Beowulf And Sir Gawin And The Green Knight - 860 Words

Captivating not only the atmosphere of the literary work, the setting provides context for the plot and characterizes the society that the characters interact within. The societies of Beowulf and Sir Gawin and the Green Knight, both written by anonymous authors, are drastically different but their courts, Heorot, the mead hall, and Sir Bertilak’s magical court do share similarities within the class structure but differ within gender roles. The story of Beowulf is one of warfare with supernatural creatures, Grendel and his mother, and a great dragon. It all begins with an attack on Heorot, which is named after a stag, a â€Å"hart,† which like the hart the mead hall is preyed upon by â€Å"a powerful demon, a prowler through the dark† (Norton Anthology: English Literature, 43). If this â€Å"fiend out of hell, [hadn’t] began to work his evil in the world,† the story of Beowulf wouldn’t have occurred but more importantly the culture that the Danes and Geats are a part of could not have been understood and analyzed while providing information of the ancient world that they were a part of (Norton Anthology: English Literature, 43). At the beginning and the end of the first tale within Beowulf, Heorot is used for feasting, such as celebrating Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel. During such an event, King Hrothgar distributes gifts to his loyal warriors. When rewarding Beowulf, the entire c ourt watches on, ensuring that he is properly compensated. This emphasis on gift-giving highlights the generousShow MoreRelatedIdentity in Frankenstien , Beowulf, and Sir Gawin and the Green Knight1155 Words   |  5 Pagesfor one’s identity can begin at any stage of one’s life. The universal, time-transcendent idea of identity within British Literature attests to the human need for self knowledge, as it can be seen in the novels in Frankenstein, Beowulf, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Monster is struggling to find his identity. He is trying to figure out if he is like Adam made upon this earth for a purpose or like Satan expelled from the â€Å"almighty kingdom†Ã¢â‚¬â€ in his case society. The Monster’s readingRead MoreEssay on Made to Order Hero1594 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world have progressed so has the definition of the word hero. The poems Beowulf and Sir Gawin and the Green Knight are shining examples of how the definition of a hero can change. Using these two poems I will demonstrate the fact that the standards that need to be met, or the heroic code, is an ever-changing definition that evolves and adapts with the progression of time. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both considered heroes by their peers, but they must both conformRead MoreEssay Study Guide1115 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Study Guide for World Lit. Exam 2 1. What does Beowulf mean when he says that an undoomed man can escape death in battle if his courage is good? If you are undoomed you might be able to escape death if you fight well in battle. If you don’t fight well or bravely you still have a possibility of death. If you are doomed, no matter how you fight you’re going to die. 2. In what ways is the code by which Beowulf fights like the Greek heroic code and different? The Greek heroic code involvesRead MoreEssay on Loyalty In Book Characters1000 Words   |  4 Pagesloyalty, how can you become loyal person? How do the people of today compare to the heroes in the stories that we read Beowulf Sir Gawin and the Green Knight and Camelot. When do you know you are a loyal person, is it something that you are born with or do you learn to become loyal? Is loyalty a valuable human characteristic?How does someone become a loyal person? In Sir Gawin he proved to be loyal when he showed up to a challenge that no normal man could ever win, but he did he went to get his

Social Perspectives On Abortion And Abortion - 1291 Words

Social Perspectives on Abortion Angelica Haro California State University Fullerton Sociology 308, Fall 2015 Social Perspectives on Abortion Introduction The abortion question raises a number of issues that form the core of the abortion debate. Opponents and supporters of abortions have been battling over this particular problem for decades and still cannot come to an agreement. Being one of the most common and most controversial medical procedures, abortion tends to affect people on psychological and sociological levels. But while the discussion of the morality of abortion is an ongoing debate, the social issues surrounding abortion in most cases stay unnoticed. The social aspect of the issue is centered on the abortion policy. The main question of the abortion policy is whether the law should permit abortions and, if so under what circumstances. The other is whether the law should put the life of an unborn child first and legally protect it. The peculiarity of the abortion policy is that its measures are highly dependent on different public opinions. Pro-life and pro-choice arguments It is worth mentioning in the first place that the continuing debate over the abortion problem has always been based on two main opposing views. Nagan (1971) terms these viewpoints as â€Å"the fetus oriented view and the female perspective† (p. 288). To his mind, defining the status of the fetus as a human being or only as a potential human being best indicates polarityShow MoreRelatedThe Social Issue Of Abortion1522 Words   |  7 Pagesreflect on the social issue of abortion that was presented in the Daily Mail (Macrae, 2012), in response to a scientific article addressing before and after birth abortion (Gubilini Minerva, 2012). The paper will explore the views and disagreements about social aspect of abortion in respect to â€Å"subjects† of this discussion, the newborn and unborn. Loseke (2005) notes, â€Å"Social problems are about disagreements†¦ conditions, and they are about people in these conditions† (p.4). Social problems are sociallyRead Mor eThe Ethical Justification Of Abortion Essay1095 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Ethical justification of abortion is a controversial subject consisting of numerous significant theories that have been presented based on studies and researches. Basically, abortion refers to termination of pregnancy through removal of the undeveloped fetus. Seemingly, the act is highly condemned by majority sociologists and health practitioners due to violation of humanitarian ethics and morals. However, this particular perspective is orientated by the normative ethics system entailingRead MoreAbortion and the Symbolic Interaction Paradigm1473 Words   |  6 Pageswhether or not abortion contributes to the corruption of today’s society, using the symbolic interaction paradigm. We have come to the consensus, as a group, that abortion does contribute to the corruption of today’s society simply because it is such a heated issue and therefore people choose sides. When people choose sides, and are unable to look at a situation from another person’s point of view, there tends to be corruption. Symbolic interactionism is a theoretical perspective that people useRead MoreEssay on The Pros and Cons of Abortion in Todays Society1159 Words   |  5 PagesAbortion is the medical procedure when it is induced on purpose to extract the fetus from the uterus. When abortion occurs without purpose, it is usually referred to as miscarriage; such instance causes psychological problems in a woman and affects her perception of the fetus. The number of moral and ethical considerations on the problem of abortions can be considered from a variety of perspectives that include economic, medical, social, and religious aspects of the phenomenon. Many case studiesRead MoreThe Issue That Faces Women Is Abortion990 Words   |  4 PagesDescription of the Problem An important issue that faces women is abortion. With abortion laws constantly changing, women are finding that they are a continuous target of sexism. Social work is relative to this subject because often times social workers have to assist clients who are seeking or who have had an abortion. It is very important that a social worker is knowledgeable about abortion rights and laws. This is critical as it may become a part of your case. Women’s health is equally as importantRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Women s Abortion : Quantitative And Qualitative Perspectives On Sexual And Reproductive Health1063 Words   |  5 Pages A. M. (2005). Reasons U.S. women have abortions: Quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 37(3), 110-8. This study addressed the reasons behind why women choose to have abortions. Specifically, the researcher focused on both qualitative and quantitative perspectives to determine the factors that contribute to the decision to have an abortion. Using structured survey, the researcher included 1,209 abortion patients at 11 large providers. The studyRead MoreEssay on The Limited Justification for Abortion1168 Words   |  5 PagesThe Limited Justification for Abortion Abortion has been one of the hottest political issues over a number of years. The issue of abortion is a huge debate between pro-lifers, people against abortion, and pro-choicers, people who support abortion. Since the Roe v. Wade court case in 1973, which legalized abortion, laws dealing with abortion have been altered in each individual state. Due to these laws, organizations such as the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Feminists for Life ofRead MoreThe Beliefs and Actions, Past and Present, on Church and Abortion1071 Words   |  5 PagesPast and Present, on Church and Abortion For as long as there has been recorded history, there have been recordings of the procedure now known as abortion. The Bible appears to be silent on the topic, which is of no support to Christian groups, especially Catholics, who believe that abortion is a mortal sin. In his book, â€Å"The Morality of Abortion: Legal and Historical Perspectives,† John T. Noonan (1970) states that â€Å"The Old Testament has nothing to say on abortion† (6). John Connery (1977) agreesRead MoreFunctionalism And Robert Mertons Model Of Functionalism1252 Words   |  6 PagesSociology uses three different perspectives, or theories, when looking at human issues. These three theories are known as functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction. Functionalism is considered a macro theory and has two different models. The focus will be on Merton’s model of functionalism, which has three parts to it. Conflict theory is also, a macro theory that views society as a place of in equality between two groups. It looks at five inequalities, which are economic, gender, racialRead MoreAbortion in Thai Perspective1106 Words   |  5 Pages Abortion In Thai Perspective By Nattapong Pienpitak ID : 213210116 ENG 103 Stamford University International College 9th December, 2014 Introduction Abortion or some says â€Å"miscarriage† has a long story and can be dated back to our ancient civilization such as China, Egypt, and Roman empires. There are several evidences to indicate that abortion is committed since ancient time. There are many ways to abort fetus inside mother’s stomach which are considered

Human Resource Management Attractive Incentive Programs

Question: Describe and critically evaluate the approach to employee reward taken by an organisation of your choice, identifying the key reward choices made (see page 471 of Beardwell Thompson 2014). Your answer should cover the following; What messages does the reward strategy in the chosen organisation convey? To what extent does the reward strategy in the organisation drive individual performance? Answer: Introduction Bertelsen (2012) has said that reward system is one of the attractive incentive programs that tend to encourage the employee engagement in the organization by offering bonuses, increased payment rate along with additional time off. In this particular task, the focus would be shed on describing as well as evaluating the approach to the employee reward system adopted by a company along with the proper identification of the key reward choices made at the organization (Bratton and Gold 2012). In order to carry out the entire study, Google has been selected and some of the important aspects of Google's reward system would be analyzed in this particular paper. The message conveyed through the reward strategy as well as the impact of the reward strategy on the individual performance would be critically examined. Apart from that, some of the active recommendations would be suggested in order to enhance the present situation. Message conveyed through the reward strategy of the selected company On analysis of the reward system of Google, it can be found that the company provides some of the attractive rewards to their employees like spot bonus, manager level, annual review, employee promotion, annual bonus and stock grants and refreshers. It can be said that Google is one of the contemporary companies that has been engaged in finding several new ways as well as approaches to recruit the top talents, retain the top talent as well as finding new paths to motivate the existing employees for providing maximum output (Chen et al. 2012). Looking at the company reward system, it can be said that the bottom line of the company is to make maximum profit, attract the talents, retain the abilities as well as motivate the top most existing talents in the company for fetching maximum output (Cummings and Worley 2014). The management of the company believes that the way they can get the best performance is offering the best rewards in the industry. The company provides reimbursement of up to $5000 to the employees for legal expense, maternity benefits of a maximum 18 weeks off at about 100% pay (Snelgar et al. 2013). Apart from that, the company financially supports the employees for adopting a child and at the GooglePlex, there is always a doctor and free fitness centers as well as trainers are available for the employee assistance (Google 2016). Lunch and dinner are available at free of cost for the workers and additionally an assortment of delicious and healthy meal is available every day for the employee prepared by gourmet chefs. It can be stated that the company pays entire attention for the well-being of the employees as they believe that relaxation, extra payment, reward system are the best motivating factors that enhance the employee performance (Mowday et al. 2013). Google is associated with innovation in every aspect of their business and they rely on multiple reward system to motivate the young talents and it has the most notable peer to peer recognition program. The employees work hard to receive this prestigious recognition and the company motivates the employees highly. The comprehensive service provided by the company is to make the employees feel valued and stay healthy and save time. The company wants their employees to travel without worries, spend more time with friends and families and thus attractive reward systems are the highly shed focus on (Snelgar et al. 2013). Impact of reward strategy on individual performance in the organization Ulrich (2013) has said that the performance of each employee in the organization is significant and at the time of designing the reward policy, the management of the company is required to look at it carefully. The company believes that one of the most commonly used methods for the company is positive reinforcement in which a persons behavior is highly strengthened. The management of the company believes that extrinsic reward system motivates the employees, as this takes into account the salary because this is directly proportionate with the job satisfaction of the employees. On the other hand, it has been seen that extrinsic reward system as well as major important aspect of employee motivation and this includes aspects apart from financial motivation (Walker 2012). The rules and regulations of the company motivates the employees for achieving the rewards, as the company has a reward policy for two people who are doing their jobs unfairly and reward them unfairly. It is of no doubt to say that all the employees in the organization want to become an integral part of the whole business and the reward policy influence the employees to achieve more, so that they can quickly become a part of the whole business (Jiang et al. 2012). When the workers come to realize that the company arranges free breakfast, lunch, dinner and the chef made organic foods for them, as the health of the employees matters to the company; it automatically enhances the employee performance (Wei et al. 2012). Free health and dental check up for the employees, free dry cleaning, free haircuts, subsidized massages, gyms and swimming pools for recreation purpose, nap pods, death benefits, video games, football and ping pong are some of the essential facilities that motivates the employees to perform best in the company. The values of being valued enhance the work performance of the employees and this increase the company growth. These facilities have gradually helped the company to achieve this position. The management believes that appreciation is the best motivation and these directly motivate the employees to enhance their performance in the workplace. Google always opines that they love their employees and they always want to let the employees know the fact. Therefore, it can be stated that the employees are, as several facilities are meant to drive them on a large scale (Zhang, et al. 2013). If focus is shed on Apple, it can be seen that the company does not arrange attractive reward sy stem for their employees. When the employees are promoted to further designations, they do not enjoy high rise in remuneration. This demotivates the employees and hampers their performance as well. Moreover, the company does not arrange proper training for their employees and this as well hampers the productivity of the employees. Some of the valid recommendations In the previous section, a detailed study has been made of the rewards and benefits systems available in Google for the employees. Apart from that, it has been seen that these facilities motivate the employees to give their best outcome to the company and thus Google presently has become of one of most desired places for work. However, it has been found that the company in spite of providing such facilities to the company faces some of the challenges in the present day scenario. The company has been gradually increasing job satisfaction and commitment and this is growing the work pressure on the employees. With the gradual increase in the provided services and facilities for the employees, the employees most of the time enjoy a great relaxation and this affects the work progress to some extent (Google 2016). The company gives freedom over how and when tasks are completed. These practices have been changing the work progress in some cases and this part is required to look at carefully. The management has planned huge benefits and facilities to the employees and sometimes these facilities make the employees idle. Once an employee gets all facilities in the workplace without that much of effort, it is evident enough to say that the employee will lose the value of the labor and this would affect the productivity of the company. It is recommended that the corporation is required to be more judgmental at the time of providing services to the employees. It has been seen that the employees in Google are allowed greater discretion on their hours of work and also on when they can go as well as have some fun whether in takes into account getting a massage. Apart from that, it has been seen that the company allows its employees 20% of their time per week to do anything they like. The employees are required to make understood that the corporation value them a lot and then act accordingly (Ulrich 2013). Otherwise, the employees would not pay their entire attention to the overall growth of the organization and the facilities provided by the company to the employees would be in vein. Conclusion After completion of the entire study, it can be said that Google is one of the leading organizations that attract the employees as this is one of the best places to work. The company provides huge facilities and benefits to the employees and these huge relaxations and benefits sometimes affect the productivity of Google. The employees sometimes become idle and the provided freedom on their task is one of the reasons of this redundancy. Compared to other companies, it can be said that Google at present is one of the leading companies that focuses on customer motivation through proper and attractive reward system. The management of the company believes that of the employees are to motivate at the workplace, they are required to provide some effective rewards to the employees. Therefore, after discussing the reward strategy of Google, the researcher has significantly analyzed the impact of this reward system on the performance of the employees. Apart from that, it has been seen that the some of the effective recommendations have been provided here based on the addressed issues in the workplace. References Google, 2016. [online] Google.com. Available at: https://www.google.com/about/ [Accessed 10 Mar. 2016]. Bertelsen, B., 2012. Everything you need to know about employee motivation. [Newmarket, Ont.]: BrainMass Inc. Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2012.Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave Macmillan. Chen, C.X., Williamson, M.G. and Zhou, F.H., 2012. Reward system design and group creativity: An experimental investigation.The Accounting Review,87(6), pp.1885-1911. Cummings, T. and Worley, C., 2014.Organization development and change. Cengage learning. Hendry, C., 2012.Human resource management. Routledge. Jiang, K., Lepak, D.P., Hu, J. and Baer, J.C., 2012. How does human resource management influence organizational outcomes? A meta-analytic investigation of mediating mechanisms.Academy of management Journal,55(6), pp.1264-1294. Mowday, R.T., Porter, L.W. and Steers, R.M., 2013.Employeeorganization linkages: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism, and turnover. Academic Press. Snelgar, R.J., Renard, M. and Venter, D., 2013. An empirical study of the reward preferences of South African employees.SA Journal of Human Resource Management,11(1), pp.14-pages. Ulrich, D., 2013.Human resource champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Harvard Business Press. Walker, S., 2012. Employee engagement and communication research. London: Kogan Page. Wei, Y.S., Frankwick, G.L. and Nguyen, B.H., 2012. Should firms consider employee input in reward system design? The effect of participation on market orientation and new product performance.Journal of Product Innovation Management,29(4), pp.546-558. Zhang, X., De Pablos, P.O. and Zhou, Z., 2013. Effect of knowledge sharing visibility on incentive-based relationship in Electronic Knowledge Management Systems: An empirical investigation.Computers in Human Behavior,29(2), pp.307-313.

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Society and Culture free essay sample

Action research is carried out be people who usually recognize a problem or limitation in their workplace situation and, together, devise a plan to counteract the problem, implement the plan, observe what happens, reflect on these outcomes, revise the plan, implement it, reflect, revise and so on. Action research can be though of as a spiral of planning, acting, observing and reflecting, occruing through time until the most desirable outcomes for all participants are achieved. | The Nature of Social and Cultural Continuity and Change| Understanding continuity and change through:| Identifying the nature of social and cultural continuity and change| The concepts of continuity and change are commonly used in our society, but for many of us they are hard to define. These terms share the feature of time being a determining factor. It is the opportunity of time that allows a society to develop and modify itself to change. Likewise when we observe a particular culture or community over a period of time we can oberve clear continuities. We will write a custom essay sample on Society and Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The term social change is a term used within sociology and applies to modifications in social relationships or culture (the term cultural change is the term used within anthropology). Since society and culture are interdependent, sociocultural change is a more accepted term. The study of sociocultural change is the systematic study of variation in social and cultural systems. There are inherent methodological problems of identification and measurement of change, and rarely does one cause produce one effect. All societies are involved in a process of social change, however, this change may be so incremental that the members of the society are hardly aware of it. People living in very traditional societies would be in this category. Societies are characterised by change: the rate of change, the processes of change, and the directions of change. The actions of individuals, organisations and social movements have an impact on society and may become the catalyst for social change. The actions of individuals, however, occur within the context of culture, institutions and power structures inherited from the past, and usually, for these individuals to effect dramatic social change, the society itself is tripe for change. Broad social trends, for example, shifts in population, urbanisation, industrialisation and bureaucratisation, can lead to significant social change. In the past, this has been associated with modernisation, the process whereby a society moves from traditional, less developed modes of production (like small-scale agriculture) to technologically advanced industrial modes of production. Trends like population growth and urbanisation have a significant impact on other aspects of society, like social structure, institutions and culture. Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century social theorists focused fairly extensively on modernisation, but they tended to present on oversimplified grand narrative which resulted from heavily ideological interpretations of the contrast between tradition and modernisation. They also attempted to externalise absolutes, social laws as they saw them, and they argued that these social laws were operative in structurally similar societies. Social continuity cannot simply be defined as the absence of social change, that is, things remaining the same, because social change is a continual process in all societies. Nothing remains the same. However, within societies there are structures which are inherently resistant to change, and in this sense, we can talk about them as being social continuities. Individuals within societies need social continuities to a lesser or greater extent, depending on significant factors like age, gender, education, access to power, wealth, vested interest, etc. Even rock-solid institutions like the family, the law, and religions are subject to change, even though they represent social continuity. There has always been family and it is still the foundational institution for society and the primary agent of socialisation, however the composition of family has changed in recent years, leading to different kinds of families and different socialisation experiences for their members. The same ideas can be applied to law and religion. Social and cultural continuities can be likened to individuals habits comfortable patterns of behaviour that give individuals a sense of security and personal control a haven or a respite in a sea of social and cultural change. There is a high correlation between the rate of social and cultural change and resistance to that change. In times when members of a society feel that change is out of control, it is likely that the desire for continuity becomes more extreme, resulting in backward-looking idealisations of the past. While social change is itself a continuity, certain periods of human history have created great transformations (Polanyi 1973). The Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution created one such Great Transformation. Polanyi saw it as beginning in the 17th and 18th centuries and continuing today, characterised by:| | | †¢ the rise of a capitalist, global economy and growth in production and wealth †¢ a scientific revolution new ways of thinking about causation, moving from religious to secular †¢ a new concept of time population growth, immigration and urbanisation political move to nation, which involved governments expanding their control to social, economic and cultural life, followed by the extension of that control to other, less advanced countries (colonialism/imperialism) either through military conquest or trade conquest and today, perhaps, characterised by conquest through communication (eg. the Americanisation or westernisation of culture). | | | According to Bessant and Watts (1999: 20):A key sign of the magnitude of the changes in that first Great Transformation is found in the ways people continued talking about the experience of loss, the world we have lost. Phrases like the death of God, demise of the family, and the loss of community reflect the long-standing feelings of bereavement and loss that accompanied the modernising experience. Polanyi would argue that similar feelings of loss and bereavement are expressed, in similar terms, today in our post-modern society where rapid, often dramatic change has become almost the norm. Although many individuals, for example, Marx, Toennies, Comte and Spencer developed different versions of what Comte called sociology, the science of society, it wasnt until the late 1 9th century that sociology as established as an academic discipline. Social theories came out of this new discipline, as attempts to explain, or account for, social change. Social theories were, and still are today, products of their times and are characterised to a greater or lesser extent by the prevailing views and ideologies of their eras. When studying social theories, and using one or more of them in an attempt to explain soc ial and cultural change, it is important to recognise this fact about them and to be conscious, if not critical, of the biases, values and assumptions inherent in them. Sociological theory can be roughly divided into periods during which different schools of theoretical thought tended to be dominant:| | | †¢ from the late Nineteenth/early Twentieth Century until the 1 92Os, while Sociology was establishing itself as an academic discipline in Its own right (there was, at the same time, a development of Anthropology) Social Darwinism, early evolutionary theory, which was functionalist in its perspective, was a dominant school of thought †¢ the 1940s -1960s was the era of Structural Functionalism (Parsons, Spencer, Durkheim and Comte) by the mid-1 960s (1 960s 1 980s), Marxism, Weberian sociology, Feminism and Symbolic Interactionism were dominant †¢ most recently, Post-Modernism (also called Post-Structuralism) has tended to dominate sociological thinking. | | | This division isnt absolute in that different schools of sociological thought agreed with, disagreed with, borrowed and rejected aspects of each others premises. Even within th e different schools of thought, there is acceptance and rejection of other proponents ideas. | | * TIME Past| Present| Future| What was it like? Why? | What’s changed? Why? What’s the same? Why? | What will change? Why? What will remain? Why? | | Examining the impact of continuity change upon the lives of people in the micro and macro worlds| Family structures- there is no doubt that the nature of structures within the family unit have also changed over the last few decades. In Australian society post WW2, the culture of the day was changing dramatically. Australians for the first time, in some cases, were being exposed to different patterns of living and cultural values with the arrival of many immigrants from many countries around the world. This tradition of immigration to Australia has continued, often as a reaction to world events. Prior to the second WW the most common family model was known as nuclear, two generations living together. However in the past few deceased it has become more common for families to extend. This has been due to either older relatives needing to live with younger generations, or for cultural reasons. In addition to this, the increase of divorce has resulted in a range of new family structures forming. These new structures can range from single-parents to blended families. There are also indicators that tell us though that there are some aspects of the family unit that are changed over the past few decades- continuity-particularly when we look at its purpose. In modern western societies the responsibility of child raising lies with the immediate family. This is one aspect of the role of the family unit that is still a cultural norm. Parents are still seen to be the primary care givers and with the help of other adults around them take on the responsibility for all aspects of their Childs development. All members of that family have a responsibility to that distinct group. This sense of belonging to a distinct social group complete with mutual rights and obligations is also largely unchanged. In western cultures, it is still the family that has one of the most crucial roles in socialising children. This socialisation enables these children to participate in their given society as an adult. Characteristics of students-Many of the changes that have occurred in the way young people approach their education are reflective of the societal change that all of us experience on a daily basis in our society. It is clear that in a relatively short space of time approaches to learning and communication have changed dramatically. In relation to learning specifically, the Millennials: -favour group activity- are able to multi-task with ease-respond and adapt to new technologies very quickly-are positive in their attitude to learning-use technology such as the internet for work and leisureBy that comparison we need to keep in mind, for many Generation X-ers the computer was not commonly used during their peak years of formal education. Technology has also influenced the manner in which students wish to communicate with other students and their teachers. As young people are now used to being able to message people immediately and have a quick response, the manner in which they want to communicate in their general relationships in their micro world has also changed dramatically by comparison to the students before them. Clearly there has been significant change in the way in which young people approach technology and their learning generally. Continuity- the benefit of using different strategies in learning such as visual, linguistic, audiotry, kinaesthetic in order that learning is well balanced has always been evident. While there has always been different trends in approaches to learning, it has been acknowledged for decades that there are many modes of learning on offer to us as students. The need for students to learn from and communicate to others around them during the learning process has also been seen of value for a long period of time. Distinguishing between personal experience and public knowledge | | Examining the role of power and authority in social and cultural continuity and change| | Introducing theories of social change and evaluating their role in explaining continuities and changes in society| | Explore continuity and change through examination of the following questions:When we discuss change we are referring to cultural and social change. Human society according to Toffler has gone through three specific stages of change:- the agrarian revolution: the change in settlement patterns from nomadic to stable communities. Much technological change with regard to ways of working e. g. use of the plough- The industrial revolution: the era of machine replacing muscle, the advent of the use of steam in factories. Production rates increased dramatically as the factory system developed. The development of the new merchant class and a middle class were the major social changes of the day. The working classes also grew with both agricultural workers and urban workers. -The information revolution- this has been referred to as the era of machine replacing the mind. The development of technologies particularly in relation to communication and information technologies. Suter reminds us that there is a correlation between the agrarian revolution, industrial revolution and information revolution and the concepts of power and authority. Agrarian Revolution=monarchy: feudal system, kings and queens, emperors, pharaohs, maharajas. A rule by hereditary elites. Industrial Revolution=Nation State: Rise of democracy, republics, communism: informed public now choose their government, such as voting for the president or electing a prime minister-Information Revolution=? Is this change yet to be define? Who is really running the world? Corportation? Macro groups like the EU? What is the role of the UN, the World Economic Forum and the World Bank? Al-Qaeda? | Is all change necessarily progress? | | Which groups benefit from change? Which do not? | | Are westernization, modernization and industrialization inevitable? | |

Gene Technology Essays

Gene Technology Essays Gene Technology Essay Gene Technology Essay 010 Chapter 10 Gene Technology Student: _________________________________________________________ 1. Trimming certain genes out of molecules of DNA requires the use of special: A. digestive enzymes B. restriction enzymes C. enzymes from peroxisomes D. microscopic scalpels 2. To seal the cut fragments of DNA together, an enzyme called __________ is used. A. amylase B. peptidase C. trypsin D. ligase 3. Choose the correct sequence for gene transfer procedures. A. cleaving DNA, recombining DNA, cloning, screening B. screening, cleaving DNA, cloning, recombining DNA C. recombining DNA, screening, cloning, cleaving DNA D. cleaving DNA, cloning, screening, recombining DNA 4. The step that is most labor-intensive in gene transfer procedures is: A. cleaving DNA B. recombining DNA C. screening D. cloning 5. Some bacteria, through natural selection, have acquired some extremely potent enzymes that destroy viral DNA, thereby preventing the bacterial cell from becoming infected with the virus. These enzymes are called: A. DNA polymerases B. DNA ligases C. restriction endonucleases D. restriction ligases 6. When researchers wish to make multiple copies of a gene without first inserting it into a bacterium, they employ the: A. centrifuge B. pepsin activation reaction C. polymerase chain reaction D. gel electrophoresis 7. If a fragment of eukaryotic RNA is needed that is made up only of exons, the place to look in the cell to find this is: A. attached to the inner cell membrane B. inside the nucleolus C. inside the nucleus D. in the cytoplasm 8. Primers are: A. short sequences of nucleotides on either side of the gene to be amplified B. sticky ends of DNA fragments C. beginning nucleotide sequences in plasmids D. types of undercoating for paint 9. The enzyme used to carry out the polymerase chain reaction on DNA is: : A. transcriptase B. reverse transcriptase C. RNA polymerase D. DNA polymerase 10. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is also used to: A. clone entire organisms B. make polyploid copies of the human genome C. make DNA fingerprints in criminal investigations D. clone bacterial colonies 11. The enzyme used to make a DNA copy complementary to processed mRNA is: A. transcriptase B. reverse transcriptase C. RNA polymerase D. DNA polymerase 12. DNA fingerprinting is a highly accurate method of identifying a criminal from evidence, (blood, hair, skin, semen) left at a crime scene. True  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  False 3. Inserting a gene encoding a pathogenic microbes surface protein into a harmless virus is the way a(n) _________________ is produced. A. piggyback vaccine B. clone of antibodies C. virulent virus D. active disease-causing pathogen 14. A friend asks you a question after your biology class. Whats genetic engineering? Your answer is: A. Genetic engineering is the ability of scientists to remove a nucleus from a cell and place it into another cell. B. Genetic engineering is taking proteins from one organism and placing them into another organism of a different species. C. Genetic engineering is moving genes from one organism to another. D. Genetic engineering is removing structural components, for example a lysosome, from one part of a cell and placing those structures elsewhere in that cell. 15. Genetic engineering in agriculture has been employed to: A. make crops resistant to insect pests B. make crops resistant to certain herbicides C. make crops more nutritious D. All of these are correct. 16. Crop plants are made resistant to insect pests by: A. causing them to grow taller B. inserting a gene from bacteria that secrete Bt C. coating them with a gel D. All of these are correct. 17. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, is a good choice for engineering plants resistant to it because: A. it is a powerful herbicide B. it is readily biodegradable C. humans are not affected by it D. All of these are correct. 18. Golden rice is so-named because it contains: A. vitamin C B. vitamin A and iron C. nitrogen D. golden bacteria 19. The introduction of bovine growth hormone into the diets of dairy cows is important because it: A. doubles the number of calves they produce annually B. makes them immune to infection by plasmids C. greatly improves their milk production D. improves the taste of their milk 0. A number of human genes have been inserted into bacteria to produce many useful human proteins EXCEPT: A. insulin B. factor VIII C. anticoagulants D. human hemoglobin 21. Moving genes from one organism to another is often referred to as ________________________. ________________________________________ 22. Scientists employ a method called ____________ _______ to visual fragments of genes they are attempting to isolate. ________________________________________ 23. EcoRI is an example of a ______________________. ________________________________________ 24. PCR is an abbreviation for _________________________. _______________________________________ 25. When RNA polymerase makes an unprocessed mRNA copy of DNA, the copy is called the ___________________. ________________________________________ 26. When the introns are removed to make mRNA that can be used in protein synthesis, the mRNA is now called __________________. ________________________________________ 27. A _______ is a tiny circle of bacterial DNA that is capable of replicating outside of the main bacterial chromosome. ________________________________________ 28. When genes are inserted into lung cells of cystic fibrosis patients, this kind of treatment is referred to as _______________. _______________________________________ 29. Combining the DNA of two different organi sms is called ______________ cloning. ________________________________________ 30. Plasmids or viruses can serve as _______________ to carry foreign DNA into the host cell. ________________________________________ 31. When the method is perfected, it will be possible to transfer healthy genes into cystic fibrosis patients via aerosol inhalants to cure this genetic disease. Is this type of gene transfer an actual cure or is it a treatment? In other words, could this person still pass along cystic fibrosis genes? 32. What is the advantage of using restriction enzymes to cleave DNA? 33. In gene transfer procedures, why is it necessary to use processed mRNA molecules to make DNA to transfer to another organism? 34. What are some of the benefits of transferring genes from one organism to another? 35. Do you feel there is any harm in cloning mammals? Why? Why not? 010 Chapter 10 Gene Technology KEY 1. Trimming certain genes out of molecules of DNA requires the use of special: a. digestive enzymes B  Ã‚  restriction enzymes c. enzymes from peroxisomes d. microscopic scalpels 2. To seal the cut fragments of DNA together, an enzyme called __________ is used. . amylase b. peptidase c. trypsin D  Ã‚  ligase 3. Choose the correct sequence for gene transfer procedures. A  Ã‚  cleaving DNA, recombining DNA, cloning, screening b. screening, cleaving DNA, cloning, recombining DNA c. recombining DNA, screening, cloning, cleaving DNA d. cleaving DNA, cloning, screening, recombining DNA 4. The step that is most labor-intensive in gene transfer procedures is: a. cleaving DNA b. recombining DNA C  Ã‚  screening d. cloning 5. Some bacteria, through natural selection, have acquired some extremely potent enzymes that destroy viral DNA, thereby preventing the bacterial cell from becoming infected with the virus. These enzymes are called: a. DNA polymerases b. DNA ligases C  Ã‚  restriction endonucleases d. restriction ligases 6. When researchers wish to make multiple copies of a gene without first inserting it into a bacterium, they employ the: a. centrifuge b. pepsin activation reaction C  Ã‚  polymerase chain reaction d. gel electrophoresis 7. If a fragment of eukaryotic RNA is needed that is made up only of exons, the place to look in the cell to find this is: a. attached to the inner cell membrane b. inside the nucleolus c. inside the nucleus D  Ã‚  in the cytoplasm 8. Primers are: A  Ã‚  short sequences of nucleotides on either side of the gene to be amplified . sticky ends of DNA fragments c. beginning nucleotide sequences in plasmids d. types of undercoating for paint 9. The enzyme used to carry out the polymerase chain reaction on DNA is: a. transcriptase b. reverse transcriptase c. RNA polymerase D  Ã‚  DNA polymerase 10. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is also used to : a. clone entire organisms b. make polyploid copies of the human genome C  Ã‚  make DNA fingerprints in criminal investigations d. clone bacterial colonies 11. The enzyme used to make a DNA copy complementary to processed mRNA is: a. transcriptase B  Ã‚  reverse transcriptase c. RNA polymerase d. DNA polymerase 12. DNA fingerprinting is a highly accurate method of identifying a criminal from evidence, (blood, hair, skin, semen) left at a crime scene. TRUE 13. Inserting a gene encoding a pathogenic microbes surface protein into a harmless virus is the way a(n) _________________ is produced. A  Ã‚  piggyback vaccine b. clone of antibodies c. virulent virus d. active disease-causing pathogen 14. A friend asks you a question after your biology class. Whats genetic engineering? Your answer is: a. Genetic engineering is the ability of scientists to remove a nucleus from a cell and place it into another cell. b. Genetic engineering is taking proteins from one organism and placing them into another organism of a different species. C  Ã‚  Genetic engineering is moving genes from one organism to another. d. Genetic engineering is removing structural components, for example a lysosome, from one part of a cell and placing those structures elsewhere in that cell. 15. Genetic engi neering in agriculture has been employed to: a. make crops resistant to insect pests b. make crops resistant to certain herbicides c. make crops more nutritious D  Ã‚  All of these are correct. 16. Crop plants are made resistant to insect pests by: a. causing them to grow taller B  Ã‚  inserting a gene from bacteria that secrete Bt c. coating them with a gel d. All of these are correct. 17. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, is a good choice for engineering plants resistant to it because: a. it is a powerful herbicide b. it is readily biodegradable c. humans are not affected by it D  Ã‚  All of these are correct. 18. Golden rice is so-named because it contains: a. vitamin C B  Ã‚  vitamin A and iron c. nitrogen d. golden bacteria 19. The introduction of bovine growth hormone into the diets of dairy cows is important because it: a. doubles the number of calves they produce annually . makes them immune to infection by plasmids C  Ã‚  greatly improves their milk production d. improves the taste of their milk 20. A number of human genes have been inserted into bacteria to produce many useful human proteins EXCEPT: a. insulin b. factor VIII c. anticoagulants D  Ã‚  human hemoglobin 21. Moving genes from one organism to another i s often referred to as ________________________. genetic engineering 22. Scientists employ a method called ___________________ to visual fragments of genes they are attempting to isolate. gel electrophoresis 23. EcoRI is an example of a ______________________. restriction enzyme 24. PCR is an abbreviation for _________________________. polymerase chain reaction 25. When RNA polymerase makes an unprocessed mRNA copy of DNA, the copy is called the ___________________. primary transcript 26. When the introns are removed to make mRNA that can be used in protein synthesis, the mRNA is now called __________________. processed mRNA 27. A _______ is a tiny circle of bacterial DNA that is capable of replicating outside of the main bacterial chromosome. plasmid 28. When genes are inserted into lung cells of cystic fibrosis patients, this kind of treatment is referred to as _______________. gene therapy 29. Combining the DNA of two different organisms is called ______________ cloning. transgenic 30. Plasmids or viruses can serve as _______________ to carry foreign DNA into the host cell. vectors 31. When the method is perfected, it will be possible to transfer healthy genes into cystic fibrosis patients via aerosol inhalants to cure this genetic disease. Is this type of gene transfer an actual cure or is it a treatment? In other words, could this person still pass along cystic fibrosis genes? Unless it is possible to correct the genetic defect in the persons gametes, they will still be able to pass on the genes for cystic fibrosis. However, the inhalant treatment is an important milestone in the treatment of this disease, especially if it can put a halt to the lung damage so characteristic of the cystic fibrosis patient. The life expectancy for these patients is short otherwise. 32. What is the advantage of using restriction enzymes to cleave DNA? Hundreds of different restriction enzymes are known. Once the scientist knows the nucleotide sequence on either side of the gene to be excised, the appropriate restriction enzyme can be used to cut the DNA at that particular spot. The advantage is that restriction enzymes cut the DNA so it has sticky ends that can match up with complementary sequences elsewhere. 33. In gene transfer procedures, why is it necessary to use processed mRNA molecules to make DNA to transfer to another organism? This procedure is necessary only when the gene to be transferred comes from a eukaryote. Eukaryotic DNA contains introns as well as exons, and bacteria have no way of removing introns because their DNA has none. So introns must be removed, and processed mRNA molecules have already had that done. 34. What are some of the benefits of transferring genes from one organism to another? First of all, we can get bacteria to mass-produce human proteins, such as the hormone insulin, that can be used to treat human diseases. Since the protein makes use of a human gene, it matches precisely that which would normally be produced in the human body. Second, many beneficial agricultural advances will surely come from gene transfers. For example, pest resistance in plants will lessen the need for pesticides that are costly and pollute the environment. 35. Do you feel there is any harm in cloning mammals? Why? Why not? Answers will vary.

Substance abuse documentation confidentiality Research Paper

Substance abuse documentation confidentiality - Research Paper Example According to 10A NCAC 26B .0102, the state, individuals or area facilities with access to confidential information must take the affirmative measures in safeguarding such information. Any confidential information must not be released, except in accordance to G.S 122C-51 through the 122C-56. The release of confidential information regarding substance abusers must be based on federal regulations of the part 2 of 42 C.F.R. The confidentiality of records for drug and alcohol abusers adopted by the G.S. 150B-14(c) must be pursued unless in case of restrictive rules (Ganley, 2005). Each area within the facilities of the state maintaining confidential information record must provide a secure place for storing the records. Also, they must develop the written policies and procedures on controlled access for the records. All area of the state must ensure authorized access of such records. The director in each state facility must ensure the presence of the clinical staff members to protect and explain the records when the legal person of the client demands the review of the records. Delegated employees develop the procedures and policies on the provision of safeguards to enhance controlled access of such information (Martin & Moracco, 2008). The director of the state facility must ensure that all people involved in handling confidential information know the terms and conditions provided under G.S. 122C-52 through to 122C-56, and the facility must develop written procedures and policies based on the rules. The facility must provide trainings to all individual authorised access of confidential information. The individual in training must indicate their understanding of the governing requirements confidentiality through signing a statement of compliance and understanding (Ganley, 2005). Employees must sign the statement upon employment and in case the revisions happens

Analysis of Ethnic Conflict in KOSOVO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Analysis of Ethnic Conflict in KOSOVO - Essay Example Furthermore, the area needs proper management of these diverse societies so that such conflicts can be avoided since these altercations might escalate into a bloody civil war2. Such is the case of Kosovo, formerly a province of Serbia which have erupted into a bloody war towards the latter part of the 90’s. The carnage in the area was only halted by the intervention of NATO. Although this temporarily stopped the fighting and an independent state seems to be forming, the area remains in a precarious ceasefire as relative tensions remain between the Albanians and the Serbians wherein the secession resulted in the breakaway of an Albanian dominated Kosovo. This left the remaining Serbians in a quandary since they may be subjected to discrimination. The fear of possible persecution threatens to drive the Serbs away from Kosovo in effect dislocating them from their homes and towards a life of uncertainty3. Part 1 Kosovo Ethnic Conflict History has been teeming with ethnic conflicts and there have been numerous cases of violence that bordered on genocide. Through each of these conflicts, the diversity of culture as well as past excessiveness and offenses of one culture to another serve as fertile grounds for multi-ethnic conflicts to escalate into bloody wars. In Kosovo, the people of the neophyte state have been trying to lead a life of normalcy but as mentioned, considerable tension remains. After the breakaway, Kosovo was held by the majority Albanians that through the years have accumulated in the area. However, these people have experienced severe persecution when the autonomy of the then Serbian province has been revoked. There had been an apparent attempt to cleanse the area of Albanians when the ruling Serbs massacred numerous Albanians. This did not spare women, children and the elderly. Likewise, summary executions, kidnappings and arrests were rampant.4 The memories of these horrible events have been seared deep within the Albanians that now control Kosovo. As mentioned, there is a lingering anxiety within the remaining Serbs that have been relegated into the minority in the area. In a statement by Dr. Covic in front of the UN Security Council in New York over half a decade after NATO intervened and an uneasy ceasefire ensued, he advanced the concerns that the agreements have yet to be met by the Albanian authority. Dr. Covic lamented on the over 200,000 internally displaced Serbs and called on the council to act on these problems along with the need to implement court decisions in order to return properties to heir rightful Serbian owners. He likewise mentioned the seemingly disturbing solid line up of Albanians in the governing body of the area which may be detrimental to non-Albanians5. Hence, this essay will look into the situation of the now minority Serbs in Kosovo and the persisting multi-ethnic tensions between the two groups. Divisiveness and Scars of the Past The Albanians have constituted the majority of the populat ion in Kosovo long before the province split from Serbia in a bid to become independent. Previously, despite the lack of economic prosperity which was instrumental in driving most of the Serbs out of the area, the Albanians enjoyed a respectable degree of autonomy. This was shattered by the revocation of this autonomy paving the way for conflicts to arise. The human rights violations intensified and the massacres heightened to almost genocide

Customer Decision Making and Brand Personality Essay

Customer Decision Making and Brand Personality - Essay Example Branding is done for particular objectives chief among them helping in the delivery of the message to the potential clients with clarity and precision. A great brand also confirms the viability of a product and the company that presents the brand and also connects the target market with the product emotionally. A good brand also motivates buyers and gives them more reasons to identify with the product has made specifically for them. Wanting cannot be done in isolation without understanding the needs and desires of the customers. A brand should therefore integrate the emotions and desires of potential clients with the identity of the product to increase the magnitude of the product (Schiffman et al, 2011). Brand Personality Brand personality is described as a set of human features that can be identified in a product, good or service that is available in the market; it is a feature that customers and potential clients can easily relate with due to its consistent traits and features. Br and personality is considered as a value added trait that makes a good more visible and imposed to the clients. A product with good brand personality has the ability to excite, is competent, sincere, rugged and sophisticated. A customer feels free to buy a product whose traits and characters can be related to their own behaviors and lifestyle. A carefree, youthful, elegant, rough, and thoughtful personality identifies easily with a product that has the same pool of features. The market is like a crowded room full of different products shouting to be seen and recognized by the buyers or potential clients. A good brand personality stands out in a crowded market and does this without standing or being more conspicuous. The brand trait and personality alone is enough to make all the customers recognize it and make an effort towards buying it. Great brands are believed to go beyond â€Å"transactional loyalty† which is the negotiated sales and frequency points to create a real con nection that can create emotional royalty (Schiffman et al, 2011). Before a customer can understand and recognize a brand, there is need for the marketer to understand his/her brand personality. The marketer and the organization must put itself in the shoes of the customer by first analyzing the impact that the brand may create. An organization must therefore identify an object, personality or even animal that they feel suits their image or the image of their product. For example, which car brand or animal does an organization feel it can be associated with? Can the analogy of a convertible or a Volvo, or even a lion or a given sport or movie celebrity fit into the services they offer? (Sung, 2010) Understanding a brand personality is like taking a look at the mirror to see what your reflection looks like in your face and in the face of the customers. Clarity and confidence in a brand personality is also essential for organizations and marketers for it enable them to identify the st rengths and weaknesses of the brand (Russell and Emily, 2011). Implementing a brand personality is an important aspect of marketing as it requires in depth analysis of the nature and impact of that the brand may create. Implementing a brand personality require the complete adopting of three steps which are attributed to the strength and ability of a brand to impress.

Gcc economies

Gcc economies Introduction Challenges and Opportunities in GCC Economies. General Attitude towards Foreign Investors Trade integration and Economic Philosophy in GCC economies. Economic Status of GCC economies. Economic Stability. GCCs Political Stability . FDI in the GCC countries The size of the Market . Physical Infrastructure . Resource Endowment and Industrialization . Labor Force . GCC India business relationship . Challenges. Trade Protection and Competitiveness. Lack of diversification The Changing Economic Context of Gulf Politics. Recommendations and conclusions Reference Executive Summary The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is an attractive location for investment and a salient consumer market for imported goods and services, and information technology to one of the youngest population that is considered to have highest powers of spending in the world. The common market of the six GCC economies are open to foreign capital investment and are continually working to grant national treatment to all foreign investment firms and cross country investment and services trade. By 2010, GCCs inter-state trade is expected to enhance by 25 percent, and international trade in this states is anticipated to grow by multiples. Given its trade history and strategic location, the six GCC economies has had long trade and diplomatic relationships with Asia, Europe, and African states, suggesting that it stands to benefit in the long-term from the anticipated growth of these countries. The GCC economies have upheld an open system of trading, free capital movement, convertibility of currency with fixed nominal rates, and large labor inflows- both skilled and unskilled. Additionally, the GCCs advanced financial systems have been an essential channel for advancing their trade integration into the global community. Despite current global economic crises, the GCC has remained a very liquid expanse. The economic growth in several key sectors is forecasted to be moving forwards across the region. Any investor considering venturing in the GCC should be centrally positioned to take advantage of one of the worlds fastest-growing markets. Given the GCCs comparative advantage in oil, gas, petrochemical products, and private capital, and given the Indias technology, know- how, marketing skills and that can be marketed in a very sizeable market indeed. When countries or trading partners specialize on the basis of their comparative advantages, returns are maximized. Therefore Indian firms invested heavily according to the strategy emphasizing their comparative advantages in oil and gas service sector, which presents a great scope for Indian enterprises to undertake joint investments in these fields. Introduction The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) consisting of states six Arab states (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman United Arab Emirates, and the Kuwait) located in Arabian Gulf. The GCC economies are one of the fastest-growing international markets and have become increasingly important to the economy of the whole world. GCC attracts an ever-increasing number of foreign investments and across wide-ranging sectors. Its rapid development and expansion has made it an active seeker for modern technological capacities, infrastructure development, and business services. Development and improvements have been made to build up a private sector that is fewer dependants on government or natural resources, thus making the area an attractive destination for investment and competitive market for expatriate workers and overseas expansions (Al Bawaba, 2007). The GCC countries investment climate is conducive to foreign investment. GCC countries are continuously adopting policies and taking measures to improve this climate and taking into consideration changes in the international economic parameters and factors. GCC economies recognize the value of attracting and maintaining foreign investment and have resulted to adopting measures aimed at attracting and encouraging foreign investment. GCCs openness to foreign investment and capital has been motivated by an expectation that foreign capital and investment will attract financial resources- visible and invisible, as well as bringing in modern technology (Al-Shamali Denton, 2000). In addition, it may also raise marketing potentials of the local firms by providing access to export markets. Foreign capital and investment can also advance skills and techniques of management and set up state-of-the art facilities of training. The initiative for encouraging invest mostly focuses on the institutional structure and on creating legal and administrative conditions appropriate for carrying out investment activities. Despite current global economic crises, the GCC has remained a very liquid expanse. The economic growth in several key sectors is forecasted to be moving forwards across the region. Any investor considering venturing in the GCC should be centrally positioned to take advantage of one of the worlds fastest-growing markets. However, investments and trade links among the Arab countries leave much to be desired. Capital-rich countries do not feel safe investing in people-endowed or resource-rich countries. However this latter group of Arab countriescan insure food safety, enlarged markets for industrializing GCC countries and investment opportunities (Al Bawaba, 2007). Political risk is often cited as a deterrent, along with bureaucracy. Most often governments are blamed for failure to devise a system that motivates the public as well as the private sector to joint efforts. This paper identifies investment prospect and provide advice on the challenges and opportunities for an Indian enterprise intending to embark on an investment in oil and gas service sector in the GCC region. Challenges and Opportunities In GCC Economies General Attitude towards Foreign Investors Generally speaking, GCC Countries religion, social fabric and norms, and their economic and political cultures do not have in any way prejudices against foreign investors (Al Bawaba, 2007 b). The fact is that there is a history of fruitful co-operation and strong tradition of hospitality. The number of foreign firms and expatriate workers in the region clearly manifest this attitude. Hostilities in whatsoever manner of at any level of contact are absent. Trade integration and Economic Philosophy in GCC economies The GCC economies has had an apparent degree of success in terms of trade integration, capital mobility, labor creation, and in setting regular standards in diverse regulation areas. Some of the GCC members have extended cordial privileges to foreign capitals and investment in areas such as share-market, investment, and government procurement. The longstanding economic philosophy of the region is obviously an open free market and outward oriented (Al Bawaba, 2007). Private property rights are well established and honored. GCC countries, unlike many developing countries, have never experienced what could be called socialist inclinations. Capital and goods are allowed to freely enter and leave GCC countries. Foreign exchange control measures are non- existent and as thus expatriation of profits, remittances and dividends face no restrictions. GCC countries openness is also manifested in their high foreign trade openness ratio which reached more than 70%. For comparison reasons, the same ratio amounted to 16% in U.S.A. and 18% in Japan. This manifests the dependence and incorporation of GCC economies in the international market (Al-Shamali Denton, 2000). Economic Status of GCC economies The combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the GCC economies is estimated to reach 1.15trillion dollars according to the Gulf Finance House (GFH) projections. The projection by the Saudi American Bank (Samba) and Al Ahli Bank estimates that by 2018, total investment in the GCC economies could reach up to 670 million dollars. The GCCs world economy share is estimated to enlarge slightly higher than the annual average global growth with an aggregate of 4.5 percent, compared to globally annual average of 3.3 percent (Emerging Markets Monitor, 2008). Within 10 years, the GCC countries are expected to be supplying nearly one-quarter of the world with oil as well as increased quantities of petrochemicals, plastics and metals. Economic Stability The six countries of the GCC possess many common and rather special characteristics. They all depend on oil and gas for government revenues and foreign exchange earnings. These governments revenues and expenditures move the engine of the economy. The non-oil sector, while growing constantly, remains relatively dependent. Oil will remain the major source of energy and the main vehicle to development for years to come (Al-Shamali Denton, 2000). Its role in the international economy as an important strategic commodity needs no elaboration here. Thus, GCC countries status as major producers and exporters will continue to enhance their economic power. GCC production of this strategic commodity accounts for more than 20% of world production. Of the worlds proven oil and natural gas reserves, GCC states hold 45% and 15% respectively, according to conservative estimates (Emerging Markets Monitor, 2008). GCC states have been recording positive GDP growth rates even at times of international recession. Their Consolidated GDP has surpassed the landmark of $ 550 Billion according to World Bank. Expenditure on capital formation (investment) totals more than 25% of GDP. Another indicator of stability, inflation, has remained one digit, and below 5% in most recent years in all GCC countries. Not only that, but inflation was recorded with a negative sign in some years. GCC states have maintained their realistic path of rationalizing expenditure and conservatively estimating revenues. This years budgets which have been based on expected oil prices of $ 40 per barrel, at a time when market indicators and oil experts expectations foresee a price close to $ 60 per barrel. In fact, this behavior has helped GCC countries to record large surpluses in their actual oil revenues during the last few years, and thus assisted them in settling internal debt arrears, and replenishing their foreign exchange reserves. It is evident that GCC countries have started to reap the fruits of the daring measures adopted for the last few years of rationalizing expenditure and embracing the concept of efficiency in the management of both the private and the public sectors. More importantly, they have succeeded in reducing peoples expectations regarding the role of t he government in providing subsidies, employment opportunitiesetc. GCC countries have enjoyed surpluses during the last decade, sometimes substantial, in the current balance of payments (Al Bawaba, 2007). High rates of savings, however, have been unmatched by corresponding internal investments, the potential growth vehicles for these economies. The exhaustibility of their resources implies the urgent need for long-term economic and financial planning in these countries before nonreversible trends take root Economic stability and growth are also combined with general trends which among other results strengthen and enhance foreign investments. GCC governments are pursing policies towards more economic liberalization, privatization and giving a greater role to the private sector. Moreover, export 0riented policies are dominating and manifested in the creation of export financing institutions and establishing specialized exporting units in ministries and chambers of commerce and industry. GCCs Political Stability GCC countries are renowned for their stable political and administrative governance. Power is smoothly handed and regime change is less frequent as compared to most of the developed and developing countries. The stability of the regimes in GCC countries is totally correlated with the stability of general strategies and policies (Al-Shamali Denton, 2000). The strong legitimacy and popular support enjoyed by GCC regimes is rather rare in other developing countries and even in some developed ones. However, on the political and administrative level, there are several fundamental problems that have remained unsolved. Some customs union are yet to be fully implemented, while unstable bilateral agreements between individual GCC states and other trade partners undermine the consistency of the external tariff regime. The monetary union of some GCC economies has been called into question and especially by latest announcement by Oman to opt out and by the reluctance of the governments to agree on representative criteria of convergence. Political tensions have been created between some neighboring GCC States, particularly between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which could make the political stability level of the GCC economies to wobble. FDI in the GCC countries Having recognized the importance of attracting FDI, GCC economies have adopted new measures aimed at attracting foreign capital and investment. These new measures and development priorities include realizing sustained economic growth by raising investment rates of private sector; enhancing technological skills and local capacities; improving the exports into the world markets, creating more competitive employment opportunities. Openness to foreign capital and investment has been stimulated by an expectation that this openness will bring in financial resources, while attracting modern technology. In addition, foreign capital and investment provides raises marketing capabilities of local firms and access to export markets. It also facilitates upgrading of the management techniques and skills. In the GCC economies, the FDI flow accounts for more than the worlds average in two of the GCC states (Bahrain and Qatar). Conversely, except for the UAE, FDI stock has accounted for a key share weighed against to the value of Gross Domestic Product in these GCC economies, as was evidenced in the case of Bahrain, in which the stock reached more than 74 percent and 70 percent of the level of GDP in 2000 and 2004 respectively. The GCC Service sector Market The size of the market is considered one of the main factors in determining inflows of foreign investments. The larger the size of the market and the greater its growth rates, the larger are volumes of foreign investments. Unfortunately, a popular perception, based on the population estimates only, sees GCC states markets as small. This perception fails to appreciate a number of facts: First, GCC states constitute an economically united bloc which entails among other things a market size of a population approaching 38.7 million inhabitants. Second, the per capita income for GCC states is more that $ 14,317. In other words the populations of the GCC countries enjoy high levels of income, even by advanced industrialize countries standards. Third, the high incomes enjoyed by GCC countries are reflected in high purchasing power and effective demand. GCC states are also strategically situated, by neighboring the African and European continents and being the entrance gate to Asia. It should be mentioned that GCC imports from the rest of the world totaled about $ 119,524.35 million in 2004. Physical Infrastructure Whenever foreign investment in developing countries is discussed, inadequate physical infrastructure is cited as a major discouraging factor. On the contrary, GCC states have succeeded in utilizing their abundant resources in creating a very well developed by any standards physical infrastructure. Major industrial and population centers are connected to each other and to the ports with international standard road network. Recently installed telecommunication systems are in some ways even better than some industrialized countries. New power and water capacity is being installed, and the consumption is being rationalized through meaningful tariffs (Diekmeyer, 2009). Most large urban centers in the region have been provided with industrial parks, complete with necessary utilities and other amenities needed by manufacturing operations (Diekmeyer, 2009). Resource Endowment and Industrialization As petroleum and natural gas form the greatest volume of GCC resources, their industrial development has been directed mainly towards oil and gas based industries such as petroleum refining, chemical fertilizers and petrochemical industries and/or to energy intensive industries such as aluminum and steel (Al-Shamali Denton, 2000). This goes in line with the concept of comp of comparative advantage i.e. if countries specialize in producing commodities on the basis of their comparative advantage, returns from production and trade will be maximized. The availability of cheap energy resources is a blessing for GCC industrialization. For example, the gas used as a feed stock to the petrochemical industry is associated gas and most of it is a by-product of crude oil production. The cost of producing this gas is very low and if it is not used it would have to be flared (Al-Shamali Denton, 2000). Developments in the level and efficiency of the industrial capabilities of the GCC region enhanced the availability of a number of foreign investment attracting factors such as the skills available to prospective investors, efficiency of local suppliers and service firms, and a net-work of supporting institutions, both private and public. Labor Force The substantial developments which took place in all economic sectors have affected GCC labor force in two major ways. First, it required and induced large influxes of foreign professional, skilled and unskilled labor. On the positive side, this has helped in bridging the shortage in local labor, expediting the development process, and exposed the local labor force to a variety of rich experiences and high levels of theoretical and practical training in all fields and aspects of life. That is definitely a plus and an encouraging factor for any future investments, both local and foreign. Second, the tradition and experience in bringing and dealing with well-trained foreign labor reduces the possibility of manpower bottlenecks. That is to say labor as a factor of production is no problem for whoever is interested in establishing production or services units. Expatriate labors as well as nationals do not pay income taxes. Another important factor for foreign and local investors is that in the GCC region there is no record of business disruption because of labor disputes. Gcc India Business Relationship: GCC countries and India have strong trade relations. In 2005, the volume of trade between the two parties was nearly $20 billion GCC countries supply India with a large portion of its oil imports, near $6 billion (Alam, 2008). For GCC countries, their comparative advantages lie in the manufacture of hydrocarbons and the development of energy intensive metal and mineral based products. In addition to this there is a great scope for investment in small and medium size ventures. Furthermore, forecasts show that petrochemical industries for example can branch out into two categories during the next few years (Ramazani Kechichian, 1998). Industries in the GCC countries can specialize in basic petrochemical and energy intensive metals while Indian companies can benefit from such products by using them in manufacturing highly specialized and specialized and sophisticated products with higher value added (Alam, 2008). As a result, this step will certainly enhance the ability of GCC countries not only to import more specialized Indian products, but also will help them in diversifying their industrial base. The attractive investment climate and the geographical market proximity of GCC countries make them suitable candidates for export platform of Indian investments and joint ventures. This scenario is strengthened by the availability of more than 6000 GCC small and medium sized enterprises, covering a wide variety of manufacturing activities (Ramazani Kechichian, 1998). These include food, textiles, wood, paper, chemicals, metallic, non- metallic, engineering and other fields of activities (Alam, 2008). Studies reveal that about 90% of these SMES have plans for expanding their activities. This fact offers the Indian business community wide opportunities via joint ventures, turnkey operations, production sharing, licensing, and other forms of non- equity involvement. The GCC Indian economic relationship would be enhanced by: Arranging visits for Indian businessmen to GCC countries so that they learn more about the regions investment and business opportunities. FGCCC can co-ordinate such visits. Organizing joint exhibitions both in the region and in India. Organizing events to enlighten GCC businessmen with the available Indian co-operation instrument and institutions in fields of trade and investment. We notice a dearth of information on trade, markets and investment opportunities. There is a need for India GCC body to collect and disseminate such information. Challenges Trade Protection and Competitiveness Although many GCC countries boost of open trade policies, they extensively use production subsidies protect a large inefficient, domestic non-oil sectors, often public owned. Price related factors ones are usually among the most imperative factors that affect trade outcomes (Al Bawaba, 2007). The prices of goods and services being traded are considerably influenced by tariffs level and non tariff barriers as well as by real effective rates of exchange, which are themselves influenced by macroeconomic conditions and policies. There is a compelling evidence that trade protection is high for some GCC countries relative to their income levels. Lack of diversification The GCC countries lack diversification in the sustainable economic base and need to devise a system which encourages private investment in industry, agriculture, exports and re-exports, i.e., production and movement of goods. The virtual absence of continuous local water resources and reliance on desalinated water, which is both expensive and insecure, is a constant challenge. Local food and agricultural production falls far short of providing self-reliance and security in light of a burgeoning population and evolving patterns of consumption. Population increase and a dramatic upsurge in education require finding appropriate employment for those with improved skills, as the present rate of growth in the non-oil sector leaves a widening gap between manpower supply and demand. The Changing Economic Context of Gulf Politics The Islamist sectors in the states making up the GCC have grown more politically active since the time that the welfare states were established in the 1970s. The population in these regions has also increased while the price of oil, the main source of revenue, remained fixed. The educated young generation is actively seeking participation in administrative and political levels of governance, while the middle demands work with good wages (Ramazani Kechichian, 1998). On the political and administrative level, there are several fundamental problems that have remained unsolved. Some customs union are yet to be fully implemented, while unstable bilateral agreements between individual GCC states and other trade partners undermine the consistency of the external tariff regime. The monetary union of some GCC economies has been called into question and especially by latest announcement by Oman to opt out and by the reluctance of the governments to agree on representative criteria of convergence. Political tensions have been created between some neighboring GCC States, particularly between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which could make the political stability level of the GCC economies to wobble. Recommendations and conclusions The GCC countries investment climate is conducive to foreign investment. GCC countries are continuously adopting policies and taking measures to improve this climate and taking into consideration changes in the international economic parameters and factors. GCC economies recognize the value of attracting and maintaining foreign investment and have resulted to adopting measures aimed at attracting and encouraging foreign investment. For Indian enterprises trading in the oil and petroleum service sector, their comparative advantage lies in their specialization in production technology The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is therefore an attractive destination for an entrepreneur wishing to invest in oil and petroleum service sector and the opportunities in this sector far outweighs the challenges. References Alam A., (2008) India and West Asia in the Era of Globalisation, Michigan: New Century Publications, Al-Shamali A., Denton J., (2000) Arab business: the globalization imperative, India: Kogan Page Publishers, Al Bawaba, (2007 a), The Future of the Gulf: The World Economic Forum Launches Scenarios on the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries, p1 Al Bawaba, (2007 b), Saudi Arabia intensifies reform efforts to improve competitiveness around two thirds of $240 billion in planned projects outside oil, gas, and petro p1 Diekmeyer, P. (2009) †Export Wise, Summer,† GCC: Infrastructure Development Opportunities., p26-28, 3p; Emerging Markets Monitor, GCC: Implications Of The Credit Crunch. (2007), Vol. 13 Issue 20, p1-2, Emerging Markets Monitor, (2008) US Crisis: GCC, 14 (26), p17-17,; Ramazani, R. K. Kechichian J. A. (1998) The Gulf Cooperation Council: record and analysis, US: University of Virginia Press,

Misrepresentation of Mental Illnesses :: essays research papers

Misrepresentation of Mental Illnesses by Television Media   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To eliminate the partial representation of mental illnesses, television media needs to focus on all sides of this illness. The media needs to show that attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a legitimate disorder with effective treatments. At least one in four families in the U.S. is affected by mental illnesses. Unfortunately there is no cure for this range of illnesses, which have been around for thousands of years. Of the American adult population, 5.4 percent have a serious mental illness. These health conditions are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, behavior, or some combination of these. They are also associated with distress and sometimes impaired functioning. In 1990 the total cost of mental health services in the U.S. was $148 billion. According to a new report by the Mental Health Foundation, one in five children suffer from a mental health problem. Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is a mental illness that is diagnosed mainly in young children and doesn’t always disappear in adulthood.† All we know is that this genetic, inherited condition [ADHD] is not due to brain damage at all but rather a variation in how the brain functions.† Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorde r (ADHD) includes symptoms and characteristics that can be placed in one of three categories: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. These characteristics commonly leave a person with ADHD with lack of attention span, easily distracted, fidgety, struggling to stay seated, having trouble engaging in calm activities, impatient, and talking excessively or out of turn. A new study by researchers says that hyperactive children have behavioral differences due to under active parts of their brain, a biological malfunction, rather than due to way they were brought up. This was revealed by a magnetic scanning device that allowed researchers to look at the brains of children diagnosed with ADHD. These studies and statistics reinforce the claim that mental illnesses are not invented simply to justify drugging of children and a disease that needs be educated to the public for better understanding. Rather, ADHD is an illness that affects many people throughout their lives. This topic is oft en misunderstood by the public. The media and medical community need to educate the positive side of this controversy and not just show the opposing view, which often times misrepresented by the media.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the current President of Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), the medication prescribed by a doctor cannot lead to drug abuse and addiction.

Stopping the Repetition of the Past: Musings of Antebellum America

Stopping the Repetition of the Past: Musings of Antebellum America Author Henry James has said that â€Å"it takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature. † For over one hundred years slavery had crippled the African American people and aided the white man; however, when the Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect it would become a slow catalyst of change that would take over a century for the Civil Rights Movement to be at its pinnacle. Racial limits would be pushed, lasting tension would arise. A great American novel of this time should depict the questionable change in racial demographics of the United States. Set before African American freedom, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain has been incessantly praised by authors and critics of all levels for pushing boundaries. It needs to be placed â€Å"in the context first of other American novels and then of world literature† (Smiley 1). Much like the American way of leaving the old country behind and immigrating to the United States, the novel’s loveable, young country boy of a narrator, Huckleberry Finn, pulls in readers of all kinds and feels the loneliness of being on his own travelling in the south, save for his runaway slave friend Jim. Along their adventures up and down the Mississippi River to free Jim, the reader follows Huck’s moral development, which is built up during different episodes in the story, but ultimately undone in the end. Although the â€Å"roundabout† nature of the end of the novel and Huck’s moral regression has rendered distaste, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn deserves its place in the literary canon of American literature for its variable structure, good-natured narrator, and reflections of Antebellum America. In essence, the ending of Huckleberry Finn is its pitfall. Hemingway claims that if you read the novel, that â€Å"you must stop when Nigger Jim is stolen from the boys. That is the real end. † One must go to where Huck tells Tom of stealing Jim out of slavery, where it is evident that Tom withholds the knowledge that he knows that Jim has already been freed. â€Å"What! Why Jim is – † he begins to say, but then stops talking before he reveals the facts (Twain 235). Tom Sawyer is â€Å"too fanciful, too extravagant,† making it clear that he is ultimately the ending’s drawback (Marx 10). It is clear that Tom Sawyer has begun planning his â€Å"adventure† almost immediately after finding out Jim was captured, and he takes advantage of his â€Å"best friend† Huck. According to James Pearl â€Å"the long and drawn out trick that Tom Sawyer plays on Jim makes the reader doubt if any real development has taken place† (2). After everything Huck does for Jim and the scrupulous opinions he forms, Tom comes back into the picture and pulls him back to his childish shenanigans. Huck allows his â€Å"so called friend† to take control of him, and the â€Å"follower† in him comes back out. He lets Tom boss him around and does all that he can to please him: â€Å"‘Oh, shucks, Huck Finn, if I was as ignorant as you I’d keep still – that’s what I’d do’† (Twain 248). Tom acts as another father figure to Huck: an additional lousy, bully like character. The natural growth of Huck and Jim’s friendship, the â€Å"pursuit of freedom and Huck’s gradual recognition of the slave’s humaneness – [are] rendered useless by the entrance of Tom Sawyer and his machinations to ‘free Jim’† (Peaches 15). Not only is Tom Sawyer unrealistic, but he is also charismatic and a natural leader, unfortunately in this case. At first, Huck questions Tom’s way of doing things â€Å"‘Confound it, it’s foolish, Tom,’† but later he becomes â€Å"Tom’s helpless accomplice, submissive and gullible† (Twain 250, Marx 12). Even Jim, â€Å"he couldn’t see no sense in the most of it, but he allowed we was white folks and knowed better than him† (Twain 256). â€Å"Huck is the passive observer,† who does not tell Tom what he is planning is wrong, and Jim is â€Å"the submissive sufferer of them, who does not fight back (Eliot 3). Tom adds unneeded agitation to a well written, historically reflecting novel. At the very end when Tom wakes up, he is asked why he would want to set a freed slave free and responds â€Å"‘Why, I wanted the adventure of it; and I’d ‘a’ waded neck-deep in blood to-goodness alive,’† behaving as an immature imp (Twain 292). After all that Tom and Huck put Jim through, some sort of reaction from Jim and a well-deserved outburst from Huck are expected; however, the actual response is quite the antithesis of what is expected. Huck still puts the menace on a pedestal, believing that â€Å"Tom Sawyer had done and took all that trouble and bother to set a free nigger free† (292). Jim does not even question Tom’s motives. When freed, Jim receives forty dollars from Tom, and the newly freed man claims in excitement â€Å"‘Dah, how, Huck, what I tell you†¦I tole you I ben rich wunst, en gwineter be rich ag’in, en it’s come true’† (294). While most of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not convincing, the ending surpasses the realm of improbability into ridiculousness. Leo Marx declares â€Å"the most obvious thing wrong with the ending, then, is the flimsy contrivance by which Clemens frees Jim,† which goes to say that although the ending is very humorous, it is quite agitating (9). This novel is a â€Å"masterpiece because it brings Western humor to perfection and yet transcends the narrow limit of it conventions. But the ending does not† (Marx 11). No matter how stirring the conclusion of the book is, there is still an insightful segment. During the â€Å"attempted† freeing of Jim, â€Å"Each shackle, chain, and discomfort applied by the boys to Jim makes Twain’s point that freeing a ‘free’ black man in the postbellum is protracted and difficult† (Godden, Mccay 11). Even after the Civil War ends and the Emancipation Proclamation is still in place, the actual â€Å"freedom† of African American men and women is not in attained. These oppressed people still live under the reign of a struggling, racially suppressive nation. A century after this period â€Å"freedom† is fought for again, yet won day by day. Just when the reader believes that some hope has arisen, Huck lights out for the territory just like he lights out from every other situation. Aunt Sally is â€Å"going to adopt [him] and sivilize [him] and [he] can’t stand it,† and that’s the end (Twain 296). No more to leave the reader thinking about how the narrator has developed immensely or how much struggle he has gone through, James Pearl has to â€Å"ask whether Huckleberry Finn goes in a line, or a circle† (1). Almost as soon as the reader opens the novel, which Hemingway has noted that â€Å"There was nothing before†¦There has been nothing good since,† an explanatory written by Mark Twain is seen. It is written that â€Å"In this book a number of dialects are used, to wit: the Missouri negro dialect; the extremest form of the backwoods South-Western dialect,† as well as the use of many more speech patterns that have â€Å"not been done in a hap-hazard fashion, or by guess-work: but pains-takingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal familiarity† (Twain Explanatory). Right off the bat Twain establishes respectable ethos or credibility, which lays the framework of language in the novel. As its characters speak throughout the book, it is easy to differentiate between the varying dialects that are used. Jim is a prime example of Twain’s â€Å"pains-takingly† written dialect, â€Å"I tuck out en shin down de hill en ’spec to steal a skift ’long de sho’ some’ers ’bove de town, but dey wuz people a-stirren’ yit, so I hid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (55). To the modern day reader this is difficult language to become adept to reading, but it is quote easy to see that it is exquisitely written. â€Å"Twain creates the impression of the American folk culture through his use of dialect and phonetic spelling, which mimics speech, rather than writing† (Pearl 1). Even though many of the adventures are improbable, the credibility of the characters in them are made more convincing by mimicking this â€Å"native tongue† The use of the word â€Å"nigger† in the novel creates a sense of fury in countless Americans. Henry Peaches mentions Fiedler when stating that the racial-slur â€Å"has the odious distinction of signifying all ‘the shame, the frustration, the rage, the fear’ that has been so much a part of the history of race relations in the United States† (Peaches 12). However, Peaches and Fiedler do not put into account the culture in which Huckleberry was raised. Twain â€Å"uses language to show that access to culture and education defines character† (Pearl 1). Huck was raised in the South during the 1800s, before the emancipation of slaves, so naturally he and many others in the novel would use the word without an afterthought. All of the negative racial undertones used by Huck are not simply the thoughts of a young boy, they are reflections of Twain. This is expressed during the King Solomon chapter, where Huck claims that Jim â€Å"had an uncommon level head, for a nigger† (Twain 86). As chapter fourteen unfolds, the question of equality of the American people comes into play. â€Å"The debate about the Americanness of Huckleberry Finn reveals the larger struggle to define American identity† (Pearl 1). This book came at a time after the slaves in the United States were freed, but it is based before that. It was a time when Americans needed to contemplate their country’s history, and define for themselves the difference between right and wrong. When Jim cannot seem to understand why French men and American men do not speak the same language, Twain is inferring that all men should be equal, merely because they are men. Whenever the mix of the Ohio River and the Mississippi River is mentioned, there is a sense of pressure and divided pride. Those who live on the Mississippi River feel their Southern pride, â€Å"The Child of Calamity†¦said there was nutritiousness in the mud, and a man that drunk Mississippi water could grow corn in his stomach if he wanted to† (Twain 101). Although this quote seems very silly, it brings to light the foolish, yet very real northern and southern rivalry Northerners and Southerners had differing opinions about slavery and human rights, â€Å"they talked about how Ohio water didn’t like to mix with Mississippi water† (101). Richard Godden and Mary Mccay point out that â€Å"Twain locates this conversation very specifically†¦ [that] the intersection is political as well as geographical† (10). Later on in chapter twenty-two Huck goes to another town where a lynch mob goes after Sherburn. Sherburn may have just shot a harmless drunkard, but his speech is eloquent. What comes out of the communicative man is an expression from Twain based upon Southern antics â€Å"‘Why, a man’s safe in the hands of ten thousand of your kind – as long as it’s daylight and you’re not behind him†¦Why don’t your juries hang murderers†¦you’re afraid to back down – afraid you’ll be found out for what you are – cowards’† (Twain 162). Twain makes clear once more the way he feels about the south. This town, much like the south had â€Å"to be moving back, and back, and back,† it was still caught in its old ways, unjust and antiquated (156). Even Huck speaks to this â€Å"because the people that’s always the most anxious for to hang a nigger that hain’t done just right is always the very ones that ain’t the most anxious to pay for him when they’ve got their satisfaction out of him,† meaning that those who take advantage of others are raved up to use them but do not want to make an effort to pay the repurcusions of it (288). When Huck speaks â€Å"there is no exaggeration of grammar or spelling or speech, there is no sentence or phrase to destroy the illusion that these are Huck’s own words† (Eliot 3). The use of a child narrator in this scene is key. Humans have a predisposed inclination to care for young children, and these jaded, insightful words that come from Huck evoke a deeper sense in the reader. Coming from a child, these words have a stronger sense of meaning. The language and sentence structure that Twain uses for his characters goes hand in hand with the often abnormal juxtaposition he often forms. One night his pap â€Å"was all tired out†¦[he] said he would rest a minute and then kill me† (Twain 41). This subtly included sentence adds immense effect The predominant use of simple sentence syntax which â€Å"allow(s) him to handle the surfaces of the world as they come at him, or to watch and record others doing likewise† (Godden, Mccay 12). There is neither judgment nor alarm in his tone. When Twain constructs sentences in this way it catches the reader off guard and creates a realization of the cruelty of the world that Huck has become so adjusted to. Choosing right from wrong seems impossible when the person that taught him to delineate right from wrong was a morally clouded father. This is exemplified again during the Grangerford episode when Huck starts out describing Colonel Grangerford, â€Å"He was kind as he could be†¦Everybody loved to have him around too; he was sunshine most always†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and then continues with the unexpected fact that â€Å"the old gentleman owned a lot of farms, and over a hundred niggers† (Twain 125, 126). This is ironic due to the contrast between Huck’s romanticized view of the lovely Colonel Grangerford and the reader’s understanding that the man inhumanely owns over a hundred beings. Huck has a basic, yet growing understanding of how slavery is cruel, but not enough to equate slave owners as unjust people. Then when the Grangerfords and the Shepherdsons go to church with their guns â€Å"and kept them between their knees or stood them handy against the wall,† Huck includes then that â€Å"It was pretty ornery preaching – all about brotherly love,† as if the situation was not ironic nor strange in any way (129). The juxtaposition included in this statement as well as the irony exemplifies Twain’s opinion of the ridiculousness of age old vendettas and family rivalries in the South. After everything they leave church with a â€Å"powerful lot to say about faith and the good works,† which exacerbates the foolishness of the feud, they speak of faith, but try to kill of their enemies every chance they get (129). Twain’s opinions are not kept out of his book, but are hidden in some cases. They have created such a lasting legacy for Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The author’s opinions and a wide variety of characters enable the reader to have a wider viewpoint of the people in this period of history. Following the Sherburn incident, Huck goes to the circus. He does not transition whatsoever, â€Å"I could a staid (at Sherburn’s), if I’d a wanted to, but I didn’t want to. I went to the circus, and loafed around†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (162). This sudden change happens a few times throughout the novel to help illustrate the extent of Huck’s age and lack of capability to process life altering situations, such as the death of his dear friend Buck, which symbolizes the death of the boy’s childhood. He immediately goes back to the raft, â€Å"We said there warn’t no home like a raft,† and continues back on his adventures with Jim (134). This action â€Å"leaves room for endless variation and adventures, with the endless variation of America’s inhabitants† (Pearl 1). The reader is never really sure what to expect next in the novel, which leaves room for prediction. The seemingly random episodes are expertly crafted to show Huck’s moral development. America at the time is a big melting pot of different cultures, which come into play with shaping the narrator. Beginning in the first few pages of the novel, the reader gets their first taste of Huck as a narrator. He is goodhearted, and does not judge, which makes him an unbiased storyteller. Beginning with speaking about the author, Mark Twain, Huck says that â€Å"he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth† (Twain 13). Even when referring to his father who abuses him he does not see the wickedness in him, â€Å"but by and by pap got too handy with his hick’ry and I couldn’t stand it. I was all over welts† (37). By being an impartial narrator he allows â€Å"the reader to make his own moral reflections†¦He is the impassive observer: he does not interfere†¦he does not judge† (Eliot 2). T. S. Eliot is spot on when he says this. By being an â€Å"impassive observer†, the reader then takes Huck’s later moral development more seriously. During the Grangerford episode he learned that unique Emmeline Grangerford made poetry about people who had died and felt bad because no one wanted to make poetry about her once she died â€Å"so [he] tried to sweat out a verse or two [himself],† just because he felt that bad for a girl he had never met (Twain 124). This type of mature sincerity is uncommon among preadolescent boys. The development of Huck’s conscience comes a bit later in the novel, however the start of his moral growth begins before this. As soon as Huck and Jim meet again on the island Huck breaks norms of the time, and he chooses not to turn Jim in. â€Å"‘I said I wouldn’t [tell], and I’ll stick to it. Honest injun I will,† and he even claims that he does not care if â€Å"People call [him] a low down Abilitionist† (55). Although this scene is early in the novel it essentially sets the scene for the rest of the Huck’s progress, excluding the ending. Huck’s immediate reaction to help his newfound friend, whom he would be â€Å"incomplete without,† before he becomes well acquainted with him â€Å"is an unforgettable moment in the American experience,† and proves his heart is in the right place (Eliot 3, Marx). When he plays a mean, childish trick on Jim, who was once his slave, he apologizes â€Å"It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger,† and even when he apologized he â€Å"warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards† (Twain 95). T. S. Eliot claims that â€Å"the pathos and dignity of a boy, when reminded so humbly and humiliatingly, that his position in the world is not that of other boys, entitled from time to time a practical joke; but that he must bear, and bear alone, the responsibility of a man† (4). Huck must reason for himself right versus wrong, and act as an adult, even though the role models he has had in his life have consisted o f an alcoholic father and foster parents who try to â€Å"sivilize† him (13). This is where he realizes that he needs to do right from there on forward. He would not â€Å"do him no more mean tricks and [he] wouldn’t done that one if [he’d] a knowed it would make him feel that way† (95). â€Å"Huck learns that Jim has real feelings, recognizes humanity, and vows not to play any more tricks on him,† which is Huck’s first big step in moral development (Pearl 2). However, after this big step, when Jim and he came close to Cairo, Huck becomes nervous. He realizes what he is doing is â€Å"wrong† in society’s terms. It made him feel â€Å"all over trembly and feverish,† this is his conscience playing a role in his life decisions for once. Sacvan Bercovitch believes â€Å"Huck’s desire to fit in is underscored by his inability to do so†¦He believes in racism, class hierarchy, Southern aristocracy†¦,† which is completely inaccurate (14). Huck tries to believe in these things because society has forced him to believe in them, but he is questioning what he has been taught The situation â€Å"got to troubling [him] so [he] couldn’t rest,† then he â€Å"got to feeling so mean and so miserable [he] wished he was dead† (Twain 110). He â€Å"couldn’t get that out of [his] conscience, no how nor way† (110). Stealing â€Å"that poor old-woman[‘s]† slave â€Å"scorched [him] more and more† (110). Huck â€Å"has vision† for the first time in his life that society may not be right and decides that he would do whatever â€Å"come[s] handiest at the time,† and not what is necessarily â€Å"right† (Eliot 2, Twain 113). When contemplating turning his friend in, he â€Å"got to thinking over [their] trip down the river,† and that while they were floating along they talked and sang and laughed (222). This leads to Huck’s decision that he will â€Å"go to hell† if that is what it takes (223). Leo Marx believes that â€Å"this is the climactic moment in the ripening of his self-knowledge. By stating he will go to Hell, Huck â€Å"has surrendered to the notion of a principle of right and wrong (Cox 190). His friend Jim is his father figure and â€Å"the power of Jim’s personality erodes the prejudices that Huck’s culture has instilled† (Peaches 14). When Henry Peaches states that Huck’s â€Å"attitudes extend no fu rther than his love for Jim,† it is not necessarily true (13). Huck does love Jim, he has become â€Å"a surrogate father to Huck,† and he immediately agrees to help Jim as soon as he finds out on the island that Jim is a runaway (Peaches 16). He also claims that â€Å"there is no tangible reason to assume that the regard Huck acquires for Jim during his odyssey down the river is generalized to encompass all blacks† (Peaches 12, 13). Peaches is correct that there is no â€Å"tangible† evidence, but just because Huck saves Jim as opposed to some other runaway slave does not make his motives any less genuine. While the ending of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn arguably is its drawback, the capricious structure and language, delightful narrator, and observations of prewar United States unquestionably give the novel its place in the literary canon of American literature. Once it is accepted that the last twelve chapters of the book are disappointing, it is easy to see the merit in the rest of the piece. Depicting the feelings of southern citizens and African Americans before the Civil War, it gives a glimpse into the past of a torn country. The legacy of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will last for many years to come because of the profound impact that is had upon both America and other nations. Mark Twain’s writing has exposed the wrongdoing of slavery to the American people. By writing the novel after the Civil War, he has forced the country to look back in shame on the disturbing act of slavery and to fight for the cause of equality. It will live on because it is a book for everyone. Subtly including dark images with satire offers many interpretations, therefore giving a book that younger children can read and not see more than a story, and mature readers can look at with a deeper understanding. By looking into the past, one can help stop the repetition of heinous acts in the future.