Influence of Women in The Great Gatsby Essay

Though the Great Gatsby is a male dominated book, there are a few women who have great influences. Daisy Buchannan is the main female character, having romantic relations with both Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Myrtle Wilson is a woman who is married to a hardworking man, but she remained unfaithful throughout the length of the novel. Lastly, Jordan Baker is probably the least mentioned woman but had an equally important role as the others. Fitzgerald used the development of the three women to further the plot and theme of the book and show the treatment and role of women in that society at that time. Daisy Buchannan is introduced in the first chapter at a gathering in her home. Nick describes her as a rich and confident wife. She even calls herself â€Å"sophisticated† (Gatsby 17). But she is treated as the lesser of her husband; her face is â€Å"sad and lovely† (Gatsby 9) due to being constantly interrupted and her comments pushed aside. As the evening goes on, Daisy begins to appear more unconfident than she thinks she is, naming places she had been to impress Nick. Even when asked about her daughter she describes that she hopes that she would grow up to be â€Å"a beautiful little fool† (Gatsby 17). Though she acts like this fact was the normal place for a female, her disposition is shown to want this to be different, showing that even in the lives of the rich and wealthy, women are still treated as lesser individuals. She, unlike the other characters, has monumental descriptions, sometimes spanning paragraphs. But instead of focusing on her physical appearance, Fitzgerald draws attention to things such as her voice, calling it â€Å"a wild tonic in the rain†¦following the sound up and down before any words came through† (Gatsby 85). When she goes to wash her face, Nick says â€Å"with humiliation of [his] towels† (Gatsby 89) Even in everyday conversations, Daisy is ignored, not because she is woman but because of her beauty. Fitzgerald puts these things in to show just how deep the trap that women are in; their beauty is mesmerizing but not enough for all of the men’s attention. Myrtle Wilson is the other partner in Tom Buchannan’s affair. She is of a simpler lifestyle living on the â€Å"edge of the wasteland†¦contiguous to absolutely nothing.†(Gatsby 24). Nick describes her â€Å"a thick woman† â€Å"in [her] middle thirties† (Gatsby 25), the average woman in that time. Once she and Tom get off the train, she immediately buys a dog, and then makes a point to buy a rather expensive dog as well. When she arrives to her sister’s house, where a party is taking place, Nick says that she â€Å"changed her costume† (Gatsby 30). Because a costume is also the attire performers wear, Nick is giving us the impression that all of this is a play, a facade to act wealthy when in fact she is not. Nick also says â€Å"with the influence of the dress her personality had also undergone a change. The intense vitality that had been so remarkable in the garage was converted into impressive hauteur† (Gatsby 30), again another indicator of her â€Å"performance† of a wealthy woman. Soon, she and Tom â€Å"discuss in impassioned voices† whether she had any â€Å"right to mention Daisy’s name† (Gatsby 37). Tom punches her after this, but still left the party with her. Myrtle is now a woman with no self-respect, due to her allowing a man, though he may be rich, to physically assault her, instead of having a man who truly cares for her not being well off. Jordan Baker is not talked about much in the book until the third chapter. Nick talks about her â€Å"incurable dishonesty† (Gatsby 58), but then says â€Å"Dishonesty in a woman is thing you never blame deeply† (Gatsby 58), suggesting something has happened in her past causing her to be dishonest. She then shows her roots as one of the outgoing â€Å"West Eggers†, complaining that the party â€Å"is much too polite† for her taste. Fitzgerald uses Jordan to show that not all of the West Egg is elite. Some are just normal people wo happen to be on the wealthier side of things. By bringing these women together, Fitzgerald shows all aspects of life, from the wealthy but mistreat, to the women who think money is everything, and the ladies who simply are themselves. Daisy, Myrtle, and Jordan all display drastically different personalities but share the same

Analysis of “Music and Lyrics” Essay

â€Å"Music and Lyrics† revolved around the relationship that was formed between Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant), former 80s pop star, and Sophia Fisher (Drew Barrymore), Alex’s plant keeper and a copywriter for her family’s weight loss center. More than anything else, Alex was portrayed as a washed-up 80s pop star who had nothing left in his career but a bunch of country fair and amusement park performances definitive of a â€Å"nostalgia circuit† as well as a few high school reunions here and there (Moviefone 2007). He had another chance to becoming somebody in the music industry as pop diva Cora Corman commissioned him to write and record a duet with her (Moviefone 2007). This was under the pretense that he was going to write and compose a hit song for her in just a few days. This posed a problem for him because he had not actually composed anything for years and he found it hard to work with anyone else except for Colin, his former band mate from their group â€Å"Pop. † Colin was the one who got famous out of all the members of â€Å"Pop. † Sophie Fisher enters the scene as Alex’s substitute plant-keeper whom he recognized to have a natural flair for writing witty lyrics. He discovered her fear of committing to write again after a traumatic relationship with former professor and famous novelist Sloan Cates (Moviefone 2007). However, discovering that they had real chemistry writing the songs and off the job, they finally gave themselves the chance at love and success they way they never thought they deserved (Moviefone 2007). Protagonist Conflict They say that a movie is only as good as its story’s problem, because the stronger the conflict, the more chance that would be generated into the energy of the movie’s screenplay (Whitcomb 2002). The moment the conflict appears that would be the time wherein the story has really begun until then that would be parts that are considered setup, background and exposition (Whitcomb 2002). Basically, the â€Å"Conflict is the heart of the story in a very real sense; it’s what keeps it pumping, makes the blood race through its veins, and brings it to life† (Whitcomb 2002, p. 56). External Conflict began upon Alex’s realization that he was really an established has-been, although his reaction to this may be more of an internal conflict, how the world saw him served as an external one. Following the premise above, the story of this movie actually started when he was presented to be part of the show called â€Å"Battle of the Has-Beens. † The format of this show actually presented him in a comical light wherein people get to see the people who were stars before and are not stars anymore, thus the term â€Å"has-been† because they had been stars. If this announcement to world was not embarrassing enough, stars of the past had to battle it out in the boxing ring for another chance to perform before the audience. The show was not only demeaning; it portrays them as pathetic stars that missed the limelight so badly that they had to go through some great lengths of boxing with each other. It symbolized Alex’s stature in the industry, as a washed up pop singer. After such interview with the producers, Alex was faced with other realities such as show cancellation. He was given another realization how society found him replaceable and disposable. He show at Knots berry was cancelled, even as he considered it one of the biggest gigs he had since the fall of his stardom. It was this realization of public’s perception that made Cora Corman, famous but eccentric pop star during that time, and her offer to Alex to compose a song for her an appealing deal. However, with this offer came high stakes because Cora had given Alex merely enough time to compose and to write the lyrics of a song for her in just a couple of days. When the dilemma of writing a song was addressed because of the presence of Sophie, another external conflict broke out as they found out how Cora wanted to do the song. Her treatment of the song was different from the sweet and witty love song Sophie and Alex initially had in mind. It was turned into something erotic and sexual more than being romantic. Sophie was appalled by it because she felt it was a destruction of the creative integrity of their work. During that time, she tried her hardest to fight against succumbing to what Cora wanted to do with the song. Being a first-time lyricist to work in the music industry, she appeared naive enough to put more pressure of Alex about changing the song back to how it was supposed to be. The final external conflict was the pressure for Alex to give in to the new treatment of the song, no matter how, farfetched it was from his original composition, only to have another chance to redeem him in the pop industry. On the other hand, the external conflict for Sophie was with this professor, Sloan Cates. He has been the one who had written about her in his novel and poked fun of everything she felt insecure about. The presence of the novel Sally Michaels has also brought Sophie shame, the same way Alex felt shame as his career also went down the drain. The mere arrogance of Sloan after Sophie and Alex confronted him, caused also much pain and shame for Sophie realizing that she still could not talk up to him after all those time. Internal The news that he was being considered in the â€Å"Battle of Has-beens† was acceptable to Alex in the surface. But upon knowing that instead of performing, he was, asked to go there to box it out for a final song, and then it dawned on him just how low his career has gotten. Although, he would be the first one to admit he was a â€Å"has-been† there were certain areas in the film wherein he would feel the shame of it, like the high school reunion he performed at when he pulled a hip muscle and the time at the carnival wherein he did not want to do his last song anymore before Sophie encouraged him to do so. His battle with accepting his fate as a â€Å"has-been† was one thing, but there was also his fear of composing again and writing lyrics. The breakup of the band â€Å"Pop† for him was more devastating for him than he would than he would let people see. He tried to come up with his own solo album after the band broke up but he struggled to keep his pride after that was a flop. He also struggled internally with what he was going to do about the changes in the song. He wondered if he was going to walk away from the project like Sophie did or was he about to give up Sophie, a woman who had brought inspiration back to his life. Sophie had a lot of internal conflicts as well. She had to be forced to write the lyrics for Alex’s project because of how she struggled with Sloan’s fictional novel that was based on her life. She refused to write for him knowing she was not good enough. She did not acknowledge how she did not feel that way before the incident with Sloan’s novel that actually destroyed a part of who she was. She felt she was not good enough because of how her former professor had treated her, calling her a mimic and someone who without following the styles of her contemporary writers would have no creative genius of her own. She struggled to find her own creative self-worth after that. She also struggled when Cora had a different idea she had in mind about the treatment of â€Å"A Way Back into Love,† the song she and Alex created. She refused to get on with the project if it was like that. However, she felt Alex’s despair of seeing this as his last chance in the industry. She was torn between that and how she was furious about Alex’s inability to stand up for the integrity of their work. She was torn because she had feelings for Alex as well. Moral Component Much of the moral component found in the film laid in the fact that Alex and Sophie struggled to maintain the creative integrity of their work. It showed a â€Å"behind-the-scenes† peak into the pressures of the business. It showcased how a work that is entirely different would make into something erotic and sensual in order to appeal to the public. Sophie was so appalled by this change in the song because the erotic version took away what the song actually stood for. She did not want Alex to make a comeback that did not reflect who he was. She wanted him to make one that actually displayed his sensitive and honest side. Both of them knew that the revised version of the song did nothing of that sort; nevertheless, Alex went ahead with it. Although, there was a falling away that took place between them, in the end, Alex did the right thing of maintaining the song’s original composition. He even got the chance to write a song of his own for Sophie as well. Another component laid in the fact that Alex stood up for Sophie when she could not do so for herself against Sloan. Their experience together had taught them much more than writing a new song but being able to see themselves for the worth that they had as people and as artists. It showed how even if in the past, they had been turned down and their talents did not seem good enough, it should not have defined them as people the way they allowed it to happen. It showed how other people, like music critics or famous novelists, cannot have that much power on them that they are constricted artistically. It is only when they had let go of baggage from the past and used all their pain to fuel their creativity that they were able to complete the song. Mise en Scene Mise-en-scene literally means â€Å"put the scene† in French and was a term used in theater (Kolker 2005). When used in film, it points towards the totality of the composition of the shot (Kolker 2005). It refers to the â€Å"framing, movement of the camera and characters, lighting, set design and general visual environment, even sound as it helps elaborate the composition† (Kolker 2005). It is also the â€Å"articulation of cinematic space† wherein space was used to help tell the story (Kolker 2005). The principle of cutting also falls under mise-en-scene as it determines what goes on in that particular space (Kolker 2005). In the movie â€Å"Music and Lyrics,† the shots followed a basic flow. It flowed from one scene to another. It did not have anything fancy or dramatic. It served as a basic canvas that reserved much of its charms to the actors and own presence on the screen. However, a lot of the shots were similar to music videos as the movie revolved around the music industry of the 80s and the present. The movie opened with a â€Å"Pop† music video that represented the 80s and soon showed a music video Cora Corman was shooting that represented popular music in the 21st century. When it came to framing, there were a few instances wherein they would be held at quite close or tighter shots to focus on the actors. The framing was basic shots to let the actor’s witty banter to shine more than anything else. Everything was kept to a minimal so as not to serve as a distraction as this film was mostly about the comedic script and the charm of the actors. There were also instances wherein the shot began from the television screen that overcomes the whole shot and there was a similar one that had an entire magazine cover of Cora taking up the whole shot. Such were done to establish how the movie had a pop theme and that such symbolisms represented the music industry, through MTV shows and teen magazines. There were also instances wherein they used old techniques like the shot panning from the wall to the actors or the frame actually panned through the fixtures of the apartment like the column inside the apartment. It was reminiscent of the old shots they use for movies that give it the old feel to it. The camera, the lenses, the lighting instruments and other tools are used photographically to create the feel, and to fulfill the vision of how the film should look like (LoBrutto 2002). In this case, the lighting of the film reflected the mood of the characters. There had been instances wherein Alex was not feeling very confident about himself wherein there was less light available on the screen. This can also be attributed to the street scene wherein it was dark outside. However, it was noticed again when he and Sophie were stuck on the lyrics of the song wherein it was also dark. There was also noticeable parts wherein the nice moments Alex had with Sophie were represented by soft bright lights that was reflected the warmth of Sophie’s persona. She always seemed like there was some glow to her every time she was in the scene. The light also played an important factor in terms of marking time. Since they only had a few days to finish the song, it showed how when it was dark again or morning again another day has passed by and they were closer to the deadline. It showed how they stayed up, pulling an all-nighter to finish the song. There were exaggerated lights used in the â€Å"Pop† music video as they way they did it in the 80s. It was in comparison with the more modern lights Cora had in the shooting of her music video. They were also red lights in Cora’s dressing room area that established her eastern inclinations. Cinematic tools do not only include skills in cinematography, sound and production design, it also includes editing (LoBrutto 2002). The editing for this movie was simple using cut-to-cut transitions that are widely used for television and movies to avoid distraction from other kinds of transitions. The production design includes the physical environment of the movie that would be constituted by the sets, the location (LoBrutto 2002). It also includes the costume designs as well as the hair and makeup required for the shot. This film called for a particular set design because of its reference to the music of the 80s. Since Alex was a member of the 80s pop band, â€Å"Pop,† there was a necessity to create the set of a 80s music video. The look was cheesy and over-the-top; they way they used to do it with red backgrounds and checkered black and white ones. Their costumes were also of the way they used to dress that was more on femininity of tuxedos they were wearing. Such outrageous costumes went together with the eye shadow and eyeliners that were descriptive of the style in that music generation. It was held in comparison to the modern style of music videos with Cora’s video. It showed more skin and the sex appeal was different as it was more erotic than the bubblegum love songs the â€Å"Pop† band had. Not that the context of Cora’s songs were deeper, they just presented pop in a more sexual manner. There were already dancers that backed her up and much use of the smoke machine. The other sets included Alex’s apartment that played a part in the story as Sophie wanted to move around the furniture in her hopes to get lyrics out of it. The major pieces of furniture that was important in telling the stories were the grand piano, the large couch chair and the plants that Sophie was drowning. A notable set that was created for this movie was the enormous Buddha on the stage designed for Cora’s concert. It was such an incredulous set that intentionally desperately tried to incorporate Cora’s Buddhist influence with her music even if it was not so relevant. Sound was a very important factor to this film because a large percentage of it was about musical performances. Most of the sound design for this film relied on staying true to the 80s theme with the songs that were used for this film like Pop Goes my Heart and the songs that it was contrasted to with Cora’s sensual songs like Welcome to Booty town. Another area of sound was the piano Alex played as he tried to compose the song. It also included his jiving â€Å"jeopardy† tune that he used to pressure Sophie finish the songs. Part of the greatest charms of the movie, was the part wherein Alex and Sophie recorded the demo for Cora in Alex’s own mini-studio in his apartment. Narrative The personalities of the characters were essential in the narrative of the movie. Alex was dryly straightforward yet witty. Sophie talked too much and was paranoid yet naive at the same time. The other characters like Rhonda, Sophie’s sister was the strong one in her household but she was also an Alex-fanatic. Ray, Alex’s manager, was ever supportive of him. Cora was an epitome of a pop icon of today’s time; beautiful, eccentric and sensual. Each of the characters represented something the moviegoers could relate and empathize with (Tan 1996). Their little flaws and quirks were what made them charming because the viewers can see a part of themselves or somebody else in them. It makes them relatable to the audience (Tan 1996). The viewers were drawn because of Sophie and Alex exchanged their witty banters and has come to the point of liking each other despite their own oddities. Audience could find the narrative relatable because it spoke of a generation that most of them have undergone or are in. Most of it involved, a generated of music videos. Even if, most were not former pop stars, interests were still aroused because of their interest in the music industry and social cognition of what was going on with the movie with what they know happen in reality (Tan 1996). Most of all, the narrative worked because of the presence of music. Something most people can relate to and most people are interested in. There was an excellent metaphor that the actors have used in terms of using music and lyrics in reference to relationships. It also serves as a theme for the movie itself. When Alex referred said it was just lyrics. Sophie argued that lyrics were important as well. She referred to melody as meeting someone for the first time and the physical attraction that came with it; it was related to sex in a relationship. On the other hand, once the couples get to know each other that turn into the lyrics wherein their story actually unfolds and reveals who they were. The combination of sex and the knowledge of each other was what make the relationship magical. Lyrics A Way Back into Love was the song Cora wanted Alex to compose. Listening to the lyrics actually summarizes much of the emotions and the thoughts that went on between Alex and Sophie, as well as the things each of them had been through in the past. The â€Å"cloud above my bed† symbolized how long they prevented themselves from moving on because of the fear they had due to past rejections. The following verses reflected exactly that saying â€Å"I’ve been lonely for so long, trapped in the past, I just can’t seem to move on! † It can be just a love song about past heartbreaks but it reflected the struggles Alex and Sophie had in the past about their careers. It also showed that the â€Å"someone to shed some light† was the person they found in each other. The chorus and other verses about dreams being kept in a box reflected their hope to find the joy that they had lost in the past. The song Alex composed by himself had similar charms to A Way Back into Love, he sang Don’t Write Me Off at Cora’s concert. It basically spilled everything he felt about his life saying â€Å"I’m happy to live my so-called fallen glories† and how he felt about Sophie with charismatic antics like â€Å"it’s not just my furniture you’ve rearranged† and â€Å"now I need you despite the fact that you’ve killed all my plants. † References Kolker, R. (2005). Film, form and culture. United States: McGraw-Hill. Also retrieved on November 29, 2007, from http://userpages. umbc. edu/~landon/Local_Information_Files/Mise-en-Scene. htm. LoBrutto, V. (2002). The filmmaker’s guide to production design. New York: Allworth Press. â€Å"Music and lyrics. † (2007) Moviefone. Retrieved on November 29, 2007 from http://movies. aol. com/movie/music-and-lyrics/25137/synopsis. Tan, E. (1996). Emotion and the structure of narrative film: Film as an emotion machine. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Whitcomb, C. (2002). The writer’s guide to writing your screenplay: How to write great screenplays for movies and television. Canada: Kalmbach Publishing Co.

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Critical Analysis of A Doll House - Essay Example with feminist literature is limited, I believe that this play is an example of feminist thought since a woman (Nora) is able to confront and come to a settlement with the oppressor in her life. The liberties afforded to women today were non-existent in those times and I do not think that the ending of the play which shows Nora walking out on her husband and children would be acceptable to Victorian viewers. For her husband, Nora is nothing more than a person who keeps the house clean and beautiful as well as being a plaything for entertainment. However, by the end of the play we can see that the representations of characters are quite the contrary since Nora transforms herself completely. From a weak woman who lives by the whims and fancies of her husband, she gains enough strength to deny him completely and start her own life. She realizes how all men in her life have wanted to use her for one purpose or another and she is merely a doll living in a doll house. The forgery committed by her was to help her husband recover from his illness, yet all he could think of was the scandal which would be created if it was discovered. There is also the dual role of women presented in the beginning of the play which was particularly interesting i.e. a self sacrificing object and an object to be desired. Regardless of the social stature of the woman in question, she is expected to sacrifice herself for the man in her life whether it is a weak father or a sick husband. In terms of appearances, nothing in the house or the nature of the characters is shown to be true. Nora appears to be a weak and flighty woman while she is revealed to be thoughtful, caring and strong willed. Torvald is supposed to be the ‘man of the house’ and the one in charge of things however, all power is taken away from him by Nora and he shows his true colors as a coward by not supporting his wife. Krogstad appears to be a scheming, evil fellow at the beginning of the play but at the end he appears

Environmental Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Environmental Studies - Essay Example We shall look at the influences that science has made in the energy sector, climate change and agriculture among others. In the scientific world, agriculture is a more recent human activity that humans experimented. Human beings were originally hunters and gatherers who survived by killing wild animals in the jungle. Then agriculture was accidentally discovered through man’s scientific exploration. Man began cultivating land in order to get food. Studies have shown that hunters and gatherers were more healthy, well nourished than the latter farmers. In fact, agriculture did not improve the lives of humans and the skeletal evidence revealed that hunters and gatherers were healthier than the farmers were. Agriculture needed vast amounts of land for cultivation, and this led to the destruction of forests and animal’s natural habitat. The energy threshold of plants then decreased as most natural vegetation was destroyed and cleared to make way for cultivation. This interfer ed with the natural energy cycle since animals get energy from plants, which in turn obtain the necessary energy from the sun for photosynthesis. Most of the percentage of the world’s energy relies on plants. If plants are destroyed, the energy needed by most organisms is decreased, and this can have devastating effects. This causes animals to face extinction as the energy cycle is affected by man’s activity, which in this case is agriculture, a scientific invention. Therefore, there is evidence that as much as science has helped the environment, it also hurts the same environment by altering nature’s normal activities (Rees, web). The clearing of natural vegetation gives way to soil erosion. In today’s world, oil is the only form of energy that humans have resulted to use. It is interestingly hilarious that man secures oil more than food. This is because energy is vital for most activities and oil is the usual form of energy used to meet the demands of m an. Research in America has shown that for every 2.3 calories of food energy produced there is a calorie of fossil energy used (Manning, web). This is devastating to the human life because as more oil is used to produce food energy that is required by a growing population, levels of pollution in the environment continue to increase. All this is attributed to science inventions among other factors such as population growth and industrialization. The more industrialized we get, the more scientific inventions are discovered which continue to damage the environment in an attempt to meet the needs of man. In the 20th century, engine fueled cars dominated the roads which made transportation and communication easy. However, these advancements usually have a negative impact on the environment. For example, the greenhouse effect is caused by emission of gases into the atmosphere, which comes from combustion of fossil fuels and oil. Scientific advancements in chemistry have also had a profoun d effect on man (Griffith, web). For example, in the cultivation of wheat in leading countries, fertilizers containing nitrogenous compounds are used to speed up the growth and maturity of wheat. However, studies show that these chemical compounds have adverse effects on human health. A research carried out showed that a child born in rural places producing wheat based on nitrogenous chemicals has high chances of suffering birth related defects compared to a child born where wheat is not

Singer on Animal Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Singer on Animal Rights - Essay Example Several human activists have advocated the making and imposition of animal rights. This struggle on behalf of their loyal friends is not new and lasts over the last numerous decades. One of the most prominent human rights activists is Peter Singer who has an Australian origin. A renowned Philosopher and the professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, the sixty four (64) year old humanist has voiced his thoughts in favor of human rights for about four decades now. Peter Singer’s work â€Å"All Animals are Equal†, that came into print in the later part of the 1980s, highlights his decades old philosophy of safeguarding animal rights by voicing and maintaining the stance of respect of animals. This text is an attempt to voice Singer’s thoughts that he has advocated in the said work. The main theme of this article of Peter Singer is that animals, may they be ‘humans’ or ‘non humans’ deserve respect. He is quoted in this article as: †Å"I am urging that we extend to other species the basic principle of equality that most of us recognize should be extended to all members of our own species.† Singer does not emphasize that animals should have rights like humans but emphasizes that their rights should be recognized. He does not mean to say that animals are just like humans or should be treated just like humans. All he wants to say is that the discriminating factor between them should not be that one is an animal and the other is a human. Regardless of the species of a living being, rights should be associated with every individual thus attaching importance to their interests. The author compares the ambitions of human beings to those of an animal. Man has each and every step of his life planned. Every minute that passes brings him closer to his next planned task and then moreover to the next one. Animals however do not follow any such scheduled activity. Singer emphasizes that this fantasizing of humans does n ot give them any edge over animals with respect to rights. â€Å"If a being suffers,† he says, â€Å"there can be no moral justification for refusing to take that suffering into consideration.† The famous activist proposes a situation where a building might accidentally be on fire. A human and a dog would be distressfully caught into the fire in exactly the same manner. They’re both hurt to the same extent and have become immobile. In such a situation, the author emphasizes that, both the human being and the animal have equal rights of being picked up as the first option of rescue. He shuns the thought that since a man has his whole planned life to live he should be the first choice of being picked up by rescue personnel. Singer emphasizes that there potentially is no difference in the suffering of the distressing animal and the human being. ‘The Human Pain’ he says has the same intensity as the animal’s pain. He strictly shuns that merely th e thought that human suffering is more than animal suffering should not make the picking up of the human being as the first choice. On the contrary, if the person suffering may be your loved one then you may ask the rescue team to pick him up first, but not otherwise. Singer states that of all the things that may exist, human beings have only and only a single edge over other species and that is the fact that they belong to the â€Å"Human Species† or â€Å"Homo Sapiens†. Singer emphasizes by saying, â€Å"Like it or not, we must face the fact that humans come in different shapes and sizes; they

Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Mice and Men Essay There are a number of characters in Of Mice and Men who have dreams of a better life. These characters include George, Lennie and Candy, who dream of a farm of their own, and Curleys wife, who dreams of becoming a glamorous Hollywood actress. In this essay I will discuss their dreams and the effects on the novels characters when their dreams are unfulfilled. The central characters in Of Mice and Men are George and Lennie. Their dream is introduced to the reader in the first chapter, OK. Someday were gonna get the jack together and were gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an a cow and some pigs and An live off the fatta the lan, Lennie shouted. An have rabbits. George and Lennies dream is to leave behind their lives as travelling workers and have a place of their own where they can settle down. For Lennie the dream of living on their own farm is closely connected to looking after rabbits. Perhaps this is because the only way that Lennie can actually relate to the dream is through the idea of something practical and touchable which relates to his tactile qualities. Clearly, the material aspect of owning his own land means very little to Lennie. At the start of the novel we learn that Lennie likes to pet soft things, like mice and rabbits. It is this trait that eventually leads to Lennies downfall when he tries to smooth Curleys wifes soft hair. However, for George the dream of the farm has other benefits. Firstly, George can see the practical, economic advantage of owning their own place. If I was bright, if I was even a little bit smart, Id have my own little place, an Id be bringin in my own crops, stead of doin all the work and not getting what comes up outta the ground. Yet it is not just the practical benefits of owning a farm that attract George to this dream. We learn that George has no family I aint got no people, and it seems as though the dream of a farm also represents the notion of home to George. An wed keep a few pigeons to go flyin around the winmill like they done when I was a kid Wed jus live there. Wed belong there. So, for George, the dream of a farm offers a psychological antidote to his rootless, travelling life and gives him a sense of belonging. Another attraction of the farm dream is that it gives George the promise of some sense of control and autonomy in his life. In his conversation with Candy about owning a farm, George says: Spose they was a carnival or a circus come to town, or a ball game, or any damn thing. Old Candy nodded in appreciation of the idea. Wed just go to her, George said. We wouldnt ask nobody if we could. Jus say Well go to her, an we would. This shows how powerless George feels in his life and how much power employers exercised over their workers at that time. Another example of George and Lennies powerlessness is shown after Lennies fight with Curley, the bosss son; when Georges immediate concern is that they will be canned or dismissed. However, in this situation, they retain their jobs because Slim steps in and persuades Curley to say he got his hand caught in a machine. In Chapter 2 when George and Lennie discuss their dream they are overheard by Candy, the old swamper. Candy is immediately swept up with the idea of owning their own farm and offers his savings to them to make the dream come true. At this point in the novel it seems as if the dream could actually become a reality. They fell into silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true. George said reverently, Jesus Christ! I bet we could swing her. His eyes were full of wonder. What is interesting is that at this point in the novel the dream of the farm actually moves from being a pipe dream which will probably never happen, to an achievable goal which is actually within their grasp. It is Candys involvement that makes this change take place. Although Candy shares Georges reasons for wanting a farm, there is also an extra dimension for Candy wanting to live on their own place. We get the sense that Candy feels redundant, useless and vulnerable because he is old and has lost his hand. Candy feels uneasy about his future: Theyll can me purty soon. Jus as soon as I cant swamp out no bunk houses theyll put me on the county. So for Candy the dream of the farm means independence nobody could can us, because in his present situation he is entirely dependent on the bosss tolerance and charity. In the novel, this is partially demonstrated by Carlson shooting Candys dog earlier that evening. In an echo of Candys own situation of the ranch, Carlson, without much pity or concern, shoots Candys dog because he is old and it is inconvenient to keep him because of the smell. It is not hard to imagine that Candy feels there is a parallel between his own situation and his dogs. Candys attachment to the dream of their own farm is demonstrated in Chapter 5 when he realises that all hopes of the dream have come crashing down when he discovers Curleys wifes dead body: You God damn tramp, he said viciously. You done it, dint you? I spose youre glad. Everbody knowed youd mess things up If they was a circus or a baseball game we would of went to her Never ast nobodys say so.

Obesity and Social Demographics in the US

Obesity and Social Demographics in the US Introduction Obesity is not a new term in America. As a matter of fact this is a health condition that has become common to the American citizens and the rest of the world. Sadly, this is not a laughing matter considering the fact that it has led to a number of deaths in the U.S. So, what is obesity? According to the medical-dictionary this refers to â€Å"an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individuals ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, anddeath.† A few years back this health issue was not a major problem to the U.S. However, this has greatly changed considering the effects that obesity has on American citizens. Certainly, there are other countries that are also going through the same health problems but American cases on effects of obesity still tops them all. The benefit of having lower body weight is not a big concern for the Americans. This is the main reason why its citizens are not motivated in any way to ensure that they have the recommended body weight. Hence, obesity is continuously increasing more so in the 21st century. The number of people facing obesity problems in this century is higher as compared to the 19th century. Research by the health experts show that out of ten Americans three of them are obese. The number of deaths that obese cause is more than 120, 000 and to top this, there are also huge medical expenses that these individuals have to face. Obesity is a disease that is actually preventable and necessary measures are now being implemented to ensure that the effects are reduced in the coming years. As mentioned earlier United States has been dominating by having the highest rates of people who are obese. However, this changed in 2013 according to recent Global Post July 8th 2013 that Mexico had taken over as the leading nation having more obese cases. In a study conducted by JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) in 2008 it revealed that the rates of women suffering from obese were higher than that of the men. According to this study the women’s rates have been constant over the years as compared to the men’s rate that is constantly increasing. Yearly the effects of obese in America are heavily felt since it leads to â€Å"approximately 100, 000-400,000 deaths† as Blackburn, G L; Walker (2005) points out. This is not all, the health care expenditures are also high, and hence the government and the public suffer in paying for services that would reduce the overall effects of obesity. The effects of obesity in the U.S can either be direct or indirect. The direct effects come about as the expenses that are incurred in paying for care and other required services. The negative effects touch on loss of earnings by the individuals that are suffering from obese and absenteeism from work places. Finkelstein, E.A. and Fiebelkorn (2003) argue that the expenses that are incurred as a result of obesity â€Å"exceeds health-care costs associated withsmokingorproblem drinking†. This clearly shows the extent of damage that obesity is causing in America. Indeed it is a major health issue that needs to be taken care of to save the nation from such huge expenses. Prevalence of obesity in U.S The fact that obesity rates in America have increased since 1962 also means that its prevalence is also wide. People from all walks of life are now obese in America; the children, people from different racial backgrounds, men and women all are constantly coming up as obese. Obesity prevalence according to race According to CDC health statistics the prevalence of obesity with regards to race is uneven. This implies that different races have got different rates of obese individuals. Caucasian race In 2010, the rate of obese individuals from this race was 26.8% according to CDC statistics. The rate of men suffering from the disease was higher than for the women from this race. African American race Statistics from CDC proved that the rate of people suffering from obese that were of the African American race was higher than the Caucasian race. This rate was 36.9%. There is also a difference in the rate of men as compared to women. Women from this race had higher rates of obese cases as compared to their counterparts. American Indian race American Indian rate of obese individuals was higher than both Caucasian and the black American race in 2010. Asian race The Asian race in the U.S. had the smallest percentage of obese cases according to statistics from CDC 2010. Latino race The Latino race rates were close to the rates that the African Americans had i.e. 31.9%. The rates of women suffering from obese were higher than men. Mexican American race This race also depicted a percentage prevalence that was closer to the African Americans i.e. 34.1% Hawaiian race This race depicted the highest prevalence rate i.e. 43.5% in 2010 according to statistics from CDC. Obesity prevalence according to gender Judging from the results mentioned above, women have higher rates of obese as compared to the men. This is also true according to Rippe James that â€Å"30 million men and 36 million women† suffer from obese in the U.S. Obesity prevalence according to age group There is also a notable change in the prevalence of obesity in relation to age group. Years back only the adults were suffering from obese disease. This has changed in the 21st century since children are also obese including those that are adolescent. Obesity prevalence according to state Different states in the U.S also bring about a difference in the obesity cases are throughout the nation. Mississippi stands as the state that has the highest rates of obese cases. Colorado has the smallest rate of obese cases. There are different reasons as to why the U.S. citizens are facing high rates of obese individuals as compared to other nations. Some of the reasons are as discussed below: Diet Diet is the main contributing factor to increased rates of obese cases. Truth be told, the media normally portrays the citizens of U.S. as individuals who are normally busy with their regular hustle and bustle. This thus creates a scenario where parents or the adults do not have time to cook. This makes kids to prefer eating from fast food hotels. According to CBS news (2004), 1/3 of children between the age of 4 and 9 eat from fast food hotels on a daily basis. These fast food restaurants normally sell foods that have high fat and carbohydrate content. They are also preferred due to their affordable prices. Without doubt, foods that have got high fat calorie would easily lead to obesity. It is also evident that most Americans love to eat from these fast foods considering the fact that these restaurants increased their sales over the years. Lifestyle The lifestyle that the American citizens are portraying is also another factor that leads to obese. This is the lifestyle where an individual is not engaged in any physical activity either on a regular basis or an uneven basis. With the advancement in technology more and more American kids are simply idling at home playing computer games, watching television, reading etc. This implies that they do not engage in any activity that would help them burn the calories that they take in. The adults are also â€Å"not active at all† (Rippe James). As a result the regular eating on fast foods restaurants as mentioned above combined with sedentary lifestyle will obviously lead to obesity. Most of the Americans do not engage in physical activities e.g. working out in the gym, morning jogs, walking, swimming etc. Therefore, excess calories in their systems eventually lead to obesity cases and aftermath complications. Social transformation Humans were made to be social in nature. This generally affects their eating habits considering the fact that as more people get together it is normal to have meals to go along with the socialization. This is everywhere, sports zones you will find food being served e.g. popcorns and soda, in parties’ people would want to taste what they have always envied. The same case applies to funerals since individuals are normally served while mourning. The social lives that Americans engage into highly contribute to their eating habits and thus in the end leading to obese cases. The advancement in technology in the U.S. has also paved way for sedentary lifestyles. People spend more time watching TV and posting information on the social sites. News media has also affected social lives of American citizens by focusing too many advertisements on food and the worst part is the fact that children are mostly used in the commercials. This thus motivates the kids to each such food in large quantities. Measures to help reduce obese disease in the U.S On the bright side, Americans are doing the best they can to ensure that obese cases are reduced. Some of the effective measures that are already taking place are advocating of proper eating habits. The banning of junk foods in schools is also helping in making America an obese free nation. Several organizations have made it their duty to pass out a message to the Americans about the effects of obesity and the preventive measures that can be easily adopted right from the tables of the citizens. Food manufacturers in the U.S are also in favor of the initiative to reduce obesity in America. As a result they are trying their level best to manufacture foods that have less sugar, salt and fat content. Conclusion Obesity in the U.S is a serious case keeping in mind that it had led to deaths that can easily be prevented. Thus, it is the duty of people and the society at large to ensure that they strive to make America an obese free nation. One of the best ways to do this is to change the eating habits that are being portrayed in different families. The lifestyles also need to be change and thus people should be advised on the benefits of exercising regularly to burn down the calories that they are taking in. manufactures and other nonprofit organizations need to educate the society on benefits of healthy living. With such measures in place, the prevalent rates of obese cases would certainly reduce to single figured percentages. References: Blackburn, George L, and W A. Walker. Science-based Solutions to Obesity: What Are the  Roles of Academia, Government, Industry and Health Care? (2005). Print. Finkelstein, E A. National Medical Spending Attributable to Overweight and Obesity: How  Much, and Whos Paying?Health Affairs. (2003). Print. Global Post July 8, 2013, 4: 19 PM (2013-07-08).Mexico takes title of most obese from  America. CBS News. Obesity.Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. 2008. The Gale Group, Inc. 28 Apr.  2014  http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Obesity Rippe, James M, and Theodore J. Angelopoulos.Obesity: Prevention and Treatment. Boca  Raton: CRC Press, 2012. Print. Summary Health Statistics for U.s. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 1998. Hyattsville,  Md: Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 2002. Internet resource.