Gumamela Flowers as Alternative Perfume

â€Å"Gumamela Flowers as alternative perfume† Members: Jozelle Omania Mark Andrew G. Jupida Jimwel C. Ocharona Peter Paul A. De Vera Prince Acee T. Santos Book: you and the natural World Series Biology   html Date: 11/29/12 Statement of the problem: This study Gumamela flowers as an alternative perfume aims to have a fragrance which is safe, effective and environmental friendly. Based from: Biology book and internet Introduction Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, known colloquially as the Chinese hibiscus, China rose and shoe flower, is an evergreen flowering shrub native to East Asia. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant throughout the tropics and subtropics. The flowers are large, generally red in the original varieties, and firm, but generally lack any scent. Numerous varieties, cultivars, and hybrids are available, with flower colors ranging from white through yellow and orange to scarlet and shades of pink, with both single and double sets of petals. Despite their size and red hues attractive to nectar-feeding birds, they are not visited regularly by hummingbirds when grown in the Neotropics. Generalists, like the Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Amazilia lactea, or long-billed species, like the Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Heliomaster squamosus, are occasionally seen to visit it, however. In the subtropical and temperate Americas, hummingbirds are attracted to them on a regular basis. Meaning Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is one of many plant genera with a genetic characteristic known aspolyploidy, in which there are more than two complete sets of chromosomes, unlike most other species including human. Polyploidy is a condition where the phenotype of the offspring may be quite different from the parent, or indeed any ancestor, essentially allowing possibly random expression of all (or any) of the characteristics of all the generations that have gone before. Because of this characteristic, H. osa-sinensis has become popular with hobbyists who cross and recross varieties, creating new named varieties and holding competitions to exhibit and judge the many resulting new seedlings and often strikingly unique flowers. To add to the genetic opportunities, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has been successfully hybridized with the cold-hardy Hibiscus moscheutos and several other North American Hibiscus species, producing cold-hardy hybrids (see cold-hardy Hibiscus cultivars). Making perfume from G umamela is a popular science project for children due to reasonably easy process that is involved. Before you begin making Gumamela perfume you will need to make sure that you have the correct ingredients and equipment. You will need:†¢ One cup of gumamela flowers (a type of hibiscus)†¢ Five by five inch of muslin pouch†¢ A rubber band†¢ Half an ounce of gumamela essential oils†¢ Two quart glass bowl†¢ A potato masher†¢ One cup of distilled water†¢ One quarter of a cup of ethyl alcohol and a 20 oz spray bottle. If this experiment is being carried out for a child's investigatory project, make sure that they are supervised by an adult at all time.Once all of the ingredients and equipment has been collected, the following steps can then be carried out.†¢ Fill the muslin pouch with the cup of gumamela flowers. Secure the pouch with the rubber band and place it in the glass bowl. You can then add the cip of distilled water to the bowl and microwave the bowl for around four minutes.†¢ Remove the bowl from the microwave and mash the musli n pouch with a potato masher within the bowl. This will express the essential oils that are contained within the pouch of flowers.This should be continued until the water has gained a reddish pink hue. The pouch can then be discarded and the liquid poured into the spray bottle. †¢ Add the ethyl alcohol and gumamela essential oils to the spray bottle. The oils help to enhance the aroma of the perfume and also help it stick to the skin. The ethyl alcohol can be replaced with water for those with sensitive skin but this will create more of a body spray. The lid can then be placed on the spray bottle and the whole think shaken vigorously for a few minutes to blend everything together.

MeasuringOrganizationInnovativeness

Measuring innovation is an important issue, as business growth and profitability in the knowledge age depend on innovation. Continual acceleration in innovation will sustain revenue growth, which will then fuel more innovation. Therefore, sustainable growth requires sustainable innovation, which requires that innovation be institutionalized and its output made predictable. Sound policy analysis and decision-making also requires credible, timely and relevant measurements as well. Measuring innovation has been studied extensively by scholars and practitioners.There is even an merging â€Å"innovation economics† susceptible that explores the complex relationship between investments in innovation and financial outcomes. At the practitioner end, leading consultancies-?Boston Consulting Group, McKinney & Company, and Bozo Allen Hamilton, to name just a few-?examine innovation and ways to nurture it within firms and other organizations. 3 Purpose of the study This study aims to provi de an overview on how to measure/ assess innovation capability of an organization.The main objective is to enrich our understanding of the innovation process; with an intention to come up with n integrated, convenient, effective, and accurate measure for innovativeness in Egyptian CIT organizations. Our approach for the intended measure would be to focus on a few high impact dimensions, rather than attempting a shotgun approach along many dimensions at once, with significant implications for innovation portfolio strategy. 4 Why the need for Innovation measures (rational)?Assist companies in understanding their current innovation practices/ capabilities, and clarifies where the organization needs to focus to maximize innovation success. Assist TIES to tailor programs to address areas of weakness in order to enhance innovation process capabilities for Egyptian CIT organization as well as advocate policy makers with polices that promote the innovation. Identifies areas of strength to c apitalize on, and identifies opportunities for increasing innovation. Assist TIES to identify and control the barriers that stifle creativity and innovation.Developing Firm-level Innovativeness Index for the sector companies. Benchmarking Egyptian organization with international top innovative companies. Spreading the awareness of the importance of innovation concept and fostering the innovation culture in the organization Methodology 1. Literature review on Innovation process models and measurement frameworks Diamond model Innovation Funnel Innovation Value Chain – VIC ( Hansen and Bikini's Innovation Value Chain, 2007) OSLO Manual Innovation measurement Framework 2. Literature review for some innovation metrics/ innovation audit white papers/ working papers and grey literature. . Investigating some top firm-level innovation indexes, and their corresponding methodologies as well as reviewing different innovation audit/ management tools, studying different innovation dimensio ns of focus, and analysis techniques such as: I-Innocent Ion-Biz assessment Improve -Europe Minivan Innovation for Growth 4. Review Of some white papers in innovation in developing countries. 6 Innovation definition According to the definition adopted by TIES, Innovation is ‘the introduction of a new product, service, or process through a certain business model into the marketplace, either by utilization or by centralization†.Hence, it encompasses: product innovation, service innovation, Process innovation, and business model innovation, and all contribute to strengthen the competitive advantage of a certain company. This definition respects the fact that innovation is a complex and multidimensional activity that cannot be measured directly or with a single indicator, and hence the need to have a composite measure that reflected the organization innovative capability for the purpose of benchmarking, diagnoses, and supporting building up innovation culture and practices i n Egyptian CIT firms. Innovation Activities definition Innovation activities are all scientific, technological, organizational, financial and commercial Steps which actually, or are intended to, lead to the implementation of innovations. Some innovation activities are themselves innovative, others are not novel activities but are necessary for the implementation of innovations. Innovation activities also include R&D that is not directly related to the development of a specific in innovation (Oslo Manual Ever. 3) . Attributes of Innovation Before discussing innovation measurements, it would be of value to learn about the innovation attributes. Innovation has a number of attributes discussed in the literature (Stone et al. , 2008). The key attributes are summarized below: Attribute 1 . Innovation involves the combination of inputs in the creation of outputs. Something novel is created during innovation. Certain crucial inputs must be available for innovation to occur, and the exact na ture of those inputs differs depending on the desired outputs and outcomes.

Earnings per share FASB project on convergence with the IFRS Essay

Earnings per share FASB project on convergence with the IFRS - Essay Example The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) avers to serve "the investing public through transparent information resulting from high-quality financial reporting standards" (FASB, Home Page)The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the FASB acknowledge that the convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the U.S. Generally, Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is the primary objective of both boards. The FASB has taken up several 'projects' to address issues where differences have been found in reporting standards and have successfully concluded many; some are under current scrutiny. One of the current issues is the reporting of 'Earnings per Share' or EPS as it is popularly known.Different tools are available for making financial analysis of stocks and range from the very simple and elegant to the very complex and difficult to understand. The financial performance of the company, and therefore, its future prospects and stock performance, i s better understood through the calculation of some important ratios that assist us in a detailed appraisal. The EPS method looks at the financial performance of the company; focusing on the earnings recorded per ordinary share in a particular accounting period. This number provides a clear picture of the actual profitability of the company and is used to calculate the Price to Earnings (PE) ratio which represents the ratio of the market price of the share compared with EPS. Since the share price changes almost continually this latter ratio also keeps changing and needs to be calculated on real time basis at the time of making investment related decisions. This is the most important ratio used by the market generally to assess the relative rating of a share and the company's prospects and, of course, is the easiest to understand. It identifies the number of years' earnings needed to cover the current market price of the share. This paper presents the results of a detailed study of this project and its immediate and long term implications for the accounting fraternity as well as the users of accounting statements, viz. the management, shareholders and other stakeholders of the company as well as auditors, potential suitors (for takeover bids) and public. The Standards IAS are a set of financial reporting policies that typically require increased disclosure and restrict management's choices of measurement methods relative to the accounting standards of the local GAAP standards (Ashbaugh & Pincus, 2001). With regard to the Earnings per Share the FASB issued a statement (Statement No. 128: Earnings per Share) and the IASB its statement IAS-33. Both boards have been working together to resolve the differences in order to bring convergence in the two statements and plan to make their final recommendations open for public comment in the first quarter of 2008. This draft will be open comment for 120 days and will then be adopted, with modifications, if required through public opinion. This draft will represent the third such 'exposure draft' on the subject, the earlier ones required many changes based on public comment and had to be revised. The earlier drafts were based on the comments on the statement 128 in 2003 and the first exposure draft in 2005. The description of EPS i.e. The basic earnings divided by the average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period (IAS33-R.10) leads us to the immediate issues involved: a) How are the basic earnings to be calculated, and b) what is the number of shares the earnings must be divided by to arrive at the EPS. We examine how these are considered under the IFRS and GAAP to arrive at the differences between the current practices under the two regulations. Basic Earnings The concept is to arrive at the profit of the company that is attributable to the ordinary shareholders of the company and therefore the basic earnings must be calculated as net profit (or loss) less preference dividends

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Ethics - Essay Example This may be problematic for the healthcare personnel to diagnose the actual disease a patient will be suffering from, and it may be difficult to apply proper medication to the patient. This is dangerous since it can be harmful to the patient in the long run. However, there are certain instances where breach of confidentiality can be viewed in a positive light. If a patient, particularly an adolescent, is diagnosed with a disease that can be harmful to him or her, then there is a need for breach of confidentiality if it is necessary for the parents to know the case. If the disease is also a threat to the community at large, then it may be imperative for the healthcare practitioner to breach confidentiality. In this particular case, Hathaway believes that harm will come to Andrea who has been diagnosed with cervical cancer unless the parents are informed of the diagnosis of the disease. The problem is that the patient is minor, hence she may not follow proper channels of having the dis ease cured unless her parents are informed. It is also difficult in different healthcare systems in the US for a minor to be treated with such disease without parental consent. Therefore, for the benefit of the minor in this case, it will be ideal to breach confidentiality. 2. ... The case of cervical cancer can pose a threat to public health if it is not controlled. Therefore, measures should be taken in order to ensure that public health is not negatively affected, hence the reason to breach the principle of confidentiality. The virtue theory, on the other hand, talks about what a good person will do in certain circumstances in life (1). In this case, a good person will take measures that are meant to protect the patient as well as the community at large. Any action that is beneficial to the community and the patient is appropriate though it may entail that confidentiality will be breached. These two ethical theories give the healthcare practitioner a leeway to make positive decisions though they may be in breach of confidentiality. 3. In order to address the dilemma presented in this particular case study, there are different stages that can be taken. First and foremost, it is imperative to diagnose the situation and identify all the problems associated wit h the scenario. It is important to gather as much information as possible about this particular problem so as to be in a better position to gain an insight into it. Having identified the problem, it becomes important to try to come up with as many solutions as possible to the problem identified. Once the probable solutions have been identified, the healthcare professional involved can then take the opportunity to select the best possible solutions that are likely to yield the best results from taking that particular course of action. When the best solution has been found, then it can be implemented in order to address the situation. However, implementing the decision is not an end in itself but part of an ongoing process. For instance, it will be important to

What were the violent techniques that (dictator of choice) used to Essay

What were the violent techniques that (dictator of choice) used to consolidate his power To what extent was he successful - Essay Example Finally, it is vital to identify the impact Fidel Castro dictatorship had on the people of Cuba. Fidel Castro a military general came into power 1959 after staging a coup de tat to over throw the then president of Cuba Fulgencio Batista (Thomas 16). Since then, Fidel Castro ruled Cuba for almost 50 years until he handed power to his brother in 2006. The fact that Fidel Castro held on to power for close to 50 years is evidence enough that he was a dictator (Thomas 19). One characteristic of a dictator is that he or she refuses to give up power for others to rule despite the fact that the county, which they rule is not a monarch system. Monarchies are the only form of government that rulers are allowed to rule for such a long time since power is mostly passed on to others only after death. Even after death power is left upon heirs or close members of the family. Evidence that Fidel Castro’s rule was dictatorship is the fact that his leadership was based on autocracy. This is a characteristic of dictator ship where rulers declare themselves sole rulers of a nation without any formal body to check on their power. This means that they can make decisions that affect the nation as they wish without consulting anybody especially the legislature. Another characteristic of dictators is that they have totalitarian governments. This is where they have firm control of the media controlling on what they broad cast. For example, Fidel Castro controlled the media to make sure that nothing negative about him was announced. The use of secret police and military units to spy on citizen is another form of a totalitarian government which is used by all dictators (Thomas 58). For example, Fidel Castro’s rule was characterized by such units to the point that people were even scared to discuss negative aspects of his government due to the fear of b eing arrested by these secret police and military

Demonstrations in Middle East Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Demonstrations in Middle East - Research Paper Example This demonstrations, all summed up, are referred to as the Arab Spring (Lindsey, 2013). The demonstrations have shared some methods of civil resistance in nonstop campaigns involving protests, strikes, rallies and marches, as well as the efficient use of the social media so as to organize, raise awareness and effectively communicate in the face of government efforts at internet censorship and repression (Haddad, Bsheer & Abu-Rish, 2012). A majority of the Arab Spring protests have been met with brutal responses from law enforcement, as well as from counter-demonstrators and pro-government militias. These attacks have been responded to with violence from protestors in a number of cases. A key slogan of the protestors in the Middle East has been â€Å"the people want to overthrow the regime† (Lindsey, 2013). Some critics have drawn links between the Arab Spring and the Revolutions of 1989, which swept through the Second World and Eastern Europe, in terms of their significance an d scale (Lindsey, 2013). The Arab Spring caused a series of ground-breaking movements, which are exceptional in that they used social media as a useful means to spread information and enhance rebellious agendas. This discovery needs consideration in all future literatures of revolution, as well as the notions of narrative, ideology, momentum and unifying causes (Lindsey, 2013). The Arab Spring is the first joint movement of its sort in the Middle East following the social media and internet revolutions of the late 20th and the early 21st centuries, and techniques, tactics and procedures used by resistance movements during the Arab Spring might also affect future movements (Hearns, 2012). This paper will discuss the demonstrations in the Middle East and specifically focus on how the social media helped spawn these demonstrations. The paper will also discuss how the influential use of social media to help foster the Arab Spring will also affect future revolutionary movements. Followin g the latest events taking place in Syria, Iraq, Iran and other Middle East states, a significant amount of awareness has been centered on the notion of collective activism and democracy, which goes on to untangle before Western eyes across mass media (Lindsey, 2013). Also, significant has been the position of the social media, as well as digital technologies, in permitting people in areas distressed by the demonstrations, as a way for joint activism, to evade channels of state-run media. Nine out of 10 Syrians and Iraqis responded to a survey that they used Facebook or Twitter to spread awareness and organize protests. In addition, 28% of Syrians and 29% of Iraqis from the same study said that blocking Facebook significantly disrupted and/or hindered communication (Lindsey, 2013). The power of social media on political revolution during the Middle East demonstrations has received considerable debated (Haddad, Bsheer & Abu-Rish, 2012). Some researchers have debated that digital tech nologies, as well as other methods of communication such as cellular phones, videos, blogs, text messages and photos, have led to the theory of a 'digital democracy' in parts of the Middle East affected by the mass demonstrations (Haddad, Bsheer & Abu-Rish, 2012). Others have argued that so as to comprehend the role of social media during these demonstrations, it should be first be comprehended that in the context of high

Celebrities as Role Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Celebrities as Role Models - Essay Example Additionally, many Americans still know these names and the accomplishments attached to them. But, in recent decades, the most respected and famous names are individuals who have had virtually no positive impact upon society. These people are celebrities. They are people such as Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Ray Lewis. Unfortunately, individuals in society often seek to imitate those people who society values. American society values the celebrity, so many people choose to imitate the actions of celebrities. While it is safe to assume that most adults can make moral judgments about a celebrity’s actions and then choose to condone or condemn the behavior, most children lack the intellectual development needed to make these types of judgments. As such, children are prone to imitating the negative actions of the celebrity role models society presents, and this imitation has lasting effects on the child’s development. One area of a child’s development that celebr ity role models affect is moral development. Originally, American society promoted figures whose behavior and accomplishments were morally upright. Every child learned the example of Abraham Lincoln, who could not tell a lie. Schools and other socializing institutions used these figures to teach children the morals that they should adopt and imitate. Currently, American society promotes celebrities whose morals are questionable, at best, and reprehensible, at worst. As Paul Hollander states regarding how American society chooses celebrities in â€Å"Why the Celebrity Cult?,† â€Å"Moral qualifications in particular are unimportant and irrelevant—it is being well known that matters not moral character.† This statement does not mean that all celebrities are immoral, as many do promote moral values and causes, but children are exposed to many negative influences in the celebrities society pushes at them. Take an example of a celebrity who Disney touted as a model f or children, Miley Cyrus. In her show, Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel, Miley Cyrus portrayed a character that embodied moral values that were positive. However, this role did not give her the level of celebrity that she currently enjoys. That resulted from videos of her smoking a drug from a bong, taking controversial sexualized photographs for a magazine, and performing sexualized dance routines while still under the age of eighteen. The message to children in this case is clear. One does not become famous for performing as a positive role model but by performing controversial acts in which children should not engage, acts such as drug use and the sexualization of children. Another area of the child’s development that celebrity affects is intellectual development. Instead of promoting figures known for their intellectual accomplishments, American society ignores these influential people in preference to celebrities. Early American hero Benjamin Franklin was a positive role model who had great success as an inventor and scientist, uncovering many scientific concepts and applying them in a range of devices. Writers who achieved fame early in American history were known for the excellence of their intellect. Mark Twain skewered society with a rapier wit. To be famous, a child would want to imitate the intellectual accomplishments of these figures. Now, the celebrities that children seek to imitate â€Å"aren’t particularly well-educated and informed. They’

Research Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt Paper

Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt - Research Paper Example His New Deal program significantly enlarged the function and responsibilities of the U.S. federal government. This paper analyzes and discusses the life and legacy of Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt as U.S. presidents. The discussion focuses on their response to the bigger national and global issues during their presidency. Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, considered himself the defender of the masses and the mouthpiece of the people. He declared, â€Å"No one but the President seems to be expected†¦ to look out for the general interests of the country† (Cook 98). He was a liberal reformist and took on global leadership in creating a new global order. He announced in 1917 that the involvement of the United States in the First World War is a campaign to build a world that is ‘friendly’ to democratic ideologies. Wilson had witnessed the horror and atrociousness of warfare. He was born in 1856 in Virginia to a Presbyterian pastor of the Civil War. After finishing his studies at Princeton and the University of Virginia Law School, he obtained his university degree at John Hopkins University and embarked on an academic profession (Freidel 61). Wilson progressed quickly as a traditionalist, conformist young university lecturer of political science and was elected in 1902 as head of Princeton. His flourishing national popularity encouraged a number of conservative Democrats to view him as a good candidate for presidency. At first they convinced him to run for the position of New Jersey’s Governor in 1910 (Gaines 48). During the campaign he declared his autonomy from the conservatives and from the system that had recommended him, promoting a liberal program, which he carried out as governor. In 1912, during the Democratic Convention, Wilson was nominated for presidency and promoted the project New Freedom, which emphasized individuality and the rights of states. In the tripartite

Marginalization and humiliations Essay Example for Free

Marginalization and humiliations Essay When a group of [people are marginalied, they come together to agitate for their rights. If they are not recognized they turn to violent means to pass their message and also aim at punishing their oppressors. This is exactly the situation in Palestine where suicide bombings has almost become the order of the day as Palestinians advance their cause for the sake of their freedom. In his article titled Understanding Palestinian Terror, Dr. Eyad Sarraj (2002) explains why Palestinians have become suicide bombers. He calls this an uprising against numerous injustices that have been committed against his community. He takes us through a history of injustices starting from the occupation of their territory by Israel. Eyad believes it is out of absolute despair with the authorities that the Palestinians have turned to the violence as a means of getting what they believe is rightfully theirs. He points out that the Palestinians have over and over tried all the means even making resolutions which have not been honored. (Barlow, H 2007) One such resolution is the so called Resolution 194 where Israel was supposed to allow them back to their homeland, but this did not happen. As a result the Palestinians have been refugees on the land which they strongly believe belongs to them. (Saaraj, E 2002) The Palestinians believe they are fighting a noble cause, getting what belongs to them and also as a form of protest for the atrocities that have been meted on them, it is purely a freedom struggle. Their humiliation and marginalization has been motivation for their agitation for freedom. This type of oppression explains their anger against their perpetrators of this torture. They are very bitter that their land was taken and given to foreigners making them stateless. He rhetorically asks whether anyone knows what it feels and means to be under the Israel occupation. It is a very humiliating experience where one ceases to be a human being. One is given a number and every now and then he or she is subjected to a very dehumanizing search by the Israel forces. Belonging to any political organization calls for a sentence that is so harsh. Palestinians are enslaved in their own country making them yearn for revenge. Most of them are in a desperate situation and are willing to go to any length to revenge and also cause suffering to their oppressers. When Hezbollah and Hams groups come calling for the recruits the have people who are already willing o take the chance to fulfilling their passion. . (Saaraj, E 2002) According to Dr. Eyad Sarraj, the key motivator for the Palestinians to suicide bombing is the urge to be free and also see their oppressors suffer as they have subjected them to the years of misery. They have suffered for long under Israel occupation where no one has been spared. Their enslavement has bred so much hatred towards their enemy whom they believe deserves death and destruction. Children has seen it all as their fathers are publicly humiliated by the Israel forces, this only adds more anger to the minds of the young people who are the easy recruits to the movements and carry out most of the suicide bombings. (Saaraj, E 2002) ` Signing of the treaty by Arafat in Washington as Eyad puts it was meant to bring hope in this land, something that did not happen. He points out that all these humiliation and torture has turned Palestinians to apply the most unimagined ways to fight for their right. He adds that these people are not suffering from any psychological disorders which can make them suicidal but rather draw their inspirations from their strong will to be free and enjoy their freedom like anybody else. Through this they are able to avenge the occupation, loss of freedom and oppression. They have gone through all this misery in their whole lives and they can not take it any more. They have lost hope that any peaceful and meaningful settlement will be reached any sooner and the quickly they drive their enemies to the wall the better. They are determined to pay any prize to see to it that those who have killed their families, tortured their people are destroyed and brought to the justice by their own definition. . (Saaraj, E 2002) Nationalism and loyalty Pape believes that ninety five percent of all the suicide attacks that have been carried out in the world are not religiously motivated rather there are other reason behind them. Most of the attacks are to force the modern democracies, United States included to withdraw their forces from the territories they occupy. . (Pape, R 2005), One of these territories is the Arab world where the united states have occupied Iraq; this has led to Al Qaeda to lead a series of attacks to force them to withdraw. Pape points out that this organization central mission is to draw all the western forces from the region they claim to be Islam dominated. He argues that the attacks which were carried out in Madrid and London were not driven by the Islamic fundamentalist hate on Western countries. Though the type of literature coming from the radical Islamist group may suggest that the attacks were religiously motivated Pape tends to disagree quoting the research he has carried out on several suicide bombing over a long period of time. . (Pape, R 2005), Robert Pape has some evidence, he quoting a report released by the British Home Office . In this study, which was carried out in 2004; attitudes of the Muslim were the main area covered. It was found out that there were about two million Muslim in Britain. It was found out that about thirteen per cent of these Muslims inn Britain strongly believed that suicide bombings targeting the western powers and in particular Britain were justified. They are strongly against the presence of British forces in Middle East and the policies propagated by the western powers towards this region are not warranted. Pape observes that military policies against the Arab world are the main triggers of the hate many have against the western countries. . (Pape, R 2005), A Tamil tiger is another example that Pape has used to show that suicide bombers derive their motivation in the quest for freedom. It pure nationalist ideas that have lead these people to believe in their cause and will to go to any point to make sure they force the occupying forces out of the territory which they believe is their own. The Tamil Tiger rebel group has for along time been fighting for their freedom. They want an establishment of state which is separate from Srilanka. They have fought this war delligently; they may not have the mighty weapon which their enemies have at disposal but they believe their biggest asset is the devotion of their fighters to sacrifice their all for their freedom. ( Pape, R 2005),

Outcome of Revolt Essay Example for Free

Outcome of Revolt Essay Mahatma Gandhi had played the most important role in the freedom struggle ofIndia through his basic principle of truth, non violence and Satyagraha. He entered in the political scenario in 1916 after returning from a successful struggle against discrimination faced by black people in South Africa. In India through chain of movement for peasants and labourers in Champaren, Ahemdabad and Kheda he entered the Indian scene. Then he reached the zenith of political scenario with his Non-Cooperation movement in support of Khilafat movement and against Jallianwala Bagh massacre by Dyer of people who were gathered for meeting against the Rowllat act. His next big movement was Civil Obedience and in 1942 he planned the Quit Indiamovement, the movement led by common mass. After that final blow British freedIndia on 15 Aug 1947.Though people think that Mahatma Gandhi played normal role in freedom struggle of India but what Mahatma Gandhi did it was not possible by anybody. He was the first leader who under stand the role of masses and took steps to join it with the national movement. Before him nobody understands this fact that by merely movements by educated people or by violent activities British could not be uprooted. He was the man who awakened the real power the common man and with weapon of non-violence, truth and Satyagraha they together demoralized British government and forced her to leave.Another role he played as reformer he tried to uplift the status of untouchables, tried to unite Hindus and Muslims and give proper respect to women and their power.Mahatma Gandhi had played the most important role in the freedom struggle of India through his basic principle of truth, non violence and Satyagraha. He entered in the political scenario in 1916 after returning from a successful struggle against discrimination faced by black people in South Africa. In India through chain of movement for peasants and labourers in Champaren, Ahemdabad and Kheda he entered the Indian scene. Then he reached the zenith of political scenario with his Non-Cooperation movement in s upport of Khilafat movement and against Jallianwala Bagh massacre by Dyer of people who were gathered for meeting against the Rowllat act. His next big movement was Civil Obedience and in 1942 he planned the Quit India movement, the movement led by common mass. After that final blow British freed India on 15 Aug 1947. Though people think that Mahatma Gandhi played normal role in freedom struggle of India but what Mahatma Gandhi did it was not possible by anybody. He was the first leader who under stand the role of masses and took steps to join it with the national movement. Before him nobody understands this fact that by merely movements by educated people or by violent activities British could not be uprooted. He was the man who awakened the real power the common man and with weapon of non-violence, truth and Satyagraha they together demoralized British government and forced her to leave. Another role he played as reformer he tried to uplift the status of untouchables, tried to unite Hindus and Muslims and give proper respect to women and their power. He was the maker of Modern India. After the freedom struggle got even more intense and passionate. Entire India was united together in the movement for freedom. Everyone contributed what they could in the freedom struggle. The cry of Purna Swaraj or complete independence was raised. After much sacrifices and efforts, India gained its independence on the 15th August, 1947.Comparision:- South African former President Mr. Nelson Mandela’s First inspiration was Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation in India. The life and works of two leaders is almost similar and they are icon of these two nations. The inside stories of their greatness give them an iconic status in all over the world.Mahatma Gandhi fought to establish the truth in a non-violence manner Mr. Nelson Mandela spent more the 27 year in Jail to establish the power of democracy in South Africa. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1993 for his contribution in the peace process in South Africa. The names Mandela and Gandhi are often seen together because of their similar leadership style.They both achieved independence for their countries through non-violent means. Mandela used non-violent strategies to achieve his political aims, similar to Gandhi.Mandela shared Gandhi’s vision of common humanity transcending racial and cultural to have derived strategies of non-constitutional protest.Mandela displayed such amazing leadership when he was co-awarded India’s Gandhi Peace Prize Both Gandhi and Mandela spent time in the same prison in Johannesburg, Fort prison.They had a broad commitment to non-constitutional action in the name of higher justice. The one was a man who fought against oppression with patience, self sacrifice, and good will for his enemies. The other was a man who fought against oppression with, violence, propaganda, and enmity cloaked in love towards his enemies. Both achieved there desired ends. The one went to his grave holding to his proclaimed ideals the other has tried to hide his true ideals as far as possible but time has revealed his true goals. ome people call Nelson Mandela, the greatest living Gandhian! Their basic thinking is that Mandela is a follower of Gandhi – thus establishing the superiority of Gandhi. But is it really so? Let’s analyse a little deeper.There are many parallels between the freedom struggle in India and the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. India was occupied by the British, and South Africa was being ruled by the people from another community of European descent – the Afrikaner. The struggle for freedom in India was led by the Indian National Congress (INC), and the struggle against apartheid in South Africa was spearheaded by the African National Congress (ANC). In both the countries, the ruling powers used very similar tactics to rule over the native people – the main s trategy being ‘Divide and Rule’: In India the British activated the Muslims to counter the INC, and in South Africa the White regime financed and armed the Zulus to kill ANC activists. The Muslim League (ML) was effectively led by a person, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who for a long time was also a member of the INC. The Zulu political outfit, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), was led by, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who was also at one time a member of ANC. The INC stood for all Indians irrespective of their religion, caste or creed. So did the ANC. Reacting to the ML projecting a separate political identity for the Muslims of India, a smaller third native force, RSS, with Hindu nationalist agenda appeared in India. In South Africa also a third political party, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) emerged declaring that Blacks are the real Africans – again with not much popular support. In both the countries, the main native oppositional parties demanded separate homelands for their ethnic groups, in case of freedom from the imperialist powers. While the ML demanded Pakistan for the Muslims of India in the North-Western part of the country, the IFP demanded for an autonomous a nd sovereign Zulu king, (King Goodwill Zwelethini kaBhekuzulu), as head of state – in effect Zulu Land in the KwaZulu territory. In its struggle, the INC was led by Mahatma Gandhi, whom the country called Bapu, later the Father of the Nation. In South Africa, the ANC was led by Nelson Mandela, known as Madiba, a fatherly figure for all South Africans. Enormous parallels in both the countries! However, the difference is that while Gandhi could not stop the bifurcation of the country, Mandela did. As Jinnah gave a call for Direct Action Day in 1946 and the Hindu-Muslim riots broke out, Chief Buthelezi called on his followers to attack and kill ANC workers and other Blacks. In fact, riding on the back of the Zulu Land Movement, there was also the demand for Volkstaat, or rather Boerestaat, floated by the extremist White supremacist outfit called Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) meaning Afrikaner Resistance Movement, led by Eugà ¨ne Ney Terre’Blanche. The demands for Zulu Land and Volkstaat reinforced each other. Like the people of India, the natives of South Africa went through a period of extensive bloodshed – the armed followers of Chief Buthelezi attacked Black townships and a lot of innocent Black people lost their lives! Nelson Mandela, the embodiment of South Africa, took all the pain on his chest, but did not surrender to the separatist agenda of the IFP! Though some concessions were made and very watered down demands of the IFP were accepted, a separate ‘Zulu Land’ did not materialise, nor did Volkstaat! South Africa was saved from getting divided into pieces. Along with the independence of India came the Partition. However, South Africa came out of apartheid as a wholesome nation. In short, where Gandhi failed, Mandela succeeded! The question is what exactly made this difference. The answer may lie in the strategies the two leaders adopted in their political struggle. The main difference has been in their attitude towards non-violence. Unlike Gandhi, Mandela did approve of the use of violence against what he considered a stronger and brutal enemy. In the wake of the Sharpeville massacre on 21 March 1960, South Africa’s equivalent of India’s Jalianwala Bagh massacre, wherein 69 PAC protesters were killed and 180 injured in the police firing, the ANC, also banned along with the PAC after the incident, concluded that the Gandhian methods of non-violence were not suitable against the apartheid system. It was decided that violent tactics had to be used, which primarily involved targeting and sabotaging the government’s resources, though, of course, with an initial wish to minimise the bloodshed of civilians.In 1961, the ANC formed a military wing called Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), meaning â€Å"Spear of the Nation†, with Mandela as its first leader. Mandela coordinated a sabotage campaign against military and government targets, and made plans for a possible guerrilla war if sabotage failed to en d apartheid. The MK launched guerrilla attacks against government installations on 16 December 1961. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and, along with many other ANC and MK leaders, was convicted of sabotage at the Rivonia Trial in 1964. At the trial, Mandela admitted to the acts of sabotage. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island. The ANC/MK carried out numerous bombings of military, industrial, civilian and infrastructural sites in the 1970s and 1980s as well. The tactics were initially geared solely towards sabotage, but eventually expanded to include urban guerrilla warfare, which included human targets. One such attack was the Church Street bombing on 20 May 1983, killing 19 people. The ANC even used necklacing (where a tyre would be put around one’s neck, gasoline poured on it and set alight) to assassinate collaborators, such as black policemen and informers. In these attacks, scores of people were killed and hundreds injured. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission found several instances of torture and executions at ANC detention camps, particularly in the period of 1979-1989. The ANC was declared a terrorist organization, not just by the South African government, but by most of the Western countries including the US and UK. Even Archbishop Desmond Tutu criticized the ANC for its willingness to resort to violence, arguing that non-violent resistance, such as civil disobedience, was more productive. But the use of violent tactics in 1961 was no aberration for Mandela. His belief that the non-violent means of Gandhi could achieve nothing is crystal clear from the speech Mandela gave on 11 February 1990 after his release from Victor Verster Prison in Paarl, in which he said: â€Å"Our resort to the armed struggle in 1960 with the formation of the military wing of the ANC (Umkhonto we Sizwe) was a purely defensive action against the violence of apartheid. The factors which necessitated the armed struggle still exist today. We have no option but to continue. We express the hope that a climate conducive to a negotiated settlement would be created soon, so that there may no longer be the need for the armed struggle.† So, there was no question that Mandela would agree with those who criticised the use of violence by the ANC activists, wherein even civilians were killed. Though he declared his commitment to peace and reconciliation with the country’s white minority, through the above-mentioned speech Mandela put his stamp of approval on the ANC’s three decade long armed struggle and also made it clear that it wasn’t over yet. The MK suspended its operations only on 01 August 1990 in preparation for the dismantling of apartheid. The total number of people killed or injured in the 30 years of the MK’s campaigns is not known exactly, but the ANC leadership saw the MK as the armed component of a strategy of â €Å"people’s war†. Mandela explains the move to embark on an armed struggle as a last resort, when increasing repression and violence from the state convinced him that many years of non-violent protest against apartheid had achieved nothing and could not succeed. So, if Mandela believed that non-violent methods could not succeed in South Africa, how did they succeed in India? Or did they really? The INC passed Poorna Swarajya (Complete Independence) resolution at its Lahore conference in December 1929, and it authorized the Working Committee to launch a civil disobedience movement throughout the country. It was also decided to observe 26 January 1930 as the Poorna Swarajya Diwas. However, despite the intermittent civil disobedience movements launched by Gandhi, nothing happened for more than a decade. In fact, the INC participated in the British controlled elections in February 1937 and took over the administration in various provinces, obviously implying that British rule would continue. Actually, the INC never believed that it had the strength or a strategy to achieve Poorna Swarajya. Immediately after observing Poorna Swarajya Diwas, Gandhi undertook Dandi March from 12 March to 06 April 1930 in protest against the Government tax on salt. Why was there a diversion towards a much smaller issue? Because Gandhi and his followers knew that through their civil disobedience movements they could only get some laws repealed, but not complete independence. Again, the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931, the acceptance of the Government of India Act 1935 in the main, and then the participation in the 1937 elections only show that Poorna Swarajya was just a dream rather than a political goal for the INC. The INC demanded complete freedom from the British Raj in earnest only with the launch of the Quit India Movement in August 1942, after the failed talks with the Cripps Mission in March 1942 who offered a limited dominion status for India in exchange for total cooperation from the INC during the war with Nazi Germany. However, as regards the Quit India Movement, firstly it petered out by 1943, and secondly it did become violent. Given the Chauri Chaura example, Gandhi was ideologically bound to withdraw it, had he not been in jail. So, again it would have come to nothing. And, even after running its full course, according to the former British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, the Quit India Movement had minimal impact. In Atlee’s view, the most important reason behind the British decision to leave India was the Indian National Army (INA) activities of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.As quoted by Dhananjaya Bhat in his article ‘RIN mutiny gave a jolt to the British’ an extract from a letter written by PV Chakraborty, former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court, on 30 March 1976, reads thus. When I was acting as Governor of West Bengal in 1956, Clement Attlee, who as the British Prime Minister in post war years was responsible for India’s freedom, visited India and stayed in Raj Bhavan Calcutta for two days. I put it straight to him like this: ‘The Quit India Movement of Gandhi practically died out long before 1947 and there was nothing in the Indian situation at that time which made it necessary for the British to leave India in a hurry. Why then did they do so?’ In reply Attlee cited several reasons, the most important of which were the INA activities of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, which weakened the very foundation of the British Empire in India, and the RIN Mutiny which made the British realise that the Indian armed forces could no longer be trusted to prop up the British. When asked about the extent to which the British decision to quit India was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s 1942 movement, Attlee’s lips widened in smile of disdai n and he uttered, slowly, ‘Minimal’. (The Tribune, 12 February 2006, Spectrum Supplement). And, Attlee’s assessment is supported by historical facts. After the war, the stories of the Azad Hind Movement (Provisional Government of Free India in exile) and its army (the INA), that came into the public limelight during the trials of the INA soldiers in 1945, known as the Red Fort Trials, were seen as so inflammatory that, fearing mass revolts and uprisings in India, the British Government forbade the BBC from broadcasting their story. However, the stories of the trials filtered through. The British watched with alarm that General Shah Nawaz Khan, Colonel Prem Sehgal and Colonel Gurbux Singh Dhillon, defended by Jawaharlal Nehru himself at the trials, were perceived by the Indian public as â€Å"the greatest among patriots† (Michael Edwardes, The Last Years of British India, 1964). Newspapers reported the summary execution of some of the INA soldiers. During and after the trials, mutinies broke out in the British Indian Armed forces, most notably in the Royal Ind ian Navy in February 1946, which found huge public support throughout India, from Karachi to Bombay and from Vizag to Calcutta, reminiscent of the scenario of the Rebellion of 1857 where the masses joined the mutineer soldiers in their march from Meerut to Delhi – the only difference being, it was on a much larger scale this time. Not just Attlee, many historians have argued that it was the INA and the mutinies it inspired among the British Indian Armed forces that shattered the spirit and will of the British Raj to continue ruling India. In addition, the British people and the British Army seemed unwilling to back a policy of repression in India and other parts of the Empire even as their own country lay shattered by the war’s ravages. So, it’s nothing else but a myth that India got its freedom through the Gandhian non-violent protests and civil disobedience movements. No doubt, civil disobedience movements won some concessions from the British rulers, and forced them to repeal or modify some of the laws. But an imperialist power, that had never left any of its other colonies – whether Ireland or America – without being pushed out through armed struggle, would not have walked away from ‘the Jewel in the Crown’ just because they faced peaceful protests. It was the threat of mass revolts, army rebellions and revolutionary violence becoming real behind the faà §ade of Gandhi’s non-violent protests that broke the back of the British Rule in India. Had Britain not been weakened by the Second World War, and had the INA not formed and fought against the British, it is very doubtful that India would have got its independence even in 1947.On the other hand, many historians argue that India would have won its freedom right in 1922, as the imperialist British rulers were jolted to the core by the Non-Cooperation Movement at the time and were on the verge of giving in. But Gandhi withdrew the Movement because of the Chauri Chaura incident wherein a mob set fire to a police station. Was that decision in the interest of the national freedom? Many scholars don’t think so. Observers believe that the incident, while regrettable, did not merit the can cellation of a nation’s demand for political freedom. But to Gandhi, the image of greatness was more important than the freedom of India!!The time has come to think whether Gandhi was extreme in his belief in non-violence, and therefore, a failure? Whether the freedom movement was elevated and became more effective by adopting Gandhi’s non-violent approach, or did that strategy stall the struggle for independence? Being what he was, was Gandhi capable of running state-craft that entails use of violence? In South Africa’s first post-apartheid military operation, Mandela ordered troops into Lesotho in September 1998 to protect the government of Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili. Could one imagine Gandhi ordering troops into Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or Kashmir – even at the invitation of the local government! The thing to ponder over is whether the belief in a judicious use of violence made Mandela a more balanced statesman, and therefore more successful? Whether Gandhi, a great soul – Maha Atma, as Indians call him – was too angelic to be a politician? Whether Gandhi’s strategy best suited India’s cause, or was the country under his spell and suffered? Nelson Mandella:- Peace, democracy and freedom for all South Africans. A united South Africa, he spent 27 years in jail he was inspired by Mahatama Gandhi, at first he used protest methods like boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience, noncooperation and mass rallies then after learning about gandhi he too clung firmly to the principles of non-violence for more than ten years and followed in the foot steps of Mahatma Gandhi. Nelson Mandela is a great person who has never thought about Indias freedom and never spent a single penny for Indians. Mahatma Gandhi spent several yeas in Durban (South Africa) for the welfare of the Africans. Mahatma Gandhi was very much dislike for clothes, Nelson Mandela has never been brave to walk naked. Mandela married thrice, and Mahatma Gandhi married only once. Mandela was oldest elected President of South Africa and Gandhi has never been elected nor participated in any election was not interested to be famous., Mandela died twice or more, ( once in January 2001 CNN announced and published obituary,) but still alive in his Sweet 93.But Gandhi died only once 30th January 1948, before India become Republic. Mandela is 29 years younger to Gandhi and Gandhi is 29 years elder to Mandela.

Barbies Negative Impact on Society

Barbies Negative Impact on Society Cindy Jackson currently holds first place in the Guinness Book of World Records for undergoing the most consecutive cosmetic surgeries. While growing up, Cindy considered herself plain and unattractive next to her beautiful sister, so she decided that she had to do something. At age six Cindy was obsessed with looking like Barbie. Cindy stated, I looked at a Barbie doll and said, this is what I want to look like, I want to be her, (Leung 1). At age twenty-one Cindy packed up and moved to London, England, where she wanted to start a new, prettier life. It took over thirty-one surgeries, fourteen years, and five hundred thousand dollars to become the human Barbie. Now she has her own website, book, and multi-million dollar friends, at the expense of her body. Cindy Jackson is an example of how far people are willing to go to look perfect in this society. Beauty is distorted by the media and by the toy industry. In todays society skinnier is better, and people are willing to go through anything to achieve this. Children should not be exposed to these ideas. Instead, children should just be kids. Putting the Barbie doll into the hands of children teaches them that they need to look like her: perfect. Although, Barbie is not the only sole cause of low self satisfaction but is a contributing factor. Barbie has been proven to give children who play with her lower self-esteem and induce increased desires to look skinnier. Barbie has negative influences on body image and causes lower body satisfaction levels among young girls, by giving children false pretenses and pressures about being skinny and perfect. Barbie is the most successful toy of the twentieth century and the alleged icon of female beauty (Kuther 39). Most girls from the ages three to ten have at least had one doll growing up. Although, shes popular now she is actually based off of another popular doll from Germany. The dolls name was Bild Lilli she was an original cartoon character of an explicit comic strip designed for adult men. On August 12, 1955 Lilli was first sold in Germany, usually found in smoke shops and a few toy stores, (Bild 1). Barbie was based off of the Lilli doll by Ruth Handler; she journeyed to Europe on vacation and bought a few Lilli dolls. When she returned back to New York Handler re-designed the doll to make Barbie, which was named after her granddaughter Barbara. Now Barbie is the most sold doll in the world, Barbie is a 1.5 million dollar per-year industry (Dittmar 283). Barbie gives children a sense of low self-esteem. Three developmental psychologists exposed one hundred twenty-six English children from ages five to eight to a study of how Barbie influences body image. They were exposed to either Barbie dolls, Emme dolls (a more normal proportioned doll), or no dolls and then completed assignments based on what they saw. Helga Dittmar concludes, Girls exposed to Barbie reported lower body esteem and greater desire for a thinner body shape than girls in the other exposure conditions (284). Dittmar continues, even if dolls cease to function as aspiring role models for older girls, early exposure to dolls epitomizing an unrealistically thin body ideal may damage girls body image, which would contribute to an increased risk of disordered eating and weight cycling (290). This study proves the fact that Barbie has some kind of hold over kids. Since girls play with these dolls they are the most influenced by her since they are so young. If we show our chi ldren these images and tell them to play with them, they will show some sort of idolizing to the dolls. Handlers granddaughter Stacey has written a book about her complications with living in the shadows of the Barbie doll. She has had many challenges maintaining her weight to blend into the family. Stacey Handler has experienced the life after Barbie as it has been in her life personally. Her book The Body Burden, Living In the Shadow of Barbie reveals her personal story of a lifetime battle with body image. She openly discloses her own feelings about the Barbie doll, her grandmothers seemingly innocent perfect creation. She shares her moments of low self-esteem, including fears, insecurities, and distorted body image that have been bestowed on her (213). She discusses societys unrealistic body images and how hard it is for girls to adjust and love themselves for who they are (215). For the first few chapters she expresses her feelings through poems and rhyming songs (1). Handler writes, They never see behind the curtains that hide all my imperfections I was removed from the shelves where the perfect me remained without a single tear I worked all day and night to get rid of my excess cellulite until I looked perfect in the eyes of society (12-13). Stacey felt overwhelmed by what her grandmother had invented. She was constantly dieting and practicing unhealthy habits of losing the excess weight. Secondly, includes the controversial information of the Barbie. This includes the real life Barbie and her measurements. Barbie was designed to look flawless because why would a child play with a doll with blemishes or cracked dry skin. These dolls are made to look perfect and almost robotic (one looking exactly like the other). Even though Barbie has recently turned fifty years old she still looks like she is twenty. She stays so young only because children would not play with a grandmother looking doll, it would be out of their likely hood to play with her. The children would not look up to her. Her body figure is very controversial because it demonstrates a tiny waist, long legs, ample bosom, and flowing blond locks (Winterman 1). Some argue her body shape would be unobtainable and unsustainable if scaled up to life-size. Denise Winterman states, They claim she would not be able to stand up because her body frame would be so unbalanced. A real life Barbie would simply fall over .A study at Southern Australia University suggest the likelihood of a woman having Barbies body shape is one in one hundred thousand so not impossible, but extremely rare ( Winterman 1). Winterman claims, Researchers at Finlands University Central Hospital in Helsinki say if Barbie were life size she would lack the seventeen to twenty-two percent body fat required for a woman to menstruate. So again, not an unachievable figure, but certainly not a healthy one . If Barbie were a real person, she would stand five foot two inches and weigh approximately one hundred ten pounds. Her waist would measure a remarkable 20 inches, her chest thirty-eight inches, and her hips thirty-four inches (Kuther 322). Third toys give children an influence especially at younger ages. Barbie is indeed advertised to children who are young, mainly three to ten year olds. Children who play with toys at aged three to eight are said to be influenced more from the toys they play with than the ten year olds advertised too also (Duffy 1). Judith Duffy suggests that girls as young as five worry about their weight after playing with unrealistically slim figures such as the Barbie . Duffys article is a summarization of facts based on girls ideal of beauty within the past five years. For example, a recent study performed on one hundred thirty fifteen-year-old Scottish girls has revealed that around fifty two percent considered themselves to be too fat, and twenty-nine percent were actively trying to lose weight . This is outrageous considering that fifteen year olds are just beginning their high school career. These teenagers should be more concentrated on their studies than on their need to be perfect and size two. Some writers, feminists and psychologists think Barbie is a positive role model and a healthy image for young girls to have. For example, Deb Mehecke writer of the article Rethinking Barbie, explains that Barbie gives children a chance to use their imaginations and the opportunity to mother something . She also claims, Barbie allows young women to dream about all of the possibilities, Barbie can be a doctor, an astronaut, a banker, a lawyer, a nurse, a gymnast etc . Children do like to mother their toys and pretend they are real, but do we have to give our children such an inappropriate doll. We could give our children a water baby or a cabbage patch doll, why do we insist they take care of such a glamorous doll? Developmental psychologist Julia Griffin stated her idea of Barbie in her article Academics Like to Play with Barbie too. Griffin explains Barbie is essential to a girls development in a social interaction along with social values . Instead of Barbie being the essential part of a childs life, parents should help their children develop social interaction and social value skills. Many people think Barbie has nothing to do with eating disorders and the negative body image in young girls. Mattel, the company that produces the doll denies any and all negative accusations with Barbie and the negative affects it rings to the children who play with her. Solutions are a must with this issue such solutions are: alternate dolls for children and young teenagers, parent responsibility and positive reinforcement of body image, and companies need to make dolls more realistic. Some alternate dolls for young girls would be the Groovy Girl dolls, and the Cabbage Patch Kid dolls, and for the older age groups the American Girl Doll and Emme. The Groovy Girl dolls are sold at Target stores nationwide, and sell for about sixteen to nineteen dollars. These dolls can be considered expensive but they resemble children, in appropriate clothing and offer great values to children. The editor for the savvymom website and co-founder of the Groovy Girls is Victoria Pericon who appears on the official website she states, With three children of my own, I am constantly trying to filter the messages y kids are getting from television, their peers, the Internet, magazines, and movies. My daughter, especially, is surrounded by confusing messages that make it difficult for her to develop a strong sense and a healthy body image. The Groovy Girl dolls helped my daughter find her inner beauty in a respectful way, (Groovygirls.com). This website has a parents option which has ways to help your daughter learn to make good decisions along with characteristics parents should enforce. The Cabbage Patch Kid dolls are harder to find but they are so ld at Wal-Mart and Target stores along with other with other toy stores nationwide. They sell for about ten to fifteen dollars depending on the doll and accessories included. These dolls are positive for little children because they are realistic in their appearance according to the childs age group, and they can care for them properly. The American Girl dolls are by far the most educational and most expensive. These dolls are designed to teach children about a defined time period. For example, The Great Depression and the 70s dolls Kit and Julie. Although, these dolls are highly expensive and are more classy and high end of the doll market they include a lot of valuable information and insight into the girls influence. The final alternate doll would be the Emme doll. This doll is sold online and in select stores and is priced between twenty and thirty-five dollars. The optional extra outfits can cost anywhere from fifty to ninety dollars. These dolls are the most proportionate to an average healthy woman which makes this doll the best dolls for growing and changing children to teenagers. In conclusion, Barbie indeed became a staple of todays society based on her popularity but she is becoming a factor of low self-esteem in young girls. If we act now we can stop the increase in this matter before it gets even worse. References Anonymous. Bild Lilli History. 10, Apr. 2001.10, Nov 2009 . Dittmar, Helga, Emma Halliwell, and Susanne Ive. Does Barbie Make Girls Want to be thin? American Psychological Associationl.42.2 (2006):283-292. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Oct 2009. Duffy, Judith. Barbies Figure gives Young Girls a Desire to have a Thinner Body. BNet.com.CBS. 12 Jun.2005.CBS, Web. 23 Sept. 2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20050612/ai_n14680012/ Esteban, Michelle. Full-Figured Doll Transforms Beauty ImageABCNews.com. 25 Oct. 2002.Web. 2, Sept.2009.http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=91099page=1 Groovygirls.com. 2008. 10, Nov. 2009 http://www.groovygirls.com/parents/raising.cfm. Handler, Stacey. The Body Burden, Living In the Shadow of Barbie. Cape Canaveral: Blue Note Publications, 2000. Print Kuther, Kara L. and Erin McDonald. Early Adolescents Experiences with and views of Barbie. Adolescence. 39.153. (Spring 2004): 39-51 Findarticles.com. Academic Search Premier.EBSCO. Web. 25 Sept. 2009. Leung, Rebecca. Becoming Barbie: Living Dolls. CBSNews.com. 6 Aug. 2004.Web. 24 Sept. 2009. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/29/48hours/main632909.shtml Winterman, Denise. What would a real life Barbie look like? BBCNews.com 06, March, 2009: 1-2. Web. 1 Oct 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7920962.stm

Innocent: Confession of a Welfare Mother Essay -- welfere, poverty, lif

Innocent: Confessions of a welfare mother is a memoir that defies the stigma that comes along with welfare and poverty. It outlines the trials and tribulations of a single Caucasian mother and her ability to maintain her family. Forced to make pivotal decisions and keep the best interest of her family in mind, she must take welfare handouts to get through her financial struggles. This memoir is a way to highlight the obstacles it takes to keep a stable household and get by at the worst times in a single mothers life. At a time of racism and despair, this single mother was able to find a place to call home and give her family a comfortable life. Barbara Morrison, an educated woman who grew up in a nuclear family home, their home included â€Å"[her] parents and children living in one household† (Moore& Asay, 2013). They lived in Roland Park in Baltimore Maryland. Living the â€Å"Average† lifestyle in her parents’ home she felt as if she were an outsider. Morrison decided to go to Western Maryland and pursue her collegiate education. She could not take the racism that went on in 1970 and decided to uproot her life for the better. Worcester, Massachusetts is where Morrison’s life would further take its course, she finally felt at home in this city. Morrison met her closest friend Jill who would also be an important benefactor in Barbra’s life; the first thing that she explained to Morrison was â€Å"The vast majority of people on welfare were white and lived in rural areas, not inner cities† (Morrison,2011).Morrison did not understand this until she was faced with the reality of pove rty. In order to survive she needed to bring in resources, which are â€Å"anything identified to meet an existing or future need† (Moore& Asay, 2013).In Morrison’s case ... ...o get Welfare assistance was a smart decision, but while on welfare she could have been in search for a better job. She didn’t want to take any time away from her children, but it may have been necessary in order to give them an even better life. Morrison did not weigh in the fact that she could have lived even more comfortably, having a well-paying job. When deciding to get welfare, another alternative could have been to teach in a place where her sons could also attend. Morrison was a good care provider for her children, but if she would have altered her ultimate plan slightly, it could have changed her life in a tremendous way. Works Cited Morrison , B. (2011). Innocent: Confession of a Welfare Mother . (1st ed.). Baltimore,MD: Apprentice House Moore, T. J,. & Asay, A. M. (2013). Family Resource Management. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications inc.

17th centry teater :: essays research papers

The 17th Century gave life to an array of cultural and educational advances. This was known as the renaissance. Renaissance, a word meaning rebirth of knowledge and culture, is the ideal word to explain the occurrences of the time period of 1400-1700. In this range of time, subjects such as science, math, and literature made an amazing and strong comeback. These topics became immensely important to society and the culture of this time. In the 1600’s, theater and drama became very popular in England, forcing the creation of new theater techniques ranging from the different play styles, to the very acting dramatics in which the actors employed in the plays.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This Renaissance in Europe began the relief that was needed by the people in the eastern world having experienced the Middle Ages (500-1500AD). The people of Europe needed to make changes to their culture because it was a dark and drab time to be alive. Things including the terrible Bubonic, or Black, Plague; which infected many people in Europe resulting in death; and a depressing atmosphere in England at the time necessitated a new type of culture. The last time that a society of people partook in social events such as a play was when the Greek and Roman Empires were still in existence. Many of the topics being studied by people during the Renaissance were studied through records that these no longer existent cultures had left behind. Now the people in Renaissance Europe could learn information from the knowledgeable people of many previous years. These mathematicians, artists, and scientists contributed much to the Europe of that time. The plays of that time ar e similar to that of the â€Å"Elizabethan Theater† because play writers in Europe adopted tactics used by their predecessors in the past empires of the world (Yancey 8). Also the basic design for the amphitheaters used to perform the plays was taken from the Romans. One of the better known amphitheaters was The Globe, which Shakespeare used personally (Yancey 28). Before the days of the Elizabethan Theater, guilds (companies that put plays on) generally preformed plays in Latin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elizabeth Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII had become queen on January 15, 1558. She herself was a Renaissance woman. Her presence as the Queen England had sparked the rise of English culture and even the society itself. In the time she was the queen, theater had also grown to a size that was never seen before.

Through the Tunnel by Doris Lessing

Conflicts can arise in many ways. In the story â€Å"Through the Tunnel† by Doris Lessing, an eleven year old boy named Jerry is vacationing at the shore in France. Feeling lonely and bored he wanders off to a rocky beach to join a group of French boys, older than he, who are diving and swimming there. As a foreigner he finds himself ignored by them, but discovers they are swimming through a long underwater tunnel and he is determined that he will do the same someday. In the beginning of the story an external conflict appears when Jerry wants to be independent of his mother she is understandably protective of her only child. His mother wants to take care of him because she is concerned that something might happen. Jerry loves his mother and likes to be with her, but sometimes he wants to be on his own. To assert his independence from his mother Jerry must swim through the underwater tunnel to test him. Another conflict arises when Jerry wants to fit in with the French boys. The author explains how much Jerry wants to be part of their group when the author writes â€Å"To be with them, of them, was a craving that filled his whole body. † Jerry wants to be accepted into their group. This group of boy is the experts of swimming. They easily swim through the underwater tunnel. Even after he knows he doesn’t belong to the older boys group, Jerry still wants to prove himself worthy of being one of the expert swimming through the mysterious tunnel. Finally, the most obvious external conflict is the one between Jerry and nature. Jerry trains his lungs and pushes his limits and because of that â€Å"his nose bleeds badly†. For hours he has been practicing holding his breath he begins to feel weak and dizzy. Jerry has to battle the forces of nature pushing his lung capacity to its limits. He is engaged in a conflict of nature and physical barriers to attain his goal. If Jerry doesn’t hold his breath long enough he will drown. After what seems like ages, Jerry passes through the tunnel, going in as a little boy and coming out feeling like a man. Now, Jerry has won his battle against almighty nature his hunger for acceptance and fight for independence. He has broken the chains of his conflicts. As soon as he swims out, Jerry broke free.

Plato †Justice Essay

1. Introduction In this essay in is a discussion about based on philosopher and which group of people Plato thinks should be ruling and why. The essay will start off with clarifying key concepts, for example what is a philosopher because it is much easier to understand the easy when one understands the key terms in it, terms that will appear throughout the essay itself. Then Plato’s theory will then be analysed in more detail and it is also of great importance that one also talks about Plato’s background because that is where he started to see things and that is when he started having ideas as to how the country should be ruled or governed and who should be doing the governing. It is also very important for a person to look at what was said by other people about Plato’s ideal state. 2. Clarification of key concepts. Bellow will be the clarification of key concepts and by that it simply means that the key words that will be used in this essay will be defined and understood a little more better for convenient reading. 2. 1 What is a philosopher? When one is tackling such an essay it is very important that one understands what a philosopher is and what makes one a philosopher. Well a philosopher is a person who always trying to understand life and why things are done the way they are being done and also find better ways of doing things. Philosophers seek answers to the questions of life and seek solutions. Philosophers use their intellect and also their personal experiences. Philosophers are also people that love to share wisdom and teach others what they already know so that they can also grow. When one talks about philosophers it is mostly about people that are deep thinkers and they think about life and the things that happen around them on a daily basis. According to Benson (1992: 63) â€Å"during the ancient times Greek philosophers would sometimes spend the whole day thinking and for that day they would not talk to anyone, it would be just them and their thoughts†. A philosopher can be anyone and from any gender, anyone who has an interest in the study of knowledge. 2. 2 Theory of Justice According to Pappas (1995: 32) â€Å"justice is defined by Polemarchus as the act of giving what belongs to the person and doing good to friends and not good by enemies†. Theory of justice is all about treating people fairly and by fairly it means as they deserve. Rawls (2001: 83) points out that justice can be defined two different ways, one definition being that a person must earn it for example by merit or an individual can lack it. So according to this definition it is clear that it simply means that one must be treated exactly as they deserve. This â€Å"merit theory† of justice, reflecting utilitarian ethics, uses merit to determine just how individual members of society will be rewarded or punished based solely upon whether one’s conduct is useful or harmful to society. The â€Å"need theory† of justice, which assumes that individual members of society should help those other members who are most in need so as to redress their disadvantages. So this is all about treating people as they deserve and rewarding them as they should be or for some punishing them. 3. 3 Theory of Souls Plato’s Theories of Soul According to Lorenz & Hendrik â€Å"there were various developments that were occurring in the sixth and fifth centuries in the way Greeks thought and spoke of the soul resulted in a very complex notion that strikes one as amazingly close to conceptions of the soul that we find in fourth century philosophical theories, notably Plato’s†. There is thus some reason to think that the philosophical theories in question are best interpreted as working with, and on, the relatively non-theoretical notion of the soul that by the end of the fifth century has come to be embedded in ordinary language. In what follows our main concern will be to characterize some of the theories in question. But we should also attend, wherever this seems appropriate and helpful, to ways in which familiarity with the ordinary notion of the soul might enable us better to understand why a theory or an argument proceeds the way it does. In addition, we should note ways in which philosophical theories might seem to clarify and further articulate the ordinary notion. We begin with Plato, and with a question that is intimately tied up with the ordinary notion of the soul as it developed from the Homeric poems onwards, namely whether a person’s soul does indeed survive the person’s death. 3. Plato’s background In understanding Plato more it is very important that one also knows Plato’s background. Plato was born in the year 427 BC and was born in an Aristocratic family. An Aristocratic family is one that is on the one hand impractical, reason being that they were based on a God-like willingness to place the good of the community before the rulers own interest (Heywood, 2007:28). According to Plato politics in natural and not artificial. It is also important that one states that Plato’s greatest influence was Socrates as he learned a lot from him. 4. How Plato views democracy and who should rule according to Plato Heywood (2007: 71) states that thinkers such as Plato as well as Aristotle had a different view to democracy and they saw it as a system that was there to rule masses at the expense of wisdom and property. Plato wanted people to be ruled by philosophers. According to Heywood (2007: 76) â€Å"political equality was useless and he attacked it on grounds that the people possess neither the wisdom nor the experience to rule wisely on their behalf†. So according to Plato the best people for the job of representing the people it was the philosophers. Plato believed that the philosophers were wise educated people that would apply logical thinking and also use experience too. According to Plato in his book â€Å"the republic† Plato stated that government should be placed in the hands of the philosophers being the kings and guardians. And their rule will be that viewed as dictatorship. Plato called this â€Å"Rule by the virtuous† (Heywood, 2007:76). As it was said by Plato himself that the states troubles will never end and civilisation itself, till the world is ruled by philosophers being kings. Plato states that political power must be in the hands of kings (Plato, 2007: 192). One can say that Plato came with really good points as to why knowledgeable person should be the one’s put in charge to rule and govern the world and for them to bring happiness and justice to the world; it may look like the ideal Republic. But still with all that said it is still unrealistic. And to further show that that is unrealistic, as it was said by Aristotle â€Å"man by nature is a political animal and it is inevitable for all†. People will always have something to say as to how they would like to see things happening and people will always want to voice out their opinions about what they do not like and how it should be done. People want to be involved in decisions that will affect them at the end of the day. Plato’s argument is seen as unrealistic because it is like he is asking people to just turn a blind eye in the political process and also to leave their rights and opinions in the hands of the philosophers and is so doing they will be giving in to being dictated. All one sees is that Plato’s ideal state will be just unfit, the same thing that he said about a democratic state, and it is just unfit. Plato’s argument could be seen as valid as he states that philosophers have the â€Å"capacity to grasp the eternal and absolute†, as it is clear to see that common men or the public have no true knowledge of reality to govern themselves (Plato, 2007: 204). Nevertheless, this argument is not persuasive or realistic in contemporary politics and the modern state, for a number of reasons. Plato’s idea of specialization is also linked to justice, which he considers to be structural, as political justice is a result of a structured city, where individual justice is a result of a structured soul, and where each member of the polis has a â€Å"specific craft for which he has a natural aptitude† (Reeve; 2009, 69). â€Å"Ruling †¦ is a skill† (Wolff; 2006, 68), which requires special training available to few. At the same time, philosophers must possess qualities that enable them to rule; for instance, they must be able to recognize the difference between friend and foe, good and bad. Above all, philosophers must â€Å"love wisdom† (Nichols; 1984, 254), as the rule of the wise leads to the reigning of justice, as philosophy becomes sovereign. Justice is a virtue, as is knowledge, which requires understanding. Understanding refers to goodness, and thus, knowledge and goodness are one. The philosopher kings have virtue as they have knowledge, and thus, according to Plato, their rule is justified. Conclusion.

Exploration Notes- as Level Drama and Theatre Studies Essay

1) Discuss and compare the exploration of characterisation in Metamorphosis by Steven Berkoff and (A Doll’s House). Draw your own practical understanding of the skills used including use of language and voice to portray character. In our practical sessions of Modelling Gregor in â€Å"Metamorphosis†, we thought about how we would physically see Gregor. To do this, we had to individually create the shape of Gregor with our bodies. We all started off thinking about it really literally- â€Å"How would a beetle look?† rather than thinking about how our body represented Gregor and his feelings towards society. We then expanded on our thoughts about Gregor and then tried to empathise with him and think about how we would look if we were in his situation. My finished individual beetle was crouched/curled up on the floor on my side with my head down, hidden away- this represented Gregor’s vulnerability (a beetle on his back is helpless and cannot move, but a beetle has a hard shell which protects him; I was half and half because with my head down, I didn’t want to be seen by society and I was ashamed of what I had become however with my front/underside slightly showing, I was exposed to society and helpless but because you could see my back/shell, I was half protected by family- I think that throughout the show this would change and I would end up completely on my back because the family does end up abandoning/killing Gregor) , one of my arms was in a jerky/awkward position and the other was outstretched away from my body- the jerky arm represented Gregor changing and being abnormal and different, the outstretched arm however showed that I was reaching for someone to help and save me from what I was turning into; my legs were limp, lifeless and in an awkward shape to show that I was, again, turning into something new and weird but could not move and physically get away from it. After we made our individual beetle, we then worked in partners and modelled them into Gregor. I decided to use props for this (I used a chair). Hana (my model Gregor) ended up being positioned on her side, with her head under the chair and one of her arms reaching out onto it, her legs were crooked and awkward to show that she couldn’t move from her pain. After that, we raced our â€Å"beetles†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Hana lost.. but this showed that Gregor was in a good position because he found it difficult to manoeuvre himself and get away from what was happening to him- his movement was limited and awkward when he did so. Hana then modelled me, she had me stood up with my legs wide open (showing vulnerability) and one of my legs turned in and that knee bent (which looked awkward, abnormal and hard to move), my head was dropped and my stomach was contracted in. She placed my arms out to the sides in awkward positions, which was quite physically demanding as I was holding the position. We then used these positions for a scene of Metamorphosis. The dream scene; we incorporated our ideas of how Gregor felt and moved into this scene. We decided to have a narrator and an actor onstage being Gregor. I tried to capture the essence of Gregor’s franticness yet vulnerability in the way I directed Hana as Gregor. I did this by changing the speed and dynamics of how she was moving; this matched the way I was narrating as I also changed the tempo, dynamics and pitch of my voice to really capture how Gregor’s character felt. To create the family we thought about the physical features of a beetle and applied them to the metaphors of the family. We ended up putting Mr Samsa in the middle, seeing as he is the heart of the family; we then had Gregor again in the middle with his arms over Mr Samsa almost saying that he is protecting him and the family with his income but he is still exposed to society and therefore vulnerable. We had Mrs Samsa knelt in front of Gregor and Mr Samsa looking straight forward with a blank expression almost as if she hasn’t got much to say about the situation and is just disregarding Gregor. Greta was at the very front of the beetle as the antenna, looking out for Gregor and being his sense of feeling. The legs of Gregor were made up of society, but reaching out and away from the beetle and from Gregor. We also (as a practical exercise) held hands as a whole group and twisted ourselves into a character from the play each†¦ this ended up looking abnormal, as the family’s situation is and a lot of it also looked quite painful but we were as one as a unit, as the family is. In order to characterise Nora in a Doll’s House, we used the techniques of Stanislavski because A Doll’s House is a much more naturalistic play compared to Metamorphosis. We started with a focus exercise in which we lay down on the floor and concentrated only on our breathing and our body contact with the floor. We then got thought about some key words to describe Nora’s character and tried to focus on each of them individually, letting each emotion overwhelm our bodies. We then were counted down to stand up and walk around the room as Nora, showing her feelings through non- verbal communication. We also created some tableaux of the family in a dolls house. For this we used visual, aural and spatial techniques. 2) Discuss and compare the Visual, Aural and Spatial elements and the use of non-verbal communication techniques to present issues and ideas in both plays studied. Make reference to your practical work. Visual, aural and spatial elements either have an iconic or symbolic reference. Iconic is always visual, for example a prop; it is iconic because it is what it is and only serves its primary function (e.g. a stool is a stool and is used for sitting on etc.) However a symbolic reference is something that represents something and has a metaphor behind it (e.g. a chair could be symbolic for a particular person). Metamorphosis is an extremely abstract play and the visual, aural and spatial techniques used are very important. The play is commonly set with Gregor at the back on a platform above everyone else, slowly becoming more and more deformed. This is a very visual thing and represents the time’s changing and matters are slowly getting worse and worse for the family. The fact he is higher up than everyone else as well could also symbolise the fact he is hanging over everyone’s head and is a burden on the family. His height could also represent his status and the fact he is the cause for everything happening on stage and when he changes, everything else does as well. Another common way of positioning Gregor is to have scaffolding angling up to the back of the stage like this: This gives perspective; it also makes Gregor look further away but because of the angle, you are drawn in, giving a stronger emotional impact on you as an audience member. The scaffolding itself makes the whole aesthetic of the performance seem more skeletal; which Gregor is also slowly becoming. It is also, obviously, very structured which contradicts how the family’s situation is in the play. In the script it says that every prop is mimed other than 3 black stools places equidistantly of each other for the family to use. I think these proxemics show how the family are as a unit and detached from Gregor. In order to explore and interpret this, we created a series of 10 tableaux. In these 10 tableaux, we used visual, aural and spatial elements to show the subtext of the plot- we mainly focussed on the family and how Gregor’s change affected the family. We used a ladder laid down on its side for scaffolding in which Gregor spent a lot of the time in various awkward ways, becoming more and more deformed and trapped as the tableaux progressed. We thought we should only use the organic sounds from our movement and the ladder for our performance to represent the tension and how awkward the situation/plot/subtext was. In the changeover of each tableau, we decided to move a chair gradually towards the back of the stage to represent Gregor slowly distancing from his family. One element of these tableaux I was quite proud of was the proxemics of each member of the family compared to Gregor and the ladder/scaffolding. This is said ladder; as you can see, there is a divide across it. We used this as a barrier stopping the family from getting to Gregor; apart from in one tableau where we â€Å"broke† this barrier and Greta reached out to Gregor through the partition. Gregor was slowly becoming more and more deformed into the corner during the tableaux. Greta reaching over through the barrier to Gregor. Mrs Samsa reaching over to Greta trying to stop her from â€Å"breaking the barrier†. Mr Samsa: Back turned to Mrs Samsa and Greta (and obviously Gregor, wanting no part of it) Gregor was slowly becoming more and more deformed into this corner during the tableaux. We also used visual, aural and spatial techniques when studying A Doll’s House. Unlike Metamorphosis being abstract, A Doll’s House is much more realistic than Metamorphosis and therefore uses lots of props which are all in one way or another, symbolic of something and metaphorical. As a class we discussed the characters and props and what they may metaphorically represent: * Christmas Tree- The family’s relationships falling apart simultaneously with the pine needles falling off the tree. It could also show that looks can be deceiving because of the fact that while this tree is looking beautiful, the family is deteriorating. * Door- Freedom when Nora leaves. Trouble when she enters from the unknown outside world. * Dr Rank- Society hiding their decay. * Money- Power and all things bad and poisonous. * Nanny- The calm, security and support of Nora and the children. * â€Å"Skylark†- Nora is just a pretty singing bird with no other purpose than looking beautiful. Also the fact that a skylark cannot speak words, this is reflected in Nora; she is not allowed an opinion or it is not heard. * Stove- The characters always go back to it (especially Nora), this could stand for support and forgiveness, the warmth of friendship and loyalty because it is always there. * Macaroons- Nora’s deceit. * Lamp- The light of truth. * The Doll’s House- Nora is a kept woman, everyone’s play thing†¦or so they assume. It is actually Nora who plays with and manipulates the characters around her. Again, looks can be deceiving. Another way we explored visual, aural and special elements in A Doll’s House was when we studied the Tarantella scene. A tarantella is a traditional Italian folk dance. It gets its name from the venomous spider, the tarantula and it is supposed that when one gets bitten by this spider, the victims needed to engage in a frenzied dance in order to prevent death or disease, using very rhythmical music. Now, in context with A Doll’s House, I believe that the reason a Tarantella is danced by Nora is because she is trying to rid herself of the poison from Torvald, Krogstad and maybe even Dr Rank; or she could be trying to rid herself from lies she’s told as this is her poison. We re-enacted the tarantella scene with the proper script. We played with spatial awareness of characters, use of voice and visual effects. Nora’s movement gets gradually more and more frantic and her speech also more frantic and louder and high pitched. Torvald moves with purpose but in a much more organised and authoritative way compared to Nora; he is always keeping his eyes on her and making sure she does it ALL correctly. Mrs Linde comes in from side stage quite discretely, says her line to Nora then moves slowly and almost mysteriously to a chair in the LDF corner. Dr Rank, playing the piano, cannot keep his eyes off Nora but is fairly wary of Torvald’s presence so near him. Nora used a shawl while she was dancing which added to the visual effects and at the end of the dance she threw the shawl on the floor as if her freedom of dance had gone and the poison had come back. We then performed our own interpretive dance for the subtext of the tarantella and the whole play without any script work. We started with Torvald controlling Nora, almost as a puppeteer- for this we used music box doll music. The music then ran into Kashmir by Bond which starts with quite a distorted wave of sound which we used to show Nora slowly changing and fighting back with Torvald. Throughout the dance, Nora got stronger and less poisoned- instead, the poison was transferring into the other characters. After Nora had kicked Torvald to the floor, Mrs Linde came in and started controlling him alongside Torvald; after having liaised with Nora, she became poisoned and slowly deteriorated to the floor. Dr Rank then came into the picture, stepped over Torvald to get to Nora. They danced together until she pushed him away and transferred the poison. Finally, Nora ended up sat down on the floor, looking around almost like a child who had just broken all of her toys. Aurally, there is one very poignant moment in A Doll’s House where the door is slammed at the end by Nora. This gives the play a final point of closure where Nora has gone and has gone for good. Similarly in Metamorphosis, when the apple is thrown into Gregor’s back, this is a definitive sound of the end of the main plot. 3) Evaluate your understanding of the practitioners studied and their influences on Metamorphosis. Use your interpretation notes to aid this question making reference to the practitioners, playwright, and your own practical exploration. Leslie Steven Berkovitch, better known as Steven Berkoff, was born on the 3rd August 1937 to Russian Jews. He came from a poor family and because of their descent; he never fitted in as a child and found it hard to be a part of a group of friends. Growing up in the East End of London is a gritty, tough time for most people let alone someone of the likes of Berkoff. He was a badly behaved child and got kicked out of school a lot. You could argue he was the original â€Å"East Ender† until he then moved to New York- he lived in a 1 bedroom flat, shared with 3 other families (who were also outsiders in New York). Wherever he travelled, he could never fit in and never found anywhere to call home. He grew up to resent his family and moved back to London at age 13. As an outsider, a Russian Jew living in London, he wanted to be a gangster. He was in a stage of identity crisis where didn’t know where to belong and after being so badly influenced and behaved, he ended up in a young offenders prison which obviously made him extremely angry! After this, he changed his name to Berkoff because he didn’t want to be seen as a Jew or associated with his roots. He brought a whole new movement to British playwriting in British society. These plays he wrote commented on equality and people- they were often based in the home. When he came out of prison, he decided to go over to Europe and learn the skill of tailoring like his father had done. During his stay, he was given the book â€Å"Metamorphosis† by Franz Kafka. When he read this, he could instantly make connections between himself and Gregor. After this, he went back to the East End and started writing plays. Unlike his fellow playwrights John Osbourne and Edward Bond, he believed drama should still be abstract. Berkoff was influenced by Greek theatre; he was a â€Å"Megalomaniac of theatre styles† who loved over exaggeration and the use of masks to rid people of their identity. He loved the use of chorus (voices together) and poetic verse because it takes things out of context. I was inspired by Brecht and his political (borderline social) take on drama and the use of gestus and satire. He also like Artaud and his theatre of cruelty and the way he used the senses and sounds to put over metaphorical messages. He then travelled to France and worked under Lecoq who was a mime artiste and physical theatre worker and trained with him until he decided to move back to London. When he got back to London, he built up his manifesto of theatre. TOTAL THEATRE. Total theatre Greek theatre (chorus, unison, exaggeration), theatre of cruelty (loud sounds, harsh, gritty images and metaphors) and epic theatre (Brecht- teaches a message, gestus, stereotypes, alienation). Berkoff moulded all these ideas together and created his characters as comic and caricatures. Using the whole of the body was very important to him as he was an extremely physical director, well demonstrated with the character of Gregor in Metamorphosis. As a practitioner, Berkoff also wrote plays as well as acted and directed. He liked using lots of language and words (almost Shakespearian). He was extremely articulate and using beautiful language he talked about the gritty East End and reality of life. To put Berkoff’s views into practice, we had to pretend to be in love with a chair. We exaggerated our love and feelings and the chair was like a metaphor for our lover. We then had to flip our mood and become angry with the chair; it got us all to think how people would stereotypically act with someone you loved and then hated. We also had to pretend we were at a picnic on our own, slowly becoming more and more exaggerated with our eating and drinking, and gradually more grotesque. It really got us to focus into it and get into it, so when it was time to â€Å"fake wretch†, I actually felt physically sick! We also practiced slow motion. This was very physically demanding, like how Steven Berkoff would have directed. It was very important to control your movements but not forget that when you sped up the movements, they should look exactly the same as the slow ones. 4) Evaluate your understanding of the practitioner studied and his influence on A Doll’s House. Use your interpretation notes to aid this question making reference to the practitioners, playwright, and your own practical exploration. Henrik Ibsen was born in Norway in 1828 and died in 1906. He was from a well to do Merchant family, however his father’s fortunes took a significant turn for the worse and he ended up a moody, nasty man and turned to alcoholism which he then took out on his family. Ibsen subsequently, only wrote about money and marriage as this was influenced from his own life. His plays were seen as scandalous to many of his era because they were always touching on sensitive subjects like human rights. This then influenced many other playwrights and novelists such as George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Miller and James Joyce. He is one of the founders of modernism in theatre. During his time, despite failing to achieve success as a playwright, he gained a lot of practical experience at the Norwegian theatre company. His play â€Å"A Doll’s House† is a realistic drama that highlights the cultural conflicts of the 19th century. The play was very controversial when it was first published as it was sharply critical of 19th century marriage norms. Her ended up having to change the ending of the original script because the leading actress didn’t like the idea of having to act out abandoning her children. It also manifests Ibsen’s concerns for women’s rights and human rights in general. This was widely considered as a landmark in the development of what would soon become a highly prevalent genre of theatre- REALISM. Realism was consequently realised. It wasn’t however until the likes of Stanislavski came along that realism became so well known and loved. He wanted a sense of realism in his work and he wanted his actors to really connect with their character. In his eyes, the actors WERE the characters. He believed REAL ACTORS=REAL ACTING. We used Stanislavski’s techniques to get into our roles when studying A Doll’s House. We began with a focus exercise, lying on the floor and zoning out our thoughts. We then thought about our character and let their feelings overwhelm our own like Stanislavski would have got his actors to. We then connected with their emotions, felt how they felt and immediately after, acted out a short scene between Nora and Torvald. This helped us all enormously because got us to lose out inhibitions and focus entirely on the story, situation and emotions of the characters. 5) Discuss the Social, Historical, Cultural and Political content of the texts studied and compare the impact on an audience and on yourself as a student of drama. In Metamorphosis, the social, historical and cultural background is made apparent in a number of ways throughout the play. Franz Kafka (the author of the original novel) took his inspiration for the characters from his own relationship between himself and his father. Unforgettable images of dislocation seem to represent both the madness of the modern world and his own desperate neurosis. Similarly, Berkoff wasn’t very close with his father. Practitioners like Brecht and Artaud influenced his work- this is clearly visible in Metamorphosis as he took Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty and gave it Brecht’s Epic Theatre attributes. Berkoff’s own unique style created this play incorporating his personal passion of mime and the genre of expressionism. Acknowledging what I know about both Berkoff and Kafka, it is blatent that the Social, Cultural, Historic and Political aspects in terms of the two writers were their personal experiences of suppression from society, the culture they were brought up in (Kafka brought up in the a Jewish community and Berkoff brought up in the lower class and status he was born into by Russian Jews). Metamorphosis can be seen as a reaction against society and its demands. Gregor’s physical separation could represent his alienation and understandable desire. He was crushed by authority and routine and had been imprisoned by social and economic demands: â€Å"Just don’t stay in bed being useless . . .† It prevents the forthcoming rebellion of the son against the father. Gregor had become strong as a result of his father’s failure. He destroyed his father’s self-esteem and took over the father’s posts and duties within the family. After the catastrophe, the same sequence takes place in reverse: son becomes weak, and father kills him. Gregor is shown as a symbol of anxiety and alienation who is a lonely character, isolated in his own mind from the community and true friendship (much like Kafka and Berkoff). Looking at where Gregor’s values were anchored: servant to the needs of an oppressive boss in order to meet the needs of a family that continuously exploits him. The metamorphosis was inevitable. Metamorphosis shows the views and attitudes of society. It isn’t necessarily the one we live in today, but looking at it from a historical point of view it could have been representing the society in the nineteen hundreds (1915) when metamorphosis was first published. Kafka was born in Germany and could be referring to the time of the war, and how the Jewish communities were discriminated against. In A Doll’s House, patriarchal ideals were supported and reinforced by a social structure in which women had very little political or economic power. They were economically, socially, and psychologically dependent upon men and especially dependent upon the institutions of marriage and motherhood. Motherhood within marriage was considered a woman’s highest possible achievement. It was a social responsibility, a duty to society, and therefore, a full-time job. Mothering was no longer something that came naturally, but was something that had to be learned. High infant mortality rates, particularly in urban areas, were solely blamed on mothers. Working class mothers were labeled neglectful, when in truth they struggled with both child care and feeding a family. The plot concerns the collapse of a middle class marriage. It sparked debates about women’s rights and divorce. It was considered innovative and daring because of its focus on psychological tension instead of external action. It also created a new acting style that required emotion be conveyed through small, controlled gestures, shifts in action, and pauses and it was groundbreaking in that it caused drama to be viewed as social commentary and not just entertainment. For me, I think that these factors in both plays have different effects on me because in A Doll’s House, the living situation is so much more common these days compared to the monstrosity it was back when it was written. I feel like I can however relate to Nora and how she’s feeling because she is quite feministic like myself. I become quite confused when thinking about how Metamorphosis affects me because it’s obviously a very abstract play but I can empathise with Gregor and moreover Greta because she just wants to help her brother but the higher members of the family won’t let her.