Distance Learning Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Distance Learning Education - Research Paper Example There has been a recent explosion in the field of education of distance learning but the history of distance learning dates back to as early as 1728, when Caleb Phillips, who was a teacher of Short Hand method, published an advertisement in Boston Gazette to seek students to whom he would send lectures on weekly basis. (Distance Learning 2007).The Pioneers of distance learning relied on postal services in the 19th century to provide educational opportunities to students who were not able to seek education by attending conventional schools. An Englishman, Isaac Pitman, is regarded has an early pioneer in providing distance education. In 1840s, Isaac Pitman taught Short Hand using correspondence in the Great Britain. The University of London established its Eternal Programme in 1858, and became the world’s first university to provide the opportunity of attaining distance learning degrees to international and national students. In the United States, the concept of extended educat ion through satellite colleges was established in the University of Chicago, by William Rainey Harper, who was the University’s first president. In 1829, William Rainey Harper further promoted education by encouraging the concept of providing school courses through correspondence, an idea that was originally put forward and practiced by Columbia University. In 1911, the Department of Correspondence studies was established in the University of Queensland in Australia. In America, Charles Wedemeyer of the University of Wisconsin-Madison encouraged the use of methods other than the postal service in providing distance education. In the UK, Open universities were established in 1969, which initially provided distance educational courses through radio and television broadcasts and now some of these open universities have attained the status of ‘mega universities’. In the United States, Jones International University was established in 1996 and is the first university to provide all its educational services online. The University is accredited by an accrediting association. Today, undergraduate and post graduate distance education is provided by many private and public, as well as by for- profit and non-profit educational institutions. Following the recent explosion in distance learning, national government authorities such as Quality Assurance Agency in UK and Distance Education and Training Council in the US, have been established to provide accreditation to distance education providing institutions. (Lau et al 2000). Virtual High School: Virtual High Schools or online high schools refer to the institutions which provide K-12 courses, in which the instructor and students are not only separated by time but by distance as well. The instructor provides the course by employing various methods such as multiple course management applications, internet, and resources relating to multimedia and video conferencing. The students communicate and interact with the instructors by using these same methods. (Distance Learning 2004). Types of Online High Schools: I. State Sanctioned Online high schools: In America, online high schools in fourteen states have been sanctioned by the state government and are designated as the State’s own virtual high schools. Such as the Florida Virtual School which in terms of enrollments is the largest virtual school and has been providing online educational services since 1997. Since its establishment the institution has been funded by the

Skinner and his Contributions to Psychology Essay Example for Free

Skinner and his Contributions to Psychology Essay Burrhus Fredric Skinner is an American psychologist and behaviorist. He has made many contributions to psychology and most are still used today. They are used to treat some phobias and addictive behaviors in humans. He also thought of radical behaviorism which is his own philosophy of science. Skinner believes that the best way to understand behavior is to look at the causes of an action and its consequences. He believes that behaviors are depending on what happens after the response this is what Skinner calls Operant conditioning. Skinner invented the Operant conditioning chamber which is known as the Skinner box. The Skinner box was invented to study animals such as rats. This box contained a lever and food or water which they will receive as a reward if they press the lever. Skinner also used the box to study superstitious behaviors by the response of animals. Burrhus Fredric Skinner also had ideas on reinforcement. Skinner had ideas that positive reinforcement provides a consequent that is rewarding. It can modify behavior longer then punishment because it is rewarding. Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior because it stops or removes an unpleasant experience. Punishment is the opposite of reinforcement because it weakens or eliminates the response. Punishment can work by directly applying an unpleasant stimulus or removing a rewarding stimulus. His contributions to psychology have made an impact on the world. His theories on positive and negative reinforcement as well as punishment are used in schools, workplaces and many other aspects of life itself. Unlike any other psychologist Burrhus Fredric Skinner had his own way of thinking. Reference http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html http://www.nndb.com/people/297/000022231/ Understanding Psychology, Ninth Edition, by Charles G. Morris and Albert A. Maisto. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

The Trail of Evidence From Treatment To Causes of Depression Essay

The Trail of Evidence From Treatment To Causes of Depression When a person is depressed, the primary characteristic is a subjective awareness of mood change: the person has an ongoing feeling of sadness or emptiness. This feeling is often accompanied by eating disturbances, feelings of hopelessness, inability to concentrate, indecisiveness, sleep disturbances, lost interest in enjoyable activities, psychomotor retardation, fatigue, sluggishness or lethargy, and is often co-morbid with other disorders, especially anxiety. This constellation of feelings and observable behaviors give rise the term depression. In cases where the depression is not severe or recurrent, psychotherapy alone may be sufficient. However, in many cases, antidepressants in conjunction with psychotherapy are indicated. And in some proportion of cases, where the depression is especially severe, persistent, debilitating and resistant to antidepressants, therapies involving electrical stimulation to the brain are sometimes used. In psychology, theories surrounding the etiology of depression vary widely, from neurobiological to cognitive to behavioral, socioenvironmental and psychodyanmic. Biosocial models acknowledge that both biological predisposition and environmental factors play an interactive role in the creation and maintenance of depression. The nervous system is always changing. It changes as a result of its own activity, which itself is a reflection of responses to a variety of sources: external input, the system's own cyclical fluctuations, and its modification due to past experiences. Moreover, the nervous system's changes occur in varying degrees, from extremely temporary (action potentials transiently change the nervous system) to la... ...ations with Neil's Brain , by William Calvin and George Ojemann http://www.williamcalvin.com/bk7/bk7.htm 7)NAME OF YOUR THIRD WEB REFERENCE SITE, COMMENTS ABOUT IT http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web3/URL%20OF%20YOUR%20THIRD%20WEB%20REFERENCE 8) New technique looks promising for treatment resistant depression http://www.psych.org/pnews/00-01-21/technique.html 9) Vagus nerve stimulation for treatment-resistant depressions: a multi-center study. led by John Rush http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/bps/abstracts/994888abs.htm 10) VNS: high tech hope for those with major depression , by Sandra Gordon http://aolsvc.health.cbshealthwatch.aol.com/ 11) A noradrenergic and serotonergic hypothesis of the linkage between epilepsy and affective disorders by P C Jobe et al http://depression.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm

Doctor Faustus Essay

Doctor Faustus, a talented German scholar who belittles the limits of human knowledge, believes that he has learned all that can be learned by conventional means. What is left for him, he thinks, but magic? He is offered a choice of Christian conscience by a good angel, and the path to damnation by an evil angel. Two fellow scholars, Valdes and Cornelius, teach him the fundamentals of black magic. Eventually, Faustus summons the devil Mephistopheles and the terms of their pact are agreed upon. In return for his immortal soul, Faustus will be granted twenty-four years of power, with Mephistopheles as his servant. In this play, the writer, Christopher Marlowe used symbolism through the play. Symbolism in general means the presentation of objects, moods and ideas through the medium of emblems or symbols. For example, When Faustus makes his pact with the devil, he signs it with his own blood. But as he goes to write, his blood thickens. That was a key moment in the play. Faustus wonders, â€Å"What might the staying of my blood portend? / Is it unwilling I should write this bill?† (2.1.62-63). He thinks since his blood is thickening and clotting it is some type of sign. At this point, Faustus believes his sticky blood is a symbol, a part of himself that’s unwilling to give it all up for the devil and also that Lucifer insists on having the document written in blood. To him, this blood represents Faustus’s person. If he has the blood, he has Faustus. So it’s a symbol to Lucifer, too. Without the blood, there’s nothing physical to represent Faustus’s soul. Then, at the end of the play, as he waits for death, Faustus cries out, â€Å"One drop of blood will save me. O, my Christ!†. Here, again, blood is a symbol of the whole person—Christ. Another example of symbolism that writer uses is when Faustus resolves to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for Mephistopheles, his decision to give it is not enough. Instead, Mephistopheles tells him, â€Å"thou must bequeath it solemnly/And write a deed of gift with thine own blood;/Fo r the security craves Lucifer† (2.1.333-35). This meant that Dr. Faustus has to sign over his soul in a written contact. Faustus does as Lucifer asks, which was writing a contract that’s gives ownership of his soul to Lucifer in exchange for twenty-four years of having Mephistopheles around to boss. In legal terminology, this contact is called a â€Å"deed of gift,† It becomes the symbol  of Faustus’s decision to serve the devil; and since some definitions of sin state it as just that the decision to serve the devil instead of God, it also becomes a symbol of sin more generally. The contract is terrifying because it was actually real. It was made of paper and blood, and Faustus and Mephistopheles can see it and hold it in their hands. So while Faustus’s decision to serve the devil is not much more than an idea, this is an object that Lucifer can point to and say you belong to me. Faustus’s decision is put into document form to symbolize just how difficult, if not impossible, it will be Faustus to take back even if he really wants to. In conclusion, the writer, Christopher Marlowe used symbolism to his advantage which intensified the tragic appeal of this great drama.

Argumentative Essay: A Change in Education System Essay

The Philippines educational system is undergoing a big change which follows the international educational system. The K-12 system is the system used by the United States and other countries. The K-12 system is started by the Aquino Administration. The government will add two year plus Kindergarten. Many people think that implementing the program in the Philippines will be insignificant and unnecessary but others think that it would improve the country’s educational system and the country as a whole. I agree with the K-12 system that will help students embrace a better quality education and will give them more job opportunities, especially abroad. There are many arguments regarding the K-12 implementation. I have chosen 3 arguments to talk about. First, parents are not financially stabled. Money would hinder the implementation of the system. The parents would pay two more years for the education of their children. Their children would learn more and gain more knowledge for those additional two year of education. The  money that the parents pay will be put into good use for their children’s future. But the parents would be spending a lot more than they expected for good quality education. The parents are not prepared to pay for two more years of education. The plan of the administration was earlier than expected. And some parents are not happy with this plan because of financial problems. Second, improve the quality education we have in our country. The Philippines need good quality education because we have a poor education system. The K-12 system will help the country to have a higher standard of education the government can add more to the curriculum. The advancement of having an improved quality education would lead to an earlier success in a student’s life. It may take him/ her long to finish high school but he/ she gained more knowledge than the student’s who prepared in 10 years. The student would take longer to finish his/ her basic education but will be more prepared. It is enough that the student is prepared when reaching the age of 18 after finishing the K-12. Their minds will be mature enough to think better than what is expected of them if graduated at the age of 16. Lastly, prepare the student for work after graduating. Not all students who graduated will automatically be sent to a university for college. Some students prepare themselves to look for a job for the sake of having money to study in college while some are forced to work for the sake of helping the family. The students who have accomplished the 12 year system will automatically be recognized professionals because we are following the international education standard. This will be good for our country. But, the student has not accomplished his/ her schooling. He/ she needs to be sent off to college because completing all levels of education would mean a better job in or out of the country. A student can earn more if he/ she finishes college and finds a good job. Based on the arguments stated, either good or bad, the K-12 system has a good point. I agree that the parents will spend more money for good education but their money won’t be put into waste. Their children will experience good quality education that will good for their future. Of course  parents want what’s best for their children in the quality of education because one day, their children will be the ones assisting them when they grow old. The old education system is done for 10 years and it can stress a student’s life if the system should have been 12 years. We all know that some people have financial problems that they go to work after high school. 12 years is longer than the 10 year system but the graduate students of the K-12 will automatically be recognized professionals because we are following the international education standard. The K-12 system will help students get a better job abroad because of the quality education that follows the international education standard.

Pride and Prejudice Quotes

Pride and Prejudice Quotes The following quotes from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen are some of the most recognizable lines in English literature. The novel, which follows the push-and-pull relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, deals with themes of love, pride, social expectations, and preconceived opinions. In the quotes that follow, well analyze how Austen conveys these themes with her trademark wry wit. Quotes About Pride I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine. (Chapter 5) When Elizabeth speaks this quote, she’s fresh off Darcy’s slight of her at the first ball, where she overheard him judging her not â€Å"handsome enough† for him to dance with. In context, where she and her family are discussing the ball with their neighbors, she tosses the line off in a good-natured, quipping sort of way. However, a closer read does suggest some element of truth to it: as the story progresses, it becomes evident that this unpleasant first meeting has colored Elizabeth’s perception of Darcy, making her more susceptible to Wickham’s lies. This quote is also the beginning of a running pattern through the novel: Elizabeth and Darcy are each able to acknowledge that they possess a shared flaw (Elizabeth acknowledges a degree of pride, Darcy admits that his prejudices are formed quickly and irrevocably). The theme of pride often connects to an inability to recognize one’s own flaws, so although the characters still have a ways to go before they’ll reach a happy conclusion, an admission of some flaws indicates that this will be a comedy where that conclusion is possible rather than a tragedy where a tragic flaw will be realized too little, too late. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us. (Chapter 5) Mary Bennet, the middle Bennet sister, is neither frivolous like her younger sisters nor well-adjusted like her older sisters. She’s studious to a fault and is quite fond of philosophizing and moralizing, as she does here, where she inserts herself into a conversation about Mr. Darcy’s behavior at the ball by seizing on their mention of his â€Å"pride† and jumping in with her philosophy. It’s a clear indicator of her lack of social skills and her simultaneous desire to be included in society. Although it’s delivered in Mary’s moralizing, pretentious manner, this quote is not entirely untrue. Pride – and vanity – are central themes to the story, and Mary’s definitions give readers a way to distinguish the social snobbery of Miss Bingley or Lady Catherine and the inflated self-important of Mr. Collins from the pride of Mr. Darcy. Pride and Prejudice explores personal pride as a stumbling block to true understanding and happiness, but it also presents the proudest character – Darcy – as one who does not care much what other people think of him, as evidenced by his cold social behavior. The contrast between care for perceptions and care for internal values is explored throughout the novel. â€Å"But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself.† (Chapter 36) There is a term in classical Greek drama, anagnorisis, that refers to a character’s sudden realization of something heretofore unknown or misunderstood. It often connects somehow to a shift in perception or relationship with an antagonist. The quote above, spoken by Elizabeth to herself, is Elizabeth’s moment of anagnorisis, where she finally learns the truth about Darcy and Wickham’s shared past via Darcy’s letter to her, and subsequently realizes her own flaws and mistakes. Elizabeths moment of self-awareness and character pivot indicates the literary skill at work here. Anagnorisis is something that appears in complex works with classical structures and multifaceted, flawed heroes; its presence is further proof that Pride and Prejudice is a skillful narrative, not simply a comedy of manners. In tragedies, this is the moment where a character comes to a much-needed realization, but learns their lesson too late to stop the tragic events already in motion. Because Austen is writing a comedy, not a tragedy, she allows Elizabeth to gain this needed revelation while there’s still time to reverse course and achieve a happy ending. Quotes About Love â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.† (Chapter 1) This is one of the most famous opening lines in literature, up there with â€Å"Call me Ishmael† and â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.† Spoken by the omniscient narrator, the line essentially sums up one of the key premises of the novel; the rest of the story operates under the assumption that the reader and the characters alike share this knowledge. Although the themes of Pride and Prejudice are certainly not limited to marriage and money, those do loom large. It is this belief that leads Mrs. Bennet to push her daughters forward at every turn, both towards worthy candidates such as Mr. Bingley and unworthy ones such as Mr. Collins. Any single man with some fortune is a marriage candidate, plain and simple. There is a particular turn of phrase worth noting here as well: the phrase â€Å"in want of.† Although it sounds, at first glance, that it’s stating a rich, single man always wants a wife. While that’s true, there’s another interpretation. The phrase â€Å"in want of† is also used to indicate a state of lacking something. Thus, the other way to read it is that a rich, single man is lacking one crucial thing: a wife. This reading emphasizes the social expectations placed on both men and women, rather than one or the other. â€Å"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.†Ã‚  (Chapter 58) At the romantic climax of the novel, Mr. Darcy delivers this line to Elizabeth. It comes after all has been revealed between the two of them, all misunderstandings cleared up and both in full knowledge of what the other has said and done. After Elizabeth thanks Darcy for his assistance to Lydia’s marriage, he confesses that he did it all for Elizabeth’s sake and in hopes of proving his true nature to her. Because of her positive reception so far, he makes an attempt to propose to her again – but this could not be more different than his first proposal. When Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth, it’s overlaid with a snobbish – though not inaccurate – appraisal of her social status relative to his. He uses language that â€Å"seems† romantic (insisting that his love is so great it overcame all rational obstacles), but comes across as incredibly insulting. Here, however, he not only approaches Elizabeth without pride and with genuine, unrehearsed language, but he also emphasizes his respect for her wishes. Rather than following the classic trope of â€Å"pursue until you win her over,† he calmly states that he will step away gracefully if that’s what she wants. It’s the ultimate expression of his unselfish love, as opposed to his previous self-centered arrogance and hyperawareness of social status. Quotes About Society â€Å"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.† (Chapter 11) This quote is spoken by Caroline Bingley, while she is passing time at Netherfield along with her brother, sister, brother-in-law, Mr. Darcy, and Elizabeth. The scene is, at least from her perspective, a subtle competition between her and Elizabeth for Darcy’s attention; she is, in fact, mistaken, as Elizabeth has no interest in Darcy at this time and is only at Netherfield to tend to her ill sister Jane. Miss Bingley’s dialogue is a constant stream of attempts to get attention from Darcy. While she’s rhapsodizing about the joys of reading, she’s pretending to read a book that, as the sharp-tongued narrator informs us, she only chose because it was the second volume of the book Darcy had chosen to read. Often taken out of context, this quote is an excellent example of the gently satirical humor Austen often uses to poke fun at the social elite. The idea of taking pleasure in reading is not silly in and of itself, but Austen gives this line to a character who we know to be insincere, and compounds it by exaggerating the statement past any possibility of sincerity and making the speaker sound desperate and foolish. People themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them for ever. (Chapter 9) Elizabeth’s dialogue is typically witty and laden with dual meanings, and this quote is a definite example. She delivers this line during a conversation with her mother, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Bingley about the differences between country and city society. She remarks upon her delight in observing people – which she intends as a barb at Mr. Darcy – and doubles down with this quote when he suggests that provincial life must be quite boring for her observations. On a deeper level, this quote actually foreshadows the lesson Elizabeth learns over the course of the novel. She prides herself on her powers of observation, which creates her â€Å"prejudiced† opinions, and she certainly does not believe that Mr. Darcy, of all people, will ever change. As it turns out, though, there is actually much more to be observed than she has at the point when she makes this sarcastic comment, and Elizabeth comes to understand that truth later on.

Pride and Prejudice Themes and Literary Devices

Pride and Prejudice Themes and Literary Devices Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a classic comedy of manners that satirizes 18th-century society and, particularly, the expectations placed on women of the era. The novel, which follows the romantic entanglements of the Bennet sisters, includes themes of love, class, and, as one might guess, pride and prejudice. These are all covered with Austen’s signature wit, including the literary device of free indirect discourse that permits a particular style of in-depth, sometimes satirical narration. Love and Marriage As one might expect from a romantic comedy, love (and marriage) is a central theme to Pride and Prejudice. In particular, the novel focuses on the different ways love may grow or disappear, and whether or not society has room for romantic love and marriage to go together. We see love at first sight (Jane and Bingley), love that grows (Elizabeth and Darcy), and infatuation that fades (Lydia and Wickham) or has faded (Mr. and Mrs. Bennet). Throughout the story, it becomes apparent that the novel is arguing that love based on genuine compatibility is the ideal. Marriages of convenience are presented in a negative light: Charlotte marries the obnoxious Mr. Collins out of economic pragmatism and admits as much, while Lady Catherine’s imperious attempts at forcing her nephew Darcy to marry her daughter to consolidate estates are presented as outdated, unfair, and, ultimately, an unsuccessful power grab. Like several of Austen’s novels, Pride and Prejudice also cautions against infatuation with overly charming people. Wickham’s smooth manner easily charms Elizabeth, but he turns out to be deceitful and selfish and not a good romantic prospect for her. Real love is found in compatibility of character: Jane and Bingley are well-suited because of their absolute kindness, and Elizabeth and Darcy come to realize that both are strong-willed but kind and intelligent. Ultimately, the novel is a strong recommendation of love as a basis for marriage, something that was not always the case in its era. The Cost of Pride The title makes it pretty clear that pride is going to be an important theme, but the message is more nuanced than just the concept itself. Pride is presented as perfectly reasonable to some degree, but when it gets out of hand, it gets in the way of the characters’ happiness. Thus, the novel suggests that an excess of pride is costly. As Mary Bennet says in one of her memorable quotes, Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.  In Pride and Prejudice, there are plenty of prideful characters, mostly among the wealthy. Pride in social position is the most common failing: Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine both believe themselves superior because of their money and social privilege; they also are vain because they are obsessed with maintaining this image. Darcy, on the other hand, is intensely proud but not vain: he does initially place too high a value on social station, but he is so proud and secure in that pride that he doesn’t bother with even basic social niceties. This pride costs him Elizabeth at first, and it is not until he learns to temper his pride with compassion that he becomes a worthy partner. Prejudice In Pride and Prejudice, â€Å"prejudice† is not as socially charged as it is in contemporary usage. Here, the theme is more about preconceived notions and snap judgments rather than race- or gender-based biases. Prejudice is a flaw of several characters, but first and foremost it is the main flaw of our protagonist Elizabeth. She prides herself on her ability to judge character, but her observations also lead her to form bias very quickly and deeply. The most obvious example of this is her immediate prejudice against Mr. Darcy because of his dismissal of her at the ball. Because she’s already formed this opinion, she is predisposed to believe Wickham’s tales of woe without stopping to think twice. This prejudice leads her to judge him unfairly and to reject him based on partially inaccurate information. Elizabeth and Darcys relationship embodies many of the themes of Pride and Prejudice (Photo credit: Focus Features). Prejudice is not necessarily a bad thing, the novel seems to say, but like pride, it is only good so long as it is reasonable. For instance, Jane’s total lack of bias and over-willingness to â€Å"think well of everyone,† as Elizabeth puts it, is detrimental to her happiness, as it blinds her to the Bingley sisters’ true natures until it’s almost too late. Even Elizabeth’s prejudice against Darcy is not entirely unfounded: he is, in fact, proud and thinks himself above many of the people around them, and he does act to separate Jane and Bingley. In general, prejudice of the common sense variety is a useful tool, but unchecked prejudice leads to unhappiness. Social Status In general, Austen’s novels tend to focus on gentry- that is, non-titled people with some land holdings, although of varying financial statuses. The gradations between the rich gentry (like Darcy and Bingley) and those who aren’t so well off, like the Bennets, become a way to distinguish sub-strata within the gentry. Austens depictions of hereditary nobility are often a little satirical. Here, for instance, we have Lady Catherine, who at first seems powerful and intimidating. When it really comes down to it (that is, when she tries to stop the match between Elizabeth and Darcy), she is utterly powerless to do anything except yell and sound ridiculous. Although Austen does indicate that love is the most important thing in a match, she also does match up her characters with socially â€Å"appropriate† matches: the successful matches are all within their same social class, even if not of equal finances. When Lady Catherine insults Elizabeth and claims that she would be an unsuitable wife for Darcy, Elizabeth calmly replies, â€Å"He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter. So far, we are equal.† Austen does not upend the social order in any radical way, but rather gently mocks people who obsess too much about social and financial status. Free Indirect Discourse One of the most important literary devices a reader will encounter in a Jane Austen novel is free indirect discourse. This technique is used to slide into a character’s mind and/or emotions without stepping away from third-person narration. Instead of adding a tag such as â€Å"he thought† or â€Å"she supposed,† the narrator relays a character’s thoughts and feelings as if they themselves were speaking, but without breaking from the third-person perspective. For instance, when Bingley and his party first arrive at Meryton and meet the people gathered there, Austen uses free indirect discourse to put readers directly in Bingley’s head: â€Å"Bingley had never met with pleasanter people or prettier girls in his life; every body had been most kind and attentive to him, there had been no formality, no stiffness, he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and as to Miss Bennet, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful.† These are not statements of fact so much as they are a relay of Bingley’s thoughts; one could easily replace â€Å"Bingley† and â€Å"he/his/him† with â€Å"I† and â€Å"me† and have a perfectly sensible first-person narration from Bingley’s perspective. This technique is a hallmark of Austen’s writing and is useful in several ways. First and foremost, it’s a sophisticated way of integrating a character’s inner thoughts into third-person narration. It also offers an alternative to constant direct quotations and tags like â€Å"he said† and â€Å"she thought.† Free indirect discourse allows the narrator to convey both the content of a character’s thoughts and the tone, by using language that resembles the words the characters themselves would choose. As such, it’s a crucial literary device in Austen’s satirical approach to country society.