Free College Admissions Essays: Geography :: College Admissions Essays

Geography The diverse nature of Geography has always attracted me to the subject, and the bridge it forms between the Arts and the Sciences reflects many of my interests. I am greatly enjoying the work which I am doing for the A level syllabus, on both the human and physical sides of the course, and would like to continue to study in both these fields. Geography gives the opportunity to accumulate a valuable range of skills, and I particularly enjoy the variety of analytical, numerical, bibliographical and research skills which I am called upon to use. The study of Geography will enable me to consider complex interactions between the human and physical environments, and the scope for useful research within the subject is very appealing. I have attended a number of Geographical Association lectures organised by my local branch, and look forward to taking responsibility for my own work in response to such stimulus. My interest in Geography is reflected in my choice of supporting A level subjects. I have found them very helpful in furthering my understanding of issues such as ecology and the processing of raw data, where subjects overlap. The study of French has also helped me to appreciate European issues whilst maintaining a language which I enjoy. I plan to take a Gap Year with the G.A.P. Organisation, to work as a support teacher in a developing nation. This, I believe, will be a valuable experience, and allow me to gain some first hand case studies in social, spatial and physical geography, which may provide a foundation for further study. I am very interested in the developing world, and have actively supported Christian Aid campaigns, as well as speaking on the Economic and Environment Committee at a "Model United Nations" Conference. Whilst completing the Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards, I have been able to improve my cartographic skills, and observe a variety of landscapes, w hich has added to my interest in physical geography. Taking part in the Tall Ships race on an S.T.A schooner for my Gold Residential Award has also helped me to appreciate the value of team work and perseverance.

Moby Dick: The Brit Essay

It is in human nature to hold in contempt and fear things unknown to them, on the other hand many people hold the pursuit of knowledge as the one true path to fulfillment in life. The dangers of the pursuit of knowledge are an underlying topic in Ishmael’s discussion of brit. Ishmael describes the sea as enigmatic and immensely more dangerous than the land; in doing so reveals how attempting to study the unknown in the pursuit of knowledge is far more dangerous than remaining ignorant. In Ishmael’s discussion about brit he quickly drifts off the subject of the actual brit and begins to make comparisons between the land and the sea. He states that even â€Å"though some old naturalists have maintained that all creatures if the land are of kind in the sea†(Melville 272), he has yet to see any creatures of the sea that have the same charm and kindness as domesticated pets. He reveals the inherent lack of kindness or hospitability in oceanic creatures by making this statement. He goes on to say that,†however baby man may brag if his science and skill, and however much in a fluttering future that science and skill may augment; yet forever and ever to the crack of dawn, the sea will continue to insult and murder him†¦ man has lost that sense of the awfulness of the sea which aboriginally belongs to it.†(Melville 273). This passage illustrates the core of what Ishmael is trying to describe in his argument. It reveals the horror and indomitable terror of the sea, which according to Ishmael people seem to have forgotten about and take for granted. He also belittles human’s in the passage calling them â€Å"baby man† showing how powerless he believes people are compared to the sea and how no matter how much people advance they cannot compare to the sea’s power. He goes on to expand on this idea stating the many ways in which the ocean’s horrors hold supremacy over all others such as the sea’s lack of mercy and control as well as its deceiving beauty and how â€Å"its most dreaded creatures glide under water unapparent for the most part and treacherously hidden beneath the loveliest azure†(Melville 274) Underlying this description of the terror of the ocean is a warning; Ishmael attempts to show how trying to study the unknown in pursuit of knowledge is far more dangerous than remaining in a state of ignorance. Ishmael uses detailed description to over emphasize how terrifying the ocean is. This shows the use of storytelling and redefinition in order to get the audience picture the terrors of the ocean and in doing so empathize with Ishmael’s beliefs. This indicates Ishmael’s use of pathos in his argument. Ishmael besides describing the ocean as a perilous place he describes it as â€Å"an everlasting terra incognita† (Melville 273), this declaration of the incapableness of man to unravel the mysteries of the ocean shows the, almost fearful, reverence he holds towards the ocean and its mysteries. A reverence he attempts to impart upon the audience through the aforementioned use of hyperbole and redefinition, showing a use of pathos to make the audience sympathize with these feelings. It seems that Ishmael would rather people not attempt to learn about the unknown rather than expose themselves to its dangers. This is apparent when this extract, â€Å"For as thy appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of a man there lies one insular Tahiti, full of peace and joy, but encompassed by the horrors of the half known life. God keep thee push not off from that isle, thou canst never return!†(Melville 274). This is the conclusion to Ishmael’s discussion and reveals the reasoning for his statements. The â€Å"horrors of the half known life† encompassing the â€Å"insular Tahiti† are the things people attempt to learn about the world and themselves. Ishmael believes that by venturing out into the sea of one’s soul man exposes himself to all the dangers of the world. This shows how he believes that it is better to remain on a peninsula of ignorance and comfort than venture out into the sea of knowledge. Ishmael urges people to remain in their small insular world threatened by what lies beyond. He believes that one will find less comfort in discoveries than in ignorance and as such people should stay clear of the mysteries of the world.

Major Themes Of Mexico And Peru - 915 Words

1. Major Themes Throughout the video we looked at the fact that the presence of blacks in Mexico and Peru seem to be near nonexistent even though there was a large number of African slaves taken to these two countries. It was even said that the number of African slaves taken into Mexico and Peru outnumber the slaves that were in the United States. One aspect of this phenomenon was that in Mexico, the African culture was mixed with the whites and Spanish culture early on, resulting in the â€Å"dilution† of African presence in Mexico. After the abolition of slavery in 1830 the Catholic Church even allowed interracial marriage between the blacks, whites, and Spanish. In one part of the video we were shown a wall that the commentator even called â€Å"The Sixteen Shades of Blacks† because of the different colors of all the people in the painting to emphasize the intermingling of races. So in current day Mexico there is very few 100 percent African residents, most are mulat to, moreno, or mestizo, which are all mixed race. Also the Mexican government decided that in the seventeenth century that racial categories should be eliminated, while this seemed to be a step in the right direction for equality, it ended up covering up the rich African history in Mexico and now a vast majority of citizens of Mexico do not understand the history they do have. The narrator also found that people in Mexico seem to hide their blackness. 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