Liz King Ms. Arcangelo English 9 September 28, 2015 Internet Spyware The author, Harlan Coben, in the article, ¨The Undercover Parent¨ (March 16, 2008) argues that parents should use spyware to monitor their children. The author develops his thesis by using anecdotes and countering opposing arguments. Coben uses these in order to convince parents to use spyware with their children. The audience for this article is intended to be parents of kids or teens who use the internet; Coben forms a relationship with them by talking as if he is a parent, so the audience can relate to him. Spyware is not something parents should use to monitor their childrenś internet use because it is an invasion of privacy, it does not alway work, and it does not teach teens to deal with difficult social situations. The first reason why parents should not use spyware, is because it is an invasion of privacy. The definition of privacy is: the condition of being free from being disturbed or observed by other people. Every kid wants to have privacy--a time where they are free from their parents. When parents spy on their children it gives them no privacy. Privacy can also be seen as trust in the eyes of their kids. If they are not given any privacy, they do not feel trusted, and that can lead to tension between the parent and child. Spyware also does not always work in the way it is intended to. Spyware logs what sites teens visit, but it does not block any inappropriate websites. Parents will not be able to prevent their kids from seeing anything inappropriate until it is too late. Children are also very smart, and may be able to figure out how to get around the spyware. If they really don't want their parents to see what they are looking at on the internet, teens will make sure their parents won't. Teenagers may use a different computer or may figure how to disable the spyware on their computer. If a teenager figure out how to get around the spyware, the parent may think everything is fine with their child, when there might really be a problem. Spyware should not be used because it does not teach kids to deal with difficult social situations. If a parent is always protecting their child from real-life problems with spyware, teens will be isolated from real social problems. They will not learn how to deal with difficult situations themselves, and will not get the social experience they need. According to Kemdra Cherry, a psychology expert, cultural experiences are a big part of how children develop more social experiences. The internet is becoming a big part of everyday life, and if kids don’t get to experience the “real” world through the internet, they will not know how to deal with situations in the future. Although spyware is a huge invasion of children’s privacy, some people might argue that parents are just trying to help. But helping does not mean spying. If parents are worried about their teens, they should try asking their kids about it before relying on spyware. Others may counter that it is better than nothing, but is it really? Spyware may also not work in the way it is intended to. Spyware is a big step and may hurt a parent and child’s relationship, so if it won’t even work why are some parents putting their relationship with their kid in danger? Asking the child instead of using a machine is a good alternative again. Children also do not build good social experiences if they are constantly protected from everyday problems. Some parents will argue that their children aren’t ready to face those kinds of everyday situations, but then why are their kids allowed on the internet at all? If parents are trusting their teenagers to be on the internet, they should also trust them to deal with what is on the internet. Parents should not use spyware to monitor their teenagers on the internet because it does not allow them to experience the real world, it does not always work like it is supposed to, and it leaves no privacy for kids. Instead of using spyware, parents should try communicating with their children; ask if anything is wrong or if they can be helped. Do not resort to spying and taking away privacy.
Romeo and Juliet essay:
Liz King Ms. Arcangelo English 9 March 21, 2016 Who Killed Romeo and Juliet? The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, begins in Verona, Italy. Two families, the Montagues and Capulets, hate each other. The Capulet’s daughter, Juliet, and the Montague’s son, Romeo, meet at a party and the two immediately fall deeply in love. They get married the next day without telling their families, who they know would disapprove. After they take their vows, everything rolls downhill for the two; Romeo is banished from Verona, Juliet is forced to marry another man, she fakes her death, and finally the two kill themselves. Romeo and Juliet’s overwhelming urgency to be together cause all of the tragedies that will eventually lead to their death. After the two meet at the Capulet’s party, Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin who hates the Montagues, spots Romeo, but not in time to stop Romeo and Juliet from deciding to get married the next day. Romeo’s disregard of the two families’ feud, leads to his appearance at the Capulet’s party where he is spotted by Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. When Tybalt alerts Juliet’s father of Romeo’s presence, he orders Tybalt to leave Romeo alone for the night. This order makes Tybalt furious and fuels his hatred of Romeo. “I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall,/ Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall” (Shakespeare 1.5.102-03). This hate will come back later in the play and help cause Romeo and Juliet’s death. After the party, Romeo sneaks into Juliet’s backyard where the two pronounce their love for each other (Shakespeare 2.1-2). They decide to be married the next day, despite the fact that they have know each other for less than a day. Juliet says, “Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,” (Shakespeare 2.2.151) before she and Romeo part after the party. Their secret marriage is the reason that the next day Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, who is still angry about the party, because he is now Romeo’s cousin. Romeo and Juliet meet at the party her father threw, where they then fall deeply in love. They decide to get married the following day, but Juliet’s cousin spots Romeo at the party and becomes bitter. Romeo’s carelessness and he and Juliet’s rushed decision to get married will lead to a duel that leaves Romeo banished. Romeo and Juliet have been secretly married by Friar Lawrence. Back in town, bitter Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel, but because Tybalt is now family, Romeo refuses to fight. Mercutio, Romeo’s close friend, steps up to fight Tybalt in Romeo’s place, but is killed in the process. In his rage over the death of his good friend, Romeo kills Tybalt. For this offense, Romeo is banished from Verona by the prince. Immediately we do exile him hence. I have an interest in your hearts’ proceeding: My blood for your rude brawls lie a-bleeding. But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine That you shall all repent the loss of mine. I will be deaf to pleading and excuses. Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses. Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste, Else, when he is found, that hour is his last. (Shakespeare 3.2.196-205) Romeo doesn’t use his head after Mercutio is killed. As soon as he realizes who has been killed, Romeo yells at Tybalt, “Either thou or I, or both, must go with him” (Shakespeare 3.1.134). Instead of killing Tybalt, Romeo should deal with it civilly. He could call the prince to punish Tybalt or at least stop and think about what the consequences of his actions might be. For his carelessness and lack of judgement, Romeo is banished from Verona. This part of the plot is the point in the play that tips the scale towards the lovers’ death. With Romeo banished and Tybalt dead, Juliet’s family decides to marry her to Paris, a nobleman who has been asking for her hand in marriage. Juliet, already married to the banished Romeo, devises a complicated plan that will let her run away with Romeo. “O Nurse, how shall this be prevented?/My husband is on earth, my faith in heaven” (Shakespeare 3.5.216-17). Juliet plans to fake her death. She will drink a potion from Friar Lawrence that will put her into a death-like coma for forty-two hours. Once she is buried in her tomb, she will wake up and run away with Romeo who will be waiting for her. This is a huge mistake; the plan that Juliet and the Friar come up with, is way too complicated. It has so many different components, and something is bound to go wrong. Juliet is also too dramatic. Her first thought, when she learns she will have to marry Paris, is to kill herself. When she decides to ask Friar Lawrence for his complicated plan instead, she still uses her suicide as a backup plan. “If all else fail, myself have power to die” (Shakespeare 3.5.255). Her elaborate plans and dramatic personality lead to the message of her faked death not reaching Romeo. Romeo and Juliet indirectly caused their tragic deaths, because of the events following their forced relationship. Romeo’s carelessness and lack of judgement, Juliet’s flair for drama, and their rushed decision to be with one another all eventually lead to their deaths. Romeo carelessly snuck into the Capulet’s party, where he and Juliet decide to get married; also at the party, he angers Tybalt. This leads to Romeo not wanting to fight his new cousin after Tybalt challenges him to a duel. Tybalt kills Romeo’s friend, who fought in Romeo’s place, so, in turn, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished. After he is banished, Juliet decides to fake her death in order to be with Romeo, but her plan doesn’t reach him in time, so Romeo thinks she is truly dead. He kills himself, and when Juliet awakes from her coma, she also kills herself. After all the mistakes the two lovers made, they kill themselves because of another misunderstanding. Romeo and Juliet cause their own deaths, due to the multiple mistakes they make in their desire to be together.