Similarities Between Graceling And Fahrenheit 451

The idea of dystopian societies have drawn readers and authors alike for decades, each work of literature captivating millions. Books in the genre, of course, are classified by the world in which the main characters live. Although society is initially presented as perfect, beneath the surface it is deeply flawed in the eyes of the author. Although many books follow this formula, we will focus in on two specific pieces that carry very different storylines: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and Graceling by Kristin Cashore. First, we will identify what ideas and themes the two books represent, and how these ideas are similar to concepts we can identify in modern societies. Following the identification of themes, we will be able to isolate†¦show more content†¦Represented constantly through the book, those three themes are the building blocks for Bradbury’s masterpiece. The first theme, oppression of the people, is evident primarily in the society Montag lives in. As entertainment became held at a higher value, written literature has been deemed dangerous to the ideals of the people by proposing conflicting viewpoints. Beatty, one of the main advocates for the eradication of literature in Fahrenheit 451 attempts to convince Montag of this (and the importance of his job - burning the books) by stating â€Å"We stand against the small tide of those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and thought. We have our fingers in the dike. Hold steady. Don’t let the torrent of melancholy and drear philosophy drown our own. ...I don’t think you realize how important you are, we are, to our happy world as it stands now.† (Bradbury, 59) The philosophy of Beatty is not only represented, but the ideas of their society as a whole. Montag, of course, views the limitation of information accessible by the general public as a ves sel of oppression, leading to his escape. Another prominent theme from Fahrenheit 451 are the inner struggles faced by our main character, and his evolution as a person because of them. A primary

Illegal Immigration Is The Entry Of Non Us - 909 Words

â€Å"Illegal immigration is the entry of non-U.S. citizens into the United States without their having applied for entry at one of the many border crossings† (Illegal Immigration 9). There are numerous ways that illegal immigrants travel into the United States. The most common forms of entry are through Canada and Mexico. However, illegal immigration did not used to exist. In fact, immigration without applying to enter into the country was allowed in the United States at the beginning of 1655. Over a time period that stretched 230 years, the United States embraced immigrants to help the new country grow and thrive. Unfortunately, after the Revolutionary War the United States began to monitor all immigrations. Since then, laws have been passed†¦show more content†¦According to the National Research Academy of Sciences, illegal immigrants contributed back about $80,000 dollars in taxes in 1997 than they gained back in federal, state and local levels. Most of these immi grants do not even benefit from the services that they pay for because they are not legal citizens. â€Å"‘Immigrants not only help fuel the Nation’s economic growth, but also have an overall positive effect on the American economy as a whole and on the income of native-born American workers†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (â€Å"Immigration Myths and Facts- January 2008†). Illegal immigrants help employment rates rise for native-born citizens. Also, illegal immigrants help increase wages, such as in the state of California from 1990 to 2004 when the wages of native-born citizens rose by four percent because of illegal immigrants. Due to illegal immigrants, the economy continues to boost. Secondly illegal immigration positively impacts American life. â€Å"A recent study finds that the rise in immigration between 1990 and 2006, which increased labor-force participation by about 12.5 million, increased the earnings of U.S. workers by between 0.6 and 0.7 percent† (â€Å"Im migration Helps American Workers’ Wages and Job Opportunities†). This increase allows native-born earnings to climb. Using these findings, under the S.744 reform act U.S. workers could expect an increase in earnings from 0.4 and 0.7 because of immigration.

Domestic Violence Beyond Patriarchy Free Essays

string(35) " in the gay and lesbian community\." Domestic Violence: Beyond Patriarchy In the Beginning The Battered Women’s movement of the 1970’s enlightened society about a much secreted, and what at the time, was considered a family matter, that of violence against women by their male intimate partners. Many lives have been saved as a direct result of society’s public awareness of this much-hidden scourge on our families. Federal and state laws prohibiting Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) have been enacted, and funding has been put in place for battered women’s shelter programs. We will write a custom essay sample on Domestic Violence: Beyond Patriarchy or any similar topic only for you Order Now These changes have made a significant difference in the lives of battered women and children over the last few decades. The feminist theoretical perspective of IPVIPV has been depicted throughout our society as well as how victim services, and batterers intervention programs (BIP) are modeled. â€Å"Our culture has historically exhibited certain patriarchal values observable in religion and social custom. Working against the backdrop of this history, feminism quite naturally saw an antidote in ending social oppression of women. Wife assault, kept largely out of the public view and tolerated by prevailing attitudes, was regarded by feminists as an evil symptom of patriarchy. † (Dutton, page 17, 2006) Feminist theory defines IPV as a social problem with a single type of victim i. e. heterosexual women and one root cause, that of male privilege and patriarchy, which supports male domination, power, and control and the oppression of women. The need for services for IPVBIP’s for female perpetrators is obscured and trivialized by this â€Å"one size fits all† view. Dutton describes feminist theory on IPV as being a â€Å"‘paradigm:†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ [A paradigm is] a set of guiding assumptions or worldview, commonly shared within a group and serving to ward off recognition of data that are dissonant with the paradigm’s central tenets. This theory views all social relations through the prism of gender relations and holds that men hold power over women in patriarchal societies and that all domestic violence is either male physical abuse to maintain that power or female defensive violence used as a self protection. (p. 2, 2005) developed through the anti-rape and battered women’s movements. This perspective has been the guiding light for how the social problem of against men by women and The violence against women by men paradigm is so entrenched that if anyone pursues any other theories or presents any data that is contrary to that perspective it is automatically considered anti-domestic violence movement. (Dutton, p. 44, 2005) Lucal (1995) found that attempts to discuss the idea of battered husbands started an emotionally charged and fiercely contested debate among researchers which has been the classic debate filled with claims and counterclaims. Much of the debate has been centered around whether or not there are very many battered husbands. Most of the debate has been about whether or not battered husbands are a social problem worthy of support. (pp. 95-96) Revealing Statistics Dr. Murray Straus, co-founder and co-director of the University of New Hampshire’s Family Violence Research Laboratory, has studied IPV and child abuse for over thirty years. In study after study he has found that both men and women are capable of being victims and committing IPV. For instance: (I? E(Busing data from the National Family Violence Survey of 1975, Straus (l980) found that 11. 6 (2. 6 million nationwide) of husbands reported having been the victim of severe violence by their wives. Severe vio1ence was defined as behaviors, such as kicking, punching, beating, or using a knife or gun, that have a high probability of causing physical injury. (as cited in Hines Malley-Morrison, p. 77, 2001) Presenting data that defies feminist logic has caused Dr. Straus and his colleague’s substantial risk. As a result of the depth of the objections to our finding on assaults by wives, some of us became the object of bitter scholarly and person attacks. These attack included obstruction of my public presentations by booing, shouting, and picketing. In elections for office in scientific societies I was labeled as antifeminist despite being a pioneer feminist researcher on wife beating (Straus, 1973, 1996 as cited in Straus, pp. 225-226, 1992). Suzanne K. Steinmetz, a co investigator in the first National Family Violence Survey, was the victim of more severe attacks. There was a letter-writing campaign opposing her promotion. There were phone calls threatening her and her family, and a bomb threat at a conference where she spoke. (pp. 225-226) Studies such as the National Violence Against Women Survey tend to filter out male reports of victimization because of the â€Å"‘set†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ of the survey (criminal victimization of women) (Dutton, p. 4, in press). However, the National Violence Against Women Survey in 2000(a) reports that more than 834,000 men are raped or physically assaulted by an intimate partner each year in the United States. This translates into about(I? E(B32 assaults per 1,000 men. (Tjaden Thoennes, p. 11) Since the respondents in this study were told they were being interviewed about â€Å"personal safety† issues it’s quite possible that this number is an underestimate as many of the men may not have perceived the violence that their wives or girlfriends were perpetrating against them as a threat to their safety. (Hines Malley-Morrison, p. 77, 2001) The Establishment of Services for Male Victims Spreading the word as news of the availability of DAHMW’s helpline became more known, calls from men and those concerned about a male relative or friend whom they thought were in an abusive situation started coming in from around the country. A website was created with information on male victimization and other resources and tri-fold brochures specifically addressing IPV against men were designed, printed and distributed through mailings and placements on community bulletin boards. Consequently, two years after its inception, DAHMWDAHMWIPV. as highlighted in the National Crime Prevention Council’s book, â€Å"50 Strategies to Prevent Violence Domestic Crimes. † (2002) as, â€Å"[one of] 50 promising programs [that offer] new and alternative methods to aid under-served victims of violent domestic crime including teens in dating relationships, elderly victims of late-life abuse, child witnesses to violence, battered immigrants, male victims, and survivors in the gay and lesbian community. You read "Domestic Violence: Beyond Patriarchy" in category "Papers" † In 2003 Verizon began to publish the crisis line in a number of their phone books. Incoming calls to helpline have grown exponentially from fourteen a month in 2001, to over three hundred calls a month in 2006. The vast majority of the calls continue to be from or about a male victim (and children) of female Information gathered from male callers to the helpline suggests that some violent women use highly physically disabling tactics on their victims. â€Å"According to qualitative accounts, several physical attacks [are] reported to have occurred to the groin area, as in the following examples: â€Å"‘G reports that his estranged wife frequently targeted his testicles in her attacks, which included head butting and choking. Police were called to his home six times, one call resulted in the wife’s arrest. â€Å"‘ â€Å"‘I was writhing, crying in the corner, I couldn’t get up for two hours she kicked me in the groin at least 12 times. â€Å"‘ â€Å"‘She held a knife to my balls and threatened to cut them off. â€Å"‘ (Hines etal, p. 66, 2007) The stigma attached to being a man abused by a woman is profound. Many men report that they were taught never to hit a girl, be strong, do not cry and do not tell your personal business to anyone from their parents and caregivers. There is also a cultural belief that men should be able to defend themselves. However, if a man does defend himself against his abusive female partner and the police are called, the man is the one that will be arrested. When Dwayne Bobbit had his penis cut off by his wife in 1993, it was a big joke for late night comedy. Lorena Bobbitt was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. The reaction would have been entirely different had the genders been reversed. (Dutton, p. 148, 2006) Law Enforcement and the Court’s Response The concerned family members and the victims themselves to the DAHMW helpline have recounted reports of the lack of concern for male victims: Misconceptions and Realities Feminists’ theorists assert that women’s violence against men is less likely than men’s violence against women to result in serious physical or psychological harm. (Dutton Nichols, p. 697, 2005) They use this claim to dismiss women’s violence against men and male victims. Women, in general, may not be as big or strong as men are, however, what women lack in size and strength they make up for with the use of weapons. Research conducted at an emergency clinic study in Ohio (Vasquez Falcone, 1997, as cited in Dutton Nichols, 2005 ) revealed that 72). The authors reported that burns obtained in intimate violence were as frequent for male victims as female victims. As this study demonstrates, community samples, unless they require subjects to self-report as crime victims, show a different and more equivalent pattern of violence by gender than that alleged by the(I? E(Bfeminist perspective(I? E(B. Regardless of the variations in the studies, two conclusions seem reasonable: (1) women are injured more than men, and (2) men are injured too, and are not immune to being seriously injured. Simply because the injury rates are lower, men should not be denied protection. (Dutton Nichols pp. 97-678, 2005) The feminist perspective of IPV being predominantly patriarchal in nature also excludes much of the victims in LGBT community. The LGBT community has had to set up their own domestic violence shelter programs that primarily or exclusively protect, educate and serve LGBT individuals who are victims of IPV. (e. g. see the www. gmdvp. org, ww w. lagaycenter. org/FamilyViolence etc ) According to Helfrich Simpson (2006) lesbians have a difficult time accessing services through the traditional battered women’s shelter programs due to the lack of policies to screen lesbian survivors and identify batterers. Lesbian batterers may use deception to access services through the same agency as the survivor and there are little to no stopgap measures taken to deal with those situations. (p. 344) Beyond Patriarchy, Alternative Theories on IPV Dutton (2006) asserts that the best predictor of intimate partner violence is not gender but personality disorder (p. 153). Since the beginning of the battered women’s movement, researchers who have studied maritally violent men have often treated batterers as a homogeneous group. They have measured violent husbands by comparing them to nonviolent ones. However, more recently they have found that violent husbands vary along a number of important dimensions, including severity of violence, anger, depression and alcohol abuse. (Holtzworth-Munroe Stuart, p. 476, 1994) More recently, researchers have begun to investigate what attachment styles and personality disorders have to do with IPV. The focus for this paper regarding typologies of batterers is on the dysphoric/borderline subtype and so a full description of each subtype of batterer is beyond this review. For more information of the various subtypes please review, Holtzworth-Munroe Stuart, 1994; Holtzworth-Munroe et al. 1997; Holtzworth-Munroe et al. , 2000; Waltz et al. , 2000; Babcock et al. , 2003; Carney Buttell, 2004) Researchers have found that batterers are more likely a heterogeneous than a homogeneous group and within that heterogeneous grouping various subtypes of batterers exist. Seminal research done by Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart (1994) studied violent men and asc ertained various typologies of male batterers. Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart categorized three major subtypes and they labeled them, family only, dysphoric/borderline, and generally violent/antisocial. (Holtworth-Munroe Stuart, p. 76-482, 1994) Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart described dysphoric/borderline batterers as those who engage in moderate to severe wife abuse as well as psychological and sexual abuse. Their violence is primarily towards the family; however, they suggested that some extra familial violence and criminal behavior may be evident. Additionally, they found that these men are the most dysphoric, psychologically distressed, and emotionally volatile and that they have evidence of borderline and schizoidal personally characteristics. The may also have problems with alcohol and drug abuse. (ibid. According to Dutton (2006), â€Å"Across several studies, implemented by independent researchers, the prevalence of personality disorder in wife assaulters has been found to be extremely high. These men are not mere products of male sex role conditioning or â€Å"‘male privilege†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ [as the feminist theory of IPV suggests]; they possess characteristics that differentiate them from the majority of men who are not repeat abusers. † (p. 185) In addition to research on subtypes of batterers, there is also evidence to suggest that early attachment has bearing on what type of person may have the propensity towards perpetrating IPV. Buttell et al (2005) states that the presence of batterer subtypes is widely accepted in the field and that findings from [their] study seem to suggest that issues of attachment and dependency may be related to the development of an abusive personality for one type of batterer. They state that if true, efforts to improve intervention may need to focus on distinguishing batterer subtypes and developing intervention strategies relevant to the need for each subtype. (p. 216) Attachment styles may be the key to unlock many doors for both female and male perpetrators of IPV. Dutton in his book, The Abusive Personality, reiterates Bowlby’s findings on attachment styles: In his landmark series of books entitled Attachment and Loss, Bowlby developed the notion that human attachment was of ultimate importance for human emotional development. In his view, it had sociobiological significance. His views encompassed the possibility of individual differences that came to be called â€Å"‘attachment styles'† referr[ing] to entire constellations of thoughts and feelings about intimacy. Reactions to the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of early attempts at attachment set up life-long attachment styles described as secure, fearful, or dismissing. The dismissing people tend to be wary of and stay out of relationships. The secure ones are comfortable with closeness. The fearful ones are stuck in the middle, exhibiting ambivalence toward intimacy and to those with whom they are emotionally connected. (as cited in Dutton, p. 116, 1998) Dutton (1998) further postulates that this push-pull reaction of the fearful attachment styled person resembles the ebb and flow of what he has coined the â€Å"cyclical personality. Dutton reports that in his notes on phrases used by female victims to describe their male batterers (who were clients of Dutton’s) there was a recurring theme. They would express that their partners would act like â€Å"Jekyll and Hyde† and appear to be two different people at times. They also said things like, â€Å"He’s like living with an emotional roller-coaster,† and describe their mates as moody, irritable, jealous and changeable. (p. 53) This cycling was first recognized by Lenore Walker in her book, The Battered Women, as the â€Å"‘battering cycle. â€Å"‘ (as cited in Dutton, ibid. As Dutton set out to gain some understanding of a cyclical or phasic personality he came across a book by John G. Gunderdson entitled, Borderline Personality Disorder: Dutton’s research regarding attachment, borderline and the batterer’s cyclical personality has been focused on male on female IPV, however, in his recent book, Rethinking DV, he discusses female perpetrators: Recent research has begun to explore the role of [fearful attachment, borderline traits, and chronic trauma symptoms, which generates what Dutton calls the abusive personality] among female perpetrators of partner abuse. Follingstad, Bradley, Helff, and Laughlin (2002) generated a model for predicting dating violence in a sample of 412 college students. (as cited in Dutton, p. 201, 2006) They found that anxious attachment resulting from early life experiences led to the development of an â€Å"‘angry temperament,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ which in turn related to attempts to control and use abuse against an intimate partner. The model predicted abusiveness for both genders (ibid. ) Other researchers have also hypothesized about subtypes of abusive males and females. For instance, Buttell et al (2005), states that researchers are beginning to explore the role of attachment theory and develop hypotheses on abusive behaviors relevant to different subtypes of abuser in order to improve intervention efforts for batterers. (p. 211) Gormley (2005) concluded that, â€Å"Insecure adult attachment orientations affect half the adult population, helping to explain the prevalence of men’s and women’s IPV. Women with insecure adult attachment orientations may be as much at risk as similar men of psychologically and physically abusing romantic partners, oing damage to relationships they may be socialize to value highly(I? E(B. † (p. 793) Female Batterers Scant research has been done on female batterers; however, due to the changes in mandatory arrest policies more women are being arrested than ever before. The debate about whether or not women perpetrate IPV has changed noticeably of late due in part to the fact that women are increasingly being arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to intervention programs for domestic violence offenses. Women’s arrest for IPV is a direct result of legislation that has mandated the arrest of perpetrators in cases where police become involved when a domestic dispute has occurred. Warrantless arrest legislation gives police the power to arrest the abuser and press charges themselves when called to a domestic dispute. The victim no longer needs to press charges against the perpetrator. The arrest of women was certainly an unintended consequence of this legislation and has had a dramatic impact on the national debate regarding female initiated IPV. Carney Buttell, p. 249, 2004) Feminist theory of IPV has created a dilemma regarding intervention services for female batterers. At present, the most prevalent legislated BIP’s the system has set up are for dealing with batterers comes from the feminist model of IPV. Female batterers who are convicted of domestic assault and court ordered to attend a BIP have little choice but than to attend the feminist model of BIP’s wh en court ordered to do so. (Carney and Buttell, p. 50, 2004) In addition, research on these [Duluth Model] BIP’s indicate that few men who complete treatment benefit from it to the extent that they demonstrate positive changes in their behaviors. Of course, if men are not benefiting from a program that is specifically designed for patriarchal batterers then certainly abusive women will benefit even less. (ibid. ) According to Babcock Siard (2003) some of the women arrested could have been acting in self-defense and were therefore falsely arrested but others with extensive violent histories may in fact be primary aggressors. p. 153) Men who are arrested are not given the same latitude. Babcock et al. (2003) mentions that in a study of women arrested for IPV, Hamberger and Potente (1994) found women who could clearly be identified as primary aggressors of IPV, yet in the treatment setting they were generally treated the same as those women who used self defense. (as cited in B abcock Siard, p. 154). Babcock et al. (2003) proposed two categories of female batterers, those that were partner-only and those that were generally violent. The partner-only category covered women who may be more likely to use violence in self-defense and the generally violent women (of more interest for this paper) were women who used violence in any manner of situations including against their romantic partners. (pp. 153-154) Many studies on male batterer’s include reports from their female victims; however, the researchers in this study did not ask the male victims for reports of their partner’s violence. Iit is interesting to note that violent women were asked to report on their male partner’s violence against them. (p. 57) They further note that power and control seems to be an issue for some abusive women and they suggest that women’s power and control issues, traumatic histories, and psychological distress should be explored and indicate that clinicians may want to assess for psychopathology (i. e. post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, etc. ) (ibid. ) Recent studies have found that women’s and men’s violence share similar correlates (Giordano, Millhollin, Cernkovich, Pugh, Rudolph, 1999; Magdol, Moffittt, Caspi, Silva, 1998; Moffitt, Robins, Caspi, 2001 as cited in Babcock et al, p. 53, 2003) therefore, they may also share similar motivations and circumstances. Female Batterers from Victims Reports Hines et al’s (2007) research provides some insight into female batterers from their male victims. â€Å"Female abusers likely have a history of childhood trauma, may be suffering from a mental illness, and are likely to use alcohol and/or drugs. Further, these women have a high rate of threatening either suicide and/or homicide. † (p. 9) As previously stated, women have been asked to report on their male batterers and although this is not the ideal way to obtain information on batterers, feminist researchers have been gathering information in this way from battered women in shelters for years. (e. g. Walker, 2000 as cited in Hin es et al, p. 69, 2007) Conclusion Men are victims of female perpetrated IPV and need services such as shelter, legal aid, support and counseling much the same as their female counterparts. Additionally, men’s reports of victimization should not be called into question but treated with the same respect as women’s reports. Protocols should be put in place within the domestic violence shelters programs, for law enforcement and the courts that will screen out potential female and male batterers so that victims are not judged by their gender. There is a dearth of research of female batterers and what has been presented from the feminist theory suggests that violent females use violence in self-defense. As we move away from the feminist theory of IPV researchers are discovering that childhood trauma, insecure attachment styles, mental illness, and/or alcohol and substance abuse play a role in IPV for both genders. Not all male batterers fit into the feminist theory of IPV, there are subtypes of batterers and attachment style plays a role in who perpetrates IPV. The subtype that is the focus of this paper is that of the borderline, cyclical batterer. Female batterers also show symptoms of having subtypes evidenced by reports from male callers to the DAHMW. Studies are beginning to assess psychological factors that predict female intimate partner violence. What is emerging is evidence of personality disorder, attachment style, and constricted affect that has also been seen in male abusers. Female abusers share much of the same traits as male abusers especially antisocial and borderline personalities. (Dutton, p. 203, 2006) As Babcock et al. (2003) explain, â€Å"[the] feminist perspective should be holistic, examining both the positive and negative sides of women’s behavior. Bringing attention to some women being in the role of perpetrators, not solely as the victims of intimate partner abuse, involves viewing women as they are, not as we would wish them to be. † (p. 160) References About The Author How to cite Domestic Violence: Beyond Patriarchy, Papers

Computer Interface Analysis free essay sample

Introduction I have always been interested in doing some trading on-line, so I selected five on-line stockbroker companies: TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Scottrade, and ShareBuilder. The reason I chose these particular companies is because I have seen and heard the most commercials about them. These websites are geared towards individuals who wish to do their own stock research and trading. All of these companies offer similar services and features such as investment education, live seminars, mobile trading, stock and option trading, checking and debit card, and a variety of margin rates (http://www.stockbrokers.com/compare). Interactivity Financial institutions that offer on-line trading services also provide banking options such as checking and retirement accounts. These companies design websites that allow individuals to sign up for these services and can be considered as e-commerce websites. The main goal of the on-line trading websites is to get an individual to sign up for an account. The website need to be useable for the individual to be able to interact with it (Savafi, n.d.). An individual who is interested in on-line trading and visit the various websites must be able to perform certain functions on the website (e.g. navigate, fill out forms, use tools). The individual will navigate within the website to research what the on-line trading company has to offer and how it compares to other on-line trading companies by clicking on links or hyperlinked icons and using the search function. To open an account, the individual will be taken through a step-by-step process by entering personal information in form fields. Once the account has been created, then there is the process of the individual making trade transactions using the tools that the website has to offer. Site 1: https://us.etrade.com. This website offers interactive options such as the 360 Dashboard and Quick Retirement Planning tool. The 360 Dashboard provides access to and a graphical view of account details. It allows for the on-line trader to get information on the market and execute transactions from the same webpage. There is a favorites feature for ease of access to commonly performed actions. Market data is streamed real-time so that the trader has access to the most current information. The Quick Retirement Planning tool is easy to use. It encompasses four steps to where the person enters income and spending figures. It gathers and compiles the entries and creates an actions plan. At any given point, the trader can make adjustments in any step and the action plan is recalculated automatically. There are two horizontal navigation areas. The top one has little contrast, which is harder to see. Site 2: https://www.scottrade.com. This website is the only one that has a mobile trading link in its horizontal navigation menu on the main page. With more an more people using mobile devices, the location of this link is readily available instead of having to go through other pages. Scottrade labels its trader information area as Knowledge Center instead of Education. This provides a one-stop area for documentation, tools, videos, etc. The trader does not have to go through other links in the main navigation bar. There is only one navigation bar, which is easier to follow and provides the trader with further selection by using hovering drop down menus. Site 3: http://www.sharebuilder.com/sharebuilder/default.aspx. This website offers a simple design and does not have the extra bells and whistles like the other websites. The navigation bars are a bit twitchy. The hover option of the top bar cause the lower navigation bar to change as its submenu so it is easy to lose focus and forget where you are in the navigation bar. The pages are not cluttered and logically arranged so you do not have to weed through information or links that are not relevant. You do lose the main navigation bars when entering the Knowledge Center under the Education area. It also provides a Get Quote option that is available at the bottom of the page that you can show or hide. Site 4: https://www.tdameritrade.com. This website requires a lot of scrolling in its pages, which tends to requires you to spend more time looking for information. The links in the navigation bars do not offer hover or drop-down menus like the other websites. In the education area, it allows you to select your expertise level hence providing a more customized experience. It provides different media to choose from such as video, courses, and webcasts. It uses Application Programming Interface, which provides a more seamless user experience. It does not require you to download interface software and is designed to work with existing software. The Thinkorswim interface offers features that the others do not such as virtual practice training. Site 5: https://www.schwab.com. This website is probably the least user friendly of the websites. The arrangement of information does not flow well because it concentrates on general statements that do not provide a value-added user interaction. Again, it is a hunt and peck environment. This is the only website that does not offer an Education or Knowledge Center link on its main page. The Streetsmart Edge is available in client-based or cloud-based trading platforms, but only works in Internet Explorer. For Mac users, you have to download an emulator for the client-based platform and Citrix if you want to use the cloud-based platform. I have dealt with Citrix and it introduces another piece of technology to go wrong. Cognitive Factors The on-line trading website provides information to the current or prospective on-line trader to allow understanding of how on-line trading works. The information explains common terminology, transaction process, timing, and monitoring. Links to educational videos, tutorials, how-to guides, and help areas provide such information. The information must come at the right time and location. The on-line trading websites provide this, but at different degrees depending on the target audience; novice versus expert. At any rate, the first impression is based upon the on-line trader’s perception of the website’s look and feel. The user will take this into account by observing and experiencing website content such as arrangement, color, sounds (e.g. person’s voice, music), font, moving graphics, manipulation, and response (Rogers, n.d.). Out of all of the websites, E*TRADE caught and kept my attention since it had a bold color palette and simple, but attractive icons that make sense. Green is a symbol of money and purple is a symbol of royalty. With that combination, it is appropriate for an on-line trading website. The font type and size is easy to read. There is enough contrast without being distracting. Important informational links are the focus of the navigation bars. Even though the Charles Schwab website gained my attention, but in a negative way. All I wanted to do was leave the website and I had no desire to stay. The different sizes of boxes and fonts were distracting and I did not know where the hyperlinks were going to take me. When it comes to memory, Scottrade had the edge. It had the most consistent looking pages and the navigation bar never changed. This kept the focus on the body of the page. The Open an Account button was strategically positioned in the same area of each page. Even though the coloring was monochromatic for the most part, at least it did not have colors that distracted from the purpose of each page. I will got back to Charles Schwab as being the least effective when it comes to a design that uses hyperlinked boxes and each page I went to did not keep with the same format or flow as the others. Mental Models The mental models derived from the on-line trading websites will depend on the goals and motivations of the on-line trader. Previous experience, personality, education, and cultural background are major factors, which will influence the on-line trader’s mental model (Stockbee, 2007). On-line trading requires taking varying levels of risk. It is geared for do-it-yourselfers. Because on-line traders do come from all walks of life, mental models will vary. Lawyers will have a different mental model towards on-line trading versus a certified public accountant versus a small business owner. Most on-line traders will have had experience with some sort of banking institution’s website. Like these, there are certain standards features you find (Stock, n.d.). The ShareBuilder website definitely provides a mental model for the beginner. The website and its webpages are not filled with extra information that the beginner may not want or need. Its design is geared towards making the user feel that trading does not have to be a complicated process and can be managed like other financial accounts such as a checking account. The user does not have to have a degree to learn how to invest or trade. TD Ameritrade also has the novice in mind, but uses a tool to tailor the experience. Both websites do not make assumptions and provide the necessary information for what a beginner may expect. Scottrade and Charles Schwab websites are designed for a more experienced user. Users with more familiarity with on-line trading would be better able to navigate the information. The main pages do not focus on new traders since the links do not readily highlight the beginner user experience. Charles Schwab especially uses terminology that may not be recognizable to the beginner and would need further explanation. Universal Design Principle s Universal design is more prevalent in professional websites, specifically on-line trading websites. It keeps the focus of the on-line trader by using consistency of color, font, size, and arrangement. They all had menus bars that stayed in the same location no matter what page you were on. Clean pages and clutter pages existed amongst the on-line trading websites. Color and font type were the same, but arrangement varied. Pleasant colors were used, but contrast was lacking in some. In this case, I noticed most of the on-line trading websites used colors from one end of the spectrum, such as blue, green and purple. Consistency invokes familiarity (Akoumianaki Stephanidi, n.d.). There are universal design principles in all of the websites. Common areas of purpose, education, retirement, tools and platforms, and product information are available in the main navigation bars. The steps to opening an account require the same basic information and have a search function. The retirement tools have similar functions to give a graphical display of where you are at now, where you will be at the time of retirement, and the course of action. Site 1: https://us.etrade.com. Simple and Intuitive Use It was easy to get from one page to another. None of the websites needed internet browser plug-ins. Low Physical Effort The pages anchored the user and allows user to be able to maintain focus on the activities of each page. Size and Space for Approach and Use The display of content was consistent with different browsers. Site 2: https://www.scottrade.com. Equitable Use – It offers a text resize that allows users to adjust the text smaller or larger which displays more or less on a page. Simple and Intuitive Use It was easy to get from one page to another. None of the websites needed internet browser plug-ins Size and Space for Approach and Use – On the main page, it has a view or hide content option, which allows the user to chose how much content is displayed. Site 3: http://www.sharebuilder.com/sharebuilder/default.aspx. Equitable Use – It lacks the accessibility factor of being able to roll over links and getting a pop-up that explains what the link is. This is especially necessary for people who are visually impaired and use tools to have the text read out load. Perceptible Information – It has good use of proximity, which made it easy to separate the content and what goes where. Size and Space for Approach and Use The display of content makes good use of white space by not over-cluttering with unimportant content. Site 4: https://www.tdameritrade.com. Equitable Use – There were bubbles that popped up when hovering over the majority of links. This is conducive to text-to-speech utilities for the visually impaired. Perceptible Information – Boxes normally imply links, but in this case of the main page, it is not. The use of pictorial representations of different races of people implies anyone can do on-line investing. Size and Space for Approach and Use – The main goal of any on-line trading website is to get someone to open an account. These links were not predominant. Site 5: https://www.schwab.com. Equitable Use – It lacks the accessibility factor of being able to roll over links and getting a pop-up that explains what the link is. This is especially necessary for people who are visually impaired and use tools to have the text read out load. Simple and Intuitive Use – It offered rollover drop down menus for filtering. Perceptible Information – It lacked visual hierarchy, so it was hard to tell what content was most important. Size and Space for Approach and Use The display of content was not proportioned and lacked good use of white space. Learnability and Effectiveness The on-line websites provided learnability and effectiveness. The on-line trader gets an idea of what on-line trading entails, how it is accomplished, and what are the end results. Since the page formats have a familiar look and feel, it helps the on-line trader remember where different content is located. The content is arranged so the on-line trader will not get lost in navigation and be able to retrieve help content in relevant areas. The websites did not overly complicate the content. The search and help areas are natural to use and allows on-line traders make educated decisions (Web, n.d.). As with other areas, ShareBuilder is more basic than the others, so there is less content to review and learn. It does not have an excessive amount of terminology where you need to go somewhere else to figure out what it means. It lets you jump right in with the least effort. Its interface is easy to understand and can be used by individuals with any level of expertise. The content arrangement is easily followed. E*TRADE is the most effective website since it has a good balance of content for beginners and experts. On the main page, you can select right away where you want to go in regards to your level of comfort. There is not too much or too little information and the categories are logically placed on the individual pages. The main page contains the essential content for a starting point. Conclusion My initial review of the on-line trading websites is they all provide very similar content, which is easy to navigate and understand. The main differences are color palette, use of menu bars, and arrangement. The content was grouped into main categories such as education, product information, retirement planning, service, tools, and pricing. While E*TRADE provided the best eye candy with a clean look, Charles Schwab presents pages that have various sizes of fonts which distracts from the more important focus of learning what the purpose is and unnecessary content not really needed to open an account or finding out more specific trading details that should be left after the account is created.

Scientific Management in Todays Workplace

The principles of scientific management developed by Frederick Taylor have shaped the work of many organizations. Overall, this approach implies that every procedure should be specified and standardized. This standardization is supposed to replace the rules of thumb which are deemed to be less effective.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Scientific Management in Today’s Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper is aimed at discussing the applications of scientific management in modern companies. In particular, I would like to discuss this question from the perspective of a consumer because this method can directly affect the experiences of clients. Overall, one can say this approach is still of great importance to many business administrators. As a rule, it is believed that scientific management is applied mostly to the needs of manufacturing companies; however, one can say that this model can af fects the work of service organizations as well. For instance, every visitor of a fast-food restaurant can notice that practically every workplace procedure is standardized. The employees of such companies have to adhere to specific instructions, especially when they prepare and serve food. In this case, the goal of scientific management is to improve the time-efficiency of the personnel. This model enables fast-food companies to serve a greater number of customers as quickly as possible. This is one of the reasons why these fast-food restaurants are able to achieve financial success. To some, their practices reflect the ideas of Frederick Taylor. Another example that one can discuss is the work of modern airports since these organizations also have to serve the needs of many customers. Moreover, it is important for them to optimize their performance, especially to improve their time management strategies. For instance, the luggage of passengers is always scanned, bar-coded, and tra nsported to a particular plane. This set of procedures ensures that people do not have to stay in extremely long queues. Moreover, these rules are supposed to prevent the loss of property. The employees of airports have to follow these procedures, instead some rules of thumb. Again, scientific management is imbedded into the work of these organizations. Business administrators apply it in effort to improve the experiences of clients. Finally, many people have experienced of dealing with call centers. One can notice that the employees of these organizations often ask the same questions or use similar expressions, especially when greeting a customer. Some people may find this similarity rather irritating, but they should not blame workers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This behavior can be explained by the rules and requirements that call centers set for employees. In partic ular, managers want them to follow specific rules of etiquette while interacting with clients and ask specific questions, particular when a client complains of something. Thus, one can argue that scientific management can influence even communication between customers and companies. On the whole, the ideas expressed by Frederic Taylor and his followers continue to play an important role for many organizations. Certainly, this approach may be criticized for making work too monotonous. Nevertheless, many companies adopt this method in effort to maximize performance. This method also affects the way in which organizations interact with clients. Most likely, the principles of scientific management will find practical applications in the future. This model can bring such benefits as time-efficiency, cost reduction and clarity of workplace duties. This is why it still enjoys significant popularity among many managers who may work in very different organizations. This essay on Scientific Management in Today’s Workplace was written and submitted by user Eliza Hogan to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Salem Possessed essays

Salem Possessed essays In the past, the word Salem has always been somewhat synonymous with the infamous witch trials. Rather than overlook the ordinary people living in the towns in which Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum write, they instead take the instance of the witch trials of 1692 and springboard from them into a detailed inquisition into the entire history of the small village of Salem. In their own words, Boyer and Nissenbaum have exploited the focal events of 1692 somewhat as a stranger might make use of a lightning flash in the night. That is to say, the authors strive to show how the witch trials were not simply a completely spontaneous event, but rather a long, horrible process by which individuals were singled out, tried, and executed in order to vent emotions of hostility towards change. Boyer and Nissenbaum proposed that one difference between the accusers and the accused was a difference of economic status. The way in which the authors go about this, however, is in a somewhat difficult to comprehend style that goes back and forth between the years, forcing one to rethink all the facts thus far each time a new chapter is introduced. In addition, the authors tend to focus mostly on the social and economic aspects of witchcraft, with little to nothing as far as further explanation of the actions of the women accused. In the year 1692, the small farming village of Salem, Massachusetts saw a social phenomenon that would propel the village into the history books: the calamity that was witchcraft. The witch trials were initiated whenever three young girls, Betty Parris, Abigail Williams, and Ann Putnam were caught performing fortune telling rituals in the woods, trying to gather information on what type of man would be best for them. Soon thereafter, the girls began experiencing hysterical fits, prompting Betty Parriss father, Reverend Samuel Parris, to call in the authorities to confirm the cause of the girls symptoms. The authoriti...

Time Capsule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Time Capsule - Essay Example Between 1404 and 1414, Konrad came up with a number of paintings that were a depiction of ‘The Crucifixion’. During this period of Renaissance, religious forms were widespread in the society because of a society domination of the Church of Roam and the Catholic Church (Kleiner, 2006). On the Age of Baroque, an example of a possible Caravaggio find would be one of Caravaggio’s paintings—an Italian painter who downplayed the pre-existing rules of painting and came up with a new way of doing his artwork. His paintings, such as the â€Å"Inspiration of Saint Mathew,† were a reflection of the emotional and physical aspects of a human being. His work was a true image of â€Å"The Age of Baroque† in Italy and France that used exaggerated motion to elicit drama, grandeur, and tension alike (Guisepi, 2007). Music Throughout the existence of humanity, music has existed to move the human being emotionally and pump him up physically. In both periods of Renaissance and the Age of Baroque, music could be found in the form of sheets or notes. This could be a clear reflection of an era where the humanity existed without any advancement in technology that dominates the contemporary world. Additionally, from a critical look at of some of the musicians one would show that they helped to lay a platform of establishing musical sound of then and today. One is likely to find music notes of the likes of Leonel Power, a composer of early Renaissance times and Jacopo Peri, an Italian musician of the Age of Baroque (Guisepi, 2007). Descriptions of drawings or architecture Architects of the Renaissance time wanted to transform their status of professionalism from skilled laborers to artists. The architects of this era wanted to come up with structures that would be appealing to the human being both emotionally and reason wise (Kleiner, 2006). In this regard, one would hope to find in the time capsule notes and a set of plans on marvels like the Florence Cathedral among other great structures of the time that paved way for modern architecture. In the time capsule, works by Renaissance architects like Leon Battista, Andrea Palladio, and Filipo Brunelleschi could be a possible find. A possible reflection of Baroque architecture could be through finding the works of architect like Sir Christopher Wren. Such a finding would mirror the new emphasis that Baroque architecture placed on bold massing, domes, and light and shade colonnades etcetera. A possible find in the time capsule would be a set of plans or notes that relate to the rebuilding of the churches of London following the 1666 Great Fire of London (Kleiner, 2006). Philosophy From a philosophical point of view, the age of Renaissance portrayed a transition from the mediaeval thinking of an anonymous existence to the uniqueness in man be cause of enlightenment that characterized the man of the time. While Greece could be the source of early philosophers, the age of Renaissance came up with new values while old philosophies found new meanings. Recovery of ancient documents, renewed emphasis on individual freedom, and opposition of institutional authority made the practice of education undergo a revolution. In the time capsule, one can locate a copy of Galileo’s work on the telescope. A more interesting find however would be a discovery of the telescope he used to make astronomical observations. Galileo, an Italian, helped revolutionize the scientific landscape of the era of Renaissance through his invention of the telescope and many contributions in mathematics and physics. The nature of the Age of Baroque could be reflected in the time capsule by coming across the work of a philosopher of the time like

Cultural Influences on a Childs Health Research Paper

Cultural Influences on a Childs Health - Research Paper Example No one is more dedicated in contributing to a child’s health and welfare than his own immediate family members. It can be seen that the families of South Eastern countries like China and India take extreme care in bringing up their child healthily and prosperously. But with regard to American children, they depend more on medical experts and health centers for their health and medical needs. The US being a developed and advanced nation have all the latest technology and medical care system, but unfortunately, does not giving proper care and nurturing to the children when they need it the most. Illness and health beliefs: Every country has its own ancient beliefs and customs, when it comes to their child’s health and welfare For example, it is widely known fact that Chinese practice a holistic approach, when it comes to health and well –being of their child. As per Garnecki (2007)â€Å" In Chinese culture during post partum, the mother and baby are supposed to remain home-bound to prevent against death and disease†.On the contrary, an American women give least importance to their child’s health in post and pre –delivery stage. Even many European countries have their own traditional means for protecting the children from malignant diseases and illnesses. However, such things can sound hilarious to an American family, but are followed respectfully by couples in South Asian, Mexican and European countries even today. The aim of symptom management is to treat the child in advance stages of an illness.

U,S Economy Change Before and After WWII Ended Essay

U,S Economy Change Before and After WWII Ended - Essay Example Most of the sectors which oriented themselves to defense kind of production were like electronics and aerospace. Therefore, despite the fact that numerous Americans feared the return of the depression that had hit the nation before the war, after this war, they got quite a significant rise in personal income during the war that reached the year 1945. (Tassava, 2010) The two decades following WWII, are best described economically as ‘Growth period’. Despite the fear of most Americans that depression would haunt America again after WWII; up to 1970s, the economy experienced just mild recessions. An example to show this growth is that the period running from 1945-1960, the real GNP growth rate was (52%) fifty two percent. During the same period per capita GNP escalated by (19%) nineteen percent. Most notable after the WWII was the rise in production of consumer durable commodities. These commodities were like TVs, Cars as well as household appliances. The US’s service industries also expanded a great deal. (Walker, 1996 p

Influence of Oscar Wildes Sexuality

Influence of Oscar Wildes Sexuality Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was a writer whose homoerotic texts pushed the social boundaries of the Victorian era. Born to a family of unabashed Irish agnostics, the self-proclaimed dandy valued art, fashion, and all things physically beautiful. After receiving a comprehensive education from Oxford, Wilde made a name for himself in London first as a novelist, penning the now famous The Picture of Dorian Gray. A string of successful plays followed, among them The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. Wilde also published a variety of short stories and essays, but is acclaimed by historians for his pioneering influence over the aesthetic movement, a progression that opposed the accepted Victorian take on art in every way, shape, and form. Wilde postulated that art existed solely for itself, only for the sake of being art. His play The Decay of Lyingexemplified this tenet best, personifying his distaste for societys proclivities through a conversation between two people in a park.Though he fathered two sons, Wildes marriage fizzled as his personal life continuously hinted at homosexuality. Wildes inability to keep his private life secret proved to be his downfall; a love affair with a prominent nobleman resulted in Wildes imprisonment and expulsion from British social circles. Victorian Britain became increasingly morally rigid, its period marking a time when Britain was experien cing a growth in imperialism and conservative thought. While serving his term for homosexual acts, Wilde wrote the deeply spiritual De Profund is, in which he discussed his aspirations of individuality and freedom from the proprietary values that bound late Victorian society. An avant-garde writer and raconteur, Wildes sexuality had a profound effect on his works, influencing imagery and the nature of his characters in both The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest. Wildes sexuality and effeminate nature shaped his relations to aestheticism, which in turn manifested itself in his works moral implications. Wilde frequently employed thinly disguised doubles, representing himself in his work in order to juxtapose anaesthete and a traditionally Victorian society. Wildes aesthetics are strangely connected to his obsession with Jesus Christ. It is peculiar that such an unorthodox figure such as Wilde would find so much solace and inspiration from such a religious source. In De Profundis, Wildes admiration for and comparison with Jesus takes on many levels. He likens his persecution to Jesus crucifixion, a notion that evokes hubris, especially given Wildes naturally flamboyant disposition.Though not entirely humble, Wildes comparisons are ba sed more on parallels drawn between Wildes persecution and the events leading to Jesus martyrdom. Many speculate Wildes eventual baptism and acceptance of Catholicism was a manifestation of imminent deaths madness as the famed author was too radical to accept religion within the boundaries of sanity. However, there are critics who contend that Wilde was very much in the mainstream of the intellectual currents of his time, a man clearly aware of what he was trying to achieve in terms of his life and art; in the end, he was willing to accept his newfound status as a pariah, provided he could still create plays and prose. Considered by many to be the most outrageous trial of the century, Wildes fall from grace was so indicative of his progression and the significance of his unique works set in a time between the Victorian era and the modern age (Hoare 4). Wildes persecution reflected a clash of morals and ideals not unlike those faced by the protagonists of his novels. Wildes trial mimicked his imaginative fiction: it was a clash of opposites: of good versus evil, of heterosexual and homosexual, of masculine and feminine, of the safe and the dangerous, of what was seen as morally right or morally wrong (Hoare4). Homosexualitys Influence in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest Wildes homosexuality had a profound influence over his work. His own experiences and relationships are projected into The Picture of Dorian Gray, and it is widely speculated that the characters Basil, Lord Henry, and Dorian are different aspects of Wilde himself. Wilde wrote that Basil is how I see myself, Lord Henry how the world sees me, and Dorian how I would like to be (Ericksen 101). The controversy behind The Picture of Dorian Gray was based in the extreme homoeroticism of the characters interaction; it is easy to see how Wildes writing elicited such a reaction. The male relationships are surely suggestive enough to stir even the most open-minded in the Victorian era. Wildessexuality affected the structure of the relationships as well, opening the book with the making of a homosexual love triangle involving Basil, Dorian, and Lord Henry. Basils painting is intimately connected with his adulation of Dorians physical beauty. Dorian, in turn, adores LordHenry, a man of stature who introduces him into a new coterie. LordHenry, in turn, adores Dorians physical beauty but also his relative innocence and the opportunity to mold him into the type of Victorian socialite everyone will adore. The novel opens with Basils overstated obsession with Dorians good looks. Basils sentiments, however, are undeniably romantic. As he paints his masterpiece, Basil is described as looking wistfully at the canvas, a smile of pleasure passing across his face as he lingers over the image he created (Wilde 1962, 20). In the case Basils day dreaming was too speculative a conclusion to make, Wilde provided his readers with interaction between Basil and Lord Henry sufficient enough to establish a romantic attraction for Dorian inside Basil. WhenLord Henry walks into Basils studio, Basil plans on keeping his subjects identity a secret out of jealousy. Basil immensely likesDorian, and has grown to love secrecy as it ensures that he will not have to share Dorian with Lord Henry (Wilde 1962, 22). Though it is later discovered that Basil is concerned that Lord Henry will corrupt Dorian with his cynicism and overdeveloped penchant for amorality, Basil is extremely protective of a man who he has be friended solely on the basis of his physical appearance. He describes to Lord Henry how upon seeing Dorian for the first time his face grew pale, knowing he met someone whose mere personality was so fascinating that [it could]absorb him if he allowed it (Wilde 1962, 24). Wildes homosexuality is significantly influential not just over the course of the plot, but also in the development of character relationships. Lord Henrys attraction to Dorian Gray is multi-tiered. Half the attraction to Dorian is on account of his youth, a possible reflection of Wildes relationship with younger men. The other half of Lord Henrys attraction to Dorian is his ability to mold Dorian into alike-minded socialite, a member of his New Hedonist group. However,Lord Henrys attraction, like Basils is undeniably romantic in nature. Though Lord Henry finds Dorian attractive, Dorians hold over Lord Henry does not fully take root until after Basil rambles on and on about his curious idolatry he has developed, and how he couldnt be happy if he didnt see Dorian everyday; Lord Henry takes serious notice of Dorian after Basil confides that he finds the young man to beabsolutely necessary to Basils life (Wilde 1962, 27). Wilde developsLord Henry in this way to stress his association wi th society at large; most people are not loved by everyone unless they are first loved by a few. Society, Wilde argues, will love whom it is deemed fashionable to love. Following Basils affirmations and affections, Lord Henry observes the young Adonis [made out of] ivory as wonderfully handsome, with his finely curved, scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes,his crisp gold hair; it comes to no wonder why Basil worshipped him(Wilde 1962, 33). The love triangle develops past Basils death; even Dorian finds himself attracted to Lord Henry. A peculiar observation is Dorians loss of composure after observing Lord Henrys romantic, olive-colored face and warm expression; Wilde writes that Dorian is in disbelief at his trepidation upon meeting Lord Henry (Wilde 1962, 38).After all, Dorian is not a schoolboy or a girl (Wilde 1962, 39). As Wildes homosexuality became more apparent, he began leading double lives. One of his lives was socially acceptable, as society perceived him as a married man with two sons. His other life was one spent among male prostitutes, renting houses outside London in which he would have extramarital, homosexual affairs. The incredible restriction Wilde faced was more because of his homosexuality than his marital infidelity. In leading his double lives, Wilde designed four characters in The Importance of Being Earnest to exude differing degrees of duality. The multiple personas were a reflection of the masks Wilde used as a means of personal adjustment, a prevailing theme among the four characters (Ericksen 151). The first character is Jack Worthing, a responsible man typical of the Victorian era. The legal guardian of a young woman, Jack finds it to be increasingly difficult to enjoy himself through the minor indiscretions that provide the average young man with such entertainment. As a re sult of his guarded nature, Jack creates his double, an alter ego he claims as his younger brother, whom he names Ernest. When Jack leaves the country and his responsibilities, he becomes Ernest, a mischievous character in contrast to the composed, model citizen Jack. The second character is Algernon Moncrieff, friend to Jack Worthing and first cousin to the woman Jack intends to wed. Algernon also leads a double life, though his double life involves animaginary friend of sort, a man whom he names Bunbury. The third character Wilde incorporates is Gwendolen Fairfax, the object of Jacksaffection. Though she accedes to her mothers will in public, Gwendolenrebels in private, pursuing Ernest without her mothers consent.After Jack plans to wed Gwendolen, she mentions she cannot marry a man whose name is not Ernest; this creates quite the dilemma for Jack, as he had originally planned to kill Ernest with another fabrication.The final character, Cecily Cardew, is a ward under her guardian, Jack Worthing. Tutored in the country, Cecily longs for a life outside her country estate, falling in love with the deviant Algernon. The doubles are a forward testament to Wildes life as a homosexual inVictorian London. As a Jack among his peers and Ernest among his lovers, Wilde is best personified in Algernon, though is present in both Jack and Algernon as they are constructed on similar principles and ideas (Ericksen 151). Both Jack and Algernon lead double lives, hence the similar principles and ideas. However, where Jack and Algernon differ is the nature of their double lives. Jacks alter ego, Ernest, is someone whom he actually becomes upon entering town. Algernon, on the other hand, claims to be visiting Bunbury, his imaginary ego. Algernon remains the same; the only thing that changes is his behavior. While both Algernon and Jack are sophisticated men of the world, only Jack finds the need to change his identity and life as he shifts social circles (Ericksen 152). Like the socially accepted individuals in Victorian society, Jack is rigid, morally sound, and never deviant. Initially known to Algernon as Ernest, Jacks transformation is almost instant as Algernon reveals his knowledge of Ernest/Jacks deviance with names. Ernest is wistful and madly in love with Gwendolen until his true ego, Jack, is revealed. As soon as Algernon shows Jack/Ernest the cigarette case, Jack shows himself, pointing out how ungentlemanly [a thing it is] to read a private cigarette case (Wilde 2005, 12). Algernon, now Jacks foil following Ernests departure, retorts with an epigram truly reminiscent of a dandy, stating the [absurdity in] having hard and fast rules(Wilde 2005, 12). The two characters play off each other from the very beginning, revealing their intentions. Algernon remains the deviant, bored with his surroundings and endless cucumber sandwiches (Wilde2005, 4). Jack leaves to indulge in the sort of behavior from which he is restricted as he is responsible for Cecily. Like Wilde, who has a family of his own, Jack cannot overindulge without risking social harm to his family. Ernest, then, is a double play on words; in indulging ones earnest, or true self, one escapes the constrictive Victorian society of moral and social obligations. Wildes aim here is to escape the Victorian moral code, returning to the Hellenistic antiquity of male relationships. Strangely, most everyone except Jack longs to see or meet Ernest.Algernon himself assumes the identity of Earnest in his quest to meet Cecily. Much to Jacks chagrin, Algernon decides to assume the identity of Algernon simply out of curiosity. Algernon has no ulterior motives; he wants to be Ernest just to be Ernest, a reflection of Wildespredisposition toward universal simplicity. Cecily also longs to meet Ernest, as she has heard of his antics and looks forward to a relative several degrees less rigid than her estranged guardian. Gwendolen is madly in love with Ernest partly due to her empathy for Jacksupbringing, and partly because of her obsession with his name. ThroughErnest, Wilde reveals his wishes of acceptance; he wants people to desire his homosexual identity and accept him not in spite of it, but because of it. Victorian values were imposed on every part of culture. Because of the great successes and advances felt by the 1860s, it was assumed that the throne had arrived at something new and worth keeping. An increasingly prudish era, the Victorian, puritanical movement required that all art have purpose. Whether to emulate a person, place, or event, art needed a reason to exist. It could be veneration of the object, veneration of the genre, or even veneration of the artist, but all art, including the written word, was subject to the Victorian standard if it was to be accepted by the general public. Like so many other movements, the Victorians were faced with the concept that art existed for art, that its sole end is itself and nothing more. While many mistakenly attribute this movement to Wilde, he in fact did not create aestheticism, he was merely its vehicle (Gaunt 119). As an Irishman, it was only natural that Wilde would be the catalyst for such a movement. Ireland was still relatively free of the imperialist expansion, allowing for a medium of trade most of England could not match. Wilde, after all, was not from the industrial wastelands of Liverpool, Manchester, or London. He was from the dingy magnificence of Dublin (Gaunt 119). Wildes aesthetics are rooted in his education, primarily his preoccupation with Hellenistic Greece and the old texts involving male relationships. When searching for the concept of beauty, he might havegotten his ideas from the great 6th century Hellas, where Wildeperceived the triumph of Greece and great civilization was its creation and representation of a supreme form of beauty (Gaunt 120).The ancient Greeks may have appealed most to Wilde because of the high premium they put on male-male relationships. Viewed as the most pure of all loves, homosexual male love was venerated by great leaders as well as scholars. The king of the gods and Mount Olympus, Zeus, was known to have a male lover, a young shepherd by the name of Ganymede. Contrary to the Victorians, who had inherited a set of religious beliefs based on faith rather than reason, Wilde had no concrete religious beliefs at all (Ericksen 19). The Aesthetic Movement, of which Wilde was soon to become the representative figure, was essentially a reaction against the ascendance of Philistinism in art and life (Ericksen 19). Wilde was determined to cultivate his own individual impressions of the world (Ericksen 19). Though he quickly became the most prominent aesthete, Wildes views were not unique. He had previously traveled to France, where he met with names such as de Goncourt, Flaubert, and Huysman, who showed him the depth of suffering as beauty. After Wilde settled in London in the 80s, he began to showcase his aestheticism, sporting garb such as plum-colored velveteen knickerbockers with perhaps a soft loose shirt and a wide turned-down collar (Ericksen 21). Wilde advocated art as having intrinsic, immeasurable value. Unlike the Victorian stance, art did not have to feature a moral code, teach a lesson, or exist as a monument to an ideal supporting morals. Art is art, and exists only to exist for itself. For example, paintings of the Last Supper, though beautiful, existed to be a testament to Jesus or Christianity. Wildes Aestheticism would interpret the Last Supper to exist solely for the purpose of being a beautiful painting. The colors, shapes, and figures would be the central focus as they would represent beauty; the connotation behind twelve disciples sitting around a solitary figure would be dismissible. Wildes sexuality ties indirectly to the concept of art; one of the reasons Wilde advocated the aforementioned moral system was his relation of the system to antiquity. Homosexual union was not a defiled perversion; Wilde argued that it was a sign of progress, like aestheticism. Aestheticism and homosexuality would be placed in the same context as other time periods such as Hellenistic Greece, Classical Italy (Michelangelo), and Shakespearean England. The aforementioned periods involve the perfection of the male form; Wilde believed himself to be in line with the traditions of old because of his Oxford rearing. Hellenistic aesthetic coincided with Wildes sexuality and his aesthetic movement in the shared view that the male form was the most beautiful.Homosexual relationships were therefore considered an act of beauty, the most revered form of affection possible. Wildes The Decay of Lying is a multi-page testament to his belief in arts greater purpose as having no such purpose. Essentially an extended metaphor for the ill consequences of turning art into a mathematical measure, The Decay of Lying describes lying and poetry as arts (Wilde 1997, 7). The metaphor continues, equating art with an exaggeration of reality. True art, Wilde argues through the protagonists Cyril and Vivian, is so abstract that the real becomes unreadable (Wilde 1997, 13). The nature of art and beauty is so abstract that nature and life are meant to imitate it. The dangers of regarding art as a moral calculus are detailed in The Picture of Dorian Gray. The strange stasis in which Dorian findshimself—the state where his self-portrait shows his aging and the negative effects of his actions—is a wonderful example of Wildesaesthetics in motion. The story unfolds as Dorian is sitting in front of Basil; Basil is seen pondering the sheer physical beauty of the scene in front of him. The true aesthetic, Basil seeks out the beautiful solely because it is beautiful. He becomes enamored with Dorian only because of his beauty. On the other hand, Lord Henry findsDorian irresistible because of the potential socialite he sees in a mind that has yet to be molded. Basil the aesthete warns Lord Henry, imploring him not to make a cynic out of something beautiful; in this case, Basil is ultimately requesting Lord Henry to take caution in his approach to Dorian. Basil wants to preserve Dorian the way he is because he finds him beautiful, where Lor d Henry wants access toDorians private time so he can mold something new and different.Dorian becomes a work of art, manipulated by Lord Henry, killing Basil, the aesthete. Later in the novel, Lord Henry gives Dorian a yellow book, one with no title that is presumably about art and philosophy (Ericksen 115).Dorian becomes obsessed, using it as a Bible with which he leads his whole life. In the end, Dorian dies, having gone mad. This is an unequivocal warning from Wilde to those who would pervert the course of art (Victorians). Wilde shows the reader what happens when art is taken out of context and into a completely inappropriate light. Moreover, its hows how damaging the Victorian approach is; Dorian is unable to change his ways. Shortly after his inhuman treatment of Sibyl, he attempts to reform, only to find the painting smirking back at him.This is a reflection of the unyielding nature of Victorian society; itis a reflection of Wildes suffocation and inability to move freely, creatively, or inspirationally in the context of British society at the close of the 19th century. Just like Dorian, Wilde cannot express himself freely; though he had a chance in the beginning of the novel, Dorian did not follow the poor artist Basil. He instead opted to conform to the higher-ranking Lord Henry, whose coterie led Dorian to his death. Once in the clutches of Lord Henry, Dorian was fully supplicated to the mercy of his manipulator. Lord Henry almost immediately changes in his affections for Dorian, the extreme differences being Dorians perception as an Adonis in the beginning and as an unrecognizable, withered, man who is unidentifiable until they check his rings. Wildes third play, An Ideal Husband makes use of the witty banter known as epigrams to reveal the darker side of Victorian values in atongue-and-cheek fashion. The whole play is an epigram of sorts, exemplifying the imperfections of the Victorian bourgeois by mockingly portraying the inefficacy of their incorporation into Wildes ideal society. The traditional Victorian values Wilde mocks in An Ideal Husband are devotion, forgiveness, sacrifice, loyalty, moral integrity, and a composed disposition, all traits that Wilde subverts in his character portrayals. Though Sir Robert, the ideal husband, finds himself at the disadvantageous end of blackmail, his past does not warrant Wilde to present him as vile or duplicitous, as Lord Goringpostulates to Lady Chiltern that every man of every nature [has]elements of weakness (Wilde 2004, 27). The play, however, becomescentered around a conflict caused by [Lady Chilterns] unyielding moral rigidity (Ericksen 142). Sir Robert faces a moral dilemma in his coping with Mrs. Cheveleys blackmail. Wilde makes a useful point in the Sir Roberts circumstances; on one hand, Sir Robert is faced with making public his dark and relatively shameful past, there ineffectively nullifying Mrs. Cheveleys threats. On the other, he must deal with a Puritanical wife who cannot forgive anyone who has done a wicked or shameful deed, including Sir Roberts possible complicity(Ericksen 141). Would an ideal husband accede to the blackmail, there indenying his wifes request to challenge Mrs. Cheveley? In either event, Sir Roberts relationship is put in jeopardy. He can either lie to his wife, giving in to Mrs. Cheveley and compromising his marriage, or he can make his past public domain, marring the perfect public image his wife so treasures. Ironically, the couples social coterie perceivesSir Robert as the ideal mate, a man who, until his blackmail, was known for his impeccable reputation. Even his private life with Lady Chiltern was blissfully free of blemishes. Sir Roberts reputation and relationship with his wife, however, could have been saved by a simple lie. Had he never revealed the truth to his wife and given in to Mrs.Cheveley, giving in to her will, Lady Chiltern wouldnt have been one to know the better. An ideal husband in this case would therefore lie;for Wilde, the Victorian moral impetus lies not with adhering to the traditional values, but rather in maintaining the facade of keeping values in general. Ironically, Lady Chiltern learns of her husbands past all the same, [castigating] him and [rejecting] his please for forgiveness (Ericksen 141). No amount of marital maneuvering can spareSir Robert. In the end, it is Lord Goring who confronts Mrs. Cheveleyabout Sir Roberts blackmail; he is the only empowered character as he speaks and acts under no false pretenses. While he is far from perfect, chastised by his father for dancing until four oclock in the morning, Lord Goring is Wildes idealist—he is an art love r, whose witty repartee is surpassed only by his willingness to fight Mrs.Cheveley. One of Wildes most effective comic devices is his employment of epigrams, and more comical still is his utilization of Vicomte deNanjacs malapropisms. The French Attachà © in London, Nanjac representsWildes interpretation of those not fortunate enough to be born elite; Nanjac is easily recognized by his adoration of society and hisAnglomania (Wilde 2004, 4). His malapropisms are a reflection of the sad attempts of many to engage in epigramic banter, the object of LordGorings successful use of epigram. A ridiculing character, WildesNanjac is one whose blind aspiration to join a society hampers his vision and taste, therein earning him the scorn of the more capableLord Goring. Wildes assault on the Victorian bourgeois is personified best by the duality of his characters. Sir Robert, for example, presents a public mask of absolute personal integrity but has actually built his fortune and career upon a deception (Ericksen 144). An almost hero, Sir Robert is a manifestation of Wildes implications regarding a relatively innocent mans subjugation under society. Lord Arnheim, Sir Roberts former co-conspirator, first seduces Sir Robert with his doctrine of wealth, elucidating his view that controlling others is lifes greatest attribute (Ericksen 142). Mrs. Cheveley displays this best asLord Arnheims theoretical protà ©gà ©e; the two are almost Machiavellian in their manipulation (Ericksen 145). Where Lord Arnheim seduced SirRobert by playing to the discrepancy between his noble birth and modest financial holdings, Mrs. Cheveley is absolutely ruthless in her willingness to wreak havoc on all aspects of Sir Roberts married life in order to secure her investments. In his surrender to the wills of the two manipulators, Sir Robert becomes an ideal human, one whose proclivity to err alienates him from society. By succumbing to the two prominent materialists, Sir Robert embodies Wildes disdain for the financial drive of Victorian social coteries; contrary to the art-collecting Sir Robert, the female villain has no pleasures outside control and exploitation. Wilde addresses the lack of humanity in Victorian society, personified by the promulgation of perfection among the social elite. In the first Act, Mrs. Marchmont and Lady Basildon discuss their unfortunate marital situation. Lord Goring notes they are married to the most admirable husbands in London, to which Mrs. Marchmont responds that their husbands perfection is exactly what [they cant stand]; there is not the smallest element of excitement in knowing [them] (Wilde 2004,10). In this sense, the true Sir Robert, the one susceptible to suggestion and whose past compromises his future, becomes the ideal husband. Wilde suggests all Victorians wear masks, alternate identities that shield them from being human and enjoying existence. The ideal marriage is manifested best by the speculative union of Mabel Chiltern and Lord Goring, who at the plays close reject the common Victorian roles and morals previously discussed. Wildes Victorian surroundings were instrumental in his development of aesthetics, but were unfortunately not tolerant of his private life. A controversial figure, Wilde was homosexual, and had an ongoing affair with a younger nobleman by the name of Lord Alfred Douglas. Lord Douglas father, enraged at his sons homosexual relationship with Wilde, accused Wilde of being a sodomite, a grave offense in Great Britain at the time. Though acquitted in his first of two trials, Wilde was later sentenced to serve two years hard labor on the aforementioned charges. First imprisoned in Londons Wandsworth prison, Wilde was denied pen and paper until his transfer to Reading Gaol, where he eventually wrote De Profundis. While Wilde revealed his fascination with the figure of Christ [throughout] his literary career, only in De Profundis did he actually make [Christ] a part of his aesthetic system (Ericksen 156). A dramatic monologue on spirituality and society, De Profundis features several metaphor s likening Wilde toChrist. Wilde felt his unjust imprisonment made him a martyr; upon initial circulation of rumors regarding his sexuality, Wilde could have left London for France, therein spared persecution. Unlike Hamlet, who became a spectator to his own tragedy, Wilde the Christ-figure actively sought out what he perceived as his end (Wilde 2003, 28).Where Christ accepted his fate for the benefit of mankind, Wilde was a self-convinced saint and martyr for art and what he perceived to be the threatened aesthetic movement. Having passed through every mode of suffering, Wilde was convinced that his redemption would be realized through his incarceration and subsequent release, upon which his newfound humility would help him rise again (Wilde 2003, 4). Just as mankind would redeem itself through the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, Wilde felt society would be redeemed through his incarceration. He continued, developing his incarceration to salvation, likening greatness to requisite s orrow. Wilde admired Jesus for having realized his calling as being completed, reaching fulfillment upon its end(Wilde 2003, 19). Marveling at his situation, Wilde mused on the incredulity of a young Galilean peasant imagining that he could bear on his shoulders the weight of the world, including all the worlds past sins as well as what had yet to be done and suffered (Wilde2003, 13). Jesus death and resurrection was that toward which Wildeaspired, conceding that imprisonment was most likely an act of retribution for the fanciful and carefree life he led previously.Incarceration, then, was Wildes means of atoning for the errant life he might possibly have led upon his release. He hoped his relationship with Lord Douglas would be forgiven, and longed for societys acceptance. Wilde could claim on [his] side that if [he realized] what[he had] suffered, society should realize what it [had] in turn inflicted; with a mutual cognizance shared between Wilde and society, he hoped there would be no bitterness or hate on either side (Wilde2003, 7). Just as Jesus attempted to win over his captors and aggressors through his death and resurrection, Wilde hoped to pacify societys enmity by paying his social dues in prison. Wilde even likened the course of his lifes events to those leading up to Jesusmartyrdom. For example, Jesus was given direction by God the Father and condemned by Man. Wilde, in turn, ascribes the two great turning points in [his] life as when his father sent [him] to Oxford, and when society sent [him] to jail (Wilde 2003, 6). Wildes foreknowledge of an impending criminal proceeding did not dissuade him, just as the disciples could not sway Jesus acceptance and willingness to die on the cross. Neither Wilde nor Jesus could ignore their calling, no matter the grisly end. As a sinner, Wilde conceded that he had to accept the fact that martyrs were equally persecuted for the good as well as for the evil committed (Wilde 2003, 7). However similar to Jesus Wilde would assert himself to be, there weredefinite discrepancies in De Profundis that could testify to Wilde asan admirer of Jesus rather than his attempted emulator. Wildepostulated that Jesus saw Man in the same fashion as the aestheticmovement saw art; Man existed simply to exist. Wilde wrote that Christ regarded sin and suffering as being [beautiful] in and of themselves, that such a notion was the dangerous idea that led Christ to his demise (Ericksen 157). Just like Christ, Wildes own dangerous idea that ran against the Victorian grain was what led to his downfall.Wilde also saw his imprisonment as a period of transition. Hisindictment of the Greek gods as deities emulating humans indicatedhislife prior to imprisonment; Wilde labeled the Olympian gods as ableto reach greater heights (Wilde 2003, 17). Each Olympian representeddifferent aspects of humani

Examination Of Music History :: essays research papers fc

A verbal art like poetry is reflective; it stops to think. Music is immediate, it goes on to become." - W.H. Auden. This quote best explains the complex art of music. Music is an elaborate art form that will always remain ever changing. Music developed drastically from it's beginning in the Prehistoric era to the 14th Century. The exact origin of music is unknown. It is known that music was used in prehistoric times in magical or spiritual rituals but no other use is known. This knowledge is borne out of the fact that music still forms a vital part of most religious ceremonies today. The history of Greek music is problematic. Although there are frequent references to musical performance in Greek manuscripts, there are less than twelve fragments of actual Greek music, including both vocal and instrumental music, that have survived. It is impossible to fully understand the notation to make an authentic performance. For the Greeks, music was of divine origin. According to Greek mythology, the gods themselves invented music and it's instruments. Many of the early myths told of the powerful effects of music. Music played an important part in both the public and private lives of the Greeks. They believed it could deeply affect human behavior. Greek music was built up of a series of distinct modes, each with it's own name. According to the doctrine of ethos, each mode was so powerful that it gave music the ability to influence human actions in a precise way. The Phrygian mode expressed passionate and intimate emotions, where as the Dorian mode produced forceful, rigid feelings. In later Greek history the doctrine of ethos was widely argued by the most philosophical of men. Plato and Aristotle both had broadly different views on the power and importance of music. The persocratic philosopher Pythagoras was even interested enough in music to develop the numerical octave system that we still use today. The Classical Greeks used music in much of their drama and by the time Greece was made a Roman province, music dominated dramatic performances and social activities. There is not a great deal of original Roman music. Most of the music that did come out of the Roman era was derived from the Greeks. Despite this, there was definite musical activity in the later Roman Empire. An ample amount of evidence survived for instruments and a good deal of theory also.