Satire in Gullivers Travels Jonathan Swift Essay

Satire in Gullivers Travels Jonathan Swift In Gullivers Travels, Jonathan Swift makes a satirical attack on humanity. In the final book, Swift takes a stab at humanity by simultaneously criticizing physiological, mental, and spiritual aspects of humans. Literary critics Ronald Knowles and Irvin Ehrenpreis both agree that the last book focused entirely on satirizing humanity. The Yahoo brutes that inhabit Houyhnhnm Land are a despicable species that have the physical appearance of humans. Though their behavior seems to be decadent and irrational, Swift shows that most of their behavior have parallels in the life of civilized humans. The Houyhnhnms seem to embody virtue and all the perfections that humans seek, but there are†¦show more content†¦Knowles points out that Yahoos fight with other groups and each other without apparent reason. Their avarice for certain shiny stones of no practical use lead to more fighting and theft. In more contemporary or civilized societies, those shiny stones can be paralleled to material possessions such as jewelry. Knowles observes that like humans, Yahoos suck the juice from a particular root that produces the same affect as alcohol. Similar to many humans, the Yahoos consumed the juices without temperance. Ehrenpreis thinks that Swift uses the Yahoos to as an example of Lockes suggestion that humans are more easily identified by vice than virtue. The Houyhnhnms seem to be reasonable, rational characters. They also seem to embody good virtues that humans strive to achieve. Ehrenpreis and Knowles both find inconsistencies in the depiction of Houyhnhnms. Ehrenpreis believes that the paradoxes in the writing are supposed to reflect paradoxes of human thought. When Gulliver first meets the inhabitants of Houyhnhnm Land, they are curious about the covering on his body. The Houyhnhnms are surprised when they first see him take off his hat; It is a reasonable and natural reaction since the Houyhnhnms do not wear clothing. Ehrenpreis argues that repeate d occurrences show that Houyhnhnm thought revolves around being a horse. He thinks that is reflective of the anthropocentricity of humans. An example of the anthropocentricity of humans is the attemptShow MoreRelatedSatire in Jonathan Swift ´s Gullivers Travels1944 Words   |  8 Pagesearly eighteenth-century, Irish writer Jonathan Swift produced one of the most printed novels known to date. The novel, Gulliver’s Travels, not only received recognition for being reprinted an immense amount of time, but also for the satire found within the novel. Swift intended his novel to be used as a scapegoat in which he would reveal his opinion on the English society. Swift was able to demonstrate this satire through the four part plot of Gulliver’s Travels. Each part of the novel told the journeyRead More Comapring Naivete and Satire in Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels and Voltaires Candide2292 Words   |  10 PagesNaivete and Satire in Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels an d Voltaires Candide       A child has the ability to make the most critical and objective observation on society and the behavior of man. How is this possible? A child has yet to mature and lacks proper education and experience. However, it is for this very reason that a child would make the perfect social scientist; his or her naivete may provide an excellent means of objective criticism and most often satire. A childs curiousRead MoreAnalysis Of Jonathan Swift s Gulliver s Travels1439 Words   |  6 PagesJonathan Swift, well-known for his stark works of satire, uses his novel Gulliver’s Travels to mock his society and culture and in doing so, he addresses the flaws in man-kind as a whole. He always tried to give his readers a different perspective on current political and social issues through the pages and chapters of his books. The people who weren’t appalled by his views happened to appreciate his plain way of speaking on actively-discussed topics. While his writing had been re latively eminentRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Narrators in Gullivers Travels and Frankenstein, the Narrative Methods, and the Effects of These Different Ways of Telling a Story in Gullivers Travels and Frankenstein.1595 Words   |  7 Pagescontrast the narrators in Gulliver’s Travels and Frankenstein, the narrative methods, and the effects of these different ways of telling a story in Gulliver’s Travels and Frankenstein. Ravee Chen S2 English H Dr.Freisen 8 April 2010 Word count: 1491 Why do authors use different types of narrators? Jonathan Swift and Mary Shelly have both chosen a first-person narrator in their novels Gulliver’s Travels and Frankenstein. In Gulliver’s Travels the narrator is GulliverRead MoreSatire In Gullivers Travels1455 Words   |  6 Pageselements that writers use is called â€Å"satire.† This element is used to make fun of something that the author disapproves of in a comical but hidden way. Widely considered as one of the greatest satirists to ever live, Jonathan Swift used satire in his works to express his disgust in society and the British Monarchy during the 18th century. One of the greatest satires ever written by Swift was Gulliver’s Travels. In Gulliver’s Travels, satire is evident through Gulliver’s voyage to Lilliput, his dialogueRead MoreComparison of Gulliver’s Travels and Haroun and the Sea of Stories583 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Sea of Stories is an allegory of the pr oblem’s posed in the societies of the author’s days. It is similar to Gulliver’s Travels as both are allegories of our world, and both main characters are in similar situations; both find themselves in a new land, and are confronted with many unfamiliar problems. â€Å"Gulliver’s travels† is a story based upon England at the time when Jonathan swift lived. This was in the 17th century. Also, there are definite correlations between particular characters in theRead MoreJonathan Swift s True Purpose1067 Words   |  5 PagesMYP English 2 20 November 2014 Jonathan Swift’s True Purpose Happy adventure tale, wonderful children’s book, filth, and absurd were just a few words that people during the 17th century used to describe Gulliver’s Travels. During the 17th century there was a period of new ideas and creativity; that period was called the Reformation. The Reformation period was a time of change for how people interpreted the world around them. The opinions of Gulliver’s Travels were based off of interpretationsRead More English Society and Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels Essay1195 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish Society Exposed in Gullivers Travels  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Gullivers Travels, Swift takes us to many places that serve as a looking glass for the foibles of English society, but none of the places are as severe a censure of men as Houyhnhnmland. Here Swift has made a clear division of pure reason, embodied in the Houyhnhnms (maybe he was refering to horse sense), and raw passion, embodied in the Yahoos (which are coincidentally very manlike). Here Gulliver has to make the choiceRead MoreGullivers Travels: Where Size Doesnt Matter1675 Words   |  7 Pages In Jonathan Swift’s Gullivers Travels, satire is ever-present: in plot, character and setting. Dystopia and utopia set the story, with grotesque added to sharpen character facets. The title character narrates the novel, and all actions are told through his point of view. His voyages expose him to extraordinary and absurd circumstances, used as fodder for mockery, and all throughout Gulliver’s travails society is ridiculed, and a bitter light is cast on humanity. Character growth is notRead MoreThe Use of Satire in Gullivers Travels903 Words   |  4 Pages Satire is a literary work that uses humor, hyperbole, and derision to ridicule the human behaviors and customs. Rather than being judgmental, many writers utilize satire to convey their innovative ideas to change certain aspects of society. From the many writers that used satire to condemn the actions of society, Jonathan Swifts, Gullivers travels, stands as one of the best satirical work in human history. Published in 1726, Gullivers travels is an adventure of Lemuel Gulliver whose voyage turns

Byron - 3840 Words

She Walks In Beauty By: Lord Byron (George Gordon) She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes; Thus mellowed to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impaired the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o’er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express, How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. And on that cheek, and o’er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent! She Walks in Beauty†¦show more content†¦Her beauty is contrasted to the â€Å"gaudy† daylight. Stanza 1 Summary Get out the microscope, because we’re going through this poem line-by-line. Lines 1-2 She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; * An unnamed woman walks in beauty. This is an odd way of saying that shes beautiful, isnt it? Walk[ing] in beauty makes her beauty seem more dynamic – as though its partly her movement and the spring in her step that make her beautiful. Shes not just a pretty face in a portrait; its the whole living, breathing, walk[ing] woman thats beautiful. * Her beauty is compared to night. This seems strange – night is dark, right? Arent beautiful women usually compared to a summers day? (That would be Shakespeares Sonnet 18, in case you were wondering). * But the featured woman isnt just compared to any night, shes compared to a night in a place where there are no clouds and lots of stars. We suppose that means she has a very clear and lovely complexion? Or perhaps being cloudless has more to do with her personality – her conscience might be as clear as a cloudless sky. * You see starry skies at night, but the brightness of the stars r elieves the darkness of the night. This is the first hint of a contrast between light and dark in the poem. * Theres some pretty sweet alliteration in these lines. You might want to head over to the Symbols section forShow MoreRelated Don Juan As Byron Introspective Essay1187 Words   |  5 Pages The works of George Gordon, Lord Byron have long been controversial, nearly as controversial as his lifestyle. Gordon Byron was born with a clubfoot and his sensitivity to it haunted his life and his works. Despite being a very handsome child, a fragile self-esteem made Byron extremely sensitive to criticism, of himself or of his poetry and he tended to make enemies rather quickly. The young Byron was often unhappy and lonely any many of his works seem to be a sort of introspective therapy. ThroughoutRead MoreEssay about Byrons Don Juan795 Words   |  4 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One writer who has not recieved nearly enough credit for his works is George Gordon, who later became known as Lord Byron. This is the man who wrote his own poetical version of Don Juan. Don Juan is a man who is known for being able to arouse the desires of women and to love every one he meets. This Don Juan can be viewed, however, as a loosely disguised biography of Byron. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Lord Byrons father, Captain John, has ancestors that go back as far as the Buruns in theRead MoreA Brief Biography of Lord Byron Essay2200 Words   |  9 PagesLord Byron Biography Since the dawn of humanity, many individuals significantly impacted the world. These scholarly impacts pertain to categories such as science, mathematics, literature, politics, music, and athletics. However, of all things, literature has the most powerful influence on the global society. The achievements of literature are known to strike deeper into the hearts of people than any other intellectual creation of man. In fact, many of the most compelling works of literatureRead MoreThe Life of George Gordon Lord Byron797 Words   |  3 PagesGeorge Gordon Lord Byron was a man whom people admired his works of romantic poetry and writings. Lord Byron’s lifestyle as a young boy distinguished him from others with his sexual desires. Lord Byron’s voyages and travels around the world allowed him to create different writings during his time. Also he was known for his many accomplishments throughout his short life span. George Gordon Lord Byron is to be seen as one of the most interesting poets during his era.( Note card 1 and 2) On JanuaryRead More George Gordon Byron Essay3276 Words   |  14 PagesGeorge Gordon Byron   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Their are many different opinions on the written works of George Gordon Byron which could include one very big question. Was he a natural born poet or simply a product of abuse and mental illness. His writings may have been more a way to ease his pa and suffering rather than a natural talent. Perhaps his writings were a form of self therapy? Throughout his writings and life history there is much evidence to suggest that his poetry was being greatly influenced by hisRead MoreRomantic Era Poets: Lord Byron777 Words   |  3 Pagesgoing to elaborate on how Lord Byron can be seen as one of the major Romantic poets of the Romantic era. Lord Byron was not only one of the leading Romantics in the Romantic era but he also a revered politician. He made a great literary contribution to the romantic era through poems, stories and the â€Å"Byronic Hero†. His work and life were adventurous. This only aided him in creating his literary pieces. Lord George Gordon Noel Byron (1788-1824), better known as Lord Byron, was born, with a clubbed rightRead MoreLord Byron and the Romantic Period Essay1829 Words   |  8 Pagesof Byron’s uncommitted and scandalous life. Byron, like most Romantic era authors, was very unpredictable and opinionated in all of his writings. From the hatred of his upbringing, to the love of adventure, and also to the love of meaningless relationships with various women were majorly influenced and illustrated through all of his works and especially in â€Å"Don Juan.† Yet he still managed to infiltrate his poems with charm, romance, and heroism. Byron was a perfect fit for the Romantic Period andRead MoreGeorge Gordon Byron : British Romantic Poet1866 Words   |  8 PagesGeorge Gordon Byron was born on January 22, 1788, London, England - died April 19, 1824, Missolonghi. He was British Romantic poet whose poetry and personality â€Å"captured the imagination of Europe† (britanni ca.com). Byron was known to have influence many popular american authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Osar Wilde Byron was the son of Captain John Byron nicknamed â€Å" Mad Jack† and his second wife a scots heiress, Catherine Gordon. Byron did not have a great childhood. Both sides of hisRead MoreThe Imagination Of Europe By George Gordon Byron1588 Words   |  7 PagesJanuary 22, 1788 George Gordon Byron was born in , London, England and died April 19, 1824, Missolonghi. Though Byron was a British Romantic poet whose poetry and personality â€Å"captured the imagination of Europe† (britannica.com). He has gone through many challenges throughout his life such as his violent childhood, his inner conflict with his sexuality, and yet was known to have influence many popular american authors. Byron was the son of Captain John Byron nicknamed â€Å" Mad Jack† marriedRead MoreAnalysis of Lord Byron ´s Epic Poem Don Juan1064 Words   |  4 PagesLord Byron began writing Don Juan in 1819 and did not stop writing the cantos until his heartbreaking death in 1824. By the time of Byron’s death, he had written 16 cantos and left an unfinished 17th. In the first canto, the reader finds out about Don Juan’s parents and goes on to talk about how Don Juan and his mother’s friend, Donna Julia, fall in love with each other and have an affair. This particular poem is not like many poems seen before. Lord Byron wrote this poem, to follow the satirical

Innovation Plan for Silver Street Company-Free-Samples for Student

Question: Discuss about the Innovation Plan for Silver Street Company. Answer: Innovation Plan for Silver Street Company Silver Street Company require an innovation plan that can be presented to all stakeholders thereby determining the way forward for business activities. Amanda will be able to present the innovation plan to Silver Street stakeholders so as to improve the mode of operations within the company. From human resource point of view, the first step in the innovation plan for Silver Street Company is training and development. We consider training of workers in the company and development of working culture. The placement process of workers in Silver Street needs to be done through training and development. In that connection, the company will apply mentorship program to train workers so as to fit all work requirements within the company. Through mentorship program, workers will be trained in different aspects of manufacturing in the company (Emerson Steward, 2011). The training program will be divided into different sectors based on the category of job purpose. There will be training on how to manufacture consumer packed goods, chocolate bars, baby food, sweets and other food products. After training program, workers will be distributed to all outlets of operation. Some trained workers will be required to reinforce other workers in senior management team and marketing in Silver Street headquarters. Another portion of trained workers will be required to reinforce sales and marketing offices. The last group of trained workers will be deployed to manufacturing plants such as Western Canada, Central Quebec and Central Ontario. Again, the process of training and development will be facilitated through mentorship program development coordination through department of human resource management. This will ensure workers are drawn from different sections of Canada. The next concept on Silver Street innovation plan relates to recruitment and selection of workers so as to satisfy different job positions in the company (Maslow, 2013). The steps to be followed in recruitment and selection process should focus on increasing recruitment and promotion of workers in the company. Therefore, the first step in recruitment and selection process is to identify different job purpose. This plan will increase recruitment in areas such as manufacturing of consumer packed food, manufacture of chocolate bars, sweets and baby products. This company will consider workers with skill in food and nutrition sciences in this recruitment. The innovation plan aims to design strategies to increase recruitment of relevant workforces for Silver Street Company. Therefore, the plan will apply career fairs so as to increase recruitment. The materials to be applied in career fairs will be suggested by different department such as Silver Street headquarter where top management te am operates. Again, sales and marketing offices will be required to provide a list of materials in career fairs (Arnold, 2010). Manufacturing plants will be required to submit materials for career fairs. Innovation plan team will review and update the materials for career fairs on annual basis through client service human resources division until the plan is fully implemented. Again, the process of recruitment will be integrated with the process of promoting workers. In that connection, promotion and recruitment will be collaborated with communication units from all outlets of Silver Street Company. This will ensure all career opportunities are updated as per the employment guidance and standards of the company (Roberts, 2005). Again, through human resource intervention, there will be development of evaluation framework that will be applied to assess the importance and effectiveness of recruitment process. Another concept that innovation plan focus to initiate is integration of recruitment and training. This will be implemented through use of professional development initiatives (Kanungo Manuel, 2014). We have set a committee in professional development. Through the initiatives of this committee, there will be provision of training in order to develop professionals in different categories of work engagement in Silver Street such as professional manufactures of consumer packed goods and other food products. The nature of work in Silver Street requires technical skills and physical abilities. In that connection, the plan has designed an evaluation framework that focus on effectively delivering different training programs (McGregor, 2012). Again, human resource department has come up with lists of different job segments so as to satisfy different career paths selected by professionals. From human resource point of view, Silver Street innovation plan focus to recruit and select innovative talents so as to train them on skills required to manufacture consumer packed goods, chocolate bars, sweets, baby food and other food products. Through this process, Silver Street will manage to manufacture quality products so as to compete favorably in respective markets in Canada. This will keep the company ahead of other competitors. Lastly, the process of selection will be based on required skills and experience. The mode of selection of workers will be based on level of past performance trend by individual candidates. The innovation plan focus on using recruitment and selection in order to obtain the best recruitment sources as well as to hire the most innovative talents for the job (Billsberry, 2007). We have selected many potential candidates from different diversities so as to find the best talents that will propel Silver Street into a competitive advantaged organization in the globe. We focus to apply different recruitment sources such as recruitment software, recruitment outsourcing, recruitment agency management, and recruitment source management, external and internal recruitment along with recruitment process description. The last approach in Silver Street innovation plan considers compensation and benefits. Through proper compensation plan and benefits, the workforce is motivated intrinsically and extrinsically. Silver Street focus on initiating a better compensation plan for workers (Marylene, 2014). This is achieved through increase in salaries and wages across all groups of workers from headquarters, sales and marketing offices along with workers in manufacturing plants in Western Canada, Central Quebec and Central Ontario. Through innovation plan, workers will be compensated for long working hours and overtime work engagement. This will act as a form of extrinsic motivation. Better compensation plan will make workers to be distributed in different manufacturing sectors within the company. There will be equal representation in manufacturing of consumer packed goods, manufacturing of chocolate bars and sweets along with other food products. From human resource point of view, compensation and benefits embedded to workers increase the level of production units in the company (Richard, 2013). This plan will reward workers from the services lender in the company. Silver Street innovation plan incorporate both tangible and intangible compensation and benefits as a sub-discipline of human resources. The plan will recognize workforce efforts in delivering quality products. It will also incorporate work-life and development of workers through career promotions. The total rewards will be achieved once compensation and benefits are integrated. The innovation plan of Silver Street focus on meeting the basic components of workers compensation and benefits. These aspects are achievable through use of four basic categories. First, there will be guaranteed pay to all employees. The plan provides fixed monitory rewards to services rendered by employees. This is achieved through basic salary provisions. This also include provision of commissions and allowances such as house allowance, medical allowance, traveling allowance, risk and hazard allowances. The plan also provide differentials to workers such as holiday differentials and shift differentials. Lastly under guaranteed pay, the plan provides premiums in night shifts and overtime work engagement. The second aspect in compensation and benefits to Silver Street workers relates to variable pay (Ryan Deci, 2017). The plan provides a non-fixed monetary reward to employees. This is based on performance achieved by workers and as a result of discretion contingent. This includes pr ovision of incentive and bonuses to employees of Silver Street in a particular period of time within each fiscal year. Third, we consider benefits that Silver Street uses to supplement compensation and benefits to employees. The plan provides a company car to top superior management team. It also focus on provision of medical insurance to workers and paid time off. Lastly, innovation plan enhances provision of equity-based compensation to workers (Berger Berger, 2008). Through provision of stock options, Silver Street focus on enhancing a long-term workforce engagement thereby making innovation plan a relevant aspect in workers compensation and benefits. All these aspects can be presented to stakeholders of Silver Street so as to demonstrate the commitment of the human resource management team towards uplifting workers compensation and benefits. Conclusion Innovation plan for Silver Street described in the context involves three main steps. First, the concept of training and development of workers has been applied to recruit innovative talents that are required to manufacture quality consumer packed goods. This process enables the company to determine the best candidates to be engaged in different business operations (Thomas, 2009). Implementation of proper training and development process propels career promotion on the company. The second step involves recruitment and selection procedures. The company determines the most appropriate workforce to deliver manufacturing goals and objectives. Lastly, the concepts of compensation and benefits have been applied in the innovation plan so as to recognize efforts provided by workers. Through this form of motivation, workers are able to offer quality services to Silver Street Company without any reservation whatsoever. If the three steps are fully incorporated in the innovation plan above, the stakeholders of Silver Street will be willing to express their interests towards the overall objective of the company. References Arnold, J. (2010). Coaching Skills for Leaders in the Workplace: How to Develop, Motivate and Get the Best from Your Staff. How to Books. Berger, L., Berger, D. (2008). The Compensation Handbook. McGraw-Hill. Billsberry, J. (2007). Experiencing Recruitment and Selection. Wiley Publishers. Emerson, T., Steward, M. (2011). The Learning and Development Book. Association for Talent Development. Kanungo, R.N., Manuel, M. (2014). Work Motivation: Models for Developing Countries. Sage Publication put. Marylene, G. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Work Engagement, Motivation and Self-Determination Theory. OUP USA. Maslow, A.H. (2013). A Theory of Human Motivation. Start publishing LLC. McGregor, D. (2012). The Human Side of Enterprise. New Yolk, 21. Richard, A. (2013). Job Satisfaction from Herzbergs Two Factor Theory Perspective. Grin publishing. Roberts, G. (2005). Recruitment and Selection. Chartered Institute of Personnel Development. Ryan, R.M., Deci, EL. (2017). Self-Determination Theory: Basic Psychological Need in Motivation, development and Wellness. The Guilford press. Thomas, K.W. (2009). Intrinsic Motivation: What Really Drives Employees Engagement. Berret-Koehler publishers

Volleyball as a Subculture free essay sample

Does Society â€Å"Dig† Volleyball as a Subculture? I. Introduction The individuality within diverse subcultures has given so much to society already. Subcultures such as volleyball have been given a chance to grow in our society and spread to other cultures connecting nations across the globe. It takes time for a subculture to be accepted by our society today. Once it is accepted, membership in subculture grows as more people feel comfortable joining a mainstream subculture such as volleyball. However, to be a part of this particular subculture there are a few guidelines and some complicated jargon. Perhaps, since volleyball is not a subculture that greatly defies social norms, it may not be stigmatized or critically stereotyped by society. I have personally seen how this subculture has affected society and how society has affected the subculture of volleyball. II. Subculture Description Volleyball began as a leisure sport created in 1895 by William G. We will write a custom essay sample on Volleyball as a Subculture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Morgan, a YMCA instructor from Massachusetts who originally called the game mintonette. The game, a combination of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball, was designed for his businessmen as a game with little physical contact. (NCVA) Having stemmed from other large sport subcultures, volleyball has grown into its own subculture of equal size and strength in the sports industry. Mintonette was played with one ball and players on two sides of a raised net. The object of the game was to keep the ball off the floor on your side of the court. Points would be given to the team who did not allow the ball to hit the floor, and they would also be the team to serve the ball next. (NCVA) The name â€Å"volleyball† was given to the game when one of Morgan’s players remarked that the object of the game seemed to be â€Å"volleying† the ball over the net. Rules and regulations of the game were then applied by Morgan. (NCVA) Originating in a YMCA, the game was played by male businessmen as Morgan had designed the game this way. However, once it was discovered to be a hit, the game quickly spread to colleges and high schools where both men and women enjoyed the game. (Sports Know How) Before rules were even set, the game had spread to Japan and Asia then to the Philippines where additions to game strategies were made. During World War II, the game spread from Japan, Russia, and the United to the rest of Europe. (NCVA) In fact, volleyball contributed to ending the Cold War tensions between Russia because of the respect and sportsmanship displayed towards other players from other nations. (United States Olympic Committee) As volleyball has strengthened as a subculture, newcomers will need to adjust to the norms within the subculture. On the competitive end of the game, any member of the volleyball team needs a competitive drive and endurance to participate in the sport. Drive and endurance helps the individual with their athleticism which is helpful for the game. Any newcomer would need to practice their skills of the game to fully involve themselves in the subculture. Members of this subculture vary in appearance and dress. Uniforms, matching tops and tight spandex shorts, are worn during the games. Casual versions of the uniform, usually consisting of a T-shirt and the tight spandex shorts, are worn during practices. A part of the uniform that is not required are the knee pads to protect the knees. Another way to determine if someone is a member or not is to listen to them speak the game of volleyball. Members of the subculture use jargon constantly to talk about the game. A â€Å"spike† is when someone jumps to hit the ball over hand to the other side of the net with the intension to score a point. If a point is scored from a spike directly hitting the ground within the boundaries, it is known as a â€Å"kill. † If the spike is not a kill and the opponent can keep the ball in play, this is known as a â€Å"dig,† â€Å"bump,† or â€Å"up. † These can either be done with both hands linked together and passing the ball from your forearms or over the player’s head with two hands slightly spaced apart. Once the ball has been dug, a â€Å"set† needs to be made. A set is done, as already mentioned, over the player’s head with two hands slightly spaced apart. Then, the players and opponents repeat the actions as such: bump, set, spike. I became of part of this subculture when I was in 3rd grade, but became a serious member in 7th grade when I played with a competitive volleyball team. We would meet to practice for about an hour everyday, and we would play other opponents once a week. The longer I was a part of this subculture, the more involved I became with it, and the more serious I became about being a part of the group. III. Subculture Analysis As a leisure sport, volleyball is part of the middle class society, where most Americans tend to consider themselves falling in the social class system. Volleyball interests most middle school and high school girls, but little interest is shown by boys of that age. I was personally a part of the subculture of volleyball involving middle school and high school girls. Participating in this subculture proves athleticism and strength. Also, being a member of the subculture can give the individual a feeling of responsibility and success, helping to gain confidence in themself. Volleyball is part of the mainstream culture, mostly popular among girls. As many schools only have women’s teams, men are a minority in the subculture, even though the game was designed originally for men. Also, because the subculture involves physical activity and athleticism, it usually restricts older generations from participating in the game, although they are still able to watch and talk the game. IV. Subculture Critique In school, involvement in an activity like volleyball draws attention to the individual, especially if they are a valuable player on the team. Teachers tend to either favorite these â€Å"oh-so-talented† individuals or give them leeway in the educational system with grades they do not deserve. Members of the volleyball subculture may be getting cheated out of a proper educational experience. Like the male mainstream subcultures of athletics, volleyball players might also be stereotyped as a â€Å"dumb jock† because they receive this special treatment. As women are supposed to portray feminine characteristics, partaking in leisure activities like volleyball would go against social norms set by society. When she is involved in that subculture, she is portraying an aggressive and competitive attitude, which are things society tells women they should not do. A woman does not sweat and a woman does not physically exhaust herself. However, there are other sports subcultures that societiy values as less feminine than volleyball such as football, basketball, and wrestling, which are male dominated sports. Volleyball players receive the softer end of the criticism. A visual stereotype given to volleyball players is that all are tall and long limbed. Although this is an advantage for the game, it is not a necessary characteristic to be a part of the volleyball subculture. Short girls have the ability to play volleyball, but it may just be a matter of the position they play. As a short player, I was placed in a different position than the taller girls, but I was not considered any less of a player or a member to the subculture. Young adult males or teenage boys may view members of the volleyball subculture as â€Å"sexy† because the stereotype of a volleyball player as the ideal woman: tall and long legged. This â€Å"sexy† stereotype can also arise from the uniform of the players: tight spandex shorts. This is not baggy clothing by any means. Men are seeing what they want to see in these uniforms. This push from men to be a â€Å"sexy† volleyball player makes some players who don’t fit the tall and long legged stereotype feel uncomfortable with themselves. On the other end, men in this subculture are a minority. Having become a female dominated subculture, volleyball is being categorized as a â€Å"women only sport. † This puts men who participate in the sport in a position where they are being criticized by society as being feminine. Society needs to remember that volleyball used to be played by both genders, and both genders are to be equally accepted into this mainstream subculture. V. Conclusion From invention to evolution, volleyball has developed into a subculture that shifted from the majority of participants being men to the majority being female. Being depicted as a member of the culture can mean you are either playing the sport or are very familiar with the terms and sport itself. It is a lifestyle that has both its perks and downfalls of special treatment or negative social stigma. Many members are mistreated in the educational system or stereotyped as â€Å"sexy† volleyball players, and this only harms members of the subculture. However, the subculture’s individual characters and jargon add to the healthy diversity in society. We can learn from volleyball just as we learn from different races, genders, or larger cultures. Volleyball is a growing subculture for girls and women, but acceptance of the male gender being a part of this subculture is still on the line. As a member of the subculture, I experienced most of society’s positive reactions and views on volleyball. I cannot speak on behalf of teammates and friends for that matter. This inequality only shows that society is not sure how to treat this subculture yet, but the growth of this subculture as a whole shows that society has accepted it. VI.