Economic Mobility

Economic Mobility in America Economic mobility is the ability of people to move up or down the economic ladder within a lifetime or from one generation to the next. It is what defines the American dream and allows us to think that we all have a chance of making it to the top. The American dream is to be successful and make a lot of money. Each generation is expected to earn more money than the previous generation. But this isn’t always true because the quintile you are born in to is, most likely, the quintile you will stay in. It is important to have economic mobility so our economy can grow and thrive. There are two types of economic mobility, absolute mobility and relative mobility. Absolute mobility involves widespread economic growth which everyone benefits from while relative mobility is more specific to individuals and occurs unrelated to the economy as a whole. With a slow-growth economy, these income inequalities become greater and it makes it much more difficult to move from one quintile to another. When the economy is growing quickly, it is easier to move up the ladder because the incomes are much more equal. The average American assumes that there is a high degree of economic mobility in our society and they accept it as a fact and rarely think about it. Little do they know that there is a relatively low degree of economic mobility, making it difficult to move up the economic ladder. There are many factors that can affect one’s economic mobility. Some include the income of the previous generation, gender, race, education, and marital status. If your parents are in the middle class, it is very likely that you will be in the middle class as well. There is a relatively low chance that you will slip down to the lower class or climb up to the upper class. Although you may make more than your parents did, you will most likely be in the same quintile and class. Gender also plays a role in economic mobility. Men tend to make more than women because they tend to have the higher positions. More recently though, women have been earning more of these high paying jobs over men. There has been somewhat of a role reversal, giving women more economic opportunity and mobility. Just as gender plays a role in economic mobility, so does race. Minorities tend to have less economic mobility and economic opportunities. Because some of their parents don’t make a lot of money, they too are destined to be in the lower quintiles and lower class. In today’s society, if you can’t afford to go to college and get a degree, there aren’t many jobs you can get to support you and your family. People with college degrees are much more likely to find a good, secure job that can support their family. People without college degrees are frowned upon and are not expected to do big things with their lives. College degrees give people much more opportunity and allow for people to climb the economic ladder because they have higher paying jobs. Marital status is also very important when it comes to economic mobility. A married couple will have greater economic mobility than a single person because the married couple is bringing home two incomes as opposed to the one income of the single person. The decline in marriage rates has hurt overall economic mobility because instead of having the two incomes of married couple, there is only one income making it more difficult to move up the ladder or even stay in the same class. These factors greatly contribute to overall economic mobility and play a very important role in today’s economy. Overall, economic mobility in America depends on many factors. Where you live, who your parents are, if you’re married or not, and if you’re male or female all determine your individual economic mobility.

Williams and Utilitarianism

In his critique of Utilitarianism, Williams finds fault in the Utilitarian commitment to maximum utility in that it undermines the integrity of moral agents and denies people the projects and relationships they inherently value. Famously known as his â€Å"Integrity Objection†, this proposition is immediately very enticing in that it appeals to the idea of the invaluable and imperative nature of benevolence and compassion, versus the cold, impartial hand of Utilitarianism. That is not to say, however, that Utilitarians have been dealt a hefty criticism from which they have no defense.While Williams may be correct in claiming that abandoning commitments or devaluing personal relationships may be counterintuitive, a Utilitarian could argue that his construction of â€Å"integrity† is equally counterintuitive in that it would require one to override their intrinsic pursuit of self- preservation. Additionally, if we were to presuppose Williams’ correctness, a Utilita rian could argue that the only plausible implementation of such a theory would mean valuing these emotional engagements above one’s own agency, a scenario even more demanding and sacrificial of one’s identity than the Utilitarian proposal.Williams directs this objection specifically toward Act-Utilitarianism, a branch of Utilitarian thought that deems the morally correct action as the one that produces the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. He claims that such a theory is incompatible with the aspect of human happiness that is found in the commitment to personal projects and relationships: â€Å"Utilitarianism would do well then to acknowledge the evident fact that among the things that make people happy is not only making other people happy, but being taken up or involved in any of a vast range of projects. 1 While Utilitarians actually need lower order projects comprised of relationships and commitments in order to validate their higher order projects, the lower order projects will always serve the concerns of the first order. In turn, Williams asserts that such a compromise of emotional engagements for maximum utility usurps one’s sense of self, consequently marring the distinction between one’s commitment and one’s identity: â€Å"(†¦ ) that criterion would eliminate any desire at all which was not blankly and in the most straightforward sense egoistic.Thus we should be reduced to frankly egoistic first-order projects, and- for all essential purposes- the one second-order utilitarian project of maximally satisfying first-order projects. †2Abandoning certain commitments for the sake of another project can be acceptable, but when forced to relinquish those which a person deeply values, Williams argues they are robbed of â€Å"a sense of one’s moral identity† or what he describes as one’s integrity.Williams offers us two scenarios to further exemplify his theory: â€Å"Jim†, who is told by the edicts of utilitarianism to murder one innocent Amazon Indian in order to prevent twenty more being murdered, and â€Å"George†, a chemist who is (also by the parameters of Utilitarianism) forced to take a job creating weapons of mass destruction, since the balance-sheet of utilities shows that if George refuses, a far younger, more zealous chemist will carry the project along even further and more efficiently than George.While these scenarios may seem like far-fetched constructions meant to reveal Utilitarianism pursuing the wrong choice, Williams conversely (perhaps begrudgingly) admits that these would be the â€Å"right† choices for the given circumstances. The true problem, he argues, is 1? CITATION? 112? 2? CITATION? 113? ? hat the emphasis should not simply be on the â€Å"rightness† of the action but the considerations involved in reaching that conclusion. This is a feature of Utilitarianism Williams claims â€Å" cuts out a consideration which for some others makes a difference to what they feel about such cases†. 3 He continues to explain that excluding such considerations denies our sense of personal accountability for our own actions and in turn â€Å"makes integrity as a value more or less intelligible†. In sum, if we were to reduce William’s entire integrity objection to its most salient points, they would be the following: the emotional commitments that are incompatible with the parameters of Act- Utilitarianism are not only impossible to abandon entirely but are an integral facet of human happiness, therefore creating a dilemma for the Utilitarian in that they must allow for it. The potential defense of a Utilitarian to Williams’ objection begins with the examination of his construction of integrity, which he seems to define as one’s â€Å"sense of self†.Looking simply at this definition alone, it could be said that subjectivity suggested with this variety of integrity incorrectly presupposes that a person’s sense of their identity is always correct. Utilitarianism could make a claim for the value in assessing reality with the sort of impartiality that Williams’ rejects, seeing as if one is not being appraised objectively, their sense of self is entirely contingent on their own conception.More importantly, and the crux of the Utilitarian defense, is that while Williams’ is correct in his claim that abandoning these emotional entanglements is counterintuitive, maintaining such commitments are at odds with the human desire for self-preservation, a 3? CITATION? p99? 4? CITATION? p99? ? conflict that Utilitarianism not only recognizes but Williams does not offer any viable solution for.Based on his examples and criticisms of Utilitarianism, it could be inferred that Williams assumes that we have a moral obligation to help others in a time of crisis, that one has an inherent responsibility to compassion a nd benevolence. This is clearly in conflict with the Utilitarian theory that one’s responsibility is to maximum utility, so even if the Utilitarian were to concede to Williams objection, it would be implausible to imagine a scenario in which the two could be regarded as being of equal value.In turn, the only option available to maintaining this ethos of selflessness would be to regard it as superior to maximum utility. This, a Utilitarian could argue, could prove to be extremely problematic. Firstly, it is extremely unrealistic to assume that people have the capacity to function entirely out of selflessness. Even though benevolence and emotional attachment can provide a certain level of happiness and fulfillment to a person, the expectation to unilaterally value the welfare of others over our own is not only implausible but ultimately self-defeating.Abandoning or betraying commitments in order to further advance a larger more important agenda certainly isn’t an idea pa rticular to Utilitarianism. A quick browse of a history textbook would support that, by and large, humans are inherently self-serving and while one may commit to an act, cause or person, it does not necessarily mean that they themselves aren’t using such relationships for their own agency. Utilitarianism may require that a person abandon a particular commitment for the sake of the reater good, but it can certainly be said that in the absence of utilitarianism, the commitment could be abandoned anyway, except in this case it would be for a self-serving purpose. A Utilitarian could potentially argue that their moral theory simply recognizes and curbs the inwardly focused desires of mankind and attempts to redirect such motivation toward the greater good. One could argue that Williams’ is somewhat disillusioned with mankind as he makes sweeping idealizations of the human psyche.Williams’ examples of â€Å"Jim† and â€Å"George† seem to both be conting ent on the idea that what makes said examples disconcerting is premise that both men would be acting against their conscience, in turn making the assumption that all people have consciences that should be considered. Secondly, if one could clear the hurdle of the first argument, the actual implementation of such a theory is extremely difficult. Williams argues that Utilitarianism is far too demanding to be plausible but in fact, trading this impartiality for benevolence proves to be far more exhausting.Considering the world’s current state of affairs, there are always people in dire need of help, so one calls into question exactly what parameters would be set in place in order to orchestrate such a society. What would be the stipulations of a worthy recipient of another’s benevolence? If Williams was simply talking about people’s obligation to those close to them, valuing those relationships above maximum utility creates a bias that is even more incompatible wit h benevolence than Utilitarianism, which at least works in the interest of the entire population.A Utilitarian could also argue that it simply because they are outweighed by maximum utility does not mean that substantial relationships are not valued in Utilitarianism. While they are indeed lower order projects, a Utilitarian could make an argument that it is through maintaining such relationships that the value of one’s own welfare is realized and are only outweighed by serious interests of first order projects.The analyses above reflect the same conclusion. Williams’ objection brings to light shortcomings in Utilitarianism that are easily felt by those uncomfortable with the impartial and seemingly unfeeling Utilitarian mentality. However, the arguments put forth by Williams regarding the counterintuitive and overly demanding nature of impartiality neglect the similarly inherent and insatiable desire for self-preservation.

A History of the Townsend Act Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A History of the Townsend Act - Term Paper Example in Burnett 41). The year 1767 brought a different series of measures that stimulated and recreated the conflict. Considering the discontent over increased tax, British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Townshend introduced a new fiscal program (Clack and Alonzo 40).Partially influenced by Benjamin Franklin’s arguments in Parliament, Townshend wrongly assumed that contrary to the Stamp Act, colonists would accept the tax on imported goods (Mintz).The basis purpose was to reduce British taxes by means of increased and efficient collection of duties imposed on American trade. Therefore, he readjusted custom administration and enacted duties on goods that colonies imported from Britain, such as, lead, paper, tea, glass. The â€Å"Townshend Acts† were based on the assumption that taxed on imported goods from colonies was legal whereas internally imposed taxes, such as, Stamp Act were illegal (Clack and Alonzo 40). ... Colonists were outraged, they not only objected the implementation of new duties but also they way collected money would be spent and new administration (Mintz). Reacting to the whole situation, John Dickinson, a Philadelphia layer, argued in Letters 1of a Pennsylvania Farmer that despite the fact that Parliament can control imperial commerce, it is unlawful to tax the colonies, whether the taxes are imposed externally or internally (Clack and Alonzo 40). Townshend appointed a new board of customs commissioners who were supposed to be more efficient in setting and maintain customs system. On the other hand, American merchants considered new bureaucracy was an effort to setting up the system of official corruption in colonies (Mintz). Learning from their past lessons, success of the boycott, and successful rejection of the Stamp Act, colonists united again in order to achieve their goal(Burnett 41).Boston merchants acquires a non-importation agreement in 1768 in which they preferred n ot to import certain goods over paying taxes. By 1769, merchants from all over America joined hands with Bostonians and they gave a serious jerk to British exports (Mintz). Their boycott dropped British exports to over 40%, due to bleak financial conditions; British merchants pressurized Parliament to abolish the Act (Burnett 41).American women contributed actively in the protests against Townshend Acts. â€Å"Daughters of Liberty† successfully campaigned against imported tea and clothing (Mintz). At the same time, ministry closed some western forts and deployed British troops in coastal areas again. According to 1765’s Quartering Act, colonists were responsible to not only provide food but also housing for the troops. But New York’s refusal to provide for

Role of Technology in Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Role of Technology in Terrorism - Essay Example This paper will expansively present how technology plays a pivotal role in terrorism when selecting target areas. "Much terrorist behavior is less than rational, and suicide is not the act of a rational person. Many experts (Ganor 2000; Schweitzer 2000) have commented on the tendency for modern terrorists to use suicide attacks. In fact, theIslamic Jihad(there are several Islamic Jihads started in the 1980s, all stemming from inside the Muslim Brotherhood movement started in the 1920s) have specialized in the use of suicide bombers, which involve a person wearing explosives or detonating a vehicle packed with explosives." (The Readiness to Kill and Die). Suicide Bombers have been used time and again to carry out difficult missions, terrorists who have stern determination are selected for this mission and a live bomb with a timer is tied to their body in order to accomplish the mission. The Suicidal tendency of the terrorists is time and again capitalized upon by several terrorist organizations. "Suicide terrorism, which is also called a suicide mission or a martyrdom operation, among other terms, is something of a growth industry because in 2005 alone, there were 555 such attacks around the world (Gambetta 2005). Poverty is the main cause of people turning towards terrorism; no one is foolish enough to blow himself up for no reason. The terrorists' organization take good care of the family members of the terrorists and the same motivates more and more people to become actively involved in several terrorists' activities; this is the only reason why the world is yet to come up with a fool-proof system to counter this long standing men ace. "There is a lot of propaganda and window-dressing surrounding suicide terrorism. Most of the myths about it are tied to specific contexts. The fact is: suicide terrorism can occur in a number of settings, both indoor and out; it is not confined to the Middle East; it indirectly can serve numerous terrorist purposes; and because of this, some people say it may very well be the kind of terrorism the world is likely to see more of in the future." (Bloom 2005). Bioterrorism Bioterrorism is consistently on the rise because it is very easy to obtain Biological weapons and another influential factor is that it causes fear of much larger magnitude when compared to the other weapons used by the terrorists. The biggest motive of terrorists when biological weapons are used is to cause immense fear in the minds of the people. Anthrax is a very popular biological weapon used by the terrorists, in the year 2001 the people in the US suffered a lot because of Anthrax menace, it was later found that the terrorists deliberately did the same in order to weaken the bio defence system in the US. Anthrax was used in several mails in the US and when the recipients opened the mails the anthrax spread thorough their nostrils entering into their body. Anthrax is more than capable of causing death unless the patient is immediately attended to. Of late anthrax has become out dated and no such cases have been reported but terrorists are consistently finding new ways to spread

Organizing slp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizing slp - Essay Example The process of organizing requires the collective efforts of all stakeholders in an organization, from top management to the most junior of employees. In other terms, managers and employees must work together to come up with the objectives of an organization and create systems that would assist in the achievement of these objectives in an efficient manner (Stephen & Coulter, 2005). A systematic approach that involves critical thinking is required in this process since it creates the executive plan of a company. The Organizing Function The organization design process starts with identification of a strategy from with a clear statement of purpose and vision for an organization. Such a strategy is important as it unites all employees towards achieving their personal and organizational goals. It also encourages actions that are geared towards attaining these goals and discourages activities that go against these objectives (Stephen & Coulter, 2005). Though creating a strategy is a planni ng process and not organizing, it is essential since it brings together all employees and defines roles clearly. Organizational structure is vital since it defines the relationship between people while at the same time defining their roles and responsibilities (Stephen & Coulter, 2005). ... First is work specialization or job enrichment, which refers to the extent to which a business divides its job into distinct tasks (Stephen & Coulter, 2005). By this division, an organization aims at ensuring that demanding jobs are not done by an individual; instead, a job is broken into smaller parts, each handled by different workers (Stephen & Coulter, 2005). Hence, each employee specializes in doing his/her part, which results in reduces job duplication, improved the productivity of every employee, and reduced conflicts among employees where roles are not clearly defined. Work specialty hence improves the overall performance of an organization. The second and third factors are departmentalization and chain of command respectively. Departmentalization, which could be functional, product or geographical, depending on the needs of an organization, should form the basis on which tasks are grouped together. On the other hand, chain of command implies the continuous line of authority, which extends from the top management to the lowest-level employees. In essence, it dictates who reports to who in an organization hence refers to the authority, responsibility and unity of command in an organization (Stephen & Coulter, 2005). The other organizing factors are span of control and centralization or decentralization. Whereas span control defines the number of ranks and managers that an organization has and indicates the number of employees under every manager or supervisor, centralization and decentralization determine the type of control in an organization (Stephen & Coulter, 2005). That is, whether control is by a few people or a large group. There are different designs

In what way is Capacity (supply) Constrained Assignment

In what way is Capacity (supply) Constrained - Assignment Example This may be due to the capacity (supply) constraint. Capacity constraint can be described as the limiting factor towards achieving the overall organizational objectives. Capacity constraints in cases of travel and tour agencies can be understood from various perspectives, which include but not limited to geographic, legal, political, financial, technology, and communication barriers (Kenny & Fyfe 2005, P. 136). HANATOUR is facing more than the above-mentioned capacity constraints considering that it is yet to take advantage of global presence. In other words, HANA TOUR is not in position to serve all its customers especially potential clients owing to financial, geographical, technological, political, legal, and human resources limitation. Geographical limitation is evident in the fact that HANATOUR does not enjoy full global presence. HANATOUR is currently operating in approximate 28 countries around the globe. This means that physical limitation, which includes water bodies and geo graphical disparities that calls for massive investment in transportation and establishing offices abroad is a major supply constraint to the company. HANATOUR is not in a position to provide its vital services to the potential customers located in distant areas where the company has not established its branches. Financial limitation is another major capacity constraint affecting HANATOUR. ... Limited human resource personnel is another limiting factor to HANATOUR. The company is expanding gradually and as such, it has not reached a point of employing a large group of personnel to serve additional branches in different location. Now the available personnel is not in a position to serve the ever bulging demand for the tours and travel services. Legal issues form another significant constraint. A number of legislations and regulations govern a number of operations of HANATOUR. This means that non-compliance translates to supply constraint. For instance, the company cannot carryout inbound travel and tour services for a foreign client if the client in question does not have requisite travel documents to South Korea. Communication barrier is at times a limiting factor towards serving the needs of the client. The world is certainly a diversified place with respect to language differences as people for different places speak and understand different languages. HANATOUR may at ti mes find it difficult to serve certain class of clients especially those that are speaking unique languages. Political issues such as riots, political instability, and strikes may at times limit the operations of HANATOUR. This is because tours and travel services highly depend on a calm political environment and as such, any interference on the political environment is no doubt a limiting factor towards achieving organization goal. HANATOUR is yet to adopt various IT systems related to travel and tours services (About company, 2012). Lack of appropriate It system has been a major limiting factor to the company preventing it from meeting the demands of their customers adequately. It is obvious that there exists a

Discussion Board for criminal justice Assignment - 3

Discussion Board for criminal justice - Assignment Example Abolishment was beneficial in initiating reforms in the prison system. The powers of the Federal Prison System reduced significantly after abolishment of the parole system. The role of pardoning prisoners remained solely on the president. Prisoners can only accumulate their time off for portrayal of good behavior (Alarid, 2010). In this manner, convicts developed responsibility and social transformation or rehabilitated after getting back to the society. The decision was beneficial to the society through improved safety from reduced instances of repeated crime by released convicts. The decision to oversee abolishment of the Federal Parole has ensured a safer society where convicted criminals do not mix freely with others. It is highly probable that convicts would engage in other subsequent criminal activities that threaten peaceful existence of the society. Besides, it would be costly to manage the convicts while on probation outside prisons. Convicted criminals could be more risky and fatal when left to have freedom while engaging freely with other society members. The society, therefore, is safe, just and secure after the abolishment of federal parole for

E-business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

E-business - Essay Example ainst this background, this report seeks to critically explore some of the measures that can be put in place by Friendly Supermarket which has underscored to transform from the traditional use of price tags at the tills while processing a transaction to a modern and sophisticated system that uses scans to detect the bar codes which in turn detect the product and its price. Friendly supermarket is developing this system from scratch and this report seeks to outline the major requirements as well as the benefits of adopting this new system to the top management of the group of supermarkets in Port Elizabeth. Revamping the traditional method of using price lists at the tills or price tags on all products as the only source of getting the correct price for the product at Friendly Supermarket requires a holistic approach since it will certainly bring about various changes to the infrastructure. The traditional method meant that more people would be on the floor sticking prices to each single product in the supermarket using the rivet stickers. However, the new system would see a dramatic shift from this traditional way to a sophisticated method aided by the use of computers and scanners. The major change to the infrastructure would be the introduction of computers in many departments including the till areas and these would be connected to a single server so as to ensure a smooth network. This would also require a system that is capable of holding large quantities of data and can process it at a tremendous speed so as to ensure effectiveness and efficiency compared to the traditional way of sticking price tags on each single product. This system would require all the bar codes on the products to be captured where all necessary details about the product would also be recorded. In this case, the name of the product, quantity as well as price would be recorded against the barcode of that particular product. Scanners connected to the computer servers in the supermarket

Asian Financial Crisis and Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Asian Financial Crisis and Globalisation - Essay Example Therefore this paper investigates the possible causes, contagions and effects of the Asian financial crisis with regard to globalization. The list of potential causes of the crisis is long but a short list would include: the futile attempts of the governments to keep their currencies at artificially high levels, massive overinvestment by various corporations funded by excessive borrowing, government ability to direct banking systems and decisions of lending, crony capitalism, lack of transparency, inadequate financial regulations and supervision, rigidity of labor markets and pronounced mismatch of assets and liabilities in both the corporate and banking sectors (Agà ©nor 1999; Walker 1998). However, the most important causes to the current Asian crises include the low corporate profits and unwillingness of the policy makers to relinquish control. The governments’ directive to the banking systems and the corporate governance structures to increase their sizes and market shares resulted in systematic overinvestment and sharp declines in corporate profitability. Besides decreasing the overall value of most countries in Asia, the shrinking profits weakened the banking sector that most firms rely on for funding (Walker 1998). The government interventions in the currency markets have led to high reductions in the value of currency of most countries in Asia (Rotblat 2001). For instance, when the currency of Thailand (the baht) was overvalued, the government failed to allow an orderly depreciation but fought the market forces because it thought it had enough foreign exchange reserves and wanted to avoid the high political costs associated with the devaluation of baht. With this move, the baht was finally allowed to float and its value fell. Contagion refers to the spread of a financial crisis from one institution to

The Palace of King Minos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Palace of King Minos - Essay Example An Antiquarian and Numismatist, Sir Evans contracted my assistance on the project toward historiographic documentation of his work, and that of Duncan MacKenzie whom will provide oversight on the forthcoming archaeological excavation. Inspired by the work of one of my colleagues, Heinrich Schliemann and his discovery of the royal tomb at Mycenae in 1876, Sir Evans has made numerous trips to Crete and the site at Knossos since the first encounter in 1894. In the Ancient Minoan period, the great palace is not only a royal residence but also the center of administration for the broader agrarian and maritime economies of the island. The site of exchange for governance of Cretan society, and locus of power in communiqu with other seafaring cultures of antiquity, the Palace of King Minos was to become my greatest resource for inquiry into to ancient civilization. While I had spent time following others like Schliemann around the Mediterranean in writing about the development of Bronze Age cultures, nowhere was I enlightened to the human spirit and its potential for inculcating both equity and whimsy into a praxis of leadership. Unlike the hierarchies of the Ancient Egypt Egyptian Kingdoms of the same period, Crete main tained a separate culture that could very well be the precursor to democratic monarchies of the modern period. Six Months later . . .How does a historian go about constructing an adequate chronological framework for such a site as we are uncovering We have been toiling at our work endlessly as Mr. MacKenzie and his crew of local workers dig, dust and classify the bronze statuary from both Crete, and the surrounding Mediterranean, the vast amount of clay pottery, and even shards of ivory and other foreign materials from as far away as East Africa that are so indicative of the world of abundant trade that the Minoans engaged. The robustness of their culture and especially successful economic trade with other civilizations, attests to the high standard of living that the culture enjoyed well beyond what might have been expected in Europe even one hundred years ago. We have decided upon a Chronology for the Minoan Bronze Age which is now determined to be three periods: Early, Middle and Late Minoan (em, mm, lm). Subdivision of the periods has been classified according to noticeable shifts in pott ery styles. Late Minoan pottery: (a) conical rhyton, h. 325 mm, from Gournia, Room C58, lm ib; (b) ovoid rhyton, Marine style, h. c. 240 mm, from Palaikastro, lm ib; (c) bridge-spouted jar, Special Palatial tradition, Floral style, h. 165 mm, from Knossos, lm ib; (d) 'Ephyraean' goblet, h. 150 mm, from the Temple Tomb, Knossos, lm ii; (e) jar, Palace style, h. 850 mm, from Knossos, lm ii-iiia:1 (all Herakleion, Archaeological Museum); (f) stirrup jar, Close style, h. 105 mm, from a tomb at Tourloti, lm iiic (Philadelphia, PA, University of Pennsylvania, University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology).iMuch effort has gone into geographic analysis of the site, and interpretation of planning that is an obvious precursor to Roman topographic renderings available to us today. The Palace at Knossos is to our best estimation 1300 BC. The

My Immortal Soul Essay Example for Free

My Immortal Soul Essay Plato has roused many readers with the work of a great philosopher by the name of Socrates. Through Plato, Socrates lived on generations after his time. A topic of Socrates that many will continue to discuss is the idea of â€Å"an immortal soul†. Although there are various works and dialogues about this topic it is found to be best explained in The Phaedo. It is fair to say that the mind may wonder when one dies what exactly happens to the beloved soul, the giver of life often thought of as the very essence of life does it live on beyond the body, or does it die with it? Does the soul have knowledge of the past if it really does live on? In Plato’s The Phaedo, Plato recounts Socrates final days before he is put to death. Socrates has been imprisoned and sentenced to death for corrupting the youth of Athens and not following the rights of Athenian religion.[1] Socrates death brings him and his fellow philosophers Cebes, Simmions, Phaedo, and Plato into a perplex dialogue about this notion of an afterlife and what does one have to look forward to after death. Death is defined as the separation of the body from the soul. In The Phaedo death has two notions a common one which is the basic idea that the soul dies and the physical, idea that the soul separates from the body after death. â€Å"The soul is most like that which is divine, immortal intelligible, uniform, indissoluble, and ever self-consistent and invariable, whereas body is most like that which human, mortal is, multiform, unintelligible, dissoluble, and never self-consistent.† (Phaedo)[2] According to Socrates, knowledge is not something one came to understand but it was actually imprinted on the soul. Knowledge to Socrates was an unchanging eternal truth, something that could not be acquired through experience and time. Socrates friends believe that after death the soul disperses into the air like a breath. On the contrary Socrates believes that the soul is in fact immortal and if one wants to become free of pain they way to do so is to exempt themselves from the physical pleasures of the world. In this dialogue Socrates and the philosophers explore several arguments for this idea of an immortal soul. These arguments were to illustrate and verify that death is not the dying of body and soul collectively, but when the body dies the soul continues to live on. Socrates offers readers four main arguments: The Cyclical Argument, which is the idea that forms are fixed and external. The soul is the sole purpose of life in this argument, and therefore cannot die and it is also to be seen as virtually never-ending. Next is The Theory of Recollection, which insists that at birth everyone has knowledge that the soul experienced in another life. Meaning that the soul would have had to be existent before birth to bear this said knowledge. The Form of Life Argument confers that the soul bears a resemblance to that which is imperceptible and godly because it is abstract. The body bears a resemblance to the perceptible and the corporeal because it is objective. The Affinity Argument maybe the simplest of all. It reiterates Socrates thoughts of the body and soul, in saying that when the body dies and decomposes our soul will continue to exist in another world.[3] Since the soul is immortal it has been recycled many times, and has also experienced everything there is to experience, for Socrates and Plato this idea of recollection is much deeper than remembering something once forgotten. Socrates views knowledge as something that cannot be learned but the soul recalls it as it is being recycled. Grasping the understanding that things come to be beings by being composed of something pre-existing and when ceased these parts will continue to exist. Focusing on The Theory of Recollection, this is the claim that knowledge is innate, and cannot be learned. â€Å"What you said about the soul. They think that after it has left the body it no longer exists anywhere, but that it is destroyed and dissolved on the day the man dies.†(Cebes)[4] Socrates’ point for this argument is that our soul with holds this knowledge and we are born with it. Although we do not remember things before we are born it is said that certain experiences can nevertheless re awaken certain aspects of that memory. For example in The Meno, Socrates raises a mathematical problem to Menos slave boy, who does not have any prior training in mathematics. The boy thinks he knows the answer but Socrates makes him see that his initial hypothesis of the answer is wrong. By purely asking questions, Socrates gets the slave boy to state the right answer. Socrates insists that he has not told the boy the answer, but through questioning the slave boy, Socrates aided him to recollect the slave boy’s own knowledge of mathematics.[5] Furthermore Socrates also makes another example of recollection by stating if one were to come in contact with a picture or an item of a beloved then it would be simple to recall said person to the mind. This is the idea of how recollection works. If we examine this example and change certain aspects of it, it does not become very clear either. If a picture of a beloved one was shown to a stranger it is safe to say that the stranger would not be able to recall any thoughts, memories or details of the person in the photograph because they do not have any prior knowledge of said person. In order for the stranger to do so they would have had to been in acquaintance with that person in the photograph at one time or another. This act of resemblance is easier for someone who already knows the person. Plato also uses an example of a vehicle stating that before a vehicle is mobile there were parts that were made to turn it into a vehicle such as the engine, steering wheel, and etcetera. He continues to make the point that even after the vehicle breaks down that these pieces will still remain to create the next vehicle. According to Plato ordinary objects participate in this recollection of platonic forms themselves; these things remind of us platonic forms because the soul once encountered it. He persists that the soul must have ex isted because of this. All of which are ways to reiterate that this idea that knowledge is imprinted on the soul may have validity to it. In essence there was time where only the soul existed and it soon found a home in a body of another, making it now a mortal being(birth). Reincarnation is not only a rebirth of the soul but the neutralization of the knowledge one attained before birth as well. Then there is a period where our a priori knowledge seems to disappear only to reappear when it is recalled. It is claimed that we lose our knowledge at birth; then by the use of our senses in connection with particular objects we recover the knowledge we had before. However, this relationship between the perception of sensible objects and our capacity of finding knowledge can produce a series of confusions concerning whether it is possible to recall all prior knowledge. The problem in this argument and certain aspects of this notion of an immortal soul is that even if it were proven that we were made up something before birth, and something will remain after death, it is not for certain that it is the soul. Through scientific study it is understood that the body is also made of atoms it is also known that atoms existed before the body and will continue long after the body. The atoms that make up the body will in fact be recycled as well just as Socrates has the concept that the soul lives on. Plato and Socrates were correct on the idea that certain parts were in pre-existence does come to make one existent and will exist after death. Although even with this idea one cannot be certain that the soul is one of the parts of the body that is solely immortal. There is not adequate information given by Plato or Socrates to make this argument suffice. We must raise an inquiry of why is that in order to think of perfection we must have already had to have seen it? Aside from philosophical views, in everyday life we encounter imperfections and it is safe to say that the mind is capable of wondering what something of beauty, perfection, or a perfect circle appears to be. The mind is also able to think about these ideas even if the soul has never encountered it. If these arguments prove anything it proves that The Theory of Recollection and The Cyclical Argument both attest that the soul existed before but the arguments do not prove that the soul will continue to exist after this life. Works Cited 1. Cahn, M Steven. Classics of Western Philosophy. Hackett Publishing Company, Inc 2006 2. Morgan, K, 2000, Myth and Philosophy from the pre-Socratics to Plato, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 3. Partenie, Catalin, Platos Myths, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . (April 11th2010) [1] Cahn- Plato’s, The Phaedo [2] Quote from the philosopher Phaedo [3] Socrates theories discussed by Plato [4] Phaedo 70a [5] Plato’s The Meno

Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Macbeth Essay Since the Mesopotamian era of 3000 B. C. numbers have been an essential part of life and are easily found throughout society, imbedded in religion, intertwined in mythology and commonly related with superstitions. Even in the twenty-first century people still believe in ancient numerical superstitions, such as the lucky number seven, or the unlucky number thirteen. During the seventeenth century William Shakespeare uses societal superstitions in his famous tragedy, â€Å"Macbeth†, by writing in a threefold literary pattern. Shakespeare reinvents the number three by relating in to evil and darkness throughout the play, providing it with a new superstitious meaning. â€Å"Macbeth† follows the transformation of the title character from thane to king, sane to evil. After putting down two rebellions against the King of Scotland, Macbeth is awarded title and favor with the gracious King Duncan. When greeted by three mysterious witches, they prophesy that Macbeth will be made Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. They also prophesize that Banquo will beget a long line of Scottish kings but will never be king himself. Macbeth and Banquo treat their prophecies sceptically until some of King Duncan’s men come to thank the two generals for their victories in battle and to tell Macbeth that he has indeed been named thane of Cawdor. In attempt to aid the prophecy, Macbeth murders the good Duncan and is crowned King of Scotland, but once his great goal to be king is achieved he begins to fear the prophecy brought forth to Banquo. In fear of being overthrown from the throne Macbeth goes on a psychotic rampage attempting to protect his future while ruining his sanity and brings upon himself his own demise. While entangling the threefold literary pattern into a tragic plot, William Shakespeare presents the appearance of three apparitions, the three murders, and the character choice of three witches to precipitate evil at the presence of the number three. Shakespeare turns the conventional and traditional meaning of three’s upside down in act one, scene one when he begins to relate the number to evil. Threes are commonly related to stability and completeness; in religion there is God omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, in time there are three divisions, past, present and future, and three grammatical persons- me, myself and I. In a dark and ominous meeting, Shakespeare introduces his audience to three women who will continue to haunt Macbeth throughout the play: the three weird sisters. As the first characters the audience has the pleasure of meeting, the witches set the mood for the entire play with a sense supernatural as â€Å"instruments of darkness† (I. iii. 136). In the opening scene of the play each witch speaks three times within the first eleven lines, the first two being â€Å"When shall we three meet again / In thunder, lightning, or in rain? coupling three undesirable and threatening circumstances, suggesting constrictions and limitations as these three things generally happen at the same time. The triplet pattern begins with this, giving a false sense of stability until to the audience until the witches state that what is â€Å"fair is foul, and foul is fair† (I. i. 12). This suggests that the stability of threes is actually a farce and will bring instability and chaos. Before t heir meeting with Macbeth, the fist witch informs her sisters that she has planned revenge against a sailor whose wife refused to share her chestnuts. Through her description of her plan, Shakespeare reveals to his audience that they posses great power but with limits unlike an instrument of fate would have. She plans to transport through a â€Å"sieve† (I. iii. 9) to curse him but she is not powerful enough to have him shipwrecked, only to have his ship â€Å"tempest-tossed† (I. iii. 26), showing their limits. As the first witch explains her plan she speaks in triplets, â€Å"I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do† (I. iii. 11), to emphasize her evil intentions. When Macbeth and Banquo present themselves to the witches just moments later, they greet Macbeth â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! / All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! / All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter! † (I. iii. 51-53). Three greetings that seem so fair â€Å"of noble having and of royal hope† (I. iii. 59) are sure to turn foul. The greetings mimic the common greeting of the New Testament, â€Å"All Hail† (Matthew 28. 9). In Matthew 26. 49, Judas prepares to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin and Roman soldiers. His plan is to identify Jesus by greeting him with a kiss so that the soldiers will know which man to arrest. Judas approaches Jesus, saying, Hail Master. The witches greet Macbeth in a similar fashion, and, as Judas betrayed Jesus, so do the witches betray Macbeth. This mirroring comparison shows Shakespeare cutting all biblical and holy beliefs in the number three, using religious evidence to eliminate the idea that three is a number of stability. Shakespeare even has his three witches speak in contradictions to create moral confusion and increase the presence of evil, such as when the witches characterize Banquo as â€Å"lesser than Macbeth, and greater† (I. iii. 68). After stirring up quite a bit of trouble, the witches vanquish, not to be seen again until the first scene of the fourth act. The signal to begin their evil incantations is brought to the witches by three meows of a â€Å"brinded cat† (IV. i. 1). Again, the witches take turns, speaking in a threefold pattern, taking their turns and presenting a rhyming, triple statement to open the act; â€Å"Thrice the brinded cat hath mewd. / Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whined. / Harpier cries â€Å"‘Tis time, ‘tis time† (IV. i. 1-3). While working on concocting brew the witches chant around a cauldron, throwing in various items, taking turns to add their contributions, dividing the ingredients into three separate groups. When Macbeth arrives to the cavern he greets the witches as â€Å"secret, black, and midnight hags† (IV. i. 48), three negative descriptions dripping with evil connotations. The â€Å"weird sisters† (III. iv. 165) conclude the evil presence within triplet patterns by presenting three mysterious visions or apparitions to Macbeth, in order to provide him with the same sense of false security that the audience had felt initially. With thunder roaring in the background, Shakespeare thrusts his main character into various situations that would terrify any person â€Å"milk of human kindness† (I. v. 7). When Macbeth is faced with the three apparitions they bring him fair sounding news that is doomed to be destructive and â€Å"foul† (IV. iii. 28) because of the threefold predictable pattern. When the first of the three mystical spirits appears to Macbeth in the form of a floating warhead, warning him to â€Å"beware Macduff† (IV. i. 81), Macbeth shrugs it off, already knowing this. When the second apparition appears as a bloody child, it tells Macbeth that no man born of a woman can do him harm. This gives Macbeth great confidence: Then live Macduff: what need I fear of thee (IV. . 93). Finally, the third ghost appears as a child wearing a crown with holding a tree in hand. This phantom is the one to stir Macbeth’s blood and spook him and has him demanding to know the meaning of the final vision. The child tells Macbeth that he â€Å"shall never be vanquished [†¦] until/ Great Birnam Wood [comes] to high Dunsinane Hill† (IV. i. 105-106), a seemingly impossible task, but in the Shakespearean world of three’s, things are not as they seem. This, giving Macbeth false security, is followed by a procession of eight crowned kings all similar to the one before. The final king carries a mirror, showing a seemingly endless lineage of kings, frightening Macbeth into overbold, unthinking irrationality, contrary to his previous semi-thoughtful behaviour. The three apparitions all in still a false sense of self-assurance in Macbeth but after Shakespeare’s triplet patterns have caused nothing but grief during the play, the audience is able to see through the prophetic ghouls that act as symbols, foreshadowing the way the prophecies will be fulfilled. The warhead suggests a third rebellion, the first two put down by Macbeth while the third is caused by his treacherous ways in a turn of events that can only suggest that if Macbeth hasn’t died the first two times, then the third time’s the charm. The bloody child of the second vision is the image of Macduff as a babe â€Å"from his mother’s womb / untimely rippd† (V. viii. 19-20), delivered through caesarean section. This minor technicality that evades Macbeth is the key to his downfall, and thanks to his ignorance he believes he is invincible. The line of kings, thrust in Macbeth’s face is his last hope, the finishing blow. With the knowledge that there will be men who â€Å"are too like the spirit of Banquo† (IV. i. 127) Macbeth subconsciously knows that all hope is lost to him, but he clings to the second apparitions speech, claiming that he cannot be harmed by any person born of a woman. The terrible three’s that Shakespeare entangles into the apparition’s doom-filled messages not only anticipate the death of Macbeth, but also lead him to it. It is by his self-assurance, pride and ambition that Macbeth believes he will survive, hearing only what he wishes from the prophecies. Since the prophecies suggest he will be fine, Macbeth takes it to heart and believes so without watching out for himself; he does not attempt to prevent the rebellion, nor does he stay in the castle when he knows he is a target because â€Å"none of woman born [can] harm Macbeth† (IV. i. 91-92). By presenting these ghoulish visions, the witches lead Macbeth to his death by power of suggestion and lack of a complete digestion of the situation on the title characters part. The witches’ prophetic ways also lead Macbeth to far worse things than pride. Macbeth is urged by the third prophecy of being king to kill Duncan, King of Scotland. Although his wife is the â€Å"spur† (I. vi. 25) who pricks the horse of intent, the intent is spawn from the prospect of his hopes coming true. The third prophecy leads him to murder, using trickery to make the fair prospect of being King derive from such a foul act as unjust murder against the â€Å"gracious Duncan† (III. vi. 3-4). If Macbeth had stayed content with the first murder he could have lived a happier life, but troubled by the prophecy presented to Banquo, Macbeth fears for his throne and sets out to murder his best friend in a foolish attempt to disprove the prophecy. Macbeth performs his second murder. While this time, instead of doing it himself, Macbeth hires two murders, but as the fates have it a third joins the informal party. With the third murderer present, a seemingly easy kill has become a challenge and struggle because three is a crowd. If the third murderer was Macbeth, unable to stay away from the murder of his self-sworn enemy, it is no doubt that he tagged along to fulfill the destruction of a prophecy, only intensifying its after effects. Macbeth becomes miserable and his mind is unclear; the second murder had haunted him and caused him great fear. If not for the prophecies and initial trickery, Macbeth would have not stopped to rage against a friend that had been so dear to him and would have not killed Banquo in an attempt to save his own life, that was previously not in danger. The first two murders written by Shakespeare mainly show cause, but the third and final brings a big effect. With Macbeth murdering the innocent wife and children of Macduff, just because he fears Macduff knows the truth about Duncan’s murderer, the intent of murder changes. The first two were intended to attain and keep a powerful position, but when his pride and fear get the better of him, Macbeth hires men to commit the third murder with no sense of regret, as he had after murdering Duncan (â€Å"I am afraid to think what I have done† (II. ii. 66)). Nor is Macbeth mentally disturbed, as he had been after murdering Banquo, seeing ghosts. After the third murder, Macbeth is a well-seasoned professional and becomes emotionally detached from his victims as they become but another dead. The third murder backfires and works against Macbeth, only spurring the intent of Macduff to slaughter him more savagely than before. Shakespeare pushes the idea that there needs to be a third murder in order for symmetry and regulation, but by adding in a third murder, Shakespeare is able to, again, shatter all former pretences about the stability of the number three, changing its relationship to represent evil. While using triplet speaking patterns, triplet events and groups of three people, Shakespeare uses three savage murders, three frightening apparitions and three ugly, diabolical and manipulative witches to present the number three as a superstition, dragging along evil wherever it goes. While Shakespeare uses the number three to predict and present evil throughout the tragedy â€Å"Macbeth†, he strives toward changing societal views of the number. With a simple beheading, Macbeth’s tragic downfall is complete and caused entirely by the three prophecies foretold by the three witches who showed Macbeth the three apparitions and encouraged him to commit three murders. By introducing the three witches first, Shakespeare relates the number three to the hags immediately and through their chaotic destruction of people’s lives by influencing their sins, the witches represent all the evil of the prophecy.

The Opera Singer As An Actor Music Essay

The Opera Singer As An Actor Music Essay In this dissertation emphasis will be placed on the marriage of three concepts namely: good voice singing technique, musicality and acting for opera (building the character) in the training of a successful opera singer hereafter referred to as the singer-actor. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the essential skills that needed to be acquired by the modern opera singer. The rationale therefore, is to provide guidelines for the minimum requirements for the training of the opera singer as singer-actor. Taking into consideration the demands on opera singers when taking part in an opera, the study was guided by the following question: How does the knowledge of good voice (a sound singing technique), musicality and building a character role benefit the opera singers performance? Evolving from the main research question, the following sub questions were formulated: What is a good voice within classical voice training methods? How can musicality contribute to an opera singers performance? What are the demands to build a character role? General and specific aims: The general aim of this study was to determine how the knowledge of a good voice, musicality and building a character role, benefit the opera singers performance. Specific aims: The specific aims of this study are: to define a good voice To define musicality to determine how building a character role contribute to an opera singers performance. Due to the limited nature of this study, only a literature study will be done. As an extension of this study, the researcher would follow an interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative approach which strives to comprehend the important skills an opera singer should have according to contemporary South African opera singers and their view of the importance of acting ability for successful opera. The study will be conceptualised in terms of and based on the following frameworks: The voice Musicality Acting ability Relationship between music and text For opera to retain its artistic relevance to, and impact on, the fabric of arts and culture, it can be argued that there are three fundamental elements to the performance of opera which need to be addressed, and which require academic input (herformulering), discipline regarding musicality as well as focussed tuition and practise (sweeping statement. Wie se so?). In a world of ever-increasing media coverage of artistic and musical artists and events, together with an ever-increasing sophistication of a wider audience, it is becoming increasingly challenging for the artist, and in particular, the opera singer, to be successful in his career. Key to this challenge is that the opera singer is left with no choice other than to develop skills beyond the purely technical expertise. It is imperative that, in order to be extraordinary and thereby successful, the opera singer has to master three co-functioning disciplines, namely the good voice, musicianship and acting ability (sit bronne in). Singers tend to take acting classes separate from their vocal training in order to improve their acting skills. However, they mostly discover that taking classes in spoken drama and dialogue helps up to a certain point, but when going back to singing opera, the acting strategies learnt in the drama class do not always migrate to the performance of the aria (cf. Bean: 2007:167). This lack of transition is a result of the unique relationship between the music and the stage character in opera, which is not taken into account in the training of purely spoken (non-musical) drama. Thus, the one aspect that separates the acting of a spoken drama from that of opera is the music that is performed by instruments and the human voice. (Bron) (Prof. Jak: kommentaar is dat dit self evident is, of vroeà «r genoem moet word). The argument specific to this dissertation is that the preparation and development of the opera singer (or singer-actor) has to facilitate three equally important, inter-linked and overlapping platforms of the Good Voice (singing technique), the discipline of musicianship and The Ability to Act (building the character). ( dink dit is aan die begin gesà ª) In order to deliver a masterful opera performance, the singer actor needs to depict a character successfully. The opera singer needs to be a singer-actor who has mastered the following three pillars (Good Voice, Musicianship and Acting Ability) of the craft and art of Opera Performance. Each of these pillars deserves equal attention with particular reference to the input, mentoring/development and training curriculum of the opera singer (Bron) Further to the intention of the dissertation, it will be important that there are appropriate and comprehensive definitions of these three equally important elements that are based on the relevant literature and which build on the existing body of knowledge in this field. Specifically, this study will integrate the definitions of A Good Voice, Musicianship and Acting Ability in terms applicable to the Singer-Actors optimal performance of Opera. Furthermore, in this dissertation emphasis will be placed on singing techniques, the elements of musicianship, and various relevant acting strategies in the training of a successful opera singer. This dissertation will also include the identification of relevant areas of scholarly attention and future academic research that will add to the existing body of knowledge in this arena. An in-depth literature study of relevant and contemporary sources on these topics have been done to guide the research. Method of research The following methods of research were used to answer the research questions: Consulting of the following databases: JSTOR, Google Scholar, Periodical archive online and IIMP; Literature study Interpretation of information and conclusions A study of Largo al factotum from Puccinis Il Barbiere di Seviglia on the basis of the score and recordings, in order to ensure a common understanding of how the study could apply to the aria Before the conceptualized terms will be discussed, a concept clarification of the relevant issues at hand, will be provided. 1.1 Concept clarification The Good Voice / The self-amplified singing voice The good voice can be defined as the ability of the opera singer to project the voice in a way that its heard over and above the full orchestra accompanying the singers. This view correlates with the description of Gilfrey (2007:1) who describes the voice as a classical technique, a manner of singing that projects the voice over a large orchestra in a large theatre. Four elements are essential to produce a sound, namely a vibrating object, a power source to make the object vibrate, a medium through which the vibrations are transmitted and apparatus to receive the vibrations (McKinney,1999:20). The self-amplified singing voice as described by Gilfrey (2007:1) is the single most important element of opera; the one that distinguishes opera not only from spoken drama, but also from rock and pop music, from jazz and from musical theatre (as it is performed today). Optimal Acoustic Output Acoustic output refers to the optimal projection of the voice to enhance the correct and optimal usage of the voice as an instrument. According to Titze (2002: 367 376) mean glottal airflow (or, alternatively, glottal resistance) has been a target for optimising vocal output power in voice therapy and singing training. Glottal airflow refers to the space between the vocal cords (the fleshly parts of the air passage inside the throat) which produce the sound of the voice by fast or slow moments, in which this space is repeatedly opened and closed (Longman, 1980:484). Generator / Breath Management / Breath Breathing is a natural process which begins at birth an ends with death. This is a natural process for which no training is acquired. The rate of breathing is governed by the bodys need for oxygen and needs no conscious controls. The essential difference between breathing to live and breathing to sing, lies in the amount of conscious control exerted (McKinney, 1994: 46). In other words, the breathing process is a spontaneous event for the normal person, but a skill that needs to be mastered by the opera singer to optimise breath control and support for the voice. Vibrator The word vibration of the voice refers to The function of the vibrator is to set the column of still air in the throat and also that in the windpipe in vibration. The vibratory element of the larynx consists of a highly skilful compromise on the part of nature which enable the opera singer to phonate without interfering with the breathing capacity (Kelsey, 1950: 66). This vibration is a function of the larynx; a device similar to the diaphragm of a sound-system speaker, is the anatomical device through which the sound is created while simultaneously allowing the singer to continue breathing through the same gap (or slit) by which the airflow is controlled. This control is the output of extensive skill learning, disciplined practise and deliberate conscious control (Kelsey, 1950: 66-67). Structure and Function Resonator / Supraglottic Activity The word resonator refers to an apparatus for increasing the resonance of sound (Longman, 1980:942). For the purpose of this study, the word resonance can be defined as secondary vibrations produced by sound waves from another vibrating body (Lessac, 1997:13). He also distinguishes between two types of resonance, namely direct or enforsed resonance and indirect or sympathetic resonance. Direct resonance occurs when a vibrating body is placed in direct physical contact with another substance. For the opera singer direct resonance could be the sound resonating with the outer surfaces of your teeth. Indirect resonance occurs when the sound waves of a vibrating body set up vibrations in a substance some distance away. Sympathetic resonance occurs as the vocal sound waves, travelling through air space from the vocal folds, make contact with the hard pallet and then with the nasal bone (Lessac, 1997:13). The ability to resonate can therefore be described as the amplifying of the human voic e. This amplifying can be divided into three sections, including the air contained in the lungs and windpipe, the air contained in the throat and, that contained in the suprapalatal cavity. Each of these can be seen an air-conditioner. Classical Technique (sit nog iets in of haal uit, PL) In popular usage, art or serious music as opposed popular music The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. CHAPTER 2: The Good Voice in Classical Singing Before the good voice can be discussed, the anatomy of voice production needs to be clarified in short. Lessac (1997:14) defines the term voice box of human sound box as the cavity or enclosure where the tone is strengthened, amplified and enriched by resonance and wave reflection. According to Lessac, the voice box comprise two areas: a major adjustable area right above the larynx and the oral cavity and nondadjastable area in the pharynx, the nose, the forehead and adjacent structures. This soundbox can be describe as the singing meganism of which all the parts interdependent of each other, eah of which plays a crucial role in producing the good voice. The good voice as defined in par 1.1 takes years of concentrated training. This focus on singing technique is the primary focus of most singers studies (Gilfrey, 2007:1). A whole voice approach is beneficial for both singer and actor; however actor training programs dont include singing, and vice versa. Acting is becoming increasingly important for the opera singer, but is seldom supported by the prerequisites of theatre voice and movement (Melton Tom, 2003:135). Sà ª nog iets oor hoekom training belangrik is. Singing is both a science and an art. Most teachers have at least some appreciation for a scientific singing method and those who dont often claim to have discovered some long-lost piece of wisdom. This wisdom is generally already incorporated in the teachings of a well-trained singer. There are some fads that come and go but a singer with good technique and access to his or her emotions will please any audience and have a much broader career with greater longevity (Brown, 2004: 97-104). Technique is central to singing opera, but singing is also an art form, and no art form can be realised by the use of technique alone. Merging voice technique, musicality and emotion through competent acting skill is something that must be taught from the very beginning of the Opera Singers development of his/her career. This is because, when occupied in the emotion of the moment, the good voice will acquire nuances that are quintessentially important to conveying the emotional elements of the opera and will thus elevate the singer to a higher level of performance and riveting engagement with the audience. Gebruik onderstaande as daar nog inligting daaroor is, anders voeg saam, PL Every aspect of the voice, used directly of indirectly affects the whole mechanism. For example alignment and breathing are integrally connected to the performers range, resonance and articulation. For this reason, some of the relevant aspects affecting the good voice, will be discussed below. 2.1 Vowel modification Vowel Modification and Primal Sound Christy (1961) means that an important criteria for good singing habits is the homogenic shaping of vowels, in other words, they should sound as if they fit together, the vowels must be consistent with each other. Many professional singers never master the art of even vocal production. This can be ascribed to vocal coaches not fully grasping the concept of vowel placement. When this concept is fully understood it is impossible for a singer to not produce vowels freely and comfortably. In the first volume Christy states that once a single vowel is mastered the singer must focus on uniting the remaining vowels in accordance with that of the first. He means that the different vowels should attain a similar sound without losing its distinctive character. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this is another way of saying vowels have to be equalized by having a common, fundamental tonal characteristic. The fundamental tone of the human voice is the huh sound. According to Christy this sound should be considered the basic reference to vowel placing because the uh sound is the most natural sound that can be produced, as the pharynx is relaxed and in its natural position. Oren C. Brown concurs with Christy, but describes the uh sound as the primal sound: Primal sounds are involuntary. They are the sounds you were born with. In Beijing , Basel or Boston, a babys cry at birth is his primal sound. In 1963, Peter F. Oswald mad a phonetic analysis of the babys cry. He labeled the initial sound as a schwa [Éâ„ ¢], (uh as in about), which linked the cry to a babys first word, mama [mÉâ„ ¢mÉâ„ ¢]. Mama is the first word spoken by babies throughout the whole world. In Korea the word is ama, with the vowel preceding the consonant. (Brown 1998) p. 1 The sound identified by both Brown and Christy can therefore be described as the primal- or natural relaxed sound. As practical advice Brown suggest testing the sound through a range of exploratory exercises: making the huh sound in a short repetitive sequence (as if laughing), or a long relaxed sustained huh (like a sigh). He also suggests sliding the huh up and down the vocal range noting that the sound becomes lighter in the higher range and darker in the lower range. He means that this is natural and advises the singer to note his or her voices natural inclinations. Judith Litante also mentions in Natural Approach to Singing (p32) that the vowels used in Italian forms a basis for the study of vowels in singing. She believes that they are pure. The reason for this is that Italian vowels are a compact basis for both English and other non Latin based languages. In English one finds many diphthongs. She means that employing these pure vowels or primal sound, as previously mentioned would eliminate the distorted pronunciation of diphthongs; for example extending the last syllable when singing say, it becomes sayee or kind becomes kieend. When the vowels are aligned and the vocal structures are in a natural posision, these kinds of distortion is eradicated. 2.2 Breath management Breathing techniques need to be considered holistically and consciously controlled until it becomes an unconscious competence. Sufficient and natural supply of air is needed for voice production. A good posture is an essential part of breathing and should be developed to support the opera singer in his breath management (Brown, 2004:17). This view is supported by Mckinney (1994:46-64) who state that there is a direct and positive correlation between correct posture (diaphragm control, and muscular movements of the chest, back and abdomen) and effective breathing in singing. According to McKinney (1994:48) breathing has four stages, namely a breathing-in period (inhalation), a setting-up-controls period (suspension), a controlled-exhalation period (phonation) and a recovery period. These stages should be repeated till the opera singer has the ability to go through the stages unconsciously. This process can be compared to the person who learns to drive a motorcar and has to concentrate on each step till he gets the ability to perform all the steps automatically. For the opera singer this refers to preparing to breathe, preparing for the phrase, physically singing the phrase and recovering in order for the process to repeat. 2.3 The vibrator 2.4 The resonator 2.5 The articulator Classical Opera training and singing versus Singing pop or secular music The single most important element of opera, the one that distinguishes opera not only from spoken drama, but also from rock and pop music, from jazz and from musical theatre (as it is performed today), is the self-amplified singing voice. This is a voice produced with a classical technique, a manner of singing that projects the voice over a large orchestra in a large theatre. The learning of the singing technique this voice requires, takes years of concentrated training. This focus on singing technique is the primary focus of most singers studies. CHAPTER 3: Musicianship How the Classical Singer Accesses Demonstrates Musicianship To acquire musicianship a high level of artistic interpretation of songs and knowledge of repertoire is required through years of training. One can not over emphasize the importance of musicianship. It is simply not suffice for a musician to have a musical ear, theoretical and musical knowledge, play an instrument or respond emotionally to music. The artist must be a musician i.e. a singer (Christy Vol 1: 7). According to Miller (Principles of singing p1) a singer can acquire musicianship through classes, studying an instrument (ex. Piano), performing in choirs or through private study and the self-exploration of music. Even though a singer that has exceptional vocal talent, he should receive professional music training and the participation in solo or choral ensembles especially in the first year of study. Many vocal teachers might disagree with this statementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ A singer with a natural talent and an ear for music must be able to imitate sounds and pitches and not just h ear this internally, for example; in a singing lesson the student listens to the vocal teacher and then imitates the vocal sound of the teacher. The same principle applies with rhythm. A sound inner sense of rhythm will contribute to the holistic musicianship of the singer. Besides musicianship, there is also the interpretation of music. According to Christy (1961: Vol 2:110) Interpretation is the emotional and artistic portrayal; the summation of all music. According to Christy (1961:Vol2:110) Musicianship is the science of music and interpretation . A good singer should be familiar with all styles of music and song literature. The singer must be trained in a style and in the interpretation of songs in a particular style. A song has a style that must be established and followed through to the end. It is possible for a singer to become comfortable with a particular style that he can do well in, but he will not realise that what he steers clear of could be very valuable for his musical development. Therefore the teacher should analyse, guide and discuss the songs with the singer, in order to identify the accompanying details of expression. (Christy 1961:Vol2:110-111). The basis of musicianship include the abilities to read and interpret rhythms and intervals, playing the piano accompaniments, acquiring knowledge of the basics of theory and harmony, music and musicians in terms of vocal and instrumental style, schools and song literature. (Christy 1961:Vol1:7) According to Christy 1961:Vol:109, (quoting Curt Atler in the art of accompanying and coaching: 1965: 219) interpretation may be defined as the singers act of expressing and communicating meaning, mood and epic, a comedy, or just an expression set to music all in capsule form. To interpret music is to express or reproduce it intrinsically by the singer, in the score. Due to the limitations in music notation, it is the responsibility of the singer to interpret and express the fine distinction between tonal colour, tempo and intensity of the composers interpretation. The expression can be found in the text and in the setting. According to Christy 1961:Vol2:112, when the same song is sung by two sensitive artists, it is highly unlikely that the general style, tone, colour and mood will be markedly different; however, dynamics, tempo, word accentuation, and innumerable details often are. Thus, the keys must be studied by the singer in order to express and keep the interpretation on trac k. The two requirements for interpretation include the fidelity to the composers intent and that it must contain an essentially creative element of the interpreters own making, illuminating the subject with fresh light. (Christy 1961:Vol1:190). Furthermore, the expression must be honest, sincere, simple and direct, which means that nothing must be added or placed over the music that will distract attention from the work itself. Also, the singer must reproduce the music with insight, imagination and vitality in his own unique way it must not be copied from others. Interpretation has four main factors including appropriate and fervent mood or emotion, eloquent diction, adequate technique and a natural, sincere stage presence. (Christy 1961:Vol1:190). EMBELLISHMENTS Embellishments comprise of, but are not limited to the appoggiatura, acciaccatura, mordent, gruppetto or turn, trill and the portamento. These are techniques that are of vital importance in the interpretation of music. In the appoggiatura, the singer usually has to apply his own taste due to its indeterminate value. There are some accented notes in a melody that form the bass of the intervals since they lean on the next note to which they descend. The appoggiatura was used by singers long before it was written down, because of the enjoyable sound and is often absent in the score. (Shakespeare: 115). The acciaccatura and mordent is different from the appoggiatura as it is written with a stroke through the stem and tail. This does not have an affect on the value of the next note but it is sung much quicker. The acciaccatura is usually a small note where as the appoggiatura is written as a whole note. (Shakespeare: 115). The gruppetto or turn is a group of three or four notes. If the higher interval is a tone, the lower tone is a semitone and if both intervals are semitones it is known as a chromatic turn. (Shakespeare: 115). Sung in rapid alternation with the note of the scale above it, the trill is an embellishment that has a principle note that belongs to the harmony of the composition. A trill is usually finished with a turn. (Shakespeare: 115). The portamento carries the voice from one interval to the next, then passing lightly through the intervening tones. It also indicates a phrase and the Legato rendering of a passage. (Behnke: The technique of singing: 99) Legato Slur Intonation Colour in the voice timbre (emotion) Following the conductor Discuss the concept of DISCIPLINE Technical aspects According to Hayward (see 1994:205) style can be interpreted in many different ways. Interpretation can be defined as communicating understanding. Interpretation can best be expressed in a persons own language according to James Nolan in his book Interpretation, Techniques and exercises. Expression and conveying of meaning, feeling and idea through sound can be defined as interpretation (Christy 1967:109). CHAPTER 4: Acting Within the South African context, this integration of The Good Voice, Musicianship and Acting is deficient. There are various reasons for this lack of attention given to the development of acting skills with singer-actors. One is that there are not many qualified tutors in South African institutions that combine the field of acting and musical performance. Another reason is the absence of appropriate development programs and relevant material in curriculums. As a result, there is less interest from students to pursue a career as a singer-actor. In support of this argument, Knobel and Steinert (2002:155) claim that the acting teacher should be just as important to you as your singing teacher and can be of great help to you throughout your singing career. Interestingly enough, contrary to this understanding are the arguments of authors such as Bean, Goldovsky and Balk, who posit that acting classes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are very often of little benefit to the singing actor Bean (2007:167). These two opposing views illustrate that there are no consensus among academics about the importance of acting skills (al dan nie) of the opera singer. This statement is underpinned by the neglect of some higher education institutions offering voice training, where little or no training in acting is provided. In the quotation below, Bandelj truly captures the spontaneous physiological, psychological and emotional reactions which authentic acting can bring about in the actors performance. When a singer acts and sings in a mechanical way, it often comes across as disjointed or in some cases ridiculous. It is the emotion that breathes life into the song and makes it relevant, connecting with the audience and transcending facial contortions (Bandelj, 2003:393-394). To avoid that, an actor should utilise the all the involuntary muscle contractions that emotions evoke in the body, either by recalling their own past experiences or imagining themselves personally going through what the character is experiencing. This makes the whole action more believable. Gilfrey, Bonavia agrees that the ability to act, though considerably under-estimated, is not the only or the most necessary qualification for the operatic stage. Acting in opera is a comparatively modern accomplishment (Bonavia, 1915:79). This observation, by Bonavia, pays homage to the deeply rooted tradition of well-respected opera singers being famous for their magnificence of voice; but of their skill in acting there is hardly any mention to be found anywhere (Bonavia, 1915:79). ( Dink hier aan enige ou opera wat opgevoer is en waar daar slegs aandag aan die sang gegee is) Ultimately, Bonavia contradicts (to some extent) the previous argument by identifying an exception. That is Chaliapin who, according to Bonavia, provides the audience with ever-changing shades of facial expression à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the whole character left vividly impressed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Chaliapin is the ideal actor (Bonavia, 1915:80). In terms of the attempts made at acting within the Opera world, there is a history and tradition of operatic gesture and the surprising persistence of melodramatic effects and gestural overstatement (Smart, 2004:26). While this is certainly applicable to the Nineteenth Century, we need to be cognisant of how this tradition of gestural overstatement may be (erroneously) assumed to be the only acting required of the singer actor in the twenty-first Century. That is, even in the times of Verdi, the role of gesture à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (grew) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as formal conventions loosened (Smart, 2004:136). The appropriate question therefore is, to what extent have formal conventions loosened further, particularly in a world hallmarked by electronic media and social networking? As indicated in the introduction, Television and DVDs, have provided unrestricted access to Opera to an ever-increasing sophisticated and demanding audience in the entertainment space. This view is further reinforced by the writing of RePass (1953:10-18) who states that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(PL). Building the Character The creation of a character role by the singer-actor is the basis and starting-point of the combination of singing and acting. While it cannot be doubted that an excellent singing technique à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (viz., The Good Voice and Musicianship) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is essential to the success of any opera singer, other skills required for a convincing performance, among them acting, are often given less attention by singers and their teachers (Gilfrey, 2007:1). Innate talent is not the sole factor as the ability of a singer-actor to create a character role is severely impacted by the cultural beliefs of what acting is and also how it is measured. When keeping this in mind it becomes evident that the creation of a character, especially in the case of singer-actors, are based on the teachings of Konstantin Stanislavsky better known as the method acting technique. The method acting technique is an approach that the Russian actor developed to whose approach stresses the internal preparation of actors (Bandelj, 2003:393). This focus differs from that of the other schools of acting namely The English School of Acting, The Bertold Brechts epic theatre and Japanese Noh Drama. The interaction experienced by the singer-actors on stage and the director with the constant feedback assures a more lifelike portrayal. The fundamental driver of method acting is the wish to reproduce reality. All (acted) behaviours and interactions need to be seen to be psychologically, emotionally and socially authentic and plausible, while concurrently acting as an integrating mechanism to the plot and to the other cast members. Drawing on his/her own experiences and observations the actor needs to appear spontaneous while using objects in both a symbolic (or metaphorical way) and a literal way (Bandelj, 2003:393). This, and the additional use of props to facilitate the portrayal of the situation, are all tied together by the passion of the actor and the pursuit of truth as art imitates life or indeed verisimilitude (Bandelj, 2003:394). The quality of the voice has much more to do with the correct training and technique, rather than the singers natural endowment, especially later in life as the singer ages. *The W questions to build a character role (also mentioned in the PowerPoint) Who? What? Where? When? Why? And HOW? Contributing Elements to Building a

Kants and Aristotles Ethics Essay -- Philosophy, Philosophers

To be good is good but it has to be done for the right reason. Aristotle and Kant are two famous philosophers who have different ethical theories. The theory’s of virtue and duties rest not only on laws and obligations but from what comes from the inside. Morality comes from inner strength, character and how we live our life to the best end. Aristole 384-322 b.c.e. Aristotle conceptualized the branches of philosophy and contributed to the theories in logic, metaphysics, ethics and political philosophy (book 237). Aristotle’s teleological ethics: the reason for being. Aristotle focused on the peoples actions whether good or bad, as well as their character, not there right or wrong actions. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) branches of philosophy included contributions to metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics. Kant's deontological ethics, a duty based ethics. His focus is on rational will and a conception of self-governing reason, and not what kind of person one should be (Betzler 7). The bases of Aristotle’s and Kant’s theories are different. Aristotle believes when you do something it comes from the virtues you have, while Kant believes there is always a reason behind actions. However, both agree â€Å"that time and practice is required to develop virtues† (betzler 50). Another thing they have in common is that both of them focused on peoples actions and why people performed those actions. Whether, it is happiness or good will we are all completing an action to the end; in order to have a good life. Aristotle’s Strength is his belief in moderation (Book480). Aristotle believes the ultimate goal in life is to be happy and people will do what makes them happy. He defined the highest good as â€Å"eudaimonia† (Chaffee 477). To a... ...n different ways to achieve an end. However, I believe that Kant’s theory is most likely correct because it includes everyone and not just what makes an individual happy. Although, Kant’s views are a bit extreme when it comes to rules, we all have to have rules to live by we cannot just go out and do what makes us happy. I do like the â€Å"Golden Rule† better mainly because that is what my great-grandmother us to tell me all the time and it is a good rule to live by. â€Æ' Works Cited Betzler, Monika. Kant's Ethics of Virtue. Berlin, DEU: Walter de Gruyter, 2008. Broadie, Sarah. Ethics with Aristotle. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press, 1993. Chaffee, John. The Philosopher's Way Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2009. Kupperman, Joel. Ethics and Qualities of Life. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press, 2007.

A Rose For Emily :: A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner

An Interpretation of William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" In the short story " A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner tells the sad story of a woman who has had an extremely sheltered life. It is a tragic story in which Miss Emily's hopes and dreams for a normal life are hopelessly lost. William Faulkner was simply writing a sad story that can be related to anyone who has had hopes and aspirations, but has conflict within themselves and with others and who is unable to fulfill any of them. Miss Emily is kept at home by her father and is almost hidden from the world. It is not said in the story, but it is assumed that Miss Emily's mother is deceased or no longer around. The reader is left with the impression that her father was uncaring, abusive, and arrogant. Apparently he kept Miss Emily hidden from fitting suitors and did not let her make a life of her own. After her fathers death, Miss Emily was emotional unstable. For three days after her father died, she refus ed to acknowledge his death. She wouldn't let the towns people dispose of his body. She then regressed when they finally came to take his body out (because of the horrible smell which all of the neighbors were complaining about). Miss Emily locked herself away in her self-imposed dark world. When she finally comes out in to the town again, she has cut off all of her hair trying to make herself look like a little girl. Perhaps because she was trying to regain stolen time by her father. During this time she meets Homer, a man the townspeople consider beneath her who seems to almost replace her father. She finally seems to have found happiness, but is then seen buying poison in the local drug store. She asks for arsenic and refuses to tell the druggist what it is for. The townspeople think she is going to kill herself. Later they will find out how wrong they were! The townspeople try to pressure Miss Emily to marry Homer because they call their relationship improper and disgraceful. Th e townspeople contact her cousins to come into town and request their intervention. They come quickly and seem to talk some sense into her. The townspeople were assured of their marriage and her cousins returned home after one week. Homer then returned three days later and was seen coming into Miss Emily's back door. A Rose For Emily :: A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner An Interpretation of William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" In the short story " A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner tells the sad story of a woman who has had an extremely sheltered life. It is a tragic story in which Miss Emily's hopes and dreams for a normal life are hopelessly lost. William Faulkner was simply writing a sad story that can be related to anyone who has had hopes and aspirations, but has conflict within themselves and with others and who is unable to fulfill any of them. Miss Emily is kept at home by her father and is almost hidden from the world. It is not said in the story, but it is assumed that Miss Emily's mother is deceased or no longer around. The reader is left with the impression that her father was uncaring, abusive, and arrogant. Apparently he kept Miss Emily hidden from fitting suitors and did not let her make a life of her own. After her fathers death, Miss Emily was emotional unstable. For three days after her father died, she refus ed to acknowledge his death. She wouldn't let the towns people dispose of his body. She then regressed when they finally came to take his body out (because of the horrible smell which all of the neighbors were complaining about). Miss Emily locked herself away in her self-imposed dark world. When she finally comes out in to the town again, she has cut off all of her hair trying to make herself look like a little girl. Perhaps because she was trying to regain stolen time by her father. During this time she meets Homer, a man the townspeople consider beneath her who seems to almost replace her father. She finally seems to have found happiness, but is then seen buying poison in the local drug store. She asks for arsenic and refuses to tell the druggist what it is for. The townspeople think she is going to kill herself. Later they will find out how wrong they were! The townspeople try to pressure Miss Emily to marry Homer because they call their relationship improper and disgraceful. Th e townspeople contact her cousins to come into town and request their intervention. They come quickly and seem to talk some sense into her. The townspeople were assured of their marriage and her cousins returned home after one week. Homer then returned three days later and was seen coming into Miss Emily's back door.

E-commerce :: essays research papers

Running head: ECOMMERCE eCommerce The Popularity of Online Auctions Abstract The Popularity of Online Auctions The opportunity to shop from the comfort of ones own home has seen a change like never seen before. Within the span of a few short years, what may have began as an experimental idea has grown to an immensely popular hobby, and in some cases, a means of livelihood, the online auction gathers tremendous response everyday, all day. With the point and click of the mouse, one may bid on an item they may need or just want, and in moments they find that either they are the top bidder or someone else wants it more, and you’re outbid! The excitement of an auction all from the comfort of home. With this opportunity to buy sight unseen also comes the opportunity to be scammed sight unseen as well. There are over 30 million ‘hits’ each month on the online auction sites, and that is opportunity waiting to be taken for those with the criminal intent of defrauding others. However with a little care and caution, one can have a positive experience doing business on an online auction, and each party can leave satisfied with their ‘deal’, whether they are the buyer, the seller, or the conveyance that brought it all together. eCommerce The Popularity of Online Auctions â€Å"Congratulations! This eBay item has successfully ended.† (eBay, retrieved 11 April 2002, Sellers Guide, http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/after-whatnow.html) Many people each day receive this message in their e-mail box, notifying them that they have won the bid on an item listed with eBayà ¢, for sale to the highest bidder. In fact, online auctions have become so popular, they are gathering multi-billion dollar per year business. Top auction sites, January 2002 Site Unique visitors Site Unique visitors eBay 28.9 million Myitem.com 860,000 Yahoo! Auctions 3.7 million Bidz.com 612,000 uBid.com 3.1 million BuyBidWin.com 487,000 Andale sites 2.2 million PhilTanny.com 279,000 QOOL.com 977,000 SkyAuction.com 262,000 All auctions 32.3 million Note: Usage numbers for individual sites exceed total because duplicate users, those visiting more than one site, have been eliminated. The total does not include Amazon.com Auctions. Source: Jupiter Media Metrix (Mulrean, J., 5 steps to avoiding auction rip-offs, retrieved 12 April 2002 from MSN Money, http://money.msn.com/articles/smartbuy/dollarwise/9013.asping ground for fraud.) In 2000, the eBay community transacted more than $5 billion in annualized gross merchandise sales (value of goods traded on the eBay site). (eBay, retrieved 11 April 2002,Company Overview, http://pages.ebay.com/community/aboutebay/overview/index.html), and for all of 2001, EBay generated revenue of US$748.8 million, representing a 74 percent annual growth. That is serious money by anyone’s standards. "EBay has been profitable nearly since Day One," Morningstar analyst David Kathman told the E-

Lord of the Flies Lit Analysis Essay

Do novels have a deeper meaning to them than what the author writes? Golding reflects the two sides of human nature in â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by using imagery. Imagery is conveyed to develop the hidden meanings of human nature through the use of specific references through the themes of light and dark imagery. Golding conveys dark imagery throughout the novel by making references to evil. From the beginning of the novel the author introduces to the reader that something sinister is impending. He uses specific language to show the reader that the boys are like approaching animals, â€Å"Within the diamond haze of the beach something dark was fumbling along† (LOF 20). The choir in a way symbolizes a militaristic group being described as a â€Å"party of boys, marching approximately in step in two parallel lines and dressed in strangely eccentric clothing†(LOF 20). It is evident that the choir is evil because the book is written in the World War II period and it is likely that the choir symbolizes the Nazi Party which many people would be able relate them too animals or savages. Imagery is often developed when characters in the novel are savage like. Dark imagery reveals the character Jack to be evil when, â€Å"He passed like a shadow under the darkness of the tree and crouched, looking down at the trodden at his feet† (LOF 53). Jack is being compared to an animal trying to hunt down his prey while crouching down. Again we can compare him to Hitler who was the leader of the Nazi party as Jack is the leader of the evil boys on the island. The darkness on the island spreads to every boy like it is within everyone. â€Å"Darkness poured out, submerging the ways between the trees till they were dim and strange as the bottom of the sea† (LOF 62). Before the boys got on the island it was a peaceful island, by acting like savages they spread darkness on the island, which is the evil in each and every one of them. The darkness was submerging or killing any goodness on the island. This is a relevant comparison to the war as well as it killed hope in good people specifically the Jews who were persecuted by another group of people who thought they were better. As darkness overtook the island it also over took Europe during the dark times of World War II. Thus, dark imagery is used to show men can be evil human beings. Golding uses light imagery over the course of the novel to symbolize civilization over savagery. Light imagery is often shown when something good or hopeful is going to occur. The boys make a signal fire in hopes that they will be rescued, â€Å"The flame nearly invisible at fist in that bright sunlight, enveloped a small twig, grew, was enriched with color and reached up to a branch which exploded with a sharp crack†(LOF 45). The fire is a symbol of civilization and hope that they will get rescued which is shown through the imagery used in the quote. The comparison can be made to the civilized people during WW11. They behaved in a way that was good and moral. The English boys on the island are trying to maintain civility by doing things like making a fire. Light imagery is illustrated by portraying Simon with goodness. When he is described Golding uses a lot of light imagery, â€Å"The water rose further and dressed Simon’s coarse hair with brightness† (LOF 169) . When Golding uses words like bright when describing characters it is often because the character is good and civilized, he is often compared to Jesus Christ. Reference to the saviour is associated with hope. Hope is also something that the victims of the Nazi party had to have in order to survive. At the beginning of the novel Golding uses colors and light to describe the character of Ralph as, â€Å"All the shadows on Ralph’s face revered; green above, bright below from the lagoon. A blur of sunlight was crawling across his hair† (LOF 16). Golding uses these colors to describe Ralph because he was one of the more civilized boys on the island. The comparison here can be made to describe Ralph as being good and bright and full of light and Jack as the opposite is dark and evil. To end, it is evident that light imagery symbolizes civilization. The two sides of human nature are evident with the use of dark and light imagery. Imagery is used as a compelling literary technique illustrating how light and dark translates into good and evil. The use of foreshadowing is an indicator of things to come, which was used as an effective tool when referring to light and dark imagery.