A Narrative Of The Life Of Mrs. Mary Jemison Essays - Free Essays

A Narrative Of The Life Of Mrs. Mary Jemison Essays - Free Essays A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison In my reading of A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison, written by James E. Seaver and edited by June Namias, I discovered many things I did not know about not only the Seneca Indians, but also the other Iroquois tribes within upstate New York. I enjoyed the perspective this book gives the reader. The story is told from someone that was introduced to the Indians, not as an original member of the tribe, but from someone that was captured by these Indians at an early age and assimilated into their culture. It serves as a direct source of information from a person that was taught everything about being an Indian. The information comes from someone that wasn?t born into the culture, and I think that is what gives the book so much life. The fact that she came from a whole different culture shows us the comparisons she makes, between the people she was once with and the people she resided with till her last days. Mary gives the book a feeling like you are almost there, like being a part of the story. Her strength is something that I thought was a crucial part of the story. The ordeal she went through and how well she dealt with everything ,in my mind, really made the story. The fact of how well she adapted to the Indian culture itself is simply amazing. It says a lot about this culture when you look at the countless number of times she was offered a chance to free herself from them and be liberated back to her own people. Through all the hardships she had to go through, when captured by the Indians and French, her family being murdered, and the unseen future she was to face, she still stood by her new-found family. The scope of this book and the time period it covers is incredible. From the readings in class and the narrative, I found the relationship between the Indians and the Revolutionary had war peaked my interest. It proves to be a profound turning point , not only in the history of the Iroquois Indians, but all tribes within the American frontier. I became particularly interested in the predicament the Iroquois had been placed in, and what they tried to accomplish to survive in this war between the patriots that bordered their land and the mother country that had originally sent these colonists over. There had been a long history of both trust and friendship between the Iroquois and Britain. But the patriots had a certain appeal to the Indians. These patriots longed for a government much like the Indians had in place, and saw the wisdom in Indian views. A local government, where everyone either voted or council was held to discuss the issue, was the choice among these two groups. They both shared a distrust of a singular, central government body ruling over all. This is part of the enduring gift that the United States had received from the Iroquois and other Indian people, through their knowledge with the government they had in place.1 The young American Congress realized how important these Indian people were towards winning the Revolution. To attempt to secure the Indians as allies, Congress setup a commission that split the Indian country into three sections, sending three representatives to the northern department, and one each to the remaining. This was in fact copying what the French had done to receive the favor of Indian nations. Failing in doing so, they sought after the neutrality of the Iroquois Confederacy and its affiliates. The British, on the other hand, were having problems with the Indians even before the outset of the war. Indians were upset with the fact the British government was not enforcing treaties it had setup, such as settlers moving west of the 1763 Proclamation Line. They grew tired of these occurrences, and wanted actions, not promises. But in Britain?s defense, how could it govern these settlers that closely from three thousand miles away? It was indeed an impossible task, and they sou ght other means for compensating the Iroquois for their losses. But, seeing they

ESL Dialogue About Having a Hard Time Finding a Job

ESL Dialogue About Having a Hard Time Finding a Job Original Conversation Mark: Hi Peter! How are you doing these days?Peter: Oh, Hi Mark. Im not doing very well, actually. Mark: Im sorry to hear that. What seems to be the problem?Peter: ... you know Ive been looking for work. I cant seem to find a job. Mark: Thats too bad. Why did you leave your last job?Peter: Well, my boss treated me badly, and I didnt like my chances of advancing in the company. Mark: That makes sense. A job without opportunities AND a difficult boss isnt very attractive.Peter: Exactly! So, anyway, I decided to quit and find a new job. I sent out my resume to more than twenty companies. Unfortunately, Ive only had two interviews so far. Mark: Have you tried looking online for a job?Peter: Yes, but so many of the jobs require moving to another city. I dont want to do that. Mark: I can understand that. How about going to some of those networking groups?Peter: I havent tried those. What are they? Mark: Theyre groups of people who are also looking for work. They help each other discover new opportunities.Peter: That sounds great. Ill definitely try some of those. Mark: Im glad to hear that. So, what are you doing here?Peter: Oh, Im shopping for a new suit. I want to make the best impression possible at my job interviews! Mark: There you go. Thats the spirit. Im sure things will look up for you soon.Peter: Yes, youre probably right. I hope so! Reported Conversation Mark: I saw Peter today.Susan: Hows he doing? Mark: Not too well, Im afraid.Susan: Whys that? Mark: He told me had been looking for work, but hadnt found a job.Susan: That surprises me. Was he fired or did he quit his last job? Mark: He told me his boss had treated him badly. He also said he didnt like his chances of advancing in the company.Susan: Quitting doesnt sound like a very wise decision to me. Mark: Thats true. But hes been working hard at finding a new job.Susan: Whats he done? Mark: He said he had sent out his resumes to more than twenty companies. Unfortunately, he told me that only two had called him for an interview.Susan: Thats tough. Mark: Tell me about it. However, I gave him some advice and I hope it helps.Susan: What did you suggest? Mark: I suggested joining a networking group.Susan: Thats a great idea. Mark: Yes, well, he told me he would try a few groups.Susan: Where did you see him? Mark: I saw him at the mall. He told me he was shopping for a new suit.Susan: What?! Buying new clothes and no work! Mark: No, no. He said he wanted to make the best impression possible at his job interviews.Susan: Oh, that makes sense. More Dialogue Practice - Includes level and target structures/language functions for each dialogue.