Magnifying and Obscuring Essay Example for Free

Magnifying and Obscuring Essay The stories of John Updike’s â€Å"AP† and William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† both make use of the first person point of view in narration but with very different and quite powerful effects that also affect other elements of the story. The ways in which these two stories play with the individual elements of a piece of fiction show just how important it is to make sure that these individual elements are all taken cared of and built-up with equal care and attention, because a problem with one element can result into a problem with the entire story; the elements must all be able to work together to support each other and to weave a tight story. â€Å"AP† uses the first person, non-omniscient, singular point of view (POV) narration to build rapport with the main character, Sammy [for example: â€Å"Im in the third check-out slot, with my back to the door, so I dont see them until theyre over by the bread; I could see Lengel in my place in the slot, checking the sheep through. † (Updike 560)]. This connection with Sammy is a very important one because it is pretty much the driving force of the story; learning of what’s going on in a teenage boy’s head while there are half-naked girls walking about can make an interesting read. This point of view is really what helps push the reader on along as she or he plods through the â€Å"AP† plot. With â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, on the other hand, we are given the first person, non-omniscient, plural point of view. Obviously, because it is plural it cannot be the view of the main character, Miss Emily Grierson. Instead we seem to have the entire story narrated to us by the entire town [â€Å"When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral; for a long while we just stood there, looking down at the profound and fleshless grin† (Faulkner)]. This works to increase the mystery that surrounds Miss Emily and her house because we never really knew what she is thinking or feeling. This point of view, giving an air of mystery, again, helps push the reader on to discover what happens throughout the story. Relating with the use of the POV are the different story plots. Here, we can see a great difference between â€Å"AP† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† because we find that one is mainly character-driven while the other has a strong plot that keeps the readers going through the story. It is â€Å"AP† that is, obviously, character-driven because of its simple plot of a boy wanting to elicit the attention of some pretty girls, which is quite common. Even the events in the story and the simple chronological way that it folds are quite ordinary; it is really Sammy – his thoughts and his feelings – that make a reader interested in the story. And, even up to the ending, readers are all interested only in Sammy’s fate and no one else’s [â€Å"I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter† (Updike 564)]. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, on the other hand, we have a story with a strong plot, aided by the effective point of view narration, which moves the story along. The story hooks readers into the plot by making them curious about who Miss Emily Grierson is from the very beginning – readers are wondering why she is a â€Å"fallen monument† and what is so interesting about the â€Å"inside of her house† (Faulkner). The non-linear timeline that the story follows also strengthens the mystery of Miss Emily because the building block to her life must be pieced together slowly and with a certain amount of intuition, at first. Now, the characters of the two stories are also very different – one is as open to us as a book laid flat-open, while the other is mystery to the very end. With Sammy of â€Å"AP†, we never seem to see a concrete glimpse of in terms of physical appearance but the readers would all know him if they met him. The first person narration lets us in on all the things that makes Sammy think and tick with that little grocery stop. In his observation of the girls, we find a young man with a keen eye and, also, an eye for beauty. He also shows us the ability of a good imagination when he imagines how the girls behave and how their relationships with each other must be like as when he describes the tall girl as: â€Å"a tall one, with black hair that hadnt quite frizzed right, and one of these sunburns right across under the eyes, and a chin that was too long you know, the kind of girl other girls think is very striking and attractive but never quite makes it, as they very well know, which is why they like her so much. † (Updike 561) Sammy, as we can surmise, is a boy that is very much in-touch with his surroundings and his imagination. The characterization of Miss Emily, in contrast, is one that is left murky and shadowy. Because we only see her through the townspeople’s eyes, we never really see her clearly; we can only watch her through the stories, the memories, and the patchwork guesses that these observers give us. But even from this blurry view of Miss Emily through a window, we can see how guarded and closed-off she is from her environment [as when she acted ignorant of Colonel Sartoris’ death (Faulkner)] – the total opposite of Sammy. In â€Å"AP†, we are set-up in a small grocery store that effectively concentrates our attention on no one and nothing else but Sammy and his current preoccupation. The AP grocery store acts as the perfect magnifying glass to help us focus on our main character and how he deals with the current situation. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is set-up up throughout decades of a life and in different places of the town; this manner of a setting makes for even more mystery as the reader tries to fill in all the gaps between the years that the narrators had no contact nor any knowledge of what went on in Miss Emily’s life. The vast setting diffuses the readers’ minds and it wanders across time and space, searching for a complete picture of Miss Emily Grierson. These two stories, perhaps more different than alike, prove that good stories don’t need to follow a certain pattern to mold in order to be good; it is in the writer and the dedication to his work that makes a story count. Works Cited Faulkner, William. A Rose For Emily. 16 February 2008. Fu Jen University: Department of English Language and Literature. 26 June 2009 http://www. eng. fju. edu. tw/English_ Literature/Rose/el-text-E-Rose. htm Updike, John. â€Å"AP†. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature Eighth Edition. Ed.

Captain John Smith Essay Example for Free

Captain John Smith Essay I am honored for having the opportunity to travel to the Okapaka Islands. As an Ambassador of America, I found that this trip was of utmost importance. The journey was long for it had been insisted to travel by vessel. After making port on Auckland Island in the Webling Bay, I boarded an outlandish dory with a native as skipper. The voyage was a bit unsettling for my stomach yet remarkable for my eyes. The water cleared of pollutants as we neared the desolate island. As we approached the makeshift dock, I could make out figures gathering long the shoreline. Upon my arrival from sea, the natives greeted me by thumping there chest twice with a closed fist. What I had first though as a sign of aggression I found out was, in fact, there way of greeting my captain and me. As I took my first steps onto their red sand shoreline, they proceeded to thump their chests. A man ornamented in ostrich feathers stepped forward and proceed to click his tongue at different intervals; this I assumed was how they talked. Even with a language barrier, I followed this man and his faction into their village.The reaction from these inhabitants overwhelmed me. Without even knowing me, they welcomed me into their homes and their families. I can distinctly recall the children of the village running around trying to catch a single gaze at the new comer that was me. This young boy, no older than ten, ran up to me and smiled. It was astonishing to witness firsthand; I had never thought I could ever witness something this heart touching from a complete stranger. They held a ceremony the night of my arrival. The whole village and I gathered around an enormous hearth and garnished me in an array of furs. I was surprised again by having them shower me with red sand from the shoreline. A timeworn elder stepped forward onto the hearth with his arms raised. It was easy to observe that he was well beyond the age most hope to live. He began speaking in a rhythmic way that had everyone’s attention. I caught myself leaning forward eager by his words. This was the moment I knew these people needed to visit our struggling nation. We have long lost the little things we once had. These men and women and children might hold the ke y to righting our nation, and possibly the world. They managed to preserve their culture, their beliefs, and their lives among all these other countries that have forgotten where they came from.

Study on the association between schizophrenia and violence

Study on the association between schizophrenia and violence Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder characterised by a disintegration of thought processes and emotional responsiveness. Schizophrenic individuals are presented with a wide range of symptoms. These are often classified in terms of positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms may include presentation of hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech or thinking, disorganised behaviour, catatonic behaviours, derealisation, and unusual motor behaviour, while negative symptoms may include affective flattening, alogia, or avolition (DSM-IV; Kneisl Trigoboff, 2009). Although wide ranging, the experience of psychotic manifestations, such as hearing internal voices or experiencing sensations not connected to an obvious source, are common in this group of individuals. These individuals are often marked by an inability to function in daily life and require a significant level of care and support system. Given the variable presentations, no single or a mix of symptoms is definitive for diagnosis. The diagnosis criteria thus encompass a pattern of expressed symptoms and in conjunction with impaired occupational or social functioning (DSM-IV). The onset of this disorder usually begins during late adolescence or early adulthood. It can be a gradual process, whereby the individual became increasingly seclusive. It can sometimes be sudden, marked by emotional turmoil and intense confusion (Strauss, Carpenter Bethesda, 1972). The prevalence of Schizophrenia is approximately 1% of the general population and appears to be constant across cultures (Bhugra, 2005). The literature suggests that the aetiology of Schizophrenia is multifactorial. In regards to environmental components, it is unclear whether childhood trauma and stress influence the development of Schizophrenia, but there is evidence to suggest that environmental factors (Heinrichs, 1993), such as maternal stress, may be important in the aetiology of Schizophrenia, as high level of stress may trigger Schizophrenia by increasing Cortisol level in the body. In addition, enlarged brain ventricles and decreased activity in the frontal lobe is observed in some individuals with Schizophrenia. Together, it suggests that abnormal brain chemistry and brain structure may be important in the development of Schizophrenia. It has also been observed that there is a strong hereditary component in the manifestation of Schizophrenic symptoms. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has schizophrenia have a 10% change of developing the disorder. Twin and adoption studies observed that monozygotic twins display 50% concordance of Schizophrenia (Van Os, Rutten Poulton, 2008). While this suggests a moderate to high heritability of Schizophrenia, it is clear that this disorder is not deterministic by genetic components. The Association between Schizophrenia and Violence It is now generally accepted that individuals with Schizophrenia are at elevated risk of violent behaviour than member of the general population. In the community, 8% of individuals with Schizophrenia alone were violent, compared to 2% of individuals without mental illness (Eaton Kessler, 1985). In addition, a study estimated that 20% of first-admission patients with Schizophrenia had perpetrated against others in a life threatening manner prior to their admission, while 9% of the discharged patients acted violently in the first 20 weeks after hospitalisation (Humphreys et al., 1992; Monahan Applebaum, 2000). More importantly, longitudinal studies following selected and unselected cohorts showed that Schizophrenic individuals are four to seven times more likely to have committed a violent crime than the general population (e.g., Lindqvist Allebeck, 1990; Tiihonen et al., 1997), and twice as likely than men with other mental disorders to have a violent conviction (Wesselt et al., 1 994). Despite of differences in methodological approaches, these observable results are consistent across studies, cohorts, and cultures. The literature suggests that there is an over-representation of Schizophrenic individuals among the offender and prison populations. As mentioned above, the prevalence of Schizophrenia is less than 1% in the community. However, the prevalence of Schizophrenia in the prison setting was found to approximately 3%. In addition, 9-11% of individuals who were convicted of non-fatal and fatal violence respectively, had a diagnosis of Schizophrenia (Taylor Gunn, 1984), which are significantly higher than its prevalence in the general population. Individuals with Schizophrenia were at a four times higher chance to be convicted of interpersonal violence and ten times greater for conviction of homicide than the general public (Wallace et al., 2004). Interestingly, the chance of developing Schizophrenia among those with a history of violent crime is approximately five times greater than those committed non-violent crime only (Gosden et al., 2005). Thus, individuals with Schizophrenia contribute to a disproportionate rate of violent crimes. Typologies of Offenders with Schizophrenia There is a correlation between the development of Schizophrenic symotoms and increased rates of antisocial behaviour in violence (e.g., Wallace et al., 2004). Similar to offenders without mental health problems, there are subtypes of offenders with Schizophrenia, as defined by the age of onset and persistence of antisocial behaviour. It is suggested that there may be three types of Schizophrenic offenders (e.g., Hodgins, 2008). Type I offenders is a group of offenders that display a long history of antisocial behaviour since childhood or early adolescence, which remains stable across the lifespan (Moffitt, 2006). It is common that they are presented with a conviction for violence prior to onset of Schizophrenia and those who meets criteria for conduct disorder (CD). This group of offenders is presented with a wide array of criminal conduct, including both violent and non-violent crimes. Their criminal history appears to be similar to individuals with CD who lacks other mental health issues. It has been speculated that individuals with CD who developed Schizophrenia are characterised by lower levels of anxiety, heart rate, and cortisol level. Type II offenders are a large group of violence offenders with Schizophrenia who had no display of antisocial behaviours prior to the onset of the disorder, but become persistently violent thereafter. The onset of symptoms begins in adulthood for this subgroup and is usually associated with some form of brain disorder (e.g., Hodges et al., 1996). It is suspected that this group is particular susceptible to illicit drug use and that substance abuse may be directly associated with their violent behaviours (Mueser et al., 2006). Substance use by Schizophrenic individuals increases their risk of violence in multiple ways. It acts to further impair social cognition, increase the likelihood of them associating with antisocial peers for drug use and crime, and affect their capacity to engage with service providers and compliance with medication and support (Green et al., 2007). Type III offenders are a small group of serious violence offenders who display chronic course of Schizophrenia with no expression of antisocial and aggressive behaviours prior to their late thirties, and subsequently proceed to violently murder those who care for them. Type II offenders appear to display shallow affect, callousness, lack of remorse, and a failure to accept responsibilities (Sunak, 2006). It is hypothesised that this group of offenders have deficient and fluctuating affective experience, which increases the vulnerability for aggressive behaviour towards others (Hodgins, 2008). Overall, this group of individuals expressed higher level of violent behaviours and are at greater rate of conviction and incarceration of violent crime than individuals of the general community. Such violent behaviours account for a significant amount of human suffering, in party of the victims and their families, also in part of the perpetrators. These behaviours poses further financial burden on the society. Given the prevalence of violence among Schizophrenic individuals, there are important consequences for the criminal justice system. In addition, offenders with Schizophrenia constitute a heterogeneous population. It is suggested that most violence in the Schizophrenia population is attributed to Type I, although it is possible that Type III offenders are over-represented among homicides cases (Mullen, 2006). The development of typologies of offenders with Schizophrenia is relevant to identifying appropriate treatment options that address the characteristics of each type of off ender. Mediators of Violence among Individuals with Schizophrenia Substance Misuse: It has been repeatedly demonstrated that comorbid substance abuse issues significantly increase the risk of violence in Schizophrenic individuals (e.g., Tiihonen et al., 1997; Wallace et al., 2004). Some has suggested that comorbid substance abuse accounts for most rates of violence among people with Schizophrenia (Monahan et al., 2001). It appears that comorbid substance abuse account for up to 30% of violence in the community, compared to 8% in those with Schizophrenia alone (Eaton Kessler, 1985). The literature expressed concerns for the increasing numbers of substance misuse in individuals with both Schizophrenia and a propensity to violence over the past 30 years (Mullen, 2006). Reducing rates of substance misuse among this group of offenders is an important therapeutic goal, which will improve symptom control, quality of life, and act to decrease antisocial behaviours that are related to violence. Active Symptoms: Considerable evidence suggests that the violence observed in Schizophrenic individuals is directed and motivated by psychotic symptoms. Some research has shown that individuals frequently act upon the experienced delusions and that violence is often a defence or retaliation mechanism against seemingly harmful and manipulative actions (regardless of whether their beliefs are correct) that others are directing against the individual (Link Stueve, 1994). The expression of psychotic features is associated a five times increase in the risk of assaults of other person compared to those with no mental disorder (Mojtabai, 2006). For instances, there are evidence to support the association between delusional jealousy and attacks on a partner, persecutory delusions, and hallucinations and non-specific psychotic agitation all on occasion precipitate violence (Mullen, 1996; Mullen, 2006). Personality Factors: More recently, personality factors have been implicated in criminality in Schizophrenia (e.g., Moran et al., 2003). This group of offenders is associated with irritable, dissocial, lack of empathy and remorse, grandiose, suspicious, maintenance of unrealistic beliefs of entitlement, and inability to learn from experience. In addition, it is suggested that the relationship between comorbid substance abuse and violence in Schizophrenia may be mediated by personality factors and social problems. Developmental Factors: Compared to the general population and non-violent Schizophrenic individuals, those individuals with Schizophrenia who are violent are more likely to have experienced developmental problems, deprived and disadvantaged backgrounds, family history of criminality, and a problematic childhood in areas education and social functioning (e.g., Mullen, 2006; Tiihonen et al., 1997). Treatment for Schizophrenia To date, no cure has been found for Schizophrenia. The major goals of treatment are to reduce symptoms, minimise side effects, prevent relapses, and provide social and occupational rehabilitation for this group of offenders. Identification of High-Risk Offenders: It should be of high priority to identify individuals who fall into a high risk category of future violence. Past literature indicated that male individuals with a history of childhood conduct disorder, antisocial and violent behaviour in adolescence, substance abuse, unemployment and a disorganised lifestyle is at increasing rate of being high-risk of violence recidivism. Risk assessment is a practical exercise that should inform the risk, needs, and responsitivity of an individual. Their main function for the clinician is to direct attention to known correlates of violent behaviour. The HCR-20 (Webster et al., 1997) is an instrument that incorporates the PCL, which combines professionals approach to risk assessment and clinical opinion. Psychological Management: The manifestation of Schizophrenic symptoms renders individuals with criminogenic personality traits, attitudes, and social and occupational problems (Mullen, 2006). Reducing violent behaviours will depend large on modifying these factors and the behaviours they generate. While psychosocial treatment interventions have limited value for acutely psychotic individuals, it has been found beneficial to reduce violence risk for individuals who are already stabilised on antipsychotic medication (Swanson et al., 2008). Psychosocial treatment provide clients with the skills to work, self-care, communication, forming and keeping relationships, and learning and using appropriate coping mechanisms to deal with difficult situations and events and increase their chances of associating with others (Penn et al., 2005). Past research indicated that patients who receive regular psychosocial treatment are more likely to be compliant with medication and reduces their rate of relapse (Penn et al., 2005). In addition, recent studies indicate that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches that teach clients coping and problem solving skills can be beneficial for Schizophrenic individuals in reducing violent behaviours. When compared to control, recreational activities, or support, CBT was repeatedly found to be more effective during and immediately after treatment. CBT has also been found to be effective in relapse prevention and positive symptom control, even when the intervention was presented by therapists who had limited prior training (Durham et al., 2003). CBT as practiced for Schizophrenia should be modified to address some of the specific limitations imposed by the disorder (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, and stigma and loss). Therapists will need to be mindful of developing a therapeutic alliance based on the clients beliefs, to be able to develop alternative explainations of symptoms, and reducing the impact of positive symptoms (Turkington, Kingdon, Weiden, 2006). Treatment for Substance Misuse: Given the significant risks substance misuse poses to increase the rate of violence among Schizophrenic individuals, the assessment and management of drug and alcohol misuse has become a major priority. A study examining an integrated intervention program that consisted of motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy resulted in significantly greater improvement in patents general function, reduction in positive symptoms, and increased the length of abstinence periods from substances in Schizophrenic individuals (Barrowclough et al., 2001). In addition, this effect was still significant at 12 months follow up. Recommendation in relation to Treatment Outcome A careful design of methodology is required to be able to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the treatment program. Participants: A control group is necessary to allow comparisons to be made. Participants should be randomly assigned into control or treatment group. Participants with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia should be compared to a control group also with diagnoses of Schizophrenia. Participants who are actively psychotic and deemed unsuitable for treatment should be excluded. Procedures: All therapists should receive the same training for the intervention program to ensure consistency across therapy sessions. Adequate supervision will need to be provided to determine the qualification of therapist to deliver the treatment. This should be determined based on structured ratings of therapists adherence and competence to the treatment program, using instruments such as an Adherence-Competence Scale (Najavits Liese, 1997). All sessions must run according to the procedures described in a manual that detail the tasks of each session. Measures: Assessments regarding level of violent behaviours needs to be conducted at pre-, during, post-treatment, and follow-up measures. The follow up measures will provide an indication of the duration of treatment effect and patient relapse outcomes. Researchers should be trained in administering all measures. If more than one researcher is responsible, actions should be taken to ensure consistency between them. The current program will involve the treatment of inmates who express violent behaviours. Adequate measures of violence will be needed to examine the efficacy of the treatment program. The rate of violence depends greatly on the levels of violence measured. Most decisions concerning the level of violence of an individual are based on clinical evaluation, patients self report, and structured assessment. Some widely used instrument to assess violent behaviours includes the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), Historical, Clinical, Risk-Management (HCR-20), and the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment. Since comorbid substance abuse issues is indicated to be a significant factor that elevates the rates of violence in Schizophrenia as well as other mental health disorders, the treatment program should target such issue and aim to reduce or eliminate use of substances among this population. The addiction Severity Index (ASI; McLellan, Kushner, et al., 1992) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM can be used to assess substance use outcomes at various point in time. Participants perception of treatment effectiveness should also be assessed. This should be measured at post-treatment, using questionnaires that adequately assess perception of treatment outcome. The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (Attkisson Zwick, 1982) and the End-of-Treatment Questionnaire (Najavits, 1994) can be used to measure participants opinions about treatment. The outcome analysis should include description of the sample characteristics. Depending on what the control groups of the study is, manipulation check should be used to examine whether participants in both the treatment and placebo groups perceived the content of their respective intervention differently.

The Road to Becoming a Teacher Essay -- Careers Jobs Teaching essays r

Teachers bear the heavy responsibility of molding the minds of our nation’s most precious resource, its children. The road to becoming a teacher is a long one, involving post-high school education, people skills, and a desire to change lives. These traits, when accompanied by experience and good techniques, form the foundation for an effective, life-altering educator.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before anything else, teachers must have a desire to impact the lives of their students (Education). Some teachers teach because they want to help children learn and grow and would like to make a contribution to society. Others have an intellectual fascination with a certain subject (such as math or history), have been inspired by one of their own teachers, or feel they have a sense of commitment to their country (Recruit). One thing is certain, teachers that go into the profession for selfish reasons will find it hard to commit to their career. The salary for a teacher is not likely to make a person rich, so their motives must be based on helping improve the minds of future generations (Kizlik).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If there is a desire to be a teacher, it must also be coupled with education, training, and preparation. To serve as a public school educator, one must have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree, completed an approved teacher education program, and be licensed (School Teachers). These qualifications are universal for all fifty States and the District of Columbia. Instructors may be licensed to teach the early childhood grades (usually nursery school through grade 3); the elementary grades (grades 1 through 6 or 8); the middle grades (grades 5 through 8); a secondary education subject area (usually grades 7 through 12); or a special subject, such as reading or music (usually grades K through 12) (School Teachers).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The requirements for licensing differ from state to state. However, it is a necessity to complete an approved teacher-training program with a prescribed number of subject and education credits as well as practiced teaching, supervised by an official. In addition, nearly all States demand applicants for teacher licensure to be tested for competency in basic skills such as reading, math, teaching, and subject matter proficiency (School Teachers). Most states use a standardized version of this test, known as the PRAXIS exam (Recruit).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is recommended that prospective te... ...ear alone, experts estimate there will be 150,000 to 250,000 openings in the nation’s elementary and secondary schools. It is also predicted that there will be a need for 2.2 million teachers over the next ten years (Recruit). The greatest need for teachers occurs in rural and urban areas. There is also a great shortage of teachers in specific subjects, such as math, science, bilingual education, and English as a second language (Recruit). Despite this need, teaching is still considered to be one of the most underpaid professions for college-graduates. The average salary for a teacher in the United States in 1998 was $39,347.00 per year. California, however, is the eighth-highest paid state for teachers, receiving an average of $44,585.00 per year (Salary). Though the pay is not high, the rewards of being an instructor are like no other. Teaching provides a person with the opportunity to give back to their community and to impact a significant number of lives. Teachers have a great responsibility laid at their feet. But, with a desire to change lives, a likeable temperament, and the proper education there is now doubt that one can find true success in the field of education.

Feminism In The Crime Film Genre Essay -- Women Females Movies Film Es

Feminism In The Crime Film Genre Throughout motion picture history, women have experienced more transition in their roles, as a result of changing societal norms, than any other class. At first, both society and the movie industry preached that women should be dependent on men and remain in the home, in order to guarantee stability in the community and the family. As time passed and attitudes changed, women were beginning to be depicted as strong willed, independent minded characters, who were eager to break away from convention. The genre of the crime film represents such a change in the roles handed to women. Two films that can be contrasted, in order to support this view, are: The Public Enemy by William Wellman (1931) and Bonnie &Clyde by Arthur Penn (1967).In The Public Enemy, women are portrayed as naive and/or objects of carnal pleasure by men. In this period, women were often categorized as mothers, mistresses, sisters, or ladies. Ma Powers (played by Beryl Mercer), the lead character Tom Powers’(played by James Cagney) mother, is easily fooled by Tom’s fake stories about where he get his money and doesn’t believe that her "baby boy" could be a vile gangster. At one point during prohibition, when Tom brings home a barrel of beer, she doesn’t even question where he obtained it, but rather takes a drink for herself. Ma Powers is the prototypical mother of the 1930’s. She is blind to the ways of the world and doesn’t see the danger of things, even in regard to her own children. She is a widow who does not work, but is supported by her sons. She is even blind to the fact that her sons hate one another. Even though, her Tom was sadistic killer and gangster, she always welcomes him back lovingly with open arms. At the end of the movie, she gets a phone call saying that Tom will be coming home from the hospital, where he had been treated for a gunshot. She rushes upstairs to make his bed and get his room ready, when the doorbell rings and the rival gang drops of Tom’s gun riddled body. The other women who appear in the movie are portrayed as fast women who are sexual object to be enjoyed by Tom, until he gets tired of them and then throws them away. In one famous movie seen, Tom doesn’t appreciate what his mistress moll Kitty (played by Mae Clarke) said to him, so he wickedly squeezes half of a grapefruit into her face. She is left there belit... ...onnie & Clyde first premiered on the big screen. The female roles in The Public Enemy were stereotypical of the roles handed to women in the 1930’s and also conveyed the zeitgeist of society. During the 1960’s, as indicated by Bonnie & Clyde, there was the emergence of the women’s role as a central character of the plot, one who was just as capable and omnipotent as the male lead character. She was a character that would not be controlled by society’s norms or be held captive to male authority. It is safe to say that Bonnie & Clyde, helped redefined the role for women in crime and action films. Many recent films, such as Basic Instinct (Paul Verhoeven 1992), Natural Born Killers (Oliver Stone 1993), and The Long Kiss Goodnight (Renny Harlin 1996), have emulated the strong, seductive leading role that Bonnie & Clyde helped define. It also helped further that idea that women can hold their own in the crime film genre, both in the box office and by public opinion, and through its innovation may have support ed the production of such preceding all-women crime films such as Thelma & Louise (Ridley Scott 1991), Set It Off (F. Gary Gray 1996) and Bound (The Wachowski Brothers 1996).

American Tragedy: Self-Destruction in a Self-Indulgent Society Essay ex

American Tragedy: Self-Destruction in a Self-Indulgent Society  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     "The boy moved restlessly from one foot to the other, keeping his eyes down . . . . [and he] appeared indeed to resent and even to suffer from the position in which he found himself" (p.9). Clyde Griffiths always wanted to be somebody---anyone but who he was. Growing up in a poor home of evangelizing, exhorting missionaries, he was not drawn to God but pushed away from Him and his family. Clyde was looking for a way to escape from his haunting reality to both a place and position in life that were more attractive. He was ashamed of his looks, his attire, his social position and his poor education. American Tragedy (1925) by Theodore Dreiser is the tragic story of a man whose fate is sealed and ambitions are shaped by society's values. Clyde, in trying to fit in with the norms of society, gets into more trouble than he could ever imagine. His trouble begins in Kansas City, where he works at a hotel and runs with some boys who are not all bad, yet are not good either. When these rowdy boys "borrow" a car and pick up their girls for some fun, they hit and kill a little girl. Rather than remain at the scene, they all run. When Clyde finds himself with nowhere to go, he roams until he runs into an old friend from Kansas City. He gets a job at another hotel where he meets his rich uncle. Uncle Samuel tells Clyde that he can come up and get a job in his factory. While working in that factory, he meets Roberta and falls very much in love. However, their love affair must be a secret because he is not, as a department head, supposed to date an employee. As time goes on their relationship becomes physical. In the midst of this physical relationship, Clyde accid... ...ams of getting on and up, was in danger of death. . ." (p.623)! His mother has always known that he is driven to become more like the Griffiths of Lycurgus, but still never imagined that he would become a murderer with this drive. Clyde's desire and ambitions to be something great with the help of society's twisted thinking is what brought about Clyde's demise. The selfish, self-centered thinking of this "high society," and their teaching Clyde these thoughts makes him feel like he has no choice if he wants to obtain his goals. Being corrupted by values which he accepts in order to be successful does nothing more than seal his fate and send him to the electric chair. An American Tragedy is Clyde's story about vice and greed, and the resulting catastrophe.    Bibliography Dreiser, Theodore, An American Tragedy, N.Y., The World Publishing Company, 1953. American Tragedy: Self-Destruction in a Self-Indulgent Society Essay ex American Tragedy: Self-Destruction in a Self-Indulgent Society  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     "The boy moved restlessly from one foot to the other, keeping his eyes down . . . . [and he] appeared indeed to resent and even to suffer from the position in which he found himself" (p.9). Clyde Griffiths always wanted to be somebody---anyone but who he was. Growing up in a poor home of evangelizing, exhorting missionaries, he was not drawn to God but pushed away from Him and his family. Clyde was looking for a way to escape from his haunting reality to both a place and position in life that were more attractive. He was ashamed of his looks, his attire, his social position and his poor education. American Tragedy (1925) by Theodore Dreiser is the tragic story of a man whose fate is sealed and ambitions are shaped by society's values. Clyde, in trying to fit in with the norms of society, gets into more trouble than he could ever imagine. His trouble begins in Kansas City, where he works at a hotel and runs with some boys who are not all bad, yet are not good either. When these rowdy boys "borrow" a car and pick up their girls for some fun, they hit and kill a little girl. Rather than remain at the scene, they all run. When Clyde finds himself with nowhere to go, he roams until he runs into an old friend from Kansas City. He gets a job at another hotel where he meets his rich uncle. Uncle Samuel tells Clyde that he can come up and get a job in his factory. While working in that factory, he meets Roberta and falls very much in love. However, their love affair must be a secret because he is not, as a department head, supposed to date an employee. As time goes on their relationship becomes physical. In the midst of this physical relationship, Clyde accid... ...ams of getting on and up, was in danger of death. . ." (p.623)! His mother has always known that he is driven to become more like the Griffiths of Lycurgus, but still never imagined that he would become a murderer with this drive. Clyde's desire and ambitions to be something great with the help of society's twisted thinking is what brought about Clyde's demise. The selfish, self-centered thinking of this "high society," and their teaching Clyde these thoughts makes him feel like he has no choice if he wants to obtain his goals. Being corrupted by values which he accepts in order to be successful does nothing more than seal his fate and send him to the electric chair. An American Tragedy is Clyde's story about vice and greed, and the resulting catastrophe.    Bibliography Dreiser, Theodore, An American Tragedy, N.Y., The World Publishing Company, 1953.

Should School Uniforms Be Compulsory?

It has long been a controversial topic. Should uniforms be compulsory? The answer is short, absolutely! The reasons which support this argument far outweigh any opposing points. For years, the question has ‘ping-ponged’ back and forth as to whether having uniforms is imperative. Why would anyone choose to spend time carefully selecting different clothes to wear each day, if the option is out there to know every morning what you need to wear simply by having a uniform? Most importantly, uniforms make a group equal.There is no discrimination against someone’s choice of clothing. Commonly, families with a thriving financial status have the ability to spend money on high-end clothing labels, whilst families with an average or poor financial status have no option but to purchase the cheaper alternative. Why should anyone be put in a position of feeling as though they are judged purely on the choice of their clothing? Uniforms keep those who wear them, feeling as though they are â€Å"the same† or similar.Uniforms have the ability to make a group a team. Particularly when attending out of school activities or events, peers feel as though they are a part of team by simply wearing the same thing. It identifies complete individuals and unites them as one in the same. Look at teams of all sorts of circumstances. Soccer teams, wear the same uniform for their training and their games. How else would we be able to identify that they belong to a team or club? The staff at Qantas Airlines all wear the same uniform during their time at work.It would be quite interesting if they all decided to wear their own clothes and we weren’t able to identify them from the passengers. Without even knowing someone, a uniform can quickly identify them to any team whether that is a sports team, a company or a school. When students put on a uniform, it instantly makes them look neat and tidy and when you see hundreds of peers all in the same uniform, all in on e school. It gives the impression that it is a nice, hardworking and a dedicated school.If a school uniform got damaged, you will have the relief of knowing that it’s only a uniform and will most likely get fixed in a hurry but if it was just ordinary casual clothes, you wouldn’t get it fixed anytime soon because you’ll know that there are more clothes waiting to be worn. Just say if there were to be an incident before or after school such like a fight and bystanders witnessed it. There would be less chance of the two offenders facing a punishment because no one can identify who they are and what school they come from. So in conclusion