection Essay
I picked my topic, South Korea’s spike in overwork deaths, because information was readily available for me to use. Many articles have been published on this topic in the past year, especially on periodicals, so I decided this topic was one where I could find enough details and information that would make my paper credible and convincing. In addition, the sample paper we annotated in class was an example of a life and death situation. I wanted to have a topic that was also life and death because I thought it would make my paper more interesting as well as easier to argue. My argument was more persuasive because people would die if people took the side of the opposition. I was also drawn to this topic because of where it took place. Although I have travelled to many places outside of the United States, I have never been to anywhere in Asia. This is where a majority of my family is from, so I would love to go to any part of the continent one day. By researching South Korea, I was able to learn about one of the countries I would one day like to visit.
I wrote my research question based on asian ideals that I have experienced in my own life. While I found that overwork deaths were a problem while I was researching, no one said why they were occuring. I believed that it was a result of the demanding culture of Asia overall. Many Asians are raised to be successful and work hard no matter what, which could lead to many unknowingly overworking themselves. Before I began to research this idea, however, I first had to decide how I would connect the culture of South Korea’s citizens to the deaths of overwork. Since there was no one article discussing how the two relate, I had to research the two separately. This made the essay difficult for me to write because there was no direct link between the two, however this was the basis of my argument. Eventually, I found the way to connect the two and was able to write my hypothesis from my research question.
I did not face many difficulties while writing my paper, however there was one that stood out the most. Almost all of the articles I found all stated the same facts and statistics over and over. They even had the same quotes from people such as the President of South Korea and experts on the subject. This made research very difficult because I was unable to get a variety of information on the topic. However, the quotes and information I could find were very strong so I was able to use strong facts in my essay.
Regrettably, no new information can be found regarding my topic since I conducted my research. Since the new law was supposed to be enforced starting this year and we are only a few days in, nothing new has been written on the subject. However, I predict that in a few months, more will be written on the effects of the new law after people have been following it for longer.
I picked my topic, South Korea’s spike in overwork deaths, because information was readily available for me to use. Many articles have been published on this topic in the past year, especially on periodicals, so I decided this topic was one where I could find enough details and information that would make my paper credible and convincing. In addition, the sample paper we annotated in class was an example of a life and death situation. I wanted to have a topic that was also life and death because I thought it would make my paper more interesting as well as easier to argue. My argument was more persuasive because people would die if people took the side of the opposition. I was also drawn to this topic because of where it took place. Although I have travelled to many places outside of the United States, I have never been to anywhere in Asia. This is where a majority of my family is from, so I would love to go to any part of the continent one day. By researching South Korea, I was able to learn about one of the countries I would one day like to visit.
I wrote my research question based on asian ideals that I have experienced in my own life. While I found that overwork deaths were a problem while I was researching, no one said why they were occuring. I believed that it was a result of the demanding culture of Asia overall. Many Asians are raised to be successful and work hard no matter what, which could lead to many unknowingly overworking themselves. Before I began to research this idea, however, I first had to decide how I would connect the culture of South Korea’s citizens to the deaths of overwork. Since there was no one article discussing how the two relate, I had to research the two separately. This made the essay difficult for me to write because there was no direct link between the two, however this was the basis of my argument. Eventually, I found the way to connect the two and was able to write my hypothesis from my research question.
I did not face many difficulties while writing my paper, however there was one that stood out the most. Almost all of the articles I found all stated the same facts and statistics over and over. They even had the same quotes from people such as the President of South Korea and experts on the subject. This made research very difficult because I was unable to get a variety of information on the topic. However, the quotes and information I could find were very strong so I was able to use strong facts in my essay.
Regrettably, no new information can be found regarding my topic since I conducted my research. Since the new law was supposed to be enforced starting this year and we are only a few days in, nothing new has been written on the subject. However, I predict that in a few months, more will be written on the effects of the new law after people have been following it for longer.
Timed Writing Three
The Art of Authorship
In Mark Twain's short essay "The Art of Authorship", Twain employs many metaphors in order to describe how an author finds his or her style, which he says one can do by taking what you like from other authors and utilizing it in your own work.
In order to describe the way he writes, Twain employs many metaphors within his writing. He suggests that his thoughts are a "kaleidoscope" or "fragments of glass" where no structured thoughts are discernible. This describes the beginning of putting thoughts down, but none of them are organized. Then, he states that the works of other artists are buildings that can be pulled apart "brick by brick". This compares sentences to blocks. Twain believes that "bricks" you find appealing can be stolen, and put into your own writings to become your own building. This is what creates the author's new style, by using the ideas of others. Lastly, he states that he is the proprietor of his style, not the father, because he did not create it himself, but instead borrowed from others.
Twain follows his own advice in many ways. For example, Twain employs long sentences throughout the novel Huck Finn. He took a "brick" from someone else who used long sentences and many semicolons, and utilized them in his own story. For example, Huck says "I was in a sweat to learn about him; but by and by she let it out that Moses had been dead a long time; so then I didn't care no more about him, because I don't take no stock in dead people." This is an example of one of the many compound-complex sentences that Twain placed in his novel. Although this is Twain's style of writing, he is not the founder or father of of the compound-complex sentence, but he is instead a proprietor. This proves Twain follows his own rules because he is building his writings with blocks he subconsciously likes. Twain also writes in a style that shows the audience his "kaleidoscope of thoughts". While describing the house of the family Huck lives with for a short period of time, Huck throws many details at the reader at once. He describes a "big outlandish parrot on each side of the clock, made out of chalk, and painted up gaudy..." and goes on to describe the rest of the house. This is another "brick" that Twain is deciding to employ. While he is not the creator of this style, he is deciding to use it for himself.
This proves that Twain is following the advice he gives to other writers in his own writings. He takes what he wants from others and discards the rest, thus creating his own style.
The Art of Authorship
In Mark Twain's short essay "The Art of Authorship", Twain employs many metaphors in order to describe how an author finds his or her style, which he says one can do by taking what you like from other authors and utilizing it in your own work.
In order to describe the way he writes, Twain employs many metaphors within his writing. He suggests that his thoughts are a "kaleidoscope" or "fragments of glass" where no structured thoughts are discernible. This describes the beginning of putting thoughts down, but none of them are organized. Then, he states that the works of other artists are buildings that can be pulled apart "brick by brick". This compares sentences to blocks. Twain believes that "bricks" you find appealing can be stolen, and put into your own writings to become your own building. This is what creates the author's new style, by using the ideas of others. Lastly, he states that he is the proprietor of his style, not the father, because he did not create it himself, but instead borrowed from others.
Twain follows his own advice in many ways. For example, Twain employs long sentences throughout the novel Huck Finn. He took a "brick" from someone else who used long sentences and many semicolons, and utilized them in his own story. For example, Huck says "I was in a sweat to learn about him; but by and by she let it out that Moses had been dead a long time; so then I didn't care no more about him, because I don't take no stock in dead people." This is an example of one of the many compound-complex sentences that Twain placed in his novel. Although this is Twain's style of writing, he is not the founder or father of of the compound-complex sentence, but he is instead a proprietor. This proves Twain follows his own rules because he is building his writings with blocks he subconsciously likes. Twain also writes in a style that shows the audience his "kaleidoscope of thoughts". While describing the house of the family Huck lives with for a short period of time, Huck throws many details at the reader at once. He describes a "big outlandish parrot on each side of the clock, made out of chalk, and painted up gaudy..." and goes on to describe the rest of the house. This is another "brick" that Twain is deciding to employ. While he is not the creator of this style, he is deciding to use it for himself.
This proves that Twain is following the advice he gives to other writers in his own writings. He takes what he wants from others and discards the rest, thus creating his own style.
Timed Writing Four
One Writer's Beginnings
In "One Writer's Beginnings" by Eudora Welty, the author employs figurative language such as imagery and metaphors as well as powerful diction in order to convey the intensity and value of her experiences with reading as a young child.
Welty first illustrates the library to the reader, appealing to the reader's sense by describing a SILENCE sign in "big black letters" and a "steady seething sound" from an electrical fan. These uses of imagery convey intensity because the overwhelming number of descriptions and details prove that these moments were very important to Welty. Few people can remember every detail of a childhood memory unless it was of great importance. Welty even states which direction the librarian's desk was facing, allowing the reader to have an even more accurate image when picturing the story. This use of imagery proves that these memories from her childhood hold a lot of meaning and importance.
Welty combines imagery and metaphors to convey intensity in the reader's mind. for example, Welty says that Mrs. Calloway stared at the front door with a "dragon eye" and when she met Mrs. Calloway, "[she] saw [she] had met a witch." While the librarian was neither a dragon nor a witch, she was so mean that Welty compared her to these fearsome creatures in order to help the reader understand how bad she was. This along with the vivid imagery convey intensity because it lets the reader see exactly what was going on.
In addition to figurative language, Welty also writes with powerful diction in order to convey the intensity and value of her memories. For example, she states that "Every book I seized on,...stood for the devouring wish to read being instantly granted." Using words such as "seized" and "devouring" are more powerful that "took" or "great" and add to the intensity of her reading experiences. In addition, "devouring" tells us her wish to read was all-consuming, which adds value to her experiences by showing us that reading took up every part of her life. This word choice proves reading was all she could think about, and therefore extremely important to her. Welty also compares herself to her mother by sayingshe was "very sharing of this feeling of insatiability". The word insatiability adds intensity to her experiences because she thinks her love for reading can never be satisfied.
By the end of this exerpt, the reader can feel the intensity and value places in these memories by the way Welty describes them. Her use of figurative language and choice of strong diction make the reader feel as though they are living through Welty's childhood along with her.
One Writer's Beginnings
In "One Writer's Beginnings" by Eudora Welty, the author employs figurative language such as imagery and metaphors as well as powerful diction in order to convey the intensity and value of her experiences with reading as a young child.
Welty first illustrates the library to the reader, appealing to the reader's sense by describing a SILENCE sign in "big black letters" and a "steady seething sound" from an electrical fan. These uses of imagery convey intensity because the overwhelming number of descriptions and details prove that these moments were very important to Welty. Few people can remember every detail of a childhood memory unless it was of great importance. Welty even states which direction the librarian's desk was facing, allowing the reader to have an even more accurate image when picturing the story. This use of imagery proves that these memories from her childhood hold a lot of meaning and importance.
Welty combines imagery and metaphors to convey intensity in the reader's mind. for example, Welty says that Mrs. Calloway stared at the front door with a "dragon eye" and when she met Mrs. Calloway, "[she] saw [she] had met a witch." While the librarian was neither a dragon nor a witch, she was so mean that Welty compared her to these fearsome creatures in order to help the reader understand how bad she was. This along with the vivid imagery convey intensity because it lets the reader see exactly what was going on.
In addition to figurative language, Welty also writes with powerful diction in order to convey the intensity and value of her memories. For example, she states that "Every book I seized on,...stood for the devouring wish to read being instantly granted." Using words such as "seized" and "devouring" are more powerful that "took" or "great" and add to the intensity of her reading experiences. In addition, "devouring" tells us her wish to read was all-consuming, which adds value to her experiences by showing us that reading took up every part of her life. This word choice proves reading was all she could think about, and therefore extremely important to her. Welty also compares herself to her mother by sayingshe was "very sharing of this feeling of insatiability". The word insatiability adds intensity to her experiences because she thinks her love for reading can never be satisfied.
By the end of this exerpt, the reader can feel the intensity and value places in these memories by the way Welty describes them. Her use of figurative language and choice of strong diction make the reader feel as though they are living through Welty's childhood along with her.