Monday, September 30, 2019
Woody Allen’s Sleeper Woody Allen’s Sleeper
â€Å"Sleeper†is a film, which at first glance, appears to be about nothing but making people laugh, but when examined more closely might appear to be a commentary on politics, consumerism and even love. This film is supposed to be Woody Allen’s take on a modern silent film, and there are definitely similarities to the silent film classics of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, most notably the physical humor that defined the slapstick sub-genre of comedy.Scenes like those with the giant produce or the awakening of Woody Allen’s character, Miles Monroe are absolute gems and caused me to laugh hysterically the first time I saw them. They also appear to only exist for the sole purpose of making the viewer laugh. If the main character in a film only believes in â€Å"sex and death†does that imply that the main point of the film is also sex and death? At first glance, the slapstick nature of the film appears to support part of this claim as the futuristic soc iety in which Miles has woken up appears to be obsessed with ways of increasing pleasure- both emotionally and sexually.We see a glimpse of this culture during the dinner party hosted by Luna in which the Orgasmatron and the Orb are introduced for the first time. The scene in which Miles is acting like a robot and trying to pass around the orb, but only drugging himself is hilarious and the introduction of the Orgasmatron is absolutely ridiculous since Luna says, â€Å"I think we should have had sex, but there weren’t enough people. †Suddenly, sex is something that appears overly complicated and has been replaced by machines.One of the two things that Miles believes in has been replaced by machines and technology. In fact, I argue that the other thing he believes in – death- has also been replaced by machines and technology. Miles has been cryogenically frozen for 200 years- obviously he should have been dead by now. Instead, technology has taken away the other thing he believes in. So what then, does Miles and consequently the film believe in? Obviously the future, in which Miles has found himself in, is run by a Totalitarian government led by a dictator whom he spends a large majority of he film trying to overthrow. Is the film a political commentary then? Certainly, Woody Allen spends a lot of time highlighting the police force and the rebel faction which has formed against the government. He even manages to throw in a few quips regarding the politics of 1973 America. We see the absolute uselessness of said police force and we hear Miles comment on how the rebels will simply replace the existing government in a cyclic fashion. But there still isn’t enough. Even the romance between Miles and Luna seems to be empty and almost like an afterthought.I just don’t think that there is enough substance to qualify this as a political film, a commentary on consumerism or even a romance story. In the end, I argue that maybe this movi e isn’t really about anything at all. Maybe it is simply a funny film that highlights screwball comedy and has some of the elements of a science fiction movie. Whether or not it is a movie with a deeper message, â€Å"Sleeper†is still a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed and a great introduction to Woody Allen.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Mao Study Guide
Mao’s Rise To Power I. Mao first got into radical issues in his home province of Hunan, because there were large spheres of influences there II. In 1920, Mao stumbled upon Professor Chen Tu-hsiu, China’s foremost Marxist. He gave Mao a position selling party literature in a bookshop III. Mao rose in status to provincial party leader soon afterward IV. In 1923, the Nationalist Party sought help and money from another source, so they joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP was being given money from the Soviets V. Soon after the Nationalist Party leader’s (Sun Yat-sen) death, Chiang Kai-shek took leadership of the Nationalists and separated themselves from the CCP because they didn’t want China to turn into a Soviet satellite state VI. Chiang began killing off the CCP. Mao and the CCP went on a Long March, or retreat using guerilla tactics, to Yan’an to flee from the Nationalists. They set up their base there because it was in the north, closer to the Soviet Union, where they could get help VII. Chiang was very violent and killed many of his political opponents in the cities. This was more visible to the people than Mao’s violence in the countryside VIII. Most people knew that Chiang’s regime was corrupt, inefficient, and could not deal with inflation and famine IX. The Marco Polo Bridge Incident led to the full-scale invasion of the Japanese in 1937. This would last until the end of WWII in 1945. During this time: a. A truce was called between the Nationalists and CCP b. The Nationalists did the brunt of the fighting against the Japanese c. The Nationalists and CCP were given weapons from the U. S. to fight the Japanese d. The Red Army was built up and members of the CCP were built up by the â€Å"mass line†                                                               i. Trained communists were sent in groups into the communities, where they said they had come to listen to the desires and ideas of the people                                                              ii. On their return, the party would then learn what measures would appeal and adapt to their own policies which would be presented to the people e. To brainwash newcomers, Mao did the Yenan Terror during WWII: i. Used a Chinese KGB                                                              ii. Held denunciation rallies (you were forced to stand in front of peers and admit guilt (things that you did against the Communist ideology) even though you didn’t do them)                                                             iii. Singing, dancing, and humor were stopped                                                            iv. All types of torture were u sed 1. Whipping 2. Hanging 3. Sleep deprivation v. No press                                                            vi. Thought examination (you were forced to write down thoughts against the Communist ideology and accuse others of the same) f. After the Yenan Terror, Mao had gotten rid of enough opponents to claim himself supreme leader of the CCP X. After WWII, the Nationalists didn’t have enough manpower because China was so large in territory: a. Manchuria (rich in mineral and coal deposits) was turned over from the Soviets to the CCP b. CCP took over many areas that the Japanese formerly held XI. The Marshall Mission led to a cease-fire between the Nationalists and CCP, so the Nationalists demilitarized over a million troops: a. Many troops did not have strong ties to the Nationalists (because they were former warlord troops) b. They were not helped to integrate into society, so they joined the CCP c. These troops located former Japanese weapons depots and showed the CCP how to work the weapons XII. The civil war started up again in 1946 and by October 1949, Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic of China Rise/Consolidation of Power I. Eliminated political parties and churches II. Land was seized from landlords and many were executed III. Sanfan, Wufan, and Sufan campaigns were purges against ntelligentsia and CCP IV. Hundred Flowers Campaign was sneaky way to seek out political opponents by allowing them temporarily to speak out. The Anti-Rightist Campaign got rid of anyone who had spoken out against Mao V. Cultural Revolution called for students (called Red Guards) to safeguard Mao by getting rid of art, teachers, members of the CCP, or anything counter to the revolution VI. Laogoi were forced labo r camps VII. A compilation of Mao’s essays were put together in the â€Å"Little Red Book†and taught in all schools VIII. Rectification movements†served to eliminate intellectuals who Mao thought were dangerous by sending them to the countryside or killing them IX. Used speeches, propaganda posters, media, poets, film, etc. to prop up Mao’s â€Å"cult of personality†Previous Conditions I. China was dominated by spheres of influence – places of foreign domination where the Chinese were looked upon as inferiors II. The country was not unified and had many provinces run by warlords, who were people not subservient to the government III. Previous governments were unstable and corrupt – the Manchu Dynasty had recently fallen – 1911, Yuan Shikai (a military general) ran the country for the next four years – 1912-1916, the warlord era was a period of chaos and great disunity – 1916-1925 IV. There were many economic problems: a. Widespread poverty b. Heavy taxes c. Large disparity between rich and poor d. Backward industry e. Few owned land V. Chiang was totalitarian and used violence to suppress political opponents; his government was also corrupt and took money from the peasants Successes I. Built up a following through charm and manipulation, allowing him to rise up in the CCP II. Escaped the Nationalist army and set up base in the north during the Long March III. Built up the CCP army and following during WWII through the â€Å"mass line†IV. Used the Yenan Terror to instill the ideology, brainwash and instill fear in his followers. All were loyal to Mao after the terror V. Yenan Terror was also used to brainwash people into thinking that Chiang was the enemy so that Mao would garner more support VI. Used the end of WWII to grab former Japanese occupied territory in China VII. Acquired and successfully used demilitarized, former Nationalist troops in the Civil War after the Marshall Mission VIII. Won the Chinese Civil War because of the weakened Nationalist army and became dictator of the People’s Republic of China IX. Ousted all political parties so that his CCP was the only one X. Churches were closed; Christianity, Buddhism, and Confucianism were denounced – this allowed less potential sources of opposition XI. Marriage Law gave more rights to women, such as the right to own property, no more foot binding, and consensual marriage XII. Health reforms were made to take the nation off it’s opium addiction, such as harsher penalties, rehabilitation, and education campaigns XIII. Under the Agrarian Reform Law, peasants were given land from rich landlords XIV. Ousted foreigners, so he got rid of all possible spheres of influence and any semblance of outside control XV. Hundred Flowers Campaign revealed those who opposed the regime, enabling Mao to get rid of them later on through the Anti-Rightist Campaign XVI. Mao regained power (after his Great Leap Forward failure) through the Cultural Revolution, a purge of teachers, art, and party officials XVII. Used the Little Red Book, speeches, posters, badges, etc. to successfully build up his â€Å"cult of personality†. His face was everywhere Failures I. Didn’t have the amphibious forces to pursue the Nationalists in Taiwan II. First Five Year Plan built up industry, but failed to reach the target goals and lagged behind the industry of large industrial countries III. Mao also wanted to raise output in factories, so common sense and rules went to the wayside in the name of speed. Accidents frequently caused tens of thousands of deaths IV. Anything that peasants could melt down into steel was put in backyard furnaces. Much of the steel was unusable for industry V. Forests were stripped of trees to be used as fuel, so deforestation was widespread VI. Mao ordered huge drives to build irrigation systems using poor equipment. Some of these projects are still unstable today VII. In the Great Leap Forward, collectivization failed, as food was forcefully taken from the peasants because Mao wanted to export the food for industry/weapons (he wanted to be a superpower). 38 million died of famine and disease. Agriculture continued to lag. Mao temporarily fell from power VIII. Sanfan, Wufan, Sufan, Anti-Rightist, and Cultural Revolution terror campaigns were against intellectuals (as well as others), but this got rid of most of the educated people in the country who could’ve helped the economy grow IX. One of the Cultural Revolution’s objectives was to wipe out anything cultural, so a generation of culture was wiped out X. The people responsible for carrying out the Cultural Revolution were students, so schools were closed during this time. Education was stopped completely during this period
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Process Improvement Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2
Process Improvement Plan - Essay Example For every group of data, the points on the X-Bar usually represent its average. The range chart on the other hand displays the difference between the lowest and the highest dimension in the group (SPC 2013). Statistical control limits also known as confidence band is normally attached to the weakening line so as to reduce the unexplained error. The confidence interval in the regression is normally based on past data. Control limits are expressed in terms of positive or negative mean absolute deviation (MAD). MAD is normally simple and useful when obtaining tracking signal. It is used to denote the average error that is in the forecasts. It measures the dispersion of the observed values from the expected values. When sign is put in consideration in the computation of MAD, the control limits are obtained. MAD is calculated by obtaining the sum of absolute deviations and then dividing it with the number of data points. Control limits can also be expressed in form of standard deviations. Standard deviation relates to mean absolute deviation when the errors in the project are usually dispersed. ‘The standard deviation’ is normally a bigger measure. For instance, if the MAD of a set of points was estimated to be 60, then the measure for the standard deviation would be 75. ... It is used to indicate whether the average of the forecast is keeping pace with any upward or downward genuine changes A typical control chart has two horizontal lines that are called ‘upper control limit’ (UCL) and lower control limit (LCL). If the process happens to be in control, almost all the samples fall between them and hence no action needs to be taken. If a point plots outside of the control limit it is taken that the procedure must be out of control and hence investigation is necessary and corrective action should be taken in order to find and eradicate the possible causes for the behavior. The sample points that are on control chart are normally connected with a straight line to make it easier to visualize how the sequence of those points has been evolving over time. Even if all the points happen to plot inside of the control limits and they act in a non-random approach then this is a signal that the procedure might be out of control. These limits are calculat ed from Range and ‘SPC X-Bar’ values. They are plus/minus three standard deviations from the average calculated and represent 99.97% self-assurance factor that any of the reading that falls between the limits can is an attribute of the regular process discrepancies (Confidence intervals: how they work, 2013). Effect of Seasonal Factors Using Process Performance Data Control: Measurement will help in reduction of variation. They help reduce overruns in expenditure so as the objectives agreed on can be achieved. Management assessment: The concept for process performance involves meeting the planned established operating goals, detecting of deviations from the planned performance levels and then restoring these performances to the levels planned or even
Friday, September 27, 2019
How the ASUS Company Can Continue To Be an Industry Leader and a Cash Research Paper
How the ASUS Company Can Continue To Be an Industry Leader and a Cash Cow - Research Paper Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the primary strength of ASUS is its strong presence in the market. It could be realized from the fact that it is the world’s number one brand in Asia, US, and Europe. It has outperformed technology giants like Intel, IBS, and Microsoft in many segments. Its strong presence in the market has helped it to aggressively acquire market share compared to many other companies that only have a strong presence in their local markets. The company has the largest market share in MB and motherboard segments selling approximately 22 million pieces in FY09. ASUS is one of the rear technology companies that had made operating profits even though global economy was undergoing a recession. Another Strength of ASUS is its advanced and excellent Research & Development capability, efficient and effective supply chain, and mass production at a competitive production cost. These competitive strategies of ASUS have helped it to beco me a market leader in many products. In 2009, the company came up with first of its kind notebook and motherboard that was compatible with USB 3.0 securing a leading position in the segment. This was a sheer display of Research initiatives of the company. With the use of technologies like e-commerce, the company had created an efficient supply chain which helps it with a seamless flow of information and products among resources. Mass production done by ASUS helps it achieve economies of scale thereby increasing operating profits of the company. Weakness The primary weakness of the company is that it is investing a lot of amounts in restructure activities involving spin-off of certain subsidiaries and disposal of assets. It could be realized from the fact that it spin-off OEM and 2008 and has disposed of several assets since then. In the same year company also recognized impairment charges from such transactions. These activities may be beneficial in the long wrong if executed correc tly but they reduce profit-making capability of the company. The company should concentrate more on the activities involving expansion and research for innovative technologies. Another Weakness of ASUS is its low market share in emerging economies. To be a cash cow for the future every technology company should be in search for opportunities in the emerging markets as they give the advantage of escalated growth compared to developed markets where growth stagnates after a point of time. It should be noted that ASUS has a low presence in emerging economies e.g. India whilst many other companies like Microsoft and IBM are aggressively gaining market share in these countries. To retain market capitalization ASUS needs to expand its operations aggressively to emerging countries. Opportunities Primary opportunity for ASUS is expanding into markets with the help of joint ventures, tie-up, and agreement with other companies.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Ethical Businesses Vs Unethical Businesses Research Paper
Ethical Businesses Vs Unethical Businesses - Research Paper Example adership in depth and provides examples of how ethical and unethical behaviours of leaders persist in today’s globally diverse business environment. Increasing business competition, globalization, immigrations and technological advancements have changed the course of business. The way of conducting and managing businesses has been changed dramatically. It has become vital to understand the change required, incorporate it in the plans of business and efficiently implement the change needed. However, the idea of change and maintenance of loyalty among stakeholders is a very complex and complicated task. The increasing diversification around the globe has changed the communication, management and leadership techniques to continue with their effects. Business owners are now required to keep in view the needs of the diverse workforce, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. Business management and leadership has become a more complex phenomenon to deal with. More ethical and moral concerns are rising with the advancements and changes in business environment. Researchers are taking greater interest than ever in understanding the ethical issues that are continuously increasing. Ethical crisis has been taking more attention than ever knowing its devastating effects not only on the employees but also on customer behaviours, government perceptions and overall performance of businesses. It is important to understand the concept of ethical crisis and its factors in order to resolve or reduce the threats it brings. Where did ethical crisis come from? Who can resolve the issue arising from it? How? What is the public opinion about leaders? How is it affecting businesses? Can leaders help making the situation better? What are some current examples of ethical business operations and decisions made by leaders? The aim of this paper is to answer these questions and include all possible factors to understand the value of ethics in business. The paper also aims to understand
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
How has globalisation changed the fashion media Essay
How has globalisation changed the fashion media - Essay Example Fashion writers are conscious about associating the culture of each nation to a season’s fashion to ensure there is a national identity for the products (Niessen, S. A. 2003 p.219). Advertisement is a mass media because it reaches a mass market. The notion that advertising is non-targeted and non personal is a wrong implication. Advertising luxury brands in mass media like television and magazine targets a narrow group comprising of the specific luxury consumer market. Advertisement is a method of communicating the brand history, personality, products, image and services that increase the visibility of the bands. Traditionally advertisements of superior brands usually appear in business publications, fashion magazines, high end publications and airline in-flight magazines focusing target audience (Okonkwo, U. 2007 p.145). Some of the modern communication strategies are Push Trade promotion, Pull Customer promotion and Profile Stakeholder promotion. In push trade promotion the brand is promoted through traditional print advertising. The prospective customer gains knowledge about new brands from advertisements. In pull customer promotion, the prospective market is attracted to the brand through methods like internet promotional campaigns. In profile stakeholder promotion, the broad market is target through promotional methods (Okonkwo, U. 2007 p.144). With the beginning of globalisation and increase in intercultural influences, digital media and international travel there has been a considerable change in the fashion consumption patterns. Cultural awareness through various media has led to increased need for overstated fashion. In the 1990s the luxury consumer market widened and matured with a fashion consumption that followed a global outlook inspired by factors such as globalisation, information technology, digital media and
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Advance system engineering Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Advance system engineering - Coursework Example This activity normally connects the technical management effort and the overall acquisition efforts of the system. This is achieved through provision of key events in the development process whereby the design viability can be assessed. The viability of these baselines is a major input for the acquisitions management milestones decisions. It also involves a review of the system design, preliminary design and the critical design of the system. Development usually progresses through three major levels which include the conceptual level, the system level and the subsystem level. The system engineering process is the heart of integrated by Systems Engineering Management. It normally transforms requirements into specifications, architecture and configuration baselines. It is able to provide the control and traceability in order to develop solutions that meet customer needs. During the systems engineering process, the architectures are generated to give a better description and understanding of the system. The third activity involved in integrated by Systems Engineering Management is the lifecycle integration. It is very necessary in order to ensure that the design solution is viable throughout the life of the system it includes the planning associated with product and process development. It normally integrates multiple functional concerns into the process of engineering. The benefits that are realized from the integration of the lifecycle include: Reduction of the product life cycle time and the reduction of the need for redesign. Lifecycle integration is usually achieved through concurrent consideration of all the lifecycle needs during the process of development. An interdisciplinary team is used to enhance concurrent consideration of all the lifecycle needs during the process of integration of Systems Engineering Management. a. Based upon a labor rate of $20,000 a month for a senior engineer
Monday, September 23, 2019
In this assignment, discuss the diagnostic value of less invasive Assignment
In this , discuss the diagnostic value of less invasive imaging modalities - Assignment Example Atherosclerosis is the chief causes of coronary artery diseases (CAD) which causes changes in structure as well functionality of blood vessels. It is the process in which, progressive dumping of cholesterol and other fatty materials across the arterial wall occurs. These dumping results in a contriction of the lumen i.e stenosis, which restricts blood flow. Further, spasm, birth defect, lupus, arteritis, blood clogging are few other causes apart from atherosclerosis. Ten years ago, CAD is thought to be a disorder of men. Generally, CAD occurs a decade earlier in men than women, up to the time of menopause, because a high level of estrogen protects women from CAD. Anyhow, after menopause, it happens more frequently in women in comparability to men. It is noticed that ratio of women suffering from CAD is higher than men in the age group of or beyond 75. CAD is assumed to be the leading lifer taker in developed countries. Studies imply about 5-9% of people aged 20+ are su ffering through CAD. The death rate rises with age, and it is more common in males in comparison to females, but the death rates for men decrease sharply after age of 55 and finally after aged 75. The death rate of women is higher than men, who are of the same age.  It is estimated that +16 million Americans are suffering through CAD and 8 million of them had a myocardial infarction (increased 1 Million per annum). Framingham trial predicts approximately 50% & 30% of males and females respectively in the age 40+ population are suffering through CAD (Helen H, and Munther K). The most convoluted part of CAD lies in its undetection, mostly CAD remains undetected until the moment of myocardial infarction or even death. It is an alarming situation for Biomedical Scientists to develop a mean to discover CAD as soon as possible to get the best result and prevent diseases. Early detection of CAD allows a physician to reduce the potential risk factor associated with CAD. There are several methods by which CAD can be diagnosed including an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, but imaging method like multislice CT angiography, electron-beam computed tomography, nuclear scan, and magnetic resonance angiography, etc, is assumed to be the most effective method for CAD diagnosis. Imaging of CAD is the demand of 21st centuries due to the uninterrupted activity of Heart & acuteness of CAD. Over the last decade, multislice CT Angiography (MSCTA) has been recognised as the most precious & productive method of CAD diagnoses because of lightning technical promotion & enhanced precision (Sun Z, 2010). It has exhibited an immense potential in early identification of CAD because of improved spatial and temporal resolution.  MSCTA showed enormous technical growth from the early generation of 4-slice CT scanners to subsequent models such as 16-, 64-, dual-source, 256- and 320-slice CT. Retrospective ECG gated method was employed to show the feasibleness of MSCTA w ith 4-slice. It displayed mild accuracy with sensitivity & specificity of 78% and 93%, respectively.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Rhetorical Crtique Essay Example for Free
Rhetorical Crtique Essay On this rhetorical critique, I will be talking about the driving community of the state of Florida. As we all know, Florida is infamous for its terrible accidents. John Couwels and Vivian Kuo, journalists for CNN, prepared an article about the multi-car crash that occurred on January 29th,2012, where 11 people were killed and 46 others were injured. I chose this article because car accidents are a daily event in the state of Florida. However, the roads are spacious and for the most part, well designed. Florida drivers are being held accountable for the wreck due to their lack of safety precautions used while driving through a high fog/smoke area, caused by a nearby forest fire. This article is great for a project proposal; it addresses the drivers bad decision making when faced with cautious situations. The article named â€Å"Florida Highway Patrol: Some drivers didnt slow before crashes†, explains that the Florida Highway Patrol prepared a traffic report holding the drivers of the crash, responsible for their actions by continuing to drive without headlights or warning signals, and without slowing down. The highway patrol quadrupled their staff on the road, and reported that conditions were clear enough to drive. Barely half an hour later, a car crash involving 25 vehicles closes the I-75 by gainesville. According to the report, drivers did not take the proper precautions assigned after fog and smoke warnings were placed on the road, causing more vehicles to smash into accidents that did not have enough time to be cleared from the road. This article informs us really well of a community problem. The authors use quotes from people who attended the scene giving a sense of complete reasoning or â€Å"truth†over emotion. The article continues by saying that the highway patrol has already accepted different measures and policies to promote a more secure Florida through professional law enforcement and traffic safety awareness. The specific type of writing is quoted when witnesses or police officials are interviewed. The writing that is used in the article is useful for making the reader visualize the event through a witness eyes.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Gambling in College Football Essay Example for Free
Gambling in College Football Essay Today’s new generation has accepted gambling more than any previous generation. People are playing poker and betting on games one the internet and even on college campus. According to them it is a social activity and there is nothing wrong in gambling. This negative attitude has made this problem seep down to the highest level of human population, its intellect (Oregon Department of Human Services, 2005). Gambling is a social problem which not only threatens the academic success of a student but also depletes the financial resources. Risking money in the hope of winning is called gambling. Gambling includes lottery tickets, online betting games, cards, dice, dominoes etc (University of Texas, 2004). In past few months various football gambling stories have created a chaos among the coaches and administration of various colleges. Colleges are constantly trying to find new ways of finding and punishing the culprits. The main concern however, is to create such rules which can prevent students from placing a bet and hence getting involved in this organized crime. In past few years gambling incidents have been recorded from quite known and influential colleges. These include Arizona State University, Boston College, University of Colorado, Columbia University, Fresno State University, and Northwestern University etc. According to a research done by a student from the University of Michigan, almost 72% of the students had gambled in one way or the other. Almost 80% of these were male students (Cross Vollano, n. d). In order to understand the issue of student athlete gambling in more than an anecdotal way, this study was developed to learn the extent and nature of student athlete gambling. According to The National Association of Student Personnel Administration (NAPSA), gambling is a problem not just in athlete students but in all students. They constantly urge college management to develop programs which aware students about the potential hazards of gambling (The National Association of Student Personnel Administration, 2007). In 1874, college professional sports had its first scandal. Louisville college football players were accused of gambling against their own team. According to Arnie Wexler, who was a former College football gambler, and is now a recognized expert on compulsive gambling; â€Å"Its easier to place a bet on a college campus than it is to buy a can of beer or a package of cigarettes, you just pick up a telephone and call a bookie on campus. You dont even have to leave your room†(Kindred, 1996). This is absolutely true. The college administration usually does not care about such things. They burry their heads in the sand and if asked pretend as if nothing is wrong is happening. For past half century the college football and basketball has been full of wagering incidents. The National Collegiate athletic Association (NCAA) did a survey in 2003. According to that survey almost one percent of the total college football players accepted money for poor performance. Moreover, half the time they played, they were able to change the outcome of the game by their performance. It was also found that almost 15% of the non athlete students also gambled. It is not just the gambling part, but the players usually provide inside information to the gamblers and help them win (National Collegiate athletic Association, 2003). Students who gamble risk their careers to fulfill their need and obsession to gamble. Such activities do not necessarily occur in the isolation of college but the culprits might get together in a friends place in order to place the bet. Bets can be placed in the internet and in some cases via phone also. In 2004, two student bookies were caught. They were convicted of sports bribery. Stevin Hedake Smith owed almost $10,000 to a student bookie. In order to pay him back he agreed with the bookie to play poorly at the game. The FBI became suspicious and later caught him and his friends. After this incident the NCAA changed quite a few rules of the game. Though before gambling was always condemned, but it was never a definite rule. However, after this event, the NCAA has anti gambling rules in black and white (Gabriel, 2004). Sometimes even a simple thing as accepting gift certificate can be termed as gambling too. In a simple event, few women participated in a simple ‘pick a winner’ game and earned gift certificates of $50. When the college administration found out about this they banned those students from playing in the football team. Due to this event, accepting gift certificates was against the rules (National Endowment for financial education, 2004). According to the NCAA; â€Å"You may not place any bet of any sort on any college or professional sports event. You may not give information to anyone who does place bets on college or professional sports†(National Endowment for financial education, 2004). Moreover, the NCAA further explains these rules as: There can be no betting on any sport, whether it involves your college or not. There can be no wager for any item i. e. cash, shirt, dinner etc. No sports pools No internet gambling No fantasy leagues (this means no fee for participation and no prize for winning) No information exchange about your or any other team (including injury, or anyother problems) (NCAA, 2005; NCAA, 2003). Looking at the table below it can be determined how many students playing college football engage them selves in wagering activities and how many think that the rules above have really made a difference. Figure: Comparison of proportion of S_As who gamble on college sports versus proportion who says that NCAA Rules discourage sports wagering Source: NCAA, 2004 The change in the rules of college football has certainly reduces the amount of bets placed. Though at some level students are still gambling, but if caught they know that their careers will come to an end. The amount of shame and humiliation caused by the media coverage also has an impact on the number of bets placed every year. According to the new rules by NCAA, any student who is caught violating the game rules will not be allowed to play in any of the plays he has formerly registered too. This means his entire career comes to a halt. Such strict rules have helped in the reduction of wagering issues (NCAA news release, 1999). In August 2007, several students complained that the coaches were using text messages to gamble or place bets. Almost 75% of the people voted in favor of banning text messaging. Due to the gambling problem, yet another rule had to be placed. According to the New York Times, the NCAA has now placed a ban on text messaging. The president of NCAA was disappointed so much that he called this â€Å"an embarrassment to all of intercollegiate athletics†(Thomas, 2008). The coaches have tried to work around this rule too. According to many coaches as there is no ban for e-mailing they can place bets on the e-mails. Many cell phone companies allow e-mailing also, so coaches are now trying new ways without breaking any rules (Miller, 2008). The administration should always clearly state the rules, as not doing so means leaving a loop hole, with the help of which the students can gamble. Sometimes, the committee can accuse somebody of gambling, but such a person might not have understood the rules properly. In 2004 a former football coach was accused of gambling. He later sued NCAA for accusing him and later firing him. According to him he did not understand the way NCAA operates. Hence it is not just about defining rules, but explaining them in such a way that everybody understands them (Yaeger et al, 2004). Gambling in college football has very grave consequences. A student can get expelled from college, get humiliated in news stories, can become an embarrassment for himself and his family, get banned from all professional sports, become a victim of organized crime, ruin his financial resources and sometimes even end up in jail. To summarize, wagering can destroy a person’s life. It is not only the responsibility of the students themselves, but the responsibility of the college administration to help create awareness among students so that no student get involved in these matters and does not become a victim of bookies. Even though the generation today has certainly got more involved in gambling, poker, wagering etc, but measures can be taken in order to help these students. Many organizations are working and are constantly trying to help these students break their habits. It might be difficult but not impossible. The management and the administration of the colleges should also instead of ignoring these things, in order to help prevent scandals and create a bad name of their schools, should help students get over this habit. Rules should be devised which are clear and strict. College students are the most important part of any population, and if they get involved in these things, this means that the human intellect has been affected. References Cross, Michael E. Vollano, Ann G. (n. d). Gambling Education. University of Michigan. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. umich. edu/~mgoblue/compliance/gambling/summary. html Gabriel, Walter (2004). Gambling common at colleges during March Madness: Office pool cost coach his job. Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://media. www. lsureveille. com/media/storage/paper868/news/2004/03/11/Sports/Gambling. Common. At. Colleges. During. March. Madness-2048935. shtml Kindred, David. (1996). Ignoring gambling wont make it go away gambling at college campuses – Column. The Sporting News. November 18. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n47_v220/ai_18869994 Miller, Phil (2008). Like Water Around A dam. Retrieved January 2, 2008 from: http://marketpower. typepad. com/market_power/college_football/index. html National Collegiate athletic Association (2003). Sports wagering; study on collegiate sports wagering and associated behaviors. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. ncaa. org/library/research/sports_wagering/2003/2003_sports_wagering_study. pdf National Endowment for financial education (2004). Don’t bet on it: put your money on a real winner, yourself. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. ncaa. org/gambling/dontbetonit/2004. pdf NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). (2005). NCAA rules and regulations. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. iupui. edu/~athlete/handbook/rules. html NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). (2003). Protect: Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. ncaa. org/library/general/general_brochure/2003/2003_gen_info. pdf NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). (2004). Comparison of proportion of S_As who gamble on college sports versus proportion who say that NCAA Rules discourage sports wagering. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. ncaa. org/gambling/2003NationalStudy/slideShow/sld028. htm NCAA News release (1999). Report Of the NCAA Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. ncaa. org/releases/basketballissues/1999082001bi. htm Oregon Department of Human Services (2005). Gambling and College Students: Literature Review. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. oregon. gov/DHS/addiction/gambling/collegestudents-gambling. pdf Thomas, Katie. (2008). N. C. A. A. Ban on Text-Messaging as Recruiting Tool Will Remain. The New York Times. 13th Jan. Retrieved January 3,2008 from: http://www. nytimes. com/2008/01/13/sports/13ncaa. html? _r=3ref=ncaafootballoref=sloginoref=sloginoref=slogin The National Association of Student Personnel Administration. NAPSA. (2007). Students affairs administrators in higher education. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. naspa. org/pubs/index. cfm University of Texas (2004). Gambling; You bet your life. The councelling and mental health centre. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://www. utexas. edu/student/cmhc/booklets/gambling/gamb. html Yaeger, Thomas, E. Benjamin A. Converse, Doug Ulrich, David Codron, Ryan Restivo (2004). Your turn. Retrieved January 3, 2008 from: http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_46_228/ai_n6362465
Friday, September 20, 2019
Analysis of the Basketball Free Throw
Analysis of the Basketball Free Throw Analysis of the Basketball Free Throw Abstract The purpose of this paper is to analyze free throw shooting in basketball and to demonstrate the relationship between structural and functional anatomy and movement performance. This paper will discuss the muscles and actions that are important for the movement and how these muscles relate specifically to the movement outcome, limiting/facilitating joints and associated structures. Also discussed is the combination of muscle and joint motions important for movement success. We also briefly discuss the sources of movement failure. The final section of this paper will discuss how this movement is critical for success in sport and what happens with aging, disease, or injury that can compromise function and ability to perform the movement. Introduction The free throw shot is one the most important shots in basketball. In fact, around 20% of all points scored in the NCAA Division 1 are from free throws shots (Kozar, Vaughn, Lord, Whitfield, Dve 243-248). The importance of this shot increases later in the game, because free throws tend to comprise greater percentage of the points that are scored in the last 5 minutes than the initial 35 minutes by either the wining or the losing team (Kozar et al., 123-129). The free throw shot is considered as the easiest shot for a professional basketball player, as the player stands alone, 15 feet away from the hoop with no defense or distraction. The player needs to get ready target, prime the ball and shoot (Okubo Hubbard, 2006). A successful free throw shot requires deep concentration, and most importantly good mechanics to take a perfect shot. While a free throw shot does not seem like an action that needs a lot of movement, muscle groups and joints in a body work together in isotonic contractions, utilizing multiple muscle groups in creating the movement. A free throw shot engages elbow, hip and ankle extensors in addition to wrist and shoulder flexors. In the case of the knees, the joints are hinged and the movement starts with a flexion, preparing for the free throw. Quadriceps and hamstrings become the antagonist and the agonist. This movement happens as you utilize knee flexion so that the muscles work in pairs. Hamstring contraction pulls the joints which makes the individuals bend their knees. The next movement after the flexion is the knee extension. When the shooter releases the ball, the quadriceps is the agonist and the hamstring is the antagonist. The upper body sequence would be: extension of trunk, shoulder flexion that will follow extension of elbow and wrist flexion. A common error during the shot is perfor ming shoulder flexion and elbow extension at once, so that the elbow extension contributes less in taking the shot and is combined with the shoulder flexion rather than adding to the hand velocity. As the ball is brought up with use of both hands, it passes directly in the front of shooter’s eyes and the shot is aimed with the eyes underneath the basketball (Alexander 9). When the trunk moves from its flexed position to an extension, the upward movement of trunk would push down on the lumbar vertebrae, pushing down on the sacroiliac joints, which in turn will push down on the body’s hip joints. Knee joints respond to downward force transmitted by the hips by producing a greater knee flexion. Players who, for various reasons, do not have the needed trunk flexion in this stage of the free throw shot would decrease their ability to load their legs for the shot and consequently might end up losing full contribution of leg extension from the deeply flexed position to free throw. It has been suggested that trunk extension can help in triggering more forceful moment of knee extension. Additionally, a deeper trunk extension produces added hyperextension at the neck area helping the shooter to retain the focus on the rim (Oddsson 109-118). Following the release of the ball, the final phase of a shot, the follow through, occurs. During this time, all joints continue moving through the end of its full motion range following the release of the ball. In a skilled follow through, both legs fully extend and the toes points towards the floor. The trunk is aligned vertically with shooting hip, ankle and the knee. Additionally it aligns with the shooting arm’s joints, bringing the upper and lower extremities into harmony (Alexander, 16). The angle of the shooting shoulder should be somewhere between 140-150degrees of the shoulder flexion. Generally, the closer the shooting arm is to vertical, the greater the amount of vertical force that is applied to the shot. The trunk is often rotated away from shooting hand. This helps in lining up the shooting shoulder and the arm with the rim. This trunk rotation would happen at the moment the ball is released from the shooter’s hand (Alexander, 18). In cases when the ball gets released too late or too early, the ball’s velocity would not optimize as the elbow and wrist joints speed up or slow down rather than staying in the peak velocity. The wrist flexion provides the ultimate thrust for releasing the ball and helps in determining both the angle of projection and velocity of the ball (Martin 127-133).A common failure in free throw technique occurs when joint range of motion does not reach its end point and stops movement early, before the release of the shot, resulting in a decreased velocity of the basketball at the release. As far as joint movement pattern is concerned, there is not a huge difference between the success rate of the shot and the angle of the joint from where the ball is being shot. But, some dissimilarity can be found that could possibly determine the success of scoring a basket. One such dissimilarity is the joint’s peak angular velocity involved in the free throw. The knee, hip and the ankle joints have a higher peak angular velocity in comparison between successful and unsuccessful free throws. Distinctively, the angular velocity of the upper body joints during successful attempts have a lower peak angular velocity than that of missed shots. Additionally, proximal joints that are found closer to the hub and trunk of the body are utilized earlier than the distal joints more commonly associated with the free throw. In sum, movement and energy start from the core and work their way outward towards the distal extremities. Full range of elbow movement relates to greater success in free throw shots. However, it should be noted that this is also accompanied by a slight flexion in individual’s shooting elbow which occurs around mid-range and not at the full extension. By allowing the shooter’s wrist to remaining between full flexion and full extension during the release, maximum velocity can be achieved when the basketball is released (Alexander 10). Unsuccessful shots are often associated with periods of longer muscle activation. Measurement conducted with use electromyography suggests that muscle tension needs to be minimal at the release for successful free throw shooting. Shots that require the least amount of energy expended during the release are the easiest for controlling and have the highest probability for success (Huston Grau 49-64). In addition, height of release is also found to be crucial in success of the shot, as successful shots are related to height ratio that is calculate d by comparison of the shooter’s standing height to the shooter’s release height. The rule is: ‘The higher the release height, the better the shot’ (Hudson 242-251). There are some errors that turn out to be common in Free throw shooting for most individuals. One such reason is poor alignment that happens when shooters fail in lining up the shooting side knee, hip, shoulder and elbow with a line through the ball towards the basket. Another common reason is lack of backspin that happens when players apply side spin during the release or avoid any spin at the time of release. Having low arc on the shot makes players, who have insufficient shoulder trunk or elbow extension, flexion at the time of release making the ball release too flat. Relaxation of the shooting arm is needed at time of shot, with only active mover muscles needing to be contracted while complimentary muscles should be relaxed and loose. Full follow through is important as players need to finish their in the goose full-neck position of their shooting hand with arms pointing towards the ceiling and hands pointing at the basket. Some other reasons for failure are interference of non- shooting hand, shooting ball too hard, high tension on the shooting arm, taking off the shot angle and leaning at the time of release (Alexander 17-18). As mentioned in the introduction, free throw shot are considered as some of the easiest shots for a professional basketball player to make. However, a decline in performance is witnessed in the free throw attempts of basketball athletes in their post-injury and aging days. This drop-off in free throw attempt numbers is also demonstrated in abysmal shot rates, plummeting usage rates and inability to create their own offense. Taken as a whole there is an expected and obvious drop in the efficiency of almost all athletes as they get grow old and start sustaining injuries. The reason behind this is simple physiology, as the body starts aging the ligaments and tendons start losing water, making them less elastic and more fragile. Knee troubles are common trouble for most experienced and newly retired basketball players as with age knee troubles start to disturb athletes (Wagner). Conclusion Every muscle in human body comprises of a network of fibers that are responsible for certain types of movements. When a human body engages in playing a game like basketball, these muscle fibers start to make the movements in conjunction with directions from your brain. This is seen functions like dribbling, running, passing, catching, rebounding, dunking and of course hitting free throws. The actions taken causes muscle contractions, that is, specific movement to lengthen, shorten and stay the same. While the free throw shot does not seem like an action that needs a lot of movement, muscle groups and joints in the body work together in isotonic contractions, creating the movement and allowing the body to perform even the most routine and fundamental actions. Works Cited Kozar, B., Vaughn, R. E., Lord, R. H., Whitfield, K. E. Basketball free-throw performance: practice implications. Journal of Sport Behavior. 18.2 (1995): 123-129. Kozar, B., Vaughn, R. E., Lord, R. H., Whitfield, K. E., Dve, B. â€Å"Importance of free throws at various stages of basketball games†. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 78.1 (1994): 243-248. Okubo, H., Hubbard, M. (2006). Dynamics of the basketball shot with application to the free throw. Journal of Sport Sciences, 24(12), 1303-1314. Alexander, M. Mechanics of the Basketball Free Throw. University of Manitoba. umanitoba.ca, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. Hess, C. â€Å"Analysis of the jump shot†. Athletic Journal, 61.3 (1980): 30-32. Martin, T. P. â€Å"Movement analysis applied to the basketball jump shot†. Physical Educator, 38.3 (1981): 127-133. Huston, R. L., Grau, C. A. â€Å"Basketball shooting strategies- the free throw, direct shot and layup†. Sports Engineering. 6.1 (2003): 49-64. Oddsson, L. â€Å"Co-ordination of a simple voluntary multi-joint movement with postural demands: trunk extension in standing man†. Acta Physiol Scand. 134.1 (1988): 109-118. Hudson, J. L. â€Å"Coordination of segments in the vertical jump†. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 18.2 (1986): 242-251. Wagner, K. â€Å"How An Achilles Tear Affects NBA Players (Or, Why Kobe Is Screwed)†. Regressing. regressing.deadspin.com. 15 Apr 2013. Web. 10 Mar 2014.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Creation vs. Evolution Essay -- Science Debate Essays
Creation vs. Evolution Since the publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species in 1859, there has been a continuous debate in the United States regarding evolution and creation. Recently, this debate has intensified throughout America over the issue of whether or not to include creationism in the public school curriculum either in conjunction with evolution or as a replacement for the theory. With such a volatile subject being argued, there are other issues that are brought up at the same time. I find these side issues to the evolution/creation debate to be very perplexing. The many differing viewpoints that my friends, family, and the American public in general believe are incredibly interesting. There are varying strict â€Å"either/or†views, and views that combine evolution and the Bible’s story of creationism. There are diverse ideas where evolution and science can coexist with the Bible, and different commitment and intensity levels to these beliefs. The knowledge a nd familiarity, or lack thereof, that people have with both evolution and creationism is intriguing as well. The most interesting of these questions is the key motivation behind people’s opinions; are they were religiously based or is there something else? The evolution/creationism controversy has been progressing and remains a heated issue that strikes deep into the heart of people’s beliefs. The matter involves the different scientific and non-scientific theories about the origins and development of human beings, which drives to the core of human existence and their relationship with God. It is a personal issue for many, with family, relationships, faith, and morality at stake. Because it is such an individual choice as to what to believe i... ...aspx?oid=2095> [10] People for the American Way. (Research team assembled by Chairman Daniel Yankelovich.) 1 Feb. 2003. [11] People for the American Way. (Research team assembled by Chairman Daniel Yankelovich.) 1 Feb. 2003. [12] People for the American Way. (Research team assembled by Chairman Daniel Yankelovich.) 1 Feb. 2003. [13] Reagan, Charlotte. Personal interview. 31 Jan. 2003. [14] Willis, George. Telephone interview. 31 Jan. 2003. [15] Kutch, Myron. Telephone interview. 28 Jan. 2003. [16] People for the American Way. (Research team assembled by Chairman Daniel Yankelovich.) 1 Feb. 2003.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Far From The Madding Crowd :: essays research papers fc
Far From the Madding Crowd Whether you are of the opinion that love is a wonderful thing, love knows no boundaries, or love is blind, one fact remains constant: love is like a snowflakeâ€â€no two loves or snowflakes are ever exactly alike. In Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd, the heroine, Bathsheba Everdene, has the luck (or unfortunate mishap) of courting not one, or even two, but three suitors during the course of the novel. Although Bathsheba Everdene could be considered to be in quite an enviable position by many women, both yesterday and presently, she doesn’t always seem to enjoy being courted by her numerous suitors. Most importantly, though, Bathsheba’s character grows and evolves because of, or in spite of, the situations she encounters and eventually overcomes throughout her romantic escapades.      Initially, Bathsheba’s character is high-spirited, feminine, naà ¯ve and self-centered. This is the first impression she gives Gabriel Oak, who eventually becomes a suitor, when she encounters him at the beginning of the story. The first time Gabriel lays eyes on Bathsheba, she is gazing admiringly at her own reflection in her pocket mirror. Gabriel realizes immediately that her greatest fault is â€Å"what it is always . . . vanity†(p. 56).      Gabriel, although impressed by Bathsheba’s beauty and vivacity, does not immediately begin to court her. He is quite smitten with her from the very beginning of their relationship. Gabriel even goes so far as to repeat her name over and over and is quoted as saying â€Å"I’ll make her my wife, or upon my soul I shall be good for nothing†(p. 74.). He proposes marriage to her, but she admits that she does not love Gabriel and, if they tried to make a relationship work without love, he would grow to despise her. Being the amiable fellow that he proves himself to be throughout the story, Gabriel is quite firm when he tells Bathsheba, â€Å"Very well . . . then I’ll ask you no more†(p. 82).      Although Hardy might wish his readers to believe that this episode is the end of any romance between Bathsheba and Gabriel, we realize that there is a grain of truth to the phrase â€Å"save the best for last.†Meanwhile, Bathsheba moves on with her new life as mistress of the farm that her recently deceased uncle has left for her. She agrees to hire Gabriel as a shepherd, so he stays in the picture throughout the remainder of the story and witnesses her romance with Mr.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Structure of Language
he Structure of Language Language is a system of symbols and rules that is used for meaningful communication. A system of communication has to meet certain criteria in order to be considered a language: A language uses symbols, which are sounds, gestures, or written characters that represent objects, actions, events, and ideas. Symbols enable people to refer to objects that are in another place or events that occurred at a different time. A language is meaningful and therefore can be understood by other users of that language.A language is generative, which means that the symbols of a language can be combined to produce an infinite number of messages. A language has rules that govern how symbols can be arranged. These rules allow people to understand messages in that language even if they have never encountered those messages before. The Building Blocks of Language Language is organized hierarchically, from phonemes to morphemes to phrases and sentences that communicate meaning. Phon emes Phonemes are the smallest distinguishable units in a language.In the English language, many consonants, such as t, p, and m, correspond to single phonemes, while other consonants, such as c and g, can correspond to more than one phoneme. Vowels typically correspond to more than one phoneme. For example, o corresponds to different phonemes depending on whether it is pronounced as in bone or woman. Some phonemes correspond to combinations of consonants, such as ch, sh, and th. Morphemes Morphemes are the smallest meaningful units in a language. In the English language, only a few single letters, such as I and a, are morphemes. Morphemes are usually whole words or meaningful parts of words, such as refixes, suffixes, and word stems. Example: The word â€Å"disliked†has three morphemes: â€Å"dis,†â€Å"lik,†and â€Å"ed. †Syntax Syntax is a system of rules that governs how words can be meaningfully arranged to form phrases and sentences. Example: On e rule of syntax is that an article such as â€Å"the†must come before a noun, not after: â€Å"Read the book,†not â€Å"Read book the. †Language Development in Children Children develop language in a set sequence of stages, although sometimes particular skills develop at slightly different ages: Three-month-old infants can distinguish between the phonemes from any language.At around six months, infants begin babbling, or producing sounds that resemble many different languages. As time goes on, these sounds begin to resemble more closely the words of the languages the infant hears. At about thirteen months, children begin to produce simple single words. By about twenty-four months, children begin to combine two or three words to make short sentences. At this stage, their speech is usually telegraphic. Telegraphic speech, like telegrams, contains no articles or prepositions. By about age three years, children can usually use tenses and plurals.Children’ s language abilities continue to grow throughout the school-age years. They become able to recognize ambiguity and sarcasm in language and to use metaphors and puns. These abilities arise from metalinguistic awareness, or the capacity to think about how language is used. Ambiguous Language Language may sometimes be used correctly but still have an unclear meaning or multiple meanings. In these cases, language is ambiguousâ€â€it can be understood in several ways. Avoid biting dogs is an example of an ambiguous sentence. A person might interpret it as Keep out of the way of biting dogs or Don’t bite dogs.Theories of Language Acquisition The nature vs. nurture debate extends to the topic of language acquisition. Today, most researchers acknowledge that both nature and nurture play a role in language acquisition. However, some researchers emphasize the influences of learning on language acquisition, while others emphasize the biological influences. Receptive Language before E xpressive Language Children’s ability to understand language develops faster than their ability to speak it. Receptive language is the ability to understand language, and expressive language is the ability to use language to communicate.If a mother tells her fifteen-month-old child to put the toy back in the toy chest, he may follow her instructions even though he can’t repeat them himself. Environmental Influences on Language Acquisition A major proponent of the idea that language depends largely on environment was the behaviorist B. F. Skinner (see pages 145 and 276 for more information on Skinner). He believed that language is acquired through principles of conditioning, including association, imitation, and reinforcement. According to this view, children learn words by associating sounds with objects, actions, and events.They also learn words and syntax by imitating others. Adults enable children to learn words and syntax by reinforcing correct speech. Critics of t his idea argue that a behaviorist explanation is inadequate. They maintain several arguments: Learning cannot account for the rapid rate at which children acquire language. There can be an infinite number of sentences in a language. All these sentences cannot be learned by imitation. Children make errors, such as overregularizing verbs. For example, a child may say Billy hitted me, incorrectly adding the usual past tense suffix -ed to hit.Errors like these can’t result from imitation, since adults generally use correct verb forms. Children acquire language skills even though adults do not consistently correct their syntax. Neural Networks Some cognitive neuroscientists have created neural networks, or computer models, that can acquire some aspects of language. These neural networks are not preprogrammed with any rules. Instead, they are exposed to many examples of a language. Using these examples, the neural networks have been able to learn the language’s statistical s tructure and accurately make the past tense forms of verbs.The developers of these networks speculate that children may acquire language in a similar way, through exposure to multiple examples. Biological Influences on Language Acquisition The main proponent of the view that biological influences bring about language development is the well-known linguist Noam Chomsky. Chomsky argues that human brains have a language acquisition device (LAD), an innate mechanism or process that allows children to develop language skills. According to this view, all children are born with a universal grammar, which makes them receptive to the common features of all languages.Because of this hard-wired background in grammar, children easily pick up a language when they are exposed to its particular grammar. Evidence for an innate human capacity to acquire language skills comes from the following observations: The stages of language development occur at about the same ages in most children, even though different children experience very different environments. Children’s language development follows a similar pattern across cultures. Children generally acquire language skills quickly and effortlessly. Deaf children who have not been exposed to a language may make up their own language.These new languages resemble each other in sentence structure, even when they are created in different cultures. Biology and Environment Some researchers have proposed theories that emphasize the importance of both nature and nurture in language acquisition. These theorists believe that humans do have an innate capacity for acquiring the rules of language. However, they believe that children develop language skills through interaction with others rather than acquire the knowledge automatically. Language, Culture, and Thought Researchers have differing views about the extent to which language and culture influence the way people think.In the 1950s, Benjamin Lee Whorf proposed the linguistic re lativity hypothesis. He said language determines the way people think. For example, Whorf said that Eskimo people and English-speaking people think about snow differently because the Eskimo language has many more words for snow than the English language does. Most subsequent research has not supported Whorf’s hypothesis. Researchers do acknowledge, however, that language can influence thought in subtle ways. For example, the use of sexist terminology may influence how people think about women.Two ways that people commonly use language to influence thinking are semantic slanting and name calling. Semantic Slanting Semantic slanting is a way of making statements so that they will evoke specific emotional responses. Example: Military personnel use the term â€Å"preemptive counterattack†rather than â€Å"invasion,†since â€Å"invasion†is likely to produce more negative feelings in people. Name Calling Name calling is a strategy of labeling people in order to influence their thinking. In anticipatory name calling, it is implied that if someone thinks in a particular way, he or she will receive an unfavorable label.Example: On the day a student buys a new desk, he might say, â€Å"Only a slob would pile junk on a desk like this. †This might help ensure that his roommate keeps it free of junk. Bilingualism Although people sometimes assume that bilingualism impairs children’s language development, there is no evidence to support this assumption. Bilingual children develop language at the same rate as children who speak only one language. In general, people who begin learning a new language in childhood master it more quickly and thoroughly than do people who learn a language in adulthood. Language and Nonhuman PrimatesSome researchers have tried to teach apes to use language. Because of the structure of their vocal organs, apes can’t say words, but they can communicate using signs or computers. Using these means, a pes can make requests, respond to questions, and follow instructions. The Case of Washoe the Chimpanzee Researchers at Central Washington University taught a chimpanzee named Washoe to use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. She could sign not only single words but also meaningful combinations of words. She could follow instructions and respond to questions given in ASL.Later, Washoe’s foster child, Loulis, learned signs just by watching Washoe and other chimps that had been trained to use language. Some research even suggested that language-trained chimps may use signs spontaneously to communicate with each other or to talk to themselves, although this behavior is not thoroughly documented. Skepticism about Ape Language Critics of the idea that apes can learn and use language have maintained several arguments: Apes, unlike people, can be trained to learn only a limited number of words and only with difficulty.Apes use signs or computers to get a reward, in the same way that other animals can be taught tricks. But learning tricks is not equivalent to learning language. Apes don’t use syntax. For example, they don’t recognize the difference between Me eat apple and Apple eat me. Trainers may be reading meanings into signs apes make and unintentionally providing cues that help them to respond correctly to questions. Clearly, communication in nonhuman animals differs drastically from language in humans. The spontaneity, uniqueness, and reflective content of human language remains unmatched. Nonprimates Can CommunicateResearchers have taught nonprimate animals, such as parrots, to communicate meaningfully. Parrots that participated in language acquisition studies learned to identify dozens of objects, distinguish colors, and make simple requests in English. One famous example is Alex the African gray parrot, owned by Irene Pepperberg from the University of Arizona. Alex can â€Å"speak†hundreds of words, but what makes him mor e unique is that he appears to do more than just vocalize. Though Pepperberg does not claim that Alex uses â€Å"language,†she does believe that when Alex talks, he is expressing his thoughts, not just mimicking.The Structure of Cognition Cognition, or thinking, involves mental activities such as understanding, problem solving, and decision making. Cognition also makes creativity possible. The Building Blocks of Cognition When humans think, they manipulate mental representations of objects, actions, events, and ideas. Humans commonly use mental representations such as concepts, prototypes, and cognitive schemas. Concepts A concept is a mental category that groups similar objects, events, qualities, or actions. Concepts summarize information, enabling humans to think quickly.Example: The concept â€Å"fish†includes specific creatures, such as an eel, a goldfish, a shark, and a flying fish. Prototypes A prototype is a typical example of a concept. Humans use prototypes to decide whether a particular instance of something belongs to a concept. Example: Goldfish and eels are both fish, but most people will agree that a goldfish is a fish more quickly than they will agree that an eel is a fish. A goldfish fits the â€Å"fish†prototype better than an eel does. Cognitive Schemas Cognitive schemas are mental models of different aspects of the world. They contain knowledge, beliefs, assumptions, associations, and expectations.Example: People may have a schema about New York that includes information they’ve learned about New York in school, their memories of New York, things people have told them about New York, information from movies and books about New York, what they assume to be true about New York, and so on. Theories of Cognitive Development Cognitive development refers to the change in children’s patterns of thinking as they grow older. Jean Piaget’s Stage Theory The scientist best known for research on cognitive dev elopment is Jean Piaget (see pages 72–75), who proposed that children’s thinking goes through a set eries of four major stages. Piaget believed that children’s cognitive skills unfold naturally as they mature and explore their environment. Lev Vygotsky’s Theory of Sociocultural Influences Psychologist Lev Vygotsky believed that children’s sociocultural environment plays an important role in how they develop cognitively. In Vygotsky’s view, the acquisition of language is a crucial part of cognitive development. After children acquire language, they don’t just go through a set series of stages. Rather, their cognitive development depends on interactions with adults, cultural norms, and their environmental circumstances.Private Speech Vygotsky pointed out that children use language to control their own behavior. After children acquire language skills and learn the rules of their culture, they start to engage in private speech. They first talk to themselves out loud, and then, as they grow older, silently, giving themselves instructions about how to behave. Current Research on Cognitive Development Current research indicates that children have complex cognitive abilities at much younger ages than Piaget suggested. As early as four months of age, infants appear to understand basic laws of physics.For example, a four-month-old infant can recognize that solid objects cannot pass through other solid objects and that objects roll down slopes instead of rolling up. At five months of age, infants can recognize the correct answers to addition and subtraction problems involving small numbers. These observations have led some researchers to speculate that humans are born with some basic cognitive abilities. Critics argue that researchers who find these results are overinterpreting the behavior of the infants they study. Quick Review The Structure of LanguageLanguage is a system of symbols and rules used for meaningful communi cation. A language uses symbols and syntax and is meaningful and generative. Language is organized hierarchically from phonemes to morphemes to phrases and sentences. Children develop language in a set sequence of stages. Theories of Language Acquisition Behaviorist B. F. Skinner strongly supported the idea that language depends largely on environment. Skinner believed that people acquire language through principles of conditioning. Critics argue the inadequacy of behaviorist explanations.Some cognitive neuroscientists have created neural networks that can acquire some aspects of language by encountering many examples of language. They think children may acquire language in the same way. Noam Chomsky is the main proponent of the importance of biological influences on language development. Chomsky proposed that human brains have a language acquisition device that allows children to acquire language easily. Some researchers believe that language is both biologically and environmentall y determined. The linguistic relativity hypothesis states that language determines the way people think.Today, researchers believe language influences, rather than determines, thought. Two ways that people use language to influence thinking are semantic slanting and name calling. People master a new language better if they begin learning it in childhood. Nonhuman animals can learn some aspects of language. Language and Nonhuman Primates Some researchers have tried to teach apes to use language. Apes can communicate, but researchers are divided on whether this communication can really be considered â€Å"learning language. †The Structure of CognitionCognition involves activities such as understanding, problem solving, decision making, and being creative. People use mental representations such as concepts, prototypes, and cognitive schemas when they think. Theories of Cognitive Development Jean Piaget believed that children’s cognitive skills unfold naturally as they ma ture and explore their environment. Lev Vygotsky believed that children’s sociocultural environment plays an important role in cognitive development. Some researchers have shown that humans are born with some basic cognitive abilities. Problem-SolvingProblem-solving is the active effort people make to achieve a goal that is not easily attained. Three common types of problems involve inducing structure, arranging, and transformation. Some approaches to problem-solving are trial and error, deductive and inductive reasoning, use of algorithms and heuristics, dialectical reasoning, creation of subgoals, use of similar problems, and changes in the way the problems are represented. Researchers have identified many obstacles to effective problem-solving, such as focus on irrelevant information, functional fixedness, mental set, and assumptions about unnecessary constraints.Decision-Making Decision-making involves weighing alternatives and choosing among them. Additive strategies and elimination strategies are ways of making decisions about preferences. Using expected value, subjective utility, the availability heuristic, and the representativeness heuristic are all ways of making risky decisions. Using the representativeness heuristic can make people susceptible to biases, such as the tendency to ignore base rates and the gambler’s fallacy. Using the availability heuristic can make people susceptible to overestimating the improbable or underestimating the probable.In an effort to minimize risk, people also make decision-making errors, such as the overconfidence effect, the confirmation bias, and belief perseverance. Creativity Creativity is the ability to generate novel, useful ideas. Creativity is characterized by divergent, rather than convergent, thinking. Some characteristics of creative people are expertise, nonconformity, curiosity, persistence, and intrinsic motivation. People can best realize their creative potential if they are in environmental circumstances that promote creativity.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Change and Continuity Over Tome Essay Essay
Students should organize these essays with three chronological paragraphs. Each essay will traditionally cover only one historical period but each period has numerous sub-periods. The periods in AP World History include: I. Broad Historical Periods and Sub-Periods A. Foundations Period 1. Prehistory: 1,000,000 BCE to 5000 BCE 2. River Valley Civilizations: 5000 BCE to 1200 BCE 3. Classical Civilizations: 1200 BCE to 600 CE B. Post-Classical Period 1. Early Post-Classical: 600 to 1000 CE Muslims to Crusades 2. High Post-Classical Period: 1000 to 1250 CE Crusades to Mongols 3. Late Post-Classical Period: 1250 to 1450 CEMongols to Collapse C. Early Modern Period 1. 1450 to 1600 CE:Spain, Portugal, Asian Gunpowder Empires 2. 1600 to 1750 CE:English, Dutch, French, and Russians Ascendant D. Modern Period 1. 1750 – 1800 CE:The Enlightenment and 1st Industrial Revolution 2. 1800 – 1850 CE:Early Political Revolutions 2. 1850 – 1914 CE:2nd Industrial Revolution, New Actors & Imperialism E. Contemporary Period 1. 1914 – 1945 CE:The Long World War 2. 1945 – 1990 CE:The Cold War, Decolonization 3. 1990 CE to Present:Globalization and Responses II. Chronologies with Civilizations All civilizations have sub-periods within their own histories. For instance, Roman Civilization begins with an Etruscan kingdom from 753 to 509 BCE, the Roman Republic from 509 to 27 BCE, and the Roman Empire from 27 BCE to 476 CE. The Han Dynasty has Early Han, the Wang Mang Interlude, and the Late Han. If you the student can break down periods in this manner, it is always a superior demonstration of knowledge. However, some students have trouble organizing these essays. While you should know the beginning and end of the above periods, you can always split a period into three groups by taking the first date of the period, the ending date, and a middle date. Effectively this is early, middle or high, and late. Select an essay prompt and one region. Trace the topic through one of the larger historical periods listed above. 1. Trace the change and continuities of interactions between any two contiguous periods in any historical region: Latin America; North America; Sub-Saharan Africa; SW Asia and North Africa; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; Central Asia; South Asia; Southeast Asia; and East Asia. 2. Trace the changes and continuities in world trade from 500 BCE to 1000 CE in any one of the following regions: the Mediterranean, the Silk Road (Central Asia, East Asia, Southwest Asia), the Indian Ocean, Sub-Saharan Africa. 3. Trace the changes and continuities in world trade from 500 to 1500 CE in any one of the following regions: North Africa and SW Asia; Western Europe; Mesoamerica; Sub-Saharan Africa; the Indian Ocean; Central Asia; East and Southeast Asia. 4. Trace the changes and continuities in world trade from 1450 to 1914 CE in any one of the following regions: Latin America; North America; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; Southwest Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; South Asia; East and Southeast Asia. 5. Trade the transformation of warfare from 1500 BCE to 1000 CE in any of the following regions: Southwest Asia; the Mediterranean; Western Europe; and East Asia. 6. Trace the transformation of warfare from 1000 to 1918 CE in any one of the following regions: Latin America; Sub-Saharan Africa; Western Europe; Southwest Asia; East Asia; North America. 7. Trace the transformation of warfare from 1750 to 2000 CE in any one region: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia. 8. Trace the transformation of diplomacy and international organizations from 1450 to 2000 CE. 9. Trace the changes and continuities in state structures and political culture from the beginnings of ancient civilizations to the end of the Classical period in any one of the following regions: Southwest Asia; South Asia; East Asia; the Mediterranean; Sub-Saharan Africa. 10. Trace the transformation in functions and structures of states from the beginning of the Classical period to the end of the Post-Classical period in one region: Western Europe; Eastern Europe; SW Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; East Asia; Southeast Asia; South Asia. 11. Trace the transformation in state structures from 1750 to 2000 in any one region: North America; Latin America; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; South Asia; Southeast Asia; East Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; Southwest Asia. 12. Trace the change in attitudes towards states and identities including political parties in the 20th century in one region: Latin America; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; East Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; SW Asia and North Africa; South Asia; and Southeast Asia. 13. Trace the changes in environment and demography from the Paleolithic Age through the end of the Ancient period (1200 BCE) in any one river valley civilization: the Nile River, the Indus River, the Yellow River, and the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley. 14. Trace the demographic shift from 1450 to 1914 in any one region: Latin America, Western Europe, North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, or East Asia. 15. Trace any changes in environment and demography from 1914 to the present in any one region: Latin America; Sub-Saharan Africa; East Europe; South Asia; East Asia. 16. Trace any demographic movements in any one region 1750 to 2000 CE: Latin America, North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Europe, East Asia. 17. Trace the transformation of technology including agriculture and weaponry from the beginning of the Neolithic Period to the end of the classical age in any one region: Southwest Asia; the Mediterranean; South Asia; East Asia. 18. Trace the transformation and impact of technology including manufacturing, transportation and communications from 1750 to 2000 in any one region: North America; West Europe; East Europe; Sub-Saharan Africa; Southwest Asia and North Africa; South Asia; and East Asia. 19. Trace the transformation of religion and philosophy from the beginning of the classical period through the end of the Post-Classical period in any one region: East Asia; South Asia; Southwest Asia and North Africa; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; and Sub-Saharan Africa. 20. Trace the intellectual and artistic transformation from 600 to 1750 in any one region: East Asia; South Asia; Southwest Asia; West Europe; East Europe. 21. Trace the changes and continuities in social systems from the beginnings of human societies through the rise of the first civilizations. 22. Trace the changes and continuities in social structures from the Ancient through the end of the Classical civilizations in any one region: the Mediterranean; Southwest Asia; South Asia; and East Asia. 23. Trace the transformation of social structures from 1000 to 1750 in any one region: Latin America; West Europe; Southwest Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; South Asia; East Asia. 24. Trace the transformation of social structures from 1750 to 2000 in any one region: Latin America, North America, West Europe, East Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southwest Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, East Asia or Southeast Asia. 25. Trace changes and continuities in gender roles from Neolithic cultures through the Classical Age in any one region: Southwest Asia, Central Asia, the Mediterranean, South Asia, or East Asia. 26. Trace the transformation in gender roles from 600 to 1750 CE in any one region: the Muslim world, the Christian world, the Hindu world, the Confucian world, the world of the Central Asian nomad. 27. Trace the transformation of social inequalities including labor and gender from 1000 to 1750 CE in any one region: West Europe; Southwest Asia and North Africa; Latin America; Sub-Saharan Africa; South Asia; and East Asia. 28. Trace the changes and continuities in gender roles from 1750 to 2000 CE in any one region: Latin America; North America; West Europe; Southwest Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; South Asia; and East Asia. 29. Trace the transformation of labor systems from 1750 to 2000 in any one region: Latin America; North America; Sub-Saharan Africa; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; East Asia; South Asia. 30. Trace the relationship between change and continuity across any two contiguous time periods in any one region: Latin America, North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Southwest Asia, West Europe, East Europe, Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Choose two characters from the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay
America in the 1930’s was a class-based society where women had no choice. The Wall Street Crash in 1929 meant the ‘Great Depression’ was occurring, people living in poverty because of this but most would travel round to find work. Racism was still a critical problem in this time so this was affecting many lives, only white people could get a decent job, if a black person could it would be living in the same conditions as slaves, even though slavery was abolished in 1865- over 60 years before. Crooks is the stable buck and is black, he is a clever but lonely man who just wants some companionship. Curley’s wife is seen as a ‘tart’, we see that she is also lonely and very misunderstood. In the novel, even though Steinbeck had made the characters an isolated group, they all represent different sides of the society, this allows him to criticise what he sees as problems. Slavery started in America in the 15th century, thousands of slaves arrived looking for a better way of life than what they had left, but infact their ‘new lives’ were worse. Slavery meant big business in America. In the north most Negroes were free but in the south it was the way of life. Slaves were employed as either field workers; they worked long hours, lived in huts and slept on the floor. Then there were the house workers who would cook, clean, run the masters house and bring up the children, they lived a more comfortable life, but caused mistrust between the two. Sometimes a way to solve this was to split up families, selling the children. Slave revolt was common and in 1831 people started to understand the need to abolish slavery, in 1833 it became more widespread but Lincoln and the civil war offered more help to the black society. Finally in 1865 slavery was abolished – â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist in the United States.†Crooks was not a slave but was still a victim of racial prejudice. He is lonely and very clever, ‘He reads a lot. Got books I his room’, and we see that he is aware of his rights, ‘a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California Civil code for 1905-98’ this in a way is worse as he knows that he could have a better life. He loves company but hides it, as he is sure this was the best his life would get. The men know that they can be racist towards him and get away with it; this is made clear when George asks ‘give the stable-buck hell?’ Asking why it’s ok, he is given the simple answer from candy that it’s fine because he is a ‘nigger.’ Crooks was still very much treated as a slave. The men tell the stories of how they make him fight for a use of entertainment but ‘on the count of the niggers got a crooked back, Smitty can’t use his feet’ the men think its fine beating Crooks up and that they’re being kind. The group do not realise that Crooks is scared of them and so isolates himself from everyone and everything going on around him – ‘he kept his distance and demanded everyone else kept theirs’ but by doing this he had to live alone in the stables while the men on the ranch lived together, however they did respect he was a human because they did keep away from him. Crooks ‘pain-tightened lips’ show he is suffering and is punishing himself, he tells himself that ‘he ain’t wanted in the bunk-house’ and so other people ‘ain’t wanted in my room’. He says this to Lennie, who doesn’t understand why crooks doesn’t want to talk to someone or why he doesn’t go in the bunk house, Crooks’ response to this is that the men say ‘I stink’- another example of the racial prejudice; he’s black so therefore he must stink. Crooks sees that with Lennie he has someone he can tease and so does, when he tease s him Steinbeck writes that, ‘Crooks pressed forward some kind of private victory.’ Crooks’ victory is that probably all his life he has been teased because of his colour, now he has someone he can pick on that he can beat. There is a sense of war in which black verses white and unusually the black can easily win. Crooks know he can get away with picking on Lennie, his ‘face lighted with pleasure in his torture’, he is enjoying that he can pick on a white person. Crooks is a dreamer, he has one dream of the past; ‘I remember when I was a little kid on my old mans chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They were always near me, always there.’ He dreams of his past because he knows that he has no future, and that the others do have a future, there is a slight sense of jealousy as he cant leave the ranch. This is also another example of Crooks’ need for companionship; he is showing how lonely he is. Lennie then tells Crooks’ of his and Georges dream to own some land, to which he replies, ‘Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody ever gets no land’ he knows what societies like and has seen many men with dreams but none ever come true, but even though he is pessimistic he is right. However even saying this he is still tempted to join the dream, he wants to be around people and is happy when people talk to him. He says ‘I didn’t mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’t want to go no place like that.’ He knows he has to support black people and that it wouldn’t happen. Through the character of crooks we see that Steinbeck thought that Crooks’ was treated badly and that he obviously felt sympathy for him and all black people in America. We see examples of Crooks being afraid of all people, including Curley’s wife, in a time where women weren’t listened to, Steinbeck puts the message across that he shouldn’t have to pull back and have to live in fear, worrying about what is going to happen to him and who by. If Crooks had been white he wouldn’t be treated in the way he was. Curley’s wife is another character that is seen as by the men on the ranch as insignificant, like Crooks. There are many similarities between the two; they are outcast, misunderstood, and oppressed. Neither are treated as equals and are trapped in the same life with no future. Even so she does not see these similarities and picks on Crooks for the same reason he picks on Lennie, because she can she knows that he will listen to her and be afraid. Curley’ s wife is all she was ever called, she was not given a name showing that she means nothing and is only a possession to Curley. This suggests that women were on the same level as black people and in some ways the same position. As Negroes were victims of racial prejudice – women were victims of sexism. Curley’s wife has no relationship with her husband and she doesn’t look after the household like she is supposed to, this suggests that she is trapped and is only there so Curley can say he’s mar ried. She doesn’t love him and is only there for his satisfaction. Curley’s wife is lonely and when she looks for companionship within the ranch, the men say that she is too flirty, they think that ‘Curley’s married a tart’ but they don’t understand her and don’t try to. The men don’t trust her and there is a sense of danger when George describes her as ‘jail-bait.’ This also proves what the men think of her. There is a description of her, it goes through that she has, ‘full, rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages’ this is very superficial and shows that in a way she is covering herself and her feelings with a mask. Knowing that her husband is at a whorehouse she says ‘I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella’ this is very simplistic and suggests her interest, it also suggests that Curley does not love her either. She is obviously lonely and only gets a cold reception from the workers, she is isolated from the world and has lost all chance of having friends, and Steinbeck feels pity for her. He gives this message when she says ‘think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in the house alla time? She questions them and gets no response from being kind. We see her lash out on page 111 when she is talking to Crooks, Lennie and Candy, she is angry because of Curley and so takes it out on them; people who she has a sense of power over; ‘Ever’ body out doin’ som’pin. Everybody! An’ what am I doing? Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an’ a dum- dum’. This also gains her pity from the reader. Curley’s wife is lonely and frustrated that there is nothing she can do or say make herself feel better but she does try by taking it out on the men, in this case Crooks. She says to him ‘well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny’ although she is being so nasty we still feel sympathy for her, we understand that she is so lonely, we can relate to this. As Crooks does Curley’s wife dreams of the past and what could have been, she says to Lennie ‘I could of went with the shows. Not jus’ one, neither. An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in the pitchers’. She also talks about her dream later. She says that the only reason she married Curley was that she wanted to leave home. This is because she thought that her mother had stopped her from being an actress by stealing a ‘letter’ from a man who had said he could make her famous. She explains ‘I ast her if she stole it, too, an’ she says no. So I married Curley. Met him at the Riverside Dance Palace that same night’ she married him out of spite to her mother and no other reason. This is a tragic picture, she is being very naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve in thinking that a letter was being sent, she doesn’t realise that the man was playing her for a fool, this gains her sympathy from the reader. When she is dead there is such a sense of calmness and tranquillity, ‘ and the meanness and the planning’s and the discontent and the ache for attention was all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young.’ This is saying that she is now at peace and in a way because her life was such a disaster in which she had no future she is better off dead. It was the only way she could be happy and escape Curley and her loneliness. The 1930s was a class- based society within America. Racism was an ongoing problem and black people were still being treated as slaves, even though slavery was abolished in 1865. The ‘great depression’ was also still a huge problem with 3 million people unemployed in 1930 and 13 million in 1932. People were living in poverty and any jobs going were poorly paid. However life was worst for black people, who were victims of racial prejudice and discrimination and women who were seen as insignificant and ‘possessions’ of their husbands or fathers and were only there to look ‘purty’ and look after the house. In the novel, even though Steinbeck had made the characters an isolated group, they all represent different sides of the society, this allows him to criticise what he sees as problems. Curley’s wife and Crooks are just two characters that illustrate what life was like in America in the 1930’s.
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