Interpreting the Meaning of Private :: Definition Essays

Interpreting the Meaning of Private Hearing the word private, one could think of infinite meanings and uses. Some people think, for their own safety, certain people should not be private. Others believe it is their human right to have privacy, because it defines oneself. The dictionary-defined term of private has had subtle changes through the past 300 years. In the past three years, the definition of private in the US has changed to very little meaning, granting an even more important reason to find the true definition. The pre-9/11 definitions never limit privacy to certain groups or people, and they never seem to grant more privacy to other people. In 1634, the OED defined private as â€Å"not open to the public; restricted †¦ for †¦ privileged persons†. The focus of this definition is the exclusive rights to view or interact with an object. As time passed, in 1913, the meaning grew to â€Å"personal property† (Webster's). More property everyday became private, as people feared a large government controlling their lives. A current definition includes seclusion â€Å"from sight, presence or intrusion of others† and focuses on a lack of knowledge of under privileged people (AHD, 2000). Lately, the government has been passing radical laws violating many people’s privacy rights. The USA PATRIOT ACT and the USA PATRIOT ACT II critically injure many of the definitions of private. Through the acts, people residing in the United States can have meetings tapped, their personal property searched without knowledge, and followed/harassed within the confines of their own home. To many people, the word private brings forth a view of secrecy or personal belongings. Bathrooms and locker rooms, attorneys and their clients, to name a couple, are hoped to be private by most people. Privacy does not depend on the person, as privacy is a human right everyone should be granted. In Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore shows a peace group who had an undercover agent infiltrate them, violating their privacy. The group was not criminals, and had not been found guilty of anything, yet big brother decided these people’s rights should be limited. With the passing of these laws, privacy is decreasing. People may wonder what would life be without privacy? No walls in the bathroom, shared locker rooms, records of who you talked to and about what, not to mention trying to build a legal defense if charged with a crime. How could one defend him/herself against an accusation if there could be no planning involved?

Book Analysis: The Hunger Games Essay

In the novel The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins a new country is created. Panem is born in place of North America, were the Hunger Games began. In the Hunger Games, there are 24 tributes. Tributes are people who live in the districts. The tributes in the Hunger Games are all the same. They kill one another and become the Capitols puppets. The tributes become violent, emotionless puppets. Then there is Katniss. Katniss is an excellent hunter and becomes lethal during the games. However, she has not lost her compassion. Katniss does not think of herself as a good person. When in reality she is a good person with a large heart, who puts others before herself. Katniss does many things others will not do in her situation. Whether it is helping her family or helping others. Katniss’ father died in a mining accident when she was eleven (5). Katniss’s mother did not handle it well. She stopped caring for her family. She became a zombie. Katniss had to start caring for her fam ily (26, 27). One day Katniss figured it all out. Katniss thought, â€Å"The first dandelion of the year. A bell went off in my head. I thought of the hours spent in the woods with my father and I knew how we were going to survive† (32). This is when Katniss realizes her family would no longer starve. Katniss knew hunting in district 12 is illegal and the penalty could be death (5). Katniss risks her life. Katniss’s only concern is her family, no matter the danger. The reaping is when a male and female tribute is chosen from each district. When the day of the reaping arrives, a surprise tribute is chosen. Which is Prim Katniss little sister (20). Prim’s name has only been entered once (21). Katniss cannot comprehend what has happened. Her chances were very slim. Katniss exclaims, â€Å"I volunteer! â€Å" I gasp.† I volunteer as tribute† (22). When Katniss goes on stage, everyone is surprised. No one gives applause. Everyone looks devastated. Effie Trinket says,† I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don’t want her to steal all the glory, d o we? Come on, everybody! Let’s give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!† (23). Effie Trinket thinks it is an honor to be chosen. Effie is happy things are more exciting this year. Effie does not understand why Katniss truly volunteered. Unlike others, Katniss cares about more than herself. Katniss was the only volunteer in district 12 others were scared. Katniss will do anything for her sister. This act shows what kind of person she truly is. Katniss will do anything for her family. She often is afraid her actions will harm her  mother and sister. Katniss tries to protect them from life. When Katniss was able to start putting her name in the reaping, she did it often. Katniss tells the reader, â€Å"You can opt to add your name more times in exchange for tesserae. Each tesserae is worth a meager year’s supply of grain and all for one person† (13). To keep her family fed Katniss added her name multiple times. This was the only thing she could do at the time. However, Katniss would not allow Prim to do the same. Prim has only entered her name once and that was because she had to. Katniss tells the reader, â€Å"I protect Prim in every way I can, but I’m powerless against the reaping† (15). Katniss worries about her family multiple times throughout the book. When Katniss is training in the Capitol, she shows off her temper. Katniss is supposed to show her skills to the Gamemakers but they ignore her. They are more interested in their food then her. Katniss then shoots an arrow toward them. The arrow spears the apple, which is in the pig’s mouth. This gets their attention. Katniss runs out and soon regrets her decision. As soon as she realizes what she did, she thinks of her family. Katniss thinks,† What really scares me is what they might do to my mother and Prim, how my family might suffer now because of my impulsiveness† (103). Katniss constantly thinks about her actions. She often wonders how they will affect the ones she loves. Instead of worrying about herself, Katniss worries about others. This could lead to her death or her victory. During the Hunger games, the tributes are supposed to be killing machines. Katniss meets a girl in the games. Her name is Rue and she reminds Katniss of Prim (201). Rue warns Katniss of a tracker jacket nest in the tree. In return, Katniss forms an alliance with Rue. Katniss says,† You know, they’re not the only ones who can form alliances† (200). Alliances in the Hunger Games can be dangerous. Creating an alliance can be your death. Katniss and Rue know their alliance will not last long. For now they decide to share their supplies and enjoy each other’s company (200,201 203). When the night comes Katniss tells Rue,† You can share my sleeping bag if you want. We’ll both easily fit (205). Katniss could tell this was more than Rue expected (205). Rue and Katniss made the perfect alliance, but it ended too soon. Katniss and Rue come up with a plan. While Rue was setting a fire, she was caught in a trap. Katniss was yelling for Rue then she heard Rue scream (231). Katniss went running and saw the boy from district 1 throw a spear through Rue’s stomach (232).  In return, Katniss kills the boy from district 1. Rues last request is for Katniss to sing. Katniss sings Rue â€Å"asleep† (234). Katniss tries to think of a way to respect Rue. Katniss decorates Rues body in flowers (237). Katniss thinks,† I decorate her body in the flowers. Covering the ugly wound. Wreathing her face. Weaving her with bright colors† (237). Katniss wants to show the Capitol they cannot take away Rues humanity or hers. Katniss does not only care about her family and herself but others. Katniss would die for anyone who truly deserves her trust. When the games take a turn, Katniss is surprised. Two people can win, but they have to be from the same district. Katniss hears this and her first reaction is screaming Peetas name (244). Katniss knows Peeta is injured because what Cato and the careers said (247). Katniss knows she will become more vulnerable, but she still has to go after him. After she finds him, Katniss has a bigger problem then she thought. Peeta is very ill and hurt (252-240). The only thing Katniss can do is nurse Peeta back to health. One night Katniss thinks,† I spend the night, refreshing the bandage, and trying not to dwell on the fact that by teaming up with him, I’ve made myself far more vulnerable than when I was alone† (263). Peeta is getting worse and needs medicine. Katniss knows it may be impossible. At this stage in the games, medicine and other supplies are very expensive (265,266). When Katniss gets a chance to go to the Cornucopia, Peeta will not let her (274). Katniss screams,† All right, I am going, and you can’t stop me?† (274). Katniss does not care. She would rather die herself then let Peeta die. While trying to get Peeta medicine she almost dies herself. The female tribute from district two tries to kill her. Katniss makes it back to Peeta and injects him with the medicine before she passes out. After Peeta gets the medicine, they spend some time together. They are relaxing and healing. The two really get to know one another through telling stories. While talking Katniss thinks,† And while I was talking, the idea of actually losing Peeta hit me again and I realized how much I don’t want him to die† (297). Katniss realizes she does not want Peeta to die. Katniss could never imagine him leaving her. Katniss and Peeta decide they have to kill Cato before he can kill them first. When Cato is finally dead, they wait for the trumpets. The trumpets signal their victory. Nothing happens. It turns out the rule has been revoked (342). Now they have to kill one another. Peeta refuses to kill Katniss and Katniss will not kill  Peeta (342-345). Katniss knows she cannot and will not live her live without him (345). Instead, they decide to eat the poison berries. It will kill them both and the Hunger Games will have no winner. The Capitol realizes this and decides there will be two victors. Katniss would rather sacrifice her life to save someone else. Even someone she hardly knows. Katniss is a good person at heart. Katniss may have hunter’s instinct; kill anything or anyone who tries to harm the people she cares about. Katniss would risk her life for them. Even in the games, Katniss would not kill the one person who stood in her way of winning. Katniss shows what matters compassion and her humanity. Katniss shows she is more than apiece in their games (232). Katniss remembers what Peeta said on the Roof. Peeta said,† I don’t want them to change me in there. Turn me into some kind of monster that I’m not† (141). Katniss does not want to lose herself, which she never does. Katniss shows she is a good person by forming alliances and taking care of other tributes. Katniss does not think she is good but she really is even if she cannot see it.

Religion Has Always Been An Important Part In The Lives

Religion has always been an important part in the lives of human beings, and it was not different for the population of Pompeii. In this essay, based on the evidence available, we are going to see what place did the religion occupied in the lives of the people who lived in Pompeii, reaching the conclusion that since the origin of the city, the people were surrounded by religion, in both public and private spaces. Whether it was in the shape of a Lararium or temples, the population of Pompeii could express their devotion in different forms and places. Since the 6th century BC until the destruction of the town in in 2nd century AD, the religions that were present in Pompeii changed, and towards the last century and a half of its existence,†¦show more content†¦The Lares are the guardian spirits of the house, and they are usually depicted as young men wearing short tunics and holding an object which would have been most likely a rhyton, a situla or a patera . The family would give offerings to the Lares, and even sometimes sacrifice a pig. Next to the Lares there would be a Genus, who would be a representation of the master of the house, and the toga would be covering his face. Sometimes, the Penates would be represented as well, who were the protectors of the food provisions of the house. Finally, there could be pictures of snakes, which represent the renewal of life and function as guardians. The fact which I find the most interesting about the parts of the Lararium is how the master of the house is represented between th e other figures as other character. I believe this is a perfect reflection of how important was for them the private religion, even so they would personalise the Lararium with a figure of themselves. It was a way of making the domestic religion unique and for them to be a part of it. Another fact that points out how much the people cared about private religion is how carefully some of the Lararium were restored after the earthquake in 62 AD . If we go to the literary primary sources we also find evidence of how important this domestic religion was. Cicero says in De Domo Sua â€Å"What is there more holy, what is there more carefully fencedShow MoreRelated Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society Essay1038 Words   |  5 PagesGod is necessary for a moral society Religion in the world has always been considered a rather important aspect of society. Although this is true, there are still people that question the existence of God. A survey done among 1000 people showed that 65 percent of Americans believe that religion is losing its influence on American life (Sheler, 8). 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