Christmas

Religion is something that many people around the world practice. There are many different types of religion and each religion have their own beliefs and practices. I wanted to learn more about Jehovah’s Witnesses; this is a religion that I am unfamiliar with. Jehovah’s Witnesses consider themselves to be Christian, they base their practices and beliefs on their own translation and meaning of the Bible (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 2013). Jehovah’s Witnesses call themselves this because God’s name is Jehovah; they feel it is only right to call him by his name.

A witness is a person who proclaims views or truths of which he is convinced; thus Jehovah’s Witnesses designates them as a group of Christians who proclaim the truth about Jehovah. Jehovah Witnesses have very different beliefs than other people who consider themselves Christians. Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate certain holidays; Christmas and Easter are two of the most common holidays celebrated by other religious groups who consider themselves as Christians.

According to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (2013), Jesus Christ commanded that we commemorate his death, not his resurrection or his birth. They also believe that there is no record of when Jesus was born and that Christmas was derived from Pagan religion and tradition and adopted by other religions (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 2013). Easter is to be considered a holiday not of God, and that by other Christians celebrating Easter they are offending God.

According to Jehovah Witnesses beliefs Easter has to do with ancient fertility rites and the worship of the Sun and all the new life it can bring religions (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 2013). According to many religions involving Christianity, the Cross is a universal symbol used to identify their faith and Christianity. Jehovah’s witnesses believe that this does not symbolize a person’s faith or loyalty to God but, the cross is merely a created thing and that you can only show your love for God through self-sacrificing love, and that is the only true way to identify oneself as a follower of God.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not share the same beliefs as other religions that consider themselves Christian however, they do not disrespect other religions, and instead they try and educate people about their religion and beliefs hoping to show other people what they believe the correct way to follow God and his ways. Jehovah’s Witnesses that are baptized in this religion are required to follow the rules and beliefs and if they stray from those beliefs they could be shunned or dishonored from the religion and its followers.

Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that all preachers and leaders of the congregation are all volunteers and any finances come out of their own pockets. Jehovah Witnesses believe that other religions perceive them as a cult or a group broken away from a religion. They perceive themselves as a religious group re-establishing the form of Christianity that was formed in the first century. They are very adamant that their teachings derive from the Bible itself and not any one person (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 2013).

Jehovah’s Witnesses have contributed to American culture in a couple different ways, one being through disaster relief. Their assistance in disaster relief has helped both those of their religion and those not of their religion but, they take care of those within their faith/religion first. Jehovah’s Witnesses also played a big role in religious freedoms. For example, children saluting the flag in the classroom; Jehovah’s Witnesses brought a case to the Supreme Court stating that it violated First Amendment Rights (Burroughs, 2008-2013). Another way that Jehovah’s Witnesses has contributed to American culture is through the medical field.

Jehovah Witnesses cannot accept blood transfusions, so a Pennsylvania hospitals found ways to offer bloodless surgeries and procedures to Jehovah’s Witnesses; they have been doing this for over fifteen years. It is because of this and all the upgraded and growing technology that hospitals are able to offer bloodless surgeries to the public as well (Burroughs, 2008-2013). I have learned a great deal by researching and gathering information about Jehovah’s Witnesses. I realize that people that follow this religion are just practicing what they believe in and how they perceive the way that their God wants them to live their lives.

I may not agree with some of their beliefs or practices but, it is not my religion and I respect their decisions to follow their faith how they choose. Hipics and Latinos make up a large portion of America today. According to the United States Census Bureau, in the year 2010, sixteen percent of all Americans were of Hipic or Latino decent (Ennis, Rios-Vargas, & Albert, 2011), so this race/ethnicity is definitely adding to American culture and way of life. Heritage has the same meaning no matter what your race or ethnicity; heritage refers to the customs and traditions that are handed down from generation to generation.

Hipics and Latinos speak a language called Spanish, not all do but, majority know how to speak, read and write in Spanish. Hipics and Latinos are known for some most excellent tasting foods, this is part of their heritage. Their food is known for its robust flavors and for being spicy. Common foods that Hipics and Latinos are known for are dishes like; moles (pronounced moh-lay), tamales, tortillas and carna asada to name a few. Unlike other races or ethnicities, Hipic and Latinos are known for their elaborate celebrations.

They like to celebrate major life events, and they do so very elegantly with bright colors, music and dancing. It is very common at Hipic/Latino celebration to see Mariachi’s; these are dancers and musicians playing Mexican folklore music and having dancers in native bright colorful dresses. It really is quite beautiful to see and hear. Other things that Hipics and Latinos have brought to American culture are things like crafts, such as terra cotta pots or planter and sculptures and also pinatas, a paper mache decoration that hold candies and toys.

Hipics and Latinos have added a so much to American culture not only with their traditions but also with their religious beliefs. Hipics and Latinos are very religious, majority share the religion of Catholic. The main celebrations of Hipic religion are: Lent called, Cuaresma; Holy Week called, Semana Santa; Christmas called, La Navidad; Three Kings Day or Los Tres Reyes Magos. Some Americans and other races/ethnicities also share and celebrate these holidays as well. Hipics and Latinos have had a very difficult road with migration to American. They often run across difficulties with regard to discrimination and prejudice.

Many Americans believe that Hipics and Latinos have taken away jobs and that they have sought American government aid that should be only available to American citizens. Still today Hipics and Latinos endure discrimination and prejudice. Some discriminate or are prejudice against them because of their skin color, the language they speak and because they have large families. Other reasons they are discriminated against them is through employment, some feel it is okay to pay Hipics or Latinos smaller wages; especially if they are in the country illegally, people degrade them and pay them little amounts of money for labor/work.

Scrooge has changed after the three spirits showed him what happened, what was happening and what was going to happen. Before the three spirits casted by Jacob Marley came, Scrooge was a selfish, dismal man, he thought that Christmas was a waste of time and money.

Scrooge after the haunting however has turned into a jolly and generous man, Scrooge treated Christmas like it was beyond a great holiday. The Ghost of Christmas past changed Scrooge because she showed him all the bad things he has commited.The events that was showed to Scrooge made him realize what he has already done. He was taken to the town where he grew up, he saw himself as a young schoolboy and felt bad for the young Scrooge because he saw what he turned into. The Ghost of Christmas Past also showed the argument with his long lost love and Scrooge slightly older, Scrooge felt ashamed of himself since he got in that argument back then. This effected Scrooge which caused him to change but yet there is still more to come.The Ghost of Christmas Present showed Scrooge the events that were going on, Scrooge touched his robe and the went on a journey.

He first was taken his buisness partners Crachits home, Scrooge sees that they are going through tough times because Tiny Tim is trying to recover from a physical disease. The Crachits talk about Scrooge and how he treats Bob Crachit. The Crachits in honor of Scrooge gives a toast to him, and the Spirit takes Scrooge away into another place.Scrooges nephew and his wife were sitting, like the Crachits they were talking about Scrooge and how he treats him. Then the nephew just like the Crachits gave him a toast. The Ghost of Christmas present showed him of what other people did for him, this made Scrooge feel bad of what he has done. The Ghost of Christmas Future is what Scrooge feared the most.

Although the Spirit was silent it gave Scrooge a strong message of what is going to happen. When the spirit appeared Scrooge went on his knees and begged mercy for himself.The Spirit took him to a place where he saw Mrs. Dilber, Old Joe and a woman. They were selling Scrooge’s possesions, he did not realize that they were his own possesions and he thought it was Jacob Marley’s possesions. He then sees the Crachits all sad and waiting for his father, Tiny Tim died because he did not recover from his disability and Bob Crachit then came back from his funeral the family mourned, this made Scrooge feel horrible. The Ghost of Christmas Future then points to the grave of Scrooge himself.

Scrooge then begs and cries for mercy but then wakes up. This showed The changes that Scrooge made were clearly noticable, he was jolly and happy instead of being selfish and anti-social. He even proved that he has changed by having kids do him a favor and paying them. Scrooge really proved his generosity by noticing Bob Crachit was late, but instead of firing him Scrooge told him that he would raise his salary. So Scrooge learned and changed a lot from the three spirits.

A Christmas Carol was written in 1843 by Charles Dickens, who today remains the most widely known novelist of the Victorian period. Dickens was born in Portsmouth and his farther had a changeless battle to maintain order of his finance. His farther was put into prison whilst Dickens was put into a work house for the bulk of his school old ages. These events contributed together to give Dickens a first category and how the general kids of England lived during the 1800 ‘s. These subjects can be easy associated with A Christmas Carol. They had a great influence on his authorship and made him into the novelist he was.

The chief character in the novel is Ebenezer Scrooge. The supporter starts off as a affluent but highly crabbed and bloody-minded concern adult male. He is the kind of individual that lone thinks of himself and no 1s else. The action of four liquors, change the manner he acts and feels and turn him into a respectful member of the community. Jacob Marley, The Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come all have a different consequence on Scrooge. From seeing what Scrooge was like as a immature male child, to what the hereafter awaits for him. Dickens uses different techniques and methods for each of the liquors to carry through this. Each of the liquors are besides presented otherwise because they resemble and mean different things.

Dickens uses Scrooges old concern spouse, Jacob Marley, to warn Scrooge of what the hereafter holds for him unless he changes his ways. Marley is the first spirit Scrooge encounters because he is the lone individual Scrooge would swear. Marley makes a dramatic entryway and astonishes Scrooge.

Marley has to look similar to what he looked like seven old ages ago, to convert Scrooge that he is existent.

“ The same face: the really same aˆ¦aˆ¦aˆ¦.. and the hair upon his caput. ”

Scrooge to get down with, refuses to believe that the apparition he is seeing in forepart of him is existent, despite the fact Marley has barely changed after decease. As Marley ‘s visual aspect has non truly changed, this thought easy convinces Scrooge that the apparition is truly Marley because of its similitude. Scrooge has to cognize what and who has entered his house to stalk him, so a elaborate description of Marley is needed. Scrooge first sees Marley ‘s face in the door knocker, after he has come back from a eventide repast. Merely the rich used to be able to travel out for repasts, so this shows that Scrooge is affluent and can afford expensive luxuries. In the 1800 ‘s the modern door bell was non invented so the bulk of doors had door knockers alternatively. The face on the knocker catches Scrooge ‘s attending, but when he goes back to look, the face has gone. Scrooge so comes to the decision that his eyes must hold been playing fast ones. It is non until Marley ‘s chief entryway that Scrooge believes it is truly Marley.

Dickens uses onomatopoeia to depict Marley ‘s dramatic entryway.

“ The cellar-door flew unfastened with a flourishing sound. ”

The experience Scrooge has with Jacob Marley is full of suspense and tenseness. The usage of the word “ flew ” indicates that the engagement of Marley is dramatic. This helps to arouse fright because of its abruptness. When the reader reads it, the suspense which has been built up is released in one sentence. The onomatopoeia helps the reader to understand what the state of affairs was like for Scrooge. The cellar door could besides stand for the gap to the changing of Scrooges character. It opening could resemble another opportunity to travel down it, in other words another opportunity to alter the manner he lives his life.

It is merely when Marley takes off the patch around his caput that Scrooge believes that the figure in fount of him truly is existent and is Jacob Marley.

“ when the apparition taking off the patch round its caput, as if it were excessively warm to have on in-doors, its lower jaw dropped down upon its chest! Scrooge fell upon his articulatio genus, and clasped his custodies before his face. ”

In the 1800 ‘s when person passed off a patch was wrapped and tied below the jaw. This was so when the organic structure decomposes the jaw skeleton is still attached to the remainder. When Scrooge sees the lowered jaw, he is shocked and in discouragement. This was cogent evidence that it was Jacob Marley and that everything he had been stating was true. Scrooge could non bear to see what had happened to his best friend. The taking off the patch evokes fear into Scrooge and makes the said much more existent and chilling. This makes Scrooge emotional to the whole visit of Jacob Marley. This tells and shows the reader that Scrooge still has some kind of bosom inside of him and it merely needs more work and recognition to get down to do Scrooge alteration.

From the text Dickens has given you the thought that the Jacob Marley has non made as large of consequence as he wished. It tells us Marley wanted to do a bigger impact to Scrooge and possibly Marley had a small spot of good left in him when he died, so now he is seeking to assist his old concern spouse.

Jacob Marley ‘s spirit has now left Scrooge and it is the bend of The Ghost of Christmas Past to stalk and learn Scrooge how he must alter. The Ghost of Christmas Past has heavy description and takes him back foremost to his old boarding school and several other of import topographic points.

Dickens has used similes to depict the unusual expression of Ghost of Christmas Past.

“ It was a unusual figure – like a kid, yet non so like a kid as like an old adult male. ”

Scrooge can non do out the unusual expression of the shade. There is a batch of description about this first of the three liquors. The description Dickens gives for the spirit is curious proposing it is like that to assist Scrooge understand the things he is traveling to see. A simile is a different technique for the reader to take in, other than a batch of description, so this gives the novel a better flow. The spirit could be described like a kid, as this spirit is about how Scrooge used to be. The shade takes Scrooge back to when he went to get oning school, so seeing a kid like figure would give you an feeling that you are traveling to re-visit your former ego. The fact that it has the visual aspect of both a kid and old adult male, besides symbolises that the spirit is ageless. This indicated that Scrooge is in the presence of the supernatural.

After much waiting and confusion over the entryway of the spirit, it all of a sudden appears in forepart of Scrooge.

“ Light flashed up in the room upon the blink of an eye, and the drapes of his bed were drawn. ”

During the 1800 ‘s cardinal warming was an point people could hold merely wished for. So they would hold a drape which went round the bed to seek and maintain the warm in and the cold out. A manus of the shade all of a sudden opens the bed curtains, this could stand for the shade opening a new chance for Scrooge to alter into a better individual. Again the shade makes a dramatic entryway, make fulling the room of visible radiation. The light make fulling the room and the gap of the drapes could resemble acquiring up at the beginning of the twenty-four hours meaning Scrooge and the shade are shortly to be busy revisiting Scrooge ‘s former ego. The spirit is described as have oning the “ purest white ” gown, this can be linked to several spiritual figures, the sudden detonation of visible radiation besides supports this. In that clip the bulk of English people followed some kind of the Christian faith, so it ‘s more than likely Scrooge was a Christian. Although it is non mentioned in the text, Scrooges attitude suggests he is a small startled by the entryway of the unusual figure. These points combined give the feeling that Scrooge thought the first spirit was a spiritual figure as he had non encountered any of the other liquors at that point.

Scrooge is reminded of the life he used to populate through the usage of the senses, in this instance odor.

“ A 1000 odours drifting in the air, each one connected with a 1000 ideas, and hopes, and joys, and attentions long, long, forgotten. ”

In this case Dickens has used the senses to depict ideas which were traveling through Scrooges head. This is a different technique which has been used, which helps to prosecute and affect the reader. The senses are a great manner to retrieve different things. Peoples associate different odors and sounds to different memories through out their lives. The Ghost of Christmas Past is all about Scrooge retrieving how he used to be and how reasonably he was before his greed for money kicked in. So for Dickens to affect the sense of odor, it is a really effectual technique.

After Scrooge has met The Ghost of Christmas Past, he encounters The Ghost of Christmas Present.

Scrooge recognises The Ghost of Christmas Present to be reasonably and sort, but he is still a small nervous about run intoing the spirit.

“ He was non the dour Scrooge he had been ; and though the Spirit ‘s eyes were clear and sort, he did non like to run into them. ”

Scrooge shyly enters the room the shade is in, this shows Scrooge is non yet settled with run intoing the paranormal. On the other manus, possibly he fears where the shade is traveling to take him and what it is traveling to demo him. One of the first references of this spirit is that his eyes are clear and sort, straight a manner this give the reader an thought of what the spirit is traveling to be like.

Dickens uses developed and detailed description to explicate to the reader what The Ghost of Christmas Present represents.

“ Scrooge did as he was told, and held it fast.

Holly, mistletoe, ruddy berries, Hedera helix, Meleagris gallopavos, geese, game, domestic fowl, muscle, meat, hogs, sausages, oysters, pies, puddings, fruit, and clout, all vanished immediately. So did the room, the fire, the ruddy freshness, the hr of dark, and they stood in the metropolis streets on Christmas forenoon, ”

One 2nd Scrooge is in his house with spirit, the following he is on a busy street. The abruptness of this event truly grips the reader, as there is a dramatic alteration in secret plan in such a little portion of text. All of the description gives the reader a elaborate image of what the scene is like and helps to understand how Scrooge could hold been experiencing. In the 1800 ‘s the meatman would hold animate beings hanging up in the store, no pre cut, packaged meat. 1800 ‘s stores would be a batch different to what they are today, so it besides gives the reader an penetration to what a Christmas used to be like. All of this nutrient could stand for the wealth which Scrooge has, as it is the Ghost of Christmas Present.

The spirit points out to Scrooge a male child and a miss who ‘s household make non hold much money, but still pull off to remain happy.

“ They were a male child and a miss. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolflike but flat excessively, in their humbleness. ”

The ragged description of the kids shows the household do non hold much money. Despite this the kids still manage to stay low and humane. Dickens has shown the kids are happy with what they have through a batch of description, chiefly adjectives, at the clip when it was written kids had to populate through poorness, so the description is highly relevant. The spirit points out how they have no money but are happy, and that he is rich and remains full of crankiness, signalling to Scrooge money is non everything.

The last of the three liquors, is the shade of Christmas Yet to Come. This spirit is the most noticeable from the remainder. The spirit has no address at all but communicates to Scrooge through simple action such as indicating. No address confuses Scrooge and he starts to fear the shade.

Dickens has personified decease for the spirit, this is represented in the manner he looks and his general motions.

“ The apparition easy, soberly, mutely approached. ”

Death comes with no warning. It is inevitable and can go on in a flash with no warning what so of all time, so decease could be described as silent. The word “ easy ” could be used to give the significance of from the clip your Borns, to the clip you die, it is a long clip. At the present twenty-four hours we possibly would n’t state soberly but it contains context to what was go oning at that point during the novel. The apparition does non talk, wears a black garment from caput to toe, if you saw this sort of being gravely walking towards you, you would non believe it is alive but the supernatural. This truly evokes fright into Scrooge and makes him believe truly what he has become. To the reader this besides builds up suspense and tenseness to what the spirit is traveling to make to Scrooge.

Dickens has presented the concluding spirit so it has a clear representation to the inexorable harvester.

“ It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its caput, its face, its signifier, and left nil of it seeable salvage one outstretched manus. ”

The clasp harvester wears a black garment, with its face non seeable, and so does The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. A clear comparing can be made. The term the Grim Reaper came about after the fifteenth century, so Dickens may hold taken thoughts from that. Scrooge had more than probably heard of the Grim Reaper, so he might of idea that ‘s what had visited him.

What the spirit did n’t state, Scrooge got the messages through the liquors actions.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come had a clear consequence on Scrooge as he is terrified of the spirit.

“ Scrooge feared the soundless form so much that his legs trembled beneath him. ”

The spirit has a really awful visual aspect and is used to assist Scrooge believe about what he has done. Scrooge is wholly terrified by the shade, it strikes fear into him and about forces him to believe otherwise. The concluding spirit unit of ammunitions of the work of the first two, and cements in the thoughts he has come across because of the liquors.

The work of the three liquors alterations Scrooges attitude to Christmas and to those who are less fortunate as he is. He becomes a really generous individual, giving his clerk a wage rise, giving a batch of money to charity, sends Christmas repasts to unsuspicious receivers and most of all and most of import he revitalises his true Christmas spirit.

By composing A Christmas Carol, I feel Dickens was seeking to direct a clear message out to society. In 1843 there were two degrees of societal position, the hapless and the rich. Devils had experienced both, so he knew what a little difference could do. He was seeking to fall in the hapless and the rich, so everybody could populate a joyful and happy Christmas.

When the book was published it re-birthed the low Christmas spirit, it besides started Christmas conditions such as general good will to all. I think The Ghost of Christmas Past affected Scrooge the most, as sees how he used to populate and compares it to how he lives now. Dickens uses a different technique for this spirit, he uses a large method of utilizing the senses to stand for Scrooges past memories. Along with the senses, Dickens long and intense descriptions help the reader image the state of affairs Dickens was seeking to make. I feel overall the best technique was the description of the liquors. Dickens varies techniques make the novel much more exciting and give the book a much better flow. Different methods are needed because the different liquors have different ways of explicating to Scrooge that he must alter his ways. For illustration, The Ghost of Christmas Past has a few similes whilst The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come has no address.