Critical Response

things fall Essay example

things fall Essay example things fall Essay example Things Fall Apart (Essay) Nuru 11o "Looking at a kings mouth, said an old man, one would think he never sucked at his mothers breast." The old man was speaking of a fierce and young warrior known as Okonkwo in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo could be described on several cases an antagonist but he best fits the definition of Aristotle's specific theory of a tragic hero. Aristotle defines his theory in to five terms. Okonkwo does have a high status, does have a tragic flaw, does fall from grace, his downfall does increase his awareness and he does most certainly undergo great tragedy. Aristotle states that a tragic hero "must come from nobility or occupy a high status position". Okonkwo did not come from wealth or success his father was "lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow". But regardless of Okonkwo`s past, he soon became one of the most powerful men in Umuofia. One of the elders had recognized Okokwo`s success and how he "had risen suddenly from great poverty and misfortune to be one of the lords of the clan", Okonkwo was truly successful. What made Okokwo’s success even sweeter is that he had risen in spite of all odds. This is simply one example where Okonkwo fits the specifications of a tragic hero laid out by Aristotle's. Aristotle states that the tragic hero "must exhibit a tragic flaw". Okonkwo may be known as a great warrior through out his tribe but he most definitely does have a tragic flaw. Okonkwo`s hatred of being like his father has made him brusque and arrogant with less successful men. His arrogance had ead him to never showing emotion or sympathy in public. When Okonkwo accompanied his tribes men to kill Ikemefua and they began to slay him, Okonkwo could not bear to watch. Then, as soon as the boy started to cry "father they have killed me...Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak". Okonkwo`s fear of being thought weak and his pride will lead to his tragic downfall. Once again, Okonkwo fits the specifications of a tragic hero according to Aristotle. The third specification that Aristotle made states that a tragic hero must undergo "a reversal of fortune being that they fall from grace". Okonkwo most certainly does fall from grace and he falls hard. The man who once roamed his land as one of the lords of his tribe gets banished for a crime he commits by accident. "Okonkwo`s gun pierced the boys heart ..... the only course was to flee from the clan". This was the source where things started to fall apart. When Okonkwo got banished, he had lost everything; his land, his yams, his wives, his everything. It’s rather ironic how the one act that lead to Okonkwo`s banishment was actually committed by accident. The crime he commits is a female crime because he commits it "inadvertentlyâ€Å". Okonkwo, over his life time had brutally murdered several men ruthlessly but the one act of violence that lead to his banishment was merely an accident. The irony behind Okonkwo`s banishment does not directly link to one of Aristotle's specifications of a tragic hero but it does evoke the readers emotion of pity, which is critical for a tragic hero. The fourth specification that Aristotle lays out is relatively similar to the third one, "the hero has a downfall yet the fall is not pure loss. There is some increase in awareness". There aren't that many examples, where Okonkwo gains knowledge after a loss but rather he does gain awareness after his son decides to leave him. When Okonkwo found out that his eldest son had decided to convert religions and become Christian, he was enraged. This had infuriated Okonkwo so much and led him to beating his son savagely until he was told to stop. "He let hold of Nwoye, who walked away and never returned†. When Okonkwo realizes that he had lost his eldest son to the "enemy", is a turning point for the plot of the story. After

Fibre-reinforced plastic Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fibre-reinforced plastic - Coursework Example The aerospace, marine, construction and automotive industries are the most frequent users of FRPs. Traditional firms that supply carbon are Cytec, Toray, Hexcel, Formosa Plastics, SGL Group and Mitsubishi Rayon (Vasile, 2002, p.22). FRP composite materials that occur naturally are made from two or even more constituent materials. These component materials usually have differing chemical and physical properties, and they include resins and fibres (ngcc). They remain distinct and separate in the finished product to form the components of the FRP. Most of these composites have stiff and strong fibres in a matrix that is less stiff and weaker. The objective of this is to ensure that the final product is stiff and strong but with a very low density. In particular cases, contractors prefer thermoplastic polymers, which are mouldable after the final production. There has been the development of newer and more advanced forms of ERPs. Some of these improvements include more modern reinforceme nt styles such as nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes and development of high-performance resin systems. Fibre reinforced polymer components have become necessary substitutes or enhancements for development in infrastructure and structures typically constructed using traditional engineering materials, which include steel and concrete. FRP components are non-corrosive, lightweight and exhibit particular high strengths (Starr, 1999, p.34). Traditional firms that supply carbon are Cytec, Toray, Hexcel, Formosa Plastics.

1920's Prohibition Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

1920's Prohibition - Term Paper Example However, it led to rise of even graver social ills particularly organized crime, leading to more repercussions. â€Å"Prohibition was the period in United States history†¦It was a time characterized by speakeasies, glamour, and gangsters and a period of time in which even the average citizen broke the law. (Rosenberg). So, this paper focusing on the Prohibition period will discuss, how it led to the rise of crime mafia and organized crime, as they indulged in illegal bootlegging, thereby allowing them to enter legitimate business. The need to implement Prohibition began in the 19th century, immediately after the end of the American Revolution, with the Temperance movement taking the initiative. After the revolution, drinking of alcohol among the men rose leading to many social ills particularly crime and murder, as well as domestic violence with the men of the family getting addicted to alcohol and shedding their familial and work responsibilities. â€Å"Prohibition, members of the Temperance movement urged, would stop husbands from spending all the family income on alcohol and prevent accidents in the workplace caused by workers who drank during lunch.† (Rosenberg). After several decades of moderate struggle with no major results, the movement changed focus and pushed for complete Prohibition. This pressure from the temperance movement only led the United States Senate proposing the Eighteenth Amendment, and the passing of â€Å"Volstead Act†, the popular name given to the National Prohibition Act. After the implementation of Prohibition, the administrators and the public expected that the crime and anti-social activities caused by alcohol consumption would come down. In addition, the administrators hoped that with reduced crime, government’s spending on running and maintaining prisons can also be reduced maximally, thereby diverting those funds to improve health

Resources in Housing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Resources in Housing - Essay Example The role of savings in the acquisition of housing by low-income households has been recognized in a variety of studies. Macoloo (1994:290) reports that two-thirds of households in Kenya used savings to purchase construction materials, making this the most important source of finance during the initial stages of house-building. Yet, the significance of savings to the housing process is not without its problems. As other studies show, many households are able to become 'owners' early on, before they would be able to develop a savings profile. While it is increasingly accepted that low-income households are not too poor to save, in an environment of low and insecure incomes, and rising prices for building materials, land and services and rising taxes, it seems unlikely that households would amass sufficient savings on a consistent basis to acquire or build housing. This would seem to be supported by macro studies that show low propensities to save in the poorest countries and in the poorest households in all countries. Most low-income households lack safe and convenient methods to save and many institutions insist upon minimum balances or do not offer positive returns on savings. Indeed, in some circumstances low-income households are charged to deposit savings, either directly or through negative interest rates. In order to save in the formal system, therefore, low-income households have to possess a minimum level of funds and an income sufficient to pay charges: in the short term saving may be a net drain on household resources. The lack of institutional capacity is not the only reason for the low rate of saving. Countries such as Chile, Singapore and Malaysia have implemented sophisticated financial products to increase the ratio of money to GDP and raise the rate of saving. Such reforms, however, have not improved conditions for those on the lowest incomes as measures have not been taken to improve the unequal distribution of income: with no surplus income, savings will be inelastic in relation to interest rate changes. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that, in some countries, many low-income households are heavily in debt, and are therefore unable to be net savers, and have learned through experience to be highly distrustful of financial institutions. The difficulty experienced by households trying to save in the context of limited institutional capacity suggests that many must be holding savings outside of the formal financial system. There is very little research, however, on the form in which these savings are held although consumer items and jewellery as well as cash are mentioned frequently. One further possibility is that households invest in housing as a surrogate form of saving believing this to be a reliable store of value. As consolidation takes place the belief is that most properties will appreciate in value over time, although the small size of the second-hand property market makes reliable assessments of value difficult and some suspect that the real trend may be quite flat over the short term. Thus, while there is evidence for a link between financial depth and housing investment, at the micro level, it is the lack of financial capacity that may

The Social And Cultural Messages In Apocalypto Film Studies Essay

The Social And Cultural Messages In Apocalypto Film Studies Essay When one decides to put history on film, one must be prepared for substantial tradeoffs (Rosenstone 16). Films cannot convey historical events with pinpoint accuracy or with exact detail because films like this do not sell or are not financially practical. As a result, historical films are usually laden with historical inaccuracies that are on one hand emotionally and visually compelling and on the other hand, a distortion of a sense of history for many others. As historical films surrender accuracy for dramatic effect and brevity, historical truths become laced with political or cultural messages advertently or inadvertently placed by the producers of the movie (Christen and Haas viii). So what we have are exciting films backdropped against a real past but projecting a largely imagined one on the screen. Films such as Mel Gibsons Apocalyto have captured significant attention for being both a cultural success and failure at the same time (Grandia). A modern depiction of the great Mayan civilization, Gibson assimilated cinematographic elements to create a chase film that is not a historical document as he said, but a social critique of government tyranny and abuse. The cultural preoccupations reflected in the film was heightened with the Iraq War, which divided American public opinion into camps which supported the war in the name of civilizing Iraqis through the restoration of democracy and those that fought the war because it was an illegitimate war waged against a sovereign people. On a personal level, Gibson was conscious in the film being a critique of the Bush administrations megalomaniac tendencies. However, all throughout the film, Gibsons personal religious convictions and political persuasions were perhaps inadvertently reinforced, causing critics to accuse him of racism and bigotry (Grandia). For all its historical inaccuracies (which Gibson admitted), the film projects American social and cultural realities as it struggles internally to deal with migration, terrorism, and the economic crisis factors that threaten its status in the global hierarchy. Upon a closer look at the film, it is hypothesized that the film reflects Americas struggle with its own national identity in relation to its history of imperialism and militarist culture, race and multiculturalism, and conservative theological roots. This paper addresses how these social and cultural preoccupations are portrayed in the film. Synopsis The story is set at the peak of the Mayan civilization when the nation, suffering from drought and disease, pillaged the surrounding tribes in search of slaves and human sacrifices to the gods. The central character, Jaguar Paw, is a hunter and family man, who along with many others of his tribe were taken captive. He protects his family by hiding them deep in a secluded hole and is subsequently saved from having his heart removed by the coming of a solar eclipse. What further ensues is a dramatic chase for survival as Jaguar Paw and his fellow tribe members were hunted down. He succeeds in killing off his enemies and returns to save his wife and child. However, his survival comes at a time when his tribe is decimated and his life changed forever. Social and Cultural Messages in the Film As earlier hypothesized, while Gibson may not have intentionally done so, several social and cultural messages were reflected in his film. Justifying Colonialism Cultural sensitivity is not a strong feature in Apocalypto. As critics have noted, Apocalyptos inaccurate portrayal of ancient Mayan civilization justifies colonialism on two grounds 1) in order to subdue an extremely barbaric and inhumane culture that sacrifices its population en masse and 2) that the inherent barbarity of Mayan culture itself was enough to see to its destruction, making colonialism a benign historical contribution. Americas preoccupation with empire and national prestige is reflected in this film in strong and subtle terms. The strong reference toward imperialism is illustrated by the brutal subjugation of a peaceful tribe by the strong armed force of the Mayan political center. Jaguar Paws tribe, harmonious and self-sufficient, found its very survival threatened because of the imperialistic ambitions of a more powerful tribe. However, we see that this once-glorious civilization was eventually destroyed. Given Gibsons public declaration of opposition to the Iraq War and how he detested it, his own view may be that the film should embody how perilous the imperialistic ambitions of the U.S. are (Grandia). The eventual annihilation of the Mayan Civilization then was used as a testament and a reminder to Bush and to all of the dangers of bloodthirsty power. Colonialism in this movie was underscored with the arrival of Spanish missionaries off the coast toward the end of the film. The cultural messa ge that could be inferred from this scene is that it was Christianity that actually saved and civilized the bloodthirsty Mayan civilization. This is analogous with Americas own brutal history of subjugating the Native American Indian tribes who were the original settlers of the American continent. Other cultural and political analogies could also be inferred. For instance, Americas preoccupation with policing the whole world and teaching democracy to so-called rogue states to the extent of military occupation is one. Another is Americas preoccupation with exporting the free market ideology to the entire world as the only viable economic system at the expense of developing nations unable to compete with industrialized nations in the world market. The most recent analogy would be the Iraq War, a war not sanctioned by the United Nations but crucial in advancing Americas petroleum interests in the Middle East. Race and Multiculturalism Gibson originally hoped to address Americas insatiable hunger for power by using the downfall of the Mayan civilization as analogy. The problem with this decision is that it reinforced racist epithets and cultural insensitivity. Advocates of multiculturalism strongly disagreed with how racist the film was (Schmidt). When you view the film, with its compelling imagery and graphic detail, one may be bound to conclude that the ancient Mayans were an inherently savage population. Gibsons use of the Yucatec Maya language in telling his version of the demise of the Mayan civilization was effective in giving historical authenticity to the film. Gibsons version of ritual sacrifice in the Maya has been lambasted by more than one historian. The Mayan civilization did not practice mass human sacrifices and when they do practice single human sacrifice, it was not random killing as suggested by the film (Grandia). Hence, the theme that came out of the film was not the critique of empire as Gibson had envisioned, but the emphasis on the barbarity of others, and the need to homogenize culture to conform to a Eurocentric standard (emphasized in the film with the coming of European missionaries). Multiculturalism has taken a hit in the heart of America with the immigration debate. In a bid for greater profits, corporatist interests have banked on tapping cheap immigrant labor, to the discontent of many Americans. A growing number of Americans have protested against the rising tide of immigrants in the country who are out to take their jobs, depress their wages, and contribute to uncontrollable population growth. Greater border security and more stringent immigration regulations have been hotly debated (Honey and Bass 14). Gibsons purported anti-Semitism has made racism an immediate accusation in Apocalypto. He created uproar among the Jewish community in his critically-acclaimed film Passion of the Christ which portrayed graphically how the Jews were the persecutors of Jesus Christ. Having a father who denies the existence of the Holocaust did not help to ease racist accusations in Apocalyto as well. Unfortunately, racism is not only Gibsons cultural preoccupation, but Americas. Despite the triumphs gained by Americas civil rights movement, racism is still very existent today. The global war on terror has heightened racial tensions and fueled Islamophobia and intolerance for other cultures. The most notable public example is fundamentalist pastor Terry Jones who threatened to burn the Koran and proclaimed Islam and the devils religion, despite pressure from top officials and pleas from the White House (Stacy). Moreover, despite having elected the very first Black president in Barack Obama, racism is a ghost that America still confronts. There still remain a substantial number of racially-motivated white groups in America who opposed Obamas election because he is black and who protest against his policies not for their lack of soundness but because is black. Racist Americans are very active in lobbying against legislation promoting racial equality and are unforgiving in their position. Media is populated by right-wing advocates against multiculturalism who are against affirmative action and other civil rights laws (Wallis). Christian conservatism Prominent in the film is the glorification of Christianity at the end of the film. After the viewer undergoes almost two hours of violence and gore nonstop, Spanish missionaries miraculously appear during the last minutes as if to rescue Jaguar Paw and his unfortunate tribe. Although subtle and short in appearance, the message of these scenes is powerful and undeniable. After all, why waste a few minutes of a film on a visually unappealing scene if it does not strike a core message to viewers? The final scene depicts Spaniards aboard the galleons crossing the waters off the coast, bearing crosses. After being convinced of the savagery and barbarity of the Mayans and relishing on how Jaguar Paw saved his wife and child, the sight of Spanish Christian missionaries allow the audience to be relieved. The message is: At last, help has come. God-fearing Christians have come to us. Out of the chaos and destruction of the Mayan civilization, the European missionaries have somehow arrived to make things right and restore peace. That the film ends there does not account for the equally brutal nature of subjugation the Natives endured under colonial rule. Colonialism by the Europeans was portrayed as benign while the internal colonization within the Mayan colonization was tantamount to genocide. The fact that the Spanish decimated almost 95% of the Mayans during their rule was left out (Grandia). The Christian conservatism Gibson injected in the film embodies his own religious convictions. Being a professed devout Catholic, Gibsons view was that the Mayan civilization was annihilated because of their bloodthirstiness and ungodliness. Religion, particularly Christianity, serves as a check against the excesses of power and departure from is perilous. Essentially, Gibson tows the line of religious fundamentalists that all social ills of America today are because it has forgotten its core spirituality. Morality has faded and replacing it has been decadence and wickedness. The film aims to remind America that the social problems it faces now is intertwined with its spiritual and moral struggle. Conclusion Apocalypto aimed to remind that a civilization unable to preserve its long-held traditions, beliefs, and spirituality will face destruction. Gibson inadvertently or advertently drew in Americas issues related to national identity imperialism, race, and Christian morality to serve this purpose. As a historical document, Apocalypto does not meet the accepted standards of accuracy and verifiability (Rosenstone 7). However, it depicts social and cultural preoccupations that America is currently faced with and as a result, triumphs in being a film that inspires and cultivates debate and discussion.

Tess Of The D Urbervilles - Finding A Place In Life :: essays research papers

Finding A Place In Life By human nature, people need a sense of belonging to be happy and fulfilled in life. It is more difficult for some to achieve this goal than others. Having friends and being loved is an important part of life for most people, yet if this is difficult for them to achieve, this goal could consume their life. This is true in Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles, where Tess, a descriptively pretty young girl goes to great lengths to find her place in the world. She moves from town to town searching for her place in society. She first settles in the city of Marlott where she leads a simple life. "Tess at this time of her life was a mere vessel of emotion untinctured by experience" (Hardy 11). Tess continues to travel to different towns in hopes she will improve her life by finding the person she wishes to spend the rest of her life with. Throughout all this disruption in her life, "she is an ambitious woman in search of a new sensation" (Hardy 15). She continues to travel because she wants more from life and has the ambition to attempt to find her place. Tess had to cope with many threatening, dangerous, and sad situations during her search. The first occurs when she arrives in the growing town of Tantridge. There she worked as a dairymaid on the Flintcomb-Ash Farm. Even with her dislike for this job she continues to work at it for over two years until she knows for certain that this is not her place in the world. As she "progresses (she) wonder whether it would be wiser to return home. The resolve, however had been taken, and it seems Vacillating†¦ to abandon it now, unless for graver reasons" (Hardy 67). As she continues to live in Tantridge, she gets into fights, drinks, and ends up being raped and impregnated. Alec is the man who attempts to convince Tess that she belongs with him, and that they were meant to be together. In her heart Tess realizes Alec is not the man she wishes to be with. Unfortunately she continues on in the one-sided relationship which leads to Alec raping Tess. She does not yet know how s evere the consequences are for not being a pure woman. This idea of being a pure woman is so important in this period of time that Tess keeps it a secret even from Angel, who is her new love and the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with.