Saturday, August 31, 2019

The Hobbit Double Entry Journal Prompts

Nicholas Gangone Ms. Sottas Double Entry Journal Prompts March 20, 2013 â€Å"But men remembered little of all that, though some still sang old songs of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain, Thror and Dragon, and the fall of the lords of Dale. † (Tolkien 176) â€Å"I hope I never smell the smell of apples again. † (Tolkien 179) â€Å"But the Master was not sorry at all to let them go. They were expensive to keep, and their arrival had turned things into a long holiday in which business was a standstill. † (Tolkien 185)Although the men keep alive old traditions in a new era, this quote symbolizes how the majority of things have changed in this world. This excerpt situates the dwarves in the present time frame where power has shifted to evil forces, how the dwarves lost control of their mountain city, and also how old legendary maps don’t so well in a new environment. The men never really experienced what it was like to live in a time where everyone and everythin g blended harmoniously. After reading this in the book, I immediately made a mental connection to a memory of the 6th grade.At the peak of the swine flu epidemic, my school started to administer vaccines to protect the students against the disease. I forgot to hand in a consent form to give them permission for a vaccine, so instead of getting a vaccine, I got the nasal mist in my nose. The nurse asked me what my favorite fruit was, and I replied â€Å"umm.. apples! † Not knowing what it was for, she made the thick goo they shot up my nose apple flavored. This was probably one of the weirdest feelings I have ever experienced. Just like Fili, I did not want to smell apples for a long time.This excerpt I picked reminds me of a part of the Odyssey. The specific part I am referencing to is the Suitors. After learning how expensive it is to have company over for an occasion, the connection I made between both pieces of literature only emphasizes this idea by giving more evidence. à ¢â‚¬Å"Not at any rate until the songs have come true! † (Tolkien 186) â€Å"They beat on it, they thrust and pushed at it, they implored it to move, they spoke fragments of broken spells of opening, and nothing stirred. † (Tolkien 190) â€Å"Tomorrow begins the last week of autumn. Said Thorin one say. â€Å"And winter comes after autumn,† said Bifur. â€Å"And next year after that,† said Dwalin, â€Å"and our beards will grow till they hang down the cliff to the valley before anything happens here. † (Tolkien 193) I purposely picked this quote to talk about my reasoning of how these words relate to the current generation of music. There is little or no rate of songs that are produced today that stay true to the art of music. For starters, most songs today aren’t even made with â€Å"real† instruments. Secondly, almost all of the big time artists are auto-tuned.It isn’t the strongest reference I have made, but I just canâ€℠¢t stand how the stuff they call music is so greatly praised. As the group searches for the secret entrance Elrond has promised the dwarves based on the map, their failure to open the door foreshadows further struggle. The group will encounter more forms of resistance, because this isn’t even the worst part of their luck they have been blessed with. This quote also shows the much repeated theme of perseverance displayed throughout the novel. The excerpt I presented here shows how the race against time is presented for the crew.This is because they do not have forever to complete their tasks. Since they get agitated at how long parts of their quest take, it highlights qualities of the average Joe that they possess. They are not a group of godly, or immortal beings. We saw them cut down to size similarly when they were trapped by the wolves. â€Å"The most that can be said for the dwarves it this: they intended to pay Bilbo really handsomely for his services; they had brought him to do a nasty job for them. And they did not mind the poor little fellow doing it if he would: bit they would all have done their best to get him out of trouble, if he got into it† (Tolkien 196) I have absolutely no use for dragon-guarded treasures and the whole lot could stay here forever, if only I could wake up and find this beastly tunnel was my own front-hall at home† (Tolkien 198) â€Å"†¦but rising from the near side of the rocky floor there is a great glow. The glow of the Smaug! † (Tolkien 200) I had to chew this quote up a little bit and ponder upon it. A side of the dwarves that has not yet been shown is expressed here. I believe it is greed. The dwarves seem to be using Bilbo for his talents – which make up a good thief.There isn’t much to say about the dwarves if they used Bilbo all along as their scapegoat. Bilbo speaks for himself in this quote. He is not there to be someone’s tag along. He has a mind of his own and kno ws what is right and wrong. He also yearns for the safety and comfort of his own home when thrown into the midst of a sticky situation. I can say that Bilbo is a very convincing being. I specifically picked this quote because we have heard of the dragon throughout the whole book, but this is the first actual account we have about Bilbo’s encounter with the dragon – first hand.The dragon is pictured as any other dragon from a mythical tale would be. The first and most important trait being the dragon having firey breath. It is because of the dragon’s ability to promote havoc that gives the story an interesting outcome. â€Å"Now do be careful! † whispered the hobbit, â€Å"and as quiet as you can be! There may be no Smaug at the bottom, but then again, there may be† (Tolkien 215) â€Å"Suddenly Bilbo’s arm went towards it drawn by its enchantment. His small hand would not close about it, for it was a large and heavy gem; but he lifted it, sh ut his eyes and put it in his deepest pocket. (Tolkien 217) â€Å"Hear, hear! † cried Bilbo, and flung himself on the ground. In the rock-chamber there would have been room for a hundred and there was a small chamber in the back. There they laid out all of their burdens. †(Tolkien 224) I like this quote because it emphasizes Bilbo’s resourcefulness. He thinks through every possible consequence before he acts. This is a very useful trait to have, especially for someone that is on an adventure where one silly mistake can prove fatal. Acting so vigilantly will later prove fruitful for Bilbo.This is a substantial quote in a rather small chapter. Here we are introduced to the turning point of the story – the Arkenstone. This is just one of the few treasures Bilbo retrieves. The arkenstone is one of the main reasons Thorin set out to reclaim what was once his ancestors’. This quote also foreshadows Bilbo’s future resourcefulness. After reading the rest of the story, I noticed that the men start to reclaim what is theirs. It almost acts as a foreshadowing tool. The men, especially Thorin, know what’s rightfully theirs and how it has been taken from them.It will only be a matter of time before they find out if they can hold on to their newly conquered area. â€Å"The King beneath the Mountain! They shouted. His wealth is like the Sun, his silver like a fountain, his rivers golden run! The river is running gold from the Mountain! they cried, and everywhere windows were opening and feet were hurrying† (Tolkien 226) â€Å"Already men were jumping into the water on every side. Women and children were being huddled into laden boats in the market-pool. † (Tolkien 228) â€Å"Arrow! Said the bowman. â€Å"Black arrow!I have saved you for last. You have never failed me and always I have recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true king under the Mountain, go now and speed well! (Tolkien 229) I interpreted this quote as a great example of dramatic irony. The townspeople, who think the golden colored river in the distance is amassed wealth, are horribly wrong. The gold is in fact, a raging dragon ready to destroy everything in its sight. Everyone starts to cry cheers of joy, when they should be crying tears of sadness.From this quote, I perceived a very strong mental image. The quote shows the true wrath of the Smaug. At the time The Hobbit was written, 1930, women and children were put first in the event of a disaster. For example, in the movie Titanic, one could see how women and children were loaded onto life boats before men. Here in this quote, if men were the first ones to give up and jump into the water, no one had a chance at survival by far. There would be no one to help others get on their way to safety. This quote stresses the theme of tradition throughout the story.Because the arrow was handed down from generations of old, it had a much higher importance. The archer believed the arrow had more â€Å"experience† seeing more time in battle situations. It is also interesting to read about how much faith was invested into his last shot. This excerpt also sparks my curiosity as to how the archer talks to the lifeless arrow like an old friend. â€Å"Now we will return to Bilbo and the dwarves. All night one of them had watched, but when morning came they had not heard or seen any sign of danger. But ever more thickly the birds were gathering.Their companies came flying from the South; and the crows that still lives about the Mountain were wheeling and crying unceasingly above. † (Tolkien 234) â€Å"Hail Thorin! Why do you fence yourself like a robber in his hold? We are not yet foes, and we rejoice that you are alive beyond our hope. We came expecting to find non living here; yet now that we are met there is matter for a parley and a council. † (Tolkien 240) â€Å"The whole place stil l stinks of dragon,† he grumbled to himself, and it makes me sick. And cram is beginning simply to stick in my throat. † (Tolkien 243)I picked this quote to explain how the foreshadowing of Thorin reclaiming his ancestor’s mountain cabin wraps up. The dwarves are hiding out in the mountain, and now they will have to hold off against whoever feels obligated to collect the dragon’s treasures. As the narrator switches points of views, he pictures birds thickly gathering. When you see something abnormal occur in nature, you get a feeling something bad is about to happen. This picture Tolkien painted compelled me to keep on reading. Expecting the dwarves to be dead, the humans and their allies have come to claim the dragons’ treasures.The humans mean no harm to the dwarves, and once they find them there they suggest they should split the riches. Thorin, feeling all of it is his become very defensive and abruptly declines. This is the first time in the nov el I found Thorin to be so bold in his actions. Considering they greet him with an overly-polite â€Å"Hail Thorin! †, I think he should have gave them a small share for slaying the dragon. Although I am not in the situation personally, I couldn’t say what I would suggest. After finally reaching what his whole journey was driven off of, he would need time to make a decision.I find quote humorous and ironic. Thus because Thorin wanted to remain close to his newly acquired treasures, and now he has to being that the mountain is besieged. Now, Thorin has had enough of the mountain when the fun just started. â€Å"Now the days passed slowly and wearily. Many of the dwarves spent their time piling and ordering the treasure; and now Thorin spike of the Arkenstone of Thrain, and bade them eagerly to look for it in every corner. † (Tolkien 244) â€Å"I am tired of stairs and stone passages. I would give a good deal for the feel of grass at my toes.I would give a good d eal for the feel of strong drink in my throat, and for a soft bed after a good supper! † (Tolkien 246) â€Å"All in good time! † said Gandalf. â€Å"Things are drawing towards the end now, unless I am mistaken. There is an unpleasant time just in front of you; but keep your heart up! You may come through all right. There us news brewing that not even ravens have heard. Good night! † (Tolkien 249) This is one of my most favorite examples of dramatic irony I came across in the novel. Thorin is searching for the Arkenstone restlessly.What he doesn’t know is that Bilbo swiftly retrieved it on one of his first adventures into the mountain. At one point Bilbo gets worried after Thorin says he would put his life on the stone to get it back. Bilbo doesn’t want a conflict to erupt between the three races. The dramatic irony throughout this novel up to this point made it much more fun to read. Eventually Bilbo is tired of sticking it out in the mountain. He l ongs for him humble life so he takes matters into his own hands. Offering the Arkenstone, something so valuable to his expedition, to avoid conflict is something that was just in his nature.An action like this was very brave for him, but he knew what he needed to do. In this quote, Gandalf is congratulating Bilbo on a job well done, yet not to become complacent because it is not all over yet. I think that it is essential Gandalf appreciated Bilbo’s actions of bravery and how he carries out what he believes in with such finesse. Bilbo gets excited because of Gandalf’s compliments, and I felt happy for him. â€Å"By the beard of Durin! I wish I had Gandalf here! Curse him for his choice of you! May his beard wither! As for you I will throw you to the rocks! He cried and lifted Bilbo into his arms.Stay! Your wish is granted! † said a voice. The old man with the casket threw aside his hood and cloak. â€Å"Here is Gandalf! And none too soon it seems. If you donâ₠¬â„¢t like my Burglar, please don’t damage him. Put him down, and listen first to what he has to say! † (Tolkien 250-251) â€Å"The Goblins are upon you ! Bolg of the North is coming, O Dain! Whose father you slew in Moria. Behold! The bats are above his army like a sea of locusts. † (Tolkien 255) â€Å"It was a terrible battle. The most dreadful of all Bilbo’s experiences, and the one which at the time he hated most. † (Tolkien 257)This quote that I picked only further emphasizes the fact that Gandalf’s and Bilbo’s views correspond with each other. Nothing bad can really result from a duo with supernatural powers and great resourcefulness. I also appreciate how Gandalf cuts Thorin down to size. I believe that the riches he sits upon got to his head and now he somewhat corrupt. In this part of the book, we are introduced to a new character, â€Å"Bolg of the North†. According to the book, Bolg is the son of Azog. This is very in teresting because earlier in the book we learned Azog was the goblin who killed Thorin’s grandfather, Thror.This reminds me of the short story we read earlier in the year, The Interlopers, and how the hostility remained between the generations of family. This explanation of the battle given on the account of Bilbo really made me realize the degree of severity in which it occurred. If this was worse than Bilbo’s experience of being chased up a tree by wolves and then having it slowly burnt down with him stuck up there, then this battle must have been pretty bad. I would have to say it was by far Bilbo’s nightmare occurring in reality. â€Å"When Bilbo came to himself, he was literally by himself† (Tolkien 261) There indeed lay Thorin Oakenshield, wounded with many wounds, and his rent armour and notched ace were cast upon the floor. He looked up as Bilbo came beside him. â€Å"Farewell, good theif,† he said. I go now to the halls of waiting to sit b eside my fathers, until the world is renewed. Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship with you, and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate. † (Tolkien 262) â€Å"So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending! † said Bilbo, and he turned his back on his adventure.The Tookish part was getting very tired, and the Baggins was daily getting stronger. â€Å"I wish now only to be in my own armchair! † he said† (Tolkien 268) This statement, which opens up the 18th chapter, highlights the life of solitude Bilbo longed for the whole time he was away from his ascetic life. Tolkien shows how he was forced to cope by himself with no one there for him as they were either dead or in hiding. I felt a lot of sympathy here for Bilbo because he was always there to lend a hand to everyone else but in this instance, no one was there for him.Thrown in a much different situation, Thorin acts completely different towards Bilbo. Even though I disliked Thorin a lot since the beginning of the book, I looked at his character with a lot more respect after he parted by making amends with everyone – especially Bilbo. Bilbo definitely deserved an apology and I revere Thorin for delivering it. I noticed that as time went on in the book, Bilbo kept longing for his hobbit hole. Since his Tookish blood that has longed for adventure is now satisfied, he needs time to recover from everything he has seen and experienced.Now fueled and fired by the drive to get home, nothing is going to stop Bilbo. He is now a much stronger, wiser, and keen hobbit. â€Å"The dragon is withered, his bones are now crumbled; His armour is shivered, His splendor is humbled! Though sword shall be rusted, And throne and crown perish With strength that men trusted And wealth that they cherish, Here grass is still growing, And leaves are yet swinging, The white water flowing, And elves are yet singing C ome! Tra-la-la-lally! Come back to the valley! † (Tolkien 269) â€Å"Bless Me! What’s going on? He cried.There was a great commotion and people of all sorts, respectable and unrespectable, were thick round the door, and many were going in and out – not even wiping their feet on the mat, as Bilbo noticed with annoyance. † (Tolkien 274) â€Å"Thank goodness! † said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. † (Tolkien 276) This excerpt, the elves being the speakers behind it, recite these lines in song. This quote shows how the slaying of the dragon and triumph over the goblins and Wargs not only positively affected Bilbo and the dwarves, but life in all of the lands. Because of their brave actions, everyone can now live much more peacefully.In this quote, Bilbo finally returns home. He’s been ‘round the world and back – literally – only to find his belongings are being auctioned off to strangers. If I was in Bilb o’s situation I would have probably gone berserk and thrown everyone out, one by one. I couldn’t even have imagined such a thing happening to Bilbo. If there was one thing I can see Bilbo caring about is his good ‘ol pipe and tobacco. These two items are the perfect combination to calm down and relax such a humble hobbit like Bilbo. I happy that at least his pride wasn’t stripped from him at his homecoming. Bilbo has returned at last.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Succubus Revealed Chapter 19

And so began my day in court. Despite Hannibal's call for order, it was obvious that everyone was still fixated on Roman's presence. I'd known nephilim were despised among greater immortals, but it wasn't until today that the full scope of it hit me. It shed new light on why Roman and his kind were often so obsessed with getting back at the powers that be. I wondered if it was good to have some of the attention taken off me or if I'd just doomed myself further by association. â€Å"So,† said Judge Hannibal. â€Å"You've got some kind of gripe with your contract. Join the club.† Low chuckles from the demonic spectators rumbled around the room. Roman cleared his throat, silencing the chuckles. â€Å"Your honor, we have more than a ‘gripe.' We have evidence that Hell not only violated her contract but also drew up another under false pretenses.† â€Å"That's absurd,† said Marcel. â€Å"We can't examine everyone in the world's contract. If someone else has a problem, they can have their own trial.† â€Å"The other contract is for a human who's still alive,† said Roman. â€Å"He's in no position to file a claim, and his was tied in to the paperwork that brought hers to court.† Hannibal waved his hands dismissively. â€Å"Well, we haven't even proved there's anything wrong with hers, so let's settle that before we start doing favors for others.† â€Å"Can we see her contract?† asked Roman. â€Å"Doris?† Hannibal glanced over at the woman with the laptop. She produced a heavy, metal box from underneath her desk with what appeared to be a numeric lock. After first consulting her laptop, she punched in a long series of digits. Smoke seeped out of the edges of the box. A moment later, she opened it up and produced a long, ornate scroll. She glanced at the judge. â€Å"Copies?† â€Å"Yes, please,† he told her. Doris repeated the procedure a couple more times, and I leaned toward Roman. â€Å"How does this work?† I whispered. â€Å"Isn't there some kind of order? Doesn't the prosecution go first?† â€Å"Maybe in an American court of law,† he whispered back. â€Å"Here? Everyone just gets out their argument when they can, and it's up to the judge to keep order.† It surprised me. Considering the obsession with details around here, I would've expected a certain amount of painstaking procedure. Then again, a survival-of-the-fittest method of pushing your case wasn't that out of line with Hell's ideologies either. Scrolls were obtained for the judge and lawyers. Even though it was a copy, I was still a bit daunted when Roman spread the scroll out before us on the table. This was it, the contract that had bound my immortal soul. One small decision with centuries of consequences. It was written in English, and I supposed Doris's magic scroll copy box must have the powers of translation since the original had been in Greek. â€Å"May I direct your attention to section 3A,† said Roman loudly. In a softer voice, he added to me, â€Å"The rest is pretty much standard Hell legalese.† It was true. The scroll was so big, we couldn't open it in its entirety. From what I could see, most of it was a painfully detailed description of what it meant to serve as a succubus and give Hell the lease on your soul. In their defense, there wasn't much they'd left out. I hadn't read the full contract at the time. Niphon had summarized the high points for me, but it was impossible to say they didn't let you know what you were in for. Fortunately, those technicalities weren't our concern today. Roman read aloud: â€Å"In exchange for ownership of the aforementioned soul (see sections 1B, 4A, 4B, 5B part 1, 5B part 2, and appendix 574.3) and services detailed below (see sections 3A, 3B, 6A-F, 12C) as performed by the contractee (henceforth called ‘the Damned'), the almighty Kingdom of Hell and its representatives do agree to the following: 1. Granting to the Damned of succubus powers described in sections 7.1A and 7.3A. 2. All mortals who were acquainted with the Damned in her human life shall have all knowledge of her erased from their memories, never to be regained, in accordance with standard memory loss procedures (see appendix 23).† Roman looked up at the judge when he finished reading. â€Å"Now,† said Roman. â€Å"I can read appendix 23 if you want, but the point is that Hell did not honor part of their agreement. Someone she knew when she was human – a mortal – remembered her.† â€Å"Why wasn't this raised back then?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"Because it happened a couple months ago,† said Roman. â€Å"The person in question is someone with a reincarnation contract who was alive then and today.† â€Å"If this person was reincarnated, then the point's irrelevant,† said Marcel. â€Å"It's not technically the same person anymore. Therefore, the contract stands.† â€Å"Not according to addendum 764 of the Treatise on Humanity ,† said Roman. â€Å"According to it, all individuals – humans and lesser immortals – are defined by their souls. No matter what shape that being takes, the soul remains constant, as does the individual's identity. I'm sure Doris can produce a copy if we need it.† Doris looked at Hannibal expectantly. â€Å"Don't bother,† he said. â€Å"I'm familiar with the Treatise. Okay. Operating under the assumption that souls are constant and individuals are defined by their souls, what proof do you have that this reincarnated individual remembered the petitioner here?† I expected Roman to say something and then realized he was waiting on me. It was still hard to wrap my head around the idea of everyone just jumping forward and speaking. â€Å"He called me by my name, your honor,† I said. â€Å"My first human name from the fifth century. The one he knew me as back then.† â€Å"Had he ever heard it before – in this lifetime?† prompted Roman. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Did anyone witness this?† asked Marcel. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I see,† he said, managing to make me feel very small with those two words. His tone implied that it was a miracle we'd even made it this far on such flimsy evidence. â€Å"It's okay,† said Roman. â€Å"Because we have more. This same reincarnated subject revealed under hypnosis remembering her in several other lives.† â€Å"Are there witnesses to that?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"We both witnessed it,† said Roman. â€Å"As well as an imp employed in Seattle. Hugh Mitchell. He was the one who actually performed the hypnosis, if you wanted to summon him.† I tensed. Hugh was certainly an airtight witness – seeing as he wasn't the petitioner in this case or a creature despised by both Heaven and Hell – but my earlier apprehension for him returned. I didn't know if he could get in trouble for providing key evidence. â€Å"We don't need him,† said Marcel. â€Å"You and he witnessed the same thing?† I nodded. Marcel glanced over at the jury. â€Å"You can tell if she's lying. Is she telling the truth?† Six heads nodded. I was surprised I hadn't thought of this earlier. Angels could tell if mortals and lesser immortals were telling the truth. That was handy in a trial like this. I was also surprised Marcel was helping me out like this. â€Å"There you have it,† he said. â€Å"She thinks she heard the subject remembering her under hypnosis. We can assume this imp would believe it as well.† â€Å"Hey,† I argued. â€Å"There's no ‘thinks' about it. He did remember me.† Marcel shrugged. â€Å"If you say so. We can only take your word for it and what you think you heard. There's no objective evidence to show that he remembered, therefore calling our part of the bargain into dispute.† â€Å"Oh, we can find the evidence,† said Roman. â€Å"The subject in question is also under contract. And the very nature of his contract contradicts hers. Can you bring it up, Doris?† Hannibal nodded his consent, and she turned to her laptop. â€Å"Name?† â€Å"Kyriakos,† I said, trying not to stumble over the word. â€Å"That's what it was in the fifth century, at least. In Cyprus. Today he's Seth Mortensen.† The judge arched an eyebrow. â€Å"I like his books. Didn't realize he was one of ours.† â€Å"Well, he's not yet,† I muttered. Doris meanwhile was typing away on her laptop, putting in the appropriate criteria. She must have found the right case number because she soon turned to the smoking metal box and produced three more scrolls. The copies were distributed, and a strange feeling crept over my skin as Roman opened this one, stranger even than when we'd viewed my own. Here it was. Seth's contract. Kyriakos's contract. It had existed unbeknownst to me all these years, subtly influencing my life. It had been made because of me. Roman again jumped to section 2, which was apparently consistent across contracts as far as what â€Å"the Damned† received. † ‘The Damned shall be granted a total of ten human lives, of which one has already taken place. The subsequent nine reincarnations shall occur in such times and places that he may be in proximity to the lover he believes is missing from his first life, in the hopes of reconciliation. Upon completion of the tenth life, the Damned's soul will become the property of Hell, in accordance with sections 8D, 9A, and 9B.' â€Å" Roman fell silent, a frown on his face. I too felt dismayed but didn't think we shared the same reasons. Without Seth confirming anything, we'd been unsure if his soul was damned or not, regardless of his success in finding me. I'd half hoped that Hell had given him some fairy-tale challenge, that if he could find and reunite with me, his soul would be restored to him. That apparently wasn't true. Hell had only offered him the chance to be with me. They'd given him no more than that. If we made amends, his soul belonged to them, the same as if we didn't. Our romantic outcome made no difference. I wondered if he had bargained for more or had been so desperate and grateful for the chance to simply be with me again that he hadn't even asked for more. Marcel smiled. â€Å"I see Letha mentioned nowhere in here. There was no violation of the terms of her contract.† â€Å"But obviously someone knew,† said Roman. â€Å"You must have a record of all of his lives. He's encountered her in each one of them. So someone, somewhere made sure that part of the contract was fulfilled – his reunion with the missing ‘lover' from his first life. Her. Whom he was supposed to forget, per the terms of her contract. They contradict each other.† Roman spoke confidently, laying his points out reasonably, but I could sense the uneasiness within him. I knew what the hanging point was – the same point Marcel had promptly jumped on. I wasn't cited by name here. Somewhere, there had to be a record of it if Hell had managed to let Seth be reborn near me each time, but we didn't know what that was. Hell certainly wasn't going to help us find it. â€Å"It could be a coincidence,† said Marcel. â€Å"Maybe he met someone else in his first life whom he fell in love with, someone whom he lost young and continued to seek in the following centuries.† â€Å"Someone else who was immortal and would be alive for the next fifteen hundred years?† asked Roman. â€Å"That's an awfully big coincidence.† Marcel looked smug. â€Å"Be that as it may, Letha is not mentioned anywhere in his contract. Everything's circumstantial at best, with no proof that Hell entered into this under false pretenses.† A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I began attempting to unroll the scroll, seeking a very specific piece of information. There were so many sections, subsections, articles, and clauses, however, that I couldn't make any sense of it. â€Å"Who drafted this?† I asked Roman. â€Å"Shouldn't whoever brokered the deal be listed?† â€Å"Section 27E,† said Roman automatically. I paused to give him an incredulous glance. â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"What do you think I've been doing for the last week?† he asked, by way of answer. He helped me find the appropriate section, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the name I'd been hoping for. Just to be sure, I found the matching section in my own contract. Roman, spying what I had, immediately ran with it. â€Å"Your honor, these contracts were brokered by the same imp. Niphon. He had to have known they conflicted with each other. He had to have known that Letha was the lover Kyriakos was seeking.† â€Å"He didn't ‘have to have known' anything,† countered Marcel. â€Å"It could be a coincidence.† â€Å"Well, let's get him in here and find out,† said Roman. Hannibal considered this for several seconds. I got the distinct impression that he most definitely did not want to summon Niphon, but some of the angels in the jury were regarding him expectantly. If this were truly a fair trial, with evidence laid neatly out, then there was no reason not to bring in a key witness like Niphon. â€Å"Very well,† said Hannibal. He looked over to the guy in the nice suit, the one who'd opened proceedings. I'd taken him for some kind of classy bailiff. â€Å"Go get him. We'll call a ten-minute recess while you do.† Hannibal banged his gavel, and conversation buzzed as the bailiff hurried out of the room. I leaned toward Roman. â€Å"Niphon knows. He has to know. Did I ever tell you the full story of when he came to visit last year?† Roman had heard some of it but was very eager for a recap as I told the tale again. Niphon had shown up, ostensibly to deliver Tawny as our newest succubus. During his stay, however, he'd caused no end of trouble for me and Seth. He'd tried to drive a wedge between us, and indeed, some of his actions were what had led Seth to believe a breakup was better for us in the long run. Niphon had also tried to broker a contract with Seth in order for us to be together without the harmful succubus effects that occurred during sex. The cost would have been Seth's soul, of course. I paused, thinking that over. â€Å"I understand the rest . . . him wanting to keep us apart. Hugh had said it was the sign of an imp trying to cover for some mistake – and this is a pretty big one. It makes sense he'd want to split us up and avoid discovery of the conflict. But why bother to make another deal if Seth's soul was already under contract?† Roman's eyes were alight with thought. â€Å"Because he could've done an amendment to the old contract and cleaned up the contradiction. Seth's soul would have been resecured.† We had no time to analyze it further because the recess soon ended. Hannibal brought things to order and the bailiff returned – with Niphon. My stomach twisted at the sight of him, just as it had last time. Niphon always put me in mind of a weasel. He wore a gray suit, looking business-ready like all imps did, but had heavily pomade-slicked hair that took away some of his credibility. He had thin lips, small eyes, and an olive complexion. He also looked like he'd bolt if given half the chance. The screwup he'd tried to conceal was now being laid out. His escort led him to a witness stand near the bench. Niphon gingerly sat down, sweating visibly. I'd worried about Hugh being dragged into this, fearful of the consequences he'd face. Niphon was probably afraid of the same thing: being punished for helping my case. The difference was that Hugh would at least take some satisfaction out of assisting me. Niphon had no gain in any of this. â€Å"State your name please,† said Hannibal. The imp licked his lips. â€Å"Niphon, your honor. At your service.† â€Å"You brokered these two contracts?† asked Hannibal, indicating the scrolls Doris had just placed on the witness stand. Niphon made a great show of studying them. â€Å"I suppose so, your honor. My name's on them, but it's been such a long time. Makes it easy to forget.† I scoffed. â€Å"You seemed to remember last year when you were scrambling to cover your ass.† â€Å"Let's keep this civilized and fair,† said Hannibal mildly. Really? I was the one being chastised for civility and fairness? â€Å"Did you know when you drew up Kyriakos's contract that Letha was the one he was seeking?† asked Roman. Seeing Niphon squirm, Roman added, â€Å"And be careful about saying you ‘don't remember.' The angels in the esteemed jury will know you're lying.† Niphon swallowed and cast an anxious look at the jury box before returning his gaze to Roman. â€Å"I . . . yes. I knew.† â€Å"And since you'd drawn up Letha's contract, you knew that her terms required all those who knew her as a human to forget her. The fact that he was seeking her at all was a sign her contract had been broken. You weren't able to keep him in a state of forgetfulness.† Niphon made a face. â€Å"He didn't mention her by name. He only remembered that she was gone.† Roman smacked my contract hard. â€Å"The contract doesn't specify to what degree she can be forgotten, just that she is. Period.† Sweat was practically pouring off Niphon in buckets now. He jerked one of the scrolls toward him and scanned it with his twitchy eyes. † ‘All mortals who were acquainted with the Damned in her human life shall have all knowledge of her erased from their memories. . . .' † He glanced up. â€Å"This is a translation. I think the original Greek makes it clearer that only those from her human life forget her. Therefore, if he remembered her afterward, there would be no violation. Can we get a Greek copy in here?† â€Å"It wouldn't matter,† said Roman. â€Å"Even if it does say that. We've already established that a soul defines a person's identity across lives. Even now, he's still technically someone from her human life, and he remembered. You were unable to uphold the contract.† â€Å"That's hardly my fault!† Niphon exclaimed. It was unclear now if he was speaking to Roman and me or to superiors in the audience. â€Å"I made the arrangements for standard memory loss with her contract. I don't know why it didn't work. Yes, I knew he was her husband when I set up his contract, but I didn't think of this in terms of contract violation. I was just securing another soul.† Marcel addressed the jury. â€Å"Is he telling the truth? He made the second contract out of ignorance and not malicious intent? By which I mean, no more malicious intent than is normally called for in these situations.† Some of the angels nodded, looking reluctant to do so. â€Å"It doesn't matter if it was in ignorance,† said Roman. â€Å"That's never an excuse for breaking the law. You messed up, and in doing so, you've invalidated both contracts.† â€Å"Come now,† said Marcel. â€Å"It's not as though either of the Damned were that wronged. This technicality aside, she really was wiped from the memories of all she knew. And he got nine more lives. Nine more lives! We all know how rare reincarnation deals are. He got exactly what he asked for. He was even reunited with her. Hell has fulfilled these contracts as nobly as possible, and you can't hold everyone responsible for one underling's mishap that no one else even knew about.† â€Å"Oh,† said Roman, a predatory note in his voice. â€Å"I think others knew about the glitch. Others in much higher positions. Your honor, may I call another witness?† â€Å"Who?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"My father,† said Roman. â€Å"Jerome, Archdemon of Seattle.† There was a collective gasp among some, but whether that was from Roman acknowledging Jerome as his father or simply the summoning of such a high-ranking witness, I couldn't say. Hannibal nodded. â€Å"Granted. Niphon, you may step down. Jerome, please join us up here.† Niphon couldn't get out of there fast enough. He practically barreled into Jerome when they passed in the aisle. For his part, Jerome was sauntering along casually, as though all of this were beneath him and it was a great concession on his part to even show. He sat down, crossing his hands neatly in front of him and affecting a bored look. â€Å"Jerome,† said Roman. â€Å"Isn't it true you knew about the connection between Seth and Georgina? Er, Kyriakos and Letha?† Jerome shrugged one shoulder. â€Å"I knew they were both contracted souls.† It was an answer worthy of an angel. Some of the truth, but not all of the truth. I half hoped some angel would call him on it until an unfortunate fact hit me. Demons could lie without detection. There was no way to prove he was telling the truth or not. â€Å"Did you know the terms of her contract?† asked Roman. â€Å"Of course,† said Jerome. â€Å"I do for all my employees.† â€Å"So you knew that the contract allowed her to be wiped from the minds of all those who knew her when she was human.† â€Å"Yes,† said Jerome. â€Å"And you knew that Seth was once her husband, with a contract that involved her.† â€Å"No,† said Jerome flatly. â€Å"I most certainly did not.† A lie, a lie, I thought. But there was no way to prove it. â€Å"If that's so,† said Roman, â€Å"then why did you use Seth Mortensen to help retrieve Georgina when she was captured by Oneroi last year?† â€Å"I don't remember the specifics of that incident,† said Jerome delicately. â€Å"Well,† said Roman, â€Å"if you need your memory refreshed, there's an angel here who witnessed it all who can give us a recap. One I'm sure the jury won't question.† Jerome's features went perfectly still as Roman's trap sprang open around him. Jerome might be immune to angelic truth detection, but anything Carter swore to seeing Jerome do or know would be held as gospel. Carter couldn't lie. If he said Jerome had used Seth to rescue me, then everyone would believe it, regardless if Jerome continued to deny it. Seeing the futility of more cover-up, Jerome came clean. â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"Those Oneroi.† â€Å"You used a human psychic to help retrieve her,† said Roman. â€Å"He had the power and the ritual but no way to actually find her in the void where the Oneroi were holding her. You suggested using Seth as a way to find her soul, and it worked. Why? How did you know that?† Jerome shrugged. â€Å"They were always mooning over each other. I figured if ever there was any merit in that true love nonsense, then we could use it to help us.† â€Å"That's not what Mei said.† I took advantage of the conversational nature of the proceedings, my mind spinning with a long-lost memory. â€Å"Mei said it defied the odds and that no matter how in love we were, it shouldn't have worked.† Jerome's dark gaze flicked to something behind me, and I was guessing Mei was now enjoying the full force of his glare. â€Å"Georgina was trapped in the vastness of the dream world,† added in Roman. â€Å"One soul lost among dreams. For someone else to reach her and call her back required a staggering connection, two souls with a tie that's bound them through time.† â€Å"Please don't get sentimental,† said Jerome. â€Å"It's nauseating.† Roman shook his head. â€Å"I'm stating facts. Everyone here knows it's true. Their souls had to have been bound for him to get to her, and you knew it, which is why you suggested using Seth. You knew about the contracts and their history. This wasn't one small error confined to a bumbling inferior. You knew about it. And you knew there was a problem.† â€Å"Which is why you had Erik killed and initiated a transfer for me!† I exclaimed. Seeing Jerome sitting there so coolly, so uncaring . . . it drove home the truth. He had known all along what was transpiring with Seth and me, and what it meant. I'd never thought Jerome and I were friends, but it was startling to really accept just how much he'd been working against me in order to further Hell's goals. â€Å"Oh, Georgie,† he said. â€Å"Always you and the melodrama.† â€Å"It's not! We can get proof – â€Å" Roman put his hand on mine. â€Å"Not easily,† he murmured. â€Å"There'll be no paper trail, I guarantee it. And it's not relevant to this case right now.† I thought about kind, generous Erik, bleeding to death before my eyes. â€Å"It's relevant to me.† Jerome let out a long-suffering sigh. â€Å"Is there anything else? Can I return to my seat, please?† The judge glanced between Roman and Marcel. Both men shook their heads. When Jerome was gone, Roman pushed the case. â€Å"Your honor, esteemed jury . . . we've provided more than enough evidence to show that her contract was not fulfilled. Through whatever mishaps, those from her human life did not stop remembering her. Per article 7.51.2 of the Soul Chronicles, Georgina's contract is invalidated. She's entitled to her soul back and the remainder of this life, free of Hell's employment, per the section on damages and reparations in article 8.2.0. Likewise, Seth Mortensen's contract is also invalidated because it was made under false pretenses. The imp who drew it up knew that it violated hers and knew that the very conditions of Seth's – finding her and making amends – included a degree of remembering. It's impossible for his to exist without contradicting hers. He too is entitled to the restoration of his soul.† â€Å"Your honor – † began Marcel. Judge Hannibal held up his hand. â€Å"Silence. I'll make you a deal.† There was a restless shifting in the courtroom, an undercurrent of excitement. Demons loved deals and bargains. â€Å"Go on,† said Roman. â€Å"I'm willing to dismiss the case without a jury vote and grant that Letha's contract wasn't honored. I'm willing to give her all of the restorations outlined in article 8.2.0.† Gasps surrounded us. My eyes widened, and I turned to Roman questioningly. Was it as easy as that? I didn't know all the details of 8.2.0, but by my understanding, if the contract was invalidated, I could return to Earth and live out the rest of my days as a human. In possession of my soul. It seemed too good to be true. â€Å"However,† continued Hannibal, â€Å"I don't see enough evidence to support the releasing of this second soul. Your argument for it will be thrown out for being groundless.† â€Å"But it isn't!† I cried. â€Å"If we don't accept, then what?† asked Roman. Hannibal shrugged. â€Å"Then the jury can vote on the question of both contracts.† Roman nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"Can I have a moment to confer with my, um, client?† â€Å"Sure.† Hannibal banged the gavel. â€Å"Five-minute recess.† The spectators didn't need to be told twice. This was huge. A soul getting released was not something that happened every day, nor was a deal like we were being offered. â€Å"What's the catch here?† I asked Roman softly. He narrowed his eyes. â€Å"Well, I think Hannibal thinks he's in danger of losing two souls and is trying cut his losses. Your evidence is pretty solid. Seth's is too, though not quite as good – especially without Seth actually here. Still, Hannibal would rather let you go easily and ensure that he still keeps one soul in this mess.† â€Å"But if the evidence is there, then we should let it go to the jury. You just said it's solid for Seth too.† â€Å"It is,† agreed Roman. â€Å"But here's the thing that Hugh told me about these juries. All contract disputes are judged by half angels and half demons – for the sake of fairness. The angels will honestly vote with what they feel to be right. If the evidence was flimsy, they'd vote against you. It's not worth it to them to get a soul free if the conditions aren't honorable. The demons have no such morals. Jerome and Niphon could both openly confess to a conspiracy of conflicting contracts, and every demon on that jury would still vote against you.† â€Å"That's not fair,† I said. â€Å"Georgina,† he said simply. â€Å"We're in Hell.† â€Å"So what happens if it's split? Do they go by the same hung jury procedures we know?† â€Å"A tie-breaking vote is produced. A thirteenth angel or demon is called at random, who then casts the deciding vote. If it comes down to that, then your chances simply fall to a 50-50 luck of the draw.† â€Å"Hence the bargain,† I murmured. â€Å"If I abandon Seth's soul, I'm guaranteed my freedom.† Roman nodded. â€Å"And if you don't, you may be consigning both of you to Hell.†

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Nebosh IGC

It may be seen as an unproductive cost which conflicts with the requirement to keep costs low. An undesired event resulting in personal injury, damage or loss. A situation with the potential to cause harm or damage. (iii) The likelihood that harm from a particular hazard may be realized. (3) Unsafe conditions and unsafe acts. The number of people likely to be affected by the harm from a hazard, and the severity of the harm that may be suffered.Revision Question 2 Workers should: a) take reasonable care for their own safety and that of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work; (b) comply with instructions given for their own safety and health and those of others and with safety and health procedures; use safety devices and protective equipment correctly and do not render them inoperative; (d) report forthwith to their immediate supervisor any situation which they have reason to believe could present a hazard and which they cannot themselves correct; (e) rep ort any accident or injury to health which arises in the course of or in connection with work.Criminal – fines; Civil – compensation. External data sources include: National legislation (e. G. Regulations); Safety data sheets from manufacturers and suppliers; Government Enforcing Authority publications such as Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes; Manufacturers'/ suppliers' maintenance manuals; National/alienation standards; Information from local safety groups; Information from trade associations; Information from Journals and magazines. Internal data sources include: Information from accident records; Information from medical records and the medical department (if you have one);Information from company doctors; Risk assessments; Maintenance reports; Information from Joint inspections with safety reps; Information from audits, surveys, sampling and tours; Information from safety committee minutes. NOBLES International General Certificate 1-27 Revision Question 3 There should be a framework of roles and responsibilities for health and safety allocated to individuals throughout the organization, including the appointment of specialist staff and ensuring that general management roles and arrangements address health and safety issues.To ensure that the organizational arrangements, health and safety standards and operational systems and measures are working effectively and, where they are not, to provide the information upon which they may be revised. 1-28 NOBLES International General Certificate Setting Policy for Health and Safety I Element 2 Element 2 Why might the health and safety policy of two organizations, both undertaking similar work, be different? What are the three key elements of a health and safety policy? By whom should the policy be signed?What does a safety organization chart show? What responsibilities do all workers have relating to health and safety? 2-12 NOBLES International General Certificate Element 2 | Setting Policy for Heal th and Safety What forms the base for the plans for the systems, procedures and other measures required to put the health and safety policy into effect? State the three main forms of communicating health and safety information to staff. What are active monitoring systems? In what specific circumstances should a policy review be held?NOBLES International General Certificate 2-19 Because the policy is a reflection of the particular circumstances of each organization. Thus, any variations in size, nature and organization of operations, etc. , will mean that the health and safety policy will also vary. The general statement of intent, organization and arrangements. A senior Director or the Chief Executive Officer, indicating the organization's commitment at the highest level. The hierarchy of roles and responsibilities for health and safety, and the lines of accountability between them.To act responsibly and safely at all times, and to do everything they can to prevent injury to themsel ves and to fellow workers. Risk assessments. The three main methods of communicating health and safety information are the use of written procedures, provision of instructions and provision of appropriate training. Active monitoring systems are those which seek to identify deficiencies in current arrangements before any resulting accident. They include testing, inspections and consultation procedures, as well as management controls to ensure compliance.The circumstances which should give rise to reviews, either of general policy or specific aspects of it, are: Changes in the structure of the organization, and/or changes in key personnel. A change in buildings, workplace or worksheet. When work arrangements change, or new processes are introduced. When indicated by a safety audit or a risk assessment. Following government enforcement action or as the result of the findings from accident investigations. Following a change in legislation.If consultation with workers or their representa tives highlights deficiencies. If requested by a third party. NOBLES International General Certificate 2-21 Element 3 | Organizing for Health and Safety Element 3 Outline typical duties of employers to workers. Outline common duties of workers. What are the responsibilities of employers to people who are not their workers? Where business premises are rented, is the employer responsible for health and feet matters relating to points of entry to and exit from the workplace?NOBLES International General Certificate 3_11 Outline the areas of responsibility placed on people in the supply chain for the articles and substances which they supply to workplaces. Outline the responsibilities of the client and the contractor where a contractor is working in the client's own workplace. 3_17 Organizing for Health and Safety I Element 3 How may employers consult workers? What are safety circles? 3-20 NOBLES International General Certificate The general duties of employers are:Provision of adequate instruction, training, supervision and information necessary to ensure the health and safety at work of workers. Provision/maintenance of safe plant/equipment and a safe system of working. Provision and maintenance of a safe workplace (including a safe way of getting to and from that place of work). The two general duties of workers are: To take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. To co-operate with the employer so far as is necessary to enable the employer to fulfill his legal obligations.Employers must make adequate provision to protect third parties from harm as a result of their work activities by: Conducting their undertakings in such a way as to ensure that people not in their employment who may be affected by their activities are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. Giving people who are not their workers sufficient information regarding the undertaking as might affect th eir health and safety; for example, details of potential hazards. It would depend on the terms of the tenancy agreement. Responsibility lies with the person who may be said to control the particular aspect of the premises.

Critical Account on Ethical Practice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Account on Ethical Practice - Assignment Example Ideas expressed in the light of theory of Consequentialism, which is also known as consequence-based-ethics, declare the point that the rightness or wrongness of any particular action on the basis of ethics depends on the nature of consequence of that particular action (Froehlich 2004). In much simpler words, â€Å"whenever we are faced with a choice, the best and the most just decision is the one that results in the most good or greatest benefit for most people† (Strike 2009, p.8). Darren’s teacher’s choice of not intervening at the time when Darren and Phillip were fighting was correct because as a consequence of her choice Darren and Phillip somehow resolved their matter by themselves and ended up working on their assigned task. If the teacher would have interrupted the possible consequences for this act could have been mostly negative. Likewise, the entire class would have got disturbed, the students might have reacted to Phillip’s and Darren’s actions and as a result the whole classroom would have portrayed the picture of chaos and panic. So comparatively teacher did the right thing, which produced good consequence. In addition, teacher stored any trouble for later because her silence didn’t encourage any of the children to bully other mates but rather taught them the rule of tit for tat. As if one would be disturbing the other by any means he will in turn get the same disturbance sooner or later (Schon 2011; Atherton 2011). In addition, based on deontological view of ethics, obviously Darren’s teacher’s act parallel to what duty-based ethics actually are. As her behavior of staying quite and observing the fight among her students was the most dutiful attitude. She let her students decide what can be done in the situation like this. Also, there are two sorts of knowledge: convergent, and divergent. The gist of these two types of knowledge is that a teacher not just needs to be accurate and perfect guardian all the time but rather he should give opportunities to students to understand the actions of life by themselves. Israel and Hay (2006) are of the view that issues related to issues are highly common and they are surely becoming complex in nature to understand and deal with.  

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Market Economy in Jacksonian America. Did it benefit or hurt Research Paper - 1

The Market Economy in Jacksonian America. Did it benefit or hurt america - Research Paper Example According to Jackson, the proper road to reform lay in an absolute acceptance of majority rule as was expressed through the democratic process. However, beyond these general principles, Jacksons campaign was particularly vague about specific policies. As an alternative, it stressed Jacksons life story as a man who had risen from modest origins to become a Tennessee planter who was successful. His claim to peculiarity lay in a military career that included service as a young man in the Innovatory War, some anti-Indian campaigns, and, of course, his topmost moment in the Battle of New Orleans at the end of 1812 war.2 Jacksons election marked a new direction in American politics. He was the first president to be elected from the west, certainly, the first president from a state other than Massachusetts or Virginia. He confidently proclaimed himself to be the common man champion and he believed that their interests were ignored by the aggressive national economic plans of and Adams and clay. Nevertheless, more than this, when Martin Van Buren followed Jackson as a president, this indicated that the Jacksonian movement had long-term significance that would outlast his own alluring leadership. In the year 1834, President Andrew Jackson was celebrating the â€Å"glorious victory.† The old warrior who battled the Seminoles, the British and the creeks now was cheering his victory over a president who was referred to as â€Å"colossal of corruption.† Now, who was the giant that jack had to eliminate from the world two earlier years? This mammoth was the bank of the United States of America and Jackson’s defeat of the bank and its president, Biddle, was among the most important legacies of his presidency.3 The bank of the United States had been formed in the year 1791. It was chartered by the federal government, its stock was owned jointly by private investors and the government. It served as the bank of the government- center of tax revenues were being

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Why I chose the engineering major Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why I chose the engineering major - Essay Example antastic gifts such as cars and airplanes from my parents.I always had a deep affection of cars and airplanes as I thought that they were funy and they can move so much faster than human beings. On top of that, airplanes could also fly because they have wings. As I grew older, I realized that many things could be demystified by science hence my keen interest especially in engineering. Since middle school, I became more interested in computers. Whenever my father was fixing computers, I always carefully watched him. We own three sets of DIY computers and I helped him assemble one of the computers another day. I later assembled the third computer on my own and the feeling of this accomplishment was overwhelming and has since been inspirational. Through assembling computer parts, I learned a great deal of placements of the components and their uses. Since high school, I did voluntary service at MSKCC and Weill Cornell Medical College where I was introduced to different types of fascinating equipment like the confocal microscope, flow cytometry, PO2 measurement robots and so on. This experience aroused my keen interest in pursuing a career in the field of engineering. It is against this background that I would wish to apply for a place to study the College of Engineering at Cornell, which has a very fine reputation in the engineering community. Its engineering programs were recently ranked among the top seven in the nation, while its engineering physics program was ranked number one. My comprehensive curriculum at high school would help me prepare for the challenging courses that will be offered at Cornell. In junior year at Stuyvesant High School, I took AP BC Calculus, AP Physics B and right now I am taking AP physics C and AP chemistry. My average is a 4.0 and I also took SAT II physics and Math Level 2, which I got 760 and 800 respectively. All these academic achievements bear testimony in my self determination in pursuing an engineering career. Basically, I

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Effects of Mass Media on Modern Youth Essay

The Effects of Mass Media on Modern Youth - Essay Example Youths’ view on things, opinions as well as attitudes change so much too. They have a tendency of copying styles of famous people leading to them forgetting who they really are. They try their best to look like celebrities and forget to work hard in school for good marks. The internet enhances a mode of style, behavior and fashion that leads to youths looking alike and behave similarly. This internet influence leads to social segregations; rich youths of the age between 15 and 18 slur poor ones. Unfortunately, this leads to crop of uncouth social practices. The negatives portrayed by the youths in the society are a result of the willingness to awaken people about them. For instance, the negative effects of addiction are spread through advertisements. Newspapers, internet and TV are used to pass social messages. But sorry to say sometimes, the message conveyed is misconstrued. The ‘awakening often does not reach everyone as intended or it reaches the public in the wrong way (Jacobs, 1992). As such, there are a proportion of youths that is influenced by media while there is another proportion that takes the message in the wrong way. Media overloads youths with lots of information. It is so addictive that once a person is glued to it, he or she tends to forget everything else. In most occasions, when youths are not watching television, they are surfing the internet, when they are not on the web, they are probably reading newspapers, and when they are not reading anything, they are likely listening to something.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The effects of divorce on children and families Research Paper

The effects of divorce on children and families - Research Paper Example Furthermore, the court may decide who of the two is responsible for the custody of the children (Stewart 34). However, regardless of the nature and type of divorce, divorce has varying impacts on children and the family unit as a whole. Children, especially young ones are left devastated by the ordeal, and this remains glued in their minds for years to come. For example, according to psychologists, young girls who are affected by divorce from an early age develop a fear for men as they grow up, and this impacts negatively on their opposite sex relationships. The same applies to young boys who are affected by divorce from an early age. In summary, effects of divorce on children are classified into psychological, emotional, social, financial and physical effects. Apart from children, other members of the family are also affected by divorce ordeals. These may be relatives of the divorcees or the divorcees themselves. As mentioned earlier, divorce has a lasting effect on people; hence, family members are affected permanently by this ordeal especially if they were attached to the divorcees. Divo rce breaks family relationships and bonds (Gladden 57). This paper analyses in detail the effect that divorce has on family members and especially children. I will first discuss the effect on children, and then I will discuss the effect on the family unit as a whole. Statistics in the US reveal that every year, approximately one million children suffer their parents’ divorce. The same statistics reveal that half of children witness their parents’ divorce before they are 18 years old. According to research by Gladden (2009), half of all American children will witness their parents’ break up and half of these will also witness the break up of the second marriage of their parents. The same research suggests that, of the children who have witnessed the break up of their parents’ marriage, one in ten will also witness the second break up of their parents.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Comprehensive Question (Communication Theory) Essay

Comprehensive Question (Communication Theory) - Essay Example e present text looks at the accepted standards of a good theory such as validity, theological scope, franchise and heuristic value to value the symbolic interactionism theory. It also dwells on criticisms leveled against the theory. The theories contemporary application has been discussed in detail. The text also entails Em Griffin’s take on the communication theory and its relevance. He pays tribute to Herbart Mead who was a leading theorist. People act towards things based on the meanings they attach to those things. Different things have different meanings to different people. People derive meanings from social interactions and are modified through various interpretations. Social interaction is the process by which people act and react to other people in their environment. In this perspective, social interaction encompasses the actions of people towards others and the responses they get in return. Symbolic Interactionism theory meets most of the accepted standards of a good theory despite its criticisms. Em Griffin posited that most communication theorists used Mead’s intellectual guidelines to develop their theories (Griffin, 2011). George Herbert Mead was a pioneer in the development of the communication theory. Whereas the Symbolic Interactionism theory face criticisms across time and place, it is critical to evaluate it based on standards and show its applications in the contemporary world. Symbolic Interactionism studies how people interact with each other owing to their adaptive social behavior. In this perspective, social structures are best understood in relation to basic level of individual interactions. Charles Horton Cooley in collaboration with George Herbert Mead came up with the theory (Turner, 2006). According to this theory, the meaning and worth of objects, occurrences and behaviors come from people’s interpretations, which vary from one group to another. Cooley argues that people adapt the way they think about themselves based on how

Friday, August 23, 2019

Urban Studies and Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Urban Studies and Planning - Essay Example All these careers are exciting and personally fulfilling in the sense that they are well paying, challenging, and they give one an opportunity to grow. The urge of using my skills to establish a community where people can live and start families makes a career as an urban planner to be my first priority. I understand that a college degree in addition to extensive training is a requirement for a successful entry into this field of work. To qualify as an urban planner, one needs to take classes on environmental studies so as to understand the interactions between people and the natural environment as well as the dynamics of the environment. Moreover, a person needs to take classes on economics so as to comprehend how the markets operate, particularly, what makes a successful regional economy and business. Additionally, one needs to take classes in art and design so as to prepare oneself to think creatively about visual appearances. The prospect of getting employed as an urban planner is also high. First, there are many institutions, both public and private that hire urban planners. With a degree in urban planning together with the required experience, I can be hired by local/regional governments, private planning firms, and private property owners to facilitate the planning of commercial and communal developments, as well as transportation systems and public facilities (Bayer, Frank, & Valerius, 2009). Secondly, urba n planning is a growing field of employment. As Bayer, Frank & Valerius (2009) put it, the roles of urban planners remain in high demand, and is expected to grow significantly by 2014. For example, the U.S News and Urban Report rated urban and regional planner among the best careers in 2009 (U.S News, 2009). Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 15% growth in planning jobs between 2006 and 2016. The salary and benefits of regional and urban planners is very attractive. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the median yearly pay for urban and regional planners was $63,040 in May 2010 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013). Based on the fact that the planning industry has experienced growth in the past years, the prospect of career development is also looking good. This growth is stimulated by environmental concerns and population growth being experienced. Other than becoming an urban planner, I would prefer to become an architect. Since my childhood, I have alwa ys been fascinated with the science and art of building and construction. The prospect of becoming a renowned architect is exciting and interesting because this career path will enable me to design an entire built environment- from how a building associates with its surrounding environment, to construction or architectural details that entails its interior and designing and making furniture to be used inside it. Looking at this career path from a different perspective, I established that architecture is poetic in the manner that it presents itself. It is complex in the questions and issues it gives rise to. Contrary to popular belief that architecture is static, I have established that architecture is detailed and analytical. These qualities make this career path not only attractive, but also fulfilling. A career in architecture is interesting and exciting due to its longevity nature. As compared to most professions, architects can practice their

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Why Fiction Stories Are Important to Society Essay Example for Free

Why Fiction Stories Are Important to Society Essay When we are young we read a lot of children’s stories, or have them read to us by our parents or at school. A lot of these stories are entertaining but they can also be used as a catalyst to teach young children about morals and values. For instance, a favourite of mine is Horton Hears a Who, by Doctor Seuss. This particular story is about equality and tolerance of difference, Horton says, â€Å"a persons a person no matter how small. We could have instead sat a young child down and told them all about the Holocaust, slavery and the many other unjust acts of discrimination around the world and why it is wrong – but a child wouldn’t understand and even they did, it would be cruel to expose a child to this kind of information. This is one reason why fiction is so important; it allows information and ideas to be accessible to a larger audience. The two films we have been studying this year, Born on the Forth of July and Gallipoli are both based on actual events. Why then weren’t these stories presented as a documentary? So many other films do the same thing. Why? When we take real events and work them into a fiction or semi fiction story there are certain aspects of the events that can then be manipulated or emphasised to have a greater effect on the audience, but also to direct the audience towards an intended or dominant reading of the text. In the movie Born on the fourth of July, we follow the story of Ron Kovic from his innocent youth, to an extremely patriotic teenager, his time in Vietnam and then see his transformation into a protester of war. The movie stays very close to actual events except for two distinct adaptations. While in Vietnam Kovic shoots down a fellow marine, Wilson. In the film he later confesses to the Wilson family of this. However this is scene has been invented. In this scene we see Kovic’s face through a close up camera shot, his anguish, pain and guilt of his mistake are evident. We are then transported into his memory of the event; the slow motion and daunting music create a funeral atmosphere. By being subjected to Kovic’s emotion so bluntly through the close up camera shot and then to see how he remembers the tragedy with such regret, a sense of Kovic’s conflict with himself is created and we cant help but to sympathise with him. Further more, we then see the members of Wilson’s family, his mother and father and widowed wife and son. We see them separately, also through close up camera shots to emphasise their emotions, the horror of realisation at what Kovic is saying and then extreme pain of loosing their loved one. The extreme pain of loss is confirmed when Wilson’s wife says to Kovic, â€Å"I can never forgive you, maybe the lord can. † The Wilson family cannot forgive Kovic however we admire his honesty. By creating this scene we are exposed to some of the after effects of war, grief stricken families, this builds on the anti war theme. More so this scene also shows us that veterans of war are just as much victims as those that died because we have scene the conflict Kovic has with himself and our sympathy towards Kovic is strengthened. The other adaptation of the story is Kovic’s high school sweetheart, Donna. We meet Donna in Kovic’s childhood; their affection for each other is carried throughout their teenage years. The high school prom is created to present to the audience the idea of ‘young love’ between Donna and Kovic, particularly Kovic’s feelings for her. It is evident when we see Kovic’s outburst of anger when he finds out Donna is going with someone else, due to a misunderstanding, and then confirmed as he runs through the rain on the night of the prom, purely so he can dance with Donna before he is dispatched. The music, especially the song ‘Moon River,’ heightens the dreamy, starry eyed, mood. We meet Donna again when Kovic returns from Vietnam. Here she is epresentative of the uprising antiwar movement in America. In one scene Kovic tells Donna, â€Å"I made a promise to myself that I would come back and love you forever. â€Å" However, it becomes clear that there will be no future for Donna and Kovic, perhaps because of the time in which Kovic was at war or because of the paralysis he returned with. Either way it is heartbreaking to see; the chronological structuring of the film and early development of Kovic’s feelings for Donna aids the strong emotional effect that this loss of love and loss of the future Kovic hoped for has on us. Here we can see that by adding fictional sections to actual events the impact on the audience can be heightened because we are subjected to scenes, characters and conflict, which have been carefully crafted to have a direct impact on our emotions. The film Gallipoli shows much of the conditions and events that soldiers endured during world war one, but more so is a display of the nature of events which lead to warfare and hence the death of many young Australian men. Aspects such as propaganda, social pressure, mate ship and patriotism are criticized for wrongly influencing these men to join the war effort. We are also presented with ideas about the lack of food, arms and poor medical treatment. At the end of the film we see the inevitable tragedy at Gallipoli, which we are most confronted with by the death of Archie Hamilton, the protagonist. His character was inspired by C. E. W. Beans Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 describing Private Wilfred Harper during the attack at the Nek, Wilfred was last seen running forward like a schoolboy in a foot-race, with all the speed he could compass. However the effect of Archie’s death would not have been as powerful and therefore would not have worked as effectively to confirm the ideas about world war one if it were not for the development of Archie, despite being inspired from history is a fictional character, throughout the film. In the exposition we are introduced to Archie and his identity begins to take shape. We know Archie is a young Australian boy, this is established not only by the written code, ‘Western Australia 1915,’ by also by the wide-angle long shots of the country. Immediately the dominant audience, Australians, begin to relate to Archie. This is reinforced by the display of other Australian values such as competitiveness when Archie, running on foot races back to the home gate against a man on horse back. Throughout this scene we hear the music Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre, which appears in numerous other running scenes throughout the movie. Sections of this running scene are shown through long shot with the use of panning, this emphasis the incredible distance of Archie’s run and we admire his strength, determination and his physical pursuit. Archie’s character continues to develop through the story in such a way that we continue to admire and care for him. The use of fictional genre means that Archie’s character can be constructed in such a way to achieve a maximum emotion attachment towards him. In this way his death at Gallipoli impacts our emotions and this pushes us to reflect on and alter our attitudes towards war, the aim of the film. Lastly, I am going to refer to Ray Bradbury’s short story The Pedestrian that is set in the future. Leonard Mead, the main character walks the streets at night in 2052, he’s done so for many years but the streets are always empty. Everyone else is inside fixated on their T. Vs, or as Mr Mead puts it, â€Å"the tombs, ill lit by television light, where the people sat like the dead, the grey or multi-coloured lights touching their faces, but never really touching them. † On this particular night, Mr Mead is stopped by a robotic police car and taken away to the psychiatric centre for research on regressive tendencies. This piece of writing, fiction as it is, is making a statement about technology and its effects on the individual and human society as a whole. This text and many others much like it are extremely thought provoking. In this way we can see that fiction is an important part of our lives. Reading stories like this may prompt people to change their attitudes or even behaviours to help preserve our future. And then there’s the magic of fiction. Take the above story for example; we are transported into the future and bombarded with the strange situation Mr Mead finds himself in. Because of the third person limited point of view, we know what Mr Mead is thinking and feeling – we feel like we are him or at least that we are there with him. His moonlit walk on a cold frosty night; the atmosphere, which he is experiencing, we experience through the tone of the text to be melancholy. Created by the long syntax and relentless metaphors and similes. This imagery can also work to draw us into this imaginary world so that we can see and feel as Mr Mead does, ‘crystal frost in the air; it cut the nose and made the lungs blaze like a Christmas tree inside. † Fiction stories fire our imaginations whether we the writers or the readers. Fiction is enjoyable to read, that in itself is reason enough to say that it is not bunk.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Julius Caesar Play Essay Example for Free

Julius Caesar Play Essay In play, Julius Caesar, it has strength that makes the play a famous play. In the play, we could understand characters emotion and behaviors clearly since it is in their own words instead of a narration. From the text from Cassius’s dialogue,† For my part, I have walked about the streets, submitting me unto the perilous night.† we could emphasizes how Cassius is showing off to Casca the braveness he has. Another point would be the speeches that are introduce in the play. Another example would be in Act 1, scene 2 where Antony comments, â€Å"When Caesar says, do this, it is performed. Sometimes not only the characters dialogue could be recognize as his or her personality and characteristics. In this text by Antony, we could feel the powerful leadership from Caesar. Speeches help a better understanding of each character thought towards different people. Such as the speech that Antony gave where it begins with â€Å"Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears†¦..† In this speech Antony keep repeating â€Å"Brutus is an honorable man†, this shows sarcasms that Antony is speaking out. While reading this speech, you will find confusions where Antony is criticizing Brutus action but on the other hand he keeps stating that Brutus is an honorable man that opposites other facts. This kind of passage grabs the reader attention to think profoundly. The weakness would be the organization of the plot. I believe the play is moving in a speed what I believe is fast. Fast play makes it difficult to recognize clearly with each scenes and acts. For example from the meeting of conspirators to the death of Julius Caesar flows quite rapid. Between those two scenes, I feel a bit empty cause no way that these conspirators did not planned in a way that they could successfully without any obstacles kill Julius Caesar. The play might improve if the process of planning would be added between those two periods. We might absorb characters; personality and perspective towards this event during their planning. Another example would be the death of Calupurnia. The death news was interrupted abruptly during before the war. Calpurnia played such an important role when comforting Brutus and place a spy on him. This shows the role of women played in Roman however she had passed away in a second where no one has expected. Overall the organization is pretty flow and vivid enough. I like how each scene was isolated by the characters in the play where one side is mainly characters that dislike Caesar and the other side would be characters that supports Caesar. The only error would be the speed of the play that gives no time for readers to vividly understand the story. The descriptions of different characters are the best element in the play. Characters were vividly described as I stated earlier. One more example would be when Cassius stated, â€Å"The torrent roared, and we did buffet it with lusty sinews, throwing it aside and stemming it with hearts of controversy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..or I sink!†Ã¢â‚¬  In this dialogue we could understand two characters’ thoughts and history background. Cassius put up this fact show that he believes Caesar is not as capable as he should be. Another would be the background of Caesar where he was such a weaker. The diaglouge is very interesting because we could see through what each character wanted to express. One of the interesting dialogues was between Antony and Octavious. Octavious argued to refuse the instruction from Antony. Antony begins to realize the similar power between Octavious and Caesar when Octavious insist to follow left instead of right, so Antony called Octavious as Caesar after the argument of the formation.

Representation Of Women In Hindi Cinema Film Studies Essay

Representation Of Women In Hindi Cinema Film Studies Essay Hindi cinema has always been a major point of reference for Indian culture and society. Not only has it shaped but also expressed the changing scenarios and contours of Indias cultural and societal sentiments to such an extent that no other preceding art form could ever achieve. Hindi cinema has influenced the way in which people perceive and deal with various aspects of their own lives. Cinema means different things for different people, for some it is the greatest and the most appreciated medium of entertainment, while for others it is just a medium that disseminates moving pictures. And then there are people who think that it is a medium that reflects the true mood and the changing scenario or rather reality of the society that produces it. Not only does it reflect, it also shapes and influences a society. One can say that cinema and society influence each other. Cinema, is a true reflection of the society and what we see in movies actually happens, otherwise where do these films get their inspiration from? Movies now portray live-in relationships, girlfriends and boyfriends, pre-marital sex, corruption, people following live and let live policy in life and family, liberal parents, colleges are depicted like dating parties and professors like friends. Of course one has to admit that it is all exaggerated and blown up, sometimes even in epic proportions, but the core idea, the crux, the central theme, comes from the society itself. Obviously those situations and reflections of life and society are exaggerated and blown up converting it all into a motion picture with elements of drama, suspense and comedy so as to attract spectators. The society and the world that we live in is changing and these changes are echoed in the cinema. Lets take the example of the humble and illiterate mother or ma depicted in the Hindi movies of 60s, through the 70s right till the 80. The ma was a female figure, an epitome of sacrifice and hard work, caring and bothered about nothing but her children. She burned the midnight oil to stitch clothes to afford two meals a day and to pay for the heros BA degree, has slowly got replaced with the modern, educated and sometimes even independent mom. The heroine who was normally a simple homely girl has now been replaced by a woman who is not only educated and bold but is also confident about her sexuality. The hero no longer falls in love with a innocent uneducated gaon-ki-gori. He has now been replaced by a simple boy next door with no palaces to live in, with human capabilities, flaws and aspirations. The result is that the audience can now easily relate with the lead characters of the film. But there is a different aspect, a different side to the coin, as well; cinema itself can herald or bring about changes in the society. It inspires fashion and crimes when people try to mimic what they see in movies, failing to realise that what they see on screen is an altered or modified version of reality that is made to look glamorous though instruments and technology and that life like cinema is not predictable. But, there are some movies that bring about positive changes as well like the recent change in the old policy followed by CBSE as a result the movie Tare Zameen Par (2007). CBSE now gives extra time to dyslexic students for their board exams. Similarly, public interest in hockey was renewed after the hit movie Chak De (2007). So it wouldnt be wrong to say that cinema isnt just a source of popular entertainment for families and individuals, but also a vehicle of social change, as it should be. Audiences like to see the familiar on screen. They like to see what they know, what they are aware of, what they believe and it is this reflection on screen that caters to the tastes and sensibilities of the masses. People derive joy, pleasure and amusement when they watch such films and therefore it is the audience that decides what goes into a film. Next it is the investor. The producer of a film would want to invest in something that would fetch him some returns on his investment and therefore they put their money in films that would make the audience happy and consequently bring in the greens for the investors. Unless a film caters to the mass audience, it will not be economically viable. The representation of women is often used as a selling point of the films. Audience likes to watch women on screen in various song and dance routines, in stereotypical images, in various costumes ( as discussed in chapter 2) and the reflection of women on screen change from time to time with changing trends in the continuously evolving society ( as discussed in chapter 3). It is true that the changing ideologies of a society have the power over what is depicted on screen and how it is depicted but another truth is the fact that the patriarchal undercurrents in our society are still the same. Women are still depicted in a way that caters to the male gaze. Women are still categorised and this has been achieved through song and dance sequences, through various forms of dress and through stereotypical images. All these factors help to compartmentalise women, turn them into a fetish leaving no room for the real woman to be depicted on screen. A cursory glance on the history on Hindi cinema and the changing trends of society and cinema leads one to believe that Bollywood has progressed over time in terms of depiction of women. Globalization and western culture has had a strong influence and a huge impact on the content films, the locations where they are shot and even the settings. But a closer examination of the films reveal that indeed there has been progress, but only in terms of technological devices that are used for special effects, locations as in they are more scenic, the films have begun to represent N.R.Is, the speech has westernised, the dresses have a modern influence and the entire aspect of film making and marketing has becoming more commercial and corporate like. It has truly become an Industry, a business. Women are still depicted or portrayed in the old moulds of feminity. Heroines are westernised, as is everything around them, but this has resulted in turning a woman into a commodity that needs to be made a spectacle of so that the film can sell well. The western influence and modernisation has led to more skin show in order to make the film commercially viable as it is now sold to Indian as well as western audiences. Mythology, religion, notions and ideas about family and tradition, cultural ethos, all of these strongly influence Bollywood and consequently the representation of women on screen. But one must understand that all these values that dictate the trends of Bollywood are ruled and dominated by the premise of patriarchy and therefore women are represented in a manner which is submissive to these values and therefore subject to control by men. The women are shown in subordinate roles, upholding traditional values. They represent the community and are seen as repository of community values. Women authenticate a national/cultural identity. The body of the woman is the carrier of cultural signs. Symbols of marriage like the mangalsutra, sindoor etc. are fetishized. Women are represented as prototypes, one dimensional characters as daughters, wives, daughter-in-law, courtesan, lover, widow. Such stereotypes have no personal traits, no substance in terms of character and temperament; they only exist in relation to men, to heroes on screen. They are there as foils to the male characters so as to highlight their characteristics. Feminity as it is outlined by the premise of patriarchy is more often than not adhered to in Indian films. However, through an analysis of new emerging trends in Bollywood cinema as well as the parallel cinema, it becomes clearly visible that some women break this mould. There are films that portray women in bold and strong characters and sometimes even as individuals but such films are not very successful commercially. And also the answer to the question whether women in Hindi cinema are constructed so as to attract male gaze remains yes because even in those films, the heroines who played the bold, strong and individual characters were good looking and attractive, they were used in various song and dance sequences and were objectified through the use of costumes and other cinematic tools. There have been attempts to emancipate women from the constraining stereotypical moulds through representation of strong women characters in powerful roles in mainstream cinema but they have been only partially successful because those films were made but they werent very successful. The art movies or parallel cinema as they call it, emerging in the 1970s, avoided objectifying women, and focussed on showcasing the prevalent oppression and exploitation of women in our society. But the overriding themes, ideologies and concepts of religion, culture and tradition have a very strong foothold when it comes to Hindi cinema and they entrap representation of women in fixed moulds of stereotypes strengthened by patriarchy. Events seldom catapult women characters of Indian cinema to a white-hot spotlight. They are dumped into the quagmires of tension-packed fireworks of the home-prison or the ambitious exploitations of healers and killers, lovers and betrayers. The women are shown as having no spheres of their own, no independent identity, no living space. They go down in collective memory as organic imperfections, ramshackle, rickety, unhinged creations, mere fictional constructs of the fragile handle with care male ego. Hindi films with excellent photography, picturesque locations, designer costumes and gorgeous heroines enthral and influence audiences in a manner which slowly and steadily transforms the way they think and perceive the world around them. The youth that forms a large chunk of the audience start aping what is shown in screen in terms of costumes, language, style and above all the norms and ideologies highlighted by the films. These ideologies prescribe that domestic bliss and societal recognition is achievable only through submission to the pre-established hierarchies. One of the dictates of such ideologies is that women should be submissive and subordinate to the males in family and in society in general. Films often show heroes pursuing the heroines not with poetry, as the idea of chivalry preaches, but with songs and sequences that manhandle the heroine, pestering her with antics like playing with her dupatta, pulling and pinching her cheeks, blocking her path, coming too close for comfort and sometimes even kissing her without her permission. The girl initially tries to get away from this brute but finally gives in to him and accepts his love. The marvel of marvels happens when she succumbs to such degrading antics and is won over by his charm. Is it any wonder that eve teasing is rampant in this country when films show women giving in to such demeaning and crude gestures used by the male in the film in order to court her? In case a girl is raped in a film, the girl is compelled to marry the perpetuator of such a deplorable and detestable act. The girl isnt even asked if she wants to spend the rest of her life with the man responsible for violating her physically and psychologically in such a horrendous manner and robbing her of her freedom. The woman becomes the property of the man who ruined her life. If she refuses to marry her rapist she is immediately alienated from the society and is deemed undeserving of anyones sympathy and support for she refused to marry the man who violated her and then was willing to provide for her as his wife. The perpetuator, the criminal here becomes noble and self-righteous for in the act of agreeing to marry the woman he raped hes redeemed himself. The victim, if she refuses to marry him, becomes ungrateful, perverted and promiscuous for she refused a mans offer of marriage, a man who as per the norm, could have shrugged off all responsibility towards her. Most Hindi films portray love stories between a rich boy and a poor girl or vice versa. The predictable and often repeated story line being that they meet, fall in love, encounter opposition from their respective families, communities and society and finally they get married after innumerable trials and tribulations. The rich boy who wants to marry below his station is considered noble, heroic, sacrificing and generous while a rich girl who wants to marry the poor boy is often portrayed as fashionable, independent, spoilt, pampered and bratty who desperately needs to be tamed and domesticated so as to bring her in line with what the society expects. In other words she needs to wear Indian dresses with bindi and bangles, should be able cook and serve to the family and finally should see her husband as her sole reason for existence. This she is transformed into by the poor boy who as reward gets the woman as a trophy in the end. The whole idea defies logic. Why would a rich and pampere d girl want to marry a poor boy for there are enough good men in the world with the same moneyed background? The underlying patriarchal assumption being that any man is good enough to marry a girl, rich or poor doesnt matter. A woman, in a film, who puts her aspirations, ambitions and career before family is considered ruthless and also at time unwomanly but if a man does the same he becomes noble and virtuous. If a woman does it she is to be condemned for her professional goals come in the way of serving the family and her husband but if a man does it he is doing so to provide for his family which is commendable. The double standards of the society and hypocrisy of the patriarchal ideologies promoted by films are more than evident but such films are accepted by the audiences and they go on to become hits. The same ideology and story is repeated film after film transforming the ideology into a norm that soon becomes a trend followed by the people. Wielding the camera is probably a more onerous responsibility than wielding the pen, as the visual medium is several times more powerful than the written one. Add to this the sway that tinsel towns charismatic heartthrobs have over the masses and the job of film makers as arbiters of taste and public opinion becomes that much more accountable. The ideology of patriarchy works through the concept of female morality setting territorial limits for the whole idea of feminine identity and exposing the hypocrisy of male attitude that ultimately seeks patriarchal domination of women. A females body remains central to the societys as well as her realization of self. Patriarchy, that asserts itself through marriage, adultery and rape, works through the female body. On the other hand a female who tries to resist patriarchy uses her body to express her freedom, desire and sexuality. Powerful woman characters and their impact is eclipsed by the manner in which she is depicted as stereotypes trapping a woman in roles that submit to the dictatorial conventions of our society in the process inhibiting the qualities of a woman as an individual at peace with herself and comfortable in the world of her personal aspirations and interests. This is because a girl child in the formative years of growing up is conditioned through the process of socialization where her freedom and liberty is cut down drastically. At a very young age she learns to submit to the whims and fancies of the patriarchal society. She gives in to the tyrannies of our society and forgets all about her own emotional, social and financial needs along with her individual aspirations. Women in our society are perceived and therefore represented as inferior beings. The realities of the patriarchal society and the standards set by it make the woman under confident and make her believe that the only form of security she can achieve is through obedience to the society that terrorizes her to begin with. This ideology perpetuated by the masculine world around her makes a woman consent to the unreasonable emotional, social and financial demands made upon her, all in the name of peace, happiness, order and security.