Biblical Foundations Essay Example for Free

Biblical Foundations Essay Curriculum development is establishing a plan of what a school is going to teach during a school year. The time frame of the curriculum can vary from a quarter to a semester to even being taught the entire school year. Wayne (2010) suggests that each individual’s personal biblical worldview impacts each person in their beliefs and opinions about curriculum development differently. The stance taken by this individual is that of trying to see things in the manner that God would want. God is all knowing and being all knowing, He knows what is best in all things at all times. The Bible says: â€Å"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together† (Colossians 1:16-17). Developing a curriculum is not to be taken lightly. Prayer, studying the word of God, and meditation must all be a part of the development. The role of teachers is to not only teach our students the curriculum that is set before them but to be a leader and a role model. Being a role model is a scary concept. Scary because it means that one is to not just use the words that they speak but they are to show it by the way they act and live their life. Christian teachers have a tremendous job to accomplish. They influence not only the other teachers around them but also the students that they are around every day. The curriculum that is being taught is of the utmost importance but the Christian witness that is being shown is of even more importance. The public school system does not make this easy for those who are Christians. Speaking the word of God is prohibited within this setting. Knowing this, as Christian teachers, being a deliberate Christian role model is of the utmost importance. Many might say that this is impossible but that is far from the truth. The Bible says: â€Å"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible† (Matthew 19:26). The Bible also says: â€Å"†¦Everything is possible for him who believes† (Mark 9:23). Teachers are some of the most innovative and creative people. Christian teachers are to use this to their benefit. The God we serve is the one and only living God and through him, all things are possible. This makes the possibilities of being a good Christian role model limitless. The role of the learner today should be one of wanting to learn. Teachers can encourage this by using student-centered learning according to Blumberg (2008). This can be a very powerful way of getting the learner to want to learn. Student-centered learning does not have to be the entire focus of the class. The focus here could be put into place after the teacher has instructed the students. In a ninety minute class, the teacher is more than able to instruct the students, and then put them in student-centered learning. This helps the learner to focus on what they have learned and not on what the teacher is teaching according to Blumberg (2008). The approach here helps the learner to focus on what they need to be doing and less time on what is going on around them. In our society today, the biblical worldview is quickly being taken away while the modern worldview is silently creeping in to the minds of everyone. Scripture tells us: â€Å"†¦Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light† (2 Corinthians 11:14). We, as Christians, are becoming so conditioned to being politically correct that we are forgetting what is biblically correct. We sit back and think that if we just ignore what is going on, then it will just go away. Instead of that, things have gotten worse and even our young children and adults are beginning to believe that what is taking place is alright. No prayer in school, it is the holiday break not Christmas break, it is spring break not Easter. A worldview is what we develop because of what is going on around us. Many do not even realize that their worldview is being formed or altered. When asked what their worldview is, many cannot even explain it, let alone tell you where their view came from. Today’s Christian society needs to step up and take a stance on what needs to be taught within our public schools. Many in our Christian society have pulled their children out of the public school system to either put them into private Christian schools or to homeschool them. Although this is not wrong, it is not accurate either. The government of today has been shaped and is being shaped by the beliefs of many different religions. â€Å"The U. S. was the first western nation to be founded predominately by Protestants — not Roman Catholics. That fact alone expresses America’s willingness to experiment with the novel and a defiance of tradition. Its history includes the emergence of utopian experiments, religious fanaticism, and opening the door to such exotic religions as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Taoism. Such has been the winding road of religious evolution in America† (History of Religion in America). In trying to make the United States a place of religious freedom, our government has instead made the life of a Christian more difficult. The government’s role in our society should be that of making sure that our children are educated to the standard possible. Although religious viewpoints should be left up to the families of the children, the government still needs to maintain that our freedom is not taken away within the schools. There does need to be guidelines that need to be established but without the persecution of believers of Christ. The church needs to be very careful when getting involved with curriculum development outside of Christian schools. There are so many beliefs that are out there that if the church were to get too involved, the government could and has stepped in to tell us that all has to be taught or expressed. This is where the parents need to step up to the plate. Parents can become and should become a part of the school. Becoming a part of the Parent Teacher Organization is a good start. Getting to know the teachers and expressing to them the needs that should be better met for the students should be of the utmost important. Parents have the right to have a say in the development of the school curriculum. Done in the proper manner, parents can even have a powerful impact on the curriculum their children are taught. Being a part of the process instead of being a part of the problem is the best plan any parent should be a part of for their child. Teachers, learners, society, government, church and family all have an important role in developing curriculum. Each on has a specific role that affects each and every one of us. Teachers and learners work together every day. They get to know each other on a level that can and should encourage trust with one another. Society and government go hand in hand in expressing what the people of that particular area want. Church and families hold the values we want our children to have as well as the standards of life we want. The development of curriculum is to be held to a high standard. Each group that is listed above help to provide the high standard that our children deserve in the educational field.

Influence of the Media on Society

Influence of the Media on Society CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE AUDIENCE 3. THEORIES AND IDEAS BEHIND PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES. 4. CONCLUSION 5. REFERENCES 1.0 INTRODUCTION We live in a world where the media dictates the way we dress, look and behave. Our society is becoming more and more materialistic, where we desire goods, products and spend money on items that are unnecessary. The media portrays the celebrity lifestyle as the ideal way of living and distributes masses of magazines that contain:- Celebrity gossip Dress sense Interfere into their personal life. Emphasise less glamorous pictures of them. Weight loss/gain. Display images of perfect celebrity bodies. Magazines such as Heat and Vibe target the young female population who are very impressionable and encourage the onset of anorexia and other eating disorders. Such media information results in the readers feeling less confident, experiencing body dismorphia and believing that coming out in spots etc is unnatural, (Vincent, 2001). The youth today are trapped in a society greatly influenced by media and are unable to distinguish between reality and normality exposed by media components. Media constantly reminds society of human perfection seen in celebrities, which can be perceived on billboards, magazines, TV and on the net. The society is becoming obsessed with image and particularly weight; we can view reality shows for weight loss and plastic surgery, which are components that further corrupt the minds of young adolescents, (Sproule, 1997). The mass media has now become a form of communication between cultures, global locations and most importantly as a means of advertising products and services that companies offer. The prominent expansion of globalisation has helped communication process between countries all over the world, where barriers such as language and cultural differences have been overcome or accommodated for. The role the mass media plays in our society is phenomenal, media communication components have expanded as technology has advanced, if we refer to electronic media and the accessibility of global news with the click of a button. Media is continuously making the society believe that luxury items are necessities, it should be highlighted that media shapes the society to such an extent, that individual opinions are also affected so that they are in agreement with the mass media, (Robbins, 1999). The major concerns in society are weight conscious young females and children who are being bullied, however the media does not facilitate enough for such important issues, instead we are in constant reminder of problems celebrities face and other unnecessary information. 2.0 THE AUDIENCE Society has not acknowledged the full potential or power of mass media. Society’s mind has changed considerably where industries/companies cannot rely on customer loyalty, as the competition between multinational companies is too big. The most powerful tool is the mass media that are paid large sums of money by industries and companies to capture the attention of potential or existing customers. For example if we consider the battle of Coca Cola and Pepsi, which has been going for years; Pepsi have employed a different approach by using popular celebrities to appear on their adverts and also used sport to make drinking Pepsi more â€Å"trendy†. It should be mentioned that mainstream media is driven by many market forces. For many companies such as the newspaper industry, the product (information provided) is regarded as the audience and the customers considered as the corporate advertisers (Chomsky, 1997). Many may be in disagreement with Chomsky’s statement, because it is not a normal manner of perceiving such customer and product relations. It would appear normal to consider the newspaper as the product and customer as the audience. The newspaper example can be generalised to assess the information and the reasons behind purchasing the magazines with celebrity and soap information. However if we analyse the scenario, where customers/readers conform to a demography where valuable information interpreted will be passed onto other members of society, and depending on the interest of subject topic will encourage the purchase of the paper. If this is true then the customer who has purchased the paper, has advertised what he/she has learnt/read. We refer to the paper as the audience; primarily it is the product that attracts the customers, hence the advertisers bring income to companies, (Vincent, 2001). The media has portrayed the need of knowing about celebrity lifestyle a necessity and has made society more addicted to TV programmes by providing future storylines in magazines or newspapers. In conclusion to Chomsky’s theory, the audience is also the consumer. The audience demographics are essential for media industries, where we should be aware that the content of media invasion/persuasion in our society is not as important as the target audience. It is a misconception to believe the notion of satisfying the customer, because in reality industries target audiences who able to afford the products on offer and in advertisements. Bagdikian (2000) proposed that magazine advertising has a major impact on society’s conception of products and views of global issues. Bagdikian believes that impact of magazine influence and advertising reached a stage where editors chose articles containing adverts, which were thought to have the most influential impact on the readers as apposed to the article content itself. 3.0 THEORIES AND IDEAS BEHIND PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES The communication used by the mass media includes predominantly TV, magazines and books. Such mediated messages are perceived as packaged commodities and perceived or presented in such a form that the target audience is forced to return to these goods and services, (Jankiewicz, 2004). Society and media influence has come so far along that separation of thoughts, opinions and way of living in the world today is impossible. When we refer to the media, we automatically assume that their advertising techniques are blatant and visible to us. However the mass/mainstream media disguises many adverts in the form of news and advertorials (which may be critical analysis of current issues). The characteristics of the mass media can be summarised, as presented (Sproule, 1997):- 1. Audience remains unknown to the source. 2. Message is transferred through so many media channels which are   technological and involve a lot of time and effort. This insinuates that   immediate feedback is not available. 3. The source is most probably a complex organisation that decides when   and where a particular product should be available in the market. The major issues faced by the mass media are propaganda and the impact of globalisation especially where cultural differences are less and less detectable and we are dominated by â€Å"Americanism†. The domination of the mass media in the society is successful because the means of persuasion that are employed to attract target audiences, (Prestage, 2002). The term persuasion refers to a method/process by which we influence the behaviour, physical or mental status of others by influencing them to adopt a particular manner or perception that is in agreement to ours. The persuasiveness of the mass media constitutes of two key points, which are the Direct-Effects Perspective and the Limited effects Perspective. The Direct-Effects Perspective assumes that media has direct effects on the audience and can be explained if the message-model (refer to Figure 1.1) is acknowledged as well as the cultivation theory. The Limited-Effects Perspective proposes that we are selective to media coverage and information. It postulates that we ignore messages that do not accommodate/suit individual needs and remain in focus of reality, which can be explained better using the cultural studies theory, (Underwood, 2005). The two-step flow model (message-model) was introduced by Katz and Lazarsfield in the 1940’s when they researched into the effects of political mass communication. Many valuable theories and conclusions were found by the researchers, one important aspect highlighted in their investigation was the change in votes (5% of sample group) as a result of media exposure. Their findings helped coin the term Limited Effects Paradigm of media influence. The general idea behind the two-step flow model is that opinion leaders play a vital role in the portrayal of media messages. Their theory is based on some assumptions deduced from their investigated, and are summarised below, (Chomsky, 1997):- There are limitations to effects of media messages which may be influenced by interpersonal relational and group membership. Misconception of the term â€Å"mass audience† as this instigates that all have equal say and input into the effects experienced through media influences. However it is clear that some individuals play a more active role than others where others simply conform. Opinion leaders in the â€Å"mass audience† are in constant interaction with the mass media and regard their selves as highly influential to others (refer to Figure 1.1). The Cultivation Theory developed by Professor George Gerbner during the 1960’s, when he began his investigation into the effects of TV on viewers in relation to their perception of everyday life. Many theorists believe that TV has long term effects and cultivates our attitudes to normality, (Vincent, 2001). The Cultivation Theory can be interpreted in two components, which are the first and second order effects. The first order effects refer to the beliefs that may emerge towards prevalence of violence and the second order effects may have developed in having particular attitudes where you may be conscious about personal welfare. Much cultivation research investigates the viewers’ perception of TV reality in comparison to reality of our society, (Chandler, 1995). Professor Gerbner proposed that TV dominates our symbolic environment, where TV can be perceived as a more attractive or realistic world to viewers. He also suggested that the exaggeration of violence on screen provides mixed messages to viewers; the younger audience are most likely to be affected, (Robbins, 1999). Professor Gerbner summarised the theory by postulating that if a viewers surrounding is similar to that shown on TV, then the effects of cultivation are the greatest. The Rhetoric Theory is based on three important aspects, which are:- Logical Emotional Ethical The Rhetoric Theory is mainly concerned with the available means of persuasion; it is regarded as using symbols to produce effects and involves use of either language or symbols. Advertisements come in so many forms, where the motive of the advert or message influences the form of persuasion. Sometimes images/symbolism such as logos is more appealing than literature, (Prestage, 2002). In conclusion to this section, it can be said that there are many theories of media persuasion towards target audiences, a few common theories have been mentioned to give the reader a broader thought process towards media domination, which is continually growing in our society. 4.0 CONCLUSION Media influences our society to such an extent that many have become obsessed with image, luxury items and especially weight. The media persuasive strategies have become stronger and stronger and more widely available which a result of globalisation. We live in a world where we are constantly exposed to the mass media and cannot help but become influenced by products and services that are unnecessary and become lost in the media reality and the reality of our society. Although there are many theories that try and explain the persuasive strategies of media domination and techniques employed to target certain groups. As with all theories, the hypotheses mentioned in the previous section are not without criticism; however they provide a more in depth insight into the media components and how literature such as that found in magazines in very influential. Magazines are convenient on long journeys and celebrity gossip and detail makes it very appealing especially to the young female population. The mass media does not realise the negative effects publicity of weight concern has on young impressionable adolescents, who may portray media images as a normal perception. REFERENCES Bagdikian, B., H. (2000). The Media Monopoly (6th edition). Beacon Press, 2000. Chandler, D. (1995). Cultivation Theory. Accessed online, URL: http://www.CultivationTheory.htm Chomsky, N. (1997). What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream. Z Magazine. Jankiewicz, H (2004). The Concepts of Rhetoric. Accessed online, URL: http://www.RhetoricTheory.htm Prestage, J. (2002). Mainstream Journalism: Shredding the First Amendment. Online Journal, URL: http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/WarOnTerror/Shredding.asp Robbins, R. (1999). Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Allyn and Bacon 1999. Sproule, J.M. (1997). Propaganda and Democracy: The American Experience of Media and Mass Persuasion. New York: Cambridge University Press. Vincent, R., C. (2001). Transnational Media and the Survival of Democracy. Department of Communication. Accessed online [google], URL: http://www.communication.indstate.ed/transnational_media.html Underwood, M. (2005). Katz and Lazarsfield: Two Step Model. Accessed online [google].

Life of Blondie :: essays research papers

Blondie was the most commercially successful band to emerge from the much-vaunted punk/new wave movement of the late '70s. The group was formed in New York City in August 1974 by singer Deborah Harry (b. July 1, 1945, Miami), formerly of Wind in the Willows, and guitarist Chris Stein (b. January 5, 1950, Brooklyn) out of the remnants of Harry's previous group, the Stilettos. The lineup fluctuated over the next year. Drummer Clement Burke (b. November 24, 1955, New York) joined in May 1975. Bassist Gary Valentine joined in August. In October, keyboard player James Destri (b. April 13, 1954) joined, to complete the initial permanent lineup. They released their first album, Blondie, on Private Stock Records in December 1976. In July 1977, Valentine was replaced by Frank Infante. In August, Chrysalis Records bought their contract from Private Stock and in October reissued Blondie and released the second album, Plastic Letters. Blondie expanded to a sextet in November with the addition of bassist Nigel Harrison (born in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England), as Infante switched to guitar. Blondie broke commercially in the U.K. in March 1978, when their cover of Randy and the Rainbows' 1963 hit "Denise," renamed "Denis," became a Top Ten hit, as did Plastic Letters, followed by a second U.K. Top Ten, "(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear." Blondie turned to U.K. producer/songwriter Mike Chapman for their third album, Parallel Lines, which was released in September 1978 and eventually broke them worldwide. "Picture This" became a U.K. Top 40 hit, and "Hanging on the Telephone" made the U.K. Top Ten, but it was the album's third single, the disco-influenced "Heart of Glass," that took Blon die to number one in both the U.K. and the U.S. "Sunday Girl" hit number one in the U.K. in May, and "One Way or Another" hit the U.S. Top 40 in August. Blondie followed with their fourth album, Eat to the Beat, in October. Its first single, "Dreaming," went Top Ten in the U.K., Top 40 in the U.S. The second U.K. single, "Union City Blue," went Top 40. In March 1980, the third U.K. single from Eat to the Beat, "Atomic," became the group's third British number one. (It later made the U.S. Top 40.) Meanwhile, Harry was collaborating with German disco producer Giorgio Moroder on "Call Me," the theme from the movie American Gigolo. It became Blondie's second transatlantic chart-topper.

Film Essay examples -- essays research papers

Everyone lives in a different reality, that is why people enjoy watching movies. It gives insight into the world’s of others. Film directors strive to portray their characters’ lives as believable as possible. Many help set up the authenticity with costumes and such.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Governess Goldbacher sets the historical reality with subtle elegance. In the scene where Rosina enters the dining area to inform her employers of her departure, all are dressed in attire associated with the English Victorian era. The son in an oversized baggy shirt, the father with a smart suit and a string bow tie. The daughter is sporting a child like dress which drops just below her knees, and the mother in a high neck lace dress. Although the scene is somewhat dramatic with Rosina’s abruptness about leaving, she retires with the calm gracefulness women were expected to conduct themselves with in that day and age. As she begins speaking to them the camera zooms in some, and then follows her as she makes her way over to the Mistress and presents her with the nude of her husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Elizabeth director Kapur did an excellent job portraying the many different phases in the Queen’s life. From her carefree days before her rein where she wore long flowing and light dresses, to that of her rebirth as the â€Å"Virgin Queen.† In her last phase she dons the most elaborate attire, huge and stiff dresses with high neck lines. She even cuts most of her hair o...

“Flight 063” by Brian Aldiss Essay

The poem Flight 063 by Brian Aldiss compares the business flight 063 to Icarus grand flight. Aldiss shows a different side of Icarus, showing the bright side of him, his flight, rather than about his great fall. While talking about Icarus flight, Aldiss talks about corporate men flying high over the Arctic Circle, without a care in the world about flying up in the sky, having it be a normal part of their lives, unlike Icarus, who only flew once. Aldiss tries to say that one should reflect on the good things in life instead of just the bad and to make the best of life. The diction used to describe Icarus flight and Flight 063 shows the difference in the style of flying that they are using. Why always speak of Icarus fall?(1). Well, everyone always remembers the bad things that happen in life, and the only good things remembered are those that impact the whole world. There is a poster somewhere that says, When I do something good, nobody remembers. When I do something bad, nobody ever forgets. That poster shows how everybody dwells on the bad, but Aldiss is showing that you should remember the good as well. The everyday was lost in his ascent (25-26) shows that when Icarus was flying, everything normal went away during his cliff-top jump, The leap of heart, the blue air scaled his glorious sense of life Imperiled (21-24). Icarus was doing what no other man has done- fly up high into the sky. His glorious flight into the sun left his sense of life gone, just wanting to fly closer to the sun, becoming a beautiful thing. Yet [w]hy always speak of Icarus fall?(1) when his flight was so much more. The allusions used to describe Icarus fall embellish on the fact that it could either be small and insignificant, or large and memorable. For example, that little splash which caught the eye of Brueghel refers to the famous painting, The Fall of Icarus. If you look at it, it looks like a regular scene of ancient Greece, but if you look closely in the bottom right hand corner, there is someone- Icarus- drowning in the water. Brueghel shows that Icarus fall was unimportant to the normal lives of the Greeks. The myth of Icarus is the main allusion in this poem. Aldiss uses the story of Icarus to state a point that before the fall the flight was (14). Before the tragic  fall, there was a great flight of Icarus, which we barely remember in our minds. When we hear Icarus, we think of a man whose wax wings have melted and who has fallen into the sea instead of a man who has accomplished flight, accomplished the discovery of the world in the air, and a man who found out that humans can fly. This is similar to how we think of Adam and Eve. —just before The Edenic Fall, [Adam] had that first taste of Eve (15-17). We think of only that if Adam and Eve hadnt been so foolish as to eat from the Tree of Knowledge that there would be no evil in this world, and that we would be immortal; we dont focus on what was happening before the eating of the fruit. They were in paradise. That just slips our minds sometimes and we only dwell on what happened afterwards. The best things in life are meant to be remembered, and the bad things are there just to remind you that youre human. Aldiss is trying to tell people that the best things of life should be enjoyed, and one should take heed silly limitations as the melting point of wax (28-29). Sources: Flight 063 by Brian Aldiss

Imperialism and Manhood Essay

Study question 1. 2. 3. To Roosevelt, the idea of race suicide was closely interlinked to manhood. Not only would the American men face competition from immigrant workers and be unable to provide for more children: thus leading to an excess of inferior immigrants but the American man would also be related to the impotent American man, unable to create more children. This would lead to the race’s elimination Race and Immigration 1. It allowed individuals to distinguish and separate themselves from immigrants thus creating a barrier that showed them as undesirable. 2. Certain policies and laws were created to separate the Chinese from other groups: Chinese Exclusion Act. 3. This act set a precedent on the treatment of other foreigners that would enter America. Urban Politics and Culture 1. It is preferable to have a community that has a degree of refinement than to live in one that is full of poverty. 2. The wealth should be divided amongst the immediate family to a degree that does not surpass them into leading unfulfilling and lazy lives. The rest should be distributed for the benefit of society. 1. Having undergone poverty himself, Riles shows stereotypes but presents them in an entertaining way to the audience. Also he mentions the roles these different cultures play in merging with the American way of life. 2. Riis and Carnegie are similar in their opinion that the poor exist and cannot be ignored but it is only the rich who can provide them with relief. Cultural Encounters in the Far West 1. The Bison went into extinction because of the cold and droughts bought in by the changing environment and human influence which resulted in colonial expansion that bought in new diseases and animals. 2. It was not the nomads alone who hunted the bison. They sold the animals to the Euro-American invaders. 1. Blacks could not vote unless their grandfathers had not been voters before the Civil War, literacy tests had to be passed, fees was charged for voting and democrats (always white individuals) were the only ones allowed to vote. 2. The South contained individuals who had the deepest hatred for the blacks which led the lynching in this area to be the worst. 3. Separate schools, hospitals, accommodations and even entrances were given to the two groups. Often enough the blacks were provided no facilities by certain states. 4. They decided to test out the marginzalation itself by acts like the one committed by Homer A Plessy Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia Website 1. Minstrels would perform music with black faced performers in the quest to ridicule black people. Also caricatures were made which were printed in novels and plays. 2. Churches taught that blacks were inferior. Politicians gave speeches supporting segregation and writers also wrote against the black man.

Life on the Western Front Essay

The First World War was a shattering experience for all Europeans, both soldiers and civilians. Memoirs show that soldiers expressed a wide variety of views on the war. Some soldiers enjoyed the war and some hated it, but most were unable to decide how they felt about it. In this essay I will be examining whether or not official accounts of the Western Front more accurate than personal accounts. I will survey several sources and try to draw a conclusion. Soldiers in the war were allowed little correspondence. Their letters and postcards sent home were censored to the point of very little detail. They were only allowed to write about family, friends and their health, as can be seen on the field service postcard, source A1. The honour clause was a statement all soldiers had to sign to confirm they were not writing about anything else other than private family matters. The honour clause also gave the officials permission to examine the contents of the postcard/letter e.g. ‘Green envelope’ source A2. The officials censored letters and postcards because they didn’t want people back home to know too much and also because they didn’t want the Germans to accidentally find out their plans. They were able to do this under the defence of the Realm Act 1916. Postcards and letters were limited because the government wanted to maintain high morale on people back home so that recruitment would not be affected. The postcards are useful to historians studying the Western Front because it shows how little time the soldiers had. They also tried to be more optimistic when writing back home to family and friends. This is because they didn’t want them to worry too much so tried to keep a happy tone in their letters. I personally think letters in the personal section give the most information about trench life because in the official account the trenches are shown as they are meant to be, not as they actually are. Whereas in the personal account soldiers describe what the trenches are like. â€Å"About six feet in depth, they were floored with duckboards and were wide enough for two men to pass comfortably†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Some of the letters in the personal account are similar. Many soldiers wrote about the same things i.e. light-hearted happy conversations. â€Å"I got your letter today and you seem quite cheery so as long as Dora’s all right all’s well with the world.† So as to not worry their family and friends. The letters and postcards in the official and personal section do not give off the same impression of life on the Western Front. For example, Teddy Bennett who was a second lieutenant of the twenty-ninth battalion of the Machine Gun Corps described the trenches as eighteen inches and only three feet deep , only big enough for a ‘drain pipe’. But George Coppard wrote that the trenches were ‘in very good condition’ and were ‘about six feet in depth†¦ enough for two men to pass through comfortably’. These two clearly show that trenches varied in condition. The majority of soldiers used the same tone and wrote about similar things effectively censoring themselves. The letters and postcards do not give the same impression of life on the Western Front as other sources. The other sources i.e. photos showed soldiers dieing cruel deaths and suffering from severe injuries and diseases. I don’t think this type of evidence, personal and official, gives a totally accurate view of life on the Western Front but they are useful as evidence of soldiers feelings and opinions. Official war artists were commissioned by the government to paint pictures/images of the war. Fortunino Matanaia and C.R Nevinson are examples of war artists. Paul Nash was a front line soldier for four months in 1917 but was sent home after an accident. He was then sent back to the Western Front as an official war artist. He was ordered not to show any dead bodies in his pictures. He gave off a peaceful and honourable impression of the war. The content of some of the paintings in the official section are not reliable because they censored dead bodies. I don’t think these paintings in the official section are an expression of opinion because the artists were told what to hide & what to draw. The painting by John Singer showing soldiers blinded by gas seems fairly accurate to me because it was painted in 1918 and during that time many soldiers suffered from tear gas that caused temporary blindness. The painting is very similar to source A5, a photo. I think source A4, the photo showing two British troops in anti -phosgene masks manning a Vickers machine-gun, was posed to show those back home that anti-phosgene masks were provided for soldiers so more volunteers would sign up to join the army. I think it was posed because until after 1916 there were no more volunteers and conscription was introduced. My feelings towards source A9, a photo of two men badly disabled from the war which might have been used for propaganda purposes, is sympathy. But soldiers would not want pity because they felt proud. This is one of the differences of the two generations. I think that they feel the need to smile to show they are strong and they probably think they have to put on a brave face so their loved-ones won’t worry. Sources B9-B13 are more gruesome compared to the sources in the official account. The reasons for the difference are officials wanted to conceal all the gruesome deaths that the British soldiers had and only took photos of their peaceful deaths. I think photos, official and personal, are quite accurate as source of information on the Western Front for a variety of purposes. Punch was a British humorous political magazine. It contained anti-German propaganda. The main purpose of political cartoons is to get a message across in a more entertaining way. I think source A10 is very useful to historians studying soldiers’ attitudes to life on the Western Front because it shows that soldiers were pessimistic and found trench life difficult to handle. I don’t think source A13 is reliable. This is because the cartoon was taken from a British political magazine and the Germans were the enemy so they would have wanted to make the Germans look bad. There are a few hints of bias in sources A14 and A15, for example â€Å"Our operations, in conjunction with the French, definitely stopped the German attack, and it has not since been removed.† and â€Å"We progressed North Poziers and hear High wood and Delville extremely severe enemy losses.† This is because the articles were written by the British and also because they were official. Based on what I have read I don’t think cartoons and newspaper are reliable. Although it is useful for historians studying soldiers’ humour. The most famous war poets are Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. Seigfried Sassoon serviced was an officer who suffered from shell shock and had come to the conclusion that the War was pointless. He was sent home on sick leave in 1916. During his second visit to France his views on war became more doubtful about the way in which war was being conducted from a military point of view. By July 1916 he was well enough to return to duty but he couldn’t bring himself to do so, so he wrote a statement which he regarded as ‘an act of wilful defiance of military authority’. The officials found this hilarious and he was ordered to attend a Medical Board at Chester in July 16th but he failed to attend. A Second Board was arranged at Liverpool on July 20th, which he attended and it was recommended that he be sent to Craiglockhart. Wilfred Owen spent the winter on 1916-7 on the front line but was then sent home on sick leave. He returned to the front on 1st September 1918 and was killed on 4th November, seven days before the war ended. He was awarded the Military Cross. Many of the poems were about warfare and the effects of gas and bombardment. For example ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen tells the story of a phosgene gas attack as troops were making their way back from the front line. This poem is backed up by source A5. It is possible that these poems are exaggerated because the soldiers might have been suffering from depression and by writing these poems they were drowning their sorrows. I don’t think the poems are inaccurate because they are from soldiers’ views. Many of the poems are making a specific point i.e. ‘Does it Matter’ and ‘For the Fallen’ written by Siegfried Sassoon. The poem ‘Suicide in the trenches’ by Siegfried Sassoon tells the story of a ‘simpler soldier boy’ who fought in the war and couldn’t cope so committed suicide expresses anti-war sentiment. The poem ‘Returning, we hear the larks’ written by Isaac Rosenberg also expresses anti-war sentiment. In the poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ the title is Latin saying Dulce et Decorum est pro patria mori meaning ‘It is sweet and noble to die for your country.’ I think it is used in the last line because the soldiers die in the end and the poet is saying it is sweet and noble of them. Also to highlight the wrong. Overall, these poems are quite accurate as evidence of life on the Western Front because they are soldiers’ points of views and this was the only way they were allowed to express their feelings. Siegfried Sassoon was decided as having mental illnesses because he didn’t agree with the way war was conducted. As a result of this he was admitted into a mental hospital to be treated for shell shock. My opinion of the war poets are they were all depressed and found war difficult so they wrote poems to show this. I think they can be relied upon as they are the thoughts and feelings of soldiers. Which cannot be ignored and tend to highlight the variety of experience on the Western Front. The conditions of the trenches were often very bad. The mud was often deep and became very muddy whenever it rained. The trenches were lined with sandbags and collapsed as they filled with water causing the sides to rupture. The trenches were always shelled by enemy artillery which destroyed the sandbags and sides of the trenches so needed frequent repair. Barbed wire lined the outside of the trenches to keep the enemy from attacking. Many soldiers experienced illnesses and diseases whilst living in the trenches. Trench foot was a common disease which many soldiers got by standing in mud for too long. To prevent this from spreading the soldiers rubbed whale oil on to their feet everyday. Being bitten by lice was also very common in the trenches. They tried to prevent this by running a lighted candle along the seams of their clothing but this only killed the lice, not their eggs. The lice carried a disease called trench fever. I think sources A9, B3, B13 would be most useful to historians wanting to find out about the morale of the soldiers. The people today view the war a lot differently compared to the people who lived through it. When you step back and take a closer look at the picture you see things differently. Overall, I have a fairly accurate view of life on the Western Front from looking at personal and official accounts. I have found both, official and personal, accounts useful. I can’t really put together an accurate picture of what life on the Western Front was actually like using personal accounts because the soldiers may not remember what happened to give an accurate description and would be bias against Germans. The official account has been censored so that also is not really reliable. Therefore I think that by looking at both accounts would give a clearer picture.