The major obstacles to success for college students

Lack proper training is a major obstacle to achievement of success by college students. The training that a student gets is very critical especially in regard to the job market. The training should ensure that a student is well equipped with the right skills and knowledge to ensure that he/she has the right skills for the job. Some institutions fail to meet standards required for various job markets.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on The major obstacles to success for college students specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This may cause inefficiency, lack of motivation and confidence. The students will therefore not be eager to exploit their talents and as a result there will be low productivity when such students start to work. College instructors and teachers therefore need to teach students properly and offer them relevant training in accordance to the job requirement. Proper training encourages learners to put in more efforts and thus comes out successfully. Lack of a college advisor to advise and help students to choose the right courses as well as monitor their progress may also hinder student success. A university advisor will avail vital information about courses; such information will enable a learner to pursue an area of interest in which she or he is sure of succeeding. Students who are fresh from high schools or those who have stayed for a long time after completing high schools may take certain courses not because they are passionate about such courses but because of either peer pressure from other students and family members or because they are not sure of what they want to do. Lack of knowledge on the right course to undertake may affect achievement of a college student since the student may feel at some point that he or she is pursuing the wrong career and therefore feel wasted. A college advisor helps students to realize the importance of the course they are undertaking as we ll as the opportunities available at the job market thus motivating the students to work hard. Student advisors also help the students to work out some off pitch issues which may affect their performance in college.Advertising Looking for coursework on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lack financial support is also an obstacle to college success. College affordability has become a major issue and even for those who can afford it, the tough economic times have forced them to look for cheaper ways of living. Many students are very much willing to pursue studies but funds have been a major problem. This in many cases leads to college drop outs. Sometimes family members may fail to offer financial support because they do not understand the importance of college education and they may view it as just a waste of money. The most affected group is those students that come from poor background. In addition, students who have children may be financially challenged because of the huge financial burden. This is because they are forced to take their children in day care, they need to pay for the house rents as well as pay the university. This could be a major challenge especially when the student is not getting any financial support from anybody else. Two elements of higher education in the U.S learned and their application in my home country There is flexibility on taken course (evening, summer and online classes) which helps many students to attend college and keep a part time job as well. Flexibility leads to convenience since one is able to attend classes without having to skip a day job, as one is able to choose a study time that suits him or her better. One is therefore able to undertake and balance several responsibilities without affecting others. Example, one is able to attend to his or her family, work and at the same time attend a college. This may not be possible without evening or online classe s. Moreover, one is also able to study at a time that best suits him or her because one has the chance to fix his or her own schedule. This is very convenient for United States students as they are able to effectively manage and utilize their time well. Differences and diversity of disciplines and universities to suit the country needs. Today we are living in an increasingly heterogeneous society and therefore it is very important to ensure that the needs of every individual are met. Diversity is not just a natural factor that needs to be recognized and respected but it greatly contributes to moving a nation forward. Creating different disciplines and universities to suit the needs of a nation will increases knowledge, wisdom and help a nation to focus all its energy in one direction. It also helps the students to be more comfortable and as a result produce better results.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on The major obstacles to success for college students specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the diversity of disciplines and universities have helped some disciplines to concentrate and focus better on some particular areas which they are good at and as a result specialization has been refined producing the highest quality of learning possible (MGH, 2011). Implementation Introduction of online classes should be implemented. Online classes will offer students opportunities to learn according to schedules that fits them best. The government therefore needs to set up better infrastructure that will enable colleges and universities to deliver an effective online education system. Universities and colleges could start by introducing classes to equip the new online learners with the basic knowledge. They also need to establish an office to assist online students especially when they are faced with problems. Universities should also develop advanced computer systems with effective inte rnet connections that are capable of running current software and programs. The may also need to have plug-ins and supported operating systems. The students on the other hand will just need to have a basic computer and internet connection to successfully undertake such an online course. This may be quite a challenge since the percentage of people who have computer and internet skills is very small, leave alone the percentage of people who go to college or universities. Introduction of diverse disciplines and universities to suit the country needs should also be implemented. Different disciplines and universities that specialize in a particular area should be introduced. Each university should be encouraged to pursue what they are good at as this will help colleges to shape specific students better. This will make it possible for regional specialization of universities to be possible. It will also help to ensure that the right standards are maintained. Introduction of online courses and increasing the variety of course within my country may be confronted with some challenges. One of the biggest confrontations will be limited universities and colleges as well as teachers. This might therefore be too hard to implement in a short time.Advertising Looking for coursework on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The country therefore needs to build more schools if this is to be achieved. The path to the implementation will be quite slow but there is likelihood that all is possible and that more courses can be availed in the local universities. Reference MGH. (2011). Technical requirement for online classes. Institute of Health Professionals. Web. This coursework on The major obstacles to success for college students was written and submitted by user Abdullah H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was an improvement to our nation. The revolution begins with small farms in the 1700’s that began to be wealthy landowners. They turned the land into factories to produce items faster. During the revolution people started growing their crops differently so they grew faster. The textile industry was the main part of the revolution. The revolution gave today many advantages to society. It increased the economy for at the time and it introduced the time period for new ideas. The Industrial Revolution set standards for the economy, provided people with new jobs and inventions, and spread the industry and cultures. The revolution made many changes occur throughout several countries. There were economy changes during the whole revolution. It changed from communism to capitalism. There were union and non-union companies. They began new corporations in order make a better profit. In these corporations the employee’s would invest in stock. The mass production of things also helped the economy. It helped make a lot of the corporation’s money. The Industrial Revolution helped people find jobs. Since people had to move off of their farms, they moved to cities. They found many jobs in the factories. The work and conditions where hard but they made money. This was an up rise for the middle class. During the Industrial Revolution many inventions were created. The inventions increased the economy and helped out on lifestyles of today. Crop rotation was one way of helping out agriculture. The inventions where a big help to agriculture and textiles. Robert Fulton invented the steamboat out of a steam engine. Hartwick made the Spinning Jenny. Eli Whitney created the cotton gin. In 1814, George Stephenson made the first steam engine. All of these inventions increased the amount of products, which also helped out the economy. The Industrial Revolution still effects today because without it, the numerous small inventi... Free Essays on Industrial Revolution Free Essays on Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was an improvement to our nation. The revolution begins with small farms in the 1700’s that began to be wealthy landowners. They turned the land into factories to produce items faster. During the revolution people started growing their crops differently so they grew faster. The textile industry was the main part of the revolution. The revolution gave today many advantages to society. It increased the economy for at the time and it introduced the time period for new ideas. The Industrial Revolution set standards for the economy, provided people with new jobs and inventions, and spread the industry and cultures. The revolution made many changes occur throughout several countries. There were economy changes during the whole revolution. It changed from communism to capitalism. There were union and non-union companies. They began new corporations in order make a better profit. In these corporations the employee’s would invest in stock. The mass production of things also helped the economy. It helped make a lot of the corporation’s money. The Industrial Revolution helped people find jobs. Since people had to move off of their farms, they moved to cities. They found many jobs in the factories. The work and conditions where hard but they made money. This was an up rise for the middle class. During the Industrial Revolution many inventions were created. The inventions increased the economy and helped out on lifestyles of today. Crop rotation was one way of helping out agriculture. The inventions where a big help to agriculture and textiles. Robert Fulton invented the steamboat out of a steam engine. Hartwick made the Spinning Jenny. Eli Whitney created the cotton gin. In 1814, George Stephenson made the first steam engine. All of these inventions increased the amount of products, which also helped out the economy. The Industrial Revolution still effects today because without it, the numerous small inventi...

Comparative Economic Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparative Economic Systems - Essay Example The traditional perspective as oppressed class which was ever so pervasive during the 1960s is no longer emphatic. The roadmap of economic development of the two South Asian countries, India and China, has paved the way for radical social transformations that have been unprecedented in the history of these countries. This has been reflected in recent years when several incidents in various Indian states have expressed the agitation against industry’s attempt to acquire agricultural land (Chatterjee, 2008, p.54). The economic development in South Korea since the 1960s has been unparalleled in the country’s history. During the previous decade the country was suffering from extreme poverty as destructive result of the Korean War in the early part of the decade. The GDP in 1954 was just about $1.5 billion and per capita only $70 (Heo et al., 2008, p.2). The phenomenal growth is proved by the fact that in 2012 per capita GDP was $31,822 with the country now falling within the bracket of high income countries. In 1998, GDP dropped to 6.9 percent after which South Korea took various economic initiatives like encouraging more FDIs and imports. Although the country was affected by the 2008 global economic crisis, it recovered to a large extent in subsequent years (The World Factbook). Canada is an industrially developed country, and like the US it has market-oriented economy with high level of production. Since the WWII, rapid growth of â€Å"manufacturing, mining and service sectors† (The World Factbook) have resulted in the country becoming an urban economy from earlier rural economy. Trade agreements with the US have a great positive impact on Canada’s trade and economy. Almost 75 percent of its exports go to US resulting in considerable trade surplus. The 2008 global economic crisis badly affect the country’s economy in the

Case Study in Managerial Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case Study in Managerial Accounting - Essay Example The cost endor being placed at $5.50 is referred to as the variable cost since it is believed to be the market cost though it tends to vary depending on the market situations. The $5.75 is referred to as the period cost since used for accounting purposes to record the actual expense to be incurred when the product is purchased The $14,000 that Alderon received from Solo Industries is referred to as fixed price that Solo Industries fixed for the tatooine. The $20,000 that Alderon paid is referred to as the product cost since Aalderon actually incurred the cost and it was used for accounting purposes.10If the tatooine was purchased today by Alderon, then it would cost $11.00 which is therefore referred to as the market price. The $1,000 is referred to as indirect labor cost as the price cannot be directly traced back to the product. The $10,000 that would have been a donation of each of the 10 percent viewers of the wildlife show is an opportunity cost as the best forgone alternative. The $5000 is referred to as the outlay cost as it would be the future cash flow. The $25,000 is the revenue cost likely to be collected once the wildlife show is sold to another television show. The wildlife show has a smaller viewing percentage but have high income of $10000Ãâ€"10=$100,000 as compared to the manufacturing show with a big viewing percentage but low income of $5000Ãâ€"15=$75000. It is therefore of significance to show wildlife as opposed to manufacturing

Short Reflection on the Problem of Evil Essay Example for Free

Short Reflection on the Problem of Evil Essay The question of evil is a common hot button topic among atheists and non-Christians who attempt to disprove Christianity. They argue that an omnipotent and omniscient God cannot exist in a world with so much evil. The argument is used by them to try to prove that Christianity is â€Å"internally self-contradictory and thereby to be rejected.† Many claim that a benevolent and caring God would certainly not create evil or allow it to flourish in the world that He created. So, the problem of evil is how to explain that there can be a perfect, all-powerful, and all-loving God that exists in a world with so much moral and natural evil. First, natural and moral evil need to be distinguished from one another. Natural evil is defined as â€Å"evil which occurs in the process of the functioning of the natural order.† People are not responsible for these happenings; they are simply the victims and no one is to blame. The devastation that resulted from Hurricane Sandy is a perfect example of such evil, along with other problems such as cancer and earthquakes. Moral evil, on the other hand, is defined as â€Å"evil produced by activities of moral agents.† This evil stems from intentional action, such as murder, stealing, and adultery. Natural evil is part of the consequences of moral evil that resulted from the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. The vast amount of evil that exists in the world is not because God created it, but because man allowed it. Man was not was not created by God with a built in evil nature; he was created with a free will that was exercised to purposefully sin. God gave Adam a choice whether to do right or wrong and he failed. The moment Adam chose to sin in the Garden of Eden the rest of the human race would be born in sin, too. God did not force this choice on Adam but allowed him to have complete free will. God is wholly benevolent and did not create evil; man brought it into the world by his sinful actions. Adam’s wrongdoing also brought condemnation the perfect world God created. Natural evils like illness and natural disasters are a direct result from the moral evil that man commits. Just as this God-given free will brought sin into the world, though, it gives us the chance to show our true love for God. He did not leaves us hopeless and abandoned when sin entered the world; He offers us a way of escape through His son Jesus Christ. There will always be evil in this world until Christ returns in glory one day. The evil that exists, both moral and natural, are not created by God but are a direct result of man abusing his free will and choosing wrongly. Bibliography Gerstner, J. H.. â€Å"Evil.† Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. E. Walter A Elwell. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. 384-385. Print.

Ghost Stories :: essays research papers

I’ve always believed in ghosts and spirits. Perhaps it was because it amused me, or perhaps it was because I’ve been stuffed with ghost stories ever since I was old enough to comprehend them. I’ve been around a lot of people who grew up in remote areas of the world. You know, the place where electricity doesn’t exist, and running house water is just a myth. Well, anyway, I’ve heard many ghost stories from them, mostly drawn from their actual encounters and experiences. These stories were pass on to me on many different occasions. Like say†¦ around a campfire, a mid-night drive across towns, or just under the dim candlelight of my friends’ basements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of my friends’ stories was about his dad. You see, back in those days when my friend’s father was just teenager, water was a rare commodity. At every dawn, he had to leave his home with two vases on either side of a stick on his shoulders to get drinkable water from the village’s well. The walk was about two miles. People did not live close to each other in those days, they lived on their farm, and every house was quite far from each other. There wasn’t any pavement, or cement street, roads were simply made out of rocks, and mud, and dirt. And the only mean of transportation was cows. Nevertheless, my friend’s dad always stopped by his neighbor’s house, the two boys grew up together and they’ve always walked alongside each other to get water. When Mr. Shoe, my friend’s dad, was fifteen, his friend died of malaria, so from then on; he had to walk to the well by himself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day, while coming back from the well, Mr. Shoe heard running footsteps coming from behind him. So he stopped and turned around, no one was there. The footsteps then slowed down to a jog, and then to a walk, then it stopped next to him. He was puzzled, but he wasn’t scared, so he kept walking. The footstep started again, but this time it was next to him. The footstep’s pace matched Mr. Shoe pace evenly as he walked down the street.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tall grass that was growing on either side of the street, he recalled, drooped down and turned purple that day. It seemed dead and somehow†¦ evil. The sun did not rise yet, and the moon still hung stubbornly on the cloudless night.

The Castle of Otranto †a Gothic Novel

The Castle of Otranto – A Gothic Novel Picture of the Title Page of the Second Edition A Dossier by Luisa Hiller, Johannes Klein, Benjamin Priebst, and Claudia Haack Table of Contents: 1. Introduction – The Gothic Novel 2. Horace Walpole 2. 1. The Life of Horace Walpole 2. 2. The Works of Horace Walpole 3. â€Å"The Castle of Otranto – A Gothic Novelâ€Å" 3. 1. Introduction 3. 2. Index of Characters 3. 3. Summary of the Plot 3. 4. The Characters' Appearance 3. 5. The Character Constellation 3. 6. Gothic Elements in The Castle of Otranto . Bibliography 1. Introduction – The Gothic Novel In the first half of the 18th century the word â€Å"Gothic† was mainly related to the Nordic invaders, the Goths, who were disliked because of their barbarous behaviour and their brutal invasion. Therefore â€Å"gothic† had a pejorative connotation, which, nevertheless, changed in the middle of the 18th century into a word being related to supernatural and fantastic events. The first gothic novel appeared in 1764, when Horace Walpole? s â€Å"The Castle of Otranto† was published. From this time on to approximately 1820 there was an explosion of gothic writings, which almost turned into addiction, especially for the female readership, who were craving for popular entertainment. This form of writing dominated British literature during this period and can be described as a hybrid between novel and romance, also encompassing drama and poetry. Though the gothic novel had many critics, it became unexpectedly successful due to the fact that it signified morality, beauty, a lack of reason and feudal beliefs which formed, at that time, a sharp contrast to the actual values of the Age of Enlightenment. Consequently, the gothic novel functioned as a mirror of 18th century conventions and values. The emergence of this new development in literature implied the assumption that there was a need for sacred and transcendent forces due to the denial of the existence of supernatural forces by the modern enlightened society. So the gothic novel provoked a rebellion against the predominant ideal of order and unity, which caused a lot of annoyance and was a socially subversive force for many critics. Finally, the author? intention was to evoke fear and terror, but also grandeur, and to make people be reverential. Writers of that period wanted, moreover, to wind up the reader? s feelings. This aim could be achieved by the usage of particular elements, which appeared in almost every gothic novel. Some of these elements are mentioned below. >setting The action usually takes place in some ruined castle or abbey in a remote and dark time, like the Middle Ages. Furthermore, the buildings are in many cases full of crypts, catacombs, dungeons, trap doors and secret underground passages. atmosphere The atmosphere of the whole story seems threatening and mysterious due to some inexplicable events as ancient prophecies and curses coming true, visions or other supernatural occurrences which sometimes can be elucidated. There are, furthermore, extreme landscapes as thick forests and rugged mountains often containing caves. Additionally a terrifying atmosphere is created by the apparent gloom, shadows, moonlight or a flickering candle. >emotions A gothic novel always contains powerful emotions like pride, anger, sadness, surprise, and especially, terror. Romantic elements like love and its often tragical implications (uncertainty of reciprocation, rival lovers, †¦ ) are also part of many gothic novels. Characteristics for the partly overwrought emotions are crying and melodramatic speeches, as well as panic and fainting. >distressed women Frequently women are oppressed and threatened, either by male relatives or other powerful men, for instance kings or lords which are mostly tyrannical. These women are often the main characters, demanded to do something unbearable as marrying someone they do not love. After the outstanding success of the gothic novel in the 1790? s, it began to fade in 1820. One reason for this was the frequent imitation, so that people became bored and the gothic novels stereotypes. Moreover, critics have been slow to accept the gothic novel as a valuable genre, for which reason it has almost vanished from European literature. The most important representatives: Horace Walpole>The Castle of Otranto (1764) Ann Radcliffe>The Italian; or the Confessional of the Black Penitents (1797) Mary Shelley>Frankenstein (1818) Charles Maturin>Melmoth the Wanderer (1820) 2. Horace Walpole 2. 1. The Life of Horace Walpole Horace Walpole was born on September 24 in London, the forth son of later Prime Minister Robert Walpole. Rumour has it that the eight-year-old boy met Alexander Pope during a summer holiday spent at Cambridge House, Twickenham, in 1725. Stages of his education include such famous names as Eton (1727-1734) and King? s College, Cambridge (1735-39). The following two years of his life were spent on the obligatory â€Å"Grand Tour†. Walpole was accompanied by his schoolfriend, the poet Thomas Gray, and the two of them toured France and Italy. When he returned to England in 1741, Walpole could immediately take up office, having been elected Member of Parliament for the family borough Callington in Cornwell while he was still abroad. For the following quarter of a century Walpole served as an MP in varying constituencies, before he finally retired in 1767. 1747 marked the beginning of a lifelong â€Å"obsession†. In this year, Walpole took up residence at Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, and began transforming his domicile into â€Å"the most celebrated Gothic House in England†. In 1757, a private printing press was set up at Strawberry Hill and Walpole brought out some of his own works by means of it. After the death of his nephew in 1791, Horace Walpole succeeded him as fourth Earl of Orford. He died five years later, on March 2, 1797. 2. 2. The Works of Horace Walpole –1747First book, â€Å"Aedes Walpolianae†, a description of the paintings at Houghton (the family seat in Norfolk), published –1751Walpole starts writing his â€Å"Memoirs†, a process continuing until 1791 –1758â€Å"Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors†, 2 vols. 1762â€Å"Anecdotes of Painting in England†, 5 vols. (-1780) –1764December 24, â€Å"The Castle of Otranto† published –1768â€Å"The Mysterious Mother† (a tragedy) â€Å"Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard the Third† Apart from the above-listed works, Walpole is known for his extensive correspondence. 4000 of his letters have been p reserved. 3. â€Å"The Castle of Otranto – A Gothic Novel† 3. 1. Introduction On December 24, 1764, the English readership was presented with â€Å"The Castle of Otrantoâ€Å", a novel which gave rise to a new literary genre: the Gothic Novel. Its author – Horace Walpole – obviously had not reckoned with the immediate success of his work. Why else would he have published the first edition of it anonymously? In fact, Walpole concealed his authorship by a rather complex story of the origin and discovery of â€Å"The Castle of Otrantoâ€Å". His anxiety about the reception of his novel was basically founded on the â€Å"novelty of the attemptâ€Å" (Otranto 7). Two aspects shall be mentioned to explain what he meant. Firstly, one of Wal-pole? s major intentions in writing the book was â€Å"[†¦ to blend the two kinds of romance, the ancient and the modernâ€Å" (Otranto 7), the former distinguished by imagination and improbability, the latter by a more realistic presentation of life (Walpole himself used the term â€Å"natureâ€Å" rather than â€Å"realisticâ€Å"). His object was to reconcile the two different approaches by showing people acting in a natural way while being exposed to the most u nnatural situations. The second motive that originally prevented Walpole from revealing his authorship were the super-natural elements contained in the story; ironically enough the very reason for its later fame. But by the time of its publication Walpole could not be sure that the mysterious events around â€Å"The Castle of Otrantoâ€Å" would meet with the approval of mid-18th century readers. After all, this was the Age of Enlightenment, the period of â€Å"cold reasonâ€Å" (Letter to Mme du Deffand, 13 March 1767, quoted from Otranto x) in which there was no place for ghosts, spectres, visions, prophecies and the like supernatural phenomena. With his fears not being confirmed and the positive reception of the novel, Walpole finally revealed his authorship with the appearance of the second edition in April 1765. The second edition brought another innovation: the subtitle â€Å"A Gothic Novelâ€Å" was added to the book, thereby providing the term for a whole literary branch which became very popular with readers in the following decades. Beside the above-mentioned supernatural elements which can be applied to any Gothic story there are several elements which are peculiar to â€Å"The Castle of Otrantoâ€Å". One of them can be perceived whenever servants and aristocratic characters meet. In writing these scenes Walpole was inspired by and imitated another prominent figure of English literary history, and he freely admits: â€Å"That great master of nature, Shakespeare, was the model I copiedâ€Å" (Otranto 8). And in another passage from the second edition Walpole describes the function of the domestics in the following way: â€Å"The simplicity of their behaviour, almost tending to excite smiles, [†¦ ] appeared to me not only not improper, but was marked designedly in that manner. My rule was nature. [†¦ In my humble opinion, the contrast between the sublime of the one [the noble characters] and the naivete of the other, sets the pathetic of the former in a stronger lightâ€Å" (Otranto 8). Finally, the last aspect to be mentioned is one that is not missing from any description of Walpole? s life and works. At the end of the preface to the first edition Walpole writes: I will detain the reader not longer than to make one short remark. Though the machin e- ry is invention, and the names of the actors imaginary, I cannot but believe that the groundwork of the story is founded on truth. The scene is undoubtedly laid in some real castle. The author seems frequently, without design, to describe particular parts. â€Å"The chamberâ€Å", says he, â€Å"on the right hand: the door on the left hand; the distance from the chapel to Conrad? s apartmentâ€Å": these and other passages are strong presumptions that the author had some certain building in his eye (Otranto 5-6). This extract could well be seen as a proof for Walpole? s sense of humour. In fact, the author – Walpole himself – did have a certain building in mind, namely his own domicile, Strawberry Hill. . 2. Index of Characters Manfred, Prince of Otranto†¢Hippolita, Princess of Otranto Conrad, their son and heir†¢Matilda, their daughter Isabella, engaged to Conrad, daughter of >†¢Frederic, Marquis of Vicenza Bianca, the princesses’ chambermaid †¢Jaquez and Diego, the prince’s servants Theodore (heir to Alfonso the Good,)son of>†¢Jerome (Count of Falconara, ) friar of the church of St. NicholasTwo knights, Frederic? s escort†¢A herald A giant knight, Ghost of Alfonso the Good†¢A phantom, ghost of a wise hermit Manfred? s servants, soldiers, people of the nearby village 3. 3. Summary of the Plot The story takes place in the old castle of Otranto, south Italy, in the Late Middle Ages. Because of an inscrutable prophecy, Manfred, Lord of Otranto, fears the downfall of his dynasty. After his only son Conrad’s sudden and mysterious death on his wedding day, Manfred intends to merry Conrad’s fiancee Isabella, which results in her flight from the castle. Theodore, a suspicious stranger, seems to be involved in her escape. Later, Frederic, Father of Isabella, who was reckoned to be lost in the last crusade, arrives to claim the authority over the Castle. He pretends to be the successor of Alfonso, the former legitimate Lord of Otranto, who died during the crusade. By offering his beautiful daughter Matilda to the challenger, Manfred tries to come to an arrangement with Frederic. Frederic should merry Matilda and Manfred should become husband to Isabella. Manfred’s wife Hippolita does not offer much resistance. However, because of increasing cryptic occurrences that remind Frederic of a prophecy he had been told, he rejects Manfred’s offer. Meanwhile, Manfred is becoming more and more jealous of Theodore, suspecting him to be Isabella? lover. His jealousy leads to the sad climax of the drama: Manfred, taking his daughter for Isabella, kills her accidentally when he discovers her secretly meeting Theodore. Manfred slays his only heir. Completing the prophecy, the giant ghost of Alfonso appears and Manfred resigns his dominion. Theodore? s identity as the true heir of Alfonso is revealed and he becomes the legitimate Lord of Otranto. 3. 4. The Characters? Appearance Throughout the Chapters (Only characters significant to the plot have been indexed. ) Man-fredHippo- litaCon- radMatil- aIsabel- laTheo- doreJeromeFrede-ricBian- caJaquez + DiegoGiantPhan- tom 1. XXXXXX—XX- 2. XX-X- XX-X— 3. X–XXXXX—- 4. XX-XXXXX—- 5. XX-XXXXXX-XX 3. 5. The Character Constellation 3. 6. Hippolita Frederic Jerome Manfred Isabella Theodore Matilda Bianca Manfred + Hippolitamarried; he wants to divorce her; she obeys him in everything (exception: authority of the church) Manfred + JeromeM. respects the friar, but suspects and scorns the man; J. exercises the authority of his position and his knowledge of the prophecy Manfred + TheodoreM. suspicion, anger, jealousy, aversion, but respect; T. > obedience, ‘superiority of manners' Manfred + Frederic business-like relationship, trying to come to an arrangement Manfred + IsabellaM. > she is the object of his desire I. > repulsiveness, fear Isabella + Fredericfather and daughter; I. > dutiful child; F. > considers ‘exchanging' her for Matilda Isabella + TheodoreT. > a friend in need, chivalrous helper I. > thankful for the assistance of the ‘peasant' T. , later falls in love with the ‘ true heir' T. Isabella + Matildamutual affection and confidence (like sisters); for some time rivals (> Theodore) Matilda + Theodoretragic lovestory Jerome + Theodorefather and son; J. > fatherly love and concern; T. > less emotional, retains some distance Jerome + Hippolitathe friar as confidant and advisor; H. > devoted and obedient Christian Matilda + Biancamistress and maid-servant 3. 6. Gothic Elements in â€Å"The Castle of Otrantoâ€Å" Not before the second edition did Horace Walpole admit that he himself wrote the book, which in its initial edition had the title: The Castle of Otranto, A Story. Translated by William Marshal, Gent. From the Original Italian of Onuphrio Muralto, Canon of the Church of St. Nicholas at Otranto (Otranto 1). But it was not before the work had been such a success that he admitted that â€Å"The Castle of Otranto† was in fact a work of fiction and not, as he had claimed in the preface of the first edition, which was published in 1764, â€Å"[†¦ ]found in the library of an ancient Catholic family in the north of England† (First Edition 3) and had only been translated. To further strengthen the point that the original story was based on reality, he adds that â€Å"Though the machinery is invention, and the names of the actors imaginary, I cannot but believe that the groundwork of the story is founded on truth† (First Preface 5) and proves his conviction by giving the reader examples of where he thinks that the original author must have unconsciously been referring to a specific place: â€Å" ‘The chamber,' says he, ‘on the right hand; the door on the left hand; the distance from the chapel to Conrad's apartment' [†¦ †(Second Preface 6). Through the preface to the first edition Horace Walpole sets the setting and describes the scene to have happened â€Å"[†¦ ] between 1095, the era of the first crusade, and 1243, the date of the last, or not long afterwards† (First Preface 3). Main themes of a gothic novel include ancient prophecies that are almost forgotten. In this case there are two which are both linke d to the true heir of Alfonso and thus the rightful lord of Otranto. The reader hears the first one already in the second paragraph where it says, â€Å"[t]hat the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it† (Otranto 15). The next one is more in the sense of a classical prophecy: â€Å"Where? er a casque that suits this sword is found, [w]ith perils is thy daughtercompass'd round: Alfonso? s blood alone can save the maid, [a]nd quiet a long-restless prince's shade† (Otranto79). It is in rhyme and not, as the first one, passed on oraly, but written on a giant sabre which was found far far away from the castle of Otranto. Another defining characteristic of a gothic novel are inexplicable sounds: â€Å"At that instant the portrait of his grandfather, which hung over the bench where they had been sitting, uttered a deep sigh, and heaved its breast† (Otranto 23). Furthermore, there are visions of things that can not possibly exist: â€Å"[I]t is a giant, I believe; he is all clad in armour, for I saw his foot and part of his leg, and they are as large as the helmet below in the court† (Otranto 33). And, most importantly, the one that sets the whole story in motion: â€Å"He beheld his child dashed to pieces, and almost buried under an enormous helmet, an hundred times more large than any casque ever made for human being, and shaded with a proportionable quantity of black feathers† (Otranto 17). Further characteristics include women in distress. Since Hippolita, Manfred's lawfully wedded wife, can not concieve any more children, and Conrad has been squashed by the gigantic helmet, Manfred needs a male heir and thus decides to divorce Hippolita and to marry Isabella:â€Å"Isabella, since I cannot give you my son, I offer you myself (Otranto 23). In the end, every hint that has been given throughout the story is packed together in a great vision for all the protagonists to see: A clap of thunder at that instant shook the castle to its foundations; the earth rocked and the clank of more than mortal armours was heard behind. [†¦ ] The moment Theo- dore appeared, the walls of the castle behind Manfred were thrown down with a migh- ty force, and form of Alfonso, dilated to an immense magnitude, appeared in the centre of the ruins. Behold in Theodore, the true heir of Alfonso! â€Å" said the vision: and having pronounced those words, accompanied by a clap of thunder, it ascended solemnly to- wards heaven, where the clouds parting asunder, he form of saint Nicholas was seen; and receiving Alfonso? s shade, they were soon wrapt from mortal eyes in a blaze of glory. The beholders fell prostrate on their faces, acknowledging the divine will (Otran- to 108). 4. Bibliography Walpole, Horace. The Castle of Otranto. 1764. Oxford: O xford University Press, 1964.