Comparing and Contrasting the Philosophies

Chelsea Long Philosophy 100-005 Prompt 2 Final Essay Even though they were separated by thousands of years, hundreds of miles, and different cultures, the philosophical views of Friedrich Nietzsche and Plato can be examined and weighed against each other in many different ways. Friedrich Nietzsche, born in 1844, was a German philosopher whose main goal was to erect a new image for the people and to create a free spirit in them. Plato, born in 427 B. C. , was a Greek philosopher whose main goal was to create a new way of thinking about the world itself, knowledge itself, philosophy itself, and the individual.Both philosophers have obvious similarities; their literary style of writing is perhaps the most apparent, but also their desire to create a new way of thinking for the people in which they hoped to influence. Nietzsche thought that by standing outside of society and looking at it from a different view, one could take on the ideal of a free spirit. Analogous to this view is Platoà ¢â‚¬â„¢s view from the allegory of the cave which illustrates humans as being completely unaware of what the actual world is.Even though they lived in completely different societies, both philosophers thought that the view of the world that society holds shelters the individual from seeing the true nature of reality. However, the nature of said reality was very different for both philosophers. Nietzsche believed in a â€Å"what you see is what you get† kind of view of reality. His â€Å"amor fati† view of reality posed that in order to achieve an optimistic view; the individual must learn to love fate. This also involves accepting reality for exactly what it is and not creating a false sense of â€Å"reality†Ã¢â‚¬â€what the person would â€Å"like† to see.Because of Nietzsche’s opinion that ‘God is dead† he believed that this life was all there was, so the best way to live was to realize the true actuality of the world, and to also use the love of what is real and actual to enjoy life. Plato, on the other hand, had a completely different concept of reality. His theory of the â€Å"forms† illustrated everything that we see in this world as just a less perfect model of the actual â€Å"form† of the thing or idea. Nothing that we see in this world is actual or perfect, but is just an imperfect imitation.Plato’s divided line interpretation presents the universe into the visible realm (images, copies, plants, animals) and the intelligible realm (mathematics, ideas, and the forms); literally a two-tiered view of reality. This differs greatly from Nietzsche’s philosophy. Nietzsche rejects this â€Å"two-tiered† view of reality; he believes that having this view of reality is actually detrimental and hinders the individual from living a full and optimistic life. Although their views on how the individual is shielded by society are similar, the view on reality of Nietzsche and Plato is o ne of the main differences in their philosophical outlooks.Nietzsche and Plato both put a considerable amount of emphasis on creating the individual and viewing life as a work of art that is a canvas for knowledge and value, thus asking the question: â€Å"What constitutes a virtuous life? † Both philosophers believe in turning ones back on the morals and values that society holds and exploring these morals and values for the individual themselves. One of the most famous Greek aphorisms is â€Å"know thyself. † Nietzsche and Plato both believe that creating ourselves as individuals will lead to happiness.However, the journey of self-discovery is different for each philosopher. Plato believes that knowledge is the most important factor in the creation of virtue and happiness. Seeking after knowledge leads to the affirmation of values and virtue, which then leads to happiness. By taking the time to learn and wonder and discover understanding for ourselves, we can achieve contentment. Nietzsche, on the other hand, believes that pure academic scholarship is not the way to liberate the free-thinkers of the future.Also, Nietzsche considers the revaluation of values, which means that old values need to be reconsidered to find justification of life within life. He believes that knowledge has the ability to not take itself too seriously. Nietzsche is an advocate for uniting knowledge and play. He supposes that we create our values ourselves and do not discover them from nature or reason, as supposed by Plato. However, both philosophers believe that knowing your own ignorance and having a willingness to accept the fact that we are sometimes wrong and at fault is a vital step in creating the morals and values that we hold.Another main similarity between the philosophies of Nietzsche and Plato is the belief that the greatest individual is not the wealthiest, but the thinker, the artist, the musician, and namely, the philosopher. Both hold the love of wisdom in high regard (although Plato holds it in higher regard that Nietzsche). The goal of this is to pass on the views of one to many, therefore changing the views of society. With or without meaning to, both of these philosophers are trying to evoke a rise in society. Plato and Nietzsche both were suspicious of government and wanted people to be at war with their time.From doing so, they hoped to create a change on an individual’s outlook on life. As with most philosophers, the philosophical method of both Plato and Nietzsche was influenced by philosophers before them. Plato is the well-known protege of Socrates. Many of Plato’s dialogues include Socrates in them or are written about Socrates, such as The Apology, which is Plato’s account of the trial of Socrates. These are called Plato’s Socratic Dialogues. The philosophical views of Socrates greatly influenced the views of Plato. Nietzsche was widely influenced by the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.After studying the view of Schopenhauer, Nietzsche’s writings sometimes included him supporting or rejecting Schopenhauer’s philosophical viewpoint. The optimism found in Nietzsche’s philosophy results from his rejection of Schopenhauer’s pessimistic philosophical viewpoint. One of the biggest differences between Plato and Nietzsche comes from their view of Socrates. While Socrates was a role model to Plato, he was the opposite for Nietzsche. Socrates often demanded the â€Å"truth at all costs† –meaning that no matter how much hurt or disorder the truth costs, it should still be told for the sake of truth itself.Nietzsche questioned to what extent truth can be endured. He then goes on to shift the term he uses for truth. â€Å"Truth† is errors believed to be true by philosophers (examples are equal things, substance, and free will). Nietzsche’s TRUTH relies on the recognition that previous â€Å"truths† are founded on errors and that knowledge is limited, which is the opposite of Socrates’ conception of truth. By letting go of previous â€Å"truths† we can thus understand the TRUTH. Not all truth comes from knowledge, but from error as well.Another main difference between the philosophical views of Socrates and Nietzsche is that Nietzsche looked at philosophy as an â€Å"intellectual science† and not a science. He viewed philosophy in more of a humanities category and as a spiritual science. Socrates, on the other hand, viewed philosophy as the most important of all sciences. Nietzsche also criticizes Socrates in other ways. He attacks his personality. To Nietzsche, Socrates â€Å"pretended† to be a rebel against society (a sort of â€Å"free spirit† in Nietzsche’s book); however, when Socrates was sentenced in Athens, he gave in and became a â€Å"slave to society. Nietzsche’s philosophy says that this life is all we have so we need to enjoy it. From lo oking at Socrates’ famous last words: â€Å"Now that I am dying, I owe the god of medicine a debt,† Nietzsche concludes that Socrates didn’t enjoy his life. Socrates is saying in his last words that life is just one big disease. This goes against all of Nietzsche’s philosophy, which unites the tragedy of existence with the comedy of life. The viewpoint of Nietzsche and Plato on the philosophical view of Socrates is a major difference between the two philosophers. Much of Nietzsche’s philosophy comes from his conclusion that â€Å"God is dead. This view on religion is another major difference between Plato and Nietzsche. While Nietzsche was considered an atheist, Plato believed in the principle of God. Plato’s â€Å"God† was the Form of â€Å"the Good. † The â€Å"Good† did not even fall on Plato’s divided line but was raised above it, shining down all both the visible and intelligible realm. Everything strives to be like the Form of the Good, but can never attain it (similar to the Christian view of Jesus –a perfect â€Å"good† that people strive to be but can never reach). Because Nietzsche and Plato had such differing views on religion, their philosophies as a whole are quite different.There are similarities that can be picked out of both men’s viewpoints –however the conceptual differences outweigh the resemblance. Plato’s and Nietzsche’s differing views on the nature of reality, the journey of self-discovery, the philosophy of Socrates, and religion cause Nietzsche to be critical of Plato. Nietzsche completely rejects much of Plato’s core philosophical view. The main aspect Nietzsche is critical of Plato is Plato’s two-tiered view of the world. Nietzsche whole philosophy is centered on the realization that what we have now is all we will ever have.Plato takes that philosophy and changes it completely – creating a whole new r ealm that is not visible to the human eye. Even though both philosophers believe in overcoming society, the importance of self-creation, knowing your own faults, and putting the philosopher in high acclaim, I would argue that the differences between the Nietzsche and Plato cannot be reconciled. The foremost cores of their philosophical viewpoints will never match up. Nietzsche will never agree with a two-tiered view of reality and one of Plato’s biggest belief systems is the Forms. Socrates will always be a hero to Plato, whereas he is not in Nietzsche’s opinion.One of the philosopher’s would have to change the entire concepts of their philosophy in order for the two viewpoints to reconcile. Personally, I agree more with Nietzsche’s philosophy. Even though I do not believe that God is dead, I do think that religion is dying in our society. We are experiencing a cultural shift toward a more secular society. In the wake of this, I have noticed people have s tarted to live their lives for the â€Å"right-now. † Also, I think that we should love fate and accept the reality of lives. In my opinion, people who live in a fantasy land aren’t truly living.People who accept their disappointments in life and are still happy and optimistic are more admirable to me. Additionally, I like how Nietzsche thinks that we should take the time to create ourselves in life. Creating yourself, to me, is the most important thing we can do. By looking away from what society tells us to do or be, we can truly becoming â€Å"free† and in doing so, live happier lives. I feel as though Nietzsche wants us to enjoy the small things in life and to take life as it comes. Honestly, Nietzsche has been my favorite philosopher to read and study, and the one whose viewpoint I agree with the most.

Moral Theories in Health Care

Desai pinky HSC601:-Healthcare Policy and Medical Ethics Date: – 10/06/2009 Question 2: What moral theories are the most important in the healthcare reform debate? The four moral theories which have been refereed in the book satisfy one or the other aspect of the ethical analysis and also keep the foundation for further analysis. However no theory satisfies all the relevant criteria. All the four theories have pointed out their ways and means to reach a decision which is correct and ethically considered. All the theories have reached some of the goals in the common like autonomy, privacy, beneficence yet with different perspectives. The utilitarian mainly focuses on the value of the well being, which is analyzed in the terms of the pleasures, happiness welfare, preference satisfaction whereas the Kantianism believes that the morality is grounded in reason, duty rather than the sympathy, emotions. This indicates that the person have to act not only in an accordance with but for the sake of the obligation. Utilitarianism is divided into two: – the rule utilitarianism and act utilitarianism. The rule utilitarian considers the consequences of adopting certain rules whereas the act utilitarian disregards the level of the rules and sticks only to the principle of the utility. Thus the advantage of the rule utilitarianism is that it considers the parameters like justice, beneficence and laws and legal rights which lacks in the act utilitarianism. Kantianism mainly rotates around the following objectives. According to Kant â€Å"maxim† is the moral worth of an individual’s action that depends exclusively on the moral acceptability if the rule on which the person acts. Since the maxim applies to every individual that performs the similar act in the similar condition it has been declared as an universal law. The second objective of the Kantianism is the â€Å"categorical imperative†, which stresses the importance of the what must be done irrespective of our desires and the final objective of the Kant theory is the autonomy which typically refers to the judgments and actions one can take with their own will. However the importance of the autonomy is that if and only if the individual knowingly act in accordance with the universally valid moral principles that pass the requirements of the categorical imperative. In the utilitarian theory the major flaw is immoral preference and actions. Even if the individual performs the act to produce the overall utility for everyone but if accidental the greatest possible utility is not achieved then the action will be wrong and it will be considered against the act. According to this theory the individual should perform the act in such way that it provides benefit to the most of the people regardless of their feelings and preference of their opinion. This has led a question that an individual should have to consider every action and their consequence before implementing this theory. Additionally one has to take into account the proposed alternatives before performing the action as any unexpected results would prove utilitarian theory wrong and unethical as it was not able to provide the benefit to the society. Another major flaw with this theory is that difficulty in defining the line between morally obligatory actions and supererogatory action. The heroic donation of the bodily parts such as an kidney to save another person life is unethical. Whereas with Kantianism the main flaw is the duty is given prime importance neglecting virtue, emotion. But these motives do count morally. Another major flaw is the conflicting obligation. It generally arises from a single moral rule rather than from two different rules, since it fails to take into account the consequence of the one situation, it becomes even more difficult when a conflicting condition arises at the same time. Both the theory attempts to explain the moral principles but have different viewpoints to guide the individual towards ethical analysis. The utilitarian’s considers the act to be morally valid if the results produced provide maximal values in terms of happiness or pleasure. It holds that actions are right or wrong according to the balance of their good and bad consequence. If the actions have more good consequences then it is morally appropriate and if the actions have more bad consequences then it morally inappropriate. Since this is based on the individual context, this theory cannot be universally accepted and merely depends on the situational analysis. As the utilitarian lacks the universal set of rules which defines morality, hence one has to analyze the situation individually. In outweighing the benefits of the good or bad consequences to attain the maximum utility and also considering the alternative consequences makes this theory bit complex, tedious and time consuming. Whereas Kantianism is based on the autonomous and maxim. One has to perform the duty at his will without considering the whether the consequences are favorable as he is imbibed to perform the duty which is otally contradictory to the utilitarian theory. From the analysis it seems that it is more logical theory and has a set of universal rules which has been widely used in the health care reforms and in the healthcare industry. From the above analysis , Kantianism theory seems to be more appealing to me but when the healthcare reforms are involved I feel every theory has their positives and negatives and should be included in the healthcare reform debates as ever y pieces of theory has a lot to provide to the health care reforms.

Team and leadership ip5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Team and leadership ip5 - Essay Example To achieve these objectives in business’s working environment, managers, employees and supervisors should understand several internal factors in the business and their importance. In addition, managers and supervisors should be able to apply their leadership skills to solve employee issues like poor relations, selfishness, communication breakdown and technological differences. Tuckman theories are very important for any group company to solve its problems. These theories help the company to face it problem and draw long time solutions to those problems. It is also difficult for some employees to work as a team in an organization. These organizations need to employ Tuckman theories to solve the problem. Tuckman theories enable a group to grow and achieve its objectives. Tuckman model has five stages. The first stage in the Tuckman model is forming. This stage involves building or creating a group. An individual idea is driven by the others to avoid creating conflicts in the business. Serious issues are ignored and the group focuses on the important issues in the business. It helps to reduce conflicts within the business. Being the conflict avoidance stage means that nothing much is done in this stage. The teams are usually encouraged to hold meetings in this stage and outline the challenges while, at the same, them outlining how to tackle those problems. In this stage interaction between members is emphasized. Therefore, they can make friends and can help one another in case of a problem (Tuckman 20). The second step involves storming. Groups have different ideas in this stage. The group usually discusses the best form of leadership that they are going to accept. The team shares many ideas and solutions. Some teams tend to stay on this stage while other teams may take a very short time to come out of this stage. Some other groups usually will stay in this stage forever. This stage works or functions as the best stage

Genderbias Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Genderbias - Essay Example 2234). According to the 2011 US census, women accounted for 91.6 percent of registered nurses (Landivar, 2013). The lessened interest of female nurses in working in critical care has thus had a major impact on the availability of nurses for work in critical care. The conceptual definition of the proposed research is that specific characteristics of critical care work can be identified and then show that they contribute significantly to the lower interest of female nurses. With better understanding of the key job characteristics that correlate to female nurses’ interest in critical care, it should be possible to develop programs designed to overturn this perception and lead to more graduating female nurses being willing to consider work in critical care. This could have a major impact on addressing the acute shortage of nurses willing to work in critical care. For the purposes of this research proposal it is assumed that the â€Å"total rewards† model used by HR professionals to modify employee attraction can be applied to modifying a graduating female nurse’s perception of critical care nursing as a future career path. This HR model believes that job attributes can be strategically altered to change a nurse’s level of interest. (â€Å"WorldatWork,† 2007). Accordingly, the research question is the following: What are the key characteristics of work in critical care with a strong correlation on the perceptions of graduating female nurses of this field as a viable career alternative? A quantitative survey of graduating nurses from West Coast University will be used to measure the total reward factors that correlate to the relatively low perception of critical care as a desired career path. The study conducted by Halcomb et al. (2007) examined the relationship between student experience, socio-demographics, and overall interest in seeking work in critical care. The proposed research

Business Project Management 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Project Management 2 - Essay Example The team of project managers handles the various activities of the project that involves competing demands for cost, time, quality and risk, managing the expectation of the shareholders and identifying the requirement. Many of the processes within the project management are iterative in nature. The reason is that there is necessity and existence of progressive embellishment during the life cycle of the project because the more one gets to know about the project the more he is able to manage the project (Young, 2013). The project life cycle is defined as a sequence of steps that forms different phases of the project. The project life cycles comprises of four steps project commencement, project preparation, project implementation and lastly project closure. Project commencement is the first step in which various opportunities and problems related to the business are identified and various solution options are prepared through development of business cases. Feasibility study is conducte d to analyse whether the solution provided will address the business problem and finally the solution is recommended. Once the solution is recommended it is approved and project is initiated. The next step is project planning. The project planning involves steps outlining the plan of the project, quality plan, financial plan, resource plan, risk plan, procurement plan, communication plan and acceptance plan. The third step is the project execution. In this phase the project gets executed according to the project plan and a series of management process are engaged in controlling and monitoring the output delivered by the project. The final step is project closure, which involves processes like delivering the final product to the customers, the project documentation is handed over to the business, the supplier’s agreement are terminated, project resources are realised and finally the closure of the project is communicated to the stakeholders (Westland, 2007; Schwalbe, 2010). Th e study aims to critically evaluate the relationship and usefulness of time, cost and quality behind the success of a project. Relationship between Time, Cost and Quality For deriving the relationship between the three factors one of the factors need to be held constant. In order to find the relation between time and cost, quality is held constant. A trade off relationship exists between the cost and the time required to complete the project. For some types of cost the relation is directly proportional while for some other cost a direct trade off is noticed. Due to these two categories of costs there is best possible project rapidity for nominal cost. By considering the relationship between the time and cost, the impact of change in scheduled time on the cost of the project can be better understood. There are two types of cost involved in a project, direct cost and indirect cost. Direct costs are those costs that are directly related to the activities of the project like equipments, material, salaries etc. If the pace at which the activity is running is increased then the cost increases, since in order to complete the project faster more resources will be allocated. Indirect cost is denoted as overhead cost; the cost that are not directly associated with the activities of the project like office space, taxes and administrative staff etc. During the project the

Cog-wk6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Cog-wk6 - Essay Example There is no right or wrong in choosing which coding you prefer. What is important is how you make use of the coding style that you use. With the style of coding you choose, learning and memory can be improved; knowledge can widen; and perception may be altered in a positive and resourceful manner. Visual and verbal coding are the styles of coding that each individual uses in order for him to get back to his memory when needed. However, choosing one of these types is under one’s own will. Though there is no right or wrong in choosing one’s desired style, it would still be up to that individual on how he makes use of what he has chosen. With whatever style he chooses, this should help him in a positive manner like making him a better person in a number of ways; not to make him dysfunctional that may lead to making him a lesser person. Visual coding is a lot more practical for the right brain thinkers. A right brain thinker is usually random, intuitive, synthesizes holistically, subjective, and looks at wholes (McCarthy, 2008). In the manners that they posses, visual coding styles like drawings, charts, and graphical representations of things might look more appealing. An example is when a person who falls under this thinking mechanism is asked regarding the shape of an egg, he might as well draw an egg rather than to explain its shape (Sternberg, 2009). Personally, I believe that having its graphical representation seems better for right brain thinkers because I am a right-brain thinker myself. Explaining things verbally and looking into the smallest, yet vital details of an object really do exhaust me. Having them on words makes it a little too complicated for me. Left brain thinkers on the other hand prefer verbal coding for they are logical, sequential, rational, analytical, objective, and are able to look into the parts of a whole (McCarthy, 2008). With this, explaining different phenomena on details is more helpful to them for they are

Cystic Fibrosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cystic Fibrosis - Essay Example Hence, the normal movement of chloride ions is disrupted, producing thick aggregates of mucus that clog air passages resulting in breathing difficulty and chronic bacterial infections. Since mucus also accumulates in ducts of the digestive tract, the normal release of digestive enzymes is also affected, causing nutrient malabsorption. Furthermore, cystic fibrosis also causes too much salt to be excreted in the sweat glands, resulting in electrolyte imbalance. The pattern of inheritance for cystic fibrosis is homozygous recessive. This means that the disease manifests only when two copies of the defective gene is inherited from the parents. Those people who harbor the mutation in one of the two copies do not present with symptoms and are called carriers. Although these carriers are technically not affected by the disease, they can still pass the defective gene to their offsprings. The standard approach to the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis is made by measuring the chloride content of an individual’s sweat. A value of more than 60 mEq/L salt concentration is diagnostic of this condition and differentiates cystic fibrosis from other disease entities that also present with salty sweat. However, detecting CRTF mutations through DNA testing is still considered as the gold standard for the diagnosis of this disease. Like the rest of single-gene disorders, cystic fibrosis can be cured theoretically by replacing the faulty gene with a functional one in a technique called genetic therapy. However, as of the moment, this modality is far from complete. Hence, the current management of cystic fibrosis consists of symptomatic treatments such as airway clearance therapy, antibiotic treatments to control infections, regular administration of bronchodilators, and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to improve digestion. It is estimated that more than 10 million individuals carry one

Review of asian art performance Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Of asian art performance - Movie Review Example Immediately the background vocalists finish singing BhÄ «ma comes and starts destroying the kadili groves. BhÄ «ma finally see Hanuman lying on the way. BhÄ «ma starts wondering who was blocking his way. To BhÄ «ma the person lying on the way looks like an old monkey.BhÄ «matries all he can,including threatening Hanuman but he is eventually unable to get Hanuman out of his way. This performance makes good use of dramaturgy and dance. This is a common characteristic of Indian classical dance forms. It can be seen that in most parts of the performance.The performers make good use of dancing and acting to bring forward the message that intended. It is only during the few occasions that the background singers can be heard coming into the performance with songs that are aimed at giving more details to the performance (Vatsyayan 78). It is through dancing and acting that you can actually get to know that Hanuman tries to imitate an old monkey and that that BhÄ «ma is highly offended by the fact that â€Å" an old fat monkey† lies on his way and refuses to heed to his orders despite that fact that he is royalty. The kind of performance seen in this video really show that the actors use physical stamina, skills, and concentration. It can also be noted that there is extensive use of finger gestures to communicate messages in this performance. Another notable thing about this performance is the choice of costume. Both actors receive different costumes so that their nature can be communicated. Hanuman wears a costume that is hairy at the arms so that there is the ease in associating him with a monkey. Another thing is that BhÄ «ma has attire that has been able to show his royalty.On his head he is wearing a crown and his gown has some golden accessories at the neck. These golden accessories can be said to have been purposely included in the costumes so that audience should be able to associate BhÄ «ma to affluence or royalty. Looking at the makeup used on both actors you

Attending a Religious Service Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Attending a Religious Service - Assignment Example Indeed, they are significantly different from any other building in the area and they look much like a place where religious ceremonies are held. When I pulled up to the building, my first impression was the astonishment. Indeed, the church looked like a place I have never seen before: there was something spiritual in every aspect of it. I stood for a while thinking that unlike other people who came there to pray, I went to conduct a sociological analysis. In addition to that, the architecture greatly added to the religious feeling of the place: a big cross on the very top of the dome suggested that this was a Christian building. Other elements of the structure made a significant difference between the facility and the building nearby. All in all, an Orthodox Christian church looked like a suitable place to worship. Having entered inside, one of my first impressions focused on the general atmosphere of the place: people seemed to have forgotten the world outside the church and put all their efforts into praying and practicing their faith. Indeed, everyone was tried to listen to the service and not to be distracted by anything else. Thus, the nature of worship relied on performing various rituals which were combined in one complex service. In addition to that, each of the rites had a specific significance which put emphasis on a certain part of the service, allowing people to pay attention to different aspects of it. Nevertheless, one might suggest that there could be the overall religious program identified. Thus, at first people would praise the Lord and thank Him for allowing them to gather together. Then they would read certain passages from the Bible and they will be interpreted in the chants which were sung by the choir. Finally, the priest would walk up to the crowd of the believers and p reach. The message of the day when I attended was focused on the necessity to forgive other people even though it may be hard. The

Your Privacy on Facebook Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Your Privacy on Facebook - Case Study Example He states that eighty five percent of the users agreed to the public use of Facebook. He goes and explains further, that the change in the world requirements motivated the change (Rainer, 2008). The new changes in Facebook privacy settings have made the use simpler as compared to the old settings. The reduction in the number of settings has made it easy and clear for the use to comprehend. One of the important features that Facebook has is that the user controls the privacy settings of the viewers of ones content. The feature allows one to define the contents depending on whether one wants the friends or the business audience to view certain content of information. With the new settings, the user will have to pay attention to the default settings making the one responsible for the posts. Previously, many users used the default settings, which did not require any customization (Rainer, 2008). The new settings intend to have the users produce additional private data to the public. The new settings tend to allow sharing information to everybody in the network. Despite encouraging people to set the advanced settings according to their wish, the default settings tend to remain operational. Facebook, pushes the users to use the "everyone" button to allow sharing of information worldwide. With this in place, it would undermine the privacy issues that Facebook began in the beginning. It would no longer have enough privacy for any data shared. In addition, users would find themselves sharing more than they intend to share. The "recommended " settings availed by Facebook mislead people as the users do not look into the features closely and examine the content (Rainer, 2008). Conveying information should not lead to violating someones privacy. Social sites have in possession private information that they have to protect. Sharing of private information is violating privacy laws. In as much as organisation that deals with sharing information have the right to

Christmas carol Essay Example for Free

Christmas carol Essay Set in Victorian England Dickens A Christmas Carol famously shows a transformation of the character of Ebenezer Scrooge he is portrayed as a tight fisted old man. Scrooge ends up repenting with the help of the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, and the three spirits. The last stave celebrates Scrooge enjoying Christmas e. g. I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. In this essay I intend to explore in detail, the variety of ways Dickens uses to show the development of Scrooges character Stave 1 In stave 1 we see Scrooge presented as an old, grumpy and selfish man. Jacob Marley, his business partner, had recently passed away on Christmas Eve. Scrooge attended the funeral but on the same day Dickens tells the reader that Scrooge went back to work, where he gained an undoubted bargain. This shows that Scrooge is more interested in money than his business partners funeral. The first words at the start of stave 1 are, Marley was dead Dickens had to make this abrupt point to make it clear Marley had died to prepare the reader for the fact that his ghost can come back. Charles Dickens uses a narrator, to both describe Scrooge and to judge him. The more the narrator describes Scrooge the angrier he seems to become and the harsher he speaks of him e. g. when he exclaims that Scrooge is a tight fisted hand at the grindstone Scrooge! he then uses a long list of adjectives to emphasise the meanness in scrooge and how he is prepared to hurt others deliberately so that he can be more wealthy. These are: A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner. The narrator also makes it clear that scrooge is self-contained and as solitary as an oyster. This is a simile. This may imply that Scrooge is a cold creature protected by his own hard shell, but in the interior he may have the ability to create a beautiful pearl this may be saying that scrooge has the ability. This may be saying that scrooge also has the ability of creating something beautiful and long lasting. No warmth could warm, nor wintry weather chill him. The narrator is saying that Scrooge is unnatural in some ways and the weather doesnt affect him however hot or cold it is. Even the blind mans dog stays away from Scrooge. This tells the reader even the natural world knows that he is a man to be avoided and feared. Dickens uses contrast to highlight Scrooges character at this stage. On page 4 Scrooges nephew comes to meet Scrooge He greets him with a Merry Christmas. Scrooge then replied bah humbug, which shows Scrooges disbelief in Christmas and his sullenness. Later Scrooge asks, What reason do you have to be merry? Your poor enough. This shows that Scrooge bases his happiness only on wealth Scrooge then had two visitors. They were portly gentlemen who ask Scrooge if he will donate money for the poor and destitute Scrooge didnt give them anything. This shows how tight fisted and selfish Scrooge is. Scrooge suggests to the men that work houses and prisons are the place where the poor should go, Scrooge is showing that he does not believe he has any responsibility to help others. This was a common attitude in Victorian England, which Dickens wants to challenge. When Marleys ghost appears for the first time he suspects the ghost is a figment of his imagination. He tries to hide his fear of it by assuming it is an upset stomach which is causing these disturbing images. However when the ghost speaks he begins to believe it is true. The arrival of the ghost disturbs him. The ghost tells him he is going to be visited by three spirits. Scrooge takes this news and replies to it as a chore or menial task. The ghost speaks of why he is weighed down by chains and shackles. He told Scrooge these chains represent all the bad things he did in his life. He also told scrooge that he had a similar chain but longer. His reaction to this is of disliking. He doesnt like what he hears. He asks the ghost to speak comfort to him, but the ghost cannot speak comfort to him because he has done nothing good or pure in his life. His greed and loathing for everything has turned him into an evil bitter man who has no time for friends of family and he is heartless to his employee Bob Cratchit. Now Scrooge has had a terrible warning about what may come to him if he does not change his ways. Stave 2 Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Christmas past in stave 2 who takes him back in time to see his childhood. This is a very effective way of enabling the reader to see how Scrooge was when he was younger and bring the reader to understand why Scrooge is so mean and to show he hasnt always been like that. Scrooge is shown sitting in a classroom on his own while all the other children have gone home for Christmas. This is because Scrooge and his father didnt get on very well and his father didnt want him home for Christmas. We know this because his sister comes to take Scrooge home one Christmas and she says father is much kinder than he used to be Charles Dickens uses this to show the reader that scrooge was very used to being alone and this might explain why he is so solitary when he grows up. This would have had a great affect on Scrooge at an early age and could be the reason why he is so cruel, mean and bad tempered. At this point the reader starts to have some sympathy for Scrooge and care about his future life. The first change in Scrooges personality is when Scrooge looks back at his younger self and is reminded of the carol boy he saw earlier that night. He feels guilty for not giving the boy anything. We can tell this because he says I should have liked to have given him something thats all. This is the first example of kindness and regret we see from Scrooge, reinforcing the point that Scrooge is not completely heartless and cold and shows he is able to change. Dickens involved Scrooges sister fan to remind Scrooge of his nephew because they are similar generous characters. We can see that Scrooge cared about fan. This may be a sign that there is the potential that Scrooges view of his nephew may also change. Dickens next includes a visit to Fezziwig, Scrooges old employer. This is to show a contrast between how scrooge as an employer treats Bob Cratchit and the way Fezziwig treats Scrooge. Whereas Fezziwig threw a party for Christmas. Bob Cratchit had to ask Scrooge for the day off and Scrooge was still reluctant to give it to him. We can see that Scrooge liked Fezziwig by his reaction when he first saw him. He exclaims, Why its old Fezziwig alive again. This makes Scrooge think of Bob Cratchit. He says I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just know. Again Dickens involves this episode to show that a change in Scrooges personality is possible.

The alternative globalisation

The alternative globalisation Introduction Globalisation is an ongoing process by which countries and their economic, political and social spheres integrate on a daily basis. Being part of national states, people become citizens of the world. In the course of daily activities, individuals increasingly come into contact with people from different backgrounds, with unlike beliefs and values and they learn to live and work in a globalised world. Countries become interconnected and interdependent. Thus, now there is no doubt that globalization has become the dominant factor in the development of world civilization. United Nations General Assembly, which brought a record number of participants to an important meeting 189 countries, signed over 300 agreements, and at the end of the session the UN Millennium Declaration was concluded. Main provisions of the declaration were as simple and accessible facts as freedom, equality, solidarity, security, tolerance, respect for nature and mutual responsibility. As a result, the Millennium Summit formalized globalization as a new global ideology, defining the world order of the 21st century. However, examining the structure of current globalisation, we face some issues that this phenomenon introduces. The popularity of the modern concept of globalization is primarily due to the economic and social achievements of developed countries dictating its terms to the world market. As a result, the gap between poor and rich countries broadens; development based on competition, profit-making, cost-reduction and increasing market shares expands. And therefore, the need for an alternative globalisation arises around the globe. This essay is divided into four main parts. First part focuses on three major schools of thoughts, which give characteristic descriptions of globalization from different perspectives. Second part of this essay concentrates on the chronology of globalisation the way that international trade was liberalising and production received a global character. Third, introduces readers to main problems of the current globalization and discusses why the alternative to the current globalisation is required. Finally, the last section offers the analysis of things that could be done differently in todays globalisation, examines whether an alternative globalisation is possible or not, and concludes with an optimistic summary table consisting of a number of significant changes that are necessary for peaceful transition, in a long-term period from the current globalisation to an alternative one that this essay offers. Three Perspectives on Globalisation There is no single definition of Globalization and at the same time there is a big debate about its characteristics, classification, its impacts and causes. It is possible to differentiate the following three schools of thought: the hyperglobalists, the transformationalists and the sceptics. The goal of each of the following schools is to characterise distinctive features of globalization from different points of view. Hyperglobalisers, such as K. Ohmae and R. Reich believe that global economy has an important impact on humanity and politics; they argue that the market is borderless and economy is single, global and integrated. Todays world economy is genuinely borderless. Information, capital and innovation flow all over the world at top speed, enabled by technology and fuelled by consumers desire for access to the best and the least expensive products (Ohmae, 1995). We are living through the transformation that will rearrange the politics and economics of the coming century. There will be no national products or technologies, no corporations, no national industries. There will no longer be national economies (Robert Reich, 1992, p. 3). The sceptics, such as P, Hirst and G. Thompson suggest that globalisation is largely a myth. They believe that the extent of existing globalisation is exaggerated and that the increase of global trade has happened only in major developed economies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. The international economy is one in which processes that are determined at the level of national economies still dominate and international phenomena are outcomes that emerge from the distinct and differential performance of the national economies. The international economy is an aggregate of nationally located functions (Hirst, Thompson, 1999, p. 10). The third group is defined by Held and McGrew as transformationalists, which includes such authors as Rosenau (1997) or Giddens (1990). They assume that globalisation plays an essential role in fast economic, political and social changes that are restructuring world order and modern societies nowadays. Globalisation denotes the intensification of worldwide social relations and interactions such that distant events acquire very localised impacts and vice versa (Held, McGrew, 2007, p. 2). Globalisation concerns the transformation of local, and even personal, contexts of social experience. Our day-to-day activities are increasingly influenced by events happening on the other side of the world. Conversely, local lifestyle habits have become globally consequential. Chronology of Globalisation There is also no single agreement about the time globalisation has emerged, opinions about the chronology of its appearance and development vary depending on how one looks at the meaning of globalisation. Some might say that globalisation is a recent development, others could state that it has began far back in history, while thirds would argue that globalisation has not yet started at all. I see the beginning of globalisation in the rise of international production and international trade, formation of which refers to the 1970s-1980s. It has started with oil and energy crisis in 1973-1974, when state enterprises started to show the signs of inefficiency. States were not able to react to the impulses of the world market and to reduction of production costs. This, on one hand, led to reduced profitability or even to losses in some industries in developed countries. And on the other hand, it led to significant discrepancies between the national conditions of reproduction in the course of industrialization the rates of wages, education level and workforce skills, interest rates, price of raw materials and energy. Due to those facts, numerous attacks on government business and the requirements of its liquidation were taking place; the privatisation of state property according to the neo-liberal theories has started. The liberalisation was one of the tools for successful globalisation, which appeared in two forms. Firstly, reduction of tariffs, elimination of non-tariff barriers, simplification of import and export procedures occurred based on numerous international agreements. In other words, there was a reduction of restrictions on access and operations in the global market. Secondly, there was a change in domestic legislation relating to foreign economic relations, such as the elimination of quotes for import and export, removal of restrictions on foreign capital in the domestic market. As a result, labour-intensive, material-and environmentally-polluting industries started to be relocated to developing countries. In addition, scientific and technological advancements have created opportunities for the spatial separation process (such as capital-intensive and energy intensive processes) and placement of the individual phases in accordance with the prices of factors of production. At the same t ime, improved transportation and communication allowed the interaction of these scattered productions at relatively modest cost. As a consequence of all above mentioned factors, production received a really global character today. We can say that todays world became interdependent and interconnected; because one countrys well being very much depends on the cooperation with other countries. As an example we can take the production of cars, it is scattered on the companies in different countries around the globe. And entrepreneurs in each country are responsible for a specific phase of production design, production of engines and electrical equipment, the manufacture and marketing. In the 1950-1960s, each company worked in the market limited by national borders. However, today restrictions on movement of goods and services across national borders have decreased and international manufacturers of the world market can move quite easily. (ORoukre, Williamson, 1999). We can now see that the cause of globalisation was a capitalist ideology, based mostly on profit-making and cost-reduction, which has a lot of positiv e as well as some negative effects on the worlds development. In the next section, I would like to focus on some of those negative effects problems of the current globalisation. Problems of the Current Globalisation This section focuses on main three issues political, economic and social that I believe require changes in current globalised world. One of the main economic problems of globalisation is related to the following question: Who is benefiting from globalization? In fact, rapid growth is typical only for a small group of rich countries; while the least economically developed countries have much lower growth rates and their gains from globalization are minimal. If we take an example of trade discussion of Uruguay Round, which was finished in 1994, we can see that the advanced industrial countries of the world, such as the US and the EU, received the biggest share of the gain and the poorest countries have actually worsened off. Developed countries still preserve tariffs against the poor countries at the rate of four times higher than the tariffs they have against other rich countries. Their whole tariff structure is directed against trade with poor economies, which effects lowering the price of the export goods of them and hurt their economies. (Stiglitz, pp. 172-173). If national and international political processes are influenced by money, there should be no illusions in understanding that power in decision-making processes relating to the global economy remains mostly with those countries, firms and organizations that are economically the strongest. (Helleiner, Gerald, 2001) The second problem arising is a political one and relates to the potential regional or global instability because of interdependence of national economies on global level; so called butterfly effect appears. National security and nation-states depend on the activities of other countries and decisions of governments in neighbouring states more and more in todays globalised world. (Michael Zurn, 2005, pp. 235-244). Local economic fluctuations or crises in one country can have regional or even global implications. This possibility is not merely theoretical, but is very real, and the current financial crisis confirms that. Peter Evans argues that inability of the state to impose even a modicum of collective discipline on private economic elites at the national level (most crucially in the United States) undercuts productive dynamism. (Peter Evans, 2008, p. 280) And the last issue that I would like to bring up is related to social aspect. The main goal of a global market and current capitalist globalization is rapid accumulation of wealth, which hardly meets any human and social needs. Lets take a simple example of one corrupt government that accepts investment money from a multinational company. People who live in that particular country have no choice but to work for that company, at the same time company does not pay workers enough money to afford sufficient food, healthcare and education. The company has promised to the government that it will develop their countrys economy. However, people are starving and diseases are spreading in the crowded conditions in which they live. Some people realize the damage and start to fight to get their country back on track, but those people are usually being arrested and being sent to jail. The multinational companies as well as government of that country make huge profits while people suffer and die. The irrational pursuit of profit often harms the environment and conflict with other social values. The imbalance causes a broad wave of protest, which is not welcomed by governments and companies and as a result brings social problems, inequality and fear to confront the current political regime. (Sklair, 2008). Alternatives to the Current Globalisation Based on the problems described in the previous part of my essay, I would like to propose some necessary changes to the way globalisation develops nowadays. With the reference to the economic issue, I would say that in order to have more balance as to benefits of the globalisation and the world trade, globalization must be more regulated and countries should collaborate better. Developed and developing countries have to act co-operatively, so that the gap between poor and rich does not widen more and more each year, but it has to start narrowing. However, there are no institutions, particularly democratic institutions to do that effectively. In order to make globalization more manageable and seek to base it on principles of solidarity, it is important to reform and strengthen the role of such international organizations as the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Expanding ties of international organisations with non-government al organizations might be one of the examples for the reform (Lindert, Williamson, 2001, pp. 30-35). The role of media plays an important role and therefore media must be fairer and more opened. Media nowadays is driven by consumerist forces, and not by all citizens. People around the world are not being helped to recognize that most important issues overcrowded cities, quick spread of new infections, global warming, growth of worldwide disparity, destruction of the environment are all part of the same global process called globalisation. People should be aware that these issues do not just happen, but they all are related (Cavanagh, Mander, 2004, pp. 52-54). The next range of issues is related to the fragility of the international economic and political systems that follow from interdependence and interconnection of countries around the globe. We can see that local economic, financial and sometimes even political instability in one country can have regional or in some cases even global effect. Therefore, I suggest that states must be more local oriented and solve national problems first, but at the same time they should be able to react promptly to global issues, because states continue to be essential actors in determining the global regime. The same applies to business world, in order to be successful in the global competition, companies need to think globally and act locally. Practice shows that businesses which are able to design globally for narrow local requirements and which follow broaden your vision, yet narrow your focus will generate growth and success. (Pinto, 2004). The idea of globalization that bigger is better is wrong. I t involves lack of concern with local issues and overrides locality. In connection with this agenda the concept of glocalization has been introduced. It became an aspect of business jargon during the 1980s, which originates form Japan, where the general issue of the relationship between the particular and the universal has historically received almost obsessive attention (Miyoshi and Harootunian, 1989). Glocalisation is a double process firstly, institutional and regulatory activities move from the national scope upwards to regional or global scopes and downwards to the scope of individual or local. Secondly, economic activities and inter-firm networks are transforming at the same time to become more localised and transnational (Swyngedouw, 2004). With regards to the social point, I would like to argue that the current globalisation is very capitalist one which prioritizes the growth of private income over the creation of employment and other social aspects of our lives that are important both for individuals and for the community as a whole. (Sklair, 2008). Global economy needs global ethics, reflecting respect for human rights and recognition of personal and social responsibility. Horst KÃ ¶hler, the managing director of the IMF states that people living together in local communities have always recognized and responded to common moral principles, such as sharing with those who have less, and protection of the vulnerable. As the world has become more integrated and interdependent, the scope for applying such fundamental values has widened (KÃ ¶hler, 2002). I believe that the WTO and the IMF should address the problem of reducing poverty deeper, by creating employment, improving healthcare and education systems and therefor e improving quality of living standards in all countries around the world. In the following table, I have tried to summarize some of significant changes that are required for peaceful transition, in a long-term period, from the current globalisation that we have to a globalization that is more regulated, more oriented on local aspects and focused more on social sector. Conclusion In a last decade of the twentieth century, the term globalization became one of the most frequently used in the analysis of contemporary international relations, and continues to be actively used to characterize global political, economic and social processes. However, the current globalisation is mostly influenced by the interests and guidelines of economically developed countries and their ideological preferences. These factors leave their imprints on the development of globalisation, accelerating or slowing it down, and give specific nature to certain aspects of this phenomenon. Main requirements of an alternative globalization are the equality for all nations, people and countries, as well as regulation of specific areas of the worlds development with the help of strong democratic international institutions. This essay shows that an alternative globalization is essential for sustainable development of the world, and if the right steps and efforts are taken worldwide, an alternative to the current globalisation will be possible to implement. An alternative globalization as described in this essay would bring together countries and people in single global equitable and prosperous area, despite all the crises, failures and deviations, which is in everyones interests. References: Alison Brysk, 2002. Globalization and Human Rights. University of California Press Anthony Giddens, 1994. Beyond Left and Right: The Future of Radical Politics. Polity Press David Held and Anthony McGrew, 2007. Globalization/Anti-globalization: beyond the great divide. Polity Press Erik Swyngedouw, 2004. Globalisation or Glocalisation? Networks, Territories and Rescaling. Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 17(1), pp. 25-44 Helleiner, Gerald K, 2001. Markets, Politics, and Globalization: Can the Global Economy Be Civilized? Global Governance, 7 (July), pp. 243-263 Horst KÃ ¶hler, 2002. Working for a Better Globalization Available at: http://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2002/012802.HTM [Accessed 23 March 2010] J. Cavanagh, J. Mander, 2004. Alternatives to Economic Globalizaion: a better world is possible. Berrett-Koehler Publishers J.E. Stiglitz, 2008. Making Globalisation Work. The economic and social review, Columbia University, USA, 39 (3) Jim Pinto, 2004. Think Globally, Act Locally. Automation World K. H. ORoukre and J. G. Williamson, 1999. Globalization and History: The evolution of a Nineteenth-Century Atlantic Economy. Achorn Graphic Services Kenichi Ohmae, 1995. The End of the Nation State. Free Press Paperback Edition. Leslie Sklair, 2008. The Emancipatory Potential of Generic Globalization. The Berkeley Electronic Press Available at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a918201775db=all [Accessed 23 March 2010] Masao Miyoshi and Harry D. Harootunian, 1989. Postmodernism in Japan. Duke University Press Michael Zurn, 2005. From Interdependence to Globalisation, Handbook of International Relations. Sage publications P. H. Lindert, J.G. Williamson, 2001. Does Globalization Make the World More Unequal? Harvard University and University of California Available at: http://128.97.165.17/media/files/GlobalUnequal_10_252.pdf [Accessed 23 March 2010] Paul Hirst and Grahame Thompson, 1999. Globalization in Question. Polity Press Peter Evans, 2008. Is an Alternative Globalization Possible? Politics Society, 36, pp. 271 298 Available at: http://pas.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/36/2/271 [Accessed 23 March 2010] Robert F. Bruner, 2004. Think Globally, Act Locally. Batten Institute at The Darden School Foundation Robert Reich, 1992. The Work of Nations: preparing ourselves for 21st-century capitalism. Vintage Books Roland Roberson, 1995. Global Modernities. Glocalizaion: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. Sage publications, p. 25-41.

A Midsummer Nights Dream Performance Analysis

A Midsummer Nights Dream Performance Analysis In A Midsummer Nights Dream- How would you perform the role of: Lysander (500 words) Demetrius(500 words) Helena(500 words) Hermia(500 words) Theseus(500 words) in order to convey interpretation of the role to your audience? A point to consider before bringing the individual character interpretations into play is how to contextualise the performances within the text as a whole. In other words, the characters are not mutually exclusive entities, rather, they are interactive and woven into the landscape of the play. Therefore, I would like to propose a general outline for the overall performance. There are many ways to perform ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ and the way I choose will affect elements of the characters. There have been many performances of Shakespearean drama, where the play is brought into the modern day. I however, would like to perform the play in its classic setting. I would like the play to retain its archaic time setting. It is a very self-reflexive play – it is a play about staging a play. This highlights the idea of drama at its root – the reheasrsal and work that goes into a play. I would like to leave the play in an olden day setting because it consolidates the idea of drama being detached from life through its artifice, and the play being set in a by-gone era further consolidates the idea of detaching drama from everyday life. (a)The first character I would like to look at is Lysander. He refuses to yield to Demetrius’s demand for Hermia’s hand, and risks the wrath of Theseus by eloping with Hermia. This demonstrates not only the depth of his feeling for Hermia, but also his conviction in his own beliefs, and the courage to carry out these beliefs. The comic arc of Lysander’s performance hits its climax after Puck has sprinkled the love potion into his eyes and he falls in love with Helena. I would perform the character with some hyperbole at this point, in order to convey the comic element of the text to the audience. The idea of Lysander challenging Demetrius to a duel in order to win Helena’s hand is an example of the excessive behaviour and heightened action that brings much of the comedy into the play. It is a humour that comes from the reversal of the natural order – Helena has gone from being desperately in love with Demetrius and being scorned by him to being the object of both men’s affection, for example. This reversal in the behaviour of Lysander is something I’d like to highlight in performance. I think a change in demeanor, and in vocal qualities could highlight this. At the beginning of the play, Lysander is portrayed as a romantic hero. I would convey this to the audience through his appearance; ideally, the role would be filled by a tall, handsome man. I would like him to wear a costume of light material – symbolising the innocence of the ‘true lovers’ (Hermia’s description of themselves). As I would like to keep the play true to its chromatic origins, I would like Lysander to wear a type of Athenean costume, which he could change when he enters the wood. I would like all the characters to change their costumes when they enter the forest, to represent the immense change in their environment. I would like him to don a more earthy, swarthy coloured robe, such as green, to convey the pastoral environment to the audience. I would like to focus on how the character of Lysander should be performed during the sequence in which he challenges Demetrius to a duel. The interpretation that I would like to convey to the audience is one of escalating absurdity, which contributes to humour. This would be done through the props, delivery, vocal quality, paralinguistic features and a demonstration of how Lysander relates to Demetrius in this section: Lysander †¦Helen, I love thee. By my life I do. I swear by that which I will lose for thee To prove him false that says I love thee not. Demetrius I say I love thee more than he can do. Lysander If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too. (Scene III, Act II, lines 251-256) There is a strong sense of rhythm in these lines, and also rhyme, which contribute to the tension and sense of heightened action. I would like the actor to highlight the rhythm in his delivery. I would like Lysander to adopt a masculine stance, and to circle Dimitrius, expanding his movement around the stage, owning the stage, as it were, using the entire stage to convey to the audience that he feels he owns the space, as he prowls around it. (493 words) A character trait that emerges from the text is the point where he tells the infatuated Helena that when he says, â€Å"Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;/For I am sick when I do look on thee.† (Scene II Act I, lines 211-212). This utterance evokes a sense of his cruel nature, a pejorative view of Demetrius which is further consolidated when we examine the first first scene of the first act. When Lysander and Hermia are told that they cannot marry, Demetruis tells them they should let him have his â€Å"certain right.† (Scene I Act I line 92). There is subsequently a huge change in Demetruis when he falls back in love with Helena at the end of the play. This is indicative of a softening of his character – a change which I feel should be represented visually in performance. In order to convey Demetruis’s somewhat cruel, righteous nature to the audience, I think the actor should appropriate a certain demeanor. Body language could be used to demonstrate his confident, cocky side. For example, he could strut, use large gestures and also make use of all of the stage space – exercising his self imposed ‘right’ to the stage space in the same way that he wants to exercise his ‘right’ to Hermia’s hand. I would like his costume to be dark colours – such as a rich red – and flamboyant design, to contrast with Lysanders’. The vocal qualities should also demonstrate these traits. He only has two lines in scene I, act one, so it is very important how these are represented, as they will be the first impression the audience have of him. Demetrius’s lines are: Relent, sweet Hermia; and, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right. (Scene I, Act I, lines 91-92) The way in which this line is performed is very important. As the tormented lovers, the audience feels very strongly for Hermia and Lysander, to whom the presence of Demetrius is an invasive one. I would therefore also like to convey to the audience this sense of invasion. When Demetrius says, â€Å"Relent, sweet Hermia†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I would like him to walk up to Hermia, and put his arm around her, caressing her with his other hand, turning them both away from Lysander. When he speaks to Lysander, Demetrius should keep his back to Lysander, but turn his head to face him, so that his line is like an aside, as if he does not respect him. The words ‘†¦crazed title†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ should be accompanied by paralinguistic features, such as an outstretching arm to convey to the audience how much Demetrius does not want Lysander and Hermia to marry. Finally, the word ‘†¦my†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ should be over emphasized to convey that Demetrius strongly feels that Hermia shou ld be his, whether she loves him or not, because of the wishes of her father. His character, and especially his behaviour towards Helana changes at the end of the play. Whilst in the earlier stages of the play, he is confident, using large gestures and a lot of stage space, at the end of the play, I would like him to express a more tender side to the audience, to convey the development of his character: That we are awake? It seems to me That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think The duke was here, and bid us follow him? (Scene IV, Act I, lines 192-194) This line should be used to convey character development to the audience as it contrasts so strongly with his opening line – the use of ‘†¦you†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ in contrast to ‘†¦my†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ for example. There is also a confusion in this utterance, which contrast with the confidence in the first lines. (566 words) Helena At the beginning of the play, Helena is portrayed as hapless; the scorned lover who has been wooed by Demetrius and then ignored in favour of Hermia. However, like Demetrius, Helena demonstrates a massive character development and transformation. Like Lysander, the arc of her character trajectory reaches its crescendo after Puck has sprinkled the love potion in Lysander and Demetrius’s eyes. When they both try to woo her, she feels they are mocking her, and gets angry. To best convey the transformation in her character between before and after the love potion has been dispensed, I’d like to consider how vocal quality and demeanor can be used in two of her utterances: Call you me fair? That ‘fair’ again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair. O happy fair! †¦Sickness is catching. O, were favour so, Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go. †¦O, teach me how you look, and with what art You sway the motion of Demetrius’ heart. (Scene I, Act I, lines 181-194) This except is from a long speech in which Helena proceeds to extol the virtues of Hermia, with whom Demetrius is infatuated. The key message I would like to convey to the audience from this speech is the idea that Helena is confused, upset and slightly jealous of Hermia. She is asking Hermia how she won the heart of Demetrius. In order to convey this dejection to the audience, I think the delivery of this speech should involve some rhetoric – while Helena is asking Hermia how she wooed him, and saying how fair Hermia is, my interpretation of this speech is that it is a melancholy meditation on the loss of her love. She is not looking for external answers, rather internal answers, and so it is questions she is asking herself. This could be expressed to the audience by the character of Helena distancing her self physically from the group – this would be a visual symbol of her isolation. Her demeanor and body language would be hunched and dejected, and her voice subdued a nd hushed The other speech that is a seminal moment in the performance of Helen is when she feels she is being mocked by the two men, and gets angry. Clearly her relationship with Demetrius is changed when he falls in love with her. While she may be unaware of it, the hierarchy of the relationship has been overturned, and she has now adopted a position of power. In her speech, she says: O spite! O hell! I see you are all bent To set against me for your merriment. If you were civil and knew courtesy You would not do me thus much injury. (Scene III, Act II, lines 145-148) This speech can be used to great effect to demonstrate the performance possibilities of this role. The demeanor and vocal qualities performing this speech would require differ hugely to the earlier one – with a louder voice, delivery directed at the other characters and inflated body language required. (493 words) Hermia Hermia is represented in the play as a strong, defiant young woman, prepared to take risks in order to fulfil her own desires. This is exemplified in her refusal to bow down to her father’s wish that she marry Demetrius. In the face of a death sentence, or life in a nunnery, she escapes with Lysander into the forest. Lysander’s love for Hermia, along with Demetrius’s desire, demonstrate that she is an attractive and desirable young woman. These are two important points I’d like to consider when constructing the performance of Hermia. I would like to convey to the audience her inner strength and determination, alongside her physical attractiveness. The notion of physical attractiveness could be conveyed primarily through costume and appearance. As Hermia is clearly a woman of considerable charm (illustrated when Helena asks her what charm she used to capture Demetruis’s heart), her costume should reflect this. As it is believed that she unwittingly won over Demetrius (this is an ambiguity in the text – it is possible that Demetrius loves her because her father is so impressed by him) I would also like to impress upon the audience a sense of naivete and innocence. The obvious symbolic colour of this is white. White would also look striking under the stage lights. I would use floaty fabrics for the costumes, such as organza, to communicate the ethereal quality of not only Hermia herself, but also the forest, and the magic contained within it. When Hermia leaves Athens and escapes to the forest, I would like her to adopt a robe over her dress, of green, to convey to the audience, through her change in costume, that a change is impending in the play. While the charm and beauty of the character of Hermia will be communicated visually, the inner strength and courage that I interpret as being key elements of her character, will be communicated through her demeanor. It is commonly understood in the study of body language that confident people stand up straight, unlike shy people, who hunch up, in a subconscious decision to take up less space. In this way, stage space becomes an important indicator of personality. I have mentioned before that I would, at certain points in the text like characters to use the whole space of the stage to convey a sense of confidence. I would like the performance of Hermia to adopt a comfortable use of the entire stage space. More specifically, I would like to refer to one speech that I feel is very important in the text, in Scene I, Act I, when Hermia is talking to Theseus with regards to her desire to marry Lysander: So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up Unto his lordship whose unwished yoke My soul consents not to give soveregnity. (Scene I, Act I, lines 79-82) This speech is an important point at the text because Hermia makes clear her intentions to avoid marriage to Demetrius. It is a very dramatic, sensitive piece. This speech should be delivered with intensity, to convey to the audience the depth of Hermia’s feelings for Lysander. The performance should include some paralinguistic features such as moving around the stage, facial expressions and hand movements to express her feelings visually. (549 words) My understanding of Theseus is that he is a very complex character – there is conflicting evidence in the text as to his true nature. There is one utterance in the text that brings up questions regarding his true nature, when he is talking to Hippolyta and he says that: Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key: (Scene I, Act I, lines 16-18) My interpretation of this line is that Theseus raped Hippolyta. The implications of this in terms of how the character should be performed are vast. In much of the text, Theseus is represented as a pensive, thoughtful man. He kindly advises Hermia to â€Å"Take time to pause†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Scene I, Act I, line 83) when discussing the situation with her father Egeus. This scene presents him as rational and kindly. The suggestion of rape in line 16 makes the line highly important, the suggestion I would like to convey to the audience is the idea that Theseus is warning Hippolyta. In bringing the issue of the rape to the forefront, he is reminding her of the power balance in their relationship. There is also possibly some penitence in this admission. This could be communicated to the audience through the use of certain vocal qualities, demeanor and stage space. I would like Theseus’s sense of power to be conveyed to the audience in a visual way, so he would deliver this speech standing, and walking around, whilst the character of Hippolyta would be sitting down. The discrepancy in their heights would be a visual representation of the hierarchy, which would further consolidate what Theseus was saying. This is such a patriarchal power play that props could be used to represent a sense of phallocentricity – such as a sceptre – a regal and phallic symbol. The use of this prop co uld convey to the audience my interpretation of Theseus as being the patriarchal and dominant force in the opening of the play. His kingdom is run on a set of rigid rules – for example, Egeus invoking the ancient law of Athens as Hermia wants to marry Lysander. This is in stark contrast to the forest – the mysterious, feminine arena which is the binary opposite of Athens. In terms of demeanor, Theseus should be calm, and considered in his movements. I would like his costume to be of dark colours, and of neat, clean lines. This operates in contrast to Hermia’s costume – the white of her costume is a symbol of innocence while the dark of Theseus’s costume is aligned with the dark side he hints at in this speech. (440 words)

Comparing Tension and Conflict in Things Fall Apart and Clear Light of

Tension and Conflict in Things Fall Apart and Clear Light of Day      Ã‚  Ã‚   How does the tension between traditional and modern views of the world play itself out in Achebe's "Things Fall Apart", and Desai's "Clear Light of Day"?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     In both Achebe's and Desai's novels, tension and conflict between the new and the old, traditional and modern are the strong undercurrents that move the story and the reader into an unconscious emotional uneasiness.    In both novels, the backdrop and the story are engrossed in a struggle between two worlds, the new and the old fighting out its battles in the characters portrayed within.  Ã‚   Achebe makes his stand in eastern Nigeria while Desai illustrates her point in Old Delhi.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the first part of "Things Fall Apart", Achebe, portrays a traditional African culture, but one on the verge of change.  Ã‚   Early in the novel you can see change is already taking place.   "...in the past a man who broke the peace was dragged on the ground throughout the village until he died.   But after a while this custom was stopped because it spoiled the peace which it was meant to preserve."  Ã‚  Ã‚   But traditions continued on, including ritual killing and banishment of one of the village leaders.   But then things begin to change more rapidly with the coming of the missionaries.   When they gave them the "evil forest" to build their churches on there was no turning back.   Many of the abused and outcast were converted when they saw that these new people prospered in the evil lands. The people started to revolt against their traditional gods.   "Three converts had gone into the village and boasted openly that... ...k after...  Ã‚   But even this simple act has its overtones, "...she has always liked to rule others..."      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In both of these novels the main characters have to be strong to deal with the tides between tradition and modern culture.   Their lives are not easy, but while reading about them, maybe we can make it easier for others to live in our world and understand those who do not wish to make the journey of "progress".   Failing that, maybe we can at least understand our own journey through this jumble we call life.    Works Cited and Consulted    Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 1986.    Desai, Anita. The Clear Light of Day London: Penguin, 1990    Taiwo, Oladele. Culture and the Nigerian Novel. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1976.

Essay --

Corey Schirmer An Appropriate Monarchy in Ancient Israel The Deuteronomistic literature of the Hebrew Bible seem to present opposite viewpoints on the topic of kingship. The pro platform presents the Davidic kingship in a very positive light, while other texts particularly 1 Samuel appear to be against the topic of kingship. Upon further evaluation, the institution of a monarchy in the Ancient Near East (ANE) was appropriate because it could provide stability to Israel. On the other hand the monarchy was not appropriate because it was a clear rejection of God. A kingship is not inherently evil, but the people’s request for a human as king showed a complete lack of faith in God as the primary ruler of his people. When examining Deuteronomy, the â€Å"law of the king† provides more information on what a king cannot do as a monarch. Most of what is outlined in these laws restricts royal authority and the monarch is subject to them. Some of these laws were things that later kings (even under the Davidic kingship) were guilty of committing. The first king of the Davidic Kingship (David) held multiple wives and even sent a soldier (Uriah) to his own death (New Oxford Annotated Bible, 2 Samuel 11:24). David was not perfect and screwed up many times, but his heart was for the Lord. And the Lord formally appointed the Israelite King as an instrument of his rule. No matter how much these kings screwed up they were still held in good standing because God viewed them as the closest thing to himself. This is what God intended the kingship of Israel to represent. A king that is not above the covenant. A monarchy could be beneficial in many ways. Most of the pro platform displayed in 1 Samuel shows us that a king can provide leadership ... ...was their expectations for a king like all the other nations. This king would impose practices that would limit personal freedom and eventually lead to the abuse of power. After examining the disdain that a kingship brought to God. It seems as though a king would not be beneficial to Israel. In the right context, a king that was appointed by God to lead under his covenant would benefit the people because it would bring stability to Israel. The right leader is a human being that is still in need of divine help. The Israelite king is an instrument of divine justice and the icon of God’s universal rule. The king will lead the army in the name of God and defeats the Lord’s enemies. A kingship is not inherently evil. The appropriate king would be one after God’s own heart, while a non-appropriate king would be one that abuses power and leads the people of Israel astray.

Violence in the Media Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Violence in the Media      Ã‚  Ã‚   Gina Marchetti, in her essay "Action-Adventure as Ideology," argues that action- adventure films implicitly convey complex cultural messages regarding American values and the "white American status quo." She continues to say that all action-adventure movies have the same basic structure, including plot, theme, characterization, and iconography. As ideology, this film genre tacitly expresses social norms, values, and morals of its time. Marchetti's essay, written in 1989, applies to films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Rambo: First Blood II. However, action-adventure films today seem to be straying farther away from her generalizations about structure, reflecting new and different cultural norms in America. This changing ideology is depicted best in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994), which defies nearly every concept Marchetti proposes about action-adventure films; and it sets the stage for a whole new viewpoint of action in the '90's.    Until recently, most action-adventure films, to some extent, fit Marchetti's general guidelines. In the case of iconography, she states that all action-adventure films are set in exotic locations, for example decaying temples or rainforests. Most modern American films, though, are set in American cities and towns in which much violence occurs. Natural Born Killers is filmed entirely in New Mexico, Arizona, and Illinois, with dry desert land forming most of the visual scenery. Why is America no longer as interested in exotic and foreign places? Perhaps the modern movies are more realistic, and therefore can solve real American social problems in the realm of fantasy.    In the case of characterization, Marchetti claims that the most st... ...sening up in this country, although not quite to the extreme as in Natural Born Killers. Despite the controversy caused by the assumed message that "killing is cool," there is important ideology embedded within the film. There is sanity within the insane. The film, in a sense, displays the consequences caused by the suppression of the inner, free soul. We've all seen instances of people "cracking" under the pressures of modern society. I'm not suggesting that we live like wild animals, but I do think that Natural Born Killers is an excellent movie which made a natural attempt to kill standard ideology.    Works Cited Natural Born Killers. Dir. Oliver Stone. With Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, and Robert Downy Jr. Warner Bros., 1994. Marchetti, Gina. Action-Adventure as Ideology. Cultural Politics in Contemporary America, 1989.

Mountains Beyond Mountains Essay

The title is a haitian proverb that translates â€Å"beyond the mountains, more mountains.† As it relates to the book, I believe mountains beyond mountains means the never ending struggle to control disease involving the poor. In this case, the poor are the haitian people who are in a struggle to improve their health and the institution in place allow this to perpetuate. Farmer sees health in a way that differs from most. Farmer believes improvement of health is not only the actual treatment of the disease. Instead, it is the complete assimilation of institutions where the poor are given power to succeed politically as well as the access to health care. This is evident in what resources Farmer’s clinic has available to his patients that go beyond access to equipment and medications that are not easily attainable in Haiti. In order to provide the necessary resources for a healthy community today and into the future they provide a school, housing, kitchen that feeds people daily, sanitation, as well as filtered water systems. These different resources combined make up what a community needs to have an improvement of health today and into the future. This philosophy rings true for me. How can you expect to have a healthy community when these basic needs are not available. In a country like the United States these resources are at at your disposal in the most rural locations and their benefits forg otten because of it. Farmer’s Story shows how a small group of practitioners can make a positive and lasting impact in a world with poverty and a lack of health care provisions to those without insurance. One major component to this ability is the level of sacrifice these practitioners were able to endure. For many, the dreams of being a doctor include the big bucks that come along with it. In order to provide the level of care Farmer believed was necessary he sacrificed an extraordinary amount of his personal wealth. Another major sacrifice was his time with family. He split his year in Boston and Haiti so the geographic aspect was limiting. Then, the enormous amount of work that seemed never ending (mountains beyond mountains) kept  him busy way beyond an average 9 to 5, leaving no time for vacation to visit. These sacrifices are not to be taken lightly. I don’t know if I would be willing to live for others like Farmer has. It takes a certain character that one is born with to do this. Farmer used every tool he had to help. He sweet talked workers at hospitals and walked away with tuberculosis medicine for the poor and even paid for it himself. When caught he paid back the 96 thousand dollars in medicine he had take. When he was with others he would lecture all he came into contact with on the plight of the poor. He felt as though the poor were all too often forgotten. Tuberculosis control was the perfect example of this. Pharmaceutical companies had controlled TB in wealthy countries and made no effort in poor nations like haiti because it did not make sense financially. Once Farmer came into contact with a resistant form of TB in haiti he was on a mission to make MDR available for all not just the wealthy. The biggest block was cost. His goal of MDR for all was not shared by pharmaceutical companies that wanted to keep the prices high. That didn’t sway him one bit. Ultimately, Farmer was able to acheive his goal and make MDR affordable for all. This motivation with no regard to a personal financial benefit is an attribute I have seldom seen in my lifetime. I imagine Farmer had been approached or had the opportunity to make huge profits from his position and public image. This ethical character seems mythical in today’s world of business and bottom lines. His ethical standard is something to aspire to. The most intriguing quality I see in Farmer is his ability to understand the position of the poor in all its complexity. Wether the person is from Haiti or the United States he treats the patient with a respect that puts the patient at ease. His overall goal is to help the patient in a manner where it improves their overall health. One example that stuck out was Farmer’s experience with Joe a drug addict who doesn’t take his medication or eat properly. He sits with him and asks what his needs are in order to have a successful change in health. The response was definitely unique. His needs were a warm place to stay, 6 pack of beer, person to make sure he takes his medication, and someone to make sure he eats. Instead of listening and  completely dismissing his needs as out of the question he promises to try his best. On a board he writes what Joe’s current situation and the situation he wants to place him in and begins his mission. Ultimately he finds Joe a homeless shelter but they do not allow alcohol, but that doesn’t stop Farmer from pleading Joe’s case. This unorthodox method for providing the care Farmer felt would make a real change in Joe’s health was impressive. Farmer’s story is impressive. After reading this book I understand that a medical career is more than the good life. The abilities we are about to have can help so many and we need to know that is the goal of a good practitioner.

Christian Theology in A Good Man is Hard to Find Essay

â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† by Flannery O’Conner reflects the Christian belief that even the most unlikely of people can be recipients of God’s grace. The grandmother and the Misfit, both â€Å"bad† in their own ways, are each unlikely and undeserving recipients of grace. According to Christian theology, humans are granted salvation through God’s grace, which can be bestowed upon to even the most unlikely. The grandmother’s and the Misfit’s moral codes they live by that affect their actions, decisions and perceptions. The term â€Å"moral† doesn’t necessarily mean good, but is simply the way people choose to live their lives. At first it seems as if it is the Misfit who lacks guidance as he continuously murders people. It is the grandmother whose moral code is weak and inconsistent. She has built her morals solely on what she believes make people â€Å"good.† She pays a great amount of attention in being a lady, repeatedly deceives her family, and lacks a clear standpoint on the world around her. She boasts about her love for Christianity, but does not seem to be able to pray when she finds herself in crisis. She even begins to question the power and divinity of Jesus. It is clear the grandmother is not sincere and aware of her actions. The Misfit has a strong and consistent moral code. The Misfit believes that the punishments he received from his exp erience of being a convicted criminal were always disproportional to his crime, and the crime doesn’t even matter at the end. He also shows a genuine curiosity about religion. The grandmother accepts faith unquestioningly while the Misfit challenges these beliefs and thinks deeply on how he should follow them or not. The Misfit has chosen to live under his assumption that religion is pointless and goes with his own belief â€Å"No pleasure but meanness.† (O’Conner 941). The Misfit only wishes he was present to see Jesus rise from the dead so he could know the events were factual. It is obvious the grandmother in â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† lies to her grandchildren, manipulates her son, and makes several remarks as to why the  past times have superiority to the present. She believes she is morally superior to those younger than her. She also believes she has the right to judge the goodness of others and tell them how to live their lives. The grandmother seems quite oblivious to reality as she heads the family to somewhere completely different than where she thought they were. Th e tragic wreck was all due to the grandmother’s ignorance. Towards the final moments of her life, she instructs the Misfit to pray, despite the fact she lacks the sincere qualities herself necessary to form a prayer. As she grows afraid of what will happen to her, she agrees with the Misfit and changes her mind about Jesus rising from the dead. Her doing so reflects she is confused and unsure of her beliefs making her a very unlikely recipient of grace. The Misfit is an unrepentant murderer who finds no pleasure in anything but meanness. He shows no remorse for his actions. The Misfit was aware of Jesus being crucified, but felt that he would have had to see it to believe it for sure. Both characters show habitual sins and ultimately are each undeserving recipients of grace. Even people like the grandmother and the Misfit have potential to be saved by God, according to Christian Theology. The grandmother experiences a moment of grace after the Misfit’s wish to know for sure what Jesus did and didn’t do. Her head clears momentarily and she says â€Å"Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!† (O’Conner 948). This suggests that the grandmother is realizing that they both are of the same kind. Given the circumstances, her comment seems pretty insane, but this is the g randmother’s clearest moment in the story. She shows compassion which implies that God has granted her grace just before she is shot by the Misfit. The Misfit too, is open to grace at this moment. He claims earlier in the story there was â€Å"no pleasure but meanness† in life, and now denies there is any pleasure in life at all after killing the grandmother. All his killings have quit giving him happiness, suggesting that he, too, may foster the possibility to change. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† has a strong, somewhat harsh portrayal of religion. The characters in this story are both awakened and their faith is altered. The Christian idea of moments of grace in this story apply to real life. It is believed among many Christian followers that God’s grace is very powerful, unlike any other human could give to another. Most people misunderstand this and think that blessings are granted upon those who do good works and  punishments through bad works. The use of grace has nothing to do with any kinds of works, which is where most people are mistaken. Rather, the principle to the Christian theology of grace is recognized in the bible by Solomon. He said it is vain to judge God on matters of good or bad works. God can surely do as he pleases and His ways are opposite of man’s ways. Solomon says: â€Å"There is vanity that is done under the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous: I said that this is also vanity.† (Ecclesiastes 5:14) This quote suggests that despite the actions one may do, it is up to the grace of God that determines what that person deserves or does not deserve. The use of grace is all part of God’s plan for humans. No matter how many men judge a person, it is only God’s judgment that determines who receives grace. The grandmother and Misfit have been awarded the positive aspects of grace, which is not dependent on works of any kind. According to Christian theology, humans are commanded to be righteous and not evil. It says in the bible that God loves his creations so intensely he gave his only son to die for all human sins, which was a big question mark for the Misfit. If only he had known for sure maybe he would have never committed the immoral crimes he did. If the Misfit would have only known that according to Christian theology, all humans are destined by God’s divine grace no matter what deeds that have been done on earth, he would have made wiser decisions. If only th e grandmother had been shot every day all of her life, according to the Misfit, would she have been a better lady. When thinking of Christian theology, one would agree it just pertains to religion and God. Theology is the study of religion, and God’s relation to the world. Theology is based upon the Old and New Testament in the Bible, as well as historic traditions practiced by Christians. It has been practiced for thousands of years. People have always tried to make justifications to argue, examine, clarify, defend or promote Christianity. The Misfit seems to know most aspects when it comes to the Christian religion, as he talks about all of Christ’s works in the story. The way he viewed Christian beliefs was all an outcome on how he lived his life. â€Å"Our concepts about the divine  inform our lives more deeply than most people can trace. Whether God is viewed as distant or near, as gracious or capricious, as concerned or apathetic, the conclusions we reach—whether the result of careful reflection or negligent assumptions—guide our lives.† (Kapic 1) The wa y people live their lives depends on an individuals’ belief about theology and the way God relates to the world. It is the beliefs people choose to accept that ultimately guides everyday lives. Whether people choose to accept or deny that there is a God, it is all based on individual experiences and beliefs. The grandmother seemed to have thought she knew all about Christianity, but judging by her actions, it is clear she did not genuinely live righteously. There is no factual evidence that Jesus is real, but many have come to receive grace in their final moments, as shown in â€Å"A Good Man.† Believers of Christian faith are thought out to be hypocritical and this stereotype fits the grandmother’s character in â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find.† Just like the grandmother and Misfit in the story, it is grace that enabled them to come to Christ sincerely. The final lines in the story depict both the grandmother’s and Misfit’s realizations as if they have received answers to all questions about life. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† reflects the Christian theology of grace. The grace of God is a gift, and if willing to accept it, even when undeserving, humans can be granted salvation like the grandmother was. The grace of God has been shown not to bestow upon the mere form of actions, but onto ones who are open to Christ, according to â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find.† Works Cited New King James Version. Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1982. Print. Kapic, Kelly M. A Little Book for New Theologians. InterVarsity Press, 2012. Print. O’Conner, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find.† The Writer’s Presence. Bedford/St. Martin’s; Fourth Edition, 2003. 931-943. Print.