Birds By Hitchcock Essays - English-language Films, Suspense Films

Birds By Hitchcock The plot of Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 "The Birds," taken from a Daphne Du Maurier (who wrote the novel "Rebecca") short story, seems ludicrous. Birds attacking a small town, actually killing people. But in the competent hands of the master of suspense, the movie is frighteningly, well, suspenseful. Evan Hunter (who also writes under the name Ed McBain) wrote the screenplay, and while not all of the characters are well enough developed for the viewer to understand their occasionally awkward behavior, has nonetheless crafted an interesting story that captures and maintains interest. Birds are flapping about in the opening shots, a forewarning of their sinister activities to come, before we're introduced to Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), the daughter of a newspaper owner. As she walks into a pet shop director Hitchcock makes his signature cameo appearance (walking his two real-life dogs). She meets a handsome defense attorney named Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), and pretends to work at the store when he asks for help finding lovebirds for his little sister's birthday. He embarrasses her by saying that he remembers her from a court appearance (one of her practical jokes resulted in a broken window), and that he just led her on to give her a taste of her own medicine. Curious about Mitch and not to be outdone, Melanie buys two lovebirds and tracks him down. She makes a trip to Bodega Bay, where he lives on the weekends with his widowed mother, Lydia (Jessica Tandy) and sister, Cathy (Veronica Cartwright), sneaks into the empty house, and leaves the birds for Cathy. He spots her as she begins leaving in a boat, and drives off to meet her at the dock, when, as she comes closer to it, a gull sweeps down and pecks her head. Mitch takes her to the local diner and takes care of her cut. Melanie decides to stay in town for the night, and reappears at the home of schoolteacher Annie Hayworth (Suzanne Pleshette), who had given her directions to the Brenner house earlier. She sleeps over at Annie's house, and the two women talk. Annie's odd behavior earlier in the day (her presumptuous questions about Melanie's relationship with Mitch, etc.) is explained when she says that she used to be involved with Mitch. Melanie is about to get ready for bed when the women hear a noise at the door. Annie opens it to find that a bird had flown into it, falling to the porch, dead. The birds begin more direct attacks on the town, first going after children at Cathy's birthday party, and then infiltrating the Brenner's house through the fireplace. The next day, Lydia leaves to drop Cathy off at school and goes over to a farmer's house to talk about why her chickens aren't eating, when she discovers the man's dead body, ravaged by the birds. In a surprisingly graphic shot (for 1963), we see his blood-filled eye sockets. Lydia rushes home, shaken, and when Melanie brings her tea in bed later that morning, the two women have a conversation that sort of clears up the indifferent attitude Lydia had been displaying towards Melanie. Melanie tells Lydia, who isn't certain that Cathy is safe at school, that she will go to the school and bring her back. Class is in session, so Melanie goes outside to the playground and, as she lights a cigarette, birds begin gathering quietly behind her. When she becomes aware of them, she goes inside and notifies Miss Hayworth. They give the children instructions as to how to evacuate, hopefully without provoking attack. In one of the many cool scenes where birds are chasing people, the school children are shown being attacked as they are running home. I don't want to give away too much more of the story, but I will say that the following things occur: more talk about other weird bird encounters from people who learn of the attack at school, an explosion, another dead body is found, there is another attack, a power outage, and an attack on Melanie that is at times visually reminiscent of Janet Leigh's shower stabbing in "Psycho." One of my favorite things about "The Birds" is the ending. It doesn't offer an explanation, and it doesn't offer a way out. Instead, it shows birds covering almost everything in sight. Originally, Hitchcock wanted the last shot to be of the Golden Gate Bridge covered in birds, but it didn't work out. Cleverly, this is the only of his films that don't end with the

Critiquing a Research Study Presented In a Journal Article for an Educational Research Methods Module

Critiquing a Research Study Presented In a Journal Article for an Educational Research Methods Module The Focus, Purpose and Rationale for the Study The study highlights the importance of investigating student-teachers’ involvement in active learning. Learning is a lifelong experience. It may also be attained from professional practice. The study utilizes an investigative approach. This approach is based on the assessment of competencies of the participants.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Critiquing a Research Study Presented In a Journal Article for an Educational Research Methods Module specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The basic focus of the study is to assess the methodologies that teachers adopt in their personal learning (Haggera, Burna, Muttona Brindley 2008, p. 159). Thus, it is based on the context of student-teachers. The objective of this study is achieved through the application of four consecutive interviews on the student-teachers. The investigation is based on the extent to which stu dent-teachers conceptualize important lessons. Basically, the purpose of the study is to determine how the student-teachers learn from their experiences. The study seeks to evaluate the potential disparities in the student-teacher learning process. It is important to understand various approaches adopted by student teachers on professional learning (Smeyers Depaepe 2009, p. 76). This is because it prepares the teacher adequately. Due to this, they develop the capacity to influence the new professionals to be competent. The level of competency may vary within different individuals. In the study, competency of the personalities is investigated systematically. The participants are viewed as teachers and professional learners. The rationale of this investigation is to assess the level of efficiency of theoretical training of these teachers. The research questions are drawn from this concept. Assessment of the level of teacher involvement and commitment to professionalism is important. The concept constitutes one of the important research questions of the study. The impact of theoretical concepts and practical experience on teacher professionalism is investigated in the study. In addition, an analysis of the impacts of life-long learning and experiences in teacher innovation is also evident. Generally, the study addresses an overall approach. This includes both international and local trends. The concept of â€Å"managerialism† on teacher learning and practice is also addressed (Haggera, Burna, Muttona Brindley 2008, p. 159). A critical analysis of the study indicates that the research questions are not clearly outlined. It is important to understand such provisions. This is because they determine the study outcome.Advertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ideally, an empirical study requires a precise and logical statement of the research questi ons. This observation is critical due to many reasons. For instance, it helps in the definition of study variables. Additionally, the setting of hypotheses largely depends on the reliability of the research questions (Mason 2002, p. 27). However, the study tends to address important concerns within the education sector globally. The basic aim of this study is to investigate how the student-teachers learn specific concepts. Indeed, one requires a lot of devotion to note the basic research questions. The Research Methodology Used A research methodology describes the basic empirical strategies applied in an investigation. A properly defined and applied methodology provides reliable and accurate study results (Oliver, P 2010, p. 43). Generally, a longitudinal investigative approach is utilized in the study. The process involved post-lesson interviews. These interviews are administered to approximately 25 persons. These were student teachers of a one-year postgraduate training. Notably, two-system school based setting formed the main centre for the study. An analytical examination of the processes involved indicates great disparities and loopholes. It is agreeable that in any research process, the loopholes are bound to interfere with the quality of results. Population and Sample The study applied a longitudinal sampling procedure. The main focus was the newly enrolled teachers. The study generalizes on the patterns observed within the global context. Generally, any good sample size must consider adequate representation. This helps to provide accurate results. It is important to indicate that the study enrolled a limited number of participants. However, there is no justification for this action. Therefore, the basic implication is that the sample size is not purely representative of the targeted population. It is notable that an initial enrolment of the participants included only thirty-six teachers. These participants were drawn from two appropriately established learning systems. An explanation of the subjects included in the study is evident. Perhaps, this describes the exclusion and inclusion criterion. It is evident that a representative sample enhances the accuracy of the study results (Burnie 2002, p. 44). The study is based on the global trends of teacher learning. Therefore, the general implication is that the applied sample size remains unrepresentative.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Critiquing a Research Study Presented In a Journal Article for an Educational Research Methods Module specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Response Rate The response rate is a critical indicator of the success and validity of any empirical research. There is proper illustration of all critical objectives. The development of thinking and practice of each respondent was assessed over a period of time. This means that in order to obtain the appropriate response, it was important t o conduct monitoring and interviews over a long period of time. However, it is important to note that only 25 responses out of the total 36 sample size matured. Observably, the disparity in the response rate in relation to the sample size is relatively high. The study indicates that only 25 full data sets were obtained. In consideration of the relatively narrowed sample size, the study ought to have attained a nearly full response rate. In basic empirical research, it is potentiated that a relatively small sample size should achieve high response rates (Oliver, P 2010, p. 60). The study also failed to explain the reason for the disparity in the response rate. Data Collection Instruments The study utilized the semi-structured interviews to gather data from the sampled teacher students. The interviews were conducted in intervals, counting to one year. Basically, these instruments remained focused on the participant’s opinions on the lessons. They also investigated issues about the participant’s personal learning with regard to the required professional practice. The instruments remained focused on the subject matter of the study. In order to attain quality results, this was empirically appropriate. However, the study does not elaborate on the pilot study and instrument testing. It is also vital to indicate the importance of the application of a wide variety of data collection instruments. This is important in achieving the efficiency of triangulation approach (Mason 2002, p. 67). Consequently, it is important in gauging the reliability and dependability of the study instruments. Data Analysis and Display The data analysis is based on the discussions and rating conducted amongst the researchers. Notably, the study lacked the utilization of a systematic computer program for statistical analysis. The processing of the data and presentation through the human matrix system may appear illogical. This is because of the biases that might exist due to human confounding factors (Kent 2001, p. 35). An application of a programmed statistical system for data analysis is appropriate for the study. It may also be deduced that the grouping mechanism applied for developing the matrix was logical. The methodology also allowed partial assessment of reliability and dependability of the data.Advertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Notably, other data display techniques such as the bar graphs, pie charts and comparative tables are not applied in the study. Therefore, an individual might not adequately comprehend the changes within the variables. Generally, a figurative presentation of data, combined with a descriptive analysis makes the display more appealing and comprehensive (Gibbs 2007, p. 67). Various statistical inferences are not applied in the study. These include the correlation, regression as well as multivariate analysis of variables. It is clear that a qualitative descriptive approach of data analysis is predominantly applied in the study. The Claims Made by the Researchers From the study, all student- teachers learn from their experiences. However, the study also indicates that the nature and level of the learning differs remarkably. This variance is observed to occur within a set of diverse dimensions. The researchers argue that comprehending the variety of strategies applied by student teachers i s vital (Haggera, Burna, Muttona Brindley 2008, p. 177). In this generalization, professional learning is observed to be beneficial. This applies both to the experienced teachers and the new entrants. From the brief presentation, it is clear that the study provides a more generalized assumption. This does not effectively translate into the narrowed sample size. These statements remain unreliable and invalid. This is because the study does not outline the basic methodology applied in testing the variables. The application of statistical approaches in the data analysis present reliable results. List of References Burnie, H 2002, Analyse and present research information: BSBCMN405A, Software Publications, Chatswood. Gibbs, G 2007, Analyzing qualitative data, SAGE, London, UK. Haggera, H, Burna, K, Muttona, T Brindley, S 2008, Practice makes perfect? Learning to learn as a teacher, Oxford Review of Education, vol. 34 no. 2, pp. 159–178. Kent, A 2001, Data construction and data analysis for survey research, Palgrave, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Mason, J 2002, Qualitative researching, SAGE, London, UK. Oliver, P 2010, Understanding the research process, SAGE, Los Angeles, CA. Smeyers, P Depaepe, M 2009, Educational Research: Proofs, Arguments, and Other Reasonings, Springer, New York, NY.

Reflection on Personal Writing Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection on Personal Writing Skills - Essay Example Writing a coherent and informative essay, as I have learned requires accurate and comprehensive planning. I have therefore learned that note making makes it easier to align ideas and hence plan an essay in a way that the points will flow to bring out a coherent piece of writing. Originally, my note making skills were rather weak. I made mistakes in the beginning and could not create a comprehensible essay even when I had made notes. Writing, therefore, seems to me to be an art that can only be mastered through practice. When it comes to writing, I recall that at first, I had a problem developing anything from the notes and points that I had written down. This was originally due to numerous grammatical and lexical mistakes that made my writing rather incomprehensible. The first assignment comprised many of these mistakes and using the feedback obtained from the tutor, I was able to improve on this and make my writing better. In my second assignment, the tutor apparently recognized my improved writing skills and positively commented on that. I was happy to realize that my efforts were recognized. I later conferred with a few of my friends and realized that I could also get some positive feedback from them. For instance, from one of them, I learned how to arrange ideas into a coherent piece that was better than my previous papers. What mattered to me during all this time was that I was improving my writing skills and was getting more confident with myself every time.

Plan 9 from Outer Space Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Plan 9 from Outer Space - Essay Example However, the designer displays his bad taste in costumes with regards to the Eros (the alien being) and his accomplice Tanna, who both very obviously human were dressed in really shiny clothings that resembled nightsuits. Any form of realism was killed by their overly shiny night gowns and comical guns. The other characters were better off such as the dead wife of Bela Lugosi who resurfaces as the Vampire girl. She is slightly more believable with her black Adam’s family inspired gown, jetblack hair and scary long finger nails. Inspector Clay, who becomes her victim, is dressed up in a sharp detective suit which together with her hat makes for a decent get up. However, his acting could not have been more dreadful. The Army Colonel Edwards is also appropriately dressed in detective’s clothes. Set Design The set was very obviously bargain central. There is very little variety in scenery and the most used background is the cemetary, which is kept so simple it is obvious th e director was very short on cash. The movie opens with the cemetary where the Vampire girl is buried and most of it keeps resurfacing there. It is shot from only one angle with what seems like a fixed frame. The set barely has any room for movement. Jeff Trent’s house, which is next to the cemetary is no more realistic. It is the middle of summer but the couple chooses to keep the windows closed at night just to prevent any wandering breeze from flowing in and cooling them down. The worst part is how they presented the space ships. The presence of space ships was a central concept in the movie and the fact that a kind of tin material was used to present them makes it very humourous. The moments where the aliens fly by in their saucers is supposed to be scary, but it is hard to be scared when all you see are wheelcaps waivering in the sky. The cockpit where Jeff shoots his airplane scenes is also victim to cheap design. There is what seems like a shower separator which is the link between the cockpit and the rest of the aircraft. The waitress often comes through it as if she has no restrictions between the curtain and the supposed passengers sitting behind. Not to mention the inside of the alien saucer where only a few wooden tables and dials represent the inside of a very high-tech machine capable of travelling to earth from a different planet. Dialogue The dialogue is very comical. It makes the movie very odd and does not help the flow at all. While the mourning of Vampire girl in the opening of the movie, along with the supposedly ‘scary’ moments where Jeff and his wife experience the alien saucer were somewhat passable, they get specially hard to follow during the rest of the movie. The really unreal dialogues come in when Jeff and the team of alien hunters enter Eros’ spaceship where Eros, in a moment of anger and pity, explains, â€Å"All of you Earth are idiots†. The exchange of dialogue that follows pretty much reduces the movie to a comic strip. Eros explanation of the human race does not present any depth to the movie the director must have hoped for. Instead, when Eros says things like solarmanite â€Å"causes sunlight to explode,† it is hard to control your laughter. Of course, Criswell presented the intro and the outro to the movie and his presentation is worth mentioning. It is hard to ignore his poise when delivering his speech, â€Å"My friends, we cannot keep this a secret any longer, let us punish the guilty, let us reward the innocent.† To describe it as a cliche would not be justified. His straight face may be funny but he delivered it with conviction. Criswell’s dialogues should be given credit. Special Effects The effects could not have been anything greater given the budget the

Life Situations Represented through Graphs Essay

Life Situations Represented through Graphs - Essay Example The total amount paid in electricity bills for the last 10 months was $384, meaning that The average amount of electricity bill per month was $384/10 = $38.4 During 5 of the last 10 months, the electricity bill was above average of $38.4 and for the remaining 5, it was below the average amount. In terms of trend, the monthly electricity cost for the house increased from October 2010 onwards and reached a maximum of $49 in December 2010 before starting to decrease again. It has been decreasing since then. The graph is non-linear as no three successive points lie on the same line; although, the overall graph looks like a half sine curve with a clear peak during December 2010 and January 2011. The months of December 2010 to February 2010 had very high electricity bills compared to other months. In other words, the winter months had much higher electricity bills compared to spring and fall. This means that the consumption of electricity is rather seasonal. This seems natural as there is no heating required in the house during spring and fall, while the heating appliances are kept on during the winter months, which increases the consumption of electricity. It is likely that this trend would continue over the years although the peaks and the troughs in the graph can be brought lower by using energy efficient devices. References Glencoe. (n.d.).

Irish Free State And The Irish Civil War

Irish Free State And The Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War lasted from the 28 June 1922 to the 24 May 1923. It was a conflict based between two opposing Irish nationalists. One of which was the Provisional government in which supported the idea of Ireland as a free state, the other side being the Republicans which opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and wanted Ireland to still be part of the United Kingdom. In the end the war was won by the Free State forces, following under the Provisional government. The results of the civil war left Ireland divided for many decades afterwards and claimed many casualties. One factor which is believed to have been the biggest impact on the uprising of the Irish civil war is the Anglo-Irish Treaty which established Ireland as a Free State. The idea of the treaty arose after the Irish War of Independence, between Irish separatists and the British government, ended after 2 years in 1921. A truce was declared and a treaty was being negotiated. The idea of independence from the UK was after a massacre occurred in Ireland as retaliation to the fall of the British Secret Service in Ireland. Attacks like this turned the Irish against the English and therefore independence was asked for. However instead of creating an independent republic, Ireland had to sign an oath which would only give it the opportunity of freedom to be a self-governing authority within the British Empire with the British monarch as head of state. However at the same time, the treaty that was offered to the Irish also gave opportunity to countries in Ireland to give back its control to the UK within the following month after the treaty was agreed upon. In the end the treaty provided a self-directed Irish state, only in 26 of the 32 countries part of Ireland. Even though, originally, the treaty was greatly appreciated throughout Ireland, it created a split in opinion of government. The countries in the northern region of Ireland didnt agree to the Partition of Ireland from the UK and so with this the Home Rule and the Government of Ireland Act of 1920 were passed. These gave Ireland two different parliaments, each with its own Prime Minister. One was given for the Unionists and the other for the Nationalists. The citizens of six northern countries under the leader of the unionist group voted as part of a referendum for the creation of a Northern Ireland in May 1921. The Northern Ireland was run under a Prime Minister which followed the Unionist belief. The British always expected that the northern region of Ireland would comply with the party of the treaty which gave power and authority back to the British. However the expectancy grew even more certain when Sir James Craig, the PM of Northern Ireland announced during October 1922 that we will have to make the choice either to vote out or remain within the Free State hence showing that he was not with southern Ireland. He later then said that as soon as Northern Ireland is given the opportunity to make a decision it is important that it is made instantly, so to show the world that any decision made came with no hesitation. Eventually, in a written agreement with Britain, Northern Ireland gave back any agreement which they acquired in the treaty and was under the ruling authority of the UK. Afterwards the UK was renamed to The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to reflect the new ruling. Thus the separation in state due to the treaty was yet the beginning of the civ il war between Northern and Southern Ireland. As a part of the treaty, Ireland was given the right to its own army. At first when the British government was ruling Ireland, the IRA was but a rebellious guerrilla force that was dedicated to the establishment of Irish as a republic. The IRA -Irish Republican Army was the army that fought against the British in the war of independence. However afterwards, the war split the army into two; those that continued their support for the treaty, who then became the first official Irish army, and those that were anti-treaty, those that wanted complete freedom. Due to outrage from some citizens about the fact that the treaty was signed, which to them seemed treacherous; rebellious protest and conflicts arose. In April 1922, the anti-treaty IRA seized control of the Dublin Four-Courts and other key buildings. Gaining some control over what occurred in Ireland. However the actions and rulings that the anti-treaty IRA had produced were seen as unacceptable. At times the government tried to mediate with the IRA to make an agreement on some level rather than having unnecessary tension. However after the IRA made no budge, it then led to the government becoming impatient with dealing with the situation as the power was unbalanced. This then led to the command that the now official Irish Army Pro-treaty IRA was to then bomb the Four-Courts. This succeeding in the sense that it got what the government wanted, which was the IRA out of Dublin. The bombing led to however the aggression and battle of the Irish Civil war. Not only were there disagreements in military, but also voting and opinions of the citizens became a major impact on the governments actions. In Northern Ireland people were starting to become more and more with the treaty, as evident in votes. Yet another example of how the disagreement of the treaty impacted the occurrence of the Irish Civil war. Eventually, the disagreements and battle became a topic of religion. The Irish army on numerous counts attacked Northern Ireland when crossing the military border. They mainly attacked Protestants in the area, thinking they were main people who were against the treaty. Eventually the Protestants in Northern Ireland turned towards the Catholics thinking they were the ones to blame, as to why the IRA had started attacking them in Northern Ireland and started to abolish them from their homes and started to take over their land. As a result the Protestants began to attack the Catholics in the area. This was done so with a great rise in violence and rioting. Even though the violence from the IRA began to decrease with the dawning of the war, the revenge on the Catholics became serious. Because of disagreements about the treaty of Ireland as a free state, and military response and revenge, the Protestants began to then use military attacks on the Catholics killing 257 of them between July 1920 and July 1922. About 11,000 Catholics were forced to leave their jobs in factories due to attacks from Protestant colleagues. The government of Northern Ireland attempted to restore order by trying to set up a police force which was dedicated to making harmony between the Protestants and the Catholics, however this only yet intensified the violence rather than maintaining any form of order. Eventually the police were given the power to imprison people who they thought to be at fault without the need for a trial, due to the special powers act of 1922 and the offences against the state act of 1924. The establishment of Ireland as a free state from Britain had a great impact on the cause of the civil war. Due to dispute and unsettled disagreements, anyone that had an opinion on whether or not the situation at hand should be carried out to allow Ireland to become free or to keep it under British rule, voiced it for whatever consequence. From the beginning of the treaty, there was always a dispute as to whether the independence was one on a national agreement, since from the very start it was believed to be certain that the entire nation wouldnt agree upon the partition. It led to the separation of Ireland into two states. Two states with different opinions and directions in mind for what would happen with Ireland, and what results should be acquired from agreements with Britain and the UK. This led to radicals and desperate matters where the military and rebellious groups did what they thought was necessary to make sure that even though it would lead to other reasons of argument, it will ensure that everyone had an equal voiced opinion. Ireland desired to became a free state, however even though part of it had its own rule, and others received what they wanted as to be under British rule, the misunderstanding and unfortunate events, such as guerrilla attacks and religious attacks, turned the wish to fulfil the establishment of a free state into a battle which didnt allow much freedom within the nation. It turned into a battle between government, military forces, and religion. So the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Irish state vs. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was a great impact in influencing the cause of the Irish Civil war.

Janet Adelmans Hamlet Essay -- Essays on Shakespeare Hamlet

Janet Adelman's Hamlet    Janet Alderman in her essay "'Man and Wife Is One Flesh':   Hamlet and the Confrontation with the Maternal Body" embraces the psychoanalytic tradition of Freud and Lacan in order to reveal the quadruple-angled relationship of the Hamlet monarchy.   Focusing primarily on the relationship between Gertrude and her son, Hamlet, Alderman attempts to recast the drama as a charged portrait of Oedipal disillusionment and Lacanian sexual-abnegation.   Appropriately, sexuality provides the impetus for Alderman's argument; toying with sex roles and the power of sexuality over family dynamics and identity, she craftily reveals Hamlet to be a son's battle for his mother's purity, a covetous attempt to regain a sense of sexual normalcy.   Alderman's casts Gertrude as a type of catch-all, garden-of-Eden, original-sin embodiment, who initiates the fall of the paternal and recreates the maternal "body as an enclosed garden newly breached" (Adelman 263).   Adelman frequently refers to Hamlet Sr. and Claudius as "collapsing" into a single paternal figure; both incite and fall prey to Gertrude's sexuality.   Hamlet functions in Alderman's analysis as the crusader fighting for his mother's "benign maternal presence" (278) and the conqueror repressing his mother's sexual appetite, her "sexualized maternal body" (271).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Adelman's thesis, the quintessence of her study, seems to inhabit these lines:    Hamlet thus redefines the son's positions between two father's by relocating it in  Ã‚   relation to an indiscriminately sexual maternal body that threatens to annihilate the  Ã‚   distinction between the fathers and hence problematizes the son's paternal  Ã‚  Ã‚   identification;   [and] . . . conflat[ing] the beloved wit... ...Gertrude, as does the incestuous Claudius; thus, Hamlet places his identity with his mother.   Ultimately, Hamlet seeks not to avenge the death of his father, but to save his mother from her own destructive sexuality, and by extension his own self-destruction.   Of course, Adelman prescribes an existential reason to Hamlet's need to rescue his mother; Hamlet needs to "recover the fantasized presence of the asexual mother of childhood" (277).   Hamlet needs to separate his mother from all sexuality in order to reap the stability of her selfhood for his own.   After refusing to sleep with Claudius, Gertrude restores herself in her son's eyes to the status of "an internal good mother" (279).   Hamlet, now, by "trusting her, can begin to trust in himself and in his own capacity for   action; he can rebuild the masculine identity spoiled by her contamination" (279).      

Home Cooked vs. Fast Food

Benjamin Blackburn Blackburn1 Professor Barnes English 111-16 11/19/2012 Home cooked: Health over Value Instead of putting money towards car or house payments, several thousands of dollars are spent on food purchased away from home in the average American family. The numbers are even more increasing to single status Americans. Don’t get me wrong, I like fast food, but it doesn’t come close to a home cooked meal.Home cooked meals are comfort foods that help a family bond. Whether it is a recipe passed down for generations, or culinary discovery made inventive genius, nothing beats a good home cooked meal with family. The main temptation to indulge in fast food is its convenience, especially during a busy work day or long road trips. With less prepare time, fast food chooses frozen foods that are shipped to location. Although there are food chains who advertise â€Å"fresh, never frozen†, these companies are not purchasing these â€Å"fresh† products from a local, reputable supplier.Adding to fast foods convenience, these chains have to take short cuts to deliver hot food, fast! Home cooked meals may not have a convenient drive-thru, but prepping fresh meats and vegetables the night before can alleviate long prep and cooking times. We all know that fast food sales for a reasonable price. Even when there is an increase in economy, they tend to remain at those prices in order to entice the customer. When some time Blackburn 2 passes, and things seem normal in economy, then they will increase prices slightly.It is my belief that fast food wants Americans to know they are suffering with them, therefore winning the people’s choice. Happy customers make for good business, with fewer complaints. Although home cooked meals seem much more expensive than McDonalds, health plays a bigger part. Having and growing a personal garden can cut these prices down to fractions that not even fast food can compare to, not to mention more nutritious. Belief in the value for a buck is not reason enough to set aside nutritional values.Most families put their trust in Betty Crocker and Stouffers from local grocery stores. These â€Å"convenience foods† are cheap alternatives to fast food but contain as much sugar, sodium, and saturated fat as eating out. Using fresh ingredients, you are more able to control the amount of harmful ingredients used in cooking. As a matter of opinion, you know what is being put in your meals. When looking at fast food from a health stand point, salads from McDonalds contain as many calories as their best-selling Big Mac when you add salad dressing.Although fast food offers health alternatives, they are not all as healthy as they seem. With America’s increase of obesity each year, home cooking is more nutritious and clean. Plus, the fact that you are able to spend quality time with family and friends. Coming from a single parent home, I was able to do homework at the kitchen table and as my mother helped me, she would also keep a close eye on the stove while preparing meals for me and my sister. Cooking is bonding time!Eating out felt like vacations when I was growing up. It was a reward for a tough week at school. We as Americans have become lazy, and are taking the easy way out far too often. Packing a healthy snack consisting of fruits and sandwiches made at home can Blackburn 3 prevent the craving for fast food while on a road trip. The same can also be applied to working lives. Home cooked meals are not just the healthy choice, they are the better choice.

Alternative Fuel Sources essays

Alternative Fuel Sources essays With all the topics circulating the media about the issues in the United States, many go unnoticed by the general public through the excuse of lack of relevance to the individual. The fuel crisis America is currently going through is not one of the ones to be pushed aside so quickly; it affects the lives of each citizen in some way. Personally, my main concerns surrounding this topic are the harm being done to the environment, the political conflicts with the Middle East over oil, and the increasing price at the pump. The world as a whole consumes approximately seventy-seven million barrels of oil a day, and it is predicted that in the next twenty years that global energy demands will increase a staggering sixty percent from our status quo. The burning of oils and coal for power is slowly destroying the Earth via acid rain, environmental accidents, and airborne pollutants released into the atmosphere. Fossil fuels are limited, and eventually will not be sufficient to meet the demand of the public. This energy obsessed society has burned sixty-five percent of America's known oil, which cannot be replenished for millions of years. It does not improve the situation that Middle Eastern countries control many factors of the oil business, as they are not very fond of Americans and our ways of living. Time is running out, and mankind is in desperate need of an alternative. Other energy sources that are renewable may be the key to unlocking a solution depending on the pros and cons of the proposal. Wind energy, hydrogen fuel cells, and solar energy all hold great promise in the future salvation of our economy and environment if the appropriate funds are provided for research. Wind energy has been around for quite some time but has grown greatly in popularity in the past few years. It and solar energy plans offer clean, inexhaustible sources without the international problems caused by oil. Wind energy could provide twenty percent of Am...

Peyotism Essays - Native American Church, Native American Religion

Peyotism Essays - Native American Church, Native American Religion Peyotism The white mans reality are his streets with their banks, shops, neon lights and traffic, streets full of policemen, whores, and sad-faced people in a hurry to punch a time clock. But this is unreal. The real reality is underneath all this. Grandfather Peyote helps you find it. - Crow Dog Peyote, a hallucinogenic plant that is commonly used as a recreational drug, has a much greater meaning for members of the peyote religion. By examining the effects of peyote along with its role in the rituals and beliefs of the Native American Church it becomes apparent why it is such an integral part of the religion. The trade and knowledge of this sacred plant was already well defined in regions of Mexico well before European conquest and its ceremonial use was already underway in the tribes of the area in which it grew. This religious use eventually spread through North American regions. Along with its migration, the basic rituals and ceremonies changed along the way. The organization of religion involving peyote and the principle rituals had become commonly practiced among the Comanche and Kiowa tribes by the mid-eighteen hundreds. The Native American Church formed in 1921, beginning in Oklahoma. Soon after this initial formation, state and local incorporation followed in many places and continue to do so to this day. (Aberle, 19) Now, some form of peyote religion is common to most tribes of the North American continent. Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) is a very small, low growing, fuzzy type of cactus. Most of the cactus is actually underground in a long root. Both the flesh and roots can be eaten. When dried the flesh resembles brown overcoat buttons, which is where the term peyote buttons came from. Peyote isnt found just anywhere. It grows in the wild over only a small portion of the Southwestern United States known as the Peyote Garden. Precisely, Corpus Christi, Texas, Deming, New Mexico, Durango, Mexico and Puebla , Mexico bind the area in which this plant can be found and harvested. (Aberle, 5) Containing eight different alkaloids, the most important being mescaline, peyote causes a number of effects. The experience begins with an euphoric quality. It heightens the sensations to sound, color, form and texture. Further into the experience, visions begin to occur. These visions can include detailed, realistic pictures and sounds. The interpretation of these visions rather than the visions themselves are what peyotists consider most important. The peyote experience is characterized by a strong feeling of personal significance of the internal and external stimuli encountered during the experience. Many find themselves asking, What does this mean to me? The Native American Church came to the Indians during their darkest hour. It was around the time when the last of the buffalo had disappeared from the plains. They were left starving, helpless and with little of their old lives remaining to cling to. In the words of a member of the NAC, Mary Crow Dog, The Native American Church became the religion of the poorest of the poor, the conquered, the despoiled. Peyote made them understand what was happening and made them endure. It was the only thing that gave them strength in those, our darkest days. It was obvious that a militant religion could not have survived under white dominance. The formation of this religion was a response to the degraded status on Native Americans. Its goal- internal peace and harmony rather than competition. This idea was highly relevant to the socio-economic situation that these indigenous people were being faced with. For many, this was exactly what they needed to continue on. Since the beginning, there has been strong opposition to the Native American Church by several groups. The traditionalist Indians opposed it believing that it was a threat to traditional tribal culture. Modernist Indians as well as whites opposed the religion also saying that it was heathenistic and backward. In the early stages, peyote meetings were illegal not for the use of peyote, but because Native American rituals in general were outlawed. But, in 1934, under John Collier, the Bureau of Indian Affairs enacted a policy of non-interference with peyotism. There have been state laws prohibiting the sale, use or possession of peyote, but all such laws have

Resolving the nursing shortage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Resolving the nursing shortage - Essay Example The author’s discussion point out to the lack of motivational support for new nursing professionals and the lack of competitive professional incentives. In such cases, many nursing graduates do not pursue the career or enrichments that are necessary to maintain and develop skills. One of the interventions proposed is in the development of effective professional and educational partnerships such as those developed by the University Health System Consortium joined with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing sponsored residence programs that allow new graduates not only a venue to practice their learning but also exposes them to the potential and rewards of the nursing profession. Based on the results of two cohort studies on the participation of nursing graduates in the year-long residence program, participants expressed greater commitment to the nursing profession due to exposure of the program and greater satisfaction in nursing as a career. One of the best indicators of the success of the program is in increasing retention rate of resident nurses to 89% from previous turnover rates ranging from 40 to 50%. Dracup and Morrish however also recognize that instituting similar comprehensive programs can prove to be challenging particularly in cases were there are existing deficiencies in professionals, resources and expertise for the programs. The conclusion was that such efforts that consider professional and personal development at the beginning of the nurses’ careers is an effective means of encouraging them to pursue their careers and competencies which are critical if demands of the profession are to be adequately met. Dracup and Morrish’s concerns and views are echoed in a significant number of researches. In independent studies done in Virginia and Nebraska, similar conclusions to support the development of programs that will encourage young

Air pollution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Air pollution - Research Paper Example Currently, automobiles are the largest contributor to the formation of ground ­ level ozone therefore there is a need to increase usage of alternative sources of transportation in order to reduce levels of O3 air pollution. Air pollution has become a major environmental health problem affecting both developed and developing countries throughout the world (Nadakavukaren, 2006). The consequence has been that air pollution is causing human health problems as well as damage to vegetation, crops, wildlife, materials, buildings and even the climate. In the U.S., the largest sources of air pollution, in order of importance, are: 1) transportation, mainly automobiles and trucks; 2) electric power plants that bum coal or oil; and 3) industry, for which the major sources include steel mills, metal smelters, oil refineries, and paper mills (Nadakavukaren, 2006). The most common air pollution problem resulting from these emission sources is ground-level ozone (O3), According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), non-attainment of EPA requirements for O3 is the most common air pollution problem facing large cities in the U.S (Crpc-La.org, 2011). It is estimated that, 160 million people in the U.S. lived in areas that are in non-attainment of healthful O3 levels (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2005). In the past, efforts to reduce air pollution have consisted primarily of "command and control" programs that involve enforcement of government regulations designed to reduce toxic emissions. Such programs have proven highly effective in reducing industrial, point source pollution and causing auto manufacturers to produce cleaner burning automobiles (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2011a). While these government controls continue to effectively lower industrial emissions and reduce pollutants emitted from vehicles, O3 precursor, NOx, continues to be emitted into the air at increasing levels. Problems