Western Societys Skepticism of Reincarnation :: Religion

Western Society's Skepticism of Reincarnation "As men think so they are, both here and hereafter, thoughts being things, the parent of all actions, good and bad alike, and as the sowing has been, so will the harvest be." It had finally come down to the last of the 500 pieces for the picturesque puzzle. What A major feat for grandma and me! We had worked on it for days straight and kept it hidden under the table cloth on top of the dining room table. Grandma came over and gave me a big hug and kiss. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was 3:30: time to feed the birds and then to start making dinner. â€Å"Let’s go feed the birds, Stephy†, she said. And we went into her little apartment kitchen, took out the package of old rye bread and headed out to her balcony overlooking Avenue Q in Brooklyn. â€Å"Ya know Stephy, the baby pigeon came by this morning with her mommy. I think she was looking for you.† I gleamed at grandma and started to blush. Grandma passed me a piece of bread to sprinkle on the floor. The ravenous birds started to arrive, one by one. Grandma sat down in her lawn chair. â€Å"When I go Stephy, I wouldn’t mind coming back as the baby pigeon. I ho pe you wouldn’t forget to come out and feed me.† So, what really happens after the last breathe is drawn? Does one go to heaven? Turn to fertilizer? Start the life process over again? There are many different beliefs, but no one knows for sure until it is their turn. Death is one of the most dreaded topics of conversation in Western civilizations. Death has many negative connotations attached. As for Tibetans following the Buddhist religion, they look death right in the face and accept it. The Tibetans do not avoid talking about the inevitable fate which every human being will meet. Rather, they prepare themselves and know that with every passing day they get closer to the end. The Tibetans live by the concept of impermanence. Impermanence states that everyone has a transient existence and that everyone will eventually die. One would think that the Tibetans are a wasteful culture, since they live their lives knowing that they will eventually die, yet it is in fact the opposite. So what motivates them? Reincarnation is the idea that the soul is reborn into a new form. Western Society's Skepticism of Reincarnation :: Religion Western Society's Skepticism of Reincarnation "As men think so they are, both here and hereafter, thoughts being things, the parent of all actions, good and bad alike, and as the sowing has been, so will the harvest be." It had finally come down to the last of the 500 pieces for the picturesque puzzle. What A major feat for grandma and me! We had worked on it for days straight and kept it hidden under the table cloth on top of the dining room table. Grandma came over and gave me a big hug and kiss. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was 3:30: time to feed the birds and then to start making dinner. â€Å"Let’s go feed the birds, Stephy†, she said. And we went into her little apartment kitchen, took out the package of old rye bread and headed out to her balcony overlooking Avenue Q in Brooklyn. â€Å"Ya know Stephy, the baby pigeon came by this morning with her mommy. I think she was looking for you.† I gleamed at grandma and started to blush. Grandma passed me a piece of bread to sprinkle on the floor. The ravenous birds started to arrive, one by one. Grandma sat down in her lawn chair. â€Å"When I go Stephy, I wouldn’t mind coming back as the baby pigeon. I ho pe you wouldn’t forget to come out and feed me.† So, what really happens after the last breathe is drawn? Does one go to heaven? Turn to fertilizer? Start the life process over again? There are many different beliefs, but no one knows for sure until it is their turn. Death is one of the most dreaded topics of conversation in Western civilizations. Death has many negative connotations attached. As for Tibetans following the Buddhist religion, they look death right in the face and accept it. The Tibetans do not avoid talking about the inevitable fate which every human being will meet. Rather, they prepare themselves and know that with every passing day they get closer to the end. The Tibetans live by the concept of impermanence. Impermanence states that everyone has a transient existence and that everyone will eventually die. One would think that the Tibetans are a wasteful culture, since they live their lives knowing that they will eventually die, yet it is in fact the opposite. So what motivates them? Reincarnation is the idea that the soul is reborn into a new form.

The Variety of Feminisms and their Contributions to Gender Equality by

There are many branches of feministic theorems. As Judith Lorber wrote in her article, The Variety of Feminisms and their Contributions to Gender Equality feminist denominations arose from different views, making many contributions to improve women’s status. Lorber discusses the views of, â€Å"gender reform feminisms, gender resistant feminisms, and gender revolution feminisms†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (1) etcetera, all which have fought to improve women’s rights. Though there are many different aspects of viewing feminism, writer and contributor of owl.purdue.edu, Allen Brizee suggests that the main ideology that holds those aspects together is the oppression of women in general. Though, it is when talking about male dominance, women’s resistance, and women’s social roles, that the views on feminism changes. In the book, The Awakening, Kate Chopin greatly reveals women’s resistance within a male dominated society through her main character Edna Pontellier. Si milarly, in her short, The Story of an Hour, Chopin emphasized the oppression that married women went through with their husbands during the late 1800s. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman compelled readers, showing how women’s roles seemed insignificant during the early 1900s. The feminist theory suggested by Brizee can be seen within each of these narratives, and their protagonists. Even to present day, the belief of societies being male-centered still stands. Yet, during the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was clearer that the patriarchal lifestyle was happening. Married women of the era were seen as ‘property’ to their husbands. Robert, Edna’s lover from The Awakening, described her as, â€Å"-not free; you were Mr. Pontellier’s wife. I couldn’t help loving you†¦ so long as I went away from y... ... by her difference from male norms and values.† Sadly many women became exactly what the male powered societies want them to be, because unconsciously, those societies have influenced them to also believe it is the right thing for them to do. Works Cited Brizee, Allen. "Welcome to the Purdue OWL." Purdue OWL: Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism. Ed. J. Case Tompkins. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: Avon, 1972. Print. Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Logan, IA: Perfection Learning, 2001. Print. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper. New York: Feminist, 1973. Print. Hall, Donald. Literacy and Cultural Theory. Houghton, Mifflin Co. 2001. 199-213. Lorber, Judith. The Variety of Feminisms and their Contribution to Gender Equality. Roxbury Pub. 1998. 1-15.

America Needs Tort Reform Essays -- How to Fix the Tort System

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, â€Å"The tort system is truly broken and in bad need of repair.† Tort cases are becoming an extremely common fight in the nation’s legal system. Since 1986, 38 of the 50 United States have adopted some sort of tort reform. However, with the many flaws of the tort system today, the suffering American economy will continue to fall behind if the American public does not insist on fighting for justice in the legal system. The governing bodies of these states must continue to seek reform and propose strategies to fix the corruption in the tort system. The legal system set up by the founding fathers will experience corruption in the negligence of these governing bodies. Tort law is a branch of civil law that establishes rights to a person when a damaging act is done to either a person or one’s property. Crimes involving tort occur when negligence or intentional civil wrong is done and it does not arise out of a contract or statute. A tort is an act that injures a person mentally, physically, emotionally, or any other way. Acts of tort also include damage to ones property or reputation. Crimes of tort typically seek compensation which usually results in a dollar amount to cover the cost of the damage. Through the tort system, victims seek reimbursement for a wrongdoing done against them, holding the person legally responsible and hoping to prevent the wrong from again occurring. However, because compensation is involved in cases of tort, the system has begun to become more corrupt and the legal system is beginning to experience abuse. Victims are mistreating the legal system and seeking unreasonable reimbursements to cover their injuries. The people United ... ...e/161666/>. "Medical Liability Crisis Fact Sheet." American College of Emergency Physicians. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. . News Staff. "Fear of Malpractice Lawsuits Prompts Doctors to Work Less." Scientific Blogging Science 2.0. ION Publications, 28 Jan. 2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. . â€Å"Small Businesses: How the Threat of Lawsuits Impacts Their Operations." Harris International. Harris International Inc., 10 May 2007. Web. 8 Feb. 2014. . Weiss, Larry D. "AAEM President's Message: Tort Reform: Our Permanent Issue." Medscape Today. WebMD, 08 Aug. 2008. Web. 14 Feb. 2014. .

Case Memo as a hired consultant Essay

In this assignment, students will read and analyze a case study. In response to the case study, students will write an analysis in business memo format, addressed to the Board of Directors for the company. The memo is written by the student acting as a hired consultant for the company. The case study to be analyzed, The Case of Plant Relocation, is attached. By completing this assignment, students will meet the outcome(s): identify ethical issues that arise in domestic and global business environments using an understanding of ethical concepts and of legal and business principles; develop and evaluate alternatives to, and recommend solutions for, ethical dilemmas, taking into account ethical and legal requirements and the essential mission of the business enterprise effectively communicate to internal and external business stakeholders the complexities of ethical issues, suggesting and analyzing various solutions in order to ensure appropriate business practices and accountability Requirements of Case Memo #2: Draft memo using the prescribe format (subheadings/sections) prescribed below; All sections must be comprehensive, in-depth and fully justified; Resources from previously assigned course materials or from your own research may be used to justify and support rationale; All in-text citations and resources must be in APA style; Submit the completed case in the Assignment Folder. Memorandum Format: TO: FROM: RE: DATE: Include all the following subheadings/sections in the memo: INTRODUCTION: Brief intro to subject of memo. FACTS SUMMARY: Summarize and explain the facts that are directly significant and relevant to the ethical dilemma in this case. ETHICAL DILEMMA: Discuss either/or ethical dilemma facing the company. ETHICAL ISSUES: Discuss two (2) of the most significant ethical issues related to, and arising from, the ethical dilemma and then, explain each ethical issue and why it is an ethical/moral issue, etc. ALTERNATIVES: List, explain and justify one (1) possible alternative/solution for EACH ethical issue to address and resolve the ethical dilemma and each ethical issue discussed above. Alternatives should be feasible, logical, directly related to resolving the ethical dilemma and addressing the ethical issues in the case. Alternatives are expressed in the form of propositions or prescriptive statements suggesting action and are framed by asking the normative question, what could or should the company do? Consider consequences. Identify relevant stakeholders and the effects on them, pros and cons, etc. of each alternative. Apply ethical theories in context of your evaluations, but don’t over-do this aspect. For example, teleological or consequentialist theorists would examine who the stakeholders are, both internal and external to the company, and the positive and negative consequences for each group, etc. RECOMMENDATION: Recommend one and only one (1) alternative from the two (2) alternatives suggested above. Justify and explain your choice discussing: why you recommend this alternative; how, specifically, the recommendation will address the ethical dilemma and ethical issues; how the recommendation will likely impact relevant stakeholders; pros and cons of your recommendation; feasibility of your recommendation; how the recommendation will be implemented; Apply ethical theories, resources from previously assigned course materials, or resources from your own research to justify and support your recommendation. FUTURE IMPLICATIONS for RECOMMENDATION: Discuss potential implications arising from your recommendation for: the company other businesses within the industry other industries CONCLUSION: Summarize the case and its ethical issues, implications, etc. The Case of the Plant Relocation You are the chief executive of Electrocorp, an electronics company, which makes the onboard computer components for automobiles. In your production plants, complex hydrocarbon solvents are used to clean the chips and other parts that go into the computer components. Some of the solvents used are carcinogens and must be handled with extreme care. Until recently, all of your production plants were located in the United States. However, the cost of production has risen, causing profits to decline. A number of factors have increased production costs. First, the union representing the workers in your plant waged a successful strike resulting in increased salary and benefits. The pay and benefits package for beginning employees is around $15/hour. A second factor has been stringent safety regulations. These safety procedures, which apply inside the plant, have been expensive in both time and money. Finally, environmental regulations have made Electrocorp’s operations more costly. Electrocorp is required to put its waste through an expensive process before depositing it at a special disposal facility. Shareholders have been complaining to you about the declining fortunes of the company. Many of Electrocorp’s competitors have moved their operations to less-developed countries, where their operating costs are less than in the United States, and you have begun to consider whether to relocate a number of plants to offshore sites. Electrocorp is a major employer in each of the U.S. cities where it is located, and you know that a plant closure will cause economic dislocation in these communities. You know that the employees who will be laid off because of plant closures will have difficulty finding equivalent positions and that increased unemployment, with its attendant social costs, will result. However, you are aware of many other corporations, including your competitors, that have shut down their U.S. operations, and it is something that you are willing to consider. You have hired a consultant, Martha Smith, to investigate the sites for possible plant relocation. Ms. Smith has years of experience working with companies that have moved their operations to less-developed countries to reduce their operating costs. Based on your own research, you have asked Ms. Smith to more fully investigate the possibility of operations in Mexico, the Philippines, and South Africa. A summary of her report and recommendation for each country follows: Mexico A number of border cities in Mexico would be cost-efficient relocation sites based on labor and health and safety/environmental factors. Workers in production plants comparable to Electrocorp’s earn about $3 per day, which is the prevailing wage. There is frequent worker turnover because employees complain that they cannot live on $3/day, and they head north to work illegally in the United States. However, a ready supply of workers takes their place. Mexican health and environmental laws are also favorable to production. Exposure to toxic chemicals in the workplace is permitted at higher levels than in the United States, allowing corporations to dispense to some degree with costly procedures and equipment. Mexico’s environmental laws are less strict than those of the United States, and a solvent recovery system, used to reduce the toxicity of the waste before dumping, is not required. The only identifiable business risk is possible bad publicity. The rate of birth defects has been high in many Mexican border towns where similar plants are in operation. Citizen health groups have begun protests, accusing the companies of contamination leading to illness. Philippines Conditions in the Philippines are more favorable than those in Mexico in terms of labor and health and safety/environmental factors. The prevailing wage in the Philippines is about $1/day, and young workers (under 16) may be paid even less. As in Mexico, the workers complain that the rate of pay is not a living wage, but it is the present market rate. The health and safety and environmental regulations are equivalent to those in Mexico, but there have been no public complaints or opposition regarding birth defects, cancers, or other illnesses. South Africa Conditions in South Africa are positive in some respects, but not as favorable in economic terms as in Mexico or the Philippines. The prevailing wage in South Africa is about $10/day. Furthermore, there is a strong union movement, meaning that there may be future demands for increases in wages and benefits. The unions and the government have been working together on health and safety issues and environmental protections. Exposure to toxic chemicals in the  workplace is not permitted at as high a level as in Mexico and the Philippines. Although the equipment necessary to reduce toxic chemicals to an acceptable level is not as costly as in the United States, this expense would not be incurred in the other two countries. Furthermore, there are requirements for a solvent recovery system, which also increases operation expenses. You have to decide how you would like to proceed. Your options are to select an overseas site for relocation or to simply continue all operations within the United States.

A Doll’s House Study Guide Essay

Act I: Kevin Gao The setting is on Christmas Eve, in the Helmer’s Household. There is the aspect of the contrasting temperature, in which inside the house it is warm, symbolic of security and safety, whereas outside it is harsh and cold, symbolic of the real world and how cruel it is. These details are important in that they set the stage for the rest of the story. The people who live in the house are obviously very well-off people. They have money, yet they are frugal, not very lavish. The title â€Å"A Doll’s House† suggests that their home is very decorative. There is a bookcase, fine China, and other neat little ornaments. The characters are all described as dressed in nice clothing. Nora has all kinds of things on her like money and sweets. Money is very important in the play in that it seems to directly influence the kind of lifestyle they live. I’ve noticed that the gifts are very tacky, showing poor taste, and are very unnecessary and needless objects. In my opinion, only the rich people seem to be able to afford macaroons and other sweets. The macaroons are characteristic of lavish lifestyles, for people who have time to kill. Nora Initially seems like a silly, naive woman, indicated by her playful attitude (noticeable when she says things like â€Å"Pooh! † and â€Å"Just a tiny wee bit†). Her appearance in Act 1: she is very pampered and spoiled by her husband, yet later she reveals her slightly rebellious side, showing that she does not need to be treated as such by Torvald. I predict she will later develop a more independent lifestyle from Torvald. I notice that she is constantly asking for money. It’s as if she wants to do things by herself, with her â€Å"own† money. Mrs. Linde is Nora’s childhood friend. Mrs. Linde is like Nora’s foil in that her life of poverty seems to underscore Nora’s wealthy and privileged life. Nora isn’t being honest to Torvald. She is obviously lying to Torvald about eating the macaroons, and she is described as being â€Å"rather uneasy†. Nora adores her own children, her most prized possessions. She shows herself as a genuinely loving mother. Torvald delights in his position of authority as a husband in the house. He believes that it is a man’s job to protect and guide his wife. Torvald treats her like a child, which was described as like her father would, and is name calling (little squirrel, little lark) is like he masking his authority with tenderness, and that he sees her as a simpleton who will succumb to his bantering. He constantly reminds Nora not to be a thrift spender. He does not see Nora as an equal, and his teasing, his referrals to her as â€Å"a girl†, and his uses of pithy phrases suggest that Torvald doe sn’t take her quite seriously. Krogstad is a lawyer who went to school with Torvald. He is essentially the antagonist of the play. He was employed by Torvald, but he might lose his job. He constantly torments Nora with financial issues; he once loaned to her, but he blackmails her because he knows she forged her dad’s signature on their contract, even though he also committed the same crime. His actions aren’t characteristic of his good intentions and his sympathy for her. Unlike Torvald, who desires to get respect for his own selfish satisfaction, Krogstad wants that respect for the sake of his own family. Krogstad and Mrs. Linde used to be lovers, but she left him because of his immoral behavior and because she wanted to marry someone with more money. Dr. Rank is one of Torvald’s friends. Rank seems to be obsessed with talking about the diseased natures of all the people he is acquainted with, even himself. Nora and Torvald do not think very highly of Dr. Rank; he is simply unimportant to them and everyone else. He does not rank very high in their thoughts, hence the irony in his name. Act II: The setting takes place on Christmas Day. The space around the tree is very messy, indicating that they had a Christmas celebration. The room and the tree have been removed of all signs of festivities. The costume is what Nora has to wear to the Stenborg’s ball; however it is in need of mend. This is representative of how Torvald wants to dress Nora as one would dress a doll. The letter Torvald sent to Krogstad shows his complete narrow-mindedness, as he is not changing and as understanding as the other main characters. The maid hands Nora Krogstad’s visitor card and tells her that Krogstad will not leave until he has spoken with her about the issue. Krogstad’s letter is used to inform Torvald of the forgery committed by Nora. He uses this as blackmail for Nora to get a better position in the bank. Dr. Rank plays the piano in accompaniment, showing that he is still the supporting character and unimportant, as in the first act. Again, there are recurrent aspects of the â€Å"rich-family† theme, with the champagne and the macaroons at the dinner party. Nora has been thinking about leaving her family, specifically, she is contemplating suicide. However, she is hesitant about doing so because she is worried that her kids will miss her, and she thinks it will be difficult for her kids to adapt to life without her. The reason she wants to commit suicide is because of her forgery crime on the contract for the money, but she wanted to do this because she knew it was a choice to save either Torvald, or her dying father. Nora is afraid that if Torvald find outs about her crime, he will sacrifice himself and take all the blame onto himself (a fantasy she has concocted in her mind) and go to jail, which would be great but terrible at the same time; this is the terrible thing she hopes and fears for. Nora does not persist with her request for Dr. Rank because she is disturbed by how he feels about her, as she has stated that â€Å"there are some people one loves best, and others whom one would almost rather have as companions†. Nora wants Christine to be her witness in case she goes mad over the crime she committed, or if something happens to her (presumably, her suicide) and her credit is dishonored. To make matters more complicated, Torvald had written a letter notifying Krogstad of his dismissal. Nora tries to stop him by saying that Krogstad has power with the press to bad mouth Torvald. That’s when Torvald makes the connection between him and her father: that she fears for Torvald as much as she used to fear for her father, but that he is, unlike her father, not in any legal trouble, which makes him safe from all threats. He tells Nora that he doesn’t want to take back the dismissal letter, as it would show his weakness and that he is easily swayed by his own wife. This shows his belief that a wife has no authority in a household or in business; he thinks she knows nothing of the business world and that her opinions have no real intent. This, in turn, shows that he does not know anything about his wife at all, which might lead some to believe that their marriage is nothing but a charade, an act without meaning or purpose. However, it is his â€Å"knowledge† of her that Nora tries to use to her advantage. By calling herself â€Å"little skylark† and â€Å"little squirrel†, she is trying to manipulate him into doing what she wants. However, Torvald’s pride is persistent, as well as his stubbornness. He thinks that he must dismiss Krogstad to keep his own appearance of a strong man who is not easily stifled. Also, in my, opinion, Torvald’s view of social life has stemmed from his very stubbornness. For example, he believes that Nora does things, like warning him of Krogstad’s power over the newspaper, simply because she loves him, as a â€Å"typical wife† would, and that he must show her that she has nothing to fear (this is that â€Å"strong manly husband† fantasy). Christine agrees to help Nora with her dress because she wants to help her make a good impression with Torvald. Christine, claiming her to be more mature and more experienced than Nora, tries to figure out some of Nora’s problems, specifically, to look out for Dr.  Rank and to end her friendship with her; Christine does not leave because she is suspicious of Nora, and she knows that she is hiding something from her. When Christine reappears, she tries to help Nora understand the fact that her marriage is not what she thinks it really is; it is not perfect and she isn’t really happy with it. Christine agrees to be Nora’s witness to testify that Nora did that whole act on her own, and that Torvald was not connected to it at all. She agrees because she wants her to continue her endeavor to save Nora’s marriage; she gives Nora the courage and reassurance. Krogstad is pretty much described as a nuisance to Torvald; he is â€Å"morally diseased† to Torvald because he did not confess to his crime of forgery and that there was no justice done onto him. Torvald is disgusted with Krogstad because, since they used to be friends, he calls Torvald by his first name. Torvald would prefer if he showed him more respect as a superior. Krogstad is so desperate because he wants to gain as much respect as he can, and to achieve a high position in the bank, higher than Torvald. He does this in order to take care of his children. He threatens to use the forgery contract as blackmail to have influence over her and to make her get his job back. He says that he is willing to keep it all a secret as long as Torvald promotes him to a higher position. We learn the Dr. Rank is ill from syphilis, that he received it from his father (who was sexually overindulgent), and that he does not have much time left. This shows Ibsen’s tragically flawed philosophy that morals are hereditary, for example, Nora’s naive belief set, that any action is acceptable as long as it benefits her loved one; also, another trait is that Nora’s father always made excuses, and later â€Å"passed it down† to Nora. Dr. Rank confessed that he loves Nora. Nora is surprised because they have been best friends for a long time, and that she feels that his confession is basically a misinterpretation of her affection toward him. She does not continue with her request because she feels that he would think of it as exploiting his love for her, since he knows now that Nora will reject him. Unlike the other two, Dr. Rank is pretty much ‘the help’, as he states it. He has not changed much from the first act in that he is still nothing but a supporting character; he remains unimportant in anyone’s thoughts. Krogstad, unlike Torvald, is working for respect to support his family as well as establish an appearance/personality for him to others. Dr. Rank is not like Torvald in that he is only one Nora feels she can express herself fully in front of, something she wouldn’t dare try to do with Torvald. Act III: The setting is in the Helmer’s household. There is dance music upstairs. The table is in the center of the room with a lamp burning on it, surrounded by chairs. The lamp is like Nora’s realization; at first, there was nothing in the room, but as time went on, a spark grew in her mind, with its own ideas, independent from that of Torvald’s. The dress is great, but it shows how possessive Torvald is of Nora, and the costume he dresses her in is from his own choosing, as one would do when dressing a doll. The mailbox is like a cage; no outer forces can penetrate it, and it holds Nora captive in the way that she is trapped by the letter inside the mailbox. The door slam at the end is like Nora has finally woken up and has realized that her life for the past 8 years has been an act, nothing more. She closes the door on Torvald, suggesting that she no longer wants Torvald’s guidance; that she needs to do things on her own from now on. Nora doesn’t want to come back into the house because she will never be understood in her house. Torvald will never treat her like an independent woman, that she will always be a child. She leaves what she describes as a ‘stranger’s’ house. Nora’s dance, the tarantella, is an Italian dance. Her dancing is so flustered, and it is constantly full of uncertainty in the moves, which is like Nora’s character. The dance expresses the idea that an ugly truth, though it might be harmful, is the only way to mend Nora’s marriage with Torvald; it is Nora’s last chance to be Torvald’s little doll, to amuse and satisfy him. She says â€Å"Never to see him again. Never! Never!†¦. † indicates that she is leaving Torvald and her children, because she still thinks that he will step in and take the blame, and she does not want him to do this. This is also shown in the phrase â€Å"You shan’t save me, Torvald†. After the second letter, Nora becomes frozen, all quiet and puzzled. Nora suddenly realizes the truth about their marriage: that Torvald only cares about aesthetics, and that he would do anything for a seemingly happy marriage. The â€Å"most wonderful thing† it, to its fullest, a marriage that is not tied down by any social bindings. What Nora wants is a marriage that is purely feeling, unconditional love, without duty or responsibility. Torvald’s imaginings indicate that he is very self-protective, and that he is worried too much about what others think of him. His reaction to the letter suggest that he does not care about Nora, but that he only cares about himself and whether or not his â€Å"reputation† will be destroyed or not. These selfish reason are based on his desires for appearances; also, he forgets that the only reason Nora committed the crime was to save him, which further underlines his selfishness. by He mentions Nora’s father as a way of saying that it is not his fault, it is Nora’s father’s fault, and ultimately, her fault as well, which is very different from what Nora thought he would do (to take the blame upon himself). He repeats the most wonderful thing of all because he has no idea what it is, showing how blinded he is by his own fantasy of a â€Å"real† marriage. The story opens with Christine and Krogstad as a way to set the stage for the background story. From the phrases that the two exchange, it is obvious that they were once lovers, but that Christine left Krogstad for someone else with more money. It is also apparent that Christine often regrets throwing him out of their home, and that she justifies it by saying that she had to take care of her own family and siblings. Deep down, she always wanted to stay with Krogstad. Christine is Nora’s foil in that Christine’s poor, cruel, and bitter lifestyle seems to underscore Nora’s lifestyle, and her actions, such as living prudently, underscores Nora’s wasteful and lavish lifestyle. The quote â€Å"but now I am quite alone, my life so empty and I fell forsaken. There is not the least pleasure in working for oneself† suggests that Christine wants to get back together with Krogstad. Krogstad and Christine’s relationship is like a foil to Nora and Torvald’s marriage in that their broken and â€Å"shipwrecked† marriage underlines Nora and Torvald’s successful and ‘happy’ marriage.

Funny in Farsi Analysis

Funny in Farsi Analysis Firoozeh Dumas is an Iranian-American writer, known for creating the memoir ‘Funny in Farsi’. Born in Iran, Dumas tells of her childhood memories and how she and her family moved to America when she was just seven years old. Soon after the events that took place on September 11th, friends had encouraged her to publish the stories that she had written. By doing this, she would be able to tell Americans of how Middle Eastern cultures are not what the media portrays them to be.Throughout the memoir, Dumas aims to show Americans that Iranians are truly virtuous and have a sense of humor. With the use of lighthearted humor, emotional appeal, and family anecdotes, Dumas shows that Iranians are not, (in any way,) what we think they are. Dumas attempts to show us that Iranians have a sense of humor by establishing a lighthearted tone from the beginning of the piece. As opposed to keeping the piece serious, she ends the very first passage saying that even though her brother was far away from her it was merely a â€Å"small price to pay for owning a Barbie†.Though she could have been focusing on the distance from her brother, she was rather occupied with her Barbie, an act fairly typical for a seven-year-old girl. The phrase can help many readers feel nostalgic. Many people have some sort of object or toy tied to a relative, and being with that particular toy can make it seem as if we are with that loved one. At the same time, this also sparks emotional appeal and nostalgia to the reader; many of us, as children had found ourselves happy at the receipt of a new toy, even if we had been crying just seconds before.Dumas easily uses both strategies at the same time to show the innocence and humor of Middle Eastern cultures. After a rather embarrassing first day of school (with her mother,) Dumas decided that from that day on, her mother would â€Å"have to stay home†. Dumas uses a combination of a family anecdote as well as self-deprecation to showcase the innocence and humor of the Middle Eastern people. Dumas attends her very first day of school with her mother to. The day proves to be embarrassing to Dumas, as it â€Å"negated† the impression she had made just the other day.The students had begun to stare at them not because they could not speak English, but because they appeared rather dimwitted. The author belittles herself by the use of self-deprecation; because of this, the audience is able to identify with her. Dumas does this successfully by admitting that she and her mother appeared â€Å"stupid†, further reinforcing it by saying that her first impression had been â€Å"negated† by the day’s events. The word negated communicates the idea that Dumas’ hard work in impressing her teacher, Mrs. Sandberg had been done in vain.It makes her more likeable to her readers, and only strengthens her message that Iranians are merely virtuous and humble people. The Septe mber 11 attacks had left many Middle Eastern cultures with awful stereotypes. Dumas’ memoirs, however, successfully convey the image that Middle Eastern people are not what the media tells us. With the use of a lighthearted tone and Dumas’ humorous story of going to school and owning Barbie’s, Funny in Farsi shows the audience that the Iranian people (and perhaps other Middle Eastern cultures,) are indeed innocent, virtuous, and humble people.

Hamlet and the Oedipus Complex

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a play about indecision, apprehension, and inner turmoil. Hamlet, the main protagonist, struggles within himself, attempting to muster the courage to avenge his father’s death by the hand of the current King, Claudius, who is also his late father’s brother. There seem to be many possible reasons for Hamlet’s delay in doing so. However, the one theory that answers all the questions is that Hamlet was possessed by his own Oedipus Complex , that is, he was deeply in love with his own mother, Gertrude. This can be seen throughout the play in several ways. Hamlet was understandably upset over his father’s death, but he was much less angry about the loss than he was disgusted with his uncle. His â€Å"girlfriend† Ophelia was not his lover, the relationship was a cover-up for his true feelings. King Hamlet’s spirit was aware of this. When he finally gave his blessing to Hamlet and Gertrude, he still did not act against Claudius. And most significantly, when Hamlet finally did take revenge and murder Claudius himself, he only did so because he knew Gertrude would approve at that point. Hamlet did not seem angry with Claudius as much as he seemed disgusted. After Claudius’ marriage to Gertrude in the first act, Hamlet is clearly suicidal in his first soliloquy: O, that this too too solid flesh would melt Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! God! (I, 2, 129-132) However, the soliloquy is not about the loss of his father, or about Claudius taking the throne, but about his hasty marriage to Gertrude: Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, She married. O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good: But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue. (I, 2, 154-159) This undue preoccupation with Gertrude’s personal life and suicidal tendencies show his self-hate and inner turmoil over his feelings for Gertrude, and the repressed desire to have her for himself. It seems as if he had been privately waiting for the inevitable death of his father for a long time, and was extremely bitter that Claudius married Gertrude before he had her to himself for any amount of time. Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia was a guise put up for two reasons: Firstly, a cover-up for Hamlet’s inappropriate feelings for Gertrude, and secondly, a sexual release for Hamlet. Whether Hamlet consciously realized this or not, he showed displays of love for Ophelia when he felt he was obligated, such as when he jumped into her grave, but when the two of them were together in private, he did not treat her as one should treat a significant other. It was seen how Hamlet treated Ophelia in private when he spoke to her in the castle: You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot o inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: I loved you not. (III, 1, 118-120) Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest; but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me: I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. (III, 1, 121-128) He told her, essentially, that he never loved her and discourages her from breeding immoral beings like himself. It seems that he may have begun to realize his complex around this point, and while he cared for Ophelia enough to try and let her go, he did not love her enough to continue the guise. However: When Hamlet was in the graveyard in Act 5 Scene 1, he speaks matter-of-factly about death and dying with Horatio: No, faith, not a jot; but to follow him thither with modesty enough, and likelihood to lead it: as thus: Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth into dust; the dust is earth; of earth we make loam; and why of that loam, whereto he as converted, might they not stop a beer-barrel? Imperious Caesar, dead and turn'd to clay, Might stop a hole to keep the wind away: O, that that earth, which kept the world in awe, Should patch a wall to expel the winter flaw! (V, 1, 192-202) He seems apathetic towards the bodies in the graveyard, and even after Ophelia’s corpse was brought to the grave, he did not react until Gertrude said: Sweets to the sweet: farewell! I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife; I thought thy bride-bed to have deck'd, sweet maid, And not have strew'd thy grave. (V, I, 230-235) It was then that Laertes leapt into Ophelia’s grave, and presumably for the sake of attaining Gertrude’s approval, Hamlet did as well. His feelings for Ophelia were of lower priority than pleasing his mother. He stayed with Ophelia for a sexual release, and when Ophelia found out that Hamlet did not love her and what he was using her for, she went mad. The songs she sang before the time of her death were about her dead father, Polonius â€Å"He is dead and gone, lady/He is dead and gone/At his head a grass-green turf/ At his heels a stone,† (IV, 5, 34 37). â€Å"I hope all will be well. We must be patient: but I/ cannot choose but weep, to think they should lay him/ i' the cold ground. My brother shall know of it† (IV, 5, 73 75). This shows how Ophelia was consumed and eventually driven to madness and suicide by the influence of controlling men over her life: Hamlet was the catalyst to her destruction. King Hamlet’s spirit seemed to be well-aware of the nature of Hamlet’s love for Gertrude. While the ghost did come back to ask Hamlet to avenge him, there was an underlying implication that he was conscious of Hamlet’s true feelings, and disapproved of them. So to seduce! –won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen! † (I, 5, 48-50) King Hamlet stated throughout the scene several times that his love for Gertrude was dignified, and that he was against incest in Denmark’s royal bed. However, when speaking about incest, he never specifically says that he only means Claudius. Throughout the play, Hamle t showed an indecent interest in Gertrude’s sex life. It is highly irregular for a son to go into such graphic detail when expressing his unhappiness with Gertrude’s choice in partners. Hamlet actually says to Gertrude: Nay, but to live In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love Over the nasty sty— (III, 4, 91-94) This outburst seems unnecessarily sexually explicit. Hamlet’s preoccupation with Gertrude’s personal life is strange, given that he could have addressed the situation with critique of Claudius’ leadership or Gertrude’s marriage without the graphic imagery. In the 3rd scene, Hamlet is invited into Gertrude’s closet, a strangely intimate situation for mother and son, and speaks with her about her marriage to Claudius. King Hamlet’s ghost appears and tells Hamlet to â€Å"Step between her and her fighting soul† (III, 4, 113) presumably encouraging Hamlet to help her put an end to her relationship with Claudius. However, Hamlet is still scared to act, as he says: Do not look upon me Lest with this piteous action you convert My stern effects: then what I have to do Will want true color. (III, 4, 129-132) Hamlet meant that he was afraid to eliminate Claudius, because he was afraid of the desire deep within him to consummate his relationship with Gertrude, which he knows that his father would definitely not approve of. This shows the conflict between his own complex and his respect for his father: The cause of his delay of action throughout the entire play. The time when Hamlet finally acts and murders King Claudius is when Gertrude, after drinking poisoned wine that had been intended for Hamlet, was dying and realized that Claudius had done. Despite his contempt for Claudius and respect for his father, Hamlet had always been hesitant to murder the King because deep inside, he was more desperate for his mother’s approval than he was his father’s. As these instances show, Hamlet had a deep love for his mother, Gertrude, on platonic, maternal, and sexual level. It was Hamlet’s own Oedipus Complex, the neurosis that turned maternal love into a silent competition with his own father for her complete love, that kept him for so long from murdering Claudius to avenge his father. It seems as if Shakespeare knew enough about the workings of the human mind to discover the â€Å"Oedipus theory† long before Sigmund Freud or the science of psychology itself even existed.