J.G. Ballards texts Essay Example

J.G. Ballards texts Essay Empire of the Sun is a novel that takes the reader to the pre and post World War 11, and the repercussions of the detonation of the atom bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, through the eyes of a very young British boy trapped in a war where there are no winners.The novel is a first hand description of most of the experiences of the author J.G. Ballard who was interned there from 1942 to 1945 in the same prison camps mentioned in the book. It is a profound and moving account of what it was like to be a boy in Japanese occupied Shanghai at wartime.J.G. Ballards texts have a great deal in common with each other. The Guardian said he is a writer who can be relied upon. He rarely writes much below his best, and if you develop a taste for his preoccupations you will find it satisfied by any of his earlier four books. Clearly this opinion gives the reader the impression that the novel is regarded as impressive and should be enjoyed by the reader. The Guardian went as far to say, indeed, it could be said that if there is still room for a masterpiece about the Second World War, then this is it. Like other masterpieces it gains its initial effect in standing at a slightly oblique and unexpected angle to its subject matter.Ballards heightened sensitivity to violence, as well as the corollary themes of isolation and social chaos, which permeate much of his work, may well have its roots in his childhood in wartime China. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and technological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature.Due to the theme being war, the reader can expect the language to be predominately harsh and somewhat vile, this use of language reflects the feelings people have towards war, and the feelings the characters would have felt towards the war. The text can be considered as somewhat surreal writing, that beguiles the reader with its gentleness, yet forces the reader to confront many atrocious episo des concerning the sick, the dying and the dead. The fact that the reader sees them from a childs perspective makes the descriptions even viler and explicitly shocking. His explicit use of language, and his crude descriptions of the events that occur, lead me to the conclusion that Ballard is unemotionally detached from this story, the events are his memories, yet he doesnt appear to put any feeling into the characters, this is especially the case within Jim. There are several occasions, where Jim witnesses brutal behaviour, yet no emotions of remorse or feelings of pity are apparent.Ballard conveys a sense of place, through his descriptions of the different nationalities that are present within the novel. The protagonist British characters are described as stoical throughout the war. The descriptions given presented of the Chinese give the setting of Shanghai. They are constantly described as insignificant people who only survive from the money that the British inject into the coun try. The Japanese, the nation whom instigated the war are seen as the people that give some of the characters hope. This is the case especially for Jim. Their bravery and stoicism impress him. The descriptions given of the Japanese convey a sense of atmosphere. The actions they take create the feelings of many of the characters.The American and Japanese planes are for Jim a symbolism of hope and freedom. Although he idolises the Japanese kamikaze pilots, the sites of the American planes symbolise and signify the end of the war.The novel begins prior to the attack on Pearl Harbour. The significance of the reader recognising this event is clear, as there are many references to the way in which this attack is publicised. To Jims dismay, even the Dean of Shanghai Cathedral had equipped himself with an antique projector. This shows the reader that war was a part of life for the people of Shanghai. This point is emphasised by the opening lines of the novel, Wars came early to Shanghai, ov ertaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze. The dropping of the atom bomb is clearly another significant, event that the reader is supposed to recognise. The descriptions of the event given is complex and in thorough detail. But a flash of light filled the Stadium, flaring over the stands as if an immense American bomb had exploded somewhere to the northeast of Shanghai. Jim smiled at the Japanese, wishing that he could tell him that the light was a premonition of his death, the sight of his small soul joining the larger soul of the dying world. To Jim, the event of the atom bomb was symbolic for the death that was coming to him, and the death that had already reached many, his delirium had reached the stage that disallowed him to realise that the light he was seeing was literally a bomb sent from the Americans.Although Jim is a British boy of the wartime, he has distanced himself from the reality of the war. War as seen through the eyes of a child is an exhilarati ng and mysterious experience that rarely can be related to reality. The childlike disbelief that war will actually occur is evident many times throughout the novel, Sometimes the Pathe newsreels from England gave him the impression that, despite their unbroken series of defeats; the British people were thoroughly enjoying the war. It is clear that war to the British at this stage of the novel was considered a form of entertainment. The fact that whilst Jim was watching the newsreels, all he could think about was going to Dr. Lockwoods party, clearly shows the distance Jim has to the war.Shanghai during the time the novel was set, was inhabited by British, American and French people. These people were the upper class society of China. They were mainly there for their large firms that operated internationally. China was a colony of the British Empire, something, which greatly tormented the Japanese people as they felt they should be the owner of China. This great amount of upper class people had taken over China, and the local inhabitants had become almost inhuman and insignificant. This fact is clear throughout the novel. The opening paragraph demonstrates this sheer insignificance of this nationality of people. Wars came early to Shanghai, overtaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze and returned to this gaudy city all the coffins cast adrift from the funeral piers of the Chinese Bund. The poverty of the Chinese is demonstrated here, the reader is aware that the Chinese cannot even afford to bury their dead. This description is symbolic for the majority of the Chinese race. Their bodies drift away in the wooden coffins, yet are always brought back by the tide, it is almost as if for the Chinese, there is no escape from this land that submises them so greatly. The imagery of the floating corpses introduces the theme of death and survival that pervades the novel.Jims attitude to the Chinese is demonstrated by one simple thing that he says, Ama h, dont touch it! Ill kill you! Clearly Jim has no respect for his Chinese slave, he assumes that he has enough power over her to order her death. The beggar outside Jims house demonstrates the social difference between the Chinese and Western European classes. Usually his mother would caution Yang to avoid the old beggar who lay at the end of the drive. But as Yang swung the heavy car through the gates, barely pausing before he accelerated along Amherst Avenue, Jim saw that the front wheel had crushed the mans foot. Even though the reader is aware that Jim has seen this happen to the old beggar, he doesnt appear to show any remorse or guilt towards the man, this lack of feelings is shown again when Jim witnesses the beheadings. The description given of the beheading is in great detail, but Jim doesnt demonstrate that he has any emotions about this public inhumane act. Usually Jim would have paused to observe the crowd, Jim watched the coolies and the pheasant women staring at the h eadless bodies. Jim is observing the situation in a manner that suggests to the reader that he is used to this sort of behaviour. This fact supports the stereotype that Ballard has as a detached and unemotional writer. Jims lack of emotion would appear almost abnormal to a reader, as a child would be usually upset and more respectful towards the dead, regardless of their nationality. Jims detachment from reality is once again demonstrated.Dr. Lockwoods party shows a strong contrast between the predominant nationalities within the novel. The British are indulging in extravagant parties, as a war is occurring. The party is full of British people dressed in bright exotic outfits, the entertainment consists of Cantonese acrobats climbing their comical ladders and pretending to disappear into the sky. The party is nothing short of what would be expected from the rich Westerners, but readers may regard it as somewhat insensitive to the war situation. The Chinese that are there are quietly removing a dead oriole from the deep end of the now drained swimming-pool. There are twenty Chinese women, dressed in black tunics and trousers, each on a miniature stool. They are sat shoulder-to-shoulder, weeding knives flashing at the grass, while keeping up an unstoppable chatter. Ironically, although the war is occurring, the Chinese people are still working as servants for the British; this shows the lack of importance of the Chinese in comparison to the British who are spending their time at a lavish party.It is during the party that Jims admiration of Japanese pilots first emerges. Whilst exploring an abandoned plane, Jim has his first encounter with the Japanese soldiers. He was about to jump from the blockhouse, when he noticed that a face was looking up at him from the trench. A fully armed Japanese soldier squatted by the broken earth wall, his rifle, webbing and ground sheet laid out beside him as if ready for inspection. An entire company of Japanese infantry was res ting in this old battlefield, as if re-equipping itself from the dead of an earlier war, ghosts of their former comrades risen from the grave and issued with fresh uniforms and rations. The Japanese appear to be like predators from this description, it is as if they are lying in wait for there pray, this is something that later in the novel Jim begins to admire. The descriptions given of the three nationalities, is a great contrast to what their lives are like within Lunghua Camp. There is almost a role reversal between the British and Chinese, and between the British and the Japanese.The Japanese, the instigators of the war, ironically are greatly admired by Jim, a boy from a nationality who would be considered one of their vast amount of enemies. This admiration comes in many forms throughout this novel. Jim was impressed by their bravery and stoicism, and their sadness which struck a curious chord with him, who was never sad. Although Jim deeply admired the Japanese, his admirati on for them grew stronger due to them having the things he didnt. Food the main attributer to life, was something that Jim lacked, and the Japanese had As they smoked their cigarettes the Japanese smiled to themselves, watching Jim devour the shreds of fatty rice. The Japanese soldier who had taken pity on Jim, recognising that this small boy was starving, began to laugh good-naturedly, and pulled the rubber plug from his metal water-bottle. Food is power within this period of time, it is therefore as if the Japanese are in control of all, they control Jim, but fortunately for him, they do not abuse this power. Due to the kindness of the Japanese soldiers, Jims admiration for them has grown. They have helped his survival. This relationship that Jim has with the Japanese occurs many times within the novel.Private Kimura is example of Jim bonding with a Japanese soldier. Private Kimuras kindness to Jim is clear within the form of many events that occur within the time that they know e ach other. Private Kimura had grown almost as much as Jim in his years at the camp. Jims admiration for the Japanese soldier had been noticed and this admiration was fed by Private Kimura often inviting Jim to the bungalow he shared with three other guards and allowed him to wear his kendo armour. This kindness to Jim is later contrasted by the brutal beating of the Chinese Coolie. Like many of Jims previously detailed and dispassionate descriptions of brutal behaviour, the coolies beating isnt described any differently. Private Kimura walked behind the rickshaw and kicked the wooden seat, hurling the vehicle against the coolies legs, raising their staves, they each struck him a blow on the head, then strolled away as if deep in thought. Jim whilst watching this horrid event appeared disconcerned he is described to be wondering whether to read an article about Winston Churchill. All of the British internees of the camp are described to be unconcerned and only sit and observe the eve nt, this demonstrates the differences of nationality status, although the Chinese and the British are both prisoners of war, under the Japanese authority, the Chinese are not given the right to be in a camp and to be looked after, even during times of war, they are inferior to the British and the Americans. The fact that no British internee would help the Chinese coolie shows their sheer unimportance within the eyes of the British. Jims upbringing is questionable here. Is he so disconcerned about the brutal event, as he has been hardened by war, or is he so disconcerned due to him being used to this kind of behaviour bestowed upon the Chinese. The most likely answer would be that he is used to this insignificance for Human life regardless of nationality.The Americans role within the novel is to bring hope. Jim is the predominant character that symbolises this hope. The first American characters to be introduced demonstrate this. Basie and Frank, appear to be using the war as a way t o make money, they appear to be disconcerned for their own safety. Frank says that Basie wants to stay in Shanghai now the Japs are here. He thinks we can make a pile of money once we get to the camps. Dr Ransome, someone whom isnt particularly fond of Basie tells Jim that its a good thing that youre friends with Basie. Hes a survivor, though survivors can be dangerous.Many internees consider the American blocks within the camp as the place to be, the place where everything is happening. Jim liked the Americans and approved of them in every way. Whenever he entered this enclave of irony and good humour his spirits rose. There they lay on their bunks and entertained a steady stream of adolescent girls, single British women and even a few wives drawn to them for reasons not very different from Jims. The Americans were clearly the idealised nationality within the camp that held a presence that made them appear to not have any cares in the world, this presence kept many people alive. Th e Americans symbolised hope, this hope for Jim, came within the shape of the American warplanes. Fearsome American planes emerged like pieces of the sun. Jim reflected that the prisoners ought to celebrate, throw their clogs in the air, seize the air raid siren and play it back at the incoming American planes. Although for the prisoners, this should have been a great moment, it wasnt. The repercussions of the war had taken its toll on many of the prisoners, and many like Jim were almost scared to leave the camp, for fear of what life without routine and rules would be like again.The British internees at Lunghua Camp, unlike the Americans refuse to take in the facts that they are prisoners of war, this is evident by due to the fact that they have named parts of the camp after British roads and places. The Vincents, the people whom Jim shared a room with, completely disregarded Jim, even though nationality wise he was one of there own. Mrs Vincent is described as treating Jim like her Number Two Coolie, and he was well aware that he tolerated this for reasons he barely understood. Ironically, the British who treat all Chinese with disrespect are treating Jim one of their own, in the same manner. The fact that Jim is only a child makes the situation even more callus. Mrs Vincent a woman who is already a mother, is pushing away a young boy, and not giving him any help what so ever. The curtain that the Vincents have up within the room is a clear indicator to Jim and to the audience that the Vincents do not want any part in Jims life. They do want to face the realities of war and work together, they want to remain a happy, private family.The British before the war, were described as being lavish and exotic people, they are now within the camp, shown to be the people who are the more feeble race. They are constantly described to be sat in their own excrement, something, which by many is considered to be degrading, and generally an embarrassing situation. The old wom en lay in the pools of urine at their husbands feet. The English brothers huddled against Basie while Mrs Hug leaned on her fathers knees. This description is a complete contrast to the previous way in which the British people were described, this description is somewhat similar to the constant way in which the Chinese people are thought of and said to be like.Mr Maxted and Dr Ransome two of the central British characters within the novel are separated from the typical British people. They are both characters that give the other internees hope. They both take on roles of responsibility within the camp. Dr Ransome is not only a doctor for the people, along with Basie; he is Jims tutor. He therefore provides medical help for internees and mental stimulation for Jim. He could therefore be considered as a person of power within the camp, he has to some extent the power to maintain peoples health, and with regards to Jim, he has the power of knowledge.Mr Maxted, towards the beginning of the novel, is described as a very easygoing man, Jim admired Mr Maxted, an architect turned entrepreneur who had designed the Metropole Theatre and numerous Shanghai nightclubs. Jim often tried to imitate his raffish manner, but soon found that being so relaxed was exhausting work, Mr Maxted was the perfect type of Englishman who had adapted himself to Shanghai. Mr Maxted is clearly an easygoing person, whom is adaptable to many situations. This attribute would help any person survive within the camp circumstances. Mr Maxted on many occasions assists Jim with getting food, making sure he is okay, tasks that an almost father figure would do. Mr Maxted can therefore be considered as a father figure to Jim that remains calm and collected, for the benefit of Jim and many others. Even with the foreboding events that lead to the death of Mr Maxted, he remains calm and gives Jim hope, in every situation possible. Good lad, Jamie you hang on. Mr Maxted is remaining hopeful for the sake of this young boy, whom without people to keep him occupied and hopeful, would more than likely be drawing near to his end.Jim although a British born character, adopts and idolises many other nationality traits. Jims dream is to become a Japanese pilot; this is ironic, as it is the Japanese who are keeping the British people within confinement. On numerous occasions, Jim tells the internees of Lunghua Camp, that he wishes to be a Japanese Kamikaze pilot, and how he admires their bravery and stoicism. Jims cultural upbringing and multicultural town, make him aware of cultural traits and differences between people from different nationalities. As he is only a young boy, Jim would be more inclined to adopt some of these multicultural traits and admire them; therefore his admiration for the Japanese isnt unexpected.Jims friendship with the young Japanese pilot makes the reader look upon the Japanese in a not so harsh light. The Japanese raised his wooden stake. Like a sleeper waking from a dream, he hurled it into the nettles. As Jim flinched, he reached into the waist-pocket of his flight overalls and drew out a small mango.Jim took the yellow fruit from the pilots calloused hand. The mango was still warm from his body. This act of kindness shown from the young Japanese pilot, shows the reader that the Japanese are not all cruel people, although they instigated this particular war, they are at war as well, things concerning food etc, are a problem for them to, and the fact that he has given Jim this exotic piece of fruit demonstrates the Japaneses kindness.The novels ends on a somewhat sombre note, although Shanghai has returned to the normal bustling city that it used to be, Jim has grown up and begun to notice the horrors of it, he has in many ways become aware of the horrors that the Chinese suffer from day to day. Jims confinement within the war has opened up his mind to what is right and wrong in respect to the way in which people are treated. When he witnesse s the British and American sailors urinating down the steps, this new awareness becomes evident. Fifty feet below them, the Chinese watched without comment as the arcs of urine formed a foaming stream that ran down the street. When it reached the pavement the Chinese stepped back, their faces expressionless. Jim glanced at the people around him, the clerks and coolies and peasant women, well aware of what they were thinking. One day China would punish the rest of the world, and take a frightening revenge. Jims time within the camp has made him realise that the Chinese are actually alive, their existence has actually become noticeable to Jim, and he now disagrees with the cruel treatment that he once issued onto them.The final paragraph of the novel is very similar to the beginning paragraph, except the mood is greatly different. The description unlike many in the book appears to have a sense of sadness and feeling to it. Previously when the Chinese coffins were described, a brief de scription was just given, whereas now, the description ends driven once again to the shores of this terrible city. This feeling added to the final description given of Shanghai, makes the ending of the book powerful. Ballard known not to include any feeling into his work, ends his story with an impact on the reader, they are aware that Jim feels a sense of sadness and possible hatred to the city that he once thought was a great place to be.This novel is a first hand description of a war experience, and is therefore considered by many as a masterpiece. This novel leaves nothing to the imagination, everything is described in great detail, and in a way that paints a picture in the readers mind. This effective use of detached unemotional memories makes the descriptions powerful and creates emotions within the reader.This novel is considered by the Guardian as above all, a book of triumph and truthfulness of tone. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and techn ological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature. Ballards work although considered by many as somewhat grotesque, is thoroughly enjoyed by many today as a great novel, I would agree with this, it is interesting to read, and every word and description grips the readers attention. J.G. Ballards texts Essay Example J.G. Ballards texts Essay Empire of the Sun is a novel that takes the reader to the pre and post World War 11, and the repercussions of the detonation of the atom bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, through the eyes of a very young British boy trapped in a war where there are no winners.The novel is a first hand description of most of the experiences of the author J.G. Ballard who was interned there from 1942 to 1945 in the same prison camps mentioned in the book. It is a profound and moving account of what it was like to be a boy in Japanese occupied Shanghai at wartime.J.G. Ballards texts have a great deal in common with each other. The Guardian said he is a writer who can be relied upon. He rarely writes much below his best, and if you develop a taste for his preoccupations you will find it satisfied by any of his earlier four books. Clearly this opinion gives the reader the impression that the novel is regarded as impressive and should be enjoyed by the reader. The Guardian went as far to say, indeed, it could be said that if there is still room for a masterpiece about the Second World War, then this is it. Like other masterpieces it gains its initial effect in standing at a slightly oblique and unexpected angle to its subject matter.Ballards heightened sensitivity to violence, as well as the corollary themes of isolation and social chaos, which permeate much of his work, may well have its roots in his childhood in wartime China. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and technological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature.Due to the theme being war, the reader can expect the language to be predominately harsh and somewhat vile, this use of language reflects the feelings people have towards war, and the feelings the characters would have felt towards the war. The text can be considered as somewhat surreal writing, that beguiles the reader with its gentleness, yet forces the reader to confront many atrocious episo des concerning the sick, the dying and the dead. The fact that the reader sees them from a childs perspective makes the descriptions even viler and explicitly shocking. His explicit use of language, and his crude descriptions of the events that occur, lead me to the conclusion that Ballard is unemotionally detached from this story, the events are his memories, yet he doesnt appear to put any feeling into the characters, this is especially the case within Jim. There are several occasions, where Jim witnesses brutal behaviour, yet no emotions of remorse or feelings of pity are apparent.Ballard conveys a sense of place, through his descriptions of the different nationalities that are present within the novel. The protagonist British characters are described as stoical throughout the war. The descriptions given presented of the Chinese give the setting of Shanghai. They are constantly described as insignificant people who only survive from the money that the British inject into the coun try. The Japanese, the nation whom instigated the war are seen as the people that give some of the characters hope. This is the case especially for Jim. Their bravery and stoicism impress him. The descriptions given of the Japanese convey a sense of atmosphere. The actions they take create the feelings of many of the characters.The American and Japanese planes are for Jim a symbolism of hope and freedom. Although he idolises the Japanese kamikaze pilots, the sites of the American planes symbolise and signify the end of the war.The novel begins prior to the attack on Pearl Harbour. The significance of the reader recognising this event is clear, as there are many references to the way in which this attack is publicised. To Jims dismay, even the Dean of Shanghai Cathedral had equipped himself with an antique projector. This shows the reader that war was a part of life for the people of Shanghai. This point is emphasised by the opening lines of the novel, Wars came early to Shanghai, ov ertaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze. The dropping of the atom bomb is clearly another significant, event that the reader is supposed to recognise. The descriptions of the event given is complex and in thorough detail. But a flash of light filled the Stadium, flaring over the stands as if an immense American bomb had exploded somewhere to the northeast of Shanghai. Jim smiled at the Japanese, wishing that he could tell him that the light was a premonition of his death, the sight of his small soul joining the larger soul of the dying world. To Jim, the event of the atom bomb was symbolic for the death that was coming to him, and the death that had already reached many, his delirium had reached the stage that disallowed him to realise that the light he was seeing was literally a bomb sent from the Americans.Although Jim is a British boy of the wartime, he has distanced himself from the reality of the war. War as seen through the eyes of a child is an exhilarati ng and mysterious experience that rarely can be related to reality. The childlike disbelief that war will actually occur is evident many times throughout the novel, Sometimes the Pathe newsreels from England gave him the impression that, despite their unbroken series of defeats; the British people were thoroughly enjoying the war. It is clear that war to the British at this stage of the novel was considered a form of entertainment. The fact that whilst Jim was watching the newsreels, all he could think about was going to Dr. Lockwoods party, clearly shows the distance Jim has to the war.Shanghai during the time the novel was set, was inhabited by British, American and French people. These people were the upper class society of China. They were mainly there for their large firms that operated internationally. China was a colony of the British Empire, something, which greatly tormented the Japanese people as they felt they should be the owner of China. This great amount of upper class people had taken over China, and the local inhabitants had become almost inhuman and insignificant. This fact is clear throughout the novel. The opening paragraph demonstrates this sheer insignificance of this nationality of people. Wars came early to Shanghai, overtaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze and returned to this gaudy city all the coffins cast adrift from the funeral piers of the Chinese Bund. The poverty of the Chinese is demonstrated here, the reader is aware that the Chinese cannot even afford to bury their dead. This description is symbolic for the majority of the Chinese race. Their bodies drift away in the wooden coffins, yet are always brought back by the tide, it is almost as if for the Chinese, there is no escape from this land that submises them so greatly. The imagery of the floating corpses introduces the theme of death and survival that pervades the novel.Jims attitude to the Chinese is demonstrated by one simple thing that he says, Ama h, dont touch it! Ill kill you! Clearly Jim has no respect for his Chinese slave, he assumes that he has enough power over her to order her death. The beggar outside Jims house demonstrates the social difference between the Chinese and Western European classes. Usually his mother would caution Yang to avoid the old beggar who lay at the end of the drive. But as Yang swung the heavy car through the gates, barely pausing before he accelerated along Amherst Avenue, Jim saw that the front wheel had crushed the mans foot. Even though the reader is aware that Jim has seen this happen to the old beggar, he doesnt appear to show any remorse or guilt towards the man, this lack of feelings is shown again when Jim witnesses the beheadings. The description given of the beheading is in great detail, but Jim doesnt demonstrate that he has any emotions about this public inhumane act. Usually Jim would have paused to observe the crowd, Jim watched the coolies and the pheasant women staring at the h eadless bodies. Jim is observing the situation in a manner that suggests to the reader that he is used to this sort of behaviour. This fact supports the stereotype that Ballard has as a detached and unemotional writer. Jims lack of emotion would appear almost abnormal to a reader, as a child would be usually upset and more respectful towards the dead, regardless of their nationality. Jims detachment from reality is once again demonstrated.Dr. Lockwoods party shows a strong contrast between the predominant nationalities within the novel. The British are indulging in extravagant parties, as a war is occurring. The party is full of British people dressed in bright exotic outfits, the entertainment consists of Cantonese acrobats climbing their comical ladders and pretending to disappear into the sky. The party is nothing short of what would be expected from the rich Westerners, but readers may regard it as somewhat insensitive to the war situation. The Chinese that are there are quietly removing a dead oriole from the deep end of the now drained swimming-pool. There are twenty Chinese women, dressed in black tunics and trousers, each on a miniature stool. They are sat shoulder-to-shoulder, weeding knives flashing at the grass, while keeping up an unstoppable chatter. Ironically, although the war is occurring, the Chinese people are still working as servants for the British; this shows the lack of importance of the Chinese in comparison to the British who are spending their time at a lavish party.It is during the party that Jims admiration of Japanese pilots first emerges. Whilst exploring an abandoned plane, Jim has his first encounter with the Japanese soldiers. He was about to jump from the blockhouse, when he noticed that a face was looking up at him from the trench. A fully armed Japanese soldier squatted by the broken earth wall, his rifle, webbing and ground sheet laid out beside him as if ready for inspection. An entire company of Japanese infantry was res ting in this old battlefield, as if re-equipping itself from the dead of an earlier war, ghosts of their former comrades risen from the grave and issued with fresh uniforms and rations. The Japanese appear to be like predators from this description, it is as if they are lying in wait for there pray, this is something that later in the novel Jim begins to admire. The descriptions given of the three nationalities, is a great contrast to what their lives are like within Lunghua Camp. There is almost a role reversal between the British and Chinese, and between the British and the Japanese.The Japanese, the instigators of the war, ironically are greatly admired by Jim, a boy from a nationality who would be considered one of their vast amount of enemies. This admiration comes in many forms throughout this novel. Jim was impressed by their bravery and stoicism, and their sadness which struck a curious chord with him, who was never sad. Although Jim deeply admired the Japanese, his admirati on for them grew stronger due to them having the things he didnt. Food the main attributer to life, was something that Jim lacked, and the Japanese had As they smoked their cigarettes the Japanese smiled to themselves, watching Jim devour the shreds of fatty rice. The Japanese soldier who had taken pity on Jim, recognising that this small boy was starving, began to laugh good-naturedly, and pulled the rubber plug from his metal water-bottle. Food is power within this period of time, it is therefore as if the Japanese are in control of all, they control Jim, but fortunately for him, they do not abuse this power. Due to the kindness of the Japanese soldiers, Jims admiration for them has grown. They have helped his survival. This relationship that Jim has with the Japanese occurs many times within the novel.Private Kimura is example of Jim bonding with a Japanese soldier. Private Kimuras kindness to Jim is clear within the form of many events that occur within the time that they know e ach other. Private Kimura had grown almost as much as Jim in his years at the camp. Jims admiration for the Japanese soldier had been noticed and this admiration was fed by Private Kimura often inviting Jim to the bungalow he shared with three other guards and allowed him to wear his kendo armour. This kindness to Jim is later contrasted by the brutal beating of the Chinese Coolie. Like many of Jims previously detailed and dispassionate descriptions of brutal behaviour, the coolies beating isnt described any differently. Private Kimura walked behind the rickshaw and kicked the wooden seat, hurling the vehicle against the coolies legs, raising their staves, they each struck him a blow on the head, then strolled away as if deep in thought. Jim whilst watching this horrid event appeared disconcerned he is described to be wondering whether to read an article about Winston Churchill. All of the British internees of the camp are described to be unconcerned and only sit and observe the eve nt, this demonstrates the differences of nationality status, although the Chinese and the British are both prisoners of war, under the Japanese authority, the Chinese are not given the right to be in a camp and to be looked after, even during times of war, they are inferior to the British and the Americans. The fact that no British internee would help the Chinese coolie shows their sheer unimportance within the eyes of the British. Jims upbringing is questionable here. Is he so disconcerned about the brutal event, as he has been hardened by war, or is he so disconcerned due to him being used to this kind of behaviour bestowed upon the Chinese. The most likely answer would be that he is used to this insignificance for Human life regardless of nationality.The Americans role within the novel is to bring hope. Jim is the predominant character that symbolises this hope. The first American characters to be introduced demonstrate this. Basie and Frank, appear to be using the war as a way t o make money, they appear to be disconcerned for their own safety. Frank says that Basie wants to stay in Shanghai now the Japs are here. He thinks we can make a pile of money once we get to the camps. Dr Ransome, someone whom isnt particularly fond of Basie tells Jim that its a good thing that youre friends with Basie. Hes a survivor, though survivors can be dangerous.Many internees consider the American blocks within the camp as the place to be, the place where everything is happening. Jim liked the Americans and approved of them in every way. Whenever he entered this enclave of irony and good humour his spirits rose. There they lay on their bunks and entertained a steady stream of adolescent girls, single British women and even a few wives drawn to them for reasons not very different from Jims. The Americans were clearly the idealised nationality within the camp that held a presence that made them appear to not have any cares in the world, this presence kept many people alive. Th e Americans symbolised hope, this hope for Jim, came within the shape of the American warplanes. Fearsome American planes emerged like pieces of the sun. Jim reflected that the prisoners ought to celebrate, throw their clogs in the air, seize the air raid siren and play it back at the incoming American planes. Although for the prisoners, this should have been a great moment, it wasnt. The repercussions of the war had taken its toll on many of the prisoners, and many like Jim were almost scared to leave the camp, for fear of what life without routine and rules would be like again.The British internees at Lunghua Camp, unlike the Americans refuse to take in the facts that they are prisoners of war, this is evident by due to the fact that they have named parts of the camp after British roads and places. The Vincents, the people whom Jim shared a room with, completely disregarded Jim, even though nationality wise he was one of there own. Mrs Vincent is described as treating Jim like her Number Two Coolie, and he was well aware that he tolerated this for reasons he barely understood. Ironically, the British who treat all Chinese with disrespect are treating Jim one of their own, in the same manner. The fact that Jim is only a child makes the situation even more callus. Mrs Vincent a woman who is already a mother, is pushing away a young boy, and not giving him any help what so ever. The curtain that the Vincents have up within the room is a clear indicator to Jim and to the audience that the Vincents do not want any part in Jims life. They do want to face the realities of war and work together, they want to remain a happy, private family.The British before the war, were described as being lavish and exotic people, they are now within the camp, shown to be the people who are the more feeble race. They are constantly described to be sat in their own excrement, something, which by many is considered to be degrading, and generally an embarrassing situation. The old wom en lay in the pools of urine at their husbands feet. The English brothers huddled against Basie while Mrs Hug leaned on her fathers knees. This description is a complete contrast to the previous way in which the British people were described, this description is somewhat similar to the constant way in which the Chinese people are thought of and said to be like.Mr Maxted and Dr Ransome two of the central British characters within the novel are separated from the typical British people. They are both characters that give the other internees hope. They both take on roles of responsibility within the camp. Dr Ransome is not only a doctor for the people, along with Basie; he is Jims tutor. He therefore provides medical help for internees and mental stimulation for Jim. He could therefore be considered as a person of power within the camp, he has to some extent the power to maintain peoples health, and with regards to Jim, he has the power of knowledge.Mr Maxted, towards the beginning of the novel, is described as a very easygoing man, Jim admired Mr Maxted, an architect turned entrepreneur who had designed the Metropole Theatre and numerous Shanghai nightclubs. Jim often tried to imitate his raffish manner, but soon found that being so relaxed was exhausting work, Mr Maxted was the perfect type of Englishman who had adapted himself to Shanghai. Mr Maxted is clearly an easygoing person, whom is adaptable to many situations. This attribute would help any person survive within the camp circumstances. Mr Maxted on many occasions assists Jim with getting food, making sure he is okay, tasks that an almost father figure would do. Mr Maxted can therefore be considered as a father figure to Jim that remains calm and collected, for the benefit of Jim and many others. Even with the foreboding events that lead to the death of Mr Maxted, he remains calm and gives Jim hope, in every situation possible. Good lad, Jamie you hang on. Mr Maxted is remaining hopeful for the sake of this young boy, whom without people to keep him occupied and hopeful, would more than likely be drawing near to his end.Jim although a British born character, adopts and idolises many other nationality traits. Jims dream is to become a Japanese pilot; this is ironic, as it is the Japanese who are keeping the British people within confinement. On numerous occasions, Jim tells the internees of Lunghua Camp, that he wishes to be a Japanese Kamikaze pilot, and how he admires their bravery and stoicism. Jims cultural upbringing and multicultural town, make him aware of cultural traits and differences between people from different nationalities. As he is only a young boy, Jim would be more inclined to adopt some of these multicultural traits and admire them; therefore his admiration for the Japanese isnt unexpected.Jims friendship with the young Japanese pilot makes the reader look upon the Japanese in a not so harsh light. The Japanese raised his wooden stake. Like a sleeper waking from a dream, he hurled it into the nettles. As Jim flinched, he reached into the waist-pocket of his flight overalls and drew out a small mango.Jim took the yellow fruit from the pilots calloused hand. The mango was still warm from his body. This act of kindness shown from the young Japanese pilot, shows the reader that the Japanese are not all cruel people, although they instigated this particular war, they are at war as well, things concerning food etc, are a problem for them to, and the fact that he has given Jim this exotic piece of fruit demonstrates the Japaneses kindness.The novels ends on a somewhat sombre note, although Shanghai has returned to the normal bustling city that it used to be, Jim has grown up and begun to notice the horrors of it, he has in many ways become aware of the horrors that the Chinese suffer from day to day. Jims confinement within the war has opened up his mind to what is right and wrong in respect to the way in which people are treated. When he witnesse s the British and American sailors urinating down the steps, this new awareness becomes evident. Fifty feet below them, the Chinese watched without comment as the arcs of urine formed a foaming stream that ran down the street. When it reached the pavement the Chinese stepped back, their faces expressionless. Jim glanced at the people around him, the clerks and coolies and peasant women, well aware of what they were thinking. One day China would punish the rest of the world, and take a frightening revenge. Jims time within the camp has made him realise that the Chinese are actually alive, their existence has actually become noticeable to Jim, and he now disagrees with the cruel treatment that he once issued onto them.The final paragraph of the novel is very similar to the beginning paragraph, except the mood is greatly different. The description unlike many in the book appears to have a sense of sadness and feeling to it. Previously when the Chinese coffins were described, a brief de scription was just given, whereas now, the description ends driven once again to the shores of this terrible city. This feeling added to the final description given of Shanghai, makes the ending of the book powerful. Ballard known not to include any feeling into his work, ends his story with an impact on the reader, they are aware that Jim feels a sense of sadness and possible hatred to the city that he once thought was a great place to be.This novel is a first hand description of a war experience, and is therefore considered by many as a masterpiece. This novel leaves nothing to the imagination, everything is described in great detail, and in a way that paints a picture in the readers mind. This effective use of detached unemotional memories makes the descriptions powerful and creates emotions within the reader.This novel is considered by the Guardian as above all, a book of triumph and truthfulness of tone. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and techn ological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature. Ballards work although considered by many as somewhat grotesque, is thoroughly enjoyed by many today as a great novel, I would agree with this, it is interesting to read, and every word and description grips the readers attention.

Leni Riefenstahl Hsc Question Response Essay Example

Leni Riefenstahl Hsc Question Response Essay Example Leni Riefenstahl Hsc Question Response Essay Leni Riefenstahl Hsc Question Response Essay Describe the life of the personality you have studied. (10 Marks) From the very beginning, Leni Riefenstahl was a strong willed, determined and dedicated person. Her life was very complicated and interesting and can be described through many key events. These key events include her childhood, de-nazification and her various careers as a dancer, actress, film director/maker and photographer. Leni Riefenstahl was born in Berlin, 1902, in a strict family. She became very close with her mother Bertha, but her relationship with her father Alfred, was often strained. Throughout her teen years, Leni became a great skater, gymnast and swimmer due to her artistic talent. Following her childhood, Leni Riefenstahl became a brilliant dancer in the 1920s, during the time of the Weimar Republic. There was a free attmosphere at this time where many oppurtinities were available. Leni used this time wisely and took advantage of the careers she was intereted in. Also, her great, physical body (cult of the body) promoted her dancing career. She was an expressionistic dancer who was open to experimentation and improvisation. However, due to a knee injury during her career, she was unable to continue and left dancing for good. On her way to the doctors after her knee injury, Riefenstahl happened to see a poster of the film Mountain of Destiny, directed by Arnold Fanck. She was immediately interested and went to watch the film instead of repairing her knee. Her enthusiasm and strength of will led her to becoming an actress after seeing some of Fancks films. She began her career as an actress during the late 1920s/early 1930s. Her dedication and determination led her to achieving her goal and she starred in her first film The Holy Mountain. During these times Berg Films (Mountain Films) were very common and popular and thus, many of the films Leni starred in were Berg Films. As her acting career progressed, the director Fanck, became very ill and sick. He was unable to work anymore and due to Lenis strong will and disciplined mind, Fanck allowed her to continue directing. She completed irecting The Holy Mountain whilst starring in the film at the same time and soon, she began directing her own films. The Blue Light was the first film that Leni fully directed and was quite successful as it won many awards. Also, Lenis zeal and determination in the film attracted Hitlers attention. Hitler then asked her to film many of his speeches and rally films. She accepted and directed Victory of Faith, which was seen as a success to the Nazis. Hitler then asked her to film Triumph of the Will. She bowed to the innevitable and directed the film. Leni was the only female film director in the film industry as all other directors were men, making the men very jealous of her. Also, she had an advantage in film directing due to the forced migration of the Jews out of Germany by Hitler (most of the film directors were Jews). As well as a film director, Leni Riefenstahl also became a film editor, financer, writer, producer and film maker. She was known as a Film Auteur (all-round film maker) and the first woman in Germany to become one. An example is a documentary on the Berlin Olympics titled Olympia. It won many of awards due to Lenis supreme talent . During World War II, Leni was working on a Berg film titled Tiefland. However, when the war had ended, she was arrested by the Allies and production of the film stopped. She was accused of being a Nazi due to the close relationship with Hitler and the Nazis, so she was put on a de-nazification program where many tribunals were held to see if she was a Nazi. After many months, Leni was considered de-nazified, however, she found that she could not continue in film directing. Prior to her de-nazification, Leni undertook photography and recorded images of the Nuba people in Sudan. She then proceeded in underwater photography in her early 70s and continued into her 90s. Leni Riefenstahl died at the age of 101 in 2003 and was seen to many people, particularly women, as a feminist pioneer. In conclusion, the key events of Leni Riefenstahls life, such as her childhood, de-nazification and her various careers as a dancer, actress, film director/maker and photographer, as well as her stong will and determination, can be used to describe her life.

A World Without Sound Essay Sample

â€Å"I don’t want to be bothered by noise. I’m tired of hearing atrocious things. † I do non kick anymore†¦ good. about noise at least. I am now deaf. I see smiling faces but can non hear laughter. I am able to feel concern and fright. but no longer can I hear someone’s calls and shrieks. Spoken discourse differs from written because one is able to set up emotionally the way of the conversation through voice. The inflexion of one’s voice can alter the signifier of the words to show peculiar properties. â€Å"She talks a batch. † can be said with a somber tone because it is factual. If it is said with backtalk. person finds the girl’s gabbing to be an irritation. Life has non changed drastically. Most of what I did as a hearing individual I am able to make now. but I miss â€Å"smaller things. † I miss telling takeaway over the telephone and waking up to birds peeping. I even miss being awoken by the Sirens on exigency vehicles tardily at dark. I am non entirely in this silent universe ; everyone is deaf. Everyone has fallen victim to a awful virus. No 1 is certain as to how or why the virus came approximately. The deafening virus is viewed both positively and negatively. I find comfort in sharing my experience with friends. household. and even aliens. Everyone throughout the universe is confronting a similar state of affairs: life without sound. Deafness has ever existed ; there are audile instructors and address healers that have been educated and trained to help persons sing partial or entire hearing loss. Unfortunately. the universe population outnumbers these persons. and they. excessively are deaf. Hearing AIDSs and cochlear implants are available. excessively. to help with hearing loss. However. to keep these devices can be dearly-won. and in the instance of cochlear implants. invasive surgery is required. Documented every bit early as the 5th century B. C. in Plato’s Cratylus. groups of deaf people have used gestural linguistic communication: â€Å"If we hadn’t a voice or a lingua. and wanted to show things to one another. wouldn’t we try to do marks by traveling our custodies. caput. and the remainder of our organic structure. merely as dense people do at nowadays? † Sign linguistic communication is defined as a linguistic communication that uses manual communicating and organic structure linguistic communication to convey significance. Sign linguistic communication may affect at the same time uniting manus forms. orientation and motion of the custodies. weaponries or organic structure. and facial looks to show the speaker’s ideas. Sign languages exhibit the same lingual belongingss and use the same biological abilities. as do unwritten linguistic communications. Persons are propelled to increase their cognition. accomplishments. or understanding because of uncertainty. wonder. incomprehension. and uncertainness. In both noisy and tongueless universes. explicating inquiries is necessary because it may take to an reply that solves one’s larning demand ( s ) . and she may oppugn farther while unwraping more cognition and greater apprehension. Six indispensable inquiries to inquire when seeking cognition and apprehension are â€Å"who. † â€Å"what. † â€Å"where. † â€Å"when. † â€Å"why. † and â€Å"how. † â€Å"Who† is concerned with what or which people were affected/involved. â€Å"Where† is concerned with the location/position of a individual. event. or object. â€Å"When† refers to a clip or circumstance. â€Å"What† asks information to stipulate something. â€Å"Why† asks for what ground or intent did an action/event return topographic point. â€Å"Howà ¢â‚¬  Tells in what mode something occurred. Like a relentless five-year-old kid oppugning his female parent. we must neer halt inquiring â€Å"why. † It is a simple inquiry. but can be the most hard to inquire. As we mature. we stop oppugning and merely accept replies or conditions. and travel frontward with our lives. Asking â€Å"why† stimulates our heads. In our deaf-and-dumb person universe. we must foremost inquire. â€Å"Why are we deaf? † Was the virus inflicted upon the universe so we could break understand what is like to be handicapped in order to be more understanding? On the other manus. is the Earth being punished? It is hard for us to inquire â€Å"why† because we are excessively accustomed to routine. Deafness has forced me to interrupt my modus operandi. go motivated. and more originative. I have become cognizant of other attacks of communicating and diversion. I can no longer keep an unwritten conversation with a friend while sipping a cappuccino ; alternatively. we must utilize manus gestures in order to pass on. I do non pass my eventides in forepart of a telecasting set since I have to read captions ; I now prefer busying my clip with reading. throwing Frisbees. or playing tennis. We. excessively. must inquire one another â€Å"why. † Not merely does â€Å"why† function as a footing for group treatment but it will promote others to oppugn their ain modus operandis or milieus. By inquiring others â€Å"why. † we may larn how others are get bying with their newfound hearing loss. Having an unfastened forum will non merely be curative but may reenforce oppugning everything like we did as kids. Asking â€Å"when† something happened or will go on is of import when informing an person or a group. but when life in a tongueless universe. the inquiry is least of import because no 1 is certain when our hearing will be restored. We must non brood on our hearing loss ; if we do. it may do isolation and depression. I keep reminding myself. and others. we are valuable. Our focal point should be on educating one another about status. If we do non oppugn. we do non larn ; hence. we do non derive greater apprehension of a belief or construct. The most basic ground for inquiring is so we get replies. I am incognizant as to how long this worldwide hearing loss will prevail. but I intend to garner every bit much cognition so I can understand my hearing loss and aid others. excessively. By oppugning what has occurred. it allows me to be more accepting of my hearing loss and helps me to keep an unfastened head. Through the treatment and inquiring of hearing loss. I am bring outing implicit in frights and limited beliefs. therefore opening myself to all that life has to offer.

Short stories by Alice Walker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Short stories by Alice Walker - Essay Example The setting occurs in the residence of mama and her daughters where they currently live with her younger daughter. With the expected homecoming of the elder daughter, Dee, they make preparations aimed at ensuring proper reception for expected visitors. The story remains total fiction, which is effectively utilised in delivering the desired message form the author. The author utilises fiction in depicting the meaning of culture and the power of education, while having humour and irony within the story. The story presents the difference in heritage within family members, who shared similar cultural values while residing together. The visiting daughter changes name from Dee to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, a name which she cannot explain its origin. She claims that Dee is dead depicting the death of cultural heritage. Through the actions and behaviours displayed by the elder daughter, heritage becomes nullified and its existence ignored by the character. Mama explains the origins of the fa mily name, running through many generations, and appears hurt by the daughter’s failure to understand the importance and meaning of heritage within the setting of the story. Dee desires family quilts, which she views as artefacts of dead heritage. While desiring these articles, she intends to utilise them as wall hangings, which further displays her misunderstanding of meaning of family heritage. She even tries to speak a language she cannot understand.

Web Services Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Web Services - Coursework Example Every operation in the TIDL interface contains additional parameters for transmission and reception of transactional data. A commit operation is either an ‘all’ or a ‘nothing’ affair. When a string of operations in a transaction fail to completed, a rollback must restore the system back to its pre-transaction state. To ensure rollback, a typical system logs every operation that takes place within the scope of a transaction, including the commit operation. A recovery or transaction manager uses these log records to redo or undo partly completed transactions when there is an exception scenario. When a transaction includes a number of distributed resources, for instance, a database server hosted on two different networks, the commit process will involve operations spanning two different systems. Here, each system will have its own log records and system manager. RPC is one of the first technologies to be used in the area of distributed computing. For an RPC call to be made, both the client and the server need to have stubs (client-side programs) for the remote service. The stubs are generated using Interface definition language (IDL). During an RPC, the arguments that the client sends across a network undergo marshalling and un-marshalling at the client and the server side respectively. The calls are synchronous. CORBA again is a technology used for objects to communicate in a distributed computing. The similarity between CORBA and RPC ends here because of the difference in the way CORBA works. In addition to a server and client, CORBA applications consist of an ORB (Object request broker). This ORB is responsible for mapping the client and server which will perform the request initiated by the client. The ORB marshals the arguments and routes the call over a network to the target objects ORB. The ORB has many more features such as objects look

Pmc Case Answers Essay Example for Free

Pmc Case Answers Essay 1) List the important facts in the case. SAS Pvt Ltd is a rapidly growing software firm in IT industry. Employee compensation package is one of the major factors which help SAS to maintain its employee loyalty. They facilitate activities like game, sports, yoga etc, which helps the employee to feel more relaxed in their workplace. Both mental and physical strength is necessary for deliver a better result. Activities offered by company helps the employee to balance both work life and family life together. Working hours of company is scheduled in such a way that to ensure the employee work life balance. Company following a relaxed culture which avoid stress and tension which is the major problem which is seen in majority IT companies. Enough leaves and medical facilities are providing by company without any salary cut which will help the company to make a secure feeling among employees. Job security is the major factor which all employees are looking for. Even though company is not providing stock options and higher salary, employees won’t feel any bad about it because of the loyalty they have towards the company. Layoff rate of company is maintained in a minimum level when compare to competitors and which helps them to save employee replacement-related costs and lost work time. Even though they are spending more for employee compensation they have a high rate of return from that. 2) Are progressive HR practices like those at SAS, a cause or a result of high profits? Yes. By doing progressive HR practices company can maintain a loyalty among employees which helps the organization for better performance. Work life balance helps the employee to maintain a healthy family life along with job and they feel more secure in their job. It helps the organization to reduce the rate of layoff which is the major loss for a company. Company can save employee replacement-related costs such as recruitment, interviews, moving costs for new hires and lost work time. Following are some of the major benefits: Job satisfaction: Employees would be happy with their jobs and would love to work for you if they get fair rewards in exchange of their services. Motivation: We all have different kinds of needs. Some value achievement more than money, they would associate themselves with firms. A compensation plan that hits workers’ needs is more likely to motivate them to act in the desired way. Low Absenteeism: If they enjoy the office environment and are happy with their benefits and get what they need and want. Low Turnover: Employees don’t want to work for any other company if you offer them fair rewards. Advantage to Your Employees: Peace of Mind: Offering of several types of insurances to your workers relieves them from certain fears. Your workers as a result now work with relaxed mind. Increases self-confidence: Every human being wants his/her efforts to get acknowledgment. Employees gain more and more confidence in them and in their abilities if they receive just rewards. As a result, their performance level shoots up. 3) What possible problems could the management at SAS face (from employees) due to the benefits offered? If employees are getting more benefits like employees getting in SAS there is a chance to have a tendency to give second priority to work. It is because of less strictness about the timing and more benefit without any deduction in salary. And it can lead to a mismatch in benefit and productivity. Because they have lot of benefits but there is no specific par in terms of productivity an employee should have. It may leads to mismatch. 4) If you are appointed as the HR manager at SAS, what changes would you recommend in the compensation structure? If I am appointed as an HR manager then I will modify the existing salary. Main modification should be on productivity and benefits. If an employee is working more productively then benefit given also will be high. It is better to implement some specific target to each employee to achieve and if he/she achieved the target within the specific time then rewards should be given. Rewards can be in both tangible and intangible. It will give motivation to employees to attain more and its leads to increase in productivity. I will ensure a better career growth so that employee feels more responsible and loyalty towards the firm. â€Å"Work more†¦. get more †Ã¢â‚¬â€this will be the strategy in terms of Benefits.

Images of Women in Sport: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Essay example

Images of Women in Sport: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Throughout history, men have placed limitations on women's activities, including sport. Women have gone through times where physical exertion was considered too stressing for women, physiologically and emotionally, as well as everything short of encouragement. The image of the pre-sport woman, twirling her umbrella while being drawn by horse and carriage attired in full petticoat, etc., is a sight that shows how far women have come, but how much more still has to be done to achieve equality. I view the image of women prior to sport as 'ugly' because not only was their right to partake in sports suppressed, but also their rights as women and as citizens. This image of women, however still persists until modern day. Albeit not to the same degree, but women's opportunities in sport are still less than the male counterpart, as well as the restrictions that this male society still imposes on women's sports, especially through the media. Through poor media coverage of women's sports by mal e-run organizations, the advancement of the sport has suffered tremendously. The television industry poorly advertises women's sporting events, such as basketball, and never shows them in primetime. The US women's soccer association was even dismantled due to lack of support. With publications, the only time women are featured are as either inactive or sex symbols, when editors could be using these media outlets to promote women in sport instead of degrading and downplaying them. Women's sports will never become mainstream without social change. The 'bad' image of women in sport would most definitely have to be the objectified woman whose talent in her sport is overlooked because of her... ... skills in the game. Because of society's prejudices, preconceived notions, and general attitude towards women, this ideal woman athlete is not yet achievable in a society dominated by men. In a society with so many prejudices, men don't want women to be as strong as or stronger than them. The image of women in sport that is 'good' to society is cyclic, since it depends on the state of the culture. Currently, with pop-stars and thinner than ever supermodels, society is definitely in a state of objectification. to the men of this society, who promote such mishaps as Janet Jackson's accident on stage during the Superbowl halftime show, women shouldn't be more than cheerleaders or non-sport related entertainment at major sporting events. Until men realize that women are their equals on all levels, the image of women in sport will never reach its 'good' and ideal image.

Communication and Customer Service Essay

The time that I was not satisfied with a service is the time I rented movies at the local video store. My problem had nothing to with the experience or how I was treated during my rental. My complaint came the day after when I returned the movies. When I return movies I always bring them back hours before they are due and I either put them in the back drop off or the front drop off, I rarely go into the store to return them. It was around 1pm when the movies were returned and later on that day I got a phone call from the video store around 7pm with a message that my rentals were late. I told the employee that I returned them in the back drop off and to check it. Well this same type of situation happened to me 3 weeks in a row. The 3rd time was the last straw so the next time I rented videos I made a complaint and told them how I felt and where I always drop the movies off when I return them. The complaint I made was delivered in a nice, peaceful verbal manner. Since then I have no problems with getting phone calls for movies that aren’t late. I spoke to the employee directly so therefor I didn’t send them an email about my complaint. If I did send an email it would be an assertive communication style email. It would be written professional and state my expectations of the company. I would not label or judge anyone or the company in any way in the email.

English Speaking Proficiency of Ip Student in the University of Mindanao Essay

Research Design This research was designed using qualitative way of gathering information such as opinion, ideas, and knowledge of every respondent. The researchers preferred to use an interview guide for the participant within the campus of the University of Mindanao. The method was design and suited to facilitate the respondents of giving their answer that will be helpful on pushing down the information needed to this study to attain. The goal of their research and answer the question stated in chapter 1. The researchers used this kind of method because it was a fact-finding study with fully sufficient and accurate interpretations of the findings. The researchers also believed that this was the most suitable method to use. Research Subjects In order to accumulate information such as opinion, ideas, and knowledge, the researchers preferred the research subjects of this study are the two (2) respondents coming from the students of the University of Mindanao. There were 2 researchers subjects who were interviewed for this study. Respondents one (1) is a 19 years old coming from the Island City of Samal, singe, and presently pursuing the degree of Education major in English. She is one of the Indigenous Student in the University of Mindanao as one of the privilege scholar in the said institution. She belongs to the Uvo Manuvu tribe. Subject/respondents two (2) is also an Indigenous student in the University of Mindanao, she’s proud to represent her tribe as Ata. She is 20 years-old, taking up Bachelor of Secondary of Education major in English as one of the Government scholar in the said institution. She was crowned as â€Å"Hiyas ng Kadayawan† way back 2010. The two (2) respondents was driven down to the list ing of all courses and year level in the university to prevent biases. For purpose of confidentiality, the names of respondents are kept. Letter for memo CHOCOLATE HEAVEN EMPORIUM MEMORANDUM TO: All Staff FROM: Management T.C. DATE: November 9th, 20– SUBJECT: STAFF CHRISTMAS PARTY It’s that time of year again. As you all know, Christmas is our busiest season of the year. Every year it is a struggle for management and supervisors to find the time and energy to organize a staff Christmas party. This year, we have decided to postpone the Christmas party until after our busy season. Party Details * Date: Second or third Saturday in January (T.B.A) * Theme: Beach * Food: Caribbean * Special events: Karaoke and belly dancing We apologize that the celebration will have to wait until the new year, but we guarantee that it will be worth the wait. Anyone interested in volunteering to help out with the event is encouraged to call Lucy, our events coordinator. Lucy’s cell phone number is 222-3098. Please contact Lucy outside of business hours regarding this matter. Thank you. T.C. Cover Letter for Trainer Peggy Wesson 54 Pinehurst Street, Apt. 4 San Francisco, CA 12345 123-555-1234 pwesson@unknown.com March 30, 20xx Ms. Carol Pilsner Director of Human Resources Do-Right Weavers 250 Bradonton Road South San Francisco, CA 12345 Dear Ms. Pilsner, Thank you for spending time on the phone with me this afternoon. I am definitely enthusiastic about applying for the position of trainer. I’m willing to do the required coursework on my own. In two months I can complete: * The â€Å"Train the Trainer† program at UC Berkeley Extension * John Capers Training Certification Is your schedule free for an interview soon? I’ll call you to see when we can meet. Again, thank you for encouraging me to take advantage of this career opportunity. Sincerely, Peggy Wesson Enclosure: resume

Three Fairly New British Language References

Three Fairly New British Language References Three Fairly New British Language References Three Fairly New British Language References By Maeve Maddox Motivated by the lively debates about where to put commas, and the controversy over â€Å"gone missing,† I’ve added some up-to-date British references to my print reference library. The three newcomers to my shelves are: Penguin Dictionary of English Grammar by R. L. Trask, 2000. As the title implies, this guide arranges topics and terms in alphabetical order. It includes every permutation of terminology from the traditional ones I grew up with to the innovations born of transformational grammar and Quirk Grammar. Here one can find definitions of subject raising, subjuncts, adjuncts and conjuncts, along with more immediately useful terms as double negative, paradigm, relative pronoun and usage. A lot of the terms are, however, a bit esoteric. While it’s a great resource for me in my line of work, there’s probably nothing here you can’t find online at OWL or any of the other free references mentioned in Online Style Guides. Penguin Guide to Punctuation by R. L. Trask, 1997. Trask does more than present rules and made-up textbook examples. His personality comes through as he discusses badly punctuated passages, often speculating as to why certain errors are made. It’s extremely readable, whatever page you open to. Of the ten chapters, seven deal with specific punctuation marks: 2: The Full Stop, the Question Mark and the Exclamation Mark 3: The Comma 4: The Colon and the Semicolon 5: The Apostrophe 6: The Hyphen and the Dash 7 Capital Letters and Abbreviations 8 Quotation Marks Chapter 1 explains the practical importance of punctuation. Chapter 7 gives rules for capitalizing and abbreviating. Chapter 9 deals with typographical considerations and Chapter 10 discusses the punctuation of essays and letters. I’m still in the process of getting acquainted with it, but this punctuation guide promises to be a treasure. Having British usage all in one place will be a great help as I write future posts. Penguin Writer’s Manual by Martin H. Manser and Stephen Curtis, 2002. As might be expected, there’s some overlap with the other two books. This one book has everything a writer needs in a basic reference. Part One deals with the mechanics of writing: 1 Grammar 2 Usage 3 Vocabulary 4 Spelling 5 Punctuation 6 Abbreviations. Part Two gets into the specifics of style, revision, and types of writing. There’s also a generous glossary of grammatical terms. In case youre wondering: Quirk grammars: A series of grammars of English written by Randolph Quirk and his colleagues. Though rather traditional in orientation, these grammars are informed by contemporary linguistic research. They introduce a certain amount of novel terminology. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Based in" and "based out of"75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk†How to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications

Video case Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video case - Coursework Example As a result, it has been able to build a good PR by offering consumers with products and services that best suit them and at the same time create good relationships with the companies. Groupon has used the power of the media to grow its reputation and gain trust among consumers and businesses. Groupon has also used personal selling effectively in selling its products and services. For example, through phone calls and emails, the company has been able to reach out to a number of businesses throughout the country. Groupon uses word of mouth to understand some of the best places where consumers can be directed. Through this, the company is able to offer the best deals. In addition, by using review sites such as Yelp and Citysearch, Groupon is able to get the best deals for consumers and get the best businesses to partner with. There is a difference in how Groupon markets itself to consumers versus how it does to businesses and companies. When marketing itself to businesses and companies, Groupon relies on personal interactions and through telephone. This is different when marketing itself to consumers since it is mainly done through the internet. In other words, in order to reach out to businesses, it heavily relies on its sales force to interact with potential companies. This is done through phone calls and emails. However, when reaching out to consumers, the Groupon uses social media and the internet to reach out to consumers. In addition, unlike businesses, Groupon relies on the word of mouth through conversations between consumers to market itself. This is because consumers interact with each other and thus help to market the company to friends and relatives. Business may find it necessary to adapt the promotional mix because of the different tastes and preferences in the market. Therefore, businesses need to adapt the promotional mix in order to meet the demands of the

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