Claude Wheeler is he protagonist in Willa Cather’s combination of five books called One of Ours published in 1922. Within these five books we get to vicariously walk through the life of Wheeler from his time in college whilst residing in Frankfort, Nebraska to his last moments in life in the murky French trenches during World War I. Wheeler is a Nebraska native, a son, a brother and a young man looking for his meaning of self in the world. His father, Mr. Nat Wheeler, is a very successful farmer and Mrs. Evangeline Wheeler, his supportive mother is a devoutly religious mother of three sons. Although, not by choice, Wheeler attends a religious university and this seems like the perfect life course for a young studious man with good financial backing. In fact, Wheeler often finds himself unfulfilled with this stable and secure life. He doesn’t find farming or his university in any way challenging and intriguing. It isn’t until he reserves a seat in a European historical class that he starts to find something that stimulates a journey towards his
At the end of her chapter, “Body in Trouble”, Nancy Mairs notes that all too often individuals with physical disabilities are excluded from moral life. In her words, she says “people don’t generally expect much of a cripple’s character” and describes the difficulty of helping in normal charitable activities (such as serving at a soup kitchen). Mairs is realistic about her ability to contribute to certain charitable activities—she cannot chop vegetables or scrub dishes. If a life of service is a Christian calling, like the church affirms, how can we expand our idea of what “service” is so that all people can engage with it? What ways can those with disabilities provide care for non-disabled people, so that the direction does not strictly flow
Canada is coined the ‘cultural mosaic’ because of its proudly multicultural society. Each mosaic tile represents the heritage, history, and beauty of the diverse individuals who have made Canada their home. African-Canadians have certainly earned their shining place on Canada’s great mosaic through their contributions to science, literature, and art. One of the many African-Canadians whose work has resonated with me is Anderson Ruffin Abbott, a writer, journalist, activist, and the first African-Canadian born doctor.
“2.2 million people in the United States depend on a wheelchair for day-to-day tasks and mobility. 6.5 million people use a cane, a walker, or crutches to assist with their mobility”. Every single day, people varying in ages, struggle to live their lives due to conditions out of their control. Whether it be life threatening or not, it can have effects that are both socially and emotionally harming. Although some of them may change appearances on the outside, other people cannot forget that all people, not matter the disability, have brains and personalities of their own that may not be seen to the human eye. The book Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper, shares the story of Melody, a girl who is much more than her cerebral palsy: she is brilliant.
“Just watch me”. One of the most popular quotes in all of Canadian history and was said by Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau. His legacy, attitude, and work transformed Canada and still continues to do so. Trudeau was the Prime Minister of Canada, from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984. Pierre Trudeau changed Canada’s social-political ideology. Canada is now known to be a diverse, multicultural, bilingual and inclusive nation largely as a result of his work. Pierre Elliott Trudeau also believed in an equal Canada for all, he is primarily the one to introduce rights and freedoms to the citizens of Canada. While some view Pierre Trudeau as impulsive, for enforcing the War Measures Act, Trudeau enacted this for the protection of Canadian citizens against radical extremist and his actions were more rational than impulsive for the situation that had suddenly occurred. Pierre Trudeau was one of Canada’s greatest Prime Minister’s, who’s impact fundamentally changed the course of the nation by introducing multiculturalism, for introducing the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and for paradoxically upholding democracy by strong action during the October Crisis.
n Nancy Mairs essay, “Disability”, she illustrates the lack of representation of people with disabilities in the media. While disability plays a major role in Mairs’ life, she points out the various ways her everyday life is ordinary and even mundane. Despite the normalcy of the lives of citizens with disabilities Mairs argues the media’s effacement of this population, is fear driven. She claims, “To depict disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about the disability itself, that it may enter anybody’s life” (Mairs 14). Able bodied people worry about the prospect of eventually becoming physically impaired. The reason why it is a rarity to see disabled people in advertisements is
Nancy Mairs forces a sharp-witted and blunt tone on the reader in her essay, “On Being A Cripple.” A new perspective is explored, on being disabled as well as the word “crippled” which is found offensive by most of society. While keeping the piece light and relatable, she shines a light on the guilty pity thrown on the disabled, treatment no one asks for. Although it is a generally light piece, Mairs uses humor, anecdotes, and diction to improve the treatment of physically disabled.
Debi Mazar is an actress who stated, “A hero is somebody who is selfless, who is generous in spirit, who just tried to give back as much as possible and help people. A hero to me is someone who saves people and who really, deeply cares.” Heroes are relevant to everyone, because at some point, everyone has had a hero. Sadly, today’s society degrades the meaning of the word “hero”. Heroes are an important aspect of life, but famous people are not always heroes. Scott LaBarge’s essay “Heroes: Why Heroes are Important” is well written because he effectively uses pathos, logos, and karios when explaining heroes to his audience.
In the course of history, there were many heroic and inspirational figures. One in particular was Terry Fox. When Terry Fox was a guard on the basketball team at Simon Fraser University, he realized that he had cancer in his right knee. As a result, he had to have his leg amputated. He was an inspirational figure because he was patriotic and loving, had a dream to run across Canada for cancer research, and did not allow his disability to label him.
Waist High In the World is a novel that focuses on the importance of accepting everyone with dignity and respect despite their disabilities and differences. The author of the book, Nancy Mairs purpose when writing the book was to create awareness and share her experience as a “cripple” in order to create consciousness and understanding of those who are going through the same process. Mairs uses different persuasive strategies to convince readers to want a world with people like her in it, this includes the use of pathos, logos and ethos.
H a r r i s o n B e r g e r o n :T o n e
As shown above, a true hero inspires the community, makes an impact, and is selfless. No matter the circumstance, anyone can put their best foot forward and be the hero they were born to
Mary Mcaleese, one of the former presidents of Ireland, works as a current affairs journalist who truly researches her topic. In fact, she once spent a day in a wheelchair in Dublin, one of the most unfriendly wheelchair cities in the world. She once said, “people with disabilities have abilities too” (Mcaleese). Many people throughout the world develop stereotypes, and those who have disabilities make up a great number of these stereotypes. These people need to understand that their body has limits, but their mind does not. The disabled or crippled have feelings too. Mairsdescribes her feelings towards how other people treat her and her feelings toward herself. These emotions change over time with her experiences, and she details the events in
I Kendra Beattie nominate four courageous, brilliant, brave, and prided Canadians as “Greatest Canadians” in each time period of World War I and 1920 's period, 1930 's and 1940 's period, 1950 's and 1960 's period, 1970 's to present period.
The Enlightenment was a period during the 1600 and 1700s where authority, power, government and law was questioned by philosophers. The causes of the Enlightenment was the Thirty Years’ War, centuries of mistreatment at the hands of monarchies and the church, greater exploration of the world, and European thinkers’ interest in the world (scientific study). A large part of the Enlightenment was natural law, which was the belief that people should live their lives and organize their society on the basis of rules and precepts laid down by nature or God; the principles of the Enlightenment in the 1600s through the 1700s influenced the development of the USA by advocating religious and social freedom, freeing the people from oppression, and providing