Limitations of Interviews in Social Research

Limitations of Interviews in Social Research Why might you decide to use in-depth interviews for a research project? What are the potential limitations? Give examples of studies which have employed this technique well and discuss critically why in your opinion they are good examples. In the social research an interview/interviews are a frequently used mode of data collection. The aim is for the interviewer to elicit from the interviewee or respondent all manner of information. (Bryman, 2008:192). In-depth interviewing is more commonly known as a method that enables the researcher to explore the deeper structure of ideas presented by the participants. Many sociologists use in-depth interviewing to explore a multitude of substantive and theoretical topics (e.g., Bell and Hartmann 2007; Quark 2007; Read and Oselin 2008). (Healey-Etten, V., Sharp, S.,2010: 157). There are many types of interviews that can be used to carry out research however, I am going to describe why it may be beneficial to use in depth interviews for a research project and the potential disadvantages and previous examples of in-depth interviews that have been used to carry out research. Sociologists commonly use this popular method because it enables further detailed exploration about peoples subjective experiences, meaning-making, accounting processes, and unspoken assumptions about life and the social world in general.Two primary objectives of in-depth interviewing are exploration and verification (Johnson, 2002). One reason why it would be useful to conduct an in-depth interview, would be to reduce error due to interviewer reliability. The aim of this concept is to keep error down to a minimum, as should error occur it would have an adverse effect on the validity of the measure. The validity would be compromised if there is a high possibility of error occurring. However, due to the benefit of standardisation in depth interviews are useful to clarify any potential confusion. For example, in a self-completion questionnaire the participants. However, with the help of an interviewer the ambiguity can be clarified and the responses given by the interviewee are more li kely to be valid, based on the fact their answers where given under full understanding of the question. Interview control questions (ICQs) are in fact investigation questions aiming at both verification and exploration. A study that has exemplified the use of in depth interviews, was reported by Ramji Hasmita that focused on exploring commonality and difference in in-depth interviewing: a case-study of researching British Asian women. This research focuses on the experience British South Asian womens lives in London, and how a female British Asian researcher to explores this topic by investigating how and to what extent common social attributes are a result of influence. It examines these issues through a discussion of how the shared cultural identity of the researcher and the interviewees emerged as both a point of commonality and difference in the research process; with the researcher being positioned in terms of both because of the interviewees agency in interpreting their cultural commonality. Issues regarding Indian culture and religion emerged as points on which interviewees exercised agency and interpreted the researchers cultural identity. This was the basis on which they claimed commonality or difference and this assessment consequently impacted on their interaction with the researcher. The article suggests that more attention needs to be given to how assumptions made by interviewees regarding the cultural identity of the researcher through their agency and interaction in the research process shapes interview dynamics. (Ramji, H.,2008) Regardless of the differences between therapy and research interviews, and considering the similarities in approach and outcomes, I am suggesting the argument that participating in in depth interviews can be inherently therapeutic. Additionally, qualitative researchers must recognise the importance of this therapeutic possibility because it can and should affect participants reactions, interviewers approaches, and how researchers can make a difference in peoples lives. As well as clinical interviews, the social research interview context is a space for sharing stories, which can provide credible information for researchers and provide a platform for alleviation and healing. It has been recognised by several health practitioners and researchers that engaging in conversation can be liberating, as it encourages emotional release and can provide a sense of comfort at times. Sharing information and feeling building relationship by trying to understand ones mindset can also raise self-awar eness and perhaps even reform their perspectives on certain topics. This organization of thoughts can trigger new perspective and aid in promoting resolutions. The in-depth interviews are not aimed to act therapy, but it is therapeutic in that it offers a space for relaxation through sharing. In 2013 Yvonne Kahl, Johannes Jungbauer published an article reporting qualitive research regarding, Challenges and Coping Strategies of Children with Parents Affected by Schizophrenia: Results from an In-Depth Interview Study. The research consisted of thirty-four children undergoing in depth interviews to find out different forms of coping mechanisms they used to deal with their parents who were battling the mental health disorder, schizophrenia. The children who were being interviewed, expressed many obstacles in which they face daily, and in conclusion the report recognised through what was said by the interviewees that there is a desperate need for more professional support, to assist the children who are affected to discover more and appropriate forms of coping. (Kahl Jungbauner, 2013). The reason I believe an in-depth interview was more useful in understanding the question being researched here is due to the sensitive nature of the Schizophrenia and the stigmatisation of ment al health disorder. Through the in depth interviews the children conveyed many aspects of fear in relation to fear, frustration and stigmatisation as emotions they regularly feel concerning the relationship with their parents. As previously mentioned, in- depth interviews can be therapeutic and can offer a space for relaxation through sharing therefore would have been more useful as oppose to questionnaire, in enabling the interviewees to be as open as possible. Of course, with any form of research comes limitations. Regarding in depth interviews, there are many ethical issues. Although interviews may naturally be therapeutic for participants, and offer rich data, this quality can pose challenges to interviewers. As researchers encourage sensitive disclosures, role confusion may occur (Dickson-Swift, James, Kippen, Liamputton, 2006; Weiss, 1994). Participants could mistake the interview as therapy and, as such, the interviewer as a therapist. Researchers must carefully maintain boundaries to protect the researcher-participant relationship and ethical obligations to do no harm (Birch Miller, 2000; Dickson-Swift et al., 2006; Haynes, 2006). Boundaries can be achieved through minimizing personal disclosure, debriefing (Dickson-Swift et al., 2006), recognizing distress signals (Kavanaugh Ayres, 1998), drawing back when responses become negative (Haynes, 2006), and being direct about the research relationship. Because researchers are not train ed counsellors, they might experience emotional vulnerability, guilt, fatigue, and burnout (Dickson-Swift et al., 2006). The researchers role is listener, learner, and observer, not counsellor or therapist. A list of local counselling resources should be available for participants to highlight this distinction. References Willis, G. B. (2005). Setting the stage for cognitive interviewing: first principles of questionnaire design. In Cognitive interviewing (pp. 12-33).: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781412983655.n2 Healey-Etten, V., Sharp, S. (2010). Teaching Beginning Undergraduates How to Do an In-depth Interview: A Teaching Note with 12 Handy Tips. Teaching Sociology, 38(2), 157-165. Free, C., Lee, R., Ogden, J. (2002). Young Womens Accounts Of Factors Influencing Their Use And Non-Use Of Emergency Contraception: In-Depth Interview Study. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 325(7377), 1393-1396. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.serlib0.essex.ac.uk/stable/25453157 Ramji, H. (2008). Exploring commonality and difference in in-depth interviewing: A case-study of researching British Asian women. British Journal of Sociology, 59(1), 99-116. doi:http://0-dx.doi.org.serlib0.essex.ac.uk/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2007.00184.x Kahl, Y., Jungbauer, J. (2014). Challenges and coping strategies of children with parents affected by schizophrenia: Results from an in-depth interview study. Child Adolescent Social Work Journal, 31(2), 181-196. doi:10.1007/s10560-013-0316-2

Professionalism In Information Technology

Professionalism In Information Technology Professionalism may be considered as behaving in an appropriate manner and adhering to accepted principles and practices. It is not only vital in the field of Information Technology but it is also very important in other fields. Some of the key aspects of IT Professionalism are competence in IT, knowledge, various skills such as soft skills, ethical behaviour and certification. Professionalism and ethics must be taught and practised at the secondary level of schooling. Professionalism is required not only in the field of Information Technology but also in other fields in order to bring about reputation, ethical behaviour and add value to any organization. This paper discusses about IT Professionalism and Ethics and how professionalism is applicable in IT industry. With the help of class discussions, case study and literature review, ethics and professionalism in IT and other fields are discussed. In this paper, an effort has been made to answer some of the questions below: Why IT professionalism is needed and why is it important? What is ethics? Why Ethics is needed? Role of ethics in Information Technology Discussion IT professionals should not only have good technical knowledge and experience but also have right attitude with good soft skills such as communication, interpersonal, analytical, statistical, managerial, leadership skills etc. Nowadays, businesses require professionalism in order to provide best quality service to the customers and to satisfy their requirements. Professionalism also provides a platform for ethical trade. It greatly increases profits, productivity and high market value in an organization. It greatly benefits the individuals who follow it and impacts society in a positive manner. Let us look at some of the qualities which describe a professional (ACM, 2000) Trustworthiness: Professional trusts himself in whatever he does and trusts other people. Honesty: Professional is honest when working and follows right code of conduct. Punctuality: It is one of the most important aspects of professionalism. Responsibility: Professional is responsible towards his work and handles work effectively. Leadership: Professional has good leadership skills and is a good team player. Confidentiality: Maintains confidentiality of information in an organization. Competency: Professional is technically competent in his field. What is Ethics? Ethics may be considered as regulations which differentiate between right and wrong. It also aims to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Why Ethics is needed? Ethics helps people to respect and value themselves as well as others. It is based on core values such as Trust, simplicity, integrity, excellence, success and reputation. Ethics in an organization helps in retaining the talent and minimizes attrition rate of jobs. It aims to improve profits and increases productivity among the employees in an organization. Why IT professionalism is needed and why is it important? In order to enhance the growth and add value to an organization. It helps to provide better services to clients It increases trust with employers and employees within an organization Create companys own brand value IT professionalism forms the pillar for companys own vision and mission It improves customer satisfaction They should be aware of the various types of educational programs, different job titles and functions, and some aspects of the employment supply and demand. They should be aware of the need for each computing worker to have professional responsibility for their work, and an awareness of the importance of appropriate ethical behaviour in the group. They must also have an awareness of the impact of information technology on society as a whole and on individuals, and be prepared to handle a variety of issues arising in the workplace. (Little, J. C. and Granger, M. J., 1999) Role of Ethics and Professionalism in Information Technology IT has modernized the living standards of mankind. In IT, professionalism plays a major role in bringing the changes to an organization and to the humanity. Technology can be used as a benefit or for destruction. Ethics play a major role in determining the right use of technology. There is a very fine line between professional and non-professional. IT professional must have proper code of conduct, right attitude and good moral values and should not misuse the technology. Nowadays, due to the rapid advancement in technology there has been a widespread misuse of technology. With the rise of Internet there has been unethical and unprofessional behaviour which have led to severe problems such as computer viruses, Spamming and hacking. In IT education, ethics should be taught and allowed to be practiced in all schools and institutions. Students must be made aware of the consequences which result due to unethical behaviour. It is in the early stage that these values should be inculcated within them which will lead a long way later in life. There has been an increase in cyber crimes due to the misuse of Internet. Many a time, students are unaware of ethics and professional behaviour. Professionalism must be strictly followed in schools and institutions and should be practised at an earlier stage. In universities, plagiarism is unethical. Copying others ideas and work, without proper acknowledgement to the original author it is unfair and severe action is observed and implemented. Case Study and personal experience Personally, it has been a wonderful learning experience studying the importance and role of ethics and professionalism in IT. As goes the famous quote, Character, not circumstances, makes the man. (Booker T. Washington), professionalism and ethics helps in making use of science and technology for noble purposes. In our case study (Digital Artefact on IT Professionalism by Trailblazers, 2010), we discussed about non-professional behaviour and some of the reasons causing it. Non-professional behaviour mainly results due to lack of ethics and lack of soft skills. Let us look at some of the differences between professional and non-professional Professional Has self respect and treats others with respect Has honesty and performs his/her duties Responsible and dedicated towards work Skilled, knowledgeable and experience Team player and has good management skills Good communicator Right attitude and sound character Non professional Does not respect others Lacks honesty and does not perform his duties Not responsible or dedicated Lack of knowledge, skills and experience Not a team player and lacks management skills Not a good communicator Does not have right attitude, bad character The difference between a professional person and a technician is that a technician knows everything about his job except its ultimate purpose and his place in the scheme of things (Livingston, 2010) An example of unethical behaviour in an organization If an employee in an organization fails to follow the right code of conduct and does not follow ethics, he/she will be penalized. An individual will not be successful in his field if he does not have moral values. An example of how atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima was completely unethical. People were not educated about the danger and the extent of damage that would be caused by atomic bombs. Had they been imparted proper knowledge and safety measures during the war, many peoples lives would have been saved (Matloff, 1966). How IT professionalism is applicable to me? IT professionalism helps me to advance in the IT industry and my aspiration is to become network support engineer. In order to be a professional in the networking field, developing a career development plan is useful. As change is rapid in IT industry, I need to constantly update my skills and knowledge to be proficient and successful. Certifications play a major role in the IT industry (Steven Philip, 2010) and by proper planning and management of daily activities, I will be able to obtain higher certifications and get hands-on-experience in networking field. Network professionals provide and enforce security of confidential information over the Internet. They must adhere to ethics when performing their duties and also provide suitable advice to fellow employees or clients. (NPA, 2007) Some of the important guidelines and practices for network professionals Technical expertise and knowledge Confidentiality to be maintained within an organization and with clients Following proper ethical codes Adherence to principles and practices Conclusion In the present world the role of an IT professional is vital. IT professionalism is not just about acquiring skills, knowledge, experience and certifications but also giving equal importance to core moral values, principles and ethical behaviour (Jide, 2010). This will have a huge impact on ones personal life brings about positive changes in an organization and benefits the society. A true professional is a combination of excellent knowledge and skills with fine character and virtues. Government and organisation must promote IT professionalism and penalize the employees or workers who do not follow it. Professionalism and ethics is clearly defined in other professions such as doctors, advocates, engineers etc. IT professionalism is more concerned with technical skills, knowledge, expertise and certifications and no clear guidelines on ethical behaviour are defined. Professionalism is best learnt when one practices than by merely studying it.

King Lear Essay -- essays research papers

The Islamic Empires   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In early modern history, there were three major Islamic empires that became prominent. The Ottoman Empire, the Safavid Empire, and the Mughals. We will descuss the Development of these empires by listing their similarities and differences, and their political, social and cultural backgrounds. Next, we will get into the three empires reign of power and also give a discription of some of the great leaders of these empires and their legacy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of these Islamic Empires had Turkish ruling dynasties. The Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals came from nomadic, Turkish-speaking peoples of the central Asia who conquered the settled agricultural lands of Anatolia, Persia and India. All of these dynasties retained political and cultural traditions that their ancestors had adopted while leading their nomadic lives, but, they also adapted readily to the city-based agricultyural societies that they conquered. All of these empires also embraced Islam and derived its cultural guidance from Islamic values. Each empire expanded its territory under authority of their great leaders, such as Mehmed the Conqueror for the Ottomans, Shah Abbas the Great for the Safavids and the reigh of Aurangzeb of the Muhgal empire. In these empires, the prestige and authority of the dynasty derived from personal piety and military aptitude of the ruler and his ancestors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ottoman Empire was founded by Osman Bey, founder of the dynasty that continued in unbroken succession from 1289 to 1923. the motives of Osman and his followers were to become ghazi, or Muslim religious warriors. â€Å"The Ghazi,(as the poet Ahmadi describes) is the instrument of religion of Allah, the sword of God, the protector and refuge of the believers.† It was believed that if to have died for the cause of your religion, you should not believe that the person is dead, but that he will live in beatitude with Allah and he has eternal life. The Ottomans waged a holy war which enabled them to expand their territory to the Anatolian city of Bursa, which became the capital of Ottoman principality. Under the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror, the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453 and in turn lead to more Ottoman expansion. Mehmed presented himself as a true emperor and not just a warrior. He was ruler of two lands, Europe ... ...aged the elaboration of syncretic religion called the â€Å"devine faith† that focused attention on the emperor as a ruler common to all the religious, ethnic and social groups of India. The Mughal empire reached its greatest extent under Aurangzeb. During his long reign from 1659 to 1707, he waged a relentless campaign to push Mughal authority deep into southern India. Mughal came to rule the entire subcontinent except for a small region at the southern tip.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These are descriptions of the major empires that became prominent, the Ottoman Empire, the Safavids and the Mughals. We have gone over some of the similarities and differences of the three empires and also discussed the development of these empires and their social and political backgrounds. We have seen a glimpse of the great leaders that ruled these empires such as Mehmed the Conqueror, Shah Ismail and Shah Abbas for the Safavids, and Babur and Akbar for the Mughals. These empires created the boundary for Islamic institution through the 1500’s and beyond. They should be recognized as a stepping stone in the Islamic voyage which has definitely laid an impact on the society and societies before ours.

The Persian Gulf War Was NOT Iraqs Fault :: essays research papers fc

At 2:00 A.M. (local time) on August second 1990, Saddam Hussein sent the Iraqi military across the border into Kuwait, and sparked a war whose repercussions are still being felt. Today what eventually became known as the Persian Gulf War, featured the largest air operation in history; and a senseless destruction paralleled only to Danzig or Hiroshima. Even though Saddam was the one who physically invaded Kuwait, is balking at United Nations resolutions, and is generally known as a tyrant. He should not be destroyed . The Gulf War was nothing more than the United States attempting to establish, as former President Bush so aptly termed, the â€Å"New Order†. The United States supported Saddam Hussein and the Ba’ath regime prior to the Kuwaiti invasion. They even gave Saddam a â€Å"Green Light† to go ahead and invade. If Saddam were to leave power Iraq would either be plunged into a Lebanon style civil war or face another ruler no better than Saddam himself. The United States is contemplating another invasion of Iraq, however it is having a difficult time of gaining support of the Arab countries. While many people in this country believe Saddam Hussein should be destroyed, that he is a totalitarian dictator and gross human rights violator. He is, in fact, a stabilizing force in his country and the Middle-East, standing up to the only remaining superpower. The consensus currently prevalent in this country is that Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq, is a totalitarian dictator, thirsty for blood and prestige, who seems dedicated to disobeying the United States. It would seem Iraq is intent on keeping United Nation inspectors out of its own country, although technically â€Å"Iraq barred only American members of the inspection teams from carrying on their work†(Nelan 54). The Iraqi â€Å"Dictator† seems to have decided he would rather be bombed than inspected. He apparently has no regard for the international community, and yet still wants them to lift sanctions. Also the Iraqi: â€Å"government stopped Ritter from investigating sensitive sites, calling him a spy and complaining that his team was too ‘Anglo-American’... the Iraqis also revealed Ritter was looking for evidence Iraq tested chemical and biological weapons on humans - charge Baghdad called ‘a shear lie’† (Watson 34). Those reports of human testing are obviously false. â€Å"[E]ven Saddams strongest foes, including the C.I.A. seems to doubt them(Watson 34)†. In fact, the only testing done by Iraq was on dogs. There were no inspectors around when the U.S. committed the crimes at Tuskegee, or when hundreds of servicemen were exposed to radiation during the atomic tests in the sixties. The Iraqi â€Å"dictator† has stayed in power for some 6 years since sanctions were imposed.

South African Apartheid Essay -- South Africa Apartheid Essays

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to be considered inferior because of your race? The people of South Africa had to endure racial inferiority during the era of apartheid. The apartheid laws the government of South Africa made led to an unequal lifestyle for the blacks and produced opposition. South Africa really began to suffer when apartheid was written into the law. Apartheid was first introduced in the 1948 election that the Afrikaner National Party won. The plan was to take the already existing segregation and expand it (Wright, 60). Apartheid was a system that segregated South Africa’s population racially and considered non-whites inferior (â€Å"History of South Africa in the apartheid era†). Apartheid was designed to make it legal for Europeans to dominate economics and politics (â€Å"History of South Africa in the apartheid era†). Apartheid consisted of a set of unequal laws that favored the whites (â€Å"History of South Africa in the apartheid era†). The Race Classification Act, which divided everyone into four race groups, whites, blacks, coloreds, and Indians were the first of many major laws (Evans, 8). Hundreds of thousands of black South Africans were forced to leave their homes and move into special reservations called â€Å"homelands† or Bantustans that were set up for them (Evans, 8). There were twenty-three million blacks and they were divided into nine tribal groups, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, North and South Sotho, Venda, Tsonga, Swansi, and South Ndebele, and each group were moved into a separate homeland (Evans, 8). Another major law was the Groups Area Act, which secluded the twenty-three million blacks to 14 percent of land, leaving 86 percent of the land for the 4.8 million (Evans, 9). Under apartheid laws a minority ... ...rry their pass books (â€Å"Black’s resistance to Apartheid†). â€Å"During 1980 there were 304 major incidents concerning struggle with apartheid including arrests, tear gas violence, stoning, and strikes (â€Å"Black’s resistance to Apartheid†). In 1986 violent conflict forced the government to assert a national state of emergency (Wright, 68). The Public Safety Act increased penalties such as fining, imprisonment, and whippings for protesting the law (â€Å"History of South Africa in the apartheid era†). Finally in 1990 De Klerk, president of South Africa unbanned the ANC (‘History of South Africa in the apartheid era†). In 1994 the first free multiracial elections were held and the people voted to end apartheid (â€Å"History of South Africa in the apartheid era†). Nelson Mandela was elected president (Wright, 66). The opposition to apartheid helped turn things around in South Africa.

My Papa S Waltz Final Draft

With his use Of pathos and ambiguity usually leaves the interpretation Of the poem up to the reader. Some people may consider this poem to describe an abusive relationship between a young boy and his father. On the contrary, some believe this poem reflects on fond memories between a father and son. In the first stanza, Reroute starts off by setting a sort of ominous tone. ‘ ‘The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy/' (1-2). Here he reveals to his readers that his father was drunk and the smell of his breath was unbearable.Subsequently, he goes on to describe the manner in which he was holding on to his father. â€Å"But hung on like death / Such waltzing was not easy† (3-4). The simile here shows the boy holding onto his father as tight as he possibly could. It was not an easy task for the child but he was determined not to let go. Now, if the reader portrays this in a negative fashion it can be interpreted as a drunken father coming home, reeking of whiskey, while the child tries as hard as he can to get through this current beating, or dance as he calls it.However, if the reader sees this in a more costive light, one can almost see the small boy standing on his feet, holding on so he won't fall, dancing around with his drunken father. Naturally, it would not be easy to maintain your balance while standing on the feet of another person. The second stanza sounds quite violent. â€Å"We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf / My mothers countenance / Could not unfrozen itself' (5-8). Here, Reroute describes an almost chaotic scene, with pans falling to the floor caused by the movement of the two. The mother's look on her face clearly indicates that she is not happy with what is going on. Inning the word romp negatively, could imply the boy easily being tossed around the kitchen, pans crashing onto the floor as his father would chase him, and the clear displeasure on the mother's face. On the contrary, the use of romp can be used to describe an overly excited child and his father, carelessly dancing, running and jumping around the kitchen. Meanwhile, the mother could be annoyed at the mess the two are making. Reroute describes the roughness of his father's hands as well as his ear scratched ear in the third stanza. ‘The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle† (9-10).As his father held onto his wrist, the boy could see calloused and cuts prominent on one knuckle. From an optimistic standpoint we can see the boy notices his father's injured hand. The cut is assumed to come from the gardening work in the greenhouse in which the family owned. On the other hand the father's battered hands could be an indication of abuse. The cuts could have possibly occurred from previous altercations. Next, Reroute describes how the alcohol has made his father clumsy and every time his father stumbled the boys ear would scrape on the belt buckle. At every step you missed / My eight ear scraped a buckle† (1 1-12). The scraping of the boys ear could paint a picture of the drunken father stumbling around trying to hit the boy with the belt or it can be portrayed as a stumbling father dancing around with the boy on his feet. Because of the height difference, the boys ear is getting scraped. In the fourth and final stanza it becomes apparent it's the young boy's bed time. Once again Reroute describes his father's hands as rough and dirt stained, probably from the gardening work in the greenhouse. â€Å"You beat time on my head / With a palm caked hard by dirt† (13-14).Just like most children, he doesn't want to go and so he clings to his father; â€Å"Then waltzed me off to bed / Still clinging to your shirt† (15-16). In a negative aspect, one can assume that this stanza is used to describe more physical abuse from the father. For example, the boy gets sent off to bed still holding on to his father's shirt as if he is protecting himself from further blows. On the other hand one could imply his father's dirty hands are simply imitating music in the same way one would beat on the kitchen table singing along to a song, as he father dances the boy to his bed.Clearly the child is having a good time and does not want it to end, so he holds on tightly to his father. Reroute uses pathos throughout the entire poem. With every written line, the reader's emotions are pulled into different directions. Reroute causes his audience to not just respond emotionally but to identity#y' with his point of view. In essence to feel what he is feeling. The most remarkable thing about his use of pathos, is that it is undefined in a sense. The reader's interpretations from his choice f words creates the emotional rise.When I was first introduced to this poem was in my late teens. Maybe it was my inexperience with life or just an immature mindset, but just like most people, too thought this poem was about an abusive father. With the contradictory terms he uses in this piece it is easy to see the negative undertones. However, as time passed and I grew, my outlook on life changed. Perhaps it was becoming a mother that helped me see this piece in a new light; but when I read it now smile at the thought of a young boy. Dancing around with his father.

A Look at Musui’s Story

Ideals no matter whose ideals they are, serve as maps of reality. Reality is way bigger than the dreams and aspirations created by anyone. Like the map used for navigation, ideals are inevitable to succeed in life.   This is what a reader could find by reading Musui’s Story. Ideals of a certain culture serve as guidance for everyday life’s journey. As expected, the ideals of the samurai are supposed to guide every samurai to face reality and the world full of twists and turns. But there are many things in the world which people cannot control. As such, the life supposed to be guided by the samurai ideals could go into the wrong way and lead the people to a life that is totally disparate from what is supposed to be. is way too different from reading a critique, for to read the former is like living with the writer and witnessing the real story bit by bit in the eyes of the writer. In Musui’s Story, the readers are given the chance to encounter the real occurrences. The book contains events of the author’s life, which is open for criticism. It is the author’s eyewitness account and the readers are seated inside the court either as mere audiences or judges.   The big difference is that the spirit of the author of the book that could equate his past with words he had written as he comprehended and decipher the meaning of every detail or events in his life. His interpretation of his life is a pure view of his life here on earth.   On the contrary, secondary writers never encounter the life of the subject and they only base their text on the text they have gathered. They mostly create an interpretation of an account that is similar to the interpretation of the one who has first-hand experience. This book, the autobiography, is history in the simplest sense. It is set on the historical time of Tokugawa, during the time of the feudal system where the work of a samurai when being done in satisfaction were rewarded according to the bond being created between the samurai and the Lord. Feudalism is an agreement that is somehow still considerate of the laborer   (Lawson, 100). This is how the autobiography had shown the social history of Tokugawa period. As the protagonist, Musui, wrote the details of his life with enough honesty somehow, showing pride or something that was not right which shows inferiority of his character rather than the superiority of his intelligence. This autobiography which features many writings about the greatness of the unbeatable, undefeatable and the protagonist’s capacity as the author shares his ideals, dreams, beginnings, future, and follow his beliefs, riumphs and victories and even the flaws that he boldly tells. His story tells more than the facts that the real person carries with him. It is the experience, the unique human experience that he has which needs to be shared with other people   in order to other humans as way of communicating and reaching for other souls which likewise have unique stories in their hearts. In addition, this autobiography may have been written by a hopelessly flawed man, living in a hopelessly flawed world. However,   his story is told not to discourage his fellow flawed humans but to encourage them to move on and fight regardless of the imperfection of the world. By reading this book, the audience can take part in the sufferings of the author, and become his companion in every step of the way. Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, the autobiography is still open for criticism and readers can either believe what they can perceive or ignore them, as if everything is just a product of imagination. Also, the reader can also choose to do soulful reading and come up with self-realizations based on the morals and beliefs presented in the story.