Naguib Mahfouz’s Zaabalawi Essay - 516 Words

Naguib Mahfouz’s Zaabalawi The Islamic tradition, as reflected in Naguib Mahfouz’s Zaabalawi, has over the course of history had an incredible impact on Arab culture. In Mahfouz’s time, Islamic practices combined with their political relevance proved a source of both great power and woe in Middle Eastern countries. As alluded to in Zaabalawi, Mahfouz asserts the fact that not all Muslims attain religious fulfillment through this common tradition, and other methods outside the scope of Islam may be necessary in true spiritual understanding. My project emphasizes this spiritual tension by presenting a wineglass inscribed with Qur’anic verses. By examining the purpose and structure of this wineglass, the truth of Mahfouz’s†¦show more content†¦In accordance with these symbols of essence, the Qur’anic script around the wineglass also proves applicable to Zaabalawi. It reads, phonetically: â€Å"Iqra/ warabbuka al-akramu, Allathee AAallama bialqalami.† Or in English: â€Å"Recite in the name of the Lord, who has taught by the pen.† This is a passage from the 96th Surah, Al-A’laq in the Qur’an. Such references to writings and penmanship highlight the importance of calligraphic beauty in such a society. Muslims believe that it is important to read the Qur’an in Arabic. Their religion teaches that God intentionally presented the holy book to Arabs because their language holds a secret beauty and truth not found in others. Thus, if one is to complete the task of reading the Qur’an, it must be done in Arabic or with a corresponding Arabic text. For this reason, I wrote in Arabic script around the glass because its translation would be incomplete otherwise. Furthermore, the first command of Allah is â€Å"Recite!† This is reflected in the Muslim appreciation for both the oral recitation and visual replication of the Qur’an. Calligraphy, as a creative expression of the Qur’an, has become a predominant art form in many Muslim countries. The calligrapher in Zaabalawi, in fact, has had much contact with true spirituality in his mastery of the Arabic script. Therefore, my act of inscribing Islamic verses would, in their culture, be considered a type of prayer and homage

A Comparative Analysis of Moses Free Essays

The biblical Moses and the Moses described by Zora Neale Hurston in her book Moses, Man of the Mountain, are both based upon the Exodus story, found in the second book of the Bible. Although the stories are similar in many respects, both concerned with the bondage of a people and their cries for a deliverer, who is found in Moses, the biblical Moses is firmly rooted solely in the Hebraic tradition, following the lead of the patriarchs, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Hurston’s Moses, however, although still a Hebrew, has a more universal appeal. We will write a custom essay sample on A Comparative Analysis of Moses or any similar topic only for you Order Now He speaks in black colloquialisms, creating an extended analogy that can be linked not to the ancient Hebrews, but also to the oppressed blacks in America, and to the modern Jews who were savagely persecuted by Hitler and Nazism. The Exodus story concerns a male son born to Hebrew slaves. The midwives disobey Pharaoh’s command to kill all male newborns. Moses is hidden only to be discovered by none other than Pharaoh’s own daughter, who then raises him as her own son, who later discovers his   true identity and leads the slaves to freedom.   Moses’ life is divided into forty year segments: forty years in Egypt; forty years on the back side of a mountain; and forty years wandering in the wilderness. In Hurston’s version, more is made about race. The story discusses the idea of a â€Å"people† and their origins to a greater extent. Hurston slants the argument toward the idea of racial origins and perhaps origin more generally as the start of many of the evils of the world. She not only wants to create doubts about Moses’ pure origins, but also about the very concept that was prevalent during 1939 when her book was written: that of racial purity. As an anthropology researcher she understood racial divisions as idealized abstractions, even though they had concrete functions in the real world. Hurston explored race as a cultural creation rather than a biological fact. Her novel assumes an even greater meaning as Germany, led by Hitler’s theory of eugenics-founded on the idea of racial improvement through selective breeding- started the world war in 1939. In the United States the eugenics movement was related to racist campaigns against European undesirables and blacks. Eugenics was thought to be necessary to produce a great race. Hitler’s goal was a Master race who guarded the purity of their own blood. By keeping race â€Å"pure,† exterminating Jews and Slavs were deemed   essential to that undertaking.(Hurston, introduction xii-xiv). The spectre of Nazism looms over the beginning of Hurston’s novel   as it starts  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   with the act of marking Hebrew male newborns for extinction. Parents, desperate for places to hide their children, become frantic that the police might get tipped off and come execute their child. In fact, Moses’ father is so fearful that he aims to kill the baby himself so that the police won’t have that chance. Yet despite their terror, Moses’ mother is determined that he lives and hides him. In all this hoopla of extermination, the irony is   that there is plenty of   Hebrew blood in Pharaoh’s family already. â€Å"That is why he wants to kill us off. He is scared someone will come along and tell who his real folks are. The grandmother of Pharaoh was a Hebrew.† ( Hurston, 14). Besides his murder of male infants, Pharaoh is cruel in other ways. He denies citizenship to the Hebrews, relegating them to slavery. Yet in still another act of irony, Pharaoh ends up with a Hebrew grandson in Moses. As he grows older, Moses fights for inclusion of the Hebrews in the Egyptian army. But the Egyptians oppose him, remarking: â€Å"They are not citizens of Egypt, but enemy prisoners, and as such it would bbe rash to put arms into their hands again. Who knows when they might rise up and turn the tables?† How to cite A Comparative Analysis of Moses, Papers

The Importance of Music in George Orwells Essay Example For Students

The Importance of Music in George Orwells Essay George Orwell uses music to set the tone in 1984. In some instances, it inspires Winston Smith, the protagonist, or represents a need for something he cannot get from the Party. In others, it reminds him of tragedy, and in certain instances, it contains valuable insight from the past. It also represents Winston happiness between himself and Julia and predicts Winston fate. Music in 1984 plays an important role in the overall attitude of the novel. In the first instance, Winston hears a song and is instantly touched by a moment of tragedy. In the Chestnut Tree Cafe ©, he witnesses Jones, Ransom, and Rutherford, here men who were heroic in the early days of the Party. However, the Party caught up to them, but they could not catch up to the Party. Nonetheless, they were caught by the Thought Police. This incident is where he saw the men while the song Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree, I sold you and you sold me, was playing over the telecasters (Orwell 77). By using this song, Orwell created a dreadful tone. It represents the trade that they made to keep their lives, even though they were never the same. They were once prosperous Inner Party members, and they lived greatly, until the society around them changed. They were no longer orthodox as the definition had been distorted. They had lost everything, even their mind. Winston even says, They were corpses waiting to be sent back to the grave (Orwell 76). This may be foreshadowing to what inevitably will happen to Winston, although, his life was not excellent to begin with. He still loses everything in the end. Winston meets Julia, a woman who he wants to have sex with to rebel against the Party. Originally those were his intentions, but their relationship evolved into a mature, developed emotional relationship. She leads him to the Golden Country, a dutiful place full of nature where they seem untouchable. It is here that they witness the striking song of the thrush bird (Orwell, 123). The birds song is full of character, and it never repeats itself. It is everything the Party is not. Winston is drawn to this because it gives variation to the bland society that surrounds him every day. It gives him what he desires that the Party cannot give him. Though he does not completely know what is outside of the Party, this sampling proves to him that life can be beautiful. This is all he needs to confirm his want to rebel against the Party. While the thrush song gives Winston a taste for the future, the rhyme Oranges and Lemons say the Bells of SST. Clement gives Winston a sense of the untouchable past. Though everything with any insight to the past has been undeniably altered, this rhyme is the ultimate pathway to what life was preceding the current history. Mr.. Charioting, the shopkeeper, first mentions this rhyme after recalling that an old building was once a church before the revolution (Orwell 98). The fact that Mr.. Charioting only remembers the first line and the last line could represent Winston fate. He enters Winston life at the beginning of his downfall, and ultimately he knows how Winston story will end because he is a member of the Thought Police. The Importance of Music in George Orwell 1984. By Marilynn Throughout the novel, certain characters of importance add to the rhyme. Julia gives him the middle portion, which provides an intense bond between the two lovers. OBrien gives him the last of the missing lines of the rhyme. This is inevitable because it represents the last portion of Winston life before they chop off his head, which refers to his arrest and rewiring. This portion is spent contacting OBrien and learning about the Brotherhood. .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf , .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .postImageUrl , .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf , .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf:hover , .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf:visited , .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf:active { border:0!important; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf:active , .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub9ae080d7a4d47075d8c11c696b8ffbf:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Music and the Brain EssayIt provides a door to the past, as well as, illustrates Winston fate. Finally, Winston is touched by the song that the Propel lady sings while he is in Mr.. Carcinogens spare room (Orwell 138). She sings about an peoples fancy and a stolen heart. This could represent Winston relationship with Julia. In all moments when this song is heard, Winston seems content with his life at that point in time. He feels hope in his relationship with Julia, as well as freedom. The second verse of the Eng mentions that time will heal all wounds and you can always forget (Orwell 218). This may be predicting the betrayal of Winston to Julia. It may not be that wounds are healed. It is Just that wounds are destroyed in the Ministry of Love. The song It was only a Hopeless Fancy sums up Julia and Winston relationship. Throughout George Rowels 1984, music served a variety of literary purposes. Orwell used it to provide pathways into the past and future and also used it to set the overall tone of the novel. The music is very insightful when trying to tell the feelings of the characters.

Paralinguistic Cues in Computer

Abstract Computer based communication is an integral communication modality within the social, educational and professional environments. However, when using text-based CMC, it is common for people to form prejudice impressions about the personality traits of another individual.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Paralinguistic Cues in Computer-Mediated Communications in Personality Traits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This experiment investigated the effect of the presence or absence of paralinguistic cues in computer-mediated communications on personality traits. The findings suggest that the impressions formed about a personality trait of an individual rely on the presence or absence of paralinguistic cues during interaction. Introduction Computer based communication has become more popular and vary greatly with the ways in which individuals communicate within social, educational and professional environments . The differences not only lie in the surrounding environment, but also in the method of communication (Storms, Grottum Lycke, 2007). Communication entails both verbal and non-verbal aspects. While verbal communication involves exchange of words between individuals, non-verbal communication takes in different forms (Walther, Deandrea Tong, 2010). Computer-mediated communications (CMC) refers to the communicative transaction involving the use of computers and communicative networks. The scope of computer mediated communications cuts across sociopsychological elements, particularly the topic on online interactions and their relations to everyday life, and to the application of paralinguistic aspects like emoticons (Storms, Grottum Lycke, 2007).Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Paralinguistic cues play a significant role in human speech communication. A lot of studies have been carri ed out in attempts to elucidate how the use of paralinguistic features such as body language, facial expression and posture affect the level of communication (Amant, 2007). It is common for human beings to form prejudices about others even before speaking to them when socializing on a face-to-face basis. These preconceptions are often based on paralinguistic cues like gestures and appearance (Epley Kruger, 2005). However, in the computer-mediated communications, these impressions would only be formed based on text message interactions. According to DeLamater and Myers (2007), the accuracy of communication is greatly enhanced by the use of multiple cues, as opposed to a single communication channel. Computer-mediated communication features such as lack of social context cues often make this form of communication less personal (Holland, 2008). There is need to gain more insight on how the presence or absence of paralinguistic cues affects the expectations or preconceptions that people form of each other in CMC interactions. Various theories have been proposed in attempts to explain the role of paralinguistic cues in influence the stereotypes and expectancies over computer-mediated communication. Some of these theories include the social context cues theory and the social information processing theory.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Paralinguistic Cues in Computer-Mediated Communications in Personality Traits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The social context cues theory proposes that the absence of paralinguistic cues in CMC makes it highly ambiguous (Epley Kruger, 2005). As a result, people depend on their personal stereotypes to make preconceptions about the other person’s character. CMC, thus, allows the persistence of expectancies or stereotypes due to the absence of paralinguistic cues ordinarily the question then (Holland, 2008). A highly standardized experiment was performe d by Epley and Kruger (2005) to investigate impressions on different communication channels and the resultant stereotypes and expectancies. The researchers performed three experiments, whereby they moderated the participant’s anticipations regarding the interviewee. The interviews were done either on phone or e-mail. Phone communication was found to confer features reminiscent of face-to-face interaction, even though the conversations relied on simple, preset questions and rapid responses. In contrast, communication through e-mail conferred no actual interactions between the parties, though the answers the interviewees gave were similar to those from phone communication. The results indicated that the preformed notions about the interviewee persisted more over e-mail than over the phone (Epley Kruger, 2005). Conversely, the social information processing theory suggests that potential deficiencies of CMC are indemnified by the use of text based non-verbal cues like ‘Lau ghing Out Loud’ (LOL) and ‘mhhh’. The usage of emoticons in CMC provides an emotional setting to users (Walther D’Addario, 2001).Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More CMC users can, thus, express socio-emotional content with only written text via these non-verbal cues and timing of the messages. A recent social experiment showed that live CMC chats could challenge pre-interaction stereotypes better than phone communication (Walther, Deandrea Tong, 2010). In this study, the researchers let the interviewees respond naturally to questions posed by the interviewers through phone and live chats. The study demonstrated that live chats provide a variety of non- or marginally verbal expressions surpassing those provided by voice communication. This is because people can use live chats intelligent features, involving verbal and non-verbal cues, to deliver precisely what face-to-face could achieve (Walther, Deandrea Tong, 2010). However, these experiments were hampered by a variety of limitations. One limitation was the use of faulty experimental designs, which did not correctly simulate natural CMC interactions (Epley Kruger, 2005). Other experiments l acked control parameters, hence making it difficult to establish causal relationships (Walther, Deandrea Tong, 2010). The aim of the current study was to investigate whether paralinguistic cues in CMC interactions were sufficient to challenge the expectation that the target individual was introverted on personality trait rating. It is predicted that the presence or absence of paralinguistic cues in computer-mediated communication interactions will not have an effect on personality trait ratings, according to the social cues theory. It is also predicted that the presence or absence of paralinguistic cues in computer-mediated communication interactions will have an effect on extroversion ratings, according to the social information processing theory. Method Participants The participants were undergraduate introductory psychology students at Monash University from Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula, Sunway and South Africa campuses. Materials Internet connected computers were used to condu ct the experiment. An online profile for the CMC interaction was created. The profile, called MINGLE.COM, consisted of an individual’s photo and personal details such as date of birth, relationship status and work details. A questionnaire with 20 questions was designed to provide extraversion ratings. The CMC interaction to be observed involved a series of questions and responses between the target and the interviewer. The interviewer questions were like, â€Å"what would be your favorite way to spend the summer holiday? Examples of the responses from a target were â€Å"DEFINITELY at the beach. †¦..: D, LOL†¦..sure thing:), yep. Just be warned†¦dun dunduuuuuun! Extraversion ratings were on a scale of 1-7, depending on the responses of the participants. The responses to the questions had seven options to choose from. To measure the personality, the extraversion scale was utilized whereby individuals with introvert personality would have a score of 20 to 80 wh ile those having an extrovert personality would have a score range of between 80 and 140. Procedure The sample was divided into three groups A, B, and C who observed a CMC interaction. Group A was the paralinguistic cues group with 120 men and 342 women (M=20.7 years, SD=5.3). Group B was the plain text group with 125 men and 308 women (M=21.2 years, SD=5.4). Group C was the control group with 131 men and 329 women (M=20.9 years, SD=5.1). The total sample had 1355 participants (M=20.9, SD=5.23). Convenience sampling was adopted as this study was part of the course requirement. Initially, the participants were naà ¯ve regarding the true nature of the study. However, they were debriefed and instructed online as to the intent and procedure. The participants were directed to observe a past CMC activity. A profile stimulating the expectation in participants that the target individual was introverted was designed. Participants looked at this profile, and then observed the target individu al communicating with an uncontrolled third party. Participants were then divided into two groups. One group looked at the basic text interaction while the other looked at a realistic paralinguistic communication with many cues hinting that the target was an extrovert. The text used for the interactions was made from a real paralinguistic interaction from which all cues were removed to produce a basic text interaction. Therefore, the conversations had identical contents apart from the paralinguistic introduced. The major aim was to establish if paralinguistic information in CMC provided enough evidence to clear the preformed ideas that the target was an introvert. Design The study used an independent measure design. There were two levels of independent variable conditions used. These were the group with the basic text interaction and the group with the paralinguistic interaction. The dependent variable was the extroversion rating. Results The participants were asked questions, which they were to respond to from the given options such as strongly disagree, disagree, somewhat disagree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat agree, agree, and strongly agree. From the 20 questions posed to the participants, responses were measured on an extraversion scale of 1-7, with the highest possible personality score being 140 and the lowest being 20. The higher the score, the more the extraverted rating an individual was given. It was predicted that presence or absence of paralinguistic cues would not influence the extroversion ratings when considering the social cues theory. In relation to the social information processing theory, it was also predicted that the presence or absence of paralinguistic cues would influence extroversion ratings. Group A, which had participants observing a CMC interaction for paralinguistic cues, rated the targets as extrovert (M=91.74, SD=37.42) while group B, with participants observing plain text interaction, rated the targets as introvert (M=7 9.84, SD=29.08). Group C, which was the control, indicated that the targets were introverts (M=72.16, SD=29.08). Discussion The results indicate that the presence of paralinguistic cues in computer-mediated communication can influence the impressions formed about the personality traits of an individual. In group A, the participants rated the target as highly extrovert in spite of the fact that the targets were presented as introverts. The findings further advance the social information processing theory which emphasizes more on the style of communication as an important aspect of impression formation. Use of non-verbal, text based cues such as emoticons, ellipses and hyphens can help in deciphering the personality trait of a person in a CMC interaction (Hancock Dunham, 2001; Walther, Deandrea Tong, 2010). In group B, most participants used their preformed concepts to rate the target as being introvert. This is because plain texts may often undermine the impressions about the perso nality traits as a result of the inadequate information it relays. These results, therefore, support the social cues theory proposition that absence of social cues in a computer-mediated communication environment increases ambiguity, hence people use their stereotypes to form preconceptions about personality traits. The findings are in agreement with the arguments by Epley and Krugler (2005) that absence of nonverbal cues hinders people from discerning another person’s characters. Conclusion The data from group C, the control, rated the targets as introverts. Given that this data falls between the data for groups A and B, then group C suggests that the profile was successful in measuring the objectives of the study. It can, therefore, be concluded that the presence or absence of paralinguistic cues in computer-mediated communication can influence the impressions about the personality traits of a person. The impressions formed depend on the communication style. References Aman t, K. (2007). Linguistic and cultural online communication issues in the global age. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. DeLamater, J. D., Myers, D. J. (2007). Social psychology, 6th edn. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education. Epley, N., Kruger, J. (2005). What you type isn’t what they read: The perseverance of stereotypes and expectancies over email. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 41, 414-422. Hancock, J. T., Dunham, P. J. (2001). Impression formation in computer-mediated communication revisited: An analysis of the breadth and intensity of impressions. Communication Research, 28, 325-347. Holland, S. (2008). Remote relationships in a small world. New York, NY: Peter Lang. Storms, H. I., Grottum, P. P., Lycke, K. H. (2007). Content and processes in problem-based learning: A comparison of computer-mediated and face-to-face communication. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 23(3), 271-282. Walther, J. B., D’Addario, K. P. (2001). The impacts of emoticons on message interpretation in computer-mediated communication. Social Science Computer Review, 19, 324-347. Walther, J. B., Deandrea, D. C., Tong, S. T. (2010). Computer-mediated communication versus vocal communication and the attenuation of pre-interaction impressions. Media Psychology, 13, 364-386. This report on Paralinguistic Cues in Computer-Mediated Communications in Personality Traits was written and submitted by user Ryland Eaton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Social Stratification

Everywhere you go you attempt to classify all that you see. Every stimulus goes into some specific group or ranking. This is a necessary aspect of life in order to make sense of the world in which we live. However, one must begin to wonder if some of this classifying has negative aspects. People placed in a certain group might have more privileges and advantages than others. Social Stratification has become important in identifying why certain people get certain things. According to our textbook social stratification is viewed as, â€Å"the ranking or grading of individuals and groups into hierarchical layers.†(Hughes, 171) This in turn â€Å"†¦represents structured inequality in the allocation of rewards, privileges, and resources.† (Hughes 171) This brings up some interesting questions. Is there any way that equality is possible? Will there always be poverty in our society? With the help of our textbook, as well as outside sources I plan on studying the current trends of stratification. Along with this I hope to show that while not impossible, total equality is quite unrealistic. It’s a subject that I’m sure has been on a lot of peoples mind since the beginning of civilization as we know it. Most societies have been and continue to organize their institutions so that that the benefits and burdens are systematically distributed unequally among different categories of people. Some might say that poverty is necessary however unfortunate. Without poor individuals a lot of necessary yet â€Å"dirty† jobs would never get done. Also some might point out that there are limited resources and that it should be a fight to see who gets what and how much. Others may feel differently and believe that equality should be a human right and every individual should have an opportunity at the resources. Yet in order to change the system from unequal to equal the people at the top of the hierarchal pyramid would have to give up some of... Free Essays on Social Stratification Free Essays on Social Stratification Everywhere you go you attempt to classify all that you see. Every stimulus goes into some specific group or ranking. This is a necessary aspect of life in order to make sense of the world in which we live. However, one must begin to wonder if some of this classifying has negative aspects. People placed in a certain group might have more privileges and advantages than others. Social Stratification has become important in identifying why certain people get certain things. According to our textbook social stratification is viewed as, â€Å"the ranking or grading of individuals and groups into hierarchical layers.†(Hughes, 171) This in turn â€Å"†¦represents structured inequality in the allocation of rewards, privileges, and resources.† (Hughes 171) This brings up some interesting questions. Is there any way that equality is possible? Will there always be poverty in our society? With the help of our textbook, as well as outside sources I plan on studying the current trends of stratification. Along with this I hope to show that while not impossible, total equality is quite unrealistic. It’s a subject that I’m sure has been on a lot of peoples mind since the beginning of civilization as we know it. Most societies have been and continue to organize their institutions so that that the benefits and burdens are systematically distributed unequally among different categories of people. Some might say that poverty is necessary however unfortunate. Without poor individuals a lot of necessary yet â€Å"dirty† jobs would never get done. Also some might point out that there are limited resources and that it should be a fight to see who gets what and how much. Others may feel differently and believe that equality should be a human right and every individual should have an opportunity at the resources. Yet in order to change the system from unequal to equal the people at the top of the hierarchal pyramid would have to give up some of...

Solons Reforms and the Rise of Democracy in Athens

Solons Reforms and the Rise of Democracy in Athens First coming to prominence (c. 600 B.C.) for his patriotic exhortations when Athens was fighting a war against Megara for possession of Salamis, Solon was elected  eponymous archon  in 594/3 B.C. and perhaps, again, about 20 years later. Solon faced the daunting task of improving the condition of: debt-ridden farmerslaborers forced into bondage over debt, andthe middle classes who were excluded from government, while not alienating the increasingly wealthy landowners and aristocracy. Because of his reforming compromises and other legislation, posterity refers to him as Solon the lawgiver.   Such power I gave the people as might do, Abridged not what they had, now lavished new. Those that were great in wealth and high in place, My counsel likewise kept from all disgrace. Before them both I held my shield of might, And let not either touch the others right.- Plutarchs Life of Solon The Great Divide Between Rich and Poor in Athens In the 8th century B.C., rich farmers began exporting their goods: olive oil and wine. Such cash crops required an expensive initial investment. The poorer farmer was more limited in choice of crop, but he still could have continued to eke out a living, if only he had either rotated his crops or let his fields lie fallow. Slavery When land was mortgaged, hektemoroi (stone markers) were placed on the land to show the amount of debt. During the 7th century, these markers proliferated. The poorer wheat farmers lost their land. Laborers were free men who paid out 1/6th of all they produced. In the years of poor harvests, this wasnt enough to survive. To feed themselves and their families, laborers put up their bodies as collateral to borrow from their employers. Exorbitant interest plus living on less than 5/6ths of what was produced made it impossible to repay loans. Free men were being sold into slavery. At the point at which a tyrant or revolt seemed likely, the Athenians appointed Solon to mediate. Relief in the Form of Solon Solon, a lyric poet, and the first Athenian literary figure whose name we know, came from an aristocratic family which traced its ancestry back 10 generations to Hercules, according to Plutarch. Aristocratic beginnings did not prevent him from fearing that someone of his class would try to become tyrant. In his reform measures, he pleased neither the revolutionaries who wanted the land redistributed nor the landowners who wanted to keep all their property intact. Instead, he instituted the seisachtheia by which he canceled all pledges where a mans freedom had been given as guarantee, freed all debtors from bondage, made it illegal to enslave debtors, and put a limit on the amount of land an individual could own. Plutarch records Solons own words about his actions: The mortgage-stones that covered her, by me Removed, the land that was a slave is free;that some who had been seized for their debts he had brought back from other countries, where so far their lot to roam, They had forgot the language of their home;and some he had set at liberty, Who here in shameful servitude were held. More on the Laws of Solon Solons laws do not appear to have been systematic, but provided regulations in the areas of politics, religion, public and private life (including marriage, burial, and the use of springs and wells), civil and criminal life, commerce (including a prohibition on export of all Attic produce except olive oil, although Solon encouraged the export of artisans work), agriculture, sumptuary regulation and discipline. Sickinger estimates there were between 16 and 21 axones that may have contained 36,000 characters total (minimum). These legal records may have been placed in the Boulouterion, Stoa Basileios, and the Acropolis. Although these places would have made them accessible to the public, how many people were literate is not known.   Sources: J.B. Bury. A History of GreecePlutarchs Life of SolonRichard Hookers (wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/ATHENS.HTM)  Ancient Greece: AthensJohn Porters SolonUniversity of Keeles Classics Departments  Athenian Democracy  (www.keele.ac.uk/depts/cl/iahcla~7.htm - accessed 01/02/2000)History of Greece Vol II, by George Grote (1872).

SOP Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SOP Paper - Essay Example No doubt, extreme sports are a major attraction for sport lovers and can garner huge revenues, but there are numerous examples of sportspersons getting injured or maimed for life. One can never forget the snowboarder Kevin Pearce who suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was preparing for the Olympics in 2009. Therefore, my opinion is that extreme sports can be very dangerous for the sportsmen. For some people, extreme kinds of sports can be very tempting and they find it difficult to overcome the urge to participate in life risking sports. According to a sports consultant, Justin Anderson, some people have this innate sense of thrill that makes them do dangerous activities like jumping out of airplanes or climbing Mt. Everest (Hatfield, 2011). The question then arises is what is the thing that motivates these people to take part in such activities in spite of knowing the associated risks. It has been found that for these sportsmen, reaching the desired target is the primary factor while competition is the secondary factor. For these people, pushing their personal boundaries is a strong motivator although the fact that they are risking their life is always at the back of their minds. One common psychology behind these daredevil sports is the feeling that they have dared to dream the impossible and are also among those few who have achieved that dream (Hatfield, 2011). Extreme sports usually comprise high speed and risk. While both these elements can be thrilling for the youth because of their tendency toward heroism, the fact remains that such thrills are associated with extreme dangers that can be either fatal or lifelong disability. Since extreme sportsmen remain more excited to perform the perilous activities, most of the times they remain concerned about the event that will take place in that instant like how well they will be able to perform and

Job Description Posting for Fritzas Childrens Clothing Research Paper

Job Description Posting for Fritzas Childrens Clothing - Research Paper Example All job descriptions should be clear and concise and should answer all the questions for the employees (Management, Web). The small business chosen for this assignment is Fritza’s Children’s Clothing. The need for creating a job description is determined when the need for an additional job is felt by the management. It can also be determined if the employee responsible for this particular job did not carry out his duties well and therefore, a replacement is needed. The duties of a clothing store employee include keeping all the retail areas in an orderly way. Te duties could also include folding and hanging the items neatly, vacuuming, cleaning the dressing rooms and all other duties related to the maintenance of the store. The employee would also be responsible for providing superior customer service. The employees should communicate in an effective way and assist the customers in every way possible. The employee should also have good persuading skills to persuade the customers to buy the clothing items they like. The employee will be required to be friendly and customer oriented. The main focus should be on customers as they are really important for a clothing store. The employ ees are also required to be clean and have a professional appearance. Other requirements include punctuality as well as basic skills including mathematical to count the money and other related tasks. In order to apply for this job at the Fritza’s Children’s Clothing store the employee also need to have some preexisting knowledge or skills required for the position. These jobs normally have an entry level requirement and employees should be currently enrolled in high school or should have completed high school. The employees should have the basic knowledge and know-how related to customer interaction. In all, the employees should basically know how to interact with customers effectively

Healthcare Analysis Essay Example for Free

Healthcare Analysis Essay 1. Differentiate among the terms strategic management,strategic thinking, strategic planning, and managing strategic momentum. Which of these activities is most important in a healthcare organization and why? ANS: Strategic management consists of the analysis, decisions, and actions an organization undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantages. strategic management is concerned with the analysis of strategic goals (vision, mission, and strategic objectives) along with the analysis of the internal and external environment of the organization. Next, leaders must make strategic decisions. These decisions, broadly speaking, address two basic questions: What industries should we compete in?How should we compete in those industries? These questions also often involve an organization’s domestic as well as its international operations. And last are the actions that must be taken. Decisions are of little use, of course, unless they are acted on. Firms must take the necessary actions to implement their strategies. This requires leaders to allocate the necessary resources. Strategic thinking is considered a key thought process of strategic management framework; is defined as the generation and application of unique business insights and opportunities, to create competitive advantage for a firm or organisation. It can be done individually, as well as collaboratively among key people who can positively alter an organisations future. Group strategic thinking create more value by enabling a proactive and creative dialogue, where we gain other peoples perspectives on critical and complex issues which is an important benefit in todays highly competitive and fast-changing business landscape. Strategic planning is an organizations process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues through which it can pursue a particular course of action. Generally, strategic planning deals with several key questions like 1 What do we do? 2 For whom do we do it? 3 How do we excel? Strategic momentum is the tendency to maintain or expand the emphasis and direction of prior strategic actions in current strategic behaviour. The most important role as leader of an organization is strategy. The best way to sustain the momentum is by following the guidelines of the Essentials for Successfully Implementing the Strategic Plan and to continue to deploy the small group of people who share the vision and are engaged in helping you implement it. According to me strategic management is the most important activity in a healthcare organization, because a well-formulated strategy can bring various benefits to the organization in present as well as in future. 1 Strategic management takes into account the future and anticipates for it. 2 A strategy is made on rational and logical manner, thus its efficiency and its success are ensured. 3 Strategic management reduces frustration because it has been planned in such a way that it follows a procedure. 4 It brings growth in the organization because it seeks opportunities. 5 With strategic management organizations can avoid helter skelter and they can work directionally. 6 Strategic management also adds to the reputation of the organization because of consistency that results from organizations success. 7 Often organizations draw to a close because of lack of proper strategy to run it. With strategic management organizations can foresee the events in future and that’s why they can remain stable in the market. 8 Strategic management looks at the threats present in the external environment and thus organizations can either work to get rid of them or else neutralizes the threats in such a way that they become an opportunity for their success. 9 Strategic management focuses on proactive approach which enables organization to grasp every opportunity that is available in the market .2. List, describe, differentiate, and provide examples of the different levels of strategic management. ANS: 1 Corporate level 2 Divisional level 3 Organizational level 4 Unit level Corporate level strategies addresses questions like,†what business should we be in.?† For example if we take Trinity, what business should we do..? Health care, including hospitals, long term care units, hospices etc. The other question would be what other options should Trinity consider like mental health centers. Divisional level strategies are more focused and provide direction for a single business type. For Example Trinity Health, strategies must be developed for separately for hospital division, out patient units, hospice care etc.. how many hospitals are optional .. or what markets are available for new chain of hospitals. Organizational level Strategies includes strategies made at an individual organizational level like each hospital in Trinity’s hospital division may develop their own strategies depending upon the present market conditions. Unit level Strategies support organizational strategies through accomplishing various objectives. Unit operational strategies may be developed within departments of an organizations like a hospital with different units, example Medicine department, Surgery unit or paediatric unit etc

Racial Hatred in Notes of a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwin

â€Å"Notes of a Native Son†: Baldwin’s Essay on the Disease of Racial Hatred Racism is an ugly word that churns up strong emotions whenever it is mentioned. Shocking images of lynchings, church bombings and race riots creep into the mind, and cause an almost physical reaction of repulsion and disgust. History books and old television clips do a good job of telling the story of racial hatred in America, but not what it actually felt like to be an African American during those times. James Baldwin, a noted African American author from New York in the 1950s and 1960s, knew what it was like to experience years of unrelenting, dehumanizing racial injustice. In his essay, â€Å"Notes of a Native Son,† Baldwin uses his literary skills to tell about his family’s painful history under racism and also to analyze the effects of racial hatred on society – hatred that he compares to a disease of the human spirit. Baldwin uses the language of despair in his essay from the very start. In the opening paragraph, he sets the scene for everything that follows with five short, non-descriptive sentences that state the events going on around him at the time of his father’s death. The atmosphere is tense and solemn as the funeral procession moves through a barren wasteland of destruction on the way to the cemetery. Only the bare facts are written and Baldwin deliberately avoids using any colorful descriptions or interesting phrases in order to recreate the mood at this particular moment in his life. With this stripped down narrative passage, Baldwin sets an overall tone of bleakness, harshness and helplessness that he carries on throughout the essay. The audience is bombarded with a list of facts  ¾ his father is dead, his mother just gave birt... ...n in the 1950s, its message is still an important one for our society today. By sharing his personal life experiences, Baldwin provides readers with a snapshot of what life was like for a young African American man growing up in Harlem and how he was able to deal with racism on a personal level. By providing a running commentary and analysis of how his own situation relates to the African American community as a whole, Baldwin provides readers with an invaluable insight to the plight of people of color in the United States. In â€Å"Notes,† Baldwin uses his unique writing style to both inform and instruct readers about the dangers of allowing the divisions in our society based on race to continue unresolved. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.

Dettol Antiseptic Liquid

INTRODUCTION * Dettol was first used in leading UK maternity hospital in the early 1930s. Shortly thereafter, in 1933, with the endorsement of medical profession, Dettol was launched to the general public. * Dettol is a brand of Reckitt Benckiser and has stood for its trusted production in India since 1930. * The brand is endorsed by the Indian Medical Association and has been voted among India's Most Trusted Brand in recent years. Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited, formerly known as Reckitt ; Colman of India Limited, has many brands in India, namely â€Å"Dettol, Veet, Harpic, Mortein, Robin Blue, Cherry, Lizol, Colin, Dispirin, Brasso, Mansion and others. PRODUCTS PORTFOLIO * Antiseptic Liquid * Hand Sanitizer * Medicated Plaster * Saving Cream with fresh fragrance * Body Wash * Soap – Original, Skincare, Cool, and Re- Energize * Liquid Handwash- Original, Skincare, Sensitive and Fresh * No Touch Handwash- Original and Cucumber PRODUCTS UNDER BRANDPRODUCTS UNDER BRAND APPRO VED BY INDIAN MEADICAL ASSOCIATION ANTISEPTIC LIQUID DETTOL ANTISEPTIC LIQUID Dettol Antiseptic Liquid is a proven safe and effective antiseptic that kills various bacteria and provides protection against germs which can cause infection and illness. It can be used safely for gentle antiseptic wound cleansing and also for personal hygiene. Dettol Antiseptic Liquid gently cleanses the skin and helps protect against infection from cuts, scratches and insect bites by killing germs. Dettol Antiseptic Liquid can also be used n the wash to freshen linen and nappies and in the bath to leave skin feeling hygienically clean and refreshed (kids older than nine months). SALIENT FEATURES * Dettol Antiseptic Liquid is a product, which has many uses for protecting the family from germs. * Use with mopping water, to disinfect floors, completely. * Use in washing laundry to disinfect the clothes. * For first aid and personal care uses, Dettol Antiseptic Liquid must always be used, dilute in water. * Available in wide range of sizes from 5ml to 5 litre.PROS AND CONS OF DETTOL ANTISEPTIC LIQUID PROS: * Versatile * Disinfectant which kills bacteria and provides protection against germs. *   Dettol is use to cleanse cuts and stings. CONS: * Be careful how you use. * Toxic BUYING MOTIVE OF A CONSUMER * Emergency antiseptic product. * Secondary uses in the form of bathing, cleaning floor, and shaving. * Cuts and bruises healer. * Concentrated antiseptic disinfectant which kills bacteria and provides protection against germs. REFERENCES * www. google. com * www. dettol. co. in * www. wikipedia. com

Accrual Basis over Cash Basis Accounting Essay

There are two accounting methods that companies use to report revenues and expenses. The two methods are the accrual basis and cash basis. The difference in the accounting processes will fundamentally change the way the organization reports its cash, so a decision must be made prior to recording any transactions. Accrual Basis Accounting Accrual basis accounting is the method accepted by commercial accounting and the general accepted accounting principles. â€Å"Accrual-basis accounting means that transactions that change a company’s financial statements are recorded in the periods in which the event occur, even if the cash was not exchanged.† (Kimmel, Weygandt, & Kieso, 2009) This accounting method follows both the revenue recognition principle, by reporting the revenue when it is earned and the matching principle by reporting the expense when it is incurred. â€Å"Recording revenue before the money has come in can potentially misrepresent a firm’s financial results, allowing a company to show sales that may never actually be paid for (say, because of financial problems with the buyer).† (Cash Basis Vs. Accrual Basis Accounting, 2002) Accountants choose the accrual method of accounting over the cash basis because it more accurately represents the company’s finances. Cash Basis Accounting Cash basis accounting is the other method of reporting revenues and expenses. When using cash basis accounting, â€Å"companies record revenue only when cash is received. They record expense only when cash is paid.† (Kimmel, Weygandt, & Kieso, 2009) This method does not follow the revenue recognition principle or the matching principle, therefore, is not a generally accepted accounting principle for large corporations. â€Å"The IRS altered its position in 2000, allowing taxpayers who have gross receipts of $1 million or less to use the cash method (Rev. Proc. 2000-22).† (Gilmore & Miller, 2003) This change allows for small businesses to use the cash basis method, so they are only paying taxes on income received. The cash basis accounting method benefits small businesses and individuals but is not an ideal choice for large corporations. A company must decide what accounting process is more beneficial prior to recording any transactions as this  affects the way they record the information. The accrual basis method records the revenue and expenses when they occur, and the cash basis method records revenue only when cash is received and expenses only when paid. The cash reporting method tends to misrepresent an organization’s financial performance by reporting expenses prior to receiving payment for the service. The accrual basis accounting method reports financial transactions more accurately and, therefore, is the most appropriate choice for large businesses.

Bipolar Politics in the Postwar World Essay Example

Bipolar Politics in the Postwar World Essay Example Bipolar Politics in the Postwar World Paper Bipolar Politics in the Postwar World Paper The main political outcome of the WWII was distinctly shaped bipolar political structure of the world order. Former allies in anti-Hitler Coalition entered the unprecedented confrontation lasted for more than 40 years. The world was divided between two superpowers according to their spheres of interests. During the Cuban Missile Crisis the world faced the real threat of the new devastating war. The state of the Cold War could be characterized as a state of balancing between the war and peace. Both countries possessed nuclear warheads in an amount able to destroy both superpowers as well as the entire humanity. The reason for that confrontation was the system-defined one. Soviet totalitarian regime with its command economy was completely incompatible with the democratic political system and the free market economy. The involvement of the ideological doctrines of the Soviet â€Å"revolution export† and the â€Å"Domino Theory† by President Truman only worsened the situation. At the same time both superpowers realized the danger of nuclear weapon proliferation and the global security depended upon the way the superpowers were able to find the compromise. They succeeded to do that during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Europe was divided into two mutually hostile parts. The history of the post-war Germany was the most tragic one. The country happened to be divided into two parts and the Berlin Wall demolished in the late 80’s was the symbol of the post-war confrontation. Principle of â€Å"the enemy of my enemy is my ally† was widely used by both superpowers. The phenomenon of so-called proxy war was the tool of confrontation of two superpowers. Very often relatively small countries became the arenas of the US-USSR confrontation. The examples of proxy wars were Vietnam, a number of conflicts in Africa (ex. Angola), Latin America (Nicaragua), Asia (Korea), Afghanistan etc. Superpowers transferred their weapons, gave economic support etc. to feed such conflicts. Sometimes such support returned back like a boomerang. The example of this could be Afghanistan where the United States supported the anti-Soviet opposition including Taliban. Later Taliban was in a vanguard of a terrorist movement committing bloody attacks against the United States (9/11). The collapse of the Soviet Union changed the balance of forces in the global security. The most remarkable thing was that bipolar US-USSR geopolitical structure which was more or less predictable was replaced by the unpredictable multi polar US-global terrorism confrontation. Both superpowers, USA and Russia are fighting now with the same threat. Perestroika and Glasnost were the political factors which democratized the former Soviet society. At the same time, former Soviet Union being created as an unnatural political formation has become the area of confrontation. Russia is fighting with the Chechen separatists supported by the same structures who assisted the terrorists committing their attacks worldwide including the United States. Thus former opponents got the common enemy, global terrorism and both parties are vitally interested in providing the global security.

New Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

New Technology - Essay Example To ensure that the road to success remains intact, firms have to accept a dose of change and the idea of continuous change in their organisations. Bonas machine is a subsidiary of the Van de Wiele Group of Companies. It is the famous for its innovative design of electronic jacquards. The company has been manufacturing the best electronic jacquards primarily used for weaving. Its manufacturing headquarters is located in West Flanders, Belgium and the company has established communication arteries with its sales agents and consumers. The company continue to operate through its success cores and key attributes that include: speed, reliability, and performance. For the company, customer satisfaction is the utmost priority. The current strategies have remained the same since most of the initiatives to achieve the main goal are handled by the research and development team. The company contends that quality innovations along with after-sales support are the right combination to success. Aside from fundamental concepts, the company has provided several approaches that address the need to compete. These methods are planned, developed, implemented, and assessed over time. It is hard to doubt that the company has succeeded in turning a not so recognisable innovation to a highly demanded commodity. The recent success of Bonas Machines, however, reflects the some problems that the company has been facing. This paradox defined the complexity of predicament that company needs to overcome to ensure that its success will remain consistent. Although there are several concerns that need to be raised, the most crucial part of the existence of Bonas is its competitiveness. It is hard to discount that the company is capable of controlling the market; but its current position suggests otherwise. The market position of Bonas is crucial in its efforts to succeed. Contrary to popular belief that the position on the market is holistically, success is measured in each entity. Essentially, the decision of the company to become aggressive is insufficient to qualify the company as the leader. Each part of the organisation needs to recognise the necessity to be in the forefront of the market. The fundamental challenge for Bonas is to remain competitive and sustain its advantage. But to ensure that this will be realised, the company needs to make a shift. The process starts from gradual modification until the most radical change is performed and implemented. Motivations to Change Based on the idea of Beer et al (1990), successful organizational change deals with coordination, commitment, and competencies. The absence of one characteristics means that fruitful change has not been attained. More important, the manifestation of the three values has to be manifested systematically. Processes have to be defined to ensure that each stage is satisfied before proceeding with the next step. In organizations, each entity is provided with roles to play before a goal is achieved. To manifest changes in the production process, close coordination among the components of production has to be maintained. Technically, changes in organizations are designed to make firms competent. Essentially, training mechanisms are modified to improve the skills and competency of the workforce. Technology replaces the traditional tools to boost production and limit defects. The change happens when the form

Ghandi, The Man not the Myth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ghandi, The Man not the Myth - Essay Example Gandhi’s approach to life is to build, not break. He knew that prosperity in the real sense of the term will not happen unless the people are sound and industrious, and basic conditions are created for them to become this way. With the profound knowledge that he possessed about cultural traditions and the state of the economy, he was in a position to guide the destiny of the people. The country he was associated with had their economy and cultural traditions exploited and devastated with a calculated plan by the colonial rulers. He desired that every segment of the population of the country needs to be self-sufficient and should not look forward for foreign aid. He desired and worked for the Indian people to make them self-sufficient and lead the life maintaining the essential dignity. Truth was the underlying message in his way of life. Non-violence to him meant strength without destruction, with no chance for weakness or fear for challenging injustice. In the dark coalmine o f politics, he was the sparkling gem. He had powerful issues to fight with, like racism, violence, religious fanaticism, and colonialism. Since truth was at the root of all his battles, he had no confusion about his goals, for he knew his destination. To him, how he did, what he did, and the honest means employed were more important than the violent tactics normally adopted by the politicians. "Truth remained at the root of his integrated approach to life, and by non-violence he meant vitality without destruction, with no opportunity for weakness or fear for challenging injustice." Religion enveloped every action in his life In 1944 Albert Einstein said, â€Å"Generations to come, it may be, will scarcely believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth,†. He spoke of Gandhi as an angel, that only occurs once on earth. That was the time when Gandhi was at the peak of spiritual advancement and the Indian Freedom struggle had entered the conclusive phase. Most of the people then and eve n today understand the superficial Gandhi, a tall lean figure with a walking stick and robe. They were enthusiastic about following him, without understanding the basic principles for which he stood for. In turn he mixed freely with the people, irrespective of their class or official status and at the same time he maintained the essential dignity needed in a true leader. He possessed personal assets like purity in personal lifestyles, good dietary practices (he was a strict vegetarian), celibacy, and a life devoid of violence (ahimsa) His dietary practices were often ridiculed and termed as impractical for a hardworking and busy individual. However, Gandhi knew the scientific justification for his pursuits in this area, which he considered as an important aspect for his spiritual advancement. Gandhi’s food discipline is part of this theory. His mother took advice from a Jain priest and the 5 five great vows of Jainism are: nonviolence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy, and non p ossession (Holmes, p.6). Those taking junk and non-vegetarian foods are prone to anger, restlessness and unsteady behavior, get upset over frivolous issues and have jealous dispositions. Gandhi terms his life as an experiment with truth, and he tendered convincing proofs for all his actions. Gandhi does not expect everyone to follow his principles blindly and as the man with the divine orientation he knows that each individual is born with a level of progression. There is a place in which he has to commence the one’s own journey of life from the given set of circumstances. When the individuals are honest about their intentions and have an unselfish approach, all problems, personal, societal, national and international, can be solved. Apparently, this may seem hard to obtain, but this is the only alternative to challenge the issues confronting humankind. Treading the spiritual path is a gradual process and the episodes presented by Gandhi chronologically in the book need to be understood in this context. As one progresses spiritually, many a past beliefs turn myths. Meaning, such an individual has transcended the

Russian Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Russian Revolution - Essay Example The decision to end the demonstrations by resignation of the Tsar’s was made by the Duma, which was the Russian legislature from 1905 to 1917. The reason why the Duma requested for Tsar’s resignation is because they wanted his son to take over power and rule. The October Revolution of November 1917 took place in St Petersburg. Workers’ Soviets and the Bolshevik Party planned a coup to overthrow the Provisional Government in St Petersburg. The main aim of the October revolution was to seize power from the Provisional Government and replace the monarchy rule and make Russia a communist state. After the Bolshevik and the Vladimir Lenin  took over power in the October Revolution, they allowed for elections to be conducted, but they later on changed their minds after they got less than twenty five percent votes in the elections. The collapse of the Russian monarchy government and the Provisional Government made the government to be perceived as weak and incompetent. During the February Revolution the military was summoned, but contrary to the expectations by the Tsar, the military refused to follow the orders and instead ended up fighting the police.1 World War 1 was a major factor that led to the Russian revolution in 1917.Due to the war, there was a high increase in the number of soldiers that were needed to go and join the war. Young men and horses that were used in the farms were taken leading to the decrease in the number of outputs in the forums. Due to this, the standard of living was damaged and the peasants were not happy about the decision Tsar had made to join the war. Productive farms in Russia found most of their labourers taken out to join the war. Moreover, inflation occurred and most of the peasants could not afford to buy expensive goods. Workers in the cities could not get good jobs that could give them a better pay. When these workers tried to agitate for better pay, they were

Secularism in British Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Secularism in British Society - Essay Example For centuries in Britain, monarchs ruled by Crown and Church. There is also the belief that the pope is the god on earth and must have supreme authority over the state. The pope has the right to depose the king throughout the ages. Around the year 1900, English people believed in social progress. "Public drunkenness became rare and alcoholism ceased to be an accepted fact of private life. Literacy became nearly universal, sanitation and diet improved at every level of society. People put great effort into staying clean, and governments built infrastructure that enormously increased the availability of water to common people. Wages nearly doubled in a generation"(Himmelfarb and Knopf 1995). Britain was so powerful empire with colonies. She was rich commercially as well as in military. It was the era of rapid industrialization and urbanization. On the second half of 19th century, Britain was on the verge of "moral and social collapse". The country was in chaotic condition. Himmelfarb and Knopf noted that "society was riddled with class and racial prejudices that most people today would find gruesome." There was economic crisis, poverty, ignorance and diseases. Crime was so common that they even have to transport criminals to other state such as Australia. Furthermore, "cities were growing in an almost unregulated fashion as the impoverished peasantries were driven off the land." The government was so corrupt even making the parliament as the tool of aristocratic factions. There was a sense of moral degradation in the state. Many professed to be Christians yet denying its true essence. Poor workers were asked to work for long hours at low wages. The society was separated from the religious world and religion becomes a personal matter. The idea of the sacred that was long a tradition was lost. People were increasingly concerned on achieving worldly things for personal gains. Secularization has progressively pervaded Britain. Theocracy ceased to have influence or authority on the Englishmen's social and political life. Religion lost its role in shaping political and social policies. It has become even irrelevant to the lives of ordinary people. Levels of Christian observance are even becoming lower than they used to be. The good "Victorian values" people used to follow were viewed as despotic and hypocritical, and gathered too much intellectual reaction. This cultural change could be traced back to the age of enlightenment. It was the era of philosophy and intellect as well as scientific and cultural development that promoted reason as the prime source and rightful for authority. It gradually created a crisis of faith in Britain. Some of these newly-bred philanthropists were non-believers. Some liberal churches rejected some traditionally known doctrine such as the doctrine of Hell. There was widespread absence at churches, which they normally do every Sunday.

The Images In The Novel Oliver Twist English Literature Essay

The Images In The Novel Oliver Twist English Literature Essay The aim of the following thesis is to present the image of a child in Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. On the strength of this novel, the author will attempt to discuss the importance of a childs psychological, physiological and emotional needs, and ways of their fulfilment in the process of a childs development. Children are innocent and defenceless human beings and to ensure their safe and proper growth, they need to be provided with an environment conducive to their healthy development. Adults often overlook the importance of their childs needs, they are simply unaware of their existence, and in consequence, children mature into troubled and unstable individuals. The lack of parental support, which often results in neglect, abuse and childs humiliation, may in fact seriously injure the childs psyche. Most Charles Dickens novels feature an image of a child Pip, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield; in his portrayals Dickens argues that children and adults perceive the world differently. In spite of their limited knowledge and experience children are acute and sensitive observers. In his novels, Dickens shows children, who struggle with the adversities of adult life, children who have no childhood and must survive against the hostile society of the Victorian England caught in the frenzy of the Industrial Revolution. The author relies often on his own experiences, his childhood was disturbed by the tragedies in his own family, which gives his novels a sense of authenticity. Charles Dickens was born on 7th February 1812 in Portsmouth in England as a son of John and Elizabeth Dickens. His fathers irresponsibility and lack of ambitions were the reasons why his family situation was often uncertain. He was always in debt and, as a consequence, in 1824, when Charles was only twelve years old, his father was imprisoned, together with his family. However, through his uncles instigation, young Charles found employment at a newly opened blacking factory and was spared from the prisons sentence. Michael Slater, Dickenss biographer, shows how this experience influenced small Dickens: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Dickens leaves no doubt as to the degree of the psychological and emotional earthquake suffered by his twelve-year-old self: It is wonderful to me how I could have been so easily cast away at such an ageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ No advice, no counsel, no encouragement, no consolation, no support, from any one [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] I might easily have been, for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a little vagabond.  [1]   Dickens is an expert at childrens feelings and emotions, and through his works, he urges adults to be sensitive towards their fragile personalities. His novels, and his child characters, witness the abuse of children in the Victorian Period. His works were to give voice to children who desperately needed help and who rarely were able to communicate their needs and even more seldom obtained the help they needed. The first chapter of the following thesis is divided into four parts. In the first part, the author will describe the importance of childrens psychological needs necessary to their proper growth. The emphasis will be placed upon the needs fulfilment methods and the consequences of not fulfilling them: a lack of a childs psychic stability, problems in adolescence, etc. In the second part of Chapter One, the author will discuss violence against children in the Victorian Period and its consequences. On this occasion, the ideas of a Polish psychologist, Aleksandra Sobkowska will be presented in the context of the recent findings of New Psychology. Still in Chapter One, I will introduce Abraham Maslows psychological theory of the hierarchy of human needs. At the end of the same chapter, the author of the thesis will present the figure of Charles Dickens as a victim of the Victorian epochs Industrial Revolution, a victim of social injustice and economic deprivation, a victim of childhood i nterrupted. The Second Chapter will focus on the characterization of and the role of children in the Victorian society in the period of the Industrial Revolution. On that occasion, Oliver Twist, Dickenss portrayal of children in the historical and socio-economic context, will be discussed in detail and placed in the context of the Maslowian theory of the hierarchy of needs. In this chapter, the author will also ponder on Dickens involvement in the struggle against a childs exploitation; it is not clear whether in his books, the author aimed at evoking sympathy for the children and their plight, and thus he wrote mainly for the adult readership; or attempted to elucidate children on the causes of their unjust and despicable conditions. Chapter One Childrens needs and violence against children. The aim of the following chapter is to present the importance of needs in childrens psychological growth. In the course of Chapter One, the author of the thesis will refer to the foundations of Abraham Maslows theory of the hierarchy of needs. The author will also discuss different types of violence against children as the most detrimental element in a childs psychological development. Finally, Charles Dickens life will be placed in the context of the Victorian period. Childrens psychological needs Psychological needs of a human being are of great importance first and foremost for children, however, adults very often forget about it. Satisfying a childs material needs such as clothing, feeding, etc, they are convinced that they adequately fulfil their parental responsibility. In the light of modern psychology such an attitude is viewed critically. Though easily convinced that material goods are all they need, children become increasingly dissatisfied. Disturbing signals in our daily life children committing serious crimes, children becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs, adolescents dropping out of school; are all but proof of the existence of an area in a childs psyche that remains overlooked and neglected. Children differ significantly from one another; therefore, each child has to be treated separately whether it is by its parents or educators. Adults usually realize far too late how important they are for their childrens development, generally when their children start misbehaving and cause problems.  [2]  In order to prevent such a situation, it is necessary to study the mechanism of the needs formation; then consciously new and positive needs a need to discover, to know, to feel good about oneself can be created. As far as the mechanism of creating new needs is concerned, they are formed first through satisfying the needs that already exist. It is very important to offer children the opportunity to develop new and valuable needs, and rewarding responses of the environment have a great influence on childrens psychic growth. One of the main needs that are worth mentioning here is the need of emotional contact between a mother and a child. At the beginning, this contact has a more physical character, but in time, the character of this contact changes. It has a more psychological sense and needs another form of fulfilment.  [3]  Parents are able to create proper conditions to form a childs personality; to achieve this aim, parents must continuously observe and recognize their childs needs and try to understand them. Many factors have an influence on a harmonious course of a childs development, including all psychophysical processes, and affect the childs future stance point of view, and the way she or he is perceived by the society.  [4]   Human needs are divided into: material, biological, organic and psychological ones. Generally, psychological needs are additionally divided into: A need of safety shaped in ontogenesis A cognitive need An activity need A need of independence and personal development An emotional and social interaction need A sense of belonging and acceptance need A possession need b. Violence against children as the negation of proper development A child who is harmed is the one who is suffering due to improper behaviour of other people, mainly parents and guardians, and who experiences injustice and a sense of powerlessness. This process, whether intentional or unintentional, and resulting from adults actions, may have a negative influence on a childs physical or psychological development.  [5]   Dickens stories abound in episodes involving both psychological and physical abuse among children. Children rob one another of dignity and belongings. They accumulate anger and frustration in themselves. They are weak and dominated by adults and find abusing their equals or weaker ones as the only possible way of venting their anger. Violence against children leads unavoidably to violence in children. This too is a result of a childhood interrupted, of a thwarted development. Violence against children is the most perverted form of violence; children are defenceless and innocent human beings at a formative stage, who are susceptible to a physical and to psychological injury. Though violence may reside in children themselves, for example, in unwanted, problematic, chronically ill or disabled children; in the majority of cases, children are victims of violence perpetrated by adults. Violence occurs in many different circumstances, and may have different forms, but generally three groups of reasons for its occurrence may be distinguished: violence in children directed against others (children as well as adults) is a result of the childrens frustration with their own health (disabled and chronically ill children), with their social and indirectly economic status (orphaned children, children of alcoholics, etc.) and, importantly, often is a consequence of war; violence in parents directed at children which often is a result of social pathologies dysfunctional families; violence being a result of a familys social isolation owed to their religion, ethnicity, social or economic status, etc. According to Aleksandra Sobkowska, a Polish psychologist, there is a conventional division of violence against children based on its type: physical, psychological and sexual abuse. Negligence of children is sometimes considered to be the mildest form of violence, however, it is most common, and it is extremely harmful and just like any other form of psychical abuse beatings, torture, etc. extends its effects into the sphere of a childs psyche. Therefore, the distinction between physical and psychological abuse, at least in terms of their lasting effects psychical and psychological scars overlap and blur. In Sobkowskas view, psychical abuse of children has cognitive, emotional and behavioural consequences a childs abuse syndrome may be manifested by: a lack of a sense of security a lack of a sense of belonging to the closest people a lack of or low self-esteem spiritual loneliness a feeling of being harmed a feeling and consciousness of guilt and shame difficulty in forming relationships. In Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, there are many examples of child abuse and violence ranging from the very basic lack of alimentation: Unfortunately for the experimental philosophy of the female to whose protecting care Oliver Twist was delivered over, a similar result usually attended the operation of her system; for at the very moment when a child had contrived to exist upon the smallest possible portion of the weakest possible food, it did perversely happen in eight and half cases out of ten, either that it sickened from want and cold, or fell into another world, and there gathered to the fathers which it had never known in this.  [6]   through terrible living conditions; An unfinished coffin on black tressels, which stood in the middle of the shop, looked so gloomy and death-like that a cold tremble came over him, every time his eyes wandered in the direction of the dismal object: from which he almost expected to see some frightful form slowly rear its head, to drive him mad with terror. The recess beneath the counter in which his flock mattress was thrust, looked like a grave.  [7]   resulting in a sense of fear and spiritual loneliness: He was alone in a strange place; and we all know how chilled and desolate the best of us will sometimes feel in such a situation. The boy had no friends to care for, or to care for him. The regret of no recent separation was fresh in his mind; the absence of no loved and well-remembered face sank heavily into his heart.  [8]   Psychological violence is a conscious destruction or significant limitation on a childs possibility of proper development. Ranging from insults, as can be seen in the following episode from Oliver Twist: Get downstairs, little bag o bones. With this the undertakers wife opened a side door, and pushed Oliver down a steep flight of stairs into a stone cell, damp and dark, forming the ante-room to the coal-cellar, and denominated the kitchen.  [9]   It is hard to draw any conclusive ideas as to what future awaited Oliver, and whether his childhood filled with pain brought to bear on his life as an adult. There is a note to the preface of Charles Dickens Oliver Twist which say: It tells the story of an unfortunate orphan boy from his early years in the harsh environment of the workhouse, to his struggle for survival in the dangerous world outside its gates.  [10]   A parallel between the story of Oliver Twist, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a boy who dares to ask for more  [11]  and the life of Charles Dickens is evident. As a young boy, Dickens was forced to work in one of Britains infamous sweatshops, or as they were often referred to, children factories. His fathers debts put the whole family in prison; only young Charles was spared his freedom, however, in exchange for hard labour in a blacking workshop. In a way similar to most children from poor neighbourhoods of London, Dickens suffered pains of poverty hunger and all things most children his age would take for granted. Hunger haunted little Charles, something that is echoed in the story of Oliver Twist, but what pained him more was his hopelessness against the odds set by the cruel society of the 19th century Britain. Britain was undergoing a period of transformation; the Industrial Revolution was at its peak; many people fled the impoverished countryside and settled in big cities. There, they we re exploited by the capitalist industrialists. Slavery was by then outlawed in Britains overseas colonies, importing cheap labour was out of the question, yet the growing economy needed hands, many hands, inexpensive hands. In such circumstances, children became a commodity cheap and easy to manage. Factories soon filled with little children whose parents, all the while working themselves to near death, still failed to make ends meet. This is an era of Britains great economic expansion; this is an era that witnessed the birth of communism. Britain was getting rich, or at least the rich were getting richer; for the rest the society was falling apart. Many children faced a very bleak future; orphaned (mostly through abandonment); deprived of any possibility for social advancement, just like Oliver Twist, veered onto the dangerous path of crime. Dickens resisted the temptations of becoming a criminal; perhaps, in that sense, he was lucky; his contacts with Londons underworld remained luckily within the confines of his fantasy. I might easily have been, for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a little vagabond  [12]  Dickens, a literary giant of the Victorian England, was first and foremost, its victim. As a child, he suffered all the deprivations shared by most of his books characters Nicholas Nickleby, Oliver Twist, Pip and David Copperfield; whose lives stories became a great testimony of Britains shameful past a past tainted by abuse against the innocent and the weakest children. c. Maslows hierarchy of needs This part of the thesis is based on the psychological theory authored by Abraham Maslow. Among other things, he wrote about human nature being good or at least neutral. It cannot be assumed that a child is born with a bad nature.  [13]  Because of its pessimistic, negative and restricted conception of human nature, Maslow became very critical of psychology. Unlike other scientists, he conducted his tests on healthy people, people without, for example, brain injuries; and he reached a number of new and innovative conclusions concerning personality. He claimed that psychology is much more occupied with peoples weaknesses rather than strengths; that the main focus of psychological studies is sin, and virtue tends to be omitted.  [14]   Maslows hierarchy of needs is represented by the following diagram: Maslow recognises, and illustrates his notion by means of a pyramid, that human needs can be divided into five levels, four of which represent deficiency needs (referred to also as basic needs) and are associated with human physiology. Only when those needs are satisfied, a human develops a need of self-actualization (referred to also as growth needs). d. Society in the Victorian Age Dickens hero, Oliver Twist, lived in a difficult time characterised by changes and the resulting serious crisis in the politics, economy and religious life. Victorians expected progress, rapid changes that were to improve their daily lives; apart from the elite, life in the nineteenth century was very hard for most of simple citizens, especially for children. Many peasants, driven away from the countryside by the prospects of better lives in the cities, fell victim of industrial exploitation and the capitalist system of economy. Cities grew in population too rapidly, forcing many to live in squalid neighbourhoods filled with filth and crime. Urbanization meant more places of work, but the cost of living in big cities often exceeded an average familys means. Families were large or too large; people lived in overcrowded houses in hand-to-mouth conditions. Industrial production was carried on at great risks and causing suffering of men, women and children. Britains status as the worksho p of the world was achieved at a great human cost  [15]  . People including small children worked fifteen or sixteen hours a day in, most of the time, unbearable conditions. The majority of people the so-called working class, which ironically included the unemployed, lived in the scruffiest of households. The industrialists treated the less fortunate, especially children, simply, and only, like objects, manpower. Children were exploited more than adults, because they never dared to ask for more. What is more, parents willingly agreed to this exploitation, even of very small children (often younger than six years of age), because they, too, could earn a few pennies. This extra income for starving families was at times a matter of life and death. Children employed in industry, suffered and often fell ill, at times irreversibly. Their childhood was taken away from them, but what is more, the precarious working and employment conditions, often forced them into the streets where they begged or stole to survive. Most children were denied the stability of having a home, being abandoned by their parents. Sometimes they were subjected to violence or solitude, being under-nourished or even starving, covered with rags, sleeping in empty cellars. Deprived of love and support from adults, they were neglected and lonely among others. The working class children had no rights and their hardship earned them no respect. People in Victorian England believed they were doing what was best for their children. But they were gripped by an idea which was widespread at that time that children were empty vessels, containing nothing worthwhile until filled with what adults judged best.  [16]   Dickens in his novels depicted the Victorian societys major problems. The writer portrayed the society in all its variety, touching all their problems but the theme to which he always returned, was the family, childhood, injustice, inequality, crime, corruption, scandals, poverty, as well as the suffering of children. Whatever he wrote was written with passion, because he experienced seeing life, from the point of view of the poor people and abused children. In his time, few people understood children as well as Dickens did, and he was the first writer who described childrens thoughts and feelings capturing the way they spoke, behaved, and suffered. Chapter two Childrens needs and violence against children based on Dickens novel Oliver Twist. The aim of the following chapter is to present the connection between a childs needs and life in the Victorian Age on the basis of Dickens novel Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist is the first novel in which Dickens speaks out against social injustice and an inadequate economic system that condoned the plight of the poorest, yet the largest, segment of British society. His, is not a portrait of a happy and harmonious family, but a debt-ridden, broken family where children, unless employed in Britains worst workshops, are viewed as a burden. The author tries to show terrible conditions in workhouses where poor people were forced to live and work if they could not pay their debts. In his novel Oliver Twist, Dickens also draws a critical picture of charitable foundations and their involvement in childrens orphanages. Additionally, Dickens sheds light on Londons dangerous criminal underworld. The main character of the novel, Oliver, is a neglected, illegitimate child. He does not know his father and his mother died at his birth. He is brought up as an orphan in cruel conditions in an orphanage typical of the Victorian Age. This small and lonely child is drawn into the world of brutality and violence. The fact that he does not have parents increased his loneliness and difficulties in life because he is deprived of their support which is very important, especially at the beginning of everyones life. Having a normal life is important for a child, but for Oliver that proved an unattainable dream. Oliver spends the first nine years of his life in a badly run home for young orphans and later he is transferred to a workhouse for adults. There, not only does he lack means to secure himself a decent upbringing, but is constantly short of the essentials such as sufficient amount of food, a room to sleep or clean clothes. When he is nine, he is still a child and he does not understa nd the world around him, especially his own status. Once, he asks an adult what it means to be an orphan: Boy, said the gentleman in the high chair, listen to me. You know you are an orphan, I suppose? Whats that, sir? inquired poor Oliver. The boy is a fool I thought he was, said the gentleman in a white waistcoat.  [17]   Oliver is afraid of adults; he does not understand why strangers decide about his future and his life, and in their presence he often trembles and cries. One of the most important and memorable images in the novel is the moment when Oliver feels extreme hunger and asks for something more to eat: Please, sir. I want some more.  [18]  This famous scene is symbolic in that sense that it expresses Olivers revolt against his situation. He does not understand that such behaviour is unacceptable in the workhouse and he is beaten as a result and then put up for sale, like an object, not a human being. Oliver acts against the rules because the situation in the workhouse is abnormal; his basic needs are not satisfied. The living conditions in the workhouses of the 19th century Britain were very severe and often these harbingers of modern day sweatshops resembled more prisons than houses. The treatment of children was terribly bad, some of them even starved to death. The sufferings of children in the Victorian Age indicate that their basic needs were not satisfied. The fundamental, basic needs which are essential for our survival, such as proper nourishment, a place to sleep, warmth were not met then. According to Maslow, food occupies the lowest level of the pyramid in the hierarchy of needs, and belongs to the very primitive group of needs, which are essential for survival; refusing proper nourishment to hungry people, especially children is the negation of humanity. What is more, Oliver Twist is denied safety and stability; he is an unloved and lonely child thrown into unsympathetic adult world, where he lacks parental love, affection and protection. In Maslowian theory, Oliver is denied access to the second developmental level and his need to feel safe remains unfulfilled. At the beginning, Oliver is not aware of his situation; gradually, however, he comes to realize his standing: I am a very little boy, sir; and it is so- so à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ So what? inquired Mr Bumble in amazement. So lonely, sir! So very lonely! Cried the child [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦].  [19]   This small boy feels he should have some rights as a human being and he seeks love. It is only natural for a boy like Oliver to look for love and a sense of belonging, a feeling that gives people a sense of stability. Again, the fundamental need, the third level of the Maslowian pyramid representing the hierarchy of needs necessary for a childs proper physiological and psychological development remains unfulfilled. Although he leaves the workhouse, his circumstances never improve; he moves in with Mr. Sowerberry, an undertaker. Subjected to moral and physical oppression, Oliver continues to feel lonely, cold and abandoned; in his new home he has no place to sleep: Then come with me, said Mrs Sowerberry, taking up a dim dirty lamp, and leading the way upstairs; your beds under the counter. You dont mind sleeping among the coffins, I suppose? But it doesnt much matter whether you do or dont, for you cant sleep anywhere else.  [20]   Another boy, named Noah Claypole, who too is a worker at Sowerberrys workshop, constantly abuses Oliver, but the main character endures his fate without a word of complaint. One day however, acting on an impulse, Oliver fights off Noahs attacks. He fights in defence of his mothers name but despite his innocence, Oliver is severely punished. This situation illustrates the Maslows notion of violence being a result of a thwarted development in an environment where a childs basic needs remain unfulfilled; violence and other forms of anti-social behaviour are a consequence. In other words, a child who is deprived of an opportunity to fulfil his needs uses aggression, turns to aggression; he/she does not act like a normal child. This moment in the novel marks another important transition; Oliver demands to be respected he reacts with violence against the insults used with regard to his mother an action that points to the fourth level of the Maslowian pyramid, the need of esteem. Oliver decides to escape because he refuses to endure his treatment. He chooses London hoping to change his life for better. In spite of being exhausted and hungry; he does not give up and is still full of hope and determined. He meets Dodger, who offers him a helping hand. Unaware, Oliver joins a gang of juvenile pick-pockets, run by a Jewish emigrant named Fagin. Dodger and other young boys, and now Oliver, roam the streets of London stealing, when they can, hanging out, laughing. Fagins gang creates an authentic society and provides these unwanted boys with security and a sense of belonging. Oliver has never known this kind of life; he is drawn to it to gain respect amongst peers, but also to feel accepted, relied on, and needed. At the beginning, Oliver does not realise that he has joined a criminal group. He does not understand the whole situation but tries to be a quick learner and to acquire new skills, i.e. pick pocketing. However, because he has little experience, or simply because he still is a naÃÆ' ¯ve little boy, he gets caught and arrested. Fortunately for Oliver, Mr. Brownlow, one of the gangs victims, recognizes the boys innocence, exonerates the boy during the investigation and takes him into his custody. Oliver leads now a better life, at last, but he is not sure if his benefactor will not one day send him back into the streets of London. He asks Mr. Brownlow: Oh, dont tell me you are going to send me away, sir, pray! [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Dont turn me out of doors to wander in the streets again. Let me stay here and be a servant. Dont send me back to the wretched place I came from. Have a mercy upon a poor boy, sir!  [21]   Mr. Brownlow, however, reassures the boy of his true devotion to his upbringing: My dear child, said the old gentleman, moved by the warmth of Olivers sudden appeal, you need not be afraid of my deserting you, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [22]   A few weeks later, however, Oliver is kidnapped by Nancy a prostitute who is incited by Fagin. What is more, he vanished precisely when Mr Brownlow entrusts him with money and sends him shopping. Oliver does not think about himself but is afraid that Mr. Bro