Analysis Of Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman Essay

This American drama was first premiered in 1949. It was an instant success and it also won Arthur Miller a place among one of the best American playwrights of the 20th century. It was a satirical attack on the Great American Dream of prosperity and material wealth and had also challenged the ideals of the past 160 years that constituted such dreams. This exemplary play by Arthur Miller is a modern masterpiece, in which the inherent conditions of human existence and a fierce battle to fight through it, is lived by the protagonist Willy Loman, that finally ends in a tragedy called, death. Willy Loman is a disillusioned sixty three year old man who has trouble distinguishing between past and present, and reality and illusions. His illusory beliefs draw an iron curtain before his sensibilities and he refuses to see the reality of his abject conditions. His tragedy lies in the fierce determination to fight an impossible battle and to seek facile solutions to his severe economic problems. In his relentless pursuit of an unrealistic dream Willy Loman submerges himself in a complete disengagement from reality that brings an end even more tragic than his life. Being an irrepressible old man he never really evaluates or understands the false and incomplete values of a venal American society. He fails to understand the vacuous idea behind the ‘Great American Dream’ and his limitless hope. A similar theme had been portrayed in ‘The Great Gatsby’ (Fitzgerald) where Gatsby was corrupted by money and dishonesty, and the Great American Dream of happiness and individualism disintegrates into mere pursuit of wealth. Although Gatsby had the power to turn his dream into reality, the character of Nick discovers that both Gatsby’s dream and the American dream is over. In the same way, Will’s persistent struggle against the forces of entropy in his life leads him to neurosis, and finally suicide. Theater is an imagined world, inhabited by imaginary characters, but tragedy strikes one and all, and the nature of tragedy is to hit our deepest consciousness and invade our sensibilities with its prolonged stay. Robert A Martin says in his essay, â€Å"The Nature of Tragedy†: â€Å"What the performance of a play gives an audience is less a set of ideas, propositions or abstraction about life and how to live it than what Arthur Miller has called ‘ a felt experience’, the imaginative sharing and participation in the lives and actions of imaginary characters. † In support of what Robert A Martin says, Willy Loman’s character pulls the audience along with its chain of tragedies and leaves one with a feeling of acute distress, but more than â€Å"a felt experience† it also gives one an insight into the inherent realities of human tragedies. In â€Å"Death of a salesman† the audience watch the tragic collapse of a single individual and the tragedy of the entire family, right before their eyes. The audience leave the auditorium with a whole new set of lessons in life and as Martin says â€Å"how to live it. † In his article Robert A Martin also elaborates on the vicarious influences of a tragedy, on the person, who watching it with a detached sense of belongingness. He says, â€Å" Theatre is the art of the possible† and as we read the play we believe that Willy Loman’s tragedies are not unbelievable or fictitious although his character was an imagination of the playwright Arthur Miller. As Aristotle said that Tragedy is something that evokes the emotions of pity and fear in the presence of an action of a certain magnitude. Willy Loman also falls into the trap of tragedy and as the nature of tragedy is, it brings about a fear in him. Willy tries to run away from that fear and refuses to accept his misfortunes and his failures. It mostly happens with dramatic experiences that our thoughts and emotions often correspond with those of the characters we watch in a play –we weep, smile and get moved by their performances. It continues to stimulate and engage us directly in our social, moral and political questions. The audience too goes through an inveterate interchange of pity and fear inside his mind as he watches a human being go through a painful hell, which is in Miller’s view due to his own obduracy. â€Å"Death of a salesman† is not just a tale of tragedy that happens to a broken, exhausted man, but is also a caustic attack on the American Dream of achieving wealth and success with no regards to principals and values of life. Willy Loman became a household name after the play was released and became a profound example of a tragic life, bowed down by struggles to cope up with a capitalistic society. Willy Loman’s tragedy does not lie just in his miserable economic condition, but also in his misplaced sense of pride. In the play he takes loans from his neighbor Charley to make both ends meet, but refuses to accept the offer of a better job from him. His warped sense of pride comes in the way of his chances to improve his conditions. His refusal to accept reality is a tragedy bigger than his dismal life, and it exasperates his son Biff with whom he had a troubled relationship. Willy refused to accept that his sons are also ‘failures’ such as him, and in order to make their lives better he falls into a trap of further hopelessness. A man’s descent to failure is horrendous to contemplate. Whatever line of work you are in, we are all salesmen, selling our products, our services, our selves†. Says Will’s meighbor Charley , in a line that crystallizes the anxiety of uncountable men everywhere, not just in America: â€Å" And when they start not smiling back. † –employers, partners, customers- â€Å" That’s an earthqauke. † ( Kilnghoffer, Undying Salesman, 1999). Willy Loman suffered from a feverish and unrealistic hopefulness and guilt of having failed his sons, and also the refusal to accept certain facts of life. The neurosis that set in him affected his life, and also him led to suicide. His death was perhaps a bigger tragedy than his life because it proved to be the final blow to the grief stricken family. Due to his persistent stubbornness he believed the notion that one is often â€Å"worth more dead than alive† (Miller, Pg76) and commits suicide, so that his family gets the insurance money and his sons lead a better life with that money, than he did when he was alive. Willy did not realize that insurance money is invalidated when a person commits suicide. As Biff says at the graveyard, â€Å" He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong. † In this play tragedy is on two fronts. One is ‘literal’, when Willy dies after an unrelenting wrestle with his fate, and another is a ‘symbolical’ death, that was the death of the American Dream, or ridding of a false notion of perfection. Willy’s guilt, his idolization of his sons and his constantly haunting memory of his brother turns his life into a pitiful tragedy and he lives through it all with an immature sense of unreality. In trying to project himself as an ideal father and salesman he plunges himself into an illusory world where he never really grew up. â€Å"I’m gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. It’s the only dream you can have- to come out number –one man. He fought it out here, and this is where I’m gonna win it for him. † (Miller, Death of a Salesman, Act2) The misfortune of Willy was that he tried to retrieve his lost dignity and his family’s love and also a magnified image of himself as an ideal salesman and father, on the last day of his life, and loses all. His complete disengagement from reality is what the tragedy is all about. It evokes the pity and fear that Aristotle spoke about in ‘Poetics’ (330 BC). The character of Willy Loman is befitting the concepts of Aristotle’s’ Tragedy. â€Å"True to life† (realistic), â€Å"consistency† (true to themselves): meaning, once a character’s motivation and personality are established these should continue throughout the play. â€Å"Necessary or probable†: meaning, characters must be logically constructed according to the law of ‘probability or necessity’ that govern the actions of the play. Finally, â€Å"true to life† and yet more beautiful (idealized, ennobled). Death of a Salesman has that true to life aspect, depicting the fact that any middle class man with limited means, would get into the delusionary world of dreams and aspirations of more wealth and the terrifying darkness that lies coiled beneath such unrealism. Consistency of the portrayal is apparent in Loman’s relentless pursuit of an elusive life. The necessary probability is the fact that such a dogged belief in illusionary world nearly always creates a graph of downward slide in a person’s life. True to life, is the condition of tension that is life and human existence. Death of a Salesman is a modern masterpiece that celebrates, as Chris Bigsby expressively states, â€Å" the miracle of human life, in all its bewilderments, its betrayals, its denials, but finally and most significantly, its transcendent worth. † (Poet, 723).

The Impact of Rennie Harris

Katherine Baker Dance Appreciation (Online) 27 April 2011 The Impact of Rennie Harris When one imagines the dance style of Hip-Hop, what most likely comes to mind is either a group of young men and women gathered in an alley, forming a circle and watching someone move their body to the beats of fast spoken rap lyrics, or one might envision the scenes of a 50 Cent music video with young women shaking their derriere in the camera. Rennie Harris, known by many as the ambassador of hip-hop community brings something very different to the table. Rennie Harris is more than a hip-hop artist.He is the interpreter of hip-hop as a cultural ritual, one that celebrates his community’s core values and heritage, and invokes its innate spirit, says scholar and dance critic Suzanne Carbonneau. In 1992 Harris founded Rennie Harris Puremovement, in his hometown of Philadelphia. Harris uses his style, referred to on RHPM’s website asâ€Å"hip-hop dance theatre,† to be an activist i n the community and promote dance, particularly hip-hop, to all ethnicities as an outlet for human expression, attempting to cleanse the genre of its stigma in todays society.One thing that is truly impressive of Harris’ work is that he has created, perfected, and maintained a style, that continues to rise above the negative stereotype hip-hop is sometimes painted with in the media. In doing this he is maintaining the sophistication of the art of dance. As mentioned on his organization’s website, In a society where hip-hop is often portrayed as a violent, undisciplined counterculture, RHPM deconstructs popular perception of this medium, expanding and challenging the boundaries and definitions of hip-hop in general.As hip-hop continues to be chosen as the modern generation’s medium of expression, RHPM works to honor its history, explore its ideas, and further its contributions to the surrounding community. (RHPM. org) The notion that this art form is being preser ved is having a huge impact on the dance world. Harris has won numerous awards including, but not limited to, three Bessie Awards, a Herb Alpert Award, and an Alvin Ailey Award. These prestigious honors are just a few recognitions of Harris and RPHM’s impact on the community.Along with choreography, classes, and performances RHPM also offers lectures and demonstrations created with a â€Å"vision for sharing an appreciation for diversity and is dedicated to preserving and disseminating hip-hop culture† (RHPM. org). Harris is also very involved in education. Taking dance to new level in the classroom. Focusing mainly on education systems in New Jersey, Florida, California, New York, and of course, Pennsylvania, Harris provides lecture/demonstrations and zestful way to grasp the attention of students. One of their most popular lecture. demonstrations is entitled â€Å"History of Hip-hop. An interesting lesson that comes along with this is the lesson of theatre etiquette , teachers are sent an informative packet illustration the rules and proper behavior in a theatre to hare with their students. Phrases like â€Å"The performers on stage show respect for their art form and for the audience by doing their very best work. The audience shows respect for the performers by watching attentively† (CueSheet 4) This is passing along the enjoyment of art and proper manners to students even if they are not physically dancing. This creates a very educational experience for the students.The work that has been done by Rennie Harris is admirable to say the least. Dedication and passion like his are unmatched in other hip-hop choreographers of our time. This is a genre that is only going to continue to grow and become more popular, and thankfully there are groups like RHPM to continue to educate people on the unique artistic values of the hip-hop dance style. From encouraging people in the community to stay fit to taking urban street performers and turning t hem into refined performers of the fine art of dance, Rennie Harris has truly impacted not only the hip-hop community, but the dance community, as well.Works Cited Fellow, Rose. â€Å"Rennie Harris – Profile – United States Artists – Great Art Forms Here. † United States Artists – Great Art Forms Here – Artist Fundraising & Advocacy. 2007. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. . Rennie Harris Puremovement. â€Å"Rennie Harris Puremovement: History of Hip-hop. † Letter to Teachers: Wells Fargo Schools. 10 Oct. 2003. MS. â€Å"Rennie Harris Puremovement. † Stanford Lively Arts. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. . RHPM – Rennie Harris Puremovement. 2011. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. .

The Righteous Deceit of Helen Turrell

Helen Turrell is portrayed at first glance as an independent caretaker of her nephew, Michael Turell in the short story, â€Å"The Gardener† by Rudyard Kipling. However, upon reading between the lines of this character's story, her facade of honesty is peeled away. In it's place is a of lies exposed by the story's namesake, the Gardener. Her experience with the public is through a veil of her lie. Instead of going to France to cure her lung trouble as the public thought, Helen was actually there bearing Michael into the world. Besides this secret, Helen's honesty is a well-known trait to the general public.To her son, however, her honesty and lies are a strain on their relationship. By ten years old he discovers that he is an illegitimate child. When Michael unexpectedly dies fighting in World War I, Helen meets Mrs. Scarsworth. They meet while traveling to visit Michael's grave, and Mrs. Scarsworth prompts the first introspection of Helen's lie. The Gardener at the graveyard confirms the illegitimate son to the reader. The story seems to be told from Helen's version of the happenings, and the public's gossip about it. Outwardly, the public's gossip defines Helen's appearance outside of her deceit.Rudyard Kipling builds on his theme of the effects of deceit buy developing the character Helen Turrell into an innocent, selfless, yet deceitful person through her twisted interactions with the public in general; her unfulfilled relationship with Michael Turrell; and her short, strained relationship with Mrs. Scarsworth. Helen's relationship with the public was a deceitful one, but both parties gained from the relationship. The beginning paragraphs of the story aren't quite from the authors omniscient narrative. The sentences are short and information is sparse and sometimes absent, as though it was gathered through gossip.From this it can be concluded that the public gossip is writing this part of the story. The opening paragraph explains that Helen Turrell i s sister to recently deceased George Turrell; when he died he left a scandal in his wake of an illegitimate baby in India. Helen was suffering health issues and recovering in France, but she returns back to her home in Hampshire with her nephew Michael. As far as her relationship with the public, â€Å"All these details were public property, for Helen was as open as the day,† and â€Å"scandals are only increased by hushing them up† (Kipling).Her honest reputation shows how well the Helen kept her secret from the public. The gossip on Helen seemed to sometimes focus on how much of an honest person she was, and this can be interpreted in two ways. Her honesty made the public respect her relationship with her nephew, even though she reveals that she lets him call her â€Å"mummy† at bedtime. No foul play was suspected. However, focusing on how honest someone is begs for attention to the fallacious human condition, and this is a subtle hint to the other side of Hel en's facade. This may have eaten away at her, causing some of the distress in her relationship with her son.Helen Turrell has a unique relationship with her son that significantly defines her character into one of innocence and goodwill despite her facade. When her son, Michael, is around 10 years old, he realizes that his â€Å"civil status [is] not quite regular,† and then he proceeds to â€Å"[break] down her stammered defences† (Kipling). The question of Michael's legitimacy will obviously be a sore point for Helen that she isn't interested in talking about much. She has been hiding it her entire life, and that is not a small feat, for it is her own son!This, combined with allowing Michael to call her â€Å"Mummy† at bedtime shows that she still considers him her son, with all the attachment and emotion that comes with it. After hiding it for so long, Helen doesn't have anything other than a tentative response to Michael's attacks. Her tentative response ref lects that Helen does not dwell on her deceit. She understands that deceit is morally incorrect, and she is embarrassed by its evil nature. Because Helen is somewhat foreign to her lie, her innocence is preserved through the amoral facade. Her lie is so her son can have a better life; it is selfless, and therefore Helen is arguably moral.This isn't to say that Helen regrets her predicament as Helen's meetings with the flustered Mrs. Scarsworth reveal. Helen's relationship with Mrs. Scarsworth shows that Helen almost doesn't realize the extent of her deception, and her deception is further shown as good compared to Mrs. Scarsworth's pathological lying. Helen meets Mrs. Scarsworth through her journey to visit the grave of the now deceased Michael. Mrs. Scarsworth is visiting the graveyards under the premise of seeing commissions for friends who would be comforted knowing someone made the trip. She ends up staying in the same hotel as Helen. In the middle of he night, Mrs. Scarsworth d isturbs Helen to confess that one of her commissions was her love. Helen â€Å"desperately† asks, â€Å"But why do you tell me? †(Kipling) Helen's desperation is an obvious response to being disturbed so late at night. It is obviously annoying to be awoken in order to tend to someone's moral dilemma, but Helen is paying more than flustered attention to the problem of Mrs. Scarsworth. Helen's lie is close to revealing herself at the question of why Mrs. Scarsworth would reveal to her. Helen fears that Mrs. Scarsworth feels an inherent kinship with Helen and the night time intruder might guess at Helen's deception.That is why Helen truly feels desperation towards Mrs. Scarsworth. Helen shouldn't be worried though, for Mrs. Scarsworth confesses of â€Å"always lying† for about â€Å"six years†(Kipling) of deception total. This pathological lying is a circumstance of evil that serves as an antithesis of Helen's situation. Mrs. Scarsworth is visibly and audibl y troubled by her lying, whereas Helen was only troubled by the necessary strain it put on her relationship with her son. Helen has lived with the deception for so long without worrying as much about it that it doesn't matter so much to become the crippling and defining trait that it is in Mrs.Scarsworth's life. Through Helen's emotions in her relationship with Mrs. Scarsworth, it is really revealed that Michael is her son and not her nephew. Here there is no mention of public gossip, but perhaps Helen can now embrace her innocence and confess now that Michael has passed away. Helen's character is developed as such through her relationships with the other characters in this short story. Her development is especially shown in her unique interactions with each different character because of her deception. But in the end, her deception is an act of selflessness and love, and cleans Helen's moral slate.As a character, Helen's selfless innocence is finally proved by the appearance of the gardener. The gardener's â€Å"endless compassion† â€Å"Unending love† in his eyes when his omniscience shows Helen where her â€Å"son†(Kipling) was redeems her. The Gardener's traits match Christian Christ himself, and in showing Helen where her son is, forgives her. The story ends here, but if it was told in reference to what public gossip knows, Helen must have confessed after her trip to the graveyard. Thus, Helen finally opens up and moves on with her life past her righteous deceit.

Service Recovery Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Service Recovery - Research Paper Example Proper handling of complaints can, therefore, act as a key to service recovery and hence the need to research and evaluate literature associated with service recovery as well as the potential outcome of the process. Understanding buyers’ behavior is the key to unlocking the reasons for dissatisfaction and finding possible solutions. Companies produce goods and services for consumption and then market them to attract customers hence customer acquisition. Customer preferences change with time and therefore continuous assessment of the market is needed. The aim of the research is to make sure customers derive satisfaction after consuming the goods hence buy more. Buyers’ behavior is determined by various factors such as attitudes, personality, motivation, gender and the environment in general among others (Folkes, 1984). On the other hand, Blackwell et al (2006) argue that the buyer’s behavior is prompted by need or problem recognition. They make purchases but not all goods are up to expected standards hence customers are bound to make complaints. Consumer dissatisfaction poses a great risk to organizations as they risk losing market share due to bad mouthing by the affected customers (Singh, 1988). On the other hand, service recovery after service failure is the strength to the company as it enhances positive word of mouth and retention (Barlow & Moller, 2008). This can be achieved by handling the grievances amicably and ensuring customers are convinced and satisfied. The paper will evaluate consumers’ complaints and complaints handling for service recovery and benefits that are expected from the process. Consumer behavior involves making decisions on buying products or services by individuals or organizations. The decision to buy or not to buy may be impromptu or planned where consumers make the budget for goods they want to buy.

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What cause(s) is the National Liberation Front (FLN) fighting for as Essay

What cause(s) is the National Liberation Front (FLN) fighting for as depicted in the film Would you characterize the FLN as a terrorist group, or as something else - Essay Example The depiction of war in this film reflects the root cause of war, like they occur in other places. Wars normally arise out of ideological differences driven by social, economic and political circumstances. In Battle of Algiers, just as the name the war was driven by the desire of the Algerians to drive the French from their country. The French colonized Algeria during the time when most Western European countries looked for colonies to safeguard their political and economic interests. The Algerians also sought to meet their social, economic and political rights that were not tenable with French in their country. As result of conflicting interest, the Algerians formed different movements and the most predominant one was the FLN. On the other hand, the French felt threatened and therefore had to crush the FLN before it became powerful. Like any other war in history, the unfair treatment of combatants deepened the motivations of the sympathizers of either side and that increased the war fare (Prochaska, 2003). This war film depicts the events that took place in Algeria war against the French Colonialist between the years 1954 and 1962. Like many other countries that were fighting colonial regime, the Algerians decided to coalesce and form the National Liberation Front. It was the understating of the people, at least according to the movie, that they had to form a formidable force through which they would battle the French especially the army and the police who were used by the French government to infringe on them. It inferred from the movie, that the cause is liberation of the country from the French rule but some actions of the FLN members is questionable given the high blood letting tendencies (Parker, 2007). Equally members of the FLN have questionable character. For example, one character Ali La Pointe decides to join the movement. However, his character is ragged given that he had been taken to a reform school in early life.

Leadership and Human Behavior Essay Example for Free

Leadership and Human Behavior Essay Leadership and Human Behavior Introduction In today fast moving world, characterized by major changes in technologies, different industries are constantly forced to revolutionize their products and services to the point that the business world has become more competitive and unpredictable than ever. There is a great need for people who are able to cope with change. In his article of â€Å"What Leaders Really Do, John P. Kotter said that, â€Å"mre change always demands more leadership. † The question of interest to me is to know which leadership approach suit the best in coping with change. In this paper, I will first develop an understanding of the concepts underlying the term leadership. Secondly, I will examine different leadership style through analysis of some cases studies explored in class. Subsequently, I will reflect on my personal style and present my conclusion. Definition and understanding To begin with, it is worth understanding what the term â€Å"leadership† means. There are hundreds of definitions out there related to this term, but each of them differs from one to another. The most appealing definition I found is the one from Don Clark of Big Dog Leadership. He defines leadership as a â€Å"process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. † My interest to this definition resides in the way the author refers to some important elements of leadership such as influence, people, and objective. Kevin Martineau of Port Hardy Baptist Church has nicely put together the common elements that many leadership definition share that I thought to be useful in my understanding of leadership concept. First, he mentions that â€Å"leadership has to involve people. Without people following, being influenced, having their needs met or being motivated, mobilized, resourced and directed there is no leadership. † Next, he adds that â€Å"leadership is taking people to a destination/goal. Leaders take the people who are following them on a journey†. On that journey there is a destination. A leader must know what the destination/goal is that they are leading people to. † To conclude, he states that â€Å"leadership involves influence. A leader must be able to influence, motivate, mobilize and help others reach the destination. This means that the leader must be equipping and helping others to reach and realize their potential. † This in-depth description gives us a clear understanding of what leadership means and what effective leaders really do. However, the question we might wonder is to know â€Å"how† leaders carry out their everyday jobs? Certainly, it would be difficult to provide just one specific answer that best respond to this question, considering that there are many factors that play into account. However, in this paper I will focus on the type of leadership style used. Leadership Style Through the readings, analysis and class discussions of different cases studies explored in this class, I gained awareness of different leadership styles. In the following lines, I will like to highlight some cases that caught my attention. The first is the case study of â€Å"Amelia Rogers at Tassani Communications. † Rogers had a very task-oriented leadership style. She had a set of skills needed to get thing done, great sense of vision and strategy. Some people in the case described her as a â€Å"good thinker, hard worker, and she delivers what she says she is going to deliver†. Her tendency of being so focus on getting work done and seeing results led her to have tough management style and she was not thinking much about her work relationship. She found herself being in conflict with her co-workers on numerous occasions. Describing her own management style, she said that, â€Å"I like to nip my conflicts right in bud and deal with them head on, straight on, not hide them under things.

Gender Roles in American Households Essay Example for Free

Gender Roles in American Households Essay The social phenomenon of changing gender roles in American households is explored in this paper. Are men and women sharing more equally in assuming household responsibilities? Do women still bear the majority of the responsibility? How do race, age, and cultural influence play a role in the division of labor in the household? I have done research on the change in gender roles among people of different ages, genders, and race. Data was collected to see if there is a difference in change between races, if there is a significant change in roles between generations, and if men and women view the change the same or differently. To gain the data I used surveying and interviewing as my research methodologies. These methods were used as they were the most practical ways to obtain enough information needed to form conclusions. Caucasian, Asian, and African Americans of both genders and diverse ages were surveyed and interviewed. I feel my research will show that with each generation, as more women entered the work force, the households of all races have undergone significant change in which women and men are sharing both work and domestic duties more equitably. That being said, the distribution of domestic chores does contribute to household stratification of gender roles. Both currently and historically race plays a role in that stratification. Gender role research is socially relevant because each individual in a household is impacted by it. Gender roles in the household can be a factor in whether a marriage is happy and successful. They also influence decision making in the family and parent and child relationships. Researchers could use my data to delve deeper into the impact of gender roles in different types of households. Since everyone grows up in some type of household setting, the research could have far reaching implications for most of the population. The first research method I choose to collect data is the survey. Using a survey to collect data allowed me to reach a large number of people. Family and friends helped in distributing and collecting the surveys. My parents work at a hospital, my Aunt is a teacher, and my friend attends a large university. That allowed me to reach the age groups, genders, and races I needed in order to collect enough data. Included in my survey were both questions about today and about the past. In addition, using a survey allowed me to ask questions that were not opened ended and could easily be converted to statistical data. In the end, I had responses from a minimum of fifteen respondents in each of eighteen categories. The categories are Caucasian females ages 19-30, Caucasian males ages 19-30, Caucasian females ages 31-49, Caucasian males ages 31-49, Caucasian females ages 50 and above, Caucasian males age 50 and above, and the same for both African Americans and Asian Americans. Because of the large number of groups I needed to collect data on, I felt 15 individuals per category would be a large enough number to get a representative sample. I looked at the responses and felt I had a good sample. Had that not been the case, I would have handed out more surveys. Included in the survey were questions on the household the person grew up in and questions about their household today. For example, respondents were asked if they were raised in a two parent home. This is a question I checked the responses to when I determined if I had collected enough surveys. It was necessary to have enough positive answers to this question since gender roles is the issue I am looking at. Also on the survey were questions asking your race and age, who you were raised by, if your mother worked outside the home, percentage of division of household chores, and whether the perceived change in gender roles is positive. I did not have any problems with the survey itself. The only difficulty was finding fifteen respondents for a few of the categories. The second research methodology I used was the interview. In interviewing I was hoping to be able to ask follow up questions and steer the interview in a direction that would supply me with the information I needed. The survey did not lend itself to follow up questions. In addition, participant observation and experimentation methodologies were not at all suited to investigate the question of changing household gender roles. I interviewed one person from each of the three races I was researching. In addition, each was from a different age category. All of the interviews were conducted separately as I would not have wanted to inconvenience the people who were nice enough to participate. All were interviewed once in an informal manner since I believe that discussing your childhood and present home life is best accomplished in a comfortable setting. I interviewed Dr. Espejo, a 49 year old of Asian decent by telephone as she was unavailable in person. Helen Bonokallie, a 24 year old of African decent was my second interview. I spoke with Helen at her workplace as she works third shift and that was most convenient for her. My last interview was with Sylvia Johnson, a 66 year old Caucasian. I interviewed her in her living room. I have known Sylvia my entire life and have a close personal bond with her. Aside from choosing my subjects for interviewing and directing the questions to get the answers I needed I did not shape the outcome of the interview. The survey results revealed several trends related to gender roles in American families. The following charts and statistical analysis help to clarify the collected data from the surveys. The three tables that follow represent each of the three races I surveyed. Each chart shows the three age groups surveyed and their responses to two questions. The first, as a child what percentage of household work was done by each of your parents? The second, in your home today, what percentage of household work is done by the male and what percentage is done by the female? Looking at the charts a few trends are seen. First, regardless of race, the percentage of work done by the male is greater in the adult household as compared to the father in the childhood home. That indicates that with each generation gender roles in the home have changed. Ratio of CaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasianCaucasian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult In %householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-504%40%0%38%0%0% 60-400%40%4%31%0%40% 70-3012%20%15%23%0%40% 75-250%0%11%8%0%13% 80-2014%0%0%0%20%7% 85-1512%0%11%0%3%0% 90-1058%0%30%0%30%0% 95-50%0%11%0%27%0% 100-00%0%18%0%20%0%. Ratio of AsianAsianAsianAsianAsianAsian work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%26%0%0%0%0% 60-400%39%0%16%0%0% 70-307%30%0%36%0%28% 75-2510%0%0%12%0%0% 80-2023%5%17%24%3%22% 85-157%0%10%12%13%0% 90-1050%0%30%0%23%36% 95-50%0%30%0%25%0% 100-03%0%13%0%36%14% Ratio of African AfricanAfricanAfricanAfricanAfrican work doneAge 19-30Age 19-30Age 31-49Age 31-49Age 50+Age 50+ female:malechildhoodadultchildhoodadultchildhood adult householdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhouseholdhousehold 50-500%0%0%0%0%6%. 60-400%63%0%18%0%18% 70-3031%31%7%28%0%38% 75-2531%0%8%12%5%7% 80-2015%6%8%36%25%12% 85-150%0%23%0%0%0% 90-1023%0%46%6%30%19% 95-50%0%8%0%25%0% 100-00%0%0%0%15%0% In addition, under no circumstance did the males of any race or age perform more household work than the females. The data also shows that there is no difference in gender roles today among Caucasians, African Americans, and Asian Americans in the 19-30 age group. In the Asian American group of individuals fifty and older, 72% of women still do 80-100% of the household work today. In contrast, in the same age group, only 7% of Caucasian women and 31% of African American women perform 80-100% of household work. According to the 2004 United States Census, 69% of Asians were born in another country (Lee and Pituc 2007). This is significant in that many older Asian-Americans adhere to traditional cultural values. Traditional Asian gender roles prescribe for women to place the role of wife and mother above all others: men are expected to be the breadwinner and spokesperson. Asian cultural values consequently encourage distinct spheres for men and women and a gendered household division of labor in which the burden of household duties such as housekeeping tasks and childcare rest heavily on women (Lee and Pituc 2007: 1). The following graph was compiled based on the survey question; did your mother work outside the home? The y-axis is percentage of working mothers and the x-axis is the age of those surveyed. The graph shows that over time more mothers have become workers outside the home. It also indicates that for all age categories 70% of African American women were in the workforce. Kane stated â€Å"White women have a history of lower levels of labor force participation and higher levels of economic dependence on men than do African-American women† (2000 p. 421). This graph when looked at in conjunction with the 3 charts above shows a correlation between women working outside the home and men giving more help around the house. The last survey question was do you think the change in gender roles in the household is positive or negative. The results were 99% positive and 1% negative. The information obtained from my interviews mirrored the information I got from the surveys. Talking to Sylvia, the 66 year old Caucasian, the idea that generation and women in the workplace play a part in changing gender roles was reinforced. Sylvia related what her home was like as a child, indicating that household work was entirely done by her non-working mom. Her home on the other hand is different in that her husband does help out to some extent. She also said her children’s homes are even more equitable when it comes to dividing household chores. Dr. Espejo’s parents worked together and shared responsibilities in the home. It is the same in her home today, where she and her husband, both physicians, share household duties. Dr. Espejo stated that she feels sharing of household responsibilities strengthens the relationship between a husband and wife and between parents and children. This may be explained by a 2003 study conducted by Y. Espiritu. Trask (2006) states: Based on an analyses of various studies of Asian-American families, Espiritu found that more educated couples tended to share and practice greater egalitarian relationships within households. While women still performed more of the housework, their husbands did participate in all aspects of family work. This increased participation by men may be explained due to an equal monetary contribution from men and women which led to wives successfully forcing their husbands to participate in domestic chores. (P. 4) In my interview with Helen, she pointed out that sharing responsibility around the house helps to equalize the stress between both male and female. In the African- American household she grew up in her father did the cooking and laundry while her mother cleaned and helped the children with homework. A recent study has a possible explanation for the sharing of household work in Helen’s childhood home. The study concluded, â€Å"When referencing the family and work, black men may be less traditional because they are more sensitive to oppression in general, may share resistance with black women to racial inequality, and often gain acceptance of women in the workforce during early years while being raised by a single working mother† (Carter 2006: 209). In addition, Blee and Tickamyer state, â€Å"African American men do not equate masculinity with success, wealth, ambition, and power, but rather with self-determinism and accountability† (1995 p. 21). All three interview subjects expressed that change in gender roles where there is a more equal distribution of household responsibilities is very positive. The research I have done shows that over time gender roles have changed among the three races I studied. Every group I looked at had fathers who helped out less around the house than the males in their homes today. One important reason for this could be the fact that over time more women have entered the workforce outside the home. It simply has become a necessity for men to help out more around the house. In addition to more women in the work force, culture and race play a role in gender and the household stratification of gender roles. Culture remains important to many Asians Americans, especially the older generation. In those cultures Asian men are seen as the breadwinner and women as household caretakers. That dictates women being almost entirely responsible for the household. In contrast, African American men do not define their masculinity by success, but instead by accountability. That leads to many African American men being more equitable in sharing household chores. Since everyone in a household is affected by gender roles, this subject is very important socially. It is a subject worth investigating further as the findings could impact many people. References Blee, Kathleen and Ann Tickamyer. 1995. â€Å"Racial Differences in Men’s Attitudes about Women’s Gender Roles. † In Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 57, pps 21-30. Carter, J. Scott and Mamadi Corra. 2009. â€Å"The Interaction of Race and Gender: Changing Gender Role Attitudes, 1974-2006. † In Social Science Quarterly. Vol. 90, pps 196-211 Kane, Emily. 2000. â€Å"Racial and Ethnic Variations in Gender-Related Attitudes. † In Annual Review of Sociology. Vol. 26, pps 419-436 Lee, Sandra and Stephanie Pituc. 2007. â€Å"Asian Women and Work-Family Issues. † In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-6 Trask, Bahira. 2006. â€Å"Traditional Gender Roles. † In Sloan Work and Family Research Encyclopedia. pps 1-5.

Differences on Reaction Time and Accuracy During Enumeration

Differences on Reaction Time and Accuracy During Enumeration Visual field differences on reaction time and accuracy during enumeration ABSTRACT This experiment tests the difference in performance of reaction time and level of accuracy between visual fields during enumeration. The results show that the left visual field has an advantage over the right visual field for reaction time and level of accuracy. However, the results of the repeated measures t-test found that there was a significant difference between visual fields for reaction time, but no significant difference for accuracy. Results show some support for our hypothesis that there are visual field differences in performances during enumeration. However, this experiment has to be further tested for validity. INTRODUCTION When people are shown an array of items, reaction times have been found to remain relatively constant till three or four items with few errors. However beyond that number, reaction times start to increase rapidly with more errors. This difference is known to be from subitizing and counting. The word subitizing was first introduced by Kaufman, Lord, Reese, and Volkmann (1949). Subitizing is the ability to know the sum of items without counting, with speed and accuracy. However, counting is a slower process, and used for larger array of items. Jackson Coney (2004) study examined 32 psychology undergraduates on enumeration. Their results showed support for differences between visual field on subitizing. There was no effect of gender or from hand used for response of answers. They found that there was a significant effect of visual fields on response times. There was faster reaction times and higher accuracy for the left visual field. They also found there were no significant beneficial effects of visual field on response time beyond 3 items. Participants had lesser errors in the left visual field than the right. Better performance in the left visual field is linked to processing in the right hemisphere. Also, a significant effect between visual field and number of items was found. The left visual field appears to have a better advantage when enumerating 2 to 4 items. They also found a significant effect of number of items, response time increased with number of items displayed. The largest increase in mean response time wa s between 2 and 3 items, and was highly significant. Accuracy also dropped as number of items increased. Nan, Knà ¶sche and Luo (2006) tested 14 right-handed, paid subjects on enumeration with an extra condition of distractors present. Their event related potential (ERP) was also recorded while they performed the experiment. Their results showed that reaction times generally increased with number of targets and distracter items. Further tests showed that there was a significant difference in reaction times between numbers of targets in each condition. Their results do not support the theory of subitizing and counting. In addition, there was no evidence of differences between accuracy rates and number of targets. There was also no evidence of hemispheric dominance in performance in subitizing or counting. This experiment will be examining difference in performance between visual fields, and reaction time on enumeration. This experiment is a modified replication of the Jackson Coney (2004) study, we will only be comparing data from 4 items and only from right handed participants. This experiment will aim to determine if their results of right hemispheric dominance can be replicated. This is useful as it would give a better insight about processes in the brain. My hypothesis is that there will be a difference in performance of reaction times and accuracy between visual fields on the task of enumeration. METHODS Design The independent variable is the visual field of the participant. There are two dependent variables, the response time, and accuracy of reponses. This is a within group design. A repeated t-test was used. Participants All 30 participants were voluntary, and are female psychology undergraduates. Participants were split into left and right handed group, but only the right handed group data were analysed. Apparatus Participants are seated in a cubicle room with adequate light with an Amiga 1200 microcomputer and 1084S monitor. This computer controlled the trial procedure, displaying and timing of stimulus and recorded results. The computer was linked to a monitor outside the cubicle, which displayed error and reaction time scores to the experimenter. Response is indicated by participants pressing 1 of 3 buttons, which correspond to the estimate of 3, 4 or 5 items shown. A chin rest was provided to ensure the participant’s head was 45 cm away and in the middle of the screen. Also, eye movements are tracked using a closed-circuit television system. Procedure Participants are seated in front of the screen and chin rest was adjusted to ensure they are at a relaxed and steady head position. Participants are first shown a blank screen (1000ms), and then a central cross appears for central fixation (1000ms). Stimuli are presented as black dots on a white background (150ms) and the blank screen reappears until they give a response. The whole cycle is repeated again. The number of stimulus ranges from 3-5. They were asked to indicate using fingers to press 1 of 3 buttons. The buttons correspond to 3, 4 or 5 number of items. Half of the participants were told to respond by pressing the button with their left hand and the other half were told to respond using their right hand. This is to control handedness response effects, however the responses from left handed participants are not analysed. Participants were also told to place index finger of their assigned hand above the â€Å"3† button and the other fingers on the other buttons. Before the real experiment started, participants are given 10 practice trial runs, but results are not taken into account and the experimental trial is followed immediately. For each trial, stimuli will have equal chance to be either shown on the left or right of the visual field. The locations of the stimuli are determined by randomly placing them in the slots of a theoretical 44 grid of the screen. Stimuli cannot be placed into neighboring spots in the grid. There are a total of 30 randomized trials. 10 trials will show 3 items, 10 trials will show 4 items and 10 trials will show 5 items. If an error is made, participants will hear the feedback from an auditory tone. Their reaction and accuracy of responses are recorded. Participants are told to estimate the number of stimuli on screen with priority on accuracy of response over speed. Only data from 4 item displays were analysed. RESULTS Mean reaction time for left visual field is 844.57ms (SD= 5.91ms), and 854.95ms (SD=6.27ms) for the right visual field. The average correct percentage for the left visual field is 84% (SD= 18%), and 86 %( SD=11%) for the right visual field. A repeated measures t-test was conducted to compare visual field and reaction times. There was a significant difference found, t (4) =6.29, p A repeated measures t-test was conducted to compare accuracy between visual fields. There was no significant difference found, and thus we have to reject our hypothesis. We cannot accept the research hypothesis. T (4) =0.172, p Graph 1: shows the mean of reaction times in ms between left and right visual fields. Graph 2: shows the mean of errors in percentage between visual fields. DISCUSSION The results from the repeated t-test for reaction times show that there are significant differences in the mean of reaction times between visual fields. The results from the repeated t-test for accuracy levels show that there a no significant differences in the mean average percentage of correct responses between visual fields. These results are supported by Jackson Coney (2004) study to a certain extent, they found that there was significant differences between visual field on reaction times and accuracy. Our study found that there were faster reaction times, higher accuracy for the left visual field. However the t-test found significant differences for reaction times, but not accuracy of responses. The results are in contradiction of what Nan, Knà ¶sche and Luo (2006) found in their study. They found that there was a significant difference in reaction times between numbers of targets in each condition. They also found no evidence of hemispheric dominance in performance during subitizing or counting. However, we did not analyze data between numbers of objects. We can only conclude that our findings show slight support for our hypothesis, as the overall findings do not fully support our hypothesis that there will be a difference between visual field on the task of enumeration. However, there is possibility that having significantly faster reaction time is due to strategies employed by participants unknowingly. Trick and Pylyshyn (1994) suggested that people use methods to help them estimate number of items, such as using patterns. This indicates that the differences in results could not be due to hemispheric dominance, but because of these strategies. In Nan, Knà ¶sche and Luo (2006) study, reaction times for with 6 items display had shorter reaction times compared to the 5 items. Study by Piazza, Mechelli, Butterworth and Price (2002) tested 9 male participants. Participants were shown a total of 32 different stimuli consisting of black dots on a white background. PET scans were also obtained during the experiment. Piazza et al. (2002) PET scans showed that areas linked to object recognition were activated in both canonical and without canonical arrangements. It suggests that pattern recognition was used in all conditions. These studies suggest that ther e was evidence of participants using pattern recognition to count items. As a result, these data could skew our data as the differences in reaction time could be due to other factors such as pattern recognition that aid in enumeration. Enumeration requires the assimilation of information received from visual stimulus has to be integrated first before it can be understood. According to this theory, the process would speed up if the visual stimulus is presented in one visual field. However, Delvenne, Castronovo,Demeyere and Humphreys (2011) propose an alternative hypothesis. They propose that high level tasks perform better when there is bilateral visual field presentation. Their study found that visual enumeration has fewer errors when the items are shown in two visual fields rather than in a single visual field. This bilateral field advantage is seen when more than four items are shown. The authors suggest that this effect is only seen when the task becomes too taxing for our attention. Further tests should also include results with gender being controlled for, and compare results between unilateral processing and bilateral processing of enumeration. Also, this experiment has threats to external validity as there is sampling bias. It cannot be generalised to the population, because only women participant data was taken into account. Also, if we are testing for visual field differences the results would be skewed if we only take results from the right handed participants. Previous studies such as Bourne and Todd (2004) have shown that handedness does affect hemi field bias in processing. As such, we can propose there could also be a processing bias for enumeration. In conclusion, the results have found that there was significant difference between visual fields for reaction times but not for accuracy of responses. The results suggest that there is some support for our hypothesis that there are differences in performance between visual fields during enumeration. However, further study should be done to check for validity of study. REFERENCES Bourne, V.J. Todd, B.K. (2004). When left means right: an explanation of the left cradling bias in terms of right hemisphere specializations, Developmental Science, 7, 19-24. Delvenne, J.-F., Castronovo, J.,Demeyere, N. Humphreys, G.W. (2011). Bilateral Field Advantage in Visual Enumeration. PLoS One, 6, e17743. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0017743. Jackson, N. Coney, J. (2004). Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition. Brain and Cognition, 9, 53-66. Kaufman, E.L., Lord, M.W., Reese, T.W. Volkmann, J. (1949). The Discrimination of Visual Number. American Journal of Psychology, 62, 498–525. Nan, Y., Knosche, T. R., Luo, Y.J. (2006). Counting in everyday life: Discrimination and enumeration.  Neuropsychologia, 44, 1103–1113. Piazza, M., Mechelli, A., Butterworth, B. Price, C.J. (2002). Are Subitizing and Counting Implemented as Separate or Functionally Overlapping Processes? NeuroImage, 15, 435–446. Trick, L.M. Pylyshyn, Z.W. (1994). Why are small and large numbers enumerated differently? A limited-capacity preattentive stage in vision. Psychol Rev, 101, 80-102

Heroics of Women in Ibsens A Dolls House Essay -- A Dolls House Essays

Heroics of Women in Ibsens A Dolls House The Heroics of Women Henrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House† is a play about a young wife and her husband. Nora and Helmer seem to be madly in love with one another and very happy with their lives together. Yet the conflict comes into this show when Nora brags to her friend Ms. Linde about how she had forged her father’s name to borrow money to save her husband’s life and how she had been secretly paying off this debt. Helmer finds out about this crime and is furious, until he finds that no one will ever know about it. This entire conflict is written to bring to light the ridiculous social expectations demanded of both women and men. Ibsen expertly leads the audience into accepting that these social expectations are foolish and wrong. The audience buys into this so much that in the end when Nora stands firm and refuses to bow down to what society demands of her, we see her as the hero. The social expectations of men in the late nineteenth century was of a more patriarchal thought-line then it is today. The man of the house was expected to be the sole provider. This works best for the families of that time, because they believed that by natural design men alone were capable of managing money wisely and carefully. The first scene of the show we see Helmer and Nora acting out this belief. Helmer comes in and he and Nora argue over how much can be spent for Christmas. â€Å"Has the little spendthrift been out throwing money around again? (Ibsen 1569)† He naturally assumes that Nora, being a woman, is out frivolously wasting money. This belief comes very naturally to Helmer. He is the model man of his time, as well as this one. He has a bright future ahead, cares for his family, is kind to his w... ...e door of the apartment she begins her journey to find the truth and to leave the lies and illusions behind (Hemmer 82). She sets out to cure her childishness by going out to learn of life without someone coloring it to their pleasing for her. Nora’s faults that are present throughout the play are evidence of her childlike nature. Nora constantly is munching on and subsequently hiding candy, she off-handedly lies, and also can’t resist bragging to Ms. Linde about what she has done (Boyesen 214). Nora walks out the door to find herself and to learn of life. She leaves the audience much as Ms. Linde met them. She has no hope or future and is alone. She is paralleled to Rank by his exiting his life into the unknown of death completely alone, and she exits her life to enter the unknown of the real world, the world that had been hidden and kept from her (Northam 108)

A Rose For Emily :: A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner

An Interpretation of William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" In the short story " A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner tells the sad story of a woman who has had an extremely sheltered life. It is a tragic story in which Miss Emily's hopes and dreams for a normal life are hopelessly lost. William Faulkner was simply writing a sad story that can be related to anyone who has had hopes and aspirations, but has conflict within themselves and with others and who is unable to fulfill any of them. Miss Emily is kept at home by her father and is almost hidden from the world. It is not said in the story, but it is assumed that Miss Emily's mother is deceased or no longer around. The reader is left with the impression that her father was uncaring, abusive, and arrogant. Apparently he kept Miss Emily hidden from fitting suitors and did not let her make a life of her own. After her fathers death, Miss Emily was emotional unstable. For three days after her father died, she refus ed to acknowledge his death. She wouldn't let the towns people dispose of his body. She then regressed when they finally came to take his body out (because of the horrible smell which all of the neighbors were complaining about). Miss Emily locked herself away in her self-imposed dark world. When she finally comes out in to the town again, she has cut off all of her hair trying to make herself look like a little girl. Perhaps because she was trying to regain stolen time by her father. During this time she meets Homer, a man the townspeople consider beneath her who seems to almost replace her father. She finally seems to have found happiness, but is then seen buying poison in the local drug store. She asks for arsenic and refuses to tell the druggist what it is for. The townspeople think she is going to kill herself. Later they will find out how wrong they were! The townspeople try to pressure Miss Emily to marry Homer because they call their relationship improper and disgraceful. Th e townspeople contact her cousins to come into town and request their intervention. They come quickly and seem to talk some sense into her. The townspeople were assured of their marriage and her cousins returned home after one week. Homer then returned three days later and was seen coming into Miss Emily's back door. A Rose For Emily :: A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner An Interpretation of William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" In the short story " A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner tells the sad story of a woman who has had an extremely sheltered life. It is a tragic story in which Miss Emily's hopes and dreams for a normal life are hopelessly lost. William Faulkner was simply writing a sad story that can be related to anyone who has had hopes and aspirations, but has conflict within themselves and with others and who is unable to fulfill any of them. Miss Emily is kept at home by her father and is almost hidden from the world. It is not said in the story, but it is assumed that Miss Emily's mother is deceased or no longer around. The reader is left with the impression that her father was uncaring, abusive, and arrogant. Apparently he kept Miss Emily hidden from fitting suitors and did not let her make a life of her own. After her fathers death, Miss Emily was emotional unstable. For three days after her father died, she refus ed to acknowledge his death. She wouldn't let the towns people dispose of his body. She then regressed when they finally came to take his body out (because of the horrible smell which all of the neighbors were complaining about). Miss Emily locked herself away in her self-imposed dark world. When she finally comes out in to the town again, she has cut off all of her hair trying to make herself look like a little girl. Perhaps because she was trying to regain stolen time by her father. During this time she meets Homer, a man the townspeople consider beneath her who seems to almost replace her father. She finally seems to have found happiness, but is then seen buying poison in the local drug store. She asks for arsenic and refuses to tell the druggist what it is for. The townspeople think she is going to kill herself. Later they will find out how wrong they were! The townspeople try to pressure Miss Emily to marry Homer because they call their relationship improper and disgraceful. Th e townspeople contact her cousins to come into town and request their intervention. They come quickly and seem to talk some sense into her. The townspeople were assured of their marriage and her cousins returned home after one week. Homer then returned three days later and was seen coming into Miss Emily's back door.

Free Essay: Metaphors in Sonnet 73 :: Sonnet essays

Metaphors in Sonnet 73 Â  "Sonnet 73" by William Shakespeare contains many metaphors to form a descriptive image. Shakespeare used conceits, which are "fanciful extended metaphors" (567), used in love poems of earlier centuries. Shakespeare used these beautifully in "Sonnet 73." A metaphor is a "brief, compressed comparison that talks about one thing as if it were another" (554). Shakespeare expresses three major metaphors in this sonnet. The first is about age, the second about death, and of course, love follows. These three metaphors create an enjoyable poem. The first metahphor that Shakespeare uses is that of a tree in the fall. He compares himself to the tree by saying 'That time of year thou mayst in me behold when yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold". Shakespeare compares his aging self to the aging tree. Just as the tree is losing its' leaves, Shakespeare could be losing his hair. Just as the tree is getting brittle, Shakespears bones are getting old and feeble. Most importantly, Shakespeare doesn't say that he is actually going through this downfall, but that his lover percieves it in him. Another metaphor in this sonnet is the comparison of death to nightfall, "In me thou seest the twilight of such day" (568). He continues, "Which by and by black night doth take away, death's second self, that seals up all rest" (568). Shakespeare perfectly describes death as the fading of a bright day to a dark black night. The third, and final, metaphor is when Shakespeare is comparing himself to the fire. Shakespeare beautifully states, "In me thou seest the glowing of such fire that on the ashes of his youth lie, as the deathbed whereon it must expire, consumed with that which it was nourished by" (568). . As the fire is dying so is Shakespeare. Â  In conclusion, Shakespeare combines these three ideas in a two line follow-up, "This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong, to love that well which thou must leave ere long" (568). In this he relates all three objects, aging, death, and love, to each other. He is saying that one must enjoy love when he has it because it soon grows old and must die. He is also making the point that his lover is a good person for staying with him in his old age.

Farmers Union Iced Coffee, Advertisement

Farmers Union Iced Coffee was launched in 1977 by a group of dairy farmers who were creating a new recipe for the Royal Adelaide show. The milk beverage is Australia’s largest selling flavored milk and each year Australians consume in excess of 27 million litres of the beverage each year. There are a few ideas and issues that are raised in the text that I can point out. I think that the idea of having an ad about the worlds history and issues while showing normal every day Australians playing out the roles and then able to hide the real message is a sensational advertisement. The general idea in any advertisement is to try and increase the sale and popularity of a product. I have probably seen the Farmers Union ad a thousand times and never really paid much attention to it honestly not really knowing what they were going on about, but until I had actually taken the time to break it down and really think about it did I understand and give credit for how clever it was. I had an experience where I was in a shop with a mate who was looking to buy a drink, while looking at his options I pointed out a Farmers Union Iced Coffee and told him how I finally figured out what they were talking about on the television ad and explained it all out to him. When I told him each and every detail he came up with the decision to buy one, which then occurred to me that the ad was successful because when I saw the product it reminded me about how good the ad was which then led to me telling my friend who bought the product. I do believe that the ad does have a negative side to it. Some of the scenes in the advertisement could be offensive to some viewers, for example, the Apollo 1 disaster in which all three of the crew aboard were killed in the fire, the feminist push in the 1970s where a man is seen burning a bra instead getting into the game of cricket which is on the TV. I think that it was a gamble to put these in the ad, they are only minor but could have received a fair bit of controversy towards the past and times where people would not like to have been reminded. Having said that everyone will have their own interpretation about the ad and how it is portrayed. The genre of this advertisement would in my opinion be comedy, mainly due to the fact that the way the ad is produced and I believe that the laid back culture of Australians most people could maybe have a laugh. I get this because of the narrators voice, it almost brings out the way in which we may have acted during those times, like the underarm incident in the 1980s, I think the general action now would be something along the lines of â€Å"What he did was stupid, but look at how we all reacted† of course if I had lived through the particular time that is how I would be looking at it now. I think that they could probably get away with a bit more than they could because the culture in Australia is seen as a friendly and laid back place, sure times are bad but here we get over them and look back at them while having a laugh. There is a higher representation of males throughout the whole of the ad. There are only two females showed, one being a minor character who doesn’t get much attention paid to her and another who represents Cathy in 2000. Also neither of the females is drinking the beverage, in each clip where someone is drinking the Iced Coffee it is always a male which could give the stereotype that usually only males consume the product because they work out in the hard conditions sweating under the sun. I don’t think that it would cause much of a stir or would anyone really realize it, but it’s something I picked up while watching closely. The dominant reading when someone firsts sees this ad I think would definitely be just going along with what the narrator is saying and possibly being confused at what is going on, but still giving it the attention to make sure they tune in next time to the advertisement to be able to fully understand it. It would also probably be easier for someone that would have lived through these times at which the events all occurred or have learned about them through education or interest in areas such as sport or travel to space in order to pick up the disguised meanings. The Alternative reading would be getting the ad for its real backgrounds meanings which are disguised through normal looking people, but representing world wide issues. Someone would have to be pretty switched on throughout the adverts between their programs to pick it up. I do not think someone could have figured out each event the first time they saw the ad, it would probably take someone a few times to see the ad then work it all out. The use of intertextuality in the advertisement of Farmers Union shows Australian tradesmen and hardworking sweaty men drinking it while they are working. It would give the message that this sort of beverage is for big, strong and tough men and is not for the light hearted. It also shows that if you are in a bad situation, the best Iced Coffee in Australia will get you through it and it already has through some of the good and bad times shown throughout the advertisement.

Age-Related Changes that Occur in the Cardiovascular System Essay

The title page introducing what subject I am planning on presenting to the residents of the independent living facility. It tells them who I am and what subject is being presented. The residents that I am going to be addressing are healthy, active and mentally alert senior who want to learn more about health conditions that are affecting their age group in general and are of major concern. Slide 2 Homeostasis is the equilibrium of the body. Homeostasis is maintained by the balance of our vital signs to keep us on an even keel. The definition of Homeostasis is, â€Å"Homeostasis is the compensation of the vital signs to regulate the hearts blood flow and maintain balance within the body† (Jenkins, Kemnitz, & Tortora 2010). The autonomic system and its branches keep the body moving and functioning. Like these teeter-totters the parasympathetic and the sympathetic move oppose of each other, but keep a slow steady rhythm and together they work as a whole. Slide 3 The fight or flight dilemma. The fight stance is pretty self-explanatory; these are noticeable effects like pupils dilated, neck and shoulders stiffen up or tense, chest pain or palpations, mouth can get very dry or cotton mouth, these are just some of the examples of signs and symptoms that an individual can experience. The flight stance is more hidden and not necessarily identified by the patient or doctor until the more noticeable symptoms are visible. Some of the hidden symptoms can be, but not limited to blood pressure can get higher to a dangerous level, more adrenalin is released into the individuals system, liver produces more glucose to give energy to the muscles, and the digestion system will slow or stop completely. Slide 4 Some of the side effects from medication or treatments can be uncomfortable and more severe than the symptoms of the condition that is being treated. Looking on the brighter side is that once the medication or treatments are manageable the medication is controlling the condition, than life can get back to normal except for some life style changes. Diet and exercise can be the most drastic changes, and the hardest to comply with. If an individual has never exercised much and has lived on fast food, eating healthy and increasing activity besides sitting in front of the television can be the most challenging. Slide 5 A hypertensive heart has thickened ventricular walls which make the heart work harder to pump the blood throughout the body. When the walls thicken, the elasticity is decreases and the heart and other systems need to work harder to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body. Any condition that affects the oxygenated blood from flowing through the heart can cause the ventricular walls to thicken. As we age our blood pressure increases, age, ethninticity, weight, and genetics can play a role in a hypertensive heart condition. Slide 6 Hypertension is sometimes call, â€Å"The Silent Killer† (www. medicinenet. com 2013). Hypertension usually does not have any symptoms and puts a lot of stress on other major organs which over time will start to deteriorate. Some side- affects that can impact quality of life are sexual dysfunction, stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, and neurological problems. Sexual dysfunction is usually more noticeable and bothersome to men. Heart disease can lead to other heart related problems, like heart attack (MCI), stroke (CVA), and congestive heart failure (CHF). Slide 7 After the diagnosis of hypertension, the physician and individual will work on a plan to manage the hypertension. Most of the time this includes medication, low fat, low sodium diet and exercise. This will include some changes in your family’s life to. Our society functions on fast food, and not enough education on the right foods to eat. Exercise can be as little as walking around the block or as much as working out at the gym several times a week. Blood pressure needs to be taken every time there is a doctor’s appointment and sometimes it should be Slide 8 Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is caused from a waxy substance building up in the coronary arteries called plaque. Blood is slowed because of the plaque blocking the arteries and slowing the blood flow. Sometimes the plaque can disengage and cause a blood clot that if not detected and treated can cause a stroke or heart attack. The lack of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and major arteries over time will cause organ to deteriorate and healthy tissue and muscles will start to die. Acting quickly is the key in recovering from a heart attack or not surviving. Some symptoms can include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Men generally have classic signs of a heart attack; women can have other symptoms that are not classic symptoms, like lower back pain, and even neck pain. Slide 9 Heart attacks can be caused from medication (legal and illegal), stress, diet, generational, exposure to extreme cold weather, and cigarette smoking. Drugs and alcohol when taken in large quantities can be damaging to body when not prescribed for a treated condition. Narcotics, over-the-counter, cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, alcohol, even medication for certain conditions if taken differently than prescribed can do harm to the heart and body. Slide 10 Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is the leading cause for hospitalization in individuals over the age of 65 years old. The heart needs to work harder to pump oxygen-rich blood through the body. The myocardium’s thickened walls make the heart work harder to pump blood. The heart may pump more freely to hold more blood or stiffen and harden as time goes on. Slide 11 Some of the symptoms of congestive heart failure is kidneys start retaining water and salt, edema in the legs, ankles, arms and feet. The lungs can start retaining fluid to. More weight from the excess of fluid puts stress on the heart, shortness of breath and more exertion on activity. Slide 12 Myocardial Infarction (MCI) is the medical term for heart attack. Some of the symptoms can include seizures, dizziness, fainting, fainting, chest pain or discomfort and extreme fatigue. The person may experience the heart racing really fast, like if they ran a marathon, but were sitting down and relaxing. If the individual has unexplained family deaths at an early age can put them in a higher-risk category. Slide 13 This slide is a picture depicting what might happen in a heart attack. A blood clot can dislodge and move through the blood stream until it blocks oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart or major organ, or it completely blocks the pathway of blood flow. If not treated immediately, it can lead to tissue and muscles becoming damaged or dying all completely and then death. References Jenkins, Kemintz, Tortora (2010) Anatomy and Physiology. John Wiley and Sonc Inc. Kulik. (2013, April). www. medicinenet. com. Retrieved from Myocardial Infarction: www. medicinenet. com Ladwig, A. a. (2014). Nursing Diagnosis Handbook. Mosby by Elsevier Inc. National Stroke Association. (2012). After Stroke. Effects of Strokes, www. stroke. org. Potter, P. S. (2012). Fundamentals of Nursing. St. Louis: Mosby an imprint by Elsevier Inc .

Commentary on Tash Aw’s Harmony Silk Factory Essay

The extract from the novel â€Å"The Harmony Silk Factory† by Tash Aw, seems to serve as an introduction within the larger context of the complete novel. The central theme of the extract is the concept of appearance VS reality; some things are, in reality, not what they appear to be. Through the use of characterisation and setting, the author manages to bring out this theme. In addition, the use of setting and characterisation creates a degree of tension within the extract, and draws the reader into the story. Characterisation plays a major part in the extract. The main character of the extract is also the narrator. The narrator is characterised through the use of many literary devices; through his narration, aspects of his personality are revealed to the reader. We find that the narrator has two sides: the face he shows the world around him and the side that the reader is introduced to through his narration. The side that the narrator shows to the world around him and the side of him revealed to the reader are two different personalities. His external appearance is one of a quiet, non-existent, seemingly inconsequential person as can be seen from the fact that â€Å"none of the visitors ever noticed [him]†. However, this quiet exterior belies the fact that he observes all the comings and goings within the silk harmony factory. â€Å"From my upstairs window, I saw everything unfold. Without father ever saying anything to me†. The narrator is fully aware of all his father’s smuggling activities â€Å"opium and heroin and Hennessy XO† and bribing of the â€Å"Thai soldiers†¦with American cigarettes and low-grade gemstones† but never lets his father catch on to that fact. The narrator also states that he is only of â€Å"modest intellect† and this is supported by his father’s belief that he would â€Å"always be a dreamer and a wastrel†. We find however, that his quiet demeanour conceals an observant, keen intellect. Contrary to his self-deprecating statement, we notice that he displays an extraordinary sense of awareness in a child of his age, suggesting that he is extremely intelligent. Even as a child he â€Å"was aware of what [his] father did†. His action of lifting the linoleum and pressing his ear to the floorboards to listen into his father’s Safe Room reveals to us his ingenuity and is a reflection of his intellect. While he does not mange to discern any information, he is sharp enough to realise that the â€Å"low, muffled rumble† was the â€Å"tipping of diamonds onto the green baize table†. While the narrator may appear to be of merely modest intellect, it seems that in reality he is incredi bly intelligent for a young child. His self-deprecating statement also serves to highlight his actual cleverness and quick mind. The theme of appearance VS reality can also be seen in the characterisation of two minor characters: the general and the young lady in the car. The narrator tells us that the general â€Å"didn’t look much like a soldier, but he had a Mercedes-Benz with a woman in the back seat†, which would indicate a fairly high level of affluence and power which comes with the rank of a general in the army. With his â€Å"cheap grey shirt† and gold teeth, the man may not have looked like a general, but other indications would have exposed the reality of what he really was. This is similarly echoed in the characterisation of the young woman in the back seat of the car. The narrator describes her as having â€Å"fair skin, almost pure white, the colour of salt fields on the coast†. The narrator then goes on to state that â€Å"she was young and beautiful, and when she smiled I saw her teeth were small and brown†. This contrast between the state of her teeth and the colour of her skin further highlights the theme of appearance VS reality; while she appears to be pure and white on the outside, her teeth are dirty and decayed. This contrast is highlighted also by the use of visual imagery â€Å"salt fields† when describing the colour of her skin. Furthermore, the contrast between the general and the young woman also emphasizes the theme of appearance VS reality. The general wears a grey shirt, while the young woman is described as having white skin. Where the general’s teeth are gold in colour, hers are small and brown. From this we can see that outward appearance does not seem to be a very good indicator of what the reality really is. Finally, the setting also contributes back to the theme of appearance VS reality. The name of the factory â€Å"The harmony silk factory†, which becomes synonymous with the house, gives no indication as to the activities of vice conducted there. Both physically and figuratively, the narrator’s house seems to be hiding behind the factory. The theme of appearance VS reality is manifested in the physical setting of the Harmony Silk Factory. The characterisation and setting, besides bringing out the theme of the appearance VS reality, also serves to create tension in the story and cause the reader to want to read on. The setting of the house, with its â€Å"small mossy courtyard which never got enough sunlight† gives the location of the extract an air of mystery; the lack of light and dampness of the place (as can be seen by the growth of moss) further builds upon the mysteriousness of the setting. This description appears in the first line of the extract, and the reader’s curiosity is pricked as to what actually goes on within the Harmony Silk factory. Also, the characterisation of the narrator serves to lead the reader on to read the rest of the novel. How is this achieved? Firstly, the narrator is a nameless, 1st person narrator. The use of the 1st person narration serves to give the tone of the extract a feeling of intimacy, or closeness to the subject matter. At the same time, his lack of a name distances him from the reader, again creating an air of mystery which surrounds him. Secondly, the tone of the narrator is very â€Å"matter-of-fact†. He describes somewhat shocking, illegal proceeds with the same tone one would use to describe everyday activities. He matter-of-factly states â€Å"Mainly he smuggles opium and heroin and Hennessy XO† and â€Å"I knew what he was up to and whom he was with†. The narrator describes theses happenings with a certain detachment which seems nonchalant or could be due to the fact that he is already used to this sort of behaviour. In fact, the narrator comes across as unfazed by all his father’s wrongdoings and does not seem affected in any way. This matter-of-fact tone is further highlighted by the narrator’s use of literary devices such as verbal irony. The use of verbal irony is evident throughout the extract. One of the first instances is in the 2nd paragraph in which the narrator describes the type of people who visit his house. He describes his Father’s clients as if they were guests or VIPs. â€Å"Entry was strictly by invitation† with â€Å"privileged few† being granted access; he states that only the â€Å"liars, cheats, traitors and skirt chasers† of â€Å"the highest order† are allowed in. These individuals have been seemingly elevated to a position of importance but by describing them in this way, the narrator has revealed them to be merely the scum of society. Another instance of verbal irony is in the line â€Å"Now I would give everything to be the son of a mere liar and cheat†. The irony is in the fact that the narrator views his father is so vile that he would rather be the son of someone who only cheats and lies. Also further irony can be found in the line â€Å"my crime-funded education to good use†. We find that he is now using his education, paid for by his father’s crimes, to uncover his father’s crimes. The use of verbal irony builds upon the narrator’s characterisation, as parts of his personality are slowly revealed to the reader. The narrator also uses an extremely convoluted and verbose way of narrating known as periphrasis. His manner of speaking is roundabout and elaborate. He uses ellipsis to interrupt his own narrative, â€Å"partly for convenience – the only people who came†¦ – partly because my father’s varied†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The narrator constantly interjects his own narrative with interruptions and unnecessary lines such as â€Å"gold, real solid gold†. The use of unnecessarily long paragraphs to say a simple thing also add on to his convoluted manner of narration. The second last paragraph could have been shortened by saying â€Å"I am now at peace and am not ashamed to reveal the story of my father’s life†. However, he instead says â€Å"there is another reason I now feel particularly well placed†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦I am at peace†. The use of periphrasis also heightens the melodramatic way the narrator leads the reader on. Phrases such as â€Å"that wasn’t all he was† and â€Å"†¦I have searched for this all my life. Now, at last, I know the truth and I am no longer angry. In fact, I am at peace† serve to heighten the tension within the paragraph. He describes his father’s past as â€Å"terrible† and the title he gives to his tale, â€Å"The true story of the infamous Chinaman called Johnny†, seems to elevate his father’s story to one legendary importance. The use of the phrase â€Å"true story† also lends a sense of credibility to his account. The revelation of the title to the reader is the climax of the tension that has been building in the last few paragraphs, albeit a somewhat anti-climatic one. This climax (or anti-climax) serves to leave the reader wanting more and leads the reader on to continue reading the rest of the story. The narrator’s self-deprecating and quirky way of narrating serves to endear the narrator to the reader. We also discover certain facts about his childhood through his narration. At no point in the extract does a narrator mention his mother. This may only be a conjecture, but the lack of a motherly figure in his life, a lack of love, may have contributed to his strange and unusual way of narrating and also his self-deprecating attitude. Also, we find that he may have endured physical abuse as a child from the line â€Å"I had become used to this kind of punishment† in response to his father twisting his ear. This makes the reader increasingly sympathetic to the narrator as the narrative progresses. Thus, when the narrator begins using melodrama to capture the attention of the reader and lead the reader on to the rest of the novel, the reader follows with little resistance. This characterisation and narration, coupled with the mysterious atmosphere created by the setting, creates a sort of tension which compels the reader to read on. It engages the reader and draws the reader into the world the author has created. As we have seen characterisation and setting both have a dual purpose. If this extract is the beginning of the novel, then the author has succeeded in drawing the reader into the novel. By using both characterisation and setting to bring out the theme and simultaneously create tension, the author has succeeded in creating a world with characters that engage readers and has successfully written an effective and exciting beginning to the novel.