Great Gatsby

Wide Awake and Dreaming Hanna Chait T. E. Lawrence stated â€Å"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible. † In The Great Gatsby, the central theme is realizing that creating your own dreams and living in your reality is extremely different.Myrtle dreamt of having money, yet knew Tom would never leave Daisy, Gatsby dreamt of being with the Daisy he created, but realized she had changed, and Daisy dreamt of being in love and being with Gatsby, but would NEVER leave Tom. Myrtle Wilson desires one thing in life, money. She lives in the valley of ashes, the desolate and barren land that lies between Long Island and New York. She wants nothing more than to become wealthy, leave the valley of ashes, leave her husband, and become a extravagant vapid housewife like she always dreamt of being. ‘I married him because I thought he was a gentleman,’ she said finally. ‘I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe’† Myrtle remarked of her relationship with George. She wanted so badly for him to be something else, someone with class.She wanted a perfect, wealthy man of high social standing. Myrtle discussed her wedding day to George, â€Å"The only crazy I was, was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed somebody’s best suit to get married in, and never even told me about it, and the man came after it one day when he was out. Myrtle was embarrassed and almost disgraced about the fact that George didn’t get married in a suit he bought for himself. Myrtle said she knew right away she made a mistake, so the question was why did she go through with it in the first place? That’s why Myrtle has Tom though: he was her fulfillment, her fortune, though in reality they would never truly be together. Tom was with Daisy and that is how it was going to stay, Tom would never truly love a woman from the valley of ashes. This was known because of the elaborate lie Tom constructed about why he will never leave Daisy because she is a Catholic, when in fact she is not.Just as Myrtle was creating a false sense of her relationship with Tom, Gatsby was doing the same with Daisy. Jay Gatsby had a dream, his dream was of the Daisy he met and fell in love with five years ago. He dreamt of Daisy admitting that she never loved Tom, that way they would finally have been able to run off together to the life that he once knew. He dreamt of a future, the future he knew they were meant to have from the day he met her. He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you. After she had obliterated four years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to be taken. One of them was that, af ter she was free, they were to go back to Louisville and be married from her house – just as if it were five years ago. When Gatsby finally had Daisy he realized that there was no longer a dream, he had what he wanted. He soon finds himself asking has my dream changed, or has Daisy changed? Gatsby first noticed this when he had Daisy over, that she was no longer the whimsical 18-year-old Daisy Fay of Louisville, Kentucky that he once knew, that he grew to love.There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams–not through her own fault but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion The magnitude of this realization was that Daisy was not the same Daisy she once was five years ago she had changed. This hurt Gatsby, it woke him up from the fantasy he was living in and showed him that although the love remained the same the girl was no longer the same.Though Gatsby’s dream of Daisy had existed for the past five years, Daisy’s dream of being with Gatsby had only just been recognized, and she could not decide if it is something she truly wanted or if it was just something to make her happy. She had only just reconnected with Gatsby after five years, at a tea set up by Nick and Gatsby. As Daisy went to say goodbye to Gatsby at the end of the tea, she whispered something in his ear and Gatsby was filled with a rush of emotions. â€Å"As watched him he adjusted himself a little, visibly.His hand took hold of hers, and as she said something low in his ear he turned toward her with a rush of emotion† (103). This is where the reader begins to see a new Daisy, a Daisy that wanted to be with Gatsby, and had a general need to feel loved. Later on she was forced to identify what her true feelings were about Tom and Gatsby, she was told to state the claim that she never loved Tom, but she found herself only able to say that she no longer loves him, but she DID at one time love him. â€Å"’Oh, you want too much! ’ she cried to Gatsby. ‘I love you now — isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past. She began to sob helplessly. ‘I did love him once — but I loved you too. ’† Daisy proclaimed this to Gatsby, as he begged her to admit she never loved Tom, she then proceeded to ask Tom to take her home. Thus ending her dream and Gatsby’s, she wants to be with Gatsby and she wants to be loved, but she knows Tom is the life she is meant to have. Daisy loves her money and her place in society too much to actually feel loved; this is something that will never change. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald delves into a world of dreams and fantasies, as well as vast realizations of what life is really like.Myrtle wanted nothing more than to live in a society she feels she truly belongs in, and to be wealthy, but deep down as painstaking as it was to admit she knew she could never have Tom. Gatsby wanted to be with the Daisy he knew and loved five years ago, a dreamlike Daisy of 18 years of age, but the Daisy he meets once more has changed. Lastly Daisy wanted nothing but to be loved and be happy, but she knew she loved her money and life too much to let herself be happy. This is how The Great Gatsby shows us how dreams can hurt you much more than the realty you are living in. Great Gatsby This extract establishes both the physical and symbolic values of the setting in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It also provides us with the traits of the characters in the novel in relation to the thematic focus. The setting is also symbolic of Fritzgerald's satire of 1920s New York lifestyle , particularly emphasizing on the American dream , social class and money. Prior to the extract, Nick begins by commenting on himself, stating his qualities; tolerance and tendency to reserve judgments as one of them. In the summer of 1922, Nick Carraway has just arrived in New York and is living in a part of Long Island known as West Egg.Fitzgerald establishes Nick Carraway as an impartial narrator but not a passive one. From the novel's opening paragraph onward, this will continue create an internal conflict for Nick himself. Because despite the fact that Gatsby represents all that Nick despises, Nick cannot help but admire him. Geographically, the differences of the upper classes a re symbolized by two residential areas of Long Island, New York â€Å"Twenty miles from the city a pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated by a courtesy bay, jut out into . . . Long Island Sound. . . n arresting phenomenon is their dissimilarity in every particular except shape and size. † Fitzgerald continues to emphasize the social divisions between the two Eggs and their inhabitants with colorful imagery which develops symbolic significance. Nick lives in Long Island in what is known as the West Egg. The West Egg is located across the bay from the East Egg. Nick, after describing his area as the less fashionable of the two, continues to confess that â€Å"this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them. The relationship between geography and social values is an important motif in The Great Gatsby. Each setting in the novel corresponds to a particular thematic idea or character type. This extract intro duces the two most important settings in the novel, East Egg and West Egg. Even though each is home to the wealthy they are separated as Nick says â€Å"by a courtesy bay†, the two regions are opposite in the values they uphold. East Egg represents taste, and aristocracy while West Egg represents ostentation and the flashy manners of the new rich.East Egg is associated with the Buchanans and the monotony of their inherited social position, while West Egg is associated with Gatsby’s gaudy mansion. Nick is attracted to the fast-paced lifestyle of New York. But it is contradictory because he also finds that lifestyle grotesque and damaging. This inner conflict is symbolized throughout the book by Nick’s romantic affair with Jordan Baker. He is attracted to her vivacity and her sophistication just as he is repelled by her dishonesty and her lack of consideration for other people.The second contrast is between the city scenes and the suburban ones. Like Nick Carraway , Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby commute into the city for their respective lines of work. The women are left behind. This geographical divide is also a gender borderline. But the city is important in other ways, too; Tom only interacts with his mistress in the city, and Gatsby only sees Meyer Wolfsheim there. They both use the city to hide their goings-on from the people they value on Long Island. The setting in the Great Gatsby is closely related to the Concept of the American Dream in the novel.The American dream was originally about discovery, individualism, and the pursuit of happiness. In the 1920s depicted in the novel, however, easy money and relaxed social values have corrupted this dream, especially on the East Coast. One of the major topics explored in The Great Gatsby is the sociology of wealth, specifically, how the the new rich are segregated from the old aristocratic rich who live on the East Egg In the novel, West Egg and its denizens represent the newly rich, while Eas t Egg and its denizens, especially Daisy and Tom, represent the old aristocracy.Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich as being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and lacking in social graces and taste. Gatsby, for example, lives in a monstrously ornate mansion, wears a pink suit, drives a Rolls-Royce, and does not pick up on subtle social signals, such as the insincerity of the Sloanes’ invitation to lunch. In contrast, the old aristocracy possesses grace, taste, subtlety, and elegance, epitomized by the Buchanans’ tasteful home and the flowing white dresses of Daisy and Jordan Baker.What the old aristocracy possesses in taste, however, it seems to lack in heart, as the East Eggers prove themselves careless, inconsiderate bullies who are so used to money’s ability to ease their minds that they never worry about hurting others. The Buchanans exemplify this stereotype when, at the end of the novel, they simply move to a new house far away rather than condescend to attend G atsby’s funeral. The setting in the Great Gatsby is closely related to the Concept of the American Dream in the novel.Daisy is in love with money, ease, and material luxury. She is capable of affection (she seems genuinely fond of Nick and occasionally seems to love Gatsby sincerely), but not of sustained loyalty or care. She is indifferent even to her own infant daughter, never discussing her and treating her as an afterthought when she is introduced in Chapter 7. In Fitzgerald’s conception of America in the 1920s, Daisy represents the amoral values of the aristocratic East Egg set. Great Gatsby Charles de Montesquieu says that â€Å"to become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them†. Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby , protagonist Jay Gatsby progresses as a hero through his dedication for love, his youthful dreams, and his Christ-like persona. His passion for love reflects in his greatness; for he proves commitment, dedication, and a loving soul for others. Jay Gatsby lives the model of the American Dream in a youthful and undertaking way. Extravagance combined with dreams for success comes greatness. Gatsby also is considered a vision of Jesus Christ as the novel uses different biblical allusions to prove his greatness as a relatable leader. Jay Gatsby’s dedication and commitment for love makes him a hero, yet most of others fail to see his greatness. Gatsby dedicates his life to fulfilling his dream of his lost love Daisy Buchanan. He yearns for her love and â€Å"believes in the green light† across the bay (Fitzgerald 25). This is the first time narrator Nick Carraway begins to see Gatsby’s other side and realizes his desire for the one he truly loves. The green light embodies his vision of desire forcing Gatsby â€Å"to fashion a reality of his own to correspond to the dream† (Weinstein 8). He must accomplish his dream in his own way, working with the circumstances given at hand. Gatsby â€Å"stretched out his hand desperately as if to snatch only a wisp of air, to save a fragment of the spot that she had made lovely for him† (Fitzgerald 33). Gatsby is committed to her love and desires NOTHING more than her simple love. Daisy says to Gatsby, â€Å"We haven't met for many years†. Gatsby quickly responds â€Å"Five years next November† (Fitzgerald 87). Gatsby knows the exact date of their last meeting, proving his dedication toward the building upon the relationship. â€Å"Gatsby [is] attracted to Daisy for purely idealistic, romantic, and even metaphysical reasons†; none of it is for money (Mellard 4). He loves Daisy for who she truly is and never gives up in his journey to pursue a mutual love. Gatsby is† profoundly kind, always seeing the best in people, or, what is better, seeing them as they see themselves† (Mellard 2). He reaches people down to their level even within his own greatness; even bringing out the best in others. Jay Gatsby devotes his life to love of others and the dedication of pursuing it. Jay Gatsby lives and thrives in his youth of being the American Dream. Simply put, Gatsy's home is described as being â€Å"a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden (Fitzgerald 9)†. Gatsby’s lavish home is wanted by majority of Americans. Nick explains how his â€Å"eyes fell on Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes† at his own luxurious, well-attended parties (Fitzgerald 50). Everyone attends Gatsby's extravagant parties wether invited or not. He looks at all of his guests identically; with appeal. â€Å"Gatsby has a fabulous career and yet, is humble in himself†, for he is the image of the classic American Dream (Weinstein 5). Gatsby's ability to be able to stay humble yet successful is heroic. Gatsby’s life is full of enchanted objects aspiring to be the youthful man of many dreams (Fitzgerald 93). Gatsby's youth is found through his dreams of love and hope of life and happiness around him. Gatsby’s youth â€Å"leaves an impression of interminability† (Mellard 2). His dreams prolong as his youth stays forever. Gatsby is forever young. Simply said, â€Å"The Great Gatsby is the picture of the American Dream† (Weinstein 1). The American Dream is all about achieving greatness in a self-inflicted way like as Jay Gatsby. Gatsby would not be able to achieve such greatness without the core values of a humble leader whom dominates his own dreams of youth. The character of Gatsby has a religious entity that brings him closer to the vision of the Son of God. â€Å"The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end† (Fitzgerald 104). Gatsby is the â€Å"American Adam† throughout the novel. He acts as the biblical Adam while fulfilling the spot of the American dream. Gatsby is described as having â€Å"a heightened sensitivity to the promises of life† (Fitzgerald 6). Like the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he has promises for the coming life in order to live out his greatness apart from his own senses. Gatsby brings life to the others around him, bringing out the best in people, giving the rare smile of admiration; nevertheless he is the incarnating God (Mellard 12). Nick describes Gatsby when watching him upon first meeting as â€Å"he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling† (Fitzgerald 25-26). Jay Gatsby is like a â€Å"Christ-figure as a scapegoat† (Mellard 9). Similar to Jesus Christ, Jay Gatsby would place blame upon others on himself, for he desires nothing more than love. In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby , protagonist Jay Gatsby progresses as a hero through his dedication for love, his youthful dreams, and his Christ-like persona. His passion for love reflects in his greatness; for he proves commitment, dedication, and a loving soul for others. Jay Gatsby lives the model of the American Dream in a youthful and undertaking way. Extravagance combined with dreams for success comes greatness. Gatsby also is considered a vision of Jesus Christ as the novel uses different biblical allusions to prove his greatness as a relatable leader. Jay Gatsby’s dedication and commitment for love makes him a hero, yet most of others fail to see his greatness. Jay Gatsby lives and thrives in his youth of being the American Dream. The character of Gatsby has a religious entity that brings him closer to the vision of the Son of God. His passion for love reflects in his greatness; for he proves commitment, dedication, and a loving soul for others. Jay Gatsby lives the model of the American Dream in a youthful and undertaking way. All in all Jay Gatsby proves his greatness well. Great Gatsby Great Gatsby Gatsby: The False prophet of the American Dream The American dream, or myth, is an ever recurring theme in American literature, dating back to some of the earliest colonial writings. Briefly defined it is the belief, that every man, whatever his origins, may pursue and attain his chosen goals, be they political, monetary, or social. It is the literary expression of the concept of America: the land of opportunity. F. Scott Fitzgerald has come to be associated with the concept of the American dream more so than any other writer of the country.In fact, the American dream has been for Fitzgerald what the theme of the separate peace has been for Earnest Hemingway – the focal point or building block for much, if not all, of his work. However, Fitzgerald’s unique expression of the American dream lacks the optimism, the sense of fulfilment, so evident in the expressions of his predecessors. Cast in the framework of the metaphor, the aforementioned exponents of the American drea m were Old Testament prophets predicting the coming of the golden age, complete with a messiah who was to be epitome of the word â€Å"American. † Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s answer.To Fitzgerald the long prophesied American dream had its fulfillment in the â€Å"orgiastic† post World War I period was known as â€Å"The Roaring Twenties. † He was the self-appointed spokesman for the â€Å"Jazz Age†, the term he takes credit for coining, and he gave it its arch-high priest and prophet, Jay Gatsby, in his novel The Great Gatsby. Gatsby is aptly suited for the role of arch-high priest because he is the persona and chief practitioner of the hedonism that marked this period. He is also its unwritting prophet, for his failure and destruction serve as a portent for the passing away of an era.The suggestion that The Great Gatsby may contain religious implications is not a new idea. Bernard Tanner sees it as a â€Å"Jazz Parody†, â€Å"The Gospel of Gats by†. Gatsby is characterized as an â€Å"inverted Christ† in this drama, and the rest of the dramatis personae are neatly fitted in, perhaps too neatly, to this allegorical framework. To wit: Nick Carraway is Nicodemus, the Pharisee; Dan Cody is St. John the Baptist with his femme fatale , Salome, in the guise of Ella Kaye; and Meyer Wolfsheim is St. Peter complete with three denials.These characters, plus others, act out their parts in the gospel, carrying out such events as the marriage feast at Cana, various parables, Judas' betrayal, and Christ's crucifixion. A. E. Dyson maintains, that Dr. T. J. Eckleburg â€Å"is the only religious reference† in this novel. Roger L. Pearson doesn’t agree with these two interpretations. He believes that Fitzgerlad is much like Hemingway in his symbolic technique in The Great Gatsby, in that he projects a series of variations in his imagery so as to achieve a cumulative effect.Fitzgerald becomes at times orthodox and f ormulistic to a degree in this novel. However, he achieves a totality of expression by introducing motifs that give the reader a slightly differing perspective of Gatsby, while always moving in a specific direction. Hence, Gatsby is no shallow stereotype. Instead, he has depth and complexity. There is a religious design in The Great Gatsby, and it has its basis in Jay Gatsby himself. Nick Carraway, the narrator and interpreter of the novel, describes Gatsby thus: The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself.He was a son of God-a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that-and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. It should be noted that Gatsby is â€Å"a son of God,† the God of material love-Mammon. Rather than an â€Å"inverted Christ† or God, Gatsby is a perverted God; one who is dedicated to the physical rather than the spiritual world. Gatsby has come to espouse the gospel of the corrupted American dream. His existence is founded on a lie, a delusion, and he terms this monstrous lie â€Å"God's truth† in relating to Nick his past.It is evident, even to Nick, that Gatsby is a self-deluded fraud living in a world of shams. His lie especially reflects his materialism. He is Mammon resurrected by the hedonism of the 1920s. Fitzgerald introduces a supporting image for the Mammonism of Gatsby in the description of his house which serves, among other things, as the temple of his Philistinism. The description about Gatsby’s home has overtones of Babel with its tower when viewed in the content that it is inhabited by people â€Å"who never knew each other’s name. The beauty of this image of Gatsby's house is that it is a dual one. It seems that Fitzgerald has created a twentieth-century replica-â€Å"a factual imitation†-of Milton's Pandemonium. The image is further solidified in that Mammon was its c hief architect and builder. The lights that decorate the mansion, the expensiveness of its appointments, the opulence of its library, all contribute to this image. Fitzgerald appears deliberately to contribute to the God-like image of Gatsby by withholding him from the novel, while surrounding him with an aura of myth.Some believe him to have been a double spy during the war, others that he once killed a man, while some see him as a criminal lord of the underworld, dealing in bootleg liquor, among other things. A principal image in The Great Gatsby is the valley of ashes, presided over by the ubiquitous Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. This wasteland lies between West Egg and New York City. Several interpretations have been offered as explanations of this scene. There are similarities between the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg and Fitzgerald’s description of the anonymous Owl Eyes. It is Owl Eyes who murmurs the eulogy of â€Å"The poor son-of-a-bitch† at Gatsby’s grave.William Gold hurst believes that Dr. Eckleburg’s presence in the novel is to â€Å"symbolize some implacable deity†. This has credence, for George Wilson, Myrtle’s husband, refers to Dr. Eckleburg as the eyes of God. â€Å"God sees everything† But what of the valley of ashes itself? One critic has noted that Fitzgerald may have had the Valley of Hinnon in mind when he created the valley of ashes. Hinnon is the Old Testament name for the city dump outside the walls of Jerusalem. Since fertile, it was defiled by the worship of false god ant turned into ashes by God in his wrath. This analysis resolves the relationship between Dr.Eckleburg, the valley of ashes and Gatsby. The valley of ashes is the result of Jay Gatsby’s testament, the dust of a perverted American dream; and like its biblical counterpart, it has its association with the worshiping of a false god, Mammon, incarnate in his son, Gatsby. A contributing factor in this assessment of the role of Gatsby i s provided by Meyer Wolfsheim. It is an often stated premise that it takes evil to recognize evil. We have just such an instance here. Wolfsheim claims to have â€Å"made† Gatsby, and refers to him as a â€Å"man of fine breeding†. Gatsby also has a perverted or mistaken sense of what constitutes character.He refers to Meyer Wolfsheim as a â€Å"smart man† and he also lauds Jordan Baker as a woman who â€Å"wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t all right†. Gatsby’s gospel of hedonism is reflected in his house, wild parties, clothing, roadster, and particularly in his blatant wooing of another man’s wife. Daisy, a rather soiled and cheapened figure, is Gatsby’s ultimate goal in his concept of the American dream. However, he falls victim to his own preachings. He comes to believe himself omniscient – above the restriction of society and morality. He will win back Daisy by recapturing the past.Gatsby is going to achieve h is ends through sheer materialistic means, through the power that he thinks he commands from his wealth. It is at the death of Gatsby that Fitzgerald becomes formulistic and orthodox in his symbolism. The rejected and soon to be betrayed Gatsby stands alone under Daisy’s window, keeping a vain vigil over his shattered dream. The following afternoon, Gatsby, with the help of his chauffeur, fills his pneumatic mattress and starts for his swimming-pool. Shortly thereafter, the chauffeur hears the shots, fired by an â€Å"ashen fantastic figure† and Gatsby lies dead, a victim of his own absurd aspirations.The passion and crucifixion imagery is perhaps too unmistakable here; however, it does have its desired effect, because it casts Gatsby in the role of a rejected messianic figure through its Biblical illusion. He had come alive to us, â€Å"delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendour,† only to fail in his mission. Jay Gatsby’s eulogy is spo ken by Owl Eyes. Gatsby was the bastard of a hedonistic age, spawned by it and killed by it. Nick, at one point, surmised: â€Å" his imagination had never really accepted†¦his parents at all. The sole monument to the world of Gatsby’s ministry is â€Å"that huge incoherent failure of a house† that he left behind. And his epitaph on this monument is an obscene word, scribbled in chalk, by some neighbourhood boy. As a prophet of the American dream, Gatsby fails – miserably – a victim of his own warped idealism and false set of values. The American dream is not to be reality, in that it no longer exists, except in the minds of men like Gatsby, whom it destroys in their espousal and relentless pursuit of it. The American dream is, in reality, a nightmare. Great Gatsby Gatsby: The False prophet of the American Dream The American dream, or myth, is an ever recurring theme in American literature, dating back to some of the earliest colonial writings. Briefly defined it is the belief, that every man, whatever his origins, may pursue and attain his chosen goals, be they political, monetary, or social. It is the literary expression of the concept of America: the land of opportunity. F. Scott Fitzgerald has come to be associated with the concept of the American dream more so than any other writer of the country.In fact, the American dream has been for Fitzgerald what the theme of the separate peace has been for Earnest Hemingway – the focal point or building block for much, if not all, of his work. However, Fitzgerald’s unique expression of the American dream lacks the optimism, the sense of fulfilment, so evident in the expressions of his predecessors. Cast in the framework of the metaphor, the aforementioned exponents of the American drea m were Old Testament prophets predicting the coming of the golden age, complete with a messiah who was to be epitome of the word â€Å"American. † Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s answer.To Fitzgerald the long prophesied American dream had its fulfillment in the â€Å"orgiastic† post World War I period was known as â€Å"The Roaring Twenties. † He was the self-appointed spokesman for the â€Å"Jazz Age†, the term he takes credit for coining, and he gave it its arch-high priest and prophet, Jay Gatsby, in his novel The Great Gatsby. Gatsby is aptly suited for the role of arch-high priest because he is the persona and chief practitioner of the hedonism that marked this period. He is also its unwritting prophet, for his failure and destruction serve as a portent for the passing away of an era.The suggestion that The Great Gatsby may contain religious implications is not a new idea. Bernard Tanner sees it as a â€Å"Jazz Parody†, â€Å"The Gospel of Gats by†. Gatsby is characterized as an â€Å"inverted Christ† in this drama, and the rest of the dramatis personae are neatly fitted in, perhaps too neatly, to this allegorical framework. To wit: Nick Carraway is Nicodemus, the Pharisee; Dan Cody is St. John the Baptist with his femme fatale , Salome, in the guise of Ella Kaye; and Meyer Wolfsheim is St. Peter complete with three denials.These characters, plus others, act out their parts in the gospel, carrying out such events as the marriage feast at Cana, various parables, Judas' betrayal, and Christ's crucifixion. A. E. Dyson maintains, that Dr. T. J. Eckleburg â€Å"is the only religious reference† in this novel. Roger L. Pearson doesn’t agree with these two interpretations. He believes that Fitzgerlad is much like Hemingway in his symbolic technique in The Great Gatsby, in that he projects a series of variations in his imagery so as to achieve a cumulative effect.Fitzgerald becomes at times orthodox and f ormulistic to a degree in this novel. However, he achieves a totality of expression by introducing motifs that give the reader a slightly differing perspective of Gatsby, while always moving in a specific direction. Hence, Gatsby is no shallow stereotype. Instead, he has depth and complexity. There is a religious design in The Great Gatsby, and it has its basis in Jay Gatsby himself. Nick Carraway, the narrator and interpreter of the novel, describes Gatsby thus: The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself.He was a son of God-a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that-and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. It should be noted that Gatsby is â€Å"a son of God,† the God of material love-Mammon. Rather than an â€Å"inverted Christ† or God, Gatsby is a perverted God; one who is dedicated to the physical rather than the spiritual world. Gatsby has come to espouse the gospel of the corrupted American dream. His existence is founded on a lie, a delusion, and he terms this monstrous lie â€Å"God's truth† in relating to Nick his past.It is evident, even to Nick, that Gatsby is a self-deluded fraud living in a world of shams. His lie especially reflects his materialism. He is Mammon resurrected by the hedonism of the 1920s. Fitzgerald introduces a supporting image for the Mammonism of Gatsby in the description of his house which serves, among other things, as the temple of his Philistinism. The description about Gatsby’s home has overtones of Babel with its tower when viewed in the content that it is inhabited by people â€Å"who never knew each other’s name. The beauty of this image of Gatsby's house is that it is a dual one. It seems that Fitzgerald has created a twentieth-century replica-â€Å"a factual imitation†-of Milton's Pandemonium. The image is further solidified in that Mammon was its c hief architect and builder. The lights that decorate the mansion, the expensiveness of its appointments, the opulence of its library, all contribute to this image. Fitzgerald appears deliberately to contribute to the God-like image of Gatsby by withholding him from the novel, while surrounding him with an aura of myth.Some believe him to have been a double spy during the war, others that he once killed a man, while some see him as a criminal lord of the underworld, dealing in bootleg liquor, among other things. A principal image in The Great Gatsby is the valley of ashes, presided over by the ubiquitous Dr. T. J. Eckleburg. This wasteland lies between West Egg and New York City. Several interpretations have been offered as explanations of this scene. There are similarities between the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg and Fitzgerald’s description of the anonymous Owl Eyes. It is Owl Eyes who murmurs the eulogy of â€Å"The poor son-of-a-bitch† at Gatsby’s grave.William Gold hurst believes that Dr. Eckleburg’s presence in the novel is to â€Å"symbolize some implacable deity†. This has credence, for George Wilson, Myrtle’s husband, refers to Dr. Eckleburg as the eyes of God. â€Å"God sees everything† But what of the valley of ashes itself? One critic has noted that Fitzgerald may have had the Valley of Hinnon in mind when he created the valley of ashes. Hinnon is the Old Testament name for the city dump outside the walls of Jerusalem. Since fertile, it was defiled by the worship of false god ant turned into ashes by God in his wrath. This analysis resolves the relationship between Dr.Eckleburg, the valley of ashes and Gatsby. The valley of ashes is the result of Jay Gatsby’s testament, the dust of a perverted American dream; and like its biblical counterpart, it has its association with the worshiping of a false god, Mammon, incarnate in his son, Gatsby. A contributing factor in this assessment of the role of Gatsby i s provided by Meyer Wolfsheim. It is an often stated premise that it takes evil to recognize evil. We have just such an instance here. Wolfsheim claims to have â€Å"made† Gatsby, and refers to him as a â€Å"man of fine breeding†. Gatsby also has a perverted or mistaken sense of what constitutes character.He refers to Meyer Wolfsheim as a â€Å"smart man† and he also lauds Jordan Baker as a woman who â€Å"wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t all right†. Gatsby’s gospel of hedonism is reflected in his house, wild parties, clothing, roadster, and particularly in his blatant wooing of another man’s wife. Daisy, a rather soiled and cheapened figure, is Gatsby’s ultimate goal in his concept of the American dream. However, he falls victim to his own preachings. He comes to believe himself omniscient – above the restriction of society and morality. He will win back Daisy by recapturing the past.Gatsby is going to achieve h is ends through sheer materialistic means, through the power that he thinks he commands from his wealth. It is at the death of Gatsby that Fitzgerald becomes formulistic and orthodox in his symbolism. The rejected and soon to be betrayed Gatsby stands alone under Daisy’s window, keeping a vain vigil over his shattered dream. The following afternoon, Gatsby, with the help of his chauffeur, fills his pneumatic mattress and starts for his swimming-pool. Shortly thereafter, the chauffeur hears the shots, fired by an â€Å"ashen fantastic figure† and Gatsby lies dead, a victim of his own absurd aspirations.The passion and crucifixion imagery is perhaps too unmistakable here; however, it does have its desired effect, because it casts Gatsby in the role of a rejected messianic figure through its Biblical illusion. He had come alive to us, â€Å"delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendour,† only to fail in his mission. Jay Gatsby’s eulogy is spo ken by Owl Eyes. Gatsby was the bastard of a hedonistic age, spawned by it and killed by it. Nick, at one point, surmised: â€Å" his imagination had never really accepted†¦his parents at all. The sole monument to the world of Gatsby’s ministry is â€Å"that huge incoherent failure of a house† that he left behind. And his epitaph on this monument is an obscene word, scribbled in chalk, by some neighbourhood boy. As a prophet of the American dream, Gatsby fails – miserably – a victim of his own warped idealism and false set of values. The American dream is not to be reality, in that it no longer exists, except in the minds of men like Gatsby, whom it destroys in their espousal and relentless pursuit of it. The American dream is, in reality, a nightmare. Great Gatsby Great Gatsby great gatsby Character |Behavior |Consequences | | Jay Gatsby |  He had a overzealous need for|  He lost daisy because of his eagerness for money | | |money and would sacrifice | | | |anything to get it | | |Daisy Buchanan |  Never attached her self to |  Lost Gatsby’s love | | |anyone or anything | | |Tom Buchanan |  Very rude and bossy.Expects |  Marriage issues/ Selfish | | |people to â€Å"jump through hoops†| | | |for him | | |Jordan Baker |  Falls for another guy |  Nick leaves and never returns | |   | | | |Myrtle Wilson |  distressed in wanting to |  She uses adultery to try and enhance her life | | |improve her dull life | | |George Wilson |  Lifeless and not in any way |  Kills Gatsby and then himself | | |motivated | | |Part II: The Great Gatsby: The American Dream | |In your opinion, what is â€Å"The American Dream†? I think that the American Dream is to be successful in life.Everyone has goals | |that they set for themselve s and some get achieved and some don’t. In my opinion being successful is having a family, working in| |a career that you love, and just living life to the fullest. | |According to the media, advertisements, salaries, and society in general, what is â€Å"The American Dream†? How does this compare to| |your definition of â€Å"The American Dream†? | |List at least five elements that make up Jay Gatsby's American Dream. On the chart | |For each of the five elements you listed in question 3, consider what is wrong with either Gatsby's concept of the dream or the | |way he attempts to attain it.On the chart | |As you read the novel, copy down a specific quotation or quotations that most relate to the concept of the American Dream as it | |is presented in the novel. â€Å"That’s my Middle West . . . the street lamps and sleigh bells in the frosty dark. . . . I see now | |that this has been a story of the West, after all—Tom and Gatsby, Daisy and Jord an and I, were all Westerners, and perhaps we | |possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly inadaptable to Eastern life. â€Å" | |â€Å"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no | |matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . And then one fine morning— | |So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. † | | | | | | | |Elements That Make Up Jay Gatsby's American Dream |What is Wrong With Gatsby's Concept of the Dream or The| | |Way He Attempts to Attain It | |1.Daisy loving him |There is a huge difference in their social classes, so | | |when he tries to win her over he starts doing illegal | | |stuff to make money to impress her and keep up with her| | |materialistic lifestyle   | |2. Popularity |  In order to gain popularity he thought that he needed | | |to be wealthy. He had the wrong idea as to how to | | |become popular. | |3. Wealth/ Money |  He became a criminal because of his greed for money. | |He illegally trafficked drugs/ alcohol | |4. Doesn’t want to face reality |  In Gatsby’s eyes Daisy had no flaws but in reality she| | |had many but he didn’t want to face the facts about her| |5. His loyalty to Daisy |  He lied to Daisy about many things, so she didn’t see | | |him for who he truly was | |Part III: Understanding the Historical Context and Setting of the Novel | |F.Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is a specific portrait of American society during the Roaring Twenties. In | |this part of the assignment you will explore the connection between history and literature. | |Begin your exploration by visiting the following resources: | |Kingwood College Library | |The Media History Project Timeline | | | |Review the major people, places, and events in The Arts, News & Politics, Science, Business, Society and Sports. | | |As you review these resources, think about how they illuminate your understanding of The Great Gatsby. | |After researching the 1920s, respond to the following statement in an essay, either agreeing or disagreeing. Your essay | |should be at least four paragraphs in length (minimum of six sentences in each paragraph). | | | |†The beauty and splendor of Gatsby's parties masked the innate corruption within the heart of the Roaring Twenties. | |Jazz-Age society was a bankrupt world, devoid of morality, and plagued by a crisis of character. | |If you agree with this statement, you must find specific support from both the novel and from history to support your view. | | | |If you disagree with this statement, you must find specific support from both the novel and from history to support your | |view. | |Paragraph 1: Find a quotation from the novel or pose a question to begin your essay. Introduce your thesis statement. Do | |you agree or disagree with the statement? Why? | | Paragraph 2: Discuss at least five references to people, places, and events in the 1920s as specific support for your | |thesis.For example, you might include a discussion of Prohibition, Gangsters, the Stock Market, and Fads if you agree with| |the statement. If you disagree, you might discuss Technological or Scientific Advances, Social Reforms, Literature, Music, | |and Inventors or Inventions. | |Paragraph 3: How do the characters, plot, and theme of The Great Gatsby support or refute the statement that â€Å"the Jazz-Age | |society was a bankrupt world, devoid of morality, and plagued by a crisis of character†? Use specific details and lines | |from the novel to support your view. | |Paragraph 4: Develop a conclusion that reflects on the evidence from history and the novel that supports your thesis. |

Personal Experience Essay

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The Oil Industry and How It Affects Our Economy Essay

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IB History Course Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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Cross cultural management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Cross cultural management - Essay Example Tesco plans to penetrate the Indian market through Tata’s Trent Hypermarket Limited. To understand possibility of success of the joint venture, the paper will provide analysis of national and organizational culture in India and use international joint venture theory and Trompenaar’s model of differences in culture. Foreign investment is one way that multinational companies expand their operations with intention of maximizing profits. While some have succeeded in raising their profit margins, some multinational companies have failed to realize that cause and considered withdrawal. Multinational companies also use foreign investment as an opportunity to popularize and familiarize their products in the rich global market (Hatten 2012, pg. 27). To enter a foreign market, multinational companies have employed various strategies that include foreign direct investment, acquisition of foreign-based business and partnership. Cultural barriers and differences between the home and foreign market constitute one of the greatest challenges faced by most multinational companies seeking to invest in the countries. Harmonizing, adapting home, and foreign culture have proved a hurdle to some companies, which has led to poor performances in the target markets. Tesco is one of the multinational companies that currently target the Indian market. In fact, Tesco has succeeded through all the processes and is ready to begin its operations in the Indian market. Tesco is the first multi-brand handler to succeed in penetrating the Indian market. This has been due to the recent review in Indian foreign investment law that barred multi-brand companies from sourcing supplies from their foreign-based markets, but instead collaborates with Indian local manufacturers to supply goods. The review of the law now allows liberal ground for foreign multi-brand handlers to source supplies from their

The Delicate Relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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PHP vs. ASP Scripting Software Research Paper Essay Example for Free

PHP vs. ASP Scripting Software Research Paper Essay ABSTRACT This paper examines the differences between the ASP (Active Server Pages) and PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) scripting languages. Both ASP and PHP are scripting languages that can be used to create dynamic web pages which are capable of interacting and exchanging information with databases. ASP is a Microsoft product, and is used with Internet Information Server (IIS) which runs on Microsoft Servers. PHP was originally designed by Rasmus Lerdorf, and was later modified by various people. As a parsing language, PHP can run both on Unix and Linux servers, and also has a version that runs on an NT server. This paper also discusses the differences in cost, speed, integration of features, speed, additional costs, base language, database connectivity and Platform Compatibility between both languages. This paper also presents some suggestions offer recommendations as to when one of these languages should be preferred over the other, and how efficiency can be maximized in the usage of each of these scripting languages Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ASP and PHP are both website design scripting languages that are processed by backend severs like Apache Server and Windows OS. Apache Server is usually used for PHP and a Windows OS with IIS Server is used to process ASP scripted websites. PHP processed website scripts can also be processed by UNIX OS backend servers, while Window OS IIS backend servers are used to process ASP scripts. ASP.NET is part of the .NET Framework and is the core technology for developing web applications and XML Web Services. ASP.NET is a compiled, .NET-based environment; you can author applications in any .NET compatible language, including Visual Basic .NET, C#, and JScript .NET. Additionally, the entire .NET Framework is available to any ASP.NET application. Developers can easily access the benefits of these technologies, which include the managed common language runtime environment, type safety, inheritance, and so on. .NET developers write Web Parts using Visual Studio.NET 2003. The Web Part Framework is the basis for extensibility in Windows SharePoint Services. It allows developers to write custom components that plug into the SharePoint infrastructure by encapsulating web services and enterprise data as Web Parts. Web Part Pages are special ASP.NET pages which are the building blocks of a Windows SharePoint Services based data driven web site. Web page authors can use Microsoft FrontPage 2003 to leverage Windows SharePoint Services and use the Web Part Framework to easily build data driven web sites using a library of readily available web parts. Microsoft FrontPage 2003 integrates closely with Windows SharePoint Services and is the easiest and the most powerful web site design tool that enables creation of a new category of collaborative, scalable, data driven web sites. (http://www.sharepointcustomization.com/resources/whitepapers/webpartdocs/wp_asp_net.doc)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PHP and ASP are the two best web technologies in use today. In their own ways, they have created trust and market for their product and development environment, although many people are of the opinion that PHP is an all around better choice than ASP.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Anstey, â€Å"PHP belongs to a free software community and open source general purpose software which is very easy to use and correct its bugs from the community of developers around the world.† (Anstey 2003). ASP runs on an IIS server and is a free component with the Microsoft windows operating system. ASP offers various useful features like type safety, inheritance, and a managed common language runtime environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a broad sense, PHP is scripting Language, while ASP.NET is a Designing Tool. Also, PHP contains mainly scripting tabs, with a minimum number of controls being used, while ASP.Net has a lot of controls to the designing process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ASP.NET is a unified Web development platform that provides services necessary for developers to build enterprise-class Web applications. ASP.NET provides programming model and infrastructure for more secure, scalable, and stable applications. ASP.NET is a compiled, .NET based web environment developed in .NET compatible languages like Visual Basic .NET, C#, JScript.NET, etc. Additionally, the entire .NET Framework is available to any ASP.NET application. Developers can easily access the benefits of this technology, which includes the managed common language runtime environment, type safety, and inheritance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From many views and perspectives, PHP is an overall better choice than ASP. Although both ASP and PHP are languages used to build Dynamic Web sites that can interact with Databases and exchange information. ASP (Active Server Pages) is from Microsoft and is used with IIS (Internet Information Server) that runs on Microsoft Servers. PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is from Rasmus Lerdorf, who originally designed this parsing language which was later modified by different people. It runs on Unix and Linux servers and it also has an NT server version. (Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The foundation of all Web applications is that they deliver dynamic content over a protocol which by model is stateless. Most of the ASP.NET developments fall in client-server architecture programming model. Minimal points to be considered for a typical web application modeled as client-server architecture are given below. User interface and client environment (Page layout). Data verification, transfer and store. Security. Scalability, reliability and availability of the application. Optimized resource utilization and performance. Handling unpleasant instances gracefully. Navigation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PHP traces back to the development of Perl and C which emerged quite successfully as a result of the contribution of the various programmers around the globe and as a result of its being an open community. The various versions came out successfully through 1997 to 2004 where the features were added and successfully taken up to cater to the development paradigm of the large scale of internet users.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ASP came handy with Windows 95 with the features of IIS server installed. It was an established standard which takes into account the various databases into consideration and is based on the COM model. The various differences among PHP and ASP make sure that all to a good extent the feature are compiled and carries enough advantage to understand the loopholes and make sure that all the various utilities are enforced well. Differences between PHP and ASP   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PHP and ASP depict a large array of differences in the form of various factors. Some differences between ASP and PHP include differences in cost, speed, integration of features, speed, additional costs, base language, database connectivity and Platform Compatibility. Cost   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As PHP is not singly owned by any individual or an organization, it does not require purchase before use. â€Å"PHP uses a database technology named MySQL for back-end support. MySQL is also available free of cost.† (DuBois, 2002). The hosting and deployment of PHP webpages into the Linux server is quite affordable and can be done with ease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"ASP is synchronized with the Microsoft Windows operating system and comes along with it, thereby bearing the cost of the operating system.† (Glass 2004) Moreover, hosting ASP pages over the internet is expensive and features like email, file uploading and other features are quite expensive at the same time. PHP is free, but ASP is not free. If you want to use ASP, you have to use IIS, and if you want to use IIS, you have to buy Windows. Traditionally, the cost of Windows has been high. Microsoft has been aggressively trying to reduce this factor but theyre hardly going to give Windows away for free. The cost of running an ASP-based website implies a full Windows server platform; development costs are higher, software licenses are expensive and speed, security and flexibility are all sacrificed. (Anstey, M 2003)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     To run ASP programs, one needs IIS installed on a Windows platform server, which is not free. PHP programs can run on Linux, which is free. Even the connectivity of the database is expensive in the case of ASP as MS-SQL is a Microsoft product that needs to be purchased. PHP generally uses MySQL, which is freely available.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the tools used in PHP are free of charge and a lot of PHP code can be found in open source forums, because PHP is open source. â€Å"PHP also has inbuilt features like ftp, email from a web page and even encryption mechanisms but such features are not built into ASP, which requires some additional components. Therefore additional costs might be incurred for such components.† (Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php) Speed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In terms of speed, PHP is faster than ASP, because when the speed of PHP and ASP are compared, PHP would have the upper hand. â€Å"This is due to the fact that PHP code runs faster than ASP. Also, ASP is built on COM based architecture, which is an overhead for the server, whereas PHP code runs in its own memory space.† (Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php) Integration with operating environments and databases   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PHP makes sure that all the operating environments are taken care to its fullest capability and is compatible with Windows, UNIX, Linux, Solaris and others. Its platform dependency format makes sure that all the various compatibility with operating environments makes it quite viable in nature. PHP integrates with the databases like MySQL and others in a great fashion. â€Å"ASP on the other hand is compatible with Windows only and makes sure that Microsoft oriented databases like MSSQL server would be well integrated with it. For other database platforms it requires to download various libraries and components for integration and workability.† (Hull, 2002) Performance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PHP is an interpreted language and make sure that the interpreted nature makes it fast for getting the customization done. The memory requirement of the PHP pages is quite optimizable and runs very fast with the greater understanding of the various features. Database connections of PHP are also quite flexible and make sure that all the various database functionality like stability, transactions, replication, triggers and stored procedures are handled quite well (Merrall, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ASP on the other hand is a compiled language and the software glitches are quite often not corrected or take a long time to get it done. The compiled nature makes sure that all the various factors like throughput and response time is quite low for the hosted pages. Its exclusivity with Microsoft windows operating system makes it platform independent with regard to various hosting and access problems. PHP offers the best integration of speed and performance, and ensures that all the various promises are met for catering to the web development. ASP is most suitable with the Microsoft platform and makes sure that all the features are captured and managed for the various services. (Zhang, 1999). Base Language   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ASP has a type of syntax that resembles Visual Basic, and is closely related to Microsoft products. In contrast, PHP is based on the C++ language, and the syntax used for PHP looks a lot like C/C++ programming syntax. â€Å"C/C++ is still considered the best programming language by many programmers and people who love this language would surely feel more comfortable with the syntax of PHP.† (Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php) Enhanced capabilities and compatibility   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These include file transfer programs and utilities, compression of data, uploading of files, integration of XML an MD5, encryption techniques and email facilities are not included in ASP, even if it does it requires the support of large third party packages installed, which are very easily integrated in PHP. PHP.net (2008) mentions that complex functions like dynamic images, IMAP, SNMP, dynamic flash, PDF, native access to Oracle, Ovrimos, Postgre, Sybase, mSql, MSSQL, Ingres, Interbase and Informix databases, LDAP, and sockets and many others are easily integrated with PHP, â€Å"however it would create a big problem with its integration with ASP. PHP is compatible with various web servers for its functioning however ASP requires it to be easily integrated with only IIS and PWS† as explained by Pires (2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PHP programs can run on various platforms like Linux, Unix, Windows and Solaris whereas ASP is mainly associated with Windows platforms. However, ASP can run on a Linux platform with ASP-Apache installed on the server. PHP is based on C++ language and the syntax used in PHP is quite similar to C/C++. C/C++ is still considered the best programming language by many programmers and people who love this language would surely feel more comfortable with the syntax of PHP. ASP on the other hand has a more Visual Basic kind of syntax that again is closely related to only Microsoft products. So, it depends on the individual, and which language he or she is comfortable with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For Database connectivity, PHP is being extremely flexible, and can connect to various databases, the most popular being MySQL. ASP mainly uses MS-SQL for databases. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Although both ASP and PHP are good web server end languages for web development, there are some differences between them that should be considered to ensure that factors like cost, installation, performance, and compatibility issues are economized to the full extent. Both languages have advantages specific to various users. Some would argue that both languages have their own importance, and usage of either ASP or PHP depends on the users requirements, the language and the platform in use. â€Å"If a user is looking for some e-commerce application development then ASP is probably the ideal choice. This does not mean that PHP cannot provide e-commerce solutions, but a lot of people tend to choose ASP in such instances.† (Pires, Halstatt 2005). If we talk about developing a discussion board then ASP is equally capable but some people feel that the best discussion boards are developed using PHP.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While PHP offers the best integration of speed and performance, and ensures that most web development requirements are met, ASP is most suitable with the Microsoft platform, and enables features to be captured and managed for various services. References Anstey, Marty (2003). PHP vs ASP. Retrieved 19, February 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://marty.anstey.ca/programming/php/articles/ An Architectural Introduction to Web Parts and ASP.NET A Microsoft ® Office FrontPage ®   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2003 White Paper. (Retreived from   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.sharepointcustomization.com/resources/whitepapers/webpartdocs/wp_asp_net.doc Argence d Ricardo (2008). Web Hosting, PHP vs AS.P. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://articles.topofhosting.com/web-hosting-php-asp.php DuBois, Paul (2002). MySQL Cookbook. OReilly, October 2002. Glass, Michael (2004). Beginning PHP, Apache, Hull, Sean (2002). PHP vs. ASP.NET Redux. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.oracle.com/technology/pub/columns/hull_php2.html Merrall, Graeme (2000). PHP/MySQL Tutorial MySQL ® Web Development. Wiley Publicizing sons. ISBN: 0-7645-5744-0. PHP.net (2008). See: http://www.php.net/manual/en Pires, Halstatt (2005). ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php Zhang, Ying (1999). Web Database Step-by-Step Guide.

Communicative Language Teaching: The Origins

Communicative Language Teaching: The Origins This chapter is devoted to the CLT approach, its origins and major features. Also the chapter sheds the light on grammar, how it is handled in language teaching, the way it is defined and lastly, and perhaps most importantly, its role in CLT. 3.1 Communicative Language Teaching CLT is an approach to the teaching of second and foreign languages that emphasizes interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of learning a language. It is also referred to as communicative approach to the teaching of foreign languages or simply the communicative approach. 3.1.1 The Origins Educators such as Richards and Rodgers, Savignon, and Sano state that the origins of communicative language teaching are many, in so far as one teaching methodology tends to influence the next. Sano (1984:171) says that the communicative approach could be said to be the product of educators and linguists who had grown dissatisfied with the audio-lingual and grammar-translation method of foreign language instruction. Richards and Rodgers (1986:93), on the other hand, claim that the origins of CLT are to be found in the changes of situational language teaching approaches, which influenced the British language teaching tradition till the late 1960s. 29 Meanwhile, Savignon (1991:262) asserts that the emergence of CLT can be traced to concurrent developments on both sides of the Atlantic, i.e., in Europe and the United States. Educators and linguists e.g., Candlin (1981: 121) and Widdowson (1978: 61) saw the need to focus in language teaching on communicative proficiency rather than on mere mastery of structures. They felt that students were not learning enough realistic, whole language in those methods, i.e., situational language teaching, audio-lingual or grammar-translation method. Students did not know how to communicate using appropriate social languages, gestures, or expressions; in brief, they were at loss to communicate in the cultures of the language studied. In respect of this point, Widdowson remarks the following: The problem is that students, and especially students in developing countries, who have received several years of formal English teaching, frequently remain deficient in the ability to actually use the language, and to understand its use, in normal communication, whether in spoken or written mode (1972:15). Similarly, Howatt says that the original motivation for adopting a communicative approach in the early seventies was remedial, an attempt to overcome the inadequacies of existing, structural syllabuses, materials, and methods (1984:287). To put simply, the rapid application of these ideas by textbook writers; and the equally rapid acceptance of these new principles by British language teaching specialists, curriculum development centers, and even governments gave prominence nationally and internationally to what came to be referred to as communicative approach. There was a positive response from linguists, methodologists, and classroom teachers offering the best hope for the elaboration and diffusion of language teaching methods and materials that work, encourage and support learners in the development of their communicative competence (Savignon, 1991: 264). Although the movement began as largely British innovations focusing on alternative conceptions of a syllabus since the mid 1970s, the scope of communicative language teaching has expanded. Interest in and the development of communicative style teaching mushroomed in those years; authentic language use and classroom exchanges where students engaged in real communication with one another became quite popular. Also, numerous textbooks for teachers and teacher trainers expound on the nature of communicative approaches and offer techniques for varying ages and purposes (Brown, 1994: 217). It is this socio-linguistic perspective, which is the unifying principle and the driving force behind a communicative approach to language teaching (Sano, 1984: 174) Although this socio-linguistic approach is basically a language theory rather than a learning theory, taking into account Richards and Rodgers definition of approach, CLT encompasses a theory of language and a theory of language learning, and see it as an approach than a method. Briefly, they define an approach as a set of theories about the nature of language and of language learning. It is axiomatic, as it takes a number of assumptions as a starting point. A method, on the other hand, is the level at which theory is put into practice and at which choices are made about the particular skills to be taught, the content to be taught, and the order in which the content will be presented. Besides, these writers claim, at the level of language theory, CLT has a rich, if somewhat eclectic theoretical base (1986:102). 3.1.2 Language Theory The rise of interest in the individual and in relationships among individuals, which characterized the sixties, marked the emergence of socio-linguistics, that branch of science where sociology and linguistics meet. A new light was shed on language, not simply as a system of structurally related elements, which form a rule, but as a vehicle for the expression of meaning and social interaction. In other words, the structural view was supplemented with a functional, a semantic and interactional view. It was this idea of language as communication that started off the whole communicative movement (Savignon, 1991: 266). And it was Hymes (1972) that made history by challenging Chomskys view on linguistic competence, and replacing it by the notion of communicative competence (cited in Savignon, 1991: 269). In the words of Canale and Swain (1980:7) communicative competence refers to the interaction between grammatical competence, or knowledge of the rules of grammar, and socio-linguistic competence, or knowledge of the rules of language use. In other words, rules of use and rules of usage are complementary and not mutually exclusive. According to them; the primary goal of a communicative approach must be to facilitate the integration of these two types of knowledge for the learner (1980: 25). Savignon notes that communicative competence characterizes the ability of language learners to interact with other speakers to make meaning, and [it] is relative, not absolute, and depends on the cooperation of all the participants involved (1983:9). Broadly speaking, communicative competence is an aspect convey and interpret messages and to negotiate meanings interpersonally within specific contexts. According to the socio-linguistic theory, the act of communication is seen not as basically an exchange of linguistic messages, but rather as a social phenomenon in which the use of language plays a part. In the field of the ethnography of communication, which Stern (1983:220) defines as the study of the individuals communicative activity in its social setting. language is a sub-ordinate, yet integrated part of social and situational systems, which are actually behavior patterns. Halliday argues the existence of a semantic network which is the linguistic realization of patterns of behavior. He postulates that the more we are able to relate the options in grammatical system to meaning potential in social contexts and behavioral settings, the more insight we shall gain into the nature of the language system (1978:44). In his functional account of language use, Halliday has criticized Chomskys linguistic, theory of competence. He says Linguistics is concerned with the description of speech acts or texts, since only through the study of language in use are all the functions of language, and therefore all components of meaning, brought into focus (1970:145). This view complements Hymes opinion of communicative competence, and we can only understand language if we view it as an instrument or as a communicative tool. To which Widdowson (1979:50) adds that once we accept the need to teach language as communication, we can obviously no longer think of language in te rms only of sentences. This statement provides the justification for the emphasis on discourse in CLT. 3.1.3 Learning Theory In contrast to the amount that has been written in CLT literature about communicative dimensions of language, little has been written about learning theory. However, two of the general learning theories, which emphasize common features among learners, are cognitive theory and skills theory. 3.1.3.1 Cognitive Theory According to cognitive theory, learning involves the ability to understand, to anticipate, and to relate new information to pre-existing mental structures. This focus on meaningful learning is derived from an attempt to make sense of the world. The heavy reliance of CLT practitioners on the mental schema theory is exemplified by Brumfits statement that new learning must be closely assimilated with what is already known, and if language is being learnt for use, then new learning must be directly associated with use (1979:189). Hence, at the level of learning theory this view supports Hallidays claim about the semantic network as a bridge between linguistic form and behaviour pattern, a link between words and the world. As Stern (1983:261) posits The learner must become a participant in a real-life context of language use as a condition of effective learning. Macdonough (1981:27) describes the cognitive process as hypothesis testing, and adds, significantly, that rules can only be found if the risk of error is run (ibid: 29). This view is reflected in the great tolerance of CLT towards errors. Errors are not to be avoided at all cost; they are not to be seen as evidence of non-learning, but being an external manifestation of the continual revision of the inter-language system. They are essential elements in the learning process. 3.1.3.2 Skills Theory This theory emphasizes the importance of cognitive learning and practice. However, advocates of this theory reject mechanical practice altogether as being totally irrelevant to genuine learning. Skills theory links mental and behavioural aspects of performance through a hierarchically organized set of plans, in which low level of automation is necessary to free attention for high level of planning. In this regard, Littlewood states the following: The cognitive aspect involves the internalization of plans for Creating appropriate behaviour. For language use, these plans derive mainly from the language system they include grammatical rules, procedures for selecting vocabulary, and social conventions governing speech. The behavioural aspect involves the automation of these plans so that they can be converted into fluent performance in real time. This occurs mainly through practice in converting plans into performance (1984:74). Skill practice is considered as a legitimate learning principle (Richards and Rodgers 1986), provided that it offers natural options of language use which reproduce the kinds of choice that occur in spontaneous communication (Stern 1983:260). 3.1.4 Major Features CLT is, relatively, a newly adapted approach in the area of foreign/second language teaching. CLT is a hybrid approach to language teaching, essentially progressive rather than traditional. (Wright 2000: 7). CLT can be seen to derive from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes, at least, linguistics, psychology, philosophy, sociology and educational research (Savignon 1991:271). It is generally accepted that, proponents of CLT see it as an approach, not a method (See Richards and Rodgers 1986; Savignon 1991; Brown 1994). For Brown, for instance, [Communicative language teaching] is a unified but broadly- based theoretical position about the nature of language and language learning and teaching(1994: 244-245). He further maintains that though it is difficult to synthesize all of the various definitions that have been offered, the following four interconnected characteristics could be taken as a definition of CLT: 1. Classroom goals are focused on all of the components of communicative competence and not restricted to grammatical or linguistic competence. 2. Language teaching techniques are designed to engage learners in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purposes. Language forms are not the central focus but rather aspects of language that enable the learner to accomplish those purposes. 3. Fluency and accuracy are seen as complementary principles underlying communicative techniques. At times fluency may have to take on more importance than accuracy in order to keep learners meaningfully engaged in language use. 4. In the communicative classroom, students ultimately have to use the language, productively and receptively, in unrehearsed contexts (Brown, 1994: 245). The communicative approach is a hazy concept, which can have a variety of meanings along the continuum between a strong version and a weak one. Johnson (1979: 155) argues that the weak version attempts to integrate communicative activities into an existing programme, where as the strong version claims that language is acquired through communication. According to Howatt (1984: 279) the weak version, which became more or less the standard practice in the late 70s and early 80s of the last century, stresses the importance of providing learners with opportunities to use their English for communicative purposes and, characteristically, attempts to integrate such activities into a wider program of language teaching. As for the strong version of communicative teaching it advances the claim that language is acquired through communication, so that it is not merely a question of activating an existing but inert knowledge of the language, but of stimulating the development of the language system itself. If the former could be described as learning to use English, the latter entails using English to learn it (ibid). Howatt adds that creating information gap activities, games, role-plays, dramas, simulations etc., are some of the exercise types in the weak versions of CLT. Although we have different versions and various ways in which CLT is interpreted and applied, educators in the area, Richards and Rodgers (1986, 2001); Littlewood (1981); Finocchiaro and Brumfit (1983); Brumfit (1984); Candlin (1981); Widdowson (1978, 1979); Johnson and Morrow (1981);; Larsen-Freeman (1986); Celce- Murcia (1991b) and Johnson (1982), put some of the major characteristics of CLT as they are presented in the following subsections. 3.1.4.1 Emphasis on Language Function It is felt that students need knowledge of the linguistic form, meaning and functions. However, CLT gives primary importance to the use or function of the language and secondary importance to its structure or form (Larsen-Freeman 1986: 88; Johnson 1982:63). This does not mean that knowledge of grammar is not essential for effective communication, rather systematic treatment of both functions and forms is vital. Stressing on this, Littlewood says one of the most characteristic features of communicative language teaching is that it pays systematic attention to functional as well as structural aspects of language (1981: 1). CLT suggests that grammatical structure might better be subsumed under various functional categorieswe pay considerably less attention to the overt presentation and discussion of grammatical rules than we traditionally did (Brown, 1994: 245). Emphasis is also given to meaning (messages they are creating or task they are completing) rather than form (correctness of language and language structure). For Finocchiaro and Brumfit meaning is paramount (1983:91) since it helps the learners to manage the message they engage with the interlocutors. 3.1.4.2 Fluency and Accuracy Fluency and accuracy are seen as complementary principles underlying communicative techniques (Brown, 1994:245). However, at times fluency may have to take on more importance than accuracy because fluency and acceptable language is the primary goal (Finocchiaro and Brumfit 1983:93) and accuracy is judged not in the abstract but in contexts. Fluency is emphasized over accuracy in order to keep learners meaningfully engaged in language use. It is important, however, that fluency should never be encouraged at the expense of clear, unambiguous, direct communication. And much more spontaneity is present in communicative classrooms (Brown, 1994: 246) 3.1.4.3 Teaching Techniques Language teaching techniques are designed to engage learners in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purposes. Classrooms should provide opportunities for rehearsal of real-life situations and provide opportunity for real communication. Emphasis on creative role plays, simulations, dramas, games, projects, etc., is the major activities which can help the learner provide spontaneity and improvisation, not just repetition and drills. Another characteristic of the classroom process is the use of authentic materials because it is felt desirable to give students the opportunity to develop the strategies for understanding language as it is actually used by native speakers. In the classroom, everything is done with a communicative intent. Information gap, choice and feedback are thought to be truly communicative activities (Johnson and Morrow, 1981: 25). 3.1.4.4 Grammar Teaching Grammar can still be taught, but less systematically, in traditional ways along side more innovative approaches. Savignon (2002:5) says for the development of communicative ability [communication depends on grammar], research findings overwhelmingly support the integration of form-focused exercises with meaning-focused experience. Grammar is important; and learners seem to focus best on grammar when it relates to their communicative needs and experiences. Disregard of grammar will virtually guarantee breakdown in communication (Thompson, 1996: 10). These writers also say that there are some misconceptions about CLT that makes difficult for many teachers to see clearly what is happening and to identify the useful innovations that CLT has brought. One of the persistent misconceptions is that CLT means not teaching grammar although the exclusion of explicit attention to grammar was never necessary part of CLT (ibid). In CLT involvement in communicative event is seen as central to language development, and this involvement necessarily requires attention to form (structure). In fact, it is certainly understandable that there was a reaction against the heavy emphasis on structure at the expense of natural communication. Nonetheless, it would seem foolish to make mistakes on the side of using communicative approach exclusively and totally disregard grammar teaching. Regarding this, Celce-Murcia comments: In spite of the intuitive appeal and the anecdotal evidence Supporting proposal for exclusively communicative language teaching, there is equally appealing and anecdotal evidence that grammarless approach. can lead to the development of a broken, ungrammatical, pidgenized form of the target language beyond which students rarely progress (1991a:462). Savignon also remarks that, communicative language teaching does not necessarily mean the rejection of familiar materials [grammar](2002:7). Rivers in her famous statement strengthened Savignons remark in that Saying that we do not need to teach grammar is like saying that we can have a chicken walking around without bones (cited in Arnold, 1994: 122). Nowadays, it seems that educators accept that an appropriate amount of class time should be devoted to grammar, but this does not mean a simple return to a traditional treatment of rules. Rather the focus has now moved away from the teacher covering to the learners discovering grammar (Thompson, 1996: 11). 3.1.4.5 Skills and Activities Communicative approach is not limited to oral skills. Reading and writing skills need to be developed to promote pupils confidence in all four skills areas. Students work on all four skills from the beginning, i.e., a given activity might involve reading, speaking, listening, and perhaps also writing (Celce-Murcia, 1991b: 78). Of course, oral communication is seen to take place through negotiation between speaker(s) and listener(s) (most likely among students), so too is the interaction between the reader and writer, but with no immediate feedback from the reader. Hence, in the classroom, emphasis is given to oral and listening skills, as contact time with language is important. It paves way for more fluid command of the language. Learners do not hear the teacher all the time, but having personal contact themselves, practicing sounds themselves, working on the permutation of sentence patterns and getting chance to make mistakes and learn from doing so. The idea of emphasizing the oral skills creates uncertainty among teachers. They misconceived CLT as if it were devoted to teaching only speaking. But, CLT is not exclusively concerned with face to face oral communication (Savignon, 2002:7). The principles of CLT apply equally to reading and writing activities that engage readers and writers in the interpretation, expression, and negotiation of meaning. In other words, it is important to recognize that it is not only the speaker (or writer) who is communicating. Instead, communication through language happens in both the written and spoken medium, and involves at least two people. Thompson (1996:13) further states that, though there is a complaint that CLT ignores written language, a glance at recent mainstream textbooks shows that reading and writing materials have been given attention too. 3.1.4.6 Pair Work and Group Work Students regularly work in groups or pairs to transfer (and if necessary to negotiate) meaning in situations where one person has information that others lack (Celce-Murcia, 1991b: 82). More emphasis should be given to active modes of learning such as pair or group work in problem-solving tasks in order to maximize the time allotted to each student for learning to negotiate meaning. Many people assume group/pair work is applicable in all contexts. However, classroom group and/or pair work should not be considered an essential feature used all the time, and may well be inappropriate in some contexts (ibid). Thompson (1996:12) and Savignon (2002: 6) claim that group and/or pair work are flexible and useful techniques than that suggests, and they are active modes of learning which can help the learners to negotiate meaning and engage in problem-solving activities. The use of pair/group work is a physical signal of some degree of control and choice passing to the learners; but that needs to be complemented by real choice (learners need to be given some degree of control over their learning). Therefore, the use of pair/group work needs to be complemented by real choice for the following reasons: (1) they can provide the learners with a relatively safe opportunity to try out ideas before launching them in public; (2)they can lead to more developed ideas, and therefore greater confidence and more effective communication; (3) they can also provide knowledge and skills which may complement those of their partners which in turn lead to greater success in undertaking tasks (Thompson, 1996:13). 3.1.4.7 Errors and Correction Errors are seen as a natural outcome of the development of the communication skills and are therefore tolerated. Learners trying their best to use the language creatively and spontaneously are bound to make errors. Constant correction is unnecessary and even counter-productive. Correction noted by the teacher should be discreet. Let the students talk and express themselves and the form of the language becomes secondary. If errors of form are tolerated and are seen as a natural outcome of the development of communication skills, students can have limited linguistic knowledge and still be successful communicators (Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 121). 3.1.4.8 Evaluation Sano (1984: 176) states that evaluation is carried out in terms of fluency and accuracy. Students who have the most control of the structures and vocabulary are not necessarily the best communicators. A teacher may use formal evaluation i.e., he/she is likely to use a communicative test, which is an integrative and has a real communicative function (e.g., Madsen, 1983; Hughes, 1989). Larsen-Freeman (1986: 132) points out that the teacher can also informally evaluate his students performance in his role as an advisor or co-communicator. Savigonon, (1991: 275: ; 2002: 4) reports that the communicative approach follows global, qualitative evaluation of learner achievement as opposed to quantitative assessment of discrete linguistic features. 3.1.4.9 Native Language Use The students native language has no role to play (Larsen Freeman, 1986: 135). The target language is used both during communicative activities and for the purpose of classroom management. The students learn from these classroom management exchanges, and realize that the target language is a vehicle for communication. Whatever the case may be, the teacher should be able to use the target language fluently and appropriately (Celce-Murcia, 1991b: 8). However, for others (e.g., Finocchiaro and Brumfit, 1983: 98) judicious use of native language is accepted where feasible. Teachers may provide directions of homework, class work and test directions by using the native language. 3.1.4.10 Teachers Role The teacher is the facilitator of students learning, manager of classroom activities, advisor during activities and a co-communicator engaged in the communicative activity along with the students (Littlewood, 1981: 9; Breen and Candlin, 1980: 90). But he does not always himself interact with students; rather he acts as an independent participant. Other roles assumed for the teacher are needs analyst, counselor, researcher and learner. Students, on the other hand, are more responsible managers of their own learning. They are expected to interact with other people, either in the flesh, through pair and group work, or in the writings. They are communicators and actively engaged in negotiating meaning in trying to make themselves understood. They learn to communicate by communicating (Larsen-Freeman, 1986: 142). Above all, since the teachers role is less dominant; the teaching/learning process is student-centered rather than teacher-centered. In other words, it is the learner who plays a great role in a large proportion of the process of learning. 3.2 Grammar and Grammars Yule (1996: 87) states that each adult speaker of a language clearly has some type of mental grammar, that is, a form of internal linguistic knowledge which operates in the production and recognition of appropriately structured expressions in that language. This grammar is subconscious and is not the result of any teaching. A second, and quite different, concept of grammar involves what might be considered linguistic etiquette, that is, the identification of the proper or best structures to be used in a language. A third view of grammar involves the study and analysis of the structures found in a language, usually with the aim of establishing a description of the grammar of English, for example, as distinct from the grammar of other languages. Linguists define grammar as a set of components: phonetics (the production and perception of sounds), phonology (how sounds are combined), morphology (the study of forms, or how elements are combined to create words), syntax (how words are strung together into sentences), and semantics or meaning. Because all languages are characterized by these components, by definition, language does not exist without grammar (VanPatten, 1990:288). However, grammar has not always been defined in these terms. Originally, the term grammar, grammatica, referred to the art of writing, as compared to rhetoric, rettorica, the art of speaking. As used today by many teachers and learners, grammar is loosely understood to be a set of rules that govern language, primarily its morphology and syntax. But morphology and syntax are only two components of grammar (Chamot Kupper, 1989: 15). Actually the word grammar has been defined rather differently by various grammarians and dictionary writers. According to Crystal (2003:207), grammar is systematic description of a language. Also, Widdowson describes that grammar is the name given to the knowledge of how words are adapted and arranged to form sentences (1988: 147; cited in Shih-Chuan Chang, 2011: 14). Still other definitions of the term specify the scope of grammar. In fact, grammar is multi-dimensional (Kennedy, 1987: 165) and has multi-meanings. It is generally thought to be a set of rules for choosing words and putting words together to make sense. Every language has grammar. It has been held that if a language is a building, the words are bricks and the grammar is the architects plan. One may have a million bricks, but do not make a building without a plan. Similarly, if a person knows a million English words, but he doesnt know how to put them together, then he cannot speak English (Karavas, 1996: 189). In other words, grammar is a framework to describe languages. 3.2.1 Grammar in Language Teaching The role of grammar is perhaps one of the most controversial issues in language teaching. In the early parts of the twentieth century, grammar teaching formed an essential part of language instruction, so much that other aspects of language learning were either ignored or downplayed. The argument was that if one knew the grammatical rules of the language, he would be able to use it for communication. This concept was strongly challenged in the early 1970s (Ellis, 2006: 90). Knowledge of the grammatical system of the language, it was argued, was but one of the many components which underlay the notion of communicative competence. To be considered a competent user of a language, one needs to know not only the rules of grammar, but also how the rules are used in real communication. During this period, grammar teaching became less prominent, and in some cases, was abandoned (Hudson, 1998: 12). In recent years, grammar teaching has regained its rightful place in the language curriculum. People now agree that grammar is too important to be ignored, and that without a good knowledge of grammar, learners language development will be severely constrained. There is now a general consensus that the issue is not whether or not we should teach grammar. The issue now centers on questions such as, which grammar items do learners need most? How do we go about teaching grammar items in the most effective way? And are they best taught inductively or deductively? (Tomlinson, 1994: 22). In fa