The Glass Menagerie Essays (2145 words) - English-language Films

The Glass Menagerie Subj: (no subject) Date: 6/4/00 12:53:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: MCC1000 To: MCC1000 The Glass Menagerie: Plight of the Wingfields In Tennessee Williams: A Portrait in Laughter and Lamentation, Harry Rasky uses extensive interviews with Williams to explore the playwrights intent. Through these interviews, Rasky presents a glimpse of the playwrights life-world and the driving force behind his creations. Rasky reports Williams as saying: I have always been more interested in creating a character that contains something crippled. I think nearly all of us have some kind of defect, anyway, and I suppose I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge on hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person (134). This statement supports the idea that Williams incorporates something crippled into all his major characters. In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams portrays a crippling mother and child relationship comprising fundamental themes of dysfunctionalism. He poignantly illustrates that none of the characters are capable of living in the present. They believe their functionality and lifes happiness lies in their repeated quests for escape from plight. As such, they retreat into their separate worlds to escape lifes brutalities. Their daily tribulations thrive in an overcrowded buildings rear apartment where lower middle-class population is a symptomatic impulse of a large and fundamentally enslaved section in American society. Set in Depression-era St. Louis, the overbearing Southern ex-charmer, Amanda Wingfield is the de facto head of the household. A former Southern belle, Amanda is a single mother who behaves as though she still is the high school beauty queen. Williams still-resonant study reveals her desperate struggle with the forces of fate against her dysfunctional relationship that looms and grows among her adult children. (Gist) Laura, Amanda, Tom, and Jim resort to various escape mechanisms to avoid reality. Laura, fearful of being denigrated as inferior by virtue of her innate inability to walk, is shy and detaches herself from the unfeeling modern world. Amanda tries every means to integrate her into society, but to no avail. She sends her to business school and invites a gentleman caller to dinner. She is both unable to cope with the contemporary worlds mechanization represented by the speed test in typing and unable to make new acquaintances or friends due to her immense inhibition with people. Her life is humdrum and uneventful, yet it is full of dreams and inundated with memories. Whenever the outside world threatens Laura, she seeks solace and retreats to her glass animal world and old phonograph records. Amanda, her mother hints at the alternative of matrimony for fiasco in business careers and Laura utters a startled, doubtful laugh. She reaches quickly for a piece of glass. (Williams, ). The glass menagerie becomes her tactile consolation. The little glass ornaments represent Lauras self and characterize her fragility and delicate beauty. In particular, the glass unicorn greatly symbolizes her. As the unicorn is different from all the other glass horses, it adds a unique quality and virtual freakishness to her very characteristics (Kapcsos). Lauras physical handicap differentiates her from others. She is just as easily broken as the glass unicorn is as unique. She instantly regresses, just as it appears that Laura finally overcomes her shyness and hypersensitivity with Jim, the gentleman caller. Jim accidentally bumps into the unicorn, as it falls and breaks. The unicorn no longer retains its unique quality. To comfort Laura, he kisses her and then shatters her hopes and dreams by telling her he is engaged. Both Laura and the glass menagerie break upon exposure to the outside world. Laura offers Jim her broken unicorn, symbolizing her broken heart that Jim will take with him. She is unable to cope with the truth and once again retreats to her fantasy world of glass figurines and Victrola records. Laura can only live a brief moment in reality. Amanda obsesses over her past. The moment Tom or Laura worry her, she uses her Mississippi Delta childhood memories like a cooling balm. She flashes back to her days dancing at the governors ball in Jackson, Mississippi and recalls the gentlemens chivalric nature during her youth. (Ghiotto) She constantly reminds Tom and Laura about that one Sunday afternoon in Blue

Free sample - Nazi Holocaust Stages. translation missing

Nazi Holocaust Stages. Nazi Holocaust StagesThe Nazi Holocaust was the genocide of about six million Jews during the period of World War II. The central principle of Nazi ideology was represented by the prosecution of the Jews and Antisemitism. The members of the Nazi party openly declared their intent to segregate Jews off the â€Å"Aryan† society and do away Jews’ civil, legal, political rights, as published within their 25-point party program in 1920 (Spiegelman, Maus I, 20). This paper presents the stages of the Nazi Holocaust illustrated by various examples. Nazi leaders started fulfilling their pledge of prosecuting German Jews immediately after they assumed power. During the initial six years under the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler, from 1933 up until the war broke in 1939, Jews felt experienced very difficult times with over 400 orders marred restrictions and regulations in all aspects of their private and public lives. Most of the laws were national, initiated by the German administration and had an effect on all Jews (Spiegelman, Maus II, 40). Furthermore, municipal, regional and state officials also propagated a storm of exclusionary orders within their own communities on their own. Consequently, many individuals in all ranks within the government participated in the Jews’ prosecution through regarding, discussing, planning, adopting, imposing, and promoting anti-Jewish legislation. The first stage was definition that involved Jews being forced to put on the Star of David. They were seen as an international threat and also impure. As a result, Hitler had no reason of incorporating them in his plan of the pure and perfect â€Å"master plan.† According to Spiegelman (Maus II, 90), Stripping of rights was the second stage of. The year 1938 saw Jews being evicted from economic life of Germany. The Jews were denied the right to own property, they were denied German citizenship, and they were forced to carry identification papers. Other rights that were stripped of the Jews include; their lawyers being deprived of the right to practice law, denied voting rights, their businessmen had to be registered. Jewish doctors were also not to be found treating Aryan patients. Many laws aimed at separating Jews from German by limiting them their involvement in public life. The initial main law to infringe the rights of Jews was the â€Å"Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service† enacted on 7th April, 1933 which allowed for exclusion of Jews and â€Å"politically unreliable† employees and civil servants from state service (Spiegelman, Maus II, 89). The third stage was segregation and here rural Jews forced to occupy ghettos within large cities. His intention to put them into ghettos was deadly, confining them as they awaited extermination. Most notable among all these ghettos were those in Lodz, Poland which by the end of 1941 accommodated a total of 200, 000 Jews together with 5000 Gypsies (Spiegelman, Maus I, 48). Here individuals frequently died of starvation and diseases. On average, there were 15.1 persons in every apartment and 6-7 persons in every room. Concentration camps constituted another stage of the Nazi holocaust.   The first concentration camp was instituted in 1933 at Dachau to accommodate Nazi regime’s opponent. The figure of Jewish prisoners remarkably augmented after the broken glass’s night. Individuals were forced to there to provide free slave labour. The next stage was Extermination camps.   In this camps gas chambers were cloaked as showers and by 1945, a total of six million were already dead through such means as starvation, mass executions and slave labor within concentration camps. Extermination regions were isolated to prevent civilian population from unnecessarily witnessing the scene. Approximately 2 million Jews were killed through being gassed between 1942 and 1944, November (Spiegelman, Maus II, 78). Lastly it was the aftermath where camps were set free event though the dying, the weak and the sick were left there. A total of 250, 000 Jews were freed from the camps. They were however homeless, poor and left with nothing.   Spiegelman, Art. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History. Rome: Pantheon 1986. Pp 1-160 Spiegelman, Art.   Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began. Rome: Pantheon. 1992. Pp 1-144

If you were to win the lottery describe what would you do with the Essay

If you were to win the lottery describe what would you do with the winning share and why - Essay Example ture plans for travelling around the world and buying expensive cars and portray a spontaneous way of life but conversely I will try and make sure to secure my future with potential investments first, and I would dedicate a fair share of my money to my family and friends who have been part of my life through all the rough patches that I have been through. I will try to stay focused during all the decisions because I wouldn’t want this earning to turn into a nightmare of choices and bad decisions for me. The most vital role play in everybody’s life is associated with their family and friends. For my family and friends who mean the whole world to me, I will try to give them enough money that would cater their indigents for the rest of their lives. I would make sure that the needs and wants of my family and friends are well tended to. As far as my personal needs are concerned I will try to be as much coherent as possible in my investments and I would wish to continue a healthy life style that avoids any drug addictions or buying myself useless gadgets and expensive items that take up a lot of money and it does not bring any real change to my life except for a social status symbolic value. Though the choice of buying a well furnished home with renovated furniture and adorable location is on my list and I will make sure I follow through that list entirely. I will also want to some social charity work as well in the form of donations because after all we live and share the same so ciety and community hence I will try to be part of any social cause that would help eradicate some social issues or to say in particular a â€Å"disease†. As far as my investments are concerned I will make cautious investment and craft a diversified portfolio of investments that take care of my future one way or the other. I will try to make sure that I don’t end up like any of the earlier winners of such lotteries whose lives were turned into a nightmare after hitting the jackpot with

The feasibility of different techniques for providing fresh water to Essay

The feasibility of different techniques for providing fresh water to arid regions of the world - Essay Example The shortage of freshwater sources, and the â€Å"need for additional water supplies is already critical in many arid regions of the world and will be increasingly important in the future† (Perlman 2011, p1). The availability of water just like the fossil energy sources is an important element in the determination of the world stability. Most of the arid regions lack freshwater supplies in forms such as lakes and rivers. The only available freshwater supply is the limited underground water sources; these sources are becoming brackish because of the continued abstraction of the water aquifers (Perlman 2011, p1). There are some techniques that can be used to provide freshwater in the arid regions of the world and they include; the exploitation of the brackish water, desalination, management of the aquifer recharge, harvesting rain water, and the construction of dams. Brackish groundwater contains chlorine levels ranging between 250 and 20,000 parts per million (ppm). The volume of brackish water is similar to that of freshwater but brackish water has received little attention. Food and water scarcity and new techniques of treatment technologies have forced people to reevaluate brackish groundwater (a neglected source of water) (International Hydrological Programme [IHP] 2005, p12). Brackish groundwater arises from the following; salt dissolution near the evaporative rocks, groundwater pollution, water evaporation, and seawater intrusion; these are as a result of the natural processes and they make up the larger brackish groundwater reservoirs. Brackish groundwater can occur in the coastal regions as well as in the semi-arid regions. Enhanced desalination techniques have enabled the production of freshwater water from the brackish groundwater; this form of desalination is economically feasible and very competitive compared to seawater desalinatio n. In the past decade, a number of water supply systems have become functional in areas such as Egypt and

Pest Analysis for market occupying Essay Example for Free

Pest Analysis for market occupying Essay Pest analysis: The following pest analysis has been created for three markets separately. Pest analysis stands for political, economic, socio-cultural and technological environment. Use of the pest analysis guides our company to work according to the changes taking place in these categories. Moreover good use of the analysis assist the company to avoid taking action that is condemned to failure from the outset, for reason beyond its control. The following is a pest analysis created for the market occupying Dubai and London. Socio-cultural: There is vast cultural difference in regard to locals in these countries. Both the countries population consists of various other nationalities. Dubai and London has tolerance of other religions and culture. Population density: London (12,450/sq mi (4,807/km2), Dubai 408.18/km2 (1,057/sq mi). Political: Legal and regulatory bodies: Both the countries share strict aviation based regulation and laws. Regulatory body for London: CAA (civil aviation authority) Regulatory body for Dubai: DCAA (Dubai Civil aviation Authority) There is no such political conflict in this market, which makes business between these two countries quite versatile. Market: Dubai and London Economical: London: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased 0.8 per cent Dubai: finance official predicts the UAE economy will top US$272 billion (S$361 billion)- 2010 Foreign exchange market: Pound sterling- 12.9% (daily share). Londons largest industry is finance. Tourism is one of Londons prime industries. Dubai is also an international financial centre and has been ranked 37th. Technological: Dubais industry growth had given way for technological advancement. Use of  technology has increased: London based companies in Dubai. London has various companies advising on the use of new technologies to other companies. Airlines based in Dubai use advanced technology to operate their businesses in London and Hong Kong. Pest analysis occupying the market in Dubai and Hong Kong: Socio-cultural: Hong Kong: the culture is a mix of the Chinese roots with influences from its time as a British colony. Dubai: Dubai is a highly cosmopolitan society with a diverse and vibrant culture. Honk Kong Population density: 6480/km2 16,576/sq mi. Dubai 408.18/km2 (1,057/sq mi). Dubai and Hong Kong has an established business link, which is an advantage to the aviation industry. Political: Legal and regulatory bodies: Dubai’s aviation regulatory body: DCAA (Dubai Civil aviation Authority), Hong Kong: Civil Aviation Administration of China. Government of Hong Kong: Non-sovereign partial democracy with unelected executive. Hong Kong continues to follow the English Common Law tradition established under British rule. Dubai and Hong Kong has no existing political conflicts. Market: Dubai and Hong Kong Economical: Hong Kong: an important centre for international finance and trade. Hong Kong dollar: 2.4% (daily share) Hong Kong GDP growth rate: economy is expected to grow 5 percent in 2010, may shrink 2 percent this year. Unemployment: 4.3% (July 2010). Main exports partners: China, US and Japan. Technological: Dubais industry growth has given way for technological advancement. The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) in Hong Kong supports applied  research and development (RD) and technology transfer and application. Hong Kong has seen a rise in technological advancement which has contributed to economic and social development. Pest analysis for market occupying in London and Hong Kong: Socio-cultural: Hong Kong: the culture is a mix of the Chinese roots with influences from its time as a British colony. In terms of population, London is the 25th largest city. London is also home to sizeable Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Jewish communities. Social trend (London and Hong Kong): career oriented, working class, low level of death rate. Technological: The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) in Hong Kong supports applied research and development (RD) and technology transfer and application. Hong Kong has seen a rise in technological advancement which has contributed to economic and social development. London has a vibrant and growing IT sector. The region boasts over 350 companies with approximately 8000 employees. Economical: The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the 6th largest in the world. London is a major financial centre for international business and commerce. Public debt: London: 68.5% of GDP (2009 est.). Hong Kong: 14.5% of GDP (2008 est.) Labor force: Hong Kong: 3.64 million (2007 est.) London: provincial unemployment rate fell from 8.9% to 8.6%. (2010) Market: London and Hong Kong Political: Legal and regulatory bodies: Hong Kong: Civil Aviation Administration of China. London: CAA (civil aviation authority) Hong Kong follows a free trade policy and hence  maintains basically no barriers on trade. There are various laws and regulations implied on businesses being set up in London, even for trading as well.

Global Imperialism :: essays research papers

Global imperialism began to take its toll on the world; a policy in which stronger nations extended their economic, political, or military control over weaker territories. As the United States began to plunge into the trend of overseas expansion, many wondered if the nation could justify its reasons for imperialism. The answer, my friend, is yes. It all began with European imperialism as Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and Spain competed for African raw materials and markets. Soon after, Japan joined along with the European nations. There was much competition going around and surely the United States of America would not want to miss out on this opportunity to improve economy as its nation was producing more than it could consume. American businesses looked toward the rest of the world as a pillar of support for their growing industries. Senator Alfred Beveridge believed that imperialism was justified by the demands and economic competitions among the industrial nations. Today we are raising more than we can consume. Today we are making more than we can use... Therefore we must find new markets for our produce, new occupation for our capital, new work for our labor... Ah! As our commerce spreads, the flag of liberty will circle the globe and the highway of the ocean - carrying trade to all mankind - will be guarded by the guns of the republic. And as their thunders salute the flag, benighted (ignorant) peoples will know that the voice of liberty is speaking, at last, for them... that civilization is dawning at last, for them. --Senator Alfred Beveridge, 1898   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason that fueled America into imperialism was its belief in the creation of a strong naval force to contend in the growing political and military competition. Admiral Alfred T. Mahan desired military strength and argued that the U.S. Navy defend peace time shipping lanes. He suggested that the nation strategically locate bases in the Caribbean where fleets could refuel, as well as construct a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, and acquire Hawaii and other Pacific Islands.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans and Europeans alike held a strong, superior Anglo-Saxon belief, claiming responsibility to civilize and Christianize the world’s â€Å"inferior† peoples. This idea based on social Darwinism gave many Americans the concept of making it their duty to civilize the natives. Not only did they feel it as their responsibility to do so, many claimed it was God’s Will.

Nigeria Oil Crisis Essay

Fariha Ahsan, period 5 This article displays a vivid picture for us about the conditions in Nigeria due to the oil reserves. Though Nigeria contained the potential to strive and become a wealthy oil nation, leaving the cocoon of poverty encompassing Africa- it became trapped in a lot of corrupt dealings. Today, the Niger Delta in Nigeria has caught the attention of world wide humanitarian and environmental activists. The article states how in the past, the corrupt government ruling Nigeria was funded by Western governments and large oil corporations. Together, the group have benefited from the fossil fuels that are in abundant supply in the delta region. However, the mines are not the only things that are in this area, there are people of the Niger Delta who have been harshly affected for decades due to this illegal mining. The Ogoni, Ijaw and other minority groups of the Niger Delta have been stripped away of their environment and basic human rights. Their non-violent protests have been ignored and harshly cracked down by the money-hungry government. For example, during one non violent protest, Shell paid several community members to break off the protesting group. The Human Rights Watch has sided with the people of the delta, as it is clearly visible how the oil mining has ruined the area. The oil corporations have destroyed the chances of neighboring communities and minorities to form. Money to control the environmental pollution has been insufficient, causing extremely- harsh living condition with scarce drinking water, and abundance of malnourishment and disease. The oil mining has destroyed the land of the Nigerian Delta as well as the homes of many living there. After the delta started receiving world wide attention some change has begun to start, but the previous government has left behind much chaos. It is reported that in the last decade, the military took control of the region’s people, burned homes and killed masses of civilians. The present government has attempted on being more democratic and open, so change is still underway.