The Graphic Adaptation of The Cask of Amontillado

Refugeeland recounts Sacco's experience in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, highlighting the difficult and unpleasant conditions that the Palestinian people were facing regarding the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the Gulf War in the early nineties.Joe Sacco's writing focuses upon the day to day experiences of a Palestinian from an outsider's perspective. His meticulous drawings and eyewitness reporting style combine to create a very compelling and complex visual. Edgar Allen Poe was an American author, living from January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849, Poe is best known for his thrilling and macabre short stories. His final short story, The Cask of Amontillado, is a gloomy tale of murderous revenge, set in the catacombs of Italy, and embedded with symbolism told from a first-person narrative.Poe is a master of allegorical writing, his eerie works compel the reader to explore hidden meanings and ideas concealed within his works. Fantographics Books should strongly consider combining he artistic and literary talents of both Joe Sacco and Edgar Allen Poe to create a graphic novel, the detail filled drawings and intellectually stimulating narrative are guaranteed to appeal to the sophisticated and cultured readership of Fantographics Books. Context: Graphic novels are very important to literature. They can illuminate and expose parts of a story to a reader that would otherwise be hidden within the text.Through the use of visual imagery, the reader can gain more information and decipher parts of the story from a graphic novel that would other wise be assumed or lost in the text alone, such as the author's intent. Graphic novels can also be read by a much larger audience than text stories, this is due to the fact that graphic novels do not solely rely on the text to tell the story. This would be most beneficial for publishing a story in an international market where the story would have to be translated to different languages. The reader can view the image s and interpret the overarching idea of the story without having to read the text.An example of this can be seen in Robert Crumb's visual interpretation of Franz Kafka's short story, A Hunger Artist. The text version of the story was originally written in German, the story was then translated to English and many other languages around the world. Because of the difference in translations, some of the original meaning behind the story may have been lost. The difference between the text and illustrated versions of the story are very noticeable. An example can be seen in the different descriptions of artist himself. In Kafka's version, the hunger artist is described as â€Å"†¦ pale figure with enormously protruding ribs†¦. nodding politely†¦. answering questions with a forced smile†¦ † (465). In the graphic version of the story, Crumbs depiction is very different from realistic. While it akes no textual description of the hunger artist, it illustrates him as a very disturbed and reclusive man sitting in the back ot an animal cage, ne is not nodding politely or smiling, and he also appears to be on the verge of death (927). The visual depiction from the graphic novel aids in transforming the readers understanding of the text, otherwise the reader may be lost in translation.Why â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and Joseph Sacco: The descriptive details of a captivating story should be at the forefront of importance when beginning to create a graphic novel. It will eventually become the oundation for the drawings. Without such detail, the graphic novel will be unappealing to most readers, and because of this, the sales of the novel will suffer. For the best possible outcome regarding readership and sales, Fantographics Books should publish an illustrated version of Edgar Allan Poe's short horror-story, The Cask of Amontillado.Poe's dark and eerie narrative depicts the death of a person by being buried alive from a murder's perspective. The story is overflowing with vivd imagery and detail. One such example from the story would be when the main character Montresor begins to lead Fortunato down the stairs into the catacombs of Montresor, â€Å"l took their sconces two flambeaux, and giving one to Fortunato, bowed him through several suites of rooms to the archway that lead into the vaults.I passed down a long and winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed. We came to the length to the foot of the descent, and stood together on the damp ground of the catacombs of Montresor† (724). It is clear to see how much detail is bound into one small paragraph, his choice in adjectives and his use of first-person pronouns such s â€Å"We† and â€Å"l† allow the reader to envision them selves in the story, which is an excellent starting point for developing a drawing.Poe establishes a very absorbing and thrilling tale through his use of such imagery, and this is precisely why Fantographi cs Books should strongly consider publishing an illustrated graphic version of The Cask of Amontillado. The artist who could best illustrate the graphic version of The Cask of Amontillado would be Joe Sacco. Joe Sacco has a background in journalistic reporting, a career that requires serious attention to detail to clearly and ccurately relay all of the facts in a news story.In his artistic renderings, Joe Sacco uses an exorbitant amount of detail, which would mesh well with the many details and symbolisms within Poe's writings. One such example would be from Joe Sacco's graphic novel Refugeeland. The illustration in particular is on the second page of the story. It is a two page spread that depicts an arial view of a city. The graphic weight of the image leads the viewer's eye around the drawing, the primary source being Sacco's use of crosshatching to fill the different spacial grounds.It is filled with all of he normal things one would see in a city, such as buildings, cars, and p eople, except every possible space in the spread is filled with the tiniest detail. There are no text boxes or areas for dialogue on this spread, allowing the viewer to contemplate all of the details in the scene. Sacco makes every part of the image important, he doesnt focus on a particular object or person, which allows for different symbols or elements to be incorporated into the drawing.Poe is an author who uses symbolism is all parts of his writings, including character names, settings, colors, and diction. All of these ymbols work together to create an intellectually stimulating story that causes the reader to pause and reconsider certain aspects hidden within the writing. The aura of mystery surrounding the setting of Edgar Allen Poe's writing combined with the first-person perspectives in the illustrations ot Joe Sacco would make this an exceptional pairing for Fantographics books to publish.Preview: In the middle of the story there is a scene where Montresor and Fortunato a re in the catacombs, it is filled with various complex details describing the ambience of the crypt while the men carry out their vain attempt at finding the Amontillado, â€Å"We assed through a range of low arches, descended, passed on, and descending again, arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused our flambeaux to glow than flame†¦ the walls had been lined with human remains†¦ † (725). In this scene, Joe Sacco will illustrate a two page splash capturing the entire crypt.In this splash, he will capture the intricate details of the catacombs by using hatching technique done with pen and ink. He will show the men descending past the different arches of the crypt from their perspective to make the reader feel like they are walking into the atacombs with the men too. When he illustrates this scene he will use a range of values to establish the fore, middle, and background, this will encapsulate a very important moment in the story that will lea d the reader's eye across the page and provide an opportunity to place symbols that Poe is known for into the drawing.His use of contrasting values in the scene will also convey the tone, which will be very grim and foreboding. Joe Sacco's elaborate adaptation will be ideal for Poe's mysterious short story. Challenges and Unknowns: Although it may be argued that Joe Sacco's background as a Journalist is not ppropriate for such a monstrous fictional tale like The Cask of Amontillado, especially considering all other artistic possibilities, Joe Sacco is the most qualified artist for the Job.Attention to detail is a major necessity for any artist who is thinking about taking on such a detail-rich story like The Cask of Amontillado, which is brimming with symbolism and subtle details. Joe Sacco's background as a Journalist is perfect for The Cask of Amontillado. In his career he focused upon depicting the perspective of the Palestinian people, his eyewitness style of writing is very fit ting for he firsthand narration that Montresor delivers to the readers, which is evidence of Sacco's ability to transform Poe's writing into a graphic novel.Honorable Mention: Another artistic and literary combination that Fantographics Books could have possibly considered would be the pairing of Art Spiegelman, author and illustrator of Prisoner on the Hell Planet, with A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Spiegelman's simplistic illustrations integrated with the magical realism of Marquez would have made for a very interesting combination. Visually, it ould be very stimulating.Spiegelman has a sort of crazed intensity to his drawings, I think it would have been fun to see the bizarre happenings of A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings portrayed in a woodblock printing style. Ultimately, I decided to work with Sacco and Poe because visually and allegorically there is so much more to work with. I enjoy the macabre and thrilling nature of Poe's writing more than magical realism that Marquez is known for. I also enjoy the realistic and complex style that Joe Sacco has as compared with Art Spiegelman, whose drawings are rather flat and disorganized.

Philosophy and Critical Thinking Skills

What Is Your Philosophy Georgette Duropan PHL/215 April 11,2012 Ryan Shriver What Is Your Philosophy? According to â€Å"Merriam Webster† (2012), Epistemology is the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge, especially with reference to its limits and validity. In my essay I will give you a description about the approaches to philosophical questions for each of the major philosophical areas of inquiry, and explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought.I will also give an explanation of why the selected philosophy best describes my identification of cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy. The Divisions of Philosophy falls into four areas, such as Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics (moral philosophy, social philosophy, political philosophy, and aesthetics), and Logic. Metaphysics has more to do with being or existence. Epistemology is the theory of knowledge and wants to know the truth. Ethics covers four differ ent areas. Moral philosophy is the study of moral judgments.Social philosophy is the study of society and its institutions. Political philosophy focuses on the state and seeks to determine, proper organization. Aesthetics, study of art, and of value judgment. Making a statement to me will get me to use my critical thinking skills. I for one do one believe everything I am told until sold proof, facts, or reasoning have been proven. This falls into the same perspective on how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought. How people choose to use their words when trying to explain something to me makes a big difference.Often times I can mistakenly misinterpret what the speaker is trying to say. In other words, something cannot be a true fact and a false fact in a sentence. I call this contradicting. However, two people coming from two different backgrounds or from two different cultures might say the same thing but mean the opposite. Using your critical thinking skills on how explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought needs to be dug into and come out with solid proof, facts, or reasoning behind the statement.The major philosophical area of inquiry that best describes me is Epistemology. As I have mentioned above I am the kind of person where I need to have solid proof, facts, or reasoning before I believe something someone is trying to tell me. Because Epistemology is the theory of knowledge questions related to Epistemology are What is truth? and Is it possible to know anything with absolute certainty? The more you know, the more you are able to learn and grow.Knowledge is power. Epistemology has to do a lot on how one thinks. When I think I like to go deep into though, therefore; I rely on my own experiences as a reference. If I had none the only way to find out the truth is to experience it for my self. Some cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy specifically Epistemology is the Japanese cultural. For the New Year’s Japanese believes that consuming noodles will give you a long live because the noodles are longs.Although this is not a proven factor I do see a lot of older Japanese people consuming noodles. These people look healthy and strong therefore I just believed that noodles does give you along life. Another cultural factor that influenced my choice is the Filipino culture. My husband is pure Filipino and is originally from the Philippines. His mother, my mother in law told me that saving the first washing of the rice and use that first washing of the rice water to water the orchids will help sustain the life of the orchid plant.Because I am the kind of person that needs to have things proven to me I asked my mother in law to water one orchid with regular water and another orchid with the first washing of the rice water. Both orchids were of the same family of orchid types. After two months the orchid that was watered with the first washing of the rice produce two times as much more flowers then the regular watered orchid and the flowers from the first washing of the rice lasted about two times longer.Some may think that this is coincidence, however; after continuously watering the orchids with the first washing of the rice water versus regular results have spoken for itself. In conclusion, I discussed the definition of Epistemology, the approaches to philosophical questions for each of the major philosophical areas of inquiry, and explanation of how philosophy and culture interact in the development of thought.And I also gave an explanation of why the selected philosophy best describes my identification of cultural factors that influenced my choice of philosophy. Wanting to have solid proof, facts, or reasoning behind a question that is given is not a bad thing. This just shows that you obtaining answering behind a question will give you more knowledge. Knowledge is power! References Merriam webster. (2012). Retrieved from http:/ /www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/epistemology

Character Analysis Abigail Kirk Beatie Bow

Abigail Kirk This character is Abigail Kirk, who is the protagonist of the story. For the first ten years her life, she was Lynette Kirk, â€Å"happy as a lark†, and â€Å"hot-headed rag of a child†. She â€Å"vibrated with devotion† for many things, and was wrapped around her father’s fingers until he left her and her mother, Kathy, for another woman. She then stopped answering to Lynette, or any of the nicknames that reminded her of the betrayal that she suffered. One day, just to spite her grandmother, who incidentally has a spooky habit of speaking to her perm, and whom she shares an unspoken agreement to hate each other, she decided she wanted to adopt a name that was associated with witches, thus Lynette became Abigail, â€Å" from now on I’m Abigail Kirk and as soon as I am old enough, I will change the Kirk too†. Abigail is a private child, a reserved girl, keeping everyone at arm’s length. She is considered an outsider, and she didn’t care for friends. She was hurt after her father’s betrayal, and started pushing everyone away for fear of being hurt again. â€Å"She carefully laid false trails into her secret heart†, â€Å"yet when she grows older, she longs for someone to laugh at the false trails with†. Even though she hates her father, she still loves him. She misunderstands her parents’ situation, being only fourteen, and holds a grudge against her mother for going back to her father and agreeing to move to Norway, â€Å"he whistles and she goes back like a well trained dog†. Abigail is close to Natalie as she reminds Abigail a little of what she used to be when she was younger. She is protective of Natalie, who adores Vincent without restraint, therefore allowing her to be hurt by him. Beatie and Abigail have a love-hate relationship due to Abigail blaming Beatie for bringing her to the 18th century Sydney, and Beatie’s refusal to help Abigail get home, and Abigail threatening to tell Granny that Beatie has the gift. Abigail dislikes her Grandmother, who wears glittery scarves and high heels, who picks on Abigail on every opportunity, and bullies Kathy. Apparently, Grandmother also used to pick on Weyland Kirk, Abigail’s father, and talks to her perm. Abigail is portrayed as a fourteen year old girl for most of the story, who keeps everyone away for fear of being hurt, and conceals her heart beneath a layer of impenetrable ice. She doesn’t understand the true meaning of love, and she has, according to her, â€Å"missed her mother’s winning quaintness, and her father’s ash blond distinction. † She despairs of her figure ever arriving, â€Å"she is as thin and flat as a board† with a narrow brown face, and coffee black eyes.

Module 3 - SLP Biotechnology and Reproductive Rights Essay

Module 3 - SLP Biotechnology and Reproductive Rights - Essay Example ncy on medical grounds when the pregnancy will certainly cause grave mental and physical health problems to the mother or when the child will suffer from similar consequences (Greenwood, 2001). The main ethical considerations taken into account by physicians before performing an abortion is the well-being of the mother as well as the child. If the continuation of the pregnancy possesses increased physical as well as mental risk to the mother which is also confirmed through concrete medical diagnosis physicians would consider abortion as a viable option (Hewson, 2001; Trupin, 2012). There are several maternal illnesses that when diagnosed during pregnancy can affect the health of the mother if the pregnancy is carried to term. Malignant diseases such as cancer could pose a significant health risk to both the mother and the developing fetus (Trupin, 2012). In the Abortion Act of many countries such conditions are deemed to be ethical for performing an abortion. Conditions such as untre ated eclampsia might give rise to significant health risks to both the mother and the child. In such cases a late abortion could be considered by the treating physicians. The environmental conditions of the women and her family will also be considered by physicians before making a decision. Apart from maternal factors congenital abnormalities of the child is also often considered for performing abortions. When such anomalies are detected during routine prenatal tests a decision on whether to perform an abortion could be made based on the religious and personal views of the parents (Hewson, 2001; Trupin, 2012). Studies estimate that about 3-5% of all newborns have some form of birth defects and most of which can be detected during prenatal testing. These include chromosomal or genetic disorders, developmental problems due to fetal or maternal infections, and drug effects that could be to the growth of the child (Trupin, 2012). More recently people from the medical and legal fraternit y

Cultural Background Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Background - Essay Example Furthermore the maintenance of a staple food, rice and beans with pork, reminds me of the local flavors and aromas native to my country. Btu I think what contributes the most to maintaining a connection to our cultural background seems to have already been established by previous generations of Puerto Ricans. Since Puerto Ricans have been arriving to this country since the 1800s, there has already been collective social action in advocating political and social rights and preserving the heritage. There are more stateside Puerto Ricans in the states; about four million since the beginning of the twenty-first century then there are in Puerto Rico since 2003. There are contributions in all fronts from the entertainment industry, the labor market, the political aspect, and integrating celebration of Puerto Rican culture whenever possible. Currently there are at least fifty Puerto Rican parades that can be participated in across the nation and the majority of Puerto Ricans live together i n small communities, the largest in New York City, keeping ties to the culture tight.

History of Political Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

History of Political Philosophy - Essay Example However, the true objective of conservatism is to establish dignity, which is a social and psychological stipulation of discrepancy. Thus, the deceptions of conservatism in the current era will no longer be adequate because conservatisms are sophisticated especially in the current cultural society. On should accept conservatism as a guide to public policies because it is one of the significant driving forces towards building the American society where freedom, prosperity and opportunity flourish. However, it is significant to strike a balance between protection of civil rights and fundamental rights. There is a dramatic increase of conservatism in the public organizations and policy research organizations since the midst of 1990. The changes can be explained through the expansion of conservatism movement in the nation, the fall of communism and increased political democracies across the globe. Understanding cultural misunderstanding is significant because culture plays significant roles towards social and economic development. Behr (23) argues that conservatism movement is instrumental towards reorganizing and establishment of democracy across the globe. It continues to flourish the former communist nations, and it has played significant roles in numerous entities as well as h elping organizations to increase visibility. Socialism is an economic system of ownership. The central meaning involves common ownership of economic resources across the globe. Although, common sharing of resources does not make sense, but some commodities tend to be personal consumption. Common ownership means everyone has a right to participate in decision on the way global resources will be utilized. In this case, nobody can take personal control of the common shared resources beyond their personal possessions. Therefore, democratic control plays a significant role in socialism. This is where the government has powers to

An assessment of the theoretical, methodological, and empirical Essay

An assessment of the theoretical, methodological, and empirical contribution of {your psychologist} to psychology and to society as a whole - Essay Example Carl Rogers is an American psychologist who became one of the founders of humanistic, client-centered (or later named person-centered), approach in practical and theoretical psychology. The scientist was born on January 8, 1902 in Oak Park, IL - a suburb of Chicago. He was the forth of the six children of a devout Christian housewife and a successful civil engineer. Carl was such a clever child that he already could read before going to the kindergarten. Since he learned to read in the early years he started his education from the second grade. At the age of 12 the family moved to a farm near Chicago where he had enough freedom to become a rather independent, isolated and self disciplined person. There a future therapist was brought up in a strict manner with a great number of chores, and according to the strict philosophy of his mother – a devout Christian. Such a life made Carl a somewhat isolated and independent introvert. Living on a farm leaved a mark on his first career choice. So he entered the University of Wisconsin Madison in order to major in agriculture. Later he switched to history, and finally religion to study for the ministry. During that time Rogers was among those selected 10 students who were to go to China for the World Christian Federation Conference for the term of six months. Being there he broadened his thinking so much that having returned home he started to doubt some basic religious views together with his own religious convictions. After graduation against his parents wishes Rogers got married with Helen Suiet. After the wedding a just married couple moved to New York City. There Carl attended the most liberal religious institution - the Union Theological Seminary. Though he was successful at this career, Carl once again decided to change the profession because the experiences he got while studying radically influenced and even changed his religious views.

The War on Poverty - Social Welfair Policy Assignment

The War on Poverty - Social Welfair Policy - Assignment Example Family size has reduced drastically hence reducing the mouths to feed and cloths which decreases the overall budget for the household encouraging more saving. Women have been able to break the stereotypes and started engaging in reproductive work bringing in additional income to the family. Majority of the people are completing their high school education which means they are getting better employment and remunerations to eliminate poverty. Income inequality has been on the increase with the rich becoming richer through investments while the poor continue to wallow in poverty as they lack even the money for basic amenities yet are still expected to pay their share of taxes. The number of male under employment has continued to decrease hence reducing family income and the family heading towards poverty. With the increase in single parenthood, many of these parents are unable to provide fully for their families leaving them to struggle to even complete school. Social security programs offered to the elderly are an opportunity to completely eliminate the elderly from the poverty statistics and an opportunity to assist them lead better lives. Public programs have started being funded by government and NGOs making them affordable to the local people who can now save the money they were spending on healthcare for example and also embrace the free education being offered. The government offers unemployment benefits and this amount has been increased which mean the unemployed can move from the category of living below poverty line and start sustaining themselves. The problem with the opportunities to reduce poverty mentioned above will lead to a reduction in the amount of people paying tax as well as the tax being collected which means the haves will have to up their tax contribution to sustain the nation. People are bound to take advantage of their handouts from government to be lazy and relax in the issue of job hunting hence

Do Talking Gorillas and Signing Chimpanzees and Bonobos Have Rights Research Paper

Do Talking Gorillas and Signing Chimpanzees and Bonobos Have Rights and What Distinguishes Them from Human Rights - Research Paper Example First of all, human beings must realize the fact that the members of ape family are able to make a number of signs to express their desires and emotions. This is similar to the words and signs used by human beings for communication purpose. Bekoff (2010), states that â€Å"Some of the reports by ape language researchers suggest that nonhuman great apes may be remarkably creative in producing new signing combinations† (p.307). The research works based upon the sign language used by apes prove that they are special among the animals because they make use of signs as the medium of communication and are able to improve the same. On the other side, the chimpanzees and bonobos are able to use some symbols for the purpose of communication. Burling (2007) states that, â€Å"Several captive chimpanzees have gestured spontaneously in iconic or indexical ways to show their human companions what they want† (p.79). The research work based on chimpanzees in captivity proves that they make use of their sign language to communicate with human beings. This is important because chimpanzees make use of their verbal or nonverbal mode of communication to interact with human beings. ... Smith (2002) opines about a bonobo (Kanzi) that â€Å"It would appear that Kanzi in some sense has the faculty of language and, as he can indulge in pretend play, he may also be endorsed with a ‘Theory of Mind’† (p.83). One can see that bonobos make use of sign language as the mode of communication and some bonobos possess comparatively high intelligence. So, these animals are with high intelligence and ability to communicate and they have the individual right to be treated like human beings. Besides, these animals make use of signs to generalize certain objects to a wider context. For instance, the word ‘dog’ is used to signify dogs, not a particular dog. From a different angle of view, this habit of generalization is similar to the children who are not aware of the importance of grammar in communication. But these animals are unable to speak because their vocal cords are not similar to that of human beings. In short, one can see that similarity in i ntelligence between these animals and human beings prove that these animals have certain rights. If human beings possess individual rights, the members of ape family deserve the same. The scenario of human rights is limited to the context of certain rights assigned to human beings. Within this context, the most important right is the right to live. One can see that most of the human rights activists fight to defend this right. At the same time, some members of ape family are special and these animals must have certain rights. For instance, the apes that can use signs and symbols to communicate with each other and with human beings must be considered as similar to human beings. The members of ape family must not be considered as mere animals because their intelligence level

Wall Mart's Strategic Planning Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wall Mart's Strategic Planning - Case Study Example Simultaneously Walton set up two other enterprises called Ben Franklin franchises and Wall - Mart Discount City. The former expanded into 15 more stores by 1962. In 1969 the company became Walt Mart Stores inc. with 15 Ben Franklin stores, 18 Wall Mart spread through out Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. To-day with combined revenue reaching to 44 billions and spread through out the 42 central and southern states the company has 1720 Wall-Marts, 208 Sam's Whole sale club, and 6 Wall Mart Supercentres in addition to two stores in joint ventures in Mexico. The company has a strategy of identifying areas with under population of 50,000 to open a store and gradually expanded by setting up distribution centres at some place closer to the store with a view to facilitate supply to all the other stores also within a day. The excellent success of the company is considered to be the result of 19 such distribution centres today. The other factor of the success of the company is treating the employees as associate partners having access to complete information about the costs, freight charges, and profit margin. The associates play a major role in the overall and individual success of stores and achieving the company's goals. It will be worthwhile to note here that each of the stores operates independently of the other. This kind of relationship in the organization components known as "pooled interdependence". If there is poor customer service at one store and how the customers view it will have ripple effect on the Wall-Mart as a whole. Basis of establishment of the Strategy: The management of the company prominently relies on the goals achieved. It is treated as a part of the planning process. The top management provides guidelines about the profits and growth. These become the basis of setting of goals. The individual stores provide their own inputs as they have their own annual goals to achieve. However, specific tactical goals are evolved at the division and the stores level. These are then forwarded to the top corporate level for further dissemination, evaluation and measurement for formulating a strategic over all policy. It will be interesting to note a typical target set for an annual goal: Opening 160 new stores; 45 new Sam's Whole sale clubs; 12 - 15 new Wall Mart Super centre; Increasing sales to more than 54 billions; Pursuing a "Buy American" plan to give preference to stocking merchandise manufactured in the United States. The individual stores have a target to achieve a sales increase of 10% over the previous period. Once the goals are established the process of action planning is commenced to provide an outline as to how the goals are to be achieved. It is done at every level. The associates also get a share of the profit above the goals set for every stores. Monitoring: Throughout the year goals achieved are monitored as laid out. But if the Wall Mart has not been satisfied of the result those stores are sold out. The Ben Franklin stores were closed in 1976 and Wall Mart stores were replaced with it. A chain of Helen's Arts and Crafts, the DOT discount drug chain met the same fate. Despite all the evaluation, assessment, dissemination of the in formations and monitoring quite a few of the ventures have failed. Financial aspect: Of interest

Gender Role and Sexuality Essay Example for Free

Gender Role and Sexuality Essay I can fortunately and happily say that I personally have not experienced unequal treatment in regards to my chosen career, educational path or previously held jobs. What I do still see currently being stereotyped are gender roles and the way they are allowed or not allowed to sexually express themselves in the public eye. From my experience it is more acceptable for men to compose music about sex, be in main stream media selling sex, have successful careers in sex, and everyday unequal expectations in dating, sex and relationships. Men have more sexual freedom in the world today. Men are encouraged and in most cases applauded on the discussion of how many partners they have had in the past and the specifics of each experience, yet woman are still expected to hide their sex from the world in fear of ridicule and isolation. In our society today woman who are overly sexual or dress in form fitting clothes or lack thereof are automatically stereotyped as the promiscuous type. Why the double standard? I don’t agree at all with displaying private sexual acts to the general public to gain fame and wealth and in by doing such corrupting children and destroying the beauty of sex but I don’t believe that we should have to hide that women are as much sexual beings equally as men. I feel religion and culture play major roles in the history of sexual repression of woman. Even dating back to the Puritan who believed that anything resulting in pleasure was a sin, women’s freedom to express their sexuality has been suppressed in fear of domination because we are just as powerful as men. Growing up in a strict catholic home I was always taught to act like a lady in public. Exactly what was meant by that I wasn’t fully sure but I knew its underlying symbolism was repressing my sexuality. I wasn’t allowed to wear spaghetti straps, mid drift shirts, shorts above my knees, or make up till I was 18 years old. Sex was not spoken of in my household at all, and if it happened to be seen in a movie or on television I was instructed to cover my eyes because sex was forbidden. Being a sexy woman was seen as vulgar. If I had male friends I could not talk on the phone with them or play outside of school with them without a parent or chaperone. On that contrary my younger brother was encouraged to dress well, wear cologne and have many female friends. It was a symbol of popularity. In my father’s Hispanic culture the young men were pampered and treated as kings with double standards. The women were there to serve them. We are not allowed to be sexy or let alone discuss sex in anyway shape or form. As an adult now I can understand why I completely rebelled against the stereotypes created by my religion and culture. It’s not fair to make women feel less than human than men. We are sexual creatures who share the same desires and needs. I now embrace my sexuality. I’m not afraid to be who I am, and say how I feel. Being a single mother in society today puts me in another stereotype as well. Having a child out of wedlock is still looked down upon, and more so with the mother. We are labeled as â€Å"promiscuous†, â€Å"unholy†, and â€Å"irresponsible†, but to me I loved a man for 8 years and wanted to create a life with him. Unfortunately the abuse I endured was too great to allow after the child was born, so I chose to leave. On the other hand the single father is praised and labeled as â€Å"hard working†, and â€Å"honorable†. In news and media woman are portrayed as sex objects in order to entice society. It draws women in because they either want to be like them or look like them and it draws men in because they love the visual stimulation. Sexuality is used as a shock value for ratings. Are sexy woman who love their bodies and the way it makes them feel really that shocking? Instead of conditioning our young woman to hide their sexuality we should be teaching them healthy ways to explore and express their human desires of sexuality in a safe, healthy way.

Nursing. Nurse know thyself Essay Example for Free

Nursing. Nurse know thyself Essay Nursing is a rewarding, exciting and sometimes challenging career. Nursing is not limited to simply changing bandages, giving shots and offering of support. In fact, the role of a nurse is ‘protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering thought the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in care of individuals, families, communities, and populations’ (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2010, p. 1). Sometimes, having a passion to serve others just isn’t enough to make it in nursing. In order to be an effective caregiver to a patient, the nurse must treat the patient as a whole. This means building trust between the patient and the nurse, therefore, promoting healing and a sense of peace. A nurse does this by following a code of ethics. Ethics gives the nurse a framework for making ‘logical and consistent decisions’ (Burhardt Nathaniel, 2008, p. 29). Although, ethics offers a guideline, it does not tell us what we should do; nurses must decide that on an individual basis. Ethics is having the ability to make wrong or right decisions based on our own morals. Morals and values are fundamental beliefs that are acquired from childhood throughout adulthood. Everyone is shaped according to their own spiritual, cultural and individual values that were instilled at a young age. These values and morals are the things that help nurses make ethical decisions, therefore it is critical that we evaluate our own values and morals. Because we, as nurses, are asked to question our own values and morals it is important to examine where we stand in our own spirituality. Thus, it is important to know thyself. Socrates believed that if you do not know yourself, or seek to know yourself, then you know nothing. Knowing where you stand on a lot of ‘hot topics’ makes it easier to stand behind your patient on their decision and therefore, you are able to be supportive of these decisions. Ethics is an area that challenges me on a daily basis. There is two important theories that are important to nursing: utilitarianism and deontology. Utilitarianism ‘is the moral theory that holds that an action is judged as good or bad in relation to the consequence, outcome, or end result that is derived from’ (Burhardt   Nathaniel, 2008, p. 33). Utilitarianism uses the thought of the greatest good for the largest number of people. Utilitarianism is a helpful theory in situations when you feel the rights of the patient are being ignored. Whereas, the deontological theory states ‘no action can be judged as right which cannot reasonably become a strict law’ (Burhardt Nathaniel, 2008, p. 39). Although these processes have both advantages and disadvantages, I would tend to use a more situational approach. I believe that having a situational approach favors autonomy of the patient. Using this approach, I feel that I can help the patient make an informed individual decision regarding their healthcare, whether it be based on religious beliefs, personal reasons or simply that it is in their best interest. Working in an area of maternal/fetal cardiology, it can be difficult at times to separate my own believes to that of which is the best outcome for both mother and baby. It seems that almost on a weekly basis the cardiologist is handing down a diagnosis that leaves the family to ponder the decision of ‘do we have what it takes to handle a very sick, complicated child?’ Sometimes these parents are faced with the reality of do they continue along the path of pregnancy or do they stop where they are, and try again in the future. It is a reality that unfortunately many families are left with, as sometimes the babies are given a very grave outcome. It is a very true fact in my own heart that God only deals you the deck that you are able to handle, but when faced with the financial uncertainty, and the uncertainty of the child’s future, sometimes very difficult decisions need to be made. As their nurse it is my responsibility to back the physician with aiding the family in seeing all their options regardless if they fit into my own values. Being able to step back and provide unbiased care to my families is a small part of what my nursing is all about. Being able to do so helps to build a strong relationship between myself and my patients. Along with following an ethical framework in nursing, one must follow a scope of practice. Such guidelines shape the responsibility of the professional nursing organization and serve to protect the public. The American Nurses Association (ANA) helps to paint the picture of how the nurse should practice, whereas the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) sets the limits of practice that the nurse must work within, serving to protect not only the public but the nurse herself. As a nurse, I strive to be both clinically competent in my delivery of care,  being aware of the constant challenges and educationally competent. I try to set aside time to attend a weekly grand rounds meeting, where additional education is provided. This allows me to stay current and up to date on effective treatment options, new medications, research findings and team collaboration for optimal patient outcomes. In addition, completing required competencies, I am a member of the Society of Pediatric Cardiovascular Nurses (SPCN) which also strengthens my knowledge and skill in providing the best evidence based practice to my patients and their families. Attending meetings and conferences also helps to build my level of education and knowledge base. Education is critical in the nursing profession, being a lifelong learner is important to keep up with the ebb and flow of nursing practice. ‘Lifelong learning is an essential ingredient for ensuring high quality of patient care’ (Gopee, 2002, p. 608). If you were to trace nursing back to the original roots we continue to provide the most basic of needs to our patients; this is knowing that someone cares for them (Vance). I feel that I provide a level of compassionate care to my patients and their families. I understand that their needs will change depending on their health as well as their environment. My greatest joy comes from helping the patients effectively respond to their health care needs regardless of which stage of life they may most currently be in. In my opinion, the main focus of nursing, comes down to respecting, guiding, providing information, to clients who is the past had the perception of nurses as simply being the people who provided medications, and treatments. The future is bright in the nursing field as we stride for a respectful place as a profession in the health care system. References American Nurses Association. (2010). Scope of Nursing Practice. In Nursing (2nd ed., pp. 1-30). Silver Spring, Maryland: Nursebooks. Burhardt, M. A., Nathaniel, A. K. (2008). Ethics issues (3rd ed.). Canada: Delmar learning. Gopee, N. (2002, December). Human and social capital as facilitators of lifelong learning in nursing. Nurse Education Today, 22, 608-616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0260-6917(02)00139-9 Vance, T. Caring and the Professional Practice of Nursing. Journal of Nursing. Retrieved from http://rnjournal.com/journal-of-nursing/caring-and-the-professional-practice-of-nursing

Heritage Conservation: Collective Memory And Urban Developmen

Heritage Conservation: Collective Memory And Urban Developmen Recently, a well-know movie Echoes of the Rainbow has once again arouse the publics awareness of heritage conservation. The government planned to redevelop Wing Lee Street as a dwelling house in order to advance the urban development. However, after Echoes of the Rainbow was filmed at that street and won the award at the Berlin Film Festival 2010, that plan was discarded. (Apple Daily) This time, the government held the totally different view point than before. Three years ago, in spite of the intense protest, the government still destroyed Star Ferry Pier, Queens Pier and Wedding Card Street for achieving more new developing areas. From my point of view, I strongly think that if the heritages can be well conserved, it can also boost Hong Kong economy. Balancing both our collective memory and urban development are the job of the government and the real purpose of heritage conservation. Preserving the heritage is very important as it has lots of advantages. Firstly, local heritage possesses symbolic meaning to the unity of a society. Undoubtedly, historical heritage is memorable to the local people in a city. (TV programmeHong Kong Story of RTHK). As urban theorist Aldo Kossi says, the city is the collective memory of the people and memory is the basis of self identity (Betty S F Ho, 2000). Local sentiments for the home city bring up self identity and the unity of a society. Destroying historical heritage could mean pulling down unity within a city since the sense of belonging is deteriorated. Keeping the historical heritage can also maintain cultural diversity for the future generations. As suggested by the Conservancy Association, heritage conservation is also a matter of sustainable development and cross-generational equity. We do not have the right to deplete our natural or cultural resource, especially if they are non-renewable, to the detriment of our future generations (The Conservancy Association, 2003). Our education system mainly focuses on logical training but this is not enough. Creativity is important for sustainable development. However, the development of creativity is not just about reading different books, but also to experience in person. We cannot count on imagination only. By keeping the historical heritage, the new generation learns that a society can accommodate different culture and also the development from the old Hong Kong to the new one. In an ecological point of view, heritage conservation is an environmental friendly act. Pulling down old buildings for renewal produces tons of waste. As pollution problem in Hong Kong is getting more and more serious in recent years, we should learn to conserve our resources when they are still useful. Renewal of the old buildings would be better for the earth and cost-efficient than pulling down them. The advantage of urban renewal On the other hand, urban renewal and buildings brings advantages. It definitely provides more land use, and there would be less need for landfill areas, which might further narrow our Victoria Harbour. As a crowded city, a more spacious living environment would improve the living quality of Hong Kong residents. People will be more happy and healthy when their living space expands. Renewal of old areas provides better living conditions for residents. According to the Development Bureau, Planning and Lands Branch of the HKSAR Government, at present there are about 9,300 private buildings in the Metro Area (i.e. Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing) which are 30 years old and above. In ten years time, the number of buildings over 30 years old will increase by 50%. The problem of ageing buildings is most serious in older urban areas (Planning and Lands Branch Development Bureau, 2008). Old buildings do not only affect the outlook of a city, they can also be a threat to the residents safety. Occasional accidents caused by old buildings can be a proof of this. Apparently, there is an urgent need to work on this issue to avoid similar accidents. Urban renewal creates a new outlook for Hong Kong as a cosmopolitan city. Pollution problem in dilapidated urban areas in Hong Kong is rather serious, which is a big contrast comparing with the developed urban areas. To build up and sustain the Asias world city image, urban renewal sounds to be a necessary action to be taken. The ways to balance heritage conservation and urban development Heritage preservation and urban development may go hand in hand. The best thing is we can be able to strike a balance between heritage conservation and urban renewal and buildings. For example, more frequent and careful check and renovation can be a way to avoid accidents caused by urban decay. Or we can develop different areas according to their existing unique characteristics, instead of characterize different districts in one style. It is grateful to see the government has been putting more efforts in listening to the citizens voices when executing policies concerning urban renewal in recent years. But its a long way to go, more channels can be opened to collect and encourage more valuable opinions. I believe, with our care and attention, the old buildings can be attractions of the city, but no longer dilapidated areas and buildings. In recent years, the government has been proposing different development plans of the city and many of them involve the areas, where some historical buildings or backstreets are situated, therefore the demolition of the buildings or backstreets become necessary for the plans. For instance, according to the Conservancy Association, the Woodside in Quarry Bay was planned to be pulled down in 2005 for the development of high rise residential uses. Luckily, due to the request of the Conservancy Association and the support of the community, the Woodside was preserved in the end (Conservancy). Another example is the demolition of the Queen Pier. Due to the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation Project of the government in the 1990s, the Queen Pier was planned to be pulled down in 2006. The aim of the project is to extend the waterfront from Sheung Wan to Causeway Bay, so as to improve the traffic in these districts. But it arouses lots of public concern and objection when it came to the step th at the 50-year-old Queen Pier had to be pulled down. As Hongkongers can see that, the government is having different kinds of redevelopment plans in the city so as to boost the economy and competitiveness of Hong Kong. But once these plans are announced or progressed, objection and negative comments come quicker than the ultimate result as all these plans have one common requirement the scarification of the heritage sites. It seems that this is a big problem that all these plans bring along. It is time for the Government and citizens to think about whether economic development and preservation of heritage sites are mutually opposed, or can be mutually beneficial. Economic development and preservation of heritage sites can be mutually beneficial, because historical buildings and backstreets can help boost our tourism industry. As they are all of high historical value and characteristic of our culture, they can, in fact, attract a lot of foreign visitors. The foreigners would love to understand Hong Kong culture and history more through looking at these buildings and backstreets. Some of these buildings and backstreets may even show some of the unique Chinese traditional practices and customs, such as the Wedding Card Street that do business by helping people to design traditional but special wedding cards (Tourism Board). If these heritage sites are successfully restored and much better preserved, they could be converted into more popular and attractive tourists spots, such as the Wedding Card Street, Queens Pier, Ladies Street, etc. In this way, it is an important economic pulse and we would all benefit from it. On the other hand, if the hist orical buildings and backstreets are demolished, the foreigners would then lose the opportunity to understand the culture of Hong Kong and thus they may lose their interest in visiting Hong Kong. Hence, it harms the tourism industry and the economy of Hong Kong as well. A good example about a better policy in preserving the heritage sites so as to make them become famed and attractive tourist spots is Macau, as more than 30% of its economic income comes from the hotel and catering industry (Macao). On the other hand, only around 20% of Hong Kong economic income comes from the hotel and catering industry (Census statistics). According to the Conversancy Association in Hong Kong, the Macau Government has been giving much attention to heritage sites conservation since the 1970s (Conservancy). The authority looking after conservation policy and implementation is the Cultural Institute (Conservancy). In the policy, not only the individual heritage site is preserved, but also the whole district around a central square, or along a street, and all these historical interests are then linked up with pedestrian walkways (Conservancy). In that way, tourists and visitors can check out all those historical buildings or backstreets one by one according to their ow n interest and thus understand more about Macaus background. While Macau and Hong Kong both rely much on their tourism industry, Macau has already proved that preserving its own heritage sites does benefit to the tourism industry and thus help boost the economy. Therefore, Hong Kong Government should really start learning from Macau. While preserving the heritage sites can preserve the history and culture, help boost the tourism industry and thus improve the economy, the demolition of them, on the other hand, brings objection from Hongkongers and some related problems. Hongkongers object to the idea of demolishing the historical buildings and replacing with new developments. They also object to the Governments view, that the heritage sites are of no importance, and that the value of each heritage site can be ignored. The reason why Hongkongers object to the demolition of the historical buildings and interesting backstreets is that the heritage sites are of high historical, cultural and architectural value and importance (Conservancy). They witness the changes of Hong Kong (AMO) and are displaying the history, people behaviour and culture in the past. They represent a bridge between the present and the past of the city. Government House in Central is one of the examples, which is representative in witnessing the p olitical change in Hong Kong. The heritage sites are irreplaceable landmarks that symbolize the image and culture of a city. In other words, they are representing Hong Kong and helping us to build up Hong Kongs image! Apart from the historical and cultural value (Conservancy), these historical buildings and backstreets also help enhance the sense of belongings of Hongkongers. You may be surprised to know that there are lots of historical legacies in Hong Kong and they can be found in nearly every district. For instance, Wong Tai Sin Temple in Kwun Tong district, clock tower in Tsim Sha Tsui, Old District in Tai Po, etc (Tourism Board). Therefore, people living in different districts, are having some special collective memories with different of these heritage sites, which means they share a collection of memories with a common culture about the heritage sites and they would then be able to remember the events related to those heritage sites in the future (Answers). Thus, the historical buildings and backstreets in turn provide people with unique social roots. These built heritage sites also help cultivate peoples culture identities and even record some significant historical events. That is why pe ople would have a strong sense of belongings due to their collective memories with these heritage sites and they also pick up their identities through these memories. By preserving what remains, it can also serve education purposes by giving our next generation chances to experience and explore. Of course, some people, especially the businessmen, entrepreneurs and industrialists, would support the development plans proposed by the Government and think that it is worth to demolish the heritage sites when necessary. The first argument that they would raise is, of course, preservation of heritage sites would hinder the economic development in the city. As a world-class city, Hong Kong should and had better have sustainable economic developments so as to maintain its competitiveness among different renowned trading cities. Yet, as Hong Kong is such a small city with a peculiar and rugged landscape, there are limited places or areas for further economic development. Also, due to the high density of population of Hong Kong, there is a need or demand for more lands. Therefore, these reasons prompt the exploration of lands and development of more high-rise buildings (Conservancy). For certain, historical buildings occupying some potential sites, which are planned to be developed, be come barriers. A recent good and controversial example should be the Fa Yuen Street (South), which is commonly called the Sport Shoe Street. It is located on a potential site in Mongkok which has already been planned for the development of a brand new Sports City. However, once the plan was announced, the shop owners and citizens living around immediately showed their unwillingness to be removed. They objected to the plan due to their collective memories related to the street. For this reason, the project is now hindered and couldnt be progressed smoothly. In fact, the project can be cancelled, because it is not necessary to have this redevelopment plan if the Government wants to boost the economy. Better preservation of the Fa Yuen Street and making it become a more popular tourist spot can also help boost the economy by improving the tourism industry, so do the other heritage sites. In addition to the collision with the economic development, the Hong Kong Government would also argue, that the conservation of these cultural and historical heritage sites makes the burden of the Government even much heavier. As citizens all know, preservation of heritage sites is not an easy or cheap task, it requires loads of money and resources. As there is not adequate outside funding for preservation of the historical buildings and backstreets, the government is in fact paying most of the cost in the conservation process of the historical buildings, including the maintenance fee, repairing fee, restoration cost and management cost. This is, in fact, as well, hindering the development of other aspects in the society, like education or environment protection. While we are talking about spending more on better preservation of those precious heritage sites, there are, as well, inadequate resources available for the development for a better education system, or for better environmen t protection in Hong Kong so as to fight against the global warming. The Hong Kong Government should, therefore, think carefully about what their final choice should be. Yes, it is true that preservation of heritage sites requires loads of money and resources. But if the heritage sites can be converted into popular tourist spots, they can help boost the tourism industry and thus the economy. Then they are no longer the burden of the Government, since the economic income they bring would far outweigh the preservation fee they require. In addition to the businessmen, entrepreneurs and industrialists, some Hongkongers are also opposed to the preservation of the heritages and backstreet. The reason behind is that the living condition of them may be adversely affected due to the heritage sites. In Hong Kong, the land use in the historical areas like Sheung Wan, Sham Shui Po and Yau Ma Tei were not well-planned many years ago. Lots of mixed commercial and residential areas can be found in these urban areas. Problems like over-crowding, serious noise and air pollution are commonly found in these districts and are getting worse gradually. In that way, preservation of the historical buildings in these districts does not favour the efficient urban planning of alleviating the poor living condition. On the other hand, demolition of buildings and redevelopment of these areas seem more important and necessary since more open and green areas, and a better plan of land use are needed. Thus, residents in these districts would sup port the Government proposal of demolishing the heritage sites and redeveloping the area as they would like to have a new and better living environment. While it is necessary to solve the living problems in the urban areas, it does not mean that demolishing the heritage sites for redevelopment is the only solution. Reallocation of the population in the urban districts is a more effective and a win-win solution to the problem, as it can not only solve the problem but also let the heritage sites escape from the fate of demolition. All in all, whether to preserve the heritage sites in Hong Kong depends major on its influence on the Hong Kong economy. And from the arguments mentioned above, you can see that preservation of the precious and memorable heritage sites would not hinder the economic growth in Hong Kong, but in fact help boost the economy by boosting the tourism industry. Moreover, it can help conserve the history and culture of Hong Kongs past. Therefore, the historical buildings and backstreets are really worth preserving and should be better protected. However, in Hong Kong, there is only 85 historical buildings are well preserved now (AMO), when comparing with about 600 in total. It seems that the organizations responsible for this, which include the Antiquities and Monuments Organization (AMO) and the Home Affairs Bureau, are not doing enough. Other countries and cities in the world, such as Macau, have already established their own system in preserving heritage sites and maintaining a balance bet ween the preservation work and the economy. Hong Kong, as an international renowned and world-class city, should catch up with them and start setting up its own system about conserving the heritage sites so as to meet the international standard. Economic development is not the only factor that determines Hong Kong future and status, preservation of historical and cultural heritage sites also counts. They can even be mutually beneficial. Hongkongers should try their very best to maintain a balance between these two key factors. It is hoped that Hong Kong Government would soon realize this and do more on preserving the important parts of Hong Kongs past before it is too late!

The Romantic Sonnet :: Sonnet essays

The Romantic Sonnet The Romantic sonnet holds in its topics the ideals of the time period, concentrating on emotion, nature, and the expression of "nothing." The Romantic era was one that focused on the commonality of humankind and, while using emotion and nature, the poets and their works shed light on people's universal natures. In Charlotte Smith's "Sonnet XII - Written on the Sea Shore," the speaker of the poem embodies two important aspects of Romantic work in relating his or her personal feelings and emotions and also in having a focused and detailed natural setting. The speaker takes his or her "solitary seat" near the shore of a stormy sea and reflects upon life and the "wild gloomy scene" that suits the "mournful temper" of his or her soul (ll.4, 7,8). While much Romantic writing dealt with love and the struggles endured due to love, there was also emphasis placed on isolation, as seen in the emotions of Smith's speaker and also in the setting on the work. Nature, in many Romantic sonnets, is in direct parallel with the emotions being conveyed. Smith, for example, uses the water to aid the reader's comprehension of the speaker's state of mind. Included in this traditional natural setting is the use of the sea as stormy, deep, extensive, and dark which ties the speaker in with the setting as the scene applies to the tone of the poem as well. Also characteristic of the Romantic sonnet is the retreat from the neo-classical age and its significant historical references into a new age where it becomes common to speak of "nothing." In William Wordsworth's "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge," there is no deeper meaning to be grasped other than the beauty of the day's dawning. The speaker's view of the morning and its "majesty" and the "calm" that comes over the speaker are central ideas in the poem (ll. 3, 11). In this sonnet, it is again apparent how influential and prevalent nature is. The reflection upon simplicity runs through many works and is seen quite evidently in William Blake's Songs of Innocence. In these poems, there is much mention of children, whose lives, ideally, should be the most simple. Also included in this simplicity are the innocence of the children and the simplicity of the tone, metaphors, and images in the works. In Blake's "The School Boy," the character of the poem is a young boy whose joy in life should be rising on a summer morning when the birds are singing and when he, in his happiness, can sing with them.

A Motherly Role-the Joy Luck C :: essays research papers

A Motherly Role   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A reoccurring theme in Amy Tan’s novels is mother-daughter relationships. In each of her three novels she represents different roles of the mother and the effects of each; The Joy Luck Club depicts mothers living through daughters, The Kitchen God’s Wife portrays mother teaching daughter through past experience, and finally The Hundred Secret Senses displays non-existence of the mother in the relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This excerpt from The Joy Luck Club shows what kinds of things, from real accomplishments to the uncontrollable features of nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Auntie Lin and my mother were both best friends and arch-enemies who spent a lifetime   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  comparing their children. I was one month older than Waverly Jong, Auntie Lin’s prized   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  daughter. From the time we were babies, our mothers compared the creases in our belly   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  buttons, how shapely our earlobes were, how fast we healed after we scraped our knees,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  how thick and dark our hair was, how many shoes we wore out in one year, and later,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  how smart Waverly was at playing chess, how many trophies she had won last month,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  how many cites she had visited† (27).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jing-Mei, the piano player in The Joy Luck Club, felt the most pressure from her mother, because her mother had to follow behind the word of the prodigy in town. ‘â€Å"Of course you can be a prodigy, too ’† Jing-Mei’s mother, Suyuan, tells her after receiving the news of Waverly, the chess prodigy (141). The expectations for Jing-Mei have heighten now that her mother’s friend’s daughter has been held in such a spotlight, as to be called a prodigy. Suyuan takes it upon herself to make her daughter rise above the accomplishments of her peers, and prove to the mothers their family is high in the running competition, whether Jing-Mei approves or disapproves. Suyuan decides that with piano lessons she and her daughter will rise above Lindo and Waverly. Jing-Mei only sees tedious lessons and hours of practice, but her mother envisions proudly sharing success stories between friends, comparing and convincing other mothers that he r daughter, Jing-Mei, was indeed the best.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every detail and aspect of their lives were picked out an compared and for the one daughter that lost these comparisons, a lowered self-image was the result. Jing-Mei never believed in herself, because she felt, since her childhood, she had failed her mother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"In the years that followed, I failed her so many times, each time asserting my own will,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  my right to fall short of expectations.

European Society During The Time of The Communist Manifesto :: History Historical Essays Communism

European Society During The Time of The Communist Manifesto At the time the Communist Manifesto was written, European life had become far more urbanized than the previous years. During this period, society in Europe was undergoing great change. This great change arose from many influential factors. Among these factors, modern education, social structure of the bourgeoisie and laborers, and Marxism had immense effects on the everyday life of European citizens. During the 1800’s, an integral step towards building a more modern society in Europe was the change in education. Formal learning and obligatory attendance began to take place in schools. The demand for children to attend school kept them out of the work place that they had inhabited for so many years. Another important aspect of schooling was the enforcement of teaching both sexes. The education of boys had been increasing for years, but at this point girls now had the opportunity to learn. As this change in education became more popular, literacy increased among young students. The ability to read and write became commonplace. The change in the way education was formatted increased the number of students willing to learn. The increase in the number of students caused even more change in the structure of education in Europe. Older schools were forced to offer new curriculum to keep up with the times. New schools had to keep bringing in new classes for students to choose from. It became hard for old universities to adapt to this societal change. As the schools began to change, they eventually became more expensive and necessary. Those who attended or worked for a university became more respected and honored in society. Professors were among those of the elite class and were thought of as extremely well educated. Their place in society was far ahead of that of pre-university teachers. They had a high salary, educational assistants, and good vacation time. Before this change in education, some teachers were not much farther ahead of their students and did not have the allowances of the professors in the late 19th century. The educational system change in Europe in the 19th century greatly improved the life of children. There were more agencies to help families and widows with children. The middle class became more considerate of their children and these children began to populate a large portion of the world.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 11

The following morning, I clutched the soft linen sheets up to my neck, as I had when I was a child. With my eyes squeezed shut, I could almost pretend I was home again. That Damon and I were still human and having our usual brotherly quarrels. That our father was somewhere on the plantation, working. That Katherine was alive. No – wait. That we had never met Katherine. Or†¦ maybe I was in bed at Lexi's house, unsure about my new life, but accepted in this new home of fellow vampires. I slowly came fully awake, and my fantasies crumbled against reality. I was in the Sutherlands' house, still a captive of their generosity and my brother's threats, an uneager groom being run quickly into an unwanted wedding. The Sutherlands weren't terribly formal but nevertheless expected everyone to show up at breakfast. My dressing went perhaps slower than it might have normally, as I adjusted my sock garters until they were perfect, fiddled with my cuffs, and ran my hands through my hair. I didn't much like looking in mirrors in those days. I hated who I saw there. By the time I finally made it downstairs to breakfast, the entire family was well into their meal. Mrs. Sutherland greeted me with a warm maternal smile that tore at my insides. Though I felt genuinely fond toward her, she was compelled to accept me. â€Å"Good morning,† I mumbled, slinking into my place. â€Å"Is there any coffee?† â€Å"You seem a bit down today, m'boy,† Winfield said, tucking his watch into his breast pocket. â€Å"And a bit thin, may I add. You definitely need fattening up before the wedding – I think I'll take you to the club today. They do a wonderful lamb and pudding.† Lydia gave me an apologetic smile. With a shock I realized that a pretty rose-pink scarf encircled her neck, neatly covering the usual spot for a vampire bite. Damon had fed on her. I turned my head from the coffee that had been placed before me, my stomach churning. Unconsciously, I touched my neck where Katherine used to bite me, remembering the pain and pleasure all wound up together so sickly. Was it a message to me? To remind me of what would happen if I failed to marry Bridget? â€Å"Stefan! Don't go to the club until later! We have a full day today,† Bridget warned. â€Å"We absolutely must, must, must go visit Bram's family. They just love Damon – Brammy's been taking him to all of the latest places, like that bar that serves real English-style Pimm's Cups! I'll have to wear my new blue muslin. To their house, not to the bar, naturally. It isn't a suitable place for ladies. Fanny wanted blue muslin for her trousseau, but her engagement didn't work out, poor thing†¦.† The door to the kitchen opened, and Damon stepped through. â€Å"Good morning, all,† he crowed, bright-eyed and chipper. He looked rested and sated as he gave Lydia a flirty bow and me a nasty wink. My shoulders clenched. â€Å"What are you doing here, Damon?† I asked in as innocent a tone as I could muster. â€Å"You didn't hear?† He sat down at the table and unfolded his napkin with a flourish. â€Å"Winfield begged me to move in.† â€Å"Oh.† I pushed my chair back from the table, plastering a wobbly smile on my face to mask my anger. â€Å"Er, Damon, would you mind joining me in the foyer for a moment?† Damon grinned at me. â€Å"But I just sat down and I'm ever so hungry.† â€Å"It will take but a minute,† I said through clenched teeth. Lydia looked at me curiously, but after a beat, Damon scraped his chair back and followed me to the foyer. â€Å"Milady, I'll return shortly.† The second we were out of earshot, I turned to my brother. â€Å"You are unbelievable. You're moving in now?† â€Å"Why thank you,† Damon said with a facetious bow. â€Å"And yes. Were you not listening last night when I talked about all the amazing†¦ amenities the Sutherland abode has to offer?† The room began to spin around me as rage overtook me. My patience with Damon's game was over. â€Å"Why bother with all of†¦ this?† I demanded. â€Å"These shenanigans? If you're so powerful, why not just go into a bank and make them give you all of the gold in their vaults?† â€Å"I suppose I could, but where's the fun in that?† â€Å"The fun?† I echoed in disbelief. â€Å"You're doing this for fun?† Damon's eyes hardened. â€Å"Tracks, brother. You're not thinking ahead.† He frowned and brushed some imaginary lint off my jacket. â€Å"Yes, I could just steal the money and leave town. But we're going to be around forever. Or at least I am. And compulsion doesn't always take. In case you didn't notice, Margaret remains quite stubborn, and having her or Winfield, should he ever shake my Power, go around waving my picture and calling me a thief†¦ well, I can't have that. It's much easier – and more fun – just to inherit it.† I gazed at the door that separated us from the happily dining Sutherlands. â€Å"Inherit it? As in, upon death?† â€Å"What? Why, brother, what exactly are you implying?† he asked, pretending to be hurt. â€Å"You keep your half of the bargain, and I don't go on a killing spree. Remember? I gave you my word.† â€Å"No, Damon,† I said. â€Å"You said if I didn't marry Bridget you would start killing everyone in that room. You specifically did not say anything about what would happen after we were married.† â€Å"Good point,† Damon said, nodding. â€Å"I'd like to kill a few people in their circle. Starting with that sycophant Bram. I think he has a thing for my Lydia, you know,† he added with mock anger. â€Å"Damon,† I growled. His eyes narrowed. â€Å"You take care of your wife. I'll take care of mine.† I looked at my brother sharply. â€Å"So then you do plan to kill Winfield after he signs over his fortune?† â€Å"For that, you will just have to stick around and see.† â€Å"I won't let you hurt any of them,† I promised through a clenched jaw. â€Å"You can't stop me. Whatever I choose to do,† Damon hissed back. We glared at each other. My hands curled into fists. He shifted his stance, ready for a fight. At that moment Mrs. Sutherland poked her head into the foyer. â€Å"Boys? Everything okay out here?† â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† Damon answered graciously. â€Å"We were just acquainting ourselves.† He pointed the door to the kitchen and gave a slight bow. â€Å"After you, Stefan.† Reluctantly, I passed back into the kitchen, Damon close on my heels. â€Å"So tomorrow we pick out our suits,† Damon said. He was acting as though we were continuing a mundane discussion from the foyer, rather than just having ended an argument over the fates of everyone in the room. â€Å"Stefan, we should match! Why, Bridget, weren't you just saying last night how someone, I forget who, matched her sister at another wedding? Silk or something?† He knew. He was my brother and he knew precisely how to torment me. Eternally. â€Å"Yes, of course, Damon,† Bridget said with a gratified smile, turning to me. â€Å"Stefan, you have to hear this. I thought about matching me and Lydia, but I'm not sure the effect would be as dramatic, what with Lydia's figure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I slowly sank down at the table, drowning in her words – and the knowledge that Damon was right. I had never been able to stop my brother, especially not when it mattered most.

Hate Crime Analysis

Hate Crime Analysis Terryann Lemonius AJS/542 January 21st 2013 When thinking about hate crime the first thing that would come to mind is crimes against an individual based on the color of their skin. Most often this will be between Blacks and Whites. However there are many other factors that can subject to being a victim of hate crime. This essay will aim to highlight some of these for a specific group citing specific examples of a hate crime, restorative justice models that can be applied to the group.It will also further go on to explain the benefits and challenges with the use of that particular restorative model, along with a contemporary research method that could be used to measure the victimization of this particular group. Finally an attempt will be made to link the victimization of this group with the criminological theories currently being studied. A group of people who often face hate crimes are Muslims. Although not as popular as some other forms of hate crime that frequ ent newspapers or news stations.It is also one that in some ways has become a taboo subject when it is brought up around some politicians, community leaders, and private citizens. One of the main factors that have put the Muslim community in the firing line for hate crime is the events of September 11 2001. The leaders and perpetrators behind the attacks were Muslims and as such the religion has taken a brunt of the fallout for the attacks. Statistic by the FBI in 2011 shows that 12. 5% of hate crime of a religious cont want aimed at Muslims (U. S. Department of Justice-Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2012).One example of such crime is that of Mark Stroman in 2001. Stroman on September 21st 2001 walks into a gas station and opened fire on individuals he believed were muslins and Arabs (Somanader, 2011). Stroman killed two people and seriously injured another. However, only two of Stromans victims were actually Muslims (Somanader, 2011). Stroman, after admitting his crime has since been sentenced to death by a Texas court. Another example of hate crimes against Muslims was the attack on Bashir Ahmad, who was the victim of a stabbing by an unknown assailant in November 2012.A devout Muslim, basher was attacked outside a Mosque in Queens, New York by the assailant. Bashir suffered multiple stab wounds in the attack as well as verbal abuse from the perpetrator (Chinese, 2012). Both these offense are just a few of the hate crimes against Muslims that actually get reported. There are many more examples such as these that go unreported and as such do not reflect in any statistics that exist on hate crimes against Muslims. One common thing between the two attacks is that both victims do not hold and sort of ill feeling towards their attackers.They both accept that their religion has been placed in the firing line by the action of some of the more radical believers in the religion, which is not a true depiction or representation of what the religion is about. And both have stayed steadfast and true to their religion despite the attacks. Thinking about restorative justice models that could be applied to this group one would have to lean towards education. The aim of restorative justice is to give the victims a voice and hope to stop future acts from being committed. To address the issue of hate crimes, the source of the problem must be identified.Such as what makes the group/individual a target and them work toward setting in place the necessary elements that could counteract hate crimes against them. Some of the elements include the following: * Education: By educating specific individuals and populations that ere underserved to recognize and report hate crime. As well as the educating those who commit hate crime about the religion/group they are targeting. * Assist Victims: Helping victims to identify and access services that are available to them as victims of a hate crime.These resources could be cultural or linguistic. * Advocate for communi ty: In order to reduce hate crime in the community there must be programs that advocate for the victims and the community. * Recognition: The depth of the problem must be recognized by leaders within the community and addressed accordingly through funding increase programs in the community. These are just a few ways that the Los Angeles County Commission has put forward for restoration justice for hate crimes (â€Å"The Hate Crime Victim Assistance and Advocacy Initiative†, n. ). Partnering with local police departments would also be a way to incorporate restorative justice. As with any other justice models there will be benefits and challenges. The benefits of the suggested elements above are, many will benefit from the extended knowledge provided through education. There will be an increase in understanding on the part of the victim and the offender that will hopefully reduce the hate and increase tolerance. Challenges that may arise would be how to get the two groups to si t and talk amicably.It would also be a challenge to figure out what would break the ice between the two groups that would make understanding each other much easier. In order to measure the victimization of Muslims a suggest research instrument that would be recommend is the use of qualitative and quantitative research. These could be in the form of surveys that uses both figures and in-depth question that would allow the researcher to have an idea of what percentage of the community is affected.The in depth question would further allow the researcher to determine the reasons behind the attack and the effect the attack had in the victim (Kraska & Neuman, 2008). One of the most applicable theories that could be applied to explain the victimization of this particular group is the conflict theory. Emerging from the labeling theory the conflict theory would best explain why this particular group would fit in theory. This theory aims to give minority groups a voice through the movements s uch as the civil rights movement and other movement that fought for equality (Williams & McShane, 2010).Even though this is an argument about religion, some inequality exists in the way the Muslims are treated throughout the United States. To conclude, like many other groups Muslims have the right to express and practice their religion without experiencing any repercussions. However because of the acts of a few individuals the entire Muslim community suffers. Despite the challenges that arises from attempts to find restorative justice for the victims of hate crime the courage and understanding shown to the attackers by the two victims mentioned earlier should be admired.It is also an example of how knowledge, time and education can change the minds and hearts of the most hardened offender in hate crimes as with the case of Mark Stroman, who changed his prospective on Muslims after the surviving victim from his attack fought to save him from execution (Somanader, 2011). References. W illiams, F. P. , III, & McShane, M. D. (2010). Criminological theory (5th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Kraska, P. B. , & Neumann, W. L. (2008). Criminal justice and criminology: Research methods. Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Somanader, T. 2011). With one day left, Muslim ate crime victim tries to save his shooter from execution. Retrieved from http://www. thinkprogress. org/justice The hate Crime Victim Assistance ans Advocacy Initiative. (n. d). Retrieved from http://lahumanrelations. org/programs/hcva/hcva. htm U. S. Department of Justice-Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2012). Hate Crime Statistics, 2011. Retrieved from http://www. FBI. gov Chinese, Vera. (2012). Muslim hate crime victim who was stabbed six times in the back says he harbors no ill will against attacker. Retrieved from http://www. nydailynews. com

Pride and Prejudice Plot Essay

Elizabeth Bennet receives two proposals; one from Mr Collins and one from Mr Darcy. Mr Collins was a tall and heavy looking man of twenty-five years. Although he was polite and well mannered he was also pompous and had a self-inflated ego. He always made ‘never ending speeches about nothing’ and bored everyone to death. Mr Collins flattered everyone constantly but sometimes inappropriately. ‘He begged to know which of his fair cousins the excellence of it’s cooking was owed.’ -By this, Mrs Bennet was offended and assured him they were in fact able to keep a good cook. This showed his lack of judgement in when to compliment. He was also quite absurd and Mr Bennet’s sarcasm often went completely unnoticed. For example, on page 54, Mr Bennet asked if his flatteries were prepared and Mr Collins admitted that sometimes he would think of them for his amusement! Lady Catherine de Bourgh who was his patroness employed him. He grovelled to her constantly as she paid his way; because of her, he was middle/upper class. He was a clergyman at Hunsford near Rosings, Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s home. When Mr Bennet dies, Mr Collins will inherit Longburn, as Mr Bennet cannot leave the house to his wife; women couldn’t inherit. In Mr Collins’ letter, he proposes to make peace with the family. Mr Darcy on the other hand was very good looking. ‘He soon drew the attention of the room by his fine tall person, handsome features, noble mien†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ He is also described as ‘a fine figure of a man’. But he was soon to be discovered to be ‘proud above his company’. He was clever, but at the same time he was ‘haughty, reserved and fastidious’. He owned Pemberly Estate and got one thousand a year. -He was upper class and he knew it; ‘He had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest.’ Darcy and Bingley had a good friendship despite many differences. ‘Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving offence.’ Darcy had no sense of humour and admitted it. He couldn’t see the funny side of life whereas Bingley was light hearted and liked to enjoy everything he did. In the past Wickam and Darcy had a disagreement. Mr Darcy’s father had promised Wickam a place in the church but when he died Darcy refused to help him. Mr Collins first hints on his future plans in his letter to the Bennets when he writes; ‘I cannot be otherwise than concerned at the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends.’ On the first day of staying at Longburn, he, in a conversation to Mrs Bennet said; ‘I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them.’ -Here he gave Mrs Bennet a small glimpse of his intentions. Jane Austin then gave it away saying that now having a good house and income; Mr Collins was in want of a wife. He was also pleasing Catherine de Bourgh who thought he should marry. So for the first evening Jane was the settled choice being not only the eldest, but the prettiest -this was, until he was informed by Mrs Bennet that she was soon to be engaged to Bingley (exaggeration). Then at the Netherfield Ball he asked Lizzy to dance several times and she realised she was the chosen one out of the five sisters. Mr Darcy on the other hand was far from admiring Lizzy at first and when Mr Bingley suggested he dance with her at the Meryton Ball he replied that he had not the least intention of dancing. -Bingley was dancing with the only good looking girl in the room. Here he was referring to Jane. He said Lizzy was ‘tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.’ Then at Sir William Lucas’s party, William tried to pair up the two of them and Darcy did not resist, but Lizzy brushed him off with; ‘I have not the least intention of dancing.’ -this was pay back. It was at this party that Darcy realised his true feelings for her. At Netherfield when Jane went to stay, she fell ill and Lizzy being worried came to visit. Here, she noticed that Darcy was constantly watching her. Miss Bingley who secretly liked Darcy, in seeing that he was drawn to Lizzy tried to turn him against her. But all in vain, for whatever she said, he just stuck up for Elizabeth. Miss Bingley, in Mr Darcy’s defending her said; ‘I am afraid Mr Darcy that this adventure has rather affected your admiration for her fine eyes.’ I think when she says this she’s half-teasing and half jealous of him liking her. Before proposing, Mr Collins said to Mrs Bennet, ‘May I hope madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of this morning?’ -Here, he was basically asking Mrs Bennet’s permission to propose. He then launched straight into his ‘speech’. Mr Darcy came to visit Lizzy and at first made light conversation, asking about her health. Then there was an awkward silence where he must have been trying to think of how to start before proceeding. -Differences are already showing through. Mr Collins first said he’d chosen Lizzy almost as soon as he’d met her (which was a lie) and went on to specify his reasons for marrying her. He, as a clergyman wanted to set an example to the rest of the parish, he thought it would make his happy and he was following Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s advice. He’d obviously planed out his speech carefully but in his reasons, he had not mentioned that he was in love with her! Darcy on the other hand offered his hand in marriage because he did love her and his opening sentence expressed this clearly; ‘In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how I admire and love you.’ Mr Collins also made several insults to Lizzy when proposing to her without even realising it! For instance, he said that if she refuses, she my never get another offer. He also reminds her that if she stays single, all she may ever be entitled to is twenty-five pounds when her mother dies. Darcy put his foot in it too. After saying how much he loved her, he went on to say that it was not his wish to do so with her connections and status; ‘His sense of inferiority -of the family obstacles which judgement had always opposed to inclination.’ When he was turned down he thought she was just offended; ‘Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections? -To congratulate myself on the hope of relations, your connections?’ He also admitted to trying to split up Jane and Darcy and even ‘rejoiced’ in his success of doing so. In response to rejection, Mr Collins thinks Lizzy is playing hard to get and says this is to be expected of a lady. He goes on to say all the good materialistic reasons to marry him forgetting to mention things like love. He acts as if marrying would be a good investment for Lizzy or something. He then assured her that both of her parents approved of the marriage. Mr Darcy in response to rejection is shocked and angry but manages to control himself. He asked why he had been refused and thought she must be offended by what he had said earlier; ‘Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections?’ But after saying these words he accepted her answer. Both proposals were made for very different reasons; Mr Collins obviously proposed for convenience, whereas Mr Darcy was in love. Both men also reacted in different ways when turned down; although Mr Collins couldn’t take the rejection, he was not actually bothered about anything other than having his male pride hurt. -Darcy must have been extremely upset, to him Lizzy was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with but he tried not to show his emotions. They both involved a lot of snobbery in their proposal speeches. They thought that Lizzy would not reject someone of the higher class and she should be grateful that she was chosen out of all the other girls; both reminded her constantly about her status. Mr Collins was more personal mentioning both what would happen when her mother and father died but Lizzy got more angry at Darcy because of things he has said and done in the past. Mr Collins and Mr Darcy both said in much detail all the pros and cons of the marria ge. In conclusion, both proposals have some similarities but they differ in the essential requirement of love.

Human Rights Contemporary Issue

a)Outline the nature of the violation Torture is a serious human rights violation and is strictly prohibited by international law however it still does continue in majority of the countries around the world. Torture is an act of deliberately inflicting severe pain on someone without any legal causes. Torture is not only physical pain but also includes the act of causing mental pain as well such as threats to family or loved ones. Torture has been used as a punishment to intimidate or control a person. The term torture includes a variety of methods such as severe beatings, electric shock, sexual abuse and rape, hard labour, near suffocation etc. Torture is considered a violation of human rights under Article 5 of the UN UDHR which states ‘No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’. A location in which torture occurs is Guantanamo Bay detention camp (GTMO) in Cuba. GTMO is a detainment and detention facility of the United States located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The facility was established by the Bush administration to hold detainees from the war in Afghanistan and later in Iraq. It is operated by the Joint Task Force Guantanamo of the United States government in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which is on the shore of Guantanamo Bay. A few torture methods being inflicted upon the detainees of GTMO includes sleep deprivation, beatings, locked in confined cold cells, sexual assault and torturing with broken glass, barbed wire and burning cigarettes )Outline the international instruments and mechanisms in place to deal with the violation, and outline how these mechanisms have been breached There are numerous laws in place to deal with events involving torture and the following are the international treaties and mechanisms that determine standards for the human right to be protected from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly . According to Article 5 of the UDHR which states that ‘No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman r degrading treatment or punishment’ torture is a human rights violation. Torture is a breach of Article 5 of the UDHR as it is an act of deliberate severe pain inflicted on someone to gain information. Methods of torture such as beatings, sexual assault, rat torture, scaphism are all cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment which are prohibited and are a breach of the UDHR. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a treaty adopted by the General Assembly. This covenant elaborates the principles laid out in the UDHR. Torture is a violation of this convention as it is prohibited under Article 7, which states ‘no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation. As torture is a form of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment it is classified a breach of this covenant. The United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is an international human rights instrument, under the review of the United Nations, that aims to prevent torture around the world. It is the principal UN treaty concerned with torture. It compromises 33 articles covering the rights at stake and the enforcement mechanisms. Torture is a violation of human rights as the Article 2 of the convention prohibits torture and no exceptional circumstances whatsoever may be raised to justify torture. Torture breaches this article as it torture still exist today even though there are laws prohibiting its occurrence. The Optional Protocol to the Convention Against torture (OPCAT) entered into force on 22 June 2006 and is an important addition to the UNCAT. The purpose of the protocol as stated in Article 1 is to ‘establish a system of regular visits undertaken by independent international and national bodies to places where people are deprived of their liberty, in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’. Torture is a breach of this Protocol because it occurs at GTMO as the detainees are treated unjustly such as being deprived of sleep and torturing of dangerous objects. The Third Geneva Convention, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. This convention defines humanitarian protection for prisoners of war. The convention states that prisoners of war ‘are entitled in all circumstances to respect for their persons and their honour’ (Article 14) and ‘must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity’ (Article 13). Article 17 specifies that ‘no physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatsoever. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to any unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind’. Therefore torture is a severe breach of this convention as it is an act of inflicting cruel inhuman pain on prisoners of war to detain information which occurs at GTMO. Even though there are various international instruments and mechanisms in place to deal with torture they are still breached which occurs at GTMO. )Analyse the effectiveness of international law in protecting the human rights you have identified International law is the body of legal rules that apply between sovereign states which are regarded and acknowledge highly by the international community. International law may be not as effective in other countries due to state sovereignty, a nation states values and interest and whether or not treaties have been signed or ratified. The core principle of international law is sovereignty. This means that no authority is legally above the state. The states are not obliged to agree to the international law and apply it within their state because of state sovereignty. This may be a reason in which why torture still exists in the world today as it has not been entirely abolished because some states have not agreed to apply the international laws dealing with torture within their state e. g. UNCAT where some states have both signed and ratified the convention, states have signed but not ratified and other states which have ot signed nor ratified the covenant such as Papua New Guinea, Angola, Zimbabwe and Iran where torture is known to still occur today. As long as state sovereignty applies the nation state cannot have any external interference and therefore cannot be influenced as to whether the nation state should apply the international law into their state or not. This limits international law from becoming affective into the nation state. Not every state will agree wit h the values as they are completely different to their own beliefs. It may be used by states to maintain positions of power and gain self interest. Therefore it is not used objectively. For example a state which disapproves of torture may agree to the international laws created to prohibit torture whereas a state which torture may occur and the leader of the state does not want to entirely prohibit torture, will not agree to the international laws as their goals and values differ of other states. If the international law does not benefit the nation state in anyway the nation state may not decide to apply that law into their nation state. So this weakens the developing and appliance of international law. The ICCPR is a covenant respecting the civil and political rights of individuals. This treaty has been signed by Cuba however it has not been ratified. Therefore the nation state does not have to entirely comply with the treaty which results in torture occurring in Cuba at GTMO and the ICCPR loses its effectiveness. This is because no external interference can influence to comply with the treaty and prohibit torture occurring at GTMO. OPCAT is an addition to UNCAT in which Cuba have yet signed or ratified. It is an international inspection system for places of detention such as GTMO. However since Cuba has not signed nor ratified the protocol OPCAT does not have the jurisdiction to inspect GTMO. This reduces the effectiveness of the international law assisting to prohibit torture occurring at GTMO. As a result of state sovereignty, a nation states values and interest and whether or not the nation state has signed and ratified the treaty international is ineffective in reducing and prohibiting torture in occurring around the world today in such places such as GTMO located in Cuba.