Monday, September 30, 2019

The Relationship Between Epistemology and Metaphysics

What is the relationship between epistemology and metaphysics In many ways epistemology clears the way for metaphysical construction or hypothesis. By adhering to the principles of one branch of philosophy, it allows us to become better at searching within the other. It is true that epistemic ideas are often knocked down by metaphysics, but when one considers that it is entirely possible to base metaphysical ideas on epistemology, it becomes clear that the branches of philosophy are very much intertwined and somewhat interdependent upon each other for clarity and reason.It is a strange philosophical symbiosis from which a magnificent and new organism emerges. We know that the goal of metaphysics is to somehow develop an all-encompassing hypothesis as to what the ultimate nature of the universe is and reality itself. The human mind being the way it is, will not accept any of the possibilities unearthed by metaphysical questioning unless it is in part rationalized by epistemic inquiry. For example, the old question about the tree falling in the woods, would it still make sound if no one was there to hear it?Well science and its epistemic thirst for knowledge has solved that question by revealing the existence of sound waves, which would be there regardless of the emptiness of the woods. Or has it? On the surface epistemology seems to have solved the question but the fact is metaphysically speaking it has not been solved at all because the question was about the nature of reality itself, and whether or not the reality of the tree falling would even exist if there was no one to experience it. Would the universe simply withdraw the portion itself that was not being experienced by anyone?This question cannot be answered by either branch, but possibly by a combination of the two. With regards to epistemology, the world actually exists as a series of images, ideas and concrete forms that can be interacted with. Yet despite the objective references that are this world, it still cannot be explained or even researched in an epistemic way without first encountering some profound questions which in turn lead to further dilemmas. The question as to how one reasons is one such dilemma, yet this question and the myriad ossibilities that arise from it falls partially in the domain of metaphysics. Epistemology, in order to function as it is supposed to, must accept that knowledge can be communicated and that reality is a quantity that can be known, at least to some extent. Because there must be an underlying similarity between individuals in order be able to communicate this knowledge, so there must be at some level a similarity between human minds and that means that the concepts tied up in metaphysics must be linked to epistemology.This strange dualism does not detract from either concept; indeed it actually enhances each one. By giving up dependence on the concept of uninterrupted reality, something outside science, epistemology does not relinquish obje ctive truth; instead it grabs holds of it even more tightly and wraps itself up in the dualism created by its symbiosis with metaphysics. The core concepts espoused by both of these branches of philosophy are not at heart incompatible, in fact we see that the opposite is quite true.Just as the foundation of epistemic inquiry is the belief in the existence of things, it is only apt that it should be counterbalanced by metaphysics, which questions that very existence. Without this both branches would be in states of imbalance. There is a correlation within and between epistemology and metaphysics which clearly demonstrates a relationship of interdependency between these core concepts of philosophy.Conventionally there is believed to be a sharp distinction between them, but at close examination it becomes clear that these two branches of philosophy far from being distant form each other are actually intricately intertwined. It is therefore important when travelling down either of these paths of wisdom to not only tread lightly, but with our head turned in the direction of the other aspect because with each of them firmly taking our hands as we travel, we are liable to become confused and lose our way.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Multiculturalism

   The Canadian government has sought to have multiculturalism evolve in the Canadian community so as to seal the ethnic loopholes which lead to racial and social injustices based on race, caste and various backgrounds. The policies are meant to undo all aspects of discriminatory perceptions in the Canadian diverse community. The success of multiculturalism is limited. However it is a challenge to the history of social cohesion.Cohesion is what makes various cultural backgrounds harmonize their socio-economic interests. In her purge to identify social discontentment within various cultures in Canada Nakhaie (2006) explains social injustices through discriminative aspects of the Canadian professionals and other stakeholders of the Canadian authority. Socio-economic inequality shows ethno-racial minorities have better qualifications but don’t have confidence in their identity as successful Canadians (pg, 150).  According to Patricia Roy (1995) the intentions of multicultural ism were basically to break down discriminatory attitudes and cultural jealousies. She quotes the a Canadian prime minister and says â€Å"National unity in the deeply personal sense must be founded on confidence in one's own individual identity; out of this can grow respect for that of others (pg, 201)† However the essence of multiculturalism lacks virtue leading the Canadian society to a society of un-equal minority ethnic communities. Patricia seeks to create the picture of increasing racism in Canada.The three pillars on which multiculturalism is built do not really give multiculturalism any autonomy. It rather creates radical rationales within the diverse ethnic cultures in Canada. Racial identity leads to inequality in the social classes, work and rank and income classification leading to disintegration of social justice and equity (150). Nakhaie draws a picture wherein there is no cohesion but various segments of dis-satisfied multicultural society. Immigrants have poo r jobs and poor pay while certain ethnic and social groups enjoy employment and connections within political and social circles.She points out factors leading to this imbalance of social equity as time of immigration, race, period of immigration and language. The consequence of this diversity and complexity in advocacy of multiculturalism is embedded in principals of institutions like the civil service and the civil society as well as other vital institutions. Through them, confidence in the principals of multiculturalism might be augmented in the people however, there seems to be an ideological dilemma in trusting the principals in the immigrants.The Canadian government needs to be more versatile in making these institutions of governance compliant to the principals of multiculturalism through embarking and practicing social justice, equity and equal distribution of power and opportunities to all Canadians in-spite of their race, language or origin. Through this, confidence in the principals of a diverse culture will be embraced and the populace will be happy to identify with a diverse Canada. However, current practices have led to difference in opinion about personal identity in various immigrant societies. As such personal ideology and perception on the essence of cohesion within a multicultural society with apertures of unequal opportunities and social classes (Nakhaie, 2006)Nakhaie is pinpointing the limitations of multiculturalism in Canada as a result of pervasiveness of an individual’s ideology about the difference in equitability of opportunities and social justice. Canadian government officials do not recognize professional background of immigrants leading to immigrants taking lower classification jobs.About 88% of these people learn in Canadian institutions but only 19% of qualified immigrants get jobs they are qualified for in Canada (Basran and Zong, 1998). Multiculturalism fails since most immigrants see discrimination as rampant. They bel ieve racial discrimination is rife through skin color, ethnic origin and the second language. Professional immigrants see no efforts to halt discrimination by the federal authorities.Identity as a Canadian regardless of admission to Canadian community legitimately is void in immigrants. This is seen through lack of immigrant voters in federal, municipal and provincial polls. Social and economic background leads to this minimal participation in the electoral process (154).   Efforts by minority groups in the civic level participate electoral processes is aimed at lobbying against discrimination and racial injustices (Nakhaie, 2006).This inequality has led to limitations in the implementation of multiculturalism policies. There is no sense of identity in many legitimate immigrants in Canada. The sense of belonging and attachment to Canada lacks due to multiculturalism’s inefficiency to integrate the diverse cultures of the society. However this is contentious since huge perce ntages of French speaking immigrants express attachment to their provinces. But English immigrants are less proud of their Canadian identity.  The contention of multiculturalism lies within the context of socio-economic achievements, lower minority group’s representations in the formal political circle. Native Canadians and those who pride in their early immigration to Canada feel multiculturalism undermines the Canadian identity. This forces them to seek to show and prove their rightfulness as the legitimate and older generation of Canadians. This has led to the prevalence of inequality in social equity, seen within the context of representation, participation and employment in Canada (152).Looking at assertions in her works, Nakhaie is emphatic on ideologies and policies. She say’s that â€Å"one can hypothesize that those who adhere to the ideology of individualism, privatism and corporatism would tend not to support racially targeted policies, believing instead that racial minority members are responsible for their own misfortune because of lack of talent, motivation and handiwork (153).† This is the cause of inequality in social justice regardless of policies that pit multiculturalism as essential to the integration of the society.   Despite well intended policies multicultural cohesion is not achievable due to discontent to social injustices and inequality making Canada a racial society. Nakhaie argues that these policies do not suffice to convince the society of their equal opportunities.The minorities feel they are not equal to other Canadians who pride in their culture and representation. The state polices are clear on representation. Government policies are clear that every Canadian should enjoy fundamental and unalienable rights all which he cannot be deprived by any body (Nakhaie, 2006). This has led to ideological differences about the need for the â€Å"equal opportunity† policies while the state takes them for gra nted.Nakhaie says that â€Å"this taken for granted-ness seems to contradict state attempts intended to eliminate or reduce inequalities or to change the established conventions and the fundamental principals of social order. It therefore clashes with policies that address group-based systemic inequalities that are grounded in collectiveness or specifically support ethno-minorities (153).† This is the contention of ideological differences in identity and lack of success in multiculturalism.The identity and pride associated with Canadian background is what multiculturalism stands for, however, the void due to various ethnic groups identifying with Canadian identity is what leads to an inequitable society. Various social backgrounds, ethnicity and social class differ with each other leading to diverse discontent with what the ideology of one Canada. English immigrants do not take pride in being Canadian while the French immigrants pride in the Canadian identity. This makes the future of multiculturalism unclear since there needs harmonization and integrations of cultures to make an equitable society.Apart from policies, the state should put efforts in adding panache to multiculturalism. Nakhaie says immigration policies should offer satisfactory guarantee that equity and identity should be a right to every Canadian and that prejudices and any form of discrimination is liable to prosecution.A set of implement-able policies to enhance multiculturalism and create a cohesive society:Advocate for social networks within ethno-minority societies in Canada to enhance and improve their capacity in social capital, representation, and participation. This will improve their representation, involvement and participation in the Canadian economic and civil society Advocate institutions practice of outreach missions to increase dissemination of information and policies to ethno-minority groups so as to enlighten and empower them about their rights and identity as Canadia ns who have rights like all other Canadians. Encourage minorities’ participation on political and other social activities which will invoke belief of belonging through active participation. Increase equity through equal distribution of all government resources, opportunities and other amenities to all Canadians so as to increase the notion of merit and awarding positions and other chances based on merit.ConclusionThe need for multiculturalism has been embedded on a clear policy of social equity and unity. However waning confidence in identity as Canadians within the minority cultures has made the need for multiculturalism to lack value. This makes the future of multiculturalism unclear unless the above policies and ideals are used to up the perspective of multiculturalism. The need for tolerance and cohesion and the ending of the animosity and resentment towards immigrants will make multiculturalism work (Gairdner, 1990)Works citedBasran, G and L.Zong. Deviation of foreign cr edentials as perceived by Non-White professional immigrants. Canada Ethnic Studies 30, No. 3:6-23Patricia E Roy; The Fifth Force: Multiculturalism and the English Canadian Identity; Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 538, Being and BecomingCanada. (Mar., 1995), pp. 199-209)M Rizah Nakhaie; Contemporary realities and future visions; Enhancing multiculturalism in Canada: Canadian Ethnic Studies No 1, (2006)William D. Gairdner, The trouble with Canada (Toronto: Stoddart, 1990), pp. 412-13.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Workplace Safety Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Workplace Safety - Research Paper Example However, the cases of hazardous workplace injuries are still caching the attention of public. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) is the American employee safety act which also deals with workplace safety issues. In this paper we will discuss whether OSHA is proving successful in dealing with workplace safety issues or not. Problem Statement The problem statement for the research paper is, ‘Is OSHA Proving Successful in Ensuring Workplace Safety for Construction Related Occupations and Other Dangerous Occupations’. Literature Review There are various kinds of occupations that an individual chooses to earn his/her living. Some of those occupations are considered dangerous from the perspective of personal heath, whereas some occupations are somewhat less dangerous and are considered harmless. Workplace safety is the biggest concern for any individual while adopting any occupation. People prefer to adopt such occupations that are considered less dangerous. The reason is that health is the most precious asset for a person. Employees’ level of productivity is linked directly with the level of protection that they feel while at work (Hayes, Perander, Smecko, & Trask, 1998). If employees feel safe at work, their level of productivity increases as they can focus on their work properly. On the other hand, concerns over safety adversely affect their levels of concentration and productivity. However, sometimes people have to adopt such occupations that are most vulnerable to personal safety. Construction related occupations fall into the category of those occupations that are considered dangerous. The reason is that construction related occupations have many concerns regarding workers’ safety. As Cullen (2002) states, â€Å"most jobs have expected, known hazards† (p. 7). For example, many laborers and even engineers while working lose their lives falling accidentally from high roofs of multistory buildings. In the same way, sometime s electricians suffer deadly electric shocks when they forget to apply appropriate security measures regarding electric current while doing electric work in new buildings. These are just some of those risks that make construction related occupations unsafe and dangerous for health. However, the fact is that construction related occupations are not the only type of occupations that are hazardous; there also exist some other occupations that are even more dangerous as compared to construction related occupations. Some of those occupations include firefighting, fishing, criminal justice system related occupations, farming, and aircraft pilot. OSHA guidelines are there to protect most of these occupations. The guidelines are proving very effective as they have reduced the number of per year causalities associated with these occupations up to some extent (Lanoie, 1992). However, workers are still suffering workplace injuries because management officials of most of these occupations are n ot skilled enough to implement OSHA safety mechanisms properly. Therefore, a lot more still needs to be done by the management officials in order to overcome the issue of workplace safety properly. Workplace safety is the main factor that plays its part in making people consider some occupations dangerous and risky for personal health and safety. People are usually not aware of OSHA guidelines regarding workplace safety nor they have in their minds that whether the companies for which they are going to work follow OSHA safety guidelines or not. Therefore, they consider

Friday, September 27, 2019

Spss work and analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Spss work and analysis - Coursework Example The complete data is fed through MS Excel and converted to SPSS 16.0. Suitable tables are presented depicting the influence of each variable on unemployment. Regression Analysis: The regression is measure of functional relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variable(s). Here in this study, we consider the unemployment as dependent variable and the other variables such as real GDP, Net Export, investment and consumption as independent variables individually since the unemployment depends on all the other influencing and independent variables. The data is analyzed through SPSS 16.0 package and the procedure adopted is linear regression with all the independent variables taken individually. The real values are itself considered instead of log or ln of the variables since they showed more significant correlations better than that of log or ln of the variables and also many values are missing for log or ln of the variable Net Export since the original values are negative. The data is secondary data collected through internet from the year 1995 to year 2010 for 16 years for each quarter (totally 64 values). Table 1: Table representing the descriptive statistics of the variables under study Descriptive Statistics Variable Descriptives Value Std. Error unemployment Mean 1810.4688 45.87412 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 1718.7966 Upper Bound 1902.1409 Median 1675.5000 Variance 134683.840 Std. Deviation 366.99297 Minimum 1392.00 Maximum 2485.00 Range 1093.00 Skewness 0.748 0.299 Kurtosis -0.953 0.590 real GDP Mean 298521.3906 4084.62665 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 290358.9156 Upper Bound 306683.8657 Median 302297.0000 Variance 1067787189.480 Std. Deviation 32677.01317 Minimum 238611.00 Maximum 344809.00 Range 106198.00 Skewness -0.350 0.299 Kurtosis -1.189 0.590 Net Export Mean -5819.9062 657.69968 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound -7134.2142 Upper Bound -4505.5983 Median -7470.0000 Variance 2768440 7.991 Std. Deviation 5261.59748 Minimum -13985.00 Maximum 4492.00 Range 18477.00 Skewness 0.596 0.299 Kurtosis -0.925 0.590 Investment Mean 28364.5781 665.84459 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 27033.9939 Upper Bound 29695.1624 Median 28858.0000 Variance 28374337.486 Std. Deviation 5326.75675 Minimum 17033.00 Maximum 45721.00 Range 28688.00 Skewness 0.090 0.299 Kurtosis 1.095 0.590 Consumption Mean 182284.2812 2985.04017 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 176319.1545 Upper Bound 188249.4080 Median 187349.5000 Variance 570269748.809 Std. Deviation 23880.32137 Minimum 137588.00 Maximum 213214.00 Range 75626.00 Skewness -0.468 0.299 Kurtosis -1.208 0.590 Table 2: Table representing regression analysis Independent variables real GDP Net Export Investment Consumption R 0.306 0.493 0.515 0.306 R2 0.094 0.243 0.265 0.093 Adj R2 0.079 0.231 0.253 0.079 Standard Error of the estimate 352.16 321.89 317.11 352.24 F 6.42* 19.89** 22.381** 6.39 Significance of F 0.014* 0.00 0** 0.000 0.014* Constant 2837.493** 2010.53** 2816.90** 2666.74** Regression coefficient -0.03* 0.034** -0.035** -0.005* Interpretation: From the above regression output, it is concluded that real GDP has a significant influence on unemployment (with probability

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a Wind Power Production Research Paper

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a Wind Power Production Project in Turkana Area of Kenya; East Africa - Research Paper Example The project under consideration will constitute a wind farm situated at the South Eastern end of Lake Turkana. This area is mostly uninhabited, rocky and arid desert area. The geographical conditions are unique with daily temperature fluctuations generating strong, predictable wind streams between Lake Turkana and the desert hinterland. Although there is no significant source of water, power or coal, the area can be termed as an enormous natural heat engine. This is due to the wind circulation system coming as a result of the difference in temperatures of the sun-baked land region and the cooler waters of the lake. The heating of the land air causes rising of hot air, which is promptly replaced by the cool air from the Lake blowing as wind throughout the area until it cools down. Contrary to what happens in the oilfield where depletion occurs, the blowing goes on as long as the as the sun shines. The projected area effectively acts as a funnel whereby the wind streams are accelerated to speed up to 15m/s. This ascertains the positivity of the resource to driving turbines for power production. The power deficit in Kenya is a serious problem and the production of electric energy using wind, will boost the production to high. The modelling done estimates that wind power installation with capacities of close to 300 megawatts would be required to increase the power production by 20%. The wind farm will include 365 V53 turbines with hub heights of 44 meters to produce clean electricity into the national grid system. 1.2. Project Timelines The project under consideration is scheduled to take five years to completion though in three phases. The first phase of two years will incorporate ground work and research findings on the viability of this project in the Turkwel region, followed by installation phase of two years, which also see the pre trial use being done. The last one year phase will be the commissioning stage. Timescale of change Environmental Parameter Geologi cal aspect Will not change and will remain stable. Can be more than 50 years Favorable air replenishment and cut down on GHGs. Varies seasonally The population of migratory bird from Lake Turkana will be affected to the south Eastern side. 1.3. Project Location The Lake Turkana project will constitute a wind farm situated 8 Km South East of Lake Turkana in Marsabit County Loyiangalani district of Kenya. The exact position of the proposed plant is between two mount ranges; Southwest of Mt Kulal and Northeast of Mt. Nyiru. The Map Showing the location of the project is exhibited in Annex 1. 1.3.1. Soil Capacity The area has basically a clay based soil meaning the area is more alkaline with the surrounding rocks being predominantly volcanic. The area has undergone tremendous natural degradation in form soil erosion. The soil in the area has been affected by the overgrazing of the pastoralists communities. Lack of vegetation and cutting down of the few trees and shrubs make the area pro ne to soil destruction processes. The construction of the project will result into increased soil erosion during installation of turbines and road construction. This combined with strong winds and occasional rains may lead to acute and chronic erosions. 1.3.2. Ground Water The area consists of efficient aquifers of ground waters that can be utilised for the construction purposes. This is through the drilling of boreholes and provides sufficient project water and avoids competition with the locals. After construction, the extra boreholes will be made available to the local communities. 1.3.3. Surface Water The water quantity and quality is a critical issue and its availability in the project area, is generally low and constitutes one of the major challenges in the region. The

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Art and Music Appreciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art and Music Appreciation - Essay Example According to Schneider-Adams ,there are six reasons why art is created ,they are represented below ialondside examples of paintings or art that explain the reason. Grogian chant a form of liturgical chant that was used in the western Christianity, it was mostly played during mass celebration and at ritual rights. It was formed by Pope Gregory who was the acting pope from the year 590 -604, he was well known for his categorization of music to be played during specific events in the church. The Grogian chant is some kind of frenzy music with prolonged intervals between tune and whose pitch keeps alternation from high to low to very high tones. The pitches keep alternating and this creates a confusion of some sort in the mind. I think the music has some form of spiritual attachment, given the fact that it is played in the church and ,the changing pitches have some effect on one’s soul. It keeps ones detached from the real world to a far way place that cannot be well distinguished ,though this only happens when one pays full concentration to the pitches and tones released from it. I agree with the modern listeners that the music has some haunting effect, this could be due to the fact that it is ancient and not similar to modern

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Watchdogs Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Watchdogs - Coursework Example Research conducted on fraud has revealed that fraud perpetrators and experts of embezzlement against their employers usually do this as a result of pressure, rationalization and opportunity. In this case, it is evident that pressure, rationalization and opportunity that results in fraud are as a result of poor internal control commonly referred to as sleeping (napping) watchdogs. In the case of opportunity, the perpetrator identifies a loophole in the control system and believes that they can fraud and goes undetected. Those who perpetrate fraud as a result of rationalization do it as a result of uncontrolled personal code of conduct. Perpetrators who respond to pressure usually have financial predicaments that motivate them to steal This analysis highlighted above indicates that watchdogs are responsible for abating fraud crime. In this case, strict measures should be implements in order to accost irresponsibility in the control departments. To address this, watchdogs in corporations should be charged together with the perpetrators. In this case, when a person is caught having embezzled corporate fund, a litigation should not only be brought against them, but also those in charge of preventing such case. The site, Corporate Accountability International, provides a platform where these corporate crimes of fraud and embezzlement of fund can be prevented. The organization, backed by members, activist, volunteers and allied organizations, is positioned to be instrumental in realizing a corporate scene free from white-collar crimes. With a mission of bringing to an end the life-threatening cruelty by global corporations, they ideally positioned to restore a sense of responsibility and accountability to public institutions around the world. Having recognized how global corporations have increasing been operating beyond

Monday, September 23, 2019

Midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Midterm - Essay Example However, comparing the two, there are major differences which make the film more articulate and detailed in detailing the motives, desires and intricacies that led to Frank’s murder, which the novel does not address critically. The short story begins as Matt thinks about Frank’s funeral, which creates suspense at the beginning as readers are not introduced to the motive behind Frank’s death. The suspense at the begging slowly wears out as the story progresses to Frank’s burial and the planned revenge which makes the audience to learn what really happened to Frank. On the contrary, the film offers a good background of the story and beings as Natalie and Frank run in an open field kissing one another in a romantic scene, which creates a deception that the film would be a romantic one. However, the film still prepares the audience not to expect a romantic scene as the lovers are only seen half way, their faces are not visible, while a strong wind blows through the trees, a case that is not ideal for a love scene. This crates some difference in the plot, which affects the relationship of events. The novel delves directly into death and the revenge as Frank’s farther ponders about hi s next move, the revenge. However, the film plot first brings about the theme of love and passion, and a plot with complex relationships as the story starts to unfold. These incidences are descriptive of what really happened to Frank, and why he was killed. While in the short story the plot is laid by Matt’s feelings and thoughts of a possible revenge (Dubus, 105), the film organizes the plot in a chronological order, which offers the audience enough information regard the murder while the novel does not. The killings are narrated purely from the Fowler’s viewpoint, and present his thoughts as pure revenge through exploring his emotions and bitter feelings regarding his son’s death, which alters his moral judgment and perception of morality (Dubus,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Impact of Media on Teens Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Media on Teens Essay Many adolescent teens are exposed to numerous encounters with the media that have a negative impact on their judgments, actions, and opinions. This is referring to the video games, movies, television shows, and magazines that surround them everyday. We begin to discover how it effects their decisions and behaviors. Adolescence is a time when young people are identifying important aspects of socialization like employment, gender rolls, and the development of morals, values, and beliefs. However, it is also a time when family influence and ties become weaker and outside presences become stronger and more important in the lives of the young. Appearance Most teens search for guidance, not from their parents but from a celebrity, pop star, or actor. These people may only be a role model for a short period of time simply because the teenager has a slight interest in they’re work or could even be as capricious as they released a new album that month. Some examples are make-up ads, â€Å"hot or not† articles, and even some television programs such as the Bachelorette create this false image of perfection that teenagers aspire to be like. This specifically targets their expectations, priorities and self-esteem. Teen girls initiate this mindset where they overanalyze every situation. The way they dress, the amount of makeup they put on, and even how they judge the appearance of the people around them including their friends. In a recent interview with Notre Dame Secondary School’s Child Youth Worker, Mrs. Kennedy states, â€Å"they strive to be what they see in magazines and on the news. It really begins to hurt and damage their self esteem† (Kennedy). With so many years of experience with the youth, Mrs. Kennedy’s very capable of describing how teenagers feel through various situations and why. She talks with teens everyday that go through self-esteem and family issues and agrees that the media, â€Å"especially the social media† (Kennedy), greatly affects the way teenagers view and judge  themselves. â€Å"Some movie ads can be very offensive to not only women but also men. Most stereotypes also developed from movies and television shows.† (Williams) Teenagers may not be physically forced to hide who they truly are but are frightened enough to choose to mask themselves. When high school student Matthew Smith was asked his opinion on the growing population of homosexual teens, he stated, â€Å"everyone now is more accepting to your sexuality than they would have been say 10..15 years ago. Media has really helped it along.† (Smith) Two other high school students had similar beliefs when it came to the openness teenagers are being given with their sexual preferences. This is one example of a positive influence the media has on the way teenagers can express themselves. They encourage teens to be â€Å"comfortable in their own skins† and to not be ashamed of their natural instincts. Some illustrations are the television show 1 Girl 5 Gays, the Gay Pride Parade, and even the numerous Gay/Lesbian support groups funded by some celebrities. Both teenage boys and girls are less ashamed of who they choose to have an interest in, in today’s society. In the latest survey conducted by Ashley Sanchez, 54% agreed that teenagers could be open with their sexuality. (Figure 1) Even if 46% disagreed, the good outweighs the bad. Over time, teens are becoming more and more focused on the useless things instead of the bigger picture. Their priorities have changed drastically. Media advertisements emphasize that in order to be considered what we classify as â€Å"cool† or â€Å"hip† we must own the latest gear or wear the newest line of clothing. In addition to this, many teens only follow what is socially acceptable. If it is not in the latest teen magazine it’s considered â€Å"totally last year† and will be shunned if worn. In a recent survey 44% agreed, and 24% strongly agreed that beauty and appearance is very important (Figure 2). This means more than half of the tabulated results find their appearance to be very important. This is a shocking result because it shows roughly how many teenagers really do care about the way they look. There are positive and negative affects that the media has on the teenage mind concerning their appearance and the way they see and portray  themselves. However, one must take into consideration that these statistics may increase in time because of the different ways one can access and is exposed to the media. Personality, Morals and Behaviour The way a teenager behaves weighs heavily on those who surround and nurture them throughout their childhood years. (Picard). Nonetheless, studies show that during adolescence the mind goes through drastic changes. The frontal lobe in the brain has not yet developed and this is essential for decision making and reasoning. That is one rationale as to why teenagers can be described as reckless and daft at times. A teenage mind is extremely vulnerable to outside influences. When they see their favorite actor or singer do something that is inappropriate they think it becomes acceptable. Approximately one million teens get pregnant and give birth every year in the United States. Eighty percent of those births are to unmarried teens. Teenage pregnancy has serious consequences for the mother, the child and society in general. Teenage pregnancy frequently leads to limited future prospects for many teen mothers who are unable to complete high school. Adolescents who have babies are also more prone to health problems and experience a maternal death rate 2.5 times higher than women aged 20-24(ProQuest Staff). For example, the shows 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom are two television demonstrations of underage pregnancy. None of these teen moms are married, and half of their children’s biological fathers want little or nothing to do with them. This taints both teenage girls and boys’ minds with deceitful and inaccurate interpretations of sex and love. Shows like these pollute the idea of raising a child and marriage with an easy way to fame. (Jennings) It changes teenage morals to the impression that since it’s on the television that it is okay to imitate their behavior. Not all teens are as naà ¯ve as to go and engage in sexual behavior just to be famous but the fact that these teenage mothers allow a recording crew to follow them around and film their day-to-day lives and constant arguments with their boyfriends is ludicrous and sends a terrible message to other teenage women. When students were asked if reality television could be educational, the results showed more than half of the students agreed that it could be  educational. (Figure 3) â€Å"I really don’t umde rstand how it could be educational. I think it’s more for entertainment purposes† (Kennedy). Many children born to teenage mothers suffer from low birth weight and other related health problems, with a large proportion of them having insufficient health insurance. Children of teen parents often receive inadequate care because teens are rarely able to provide the nurturing and stimulation required by infants for normal development. Although teen pregnancy rates declined throughout the 1990s, a 3 percent jump in births to teen mothers between 2005 and 2006 raised alarm that sex education programs and campaigns to reduce teen motherhood were failing. â€Å"Teens don’t understand what it means to be truly mature, or respecting themselves as a human, not an object†. (Mellor). Some people think that providing teenagers with contraceptives is the best way to lower teen pregnancy rates, while others think the focus should be on abstinence education (ProQuest Staff). Teenage violence has never really been a big topic of discussion, however one cannot ignore the on-and-off teenage rages that occur. Children all over the world are engrossed in warfare in their little boxed-up world that is their constant companion. Parents think nothing now about their teenage child playing violent video games for hours each day. There is the known positive correlation between habitual violent video game play and mild and severe forms of physical aggression. This study brings out the belief that children in highly individualistic cultures such as in the United States and Canada are more prone to this effect. All children will become more aggressive if repeatedly exposed to violent video games, and younger children are more susceptible to this than older ones. (Hulaimi). Teens in Nintendo mania may have issues with self-control. The part of the brain that video gaming stimulates is the amygdala, the part connected with emotional arousal. What the violent content of the video game does is stimulation of the brains arousal centers, doing little to the cortical areas involved in perception and thinking. (Jayson). Stereotypes are repetitively in the media. Some movies not only humiliates teenagers of specific races but also drives them away from their own culture because they are afraid of being teased or ridiculed. â€Å"If youre of a certain descent, you are portrayed in the media a specific way and most people adjust their personalities to fit those stereotypes.† (Nadesh). Teens begin to lose their true personalities because  they are trying to fit this mold of what the media deems is socially acceptable. Communication and Relationships Adolescence is a crucial time for friendships, and relationships to develop and become more serious. Websites like Twitter and Facebook have become extremely popular to the teenage population. It affects the way they communicate with one another. â€Å"Before, if two people wanted to talk to one another they would usually do it face to face or on the phone. But overtime, weve become so used to just chatting with people online or texting them that not only has it changed the way we communicate but also the kinds of relationships we have with certain people.† (Nadesh). A lot of teens feel driven by this lust or love concept. â€Å"Teens fall into traps very easily, especially when they truly believe the gestures are genuine† (Mellor). Since a lot of teens have barely experienced a real relationship they have a very vague perspective on love. Nearly 1.5 million high school students across the country experience physical violence at the hands of a dating partner each year, according to a website created by the National Dating Abuse Hotline and the awareness group, Break the Cycle. One in three adolescents have experienced physical, verbal, emotional or sexual abuse from a boyfriend or girlfriend. (Duret). Unlike adults, teens in abusive relationships dont typically live together or see one another much outside of school. Their battleground becomes the telephone and social media. This is where put-downs, name-calling and jealousy manifest in angry phone calls and Facebook posts. (Duret). There have been multiple cases where the teenager’s significant other’s jealousy would be pushed to the extreme and murders will occur. (Duret) The case of Brandon Nicholas Santos, 18, arrested on first-degree murder charges in the death of girlfriend Emilie Sineace, 16. Police said Santos drove to Sineaces suburban Lake Worth house Sept. 14 and sent her a text message to come outside. When she did, he fired six shots at her. Half of them hit her, and Sineace, an Inlet Grove High student and aspiring surgeon, died the next morning. Now Santos, who recently played football at Park Vista High, may spend the rest of his life in prison. Teens often bring up the 2009 case of RB singers Chris Brown and Rihanna. The celebrity couple turned a national spotlight on domestic violence among young adults when Brown was arrested and sentenced to probation for attacking Rihanna (Duret). The couple separated in the aftermath, but recent media reports have them back together. This sends teens a confusing message about domestic violence. It gives them the idea that if you love each other enough, you can work through situations like this. People are asking questions like: Is there such as thing as Facebook Addiction Disorder? The fact of the matter is it’s not so much a disorder, but it is a form of addiction. Mental Health Experts around the world are probing the dark side of social media. â€Å"When people become too comfortable talking behind a computer they end up being uncomfortable talking in face-to-face. Lots of awkward teens out there that don’t know how to keep a conversation going anymore.† (Goorahoo). We are in an era where Internet devices are always on and meeting face-to-face is becoming increasingly rare as people choose to meet screen-to-screen. There are some very valuable things about social media and networking, and there are also some dangers. Historically, the changes have been in musical taste and style of dress. Now it has to do with technology and the use of technology to deal with social relations. (Pilieci). Facebook, (Figure 4) has more than 800 million users accessing it regularly, and roughly 425 million accessing the site using a mobile device. There are 18 million Canadians on Facebookmore than half our population and with that more than 12 million of them visit the site daily. On a per-capita basis, [Figure 4] [Figure 4] Canada has the highest number of Facebook users in the world. The average Canadian has 225 friends on the social network, though recent studies from the University of Waterloo have shown that as many as half of our friends are people we dont even really know. (Pilieci) Larry Rosen, professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, outlined the results of some recent research, which also points to the darker side of social media. He found that Teens using Facebook have more narcissistic tendencies while young adults who have a strong Facebook presence show more signs of other psychological disorders, including anti-social behaviours. Some psychologists are calling this Facebook Addiction Disorder. This is basically when people are afraid to disconnect from social media services because they think theyre going to missing something important. While older groups may be using it to see pictures of family members or brag about their latest accomplishments, younger generations are using it to gossip. (Pilieci). It’s also a danger because as soon as something is on the Internet it can never be erased. In a way the social media is actually making us sick. It constructs the indication that the unhealthiest relationships are normal, and that spending five hours a day on a network is reasonable. It corrupts the way we socialize and get closer to other people. To a certain extent, teens are allowing themselves to have open profiles with private information that anyone can have access to. They are not only endangering themselves but potentially also their ‘225 facebook friends.’ The Aftermath and Physical Damage Suicide can date back to as early as 500 BCE where in the Greek colony of Ceos, citizens over age 60 years or incapacitated by illness are allowed to commit suicide by drinking state-provided poppy juice or hemlock. Fast-forwarding to1980, in a 17-month period, 28 teenagers took their own lives in Chicagos privileged North Shore suburbs. Researchers reveal statistics that show rising signs of violent discontent among youth from affluent families. (ProQuest). Bullying is a major aspect to teen suicide. (Figure 5). â€Å"Bullying will be a HUGE problem no matter where you’re from. When you’re bullied you feel like there is no way out. You get pushed so far to the edge that you give up and just kill yourself. This is happening more and more often because of our accesses to technology and instant communication.† (Goorahoo). Teens have this tendency to want to feel in power. As soon as they have power, it’s a constant battle to sustain their title. Bullies will torment their victim into such a deep state of depression that they will begin having suicidal thoughts. The exact causes of suicide are complex, with an interplay of psychological, biological, social and environmental factors.  However about 95% of cases spring from mental illnesses such as depression or schizophrenia. (Picard) Many people, especially the young, keep their suffering a secret because they don’t know where or who to turn to. The media renders a lot of help hotlines and prevention programs but how much are they really enforcing it? School is the ideal setting for prevention. School Boards are bombarded with requests to implement health-promotion programs, and suicide-prevention lectures; however, there is little evidence that any of this is very effective. Those who routinely cut-themselves are usually victims of some form of bullying and find that by harming themselves it releases their emotions. Whether they are gay, lesbians, victims of sexual abuse, or just people of a certain culture. Nevertheless, young men are still about five times more likely to die of suicide than young women. (Picard) Media also plays a role in this because of the way men are anticipated to act. They feel the need to persistently have this macho, egotistical persona but what studies now show is that men can be just about as self-conscious as women. Teen boys hide their emotions, feelings and thoughts a lot more than teen girls. Especially when they are with their friends. This is because the media displays the impression of a sensitive man as a homosexual. In most cases, this is not true, of course. All of these bottled up emotions eventually leads to substance and drug abuse. The media blames movies and television shows for this, but those things are the media. Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the world, within the United States alone 23 percent of high school students said theyd recently smoked marijuana, making it more popular than cigarettes. (Ritter) Sometimes the habit is developed straight out of the teen’s home or family, but for the most part teen’s smoke simply to have something to do with their friends. (Figure 6) Drinking, on the other hand, mainly has to do with family difficulties. Teens use it as a stress reliever or to forget certain memories. â€Å"Even parent’s drinking occasionally may be influential to their kids without even knowing it.† (Kennedy). Along with all of this comes the increasing number of non-active teenagers. With fast food restaurants frequently being built within a mile radius of most homes it becomes a very convenient place to dine. Teens enjoy going to fast food restaurants for two main reasons: to eat a meal for a cheap price, and to be away from home for a little while. For children of normal weight, the risk of developing high blood pressure or pre high blood pressure rose 6% for every 1,000 milligrams of sodium consumed per day. But the risk rose 74% for children who were overweight. (McKay) Since fast food restaurants are in such convenient places for teenagers to just pop in and eat a burger, they will do it. It’s not only extremely unhealthy because most fast food restaurant’s meat is processed but teens won’t do much physical activity afterwards to work it off. Obese teens not only make easy targets for bullies, in the case of girls, theyre more likely to turn into bullies themselves, according to the findings of a Canadian study on the social fallout of being overweight. (Kirkey) Since a teenager’s priorities have changed, so have their extracurricular activities. Teens are more concerned with shopping and instant messaging one another than maintaining a healthy diet. According to Statistics Canada, 17 per cent of children in Canada are overweight; nine per cent are obese. (Kirkey) Although, there’s maintaining a healthy diet but then there’s going to the extremes with not eating at all. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa may be caused by environmental factors, which switch on specific genes that trigger the dysfunctional eating behaviour. (Cresswell) Many teens will not allow themselves to eat because of what someone said, or something they saw on the television. This occurs in men also, however men don’t stop eating they go on protein diets. This can also be harmful to their body because your body needs some fat in order to function. Media surrounds teens everywhere they go whether they like to acknowledge it or not. Most teens are becoming more aware of their surroundings and the influences around them by the age of fifteen but do not think much of it until around eighteen. In today’s world people cannot live without media.  Thus, we know that various media and its artifacts can have a lot of effects on our daily lives, our society, and us. We must understand that a lot of what we see on television, hear on the radio, or see in the print are there in order for us to change our minds about certain views or opinions. So, to fully understand and comprehend the nature and effects of the production techniques of the media and its effects on the teenage mind we must consider the many aspects of media. Work Cited Cresswell, Adam. Environmental Factors May Trigger Anorexia. Weekend Australian. 25 Aug 2012: 8. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Dec 2012. Duret, Daphne. High School Dating Violence on the Rise. Palm Beach Post. 14 Nov 2012: A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 2 Dec 2012. Goorahoo, Khamron. Personal interview. 6 Dec. 2012 Hulaimi, Wan A. The Impact of Violent Video Games on Children. New Straits Times. 22 Apr 2012: 21. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 2 Dec 2012. Jayson, Sharon. Study the Player, Not the Video Game. USA TODAY. 15 Sep 2011: D.3. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 6 Dec 2012. Jennings, Alicia. â€Å"When You Trust Someone and It Threatens Your Body.† Teen Voices. 24 2008. 22-23. Print. Kennedy, Mrs.. Personal interview. 11 Oct. 2012. Kirkey, Sharon. Obese Teen Girls More Likely to Be Bullies, Says Canadian Study. Postmedia News. 21 Jan 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 6 Dec 2012. McKay, Betsy. New Study: Sodium a Concern for Children. Wall Street Journal. 17 Sep 2012: A.2. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 5 Dec 2012. Nadesh, Janani. Email interview. 5 Dec. 2012. Picard, Andre. â€Å"Everyone Has a Role In Being Vigilant About Cries for Help.† Globe and Mail. 28 Sep 2011: A.8 SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 05 Oct 2012. Pilieci, Vito. Do Social Networks Make Us Sick?. Ottawa Citizen. 24 Mar 2012: B.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 6 Dec 2012. ProQuest Staff. At Issue: Teenage Pregnancy. ProQuest LLC. 2012: n.pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 2 Dec 2012. ProQuest Staff. Suicide Timeline. Leading Issues Timelines. 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 2 Dec 2012. Ritter, Malcolm. Teen Pot Use Linked to Later Declines in IQ. Baxter Bulletin. 27 Aug 2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 1 Dec 2012. Smith, Matthew. Personal interview. 11 Dec. 2012. Williams, Tee-Ara. â€Å"Are These Movie Ads a Big Mistake?† Teen Voices. 08 2004: 56-57. Print.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Black People and Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Black People and Prejudice Essay â€Å"Ahhhhhhhh!† I squealed and jumped for joy the moment I dropped the phone. I hurrily scurried over to my mom to share the news. â€Å"Mommy, I got my first job!† This was the stepping stone to me being an independent young woman. I was officially employed at Hollister Co. as a sales model. I was ecstatic and excited to make some money at the tender age of 15. My first week was definitely a learning experience; from learning how to maintain a cash registrar to folding tons of polos and jeans. Soon through this journey, it started to become bittersweet. With three months of being employed, my shifts were diminishing from 4 shifts a week to 1 shift a week. As I looked at the schedule postings for the week, I noticed a trend with the scheduling of the shifts. Ironically, most of the employees that were working more hours and more shifts were white females. I figured it might have something to do with the fact that my supervisor is a white surfer-boy who is infatuated with beach-blonde beauties. However that did not stop me from asking him to put me on the schedule more. Sadly, I resent the day I had asked him. Unfortunately, he felt that I didn’t have the â€Å"natural beachy look† that Hollister Co. was trying to perceive. I am of Malaysian decent and have tan skin color. Hearing that definitely bruised my ego and made me self-conscious about my appearance. I felt this was a tactic for me to quit, and so I did. Over the months I begin to realize that ultimately there will be people in the world that have a perspective of life that I cannot seem to change. I had realized that this was not my fault; it was his own personal judgment that led him to think that. I was treated this way because of how I looked not on who I am. Many people have tried to explain the reasoning of why people are prejudiced and discriminate against one another. Two readings that are eye-openers about prejudice are Causes of Prejudice and C.P. Ellis. In the essay, Causes of Prejudice, the author Vincent N. Parrillo explains the reasons for racism and discrimination in the United States. Which brings us to Studs Terkel’s essay C.P. Ellis, he tells us the story of C.P. Ellis, a former Klansmen who claims he is no longer racist. With Parrillos essay, we will analyze what caused C.P. Ellis to be prejudice and how he changed. Parrillo’s Causes of Prejudice outlines reasons how and why prejudice exists in today’s society. Parrillo first starts out telling us that prejudice is the rejection of a member of a certain culture, and that ethnocentrism is a rejection of all culture as a whole. He then states that there are four areas of study to consider when dealing with prejudice; levels of prejudice, self-justification, personality, and frustration. This theory is ideal to the root of why and where prejudice starts. He explains that the first level of prejudice is the cognitive level of prejudice. This is a person’s beliefs of a culture. The second level is the emotional level of prejudice. This level includes what kind of emotional response a culture has on a person. These emotions for example can be that of hate, love, fear, etc The final level, explains Parrillo, is the action oriented level. This is the desire to physically act upon their prejudice feelings toward the person or culture. As stated in the text, â€Å"The emotional level of prejudice encompasses the feelings that a minority group arouses in an individual. Although these feelings may be based on stereotypes from the cognitive level they represent more intense stages of personal involvement† (Parrillo 386). His statement holds true. In the sense of economic competition prejudice occurs frequently. We need to realize that jealousy is an important factor of prejudice. There would still be competitions, hatred, and stereotyping. It is just in our human nature. The story of C.P Ellis begins as he discusses his life as being a white male from a low-income class. His frustrations and misfortunes lead him to become a member of the Ku Klux Klan. His father always told Ellis to stay away from blacks, Jews, and Catholics’ and he obeyed his father’s wishes. In a sense, it seemed as if Ellis truly admired his father. At 17 years old, his father soon passed away and Ellis was forced to work to tend to his family. Ellis discusses his frustrations on having to make ends meet with four children, the eldest being mentally challenged and the struggles he has to endure to make it happen. Ellis begins to blame the black people for his tragedy and his misfortune of not being able to have sufficient funds. In relevance to Parrillo’s essay, he explains that â€Å"frustrations tend to increase aggression toward others† (Parrillo 393). This ties into the anger that Ellis began to direct it towards as he stated, â€Å"I didn’t know who to blame. I tried to find somebody. I began to blame it on black people. I had to hate somebody† (Terkel 400). Ellis believed that blaming others rather than himself was the best way to get over his frustrations. We are then exploited to the self esteem Ellis had and his state of mind when starting his racist rampage. To begin with, Ellis shows throughout the essay that he is weak minded and has very low self-esteem. Ellis states, â€Å"The majority of ‘em are low income whites, people who really don’t have a part in something. They have been shut out as well as the blacksSo the natural person to hate would the black person† (Terkel 401). Ellis started to hate the fact that he was poor and turned to the KKK. He felt the KKK opened opportunities he could achieve because of the stability and members of the group. Parrillo states that â€Å"self-justification† is lead to believe the main cause of prejudice. He states â€Å"a person may avoid social contact with groups deemed inferior and associate only with those identified as being of high status† (Parrillo 387). We can identify the behaviors and personality Ellis displays is relevant to the same behaviors and personality of his father. Throughout the story, Ellis directed his hatred towards blacks just like his father did. Ellis states â€Å"The natural person for me to hate would be black people, because my father before me was a member of the Klan. As far as he was concerned, it was the savior of the white people† (Terkel 400). We can recognize that his racist ways came from his father who told him what to believe. We can identify this as the â€Å"socialization† factor of prejudice. When one is taught something which they live by all their life they begin to play a role just as the one who taught them those ways. Parrillo elaborates, â€Å"We thus learn the prejudices of our parents and others, which then become part of our values and beliefs. Even when based on false stereotypes, prejudices shape our perceptions of various peoples and influence our attitudes and actions toward particular groups† (Parrillo 394). We can make the connection that Ellis’s father was racist he gained his father’s characteristics as well as his beliefs. This also ties in when he begins to blame black people because he was taught they were the cause of the economic problems he was facing. Ellis states â€Å"If we didn’t have niggers in the schools, we wouldn’t have the problems we got today† (Terkel 402). Here he did not truly experience what he believed but he was told this and began to live by it, which was passed down by his father. Over the time, Ellis and his views about the blacks changed altogether. In the end, Ellis has an epiphany once he realized how much in common he really had with blacks. He soon began to realize that black people were just as normal and looking for the same thing in life. He tells us what he realized later in his life â€Å"As long as they kept low-income whites and low-income blacks fightin’, they’re gonna maintain control† (Terkel 403). The revelation is going to change his life. He refers to they as being the politicians and government. He began to have his own mind set and realize that all are alike and should not be treated differently. Some white people had just as low incomes as some black people, which led him to realize that they were all at the same level. There is no explanation as to why Ellis really decided to all of a sudden change his views. We can relate this to Parrillo’s statement, â€Å"Although socialization explains how prejudicial attitudes may be transmitted from one generation to the next, it does not explain their origin or why they intensify or diminish over the years† (Terkel 394). In conclusion, both Parrillo’s essay and Ellis’s story go hand in hand in showing us the real reason why prejudice and racism still exists today. Vincent Parrillo exemplifies valid points and key notions on why cause a person to be prejudice and racist. C.P Ellis provides an insightful eye and truly gives us hope that maybe people will change their views over the years. Both showed us that prejudice is a prime factor in this society and this is because everyone was born and raised differently. Everyone has their own beliefs and ideas. Value, attitudes, beliefs and culture all are targets of prejudice. Regardless of anything, we will never be able to change that. People just try to persevere to the stereotyping and criticizing of other races and their own. Works Cited Parrillo, Vincent N. â€Å"‘Causes of Prejudice.† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2010. 384-398. Terkel, Studs. â€Å"C.P Ellis.† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2010. 398-408. Self-Editing Checklist: 1. Do you have a sufficient number of quoted passages from theoretical essay you have chosen and have you commented sufficiently on each? List the page numbers of the passages below. Page 386 Page 387 Page 393 Page 394 2. Do you have a sufficient number of quoted passages from personal essay you have chosen and have you commented sufficiently on each? List the page numbers of the passages below. Page 400 Page 401 Page 402 Page 403 3. Explain the order in which you chose to make your points via the passages you quoted. Studs Terkel then Vincent Parrillo ⠝â€" Page 386 ⠝â€" Page 393 ⠝â€" Page 400 ⠝â€" Page 401 ⠝â€" Page 387 ⠝â€" Page 400 ⠝â€" Page 394 ⠝â€" Page 402 ⠝â€" Page 403 ⠝â€" Page 394 4. Name three writing errors you are likely to make in your prose and check the rough draft for these. Use the OWL website if necessary to look for examples of how to address these problems. List the likely errors below. Alternating long and short sentences. 5. Read your final draft of the essay aloud so that you do not allow your eyes you’re your brain to self-correct the errors in your essay. List the kinds of errors you found below. Spelling, grammar, punctuation.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Problems of Doping in Sport

Problems of Doping in Sport Doping is becoming a very serious problem, not only within the united states but around the world too. A lot people do not actually understand the term of doping well doping is when an athlete takes a drug that improves his/her playing ability.So many athletes around the world have been accused of doing this which brings up the question.Should athletes who have been caught doping be allowed to keep their trophies and medals. A great example would be weight lifters.There have many situation where weight lifters have been question to see if they used drugs to help them win.(The use of performance-enhancing drugs, or doping, by professional athletes has been acknowledged as a problem since at least the 1960s.Since then there have been multiple cases where athletes have been caught doping (The number of records that have been broken has led to allegations of use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports. ).So its saying that all these record holders are all being accused of doping..Which proves the point that athletes are using these drugs to win. Another example would be Lance Armstrong. Lance armstrong is a world famous cyclist who has won a record holding seven tour de france titles. Recently lance has been stripped of all the titles because come to find out he was doping. (Lance Armstrong, (born September 18, 1971, Plano, Texas, U.S.), American cyclist, who was the only rider to win seven Tour de France titles (1999-2005) but who was later stripped of all his titles after an investigation revealed that he was the key figure in a wide-ranging doping conspiracy while he compiled his Tour victories.)(Alex Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers).(Three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador is stripped of his 2010 title for doping).(The USADA bans sprinter Justin Gatlin for eight years after he tests positive for banned substances a second time. Gatlin is also forced to forfeit his 100-meter world record).(1996 Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis admits using performance-enhancing drugs to win his title. Race organizers tell him to return his yellow first-place jersey).Showing that Lance Armstrong is one of the many who have been caught doping. (Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs-including eryt hropoietin (EPO) and human growth hormone-and distributed drugs to other cyclists.)Not only has he been caught doping but also of distributing the drug to other cyclist, which mean there are more of them out there who have yet to be caught.Lance Armstrong a man who could of had a great career and could have accomplished a lot of good things decided to dope and throw his career away. Not only that but the things he WORKED so hard for to get (his medals and trophies) got takes away from him in a instant, proving that athletes who use doping as a way to get an advantage should be striped of the tiles and trophies. Now losing their trophies is not the only negative thing that comes out of doping along with the fact that you are teacher the younger generation to cheat but doping also affects you physically and mentally. Some of the side effects can be very little and some have been know to end in death.(Anabolic steroid abuse has been associated with a wide range of adverse side effects ranging from some that are physically unattractive, such as acne and breast development in men, to others that are life threatening, such as heart attacks and liver cancer.)There are still few cases where people have died doping. Results may vary depending on your gender, for example if you are a male the results can be (infertility, breast development, shrinking of the testicles,male-pattern baldness). Now for females results can be (anabolic steroids cause masculinization. Breast size and body fat decrease, the skin becomes coarse, the clitoris enlarges, and the voice deepens. Women may experience excessive gro wth of body hair but lose scalp hair).Showing that doping once again will cause nothing but harm to yourself.What is the point of doping knowing eventually you will get caught, not only are they losing trophies and medals but now they are slowly losing your life. Now Doping can not only hurt you physically but it can hurt you socially as in the people and things around you. First off it can send a bad message to the younger generation, a lot of these kids grow up in bad environments and do not have much going for them so sports is kind of there way out of that harsh place and when they see their favorite athletes doping they are going to grow up thinking that it is okay cause that is what they grew up watching. (Alex Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers). Alex Rodriguez is a very famous baseball player who played for the new york yankees and the texas ranger and is a really big icon to all the little baseball player. Now do you think they will react when they hear that he has been caught doping? They will probably think it is cool and want to do it when they get older. Which is not the message the athletes want to be sending but that is how they will take it when they keep hearing about some athlete who got caught doping. Oddly enough some people in society believe doping should be allowed be allowed in sports because they think it will make it more interesting. (others believe that athletes should be free to improve their performances as they see fit and that sports would be better served if the drugs were legitimate and safe). These are the people who have already been poisoned thinking that doping is a good thing as long as it is safe which no doping is safe. Now there are some people who think it is dump and destroys the integrity of the game. (Many people support the idea that the use of performance-enhancing drugs weakens the integrity of sports). Which shows that a lot of believe that no good comes from doping. Doping is a serious that has been on the rise for a while now ,many athletes have been caught doing it and it can cause health problems. Some people have accepted that it is a thing and believe they should be allowed to do it and most people with common sense thinks it is dumb and should not be allowed. Answer this is doping worth it, knowing that it will cost all the medals and trophies they worked so hard to get and possibly even their life. Make a difference in the world and stop doping References Abt, Samuel. Lance Armstrong. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 13 Feb. 2017 Doping in Sports, SIRS Discoverer: Pro/Con Leading Issues, 2016, SIRS Discoverer, http://discoverer.prod.sirs.com Https://www.facebook.com/NIDANIH. What Are the Health Consequences of Steroid Abuse?What Are the Health Consequences of Steroid Abuse? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.. Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Fast Facts. CNN Wire, 26 Jan. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOFsw=wu=j020902v=2.1id=GALE%7CA478998268it=rasid=28f23581c01e163516b36105e6f71b31. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essays --

Throughout the Harper Lee’s story of To Kill A Mockingbird characters have looked through other people’s views with varying amounts of success and failure. The characters learn, some better than others, what it is like to look through the eyes of the guilty, the child, the poor, the outcast and the educated. People’s perspective of a situation may be different from another’s; but by trying to see in another person’s point of view, motives for their actions might become visible to an observer. When ignoring the way other people look at situations, a thought or opinion of the other person may be incorrect. Acting on false pretenses, made through not thinking from another person’s point of view, could bring up negative consequences; like prejudice thinking, false accusations and stereotypical thoughts. It is important for these ideas to get across the characters, as well as the reader. Looking through an angle other than a personal one, may be beneficial to figure out another person’s motives. Throughout the case of Mayella Ewell vs. Tom Robinson Atticus peers at what might have motivated Ms. Ewell to accuse Tom of something he did not do. Through this close examination Atticus was able to find motive for Ms.Ewell’s actions. Ms. Ewell sits on the witness stand while Atticus questions her and at the end of his questioning Atticus states â€Å"I say guilt, gentlemen, because it was her guilt that motivated her. She has committed no crime; she has merely broken a rigid and time honored code of our society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with†(203). When Atticus looked through the eyes of Mayella he was able to find that reason to blame Mr. Robinson, that reason was guilt. Atticus could hav... ... Burris Ewell and is taught the hard way on the Maycomb social ladder. Yet Scout also has a bad day; being punished by her teacher for explaining why Walter could not except Ms. Caroline’s money and being yelled at by Calpurnia for making fun of how Walter eats. So when Atticus tells Scout to â€Å"climb into his skin and walk around in it† she does and try’s to look at things from Ms. Caroline’s point of view. Ms. Caroline learned something about Maycomb and if Walter and Scout put their selves into Ms. Caroline’s shoes then they would not have thought that she could learn all of Maycomb’s traditions in one day and that they could not hold her responsible for making mistakes because she has never known better(30). Scout complains about Ms. Caroline to Atticus to which Atticus gives the advice to walk around in the other person’s shoes.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Difficulty with Defining Emergency Essay -- Expository Definition

The Difficulty with Defining Emergency The word "emergency" has lost its meaning where cellular phones are concerned. Instead of calling to say, "Someone here is bleeding profusely," what you get is, "Should I wear my blue shirt or my red shirt tonight?" Since when is color scheme dubbed an emergency? One of the first lessons I ever learned from my father, a veteran police officer, was what an emergency was. "If the house is on fire," he would say, "that is an emergency." "If anyone in this house requires serious medical attention for any number of idiotic reasons, that is an emergency." (For the record, there were at least eight idiotic reasons, but that's another story for another time.) "If, however, you and your brothers are in a brawl or someone is doing something they shouldn't, that is NOT an emergency." After that conversation, there was never any question in my mind of what an actual emergency was. Time passed and the world was taken by storm with electronic pagers. The code for an emergency was "911". Of the five people who had my pager number, four of them cau...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Living and Working in a Multicultural Society Essay

One of the major principles of multiculturalism is the equity among various cultural groups living in one community such as a nation. For example, multiculturalism in a certain country seeks the equality among the existing ethnic groups that speak distinct dialects and follow unique cultural practices. None of such groups either dominate the community or take the role of the minority. Thus, multiculturalism competently promotes the awareness and appreciation of other cultures within one’s community which, in effect, help build good living and working conditions among the people in the society. Since multiculturalism â€Å"refers to the presence of people of diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds within a single polity† (Citrin, et al. , 2001, p. 249), its competency rests on how numerous individuals from different racial and ethnic backgrounds are able to interact with one another and produce significant positive results. During the time of the American Revolution, immigrants were considered as inassimilable and, thus, they constitute a threat to the American cultural identity which was predominantly composed of White Protestants (Spencer, 1994, p. 549). Blacks were considered as a minority group and a large number of them were placed under slavery or servitude by the majority group. With the large differences in the social status and individual rights between the White Protestants and the Black Americans during that time, it is not surprising that such differences stood as barriers from attaining an America that is tolerant of multiple races and accepts all individuals as equals regardless of ethnicity. Equal treatment among the minorities was not a significant issue until the time when the American Revolution has ended and the creation of the United States of America has begun. In fact, slavery of Black Americans was not entirely abolished until twenty years after the formal creation of the United States. While the majority group at that time was able to fully participate in various social affairs, most of the members of the minority group were confined to servitude and bondage to their so-called â€Å"masters†. The stark contrast alone between the majority and minority groups was already a seemingly insurmountable status quo that benefited the ruling majority. The lack of multiculturalism as a social movement at that time also hindered the full interactions of the races in America for there was very minimal avenue in which the minority group was given the chance to vent their side. The â€Å"shift in the self-designation of Black Americans†Ã¢â‚¬â€from ‘Negro’ to ‘Black,’ to ‘African American’—apparently describes the change in the position of these individuals in the American society, for instance (Spencer, 1994, p. 548). While the previous barrier concerning the social participation and position of African Americans during and before the American Revolution greatly set-off their group to the minority, it is argued that such earlier perception has not totally withered away (Citrin, et al. , 2001, 252). Still, there are present forms of racial discrimination and racial intolerance that persist in America and some other parts of the world where societies of the past have barely changed through the years. In a sense, not much has changed since African Americans living in urban areas tend to live together in small communities; racial segregation is still apparent in the country even though federal laws were already established to proscribe the treatment of so-called minorities as lesser beings. Living and working in a multicultural society such as the United States do not go easily because the reality from the ground speaks differently from the theories in academic tomes—intolerance and indifference towards the other races living in America remain parts of the contemporary American society in general. President Barack Obama may execute the needed policies to bolster multiculturalism in America but such policies can not easily discount the idea that the conditions of the lives and works of the â€Å"minorities† living in the United States do not always stand at par with those who comprise the larger if not the largest part of American society. References Citrin, J. , Sears, D. O. , Muste, C. , & Wong, C. (2001). Multiculturalism in American Public Opinion. British Journal of Political Science, 31(2), 247-275. Spencer, M. E. (1994). Multiculturalism, â€Å"Political Correctness,† and the Politics of Identity. Sociological Forum, 9(4), 547-567.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Impact of World War II on Minority Groups within the United States Essay

Many minority groups of the United States participated in the World War II from the side of the armed forces of the United States. World War II affected the life of the every person of the United States, but the impact of World War II on minorities groups such as African-Americans, Native Americans (Indians), Mexican Americans, and women was far greater than the others. Lots of men and women of minority groups first time got the job in the in the armed forces during the war. Minority groups got the opportunity to work with majority group (white men). Black men donated blood during the war. Not only black men, but many black women also actively took part in the war. A lot of men’s works were done by the women during the world war second. Therefore the world war second offered many new opening for the minority groups. This war terminated many old outlines. Several Indians and American Africans permanently left their traditional lives and they settled into the cities. The world war second was a turning point for minority groups. This war created a great and different impact on the minority groups. Integration of minority groups in the main stream American society was a consequence of World War second. A number of Indians first time came into the non-Indian society. After coming into this society they obtained the advantage of good education for their children, higher living standard, many job opportunities and better heath care system. Many acts such as Snyder Act, Selective Service Act, and Nationalities Act are passed during the world war second to take the minority groups equal to the whites. Thus it can be said that world war second started a â€Å"Double V† campaign in the United States. The meaning of the â€Å"Double V† campaign is- victory over Nazism abroad and victory over racism and inequality at home.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Having Read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck the section of the book in which Lennie kills Curley’s wife Essay

Having Read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck the section of the book in which Lennie kills Curley’s wife, and having watched the same section of the film, do you think that the director made a good job of translating Steinbeck’s words into film? What did you find particularly effective in the film, and what would you have done differently? After having read a small section of the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck and then having viewed the appropriate section of the film the questions above will be discussed and answered in this essay. It will become clear that the director of the film has portrayed the characters on-screen in an effective and clever way, in that he retains the good positive things about the characters. The director has portrayed the film in a certain way from the novel and also has adapted some new ideas to make his film more of a success. I will look at these ideas and sections under camera, sound, lighting, editing and characterisation. Later a section will be written on the differences between the film and the novel; you will come to understand that the information on the choice of characters and the way that they have been translated to the screen, the two main characters we are studying are very differently perceived by the director and these are for reasons, they will be looked at in detail. The evaluation will be the final section, here there will be some alternative ideas of improvements which could have made the film a better representation of the novel. I will also look at the effective and ineffective things that happen in the film and look at them in detail. I will finish the evaluation with a summary of my answers to the title questions. In the section of the essay below, the film will be deconstructed to find out what all the individual technical parts do to make the film effective. The following areas will be considered, camera, sound, lighting, editing and characterisation. Firstly the camera angles and shot types used in this film have been specially chosen by the director, they have been used to great effect in the translation of the novel to the film. They make the film a much more enjoyable experience. In the film section George – Lennie’s fellow work partner and best friend – is the first character we meet, the camera focuses on him and pans across the screen following him in a medium shot. By seeing George first we realise that George is a significant part in the main story of the novel (but not in this particular section). We enter the great barn to see Lennie in a very unhappy and depressed mood, holding what we learn to be a dead puppy. The puppy has only just been killed by Lennie in an accident whilst playing. The camera tracks towards Lennie and his face and upper body appear in a close-up shot. This shows the emotion he is feeling about the death of the dog and with a close up we realise that Lennie is not in a stable m ind. Later in the scene inside the great barn Curley’s wife is sitting next to Lennie on the remaining wisps of hay and is talking to him. The camera is an over-shoulder shot – this is where we see what is happening as if we were looking over a character’s shoulder. The camera deliberately looks down on Curley’s wife and looks up at the big imposing figure of Lennie. The camera does this to Curley’s wife as she (in the film) is designed to be a very innocent and angelic character. By looking down on her we realise that she is weak and feeble and the viewer is meant to feel sympathetic towards her and her feelings. Lenny however is a big, fearsome character. He is, however, very childish and has several serious learning difficulties, he does though come across as a big strong man – which he is – and this is meant to worry the audience when we look up to him in this way. The type camera used in the film when Lenny ‘kills’ Curley’s wife does a very good job of following the characters around the room as they are struggling in vain desperation. The camera cants j ust before Curley’s wife’s neck is broken and this shows the struggle very well. The effect of the cant is to make us realise how terrible this struggle is. When Lennie is next to her body talking to himself about doing a bad thing he is startled by a white bird (possibly a pigeon) flying straight up towards the roof. The camera looks straight down on the three entities as the bird flies up and this high angle shot makes the bird look like the soul of Curley’s wife flying off up into heaven like the angel she is portrayed to be. A final point on the camera is that when the two characters are in the barn alone what we see is a closed frame shot. This shows the closeness of the two characters. As Lennie rushes out of the barn after killing Curley’s wife he goes straight outside into the dazzling light of day, onto the field in a hugely open frame, long shot. This contrast shows us that he is free when he leaves the barn. He then runs of towards the horizon and the camera tracks and follows him. In this section it will become clear that the sound effects in the film add a lot to the viewing pleasure and that they make the film what it is. Without sound the struggle and the conversations would make no sense to those watching . It is important to remember that all the sound used in this section of the film is digetic- this means the characters hear everything that the audience hears and no extra added sound such as music is added. The fist character we hear speak directly is Lennie. Lennie is a very unintelligent person and the audience has been made to understand this through the repetition of words such as, â€Å"tend no rabbits†. This is also grammatically incorrect which show his obvious lack of intelligence. The noises Lennie makes are very childish and the assumption is that the audience will sympathise with Lennie, even though he has just killed a puppy. The digetic sound we hear is an excellent guide to the emotions that the director wants us to hear. A very important point about the sound effects are that there is no non-digetic sound at all from either inside or outside of the barn. The director has made sure that in this section of his film we hear only what the characters can hear. This makes the atmosphere tense and exciting and really involves the viewer. It is also important to remember that throughout the whole clip there is no specifically recognisable dialogue from outside of the barn. This is important because as we see a lot of the action outside and hear the cheers and clanging of metal we never hear voices. This shows that the main focus to the scene is inside the great barn and not outside on the field. Having no soundtrack to the clip makes the scenes feel more realistic but it also helps to build up the tension to create a particular mood. A further interesting point which has been specially chosen by the director is that when the puppy’s neck and Curley’s wife’s neck are broken we hear exactly the same sound. This doesn’t add much to the film but we feel upset that Curley’s wife has died after the puppy has so tragically died as well. The lighting used in the film creates a particular effect – rather like the sound does – it helps us understand the setting, characters and the mood that the film is meant to have. The most obvious point to make about the lighting effects in the film is that when Lennie is inside the great barn we see what is meant to be natural light coming through the cracks in the wooden walls. Unfortunately the light doesn’t look natural but by coming through the individual cracks it helps to create a brilliant design of a prison cell, in which Lennie is trapped and can’t escape. When Curley’s wife enters the barn she is backlit. This makes her white dress look almost unnaturally perfect. By being backlit the viewer understands the innocence of this character. During the struggle there is not much light other than the prison bar effect but as soon as Curley’s wife dies the barn is filled with bright light – this is visible when the bird flies off up to the roof. When Lennie leaves the barn after killing Curley’s wife it becomes very dark until he opens the door and the bright light shines on him as he leaves. This painfully bright light makes us realise how dark it was inside the barn. This is a very effective technique that the director has used very well in the film. The editing in a film is a very important factor. With a good edit to a scene it looks almost lifelike – as if you were there. By showing certain characters in a certain way and by introducing them to us in a friendly or unfriendly way we get to know the character better. George is the first character to be shown in this scene. We know that he is important as he looks very relaxed but also because the camera pans following him ignoring the other characters. By following George and watching him we are sub-consciously drawn to like him. As he is smiling when we are first introduced to him a nice pleasant image of George is pictured in our minds. The first time the camera focuses on Lennie it moves to a close up, this makes up sympathise with him. He has killed the dog and is very upset about this. The emotions of Lennie make the shot very upsetting but peaceful. The audience is deliberately drawn in to feel sorry for Lennie and not anger at his killing of the puppy. This has been used by the director, almost what the author of the novel would have wanted. During the conversation between Lennie and Curley’s wife the camera shots start of as mid-shots but eventually work up towards being close-ups. Whilst the close-up shots are taking place the length of each shot decreases; this shows the mounting tension caused by the two characters. Having quicker shots forces the audience to think something bad is going to happen even without a soundtrack playing. After Lennie kills Curley’s wife he heads out of the barn and out into the countryside. As Lennie is considered to be a loner he has been deliberately separated from the rest of the group of men by a fence at the edge of the horseshoe field. This deliberate separation is effective in creating the image of a desperate man in our minds. The final section of analysis is on the characterisation in the film. Gary Sinese who directed the film (and also played the part of George) has carefully chosen the people who would suit each of the roles properly. He has decided what costumes the actors will wear and also what the characters will look and sound like. Lennie is wearing several layers of clothing, which are dark, dull, depressing colours. The blue jacket Lennie wears is an example of this darkness. Lennie also has very dirty teeth and is bald. The director may have chosen Lennie to look like this for a reason. Do people perceive people with learning difficulties as dirty and bald? If this is the reason why Sinese has chosen the characters to look this way he has done a good job in translating the novel to the film. Lennie is also very repetitive in his choice of language which makes him sound very uninteresting and unintelligent. He is very basic in his use of words which can prove this. Sherilyn Fenn, who plays the part of Curley’s wife does a very good job of portraying the character. She wears a white dress and even has white shoes on. This is a big indication that she is meant to be an angelic, sweet character. We sympathise with her for this reason. She is a very fragile person and she often fiddles with her clothes as though she is uncomfortable. There is an intentional contrast between her and Lennie. She is very different in the film, from the book. There are many differences between John Steinbeck’s novel and Gary Sinese’s film. Although they share the same title; have the same characters; the same setting; the same storyline and share many points of accuracies the differences can easily be spotted. The most important difference is a very deliberate one – the depiction of Curley’s wife in the novel is one of a very greedy, selfish, self conscious person who acts more like a spoilt child; in the film however Curley’s wife is a very angelic, innocent, pure woman who looks as though she is frail and this would make the audience sympathise with her. The reason, I believe why Sinese opted for this style of Curley’s wife is that the whole reason the film was being made was to make money. If the main female character in the film was shown to be very negative then very few females would want to see the film, this would make the film earn less at the Box Office. For a similar reason to the one stated above the section where Curley’s wife confides in Lennie about her dislike of Curley and her hopes for what she could have gained, had she been in the pictures. By being such a self centred character it shows a very negative image. The portrail of the characters in the book shows that Sinese thought very carefully about the actors he wanted to use. The people he used are almost what you could have pictured in the book – apart from the obvious differences with Curley’s wife. The director has made good choices, especially with Lennie as John Malkovich plays the dyslexic killer very well. The facial expressions that he uses match those perfectly of what you would (unfortunately) associate with the less mentally abled. Having deconstructed the film in the pages above I will now try to consider the answers to the questions in the title. I will consider the mood the film creates, the way it shows the characters and the general differences between the novel and film section. I think that the film version of Of Mice and Men is a very cleverly worked out representation of the film. The film may not be entirely accurate but it is a very well worked piece of creative filming. The character of Lennie has been very well translated and shows a very good understanding of the principles of his character. Gary Sinese and John Malkovich have worked well to create the mentally disabled character and to make him look real. When the viewers watch this piece they could feel that they are in the film with Lennie as the portrayal of him is so accurate. I think that in the film, having the constant changing of scene between the inside of the barn and the outside field makes the viewer see what the world outside of Lennie is really like. In the novel we only ever ‘see’ Lennie inside of the barn and get some description of the outside. By letting us see the outside it makes us feel that we understand the film more and understand the segregation of Lennie from the group of men. This idea to let us see what the ‘real’ world is really like is a very good addition and it works very effectively. The section of the film where Lennie kills Curley’s wife is too short – it makes it look like breaking someone neck is easy. In fact the film shows Curley’s wife screaming just seconds before her neck is broken, it would take longer than this, especially with the way Lennie is holding her. It could have taken up to half a minute. For this reason I don’t think that this part of the novel has been well changed into a film. If the struggle had gone on for longer it would have been more realistic which although this is based on a novel it still is real life. This section has not worked as well as it could – and most probably should – have and therefore I feel that it is not as effective as the other scenes! The changes that have been made from the text to the film were on the whole necessary to make the film any kind of success. The complete make over of the character of Curley’s wife is a very important clue that Sinese wanted to make the film suitable to both sexes. Some changes like the absence of Lennie throwing the dead body of the puppy across the room were, in my opinion for the worse. The throwing of the dead dog’s body across the room showed us Lennie’s viscous power which he did have. By leaving it out it is more of a surprise when we find he kills Curley’s wife on the screen than it would have been if we had visually seen his anger previously. If I was to direct a remake of this film there would be several things I would change. Firstly I would make Curley’s wife appear as accurately as I could and make her a perfect representation of the character in the book. If this stopped some female viewers from watching I wouldn’t be too disappointed as the film would not really make much money at the Box Office anyway. By making Curley’s wife a real portrayal of the book it would have made the story more interesting and would have made the relationship between her and Lennie clearer. I think that this would have been a good addition. Also if I was to change another thing it would be the costume that Lennie wears. If we are meant to sympathise with Lennie it seems a lot harder to do with someone wearing dark, dirty clothes. I have agreed that this shows his character but in essence the director is trying to put across to different types on Lennie and he fails! Finally I will answer the title questions! There were three main questions to discuss and answer and my summary is below. I think Gary Sinese did an average job of translation Steinbecks novel into the film. He left out whole sections and completely changed some of the characters but still managed to capture the atmosphere of the novel and in particular managed to understand the character Lennie very well. I found the switching of the view of inside and outside of the barn very effective as well as other things such as the bird – acting as Curley’s wife’s soul – flying off up into the roof. I would have changed the character of Curley’s wife and the look of Lennie’s clothes as his appearance is very shabby.