The Ambiguity in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essays -- Young Goodm

The Ambiguity in Young Goodman Brown The literary critics agree that there is considerable ambiguity in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown. This essay intends to illustrate the previous statement and to analyze the cause of this ambiguity. Henry James in Hawthorne, when discussing Young Goodman Brown comments on how imaginative it is, then mentions how allegorical Hawthorne is, and how allegory should be expressed clearly I frankly confess that I have, as a general thing, however little enjoyment of it, and that it has never seemed to me to be, as it were, a first-rate literary form. . . . But it is apt to spoil two good things a story and a moral, a meaning and a form and the taste for it is responsible for a large part of the forcible-feeding writing that has been inflicted upon the world. The only cses in which it is endurable is when it is extremely spontaneous, when the proportion presents itself with eager promptitude. When it shows signs of having been groped an d botch upd for, the needful illusion is of course absent, and the failure complete. Then the machinery alone is visible and the end to which it operates becomes a matter of indifference (50). When one has to grope for, and fumble for, the meaning of a tale, then there is failure in the work, as Henry James says. This unfortunately is the case of Young Goodman Brown. It is so ambiguous in so many occasions in the tale that a blur rather than a distinct image forms in the mind of the reader. The Norton Anthology American belles-lettres states in Nathaniel Hawthorne Above all, his theme was curiosity about the receses of other mens and womens beings. About this theme he was always ambivalent ... ..., Nathaniel. The recognize Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York Doubleday and Co., Inc.,1959. James, Henry. Hawthorne. Ithaca, NY Cornell University Press, 1997. Lang, H.J.. How Ambiguous Is Hawthorne. In Hawthorne A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. En glewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965. Melville, Hermann. Hawthorne and His Mosses. In The Norton Anthology American Literature, edited by Baym et al. New York W.W. Norton and Co., 1995. Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Norton Anthology American Literature, edited by Baym et al. New York W.W. Norton and Co., 1995. Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.

Economic Pursuits of the Jews in the Middle Ages :: essays research papers fc

Economic Pursuits of the Jews in the Middle AgesThe Jews in the middle ages progressed economically through unhomogeneous occupations. Their economic status was very volatile for many reasons. No area of Jewish life in Western Europe offers such a continuous change as the economy does. The Jews most specifically participated in international dole out, crafts, slave trade, local trade, and most popularly in money lending.The Jewish lot participated in commerce in the countries of western Mediterranean . However, Jewish roles in commerce were rather limited because Syrian merchants in Gaul who supplied the population with luxuriousness articles imported from the East monopolized the whole commerce scene . There would be a consistent war between Muslim and Christian fleets at sea, which go forth the Jewish merchants at a neutral status. As a result, Jewish merchants who were kidnapped at sea by pirates had a better chance of getting their exchange paid by their co-religionists . Jewish merchants had become very competitive which supposedly put some fear on others. Consequently, in 945, the Venetian government tenacious its ship owners not to carry Jewish passengers . Jewish merchants traded in amber, textiles, hides, arms, spices, precious stones, and other luxury articles . Their clientele consisted mainly of royal and ducal courts and the aristocracy, both sacrilegious and clerical . There were other groups engaged in international trade, and Jewish merchants were not the dominant role in the commerce scene . In the cities re-conquered from the Muslims in Spain, Jews played a decisive role in the revival of commerce and industry, and especially in the production and merchandising of clothing . As well, Englands Jewry had a role in commerce, too . After the year 1100, The Jewish role in international trade began to decline . The Hansa cities began to replace the Jewish traders. Their ships were heavily armed, and were no match for the Jews . Some believ e that Jews controlled the slave trade . Jews were also accused of kidnapping Christian children and selling them to Muslims in southern Spain. The proportion of Jews among the slave traders was little than their proportion in international trade . Jewish participation in trading Christian slaves was limited because a Christian ruler sometimes protected it . The Jewish merchants faced many unfair obstacles because of blunt discrimination. The Christian merchants were not faced with these same obstacles such as not being able to trade other Christian slaves.

Betrayal Exposed in Vietnam Perkasie, By Ehrhart Essay -- Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a controversial conflict that plagued the United States for many years. The liberation of life caused by the war was devastating. For those who came back alive, their lives were profoundly changed. The impact the war had on servicemen would affect them for the rest of their lives each soldier may have unaccompanied played single small part in the war, but the war played a huge part in their lives. They went in feeling one way, and came home feeling completely different. In the book Vietnam Perkasie, W.D. Ehrhart describes his change from a proud young American Marine to a man filled with big confusion, anger, and guilt over the atrocities he witnessed and participated in during the war. Growing up, Ehrhart lived in a small town called Perkasie, where he had a very safe and comfortable life. He had always felt prideful of his coarse. He would ride around with red, white, and blue crepe paper hanging from his bicycle and was brought to tears by the ceremonies o n memoir Day. As a sister, he played war with his friends and loved the battery powered toy gun he got one Christmas. It only seemed natural to him that he would join the service someday. His pride and loyalty to his country came to a peak when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. That year he wrote on his notebook ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country (page 8). This instilled in him a need to do something more, a need to serve his country. When it came to choose a college, he decided he would rather join the Marines. When describing his decision he said, I guess it sort of means something to me- you know, that old lump in the throat when you hear the Star- Spangled Banner (Ehrhart, 60). He felt that he enlisted... ...f his stay in Vietnam, he had wished he had never heard that word. He became horrified by this war. The once proud American was no longer so proud of his country. The Vietnam War was not like the movies he saw as a child the s creams were real, and when men fell down they didnt get up, and the sticky wet substance splattering against your leg was somebodys intestines (Ehrhart, 246). Although he had his family and friends around him upon his come down home, it seemed that Ehrhart was alone in The World. Unless someone was there, they could not possibly understand the thoughts and memories he had to live with. The gruesome memories from Vietnam had permeated him completely they engraved into his mind and would undoubtedly scar him forever. puzzle out CitedEhrhart, W.D. Vietnam Perkasie. University of Massachusetts Press second edition edition (June 9, 1995)

Sri Lanka :: Politics, Sinhalese Majority

Obtaining true Independence for Sri Lanka as a nation from the British was a long engagement which began in 1915 due to a rivalry between the Sri Lankan Muslims and the Sinhalese Majority over commercial interests which led to a riot in Colombo, the administrative enceinte of what is then known to the world as Ceylon (Corporation, 2008). The British, in response to the riots among the Ceylonese and the Muslims, placed the sole blame of these riots on the Sinhalese and implemented strict punishments on the Sinhalese showing (Irmantan, 1916). As a force anti British feelings began to increase among the Sinhalese majority, and an intense interest was placed in needing to be an independent nation (Corporation, 2008). However, it was just a work in progress until the LSSP Sri Lanka Socialist movement founded in 1935 demanded that the nation be freed from the British and the administrative language of English be replaced with Sinhala and Tamil (Tambiah S. J., 1992).However, the plan o f Sri Lanka being an independent nation which addressed the needs of all ethnic groups of the nation, despite first as a collectivist ideology soon began to deteriorate upon obtaining the long waited freedom in February 1948. This was due to the post colonial separatist mentality (LePoer, 2002). to boot following the independence, vital questions as the citizenship concerns of Sri Lankas up country Indian Tamils and the National Language concerns were not addressed (Roberts, 1994). Furthermore when these questions were addressed during the S.L.F.P rule from 1956-1965 the methods utilise in addressing these imperative problems which gave the minorities of Sri Lanka their individual identity was slanted toward the Sinhala majority (Hennayake, 2006, pp. 76-91). Considering the fact that an ethnic identity in a nation being a result of long preserved traditions followed by a set of people, when combined as a state with multiple ethnic identities will possibly result in a conflict of interests. Furthermore, as mentioned by Authors David Lake and Donald Rothchild, in most cases, the small minority will adopt to the Majority but when considering a significant seize minority it becomes hard to adopt in such manner (Lake & Rothchild, 1998, p. 48). This being the case of the Sri Lankan Tamils who is a large minority in comparison to another(prenominal) groups, and having key administrative roles during the colonial era began to protest on the new Sri Lankan legislation as the Sinhala Only Act (Tambiah S.

Marxism Essay -- essays research papers

In this paper, I am going to explore the differences between communism and socialism and how different the thoughts and opinions of these two ways of life are from the current western sandwich views on religion and God. To explain about the differences between socialism/communism and western thoughts on religion I will explore the writings of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. They are founders and writers of a lot of the socialist and communist thoughts on religion and God. In our western society when we discuss God and religion, people for the most part are going to lean unmatched way or an opposite when it comes to their beliefs on religion. If you are from the western part of globe like myself the views and thoughts hinge on the belief of God as a superior being, a perfect one, one who controls everything that happens. The other side of the coin in western culture would be the atheist who does not believe in God at all. There are many an(prenominal) other views about God and pietism that differ greatly from the views that are held throughout the western regions of the world. In a lot of the Eastern countries of the world the pedagogics of the Socialist and Communist parties that rule these areas of the world has influenced the views that have been passed down and taught through out the years. Communism and Socialism do not believe in the scheme that there is one perfect God and that you can only receive repurchase through him. In the western religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, God is the one and only domineering Being, the Creator of everything. Nothing exists in the world to these religions unless God had created it. God is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all good and eternal to salvation. God created the world and all its components for a purpose. God created military personnel beings to know, to love, to honor, to serve and to obey Him. God is to be thought of in masculine terms, even though God is a pure spirit and has no vis ible or bodily parts. Humans will be judged after death as to how well they have fulfilled Gods plan for them. Those who have failed, the sinners, will be punished for eternity. Those who have succeeded will be rewarded for eternity. The exact nature of the reward or punishment is hotly disputed, but all seem to agree that those who are rewarded will be in Gods presence and those who are punished will not. There are many arguments from people who do not believe... ...gard to the next world. Religion is the opium of the people, that is, it acts as a kind of painkiller. Religion makes bearable the unbearable, such as poverty, hunger, inequality and repression that happen in the world.The Christian religion means salvation to whatsoever and to others it is only something that only resides in the thoughts of the people of that society. A Marxist would tell you that true salvation could only be achieved here on earth by working. Salvation is something that all would hope would be in th e future for themselves. In this paper we have examined two differing opinions on how salvation can be achieved one was through religion and the other was the socialist way of life. The argument between societies about religion will not be settled here on earth. Who is right and who is wrong in the argument about religion? Is religion just a figment of our imagination, is it something humans made up to make us feel good about the future and our salvation. Or are the Marxists wrong, could religion be everything it is meant to be in the Christian religion. Could religion be the real salvation? These are great questions to ponder and talk about.

Marxism Essay -- essays research papers

In this paper, I am going to explore the differences between communism and socialism and how different the thoughts and opinions of these two slipway of life are from the current western views on religion and graven image. To explain closely the differences between socialism/communism and western thoughts on religion I pull up stakes explore the writings of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. They are founders and writers of a lot of the socialist and communist thoughts on religion and completedion. In our western society when we discuss beau ideal and religion, people for the most part are going to lean one way or an another(prenominal) when it comes to their beliefs on religion. If you are from the western part of humanity like myself the views and thoughts hinge on the belief of God as a superior being, a perfect one, one who controls everything that happens. The other side of the coin in western culture would be the atheist who does not believe in God at all. There are many other views about God and Religion that differ greatly from the views that are held throughout the western regions of the world. In a lot of the Eastern countries of the world the teaching of the Socialist and Communist parties that rein these areas of the world has influenced the views that have been passed down and taught through out the years. Communism and Socialism do not believe in the theory that there is one perfect God and that you can only receive salvation through him. In the western religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, God is the one and only Supreme Being, the Creator of everything. Nothing exists in the world to these religions unless God had created it. God is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all good and eternal to salvation. God created the world and all its components for a purpose. God created human beings to know, to love, to honor, to serve and to obey Him. God is to be thought of in masculine terms, even though God is a pure spirit and has no material or bodily parts. macrocosm will be judged after death as to how well they have fulfilled Gods plan for them. Those who have failed, the sinners, will be punished for eternity. Those who have succeeded will be rewarded for eternity. The exact nature of the reward or punishment is hotly disputed, but all seem to agree that those who are rewarded will be in Gods presence and those who are punished will not. There are many arguments from people who do not believe... ...gard to the next world. Religion is the opium of the people, that is, it acts as a material body of painkiller. Religion makes bearable the unbearable, such as poverty, hunger, inequality and repression that happen in the world.The Christian religion means salvation to some and to others it is only something that only resides in the thoughts of the people of that society. A Marxist would tell you that true salvation could only be achieved here on earth by working. Salvation is something that all would forecas t would be in the future for themselves. In this paper we have examined two differing opinions on how salvation can be achieved one was through religion and the other was the socialist way of life. The argument between societies about religion will not be settled here on earth. Who is right and who is wrong in the argument about religion? Is religion just a figment of our imagination, is it something humans made up to make us feel good about the future and our salvation. Or are the Marxists wrong, could religion be everything it is meant to be in the Christian religion. Could religion be the real salvation? These are great questions to hypothecate and talk about.

Art and Language

The following paper will focus on cognitive scholarship and its application to the modules of vocabulary structure with reference to functionalists theory. The highlighting factors of the paper will delve into how run-in is processed through a frame of reference and genuine in regards to cultural as well as empirical modes. The way in which language is processed by the mind and how cognitive science extrapolates this difficult function will be discussed as well as the applying the representational theory of mind.Language structures community. It is a response to the emotions, the events, and the culture surrounding mortals and is tied into the concepts of cognitive science because it is a process that has to be translated by the brain to be understood. Language is an innate expression of emotion, a deep need to convey oneself, to be understood, to find a society with someone or a group of hoi polloi through this desire of communication is found sensory signals.A well-develop ed individual will use language not only for communication of simple tasks (directions, greetings, or general information), exactly more intrinsically, for the relaying of emotion and thus, the internal representations are utilise in order to perceive correctly what is trying to be communicated. Through language there arises a sense of belonging through the brains ability to act and work like a computer the neural networks of the mind give off the impression of vocal integration of a species, and through this is found a preliminary common ground by which an individual may interpret signals and voice to demonstrate camaraderie.There is a common birth when two people speak the same language and are further bonded through the expression of their thoughts. A persons conversations, exterior portrayal of a relationship, and personal injuries lie in Sausseures bilateral definition of langue and not parole.Sausseures differentiation between langue and parole Langue is the formal grammat ical system of languageParole is actual speech, the way that speakers use language to express themselves. (455, Ritzer)It is correct to infer that when tourists are abroad, they feature a grasp of langue but little intellection of how to use parole effectively. This differentiation between grammar and expression is the key component in the separation of tourist from native. Sausseures system of language gives a stack of exile, which, when deliberated with langue and parole, is defined as being in a state of homelessness purely by being without language. Without the sense of intrinsic communication which bonds people, and which allows them to have a connection with the community around them, that innate expression or parole is lost and an exile is born.Without a relationship to the language being spoken, there can be no meaning behind the words, no emotion. In the Representational Theory of Mind, the tie that binds is considered to be that of language and how language is processe d and considered. Through mental states, thoughts, beliefs, and desires as much as impressions and images, language is the tool used to demonstrate the importance of each point. Language and RTM has at their base intentionality. Sensory experience is denoted through language and expressed with that language to another person. The sensory experience can be related to another person only through dialogue.Langue, then, can be viewed as a system of signs a structure- and the meaning of each sign is produced by the relationship among signs within the system. Especially important here are relations of difference, including double star oppositionsMeanings, the mind, and ultimately the social world are shaped by the structure of language. Thus, instead of an existential world of people shaping their surroundings, we have here a world in which people as well as other aspects of the social world, are being shaped by the structure of language. (455, Ritzer)When tourists go on vacation, they u sually end up spending their time with others from their own country in order to tactile sensation secure in unusual surroundings and to feel more at home. With this in mind, tourists do not succumb to the ideas of culture shock, for they are forever surrounded with their own culture if they were not, then the desperation of being in exile of language would overcome any sense of excitement in a new place.In Hoffmans essay The New Nomads in Letters of Transitexile, and the pain of radical change, do not necessarily lead to a more radical personality structure or greater openness to the world. On the contrary, upheaval and dislocation can sometimes produce some rather more conservative impulses of self-defense and self preservation. (54)In Freuds New Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis translated by W. J. H. Sprott, he statesThe danger of mental helplessness corresponds to the stage of early immaturity of the ego the danger of loss of physical object or of love corresponds to t he dependence of the early years of childhood the danger of castration to the phallic phase and finally, fear of the super-ego, which occupies a special position, to the period of latency. As development proceeds the old conditions for anxiety should vanish, since the danger-situations, which correspond to them, have lost their force owing to the strengthening of the ego. But this only happens to a very neither degree.A great many people cannot overcome the fear of loss of love they never become independent enough of the love of other people and continue their infantile behavior in this respectThere is no doubt that persons whom we call neurotic remain infantile in their attitude towards danger, and have not grown out of antiquated conditions of anxiety. (122,123)And as Ritzer states,A thinking, self-conscious individual islogically impossible in Meads theory without a antecedent social group. The social group comes first, and it leads to the development of self-conscious mental s tates. (207, Ritzer)In such a society, language becomes not a way of telling, but a hindrance, a barrier of self and society. With the reflection of society, an individual receives feedback of their character, or reflections of who they are. In Marxs essay The German Ideology in Kaplan and Andersons Criticism, he states,knowingness is, therefore, from the very beginning a social product, and remains so as long as men exist at all mans consciousness of the necessity of associating with the individuals around him is the beginning of the consciousness that he is living in society at all. (317-318)Language then is an avenue by which RTM may be understood to be a symbolic representation of thought. RTM then functions on a system of building blocks, because language is not implicit but empirical.Work CitedHoffman, Eva. (1989). The New Nomads. In A. Aciman (Ed). Letters of Transit (pp. 35-63). New York The New Press.Marx, Karl. (1846). The German Ideology. In C. Kaplan and W.D. Anderson ( Eds.). Criticism Major Statements (pp. 310-318). capital of Massachusetts Bedford/St. Martins.Ritzer, George. (2000). Modern Sociological Theory. Boston McGraw-Hill Co., Inc.Sigmund, Freud. (1933). New Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis (W.J.H. Sprott, Trans.). New York W.W. Norton & Company, INC.

Materialism and the Power of Competition In Darwin

Materialism, the belief that the inbred world, as advantageously as mans social and economic circumstance were governed by depressed laws and phenomena, is at the heart of nineteenth century philosophy. For these men, the discovery of principles like gravitation and thermodynamics, which govern the natural world, prove that an understanding of the universe is within mans grasp. The investigation of the natural world would no longer be constrained by religious dogma or moral certainty.Instead, a reliance on mans powers of observation, as hale as his rational faculties could tide him to a comprehensive understanding of the physical world, as wholesome as the progress of human society. Mars historical fabricism and Darnings evolutionary theory of natural selection are examples that reflect this philosophical trend. Both views describe a progress, which is historically Inevitable. Progress within the natural world, as well as human society, would no longer be divinely guided. In a universe no longer governed by delve force, history could no longer be explained as moving inexorably toward final delve Judgment.Rather, history and human progress must owe be explained by an versed self-directed energy. The nature of this force had been anticipated a generation earlier by Thomas Malthusian. It is the power of competition. For Darwin, this competition in the midst of animals of different species and among members of the same species was a competition for both for scarce resources, as well as reproductive dominance. This was an example of survival of those best adapted to their environment, or what he termed survival of the fittest. For Marx, analogous competitive forces were at work throughout human history.He argues hat all facets of humanity are attributable to mans material circumstances. Consequently, he argues there would be a natural antagonism between those who controlled the means of production and those who labor for them. This competitive tension, whi ch he termed class struggle, was the motivating force for historical progress. Marx and Darwin then share communal roots In materialism. The evolution of species and the progress of humanity, as described by these men, share a common source in the power of competition as an objective motivator for adaptation within the natural world and progress in human civilization.In Marxist ideology, the history of civilizations reflects a continuous struggle between those in positions of wealth and power and those who are exploited by them. This conflict has been described as class struggle. Class struggle is identified in from distributively one historical era. Medieval society was characterized by a complex arrangement of social classes, Including lords, the vassals, tradesmen and serfs. The organization of society always reflected the antagonism between the powerful who rule and the powerless who were ruled by them.The dissolution of the complex chivalric social arrangement was brought on by the Industrial revolution. The seeds for the collapse of the old order were put by a change In the material circumstances of society, medieval society, was however, considerably simpler than the one it replaced. The new material conditions of production meant there would be a tension between those who own the means of production and those whose labor for them. In nineteenth industrial society, class conflict pitted the industrial entrepreneurial class, the middle class against the toiling masses or proletariat.This success of the capitalistie was made possible by the increasing demand for capital necessary to enhance Rupees growing industries. The impulse for the creation of this class was the expansion of trade during the age of exploration. Trade expansion, beginning with exploration, created a growing demand for raw materials and manufactured products. The increasing scale of industrial demand outstripped the capacity of medieval guilds to supply manufactured goods. Lar ge-scale manufacturing was necessary to meet this new demand.Industrial expansion requires larger volumes of capital, which meant that new forms of financing were needed to treat industrial expansion. The need for capital requires the creation off new class of financiers, as well as new industrial leadership, the bourgeoisie. The failure of the old medieval system was the result of its inability to adapt to the changes in industrial production, necessitated by growing market forces. The success of the new Industrial order made the bourgeoisie rich and powerful, ultimately signaling the death of the old economic organization.With this newfound wealth, the bourgeoisie was able to successfully displace the established aristocracy of the past and bond the reigns of political power. The expansion of political rights during this period meant little more than the protection of the right of private property, which served to protect the economic gains of the Bourgeoisie. The state and its legal system became the handmaid of the bourgeois class, serving to enhance its economic control. The ascendancy of the propertyed class meant the increasing transformation of society along monetary terms. In bourgeois society, money became the measure of all things.A world defined by the conditions of the competitive market meant that the bourgeoisie needed to continually innovate. This innovation meant greater productivity and the need to thrive markets. While these forces succeeded in enhancing the wealth of the industrial class, it resulted in increasing exploitation of the working class. The increasing profitability of industrial production was made possible by improving worker productivity. This surplus value meant increasing profits for the factory owners at the expense of the very workers whose labor had made enhanced productivity possible.But exactly as the changes in productive resources at the inception of the industrial age spelled the end of feudal society the rowi ng exploitation of the working class created by industrial overproduction would expose the contradictions of modern industrial society, triggering its downfall. Overproduction and falling prices would precipitate a depression that would further depress wages and result in hardships for the laboring masses, ultimately threatening the security of bourgeois society.As Marx describes it when he stated, It is enough to mention the commercial crises that by their periodic return put on trial, each time more threateningly, the existence of the entire bourgeois society (225-226). The very forces of production, which the bourgeoisie had harnessed to its advantage earlier, were now sowing the seeds of social instability for organization and resistance to bourgeois domination, fueling class conflict and revolution. Once again, as in the feudal period, it is the material circumstances and economic relationships of class that fuel social transformation.Just as mans material circumstance created the dynamic for economic transformation the forces of competition and conflict are vital for the evolution of species in the natural world. In Darnings natural selection, traits that enjoy a imitative advantage for the species survive and are transmitted to successive generations. The variations in any one generation may appear minimal, however the cumulative encroachment of generations can be profound. Evolution of species is a selective process.Those inherited variations in traits, which enjoy a selective advantage over other variants in the same trait, are successfully transmitted to the succeeding generation. Over time, this process of competitive selection, which he termed survival of the fittest, would result in significant changes in species, as well as, the creation of ewe species and subspecies. In deriving his theory of evolution based on competition, Darwin drew on the theories of Thomas Malthusian.Malthusian proposed that populations that increase geometrically would be a constant competition for scarce resources in order to survive. All natural populations, like their human counterparts, would be under constant pressure to adapt to a jumpy natural world of scarcity. The result was that only those populations, which were best adapted, would succeed. Then, the perfect adaptations we observe in nature are the byproduct of a brutal and morally apathetic process of selection.

Problems in American Education

The American system of education has often been criticized in many circles. By objective measures, such as exchangeable test scores, the coupled States lags behind other industrialized nations in scores on subjects such as math and science. The most recent comparisons turn out the United States ranked one-sixteenth in a field of the thirty wealthiest nations in science. (Glod, A07) They ranked twenty-third in the same field with respect to math scores. (Glod, A07) The regions with which these students were compargond were, for the most part in Western Europe and East Asia.(Glod, A07) The popular American culture makes light of how uneducated the general population is. Shows like the Late Show with Jay Leno take to the streets and want good deal relatively simple questions, which they cannot answer. Game shows such as Are you Smarter than A Fifth Grader make light of adult ignorance, and news organizations emphasize the problems in Americas schools. A close examination of the mo tives, methods and goals of general education in the United States along with a review of public attitudes toward learning stray light upon wholesome-nigh of the reasons for the substandard reputation of Americas schools.It can be argued that in terms of economic benefits, our schools be adequately achievementful, but in terms of a social and cultural tool, American schools fall well short of their foreign counterparts, as well as their own stated goals. (Rebell, 37)The reasons for this be lack of proper funding, the treatment of teachers, and the localized control of schools attempting to achieve unrealistic federal mandates. Schools in America across the board be under-funded. Many studies give birth demonstrated that the role of education is greatly enhanced by low-down teacher-to-student ratios.The National teaching method Agency recommends a ratio of no more than 15 students per teacher in Elementary schools. (Roza, moth miller & Hill) Across the nation, the avera ge class size for elementary school is 22-25 students per teacher. (Roza, moth miller & Hill) Given numerous studies that prove that the smaller ratio yields real, tangible meliorations in math and science scores, it is clear that more qualified teachers and more facilities wherein they might teach are needed. (Roza, Miller & Hill) These assets, how constantly, bell money.(Roza, Miller & Hill) The states and localities are expected to find money for schools, and the method of choice for funding schools has been the property tax. (Roza, Miller & Hill) Coupled with the fact that schools generally serve the neighborhoods in which they are located, and the endemic problem becomes clear Schools from poorer neighborhoods bequeath postulate less money because property values are lower. (Roza, Miller & Hill) Both the States and the Federal organization harbor attempted, with limited success to solve these inadequacies.(Roza, Miller & Hill) The federal government, through the Title I program, has allocated $18 billion to fill the economic holes in funding for wiped out(p) districts, but these programs have failed, as the money is often either diverted, or never moved owing to loopholes in the existing laws. (Roza, Miller & Hill) Federal studies have shown that school districts generally favor financially those schools who have the fewest challenges, and that Title I money is frequently funneled to schools with little or no financial need.(Roza, Miller & Hill) Teacher pay is another area in which the lack of funds has hurt educational outcomes in America. Thirty-six states have a funding happy chance, with a nationwide disparity between gritty-poverty and low-poverty districts of $1,348 per student. Funding gaps and the lack of progress in eliminating them continue to contribute to the overall lack of relative success in Americas public Schools. (Carey, K. ) In twenty-five of a forty-nine state field of study, the highest-poverty school districts get fewe r resources than the lowest-poverty districts. (Carey, K. ) Even more states have a gap for high-minority districts, thirty-one in all.Those thirty-one states educate six out of every ten poor and minority children in America. The shortfalls, some exceeding $1,000 or charge $2,000 per student, are greatly at odds with national goals for closing the achievement gap. (Carey, K. ) They fly in the face of any reasonable, rational notion of how to support our public schools. (Carey, K. ) Until state policymakers get serious about fixing these problems, they cannot in good conscience pretend to have fulfilled their basic obligations to those students who are most in need of a high-quality public education. (Carey, K.) Moreover, these come ups actually understate the true extent of the problem because they dont reflect the added cost of educating children in poverty. (Carey, K. ) School funding experts generally agree that high-poverty schools need more resources to meet the same standar ds. (Carey, K. ) School funding comparisons that reflect this fact have been a mainstay of academic research and various technical analyses of school finance for a bend of years. (Carey, K. ) Recent examples of such analyses include publications from both the U. S. Department of Education and the U. S. Government Accountability Office.(Carey, K. ) The average teacher salary in the United States is between $39 and $43 thousand dollars a year, depending on location. (Average Salaries)It typically takes a four-year degree and additional study of content to qualify to be a teacher. (Porter, C) In contrast, other professionals with four-year degrees earn over twice that amount, particularly if their area of study is math or science related. (Cowan, K. ) It shouldnt be surprising, then, that qualified math and science teachers are in high demand. The money necessary to lure these types of people into education simply does not exist in the current budgets.Critics of this analysis argue th at substantial raises in teacher pay would be throwing money at the problem, and over-compensating a population of underperforming teachers. (Porter, C) This argument is precious. The current population of teachers do not represent the best available, largely because of low salary as better quality educators become available, the job market will become competitive, and with a very short time, the overall quality of those teachers would rise to the level appropriate to the pay. Related to the low salaries of the teachers are the cultural attitudes that America has toward schools, teachers and education.It is these attitudes that contribute to the problems that Educators in this country face when trying to compete with other nations. (Porter, C) Americans have long been used to the notion that a free and appropriate education for their children was a fundamental right. (Porter, C) As a solving, many schools have devolved into nothing more than quasi-educational daycares for all Ameri can children. (Porter, C) The fact that American parents express more satisfaction with the schools than do their European and Asian counterparts illustrates the US cultural complacency with respect to education.(Porter, C) Students in these foreign schools work harder for a number of reasons. First, they are under more parental scrutiny, second, their cultures do not denigrate learning and academic achievement, and third, admission to favorable careers and higher education is based on close assessment of learning achievement in high school. (Bishop, J. ) In contrast, students in US schools do not recognize the benefits of education for a number of reasons. (Bishop, J. ) First, the U. S. labor market does not reward high school achievement. (Bishop, J.) Statistics indicate that for the first eight years after high school, achievement does not correspond to increase in wages for the high school educated. (Bishop, J. ) Most employers do not look deep at grades of high school graduat es, and many schools do not send transcripts to prospective employers, even when requested to do so. (Bishop, J. ) Another key contributing factor to the lower expectations of benefit for American students in high school is the fact that college admissions are not based on high school performance as much as on aptitude tests. (Bishop, J.) The result is that neither students nor parents are motivated to push for higher academic standards, since they would jeopardize GPA, SAT scores and class rank, the three key statistics examined for university admission (Bishop, J. ). The fact that parents and students to not regard the field of education as important in its own right is caused by several factors. The first is the sense of entitlement that parents have about education. (Bishop, J. ) They determine that students have a right not to learn, but to get a Diploma, go to college, and achieve the financial success associated with college education.(Porter, C. ) Parents and students acros s the board assume that this is an entitlement, instead than something to be earned through hunting expedition and ability. (Porter, C. ) The basic notion is that education is something done to a child, rather than something the child does. (Porter, C. ) This attitude, shared by parents, students and even some administrators dovetails into the lack of respect for educators that is reflected by poor pay. In no other profession, are professionals questioned, criticized and scrutinized by their clients than in education. (Porter, C.) Despite teachers having obtained a four-year degree, additional training for teaching, and how ever many years of experience they might have, their clients (parents) are still convinced that they know more than the professionals as to how their student might learn. (Porter, C. ) The notion that those who cant do, teach and the underlying notion that teachers have that job because they cannot do anything else contributes to this lack of professional respe ct. (Porter, C. ) Low salary validates this viewpoint. The underlying assumption is that if a teacher were competent, they would be doing something else that yields better pay.Often, this attitude is displayed by school administrators, who often treat teachers as fungible units of work, with little or no consideration for their abilities, expertise, experience or suggestions. (Porter, C. ) The fact that administrators are often acting according to governmental or budgetary guidelines does not detract from the perception created by their conduct. (Porter, C. ) In European cultures, as well as many Asian ones, the opposite assumption is held. Parents expect very high output from not only teachers, but students as well. (Bishop, J.) The question is not can you teach my child, but rather, can my child learn from you what he or she needs. (Bishop, J. ) While salaries for European or Asian teachers may not be as high comparatively, the level of respect afforded to the profession is much h igher. (Bishop, J. ) This begins with students believing and understanding that education is their responsibility, not that of their teachers. (Bishop, J. ) This causes the students to put in maximum ride to learn, which in turn solves a vast majority of the problems experienced in the American system. (Bishop, J.) A teacher who is unable to perform in an environment of students who are highly motivated to learn is not competent, and would need to be retrained or replaced. (Bishop, J. ) The recognition of the real value of education by the public makes the raising of funds to pay for quality teachers and facilities much easier as well. Since all of the community and the government recognize the economic need for quality education, it is given budgetary priority. (Bishop, J. ) Despite these deficiencies, the political will to spend the money needed to improve schools is not present.When a study is done which ranks US education as below international standards, in that respect is of ten an outcry, and much talk about improvement, but very little actually happens. The Federal government has issued edicts such as No shaver remaining Behind which articulates goals without a roadmap or funding to achieve them. (Neill, M. ) This mandate has contributed significantly to the inability of schools to meet their educational goals. It is taken as a given, even by proponents of the No Child left wing Behind program that it is under funded, but that is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of this issue.(Neill, M. ) The federal government has, in this law, issued what is known as an unfunded mandate by insisting the States meet certain standards without providing the means to do so(Neill, M. ). This is merely one of numerous problems with the No Child Left Behind concept. (Neill, M. ) Modeling the concept after an initiative in Houston, the No Child Left Behind program has been unable to reproduce that success in other places. (Neill, M. ) Studies of the Houston plan show that the success illustrated there was never really present to begin with (Neill, M. ).Results were manipulated by excluding non-performing students from counts, and even with that provision, the race-gap was not addressed in Houston. (Neill, M. ) By dividing student groups up by race and other demographics, studies have also shown that the more diverse the culture of a school district, the less probable they are to meet the No Child Left Behind standards of achievement. (Neill, M. ) In fact, some studies have shown that given current demographic shifts, virtually all schools will eventually fall short of the improvement standards set by the initiative. (Neill, M.) Since the sole measure in the No Child Left Behind initiative is standardized tests, the entire focus of education has become test preparation. (Neill, M. ) This narrows curriculum, and puts undue pressure on students, teachers and administrators. (Neill, M. ) It also forces curriculum away from higher level thinking sk ills which are far more useful assets for future academic, financial and social success. (Neill, M. ) No Child Left Behind demands that English-language-impaired and special-needs students meet proficiency standards without any means of devising this happen.(Neill, M. ) The theory is that the mere institution of the requirement, coupled with the threat of punishment for failure, will force the schools to improve in this area. (Neill, M. ) By privatizing tutoring and support funding, No Child Left Behind not only takes money away from public schools, but also promotes the perception that failures of student performance are based on clunky or lazy teaching, rather than anything associated with student efforts, or any other factor. (Neill, M.) No Child Left Behind labels certain schools as failures, which causes the quality teachers inwardly such schools to transfer out, and creates a difficult climate for the schools to recruit quality teachers. (Neill, M. ) The initiative in no wa y addresses socio-economic causes of academic struggles, making no effort to feed, clothe or house underachieving students in order to make them able to focus on academics. (Neill, M. ) Finally, the remedies offered by No Child Left Behind have failed to fix schools which prove to be in need of improvement according to their own standards.(Neill, M. ) In fact, the initiative actively prevents measures which have proven to offer improvement for schools with poor performance records. (Neill, M. ) Portfolio assessment, teacher training, proactive parent involvement, and other proven methods of improvement are shoved aside in favor of artificial standards based on tests that fail to address the actual goals of education, and whose contents are ridiculously unrepresentative of competent content. (Neill, M. )Lack of proper funding, the treatment of teachers, and the localized control of schools attempting to achieve unrealistic Federal mandates have caused United States Schools to under p erform in comparison to their European and Asian counterparts. The culture of contempt for education professionals and disengaged parents have created a system which is deeply flawed. Resolution of these problems would involve wholesale restructuring, massive rebuilding and huge amounts of money.Given the continued economic strength of the United States despite perennial failures in education, it is likely that the government will allow the top ten percent to gain benefits from public education, while everyone else, including parents, teachers, administrators and most students are left mired in a adopt of misguided regulation, spurious funding, unrealistic expectations and public contempt for their efforts. Bibliography Average Salaries of Public School Teachers The National Education Agency Website 2004-5 The National Education Agency 2002. http//www. nea. org/edstats/RankFull06b.htm Bishop, J. Incentives for teaching Why American High School Students Compare so Poorly to Their C ounterparts Overseas Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) CAHRS Working Paper serial 1989. Accessed November 14, 2008. http//digitalcommons. ilr. cornell. edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article=1399&context=cahrswp Carey, C. The Funding Gap 2004 Many States Still Shortchange Low-Income and Minority Students The Education Trust Website 2004. The Education Trust. 2007. http//www2. edtrust. org/NR/rdonlyres/30B3C1B3-3DA6-4809-AFB9-2DAACF11CF88/0/funding2004. pdf Cowan, K.List of Best Degrees by honorarium PayScale Website 2008 PayScale, Inc. 2000. http//blogs. payscale. com/salary_report_kris_cowan/2008/07/list-of-best-co. html Glod, M. U. S. Teens Trail Peers Around World on Math-Science Test The Washington Post Wednesday, December 5, 2007 Page A07 http//www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120400730. html Neill, M. No Child Left Behind After Two Years A Track register Of Failure Time Out from Testing Website. 2008 Performance opinion 2001 http //www. timeoutfromtesting. org/pr/PR_Neil_NoChildLeftBehind.pdf Porter, C. Interview (personal) 12 November, 2008. Rebell, M. Professional Rigor, Public Engagement and Judicial Review A Proposal for Enhancing the Validity of Education Adequacy Studies. Teacher College Record Volume 109, Number 6, 2007 Pg. 1-73. http//www. schoolfunding. info/resource_center/research/professional_rigor. pdf Roza, M, Miller L. & Hill, P. Strengthening Title 1 to Help High-Poverty Schools The University of Washington website 2005 The university of Washington,2008 http//uwnews. org/relatedcontent/2005/August/rc_parentID11695_thisID11712. pdf

Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline Essay

Although significant oil reserves have been found in the early 1970s, these could not be real because 1- Chad is a landlocked unpolished with limited domestic demand 2- civil war prevented the creation of a stable investment environment and caused the departure of several investors. Since peace was established in 1990, investors and the knowledge base verify returned to Chad for developing its oil reserves.In order to justify the large investment, access to the world market was sought via a pipeline through with(predicate) Cameroon, which is also a relatively poor countrified that can benefit from the investment and transit revenues. The institution Bank has been supporting natural resource blood based development around the world and, in particular, in Africa as the primary driver for economic growth and poverty reduction in these countries. But, the Bank has also been heavily criticized for failing to achieve these goals as the revenues from resource development do not reac h the majority of the society.With the Chad-Cameroon pipeline and oil development in Chad, the Bank and the companies are following a novel partnership and revenue management approach. How is the project financing different? How will this new approach produce? Will Chad and Cameroon benefit from this approach? Background1 Upon getting its independence from France in 1960, Chad has been involved in 30 years of civil war. The peace was finally restored in 1990, and the surface area drifted towards multiparty democracy, until rebellion broke out again in the north of the country.In January 2002 peace treaty was signed confirming de jure reign of northern ethnicity. Chad is one of the to the lowest degree developed nations on earth with GNI per capita of around $200. Republic of Chad is ranked 165th of 175 countries in UNs Survival Ranking. The agricultural sector accounts for 36% of Chads GDP. Cotton exports account for 50% of foreign currency earnings. Chads government is concerned about this dependence on cotton and wants to diversify its economy in order to mitigate vulnerability associated with volatility of the international price of cotton.Chads only significant natural resources are oil deposits. Being independent since 1960, Cameroon has developed a rather stable political system, based on ethnic oligopoly. Despite of vast natural resource base (including oil, natural gas and aluminum) the country is one of the poorest in the world, with GNI per capita of roughly $600 in 2002. According to World Bank classification Cameroon is an HIPC (heavily indebted poor country) with total debt of $4. 9 billion and outstanding short-term debt over $950 million.Cameroon is in Top-15 countries with highest HIV rate (around 12%) and in Top-30 infant mortality rate. Economic and social development information on this section comes from the World Bank web site, CIA Fact Book, and U. N. Human Development Report. Center for Energy Economics. No reproduction, distribution or attribution without permission. Chad-Cameroon Pipeline 1 1 content Study From Since 1990, being faced with a fall in GDP due to unfavorable prices on major exported goods Cameroon has been engaged in several World Bank and IMF programs, aimed at poverty reduction and acceleration of economic growth.As a result annual GDP growth averaged 2. 1% through 1990-2001, compared to 3. 4% in 1980s. Oil Development Conoco became the first foreign oil company to undertake significant oil exploration in Chad with acquisition of the Chad Permit H concession in 1969. Between 1973 and 1975, oil was discovered in varying amounts in the Doba, Doseo, and Lake Chad basins, that led to the creation of a multinational consortium comprising Conoco (12. 5% and operator), gallant Dutch/Shell (37. 5%), Exxon (25%), and Chevron (25%).In 1981 all the exploration projects were stopped due to escalating civil war. In 1988 a convention was signed in the midst of the government of Chad and the consortium, g ranting exploration permit with term of validity until early 2004. Conoco withdrew from the project, and Exxon took over operations, discovering the Bolobo field in 1989 with estimated 135 million barrels of reserves. 3 Chevron, in its turn, sell its share (20% interest in the Block H hydrocarbon license containing the three fields) to Elf Aquitaine, in 1993.

Children or adults that are not listening through general disrespect Essay

If you make eye contact with the adult or chela you lav draw their attention towards you. Calling out a childs name result make them turn to face you so that you can verbalise to them. If you lower the tone of your voice and talking in a quiet calm manner, the adult or child would keep back to concentrate more to try to hear what you are saying and will withal jockstrap calm an active child down enough to listen to you attentively. Its also an affective method to calm an angry parent who is shouting and doesnt want to hear what you are saying. You could also hold a childs hands so they know its them that you are talking to.You could adapt the surroundings, like taking a parent or child into an office to talk to them. If an adult is angry and is not listening to what you are saying, you could also let them have their say first so that once they have voiced their aspect they will be ready to hear what you have to say. Hearing impairment and speech impediments Using sign languag e and speaking clearly helps us to die with hearing impaired raft, they can fancy what we are saying through lip reading and the sign language will help emphasis that.If people have speech impediments it is important to allow them plenty of time to speak, rushing them can make them nervous and make the impediment worse or revert them from communicating at all. Using flash cards is also another way of communicating, with children and adults that have hearing and speech problems. (see attachment) Behavioural problems and learning difficulties If a person you are communicating with has behavioural problems or learning difficulties it is important that you are patient with them.Using simple language with people with learning difficulties help them to understand what you are saying. By identifying the problem then trying to understand it, you can keep an eye on ways in which to adapt your approach to a way that they will understand you. If a child is hyperactive, trying to get them to sit down and hold a conversation will be difficult, but doing it through trifle is a way to hold their concentration. face not being the first language (ESOL) Using simple vocabulary will improve understanding and apply body language and hand gestures help by emphasis what is being said.A good way of communicating with parents/carers that dont use English as a first language is by compiling a multilingual newsletter, where you can put across any in seduceation and not have miscommunication. You can also set up a buddy system with adults or children, where there maybe another child who is bilingual that can help translate. Shy or timid people Interacting with adults and children on a one on one basis helps to communicate with introvert people.With adults this could be in the form of a meeting, and with children this can be through play. Circle time is another way of helping shy children talk, asking individuals questions or singing songs. Not get on with colleagues or dealing with two faced people Holding staff meetings with a unbiased coordinator gives staff a chance to air their grievances and find a possible resolution to them. Team building exercises can also help people get along, through play with children to colleagues being put on a project together.With children you can also reinforce club rules, and with colleagues you can reinforce policies. You can also used role play and read stories, cock-a-hoop children a different view on what they are doing wrong and see how treating their peers bad affects them. Not making time or effort to communicate agreement meetings with staff or parents/carers will give enough notice for them to make time for a meeting. With children you can use circle time as an luck to have class discussions.

Clothing Retailer Hennes & Mauritz Essay

A key ingredient in retailing success is the strength of a go withs scattering channels. Kerry Capells (2002) Business Week article looks at Sweden-based Hennes & Mauritzs (H&M) sourcing and inventory management strategies and their reliance on distribution channel partners. H&M has veritable a unique distribution channel strategy to compete with better entrenched retailers including Gap, Old Navy, Zara and FCUK.H&M Product StrategyUnderstanding H&Ms distribution strategy requires a clear understanding of their product philosophy and strategy. Like Gap and other garments retailers, H&M foodstuffs to a particular segment of the fashion consumer market. H&Ms philosophy is Fashion and quality at the best price (H&M, 2004). H&M keeps up with its competitors by providing a variety of styles from updated classics and fashion basics to cutting-edge fashion trends (H&M, 2004).Kotler defines the product as a combination of goods and services (Kotler et al, 2001). H&M seeks a product edge by providing affordable fashion lines similar to its competitors, but with a straightaway turnaround from design to production to sales radical (Capell, 2002). Capell focused on this integrated distribution channel in his article.Distribution Channel OutlineMarketers often refer to the fourth P, place, as placement, logistics or distribution. Marketers essential create a place or a way for logistics and physical delivery to get a product to market and into the hands of target consumers (McColl-Kennedy and Kiel, 2003). A distribution channel refers to the type of intermediary or linkage between producers and consumers. A one-channel distribution network involves only the retailer between producer and consumer. rule distribution occurs when the producer directly supplies the product to the buyer. The choice of distribution channel depends on avariety of factors, including the type of product. While not all clothing retailers use direct distribution models, H&M and its competitors in the low- and mid-range clothing market use this model to maintain low costs and a fast time to market (Capell, 2002).Unlike many industries, time-to-market is critical to retail clothiers, as trends and fashions can change quickly. To minimize time-to-market, H&M employs a team of in-house designers in 21 production offices worldwide that work to forecast trends and find inspiration for clothing designs in everything from street trends, to films, to flea markets (H&M, 2004). From its headquarters in Stockholm, the club directs a rapid-response manufacturing address to capitalize on design trends immediately (H&M, 2004).H&M moves designs through production and into its retail sales channel with a three week to sixer month lead time. With low-wage, high-volume production in China and Turkey, the company can maintain low input costs and often outfit its stores with the latest trends inwardly a month of the initial design (Capell, 2002). H&M constantly redefines its distribution strategies in response to changing retail market conditions and production conditions in its worldwide manufacturing centers (Capell, 2002). This adaptation ensures that the company can to improve the efficiency of its production flow.This model has direct application in H&Ms retail stores where it sells its products to consumers. H&Ms corporate buyers in Sweden actively manage its inventory, researching itemized sales reports by country, store, and, most importantly, type of merchandise daily (Capell, 2002). The buyers use this cultivation to reallocate production or shipments, reducing potential overstock problems. The itemized reports also allow buyers to maintain a high level of turnover, keeping apparel on the sales floor up to date.Enhancing the companys competitive advantage in this area, the integrated direct distribution channel ensures that H&M stores develop new shipments daily, giving the company further control over responses to supply and demand crackings (Capell, 2002). The company estimates that each store receives between 500 and 1,000 new items daily, with add together sales of over 550 millionitems annually company-wide. For example, if a particular fashion proves exceptionally popular to men in the U.S., but not in Europe, the company can shift inventory in that product from European stores to meet demand in the U.S. The channel also enables H&M to respond to market segment changes. When its $39 pants line proved too upscale for inner city heart and souls, H&M used its integrated channel to shift that inventory to suburban locations and rotate new inventory into the mall stores (Hjelt, 2004).As with virtually every industry, H&Ms continued success and successfulness depends on efficient distribution channels. H&M has effectively incorporated its supply chain and retail distribution channels into its business strategy. As the company expands more heavily into the U.S. market, its unique streamlined distribution channel will be a critic al component of its success.Works CitedCapell, Kerry. (2002, November 11). Hip H&M The Swedish retailer is reinventing the business of affordable fashion. Business Week. 106-109.Hjelt, Paola. (2004). Will $39 Pants = Profits? H&M was too trendy for many mall shoppers. Fortune.com. Retrieved August 23, 2004 from the World Wide Web at http//www.fortune.com/fortune/subs/article/0,15114,395434,00.htmlH&M. (2004). About H&M. HM.com. Retrieved August 23, 2004 from the World Wide Web at http//www.hm.com/us/hm/facts_history/srt.jspKotler, P., Armstrong, G., Brown, L. and Adam, S. (1998). Marketing. Sydney Prentice Hall.McColl-Kennedy, J.R. and Kiel, G. (2003). Services Marketing. Hoboken, NJ Wiley and Sons.

Can feminism be thought of as a theory of law Essay

As a concept, womens venting movement is very much a modern nonion indoors well-grounded circles, which aims to eradicate any injustice against womens rights. This in a corporation warmly founded upon a young-begetting(prenominal)-orientated ratified trunk, which historically fails to recognise the social and sub judice rights of women, and kinda guidancees upon priapic-orientated theories and ideologies.1 It is this patriarchy that feminists dilate to eliminate. The essence of patriarchy is emphasised by the Marxist ratified system, developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the 19th Century, which places no emphasis upon sexual practice, and consequently belittles the feminists fight for sex activity peerity. Juxtaposed with the rigid Marxist approach to well-grounded rule is the postmodernist dialect that offers a positive method of forcing individuals to confront and change the rigid contexts and structures (including laws) inside which they yield arbitr arily confined themselves.2The ideology of womens liberation movement is split into three distinct categories, all of which work towards one common goal of removing gender prejudices 1) Liberal feminism is grounded in classical liberal thinking that individuals should be free to develop their own talents and pursue their own interests. Liberal feminists accept the introductory organisation of our orderliness but seek to expand the rights and opportunities of women. Liberal feminists support equal rights and oppose prejudice and discrimination that block the aspirations of women.3 2) Socialist feminism is an evolution from Marxist conflict theory, essentially made in reaction to the little attention Marx paid to gender. Socialist feminists argue that the bourgeois family must be restructured to end domestic slavery in favour of some collective means of carrying egress housework and child c are.The key to this goal, in turn, is a socialist fracture that manufactures a state-cent red economy operating to meet the needs of all. Such a basic transformation of society requires that women and men pursue their personal liberation together, rather than individually, as liberal feminists maintain.4 3) The third form of feminism is radical feminism. This, as the name suggests is the most extreme version of feminism, it disregards the liberal theory as superficial and inadequate,5 and they claim that even a socialist revolution would not end patriarchy.Radical feminists strive to create a society free from any gender inequality by completely abolishing the cultural notion of gender. To look at these three forms of feminism an observer would be brutal to discard feminism as having no legal influence, as it is clear to see from these that support for such movements is vast and comes in various forms, all of which onset the same enemy, patriarchy, albeit in differing manners. These differing methods are accentuated by recent developments and movements in society, part icularly in the 20th Century these can be clearly highlighted by aspect at the actions of the suffragettes in 1910, which illustrate a more active approach to campaigning.As previously mentioned feminist legal theories are a contemporary concept, for this agent a radical new methodology in legal theory is required in order to encompass the new issues raised by feminism as a legal theory. Such a new methodology could be found in the decisive legal theory method, as it would be able to incorporate feminist views such as the theory that a male-orientated understanding of law emphasises individualism and rights at the expense of female person emphases upon interaction and cooperation.6 This approach is however, solely a theoretical one, and as such it does not entirely cover the needs of feminism, insofar as feminism is and part and peripherally concerned with academic theorising,7 the major part of the work of feminism is to promote the dissatisfactions of a wide spectrum of women , which highlight the general inequality matt-up by women in regards to legal and social equality.Therefore detailed legal studies, instead of acting as a definition, are rather a fixual means of indicating the explicit and implicit male orientation of law and legal administration and the resulting disadvantage and marginalisation often suffered by women.8 This has led to the intelligence of three fundamental elements which personify a feminist legal theory. These area) asking the woman question, i.e. the extent of the presence and recognition of womens fuck off in lawb) feminist practical reasoning, meaning a reasoning which proceeds from context and values difference and the experience of the unempowered andc) consciousness raising, meaning an exploration of the collective experience of women by a sharing of individual experiences.9These three elements, outlined above by Katherine T. Bartlett, are designed to act as the source for future feminist legal theory development, pa rticularly in respect of womens outlook upon law with the intention of improving womens legal position in the future development or redevelopment of law.10The legal evolution, or, redevelopment, mentioned above is one in which women strive to see a revolution from an inherently male legal mindset implicitly discriminating against women because it is framed in terms of male experience which does not necessarily relate to that of women.11 That is to say, that in numerous situations women are expected to mirror full-time, long-term and unionised male workers, when in reality women digress from this norm insofar as their running(a) patterns tend to be far more interrupted and part-time.From this a clear paradox is produced, as feminists while thriving to be treated as the males equal simultaneously require a variant from this norm in order to account for their differing responsibilities. This attitude is stressed distinctly by the remarks of Joanne Conaghan and Louise Chudleigh, when t hey say, labour law twain embodies and conceals the gender division of labour and, by focusing exclusively on the world of paid work, ignores the differing responsibilities of men and women.12Such inadequacies within the legal system are numerous and ironically even legal structures that aim to eradicate gender discrimination can be seen to be based upon analogies created from irrelevant, and sometimes outdated, male experience. An unmistakable example of this is the treatment of maternity leave as analogous to the sick leave of their male counterpart. This is coupled by the notion that parenting is predominantly the females role, which is highlighted by the very limited provisions for paternity leave.13 The underlying problem here is that, in order to be treated jolly and without any prejudice women are required to meet a norm set by existing male experiences which by there very constitution do not create a balanced equality, and thus existing legal standards and concepts disad vantage women14 as they merely incorporate women into existing male-orientated legal structures, rather than recreating the legal structures so as to be established upon male and female requirements.The above mentioned relationship amongst female legal theory and critical legal studies creates a clear enhancement, in regards to political knowledge and understanding of feminists legal argument, and consequently for the female legal theory. The noticeable thing to emphasise from this is the disadvantaging effect of concealed and frequently unrealised bias in a legal order which has for the most part developed from male rather than female experience,15 and has therefore produced a rather lopsided legal system in favour of men. This prejudice has now been identified, thanks to the relationship between critical legal studies and feminist legal theory, this identification can be perceived as a significant legal stepping stone towards a legal system that not only incorporates females, but is instead founded upon female and male experiences resulting in an equality which is not merely all encompassing in terms of a male perspective, but rather an equality that is derived from the experiences of both genders.Strongly contrasting the accommodating nature of critical legal studies in relation to female legal theories, are those theories of law and society created by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Their creation, Marxism, a derivative of a much older proposition by Immanuel Kant that stated that, every thesis has a opposite word antithesis16 and that eventual resolution of these two contradictory perspectives, through revolution, would end up creating an absolute understanding. This led to Marx placing specific importance upon an economic bum from which all things within society, both social and political, are merely superstructure.It is for this reason that Marxism has been described as being a distinctly materialistic theory. A strong contrast can be seen between th e feminist legal theory, which bases its social beliefs at the apex of its legal structure, and the Marxist theory which states that social understanding is seen as an ideological perception of the economic relations existing at a given time which will change as the underlying economic relationships alter.17 Here it is clear that a Marxist approach would place very little emphasis upon the social question of gender inequality, but would instead focus upon an economic foundation with the speculation that if a high enough proportion of society feel a need to increase gender equality whence a revolution would take place. For Marxism social revolution appears to be the basis for the theory to develop. It would therefore appear to be a theory that shows little appreciation for social needs, such as those displayed by the female legal theory.For feminists to advance their legal theory through a Marxist approach, the attitude of socialist feminists, as discussed above, would have to be ad opted. That is to say that the bourgeois family must be restructured to end domestic slavery in favour of some collective means of carrying out housework and childcare. The key to this goal, in turn, is a socialist revolution that creates a state-centred economy operating to meet the needs of all. Such a basic transformation of society requires that women and men pursue their personal liberation together, rather than individually, as liberal feminists maintain.18 This once again highlights the idea of a union between both genders, encompassing experiences from both so as to enable females not only to be incorporated into an existing legal structure but instead to recreate a legal structure based upon the needs and experiences of both genders.A legal theory that promotes the liberating philosophy required in order to create a society able to accept the alterations needed to adequately unify both genders in a legal sense is the postmodern legal theory. This theory, normally portrayed as a recipe for relativism,19 also displays the characteristics needed in order to force individuals to confront and change the rigid contexts and structures (including laws) within which they have arbitrarily confined themselves.20 In this sense it is the ideal method for women to promote and execute the installation of their female legal theory. As it would not only tolerate an amendment in the law to integrate women into existing law, but more than this it would allow them to change the rigid contexts and structures mentioned above, which have prevented the advancement of gender equality within the legal structure.However, postmodernism also raises some problems in relation to feminist jurisprudence. Hilaire Barnett states that there must be developed critiques which reject the universalist, foundationalist, philosophical and political understanding offered by modernismand in its place there exists diversity, plurality, competing rationalities, competing perspectives and uncerta inty as to the potentiality of theory.21 In general, here she is saying that women must resist generalising their condition within society, and instead focus upon the multiplicity of subjectivities, identities, which inhere in the individual.22Overall, I believe feminism to be undoubtedly fundamental in some way. The critical legal theory discussed above shows how society has failed to display mutuality, not only towards women as members of society but towards men and women, through an improper discriminatory selectivity, perplex alienation and, ultimately, disfunctionality in the working of a legal order.23 This inequality has led to the recognition of three fundamental elements which personify a feminist legal theory. Resistance is however, met by a Marxist legal theory, which displays very little appreciation of gender issues. However, a feminist theory could be adopted through the Marxist bourgeois revolutionary approach, which would see both genders uniting in a revolution to change the pre-adopted norms of society.This idea of changing preconceived rules and laws within society would allow a feminist legal theory to develop, an idea given weight to by the postmodern legal theory, which also places special emphasis upon withdrawing from a united generalisation of women and instead focusing upon them as individuals. Therefore, I would argue that feminism can be thought of as a theory of law, albeit not on the same scale as other theories previously mentioned, such as Marxism. But its rapid evolution and recent political and legal enhancement within society makes it a theory with considerable weight, and certainly a theory fundamental in some way.1 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. tweed2 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White3 Sociology A Global Introduction John J. Macionis and Ken Plummer4 Sociology A Global Introduction John J. Macionis and Ken Plummer5 Resisting Patriarchy The Womens Movement and Fem inism6 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White7 Dworkin, Which Dworkin? Taking Feminism Seriously in P. Fitzpatrick and A. Hunt, eds., Critical lawful Studies (Oxford Basil Blackwell, 1987), p.47.)8 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White9 Katherine T. Bartlett, libber Legal Method (1970) 103 Harv L Rev, 82910 Katherine T. Bartlett, Feminist Legal Method (1970) 103 Harv L Rev, 82911 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White12 Women in elbow grease Can Labour Law Deliver the Goods? In Critical Legal Studies, p. 133 at p. 137.13 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White14 Feminist Legal Methods (1970) 103 Harv L Rev , p.829 at p.837.15 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White16 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White17 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White18 Sociology A Global Introduction John J. Macionis and Ken Plum mer19 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White20 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White21 H. Barnett, Introduction to Feminist Theory (London Cavendish Publishers, 1998, p. 180.22 H. Barnett Introduction to Feminist Jurisprudence, pp. 1179-8023 Textbook on Jurisprudence Hilaire McCoubrey and Nigel D. White

Eric Schlosser

Halleigh Benner Dr. Wiley English 701 Section 21? Contaminated M immerse either Step Of The Way Eric Schlossers book Fast pabulum realm, Michael Moss expression The Burger That Shattered Her Life and the docudrama Food Inc. all come together to inform people on the facts ab come out of the closet the pabulum diligences contamination issue. The food industry has many slaughterhouses and m beat packing industries in the United States. slew never think about where there spirit has come from, how it is prep bed, stored, or get up. Unfortunately, the sanitation of our meat from where it starts to when we eat it is appalling.Many raises now raise stemma in mass groups in dirty surroundingss, they gather into unsanitary slaughterhouses to be killed with unsanitary utensils, methods, and machinery, the meat gets combined with early(a) meat in filthy meat packing industries, and is past packed a direction for us to eat. Farms should raise cattle how they used to be increase, consumers should make healthy and wiser decisions on their choices of meat, people need to demand better food resort hold waterards by re-introducing Kevins law.The industry doesnt want you to know the truth about what you are eating, because if you knew then you might not want to eat it, but now the truth is revealed. Our farm animals such as chickens and cattle are not raised how they used to be raised. In the documentary Food Inc. many farmers would not let the camera crew inside the chicken houses, but one woman that was interviewed did. Carole Morison said, I understand why farmers do not want to talk because the big companies that they are controlled by can cut pay. Companies control everything about what the farmers do but Carole also stated, It is not right what is going on and I made up my top dog that I am going to say what I want to say, it doesnt matter any much any(prenominal)thing has to be said. The documentary showed that her chicken house was full of dust an d feces everywhere. The mass amount of chickens cooped up shutdown together couldnt escape from the unsanitary environment. Many chicken farms are exactly like hers. Carole said, This isnt farming anymore, it is mass production. The spread of disease is more likely inwardly these mass production chickens because Carole aware us, Antibiotics are put into the feed, but the bacteria builds up a resistance and the antibiotics dont wee anymore. Cattle are not any different than the chickens. The documentary Food Inc. showed viewers that feedlots contain hundreds of terrifys that stand ankle deep in their own manure all day long. If one cow has a disease such as, E. coli then the others will acquit a higher risk of acquiring the disease as well.The unhealthy sanitation of our food even begins when the cows and chickens are alive in their environment that they are being raised. The environment of slaughterhouses where the livestock is killed is horrific and disgusting. To hide these sickening scenes, most slaughterhouses are simple buildings with no windows to see inside. In the book Fast Food Nation, the author Eric Schlosser put on knee high boots because his host from the slaughterhouse said, Tuck your pants into the boots, well be walking by some blood (Pg. 169). Walking through deep puddles of blood is unhygienic.If one cows blood is septic and is then mixed with other blood that is gathered into puddles on the ground histrions concur to walk through the puddles and it can contaminate machines, utensils, or other meat that is being worked on by the puddles being splattered. bacterium grows and spreads in moist and humid conditions. Eric Schlosser states, The kill floor is hot and humid. It stinks of manure. Cattle wipe out a personate temperature of about 101 degrees, and there are a lot of them in the room (Pg. 170). Bacteria boom out in these places and can be harmful to us in the long melt. The process of how our meat is made is unhealthy.The article The Burger That Shattered Her Life by Michael Moss stated, Slaughterhouses take over the potential for contamination every step of the way (Pg. 3). It all begins with the removal of the hide from the cows. Food Inc. the documentary brought up a great issue that shows the viewers that when cows come to these slaughterhouses, their hides are caked with manure. To begin, hides must be removed carefully to keep the manure by of the meat but with the commotion and the speed of the slaughterhouse process, this causes high risks of the meat being contaminated with feces.Workers and inspectors from the article The Burger That Shattered Her Life say, Much can go wrong, workers slicing away the hide can inadvertently spread feces to the meat, and large clamps that hold the hide during processing sometimes slip and smear the meat with feces (Pg. 3). Next before transferred to the meat packing part is the gutting station, where the intestines are removed. Eric Schlosser from Fast Foo d Nation said, I see a man reach inside a cattle and pull out their kidneys with his bare hands (Pg. 170).After a person reads this statement from Eric Schlosser, it will make people wonder if he washed his hands before he put them back into another cattle. More than likely the worker didnt because of the speed that the process is going. These careless actions that can be prevented can spread E. coli or other diseases to meats that could cause an entire factory to contain it because of the mixing of meat in the meat packing process. fixings in the meat packing industry get mixed with other meat from different slaughterhouses within the United States.For example in the article The Burger That Shattered Her Life, Ms. Smiths patty contained trimmings from a slaughterhouse in Uruguay (Pg. 4). Mixing meats from different slaughterhouses is not a good idea, because their regulations could be completely different, especially a slaughterhouse from a different country. Grinding contaminated meat can leave diseases on the machine and spread to other mixed meats that are being mixed in the same grinder. not mixing meats and sanitizing machines and utensils, every slaughterhouses meat can become Grade A.Cattle and other farm animals such as, chickens and pigs should be raised traditionally, in a grass pasture with enough room for them to run around and not having to stand in their own manure. A farmer in the film Food Inc. agreed, Having cows in a pasture they eat and fertilize the grass, the cycle is better for the environment and for them. The healthy the animals begin their life the more likely their meat for us to eat will be healthier and not contaminated. The only problem with this solution is that people in this world today are more worried about money and how much they can receive.The more cattle and chickens farmers can raise in the shortest amount of time is better for them and the company, that they are controlled by. Many mass production farmers do not anno ying about their consumers health because it is sometimes seen as the consumers own responsibility. Consumers have the ability to use up which meat they want to buy depending on where the meat has come from. They can choose meat that was produced locally or they can read labels to trace back to a preferred and trusted factory and or company. Consumers could also buy their own cow of their choosing and have it butchered for their selves personally.However, many people do not have the time to go into detail to find out where their meat has come from, especially many do not have the money to buy their own cow and have it butchered. Another solution is to re-introduce Kevins law for E. coli contamination. The people have the ability notify the congress to enforce food safety standards and re-introduce Kevins law. According to the documentary Food Incorporated, Kevins law would give back to the farming the power to shut down plants that repeatedly produce contaminated meat. For Kevin s law the government is seek to fix this problem with expert inspectors but it will take a while for these experts to be employ and the process to expand everywhere in the United States. Therefore, meat contamination and geting rid of unsanitary utensils, methods, and machinery will decrease at a slow rate.In addition, in the documentary of Food Inc. it was stated, People that ridicule the food industry can be charged because the food industry has different protections than other industries do. For example, Oprah Winfrey was sued by a Texas cattleman for demeaning a food product and for the loss of profit. Mass amounts of people need to stand up to this unfair protection over the food industry. One person cannot do it many have to create a movement. Enhancing food safety programs will benefit our lives. In conclusion, our futures health is ultimately at stake and people need to do something to change it. The sanitation of our meat starts from the environment that the livestock liv es in and takes a domino effect until their meat ends up on our plates to eat.Surprisingly people have to worry about the food sanitation in the United States, and it is sad to realize that people have to be worried about the food provided in our country. However, this issue can be resolved. Solutions such as, livestock being raised in a healthy environment by the traditional way, consumers can make better choices for their selves, and they can also stand up for the rights of being able to eat meat without worrying. variety in the food industry will change our health for the better.

Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 2

Everything was freezing confusion. Her head was under water and she was universe tumbled everyplace andover. She couldnt see, couldnt breathe, and she was completely disoriented.Then her head popped up. She automatic on the wholey sucked in a huge gasp of air.Her ordnance were flailing but they seemed tangled in her backpack. The creek was wide here and thecurrent was very strong. She was being sweep imbibestream, and every other second her mouth seemedto be full of water. Reality was provided one desperate, throttling attempt to cut enough air for the next breath.And everything was so cold. A cold that was pain, not just temperature.Im going to die.Her mind realized this with a sort of numb certainty, but her body was stubborn. It fought almost as if ithad a separate brain of its own. It struggled out of her backpack, so that the natural buoyancy of her skijacket helped preserve her head above water. It made her legs kick, trying to stand firm on the bottom.No good. The cree k was wholly five feet deep in the center, but that was salvage an inch higher than Gillianshead. She was in any case small, too bleached, and she couldnt suck any kind of control over where she was going.And the cold was sapping her strength frighteningly fast. With every second her chances of hold outdropped.It was as if the creek were a monster that hated her and would never let her go. It slammed her intorocks and swept her on forrader her detainment could quarter hold of the cold, unagitated surfaces. And in a fewminutes she was going to be too weak to keep her face above water.I go to grab something.Her body was verbalize her that. It was her only chance.There. Up ahead, on the left bank, a projecting spit with tree roots. She had to quarter to it. Kick. Kick.She chance upon and was almost spun past it. But somehow, she was holding on. The roots were thicker than herarms, a huge tangle like slick, north-polar snakes.Gillian thrust an arm through a natural loop o f the roots, anchoring herself. Oh-yes she could breathenow. But her body was still in the creek, being sucked forward by the water.She had to get out-but that was out(predicate). She just barely had the strength to hold on her weakened,numb muscles could never pull her up the bank.At that moment, she was filled with hatred- not for the creek, but for herself. Because she was little andweak and childish and it was going to kill her. She was going to die, and it was all happening right now,and it was real.She could never truly mark what happened next. Her mind let go and thither was nothing but angerand the burning guide to get higher. Her legs kicked and scrambled and some dim dissever of her knew thateach impact against the rocks and roots should have hurt. But all that calculateed was the desperation thatwas somehow, inch by inch, getting her numb, waterlogged body out of the creek.And then she was out. She was lying on roots and snow. Her vision was dim she was gasping,ope n-mouthed, for breath, but she was alive.Gillian lay there for a long time, not really aware of the cold, her entire body echoing with support.I made it Ill be okay now.It was only when she act to get up that she realized how wrong she was.When she tried to stand, her legs almost folded under her. Her muscles felt like jelly.And it was cold. She was already exhausted and nearly frozen, and her soaking clothes felt as heavy as medieval armor. Her gloves were gone, broken inthe creek. Her cap was gone. With every breath, she seemed to get colder, and suddenly she wasracked with waves of violent shivers.Find the road I have to get to the road. But which way is it?Shed landed somewhere downstream-but where? How far away was the road now?Doesnt matter just walk away from the creek, Gillian design slowly. It was difficult to think at all.She felt stiff and ungainly and the shivering made it hard to climb over fallen trees and branches. Her red,swollen fingers couldnt close to get handholds.Im so cold-why cant I stop shivering?Dimly, she knew that she was in serious trouble. If she didnt get to the road- currently-she wasnt going to fail. But it was much and more difficult to call up a whiz of alarm. A strange sort of apathy was orgasm over her. The gnarled forest seemed like something from a fairy tale.Stumbling staggering. She had no idea where she was going. Just now ahead. That was all shecould see anyway, the next dark rock protruding from the snow, the next fallen branch to get over or or so.And then suddenly she was on her face. Shed fallen. It seemed to take immense effort to get up again.Its these clothes theyre too heavy. I should take them off.Again, dimly, she knew that this was wrong. Her brain was being affected she was dazed withhypothermia. But the part of her that knew this was far away, separate from her. She fought to make hernumbed ringers unzip her ski jacket.Okay its off. I can walk get out nowShe couldnt walk better. She kept falli ng. She had been doing this forever, stumbling, falling, getting up.And every time it was a little harder.Her cords felt like slabs of ice on her legs. She looked at them with distant annoyance and saw that theywere covered with adhering snow.Okay-maybe take those off, too?She couldnt remember how to work a zipper. She couldnt think at all anymore. The violent waves ofshivering were interspersed with pauses now, and the pauses were getting longer.I guess thats good. I must not be so coldI just need a little rest.While the faraway part of her brain screamed uselessly in protest, Gillian sat down in the snow.She was in a small clearing. It seemed deserted-not even the footprints of a ground mouse marked thesmooth white carpet around her. Above, overhanging branches formed a clean canopy.It was a very peaceful business office to die.Gillians shivering had stopped.Which meant it was all over now. Her body couldnt warm itself by shivering any longer, and was givingup the fight. Instea d, it was trying to move into hibernation. Shutting itself down, reducing breathing andheart rate, conserving the little warmth that was left. Trying to survive until help could discern.Except that no help was coming.No one knew where she was. It would be hours before her dad got plate or her mother wasawake. And even then they wouldnt be alarmed that Gillian wasnt there. Theyd assume she was withAmy. By the time anyone thought of looking for her it would be far too late.The faraway part of Gillians mind knew all this, but it didnt matter. She had reached her fleshly limits-she couldnt save herself now even if she could have thought of a plan.Her hands werent red anymore. They were blue-white. Her muscles were becoming rigid.At least she no longer felt cold. There was only a vast sense of relief at not having to move. She was sotiredHer body had begun the process of dying.White mist filled her mind. She had no sense of time passing. Her metabolism was slowing to a stop. Shewas be coming a creature of ice, no contrasting from any stump or rock in the frozen wilderness.Im in trouble someone somebody pleaseMom Her last thought was, its just like going to sleep.And then, all at once, there was no rigidity, no discomfort. She felt light and calm and free-and she wasfloating up near the canopy of snowy boughs.How wonderful to be warm again Really warm, as if she were filled with sunshine. Gillian laughed inpleasure.But where am I? Didnt something just happen-something bad?On the ground below her there was a huddled figure. Gillian looked at it curiously.A small girl. Almost hidden by her long fed up(p) hair, the strands already covered in fine ice. The girls facewas delicate. Pretty bone structure. But the skin was a terrible flat white-dead looking.The look were shut, the lashes frosty. Underneath, Gillian knew somehow, the eyes were deep violet.I get it. I remember. Thats me.The realization didnt bother her. Gillian felt no inter-group communication to the huddled thing in the snow. She didntbelong to it anymore.With a mental shrug, she turned away--and she was in a tunnel.A huge dark place, with the lookinging of being vastly complicated somehow. As if space here were foldedor twisted-and maybe time, too.She was rushing through it, flying. Points of light were whizzing by-who could tell how far away in thedarkness?Oh, God, Gillian thought. Its the tunnel. This is happening. responsibility now. To me.Im really dead.And going at warp speed.Weirder than being dead was being dead with a sense of humor.Contradictions this felt so real, more real than anything that had ever happened while she was alive.But at the same time, she had a strange sense of unreality. The edges of her self were blurred, as ifsomehow she were a part of the tunnel and the lights and the motion. She didnt have a distinct bodyanymore.Could this all be happening in my head?With that, for the first time, she felt frightened. Things in her head could be scary. What if she raninto her nightmares, the very things that her subconscious knew terrified her most?That was when she realized she had no control over where she was going.And the tunnel had changed. There was a smart light up ahead.It wasnt blue-white, as she would have expected from movies. It was pale gold, blurred as if she wereseeing it through frosty glass, but still unbelievably brilliant.Isnt it supposed to feel like love or something?What it felt like-what it made her feel-was awe. The light was so big, so powerful and so Just PlainBright. It was like looking at the beginning of the universe. And she was rushing toward it so fast-it wasfilling her vision. She was in it.The light encompassed her, surrounded her. Seemed to shine through her. She was flying upwardthrough radiance like a swimmer surfacing.Then the feeling of motion faded. The light was getting less bright-or maybe her eyes were adapting to it.Shapes coagulate around her.She was in a meadow. The grass was amazing- not ju st green, but a sort of impossible ultra green. As iflit up from inside. The sky was the same kind of impossible blue. She was wearing a thin summer dressthat billowed around her.The false color made it seem like a dream. Not to mention the white columns rising at intervals from thegrass, supporting nothing.So this is what happens when you die. And now now, somebody should come meet me. GrandpaTrevor? Id like to see him walking again.But no one came. The landscape was beautiful, peaceful, unearthly-and absolutely deserted.Gillian felt anxiety twisting again inside her. Wait, what if this place wasnt-the good place? After all, shehadnt been especially good in her life. What if this were actually hell?Or limbo?Like the place all those pot liquor who talked to mediums must be from. Creatures from heaven wouldntsay such silly things.What if she were left here, alone, forever?As soon as she finished the thought, she wished she hadnt. This seemed to be the kind of place wherethoughts-o r fears-could influence reality.Wasnt that something rancid she smelled?And-werent those voices? Fragments of sentences that seemed to come from the air around her? Thekind of nonsense said by people in dreams.So white you cant seeA time and a halfIf only I could, girlGillian turned around and around, trying to drive more. Trying to figure out whether or not she was reallyhearing the words. She had the sudden gut-trembling feeling that the viewer around her could easily comeapart at the seams.Oh, God, let me think good thoughts. Please. I wish I hadnt watched so many horror movies. I dontwant to see anything terrible-like the ground splitting and hands reaching for me.And I dont want anyone to meet me-looking like something rotting with bones exposed-after all.She was in trouble. Even thought process about not thinking brought up pictures. And now fear was gallopinginside her, and in her mind the bright meadow was turning into a nightmare of darkness and stink andpressure and gib bering mindless things. She was terrified that at any moment she might see a change-And then she did see one. Something unmistakable. A few feet away from her, above the grass, was asort of mist of light. It hadnt been there a moment ago. But now it seemed to get brighter as shewatched, and to stretch from very far away. And there was a shape in it, coming toward her.