Monday, September 30, 2019

Addie Bundren’s Everlasting Impact

Addie Bundren’s Everlasting Impact Often times in novels, there will be a character that has the ability to appear as little as possible and still be able to have one of the biggest impacts on the rest of the characters and on the novel as a whole. In As I Lay Dying, Addie Bundren is one of those types of characters. She has only one chapter in the entire book, yet is somehow able to have the biggest influence on the rest of the characters. She is the basis of the story, and everything relates back to her. Addie Bundren seems to have such a heavy impact on the characters as they were constantly trying to please her. Darl always longed for her approval and was constantly jealous of her relationship with Jewel. He was always trying to provoke Jewel: â€Å"’You could borrow the loan of Vernon’s team and we could catch up with you,’ I say. ‘If she didn’t wait for us. ’ ‘Ah, shut your goddamn mouth,’ Jewel says. † (pg. 18) Addie seems to have enjoyed all the attention she was getting. She was constantly trying to fulfil her feeling of dissatisfaction, trying to find multiple ways to rid herself of the sickening feeling, but nothing she did helped. Her dissatisfaction was the centre of her life. Her character greatly affected all the characters in the novel. She was the spokes holding their family wheel together. Darl longed for her approval, while Jewel had her sitting on a pedestal. Anse, even through all his selfish, narcissistic ways, looked up to her and felt attached to her, even beyond her death. He felt like he owed her something. Her character is similar to Vardaman’s character in the sense that they are both unable to fully express themselves. Vardaman resorts to comparisons such as ‘my mother is a fish’ (pg. 84) while Addie resorts to having an affair with Whitefield. Addie is the basis of the book. Without her, there would not be a story. Her character has a powerful hold over the rest of the Bundrens, even after death. With her death, the characters could have just buried her wherever they felt convenient; however, they still follow through with her request. Though one could argue that they did so only for their own selfish benefits, their conversations never fail to relate back to her in one way or another. They feel compelled to grant her wishes, making references to her while on their journey, helping the reader piece Addie’s character together without her actually speaking. As I Lay Dying amplifies the feminist role with Addie Bundren. It ties her influence in with her motherly figure, making her a vital character in the novel. She has the rare ability to hold such a powerful control over the characters in the novel, making her a significant character with only one chapter.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Why Is Act 3 Scene 1 a Turning Point in Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare, the play is based on forbidden love and deathly consequences. The beginning of the play starts with a prologue, the main point of this is to get the audience’s attention and set the scene but to also explain the whole outline of the play. By doing this Shakespeare is also acknowledging one of the main themes of the play, which is fate. In the prologue Shakespeare chooses to use a lot of violent language- â€Å"Their death†¦ Civil blood makes civil hands unclean†¦ Parents rage†¦ †-. Blood is associated with fighting and battles; ‘Rage’ is a strong word, hinting towards anger. This establishes the violent, angry mood of the play. However, the prologue also informs the audience other themes involved in the play. Fate plays a big part in the play, we learn that the two lovers meeting will lead to unfortunate events happening, -â€Å"A pair of star crossed lovers take their life†¦ †-, this quote is saying that their death is inevitable and this also links in with the violent theme. Also by telling the audience how the play is going to end, this then becomes fate in action as the audience know what’s going to happen next. This is a good use of dramatic irony because we learn the outcomes of the play and all through it we know what will happen if a character chooses a certain path. The prologue also hints that we aren’t meant to on anyone’s side-â€Å"Two houses both alike†¦ †- the two rival families are both the same and so this gives us the chance to make our minds up. In the first scene, we see a street brawl between the servants of the two families; this first scene shows us how the hatred has run through not just the family but the servants also,-â€Å"When I have fought with men, I will be cruel with the maids- I will cut off their maiden heads†¦ †-, this shows how violent the feud has become because even the servants are talking about raping the oppositions maids. ‘Maiden heads’ was a slang word for virginity. In the first scene we meet Benvolio, a Montague, and we quickly learn that he is the peace maker, â€Å"Put your swords up, you know not what you do†¦ this shows that he is not a fighter, he just wants to keep the peace. Also the quote reminds us of when Jesus who said, â€Å"Forgive them father of their sins, for they know not what they do†¦ †-. This suggests that innocent people may die for others. We are also introduced to Tyblat, who is a Capulet filled with rage for the Montague’s an d the word peace, â€Å"I hate the word, as I hate hell†¦ † he is one of the characters who will instigate a fight. The next important scene is The Capulet Ball, where Romeo and Juliet first meet. It is also when Tyblat swears that although he is not dealing with the Montague’s intrusion now he will later,† I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to the bitterest gall†¦ † ‘Gall’ means poison, which makes us think of pain and suffering, thus building up the tension. Once again Shakespeare shows that Tyblat is nothing more than a big ball of rage, however this is very important as it starts the chain of events that would lead to the death of the two lovers. As Romeo first spots Juliet he uses very descriptive words to describe the way she looks, he is fascinated by her beauty, †Beauty to rich to use†¦ , he also sees her as a rare thing, as if he’s never seen someone so beautiful, â€Å"Snowy doves trooping with the crows†¦ †. We also learn that Romeo can change his mind incredibly quickly because at the beginning of the play he seems to be ‘in love’ with a Rosaline, whil st talking about her he uses a lot of oxymoron’s,† Sick health†¦ †, this shows us his confusion from an early point in the play, although when he sees Juliet he claims to be ‘in love’, from this we learn that he is very indecisive and can’t make up his own mind, â€Å"Did my heart not love till now? , this question hints at his indecisiveness and confusion. When Romeo and Juliet finally meet the moment is very child like, they just stare and move around each other almost as if to scared to touch. They also speak in the form of a sonnet to show the love that is building up between them. The famous balcony scene is also a huge step towards the oncoming events. As Romeo climbs over the orchard garden Juliet is talking to herself on her balcony. In this part the two lovebirds confess their undying love to each other and decide to get married the next day. Whilst claiming to love each other it all seems very serious but it’s just seems like simple child’s play as everything happens within twenty four hours, including a marriage. The marriage is conducted by the Friar who mysteriously states, â€Å"These violent delights have violent endings, and their triumphs die, like fire and powder†¦ † the first bit of the quote links with the violent theme of the play, even the Friar himself sees that Romeo and Juliet getting married would end badly, however he still agrees to marry them. The most important scene of all is act three scene one, this after the wedding and where finally everything unfolds. Also as this scene is filled with violence it contrasts with the past scene of the wedding, which is a juxte position of love and hate, which makes the fighting more shocking and harder to take in. In act 3 scene 1, Tyblat turns up at the beach to fight with Romeo but ends up having a short comedic fight with Mercutio but there is no violence just funny comments, â€Å"Here’s my fiddlesticks, here’s that you shall make you dance†¦ , Mercutio is making a small mockery of Tyblat and this slack attitude results in the anger within Tyblat building which would lead to the death of Mercutio. However as Romeo arrives the mood of the whole play changes. As Tyblat approaches Romeo, Romeo had just come from his wedding to Tyblat cousin Juliet, and so when Tyblat asks Romeo to fight, Romeo suddenly claims to love Tyblat and uses that as an excuse not to fight, â€Å"But love thee better than thou canst devise†¦ †, I think that this aggravates Tyblat even more, as he feels that Romeo is just making fun of him. As Romeo backs down Mercutio gets angry because he is very proud and sees the backing down as â€Å"O calm dishonourable, vile submission†¦ † This comments leads to brawl between Mercutio and Tyblat, this ends in the unfortunate death of Mercutio. As he realises that he is dying, Mercutio leaves the audience with something to think about. â€Å"A plague of both your houses. † The death of Mercutio hits Romeo the hardest as he was his closest companion. Romeo begins to fill with rage and goes after Tyblat, who had previously run off. Once he has found Tyblat, Romeo looses all sense of control, â€Å"Doom thee to death†¦ † the alliteration of the hard‘d’ makes us think of pain, as it’s a hard sound, making the audience think of death. Everything that happens before this was a build up to act three scene one, from the ball to the marriage. Romeo is the main character who we learn more and more about as the play progresses. In the beginning he is a soppy teenager and determined that he is ‘in love’ with Rosaline yet when he sees Juliet her perks up and changes his mind almost immediately. He believes strongly in fate and he uses it as an excuse to justify his actions and as a way of not taking responsibility, â€Å"Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars- but he that hath the steerage of my course, direct my sail†¦ † He knew that there would be some consequence if he went to the ball, yet he still went and it resulted in the death of his closest friend and a member of a rival family. Romeo is reluctant to change the ‘chosen path’ that has been laid out for him; he feels he isn’t responsible for his own actions. I think the speech reveals that Romeo’s state of mind isn’t really all there, he seems to be omewhere else, he is willing to let everyone else take responsibility for him, he seems really deep yet stupid. e. g. I blame him for the death of Mercutio, because if he had not been so cowardly and had just fought Tyblat himself, then Mercutio would have not felt the need to intervene. Fate is the main theme of the play , it seems that every action is able to be linked with the theme fate; when Tyblat states, â€Å"This intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert into the bitterest gall†¦ † and so that was the reason he went looking for Romeo and that lead to his own death. We the modern audience didn’t really believe in the whole fate thing as we know that is not possible because science and technology has proved it. Although, Elizabethans would have been more inclined to believe it, they didn’t really know much about science and so believed what they were told. Personally I think that it’s the parent’s fault that the events unfolded the way they did, because if they had the courage to put aside their differences and just be civil none of the unfortunate events would have happened, yet they chose to carry on quarrelling which resulted in the death of their own children and family members. Comparing the 2 film versions of â€Å"Romeo and Juliet† Zeffirelli This version is very traditional and is filmed in Verona itself, it keeps very much to the original script. The actors wore traditional clothing which would have been worn by the original actors who performed the play first. Throughout the film it is very dull and has a lack of colour, it isn’t eye catching and doesn’t give people a lot of things to get excited about. The fighting from act 3 scene 1 wasn’t very realistic looking and didn’t look like fighting at all. In this version of the film they wear very old fashioned clothes and they are totally different to the Luhrmann film. Luhrmann Not as traditional as the Zeffirelli version, it still sticks to the script. Instead of swords like the older one, it has guns and it has a lot of action scenes. The Montague’s and Capulet’s are seen as 2 gangs who both hate each other. They also wear more modern clothes and the 2 groups wear entirely different outfits. In this version the director chooses to skip between Juliet, who has just been married and Romeo and Tyblat fighting, this is a good use of juxte position as the audience doesn’t really know what to feel. I preferred the Luhrmann film more than the Zeffirelli version, I liked that it was more modern and it was easy to understand, the actors were very good and I could relate to their characters more. I liked the idea that the Montague’s and the Capulet’s were both seen as gangs and I liked the costumes that they all wore. I defiantly prefer the newer version more and would defiantly watch it again! In overall act three scene one is the main turning point in the play because up till then, Romeo and Juliet the play is seen as comedic, no real threatening events have happened and its all light and airy, however when the mood changes and people start fighting and killing each other, different emotions are brought out from the audiences watching it. All the characters seemed to have changed as the play progressed and it’s because of the characters personalities, if Romeo hadn’t been so irresponsible then he would have never gone to the ball thus Tyblat would have no reason to seek revenge for the gate crash and this also means that Mercutio would have never been killed. It’s the main point of the play and creates tension and suspense that is needed for the audience watching to really get into the play. It’s where the play where it becomes a tragedy, two of the main characters, Tybalt and Mercutio have been killed. The build up to this has been from Acts 1 & 2 and what happens after those two acts causes the two characters to be killed. From then on it also makes the two â€Å"star crossed lovers† to commit suicide, If act 3 scene 1 hadn’t happened then the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet would not have occurred, basically it is seen that fate brought the end to the both of the lovers. I feel that the play would be seen in many different ways, depending on who was watching it and also what period of time they were in. Modern teenagers watching it would

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Black& Decker-eastern Hemisphere and the ADP initiative, Essay

Black& Decker-eastern Hemisphere and the ADP initiative, - Essay Example He wanted to change the culture and build a company which could be flexible enough to adopt to different values and management practices applied throughout different other parts of the world also. Through ADP, Lancaster wanted to actually improve the employee development as he wanted employees in Eastern Hemisphere to be more trained and become more equipped to face the new challenges in terms of stiff competition being faced by the company. He wanted that ADP should contribute towards making employees more responsible and integrated with each other while at the same time become more participatory in nature. Apart from this, by implementing ADP, Lancaster was willing to change the culture of the organization and infuse in employees a new sense of understanding about how things are working at the international level. It was also intended to decrease the reliance of employees on management and make them more responsible for their development and training needs of the future. Probably the most important concern was that of the cultural conflict between the Asian employees and that of the other employees of the organization. Most of Asian managers actually raised their concerns regarding this system because of the lack of willingness of the employees to be actually more open for their bosses. Their lack of being critical of their bosses therefore may lead them not to provide the kind of feedback required to properly evaluate all employees through 360 degree appraisal. In order to properly implement the system, it is important to implement a hybrid system which takes into account the cultural aspects of organization also. Culture is something which changes slowly therefore it may be difficult for Lancaster to implement the required changes immediately as it may attract resistance from all levels. It is however, also important to further refine the hybrid system to truly reflect upon the cultural side of doing business in Asia. It seems that

Friday, September 27, 2019

Resume Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Resume Assignment - Essay Example I believe this experience gives me a background suitable for your advertised position. My other strength that I feel makes me the most suitable candidate for the job is the ability to communicate effectively in many languages. My interpersonal skills and knowledge of the marketing profession are additional values that I will be bringing to the job. I also work well in teams with a consistent strive for collaboration that is constructive, think creatively and posses wide marketing and promotional knowledge earned from education and internship period. My organization, planning and problem solving skills are excellent, I learn quickly and have ability to rapidly master the critical job aspects with little supervision and training. Finally I understand the strategic role IT and ERP knowledge plays to this job as well as the entire organization and believe this is an opportunity to fully make use of valuable knowledge in the field for the good of the business and customers. Based on my educational background, internship experience and knowledge gained over time, I believe I have a solid background that will make a positive contribution to your organization. I hope you will favorably consider my application and grant me an opportunity for an

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Alvin Ailey Biography Overview Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alvin Ailey Biography Overview - Research Paper Example The research paper "Alvin Ailey Biography Overview" presents the description of Alvin's way to success. Having graduated from high school in the year 1948, Alvin went to the University of California with the intention of becoming a teacher but his interest in dance soon came back, particularly after he came across the Lester Horton Dance Theatre giving a dance. Horton’s highly theatrical modern dance style and his apparent interest in Native American dances and culture greatly attracted Alvin and he thought of changing his course from teaching to dance. He won a scholarship and enrolled for technique and dance composition classes with Lester Horton. He also got employment with Horton’s stage crew and danced with them. In the year 1951, seeking a more stable career, Alvin enrolled for a major in Romance languages in San Francisco State College. While there, he got to dance with a touring company and soon realized that what he really wanted was dance regardless of how ris ky it was compared to the dependable and stable teaching career. He rejoined the Los Angeles’ Lester Horton Dance Theatre and Lester Horton died suddenly in the year 1953, leaving the company without a director. They asked Alvin to choreograph some dances. He taught at Horton Dance School but later got an opportunity of dancing in a concert in New York and moved to the East Coast. In the year in 1954, Alvin went to New York to dance in the Broadway production of ‘House of Flowers’ with a partner called Carmen DeLavallade and in the year 1958.

Euthanasia sholud be lgalised in the uk'.discuss this statemnt giving Essay

Euthanasia sholud be lgalised in the uk'.discuss this statemnt giving arguments on both sides of the debeate - Essay Example In the United States, individuals such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian popularized the practice, gaining significant media attention in the process; still, it must be mentioned that even as Kevorkian gained some mainstream acceptance, he was ultimately convicted for his actions. While euthanasia is illegal in all countries of the United Kingdom, there remains considerable controversy over this legal stance. While both the British Medical Association and the Church of England oppose euthanasia, the majority of the British public is in favor of legalization (Whiting 2002, p. 42). Considering the both sides of the debate, this essay examines whether euthanasia should be legalized in the United Kingdom. A variety of medical and legal contexts have also investigated the notion of euthanasia. Originally, the NHS indicates that euthanasia was originally prohibited in the United Kingdom in 1961 (‘Euthanasia and assisted suicide’, 2012). Currently this act makes contributing to suicide pun ishable by up to fourteen years in prison. While euthanasia is outlawed in the United Kingdom there are a variety of grey areas wherein end of life issues come to the foreground. Prominently the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) implemented the Liverpool Care Pathway which allows doctors to place terminally ill patients on pathway towards death. This has engendered controversy from groups indicating it has been implemented too early in life process (Doughty 2012). The United Kingdom has also legally implemented some of these practices through direct patient interaction, as the Mental Capacity Act of 2005 allows individuals to establish advanced directives in the instance they become mentally capacitated (Liddle 2007, p. 94). Additionally, increased attention has been given to euthanasia of premature babies. Otherwise, however, the United Kingdom law still prohibits euthanasia in most circumstances. Within the United Kingdom, some significant medical perspe ctives in favor of euthanasia are emerging, too. For instance, in 2012, in an editorial of one of the British Medical Journal issues, the author urged the British Medical Association to drop their opposition to euthanasia (White 2012). The argument was largely advanced through natural law ethical foundations. Some of the most prominent voices against euthanasia have emerged from the religious strata of society. As Christianity remains the most dominant religion of the United Kingdom and Western society, it has significantly influenced political and legal thought (‘Ethics Guide’ 2012). The Church of England has objected to the practice of euthanasia on a variety of grounds. The Fifth Commandment states, â€Å"You shall not kill† (Catechism of the Catholic Church n.d.). While there is the understanding that committing euthanasia, if considered at an ethical level, is not directly comparable to other acts of killing, from the Christian point of view it still is a ne gative occurrence. The Catholic Catechism states: â€Å"Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being†

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis The Four Freedoms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rhetorical Analysis The Four Freedoms - Essay Example Therefore, he began his address on a note of warning to the Americans, with the assertion that the nation’s international position was â€Å"unprecedented†(2) and raised apprehensions about the security of America by stating that â€Å"at no previous time has American security been as seriously threatened from without as it is today.†(2) What was that threat? He did not specify and he was just trying to create deep anxiety for his audiences. By stating next, that past leaders of America did not aim â€Å"at domination of the whole world,† (7) he was making it clear about the new role of America in the world scenario of politics and the duties and responsibilities involved in it. To highlight the necessity of participation in World War II, he chose to belittle the importance of the previous wars and said they were not â€Å"a real threat against our future or against the future of any other American nation.†(12) Quickly, he had built up the suspense rhetoric well which created some apprehensions like who was the enemy precisely? What were the intentions of the enemy so-projected? What threat he constituted? At the sixth minute of his speech, the President was more vocal about describing the enemy. He specified the enemy as â€Å"the new order of tyranny† (11) who had the hidden agenda and â€Å"that seeks to spread over every continent today.†(11) He said â€Å"every realist knows that the democratic way of life is at this moment being directly assailed in every part of the world–assailed either by arms, or by secret spreading of poisonous propaganda by those who seek to destroy unity and promote discord in nations that are still at peace.†(12) This observation was highly important. He regaled his audience and warned them that the enemy was treacherous on every count. The President was referring to the enemy dictators and their armies, the Communist countries

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Write 2 page essay Bring Your Own Technology(BYOT) Educational

Write 2 page Bring Your Own Technology(BYOT) Educational Technology - Essay Example Thus personalized learning tools, empower students and teachers for better learning environment and better understanding. At one hand the technology displays positive aspects encompassing- better indulgence of 21st Century learning skills, fostering a greater commitment with learning as it seems to be more environment friendly and tasks could be accomplished at faster pace. Educationalists believe that augmentation in education technology should empower students to make use of high tech gazettes and therefore they advocate for the implementation â€Å"Bring Your Own Technology† or â€Å"Device† initiatives (popularly known as BYOT, or BYOD). Under this program students are encouraged to fetch their own portable gadgets, tablets, and laptops to make their use in the classroom. Students should be accustomed to use the technology to successfully accomplish the targets and for better understanding. The technology displays disparity as there is a difference in equity and status, for some students it is not possible to afford personal devices for learning. Uniformity of devices- All the students as well as teachers must possess similar kind of equipments- Smart Phones, Pads, Tablets, Laptops, or Nintendo DS. Moreover infrastructure of the school must also support the devices. In some schools, mobile devices are banned as they intensify behaviour issues, distraction from studies and it becomes troublesome for the teachers also to design the lessons appropriately to teach through the portable devices. Students on the other hand must be sincere and dedicated to use portable devices for studies only in school and not for amusement or entertainment. Security reasons also a point of concern what sites students are accessing, is it permissible to their age or not? Thus the goals and motives of the BYOT technology should have a vision and outlook to cover-up

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Connotations of Sex Work and Prostitution by Alice Leuchtag Research Paper - 1

The Connotations of Sex Work and Prostitution by Alice Leuchtag - Research Paper Example In ‘Naked Profits’, Friend writes about the sexual revolution in the strippers’ club – Lusty Lady Theatre. The manager, Darell Davis announced that the club will be closed and the dancers bought the business for $400,000. It became the first employee-owned strip club in San Francisco & formed a labour union in 1997. This improved the morale of the current owners. They got could work with more sober customers. A meeting revealed that Lust Lady was in deep financial crisis. The rent was doubled. The dancers made reductions in their wages although they had to do another job for a living. Unionization had increased number of dancers. They were almost broke. Their several plans like ladies night, auctioning, failed. The old problem persisted – they workers always kept complaining about the management, although it was self-selected. In Garvey's writing, one can observe that the author tries to explain the readers about what exactly ‘sexual discrimina tion’ refers to and the various forms. Women face problems right from being assaulted, to the lodging of complaints and seeking for investigation against the assaulters. Many regard them as lies. They are asked if they had been raped or not and other associated questions. Repetitive questioning in front of police or stranger investigators and under the light of media make them recount the horrible experience time and again. Generally, they are also discouraged by their families due to obvious shame and alienation from society. Pelka’s text reveals the experience of a man being raped by another, but not surprisingly in the prison.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Yellow Wallpaper Analysis Essay Example for Free

The Yellow Wallpaper Analysis Essay In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, strong themes of captivity and entrapment are in play in regards to how women perceive their specific situations. In the story, the troubled narrator goes through a lot of soul searching, but after a while, the wallpaper itself in the story is given much more meaning by the author. Over time, the actual wallpaper in the story becomes more than just decoration. Over time, it becomes a representation of the way that women are often trapped in their own domestic situation. The wallpaper traps the narrator through its design, which is complicated and takes up a lot of the narrator’s time. She is also trapped because of the wallpaper’s associated meaning to her life, as it brings up the bad memories that she does not want to remember. The third and perhaps most important way that the yellow wallpaper limits the narrator and traps her is through the social connotations that went along with the color at the time. Yellow was not associated with many positive things, and the narrator had knowledge of this. Though the narrator feels more trapped in a figurative sense, the actual wallpaper itself is quite limiting because of its complicated design, as well. In the beginning of the story, the narrator finds herself exploring the wallpaper design, which takes up her time. Though she would like to go through with her normal, day to day activities, she is forced to spend the majority of her time mulling over the complicated nature of the yellow colored wallpaper. Over time, she begins to see things in the wallpaper that she did not see before. Eventually, the narrator sees strong imagery within the wallpaper and it serves as a moving experience. She sees a vision of herself within the wallpaper – a real life picture of a woman struggling to break free from the toil and insanity of her everyday life. Once the narrator realizes what she sees within the wallpaper, she begins to associate that with her life in a way that almost drives her crazy. In the past, the narrator sees the wallpaper as being something of a watchdog that keeps her in her place. Once she starts to break down the wallpaper’s design, this leads her to associate the wallpaper with her struggle in life. Though the wallpaper is made out of paper, it seems more like prison bars to her because it reminds her, each and every day, of what her life has become. She is domesticated and that is what she is expected to be. The narrator has become locked in to what a woman is supposed to be in her society. Yellow is a color that is supposed to represent femininity and everything that is right about women. Instead, it becomes a signal to her about everything that is wrong with the way she is being forced to live her life. Though it would be easy to break through the wallpaper itself, she would never be able to break out of the domesticated life that had taken over her creativity and everything else that she had once hoped to accomplish in life. At some point in the story, the narrator begins to become a little bit crazy over the wallpaper. She begins to break it down in ways that it was never intended to be broken down. One of those ways is through analyzing the actual color itself. Yellow, as mentioned before, was a color that was supposed to represent goodness. Instead of seeing it as that, she begins to realize all of the negative connotations that go along with the color yellow. She associates it with many unpleasant medical conditions, including jaundice. More importantly than that, the narrator sees the color as a representation of the sun, which was both powerful and controlling. It was the dominant force of the universe and something that, like the wallpaper and her life, she could not get away from. The other social connotation that goes along with yellow is the idea of oppression of minorities. Chinese people in particular were associated with this color and that sort of racism was another negative aspect of the color. In order to truly assume a position of self worth, the narrator had to break through all of these things, including the color barrier associated with the wallpaper. In the short story, wallpaper, which was meant to be positive, works as a restricting force in trapping one woman in her own life. It should be a symbol of the perfect domestic life, but it instead acts as prison bars for women who feel that they cannot truly be themselves because of the limiting nature of the wallpaper. The many different negative things about the wallpaper all combine together to create something that was powerful enough to nearly drive one woman crazy. In the story, if a woman was to break free from the oppression of her domestic situation, she had to break through both the symbolic barriers and the actual wallpaper that was limiting her life.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Comparison Of Islamic And Christian Philosophers

Comparison Of Islamic And Christian Philosophers According to the Encarta dictionaries, philosophy can be defined as the branch of knowledge that examines the basic concepts of thoughts and a set of beliefs or aims. Islamic philosophy is a style of philosophy that deals with the study of the framework of Islamic cultures, not necessarily religious issues, while Christian philosophy strictly deals with the theological doctrines of Christianity. However, as time went on there are many Islamic and Christian philosophers who have systematically established their works and have influenced the way people think in the society. Some of the great philosophers to be considered would be Plato, Mohammed Al Farabi, Saint Augustine, Aquinas, Yaqub Ibn Ishaq al-Kindi and Ibn Rushd also known as Averroes. Further, I would examine the views, works and areas of study as an attempt to compare both Christian and Islamic philosophers. Plato, Mohammed al Farabi and Ibn Rushd were great renowned world philosophers who lived at one time or the other, and whose many contributions including their thoughts and works specifically with regards to philosophy, politics and science have greatly imparted into Islamic political theory. The impact these Islamic philosophers made during their life-times are still felt even up till today. Plato was an Islamic political thinker that was a well known student of Socrates. Plato established many dialogues and theories such as the Cartesian dualism hypothesis. This theory talks about the mind (soul) and the body. The theory further explains that there are conflicts between the mind and soul because the body is made up of physical appetites which can lead ones soul to committing sin.* However, Plato has greatly influenced many Arabic philosophers such as Mohammed Al Farabi. Mohammed Al Farabi was known to be the second teacher of Islamic philosophy after Aristotle. Al Farabi was one of the most famous, well respected, and successful Arabic philosophers. Also, He made an important contribution in the Islamic society by splitting the study of logic into two categories; Takhayyul (idea) and Thubut (proof). (Islamicity.com). Both Mohammed Al Farabi and Plato came up with philosophical themes. An example of one of these themes is the First theme which is the theory of Knowledge. Mohammed Al Farabi and Plato both stated that Knowledge development is very important in the society and that it was the key to the rise of power in most successful societies. Therefore, knowledge is responsible for the distinct differences between developed countries and the third world countries of the world. This theory of Knowledge is the basis for major societies like the United States of America (U.S.A). Plato and Mohammed Al Farabi made it clear that in every society, social and political changes are naturally observed and an isolated individual is not capable of achieving perfection. Both philosophers believed that anyone who was trying to be an island could have little or no chances of being successful in life. On the other hand, well known Christian philosophers such as Thomas Aquinas and Saint Augustine of the late centuries have also impacted greatly into the world. Both philosophers were good writers and made different dialogues. Thomas Aquinas was born to an aristocratic family and has produced a philosophical and cultural impact on the minds of many in the society today. Thomas Aquinas was a Christian philosopher that elaborated very much on how mankind could understand the truths of the universe through rational thinking. For example following Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas emphasized that humans are rational creatures that are capable of much learning and contemplating God. (Moseley, Page 12). He also contributed to Augustinian Christianity with an Aristotelian logic because he felt the followers of Saint Augustine lacked basic understanding of Christianity.* Meanwhile, Saint Augustine was a philosopher who was born into a Christian family and learnt about Christianity through his mother, after he was enrolled as a catechumen into a catholic church. * Nevertheless, both Saint Augustine and Aquinas came up with different ethical theories. Saint Augustines ethical theory was based on the love of God. He claims that people can be categorized into two: good or evil. According to Saint Augustine the good people are those that love and show appreciation to God while the evil people had no regards for God and his laws. Further, He explained that the good people are those that live in the city of God and the evil people are those that dwell in the city of man.* However, Thomas Aquinas ethical theory was immensely connected to the belief that everything had an end and an individuals action towards the end is initiated by an agent. As stated by Thomas Aquinas all actions must have an end otherwise an action without an end would tend to infinity.* Furthermore, Thomas Aquinas explained that an action should not just have an end but a proper end which seeks a lot of perfection. This perfection can be attained through the guidance of God who is referred to as the only perfect being. Moreover, Thomas Aquinas also discusses on good and evil. He argues that the act of will is not always good, but sometimes evil, indicating that the goodness or badness of a thing is sought in the will of an action. Initially, Christian and Islamic philosophers were very versatile because they expertise in different fields. One of the common areas of study which was associated with both Christian and Islamic philosophers was the study of medicine. For example Yaqub Ibn Ishaq al-Kindi, Ibn sina also known as Avicenna, and Thomas Aquinas were both philosophers who studied medicine at one point in the life time. Yaqub Ibn Ishaq al-Kindi was an Islamic philosopher who was born in Kufa at around 800 A.D. He did not just study medicine but was one of the chief contributors to the field, because he was known to be the first to systematically determine the doses to be administered of all the drugs to sick patients at his time. Furthermore, this resolved the conflicting views prevailing among physicians on the dosage that caused difficulties in writing recipes. (trincoll.edu). On the other hand Thomas Aquinas who was a Christian philosopher that also studied medicine and explained that the human body contained innate capacities and non- innate capacities (also referred to as learned capacities). Thomas Aquinas made a related distinction between these two capacities by giving the term potential for the innate capacities and dispositions for the learned capacities. Moreover, Thomas Aquinas distinguished between the innate capacities and the non-innate capacities by giving examples. Take the case of playing a musical instrument such as the flute and the sense of sight. Thomas Aquinas stated that playing of the flute is obviously learned unlike someone that does not acquire the sense of sight by seeing; rather because he has the capacity of sight, he is made actually to see. (Books.google.com.ng). Secondly, Christian and Islamic philosophers share different political views. Take the case of two well known philosophers Plato and Saint Augustine who both had different views of the concepts of politics such as justice and evil. Plato defined justice in a society as the connection and balance of roles occupied by social agents or people in a society. He further explained that justice can only be achieved in a society if there is evil present in that particular society. Moreover, evil according to Plato is anything that is not in accordance with justice. However, Saint Augustine had a different perspective of evil. Saint Augustine related evil with Gods existence by explaining that evil was transgressing against Gods will. He explained that God was the Supreme Being in charge of all creatures and was the only one free of evil. Saint Augustine further elaborated that all human beings are created good but not made perfect, and therefore makes humans liable to committing sin which sometimes fulfills the will of God. Although both philosophers shared different views, Plato and Saint Augustine had it in mind to maintain justice and goodness in the society. Lastly, Christian philosophers accepted the notion of Greek natural philosophy, while the Islamic philosophers did not. Perhaps the reason that Christian philosophers accepted Greek natural philosophy was that Christianity is founded within the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, so the Christian philosophers grew accustomed to Greco Roman culture. Unlike Islam which was founded outside the Greco-Roman world. Take the case of Saint Augustine who converted to Christianity after being influenced by the biography of the life of Saint Anthony. Saint Augustine did not only become a Christian but also was inspired to produce more works such as his most famous of all works which was titled the city of God.* To conclude, it is obvious that over the years some Islamic and Christian philosophers do not necessarily agree to each others dialogues or theories, while some succumb and even supplement the theories made. However, as stated earlier both Islamic and Christian philosophers have contributed greatly to the each other even up until today despite the fact that both Islam and Christianity are two different religions that are based on their particular principles. Bibliography Adler, J. Mortimer. Great Books of the Western World: 16 Augustine. Chicago: 2003. Print. Afnan, Soheil. The Commentary of Avicenna on Aristotles Poetics. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 (1947) 188-190, JSTOR Web. 22 Mar. 2010. Black, Antony. The History of Islamic Political Thought: From the Prophet to the Present. New York: Routledge Publishing Company, 2001. Print. Ebenstein, Alan. Introduction to Political Thinkers. 2nd ed. Orlando, Florida: Words worth, 2002. Print. Matthews, T. Roy and Dewitt, F. Platt. The Western Humanities, Volume 1: Beginnings Through the Renaissance. New York: Mc Graw- Hill Publishing Company, 2008. Print. Mohammed Al- Farabi. Islamicity.com. . 22Mar. 2010. Moseley, Alexander. A to Z of Philosophy. London, New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2008. Print. Russell, Bertrand. A History of Western Philosophy. New York, London: Simon and Schuster publishing company, 1972. Print. Stroumsa, Sarah. Avicennas Philosophical Stories: Aristotles poetics reinterpreted. Arabica. 39. 2 (1992): 183-206, JSTOR Web. 22 Mar. 2010. Yaqub Ibn Ishaq al- Kindi. trincoll.edu. Chris Marvin and Trinity College, n.d. . 22 Mar.2010

Thursday, September 19, 2019

William Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra Essay -- Shakespeare Antony

William Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra â€Å"The triple pillar of the world transformed/Into a strumpet’s fool. Behold and see† (I.1.12). â€Å"I have eyes upon him† (III.6.61). Shakespeare’s Antony invites speculation and a greedy voyerism that can only be instigated by a protagonist who, despite perpetually being at the centre of discussion, manages to elude classification.This impression of opacity of character is enhanced by the fact that his own idea of himself and of his uncontrollable infatuation with Cleopatra is constantly mutating. Antony oscillates between wishing â€Å"Would I had never seen [Cleopatra]† (I.2.253), and admitting â€Å"I’th’East my pleasure lies† (II.3.41). One moment he wails â€Å"I have fled myself [...] I have lost command† (III.11.7, 23), the next he reassures himself with a mantra-like repetitiveness, â€Å"There’s hope in’t yet [...] There’s sap in’t yet† (III.13.175, 191). When the protagonist himself is never static, when the other characters define him in accordance to their own agendas or morbid curiosity, there is very little for the audience to hold onto in the way of tangible evidence of one mental state as opposed to another. â€Å"This common body, like to a vagabond flag upon the stream,/Goes to and back, lackeying the varying tide,/To rot itself with motion† (I.4.44) Caesar says this about the tendency of the masses to wish for the ruler who isn’t in power or is seen less, and then when he does come into the limelight, to lose interest and want someone else. But taken out of context, these lines are a disturbingly appropriate depiction of Antony’s state throughout the play. For he is discussed and prodded as if he were common property, and shifts continuously between du... ...ity and littleness, an admission of his own weaknesses. The vagueness of â€Å"Sometimes we see a cloud that’s dragonish,/A vapour sometime like a bear or lion, [...] That which is now a horse, even with a thought/The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct/As water is in water† is juxtaposed against the profoundly personal, intrspective lines â€Å"Here I am Antony,/Yet cannot hold this visible shape† (IV.14.3-22). The result is the feeling that whether he has fallen or not, whether the Roman way is better than the Egyptian, whether the â€Å"old Antony† is a myth, his own self-disgust and deflated sense of self remains. Perhaps that is the closest we can expect to get to the real Antony: the one he reveals when in the throes of self-doubt. Perhaps that is all we deserve to uncover: for as Dante’s Virgil would say, â€Å"the desire to hear [others’ dispute] is a base desire† (xxx.148).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The honor code Essay -- essays research papers

How will the honor code impact my academic and campus life?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout my years at Xavier and beyond I intend to follow the Xavier Honor Code so I can become a cooperative and responsible person. By being a student at Xavier I notice I will have to take responsibility of my actions and faults. In order for Xavier to trust me and to allow me to continue attending their school, I will have to follow their rules and be respectful. Not only should I do these things, but also I have to respect myself in order to respect others. In following the Honor Code at Xavier I will learn more about others, the school, and myself. The Honor Code will impact my academic and campus life because it will lead my way to the future by becoming a successful young black woman.  ...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Work Trends - Contractors, Temporary Workers, Annualised Hours :: Business Management Studies

Work Trends - Contractors, Temporary Workers, Annualised Hours Changing working environments Trends  · Use of contractors  · More temporary workers  · Annualised hours  · More part-time working  · Self-employment  · Hiring consultants Employers Advantages Disadvantages 1. Less cost less employment costs helping the business compete 2. Hiring consultants bring experts into the business 3. business can cope with sudden and unexpected changes in sale 4. Less hiring costs 5. Les costs. Flexible workforce can reduce employment costs, helping a business to compete more effectively with other businesses 6. Using a consultants and self-employed people bring expertise into the business 7. The use of consultants and self-employed people means that businesses do not have to pay to them 1. Difficult to communicate with P/T and temporary workers-don’t know them 2. More labour turn over 3. Poor reputation as employers Good effects o employees  · Some employees, such as these with responsibilities for looking after young children, want only part-time or temporary work. They would be happy to be part of a flexible workforce  · Working as part of a team can be a good experience. Employees may enjoy working with other people and learning from more experienced workers. Research says that working in tem can raise morale  · Some employees may prefer to be employed as teleworkers, working from home. Teleworkers do not have the cost and the bother of travelling to work everyday. They can live where they wish and need not to be close to the business that employs them Bad effects on employees  · Some workers may be very dissatisfied with temporary contracts. They might want the security of a permanent job and not feel committed to the business. They may feel unsettled and want to look for other work

Benefits of Spanking Essay

A famous idiom says â€Å"spare the rod and spoil the child† which simply means that if the parent will not punish his child when the latter has committed something wrong, then the child will not be able to distinguish right from wrong. The child will likewise never learn good manners and right conduct. Research says that Sweden was the first country to ban spanking in 1979. Through the years, there have been several movements against spanking of children. In fact, the European Committee is encouraging the member countries to ban corporal punishment. In 2007, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Uruguay, Venezuela, Spain and Chile approved laws which for prohibit parents from spanking their children. In the United States, California and Massachusetts have laws that ban spanking. Because of these laws, more countries are expected to adopt their respective laws against spanking. Most anti-spanking laws have been enacted pursuant to studies on the effects of spanking which is believed to be the cause of violent and aggressive behaviour of children. Based on recent studies, when children are repeatedly spanked, they develop a notion that spanking is an acceptable and normal behavior of adults. Consequently, when these children becomes adult they exhibit violent behavior towards other people or even to their own children on the basis that adults are entitled to be violent and any violent behavior is acceptable as long as it is done by adults. Because of these studies which discourage spanking due to its serious effect on the behavior of children, spanking has become a prohibited act in many countries. On the other hand, it is worthy to note that although these laws will prevent abusive parents from spanking their children and may likewise prevent the development of violent behavior on children, the positive effects of spanking in moderation in order to make the children realize their wrongdoings, have not been considered. As a result, the efficiency of these laws are now being challenged on the ground that despite the enactment and  implementation of the ban on spanking there has been increased rate of child abuse, aggressive parenting and even youth violence. Hence, the aggressive and violent behavior of children cannot be absolutely attributed to spanking since recent studies also show that adults who have displayed violent and aggressive behavior are those who have not been spanked during their childhood.

Monday, September 16, 2019

King Duncan Eulogy Essay

Say not in grief; â€Å"he is no more†, but live in thankfulness that he was. Kings men and friends, today, with heavy hearts we bid adieu to a remarkable man. As we stand here today to reminisce in our fond memories of our past king, though he only held the throne for a brief time. He has changed the lives of many. Today we gather to embrace his greatness, Macbeth will be dearly missed. Some may think Macbeth was a traitor, but we must not forget the greatness that shone within him his heroic acts; a brave soldier, a strong thane, and a loving husband. In battle, Macbeth, defeated two separate invading armies—one from Ireland, led by the rebel Macdonwald, and one from Norway. Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man, to embrace his battlefield valor, a brave and capable warrior, defending his As thane Husband What is done is done, What’s done cannot be undone. The death of our past king Macbeth is a great loss indeed, however A death is not the extinguishing of a light, but the putting out of the lamp because the dawn has come. What is past is past, now we embrace the future and acknowledge the greatness of our past king. Restate the focus about your thesis Summerise points made Reword into simple messages Finish with a thiughful final sentence about the characters contribution to life and how those who are left behind are all the more richer for having knowin him. Macbeth: -he always stood by Scotland against traitors (malcolm, Macduff etc†¦) – valiant and heroic in battle -courageous -confident -loved lady macbeth, despite her being a little delusional -deserved the throne – no proof he murdered duncan the teacher listed various techniques we can use in our writing such as: -witty sayings -memories -stories -prayers -descriptive passage about macbeth -tone- positive at times, sad at others -justify/explain the controversial parts of their life (THE MOST IMPORTANT) As you can see, it can be biased You must consider one thing when reading this eulogy – you do not insult the dead! I couldn’t come out and tell the truth about Macbeth, and neither could I openly pass blame (â€Å"Yeah, Macbeth was a prick, but the witches made him do it!†). So basically, I had to write this positively, even though Macbeth was a despicable man, and I couldn’t tell any outright lies. The art is in twisting the truth, silencing events, or subtly making implications. That said, enjoy the eulogy. Bear in mind I am delivering it as the Thane of Ross. Today, I stand before a nation in mourning, grieving the passing of its King, Macbeth. He shall surely be remembered in history as a noble and courageous soldier and leader who fought with a fierce patriotism and belief in Scotland. Although his reign was not trouble-free or lengthy, Macbeth inspired a unique and individual pride in his country and made every decision with careful thought, holding firmly to his ideals and principles to the very end. Scotland has lost a distinctive and peerless leader and those of us who knew him personally are now without a friend whose character shall always be remembered. If there is one term worthy of Macbeth, it is ‘courage’. He was a shining  light on the battlefield, seizing opportunities in the bleakest of times and setting an admirable example to his troops, who knew him as â€Å"valour’s minion.† The monarch before him, Duncan, recognised Macbeth’s skills and honoured him as a â€Å"valiant cousin† and â€Å"worthy gentleman,† deserving respect and reward. Macbeth regularly led his nation into battle in Duncan’s stead, and it would be hard for any present to forget his daring and fearless attitude, particularly not on the day he defeated Sweno’s Norwegian invasion and Macdonwald, the rebellious Thane of Cawdor. I termed him Bellona’s bridegroom for his ferocious and splendid skill, and when Duncan was informed of Cawdor’s treachery, he saw Macbeth as deserving a higher status, proclaiming that what â€Å"[the former Thane of Cawdor] hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.† All will acknowledge he deserved such a status, for he fought with a stubborn determination that would never surrender, and no matter how many invaders flooded our shores, he never ceased to meet them with unforgiving steel. He was a hero to the Scottish nation and his example shall be followed by thousands of soldiers to come. Macbeth carried over his admirable battle qualities to his personal life, but brought none of the violence. Indeed, Duncan observed that his castle â€Å"hath a pleasant seat,† and Lady Macbeth remarked to me on several occasions that although her husband was seen by some as a warrior, he was nonetheless â€Å"full o’ the milk of human kindness.† I can attest to the truth in this statement as could many others seated here today, though it is with profound regret that we can all see evidence of how this kind nature was abused. Few are aware of the significant influence his now deceased wife had upon him, and in his devotion, he would seek her confidence and advice when contemplating options and making decisions. Though this may have led to fault, it also meant the Macbeths shared a strong bond based upon communication, a quality both of them treasured. Together, they were gracious hosts, renowned amongst other noble families for their much-anticipated banquets. If ever there was an enjoyable social event, Macbeth was sure to be the unparalleled host. His personality was much deeper than dinner parties, however. Macbeth was a man who thought about decisions seriously and deeply, rarely acting upon a thought he had not fully considered. On numerous occasions as a guest of Macbeth, I would encounter him pacing through his castle, lost in solemn contemplation, attempting to comprehend life and philosophical concepts. This led him to recognise that life is fragile and fleeting, labelling it â€Å"a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.† Despite this bleak outlook, he would always consider the consequences that lay before him, giving due respect to the Lord who had blessed him with his position. Although this virtue did not always lead him to the happiness he desired, Macbeth would always contemplate his actions, even in the most dire of circumstances. In his life, he faced many such situations, and once he made a decision, he stubbornly held to it. Despite criticism or hardship, he believed in himself and his information, and he sought to keep his dignity and strength regardless of what calamity he faced. At his death, he stood alone against an army of English who had moved Birnam Wood, choosing not to meekly surrender but instead to bravely fight to the end. With a call of â€Å"blow, wind! come, wrack! At least we’ll die with harness on our back,† he took up arms and fought as boldly as he ever had. He proclaimed that â€Å"bear-like †¦ [he would] fight the course,† and as was his manner, he made his word true, dying as a soldier and gallant fighter. One thing is certain, and it is that Macbeth will never be forgotten by any assembled here or by the Scottish nation as a whole. His courageous deeds as a hero of the nation’s military shone with brilliance and glory, never to dull with the passage of time, and none could honestly say that his time as national monarch was a bland or typical reign. Although famed for his skills as both a warrior and a host, his personality ran much deeper; his deep thought and loyal devotion to his wife did not always result in prosperity or universal delight, but he nevertheless made much philosophical contemplation and was capable of recognising his own failings. God gave Scotland a king unlike any other, of a standard never to be seen again, and may he rest eternally in a peace he forsook in his earthly life. While we mourn Macbeth’s passing, we should take due time to consider his life and the actions and characteristics that typified it. Everyone, from fellow nobles to peasants ekin g a living from distant land, could surely learn  valuable lessons Dear loyal subjects I would like to†¨thank you for coming out and gathering here to witness the burial of our latest†¨King. King Macbeth started as a strong, valiant and brave soldier; he was always†¨the best defender of our great Scotland. If you do recall he was named Thane of†¨Cawdor, after that traitor was taken out of power and executed. I hope that†¨somewhere deep in our hearts we can remember that man, and not the man we are†¨burying today. For Macbeths greed seemed to have gotten the best of him, for he†¨killed the honorable and noble King Duncan, his own cousin, just to have the†¨power of being king. This one simple act of wickedness set Macbeth on a†¨bloody-thirsty rampage, where he never stopped killing to keep his power, which†¨ultimately led to his down fall. Once†¨Macbeth was given the title of King of Scotland, Scotland started to fall apart†¨from the seams. In order to keep his power Macbeth killed his friend Banquo, in†¨fear that his sons would become king and steal his throne. As word got out that†¨Macduff was coming to me, to try and reclaim Scotland from Macbeth’s bloody†¨grasp, Macbeth’s murder spree continued. Macbeth then had Macduff’s wife and†¨entire family murdered; the poor souls never had a chance. Macbeth is a simple†¨example of what happens when the leader is corrupt that in turn the county†¨turns corrupt. For Macduff told me that under Macbeths rule the knell bell†¨never stopped ringing in Scotland. Macduff also told me that unnatural events†¨were happening in Scotland and that if we didn’t do something the entire†¨country would fall to pieces. So with the help of our ally England, I led†¨10,000 soldiers to take back Scotland. The honor for finally finishing Macbeth†¨goes to Macduff. Although honor must be given to the tyrant, for even in the†¨face of death he never stopped fighting. Even though we bury this evil king,†¨let us celebrate a new life for our home Scotland. -King Malcom Macbeth V: The Eulogy . What can I say about Macbeth? He was my distant relative, the Thane of Cawdor, and, once, King of Scotland. Yet, not a great King but I’ll give him that accomplishment. My father Duncan was a thousand times the man that agnostic fiend ever was, without even breaking a sweat! But, we’re not here to mourn the loss of my father; we’re here to say some final words about  Macfilth-† (cough) â€Å"-Macbeth. Before he completely lost his mind and began acting on sporadic impulses, he actually wasn’t that bad a person, if you can believe that. I do remember one particular evening though, when he took Duncan and me to go see the cargo ships at the docks. He convinced the captain to let us go on it and we pretended to be pirates, with wooden swords and everything! I started walking on a plank to the side of the boat with one foot in front of the other, you know, as children do. But, then Duncan came up behind me and scared me. In shock, I dropped my sword and as I jumped back, I slipped on it. My tiny legs hit the side of the plank hard and I feel from the tall ship face first into the water. I went in pretty deep and I tried to swim back up, but my legs wouldn’t give. They were throbbing from the hard hit I endured before falling and with every attempt to swim back up, I could feel myself being dragged deeper into the water. To top it off, I had gulped some water in my mouth and I was running out of air. My eyes began to close and the last image I remember before becoming unconscious was Macbeth swimming down to save me.† â€Å"When I learned what he’d done to my father, I refused to believe it. ’This couldn’t have been the same Macbeth that had been with me and my brother that day, could it?’ That’s why I left for England, to be surrounded by the sea, to reminisce about days past; it could have even been to disprove the ‘crooked Macbeth’ theory. But, when I fetched a ride on one of the war ships, I had an epiphany. Banquo, may he rest in peace, had spoken to me about his encounter with the witches before I left, and he told me that ever since the encounter with said witches Macbeth hadn’t been the same. He said he wasn’t even sure if this being was his old friend and that I should watch my back. I hadn’t thought of Banquo’s speech much until that day on the English war ship and as I watched the ocean’s harsh waves in the distance and the storm clouds approaching, something clicked in my head. The Macbeth that died yesterday really wasn’t the Macbeth from even a couple of months ago. This was a different Macbeth, one that had been effected by sources beyond his control, much like how the storm clouds affected the waves, Macbeth was affected by the witches; he was a different ocean. Now, I’m not saying we should take pity on this creature, I just think that we should remember him as how he was and not how he came to be. That’s why I proposed to speak this Eulogy before you, so that Scotland may be lead into a more humane and peaceful  era for years to come. Malcolm and Donalbain sons of king duncan Say not in grief; â€Å"he is no more†, but live in thankfulness that he was. Today, I stand before a nation in mourning, grieving the passing of its King, Macbeth. He shall surely be remembered in history as a noble and courageous soldier and leader who fought with a fierce patriotism and belief in Scotland. Although his reign was not trouble-free or lengthy, Macbeth inspired a unique and individual pride in his country. Scotland has lost a distinctive and peerless leader and those of us who knew him personally are now without a friend whose character shall always be remembered. What can I say about Macbeth? He was my distant relative, the Thane of Cawdor, and, once, King of Scotland. Yet, not a great King but I’ll give him that accomplishment. We’re here to say some final words about Macbeth. Before he completely lost his mind and began acting on sporadic impulses, he actually wasn’t that bad a person, if you can believe that. I do remember one wonderful evening though, when he took Malcolm and me to go see the cargo ships at the docks. He convinced the captain to let us go on it and we pretended to be pirates, with wooden swords and everything! I started walking on a plank to the side of the boat with one foot in front of the other, you know, as children do. But, then Malcolm came up behind me and scared me. In shock, I dropped my sword and as I jumped back, I slipped on it. My tiny legs hit the side of the plank hard and I feel from the tall ship face first into the water. I went in pretty deep and I tried to swim back up, but my legs wouldn’t give. They were throbbing from the hard hit I endured before falling and with every attempt to swim back up, I could feel myself being dragged deeper into the water. To top it off, I had gulped some water in my mouth and I was running out of air. My eyes began to close and the last image I remember before becoming unconscious was Macbeth swimming down to save me.† â€Å"When I learned what he’d done to my father, I refused to believe it.’This couldn’t have been the same Macbeth that had been with me and my brother  that day, could it?’ That’s why I left for England, to be surrounded by the sea, to reminisce about days past; it could have even been to disprove the ‘crooked Macbeth’ theory. But, when I fetched a ride on one of the war ships, I had an epiphany. Banquo, may he rest in peace, had spoken to me about his encounter with the witches before I left, and he told me that ever since the encounter with said witches Macbeth hadn’t been the same. He said he wasn’t even sure if this being was his old friend and that I should watch my back. I hadn’t thought of Banquo’s speech much until that day on the English war ship and as I watched the ocean’s harsh waves in the distance and the storm clouds approaching, something clicked in my head. The Macbeth that died yesterday really wasn’t the Macbeth from even a couple of months ago. This was a different Macbeth, one that had been effected by sources beyond his control, much like how the storm clouds affected the waves, Macbeth was affected by the witches; he was a different ocean. Now, I’m not saying we should take pity on this creature, I just think that we should remember him as how he was and not how he came to be. That’s why I proposed to speak this Eulogy before you, so that Scotland may be lead into a more humane and peaceful era for years to come. MACBETH AS A TRAGIC HERO Tragic heroes are within everyone, but cannot be fully exposed or understood without the essential tragic qualities. One must be a potentially noble character who endures heroic qualities and has respect and admiration from the society. Consequently, they must be essentially great. Also within the character must be a flaw or weakness that leads to a fall. Lastly, one is required to possess an element of suffering and redemption. Remorse and regret is a necessity for ones wrong doings or deeds. One’s pays for their wrong doings because of failure to find happiness and regrets for actions taken. Therefore they die heroically. In the play â€Å"Macbeth† this quality of a tragic hero is portrayed though the character Macbeth. The quality of  a tragic hero in Macbeth is portrayed first by his position in society and his establishment of greatness. Macbeth is appreciated as a noble character and endures a high rank in the country of Scotland. He aided King Duncan in several victorious battles and his ranking was increased as a result of this. He was crowned Thane of Cawdor in addition to the Thane of Glamis. Macbeth’s position was also seen as high to the Scotish citizen’s because of his relation to the king. However, Macbeth’s bravery on the battlefield was great. â€Å"Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chops, and fixed his head upon the battlements.† (Act 1, Sc.2) And for his victory he receives lavish praise in reports from the Captian and Ross, a Scotish Nobleman. â€Å" †¦As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion. I must report they were as cannons overcharged with double cracks.† (Act 1, Sc. 2) Macbeth is shown as extravagant on terms of what they say. He was also complemented several times by the Thane of Fife, Macduff. Furthermore, he was labeled several strong and brave animals on the battlefield, throughout the play. These many assessments and evaluations contribute greatly towards Macbeth’s appearance as a hero. Macbeth’s relationship with his wife, Lady Macbeth, also confirms his innate goodness and suggests well for him. Lady Macbeth highly respects and admires her husband as the Thane of Cawdor and refers to him as â€Å" †¦my dearest partner of greatness.† (Act 1, Sc.5) She constantly demands that she understands Macbeth more than any other. This results in the others being expected to believe her. However, she incessantly declares that he is much too kind, â€Å"Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act 1, Sc 5) Lady Macbeth acknowledges that he has ambition but maintains that he lacks the evil that should attend it. Furthermore, Macbeth yearn for the crown but would as though he is riding high on the crest of the wave and endures the potential to furthur but his flaw of incessant kindness prevents his yearning. It is those strong brave qualities that rise him high in not play foully for it. It is society and Lady Macbeth wishes he would apply them appropriatly. Their stable relationship is yet another feature that brings forth Macbeth’s potential. Despite Macbeth’s great potential he endures an overriding flaw that he constantly gives in to. This overbearing flaw is his excessive ambition. He wishes to only get the crown, but demands to do nothing to rightfully achieve it. He refuses to kill his beloved king Duncan. For he belives he  too kind and nice a man to deserve such a punishment. Macbeth initially fights agianst his dark and evil impulses, but he evenutally surcomes to them. It was his wife, Lady Macbeth, who convinced Macbeth to obey his evil urges by her clever manipulation. However, Macbeth’s fall begins when he starts to doubt his untold victory of the crown. â€Å"What if we should fail?† (Act 1, Sc. 7) It is the unpleasant deed of Duncan’s murder that stirs his mind. After his job of comitting the deed he shows immediate regret and remorse for what he had done. Nevertheless, his fall is far from complete, it continues. His ambition â€Å"takes reason prinsoner†. Macbeth’s fall continues gradually when he soon grasps the idea that he had not earned his yearning of the crown. â€Å"We have scorched the snake, not killed it.† (Act 3, Sc.2) There was still a great problem. It was Banquo who would reieve hier to the throne before Macbeth. It was essiential, according to the witches, that he immediately kill Banquo and his descendants. At that demand, the deed was done. However, his attempted murder of Fleance, Banquo’s son, was not achieved. Consequently, a transition begins in Macbeth. He is acknowledged as a â€Å"hell-hound†, â€Å"butches†, â€Å"tyrant† and a hell kite† (Act 3). These were great turning point for Macbeth. For it is now his evil side that he obeys. He simply resolves his remorse by acting on his initial impulses. â€Å"The very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.† (Act 4, Sc.1) Therefore, Macbeth’s habits became so terrible that he finally reaches his lowest ebb, the murders of the Macduffs. For he had no reason for their murders, it was simply an impulse that he immediately acted upon. He then caused Scotland suffering, famine, death and disease. This was so because of his absence of the king becoming graces. Macbeth had now lost his â€Å"good† reputation. His downfall was now complete. Macbeth, however, is shown throughout the play with an element of suffering and redemption. The murders that he comitted deeply cause this remorse and guilt. In result, Macbeth is found unable to sleep, pray or even eat because of the murder of his beloved king Duncan. â€Å"Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more!Macbeth does murder sleep†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act 2, Sc.2) Macbeth is also seen a sense of remorse when he was found seeing the ghost of Banquo. He repetedly demanded that he did not murder him. This is a deep symptom of redemption. However, this sorrow does not compare to the large extent he receives of it towards the end of the play. He sees the future as pointless and  unthrilling. He decides that his life is not worth living. â€Å"I have lived long enough.† (Act 5, Sc.4) He is in complete despair. He soon realizes that there is nothing fo rim but curses, mouth-honor and breath. However, there is an element of self-knowledge. He recognized that he received his yearning, the crown, but it did not bring him happiness. His life becomes completely meaningless when his wife, Lady Macbeth, dies. Macbeth had lost everything and everyone who was important to him. He is alone and alienated. Despite his lonliness and shame, he still has a conscience. Enduring the strength he has, he does not quit. He continuously falls back on the hopefull predictions of the witches. â€Å"Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.† (Act 4, Sc.1) He deeply relies on this apparition, which makes him feel invinsible, until he soon finds out that Macduff was not technically born of woman. â€Å"†¦Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.† (Act 5, Sc.6) For now Macbeth could be easily defeated. From this he is paying for his sins and regreat. Even when the last prop of life is removed, he fights. He decides he will not play the suicidal Roman fool. So, he does fight bravely and heroically. His wounds were to the front ,theredore he was not killed running away from death. He was killed fighting. Tragedy fell only upon Macbeth because of his inner most yearnings, to be king. However, he would not have been considered a tragic hero without his admiration, flaw and redemption. These are all parts of the long downfall in which he endured. His life became tragic just to be king. Even when he received his wish he was not happy. He had too much guilt and regret to continue. His life was no longer worth living. So, he fought to the bitter end and died bravery. Say not in grief; â€Å"he is no more†, but live in thankfulness that he was. Today, I stand before a nation in mourning, grieving the passing of its King, Macbeth. He shall surely be remembered in history as a noble and courageous soldier and leader who fought with a fierce patriotism and belief in Scotland. Although his reign was not trouble-free or lengthy, Macbeth, a tragic hero who inspired a unique and individual pride in his country. Scotland has lost a distinctive and peerless leader and those of us who knew him personally are now without a friend whose character shall always be remembered. What can I say about Macbeth? If there is one term commendable of Macbeth, it is ‘bravery’. No greater man have I had the privilege to charge into battle with, side by side, his courage not only fueled mine, but the rest of the army with it. Macbeth was always courageous, his bravery in battle was evident to all, He was a shining light , seizing opportunities in the bleakest of times and setting an worthy example to his troops, who knew him as â€Å"valour’s minion.† it would be hard for many to forget his daring and fearless attitude, particularly not on the day he defeated Sweno’s Norwegian invasion and Macdonwald, the rebellious Thane of Cawdor. I termed him Bellona’s bridegroom for his ferocious and splendid skill, and when Duncan was informed of Cawdor’s treachery, he saw Macbeth as deserving a higher status, proclaiming that what â€Å"[the former Thane of Cawdor] hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won.† All will acknowledge he deserved such a status, for he fought with a stubborn determination that would never surrender, and no matter how many invaders flooded our shores, he never ceased to meet them with unforgiving steel. Macbeth represented the essence in strong and courageous leadership. This is what his lasting legacy to those who fought along with him would feel and perhaps, he had his flaws but what human does not? No matter what, Macbeth always had the will to achieve greatness, and that he did. Macbeth carried over his admirable battle qualities to his personal life, but brought none of the violence. Indeed, Duncan observed that his castle â€Å"hath a pleasant seat,† and Lady Macbeth remarked to me on several occasions that although her husband was seen by some as a warrior, he was nonetheless â€Å"full o’ the milk of human kindness.† I can attest to the truth in this statement as could many others seated here today, though it is with profound regret that we can all see evidence of how this kind nature was abused. Few are aware of the significant influence his now deceased wife had upon him, and in his devotion, he would seek her confidence and advice when contemplating options and making decisions. Though this may have led to fault, it also meant the Macbeths shared a strong bond, a quality both of them treasured. Together, they were gracious hosts, renowned amongst other noble families  for their much-anticipated banquets. If ever there was an enjoyable social event, Macbeth was sure to be the unparalleled host. Even in the last moments of his life, Macbeths courage and spirit remained as valiant as ever, in the face of death he declared, â€Å" Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Macbeth was indeed a fearsome soldier and a deer friend, however evidence shows that his good will and trust was unfortunately taken advantage of. It is said, that had been effected by sources beyond his control, clouding him from God’s watch and leading him to his own tragic demise. Indeed his fascination with the supernatural caused much distress. There were whispers of witchcraft and the supernatural, and I would not have believed it had I not witnessed with my own two eyes the affects these forces had on Macbeth. At one of his renowned banquets. What is done is done, what’s done cannot be undone. The Macbeth that died yesterday really wasn’t the Macbeth from even a couple of months ago. This was a different Macbeth, one that had been effected by sources beyond his control, Macbeth was disturbed by the witches. We shall remember him as how he was and not how he came to be.. Macbeth is a great loss indeed, however a death is not the extinguishing of a light, but the putting out of the lamp because the dawn has come.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Popular Approaches to Educational Planning in Developing Countries Essay

Educational planning is a worldwide practice found in both developing and developed countries. The developing countries and indeed all countries have placed a premium on education because of the persistent belief that formal education holds the key to national development and economic growth. In the light of this, the modern conception of educational planning has attracted specialists from many disciplines with each of them tending to see educational planning differently. In view of this attraction, the traditional approach to educational planning could no longer hold sway. In an attempt to find a most suitable approach to educational planning, different models have been developed by scholars. These include the social demand approach, the manpower approach, the cost-benefit approach and other remerging models. The choice of model to adopt is usually predicated on the peculiarities and other prevailing factors in a country. Generally however, scholars have tried to classify approaches to educational planning based on the level of development of a country. And this probably explains why some are called developing countries and others are developed countries. A thorough understanding of these approaches however requires some background information or knowledge. In doing, this we shall adopt the definition of the concept of educational planning as provided by Coombs (1970), identify key planning questions, trace the history of modern approaches to educational planning, and bring out most important planning issues in developing countries with example and illustrations. Educational Planning Because of the ubiquitous nature of education and educational planning, several scholars have offered different definitions. For example, Coombs (1970) in a UNESCO Publication titled â€Å"What is Educational Planning â€Å". says that: â€Å"Educational Planning, in its broadest generic sense, is the application of rational systematic analysis to the process of educational development with the aim of making education more effective and efficient in responding to the needs and goals of its students and society â€Å". Arising from this concept of educational planning are a succession of interdependent actions namely: i. Clarification of educational objectives  ii. Diagnosis of present conditions and recent trends iii. Identification and assessment of alternatives iv. Translation of plans into action and v. Evaluation and adjustment. This analytical process to educational planning entails preparing and subsequently evaluating a set of decisions or future actions aimed at achieving specific set of goals. Educational planning therefore is a fundamentally technical activity related to decision making process. Its purpose in the context of national educational programme and overall developmental objectives is to assess the implications of alternative sets of policy and thereby help decision makers choose that set which is most appropriate to the specified objectives. Events in the recent years have witnessed an increasing emphasis on the need to design educational policy in relation to overall set of objectives for economic and social development. Thus in addition to being a fundamental end in itself, education is now also viewed as an important means or instrument for increasing a nation’s economic and social welfare. This relationship makes it necessary to consider a variety of factors that previously may ha ve appeared irrelevant. The most important of this is to evaluate whether the size of structure of the educational system is appropriate from the perspective of national development objectives – or conversely to determine the educational capacity that will be required to permit a nation to reach its development targets. The second important characteristic of a new interest in educational planning is that it has focused attention on the structural interdependence and efficiency of the educational system. History of Modern Educational Planning A background history of the modern educational planning will greatly enhance our understanding of the emergence of the different approaches to educational planning in the developed and the developing countries. Prior to the Second World War (1939 – 1945), educational system everywhere was simple, less complex in structure and content, smaller in size and less intricately tied to the total life of nations. The only exception is probably the Soviet Union which in 1923 made an attempt to use educational planning to help realise a ‘new society’ through what is commonly referred to as the First Five Year Plan of the young Soviet Union. Before the war, the typical kind of educational planning had the following features a. It was short range in outlook (i.e. plan period was short, usually a year, rarely spreading beyond) b. It was fragmentary in its coverage of the educational system, the parts of the system were planned independently of one another. c. It was non-integrated in the sense that educational institutions were planned autonomously without explicit ties to the evolving needs and trends of the society and the economy at large; and d. It was non-dynamic kind of plannin g which assumed an essentially static educational model that would retain its main features intact year in and year out. However shortly after the world war (especially from 1945 to 1970), educational system and their environment all over the world were subjected to a barrage of scientific and technological, economical, demographic, political and cultural changes that shook everything in sight. The next twenty five years subsequently took Europe (industrialised nations) through four phases of development namely: i. The reconstruction phase  ii. The manpower shortage phase iii. Rampant expansion phase and iv. The innovation phase. Europe and indeed the entire world including the developing countries emerged from the Second World War with their educational system seriously disrupted and facing a heavy backlog of educational needs. Nations everywhere quickly settled for reconstruction and in the process it soon became evident that the conventional pre-war educational planning would not suffice for these reconstruction tasks. This arose because the recovery process was fast (partly on account of Marshall Plan assistance from the United States) and by the early 1950s these rebuilt economies had fully absorbed the available supply of skilled human resources; hence, manpower bottlenecks began to loom as the major obstacle to further growth. This led western economies to become more power minded and to look at educational planning through new eyes. No longer was education seen merely as a non-productive sector of the economy which absorbed consumption expenditure. It was now viewed as an essential ‘investment expenditure’ for economic growth. But as obviously important as manpower needs were finally conceded to be, they paled before another force that soon began to dominate the educational scene and gives sleepless nights to the political authorities and educational planners throughout Europe and North America. This other force was the explosive increase in popular demand for education which led to the rampant expansion phase. Virtually everywhere, the dominant thrust of strategy was to expand the pre-war educational needs as rapidly as possible – curriculum, methods, examinations and all with a view to accommodating a larger number and proportion of the youth population. These eruptions forced the educational system of industrialised nations into yet a fourth post-war phase called the innovation phase. This phase prompted the formulation and adoption of new planning concepts and tools which are now in use and taking shape. Educational Planning in Developing Countries Much of what was said above applies with even greater force to developing countries shortly after the European experience. There educational needs were even larger and more urgent but their educational systems unfortunately were less relevant and less adequate to their needs. It will be recalled that most of the developing nations of Africa were colonies during this period and were gradually fighting for political independence. During this period, the missionaries that introduced western type of education were not focused on rapid expansion of education. The colonial masters too had other pre-occupation. Formal western education was therefore at low ebb. At the same time, the armies and the soldiers including a few educated nationals of these countries have had exposure to Europe and North America and were therefore fairly acquainted with educational system in Europe and North America. Given this background, and starting from the 1950s, the developing countries responded similarly to their new circumstances with an educational strategy of linear expansion. Support was also received from global organisations like United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), International Institute of Educational Planning in this direction. At a series of UNESCO conferences early in the 1960s education ministers of Asia, Africa and Latin America set ambitious regional targets for educational expansion in their respective regions. These targets were widely adopted by individual nations. They called for 100% percent participation in primary education by the end of the target period and sharply increase participation in secondary and higher education. This expansion strategy manifests the adoption of the social demand approach to educational planning in some of the developing countries. A good example of this is the free education policy adopted by the Western and Eastern regions of Nigeria in the 1950s. Same goes for Nkrumah’s Ghana which introduced education for all policy in 1952. We shall examine this in greater detail later. In the view of Coombs (1970) the case for a manpower approach was particularly strong in developing nations because their overall development was conspicuously handicapped by shortages of all kinds of specialised or skilled manpower. Thus, it made sense to give initial priority to educating the most needed types of manpower for economic growth, for without such growth the desired long run expansion in education and other major social objectives would simply not be possible. Unfortunately, the developing countries were not equipped to do the kind of educational and manpower planning that the situation required and worse still, the rest of the world could not do much for them because the global supply of basic knowledge and experts for this kind of planning was acutely scarce. It is noteworthy however that UNESCO and other agencies played active and supportive role to assist.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Compare and Contrast High Fidelity Novel and Film Essay

High Fidelity, the novel written by Nick Hornby, and the film adaptation, directed by Stephen Frears, both portrayed the vital information for the plot however, Hornby was able to convey the ideas better through literary techniques. The novel was adapted into a feature film in 2000 starring John Cusack as Rob and directed by Stephen Frears. The movie was accurate in portraying the novel to a certain extent. The film was able to successfully represent the main ideas of the original novel but when it came to the minute details, it was lacking the contributions of the story that gave it a certain tone that the Hornby, was trying to convey to his audience. The most noticeable differences are: the importance, or the unnecessary significance, described of Rob’s previous girls other than Laura; the visual similarities of the characters of the novel to the characters of the film; and the use of literary techniques and filming techniques that add emphasis to the story in different ways from the novel and the film’s perspectives. The opening prologue that sets the tone for the novel describes the top five break-ups that Rob has encountered in his life, making a point not to include Laura, his recently ex-girlfriend, because â€Å"those places are reserved for the kind of humiliations and heart breaks that [she is] just not capable of delivering† (13) . Rob spends the opening of the book talking about his top five break-ups, but after that he only references them again when he was trying to figure out what went wrong in each of his relationships prior to Laura. This is different in the film. The film tries to place more importance on his previous break-ups and relationships than is absolutely necessary. The novel talks briefly about the break-ups in the prologue, but the film draws out Rob’s explanation of the failed relationships trying to give the perception that they are incorporated into Rob’s everyday life. In the film, Rob narrates about his failed relationships while going through his daily routine. He narrates to the audience of each of his top five worst break-ups in times throughout the day where a normal person would carryout their daily routines. Doing this in the film gives the audience the impression that the ex-girlfriends are going to pose as important characters throughout the main character’s journey, which is not in true accordance with the novel. Along with the remembrance of Rob’s top five worst break-ups, the films also imposes emphasis upon Marie LaSalle, an exotic and mysterious artist that Rob has a one night stand with. The novel speaks of Marie in passing, only recognizing her as an artist that Rob had a one night stand with who was the deciding factor in Rob’s wanting to be Laura because he loved her. On the contrary, the representation of Marie LaSalle in the film is that of a potential fling of Rob’s that almost created a love triangle between Rob, Marie, and Laura, a different plot line than what was intended by the novel. Nick Hornby went into great detail about how the characters looked, specifically referencing Rob’s relationships. When comparing the descriptions Hornby gives of each woman that Rob was in a relationship with in the novel to the actresses that were cast to play those roles in the film, there are no similarities other than the lines they spoke. In the novel, Rob describes Laura to have â€Å"her hair cut, same as usual, very short, sixties short, like Mia Farrow, except – and [he’s] not just being creepy – she’s better suited to this sort of cut that Mia. It’s because her hair is so dark, nearly black, that when it’s short her eyes seem to take up most of her face† (121). In the film, however, the actress cast to play Laura, Iben Hjejle, is a blonde with shoulder length hair that does not have big eyes, rather, she has a very strong jaw bone and small eyes. Although the novel was only written a short five years previous to the making of the film, changing the look of Laura in the film may have been done to better suit the style of the early 2000s rather than that of the mid 1990s and to also make a better distinction of the different settings in the novel and film. The looks of London in 1995 were much different than those of Chicago in 2000. The novel wanted to better capture Laura’s style of the 1995 skinhead movement of the European fads, as described in the novel, whereas the film was trying to portray Laura as being more of a punk in modern society trying to break into the working class. Laura was not the only woman in Rob’s life that was not translated correctly from the novel to the film; the description of Maria LaSalle was also lost in translation when trying to create her to be an on screen character. In the novel, Rob describes that â€Å"Marie is pretty, in the that nearly cross-eyed American way – she looks like a slightly plumper, post Partridge Family, pre-L. A. law Susan Dey – and if you were going to develop a spontaneous and pointless crush on somebody, you could do a lot worse† (77). Describing Marie as being similar to an actress from the American television show the Partridge Family gives the impression that she is an all-American woman, given that the audience has an already perceived knowledge for American television shows. Rob is interested in Marie not only for the fact that she is a musician, but also that she is an exotic figure in the eyes of a British man. American women in Europe are just as exotic and mysterious as a non-American woman coming to the United States; men are infatuated with the unfamiliar, thus drawing Rob to Marie. The novel intertextualizes Marie to have looks similar to Susan Dey, who is a white female with a sort of free-spirited style closely related to that of a hippie, leading the audience to believe that Marie LaSalle was an average American, white woman with an Indie style. In the film, however, Lisa Bonet is cast to play Marie LaSalle; she has mixed skin and the style that is closely relatable to Alanis Morissette, who also has a free-spirited style but in a darker manner than Susan Dey. Because the film was not set in Britain, there was a need to find an actress who had exotic looks from the perception of the average American. The film was successful in portraying Marie as an exotic and mysterious character to the American culture thanks in large part to the acting of Lisa Bonet, but the film was not fully able to portray Marie LaSalle as being as unfamiliar to the American culture unlike the portrayal of her in the novel. What made the novel relatable to the audience was the intertextuality that was used to help portray Rob’s ideas so that the audience better understood what he was thinking and relating his situations to. Being that a film is not able to have a continual background of narration, it used music to help portray Rob’s ideas. Using background music as a character in the film helped to better translate the ideas and inner dialogue of Rob that cannot fully be portrayed in the film. In both the novel and the film, he was such a big believer as music being an essential part to a person’s life so this also bettered the adaption of Rob’s character from the printed version to the film. The intertextuality in the novel that was not easily noticeable in the cinematic version was Hornby’s instances of relating Rob’s life to major films easily identifiable to the audience, for instance, when Rob relates his life to the movie When Harry Met Sally. At one point in the novel, Rob is questioning happiness and says that: â€Å"surely people who are happy should look happy, at all times, no matter how much money they have or how uncomfortable their shoes are or how little their child is sleeping; and people who are doing OK but have still not found their soul mate should look, I don’t know, well but anxious, like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally† (257). In the film, music becomes an aid to better understand the tone and storyline of the scene. I Want Candy† is playing in the background when the film is flashing back to show Rob’s first relationship with Alison Ashworth. This is done to try to express the immaturity that Rob is stuck in at that moment. Since the film cannot have a continuous narrator and the novel does not have a soundtrack, each uses what the other cannot in order to enhance the intended tone and original ideas portrayed in the novel. In conclusion, the fact that the film changed the setting was a major contributing factor of the differences and misconnections of the novel to film. Because the setting was not in England, there was a need to make a transition from British pop-culture and British perceptions to American pop-culture and perception so that the film could be more relatable to its American audience. The use of techniques that can only be used in certain artistic mediums, such as soundtracks and intertextuality, helped to better translate the novel to a film. In all, the film was able to present the ideas and plot in a restricted way but still in an entirety that Nick Hornby was able to do with more detail in his novel.