The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Essay Example for Free

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Essay The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1969), and Moon Tiger (1987) all cover various aspects of desire such as the woman as a sexual object of desire, sexual development, repressed sexuality, and variations of sexuality. All three novels cover the woman’s early sexual experiences from childhood, the prevailing Madonna image of the woman accepted by society, sexual liberation, and their unconventional lifestyles. All set in the United Kingdom, the stories traces and discloses the life of the English woman. The novels are written in the post 1960s after the sexual revolution where many sexual taboos are lifted and most people feel an individualistic, unbridled freedom to express their desires. In the novel, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961), the title is self-explanatory in dealing with the issue of desire for the prime does not only signify having the best of health, but also enjoying one’s peak in sexuality or sexual activity. Miss Jean Brodie is a young, bachelorette teacher who is in quest of a partner so as she enters the realm of school, she has to confront desire in fellow teachers, Mr. Lloyd (a married man) and Mr. Lowther. Throughout the novel, Brodie manipulates both men with whom she has a triangular love affair. Her pupils â€Å"found in (Miss Brodie) the only sex-bestirred object in their daily environment† (Spark 50). She awes the Brodie set with her past love affairs and lays bare to their view her sex life. The principal and some of the teaching staff frown on her educational deviance and continue to probe into her sexual life in order to set up Brodie for a downfall. Desire is also manifests itself in the school girls, more commonly called â€Å"the Brodie set† as the book spans their adolescent periods (pun intended). Like a bildungsroman novel, Sparks traces the development of the six girls as they grow into women under the watchful eye of Miss Brodie. In the early chapters of the novel, Sparks observes that â€Å"the year to come was in many ways the most sexual year for the Brodie set† (Spark 45). At the start, Brodie begins educating them at age ten and maintains active interaction with them until they are eighteen, therefore Brodie and the Brodie set are both in their prime of life. Through her, they glean much information about sexual maturity, menstruation, and love. Because sex is taboo, they live in a restrained environment where sexuality is subtle if not altogether cloaked (to which Sandy’s monastic life and the scandalous nature of open sexuality point). A juxtaposition of opposites of desire also arises in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie where innocence seduces and experience repulses. Sparks describes Rose Stanley as being â€Å"famous for sex† (Spark 57) because of her attractive appeal however she confesses that Brodie’s erotic affairs inspire no desire within her and remains indifferent to sex although she generates wide passion. On the other hand, after Sandy has sexual intercourse with Mr. Lloyd, she converts to the Roman Catholic church, choosing to lead the celibate life of a nun (Sparks 132). Her one-time sexual experience has made her turn away from living a promiscuous life as her teacher, Brodie does. In The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1969), is a novel replete with sexual desire and the sexualized, objectification of the woman. The beginning of the novel begins with male voyeurism as John Fowles â€Å"the telescopist† (Fowles 2) peers through his binoculars looking at an engaged couple, Charles and Ernestina, walking along the seaside and then turns his vision to Sarah, â€Å"stretching eyes west over the sea wind foul or fair, always stood she prospect-impressed† (Fowles 1), longing and disappointed in love, staring at the sea. These three individuals are all in their sexual prime but are frustrated romantically. The title of the novel, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, also relegates an inferior position to the woman, for her identity is hidden and thus irrelevant apart from her association with the French lieutenant. The overwhelming and provocative interest in Sarah arouses not only Fowles, but Charles. The rest of the village also looks at her as a specimen embodying strangeness, yet rare attraction. Although notorious rumors fly, which she does not attempt to contradict, she still incites much attraction and performs to perfection her role an object of desire. Repressed desire functions to provide insight into the society and its acceptance of different expressions of desire in individuals. Fowles tells us that Ernestina, the first mentioned fiancee of Charles, lives a sexually repressed life peculiar to the Victorian Age, the time frame of the novel. The telescopist observes her outfit which â€Å"was feminine by way of compensation for so much of her expected behavior† (Fowles 3). Charles soon gets bored with Ernestina for her plain, Victorian outlook cannot satisfy his sexual desires. More overt sexual desire adds to the enigma and resultant desirability. This observation proves true as Charles fascination for Ernestina transfers to Sarah, whom society has ostracized and abandoned. The epitome of sexual repression is Mrs. Poulteney who is reputed for her piety, charity, and tyranny. Living under the roof of Mrs. Poulteney imposes Sarah with restrictions on her whereabouts and by extension, associations. Poulteney thinks herself always in the right therefore, the unorthodox or bohemian would never sit well with her. As a consequence of differences in desire, Sarah and Mrs. Poulteney ultimately part ways as Sarah repeatedly flouts Mrs. Poulteney’s commands to not follow a particular path along the farmhouse. This statement is pregnant with meaning since Sarah still ventures out alone, which works against mainstream directives. Out of Mrs. Poulteney’s stifling control, Sarah could reveal her sexual desire more liberally. Marriage is no longer held as the only institution under which one fulfilled sexual desire. Charles and Sarah have sexual encounters, although unmarried. In the end, Sarah chooses not to marry however she continues to live an unconventional life with the Pre-Raphaelite artists which composed controversial art and literature. Charles still desires marriage as a means of consolidating the union between him and Sarah, however, Sarah rebuffs him, standing unique as a Victorian woman who does not aspire to marriage or family. Moon Tiger (1987), authored by Penelope Lively, chronicles the life of a bohemian woman who lives a sexually unbridled life, hinged on desire. Unlike most women, she never falls into the regular, mainstream category of female tradition. Accounts of incest, homosexuality, and promiscuity pepper this novel, making it non-conventional and iconoclastic. The novel traces the sexual development of her and her brother, Gordon â€Å"from the first stirrings of sexual desire† (Lively 25). They undergo many changes during which they carry on an early incestuous relationship. Their filial and sexual ties permeate their lives. Desire is the compass which leads the sibling duo to each other’s arms. Moon Tiger explores incestuous desire, parallels historical records of incest, and justifies it. While doing coverage in Cairo, Egypt during WW II, a tour guide mentions that â€Å"the wife of pharaoh was also the sister of pharaoh. He is loving his sister†¦incest said the Army Padre, quite acceptable in those days apparently† (Lively 74). The incestuous desire runs through the book once both siblings are alive for they both object to each other’s sexual partners and seem unfulfilled in their own relationships. Claudia confesses that desire for Gordon never extinguishes in her life and when he dies. When Claudia and Gordon reveal their incestuous relations to Sylvia and Mrs. Hampton, Claudia gets physically sick and is emotionally disturbed. Yet, the two prefer to classify their relationship as â€Å"classical, very high class. Look at the Greeks† (Lively 142). Since this book is written by a historian, several references to world history are not uncommon. The Greeks were a people who are said to found classic civilization and who favored incest and homosexuality. Claudia rejects wifehood and motherhood as a bohemian woman. Claudia does not have the inclination to marry and rejects the proposals of several men to marriage. She prefers to preserve her own freedom by remaining single. Jasper offers to marry Claudia after finding out that she bears their child. Although she gets impregnated a few times, she refuses marriage as a way out to escape reproof. She attests that â€Å"no one has ever married Claudia† (Lively 53) –which not only appears as a confession, but also a resolution. Gordon marries and settles down with Sylvia, and it can be argued that because she cannot marry her brother, she spurns marriage. In spite of her lack of will to get married, Claudia chooses to have â€Å"a sexual field day† (Lively 91). Working in a male dominated realm allows Claudia opportunity to explore more desire in herself and sparks the desire of other male soldiers in the camp. A highly desirable woman, she enjoys herself as the men make erotic advances to her especially since women are rare. She also denies her daughter, Lisa, a maternal relationship since her birth came about with a man for whom she does not love enough to marry. In sum, the novels all delve into woman’s desire and the ways in which she expresses her sexuality whether covertly or openly, conventionally or otherwise. Desire drives the women to pursue passionate relationships, where they either become fulfilled or hurt. Within framework of female desire is male sexuality which is sparked by the female presence. The texts deal with the recourses which women have to take in order to live contentedly with themselves, their sexual desires, and their partners and point the reader to wider considerations such as culture, belief systems, and the woman question. Works Cited: Fowles, John. The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Back Bay Books. , 1998 Lively, Penelope. Moon Tiger. Grove Atlantic Inc, New York, 1989. Sparks, Muriel. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Harper Collins Publishers, United Kingdom, 1984.

Characteristics That Defines The Tropical Rainforest Geography Essay

Characteristics That Defines The Tropical Rainforest Geography Essay Tropical rainforests are located some distance around the equator and it is one of the earths spectacular wonders. It runs from the tropic of cancer in the northern side of the equator to tropic of Capricorn in the southern part of the equator. Examples of largest known tropical rainforests are found in Brazil (South America), South East Asia, Indonesia (islands near the Indian Ocean), and Democratic Republic of Congo (Africa), and in the Caribbean Islands (Isaac and William, 2007). The largest tropical rainforest is the Amazon rainforest found in the South America and which covers almost two thirds of the United States continent (Malhi and Philips, 2000). Tropical rainforests are defined by their wet climate condition in that it receives 400 to 760 cm of rainfall each year as observed by Morecroft and Keith (pp 298). The climate consists of uninterrupted warm temperatures, high humidity and high rainfalls. Its temperatures range between 25 to 30 Degrees Celsius. This paper will look at the climate that exists in the tropical rainforest and how it affects the growth of a variety of plants in the tropical rainforest. The tropical rainforests made is made up of mostly wet seasons and its climatologic regions lie within the inter-tropical convergence zone. The different types of rainforests are categorized according to the different types of weathers they experience during the year and considering their geographical location (Osterndort et al, 2001). These rainforests includes the monsoon, subtropical and the equatorial type. The rain is experienced almost every day and it lies between 1500 to 2500mm throughout the year. The temperatures vary during the day and night in that during the day, the temperatures range between 30 to 35 degrees Celsius while during the night, the temperature drops to between 19 and 24 degrees Celsius. The type of climate experienced in the tropical rainforest is the equatorial climate and it is characterized by high relative humidity ranging from 77% to 88% and this supports a variety of plant species (Martinelli et al, pp 1107). The tropical rainforest is filled with green vegetables throughout the seasons because of the high rate of rainfall which encourages growth of trees that form canopies which provide shade to other plants and animals living in the area. The atmosphere is always humid, hot and damp due to the canopies that are formed from the trees. The rainforest provides a home to different types of animals and contains many species of plants more than any other type of vegetation areas known. Its climate has no pronounced summer and winter in that the temperature differences between the day and night is observed to be larger than the differences in temperature between summer and winter. The climatic characteristics that defines the tropical rainforest includes average daily temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius, the diurnal temperature change is between 2 and 5 degrees Celsius, the latitude comes under the doldrums low pressure belt all the year round, the rainfall is usually convection al and finally the midday sun is always near the vertical and is overhead twice a year at the equinoxes. The rainforest soils are not usually fertile and this is because the continuous rains wash away the valuable nutrients. The daily weather cycle of the tropical rainforest begins in the morning when the sun shines, heats up the ground making hot and wet air rise in the atmosphere then in the afternoon, the dark clouds brings the rain and thunderstorms in the rainforest and this cycle is repeated continuously each day resulting to an ever wet area (Lewis, 2006). The rainforest is made up four layers namely; the emergent layer, the canopy, the understory and lastly the plants that make up the forest floors. Firstly, the emergent layer consists of a small number of trees that are tall which is referred to as Emergents. The trees grow above the canopy that is has been created by the other trees and reaches to a height of about 54m. These trees are adapted to withstand strong winds and high temperatures from the direct sunlight. It is usually in habited by eagles, monkeys, bats and some butterflies. Secondly, we have the canopy layer which also consists of tall trees of height 45m maximally. The canopy is estimated to contain an almost 50% of different plant species as it has been discovered to be the densest area of biodiversity. It contains epiphytic plants which attach themselves to tree trunks and branches for support. These plants also obtain water and mineral salts from rain and debris that is collected from the other supporting plants in the canopy region (Schneider and Root, pp 710). Thirdly, we have the understory layer which is located in the region between the forest floor and the canopy. These area forms a habitat to snakes, lizards, leopards, boa constrictors, birds and other predators. The region does not receive enough sunlight due to the canopy layer above it in that approximately, the under story receives 5% of total sunlight. It is sometimes referred to as a shrub layer. The last layer is the forest floor which is estimated to receive only 2% of sunlight. The area is characterized by low vegetations because of the relatively low sunlight penetration and only plants that are adapted to low light survive in this region. The rate of decay in plants and animal matter are sped up by the availability of warm and humid conditions. The presence of fungi also speeds up the rate of decay of plants and animals. For many years it was thought that plants in the tropical rainforest were unaffected by the equatorial climate but recent studies indicated that the warm temperatures of tropical rainforest affected the growth of a variety of plants in the region. Lewis (pp 198), stated that the drier conditions in the cloud forest could lead to extinction of some species of plants more especially the orchids. He also monitored tree growth, tropical temperatures and level of carbon dioxide released as a result of high humidity and warm climate. His researches on the matter revealed that the tropical rainforest trees gave off more carbon dioxide than they could use and this resulted to a change in the composition of forest. He also noted that the trees at times grew at a slower rate when the nights were warm. Other studies by Osterndort et al (2001) indicated that some trees grew at a faster rate when the level of carbon dioxide rose while other tree types declined in vitality. Lewis (pp 200), indicated that an increase of carbon dioxide in the tropical rainforest was the main reason for the abrupt shifts in species growth and this, he noted, could lead to serious ecological repercussions in the area experiencing these. The type of climate experienced in the tropical rainforest has made plants growing in the area to adapt themselves so that they can survive the existing conditions such as growth of bushes and canopies. Examples of such plants and how they have adapted themselves includes; lianas which have thick vines that loops around the trunk of trees to reach the top and receive sunlight. Usually their stems come in different shapes and varying length. Their life begins from the forest floor but they grow upwards depending on trees for support until they reach to the top of the tall trees. When they reach at the top, they then spread towards other lianas and trees and wound themselves tightly so that they can be in a position to resists strong winds. Another type of plant in found in the warm environment of tropical rainforest is the fern. The ferns grow in the forest floor as they are well adapted to survive on such a condition. Apart from these, we also have the epiphytes or air plants which perch themselves high on the branches as they become detached from the ground. They begin their life from the canopy from seeds taken there by wind or birds. Some of the tallest trees have buttress roots system which ensures total stability against strong wind and to increase the surface area under which they obtain their nutrients from (Morecroft and Keith, 2009). The diversity in plant species is said to be highest in the tropical rainforest region and it is the responsibility of individuals to ensure that the trees are maintained to allow growth of these trees. Tropical rainforest is reported to maintain a clear environment that is safe for human stay in that it uses up all the carbon dioxide in the air and releases a clean atmosphere. Conclusion Conclusively, it has been observed from the above that the equatorial climate in the tropical rainforest favors the growth of a variety of plant species. It is noted that the tropical rainforest is the largest ecological area that supports and gives a habitat to a diversity if plants and animals. The climatic changes have been observed by Malhi and Philips (2000), to be unchanging and are characterized by high levels of rainfall and high humidity. The climatic condition has created the emergence of different layers which contains a variety of plant species making it one of the earths most spectacular scenery.

Role of Youth in Society

Role of Youth in Society Introduction Each age group in society has its own role and this is important in many different ways. Youth as a description of a sector of society has many definitions depending on the perspective being used. For the purposes of this discussion youth will be considered to be the stage of life involving transition into adulthood: approximately age 15 to 25. Young people are often considered to represent the future as they bring new ideas and energy to add to the pool of knowledge that currently exists. They can bring enthusiasm and vitality which can lead to new discoveries and developments that can benefit society or even the world at large. Although not the only drivers of social change, young people are seen to be one the key drivers engendering change. Whether this is inherent in the beliefs of young people or the hope for the future is placed upon them by older generations is not clear. However, India is changing and developing, and this affects the lives of the people living there in varying degrees depending on their individual circumstances. Therefore, there are many new opportunities becoming available that can provide very different futures for today’s youth that were not available to previous generations. This essay will consider the role of youth in a changing Indian society. The Role of Youth In order to consider the role of youths in India it is helpful to first consider the overall situation in India as this provides the context in which young people are growing up. There are two areas in particular to consider: the transition towards being a developed country and the changes in population. India has made great strides in technology and other areas, including the space programme. However, much of the country remains unaffected by such developments and there is still much to be done to create an inclusive society where the living conditions for the whole population are brought up to an acceptable level and absolute poverty is eradicated. The differences between castes and religions also still remain a factor in the cohesiveness of the population as a whole. The population of India is also still increasing substantially and is expected to exceed that of China by the middle of this century. The population in 2012 was estimated to be 1.22 billion. In line with world trends life expectancy has also increased in India from 62.3 years for males and 63.9 years for females in 2001-2005 to 67.3 years and 69.6 years respectively in 2011-2015. Birth rates, however, have fallen slightly from crude figures of 22 per 1000 population to 21 per 1000 population between 2011 and 2012 (The World Bank, 2014). However, given the size of the population this still represents a large number of births. One health issue that is also particularly important is HIV/AIDS as there are estimated to be 2.4 million people in India living with the condition (MedIndia, 2014). These are some of the key elements that affect India at present and which overarch the role of young people in society. Young people in India today The youth of India make up approximately a quarter of the population and thus represent a substantial sector of society (Adlakha, 2014). The environment in which they are living is very different to that which was experienced by their parents. As a result many of the traditional values and cultural behaviours are being challenged by the influence of other cultures, particularly those in the West. Therefore, it can be seen that there are competing ways of life that exist which may be considered either a choice or a cause of confusion for young people. However, there are also good role models such as the first Indian-born woman to go into space, Kalpana Chawla, that show what can be achieved by Indian people male or female. Young people in India are considered to be vitally important as they will bring new ideas and developments to improve their country where older people are viewed as unable to be innovative or deal with new ideas. This perception differs from the views of young people and indeed the structure of society in general that exists in the West. Western perceptions do place young people in a strong position but, possibly due to a substantially longer life expectancy, there is a less dismissive view of older people, certainly in respect of those of working age. The roles of people in a other age ranges in addition to young people are considered to be valuable as each contribute differently to society as a whole. This does not extend in many cases to the elderly, however, but the longer life span in the West presents a different set of issues (Kruger Poster, 1990, p. 72). India is keen for their young people to become involved in civil society and develop political interest as this seen to be a vital part of the development of the country. In many ways there would appear to be a great deal of pressure being placed on the younger generation to move India into more developed and progressive country. The ability of the young people to fully participate in this way, however, is inhibited by two main factors. The first is the level of education, which also will be indicative of their wealth status, and the second is their caste and/or religious position. The better educated the young person is the more likely they are to participate more fully in civil society according to available research. Therefore, increasing the level of education across the country is important to develop the skills in the young people to enable to undertake the type of jobs that will help India develop. There is a substantial problem with illiteracy across the population, and even children attending school are leaving education still illiterate. This is particularly the case for the children from the poorest sectors of society. Unescos 11th Education For All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report suggests, amongst other factors, that at the present rate of progress the poorest women in India will not be universally literate until 2080 (UNESCO, 2013/14). Therefore, unless this is addressed the pressure on young people to improve India will not produce the required results as there will be insufficient desire and capability to make the improvements a reality. There may also need to be a change of thinking generally in society to develop a desire for education and a belief that education is important to improve the standards of living for everyone. For the poorest people earning a living may be more important than education and even young children are needed to contribute. Child labour is still a major issue in India and will impact on the children’s ability to ever improve their lives (US Department of Labour, 2013, p. np). There is legislation in place in the form of The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 (Indian Child Line, nd), which, if observed and enforced, should prevent this. The caste system and/or religious beliefs also present barriers to a cohesive progress despite the changes made to eliminate these problems (Zezulka-Mailloux Gifford, 2003, p. 156). This is a complex system with many ramifications which will not be discussed at length here but which does have a substantial influence on how people live in India. The way that different groups within the population view each other can be divisive, with even those people considered to have more secular views not wishing to eat with others from a different group, in some cases not even wanting to speak with them, or other similar types of segregation. This creates an atmosphere in which some people are more likely to be able to progress whilst others will be open to oppression. Thus the overall situation has many factors working at the same time, some which are conducive to progress and others that are barriers. The specific ways in which India is planning progress into the future are contained within the India 2020 Report which considers the vision for the future of India, the opportunities and the challenges in respect of human development, infrastructure, energy and many other areas (Kalam Rajan, 2002). The Report indicates that the changes already taking place in the country are bringing about shifts in many areas such as in the population with lower birth rates and anticipated increased life expectancy. The effect of these changes is likely to be felt in different ways depending upon how affluent the person is. For poorer people their situation is still very difficult and much more will need to change to enable and empower this group of people to improve their lives. The India 2020 Report also identified Nodal Points for Indian prosperity. In order for these Points to be effective the population will need to know what is required and pull together to achieve these goals. Within this plan there is clear evidence of the reliance that is being placed on young people to carry out these plans and be the key changing force in the country. However, whilst acknowledging the levels of poverty and all the other barriers that currently exist to gaining good levels of education and an improved standard of living across the country, the impact of poverty does not always seem to be seen as a major factor in the ability of the young people to fill this role. India 2020 proposes a range of factors that will improve the country for the whole population. This includes aiming for full employment, improvements to the judicial system and legislature to create systems that are seen to be operating with integrity, fairness and transparency, cleaning the environment, achieving literacy and numeracy for all and making India a major nation in the world. This must, however, be achieved by creating a fair society for every part of the population. One element that is of concern is the ‘brain drain’ of skilled people leaving the country. India needs to finds ways of retaining well trained young people to carry out the vision for the future. At present many young people perceive that there are more opportunities for them elsewhere rather than wanting to stay in their home country and improve conditions there (Glennie Chappell, 2010). If the country wishes young people to take a major leading role in progress it will be necessary to provide the appropriate motivation for them to want to do this. Furthermore, in order to improve the conditions in the country as a whole more trained people are needed to create and fill the jobs that will increase prosperity. There must, of course, then be relevant jobs for the young people to take. Creating an environment that places value on education, work, and creating a good work ethic is very important to making effective progress towards a more economically successful country. This process will also begin to reduce the disparity between the rich and poor, with the ultimate goal of absolute poverty being eradicated (although eradicating relative poverty may prove more difficult) and improving the lives of the poorest in society. The spiritual aspect of life is important in India and many people are guided in their lives by their beliefs. There are even newer beliefs such as Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­, which places emphasis on a number of areas that are important in the changes indicated by India 2020. Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­ places importance on training for a trade or profession, and particularly on the often neglected area of education for women. In addition there is also a focus on ensuring young people have every opportunity to enter work which is of service to others by virtue of one’s skills and abilities (Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­, 2014). This type of approach could be very helpful to young people to help to develop a good work ethic and the sense of community by helping others. It also emphasises the need for good moral and spiritual standards to support the young person’s working life. This is only one of the religions/beliefs in India, but it does indicate the way in which secular and religious aspects of life are more integrated than is common in western countries. The desire to adhere to religious beliefs can be both a positive and negative factor for young people depending on their particular religion and the way in which is directs them to behave as people. One area of concern in this respect currently is that of the recruitment of young people by terrorist organisations. This is clearly an issue from the point of view of the activities of such organisations, but it also takes valuable young people out of society. The International Year of Youth (first held in 1985),was supported by Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­, who continue to support the ongoing activities of that organisation (United Nations, 2014). This has widened in scope in the form of The World Programme for Action of Youth (United Nations, 2014). In order to promote youth involvement it is recommended by Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­ that young men and women should be encouraged to take part in projects that aim to improve living conditions, increase the quality of human life, and develop the self-reliance of their communities. Projects that are improving the situation for rural communities are particularly highlighted as ones which are important for young people to engage with. Young people can also play an important role in the quest for world peace. Young people have been a main focus for some time in India, and specific initiatives have been sought to involve young people in a range of topics. The Youth Day 2008 focussed on Youth and Climate change: Time for action. During this event Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, addressed the meeting (Pandve, et al., 2009, p. 105). In this address he indicated that young people are adaptable and can easily incorporate carbon saving methods into their everyday life. Therefore, it was important that young people were actively included in local, national and global level decisions on climate. In this way they will improve the world for their own futures and that of their children. Involving young people in making changes to their everyday life is one main aspect of the role they are required to play in society. Further initiatives will be needed to address many of the difficulties to support young people. Looking at those offered in other countries could provide useful information, such that of â€Å"The Promoting Tolerance and Dialogue through Interactive Theater† in Eastern Indonesia. This is a one-year program funded by Great Britains Strategic Program Fund and implemented by IREX Europe, IREX and the Center for Civic Education Indonesia (CCEI). This is a programme that uses theatre to provide the dialogue to work on prevention of conflict, extremism and intolerance (IREX, nd). This particular programme has now ended but could be used as a model for future activities. With the difficulties that are currently being seen as a result of terrorism this is an area of extreme importance and different methods of approaching the topic can be used to spread the message to young people. The call for young people to be involved in India politics began with Gandhi, who asked the youth of the day to come forward to become actively involved in the freedom movemen (Atkin, 2012, p. np). However, there are still few young people involved in the political arena. Most elected politicians are aged 50 or over whilst most of the voting public are under 40 (Ruland, et al., 2005, p. 181). This suggests either that younger people are happy with this situation or perhaps that they have little interest or enthusiasm for politics. There can be confusion here when there is a suggestion that the older leaders should make way for ‘youth’, because in this context the word ‘youth’ is used just to mean people younger than others, i.e. perhaps people in their 30s or 40s rather than very young people with no experience. This is something that is discussed widely in the media (Jain, 2009). This use of ‘youth’ to mean different age groups, between 15 and 40 plus, can present a confusing message to readers. Poverty reduction is a major issue in India and there has been work across the world that suggests that involving young people in creating change to reduce poverty, and other important such issues, is vital and more effective than allowing them to simply be the target for development. This may be promoted from within India or it may be helpful for outside agencies already working in this area with young people to help set up relevant initiatives (The National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations, 2009, p. 8). It is interesting to consider the more popular representations of the role that young people should play in society. There is a marked view that older people should step down in preference to younger people because only younger people have the ability to create change. The knowledge and experience of older people is acknowledged but it can frequently be seen that there is pressure for them to take a ‘back seat’, and only advise and guide, but not to actively participate (Kumar, 1998, p. 234). There does not as yet appear to be any research to demonstrate how this will affect society and the way that younger people feature, particularly in political and other such positions. However, it does appear to reduce the respect and reverence in which older people have customarily been held, which could be seen to be more in line with a more western approach where youth culture has become prominent. Conclusion India is a vast country with an enormous population that is increasing quite rapidly. There is a definite move towards becoming a developed country but there are still many problems to be solved. Comparing the situation in India with western countries presents challenges, as the cultural and social situation is very different and there are very different belief structures. One key factor is that young people are considered to be almost the ‘saving grace’ for the country. Great reliance is placed on young people becoming educated and increasing the status and economic profitability of the country. This is set, however, against poverty and poor educational offerings and achievement for large sections of the population. Providing more equal opportunities for men and women and eradicating child labour are two areas that will take great effort to resolve given and enormous number of people involved. There have been great improvements in areas such as IT and space development which has meant that some sectors of the youth have been able to move into those areas. However, in order to make the progress that is sought for India to become a developed country, young people need to be motivated in directions that will achieve that goal. There is a substantial concern regarding young people being drawn into terrorism, and major changes in law and order remain to be achieved. So it can be seen that there is much to be done and directives in place to work towards those aims. However, this does appear to place a great deal of responsibility and reliance on younger people to make this happen. Bibliography Adlakha, A., 2014. Population Trends :India. [Online] Available at: https://www.census.gov/population/international/files/ib-9701.pdf [Accessed 24 October 2014]. Atkin, C., 2012. Education and Minorities. London: A C Black.Chapter 9 Available at http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BsO_xqyNNfwCprintsec=frontcoversource=gbs_ge_summary_rcad=0#v=onepageqf=false [Accessed 24 October 2014] Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­, 2014. The Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­ Faith. [Online] Available at: http://www.bahai.org/ [Accessed 23 October 2014]. Glennie, A. Chappell, L., 2010. Show Me the Money (and Opportunity): Why Skilled People Leave Home — and Why They Sometimes Return. [Online] Available at: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/show-me-money-and-opportunity-why-skilled-people-leave-home-%E2%80%94-and-why-they-sometimes-return [Accessed 23 October 2014]. Indian Child Line, nd. CHILD Protection Child Rights. [Online] Available at: http://www.childlineindia.org.in/child-labour-prohibition-and-regulation-act-1986.htm[Accessed 23 October 2014]. IREX, nd. Promoting Tolerance and Dialogue through Interactive Theater in Eastern Indonesia. [Online] Available at: http://www.irex.org/project/promoting-tolerance-and-dialogue-through-interactive-theater-eastern-indonesia [Accessed 23 October 2014]. Jain, R., 2009. Role of Youth In Indian Politics. [Online] Available at: http://theviewspaper.net/role-of-youth-in-indian-politics/ [Accessed 23 October 2014]. Kalam, A. A. Rajan, Y., 2002. India 2020 A Vision for the New Millenium, New Delhi: Penguin. Available at http://acemlibrary.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/india2020.pdf [Accessed 24 October 2014] Kruger, A. Poster, C., 1990. Community Education and the Western World. London: Routledge.p.72 Kumar, C. S., 1998. The Scheduled Castes in India. New Delhi: p.234 MedIndia, 2014. AIDS HIV Positive Cases in India 2009 2012. [Online] Available at: http://www.medindia.net/health_statistics/general/aidsindia.asp [Accessed 24 October 2014]. Pandve, H. T., Deshmukh, P. R., Pandve, R. T. Patil, N. R., 2009. Role of youth in combating climate change. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 13(2), p. 105. Ruland, J., Jurgenmeyer, C., Nelson, M. Ziegenhain, 2005. Parliaments and Political Change in Asia. Pasir Panjang: Institute of Southeastern Asian Studies. Available at http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=cPuOBcME6osCpg=PA181dq=most+politicians+in+india+are+over+60+years+oldhl=ensa=Xei=cY1JVJS_L8PH7AaDkIGoCAved=0CDYQ6wEwAA#v=onepageq=most%20politicians%20in%20india%20are%20over%2060%20years%20oldf=false [Accessed 24 October 2014] The National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations, 2009. The Role of Young People in Poverty reduction, Stockholm: The National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations. The World Bank, 2014. Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people). [Online] Available at: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.CBRT.IN [Accessed 24 October 2014]. UNESCO, 2013/14. Teaching and Learning Quality for all, UNESCO. United Nations, 2014. The International Year of Youth. [Online] Available at: http://www.unric.org/en/component/content/article/2-articles/26530international-year-of-youth [Accessed 23 October 2014]. United Nations, 2014. The World Programme of Action for Youth. [Online] Available at: http://www.un.org/events/youth98/backinfo/ywpa2000.htm [Accessed 23 October 2014]. US Department of Labour, 2013. India 2013 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, Available athttp://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/india.htm [Accessed 23 October 2014] Zezulka-Mailloux, G. E. M. Gifford, J., 2003. Culture + the State: Alternative Interventions. Edmonton: CRC. Available at http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=B064aJShLDgCpg=PT156dq=the+caste+system+in+india+todayhl=ensa=Xei=5-9IVPTFAeep7Aahx4C4DQved=0CFcQ6AEwCA#v=onepageq=the%20caste%20system%20in%20india%20todayf=false [Accessed 24 October 2014]

Drug Testing is Not a Violation of Individual Rights Essay -- Drugs Ar

Every day companies lose millions of dollars due to employee drug use. Athletes break world records with gargantuan strength, but not on a fair scale. Drugs ruin the lives of users and cause injury to those who must work with users. Detection by officials is necessary to curb this problem. When does the safety for others violate the rights of drug users? Drug testing, whether in the workplace or on the athletic field, is not a violation of civil rights. "In 1988, the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimated that 12 percent of full-time employed Americans between the ages of 20 and 40 used an illicit drug" (Goldburg 62). Twenty percent of the 14.5 million Americans who use drugs are employed. This fact has convinced many that drug testing at the workplace should be mandatory (Goldburg 51). Sixty percent of the major corporations in America require drug testing as a condition of employment (Goldburg 50). Steven Mitchell Sack asserts that "Experts estimate that more than 50 percent of the major corporations in the United States now engage in drug and alcohol screening before hiring new employees; such tests are on the rise, particularly in high technology and security-conscious industries" (41). Because of such frequent testing, the number of applicants who test positive is down to under five percent (Sack 41). Not only do the companies pay the price for drug users, but so does the public. The public pays higher prices due to lost productivity from work-related accidents and job absenteeism caused by drug abuse (Goldburg 51). The average drug user is three times as late as fellow employees and has 2.5 times as many absences (Sack 141). A drug user is five times more likely to file a worker's compensation ... ...earche. July 1991:52. Goldburg, Raymond, ed. Taking Sides. Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin, 1993. Huxford, Andrea. "What You Need to Know About Drug Testing in the Work Place." Netscape. http://www.charm.net/~trade/s/stein/index.html Levy, Leonard W., ed. Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. New York: Macmillan, 1992. O'Brien, David. "Rx for Disaster." Sun-Sentinel. 14 July 1991: 52-54. "Policy of Clarkson Construction Company." Pamphlet. No other information given. Preferred Alliance. "The Road to D.O.T Compliance" Netscape. http://www.preferredalliance.com/ Sack, Steven Mitchell. From Hiring to Firing. New York: Legal Strategies, 1995. Wornsnop, Richard L. "Athletes and Drugs." CQ Reasearcher. 26 July 1991: 513-519. Zigarelli, Michael A. Can They Do That? A Guide to Your Rights on the Job. New York: Lexington, 1994

A Speech Given By Frederick Do -- essays research papers

FREDERICK DOUGLASS’S POWERS OF APPEAL After his escape from slavery, Frederick Douglass chose to promote the abolition of slavery by speaking about the actions and effects that result from that institution. In an excerpt from a July 5, 1852 speech at Rochester, New York, Douglass asks the question: What to the slave is the Fourth of July? This question is a bold one, and it demands attention. The effectiveness of his oration is derived from the personal appeals in which he engages the listener. At once in this speech, Douglass appeals to his listeners’ religious tendencies. He asks his audience, “am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar…'; (441). Religious appeal is so important because the majority of his audience is Christian, and he implies that Christianity, in its ostensible purity, allows the mishandling of human life to the degree of slavery. By relating Christianity directly to slavery, his listeners must question the validity of their Christian doctrines in relation to the institution of slavery. In doing so, they must eliminate their acceptance of one of these traditions; the odds are that Christianity holds a much more loyal following than slavery, in which case slavery will be given up as a practice. Douglass also quotes from Psalms 137:1-6, and the ludicrous concept that slaveholders expect their slaves to be joyous in their state of bondage is the essential meaning of the passage he chooses as it relates to the comparable situation of the Babylonians’ captives (442). His persuasive appeal in this case is the notion that any pious Christian would have sympathy for the lamenting captives and contempt for the captors in the Psalms passage. If this assumption is correct, then the same pious Christians surely should realize the situation of the slaves on this day and every other. Additionally, in asking this question, he asserts immediately that the meaning of the Fourth of July is entirely different from that of the free, white American. Douglass concedes that the whites of America had reason to rejoice: “the rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence'; (441). However, he also illustrates that there are just as many reasons for slaves to scorn the traditional meaning of the Fourth of July. Furthermore, these reasons are as ... ...w, with all of the activity and thinking life requires, the slave’s manhood can be questioned (443). For the white man listening to this argument, it is required that he empathizes with the situation of the slave, because in actuality there is much in common between the free and the enslaved. This is precisely Douglass’s point; bondage is the only hindrance of slaves’ abilities to lead a fulfilling life. Douglass’s appeals to his audience are specifically directed toward white, Christian males. He is fully aware at all times he must show that he can relate with them. As Christians, how should they have felt had they been denied their right to practice religion and believe in their god? What would they do if the country they so loved chained them to a life of servitude? Finally, what would all the work to support a family and desire for self-improvement have accomplished if it only benefited a master, but not a wife and children? Douglass deliberately addresses those aspects of life that mean the most to his audience because in doing so he is sure to gain the listeners’ full attention and consideration of the immorality of slavery.

You Are What You Eat

Lauren McFall Mr. Gossett English 10H-4 March 17, 2008 You are What You Eat Throughout the past twenty years, obesity in the United States has drastically increased. Currently, one-hundred and seventeen billion people in the United States are obese. Out of those people, three-hundred thousand people die each year because of complications due to being over-weight. One out of every four children in the average school in the United States is over-weight. In an effort to combat this growing obesity epidemic, concerned members of the school community have petitioned the GRCSS School Board, recommending that high-calorie beverages in school vending machines and high-fat-content food items currently available from the hot-lunch menu be replaced by more healthful alternatives. Admittedly, one concern is that many schools have a hard time budgeting this kind of substitution. Healthful foods are currently more expensive for schools to provide, and also, schools worry that children who are addicted to eating their high-fat junk food will not buy healthful foods if they substitute them, decreasing income used for extra-curricular activities, sports, clubs and more. It is also true, of course, that some students will instead, bring in their own junk-food and high-calorie beverages from home. These concerns for altering the hot-lunch menu are genuine. However, if high-calorie beverages and foods in schools are replaced with more healthful alternatives, some children will establish more healthful eating habits at young ages, and carry that over with them into adult-hood. Schools that have made the switch have said, â€Å"It’s not true that children will only eat junk, they just need healthier choices. And granted the school may suffer financially, a school free of vending machines and fast food in the cafeteria values the well-being of their students. Another reason this switch could be beneficial is because research has shown that the high sugars in soda can be linked to hyperactivity, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. Children who eat junk food and drink regular soda are not getting essential vitamins and nutrients, decreasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their education in the classroom. Those students who take in their daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, and eat overall healthier meals, will feel better and have greater intentness in the classroom. Clearly, then, it is in the best interest of the students of schools that high-calorie beverages in vending machines and high-fat-content food be eliminated from hot-lunch menus. Not only will it establish more healthful eating habits in young-adults, but it will hopefully also limit the sickening statistics of obesity in our country. You Are What You Eat Lauren McFall Mr. Gossett English 10H-4 March 17, 2008 You are What You Eat Throughout the past twenty years, obesity in the United States has drastically increased. Currently, one-hundred and seventeen billion people in the United States are obese. Out of those people, three-hundred thousand people die each year because of complications due to being over-weight. One out of every four children in the average school in the United States is over-weight. In an effort to combat this growing obesity epidemic, concerned members of the school community have petitioned the GRCSS School Board, recommending that high-calorie beverages in school vending machines and high-fat-content food items currently available from the hot-lunch menu be replaced by more healthful alternatives. Admittedly, one concern is that many schools have a hard time budgeting this kind of substitution. Healthful foods are currently more expensive for schools to provide, and also, schools worry that children who are addicted to eating their high-fat junk food will not buy healthful foods if they substitute them, decreasing income used for extra-curricular activities, sports, clubs and more. It is also true, of course, that some students will instead, bring in their own junk-food and high-calorie beverages from home. These concerns for altering the hot-lunch menu are genuine. However, if high-calorie beverages and foods in schools are replaced with more healthful alternatives, some children will establish more healthful eating habits at young ages, and carry that over with them into adult-hood. Schools that have made the switch have said, â€Å"It’s not true that children will only eat junk, they just need healthier choices. And granted the school may suffer financially, a school free of vending machines and fast food in the cafeteria values the well-being of their students. Another reason this switch could be beneficial is because research has shown that the high sugars in soda can be linked to hyperactivity, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. Children who eat junk food and drink regular soda are not getting essential vitamins and nutrients, decreasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their education in the classroom. Those students who take in their daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, and eat overall healthier meals, will feel better and have greater intentness in the classroom. Clearly, then, it is in the best interest of the students of schools that high-calorie beverages in vending machines and high-fat-content food be eliminated from hot-lunch menus. Not only will it establish more healthful eating habits in young-adults, but it will hopefully also limit the sickening statistics of obesity in our country.

Marxism in the Grapes of Wrath bye John Steinbeck Essay

Capitalism was chosen as the best economic system when the founding fathers were trying to determine the future of America. A capitalist is someone who owns a production system and who gains money through misusing the effort of workers. Through capitalist economic relations, socialistic ideas are broken down to bias earnings of an individual. Through creating such divisions as the upper, middle, and lower class, the theory of Marxism analyzes what ways capitalism can be used against the people. In the Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck confronts this ideal and reveals what he believes regarding this subject. The Marxist theory of criticism examines the economic and governmental system that Steinbeck uses throughout the novel and reveals that Steinbeck does indeed believe that capitalism is naturally flawed. Steinbeck starts his grand confrontation with capitalism, by creating the feeling that there are two classes with a third stuck somewhere between. In the start of the novel, Tom Joad wants to hitch a ride with a driver who has a â€Å"No Riders† sticker on the truck. Tom make the driver become tied and twisted in his emotions and moral feelings when saying, â€Å"sometimes a guy’ll be a good guy even if some rich bastard makes him carry a sticker†¦the driver considered the parts of this answer. If he refused now, not only was he not a good guy, but he was forced to carry a sticker, was not allowed to have company† (7). The driver is forced to believe that in order to be a â€Å"good guy,† he must put aside pride and help out a fellow man. Tom tries to make the driver realize that a man does not need to work for â€Å"some rich bastard† to be a decent person. It is also interesting to note that Steinbeck sees that â€Å"power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely†. He shows that those who have higher authority tend to take advantage of others for their own selfish desires. One character of the intercalary chapters notes that the greed of the upper class dominates society and says, â€Å"You go steal a tire and you’re a thief, but he tried to steal your four dollars for a busted tire. They call it business† (81). Using â€Å"he† can come to represent the strong business owners because its shows the marketing techniques used then. Businessmen would try to take everything away from those who were just trying to make ends meet. By saying that â€Å"he tried to steal your four dollars for a busted tire,† means that they only take for their pleasure and their corrupted desires. This motif of the separation of the current society  into many classes based on greed shows how deeply ingrained it is and then shows how deeply it affects everyone. Steinbeck delegates blame of the complete and utter misfortunate of the lower class onto the upper class. While looking for a job, Uncle John and Pa start speaking to a group of men about work, and the men respond by saying, â€Å"You can’t feed your fam’ly on just twenty cents and hour, but you’ll take anything. They jes’ auction off a job†¦pretty soon they’re gonna make us pay to work† (352). The upper class promises the other fortune, food, and other physiological needs for their families and through this completely and utterly dictates every single move of the lower class by dominating their basic needs that must, absolutely must be met. He then projects a specific quality and image to represent the upper class. â€Å"The Bank-or the Company-needs–wants–insists–must have–as thought the Bank or the Company were a monster†¦they were men and slaves, while the banks and machines were masters all the same time. Some of the owner men were a little proud to be slaves to suck cold and powerful masters† (32). The reason the banks and companies are symbolized as monsters is because they consume profits and interest on money. If no provisions are given to this monster, this master, then its â€Å"slaves† would not be taken care of either, so it feeds from the weak. This is just another way in which those with the power can dominate the lower class through the basic needs that everyone has. It is through many other instances that follow the same pattern as the others that Steinbeck shows how the upper class completely dominates all aspects of society and the living of everyone else. From every corner of the novel drops the contempt that Steinbeck has for those who completely disregard the needs of others in order to profit. To this end, Steinbeck uses the camps to show how he believes that society should currently be operating. In Weedpatch, the Joads gathered at camp with everyone else and noticed something different about the atmosphere. â€Å"There grew up a government in the worlds a Man who was wise found that his wisdom was needed in every camp; a man who was a fool could not change his folly with this world† (197). This scene showed how the families united as one under their own governing. It showed that each person was equal to the next,  falling away from this class defined society. Steinbeck headed towards socialism with this quote, opposing capitalism and its errors labeling a person and their family. By uniting, it seemed as though more work was able to get done and more people enjoyed a feeling of freedom. Families were able to get away from a higher authority and be able to work and think for themselves. Finally, an answer is presented to the question and problems, which Steinbeck had been building up, through the simple connection of the many ideas that flowed through this novel. Through the suffering and misery that is faced by the farmers, Steinbeck sets the concept of separation of class based on luck and circumstance; the greed of those in command then does not allow for any change of any type to occur at all. The power that lies in the hand of the upper class has been abused and used to abuse those that it was meant to help. The greed that prevails throughout all instances of merchant dealings throughout this novel indicate that this is the basis and the only true representative of the upper class; through the struggles of the other people, Steinbeck believes that there is much more to life than simple materialism. In Weedpatch, he shows that once people can shed pettiness and greed that capitalism fosters, they are able to connect and create something much better. From the first event of the novel to the last, Steinbeck focuses on showing the flaws of capitalism and providing a better solution to the problem that plagues the majority of the nation. Socialism will work where capitalism will not, one is based off of the unanimity whereas the other focuses on the few individuals that are able to exploit their greed and disregard for civilization to the extreme.