Saturday, August 31, 2019

Lasting Love by Guy de Maupassant Essay

â€Å"A man can fall in love only once in his entire life because the other emotions are just product of forced attraction.† -Albert Einstein The short story entitled Lasting Love by Guy De Maupassant is a reflection of unrequited love. It also argued if the strong passion among people called â€Å"love† can only happen once in a lifetime. The first idea was about the main character a poor Madam chair-mender who has grown to love somebody for fifty-five years, and nobody else. She was deeply enamoured by this man who has never reciprocated her love despite all the sacrifices she has made, and despite the length of time she has been waiting for him. In the story I was also questioned: â€Å"do women love more than men love women?† â€Å"There is no denying the fact, only women know how to love.† The story also emanates a form of feminism. The whole story shows how soft-hearted most women are especially when they are enchanted by love. The story seemed to say that women are more vulnerable to being foolishly captivated when it comes to love. When females love, they give their everything. Once they fall, it would be very hard for them to get up. Loving here is defined as sharing with an open hand, giving until it hurts. Women, being emotional creatures are more likely to be swooned over by the feelings and are more likely to expose themselves to being hurt. The whole point of the story for me was that â€Å"love† should never be confused with just mere passion. Passion needs ignition. It needs sustenance from another force. But real love is best defined when you do things unconditionally, despite the pain, the many hurts just for one second of happiness. It makes you bear all things. It can make you do the foolish  things, just because you care for the other person. It never expects anything in return but it only wants to give and show itself. In some way, the love in the story has a touch of platonic love, like a form of chaste love. Love was argued to happen only once, and once it comes it endures until the end. It is real love if it endures, like a real jewel that continues to shine despite time and circumstances. I also think that in love, all is fair. I do not think there is any superior sex when it comes to love or there is somebody who loves more, I think they just love differently. It would be very hard to quantify an emotion very special to human beings-which is love.

Friday, August 30, 2019

A Certain Night Essay

Knowledge and Understanding 1. As it is quite obvious in the story, the narrator does not think that these men and women deserve to die. This is abundant when in the very last line of the story the narrator states, â€Å"when will it be light?† 2. Throughout the story, the narrator describes the communists as young, brave and handsome, although they are powerless martyrs. The narrator makes the nationalist seem â€Å"murderous looking,† and â€Å"cunning, malicious and smug.† The chief executioner has a â€Å"revolting moustache,† and an â€Å"evil voice†, as well as an â€Å"ugly and vicious face, which seemed to symbolize the cruelty of all the rulers to the oppressed.† This made it easy enough to distinguish between the communists and the nationalists. 3. The nationalists regard to the commended prisoners with no respect at all. It was because they didn’t care for them, because they were communists, and the nationalist police were just there to execute them. They were very rough towards them as they â€Å"pushed them clumsily and hard, hitting them with rifle butts and putting ropes round their chest to tie them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As well, they would refer to them as â€Å"criminals†, as they would count them one by one making them seem no more important than counting the hairs on your chin. The nationalist’s regards towards these prisoners were cruel and very careless. 4. Near the beginning of the story, the young poet becomes overthrown by anger and pain that he actually passes out. Once he saw a familiar face, he began to calm down and gather a sense of encouragement. This familiar face started to make him feel more brave and resolute. Near the end, the mood is totally flipped around when they remembered their g overnment was being formed. Their attitudes were now positive as they died, proudly singing for their country. 5. Ting Ling wrote this store to raise awareness of the disapproving murders the nationalist party committed. I think she honored her husband with the passionate, loyal, hardworking poet. Maybe she wrote this story more for her self, as a forever memory of her husband. Not only of his death, but also by showing her passion for her beliefs. 6. A major theme in the story is to stand your ground, and fight for what you believe in. In other words, be willing to die for what you stand for, but proudly. Another theme is showing the absolute cruelty of humans. It is showing the brutal behaviors humans can portray on one another. Thinking and Inquiry 1. The tone of this story is dark and bitter. Ting Ling achieves this in the characters emotions throughout the story. This is also shown through imagery, through the gloomy vibe of the story. Ting Ling used figurative language and vivid descriptions to make the story come across as both bitter and dark. 2. The setting of the story contributes to the tone because it is set up during a dark, cold, windy, snowy night. The overall mood of the story was both gloomy and somber, which contributes to the tone I think Ting Ling was going for. Everything from the prisoners falling down in the snow, to the soldiers stomping throughout it, made the tone come alive through the text. 3. There are many different symbols throughout the story. For the chief executioner, he resembles both cruelty and oppression whereas the young poet symbolizes innocence and better reform. At the end when the prisoners are singing to their death, it shows a sense of resistance, which symbolizes the acceptance of their death. 4. The sound of trampling feet connotes punishment as a result of the communists standing up for their beliefs. It also shows desperation because the prisoners have basically hit rock bottom, and have nothing left to do. Ting Ling repeats this image to implement the despair in the prisoners, and to get the point across. 5. This story reflects a political bias because they make the communists seem innocent, as if they have done nothing wrong. Not saying they are innocent, but it is persuading the audience as if they are so. Yes, it is wrong for the nationalists to execute them, but you don’t hear the past story between the two groups. Therefore, it reflects a political bias by only showing the â€Å"innocence† of the communists.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Ultimate Power Struggle: One’s Descent into Immorality

If we must fight, we should put up a damn good one. In my power struggles in the past, either within myself or with others, I realized that when I am in the right I don't back down. I assert my standpoint well and stand firm in what I believe in. All through my childhood, adolescent and adult years, I knew that if I own it, I win it.   The short story, â€Å"Hunters in the Snow† illustrates a complicated power struggle between three friends, who each sink into a sense of immoral conviction as they own up and affirm their weaknesses. The power struggle among the three characters, Tub, Frank and Kenny, is evident all throughout the story. At the beginning of the story we see Kenny, an insensitive man, play a scary joke on Tub by almost running down his friend with the truck. Right away, he shows the reader his dominance over Tub. Frank, on the other hand, treats Tub like a joke, ignoring Tub’s concerns and emphasizing Tub’s obesity as an impediment. With Kenny delightfully participating, he leaves Tub behind in the hike through the snow (Please cite the page number here). Tub meanwhile tries to forgive his friends, and struggles to keep up with their pace. As the story progresses, however, his submissive behavior changes and his struggle for power becomes pronounced when he shoots Kenny and confronts Frank (Please cite the page number here). Wolff’s rich characterization is achieved through skillful narration, in revealing the characters’ personality; and through skillful use of suspense and surprise, in revealing the characters’ actions. Wolff’s characters are so ingeniously shaped and presented that the reader instantly connects with  them.   The power struggle in my friendships with men and with women is in parallel with the story. It is inevitable, in a set of friends, to not acquire a certain reputation; be it a bully, a meddler, a cohort, a confidante. Establishing such an image or a reputation is a dilemma, and a power struggle within the self and with others. The power struggle within oneself is illustrated in the internal conflicts Tub and Frank are experiencing. Tub is lying to himself and to people around him about his weight problem. He appears to be on a strict diet, eating only hard-boiled eggs and celery sticks (Please cite the page number here).   He tells friends that his obesity is a glandular problem, and therefore not within his will to control. Towards the end of the story, however, he admits to Frank that he is lying about this aspect of his health (Please cite the page number here). Frank, on the other hand, is lying to himself and to his family about his pursuit of lust. He twists facts about Roxanne Brewer, the fifteen-year-old babysitter with whom he has an illicit affair. He rationalizes that her age is not an issue, and that there is something special about her that goes beyond the sexual aspect (Please cite the page number here). He cannot readily admit to himself and to Tub that the ultimate reason for the affair is his sexual gratification. Wolff’s use of the narrative voice and of character dialogue is powerful because it accurately illustrates the convictions of each character with merely a line or two. Wolff crafts character dialogue in its best form. While reading the story, I sympathized with the character named Tub a great deal. He reminds me of an old saying that goes â€Å"A lie, when oft repeated, is eventually considered a truth.†Ã‚  Ã‚   Like Tub, I sometimes tell lies to mask embarrassing inadequacies. However,  unlike Tub, my strength lies in recognizing early on, when to stop seeing the lie as a truth. The power struggle between the characters and their circumstance is illustrated in the plot of the story. The three friends find themselves in a dilemma when, after Tub shot Kenny, the long drive to the hospital is difficult to make because of the unfamiliar area. (Please cite the page number here).   Dealing with their own personal circumstance did not help either, with Frank and Tub taking their sweet time to stop by a tavern, and confessing each other’s weaknesses (Please cite the page number here), clearly an action out of place especially when a wounded and bleeding Kenny is waiting in a truck, out in the cold. When Frank and Tub finally proceed with the drive to the hospital, they take a wrong turn (Please cite the page number here), implying that Kenny might not even make it alive to the hospital. Wolff’s narrative voice is powerful in the revelation of the character’s actions and in the unfolding of the story. The last two lines of the   story have a strong impact on the reader: â€Å"†¦He was wrong. They had taken a different turn a long way back† (Please cite the page number here). Figuratively, it depicts the characters’ descent into immoral convictions, with Frank indulging Tub’s gluttony and Tub condoning Frank’s illicit relationship (Please cite the page number here). I sometimes find myself in a power struggle with my personal circumstance. It is during such times that the feeling of helplessness is so oppressive. Tobias Wolff is clearly a skillful storyteller. With his ingenious use of fiction elements and his masterful ease with manipulating the narrative voice, he creates a powerful story that readers such as myself can relate with.   At the same time, Wolff shocks and  enlightens his readers by revealing the foibles of human character. He achieves one purpose of great literature: to deliver insight so that the reader will realize the value of his strengths and experiences, and the dangers of his weaknesses. Part B. Writing about Poetry On the poem, â€Å"Birches† by Robert Frost (Please cite the page number here). The image of bent birches suggests the idea of an entity being ravaged by external forces, such as a human being weighed down by age and its burdens. This image evokes a sad, poignant fact about life: when we age and are constantly weighed down by problems we may end up â€Å"bent†, radically changed. Using birches as a symbol is an effective technique used by the poet, Robert Frost. During its reading, the verses depict two different images: the literal and the figurative; and so the reader is given two separate but related ideas to grasp, and the experience is enlightening. The image of a boy swinging on birch trees suggests the idea of childhood innocence. Lines 26–28 clearly depict so: â€Å"Some boy too far from town to learn baseball / Whose only play was what he found himself / Summer or winter, and could play alone† (Please cite the page number here). The poet is right on target in conveying the message that childhood, unlike adulthood, is innocent and simple. It does not include complex problems that adults are faced with. The reading of the verses is a delight, since it brings back memories of the reader’s own childhood. On the poem, â€Å"On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High† by D.C. Berry (Please cite the page number here). The image of water filling the room as is a fresh, new way of depicting the gradual invasion of intellectual discourse in a learning environment. As the persona is discussing a poem to his class, he likens the situation to an aquarium, where the students open up like gills and let him in (lines 13-14, page no.__ ). The use of water as a metaphor for verbal discussion is appropriate and masterful. The image of the persona and his students swimming around the room, â€Å"like thirty tails whacking words† (lines 16-17, page no.__ ) conveys the idea of a loud, intense activity such as a lively discussion of poems.   The poet, D.C. Berry, successfully concretizes an abstract idea by his use of this imagery. He succeeds in making the poem a delightful read, and introducing a fresh concept to his readers. This poem is a fresh new way of looking at class discussions or poetry readings. It is remarkable how one poem can introduce a reader into seeing an idea in another point of view. On the poem, â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owen (Please cite the page number here). The most memorable and haunting images in this poem can be found in lines 17-24 (Please cite the page number here). The images convey the idea of death in its violent form. White eyes writhing, blood gargling, sores on tongues (lines 19-24, page no.__ ) are perfect images for this poem that depicts the real, raw situation of soldiers at war. The reader gets a sense of distaste for the concept that it is sweet and becoming to die for  one’s country. The images portray a death so violent it is far from being sweet. The author uses imagery and tone to convey his message to his readers. As a result, it is as if the persona himself takes the readers by the hand and shows them the ghastly conditions of war. This poem offers a vivid vicarious experience and the realization that the effect of war is rarely glorious, especially to those who experience it first hand. Part C. Writing about Poetry On the poem, â€Å"The Unknown Citizen† by W.H. Auden (Please cite the page number here). This satire ridicules the life of the unknown citizen, a life so average that it is perfectly in conformation to the expectations of society. Auden’s use of satirical humor is exemplified by his persona supposedly praising the average conformist, but really putting this conformist in ridule. The title alone is satirical; the conformist, ideal citizen is nameless, he is unknown despite the fact that he did everything right in his life. Instead, he is reduced into a code, JS/07 M 378, conveying the message that this person is treated as a statistical datum, and nothing more. Further, the use of certain departments, like the Bureau of Statistics (line 1) or Producers Research (line 18) that affirms the good qualities of the citizen is also satirical. If the unknown citizen led an insignificant life, why does he need to be investigated? This satire is an important, effective comment on the treatment of individuals in modern society. It is very effective in conveying the idea of man’s loss of his personal identity. The examples of irony in this poem include the title itself, â€Å"the unknown citizen.† He is insignificant and yet the state praises his insignificant existence. In addition, although he led a boring, conformed life, the state chose to investigate and examine his affairs. W.H. Auden cleverly used these ironic elements to reveal the absurdity of conformity He reveals this idea to the readers in a humorous satire using irony, so that readers relate to the poem well. This poem effectively communicates the ridiculous concept of uniformity in society. The feeling of outrage, however, is tempered by satirical humor, an interesting delightful mix. For this literary achievement, Auden deserves to be sincerely lauded. The reduction of human beings into mere numbers or statistics shows an insensitive, inhuman society. Uniformity is good for inanimate objects, but not for living, breathing, feeling individuals who are each so unique. I have always viewed conformity as a negative factor in living a healthy life. This poem re-affirmed my strong belief that there is strength in being different. To have people of varied backgrounds, intellect, convictions, and lifestyle in a society is to allow people to be free; free to be themselves, free from the shackles of conformity. However, I have to admit that I have a quality in common with the unknown citizen. I am a conformist up to the point of abiding the law. Our similarity, however, stops there. I rage against absurd uniformity, and for this, unlike the unknown citizen, I know that I am perfectly happy and free.

FIIN 501 MoD 1 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FIIN 501 MoD 1 SLP - Essay Example Its future performance will depend upon the possibility of oil discovery and potential reserves in the proven oil fields. Some of the important financials of the company are tabulated as per the following. Annual year ended data all numbers in thousands Financials Dec 31, 2012 Dec 31, 2011 Dec 31, 2010 Sales/Revenue Nil Nil Nil Net Income (282,999) (133,637) (136,476) Total Assets 4,011,459 2,527,944 1,746,443 Total Liabilities 1,322,241 449,030 27,409 Owner’s equity 2,689,218 2,078,914 1,719,034 Change in Cash 1,133,269 (10,174) (790,380) Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=CIE+Income+Statement&annual http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bs?s=CIE+Balance+Sheet&annual The reason for choosing the company is to show that the company's shares can trade in the stock market even when the company has neither made any sales nor any profit so far. The company continues to make operating expenses necessary for oil exploration activiities for last several years. This also shows that investors continue to demand shares of Cobalt because they are quite optimistic on its oil finds and once, the company is successful in oil discovery; its stock price may flare up exponentially. Initial Public Offering Going public is a significant decision for any company. The advantage is that it opens up a new avenue for the company to garner funds for its expansion requirements. The process is certainly time-consuming and the company needs to be cautious in meeting several statutory requirements. While going ahead for a public issue, the important thing is to be noted that as per the US securities laws, it is incumbent upon issuer to disclose all material information accurately and completely so that investor can make an appropriate decision. Misstatement or any omission of a fact can lead to a huge liability to the issuer, underwriters, board of directors and controlling persons. IPO in the US market necessitates that the company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer has taken due care in establishing the effective internal control over financing reporting to the general public. The company who is planning to go public needs to take a series of steps that can be described as per the following (Going Public in the US, 2008). The Company Board Resolution First of all, Cobalt's board needs to pass a resolution giving their consent to make an Initial Public offering by the company (A Guide to going public, 2013). Independent Auditors The company needs to appoint independent auditors as approved by the SEC. The company and its auditors need to prepare all financial statements as per the US GAAP or IFRS (A Guide to going public, 2013). SEC Registration The company needs to complete registration with the SEC and take approval for an IPO by submitting all relevant information in the prescribed format (A Guide to going public, 2013). Appointment of Counselor This is required so that counselor begins preparing prospectus related to the IPO offering. Subseque ntly, the company needs to prepare presentation material for the "Road Show" for institutional investors (A Guide to going public, 2013). Appointment of Underwriters In order to take the company public, Cobalt needs to appoint underwriters or the investment banks as they will

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

An in-depth analysis of a Honduras Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

An in-depth analysis of a Honduras - Essay Example Honduras has a great historical figure. He is Florencio Xatruch who had led the country’s armed forces and fought successfully against an attempted invasion by North American filibuster William Walker in 1857. A Honduran can be proudly called by the nickname of Catrocha or Catrocho which is inspiringly derived from the last name of Florencio. Every Honduran takes pride in being called with this nickname. Another noteworthy person hailing from Honduras to be mentioned is Salvador Moncada , one of the world famous scientists who has 12 highly cited papers to this credit. His research on heart related drugs includes the development of Viagra. Moncada works at the University College of London and funds an NGO in Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras. By virtue of the nature’s gift, Honduras is siuated conveniently in a land zone of biodiversity hot spot which is also known as the Mesoamerican region. This region extends from Southern Mexico to Panama and is famous for i ts diversity of species. Like other countries in the region, Honduras too has diverse biological resources and its indigenous cultures as well. As per the biological estimates, Honduras contains approximately 6000-8000 species of vascular plants and the number of reptiles and amphians species recorded so far is around 245.Birds can be between 650-700 species and mammal species are close to 110. Honduras is an embodiment of scenic beauty and natural attractions. 80% of the country’s terrain consists of mountains.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Criminal Law Foundations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Criminal Law Foundations - Research Paper Example Finally, the 6th Amendments to the United States Constitution provides a constitutional safeguard by giving the citizens a chance to know the evidence presented against them and to confront their accusers (Family Rights, 2013). This remarkably includes the substantial point of incurring speedy and public trial to be officiated by impartial juries. The accused must then be able to know the nature and cause of the accusation. Transparency is encouraged as the witnesses and the accused must confront each other. In this regard, it is important to create a compulsory process to take witnesses that would stand on individual’s favor. Furthermore, to guarantee remarkable defense, an individual should have to acquire Assistance of Counsel. In this paper, the proponent tries to evaluate the constitutional safeguards provided by the above Amendments to the US Constitution as they apply to both adult and juvenile court proceedings. Concerning this, the discussion of the impact that these safeguards have on the day-today operation of adult and juvenile courts is included. Constitutional safeguards and adult and juvenile courts A warrant is a form of formal and legal request that is legally binding for it seeks not to violate the individual’s right for reasonable search and seizure. ... tect their life and properties, the 4th Amendments to the US Constitution is a way of strengthening an individual’s constitutional right to feel the safety that everyone must freely enjoy within the state. Concering this, adult and juvenile courts are obliged to perform or observe this legal process in order to guarantee actual emancipation of the required constitutional safeguards to ensure actual implementation of consistent basic constitutional rights from all ages, particularly in hearing adult and juvenile cases. For instance, so as not to intimidate a child or a minor, who happens to have basic rights covered by the Constitution, the right legal process is necessary and so employing warrant to initiate reasonable search and seizure would simply make sense for this matter. The 5th Amendments to the US Constitution only strengthens the citizenship of the individuals and the privileges offered by the state that are set open to be equal for all. Under the criminal justice sy stem, this simply is a call not to violate the human rights especially by compelling a man or a child to tell something that may stand against one’s will or welfare, without substantial touch of truth and appropriate legal process. For this reason, a crime investigator has no right to initiate physical pain or harm to the accussed just to make sure that the suspect will tell something that will finally stand to witness against himself. Employing the same to minor could be considered as child abuse if the law relevant to it would be placed open for interpretation. On the other hand, the 5th Amendments to the US Constitution also provide a way to allow everyone to experience generally the liberty to use public property. Discriminations are entirely discouraged. Thus, allowing people, of all ages

Monday, August 26, 2019

Biometrics in the Private Sector(472) Research Paper

Biometrics in the Private Sector(472) - Research Paper Example This system offers plenty of benefits if incorporated in hospital administration. Firstly, it helps ease the workload in busy check-in areas where patients are made to provide a lot of information. The beauty of this system is that a simple hand scanning provides the hospital authorities with all the previous medical history of the patient. The BayCare Hospital Group uses the Patient Security Identity System in its all hospitals to identify the patients. In the opinion of Greene (2008), this is much more accurate than using numbers and names to search for patient records. For example, names may have different spellings but this unique system avoids such chances of misidentification. In addition, in some cases of emergency where the patient is unconscious and unable to provide the health care providers enough information about their identity and medical history, this hand reading can offer the history of past medications and health conditions. Thirdly, this is a useful strategy in cut ting down the chances of fraud Greene, 2008). To illustrate, there are cases in which patients use the name and insurance of other people illegally. However, this system prevents them from escaping identification. However, one has to admit the fact that there are serious issues associated with the collection, storage, and use of biometric information. For example, according to Abernathy & Tien (2003), the information collected may be subjected to function creep, which means the data collected is used for purposes other than the ones consented at the time of collection. For example, it is possible to use the medical history of a person to deny future medical insurance coverage, identifying the possible future susceptibility to certain fatal illnesses. Secondly, there are Radio Frequency Identification chips which enable someone to read this information anonymously, even from a distance of 20 meters (Abernathy & Tien, 2003). The risk of

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Launch of Zico in the 2012 London Olympics Essay

Launch of Zico in the 2012 London Olympics - Essay Example This is because of the fact that considering the advantages coconut water has to offer to the consumer, it can prove to be an essential drink for the elderly too. Keeping in mind the target audience, Coca Cola is launching Coca Cola Zico in the UK market by using the London 2012 Olympics as the major platform for it since the Olympics is considered to be the most prestigious sporting event to take place once in four years. The Zico campaign can certainly attract a lot of audience who are sport loving. For this to happen, Coca Cola can employ both advertising and public relations program to achieve their aim to successfully launch their new product. Let’s first define the two marketing strategies. Advertising is an act of selling a product by conveying a message to the audience about the existence of a product. It can be done using both the print and electronic media to reach the masses. On the other hand, Public Relations (PR) refers to the establishment of strong relations wi th the company’s publics which helps in building a strong brand image. Public relations can include activities like sponsorships, covering sport events, etc. (CIPR, 2012) Carrying out advertising may not sound as simple because it entails a lot of aspects that need to be taken account of. Marketers all over the world come across many hurdles before coming up with an advertising strategy. These environmental challenges include the following: 1. Demographics: income distribution, changing lifestyle, standard of living and the likes; 2. Economic environment: per capita income, state of the economy, etc. ; 3. Cultural environment: for instance, the ad on the right of Vita Coco, the market leader in terms of coconut water in the US, maybe unacceptable in the South Asian culture but accepted in the UK culture; (Buss, 2012) 4. Political and social environment: legislation, ethics, laws, society itself, etc. Since the case is such that a new product is being launched in to the UK mar ket, the role of advertising shall be to both inform and remind the consumers about Zico. The reason for this is that the public relations program will be taking place during the Olympics and it will be followed up by the advertising campaign. The initial step to outline an advertising campaign for Zico would be to decide upon the advertising budget that Coca Cola will spend after the end of London Olympics. Since it’s a new product, it will require a large budget. Considering the ?500,000 media budget, a 60:40 split should be done with advertising getting more as opposed to public relations. The primary reason is that advertising helps in conveying the message to a larger audience with a lower cost per audience. Considering the budget constraints, it is imperative to make the best use of the finance available. Market share also plays an impact on the advertising budget. Since we don’t have sufficient information as to how many players are already in the market, itâ₠¬â„¢s hard to comment about it. For instance, the US market comprises of Pepsi’s ONE and Vita Coco that are doing very well. In case, they exist in the UK market, the role of advertising will also be persuasive in addition to informing. (Esterl, 2012) The second step in designing the advertising strategy would be to create an advertising message. In order to overcome the issue of message retention and attention, the campaign has to be clutter breaking. The concept

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Answering Questions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Answering Questions - Research Paper Example According to Taylor, there are two ways to maintain the sense of intense solidarity. The first way deals with the â€Å"older modes of solidarity†. Republican secularism in France, according to Taylor’s example, is â€Å"erecting a dam against Muslim immigrants†. This is ineffective and represents the first way. The second way is to redefine identity â€Å"in dialogue with some elements that are external, and some that are internal†. In Taylor’s opinion this means to preserve traditions, start dialog with foreigners, and form the political ethic upon human rights. Thus, different groups of people must unite in the desire to preserve solidarity. It will happen if â€Å"Christians see it as central to their Christianity, if Muslims see it as central to their Islam, and if the various kinds of lay philosophies see it as central to their philosophies†. The ultimate goal is to create a powerful political ethic of solidarity based upon the presence and acceptance of very different views. Northop Frye, in his turn, also speaks of solidarity, but his opinion is a bit different. First of all, the author distinguishes between the national identity and national unity: â€Å"identity is local and regional, rooted in the imagination and in works of culture; unity is national in reference, international in perspective, and rooted in a political feeling†. The author condemns uniformity, when people â€Å"use the same cliches, thinks alike and behave alike†. The result of such uniformity will be a society â€Å"which seems comfortable at first but is totally lacking in human dignity†. What the author considers to be a â€Å"real unity† is tolerating dissent and rejoicing in variety of outlook and tradition, recognizing that it is man’s destiny to unite and not divide. It is possible to see that both authors support the idea of preserving the traditions of different cultures inside one

Friday, August 23, 2019

'Representation of the female body in Hip Hop music videos' An Dissertation

'Representation of the female body in Hip Hop music videos' An analysis of content - Dissertation Example The present day music scene is dominated by extravagant usage of accessories, sets and high end technologically sophisticated gadgets. In the present times music is not just restricted to monochromic or monotonous demonstration of one’s musical knowledge and talent. Rather it comes in packages, with visual appeal, brand value of the star, thematic or cult trends and factors like attractive editing, special effects and obviously a scintillating performance by the featured star that makes watching the video worthwhile. While there are many genres of music that have emerged more popular than others over the times, gathering mass acceptance and witnessing an increased audience, there are the other lost and forgotten musical cultures and styles that have faded away from the face of the international musical scene. Of the most popular genres are the following: Western Pop, Hip Hop, R and B, Rap, Electro, Punk Rock, Heavy Metal, Rock and Jazz. Due to the gradual evolution that these music categories have had, they have been able to withstand the onslaught of the modern-day demanding music enthusiast and avoid fading into oblivion. Our research area in this exploratory and investigative report is the usage and representation of the female body in hip hop music videos. We will be restricting our research on the topic by focusing on the genre: Hip Hop. Nevertheless we will also discuss and draw conclusions on the global music industry’s usage and representation of women and their bodies in glamorising music videos. Hip Hop Music – Its Origin. Hip Hop music is a modern genre of music that has its roots embedded in old folk music in the African continent. Over the years and decades it has undergone a series of modifications in its literary connections, style of presentation, themes, lyrical content, visual effect and overall sound. It used to be a tribal form of musical expression and had merged with other offshoots of ancient African tribal music, und ergoing several changes to get its present form. Hip Hop music is one of the trendiest and catchiest form of music not only involving the foot tapping groovy beats,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Biology Questions and Answers Essay Example for Free

Biology Questions and Answers Essay 2.) a) proteins b.) i) Amylase ii) Protease iii) Lipase c) i) Glucose ii) Amino Acids iii) Fatty acids and Glycerol 3.) a.) Each enzyme has a unique shape that fits onto the substrate. As enzymes normally only catalyse one reaction the substrate has to fit in the specific shape (active site) and if it doesn’t fit in (lock and key method) then the enzyme won’t be catalysed. b.) As when the enzyme is denatured it’s special shape is destroyed, thus destroying it’s active site meaning that the substrate wont be able to fit in, therefore not catalysing the enzyme. c.) As enzymes are specific when an enzyme catalyses an enzyme it can be used over and over again as they are not changed during the reaction. 5.) a.) if the concentration of the enzyme is increased the rate f the reaction will increase. This is because there will be more enzymes to help break down the substrate, however when the enzyme reaches it’s optimum it will be equal. b.) if the temperature is decreased it will drop the rate of reaction and slow down the speed of catalysing. c.) if the pH is lowered then the rate of reaction will drop causing the pH to interfere with the bonds holding the enzyme together and denaturing the enzyme. 7.) a.) i) the rate of reaction is increasing at a positive constant correlation, because the increase in temperature is causing the enzymes to move around faster increasing the chance of a collision. ii) the rate suddenly drops after it’s hit the optimum temperature, this is because the bonds holding the enzyme together have broke destroying enzymes special shape. b.) It increases it as it causes the enzymes to move around faster increasing the chance of a collision. c.) the bonds change it’s special shape causing it unable to catalyse substances. d.) A. it could be pepsin in the stomach e.) B, it could be phosphatases f.) it is very narrow.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Blogs and communication Essay Example for Free

Blogs and communication Essay Corporate blogging is a new method of communication in which employees of different firms and corporations are allowed to express themselves in the current trend in media communications. Several studies suggest that corporate blogs should be limited to only conveying of information beneficial for the company or firm, and thus there is the need to create a strategic management scheme for blogging. As a form of communication, blogs can certainly evolve into a more powerful means of communication. This power entailed in written texts of blogs shall be seen as a tool in encompassing more productive results of the business sector. According to Business Week Online issued in 2006, A Weblog (or blog) can be a powerful marketing tool, but it can also expose a business to a legal minefield as reported by Jacqueline Klosek. â€Å"Blogs can be used to market a companys products and services, facilitate communications with clients, and even counter negative publicity. † (Klosek, 2006). From the research, many benefits of corporate blogging have been found: it is a tool for search engine marketing, an aide in building the company’s reputation as a thought leader, a good support in crisis management, tool for building relationships with customers, used as a human voice to a company, illustrates transparency, immediate customer service and feedback, acts as differentiator, and tool to find out what others think about you and your company. Presently, corporations are now much more concerned about their reputations. The vigilant companies realize that knowledge is power in cyberspace. They are trolling chat rooms, discussion boards, online news media and Web sites run by their competitors and critics to detect rumblings that could end up making headlines if a reporter or financial analyst discovers them first (Alsop 2004, 21). The existence of cyberspace, wherein the transfer of information is relatively faster than it was ten years ago has just become a threat to the reputations of corporations which are forced to enter cyberspace for more exposure. Corporate blogging is one dependable medium which corporations may pursue in order to protect their reputations and cut of their costs in terms of crises scenarios which could have been avoided. Although, the most of the companies set up corporate blogs for the purpose of promoting their services, building their good image or gaining any other befits. There is however a limitation in blogging, since legal problems may arise in the process. â€Å"Careless statements posted on a company-sanctioned blog can come back to haunt the company through litigation and other avenues† Klosek stresses. Blogs can cause violations on intellectual-property rights since most corporate blogs do not have specific rules that can be followed by the employees. Trade secrets may be revealed accidentally risking the protected status of company information. Disclosure of trade secrets can jeopardize the blogger’s career since this problem may cause his suspension or termination from his position. From many studies and articles written about corporate blogs, the question has been raised on insufficient management. The integrity rules for protection and management of blogs are expected to be established immediately. This research proposal aims to determine that how does corporate blog as a kind of new innovation be widely adopted and used by the both of the individual blogger and various organizations? What are the benefits of the corporate blogs bring to the organizations? How the public perceives corporate blogging as a kind of new innovation? What are the perceived relative advantages of corporate blogging according to the bloggers? Why is it to be welcome and popular as a successful new innovation? Is corporate blogging compatible with the existing values and practices of the bloggers? 1. 2 Overview of the Structure This proposal is structured into several sections. This section provides the audience with the motivations, objectives and a brief introduction to the research proposal. In the following sections, it includes the Literature review concerning blogging phenomenon and the process of this successful innovation, the benefits and limitation will be critically reviewed to provide a background for the research theme. In order to further understand real world practices, a theoretical framework is introduced. In section 3, known as Diffusion of innovation theory will be applied in the analysis part. The DIO theory is also used in combination with literature review to analyze and illuminate primary data, which will be used to answer the research question and the respective supporting the arguments. Section 4 describes the research methodology and various techniques which the author used to collate empirical data. In this section, the case research has been choosing to track and understand the history of the perception and adoption of blogs as a new innovation by the successful corporation in the business industry. An interview will also be carried out in the research process. The interview will help to find out the relationship between the employer and internal blogger, and further testify, discover and summarize the effects and benefits of the corporate blog as a new innovation. Finally, the discussion and the conclusion sections will be given to summarize of the expectation of findings, contributions, limitations of the research and points in which the research could further be improved or developed. 2 Literature review 2. 1 Understanding of blogs A weblog or blog is a form of an online journal. Schiano, Nardi, Gumbrecht, and Swartz (2004) defined blogs as â€Å"frequently updated web pages with a series of archived posts, typically in reverse chronological order†. According to Gordon (2006), blogs use â€Å"straightforward content management tool, allowing web pages and entries to be created and updated easily, without the need to worry about design or architecture issues† (Gordon, 2006). Although blog posts are primarily textual, authors may also include photos or other multimedia content in their posts. The blog is the fourth biggest communication tool after the e-mail, BBS and ICQ. According to Cooke (2005), about 70 million blogs exist and over 75,000 blogs are being created each day. Blogs is indeed increasingly becoming popular. Sprague (2007) traced the growth and evolution of blogs. He also discussed how businesses use blogs to communicate with customers. There are different kinds of blogs present today at cyberspace. The most popular ones are personal blogs, service, and corporate blogs (Geerts and Kim 2005, 12). Personal Blogs provide information about the thoughts, interests and activities of different people whether they are individuals or are blogging by groups or affiliations. Service blogs are often topic oriented and they are context specific and much informative than personal blogs. Some groups use service blogs to introduce new technologies and recent development regarding the corresponding technologies which they present. Finally, the corporate blog which is created and maintained by a business entity, and is used to provide information about the company’s products and services and to interact with clients and customers. (Geers and Kim 2005, 12). Since most scholars who work in the area of life writing have chosen to see blogs as a development of the handwritten diary (Rak 2005, 166) more and more people engage in writing in blogspots or blogsites. There are both threats and advantages which corporate blogging gives to the corporations. At some point, corporate blogging has strengthened the transparency and corporate communications. Since at present, Corporate communication channels include not only printed materials but also information posted on a company’s Web sites and blogs (Argenti 2006, 358). However, some corporations fail to further improve their corporate communications because they limit their corporation’s blogspots only to their employees and their advertisers. It is highly doubtful whether they have fully utilized the capabilities of new two-way communication tools because more corporate home pages have been primarily used as a platform to push mundane advertising messages (Liu et al. , 1997; Salam et. al. 1998; Young and Benamati, 2000). Another point presents the fact that, there might be leaks in confidential corporate information which might be given out through the engagement to blogs of employees. Cases of such has led to the termination of employees active in Web blogs, which gives a corporate disadvantage as it losses some of its quality workforce due to the lack of policies and rules which apply to blogs. A good example would be the Delta Air Lines flight attendant who lost her job after she posted photos of herself in uniform on her blog. Delta stated that those photos, in which she is wearing Delta uniform with the blouse partly unbuttoned, were â€Å"inappropriate and unauthorized use of Delta branding† (USA Today, 2005). Web blogs is a critical accessory in information dissemination, yet at the same time, it might cause some corporate failures, as although the Internet allows companies to present their viewpoints directly to key constituents, control over information dissemination is lost (Ihator 2001). There are several studies that investigate the nature of blogs and bloggers. Schiano et. al. (2004) interviewed 23 bloggers between the ages 19 and 60. The interviews included questions about the participant’s blogs, blogging habits, thoughts on blogging, and use of other communication media such as e-mails, instant messaging, phone, and web pages. They found out that blogging is becoming increasingly popular because it serves as an easy-to-use personal journal in which he can express his thoughts and opinions. Nardi, Schiano and Gumbrecht (2004) describe blogs as a social activity. They interviewed the same population and questions as with their study entitled â€Å"Blogging by the Rest of Us†. After the interviews, the authors continued to read their participants’ blogs and communicate with some of them through email. The participants reported the reasons they started blogging, the reasons they continue blogging, and the changes in their blogging habits as time pass by. A variety or reasons emerge: readers inform bloggers they need the new posts; the friends influence their friend to blog. Due to these responses, Nardi et. al. (2004) conclude that blogs are â€Å"a form of social communication in which blogger and audience are intimately related through the writing, posting and commenting of blogs† . (Nardi, 2004) These studies give us an idea on the perceptions of bloggers about blogs in general. 2. 2 Corporate blogs and applications in the real world Different types of blogs have been posted in the internet ever since the adoption of different corporations in the late 1990’s. Corporate blogs however have different types in which each is branded according to the specific user or blogger. Dearstyne (2005) cites five different types of corporate blogs as: employee blog, group blog, executive blog, promotional blog, and newsletter blog. Employee blogs are blogs which are much like personal blogs and are maintained by a single rank-and-file employee. They vary in their content and are sometimes managed by different hosts which the corporations recognize. Although, often times, corporations gather all the blogs their employees post. Majority of employee blogs are still hosted independently of the Web site, employee blogs are increasingly being hosted independently of the company Web sit, employee blogs are increasingly being hosted on company-owned domains as more and more companies are officially sponsoring employee blogging. (Lee et. al. 2006, 319). Group Blogs are blogs which are written by several people or groups. Employees collaborate and write on a specific topic or different topics pertaining to a certain theme; they are made by those who are experts on the certain topics. Group blogs are sometimes made through the initiatives of employees themselves and self-hosted. Though, many group blogs are driven by strategic plans crafted by management and hosted by companies own Web sites (Lee et. al. 2006, 320). Executive Blogs, coming from the name itself, executive blogs are blogs which are written by various corporations’ executives. Corporations and consumers have been keener on what position blog writers are on as awareness about corporate standing is widespread. People have become more interested in top executives who run companies than in individual companies (Gaines-Ross 2000). Promotional blogs are those which primary purpose is to create a buzz about products and events of corporations. This blog however sparks controversy as most of the blogs which are promotional blogs are often times computer generated and is largely called as fake by some bloggers who remain critical about using blogspots as advertising media. The blogging community severely criticized this strategy as deceptive and bloggers even proposed product boycotts (Gallagher 2003). This case suggests that, marketing in the blogsphere is often times discouraged due to the lack of human voice in the ads which are placed in the blogsphere. Some corporations have moved from the traditional type of blog with a domain, and instead created a newsletter type of blog wherein opinions, thoughts, and positions of different corporate or organizational members are voiced out. They carry different information about the corporation, the people inside the corporation, and the corporation’s products which are widely discussed by members of the organization through the electronic newsletter. Sprague (2007) further explains the influence of blogs to the American society. There is an increasing number of both bloggers and blog readers each day. At present, the blog has already extended its influence to the business society. Blogs are reported to influence what people think, do and buy. By the summer 2005, it is estimated that there are nearly 5,000 corporate blogs. Nowadays, there are a number of companies who have already set up their own corporate blogs. Aside from the influx of bloggers, talking about anything and practically everything under the sun, in some countries wherein political turmoil is prominent and shouting against a regime could practically lose you your head. Blogspheres are considered as sanctuaries wherein anyone could voice off their thoughts. In Iran, the Blogsphere is one of the major mediums wherein the populace could voice out their political positions freely with minimal risk of persecution. Any foreigner who visits Iran is struck by the gap between the image projected by the regime to the outside world and the reality of Iranian society. The blogs quoted here vividly convey the bitter disillusionment many Iranians feel not just towards the hard-line mullahs, but toward the failed reformist project and its erstwhile leader (Berkeley 2006, 73). The safeness and freedom of the blogosphere from any political and other accusations which may arise from its use due to the arbitrariness of the policies governing the blogosphere may be seen as an advantage of corporate personalities in advertising and the diffusion of their advocacy especially in corporate social responsibility.

Comparison of Home-Made and Store Bought Apple Juice

Comparison of Home-Made and Store Bought Apple Juice COVER PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT This extended investigational report was aimed to show and prove how store bought apple juice (golden circle) is unhealthier and less beneficial to the body than home-made apple juice. The apple juice samples were analysed and tested using pH using litmus paper Determination of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) by iodine titration Determination of fruit acids by iodine titration (sugar acid ratio) Testing foe simple sugars Refractometer These tests were used to find out the differences between store bought and home-made apple juice and which was unhealthier and less beneficial to the body. It was found that- X X X X X This report discusses apples and both their benefits and deficiencies, investigating the chemical reactions that are occurring whilst doing the experiments to gather a better knowledge and understanding of the chemical processes that occur. The aim of the investigation is to prove that store bought apple juice is unhealthier and less beneficial to the body in comparison to homemade apple juice. AIM The aim of this experimental investigation report is to identify, determine and prove that home-made apple juice will be much healthier than that of the store bought apple juice. INTRODUCTION Consumers are becoming increasingly demanding of food manufacturers. They want to know exactly what is in the food they are eating. Some people need to be aware of the content in food due to severe allergies, while others want to know so they can maintain a healthy diet .These days, due to increase in amounts of advancements in chemical and biological technologies, Chemicals that are more than just added preservatives, additives and sugar can be added into any kind of food to make a certain user friendly product that is available in the market. Therefore manufacturers are trying to create food and beverages by manipulating certain ingredients in the product which contain artificial ingredients rather than natural ingredients. A good example of it is Apple juice. Commercial apple juice typically include Vitamin C to increase the ascorbic acid content as well has some certain preservatives, additives and certain sugars to prolong shelf life. This report compares a home-made apple juice with a high end commercial grade apple juice (golden circle). APPLE Apples are the most common fruit that is eaten. It even states that â€Å"An apple a day keeps the doctor away†. There are almost nine types of apples that are grown and found in Australia and the rest are imported from overseas. Apples are one of the best, because it is rich in minerals and vitamins. It has minerals like potassium(K),Calcium (Ca) , phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg) , manganese (Mn), iron (Fe) , sodium (Na) , copper (Cu) , zinc (Zn) and vitamins like A,B1( thiamine),B2( riboflavin),niacin and folate.In Queensland there are only four family farmers that provide apples to whole of Queensland. They are the Simon Favaro, David and Roslyn Sutton, Nicolette and Vincenzo’s. Because there are not many farmers that grow apples in Australia, apples are imported from different countries. But the countries that it gets imported from needs to meet the legislations of food organizations. It mainly get imported from Japan and china as it is cheap and it is high quality. BENEFITS OF APPLE Apples have many benefits when it comes to eating healthy. Apples are known for their high amounts in antioxidant activity, and it contains a lot of beneficial vitamins and minerals that are needed for the body and are low GI. Antioxidants are molecules that oxidise to form other molecules. Oxidation when occurring can have a reaction forming free radicals. But in turn the antioxidants get rid of these free radicals so it does not damage the body. Reducing agents like thiols , ascorbic acid and polyphenols are antioxidants which are present in apple. Apples help prevent diseases like Brain health, stroke, diabetes, cancer and heart diseases. All these diseases are prevented when linked back to antioxidants. DEFICIENCY OF APPLE Apple just like any other fruit has vitamins and minerals and if not supplemented with it, you may suffer from different diseases. Because apple contains potassium(K),Calcium (Ca) , phosphorous (P), magnesium (Mg) , manganese (Mn), iron (Fe) , sodium (Na) , copper (Cu) , zinc (Zn) and vitamins like A,B1( thiamine),B2( riboflavin),niacin and folate, not getting enough amounts of these vitamins and minerals might hinder your health and may damage your body. Some diseases that can be causes are scurvy, wound to heal slower, make skin more sensitive and joint pains. Apple juice contain Phytonutrients which help reduce the chances of artery blockage However this assignment deals with apple juice .The commercial apple juices adds gratuitous amounts of sugars that are unhealthy and less beneficial. Even though the store bought apple juice might say zero sugar, it contains artificial sweeteners that are more harmful than normal sugar. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes but may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar. VITAMIN C Vitamin C which is commonly known as Ascorbic acid (C6H8O6), is found in a lot of organic compound, and especially in apple juice and has antioxidant properties. Its melting point is 192o Celsius and the boiling point is 553o Celsius. (Wiki, 2014).It has a molar mass of 176.13 g.mol-1.This Vitamin is essential for humans as it reduces kidney and liver diseases, acne and chronic fatigue syndrome(CFC),it is also uses as an agent in enzyme and non-enzyme reactions. The international Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry names Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 2-oxoL-threo-hexono-1, 4-2, 3-enediol.Its visual aspect is a white solid, and the impure samples of it are yellowish. This acid can be oxidised to dehydroascorbic acid ((5R)-5-[(1S)-1 , 2-dihydroxyethyl]furan-2,3,4,5(5H)-trione) Ascorbic acid is commonly known acid, because it is weak acid and definitely a weak sugar acid and has a structure that is similar to glucose. This acid is found to have one of the lowest pH levels. Nevertheless when the acid is standardised the pH level rises to more than 4.0, It is profusely found only in its ionised formation, it is called ascorbate.(BIO CyC , 2004).Because ascorbic acid has properties of having antioxidants in it , it is often used as a preservative and additive in few drinks. Ascorbic acid has one downfall; it cannot protect fats from the oxidation process. (ncbi , 2006).Because ascorbic acid can be destroyed easily by reactions occurring with different gases, it is very hard to preserve it for an extended period of time. Therefore the manufacturers try to seal the food and beverages preventing gases from entering and destroying the product chemically. It is also used as an agent to prevent browning of enzymic foods. MALIC ACID Malic acid is a weak organic acid and it has a molecular formula C4H6O5.Malic acid are found in many fruits and plant matter. It sometimes is noticed as ascorbic acid than malic acid because the chemical structure is quite similar. The IUPAC name for malic acid is hydroxybutanedioic acid and has a melting point of 1300 C and a boiling point of 3220 C. Its molar mass is 134.09 g mol−1.This acid can be found in various types of food and it acts as a natural preservative. It is sometimes used as a flavour additive because the acid is quite tangy in taste. HYPOTHESIS The quantity of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in home-made apple juice is higher than the amount in a commercial store bought apple juice, making them healthier. Home-made apple juice has a higher pH than commercial apple juice due to ascorbic acid occurring naturally The amount of sugar in commercial apple juice is higher than that of home-made apple juice , which makes it less beneficial for health The quantity of fruit acids in commercial apple juice is higher than that of the home-made apple juice, making it less beneficial. METHODS Preparation of apple juice Materials: 1 x 1kg apple(fresh produce) 1 x 1 x 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 x 5mL Dropper 1 x 25mL pipette 1 x 50mL burette 1 x Burette Stand 4 x 250mL beaker Determination of Vitamin C by Iodine Titration (Malic Acid) Aim: This experiment aims to determine how much vitamin C , both the apple juice have. Hypothesis: The quantity of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in home-made apple juice is higher than the amount in a commercial store bought apple juice, making them healthier. Materials: 1 x Distilled water 1 x 500ml graduated cylinder 1 x 250mL Volumetric flask 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 x 5mL Dropper 1 x 25mL pipette 1 x 50mL burette 1 x Burette Stand 4 x 250mL beaker 1 x 600mL beaker 1 x Electronic scale 1% Starch indicator Potassium Iodide Potassium Iodate Ascorbic Acid 3M Sulphuric Acid 3 x Apple juice samples 1 x Funnel Method: Iodine Solution (NOTE: Prepared by the lab technicians prior to the experiment) 5g potassium iodide and 0.2680g potassium iodate was dissolved in 200.0mL of distilled water. 30.0mL of 3M Sulphuric acid was added. This solution was poured into a 500.0mL graduated cylinder and diluted to a volume of 500mL with distilled water. The solution was mixed. The solution was transferred to a 250.0mL beaker to allow ease of pipetting. Vitamin C Standard: 0.250g of ascorbic acid was weighed and added to 100.0mL distilled water (in a 250mL volumetric flask). The solution was diluted to the 250.0mL mark with distilled water. The standard was labelled. Titration: 5.0mL of the standard was added to a 250.0mL Erlenmeyer flask using a pipette. 2 drops of the 1% starch indicator solution was added. It was swirled to ensure it mixed properly. The above steps were repeated three times with all standard and juice samples (the pipette was rinsed between uses with distilled water). The burette was rinsed with some Iodine solution and then filled (using a funnel) to the zero mark. The solution was carefully titrated until the blue/ purple endpoint was reached and persisted after 20 seconds of swirling. The final volume was recorded. This was repeated for all aliquots. Determination of Fruit Acids by Titration (Sugar Acid ratio) Aim: This experiments tried to determine which apple juice contained more malic acid. Hypothesis: The quantity of fruit acids in commercial apple juice is higher than that of the home-made apple juice, making it less beneficial. Materials: 1 x 50mL Burette 1 x Burette stand 1 x 25mL Pipette 1 x Distilled water Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) O.1M Phenolphthalein 1% in 95% ethanol 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 2 x Apple juices Method: NOTE: While doing this experiment the home-made apple juice sample was too concentrated and thus after taking advice from the laboratory technician, we diluted distilled water in the apple juice, to make it less concentrated and easy to see the titration and thus the values were changed.25 ml of home-made apple juice sample was diluted to 250ml diluted water (1:10) 3 drops of Phenolphthalein were added to the samples in the Erlenmeyer flasks. This was repeated three times for both apple juices. 0.1M solution of NaOH was poured into the burette until it reached the zero mark. The sample was slowly titrated with the NaOH until the endpoint was reached (light pink that lasted after 30 seconds of swirling). The amount of NaOH used to titrate was recorded. This was repeated for all samples. Testing for Simple Sugars Aim: This experiment tried to determine how much sugars each sample contains and which juice has more samples Hypothesis: The amount of sugar in commercial apple juice is higher than that of home-made apple juice, which makes it less beneficial for health Materials: Benedict’s reagent 1 x Scale illustration colours and associated sugar concentrations 1 x 500mL Beaker 6 x Glass Test tubes 1 x Test tube holder 1 x Graduated cylinder 10mL or 100mL 2 x Apple juices 1 x Kettle 1 x Distilled water 1 x 25mL pipette Method: 4.0mL of apple juice was added to a test tube using a pipette. 1.0mL of Benedict’s reagent was added to the juice. It was swirled to ensure it mixed well. This was repeated three times for both types of apple juice (the pipette was rinsed between each use with distilled water). Each sample was labelled to ensure there was no confusion over which sample reacted. The kettle was filled with water and boiled. The boiling water was then poured into the 500mL beaker. All the samples were held in the beaker for a few minutes (about 3 minutes) until the colour change was totally completed. The colour change was noted and compared to the Scale illustration. The results were recorded. Repeat for all samples. pH using Litmus Paper Aim: This experiment tried to determine the changes of pH between store-bought and homemade apple juice. Hypothesis: Home-made apple juice has a higher pH than commercial apple juice due to ascorbic acid occurring naturally Materials: litmus paper 1 x Glass Stirring rod 2 x 100mL beakers 2 x Apple juices 1 x Tweezers Method: The samples of Apple Juice were added to separate 100.0mL beakers. A piece of Litmus paper was removed from the vial. The samples were stirred using a glass stirring rod. Some solution was obtained on the end of the stirring rod. The litmus paper was held using the tweezers on one end and a drop of sample was placed on it using the stirring rod. The colour change was noted according to the scale provided on the litmus paper vial. This was repeated three times for the homemade and store-bought samples. The results were recorded. Refractometer: Aim: Aim of this experiment was to determine the brix value for the samples of apple juice. Materials: 1 x Refractometer (sugar, Brix value) 1 x Distilled water 1 x Dropper Paper towel 2 x Apple juices Method: The Refractometer was calibrated to zero by dropping a few drops of distilled water on the glass section (this was only done once as recalibration is only needed every half hour). Three to four drops of apple juice were dropped on the glass section. The reading was then recorded. The Refractometer was cleaned using distilled water and paper towels between uses. These steps were repeated for three samples per apple juice. REFINEMENTS Determination of Vitamin C by Iodine Titration (Malic Acid) Materials: 1 x Distilled water 1 x 500ml graduated cylinder 1 x 250mL Volumetric flask 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 x 5mL Dropper 1 x 25mL pipette 1 x 50mL burette 1 x Burette Stand 4 x 250mL beaker 1 x 600mL beaker 1 x Electronic scale 1% Starch indicator Potassium Iodide Potassium Iodate Ascorbic Acid 3M Sulphuric Acid 3 x Apple juice samples 1 x Funnel 1 x sheet of white paper 1 x kettle 1 x 500mL beaker 1 x electronic thermometer Method: Iodine Solution (NOTE: Prepared by the lab technicians prior to the experiment) 5g potassium iodide and 0.2680g potassium iodate was dissolved in 200.0mL of distilled water. 30.0mL of 3M Sulphuric acid was added. This solution was poured into a 500.0mL graduated cylinder and diluted to a volume of 500mL with distilled water. The solution was mixed. The solution was transferred to a 250.0mL beaker to allow ease of pipetting. Vitamin C Standard: 0.250g of ascorbic acid was weighed and added to 100.0mL distilled water (in a 250mL volumetric flask). The solution was diluted to the 250.0mL mark with distilled water. The standard was labelled. Titration: 5.0mL of the standard was added to a 250.0mL Erlenmeyer flask using a pipette. 2 drops of the 1% starch indicator solution was added. It was swirled to ensure it mixed properly. The above steps were repeated three times with all standard and juice samples (the pipette was rinsed between uses with distilled water). The kettle was boiled and the water was poured into the 500mL beaker. The samples were placed into the boiling water bath until a temperature of 20ËÅ ¡C was reached. The burette was rinsed with some Iodine solution and then filled (using a funnel) to the zero mark. The sheet of white paper was placed under the burette tap. The solution was carefully titrated until the blue/ purple endpoint was reached and persisted after 20 seconds of swirling. The final volume was recorded. This was repeated for all aliquots. Determination of Fruit Acids by Titration (Sugar Acid ratio) Materials: 1 x 50mL Burette 1 x Burette stand 1 x 25mL Pipette 1 x Distilled water Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) 1M Phenolphthalein 1% in 95% ethanol 3 x 250mL Erlenmeyer flask 2 x Apple juices 1 x white paper 1 x Kettle 1 x 500mL beaker 1 x electronic thermometer Method: 3 drops of Phenolphthalein were added to the samples in the Erlenmeyer flasks. This was repeated three times for both apple juices. 0.1M solution of NaOH was poured into the burette until it reached the zero mark. The kettle was boiled and the water was poured into the 500mL beaker. The sample was placed into the boiling water bath until a temperature of 20ËÅ ¡C was reached. The sheet of white paper was placed under the burette tap. The sample was slowly titrated with the NaOH until the endpoint was reached (light pink that lasted after 30 seconds of swirling). The amount of NaOH used to titrate was recorded. This was repeated for all samples.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Personal Narrative of Acting in a Play Essay -- Personal Narrative Ess

Autobiography It was a normal Sunday morning, the weather was good and church had just finished. We were all having coffee and then it struck me. There were lots of people in the hall, and they were all being given a booklet. I wandered over there with a few friends to try and see what they were doing. Then I saw it. The front cover of the booklet they had. It had a weird name. At first I didn't understand. Why was it called Stanmore Scenes? I knew we were in Stanmore but I didn't realize why you would call something Stanmore Scenes. Even so it wasn't until later that I would understand more about it. That evening my mum had a phone call from her sister. This helped me to find out what she and the others had been doing earlier that day. When I found out I was extremely confused. I didn't think my Aunty could act! I didn't even think it was possible for the church I went to, to put on a play about its life. It was mad. How could they put 150 years of history into a couple of hours? Was it possible to do? Anyway none of my friends were in it so why would I want to be in it, it was mad. So my friend Sarah and I decided we would leave them to it. After that Sarah and I soon forgot about Stanmore Scenes. All until one day a few weeks later at school. We were all told about this play being put on at St. John's church. We were also told that our school, St. John's C of E middle school would be singing at it. That week there were auditions, to check we could sing, in order to join the choir that would be singing in Stanmore Scenes. All my friends had gone through the audition to join the choir for the carol service, however I didn... ...s. They were extremely long! Then Sarah popped her head out the door and we went down to wait in the vestry. Finally it was time for our special part. At the end of the play, after everyone who took part was on the stage and had finished singing. Then George Altman, my grandpa, made an announcement. He said, "Please could Janet Davis, Daphne Johnson and Pat Stevens come down to the front." When they were at the front he said, "Now could the 3 young ladies come out and give the presentation to them." So Sarah, Abby and I came out in turn with a massive bunch of flowers for all 3 of the people who made Stanmore Scenes work. After they had received the flowers we sang Laudate Dominum for the last time. When we had finished we all came off the stage and got out of our costumes for the last time. It was brilliant!

Monday, August 19, 2019

Securing a Place of Power: Reinventing the Role of Women in Theatrical Representation :: Research Papers

Securing a Place of Power: Reinventing the Role of Women in Theatrical Representation In The Feminist Spectator as Critic, Jill Dolan examines the current hegemony of the â€Å"white, heterosexual, middle-class male† (121) as the subject of representation in theater. She examines why feminist attempts to expose this bias and use it to change the objectification of the roles of women have failed, when this has even been attempted, and furnishes her hypothesis on how this failure can be prevented. In the dominant illusionist tradition of American theater, the individuality of the spectator is subsumed in the singular mass of the audience. The face most often given to this mass audience is that of the â€Å"white, heterosexual, middle-class male† (121). Women’s roles are objectified, and, in the process, the feminist spectator is alienated as her gender, race, class, and/or sexual orientation have no relation to what is presented onstage. Feminism is a critique of the prevailing male-dominated social norm that seeks to change this norm and therefore is the platform from which to change its domination in theater. Dolan enumerates three segments of American feminism: liberal, cultural or radical, and materialist. She credits liberal feminism with the bolstering of female visibility and involvement in theater and acknowledges the women-affirming aspects of cultural feminism, but she finds them both flawed and unsuitable for an effective attack on the male domination of theater. Materialist feminism looks at women as a class, oppressed by material conditions and social relations. It considers gender as a social construct, in the service of the dominant culture’s ideology and accepted as normative by the less powerful, which is oppressive to both men and women. It rejects the universality of the mythical Woman and instead views women as historical subjects whose position in the social structures of the dominant culture is influenced by race, class, and sexual orientation. Materialist feminism sees as necessity the unmasking of the ideas of gender and power of the dominant culture and thus what most theater and performance represents. Materialist feminism does not aim to judge, but to examine the ways in which a performance delivers its ideological message, in order to formulate strategies for combating the oppressive cultural assumptions inherent in this message. Its goal is â€Å"to affect a larger cultural change in the ideological and material condition of women and men† (18), and it sees the necessity of politically analyzing the current condition and its representational

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Kings Character in a Cinematic Production of Shakespeares Henry V

Although labeled as a history, the strength of Shakespeare's Henry V lies not in the events that occur in the play, but in the delicate portrayal of the characters involved. Shakespeare's audience would have already known the story of Henry V's campaign on France and thus would have had no reason to watch a play that simply re-enacted past events. Therefore, the appeal of such a play, as well as the themes and the content, would have been dependent largely on the characters themselves. It is obvious that the most prominent character is the man whose name the play carries - Henry V. The entire story centers on his deeds. He serves as the catalyst for the action, the driving force behind all that takes place. Without him there is no play. Therefore, in any film production of Henry V, the character of the king must be carefully considered and thoroughly developed. How should he be portrayed? What kind of man is he? What are his motivations? Certainly, no personality can be conveyed through the cinema as it would appear in reality in all its complex glory. There are simply too many details involved. So the character must be streamlined, given a purpose in relation to the production of the play. To do this, one must decide on the direction that such a production should take. The crux of the storyline lies in King Henry's decision to invade France and lay claim to the French throne. This then shall be the starting point from which to determine the direction to move in. Is this a patriotic endeavour? Is it a foolish decision by the king? Or is it a political move of Machiavellian proportions? Each represents a differing viewpoint on how the play should be treated; a task made more difficult by what William P. Shaw explains as the... ...wer. One can see Henry as a king and Henry as a man, along with his ability to at once inspire and manipulate his followers for his purposes. In combination with an acting performance that fluctuates and does not give clear definition as to the sort of man that the King is, a character can be constructed that would personify the moral ambiguities of Henry V. He would be passionately impressive at times and at others, chillingly capable. It would be a character that, hopefully, poses a challenge to any viewer that encounters him. Works Cited Deats, Sara Munson. "Rabbits and Ducks." Literature Film Quarterly 20.4 (1992): 284- 294 Rabkin, Norman. Shakespeare and the Problem of Meaning. Chicago: University of Chicago (Press), 1981 Shaw, William P. "Textual Ambiguities and Cinematic Certainties in Henry V" Literature Film Quarterly 22.2 (1994): 117-123 The King's Character in a Cinematic Production of Shakespeare's Henry V Although labeled as a history, the strength of Shakespeare's Henry V lies not in the events that occur in the play, but in the delicate portrayal of the characters involved. Shakespeare's audience would have already known the story of Henry V's campaign on France and thus would have had no reason to watch a play that simply re-enacted past events. Therefore, the appeal of such a play, as well as the themes and the content, would have been dependent largely on the characters themselves. It is obvious that the most prominent character is the man whose name the play carries - Henry V. The entire story centers on his deeds. He serves as the catalyst for the action, the driving force behind all that takes place. Without him there is no play. Therefore, in any film production of Henry V, the character of the king must be carefully considered and thoroughly developed. How should he be portrayed? What kind of man is he? What are his motivations? Certainly, no personality can be conveyed through the cinema as it would appear in reality in all its complex glory. There are simply too many details involved. So the character must be streamlined, given a purpose in relation to the production of the play. To do this, one must decide on the direction that such a production should take. The crux of the storyline lies in King Henry's decision to invade France and lay claim to the French throne. This then shall be the starting point from which to determine the direction to move in. Is this a patriotic endeavour? Is it a foolish decision by the king? Or is it a political move of Machiavellian proportions? Each represents a differing viewpoint on how the play should be treated; a task made more difficult by what William P. Shaw explains as the... ...wer. One can see Henry as a king and Henry as a man, along with his ability to at once inspire and manipulate his followers for his purposes. In combination with an acting performance that fluctuates and does not give clear definition as to the sort of man that the King is, a character can be constructed that would personify the moral ambiguities of Henry V. He would be passionately impressive at times and at others, chillingly capable. It would be a character that, hopefully, poses a challenge to any viewer that encounters him. Works Cited Deats, Sara Munson. "Rabbits and Ducks." Literature Film Quarterly 20.4 (1992): 284- 294 Rabkin, Norman. Shakespeare and the Problem of Meaning. Chicago: University of Chicago (Press), 1981 Shaw, William P. "Textual Ambiguities and Cinematic Certainties in Henry V" Literature Film Quarterly 22.2 (1994): 117-123

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Nazi consolidation of power in 1933 was primarily due to the use of terror and violence Essay

Certainly terror and violence can be said to have played an integral part in bringing about the Nazi’s consolidation of power, as violence was such an important part of Nazism and was never far from the surface. However there were also other factors such as legality, tactical alliances and the successful use of propaganda which in effect contributed a vast amount to the Nazi’s consolidation of power, the Nazis deployed propaganda effectively as a means of deceiving the political nation of their real intentions and significances of their actions, which ultimately led to their consolidation of power. Terror and violence were prominent factors in allowing the Nazis to consolidate power in 1933, for the reason that violence still had an impact on political developments, even the negotiations between Hitler, Von Papen and Hindenburg took place against the backdrop of well publicized acts of SA brutality. In May 1933 SA members stormed trade union headquarters and disbanded it. This violence led many leaders of the SPD to flee abroad and in June its party was officially banned and the 3000 that remained were arrested and a number were killed. This ultimately portrays the brutality of the Nazis, which effectively contributed to their consolidation of power. After the Reichstag fire the police were given the powers to detain suspects indefinitely without reference to the courts. The decree ‘For the protection of the people and the state’ was used to justify the arrest, imprisonment and often torture of thousands of political opponents, and on 23 March 1933 Hitler presented the Enabling Act to an intimidated Reichstag in order to consolidate Nazi power. The Reichstag passed laws which voted itself out of existence; the communists were barred from voting. The brutality of the Nazis’ bought Hitler four years of a dictatorship. The Nazis managed to use terror with efficient ruthlessness and after the Enabling Act was the destruction of local state government; state governments were dissolved and ordered to reconvene with membership that reflected the recent, by the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service, Jews and political opponents of the Nazis were thrown out of the civil service.? The enabling act gave Hitler dictatorial powers which consequently led to the opening of Dachau, a concentration camp outside Munich, where the Nazi’s political prisoners were held in ‘protective custody’. It also gave Hitler the power to suspend civil rights, removing the free press, freedom of speech and the right to freedom of association. It further gave Hitler the power to harass and attack the KPD and the SPD during the March 1933 elections. Political violence during this stage enabled the Nazis to win a record 43. 5% of the popular vote. This therefore highlights how the Nazi’s used terror as a way of consolidating power, as well as highlighting how the enabling act was one of the main reasons for the Nazis consolidation of power. This is because it allowed Hitler to gain dictatorial power by imprisoning his opponents, rigging elections and suspending civil rights.? Propaganda was another important tool for the consolidation of power. As Goebbels was largely responsible for bringing Hitler to the centre of the political stage, he was rewarded on 13 March 1933, with the position of Reich Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, which gave him total control of the communications media – which was the radio, press, publishing, cinema and the other arts. From this, a new generation of manipulation was brought forth. Once the takeover was complete, the propaganda ministry was split up into several different departments. Anyone, who produced, distributed, broadcasted, published, or sold any form of cinema, media, press, or literature had to first join one of the departments and then follow all rules of the department head. That person was usually Joseph Goebbels. Therefore, without a license to practise their businesses, all artists, writers, publishers, producers, or directors could not work or do any business in their field. Also along with these guidelines, came the prohibition of all Jewish newspapers, radio, and cinema. Certainly, due to the eradication of anti-Nazi publications and media in general, the public must have felt that the general mood of all the media was pro-Nazi. Therefore by disagreeing they would step out of the public mood, and the terror of not conforming due to the total propaganda they were subjected to contributed greatly to the consolidation of power in Nazi Germany. This terror was accentuated further by direct acts of rebellion against the old order, such as the book burning during the spring of 1933. ? Goebbels’ propaganda portrayed the government’s actions as necessary to deal with a national emergency. Potsdam Day, which featured not just Hindenburg and Hitler, but also many generals, was an orchestrated piece of propaganda, aimed at demonstrating the unity and popularity of the government and the acceptance of the Nazis by traditional conservative elements. Following the success of the Nazis and Conservatives in the Reichstag elections, Potsdam Day was propagandized as a ‘day of national unity’. Hitler and Hindenburg appeared before huge crowds together to send out the message of Nazi and conservative unity, which ultimately legitimized Nazi rule. To conclude, it appears that the Nazi’s use of terror and violence played a highly significant role in the consolidation of the party’s power in 1933. Through extreme measures of propaganda and intimidation, the party was able to deal with political opponents to maintain control of people’s social, political and working lives, to the extent where Germany became a country where it was unsafe to do or say anything critical of the government. Although not all propaganda was designed for intimidation, the way Hitler consolidated power in 1933made people fearful of opposing him, granting the Nazis absolute control of national and local government.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Dysfunctional Families

Dysfunctional families are common to both the world of Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens and The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams. A family is a basic social unit consisting of more than one human being. Functional families co-operate with one another to sustain a happy and nurturing home life that is comforting and a pleasure to be in. Members of a functional family genuinely care for one another’s safety and wellbeing. A dysfunctional family is the opposite of a functional family. In Great Expectations there are two dysfunctional families, Joe Gardgery’s family – including Miss Joe, Pip and Joe himself; and Miss Havershams family, which consists of her and her adopted daughter, Estella. Technically, the escaped convict, known as Magwitch, his wife and daughter could be considered as dysfunctional too. Their family is not as predominant as the other two families. In The Glass Menagerie, Tom, Laura, Amanda and Amanda’s absent husband are also a dysfunctional family. Family is important to the main characters in each of these texts, as it is the source of their values, morals and beliefs. Tom Wingfield, from The Glass Menagerie, is a young man who wants to explore the world and go on breathtaking adventures. His father left his mother, Amanda, for this reason when Tom was a young boy. Tom has been the man of the house ever since. The Glass Menagerie is set in St Louis, USA, in a time where women did not have much power in men’s business. Amanda has a job selling magazines over the phone, which does not earn her enough money for the family to live off. Tom, therefore, works in a shoe factory, which is not the most exciting job in the world, and this is the main source of income for the family. Laura Wingfield is Tom’s older sister – she is 26, crippled and lives in her own world full of tiny fragile glass animals, along with an old victrola. Laura is the main source of conflict for the family because she aimlessly wanders through life with no purpose. During Tom’s time at home, there are many conflicts between him and his mother. This affects Tom, as he works long hours in the warehouse doing the same thing everyday. He then comes home to a mother who is constantly telling him what to and what no to do, as well as a sister who isn’t pulling her own weight. Amanda often criticises Tom’s behaviour. In the first scene nearly everything Amanda says to Tom is a command – for example, such as â€Å"Don’t push with your fingers, chew chew! †¦ Human beings are supposed to chew†, â€Å"You’re not excused from the table† and â€Å"You smoke too much†. These constant commands from Amanda’s point of view are caring, however, Tom only thinks of them as her trying to control his every move; he is at the end of his wick. In Scene Three, Tom lets Amanda know once and for all what he thinks of the situation. Amanda: â€Å"What right do you have to jeopardize your job? Jeopardize the security of us all? How do you think we’d manage if you were†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Tom interrupts: â€Å"I’d rather somebody battered my brains out than go back (the warehouse) every morning †¦ and you say self is all I think of. Why, listen, if self is what I thought of, Mother, I’d be where he is (points to father’s portrait) – GONE! † In the end it is all too much for Tom and he leaves his helpless sister and commanding mother. He ventures off into the world; like father like son! Belonging to a dysfunctional family has deeply affected Tom and has eventually made him leave. Laura Wingfield, from The Glass Menagerie, is shy, unconfident, crippled and she often withdraws from reality. This is because she belongs to a dysfunctional family. Her mother has tried to help her by sending her to business school and finding her a gentlemen caller. Unfortunately, these are not Laura’s visions for herself, they’re Amanda’s. Although Amanda truly loves Laura, she cannot see that her bossy and overpowering personality is making Laura withdraw herself from reality even further. Laura stopped going to business school because it made her sick and she didn’t tell her mother, as she knew it would upset her. A mature young adult, firstly, would not become unwell because they attended a business school; secondly, they would tell their mother they didn’t want to attend the school anymore, and quit. Laura, on the other hand, pretends for weeks that she still attends the school; leaving and arriving home when appropriate, to make her mother believe she is still attending the school. When Amanda finally finds out Laura stopped going because it made her a little unwell, it broke her heart. Amanda: â€Å"So what are we going to do the rest of our lives? †¦ Amuse ourselves with the glass menagerie, darling? Eternally play those worn-out phonograph records your father left as a painful reminder of him? † Laura’s response to this painful truth is silence and the twisting of her hands – hopeless! With her mother and brother constantly bickering, she doesn’t seem to get the chance to speak her thoughts and feelings. Her mother tells her what she is going to do with her life, and because she loves her mother, she just does as she is told. Over time this has affected Laura; it is the reason she lost her personality and become a ghost-like figure living in a world of glass animals! Most of the time Laura doesn’t have her own thoughts, this is another side effect of having a dysfunctional family. One night her mother asks her to stop washing the dishes and to come outside and adore the moon Amanda: â€Å"†¦ Laura, come here and make a wish on the moon! †¦ Look over your left shoulder, Laura, and make a wish! (Laura looks faintly puzzled as if called out of sleep. Amanda seizes her shoulders and turns her at an angle by the door) Now, now, darling, wish! Laura: What should I wish for, Mother? † Here the moon is a symbol of hope. Amanda has found the moon because she has found hope; hope that her children will be okay in this cruel world. Laura can’t find the moon; her mother has to point it out to her and physically move her so she can see it. This is symbolic of the fact that there is no hope for Laura as she can’t and won’t help herself in this life. As Tom says â€Å"She lives in a world of her own – a world of – little glass ornaments, Mother †¦ She plays old phonograph records and – that’s about all†. Amanda has to tell Laura what to wish for – a grown woman being told what to wish for! This shows us how feeble and unsure Laura is of her actions. It is yet another problem Laura has developed because she is a part of a dysfunctional family. Pip, Joe Gargery and Mrs Joe Gargery are a dysfunctional family from the novel, Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. The first half of the novel is set in England, in the country, a place of innocence. The second half is set in the sinful and backstabbing streets of grotty old London. Pip is an orphan; his parents and five of his other siblings died when he was very little. His older sister and her husband (Mr and Mrs Joe Gargery) adopted Pip (who says): â€Å"My Sister †¦ had established a great reputation with herself and the neighbourhood because she had brought me up ‘by hand. ’ †¦ Knowing her to have a hard and heavy hand, and to be much in the habit of laying it upon her husband as well as upon me. I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand. † Pip tells the reader that his older sister often hit him and Joe. This of course was never done when a neighbour was in earshot ecause, as Pip said, the villagers respected her because she brought him up â€Å"by hand†. She also never did or said anything nice to him; he can remember this from a young age. â€Å"My sister’s bringing up had made me sensitive. †¦ I had known, from the time when I could speak, that my sister, in her capricious and violent coercion, was unjust to me. † She spoke harshly to him, hit him with the â€Å"ti ckler† (which was a stick used only for beating up Pip and Joe) and force-fed him tar water (a very nasty medicine) to serve as punishments, for acts that did not deserve punishment. Because of this, he is often unsure of his actions and easily persuaded to think and do things that, deep down, he may not feel are right. This is similar to Laura, from The Glass Menagerie. Unfortunately Laura didn’t have a caring, patient and extremely loving blacksmith in her life, unlike Pip, who has Joe. If Joe was not in Pip’s life, I am sure he would have turned out much like Laura. Joe loves Pip and genuinely cares for him, he is pure and shows many acts of kindness towards Pip, most of which Pip doesn’t acknowledge or notice. Towards the end of the novel Pip becomes extremely sick whilst in London. Joe finds out that Pip is sick, leaves his beloved town in the country and heads into London. This is a big task for Joe because as a ‘country mouse’ he does not belong in the city – he despises it, and vice versa. Joe then stays by Pip’s side for the many months it takes for Pip to recover. After Pip finally acknowldges Joe’s true love for him, Pip says â€Å"O Joe, you break my heart! Look angry at me, Joe. Strike me, Joe. Tell me of my ingratitude. Don’t be so good to me! Joe just hugs Pip because he is relieved that Pip has recovered. Joe is the most important character for Pip’s health, safety and wellbeing. Without Joe, Pip would be in prison with a sickness that only love could cure and a debt to his name that he would never be able to repay. Joe is his guardian angel. Estella and Miss Haversham, from the novel Great Expectations, are yet another dysfuncti onal family. The cause of this dysfunctional family is Miss Haversham’s desired revenge on the world because her husband-to-be left her at their wedding, breaking her heart. Miss Haversham adopted Estella as a young girl, not out of love, rather so she can could mould her into a cold-hearted witch like herself. Miss Haversham is rich and belongs to the upper middle class. Her house is a manor, and she is a well respected resident in Pip’s village. Miss Haversham invites Pip to her house a few times. Pip thinks she is his benefactor, the cause of his great expectations and the reason she asks him to go over. She really only invites him over to let Estella practice her cruel, cold-blooded personality on him. The first time Pip goes over to Miss Haversham’s, on her command, she gets him to play cards with Estella. Estalla doesn’t want to play with â€Å"a common labouring-boy! †, so Miss Haversham tempts her to play with him by saying â€Å"Well? You can break his heart. † Here we can see the effects of Miss Haversham’s cold, broken heart on Estella. Instead of wanting to make friends with Pip like a normal young girl, she wants to break his heart. This child would not have thought of this naturally, her mind has been trained to believe that in making peoples lives a living hell, you arouse a sense of satisfaction. Estella’s family has had a big impression on her values, morals and beliefs. â€Å"You are to wait here, you boy! †¦ the tears started to my eyes. †¦ the girl looked at me with a quick delight in having been the cause of them. † Estella makes Pip believe his clothes, hands and the way he speaks is peculiar and shameful. The family life Miss Haversham has made for Estella is not physically or mentally healthy for her. To add to this, Miss Haversham wears a mouldy bride dress, her house stinks of gone-off food and human body odour and it is dark and depressing. She doesn’t shower because she wears her wedding clothes year after year. This gives Estella a bad impression as her home life is not normal, her â€Å"mother† is deranged and loosing her mind. Miss Haversham does such a great job of teaching Estella to become a witch that Estella leaves her for good. This breaks Miss Haversham’s already broken heart and she kills herself. This doesn’t bother Estella – how inhumane! In both The Glass Menagerie and Great Expectations, the main characters have lost a loved one. Pip and Estella never knew their biological parents, Miss Haversham’s husband-to-be never showed up at their wedding, Joe loses Mrs Joe Gargery, Laura and Tom’s dad leaves them and Amanda’s husband leaves her with a crippled daughter and a son. Losing a loved one or someone who is a close relative adversely affects you. All of these characters are can be compared to one another because they all know what it feels like to lose a loved one and belong to a dysfunctional family. In each case, dysfunctional families affect the main characters. Tom leaves his family, Laura makes herself belong to a world of her own, Pip yearns for a justice that was always present and Estella follows the footsteps of a heartless witch. It is apparent that dysfunctional families can be the cause of losing a family member or one leaving. To me family is very important. Fortunately I have a functional family. We sometimes fight and argue, however it is always over issues that are forgotten and easily forgiven. I know that if a member of my family was to leave us it would definetly affect me. I am glad that every family member in my family is happy and healthy. In both of the texts, the main cause of a dysfunctional family is having lost a family member. This is true for some families I know. Lots of parents divorce and their kids are forever living in two houses. Sometimes it is for the better, as the kids don’t have to listen to the parents fighting. Sometimes it tears the kids hearts and they are too young to understand that their parents simply can’t be together anymore. The kids find a way into their own world, like Laura, or they take it out on others, like Estella, or they are blessed and in their reality is a Joe, who loves them and sees a way out for them to escape.