Essential Workplace Skills Essay example - 1596 Words

Workplace Essential Skills While working or while looking for work there are certain skills sets that are universally important. No matter what job or career path you have chosen these skills make it easier to obtain your goals, whatever they may be. Workplace essential skills enable people at work to do the tasks required by their occupation, give them the basics to learn all other skills (job and life) and assist them to manage and adapt to the changing workplace environment. They are not the technical skills required by an occupation but are the enabling skills that are necessary in most occupations and that allow people to do their jobs successfully. (Molson) The skills that I am referring to are Oral and Written†¦show more content†¦communicates oral messages appropriate to listeners and situations; participates in conversation, discussion, and group presentations; selects an appropriate medium for conveying a message; uses verbal language and other cues such as body language appropriate in style, tone, and level of complexity to the audience and occasion; speaks clearly and communicates a message; understands and responds to listener feedback; and asks questions as necessary.(p167 USDOL) Written Communication is also broken down into 2 areas: Reading: Locates, understands, and interprets written information in prose and documents--including manuals, graphs, and schedules--to perform tasks; learns from text by determining the main idea or essential message; identifies relevant details, facts and specifications; infers or locates the meaning of unknown or technical vocabulary; and judges the accuracy, appropriateness, style, and plausibility of reports, proposals, or theories of other writers.( 134 USDOL) Writing: Communicates thoughts, ideas, information, and messages in writing; records information completely and accurately; composes and creates documents such as letters, directions, manuals, reports, proposals, graphs, flow-charts; uses language, style, organization, and format appropriate to the subject matter, purpose, and audience; includes supporting documentation and attends to level of detail; and checks, edits, and revises for correct information, appropriate emphasis, form,Show MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Active Listening, Positive Verbal Communication And Understanding Level Of Communication1588 Words   |  7 PagesCommunication is an essential skill that involves the ability to exchange our attitude, thoughts and feelings through written, verbal and non-verbal interaction with each other (Crisp, Potter, Perry, 2013). In a wide range of workplaces, these interactions are primarily used to develop professional relationships with clients. To discuss the importance of ef fective communication in workplaces, I had the opportunity to interview a security guard who uses effective communication skills on a daily basisRead MoreThe Importance of Listening Skills in the Workplace Essay1115 Words   |  5 Pages(Eunson 2012:310), argue the importance of listening skills in the workplace. Your analysis should identify three specific listening behaviors and provide examples to demonstrate how these skills promote communication and understanding. Support your analysis with relevant communication theory and evidence from appropriate academic sources. Listening skills play a significant role in evaluating communication capabilities in the workplace throughout the globe. It affects all kinds of interactionsRead MoreEssential Attributes in Nursing1220 Words   |  5 Pagesand communities. In a nursing good workplace citizenship needs an understanding and maintaining a good relationship between patients and health professional to deliver quality health care and services. In the context of nursing, communication, teamwork and social responsibility is the main graduates attributes that are essential in workplace citizenship because it promotes a healthy relationship between health professionals, patients and improve the nursing workplace. Communication is the exchangingRead MoreEffective Communication Skills Are Essential For Success1222 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Effective Communication skills are essential for success in every organization. Individuals today in the workplace need to effectively communicate with employees, customers and potential clients. Effective and clear communication if not delivered in the right manner could be interpreted by the receiver and have a negative impact. There are many barriers that can effect a conversation such as cultural differences, gender and environment. Employees can learn how to adapt in differentRead MoreHow Employees Can Work And Progress Relationships With Managers1669 Words   |  7 Pagesloyalty of customers. Communication skills are one of the essential parts of leading people to work successfully in the relationships with co-workers as well as clients in their commercial enterprises. Therefore, interacting with management, clients and team members in the workplace can help in order to enhance the interest of the business. Training staff to develop effective communication skills is indis pensable for them to be stronger at interpersonal skills. To become greater in the world of businessRead MoreThe Structure And Dynamics Of Communication Network971 Words   |  4 Pagesorganization. To show various dimension of workplace communication including different type of organization and communication network with organization. Understanding that communication skills are all around us, from the day we are born until the rest of our lives. Understanding how many times you have seen communication skills required for a job in the classifieds and wonder what it actually means. Knowing that communication skills is some type of skill used in communication, from talking, body languageRead MoreCreative Culture-Annotated Bibliography, Nursing Essay801 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscussed are key skills and awareness areas that are essential to nursing. This creativity culture will enrich the nursing staff and encourage them to be more creative thinking thereby more adapt at problem solvi ng skills, more innovative, encourage critical analysis, written and communication skills. These are highly advantageous skills for nursing staff to possess and are also almost an imperative workplace requirement for nursing staff. Critical thinking for example is a essential component to nursingRead MoreThe Effects Of Effective Communication On Job Performance1680 Words   |  7 Pageswith fellow employee as well as management. Therefore, this paper will explore effective communication beginning with the basic meaning, examine some key elements of communication, take a brief look at a real world example of communication in the workplace, then gradually explore some solutions that might assist in overcoming this imperative issue. Understanding Communication In order to address issues of communication and how the topic effects job performance one must first begin with what is meantRead MoreLeadership Style And Effective Communication Essay1253 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership Style and Effective Communication in the Workplace Introduction Blanchard, Hersey Johnson (2015) introduced the concepts pertaining to leadership styles, self-awareness in Chapter 11, and effective communication in Chapter 12. The two main ideas that will be taken away from the lesson review involve the use of feedback, and active listening, which helps in essential communication within the organization and in one’s daily life. When it comes to choosing the right style of leadershipRead MoreBecoming A Stronger Employee Or Start Your Journey Towards A New Career959 Words   |  4 Pagesyour skills in the workforce, however this essay will focus on one avenue that may help you become a stronger employee or start your journey towards a new career. Taking college courses may benefit you in three ways. They may advance your communication skills, improve your self-management ability, and give you an opportunity to network with others in your field. Effective communication skills are necessary in any work environment. Taking general education courses can help to develop skills in communication

The Miranda warning Free Essays

Introduction For even the most casual viewer of police television shows, the cry of â€Å"read me my rights† has been heard from the lips of accused criminals as frequently as anything else.   Beyond this statement, however, lies a real life drama- The Miranda Warning.   Where this warning came from, its true meaning and intent, as well as what the future should hold for The Miranda Warning are all pivotal questions which will be answered in the course of this research in order to better understand not only Miranda, but the overall American criminal justice system and its approach to the rights of those accused of crimes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Miranda warning or any similar topic only for you Order Now What is the Miranda Warning? To begin, the origins of The Miranda Warning itself, as well as the actual verbiage of the warning, need to be understood.   Originally, The Miranda Warning came forth from the legal case of Ernesto Miranda, the focus of the 1963 Supreme Court Case Miranda v. Arizona   (Lyman, 2004).   Essentially, the facts of the case are as follows: Ernesto Miranda was arrested, accused of the rape of a mildly mentally handicapped woman.   At the time of his arrest, Miranda was not advised by the arresting officer that he had the Constitutional right to remain silent, to choose not to answer questions without an attorney present, and to not be forced to offer any information that would be used against him in any legal case. Eventually, Miranda’s attorney argued that Miranda’s confession to the crime should be thrown out of court, because it was obtained without Miranda being advised of his rights.   The original judge in the case denied this motion, but eventually, the Supreme Court ruled that the statements that Miranda originally made to the police should be disregarded because he was not read his rights (Robertson, 1997).   As a result of this pivotal ruling, a standardized warning, therein known as The Miranda Warning, was instituted by all police forces in the United States, and recited to anyone accused of a crime before being questioned.   The full text of the warning is as follows: â€Å"You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand? Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand? You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. Do you understand?  If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. Do you understand? If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney. Do you understand? Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you, are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney present?† (Robertson, 1997, p. 161)  Ultimately, the warning was effectively made much shorter and easier for suspects to understand, presented as follows: â€Å"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense.† (Robertson, 1997, p. 162). With The Miranda Warning having been refined and put in place, one would make the assumption that the rights of individuals are protected, and the police are safeguarded against having key evidence dismissed on a technicality, but the opposite is actually the case.   Further research has revealed pivotal issues surrounding The Miranda Warning. Pivotal Issues Surrounding the Miranda Warning The Miranda Warning faces heavy controversy both from the viewpoint of the criminal justice system and the accused criminal.   For police and the courts, Miranda is sometimes argued against, as the claim is made that the Warning prevents the swift investigation of criminal matters due to the lack of divulgence of important information during questioning that could literally save lives or property; this has especially become true in the modern era of terrorism, when foreign suspects, many argue, need to be compelled to give information immediately so that potential terror plots can be diffused before mass murder occurs. However, for the accused and the attorneys that represent them, Miranda is seen as something that is necessary in order to keep police from either misinterpreting the statements of suspects, coercing confessions out of suspects through psychological means, or by actually resorting to violence to literally beat a confession out of the suspect (Miranda’s Enemies, 2000).   Based on the two sides of the issue, the pivotal issue is clear: how can Miranda be used in a way that protects victims, aids law enforcement and promotes common order, while still giving accused criminals the entitlements of due process as guaranteed by the Constitution?   There is no clear answer to how this can be achieved, but on both the federal and state levels, the issue has been explored. States’ Views of the Miranda Warning Some states have taken a more generous view of the use of Miranda than others, resulting in cases being brought to appeal in the supreme courts of those states.   The landmark case in this regard, cited over the past several years, is Missouri v. Seibert.   The basic facts of this case were that police in the state of Missouri were reading Miranda to suspects only after they began questioning them, and they would then continue to question after the reading, in an effort to confuse a suspect. With this approach, the suspect, even if their statements made before the reading were dismissed, would still likely have some statements made after the reading that would be incriminating.   Calling this a â€Å"two-step† around the Constitution, this practice was eventually ruled illegal by a Missouri court (Leo, 1996).   This also brings up another important technicality- the need to provide Miranda to everyone being questioned by police, or only those who are officially placed under arrest.   The net effect of all of this is to greatly muddy the legal waters and make the use of Miranda, or the lack of it, a hot legal topic on both sides of the courtroom bench, so to speak.   Therefore, many states have looked to the federal government to issue universal decrees on Miranda. Constitutional View of the Miranda Warning Every accused criminal has classically been protected by the Constitution, specifically by the First and Fifth Amendments as an example.   Essentially, all of the debates about Miranda have filtered down to a few Constitutional standards, which of course are not set in stone due to the dynamic nature of the American justice system, but are worthy of discussion in this research.   Generally speaking, the Supreme Court of the United States, based on cases like Missouri v. Seibert, has ruled that neither the accused in a criminal case, nor those arrested in a criminal case need to be â€Å"Mirandized† as it has come to be called. However, there is a caution to be noted- if the individual is not made aware of their rights, there is the possibility that statements they make can be dismissed in a legal case against them since the information was technically obtained in an illegal manner by the law enforcement personnel who obtained it in the first place (Nooter, 2005).   Again, there is a legal tightrope to be walked here, between what can be done to protect individual rights of accused and victim alike, while still serving the interests of justice and fulfilling the role of law enforcement in society.   A key question leads to the conclusion of the research- what should be done about Miranda? Conclusion- What Should be Done about the Miranda Warning? In wondering what should be done about Miranda, there is something that needs to be laid out right off- there is no ideal criminal justice system, and the guilty will sometimes avoid punishment, and unfortunately, the innocent will be punished as well.   However, this being said, there need to be safeguards in place to make sure that the police do not falsely generate evidence against accused criminals, and as well, that the truly guilty do not escape justice.   Therefore, in closing, it is one humble opinion that Miranda should be kept in place, closely monitored as it has been.   While it is flawed in some areas, to discard it wholesale would be much worse than the present situation. References Leo, R. A. (1996). The Impact of Miranda Revisited. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 86(3), 621-692. Lyman, M.D. (2004).   Criminal Investigation: The Art and Science.   New York: Prentice Hall. Miranda’s Enemies. (2000, May 15). The Nation, 270, 4. Nooter, D. S. (2005). Is Missouri V. Seibert Practicable? Supreme Court Dances the â€Å"Two-Step† around Miranda. American Criminal Law Review, 42(3), 1093+. Robertson, D. (1997). A Dictionary of Human Rights. London: Europa Publications. How to cite The Miranda warning, Essay examples

The Ups and Downs of Parenting free essay sample

The Ups and Downs of Parenting Patricia Johnson ENG 121: English Composition I Instructor: Karen Lawler May 23, 2010 Ashford University The Ups and Downs of Parenting Single parents compared to two parent families are more challenging. Single parents have become a lot more common in society today. There are varies reason people become single parents; abandonment, divorce, death of a spouse and choosing not to be married. There are often many daily struggles and disadvantages that a single parent encounter on a daily base. Single parents has to deal with balancing work and family duties, daycare cost, daycare services, quality of time with children, economic struggles and sick children (Golden, 1999). The majority of single parents are female and the economic struggle is greater that single fathers. Singles parents typically earn less income than single fathers. In some cases single mothers has the same job title but are paid less than the male. Low pay for work farces single parents to work overtime and this takes time away from their children leaving them home unattended or passing their children on to another person to care for the children. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ups and Downs of Parenting or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This can mean that a single parent is away from their children for long hours up to 16 hours in a single day (Golden, 1999). Compared to a two parent household the children are with one parent if the other is working long hours or overtime to support the family. Single parent families are faced with economic challenges. Many single parents in 2002 earned less than $30,000 compared to two parents income. Sometimes frustration can get the best of a single parent not being able to provide the basic needs for his or her families. The two parent families earned more that $75,000 (Fields, 2003). Most single parents live on one income although some have been awarded child support. Compare to two parent families who live off two income of have a choice to live off one check and save the other. Single parents are faced with missing work because of sick children. Finding coverage for a sick child can be hard at times. Some single parents have a support team but there are some that does not and this can sometime be a very stressful time. If a single parent has more than one child this can be very stressful because of the time they have to take off work. Two parent families have each other to depend on to cover each other when their children are sick as well as their support team. I am a single parent I have one child. I must admit it has not been easy taking on the challenge of single parenting. I was a mother working 16 hours a day with a new born. This made me very depressed not spending time with my newborn. I worked for three years on a job that required me to be away from my child 10 to 16 hours a day until I realized that my child did not know I was her only mother. My child was calling my sister and the lady that was keeping her mother also. This made me feel bad because I was allowing other people have more of input than I in my child life. Most of my her needs were supplied by others so she had a bond with her care takers. I only spent an hour or two with her before she went to sleep. I gave up this job because I realized that I wanted to the person that bath her, put her to bed, comb her hair, take her to school and be the positive role model in her life. Single parents must make parenting their first priority. This is a lesson that I learned the hard way. The times parents spend with your children are precious memories that will stay with them a life time. Most single parents do their best a parenting. Single parents must be consistent with discipline. When a single parent has to discipline a child they must stick to it. In a two parent household they decide together how to discipline the child. Single parents compared to two parent families are more challenging but with the right plan of action in place single parenting can work as well as a two parent family. Single parents must turn the disadvantages into advantages and focus on their children. References Golden, M. (1999). A Miracle Every Day Triumph and Transformation in the Lives of Single Mothers. New York: Doubleday. Fields, J. (2003, June). Children’s Living Arrangements and Characteristics. Retrieved May 13, 2010. from http//:www. census. gov/prod/2003puds/. html

How does the author create atmosphere in Zero Hour and Examination Day Essay Example

How does the author create atmosphere in Zero Hour and Examination Day Paper For this essay I will examine how authors use setting and characterization to create atmosphere. I will compare two science fiction stories by two authors. The stories that I am going to analyze are Zero Hour written by Ray Bradbury in 1951 and the second story is Examination Day written by Henry Slesar in 1958. What you notice about these two stories is that they are both written in the 1950s shortly after World War II. It was a period where technology was developing, and when people became very interested in alien life. Zero Hour is about an invasion by aliens in the streets of America. This happens when a child is playing with her friends outside in the lawn and suddenly an explosion takes place. The parents of Mink take cover in the attic of the home and then there is a cliffhanger when Mink says Peekaboo just outside the attic door. Examination Day is a more futuristic story and where the author looks at the future. It is about a boy who has an intelligence test. Those people who get a score above the normal limit have to be killed. Unfortunately this child is too clever and he dies. We will write a custom essay sample on How does the author create atmosphere in Zero Hour and Examination Day specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How does the author create atmosphere in Zero Hour and Examination Day specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How does the author create atmosphere in Zero Hour and Examination Day specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The story Zero Hour is set in the future and this can be shown when the writer states: Overhead the rockets flew, and beetle cars whispered by on the streets This shows it is set in the future as in 1951 there were no cars that could fly or whisper. He is creating atmosphere by making the reader imagine what the future looks like. The story Zero Hour is set on a hot summers day. It is set in New York, America. The story starts off in the lawn near Minks house. At this point in the story the atmosphere is cool and relaxed. This can be clearly seen when the writer writes: across the green lawns, shouting at each other, holding hands ,flying in circles, climbing trees, laughing. This creates a joyful atmosphere where the author uses pleasant and positive words to describe the opening scene. Ray also uses short sentences too make it more interesting and the reader can also visualize to what the children were doing ie. Climbing trees. He uses a lot of verbs to explain to what is going on this makes the story flowing and fascinating, as if he never used a lot it would be simple and boring. Later on, the setting slowly changes as it goes indoors inside Mrs. Morriss home. When it goes indoors the atmosphere becomes tense. This can be clearly seen Mink shows Mrs. Morris a yo-yo: Reaching the end- it vanished, See? said Mink. Ope! Dibbling her finger, she made the yo-yo reappear From this you can see strange events are happening as Mink first the yo-yo vanishes then reappears. This makes us think to what is going on. The writer uses a lot of punctuation to create atmosphere. The punctuation used is question marks, exclamation marks and commas all combine to create atmosphere. In this story the main character is the young girl called Mink. She is very passionate and is imaginative. She keeps mentioning the word invasion in the story and also has an imaginary friend called drill. This is obvious when the author writes: its real funny to hear Drill talk and Martians invading Earth From the two quotes above you can see Ray makes us imagine. The first quote tells the reader that Mink has strange humour. The second quote is quite unbelievable and the writer uses shocking tactics and exaggeration to create atmosphere. This story uses language to create atmosphere. This is emphasized by the use of question marks: Drill says youre dangerous. Know why? The sentence above shows when the writer uses question marks, by inserting the question mark he creates atmosphere. This is because he wants us to know why he is dangerous, the writer couldve not inserted the question mark and that could have been okay. Due to him inserting it makes us want to read on and see why he is so dangerous. Another example of question marks and short sentences can be seen when Mink says: Mom? A hesitation. Dad? A waiting, a silence. The quote above shows emotive words and clever speech to get the attention of the parents. It has question marks to make the atmosphere tense by calling their names out separately. Also uses short sentences to make it more exciting, Examination Day is set in a house and is also set on the main characters birthday, Dick who is going to become twelve. In this story the house is similar to Zero Hour full of suspense and is tense. This can be because it is very quite and both parents have one child, making them the main character and focus on them and create atmosphere. This story is tense all throughout just like an exam would be. This can be seen when the Dicks father mentions about exam: Its just a sort of Government intelligence test they give at the age of twelve. Youll be taking it next week. After the childs father has mentioned the exam the atmosphere of the story changes. This causes the boy to ask more questions and therefore increases the suspense in the story. This can be seen when he says: What exam? he asked. By the parents keeping it quiet and the child not knowing until his father asks, this causes the boy to ask questions. By asking these unusual questions atmosphere is created. The main focus point of the story is the examination room where the child will be tested. The author uses short sentences to increase tension. This can be clearly seen when he has the medication that was given: He sat in silence, feeling drowsy, while the man wrote busily on a piece of paper. This shows us that by using short sentences the suspense increases and a lot of movement is happening in the story. A lot of description is used by the author. He describes the building of the Government Educational Building in great detail. This can be clearly seen when he describes the building: They crossed the marble floors of the great, pillared lobby, passed beneath an archway This shows that it is a big building and is very futuristic as you would not have buildings like this in the 1950s, so its trying to make the readers imagine what it would be like. He does this to create atmosphere by making us think harder. There is also lots of description when writing about the woman working there: and a thin-lipped woman with cropped black hair was passing out sheets of paper. It is said if you have thin lips you are not talkative and to have cropped hair is said to be sharp. This creates atmosphere by describing the woman to be strict and can create tension. Similes and metaphors are also used. This can be seen when Henry writes: The room was as cold and as a official courtroom, This creates atmosphere by making us think of what the room would have looked like, and make us feel whether it was really cold. Before entering the Government Educational Building the boy is known as Dick. When he goes in the building he is called by a different name: Your names Richard Jordan? Yes sir. This shows us that the people in the building are very formal and take everything carefully. This can also create tension by calling him by a more formal way. By calling him formally it can be strange as they could be strangers and he does not know who they are. He is probably not use to being called by that name. The boy also asks a lot of questions in the story. This could be due to his intelligence. This can be seen when: How far is the sun away? This shows the boy is clever and asking questions leads to answers. As the father does not answer a few questions this creates atmosphere. After analyzing both stories I found both stories were well written. I found in Zero Hour .The atmosphere changes a lot ie. Being cool at the start and then changing it to becoming panicky, frightening to create atmosphere. In Examination Day it remains tense and is full of suspense and is very much like and exam day. Zero Hour and Examination Day both have a lot of language used ie. Question marks, exclamation marks, similes, metaphors and imagery. However I did not find any similes or metaphors in Zero Hour .Both stories have good endings. For Zero Hour it is left on a cliffhanger and the ending to Examination Day is very dramatic. After reading both stories I prefer Examination Day as it is easier to read and there is more language used.

Robert Merton Theory Essay Example

Robert Merton Theory Essay Example Robert Merton Theory Paper Robert Merton Theory Paper It is rightfully argued that crime, whether or not in a contemporary society, is an extremely complex and multi-faceted Phenomena that has puzzled academics for many years. Theories that aim to rationalise the causes of crime and understand the origin of criminal behaviour are often criticised for being too biased or deterministic in their research studies. Many have been of great influence and seen to explain (to an extent) the cause of crime but none has fully decoded the mystery of why people commit crime. Mertons anomie theory aimed at explaining deviance from a ociological perspective as opposed to previous academic theories on crime and criminals. The first well known study of crime and criminals is that of one who is often referred to as the father of criminology, Cesar Lombroso. Lombrosos argument was based around the Darwinian theory of human evolution and his theory argued that criminals were a throw back to an earlier period of human progression. In other words, they were less evolved humans, with visible physical features such as large ears and big lips. His theory suggested that criminals were born and not made therefore, where genetically prone to criminality. Mertons argument was to the contrary. Rather than observing the individual criminal as being subhuman, he questioned societies influence on the individual. In his 1968 book, Merton argued that it no longer appears to be so obvious that man is set against society in an unceasing war between biological impulse and social restraint. The image of man as an untamed bundle of impulses begins to look like a caricature rather than a portrait. Sociological theories on crime and deviance, have always disagreed with the idea of biology being the cause of societies problems and thus, would rather emphasize the nfluence of external societal factors on the causes of crime. Individual differences are often disputed or ignored, and the explanation of the overall collective behaviour is seen to correlate with the influence of institutions. Being a sociologist, Mertons Anomie (or strain) Theory also attempts to rationalise and understand crime from such a social perspective. In his theory, which, is an adaptation of Durkheims earlier theory of anomie, Merton suggests that for most, deviance and criminality does not stem from pathological personalities but from the culture and structure of society itself2. Mertons strain theory is an adaptation of Durkheims earlier theory of anomie, which described a period of normlessness when the general value consensus was lost and people didnt know the parameters of acceptable behaviour. Unlike Durkheim however, Merton argued that anomie was not brought about by a sudden social change but by a society which assigns the same goals to all its members but affords them unequal opportunities to attain these goals. For Merton, irrespective of the role of biological impulses, there still remained the further question of why it is hat the frequency of deviant behaviour varies within different social structures and how it happens that the deviations have different shapes and patterns in different social structures. The new adapted theory employs this functionalist idea of social norms and values and suggests that people become deviant when they cannot fulfil societies expected of success through the normal, accepted, legal channels such as education, talent and hard work. Being an American sociologist, Merton utilized the idea of the idea of the American dream to illustrate his theory. Contemporary American culture appears to approximate the polar type in which great emphasis upon certain success goals occurs without emphasis upon institutional means. -Merton 1968 According to the American dream, everyone in the American society is equal as created by God. They all have not only the right, but the opportunity and ability to achieve great financial success through hard work and dedication. Mertons theory was simple- people are bombarded with such high expectations and strain is put upon them by society to succeed. Such success is measured by financial achievements and material wealth. The American dream states that everyone has the capability to own a Cadillac and a Beverly Hills mansion. but little attention is given to the accepted institutionalised means of gaining them. Some are capable of achieving such success through the socially accepted means but due to the problem of societal inequality (observably, race and gender discrimination), not all will be given the opportunity to achieve such goals. Some that cant achieve these set goals in the legal way, will turn to illegal alternatives. Merton understood the importance of individual differences however and importantly oted the fact that not everyone that was unable to achieve societys goals through the accepted means turned to deviance. His primary aim therefore, was to understand why some people conformed to the socially accepted methodology and others didnt, or became deviant. People react to societies strains in different ways and for Merton, these individual differences could be summed up in 5 groups; conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Individuals who fall under the conformity genre accept both the goals as well as the set methods for achieving those goals. They are the academics and those who follow the required means of achieving success. They may not always achieve the American dream but they reach a level of self sustenance which is respected. Those who are classed in Mertons innovation concept, are creators or innovators. Although they are unable to achieve societal goals through the set means, they accept the goals but invent their own means of achieving them, often illegal ways. In ritualism, individuals abandon the goals they once believed to be within their reach and dedicate themselves to their current lifestyle. They play by the rules and have a aily safe routine. Retreatism is the reaction of those who reject both the goals and the means of achieving such goals. They often retreat into the world of alcoholism and drug addiction. They escape into a non-productive, non-striving lifestyle. Finally, rebellion is the mode in which individuals not only reject the required goals and accepted means but alienate themselves from them. They seek to create a society where a closer correspondence will be made between merit, effort and reward. The main part of Merton theory that relates to crime and criminal behaviour is his Innovators strata. This is where Merton highlights the origin of modern day criminality in the western world thus this will be the main focus of this essay. Innovators, as stated above, are those who invent their own (illegal) means of achieving societys success. They are the fraudsters, drug dealers, muggers, embezzlers and even white collar criminals. It is agreeable that many monetary crimes are committed due to financial reward and his theory carries its greatest strength in its explanation of economic and white collar crime. Merton argued that the idea of the skys the limit encourage people hat already have wealth to continue to seek more. This is also seen in large corporations where businesses are expected to continue to make a profit and the businessmen cross the blurred line of what is and isnt legal in corporate finance. They become innovators as they try to find ways to improve their businesses. Indeed, this applies equally well to Britain, especially in light of the competitive market created by Thatcher in the `80s. However, where Mertons theory succeeds in explaining crime for economic gain, it fails in its explanation of other ypes of crime which are widespread in the UK. A research study that supports an element of Mertons theory is that of John M. Hagedorn. In his 1987 study entitled Homeboys, Dope fiends, Legits and New Jacks, Hagedorn interviewed 47 members of 19 Milwaukee male and female gangs. Although Merton fails to address gang crime in his theory, this study shows some understanding of anomie. The drug dealers and criminals in the gang claimed society had failed them through racism and discrimination. The only way to make a good living according to the gang members, was from the streets.

How to Conjugate Agir (to Act) in French

How to Conjugate Agir (to Act) in French As you continue to learn French, you may want to use the verb  agir, which means to act. Conjugating this French verb to match the subject and tense of a subject is actually quite easy because it is a regular verb. This quick French lesson will show you exactly how to do that. Conjugating the French Verb  Agir It is necessary to conjugate French verbs so they make sense in the context we wish to use them. We cannot simply use  agir  anytime we wish to say something or someone is acting or has acted. Instead, we need to change the ending of the verb and this is called conjugation. The good news is that  agir  is an easy one to conjugate. It follows the typical pattern of  regular  -ir verbs  to tell us which ending to use. This makes learning the conjugations for similar verbs rather easy. In the case of  agir, you can use the chart to discover the proper form to use based on the subject pronoun the I, he, we, etc. which are j, il, nous in French and the tense required. For instance, to say I act, you would say jagis in French. Subject Present Future Imperfect j' agis agirai agissais tu agis agiras agissais il agit agira agissait nous agissons agirons agissions vous agissez agirez agissiez ils agissent agiront agissaient Agirs Present Participle The  present participle  of  agir  is  agissant. Its a very useful conjugation as it can act as a verb, meaning acting, or you can utilize it as an adjective, gerund, or noun. Another  Past Tense of  Agir Its likely that you will use the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  for the past tense rather than the imperfect in many instances. Its even easier with a verb like  agir  because theres no need to worry about the subject as all instances use the same form of  agir. In order to use the  passà © composà ©, you must first conjugate the auxiliary verb  to match the subject. For this verb, we use  avoir.  You will also need the past participle, which is agi. To put these pieces together, if we want to say I acted, it would be jai agi in French. Likewise, we acted is quite simply nous avons agi. You will note that ai and avons are the conjugates of our auxiliary (or helping) verb  avoir. More Conjugations of  Agir Among those conjugations above, you should be familiar with the present, future, and  passà © composà ©. The other forms, as well as those below, will be used on occasion. While its not necessary to memorize them, you should be aware of them. The subjunctive is a verb mood that is used when the action is undecided. Likewise, the conditional verb mood is used when the action is dependent on conditions it may or may not happen. The last two columns contain the  passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive of the verb  agir. These forms are used in formal writing. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Passà © Simple Imperfect Subjunctive j' agisse agirais agis agisse tu agisses agirais agis agisses il agisse agirait agit agà ®t nous agissions agirions agà ®mes agissions vous agissiez agiriez agà ®tes agissiez ils agissent agiraient agirent agissent The final conjugation of  agir  that you need to be concerned with is the imperative. This is another mood verb form that is used on occasion. The catch here is that you do not need to use the subject pronoun. Instead, it is implied in the imperative verb.   For instance, instead of tu agis you can simply use the verb  agis. Imperative (tu) agis (nous) agissons (vous) agissez Expand Your Understanding of  Agir Not only is  agir  a regular verb, it is also an impersonal verb. This means that it can be used in the impersonal form of  sagir de  which means to be a question of or to have to do with. Also, when you want to say to act like you will need to use the proper preposition. For  agir, that would be  agir en.

Were West Memphis Three Innocent Research Paper

Were West Memphis Three Innocent - Research Paper Example The initial attempts to find the boys were halfhearted and hasty at best and nothing was located on the first day. The search was continued in the morning the next day and the bodies of the three young boys were found around midday on May 6, 1993 naked, hogtied and dumped in a ditch. One of them had had his genital mutilated; all three had been victims to knife wounds and other lacerations. Further examination of the bodies showed that the boys had been subjected to mutilation before they were killed. Cause of death was determined to be mutilation and drowning. The prosecuting party said that the murders had been committed for a satanic ritual and that Echols was the ring leader. The satanic spin given to the case by the prosecution served to really sensationalize the case in public forums and among the people in general. Echols was subsequently sentenced to the death penalty and Misskelley and Baldwin were given life sentences. The ‘West Memphis Three’ spent close to tw o decades in jail before a judge finally accepted their Alford plea and set them free by which time they had spent most of their youth serving behind bars for a crime they did not commit (Sharon 2012; BBC News 2011). When presented with the raw facts, how, one may ask, were three people convicted for such a heinous crime set free just like that almost two decades later? There are actually many possible concrete reasons which emerged in these 20 years and enabled Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin to walk out of the courtroom as free men in 2011. And these are precisely the reasons that I think these men were innocent. And for this reason I will further elaborate upon them in the paper below (BBC News 2011). If the evidence against the ‘West Memphis Three’ is looked at thoroughly and from all the different angles and perspectives, it can be seen that there was a severe lack of concrete physical evidence linking the three men with the three gruesome murders. DNA testing wasnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t an option back then so the police couldn’t possibly have any solid connection between the victims and the men convicted for the murders. It is also to be noted that no personal belongings, blood, skin or hair specimens from the convicted men were found on the victims and furthermore there were no eye witnesses to the crime itself. These three kids were at best fairly inexperienced rookies and would have left behind clues linking them to the murder without a doubt had they committed this crime. This level of scrupulousness in the crime where no clue was left behind indicated the work of an expert criminal, one who knew what they were doing and how to go about doing it. Somebody like that would have left no clues behind, but somebody like that did not fit the description or demographical criteria of these young men (CNN Blog 2011; Elizebath 2011). A defense attorney for the three men said that another reason the blame was pinned on Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin could have been because they were considerably effortless targets. Another reason that is very closely linked with the first one is that during the initial investigations in 1993 these three young men were the best suspects, and for the police to be able to convict them would make a neat little ending to a horrific murder case. Moreover these men were by far the police’s best suspects to pin this crime on. Also, during initial investigations the case was handled in a hasty and disinterested manner where a lot of details were overlooked in the smoked fuelled by the fire of

Argentine Military Terror Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argentine Military Terror - Essay Example Other than the communist and capitalist struggles, the Argentine military played a significant role in the dirty war, which targeted the citizens. This essay will therefore investigate how Argentina military became an integral element of the 1970-1980 s terrorism. The essay will also investigate factors that caused left wing and right wing struggles to degenerate into brutality. The dirty war had its origin in the early 1970 s where military officials played a key role in committing acts of genocide against the civilian population. The operations were conducted under the leadership of Jorge Rafael Videla who took over from Isabella Martinez. Under Videla’s leadership, the Argentine military was ready to deal with anyone who opposed the authoritarian regime of Jorge Videla (Marvin web). Firstly, the military targeted trade unionists and college students, protesters and right wing activists. The military applied immediate tactics in dealing with protesters such as kidnappings and detentions without trials. In the late 1970 s, the target changed from those who opposed the government to those who were suspected to be against the regime or those who had conflicts with the regime (Marvin web). The military is also accused of mass murder of dirty war victims most of whom were never accounted for. The Argentina’s dirty war is considered as the darkest moment of the country’s history. During this period, the government is accused to have killed between 9,000 and 30,000 argentines in its effort to curb social activism that came to be known as left wing movement. It is obvious that the argentine regime was part of the right wing faction. There are various reasons that led the left and right conflict to degenerate into a brutal confrontation. Firstly, the US government offered support to the argentine authority in its effort to eliminate the right wing activism that was champion by the Russians. The independence of Argentina also introduced social

Poetry from Other Cultures Essay Example for Free

Poetry from Other Cultures Essay Poets who were born in Britain dont usually write about slavery or how important water is to them. Many poets who are not originally into a traditional English culture use English in many different ways. Night of the scorpion, Limbo and Sacrifice all seem like they are poems that have been written to represent beliefs or a way of life. They have all got rhythms and beats and some even use nursery rhymes or chants as a basis for the poem. Language is extremely important to some people especially poets. Sometimes you can see by looking at a poem that it is not written in Standard English. At the beginning of Night of The Scorpion, a child is talking about how it remembers the night when its mother was stung by a scorpion. The child mentions Ten hours of steady rain has driven him to crawl beneath a sack of rice. Here, the child is describing the scorpion and the reason for its arrival. The child points out that the scorpion parted with its poison which literally means that the scorpion has stung someone. Throughout the poem, the scorpion is described as an evil being; The flask of diabolic tail in the dark room shows this. When the mother was stung, the villagers are described as swarming flies. This may mean they were running to help the mother or running away from the scorpion. The villagers chant the name of god to the mother, chanting the name of god in some cultures, is said to bring luck or hope to the person they are chanting for. In the poem it also states that the villagers used torches and lanterns to try and find the scorpion. As the villagers moved around with the torches and lanterns, the scorpion left shadows on the mud baked walls. The villagers could not find the scorpion so they started to make a clicking noise to try and draw the scorpion towards them. In one part of the poem, it mentions that the scorpion was controlling the poison that was inside the childs mother. With every movement the scorpion made, his poison moved around the mothers blood. The villagers seem to believe that the scorpion controls the poison that is inside the mother so they think that if they capture the scorpion, the poison inside the mother will also stop moving. They state that they want to stop the scorpion on line 18, May he sit still. After line 18, a series of sentences are started with the word may. In Standard English, this word usually introduces a polite request. The villagers all sat round whilst the mother laid there. It is described that there is a look of understanding on all of the peoples faces, which shows that they are supporting the mother, hoping she will be fine. In some cultures it is believed that if you catch the scorpion that has poisoned someone, the victim will recover. This may be why the villagers were so keen to capture the creature. The poet then describes how everyone is trying to help the childs mother recover. My father, sceptic, rationalist, trying every curse and blessing, powder, mixture, herb and hybrid. He even poured a little paraffin wax upon the bitten toe and put a match to it. I watched the flame feeding on my mother this is one of the most effective quotes in this poem as its dramatic and metaphorical. Again, the poet describes how people are trying to help the childs mother by writing; I watched a holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation. The p poet gives the effect that the poison has been inside the mother for a long time by saying; After twenty hours, it lost its sting The last three lines of the poem have had a large amount of thought go into them, as its unusual to normally end a poem like this. The poem Limbo, tells the story of slavery in a rhyming, rhythmic dance. It is ambiguous and complex. There are two main narratives running in parallel; the actions of the dance and the history of a people which is being enacted. Going down under the limbo stick is likened to the slaves going down into the hold of the ship, which carries them into slavery. In Roman Catholic tradition, Limbo is a place to which the souls of people go, if they are not good enough for heaven but not bad enough for hell, between this is Limbo. It has come to mean an unpleasant place or a state of mind or body from which it is difficult to escape. The story of slavery told in the poem is very easy to follow, yet full of detail and action. The poem has a very strong beat, suggesting the dance it describes. The rest of the poem tells a story enacted in a dance. These lines are greatly rhythmic and almost every syllable is stressed, until the very last line, where the rhythm is broken, suggesting the finish of the dance and the end of the narrative. This poem is suited to a dramatic performance there is the dancing under the limbo stick and the acting out the voyage into slavery. The poem can be chanted or sung with a rhythmic beat to give the best effect. The poem refers to a drummer which may be suitable. The poem is laid out on the page in a very peculiar fashion; this is related to the poem being chant like. Parts of the poem are echoed or at least rhyming in a repetitive way to suggest that this may not be any song or dance, but one of an African like culture. From the start of the poem, it seems pessimistic, but as you read on towards the end of the poem, it gradually stats to change into an optimistic look onto what will happen. The music is saving me could mean that the songs of their cultures were what gave them hope or the fact that the drummer was beating a rhythmic beat was what got them to carry on. The first line of sacrifice is an unusual line to start with because describing a goat having a knife dragged across its neck isnt the sort of image you would want to convey for the opening sentence. The persons point of view throughout the poem seemed to switch between two characters, a young boy and a goat being sacrificed. Two spadefuls of dirt will cover me up forever I can feel its point on my throat. Many cultures bless their house or have some kind of ceremony once the house is built. Also, there are still some cultures today that sacrifice animals to their gods. We stand in a tight circle around the animal to be sacrificed this short sentence is a great example of this. It seems that the child in question seems to dislike the idea of animals being sacrificed. The heat and the smell of the blood make me dizzy. Again, there is a whole paragraph describing just how the animal in question is sacrificed. The writer of the poem has made a strange choice by putting both children and the theme of sacrificing together, as usually a poet would not normally do this. The children are fascinated by the tableau. Here, a drama convention is used. A tableau is a still image that can be used at the beginning, during or at the end of a piece of drama. Again, the idea of ceremonies are used; A white bearded man chants something holy. The cameras click. This short sentence sounds wrong when put into context with the theme of the poem. The idea of people taking pictures of an animal that has just been sacrificed is disgusting. The ending of the poem is unusual because it seems that it is from the boys point of view because it describes the house as an unnecessary killing. We are not laying the foundations of a house but another dachau. A Dachau is a Nazi concentration camp where thousands of Jews were exterminated.

Did Our Ancestors Live in Harmony with the Environment? :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

Did Our Ancestors Live in Harmony with the Environment? It appears that humans are entering a stage in their collective lives in which we are beginning to see that we can quite easily alter our environments very drastically. Some are still divided about how they feel about this, feeling that things cannot possibly be as bad as the many doomsday-scenarios painted by both scientific and religious authorities. And there are others who are extremely worried about our collective affect on the environment, and fear that it may already be too late for humans, and the world will soon change sufficiently enough to make continued human survival on this planet very difficult. From both types of people, the question arises, "Was there ever a time when humans lived in a way that was more or less in harmony with the environment?" A key element in this discussion is the use of technology, loosely defined as anything outside of natural biological functions that is manipulated and used to obtain an objective. To search for a time when our ancestors might have lived more environmentally consciously, one needs evidence, and in this case, it is generally thought that the only real evidence to be found is through fossils of things created and used by these people of so long ago. But how far back in time are we talking about? And is there any other kind of evidence that might shed a bit of light on how people lived in those times? It is generally acknowledged that starting with our ancestor Homo erectus, humans began to use their hands to make tools (Ponting, 18). This knowledge is based on dating techniques of archaeological findings such as skeletons and early tools, and the rough estimate of the appearance of this tool-using human is around 2 million years ago. In case it is not obvious, that is a very long time. Even in the last 4000 years, the amount of change that human culture and society has undergone is enormous, and at least that much is historically documented by at least some cultures in varying intervals. But to jump all the way back to 2 million years involves a very far leap indeed. There is not much evidence that tells us anything about societies so far back in time. There are some bones and stones, but nothing that really breaks down all those thousands of years into any real understanding of the societies of that era.

Pre Ap World History Chapter 3 Vocabulary

Pre-AP World History Chapter 3 Vocabulary 1. Yellow and Yangtze Rivers-contained many agricultural settlements, were river valleys 2. Gobi Desert-in northwest China, blocking off invaders from the north and northwest 3. Tibetan Plateau-north of the Himilayan Mountains, protected the west from invasion 4. Yangshao and Longshan cultures-identified as the painted and black pottery cultures 5. Xia Dynasty-started around 4000 years ago, leader Yu introduced irrigation and draining 6. Shang Dynasty-afterthe Xia in the 16th century B. C. E. , oracle bones found in Anyang 7.Anyang-capital of the Shang Dynasty, oracle bones were dug up revealing early writing 8. Xinjiang corpses-from 2000 B. C. E. , clearly European, revealing migration eastward 9. oracle bones- turtle shells that had Chinese writing on one side, and scratchs from gods 10. Shang bronzes-utensils,weapons,ritual objects were made from bronze casting 11. well field system-8 families cultivated their own plot and worked together on the 9th plot 12. Zhou Dynasty-2 capital cities for a more extensive bureaucracy, territories w/ govenors 13. silk-found on bronzes and in tombs, used for clothing and wrapping the dead 14.Silk Road-a travel route from China westward, trading mostly silk 15. Mandate of Heaven-the right to rule from the gods, a dynasty can lose and gain M. O. H. 16. Rites of Zhou-one of the oldest surviving documents, stating that Zhou ruled bc of MOH 17. yin and yang-interacting, opposing forces in nature, always should be in balance *18. Yi Jing/Book of Changes- 19. Confucius-the lader of Confucianism, belief in 5 key relationships and filial piety 20. The Analects-written by Confucius' disciples on the sayings and ideas relating to him 21. Mencius-(370-290 BCE) a philosopher who stressed the humanistic side of Confucianism 22.Legalism-humans were evil by nature, and had to have harsh laws and strict punishments *23. Way of Great Learning- 24. Lao Tzu-founder of Daoism, â€Å"Old Master† 2 5. Daoism-based on forces in nature, which needed to be balanced (yin and yang) 26. Dao de Jing-primary document which makes original concepts a bit difficult to understand 27. wu wei-to interpret the will of Heaven is not action but INACTION 28. Period of Warring States-the period between 2 dynasties; one losing power, one gaining it 29. Qin Dynasty-(221-206 BCE)legalism, strict censorship,standardized weights;measures 30.Qin Shi Huangdi-first emperor of Qin, rose to throne at age 13 in 246 BCE, Li Su is advisor 31. Xianyang-the capital where aristocratic clans were forced to live, so court could monitor *32. Sima Qian- 33. Xiongnu-northern nomads who posed the threat of invading(possibly related to Huns) 34. Great Wall-a costly project to keep invaders out from the North, slowed but not stopped 35. Han Dynasty-(202 BCE-221 CE)founded by Liu Bang, dictorial gov't and civil service exams 36. eunuchs- males who had their testicles removed (castrated) 37. Liu Bang-founder of the Han d ynasty 38. tate Confucianism-Confucian doctrine combined with Legalist practice 39. civil service exam-tests administered to workers in the bureaucracy to see if they qualify *40. Han Wudi- *41. Wang Mang-reformist official who seized power 42. Chang'an-the capital of the Han Empire in China 43. filial piety-respect for one's parents and elders in society 44. Bao-jia system-forming a group of families for excersizing mutual control and surveillance 45. Xian's terracotta army- terracotta soldiers to protect the first emperor of Qin's tomb 46. Book of Songs and Song of the South-a book of about 300 poems written during the early Zhou dynasty

Diesel Campaign

In today’s society there is a strong emphasis on prudent, well thought out, decision making. It is often against social norms to act on impulse. Society also affects the way one thinks, making each person self-conscious and self-aware of his surroundings. This helps him become more wary of his actions, disallowing (for the most part) uninhibited actions and reactions. However, Diesel, a clothing company, indulges the average day citizen to â€Å"Be stupid. According to Diesel’s manifesto, which can be accessed through YouTube, this campaign suggests the stupidity of being â€Å"smart,† and emphasizes the need to be â€Å"stupid† (â€Å"The Official Be Stupid Philosophy†). Through the use of vibrant colors and fonts and the provocative and chauvinistic nature of the ad, Diesel is truly able to convey its sense of stupidity. Diesel has many advertisements that are under the â€Å"Be Stupid† campaign. They all use the power of shock to capture the audience’s attention. What could be bolder than encouraging stupidity?What the audience will notice first is the vibrant colors. The message is written in a neon yellow that easily captures attention. The border matches the message and it immediately grabs the audience’s attention. The blanket on which the girl is lying is multicolored and eye-popping. The vibrant colors will allow the reader to stop in the middle of the magazine to look at the ad for a moment. What’s more interesting is the message that is in bold in the left hand corner. It reads, â€Å"You’ll spend more time with your boss. This is written in all bold and all capitals. The physical appearance of the message is already attention-grabbing enough, but if that wasn’t enough, the message itself is crazy. It’s crazy in the sense that it goes against all of society’s conventions. Having any type of relationship with a coworker, let alone a boss, is usually frowned up on in most offices. A â€Å"wise† thinker would know not to venture into that area, but one who goes with what he is feeling, uninhibited, would not have a problem â€Å"spending more time† with a boss.By making a controversial statement, Diesel is able to appeal to the audience, especially to the younger generation. However, this controversial statement promotes promiscuity and unintelligent responses to everyday situations. Not only is the tone of the quote provocative, but the photograph itself is also quite suggestive. It shows a topless woman lying in bed with a topless man. The woman is looking straight at the audience, with a grin shamelessly tacked onto her face. A blanket covers the man’s face, and it seems as if he is not even awake yet.His arm also rests on top of the woman’s body. It is implied that the two have slept together. It is also implied that in this case, the man is the boss, while the woman is the one who is â€Å"[being] stupid. à ¢â‚¬  In the photograph, it seems as if the woman is in control of the situation, since she is awake with the smile on her face, looking directly at the camera. In fact, she is portrayed as the one taking advantage of the male, when it is usually the opposite in society. Though this may seem empowering, it holds women in a negative light.Not only is the female not the boss, she is the one using the male in order to â€Å"be stupid. † This is degrading to women, even though it may not initially seem like it. The advertisement seems to be saying that girls should â€Å"be stupid,† and that intelligence is unimportant. It promotes girls acting foolishly and doing irrational things like sleeping with a boss. Is this what Diesel wants the future of the younger female population to be? If so, it is quite chauvinistic and deprecating to the many advancements females have made throughout history.This picture juxtaposed with the slogan encourages women to be licentious and to disregard ethics. The â€Å"Be Stupid† campaign has much potential in carrying a positive meaning. It encourages people to occasionally step out of their realms of comfort, and to be a little bit bold and daring every now and then. This can be a positive message because without taking risks, people will not be able to succeed. It is not always good to be uninhibited, however; there are certain limitations as to how impulsive one can be.The issue is that Diesel’s campaign puts no boundaries as to how â€Å"stupid† one can and should be and just suggests people to act as savages. â€Å"Be Stupid† also suffers due to the poor word choice, along with the risque advertisements; it only appeals to the immature and undeveloped, and manipulates their malleable minds into believing that â€Å"spending more time with your boss† and being â€Å"stupid† is acceptable. Diesel should stop being â€Å"stupid† and be more conscious of the message the y send.

How to Teach the Past Simple to ESL Students

How to Teach the Past Simple to ESL Students Teaching the English past simple verb tense to ELL or ESL students is rather straightforward after youve taught the present simple. Students will be familiar with the idea of auxiliary verbs in the question and negative but not in the positive form. They will be able to convert to past simple using helping verbs as in: Does she play tennis? - Did she play tennis?We dont drive to work. - They didnt drive to work. Theyll also be happy to know that the verb conjugation always remains the same, no matter the subject of the sentence. IYouHeShe played tennis last week.ItWeYouThey   Of course, theres the issue of irregular verbs,  which  can be frustrating because they just have to be memorized and reinforced through practice. A sampling of these: be- was/werecatch- caughtspeak- spokeunderstand- understood Past Time Expressions The key to teaching the past simple effectively is making it clear from the beginning that the past simple is used when something begins and ends in the past. The use of appropriate  time expressions will help: last: last week, last month, last yearago: two weeks ago, three days ago, two years agowhen past: when I was a child, when she worked in New York Start by Modeling the Past Simple Begin teaching the past simple by speaking about some of your past experiences. If possible, use a mix of regular and irregular past verbs. Use time expressions to provide context. Its also a good idea to mix in some other subjects such as my friend or my wife to signal that there is no change in the conjugation of the past simple other than putting the verb into the past. I visited my parents in Olympia last weekend.My wife cooked a wonderful dinner yesterday.We went to a movie yesterday evening. Continue modeling by asking yourself a question and providing the answer. Where did you go last week?  I went to Portland yesterday.When did you have lunch yesterday? I had lunch at 1 oclock yesterday.Which level did you teach last month? I taught beginner- and intermediate-level classes. Next, ask students similar questions. Its a good idea to use the same verbs- for example: went, had, played, watched, ate- when asking questions. Students will be able to follow your lead and answer appropriately. Introduce Regular and Irregular Verbs Using the verbs youve introduced, quickly ask students the infinitive form for each verb. Which verb is went?  goWhich verb is cooked? cookWhich verb is visited? visit Which verb is had? haveWhich verb is taught? teach Ask students if they notice any patterns. ​Usually, a few students will recognize that many past regular verbs end in ‑ed. Introduce the idea that some verbs are irregular and must be learned individually. Its a good idea to provide an irregular verb sheet for their study and future reference. Quick drills, such as a past simple grammar chant, will help students learn irregular forms. When discussing past regular verbs, make sure that students understand that the final e  in ‑ed  is generally silent: listened - /lisnd/watched - /wacht/   BUT: visited - /vIzIted/   Introduce Negative Forms Finally, introduce the negative form of the past simple through modeling. Model the form to the students and immediately encourage a similar answer. You can do this by asking a student a question, then modeling a negative and a positive sentence. When did you have dinner yesterday?  (student) I had dinner at 7 oclock.Did he/she  have dinner at 8 oclock? No, he/she didnt have dinner at 8 oclock. He/she had dinner at 7 oclock. Resources and Lesson Plans to Practice the Past Simple Explaining the Past Simple on the Board Use a past tense timeline to visualize the idea that the past simple is used to express something that began and ended in the past. Review time expressions that are used in the past, including last week, last month, and last year; in dates; and yesterday. Comprehension Activities After students are familiar with the form, continue expanding their understanding of it, as well as irregular verbs, with comprehension activities. Using stories of vacations, listening to  descriptions of something that  happened, or reading news stories will help underline when the past simple is used. Pronunciation Challenges Another challenge for students will be understanding the pronunciation of the past forms of regular verbs. Explaining the idea of voiced and voiceless pronunciation patterns will help students understand this pronunciation pattern.

Applying Kants Ethical Theory to Nursing

Applying Kants Ethical Theory to Nursing Immanuel Kant was born in 1724 in Kà ¶nigsberg, which is today the city of Kaliningrad in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast (Watkins, 2002). He was raised in a Pietist household that stressed intense religious devotion, personal humility, and a literal interpretation of the Bible (European Graduate School [EGS], 2010). Kant wrote numerous works in his lifetime but most of Kant’s work on ethics is presented in two works, The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals written in 1785, and the Critique of Practical Reason written in 1787 (McCormick, 2006). In order to understand Kant’s ethical views, his views on duty, reason, freedom, and good will should be explored. Freedom plays an important role in Kant’s ethics. A moral judgment presupposes freedom (McCormick, 2006). Also, freedom is a notion of reason, so without the assumption of freedom, reason cannot proceed. On the other hand, reason can only be satisfied with assumptions that practical observatio n cannot support. Reason seeks knowledge or understanding that it cannot comprehend (Williams, 2009). The question of moral action is an issue for rational beings. There is nothing in a rational beings character to waver. It will always match the dictate of reason. Humans are not wholly rational beings. We can either follow our natural instinct or non-rational impulse. Thus, rules of conduct are needed to guide human’s actions. Will is the ability to act according to the law. Outcomes of our actions are beyond our control. The only thing we can control is the will behind the action. Morality of an act must be assessed in terms of the impulse behind it. Kant says â€Å"good will† as the only thing unconditionally good because it cannot be used for ill purpose. Kant argued that moral requirements are based on a standard of rationality he dubbed the Categorical imperative. Categorical imperative is defined as the standard of rationality from which all moral requirements a re derived (Categorical imperative, 2007). It is an imperative because it is a command. It commands us to exercise our wills in a particular way. It is categorical because it is unconditionally and applies to everyone at all times (Hinman, 2006). CI requires an autonomous will. It is the presence of this self-governing reason in each person that Kant offered decisive grounds for viewing each person as possessed of equal worth and deserving of equal respect. There are three maxims or categorical imperatives that Kant’s theory are based on. The first categorical imperative is Universalisability which states that, â€Å"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.† The second categorical imperative is the Law of Nature which states that, â€Å"Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end.† The third categorical imperative is known as the Kingdom of Ends states that, â€Å"every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends† (Kant, n.d.,  ¶ 43).

Discuss the relations between cultural claims, power and universal Essay

Discuss the relations between cultural claims, power and universal human rights - Essay Example To begin with, let us consider the controversy surrounding the design of the Australian flag. This case is representative of the ideological and power struggles that is rampant everywhere else in the world. The Australian flag evokes starkly different emotions from different sections of its populace. For the indigenous community, it denotes a selective and exclusivist interpretation of Australian history, which completely neglects pre-colonial heritage. For the majority of the European settlers, the blatant human rights violations perpetrated against innocent hordes of indigenous tribes do not evoke sympathy as much as colonial supremacy. This dual viewpoints of history is typical in the post-colonial societies elsewhere, with a marked shift between the sentiments of the ruling elite and the subaltern masses. As the authors point out, â€Å"These debates about the meaning of flags raise issues that point to the very foundations of international politics. States claim that they embody the identities of the peoples living within their territorial boundaries. These identities are a powerful force, even if they are sometimes contrived or imagined. The principle of state sovereignty is often upheld not just as a fundamental political and legal tool but also as the means of protecting the culture or cultures operating within the state’s boundaries†. (Brown, Bromley & Athreye, p.200) Over the course of the last century, states have claimed legitimacy to their causes using the language of rights. The hope lies therein for minorities and underprivileged within states to also employ the language of rights to claim their legitimate share of opportunity, prosperity and privilege. While traditionally, notions of cultural identity held sway over other abstract categorizations, the world of neo-liberal economic globalization has given precedence to universal human rights and justice. So, the

Government Ban of Cyberporn on the Internet Essay - 1

Government Ban of Cyberporn on the Internet - Essay Example The Cyber porn Industry has over the years grown very fast posing a great threat to the social and moral values of various communities in countries all over the world.This menace has spread so wild to the extent that ,it has has become almost uncontrollable and is also destroying many. This is due to some factors which have given the needed attention to be able to stop this problem as quickly as possible. One of such problem is the how people are easily influenced to engage in or use pornographic materials either by their friends or deceitful adverts they might seen on the internet. Pornography in general is very addictive and even experts have been able to proof that overcoming pornographic addiction is more difficult than overcoming the addiction of drugs. One other factor is the way cyber porn is easy to access these days due to wide spread of Internet facilities in our society. This therefore makes it very easy for people to get access to it as often as they want making it very difficult for them to resist since it is very influential especially amongst the teens who are naturally very adventurous age group. This problem of cyber porn, have had a very devastating effect on our society no matter the age group in question. Lets take the effects it has on non-adults for instance, these children or non-adults are filled when a lot of lustful pleasures when they watch these pornographic pictures on the internet. They then begin to have very evil desires as a result because these things infuse nothing but evil motives into them. This in a long run as result of them, not been able to control themselves, end up practicing the very things they see on the internet in the wrong time of their lives and with the wrong person. This affects their moral life hence reducing the moral standards of our societies, which is very bad.

Current issues regarding immigrants in the U.S Essay

Current issues regarding immigrants in the U.S - Essay Example These immigrants largely affect the country in terms of its economy, legislation, national security, population growth and other national and legal issues. Likewise, the current immigration system in the United States of America is a very important topic because it concerns the security, social, political, and economic aspect of the country. On the other end, it also concerns the welfare of millions of people who migrated from other countries all over the world to America. In line with this, it is realized that a considerable time must be devoted in discussing the current immigration in the United States of America. Moreover, a reform must be done to further improve the immigration system of the country to maximize the benefits that can be derived both for the immigrants and for the country. On this memorandum, it presents the three most pressing issues regarding immigrants in the U.S. as these issues have current situations that are considered most problematic. It then offers and di scusses a possible solution for each issue regarding immigrants in the country. Lastly, the implications of the proposed solutions are related to different interest groups. 1.2 IMMIGRATION IN THE UNITED STATES For many years, immigration contributed a large percentage on the population growth of America. The United States of America has been the number one destination for immigrants seeking a place to realize their desired lives, thus gives birth to the â€Å"American Dream†. In 2006, the United Nations reported that the total immigrant population in the world amounts to approximately 186,579,300 and 20.56% of which is in the United States of America (â€Å"International Migration†). The America has almost four times that of Russia’s 6.47% which has the second most number of immigrants in the world. In another account, the 2009 American Community Survey of the United States Census Bureau shows that there are 38,517,234 immigrants in the United States (â€Å"Mig ration Policy Institute†). That is about 12.5% of the U.S. population which is significant enough to affect many aspects of the United States as a country. The number of immigrants in the U.S. continues to increase by 700,000 each year (â€Å"Real Problem with Immigration†). Problems to regulate the number of immigrants in the U.S. initiate legislative reform on the immigration system of the country. 1.3 PREVIOUS IMMIGRATION REFORM BILLS It is recognized that there were previous efforts to reform the immigration system of the United States through immigration reform acts. In the past three decades, there were three notable bills that were passed in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. These are the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, and Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (Segal, Elliott and Mayadas 32). For the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, its maj or provisions are legalization for undocumented aliens who entered the country since 1982 and certain agricultural workers, sanctions for employers who hire illegal immigrants and increased enforcement at U.S. borders (â€Å"Immigration Reform†). The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 aims to implement increased security at the U.S. border to prevent illegal immigrants

Psychosynthesis Approach: Object Relations Theory Overview

Psychosynthesis Approach: Object Relations Theory Overview The therapeutic model of psychosynthesis grew out of the psychodynamic movement and is based on work done by Robert Assagioli (1888-1974). Psychosynthesis takes an optimistic view of the human condition, theorising that a person progresses naturally towards a state of synthesis. For Assagioli, synthesis refers to the idea that people become interdependent and create higher levels of organisation within themselves and others (Assagioli, 1975). This essay examines how psychosynthesis helps people to re-establish their own centre and reach a new level of authenticity within themselves through the use of object relations theory. The model of human consciousness within which psychosynthesis operates can be seen as comprising of a number of layers (Hardy Whitmore, 1999). The layer at which we most normally operate is referred to as the field of consciousness. Most people live their whole lives at this level and do not experience different levels. In psychosynthesis, however, there are considered to be a number of levels at which human beings operate: different, lower levels of consciousness as well the higher, collective consciousness. It is the lower levels of consciousness which are of most practical interest to therapists. These contain traumas that have been covered up, childhood experiences and defensive strategies. While trauma can lie hidden, so can our greatest assets, skills and happiness. Psychosynthesis aims to establish contact with both the traumatic, damaged parts of the self as well as the beautiful parts (Hardy Whitmore, 1999). This process is often called self-realisation and is the result of three stages in psychosynthesis. In infancy, the primary task is ego formation, the creation of a vehicle for the self (Simanowitz, 2003). The second stage is the emergence of the I which normally occurs in adolescence. The third stage is referred to as self-realisation and this is the growing consciousness of the essential self. The psychosynthesis counsellor acts as a kind of external unifying centre who can facilitate the growth of self-esteem through helping the client make the I-Self connection (Whitmore, 2000). One of the main ways in which the therapist helps the client is through mirroring these are confirming responses from the therapist which attempt to calm and soothe (Simanowitz, 2 003). How is it possible, then, to reach this ultimate goal of self-realisation and high self-esteem? Psychosynthesis uses an analysis based on object relations to examine early relationships in life. Object relations theory has at its core the idea that not only do we need relationships, but that the type of relationships that we have determine how our self develops (Crossley Gopfert, 1999). Object relations is, therefore, interested in the way the self develops through the initial relationships with the primary caregivers and how the child begins to split themselves off. Where does the boundary come? How can I tell who is you (the object) and who is me (the self, the I)? In psychosynthesis, these problems are approached using the tool of object relations. Object relations concentrates on two main types of objects: the external objects of other people and the internal objects which are the way in which external objects are represented internally. There are also part objects which are those that are not recognised as full whole people: one example of a part object is that of a breast to a baby. Minsky (1995) describes how Melanie Klein often considered a transitional figure between classical psychoanalysis and object relations theorists focussed on how a baby struggles to relate to people. Central to the way the baby relates is the phantasies it creates these are essentially the babys interpretations of its internal and external representations: what are now considered its object relations. For Klein, these phantasies are based on the childs instincts. The development of these early relations, in Kleins theory, sets the tone for a persons life. Klein saw two possible positions for the baby to take up (Minsky, 1995). The first is the paranoid-schizoid position this is based on the fear of attack. Because the baby is vulnerable and completely dependent on the mother, it fears what the mother might do to it. For Klein this was a developmental stage to be overcome in order to reach the understanding that it is possible to integrate hating and loving feelings. The second is called the depressive position and here the baby must learn to internalise an external world which contains the possibility of integrating good and bad objects. Bad feelings towards the mother and the self are, thereby, integrated and accepted. It is the depressive position that provides most of us with the greatest challenge in our lives. Klein identified four unconscious processes that are important in early object relations (Minsky, 1995). The first of these is termed splitting and refers to how the baby unconsciously splits objects into good and bad (Klein, 1946/1975). This occurs to defend the baby against annihilation anxiety and is directed against threats. An example of this is how the baby idealises the breast early in life. But, over time, through the struggle between the life and death instinct, a bad and good image is created of the breast. With splitting, in Kleins theory, comes the early production of the superego in which both the good and bad aspects of the breast and the mother are incorporated. The second unconscious process is projection which refers to the baby taking its inner good and bad feelings and projecting them onto the world. The inner bad objects, split off, can be projected onto the mother. The third unconscious process is introjection this is where the baby internalises both the good and the bad things around it. In order to build an autonomous self, the baby should internalise more good than bad (Minsky, 1995). Finally projective identification occurs where, after identifying with the object initially, the baby re-internalises it. This will often lead to heavy dependence on the love object as it has effectively included part of the self (Minsky, 1995). The problem with relationships built on projective identification is that they are often characterised by a need to control as well as fear of being controlled. Central to counselling in psychosynthesis is the idea of subpersonalities. These are identities that exist within the person, each with their own behaviour pattern, beliefs and even body posture (Whitmore, 2000). Depending on the situation in which a person is placed, a different subpersonality comes to the surface, which is appropriate in a healthy person. The subpersonalities are essentially unconscious, beyond the individuals control and are normally in place to meet some kind of basic need. The danger is that a person becomes trapped by one particular subpersonality and this starts to control their life. In order to work with subpersonalities it is necessary, according to Whitmore (2000), to recognise those that seem most important. And beyond the surface behaviour of a personality, lies their quality which they want to express. One example of recognising the quality of a subpersonality might be where an ex-addict has developed a tough-guy image the quality of perseverance and c ourage can be recognised in this (Whitmore, 2000). The idea of subpersonalities is built on, and informed by, Winnicotts (1960) distinction between the true and false self. The development of each of these is strongly affected by the mothers attitude towards her child. Winnicott (1960) describes the good-enough mother and the not good-enough mother. The former acknowledges the childs displays of omnipotence in order to encourage the development of the ego. The not good-enough mother, however, tends to, for example, substitute her own signs and signals for the babys and as such the baby only develops an illusion of omnipotence. This can lead to the impaired understanding of external objects, as they are not understood in their true sense. As a result of parenting practices such as these, it is possible for a false self to develop. A false self has been described by Rubin (1998) as a predictable or inauthentic mode of being, whereas the true self is spontaneous and authentic. A clinical vignette is provided by Winnicott (1960) of a middle-aged woman who had developed a caretaker self who looked after the day-to-day functions of her real life. She felt, though, that she had not been in contact with her real self and she had not begun to exist. Winnicott treated her by allowing the caretaker self to slowly pass over its functions to the analyst until a crisis point was reached. This crisis allowed the patient to see and understand the caretaker self as well as the real self. One of the most important therapeutic dynamics in psychosynthesis, as in other forms of psychotherapy, is transference. Transference describes how clients often re-enact with the therapist those early relationships that were important to them (Hardy Whitmore, 1999). This works as the client specifically projects the traits that were, for example, seen in the parents, onto the therapist and uses the same emotional responses and behaviours. By carrying out this projection, the client is attempting to repeat their early relationships, such that the therapist can become the target for a wide range of emotions (Whitmore, 2000). Counter-transference is an important related phenomenon to transference. This acknowledges that there are two people involved in the therapeutic relationship and it is possible that the therapist will start to play out early relationships as well. In psychosynthesis, it is vital that counter-transference is acknowledged by the therapist and that the client continu es to be viewed as containing immense potential. There are a number of ways in which transference can operate; two examples are idealisation and devaluation. Idealisation occurs when the client sees the therapist as a perfect person and incapable of making mistakes. What happens in this scenario is the client effectively creates in the therapist a surrogate parent who they wished they had had this provides them with external security. On the other hand, devaluation can cause the client to see the therapist as flawed or powerless because of the way in which transference has occurred and been identified (Ashbach, 1994). Transference, for Assagioli (1967), is seen as something to be reframed in a positive manner. In this sense, transference is an attempt by the client to find unity within themselves. The separation and splitting referred to earlier, at its most basic between mother and child, requires healing. To achieve this healing, the therapist mirrors unconditional love to the client, and attempts to dissolve transference as it arises. Through this process it is hoped that the client will be able to begin reintegrating the split-off parts, allowing the I to see all of them and hold them together. Ultimately, the aim of therapy is, as Masterson (1988) expresses it, to reach a concept of constancy and wholeness that acknowledges life is a series of shades of gray rather than black and white contrasts. In conclusion, ego development and self-esteem are addressed in object relations theory by examining the clients earliest relationships. Within these early relationships are found the dynamics which can reverberate through the rest of a persons life. Psychosynthesis uses object relations to analyse these relationship, paying particular attention to unconscious processes such as splitting, projection, introjection and projective identification. The process of therapy within this model pays particular attention to the operation of subpersonalities, as based on Winnicotts distinction between the true and false self, as well as how transference and counter-transference affect the therapeutic dynamic. Finally, psychosynthesis views the journey of therapy as being towards a reintegration and acceptance of the split-off parts of the self such that the client can reach a new authentic understanding and reconstruction of the personality around the true self. References Ashbach, C. (1994) Object Relations, the Self and the Group. Oxford: Routledge. Assagioli, R. (1967) Jung and Psychosynthesis. New York: Psychosynthesis Research Foundation. Assagioli, R. (1975) Psychosynthesis: A Collection of Basic Writings. Wellingborough: Northants Turnstone Press. Crossley, D., Gopfert, M. (1999) Cognitive analytic counselling and psychotherapy. In: S. Palmer (Ed.), Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: The Essential Guide. London: Sage Publications. Hardy, J., Whitmore, D. (1999) Psychosynthesis. In: S. Palmer (Ed.), Introduction to Counselling and Psychotherapy: The Essential Guide. London: Sage Publications. Klein, M. (1946/1975) Notes on some schizoid mechanisms. In: R. Money-Kyrle (Ed.), The writings of Melanie Klein (Vol III, 176-235). New York: The Free Press (Macmillan) Masterson, J. F. (1988) The Search for the Real Self: Unmasking the Personality Disorders of Our Age. London: The Free Press. Minsky, R. (1995) Psychoanalysis and Gender: An Introductory Reader. Oxford: Routledge. Rubin, J. B. (1998) A Psychoanalysis for Our Time. New York: New York University Press. Simanowitz, V. (2003) Personality Development. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Whitmore, D. (2000) Psychosynthesis Counselling in Action. London: Sage Publications. Winnicott, D. W. (1965) The Maturational Processes and the Facilitating Environment. London: Hogarth Press.

Teenage Years Are Depressing :: essays research papers

Teenage years are depressing because they are going through some of the biggest changes in their life. Teens start high school and have to deal with being little in a school again. They go through major hormonal changes. Their bodies develop and grow. They have to decide whether or not they are going to college or not. If they choose college, then what college will meet their needs the best? Will they even be accepted to the college they want to go to? These are major decisions and changes they have never experienced before. Then there is the daily life. They wake up in the morning dreading school, they know they have to go. They just don't want to go. Then they get ready and go to school. They are depressed about school. They go to all their classes. The end of the day is nearing and they may be depressed about having to go home. Their family life might be bad. They go home and what do you do? Sit down, watch television, play a video game, lock themselves in their room, or just going around being mad at everyone and their life. This really is the pits. They need to change their life whether it be changing their after school activity or changing their attitude. Depression is defined as a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies. No two people feel or experience depression the same way. The symptoms and causes of depression are very different for everyone. Lawrence Clayton, Ph.D. and Sharon Carter write, "The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) [reported that] for 4 to 10 percent of the American public at any given time the ["downer"] mood doesn't lift." They also reported that one quarter of the population would experience a major depressive period during their lifetime (8). One out of four people will have a problem with depression in the United States. NIMH also reported that "approximately 4 out of a 100 teenagers get seriously depressed each year. Clinical Depression is a serious illness that can affect anybody, INCLUDING TEENAGERS" ("Let's Talk" 1). Gerald D. Oster, Ph.D., Sarah S. Montgomery, MSW, write, "Clinical depression refers to a condition marked by the changes in one's mood and by associated behaviors that range from a mild degree of sadness to intensely experienced feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thought's" (43).

Fantasy V Reality †Streetcar Named Desire Essay

Fantasy v reality Remember: AO1 communicate clearly the knowledge, understanding and insight appropriate to literary study, using appropriate terminology and accurate and coherent written expression. DuBois World * â€Å"old south† mindset * Aging Southern belle who lives in a state of perpetual panic about her fading beauty * Beginning she was half sane, then contributing people drive her to insanity. * Loss of reality, represents fantasy * â€Å"The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your mindset.† * â€Å"It wouldn’t be make believe if you believed in me† – Scene 7 * Story of a changing South containing characters struggling with the loss of aristocracy to the new American immigrant, the fallout of chivalry to a new mind-set of sex and desire, and a woman grasping desperately at the last bit of fantasy she can muster. DuBois World * â€Å"old south† mindset * Aging Southern belle who lives in a state of perpetual panic about her fading beauty * Beginning she was half sane, then contributing people drive her to insanity. * Loss of reality, represents fantasy * â€Å"The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your mindset.† * â€Å"It wouldn’t be make believe if you believed in me† – Scene 7 * Story of a changing South containing characters struggling with the loss of aristocracy to the new American immigrant, the fallout of chivalry to a new mind-set of sex and desire, and a woman grasping desperately at the last bit of fantasy she can muster. The structure of A Streetcar Named Desire is best seen through a series of confrontations between Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski. In the first scene the confrontation is not so severe, but it increases in severity until one of the two must be destroyed. To understand fully the scenes of confrontations, the reader should have a good understanding of what is at stake in each encounter. That is, he should understand some of the differences between the DuBois world and the Kowalski world. Kowalski World * â€Å"new south† mindset * Beastly, Stanley possesses an animalistic physical vigor that is evident in his love of work, of fighting, and of sex * Represents reality * â€Å"He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! There’s even something sub-human — something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something — ape-like about him, like one of those pictures I’ve seen in — anthropological studies.With his Polish ancestry, he represents the new, heterogeneous America† – Scene 4 (Blanche) * Destroys Blanche’s fantasy Kowalski World * â€Å"new south† mindset * Beastly, Stanley possesses an animalistic physical vigor that is evident in his love of work, of fighting, and of sex * Represents reality * â€Å"He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! There’s even something sub-human — something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! Yes, something — ape-like about him, like one of those pictures I’ve seen in — anthropological studies.With his Polish ancestry, he represents the new, heterogeneous America† – Scene 4 (Blanche) * Destroys Blanche’s fantasy Exploration of boundary between exterior and interior sets. Two room Kowalski apartment reflects surrounding streets. Scene 10: grotesque menacing shapes, jungle noises and distorted music are employed to reflect Blanche’s terror. Scenes 10 and 11: The use of distorted shapes and jungle cries as symbols of human cruelty. Scene 9: We hear the vendor’s cry of the Mexican Woman, â€Å"Flores, flores para los muertos† (flowers, flowers for the dead). It follows the moment when Mitch denounces Blanche as a liar and thereupon refuses to marry her. Blanche and Stella have huge dependence on male companions as it is their only way to achieve happiness (their sustenance and self image are reflected through men) Scene 4 Blanche recognises that Stella could be happier without the abusive husband for support, but this is hypocritical as she calls Shep Huntleigh for financial support. Stella chooses Stanley for love – Williams does not criticize but makes it clear that there is a FUTURE with him. A Streetcar Named Desire Plot Analysis Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. Great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice. Initial Situation â€Å"Meat!† Yes, that’s right – the early interactions between Stella and her husband constitute the initial situation of A Streetcar Named Desire. It’s important for us as the reader/audience to see the status quo of the Kowalski’s relationship before Blanche shows up and alters it for the duration of the play. Conflict Blanche arrives; something is up The immediate physical incongruity of Blanche and her surroundings lets us know that she isn’t going to fit in well here in New Orleans. Her first conversation with Stella hints at secrets she’s trying to hide. And her first encounter with Stanley is wrought with tension, sexual and otherwise. All the news of the loss of Belle Reve doesn’t help, either. Complication Blanche’s relationship with Stanley grows more and more antagonistic, especially as Stanley learns more about Blanche’s past in Laurel. Blanche and Stanley’s relationship grows more and more difficult, with Blanche constantly insulting him, and Stanley becoming more angry and aggressive. Stanley also learns about Blanche’s secret past, which he informs Stella and Mitch of. These multiple, small complications are what modern writer and essayist John Barth calls â€Å"incremental perturbations† – the water gets muddier bit by bit as the play progresses, and every new complication adds a layer of intensity and emotional weight to the story. Climax Scene Ten – the rape Did you notice that Stanley says to Blanche, â€Å"We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning!†? We know that 1) Stanley doesn’t like Blanche, 2) he takes out his anger physically, and 3) he’s practically defined by his sexual aggression. This scene seems the inevitable result of their increasingly antagonistic relationship. Suspense Already happened In this play, the suspense stage can be found in Scene Ten with the Climax. The suspense builds as we watch Blanche interact with Stanley, make a frantic phone call, declare repeatedly that she’s â€Å"caught in a trap,† and try to run away. Once the rape is over, we enter Scene Eleven without further suspense. Denouement Scene Eleven With the rape and the birth of Stella and Stanley’s child over and done with, the play’s final scene has â€Å"falling action† written all over it. Blanche’s descent into madness is complete, and we’re now looking at the aftermath to the destruction that took place at the earlier climax. Conclusion Stanley and Stella on the porch together Stella’s reaction to Blanche’s condition and story regarding her husband, and her decision to carry on her marriage in spite of it, constitute the play’s conclusion. This is summed up nicely in the image of her sitting on the porch with her baby in her arms, accepting comfort from her husband after her sister’s just been carted off to an institution. Dialogue Scene 9: â€Å"when I die, I’m going to die on the Sea.† – showing how after everything Blanche is accused of and put through, her fantasy is to be by the sea, washed clean and tranquil. Scene 9: â€Å"die..hand in hand of some nice- looking ship’s doctor, a very young one..† – Again, Blanche has always fantasized over young men, there are many references to Blanche and young men throughout the play. Scene 9: â€Å"I don’t want realism, I want magic. Magic.† – Throughout the play Blanche is the symbol of Fantasy. She dislikes the way things are in reality, and so let’s herself live in her own dream world. Scene 4: â€Å"He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one!† – Blanche likes to think of people in a more outworldy way. She tries to justify the way Stanley is by saying he’s just not human. Stage directions Scene 7: Contrapuntal staging – irony with Blanches singing and Stanley’s gossiping. â€Å"it wouldn’t be make believe, unless you believe in me† – Blanches fairy like songs , bringing her back to her dream world, wanting to escape from reality. The music of the ‘Blue Piano’. – every now and then Blanche breaks through her fantasy world and into reality again, this is shown when the ‘blue piano’ plays. It is a memory of her dead husband, and the way that he died. From Blanche’s reaction towards the music playing, we can tell it is a memory she wishes to forget: ‘she sways and covers her face’, ‘the polka tune fades out. Her breath is drawn and released in long, grateful sobs.’ Bibliography: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/streetcar/themes.html Blue piano, magic AO3 perspectives and viewpoints: * Marxist viewpoint: Looking at the play ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, it can be analysed through a Marxist perspective, reading into how the class struggle throughout the play is prominent in establishing Blanche’s role. Blanche and Stella are from a well off background, a plantation called â€Å"belle reve†. Stella has lived in New Orleans and has adapted well to the unfair male structure of the world she lives in, however the arrival of Blanche attempts to undo this with her intellect. However, even Blanche herself unable to break free from the convention of being second class citizen due to her status as a female, despite being intellectually superior to the males. The class struggle between Blanche and Stanley is a key focus point throughout the play, with Blanche looking down on Stanley, constantly referring to him as a â€Å"polack†, a derogatory term she uses to set her superiority amongst him. This however backfire massively as it causes huge tensions between Stanley and Blanche, ending once the rape of Blanche has been successfully attempted. This can show in William’s point of view how despite room for change, the American 1940s is not ready for equality and change, with the class perspective overruling equality. Ironically in the Marxist viewpoint, equality should be achieved by all in a socialist society; A Streetcar Named Desire elaborates on how the ideas of class equality is nothing more than a pipedream which cannot be attempted nor achieved in the dense capitalist America the play is set in. It can be further extrapolated to assume that Williams’ play is one to show the bitter struggle between fantasy and reality, with Marxism being the fantasy which cannot be achieved. * Queer theory viewpoint: Links can be established with William’s own gay perspective of his personal life, uses the play a streetcar named desire to show the oppression he himself faces through being a gay man in the American 1940s; it was considered an illegal immoral activity, and so he could not openly state his personal life. Through using blanche he portrays his own fractured psyche, linking his oppression as a homosexual to the oppression she faces in the misogynistic structure of America at that time. Whilst a time of change many things were still suppressed, with homosexuals and females being considered to be lower class than men, even males with a lower class background than the females. This can link well with how Blanche is treated during the play, despite coming from a higher class than the men of the play, she herself is supressed in her activities, and is considered mentally incapable and weak by the male characters as the play progresses. It can be inferred that Williams uses the female characters of the play to convey his own sense of inferiority during the American 1940s. Williams’ ideas of fantasy versus reality feature prominently though the ‘queer’ perspective; he clearly shows Blanche’s own broken mind, elaborating by the end how she sees â€Å"lurid reflections appear on the walls in odd, sinuous shapes†. This can be seen as Blanche’s own struggle with fantasy versus reality, unable to distinguish the two. AO4 Other work: The themes of Streetcar are typical of Williams work. The idea of feeling trapped in a fantasy world, much like in ‘The Glass Menagerie’. The contrast in gender, woman feeling much more insecure about the reality of the outside work than the men of the plays was a common idea for many of Williams’ plays. The themes of fantasy in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ are also similar to those of ‘Summer and Smoke.’ The sexual and spiritual characteristics of Blanche are much like that of the character Alma in ‘Summer and Smoke’ Williams’ personal life: Williams sister was diagnosed with Schizophrenia and he remained close with her throughout his life. It can be inferred that this greatly influenced the ideas of mental illness’s being basis for fantastical elements within his plays. In the late 1930s Williams accepted he was homosexual, this was a crime during his period in which he lived in. this mean that Williams arguably included the idea of homosexuality in many of his plays as a way of escaping the troubles of his personal life. For example it is suggested that Blanche’s young lover who ended his life in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ was homosexual. Historical background: ‘The American Dream’ was a key idea in the US during the 1940’s as it was soon after ‘The Great Depression’ This dream is often mentioned throughout the play, the name of Blache and Stellas old house being ‘Belle Reve’ translating to ‘beautiful dream’