The eNotes Blog Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez Dead at87

Gabriel Garcà ­Ã‚ ­a Mrquez Dead at87 Celebrated Colombian  author Gabriel Garcà ­Ã‚ ­a Mrquez  died today at the age of 87 after a recent hospitalization for multiple infections. His death comes two years  after it was reported he was suffering from dementia. â€Å"It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.† ―  Gabriel Garcà ­Ã‚ ­a Mrquez In his extroadinary lifetime Mrquez received widespread acclaim for his novels and short stories, including  One Hundred Years of Solitude,  Love in the Time of Cholera and  Chronicle of a Death Foretold.  One Hundred Years in particular became incredibly popular, selling more than 50 million copies worldwide in over 25 languages. With his works Mrquez  stood as an ambassador for Latin American literature, and the father of magical realism. When he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982, he dedicated his lecture to the spirit of Latin America, and revealed to the world its inextricable ties to his particular writing style: We have had to ask but little of imagination, for our crucial problem has been a lack of conventional means to render our lives believable. Mrquez is survived by his wife Mercedes and his two sons. He died at home in Mexico City. His memoirs remain unfinished. Gabriel Garcà ­Ã‚ ­a Mrquez Biography at Works of  Gabriel Garcà ­Ã‚ ­a Mrquez: Love in the Time of Cholera One Hundred Years of Solitude The Autumn of the Patriarch A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings The General in His Labyrinth and more found here.

The Mysterious Tunguska Explosion of 1908

The Mysterious Tunguska Explosion of 1908 At 7:14 a.m. on June 30, 1908, a giant explosion shook central Siberia. Witnesses close to the event described seeing a fireball in the sky, as bright and hot as another sun. Millions of trees fell and the ground shook. Although a number of scientists investigated, it is still a mystery as to what caused the explosion. The Blast The explosion is estimated to have created the effects of a magnitude 5.0 earthquake, causing buildings to shake, windows to break, and people to be knocked off their feet even at 40 miles away. The blast, centered in a desolate and forested area near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Russia, is estimated to have been a thousand times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The explosion leveled an estimated 80 million trees over an 830 square-mile area in a radial pattern from the blast zone. Dust from the explosion hovered over Europe, reflecting light that was bright enough for Londoners to read at night by it. While many animals were killed in the blast, including hundreds of local reindeer, it is believed that no humans lost their lives in the blast.   Examining the Blast Area The blast zones remote location and the intrusion of worldly affairs (World War I and the Russian Revolution) meant that it wasnt until 1927 19 years after the event that the first scientific expedition was able to examine the blast area. Assuming that the blast had been caused by a falling meteor, the expedition expected to find a huge crater as well as pieces of the meteorite. They found neither. Later expeditions were also unable to find credible evidence to prove the blast was caused by a falling meteor. Cause Of the Explosion In the decades since this huge explosion, scientists and others have attempted to explain the cause of the mysterious Tunguska Event. The most commonly accepted scientific explanation is that either a meteor or a comet entered the Earths atmosphere and exploded a couple of miles above the ground (this explains the lack of impact crater). To cause such a large blast, some scientists determined that the meteor would have weighed around 220 million pounds (110,000 tons) and traveled approximately 33,500 miles per hour before disintegrating. Other scientists say that the meteor would have been much larger, while still others say much smaller. Additional explanations have ranged from the possible to the ludicrous, including a natural gas leak escaped from the ground and exploded, a UFO spaceship crashed, the effects of a meteor destroyed by a UFOs laser in an attempt to save Earth, a black hole that touched Earth, and an explosion caused by scientific tests done by Nikola Tesla. Still a Mystery Over a hundred years later, the Tunguska Event remains a mystery and its causes continue to be debated. The possibility that the blast was caused by a comet or meteor entering the Earths atmosphere creates additional worry. If one meteor could cause this much damage, then there is a serious possibility that in the future, a similar meteor could enter Earths atmosphere and rather than landing in remote Siberia, land on a populated area. The result would be catastrophic.

The new way for process sales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The new way for process sales - Essay Example oup-level resistance which includes resistance to change due to group norms, group cohesiveness and groupthink and escalation of commitment; as well as 3) individual-level resistance which includes resistance to change due to uncertainty and in security, selective perception and retention as well as habits (Bushman, M., 2008; George et al.). In an organization, when change threatens jobs, power or status in an organization, when threat is perceived to be so real and large, resistance can be expected. Absence of consultation before effecting change can result to negative acceptance of the proposed change. When introducing a change, it is important that it is properly communicated. Rewards and possible benefits for adopting change should be fair enough for the adjustments as well as investments involved. The common cause for resistance is the parochial self-interest. When this change deviates from the self-interest of the people involve, expect resistance to crop up. Another cause of resistance to change can be misunderstanding and lack of trust. People would usually look for hidden agenda in a change proposal. When there is misunderstanding on the objectives behind a change, increasing resistance can be observed (Rogers and Shoemaker, 1971). Another cause of resistance to change is contradictory assessments and low tolerance for change. When the proposed change conflict the assessments of the people, there is a tendency to prove that their assessment is the opposite of those proposing the change. There also people who have low tolerance for change. Once these people reach a level when they can accept change anymore, the tendency is to repel the change since they cannot take more of it (Worren et al., 1999). Other reason for resistance is when the elements of the organization feel threaten. If the elements in the organization feel that their status or security is threaten (loss of comfort, pay or status), they would naturally repel change. Another reason for

British Petroleum and its Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

British Petroleum and its Operations - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that British Petroleum, which is also referred to as BP PLC is a British international Gas and Oil Company, which its headquarters stationed in London, England. Based on the revenue statistics released in 2012, British Petroleum is the fifth largest Oil and Gas Company in the world. It deals with the exploration, production, transportation, refining, marketing, distribution and trading of oil and petroleum products. It also deals with power generation, research, and exploration of renewable energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy and biofuels. Petroleum helps provide oil-based fuels for machines, lubricants and petroleum products used in infrastructure development, making plastics, gas, and petrochemicals among other products. BP America forms the largest British Petroleum subsidiary. The company also owns nineteen percent stake in Rosneft, which is a Russian Oil Company that is the most publicly traded in the Oil and Gas sector of the stocks exchange. British Petroleum’s market capitalization is an excess of eighty-five billion pounds and makes the fourth largest company listed on the London Stock Exchange. The company is headed by a board, which is responsible for oversight and guidance of the company in the interests of the shareholders. The company’s executive management has several branches that include, Finance, Refining and Marketing, Exploration, Safety and Operational Risk, Production, Strategy and Regions, Corporate Business Activities, Human Resources, and the Upstream department. Various subsidiaries have leaders who report to the main offices in London. There are various external factors that can affect British Petroleum’s success. These include the global economy, natural environment, wars, politics, currency devaluation, infrastructure, customers and the relationship between the company and the local communities. The most important external factors that can affect the compa ny’s success are the global economy and the natural environment. The global economy has a strong influence on the success of British Petroleum as seen during the recession in 2008 when the company recorded falling profits. The profits had declined from eight billion dollars to three dollars. If the recession continued the company would have started to make losses, which would affect its success negatively.

Mexican Culture Essay Example for Free

Mexican Culture Essay Food if one of the aesthetic identification of culture and tradition as it marks its progress from generation to generation, and history to history. Mexican cooking began with the arrival of humans in Mexico and as various cultures influence their cuisine, the tradition and cultural background of their menu have began to evolve. Mexican food, as we know it today, has had its primary origin in the 16th century from the introduction of European plants and food products by Spanish conquerors. This traditional mix-up has provided modification in their cuisine, which is currently evident in the Mexican food tradition. Aside from its exquisite delicacy and characteristics, Mexican food provides therapeutic function and use commonly in homemade treatment proceedings. The herbs and ingredients in the Mexican food are the key points for the provision of therapeutic action. Mexican herbs are unique in their own way. The characteristic of these herbs are the essential contributing factor for this therapy to be possible. In the course of our discussion, the Mexican culture, evidently in terms of food- wine and restaurants, shall be the primary focus of the study. The involvements of wine and food, in the sense of therapeutic action, as the primary traditional influence shall be elaborated and defined in the study. The influence of food and herbs in Mexican traditional therapy shall be also tackled in the course of discussion. Lastly, we shall explore the San Francisco California Bay and the Mexican celebration of Cinco de Mayo. The Mexican culture possesses a heritage in every unique aspect that greatly denounces its aesthetic value. Home or Traditional Therapies – Food and Herbs The Mexican traditions are composed of exquisite herbs and ingredients that provide therapeutic effects. The traditional home of Mexicans possesses no or less frequently refrigerating facility, supplies designed for classical lifestyle, and tradition rich in practical home-therapies; hence, they are more accustomed in their traditional therapeutic intervention utilizing their natural sources. In fact, Mexican possesses evident indulgence in their traditions that they prefer to have their food, and other home condiments in natural estate or made from nature-oriented proceeding. This greatly improves their health conditions, and provides them with practical source of therapeutic interventions. The basic feature of Mexican foods is its unique way of expressing its spiciness and traditional aroma. One of the spices that provide therapeutic effects in the body is the Capsaicin, which is a primary constituent of peppers such as the jalapeno and the habanero. Capsaicin has several uses, including use in personal defense sprays and as to relieve arthritis pain. When first applied to skin, capsaicin causes local heating and irritation. However, after repeated use, the area becomes desensitized to pain without loss of the sense of touch (Fox Whitesell, 1997 p. 550). Capsaicin pepper has been found to work as an anticoagulant, thus possibly helping to prevent heart attacks or strokes caused by the formation of clots in blood vessels. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, which is the body’s natural painkillers, and kills the stomach bacterium known to cause ulcers. Another pepper is the Cayene, which is an important constituent of Mexican hot sauce. Cayene adds the spicy zip to many ethnic foods, such as Thai and Mexican food, and can be used in marinades and barbecue sauces. This pepper is rich in vitamin C, A, B-complex, E and other minerals (Balch, p. 147 2003). Another food ingredient of Mexican foods that possesses therapeutic aid is the pumpkin seeds. The seeds from the pumpkin, also known as pepitas, are popular ingredient in Mexican dishes, and are available with or without their shells. This pepitas provide essential means of treating constipation due to its fiber content. Moreover, it is blended with Mexican traditional recipes such as burittos or Nachos, not only to provide exquisite taste but also to institute unique flavoring. These pepitas are high in calories and insoluble fibers, which help primarily in inducing in digestive tract thereby facilitating decrease of occurrence of constipation (Gilbert, 2000 p. 178). In terms of Mexican wine, it provides unique blends of tradition served in stemmed glasses. Wine is the usual pair of Mexican foods in order to suit the spiciness of the dishes. Mexican wine classifications possess the usual red and white wine, which are primarily obtained from fruits mixed with spices. The northern end of Baja California is one of the places in Mexico that is known to brew wine at its best (Dumois, n. d). Citizens of Mazahua and Otoml living in Central Mexico drink pulque from childhood, because of both its nutritional properties and scarcity of water. Pulque is an alcoholic beverage obtained from maguey, which composes primarily of complex fruit sugars (Peele Grant, 1999 p. 93). Wine quickens the pulse, raises the spirits, and prophylactic against disease and as a dietetic aid. It is also used as medicine in acute and chronic diseases. Wine is proven good for cardiovascular system, especially in reducing risks of arteriosclerosis or other cardiovascular-degenerative disorders. Food Herbs Mexican Traditions Mexican diet of today is rich in a variety of foods and dishes that represent a blend of pre-Columbian, Spanish, French, and more recently, American culture. The typical Mexican diet is rich in complex carbohydrates, provided mainly by corn and corn products, beans, rice, and breads, The typical Mexican diet contains an adequate amount of protein in the forms of beans, eggs, fish and shellfish, and a variety of meats, including beef, pork, poultry, and goat. Because of the extensive use of frying as a cooking method, the Mexican diet is also high in fat. The nutrients most likely to be inadequately provided are calcium, iron, vitamin A, folic acid and vitamin C (Spark, 2007 p. 258). In many cultures, food has symbolic meanings related to family traditions, social status, and even health. Indeed, many folk remedies rely on food. Some of these have gained wide acceptance, such as the use of spices and herbal teas for purposes ranging from allaying anxiety to preventing cancer and heart disease. Mexicans use these herbal teas as dietary or reducing drinks to induce further or hasten metabolism as well as digestive functions. In fact, herbal teas are healthy enough that the old Mexican traditions practice its drinking almost everyday. This tea is composed of basic Mexican herbs, such as cinnamon, parsely, etc. , and blended with intrinsic Mexican spices; hence, some of their teas are blended with mild spiciness (Insel etal, 2004 p. 9). The traditional Mexican diet is rich in fresh vegetables, which are generally used only when in season. The spices used in Mexican cooking are common to many cuisines, and yet, there are a number of seasonings that are unique to Mexican food. Chile peppers are used as a dry spice as well as a fresh ingredient. There are many types, with the most common being ancho, habenero, jalapeno, New Mexican green, New Mexican Red, poblano and Serrano. These peppers range from mild, like poblano, to the extremely hot habanero. Other herbs and spices that flavor Mexican cuisine are anise, cilantro, cinnamon, clove, cumin, garlic, marjoram, Mexican oregano and thyme. The herbs and spices, particularly the Mexican oregano and chilli peppers, are used in various ceremonies and traditional celebrations. The chilli peppers are given to tests the spice tolerance of participants during fiestas. Oregano, on the other hand, is believed by locals to alleviate various diseases and administered via its boiled leaves. Oregano is another traditional Mexican her that cures fever, cough and colds, sore throat problems and sometimes used to treat bruises, insect bites and mild pruritic or fungal infection when used in topical preparation (Koeller La France, 2005 p. 222). Another Mexican herb that provides utmost therapeutic effects is Ginger, which is technically a rhizome or underground stem. This is used in variety of meals ranging from simple porridge to complex traditional meal. Mexican ginger is good at alleviating gastrointestinal tract symptoms, such as motion sickness, gastric musculature or tachygastria and gastric immobility. It is usually prescribed by the locals for treating hyperacidity, and abdominal pains related to acidic conditions. Moreover, ginger is also used to treat conditions involving throat spasms by functioning as a throat relaxant and relieving throat irritation (Koeller La France, 2005 p. 222). Mexican culture and tradition involves variety of herbs that are, basically, the ingredients of most of their traditional meal such as the ever-famous burritos and nachos, and the wines and teas provide therapeutic benefits as well. San Francisco California Bay The Mexican American population is evidently present in the San Francisco California Bay area. From the San Franciscos Mission District to San Jose, Chicanos possesses the highest population index, ranging from 65% to 80% of the residents, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mexican immigrants feel at home in these areas already even if they are living with American citizens. However, population project is one major problem occurring at this point. Demographic studies predict that the greatest population growth rates of Mexican immigrants will be from the influx of undocumented individuals. Mexican immigrants are also expected to have high fertility rates, creating a younger generation of American-born children whose immigrant parents make an â€Å"at risk† population (Gilbert, 2000 p. 178). Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Restaurants Talking now about the famous Mexican restaurants found in the area, Cinco de Mayo Taqueria is the starting point of discussion. The name of Cinco de Mayo meand 5th day of May in Spanish, and denotes a regional celebration or holiday. Although this is not an obligatory holiday, there are lots of individual going and participating in this one time per year celebration. Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, commemorates the Mexican victory over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is not, as many people think, Mexicos Independence Day, which is actually Sept. 16. During this Cinco de Mayo, many people are turning to tequila and cerveza, Spanish for beer, to celebrate another holiday that for some means nothing more than another excuse to drink exorbitant amounts of alcohol. Commonly misinterpreted as Mexicos Independence Day, Cinco de Mayos meaning has been clouded by partying. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated throughout the country, especially in the state of Puebla and in Mexico City. Military parades complete with marching bands and traditional music, pay tribute to all the soldiers, civilians and heroes who gave their lives for their country. The celebration lasts all day, with food, dancing, mariachi bands, laughter and fellowship (McClenahan, 2005). Ironically, celebrations of Cinco de Mayo are more widespread and elaborate in the United States. Mexican American communities in states such as Texas, California, and Arizona celebrate this occasion with parades, fairs, marchias, folkloric dance, and the best of all is the Mexican cuisines (McClenahan, 2005). Moreover, Cinco de Mayo of 1989 illustrates how women worked to bridge ethnic and racial groups in a public way while expressing their own identities. Cinco de Mayo is an ethnic festival, which is the same as St. Patrick’s Day, that has transcended ethnic barriers. The Mexican community and even other ethnic diversion from different places and culture gather in this party. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is a major cultural festival, wherever significant numbers of people boast Mexican descent. Throughout the Southwest, people of all ethnicities gather to eat Mexican food and drink Mexican beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages (McClenahan, 2005). People from other ethnic origins join this huge festivity every year and celebrate the Mexican culture. The basic interest of other ethnic groups in joining this celebration is rarely due to historical reasons, but most of the time, to celebrate the exquisite characteristics and features of Mexican culture. Reference Balch, P. A. (2003). Prescription for Dietary Wellness. Avery. Dumois, L. (n.d. ). INSIDE MEXICO THE SERIES: THE SPIRIT OF WINE.Retrieved November 11, 2007, from http://www. mexconnect. com/mex_/travel/ldumois/ldcwine1. html Fox, M. , Whitesell, J. K. (1997). Organic Chemistry. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Gilbert, M. N. (2000). Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook. Upublish. com. Insel et. al, P. M. (2004). Nutrition. Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Koeller, K. , La France, R. (2005). Lets Eat Out! : Your Passport to Living Gluten and Allergy Free. R R Publishing. McClenahan, B. (2005, May 5). Oregon students celebrate Cinco de Mayo. University Wire, (n. d. ). Central Mexican Culture. Retrieved November 11, 2007, from Colibri: http://www. colibrimexicanbistro. com/ (n. d. ). Mamacita. Retrieved November 11, 2007, from Mamacita: http://www. mamacitasf. com/ (n. d. ). Tres Agaves. Retrieved November 11, 2007, from Tres Agaves: http://www. tresagaves. com/about. html Peele, S. , Grant, M. (1999). Alcohol and Pleasure: A Health Perspective. Psychology Press. Spark, A. (2007). Nutrition in Public Health: Principles, Policies, and Practice. CRC Press.

U.S. vs Asian school system :: essays research papers

Two Systems into One In the past twenty years the United States school system has been accumulating quite a bit of criticism. Evidence shows that the United States has been lagging exponentially compared to almost all the industrialized countries. This specifically refers to Asian countries that are statistically blowing the U.S. out of the water. Recent survey results in the universal subject of math show us that the U.S. eighth graders have fallen behind, while the twelfth grade level showed only slight improvement (appositive). This means that the U.S. students are barely floating above water, where as, Asian students have built some sort of super boat (appositive). Yet we all recognize that not any one device is perfect, and are usually leaking water in the most unnoticeable spot. Before one realizes the problem, the boat is sinking. We would potentially look at these education systems as extremes of each other. Each education system being on the different side of the spectrum. Both systems having fa ults and advantages. Taking the positive aspects from both sides and merging them together, a harmonious education system could be established (verb phrase). The article â€Å"Japan’s School System† tells us that in an Asian classroom students will feel an incredible amount of pressure starting from grade school and up, while U.S. teachers are too afraid to raise the bar because of potential discouragement of the student. We examine evidence from the article â€Å"Strengths, weaknesses, and lessons of Japanese education†. A negative of the Asian school system, is the conformity that must be upheld. This achieves better education because it becomes the â€Å"thing to do†. When everybody is on the same curriculum there is no other choice but to follow the herd. While conformity creates better math students, it demises the aspect of creativity and individuality. The boat may float, but not posses any inspiration or differentiation from the others. The U.S. places a much bigger emphasis on creativity and choice. Thus providing students with opportunities that help them learn about them selves, and develop original ideas. An important characteristic that the U.S. education system lacks, is the idea of effort being directly correlated to success. In his article â€Å"Japan’s School System†, James Kilpatrick states that â€Å"The Japanese theory is that all children have the same potential for learning†. It is effort that separates successful students from the unsuccessful students. Though the American student may think that they work hard, we find that the Asian student is at a much greater level of pressure.

One of the Boys: Homosexuality in the Military during World War II Essay

All over the history of the United States’ military, its handling of sexual minorities such as homosexuals has changed both as popular and medical knowledge regarding homosexuality have changed and as the requirements of the armed forces themselves have altered. According to Paul Jackson (2004) in his book â€Å"One of the Boys: Homosexuality in the Military during World War II†, regulations have more and more shifted away from criminal trial to the release of homosexual military servicemen in reaction to varying opinions among medical professionals regarding the root and true causes of homosexuality. Nevertheless, Jackson (2004) claimed that within an institution that has formally forbidden the service of sexual minorities, particularly homosexuals ever since the 1940s, and the real execution of the ban has varied across branch of services and time, in addition to commanders. Throughout the time of war, rates and levels of dismissal have dropped as manpower requirements have increased as well. Many instances subsist of gay and lesbian military servicemen who have served with the information and consciousness of their commanders and colleagues. Moreover, not merely does a service member’s likelihood or opportunity of being dismissed differ by branch of service, but female military personnel likewise consist of an unequal number of those estranged under the rule. In writing about gay and lesbian history, the historian should decode and interpret the coded phrases that were employed to cover up homosexuality, and I believe that Jackson has done a commendable and marvelous job of this. His book is a thoroughly-researched analysis of homosexuality in the Canadian armed forces for the period of the war years. In writing the book, it is Jackson’s aim to investigate the existence of homosexuality in the military during World War II and to be able to share the result of his study to the readers. I can say that he has achieved these goals because this work has extensively studied the subject and is an outcome of hours of studying police reports, court-martial transcripts, conducting dozens of interviews, and pouring over psychiatric. In writing this book, I can say that Jackson has discovered and exposed a lot of homosexual experiences, and therefore has carried out an important involvement both to the social history and the queer history of the World War II. According to Jackson, throughout the period of World War II, military leaders engaged in extensive debate regarding the practices, rules, and policies connected to homosexuality in the armed forces, and substantial amendment of regulations took place all over the services. Furthermore, World War II needed a mass mobilization not like any formerly observed in the United States’ history. In fact, as asserted by d’Emilio (1998), the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 caused the instant registration of over 16 million men. Meanwhile, Jennings (1994) and the National Defense Research Institute (1993) said that discussions and debate regarding homosexual policies originated both from the prevalent disparity in the treatment of individual cases and the United States government’s dependence on the psychiatric establishment to help in discharging soldiers who were regarded as ineligible or unfit to serve. On authority, as I have previously said, the author presented several ideas about the subject by means of employing a wide array of sources such as personnel and psychiatric files, long-closed court martial records, oral histories, films, and unit war diaries. Jackson was able to consistently present his findings and views as he relates the struggle and hardships of queer military servicemen of all branches and ranks of the Canadian military to blend in and integrate and prevent losing their reputations and careers. According to Jackson, homosexual men were frequently well-liked and accepted within their units. However, if charged of homosexual behavior, they were asked to undergo psychiatric tests, prison terms, courts-martial proceedings, and finally dishonorable and shameful discharges. I think that Jackson’s ideas are credible and the findings and information are clearly presented. On perspective, I believe that Jackson’s work is not tainted by a clear bias that ignores or understates evidence and thus not favor one perspective alone. Moreover, the book imparts statements with adequate evidentiary support. Meanwhile, regarding the content of the book, when you read the book, it seems as if it is two books merged into one: on the one hand, it is a social history, and on the other hand, it is a policy analysis. The first three chapters of the book discuss how the institutions of the Canadian military tried to control homosexuality. In Chapter 1, Jackson examines the somewhat baffled efforts of the military to describe and delineate its policy regarding homosexuality. Next, Chapter 2 looks at the court martial proceedings of those military servicemen accused of homosexuality-related legal wrongdoings. Then, Chapter 3 of the book illustrates how military psychiatrists attempted to stress and affirm their authority and power over homosexuality as a medical concern. The last two chapters seemed to be a methodical reading of their respective principal sources, which are psychiatric examinations and court martial transcripts. I believe that Jackson analytically transports the reader through the a variety of stages of the psychiatric evaluation and court martial processes, giving personalized and detailed descriptions of how these two branches of the military coped with the concern of homosexuality, the first as a medical concern and the second as a moral and legal one. This difference between approved and formal military rule denouncing homosexuality and the usual acceptance of homosexual behavior is revealed in the first chapter of Jackson’s book, which looks at the a variety of aspects of the military’s rule on homosexuality as created by the military police, the National Film Board, the RCAF, and the medical services. The general organization of the first chapter of the book portrays a somewhat inconsistent and disorganized methodology in dealing with homosexuality in the Canadian military, which included cruel and brutal investigations on the one hand, and customary denials on the other hand. Moreover, Chapter 1 highlights entertainingly in the author’s ironic so-called â€Å"Routine Order† on homosexuality, wherein he explains the de facto military rule on homosexuality, without an official and formal rule. According to Jackson, the de facto military rule was to disregard or renounce homosexual behavior except if the person behind it was an eccentric or nonconformist or else has a behavioral problem. The de facto rule says that any punishment must be manageable or light for military men in combat units, and heavy and grave for noncombatants, except if they were popular and accepted. Persistently, the author thinks that the Canadian military attempted to disregard homosexuality except if the persons were difficult to handle or were showing their sexuality. Jackson says that this implicit rule originated from the 1940s concept or notion of sexuality, which states that every soldier was supposed or assumed to be male, heterosexual, and masculine, and in the absence of tremendous proof or confirmation to the contrary, would be considered as such. Meanwhile, the second half of the book is mainly a social history of homosexuality in the armed forces in the period of World War II. The book’s Chapters 4 and 5 discuss the experiences of queer and odd military servicemen in Canada and abroad; while chapter 6 inspects the effect of homosexuality on the military’s morale, cohesion, and esprit de corps. Personally, I think that these chapters of Jackson’s book depended mainly on war diaries and oral histories as well as the sources utilized for the previous chapters, and illustrate clear pictures of the experiences of queer military servicemen during wartime. Definitely, I think that these sections of the book evoke Desmond Morton’s outstanding work regarding the experience of Canadian military servicemen during World War I. By means of utilizing the personal reminiscences of various veterans, a number of whom are explicitly homosexual, whereas others are married and already have grandchildren, the author investigates the numerous aspects of the homosexual encounters and experiences that happened during the war, the stories and accounts of coming to consciousness of a different sexual orientation and behavior, the conflicting responses to these encounters, and the truthful account of brief sexual frolics in London hotel rooms for common enjoyment. Personally, I think that of specific concern in these parts in the book is Jackson’s portrayal of the open sexuality in England during wartime that would surely be interesting for British historians. In his book, Jackson exposes the label that homosexuality in the military was simply the result of an all-male situation, or that these experiences constantly concerned a blend of a masculine top and feminine â€Å"queen. † Despite the fact that this was the conventional representation and impression of homosexuality during the war, it was far from being its lone sign or even the prevalent one. Based on the investigations of Jackson, he found out that it is apparent that there was a stern unwillingness or reluctance on the part of authorities to dismiss homosexuals from military service. Jackson discovered that courts martial were mainly employed to discourage homosexual activity, but hardly ever led to the dismissal of noncommissioned military servicemen. Generally, the serviceman would be condemned and punished to serve time in a detention center, after which he would be permitted to go back to service. Meanwhile, military officers were more possible to be dismissed if they are found guilty, but were on the other hand much less possible to be sentenced. Jackson asserts that the motive or explanation here agrees with the explanation as to why psychiatrists were extremely hesitant, compared with the courts martial, to proclaim that a military officer or serviceman was homosexual. Furthermore, Jackson suggests that the medical archetype of homosexuality structured a homosexual as an antisocial, degenerate person a point of view revealed in the moral norms of the court martial officers. Nevertheless, it was difficult to resolve this idea with the healthy, productive military men who stood under inspection and scrutiny; thus, a lot of these men were set free, particularly when they had colleagues ready to guarantee for their good character. Regarding the effect of homosexuality on the military’s morale, esprit de corps, and unit cohesion, the author not astonishingly discovered that in recognized units a court martial of a charged military serviceman was more often than not more destructive to morale than the homosexual military man himself. Jackson said that frequently these men were well liked and well incorporated, and their fellow military servicemen hesitant to bear witness against them. Furthermore, the concern about sexuality was more difficult in training camps, when bonds had not yet been established. Nevertheless, Jackson also said that sexuality was not any greater an obstacle than a person’s behavior, ethnicity, race, or a lack of physical ability, all of which caused challenges to building unit cohesion throughout this period. In the meantime, I believe that a remarkable amount of research and study was obviously done in completing Jackson’s book, and I would be negligent and thoughtless if I will not talk about the visual part or element of his book. I think that the author portrays a remarkable and extraordinary array of war art, as well as several masterpieces by gay war artists that demonstrate facets or characteristics of homosexuality and the homosocial ties or connection that were established during the period of the war. A lot of these works or creations show and exemplify same-sex emotional connections and homoeroticism in the military more noticeably and openly than a chapter of text can illustrate. Together with imagery and descriptions from photos of young soldiers, stills from NFB films, and drag shows together, these pictures and examples add a rich and remarkable visual component or facet to the text. Meanwhile, Jackson said that the ban of the service of sexual minorities ever since the 1940s has not caused their discharge from the U. S. military. A lot of service members are not aware that they are homosexual when they enlist; while others do not regard themselves as homosexual, although their actions fits the military’s stringent definition. A number of these military servicemen who do recognize as sexual minorities join anyhow since they would like to serve their nation or as a consequence of the job prospects the military offers. The majority of these military servicemen work in virtual silence, informing just other gay and lesbian service members or a small number of trusted heterosexual contemporaries. Then as Sobel et al. 2000) and Berube (1990) said, despite the fact that military inquiries have led to the discharges of more than 100,000 service members since the 1940s, experts have the same opinion that a lot more have worked without being discharged. Moreover, as societal outlooks toward homosexuality have generally turned out to be more open-minded, there has been growing evidence and confirmation of acceptance among several heterosexual military personnel also. Nevertheless, the authorized and certified policy mandates removal of all recognized homosexual military servicemen, notwithstanding conduct and irrespective of their record. Even those personnel members who undergo acceptance from their contemporaries stay to be in danger that a change in command, an unanswered advance, or the antagonism of one person could bring about the end of their military careers. In the book, Jackson (2004) said that in 1943, new Navy regulations focused on homosexuals instead of sodomist. In addition, the National Defense Research Institute (1993) said that criminal penalties for sodomy were not, nevertheless, in fact removed. Those who engaged in same-sex sexual behavior were either to be administratively discharged or allowed to resign, unless their behavior was violent or involved a minor. Berube (1990) claimed that the Navy directive likewise noted that the policy applied to the Women’s Reserve also. Under Army policies, those who were not â€Å"confirmed perverts† and who were viewed to have a salvage value were to be returned to duty following proper disciplinary action. Then, by the year 1944, the medicalization of homosexuality was finished. Berube (1990) also asserted that the Army circular widened the category of offenders who may possibly be reclaimed from those who had gone off track to the true or confirmed homosexuals whose cases practically point to the likelihood of reclamation. In addition, the Navy’s 1944 circular introduced for the first time in that military branch the idea of those who have homosexual tendencies and stated that even if no sexual contact in fact took place, those with homosexual tendencies were to be recognized and prohibited from serving in the military or dismissed upon discovery (National Research Defense Institute, 1993). Personally, I believe that the reader should likewise praise Jackson for his utilization of explicit and frank language in explaining and illustrating homosexuality in the period of World War II. I personally think that not merely does this suggest or reveal the real language employed in the records Jackson discovered, but it is suitable or proper to the sexually-charged work he is discussing and doing. Moreover, I also think that the author conveys the story and information about the subject with enough wit and candor. Therefore, I am awed that Jackson managed to obtain the subtitle for his segment on inter-rank relationships, entitled â€Å"Officers and their Privates† past his editor. All in all, I extol Jackson for his interesting and frequently intimate story and description of the experiences and experiences of homosexual military servicemen that will be interesting to both a general and academic readers.

Similarities and Conflicts in ” a Streetcar Named Desire”

Summary Stella and Blanche are in the bedroom on an August afternoon. Blanche breaks out in laughter at the untruthfulness of the letter she has just finished writing to Shep Huntleigh, prompting Stella to ask her about the letter’s contents. Blanche gleefully reads the letter aloud. In it, she suggests that she visit Shep in Dallas, and she claims that she and Stella have been amusing themselves with society parties and visits to luxurious country homes. Stella finds no humor in her sister’s stories. Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of Steve and Eunice fighting upstairs. Eunice accuses Steve of infidelity and cries out as he begins to beat her. After a huge noise, Eunice runs out of her flat, yelling that she is going to the police. Stanley, returning home from bowling, asks Stella why Eunice is so distraught. Stella says that Eunice has had a fight with Steve, and she asks whether Eunice is with the police. Stanley replies that he has just seen her at th e bar around the corner, having a drink. Stella responds lightheartedly that alcohol is a â€Å"more practical† cure than the police for Eunice’s woes. Steve comes downstairs nursing a bruise on his forehead, inquires after Eunice’s whereabouts, and grumpily hurries off to the bar. In the Kowalski apartment, Stanley and Blanche have a tense conversation. Blanche makes superficially charming comments to Stanley that subtly insult his lower-class disposition. Stanley is unusually rude to Blanche. He insinuates that he has acquired knowledge of Blanche’s past and asks her if she knows a certain man named Shaw. Blanche falters immediately at the mention of Shaw’s name and answers evasively, replying that there are many Shaws in the world. Stanley goes on to say that the Shaw he met often travels to Blanche’s hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, and that Shaw claims Blanche was often the client of a disreputable hotel. Blanche fiercely denies Stanley’s accusation and insists that Shaw must have confused her with someone else. Stanley says he will check with Shaw the next time he sees him. Eunice and Steve stroll back to their apartment, affectionately wrapped in each other’s arms. Stanley then heads off to the bar, telling Stella to meet him there. Stanley’s remarks leave Blanche horribly shaken, but Stella doesn’t seem to notice. Blanche demands to know what people in town have been saying about her, but Stella has no idea what Blanche is talking about. Blanche confesses that she has behaved badly during the past two years, the period when she was losing Belle Reve. She criticizes herself for not being self-sufficient and describes herself as â€Å"soft,† claiming that she has to rely on Chinese lanterns and light colors to make herself â€Å"shimmer and glow. † She then admits that she no longer has the youth or beauty to glow in the soft light. Offering Blanche a soda, Stella responds that she doesn’t like to hear such depressing talk. Blanche says that she wants a shot of alcohol to put in the Coke. She tries to get it herself, but Stella insists on waiting on her, claiming that she likes to do so because it reminds her of their childhood. Blanche becomes hysterical and promises to leave soon, before Stanley throws her out. Stella calms her for a moment, but when she accidentally spills a little soda on Blanche’s skirt, Blanche lets out a shriek. Blanche tries to laugh off the fact that she is shaking, claiming that she feels nervous about her date that evening with Mitch. She explains that she hasn’t been honest with him about her age and that she feels she lacks the forces of attraction her youthful beauty once provided her. She has not gone to bed with him because she wants Mitch’s respect, but she’s worried he will lose interest in her. She is convinced that she must maintain her act if Mitch is to love her. She wants him very badly and says she needs him as a stabilizing force—and as her ticket away from Elysian Fields. As Stanley comes around the corner, yelling for Stella, Steve, and Eunice, Stella assures Blanche that everything will work out. She gives Blanche a kiss and then runs off to join Stanley at the bar. Eunice and Steve run after her. Sipping her drink, Blanche sits alone in the apartment and waits for Mitch. A young man comes to the door to collect money for the newspaper. Blanche flirts with him, offers him a drink, and launches a seduction. The young man is uncomfortable and nervous. Blanche declares that he looks like an Arabian prince, then kisses him on the lips and sends him on his way, saying, â€Å"I’ve got to be good—and keep my hands off children. A few moments later, Mitch appears with a bunch of roses. Blanche accepts the flowers with much fanfare, while Mitch glows. Analysis Although Stella’s reassurance and comforting of Blanche about her relationship with Mitch is a rare moment of unchecked affection between the two sisters, by not revealing her past Blanche prevents Stella’s full comprehension of the desperate nature of Blanche’s situation. Even without Stanley around to prevent free and open communication, Blanche cannot bring herself to explain her belief that Mitch is her last chance of salvation from ruin. Because Stella does not know the full weight of the baggage Blanche is carrying, she cannot provide the advice and support Blanche needs, and she simply expresses hope that Mitch will bring Blanche the same contentment that Stanley brings her. When she throws herself at the young newspaper boy, Blanche reveals her hypocrisy—she is lustful underneath her genteel, morally upright facade. Blanche condemns Stanley and Stella’s purely sexual relationship, but we see that her urges are every bit as strong as Stella’s, yet much less appropriate. Compared with Blanche’s behavior, Stella’s love life looks healthy and wholesome. Eunice and Steve’s quick reconciliation after their fight also underscores the notion that Stella and Stanley’s violent love is the norm in these parts. Like the sexual attachment between Stella and Stanley, Eunice and Steve’s sexual attachment appears far healthier than Blanche’s, and Blanche’s expectations for love begin to seem unrealistic. As a dramatic device, the scene with the newspaper boy prepares us to learn the truth about the circumstances surrounding Blanche’s departure from Mississippi. She is one of the â€Å"epic fornicators† of her clan, the last in a line of aristocrats who secretly indulged in forbidden acts because they could not find a stable outlet for their desires. When a bumbling Mitch arrives at the apartment for his date with Blanche, he quickly becomes an antidote to Blanche’s strong carnal desires. As the identity Blanche has constructed for herself begins to disintegrate, she begins to lose ground in her battle against Stanley. Stanley’s questioning of Blanche about her acquaintanceship with Shaw is the play’s first direct mention of Blanche’s blemished past. Blanche does a poor job of pretending not to know Shaw. Her claim that she needs to avoid revealing her past to Mitch further supports our suspicions about her truthfulness. Up to this point, Blanche’s jitteriness and her need to hide herself from the outside world have suggested that she also had a past to hide. Now, the emerging facts of Blanche’s past begin to confirm the hypocrisy of her social snobbery. Opposing Backgrounds: When Stanley mentions the Flamingo Hotel, Blanche replies that she would never be seen in it. That sort of establishment is too common, low, and base for a girl of her upbringing. She thinks herself too proper to associate with it. Opposing Backgrounds: Blanche admits to pretending to give the impression of wealth. She tells Stella that she wants Mitch to want her. He thinks that she is proper and refined. She gives the impression that she is, secretly knowing that she is not. She needs to believe that she is in order to keep up her facade. Sexuality: Stanley leaves the house without kissing Stella on purpose. This lack of sexual contact illustrates the power he has over her. By withdrawing his kisses, he is withdrawing himself from Stella, in turn showing her how upset he is without using violence.SexualityBlanche sees the young man collecting money for The Evening Star. She is very attracted to him sexually and tells him so. She seduces him into a kiss and then forces him to leave. She knows she cannot get mixed up with a young boy when she is a grown woman. This sexual desire seems to be a weakness for Blanche. Lies/Honesty: Stanley mentions a man and place from Blanche's past and tests her honesty by asking about him. She tells him that she does not know him and would also never be seen in a hotel like the Flamingo. However, she is nervous and does know the things about which Stanley speaks, which implies that she is lying. Stanley knows the truth and so does Blanche. Lies/Honesty: Blanche tells Stella that she wants to deceive Mitch into wanting her. She wants to affect someone else through a type of deception or lie. This lie will make Blanche feel better about herself. Scene Five of A Streetcar Named Desire begins with a bit of fleeting optimism. Blanche DuBois is writing a letter to a wealthy male acquaintance, hoping to sweet talk her way into some form of financial security. She reads a draft of the letter to her sister, Stella; however, the women are interrupted by violent shouting upstairs. Eunice and Steve Hubbell, the neighbors who live in the apartment above, battle each other — presumably over Steve's infidelity. The noise escalates from loud insults to the sounds of dishes and furniture smashing against the walls. Eunice escapes the apartment, threatening to summon the police. Instead, she races around the corner and goes into a bar. Our brutish yet attractive antagonist, Stanley Kowalski enters the scene. Blanche tries to make small talk about astrology. When she mentions that she is a Virgo (aka â€Å"virgin†), Stanley laughs contemptuously. He claims to have met an old friend of hers, a man named Shaw who used to meet her at an ill-reputed hotel in her hometown of Laurel. Blanche denies the allegation, but since the stage directions indicate her growing sense of fear, readers/audiences will sense that there might be something lascivious about Blanche DuBois and her past. Then, who should return, arm in arm from the local bar: Eunice and Steve. She sobs â€Å"luxuriously† while he is â€Å"cooing love-words. Playwright Tennessee Williams once again demonstrates the abhorrent pattern of domestic abuse followed by an emotional â€Å"make-up† period. Stanley leaves the apartment, expecting Stella to meet him at the Four Deuces bar. He doesn't want to kiss Stella in front of Blanche, once again showing his animosity towards Stella's sister. As soon as Stanley leaves, Blanche asks if Stella has heard any rumors from Laurel. Blanche then goes into an almost confessional monologue in which she admits that she has not been â€Å"good† in the last two years.BLANCHE: When people are soft – soft people have got to court the favor of hard ones, Stella.Have got to be seductive – put on soft colors, the colors of butterfly wings, and glow – make a little – temporary magic just in order to pay for – one night's shelter! That's why I've been – not so awf'ly good lately. I've run for protection, Stella, from under one leaky roof to another leaky roof – because it was storm – all storm, and I was – caught in the center. (Pause. ) People don't see you – men don't – don't even admit your existence unless they are making love to you. In the above monologue, Blanche is trying to confide something upsetting and shameful. For the past two years (perhaps longer) it seems as though Blanche has been offering her body in exchange for temporary security (very temporary, it would seem). However, Stella refuses to pay attention because Blanche's words are too morbid. This exchange between them represents a significant moment; Stella is now beginning to detach emotionally from her sister. Blanche's problems are becoming too complex and disturbing to deal with. Like Blanche who seeks security from men, Stella will soon be siding more and more with her husband in subsequent scenes. Instead of delving into her sister's emotional problems, Stella offers her a coke. Blanche accepts, hoping the drink will contain a shot of alcohol. When the coke spills over the glass, Blanche lets out a manic scream, again revealing her fragile mental state. Blanche explains away the scream by stating that she is just nervous about her date with Mitch that evening. Blanche views the affable, soft-spoken Mitch as one of her last chances at security. Stanley calls from the street, and Stella runs to him after giving her sister a quick kiss and reassuring her that the date will go well. Blanche is alone in the apartment, listening to the sounds of the dysfunctional lovebirds, Eunice and Steve. Then, a young man knocks at the door. He is collecting money for the local newspaper (The Evening Star — in case there are trivia buffs reading this). Blanche flirts with the teen, comparing him to a â€Å"young Prince out of the Arabian Nights. † Then, she kisses the young man. She says, â€Å"Now run along, now, quickly! It would be nice to keep you, but I've got to be good – and keep my hands off children. † How should reader's interpret the above line? It could be viewed as something odd but ultimately harmless. Or, the kiss could indicate that Blanche has made these sexual advances toward younger men before. After all, she never explains why she stopped teaching high school English. This is probably not her first offense, further indicating her mental instability. After the teen leaves, her date arrives. Mitch brings flowers and Blanche gaily accepts them, thus ending Scene Five of A Streetcar Named Desire. Motifs, Themes ; Connotations: Conflict ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is suggested that Eunice is having trouble with Steve, shown through the stage directions ‘Eunice’s voice shouts in terrible wrath’ indicating her rage and anger towards her husband Steve, claiming him to have been unfaithful to her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We find Blanche in conflict with Stanley as he questions her about her acquaintance with Shaw. This is important as it reveals that Stanley is the first person to actually see through Blanche’s facade. The stage directions: ‘Her face expresses a faint shock. ’ reveal the unsettling effect that this has had on her. ?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although not a physical conflict, the difference between the opposing backgrounds of Blanche and Mitch are made obvious when she says: ‘Look who’s coming! Mr. Rosenkavalier! Bow to me first! Now present them! ’ – This clearly shows a difference in status between the two different people. Mitch, comes from a working class background whereas Blanche comes from a well educated family. The different levels of the characters at the point of bowing indicate this hierarchy of status? The conflict between Eunice and Steve is also reflected through this scene, beginning with a fight and ending with their eventual reconciliation. This relationship reveals key points about the society, as it seems to be similar to that of Stella and Stanley’s relationship, where they fight in a loud and possibly violent manner, yet soon seem to return back to normal as ‘Eunice shrieks with laughter and runs down the steps. Steve bounds after her with goat-like screeches and chases her around the corner. † (p. 172) Furthermore, Stella’s calm response to this argument â€Å"she and Steve had a row† shows that this type of situation is quite normal as and even though it seems quite dramatic as Eunice threatens to â€Å"call the police†, the other characters do not interfere and are not concerned or alarmed. This argument also reflects the extremely intense lifestyle in this society, thus depicting the kinds of vibrant, raw and animalistic relationships common in this society. The different reactions towards this argument by Blanche and Stella further reflect their characters, as Blanche seems excited by the situation as she says ‘brightly’ ‘did he kill her? ’, in contrast to Stella’s understatement, revealing how she has accepted and is used to this society. Loneliness and the need for Protection? Blanche writes letters to Shep, her high school sweetheart, in which she embellishes facts about herself in order to create a respectable facade to present to him. There is also a sense in which she is trying to make this illusion real for herself ? Blanche briefly reveals her misdeeds from her ‘last two years or so, after Belle Reve had started to slip’ away from her. She says ‘I never was hard or self-sufficient enough’ and here we being to learn of Blanche’s experiences and sullied reputation, although the pathos created does evoke sympathy for her as we see her (or at least she paints herself) as the victim of a cruel, harsh and unloving world. Although sex is not explicitly mentioned, it is implicitly suggested through her long speech to Stella announcing her reasons for her actions – ‘I’ve run for protection’, ‘It isn’t enough to be soft’ ? Blanche’s desires to ‘have’ Mitch are expressed; although it seems that she desires him more for the protection that he can offer her from the harsh world than out of true love. This is implied in Blanche’s selfish ‘I want to rest! I want to breathe quietly again! Yes – I want Mitch†¦ very badly! Just think! If it happens! I can leave here and not be anyone’s problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ – the use of ‘if’ suggests a kind of desperation – as if she is clinging to a fragile hope. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On pg. 169 Williams evokes sympathy for Blanche by portraying her as weak and vulnerable: I’ve run for protection, Stella, from under one leaky roof to another†¦People don’t see you men don’t-don’t even admit your existence unless they are making love to you. And you’ve got to have your existence admitted by someone†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This not only evokes sympathy for Blanche but also represents women’s dependence on men in the play and the society of the time. Blanche further shows that this dependence is not only for financial security but further for happiness and indeed life itself. Fantasy’s Inability to Overcome Reality .(pg. 165) Blanche: ‘Darling Shep. I am spending the summer on the wing, making flying visits here and there. And who know, perhaps I shall take a sudden notion to swoop down on Dallas! ’ When Blanche is writing her letter to Shep she finds herself telling lies about what she has been up to the past few months. †¦Most of my sister’s friends go north in the summer but some have homes on the Gulf and there has been a continued round of entertainments, teas, cocktails, and luncheons –‘: As the audience we oscillate between finding Blanche’s lies pathetic, after all she is attempting to seduce this Texas oil millionaire into helping her, and feeling sympathy for her as she is unable or unwilling to admit that she can no longer take part in the indulgences of the wealthy, such as ‘spending summer on the wing. ’ Obviously, looking at her surroundings and her dependence on Stella and Stanley she will be doing no such thing. Beyond this tension in Blanche’s character we can see that Shep is another male figure in the play that Blanche is appealing to. Thus, there is the reoccurrence of the idea of female dependence on men for financial (and other) security. Stanley attempts to unsettle Blanche’s by asking about a man named Shaw, indicating that he knows about her shady past and that the illusion of gentility which she has surrounded herself with will soon be challenged by the ugly truths that Stanley has learnt from his contacts. In response, and with a touch of desperation, Blanche tells Stanley that he has been told lies and that she would never be seen in a hotel like ‘The Flamingo’; however, her nervous appearance implies that she is lying. Stanley knows the truth and so does Blanche. Stanley seems to the first character of the play to see through Blanche’s ‘show’ as he slowly acquires information about Blanche’s past from Shaw. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blanche’s ‘†¦Of course he – he doesn’t know – I mean I haven’t informed him – of my real age! ’ implies that Blanche is sensitive about her appearance. She feels her appearance/beauty is the only thing going for her as she constantly needs reassurance that she maintains a particular ‘young’ appearance. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ‘I want to deceive him enough to make him – want me†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Although her manipulation of Mitch is selfish, there is pathos in Blanche’s implicit admission that she does not believe herself truly worthy of someone to love her. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (pg. 169) the discussion between Blanche and Stella is important relating to this theme, as Blanche suddenly defends herself through her long speech. Men don’t – don’t even admit your existence unless they are making love to you. And you’ve got to have your existence admitted by someone’, here Blanche reveals her emotional need to be recognized and we feel sympathy towards her as women seem to merely be a tool used by men for pleasure, a tool which only ‘exists’ if a man recognizes them. Throughout this speech by Blanche we see her at her most honest and vulnerable; this tragic manner creates sympathy for her and reflects her loneliness and ultimate need for constant comfort from men. Blanche believes that you have to ‘put a – paper lantern over the light’ revealing the idea of pleasant dreams verses reality, as she is covering the light / the truth and reveling her inability to face the truth. Furthermore, throughout this speech she reveals that she is fading and that she is putting up appearances, one again revealing Blanche as an honest character who knows her that she uses her looks for seduction but who is now, again tragically, aware that this power of hers is fading. While we are aware that Blanche did use her sexuality for comfort and that she continues to live this ‘pleasant dream’ and create ‘temporary magic’. the majority of the audience probably do sympathise with Blanche’s idea of trying to add ‘magic’ to the ugly reality and this reveals how Williams possibly appreciates her motives for lying as she is attempting to make the world a better place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The presence of paper particularly at the start of this scene is also related to the theme of inability of pleasant illusions to overcome the ugly reality. The letter that Blanche is writing at the start reflects how paper is used to hide reality and lie. It is similar to the legal documents present at the start of the play concerning Belle Reve, while the legal documents detailing the sale of the Belle Reve estate are true they reveal that Blanche’s pretentions and aristocratic grandeur are all unfounded. Therefore the presence of paper here suggests the deterioration of the upper class since Blanche only appears to be wealthy on paper, thus depicting the decay of the ideals of the upper class and the possible decay of Romance. ? Finally, Blanche’s physical attraction towards the young man enhances the idea of a pleasant dream and temporary magic as she describes him as a ‘Prince out of the Arabian Nights’ which is representative of her constant attempt to Romanticize things by depicting them as more attractive than they really are. This ‘dressing up’ of events and attempts to romanticize them, contrasts to Stella and Stanley’s relationship, which is blunt but pure. The Destructive Nature of Desire/ Sexuality/ Lust ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blanche seems to be leading Shep on in her letter as she flirts with the idea of swooping down to Dallas to see him, thus emphasizing her lustful and flirtatious nature with men. The idea of swooping here seems almost predatory. ?Blanche’s flirtatious and lustful actions towards the young newspaper man slowly begin to reveal her true sexual desires. This incident reveals that Blanche’s conservative and proper faced covers a lustful nature; ironically, it is Stella’s sexual relationship with Stanley that Blanche condemns; however we learn at this point that she is just the same, perhaps worse than her younger sister and that she is hiding the truth of her past. Here we again see Blanche in the role of wicked temptress and the line ‘I’ve got to keep my hands off young boys’ foreshadows Stanley’s later revelations about the reasons for Blanche’s dismissal from the school in Laurel. Blanche’s attraction to her husband broke her heart, her attraction to other men (especially the soldiers near Belle Reve) destroyed her reputation in Laurel, her attraction to the schoolboy ended her career there and her final partial attraction to Stanley (and in particular) his attraction to her will be what eventually steals her sanity. Beyond this, this incident in the play goes to show the audience that Stella uses younger man as a means to build her own self-esteem and comfort herself as her looks have begun to fade. The scene ends with Mitch’s arrival and Blanche says â€Å"look who’s coming! Bow to me first! Now present them. † The contrast between this behaviour and her obvious lust for the newspaper boy emphasises Blanche’s deceitful nature and the sympathy we feel for Mitch. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although Blanche admits that she ‘want(s) Mitch†¦very badly! ’ (p. 171) it would be a mistake to interpret this as a sign of passion, it is a more a hunger for protection and shelter. Colour   ‘Stanley comes around the corner in his green and scarlet silk bowling shirt’ – the hideous appearance of his shirt colour suggests his gaudy and low status but at the same time its bright vibrancy suggests life, energy and vitality – in contrast to the exhausted and washed out whiteness of Blanche ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blanche: ‘Right on my pretty white skirt! ’ – The connotations of the colour white suggest purity. However, in this case, we as the audience know that Blanche is not so pure and therefore find this ironic. The fact that her skirt is ultimately unstained merely suggests her ability to hide her past reputation, her lies and her drinking problems. Alcohol/Smoking ? Stanley: ‘Naw. She’s getting’ a drink. ’ – This suggests that the majority of the characters turn to alcohol when times fail with their relationships. This is further emphasized with Blanche’s drinking and later Stanley’s drinking after getting into an argument with Blanche. Alcohol represents a means of escape for nearly all the characters in the play. In Eunice’s case it is from domestic abuse. This type of escape is interestingly accepted when Stella says it is more practical than the police. In the case of Blanche her need to drink further shows her need to escape from her situation and reality in general, having just been questioned by Stanley. ? Blanche: ‘Why, you precious thing, you! Is it just coke? ’ – In this case, it is suggested that Blanche had prior alcoholic problems as she fails to have a drink without having a shot in her soda. Characters: Blanche Dubois Visits her younger sister, Stella, and her husband, Stanley, in New Orleans and stays with them throughout the summer. She is initially seen as a conservative, proper and condescending however, she drinks, smokes and tells lies to those around her. Stella loves her sister, though Stanley dislikes her, possibly because of the challenge she poses to his control of the house and the different value system she represents, which is at odds with his own. Blanche is overly concerned with her appearance, accessories and age and therefore doesn’t want to be seen in direct light. She has a romance with Mitch in this scene and once again the audience sees the precarious state Blanche is in. She fails to have a full grasp of reality and her surroundings. Beyond this, she is unable to admit her actions in the past as shown by her denials to Stanley in the scene. Furthermore, she has strong sexual urges as shown by the encounter with the newspaper boy, but she puts on the airs of a woman who has never known indignity. From this scene above all else we find that Blanche avoids reality, preferring to live in her own imagination reaching into this escape again through drink. Stella Kowalski She is Blanches’ younger sister and the wife of Stanley’s, she moved to New Orleans from Mississippi when she was young and fell in love with Stanley. As the audience, we learn she is pregnant and is eventually torn between her love for her husband and devotion to her sister. Stella continues to be the gullible ‘foil’ to the other two characters as she represents the majority of us torn between the competing values represented by Blanche (the beautiful dreams / lies of aristocratic gentility) and Stanley (the vibrant, thrusting competitive nature of modern Capitalist America. Throughout this scene Stella is further contrasted with Blanche as Blanche constantly attempts to ‘dress’ events up, however Stella seems to accept the society she has chosen to live in, for instance as when the row between Eunice and Steve is occurring she does not interfere or seem disturbed or exited by the situation, unlike Blanche. Stanley Kowalski Stella’s husband, he is strong and good looking. He works in a factory and has had a limited education. He has trouble controlling his rage. However, he is ‘street smart’ and he is the first one to see through Blanche’s superficial appearance. He bowls, drinks and is in love with Stella. Stanley’s insistence on questioning Blanche about a man named Shaw and The Hotel Flamingo shows that he has a personal vendetta to discredit and do away with Blanche. Further Stanley is depicted as a shrewd individual. Although Blanche attempts to subtly insult his lower class position, by brushing off her statements then raising questions as to Blanche’s somewhat murky past Stanley asserts his authority and undermines Blanche’s remarks. Mitch Mitch is a friend of Stanley’s from the factory who in this scene develops a romance with Blanche. For the majority of the play he is the object of sympathy as the audience see him beguiled and manipulated by Blanche. The end of this scene demonstrates how he is clearly being used to undermine Blanche’s character in our eyes as she takes advantage of his good natured gentility. Shep Huntleigh Although unseen throughout the play, Blanche is constantly mentioning him. He is now a Texas millionaire who Blanche used to date in college. Blanche believes that he will save her from the New Orleans trap that she currently lives in. In a sense he represents the dream world that Blanche wants to live and the fact that the audience is aware of the implausibility of him coming to rescue Blanche reveals how we are also aware that Blanche’s dreams of safety and happiness are unachievable. Shaw A friend of Stanley’s who also remains unseen throughout the play. He knows of Blanche’s past and reputation, and tells Stanley much of the information he knows that he uses against her. In contrast to Shep, Shaw represents the intrusion of unwelcome realities / truths into Blanche’s life. In the end he (along with Stanley and Kiefaber) are the ones who tie a tin can to the tail of the kite of Blanche’s dreams. Imagery ; Setting: Scene 5 of A Streetcar Named Desire is mainly set in the Kowalski household. Throughout this scene, we find that Blanche and Stella can hear Eunice and Steve arguing from their apartment above, emphasizing the idea that even the walls seem to be permeable, suggesting lack of privacy, safety, refuge and escape, the very things that Blanche is so desperately in need of. Relation of Part to Whole: This scene is important as we slowly begin to learn of Blanche’s past through the discussion with Stanley and her lustful actions towards the young newspaper man. Furthermore, the fight between Steve and Eunice and their reconciliation represents another example of the numerous instances of domestic abuse followed by forgiveness that we find throughout the play. This reveals the reliance of the women on men as they return despite the abuse. This is accentuated when Blanche’s desire for Mitch is revealed,   when she says ‘I guess I am just feeling nervous about our relations†¦ men lose interest quickly†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ suggesting that she is afraid to lose him as she feels he is her escape from New Orleans and Mississippi. Furthermore, Blanche’s desire for Mitch also reflects her ultimate need for comfort and to have her ‘existence admitted by someone’. Though we feel deeply sympathetic towards Blanche in this scene as she seems to reveal and honest side of herself (p. 69 speech) and further conveys her ideal of creating a better impression of reality through her self created ‘temporary magic’, this pathos is ultimately undermined due to manipulative nature. Finally, this scene additionally develops further the motif of drunkenness as both Eunice and Blanche turn to alcohol as means of escaping from distressing situations. Analysis The quarrel between Eunice and Steve re veals a relationship similar to that between Stanley and Stella. Sexual passion is strong, and there are frequent violent outbursts from the man. But they are quickly over and the couple makes up. Both couples seem happy with this uninhibited state of affairs; there is a raw animal vigor about it that satisfies the man and seems to arouse admiration in the woman. It is a kind of sensual paradise for them. Not for nothing is the area in which they live called the Elysian Fields. The Elysian Fields were the happy land in Greek mythology in which those who have found favor with the gods lived forever. This is in complete contrast to Blanche’s fragility and neuroticism. Each scene reveals more of the real woman behind the facade that she tries so hard to keep up. Her letter to Shep, for example, reveals her as an accomplished liar, although one senses that it is only desperation that drives her to such lengths. The audience is likely to sympathize with her because she has considerable self-awareness about what is happening to her. She reveals this in her confessions to Stella in this scene. She is a highly sensitive, â€Å"soft† woman, ill-suited to survive in a harsh world. If she is not to be destroyed, she must somehow shield herself from reality and keep the illusion going, both for herself and others. It is not an easy task. Blanche's deceptions begin to crumble in this scene, as Stanley reveals his investigations into her background. He comes close to an outright accusation, but chooses to instead make sure that Blanche knows that he knows, and to let her sweat while wondering exactly how much he has been told. Blanche's shadowy past has been foreshadowed since early in the play, but now we begin to see the truth about her background. Blanche is the last member of that long line of aristocrats with â€Å"epic fornications† that led so disastrously to the family's downfall. Stella escaped both the responsibility for the family's estate and the burden of its common sin, while Blanche is truly one of the family. Blanche expresses to Stella her anxiety about her reputation – she does not want to confess, but wants to find out what Stella already knows. And, tellingly, rather than apologizing she rationalizes her behavior. In a moment of self-awareness – of seeing realistically rather than romantically – she admits that she is a soft person, not hard or self-sufficient, but with her waning attractiveness she doesn't know how much longer she can sustain the illusion. Or, in her interesting choice of words, how much longer she â€Å"can turn the trick. † This choice of idiom implies that Blanche is prostituting herself – not literally, most likely, but rather that she is using her body and her charms to buy stability and comfort and association in a cruel world, and she is aware that this is a commodity with its expiration date fast approaching. But this moment of poetic lucidity is followed by a moment of imbalance, as Blanche shows uncomfortably strong emotion for her sister and then cries out as her drink spills. Stella sees for the first time that her sister is perhaps not quite mentally stable, as her emotions ride far out of sync with the content of the exchange. The heightened unreality that will characterize the tone of the second half of the play first begins to show here. Although we do not yet hear the Varsouviana or see the shadows on the wall, the cracked inside of Blanche's mind is beginning to show from her behavior on stage. Blanche blames her nerves on worry about her relationship with Mitch, making clear her intention to win his hand, to turn one last trick with her faded propriety and buy herself ome permanent stability. Her affection for Mitch is real, but her concerns for her personal welfare and security are more real, and they drive her to manipulate Mitch into behaving as she desires. Her intentions are undermined in the last part of the scene, before Mitch arrives, when we see a glimpse of just what it means when Blanche says she â€Å"wasn't so good the last two years or so. † Culture looks more kindly on female nymphomaniacs than male – Blanche does not appear to be a predator as she flirts with the paperboy, so much as sad and pathetic. She is drawn to children, children who are innocent and gay as she imagines herself to be. Trapped emotionally in a fictional past – was her childhood so innocent with the epic fornications of her family, or her youthful love so pure with her â€Å"degenerate† husband? – she grasps at the straws of youth that she sees in the paperboy and countless other youths before him. Analysis Note that as soon as Blanche says that she was born under the sign of the virgin, Stanley chooses this moment to ask her about the man named Shaw. Blanche becomes visibly agitated during the cross-examination. At the end, when Stanley leaves, she is trembling and in need of a drink. This, then, is Blanche's past life beginning to close in upon her. This is also the beginning of Stanley's plan to destroy Blanche, and she feels herself being trapped. Thus in this encounter between Blanche and Stanley, Blanche is seeing her own valued world disintegrate under the force of Stanley's attack. This scene also illustrates Williams' fondness for the use of symbols. The astrological signs, the spilled coke on Blanche's white dress, and the cherry soda that the young man mentions are all used as slightly suggestive symbols. At this point in the drama, the scene with the young boy might seem puzzlingly out of place. It is not until later that we learn Blanche had once married a young boy and had been terribly cruel to him when he most needed her. Therefore, her sexual promiscuity returns to her guilt feelings over her failure to help her young husband. She seeks to relive the past and longs for a young lover to replace the young husband who shot himself. In other words, since she once denied help to her young husband, she now tries to compensate by giving herself to almost anyone.

A victim of Cirmcumstances essays

A victim of Cirmcumstances essays In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry asks us to imagine. What happens to a dream deferred? And then provides us with the suggestion that maybe a dream will dry up as a raisin in the sun. But even though it can, it doesnt mean it will. For example, Walter Younger is one of the central characters in the play, and though many would see him as the provider and bond that keeps a family together, that is not the case. Walters immaturity as head of the family, his tendency to ignore people around him, and his desire for material possessions lead him to turn the lives of the people around him upside down. Walter does not see himself as the head of the family; at least not at the beginning of the play. He thinks of himself as one of the kids. He constantly bickers with his sister and his wife. He feels misunderstood by his family members and most importantly, he sneaks around and does exactly what his mother told him not to do-just like any twelve-year-old would. In a sense, his son Travis shows more responsibility at his young age than his father does. Walter just wants to dream, fade into thoughts of big houses and boats, money coming from all directions and not a worry in sight. Unfortunately, he is not prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to make that happen. Though we may think that he made a lot of previous sacrifices like providing for his mother and sister or working as a chauffer for rich people, that is still not enough. That was normal life at the time. People had to work several jobs for minimal pay. Walters sacrifice was not far from the norm. He does well for his time but he doesnt even notice because he only worried about money and how to get more of it. As Mama says to Ruth in one of their conversations, Somebody would have thought my children done all but starved to death the way they talk about money here late ...

The Philosophy of Honesty

The Philosophy of Honesty What does it take to be honest? Although often invoked, the concept of honesty is quite tricky to characterize. Taking a closer look, it is a cognate notion of authenticity. Heres why. Truth and Honesty While it may be tempting to define honesty as speaking the truth and abiding by the rules, this is an overly-simplistic view of a complex concept. Telling the truth- the whole truth- is at times practically and theoretically impossible as well as morally not required or even wrong. Suppose your new partner asks you to be honest about what you have done over the past week, when you were apart: does this mean you’ll have to tell everything you have done? Not only you may not have enough time and you won’t recall all details, but is everything really relevant? Should you also talk about the surprise party you are organizing for next week for your partner? The relationship between honesty and truth is much more subtle. What is truth about a person, anyway? When a judge asks a witness to tell the truth about what happened that day, the request cannot be for any particular whatsoever but only for relevant ones. Who is to say which particulars are relevant? Honesty and the Self Those few remarks should be sufficient in clearing up the intricate relationship there is between honesty and the construction of a self. Being honest involves the capacity to select, in a way that is context-sensitive, certain particulars about our lives. At the very least honesty requires an understanding of how our actions do or do not fit within rules and expectations of the Other- where the latter stands for any person we feel obliged to report to, including ourselves. Honesty and Authenticity But theres to the relationship between honesty and the self. Have you been honest with yourself? That is indeed a major question, discussed not only by figures such as Plato and Kierkegaard, but also in David Hume’s Philosophical Honesty. To be honest to ourselves seems to be a key part of what it takes to be authentic: only those who can face themselves, in all their own peculiarity, seem to be capable of developing a persona that is true to herself- hence, authentic. Honesty as a Disposition If honesty is not telling the whole truth, what is it? One way to characterize it, typically adopted in virtue ethics (that school of ethics that developed from Aristotle’s teachings), makes honesty into a disposition. Here goes my rendering of the topic. A person is honest when he or she possesses the disposition to face the Other by making explicit all those details that are relevant to the conversation at issue. The disposition in question is a tendency which has been cultivated over time. That is, an honest person is one that has developed the habit of bringing forward to the Other all those details of his or her life that seem relevant in conversation with the Other. The ability to discern that which is relevant is part of honesty and is, if course, quite a complex skill to possess. Further Readings Despite its centrality in ordinary life as well as ethics and philosophy of psychology, honesty is not a major trend of research in the contemporary philosophical debate. Here are some sources that can be useful in reflecting more on the challenges posed by the issue. The entry on virtue ethics at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, where the example of honesty comes up a few times.David Hume’s Philosophical Honesty, a brilliant short piece, too often forgotten.

Scenario question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Scenario question - Essay Example Related jurisprudence shall be discussed and analyzed; explications will be given to the end that the instant controversy would have a viable solution for the benefit of both parties and to the members of the global community as a whole. However, before delving into the merits of the case, it is equally essential to determine a fortiori, the competence of the ICJ to take cognizance of the dispute, for the Court can only exercise its adjudicative powers if indeed it has jurisdiction over the parties and over the subject matter. When the court is devoid of jurisdiction, it follows as a matter of law that it has no competence to decide on any controversy brought before it. Hence, any discussion shall firstly focus on the question of jurisdiction. It is well to emphasize that the jurisdiction of the ICJ can only be invoked if the state-parties submit to its jurisdiction or when they have presented their Declaration of Acceptance to the jurisdiction of the Court through the Optional Clause of the Statute of the ICJ.1 That being stated, the assessment of the dispute is in order. State A is a coastal State. That State established a 12-mile territorial sea by national legislation. On 3 October 1990, a commercial vessel flying the flag of State B struck mines in the territorial sea of State A. The explosions caused damage to the vessels and loss of life. Holding that to be the responsibility of State A, the Government of State B commenced negotiations with State A but in vain. Thus, on 25 June 1991, State B submitted the dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based solely on Article 36 (2) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice. Thereupon the Government of B asked the ICJ to adjudicate to the effect that the Government of State A was internationally responsible for the consequences of the incident and it must make reparation or pay compensation. States A and B are both Parties to the Charter of the United Nations. State A accepted the optional clause of the Statute of the ICJ in 1986 (emphasis supplied). The Declaration of State A reads: 'I declare on behalf of the Government that State A recognizes as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, in relation to any other State accepting the same obligation, that is to say, on condition of reciprocity, the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in conformity with Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the Court, for a period of ten years from the date of the deposit of the instrument of ratification.' State B also accepted the optional clause of the Statute of the ICJ in 1987 (emphasis supplied). The Declaration of State B reads: 'I declare on behalf of the Government that I recognize as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, in relation to any other State accepting the same obligation, that is on condition of reciprocity, the Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, in conformity with Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the said Court, for all disputes which may arise in respect of facts or situations subsequent to the ratification of the present declaration, with the exception of those with regard to which the parties may have