Essay on Identity in Song of Solomon -- Song Solomon essays

Searching for Identity in Song of Solomon      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abstract: Whether Africans really fly or just escape a monumental burden, perhaps only through death, is a decision Toni Morrison has apparently left to her readers. Never the less, no matter what you believe, within Song of Solomon, the suggestion is, that in order to "fly" you must go back to the beginning, back to your roots. You must learn the "art" from the old messages.    O Sugarman done fly away Sugarman done gone Sugarman cut across the sky Sugarman gone home... (6)1    Milkman was born to fly. Perhaps not! Maybe, he was just doomed to a life of flight. Toni Morrison seemingly presents her readers a choice. Milkman is born under a paradoxical cloud. His life seems to be destined for controversy. Toni Morrison eventually leaves the reader with a "choose your own ending" configuration. As in Beloved, Morrison's unique style of ending a novel with no finalization, only enhances the content and tickles the imagination. Evidence of the influence of Zora Neale Hurston is sprinkled liberally throughout the story. In addition to folklore and mythology, Song of Solomon is also rife with the cold, hard facts of reality. Did Milkman actually become airborne or was he merely a man, consistently trying to escape reality?    Toni Morrison's, Song of Solomon, was inspired in part, by All God's Chillun Had Wings (Andrews et al 103). According to this folk tale, at one time all Africans could fly. Through transgressions, they lost the ability of flight. On occasion, someone would shake off the weight of their burdens and be able to fly. Only a select few held onto remnants of the memory of flight. According to a legend in Hurston, the transgression, ... ...to converge in the distance. Soon they begin to twine and twist together. At the core, is a solid rope, with each strand braided neatly with the others to form a tightly woven story. With its many parts, but only one beginning, Song of Solomon is absolutely, the "perfect soft-boiled egg" (40).    Works Cited Andrews, William L., et al. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1997. 103 Barnhart, C.L., et al. The American College Dictionary. New York: Random House, 1970. 919 Heinze, Denise. The Dilemma of "Double-Consciousness": Toni Morrison's Novels. Athens: The University of Georgia Press, 1993. 14 Hurston, Zora Neale. Hurston: Folklore, Memoirs, & other Writings. Ed. Cheryl A. Wall. New York: Penguin Books,1995. 315, 581, 597, 618 Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Penguin Books, 1977.

Serial Killers and Mass Murderers :: Murder Violence Crime Serial Killers Essays

Serial Killers and Mass Murderers Mass Murderers and Serial Killers are nothing new to today’s society. These vicious killers are all violent, brutal monsters and have an abnormal urge to kill. What gives people these urges to kill? What motivates them to keep killing? Do these killers get satisfaction from killing? Is there a difference between mass murderers and serial killers or are they the same. How do they choose their victims and what are some of their characteristics? These questions and many more are reasons why I was eager to write my paper on mass murderers and serial killers. However, the most interesting and sought after questions are the ones that have always been controversial. One example is; what goes on inside the mind of a killer? In this paper I will try to develop a better understanding of these driven killers and their motives. Although mass murderers and serial killers are both dangerous and somewhat sick people, there are several distinct characteristics of each that put them in different categories. The most distinct differences between the two are; Most mass killers kill several victims over a relatively short period of time, usually hours, but sometimes days (Murder 1). Serial killers most often kill his or her victims separately, over a much longer period of time, sometimes lasting several years until the killer is taken into custody by authorities or killed. If a mass killer’s murders are committed in more than just a single location, then they are part of a continuous action (Murder 1). Their victims are usually chosen at random, not just killed at first sight. Their targets may also come in specific groups. More than occasionally, a mass murderer will take his own life after his urge to kill is over. This is possibly because authorities recognize the killer is unstable and are likely to shoot the killer in order to protect themselves. A typical mass murderer uses a semi-automatic weapon and plots his murders to be made in a school, university, or restaurant (murder 1). Serial killers commonly attack a single target at a time one on one. There also tends to be no or very little relation between the person being killed and the killer (murder 1). â€Å"The nature of this drive has been heavily debated, but there is a consensus on some points (Anderson 1).† Many researchers have noted sexual behavior in the murder.

British Prime Minister

From the year 1905 to the year 2008, there are already 24 prime ministers who have ruled over as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (United Kingdom Prime Ministers 2008). As of the present times, the position is occupied by Gordon Brown. The power that is being held by the prime minister has been passed on from one hand over the next for the past 103 years. The source of power is an important factor in analyzing the role of the prime minister and the way through which a deeper understanding of how it is maintained can be seen.The distinctiveness and the constant replacement of the prime minister over the course of their existence in the British government have to be related to the dynamics of power together with its source in order to explain why and how it is held by the people in position. This paper aims to draw a concept of power and identify whether there is an informal and formal side of power. This is done through a research using different literatures and also draws upo n personal opinion in order to provide a critical position on the general topic of power.This is followed by a discussion of the power that is exercised by the prime minister, more specifically that of the United Kingdom. The sources of power, according to the conventions, arrangements, and constitutional devices are also researched in order to relate this to how the power is earned and maintained. In order to do this, the experiences of the past prime ministers are studied and collected to form a historical overview of how the power to govern as a prime minister is taken and maintained. What is Power?In understanding the concept of power, it is important to take note of its definition and the characteristics that are associated with it. Morgan (2006) defines it to be â€Å"the medium through which conflicts of interest are ultimately resolved [and] influences who gets what, when, and how† (p. 166). In relation to this, it is seen that power occurs with the picture of social reality drawn by the members of a particular group and the need for the allocation of the scarce resources (Pfeffer & Salancik 2003).There is a relation that can be seen from the two definitions wherein it could be derived that the person or the group which has the power defines the resources that are considered to be of limited amount. Along with the possession of power is the ability and influence for particular resources together with its allocation. In addition to this, the seat of power is defined by the individuals making up a group. Politically speaking, power is seen to be a means through which sharing occurs in the process of making decisions (Fahlbusch, Bromily, & Barrett 1999).In the context of the government, the decision-making process meanaaas the formulation of the policies, which include government action or inaction. Further disparity is seen with the use of power as there are two faces seen for it. It is seen as an instrument through which peace and status quo can be achieved (Fahlbusch, Bromily, & Barrett 1999). On the other hand, it remains to be very susceptible to abuse that includes â€Å"misuse, excess, and tyranny† (Fahlbusch, Bromily, & Barrett 1999: 311)Two additional and related definitions of power is provided by Shortell and Kaluzny (1997) where it is seen that power is: 1) something that is used in order to change the course of action or behavior of another group or individual and 2) the influence that is exerted in order to force another person or group to do something that is in opposite to the original decision. There are certain elements that can be clearly seen from these definitions of power. First, it is seen that it may or it may not transcend through a hierarchical structure and is not dependent on the way through which positions in the organization is patterned.This is because the direction from which the power stems can be anywhere who can actually accomplish the two conditions mentioned above. However, it can b e seen that there is, actually, a greater chance for those who occupy higher positions to have power and use it because of the capabilities and responsibilities that is attached to the position. Second, it is a means of initiating change. To a certain extent, it can be seen that change is often associated with leadership as the latter is associated with two characteristics which include being â€Å"masters of change† and â€Å"visionaries† (Fisher 1999: 138).It can be related that since there is a sense of change in every leader, it can be seen that power is something that is used for the purpose of leading people into making several changes for a particular goal that is intended. It should be noted, still, that leadership is not the same as management and may or may not lie within the formal organizational structure. Third, power is sometimes associated with coercion and the use of force in order to achieve something.Though this is oftentimes seen and accepted in nega tive terms, it should be considered that this is not the sole aspect of power. In fact, there are different types of power that is classified according to their sources and coercion is only one of the elements that can be seen from one or a few of these types. A discussion with regard to this is placed in the following section. Sources of Power There are five general sources of power as presented by Cronkhite (2008). The classification includes reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, referent power, and expert power (Cronkhite 2008).First, reward power exists where loyalty and cooperation is earned in exchange for something that is needed (Cronkhite 2008). Second, coercive power involves the ability to take away something that is considered to be of value when the behavior or action desired is not achieved (R. Denhardt, J. Denhardt, & Aristigueta 2001). Third, legitimate power, placed in simple terms, is considered to be the type of power which stems from the position that i s being held wherein people are made to follow and act in consideration of the organizational structure, which indicates the position (Bob, I.Asherman, S. Asherman, & Randall 2001). Fourth, referent power is the type wherein power is gained through association with a powerful group or persons (Timby & Smith 2007). It could be of the inherent power of the organization to which a particular person belongs that makes other people behave in a particular manner Lastly, expert power is that which is derived from the â€Å"special knowledge, skill, or ability† that a particular individual possesses (Cottam, Uhler, Mastors, & Preston 2004).The Role of the Prime Minister There are several roles that need to be fulfilled by the British Prime Minister being the national leader. The breadth of responsibilities include â€Å"constitutional and procedural, appointments to ministerial and other senior posts, conduct of Cabinet and parliamentary business, the organization and efficiency of government, the Budget and other economic decisions, and special foreign and defense functions† (Mayne 1999: 26).As can be discerned from the list of general roles taken by the Prime Minister, there are functions which are legislative and executive in nature. The Prime Minister’s presence and control is felt when it comes to policy formulation, which is in the decision-making process, and in policy implementation, which is the executive functions of the prime minister. For example, he or she has affairs to deal with in the decisions made but also has defense functions, which is under the executive branch of the government.Another set of classification is also provided by Borthwick, Shell, and Williams (1995) wherein the Prime Minister is vested with responsibilities as the primary individual responsible for the operations of the government, the head of the party to which he or she belongs, and the leader of the whole nation. There are different specific tasks that need to be accomplished in consideration of the different interests of the people to whom the prime minister is accountable to.It is also defined by Hayward and Menon (2003) that a seemingly prime ministerial government exists in Britain wherein the â€Å"prime minister co-ordinates policy, resolves conflicts, and controls the main resources† (67). In the definition previously provided in an attempt to clarify the concept of power, it has been shown that the elements of power include possession of control in resources, an influence in the decision making process, and a voice in the resolution of conflict.These are the three elements that could also be discerned from the functions and roles of the prime minister that are presented by Hayward and Menon (2003) and Mayne (1999). It can be concluded that the set of functions given here characterize the existence of power within the hands of the Prime Minister and the sources can be both formal and informal, as is followed in the defini tion of power in general. Where it all Comes From There are different sources of power that can be seen from the history of prime ministerial incumbency in Britain.Through the intricate network of relations formed from the organizational hierarchy of the government, it can be seen that there are three general sources of power that includes the conventions, the constitutional devices, and the arrangements that are present in the British government. From personal characteristics also comes a consideration of whether or not a particular individual is given the power to serve as the Prime Minister.There are four characteristics, which include: 1) the name and status in the society or an organization together with what an individual can do; 2) perceived affiliation with success in terms of politics; 3) acceptance of the public; and 4) a relatively high position in the â€Å"party, parliamentary party, and government† (Poguntke & Webb 2005: 37). While these can not be considered as the direct sources of power, it serves as among the characteristics that are seen as bases whether power is given to an individual or not.This is important because these are requirements or prerequisites that are seen to be the main characteristics of the people that are vested with the powers of the Prime Minister. Likewise, it can be seen that these bases for the acquisition of power is not framed in the Constitution nor is it determined through the formal lines of government but are the shadow elements being considered in the selection process. However, it should also be noted that not everyone who fits these conditions become Prime Ministers.This is because there are other forms of standards are present that limits only one individual to be considered rightful as the Prime Minister. To a certain extent, it can be said that the Prime Minister is considered to be an â€Å"elected monarch† and draws certain powers from the Royal Crown of the land (Borthwick, Shell, & Willia ms 1995). The approval and acceptance of the monarch has been an important factor in maintaining the power that is within the reach of the Prime Minister.Over the years, the manner through which the monarch is selected has evolved in such a way that in the beginning, it is the personal affiliation of the person to the monarch that mattered but in the twentieth century, it became the credentials and appropriateness of the person that is considered by the monarch (Borthwick, Shell, & Williams 1995). While today’s monarch do not hold as much power and influence as those that existed in the past, they are still given the chance to voice out their concerns over the affairs of the government especially with the selection of the key leaders of the country.It has been through traditional considerations and the influence that the monarch has that renders them to still be powerful for certain decisions made in the country. In addition to this, the Prime Minister is tasked to report to the monarch every week in consideration of the monarch’s possession of â€Å"the right to be consulted, the right to encourage and the right to warn† (Williams 1998: 165). There are still powers and rights that are given to the monarch that the Prime Minister could not ignore and should continuously take into account for the former could easily use its power against the Prime Minister.In addition to this, it is argued by Harrison and Boyd (2006) â€Å"that the major development strengthening PM power over the last century have been mainly political rather than constitutional (34-5). Politically speaking, the power of the Prime Minister is related to the party that wins in the House of Common, which is considered to be a source of power for the Prime Minister (Borthwick, Shell, & Williams 1995). The largest party wins in the House of Common and the person who serves as the leader of the said party is appointed as the Prime Minister with the approval of respective autho rities in the land.Just the same as the Prime Minister reports to the monarch, he or she is likewise responsible to the House in lieu of the need to maintain the power that is vested upon him or her. There are several expectations that need to be fulfilled as a Prime Minister that would continuously be within the shoulders of the incumbent. Moreover, another source of power for the Prime Minister is the assignment of being the First Lord of the Treasury where the two positions are often associated with one another (Goodnow 2005). The responsibilities of the said office give the Prime Minister another area from where his or her power could stem from.Conclusion Power is considered to be the influence in the decision-making process, the control over the resources, and the force exerted over the behavior and actions of other people. In general, there are five sources of power that is categorized according to how power is attained and maintained. Placed in the context of the British gove rnment, power is considered in the roles of the Prime Minister. There are general roles that are fulfilled by the individual who is incumbent to the said position, which is being the head of the state, government, and the parliament.The powers of the Prime Minister are also earned through the monarch and the positions assigned of him or her. There are different limitations to the extent of control exhibited by the monarchy today but it remains to be ingrained in the British society and it can still place several pressures on the Prime Minister and the power of the same. In addition to this, there are also personal characteristics that are held as important for the position. Indeed, the powers of the Prime Minister stem from different sources, which are both formal and informal.The broad range from which power is sourced out is considered to be an implication of the need for a clear delineation of the powers and functions of the British Prime Minister. List of References Bob, P. , As herman, I. , Aherman, S. , and Randall, J. (2001) The Negotiation Sourcebook. Amherst, MA: HRD Press. Borthwick, R. L. , Shell, D. , and Williams, R. (1995) Churchill to Major: The British Prime Ministership Since 1945. NY: M. E. Sharpe, Inc. Cottam, M. , Uhler, B. , Mastors, E. and Preston, T. (2004) Introduction to Political Psychology.Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Cronkhite, C. (2008) Criminal Justice Administration: Strategies for the 21st Century. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Denhardt, R. , Denhardt, J. and Aristigueta, M. (2001) Managing Human Behavior in Public and Nonprofit Organizations. London: SAGE. Fahlbusch, E. , Bromiley, G. , and Barrett, D. (1999) The Encyclopedia of Christianity: (A-D). Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. Fisher, K. (1999) Leading Self-Directed Work Teams: A Guide to Developing New Team Leadership Skills. NY: McGraw-Hill. Goodnow, F.(2005) Comparative Administrative Law: An Analysis of The Administrative Syst ems, National And Local, Of The United States, England, France, And Germany. NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons. Harrison, K. and Boyd, T. (2006) The Changing Constitution. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Hayward, J. and Menon, A. (2003) Governing Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Mayne, A. (1999) From Politics Past to Politics Future: An Integrated Analysis of Current and Emergent Paradigms. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Morgan, G. (2006) Images of Organization. London: SAGE. Pfeffer, J.and Salancik, G. (2003) The External Control of Organizations: A Resource Dependence Perspective. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Poguntke, T. and Webb, P. (2005) The Presidentialization of Politics: A Comparative Study of Modern Democracies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Shortell, S. and Kaluzny, A. (1997) Essentials of Health Care Management. NY: Thomson Delmar. Timby, B. & Smith, N. (2007) Introductory Medical-Surgical Nursing. Philadelphia PA: Lippincott Wi lliams & Wilkins. Williams, A. (1998) UK Government and Politics. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers.

Race-Ethnicity and Diagnosis as Predictors Essay

The purpose of this article was to understand and examine the number of outpatients for patients with substance abuse or mental health problem. The data was collected from 12 outpatient mental health and substance abuse facilities in four U. S. Census Regions. The authors put forward three hypotheses that guided the way that they will approach the research problem. The first hypothesis was by keeping all social-demographic information constant e. g. , sex and age, the condition of non-Latino blacks and Latinos was worse when compared with non-Latino whites. The second hypothesis was that the patients with dual medical conditions e. g. mental problems and substance use disorders could be expected to visit the hospital more times when compared with patients with single medical condition. Lastly, the third hypothesis was that the number of non-Latino blacks and Latinos would have visited the hospital less frequently when compared to non-Latino whites. The target population was outpatients in the United States. The study sample of 1,899 patients with mental health and substance abuse problems was obtained from 12 outpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment centers within a period of two months (May 2001 – June 2002). Out of this number, diagnoses for 1807 patients were obtained from the medical facilities. Patients who had substance and psychiatric problems were included in the study factoring the racial-ethnicity criterion: non-Latino black, Latino and non-Latino whites. The response rate of the study was 95. 26%. This rate of success may be attributed to the fact that information was retrieved from health facilities databases. Nevertheless, specifying that the sample come from only health facilities reduces the relevance of the study because there are patients with medical and substance abuse problems and they do not visit the health facilities. External validity plays a crucial role in defining the extent of success of the project. Some information and data were missing and thus the authors had to approximate the missing data utilizing technological capabilities. However, since the data was obtained from both the public and private medical facilities indicates that all social class population was factored into the consideration. The data that were utilized were obtained from records that the medical facilities keep; hence, the data was specific and applicable in solving the hypotheses. This means that the sampling plan was appropriate to some extent (because they analyzed hospital records and not analyzing the entire community) for analyzing the effect of substance abuse and psychiatric problems. Nevertheless, the sample was not fully representative of the entire population because the sample was only picked from only 12 health facilities. Some people with psychiatric problems and substance abuse do not visit medical facilities. In the case of substance abuse, the authors could have picked additional sample from counseling and other corrective facilities such as jails. The type of study was descriptive because it tries to show the link that exists between race-ethnicity and medical conditions: mental health and substance abuse. The main threats to external validity are the extent of analysis and acquisition of the sample. The data of 92 patients was missing. However, through calculations and approximations these data was obtained, which to some extend jeopardize validity of the research. The study shows that there is some racial and ethnicity difference in substance abuse and psychiatric problems in population of non-Latino black, non-Latino white and Latinos. The study should have extended to other population type such as Hispanics and African-Americans to understand the real extent of mental conditions and substance abuse to the entire population. The independent variables were the group of the targeted population e. g. Non-Latinos white, non-Latino black and Latinos. The dependent variables are the medical conditions that were being analyzed e. g. substance abuse and psychiatric conditions. The intervening variables are the link and relationship that exists between the medical conditions and patients who accessed the medical facility. The authors were able to balance and analyze dependent, independent and intervening variables in achieving the goals of the study. The authors collected the data from outpatient facilities in twelve medical facilities. The data was obtained from the hospital databases and other recordings. Moreover, additional data was obtained through approximation of missing sample data. The authors were able to visit both public and private facilities to ensure for some external credibility. This strategy ensured that specific data was utilized in the study. Obtaining the data from medical facilities increased its validity and reliability. However, the approximation of the missing data was the main weakness and specifying the population that is analyzed e. g. obtaining data from medical facilities rather than obtaining additional data from other agencies. The data that was obtained was grouped into six parts utilizing the BASIS-24 domains with the help of PROC MI in obtaining the missing data. The authors obtained diagnosis for 1,807 patients out of the 1,899 patients. From the analysis, the authors found out that Latino and Non-Latino black patients reported worse symptoms of substance use disorders and psychiatric disorders when compared with non-Latino white. The authors found out that there was no relation between race-ethnicity with medical conditions. The study also showed that Latinos reported greater emotional liability, self-harm symptoms and interpersonal functioning compared with non-Latino blacks and non-Latino whites. Additionally, the study found out that self-harm symptoms were greater in non-Latino black when compared with non-Latino whites. The unique difference that existed between the Latinos and non-Latino blacks is that the severity of substance use disorders in non-Latino blacks is greater than that of the Latino. The authors found that the relationship that exists among the three populations types was depressive symptoms and their (population) functioning capabilities. The findings of the study differed with evidence that indicates lower rates of mental health problems between the Latino and non-Latino black populations in the treatment of substance abuse. The authors have clearly explained strengths and shortcomings that may occur. The strength of the methodology was the ability of the authors to pick specific data in hospitals and utilizing it to understand the medical condition of the population. The methodology that was utilized had various weaknesses, especially in collecting the data and analyzing it. The population that was utilized did not define the entire population because the authors utilized medical records. They could have incorporated other institutions in understanding substance abuse and psychiatric conditions. Moreover, they obtained some missing data through utilization of technological machines. This increase chances of errors in the final analysis. The authors were able to compare their findings with previous research and the conclusion indicates the entire study has achieved its goals.

Do Comedies Beginning in Turmoil but Ending in Harmony Celebrate Life? Essay

This is not the best essay (it’s rubbish but take from it what you will) To some extent, the statement is true as proof lies in many plays and novels. An example of this is Shakespeare’s comedic plays. The play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ begins in Athens where there is turmoil in the sense that Egeus’ daughter, Hermia, does not want to marry Demetrius. At the time of writing the play, these kinds of issues where the epitome of turmoil, parents were desperate to have their daughters married off, the disobedience of this tradition would have caused disharmony and embarrassment, which at the time of writing the plot was abhorrent, demonstrating the turmoil referred to in the question. By the end of the play, the characters fall in love with their respective partners, thus the play ends in harmony. This can mean that the Shakespearean comedy celebrates life as it demonstrates the hardships that the characters faced and how they overcame them. This shows the audience that they can also overcome the situations that they are facing as the audience could relate to the characters. This provided the audience with reassurance and a motive to remain positive, they know that their problems will be solved eventually. The comedy in this sense is celebrating life’s pain, harmony and ability to overcome. However, many comedies that begin in turmoil and end in harmony fail to ‘celebrate life’. Examples include Heller’s ‘Catch 22’. This novel includes the main character Yossarian trapped in the middle of World War II. It is soon revealed that Yossarian seems to think that everyone is trying to kill him, and so takes the war on a personal level. This situation appears quixotic and so the reader is subsequently unattached from the novel and the improbable storyline. Readers are unable to feel a connection to Yossarian, and the plot of the novel means that readers are unable to draw parallels from their own lives to Yossarian’s or any other characters, consequently the story does not celebrate life of the readers or the characters, even if the novel ends in harmony. The novel being set in World War II and the audience reading in the 1960s up until today suggests that life would have been completely different. This includes the fact that in the 1960s and to today turmoil is perpetual, especially recently with all sorts of problems regarding the recession, politics and personal issues such as rises in divorce and dealing with depression. Consequently, the issues dealt with in ‘Catch 22’ concerning the war are completely different to what people arerecently dealing with thus making it progressively difficult to relate to, and so the comedy does not celebrate life in this sense, the two lives differ enormously. However, it could be argued that the distorted image of life that Heller has put across in ‘Catch 22’ could be celebrated. Although the novel contains improbable situations and unlikely events, the readers are still able to somewhat relate to the characters through their personalities and can develop a connection with certain characters they feel they may relate to. ‘Catch 22’ ends in harmony, at which point the readers would be able to joyous for the fictitious characters and the obstacles they’ve overcome, the comedy in this sense is celebrating life of the fictional characters. Other comedic texts, such as Pride and Prejudice celebrate life as Jane Austen writes the book to be metaphorically representing life at the time of writing. In the novel, a mother is desperate to have her daughters married; this was very common in the 1800s. Along with this, PP deals with issues regarding manners, education and upbringing; all of which were important in the audience at the time because of the society that they were in. This in itself celebrates life of the people of that generation as the novel metaphorically represents the lives of the readers, the hardships they face to do with class, marriage, education, how these are overcome and prospective happy ending. The readers may not necessarily achieve the same happy ending, or a happy ending at all, but the fact that Austen has employed the happy ending allows the readers to feel resonance, and also happiness for the characters and because through Austen’s writing style, they have been so closely connected to, almost like friends. Thus the life of the characters is celebrated as well as the readers, whether or not they gain the same outcome.

Ibsen `The Dolls House` Essay

The theme of Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’ is the rights of an individual to live his life in his own way which is more important than the conventions and codes of society, understanding and love are the essential ingredients for a happy married life. The theme is present in the play through the presentation of the married life of Nora and her husband. The significance of the theme is that if too much importance is given to the norms of society than to individual freedom, his emotions and feeling, it brings disaster as shown in the play. The theme of ‘The Doll’s House’ by Ibsen is depicted mainly through the characters of Nora, and her husband Helmer. Nora breaks the rules of society initially to save his husband’s life and finally leaves her home, her husband and children to educate herself. Helmer on the other hand lives his life by strictly adhering to the rules of society. He is unable to understand his wife’s feelings and emotions and so his wife leaves him forever. Their marriage breaks down because they lacked understand and love which are required for a happy married life. In Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’, Nora is the protagonist who lives the life of a dutiful wife and mother as approved by society. She plays her role beautifully which is restricted to activities like creating a beautiful home, meeting the needs of her husband and children and singing and dancing prettily and seductively for her husband. She is portrayed in the play as a helpless creature; Helmer towards the end of the play calls her his ‘helpless darling’. She is also thought as a housewife protected by her husband from the troubles and burdens of life (said by her friend Mrs. Linde). However, when crisis strikes, she acts as a man. She herself takes the decision. She borrows a large sum of money from a man named Krogstad to save her husband’s life. She spares her dying father from the worry of his son-in-law’s heath. She forges her father’s signature, (the male member of the family who was supposed to act as a guarantor) and procures the money. She follows the advice of the doctor and takes Helmer to the south, to Italy to recover his health. The loan caused a lot of worry for her. She suppressed her desires for finery, saves a little from housekeeping money and worked in the evening till late at night to pay the loan back. She sometimes felt very tired but in spite of all her struggles, she felt great happiness in working and earning money. As she tells her friend: ‘It was like being a man’, (Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’). On the other hand, Torvald Helmer, her husband strictly follows the rules of the society. He considers his wife Nora as a plaything and his possession. He worries about the reaction of the people in the bank, when his wife Nora requests him to allow Krogstad to keep his position in the bank. They are already aware that he will dismiss Krogstad, so if they come to know that the new manager has changed his mind at his wife’s request, he will become a laughing stock in their eyes. Helmer tells Nora that: â€Å"Do you suppose I am going to make myself ridiculous before my whole staff, to let people think that I am a man to be swayed by all sorts of outside influence? †, (Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’). At the end, when Helmer receives the letter from Krogstad revealing Nora’s crime of forgery, he is inconsolable: â€Å"What a horrible awakening! All these eight years–she who was my joy and pride–a hypocrite, a liar–worse, worse–a criminal! †,(Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’). He not only abuses her but also blames her father: â€Å"all your father’s want of principle has come out in you. No religion, no morality, no sense of duty†, (Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’). We find from the play that Helmer is more concerned about the disgrace that he may face in society more than the seriousness of crime that Nora commits. He blames Nora for the mishap: â€Å"He can make the affair known everywhere; and if he does, I may be falsely suspected of having been a party to your criminal action. Very likely people will think I was behind it all–that it was I who prompted you! † (Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’). He decides to appease Krogstad in one way or another and shut up the matter at all cost. He believed that because of this incident, they can no longer share a close relationship as before and also he cannot allow her near his children. But still he wants Nora to continue staying under his roof as his wife for the sake of appearance to the world. As he is afraid that he will be stigmatized by society. However, later when he receives the second letter from Krogstad stating that the man repents for his action and has returned the bond, he calms down. Helmer realizes that he is saved from disgrace and thus he becomes the loving husband as before. He changes his stance, he forgives his wife. However, the damage is done. Disaster strikes the family; he loses his wife and mother of his children. On the other hand, Nora does not live her life according to the dictates of society. She breaks away her traditional role of a devoted wife and loving mother. She leaves Helmel and frees herself from the bondage of marriage. Thus she outrage society and stigmatize herself. In the play, Nora and Helmer look on the outside as a happy married couple. However at the end of the play, the curtain moves away to show a more realistic picture of marriage. As Nora realizes at the end of the play, there is a lack of understanding and love between the couple. Helmer considers Nora as his doll and his treasure. He also wants her to act according to his wishes. He tells Nora after he forgives her: â€Å"There is something so indescribably sweet and satisfying, to a man, in the knowledge that he has forgiven his wife–forgiven her freely, and with all his heart. It seems as if that had made her, as it were, doubly his own†, (Ibsen’s ‘The Doll’s House’). As Nora mentions, they could not understand each other even after eight years of marriage. Nora understands that her husband is a man with strong opinions about the role of woman in family and that his male ego would be hurt if he finds out about her secret loan. Also that he is very possessive about her. But she is unaware of the fact that her husband is a narrow-minded and selfish man. Helmer also fails to understand Nora. He does not realize Nora’s motive behind forging her father’s signature. He failed to understand his wife’s deep love for him which compelled her to borrow such a large amount in the first place. In the play, it is evident that Nora loves her husband and Helmer has great affection for Nora. But their love and affection for each other is not strong enough to keep them together in marriage. In the play, ‘The Doll’s House’ by Ibsen, Torvald lives his life by the guidelines that are acceptable and respectable to society. He is concerned more about his wife’s attractive looks and the beautiful appearance of his home than for his wife’s happiness. So his marriage breaks down. Nora realizes that she has imbibed the tastes and opinions of his husband and thus has lived a life according to his terms. She always though she was happy but was never really happy but rather jolly. Nora leaves her husband and her family and goes away to live her life according to her own terms. She wants to educate herself, to understand herself and everything around her. She goes away to fulfill her duties to herself which come before her duties as a wife and mother. She wants to understand who is right, the world or herself. The significance of the theme is beautifully presented in the play. Work Citation: â€Å"A Doll’s House†. Novelguide. com. 18 June 2008. â€Å"A Doll’s House†. Henrik Ibsen. 18 June 2008

Nigeria and the Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nigeria and the Oil Industry - Essay Example The paper also includes governmental policies with respect to oil industry. Trade Theory The companies do not necessarily trade to take advantages of the difference in their production and manufacturing capabilities but also to get benefit of the increasing returns. International trade has emerged over a period of time to be recognised as a key component in a nation’s growth and to enhance its economic performance. The new trade theory as introduced included a concept of ‘interindustry trade’. This allowed the trading practice between various industries belonging to different economies (Menipaz & Menipaz, 2011). The trade theory also states that the government of the nations can adopt necessary measures in developing the economic conditions of the citizens. The government of Nigeria is needed to take necessary steps involving the international trade practices (Bergoeing, 2003). A company is said to have achieved absolute advantage if it is capable of producing mor e goods than its competitors with the utilisation of same amount of resources or manufactures same quantity of goods with the utilization of minimum resources compared to its competitors. In this context, it is worth mentioning that Nigeria being one of the largest reserve nations of natural resources could have gained this advantage but due to the lack in advanced amenities and structures, and adequate law enforcement, the nation is deprived of this advantage (Bergoeing, 2003). In the era of international business, economic as well as social importances of international trade have played their role as the deriving theories influencing the international trading business (The Economy Watch, 2010). The Nigerian oil industry is facing instability with respect to declining condition of Niger delta adversely affecting the national economy and the sustainable growth of the related industry. Nigeria is included among the top ten nations that are considered to have richest reserves of oil o r natural resources. The main problem of Nigeria is that it has certain lacking in terms of advanced technology and infrastructure related to oil industry. As one of the major impacts of globalisation, the industry is facing tremendous competition from the outsiders (Foreign competitors). As stated by Adolor Uwamu, CEO of Seawolf Oilfield Services, the drilling for oil and gas is being carried out by the foreign companies in Nigeria and this has been a factor for the past 40 years (CNN, 2011; The Economy Watch, 2010). Participation of Nigerian Oil Industry in International Trade Nigeria’s international trade and export is significantly dependent on the oil and natural gas industry. After the introduction of economic reforms which was in the year 2005, the government of Nigeria has paid adequate attention in diversifying the nation’s export related profile. Oil and natural gas are considered as the primary products that are being exported of Nigeria. The nation is noted to export about 2.327 million of barrels daily, according to statistics of the year 2007 (The Economy Watch, 2010) as illustrated in the below figure: Nigeria’s Export Volume Source: (The Economy Watch, 2010). Globalisation and Regionalisation Nigerian government has taken necessary steps to reduce the exploitation of oil of Niger delta and declination of oil