Literary Analysis of American Literature Essay Example for Free

Literary Analysis of American Literature Essay As Elinor Ostrom explains, To a great degree, his stories speak for those who are disenfranchised, cheated, abused, or ignored because of race or class. Hughess stories speak of the downtrodden African-Americans neglected and overlooked by a prejudiced society. The recurring theme of powerlessness is exemplified in his narration â€Å"Let America Be America again†, â€Å"Harlem† and â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers†. Hughes uses rhyme to draw attention to the poetic element of his narration â€Å"Let America Be America Again†. Words such as â€Å"be† and â€Å"free†, â€Å"dreamed and â€Å"schemed†, â€Å"wreathe† and â€Å"breathe† etc. all demonstrate rhyming. The central theme is that the author feels left out of the American Dream. Hughes is writing a poem of someone who feels that America is a land that lives up to begin to add up to that. The tone is angry and resentful. In this poem he is not representing the point of view of one particular group. Hughes conveys that there are many people who’ve come here with hopes and dreams and they’re being let down. He’s also saying that there is an economic disparity between people. In essence the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, because there is no equal opportunity. That idea is something that is not real for many people because of their race, economic situation, and come up. The reader is immediately introduced to the fact that the author does not believe that America is all it can be due to the fact that the word again is used. He wants America to be â€Å"the dream it used to be. † But the powerful line is #5 which reads â€Å"America was never America. † This enhances what many people feel, that Americas ideals of equality, liberty, and land of the free don’t seem real. In a sense there is a positive tone because there is a hope that America can be a â€Å"great strong land of love,† O, let my land be a land where liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. Liberty, which is another word for freedom is important in the dream America holds so preciously. The central message here is one of greed. Money is at the center of what America has become. Hughes feels that â€Å"power, gain† and owning property is the focus. It’s all about money. He says in line #32 to what America has become in his views. â€Å"Of owning everything for one’s own greed! † At the later stage of the poem, Hughes is coming back and saying sarcastically that he wouldn’t say there is freedom. He is speaking for the â€Å"millions† of people who have been struggling, hoping, working, flying flags, â€Å"who have nothing† except for dreams that are â€Å"almost dead. † â€Å"Harlem† by Langston Hughes is a poem that talks about what happens when we postpone our dreams. The poem is made up of a series of similes and it ends with a metaphor. The objective of the poem is to get us to think about what happens to a dream that is put off, postponed; what happens when we create our very own shelve of dreams? The â€Å"dream† refers to a goal in life, not the dreams we have while sleeping, but our deepest desires. There are many ways to understand this poem; it varies from person to person. Someone like me may see this poem as talking about just dreams in general. Others may see it as African-American’s dreams. Although the meter of Harlem varies, the poem has a rhythmic, lyrical quality achieved through alliteration, rhyme, repetition of certain words, and carefully placed stressed syllables. People need to think twice before deferring their dreams. Langston Hughes says it best in his poem Harlem asking the question. What happens to a dream deferred Langston Hughes describes the outcome of the question as an altogether bad idea, saying that deferring your dream is â€Å"fester like a sore† or â€Å"it stinks like rotten meat†. By using imagery, he wants the reader to know what it is like to defer a dream and how bad it is. The first image in the poem proposes that the dream dries up like a raisin. This simile likens the original dream to a grape, which is round, juicy, green and fresh. Once the dream has lain neglected for too long, it dries up. Where the raisin image invokes the senses of taste and sight, the simile of the sore conveys a sense of touch and bodily impact. By comparing the dream to a sore on the body, Hughes suggests that unfulfilled dreams become part of us, like scars. In Langston Hughes poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Hughes makes use of some interesting poetic techniques. This poem is written in free verse, at first glance, seems to be unstructured. Hughes repeats words and lines, but does not make use of repeated sounds. Finally, some of his word choices near the end of the poem help to bring the message of the poem across more strongly. These poetic techniques contribute greatly to the quality of the poem. The textual details of the poem invoke strong imagery related to veins, rivers, and the roots of trees and give the reader a sense of the timelessness of these objects. In the short first stanza, the speaker in the poem by Langston Hughes states that he has â€Å"known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. † From this early point in the point in the poem, images of the canals of veins that run throughout the human body as well as similar images of rivers that wind around and are shaped like veins form our understanding that this poem is about more than blood or water, it is about roots and circuits. He has a very deep meaning about how people feel by debating that his soul is so much stubborn now at this point that no external source could change it. Hughes poems illustrate many of the problems that African Americans faced during the depression era, ranging from prejudice and discrete racism to a general air of hopelessness and despair. His poetry basically develops the idea of celebrating and idealizing the Negro life in America. He is not much like the other poets who just uses a single voice/entity, instead has a tendency to express the visualizations through a number of voices making it more realistic. His expression consists of renunciation and feelings of personal cruelty.

Was Trade the Most Important Factor of British Empire Essay Example for Free

Was Trade the Most Important Factor of British Empire Essay At the Cutty Sark I learned that the ship traded tea from China. It was able to carry 10,335 tea chests. It left from London with mining gear, beer, coal and household goods. This shows that trade was quite an important factor for the Empire because people were able to use items and foods that they did not get in their own country and it also increases colonisation because some people from the UK would stay in China gathering all of the cargo onto the ship and would stay there to make sure trade was always going on. The ship would of shipped off a lot of cargo and the living conditions would have been very bad. The men on board would of had to do many jobs. This shows that being on board a ship was not always a pleasant experience. The ship had many sales so that it could travel faster. The Cutty Sark would export cargo from the United Kingdom such as items like mining gear, beer, coal, household goods, some weaponry and especially wool. In Australia from 1869-1892 there ended up being 100,000,000 sheep in Australia. There were not that many men on board. There were 30 men on board at the most and almost half of them were apprentices. Most of the crew on board the ship would abandon it when they got to Australia. This increased colonization in another part of the world. At the National Maritime Museum I learnt more about the East India Company. The Europeans began to trade with Asia by sea around the 1500s. The first European to sail from Europe to Asia was Vasco da Gama. Many different European countries traded with sailed to Southern India for things like spices and pepper. This is exactly what the Dutch did. Robert Knox sailed from Great Britain to Southern India because of the East India Company. Many of the things that were traded helped the UK. Pepper which came from India protected people against the Plague. The Navy was the most important thing with trading because it allowed you to get to different countries. Trade caused a lot of conflict like at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 where Clive defeated the Nawab(prince) Siraj ud-Daula. This was a turning point because the British ended up capturing India. This is also a turning point because they would have more land and begin to colonise in India. It also would have ade their rivals such as the Dutch angry because they would now be trading with the British. The East India Company was very efficient during trade because it was able to give people more jobs, more goods and also more allies. At the Painted Hall there was not much to learn about trade or colonisation etc.. Instead of those things we saw a whole room that was painted with different Gods, Kings, Queens, Seasons, Ships and these were all merged together to make as if it was telling small stories. The hall was painted by a man called James Thornhill and he wanted to make this so that he could get more money. I think that the hall was made like that for National Pride because when an apprentice would walk into a room like that they would be proud of their country and would be motivated to make his country proud. The men and women who made the British Empire would have been motivated because of factors such as national pride, wealth, fame, making allies, agriculture, weaponry. These all show that the British were trying to make their country known. It does not really surprise me because if you look at any country, they all want to spread their culture and gain power but some countries know how to do it better than others. I think that trade was the most important factor of the British Empire because it was the most powerful trading nation in the world, they arrived in the country to trade in the first place, many products were brought to Britain some of which we still have today and if trade never began then we would not have things like tea, coffee, exotic fruits, spices etc.. The other factors are important because Britain created allies, spread religion quickly and beat their rivals in war. These are all good factors but none of it would have happened if trade did not really begin. From 1603-1677 7million pounds more pepper was exported from India to the UK. This helped them in war because they were able to gain allies. Even though there was conflict like at the Battle of Plassey there was somebody in India to help the East India Company. The increase of tea exports from China between 1701 to 1801 was 31,500,000 pounds. During trade with different countries it also increased the amount of money in the UK. Trade is also important because of the slave trade and how many workers they were able to work for them. It also allowed them to get goods from the Caribbean and also gain allies from Africa. There are negatives to the slave trade on how they treated the workers and how much they made them work in such terrible conditions. The middle passage was the worst because the slaves would get whipped and the conditions below deck would be so bad because it wold be very cramped. They hardly got any food and they were made to work unwillingly with no pay. If they were punished they were either marked or in a really bad incident then they would be killed to set an example to the other slaves. Young children and old people would do minor jobs like picking up litter and extra grains to throw away. People who were quite strong such as young men would work on the plantations and women would work in the slavers houses doing the cooking and cleaning in the houses. The white people would not do that much other than collect the money. The living conditions were also really bad because they would hardly have any space and it would be very cramped. That all changed when slaves became Christian and people began to feel as if they should not make their fellow Christians work with no pay. Religion was increased because of the slaves and colonisation in different countries but they would have had to trade to make this happen. To beat their rivals Great Britain would have also used trade to gain allies and generate a larger army. They would have also gained more weapons. Trade was also a very big factor for the British Empire because it gained fame and wealth for the UK. It helped make their country known and to spread their culture. Even though it took quite a long time to get to each location that they needed to get to it was all worth it in the end because they ended up bringing back a lot of cargo which could last the UK for quite a long time. It helped that the navy were good because it meant that trade would be a lot easier because they would be able to get to each place quicker and would be able to navigate themselves well. Even though there were many important factors of the British Empire I personally think that trade was the most important because it increased the United Kingdoms economy, agriculture, fame, wealth, culture and goods exported from other countries. That is why trade in my opinion is the most important factor of the growth of the British Empire.

Pc Gaming Vs Console Gaming Media Essay

Pc Gaming Vs Console Gaming Media Essay It wasnt that long ago that the PC was the only choice you had if you wanted to play games online. The first console that had online capabilities was the Sega Dreamcast, that lead the way for other consoles. The Dreamcast didnt sell very well, and the company wasnt able to support it anymore and went out of business. It wasnt until 2002 that PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube introduced online capabilities. Now that developers knew what gamers wanted it was very natural for a console to have online capabilities, to even be close to a successful system. Online games are very common in the gaming world, with Microsofts Xbox Live service leading the way with 23 million registered users. Sony has some tricks up there sleeve, and has big plans for online content for the PlayStation 3, consoles are starting to get game downloads only available on the PC. A few titles can now be played across systems, Final Fantasy XI uses this system and people with PS2, PC, and Xbox 360 can all explore the same world simultaneously. However, Computers still have the largest selection of online games. Some of the most popular games in the world are exclusive to the PC only. Games such as World of Warcraft and Counter Strike Source make up 40% of online PC gamers. There are many things to think about before deciding which device you want to buy. You have to decide what type of games you want to play, and how much money you are willing to spend, and if you need a computer for other things besides gaming. Ideally we would all have both a PC and a console, but if thats not an option, then a comparison of the two is needed. Multiplayer gaming has been made easy with Microsoft offering online services for their products. The Xbox comes equipped with a network card right out of the box, making it a simple hook up to a DSL or Cable Internet connection to get into multiplayer games on Xbox Live. With Xbox Live players are able to play with people around the country rather than having to play the AI, or have to go through the hassle of inviting friends over to play. You are able to trash talk your opponents if they you where in the same room. While these things are possible on a PC, consoles are built for this right out of the box. The biggest reason PC gaming isnt bigger than console gaming is mainly the cost. Most consoles today sell for less than $500 unless its within the first couple months of release, often with a couple games included. A PC around the same graphical power as an Xbox 360, or a PS3 can cost double the price of the console. On the PC, you have a very large range of often options everywhere you look. . Prices for a high-end PCs can get expensive very quickly A desktop can start at anywhere from $1,500 to $1,700. Not that you have to spend that much but, if youre going to spend time gaming on a PC, shouldnt you make the experience worthwhile? And, that startup cost presents a serious drawback for a lot of people (Charlie Deitch, Cityweekly.net). Everything in a PC is customizable to fit the gamers needs. You can pick and chose what you want to be in your computer, and when newer technology comes out you have the power to upgrade your computer if you want to. The second most obvious advantage is simplicity. PC Gaming can be a technical nightmare when trying to install games. People with Xboxes or PS3s can take their newly purchased game home and be playing within a matter of minutes. There are no operating systems to configure or drivers to update, you have the assurance that your game will work on your system unlike a computer. Console games are rented out more frequently than PC games, and more easily returned to the retailer if youre not satisfied with them. In other words, it is difficult to return PC games because they are easy to copy, and resale. The other problem with renting PC games they run off a CD/DVD with a serial code only working one time, so its not possible to Rent these games or return them. You have to take this into consideration when looking at the games available for both platforms. You will be able to rent games you dont want to buy, and if you do indeed buy the game you are able to return it and get something else if you are not satisfied. With the PC your return will just be simply rejected. Although sealing everything in one unit does seem like a good idea, when some of the components inside the box become out-dated there is no way to upgrade your console, or even repair your system without voiding a warranty. If you void your warranty by opening your system to try and upgrade or repair yourself then you can no longer send your Xbox in for repair meaning you have to buy a new one if you cant fix it yourself. The only safe choice you have to repairing your system is sending it back to the manufacture and waiting 4-6 weeks to get your system back. Consoles perform only one task really well, where PCs can be a wide variety of things. Some manufactures are trying to make consoles more flexible, but it is clear that it will be a long time before consoles will be able to run applications like the PC does. Keyboards use many more keys to do the same tasks you can do on a controller, but PCs offer a lot more control of the game, but it comes at a cost of hours of tutorials and practicing at the game. There is an obvious lack of connectivity between the different console brands. Many games are only available to a specific type of system, which means you can only play other people who own the same system as you. This means that people with Xboxes can only play against other people with Xboxes, for example there is no way for a person with a PS3 to jump the countless PC World of Warcraft servers available. The PS3 has made some progress in this area, paving the way for multi platform gaming between PS3, Xbox and PC users, but there are only a couple of titles that support this, and there done very poorly. While the PS3 and Xbox both have online capabilities a broadband connection is required for both systems. PS3s online services are free, while Microsoft charges a yearly fee for use of the Xbox Live service. One of the biggest advantages the PC has over consoles right now is that there are a lot more games available for the PC than there are for consoles, particularly when it comes to multiplayer online games. Not only are the vast majority of MMOGs designed for the PC, but PC gamers also have the option to play MUDs, email games, browser games, and a wide variety of titles that are distributed digitally or available as free downloads. As mentioned above, another clear advantage PCs have over consoles is that you can use them for a lot more than playing games. Furthermore, if you like to modify games or edit maps for them, a PC is essential, and you have to take a break from gaming sometime to read gaming sites. PCs are always on the cutting edge of gaming technology. The current generation of consoles with high-definition capabilities did briefly narrow the gap, but well-equipped PCs continue to offer superior graphics. Computer monitors can be found with considerably higher resolutions than HDTVs, and the latest multi-core processors and dual GPU solutions make it possible to build a remarkably powerful game system. Even if a console offers incredible technology upon its release, there is no way for it to compete with the rapid hardware advancements that have become a way of life in the computer industry. When it comes online gaming, PCs give people a variety of ways to connect to the Internet, and to each other, which arent restricted to proprietary services or software. Different brands of computer and event different operating systems generally communicate very well with one another. This is quite different from services like Xbox Live, for example, which is the only option available to Xbox users that want to play online, and is closed to everyone that doesnt have an Xbox. Finally, as your PC ages, there is a reasonable chance of extending its gaming life with a component upgrade, although it can get a bit messy. While PCs have come down considerably in price over the years, they are still quite expensive compared to consoles. There ways to economize on a PC, such as building it yourself, but its not easy to get the cost of a PC down to a price comparable to even the most expensive console. Computers are also getting a little more user friendly, but eventually every PC gamer will encounter some technical complication that interferes with their gaming, be it a device driver that needs updating or components that are simply incompatible. PCs are also much more vulnerable to viruses and other security breaches. The truth is, installing a game on your computer is always a bit of a gamble. You never really know if its going to work until youre actually playing the game, and even then, in the back of your mind, youre expecting it to crash at any moment. Unlike most console games, PC games have the potential to get ridiculously complicated. This can give a game depth, but it can also result in tedious arrays of keyboard commands and lengthy tutorials which one must endure to learn how to play. PC games are often not well-suited for playing on the couch, especially given that the mouse and keyboard are the preferred PC game controllers. Unlike console games, you also wont find many PC games that support two players on one machine at the same time. The latest round of consoles has a lot to offer online gamers, and if youre into sports and racing titles, consoles are a good way to go. If you like massively multiplayer games and online shooters, there are a great deal more to choose from on the PC. Online play options for consoles are getting better all the time, but proprietary networks and fees for services like Xbox Live make them a bit less attractive. For the most part, PCs are still the dominant platform for online gaming, and that appears likely to continue for a while yet.

Kings Gothic Naturalism Essay -- Literary Analysis

Naturalist writers of the early 20th century convey the notion that persons are fated to whatever station in life their biological heredity and social environment prepare them for. Those who profess to be proponents of the naturalist perspective see literature as a means to understand the nature of man. Since â€Å"the naturalist found in scientific discovery only a confirmation of humankind’s helplessness in the face of indifferent and inscrutable forces,† their writings usually generate an uninspiring idea of humanity’s frailty (Strengell 11-12). While the deterministic worldview is logical, it is difficult for many to resonate with powerless and doomed characters. Thus, the only way for the naturalistic frame of mind to reach a wider audience is to present it in a different and less monotonous way. â€Å"[O]ne of the signature traits of Naturalism seems to be the ease with which it combines in hybrids with other forms† (Crow 123). Master of Horror Stephen King illustrates this concept in his novel, The Shining (1977), by intertwining the deterministic elements of Naturalism with Gothic and Horror. Combining these genres may seem to be a marriage of complete opposites, but what lies dormant on its own thrives in the pairing. Unlike most naturalist writers, King presents a character’s strength along with his or her faults. Although their deterministic traits imply that failure is imminent, the Gothic elements provide the backdrop for developing sympathy and even understanding for a character’s actions. By using these techniques, King transforms a genre that has been mainly sought after for entertainment into insightful literature. In The Shining, King explores the triumphs and failures of naturalism, as he illustrates the mor... ... effective method of understanding the deterministic forces that drives action. Works Cited Crow, Charles L. "Jack London's The Sea Wolfe as Gothic Romance." Gothick Origins and Innovations. By Allan Lloyd. Smith and Victor Sage. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 1994. 123-31. Print. King, Stephen. The Shining. Ed. William G. Thompson. New York: Pocket, 2001. Print. Magistrale, Tony. ""The Truth Comes Out": The Scrapbook Chapter." Discovering Stephen King's The Shining: Essays on the Bestselling Novel by America's Premier Horror Writer. 2nd ed. Tuscaloosa: Borgo, 2008. 39-46. Print. Norris, Frank, and Donald Pizer. McTeague: A Story of San Francisco: Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. Print. Strengell, Heidi. Dissecting Stephen King: From the Gothic to Literary Naturalism. Madison: University of Wisconsin, 2006. Print.

Essay --

The History of Water Pipes The earliest known evidence of a pipe being used for plumbing was found in Mesopotamia it is estimated to have been made around 3000 BC. The pipes were made from clay mixed with short lengths of straw. This was the first type of pipe to be used to transport water from different places. Both brass and copper pipes have been found in Egypt believed to have been constructed close to 2500 BC. The Romans used lead pipes, extensive use of lead pipe by joining sheets of lead into piping to carry their water supply and waste. Two millennia ago the ancient Romans made use of large aqueducts to transport water from higher elevations by building the aqueducts in graduated segments that allowed gravity to push the water along until it reached its destination later using them same idea in lead pipes building them under ground . Cast iron and ductile iron pipe was long and a lower costing alternative to copper before the advent of durable plastic materials but special non conductive fittings must be used where transitions are to be made to other metallic pipes, except for terminal and universal fittings, in order to avoid corrosion owing to electrochemical reactions (reactions from exposure to air) between dissimilar metals see galvanic cell Hundreds of these were built throughout Europe and overseas and along with flour mills were considered the lifeline of the Roman Empire. The Chinese also made use of aqueducts and pipe systems for public works. The famous Han Dynasty court ordered in 145 AD that the engineer to construct a series of pipe networks and square pallet chain pumps outside the capital city of Luoyang. These chain pumps delivered water and waste around the city quiet and easy at a cheap cost, serviced t... ...cting the lead itself. What often causes confusion is the large amount of evidence of widespread lead poisoning, particularly amongst those who would have had easy access to piped water. This was an unfortunate result of lead being used in cookware and as an additive to processed food and drink, such as a preservative in wine. Roman lead pipe inscriptions provided information on the owner to prevent water theft. Cast iron and ductile iron pipe was long a lower-cost alternative to copper, before the advent of durable plastic materials but special non-conductive fittings must be used where transitions are to be made to other metallic pipes, except for terminal fittings, in order to avoid corrosion owing to electrochemical reactions between dissimilar metals see cell. Bronze fittings and short pipe segments are commonly used in combination with various materials.

Shiloh Essay -- essays research papers

The Second Battle of Shiloh   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The switch to college life can definitely change people. In high school, one makes friends that will hopefully last a lifetime. Then comes senior year, and after all the college admissions letters have been received, one must face the realization that his/her best friends will not be by their side 24 hours a day / 7 days a week any longer. Still ecstatic by what this new life, college, holds for them, students enter into their chosen institute of higher learning. Do you remember that first break, or long weekend, that brings everyone back to the place where they grew up? Its a chance to look back and catch up on old times, even though you’ve only been separated for a month or two. Whether coming home from UGA, Tech, or even some out-of-state college, that drive home gives one time to reflect. Will my friends who I graduated with be the same friends who I know and love? Like I said, college alters people, and the first time you see old friends, you might realize that your best friends are not who they once were. Although painful, this is a process that is natural. Friends change, and friends move on with their lives, regardless of your presence. On a larger scale, this is the dilemma brought to the readers attention by Bobbie Ann Mason, author of â€Å"Shiloh†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Mason’s â€Å"Shiloh†, Leroy and Norma Jean Moffitt are a married couple living in Paducah, Kentucky. Leroy has spent the past 15 years driving a tractor-trailer across the country. Four months ago, Leroy was involved in a highway accident that required steel pins to be placed in his hip. He returned home to rest and rehabilitate his leg. He is confined to his house, something that he hasn’t seen for an extended period since he’s been on the road. Like a college student, this is Leroy’s long weekend. Leroy comes home to his wife, Norma Jean, hoping that she will be the same person he left many years before. Unfortunately for Leroy, Norma Jean has moved on with her life, much like friends who move on after high school graduation. Leroy would like for things to be the way they were, but Norma Jean has chosen a different course in her life that doesn’t involve Leroy. She works at the Rexall Drug Store, loves to play music, and is taking classes in composition at Paducah Community College. Bobbie A... ...se. Leroy knows that something has to be done to save his marriage. Mabel, Leroy’s mother-in-law, suggests they take a trip to Shiloh, a Civil War battleground. This is ready-made symbolism. A battling couple takes a trip to a famous battleground. Looking for a place to picnic, they sit down next to a cemetery for Union Soldiers, which symbolizes the death of their life together as husband and wife. She tells Leroy that she is leaving him and when she walks toward the bluff overlooking the Tennessee River, Leroy tries to follow. His good leg, however is asleep, and his bad leg still hurts him. This symbolizes that he will never catch her. She has her own life and he is stuck in the same place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, I have personally experienced the loss of a friend after we both embarked on different paths. Although we were the best of friends in high school, when the time came on that long weekend to hang out, we didn’t even pick up the phone to see what the other was doing. Although its natural to move in different directions, it still hurts to no longer have that friend in your life any longer, just like it hurts Leroy not to have Norma Jean

Principles of Economics Essay

Lets first start with a question that although is trivial, but will help us understand the answer to this question, a little better. What is economic growth? Economic growth is the increase in the inflow of money within the economy. In other words, it is also the increase in the government’s holding of money. Now, there are a lot of ways an economy can be boosted in order to make the country more efficient. Some people mistake the growth and the stimulation of the economy as the increase in taxes. It is not incorrect to say that the increase in the government’s revenue is highly based on the increase in the tax rate through out the country. This increase in the tax rate is not only on the products of the government-based organizations or factories, but even the private investors and the citizen-owned company’s products have to undergo the same tax rate. This increase in tax-rate, no doubt increases the government tax revenue, making them more capable of spending and investing more on the country’s infrastructure and to work on the areas that might boost the economy. But there is something very important that happens while they are at the point of increasing the tax rates. They overlook the fact that the increase in the tax rate reduces the consumer investments. This reduction in the consumer investments decreases the demand of the products. By this I mean that their purchasing power is decreased, not directly, that is their salary is not decreased, but the prices are increased due to the increase in the tax rates. This reduction in the consumer demand then allows the economic growth to go in the negative direction. This is just one approach that most people have about the economy. Some people mistake the economic growth’s key factor to be consumption. Well, they are highly incorrect. The economic growth of any country is not dependent upon how many products and goods have been consumed in the market. But, instead it is dependent on the production of those goods and services. It is the production that helps the economic growth. The manufacturing of the cars on the streets is not something made by nature and given to us to use. Instead it is the workings of both, the businesses and the individuals that is the production and then the consumption of the manufactured cars to make the transportation system of the country more efficient. Hence, by this we can conclude that, the economic growth of a country is not the consumption, but the result of the production that increases the consumption of the goods in the economy, thereby increasing the demand of the products and hence, boosting the economy. This misperception that has been described above is what is wrong in the economy. The Bush administration focuses more on the consumption landing it in spending deficit of over $ 100 billion. Although this can be looked over from a different perspective, for example, we talk about an unemployed man who spends and buys his household necessities by using credit cards. This does not allow the spending to increase, because the consumers are using their credit cards and not a liquid asset (money). The Bush administration as mentioned above focuses more on the consumption and not the spending, this in turn reduces the budget that is allocated for the production, if the government is interested more in how much is consumed in the market. Although this is the wrong approach, but is still being followed in the country. The production has been slowed and so has the consumption in the economy. Until and unless there is not enough production, there is no way that the consumption can increase. Sacks, 2001) Well, just like any other problem, there is a solution to this problem too. The government does not restrict the production directly by stopping the factories to produce more, instead, the raise in the taxes increases the prices of the raw materials, hence increases the prices of the raw materials, increases the prices of the goods. The then increased pric es of the goods reduces the purchasing power of the consumers, thereby reducing consumption. The increase in taxes is one way of how the production is reduced. The government needs to decrease the number of restrictions on the private / public owned organizations and liberate them. (Giplin, 1987) The private sectors not only have to go through these restrictions what to produce when, but they also have a lot of trade restrictions. For example, if a computer Software Company in a state in USA wants Indian programmers to help them out to design new software, they can not get them. The law restricts them to get people from abroad to help them out. The above mentioned are just few problems and misperceptions of the people of as to what really is economic growth. Also mentioned above are the things that hinder economic growth. Now, we will be talking about how the economy can be boosted. Following are just few ways of what the government can do to stimulate the economy. We will then be discussing what the individuals can do as citizens to help in the growth of the economy. There are a lot of things that the government can do to make the economic growth faster. But in every idea that will be laid down, we have to keep in mind that this is not a perfect world and we can not expect everything to work out in reality, the way we want it to. There is always a room for improvement. One of the options to boost the economy is to create more jobs. More people being employed would mean more production and more production allows the consumption to increase and ultimately the demand for consumer goods would also increase. The aggregate demand for goods when increased boosts the economy. It is an entire circle that goes clockwise that is boost the economy when there are more people hired and under stimulate it when there is a high unemployment rate in the country. This option can also be looked from a different perspective. A high unemployment rate of the country would mean that there are more people fired from work. This means that the people who are employed will only be the ones with good salary. This in turn means that they will be the only ones in the economy who can buy goods because their purchasing power is not affected. Now, because not a lot of people are employed, the rate at which the products were being consumed before the raise in the rate of unemployment would fall. This decrease in the rate of consumption allows the companies fire more workers in order to increase their revenues, that is, if the consumption is low, their revenues will be low and they would have to fire more people so that they do not end up in losses. Hence, the unemployment rate would be even higher. (Giplin, 1987) Hence if the government starts to spend more on the various projects and infrastructure, that is focus more on the production and not just the spending, then this would definitely allow more people to be hired and thereby reducing the rate of unemployment. These artificially produced jobs do not directly increase the consumption of the goods but increase the level of employment in the country, increases the purchasing power of the employees and make them more efficient to buy various goods and services. There is one more thing that can be done to boost the economy of the country. That is through reduction in the tax rates. This reduction in the taxes allows the increase of the purchasing power of the individuals allowing them to buy more. This increase in the consumption of the goods then helps the aggregate demand curve shift to the right that is increasing the demand of the goods and services. Let’s take an example. If the tax charges for a particular product is 80 cents and before the increase in the tax rate was 50 cents, then I am more likely to buy more of that product when the tax rate was 50 cents. This increase in the consumption would then increase the demand. Hence, boost the economy. The tax revenue which adds to the revenues of the government might not be really high if the tax rates are high, as much as if it were low. By this I mean that, when the tax rates are high, people tend to buy less of the products. This increase in the tax rate although allows a high revenue for the government, but that is the narrow outlook of this perspective. Because, if the taxes are high, the purchasing power of the people decreases and instead of maybe 5 pieces of the same product that they used to buy with lesser tax rate, they may now buy just one piece of the same product. Hence the increase in taxes might not increase the revenue as much as the decrease in the taxes would. (Sacks, 2001) While the economists are dealing with the country’s economy, as in how is the economy to be improved, there are a lot of things that they have to consider. It is not just the tax rate or just the employment rate that is to be considered. Hence, it is important to know the problem, the solution to the problem and the most important thing is the timing. When the decision that has been made is implemented is very important. Hence, by the time the decision has been made and the economists are ready to implement the new policy, the economic conditions by then would have changed dramatically. It is good to leave the economy the way it is, at times. Before we make matters even worse, we should take a break, leave the economic activities of the country alone for a while and let them be just the way they are. There is a growing inflation in the economy, and not a lot is being done to decrease the rate of inflation. The upper class people are not the ones that suffer and undergo spending money from mortgage. It is the middle class and the lower class people who have to go through all the agony to have means to earn more in order to cover up the loans they have been borrowing. Now, in this very scenario, there are two things that are to be considered. One is the interest rate and the other is the inflow of money in the wrong hands. (Richards, 2007) The inflow of money in the wrong hands means that, the rich keep on getting richer, and the poor get poorer. The rich already have jobs which allow them to own multi million dollar buildings, private jets, an 1890 model cars and a lot more. And with their current employment, they do not spend that money, it goes in their bank accounts not in their pockets to spend. The government should be more careful in where their money goes. Because if the upper class gets it, it is highly certain that they will not be spending it, rather saving it. This entire problem of not spending will decrease the consumption of goods that are being produced. Where as, if the money that goes in the hands of the middle and the lower class people will be spent as soon as they get it. This is because they are the ones who are suffering from the increase in inflation. They are the ones who are not able to pay the bills, their children’s school fee, transportation expenses etc. Hence money in their hands would be spent pretty quickly. (Cohn, 2007) Every time the economy slows down the middle class and the lower class people are the ones that are affected by it. The reduction in the economic growth of the country is usually followed by a rise in the unemployment rate. The middle class workers are the ones that are fired first and they are rehired after everyone else has been hired. And they are the ones that mostly undergo all the problems faced by people in the time of poverty. (Levine, 1982) The second problem is of the interest rates. The government has to lower the interest rates so that the individuals are more capable of investing and consuming more. With higher interest rates in the market the people can not invest in the infrastructure, the increase in the interest rates contributes to the increase in the prices of the infrastructure that is for sale. The decrease in the investment by the individuals would in turn reduce the demand for the available land and the buildings etc. (Richards, 2007) Apart from all this, it is highly important for the government to reduce the costs of housing in the country. If the costs are reduced, they will be better off and will be able to afford things that they could not earlier. Not only this, but the government should spend more on infrastructure and build more houses. This would create more jobs and would allow people to buy more affordable houses. Earlier, we discussed the rising rate of inflation and how it affects the lower and the middle class workers. There is one more thing that the government needs to work on considering the ever-growing inflation rate of the country. The minimum wage rate of the people through out the country should be increased. This was the plan of the Bush administration before the attack of the September 9, 2000. It was to be implemented, but then the attack on the world trade centre took place and the economic growth was decreased dramatically. Hence, the increase in the minimum wage rate never took place. This increase in the wages will ultimately allow people to buy more by having their purchasing power increased. (Levine, 1982) One of the key factors that help stimulate the economy is a highly educated workforce. This workforce will help boost the economy in several ways. The wages of the people will be higher once they are highly educated and this will in turn help the economy to stimulate itself. Apart from this, the government should invest more in the capital in the country. This will allow the government to employ more workers and will ultimately increase the demand for various consumer goods, thereby stimulating the economy. It is very important for a country to have a proper and a strong infrastructure; this certainly helps the government to boost the economy. This strong infrastructure can not be obtained in a day’s work; it takes a lot of years to reach a position where the economy is strong enough to withstand the problems that the government faces during recession if there is any in the future. The individuals can and will do what ever they can in order to make their country better off but the country is nothing without proper law enforcement forces that will make sure that they are on the right track. Not only that, but the government will have to make sure that the promised contracts by the individuals are being materialized. The government should offer people different saving accounts which will push the people to save more. This will help them learn the importance of saving. A lot of people in the country are known for living large. This term is used for them only because they spend their salaries as soon as they get them. Now, this expenditure of their salaries that they do as soon as it enters their bank accounts is not a think that they should be proud of. But if the government advertise their saving accounts more then there is a high possibility that the people will save and put their money in those bank accounts. The reason this is emphasized is that if the people are unemployed, they would not have to borrow a lot and then be in debt for years, with the debt’s interest increasing every year. Well, first of all the government will be sure of the fact that not a lot of money will be on loaned if there is a high unemployment rate, and even if it is, they will be sure that the money is returned, because not a lot of it would have been borrowed in the first place. The people will take out money first from their saving’s account. With an appropriate interest return rate of the saving’s accounts it will be even easier for the people to save a little every month without second guessing themselves that the money they are investing will not be in vain, and will help them in the future. It is very important for the government to allow an open market economy. This open market economy would then allow trade of goods and services from around the globe without any hindrances. Likewise it would not only boost the morale of the employees to work harder to produce more goods and services but also provide them with higher wages. This higher wage will be a result of the increase in trade which indirectly means increase in consumption of the goods and services. This increase in consumption will allow the aggregate demand curve to shift to the right that is, the demand for the consumer goods will increase. (Sacks, 2001) There is one more thing which is very important for a country to boost its economy, to make the most of what it has and to be efficient. Timing is the most important factor of all. To produce the right amount of goods at the appropriate time is highly essential. This efficiency can be obtained with the increase in the technological advancements taking place in the country. The technological advancements of the country would not only make the production of goods time-efficient, but the production of the goods itself will be cost effective. The term cost effective means that the products are produced with the minimum cost of the raw materials, allowing a high profit margin. This high profit margin helps various organizations to produce more, hence hire more workers, and pays them more if the sales are high. All this plays a huge role in boosting the economy. (Giplin, 1987)