Arguing the benefits of contributing DNA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Arguing the benefits of contributing DNA - Essay Example This procedure produces identical copies of the DNA sample. With the availability of these procedures, it is easier to identify individuals. Therefore, different states are appealing to the citizens to contribute DNA to bio banks to ensure availability of such samples for use when issues requiring identification arise (Butler 93). There is a lot of criticism surrounding this issue and lack of public knowledge on why contribution of DNA is necessary. Other individuals are bothered about the consequences that may arise because of the police having the DNA samples. However, there is little understanding of how much easier cases of paternity, genetic disorders, and criminal investigations would be, if people were willing to contribute their DNA freely. Despite the ethical issues raised, all individuals should willingly contribute their DNA to bio banks to ease identification. According to Lotter, the chemical structure of DNA does not vary from one individual to another. However, the bas es encoded in the chain appear in a unique arrangement in each individual. Identical twins are the only individuals with identical DNA profiles. Members of the same family show very close similarity and this similarity is the basis of familial matching. There are unique, but rare cases in society whereby unrelated individuals display close similarity. If individuals are willing to contribute DNA, paternity cases will be very easy. Advances in genomics were able to relate DNA profiles of a child to those of the parents. Such advances show that half of a child’s DNA profile matches that of the mother while the other half matches that of the father. This is the case because, during conception, two cells, one from each parent, fuse. Each of the two reproductive cells carries 23 chromosomes contrary to the 46 carried by normal body cells. Fusion of these two cells, results to 46 chromosomes in a cell. This cell, gives rise to the offspring on multiplication. In society, there are several cases concerning paternity. Some fathers deny their responsibility, claiming they are not the real fathers of children. Other people will impersonate the real fathers of children for their selfish gain. DNA typing constantly provides reliable solutions to cases of this nature. According to Butler, if comparison of samples from the father and child reveal matches in DNA patterns, then this is proof of paternity (93). Several of children in society, previously denied the opportunity to know their real fathers, are benefiting from this technological advance. Such children are now entitled to rights and privileges from their parents that they previously did not enjoy. It is worthwhile for people to contribute DNA to ease the solving of paternity cases. Adopted children have been able to identify their real parents, and they no longer live in the world of unanswered questions. Only in rare cases does DNA typing fail in paternity cases. As Butler argues, another critical applicati on of DNA profiling is its use in criminology. There are traces of DNA on anything we handle (397-399). Police analyze all objects on the crime scene to obtain a DNA sample that on amplification is typed and therefore aids in investigations. Police should handle such objects with care, to minimize contamination of the samples, with DNA from their hands. Suspected criminals must present DNA samples to the police. Police then compare their DNA profiles with the profile from the scene and if

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War - Essay Example Lincoln’s actions resulted in the success of the civil war. During the American Revolution and the adoption of the constitution, there emerged differences between the North and the South. The conflicts were based on their varying opinions on establishing a new nation. Sectionalism increased in the country promoting the start of the civil war due to the different cultural and economic perspectives between the northerners and the southerners. The interest of each of the sections was more crucial to its people than the interests of the whole country. The civil war could also have started because of the differences between the Free States and the slave States over the power of the national government to stop slavery in the regions that were not yet stated. The different philosophical positions of the north and the south over the power of the federal government further facilitated the civil war. Southern philosophers supported the notion of the states’ rights. The southerners feared that the federal government could have the ultimate powers to own slaves as it did in Northwest Ordinance and Missouri. According to the southerners, the states had the authority and not the people who, are represented by the federal government (Finkelman, 2011). On the contrary, the Northerners recognized the ultimate power of the federal government The debate over Slavery is cited as the other cause of the civil war. The Republicans opposed the idea of expanding slavery into the territories and aired their views through their candidate, Abraham Lincoln. On the other hand, the Democrats supported the right of southern states to take the slaves into their territories. The northerners emphasized on containing the slaves claiming that the slaves were valuable to the Northern region.  

Organ Donation Essay Example for Free

Organ Donation Essay Problem Statement: The increase in organ donation results in it being sold as a means of gaining income for many persons in the Jamaican society. It results in the body being viewed as a utilitarian object rather than a metamorphic entity that people can call their own. The ways involved in obtaining organs for usage by medical researchers are inhumane with limited emphasis being placed on the effects the process have on members of the society. Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the social, economic and ethical issues associated with organ donation and to outline the different methods that could be implemented to regulate the extraction of organs from humans. Research Questions: What are the main economic, social and ethical implications of organ donation in the Jamaican society? Subsidiary Questions What are the different ways in which one may try to obtain organs for sale or scientific studies? What impact does the harvesting of organs have on economical developments in different countries? What are the implications of the uses of organs in the future of health care in Jamaica? Hypothesis: Organs donation accounts for: 1. An increase in the black market 2. exploitation of the human body and 3. leads to the misconception that once a donor gives an organ, the recipient of the organ will survive. Significance: The results obtained from the study will help to enhance information that will educate the public, future researchers and medical professionals about the ways to reduce the economic, social and ethical impacts of organ donation. Literature Review Organ donation is important in improving the quality and the quantity of life of individuals in need of organs in the society. However, the need for increase in organ donation is often affected by ethical, economic and social impacts associated with both the recipients and the donors of the organs. It is with this that an in-depth research was conducted to find out the ways involved in obtaining kidneys for medical usage and the effects the process may have on individuals within the society. Findings showed that once a more structured system is implemented to regulate organ donation, there will be an increase in the number of organs donated and a reduction in the impacts stated above. What is organ donation and what are the different ways in which one may try to obtain organs for sale or scientific studies? Wilkinson (2011) states that organ donation is the removal of tissues and organs with consent from owners or decision makers, such as family members, for the main purpose of transplanting them into other persons. She suggests the many routes in which persons may obtain organ from donors. These include buying it on the black market as it is the cheapest and easier route to go or it may be stolen from the body of deceased persons which poses the risk of exploitation leading to the development of ethical issues. She alludes to the point that the word â€Å"donation† suggests a willing gesture or that permission must be given to facilitate the process of acquiring the organ being transplanted. This is further supported by the fact that humans, before they die, may sign an agreement to have their body donated to medicine and therefore is subjected to organ extraction or even medical researching. Similarly to the views of Wilkinson, Andrews and Nelkins (2001) believes that it is morally incorrect for the body to be exploited by medical professionals and wealthy business men. They support the argument that before medical professionals can begin extracting organs for donation, they should first receive consent from patients and family members of the patients. This is however contradicted by Barnett and Kaserman (2006) who are of the opinion that once the benefit of extracting organs includes saving the life of individuals, it should never have to come down to a consent form to continue the procedure. They are not indicating that consent is not important, however, just by the fact that the patient has signed over all rights of his body to medical professionals to provide treatment and certain important diagnosis; it should not be a problem for organs to be extracted to carry out various studies to improve the quality and quantity of life. As stated by Herring (2002), there may two types of organ donors: living donors and deceased donors (brain dead). In order for the organs of the deceased to be used, there must be enough oxygen in the organ required to last for 18 hours. He is of the opinion that these organs should be acquired by signing of consent forms by family members or by the patient himself before death. When the patient is conscious, he should inform family members his plan to donate organs so as to prevent any disputes after his death. He sees the body as more than an entity that hosts organs. Rather, it is a part of a person’s persona and what makes them who they are. The body should be viewed as a patient one that still has rights and should still be respected. What impact does the harvesting of organs have on economical developments in Jamaica? Firstly, with an increase in the demand for organ donation, there poses strong economical problems amongst various persons involved in the above said situations. Due to its importance, organs are very expensive and may not be accessible by members of the poorer class (Kaserman, 2006). This is problematic as it may result in organs being acquired illegally. It is important to note that for any member of the society (generally that of the poorer class), an organ sale on the black market is much more cost effective than having medical personnel performing the extraction process. Furthermore, this may result in the exploitation of individuals exposed to the black market as professionals for example doctors and medical researchers also purchase kidneys and other organs from the black market, thereby drastically increasing the price of the organs once it reaches in a more formal setting (Wilkinson 2011). This act has created a link between both economic and legal issues as the black market has been deemed illegal in countries such as India, Canada and the United States. Serious consequences may also develop from being an active participant in the black market that could result in jail time or even the payment of fines much greater than that of what the kidneys were sold for. On a more important note, as stated by Taylor (2005), the problems associated with the development of the black market can be alleviated if a more structured system for selling and obtaining organs was implemented. It would help to increase the amount of people willing to donate kidneys and would allow for a cheaper and easily accessible market, making it more economically friendly to members of the poorer class. According to (Brezin 2010) â€Å"†¦if an incentive is given to donors, more organs may be given to the health centers to meet the demand of the organs required.† In other words, each time an individual donates an organ, he or she will be given money for the organ donated. Compensation accounts for hospital visits and follow up examinations, counseling and screen testing to see if the donor is physically and mentally fit, and surgery. However, while there may be an increase in the number of organs donated, it may begin to reduce any profit that might be made by the organizations due to the increase in incentives to compensate the donors. What are the implications of the uses of organs in of health care? According to Taylor (2005), â€Å"there have been numerous deaths due to the failure of organ transplant in patients because of the decrease in organ donation.† In countries such as China and the United States of America, the waiting list for organs is long and approximately 11 individuals die per day from the need of an organ. Even though organizations such as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network have been put in place with the aim of educating people about the importance for organ donation, there is still a shortage of organs in the health care system. But why is this so? Organ donation may be beneficial for the recipient, but it often brings struggles to the donor. When organ transplant is successful, approximately 3.5 years is added to the life span of the recipient thus enabling him or her to live a normal and fulfilling life with hardly any complications Bainham (2002). This approximation has helped to relax the psycho-social of family members that were once with the struggle of obtaining organs for their loved ones. However, Andrew and Nelkins (2001) argues the fact that in the case of the live donor, the psychological aspect of dealing with surgery, medical visits and complications months after surgery is the contributing factor that may allow for them not participate in organ donation. More importantly, financial struggles associated with donating such as hospital visits, transportation and follow up examination is overwhelming as donors are often expected to take care of the cost of donation as the system is one which is voluntary. In the Jamaican context, Aaron (2009) supports the fact that establishing an organ and tissue bank will help to save lives and also improve on the quality of life. He elaborates on the point that despite its importance, many Jamaicans are still against the establishment of an organ bank due to cultural and religious reasons. Many Jamaicans are discouraged because of the long waiting list and the shortage of organs. Aaron questions the processes which will be implemented in selecting individuals who will be able to acquire organs and believes that acquiring organs should not be based on how much profit may be made, but rather form an altruistic perspective. Similarly, in an article found in the Gleaner (2000) entitled Organ Transplantation, it was discovered that more than 400 patients are awaiting kidney in the country. It also brings across the light that organs are in fact needed in Jamaica. Methodology The study will involve evaluating the social, economic and ethical issues associated with organ donation and outlining the different methods that could be implemented to regulate the extraction of organs from humans. This will be spearheaded by the following research questions: 1. What is organ donation and what are the different ways in which one may try to obtain organs for sale or scientific studies? 2. What impact does the harvesting of organs have on economical developments in Jamaica? 3. What are the implications of the uses of organs in of health care? The targeted population for this study is the Jamaican society due to the many issues that have prevented the steady transplantation of organs needed. Data collection methods will be from both primary and secondary sources. Data will be collected from the works of previous researchers such as published books and Newspaper articles. The main instrument to collect data will be through an interview with 5 medical professionals. The interview questions will be surrounded on the importance of organ donation and will consist of 8 structured questions. These questions will collectively be geared towards answering the research question. The research will take place over a 5 months period in which drafts of the literature review will be handed in, compile interview questions, administer the question and then analyse the data received. The limitation to this study is that not the entire Jamaican population can be studied and therefore only selected hospitals will be focused on.

Analysis Of The Cartesian Dualism

Analysis Of The Cartesian Dualism There is the relationship between a reason and an action when the reason explains the action by giving the agents reason for doing what he did. The reason explains the action in this way (a reason that rationalizes the action) also causes the action. There is some confusion, then, about reasons for action. The idea of a reason for action seems to some most naturally to pick out considerations that count in favor of acting in a certain way, while to others it picks out psychological states that explain action. We believe that the relation has to be causal, in order to pick out, from among the many reasons that a person might have acted upon, those that the person did, in fact, act upon. It is convenient to begin by considering dualism. The major position here is Cartesian dualism, named after Descartes, the central figure in post-medieval philosophical discussion of the mind-body problem. For a Cartesian dualist the mind and body are both substances; but while the body is an extended, and so a material, substance, the mind is an unextended, or spiritual, substance, subject to completely different principles of operation from the body. It was this doctrine that Gilbert Ryle caricatured as the myth of the ghost in the machine. It is in fact a serious and important theory. In the Cartesian Dualism, the brain is part of the physical body but the mind or the spirit is not. The mind interacts with the physical body through the brain, more specifically, through the pineal gland in the middle of the two hemispheres of the brain. The body could be divided up by removing a leg or arm, but the mind or soul is indivisible. The mind is not only indivisible but also invisible and immortal. The body is the exact opposite being visible, mortal and divisible. The mind in Descartes explanation is a thinking thing (lat. res cogitans) and immaterial. This thing is capable of doubting, believing, hoping and thinking on its own. The body is extended matter: the soul is unextended spirit. When, however, the extended is acted upon by the unextended, some definite point of interaction is required and it is to be found in the pineal gland. Yet the soul is united to all parts of the body conjointly. The whole body is the souls proper housing so long as the body remains intact. When a member of the bodyan arm or a leg, for exampleis cut off, there is no loss of part of the soul as a consequence because the soul is unitary and indivisible. It then occupies what is left of the body. So without attempting to resolve all the problems, he simply stated that there is a dualism of mind and body, and their interaction is clearly real. The brain is the major locus for the mind or consciousness of the soul, yet mind or consciousness is distributed throughout the whole body. The point of interaction between the two is the pineal gland. Monism is defined as the doctrine that there is only one ultimate substance or principle, whether mind, matter, or some third thing that is the basis of both (or) the doctrine that reality is an organic whole without independent parts (Websters New World Dictionary). The concept of psychological dualism asserts that man is more than the sum of his genotype. Dualistic man has a mind that is separate from his body. This mind may be housed or contained within the body, but it is not contingent upon the physical body for its existence. The mind can act upon the body, and the body can act upon the mind, but they are separate entities that have been traditionally believed to separate at death at which point neither has any influence over the other. The most important aspect of this philosophy is its recognition of a non-biological component of the human person. By the turn of the twentieth century, it had become clear that talk of the mind is too broad and that there may be issues to do with experience and sensation that are distinct from those that arise in connection with such mental states as believing, desiring, and the like (the so-called propositional attitudes). It was thought that, while functionalism, for example, might provide a plausible account of belief, it encountered real difficulties when it came to accounting for experience. Functionalism is a material monist theory of mind: it asserts that everything is physical. It is highly significant both in that it develops behaviourism and that it paved the way for empirical work in neuro-physiology and cognitive science. It was created as Hilary Putnam interpreted conscious states in terms of the (then new) science of computational theory. The function of the brain, states the theory, is consciousness. This approach is useful because by reducing the mind to a function it does away with the issue of how that function is performed. A function can be defined abstractly, without concerning itself with how that function is discharged in the same way that an equation can specify the relationship between X and Y without needing to specify how that equation might be solved. Thus, functionalism avoids the question of how the brain might achieve the feat of consciousness that dogs other materialist theories. Functionalism is also both a response to and a development of behaviourism. Behaviourism argues that conscious states can be understood in terms of sensory input and behavioural output. This leads to a significant issue; namely that it ascribes conscious states to any input/output system (e.g. a water tank). Functionalism adds an intermediary step, arguing that sensory input is processed by a function before output. Thus, two crucial differences to behaviourism are introduced: the function can lead to one or many outputs and some or all of the output can form the input to another internal function without the requirement for external expressive behaviour. With this simple device the diversity of the mind can theoretically be accounted for. An everyday illustration of this process might be a car. It receives multiple inputs in the form of petrol, oil, water, etc and outputs motion, gases, heat, etc. During this transformation process (function) we can also see an example of feedback: some of the motion of the car is used to power the alternator to generate electricity, which in turn forms one of the inputs to the combustion process. So now we have a brief understanding of the theory let us examine why this important theory came about. Firstly there is the need to respond to behaviourism and to overcome its shortcomings. Functionalism can also be seen as developing along with other new concepts of the time. The new science of computers and computational mathematics supplied concepts that could be applied to the brain as a complex system. Functionalism was also applying empiricism to a new area, paralleling the method of the huge advancements made in science in the twentieth century. Each mental state (or process) correlates with some neurological state (or process) Different mental states correlate with different neurological states (though one and the same mental state can have different neural correlates). The correlations are based on causal interactions between minds and brains. Mental occurrences can simply be taken as brain processes (Identity Theory). Mental states/processes are brain states/processes. Hence, we can identify sensations and other mental phenomena with (physical) brain processes.

Cantebury Tales. Brief Characterization Of Monk :: essays research papers

Geoffrey Chaucer’s, The Canterbury Tales was written in the late fourteenth century. It is a compilation of short stories, set in the Medieval Period England, told by travelers who are going on a pilgrimage to the Cathedral at Canterbury. Among the traveling band, a Monk of likely Franciscan ties was a pilgrim of high rank and nobility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Monk in The Canterbury Tales, ranks among the highest compared to the other pilgrims. The Monk belonged to the ecclesiastical estate, which was one relating to a church. The church he belongs to is of Catholic origin and is hinted at by this line, â€Å"The Rule of good St.Benet or St.Maur†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He is likely a member of the order founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1209, an order that had concrete connections with the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church at that time assumed much influence and power in England.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though the Monk is rich, he does let his money corrupt his faith or character. The Monk was â€Å"fat and a personable priest† who did not carry himself as a snob of the higher class. He was basically respectful to the old and kind to the young. The Monk also was more open to ideas and did not follow his faith where he found wrong. For example, â€Å"he did not rate that text at a plucked hen Which says that hunters are not holy men†. He was also considered brave and righteous by Chaucer’s opinion, â€Å"And I agreed and said his views were sound†¦Ã¢â‚¬    Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Monk is a wealthy man as shown by his appearance, and greatly enjoys hunting, reading books and deeply appreciates the finer things in life. â€Å"Was he to study till his head went round†¦Ã¢â‚¬  describes his long-term commitment to learning. His â€Å"many dainty a horses†, â€Å"fine grey fur† and â€Å"wrought gold cunningly fashioned pin† leads the reader to think that he enjoys living a comfortable life. â€Å"As old and strict he tended to ignore; He let go by the things of yesterday And took the modern world’s more spacious way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  describes how he does not allow the troubles of the day throw him off his happiness.

Hate Speech - Legal, but Unnecessary -- essays research papers

Hate Speech - Legal, but Unnecessary While a clear and concise definition remains forthcoming, it is easier to establish what hate speech is not. Hate speech is wrong but legal in the United States of America mostly because we have the freedom of speech. But the First Amendment exists precisely to protect the most offensive and controversial speech from government suppression. In this case, people are allowed to use hate speech and not get arrested or any legal actions against them. The best way to counter obnoxious speech such as this is with more speech. Persuasion, not violence, is the solution to this problem (Jouhari). Hate speech has been mistakenly tied with other categories of speech both legal and illegal. One should avoid confusing hate speech with something it is not because other legal implications might come into play. Hate speech is not obscene speech. According to the guidelines of the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) for indecent speech, which define indecent speech as, "limited to language or material that depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as much by the contemporary community standards for the broadcast means, sexual activities or organs," then hate speech is not indecent speech either (Pullma). Indecent speech should also be kept apart from the category of hate speech, which involves victimization. Hate speech is offensive language towards a particular group, race, gender, or religion. These include the insulting words by which their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace. It has been well observed that such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight social value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly outweighed by the social interest in order and morality (Pullma). There is no choice but to continue tolerating intolerance, until the Constitution itself would be amended, which is an event unlikely to occur. In the meantime, individual cases and court opinions add more problems to the already growing problem called the constitutionality of hate speech. Hate speech on the Internet is one of those problems, unique, but part of the whole picture. &n... ...use all hate speech is, is speech that makes people feel inferior or doleful. I believe that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have to had agree with me if he was here in this day and time about the way at tackling this problem. This method of problem solving is nonviolent and effective. Just like that in the Letter from Birmingham Jail that Dr. King wrote to the Clergyman. He never used any speech to insult or put down any race or social group. He wrote what he believed without this type of speech because he knew that the people, the majority, reading would take it personally and not listen to what he really had to say. In addition, like Thoreau says, "Men generally, under such a government as this, think that they ought to wait until they have persuaded the majority to alter them" (Jacobus, 134). This is what I believed Dr. King did when he spoke. He got the attention of his audience then he preceded to persuading them to his beliefs. He never used hate speech even though it was legal for him to do so. Hate speech is legal and protected by the First Amendment but does that mean that people have to use it.

A Semiotic Analysis of the Battle Fo Algiers

The Battle of Algiers, which was produced in 1966 and directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, is a film which explores the Algerian struggle for independence between 1954 and 1962. The film is constructed using a documentary style and was filmed on the actual locations where events unfolded. The Battle of Algiers is an example of neorealist filmmaking which purports to give an objective, realistic account of the battles waged between the FLN (National Liberation Front) rebels and the French military. The formal elements of style which create the narrative can be examined using semiotic theory in order to better understand how the viewer can be interpellated into particular ideological positions. Interestingly, the ideal viewing position is not easily recognisable, which is why the film works well in striking a balance in presenting the points of views of combating sides. Semiotics refers to the study of and meaning created by ‘signs’, which are composed of ‘signifiers’ and their ‘signifieds’. Semiotic systems are culturally contingent; they appeal to and are informed by ideology (O’sullivan, Hartley, Saunders, Montgomery & Fiske, 2004). Therefore, it may be significant to note that The Battle of Algiers is essentially a European production as the â€Å"key creative positions in the production of the film were occupied by Italians† (Wayne, 2001, p. 9). With this in mind, it would appear that the characterisations which are constructed through the combination of formal filmic conventions can be seen to position the viewer into considering the futility of continued political control over a colonised state, regardless of the viewer’s ideological point of view. Ostensibly, the characterisations of the combatants from the FLN and the French military are polarised opposites. The FLN rebels are less organised, poorly funded, less literate and rely on deception and terror to further their cause. Opposed to this, the French paratroopers are well organised, disciplined, calculating, brutal, and use torture and modern weaponry to counter the rebels. The character of Ali La-Pointe can be read as the embodiment of the FLN, whereas Colonel Philippe Mathieu can be read as the embodiment of the French military. La-Pointe is played by non-professional actor, Brahim Haggiag, â€Å"a real life petty criminal† (Odeh, 2004). On the other hand, Colonel Mathieu is played by the only professional in the cast, Jean Martin (Odeh, 2004). La-Pointe is presented as being poorly educated and disenfranchised. His poor education is signified in the scene where he asks the boy messenger, Petit Omar, to read him a communication from FLN leader, Jaffar. Other signifiers of his poor education and low socio-economic status are his tatty clothing, unkempt appearance and lack of paid employment. La-Pointe is characterised as being ill-disciplined and short-tempered. This is signified clearly by La-Pointe punching a young Frenchman after he is called a ‘dirty Arab’. His past crimes, albeit petty, are signified by voiceover. La-Pointe is also impulsive in his role as a rebel leader. He is impatient to fight the French military and does not see the sense in the more measured approach suggested by Jaffar. Whilst La-Pointe is not a model citizen and is not easy to sympathise with he is, however, characterised as being a strong leader, courageous and loyal to his cause. La-Pointe’s characterisation perhaps works to interpellate the viewer into a position which favours a bourgeois ideology, because La-Pointe’s rise to eminence within the FLN is seemingly more out of vengeance and revenge, rather than any political manoeuvring or prowess. Ironically, this lack of political power which results in violence and terror adds authenticity to La-Pointe’s character and in so doing, his character positions the viewer to understand that the French hegemonic ideology is the root cause of the Arabs’ disenfranchisement. In contrast to La-Pointe, Colonel Mathieu is characterised as being intelligent, charismatic and disciplined; he is the embodiment of the French military and by extension the French culture. Mathieu is the most developed character in the film and this can be read as being metaphoric of the French culture’s supposed sophistication. The mise-en-scene when Mathieu is parading down a large street along the seafront after being recruited to command the offensive against the FLN rebels is significant. Matheiu, a tall, sturdy, middle-aged man looks resplendent in full military uniform amidst cheering ‘French’ locals and is presented as the messiah like character. Tellingly though, it is the dark sunglasses, rolled up sleeves and unbuttoned shirt which give him an authentic and individual appearance; he appears to be a man of action and experience. The viewer is immediately positioned to sense that Mathieu’s arrival will coincide with a significant change in events in Algiers. As the viewers’ expectations are played out they are positioned to sympathise with Mathieu’s point-of-view. When Mathieu first arrives in Algiers, he sets about systematically dismantling the resistance, however, he points out to his colleagues that not all of the Arabs are terrorists and that most do not present a threat at all (Odeh, 2002). This is signified by Mathieu saying: There are four hundred thousand Arabs in Algeria; are they all enemies? We know they are not. But a small minority hold sway by means of terror and violence (Pontecorvo, 1966). He describes the organisational structure of the FLN, how they recruit members and why they are a considerable threat. This signifies Mathieu’s knowledge of military tactics and strategy, as well as his respect of the enemy. This respect for his enemy is also signified through the following quote: â€Å"It’s a dangerous enemy†¦ using tried-and-true revolutionary methods as well as original tactics† (Pontecorvo, 1966). Although Mathieu is presented as being respectful of his adversaries, he is, on the other hand, ruthless and actively condones the use of torture. His is an attitude of ‘win at all costs’ and the ‘end justifies the means’ approach. Mathieu euphemistically uses the word ‘interrogation’ for torture in order to gain intelligence to dismantle the FLN pyramid structure. As he emphatically puts it, the interrogation will be â€Å"conducted in such a way as to ensure we always get an answer† (Pontecorvo, 1966). When questioned about these tactics in a press conference, Mathieu justifies his tactics as being the lesser of two evils, and the only way to counter clandestine tactics such as setting off bombs in public places. He is fully aware of the creation of a vicious cycle of terrorism and counterterrorism which highlights the complexity of the situation and the necessity for decisive actions. The viewer is positioned to sympathise with Mathieu’s persuasive rhetoric not only through his words but also because of the camera angles in this scene. The use of a low camera angle from the journalists’ perspective reinforces Mathieu as the dominant figure in the room and adds weight to his profound rhetoric. Mathieu is also belligerent towards the hypocritical journalists who want the FLN defeated, but are critical of the methods employed. The mise-en-scene during the press conference shows the dominant figure Mathieu standing slightly in front of three military colleagues who are wearing stern expressions in a show of solidarity with their leader. They are flanked by a blackboard which shows a line graph with an upward trend. This could be read as signifying an upward trend in terrorist acts or bombings. Throughout the press conference, Mathieu is in the centre of frame and stands bolt upright in a dominant fashion with hands on hips. The positioning of Mathieu as a powerful figure with courage and vigour sets him up as being a metaphoric representation of French pride. Mathieu sits down in a more relaxed fashion as he appeals to the journalists’ sense of pride. He states, â€Å"We’re neither madmen nor sadists† and reminds them of the â€Å"role many of us played in the resistance† (referring to WWII; Pontecorvo, 1966). In this powerful scene Mathieu is juxtaposed with the captured FLN commander Benjamin M’hidi. M’hidi is questioned by a journalist about the use of terror tactics and is asked, â€Å"isn’t it cowardly to use your women’s baskets to carry bombs which have taken so many innocent lives? † (Pontecorvo, 1966). M’hidi replies by comparing these actions with the even more devastating effect from use of bomber planes and napalm, and suggests that he would swap the baskets for the bombers. This comment highlights the difference between the resources of the French and the FLN and by extension the difference between the wealth and infrastructure of the French Algerians compared with the much poorer and disenfranchised Algerian Natives. The camera angles are higher when M’hidi is in shot and the reader is positioned to view him as less powerful than Mathieu; what’s more most of the journalists are also standing, making the camera angle similar when they are in view which works to present them as being equally important as M’hidi. The journalists and photographers are also rowdier and jostle for position signifying less respect for him. However, M’hidi who is clearly surrounded by such adversity is defiant; when asked if he thinks the FLN can defeat the French army, he poignantly suggests that they have a better chance of victory than the French have of changing history. While M’hidi’s argument is compelling, it is Mathieu’s charisma which is most memorable in this scene as it is in most others in which he is involved. With this in mind, it could be argued that it is most likely that the viewer will be interpellated into the ideological position of bourgeois subject. The Battle of Algiers is very complex in its viewer positioning however, and while on the one hand it positions the viewer to respect Mathieu as an indomitable character with admirable intentions, this is somewhat countered by some negative racist traiting. Shortly after Mathieu’s arrival, it becomes clear that he has a racist attitude. This is signified by his description of the Arabs as being â€Å"like rabbits in a cage† and is reinforced by the smirk on his face. When asked by the General, what he is calling the operation, he whimsically looks through a pair of binoculars and sees a sign by the shipping dock which says â€Å"drink Champagne. † He then informs the general that he will call the operation ‘Champagne’. This use of the word ‘champagne’ is metaphoric of the hegemonic rise of the French culture being imparted upon the Algerians, especially given the fact that the sign is at a dock yard symbolising the foreign influence being transported from abroad. However, Mathieu’s racist attitude is somewhat tempered throughout the film. This is signified in the scene where FLN commander, Jaffar, is captured in a seemingly inevitable fashion as the FLN are being systematically destroyed by the French paratroopers; while Mathieu escorts Jaffar in a vehicle he admits that he’d â€Å"have hated to have blown you all up† (Pontecorvo, 1966). Mathieu explains that he has had Jaffar’s picture on his desk for months and he felt like he knew him a bit. He also signifies his admiration in a subtle manner by telling Jaffar: â€Å"You don’t strike me as the kind for empty gestures† (Pontecorvo, 1966). Mathieu does not demonstrate any animosity towards Jaffar and the only satisfaction he finds in his capture is through the achievement of his military objective. This complex traiting is significant, given that Mathieu works, in a broad sense, as a metonym of the French military and government; it shows that even the most admirable of characters is not truly existential in nature. He is still a subject of the French ideology, and therefore when surrounded by colleagues he assumes the racist persona. However, when he is interacting on a one-on-one basis with Jaffar, he is able to express empathy for his prisoner. What this highlights is the difficulty in effecting political change as a subject of the dominant ideology. It is significant that the film works to develop the character of Mathieu while neglecting the development of any other ‘French’ characters. In contrast to this, several Arab characters are at least partially developed, albeit not as well crafted or nuanced in their presentation. This can be seen as symbolic of the opposing ideologies at work. Mathieu who represents the force of the dominant ideology is an empowered character who is allowed to express himself and has the support of the educated, wealthy French colonialists. In contrast, the main Arab characters including FLN Leaders La-Pointe, Jaffar, M’hidi and boy messenger Petit Omar are less developed, but in so doing appear to be more ‘archetypal’ and representative of typical characters who inhabit the poverty-stricken Casbah. This sets up an ‘us versus them’ dichotomy in terms of ideological positions. The less-dominant Arabic ideology is becoming more powerful and is reflected in more characters performing a powerful role for change. In contrast, the dominant French ideology is lessening in strength as the French colonialists are seen to be more ambivalent towards change. This is understandable as they are wealthier and have more political power. The French military finally win the battle in 1957 by capturing or killing all the FLN leaders. Ultimately though, it is the native Algerians who win their independence. The film finishes by depicting the large scale demonstrations which occurred two years later, which (according to the French press) appeared unexpectedly and originated in the mountains. Many unarmed Arabs are killed by the French military during the demonstrations but the Arabs continue to demonstrate and march for ten days, chanting and waving flags. The flags are an obvious signifier of unity, pride and a hope for independence. The film ends with one of the more powerful images of the film; an Arab woman is holding a flag whilst dancing and yelling at the French military in obvious defiance. She has a determined, almost hypnotised expression on her face. This powerful mise-en-scene with the woman being backed by hundreds of demonstrators defiant in the face of powerful suppression foreshadows an inevitable change of politics after another two years of struggle. The words of Benjamin M’hidi seem even more profound by the end of the film: you cannot change the course of history (Pontecorvo, 1966). References http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/46/algiers.htm

AMS Final Study Guide

Dances danced to Bebop included the lindy hop and the apple Jack emerged-both also seen as resistive – double v double time (time refers to the speed in bebop) -A type of music that focused on asymmetry and dissonance, made so white artists loudest play it (involved technical mastering), lots of improve that moved away from sheet music. Very similar to Jim Hendrix taking an American style (Jazz) and transforming It to fit a new culture with the wave of Immigrants. Often played In clubs where coot suitors loitered, acted as a form of musical protest and resistance against the white mainstream Jazz.Birth of a new kind of Jazz, one that symbolizes youth and change within American society. Shifted focus from white/swing black/ bebop Bracers Program â€Å"An emergency farm labor plan that was extremely successful at meeting its goal of supplying cheap labor. -After WI there were several â€Å"bracer's† (manual laborers) that stopped working as farm laborers on their own sid e of the border and came to El Paso center to be recruited for agricultural labor. Bracers translates too â€Å"manual laborer who works with arms† The program was started in 1942 by FED and it allowed Mexican agricultural laborers to have a temporary contract.Mexico was viewed as a part of the Allies during WI. Brought hundreds of thousands of Mexican people to the U. S and fostered the Idea that Mexican workers were entirely dispensable and that once they were no longer 1942 and 1947 continued after WWW Operation wetback's† MM Mexican and Mexican Americans who were U. S citizens or legal residents deported back to Mexico. Buffalo Bill -Creator of the popular commercial entertainment business â€Å"Buffalo Bills, Wild West† from 1883-1916, that reduced complex events into romanticizes scenes of the frontier. The creator, William F. Codswallop Bill†-the main attraction of the show- because he was a â€Å"real† man of the frontier who became popular f or killing a young Indian warrior named Yellow Hand, through scalping. -Led people to believe the acts during the show were real, even though they were often traumatized and left out the Indians side of the story -scenes drawn from buffalo bills dime novels and was considered â€Å"American national entertainment† and exemplified American history in an inaccurate way.Buffalo bill is considered the hero and a self-made man. Richard Slotting Reading: From reading Cultural US Imperialism. -Romanticizes view of the American frontier, not an accurate representation. Double -An attempt by African Americans soldiers during WWW; victory at home (against discrimination) and victory abroad with the war. By fighting in the war, they hoped to gain respect and become equals. It was a response to what happened during WI, hen they were promised equality if they fought in the war, but it never happened. It was an attempt by black soldiers in WWW to demonstrate that by helping to win victory in the war, that they could establish conditions domestically for victory over discrimination. It's immediate effect was the end of racial discrimination in the military services -A Philip Randolph and the march on Washington -Double V, double time related to bebop and coot suit, each examples or resistance and fighting the war at home. The Double V Campaign became a symbol of pride for Black Americans during a time when Jim Crows laws were prevalent and so many of he rights that soldiers fought for abroad were denied them at home.Article from The Pittsburgh Courier from James Thompson small acts of resistance that led to a revolution during the civil rights movement Gill Scott-Heron A Jazz and Spoken word musician, Scott-Heron's songs discussed such matters as the superficiality of media and consumerism, as well as the idea that true revolution is not seen through publicity but through the actions of the people that go unpublished. Singer to â€Å"The Revolution Will Not Be Televi sed† in 1970, it was a politically conscious hip hop song, that explained how revolution is not found in hinges that give us comfort like television.It questions where we find resistance, shows how racial issues begin from within and laws are Just temporary solutions to a seemingly permanent problem. -If you want ‘revolution', you can't sit and wait for it to come on your TV. Set Talking about racial equality and thus the â€Å"revolution† will not be put on television; it will be live, as said in the last line. -Nine's ad: The revolution will be not be televised†¦ Yet it was -The significance to class views. Countercultures Hurricane Strain The 2005 Hurricane that devastated Louisiana and, most famously, New Orleans after the levees broke.There was a large disparity between the opinions of the people on the ground and those portrayed by the televised news casting. The film Trouble the Water (2008), addressed the idea that Strain was a man-made disaster oppos ed to a natural one. Showed the depths of structural racism in that there was an unequal distribution of resources based on race. -African Americans were denied assistance, and rescuing was prioritize to whites. In addition, white housing and tourist attractions were restored much faster than black neighborhoods and housing.Demonstrates how racism is still prevalent in society even after the Civil rights Movement, shows how solving racial issues begins from within, and laws are Just temporary solutions to a seemingly permanent problem. Institutional Racism: Racism that is hard to see but usually is stronger racism. – institutionalized racism, hegemony widespread agreement that things were getting better but were truly not for certain colors and poor people Elevation -First truly massed produced suburbs that had identical designs to lower housing costs.Known as the archetype for postwar suburbs across the country -In 1957, Alfred Levity created the first Elevation, a suburban area of standardized homes that rated several suburbs and a defined middle class. It became a symbol of the American dream, but was restricted to white families only, a part of the housing segregation seen back then. Displays the hegemony of racial inequality ideologies, keeping races segregated and whites as â€Å"superior† and blacks and â€Å"others† as â€Å"inferior†. -All residents must be Caucasian so owners had business because whites wouldn't live there otherwise.Documentary: â€Å"Race: The power of illusion† deal with systemic racism in the development of suburbs and the impact of color-blind policy. FAA specifically redline families of color. White flight Malcolm Little The birth name given to Malcolm X, a black Muslim civil rights activist Was part of nation of Islam? Began as a coot suit wearing hustler In Robin Kelly's Riddle of the Coot, he tells the story of Malcolm Little, also known as Malcolm X, a young African American growing up duri ng the Coot Suit era and an increasing time of forming American identities.He acquired all of the fashionable adornments of the time such as the coot suit and the conk to erase his background and identity. -Committed a series of burglaries targeting wealthy white families He his Scottish maternal grandfather -He endured a lot of pain and self-degradation to kook like a Whitman because he internalized the idea that black people were â€Å"inferior† and white people were â€Å"superior†. Shows the American values at the time, and the segregation of races despite the melting pot mentality.McDonald's A multinational corporation which has, in the past, been indicative of social and economic challenges created by multinational corporation operations. The world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants worldwide since it is a transnational company, as talked about in McDonald's in Beijing by Hanging Yawn. -Represents Americanization and American exceptionalness by in stilling American culture onto there countries through advanced technologies and products.American globalization is spreading American culture and ideologies worldwide, trying to force conformity among other nations to merge the superior American culture. â€Å"I'm loving it† expo transnational: going beyond national boundaries or interests Michael Jordan -Served as an analog to the self-made man and also hinted at how rationalization occurs as we view professional basketball players and athletes in general. -Michael Jordan is arguably one of the greatest basketball players in the NAB. He Joined the Bulls in 1984 and made the team come back alive.Jordan was certainly the most effectively marketed professional sports player and credited for making NAB popular. Famous American basketball player that played on the Chicago Bulls from 1984 to 1998. Was the world's first globalizes sports figure, becoming the global face of Nikkei advertisements worldwide. Importance represents the transnational of Nikkei and the globalization of American culture and values worldwide. Self-made man Marketing based on race â€Å"blackness† as a marketing scheme Nikkei -A transnational cooperation. Just do it† One of the first companies to actually hold a worldwide advertising campaign for its products. Use top athletes to sponsor their products and produces single products in multiple countries ex: â€Å"air Max penny is inspired by a basketball player whose nickname is Penny†¦ Shoe contains 52 separate components produced in five different countries† -Just do it! Is the slogan of Nikkei, which is a transnational corporation. It shows that beyond American imperialism of advancing technologies and products, there is also a globalization of American ideals being sold, a form of cultural imperialism.Demonstrates how the boundary of American ideals spreads past US borders, using production and sale of manufactured goods as a vessel of transport. An example of the spread of American ideas and ideologies Sitcom suburbs -â€Å"cookie cutter† homes -The sass's model of similar houses with an emphasis on the white middle class family. These suburbs were often an example of institutional racial segregation, with â€Å"red zone† areas being unable to get loans and land development. -Sitcoms such as â€Å"Leave it to Beaver† and â€Å"Father Knows Best† in the asses that portrayed a nuclear family living in the suburbs.Portrayed the transmission of gender roles and the ideals of a traditional family, for example women as the housewife that should clean cook and raise the kids, while men are the ones to work outside the house. Represents hegemonic forces reinforcing gender inequality ideologies onto the nation during a time that women were fighting for their independence. An example of state sanctioned racism towards African American homeowners. Also an example of the family unit becoming socially prominent.Sleepy Lagoon Murder/Hank Leaner's -Trial began in 1942 Jose was found on the ground already stabbed and beaten The boys went into the house and fought, came outside and punched Jose but was not responsible for his death Trial went on for 3 months 12 defendants found guilty; Hank was sentenced to life After several advocates tried o get boys out of Jail and finally did, Hank walked out of Jail with a coot suit on -Race was the central part of the riot Riots broke out between Mexican-Americans and army personnel stationed in LA.White Americans believed coot suits were extravagant and unpatriotic during war time. While Mexican Americans saw the trial as discriminatory. Coot Suit Riots (1943): The trials found these Mexican-Americans guilty without any sufficient evidence because of their race: presumed to be dangerous and guilty. Social model of disability The idea of the social model of disability was presented by guest lecturer, Ryan Cartridge. It suggests that there is a public view that there is something inherently different about those we consider to be â€Å"Disabled.As such, there are institutional precedents to treat those with disabilities differently. Race can influence this -White male is seen as the ideal/ normal in our society, so the disabled are held to this standard impairment + scatterbrained Being in a wheelchair limits the person, but not as much as society makes it out to be. -Overcoming narrative Propaganda that says despite the disability people can do things. -Often parameterized -Ex: someone with down syndrome is asked to the prom is put in the newspaper, hen this shouldn't be a big deal If the disabled can do it then so can you. Thus saying that if disabled people want to succeed at something, they only have to try hard. -This type of propaganda is used in the dual purpose of motivating those without disabilities, while simultaneously degrading those with disabilities, by saying that what a normal person has to overcome is equivalent to what a disabled person has to overcome. Concept Explanations: Transnational and Transnational Corporation -The idea that the economy, and especially large corporations, are increasingly operating across several nations.As such, they have vested interests in multiple countries and their economies. Overall the idea that corporations now have global effects rather than local ones -Watson Definition: â€Å"Transnational describes a condition by which people, commodities, and ideas literally cross–transgress– national boundaries and are not identified with a single place of origin. † â€Å"Transnational Corporations are popularly regarded as the clearest expressions of this new adaptation(transnational)†¦ Mode of production controlled from a headquarters complex located somewhere in the First World† -Watson Reading:Transnational, Localization, and Fast Foods in East Asia -McDonald's-localization rather than transnational -Nikkei -Coca-Cola American Capitalism Enlightened sexism -Douglass definition â€Å"Enlightened Sexism is a response, deliberate or not, to the perceived threat of a new gender regime. † -â€Å"insists the women have made plenty of progress because of feminism-aka full equality has allegedly been achieved†¦ So now it's okay to have sexist stereotypes of girls and women† because it's funny since we obsessing over one man, because we all know women â€Å"aren't† actually like that† Where the Girls Are;Enlightened Sexism -goes hand in hand with embedded feminism. American Dream-America's possibilities are limited to select groups of people, in this case women are left out Frontier thesis -The Thesis proposed by American historian Frederick Turner in 1893. It was the idea that American democracy/identity was established by the American Frontier. He stressed that by moving the frontier line it shaped America.. â€Å"Gained new strength each time it touched a new frontier. † Also by push ing out the frontier America was cutting ties with British culture and customs. The idea was that the frontier land was free†¦ Oh wait.Native Americans were there first. The frontier is a place where savagery and civilization meet. Domesticating nature -Homestead Act of 1862 Signed by Lincoln at the beginning/during the Civil War. Meant that Union supporters were the ones granted land†¦ â€Å"Any person†¦ Who has never borne arms against the United States Government. † -First granted 160 acres, increased to 640 acres in 1904. This in itself sets up white privilege through the descendants of homesteaders. Manifest Destiny American Empire The American Empire is the idea that America has, in its past, utilized military tactics to increase land and resource holdings.The Philippines example from class â€Å"taking them for their own good†, as well as the Spanish-American war of 1896 -Hegemony, -American Exceptionalness -American imperialism (ex: eagle spreadi ng its wings over many countries) Reading concept explanation: What does the author mean? What does it mean in a larger context? Example outside of class The Globalization of Michael Jordan by Walter Leveler: â€Å"The September 11 horrors raised, in the most stark and bloody terms, questions about the new capitalism that had shaped American-led globalization of the previous thirty years† (165-66).The terrorists who committed the crimes of 9-11 were a part of AH Qaeda, a religious organization that hated the US for corrupting their homelands and Saudi Arabia. The terrorists saw the US as the source of capitalism which they hate. Where the Girls Are by Susan Douglas: â€Å"American women today are a bundle of contradictions because much of the media imagery we grew up with was itself filled with mixed messages about what women should and should not do, what women could and could not be. This was true in the asses and it is true today' (9). The American woman has thus emerged as a bundle of contradictions, seeking to be simultaneously passive and active, outspoken and diet, selfish and selfless, thrifty and profligate, daring and scared, and who had better know which persona to assume when† double standards The media has done number of things to confuse the roles of women. One such example is the producer ethos versus consumer ethos. At first the media was portraying a producer ethos, but then there was a conflict, because they needed consumers to consume the produce of the producers.Therein lays contradiction nature of the media imposition on women. Magazines; pageants; Double V, Double Time: Bebop's Politics of Style by Eric Lott: â€Å"Bebop was about asking disciplined imagination alive and answerable to the social change of the time† (597). Bebop was not protest music but it was played during a time of protest. I would say that according to black they saw it as more of their own thing not a rebellion Something they had and whites didn't ,. It was something for them to identify with. It was kind of like a voice for them I'd say, not so much a rebellion if that makes sense at all. And while bebop said there was a riot going on, it was hardly protest music† (597) -Double V- African Americans wanting equality at home and actor in Germany -Bebop: fast paced, lots of solos, said to be too loud and aggressive -Wanted something that whites couldn't play. Identity for blacks Change the way people think along with the times, opening up the mind -Bebop was about making a change for blacks, a social change -Bebop, which breaks the paradigms established by its contemporaries, was seen as rebellious to WHITES and seen by blacks as something that was fully theirs. White culture interpret it as another coot suit riot -Punk Rock/metal, EDM? , youth in revolt, counter-culture in general Disability and the Justification of Inequality in American History by Douglas Boonton: â€Å"Thus, while disabled people can be considered on e of the minority groups historically assigned inferior status and subjected to discrimination, disability has functioned for all such groups as a sign of and Justification of inferiority' (34). Disability has been used to justify other historically inferior groups Boonton mentions Women's suffrage, African American civil rights, and restriction of immigration -Women were deemed too emotional to vote, to have rights. Emotionality was used as a disability against women o say that they weren't good enough -Race was used as a disability saying that others were inferior because of something like blindness, deafness, mental illness to justify segregation and immigration restrictions Disability that they weren't as developed.People were too weak. Didn't look strong enough†couldn't enter US- immigration restriction -The same reasons/differences that are used to assign inferiority and give rise to discrimination are the same reasons the people with disabilities use to argue for were h elping out lesser races but really we were going in for land and resources– babe?Immigrations exclusion acts: -Early 20th century: you look like you have poor physique- can't immigrate 1903- epilepsy, insanity- can't immigrate 1907-mental or physical defect which may affect you-can't immigrate Haunted America by Patricia Limerick â€Å"Somewhere in the asses, the term [frontier] might undergo a crucial shift, toward the reality of la frontier and away from the fantasy of the frontier. That shift in meaning will be the measure of great change in this nation's understanding of its own origins† (92). She argues that overall it is not very useful to look back at one's story since all this does is make an individual conscience of the fear to repeat it, and that the only way to learn is through an action. Says that by the white man's conquest we have intertwined the lives of native Americans and Anglo Saxons and we now have a more Joined nation through the tragedies experien ced by both sides. -In terms of ‘la frontier' this is reference to the Mexican American border. Wild west; manifest destiny -The Last Samurai, you can literally draw direct parallels from white men pushing west in America to the new Chinese government extermination of the old Samurai ay of life Cultural studies scholar Priscilla Wald: â€Å"Institutional racism and structural violence share the assumption that the distribution of power through which the state regulates life is a form of violence† (191). Structural and institutional racism see the ways in which people of color are disadvantaged by government where it is avoidable -They aren't given the same opportunities or help as white people -The way that the government doesn't help these struggling races is a how there is structural and institutional racism and it is an act of violence even though it is not direct physical violence. Ignoring them is violence Individual vs.. Institutional racism natural disaster vs.. Structural violence Hurricane Strain: blacks not helped.Tourist (white) parts of the city rebuilt 100% but dominantly black neighborhoods still devastated. Government said they would come in to help but never did. American Studies is about making connections and asking good questions, and then making an argument based on the appropriate evidence. Your essay should engage with the ideas and arguments of at least four different primary or secondary texts from class. The primary texts can include any of the films, songs, novels, memoirs, or poems that we have covered so far in class.Your essay should at least cite one primary or secondary text (but no more than two) from before the midterm. An exemplary essay will have a clearly stated argument that is developed through your examples/ evidence. (You might even want to underline your argument to be absolutely clear). Be sure to explain and analyze the connections you are making between the texts and/or course themes that you are citing. You are not limited to material explicitly discussed in lecture and discussion and, in fact, are encouraged to cite examples that have not been discussed in lecture and discussion as it will reveal

Milpa Agriculture vs. Industrial Agriculture Essay

The Milpa agriculture and Industrial agriculture have many similarities and differences. Milpa agriculture is a form of swidden agriculture that is practiced in Mesoamerica. Traditional Milpa is planted with maize, beans, and corn. Industrial agriculture is a modern faming that produces a life stock, poultry, and crops. The methods that industrial agriculture use to techno scientific, economic, and political. In Milpa agriculture some farmers use a coa stick in order to plan their crops and industrial farming the farmers use different machines. Industrial agriculture makes their job easier and faster by using the machines and technology. In Milpa agriculture is the totally opposite thing they don’t use technology in order to grow their crops it takes them longer to plant their crops by using simple method and one of the methods is the coa stick. Milpa agriculture has more than one plant such as maize, beans, and squash. Industrial agriculture only focuses on one plant. For example if industrial agriculture wants to grow maize they focus only in that specific plant that is being planted. Milpa is traditional in Mesoamerica. What I mean by this is that when milpa is planted in Mesoamerica is passed down in the family generations. Mesoamericans try to keep their tradition of planting milpa. In industrial agriculture is not really traditional to pass it down into their families mostly it is done because of the money. Industrial agriculture uses lots of pesticides in order to keep their crops from danger. By using pesticides they won’t lose lots of their crops. Milpa agriculture doesn’t really rely on the use of pesticides. Milpa agriculture does have the advantage of losing crops because they don’t use pesticides. That’s the reason in milpa agriculture more than one crop is incorporated at the same time they have the other crops to rely on not just on the maize. If industrial agriculture loses all their crops they won’t have anything to rely on because they only focus on growing on type of crops.

An explanation of how disability may affect development

Ways a practioner can support a child with disabilities and how they will affect the child’s development. Autism. Children with autism need a strict routine, so they do not feel uncomfortable in their setting. The room that they are in in the setting should also be child proofed so they do not injure themselves or others. Eczema. Practioners will be required to put cream on to the child with eczema, they should also be weary not to draw attention to the child, as this may make them feel uncomfortable and different. Blind. The setting should be provided with brail and extra guidance materials for children who are blind. The practioners should also try to keep the classroom tidy and hazard free as this will reduce the risk of injuries. Down syndrome. Settings should offer one to one support to children with Down syndrome and other disabilities, they should use gestures and signs and other forms of communication in order to include these children in daily activities so they aren’t left to feel left out or different from other children. ADHD. Practioners should try to use short and quick explanations of work and instructions; they should try to keep the child interested by engaging them in many activities. The child should also be given any medication they require on time as this could affect their behaviour and may put them or the other children at risk of injury or harm. Asthma. Practioners should be aware of any children with asthma and their inhalers must be kept with the child at all times. It is also important for the practioners to respect that the child had asthma and not push them to do too much physical activity as they will bring on an asthma attack. Dyspraxia. As this is a condition that effects coordination, the setting should be child proofed and all hazards should be removed from the room. They should also be given the opportunity to visit a physiotherapist to improve their condition.

Matthew’s Use of the Old Testament Scripture Essays

Matthew’s Use of the Old Testament Scripture Essays Matthew’s Use of the Old Testament Scripture Essay Matthew’s Use of the Old Testament Scripture Essay Matthew wrote his gospel with two purposes in mind: first, he wanted to prove that Jesus was the promised coming King-Messiah of the Old Testament, and second, he wanted to explain to his readers the kingdom program of God. The issues involved in the person of the Messiah are many during Matthew’s time. He had to deal with those concerns immediately in order for him to be able to prove his point beyond reasonable doubt (Constable 55).For one thing, the long-awaited Messiah had to be without question from the lineage of Abraham, and that, Matthew was able to establish in the very first chapter of his gospel. He not only had verified that Jesus came as a descendant of Abraham and therefore a bonafide Jew, but substantiated as well in the first chapter of his gospel, that Jesus also had descended from the ancestry of King David to show that Jesus was the Son of David, the coming King who would rule like David to restore Israel’s Golden Years under t he reign of David’s descendant who is the Messiah (Escalona 2). Jesus, according to Matthew, has fulfilled through the testimony of His background and life the requirements that would support the conclusion that He was indeed the promised Messiah and King (Walvoord 12).These points were very important to emphasize, so Matthew started right away with these very aims in mind. With these understanding, the modern-day readers will be better off intellectually, as they approach the book of Matthew. The problems posed by Matthew chapter 1 would immediately be eliminated such as the question of â€Å"Why the drudgery of mentioning names (mostly unknown) all the way back to Abraham?† It may bear no relevance for people today, but for those people to whom Matthew was directing his message, the identity of Jesus – as far as his pedigree was concerned – was of utmost importance (Family Bible Notes 1). The Messiah had to be first of all a descendant of Abraham and of David. And the only thing that could possibly remove this doubt from the minds of his readers was an established proof of Jesus’ Abrahamic and Davidic lineages – which of course Matthew had established very well (Geneva Bible Notes 1).DiscussionThis paper deals with responding to the inquirer’s mind concerning Matthew’s use of the Old Testament. Its position is to establish first the Messiahship of Jesus as seen in the eyes of the apostle Matthew and then lengthily discuss the kingdom agendum or program of God.I. Jesus: The King-MessiahAnother way that Matthew has employed was his heavy use of the Old Testament scriptures – particularly, prophecies. In chapter two, specific fulfilments of prophetic pronouncements were fulfilled as to certain places and events. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which according to the writer was a specific fulfilment of prophetic scripture (Barnes 2).   When Herod asked the chief priests and scribes where the Christ/Me ssiah would be born,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: But   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel’.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Applications like these of certain Old Testament scriptures are notable in all of the four gospels. They relied a great deal on prophecies, and therefore their frequent references to them further concretized the fact of Jesus’ identity. In all four gospels, different aspects of the Christ’s Person were explored and thus, by the time the inquirer has finished reading all of the gospels, there have to be no more questions left. In fact, even one of the gospels is enough to convince anybody of the Messiah’s identity (John 20:31) (Teacher’s Commentary 2).Matthew’s gospel is sufficient to present to its audience Jesus as their long-expected Savior. All of the circumstances surrounding His birth and childhood were clear realizations of Hebraic predictions. In Matthew chapters 3 – 4, Jesus’ royalty is presented. John the baptizer is here also introduced and for the said purpose – to introduce to Israel her King. During those times, it was customary for VIP’s or very important persons to have emissaries who would go before them to make preparations for their arrivals. Emissaries or forerunners would go and announce to designated destinations the royalty’s impending visit. Included to their task is to make sure that the place was in good condition to host the king. When there needs to be some repairs on infrastructure, sometimes those forerunners would go to such extent as do the work of â€Å"smoothing the highway† through which the k ing would take to reach his destination (Constable 56).John the baptizer prepared Jesus’ way and also proclaimed Him as a very important figure in that He was the most awaited person of the times – the coming King. When John announced that the kingdom of God was â€Å"at hand,† what he meant was that all or everything that were needed for the kingdom to be established among them (Israel) was to accept their King in Jesus. They rejected Him though. It was necessary for the predicted Messiah to be crucified for many Old Testament prophecies to be fulfilled (Psalms 22, Isaiah 53, Daniel 9, Zechariah 13). In Matthew 3:3, the writer identified God with Jesus as he quoted Isaiah 40:3. This clearly means that Jesus’ kingdom is also the kingdom of God. The two are not different but the same. This quote from Isaiah proves that Jesus is not a mere representative of God but more than a representative. Matthew’s point was Jesus is LORD. He makes his point very vivid by quoting from many passages over and over from the Old Testament (Constable 55).Again, in Matthew 3:16-17, the narrative pointed to the fact that at that juncture of Jesus’ life (and it was before He started His ministry), the Holy Spirit anointed Him. This event denotes that Jesus as a man would be reliant to the power of the Spirit as also the Scripture has attested in Isaiah 42:1. Of course, at the very start of His life, He was already filled with the Spirit. He was even conceived through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). The descent of the Holy Spirit at His baptism stresses the fact that Jesus would be accomplishing His messianic ministry totally dependent on the Spirit’s power. It specifies a point for understanding that Jesus’ authority through which He discharges His ministry was through the Spirit. Hence, empowered by the Spirit, Jesus acted as the instrument of God and spoke as God’s mouthpiece. The term â€Å"Son of God† was very familiar in the prophetic writings. It was used frequently to identify David’s descendant who would come after him to occupy his throne to become Israel’s king (2 Samuel 7:13-14, Psalms 2:7, 89:26-29). God’s approval and commendation of Jesus were both linked to the aspect of the Messiah’s work of saving His people from their sins as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 42 53). â€Å"Son of God† is a messianic title (Clarke 1).II. God’s Kingdom ProgramThe first nine chapters of Matthew seemed to have shown not only the background of Jesus’ identity but also the pathetic condition of humanity as represented by those multitudes that followed Him. Thus, at this point, Matthew proceeded to lay out the program of the Kingdom of God. First, there is the need for workers in the field (Matthew 9:37-38). Jesus is shown here as one moved with compassion for the multitudes. It recalls for the readers the fact of God’s compassionate heart for H is people. In the book of Ezekiel 34, God is described as the true Shepherd of His people, whose compassion would not allow for His people to be taken advantaged of. The word â€Å"weary† is translated â€Å"distressed† (NASB) and â€Å"harassed† (NIV) in other translations of the Bible. These descriptions vividly depict the people of God – the Jews – as being intimidated and oppressed by their leaders. The people needed deliverance and there was no one able to deliver them. They’re as sheep without a shepherd (Constable 56).The Old Testament is replete with a description of God and the coming Messiah as the shepherds of His people. At this point in time (Matthew 9), Matthew presented the agenda or program of God for His kingdom. Jesus needed workers to continue on with the work which He has started (Barnes, 2001). There needs to be workers who would serve as workers for God’s harvest. But, first of all, the workers for the harvest mu st be sent by God. Therefore Jesus commands prayer. â€Å"Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.† This is similar to what Apostle Paul has stated in his epistle to the Romans, â€Å"And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’† (Romans 10:15). Only at this juncture that the twelve disciples of Jesus are called apostles (Matthew 10:1). He chose the twelve probably to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The people who have spiritual sensitivity at that time must have detected that at Jesus’ appointment of the twelve He was launching them to execute His messianic programme (Barnes, 2001). The apostles were the first â€Å"sent out† ones. Although the title was exclusively theirs, they’re told by their Master to still pray for workers. During the time of the original apostles, God was continually hearing their prayers to send â€Å"workers† for the harvest. There was Barnabas (Acts 14:4), and Paul himself was designated as apostle and received his commission from Jesus directly. The primary agenda of the kingdom was to reach everyone in Israel with the message of the kingdom. Although the message had to be first proclaimed in Israel, it was to be later on extended to â€Å"all the nations† (Constable 56).Since the work had to be taken by them to all the â€Å"lost sheep of Israel,† and eventually to the â€Å"nations,† the Master foresaw its accompanying need in the part of the messengers. â€Å"And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his foo d† (Matthew 10:7-10). The nature of the work is extensive; they had to â€Å"teach† their converts â€Å"to observe all things† that Christ had taught them. The kind of work that God calls His servants to is definitely a kind of work which proves as well what kind of â€Å"Lord† He is: that He is an excellent Master, able to see (â€Å"the God Who sees†) the needs of His servants or followers before they even feel the need. This means that when an individual becomes a partaker of Himself He also has become a partaker of all His benefits (Teacher’s Commentary 2).Men who become Jesus’ followers must be taught to know concerning things that are God’s or what are called divine things. Not only will they benefit best when they know what the things that are God’s, they also become instructors fit to impart the goodness and the mind of God. In addition, they are promised that what are needed will be sufficiently met and thus the ir own experiences of God’s faithful attention the promises He made to His followers, both spiritual and material needs. The servants of God then, are enjoined to be faithful as well to be able to deliver His message in adherence to the rightful message as Jesus taught and delivered as well to the apostles, the first Christians and the succeeding generations of faithful believers of the gospel (Clarke 1).Doubters and unbelievers look with disdain, cynicism and scorn when the discussion revolves around these words of Jesus and the gospel. When the faithful talk about the promises that the Old Testament Scripture holds out for the people and these Jesus reinforced as well in the New Testament, they see only myth, and delusions on the part of the believers (Robertson’s NT Word Pictures, 2001). That is because they don’t have the eyes of faith, nor were instructed of the thousands of year’s proof of the veracity of the Bible, and have not experienced the trut h and reality of these Scriptures in their lives. The effectivity of Matthew’s work is found in the millions of followers who had tested Jesus’ Messiahship not only in their spiritual faith but in the totality of their finite experience (Clarke 2).In conclusion, Matthew not only and merely was acting as an evangelist-historian, but as biographer par excellence, whose work was without a blend of his own opinion or views, which has undoubtedly established its internal credibility in the gospel itself. Other apostles like Paul, did not have to add anything to what Matthew said or wrote, but enlarged on what this gospel writer witnessed and chronicled in his experiences with Christ.

Definition and Discussion of Style in Prose

Definition and Discussion of Style in Prose Style is the way in which something is spoken, written, or performed. In rhetoric and composition, style is narrowly interpreted as those figures that ornament discourse; it is broadly interpreted as representing a manifestation of the person speaking or writing. All figures of speech fall within the domain of style. Known as lexis in Greek and elocutio in Latin, style was one of the five traditional canons or subdivisions of classical rhetorical training. Classic Essays on English Prose Style Essays on StyleThe Colours of Style, by James BurnettThe English Manner of Discourse, by Thomas SpratThe False Refinements in Our Style, by Jonathan SwiftF.L. Lucas on StyleJohn Henry Newman on the Inseparability of Style and SubstanceOf Eloquence, by Oliver GoldsmithMurder Your Darlings: Quiller-Couch on StyleOn Familiar Style, by HazlittSamuel Johnson on the Bugbear StyleSwift on StyleSynonyms and Variety of Expression, by Walter Alexander RaleighA Vigorous Prose Style, by Henry David Thoreau EtymologyFrom the Latin, pointed instrument used for writing   Definitions and Observations Style is character. It is the quality of a mans emotion made apparent; then by inevitable extension, style is ethics, style is government.(Spinoza)If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style, let him first possess a noble soul.(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)Style is the dress of thoughts.(Lord Chesterfield)The style of an author should be the image of his mind, but the choice and command of language is the fruit of exercise.(Edward Gibbon)Style  is not the gold setting of the diamond, thought; it is the glitter of the diamond itself.(Austin OMalley,  Thoughts of a Recluse, 1898)Style is not mere decoration, nor is it an end to itself; it is rather a way of finding and explaining what is true. Its purpose is not to impress but to express.(Richard Graves, A Primer for Teaching Style. College Composition and Communication, 1974)A good style should show no sign of effort. What is written should seem a happy a ccident.(W. Somerset Maugham, The Summing Up, 1938) Style is that which indicates how the writer takes himself and what he is saying. It is the mind skating circles around itself as it moves forward.(Robert Frost)Style is the perfection of a point of view.(Richard Eberhart)To do a dull thing with stylenow THATS what I call art.(Charles Bukowski)[I]t may well be that style is always to some extent the invention of the writer, a fiction, that conceals the man as surely as it reveals him.(Carl H. Klaus, Reflections on Prose Style. Style in English Prose, 1968)Cyril Connolly on the Relation Between Form and ContentStyle is the relation between form and content. Where the content is less than the form, where the author pretends to emotion he does not feel, the language will seem flamboyant.   The more ignorant a writer feels, the more artificial becomes his style. A writer who thinks himself cleverer than his   readers writes simply (often too simply), while one who fears they may be cleverer than he will make use of mystification: an author arrives at a good style when his language performs what is required of it without shyness.(Cyril Connolly, Enemies of Promise, rev. ed., 1948) Types of StylesA very large number of loosely descriptive terms have been used to characterize kinds of styles, such as pure, ornate, florid, gay, sober, simple, elaborate, and so on. Styles are also classified according to a literary period or tradition (the metaphysical style, Restoration prose style); according to an influential text (biblical style, euphuism); according to an institutional use (a scientific style, journalese); or according to the distinctive practice of an individual author (the Shakespearean or Miltonic style; Johnsonese). Historians of English prose style, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries, have distinguished between the vogue of the Ciceronian style (named after the characteristic practice of the Roman writer Cicero), which is elaborately constructed, highly periodic, and typically builds to a climax, and the opposing vogue of the clipped, concise, pointed, and uniformly stressed sentences in the Attic or Senecan styles (named after the practice of the Roman Seneca). . . .Francis-Noel Thomas and Mark Turner, in Clear and Simple as the Truth (1994), claim that standard treatments of style such as those described above deal only with the surface features of writing. They propose instead a basic analysis of style in terms of a set of fundamental decisions or assumptions by an author concerning a series of relationships: What can be known? What can be put into words? What is the relationship between thought and language? Who is the writer addressing and why? What is the implied relationship between writer and reader? What are the implied conditions of discourse? An analysis based on these elements yields an indefinite number of types, or families, of styles, each with its own criteria of excellence.(M.H. Abrams and Geoffrey Galt Harpham, A Glossary of Literary Terms, 10th ed. Wadsworth, 2012) Aristotle and Cicero on the Qualities of Good StyleWithin classical rhetoric, style is analyzed predominately from the viewpoint of the composing orator, not from the point of view of the critic. Quintilians four qualities (purity, clarity, ornament, and propriety) are not intended to distinguish types of styles but to define the qualities of good style: all oratory should be correct, clear, and appropriately ornamented. The basis for the four qualities and the three styles are implicit in Book III of Aristotles Rhetoric where Aristotle assumes a dichotomy between prose and poetry. The base line for prose is colloquial speech. Clarity and correctness are the sine qua non of good speech. Furthermore, Aristotle maintains that the very best prose is also urbane or, as he says in the Poetics, has an uncommon air, that gives the listener or reader pleasure.(Arthur E. Walzer, George Campbell: Rhetoric in the Age of Enlightenment. State University of New York Press, 2003)Thomas De Quincey o n StyleStyle has two separate functions: first, to brighten the intelligibility of a subject which is obscure to the understanding; secondly, to regenerate the normal power and impressiveness of a subject which has become dormant to the sensibilities. . . . The vice of that appreciation which we English apply to style lies in representing it as a mere ornamental accident of written compositiona trivial embellishment, like the mouldings of furniture, the cornices of ceilings, or the arabesques of tea-urns. On the contrary, it is a product of art the rarest, subtlest, and most intellectual; and, like other products of the fine arts, it is then finest when it is most eminently disinterestedthat is, most conspicuously detached from gross palpable uses. Yet, in very many cases, it really has the obvious uses of that gross palpable order; as in the cases just noticed, when it gives light to the understanding, or power to the will, removing obscurities from one set of truths, and into anot her circulating the life-blood of sensibility.(Thomas De Quincey, Language. The Collected Writings of Thomas De Quincy, ed. by David Masson, 1897) The Lighter Side of Style: TarantinoingForgive me. What Im doing is called Tarantinoing, where you talk about something that has nothing to do with the rest of the story, but is kind of funny and a little quirky. It was kind of avant-garde in its day and it used to develop some strong character traits, but now its just used as a cheap gimmick for pretentious film writers to draw a ton of attention to their writing style as opposed to serving the plot.(Doug Walker, Signs. Nostalgia Critic, 2012)

Free Essays on Victimization

Victimization is an asymmetrical relationship that is abusive, destructive, parasitical, unfair, and, in many cases, in violation of the law. You would think that elderly people are the least likely to be taken advantage of, actually you probably wouldn’t even consider it, but there is not only one way you can define abuse to a victim. Elder abuse was made out after child abuse and spouse abuse but follows along the same lines. Defining elder abuse varies in that it can consist of acts of commission and acts of ommision.by caretakers responsible for the older person’s well being. Therefore, abuse encompasses gross neglect as well as acts of intentional harm. These include assaults unreasonable confinement, financial exploitation or failure to provide clothing, food and shelter. (Crime Victims, An intro to Victimology, pg 79, 219-220) Persons who provide care to elderly people who live a t home perpetrate domestic elder abuse. Individuals who have contractual obligation to tend to the needs of older persons commit institutional elder abuse. The offender is most commonly a close relative, especially a grown child, spouse or sibling. The typical target is a frail elderly woman over 70. In most cases the victim and the abuser live in the same household in social isolation from friends, neighbors, and kin who might otherwise deem what they are doing wrong. An estimated 1.5 million older Americans were subjected to physical, psychological, or financial abuse or suffered serious or even life threatening, neglect in 1992. Congressional investigators estimated that only about 16% of abused elders dared to bring their case to the proper authorities. A sharply divided California Supreme Court, clarifying the duty to care for aged parents, ruled Friday that grown children can be prosecuted for neglect only if they have control over the elder's care. "It means that if you take on the responsibility of caring for your parent, yo... Free Essays on Victimization Free Essays on Victimization Victimization is an asymmetrical relationship that is abusive, destructive, parasitical, unfair, and, in many cases, in violation of the law. You would think that elderly people are the least likely to be taken advantage of, actually you probably wouldn’t even consider it, but there is not only one way you can define abuse to a victim. Elder abuse was made out after child abuse and spouse abuse but follows along the same lines. Defining elder abuse varies in that it can consist of acts of commission and acts of ommision.by caretakers responsible for the older person’s well being. Therefore, abuse encompasses gross neglect as well as acts of intentional harm. These include assaults unreasonable confinement, financial exploitation or failure to provide clothing, food and shelter. (Crime Victims, An intro to Victimology, pg 79, 219-220) Persons who provide care to elderly people who live a t home perpetrate domestic elder abuse. Individuals who have contractual obligation to tend to the needs of older persons commit institutional elder abuse. The offender is most commonly a close relative, especially a grown child, spouse or sibling. The typical target is a frail elderly woman over 70. In most cases the victim and the abuser live in the same household in social isolation from friends, neighbors, and kin who might otherwise deem what they are doing wrong. An estimated 1.5 million older Americans were subjected to physical, psychological, or financial abuse or suffered serious or even life threatening, neglect in 1992. Congressional investigators estimated that only about 16% of abused elders dared to bring their case to the proper authorities. A sharply divided California Supreme Court, clarifying the duty to care for aged parents, ruled Friday that grown children can be prosecuted for neglect only if they have control over the elder's care. "It means that if you take on the responsibility of caring for your parent, yo...

Georgiana as a Perfect Woman in the Contemporary Society

Georgiana as a Perfect Woman in the Contemporary Society Three Works Depicting a Contemporary Woman Contemporary western society is seen as a terrain where women have acquired quite many liberties and opportunities. Women occupy highest posts in countries and this can be regarded as a complete victory of feminists. Nonetheless, works by Woolf and Brownmiller, which were written in the twentieth century, verify that all those ‘victories’ are nothing more than a pleasing diversity for men who are still in power.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Georgiana as a Perfect Woman in the Contemporary Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The two essays reveal the essence of gender roles in the contemporary society. The two works depict women as dependant on men. The authors also explain this dependency stating that women were bred to fit the world of men during centuries. It is possible to think of a variety of examples that confirm ideas provided by Woolf and Brownmi ller. However, it is also possible to think of a conspicuous example of gender roles which is represented by Georgiana, the main character of Hawthorne’s short story â€Å"The Birthmark†. Georgiana is a specific example of the women in the twenty of the Major Characteristics of the Woman Sympathy Georgiana is depicted as a perfect woman as she is sympathetic and supportive. She admires her husband and keeps saying about her admiration. However conspicuous her words of admiration are, her husband’s remarks prove the suggestions of Woolf and Brownmiller. The two writers stress that submissiveness is one of the major virtues assigned to women. Thus, when Georgiana says she worships her husband, he replies: Ah! wait for this one success . then worship me if you will. I shall deem myself hardly unworthy of it . I have sought you for the luxury of your voice. (Hawthorne 7) The man humbly says he is unworthy of the woman’s admiration. Nonetheless, it is obvious that he does not really think so. He believes he is to be worshiped and he is pleased to be flattered. He never stops his experiments even though they are failures. He does not say his attempts are unsuccessful and he does not want to see how painful it is for his wife. He seeks for comfort. He wants to listen to his wife’s singing even though she is hardly able to perform as she is exhausted by the experiments. Georgiana has to endure painful experiments and she stresses that her husband is the great decision maker as she notes, â€Å"fear not that I shall shrink, for my share in it is far less than your own† (Hawthorne 7). On one hand, Georgiana accepts her husband’s superiority and keeps saying about it. On the other hand, she is very supportive and is ready to help him no matter what. She understands the danger of those trials. However, she is too concerned with pleasing her husband and supporting him in his efforts to achieve his aims. She notes, â€Å"I s hall quaff whatever draught you bring me . a dose of poison, if offered by your hand† (Hawthorne 7). She is submissive and supportive as she loves her husband and, being a perfect woman, she is eager to please him. Responsibility Georgiana is eager to accept her husband’s viewpoint. Her attitude towards the birthmark illustrates her readiness to skip from decision making. Thus, she has never thought of her birthmark as an imperfection as â€Å"it has been so often called a charm† and lots of â€Å"desperate† swains â€Å"would have risked life for the privilege of pressing lips to the mysterious hand† (Hawthorne 1). Nonetheless, her husband realizes that the ‘hideous’ imperfection of his wife’s face cannot be tolerable. He starts gazing at her face and she understands her birthmark disgusts him.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Georgiana as a Perfect Woman in the Contemporary Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More She is eager to please her husband and she simply grants him the right to make the decision. She declares, â€Å"I joyfully stake all upon your word† (Hawthorne 8). What is more, she starts believing she hates the birthmark. This illustrates Woolf’s and Brownmiller’s suggestions that women are bred in accordance with existing rules. Some women understand they have to express ideas supporting men’s beliefs. However, some, like Georgiana, adopt male’s concept without even knowing it, â€Å"Not even Aylmer now hated it so much as she† (Hawthorne 6). Thus, the young and beautiful woman starts begging her husband to do what he (not she) wants to do. The woman has no will of her own anymore. Beauty Brownmiller notes that women are expected to be charming and beautiful to delight men’s eyes. Georgiana’s husband is the embodiment of the concept. It is he who decides what is beautifu l and what is imperfect. It is he who sees the birthmark as a hideous sign of the evil. Woolf and Brownmiller note that religious concepts put a kind of vicious mark on all women who are regarded as sinful and somewhat unworthy creatures. Many women are bred in terms of these conventions and, as a result, they start believing it in the course of time. Georgiana exclaims, â€Å"There is but one danger – that this horrible stigma shall be left upon my cheek† (Hawthorne 7). Therefore, women are conditioned to feel inferior to men as even their bodies do not truly belong to them. Women are ready to change their appearance only to please males. Conclusion On balance, it is possible to note that the three works discussed can be regarded as a certain reflection of gender roles existing in the contemporary world. Woolf and Brownmiller define major characteristic features of the woman in the modern society, while Hawthorne provides a story that illustrates the concepts revealed . The three sources depict the woman as a supportive, submissive, indecisive, but beautiful and charming creature that is assigned to please the man. Moreover, according to the three texts women are conditioned to believe they are really inferior to man as they are brought up in terms of a variety of conventions that support the society as it is. Of course, some women understand that those are conventions that make them play roles assigned. For instance, they know that to be heard they need to say things that go along with men’s ideas. However, some women do not even think about such things. Thus, the works discussed may be the necessary stimuli for women to start a new order and to make men as well as women see that such concept as equality is much more important than doubtful superiority.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More