My Last Duchess

My Last Duchess and one other poem of your choice? Firstly, the presentation in ‘My Last Duchess' Is a relationship that has no equality between the Duke and the Duchess. This Is shown through the title of the poem. The word ‘my Is a possessive pronoun and It connotes with the fact that someone has ownership over something else; In this case the Duke has ownership over the Duchess. The Duke Is objectifying the Duchess and the word after Is ‘last' this suggests that the Duke has had more than one wife and they are his objects, they are not their own person, they belong to him.This is further reinforced by the line ‘That's my last duchess painted on the wall' The word ‘painted' implies that he has preserved his wife, that she is now a physical object. Also it has been manufactured by a man; her husband has created her identity through his personal view of her. Further on in the poem the Duke says ‘Nee then would be stooping; and I choose never to sto op. ‘ he says this because he is annoyed with his wife's actions. The word ‘stooping' means to lower yourself to someone else's level.This suggests that he believes he his higher up than her, so In order to explain his annoyance and is Jealously he would have to bring himself to her level. Furthermore when he says ‘l choose never to stoop'. The ‘choose' Implies that one has power to make their own decisions and because the Duke has lots of power due to high title In the hierarchy It implies that he needs to reinforce the fact that he has lots of power to justify his actions of not explaining his feelings to his wife.The other poem I have chosen is Our Love Now which is similar in the fact that there is no equality in their relationship either. There is some sense of equality in the structure, in the sense that he man and the woman get 4 stanzas, with 6 lines. This visually gives the relationship in the poem equality on the surface. However the language presen ts there to be no equality between the two. It is a man who writes this poem he begins with ‘I said' this is a 1st person pronoun- it prioritize his voice, thus meaning he believes he Is more Important than her.The poet then uses ‘she said' for the other side of the poem. The word ‘she' is a 3rd person pronoun he Is talking about her and Is therefore a recollection of a dialogue and this means he Is denying her a voice cause he is simply interpreting what she said, when she might not have meant that at all. If the poem is read in numbered stanza order and if it is read in a sequence, the woman still gets the last word. At the end she says ‘The tree is forever dead. Such is our love. The tree' is a metaphor for the love between the couple and because she says that the love ‘Is forever dead' this implies that she believes there love is now non-existent and it will be forever more. Overall this implies she has ended the relationship, which also implies tha t she had control over the relationship. This could be a reason why he writes the poem, in the way that he does because it gives him a voice and therefore he can compensate for the lack of control he had over the relationship.The second presentation of the relationship in ‘My Last Duchess' Is that It Is very separate. This Is due to the feelings that the Duke expresses about his wife and the fact that she Isn't Interested by him. He first describes the painting to be ‘a piece of wonder, now. The comma represents a pause and therefore the piece and it hasn't always been a Wonder'. Due to the painting being an object ND this is what he saw his wife as, this then reflects his view on her and that he didn't appreciate her that much until she was dead.The word Wonder' means a feeling of amazement and admiration, caused by something beautiful or remarkable. This reveals what the Duke thinks of his wife now that she is dead, when she was alive he believed she wasn't faithful an d didn't appreciate him enough but now he believes in something different, he believes in the complete opposite to what she was when she was alive. However he describes the Duchess to be twats not her husband's resent only, called that spot of Joy. In this statement the Duke is implying that his wife is promiscuous and his wife shouldn't own a quality like this.The ‘spot' means she is blushing; this is associated with being embarrassed because they are in love. This then implies that she does not actually love the Duke; she doesn't only belong to him as a lover. This separate relationship is reinforced by his very negative view on her when his wife was alive, he states ‘as if she ranked my gift of a nine-hundred- years-old-name with anybody gift' this is an enjambment and the poet has used it o present the Duke's anger and frustration towards his wife's lack of appreciation.The word ‘gift' makes the Duke sound like a good person, it is his gift to her and therefore she should be grateful but because she isn't showing her gratitude he is angry. Furthermore the ‘nine-hundred-old name' presents the Duke to be a man of prestige and he is proud of this name. He is stating to the listener that he is above her and he is annoyed that his gift is being compared to anyone else's gift, which is obviously not on the same level as his. Where as she seems to be grateful for anything due to, she ranks ‘anybody gift' with his. The word ‘anybody suggests that it is anyone, with any class or social order.The Duke presents his wife to be easily impressed and doesn't have that much intelligence. Overall he wants her to worship him and only him but she is presented to be looking for other things by being promiscuous. The relationship in Our Love Now is also presented to be separate. To begin with there is a visual separation in the presentation of the poem. On one side there is the ‘l said' where as on the opposite side there is the Ã¢â‚¬Ë œshe said' and because Hess people have two different views on their relationship it puts emphasis on this from the very start.There is also separation in the content of the stanzas but there is still the same theme. He uses alliteration in the skin slowly knits'. Knitting is an action that requires skill and patience, this shows that he thinks this will happen to their relationship over time. On the opposite side she says ‘There is always a scar, a permanent reminder' A ‘scar' is ugly it is an impurity and it ruins something that was once perfect. This gives a negative tone she believes that the relationship will no anger be the same as it once was.On the second stanza he again uses a metaphor for their relationship, this metaphor is the red burnt flesh is ugly the word ‘burnt' connotes with pain, which they are both suffering by. Although he has been positive in the previous stanza he begins to become more realistic by saying ‘it can be hidden' this means h e has acknowledged the burn but now he wants to avoid it and be secretive about it until (overtime) it has healed. She then replies with the skin remains bleached' this is an even worse opinion of the relationship.The word ‘bleached' connotes with the skin unnatural and washed out; the pigment of the skin echoed when she goes on to say ‘and a numbness prevails'. This presents a metaphor for her feelings, she no longer feels anything. However the word ‘prevails' suggests that this is superior to other feelings, as if she has tried to fight this feeling but the feeling of nothingness has conquered. Overall this shows they are both very separate in their feelings and emotions, he still believes their relationship can heal whereas she believes it won't be the same as it once was. My last duchess My Last Duchess Question: Write about a poem set well In the past, but which remains relevant today. Explain why, despite the difference In time, the mall concerns of the poem remains relevant to you. A poem which is set well in the past but remains relevant in today's society is ‘My Last Duchess' by Robert Browning. The poem remains relevant today as even nowadays there are people who possess similar characteristics as the Duke; the abusive use of power in some societies is still relevant in some communities.Despite the obvious change in time and society, there are still people who are egotistical and controlling; unman nature remains unaltered even with time. Before the poem even begins we are immediately struck by the ambiguity of the title itself. We are left to wonder how many duchesses has the duke had, who Is his last duchess nor do we know If the â€Å"last† Indicates the final duchess or Just the previous one. The poem begins by the duke leading an emissary arou nd his castle, acting as a tour.He begins by reminiscing about the painting of his last duchess and the reader comes to realize the Duke's cold character as he describes the painting as â€Å"the depth and passion of TTS earnest glance†. He refers to the girl as â€Å"its† instead of her, indicating she is of little worth to him. This dehumidifies her and further suggests the duke has developed a better relationship with the painting than the he had with the woman It represents.We also come to understand here that the duke is possessive and demands to be obeyed â€Å"since none puts by the curtain I have drawn for you, but l† he chooses who does or does not see the duchess- something he could not achieve when she was alive. This shows the overwhelming control that the duke has over the ouches even after death- he cuts even her portrait off from what she loved: life. The woman has clearly died time ago but the possessive duke still requires control over her, sugg esting a threatening and controlling relationship which can sadly sully be seen in today's society to confirm this disturbing suggestion.Later in the Poem the Duke describes his wife's imperfections and we are introduced to his egotism, which reined her in. We are told by the duke that twats not Her husband's presence only, called that spot Of Joy into the Duchess' cheek twats not Her husband's presence only, called that spot twats not Of Joy Into the Duchess' cheek ‘twats not her husband's presence only, called that spot of Joy into the Duchess†. The duke is explaining to the envoy that he was not the source of her happiness which suggests he is representing the fact she gained pleasure from other things in life besides the duke.His egotism and extreme self-obsession are highlighted here, painting a picture of a man who is very dominating. Moreover the duke's dramatic monologue indicates that the duchess was subjugated when she was with him and unable to express her own opinions and feelings. The ‘spot of Joy in the duchess emphasizes the duchess's simple character, innocent, youthful zest for, Joy in, life. It is as if his power has made him evolve into becoming a very unpleased and domineering husband. In contrast to him, the duchess has a respectful and vibrant character which is further emphasized when the duke says â€Å"such stuff was courtesy, she thought†.His tone is viciously contemptuous- as if he is hissing, indicated by the alliteration of the â€Å"s†. The duke's scornful and cold tone is portrayed as he sneers â€Å"she thought†, this underlines how much antipathy he had for the duchess's view, indicating how disturbing their relationship had become. The duke expands on his wife's faults. He disapproves of how she was too easily impressed by the beauties of nature according to his unappreciative nature. Like all overbearing people, the duke describes the duchess to the reader as being fascinated without muc h effort, â€Å"she had/ a heart- how shall I say? Too soon made glad, oo easily impressed† This clarifies his critical attitude towards the duchess: she can be made happy by simple things which he could never understand. The young woman's â€Å"faults† were qualities like compassion, modesty, humility, delight in simple pleasures, and courtesy to those who served her. These lines have a natural, realistic, spontaneous feel created by Borrowing's use of disyllabic rhyming couplets which give the impression of pauses before speech, suggesting he pauses for thought, as if talking directly to us.This adds to the feeling of horror as it brings us closer to the duke, an evil and twisted character who attempts to persuade the reader. This creates to a closeness and intimacy which the reader finds sinister. Even today we can see societies having divided opinions on the attributes on certain global leaders. The duke's objections about the duchess further continued as he compl ains she was too easily impressed; she liked whatever she looked on and her looks went everywhere†.Here the Duke blames her for not seeing any difference between being the wife of a great man or any other simple pleasure. He believes she gave all men the kind of respect that only a man with his family's rank deserves. We are struck by horror as we come to realize the youth of the duchess herself as the duke explains her behavior around the castle as she â€Å"broke in the orchard for her, the white mule she rode† This indicates how young she is- full of life and warm hearted, Just like a manager. He could not tolerate the fact the duchess delighted in beauty and appreciated gifts from others.He recalls that she considered his favor at her breast' no more important than the setting of the sun or cherries compared to the duke's â€Å"gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name†. This reveals the duke's arrogance about his title and position. He talks about his title and clearly feels his position should had been given more respect from his wife. He calls his name ‘his gift' which suggests he clear to the reader that his name has been given grudgingly. The word ‘stoop' emphasizes this idea as it denotes how high up the duke thinks he is.This kind of attitude and air of arrogance would simply not be accepted in today's society due to people having being less discriminative. The duke's appalling lack of remorse and human emotion is bought to the reader when he causally describes the duchess's death. The almost inhumane coldness of his character is made clear as he states: â€Å"Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; then all smiles stopped together† Three very short, sharp, decisive clauses which subtly imply the girl's murder. A quick and decisive process: this†¦ Soother'.He simply decides and the deed is done, this again shows his abuse of power, lack of empathy and humanity as murder is the ultimate form of control . If this behavior was not shocking enough, the duke further spits out about the duchess: â€Å"There she stands as if alive. Will's please you rise? We'll meet the company below, then† Coming Just after the previous lines, the words there she stands as if alive' strongly suggests the girl has been murdered. After this there is a shocking Juxtaposition in that he was Just talking about murder before suddenly suggesting they merely re-join the other company.He has no conscience. Again we find a harsh link to today's society and the duke's era as there are people who will go to unbelievable lengths to gain their control, ignoring or out ruling their conscience; sometimes with tragic consequences. In conclusion, it is clear that there are many dominant personalities in society today and the duke was one of these men. He has an exaggerated sense of his own position and importance, perhaps because of his upper class upbringing and family background. But this ultimately led to the cold heartless murder of his last duchess. My last duchess This story of a man who has, out of Jealousy and insecurity, disposed of his wife, most likely by murder, is chillingly told by Browning through the voice of the murderer himself In a dramatic monologue. Throughout, Browning turns the speaker's words against himself: the apparently all-powerful narrator loses control of his narrative, Just as he lost control of his wife, and must kill his story In order to continue In his plans to gain another wife. Browning sets this story In Renaissance Italy, specifically in Ferrara, which is named in the poem's subtitle.The specific time-period is not named, but the names of the artists mentioned in the poem recall famous painters such as Fra Angelico and Fra Lippo Lippi, who lived in the quattro – and cinquecento in Italy. This period is renowned not only for the flourishing of artistic talent and the production of beautiful works of art (often of surprising verisimilitude) but also for violence, intrigue and murder: indeed, Ferrara itsel f, seat of the d'Este family, was a byword for fabulous displays of artistic and architectural taste alongside appalling brutality.These ideas embody the violence and materialism at the heart of the story, and which, It Is hinted, motivated the Duke's murder of his last Duchess. The Immediate setting for the story is an upper chamber In the ducal palace, away from the ‘company below, and Browning uses this as a means of making his narrator a more Intlmldatlng character, capable of dominating the Isolated and socially Inferior audience (the Count is, we are told our ‘master'). The use of a setting which amplifies the Duke's power is a key aspect of Browning's narrative method here, in that the ower belies the weakness and insecurity which cause the Duchess' death.The final image of ‘Neptune, taming a sea-horse', ought to be a final flourish for the Duke in his theatrical show for the listening envoy, yet this detail of the setting is emblematic of Brownings irony at work throughout the poem: whereas the Duke sees the ‘rarity as a sign of his wealth and good taste, and also as a representation of his ability to tame' a wild animal, he does not see the irony in him taming a creature as tiny and harmless as a sea-horse.Browning begins his story with the Duke presenting a icture of his ‘last' Duchess to an envoy, In a bld to Impress upon him his power and good taste, and ultimately, to ensure winning the Count's daughter's hand In marriage.Even in the first line, though, the Duke's choice of language undermines himself: his confident statement of That's my last Duchess painted on the wall' ought to establish a domineering voice (and, to an extent, it does, developed through relentlessly rhyming couplets), but the undertones of the word ‘last' appear to escape him – he ought, perhaps, to have said ‘late', but this word establishes his materialism nd shallow ostentatiousness, which cause the reader to mistrust his vers ion of events.In the subsequent discussion of the picture Browning sets up the scene and many of the central questions of the story. The Duke's apparently offtand mentioning of the artist's name sits uneasily with his need for control over the curtain (which ‘none puts by but l') establishes the contradictions Inherent in the narrative voice.The subsequent account of what the Duke Imagines Fra Pandolf saying to his Duchess Introduces the question over the Duchess' sexual fidelity which will feature trongly later in the story, when the Duke mentions the ‘spot of joy† which was not only called up Dy ner nusDan0's presence. ‘ Browning tells tne story 0T tne Duke ana Duchess' marriage, and of the incidents which led to her death, in a loose, apparently unstructured series of allegations made by the Duke about her ‘smile', which Went everywhere', and her heart, which was too soon made glad. Tellingly, the reader finds it hard to sympathise with the narrator' s evident indignation, expressed in the outburst ‘Sir, twas all one! , when all that the Duchess stands accused of is loving the dropping of the daylight in the West' and ‘a bough of cherries'; to the Duke it seems that these are evidence of feminine weakness, if not actual infidelity, but the reader's mistrust of the Duke invites them to see the images simply for what they are: examples of nature's unfettered beauty.It seems that Brownings intention here is to distance the audience from the narrator, so that we are inclined to view his actions more dispassionately and critically: by doing this, Browning makes the Duke's final ccusation – that of his wife undervaluing his ‘nine-hundred-years-old-name' – seem ridiculous. The narration of the murder itself is preceded by a passage of speech which is in marked contrast to the controlled refinement of the narrator's voice in the early stages of the monologue.His phrases become fragmented, broken by asides such as ‘l know not how, and the repetition of ‘stoop' (or forms thereof) three times in is used by Browning as conveying the impression of frustration and even anger in the narrative voice. With each repetition, the narrator's grip on the narrative weakens. Significantly, whereas the Duke relates the Duchess' behaviour earlier as a series of apparently emblematic incidents, at this stage he resorts to generalising, asking Who passed without / Much the same smile?What ought to be the final, damning indictment of the Duchess' infidelity, becomes instead, a damning indictment of the narrator's selfish insecurity. Browning recounts the Duchess' death (or, at least, disappearance) in a striking moment of only two lines, where the narrator appears to egain his control over his version of events. The series of short phrases, interspersed with semi-colons, has an air of grim finality, and it may appear that the narrator is smugly self-satisfied with his actions. Certainly, giv en the claustrophobic setting of an upper chamber, isolated from the ‘company below, the intention seems clear.However, it is hard to see his character as being dignified and impressive, when he seems more impressed with the ‘commands' he gave, and the fact that it is ‘smiles' which stopped. Here, Browning exploits the ambiguity of the word ‘smile' hich was created by the Duke itself: where he appears to intend it to stand as a euphemism for sexual infidelity, it remains in its literal meaning an innocent and charming action, and it is in keeping with Brownings method throughout the poem to invite the reader to see it as such.Browning concludes the story on a chilling note, with the Duke's narration regaining the polished, icy control that characterised the early parts of the monologue. The return to the present tense at Will't please you to rise' reminds the reader that they are a character in this drama, and Browning uses his to make the Duke's attempt to g ain a new wife all the more unsettling.The Duke's appeal, phrased in impossibly oblique and opaque terms, for a dowry, is certainly baffling, but Browning here hints at a sub-text which the Duke has thus far omitted from the story: the Duke appears to need money. Whether or not he is in dire financial straits, the collocation of money and the fair daughter's self makes for a disturbing conclusion, appearing to sum up the Duke's brutal objectification of women, In wnlcn tney are sllencea

Licensed casino gambling Essay

Individual effects: Is gambling generally harmful to the individual gambler? | Yes * Gambling is irrational and reckless and should, therefore, be regulated by the government. There may be the possibility of winning a big prize, but the overwhelming likelihood is that a gambler will lose money. This is ensured by the fact that Casinos are profit-minded organizations, and calculate their odds so that they will always make a profit. Because gamblers are always likely to lose and suffer as a result, the activity can be seen in many ways as an irrational engagement. Gambling attracts people with little money who are desperate for a windfall. These are the people who can least afford to lose money. They should be protected from the temptation to gamble. | NoContention that the general individual losses from gambling are justified by it being a fun and leisurely activity worth â€Å"paying† for: Gamblers know that, overall, they are likely to lose money. They gamble because it is a leisure pursuit that they enjoy. There is nothing irrational about this. Some people get an enjoyable thrill from the remote possibility that they might win a huge prize – even if they lose, they enjoy the experience. Some forms of gambling are highly sociable. For example, many people go to bingo halls to spend time with friends. Society accepts people spending (â€Å"wasting†? ) money on other leisure pursuits with no material benefits (e. g. cinema tickets, watching sport) – gambling should not be any different. It is patronizing to suggest that people, including those on low incomes, should not be able to choose how they spend their money. * Psychological benefits of gambling: Some argue that gambling offers psychological benefits. The psychological benefits may include: 1. A feeling of control (which some describe as God-like). 2. Confidence that extends from feelings of executive control in decision-making. 3. Benefits in the ability to psycho-analyze other peoples thoughts, and placing moneyed interests and incentives behind the results of such psycho-analysis. [1] 4. Total engagement and â€Å"peak experience†. â€Å"It provides the gambler with ‘peak experience,’ that godlike feeling when all of one’s physical and emotional senses are ‘go. ‘†[2] 5. The release from daily tension. 6. Feelings of exercising â€Å"‘the adventurer within us’ – that part of ourselves which lusts for change, the wooing of the unknown, change, danger, all that is new†¦ It is part of what makes us human. â€Å"[3] 7. Feelings of engaging in a ubiquitous, historical human tradition. 8. Emotions of non-conformity and freedom. One source quoted a gambler who said, â€Å"All day long you do what them dumb bastard supervisors tell you. Don’t make no difference whether it makes sense or not. Sometimes you just gotta get out of line. â€Å"[4] * Gambling increases individual efficiency: Studies show that, contrary to popular belief, gambling is by and large beneficial to the gambler and increases rather than decreases his efficiency. It is beneficial in that it stimulates, offers hope, allows decision making, and, in many cases,| Crime effects: Does gambling cause an increase in various kinds of related criminal activities? | [][Edit]Yes * Casinos are often associated with criminal activity. Drug dealers and prostitutes operate near casinos – they know that there are a large number of potential clients in the area. Casinos can therefore be devastating to neighborhoods. | [][Edit]No * People committing crimes should be prosecuted. The existence of criminals does not make nearby businesses (including casinos) immoral. It is perverse to punish people who just want to gamble (and not take drugs or use prostitutes) by taking away their chance to do so. | Bad industry? Are casinos an industry with bad merit? Is nothing of value produced by casinos? | Yes * Casinos don’t produce any â€Å"product†: Many contend that gambling is inappropriate because it does not generate any tangible product. One commentators says that gambling â€Å"is an ethereal substance–â€Å"a biological substance†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat produces â€Å"highs†¦ generated usually by anticipation. â€Å"[5]| No * Contention that casinos are involved in the entertainment business, and need not produce a tangible product: Gambling is a form of entertainment that is similar to many other forms of entertainment; the objective is merely to foster a desired emotional response from the audience. Movies, theater, fair-grounds, concerts, sporting-events, and casinos are all similar in that their primary function is to foster an environment of entertainment. That is their â€Å"product†, which need not be physical in order to be viewed as valuable. | Addiction: Is gambling commonly addictive, and would this be a reason for regulating it? | Yes * Gambling is addictive. Many people end up gambling to try to recover money they have already lost. This is known as ‘chasing losses’. It results in people staking more and more money, most of which they will lose. Gambling addicts often turn to crime to feed their addiction. Addiction is highly damaging to families, since gamblers will spend whatever money they can on gambling. People start to gamble without thinking that they will become addicted. Once they become addicted, it is too late. As with drugs, it is better to ban gambling to stop people getting started in the first place. * Analogy that gambling truly is like a drug, and should be treated as a controlled substance: * It is â€Å"drug-like† in the way that it dramatically utilizes human chemicals: William M. Thompson, â€Å"Gambling: A Controlled Substance†, PBS Interview, 1994 – â€Å"Is the comparison of drugs and gambling unfair? Consider the words of Thomas R. O’Brien, formerly Director of Gaming Enforcement for the state of New Jersey. In 1984 he told a conference on gambling that the success of Atlantic City was tied to how well it sold its ‘only products. ‘ He then said: ‘That product is not entertainment or recreation or leisure. It’s really adrenaline: a biological substance capable of producing excitement–highs and generated usually by anticipation or expectation of a future event, especially when the outcome of that event is in doubt. ‘ According to chief regulator of the industry, gambling was not only a drug, but a mind-altering drug. † * The addictive and destructive nature of gambling is also drug-like:William M. Thompson, â€Å"Gambling: A Controlled Substance†, PBS Interview, 1994 – â€Å"Where governments do not prohibit, the majority can exercise self-control. Seventy-five percent gamble responsibly. They find it an entertaining diversion. But another 20 percent overindulge. They incur debts that impair abilities to support their families, unless they stop. Usually they can. Four percent cannot stop without intervention of others. Then there are the one-half to one percent (and these are conservative estimates) who fall into destructive behaviors when exposed to gambling. Families are destroyed, friendships broken, employment disrupted. Cycles of deception and crime lead to ruined lives–and in many cases, suicide. â€Å"| No * Contention that gambling is not physically addictive: Unlike drugs, gambling is not physically addictive. It is only psychologically addictive in some people. Only a small percentage of gamblers have an addiction. Many more get enjoyment from gambling without problems – why should these people suffer because a few others get addicted? The risks of gambling addiction are well known. People can make a conscious choice to start gambling, and are aware of the risks of addiction. Treatment programmes can address the problems of those who are addicted. | Economic harm? Do casinos casinos cause economic harm or provide very few economic benefits? | Yes * The long-term economic negatives outweigh the short-term economic gains: John Warren Kind, â€Å"The Business-Economic Impacts of Licensed Casino Gambling in West Virginia: Short-Term Gain but Long-Term Pain†, PBS, 1994 – â€Å"While the dollars invested in various legalized gambling projects and the jobs initially created are evident, the industry has been criticized for inflating the positive economic impacts and trivializing or ignoring the negative impacts (Goodman 1994). The industry’s tendency to focus on specialized factors provides a distorted view of the localized economic positives, while ignoring the strategic business-economic costs to the state as a whole (such as West Virginia) and to different regions of the United States (California Governor’s Office 1992, Kindt 1995). In 1994, all of the various experts who testified before the U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business criticized the impacts that casino-style gambling activities inflict upon the criminal justice system, the social welfare, system, small businesses, and the economy (Congressional Hearing 1994). Utilizing legalized gambling activities as a strategy for economic development was thoroughly discredited during the hearing. † * The actual economic benefits of casinos are exaggerated. They generally only create low-paid jobs for local people; the casino companies usually bring in managers from elsewhere. * There are too many economic â€Å"externalities† surrounding gambling, which nullify the benefits: * Crime – * Risky behavior – Compulsive gambling may foster poor, sometimes risky money-management habits. These habits may transfer over to other areas of the economy, where risky behaviors translate into a higher likelihood of loss in various markets. * Time consumption – Compulsive gambling often entails significant time consumption, which detracts from more productive ends. * Jobs could be created through many other industries that cause fewer moral and practical problems (e. g. theme parks). * Any economic benefits would not matter, if the industry is deemed immoral: * Estimated losses from compulsive gambling: William M. Thompson, â€Å"Gambling: A Controlled Substance†, PBS Interview, 1994 – â€Å"Conservative numbers suggest it costs society $13,000 per year for each compulsive gambler. The losses include treatment costs, lost productivity, criminal activity and judicial costs. Estimating that widespread gambling across America would create one million compulsive gamblers, the resulting annual economic loss would exceed $13 billion. â€Å"| No * Casinos cause money to be spent on transport infrastructure, which is very beneficial to economies: * Casinos help the tourism industry of a place: The jobs are not just in the casino itself. More jobs are created in hotels and other parts of the tourism industry. * Examples in which casinos have helped to regenerate many places that previously had considerable poverty and social problems: * Atlantic City. * New Jersey. * Legalized gambling on reservations is very important to Native American tribes: Anthony Pico, Chairman of the Viejas Indians, explains the benefits to his tribe of legalized gambling on his tribe’s reservation in a PBS interview. [6]| Social welfare effects: Are the charitable generations from gambling substantial, and can this go toward justifying their existence? | Yes * It is immoral for the state or charities to raise money by exploiting people’s stupidity and greed. * Gambling is regressive (this means that the poor pay a greater proportion of their income in tax than the rich). This is because poor people are more likely to gamble. Regressive taxation is deeply unfair. * â€Å"Legalized gambling activities act as a regressive tax on the poor† (Clotfelter and Cook 1989). Specifically, the legalization of various forms of gambling activities makes â€Å"poor people poorer† and can dramatically intensify many pre-existing social-welfare problems. Demographic analyses reveal that certain disadvantaged socioeconomic groups tend to gamble proportionately greater amounts of their overall income and marketing efforts, particularly by state lotteries, have allegedly been directed at these target groups. † – John Warren Kind, â€Å"The Business-Economic Impacts of Licensed Casino Gambling in West Virginia: Short-Term Gain but Long-Term Pain†, PBS, 1994 * Contention that education is harmed by gambling practices: Kind, PBS, 1994 – â€Å"Legalized gambling activities also negatively affect education– both philosophically and fiscally (Better Government Association 1992; Clotfelter and Cook 1989). Adherence to a philosophy of making a living via gambling activities not only abrogates the perceived need for an education, but also reinforces economically unproductive activities (and is statistically impossible since the ‘house’ always wins eventually). In states with legalized gambling activities which were initiated allegedly to bolster tax revenues to ‘education,’ the funding in ‘real dollars’ has almost uniformly decreased. â€Å"| No * Gambling is often used to raise money for the state or good causes. Charities use prize draws to raise funds:| Should online gambling be banned? | Yes * Internet gambling is especially dangerous. Someone can become addicted very easily – they don’t even need to leave their home. This also means that they are gambling in private. They may therefore be less reluctant to wager very large sums they cannot afford. It is very hard to know the identity of an online gambler – there have been several cases of people (including children) using stolen credit cards to gamble online. Online gambling may be hard to control but that is not a reason to try – making an activity more difficult to pursue will still reduce the number of those who take it up. It is not impossible to put effective deterrent steps in place, such as the recent US ban on American banks processing credit card payments to internet ]. | No * It is impossible to stop online gambling. When it has been banned, people have just used sites based in other countries. It is better to legalize and regulate online gambling than to drive gamblers to poorly-regulated foreign operators. Regulation can reduce the problems identified by the proposition. For example, online gamblers can be required to give personal details when registering (e. g. occupation, income). If this information suggests they are spending more than they can afford, the company can block their credit card. In any case, most online gamblers do not get addicted. Why should they be denied an activity that they enjoy? |

Accident Prevention Program Essay

The committee is made up of management-designated representatives and one employee-elected representative each from the office, factory and outside sales divisions of our company. Employees in each division will elect from among themselves a representative to be on the committee. If there is only one volunteer or nomination, the employees will approve the person by voice vote at a short meeting called for that purpose. If there is more than one volunteer or nomination, a secret paper ballot will be used to elect the representative. Elected representatives will serve for one year before being re-elected or replaced. If there is a vacancy then an election will be held before the next scheduled meeting to fill the balance of the term. In addition to the employee-elected representatives, management will designate no more than three representatives but a minimum of one who will serve until replaced by management. A chairperson will be selected by majority vote of the committee members each year. If there is a vacancy, the same method will be used to select a replacement. In addition to the committee responsibilities explained above, duties of safety committee members include: A monthly self-inspection of the area they represent Communicating with the employees they represent on safety issues and Encouraging safe work practices among co-workers. The regularly scheduled meeting time is 7:30 am for one hour on the first Thursday of each month, at the employee lunchroom. This may be changed by vote of the committee. A committee member will be designated each month to keep minutes on the attached minutes form. A copy will be posted on the employee bulletin board after each meeting. After being posted for one month, the minutes will be filed for one year. The minutes form contains the basic monthly meeting agenda. (Customize by adding any additional safety committee information that you may have and/or deleting any that do not apply to your company. ) Employee Safety Meetings (Optional for employers with 10 or fewer employees or employers with 11 employees or more who are segregated on different shifts or work in widely dispersed locations in crews of 10 or less) All employees are required to attend a monthly safety meeting held on the first Thursday of each month in the lunchroom. This meeting is to help identify safety problems, develop solutions, review incidents reports, provide training and evaluate the effectiveness of our safety program. Minutes will be kept on the attached minutes form. Meeting minutes will be kept on file for one year. (Customize by adding any additional Employee Safety Meeting information that you may have and/or deleting any that do not apply to your company. ) Hazard Recognition Record Keeping and Review Employees are required to report any injury or work related illness to their immediate supervisor regardless of how serious.

Not Guilty by Reasons of Insanity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Not Guilty by Reasons of Insanity - Assignment Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that in NGRI the defendant is considered â€Å"not guilty† of a criminal act if he is able to meet insanity defense standards. Civil proceedings and not criminal punishment is applied with regard to their confinement. In GBMI, it is more of an outcome, rather than a defense, that implies the guilt or criminal culpability of the defendant and therefore criminal sanctions and punishment, including imprisonment, apply to him. Saying that he is â€Å"but mentally ill† only indicates an existing mental disorder during the offense and/or judgment and does not lessen his guilt and criminal responsibility. There was no significant reduction in insanity acquittals following the adoption of GBMI in the following states. Although in Pennsylvania and Georgia, NGRI acquittals were lessened. Those acquitted as NGRI are confined for treatment in the forensic ward of a mental hospital. Psychiatrists are then assigned by the court to determine the progress of the patient and whether he has recuperated and regained his sanity. Conditional release program ensures a thorough monitoring of insanity acquittees. A person who becomes eligible for release has his case reviewed by a multidisciplinary committee or a psychiatric security review board. A decision for release is based and dependent on a set of conditions that the individual must follow to reduce danger to him. The individual is then watched and observed in the community. Failure to meet the set conditions will lead to his return to a 24-hr facility.

Investment Bubble Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investment Bubble - Personal Statement Example Virtually, a spiral sets in with more investment coming through causing more escalation in price of the said asset. Within few months price soars beyond imagination of all and the level of rationality. Even at this level, buying keeps supporting the price. Those who were not the part of this boom feel like having missed the bus and decide to plunge into it with all available resources. Soon, price reaches to a level, which cannot be justified by any of the known established investment theories even after discounting all future cash flow streams in a most optimistic scenario. Such a level of price cannot be sustained for a long period of time and discerning speculators start unloading at the peak of the heat. Price starts falling quickly and gullible retail investors who are in thousands cannot fathom that ‘bubble has burst indeed’ and hold on to their investment causing them insurmountable loss in the asset wiping their most of the capital. It will be worth exploring and to live some of the investment bubbles in a different class of assets across the world before identifying the key issues involved with an investment bubble versus a long term investment. Japanese Stock Market Bubble It will be interesting to track the movement of Nikkei 225 between the period of 1983 and 1991to understand how did the stock market burst eventually. The index which was hovering Source:http://www.chartsrus.com/chart.php?image=http://www.sharelynx.com/chartstemp/free/chartind1CRU.php?ticker=^N225 around 8,300 in 1983 peaked to more than 38,000 in December 1989. The boom period continued for almost 6 years giving a stupendous rise to the stock price. For many, it was a great period of investment giving them return of 500% or more. However, the bubble burst after that and index came down crashing to nearly half at 19,000 within a year. It plunged further down to 14,000 by third quarter of 1993. The most tragic part is that the exactly after 20 years Nikkei touched the sa me level of 8,300 that is where it started off in 1983. It was a complete reversal and complete washout of investment. (Japan Nikkei 225 2011) Investment Bubble versus Long Term Investment Above incident raises several issues worth contemplating. A common understanding among investors is that the investment always rises with time and with the expansion of economy, but here a totally different phenomenon has surfaced. Anyone who invested in Japanese stock market in 1983 and stayed with the investment until 2003 virtually had no return on his or her investment though it may be termed as a long term investment without resorting to any speculative activity. Investor is back to square one. This certainly defies the theory that a long term investment always pays. Japan has certainly progressed between 1983 and 2003 that is evident from the GDP figures. In 1983, Japan’s GDP was $10,987.22 (Japan GDP - per Capita 2011) in terms of purchasing power parity point of view which grew to $ 33,884.84 in the same terms. It is true that the bubble has burst but how to justify the same valuation even after 20 years. This indicates that the rise and fall of the investment is not always linked to the time and economic expansion in general. It is a quantum of the money chasing targeted asset plays a pivotal role in the appreciation of an asset. Bubble in Precious Metal In another class of asset namely Gold, the situation is again not much different. During economic or

Nuclear power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nuclear power - Essay Example Thermal reactors are common in many nuclear plants in the world since they mainly use thermal fission. Thermal neutrons move within thermal equilibrium at a temperature of about 550F, corresponding to a velocity of 3700 meters per second (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). On striking a uranium- 235 nucleus with the fuel, the nucleus sometimes split or fission into two unequally sized nuclei known as fission fragments. The fission products comprise large positively charged particles of elements such as Iodine or Strontium. The fission products slow down immediately and producing heat in the fuel. Moreover, 2 and 3 neutrons are produced in the process. The moderator decelerates the neutrons to the thermal energy. Neutrons do not travel very far within the reactor. They are generated from fission in the fuel, jump around in the moderator, then lose a large amount of their energies and later causes fission (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). The aim of nuclear fission is to generate heat. Thus, the coolant removes the heat and maintains the temperature of the fuel within tolerable limits (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). It also cools the moderator, which can also be used to cool the fuel. In some cases, it also cools the fuel by moving round the rods holding the fuel. The fuel within the reactor exists in the form of pellets of made of uranium dioxide or metal dioxide. There exists two or more isotopes of uranium and includes U- 235 and U 238 (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). U -238 is common in nature and has 146 neutrons and 92 protons. The remaining portion comprise of U – 235 and U 234. In commercial nuclear reactors, the fuel has a higher concentration of U- 235 compared to the level found in nature. It will undergo thermal and fast fission when struck by neutrons. Consequently, U – 238 will also undergo fission when struck by quick moving neutrons of specific energies and can in some case absorb

What are the limits of a Social Identity approach to the social Essay

What are the limits of a Social Identity approach to the social psychology of deviance - Essay Example In this context, we can look at deviances which are obvious such as taking drugs which are prohibited in society and we can examine deviant behaviour which is less commonly seen or discussed in polite society as such e.g. paying cash to avoid taxes and other white collar crimes. We can also try to understand the social identity process that takes place in the formation of groups that display socially deviant attitudes and even consider situations in which a person can be purposefully deviant within a given scenario. At the same time, an examination of other approaches to understanding deviance within society is also mandated. Other theories such as the strain/anomie theory and the social disorganization theory can be helpful in explaining parts or covering areas which are lacking in the social identity approach. However, the first step in the process remains an understanding of deviance and how the social identity approach is limited in clearly understanding the process as it occurs in society. Henri Tajfel and John Turner have been credited with the creation of the Social Identity Theory which begins with how people categorise themselves and others using labels (Johnson & MacEachern, 1985). For example, an American may categorise all people coming from the Middle East as Muslims or a person in the Middle East may think that all Americans are Christians. Once a person has made categories, s/he can then identify and create an in-group identity for themselves as being part of a group which in turn helps in increasing that person’s self-esteem. Finally, the person can have and can even be taught to have and understand the differences between the in-group individuals and out-group others. These comparisons can be mostly favourable to the group the person belongs to but they can also be negative in certain cases. For example, a person living in an economically less developed country may accept that s/he belongs to a

General Biology hw Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Biology hw - Essay Example These light-harvesting molecules otherwise called antennae molecules absorb light energy and transmit it to the reaction center. Once they absorb light, the molecules are in an excited state which is generally unstable. Therefore the excited molecules (electrons) rapidly decay to the ground state with simultaneous transfer of excitation energy to neighboring molecules. This process is called exciton transfer. This transfer continues to the third and fourth or subsequent neighbor until a special pair of chlorophyll a molecules at the reaction center is excited. Upon being excited the electron is promoted to higher energy orbital and then it passes to an electron acceptor leaving the photochemical center with an electron ‘hole’. This electron is then replaced by another electron from a neighboring electron donor molecule. Experiments set up to investigate photosynthesis in plants in the 1950s by Louis Duysens with bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum found that there was a temporary decrease in absorption of light at the wavelength of 870 nm. This temporary decrease in light absorption was referred to as ‘bleaching’. Similar studies also demonstrated similar ‘bleaching’ at wavelengths of 680 and 700 nm. Therefore, P680 and P700 stand for bleaching which occur in plant chloroplasts at the wavelength 680 and 700 nm respectively. The P680 and P700 represent the maximum wavelength of maximum bleaching (needed to excite) in photosystem I and photosystem II respectively. Chloroplast is a double membrane organelle present in photosynthetic organism. The organelle contains the photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll which absorbs light in the visible spectra and converts the light energy into chemical via two distinct phases, the light phase and dark phase with the final step of assimilation of CO2 into the cell as a hexose sugar. Photosynthesis is a process that takes place in the chloroplast of photosynthetic organisms where light is absorbed

Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Portfolio - Essay Example I also served as a research assistant in two labs of my university and I got immense opportunities to learn there in a very reputable environment. I am a quick and efficient learner, excellent in making social contacts that can lead to positive grooming with regards to profession and general behavior. I adjust easily with the new and dynamic environment to deliver the results optimally. I like to work in a team to sharpen the learning experience by competing with positive enthusiasm. Analytical record Date: The employer was a renowned company in the information technology sector which has offered multiple competitive job openings and organized a lecture to nurture the students in accordance with the emerging trends in the cooperate world. The main emphasis was on the availability of jobs in the information technology sector and how the students can avail diverse opportunities timely in order to grab the best and alluring careers. The students were told that there are multifarious sca les of job opportunities in the IT sector. The jobs span caries from telecommunication companies to software houses. The requirements are good programming skills and managerial know-how. We were surprised to learn about a contemporary trend in the interviews, and that is a very less emphasis is given on the CGPA rather it is the skills and technical know-how which weighs more in the IT industry. The main advantages in this field is rapid wealth generation and an individual can avail multiple opportunities at a time. I have started to focus more on the technical courses as there is a primary requirement for technical skill set in IT industry. Jobs are copious and manifold and the opportunities are expanding day by day. Date: The employer was an eminent and acclaimed member of the HR industry. The lecture focused on the importance of managerial skills among the students’ of technical courses. The hybrid structure of skill set was emphasized among the students because in the mod ern cooperate world; one cannot survive by only converging the emphasis on one area of knowledge. The lecturer told the students that they can plan to follow a Master in business administration program in some university of good repute because there is an increasing demand of IT project managers in the market. The disadvantage of following a hybrid program can be lack of focus on divergence of efforts. Date: The employer was an extolled and distinguished member the mobile development market. The session was really interactive and interesting. The importance of mobile development was explained to students and it was depicted through graphs that how the mobile development jobs are taking a huge leap in the current cooperate world. The explosion of mobile OS’s like Android and iOS have given a boost in the overall market scenario. The advantage of mobile developments is very diverse as this field is now being considered as ever green. Though android and i-phone have touched thei r climax but there is a new introduction in this global market in the form of windows mobile development. The switch of the field is also easy. I am now trying to get my majors in mobile developments programming languages because I have developed an intense interest in it. Date: Employer was one of the esteemed and acclaimed parts of the telecom sectors. It was told to us that there are plenty o job scope for the fresh

Midterm Exam Essay Example for Free

Midterm Exam Essay 1. (TCO 1) Suppose your company sold $25,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? (Points : 12) 2. (TCO 2) Suppose your company sold $50,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? (Points : 12) 3. (TCO 3) Rationalization is one of the components of the fraud triangle. What types of rationalization could a person use to justify misconduct? How can a company protect itself from rationalization as a part of fraud? (Points : 12) 4. (TCO 4) What is horizontal analysis of financial statements? How does horizontal analysis differ from vertical analysis? (Points : 12) 5. (TCO 3) Separation of duties is a key feature in an internal control system. Why is separation of duties such an important internal control? Give an example of separation of duties as an internal control. (Points : 24) 6. (TCO 1) Describe the balance sheet. Why is this statement important to the company, creditors, and investors? (Points : 24) 7. (TCO 4) Name and describe one liquidity ratio. What does this ratio measure? What is the formula for this ratio? (Points : 24) ACCT 301 Midterm Exam 2 1. (TCO 1) The retained earnings statement shows all of the following except which one? 2. (TCO 1) Management’s views on the company’s short-term debt paying ability, expansion financing, and results of operations are found in which of the following? 3. (TCO 4) For 2010, Fielder Corporation reported net income of $30,000; net sales $400,000; and average share outstanding 6,000. There were no preferred stock dividends. What was the 2010 earnings per share? 4. (TCO 4) A useful measure of solvency is which of the following? 5. (TCO 2) Which pair of accounts follows the rules of debit and credit, in relation to increases and decreases, in the same manner? 6. (TCO 2) The principle purpose of posting is which of the following? 7. (TCO 3) Joe is a warehouse custodian, and also maintains the accounting record of the inventory held at the warehouse. An assessment of this situation  indicates 8. (TCO 3) The following information was taken from Hurlbert Company cash budget for the month of June: 9. (TCO 11) Managerial accounting information does which of the following? 10. (TCO 11) Which one of the following is not a direct material? 11. (TCO 11) Sales commissions are classified as which of the following? 12. (TCO 11) Manufacturing costs include which of the following? 13. (TCO 11) Neeley Manufacturing Company reported the following year-end information: 14. (TCO 5) What effect do changes in activity have on fixed costs per unit? 15. (TCO 5) Which one of the following is not an assumption of CVP analysis? ACCT 301 Midterm Exam 3 1. (TCO 5) A company has total fixed costs of $210,000 and a contribution margin ratio of 30%. How much sales are necessary to break even? 2. (TCO 5) How much sales are required to earn a target income of $70,000, if total fixed costs are $100,000 and the contribution margin ratio is 40%? 3. (TCO 6) For which one of the following budgeting aspects does the budget committee generally have the responsibility? 4. (TCO 6) Under what situation might a budget be most effective? 5. (TCO 6) How does long-range planning compare to a master budget? 6. (TCO 6) Which one of the following is a source of information used to prepare the budgeted income statement? 7. (TCO 7) When is a static budget most appropriate in evaluating a manager’s performance? 8. (TCO 7) Which type of center is the housekeeping department of a manufacturing company? 9. (TCO 7) For which of the following is an investment center manager responsible? 10. (TCO 7) Merck Pharmaceuticals is evaluating its Vioxx division, an investment center. The division has a $45,000 controllable margin and $300,000 of sales. How much will Merck’s average operating assets be when its return on investment is 10%? 11. (TCO 11) Financial and managerial accounting are both concerned with the economic events of an enterprise. Similarities between financial and managerial accounting do exist, but they have a different focus. Briefly distinguish between financial and managerial accounting as they relate to (1) the primary users, (2) the type and frequency of reports, (3) the purpose of reports, and (4) the content of reports. 12. (TCO 4) Are short-term creditors, long-term creditors, and stockholders primarily interested in the same characteristics of a company? Explain. 13. (TCO 5) In the month of  September, Nixon Company sold 800 units of product. The average sales price was $30. During the month, fixed costs were $7,200 and variable costs wer e 60% of sales.

The Impact Of Culture On Healthcare Nursing Essay

The Impact Of Culture On Healthcare Nursing Essay Culture is one of the most important determining factors in healthcare preferences and practices. Thus, the need for transcultural nursing is undeniable. Transcultural nursing requires sophisticated assessment and analytic skills and the ability to plan, design, implement, and evaluate nursing care for individuals, families, groups, and communities representing various cultures (Andrews and Boyle, 2008, p.4). In order to effectively practice transcultural nursing, one must first understand the need for cultural competence. It is vital for nurses to have a desire to become culturally aware, culturally knowledgeable, culturally skillful, and to seek cultural encounters. Cultural desire is the stimulator in the eruption of the process of cultural competence and the nurse must seek and be open to learn and accept others, understand the process is lifelong, and set aside personal feelings to effectively treat unique patients (Campinha-Bacote, J, 2003). The Giger and Davidhizar (2002) Tran scultural Model is a helpful tool that addresses and effectively treats patients who have different cultures. The model takes into consideration 6 important phenomena. Communication keeps culture alive by verbal and nonverbal means; it is one of the biggest obstacles in healthcare. Nurses ask questions to determine patients views on illness, causes, and possible treatments. They listen and interpret their patients level of understanding and ability to follow through with treatment. Also, nurses interact with the patients family. Communication varies from culture to culture. Americans are expected to speak Standard English; however, it varies based on region, ethnicity, and social class (United States, 2001). Americans use a variety of nonverbal communication. Eye contact, which is viewed as a sign of trust and honesty, between patients and healthcare professionals is the norm. Expression of emotion varies in American culture. Americans use a combination of verbal language, body language, and gestures. Americans are often straightforward and rather demanding. Unlike Americans, Asians rarely complain. Silence and withdrawal may be the only indication of a problem. Asians tend to not ask for anything, accept pain, and remain stoic (Fernandez V. K., 2008, Asian Community). Many Asians dont engage in eye contact with powerful persons; the avoidance of eye contact shows respect and reverence (Non-Verbal Communication, p.4). Asians speak more than 100 languages; they vary based on the geographic regions they descend from (Asian Americans, p. 2). Arab Muslims usually cooperate by answering questions, listening, and following directions until they see improvement. They believe their expression, such as pain, should be quickly met with response (Fernandez V. K., 2008, The Middle Eastern Community). The Arabic language uses devices that outmatch reality and is not very direct or explicit (Ayish, 2003). Hispanics are very emotionally expressive. Effective communication with Hispanics is not based on just speaking their language; cultural rules allow for certain discussions with certain people (Fernandez V. K., 2008, The Hispanic Ameri can Community). Eye contact is expected on the nurses part but will not necessarily be reciprocated (Andrews Boyle, p.25). Nurses, if available, should undergo cultural competency training. Berln and Fowkes LEARN Model can assist; LEARN, represents the process of listening to the patient, explaining your view, acknowledging differences and similarities, recommending and negotiating a plan (Campinha-Bacote, J.,2003). Nurses should enlist the help of trained interpreters, preferably of the same gender, mature, and of no relation to patient; if there is no interpreter, the following but not limited to, is necessary: politeness, slow and concise speaking, simplicity, pantomime, validation of understanding, and instructions in the proper sequence (Andrews Boyle, p.29). Space is also important when dealing with various cultures. Nurses are required to interact with patients, often invading personal space. Giger and Davidhizar (2002) state: Territoriality refers to feelings or an attitude toward ones personal area. Each person has their own territorial behavior. Feelings of territoriality or violation of the clients personal and intimate space can cause discomfort and may result in a clients refusing treatment or not returning for further care. (p. 185) Americans tend to require a need for personal space. When family and friends are near, Americans tend to be relaxed; however, when a stranger or mere acquaintance invades space, it can become uncomfortable. Asians prefer a great amount of social distance. Many prefer minimum physical contact with acquaintances; excessive contact is viewed as inappropriate. Unlike Americans, who believe touch is a sign of friendliness, Asians view the head as a personal area that contains the seat of the soul and it should not be touched. Arab Muslims seem to require the least amount of space. It is not uncommon for people from the Middle East to stand closely when conversing. However, gender can play a role; Muslim woman may become distraught when a male, even a healthcare professional, stands or sits near her; Arab Muslims expect females to tend to females and males will care for males. Hispanics, unlike Americans, are use to standing or sitting near people they are not well acquainted with (Non-Ver bal Communication, p.3). Hispanics and Arab Muslims may unintentionally invade nurses space as a means of getting closer and more comfortable (Andrews Boyle, p.26). Nurses should take the patients lead; if the patient seems to gravitate towards you or initiates touch, then it is acceptable to do the same. At all times respect the patient and boundaries. When dealing with patients, there must be consideration of social organizations or what role the patients culture plays in his or her life. Family members are often the providers of a patients eating habits, sick role behaviors, and medications used. Americans view family as a vital part of their healthcare plans. It is common for Americans to be visited and supported by family; they often discuss and make important decisions. Asians are concerned with family interdependence over independence; family usually likes to assist with patient care. In some Asian cultures, some members, such as men and elders, dominate and consider women and children inferior (Galanti, 2005). Arab Muslims regard family as the foundation of their society. The husband answers questions, makes all major decisions, and gives consent. Often times, Arab Muslims dont believe in divulging family history. The family cares for the ill. (The Middle Eastern Community). Hispanics have large families who visit for long h ours as a way to demonstrate their love and genuine concern. Often times, decisions are made by the entire family or designated members (Galanti, 2003). Religious and spiritual beliefs are important factors during illness, recovery, and death. In the United States, most people consider themselves Christians; Catholics singly dominate, but the Protestant groups combined outnumber them. Americans include religious practitioners such as priest, ministers, and rabbis as well as nontraditional leaders during health related situations. Americans include religious objects, such as the Bible, and also rituals, such as communion. Death and end of life choices are also influenced by religion and practices; typically, Americans consider death a sad and somber time. Asians are host to numerous religions; Christian, Muslim, Buddhism, and Hindu are just a few. Many Asians believe in bad spirits; infants attract them and induce death. If the illness is thought to be caused by spirits, healers are sought (Asian Community). Arab Muslims are usually of the Islamic faith and pray 5 times a day to the Holy Land, Mecca. Muslims recharge their spiritual battery during the month of Ramadan; fasting from dawn to sunset accompanies. Arab Muslims often read from the Al Quran (The Middle Eastern Community). Hispanics are usually Catholics with the recent emergence of Pentecostals. Shrines and religious objects are common in practice. Health is viewed as Gods gift and should be revered (The Hispanic Community). Nurses must be accommodating to patients families and the value placed on family within cultures. Nurses must be sensitive to religious beliefs or practices and must not impose personal beliefs. Seeking knowledge is essential. However, exposure to diverse cultures is one the best learning mechanisms. Understanding a cultures notion of time elapsing, specific periods, and clock time are necessary for effective healthcare. Cultures may be past, present, or future oriented. Americans use time to provide order. Americans expect care at designated times; appointments are a prime example. Americans are future oriented; they believe they can manipulate the future by taking certain actions. Americans tend to be proactive; the focus is optimism, coping strategies, and preventive measures. Americans often demonstrate this orientation through self examinations, check-ups, and staying informed about healthcare advances. Asians tend to have a past orientation. They prefer to adhere to traditional methods and treatments; they are apprehensive about new innovations. Recently however, Asians are shifting towards future orientation (Galanti, 2004). Arab Muslims are present oriented and are neglectful of preventive measures. They may be late or not attend appointments at all (The Middle Eastern Community). Hispanics also focus on the present. They believe the future arrives in its o wn time and thus the notion that one cannot be late exist (Galanti, 2004). Nurses must explain the importance of time regarding life processes while being respectful and mindful of cultural views. Nurses should try to refrain from making time oriented promises that cant be kept. Environmental control or the attempt to control nature affects patients health practices, values, and the definitions of health and illness (Giger, Davidhizar, 2002). Americans believe nature can be controlled. Americans equate the body to a machine; if its broken, allow healthcare professionals to fix it (Galanti, 2004). Americans conform to the Western biomedical model which defines health as the absence of disease or the signs and symptoms of disease. The holistic paradigm exists in Asian cultures; it deals with the concept of yin and yang, in which forces of nature must be balanced to produce harmony (Andrew Boyles, 69). Asians tend to view people as part of nature. The land is a resource used to treat disease; herbal remedies are common (Galanti, 2004). Arabs believe the key to good health is personal hygiene and a healthy diet. They place a high value in modern Western medicine and have confidence in the medical profession (The Middle Eastern Community). Hispanics believe nat ural forces are not in their control and preventative measures are not often taken. (Galanti, 2004). Their system, the Curanderismo, combines spiritualistic, homeopathic, and scientific elements; curandero or holistic healers are utilized (The Hispanic Community). Nurses should become familiar with factors. Nurses should not dismiss patients view of their power and accountability or lack thereof. Biological variations exist between races; some groups are sensitive to certain medications, have metabolic differences, and are prone to certain diseases or factors that can affect healthcare. African Americans are three times more likely to get tuberculosis than whites; they also have higher rates of hypertension. Sensitivity to cardiovascular effects from Propranolol occurs more in Asians than Whites. Ethnic minorities, such as Hispanics, have higher HIV rates (Giger and Davidhizar, 2002). Middle Easterners or Arab Muslims have a lower percentage of sweat chlorides (Andrews Boyle, 54). The list of variations is broad and extensive. Accurate assessment and evaluation of clients require knowledge of normal biocultural variations among healthy members of selected populations (Andrews Boyles, 49). Nurses must acquire skills that will allow the recognition of variations. A nurse must always remember that the focus should remain on the patients well being and recovery. It is necessary to understand that individuals will never be the same. A patients health status and treatment is directly influenced by their culture and it is this reasoning, which has been proven through testing and the development of theories that has led to the conclusion that culture cannot and will not be ignored. Human diversity makes tolerance more than a virtue; it makes it a requirement for survival (Dubos). Healthcare will not suffice without negotiation, adjustment, and respect of differences. Transcutlural concepts in nursing care have made cultural competency an expected standard and it is the duty of every nurse to help maintain this standard.

Ulrich Becks Theory Of World Risk Society Criminology Essay

Ulrich Becks Theory Of World Risk Society Criminology Essay This essay seeks to study the explanation of the September 11 attacks through the key concepts of the World Risk Society. It will analyse how the presence of risks in the contemporary society, is driving the governments towards the incessant development of technologies and other sophisticated security systems in order to make their States more secure. However, the issue under discussion is that, is this tendency to get feign control over the uncontrollable(Beck U; The Terrorist Threat; p 41); which is the central point of the world risk society, further adding to or leading to problems. Is this presence of the future in the contemporary society in a way leading to a security paradox? To put it in the words of Keith Spence in World risk society and War against terror, Both domestically in the guise of Homeland Security, and in military engagements elsewhere, the pursuit of war against terror inevitably compounds and reproduces the conditions and anxieties that it purports to address. To deal with these questions, the essay will start with the elucidation of the World Risk Society Theory as conceptualized by Ulrich Beck. Moving further, the essay would discuss the underlying assumptions of risks that are at the ground level of the counter terrorism policies adopted by the World today. Taking the case study of War on Terror and the pre emptive actions adopted by the US administration, it will analyse how safer is the World with the adoption of such polices? Did the zero risk policies and the constant process of modernization help US or made it more vulnerable to such attacks, in other words, made it more insecure? World Risk Society: Calculating the Incalculable Thinking of contemporary terrorism in the context of Becks theory of Risk Society, it can be defined as de-bounded uncontrollable risk characterised by a well connected structure, a continuous potential threat and difficult to trace to a single source. Beck introduces the concept of risk as a modern concept that presumes decision making. He further explains that as soon as we speak in terms of risk, we are talking about calculating the incalculable, colonizing the future. Beck emphasises on the fact that Risk Society has not arisen because of the presence of one or the other threats or dangers in everyday life but because of the de bounding of uncontrollable risks. According to him, de bounding has three distinct dimensions, i.e. Spatial, Temporal and Social Dimensions. By spatial dimension he implies risks or dangers that are not bounded by the nation state boundaries. The Temporal dimension signifies the long term dangers and finally the social dimension implies that the root of the problem cannot be traced back to a single agent, for instance, for problem of global terrorism, we cannot single out a country or an individual or group and blame it responsible for all terror networks. In the words of Beck, Uncontrollable risks must be understood as not being linked to place, that is they are difficult to impute to a particular agent and can hardly be controlled on the level of the nation state. Ulrich Beck further explains that in the World Risk Society with the central problem of how to feign control over the uncontrollable, have three axes of conflict ecological conflict, global financial crises and global terror. To say that the risk is global is not to suggest that everyone would be equally affected. It implies that the risks are unequally distributed; it might cause damage to different countries differently depending on the cultural and political variations. However, even if it affects everyone unequally but the truth, as Beck says, is that it affects everyone. And thus there exists a global problem for which a global solution must be found. This is where the global co-operation fits the picture. In his theory, terror seems to be the midpoint of interaction between other two axes of conflict. The development in technology and the increase in flow of money, in one way or the other increases the extent of the threat from the dark World of terror.( Beck U., The Terrorist Threat, p. 45) A distinction can be made between ecological and financial conflicts on one hand and global terror risks on the other hand. As Beck explains, ecological and financial conflicts are the unintentional side effects that come attached with the production of goods which in turn are the results of the central decisions taken by society. Explicating the shift from accident to intention, Beck concentrates on the axis of global terror. He describes terrorism as an intentionally bad (Beck U., The Terrorist Threat, p. 44) activity which leads to a negative situation that the other axes of conflicts produce unintentionally. This change of accident in the industrial society to intention in the modern society is followed by a further replacement of active trust to active mistrust. As the terrorist threat highlights mistrust and multiplies the risks, it weakens the relationship between the fellow citizens, foreigners and governments. After looking at these characteristics of the Risk Society, it becomes quite easy to understand the basis on which pre emptive intervention policies, detentions and profiling are justified. As Kessler O. And Werner W put it in Extrajudicial Killing as Risk Management, it is justified in the face of rowdiness and unpredictability of the modern terrorist. Also, after the attacks of September 11, the whole World very well accepts the fact that the terror world today has access to all technologically advanced weapons and thus has the capability to harm more people and spread more fear and panic amongst people. The features of the modern terrorism fit the framework of the risk society. Beck suggests that in the World Risk Society, it is increasingly becoming impossible for the States to protect the security of its citizens in the growing atmosphere of multiplying risks and active mistrust. The solution to the global problems of terror, ecological and financial conflicts lies in transnational co-operation. As he admits, this leads to a paradoxical situation for the nation states as in order to further accomplish their national interests, they need to denationalize themselves. The global coalition against terror stands a witness to it. In order to uphold their constitutional promise of protecting the life of their citizens, in this situation specifically from the terror threats, the nation states came together to fight a war against the terror world. this can be attributed to the fact that it isnt possible for nay country to fight the vast networks of terrorism, spread across the world, all alone. Even the superpower like US, which is most developed technologically a nd financially, had to call for the support of the other nations in order to wage the war on terror. Even though as a leader of global coalition it had to make certain policy compromises, nevertheless it went ahead to uphold its constitutional promise. It is shift from accident to intention that is the basis of all the counter terrorism policies. The process of profiling and indefinite detentions has been justified on the grounds of intention. The government has started judging the people on the basis of intention. To quote Mythen and Walklate from Terrorism, Risk and International Security government has taken more restrictive and invasive steps so that it can create an order that can tame the dangers to the detriment of people. Analysing 9/11 and the policies thereafter through the risk society perspective: Precautionary policies and the National security in the wake of New terrorism Responsible Science and responsible policymaking operate on the precautionary principle. Tony Blair (2002) The policies used to approach the global problem of terror are dictated by the logic of risk management. The novelty of this approach, as Keith Spence puts it in World Risk Society and War on Terror, lies in the adoption of pre emptive approach. The adoption of pre emptive approach as a precautionary principle can be described as being based on four interrelated assumptions put forth by Claudia Aradau Van Munster in Governing Terrorism through Risk: Taking Precautions, zero risk, worst case scenario, shifting the burden of proof and serious and irreversible damage. It is the worst case scenario and the thought of irreversible damage that drives the government to adopt zero risk policies. When struck with the 9/11 attacks, it was the thought of further irreversible damage that made the Bush administration come up with the pre emptive policy and the following invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq as States breeding terrorism. The pre emptive approach reminds us of the Henry Kissingers observation that the desire of one power for absolute security means absolute insecurity for all the others (Kissinger, 1961, p. 148; 1964, p. 2). The conduct and outcomes of such acts are not unpredictable but uncontrollable as well. The pre emptive approach adopted to fight terror spread more fear than it actually tackled due to the presence of uncertainty and unpredictability. In the words of Keith Spence, In leveraging sentiments of uncertainty amongst target populations, pre emption like all mechanisms of terror, enlarges the impact of aggression, provoking fear that permeates the culture thereby constituted and reproduced. (World Risk Society and the War on Terror, P.289) The process of pre-emption follows the logic of absolute security. The adoption of pre emption undermined the UN laws and norms that supported use of force only under situations that justified self defence against actual threat.( Annan, K. (2003); Secretary-Generals address to the General Assembly; New York, 23 September 2003.) The pre emption approach on the other hand worked on the principle of eradicating possible threats. To quote Bush from Remarks at West Point: New Threats Require New Thinking, to wait for the threats to materialize would mean that we would have waited too long. The idea of the eradication of potential threats in order to provide absolute security are all significant features of a catastrophic society as explained by Ulrich Beck in the theory of Risk society. The approach adopted, do not disappoint on the point of global solutions to the problems of terror. The solution that it provides again falls in the line of thought of Becks Wold Risk Society by abandoning the conventional norms of time, space and restraint. (Spence, Keith; World risk Society and the War on Terror; p 289) The stated objective of the War on Terror, as stated by George W. Bush in the Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People on 4th of July, will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated cannot be satiated. Instead the approach of the administration leads to the development of more such networks than it actually eradicates. Egyptian President Hosni Mubaraks has aptly remarked in context of the Operation Iraqi Freedom, that instead of having one bin Laden, we will have 100 as a consequence of Operation undertaken.( Black, Ian and McGreal, Chris (2003) Conflict will create 100 bin Ladens, warns Egyptian president, The Guardian, 1 April, p. 4.) The manner in which the US conducts its response to terror would only lead to multiplication of terror networks rather than its eradication. The fact that the initial steps of the policy adoption actually led to the growth of the terror activities in North and East Africa, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the Indian subject-continent and the wider Gulf Region brings to the fore Kissingers cautionary observation of absolute security. Security measures as a part of precautionary principle: Homeland Security The practices undertaken to fight away the terrorist networks under the label war on terror are too vast and discursive to fit into the framework of any theory. From Guantanamo Bay to biometrics and increased surveillance, or from extraordinary rendition to the categorisation of terrorist suspects as enemy combatants, the war on terror has regimented a whole series of practices that showcase the reaction to precautionary risk. (Aradau and Van Munster, 2007; Governing Terrorism through Risk: taking precautions, (un)knowing the future; European Journal of International Relations; Vol. 13, No. 1, 89-115) As a result of the terror attacks, US post the announcement of War on Terror, took a lot of steps in order to be prepared to shield the country from any unpredictable, unknown but inevitable situation. The website www.ready.gov created by the department of Homeland Security is another source for informing the people and preparing America for any emergency. The site discusses the campaign Ready which aims at educating and empowering the Americans to deal with any situation of emergency including natural and man-made disasters. (http://www.ready.gov/america/about/index.html) The Website states Be ready! and carefully places a quote from the founding secretary Tom Ridge, claiming terrorism forces us to make a choice. We can be afraid or we can be prepared! The website goes to the extent of stating three simple steps get the emergency kit, formulate a family emergency plan and be informed to rescue oneself or at least be prepared to face the emergency situation. It warns the people abo ut emergencies that can range from inconvenient to devastating and aims at empowering them by preparing them in advance. The department aims at preparing the people to fight the emergency but what exactly will be the emergency is unknown, the only surety about the unsure situation is its inevitability. The site puts in to place the key mechanism of the catastrophic society which makes the state of emergency institutionally established as a norm. (Spence, Keith; p 291). The states have marked emergencies from green to red and make sure that the drills take place regularly. As Keith Spence rightly remarks, the frenzy created by these drills and the supplementary activities leads to a persistent feeling of anxiety which is further responsible for a feeling of uneasiness and discomfort. (p.293) The adoption of the pre cautionary principle has led to a time where it is not the state which has to prove but the individual has to prove that he/she is innocent. Under such a precautionary principle, the people irrespective of the fact that they are innocent or victim, they are guilty unless proven innocent. To quote Keith Spence from World risk society and War on Terror, Neither the conduct nor outcomes of such acts are fully predictable or controllable, and as war and terror overlap and blur so too do distinctions separating civilian from combatant, collateral from non-collateral, and innocent from other victims. (p. 289) Ardau and Van Munster aptly remark, Among the technologies used to avoid a catastrophic future, war is just one. The war on terror or the consequent war of Afghanistan and Iraq do not speak of a recent rediscovery of militarism, but of a govern mentality that activates all the technologies imaginable in the face of uncertainty. There is an interesting similarity between Homeland and Fatherland. As Keith Spence points out the Jacobin Terror which was anticipated by the declaration of Fatherland in danger on 11th July 1972 was the starting point for the nation state to assert its control and authority. In 1973 when the Committee of public safety was constituted and succeeded the Committee of Vigilance (Spence; p. 291), Danton proclaimed, Let us be terrible so that the people will not have to be. One cannot help but agree with T. Ridge (2003) when he remarks that if War on Terror has been announced for peace then Homeland Security is just another name for the vigilance committee and has been formed in the name of freedom. As Helene Guldberg puts it in Challenging the Precautionary Principle, to take regulatory action on the basis of possible unmanageable risks, even after tests have been conducted that find no evidence of harm. We are asked to make decisions to curb actions, not on the basis of what we know, but on the basis of what we do not know Biometrics: As Ardau and Van Munster put it in Governing Terrorism through risk: taking precautions, unknowing the future, 9/11 has given way to more pro-active forms of surveillance of suspect populations, leading to a surplus supply of data and an over-prediction of threats. To quote Aas K. F from The body does not lie: Identity, risk and trust in technoculture, in a globalised and anonymous world, where almost everyone can afford to cross the closest borders, biological identification seems to be the best solution for states to verify peoples identity. Biometrics is simply the measurement of the most unique parts of a humans body i.e. the iris, the fingerprints, retinas, gait and voice. Application of biometrics in the field of security is just significant of the increasing trend of securitization of identity. The basic principle behind the biometrics is, as Aas puts it inThe body, to eliminate bad by keeping away undesired people. The US VISIT programme showcases the advanced and complex system of biometrics govern mentality i.e. a system of categorizing a person as legitimate or illegitimate with the support of technology collecting data biometric information of the human bodies. The case of Guantanamo Bay: As Keith Spence puts it in World Risk society and War on Terror, apart from the invasion of Iraq the archaic excess is prominently elaborated at Guantanamo Bay, where deterritorialization and pre-emption are materialized in a legally determined limbo beyond the reach of civil and international law. (p 291) Guantanamo existence as a state of exception was made clear by the condition of the detainees of Gauntanamo. As Giorgio Agamben seeks to explain, The detainees of Guantanamo are subject to raw power and have no legal existence.( Agamben G. And Raulff U.; (2004) Interview with Giorgio Agamben Life, A Work of Art Without an Author: The State of Exception, the Administration of Disorder and Private Life, German Law Journal) Implication of the risk perspective to the camp exemplifies dealing with an unrestricted risk in the spatial category. The Guantanamo Bay detention camp has been placed outside the regular US legal jurisdiction but it is not fully immune for this order. . To this extent, C. Ardau in Law Transformed remarks, The Guantanamo bay camp perfectly embodies the necessity of defining a new form of war, which breaks the habits of all previous sets. Guantanamo Bay stands as a perfect example of the aftermath of the conditions resulting from the implication of the precautionary logic of controlling the future in other words tackling something that is uncertain and unknown of. Even though Gauntanamo has resulted in making modern day terrorism as a novelty nevertheless it cannot be tagged as a place without any regulations. To put it in the words of C. Ardau, it has resulted in the creation of a place ruled by the dominant principle of governing the social and taming the future. US itself has become a source of violence it wanted to fight by adopting the harsh policies to fight to it and Guantanamo Bay is just one example of this. The thought of taking over terrorism with the principle of pre-empt rather than dealing with risk often leads to a vicious circle by giving way to exactly what it had wished to extinguish. War against terror and the precautionary steps taken thereafter is symbolic of this phenomenon. Conclusion: To quote Ulrich Beck, September 11 drove home the lesson that we now live in a risk society, a society in which there are uncontrollable and unpredictable dangers against which insurance is impossible and where questions of compensation, liability and harm minimization have lost all their social and political significance. The policies adopted and the measures taken post the attacks of 9/11 just makes this quote a lot more acceptable and suitable to the present situation. Even after taking the precautionary steps and becoming increasingly ready by employing latest technologies for uncertain but inevitable emergency situations, US has not only made itself more vulnerable to such attacks but in a way has helped the terror world to spread across its message of fear and panic. The new technologies employed for security purposes are just new challenges posed in front of the terrorist. They might learn to overtake it in a while. The question that arises then is What steps will US take then? It is really a vicious circle the more it will try to secure itself, the more insecure it will become!

Broken Stereotypes in John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath :: Stereotypes Stereotyping

Broken Stereotypes in The Grapes of Wrath Masculinity and femininity are not restricted to two separate and distinct groups.   In reality, they are different within themselves, and similar to each other. It is a well-known stereotype that men are tough and strong with no emotions, while women are weak and need to be supported. The characters in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath are examples of the typical masculine and feminine groups.   However, the book also contains models of those who do not fit the stereotypes.   In general, the book contains two types of portrayals of both men and women. Pa is an example of the more common must-support-the-family man.   On the contrary, Casy, another male character, is a soft-spoken, thoughtful man.   Though they are mother and daughter, Ma and Rose of Sharon are two examples of very different femininity.   Ma is a hardworking, family focused woman while Rose of Sharon is a young naà ¯ve character who needs to be taken care of.   In The Grapes of Wrath, Pa is the main male character and plays a leadership role of the family.   After Grampa's death, it is clearly stated that Pa is the family leader.   "Pa was the head of the family now" (151).   Steinbeck purposefully puts Grampa, then Pa in the position of head of the family because the eldest male is most commonly the leader.   This is a typical example of a patriarchy.   Pa carries this role until they reach California and begin looking for work.   Pa is ashamed that he cannot work to support his family and fulfill his position as leader. Pa demanded, 'Well what the hell am I gonna do?   We're outa money.   One of my boys got a short job, but that won't feed us.   I'm a-gonna go an' take twenty cents.   I got to' (374). It frustrates Pa that he is helpless when it comes to work.   Although he is more than willing to work hard for money, Pa is unable to find a job to feed his family.   Ma takes on two roles in the course of the book.   Pa begins despairing because of his lack of work, so Ma takes over his role as leader.   This shows the masculinity in Ma's character coming out.

The Theme of Childhood in Oliver Twist Essay -- English Literature

How Does Dickens present the theme of childhood in Oliver Twist. This essay shows the theme of childhood in Charles Dickens in the book Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist's story begins with his birth in a workhouse. His mother dies shortly after giving birth to him, though long enough to kiss him on the forehead. As an illegitimate workhouse orphan Oliver seems doomed to a life of misery. Though deprived of education, affection and adequate food, Oliver still manages to triumph from rags to riches, when he finally finds happiness with his Aunt Rose Maylie and his guide Mr Brownlow. Oliver Twist is born into poverty as an orphan with no known family or inheritance. He is forced to be the property of the workhouse. He spends several years there where he is overworked, and suffers from exhaustion and malnutrition. Even though he is exposed to these injustices, he feels safe there, this being the only home he's ever known. Throughout the book Oliver has support from lots of different people, for example Fagin, Nancy, Mr Brownlow, and The Maylies. However Fagin’s friendship was used for Fagin’s personal gain. Oliver was exploited just as many children in Victorian Britain were. Charles Dickens was a social commentator of a period when social class was important and where lower classes were stereotyped as being evil untrustworthy crooks, and were to be avoided. Another example is the blatant anti-Semitism in the book. Fagin is constantly referred to as 'The Jew'. in Victorian times Jewish people were seen as immigrants, and people treated them with much the same discourtesy. Though in Dickensian Times racism was not a recognized form of prejudice so these comments would have been acceptable. Today it is strongly .. ...pectable old gentleman, who is later known to be Mr Brownlow. Another memorable occasion was when Sikes used Oliver's stealth and vulnerability. In one of his schemes to overturn a house; this is later discovered to be that of The Maylies. In both cases there are positive outcomes to the crimes, and they both coincidently bring about characters like Mr Brownlow, and The Maylies, who help to secure Twist's future. After carefully studying the novel Oliver Twist, I conclude Dickens tried to socially change the way children were portrayed in Britain. He acknowledged the problem and made it his duty to make a change. His efforts worked and in our times modern day care-homes replace the orphanages of Dickensian Britain. Due to Dickens writing, the workhouses were abolished. Therefore I think Dickens did very well on awakening the society to these conditions.