Sports Autobiography free essay sample

It was as if I had won the World Series. Next I would be touring the country, signing autographs, and riding on floats in city parades. Everywhere I’d go, locals would triumphantly hoist me atop their shoulders as I would wave to the adoring fans. I believed this all to be true. I was on top of the world, and a member of the red Aces, the winning team of the Ridgway, IL, tee-ball tournament. At five years of age, this was no small feat. It was the most significant event of my dear little life. I felt like a rock star, a five year old rock star. Even since with monumental moment, athletics have always played a large role in my life. It’s obvious that at a young age, I desperately believed that I was great at sports, whether I actually was or not. To me, I was the cat’s pajamas. We will write a custom essay sample on Sports Autobiography or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This sense of accomplishment is common at that age according to the Developmental Changes in Goal Orientation, which implies that effort equals excellence. Even before my tee-ball years, I remember playing sports with my family, baseball in the backyard, and basketball in the shed, depending on the weather. I had always been encouraged by my family, especially my mother who was a volleyball coach and had played several sports herself. She felt it was important for my sister and me to understand and participate in athletics. My mother would tell me stories of how my grandmother played basketball in the 30s in Tennessee. I was inspired by the women in my family and their experiences with sports. I wanted to be a part of something they were apart of and had thoroughly enjoyed. Oddly enough, it was my sister and I who excelled in sports, in comparison to both of my brothers. My family didn’t exactly fit the mold of the traditional gender stereotyping when raising sons and daughters. Parents give more encouragement to sons than daughters in sports. Girls reported lower physical competence in physical activity than boys,† (Brustad, 1996). I participated in sports at an early age because I had positive influences in my family, and because I enjoyed the challenge and the physical activity. By middle school, I began to excel in basketball. Playing for the Gallatin County Hawks girls’ basketball team, I was discovering my talents as a ball player. I played opposite Dana Pinkston, former Saluki women’s basketball guard. She was quick, agile, and very tough. She pushed me to be a better ball player. During this time in my life, I experienced both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, as described in the Self-Determination Theory. The Self-Determination Theory describes intrinsic motivation as challenge, skill improvement, and fun. Extrinsic motivation includes privileges, social status, recognition, and awards, (Deci Ryan, 1985). My intrinsic motivation included gaining more control of my dribbling, having more confidence on the court, and increasing my shooting accuracy. However, I was motivated as well by the attention I got from the coach and teammates when I performed well. I loved the feeling I got when people clapped for the team as we ran out onto the court. I especially wanted people to clap for me. Basketball was going very well for me at the time and I felt as if I had great potential in the future. During that particular basketball season, I spent several weekends traveling with my family to St. Louis for consultations with an orthopedic surgeon. It was discovered that I had severe scoliosis and might need surgery. I had gone to the doctor after an injury on my hip during the previous softball season and an x-ray on my hip had discovered my problem. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to affect my game, and wasn’t noticeable if you weren’t looking for it. In fears the scoliosis would progress, my parents thought it would be best to have a spinal fusion surgery. Halfway through the basketball season, I had spinal surgery at 13 years old. After the surgery, I was in bed for six weeks, and wasn’t able to exercise or do much of anything for six months. This was very hard, emotionally and physically for a previously very active 13 year old. I wasn’t allowed to participate in competitive sports for one year, but I was determined to play basketball again in high school. During my freshman year basketball season, I spent a couple of months practicing with the team as much as I physically could. It was apparent during the practices, that I had lost much of the stamina, strength, and mobility I once had. I had difficulty keeping up with my teammates, and it seemed my teammates would be frustrated with me for it. After a year following the surgery, I was allowed to compete in games. I wasn’t as good as the year before and I was very conscious of it. I very much wanted to regain what I had lost, and more. I wanted to be able to compete, exceptionally. My perceived competence was very low, but I had a high mastery goal orientation. According to the Achievement Goal Theory, goal orientation and perceived competence of one’s ability will determine their motivation. Goal orientation is not enough to determine motivation (Nichols, 1984, 1989). My motivation and goal orientation, determined that I had high motivation for excelling. I very much wanted to get back into the shape I had once been in. I didn’t play much at all during the rest of the season, and I had lost confidence in myself as an athlete. I felt so far behind and felt obligated to make up for lost times, so I made a goal that I would do anything to get the endurance and strength I once had. During my sophomore year, I began going to early morning practices, which were a volunteer exercise program, mainly for members of the boys’ basketball team. I and one other female attended these early morning practices and were the only two females at the workouts. The other female was a good friend of mine, and also an extremely competitive person. Since I was the only other female, it felt as if we were always in competition with each other. It seemed she always tried to beat me at all the drills. I soon let my goals become more ego oriented. I felt I was always trying to prove myself and my ability and began focusing more on being in competition with others, (Nichols, 1984, 1989). It was noticeable that my enjoyment of sports began to diminish. Not only was I participating in before and after school practices, I took up weight lifting class. I was gaining strength and becoming a better athlete, but was not enjoying sports like I had in the past. I began becoming ego oriented and obsessed with sports and being better. I was playing basketball, softball, and volleyball. In the beginning, I wanted to improve myself, but as the competition escaladed, I began working hard for to prove something to my teammates, coach, and for merit on college applications. My identifications changed, and for the wrong reasons. By my senior year of high school, halfway through basketball season, the burn out began to weigh heavily. A month left in the season, I got mononucleosis. All I wanted to do was play basketball, and again, a physical ailment prevented me from playing. It was probably a blessing in isguise. I think it was a sign that I needed to rest and re-evaluate sports. I began recovering as softball season began to roll around. The funny thing was I really didn’t feel like playing. Three years starting at third base, I just couldn’t do it anymore. I was completely burnt out. All I wanted to do was go home after school, eat dinner, take a nap, and watch wheel of fortune. That’s exactly wh at I did during the spring quarter of my senior year. Season after season of sports, I never allowed myself to rest, even after I had a serious surgery. It was rest that was well needed. I went to college and began participating in intramural basketball and softball. My goals and motivations were focused less on the ego and more on mastery. Maybe it was maturity, or the less competitive environment I was in, but I started to enjoy sports more than I had in high school. I seemed to care less about competing with my teammates or winning, and more about playing hard and having fun. I still had times when I let those ego beliefs take over, but then again, who doesn’t? Exercise and sport has always been a part of my life. Various experiences and challenges have shaped my motivation and approach to sports.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Most works of fiction borrow from historical events. Therefore, for anyone to understand a particular work of literature, he/she has to be familiar with its historical context. â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being† is a novel set in Czechoslovak. This means that it would help the reader if he/she has an understanding of Czechoslovak’s history.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Unbearable Lightness of Being specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Milan Kundera the author of this book disagrees with this notion. The author maintains that the events that transpire in his novel do not necessarily reflect the history of Czechoslovak. Even if this was the case, there is still an undeniable relationship between history and fiction in â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being†. This paper will explore this relationship in a detailed manner. Kundera, the author of â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being† has previously dismissed the notion that all history can be explained rationally. The author had lived through the dictatorship of the Soviet Union. In his opinion, the absurdities and cruelties he encountered when this regime came to force, could not be explained rationally. For instance, he questioned the drive behind Russia’s bid for world domination. His argument was that there were no prior events or circumstances that could help explain the rationale behind Russia’s actions. The author believes history is basically made of existential situations. Following the author’s way of thinking, there is a way to describe Soviet Czechoslovak existentially. It can be defined by its location, political situation, historical background, communist influence, and culture. Therefore, the circumstances faced by most of the characters in â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being† coincide with the above definitions. For instance, submission to Soviet authority, flig ht from political intolerance, and self-exile are all circumstances that can be easily related to Czechoslovak’s history. In his book, Kundera notes that incase the French Revolution was to happen again, Robespierre’s contribution would be compromised. This is because the circumstances surrounding this revolution have been belittled by authors and historians. Kundera quips that â€Å"years of revolution have turned into mere words, theories, and discussions†¦frightening no one† (Kundera 4). The author is wrong by making this assumption. Robespierre is not dead and gone. The only thing Robespierre has done is to assume different forms. To some he is a hero and yet to others he is a frightening villain who goes around cutting off people’s heads. Whenever a historical turmoil is over, the people who come after it has happened can only approach it from a historical perspective.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if w e can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The same is true of the Czechoslovak in â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness†. The author had a firsthand experience with the situation when it happened. Therefore, his â€Å"fiction† cannot be likened to that of a today’s author on the same subject. This is probably why Kundera felt that literature and history could not be compatible. For instance, the author feels that literature either overstates or understates history. His claim that Robespierre is two different entities is understandable. The Robespierre who â€Å"occurs only once in history† is very hard to locate (Kundera 4). However, many other variations of the character only mislead actual history. Kundera argues that one cannot rely on fiction to be an accurate representation of history. This is because when everybody is busy condemning those who colluded with the Nazi, a new breed of the â€Å"Nazi† is currently unde r formation. The only difference is that fiction and history cannot recognize it as it happens. All the main characters in this novel can also relate to history in the course of their â€Å"lightness†. The main character, Tomas, is a surgeon who lives his life through a controversial moral code. Tereza, the woman he subsequently falls in love with also struggles with her lightness of being. Sabina, Tomas’ mistress is a free spirited woman who later is separated with the pair. All these characters’ lives are disrupted by the events that transpire in Czechoslovak. Whenever an author creates characters, he/she does so by either drawing from personal experiences or by inference. Therefore, it is likely that Kundera’s characters were sourced from his personal experiences. This would directly imply that they have some relevance in relation to his history. The characters in this novel are interwoven with the ideas of lightness and weight. These ideas are develop ed in great depth throughout the book. The philosophy behind â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being† was something the author must have encountered around the time this book was published. If this was the case, this philosophy most likely had some ties to the history of the time. This is true because other authors during this period also addressed this philosophy of weight and lightness. It is likely that there are certain factors that made this philosophy relevant in Czechoslovak at that time. This would tie the subject matter of this book to the history of this country. When Joseph Stalin died, the situation in the Soviet Union began to change. The existent totalitarian authority started to relax gradually. During this time, open protests that were challenging the policies of the Soviet Union began rising. This demand for reform came to a climax when a leader of the Communist Party in Czechoslovak was deposed in 1967. Alexander Dubcek replaced the overthrown leader and imm ediately began a campaign to change policies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Unbearable Lightness of Being specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This wave of reforms continued until the Soviet tanks invaded Prague in 1968. Soon after, the totalitarian policies began being reinstated. Kundera was himself against a totalitarian government. â€Å"The Joke† is a novel published by Kundera and it featured subtle criticisms of communism. He was also opposed to the censorship employed by the system. At one point, he urged his fellow writers not to submit to censorship. In addition, he was an active member of intellectual groups that protested against the Soviet rule. The Soviet Union responded to Kundera’s actions by revoking his publishing rights. The authorities also gave him a chance to go on a self-exile. He eventually went to a self-exile in France where he continued to write. He later attributed his sel f-exile to hopelessness. Before this second invasion of 1967, the war against totalitarianism was almost won. However, when the military tanks showed up, the hope of ever gaining freedom waned. It is apparent that the concerns expressed in â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being† are reflective of the situation in Czechoslovak in the 1960s. During this period, the Soviet Union’s grip on Czechoslovak was too strong to be challenged. This might have prompted several individuals to lack their meaning of existence. Therefore, like most of Kundera’s characters, most citizens were experiencing the â€Å"unbearable lightness of being†. Moreover, just like in the book some of them fled while others chose to fight this feeling. During the time when Soviet Union’s rule flourished in Czechoslovak, the debate on self-exile was rife. There were those who felt that instead of exiling themselves, they had the option of staying behind and fighting. The argument be hind this action was that by leaving, one lost his/her authenticity. There were also those who felt that it was possible to continue the fight even when they were in exile. Kundera seems to justify his choice to go to exile through this book. He faced counter arguments from his fellow intellects at the time like Jan Patocka and Vaclav Havel. The two were opposed to self-exile. It has been argued that â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being† was a justification of Kundera’s personal choices. When this question was forwarded to the author, he admitted that the characters in this book represent his â€Å"unrealized possibilities†. However, he was quick to clarify that the book is not by any means a â€Å"confession† but an investigation into the human life. All this argument proves that the situation in Czechoslovak had an immense influence on the subject matter of this book. â€Å"The Unbearable Lightness of Being† is a valid reaction to historical e vents. Kundera’s beliefs were themselves heavily influenced by circumstances in history. The author was seemingly aware of the implications history had on his literature. This is why he argued that events in history should not compromise any individual’s capacity to make well-informed choices. The author argues that overreliance in history can lead people to flawed judgments.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The fiction used in this book is closely related to historical facts. The author uses this relationship to help show that even when faced by lightness of being, one can still achieve authenticity. The book strongly suggests that authenticity cannot be tested by either oppression or totalitarianism (Kundera 224). The author of this novel tries to avoid being tied to historical facts. However, he still manages to deliver the facts about lightness of being while leaning on history Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, New York, NY: Harper, 2004. Print.

BMW’s Internationalisation Strategy

BMWs Internationalisation Strategy â€Å"Worldwide movement toward economic, financial, trade, and communications integration. Globalization implies opening out beyond local and nationalistic perspectives to a broader outlook of an interconnected and inter-dependent world with free transfer of capital, goods, and services across national frontiers.† Globalization is a process of interface and merger amongst the people, companies, and governments of different states, a process encouraged by international trade and investment and supported by technology. This process has effects on the environment, culture, political structures, economic progress and prosperity. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), English: Bavarian Motor Works is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company which was founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars also is under the management of BMW AG. BMW manufactures motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands. BMW is known for its performance and luxury vehicles. BMW cars are being assembled in South Africa since 1968, when Praetor Monteerders’ factory was opened in Rosslyn, near Pretoria. To begin with BMW bought shares in the company, before fully buying it out in 1975. As a result the company was named BMW South Africa; this was the first fully owned subsidiary of BMW AG which was established outside Germany. Despite U.S. manufacturers, such as Ford and GM divesting from the country in the 1980s, BMW continued to maintain full ownership of its operations in South Africa. Subsequent to the fall of apartheid in 1994 and the import duties being reduced, BMW South Africa halted manufacturing of the 5-Series and 7-Series. This was done in order to focus on manufacturing of the 3-Series which was to be exported. BMW South Africa’s cars were now being exported to right hand drive countries which included Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, etc.; this also included the African Saha ra. Since 1997 BMW South Africa had started producing vehicles in left hand drive which were to be exported to Taiwan, the United States, etc. Austria In 1978, BMW took a decision to begin a joint venture with the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch to design, produce and sell diesel engines. When this joint venture ended in 1982, BMW took over the plant in the Austrian city of Steyr under its own group. Over time the Austrian factory had become the back bone for engine production and R&D. United States of America BMWs Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, USA commenced operation and began producing BMW automobiles for the world market in 1994. A huge success of these automobiles soon led to extensive structural enlargements at the Spartanburg plant. Its capacity was enlarged by adding additional shifts, introducing flexible working-hour models and hiring new employees. Today, the Spartanburg plant is open six days a week, with circa 110 hours a week of production. United Kingdom The BMW Group brought its flagship brand MINI into the European market in 2000. The first models to be introduced were the MINI One and MINI Cooper. In 2002, the sporty MINI Cooper S was launched, as did the MINI One D with diesel engine in 2003. In 2004, the MINI convertible was launched. The origin of the MINI is the Oxford plant in the United Kingdom. It is totally incorporated into the BMW Group production network. The plant and Mini brand were acquired in 1994 with purchase of the Rover Group.

Economy and Agriculture in Russia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economy and Agriculture in Russia - Case Study Example This in turn would be related to the development of agricultural economy and vertical integration of the agricultural market. The discussion here is based on vertical integration of grain agricultural market in transition economies of Eastern Europe (such as Russia) considering both secondary and primary research methods. The deficiencies in research methods are highlighted and the focus is on the agricultural and economic possibilities in Russia and other East European countries. In the context of Russia and other transition economies, it would be essential to analyze whether the Central and Eastern European countries have sustainable levels of agricultural output. However the impediments for emergence of agro food sector may have to be found out (OECD, 1998). The key issues related to structural reforms of the agro food sector especially within transition economies would deal with credit and finance, foreign direct investment, and efficiency matters in the sector. Support levels provided to agricultural companies and initiatives should increase and transition economies are in focus as these globally emerging economies are the ones which will become more important for world markets than the more stable economies. Funke and Ruhwedel (2005) used data from 14 East European transition economies to evaluate the relationship between productivity and economic growth in these regions. The results obtained from trade data suggest that the growth model of East Europea n transition economies may be explained with outward orientation and integration of world economic patterns. Russia's development and economic growth will have to be considered against the 1998 financial crisis that was triggered with the international financial crisis. With the financial crises, declining income and rising prices and inflation led to stockpiling of products for short term needs. Crisis also increased price competitiveness of agriculture and food industry although there has been a reported overall declining performance of the Russian economy after the 1998 crisis, especially within the agro food sector (Serova et al, 1999). The poor institutional settings within Russia and extensive bartering could be detrimental for the economy. Russia follows protectionist measures and measures to counteract food shortages although Serova et al (1999) claim that this may actually increase the inconsistency of Russia's food policies. Seeth et al (1998) draws out on the case of poverty and economic problems in Russia to bring out new dimensions in poverty research, especially within the context of Russia. The urban and rural households in Russia tend to respond to crisis situations and economic stress with increasing dependence on home gardening and subsistence agriculture. Agriculture is especially important for income and food consumption among the middle income strata although the poorer sections of society have very scarce resources and small plots and gardens that may not be adequate for income or food consumption. Household labour force and opportunities available would be some of the main factors that can

Introduction to English - Essay 1 (1000words) Login to unit provided

Introduction to English - 1 (1000words) Login to unit provided - Essay Example While Shakespeare presented his women as unfaithful and loose, Chaucer chose to show women as long-suffering, faithful and virtuous. Troilus and Cressida is set during the mythological war between the Greeks and the Trojans precipitated by a Trojan prince’s act of stealing the wife of a Greek king. The woman named Helen eloped with Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, and left her husband King Menelaus. Menelaus, together with the fierce Greek commanders and the greatest Greek warrior Achilles attacked Troy to vindicate the king’s honor and wrest the lovely Helen back. King Priam and his sons Hector, Paris and Troilus relentlessly defended Troy and a war lasting for more than a decade subsequently raged. Amidst this turbulent background, Troilus, Priam’s youngest son fell in love with Cressida, the daughter of a Trojan priest named Calchas. Troilus sought Cressida’s affection through her uncle Patroclus who, acting as a pimp more than a kinsman, set up a meeting between the two. On the initial meeting, Troilus proposed his love and Cressida although coyly at first, readily gave in. The sw ift development was marked by of faithfulness and Cressida, declared that â€Å"From false to false, among maids in love, Upbraid my falsehood! when they’ve said ‘as false As air, as water, wind, or sandy earth, As fox to lamb, as wolf to heifers’s calf, Pard to the hind, or stepdame to her son,† â€Å"Yea† let them say say, to stick the heart of falsehood, ‘As false as Cressid.† They ended up in bed together. Soon after, Cressida’s words were put to a test when her father Calchas defected to the Greeks who had camped outside Troy and suggested that a valuable Trojan prisoner be set off with his daughter Cressida. Since the Trojan prisoner was a valuable officer, the set off was readily agreed to by King Priam and his sons to the dismay of Troilus who was not able to stop the deal. Before she left, Cressida and Troilus pledged once more

The Problem Of Evil Essay -- essays research papers

The Problem Of Evil   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is impossible to deny the existence of evil in the world as we as human beings experience pain and suffering every day. It is generally accepted that there are two different types of evil – natural (based on God) and moral (based on humans). Moral evil is caused by human beings and occurs when humans inflict suffering on other people like September 11th, world wars, the Holocaust and other human related travesties. We also inflict evil on animals with testing or hunting for game not using the animals as God intended for fur or food. Humans also have obliterated the environment with pollution, destroying the rainforests and the way we litter and think nothing of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Natural evil is not caused by humans but considered to be caused by God and occurs naturally in the world. Some natural evils could be Earthquakes, droughts and some forms of cancer. However, not all evils can be easily separated into these categories as humans can contribute to natural evils.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cancer is a naturally occurring disease; humans often do things which bring it about. Tobacco for example is the cause of eleven million deaths per year; do you think God believed that humans would actually be dumb enough to put such a harmful chemical into our bodies? No, there was an obvious better way to use tobacco but humans mostly use it in a negative way. Some could look at the problem of evil and sugg...

Huck Finn Character Analysis Essay

Is â€Å"Huck† in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, a good literary character for young readers today? He is seen at the outset of the novel as a troublesome young child who needs to be taught how to act in a civilized manner and Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, models of conventional society take him in, attempting to educate him. His father however kidnaps him, and Huck is no longer trapped by the conformity of society, but rather by the harsh treatment of his abusive father. Still seen as a misfit child, his character gains some respect from the reader when he is able to fake his own death and escape from his father’s jail. When Huck and Jim, Miss Watson’s runaway slave, first encounter one another after both of them have escaped from society, Huck views Jim as property, but decides to help him anyway. At this point Huck’s character is developing along with the reader’s respect for him as a young adult. His important decision to help Jim escape from slavery foreshadows Huck’s moral change that will eventually occur in the novel. As the story progresses, Huck and Jim spend significant time together traveling down the Mississippi River, where Jim’s individual character begins to develop along with the two fugitives’ personal relationship. By the end of the novel Huck sees Jim as an equal, believing deep down in his heart that Jim is a free man. Due to his departure from conventional society as well as his personal relationship with Jim, Huck is able to undergo extensive moral development as the novel progresses. Although by the end of the novel Huck has become an individual with his own opinions and morals, throughout the first section of the story he is still a radical young boy being trapped by the conformity of conventional society. Prior to being taken in by Miss Watson and Widow Douglas, Huck lived a rugged life with his abusive, alcoholic â€Å"Pap†. Huck was happy with this lifestyle of not going to school, and stealing to get by day to day. His introduction to society and the normal lifestyle it brings with it, strangles the adventurous nature of Huck’s character and he becomes unhappy. After getting used to attending school regularly, using table manners, and being taught to believe in God, Huck makes an important observation by saying, â€Å"I liked the old ways best, but I was getting so I liked the new ones too, a little bit. The widow said I was coming along slow but sure, and doing satisfactory. She said she warn’t ashamed of me† (Twain 15). At this  point it is apparent that Huck has not yet developed a mind of his own. He is letting society influence the way he acts and thinks, not showing any of his true character. By conforming and adopting the ideals of conventional society, Huck is not thinking or living to his full potential. The reader does, however, see a slight change when Huck and Jim meet at Jackson’s Island where Huck admits that â€Å"people could call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum- but that don’t make no difference† (Twain 36). Even though he knows society would not agree with his decision, Huck has agreed to help Jim escape. Huck’s personal choices, as well as morally challenging decisions made while traveling the Mississippi with Jim, are crucial to the development of his character. Although Huck did decide to help Jim escape from Miss Watson, he was originally only in it for the adventure and planned on turning Jim in further down the river. However, Jim turns out to be a caring man who treats Huck with immense respect and attention. Had Huck still been under the influence of conventional society, his decision probably would have been different, because slaves were considered nothing more than property and Huck had been taught to believe that fallacy. The two runaways form a relationship while traveling down the Mississippi River in which they help and protect each other. Huck begins to think of Jim as a friend and the father he never had. This change is made when Huck admits that â€Å"it was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterward, neither† (Twain 86). Along with Huck’s feelings of some form of racial equality came feelings of guilt. Huck is still feeling guilty for stealing another person’s property, someone who had never done anything to harm him. One literary critic says that, â€Å"No more devastating comment has ever been made on the fraudulent pretensions of civilization then the great scene in which Huck struggles with himself over the question of whether to turn Jim back to Miss Watson† (Podhoretz 2). At this crucial point in the story it can be noticed that the influence of society is still hovering over Huck in some way, but he is attempting to create his own moral opinion on the subject. In his struggle, Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson telling her where she can find and recapture her runaway slave, but before sending the letter, he  thinks about his relationship with him and the positive influence Jim has had on him, thinking, â€Å"all right, then, I’ll go to hell’- and tore it up. It was thoughts and awful words but they was said. And I let them stay said; and never thought no more about reforming† (Twain 214). Here Huck has reached his greatest self accomplishment; he figures out the morally correct thing to do, without the influence of society. No sooner did Huck reach his paramount decision, than his convictions are challenged when Jim is sold to the Phelps’s plantation and he comes into contact with his old friend Tom Sawyer. The plantation belongs to Tom’s Aunt and Uncle, who are expecting a visit from Tom. Huck arrives at the plantation with the intent of finding Jim and setting him free once again, but the couple mistakes him for Tom, he goes along with it. Tom arrives at the plantation and Huck living there with him, begins to regress from his newly found moral achievement. The introduction of Tom into the story is symbolic of the introduction of conventional society back into Huck’s life. He has always seen Tom as being the more intelligent half of the twosome, and when they team up to free Jim, Huck returns to the lower position. Huck allows Tom’s elaborate escape plan and foolish games to influence his actions. He is focused on achieving freedom for his friend, and is willing to do anyth ing to accomplish that goal. Huck passionately proclaims his true feelings to Tom when he states that, â€Å"What I want is my nigger; and if a pick’s the handiest thing, that’s the thing I’m a-going to dig that nigger out with; and I don’t give a dead rat what the authorities thinks about it nuther† (Twain 246). Seeing Jim being held captive on the plantation reminds Huck to stay true to his self-proclaimed values, and not lose sight of a promise to Jim to gain him his freedom. Achieving this goal and freeing Jim from slavery would enable Huck to remain an individual and overcome the influence of society that had entered back into his life. At the end of the story Huck is able to talk to Jim with a feeling of accomplishment as he tells him that he’s, â€Å"a free man again, and you won’t ever be a slave no more† (Twain 275). How is Huck able to achieve this accomplishment? It is his departure from conventional society as well as his relationship with Jim that allows Huck  to develop considerable moral character. At the start of the story Huck is restricted by society and forced to believe what they tell him to believe, so he does not feel any personal connection with Jim. Once Huck leaves society he starts to form his own opinions and moral values based upon the way Jim acts towards him. His relationship with Jim makes Huck realize the equality of blacks and he thinks of Jim as a trusted and respected person and friend. On the Phelps Plantation the introduction of Tom acts as the entrance of society back into Huck’s life, and causes him to regress, but he is able to overcome its influence by the constant reminder of Jim’s captivity. Huck, in the end, demonstrates the importance of establishing a mind of your own, outside that of conventional society.