People's lives continue to be shaped in the main by social Essay

People's lives continue to be shaped in the main by social structures'. Discuss this view, drawing on material from at the least three blocks of DD100 in your answer - Essay Example tity of a man is not only vital representation of his self but it is also medium that significantly contributes to a knowledge base that others can instantly access to have a general idea of their orientation towards conflicts and other relevant issues. The social construction of human identity thus becomes the most important element which significantly impacts people’s lives. Construction of social structures and social identities are often influenced by hordes of issues, which are defined by individual ideology, group representation, professional competencies, intercultural compulsions etc. which facilitate better understanding and access to networking with organizations and groups in order to avail the emerging opportunities for their personal and professional growth. Thus giving rise to behavioural pattern of the people that directly correlates with the values and value system of the person and his environment. There are various means through which persons imbibe the values that they carry all through their life. Some of them may be through the socio-religious culture that they follow while others might be acquired through changing paradigms of the work environment that is in perpetual influx. A person identified as student, as American or as an artisan etc. can proclaim certain privileges that are associated with that particular identity. ‘Identities are produced in a social context, but through individuals thinking about what links them to the social world†¦ Symbols and representations are important in the production of identities. This is how we signal our identities to others and how we know which people we identify with.’ (Woodward, 2004, p.12). Social construction is a distributed network of human relationship with respect to its environment. The role of religion in the life of a man is one of the most important facet that has long lasting effect not only on an individual’s life but its influence can be observed as a kaleidoscope of mixed

A Short Review of Walden Essay Example for Free

A Short Review of Walden Essay Walden is a book written by Henry David Thoreau, published in 1854. He is an American writer and naturalist who left his family and lived in solitude. He lived a simple life during his two-year stay and only received a few visitors because he spent most of his days thinking and observing nature and working on his essays. In his book, he explains why he sought refuge from society. I like what he says about life, that we must live the most out it. No matter how mean life is we should not shun it and call hard names because life is not as bad as we think it is. I like his emphasis on how to cherish life despite its imperfection. I agree that there really is more to life than richness. Despite how poor you may be, people should still call it life because even in the slums life is more than what we see. In the first chapter of the book, Thoreau identified the major problem, which is how the acquisition of material goods may consume your life. In one of his passages, he stated that, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived, which means that he want to live out his life. It is an irony. I also got confused when he kept on encouraging on living life to the fullest when he himself is trying to avoid the specific lifestyle he does not even make a genuine effort to try his ideas and follow his own advice. However, I noticed some bitterness in his work. He encourages his readers to welcome change but he seemed much laid back in things such as not trying to improve oneself either in the physical appearance such as the clothing he wore and even not socializing and meeting many friends. I think he is attempting to rearrange society and he sound more like doing a religious talk, a sermon. In Walden, Thoreau keeps emphasizing the importance of nature and his view of materialism as a force damaging the human spirit. I think his ideas are brilliant, very close to reality. It points to the very core of our society’s problem. In Walden, Thoreau believed the major problem only exist in his time when the problem of materialism grew until these days. The acquisition of material goods puts you to an addiction that only you can get away with. We all must apply his ideas on our lives. I believe that it is best if we put importance on spirituality over materialism. Although, we cannot avoid this modern society from upgrading so fast but we can stop and control ourselves from being consumed by all of those. I think it is wiser to be conscious and be aware of how materialism could affect our spirituality. It is like a parasite dwelling on us, consuming our spirit and without us knowing we left with nothing but scarred soul. His ideas can very helpful to us by starting on ourselves. By applying the system to our lives and putting spiritual above the material. We are all responsible of our own destiny that is why we must be logical about our actions. That is why sometimes we need to give ourselves a time alone, a time away from the busy life, and just be alone in a place where we could reflect helps us clear our minds from negative notions. It is a way of challenging ourselves if we could resist the temptation of life from reach for something not very necessary for survival and if we could resist the temptation of luxury and greed, is a called a test. Who ever dares to take the test of simple living, lives a life of happiness and contentment. Work Cited Thoreau, Henry David. Walden and Resistance to Civil Government. Rossi, William, ed. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1992.

Structure and History of Cobblestone Houses :: Engineering Construction Essays

Structure and History of Cobblestone Houses The cobblestone house is one of the most identifiable structures in Western New York. These houses date back to the early 1800’s when many of the towns that people in the Rochester area live in were being founded. When driving down many of the streets you can find these houses scattered on the left and the right. They are marvelous to look at and are also strange because they are some of the only houses in the area to be built out of stones, not lumber. These houses were in all probability made at first by someone who was too poor to pay for brick, or afford some kind of more expensive siding. Rocks are easily found and also insulate fairly well. These rocks were lined where the siding of the house would be and mortar was used to set the rocks into the house. Once the mortar set, it could not be broken easily. The mortar resembles what today would be concrete. It is very solid and nothing will penetrate. This makes it a clear favorite for the houses in New York due to the harsh winters. In Rochester particularly you need the extra protection. The winters in New York are the worst any where in the country where the average snowfall a winter is well over one hundred inches of snow. This allows for the insulated rocks to keep a more constant temperature than the lumber alternative which would allow much more heat to escape the house and cool it down. Conversely in the summers, where it is extremely warm the rocks allow a ki nd of air conditioning due to their relative lack of conductivity of heat. Cobblestone houses became extremely popular around the 1830’s in particular. This era marked a forever changing point in the history of both the United States and New York. The Erie Canal, a waterway connecting the Hudson River to the Great Lakes was being constructed. Right in the middle of it all was the metropolitan area around Rochester. It seems like every rock that was dug out of the ground during the excavation of the Erie Canal was used in a Cobblestone house.

Final Essay: Veteran’s Education Essay

In the essay â€Å"The Veterans are coming! The Veterans are coming!† by Edward F. Palm, the author mentioned that he continued his education by attending school after his Marine duties. Palm directed his messages of the essay toward the students and faculties at colleges on how to allow veterans to feel welcome to the school. Through the usages of his personal stories as a veteran himself, the author can also give advices to future veterans who wish to return to school. In order to present his ideas, Palm relied on his ability to utilize logos, pathos, and ethos appeals to allow audiences to believe in his credibility. The author used logical appeal to show the audiences the benefits that veterans get after serving the war since 1945. The door of opportunity had open for veterans through the laws of the World War II GI Bill, which allowed tuition fees, books, living allowance. Moreover, the GI bill also allows veterans to transfer their educational benefits to their spouses or children (Palm 790). With this detail, the author relied on the integrity of the Congress act (GI Bill) to explain that Veterans are encouraged to continue their education after they have finished their duties in the service. By years of serving wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, veterans will get financial supports and many other educational benefits that are given to them as rewards for their service. Many veterans are allowed to enter the door of education with many benefits. Yet, the author mentioned that veterans who came back from the wars were not â€Å"one-hundred percent welcomed† to continue their education in the colleges and universities. The author used emotional appeal to show the audiences how the veterans feel when they go to school. The author stated, â€Å"Either way, we in academe stand to gain. The question is, are we really ready to welcome today’s veterans into our midst?† (Palm 790). Representing for other veterans, the author showed the audiences his concerns of how veterans are treated. The author mentioned that veterans felt that they are the target of suspicions by many schools because people view veterans negatively through stigmas that are â€Å"repeatedly portrayed in the media as psychologically  maimed and socially debilitated and, therefore, potentially dangerous† (Palm 791). For this reason, he presented a list of advices to the schools from his own perspective as a war veteran to create changes toward a more â€Å"veteran-friendly school†. Standing up for veterans, the authors apply ethical appeals toward the audiences to ask for fair treatment toward the veterans. The author proposed five advices of giving veterans reasonable treatments. One of the advices was that the author proposed that â€Å"treat veterans as you would any other students.† With this in mind, the author expressed that veterans do not want any special attention and wished that classmates and professors to view them as any other students. Moreover, the author mentioned that many people came up to veteran students and thank them for their services (Palm 792). The author mentioned that it could make veterans feel uncomfortable. To further explain, the author said that many veterans would misunderstand the sincerity thank as â€Å"I’m glad you went so that my son or daughter didn’t have to go.† Listing his advices out for the audiences, the author tried to convince the audiences to take his advices of proper ways to view and treat veterans in school. Throughout the essay, Palm mentioned how much veterans are looking forward for their future education after the war. With the support of his personal stories, the author hoped to sway the audience into believing that veterans do not deserve to be treated differently. Work Cited Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. (2012). _Everything’s an Argument with Readings._ 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. Palm, Edward. â€Å"The Veterans Are Coming! The Veterans Are Coming!† Everything’s an Argument with Reading. Ed. Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012.

A Review of Margaret Wente’s “Inside the Entitlement Generation” Essay

Margaret Wente’s Globe and Mail article on the existence and characteristics of the entitlement generation in Canada is both opinionated and thought provoking. The author strongly supports that the entitlement mindset is quite prevalent in Canada’s universities, has been nurtured by its preceding generation and has led to students’ unrealistic work expectations. Although Wente effectively communicates her opinions regarding the entitlement generation, her arguments are compromised by poor use of appeal to authority and a polarized approach to the topic. Those who have stepped onto one of Canada’s many university campuses may have noticed the student mentality encompassed by its definition. Wente credits Dr. Ken Coates, a professor of history and former Dean at the University of Waterloo, with elucidating the mindset of the entitlement generation— â€Å"the kids who’ve always been told they’re smart, and never pushed too hard† (par. 3). With the assistance of Dr. Coates’ expertise, the author argues that the development and existence of this generation of students has led to their unrealistic work expectations and disappointment post-graduation. She contends that this mentality is derived from student disinterest and laziness, yet nurtured by a former generation. Wente makes her opinion on the topic of the entitlement generation very clear by using a firm tone, which may be misinterpreted as condescending by the wrong audience. She makes implications regarding the entitlement generation and t heir work ethic. Applying these implications to a sizeable population is Wente’s fundamental flaw. Moreover, she bases many of her arguments on the shared opinion of Dr. Coates and does not deviate from this source. Implications that apply to large populations and the use of only a single source leads to generalizations that consequently contribute to error in appeal. These characteristics of Wente’s writing make many of her claims questionable and open to criticism, even though they may be valid arguments. The author uses Dr. Coates’ apparent expertise on the entitlement generation to support her arguments. She reassures her reader that Dr. Coates is an expert on the entitlement generation by indicating that his book, Campus Confidential is â€Å"a guide to the mindset of the entitlement generation† (par. 3). Wente presents Dr. Coates’ opinions as if they were her own, demonstrating her concurrence. Her agreement can be seen in her support of Dr. Coates’ statement that â€Å"[students] bring assignments in late and think that [professors] will mark them without penalty† (par. 4). Wente claims that this attitude is predictable because â€Å"that’s the way it’s been all their lives† (par. 5). Wente’s editorial is riddled with this type of accord, which may be criticized by the reader. The author only introduces the audience to Dr. Coates who is assumed to be the expert-on-the-topic and lacks an indication that there is adequate agreement among other experts. Additionally, there is no mention of the opinions held by Dr. Coates’ students regarding his credibility and competence in his role as a professor. It is possible that his opinion of the students he has encountered during his career has been shaped by their attitude towards his teaching ability, popularity or subject of expertise. Finally, Wente adopts a polarized approach to the topic by implying that students are either a part of the entitlement generation or the top 15 to 20 per cent of their class (par. 10). Wente argues that only the top of the class, can realistically anticipate jobs with a starting annual salary that exceeds $50 000 (par. 11). She implies that the remaining students are encompassed by the definition of the entitlement generation and are considered both uninterested and lazy. Furthermore, the author suggests that only the entitlement generation expressed their desire for unrealistic work/life balance, vacation time and a starting annual in the recent survey of university students (par. 11). She fails to acknowledge the possibility of a group of students who do not achieve a GPA that reserves them a spot at the top of the class yet possess a genuine desire to learn and be challenged. These are the students who might â€Å"[devour] the works of Frantz Fanton, Karl Marx and Gloria Steinem† (par. 7), but may also be involved in extracurricular activities, which take time away from their studies. Dr. Coates and Wente, do not recognize important attributes that students gain from being involved in clubs, sports or organizations. This lack of consideration contributes to the polarized approach adopted by the author. Wente’s holds a firm opinion regarding the entitlement generation and their characteristics. Her article brings public attention to a common mindset of Canadian students, which may help to explain the unrealistic work expectations of the current generation. This information may help employers who draw from Canadian institutions hire candidates that will integrate well into their organization based on their attitude. Employers should be wary, though, of the information presented in Wente’s article as it adopts a polarized approach to the topic of the entitlement generation with poor use of authorities. Works Cited Prinsen, Jean. â€Å"Mind Wide Open: Critical Reading.† Kingston: Queen’s University, 2011. 1-6. Wente, Margaret. â€Å"Inside the Entitlement Generation.† Toronto: The Globe & Mail division of Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc., 17 September 2011. F9.

An Overview of Ocean Currents and How They Circulate

An Overview of Ocean Currents and How They Circulate Ocean currents are the vertical or horizontal movement of both surface and deep water throughout the world’s oceans. Currents normally move in a specific direction and aid significantly in the circulation of the Earth’s moisture, the resultant weather, and water pollution. Oceanic currents are found all over the globe and vary in size, importance, and strength. Some of the more prominent currents include the California and Humboldt Currents in the Pacific, the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current in the Atlantic, and the Indian Monsoon Current in the Indian Ocean. These are just a sampling of the seventeen major surface currents found in the world’s oceans. The Types and Causes of Ocean Currents In addition to their varying size and strength, ocean currents differ in type. They can be either surface or deep water. Surface currents are those found in the upper 400 meters (1,300 feet) of the ocean and make up about 10% of all the water in the ocean. Surface currents are mostly caused by the wind because it creates friction as it moves over the water. This friction then forces the water to move in a spiral pattern, creating gyres. In the northern hemisphere, gyres move clockwise; while in the southern  hemisphere, they spin counterclockwise. The speed of surface currents is greatest closer to the ocean’s surface and decreases at about 100 meters (328 ft) below the surface. Because surface currents travel over long distances, the Coriolis force also plays a role in their movement and deflects them, further aiding in the creation of their circular pattern. Finally, gravity plays a role in the movement of surface currents because the top of the ocean is uneven. Mounds in the water form in areas where the water meets land, where water is warmer, or where two currents converge. Gravity then pushes this water downslope on the mounds and creates currents. Deepwater currents, also called thermohaline circulation, are found below 400 meters and make up about 90% of the ocean. Like surface currents, gravity plays a role in the creation of deep water currents but these are mainly caused by density differences in the water. Density differences are a function of temperature and salinity. Warm water holds less salt than cold water so it is less dense and rises toward the surface while cold, salt-laden water sinks. As the warm water rises, the cold water is forced to rise through upwelling and fill the void left by the warm. By contrast, when the  cold water rises, it too leaves a void and the rising warm water is then forced, through downwelling, to descend and fill this empty space, creating thermohaline circulation. Thermohaline circulation is known as the Global Conveyor Belt because its circulation of warm and cold water acts as a submarine river and moves water throughout the ocean. Finally, seafloor topography and the shape of the ocean’s basins impact both surface and deep water currents as they restrict areas where water can move and funnel it into another. The Importance of Ocean Currents Because ocean currents circulate water worldwide, they have a significant impact on the movement of energy and moisture between the oceans and the atmosphere. As a result, they are important to the world’s weather. The Gulf Stream, for example, is a warm current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and moves north toward Europe. Since it is full of warm water, the sea surface temperatures are warm, which keeps places like Europe warmer than other areas at similar latitudes. The Humboldt Current is another example of a current that affects weather. When this cold current is normally present off the coast of Chile and Peru, it creates extremely productive waters and keeps the coast cool and northern Chile arid. However, when it becomes disrupted, Chile’s climate is altered and it is believed that El Nià ±o plays a role in its disturbance. Like the movement of energy and moisture, debris can also get trapped and moved around the world via currents. This can be man-made which is significant to the formation of trash islands or natural such as icebergs. The Labrador Current, which flows south out of the Arctic Ocean along the coasts of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, is famous for moving icebergs into shipping lanes in the North Atlantic. Currents plan an important role in navigation as well. In addition to being able to avoid trash and icebergs, knowledge of currents is essential to the reduction of shipping costs and fuel consumption. Today, shipping companies and even sailing races often use currents to reduce time spent at sea. Finally, ocean currents are important to the distribution of the world’s sea life. Many species rely on currents to move them from one location to another whether it is for breeding or just simple movement over large areas. Ocean Currents as Alternative Energy Today, ocean currents are also gaining significance as a possible form of alternative energy. Because water is dense, it carries an enormous amount of energy that could possibly be captured and converted into a usable form through the use of water turbines. Currently, this is an experimental technology being tested by the United States, Japan, China, and some European Union countries. Whether ocean currents are used as alternative energy, to reduce shipping costs, or in their natural state to move species and weather worldwide, they are significant to geographers, meteorologists, and other scientists because they have a tremendous impact on the globe and earth-atmosphere relations.

Pakistan essays

Pakistan essays There are many interpretations of what democracy can imply. The definition that best suits this paper is Laurie Brands. She defines it as an opening up of a political system in order to allow more freedom for expression, more freedom for the formation and activity of groups outside the government, an increased awareness of human rights, and the adoption of parliamentary elections (3). Pakistan has had considerable difficulty developing stable, cohesive political organizations because they have suffered long periods of repression. Further, political parties, with few exceptions, have been founded as vehicles for one person or a few individuals, or to achieve specifically defined goals. When these individuals abandon their parties or after party goals have been met, many organizations have lost their interest and have lacked the ability to carry on. In addition, political parties have been handicapped by regional and ethnic factors that have limited their national appeal and have also been torn by personal and class rivalries (Pakistan on Web by Mazhar). Pakistan is a constitutionally Islamic country of South Asia, founded in 1947, and a test case for Islamic democracy. In its experience with democracy, Pakistan compared well with other constitutionally Islamic states. But when measured by the extent of popular participation, the effectiveness of representative institutions, and commitment to a constitutional order, democratic rule in Pakistan has been inconsistent and shallow (Banks, et. al. 841). For more than half the time since its founding, Pakistan has experienced military rule. A parliamentary vote in 1970 was the first conducted under suffrage, and the election of 1988 was the first in which a transfer of power occurred smoothly, without military interference. As of the mid-1990s, no government had completed its term of office since the lifting of martial law in 1985. In 1990, a popularl...

Whats Next for Administrative and Executive Assistants

Whats Next for Administrative and Executive Assistants Over at The Effective Admin, Karen Porter has some advice for Executive Assistants and Administrative Assistants who are ready for the next big rung up the ladder.If you like providing administrative support, you may find reassurance in the predictable climb  upwards every time someone leaves or someone new is hired and needs an assistant. Or maybe you stumbled into admin work and are just happy to have a desk and a paycheck! But maybe now that youre settled and have  started to look around, youve realized youre on a conveyor belt of sorts. That can often feel too limited.What if you didnt have to follow a predefined path? What if you could develop your own path based on a 5- or 10-year plan?What this may mean is letting go of your title, or even your professional category and focusing instead of what responsibilities you want to hold a year or several years from now. Does your company have   roles that would afford you those opportunities? If not, is there any way you can stil l acquire some of those responsibilities outside of your normal job parameters, so they can translate on to your resume and make you appealing to a company that does have room for that position?Ask yourself: What kind of jobs offer  your dream work activities (and whatever benefits, perks, salaries, working conditions etc are your top priorities)? What sort of tasks can you add to your current roster- without changing your title- that will get you ready for your next move?Define your strengths, look for holes in your experience, and work to fill them. Make your own path, ladders and rungs optional!

Budgeting and customer satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Budgeting and customer satisfaction - Essay Example There are some factors and approaches that Duma may need to focus on/adopt in order to maintain or even increase its market share in terms of attracting more customers. Discuss these factors and approaches and how they may be used by Duma corporation. In order for Duma to expand on its market, Duma Corporation has to adopt strategic management in its operations. With strategic management, the company has to start with setting a mission, vision, and corporate objectives, and then crafting a strategy in order for the company to thrive in its chosen industry. Strategic management entails application of strategic marketing, strategic finance, strategic human resource management and other functions of the company's operations. Strategic marketing will be the front-runner of the company's efforts in order to attract more customers, and increase its market share in the process. How does the company do this' It has to assess the current level of the demand in the market, as well as the supply. Given the gap in the market, it can set a certain level of market share which it aims to capture as its marketing objective. This target market share is transformed into sales objectives. After determining its marketing objectives, the ... This target market share is transformed into sales objectives. After determining its marketing objectives, the company can craft its marketing strategy. It must set criteria to segment the market, such as profitability as it cannot please all the customers (Duncan 2005). After knowing the segments and targeting a segment where it want to operate, the company must know what the attributes are customers give premium on when choosing specialist photocopiers. Armed with this knowledge, the company can position itself according to the preferences of consumers. This positioning, or what the company stands for as regards its offer should set a level of expectation for the market. Satisfaction of its current customers is key to retaining its market share; satisfaction occurs when the level of expectation of the customers is exceeded (Pickton & Broderick 2001). Thus, Duma corporation must exceed what customers expect of its product in order to satisfy them, make them loyal to the brand or product of the company, or in extreme cases, advocate the brand which can help the company acquire more customers in the process. It is very usual that positive word of mouth can accompany high levels of customer satisfaction (Duncan 2005), and this positive word of mouth is a very powerful marketing communications tool in order for Duma to reach and convert other customers to joining its customer base. Customer satisfaction by providing satisfactory product and services is key for Duma to maintain its market share. This customer-centric approach to marketing is can only be accomplished by investing in consumer research in order to probe for the preferences of the customers (Pickton & Broderick 2001). Without knowing what the customers

E-Commerce Critique Business Structure and Model Essay

E-Commerce Critique Business Structure and Model - Essay Example In this essay, the author will look into the benefits and risk of e-commerce, the types of legislation that have been introduced to protect the consumer and business alike. E-commerce is the easiest, most convenient way of conducting business over the internet for business professionals and individuals. Conducting business over the internet is simply visiting specific websites, also referred to as surfing the web, for online shopping or business related matters. E-commerce is defined as any kind of transaction performed over the internet where there is an exchange of money for goods or services. A transaction like that is paid for through the use of a credit card. E-commerce occurs when individuals use the internet by visiting websites for online shopping of goods or services. It also occurs when business professionals surf the web to conduct business with other business professionals. There is a close analogy between a website that sells woman’s clothing and a store at the ma ll that also sells woman’s clothing, here referred to as an online store. One of the differences between a retail store and an online store is that while the store has limited hours of operation, an online store is open twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. Finally, one other difference between a retail store and an online store is that a retail store offers a shopper more options of payment while an online store requires a payment by a credit card only. Download this essay and you will get your A+.

Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Analysis - Essay Example The film has assumed its rightful place in the pantheon of American film for its sweeping depiction of the events surrounding the Civil War. Still, it’s clear that in keeping with Hollywood trends the film bends and shapes history to meet its narrative ends. This essay considers Gone With the Wind’s depiction of historical events and examines the effect they have on the film’s overall ideological message. One of the major areas in which Gone With the Wind demonstrates various degrees of historical accuracies is the articulation of African-Americans and the 19th century African-American throughout the film. When viewing Gone With the Wind the audience will become aware of the limited reference to the Ku Klux Klan and to the incendiary word ‘nigger’. Even as the original novel and screenplay contained references to these objects, they were removed by producer David Selznick after receiving the first copy of the draft. While one might not believe that t his indicates a significant historical inaccuracy as they represent instances of withholding information rather than articulating it in a wrong way, upon further inspection it’s clear that neglecting this material constituted a significant gap in the actual depiction of 19th-century Southern existence. After the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated a significant presence in the Southern states. In response to screenwriter Howard, Selznick indicated, â€Å"A group of men can go out to 'get' the perpetrators of an attempted rape without having long white sheets over them and without having their membership in a society as a motive" (Leff). In these regards, it appears that the primary concern in implementing the Ku Klux Klan was it being referred to as an organization; one can surmise the fear was that references could be used as a motivation tool for existing Ku Klux Klan organizations. While these concerns held reasonable points, it seems clear that as they do hold this incendiary power, they also represent a significant historical inaccuracy. As civil rights concerns sought to conceal this aspect of American history, they may have actually contributed to understandings of 19th-century existence as not being as oppressive and organizationally challenging as in reality they were. In addition to Selznick’s deletion of reference to the Ku Klux Klan, the deletion was made to the word nigger. There were a variety of reasons behind this deletion and it wasn’t as clear-cut as many might imagine. After speaking with a broad array of black leaders Selznick determined that the use of the word would not be appropriate in the current social climate. One interesting side-note is that the film censorship board reviewed these concerns as well. In these regards, â€Å"The movie industry's censors had ruled only that "nigger" "should not be put in the mouth of white people† (Leff). One notes that the contemporary acceptable social incarnation o f the word nigger in media outputs also is divided along these race lines, indicating the power the film industry plays in shaping socially acceptable views and interactions regarding race. Still, similar to the deletion of the Ku Klux Klan, one must consider the extent that the deletion actually contributes to civil rights, or whitewashes a particularly troubling period in American history.

Possible solutions for tobacco usage in UK Essay

Possible solutions for tobacco usage in UK - Essay Example e tobacco tend to start at a very young age, mostly in their teenage, and these normally begin mainly because of the influence of their friends as well as peer pressure, especially in the school environment. Moreover, it has become the norm for these individuals to continue smoking for the rest of their lives since once they pick up the habit from such a young age; it is often very hard for them to stop. The result is that a large chunk of the population of the UK are tobacco users and this has created a situation where despite the best efforts that the government has taken, it has become difficult to control the use of this substance. Some of the largest tobacco companies are based in the UK and because it is a lucrative market for their products, these companies have worked hard to ensure that those laws that are not in favour of the reduction and at times abolishment of tobacco usage are not passed. These companies have powerful lobbies, which work hard to ensure that only laws which are in their favor are passed as a means of retaining their dominance over the UK market (Neuman, Bitton & Glantz, 2002). Therefore, it has become imperative for the government of the UK to take direct and effective measures which are meant to promote a reduction of tobacco usage within the country so that the population can stay free of the medical complications that are related to tobacco usage (Jha & Peto, 2014). Among the biggest steps that the UK government can take to curb the power of tobacco companies is to ensure that legislation that reduces the consumption of tobacco products is introduced and strictly implemented becaus e to do otherwise would mean that the health of the public would be at risk. In addition, the government should require that it make requirements where tobacco companies in the UK have to label their products as being dangerous to the health of those who use them ("Adding harm reduction to tobacco control", 2007). Moreover, the government should take an

Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Community - Essay Example I attended a conference organized by the California State University, Northridge to address the issue of women empowerment in Latin America. The Conference was held on 12th December 2011, with powerful women attending, including Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton. One of the objectives of the conference was to show that despite the negative prejudices placed on women, there are those who have conquered that belief and succeeded in their daily undertakings. Women’s great contributions to the community were greatly acknowledged, especially those realized in hospitals, schools, and institutions that support the poor. In the conference, it was noted that economic inequalities as well as legal and political structures play a vital role in worsening the overall empowerment of women. In her speech, Oprah Winfrey stated that inheritance laws and cultural practices discriminate and undermine women in several fields (Ellison 233). For example, in some of the Latin American communities, girls inherit half as much as their brothers, while mothers get less than what their children get; and if children pass away, mothers inherit less than fathers do. Such cultural practices deny women key resources that can help them emerge as successful people in the society. The conference was organized in a way that, the day was divided into shorter sessions and evening sessions where the real objective of giving the techniques to be used by women to conquer the social prejudices were addressed by the speakers. The audience did not consist of women alone, but men as well, since the whole community has a role to play in the empowerment of women. The conference seemed extremely lively as everyone participated wholly in his or her own way. Some questionnaires were passed around in the conference concerning women issues, and the audience ware so positive in answering. Participants

Research evidence suggests that the great majority of western Essay

Research evidence suggests that the great majority of western multi-national companies decide against sending female expatriates to non-western countries. Evalu - Essay Example marily local nationals, and therefore must closely adhere to local norms on hiring--or not hiring--female managers, transnational corporations are not similarly limited; because the corporate culture of transnational firms is not coincident with the local culture of any particular country, transnationals have greater flexibility in defining selection and promotion criteria that best fit the firms needs rather than those that most closely mimic the historic patterns of a particular country’ (Adler, 1993, 4). The above differentiation between domestic companies and transnationals regarding the criteria set for the hiring of managerial staff has a significant value for the case of expatriates. Because transnationals, as explained above, are free to decide on their staff (in terms of not being ‘engaged’ by the local cultural demands) their decision on hiring expatriates cannot be examined as of its reasoning. Moreover, in order to understand the position and the role of expatriates we should refer to the following categories of foreign assignments as they have been presented by Bruning et al. (2005). More specifically, in accordance with the above researchers the ‘various types of foreign assignments include: a) Relocating an employee and family to a target country (expatriates); b) Developing management staff from the local country (inpatriates), or c) Utilizing employees in frequent short-terre assignments (flexpatriates) to transfer area-specific knowledge’ (Bruning et al., 2005, 21). According to a definition given by Gentry et al. (2001, 369) ‘business expatriates are sojourners sent to a foreign country by multinationals with the intent to control the company operations and to provide technical and administrative services’. The above descriptions of the role of expatriates are useful in order to understand their responsibilities but also their rights when deciding to be ‘engaged’ on this specific type of employment. At a first level, it has

Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Community - Essay Example I attended a conference organized by the California State University, Northridge to address the issue of women empowerment in Latin America. The Conference was held on 12th December 2011, with powerful women attending, including Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton. One of the objectives of the conference was to show that despite the negative prejudices placed on women, there are those who have conquered that belief and succeeded in their daily undertakings. Women’s great contributions to the community were greatly acknowledged, especially those realized in hospitals, schools, and institutions that support the poor. In the conference, it was noted that economic inequalities as well as legal and political structures play a vital role in worsening the overall empowerment of women. In her speech, Oprah Winfrey stated that inheritance laws and cultural practices discriminate and undermine women in several fields (Ellison 233). For example, in some of the Latin American communities, girls inherit half as much as their brothers, while mothers get less than what their children get; and if children pass away, mothers inherit less than fathers do. Such cultural practices deny women key resources that can help them emerge as successful people in the society. The conference was organized in a way that, the day was divided into shorter sessions and evening sessions where the real objective of giving the techniques to be used by women to conquer the social prejudices were addressed by the speakers. The audience did not consist of women alone, but men as well, since the whole community has a role to play in the empowerment of women. The conference seemed extremely lively as everyone participated wholly in his or her own way. Some questionnaires were passed around in the conference concerning women issues, and the audience ware so positive in answering. Participants

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 30

Case Study Example 8). Children rights advocacy in the UK takes the efforts of many stakeholders. Besides the UNCRC, which is implemented in the UK, UK laws recognize the necessity to ensure full protection of children’s rights. A parent serves as the primary caregiver for every child in the UK. There are several organizations together with the government, which ensure that the children live stress-free life. The case entails stressful situations that I undergo as a 16-year-old girl. My mother is in a turbulent relationship that affects the entire family. I rarely contact my biological father. My three siblings belittle me. My mother serves as a nurse at a local nursing home and is rarely available to perform her responsibility as the family’s primary care-giver. Most of the time, I serve as the primary caregiver for my siblings in her absentia. Taking care of my siblings is a challenging task because I must report to the Youth Offending Office every day. The police arrested me for alleged robbery. Besides, I have other duties to perform. Although on a part-time basis, I must attend a specialist educational facility meant for young individuals who exhibit educational and behavioral difficulties. The office arranged for me to start attending a pupil referral unit. I have to balance between the referral unit and my statutory education. I intend to join a catering course after my GSC E, which I am due to complete. At home, I do not get sufficient time for sleep because the house has limited space for the family. I sleep on the sofa, instead. An adult recently raped my sister, Laura, and I feel it is a fundamental concern for me to sacrifice my commitments and help her through the hard times she is undergoing. I, however, have limited support and guidance to help my sister. As the victim, I need help from relevant groups of professionals. CRAE is a key institution mandated to implement the UNCRC and

Of Mice and Men and Oliver Twist Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men and Oliver Twist Essay Of mice and men written by John Steinbeck is set in 1930 during the economic depression caused by the stock market crash of 1929. Unlike Oliver Twist, Of mice and men is set in USA, near the Salinas River, in the hot and beautiful state of California. On the other hand, Charles Dickens Oliver Twist is set in the powerful and the majestic city of London, over-ruled with darkness and murky pollution brought about by what was the industrial revolution in 1870, when the novel was set. The Industrial revolution really puts the whole evil and darkness of London into a shadow which adds to the sinister acts that unveil themselves as the novel progresses. The two main characters of of mice and men are two migrant agricultural labourers, George Milton and Lennie Smalls. George, Small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp strong features. Every part of him defined : small, strong hands, slender arms and a thin bony face. The second part of an unlikely relationship between these two friends is Lennie, who is a large man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders. George is Lennies guardian, because of his mental immaturity he is totally reliant on Georges leadership and commanding power, over of which he follows. In my opinion, without George, Lennie would either be dead or locked up in jail, as a result of him doing stupid acts. It is ironic that Lennies surname is Small, because of his huge size, Bear like as the author describes. In the time of which of mice and men is set, there is lots of tension. Social classes, women, people who suffer from racism all suffer at the same expense during this period. Crooks is the only black man In this novel, and it is through him that we can see the position of blacks in America. Crooks, is crippled because he got kicked by a horse, he has his own little room, away from the rest of the hands. The other hands openly refer to Crooks as Nigger, this example directly amplifies the life and times of the Black Americans at this time. Women are also represented through Curleys wife. Curleys wife is one quarter of an unhappy marriage. The other three quarters of the marriage is Curley, the bosses sun, who has full power of his wife and tells her what to do constantly. Steinbeck deliberately doesnt give Curleys wife a name, this representing the insignificance and illustrates ownership over women at this time. Curleys Wife doesnt really love Curley, and didnt really marry him because of love. She married him to prove a point to her mother, who destroyed the relationship she did have with the one she did love. She admitted, that marrying him was a Way Out. Curleys wife is an ambitious, flirtatious, good looking, young women, who the ranch hands try to ignore and avoid. She is trapped in loneliness, in Curleys wrath, she is where she isnt loved, and her only alternative is to make the most out of what she has got. Aint I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am, anyways? Youre a nice guy. I dont know why I cant talk to you I aint doin no harm to you. Previous to the murder, in the barn. There, in my opinion, is a hierarchy at the ranch, and at the bottom lies Curleys wife and Crooks, two characters treated insignificantly and are discriminated due to their social classes, a women and a black. In California, the setting for this novel, the atmosphere and the surroundings is very harsh and tough for the workers. The attitude and behaviour of the workers in the novel reflect this well. For the workers, there was no cash benefit for the workers, so If they lose their job then they have to do without and mainly starve. The law, I learned is enforced well, but strangely enough, without any force as we never see any police during the novel. California is described extremely well, it is very interestingly described too, this appeals to the reader and gives the novel a very bright and happy start. The first few pages focus on the setting and commentate on all the happenings that go on, this builds a sense of reality. Steinbeck was born and raised in California, near Salinas, so he had an advantage when attempting to describe it as he can relate to it very well. Oliver Twist is almost exactly the opposite in comparison. It is a very dark novel. London at this time set the scene for the monstrosities that happened and the events that took place. You could almost guess what was to expect when reading the first few pages of Oliver Twist, but to do the same with Of mice and men would be completely different. Of Mice and Men starts on a high, very bright and colourful, but it changes contrasts and horrible happenings crowd the last few chapters of the novel. The two main characters in Oliver Twist are Oliver and Fagin. Oliver is a young orphan, brought into the then cruel world by an unknown mother. Fagin, is an Un-human man, whose features are aged and ugly. He is a ring leader of a gang of thieves that rob the city of London of valuable possessions, such as money, watches and gold. The Artful Dodger is Fagins keen apprentice, willing to learn, who knows all the tricks of the trade, a master of theft and scams. Bill Sikes, Fagins second man, is a ruthless cut throat man, whose large size and aggressive attributes add to the murder later on in the novel. The two murderers, Lennie and Sikes have many similarities. Firstly Sikes and Lennie are two large and intimidating men, whos leader is considerably smaller than them. Secondly, they both receive orders and are followers to their two leaders. Although Sikes doesnt receive commands off Fagin to an extent where he cannot survive without him, like Lennie, one part of the story he does. This is the main event that leads up to the murder of Nancy. In the early hours of the morning, when all the human and civilised world is asleep, London is awake. Fagin is awake in his chair. Waiting. Sikes enters with the loot that he has stolen from peoples houses. Fagin starts to talk about Nancy, Sikes girlfriend. He goes on and explains that Nancy could be a leak and could tell on them to the police. Fagin, knowing that Sikes has the mordacity and the capability of murder, begins to perform reverse psychology. He knows that if he pulls the right strings that Sikes could do anything for him. Sikes quite easily falls into Fagins mastermind trap, as if he had been brainwashed or hypnotised, he is now going to commit Fagins murder for him. Sikes goes to where Nancy is sleeping and severely shouts and screams at her. This traumatises her, to the extent where she doesnt know what is going on. This makes Nancy vulnerable, and this is where Sikes commits his brutal and sick attack on her. We can tell, just by reading these several lines of the story, the evil and cunningness of Sikes. He continuously beats Nancy to death with a wooden stick. Leaning up top the murder of Curleys wife, which was by far not as hellacious and as horrific as this, Lennie was minding his own business and was in the barn, calmly stroking one of Slims pups. Not knowing his own strength Lennie accidentally killed the pup. Lennie began to become sad and at the same time, angry. He repeatedly thought about George not letting him tend the rabbits, at the home of which the whole is dream is based around. An hell say : Now just for that you aint gunna tend no rabbits. Lennie put the pup in the straw, and began to talk to himself, moaning the death of the pup. Curleys wife enters and begins to flirt with Lennie, who confesses to her liking for stroking nice things. She invites him to stroke her long soft hair, but as the stroking becomes harder, she panics; the harder he strokes the more she panics and then Lennie accidentally breaks her neck. He half-buries the body in the hay and runs off to the brush. As you can tell, both the two murders are of a totally different nature. In of mice and men, the murder was unexpected, and didnt really fit into the surrounding story, On the other hand, In Oliver Twist, a murder was almost inevitable. Sikes was a premeditated murder, as he had thought it out and planned the whereabouts etc. Lennies was out of the blue, an accident neither him or anyone else could of prevented. The setting of the two murders, also are totally different. The murder of Curleys wife was in the barn, in the sunny and hot state of California. The murder of Nancy was in the grimy claustrophobic city of London. The descriptions in the stories of the murders, are again totally opposite. In Oliver Twist, Dickens almost runs a post-mortem on the body, and describes Sikes moves in detail after the murderer. In of mice and men, however, Steinbeck runs a bleak vague synopsis on the happenings.

Free College Essays - The Character of Hester Prynne in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Character of Hester Prynne of The Scarlet Letter      Hester Prynne is a very well recognized character in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne.   She is a character about whom much has been written such as, Toward Hester Prynn, by David Reynolds, and The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome, by Kristin Herzog.   Reynold's essay dealt with Hester as a heroine, who is an artistic combination of disparate female types.   Herzog's essay dealt with the idea that Hester is both wild and passionate, as well as, caring, conservative, and alien.    Towards Hester Prynne, by David Reynolds, expressed Hester as a heroine composed of many different stereotypes of females from the time period Hawthorne was writing.   Hawthorne created some of the most skeptical and politically uncommitted characters in pre-civil war history.   Reynolds went on to say, His [Hawthorne's] career illustrates the success of an especially responsive author in gathering together disparate female types and recombining them artistically so that they become crucial elements of the rhetorical and artistic construct of his fiction (Reynolds 179). Hawthorne used ironies of fallen women and female criminals to achieve the perfect combination of different types of heroines. His heroines are equipped to expel wrongs against their sex bringing about an awareness of both the rights and wrongs of women.   Hester is a compound of many popular stereotypes rich in the thoughts of the time ...portrayed as a fallen woman whose honest sinfulness is found preferable to the future corruption of the reverend (Reynolds 183).   Hester was described by Reynolds as a feminist criminal bound in an iron link of mutual crime (Reynolds 183).   According to Reynolds, Hawthorne was trying to have his culture's darkest stereotypes absorbed into the character of Hester and rescue them from noisy politics by reinterpreting them in Puritan terms and fusing them with the moral exemplar.    Kristin Herzog had a somewhat different view of Hester in The Scarlet A, Aboriginal and Awesome.   She described Hester as both wild and passionate, and caring, conservative, and alien.   Herzog stated that The Scarlet Letter is a story set at the rough edge of civilization.   Hester is as much an outcast as any Quaker in the Puritan colony and she takes the colony's abuse laid upon her with a Quaker's dignity.   Herzog described Hester's Aboriginal characteristics as caring and conservative.   This aspect of Hester's femininity is not the only trait, however, which

At the time of McCarthyism, Arthur Miller had a close friend who had :: English Literature

At the time of McCarthyism, Arthur Miller had a close friend who had been accused and was willing to name THE CRUCIBLE In 1692, puritan Massachusetts was a difficult place to live. The Puritans were people who had left England to live a pure and holy life in America. They obeyed the laws of the bible and were a very superstitious group of people. They believed that any behaviour that opposed the bible, even the tiniest thing, was of the devil and his witches. In 1950’s America there was a Senator called Joseph McCarthy who led the Un-American Activities committee. This meant that he was in charge of ridding the continent of anything that was deemed Un-American. It had not been long since the Second World War and all Americans were very paranoid about the rise of communism in some of the eastern European countries. Joseph McCarthy was not at all interested in putting people in jail but ‘naming names’- he wanted to know the names of those who were involved in communism. This process was soon to be known as McCarthyism. At the time of McCarthyism, Arthur Miller had a close friend who had been accused and was willing to ‘name names’- Miller was angry and began to write the crucible. The crucible is known as what is called an Allegory. This means that it is written to subliminally show something about one thing when it is being described as another. The crucible describes the Salem which trials in 1692 but is meant to show the complete similarities between it and 1950’s McCarthyism. Two of the main characters in The Crucible are John and Elizabeth Proctor. We learn at the beginning of the play that John and Elizabeth have a very difficult marriage. There is growth in the mistrust between them as we grow to learn that John has had an affair with the reverend’s niece: Abigail. After numerous events John and Elizabeth are sent to prison on the charges of witchcraft. Near the end of the play they meet for one last time to discuss their course of action. Faced with a difficult decision, John must choose between life and truth. This decision is difficult because he wishes to live and see his children grow up but he dare not lie about committing a crime he is not guilty of. He will do only what his wife wishes. But what is her wish? When her and John first meet in the prison she says to him â€Å"The children are well. Rebecca Samuels keeps them† she says this with the intent that John will feel a loss on the behalf of his children.

Analyse Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship Essay

To analyse Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship throughout the play and how this changes, I am going to first describe them at the start of the play, then pick key scenes which show well the change and are strong and highly dramatic. At the start of the play, Macbeth is a well-respected warrior who is well liked by Duncan. He is already Thane of Glamis and one of the first things that happen in the play is that he is made Thane of Cawdor. This is a great honour and he is highly favoured by the King. He seems to be doing well for himself. Lady Macbeth is his wife, who is also well liked. As a couple, they are in a strong marriage. They have had children, however we do not see them or hear much about them in the play. Lady Macbeth loves Macbeth a lot, but she is very ambitious. This leads to being a contributing factor to his downfall. The first scene I am going to analyse is Act I Scene VII. In this scene, Lady Macbeth is trying to persuade Macbeth to murder King Duncan. The scene opens with a long and important soliloquy from Macbeth that adds to the dramatic tension of the play. Here, Macbeth is having second thoughts. He is thinking about what would happen to him if he were caught, and what he ought to be doing as a friend of the king. He recognises the fact that he has no reason to kill the king, and knows he would be wrong to do so. In very eloquent, heightened language, referring a lot to the supernatural, he describes how awful it would be to murder Duncan, what a horrible deed he is about to commit. This is the first real sign of a human side to Macbeth, showing that he still cares and would not just murder Duncan without a second thought or any sort of a conscience. It shows that he is still human, not yet a ruthless, murdering monster, and this adds to the drama as he hesitates, then changes his mind. When Lady Macbeth enters, he is strong and decided, telling her in a definite tone that We will proceed no further in this business, and gives her his reasons. She replies by attacking his manhood, his courage and bravery. She bombards him with insults, overwhelming him and leaving him unable to fight her. He defends himself in a short sentence or two, before she carries on. This time she uses his children against him in her argument, telling him that, while breastfeeding her own child, she would have killed it if she had so promised to him that she would. This is important in showing the way the audience see Lady Macbeth, because this cruel, harsh way of addressing him makes the audience almost hate her. She is using a feminine, maternal image in a horrific way against Macbeth in order to get her own way. Macbeth is now almost convinced, so Lady Macbeth becomes very pragmatic now, taking a different approach. She assures him they won’t fail, and tells him exactly how they will carry out the murder. At this point in the play, she is definitely the stronger of the two, the driving force in the marriage, and Macbeth is full of admiration for her. She now has him so convinced that he again promises to her that he will kill Duncan. The scene ends in a decided, strong way with a rhyming couplet: False face must hide what the false heart doth know. This quote adds emphasis to the scene, and brings in the theme of pretence. The scene works particularly well because the stereotype of a married couple is reversed in this scene. The stereotype would be that the male is the stronger character, more practical, and making the majority of decisions, and the female is the one who is swayed by emotions, who has a conscience, and is gentler. However, here Lady Macbeth is the strong, driving force: ruthless, not at all emotional or feminine, and Macbeth is weaker, easily swayed by his wife. This role reversal adds drama and irony to the scene. Lady Macbeth is completely in control at this point in the play, and Macbeth seems to be fairly on top of the situation as well. As of yet, they have not lost control, or their sanity. The next scene I am going to analyse is Act III Scene IV. By this point in the play, Macbeth has murdered Duncan and is now King. In this scene, Macbeth is holding a banquet for all the Thanes and well-respected people of the land. The scene is full of pretence and hypocrisy, as Macbeth has just had Banquo murdered. It is a highly dramatic scene, and is a turning point in the play for Macbeth. The banquet starts well. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are in control of the situation, and are managing to act as a gracious host and his loving wife, speaking very eloquently and politely to their guests. Then one of Banquo’s murderers comes to the door, and things get more complicated. It is now harder for Macbeth to stay in control, but he manages and goes to the door to speak to the murderer. The way Macbeth speaks then shows that he is becoming scared, and starting to be paranoid that everyone is trying to overthrow him. A good quote to show how he feels is I am cabin’d, cribb’d, confin’d, bound in. He feels restricted and oppressed, like he can’t enjoy his kingship for all the threats. Becoming king seems like an empty victory, because it is Banquo’s line, not his, who eventually come to the throne. It is this feeling of oppression that spurs Macbeth to murder more and more people, trying to protect his kingship; therefore this feeling contributes eventually to his downfall. Macbeth finishes speaking with the murderer. Lady Macbeth politely reminds him that he has abandoned his guests, who as yet do not suspect anything, and he returns to the banquet. It is then that Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, sat in his place at the table. He is the only one who can see it, and in his exclamations he says some incriminating things, like Thou canst not say I did it. Lady Macbeth tries to cover this up by telling the guests that Macbeth has fits, it is an illness he has had since being young. She tells them to take no notice, and to carry on with the banquet. Although she doesn’t understand what is wrong with Macbeth, she is hanging on to control of the situation. The scene is difficult for Lady Macbeth, as she is tested to the limit by being forced to play two roles: one as a host, unable to show anything which may create suspicions leading to their being found out, and another as Macbeth’s loving wife, concerned for him. She needs to find out what has happened to make Macbeth act like he is and help him to regain his composure, but cannot let the guests know they have murdered Duncan, or indeed that Macbeth has murdered Banquo. Lady Macbeth takes Macbeth aside, and scalds him. She is trying to mock him into being ashamed of his behaviour, and control things in the way she did when she persuaded him to murder Duncan. However, this time it does not work, as she has no power to affect this situation. There follows an embarrassing period of time where Macbeth says some incriminating things, and Banquo’s ghost appears and disappears in such a way that it seems to be mocking Macbeth. In the end, Lady Macbeth has to abort the banquet and send all the guests home for fear that they will start to ask too many questions and they will be found out. Macbeth and his wife speak for a while, before going to bed. Macbeth endures the death of Banquo because of his ghost. He compares murdering his best friend to all those he killed in battle. He has never been bothered by ghosts before, and is scared by this haunting. At one point during his ranting, he lists large and frightening animals: bear, tiger, and rhinoceros, and says how he would rather face any of these than the Unreal mockery of Banquo’s ghost. Later, when talking to Lady Macbeth, he acknowledges the fact that he will suffer for murdering Banquo. The supernatural are going to avenge Banquo’s death, and Macbeth cannot do anything about it. Other things that are revealed when Macbeth is talking to Lady Macbeth are that he has become very suspicious and has spies in all the Thanes’ castles. He is starting to be paranoid that everyone is out to get him, and is trying to protect his kingship. This is affecting him mentally, as he is never really at rest by the end of the play for looking over his shoulder all the time. He tells Lady Macbeth he will go to see the witches tomorrow. It seems that he no longer trusts anyone- except for the witches, whom he trusts completely. They are the least helpful characters he could possibly find, as they are only out to meddle in men’s lives, causing amusement for themselves and downfall for Macbeth. He believes they will help him, but they won’t. Putting all his trust in the witches is dangerous for Macbeth, as they lead him to believe he is invincible, which later causes him to take stupid risks. Lady Macbeth also mentions that he has not been sleeping well lately, which will be adding to his fragile state of mind. Sleep is strong theme in the play, because Duncan was murdered in his sleep, and now Macbeth is lacking sleep. Sleep is needed, it is essential for a healthy lifestyle, and without it, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth suffer. Macbeth knows he has done a lot of horrific deeds now, but he is also aware that: I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er. So Macbeth is starting to regret his actions, but also knows he cannot do anything now except to continue. This adds to his recklessness towards the end of the play, as he seems not to have any other option now, so it doesn’t really matter anyway. He finishes the scene by saying We are yet but young in deed, which is a strong and dramatic prediction and a good way to end the scene. By this time in the play, communication is starting to break down between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth- as shown by the fact that Lady Macbeth knew nothing of Macbeth’s plans to murder Banquo- and their strong marriage is starting to split and fall apart. By the end of the play, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have grown so far apart that I am going to analyse each of them separately in different scenes: Lady Macbeth in Act V Scene I, and Macbeth in Act V Scene III. By the end of the play Lady Macbeth is a total wreck. She sleepwalks, and is constantly troubled by the actions of her husband. In Act V Scene I, she is sleepwalking, observed by a doctor and a gentlewoman. She acts as if she is washing her hands, rubbing them together in her sleep, trying to get the blood of the king off them. This symbolises that she does not feel free of the guilt for murdering Duncan. She says in her sleep, Will these hands neer be clean? and, All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. This is ironic as, just after having murdered Duncan, she assures Macbeth that, A little water clears us of this deed. This brings in yet another theme of the play, water. Throughout the scene, Lady Macbeth speaks in prose, the lower-class language. This is a contrast to the rest of the play, which is in blank verse, with the occasional rhyming couplet. This reflects the difference in Lady Macbeth from the strong character she was at the start of the play. Another point to be made about the way in which Lady Macbeth speaks is the subject of her speech. She darts from subject to subject, from one time in the past to another, very quickly, making it hard to follow what she is saying. This disjointed, nonsensical speech reflects her troubled mind and demonstrates quite how much she has had to deal with. As the doctor says, More needs she the divine than the physician, as Lady Macbeth has suffered a mental breakdown, and it seems that no mortal can help her now. The contrast between this weak, broken character now, and the strong, decisive character we saw at the start of the play, adds a massive amount of drama and effect to the play. As for Macbeth, he too is now a completely different character to the well-respected, fairly rational warrior we saw at the start of the play. His paranoia has developed into a fear and mistrust of everyone except the witches, as we saw halfway through the play. He has put all his trust in the witches’ prophesies that he will not be beaten: For none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth and, Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him. Because of what he has heard from the witches, Macbeth honestly believes himself to be invincible. This means he is ready to take all sorts of silly risks. In this scene, Macbeth is in his castle at Dunsinane, and an army of the English and all his flown Thanes, led by Macduff and Malcolm, are about to attack him. For the majority of the scene, Macbeth spends his time mocking all his servants, and those who bring reports to him of the advancing army. He scorns them for showing their fear, and boasts that he is unbeatable. He is confident, arrogant, and defiant in that he refuses to be afraid. However, all his confidence relies totally on the witches’ prophesies being true. He insults the Thanes, seeming not at all bothered by the fact that they have all deserted him, and the odds are stacked against him winning the battle. A mad bravery has possessed Macbeth. In amongst all his fighting talk, there is a quiet, reflective moment where it is revealed that Macbeth is lonely, and he misses having true friends, instead of all the mouth-honour he receives as king. He realises that he has lost everything he ever had, because he sacrificed so much to become king. However he also knows that, win or lose, he will have to carry on now, because he seems not to have any choice. Macbeth then sees the doctor, and asks How does your patient, doctor?. This quote demonstrates how distant Macbeth now is from Lady Macbeth, that he refers to her in such a way. He still cares about her, but never spends any time with her any more, and she is more of an afterthought, not really his wife any more. He asks the doctor to do all he can to make her better, because he still wants her to be all right. The marriage which was so strong at the start of the play has now broken apart completely, to the point that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth never speak to each other any more. In the end, Lady Macbeth commits suicide because she is so unhappy, and Macbeth does not even have time to grieve for his wife, because he is so preoccupied by the battle and his own affairs. So what caused the difference in their relationship? The first contributing factor is right near the start of the play when Macbeth murders Duncan’s chamberlains without consulting Lady Macbeth. From then onwards, Macbeth starts to do things without consulting Lady Macbeth: murdering Banquo, and Macduff’s wife and children. This upsets Lady Macbeth because she loses control of the situation. She is very troubled by the murder of Macduff’s wife and children because as Thanes’ wives they would have been friends. Loss of communication between them affects them both, though Lady Macbeth more than Macbeth. Also deprivation of sleep plays a big part in each of their mental states, and each of them feels a great guilt for their actions. Overall though, the main things that split up Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are lack of communication, and loss of control.

Macbeth †Hero or “Hellhound” Essay

William Shakespeare the author of Macbeth was born in April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He is generally regarded as the greatest playwright ever to have lived. During the time of Shakespeare (which was the Elizabethan times) the theatres in which his plays were performed were very basic. They had no scenery or sets so they used simple items such as a stool, which would represent an indoor scene. He theatres were also very small, the fortune theatre only being 80ft square. The stage had three tiers; the main stage where most of the scenes would be performed, the tiring house which was used for scenes such as the witches’ cave in Macbeth and the gallery (upper stage) which was used for scenes such as the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet. People in the Elizabethan times were extremely religious and believed in a â€Å"chain of being†. This is a hierarchical society that is divided into three sections, Heaven, Hell and Earth. They believed that everybody was born into a level and this could not change or chaos would ensue. Due to this belief the killing of king – known as regicide was regarded as the worst crime in the world as the king was god’s messenger on Earth. Macbeth was written for King James in around 1605. Because of whom it was written for Shakespeare had to change the character of Banquo to a â€Å"good guy† as it was one of James’ ancestors (Shakespeare actually borrowed the idea for the play from Ralph Holinheads’ chronicles). The play is about a Scottish nobleman ‘Macbeth’ who becomes king by murdering the previous king. The world is then thrown into disarray until eventually ‘Macbeth’ himself is killed and the true successor to the throne is crowned when order is restored. There are many themes in Macbeth many of which recur throughout the play. These include masculinity. Lady Macbeth always questions ‘Macbeth’s’ manhood whenever he doesn’t want to go through with something, which leads to ‘Macbeth’ doing whatever she wants him to. Linking with this is femininity, during the play Lady Macbeth refers to this when she calls for the spirits to â€Å"unsex† her. There is also the theme of darkness, which creeps up a few times during the course of the play. ‘Macbeth’ says to the stars as he is about to murder Duncan, â€Å"hide your fire, let not light see my black and deep desires.† Lady Macbeth also asks for darkness when she says, â€Å"come thee thick night, and pull thee in the dunnest smoke of hell.† Evil is regularly associated with darkness and these references show that there is an evil side to ‘Macbeth’ and Lady Macbeth. Perhaps the most important theme in the whole play however, is fate. Every character except from ‘Macbeth’ accepts fate and the fact that they don’t have any control over it. In the first scene ‘Macbeth’ is said to â€Å"disdain fortune† and later on in the play the witches lead ‘Macbeth’ to believe that he can have complete control of his destiny, which, he later realises he cannot. The ‘tragic hero’ is a character used quite often by Shakespeare. The tragic hero is a character who is noble, brave and good but always has one fatal flaw. In ‘Othello’ the fatal flaw is jealousy and in Macbeth the fatal flaw is ambition. The tragic hero’s fatal flaw will inevitably result in their death, hence the name ‘fatal flaw’. I am now going to work through the play discussing the question ‘Macbeth’-Hero or â€Å"Hellhound†. The play starts with thunder and lightning, which is seen as a reference to the Gunpowder Plot, which occurred around the same time as the play. The Elizabethan audience would recognise this and see the relevance because in both the case of the Gunpowder Plot and the play the intended victim was the king. The meeting of the witches is the first scene in Macbeth. This shows that the witches are a very important part of the play and they will be very influential during its course. The audience will know to be afraid of the witches because of the society of the time. To the Elizabethans witchcraft was a fact of life. We also discover that the witches are definitely a source of evil when they say, â€Å"fair is foul, and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air.† This shows that the witches are trying to disrupt the natural order, which, according to the chain of being will throw the universe into chaos. In the second scene we learn of ‘Macbeth’s’ bravery in battle. This where he is said to â€Å"disdain fortune† which shows us that he doesn’t believe in fate. We also find ‘Macbeth’ is a very strong fighter and that; he and other people believe that he is unbeatable in battle. An example of this is when the captain says, â€Å"yes as sparrows eagles: or hare the lion.† This is a reference to ‘Macbeth’s’ fighting ability and the fact that he is as scared as a lion would be of a hare. When the opposition army is refreshed and with new troops the captain says, â€Å"As cannons overcharg’d with double cracks, so they doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe.† This shows the audience how ‘Macbeth’ but will make them wonder is he too bloody and over the top? ‘Macbeth’s’ first words in scene three are, â€Å"so foul and fair a day I have not seen.† The audience will pick up on this as it links in with what the witches say at the beginning of the play. The audience may also be a little disturbed by the way that ‘Macbeth’ seems to be acting now. The witches know what ‘Macbeth’s’ name is and this startles ‘Macbeth’ and the audience. They say â€Å"All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis.† The audience will now begin to realise just how powerful the witches are as this is little known information. They then say â€Å"All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor.† Of course by now the audience will know that the Thane of Cawdor is a traitor but they don’t know how the witches have this knowledge. This will scare the audience and make them wary of the witches’ behaviour. Banquo mentions to ‘Macbeth’ that he should be happy by this news, â€Å"Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear things so fair?† This shows us that the witches have also startled ‘Macbeth’. Does this mean that ‘Macbeth’ can’t be too evil as he is scared of the witches or he is just shocked because he has already thought of murdering the king? Banquo also says that ‘Macbeth’ seems â€Å"rapt withal† so we wonder if he is deep in thought or under a witches spell. If ‘Macbeth’ is in fact under the witches’ spell then his actions throughout the rest of the play can’t really be seen as his fault. Banquo seems to be aware that the witches are evil although ‘Macbeth’ isn’t. â€Å"Cannot be ill. Cannot be god.† Is he just reassuring himself or is he really not aware that the witches are bad? ‘Macbeth’ thinks of murdering the king and is scared by his thoughts: â€Å"Why do I yield to that suggestions whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, without the use of nature.† Again Banquo says, â€Å"look how our partners rapt† so again we wonder if he is under a spell or just deep in his thoughts. The way that this idea of ‘Macbeth’ being â€Å"rapt† could be Shakespeare’s way of telling the audience that ‘Macbeth’ is being controlled by something more powerful than just his mind or ambition. In the next scene Duncan announces that the successor to the throne will be his son. ‘Macbeth’ also declares his loyalty to the king when he becomes thane. The audience will already know that ‘Macbeth’ has had thoughts about killing the king and therefore will see this as ‘Macbeth’ being very two faced. ‘Macbeth’ also says in this scene: â€Å"the Prince of Cumberland: that is a step, on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap for of in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires let not light see my black and deep desires.† This reveals a lot about ‘Macbeth’s’ current train of thought. He is basically saying that the Prince of Cumberland is in his way and must be overcome. ‘Macbeth’ also becomes quite scary in this speech when he says the part about â€Å"Stars hide your fires†. This will symbolise to the audience that he is moving into darkness from light or more worryingly from good to bad. In scene five Lady Macbeth is introduced. She offers quite a lot of insight into ‘Macbeth’s’ character that hasn’t been mentioned before. She says, â€Å"Yet I do rear thy nature is too full of the milk of human kindness.† This is a feminine quality; she is basically that ‘Macbeth’ is not masculine – bloody enough. She also says that he is, â€Å"without the illness that should attend ambition.† This means that his ambition is pure but does not having that â€Å"illness† mean that ‘Macbeth’ doesn’t have a conscience? She says that he wants to do things the right way, â€Å"holily†, â€Å"wouldst not play false† and also that ‘Macbeth’ fears to do things. This shows us that Lady Macbeth has, perhaps, a confused idea of masculinity and femininity and also good and evil. Lady Macbeth’s behaviour echoes that of the witches as she calls upon the spirits to â€Å"unsex† her. We can also links with ‘Macbeth’ when she says, â€Å"come thee thick night, And pull thee in the dunnest smoke of hell.† Here she is calling for darkness like her husband did previously. ‘Macbeth’ arrives home at their castle and tells Lady Macbeth that Duncan will be staying for a night, to which Lady Macbeth says, â€Å"O never shall sun that morrow see.† This is a clear indication that she too wants the king to die. She tells ‘Macbeth’ to â€Å"look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.† ‘Macbeth’ says â€Å"we will speak further.† This shows the audience that ‘Macbeth’ hasn’t yet decided whether or not to kill the king. In scene six the king arrives at ‘Macbeth’s’ castle. In scene seven ‘Macbeth’ argues against killing the king by saying, â€Å"he’s here in double trust.† This means that it should be ‘Macbeth’s’ duty to protect the king and not try and kill him. He also says to Lady Macbeth, â€Å"we will proceed no further in this business.† Lady Macbeth retaliates to this by saying that ‘Macbeth’ is a coward and she follows it up by saying something extremely shocking. She says that she has had children but would rather rip the baby from her and kill it then break her vow to kill the king. This shows to us that it may not just be the witches who are proving to be a bad influence on ‘Macbeth’s’ mind. This causes ‘Macbeth’ to change his mind. Lady Macbeth outlines a plan to kill the king. Her idea is to get the king’s guards so drunk they fall asleep then Duncan will be unguarded. Once Duncan has been killed she will pour blood on the guards to make it look like they murdered him. ‘Macbeth’ ends the scene by saying, â€Å"I am settled.† He has decided to kill the king. We wonder whether this was perhaps his intention all along or was it Lady Macbeth’s intervention that pushed him to do it? In Act two scene one ‘Macbeth’ starts on his mission to kill the king. A dagger appears before him. There are lots of interpretations about what this means. Is ‘Macbeth’ going mad and just imagining it? Is the dagger really there? Is it a witches’ spell making him see it? Some versions of Macbeth actually show the dagger appearing before him while some don’t, as if it is in his mind. In scene two ‘Macbeth’ kills the king and is in a terrible state. He says, â€Å"I could not say amen.† This could be evidence that he is under a spell because if he was just evil it wouldn’t bother him that he couldn’t say amen. He also says, â€Å"me thought I heard a voice cry, sleep no more.† This shows that ‘Macbeth’ is both hearing and seeing things. This will make the audience wonder if ‘Macbeth’ has truly gone mad or if he just feels guilty about it. In scene three we see the chain of being has been disrupted and chaos is ensuing when it is said, â€Å"some say the earth was feverous, and did shake.† Also in this scene Macduff finds the king dead. ‘Macbeth’ kills the servants. Is this ‘Macbeth’ being careful and cautious or just bloody? In the first scene of act three we realise that Banquo suspects ‘Macbeth’ of getting in to the position he is in more by foul play than coincidence. â€Å"I fear thou play’dst most foully for ‘t.† We wonder whether Banquo suspects ‘Macbeth’ because he knows that ‘Macbeth’ is capable of doing this. ‘Macbeth’ says, â€Å"to be this is nothing but to be safely this.† ‘Macbeth’ is pondering whether he should kill Banquo, after all he saw the witches and he knows what ‘Macbeth’ is doing. He also says, † come fate, into the list.† ‘Macbeth’ is personifying fate again, which links with when he is said to â€Å"disdain fortune.† This is very important because it shows that ‘Macbeth’ is now acting against the witches as he has decided to kill Banquo and his son. This time however ‘Macbeth’ gets â€Å"murderers† to kill Banquo. Is this because he is too scared? Does he still feel some loyalty to Banquo? Or is he just being more devious? He says to Lady Macbeth, â€Å"Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chick.† This is a huge step for ‘Macbeth’ because the murder is all his own planning and no witches or wife are persuading him. He also says, however, â€Å"O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife.† This shows that, again, ‘Macbeth’ is showing some remorse. This shows us that ‘Macbeth’ does not become purely evil immediately. In scene four Lady Macbeth says ‘Macbeth’ is â€Å"womann’d.† In Shakespeare language this means that it is good to be kind, good to be scared. Theses are all necessary parts of being a hero, not a villain. In this scene Banquo’s ghost appears before ‘Macbeth’. We wonder again, as with the dagger, is this a spell, a hallucination or just his guilty conscience playing tricks on him. ‘Macbeth’ says â€Å"I will to-morrow (And betimes I will) to the weird sisters, more shall they speak.† ‘Macbeth’ is going to see the witches. He knows that he has gone too far and cannot be good again. He has â€Å"embraced evil.† â€Å"For know I am bent to know the worst means the worst.† The audience will now wonder whether this is ‘Macbeth’ being brave or just purely evil. In scene five the queen witch says that ‘Macbeth’ isn’t linked with the witches. The audience will wonder is the witch lying? And also is this good or bad? If ‘Macbeth’ is linked with the witches then they can be blamed for his actions but, if what the witches are saying is true then ‘Macbeth’ is responsible for his own actions. Act four scene one. The witches produce apparitions as they talk to ‘Macbeth’. The audience will link this with the dagger and Banquo’s ghost and will now believe that the witches are the cause of these images. The witches’ first warning to ‘Macbeth’ is clear. â€Å"Beware Macduff, beware the Thane of Fife.† The second apparition is a bit more cryptic. â€Å"for none of woman born shall harm ‘Macbeth’.† The witches know that they are tricking ‘Macbeth’. At first ‘Macbeth’ decides not to Macduff as he thinks he can’t be harmed by him but then changes his mind to be on the safe side. This is another example of one of the many times ‘Macbeth’ goes a bit over the top by killing people. The third apparition tells ‘Macbeth’ that he will be safe until the wood marches up to the castle. This makes ‘Macbeth’ feel safe as he thinks, that the wood can’t march and that everyone is woman born. The audience however, will know not to trust what the witches say. In act five scene two we see some peoples’ opinions of ‘Macbeth’. â€Å"Tyrant, mad and valiant fury† are all mentioned. The audience will know that ‘Macbeth’s’ reign is likely to come to an end. In scene three ‘Macbeth’ learns that the English are marching into Scotland. ‘Macbeth’ says, â€Å"I’ll fight till from my bones, my flesh be hack’d!† This is another point in the play where ‘Macbeth’ is very bloodthirsty and over the top. In scene five ‘Macbeth’ hears a scream. Lady Macbeth has died. He says: â€Å"I have almost forgot the taste of fears, the time has been, my senses would have cool’d to hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair would at dismal treatise rouse and stir as if like were in lit.† This isn’t a good sign as it shows that ‘Macbeth’ has gone too far. He also says: â€Å"She should have died hereafter, there would have been a time for such a word, tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in the pretty face from day to day.† This shows that ‘Macbeth’ is accepting that he will be defeated and wants death now. ‘Macbeth’ also learns that Burnham wood is coming to the castle. He says, â€Å"at least we’ll die with harness on our back.† The audience will wonder of this is noble and heroic or is he really mad? It also shows that ‘Macbeth’ â€Å"disdain fortune† once again. In scene seven ‘Macbeth’ realises that he has been tricked by the witches when he says, â€Å"they have tied me to a stake, I cannot fly, but bear like I must fight the course.† The audience may now feel a little bit sorry for ‘Macbeth’, as all that he can do now is fight. â€Å"Turn hell hound, turn.† Macduff yells to ‘Macbeth’ to which ‘Macbeth’ replies no. He decides that he doesn’t want to kill Macduff as he has already killed all of his family. Is this ‘Macbeth’ showing some compassion to Macduff by not fighting him or is it just arrogance? ‘Macbeth’ realises what the witches were talking about when Macduff says he was born by caesarean section – not born of a woman. Even though he now knows this he still wants to fight. The audience will wonder if this is ‘Macbeth’ trying to â€Å"disdain fortune† once again. Macduff kills ‘Macbeth’ in the fight, as the witches predicted. Malcolm says, â€Å"this dead butcher.† This isn’t really a very good description of ‘Macbeth’ as he perhaps had good reason to kill some of the people that he did and some of his other murders could be seen as ‘Macbeth’ being cautious rather than bloody and over the top. When the king’s named successor returns to the throne, the chain of being is back in order and the play ends. ‘Macbeth’ has been killed and order has been restored.

Creative Task Essay

â€Å"When someone prizes us just as we are, he or she confirms our existence.† My feet were so cold. The only thing I could feel was the muddy water soaking through my timeworn sneakers and my tattered socks as I was walking through the streets of Brooklyn on a cold, rainy December’s evening. After all, how could I feel anything else? I’d just been fired from my job; my girlfriend had just kicked me out of the closest thing I had to a home and the only place I could think to go was my dad’s spare house. I was carrying the only thing I was able to grab from my girlfriend’s apartment, my 6 string nylon guitar which I grabbed so that I could feel a sense of ownership over something. My girlfriend said it was useless to me anyway because whenever I played it, apparently it sounded like a two wild gorillas trying to kill each other. For some reason, whenever she said that I always thought of our relationship. But besides that, I was alone on the streets of Brooklyn with nothing but my wallet, the little money it had left in it, my guitar, my drenching apparel and no hope. After moping around the cold dark streets for an hour I finally found my dad’s old house that he never sold, but kept for a ‘spare’. He gave me a key for it in case I ever found myself in need and at this point in time I’d never felt more this way. I dragged myself up on to the front porch and felt through my pockets for the key. As I stepped closer to the door I heard a growl, a growl that made me feel like I was invading the territory of a wolf in the forest. Despite this feeling I felt no fear of what I could not see in the shadows, but I was curious as to what had made itself comfortable on my front porch. Before I had time to even step into the shadow, what appeared to be a golden retriever leaped out of the shadow. The dog had deceived me in my formerly estimated image as a brutal stray, as it only seemed like a joyous little puppy seeking shelter from the rain. I think that I must have scared the poor little thing as I approached the door of my tempo rary new home. The dog stared at me with wide glowing eyes, as if it was begging me for a place to stay, but the last thing I needed was a dog which would need taking care of, when I was unsure if I could do so to myself. â€Å"You can stay outside little fella†, I murmured to the pup assuming that it would be gone by morning. I received no reply, as the dog just kept the same facial expression whilst glaring into my eyes. I wandered on inside to try and get a good night sleep so I could have a clear mind in the morning to think about how I was going to sort my rock-bottomed life out. Two weeks had passed and I had made a start to gathering what options I had left and turning them into the best possible outcomes. The only problem was – it wasn’t a ‘hole-shot’ of a start. I had been to 2 job interviews which only lasted about 5 minutes each, and I had not heard back from the managers. Isn’t that promising? I had a huge lack in confidence and my self-esteem ha d gone through rock bottom and kept plummeting. It was raining outside so I had thought that I should go and get the newspaper so I could desperately look for any job that I could get my hands on. As I went to open the door I felt a resistance pushing against it. I put the little energy I had into a shove that might have knocked over a pedestal fan, and couldn’t open the door. Finally, I heard this object pull itself up and move out of my way. I opened the door to find the golden retriever puppy staring at me with the same enticing glare it gave me when I first arrived at my house. I couldn’t resist to the stare this time around as it was freezing cold outside and pouring rain, so I thought I would take it in. â€Å"Come on in buddy, let me get you washed up†, I said excitedly. As I let this stranger ride into my home and walked to grab the newspaper, a sudden rush of warmth and excitement ran throughout my body like I had just met my childhood hero. I walked through the door and the puppy was still staring at me the same way it was when I had found it. It didn’t seem to mind the mess as much as my dad did when he came to help me get on my feet a little. I looked closer at the dog and saw a rough looking collar with the name tag ‘Archer’. I fixed Archer some of my leftovers that I had piled up over the past couple of weeks, and by the time I had found one job offer in the newspaper; he had destroyed the collection of cold toast, bacon and baked beans like he was a prisoner on death row receiving his last meal. There was something about Archer’s personality that made me feel comfortable and not alone. I felt that maybe this could be a turning point in my life that was only heading in a southerly direction. The next job interview that I had was probably the worst one yet. The store owner was a complete jerk and told me exactly what he thought of me straight to my face, as if my presence was imaginary. â€Å"Why would anyone want to hire an unshaven, underdressed, useless piece of garbage like you? Get out of my office!† he shouted in my general direction. I was plainly intimidated and embarrassed by this big shot and I was back to square one. All messed up with nowhere to go. Feeling depressed and unsatisfied, I decided to drag myself home and repeat my so called routine that I had developed over the past 3 weeks – look for a job, eat, sleep, look for a job and repeat. As I stumbled back onto my front porch I heard tapping on the floorboards I my house, but wasn’t in the right state of mind to even think what it was. I opened the door without a care and saw a pair of glowing eyes staring right at me. It was Archer, and he looked like he had never been so happy to see me. I had been so humiliated and belittled that I had lost thought of Archer. A tear rolled down my cheek and dropped onto my shirt. I couldn’t figure out whether this tear was because I was unsure of my existence as a part of the human race, or because I had realised that I had something important in my life without realising. I dropped onto my knees and gave Archer a huge hug, feeling relieved. For the rest of the day I played with Archer and cleaned him up. I felt like he was my only friend. The only person who didn’t judge me even if I was a useless piece of garbage. He gave me a sense of confidence that I had never felt before. He made me feel that my existence on planet earth was of some worth. Within a year of the day that Archer had performed the miracle of instilling a person with happiness and friendship, I had completely steered my life around. I had gained enough confidence to go for my dream job – a gig playing my guitar and singing at a top nightclub in Brooklyn. I played my music for the manager at the club and he said I could possibly be the next big thing within a couple of years time. I had found a girl who was perfect for me and appreciated me for who I was, unlike my last partner. I was earning enough money to start renting a house that my girlfriend, Archer and I had moved into and I was feeling like I could do anything that was possible to man. I found it amazing that a dog – just a dog, could turn a man’s life around. It was all thanks to him, making me realise that there are things in life that are worth staying around for. If it wasn’t for him standing at my door on that cold dark day, I’m not sure that I would be here to tell this story today.