Saturday, August 31, 2019

A Comparative Study on Family Education

Abstract: In a lifetime , family is the first school , in which parents are the first teachers for the children . Children are the hopes of a nation , and family education is the elementary education for children . There are many types of family education in the world and each of them shows distinctive features and is closely responsive to its culture . And American family education is the most famous one among them . There are great differences in the concepts of education , aim of education , methods of education and contents of education between American family education and Chinese family education . This thesis will complete the comparative study from the differences , the reasons and the results of family education between America and China . The author hopes to find a satisfied family education method through comparing the differences between American family education and Chinese family education . At the same time , the author hopes this thesis can provide some helpful suggestions for family education in order to make children grow more healthily and roundly . Keywords: family education childeren differences education for all-around development Main Body: . The differences of family education between America and China: 1. The concepts of family education are different . The different education concepts between America and China lead children to receive differert education . In China , many parents only care about whether the children have a promising future , a good job , a good life or not . Based on these expectations , the majority of parents feel that their responsibility for their children is to create as good conditions as possible they can so that the children will not worry about anything in the future . Chinese parents would like to provide everything what they can for their children in the process of children’s growth . In short , they would like to sacrifice anything if their children can live better with their help . Therefore, in the process of children’s growth, the most important thing the parents concerning is to develop their children’s intellect , except for caring children’s daily life . In order to make their children have a good performance in study , become outstanding , or even become a famous person n the future , they would not let children do anything except studying . Contrastively , American parents generally believe that the growth of childeren must rely on their own strength and experiences. Based on this concept , most American parents emphasize more to train their children’s ability of independence once they are born because they think that children should form a self-supporting will and the capacity to live independently sin ce their childhood . And the capacity comes from the training in the early age . In the film ?Gua Sha Treatment? , there is a scene that Datong orderded his son to apologize to his boss’s son when his saw his son was fighting with his boss’s son . What’s more , he slapped his son in the face when his son refused to apologize , which gave his boss aquite a shock . His boss became confused why the father would show the regret by striking his son . This scene and the boss’s confusion reflect the different concepts between the two countries . Traditonal Chinese family education emphasize kindheartedness and bedience , so we can say that Chinese parents like Datong in the film always want to model their children . On the contrary , America children have more rights of autonomy because their parents emphasis on justice and freedom in the process of family education . 2. The aim of family education are different . The aim of family education is to foster the childeren to grow in some direction by family education . It is the restrictive factor for the direction of family education , deciding the general effect of it . So the aim of family education is the core of family education and the fundamental reason for the differences between the two countries on family education . There is an essential difference between two countrys’ aim of family education , with to expect the child to become an outstanding personage and to hope the child to be an comprehensive and independent person giving expressions to the difference . To most Chinese parents , the aim is expecting their child to be a â€Å" dragon † , which is â€Å" wang zi cheng long † in Chinese . But American parents take hoping the child to be a man of ability which is â€Å" wang zi cheng ren † in Chinese as their aim . For Chinese parents, their aim is to do anyting to support their children to get high marks . What forms apparent contrast to it is , America parents give their children more training about improving abilities . They try to train their children to have the ability of adapting to environmental variety and the ability of living independently . 3. The methods are different between America and China . The differences of concepts and aim cause the childen to be taught by different ways and methods . In Chinese family , affected by Chinese traditional culture , parents educate children by â€Å" control † and â€Å" seal † type . There are three tips for it : (1)Chinese parents prepare all things for their children in daily life . In Chinese family , children don’t have to do any housework . (2)Chinese parents protect the children to excess in social activities . Many children are prevented from exposure to the outer world because their parents worry about children’s being affected by bad things . (3)Chinese parents have a rather strict attitude toward children’s study . Parents regard the grades as the only standard for future success . â€Å" Tasks Sea † strategy is often used in study . Chinese children are tired of doing many extra exercises . So Chinese children spend more time in studying than doing other things . What about America children ? Let’s talk about the famous film ?The Pacifier? . In the film , it may be unconcious , but Shane Wolfe had let the kids master many skills by training them during the time when he cared them . So American parents bring up their children by the method of â€Å" letting go † but â€Å" not indulging † to exercise children’s abilities of independent living . 4. The different contents of family education between America and China . The differences of family education between the two countries are also reflected in the contents of family education . Although the contents of Chinese family education can also devided into moral education , intellectual education , physical education and artistic education , but intellectual education has been the most important one since they go to school . However , the contents of American family education is abundant , which pay more attention to the harmonious development of language , emotion , knowledge and so on . It is so-called â€Å" education for all-around development † .

Friday, August 30, 2019

Lord Of The Flies Alternative Ending Essay

Ralph was the first to spot Simon. He saw him stumbling down the mountain like a pathetic new born calf. His eyes were wide but heavy and tired at the same time. The camp stopped at a sudden and they watched Simon get closer and closer. Simon opened his mouth and began to talk. The blue-white scar was constant, the noise unendurable. Simon was crying out something about a dead man on a hill. Ralph strained his ears to try and listen but could not hear anything over the endless chants from the hunters. Then in such a quick second, the game had taken a terrible turn. Ralph caught a glimpse of Jack’s eyes. They were fixated on Simon and were full of anger and fury. Then in that split second, Ralph realised that he should do something quickly for the sake of Simon. Somehow, he knew that they were going to do something terrible. The chanting was getting stronger and the storm was becoming harsher. Ralph broke through the circling hunters and grabbed Simon’s arm. He pulled him through the mass of chanting savages and made him run a little way down the beach until they came to an opening to the forest. â€Å"Go Simon, run through the forest as fast and as far as you can.† Ralph looked into Simons’ eyes. He had never seen such clear and beautiful eyes before in his whole life. Now, they sparkled like he had never seen anything sparkle before in his life. He closed his eyes and he felt Simon’s arm leave the lose grip of his hand. He heard the scurrying of Simon’s little feet pad into the forest and into the darkness. Ralph’s knees gave way and he slumped on to the ground. Realising that he was awake and not unconscious, he became aware to the chanting that had became close. Too close. â€Å"Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!† The chanting was continuous and the words spun through his head. The savages blurred in front of his eyes. Then there was silence. A voice spoke. Ralph recognised it as Jack. â€Å"You let the beast escape. You are an ally of the beast and I don’t want any beasts on my island. How do we know that you are not the beast? Don’t worry, we will find the other beast, he can’t get far. Look my hunters! We have found another beast!† Ralph tried to scream but the circle burst and started dancing and chanting again. This time Ralph could feel the spears scratching at his skin. Ralph didn’t move. He had given up. All he was waiting for was the final plunge of the spear to finish him off. Kill the beast! Spill his blood! Do him in!† An old woman began to pour a slender middle-aged man another cup of tea. â€Å"Oh, no thank you,† replied the man. â€Å"Now Mrs Doon, tell me a little about the patient. I’ve visited all the boys who returned from the island but it sounds as though yours has taken the experience the worst.† â€Å"He’s such a poor little boy. He’s been so ill since he’s arrived home. You would of thought that at least his father would come home to spend some time with him. He won’t let anyone show him the slightest bit of affection. It breaks my heart to see him like this. Anyway, what do I know? Here, let me show you to his room.† Mrs Doon guided the guest through a long winding passage to the top of the house. He thought that is was never going to end. Suddenly they heard a small boy’s voice crying out from the darkness. â€Å"Sounds like he’s had another nightmare again. They happen nearly every night now. I don’t know what to do for him anymore. Looks like you came at a good time doctor. We better go quickly now.† Mrs Doon carried on up the stairs but this time with a little more speed. The doctor could see how drained and tired she was. He walked anxiously behind her. â€Å"He refused to return to his own room and so we converted the attic into a room. He never comes out of it. All he does is sit up there all day. I’ve offered to decorate it for him but he insists that he likes it the way it is. He also always has to say that he is the leader and we must do what he wants. Now, I know that I am just someone employed by his father, but really! Well, what can you expect after being deserted on an island for three months, eh? Here we are. Now, I have to warn you doctor, he does tend to act a bit strange.† The old woman opened the door to the dark and miserable bedroom. Mrs Doon went straight for the curtains and snatched them back. The little body on the bed flinched at the immense light. â€Å"Now, Now, what is it? Another bad dream? Come on now, sit up a little. You have a visitor.† The little boys eyes were full of madness. Sweat dripped from his forehead. On his bed lay hundred of crumpled drawings. All the drawings were done with so much accuracy, but without colour, they lacked life. â€Å"It was chanting again. Over and over and-â€Å" â€Å"Hush. Now then. This is Doctor Wahlburg. He just wants to talk to you. He’s not going to harm you. He wants to help you.† â€Å"Hello,† began the doctor in a calming voice. â€Å"How are you feeling today then?† There was silence and no apparent movement. The child’s eyes made the doctor nervous and restless. â€Å"So, what are these drawings? Did you do these? They are splendid.† â€Å"Yes,† whispered the boy. His mouth hardly moving. â€Å"I did these, but this is my favourite one.† The boy reached over the bed and picked up a shoebox off the floor. He opened it with so much care and presented a perfectly folded piece of paper. He opened it with his eyes so wide. He showed the picture of a huge shell to the doctor. Like all the other pictures in the room, so much care had been taken over it. However, this picture had the quality of colour added to it. â€Å"Ralph my dear, it is freezing in here! Let me light you a fire-â€Å" â€Å"No!† Screamed Ralph. He sprang out of his bed while making horrific snarling noises. He began to circle the old woman. The doctor grabbed Ralph’s arm as an attempt to out him to bed again, but Ralph squirmed free of the grip and stood his ground in front of the terrified Mrs Doon. â€Å"What did I say? I said that I would get waxy if you tried to light that fire, didn’t I? I want to be alone with the doctor so let us be!† The old woman shuffled nervously out of the room. â€Å"See what I mean?† she cried just as she left the room. Ralph jumped happily back into bed, satisfied with his victory over an adult. It was obvious that he had found someone he liked in the form of the doctor. Still clutching onto his drawing, he sat at the top of the bed, quite innocently, and not making a sound. The doctor stirred on his spot very cautiously and slowly made his way to a chair at the end of the bed. He began to say something, but stopped himself and sat there in his own thoughts for a few minutes. Then he began. He opened up his notebook and took out a pencil. â€Å"Now Ralph, I want you to start from the beginning and don’t leave anything out. I want you to let out what has been eating away at you. It’s your turn now.†

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Walmart ethics

For our assignment we picked walmart ,and here a brief introduction about the company. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's second largest public corporation, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in 2013, the biggest private employer in the world with over two million employees, and is the largest retailer in the world.Walmart is also the largest grocery retailer in the United States. Walmart remains a family-owned business, as the ompany is controlled by the Walton family, who own over 50 percent of Walmart. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies. Walmart has 8,500 stores in 15 countries, under 55 different names.The company operates under the Walmart name in the United States It operates in Mexico as Walmex, in the United Kingdom as Asda, in Japan as Seiyu, and in India as Best Price.. The Field of Company: Retail The Ethical dile mma or issue which faced the company : The Consequences of ethical dilemma : The solution or the end of the ethical dilemma : Assignment The solution or the end of the ethical dilemma :

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Impact of Postmodernism in the 21st Century Media Essay

The Impact of Postmodernism in the 21st Century Media - Essay Example Postmodernism, on the other hand, is a complicated term. Some define it as a phenomenon or a cultural movement. As Stanley Gentz elaborated in his book, A Primer to Postmodernism (1996), â€Å"Postmodernism affirms that whatever we accept as truth and even the way we envision truth are dependent on the community in which we participate. ... There is no absolute truth; rather, truth is relative to the community in which we participate." Jean-Franà §ois Lyotard in his paper The Postmodern Condition (1984) defined modernity as Enlightenment or as the culmination of Enlightenment thought. Largely defined by incredulity toward the grand narratives, he noted that postmodernity have sought to explain the world. Lyotard also averred that postmodernism designates the state of our culture following the transformations which, since the end of the nineteenth century, have altered the game rules for science, literature, and the arts. Thus, he furthered that: In a society whose communication component is becoming more prominent day by day, both as a reality and as an issue, it is clear that language assumes a new importance. It would be superficial to reduce its significance to the traditional alternative between manipulatory speech and the unilateral transmission of messages on the one hand, and free expression and dialogue on the other. Moreover, because it is a concept that appears in a wide variety of disciplines or areas of study, including art, architecture, music, film, literature, sociology, communications, fashion, and technology, postmodernism appears to be difficult to confine in a simple meaning. It's hard to locate it temporally or historically, since it's not clear exactly when postmodernism begins. In the character of our changing times, people have come to live not only in a situated culture, but in a culture of mediation since the 19th century. The press, film and cinema, television and radio and more recently, the Internet, have developed to supply larger scale means of public communication. Our situated culture exists within a much wider mediated world. The introduction of the term 'global village' in the 1960's illustrates how much our world has changed and the change is due almost entirely to the development of mass communications. With the recent spate of electronic media, like the Net, mass media is inarguably the most democratizing, empowering state that man has ever built. Agreeing to this is Black American activist Malcolm X, as he succinctly stated that, "The media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses." Sociologists have long agreed that the media has a marked impact not only in opinion, but also on the way people dress, act and relate with one another. Our cultural experiences attests to the development of systems of mass communication, like the television. New York Post critic Clive Barnes reckoned that "Television is the first truly democratic culture - the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want." Studies have substantiated Barnes' scary

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Visual art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visual art - Essay Example In this regard, it is evident that most of the bush meat that the hunters normally look for come from animals within the valley at the far end, as the hunters are seen going down the valley in their hunting mission. On the upper part of the village are a few trees and buildings to sustain life, which is contrary to what happens down the valley that depicts few signs of life. Since the piece of work is an example of composition design, it is best described using certain basic principles that mainly take into account the physical aspects of the image. The artist in this case has used these principles of visuals arts to organize the various elements of art in the image. This enables that the artist came up with an aesthetic piece that described the natural environment and certain cultures using harmony, movement, unity, balance, variety, rhythm, contrast, pattern, emphasis, and proportion. To this effect, these principles of art describe the piece by the artist in an explicit, accurate, and visual manner that giving relevance and significance to the piece of art. From the onset, there is an element of movement in the image as depicted by the group of people and their animals. In the piece of art, the group of hunters conspicuously faces the same direction that is downhill together with their dogs. They have their legs apart with one foot forward, an aspect that is repeated in their dogs. Indeed, all these aspects depict that the people in this case are involved in a range of motion making the viewer of the image to look at the direction of their motion, which is down the valley. The artist carefully uses the hunters’ scenario to direct the viewer’s eyes down the snowy valley that seems to have a host of activities by several people. When it comes to proportion, the artist has demonstrated significance difference between the sizes and quantity of the elements in the image in that there is a clear scale between the foreground and middle ground in terms of topography. In this regard, the three hunters on top of the valley appear more enlarged than those people situated down the valley, although the number is not that big. Thus, every aspect of the drawing especially on the left foreground and left middle ground places an emphasis on the culture and living environment. Although the presence of snow in all parts of the drawing creates a sense of uniformity, it is apparent that life is more pronounced on the upper part of the valley as evidenced by people, trees, and buildings that are crucial for human survival. The motion downhill also depicts that people mainly reside on top of the hill together with their domestic animals as enhanced by various proportionalities. The artist also makes appropriate use of variety in the drawing by including various aspects such as humans, animals, trees, buildings, topography, and snow. These elements when used together in the same drawing, as are the case creates a sense of harmony. Additionally, the close collaboration of the hunters carrying spears and heading towards the same direction as their dogs creates the impression of uniformity and harmony. The trees are arranged in the same direction down the valley to create a sense of balance in addition to uniformity due to their almost equal heights. Lastly but more importantly, the artist makes accurate use of patterns and rhythm in the drawing in the sense that the hole drawing is in color while depicting the fact that the art is a snowy region that covers almost entirely down the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Function of Management Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Function of Management Paper - Essay Example The four functions of management are planning, organizing, leading and controlling the organizational norms and domains. These four functions work hand in hand to bring to the organizational horizon a well-composed culture which is complete from all angles and perspectives. It is important that the four functions understand the need of proper incorporation of their own selves so that the organizational culture develops as a result. If the activities within an organization are adequately planned there is a strong possibility that the culture will underline the need of prioritizing things and hence a general planning regime would be in place. Organizing would take care of the steps which are important for the organizational procedures and undertakings and hence when the same are followed on a day to day basis, the organizational culture develops automatically. Leading comes from the leadership tenet where the top management understands its due role and hence embeds the much needed delegation and management skills required for the organization in essence. The last function is of controlling the organizational matters so that there is no element which has not been taken care of. All these four functions work alongside each other to construct an organizational culture which is wholesome and has a significant basis on the working procedures, undertakings and domains of the organization. (Warner, 2001) A healthy organizational culture could be instilled if the correct steps are taken at the right time so that the employees and the management are at ease with each other and also so that the activities, processes and strategies within the organizational tenets do not seem to be a misfit within the whole organizational regime. 3. Leading: Includes traits of a person who is in-charge and present all the time, could be easily replicated for a team which could be regarded as a group bringing about proactive

Custome Relationship Management Assignment 2 Essay - 1

Custome Relationship Management Assignment 2 - Essay Example mpany is mainly on sales of products as against the rendering of services, it would be said that he sales force automation will make a lot of sense in meeting the characteristic needs of the company by ensuring that the company is put in a position to rightly track all sale activities that take place within the company and especially about individual customers. This is said as sales force automation has a core internal system that ensures that there is contact management for identifying and recording each stage of the sales process for every other customer, right from the first contact that the customer makes with the company to the very last disposition that takes place (Humphrey, 2001). What this means is that sales force automation is going to make room for any of several customer relations management metrics to be used in measuring the outcome of the sales and its impact on the company. This may be done either by the traditional means or by use a modern marketing metrics. The key objective to the marketing plan is to ensure that the company is put in a position to track the inputs of its customers by way of sales at an individualized level. Commonly, companies treat all customers as the same and so prepare a similar strategy towards their sales. Meanwhile, marketing research has showed that purchasing behavior of no two customers could be exactly the same and so it is always important that clients be looked at from an individualized perspective (Chen and So, 2002). It is also the objective of the marketing plan to find major areas of weaknesses and strengths for the company in terms of sales so that the right kind of inventory can be made to meet the exact needs of customers. In areas where there are weaknesses with sales, strategies would either have to be changed or modified. The target markets are intended to be new markets where the products of the company have not reached as at yet. This is because by making these target markets and eventually having

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Competitive Benefits Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Competitive Benefits - Research Paper Example Therefore, this discourse kicks off by analyzing the benefits that come with compensation components and ways in which organizations whose employees are unionized can remain competitive. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees who are represented by a union receive higher salary as compared to the non- union workers. Moreover, they have more access to various benefits such as medical insurance, despite the declining rate of union membership. Research shows that in the year 2001, only 18 million workers were under a union as compared to 16 million workers in the year 2011. Nevertheless, it is without doubt that unions have an affirmative effect on various aspects of job quality such as employee benefits and wages (Long, 2013). Therefore, this treatise focuses on analyzing how a firm whose workers are represented by a union can remain competitive against the non-unionized workers. It will also give limelight to the role of benefits and the components of an employee benefit package. It is without doubt that compensation benefits play a major role in reducing turnover, enhancing productivity, and increasing the rate of morale among workers. Employee benefits are non-wage compensation that is offered to workers in addition to their normal salaries. For organizations that endeavor to hire competitive workers, they have an attractive benefits package that is either monetary or non-monetary. For instance, the monetary compensation benefits can include bonuses, profit sharing, and stock options among others. There are also the non-monetary benefits such as health insurance, pension plans, disability insurance, paid holidays, educational assistance, flexible working hours, sick leave, work at home oriented programs, retirement plans, and dental insurance among others. It is to be noted that such benefits are paramount in attracting, motivating, rewarding, and retaining workers (Reddick & Coggburn, 2012). Research shows that

Saturday, August 24, 2019

In My Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In My Life - Essay Example On a personal point of view, the family, workmates, associates and other people with interaction are commonly whom friendships are established. There are different types of friendships on the basis of associations. One of the relationships that I give importance to is the friendship established with family members such as my mother and sister. The said friendship can be classified as deep and emotional (Pangle 37-39). This can be attributed to the fact that the relationship tied by blood is strengthened by the friendship. In addition, in terms of the friendship with my mother it is of higher regard and respect as compared to the friendship with my sister which can be considered as a relaxed interaction with the added understanding of being a sibling. The friendships that had been established with work associates which in my case are that of the members of the military can be considered as another type of relationship of positive influence (Pangle 37-39). Commonly, such friends are the people in the workplace who can be considered with ease of interaction, initially in relation to the job. They can in turn lead to lifetime friendships. Based on personal experience, the friendships from profession can be considered trustworthy on the basis of the events of being in similar danger specifically in the military. The said people commonly share the same passion for a particular field or area of expertise wherein the connection can be attributed. Another set of friendships that I considered of importance are the friends from school. School friendships can be limited to the campus but then the said relationships can also be the longest affiliation since some friendships can survive through adult life. The said group is composed of the people that can be classified as buddies, intellectual friends and even self –actualized friends. Basically, in my life the typical

Friday, August 23, 2019

CQF final Project Statistics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

CQF final - Statistics Project Example Consider a cantilever beam that has a load that is denoted by F and the load is applied at the end. The beam has a diameter that is denoted by D, this diameter is from the cross-sectional area of the beam and the elastic modulus of the beam is denoted by E. It is a known fact that the elastic modulus of the material changes hence changes from beam to beam. L represents the length and it is a constant for every ten centimeters of the beam. All these will be random inputs of the beam in order to manufacture them. F is the only random variable, F has, a lognormal distribution, the deflection will have lognormal distribution. But of several variables are random, then the analysis is much more complicated. In order to address this problem we use the sampling approach whereby we assume a distribution function to represent all input variables. Sample variable independently then calculate the deflection from the formula. When this is repeated on many occasions in order to determine and obtain the output distribution. Assume that we know all the distributions for all input variables. Three input variables will be taken then calculated in order to find out the output distribution. Rand of one gives us one return of random number that is uniformly distributed between zero and one. If you take that and give the force that runs from between 1000 and 1050 newton, you take the minimum value that is 1000 newton and add fifty times that random number that is between zero and one which will give us a number between zero and fifty with equal probability line between them. For all the other variables, this will take place for all values that include the diameter and inertia. This involves making a decision as to how many samples are required which gives the random n samples which in return are a vector of uniformly distributed numbers between zero and one which give uniformly distributed forces which are 100000 forces all in one command. Now that the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Seattle Times Essay Example for Free

The Seattle Times Essay In one of the letters sent to the editor of The Seattle Times, one sender wrote â€Å"when someone uses binoculars to spy into his or her neighbor’s home, it is the same as crawling through the grass to peer into a window† as a reaction to the story about women blocking their windows with newspapers so as to keep peering neighbors out (Letters to the Editor: Creepy Couple Should Leave Neighbors Alone). The reaction of the letter-writer is guilty of the fallacy of â€Å"false analogy† wherein spying through binoculars is treated analogously with crawling in the grass in order to peer into a window. It is not valid to treat the use of binoculars for spying and peering into the windows after crawling in the grass as the same simply because these two things are entirely different. Peering into the neighbor’s window is far graver because the person behind the act is guilty of trespassing whereas spying through binoculars does not necessarily imply trespassing. In John McCain’s â€Å"Strategy for Victory in Iraq,† the post states that McCain â€Å"supported sending reinforcements to Iraq to implement a counterinsurgency strategy† at a â€Å"critical moment† when violence was at its peak â€Å"after four years of badly conceived military strategy. † The post then claims that the strategy â€Å"paid-off† in March of 2008 as violence considerably decreased. The post goes on to attack McCain’s presidential rival, Barack Obama, by saying that such â€Å"gains would be lost† if the policy of Obama of â€Å"withdrawing most of our troops† and leaving behind only a â€Å"small strike force† is implemented. The reason being argued to that claim is that Obama’s policy is the same strategy that failed in 2006 (Strategy for Victory in Iraq). Such line of reasoning is guilty of the fallacy of â€Å"questionable cause† or of â€Å"confusing cause and effect. † The fact that the decrease in violence in Iraq came after the counterinsurgency strategy suggested by McCain after 2006 does not necessarily mean that his strategy is ultimately the cause of the decline in violence. Moreover, even if it be granted that McCain’s strategy in the past did succeed and has been the primary reason behind the decline in Iraqi unrest, it is not necessarily true in all cases in all times. Conversely, the withdrawal of troops in Iraq does not necessarily mean that a rise in violence will certainly follow just because of a precedent which does not even clearly establish a firm connection between McCain’s strategies and the decline in Iraqi violence. In one of the blogs in the Los Angeles Times, Michael McGough makes the observation that â€Å"a majority of Americans would be willing to vote for a gay or lesbian candidate† because a recent poll indicates so. The statement is guilty of hasty generalization and appeal to popularity precisely because the author makes the poll as the basis of the general claim that a majority of Americans are willing to elect either a gay or a lesbian politician. Just because a poll with a few thousand of individuals as samples indicates that there are more Americans willing to elect a gay or a lesbian individual than those who do not favor that as far as the size of the sample is concerned does not necessarily hold true for the rest of the America population—a population millions more than the sample size of the poll. Further, just because the proposition is popular for a few thousands does not necessarily mean that it holds true for the majority of the larger American population. Lastly, many advertisements are guilty of the fallacy of â€Å"wishful thinking† since a number of these advertisements portray before the public the image of, say, the physique they should have and that, once buying the product being endorsed, the viewing public will have the same physique and image as the ones endorsing the product. For example, Nike has been advertising their products through the years with the use of athletes as product endorsers. In television advertisements, athlete-endorsers are shown wearing Nike products while performing in their sport. It is as if the viewers are being told that they can be like the athletes if they wear Nike sports products. References Letters to the Editor: Creepy Couple Should Leave Neighbors Alone. (2008). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://seattletimes. nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008135620_monletters25. html McGough, M. (2008). The Cleaverization of Michelle Obama. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://opinion. latimes. com/opinionla/2008/08/the-cleaverizat. html Nike Advertising. (2004). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://xroads. virginia. edu/~CLASS/am483_97/projects/hincker/ad. html Strategy for Victory in Iraq. (2008). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://www. johnmccain. com/Informing/Issues/fdeb03a7-30b0-4ece-8e34-4c7ea83f11d8. htm

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Knowledge and Plato Essay Example for Free

Knowledge and Plato Essay Plato is one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy and has had an impact on nearly every philosopher from all time periods. Alongside his mentor Socrates and his student Aristotle, Plato created some of the most significant works in philosophy; ultimately building the framework for western philosophic education. The dialogues of his works are wide ranging, from focuses on life and reality beyond what we see and hear, and subjects as practical rules, laws, education and punishment. Historians believe that Plato was born between 427 and 429 BC in Athens, Greece. Born in to an aristocratic family, Plato was involved in politics from an early age; however, he did not stay on the traditional political path for long. In Plato’s work The Republic, his ideas were to transform and improve political life, as he knew there was no escaping it. As the result of an early failure, Plato came to the conclusion that political action would not stop violence and greed, which is what changed his philosophic approach. It is believed that Plato met his mentor, Socrates, in his youth and his education under Socrates shaped his ideas about the world. Socrates played a role in almost all of Plato’s works and was a robust influence in Plato’s life and ideas. Plato was a believer in the importance of ethics and true self-introspection. In many of his writings, he references the importance of self-reflection; â€Å"First and best victory is to conquer self, to be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and objectionable. †1 Plato was also passionate about music and its importance in education. He stated, â€Å"I would teach children music, physics and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning. † 2 Many of Plato’s later works were profoundly influenced by the idea of the soul and the concept of dualism, meaning the separation of the mind and the body. 3 He believed that the real reality is not what we see or what we hear but is something that subsists in a higher realm beyond our day to day life. Many of his ideas on the soul influence a multitude of religions today as he believed that a human’s soul is immortal and that the soul is separate from our physical being. In 387 BC Plato founded what is credited as the first European university, The Academy, in Athens, Greece. The Academy focused on subjects such as astronomy, biology, mathematics, political theory, and philosophy. While at the Academy, Plato wrote many of his most significant works, including The Republic. 4 Plato spent his time at The Academy encouraging students to learn through discussion in order to become freethinkers. Plato even felt that his works and dialogues should be used more as supplementary aids and that no one should rely solely on what they read in a book or dialogue. Plato’s dialogues are used to this day to aid in the teaching of subjects ranging from philosophy to math. Plato’s out of the box thinking will continue to be thought provoking and influential for thousands of years to come. Many of his idealisms are still taking place in teachings and the living of every day life. His diverse subjects and desire for equality will continue to bring positive motivation to those study his works. Bibliography Cooper, John M. , and D. S. Hutchinson. Complete works. Indianapolis, Ind. : Hackett Pub. , 1997. Hunt, Lynn , Thomas Martin, Barbara Rosenwein, and Bonnie Smith. From the Classical to the Hellenistic World. In The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. 114-115. Richard, Kraut. Plato (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/plato/#PlaCenDoc (accessed September 23, 2013).

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Government Expenditure and Revenue Collection

Government Expenditure and Revenue Collection CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview The relationship between government revenue and expenditure is a very important topic and has been an essential issue for many economists and policy makers as it represents budget deficit, government expenditure Plans and taxation structure of a country. Since the main objective of every government is to improve economic growth with low debt levels, better education system, development of infrastructure and job opportunities better fiscal policy is needed to achieve these goals. From a short term perspective fiscal policy is said to be expansionary when government expenditures exceeds the total revenue and the resulting deficit is then financed by the government, However if these expenditures contributes in economic growth then there is a long term relationship exist between government expenditure and economic growth. In addition different studies indicate that the determination of Economic growth is depended on tax levels. Whereas many believe that the most significant factor that c ontributes in economic growth is tax level as the collection for development purposes of most developed and developing countries depend on tax revenue. 1.2 Research Problem In Pakistan the level of budget deficits have consistently increasing from 2005 which is then financed by the government through external and domestic borrowing resulting in a higher debt levels due to high interest cost associated with it and leads to more future tax expectations. Thus the financing by the government for the compensation of deficit is an important variable, several studies have put light on the outcome of fiscal deficit but very few have tried to find the reasons and causes of these deficits which is why the nexus between government revenue and expenditure is still an unsolved issue. Therefore the main purpose of this research is to study the causal relationship between government revenue and expenditure. 1.3 Hypotheses H1: Tax Revenue causes Government Expenditure. H2: Government Expenditure causes Tax Revenue. H3: Tax Revenue and Government Expenditure bidirectionally cause to each other. 1.4 Outline of the Study The research studies the causal relationship between government expenditure and tax revenue to see the reasons for the consistent budget deficits in Pakistan from many years. In addition time series analyses have been done to forecast the trend of government expenditure and revenue based on the leading variable. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Nanthakumar and Taha (2007) have found a stable relationship between spending and revenue. Furthermore there is a long-term impact exist expenditures that enter as input into the production function and those that enter as inputs in investment technologies. Koch, Schoeman, and Tonder (2005) found that there is an association between burden of taxes and economic growth according to the findings based on the data of 1960-2002 if tax burden decreases economic growth increases significantly. Friedman (1982) explains expenditure of the government depends on total revenue because as taxes increases expenditure increases by which deficit remains at the same level, therefore the level of fiscal deficit cannot be reduced by increasing taxes. Buchanan and Wagner (1977) on the other hand have presented an alternative hypothesis that increase in taxes does not lead towards low expenditures because taxes creates higher price of goods for the public due to high interest cost associated with it Buchanan and Wagner suggest that in order to restore deficit government should limit its financing ability. Sobhee (2004) tested the causality from tax to expenditure and from expenditure to taxes by using the data of public finance and founded that for the utilization of public expenditure in a small economy government first accommodate the necessary funds, therefore to avoid the situation of fiscal deficit the government must carefully monitor and control its spending programs. Fasano and Wang (2002) in a research on GCC countries founded that the primary Source of revenue is oil and due to the economic fluctuations medium-term expenditure strategy should be adopted according to which expenditure should not exceed the non-oil revenue so that in recessions to compensate expenditures oil revenues can be injected by short-term accommodations. Second hypothesis where causality runs from expenditure to revenue the government first spend and then to accommodate the required level of expenditure adjusts tax policy. Peacock and Wiseman (1979) argue that due to economic crises government expenditure increases and remain at the same level even when the crises is over. In other words government expenditure is driven by strong economic crises which is able to change public perception about the size of the government. Gounder, Narayan, and Prasad (2007) find compatibility with the second hypothesis that the increase in taxes for the accommodation of government spending affects on the capital investment by investors due to the fear of paying higher taxes in future. The third hypothesis is fiscal synchronization according to which expenditure and revenue decisions are independent and bilaterally cause to each other. Reflecting the traditional theories for the demand for public goods. Meltzer and Richard (1981), the demand of public expenditures and taxes need to compensate these expenditures are compared with many alternative spending programs for cost benefit analysis, therefore the practical implication of this hypothesis is bidirectional causality. Narayan and Narayan (2006) suggest three reasons regarding the importance of nexus between government revenue and expenditure first if proper implementation on policies is taken into consideration regarding government revenue fiscal deficit can be avoided, second if causality runs from expenditure to revenue outflow increases due to the fear that government spends first and pay for it later by increasing taxes. Third in case of bidirectional causality expenditure can rise faster than revenue which can create huge budget deficits because revenue and expenditure decisions are independent of each other. Baharumshah and Lau (2007) Find two sets of different results where the fiscal policy of Korea, Singapore and Thailand is driven by expenditures where the government finances revenue for the planned expenditures according to the limit of the balanced budget which facilitate the long term sustainable budget position. However the taxation system should be implemented by taking care of the overall smooth fiscal policy. Whereas in case of Malaysia and Philippines expenditures and revenues are independent of each other and the level of government expenditures and revenues is determined through fiscal policy based on marginal cost and revenue. Furthermore the findings indicate that in order to achieve long-term economic growth fiscal consolidation is necessary to reduce deficits and debt levels which lead a country to fulfill expenditure priorities better and provide funds to more productive sectors. Griffin and McKinley (1992) believes that the expenditure policies of the government should be directed towards long-term future growth and for the well being of the people, Therefore activities that contribute more on socio economic development should be increased instead of using resources and funds to military defense projects. King and Rebelo (1990) taxation has a very important role in the long run growth process of a country where growth is not affected by indirect taxation, however direct taxation is harmful for growth. Nanthakumar and Taha (2008) found in an analysis of Malaysia that the major part of taxes is direct taxes and reducing direct and indirect taxes leads to reduce in government expenditures, In addition non-tax revenue does not contribute much in economys growth. Hondroyiannis and Papapetrou (1996) find unidirectional causality running from government expenditure to revenues in Greece where the reason of fiscal deficit from a long period of time was government spending decisions. The government spending to GDP is very high in Greece which results an operating inefficiency for the economy. Furthermore the results indicated that reducing fiscal deficit without reducing the government expenditure leads to failure. Ahiakpor and Amirkhalkhali (1989) Based on the analysis of Canada found that to show the relevant results of fiscal policy government increase taxes which is a temporary and incomplete act in order to fully take control over fiscal deficit the government must reduce or limit its expenditures instead of finding ways to increase tax revenue burden on public. Baghestani and McNown (2004) in a study of Egypt and Jordan claim that to promote domestic savings and private investment it is necessary to eliminate budget deficit for both the counties. Baghestani supported the causality from tax revenue to expenditure in case of Egypt and bi-lateral causality in case Jordan. Furthermore promoted the process of privatization because it facilitate high domestic saving and investment and at the same time helps to reduce fiscal deficit. Neyapti (2008) studied the influence of fiscal decentralization on government revenue and expenditure and indicated that decentralization improves quality of governance which leads to decrease in budget deficit and stable economic condition. However the efficiency of fiscal decentralization increases in case of large population. Keho (2010) Study the data fo 1660 to 2005 to analyses the causal relationship between government expenditure and tax revenue to see which expenditure and revenue items plays a part in the reduction of budget deficit and found that GDP has significant effect on government expenditure. Furthermore the findings of granger causality test indicate unidirectional causality from government revenue to expenditure according to the findings the implementation for the elimination of fiscal deficit should not be made by just increasing revenues. Thus for the beneficial results spending cuts are necessary. In other words tax system should be made with proper spending control system. Brennan and Buchanan (1980) suggest that in order to reduce fiscal deficit constitutional limits should be imposed on post-constitutional government to reduce the revenue collection by latter governments so that position of maximum financing of goods demanded by public and minimum revenue collection can be achieved. Baffes and Anwar (1990) conducted the research for the countries Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Pakistan to determine the behavior of government towards revenue and expenditures for the alignment of fiscal deficit. The results found to be positive for Mexico, Brazil and Pakistan while the similar findings havent been found for Argentina and Chile. For Brazil, Mexico and Pakistan causality runs in both ways in other words bidirectional causality where decisions for the government spending and revenue are taken simultaneously. However in case of Argentina and Chile causality runs from expenditure to revenue. The results indicates that to control budget deficit the government should increase revenue collection and restrain expenditure whereas public expenditures should be reduced in Argentina and Chile. Stoian (2008) founded in case of Romania by applying Johansen cointegration and Error Correction model that the long run relationship between government revenue and expenditure do not affect major fiscal imbalances. CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS 3.1 Method of Data Collection Data of the two variables Government Expenditure and Total Revenue is taken from secondary sources with the help of multiple sources which includes (Ministry of Finance), (State bank of Pakistan) and (Hand book of Statistics on Pakistan Economy). 3.2 Sample Size Sample of 31 observations have been used by using the data of public finance from the year 1979-2010. Where the variable (Total Tax Revenue) has been created by adding indirect-tax, direct-tax, Non-tax revenue and surcharges and (Total Expenditure) has been calculated by adding Development and Non-Development Expenditures. 3.3 Research Model Granger model is used to study the causality where TR is the total revenue and TE is total government expenditure. TRt = à ¢Ã‹â€ ?1 + ÃŽÂ ´1 + TEt-1 + TEt-2 + ET1 TEt = à ¢Ã‹â€ ?2 + ÃŽÂ ´2 + TRt-1 + TEt-2 + ET2 The above two equation represents the hypothesis where the causality running from total expenditure to revenue in equation one and from revenue to expenditure in equation two. The rejection of any hypothesis concludes unidirectional causality between government expenditure to revenue. However, rejection of both the hypothesis concludes bidirectional causality in other words fiscal synchronization exists between government revenue and expenditure. 3.4 Statistical Technique In this research granger causality test by Granger (1969) has been applied to study the causal relationship by comparing one time series with another (Government Expenditure with Government revenue) where one variable becomes the cause of the other variable to predict it significantly. In addition cross-correlation has been applied to assess the correlation between both time series variables. CHAPTER 4: RESULTS 4.1 Findings and Interpretation of the results Table 4.1 The summary given in the table above shows that there is a unidirectional causality exist between total government expenditure and total revenue, as the value of F-Statistic is 3.5, Furthermore both lag 1 and lag 2 are tested to achieve better results as table 4.2 indicates therefore the null hypothesis (TOTAL_RE does not Granger Cause TOTAL_EX) is rejected. Table 4.3 Figure 4.1 Total_Revenue with Total_Expenditure Lag Number The results of cross-correlation indicates total revenue as a leading time series variabler with a strong correlation of .994 with government expenditures at lag 0, furthermore correlation a positive correlation has been found from lag 1 to lag 11, However the correlation is decreasing and from 12 to 16 lags correlation in negative predicting that with the increase in total revenue, total government expenditure will decrease in future. 4.2 Hypotheses Assessment Summary CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION, DISCUSSION, IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH 5.1 Conclusion The research studies the causal link between total government expenditure and total revenue in Pakistan using granger causality test and the supportive cross correlation from 1979-2010. The result from granger causality supports the hypothesis that tax revenue causes government expenditure in Pakistan. In addition cross correlation results have indicated long-term results that with the increase in revenue expenditures will increase. Therefore the major conclusion drawn from this research is that in order to eliminate the problem of fiscal deficit and sustainable economic growth government should focus on the policies which facilitate increasing revenue. 5.2 Discussion Various studies have analyzed the causal relationship between government expenditure and revenue. Some supported with unidirectional causality occurring from revenue to spending and from expenditure to revenue whereas some have indicated the result of bidirectional causality. However, both the variables have significant impact on budget deficit and economic growth. Fiscal deficit in Pakistan is a major issue as the findings of cross correlation indicates that the revenue and expenditures are correlated which means that as revenue increase expenditure increases and deficit remains at the same level and to compensate this deficit government increases its debt financing from domestic and foreign sources which leads towards inflation and high interest rates. 5.3 Implications and Recommendations The model and analysis of this study is very useful for economists and policy makers as it helps in enhancing revenue by tax reform programs. In addition for the determination of optimal spending expenditure reform assessment can be done through cost and benefit analysis which will help in setting objectives for tax collections and better utilization of taxes. 5.4 Future Research Future research possibilities could be as follows first variables like national income and debt financing could be included in the research. Second data sets of multiple countries would be interesting to analyze the causal relationship using the same model in comparison with this research.

Parental Investment Theory Essay -- Gender Roles, Sex

The socio-biological theory suggests gender appropriate behaviour has evolved to allow humanity to survive. There is supporting evidence in the composition of the human body; men have a larger lung capacity and greater physical strength than women in order to better equip them for protecting their family. In contrast, women are born with child-bearing capacities and are therefore biologically predetermined to care for their children, thus ensuring the human race survives. In 1994 Kenrick introduced â€Å"Parental Investment Theory†. He claimed society is organised so that women are protected and remain faithful, ensuring men are able to impart their genes to future generations. This also allows for women to be selective to ensure their partner provides food, shelter and other basic human necessities. Kenrick’s ideas are supported by Buss’ 1994 experiment. Buss surveyed men and women in thirty seven countries to investigate important qualities in the opposite sex. The findings showed that women preferred resourcefulness and dependability whereas men valued chastity and youth. This study appears to support Kenrick’s â€Å"Parental Investment Theory† as Buss argues that men evolved to provide for their partners and are attracted to fertile women. Oestrogen receptors in the brain are believed to cause gender-appropriate behaviour. Oestrogen, a hormone found in the female genital tissue, acts as a ligand and, by activating the oestrogen receptors found on the surfaces of brain cells, causes notable changes in behaviour. Professors at Yale University have studied the effects of oestrogen and found the hormone increases neural connectivity in the brain resulting in a more accurate memory. Turnham et al (2002) supports this as upon investigation... ...o carry out a perfect experiment and consequently all evidence will be flawed. It is necessary to focus upon evaluating the severity of such flaws. One could argue that the biosocial theory is more convincing as the many strengths of the socio-biological and social learning theories are combined providing a credible explanation. This also means the scientific facts in the socio-biological theory are no longer undermined but indeed strengthened by evidence to support learnt gender-appropriate behaviours. The biosocial theory allows for both schools of thought to be equally considered. Overall the Hegelian dialectic mechanism can be applied; the hypothesis, in this case the socio-biological explanation, and the antithesis, the social learning paradigm, must co-exist to produce the resulting synthesis, gender-appropriate behaviours. Thus girls are both born and made.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Lady Macbeth Is More Ruthless :: essays research papers

MACBETH ESSAY In life everyone has goals that they hope to attain and there are many ways that one can achieve these goals. To achieve what you desire you can either wait for time to take its toll, or take matters into your own hands and do what you have to do in order to fulfill your desires. You can attain your goal as long as you have ambition. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had the goal of Macbeth becoming king: to obtain this they took matters into hands and killed Duncan. In order for somebody to commit such a heinous act as murder the conspirators must be ruthless, and this is what Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were, ruthless. Lady Macbeth’s is more ruthless than her spouse and her ruthlessness is what fueled Duncan’s murder. However some may claim that this is not so and that Macbeth is more ruthless than his wife.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Present fears are less than horrible imaginings. My thought, whose murder is yet but fantastical, shakes so that my single state of man that function is smoldered I surmise and nothing is but what is not.† Macbeth as you can see is thinking about the witches’ prophecy of him becoming king. Macbeth knows that Duncan must be killed if he wants to acquire the throne, and the thought of Duncan’s murder is very disturbing to him. Macbeth desires to become king, but his ambition is halted when he thinks of the consequences that follow if he were to get his wish. However when Malcolm is chosen to become Prince of Cumberland Macbeth knew that if he did not take any actions then he wouldn’t be king. The reader can see that the ruthlessness that lied in Macbeth is coming out when he says â€Å"The Prince of Cumberland – that is a step On which I must fall down or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies. Despite the fact that Mac beth is a ruthless individual Lady Macbeth makes him look like a saint. After Lady Macbeth reads her husband’s letter she sees an opportunity to become queen that she probably never thought about. Lady Macbeth’s desire for her husband to become king is stronger than Macbeth’s own desire for the throne. After Lady Macbeth learns that Duncan is going to visit Inverness she begins plotting to kill him even though her husband does show hesitation to kill Duncan.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Spirituality in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespe

     Ã‚  Ã‚   Can anyone possibly deny the spirituality within the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet? Yes, some literary critics do. But most critics agree with the contention of this paper – that there is considerable spirituality present in the play. In his essay â€Å"Hamlet: His Own Falstaff,† Harold Goddard sees that Hamlet was made for â€Å"religion† and several other purposes: He [Hamlet] was made, that is, for religion and philosophy, for love and art, for liberty to â€Å"grow unto himself† – five forces that are the elemental enemies of Force. And this man is called upon to kill. It is almost as if Jesus had been asked to play the role of Napoleon (as the temptation in the wilderness suggests that in some sense he was). If Jesus had been, ought he to have accepted it? The absurdity of the question prompts the recording of the strangest of all the strange facts in the history of Hamlet: the fact, namely, that nearly all readers, commentators, and critics are agreed in thinking that it was Hamlet’s duty to kill, that he ought indeed to have killed much sooner than he did. (12)    Goddard’s highlighting of the main question underlying the narrative of the play – a moral question – indicates the spiritual nature of   Hamlet. Not all critics appreciate the spirituality in Hamlet. A.C. Bradley’s Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth presents a different interpretation regarding the presence of spirituality within the play:    For although this or that dramatis persona may speak of gods or of God, of evil spirits or of Satan, of heaven and of hell, and although the poet may show us ghosts from another world, these ideas do not materially influence his representation of life, nor are they used... ...Tragedies.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Rpt. from Shakespeare’s Women. N.p.: n.p., 1981.    Rosenberg, Marvin. â€Å"Laertes: An Impulsive but Earnest Young Aristocrat.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Masks of Hamlet. Newark, NJ: University of Delaware Press, 1992.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.    Wilson, John Dover. What happens in Hamlet. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1959.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Show Choir

Show Choir Learning Design Information Project Title: Show Choir Developer(s): Amy Hanson Development Date: 06/15/1998 Revised By: Amy Hanson Revision Date: 10/19/1998 Organization: Shawano-Gresham School District Department: music Instructional Area: Music & Arts Instructional Level: 6-8 Total Credits: 0 Target Population 6th-8th grade students Course Description Show Choir is an elective class that integrates choreography into the choral experience. A varied repertoire of 2 and 3 part music is memorized, choreographed and then performed in a concert setting.Vocal technique, developing the ensemble and dance are the main emphasis of this class. Various public performances are presented by this group. Target Exit Learning Outcomes Core Abilities 1 Make informed choices based on global connections due to the interdependence of the world o learner recognizes cultural differences in order to promote understanding for a cooperative work and social environment o learner demonstrates aware ness of current world events o learner describes political, economic and social systems different from one's own o learner demonstrates geographical literacy learner recognizes difference in world measurements 2 Utilize informational resources for life-long learning o learner augments and values learning o learner is open to new ideas o learner has avocational interests o learner understands the need for ongoing education o learner searches for knowledge to satisfy curiosity o learner sets goals and makes plans to achieve them o learner takes risks 3 Communicate effectively through speaking and writing in all areas o learner applies the English language correctly (spelling, grammar, structure) o learner writes so others can understand learner speaks so others can understand o learner gives instructions o learner expresses empathy o learner checks for accuracy o learner writes legibly o learner applies effective listening o learner uses acceptable language o learner provides necessar y detail o learner describes problems accurately o learner understands the impact of nonverbal communication 4 Use problem solving skills in real world situations o learner identifies the problem learner clarifies purposes and goals o learner identifies solutions to a problem and their impact o learner employs reasoning skills o learner evaluates options o learner sets priorities o learner selects and implements a solution to a problem o learner evaluates results of implemented option o learner organizes workloads 5 Practice citizenship skills based on democratic principles o learner accepts responsibility of membership in society o learner knows the ole and impact of social and organizational systems and operates effectively with them o learner performs community service o learner assumes leadership or supporting roles as appropriate o learner practices behaviors that promote the basic values of our democracy o learner is informed about current issues o learner respects the rights of others o learner understands political and economic global interdependence o learner practices environmental stewardship o learner participates in the political process Appreciate past and present cultures and the impact of those groups on individuals and society o learner describes the importance and influence of cultural diversity and equity on educational planning and transition from school to work o learner validates the importance of cultural diversity and equity by behaviorally demonstrating respect for diversity and equity in school, work, and community environments o learner analyzes the historic effect of cultures, including inequities and biases Performance Expectations Goals 1.Sing alone and with others a varied repertoire of 2 and 3 part music 2. Develop individual vocal technique, ensemble skills and dance 3. Demonstrate creativity in music 4. Demonstrate music literacy 5. Create a knowledge of musical theatre 6. Cultivate relationships between music and other discip lines 7. Promote community involvement through performance 8. Investigate musical careers and life applications 1. Develop a repertoire of 2 and 3 part vocal music Properties Domain: Cognitive Level: Synthesis Difficulty: Low Importance: Essential Linked Core AbilitiesMake informed choices based on global connections due to the interdependence of the world Utilize informational resources for life-long learning Communicate effectively through speaking and writing in all areas Criteria – Criteria – Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner sings a variety of 2 and 3 part songs Conditions for Assessment – Competence will be demonstrated: o teacher observation o concert performances Learning Objectives a. Distinguish between 2 and 3 parts Procedure b. Sing both melody and harmony parts Procedure c.Sing music representing diverse cultures and genres of music Process 2. Enhance individual vocal development Properties Domain: Cognitive Level: Synthesis Difficult y: Medium Importance: Essential Linked Core Abilities Utilize informational resources for life-long learning Communicate effectively through speaking and writing in all areas Use problem solving skills in real world situations Criteria – Criteria – Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner practices proper posture and breath support o learner displays ability to match pitch learner produces full, open and supported sound Conditions for Assessment – Competence will be demonstrated: o teacher observation o student critique o solo & ensemble competition Learning Objectives a. Develop ability to sing and dance alone and in a group Procedure b. Sing accurately and with proper breath control Procedure c. Match pitch accurately Procedure d. Demonstrate correct singing posture Process e. Perform music expressively Concept f. Participate in solo and ensemble alone or in a small group Procedure 3. Sing with technical accuracy PropertiesDomain: Psychomotor Level: Pr actice Difficulty: Medium Importance: Essential Linked Core Abilities Utilize informational resources for life-long learning Communicate effectively through speaking and writing in all areas Use problem solving skills in real world situations Criteria – Criteria – Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner sings correctly alone and in their section Conditions for Assessment – Competence will be demonstrated: o teacher observation Learning Objectives a. Match pitches accurately Procedure b. Sing accurately and with proper breath controlProcedure c. Read rhythms and pitches correctly Procedure d. Practice proper vowel production Procedure 4. Exhibit ensemble skills Properties Domain: Affective Level: Internalizing Difficulty: High Importance: Essential Linked Core Abilities Make informed choices based on global connections due to the interdependence of the world Utilize informational resources for life-long learning Communicate effectively through speaking a nd writing in all areas Use problem solving skills in real world situations Practice citizenship skills based on democratic principlesCriteria – Criteria – Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner can sing part alone and in their section Conditions for Assessment – Competence will be demonstrated: o teacher observation Learning Objectives a. Differentiate between melody and harmony parts Procedure b. Be aware of the individual's roles within their section Principle c. Sing and dance expressively as a section and as part of an ensemble Concept d. Perform music from memory Procedure e. Evaluate musical performances of other groups Principle 5. Develop expressive qualities of musical elements PropertiesDomain: Cognitive Level: Synthesis Difficulty: High Importance: Essential Linked Core Abilities Make informed choices based on global connections due to the interdependence of the world Utilize informational resources for life-long learning Communicate effect ively through speaking and writing in all areas Use problem solving skills in real world situations Criteria – Criteria – Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner performs a piece with the correct interpretation and style of selected piece o learner displays understanding of standard musical symbols of pitch, rhythm, dynamics and articulationConditions for Assessment – Competence will be demonstrated: o student critique o teacher observation Learning Objectives a. Differentiate between different styles and genres of music Process b. Demonstrate correct dynamics, phrasing and style Procedure c. Evaluate performances Principle 6. Prepare public music performances Properties Domain: Cognitive Level: Application Difficulty: Medium Importance: Essential Linked Core Abilities Practice citizenship skills based on democratic principlesCriteria – Criteria – Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner performs in a winter concert & spring concer t Conditions for Assessment – Competence will be demonstrated: o teacher observation o student critique of performance Learning Objectives a. Perform music in a public concert Procedure b. Practice music and concert ettiquette Process c. Perform memorized music Procedure d. Evaluate performances by other groups Principle 7. Investigate other areas of the arts including musical theatre, dance and visual arts Properties Domain: Cognitive Level: ApplicationDifficulty: Low Importance: Useful Linked Core Abilities Appreciate past and present cultures and the impact of those groups on individuals and society Criteria – Criteria – Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner participates in group discussions o observes various examples of the fine arts Conditions for Assessment – Competence will be demonstrated: o written exam o teacher observation Learning Objectives a. Discuss the importance of music in the arts Concept b. Study musical theatre, dance and visual arts Procedure c. Investigate careers in musicConcept d. Compare musical works by era, composer and style Process Show Choir R&S Standards NATIONAL STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR SHOW CHOIRS Original authors:   Diana R. Spradling and National R&S Jazz & Show Choir Committee Revision authors: Ken Thomas and National R&S Show Choir Committee (2006) Purpose The purpose of these standards is to provide choral directors and choral educators (choreographers, arrangers, set designers, costumers, etc. ) with a foundation upon which to build their show choirs as a viable and contributing part of a total choral program.For the beginning show choir, these standards should serve as starting points upon which to build. For the developing show choir, these standards should serve as goals to strive to attain. For the experienced show choir, these standards should serve as a measure of evaluation for the effectiveness and viability of their ensemble. Premise Recognizing the complexity of the world in which we live and particularly that of the educational system in today’s society where much of the body of choral literature is taught and performed, we create these standards believing in certain fundamental premises.Foremost, the show choir is not a replacement for a traditional choral program but an enhancement of the existing program. The show choir experience is designed to build upon the experiences of a traditional choral program, to provide opportunities for the exploration of additional literature, to expose more people to experiences in choral singing and to attract more listeners to the beauty and joy of choral music. Furthermore, it must be the essential mission of ach choral director and choral educator to maintain a level of excellence and a dedication to integrity in the stylistic performance of choral music of all types, idioms, historical periods and styles. Standards I. Singing Performing alone and with others, the members of the show choir should d emonstrate the ability to sing a varied repertoire of music from the popular culture and musical theatre genres with appropriate and healthy vocal technique, musical accuracy, technical accuracy, expression, ensemble skills and stylistic integrity. II. Movement/DancePerforming alone and with others, the members of the show choir should demonstrate the ability to add movement to their performance that compliments the music through technical accuracy, appropriate ensemble technique, expression and appropriately varied styles of dance. III. Instrumental Accompaniment When performing with instrumental accompaniment, the members of the show choir should demonstrate the ability to create a total ensemble performance integrating the skills of all the performers into a stylistic, entertaining and educational package for both audience and participants.The use of live accompaniment is strongly encouraged. Directors of the show choir should work toward this achievement. IV. Integrating Art For ms While experiencing the rigors and complex demands required in combining the individual disciplines of music, dance and theatre into a single performance medium, the members of the show choir should demonstrate the skills of the complete artistic performer. V. Interpreting Music ElementsIn reading and notating well-crafted music, the members of the show choir should demonstrate the ability to read a vocal score of varying parts appropriate to the ability level of their ensemble, describe the elements of music being used and expressively interpret the markings within the score. VI. Stylistic Awareness After listening to analyzing and rehearsing the music, the members of the show choir should demonstrate stylistic awareness in the music they perform through appropriate vocabulary, the performance of appropriate articulations and phrasing and critical evaluation.VII. Performance Practices and Evaluation By evaluating performances, the members of the show choir should demonstrate the ability to objectively review both their performances and the performances of others utilizing the accepted standards of excellence incorporated by the disciplines of music, dance and theatre along with the ensemble approach to the combination of these disciplines.The members of the show choir should recognize that performance practices in this genre do allow for more individualized interpretation than that of traditional choral literature. VIII. Creativity of the Individual As a means of encouraging the development of a variety of individual competencies, the members of the show choir should be given the opportunity to demonstrate their individual talents and abilities as solo performers, as composers and arrangers of repertoire for the ensemble, as choreographers and designers and as production leadership team members.IX. Entertainment as Art Recognizing the relationship between the three disciplines of music, dance and theatre in the performing arts, the members of the show choir should demonstrate their concept of entertainment as an art form through the elements of performance, appropriate rehearsal etiquette, continuous practice with attention to detail and respect for the contributions of others. X. History and Pop CultureUnderstanding the genre of popular music and theatrical music in relationship to history and culture, the members of the show choir should demonstrate the ability to classify repertoire or performance by style, type or historical period and explain the reasoning behind their classification as well as identify the role that this music and its performers have played in the historical and cultural development of society. DYNAMICS 1. The competition is open to  all SFC members. 2. There should only be  one (1) entry per BIG SECTOR.All big sectors should confirm their entry with the lyrics of the songs on or before  June 18, 2011. (The official list should be signed by the  SFC Cluster and Sector Couple Coordinators  to ensure tha t they are certified SFC members). Changes will be entertained until  July 2, 2011. 3. A  Show Choir  is defined as a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story. 4. Each BIG SECTOR has an assigned genre from which they can choose their song/s for the performance. a. NORTH – Motown . WEST – Latin American c. CENTRAL –  Ã‚  Boy Band/Girl Band d. EAST – Movie Sountrack e. SOUTH – Broadway 5. Each group must be composed of at least 30 members. They can be a combination of singers, dancers and instrumentalists. Three (3) points  will be deducted for every person in deficiency of the provision. 6. Entries must also be composed of MIXED performers – brothers and sisters (there should be more than 10 brothers or sisters in the group). 7. The members of the show choir  should demonstrate the ability to sing  their chosen music. . The members of the show choir   should demonstrate the ability to add movement or choreography to their performance  that complements the music. 9. The members of the band/instrumentalists in the show choir  should demonstrate the ability to arrange, mix and play their musical score. 10. Use of props is highly encouraged to develop the visual aspect of the performance. 11. The group is  responsible for bringing their own musical instruments. 12. Lyrics should be wholesome and not sexually suggestive or vulgar.The song can be in the form of fast-paced or slow-paced pieces. 13. The song rendition or medley should not exceed five (5) minutes. There will be a one-minute grace period for entrance and another minute for the exit. 14. Costumes are highly encouraged to add up to the total performance however, it must be decent and proper for the performance. The COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE deserves the right not to allow the performance of a group due to costume technicalities. I. CRITERIA FOR JUDGING MUSICAL RENDITI ON †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5% Voice Quality  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15% Choreography  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15% Blend and Balance  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15% SHOWMANSHIP †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦30% Stage Presence  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10% Synchronization and Movements  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10% Costume/Props  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10% MESSAGE AND CONTENT †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5% TOTAL †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 100% Theme Assignments NORTH MANILA (Motown) WEST MANILA (Latin America) CENTRAL MANILA (Boy Band and Girl Band) EAST MANILA (Movie Soundtracks) SOUTH MANILA (Broadway) Color Scheme: NORTH:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   YELLOW WEST:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RED CENTRAL:   GREEN EAST:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   BLUE SOUTH:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ORANGE

Friday, August 16, 2019

‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams Essay

Look at scene IV of ‘Streetcar’ What does the scene tell us about the relationship between Stella and Stanley, and how does Williams portray this? In order to analyse this scene, there needs to be a clear understanding of what has happened prier to it. Scene three is set at Stanley’s poker game, when Mitch leaves the game, to chat to Blanche, Stanley becomes more and more annoyed, and smashes a radio. Stella yells at him, and he starts to beat her. The men pull him off. Blanche takes Stella and some clothes to Eunice’s apartment upstairs. Stanley goes limp and seems confused, but when the men try to force him into the shower to sober him up he fights them off. They grab their winnings and leave. Stanley stumbles out of the bathroom, calling for Stella. He phones upstairs, then phones again, before hurling the phone to the floor. Half-dressed he stumbles out to the street and calls for her again and again: â€Å"STELL-LAHHHHH!† Eunice gives him a piece of her mind, but to no avail. Finally, Stella slips out of the apartment and down to where Stanley is. They stare at each other and then rush together with â€Å"animal moans.† He falls to his knees, caresses her face and belly, then lifts her up and carries her into their flat. Scene four occurs early the next morning, Stella lies serenely in the bedroom, her face aglow. She is described as having a â€Å"narcotised tranquillity that is in the faces of Eastern idols†. Colour and light are huge themes here, Stella holds â€Å"coloured comics† there are â€Å"Gaudy pyjamas† on the floor and â€Å"summer brilliance† in the window. The colours theme within the play, is Williams’s way of telling us that the romance in Stella and Stanley’s relationship is pushed in favour of the couples sexual relations. This being 1949, Williams cannot express this outright. Blanche, who has not slept, enters the apartment the complete opposite of Stella’s serenity. She is worried and demands to know how Stella could go back and spend the night with Stanley after what he did to her. Stella feels  Blanche is making a big issue out of nothing. â€Å"You’re making an awful fuss of this† Yet Blanche goes on about how she must figure out a way to get them both out of this situation, how she recently ran into an old friend who struck it rich in oil, and perhaps he would be able to help them. Stella pays little attention to what Blanche says; she has no desire to leave. She says that Blanche merely saw Stanley at his worst. Blanche feels she saw him at his most characteristic-and this is what terrifies her. Blanche simply cannot understand how a woman raised in Belle Reve could choose to live her life with a man who has â€Å"not one particle† of a gentleman in him, about whom there is â€Å"something downright–bestial†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Stella’s reply is that â€Å"there are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark–that sort of make everything else seem–unimportant.† This is just desire, says Blanche, and not a basis for marriage. A train approaches, a signal for an emotional outburst, and while it roars past Stanley enters the flat unheard. Not knowing that Stanley is listening, Blanche holds nothing back. She describes him as common, an animal, ape-like, a primitive brute, and in part this is true. Stella listens coldly. Under cover of another passing train, Stanley slips out of the apartment, then enters it noisily. Stella runs to Stanley and embraces him fiercely. Stanley grins at Blanche. This fierce embrace is a clear rejection by Stella of everything Blanche has just said about Stanley–she does not believe her at all. By Stanley’s grin it also shows he has the upper hand, for all his â€Å"ape-like† qualities he is seen as the master here. If the bond between Stella and Stanley is animal, it is also spiritual. These are the flip sides of the ‘primitive’ coin–the dual world of instinct and the supernatural. Stella in this scene offers a glimpse at the mystical side of attraction and desire. She glows transcendently; as mentioned her face is likened to that of an Eastern idol. Her calm is anomalous, as if she has  just taken part in something holy. Blanche fails to see the magic in what to her seems an abusive and dangerous relationship, because she has never reconciled her identity with her own profound desire. The divide is too great between her aristocratic sense of self and the â€Å"animal† urges that have at times controlled her. Blanche herself invokes the streetcar named Desire as a metaphor of what she believes Stella feels. Stella throws the metaphor back at her: â€Å"Haven’t you ever ridden on that streetcar?† Blanche’s answer, â€Å"It brought me here,† is truer than Stella knows. â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire† by Tennessee Williams Essay A Streetcar named Desire is a play both grimly naturalistic and poetically symbolic, written by playwright Tennessee Williams. It is set in New Orleans post the depression and World War II. The characters in A Streetcar Named Desire are trying to rebuild their lives in post-war America. Much of the characters and themes found in Williams’s dramas were derived from the playwright’s own life. Alcoholism, depression, desire, loneliness, and insanity were all included. Typical of Williams’ style, Streetcar portrays the main character as Blanche DuBois, a, faded Southern belle who represents the culture and beauty of the past and her evident distaste for her younger sister, Stella’s, husband, Stanley Kowalski, a lower class Polish man who is the personification of modern practicality, crudeness, cynicism, and brutality. Through this play we follow Blanche and her descent into madness and lunacy. This play is written in the style of theatre is known as expressionism/naturalism. Expressionism in drama and art was a movement that rejected traditional methods of representing objective reality. Instead, expressionists exaggerated and distorted aspects of the outside world in order to ‘express’ certain moods and feelings. Expressionism continues to be an important influence on experimental theatre and art. Williams has used this style to portray his themes, ideas and characters in the play A Streetcar Named Desire. The character of Blanche, was actually a ‘repertoire of the womanly characteristics’ displayed by Tennessee Williams. Naturalism can refer to the technique of portraying life in a scientifically detached manner; however, it is generally used to refer specifically to a nineteenth century movement in art and literature where the artists or authors claimed to be objective observers. Naturalist writers were strongly influenced by evolutionary theory, and saw human beings as creatures constrained by heredity and environment, rather than as beings with free will. In regards  to Streetcar Williams’ sought to depict working-class characters as psychologically evolved beings to some extent, he attempts to portray these ‘blue-collar’ characters on their own terms, without romanticizing them. Although these two styles of theatre seem to contrast and clash the playwright has used them to complement each other. He has used elements of naturalism but somewhat challenged the conventions of this particular style and effectively entwined it with forms of expressionism. The context of a play is very important as it gives an insight of the playwright’s purpose of the play. One of the intentions of the play is to depict an Americans attempt of rebuilding their life post depression and World War II. His experience as a known homosexual in an era and culture unfriendly to homosexuality also informed his work. William’s most memorable characters, many of them female, contain recognizable elements of their author. His vulgar, irresponsible male characters, such as Stanley Kowalski, were likely modelled on Williams’s own father and on other males who tormented him during his childhood. In Streetcar, Williams challenged the values and attitudes of society in the portrayal of a multicultural society where everyone is equal, in regards to their race and culture. â€Å"†¦you’ve got to realize that Blanche and I grew up in very different circumstances than you did† Although the playwright has shown that racial class doesn’t matter, it is obvious that social stature still does. The rich and the poor are still separated. Since Blanche and Stella were raised in Belle Reve they subconsciously believe they are superior to ‘commoners’ like Stanley. The central themes of this play are fantasy and illusion, cruelty, the primitive and the primal, loneliness and as the title of the book suggests, desire. Scene seven, the scene which we chose to perform, discusses the theme of cruelty, on Stanley’s behalf, loneliness from Stella and fantasy and illusion from Blanche. The only unforgivable crime, according to Blanche, is deliberate cruelty. In this scene Stanley attempts to ‘reveal’ Blanche as the low life prostitute she has become to Stella, hopefully  convincing her to ‘side’ with him. He does this by being self-righteous, arrogant and demanding. Blanche however, oblivious of Stanley’s knowledge of her past, is in the bath once again ‘cooling’ herself off, singing ‘It’s Only a Paper Moon’ the popular 1940s ballad summarizes Blanche’s situation with regard to Mitch. She is in a state of pure oblivion that adds to her fantasy world. Williams juxtaposes Blanche’s merry rendition of this song with Stanley’s malicious revelations about her character, creating a situation of tense dramatic irony as Blanche sings about a future that will never come true. The song describes the fanciful way one perceives the world while in love, but it also foreshadows the fact that Mitch falls out of love with Blanche after his illusions about her have been destroyed. In turn Stella feels lonely because she is isolated. She is torn between the man she loves and her sister. A Streetcar Named Desire written by playwright Tennessee Williams is a play both naturalistic but poetically symbolic as it is written in the theatre styles of expressionism and naturalism. In performing a scripted piece it is imperative to learn of the text’s historical and authors context to fully realise and understand the development of characters, themes and ideas. â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire† by Tennessee Williams Essay Over the last few lessons in drama we have been working on a number of tasks to do with Tennessee Williams’ â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire†. These tasks involved using movement as well as words; some were naturalistic and others were much more abstract. Our first task was to walk like different characters from the play, focusing on the way they used certain parts of their body to show their personalities. First we had to walk like Stanley. Most of us walked with a confident swagger, sticking our chests or pelvises out to indicate his masculine pride. When we were asked to sit down in character, we sat back in a relaxed manner, opening our legs and perhaps loosely crossing our arms or draping them over the back of our chair, indicating total self-assuredness. Next we were asked to play Blanche. I decided to portray her as a fidgety person, constantly smoothing her clothes, fixing her hair or touching her face, to show her insecurities and lack of confidence. I also walked with short, dainty steps, to show how fragile and slight she is. When we sat down, I leaned forward slightly, with my shoulders slightly hunched, to show her vulnerability. Finally we were asked to portray Stella – standing upright, slightly tense as if waiti ng to heed to Stanley’s latest demands – and Mitch – big, awkward, slightly more hunched and less confident-looking than Stanley. After this task, we were asked to depict Stanley and Blanche as animals. For Stanley, nearly everyone acted like a wolf or a fox – strong, territorial, sly, always hunting and watching. For Blanche, I chose to act like a small bird, which would preen and look pretty but would be fidgety and nervous and would fly away when frightened. Our next task was to get into groups and act out scenes taking place before the play begins, which would reveal something interesting about our characters. I was in a group with Emily, and we were told to act out a scene from when Blanche and Stella still lived at Belle Reve. Emily played Stella and I played Blanche. Our scene began with Blanche climbing through the window of the room she shares with Stella, late at night. Stella, who has been studying, admonishes her for being so late and tells her how worried she has been. Blanche, who has been drinking but claims she â€Å"limits herself to one†, has just met a young man who reads poetry, who, as we know, will later commit suicide. It is revealed that Stella is the clever sister, who has the potential to make something of herself, and Blanche is the wilder, worldlier sister who relies on her beauty to have fun. This explains why Stella left Belle Reve and had the ability to get a husband and a home of her own, and why Blanc he was left behind, unwilling to grow up and surrender her beauty. Millie and Genna also played Blanche and Stella at Belle Reve. Their scene involved Blanche taking Stella out on the town for the first time. Blanche is very domineering and worldly, and Stella is naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and nervous about the shortness of her dress. Stella wears white, showing her innocence, and Blanche wears red, showing her corrupted virtue. Jack and Owen played Mitch and Stanley. They gave Mitch a deep personality, having him hint about wanting to settle down with a wife and worrying about his mother. They also showed Stanley’s love for Stella, as he talks about her in a very loving and tender way to Mitch. Next Felix and Flick, playing Stanley and Stella, showed how Stella was very like Blanche when she first met Stanley, unused to this more working class environment, yet being excited by Stanley’s attentions. Finally, Angelika and Hugo, playing Stella and Stanley, show Stella as being naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and Stanley being mysterious and inquisitive, trying t o figure her out. In our next task we did Hot Seating. One by one, we were asked questions in character about our views on different events in the play. I chose to be Eunice, because although she is not a main character in the play, she is good friends with Stella and her husband is friends with Stanley, and she lives in the flat above them, so she would have a very clear idea of what life would be like for them. I chose to give her the opinion that Stanley’s hitting Stella isn’t good, but is acceptable, and is just a part of marriage that cannot be avoided. I was particularly impressed by Emily’s portrayal of Stella after having her sister taken away. She made it clear that Stella was heartbroken, and although she claimed to believe Stanley, she let on that she had no choice but to believe him. I also liked Alex as Blanche, gushing and acting pleasant and sweet to try and cover up her past, but when difficult questions were brought up her act fell and she would refuse to talk abo ut it. Our final task was to act out the scene where Blanche has been stood up by Mitch on her birthday and use freeze-frames to mark the most important moments in that the scene. I was in a group with Felix and Alex. Felix played Stanley, Alex played Blanche and I played Stella. The moments we marked were: Stanley throwing plates off the table; Stella and Stanley on the porch with Blanche on the phone, trying to reach Mitch; Stanley giving Blanche a ticket back to Laurel; and Stella going into labour. For each of our important moments, we froze in position for four seconds, before doing an action and moving onto the next moment. There were subtle differences between each group’s piece; instead of using an action, as we did in ours, Millie, Flick and Jack used an important line of text in each of their moments, which I found very effective. Although I found these tasks challenging (especially as I knew we were on camera), I enjoyed interpreting different characters in new ways. I also worked with different people to whom I normally would, which was a good experience and made me enthusiastic and eager to work with them again in future lessons.