Yukio Mishim The sailor who fell from grace with the sea Essay Example For Students

Yukio Mishim The sailor who fell from grace with the sea Essay The conception of conformity and confinement are salient in both Yukio Mishima’s â€Å"The sailor who fell from grace with the sea† and Laura Esquivel’s â€Å"Like water for chocolate†. Through these novels, we are testament to the passive and active powers of Ryuji and Tita alike. Ryuji on the one hand succumbs to conformity whilst Tita on the other hand experiences a gradual change from compliance to renouncing conformity all together. This essay serves to elucidate the diametrically opposite approaches taken by the two authors in portraying the way in which the two characters address conformity. It also accentuates the consequences and benefits of the course of action taken by the two characters. We will write a custom essay on Yukio Mishim The sailor who fell from grace with the sea specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Initially, Ryuji is tethered by stoic traditional values that convinces him to stand firm at sea. He believes that the sea shall bequeath him with the sumptuous glory that he seeks. This is exemplified through â€Å"Standing in the white pilothouseRyuji was more convinced than ever: There must be a special destiny in store for me† (Mishima 1999, p17). Here the lexical set â€Å"white..special† communicate how this glory is transcendent as â€Å"white† can be adjudged as an index of purity whilst â€Å"special† hints at something unique. The indented italics further highlights the prominence of this glory. However as time stretches, Ryuji commits himself to believing that sea life entails no form of solace. This is orchestrated through â€Å"he was tired, tired to death of a sailor’s life†. (p111). The anadiplosis of â€Å"tired† serves to emphasize the ‘prosaic tedium’ of life at sea. Likewise, by comparing his tiredness to â€Å"death† we witness his frustration surmounting. Furthermore, by stating that sea life is â€Å"another kind of prison† (p16) we see how Ryuji is stifled by the stagnancy of the sea life, as â€Å"prison† connotes confinement. Thus it is evident that Ryuji yearns for change from this mundane sea life to something more dynamic. This desire for change causes him to renounce traditional culture and conform to the norms of the western culture. The quotation â€Å"Even the shade beneath the window ledge was as hot as burning asphalt† (p21) foreshadows this. Here the word â€Å"shade† insinuates life at sea and how it imparts a sense of protection. Since this shade is subject to â€Å"burning† we get a sense that Ryuji is about to neglect this life at sea and embark on a precarious journey of western influence where he shall be exposed to hostility. We see this change transpire through the catalytic effect of Fusako. Ryuji is beguiled by her charms and succumbs to her impervious command. This is elicited through â€Å"Ryuji was anguished, unaware of time and place†. (p76) The word â€Å"unaware† serves to explicate how Ryuji is oblivious to any sense of â€Å"time and place† whilst â€Å"anguish† reiterates the excruciating pain he is undergoing in being cast under the trance of Fusako’s ensnaring beauty. His will to consent to her charms is highlighted through â€Å"The lipstick , a spot of vivid red rising out of the whiteness of her chilled drawn face, looked beautiful to Ryuji.† (p112) Clearly the ‘lipstick’, a western creation seems to appeal to him under Fusako’s presence as he describes it so precisely as â€Å"vivid†. This demonstrates how Ryuji is prepared to cherish the western ways. Nevertheless, Ryuji is soon confounded as he begins to question whether conformity is truly compatible with glory. Noboru prompts Ryuji to reconsider through questioning his decisions. This is illustrated through â€Å"Are you really going to give it up? Are you going to give up ?† (p111) Here the repetition ‘Are you’ instills a sense of aporia in Ryuji. He confronts the crisis of identity. This sense of doubt is further corroborated through â€Å"’I won’t be sailing again for a while. As a matter of fact†¦Ryuji faltered, and was silent.† (p113). Here the momentary hesitation reiterates how Ryuji is in fact unsure in his heart and still feels the pull of the sea. He is even warranted the opportunity to revert back to his old ways. This is subtly envisaged through â€Å"Ryuji stared at a red bulb blooming above an emergency exit† (p110). Here the â€Å"red bulb blooming† is a metaphor for the Rising Sun Flag. The sheer fact that it’s above the ‘emergency exit’ suggests how Ryuji can make an imminent gateway and break the shackles of conformity. .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 , .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .postImageUrl , .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 , .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054:hover , .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054:visited , .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054:active { border:0!important; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054:active , .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054 .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8f2cec6b13ac809f2b9913697817b054:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Hemingway's Portrayal of Masculinity EssayYet Ryuji’s obsession over Fusako ensures that he embraces her western ways. This decision to conform is rife with consequences and is succinctly depicted through â€Å"The vermilion plum-branch cupseemed to wither in the grasp of the huge, calloused hand† (p114). Here,â€Å"vermillionwrithing† subtly illustrates the death of Japanese tradition under the metaphorical â€Å"hand† of western imperialism (Ryuji). The magnitude of western influence is made clear through â€Å"huge† and the death of the Japanese tradition is exemplified through the â€Å"vermilionwither† In â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†, propriety is prevalent from the very beginning of the novel. Tita the protagonist is subservient to Mama Elena’s tyrannical commands. She is relegated to the domestic sphere of the kitchen and must engage in the tedious humdrum of female tradition. This tradition suppresses her sense of identity and confines her. The extent of propriety that permeates Tita is made clear through the accretion of negative adjectives and harsh lexical set â€Å"rip it outorderedtremendous slap†. (Esquivel 1995, p12 27) These actions are all appropriated by Mama Elena and demonstrates her tyrannical dominance over Tita. This is further corroborated through ‘That’s it for today.’ (p11) This terse statement composed of monosyllabic words belches an assertive tone and amplifies her governance over Tita. In fact, the stranglehold is so overwhelming that even after Mama Elena dies, she appears as an apparition pervading Tita’s conscience. This resurfacing of traditional values further impedes Tita’s liberation. The symbiotic relationship between the birds and Tita gives further credence to her lack of freedom. Birds usually have associational imagery with freedom. Through the constant reference of a chicken, a bird that cannot fly, we see a parallel to the situation that Tita faces. Chickens are originally birds that can fly, until humans capture and domesticate them. This is analogous to how Tita, a girl who is meant to be free, is deprived of her abilities to ‘fly’ (marry and have kids) because she is impounded in Mama Elena’s metaphorical cage. Similarly, Tita is forced work for Mama Elena with infinitesimal rewards just like how a chicken has to provide eggs everyday for their owners. Furthermore, the quotation â€Å"she was covered with pigeon droppings† (p100) lends into the idea of her deprivation as it symbolizes how Tita is in fact ‘covered’ with oppression. Thus, Esquival uses the construct of the bird to emphasize the pertinence of Titaâ₠¬â„¢s sense of deprivation as a result of conforming. In essence, Tita feels stifled by the cultural mores that she is coerced into. When Tita is taken to Dr. Brown’s house, she marvels at her hands, for she discovers â€Å"she could move them however she pleased.† At the ranch, â€Å"what she had to do with her hands was strictly determined.† (p109). This juxtaposition exhibits how Tita yearns for a sense of freedom and expanse. In spite of her conformity to begin with, Tita eventually has a breakdown when Roberto dies. This is exemplified through the quotation â€Å"the sound of all the dishes breaking into a thousand pieces.† (p99). Since Tita’s happiness resides in the kitchen, the use of symbolic image of shattering dishes is paramount to emphasizing the decimation of both her joy and propriety. Unlike Ryuji, it is not a mundane lifestyle that causes a shift in her identity but rather a traumatic experience. The title of the novel foreshadows this identity change. The title is a locution which translates as ‘water at the boiling point’. The ‘water’ is a symbol for Tita and ‘the boiling point’ suggests her inflaming response to Mama Elena’s tyrannical rule. Therefore, the title foreshadows how Tita’s sentiments change from submission to that of confrontation. This transition is diametrical to that of Ryuji as he succumbs to conformity eventually whilst Tita evades it. .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 , .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .postImageUrl , .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 , .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488:hover , .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488:visited , .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488:active { border:0!important; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488:active , .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488 .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufcc22f2af1de40ebff62120dca3ca488:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Stranger is Watching EssayTita’s identity change is channelled through cooking. Through cooking she is able to induce sadness and acute physical discomfort. This is accentuated through But the weeping was just the first symptom of a strange intoxication-an acute attack of painthat seized the guests. . . all of them wailing over lost love. (p39) where her tear drop infused cake is able to stir up despair amongst a myriad of guests. Cooking also becomes an extension of herself and provides her with the impetus for freedom and self-expression. This is clarified through for Tita, the joy of living was wrapped up in the delights of food. The semantic field â€Å"joyde lights† entail positive connotations which suggest that food provides her with a means of escapism from the monotony of her daily existence. Thus gastronomic interior spaces enable her voice to be heard. It revitalizes her identity and enables her to break the shackles of confinement and conformity. In conclusion, both texts articulate the changing identity of the protagonists. Tita transforms from a submissive daughter to a defiant one whilst Ryuji transitions towards conformity and remains in this passive state until his death. In the end Tita is faced with positive results as she gradually gains her self-confidence and ultimately reunites with Pedro as opposed to Ryuji who is emasculated by the revelation that glory ceases to exist for him. In escaping the constraints of external anticipation and in pooling their strengths from their internal expectations, both protagonists achieve self-actualization and are able to concoct a new identity. Unfortunately their journey entails ambiguity and demise is the end result.

Ethical and Integrity dilemma within employees in the Global Economy

Introduction One interesting aspect to take note of has been the current trend in global outsourcing and how it has contributed to the dilemma of breakdowns in integrity and ethical behavior for employees within the global economy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical and Integrity dilemma within employees in the Global Economy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When a company outsources various aspects of its operations whether in the form of production, customer service, human resources management, accounting or a variety of other possible departments that can be outsourced it runs the risk of having its operational procedures exposed to local business cultures within the outsourced location that have a decidedly different way of interpreting integrity and ethical standards of operation. For example, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a form of internal self-regulation by companies which is integrated in to business models to ensure that they comply to a certain degree of ethical standards, business norms and laws when conducting methods of operations (i.e. manufacturing, consulting, provision of services etc.). In the case of China, which is one of the most sought after destinations in the world for outsourcing manufacturing services, the business culture within the country considers CSR to be a foreign and â€Å"alien† concept and it shows as evidenced by the sheer amount of CSR violations which have adversely impacted the local populace (Wong, 2010). Lack of Corporate Social Responsibility What must be understood is that the main goal of CSR is for the company to embrace a certain degree of responsibility for its actions and through this create a positive impact on its employees, local communities, consumers and the environment. It is one of the main ethical tools used by corporations to ensure that its actions are restrained to a certain degree so as to prevent the compan y from entering into lines of business or engaging in certain business practices that can be considered ethically ambiguous and an affront to moral integrity. As reported in the case of China through numerous environmental, business and community investigations the lack of CSR standards within the country has resulted in a ridiculous amount of wanton expelled pollutants into the atmosphere which have detrimentally affect the health of hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers resulting in increasing cases of lung related diseases and cancer (Wong, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, lack of CSR has translated into the use of unethical methods of manufacturing such as reported cases of tainted pet food, the use of preservatives meant for human bodies within processed food, deplorable work place conditions and ever increasing work hours without sufficient commen surate pay (Goldstein, 2007). Companies Facilitating Unethical Action It is this business environment that companies run the risk of entering into when they begin outsourcing their manufacturing services as such results in their exposure to questionable ethically unsound practices. For example, no matter how sound the integrity and ethical practices of Company A is if it outsources its manufacturing processes to Company B this results in the process being subject to the ethical standards of Company B and not Company A. It must also be noted that the main reason why companies outsource in the first place is due to the fact that they want to reduce their cost of operations and at times they look the other way when it comes to questionable practices all for the sake of ensuring that costs are reduced. This means that unethical practices such as exposing workers to hazardous workplace conditions, low pay and overly long hours are often allowed to continue due to the fact that such metho ds are thought of as effective methods of reducing costs. What must be understood though is that the ethical actions of a company have a commensurate effect on the ethical actions and moral integrity of its workers. It was noted in various cases involving outsourced manufacturing facilities in China that in instances where the company utilized unethical actions related to work place conditions workers responded by providing below average standards workmanship. This involved improper waste disposal, inaccurate measurements, use of too little or too much chemicals in particular formula batches and an assortment of other practices that got worse as the company continued to push them beyond their limits.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical and Integrity dilemma within employees in the Global Economy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Resulting Ethical and Integrity Dilemma for Employees The inherent problem with o utsourcing to locations without proper CSR procedures in place is that it causes a distinct degree of ethical breakdown of not only the company that is manufacturing in that location but of the workers themselves. Operations become more profit driven than they are market driven which results in greater worker discouragement over what they do which results in them not caring over the possible ramifications of shoddy workmanship (Phillips Phillips, 2011). What must be understood is that companies, especially those in the manufacturing industry, have the responsibility of implementing proper methods of CSR since it creates three distinct effects. First, it encourages workers to develop their own sense of integrity which encourages greater compliance to ethical behavior. Secondly, it encourages the company to comply to set standards of ethical behavior which creates internal policies which workers have to adhere to resulting in greater compliance to ethical action. Lastly, it creates a positive image for the company within the local community which further compels workers to comply with this particular image. Even if the manufacturing facility is in China such companies still need to implement proper CSR policies, unfortunately such measures have not been widely accepted within mainland China and such contributes to the loss of integrity of workers over the jobs they do which negatively impacts the products they create. Upper Management and Outsourcing Another factor which has contributed to the ethical and integrity dilemma and breakdown within employees in the global economy is the way in which outsourcing has contributed to the way in which upper management within a company has been distanced from the manufacturing aspect of operations wherein products and their methods of manufacture are nothing more than mere numbers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In other words there is no â€Å"human face† attached to the manufacturing process itself and this creates the potential for distinctly unethical forms of behavior on the part of employees in upper management. For example, the use of sweat shops and child labor is often thought of as one of the most unethical practices that a company can engage in, yet it was seen in various cases involving sporting goods (Nike) and fashion apparel companies (Mary Kate and Ashley) that they did in fact engage in utilizing sweat shops and child labor in order to get products off the line and into stores (Roberts et al. 2006). What must be understood is that the farther away a method of operation is from the main management group the more likely it is that upper management won’t care how a particular product is produced and instead care about how quickly and cheaply it can be made (Roberts et al. 2006). While it may be true that there are some executives that do have a certain degree of ethical consideration over how their product is made they are in the minority as compared to the hundreds or even thousands that have relied on unethical outsourcing practices in order to produce their products. Unethical Practices and the Environment It must also be noted that unethical methods of manufacturing condoned by management groups are not limited to sweatshops and child labor but also extend to aspects related to the environment. What must be understood is that environmental regulations, such as those within the U.S., Canada, and certain parts of Europe prevent companies from utilizing certain manufacturing processes that are cheaper but are more environmentally polluting. Unfortunately such laws and regulations are not present in countries such as China and India where a large percentage of industrial outsourcing occurs (Li, 2006). This results in more companies outsourcing production methods to such countries while at the same time utilizing cheaper yet more environment ally damaging production methods (Li, 2006). In this particular case it can be seen that the management division of companies knowingly engage in a business practice that is wholly unethical since it results in an action that facilitates environmental damage as well as causes possible health problems for people located in the region where the factory has been setup. Reference List Goldstein, D. (2007, July 30). Poison for Profit. Nation. pp. 5-6. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Li, X. (2006). Environmental Concerns In China: Problems, Policies, And Global Implications. International Social Science Review, 81(1/2), 43- 57. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Phillips, J. J., Phillips, P. P. (2011). Moving From Evidence To Proof. T+D, 65(8), 34-39. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Roberts, D., Engardio, P., Bernstein, A., Holmes, S., Ji, X. (2006). Secrets, Lies, And Sweatshops. (cover story). BusinessWeek, (4011), 50-58. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Wong, A., Fu, L., Elankumaran, S. S. (2010). Business stu dents’ perception of corporate social responsibility: the United States, China, and India. Corporate  Social Responsibility Environmental Management, 17(5), 299-310. This essay on Ethical and Integrity dilemma within employees in the Global Economy was written and submitted by user Abb1ga1l to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A Collection of Famous Quotations About Love

A Collection of Famous Quotations About Love What do Victor Hugo, Carl Jung, John Lennon, Louisa May Alcott, and Socrates have in common? The answer is that they have all commented on the ways of love. Saints, philosophers, psychologists, playwrights, and poets have left their  views of love for us to read. From ancient scrolls to classic plays, modern films, and songs, love is a timeless subject. Explore these  famous love quotes. Carl Jung Where love rules, there is no will to power; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other. Sigmund Freud Love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness. Victor Hugo The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Dante Alighieri He loves but little who can say and count in words, how much he loves. George Bernard Shaw Love is a gross exaggeration of the difference between one person and everybody else. John Barrymore Love is the delightful interval between meeting a beautiful girl and discovering that she looks like a haddock. Sigmund Freud We are never so helplessly unhappy as when we lose love. Lord Alfred Tennyson He that shuts love out, in turn, shall be Shut out from love and on her threshold lie, Howling in outer darkness. Louisa May Alcott Love is a great beautifier. Nat King Cole The greatest thing you ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. William Makepeace Thackeray It is best to love wisely, no doubt; but to love foolishly is better than not to be able to love at all. Socrates The hottest love has the coldest end. Henry Drummond You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. John Lennon Love is the flower youve got to let grow. Thomas Moore But theres nothing half so sweet in life As loves young dream. George Moore The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain singing to it. You and you alone make me feel that I am alive. Other men, it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough. William Shakespeare If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking you and beat love down. Margaret Atwood The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love. Gloria Gaither Line by line, moment by moment, special times are etched into our memories in the permanent ink of everlasting love in our relationships. Nicholas Sparks You are every reason, every  hope, and every dream Ive ever had. Elisabeth Elliot You are loved with an everlasting love. And underneath are the everlasting arms. From the movie Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 No measure of time with you will be long enough. But lets start with forever. If you enjoy reading popular quotes, see  Drake love quotes and Bob Marley quotes.

Chinese Cultural Revolution essays

Chinese Cultural Revolution essays The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was a ten-year political campaign with objectives to revolutionize china with the cultural and political ideologies of Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong launched the Great Leap Forward in 1959, which was a complete disaster. To help bring China out of the economic depression caused by the Great Leap Forward, Mao Zedong began the Cultural Revolution in Beijing, China and it lasted from 1966-1976. (The Cultural Revolution) The goal of the Cultural Revolution was to steer China away from the lines of the Soviet model and into its own form of government. (The Cultural Revolution) Mao thus ultimately adopted four goals for the Cultural Revolution. They were to replace his designated successors with leaders more faithful to his current thinking; To rectify the Chinese Communist Party; To provide China's youths with a revolutionary experience and lastly, to achieve some specific policy changes so as to make the educational, health care, and cultural systems less elitist (The Cultural Revolution). During this time, thousands were killed and millions of people were imprisoned or exiled. In our presentation, we will discuss how the Cultural Revolution began, the advantages, disadvantages and the effects it had on China during this time. Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution for three reasons. One was to make China distinct from the Soviet Union, second was to renew the spirit of China and third was to re-establish his ideologies (Chinese Cultural Revolution). His role had been diminished due to the failure of the Great Leap Forward. The Great Leap Forward was aimed at China making a Leap Forward into modernization. (BBC News). Mao began to promote technology and overnight all the rice and crop fields were turned into factories. Around 23,000 communes were created each controlling its own means of production. Farmers did not know what to do with all the new technology that was built on ...

With particular reference to two theoretical perspectives relating to Essay - 1

With particular reference to two theoretical perspectives relating to social work assessments and interventions - Essay Example According to Cognitive Behavioral Theory, cognition plays a major role in behavior change. That is cognitions or thoughts of a person has a say on their behavior, and negative thoughts or perceptions can make it tough for a person to make a positive behavioral change. Cognitive-behavioral interventions bring together cognitive and behavioral strategies to solve numerous behavioral and psychological problems. The idea is that by altering a person’s irrational or faulty thinking and behaviors and ingraining positive thoughts and ideas will alter the way that a person copes and looks at a situation (Daley, 2006). That is by changing their thought process people can think more clearly about the decisions they make. However there are many types of theories in psychology can be included under this segment. Here I hope to emphasize on some of the general points in all of them. Cognitive behavioral theory experts normally believe that the experiences that a child gathers in his child hood have a say in the development of his character. Ones personality is shaped by them. These experiences are ingrained in the minds of the child. For example if you were subjected to discrimination in child hood, such as based on race, religion social and gender these things will be ingrained negatively in their minds. So I need to remove the bitter negative memories of their past experiences. There is a saying that these innate drives are the facts that affect the motivation of human behavior. Therefore I have to engage in cognitive-behavioral interventions to alter the negative thoughts that have been ingrained in their minds from child hood in to positive ones that help them look at life in a new perspective. They may have been subjected to unhealthy or improper social interactions in their childhood. These may have been reinforced in their minds by a significant person in their

Critical review on an article Literature Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical on an article - Literature review Example As such, the policy document by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (2011, p. 7) has proposed the following reforms: â€Å"raising the required quality and quantity of capital in the banking system, improving risk coverage, introducing a leverage ratio to serve as a backstop to the risk-based regime, introducing capital conservation and countercyclical buffers as well as a global standard for liquidity risk.† These reforms are meant to improve the resilience of the banking sector during such trying times that are characterised by unprecedented changes in the global economy. It has been noted that international banks are often affected by externalities in their operations of which they have little control over them. For instance, G-SIBs in different countries had little control over the impacts of the recent global financial crisis that witnessed the closure of some financial institution which could not sustain their operations. Main objective of the policy proposal The main objective of the policy proposal suggested by the Basel Committee (2011, p. ... Therefore, in order for these policy frameworks to be effective, they should be developed from a global standpoint where different countries contribute towards the policy formulation which will guide the operations of all international financial institutions. The Financial Stability Board (FSB) in consultation with different nations will help implement these policy changes which will be applied on a global level. Indicator-based measurement approach The indicator based measurement approach has been recommended by the Basel Committee and this method is based on various indicators that have been carefully chosen to identify the factors that often generate negative externalities that can affect on the global financial institutions in cases of global financial crisis which require a global solution rather than a national solution. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to complement each other in carrying out this measurement. The main advantage of this strategy is that i t involves many dimensions of systemic importance which include the following: size, cross-jurisdictional activity, interconnectedness, substitutability and complexity. Size- the element of size of a banking institution is very important given that if it is a large institution, its failure is likely to impact negatively on the global economy. Cross-jurisdictional activity- the activities of the bank in other countries can impact negatively on their economies in the event of failure or distress. Therefore, this indicator need to be established while there is still time so that it does not spill over to the economies of the other countries and the globe at large. Interconnectedness- the level of interconnectedness of the G-SIBs means that they can share the spoils in the

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDY Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BIOGRAPHICAL STUDY - Assignment Example In this process, data from a number of academic sources and bible verses is analyzed in order to determine Jesus’ relationship with his disciples. In particular, the relationship between Jesus and Peter is analyzed to determine its effect on Peter’s life. Ideally, the academic sources and scriptures provide deep insight into the social-religious life of the time, and by extension, how Peter adopted to this life. The paper begins by generally looking at the relationship between Jesus and all his disciples. This information is well written by Foster (2007, pp.1) concerning how makes the disciples feel like they are part of Jesus’ family, although there are times when Jesus refers to God as â€Å"my Father† thus emphasizing a more personal relationship between him and God. Despite showing love to all his disciples, Jesus was particularly fond of Peter as several versus in the bible can reveal. For instance, according to Shepherd (2010, pp. 780) in John 13:33, Jesus insists that the disciples must not go with him but says that later on, Peter will go where Jesus was unable to go. Jesus’ love for Peter is also evident in the Bible, where after Peter identifies Jesus as the son of God and Jesus in return blesses Peter (Matthew 16:17). This blessing is interesting because after all the miracles and good deeds Jesus had performed, any of his disciples would have called him the son of God. However, Jesus chooses to bless Peter instead, saying that such revelation could only come from God. In order to strengthen Peter’s faith in God, Jesus put Peter through several tests. For instance, in John 21 Jesus asks Peter whether he loves Jesus more than he loves all other things (Ramelli 2008, pp. 334). Peter replies in the affirmative but later on in the same evening, Peter denies Jesus three times, denying that he is a disciple of Jesus. In another instance, in Matthew 14: 22-33, Jesus comes to the

Take a position on the death penalty Assignment

Take a position on the death penalty - Assignment Example In the case of murder, it posits that the threat of death penalty will stop people from killing other people. b. Definition and consequence Capital punishment is the imposition of death penalty to those who have committed capital crimes against the state. Death as a capital punishment has many rationale as a basis as enumerated by Garry Willis in his article The Dramaturgy of Death that ranges from killing as an exclusion, killing as cleansing, killing as execration, killing to maintain social order, killing to delegitimize a former social order but the most feasible of these reasons for imposing capital punishment is killing to maintain social order (1-3). The imposition of capital punishment to maintain social order is as old as history itself beginning from Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. The death penalty was also part of the Fourteenth Century B.C.'s Hittite Code, the Seventh Century B.C .'s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes, and the Fifth Century B.C.'s Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement (History 1). But admittedly, punishments of torture are seen as unnecessary cruelty and were forbidden by the Constitution retaining only the idea of taking the life of a criminal in a less painful manner. c. value The imposition of capital punishment to maintain social order depends on the principle of general deterrence that intimidating and threatening people with the certainty of death will make them refrain from committing crimes. Its value is thought that by imposing punishment such as death penalty through a clearly written law and sanctioned by the state, people will be deterred from committing crimes which includes murders and their acts will be shaped according to a desired behavior that will produce an efficien t society. The imposition of death penalty as an instrument of general deterrence theory against murder is also argued to depend on the premise that a man acts out of self-interest or as Beccaria would put it â€Å"the despotic spirit which is present in every man† (Beccaria, 1764, p. 94). Beccaria proposed that for deterrence to be effective, the punishment that will be meted has to be proportional according to the crime; the severest punishment to be meted to those who commit the most heinous of crimes and the minor crimes should be meted with the least painful punishment (Beccaria, 1764). II. Evaluation This theory, however, was questioned and doubted by several scholars on the field of criminal justice. Among them is Von Hentig, a former editor of the journal who dismissed the validity of death penalty as deterrence in reducing the incidence of murder. According to Von Hentig, death penalty will not work because the threat of punishment is not immediate and distant to the would-be offender. The danger presented by the punishment to the offender is perceived as remote and thus, can be readily offset by the immediate advantage of committing to the crime (1938). Von Hentig also critiqued the philosophical foundation of death penalty which is general deterrence that there are individuals who are immune from the threats of legal punishment. He cited those who are motivated by â€Å"maternal instincts, the young and women who tend to be impetuous, those motivated by ideology, the â€Å"

International Business- Foreign Direct Investment Essay

International Business- Foreign Direct Investment - Essay Example Vertical FDI involves locating different stages of production in different countries. Oil companies showcase vertical FDI through production/drilling, product refining and distribution in different countries. Lastly, conglomerate FDI where a firm acquires controlling interests in a firm operating in a different country. FDI brings the advantage of job provision, injection of cash into the economy, income to governments through taxation and infrastructural/technological development (Nehaus 42-45). However, the firms may concentrate the top and crucial management positions with expatriates while also repatriating profits to their home countries (Kapil 629). Besides, financial downturns such as the recent global economic crisis would see the firm close the foreign investments first. Nehaus (142) discusses the OLI paradigm of attracting FDI- Ownership advantages, Locational advantages and benefits of Internationalization, where locational influences can be determined by the host country. Here, big markets, removal of market entry barriers, subsidies and lower costs, good infrastructure, trade openness and economic and political stability promote FDI. At all times, the country has to be aware that it is competing with other countries to receive the

Organizational Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organizational Communication - Research Paper Example Effective leadership and novel and innovative organizational communication strategies aimed at integrating the efficiencies of a talented workforce with strong leadership are the only means available at the disposal of organizations today, to sustain their competitive positioning and market domination (Burke and Cooper 5; Driskill and Brenton 936). At Ogilvy & Mathers’ (O & M) special efforts are made by the leaders and managers to translate the corporate challenges encountered by them into success stories by encouraging a system of smooth uninterrupted communication and building an environment that honors and elevates the status of employees to that of highly competent and motivated individuals. Introduction: Ogilvy and Mather is a reputed international advertising firm headquartered in Manhattan, U.S.A founded in the year 1948 by David Ogilvy and spread in over 169 cities. Over the past 60 years the firm has managed to build a strong brand name and encouraged an impressive c orporate culture that has helped build some of the most recognizable brands in the world namely American Express, Ford, Shell, Barbie, Sears, Dove, IBM, and Kodak among others (O & M). The overwhelming success achieved by the firm stems from its persistence and relentless pursuit of excellence which it managed to achieve by developing and implementing innovative workplace practices and strong leadership. Some such leadership and organizational communication strategies adopted and applied by O & M over the years that helped the brand in achieving unprecedented success, are discussed in the following sections. Leadership at O & M: According to Wrench (182) coaching strategy of leadership is one of the most significant strategies adopted by modern leaders which entails the use of one-on-one interactions by the leaders as a means of communicating with their followers and subordinates in a bid to enhance their performance. This strategy was successfully applied by David Ogilvy - the foun der of O & M one of the most renowned international advertising firms. Ogilvy's leadership entailed an innovative coaching style which included long and deep conversations with the employees which were not limited to the problems and issues faced by them within the organization but extended beyond the boardroom into their personal space, where the employees were encouraged to discuss their personal beliefs, dreams, goals well as career related hopes (Wrench 183). Coaching style of leadership: This style of leadership was first introduced by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in the late 1960s (Poole 104) and later popularized by Daniel Goleman (Cherniss and Goleman, 43). Wright (237) defines coaching leadership as leadership that "delegates responsibility for elements of the organization's strategy". One of the key traits of a leader as a coach is the ability to listen to their employees via a one-to-one communication method and establish rapport and mutual trust. Good leaders according to this leadership style are those that excel in the art of listening and guiding their employees to identify their strengths and weaknesses and contribute towards their productivity and performance by helping them to identify the resources required to enhance their outcome as well as ways to find the same (Wright 237). Ogilvy & Mather has always endorsed the ‘leader as a coach’ brand of leadership whereby the leaders are encouraged to

Harry Potter Movie Review

Harry Potter Movie Review The Harry Potter series has always been an attractive choice amongst a wide variety of viewers much with the book as with its film series. Each motion picture brings more adventure and excitement than the previous; audiences are eager to watch how Harry Potter and his friends grow up in each film. Harry Potter returns in his fifth episode of the series in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. The book is actually more complex and much longer than the movie. This film shows how all the young wizards are growing up and how forthcoming adulthood is coming fearfully fast, with some hurdles. Harry is expelled from Hogwarts for using magic outside of the school, although it was for self defense. Once again, the plot as well as the unique talents and personalities of each of its characters, along with a masterful production full of special visual effects, transport us to the magical world of Harry, fulfilling the expectations of a loyal audience of Harry Potters fans. The above combination makes each movie a must see to the viewer. Adaptation from Book to Movie The process of adapting the book into the movie was very complicated for the screenwriter Michael Goldenberg. Since the book is longer, provides many more details of the story so Michael had to shorten it to create a reasonable timeline for the length the movie. There are many differences between the structure of the story in the book and the structure in the movie. For example, in the actual book, Harry and his acquaintances create a group that becomes known as the Dumbledores Army. They need a secret place to gather so they can learn and practice defensive spells away from the intrusive eyes of Dolores Umbridge, so they go to Dobby for help. In the movie, Dobby is completely absent. There is also an alteration of the ending scene where Harry and his team fight the soul eaters and Voldemort himself inside the Ministry of Magic. In the book Harry and his friends have to pass through several magic rooms to finally get to Voldemort and in the movie the magic rooms are left out and take the characters straight to the point of the fight. If the storyline of the movie were to be produced identical as it is in the book, it would be too long and it would exceed any films budget. Special Visual Effects In Harry Potter and the order of Phoenix, supervisor Tim Burke made sure the film was done surpassing the previous ones with new creatures and environmental effects, for this he contracted the Movie Picture Company (MPC) and Double Negative which was largely responsible for creating the sets, building environments, and backgrounds for the movie. The Movie Picture Company was in charge of enhancing the magic effects in fight scenes of the movie. The lighting and creation of new magical creatures in the movie was done by Frame store CFC and Industrial Light Magic. One example where the blend of lighting and special effects editing are brought together in action is the scene where Dumbledore battles Lord Voldemort. In the scene both characters are shooting each other with flaming blasts from their wands, which is an example of a computer generated effect and the part where Voldemort screams and all the glass in the building shatters is a handmade effect by the people who constructed th e stage scene. The lighting in the scene is dark since the characters are in a building and it is a dark conflict scene. In all Harry Potter films, the conflict or fight scenes all are with dark lighting. The unique blend of special effects in the movie is what makes the movie very attractive to many of its viewers. Set Design/Filming The set designer for the first four Harry Potter films, Stuart Craig, comes forth to help with the fifth film set design. The overall inspiration of classical architecture of Hogwarts in the film comes from underground subway stations in London. The whole actual set and movie shots are done in the prime location which an old aircraft is manufacturing facility called Leavesden Film Studios located in England. One of the biggest set structures in the movie is the Ministry of Magic. It is a massive 220 foot long practical city within a city, Consisting of more than 30,000 individually placed tiles on multiple levels (Horn). There is a big part of the set that was built by hand and there are some portions that are digitally edited in. One prime example of a purely digital made structure would be the Hall of Prophecies room in the school. The final fight scene between Dumbledore and Voldemort takes place in the hall of prophecies. The part where the windows shatter to the ground when Vold emort surrenders is all digitally done, if that were part of a real set structure, it wouldve taken weeks to be re-built. The filming for the movie was done on and off set in various locations around England. The majority of the interior film shots were done in the studio and others such as the flight scenes and Harrys trial were done at outside locations. The flight scene where Harry and his friends fly to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, and the flight of Dumbledores Army to the Ministry of Magic were done at River Thames in southern England. The creativeness and dedication of the set crew and production really pays off in the end when audiences watch the final product in action. Casting Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix features a world class cast consisting of some original actors and characters along with new ones. The key characters play a crucial role in this movie as well as the previous ones because the overall plot focuses on Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger ( Emma Watson) with whom Harry grew up since his beginning at Hogwarts. Hagrid the gatekeeper (Robbie Coltrane) and Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) the headmaster at Hogwarts are kept alive throughout the film because they have been helping and supporting Harry since the very beginning. There is a mix of new student characters such as Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) who plays the role of Harrys new best friend in this movie. The blending of new and original characters in this film is what brings a whole new adventure in the film. In general, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix is a must watch film for all fantasy lovers. The combination of special effects, acting, and plot make the movie captivating and entertaining. The movie compared to some other sci-fi type films does not overwhelm the viewer with too many special visual effects; there is a brilliant balance between the fantasy and the special effects. The production design and cinematography in the movie is very astounding in their suitability and professionalism.

Decadal Variability of Precipitation in China

Decadal Variability of Precipitation in China Introduction China is located in the East Asian monsoon region, the variations of the amount and distribution of precipitation over China are strongly modulated by the East Asian monsoon. As the most important features of the East Asian monsoon is a significant multi-scale variation and thus the precipitation in China also showed great variations, persistent heavy rainfall over eastern China often results in hazardous climate events such as floods and droughts. According to statistics, since the 1980s, large-scale droughts and other weather disasters have brought severe damage to our industrial and agricultural production and the economic losses due to droughts and floods reach 200 billion RMB every year, accounting for about 3% to 6% of the national economic output. Thus, it is important to understand the variations of rainfall over eastern China and their associated physical processes (Zhai et al., 2005). A lot of studies have revealed the climate characteristics, weather and circulation features, as well as the formation mechanisms of precipitation over China on different time scales, and carried out monthly, quarterly and annual precipitation forecasts. However, there are still significant inaccuracies on the current forecasts of precipitation. Precipitation is a complex meteorological phenomenon which exhibits oscillations at different time scales, including long-term trends, decadal oscillation, interannual oscillation, seasonal variation and high frequency oscillation. An important reason to these inaccuracies in forecasts is that the depth and completeness of the understanding to the changes and mechanisms of precipitation patterns on different time scales is still not enough. Previous studies indicate that the decadal scale is a very important time scale, on one hand, it could be treated as a turbulence superimposed on the long-term trend, for example, the decline in global temperatures during the 1940s to the mid-1970s slowed the global warming since 20 century (Wang, 1999). One the other hand, the decadal variability could be treated as an important background for the interannual variability, which has some influence on the interannual variability. Therefore, understanding the characteristics and possible mechanisms of the decadal-scale climate changes, and determining their degree of predictability have become major global scientific issues (Jiang, 2000). Improving the understanding and knowledge of the decadal climate variability, and estimating the climate changes in the coming decades scientifically will provide important implications for water resources, agriculture, energy and the development of national long-term development plan. 1. Features of decadal precipitation variation in China Since the beginning of 1980s, many researchers have noticed the decadal variations of precipitation in China (Wu et al., 1986; Zhang, 1989). Some studies have shown that there is a clear decadal variability of summer rainfall over eastern China during the second half of the 20th century (Zhao, 1999; Wang, 2001). Power spectrum analyses for summer rainfall showed a significant peak at 26.7 years. A drying trend was found in northern China and a wetting trend was found in central China in the last decades (Hu et al., 2003; Lei et al., 2010). In eastern China, the precipitation showed a wetting trend over the middle-lower Yangtze River valley and a drying trend over the Yellow River valley during the past 40 years, which indicates a southward shift of the rain belt over eastern China. Interestingly, the summer rainfall over eastern China also showed a positive-negative-positive pattern on the decadal time scale, which means that when there is more rainfall over Yangtze River, there would be less rainfall over both northern China and southeastern China, this pattern could be related to the dipole pattern and the positive-negative-positive pattern of the meridional winds (Ren et al., 2000; Wang and Zhai, 2003; Liu et al., 2005; Zhao and Zhou, 2006; Ding et al., 2007). The studies on summer rainfall over North China showed that the decadal variation is also evident (Chen, 1999; Huang et al., 1999; Li et al., 2002). From 1883 to 1898 and from 1949 to 1964 there is relatively abundant precipitation over North China, while from 1899 to 1920 and from 1965 to 1997 there is relatively less precipitation than normal over North China. This decadal variation caused severe climatic disasters, especially there was a persistent drought in northern China, resulting in the area of water resource scarcity (Huang et al., 1999; Zhang et al., 1999). Precipitation variation over western China is quite different form eastern China. In eastern China, There was no linear trend of precipitation was dominant during last decades. On the contrary, the increasing trend of precipitation in west China was very noticeable especially during the last 30 years. 1.2 Possible forcing factors for the decadal precipitation variation in China Since the 1980s, the atmospheric circulation, the weather and climate systems and the thermal forcing factor which affect the droughts and floods in China all exhibit an obvious 10-year interannual variation trend (Chen et al. 2002). To the decadal time scale forecast, the coupled air-sea interaction decadal mode is essential for the decadal precipitation forecast in East Asia. In contrast, the response of decadal climate change to human activities is not that important (Hawkins et al., 2009). 1.2.1 The decadal variation of East Asian monsoon The variability of precipitation over eastern China is strongly modulated by the East Asian monsoon (e.g., Zhao and Xu 2002; Hu et al. 2003; Zhang et al. 2004). According to the studies, monsoon has significant variation on decadal time scale (Webster et al., 1998; Huang et al., 2003). The Indian summer monsoon circulation underwent two weakening processes in the last 50 years, one in the mid-1960s and the other in the late 1970s, the rain belt shift in East China was in great agreement with the later weakness of the monsoon. When the East Asian summer monsoon became weaker during 1970s, the location of rainy belt in eastern China also moved from North China to the Yellow River and the Huaihe River (Wang, 2001; Zhu et al., 2001; Guo, et al., 2004; Ding et al., 2007; Zeng et al., 2007). In associate with the variation of monsoon, the locations of subtropical High and Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) also have related changes, they move to the north if the summer monsoon is strong and active, and displace to the south when the summer monsoon is weaker. In connection with these changes, before 1976, the East Asian summer monsoon was in an active phase, the summer precipitation was stronger in North China, while after 1976, the North China suffered a drier period (Li et al, 2001). 1.2.2 The decadal variation of sea surface temperature The decadal variations of the sea surface temperature (SST) in the Pacific and Indian Oceans play important roles in the variations of rainfall over eastern China (Ju and Slingo, 1995; Hu, 1997; Weng et al., 1999; Chang et al., 2000). Gong and Ho (2002) also proposed that, since 1980, the variations of SST over the tropical eastern Pacific and the tropical Indian Ocean were primarily responsible for the shift in summer rainfall over eastern China through their effects on the subtropical northwestern Pacific high. Further more, Yang and Lau (2004) have statistically obtained that a high negative relationship between the tropical central and eastern Pacific SSTs and the northern China precipitation had been confirmed, while over central eastern China, the inter-annual variation of precipitation is positively correlated with a north-south dipole mode of SST anomalies over the western North Pacific, the tropical Indian ocean and warm pool. In the 1990s, the research on decadal variation originally focused on the oceanic state, because the oceanic variability was thought to be a slower process and its decadal features more evident. In the Pacific Ocean, decadal variation of the ENSO has been studied (Wang, 1995; Qian et al., 1998) and the EOF analysis of SST in the North Pacific still shows an decadal variation feature. The remaining part of the main EOF components, which is similar to the ENSO mode, was regarded as the decadal variation and named the â€Å"ENSO-like mode† (Zhang et al., 1997) or the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) (Mantua et al., 1997). PDO is one of the strongest and most important signals of global decadal variability, the relationship between PDO and the decadal climate variation in China is get great interest. Zhu et al. (2003) and Zhang et al. (2007) pointed out that when the PDO is in the positive phase, the East Asian summer monsoon is weaker, and results in the drought in North China a nd flood in Huai River Basin. 1.2.3 The decadal variation of snow depth In contrast to the decreasing trend of the Eurasian winter and spring snow cover, the winter and spring snow cover, snow depth and number of snow days over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) have had an increasing trend during the last 45 years (1956–2000) (Li, 2002), with an abrupt increase occurring in the late 1970s (Liu et al., 2003; Zhang et al., 2004; Peng et al., 2005). Correlative relationship between the TP winter and spring snow and the Asian summer monsoon circulation and rainfall have been studied by a number of investigators with observed analyses (NCC, 1998; Qian et al., 2003; Wu and Qian, 2003; Liu et al., 2003; Zhang et al., 2004) and modelling simulations (Zwiers, 1993; Qian et al., 2003; Liu et al., 2004). Modelling results have shown the similar inverse relationship between excessive (deficient) TP winter and spring snow and a decreasing (increasing) intensity of the Asian summer monsoon (the South Asian and East Asian summer monsoon) through the snow monsoon mechanis m. At the same time, they have further obtained a positive (negative) correlative relationship between the preceding winter and spring snow over TP and summer rainfalls in the Yangtze River basin (North China). This correlative relationship has been used in the seasonal prediction of the National Climate Center of China as a useful climate signal, and considerable success has been achieved, particularly for the seasonal prediction of the prolonged, excessively heavy rainfall and unprecedented flooding event in 1998 over the Yangtze River basin which was preceded by extremely excessive winter and spring snow over the TP. 1.2.4 Other forcing factors Besides SSTs and snow depth, Yu et al. (2004) attributed the pattern of rainfall changes over eastern China to the summer cooling at the upper troposphere over extra-tropical East Asia, which was assumedly associated with stratosphere-troposphere interactions. Changes in both land temperature and SST modify land-ocean temperature gradients. When the temperature gradients became smaller, the southwesterly monsoon flow weakened and the moisture transported to southern China decreased, causing the local drying trend (Cheng et al. 2005). More recently, Ding et al. (2007) showed that the significant weakening of the tropical upper-level easterly jet, which could also be a result of the reduced temperature gradients, provided a dominant mechanism for the weakening of the Asian summer monsoon over the past 40 years. In addition, climate consequences of black and sulphate carbon aerosols are used to explain climate change in the Asian monsoon region in recent decades, including the tendency toward increased summer floods in South China and increased drought in North China (Ramanathan et al., 2001; Xu, 2001; Menon et al., 2002; Lau and Kim, 2006). Summary Conclusions as a result, It has been found that the decadal variability of precipitation in China for the past 50 years is very significant, with two major characteristic features identified: (1) occurrence of prolonged droughts in North China and, at the same time, marked flooding conditions in the Yangtze River basin and South China in the period from the end of the 1970s to the beginning of the 21st century, and (2) the rainfall regime has undergone an obvious abrupt shift or jump in the mid- and late 1970s. This precipitation regime shift is in good coincidence with a significant abrupt climate change or jump which has been extensively observed in other regions over the world as well as for other variables. Several studies have indicated that the Asian summer monsoon has become weaker after the end of the 1970s. In connection with this change, the summer rainfall decreased over the lower reaches of the Yellow River and the Huaihe River. However, it is not clear yet how the weakening of the Asian (especially the East Asian) summer monsoon affects the significant southward shift of precipitation patterns in East China. Furthermore, the reason why the inter-decadal weakening of the Asian summer monsoon occurred remains an open question. Studies also show that the inter-annual and decadal variations of the sea surface temperature in the Pacific and Indian Oceans have an impact on the variation of precipitation in China. When the SST in the North Pacific Ocean becomes cooler, the East Asian summer monsoon would be weaker, and results in the drought in North China and flood in Huai River Basin. Although the influence of SSTs on the Asian summer monsoon and the precipitation in China has been recognized, not all the variances of precipitation can be explained by SSTs. Some researchers focused on the impact of Eurasian spring snow cover as well as the TP winter and spring snow. They found that the Asian summer monsoon circulation has a negative correlative relationship with the preceding winter and spring snow over TP, which means, when there is an increasing trend of the snow cover over the Tibetan Plateau, the summer rainfalls in the Yangtze River basin would increase too. Although the features and possible forcing factors of the decadal variation of precipitation in China have been studied, there are still some key issues remained to be solved. For example, is there a coherent change in large-scale circulation features in the Asian region to correspond to the above inter-decadal variability of the summer precipitation in East China, especially the weakening of the Asian summer monsoon and its subsequent effect on significant shift of summer precipitation patterns in East Asia? Is the regime shift of summer precipitation in East China mainly a response to weakening in large-scale monsoon circulation systems in the Asian region? Further studies will be needed to solve these issues.

Isaac Asimov, Mind of a Child Essay -- essays research papers

Throughout history man has always had a vivid imagination. In prehistoric times, old man used to write stories, tales and such upon their cave dwelling walls. These were performed through the use of symbols. These symbols, called hieroglyphics, portrayed the thoughts and creativity of their authors. Boszhardt once said while talking about the cave pictures in Wisconsin, "When I first visited the cave, I was skeptical about the possible art that Daniel had written to me about, But once my flashlight came upon some of the drawings, there was no question that this was authentic Native American art. The birds, deer, and bow hunters are of styles that had to be prehistoric, and the charcoal had been absorbed into the rock. I was literally stunned--this was real, this was old, and there was a lot of it." In ancient Egypt, we also find such displays of messages and stories. Weà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve all heard of such writings in the pyramids and such. The most brilliant display of these messages lies in the Mexico Desert with its mile long pictures created by who are believed to be Aztecs. These messages from the very beginning offered new, unique views and ideas upon existing scenarios. Ancient authors who had witnessed and read such symbols got their own ideas and developed their own style of writing and stories. This is has happened throughout history and is most prevalent in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s society. In the early 1900à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s technology began to boom. Many tales of science fantasy were created. The imagination of many was stirred violently as America and the U.S.S.R. were neck and neck in the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Space Raceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. Magical tales of aliens and Martians were shaped by the twisted and horrifically minds of authors such as Isaac Asimov. Many remember the comical almost, ridiculous movies of the early nineteen fifties. At that time though, many believed them to be real and were frightened beyond normal convention. Many authors in this era began to evolve, much how the earlier ancient writers evolved themselves. I will give you a brief biography of Isaac Asimov to allow you to understand his writing better and relinquish the ideas captured within his works. Throughout his amazing and fantastical life he has written almost five hundred astonishing works. While not... ..., Robot is a collection of short stories written by the science fiction author himself, Isaac Asimov. He set out the principles of robot behavior that we know as the Three Laws of Robotics. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? (choen, Lindsay. I,Robot) Contained in this whimsical collection are stories of robots gone mad, mind-reading robots, robots with a sense of humor, robot politicians, and robots that secretly run the world, all told with Asimov's trademark dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction. This collection has set the boundaries and set a certain criteria for other authors to follow and keep consistency in their stories involving robots and other forms of artificial intelligence. Throughout time many innovators come and go. For some of these great men we remember not only their accomplishments but them as a person. Many of our modern technologies were developed or founded by one man, but do we know their names? Isaac Asimov must be considered one of the few innovators whom have not only shaped a new idea into reality but have also kept their legacy along with it.

Nell :: essays research papers

Nell 1) The loss of Nell's twin sister had a dramatic effect on her. Nell and May were raised in a secluded environment with no outside contact. As a result, May and Nell became very close emotionally and were an integral part in each others lives. When May died, Nell lost part of her life as well which resulted in vivid memory replay. A good example of this is when Nell was turning around in circles by herself but, in her mind, she was turning around in circles with her missing half. At the end of the movie, the evidence of the importance of May in Nell's life was still evident as Nell played will Jerry's daughter on the rocks that May and her once played on. The movie did portray what is generally believed about twins. The loss of one had a dramatic effect on the other. They had their own twin speech and their own games. At the end of 20 plus years, Nell still felt the loss of her twin sister.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2) The expert psychologist in the movie believed that Nell was mentally retarded and had made a small amount of intellectual development as a result of being raised in seclusion. Fortunately, they were wrong. The speech that Nell gave in the courtroom proved that she had developed intellectually. While the language that she used was different, Nell still gave a good list of very abstract ideas that someone who is mentally retarded could not possibly comprehend. Nell understood why she was different saying that she was raised in a small world and knew small things unlike the large things found in the city of Charlotte, N.C. This proved that Nell was very capable of living by herself and taking care of herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3) The experts, in the beginning of the movie, said that Nell was not capable of making the correct judgments to make in the world by herself. They did not believe that Nell had the wisdom to make the correct choices in life situations. It seemed evident to me that Nell already possessed more than enough wisdom to make it on her own. After all, she basically took care of her crippled mother all by herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4) Nell is not mentally retarded. Nell was raised in seclusion with her twin sister and a crippled mother. The things that Nell learned were obtained socially from a woman that had loss the use of part of her body. The body language that Nell had learned were obviously learned from observing her mother. For an outside viewer Nell must have looked like she was mentally

Happy Endings Margaret Atwood Essay

‘Happy Endings’ is one of Margaret Atwood’s most frequently-anthologized stories because it is so unusual. In form, it isn’t so much a story as an instruction manual on how to write one. In content, it is a powerful observation on life. The story is broken up into six possible life scenarios plus some concluding remarks. In scenario A, John meets Mary and they have a perfect life, living together devotedly until they die. In scenario B, John sleeps with Mary, whom he doesn’t love; he treats her abysmally, she commits suicide, and he marries Madge, whom he does love, and ‘everything continues as in A.’ In scenario C, Mary sleeps with John, who is married to Madge, who has become boring. Mary only sleeps with John because she pities him, and she is really in love with James, who rides a motorcycle. John discovers Mary and James in bed together and shoots them before turning the gun on himself. Madge goes on to marry a nice man named Fred, and we continue as in A. In scenario D, Fred and Madge have no interpersonal problems at all, but their house is swept away by a tidal wave. They emerge ‘wet and dripping and grateful, and continue as in A.’ In scenario E, Fred is found to have heart problems. Madge nurses him until he dies, after which she selflessly devotes herself to volunteer work for the rest of her life. It is in this scenario, incidentally, that Atwood begins to break down this encapsulated version of ‘fifty ways to write a story.’ Maybe it’s not Fred with the heart problems, she suggests; maybe it’s Madge who has cancer. Maybe she’s not kind and understanding; maybe she’s guilty and confused. Or maybe Fred is. Maybe Fred, after Madge’s death, devotes himself to bird watching rather than volunteer work. We are obviously getting the point that none of this really matters. In scenario F, Atwood hammers this point home. ‘If you think this is all too bourgeois, make John a revolutionary and Mary a counterespionage agent and see how far that gets you. . . . You’ll still end up with A.’ What is the common denominator between all these scenarios? In case you missed it, Atwood sums it up in her concluding remarks. ‘John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die.’ As in ‘The Age of Lead,’ ‘Happy Endings’  forces us to question the point of life. Every story, carried to its ultimate logical conclusion, has the same ending, because all lives have the same ending. We may die in the heat of battle; we may die in our sleep. We may die in infancy, in a gang war, in a nursing home. But we’re going to die. The story isn’t in the ending — it’s in what we do on the way there. Margaret Atwood Happy Endings So you may have found that this week’s reading left you with quite a few questions, such as, â€Å"What did I just read?† Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings† is not a typical short story. In fact, we could even raise the question of whether it actually is a short story or not. â€Å"Happy Endings† is an example of metafiction. You may want to think of metafiction this way: it is a writer writing about writing. To clarify, in metafiction, an author writes a story in order make the reader think about the nature of a story. With metafiction, the author becomes self-reflective about the act of writing. Did you notice those moments in â€Å"Happy Endings† when Atwood comments on the story she is writing? (For example, in plot C, the voice of the author mentions, â€Å"†¦this is the thin part of the plot, but it can be dealt with later† [767].) Atwood’s goal is for the reader to contemplate what is the essence of a story. â₠¬Å"If you want a happy ending, try A.† â€Å"Happy Endings† primarily consists of 6 different bare-bone plots stemming from the very basic catalyst: â€Å"John and Mary meet.† Plot A – the one recommended it we want a â€Å"happy ending† – presents the ideal married life of Mary and John: they enjoy well-paying, fulfilling careers;the value of their house skyrockets, their children â€Å"turn out well;† they go one vacation;and even get to retire. (Heck, their sex-life together doesn’t even fade!) Atwood offers Plot A as the stereotypical, cliched â€Å"happy ending.† The problem with Plot A, at least as far as storytelling goes, there’s no drama. Here the couple does not face any conflict, crisis, or tension. Without crisis, there’s no character development. John and Mary become merely empty names; there’s no reason to care for them. While a â€Å"happy ending,† Plot A falls completely flat. (Plot A reminds me of a quotation from Leo Tols toy: â€Å"All families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its  own way.†) Plots B through F test out different directions that events can go after â€Å"John and Mary meet.† Each of these plots are remarkably predictable, mainly since they are based on cliched, stock characters. Plot B places Mary in the role of the unrequited lover, just hoping that John, the insensitive male, will come to see how much she truly cares for him. (The terms that Mary’s friends use to describe John – â€Å"a rat, a pig, a dog† – are unimaginative.) In Plot C, John takes on the part of the insecure, middle-aged man seeking assurance from a much younger woman, Mary. Plot D is the well recognizable disaster story, like last year’s film â€Å"The Impossible†. If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks’ â€Å"The Notebook,† you are already familiar with Plot E. Finally, Plot F resembles that of the story of lovers caught up in the political turmoils of their time. However, whatever the plot maybe, we always end with Plot A. The names of the characters may change and â€Å"in between you may get a lustful, brawling saga of passionate involvement, a chronicle of our times, sort of† but the ending to the story will always be the s ame (767). Is this because, according to Atwood, readers will only accept this idealized ending for tales of romance? Could Atwood be commenting on readers’ expectations for how the story will end when two lovers meet? Moreover, is Atwood claiming there is something false about Plot A? Atwood emphatically states near the end of â€Å"Happy Endings† is that â€Å"the only authentic ending† is: â€Å"John and May die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die.† Adopting a bleak outlook, Atwood argues that the one ending that we all will share in and so rings true is death. Now rather than leave us on that depressing note, Atwood offers a bit of hope, â€Å"So much for endings. Beginnings are always more fun† (676). If you consider this statement, Atwood is right. Generally, romantic tales don’t open with the couple being married, with a home and children. Instead, the story of a couple centers on how they get together – what are the obstacles, the emotional turmoil, they face to reach their Plot A? From William Shakespeare to Jane Austen to Nicholas Sparks, marriage is a conclusion not a beginning. The drama lies in everything the lovers have to do to reach that p oint. â€Å"Now try How and Why† In the final three paragraphs, Atwood identifies where the essence of a story lies. No surprise at all that she dismisses plot as formulaic, just a mere  sequence of events – â€Å"a what and a what and a what† (676). Looking back on over Plots A through F, that is all she gives us. John and Mary’s characters are left undeveloped; again, we could interchange their names with those of Madge and Fred, while leaving the plot the same. We don’t care about John and Mary because we don’t have the chance to get to know them. Also, at the end of each plot Atwood leaves us with the question of what is the point of the story. There’s an emptiness felt after reading each plot. Why tell us the story? Generally, we, as readers, look for authors through their writings to give us some insight into our world. Stories have themes, morals, profound messages that go beyond just the bones of the plot. Consider some of the short stories that we have read so far this term. Is it just that Chopin gives us the story of Louise Mallard’s dying after learning her husband is still alive? Is the importance of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† limited to just Gilman’s narrator’s going mad through seeing a woman trapped within the wallpaper? Why does the story of Emily Grierson’s keeping the body of her murder lover in bed with her matter? For Atwood, the plot becomes the vehicle for the author to shows us a new truth. †¦ Happy Endings Margaret Atwood Analysis This detailed literature summary also contains Further Reading on Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood’s â€Å"Happy Endings† first appeared in the 1983 Canadian collection, Murder in the Dark, and it was published in 1994 for American audiences in Good Bones and Simple Murders. Subtitled â€Å"Short Fiction and Prose Poems,† Murder in the Dark featured four types of works: autobiographical sketches, travel notes, experimental pieces addressing the nature of writing, and short pieces dealing with typical Atwood themes, notably the relationship between the sexes. â€Å"Happy Endings,† which is essentially a self-referential story framework, falls into the third category. In several thumbnail sketches of different marriages, all of which achieve a traditional â€Å"happy ending,† Atwood references both the mechanics of writing, most particularly plot, and the effects of gender stereotyping. In earlier works, including the novel Bodily Harm, as well as speeches, Atwood discusses the writer’s relationship to society. She defined the artist, in part, as â€Å"the guardian of the moral and ethical sense of the community.† In â€Å"Happy Endings,† Atwood fulfills this role with a challenge  that she throws out to those writers who rely on the stereotypical characterization of men and women and to the reader who accepts such gender typing. At the same time, she challenges other writers to more closely examine typical literary convention. Theme the â€Å"happy† couple in â€Å"Happy Endings,† whether comprised of John and Mary, John and Madge, or Madge and Fred, enjoys the trappings of middle-class values and represents this element of society. The husband and wife hold professional jobs, earn good money, and make sound investments that afford them some of life’s luxuries, such as nice vacations and a relaxing retirement. Even in the more troublesome aspects of these stories, the couples manifest their middle-class values. In version C, John’s marital crisis is brought on by the fact that he feels his life is settled and dull. This mid-life angst drives him to attempt to boost his self-esteem through an affair with a much-younger woman. Despite the middle-class values that permeate the piece, only in version F does Atwood frankly address them. Style â€Å"Happy Endings† is satirical in the way that it makes fun of the naive conception that a person’s, or a couple’s, life can have a simple happy ending. In version A, John and Mary build a life based on their nice home, rewarding jobs, beloved children, enjoyable vacations, and post-retirement hobbies. They experience one success after another. No problems or difficulties—major let alone minor— are mentioned; as such, their life is completely unreal. Such unreality is emphasized by the events of version B. While John and Mary do not achieve this happy ending, John does achieve it—but with Madge. And in yet another version, Madge achieves this happy ending with Fred. Although all the individuals bring to their relationships a unique past and set of experiences, each couple eventually achieves the exact same ending described in version A. †¦ Margaret Atwood uses her short story Happy Endings to show that it is not the end of a story that is important it is the middle. She seems to say that the endings are all clichÃÆ' © that the middle is the part that is unique. This holds true with literature versus a beach novel although a beach novel and piece of literature may end the same way it is the rest of the book that  makes one different from the other. As she says the true ending is â€Å"John and Mary die† the only guarantee in life is death. So since the ending is already known why does it have the tendency to â€Å"steal† the spotlight from the rest of the story? Sure in some cases people can guess the middle of a story from the ending, if they find someone died in an electric chair they can assume he committed a crime. However if someone dies from heart failure no one can know anything about his life, they may guess the person ate too much junk food, or drank too much but if they don’t know any thing else they can’t guess the middle. However if someone knows the middle they can guess the ending, if they are told that person â€Å"A† had to have triple bypass surgery and that person â€Å"B† murdered a few people they can make an educated guess how each story ends. But even the middle of the story is only part of a greater whole, without the beginning of the story no one can tell why certain events happened and what lead to person â€Å"A† to doing â€Å"action z†. Atwood also says that what happens is not all-important but how it happens and why it happens. According to Atwood, all the whats are just the plot, one thing that happens after another, however the how and the whys are what really make a story more than a story. This is the important part, the hows and the whys are what makes a story literature with out them it makes no difference if the prose is expertly laid out or not it is all still a story nothing more. The step from story to literature is a gray line and is based on pe rsonal taste, as Justice Stewart said â€Å"I know it when I see it† although he was referring to obscenity it is just as applicable here. The use of story like this to portray the differences in opinion on what makes a story is pure genius on the part of Atwood, what is even more interesting is the fact that it is also considered literature. The main theme in most literature that divides it from the rest of the stories is that literature tries to make a specific point, and in doing so forces the reader to think about the point that the author is trying to make. In this way it is easy to decide what is literature and what is not, if at the end of a story if the reader’s only thought is â€Å"Gee, what a nice story† then it is most definitely not literature, but if instead if the thought is more along the lines of â€Å"The author said A, B and C but were they really trying to make a point about D?† it is literature. Although even this test has it’s holes because literature for one person is just a nice story for someone else. As Flannery  O’Connor said, â€Å"[if you don’t ge t the enlightenment] just sit back and enjoy the story.† What Does Happy Ending Mean â€Å"Happy Endings† is a short story by Margaret Atwood. It was first published in a 1983 Canadian collection, Murder in the Dark. It includes six stories in one, each ending with death. The author believes that this is the only sure ending to anything. The stories are all inter-related, containing the same characters and similar actions. Behind the obvious meaning of these seemingly pointless stories lies multiple deeper and more profound meanings; exploring, for example, themes of domesticity, welfare, and success. It all ends up with John and Mary dying at the end of the story. Characters John – He is one of the main characters of the short story. In A, he is in love with Mary and is happily married to her. In B, he doesn’t feel the same way Mary does for him as he only uses her for her body. He eventually takes a woman named Madge to a restaurant. In the end, he marries her. In C, he is a middle-aged man married to Madge but is in love with twenty-two year old Mary. One day he sees Mary with another man and shoots both of them before shooting himself. Mary – She is the main character of the short story. In A, she is happily married to John and had children with him. In B, Mary is in love with John but is saddened with the fact that he doesn’t love her. In C, she is a twenty-two-year old who is in love with James. She is shot by John. James – He is a twenty-two year old whom Mary has feelings for. He isn’t ready to settle down and prefers to ride his motorcycle. He wants to be free while he’s still young. One day, he an d Mary have sex. He is shot by John towards the end. He doesn’t appear anywhere else. Madge – In B, Madge is John’s love interest. She is taken to a restaurant and eventually, they get married. In C, she is John’s wife. In D, she meets a man named Fred. Fred – He is the man Madge meets. In her short story â€Å"Happy Endings†, Margaret Atwood simultaneously displays her feelings about not only the art of creative writing, but also the equally artistic act of living one’s life to the fullest. The story, if it  can really be called a â€Å"story† in the traditional sense of the word, immediately breaks the thin wall of author/audience by presenting a completely unique structure: that of an outline or a jumbled notebook. By asking the reader, â€Å"If you want a happy ending, try A,† Atwood is seemingly giving the reader a choice. Since A must be the happy ending, it implies that there are other, more sinister endings yet to be discovered. Appropriately, after the happy ending has completed, there follows five more endings, all of which seem to be quite depressing, but nevertheless end in â€Å"everything continues as in A.† Why would Atwood do this? In each of her scenarios, she creates two main characters, John and Mary appropriat ely boring names for characters that are so underdeveloped and stereotyped as to be almost comedic. It would be possible to call them each protagonists, but they are the very definition of flat characters: dull and undeveloped. In fact, the reader is informed of their personality traits not because Atwood shows them through a conflict or a plot rather, she simply tells them. Lines such as, â€Å"She sleeps with him even though she’s not in love with him,† present the type of stock character that Mary or John will assume for said scenario without any mystery involved. By creating such flat characters that differ between scenarios, but still coming back with â€Å"everything continues as in A,† Atwood brings up an interesting point: it’s not the destination that matters it’s all the same for everyone it’s the journey. In fact, after presenting all of her mock scenarios for the characters, Atwood abruptly changes tone to tell the reader an important fact: â€Å"The only authentic ending is the one presented here: John and Mary die. John and M ary die. John and Mary die.† After all, at the end of every person’s life, regardless of how they lived it or what they experienced, they will encounter death. This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers. Order a custom essay on Happy Endings by Margaret Atwood written by an expert online.    Atwood notices that people tend to not think quite like this, if only because it is not the most comforting of thoughts, and she uses â€Å"Happy Endings† to allow people a chance to be a bit introspective. â€Å"So much for endings. Beginnings are always more fun. True connoisseurs, however, are known to favor the stretch in between, since it’s the hardest to do anything with.† Such is true for writing; such is true for life. With her unconventional structure, caricatures for characters, and sometimes sarcastic tone, Atwood manages to convey one of the most important concepts about life of all. Do not let life become â€Å"a what and a what and a what.†Ã‚  Learn to favor the stretch between beginning and end, and then, perhaps, you can make your own happy ending. Sources Margaret Atwood Official   website Happy Endings Reviews Happy Endings Wiki

The Rise of Black British Culture from Black British Music Like Reggae

The Rise of Black British Culture from Black British Music like Reggae, Jazz, Ska to the Black British Education in Britain, seen in â€Å"Some Kind of Black† by Diran Adebayo The Black British culture is somewhat similar to that of the culture of blacks in America; however some things are more influential and seen differently in Britain than America. Black British Music is seen as very influential not only for Black British culture however for Britain music as a whole. The mixture of pop, ska, and punk had a huge impact on not only blacks in Britain however whites also.Another aspect of the Black British culture is the rise of the black culture in politics, labor, and education. Like America, blacks in the postwar Britain were discrimination against and were not welcomed with open arms; however Black British held onto their culture and earned their place in society. Black British music is very influential in Britain to most individuals in society. Through â€Å"Some Kind of Black† written by Diran Adebayo, the reader can see the influence of music in characters. Reggae, Hip Hop, and Jungle music are three types of Black British music that are very influential in Britain.Black British music contains music from performers like George Bridgetower to Billy Waters, who was more of a street performer. Black British music is developed by various influences; especially Caribbean influences, it also has been influenced by Black American styles of music like rap. Like most music, Black British music has many influences however it has its own distinctive identity and represents Black British as a whole. Reggae is one very influential type of Black British music. It was developed in Jamaica around the late 1960s and contains different styles of music like ska and rocksteady.Groups like ‘Black Roots’ were very influential in the eighties and nineties. Reggae contains various instruments from the drums and other percussions, to bass, guitars, keyb oards, horns, vocals, ect. Reggae is still very popular today all around the world. Hip Hop is also a very influential factor in the Black British culture, however it represented a new generation of blacks in Britain. This type of music was seen in â€Å"Some Kind of Black’ as moving on from the generation of new immigrants to actually being born in Britain. Hip Hop started in the 1970s and became very popular in the 1980s.Most of the hip hop music in Britain was created by men and was seen as very masculine and tough. This type of music definitely impacted the perception on blacks and developed various stereotypes for the Black British society. It portrayed the criminal, gangster blacks in society, which gave society a very harsh and negative outlook on men. Also a lot of this music was concentrated on sex, or drugs. During the post war Britain era, many women were seen as objects or sex symbols and a lot of this music contained this perception of women so it definitely inf luenced the view of women at the time.A lot of the rappers, or individuals who were involved with hip hop were always seen with a lot of women, so the individuals who saw them as idols, were impacted by this type of behavior, which didn’t help the view of women. With the influences of music, and blacks defining their own blackness identity throughout Britain, the Black British culture has made a lot of progress in society as a whole. Like America, Black British was portrayed as invisible, criminals, and also accompanied lower positions in the labor market.However, today Black British are occupying better paid jobs, political positions, and incorporation their own identity and culture within the British society. Black British has various aspects of their culture however music is one I find very interesting and very influential to the blacks in Britain. Today, a lot of the Black British music is seen in America, also during the past this type of music impacted individuals in Am erica, so not only is Black British culture influencing Britain, and Europe it also influences America and other countries around the world.

Free Essays on Stereotypes

From the articles I have read, they make it seem like the only good basketball players are black basketball player. But that’s not true because what about the basketball players from other countries like Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Toni Kukoc, and that is just to name a few. But you never hear about the stereo types of these people. You think it was easy for them. No, I don’t know too much about the other ones, but I know it wasn’t no cake walk for Yao Ming. I know he had to fight the whole country to get where he’s at but you never hear about these people or what about Larry Bird he came from a small country town, but you never here about there people. All you hear about is the negative image of black people and sports. But how can you have these stereo types to black people because of a few bad seeds? I think that’s wrong; for example, how in the book the last shot; the author say the basketball player fail to achieve humble scores on sat’s or that one of the player became homeless because he chose to play basketball or one man, tried to committee suicide because he could not play basketball any more. I think it’s wrong to exploit people like this. How do you know it wasn’t money problem or family problems? It’s very hard to get a good job no matter where you get your education from. Don’t get me wrong, yes some of what is written is true, and some isn’t true. Some black people use basketball as a way out of the ghetto, but the other half turns to basketball because that’s all they know. Those who use basketball to get out of the ghetto are the ones who make it; they see basketball as a light. Because being raised around crime all your life, you have to find some way to forget all the bad things that’s happening around you. It’s not all about having fun. Think about it basketball has it’s own way of bring black people together for one common goal to rout for his or her team when they could be on the corner... Free Essays on Stereotypes Free Essays on Stereotypes What are stereotypes? The working definition: A stereotype is a positive or negative set of beliefs held by an individual about the characteristics of a group of people. It varies in its accuracy, the extent to which it captures the degree to which the stereotyped group members possess these traits, and the extent to which the set of beliefs is shared by others. Stereotypes include or are formed by the suspicions, or expectancies we have about others, and these in turn shape what we perceive and influence our behavior toward a person. Jussim, McCauley and Lee (1995) propose that stereotypes may be conceived along two independent dimensions; accuracy (accurate vs. inaccurate) and valence (positive vs. negative). They suggest that negative stereotypes can be accurate (blacks are poorer than whites), positive stereotypes can be inaccurate (beautiful people are not better) and they can be accurate (people who make more money do tend to have higher IQs). Also, Jussim, McCauley, and Lee (1995) list the many problems stereotyping can cause in social perception and judgment : - Stereotypes are factually incorrect. - Stereotypes are illogical in origin. - Stereotypes are based on prejudice. - Those who hold stereotypes are irrationally resistant to new information. - Stereotypes exaggerate group differences. - Stereotypes are ethnocentric. - Stereotypes imply genetic origins of group differences. - Stereotypes underestimate out-group variability. - Stereotypes lead people to ignore individual differences. - Stereotypes lead to biased perceptions of individuals. - Stereotypes create self-fulfilling prophecies. Stereotypes as Individual or Consensus Beliefs – Ashmore and Del Boca (1981) describe three approaches to studying and understanding stereotypes: Cognitive approach – Stereotype simply viewed as a cognitive representation of social information about people and groups of people. Psych... Free Essays on Stereotypes Stereotypes Discrimination is seen in our minds as images that show a specific feature or trait about one group. These are prejudgments or stereotypes W.T. Lhamon Jr say that: "People simplify the intellectual images they maintain of specific ethnic groups, including their own, often in cruel or damaging ways. Poor white Southerners ("Crackers") are said to be slow, red-necked, and fat. Immigrant Italians ("Wops") are said to be short, oily, and hot-tempered. Upper-class whites ("WASPs") are said to be greedy, emotionally cold, and haughty. Negroes ("Niggers") are said to be stupid, promiscuous, and happy. These generalizations are not accurate, but they are spread widely - not only by word of mouth but also through images in television, movies, newspapers, music, comic books, talk shows, pseudo-scientific research, and even textbooks," (Lhamon Jr. 1) There are many reasons why individuals become prejudice. This could be how that individual was raised or something that they have seen or experienced during their lifetime. These stereotypes are based on what others tell us coming from families, teachers, friends, and the media. Prejudice is something that we experience in our everyday life through stereotypes. These stereotypes seem harmless but eventually lead to discrimination. Unfortunately, people feel stereotypes in the workplace, at school, and in our everyday society. These prejudices come about in many ways, one of which is through family life. The parents have their own beliefs and consequently the children eventually feel the same way because they do not know differently. In Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"Everything That Rises Must Converge,† you see how because Julian’s mother had grown up in a society that thought they were better then blacks and she thought that she was better then blacks (247). The parent’s influence is one of the largest components that lead to prejudice in our society. This infl... Free Essays on Stereotypes From the articles I have read, they make it seem like the only good basketball players are black basketball player. But that’s not true because what about the basketball players from other countries like Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Toni Kukoc, and that is just to name a few. But you never hear about the stereo types of these people. You think it was easy for them. No, I don’t know too much about the other ones, but I know it wasn’t no cake walk for Yao Ming. I know he had to fight the whole country to get where he’s at but you never hear about these people or what about Larry Bird he came from a small country town, but you never here about there people. All you hear about is the negative image of black people and sports. But how can you have these stereo types to black people because of a few bad seeds? I think that’s wrong; for example, how in the book the last shot; the author say the basketball player fail to achieve humble scores on sat’s or that one of the player became homeless because he chose to play basketball or one man, tried to committee suicide because he could not play basketball any more. I think it’s wrong to exploit people like this. How do you know it wasn’t money problem or family problems? It’s very hard to get a good job no matter where you get your education from. Don’t get me wrong, yes some of what is written is true, and some isn’t true. Some black people use basketball as a way out of the ghetto, but the other half turns to basketball because that’s all they know. Those who use basketball to get out of the ghetto are the ones who make it; they see basketball as a light. Because being raised around crime all your life, you have to find some way to forget all the bad things that’s happening around you. It’s not all about having fun. Think about it basketball has it’s own way of bring black people together for one common goal to rout for his or her team when they could be on the corner...