The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Sixteen

Bonnie never could quite remember how the next few seconds went. She heard Stefan's cry that almost seemed to shake the earth beneath her. She saw Damon start toward him. And then she saw the flash. A flash like Klaus's lightning, only not blue-white. This one was gold. And so bright Bonnie felt that the sun had exploded in front of her eyes. All she could make out for several seconds were whirling colors. And then she saw something in the middle of the clearing, near the chimney stack. Something white, shaped like the ghosts, only more solid looking. Something small and huddled that had to be anything but what her eyes were telling her it looked like. Because it looked like a slender naked girl trembling on the forest floor. A girl with golden hair. It looked like Elena. Not the glowing, candle-lit Elena of the spirit world and not the pale, inhumanly beautiful girl who had been Elena the vampire. This was an Elena whose creamy skin was blotching pink and showing gooseflesh under the spatter of the rain. An Elena who looked bewildered as she slowly raised her head and gazed around her, as if all the familiar things in the clearing were unfamiliar to her. It's an illusion. Either that or they gave her a few minutes to say good-bye. Bonnie kept telling herself that, but she couldn't make herself believe it. â€Å"Bonnie?† said a voice uncertainly. A voice that wasn't like wind chimes at all. The voice of a frightened young girl. Bonnie's knees gave out. A wild feeling was growing inside her. She tried to push it away, not daring to even examine it yet. She just watched Elena. Elena touched the grass in front of her. Hesitantly at first, then more and more firmly, quicker and quicker. She picked up a leaf in fingers that seemed clumsy, put it down, patted the ground. Snatched it up again. She grabbed a whole handful of wet leaves, held them to her, smelled them. She looked up at Bonnie, the leaves scattering away. For a moment, they just knelt and stared at each other from the distance of a few feet. Then, tremulously, Bonnie stretched out her hand. She couldn't breathe. The feeling was growing and growing. Elena's hand came up in turn. Reached toward Bonnie's. Their fingers touched. Real fingers. In the real world. Where they both were. Bonnie gave a kind of scream and threw herself on Elena. In a minute she was patting her everywhere in a frenzy, with wild, disbelieving delight. And Elena was solid. She was wet from the rain and she was shivering and Bonnie's hands didn't go through her. Bits of damp leaf and crumbs of soil were clinging to Elena's hair. Elena gasped back, â€Å"I can touch you! I'm here!† She grabbed the leaves again. â€Å"I can touch the ground!† â€Å"I can see you touching it!† They might have kept this up indefinitely, but Meredith interrupted. She was standing a few steps away, staring, her dark eyes enormous, her face white. She made a choking sound. â€Å"Meredith!† Elena turned to her and held out handfuls of leaves. She opened her arms. Meredith, who had been able to cope when Elena's body was found in the river, when Elena had appeared at her window as a vampire, when Elena had materialized in the clearing like an angel, just stood there, shaking. She looked about to faint. â€Å"Meredith, she's solid! You can touch her! See?† Bonnie pummeled Elena again joyfully. Meredith didn't move. She whispered, â€Å"It's impossible-â€Å" â€Å"It's true! See? It's true!† Bonnie was getting hysterical. She knew she was, and she didn't care. If anyone had a right to get hysterical, it was her. â€Å"It's true, it's true,† she caroled. â€Å"Meredith, come see.† Meredith, who had been staring at Elena all this while, made another choked sound. Then, with one motion, she flung herself down on Elena. She touched her, found that her hand met the resistance of flesh. She looked into Elena's face. And then she burst into uncontrollable tears. She cried and cried, her head on Elena's naked shoulder. Bonnie gleefully patted both of them. â€Å"Don't you think she'd better put something on?† said a voice, and Bonnie looked up to see Caroline taking off her dress. Caroline did it rather calmly, standing in her beige polyester slip afterward as if she did this sort of thing all the time. No imagination, Bonnie thought again, but without malice. Clearly there were times when no imagination was an advantage. Meredith and Bonnie pulled the dress over Elena's head. She looked small inside it, wet and somehow unnatural, as if she wasn't used to clothing anymore. But it was some protection from the elements, anyway. Then Elena whispered, â€Å"Stefan.† She turned. He was standing there, with Damon and Matt, a little apart from the girls. He was just watching her. As if not only his breath, but his life was held, waiting. Elena got up and took a tottery step to him, and then another and another. Slim and newly fragile inside her borrowed dress, she wavered as she moved toward him. Like the little mermaid learning how to use her legs, Bonnie thought. He let her get almost all the way there, just staring, before he stumbled toward her. They ended in a rush and then fell to the ground together, arms locked around each other, each holding on as tightly as possible. Neither of them said a word. Bonnie watched unabashedly, feeling some of the heady joy spill over into tears. Her throat ached, but these were sweet tears, not the salt tears of pain, and she was still smiling. She was filthy, she was soaking wet, she had never been so happy in her life. She felt as if she wanted to dance and sing and do all sorts of crazy things. Some time later Elena looked up from Stefan to all of them, her face almost as bright as when she'd floated in the clearing like an angel. Shining like starlight. No one will ever call her Ice Princess again, Bonnie thought. â€Å"My friends,† Elena said. It was all she said, but it was enough, that and the queer little sob she gave as she held out a hand to them. They were around her in a second, swarming her, all trying to embrace at once. Even Caroline. â€Å"Elena,† Caroline said, â€Å"I'm sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's all forgotten now,† Elena said, and hugged her as freely as anyone else. Then she grasped a sturdy brown hand and held it briefly to her cheek. â€Å"Matt,† she said, and he smiled at her, blue eyes swimming. But not with misery at seeing her in Stefan's arms, Bonnie thought. Just now Matt's face expressed only happiness. A shadow fell over the little group, coming between them and the moonlight. Elena looked up, and held out her hand again. â€Å"Damon,† she said. The clear light and shining love in her face was irresistible. Or it should have been irresistible, Bonnie thought. But Damon stepped forward unsmiling, his black eyes as bottomless and unfathomable as ever. None of the starlight that shone from Elena was reflected back from them. Stefan looked up at him fearlessly, as he'd looked into the painful brilliance of Elena's golden brightness. Then, never looking away, he held out his hand as well. Damon stood gazing down at them, the two open, fearless faces, the mute offer of their hands. The offer of connection, warmth, humanity. Nothing showed in his own face, and he was utterly motionless himself. â€Å"Come on, Damon,† Matt said softly. Bonnie looked at him quickly, and saw that the blue eyes were intent now as they looked at the shadowed hunter's face. Damon spoke without moving. â€Å"I'm not like you.† â€Å"You're not as different from us as you want to think,† Matt said. â€Å"Look,† he added, an odd note of challenge in his voice, â€Å"I know you killed Mr. Tanner in self-defense, because you told me. And I know you didn't come here to Fell's Church because Bonnie's spell dragged you here, because I sorted the hair and I didn't make any mistakes. You're more like us than you admit, Damon. The only thing I don't know is why you didn't go into Vickie's house to help her.† Memory swept over Bonnie. Herself standing outside Vickie's house, Damon standing beside her. Stefan's voice: Vickie, invite me in. But no one had invited Damon. â€Å"But how did Klaus get in, then-?† she began, following her own thoughts. â€Å"That was Tyler's job, I'm sure,† Damon said tersely. â€Å"What Tyler did for Klaus in return for learning how to reclaim his heritage. And he must have invited Klaus in before we ever started guarding the house-probably before Stefan and I came to Fell's Church. Klaus was well prepared. That night he was in the house and the girl was dead before I knew what was happening.† â€Å"Why didn't you call for Stefan?† Matt said. There was no accusation in his voice. It was a simple question. â€Å"Because there was nothing he could have done! I knew what you were dealing with as soon as I saw it. An Old One. Stefan would only have gotten himself killed- and the girl was past caring, anyway.† Bonnie heard the thread of coldness in his voice, and when Damon turned back to Stefan and Elena, his face had hardened. It was as if some decision had been made. â€Å"You see, I'm not like you,† he said. â€Å"It doesn't matter.† Stefan had still not withdrawn his hand. Neither had Elena. â€Å"And sometimes the good guys do win,† Matt said quietly, encouragingly. â€Å"Damon-† Bonnie began. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he turned toward her. She was thinking about that moment when they had been kneeling over Stefan and he had looked so young. When they had been just Damon and Bonnie at the edge of the world. She thought, for just one instant, that she saw stars in those black eyes. And she could sense in him something-some ferment of feelings like longing and confusion and fear and anger all mixed. But then it was all smoothed over again and his shields were back up and Bonnie's psychic senses told her nothing. And those black eyes were simply opaque. He turned back to the couple on the ground. Then he removed his jacket and stepped behind Elena. He draped it over her shoulders without touching her. â€Å"It's a cold night,† he said. His eyes held Stefan's a moment as he settled the black jacket around her. And then he turned to walk into the darkness between the oak trees. In an instant Bonnie heard the rush of wings. Stefan and Elena wordlessly joined hands again, and Elena's golden head dropped to Stefan's shoulder. Over her hair Stefan's green eyes were turned toward the patch of night where his brother had disappeared. â€Å"You wanted us all back together again!† Bonnie shouted at Caroline, and pulled the scandalized girl into the dance. Meredith, her dignity forgotten, joined them too. And for a long time in the clearing there was only rejoicing. June 21, 7:30 a.m. The Summer Solstice Dear Diary, Oh, it's all too much to explain and you wouldn't believe it anyway. I'm going to bed. Bonnie

A Brief History of the Palestine Israeli Conflict

Palestine sits upon the Mediterranean Sea between Egypt, Syria, and Arabia; the land has switched hands many times over the past few thousands of years. Being a holy land for all three Abrahamic religions has led to a brutal conflict between them since their formation. The current conflict in Palestine has been raging for about three quarters of a century, but before it can be addressed some history must be known.For four centuries the land had been ruled by the Ottoman Empire, and as it began to collapse in the late 19th century ethnic Jews worldwide started a semi secular nationalist movement called Zionism which called for a return to their homeland of Israel which was promised to them by g-d in the Torah. In the First World War the Ottomans were on the losing side, and in 1917, with the Zionist movement growing, the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Arthur Belfour declared that Britain backed the idea of establishing Palestine as a â€Å"national home for the Jewish people. †At the end of the First World War Britain was gifted the newly formed Mandate for Palestine which in its creation carried Belfour’s promise. Not a state, not the sole national home like Zionists wanted, but a place where any Jews who wanted to could go without fear of the persecution that had hounded them for millennia. A few years later the revolt of the Arab people against the imperialist occupation of Great Britain began. Many innocents were killed on both sides, but Britain’s response was incredibly brutal leading to the death, maiming or exile of a tenth of the adult male population.In response The British attempted some reconciliation with the Arab community by creating policies to limit Jewish immigration and property purchase. After the Second World War this limitation on immigration kept nearly a hundred thousand displaced Jews from coming into the country. After a series of uprisings by the Jews in Palestine, and general international disapproval on t he continued immigration policy, Britain decided to end their occupation and leave the question of Palestine to the U. N. Shortly thereafter the U. N. oted in favour of the creation of two separate nations of Israel, for the Jews, and Palestine, for the Arabs. The plan was rejected by the Arabs, and soon thereafter a 5 month civil war between the Jews, Arabs, and the British began. In Mid 1948 the United Kingdom withdrew the last of its troops and the new Jewish state declared its independence which signaled the start of the first Arab-Israeli War. A day after independence was declared Iraq, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon and Egypt declared war on the newly formed state of Israel.Although outnumbered the better organized and better armed Israelis eventually won the war capturing half of the territory that had been mandated to the nation of Palestine. The rest of the country was split between Jordan and Egypt. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, more than three quarters of the Muslim population, were forced out of their country in a day now known to the Muslim world as al-Nakba. In response to this there were a series of pogroms against Jewish people in Arab states leading to close to a million Jews fleeing their homes and nearly 700,000 of them settling in place of the displaced Palestinians.More and more displaced Jews found their way into Israel in the succeeding years and tensions rose higher and higher between Israel and the Arabs. Palestinians given some autonomy from Egypt in the Gaza Strip launched frequent attacks against the occupying forces. In the early 60s relations reached a new low; the Arab world refused to recognize Israel as a state, and in 1967 the Holy Land was once again preparing for war. On June 5th 1967 Israel launched preemptive strikes against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan crippling their air forces.With air superiority assured the western equipped Israeli army slaughtered the Arabs and suffered less than a thousand deaths. Israel captured the Gaza strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. This is when settlers started popping up in the occupied territory. Jews from around the world began to set up housing in the former Arab land; a form of colonialism which lasts to this day. Around this time the Palestine Liberation Organization formed.The PLO is a political and paramilitary representative of the Palestinian people comprised of a number of different political parties. The largest of which are Fatah, a left wing nationalist party then led by Yasser Arafat, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. PLO members in the surrounding Arab countries, especially Jordan, attacked Israelis in a number of rocket attacks, bombings, etc. ; this prompted a series of bombings and assassinations perpetrated by the Israeli army and Mossad aimed towards thinning the ranks of the PLO.After Israel attacked Jordan to flush the PLO out Jordan withdrew all support fr om the Palestinians and most of the PLO fled towards Lebanon where they were granted an autonomous region in the south. After six years of failed â€Å"diplomatic† efforts following the six days war another war began during the Muslim month of Ramadan on the most important Jewish holy day Yom Kippur. Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan attacked Israel who received support from the U. S. After only 19 days of fighting Israel once again won, but it no longer was the invincible bastion against the Arab world that it once thought it was; they had been shaken.On the other hand the Arabs, which had had early success in the war, now felt like they had more of a chance. This combination of events led to the Camp David Accords in 1978 between Egypt and Israel; this was the first peace agreement between an Arab state and Israel. Egypt got the Sinai Peninsula back and in return recognized Israel. . In 1982, in an effort to stamp out the PLO and aid the Christian government, Israel invaded So uthern Lebanon. After eleven months Israel achieved victory against the PLO and their allies, and the PLO subsequently fled to Libya.The PLO continued to represent Palestine in exile much to the chagrin of Israel; a few years later they would bomb their headquarters in Libya completely destroying it and killing hundreds of people. In December of 1987 The First Intifada, a collective uprising of the Palestinian people against the occupiers, began. An increasing series of incidents between Palestinians and Israelis in the occupied territories lead to isolated rioting that soon evolved into a large scale conflict. The PLO and its associates at home quickly assumed control and began guiding the fighting as best they could.The PLO had always been widely secular, and during the Intifada more and more Islamist Palestinian groups began gaining power including Fatah’s main rival Hamas; who, much like the Taliban, received funding and support from Israel to foster discord among Palesti nians. Palestine suffered greatly during the uprising, suffering many times the losses of Israel, but it had some results that seemed promising. The most important was the Oslo Accords; the first true face to face attempt at finding an agreement between Israel and the PLO.The Oslo Accords, on condition of the PLO renouncing terrorism and disarming, established the creation of an interim government for Palestine called the Palestinian National Authority, recognition of Israel by Palestine and vice versa, withdrawing the IDF from what they deemed occupied territories, and set a date five years in the future to finish negotiations and set up a permanent government in Palestine. The PFLP and other hardliners in the PLO rejected the Oslo Accords, refused to disarm, and continue to boycott the PLO to this day.Settlers continued to move into the West Bank and Gaza Strip, atrocities continued on both sides, and the five year deadline quickly sailed by. Late in 2000 a very different Intifada happened; instead of the stone it had become the gun and the suicide bomb. The Oslo Accords had been broken and open warfare began. During the four year conflict thousands were killed on both sides; however, once again Palestinian deaths outnumbered Israeli almost three to one. Towards the end of the conflict Yasser Arafat passed leadership of Fatah over to Mahmoud Abbas and in late 2004 died from polonium poisoning.In 2005 the conflict was declared officially over; later in the year Israel withdrew all their settlers from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West bank. The Gaza strip was in hands of the Palestinians for the first time in half a century. In the 2006 elections Hamas and Fatah won forming a coalition government, and in 2007 this broke down into armed conflict when Hamas took over the Gaza Strip. This week open warfare between Palestinian extremist groups, both secular and Islamist, and Israel in the Gaza Strip began again.For the first time in 21 years air raid sirens are going off in Tel Aviv. Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah still control what little of the West Bank that isn’t occupied. He is going to the U. N at the end of the month in an effort to get recognized as a non-member observer state and make his point for returning to the borders before the six day war; they have the majority needed for state hood, and because they aren’t going for full member status again the Security Council can’t veto. What solution can be found to such a deep rooted conflict? The most widely accepted solution is one of two separate states.A poll taken in Palestine in 2011 showed 34% of Palestinians accepting the two state solutions, but it has much more support in moderate circles in Israel. There are some serious issues that need to be addressed for something like this to happen. What borders would they choose? More than likely would be a return to the pre-1967 borders, only 22% of historic Palestine. What happens to the five million P alestinian refugees around the world when they can’t return to their homes inside de facto Israel? What happens to the Arabs left inside of Israel’s borders? To Palestinians a two state solution is looking less and less likely.The same poll showed 66% support for this solution but as of now support is growing. In this solution, which I will be advocating, a single nation of â€Å"Israstine† would exist upon the historic Palestinian borders. Arabs and Jews would be equal citizens coexisting and both taking part in the government. Israel does not like this plan; Palestinians would swiftly outnumber them and remove their identity as the sole Jewish majority. Unlike the two state solution the problem of getting caught in the wrong borders and having to uproot yourself doesn’t exist. Palestinians in exile could return to their homeland freely.There are of course hard liners on both sides that advocate other solutions: hardliners in Israel that just want to gob ble up the rest of Palestine; hardliners in Palestine that want to completely destroy Israel. Although these will have to be addressed the main focus has to be on the two state vs. binational solution. As I write this rockets are killing civilians; cease fires are being broken; crimes against humanity are being committed. If an agreement can’t be found soon it isn’t going to end well for anyone. A fraction of my Sources Farsakh, Leila. â€Å"The One-State Solution And The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Palestinian Challenges AndProspects. † Middle East Journal 65. 1 (2011): 55-71. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Nov. 2012. Hoffman, Gil. â€Å"6 in 10 Palestinians Reject 2-state Solution, Survey Finds. † Www. JPost. com. N. p. , 15 July 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . Kattan, Victor. From Coexistence To Conquest : International Law And The Origins Of The Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1891-1949. n. p. : Pluto Press, 2009. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 14 Nov. 201 2. Morris, Benny. One State, Two States : Resolving The Israel/Palestine Conflict. n. p. : Yale Univ. Press, 2009. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 12 Nov. 2012.

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WK4SUBJ - Assignment Example His diet in the last 24 hours includes corn flakes, milk, three apples, diet soda, rice and chicken. He is currently not on any medication. He takes fluids regularly, at least one liter of clean water daily. His physical exercise involves walking to and from work daily, a total of 4 miles. He spends most of his day standing or walking around the factory. No psychological stress reported. On inspection, the client looks healthy and of normal weight. The current total body weight is 73kg, which has not increased in last three months. The client does not have any problem chewing, walking or in performance of other activities. There is no report of muscular, joints or bone throbbing. Client reports having had a fall in childhood that resulted in a dislocated knee joint. The dislocation was handled, and there was no further problems with the knee. No other problem was reported involving the muscles, joints or bones. The client has completed tetanus and polio immunization schedule. The client has never been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, SLE or sickle cell anemia. The client has regular exercise. He walks to work (4 miles) each day. In cases of muscular pain, the client uses anti-inflammatory balm for relief. The client does not smoke or take alcohol. He likes taking a diet soda on weekends. His typical diet includes milk, bread, rice and beef. He works at a chemical factory where most of his day is spent standing or walking around. He reports normal sexual life and is not stressed. Client reports slight headache that was on and off in the last one week. There is no report of seizure activity accompanying the headache. Bending and strenuous activity exacerbated the headache. There is no report of decreased sensation of taste, smell, hearing or sight. The client has adequate memory and reports no problems with hearing, swallowing or body control. There is a positive history of high blood pressure in the family. The client’s mother is

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Biochemistry of human disease - Essay Example This hepatic dysfunction has led to jaundice as apparent from the yellowish discoloration of the while of his eyes and skin, and this has established a vicious cycle of malnutrition, alcohol intake, hepatitis, jaundice, and malnutrition. Moreover, his blood glucose level is 1.7 mmol/L (fasting reference interval, 3.0-5.5 mmol/L). In alcoholic liver disease, nutritional deficiencies are common and complicate the management. The liver disease in this patient is significant due to presence of jaundice and low blood sugars at presentation. In a habituated alcoholic, an ethanol level of 43 mmol/L or 0.2 g/dL usually does not cause stupor in contrast to that of a nonhabituated patient, where it causes impaired mental activity. Although a habituated man can remain awake even at levels >87 mmoL/L or 0.4 g/dL with the rise in the level of tolerance, usually a nonhabituated man would be stuporous at >65 mmol/L (0.3g/dL) and would lose consciousness at >87. This patient was also hypoglycemic. T hus, as expected, this man is not expected to be unresponsive with the level of alcohol at 0.36% or 80 mmol/L, and it is the hypoglycemia that has made him unresponsive. Based on this background the following questions will now be answered. About 10 percent of consumed alcohol is absorbed from the stomach, the remainder from the small intestine. Once alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, it is distributed to all body tissues. Because alcohol is uniformly dissolved in the bodys water, tissues containing a high proportion of water receive a high concentration of alcohol. About 90 percent of absorbed alcohol is metabolized through oxidation in the liver; the remaining 10 percent is excreted unchanged by the kidneys and lungs. In persons with a history of excessive alcohol consumption, upregulation of the necessary enzymes results in rapid alcohol metabolism. Alcohol is metabolized by two enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in the

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Philosophy and nature of science class (PhD level)- about Critical Analysis of historical Science Example (DNA) - Essay Example The discovery of the DNA in the 19th century is regarded as one of the most significant biological discoveries of all time. The understanding of the structure and functions of DNA has impacted considerably in the science and medicine fields, with the most noteworthy impact being illustrated in the evolution of man. The discovery of the DNA has since made possible the identification of genes, which in turn permits scientists to acquire more knowledge and perception about the nature of diseases. Consecutively, this has made it permissible for the scientists to be able to diagnosis diseases easily, and by so doing makes it possible to the create drugs to treat these diseases, a quest which is regarded as a fundamental element in the evolution of mankind. In biology, Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic factor found in human beings and other life forms and the DNA elements that support this matter are referred to as genes. Nearly all the cells in a creature have similar DNA, the majority of it being centralized in the cell nucleus where it is referred to as nuclear DNA (Neale, 2006). Conversely, we note that trace amounts of DNA are found in the mitochondria which are termed as mitochondrial DNA or basically mtDNA. In DNA data is stored in codes comprising of four chemical elements, namely: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine(C) and thymine (T) (Watson, 2004). Nevertheless, we comprehend that, in human beings, DNA comprises of more than a billions elements, which are more often than not similar in all humans. The orders in which these elements appear establish the availability of elements to build and sustain a being which can be likened to the order of letters that form different words and sentences. The four DNA elements merge in a predetermined sequence, in that, A binds with T while C binds with G which results in the arrangement of elements termed as base

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War vietnam-Iraq - Essay Example These two conflicts while located in different regions of the world have a lot in common as well as a lot different. For the Vietnamese however the conflict had been continuous since 1945 when the Viet Minh began a campaign against French troops based in Haiphong. It was not until the Viet Minh attacked Dien Bien Phu and decimated the French forces that the United States started to send political convoys over.1 In 1961 President John F. Kennedy orders support for the South Vietnamese and begins to send military advisors and support personnel. The first official combat mission conducted by the United States against the Vietcong was 12 January 1962 where United States Helicopters were used to fly South Vietnamese to Saigon in an attack. This also marked the beginning of a ten year conflict that resulted in more than 3 million American serving in the war, 58,000 American dead, and over 2000 missing in action.2 The war while officially over in March of 1973, actively carried on until 30 April 1975 and for many veterans is still raging internally. Similar Iraq has been in conflict both internally and with external powers since 1920 and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The United States did not become directly involved until Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. On 9 August 1990 United States troops land in Saudi Arabia and in January 1991 the Persian Gulf conflict began. Between 1991 and 2002 when the United States launched their next full campaign against Iraq, the United States attempted to peacefully end the hostilities but the President Saddam Hussein continues to disobey the regulations and puts Iraq on President Bush’s axis of evil list. On 11 October 2002 the United States congress authorized an attack on Iraq. That next spring on 19 March 2003 President Bush declares war. While as of December 2011 the United States is not actively engaged at war in Iraq, there are still military and political advisors to aid the Iraqi military and government. To date more than 4,400 soldiers have been killed. The Vietnam conflict enlisted those soldiers straight out of high school who thought that their government was right and the war was just.3 It was not until the soldiers hit ground that they realized that corruption, lies, and manipulation were more important than the mission. The mission was to liberate the South Vietnamese against the communist North. The truth was that women, children, and other civilians were being killed in the process. This was the first war that a large number of civilians were killed on a daily basis. Rather the reasons were greed, hatred, or accident, soldiers started to realize that this was not their father’s war. The media while censored was still able to get many of these images back to the United States were the civilian attitude of the war changed. The Iraqi conflict was similar in that many people believed both military and civilian that this was a righteous conflict. Protecting an ethnic group of people from a warlord seemed worthy. As the conflict continued, especially with George W. Bush as President it became clear that this war was not just about cleaning out a bad government but there also ulterior motives. Gas, national resources, and money were all involved in this seemingly straight forward conflict. Soldiers coming home from this conflict are having the same

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Long Distance Trade for the Roman and Han Empires - Essay Example The much famous Silk Road route was properly established during the Han Dynasty (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2014, p. 133). The continually soaring demand for silk from the Roman Empire did intensify the commercial traffic in Central Asia. The Roma traders sailed as far as the Western ports of India to purchase the Chinese silk (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2014, p. 118). When the Han Empire conquered the territories in Southwest China, this did give impetus to the long distance trade extending as far as Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2014, 135). There existed much demand for the silk and gold produced by the Han Empire. Going by the commercial importance and power of the Han Empire, the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius did send a trade mission to China to bolster the trade relations between the two Empires (Duiker & Spielvogel, 2014). The Han merchants also carried silk as far as to India and traded it for the Indian spices, gems, gold, silver, cotton, perfumes, incense, pe arls, and any array of other commodities. Long distance trade did play a major role in strengthening the Han Empire and enhancing its prosperity and affluence. The Roman Empire happened to be a big source of goods that were manufactured and mined along the Mediterranean Basin. To carry on the trade with Central Asia and Europe, the Romans built and extensive network of roads which gave an impetus to the long distance trade in the Roman Empire (McNeill & McNeill, 2003, p. 114). The Romans were also good at drafting detailed maps which happened t o be quiet accurate. The ingenuity of Roman business acumen could be noticed by the fact that the Romans did make efforts to connect the road networks with the important sea routes in their domain to assure smooth and hassle free trade (McNeill & McNeill, 2003). The Silk Road happened to be an important bridge that connected the Han and the Roman Empire.

Central problems with MAINSTREAM ECONOMICS Essay

Central problems with MAINSTREAM ECONOMICS - Essay Example There are various assumptions that are related to mainstream economics. One of them is the rational choice theory where individuals continually seek for the most cost effective means of achieving their desired goals with less reflection on the worthiness of the desired goal. The basic idea in here is individuals trying to maximize their benefits while at the same time reducing their costs. People decide on how they ought to act by making comparison of the resulting costs and benefits of their courses of action. Thus, the society in question develops a pattern of behavior in relation to these choices made. Another assumption is that of the representative agent. This refers to atypical decision maker of a given type for instance the typical firm or consumer. The notion behind this is that it is much easier to consider one typical decision maker rather than analyzing many of these different decisions (Nadeau 2009). However, economists ignore the representative agent when the differences occurring between individuals are central to the arising central point. The other assumption is that of rational expectation where the prediction of the future made by an agent of all economically relevant variables are not systematically wrong and the fact that all errors made are random. This shows that the expectations of the agents are the true statistical expected values. Much of the modeling of this modern economics explores the notion that other complicating factors have on various models. Here, individuals are viewed as units with a similar goal, which they are capable of maximizing through their rational behavior. The only difference arises in the specific objective geared towards maximization where individuals tend to maximize on their utility and firms tend to maximize on profits. There also exists a difference in the process of maximization

Catcher in the Rye Immaturity of Holden Caufield Essay Example for Free

Catcher in the Rye Immaturity of Holden Caufield Essay In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher is the Rye, the protagonist Holden Caufield emerges from a trying and emotional series of events and does not grow emotionally but remains as immature as he was at the beginning of the novel. The story is about the difficulties of growing up. Most people come out of their teenager years as more responsible and mature people. Holden goes through many stressful events during the weekend, but instead of coming out more mature and grown up, he still has the same childish views on life; he is violent minded, depressed, confused, and irresponsible. Throughout the whole novel, Holden fantasizes about killing people, he is baffled by sex, and he does not think out his actions. During the beginning of the story, Holden thinks about killing people many times. He wanted to kill Stradlater, his roommate, for dating Jane Gallagher, his old friend. Holden knew what kind of guy Stradlater was and he was afraid he took advantage of Jane. Holden actually does fight Stradlater but gets hurt pretty badly. He then puts his hunting hat on and says it is a â€Å"people shooting† hat. Later on in the story, Holden again thinks about killing people. When Maurice, the pimp, hurts Holden and steals his money, Holden pretends that he had been shot in the stomach and his guts were falling out. He then pretends that he is staggering down the stairs with a gun to shoot Maurice and get revenge. Holden does not actually do this, but it shows how he is immature and violent. Also, while Holden is visiting Phoebe’s school, he sees that someone has written â€Å"fuck† on the wall. He becomes very angry and wants the bash the skull of whoever did that on the marble floor so they are all bloody. Again we see that Holden has much anger in him. He does not know how to deal with it and that shows he has not grown up. Holden also does not ever figure out his views on sex. At the beginning he hates Stradlater because he takes advantage of girls. He says has never done anything to a girl because he always stops when they say â€Å"stop†. Holden says that he would have to really like the girl’s face and really get to know the person before he could have sex with them. When Holden gets to New York he calls Faith Cavendish, who he thinks is a stripper. He does not even know her but he wants to have sex with her. This goes against everything he said before. Then when Holden gets to the hotel Maurice offers Holden a hooker and he accepts. Holden then does not do anything with her because he is nervous and it does not seem right to him. Once again Holden is confused about sex. It is a foreign thing to him and he never figures it out. He has ideals that he sets for himself but he never follows through. He even tries to ask Carl Luce, an old friend, about sex but Carl is uncomfortable talking about it and Holden learns nothing new. Holden never learns how to control his emotions and actions about love and sex. Lastly, Holden does not learn how to think out his actions. In the beginning, Holden makes numerous wrong decisions. He runs away from Pencey without even telling his parents he was kicked out. That was a bad decision because when his parents will have found out he would have been in even more trouble for not telling them. Holden also constantly lies to people throughout the book, which shows his immaturity. Later in the book Holden makes some really poor spur of the moment choices too. He scares Sally Hayes, a girl he goes on a date with, by telling her that they should get married and move up north and live in a cabin. He urges her to do it and even raises his voice. Sally cries and says he is crazy. This shows how Holden does not think out his actions, which in turn hurts himself and others. He also spends money without thinking. Holden spends money on taxis, hotel rooms, food, dates, and the nuns. He does not think about managing his money and then he is forced to take his sister Phoebe’s Christmas money. This hurts himself because he does not want to take Phoebe’s money and it also hurts her because she does not have money to buy people presents. Holden’s lack of thinking hurts himself and others. Lastly, Holden plans to run away to the west and just get away from everyone. He would have done it but Phoebe stops him. Running away would have been really dumb because he didn’t have much money or anywhere to go. Holden never learns to think out his actions and this shows that he does not grow up. In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher is the Rye, the protagonist Holden Caufield emerges from a trying and emotional series of events and does not grow emotionally but remains as immature as he was at the beginning of the novel. Holden has a violent mind and he thinks about killing people throughout the novel. He also never figures out his views on sex. He thinks he knows his views on sex and what he would do put in certain situations, but he does not follow through with his ideals. Holden also never learns how to think out his decisions. He makes many choices without putting much thought into them and this hurts himself as well as others. Holden Caufield did not emerge from that weekend as a more mature person.

McMurphys One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

McMurphys One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest This question is answered through the investigation of five specific aspects of McMurphys life in the asylum: McMurphys arrival into the asylum, his healing miracles, the change and truth McMurphy brings, his followers, and lastly, McMurphys death. These aspects in the novel will bring the revelations of McMurphys Christ-likeness and unlikeness, closer to the requirements of the research question. In each phase of McMurphys life, I assessed the extent to which Kesey portrayed McMurphy as a Christ-figure, keeping in mind the intentions of the author, as well as its effect on the American society in the 1960s. While using this novel as a primary resource, I also explored secondary resources like study guides, published interviews, journal articles, literary criticism and the Internet. The essay concludes that Kesey has portrayed McMurphy as a satirical Comic Christ. Kesey eases into the idea of McMurphy as Messiah. McMurphy becomes increasingly Christ-like as the plot progresses, indicated by the increasing intensity of the allusions from simple unobtrusive allusions in his arrival, to pronounced biblical allusions to Christ in his death. While McMurphy becomes more of a Christ-figure, he still retains the essence of his character throughout the novel his irreverent nature. Through the portrayal of McMurphy as a Comic Christ, Kesey echoes his anti-establishment feelings throughout the novel. This influences the readers perspective, particularly the straight-laced American society of the 1960s, on issues such as conformity and individuality. Kesey encourages readers to adopt a personal sense of morality, as the views of the majority may not necessarily be the best. INTRODUCTION One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey captures the anti-establishment sentiments of America in the 1960s through the arrival of anarchist R.P. McMurphy at a mental asylum in Oregon, the ‘Cuckoos Nest of the title. Using McMurphys conflict with Nurse Ratched and the ‘Combine, this classic deals with issues prevalent in its era. The supposition that Kesey shapes McMurphy after the archetype of Jesus Christ resounds in much of the literary criticism written on One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. This essay aims to ascertain the extent to which Kesey models McMurphy after Christ. It also aims to examine the effect this has on plot development and readers reactions. It will do this by answering the question: Many critics believe that McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey is deliberately portrayed as a Christ-figure. To what extent does Kesey portray McMurphy as a Christ-figure? A Christ-figure is an individual who displays certain Christ-like traits, and is comparable to Christ of the Bible. The character may possess divine qualities such as the ability to perform miracles. He may also bring new truths with him, and fight for justice by defying authority. The Christ-figure is often a martyr, sacrificing himself for the liberation of others. This can be seen as his ultimate act of love. In One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, McMurphy is a parallel of Jesus in some aspects. In order to define the extent to which Kesey wants us to look at McMurphy as a Christ-figure, this essay will delve into five distinct aspects of McMurphys life: McMurphys entrance into the institution, his miracle healings, the revelation of truth and changes McMurphy brings with him, McMurphys disciples and McMurphys death. The significance of McMurphys entrance into the asylum. The novel begins with McMurphys entrance into the psychiatric ward. Bromden, who narrates the story from his perspective, describes McMurphy as â€Å"no ordinary Admission† An ‘Admission would normally be given an ‘Admission shower, where Kesey hints that the â€Å"black boys† rape the ‘Admissions with a rectal thermometer. In 1960s America, where racial discrimination was still at its peak, African-Americans were viewed as the dregs of society. Particularly in the South, African-Americans were subject to harsh treatment. In the 1960s, the rape of the new ‘Admissions by the â€Å"black boys† emphasizes their vulnerability and weakness. Unlike the usual ‘Admission who submits with a â€Å"weak little yes†, McMurphy brassily refuses the ‘Admission shower. His strength and assurance marks him as the odd one out. McMurphy is in full control of the situation and is not easily pushed around. This is apparent when he tells the â€Å"black boy†, â€Å"Get back away from me with that thermometer, Sam†. Not only does he command Sam confidently and boldly, he also calls him by his name. In contrast, one â€Å"black boy† describes Bromden, who is a foil to McMurphy, as â€Å"big enough to eat apples off my head an he mine me like a baby†. Bromdens timid and submissive nature highlights McMurphys assertive personality, making McMurphy seem larger than life despite being physically smaller than Bromden in reality. McMurphys sanity amidst a ward of mentally ill patients makes him superior. In spite of this, McMurphy enters the ward humbly, shaking everyones hand. This humble act implies that McMurphy regards everyone as an equal, despite being a cut above the rest. At this point in the novel, it would never occur to readers that McMurphy is an archetype of Christ. Kesey makes no hint of McMurphy as a Christ-figure. McMurphys entrance into the psychiatric ward is dissimilar to Christs entrance into the world, apart from having a powerful presence, which is hardly a character trait exclusive to Christ. McMurphy is vastly different from Christ. He is a sex addict convicted of having sexual relations with a â€Å"child of fifteen†, as well as a â€Å"gambling fool†with a deck of cards showing â€Å"fifty-two (sex) positions†. The courts ruled that he was a psychopath who â€Å"fights and fucks too much†. McMurphy owns boxer shorts with â€Å"big white whales†resembling Melvilles Moby-Dick, which is possibly perceived as a phallic pun, though, it can also symbolise the omnipresent and all-powerful nature of God , reinstating McMurphys character as a Christ-figure that is unabashedly sexual. However, McMurphys profanities make him an unusual Christ-figure, as he engages in the vices that Christianity teaches against. In The Comic Christ and the Modern Reader, Richard B. Hauck presents the notion that ‘The Christ-figure Metaphor Hunt is played between the reader and the author, whereby readers search for clues that prove a character is an imitation of Christ. In an effort to hide the clues, the author may purposefully assign conflicting character traits, creating a character with moral ambiguity. Perhaps it is this thrilling game, together with the humour American readers find in irony, which allows this classic to withstand the test of time. The effect of McMurphys healing miracles. A common trait of Christ-figures in literature is the ability to perform miracles. McMurphy accomplishes two healing miracles that bear slight resemblance to the miracles Christ performed during his lifetime. Ellis, who was once an ‘Acute, becomes a ‘Chronic after being sent to the ‘Shock Shop to undergo electroconvulsive therapy. â€Å"Now hes nailed against the wall in the same condition they lifted him off the table for the last time, in the same shape, arms out, palms cupped, with the same horror on his face.†Ellis position corresponds to the position of a crucified person. Crucifixion, practiced by ancient Romans, is a means of punishment for criminals. Not only does it strip a person of his dignity and life, it also serves as a warning to society on the ramifications of crime. Nurse Ratched uses Ellis as an instrument to show others what they can become if they rebel. Unlike a crucified person who dies shortly after, Ellis persistent suffering occurs daily. After McMurphy tells Ellis to arise because a grown man should not be â€Å"sloshin in his own water†, Ellis responds by momentarily stepping away from his crucified position Like Christ, McMurphy alleviates others suffering. His ability to evoke a response from Ellis demonstrates his power to release a person from the grips of evil that is embodied in Nurse Ratched. However, McMurphy is no infallible god. He does not manage to successfully heal Ellis. It is noted that Ellis miracle is rather short-lived, as he returns to the original crucified position. If Kesey were to attribute Christ-like sovereignty to McMurphy at this point, it may have upset readers in 1960s America. From a strict Christian perspective, it is considered blasphemous that a mere human with his shortcomings should be compared to Christ. Kesey gradually eases into the idea of McMurphy as a saviour, instead of blatantly shocking readers by turning a contemptuous man into a saviour overnight. In the subsequent miracle, McMurphy prompts muted Bromden to speak, by offering him a piece of gum. Bromden opens his mouth to thank him This corresponds with Christs miracle when he caused a mute to speak by casting out a demon within him. In this case, it is not the demon that prevents Bromden from speaking. Rather, it is the fear of the ‘Combine that suppresses his words, which McMurphy successfully manages to dissipate. While Ellis miracle does not last, Bromdens transformation is permanent. He begins to communicate increasingly with the ‘Acutes under McMurphys influence. Relating back to Keseys own experiences, from 1960 to 1961, he volunteered for government drug experiments at Menlo Park Hospital. After which, he became a psychiatric aide in the same ward. Having spent his time as both patient and staff, Keseys intimate knowledge of the patients circumstances aroused a deep sense of empathy for them. In his letter to Babbs titled â€Å"PEOPLE ON THE WARD†, Kesey identifies the patients by their â€Å"empty eyes†. This presents a poignant image; instead of seeing their soul through the windows of their eyes, all Kesey sees are â€Å"dilapidated organs, grinding through their organ duties†, as if living in the mental institution robs patients of their essence, just like how Ellis and Bromden deteriorate from ‘Acutes to ‘Chronics. This hints Keseys dislike for mental institutions, and his hopes for a saviour for redemption. Another interpretation is that these miracles are metaphors for the political situation in America in the sixties. Patients are referred to as â€Å"mechanical puppets†controlled by Nurse Ratched. The mental illnesses that she inflicts upon patients either rob them of the ability to express or confine self-expression, which Kesey reveals through the suffering Ellis and muted Bromden respectively. Ellis and Bromden represent society, and the ‘Combine, the government. Perhaps Kesey feels that the government suppresses ones individuality, and McMurphy is a projection of his desire to free society from the expectation to conform. The impact of the revelation of truth and changes that McMurphy brings with him. Not only do McMurphys miracles encourage self-expression, McMurphy leads by example, audaciously expressing his views that differ from society. Though McMurphy and Christ are similar in this respect, the revelations and change each brings is different. Before Christs arrival, the Pharisees had established numerous rules for what was considered ‘rest on the Sabbath. Jesus defied the rules by healing a man on the Sabbath, telling the Pharisees, â€Å"What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep!†Jesus redefined ‘rest on the Sabbath and taught them that doing good works on the Sabbath is far more essential than adhering to rituals. This is one of the many instances where Jesus challenged the Pharisees interpretations of rules. McMurphy, likewise, questions the rules by exposing the intentions of Nurse Ratched. Contrary to Hardings angelic depiction of Nurse Ratched as a â€Å"sweet, smiling, tender angel of mercy†, the sibilance in â€Å"sweet†, â€Å"smiling† and â€Å"mercy† brings out a hissing sound, like that of the serpent in Genesis, that led to Adam and Eves downfall. From this, readers can gather that she may not be who she appears to be. Like the serpent, she might possess evil motives. Furthermore, McMurphy likens therapeutic sessions to a â€Å"peckin party†, where one chicken is ripped to â€Å"shreds, blood and bones and feathers†. He reveals that Nurse Ratched does not have the patients welfare in mind. She initiates the fights by taking the first peck â€Å"where it hurts the most†, in an attempt to weaken them into compliance. Explosive words in the description of the therapeutic sessions are uttered with force, emphasizing her bestiality. This novel is possibly a medium to voice Keseys political dissatisfaction. In 1950s America, Eisenhower, a five-star military general and right-wing conservative, served his term as President. It was an era of conformity under his leadership. Kesey, however, did not conform to societal standards, but rebelled against conservative societal norms of his time. In a society where the typical American man had strict religious views, Keseys behaviour was controversial. Through the exposure of Nurse Ratcheds wicked intentions, Kesey encourages Americans to question policies implemented by the government. Evidently, Kesey was not the only one who thought that some rules would stifle ones individuality. Anti-establishment feelings were becoming rampant, with Hollywood movies like ‘Rebels Without A Cause. Another revelation that McMurphy brings is that the patients are not the rabbits they believe to be. According to Harding, â€Å"The ritual of our existence is based on the strong getting stronger by devouring the weak. We must learn to accept it as a law of the natural world†¦ (The rabbit) knows his place. He most certainly doesnt challenge the wolf to combat.†This is similar to the messages that Christ preached about the meek inheriting the earthand turning the other cheek when one is wronged. Similarly, the inmates behaviour is Christ-like. They believe they are not going to win by fighting, and do not retaliate against the ‘Combine. However, McMurphy proves that the rabbits can overcome the wolf. He alters institutionalised policies by Nurse Ratched, regarding the viewing of World Series, the use of the tub room for the ‘Acutes, as well as cigarette rationing. The message Kesey brings is different from Christ. Kesey preaches that one must assert himself in order to save his life, contrary to biblical teachings that one must lose himself in order to save his life. During the sixties, the rabbit metaphor allowed society to view themselves as Kesey does. Having progressed from the fifties, America was going through a series of rapid changes. This decade saw the rise of the counterculture the civil rights movement, gay liberation, sexual revolution and Beat Movement. Kesey was part of the Beat Generation. In the context of the institution, the ones who submit to Nurse Ratched are the mentally insane â€Å"rabbits†. Conversely, readers perceive McMurphy, who challenges Nurse Ratcheds authority, as sane. Through this setting and Hardings metaphor, readers view the conformists of society through Keseys eyes. Kesey makes readers ponder, â€Å"Is it insane to challenge rules and authority? Could it be that the mentally insane are, in fact, the ones who subject themselves without question to authorities?† The likeness of Christs disciples and McMurphys followers. Besides revealing truths that instil confidence in the patients, McMurphy also empowers them when he â€Å"(leads) the twelve of (them) toward the ocean†, to become â€Å"fishers of men†- just as Jesus did. This is a direct allusion to Jesus, who takes his twelve disciples fishing. McMurphys disciples are empowered with laughter, and manage to find humour amidst calamity. Their laughter â€Å"rang out on the water in ever-widening circles, farther and farther in wave after wave after wave.†This is like McMurphys laugh which â€Å"spreads in rings bigger and bigger till its lapping against the walls all over the ward†. The imagery of vast space that their laughter reaches emphasizes its genuineness. It is unrestricted and liberating. This is contrasted with the snickers the patients make with their fistsearlier on. Their laughter seems controlled, as if it forced within the confines of their hands, implying its falsity. Laughter is a source of sanity and strength to McMurphy, who believes that â€Å"you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy†and that one â€Å"cant really be strong until (he) sees a funny side to things†. Laughter is a means of salvation and freedom from oppressio n. Unlike Christs ‘fishers of men who spread the message of salvation, McMurphys ‘fishers of men are called to spread the redemptive power of laughter to mankind. By drawing a parallel to Christs followers, Kesey casts McMurphys followers in a favourable light. McMurphys disciples, who indulge in laughter, resemble The Merry Pranksters a group in the Beat Generation who indulged in pleasures atypical of society. Kesey promotes the message that what is deemed socially unacceptable may not necessarily be wrong. Right and wrong is not determined by the views of majority; but rather, by the consequences of the act. McMurphy empowers his followers with boldness. To the gas station servicemen who give them condescending looks, McMurphy lies that they came from the â€Å"criminal-insane ward†, with Billy Bibbit who was an â€Å"insane knife artist that killed three men† and so on. This causes everybody to call orders to the service-station men, â€Å"just like (they) owned the show† They stare at people at a stop light, intimidating them. It is noteworthy how antithetical to Christ, McMurphy uses immoral means, like fabrications, to empower his disciples. Perhaps it is for Kesey to remind readers that McMurphy is still a flawed human. In his attempt to humanise a saviour, Kesey relates that one does not have to be Christ or immortal to possess the same self-sacrificial love that knows no bounds. Although McMurphy maintains his profane disposition, he becomes increasingly Christ-like; not only in character, but also in the experiences they share. McMurphys dubious moral standards are juxtaposed with his Christ-likeness, to reveal what Kesey feels are the more important aspects of being a saviour. Kesey and The Merry Pranksters rebelled against authority by experimenting with hallucinogens and their sexuality. Like non-conformist McMurphy, they took to worldly pleasures. Due to the religious surge in post-WW2, readers of the sixties would have frowned upon the seemingly unprincipled lives of The Merry Pranksters and McMurphy. By presenting McMurphy as a secular Christ-figure, Kesey upholds that the positive contribution one brings to society overrides the importance of strictly adhering to biblical rules. McMurphy is proof that a morally flawed character can bring monumental benefits to his community. The meaning in McMurphys death. The events leading to McMurphys death accentuate his Christ-likeness. Because McMurphy fights the aides to protect George, Nurse Ratched sends him to be electroshocked. Electroshock treatment is likened to a crucifixion, with a cross-shaped table Before McMurphys crucifixion, he says, â€Å"Anointest my head with conductant. Do I get a crown of thorns?†This is comparable to Christs crown of thorns. Furthermore, a man announces: â€Å"I wash my hands off this whole deal† an echo of Pontius Pilates words before he executed Christ. This foreshadows McMurphys eventual death. Before the crucifixion of Christ, Jesus had his ‘Last Supper with his disciples. The traitor Judas Iscariot was amongst them. McMurphys ‘Last Supper at the asylum is celebrated with alcohol and his hiring of two whores, one of whom Bibbit loses his virginity to in the ‘Seclusion Room Following Nurse Ratcheds discovery and threats of telling his mother, Bibbit identifies McMurphy as the mastermind behind this. He then commits suicide by â€Å"(cutting) his throat†, unable to handle the guilt. A parallel can be drawn to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus and then hung himself out of remorse McMurphy, upset about Nurse Ratcheds strong influence over Bibbit, smashes through the glass and rips her uniform down the front, exposing her breasts In doing so, McMurphy brings his final revelation of the truth that Nurse Ratched is merely human, changing the patients mechanical perception of her forever. From then on, she â€Å"couldnt rule with her old power†, as she could â€Å"no longer conceal the fact that she was a woman† McMurphy pays for this with his mind the very thing that defines his life. Nurse Ratched sends him for a lobotomy that leaves him a â€Å"Vegetable. Bromden refers to him as â€Å"it†, knowing McMurphy is already dead inside, and â€Å"mashed the pillow into the face† to find that â€Å"the expression hadnt changed from the blank, dead-end look the least bit†. The term â€Å"mash† connotes violence in the merciful act of killing McMurphy. The paradox of mercy killing is redolent of the Roman centurion who drove a spear through Christs side, relieving his suffering by quickening his death. McMurphy dies as a crucified person would: by suffocation. He could have undertaken his plan to escape and live, but chose to die for the inmates sake. Likewise, Christ died on the cross to save mankind. The 1960s society would have a thorough comprehension of the torture endured by Christ, a fundamental concept of Christianity. A Christ-like death for McMurphy effectively evokes sympathy in readers. Hence, it is likely that the readers respect for McMurphy, who sacrifices his very being, far outweigh their feelings of disapproval regarding McMurphys profane antics. Just as Christ resurrected from death, McMurphy resurrects in his disciples. They become more assured, and are â€Å"no more rabbits† as Harding says. As a result of his death, â€Å"everything was changing†: almost everyone either signed out or transferred out and the new nurse â€Å"gave the guys a chance to change a lot of the ward policy† Of all his disciples, McMurphy is kept most alive in Chief Bromden. McMurphy transfers his powers to Bromden, who becomes stronger as McMurphy becomes weaker. Previously, the plot is seen through Bromdens unclear fogginess, which gradually disappears towards the end as he gains clarity of mind. The schizophrenic is even able to distinguish between delusions and reality, when he says â€Å"There was little brown birds occasionally on the fence; when a puff of leaves would hit the fence the birds would fly off with the wind. It looked at first like the leaves were hitting the fence and turning into birds and flying away.†At the end, he courageously confronts the unhappy past that caused his insanity, by looking â€Å"around the gorge†, â€Å"just to bring some of it clear in (his) mind again†, rather than hide behind fog and muteness like he had done before. Narrating the story from Bromdens perspective allows readers to observe his transformation. In Robert Faggens interview with Kesey during one of his visits to Keseys Oregon farm in 1992 and 1993, Kesey recounted an event he witnessed: In order to stop the dam project in Portland, an Indian ran into an oncoming truck that carried the materials the government would use to build the dam. The Indian, who did everything he could to protect his land, prompted Kesey to realise â€Å"the notion of what you have to pay for a lifestyle† Keseys message resounds throughout the novel, even more so after McMurphys death. Freedom comes at a cost, but its benefit is far-reaching. CONCLUSION The novel is replete with allusions of McMurphy to Christ. Despite McMurphys distinctive presence being evident in the beginning, there is no hint of his Christ-likeness at that point. On hindsight, Christ came blamelessly and without sin as a baby, to a world full of sinners. In this respect, he was superior to society; yet he entered this world humbly in a manger. While it is no rarity for humans to possess either an air of superiority or humility, it is uncommon for one to be both superior and humble. It is fair to say that the characteristics of McMurphy are somewhat reminiscent of Christ. While the first miracle that McMurphy performs on Ellis lasts only for a moment, the subsequent miracle sparks a transformation in Bromden. Further on, McMurphy begins to bear a greater resemblance to not only Christs character, but also to specific experiences he brings truth and change to his community, and takes his followers on a fishing trip. McMurphys death is another allusion. After Mc Murphy finishes his ‘Last Supper, one disciple betrays him. This leads to his crucifixion, mental death through lobotomy and finally his physical demise; with his resurrection portrayed through Chief Bromden. The series of inconspicuous allusions intensify as the plot develops. However, while McMurphy learns to be more Christ-like, he is different from Christ. Kesey shapes McMurphy as a crude and profane individual, making him a satirical Comic Christ. Kesey uses McMurphys journey to Christ-likeness to address significant issues such as conformity and individuality, the triumph of good over evil, freedom from oppression. These are recurring themes in most of Keseys works, namely Zoo and Sometimes A Great Notion. McMurphy, as a Christ-figure, brings this novel to a whole new level of sacrosanctity, which is apt, considering it holds these themes that are important to Kesey. Uneven forces will always exist in this world, good and evil, the strong and the weak, the dominant and the meek. As such, these issues remain relevant in modern times. The interpretation of this novel has been largely dependent on my perception of who Christ is. Kesey, who held interest in psychic phenomena, use of the I-Ching, Eastern religions and the Bible, may not have had the same idea of Christ as others when writing the novel; but as with all literary works, interpretation is open to its readers. Given the vast number of religions and cultures, each individual has differing perspectives on Christs character. Whether he adheres to Christianity, Judaism, Atheism or any other religion, new syntheses can be created regarding these key themes. After all, as Kesey teaches us, each man is entitled to a mind of his own.

The Impact Of Televison On Behavior :: essays research papers

The Impact Of Televison On Behavior (Violence in television programs and movies and its impact on children and families is not a new topic. Almost 30 years ago the U.S. Surgeon General warned Americans about the negative effect of television have on the emotions and behaviours of children.) I just want to continue viewing our standpoints regarding the negative effect it has on society Talkshows "Husband Sees Prostitute," "Mistress Meets Wife," "Girl Sleeps with Over 100 Men," "My Girlfriend is a Guy," "Teenage Prostitution," "Maid-of-Honor Slept with Girl One Week Before Wedding," Commonly Jerry Springer topics! Why are people fascinated with such topics? What says it of our society? The biggest problem is that the behaviours are depicted are common, sensible, and, perhaps, even worth copying. Approximately six percent of daytime talk show viewers are under 11. Shows like Springer's according to a New York Times journalist cause violence in society and argued that the source of the problem lies in the insatiable lust of the audience for more and more gory violence. The only way to stop violence on television---either on the news or on Springer-type shows--is to cut the demand for it, thereby removing the profit. Television news, due primarily to its obsession with crime and violence, definitely has a negative impact upon our society. TV news broadcasts use dramatic, usually violent stories and images to capture and maintain an audience, under the pretence of keeping it informed. This overabundance of crime and violence on TV news inflate the public's fears for personal safety. People, for the most part, believe that TV news is an accurate reflection of reality. They become frightened of the cities they live in, and fear that criminals will harm them or their loved ones. Graphic coverage of wars, bombings, murders and natural disasters can quite possibly lead to nightmares or even depression. Research tells us the following about children and television: †¢ School-age children watch an average of 28 hours of television per week. †¢ Children are influenced by advertisements. They want what they see. †¢ Over 50 percent of children have a TV in their bedroom. †¢ Children who watch a lot of TV are more overweight than other children. †¢ Children under 2 years old: no TV (or other media, such as computers or videos) †¢ Children over 2 years old: maximum of 1 to 2 hours of TV (and other media) per day According to experts, children who watch too much TV tend to be less interested in physical activity, often develop verbal skills more slowly and tend to be less confident in social situations.

New Criticism Analysis of My Papa’s Waltz :: Literary Analysis

New Criticism attracts many readers to its methodologies by enticing them with clearly laid out steps to follow in order to criticize any work of literature. It dismisses the use of all outside sources, asserting that the only way to truly analyze a poem efficiently is to focus purely on the words in the poem. For this interpretation I followed all the steps necessary in order to properly analyze the poem. I came to a consensus on both the tension, and the resolving of it. A poem’s diction plays a fundamental role in analyzing a poem, considering the text is all one needs in order to discover the meaning. My Papa’s Waltz is a fairly short poem, but the words have major impact. The word â€Å"whiskey† (Line 1) implies that the father is a drunk, and this makes the boy â€Å"dizzy,† (Line 2) or in other words, it sickens him. The poem claims the boy is small, making him sound fragile, playing into the next few lines of the poem. â€Å"Death† (Line 3) is a negative connotation, along with â€Å"battered† (Line 10), â€Å"beat† (Line 13), and â€Å"caked hard† (Line 14). â€Å"Romped† (Line 5) has a positive denotation suggesting harmless roughhousing. The word â€Å"countenance† (Line 7) does not flow within the stanza, sounding sharp and negative, paralleling the mother’s stern disapproval. â€Å"Hung† (Line 3) is past tense, therefore the poem is a reflection of a n earlier time. â€Å"Waltzed† (Line 15) takes on a different meaning beyond the dance, making it a synonym for taking someone somewhere. Understanding the words of a poem was the first step in order to analyze My Papa’s Waltz using this methodology. Not only the words, but the figures of speech and other such elements are important to analyzing the poem. Alliteration is seen throughout the entire poem, as in lines one through four, and seven through eight. The alliteration in one through four (whisky, waltzing, was) flows nicely, contrasting to the negativity of the first stanza, while seven through eight (countenance, could) sound unpleasing to the ear, emphasizing the mother’s disapproval. The imagery of the father beating time on the child’s head with his palm sounds harmful, as well as the image of the father’s bruised hands holding the child’s wrists. It portrays the dad as having an ultimate power over the child, instead of holding his hands, he grabs his wrists.

Early Cells Essay

1 Hypothesis If you soak an egg in vinegar, then the shell will deteriorate and loose centimeters off of it’s circumference. Data and Observations Time (hrs) Observations Circumference (cm) 0 1. The egg is whole, and has not lost color. 2. The egg was immediately surrounded by bubbles. 3. 14 cm 4. 24 1. The egg appears to have a little bit of color missing. 2. The egg remains firm. 3. 15.5cm 4. 48 1. The eggs shell is beginning to disappear. 2. The shell of the egg is cracking all around. 3. 16 and  ¼cm 4. 72 1. The shell is completely gone, leaving a thin membrane that surrounds the yolk. 2. The egg itself looks flimsy and appears transparent. 3. 17cm Conclusion: Be sure to answer the following reflection questions in the conclusion of your lab report: 1. How much did the egg change in size? (answer should be in centimeter) The egg’s size changed by 3 centimeters. 2. Was your hypothesis correct? Why or why not? My hypothesis proved to be correct because the egg’s shell did, in fact, deteriorate. 3. Evaluate the lab and data collected. What type of transport occurred in this lab? Explain your answer, including evidence from your experiment to  support your explanation. The type of transport that took place in this lab was active. I believe this is true because the particles moved from an area of higher concentration (vinegar), to an area of lower concentration (the egg). 4. Consider how lettuce or spinach placed in water becomes firm and crisp. Use what you have learned about cell membranes to explain this observation. Lettuce and spinach become firm and crisp when placed in water because the cells absorb the water, and in turn makes the lettuce/spinach bloated with water. 5. If you were to continue this experiment by removing the egg from the water and covering it in syrup, what do you think would happen. Explain your prediction. (If you choose to test your prediction, be sure to allow at least 24 hours before making your observations. And, of course, handle the egg very carefully!) If I were to put the same egg in a syrup solution, I believe the thin membrane that remained would break because passive transport would take place.

”Who’s for the Game” by Jessie Pope Essay

Who’s for the Game† was written by Jessie Pope to encourage young men to fight. This was basically propaganda; it exploited the idea that it was a young man’s duty to go and fight for their country. This is apparent in the first two lines of the poem; the author makes us feel that war is not excruciating pain, but â€Å"just a game†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"Who’s for the game, the biggest that’s played†, â€Å"The red crashing game of a fight†. These opening lines make us feel that war is a big game, and fighting is just people playing games to enjoy themselves, therefore this portrays the idea of war as being enjoyable, almost like a pastime. When people read this poem it makes them think subconsciously that war is enjoyable. Jessie Pope also promotes patrotism by saying that going to war is â€Å"giving your country a hand†. â€Å"Who’ll give his a country a hand† she appeals to their passion for fighting their country, over their fear of being killed. There was such an affinity with patriotism that by reading just this one line would make men join the war because they wanted to help their country. Jessie Pope also feels that war is like a big show and that the people staying at home are merely the audience, and not being part of this show, i.e. not playing a part in leading their country to victory. â€Å"Who wants to turn to himself in the show?† and â€Å"Who wants a seat in the stand†. Jessie Pope thought of war as a mindless riot and the only motivations for men going to war was to shoot someone and hold a gun, this is shown when she wrote â€Å"yet eagerly shoulders a gun†. The writer thinks that men would want to come back with a crutch, or some injury, as this would be their ‘souvenir’ from the war. She thinks that every man would want an injury as evidence of their bravery/suffering, rather than lying in the trenches and being out of the so-called ‘fun’. Jessie Pope also thinks that men who have returned unscathed from war didn’t have any fun; she thinks wars’ are all fun and games. â€Å"Who would much rather come back with a crutch than lie low and be out of the fun† â€Å"Your country is up to her neck in a fight, and she’s looking and calling for you†. This is a subliminal message that audience will rise to the challenge. Perhaps this is not an appropriate style of communication to describe war. The repetition of the word â€Å"who† followed by a question; she is questioning the audience and in the finnal two lines of the poem she tells us, who this  Ã¢â‚¬Å"who† is. It is a direct appeal to you, the audience. She uses this direct appeal to the audience to emphasise She personifies the country as being feminine, as it is every man’s duty to protect or save their women. It is also therefore every man’s duty to protect their country; thus making them a hero. Throughout the poem she uses simple language, that everyone can understand, to appeal to a widespread audience. The poem is written so that the reader feels Jessie Pope is actually speaking to them, and therefore has an immediate effect. (As the poem was published in the Daily Mail, it would have been read by thousands of people). The tone of the poem is positive and seems like an idealistic adventure story, which is totally opposite to the realities of war. I feel that when men read this poem they would be by her patronising and threatening powers of persuasion. They would feel manipulated into feeling guilty for not â€Å"doing their duty†. The poem would probably have been read with a buoyant, upbeat tone of voice. I feel that the writer was naive about war and felt that she could explain war without actually experiencing it. As war progressed, the feeling of patriotism gradually diminished, as the death-toll was escalating daily, people came to realise that war was not all glorious and began to take in the realities. It was harder to comprehend the ideals of patriotism and duty when soldiers were returning with their true accounts of what had actually happened, and poetry was written to explain war and how it really is.

Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen and Letters to Alice- Fay Weldon Essay

An examination of Jane Austen’s 1813 social satire Pride and Prejudice, and the reading of Fay Weldon’s 1984 epistolary text Letters to Alice on first reading Jane Austen, allows understanding of Austen’s novel to be moulded and then shifted. Pride and Prejudice is a novel of manners, focusing on marriage, Pride, Prejudice and Social Class which are projected through the characters, gentry-class setting and Austen’s authorial comment. Austen’s purpose was to portray the world of the gentry class, and satirise some aspects of her society and praise others. Weldon’s purpose is to encourage an understanding of the value of literature for individuals and society. She models Austen’s writing to demonstrate her argument and in so doing she gives a heightened understanding of values in Austen’s context. She reviews Austen’s society, providing an explanation of social conventions such as marriage, social stratification and women. Aunt Fay’s opinions allow readers to reshape their understanding of events and characters in Pride and Prejudice. Her conclusions allow the reader to draw connections between our contemporary society and Austen’s context, which then enables us to reshape our original understanding of Pride and Prejudice and our own context. Through Letters to Alice, Weldon discusses the importance in the value of literature. This is displayed through use of the imperative ‘you must read†. Her observing of literature linking to the transcendence of time is examined when adopting the metaphor of the city of invention, which educates the readers of what good literature is and the solid foundations that make it withstand time. Aunt Fay says â€Å"Through reading literature we learn about the way people thought and how they lived, the ways we are different and the things we share†, suggesting an implicit link to Austen’s work. Weldon writes that good literature has the ability to â€Å"transcend time and reach readers across centuries†. She demonstrates that the characters Austen created, are still relevant in modern society. The universal themes of faults and failings such as prejudice are seen in both texts, as they were been written for moral guidance purposes. Austen uses her novel to suggest how people should behave. She condemns snobbery, pride and prejudice. For example, Austen uses the character transformation between Elizabeth and Darcy and rewards them with happiness. Through Mary, Austen uses authorial comment on pride by saying â€Å"human nature is particularly prone to it†¦a  person may be proud without being vain†. Weldon’s character Aunt Fay is comparable to Jane Austen, as she teaches her niece Alice to read, be appreciative of her world and develop empathy for those who are less fortunate. Through Aunt Fay’s didacticism, the readers see a changing Alice, similarly to Elizabeth Bennet’s character transformation in Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth has to overcome her initial judgements of Mr Darcy in order to gain a heightened understanding of herself. For example, after the first brief encounter with Darcy â€Å"she remained with no very cordial feelings towards him†. She is left believing he is arrogant and the most disagreeable man. However she learns from her wrongness when she begins to understand his character and his motives. This is similar to Alice’s experience, as she is taught to reshape her opinionated first impressions of Jane Austen and the Professors wife. Alice comes to understand, through Aunt Fay’s letters, that she has taken her life and educational opportunities for granted and should not make judgements of Unlovable when only based on her Professor’s opinion. Marriage is the primary concern of Austen’s novel. The immense importance of which is referred to by Mrs Bennet â€Å"If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield, and all the others equally well married, I have nothing to wish for†. The plot follows Mrs Bennet’s desperation in having her five daughters married to men who have inherited a substantial fortune. The novel reflects Austen’s context where marriage was a result of seeing profitable prospects rather than love. This is exemplified through Mrs Bennet’s comment â€Å"A single man of a large fortune†¦what a fine thing for our girls!† Marriage benefited the couple in both wealth and social status. Austen utilises a variety of marriages to contrast and show preference to the uniting of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy who have love and respect, and have had to overcome initial personal judgements of each other. Elizabeth Bennet, who has to reassess her prejudice and Mr Darcy, who has to overcome his pride. They become the most affluent and respected couple in the novel. The idea of entailment ensured the family fortune was inherited by the men, which meant women had limited inheritance rights. This is the main incentive for Mrs Bennet having her children married to men with a substantial fortune, as when Mr Bennet dies, the family will be left poor. This is augmented through Weldon who expresses empathy towards Mrs Bennet, and says â€Å"life was not rosy† whether women married or not. This helps to reshape the  understanding of marriage gained in Austen’s novel, as it was previously believed that marriage lead to a better lifestyle for women. Fay Weldon connects the idea of marriage by linking the two generations, and interpreting the changing facets of matrimony. In Jane Austen’s period, marriage was a necessity rather than a commodity. Alice, the representative for the contemporary context, perceives marriage as an â€Å"outmoded institution†. Alice views Austen’s novel as â€Å"boring, petty and irrelevant†, as her context believes love should be factored into marriage. Fay Weldon connects the generations by justifying aspects that have remained the same or have changed. She highlights the harsh realities of married women in Jane Austen’s patriarchal world. For example, she writes â€Å"men could beat you if they saw fit†. Weldon describes Austen’s contextual ideas on marriage through Aunt Fay who attempts to help her niece Alice, a rebellious university student, understand the necessity for marriage in Austen’s context. She uses the metaphor â€Å"To marry was a great prize. It was a woman’s aim†¦No wonder Mrs Bennet driven half mad by anxiety, knowing they would be unprovided for when her husband died†. This helps the readers to reshape their understanding of Mrs Bennet. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen satirises and condemns her character for her obsession with finding suitable partners for her unmarried daughters. However, Aunt Fay’s didactic attempt on using empathy is expressed through Mrs Bennet, who is described as â€Å"politeness warred with desperation†. Weldon details the unions between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy to be unlikely, given their differences in social standing. This is reinforced by Aunt Fay reminding Alice, â€Å"Novels are illusion not reality†. This perspective on matrimony takes the reader back to Pride and Prejudice and reinforces Charlotte’s pragmatic perspective â€Å"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance†. Aunt Fay recognises that some unions have not changed from Austen’s period. There are women who still marry for survival. For example, the importation of Asian wives links to the marriage between Charlotte and Mr Collins, as she â€Å"found happiness, inspite of marrying for all the wrong reasons†. To heighten the readers understanding of marriage in Pride and Prejudice, she says â€Å"is the stuff of our women’s magazines, but it was the stuff of their life, their very existence.† This is Weldon reinforcing the idea of necessity for marriage for women of Austen’s context. It helps Alice to overcome her initial  thoughts on marriage in Pride and Prejudice. In Pride and Prejudice, social class overrides all other emotions such love and happiness. Mr Darcy is the central character who defines the upper class of Regency England. Mr Wickham uses bitter verbal irony to describe Darcy, noting â€Å"He was to be above all company, in having been unworth y to be compared†. Austen defies her conventional ideas on social stratification through the eccentric unions of matrimony between Elizabeth and Darcy or Jane and Bingley. These marriages occur, despite the authorative Lady Catherine saying â€Å"â€Å"Your alliance will be a disgrace, you name will never be mentioned by any of us†. This allows the readers to see that Austen had created Elizabeth Bennet, to break through her society’s rigid values. This is linked to Weldon’s comment â€Å"Jane Austen likes to see the division between nobility and gentry broken down†, as the division had been created when Elizabeth married Darcy. Fay Weldon uses social stratification to connect the gap between Austen’s society and the modern world. She contemporises Austen’s text by having the didactic Aunt Fay write to Alice explaining â€Å"â€Å"the gentry thought well of themselves, and liked to despise the nobility for their rackety ways, and were despised by them, in turn for being worthy and boring†. In this, Weldon suggests that people of both societies were limited by social boundaries. Through Weldon’s text, Aunt Fay attempts to make the readers feel empathy through the explanation of stratified women’s lives â€Å"Women were born poor, and stayed poor, and lived well only by their husbands’ favour.† Weldon’s use of stratification, like Austen’s, is used for didactic purposes. She writes â€Å"human nature does not change over the centuries†, indicating that snobbery, pride, prejudice and criticism, which Austen satirised in Pride and Prejudice, are still relevant in modern society. For example, Caroline Bingley’s criticism of the middle class is similar to criticism aimed at writers, deriving from the readers who do not understand the difficulty of writing well. Austen believes women should have options and opinions. Her character Elizabeth is independent, witty and judgemental. She defies social conventions and is used as a model for achieving Austen’s purpose, and in return, is rewarded with love. There was also the idea of accomplished women being more suitable to men. Women who were well educated in the art of music, literature and languages, were thought to be accomplished and therefore more attractive to a suitor. Miss Bingley states, using  accumulation â€Å"A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word†. In Pride and Prejudice, the Bennet sisters did not attend school and were only trained in accomplishment. This juxtaposes with Alice’s lifestyle, as she is eligible to attend university on a different continent to further her education. An example of this is when Aunt Fay plants the idea â€Å"why don’t you go to UCLA and write?† This helps people understand the limitations of women in Pride and Prejudice and justify the difference between the ideas of a successful woman in both contexts. Fay Weldon defines women’s lives in Austen’s context and compares it to modern society. She models Austen’s life for Alice to gain a heightened understanding of the difficulties women faced to defy social conventions. She demonstrates this by using the metaphor â€Å"It takes grea t courage to swim against the stream of communal ideas†. In this, Weldon is depicting the complications for Austen to see her world and reprimand its values on marriage, social class and women, whilst providing an alternative perspective. Weldon describes the limitations for female writers as they were expected to â€Å"be tender, flatter, deceive†¦never let anybody guess that you have a mind of your own†. Female writers were discouraged from inventing and were only allowed to write about their world. Aunt Fay’s brief explanation of the female writers contrasts with contemporary society, with Aunt Fay being the example. With the ability of travel and freely express her opinions, she is able to write without concern of her work being unpublished because of contemporary values. Unlike Austen, she is being paid and recognised for the texts she writes. Fay Weldon uses didacticism to develop an empathetic link to women in Austen’s context by detailing to Alice â€Å"by your standards it was a horrible time to liveâ₠¬ . For example, she gives statistical evidence of childbirth â€Å"childbirth was primitive†¦there was no analgesics†¦your chances of dying were†¦one in two†. In this, Aunt Fay highlights that Alice should not take being autonomous for granted. This is delineated through Aunt Fay expressing â€Å"You do not know little Alice, how recent or lucky you are†. A close study of Jane Austen’s 1813 social satire Pride and Prejudice and the 1984 epistolary text Letters to Alice on first reading Jane Austen by Fay Weldon, allows us to draw connections between the two texts and for our original understanding of Austen’s text to be shaped and shifted. Austen uses the main themes in Pride  and Prejudice, such as Marriage, social class and Pride, to express her approval or disapproval of her societies’ attitudes. Weldon’s text is used for didactic purposes to encourage an understanding of the value of literature, for which she uses Austenâ₠¬â„¢s writing to project her ideas. She reviews Austen’s context by providing an explanation of social conventions such as marriage, social stratification and women.

Climate Change And Economic Policy

Climate change is defined as â€Å"Change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods†(Bruno and Mehmet 2010). Modern methods of production create greenhouse gasses as a negative externality via the market failure and government intervention is needed to rectify the situation. Climate change is an issue for the Australian government as it needs to intervene to correct the market failure caused by the free markets inability to provide property rights to mitigate damages caused by the negative externality. (Calhoun 2010) The greenhouse gas externality is a by-product of the production of goods and services via the over-production of emissions. Dr Peter John Wood argues that† climate change is an indisputable threat† and on that basis, as well as the world stage Australia has taken the reins in acting upon climate change. An externality is defined as† are the unintended consequence of one economic agent’s economic activity that affect another agent’s economic activity, but which are not adequately priced through the market (Sonia and Jeff 2011)†. This is also known as market failure and requires government intervention to be able to rectify the problem due to a lack of property rights and correct mitigation for parties involved with the transaction. In this case, one form of the market failure is because the cost of CO2 is not factored into the transaction price. The Gillard government continued a legacy that was started with the Howard government back in 2007 that saw a Carbon Emissions Trading scheme take part in the Australian government to tackle Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions (Chris 2011). The Carbon tax was implemented on June 1st 2012 and has been controversial amongst politicians and economists alike according to Clive’s article â€Å"Australia's Carbon Tax: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing†. The steps taken to implement a policy should be understood first before critiquing from different viewpoints. The four major points of policymaking are: 1. Specify the goals of policy 2. Identify the targets 3. Specify the policy instruments 4. Model the economy linking the instruments to the targets Using this framework, the goal’s of the policy are to mitigate damages caused by the production of greenhouse gasses on the (global) environment on a national scale and decrease the amount of pollution via increasing the price of polluting. The targets of the policy are the agents involved (Firms producing pollution, environment and households) with the transactions. Firms are the largest creators of the pollution and the households are directly affected by price increases, therefore their welfare post-tax needs to be considered in a socially acceptable policy. The policy instruments include subsidies to the households most affected by the increases in prices of amenities as well as the Pigovian Tax on polluting (Energy 2012). Lastly, the model that directly links the economy to the instruments proposed can be shown below. Tax brings the externality into equilibrium with the social cost. The amount of gain to the social benefit is the darker area and is also the taxation revenue collected on behalf of the government. This also decreases output by the difference in Original output-New output. This can also be shown on a Supply and Demand graph. The graph to the right illustrates the effectiveness of the tax on the existing market price and therefore reducing the quantity of pollution emitted. This tax is directly placed on the top 500 polluting firms in Australia which account for the majority of the pollution via production. The Department for Climate Change and Efficient Energy published their â€Å"Forth Assessment Report† outlining that â€Å"There is clear evidence that our climate is changing, largely due to human activities†. One can infer that the government is acting morally and taking partial responsibility for these human activities, hence action for change and mitigation. Market failure is defined as the inability of the market being able to deliver an efficient level of goods and or services (Calhoun 2010). This is an important aspect when determining what aspects of a policy are vital in addressing the issue at hand, because the situation of pollution is a non-Pareto optimal situation due to the negative externalities created in the transaction between agents. The government’s intervention due to the market failing is justified by its role in the G8, Kyoto Protocol and its response to the public on the matter (â€Å"Australia to have leading role in carbon mitigation† 2007). Another reason is that property rights are not defined clearly with the environment, therefore the government intervention to make the Marginal Social Cost equal the Marginal Social Cost via a Pigovian tax, decreasing the amount of negative externality produced (greenhouse gasses).(Bruno and Mehmet 2010) Macro-economically speaking, this issue impacts both Australia’s macroeconomic goal of efficient resource allocation and sustainable economic growth. Due to high public opinion on green alternatives and clean production, changes in consumer preferences will mean that some goods and services provided using traditional fossil fuels or unsustainable methods may be boy-cotted or fall second preference to ‘green goods’(Kathleen 2012) The Efficient resource allocation goal of Australia addresses â€Å"†¦where resources are allocated in the most efficient manner†(Weng 2008). The environment is a common resource and traditionally has not been defined to any specific owner. Firms may utilise the environment (clean air, sunshine and or clean water) as a factor of production, examples may include Personal Trainers or tour guides. With a market failure existing, it renders the goal incomplete as there is an excess of pollution and undersupply of environment as it is a rival good. Either the polluters must reduce their output of pollution or they must mitigate the affected agents. This causes a problem in the regard, whom is affected by the pollution and by how much does the affected agents need to be mitigated for. Sustainable economic growth in the long term is impacted by climate change. Not only will Australia be affected by the hypothesised changes to temperature for standards of living, but the changes may affect agricultural output and goods demanded by countries importing (supporting) clean production methods. Australia, by implementing policy change enables the economy to be in a better position to respond to act with funds allocated via the policy impact (â€Å"Australia: Australia Prepares for Carbon Tax† 2012). Comparing the current Carbon Tax (Clean Energy Bill) to alternatives that have been proposed such as Carbon Trading Schemes and Subsidies for Clean Investment have both advantages and disadvantages (Calhoun 2010). Australia’s Carbon Tax initially is a fixed price of $23 per Metric Tonne of Carbon Dioxide emitted from the top 500 polluting companies in Australia(Harris 2012). This in its simplicity is a Pigovian Tax, which is used to deter consumption/production of a good or service that causes the negative externality. Simultaneously the Indirect tax signals the taxed firms that they should spend investment capital on ways to lower their output of CO2 emissions (Carrie 2011). Pigovian taxes are designed to increase the price of the good that causes the negative externality by the amount that best reflects the cost to society in the production of the good which will internalise the effects of the externality (Carrie 2011). Examples of these in Australian society include the Alco-Pop tax and tobacco tax. In the case of the Carbon Tax, the good being taxed is pollution and the parties being mitigated are the Australian government on behalf of the environment in which it is representing, in effect the environment is gaining property rights in this explanation. The Pigovian tax, when applied will cause a reduction in the level of pollution due to the cost added. This will vary from firm to firm due to the elasticity of the cost to pollute. It is safe to assume that all firms are elastic with pollution expenses; therefore the economics of the tax are sound. Pigovian taxes have been praised for their simplistic approach to combating both losses of competitiveness due to inefficient methods of production and on goods themselves which are non-essential for consumption when viable substitutes are available according to Harris’s economic survey in 2012. Examples include using solar power on mine sites instead of Gas or Coal power. Pigovian Taxes however are not ideal in the case of Carbon Leakage, whereby firms choose to produce their goods offshore in countries that are not yet or not participating in Carbon Reduction. It reduces Australia’s carbon footprint, however the loss of production in Australia mean relative to before the tax, there is a reduction in output. (Dellaware 2011). By contrasting these to alternative methods to combat climate change such as an Emissions Trading Scheme (Cap and Trade) or the Carbon Offset system. All theoretically are able to reduce the level of the negative externality, however they all have different dynamics to each other and need to be applied using the framework aforementioned in the essay. The Cap and Trade system allows for the Coasian Bargaining of the right to emit greenhouse gasses as part of production of a firm. These permits would be of a set supply, and would limit firms to a ‘cap’ of pollution. These would be traded in the open market meaning that the market subject to demand and elasticity by a firm, determines the price of the permit. This would encourage firms to innovate and reduce the number of permits needed to produce, or be more efficient with the given quota of pollution per year.(Kathleen 2012) Advantages of the Cap and Trade system mean that the total level of greenhouse gases are controlled, IE a set amount per year meaning that it is easier to attain goals from the Kyoto Protocol. International trading markets are also proposed and feasible meaning that there is greater competition for permits which leads to more efficiency domestically. Firms that are unable to compete or innovate into cleaner greener methods are either absorbed by larger more efficient and environmentally viable companies or liquidate, meaning less pollution output. Another advantage is that there is little regulation and or further government attention required to maintain the Cap and Trade system. Because the market forces determine prices between firms, the need for a middle man is removed. Comparing this to a Carbon Tax, where constant auditing, monitoring and enforcement is both time consuming and expensive from a tax payers perspective. Comparing the two graphically below show the changes in price and quantity in the strict control of either supply of increase of price. The Carbon tax is indirect, it controls the price movements, which affect the quantity, and the Cap and Trade system controls the supply, which then determines the price. The biggest disadvantage to not controlling the price of pollution as oppose to the quantity is that it does not promote efficient investment on clean alternatives to production and instead causes prices to rise of the permits, allowing larger companies to purchase the right to continue polluting and drive out smaller less profitable companies, provided they can’t sustain operation by selling excess permits to excessive polluters. Graphically, they yield the same result however; Clive argues that the amount of red tape needed to maintain the Cap and Trade System is not viable. Introducing the Carbon Offset scheme, means that carbon offsets are purchased which in turn mitigates the marginal private cost of the firm to equilibrium level. Firms can only pollute according to their offset amount and has been successful in Europe with 5.5 Billion dollars of offsets traded according to Bruno and Mehmet’s paper on Governance and the Carbon impact. Advantages exist in the offset scheme whereby it guarantee’s firms to take positive action/investment due to money spent on offsets directly in the form of buying credits from firms specific for reducing pollution and or investment on re-forestation and cleaner methods of production. Other arguments exist stating that having a Cap of pollution will force in-efficient firms to find the lowest cost method to reduce their pollution. Again, like any alternative to the Carbon Tax, much more bureaucratic procedures, monitoring costs and governing bodies are required to manage such a proposal (Oh 2007). 1. Similarities exist between the two policy options in that both require a base measured level of pollution to which caps and prices can be compared 1. Both systems will generate revenue via the increase of the Marginal Private cost which can be distributed via the governing body. 1. Both systems will require a governing body to standardise and monitor activities to be equitable (International-Emissions-Trading-Association 2011) Using this information, the policies will affect different groups of individuals differently. The Carbon Tax will have some impact on households, but greater on the top 500 firms. Understanding how it will affect each party will enable a better understanding of the Pareto Efficiency concept. Households under the Carbon Tax will be charged more for amenities and certain activities such as air travel. Using the graph below it is clear that electricity is the largest producer of greenhouse gases and will have the largest impact via the tax. increase of costs of using electricity, any household that earns less than 80,000 dollars a year will benefit from subsidies and household assistance packages from the Liberal Government (Energy 2012).Households will also gain in subsidies and other cleaner initiatives from the government via the revenue collected from the tax which will increase their standard of living, proposed by the new energy reforms(Energy 2012). Linking back to Figure 1, the gains in Social Benefit are the largest gains that the households have, which economically speaking should be a new Pareto optimum specific to householders. Firms on the other hand, if subjected to the tax will have an increase in costs relative to the $23 per metric tonne of CO2 emitted. There is also the added cost of administration fees and loss of investment due to higher costs. Other costs that may be included are changes in capital. Pigovian taxes are aimed to have a distortion effect, decreasing the amount of CO2 emitted, changing what firms use to produce and furthermore where future capital investment may be directed (Bruno and Mehmet 2010). Firms from the impact of a Cap and Trade system will be partaking in Coasian Bargaining. This system has been used in the European Union and has shown dramatic decreases in the levels of CO2 by firms (International-Emissions-Trading-Association 2011). Due to the nature of the market, firms will bid and enter a price war against each other that will drive firms to have the lowest operating cost to save on purchasing permits. Firms that do not use the entire permit’s quota are able to bid off their remaining excess to firms whom can afford to pollute, or can’t afford to innovate into cleaner methods of production. Production, if the firm is pollutant dependant will be affected due to a rise in fixed and variable costs and may decrease output (Gilbert 2007). If the firm is not heavily reliant on pollution, it will see increases in its profits due to the revenue gained from trading the permits. The Cap and Trade system promotes production efficiency according to Gilbert Metcalfe’s proposal for a US Cap Swap in those methods that reduce CO2 output cost less via the tariffs placed. The Cap and Trade system from a household’s perspective will be similar to that of the carbon tax, however a time lag may be present due to firms having a time period in which they can allocate their pollution as opposed to an indirect tax. Each policy suggestion from an economic perspective has its own merits and weaknesses and need to be considered when creating a policy that affects both households and firms. The policy must be fair, equitable and efficient to all parties involved. By comparing the implemented Carbon Tax with the feasible alternative, the Cap and Trade system, the different viewpoints of firms and households are understood.