Chemical Aspects of Life and Spit Lab Formal Report

Chemical Aspects of Life and Spit Lab Formal Report 1. Abstract The objective of the Reducing Sugar Test was to test if the substance has a reducing sugar in it by adding Benedict’s solution and heating it, there would be a color change if a reducing sugar is present, or it will remain blue (no reducing sugar). The objective of the Starch test was to test for starch in substances by using Iodine. The iodine will cause a substance to turn to a dark blue color if it is positive for starch. The objective for the Grease Spot Test was to test if the substance had a lipid.A positive reaction would make a translucent grease mark on a brown paper bag. The objective for the Dye test was to test for lipids. When mixed with water and the tested substance, a positive result will occur in it being separated from the water. The objective of the Protein Test was to test for proteins present in a substance using the Biuret Solution. The substance should produce a violet color within 10 drops of Biuret. The objectives of the Spit Lab were to test for starch, a reducing sugar, and effect of amylase on a cracker that is positive for starch and negative for a reducing sugar.Iodine would test if starch was present if the cracker solution changes to a dark black/blue color. Benedict’s Solution mixed with the cracker and heated would test for a reducing sugar (if reducing sugar, it will turn from a green to an orange to a dark brownish color). The amylase was tested on a Triscuit cracker by heating it in Benedict’s Solution, the amount would make it either a green, or orange, and the most amounts would make it brown as mine and my partner’s results. 1. Introduction The chemical aspects lab was done to detect and identify the presence of reducing sugars, starches, lipids, and proteins in various substances.A reducing sugar is a monosaccharide or disaccharide that has the ability of giving electrons to other molecules and acts as reducing agent. A reducing a gent has an aldehyde or ketone group in it that can reduce the ions of some metals, such as sodium citrate, copper sulfate, sodium bicarbonate (Benedict’s solution). In order to be a reducing sugar, the sugar must have a beta-beta bond, which is the bond that can be broken by heat. If they have an alpha-beta bond, like sucrose, then the test material does not have reducing sugars present, it will remain blue.If there are reducing sugars present in the substance, the color will change from a green to orange to dark brown state. Starch is a carbohydrate that is found in potatoes and other grains. It is made of a large number of units of glucose. When starch is consumed, the body's enzymes break it down into glucose, a monosaccharide. Starch can be identified in a test material by adding drops of iodine to it. The iodine should go into the polysaccharide chain, so the color changes to a black color, or precipitate will form. A lipid is a hydrophobic polymer made of two monomers. Since they are hydrophobic it differentiates lipids into a separate group of polymers. The monomers that make up lipids are glycerol and three fatty acids. Lipids store energy and are in hormones. There are two ways to be able to detect a lipid in a test material, a grease spot test or a dye test. The grease spot test is used to test for only lipids that are highly concentrated. Lipids are known to be translucent when on paper. So you add a drop of the substance onto a brown sheet of paper and add a drop of water next to it then let them evaporate.After observing the drops through light by holding it up and trying to look through the paper, if it is translucent, it is a lipid. A more accurate test for lipids is the dye test. If water is combined with Sudan III (Sudan IV was replaced by this), and mixed with the test material, the test material can be considered a lipid if the solution forms a pink color. This is because Sudan III (Sudan IV was replaced by this) is only soluble in li pids. The lipid will be distributed on top of the dyed water, because lipids are hydrophobic. A protein is a polymer made of amino acid monomers.The amino acids bond together in bonds called peptide bonds. A chain of amino acids is called a polypeptide chain. The structure in which the amino acids are bonded determines the function of the protein. There are about twenty different amino acids, but there is a wide variety of possible combinations that amino acids can bond, therefore proteins have quite a lot of functions. Some things proteins are used for are the building of the muscles, tendons, organs, glands, nails, and hair. There are many more different functions for proteins.To detect proteins in test materials, there is an identifying agent called Biuret Solution which when mixed with the test material. It turns purple if it contains a protein. The darker the violet color, the more concentrated it is with protein. The spit lab was done in order to determine the effect of amylas e on starch since starch is a long chain of glucose which serves as a main source of nutrients; the amylase breaks it into a simple monosaccharide. Amylase is an enzyme in the human saliva used to break starch into reducing sugars for energy. An enzyme is a protein, and enzymes speed chemical reactions.Benedict’s Solution was mixed with chewed up Triscuit (which was positive for starch only before), and heated for 2 minutes. This was done in order to create a reaction between the enzymes and starches in the cracker. The darker the color, the more amylase your body had at that time, if it does change color. 3. Experimental Section/Procedure Changes: – In the protein test, a cracker solution was used as opposed to cereal. – Sudan IV was replaced by Sudan III – In the lipid test, a cracker solution replaced buttermilk Procedure: (See attached lab sheet) 4. Data SectionTest Material| Starch| Result| Reducing Sugar | Result| Lipid Grease| Result| Lipid Dye| Re sult| Protein| Result| 1% Starch| Black| +| Blue| -| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Clear| -| Potato Juice| Black| +| Not tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Water| none| -| Blue| -| Not translucent| -| No pink| -| Clear| -| Milk| none| -| Orange| +| Not Translucent| -| Pink| +| Not Tested| N/A| Cracker Solution| Black| +| Not tested| N/A| Not Translucent| -| Pink| +| Clear| -| Cereal| Precipitate| +| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| 5% Glucose| Not tested| N/A| Orange| +| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| 5% Fructose| Not Tested| N/A| Orange| +| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| 5% Sucrose| Not Tested| N/A| Blue| -| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| 5% Lactose| Not Tested| N/A| Orange| +| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Egg Albumin| Not Tested| N/A| Not tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| 2 drops violet| +| Gelatin| Not Tested| N/A| Not tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| Not Tested| N/A| 3 dropsviolet| +| Salad Oil| Not Tested| N/A| Not tested| N/A| Translucent| +| Pink| +| Not Tested| N/A| Spit Lab Cracker| Starch Test| Result| Reducing Sugar test before amylase| Result| Reducing Sugar test after amylase| Result| Triscuit| Black| -| Blue| -| Brown| +| Saltine| Black| +| Orange| +| Not Tested| N/A| 5. AnalysisThe labs were done to test for starch, lipids, proteins, and reducing sugars. The test for starch was done by adding up to 3 drops of iodine into the substance which should be on the porcelain spot plate. The result of a positive starch reaction would be a dark blue/ black color and/or precipitate formed. The substances that had starch were: cracker solution, Triscuit cracker, cereal, saltine cracker, potato juice and 1%starch. These results were expected because of the type of food involved. There were two lipid tests done. The first one was the Grease Spot test, where a drop of the substance and water were placed on a piece of brown paper bag.After it evaporated, and if the brown paper became translucent then it meant that it was a highly concentrated lipid. The only material that showed this was salad oil and it was expected due to the fact that it’s an oil, milk was also expected but did not show up. The second test was the Dye test with Sudan III. Due to the properties of Sudan III, making it only soluble in lipids, it is added to 3ml of water and 1ml of each test material, and then shaken. There was a color change; it changed to pink so the lipid absorbed it causing it to change. Positive substances included: Salad oil, milk, and crackers. The expected ones were salad oil and milk, but the crackers weren’t expected.The Reducing Sugar test was done by placing 5ml of Benedict’s solution into a test tube then adding 10 drops of the test substance, and then heated for 2minutes. If the substance was positive for a reducing sugar, the color would vary from green to orange to dark brown, the beta-beta bond is broken and the color change shows this. The substances that showed positive were: 5% glucose, 5% fructose, 5% lactose, milk, and Saltine crackers, Triscuit crackers (after amylase). The spit lab showed how starch before amylase was negative for a reducing sugar and then after the amylase was added, the alpha-beta bond broke. These were all expected except the saltine cracker that had a reducing sugar.The Protein Test was done by taking 5ml of the test material and putting it in a test tube, then adding 1 drop of Biuret solution up to 10 times to see if a violet color appears. The Biuret solution (made of potassium hydroxide and hydrated copper (II) sulfate) reacts to peptide bonds. Amino acids are monomers of protein and amino acids are linked to peptide bonds so they will react to the Biuret. The substances that were positive for protein were only egg albumin and gelatin. Egg albumin was expected, but gelatin wasn’t. Possible Errors -Cro ss contamination between substances through pipettes, test tubes. – Misread/misinterpreted data results. -Possibly followed procedure wrong. – Wrong measurements of substances. 6. Conclusion Starch Test 1. The positive control was 1% starch. 2. The negative control was water. 3.If there was a color change (black or dark blue), or precipitate formed, starch was present when iodine was added. 4. The 1% starch showed the most amount of starch because it hard a really dark shade of blue and because it is starch. 5. The material that showed the least amount of starch was the cracker solution because it had a lighter shade of blue when iodine was added. Reducing Sugar Test 1. The positive control was both fructose and glucose because they are both reducing sugars. 2. The negative control was water. 3. A reducing sugar was present in the test material if it had a color change from green to orange to dark brown after being heated for 2 minutes. 4.The materials that had reducin g sugars present were: 5% glucose, 5% fructose, 5% lactose, and milk. 5. The materials that tested negative for reducing sugars were: 1% starch, water, and 5% sucrose. 6. The materials that showed positive for reducing sugars all had beta-beta bonds. 7. The materials that showed negative for reducing sugars all had alpha-beta bonds. (Water has only hydrogen bonds not beta-beta or alpha-beta. ) 8. The purpose of heat is to be the energy source to break the beta-beta bonds. 9. If there was no heat, the milk, lactose, sucrose, wouldn’t break. The beta-beta bonds would remain intact since there isn’t an energy source. 10.Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions. Their purpose is to help break things down. For example, the enzyme amylase is in the saliva of a human and helps break starch (polysaccharide) down into Glucose, a monosaccharide. Lipid Test 1. The positive control is salad oil. 2. The negative control is water. 3. The two ways to observe the presence of a lipid are to put a drop of the material onto brown paper and see if it leaves a translucent grease mark, or add Sudan III to the material with water, and then shake it all up in a test tube to see if a pink color will show. Protein Test 1. The positive control is the egg albumin. 2. The negative control is water. 3.The amount of protein in the test material can be estimated through the number of drops the Biuret Solution took; the less drops the more protein. Spit Lab 1. The starch test was done in order to see if the crackers had starch, or else amylase wouldn’t do anything to it. 2. The Saltine and Triscuit crackers showed positive for the starch test. 3. The purpose of the reducing sugar test was so that if the cracker did have a reducing sugar, the heat could have broken the bond, not the amylase. The cracker had to not have a reducing sugar so we know it was the amylase breaking the starch alpha-beta bond. 4. I chewed the Triscuit cracker because it was a starch an d it wasn’t a reducing sugar, perfect for the amylase test. 5.The reaction changed after I chewed the cracker and did the reducing sugar test. The alpha-beta bond broke due to the amylase and it turned dark brown, before it wouldn’t break and stayed blue. 6. The amount of amylase can be estimated but the color of the solution after the reducing sugar test. For example, green means little, orange means medium, and dark brown means there is a plethora. 7. I liked how we got to test how much amylase we had at the given moment. 8. If I were to do this lab again, I really wouldn’t change anything, the procedure is simple as it could be. The chewing the cracker part wasn’t fun, but it was necessary for your own result.

Bad Girl Movie as a Spin Off of the Batman Franchise

In bringing out the idea of morality, choice and idealism, script writers of Catwoman and Batman franchise movies delve deep into the character and weigh options on how these ideals can be pragmatically realized to blend well in the film, while highlighting the suspension of disbelief on the audiences on comic book film. The script writers strive to narrate stories in fictitious ways which can at the same time be comprehended as commentary on today’s right and wrong on a morally challenged world.The idea of a bad girl movie as a spin off of the batman franchise is a good one in the sense that it attempts to push for women empowerment unwillingly to be accepted in the patriarchal society today. It was also a bold move to break the monopoly experienced in screens of bad guys depicting male chauvinism in society and opens doors in the sequence of the sexually enticing adversary (Burton 1992). Bad girl character illuminates the female character who uses her charm to disarm, and th rough wit strike the opponents as they are not the type of criminal they are used to chasing.In this case the female audience can relate to or see their other side of the coin while the male audience lust for her entices. The comic movies of the Catwoman, the female character enables the female audience associate with rather than in the classical movies where there is the masculinity theme-woman awaiting the hero to rescue her. Catwoman movies are important in the women empowerment, raising the societal consciousness. In this case the ladies do not have to suppress their potential consciousness in the favour of male characters.As villain in the film the bad girl brings out the element of reality with the wickedness which to viewers may be sweet or awesome and associating with takes the fiction to the level of plausibility (Novi 2004). This is imperative in the contemporary society in the easing the degenerative culture in respect to women and bringing out the role in equality as the bad girl is still capable of such feats as her counterpart in highlighting the evil in society.Through this the bad girl character sums up the problems in the society and fighting these problems is the responsibility of all men and women, and therefore it makes sense to involve all in employing the different tactics in combating the evil. In the film Catwoman produced by Novi (2004) the idea of bad girl is very essential in capturing out the conflict in the plot development in the whole film. Patience in her bid to find out who is responsible for her present form is taunted by the bad girl Laurel Hedare leading to the development of the entire conflict.Her supernatural character makes her more lethal than George. There is that feminine-jealousy-conflict expressed between the criminal Laurel Hedare and Patience and in the struggle to fight for morality has made the two symbols of feminine power where the audience can associate themselves with. Idealism is portrayed in the manner of the human traits expressed, which the audience fall in favour including the determination and wisdom in every move. In the creation of the Bad girl movie along the Batman character traits, there is that imagery of the master criminal lethal and agile in the antagonism force.In reality, the odds are that rough and the bad girl has such a force that has to be overcome with wit and cunning. Indeed it the idea of change is highly eminent is the bad girl character in the Batman franchise as empowerment has brought independence in the women of modern society. The women characters in this case do not have to be rescued by the men but can overcome their challenges and even help others. The audience is now treated to better villains as the protagonist faces deadly and seductive Catwoman (Burton 1992).The audience loath and same time empathize with the protagonist who has to endure all the pain and torture but rejoice on his eventual triumphs over the evil woman-driven by jealousy, hatred and determined to harm all on her way in suffering and torture. In the video Batman Returns directed by Burton (1992) vividly depicts Gotham City as troubled waters with its population threatened with eminent extinction but the audience fears not because the antagonists and protagonists forces are at work and calm must eventually prevail only that suspense play tricks on them.The bad girl movie in follow-up of the batman franchise has been a success in that it has improved its rating as a hybrid of the two ideas. The fight movements’ characteristic of Capoeira martial style of Brazil is more convincing and entertaining than the usual speed in vehicles in action movies, which is mostly used to create excitement. The nocturnal playground in the visual effects creates the grotesque images that build up tension and anticipation among the audience.Occasional lights and music eases the tension releasing the cathartic effects and keeps the audience anticipating for more actions. By bon ding in the qualities and ideas the Catwoman has brought fortunes in the comic industry and set standards for future female actresses. Through the actions of the Catwoman, the Batman is actively in motion countering all her foils, on which we realize his desires and the need to be healed of them. In the comic films, the Catwoman harbors soft spots for the hero’s heart and operate outside the law within her morality code (Burton 1992).The Catwoman prowess is evident in her ferocious femininity that flaunts her intellect as well as constantly teasing the Batman in all his attempts. The in vogue of bad girl movie is credited for rejuvenating the declining sales of comic industry and pioneered in the era of realistic and subtle characters. The antithesis created by the Catwoman’s fear of Batman’s wrath represents the embittered feminist in Gotham streets who has to use all means to survive, symbolically pointing to the harsh realities of women of 1980s had to endure and hence the fight for change (Novi 2004).The adoption of bad girl characters has also been attributed to the development of the Batman movie and the sequential realization of the three successful sequels. The idea of a woman acquiring power in her life and showing the independence was more enterprising on the producers and equally appealing to the audiences hence the positive reception. Selina points her feminist stand when she says, â€Å"Life’s a bitch, now so am I†. She is portrayed as a woman not bound by gender boundaries and a symbol of the end of domestication by societal constructions of the place of the woman.In analyzing the her criminal motives, there is the shift of identities in that Catwoman is sometimes nice and other times portrayed evil in the characteristics of the domestic cat. This is the context representation of the villain capable of anything and defying the gender stereotypes of the contemporary society. The Catwoman is portrayed as a complic ated woman, surrounded by conflicting desires and emotions and flexible to change to suit her mind peace. Although her character is outside the law she doesn’t accept patriarchal punishment, but her delicate will checks her morality.The Catwoman here is created by the script writer as treacherous female who laughs at the social rules which are only possible in the world of comics (Burton 1992). In summary, the bad girl movies have played a paramount role in the development and eventual success in the Batman franchise as have boosted the comic industry to a higher notch. From the feminist perspective, they have been a force to recon with in the role they have played in the empowerment of the women in the contemporary society.The Catwoman has been depicted as influential force in breaking down the social constructions of the patriarchal society that continued to denigrate the place of woman. The mentality portrayed here is not one to be morally accepted in the realistic world b ut only for the feminists to take the cue and drum for change in society. The Batman being the guardian of the society is faced with another daunting task to keep the rebels at bay although he is susceptible to the change itself and hence falls in the traps of emotions.

Philosophical Autobiography Essay

Life is what not it’s cracked up to be. Sure, it sounds like good, but eventually we all encounter despair, failure, suffering, frustration, the being unloving of our own hearts and of those around us, and finally death. Experience tells us even the best aspects of life are ultimately unsatisfying.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Probably the most significant question we can ask ourselves is what the most important thing in life is. The question has far reaching implications in that the answers that we arrive at can determine the course of the rest of our lives. Many would consider money or financial success as the most important factor in life. The high rate of suicide amongst lottery winners would contradict this. Others would search for fame, yet the list of famous people who have committed suicide or died from an overdose of drugs continues to grow. Good health would be high on anyone’s priorities, and the presence of love in ones life is also of major importance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I would propose that wisdom is the most important thing in life. The best definition of wisdom that I have read is â€Å"the best means to achieve the best ends†. Wisdom is needed to achieve the best results in the myriad decisions we all need to make daily in our personal, financial, family, work, community lives. Each one of us has a unique mindset or set of beliefs which are continuously changing and which we use to make decisions, each of which has significant roll on effect on how the rest of our lives turn out. These mindsets are determined by the unique environments we have grown up in, our age, our education and the cumulative impact that each life experience has had on us. Our unique mindset is either working in our favor or working against us in each and every situation that we face. One way that we can test how online our thinking is in a particular situation is to look at the results we achieve as a result of the actions we took. Good results means our governing beliefs were online, bad results means that we need to re-evaluate our beliefs to determine what caused the negative outcome. I would propose that life is very much like a game and that a comparison between the two is very enlightening. In any game, you need to be fit, possess certain skills and have a good knowledge of the rules in order to participate. In life, we need to have a good knowledge of the rules that apply and to use this knowledge continuously in order to assess and make decisions in every situation that we face. The more intensely we play the game of life, the better our knowledge and application of the rules, the better the results we will achieve, much like a football player who is skilled, trains hard and knows the rules. During the course of our lives we progress from being dependent on our parents for food and shelter and emotional support, to being independent as we become young adults. We learn to make decisions for ourselves, and as we see the results of our decisions we get feedback and the resultant experience adds wisdom to subsequent decisions. The next stage is to develop relationships with others, or interdependence, and it is through these relationships that significant personal growth can occur. Many of us however have a low sense of self esteem which holds us back in relating to others. We look at the results we have and are achieving in our lives. If our results are unsatisfactory, we reassess our beliefs and make adjustments to our actions. Additional feedback is our emotions like fear, anger, unhappiness, disappointment etc. Our target is to lead a joy-filled, intense yet balanced life, leading to continually increasing wisdom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, most of us need to unwind and get away from our hectic schedules from school, work, and other things that keep us busy. Like other young adults, they hang out in bars to have some fun but in my case, I rather go to the beach or in the mountains with my family to spend time with them and at the same time to recollect, meditate and appreciate the creation of God. Each place has its own beauty that attracts my attention. I love nature that much. I am thrill and feel excited every time I gaze their natural beauties. These are the places where I can meditate, recollect and reminisce my past or the things I do previously.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I like going to the beach if I want to find enjoyment and fun. I like the beach a lot because the breeze is very fresh. When I am in the beach, I enjoy staying under the heat of the sun while reading my favorite book and the sun makes my skin tan and adorable to look at. I also feel free and at ease. I can wear too my favorite swimwear.   When I am in the beach, it gives me an opportunity to surf and play beach ball games which I cannot do when I am at home and school. I also bury myself under the sand as a sort of relaxation and therapy to my body and when I do that, it gives me a sort of relief. Going to the beach also gives me an opportunity to meet new set of people from different walks of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, going to the mountains is also an interesting thing to do. It is fun and adventure. If I want to be on my own and don’t want to be disturbed by people, I immediately go to the mountains. The air there is as fresh as in the beach but it is not crowded with people. I can only find trees and animals. The chirps of the birds really inspire me and want to live life to the fullest. It makes me realize, too, that though birds live simply, they are happy and contented with their lives. They don’t ask for more but happy of what they have. This is the perfect place for meditation and for adventure. I am free from air and noise pollutions from the city where I live. When I am on the mountains, it gives me an opportunity to sleep early and helps me wake up excitedly the next day to have a brisk walk or climb some mountainous areas. Moreover, as a wide reader, I love to read detective and inspirational books. These would help me develop my critical thinking and analyze why things happen that way. Hence, I also like the works of Shakespeare especially the story of Hamlet. Considered as one of the greatest of Shakespeare’s tragedies, Hamlet is also one of the best-known plays in world literature. It is distinguished to be one of the first of its kind of being peculiarly a â€Å"philosophical play†, in addition to having a variety of metaphysical and psychological theories. Although revenge tragedies already existed during and before its time, Hamlet best exemplifies the genre of Elizabethan revenge. A center of many arguments is the apparent delay of Hamlet’s revenge. Critical discussion of this supposed procrastination has a long history. Goethe thought Hamlet too sensitive, Coleridge and A.W. von Schlegel too intelligent to be capable of action. The early 20th century English critic A.C. Bradley saw him as restrained by melancholia, the 19th century German scholar Herman Ulrici by moral scruples; the Freudians viewed him as too complex-ridden to kill his uncle (â€Å"Hamlet†). This aspect of Hamlet’s behavior is seen either as a flaw or a virtue. The story contains four sons of murdered fathers (Hamlet, Laertes, Fortinbras, and Pyrrhus), but Hamlet differs from the three’s pursuit for revenge. He even goes as far as feigning insanity in order to conceal his real agitation and divert attention from his task of revenge. The subject of revenge, which is one of the focal themes of the play, transcends every genre, for there is a Hamlet in every one of us. As Hamlet in the story suffers pain and grief as a result of the circumstances surrounding his father’s death, the usurping of the throne and by the betrayal he felt from his mother’s remarriage to his father’s brother, Hamlet is then filled with the dilemma of whether to take revenge against the wrongdoer. Suffering and grief as a consequence of injustice and oppression is as old as man’s history. Even during the course of the play, Hamlet’s torment alienates him from all those around him, even though he has a close friend to confide with. Such inner turmoil is only expressed in his soliloquies but unknown to those around him. Certainly, the depth of suffering is known only the most by the one who suffers.   How people variously react to such agonies is showcased in the play’s story. Most often, it is the common desire to act as the three other young men (Laertes, Fortinbras, and Pyrrhus) did — pursue their task of vengeance with ruthless single-mindedness. However, Hamlet’s situation is far more complicated. This shows that indeed, vengeance is far from simple. While it seeks to retaliate by inflicting pain for pain, Shakespeare’s Hamlet shows the peril of vengeance. All those who sought revenge died. Hamlet’s loved ones (such as Ophelia), those whom he could have sought solace and comfort, and himself also died. They became victims of Hamlet’s reckless rage as a result of his deflected and unfulfilled desire for retaliation. Revenge therefore, sinks both the offender and the avenger, pulling down along with it the innocent. It is a bearer of destruction. While most revenge plays justifies the avenger by emphasizing him or her as a victim, Hamlet’s character hangs a question above it. At the very core of revenge is bitterness, and is like a ‘rotten apple that spoils the whole bunch’. It has destroyed everything that’s good in Hamlet and made him much more evil than his stepfather. The danger of retaliation is to do greater harm than what was received. No one overcomes evil, with evil. Before bitterness could do its harm, it is best thrown out. Truly, Shakespeare’s Hamlet speaks to every individual in every genre, since ALL of us must pass through a time of making that choice: â€Å"TO BE (bitter) OR NOT TO BE (bitter)? That indeed is a question we all must face.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, I believed that I am a one of a kind person so the saying or quote that would definitely describe me is â€Å"The Grateful One†. The reason I chose this quote is because this is what I perceive myself as and this is what other people think about me too. Not all people are being appreciative and thankful of what they have in life. Some of them would only be grateful when things go smoothly and when they can get the things they want. But through the years and seasoned with testing and circumstances, I have learned that I should be grateful in every way; thus, thanking those people who have helped me shape my character not only those people who brought positive impacts in my life but including those people who have hurt me. It is so irony to be grateful for those people who have hurt me but to some degree, their negative actions toward me make me strong as an individual and learn to depend on God. I have learned, too, that I should not only be thankful during the times when my spirit is uplifted but as well as the time when I am also down because I believe that everything has a purpose why things happen and during those gloomy days of my life, I was able to ponder and see the true beauty of life; thus, showing me who are my true friends are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, I never let the day pass without being appreciative and thankful to every people I meet. I may not directly say thank you to them but at least I would tell them that I appreciate to be with their presence. But most of all, I will continually be grateful to God for giving me a family and parents who are very supportive and really inculcated that good conduct. Actually, I come from a strong Christian background and my family tells me, consistently, to always acknowledge God and to remember where my blessings come from. I am what I am today because of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though I am very active with my academic career and civic organizations, I had this experience before that totally teach me a lesson. It teaches me how to listen some advices from others especially from our parents. This is my other side. To let go of someone you dearly love is very painful to do. The pains cause by ending relationship is very unbearable. Some people may find their world tear apart when they realize that their relationship with their partner is not going well. I have had this relationship in the past that truly marks in my heart and in my mind. I do love this person very much despite of his weaknesses and flaws but many people around us do not like the idea of being us together. At first, I try not to give ear to their comments and opinions because of my love for my partner. But in a long run, I decide to call it quits because I find out that my partner is having an affair with other man; take note, it’s a â€Å"man.† It truly hurts me a lot because he exchanges me to a man! It is a big slap my on face. That is the first factor I consider when I break up with him. He is not trustworthy and faithful. I just strongly believe that a woman is meant to be with a man and a man is meant to be with a woman. Though I live in a liberated world but I cannot just take and stand with this kind of idea that is having an affair with same sex. When I break up with him, I feel so much freedom that I never been experiencing when we are still together. I don’t know why I feel that way, but that is how I really feel. I feel like a bird being imprison in a cage for a long time and has the chance to be released. When my friends especially my parents learn about it, they are very happy and relieve. They don’t just like my partner because they can smell something fishy on him. After the break, I feel such joy in my heart and feel more beautiful inside.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Furthermore, many people think of personality as being made up of observable traits such as shyness, friendliness, and initiative. However, such traits are only the outward expression of various inner conditions and processes such as intelligence, attitudes, interests, and motives. Normal persons develop relatively consistent personalities that are distinguished by certain dominant traits. Persons belonging to the same cultural group—such as a family or nation—have many traits in common. But each person exhibits different traits under different circumstances, and each has unique traits as well as those he or she shares with others. It is also known that personalities develop throughout life, and may even undergo fundamental changes as result of psychotherapy or other treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, personality is produced by the interaction of heredity and environment. Inborn qualities affect the individual’s response to the outside world, and the environment influences the way in which inborn capacities develop. However, the precise reasons why one person develops certain personality traits, while other develops other traits, are not known.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What you have known to yourself is not known to others. They only base their judgments on what they see and that is your personality. Basically, the treatment of people on you depends on how you carry yourself, through your composure when you are irritated and how you dressed up yourself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An example of this is how you dress up yourself.   Don’t wear clothes that will give others a reason to criticize and not respect you at all but rather wear clothes that would motivate them to respect you as a person because if you would like to be respected, pay respect first to yourself by wearing clothes decently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I have observed that people that I meet pay me respect because of the way I dress and talk to them. I have a number of experiences that with regards to how I dress up and gaining respect from others. They find my personality respectable because of how I act and how I carry my clothes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another thing, we cannot deny that there is always prejudice and biases wherever we go. People will treat you nicely or give you special treatment if they find you attractive or appealing but if you are not attractive to their eyes, they will just ignore you as if you do not exist. It usually happens in big and known department stores or any establishment. If you wear flashy clothes and very attractive to look at, the salesperson will entertain you very well and gives you a welcome smile but if you wear just a simple dress and you are not that attractive, there is a tendency that the salesperson will not give you a fair treatment. She/He might think that you cannot afford the stuff they are selling and why does she/he bother entertaining you?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are times too that attractive people are always popular and they are respected because of their good looking appearances. Moreover, many people would be fanatic to them and may imitate their styles. Just like the actresses and actors that we have in the past and at present. Because of their charisma, many people would try to imitate and dream to be like them. But if you only have a plain face, there is always a tendency that people would make fun of you. So we cannot deny that in this world, most people are looking only for the outside appearance and they forgot to look what is in the heart.

Conflict Resolution at General Hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Conflict Resolution at General Hospital - Essay Example In the case of General Hospital, the conflict was intergroup, pitting the CEO Mr. Mike Hammer and Marge Harding, the chief operating office on one hand and, the director of medicine Doctor Williams and the company’s physicians on the other (WordPress.com, 2011). There are various sub-categories of intergroup conflicts including those among teams, divisions, departments, employees, and management. In the conflict at General Hospital, while physicians were more interested in the correct and timely readings of the EKG and proper diagnosis of patients, the CEO and the operating officer were more concerned with cutting costs. This paper thus explores the conflict at General Hospital, touching on the management style employed to resolve the stalemate. In addition, the possible use of teams and negotiation skills to resolve the conflict are also discussed. The Conflict at General Hospital Some years back, renovation activities at the General Hospital led to a drop in the number of pa tients admitted at the Hospital. Consequently, bed occupancy went down by about 65% (WordPress.com, 2011). The other effect of the renovation exercise at the General Hospital besides the dropped occupancy was a rise in the number of Medicaid and Medicare patients. In other words, the number of patients under private health insurance covers dropped, implying that General Hospital could not make profits from attending to patients with private health insurance covers (WordPress.com, 2011). Realizing the hospital was on the verge of failing to obtain its objectives and remain profitable, the CEO, Mr. Mike Hammer decided to implement certain changes, which he thought would stabilize the hospital. The first option to Hammer was to cut costs and increase the Company’s revenues. In addition, Hammer intended to initiate changes that would ensure the hospital retained its current services and even expanded into new areas. To implement these strategies, Hammer hired one Marge Harding, e mpowering her to make crucial decisions such as the firing of the hospital’s employees, more so those serving under the at-will employment status (WordPress.com, 2011). The first opinion of Harding’s was that the electrocardiogram (EKG) readings could be done electronically. Therefore, according to Harding, a physician was not needed to read the EKG. In fact, she suggested that at least $100,000 could be saved by computerizing the reading of the EKG. After the installation of the new equipment for EKG proposed by Harding and the training of EKG technicians, the physician, a Doctor James Boyer, was informed that his services were no longer needed at the General Hospital (WordPress.com, 2011). Harding’s plans soon started to flop as EKG’s arrived late, cases of misdiagnoses increased, and the staff became irritated as they looked incompetent, making them feel that Dr. Boyer was rather important and was needed at the facility. Nonetheless, Harding completely ignored these complaints from the General Hospital’s staff. Therefore, the main conflict at the General Hospital pitted cost control and management against physician agreement. To realize any positive results from his cost reduction strategies and policies, Mr. Hammer had to win over the physicians making up his staff. This was just another of the instances and incidence in which

Crime Prevention in Criminal Justice System Research Paper

Crime Prevention in Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example There are a variety of methods that authorities use to deal with and prevent crime, the common one being incarceration of criminals in jails and other rehabilitation centers, which has not proved effective in Springfield. Therefore, to deal with crime on the long term, a risk-focused approach offers better results in that the method deals with possible factors that would lead to crime. Crime rates in Springfield, IL Springfield is one of the areas that lead in crime rates across US and has been ranked as the third most dangerous area in the entire country (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2012). Springfield has a population of 206, 601 residents, one of the less populated metropolitan areas that have surpassed many areas in the level of reported crimes. In 2010, there were reported 855 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in Springfield IL, which made the metropolitan the third highest dangerous city in the US after Detroit and Memphis. Giuoffo noted that Springfield has an unemploym ent rate of less than the country’s average of 7% as of July 2011, implying that unlike other areas, economy in the city may not be blamed for the high crime rate as the city is above average compared to many other cities. The metropolitan has a young population, that 66% of all residents are 44 years old or younger, which has been perceived as a contributing factor to the high crime rate (Giuffo, 2011). In addition, the city has high usage of methamphetamine, a prevalent drug across the area. All the same, a law was passed in the last few years that made it difficult to buy the drugs, which according to FBI has considerably reduced the crime rates (FBI, 2012). In addition to drug use, Springfield has a much poorer neighborhood in the city’s suburbs that has been blamed for the high rate of crime in the metropolitan. Consequently, indications are that crime rates in Springfield have soared due to a young population, use of hard drugs and a poor neighborhood. Generally, Springfield, IL in 2011 had a total population of 210,802 residents with a crime rate of 711.6 per 100, 000 residents. The city had a lower murder rate at 4.3, with property crime rates, burglary and larceny theft recorded at 4,290.8, 1,118.1 and 3,034.1 per 100,000 residents respectively (FBI, 2012 Abilene in Texas has a population of 168,729 slightly less than Springfield with the rate of violent crimes recorded at 297.5 per 100,000 residents. Property crime in this area is highest at 3,029.7 per 100,000 residents with murder being the lowest at 3.0 per 100,000 residents (FBI, 2012). On the contrary, Alexandria, LA has a population of 155,330 residents with a crime rate of 662 per 100,000 residents. The highest crime in this area is property crimes at 4.050.7 and the lowest crime being murder at 5.0 per 100,000 residents. On the same note, Appleton in Wisconsin has a total population of 226,649 residents with the crime rate being 509.5 per 100,000 residents. The highest crime in the area is property crime at 4,271.3 with the lowest crime being murder at a relatively higher rate of 11.8 per 100,000 residents. Comparing this data to the national statistics, the national violent crime rate was at 386.3 per

How the same economies of scale that work domestically also work Research Paper

How the same economies of scale that work domestically also work internationally - Research Paper Example Selling products cheaper enables the products to have ready market and are bought in large quantities than those that are expensive (Sowell, 2010). The term capitalism in the economic sense of view means that it is an economic system that has been accepted by economists as one which is the quick method to gaining wealth. It is based on the privately possessing merchandizes, and also the means of production which leads to the creation of products that serve as goods and services. All this is done with the intention of gaining profit. There are certain elements that are associated with capitalism such as the accumulation of capital, market competitiveness and a price system (Sowell, 2010). To the Biblical worldview individuals, capitalism is seen as a means to quick wealth and immoral since it brings about conflicts. Such individuals view capitalism as not looking out for the best interests and the common good of the people. With the passing on of capitalism in the economic market, it brings about inequality, waste, anti-socialism, lack of democracy, dictatorship, war and pollution. Biblical individuals see that as long as capitalism is present, then the above factors will continue to exist in society (Sowell,

The role of social media in building lasting valuable customer Essay

The role of social media in building lasting valuable customer relationships - Essay Example 1). Interactive market entails appreciating the experiences customers through communication channels whereby customers have a significant experience with the internet in the form of flow (Shankar and Malthouse, 2009, p. 1). Through following their preferred brands and retailers on social media platforms, consumers can get access to an insider view of commodities and the companies that produce them while at the same time looking at new releases, promotions and giveaways among other things. The present retail environment is in a new social norm with more and more people utilizing social networks every day. According to the Digital Consumer Report almost sixty-four percent of people who use social media tap into sites at least once every day on their computers, while almost fifty percent of social media subscribers access social networks through their smartphones. Progressive business entities such as Apple, Dell, Starbucks as well as Nike among other have adopted social channels such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as a means of boosting their bottom-line results (Safko, 2012, p. 27). Numerous brands have started realizing that social media can be employed as a powerful instrument in driving in-store engagement as well as sales. For most of the consumers, social media can be the source of inspiration on various ways of decorating space, planning an outfit or seeing how it fits on a real person rather than the conventional model. However, the participation of retailers in social channels is not supposed to end the moment when the customer pays for the commodity he or she is buying (Sparrow, 2010, p. 33). In order to drive continuous sales while promoting prolonged loyalty, forward thinking businesses employ social media networks to foster ongoing relationships and give value to their customers through time. Even though social media can assist in promoting quick sales and short-term goals of spreading the

The cons and pros of fair value versus historical cost accounting and Essay

The cons and pros of fair value versus historical cost accounting and deprival value - Essay Example Financial reporting requires extremely accurate form of measurement to deliver information to lenders and shareholders who are obliged to know how wisely their money is being spent (Barth 2007). Van Zijl & Whittington (2006) reveal that the current form of measurement is increasingly emphasizing on the use of current value to replace historical costs. The principle reason behind the establishment of accounting standards was to ensure that financial information produced by organizations are accurate, reliable, complete, timely and relevant. In addition, accounting standards would ensure that organizations not only demonstrate accountability but also maintain it while meeting statutory reporting requirements such that the stakeholders are accounted for organizational financial performance to support decision making (Cooper 2007). Currently, the measurement basis for measuring amounts in financial statements includes among others historical cost, amortized historical cost, fair value an d value in use. This paper evaluates the pros and cons of fair value versus historical cost accounting and deprival value. 1.0. Current cost should be used in financial reporting Historical cost accounting works well for liabilities that are not traded; representation of liabilities for contractual business obligations like long term deferred revenue, and other complex issues of life insurance and pension liabilities (Macve 2010). However, more emphasis is given to existing stakeholders and stewardship compared to service to investors in capital market and usefulness in economic decisions emphasized by fair value approach which replaces historical costs (Whittington 2008). Historical cost accounting and deprival value characterize the conceptual framework of ASB while fair value is a recent concept that is available only for the last 20 years in FASB, the IASB and the ASB and is increasingly applied in financial reporting. Penman (2007) argues that while historical cost accounting h as been used in items whose measurement using fair value would be unreliable or expensive to quantify, fair value is considered to be informative given that it is applied within mixed measurement system. Defining and measuring current value Fair value is defined by Penman (2007) as the amount that would be obtained from selling an asset or the amount that would be given away in defrayal of a liability in a transaction deemed as methodical and between wiling and well-informed participants. As a result, fair value accounting information reflects the future and not the past, events or transactions (Whittington 2008; Barth 2006). Barth (2007) reveals that the measurement decisions are made by standard setters through focusing on the application of the definitions of elements in financial reporting and the qualitative attributes of accounting information on the basis of financial reporting objective. The use of qualitative attributes is intended at recognizing the desired measurement cha racteristics while the financial reporting objective brings out the context within which the evaluation of measurement will be evaluated (Barth 2007). 2.0. Importance of deprival value concept Van Zijl and Whittington (2006) argue that deprival value is the implying measurement at substitute cost for an asset that has a recoverable amount superior than the costs to be incurred for replacement. The value of an asset is restricted to replacement costs since the loss incurred in losing an asset

Economics of the the Coca-Cola Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Economics of the the Coca-Cola Company - Essay Example Within each category there are several product lines for example under Juices there are concentrate, not-from-concentrate, frozen concentrate, pulp-free, fortified and flavored juice blends. The flagship product bears the same name as the company. Coca-Cola is not only the most popular and biggest-selling soft drink in history but also the best-known brand in the world (â€Å"Coca-Cola - Brands - Brand Fact Sheets,† 2011). Coca-Cola has got products all across the beverage products’ life cycle. The company has at its disposal immense resources – finance, human capital, distribution channel, and brand – to support research and development to continuously come up with new products and to see them through the resource-draining phases of the product lifecycle (the introduction and growth stages). Whereas on the other end of the product lifecycle, Coca-Cola has also been able to sustain its flagship brand as a cash cow at the maturity stage. Coca-Cola has one of the most effective, if not the best, marketing mix strategies that include: merchandising, product-placement, public relations, endorsements, sponsorships, exhibitions and most of all advertising. However, due to its continuous innovation Coca-Cola has had challenges when it comes to market cannibalization. This is manifested in different ways such as between two Coca-Cola brands or between the old retail distribution channels (shops, supermarkets) and vending machine. Even though the presence of numerous brands has stifled the growth of some of its products, the marginal benefits have been greater than the marginal loss for Coca-Cola in its multi-brand strategy. This strategy is referred to as a single-position strategy and it has worked for Coca-Cola because it is often easier and cheaper to introduce a new brand rather than change the positioning of an existing brand in the eyes of the consumer (Ries & Trout, 1986). 2.0. Market trends In a five-year forecast that uses 2009 as the base year, it is estimated that the global soft drinks market will experience a growth of 16.2% (Datamonitor, 2010). A large part of this growth will be as a result of the rapidly growing functional soft drinks (FSD) market that consists of sports drinks, energy drinks, enriched drinks, smoothies, ready-to-drink (RTD), iced tea and dairy drinks. Not to be left behind, Coca-Cola has actively been engaged in expanding its product offerings in this market. Sports and energy drinks are the two most recognizable and successfully established sub-categories within the overall FSD market. According to Lewis (2009) health, convenience and premiumization are the three leading megatrends driving the global soft drink market forward. This implies that the soft drink market still has a lot of potentials to innovate with truly unique products that offer genuine and proven health benefits across demographics and consumption occasions despite the global economic downturn. Consumer behavi or is a function of the product, the consumer, his social environment, the competing products and the brand marketing strategy. Coca-Cola’s strength has been how it communicates its brands and how consumers perceive those brands relative to other competing brands in the marketplace.

International Finance - HSBC vs BP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Finance - HSBC vs BP - Essay Example This essay declares that British petroleum shortly known as BP was formed in 1998 from the merger of British Petroleum and Amoco grew by buying Atlantic Richfield Company. BP has proved reserves of 18.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent including large holdings in Alaska. BP is the largest oil producer in the US and also top refiner processing 2.8 billions barrels of crude oil per day. BP operates 28,500 gas stations worldwide, including 15,900 in the US. With the success of its ‘BP solar international subsidiary’ BP has created BP alternative Energy (hydrogen, solar and wind power generation) with an initial investment of $1.8 billion. British Petroleum (BP) is one of six vertically integrated private sector oil, natural gas and gasoline super-majors in the world. In the year 2006 BP was ranked 4th in the world by the Fortune Global 500 list, for turnover with sales at $268 billion. This paper stresses that the main issue faced by multinational corporations in the international financial environment is the valuation of such projects whose cash-flows depend on the exchange rate. Two approaches are used: one based on option-valuation methods and the second based on equilibrium arguments that rely on the international capital asset pricing model. The other factors which need consideration are tax planning and the management of flow of funds within foreign subsidiaries of a given multinational. Two essential and related aspects of this environment are first, the foreign exchange market in which exchange rates are determined and second the international financial system governing exchange rate determination. There is a close connection between interest rates, inflation, and exchange rates.

Can Social Bonding Theory Explain Why The US Has Higher Crime Rates Essay

Can Social Bonding Theory Explain Why The US Has Higher Crime Rates Than Other Nations - Essay Example In the said research, the author studied 200 employees to determine how the elements of the social bonding theory can be used to determine the likelihood of the employees committing ethical misconduct. The results from the study conducted indicated that two of the four elements, namely attachment and involvement, may be utilized to provide a better understanding of how likely it is for employees to commit ethical rule breaking. (Sims, 2002) The results obtained from the study merely highlight the importance of the elements of the social bonding theory in explaining deviant behavior and in this case, ethical misconduct of employees. Another study conducted focused on the effect of one's religiosity on his likelihood to be lead to delinquency. As earlier mentioned, belief is one of the four elements of Hirschi's social bonding theory. Subsequently, a central element in an individual's belief system is his religious affinity or belief. In a study conducted by Baier and Wright (2001), the ability of religious beliefs and behaviors to deter criminal behavior was analyzed. The authors of the said study conducted a meta-analysis of 60 previously conducted studies basing primarily on the following questions: (I) What is the direction and magnitude of the effect of religion on crime (II) Why have previous studies varied in their estimation of this effect The rationale behind the research was since previous studies provided inconclusive evidence regarding the relationship of crime and religious belief, it was highly significant to determine why such discrepancy exists and if indeed such a relationship between the two el ements does exist. The results of the study indicated that religious beliefs and behaviors exert a moderate deterrent effect on individuals' criminal behavior. This means that even in the littlest of ways, an individual's religiosity helps in preventing him from committing criminal acts. Likewise, the study found that previous studies have systematically varied in their estimation of the religion- on-crime effect due to differences in both their conceptual and methodological approaches. The results of the study merely indicate that belief, as one of the elements of social control, indeed helps in preventing deviant behavior. Although religious beliefs may not be a strong deterrent as other elements, the results of the study only help explain how the elements of social bonding materialize. Teenage Pregnancy Although not considered as a criminal act, teenage pregnancy may be seen as a deviant behavior in that it does not conform to the norms of society. In a study conducted by Sandra Hofferth (1987), the various factors that influence sexual behavior among adolescents was analyzed. Both biological and psychosocial factors were studied to determine which factors helped contribute to sexual activity among adolescents. Basically, the researcher found that among the social factors that influenced such behavior were cultural and subcultural differences. For instance, the author indicated that black females from the ages of 15 to 19 living in a poverty area of Chicago has a significantly higher rate of initial sexual intercourse than their peers

Qualities Of A Good Writer Essay Example for Free

Qualities Of A Good Writer Essay Whilewriterscomefromallwalksoflife,theysharecertainqualitiesthathelp themproducesatisfyingwork. Ifyouhavesomeofthesecharacteristics,youcould tryacareerincreativewriting. Alternatively,youcouldlookforcreativewriters withthesequalitiestoassistwithyourorganizationspublications. Creativewriters mightpublishpoetry,shortstoriesandnovels,buttheyalsoworkformanykindsof clients to earn their living. Creativewriterscraftnewworlds,producingdescriptionsofplacesandpeoplethat sendreadersontripsintheirminds. Theydothiswithnothingbuttheirbrainsand someformofwritingimplementbeitanold-schoolnotebookoramoremodern laptop. Whilenotwowritersplytheircraftintheexactsameway,some characteristics are common for many who are successful. Efficiency Creativewritersrarelyworkinoffices. Theymostcommonlyworkalone,makingit easyforthemtoslipofftaskandwhileawayadaythatshouldbefilledwith writing. Forsuccess,creativewritersmustbeefficientandfocused,sayswriter, editorandghostwriterMichaelJ. Dowling. Theymustbeabletoforcethemselves todowork,despitethedistractionsthatmayfilltheirworkspaces,whichareoften at home. Those lacking this quality will likely find their writing dreams fruitless. Research Abilities Thoughcreativewritersincludefictitiousdetailsintheyarnstheyspin,theymust  stillengageinresearchtomaketheirpiecesbelievable. Ifwritinghistoricalfiction, for instance, writers must research the time periods in which they set their stories to accuratelyportrayallofthedetails. Similarly,writersmustresearchthephysical placesinwhichtheysettheirtales,acquiringtheknowledgenecessarytopaintan authentic picture of that place in readers’ minds. Imagination Todreamupthestoriesthatmakecompellingcreativefiction,creativewritersmust havehighlydevelopedimaginations,accordingtoHelenaBlakemore,professorat theUniversityofEastLondon. Writerscanengageinexercisestobolstertheir imaginativeskills,butpossessingapre-existingabilitytoimagineandinventisa benefit to those beginning in this field. Confidence Producingacreativeproductisscary. AsJoeDunthorne,authorofâ€Å"Submarine,† statedinanarticlefortheBritishnewspapertheGuardian,nosafepathexistsfor writing. Tobesuccessful,writersmustbebraveandwillingtotakerisks. Ifthey lackthewillingnesstoputasidetheirworriesandforgeahead,theirwritingwill likely not be distinctive enough to be noteworthy. Ability to Focus Goodwritersunderstandtheparticularrequirementsofawritingproject. Itdoesnt matterwhethertheyreusingacreativeapproachforamarketingpublicationor  draftinganewchapterforanovel. Theyhaveanabilitytofocusonthewritingtask andcreateanoutlineordirectionforwhattheyllwrite. Focusedwritingiseasier forthereadertofollow. Unfocusedwritingfrustratesreadersandmayturnthemoff completely so they wont continue reading. Different Approaches Towritecreativeworks,writersneedareliableapproach. Somewritersbeginwith undisciplinedwritinganduseself-editingtotightentheirwritinginthenextstage. Otherwriterswillconsidermanydraftsofaparagraphintheirheadormakenotes onscrappaperandthenwritedownahighlyfocusedparagraph,whichusually requireslesseditingdowntheline. Somewritersareversatile,usingdifferent  approachestogettingideasonpaperbasedontheirmoodorthekindofwriting project theyre doing. Discipline Self-disciplineisessentialtowriterswhowanttosupportthemselvesthrough creativewriting. Withoutit,youllfinditdifficulttomaximizetheuseofyour writingtime. Ifyouhaveregularclientsoradeadlinetosubmitamanuscriptto youreditor,youmustdevoteadequatetimetowritingeachdayorweektoreach yourgoal. Disciplinemeansthatyoublockouttimeforwritingandproducea specificquantityoftextinthattimeblock. Ifyoudontachievethegoalfora writing session, you block another session in which to hit the mark. Because writing  deadlinesaretimedandspecific,youcantaffordtowastetimeinthecreative writing mode. Voice and Authenticity Allkindsofcreativewritingbecomemoreeffectivewhenreaderscanhearthe presenceoftheauthorsvoice. Insometypesofliterature,charactersalsohave differentvoicesthatcompeteforthereadersattention. Goodwritersfindtheir voice for a particular work or character and use it consistently for the entertainment ofthereader. Ifyouhaventfoundyourwritersvoice,usefeedbackfromreadersto guideyou. Ifyouwriteauthentically,yourvoicereachesthereader. Bycopying anotherauthorsvoice,yourvoiceisboundtofalter;itwontcomeacross consistently or genuinely to the reader.

Top Girls and Under the Blue Sky | Comparison

Top Girls and Under the Blue Sky | Comparison Discuss and compare how Caryl Churchills Top Girls and David Eldridges Under the Blue Sky deploy the conventions of Dialogue and Objectives/Obstacles, and asses the connection between these formal choices and the meaning and impact of the play. The conventions of dialogue and objectives and obstacles are intertwined through the playwrights portrayal of character and in the process of creating dramatic conflict. Dialogue is a revelatory device, where action is conveyed through speech to communicate character objectives; it is the chief means by which the premise is proved, the characters revealed, and the conflict carried out.[1] Dialogue reveals subtext as well as character and motive, and communicates the internal dimension of the plot[through] psychological, or inner action'[2] within each character, whose objectives become apparent through the translation of thought into speech and its function in drama. Character objectives are defined as goals or desires for individual characters, often in opposition to each other. For David Edgar [W]hat characters do is pursue objectives [but they] are not necessarily or even often pursued directly.[3] Objectives alter according to the nature of changing conversation and character revelations, thus transforming its intensity, pace, and meaning. The motivation behind a line of dialogue informs what the character wants to achieve by them saying a particular thing. Edgar refers to Stanislavskys theory of Actioning, where actors place an intention behind each individual line. This is a rehearsal technique utilised by the director Max Stafford Clark: Max Stafford Clarkand his actors action individual lines with transitive verbs: in pursuit of the objectives, say, of seduction, a character may befriend, please, intrigue and flatter in as many lines, to which the other character, in pursuit of the objective of remaining unseduced, may respond by warning, snubbing, and challenging before finally spurning.[4] This technique highlights obstacles to these intentions. Obstacles are defined as factors working against a characters objective, often taking the form of another character in the scene, ensuring a more emotional undercurrent between characters to create conflict, particularly as [A]nother important function of the dialogue is the expression of emotion. Characters dont just state facts; they express their feelings toward conditions they feel strongly about. The most highly emotional dialogue is often a free release of feelings stemming from an open clash of wills.[5] In order to evaluate how playwrights have deployed these conventions within their writing, Top Girls by Caryl Churchill and Under the Blue Sky by David Eldridge will be used as examples to explore how these dramatic practices create meaning. Top Girls was directed by Max Stafford Clark and premiered at The Royal Court Theatre, returning early in 1983 following its transfer to New York. The play emerged as a socialist comment on Thatcherite regimes and the championing of the Individual. This has led to debate over whether it is first and foremost a feminist or a socialist play. It is not only the political content of the play which is so significant, but the structure of its content and Churchills use of unconventional dialogue: The play is informed by a pivotal moment in the early 1980s, when social and economic change had liberated women but also fostered ruthless individualism. The subject finds expressive form in the plays hybrid structure, reverse chronology and verbal technique Churchills precise notation for interrupted, overlapping and non-consecutive dialogue that specifies rhythm and discontinuity for the actors in performance.[6] The overlapping dialogue echoes the flow of real conversation or argument, thereby having an impact on the pace of a scene, making any silences more significant. The opening act is well known because it represents five historical or fictional characters, all talking over each other in an effort to become principal storyteller. However, I will focus on the argument between Marlene and her sister Joyce in the final act of the play, where the dialogue is heavy with personal history and both characters objectives reflect the issues of the play in a more pertinent and grim reflection of Churchills intention to demonstrate the prices of success. David Eldridges Under the Blue sky was first performed in 2000 at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, an appropriately intimate space for three volatile acts of two-handers. Its revival in the summer of 2008 transported the play to the Duke of Yorks theatre, where Eldridge reflected on the differences between a small theatre space and a West End theatre production, and on what he terms a cult of virginity in contemporary British theatre: As one critic has noted, a revival is something that normally only happens to the dead. Theatre in this country is currently preoccupied with a cult of virginity, with new plays premiered and discarded in rapid succession; far more than it is nurturing a contemporary repertoire that will sustain modern playwriting long-term.[7] The motivations behind the play derive from Eldridges reaction to how teachers are portrayed in drama, but also his interest in the question of unrequited love. Eldridge says of his intention that I did very much want to meditate on the nature of unrequited love with three couples in different relationships and at different stages of their life.[8] These couples have an act each to deliberate on their individual relationships. Eldridge shows that such temperamental subject matter obstructs character desires to express themselves, resulting in the unnerving proof that the body of a teacher is at least as fallible as the mind of a child'[9], until the final act of the play which ends on a note of possibility.[10] I will focus on the opening act of the play, between Nick and Helen which explores the impact of direct conflict of desires in the exploration of unrequited love. In the translation from thought to speech, what do characters really mean and what do they really say in relation to their objectives. Even if characters are attempting to conceal information, it is revealed, either through subtext or through an emotional outburst, thus heightening or pacing the drama. The relationship between thinking and speaking becomes a complication for the characters, in the conflict between want and need, rational and emotional, or truth and security. Dialogue is used in exposition. Different devices reveal past events, including the conflicting objectives behind the dialogue which move the scene forward. In both scenes the past is very much in the present, an obstacle to it, affecting the characters now. As a result, the process of communication may be compromised, by a character trying to conceal or even change the past in an attempt to protect themselves. In both Top Girls and Under the Blue Sky the character driven dialogue is stichomythic, organised into alternate lines. The dialogue technique employed throughout Top Girls makes the characters overlap and interrupt each other. In the act between Joyce and Marlene the conversation is emotionally loaded with their history, so the dialogue must function to illuminate how important their clashing wills are to substantiate the overlapping, and convey their inner action. In contrast Under the Blue Sky delineates alternate lines to Nick and Helen, amid frequent pauses, and strained laughter. Each playwright employs the relationship between thinking and speaking differently. Joyce and Marlene speak as they think, as they react to the others words to avoid the obstacles put up by their contestations, whereas much of what Nick and Helen say is deliberated, to conceal or protect. Each playwright has defined opposing objectives within the scene, to create conflict and achieve a dramatic situati on. So dialogue grows from the character and the conflict, and, in its turn, reveals the character and carries the action.[11] Eldridge has structured his scene so that both characters wants are in opposition, so they must change as they clash with obstacles put up by the other. Helens primary goal is for Nick to reveal his desire to be the same as hers, but she discovers it is in direct contrast. So her objectives alter to overcome this and change his mind; first she attempts to make him stay, then to find ways to maintain her presence in his life. In the rest of the play we learn what happens to them through what other characters say because they are not seen again. From information gained through others, Eldridge provides suggestions of their continuing objectives following on from Act One and indicates whether they are achieved, as they become obstacles to the plays new characters in the continuation of the story. Although they are described with verbs, objectives are not actually done; they are something the characters aim at doing in the future.[12] Therefore, the process of actioning is key to the dialogue, despite it being an actor exercise. Max Stafford Clark used this technique during rehearsals for Top Girls and its television adaptation in 1991. In such a fast-paced, non-consecutive dialogue that stems from rapid and unrestrained thoughts this technique illuminates intention behind each line and explores which character is in control at a particular point. In this final scene, the status of both sisters is relatively equal in their objective, even if not in their social position, meaning that when one exerts more control over the other it is even more significant. Joyces control is demonstrated through her resistance to Marlenes attempts to appease: Marlene I didnt really mean all that Joyce I did. Marlene But were friends anyway. Joyce I dont think so, no.[13] Here, Joyce asserts the finality of her decision to be distanced from her sister. The dynamics of this argument in Top Girls reflects the nature of a conversation which has opened up old hostilities between two sisters who are almost strangers. So the dialogue has become the means of communicating their opposing wants and needs, resulting in a heated, almost uncommunicative emotional exchange demonstrating a clash of wills and their shared history: Dialogue can narrate and explain ideas. Characters under stress, however, rarely stop to describe and analyse their thoughts and feelings. Such dialogue is seldom a cool academic debate. Instead it must reveal the strong emotions the characters feel for the practical outcome of their ideas.[14] The dialogue is raw and emotional in its argument, conveying both character and he stress they are under to prove their objectives. It reveals truth, not just about Angie, and illustrates characters who are bound together but clash so irrevocably. Dominic Droomgoole described the final act of Top Girls as a big, old-fashioned, stichomythic fistfight, a ball of love and rage, a classic scrap where two political philosophies and two sisters rehearse how much they loath, and how much they need each other. The play is a journey from high style to high naturalistic emotion.[15] Churchills techniques when drafting dialogue has an explicit effect on the exchange of conversation between characters and each line is carefully structured into its position within the organization of the dialogue as a whole; her slash and asterisk notation for interruptions and overlaps speeds up the dialogue by compressing it: the slash indicates a point of interruption, the asterisk indicates a common starting point between two speeches.[16] These indications of interruption also highlight the immediacy of one characters reaction to what the other has said before, expressing how conversation is complicated, that people interrupt and do not listen to one another. So Churchills dialogue is very truthful in its delineation of interruptions and reactions and has a particular intensity to it which echoes the unpredictable, complicated nature of conversation filled with such vehemence. The argument is not based solely on Marlenes unwelcome visit, but is burdened with their relationship as sisters. Thus they can dig into the roots of an argument which has been constrained for six years, and more. This relationship, and the history stemming from their connection, is all but shattered, rendered secondary to the issues which mount between them and is perhaps the tragedy of the scene; ultimately this bond cannot be repaired by one or both of them because they have each chosen something more important in its place. Throughout the scene, Marlenes main objective to pacify her guilt is continually evaded by her sister. This, as an obstacle put up by Joyce, stems from her own desire for things to remain the same, even to protect against the possible threats of Marlenes visit. So Churchill promises dramatic conflict by making them enter the scene with opposing goals. Following the first heated exchange about gynaecology[17] and the revelation that Marlene is in fact Angies biological mother, Marlene breaks down: Marlene I was afraid of this. I only came because I thought you wanted I just came Marlene cries Joyce Dont grizzle Marlene, for Gods sake. Marly? Come on, pet. Love you really. Fucking stop it, will you? Marlene No, let me cry. I like it.[18] Churchill demonstrates that there is still some feeling between them, before we witness the further collapse of their relationship which follows this. In using this moment where the dialogue breaks down and the objective is to soothe, Churchill appeals to our sense of hope, but as the conversation builds once more, as Marlene and Joyce question each other to fill the gap of time and of affection whilst slipping in comments about Angie, I dont see why you couldnt take my money,[19] the distance between them is widened: [In the last scene], in an extraordinarily effective piece of dialogue, the characters seem to change places before our eyes; Marlene shouts, weeps, pleads for sympathy and it is Joyce who gains stature by rejecting her sisters wheedling attempts at eliciting a compromise.[20] Here, Churchills intention is to create possibility, then shatter it, so the play offers a glimpse of affectionate relations between the sisters, before their political differences drive a wedge between them once and for all.[21] This is also the moment where Marlenes vulnerability is shown, as she seemingly finds her femininity again in the private company of her sister, liking that she is finally able to express it. Despite comforting Marlene, Joyce continues to snub her attempts to compromise: Marlene Youve been wonderful looking after Angie. Joyce Dont get carried away. Marlene I cant write letters but I do think of you. Joyce Youre getting drunk. Im going to make some tea. Marlene Love you. Joyce gets up to make tea. Joyce I can see why youd want to leave. Its a dump here.[22] Immediately, Joyce starts distancing once more, making it clear that these words are not enough, subsequently proving her as an obstacle to Marlenes desire in that moment to be comforted. In Joyces reluctance to repair the relationship with her sister, the promise of resolution is threatened once more; and is exacerbated by the political stance of each character, as they finally establish a permanent gulf between them: During the final scene, Churchill repeatedly gestures toward reconciliation as a possibility that remains unrealized. In the final moments of the play, the sisters recognize that a chasm has opened up between them-though they come from the same family background, their present socioeconomic and political differences place them on opposite sides of the divide between us and them. Churchill keeps these positions in dialectical opposition, resisting synthesis or resolution, through Joyces repeated rejections of Marlenes attempts to gloss over their differencesThe expectation of reconciliation remains frustrated right through the sisters final exchange.[23] Throughout the scene, the sisters constantly challenge each others personal and political views. The threat of change is something that scares Joyce, which Marlene takes as jealousy because she was able to leave, but at great cost to her family, gender and future relationships. In this final act, Churchill shows that things do run deeper than blood, that a persons beliefs can be an obstacle to comfort they seek, and intensifies the plays meaning that Marlene has sacrificed more than a daughter for the sake of the Individual. The main objective informing the dialogue between Joyce and Marlene is to tell the other what their life has been like, to justify their choices. However, these claims are complicated by the obstacle of memory and its discrepancies, or deliberate blocking of certain facts. Furthermore, both sisters have something to say, in a heightened situation, where both claims are valid, but there is nothing to allow for polite, uninterrupted conversation. Churchill uses dialogue to open up old arguments, demonstrating how the past affects their choices, through exposition within the debate which reveals much about why and how they have reached their current beliefs and situation. For example, Marlene mentions visiting their mother earlier and comments on how she had a wasted life, and Joyce reacts, undermines Marlenes opinion when she feels that her own choices and way of life have come under attack: Joyce You say mother had a wasted life. Marlene Yes I do. Married to that bastard. Joyce What sort of life did he have? / Working in the fields like Marlene Violent life? Joyce an animal. / Why wouldnt he want a drink? Marlene Come off it. Joyce You want a drink. He couldnt afford whisky. Marlene I dont want to talk about him. Joyce You started, I was talking about her. She had a rotten life because she had nothing. She went hungry. Marlene She went hungry because he drank the money. / He used to hit her. Joyce Its not all down to him. / Their lives were rubbish. They Marlene She didnt hit him. Joyce were treated like rubbish. Hes dead and shell die soon and what sort of life / did they have? Marlene I saw him one night. I came downI had to get out, Joyce Jealous? Marlene I knew when I was thirteen, out of their house, out of them, never let that happen to me, / never let him, make my own way, out.[24] This highlights a number of important details. Firstly, Churchill has illustrated the family life Marlene and Joyce lived as children through their clashing memories of it, and the impact of their disagreement on the standard of life alters the possibility of them finding a common ground. Their opinions, particularly of their father, inform the later debate about their separate political beliefs; showing that the personal does influence these politics. Furthermore, this dialogue demonstrates how these two realities clash, even though these characters share the same past. Churchill also reveals here how Marlene knew she needed to escape this life and the impetus which led her to where she is now; and not even her illegitimate daughter would stop her. In contrast, Joyces ability to relate to her parents lives and her desire to keep things the same means that Marlene cannot properly understand why Joyce could not leave. Marlene has become a separate individual, outside this life, this f amily. Because Churchills dialogue moves at the speed of thought and there is so much to say, there is no reprieve. Instead the argument is a drunken one between two angry sisters, not a considered political assessment, and is exaggerated and oversimplified on both sides,[25] so the dialogue gives substance to these character as flawed people, in the heat of the moment, revealing exposition in their attempts to justify themselves and the origins of their clashing objectives, to ensure an emotional intensity. In contrast to the overlapping exchange in Top Girls, the scene between Nick and Helen in Under the Blue Sky relies on dialogue which is predominantly thought through. The thought processes of the characters inform the pace of the dialogue, which is symbolized in the methodical preparing and cooking of the chilli and acts as something to return to in the awkward silences, and as ingredients are added and it gets hotter, the conversation escalates. The mechanical actions of cooking contrasted with emotional dialogue creates intensity which is emphasized by the moment it is ignored: When [the water] boils neither of them takes any notice.[26] In her review of the 2008 revival, Deborah Orr concluded that the situation of this first act is that Helen loves Nick, and Nick loves being loved by her. There, if hes honest, his interest ends.[27] This is where the clash of objectives lies in the scene. Helen hopes that Nicks invitation to dinner will be a further invitation to advance their relationship. She enters the scene expecting this will happen. Nicks revelation that he is leaving to improve his career, also a cover for his desire to minimise any chance of furthering their relationship, becomes Helens main obstacle. Nicks primary objective is to delay revealing this information, until Helen asks the inevitable question: A long pause. Helen So whats this thing you wanted to talk to me about? Nick looks at Helen and thinks. Nick Lets wait until after dinner. Yeah? Ok, darling Nick smiles. Helen drinks.[28] Nicks reply to the question is very considered, he thinks and he delays. What is communicated in these given objectives is that these characters enter a scene where the process will be harmful and complicated. The impact of Nicks pauses and careful discourse is enhanced when the scene becomes, inevitably, more emotional, Helen takes the news badly, and Nick fails to cope well with her reaction. Once Nick admits he is leaving, he then has to overcome the obstacle of Helens desire to understand why, without admitting the real reason. So he projects his guilt onto Helen, thereby obstructing his ability to be honest with her. Nick It isnt my duty to be unhappy. I owe it to myself to be happy in my work and Im not. Why are you trying to put me on this huge guilt trip? Helen Im not making you feel guilty. You feel guilty. If youre feeling guilty dont blame your guilt on me. Nick Helen, youre being so hard on me. Helen Am I? Nick I thought I could talk to you about this.[29] Both characters want to know what the other is thinking before they speak, but neither is willing to go first. Both postpone their admissions in fear of the reactions they will receive as a result. At this point, Helens desire moves from convincing Nick to stay, assuring him that the situation in their school will change, before appealing on a more personal level. Helen acts as Nicks obstacle, This is like talking to a brick wall'[30]. Both of them are thrown, because control is slipping away as their objectives are challenged, and Eldridge shows efficiently how rarely conversation goes according to plan, particularly prevalent in this scene because these characters are trying to conceal what they came to say. Eventually though, they are forced to articulate these thoughts, braving embarrassment, disappointment, or as Helen says, I feel like Im shrinking in front of you'[31]. The use of alcohol in the scene also allows the dialogue to escalate, and enables them to discuss the past between them, which is dramatically affecting the present and revealing important details about their relationship. The past is an obstacle because it confuses things presently, and memory is subjective or unremembered. Helen is taken back to this time through a negative association and subsequently becomes emotionally exposed. Once Nick suddenly reveals that they slept together and that he thinks it was a mistake, his attempt at explaining himself backfires, shocking Helen into reacting to this truth. Helen No, you were drunk and you wanted itThe things you said to me. Nick When Helen That time. Then. Nick I was drunk. A slight pause I didnt know what I was saying. Helen You were heavy and pissed and you moved me around the bed like I was a prone body. But your words? The things you said. Your promisesYour memory of it is that we were both drunk but I was sober. I remember every clumsy movement and every word you said like its shot through my memory. A slight pause I thought tonight would be my turn. You know that? To fall on you. Half cut.[32] The use of the word promises is repeated throughout the scene and has a connotative impact on the dialogue; implying hope and expectation. Consequently, the idea of broken or unremembered promises heightens the emotional content of the scene. Eldridge uses this repetition to warn his characters, essentially, about the danger of making promises to escape a difficult situation. Throughout this scene, the conversation goes round in circles as the issue is avoided but forever at the centre. The characters fail to communicate in a way in that they can achieve their primary objectives, so they must alter as the conversation continues. However, Eldridge uses a dramatic gesture to communicate a strong objective. When Helen first picks up the knife to show her experience of being attacked, there is no danger, but it does foreshadow what comes later in the scene. As much as she is appalled by this event, Helen uses the knife to react in a way that she has been reacted against to make her point. Choosing to place a knife in the scene may appear melodramatic, but in fact Eldridge gives Helen a very significant way of communicating her objective, which heightens the tension and reveals more about this character, an essential technique as she never appears physically after this scene. At this point, Helen is communicating, where words are not enough. With this device i n her hand, she is able to say certain things: Youre not goingIm not going to let you leave'[33] and we understand that Helen has been driven to distraction'[34] by this situation. In his exploration of unrequited love, Eldridge has shown the brutality of his theme and how it has affected both characters when their situation is based on clashing personal objectives, portraying the pain that they both feel when confronted with a love that one of them will not admit and the other can no longer keep within bounds'[35] The characters are unable to communicate successfully, failing to achieve these goals. Of course, this creates the tension and the drama in the scene. The play is a fine exploration of the cruel inequality of love, and of the violence passion can stir in even the gentlest souls. [Lisa Dillons (Helen)] vulnerable, breathless intensity powerfully captures the pain of unrequited love.[36] The ebb and flow of the conversation, keeps the pace and lures both characters and audience into false security when the dialogue returns to the cooking chilli before reverting back to the central issue, implying that this is a safe place for both characters to return to, just for a brief reprieve in the heavy dialogue. In many ways, this device is quite aggravating because the characters need to address what is between them, but still are unable to communicate with each other. Nick keeps telling Helen to talk to him, but neither will admit before the other, which is why the conversation continually rises and falls. Nick Why cant you say what you feel? Helen Say what? A pause Nick Im confused. Youre clearly not. But you only ever meet me halfway emotionally. And I dont know if thats good. I dont know how I feel about it. Us. I feel really confused. Helen So am I. Nick I dont think you are. I amOf course I wanted you to talk about your personal feelings. Helen Personal feelings. She cant believe it. A slight pause So I can put my heart and guts on the floor in front of you? Sob and wail like a widow and hope it might change your mind? And in the process confirm your gut feeling it might be good for us to see less of each other. Good for you to see less of me. While you create a new life for yourself in Essex. Is that what you want? Well, you can get stuffed. Helen tries to leave. Nick stands in her way.[37] This, along with frequent pauses, paces the argument and ensures the portrayal of the awkward cruelty of Eldridges theme of unrequited love. Contrary to Top Girls where there is so much to be said and it is being said, for Nick and Helen, what needs to be said is punctuated by silences and tension which intensifies the weight that hangs in the air between them. Are either of these scenes about successful communication, and are any of the characters able to overcome the obstacles to achieve their objectives? In Under the Blue Sky, Nick communicates his real reason for leaving through what is left out of the dialogue, until finally confessing. Helens objective becomes centred on her protection from exposure, which she is unable in the end to suppress. In Top Girls, the sisters are talking, but they are also competing to be heard. The competition they are playing out involves proving who has sacrificed the most. Churchill used this argument to show how their personal experiences informed the progression into a political debate. At the end of both Acts, the issues between the characters are not resolved and the dialogue has traced the thoughts they have been trying to conceal or not. Issues are left hanging in the air. For Marlene and Joyce, this encompasses the idea of solidarity, of sisterhood which has been usurped by their political ideals. Nicks suggestion to put the last half-hour behind us'[38] ensures that it will be hanging over them even if they agree not to voice it, just it has always been; it even prevails throughout the other two acts of the play. Despite the process of dialogue in the scene and the clashes of wants and needs, things have changed but nothing has been resolved. In both plays we know what happens afterwards; Under the Blue Sky communicates these events through the dialogue of others; and in Top Girls it has already happened in the play. The meanings that stem from these decisions ensure that we never reach any resolution in either situation. Although we are told that Nick and Hel en continue to be friends, we know that the issue from Act One has not been addressed again, which becomes the downfall of both of them: Helen dies and Nick is left to feel guilty about why. The placing of the final scene in Top Girls changes the essence of the story and its meaning in relation to Marlenes success, which defies the ideals of individualism and the positives of Marlenes success in a seemingly male-dominated world. It also means that in hindsight the impact of this scene on the rest of the play takes on a new emotional force. Because both playwrights have written these scenes between two characters, the action is scaled down and therefore emerges through the dialogue. It becomes the most direct way of communicating character wants, conflicts and obstacles, particularly effective as the other characters prove to be the obstacle. These characters use dialogue to persuade, appease, appeal to, insult, instruct, upset, challenge, dissuade, anger, judge, apologise, be honest , lie, conceal, explain and reveal, to convey character inner action in an exploration of the dramatic conflict of wills, utilising varying levels of tension and presenting back-story through speech which is now living in each present situation. By the end of both plays, the relationships have been ended in some significant

Background and history of intelligence testing

Background and history of intelligence testing The first intelligence test to be administered was in France in 1905 by Alfred Binet and Theophile Simon. The purpose of the first intelligence test was to identify mentally deficient children in French public Schools (Franklin 2007). Henry Goddard followed and, translated the intelligence test in 1910, and administered it to what he believed were four hundred children who lacked intellectuality and following year the number of students increased to two thousand white children considered normal. (Franklin 2007). In 1911 Goddard was to produce a range of scores that was to be compared to urban, native born foreign born, and others. Suggesting that children cannot learn beyond the scope of their grade of intelligence and was the first to suggest that intelligence tests measured the how much a child was capable of learning at a chronological age (Franklin 2007). Since these tests, an array of intelligence test has been administered to people in attempts to measure a person cognitive abi lity. Assessing students abilities through intelligence testing has questioned of the appropriateness of psychometric measures in regards to reliability and validity. Reliability regarding relies on consistency. For a test to be able to show consistency, error variance must be minimized. Test construction, test administration and test scoring and interpretation are the main three areas of error variance that can affect reliability (Cohen and Swerdilk 2010). It was argued , Simon Binets test needed to be revised in 1937 because the test originally administered in 1917 showed tasks not always as well chosen s those for ages from six to twelve and that upon retesting black students social scientist had shown that black students had received a higher intelligence score(Franklin 2007) . Regarding validity, in the early 1920s black social scientists debated what intelligence testing was measuring. Validity should be psychometrically sound to avoid test bias. Howard Longs research shows the Armys Alpha and Beta test yielded results that were greater in variation of individuals and groups within races than between races (Franklin 2007). Bond a director of Education at Langston University in Oklahoma also agreed explaining that the army intelligence score were a reflection of social and environmental impacts rather than innate intellectual abilities of those tested (Franklin 2007). The Brisbane Catholic Education, concentrated on refugees that seemed to be misrepresented as having an intellectual disability. The argument is that the validity of standardized cognitive tests is not able to measure peoples intelligence from a different background and implying that psychometric instruments had not yet been developed in their country (Fraine and Mcdade). Tests that were stan dardized to certain background schooling experience, level and quality of education and conceptions of behavior test taking experience would affect certain groups if taken the intelligence test(Fraine and Mcdade). There has been problem in intelligence testing and psychometric properties in relation to non- linguistics intelligence testing. In a study results show that although the Ravens Progressive Matrices is supposed to be a culture fair IQ test people from English speaking backgrounds did much better scoring 96.71 that people from Zimbabwean sample that scored 72.36 (Shuttleworth-Edwards, Kemp, Rust, Muirhead, Hartman, and Radloff 2004). Fairness is also a concern when a person takes an intelligence test. Controlling reliability and validity of a intelligence test shows a sound measurement, fairness aims at explaining the test and if it is used in a justifiable way. African refugees have been described as intellectually disable upon Australian schools. The Brisbane Catholic Education in Australia believes refugees from African backgrounds are labeled intellectually disabled upon completing intelligence test and other assessment of consideration such language barriers, culture difference acculturation trauma and previous experiences make it harder for psychologists to assess whether an African American is genuinely intellectually disabled(Fraine and Mcdade). Similar findings displayed that social conditions and low-test scores were highly correlated when measuring mental ability (Franklin 2007). When testing non -linguistic most children scored in the normal range, however these children were black and placed in a sch ool that separated white children from black children (Franklin 2007). The aim of this study is to check for sound psychometric measurements and culture bias when comparing different groups and the intelligence test taken. It is hypothesized that The PSYGAT will show good internal consistency and validity when tested against the Queendom Verbal. It is hypothesizes that the PSYGAT will show low when tested against the culture fair test. The Queendom tests are a verbal and a culture fair IQ test that are believed to have psychometric properties. The PSYGAT is a intelligence verbal test that was created by third year undergraduate psychology students. The PSYGAT was correlated well with the ACER AL a test that was designed by the Australian Council for Education for testing verbal abilities. Method Participants The sample consisted of three hundred and thirty seven undergraduate psychology students recruited from Monash University. Participants were recruited from campuses located at Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Clayton, and Caulfield. Participants were split into English speaking background and non-English speaking backgrounds. There were two hundred and sixty females and sixty-eight males. Two hundred and forty four participants were from an English Speaking background and ninety-three participants were from a Non English Speaking background. Materials Participants engaged in taking three intelligence tests. The tests were to be taken in their own time under no supervision. Participants used the computer to complete the three intelligence tests. Just before beginning the PSYGAT intelligence test a questionnaire asked the participants of the sex age and whether they were from an English or non- English speaking background. All participants results would be analyzed at a later stage regarding item analysis. Procedure Undergraduate monash psychology students were asked to complete three intelligence tests that would be administered via computer. Firstly, every participant found access to a computer to participate in the first intelligence test. The first test that was taken was the Queendom Verbal IQ test. Participants attempted the three tests it in their own time and were told that the test should take them approximately 30-35 minutes to complete. After Participants finished the test, they were asked to make sure to keep a track of their score, as they needed the results for later purposes. The second test was the Queendom Culture Fair IQ test. The test involved answering 20 items that participants were told there was no time limits on this test. After completion of this test, participants kept a record of their score. The third test was the PSYGAT. The PSYGAT was a verbal test constructed by third year undergraduate students. Participants were also asked to complete this test as the third and l ast test. Before beginning, the test participants were asked to enter the scores of the Queendom verbal and Queendom culture fair IQ test before continuing to be tested on the PSYGAT verbal IQ test. The test also asked participants of their age and gender and if they were of English or from a Non English background. Results Pearsons r investigated the relationship between the PSYGAT test, Queendom verbal IQ and the Queendom culture fair IQ for English and non-English speaking backgrounds. Pearsons r showed that that there was a significant result according to the relationship of the PSYGAT and Queendom verbal in both the English speaking background group ,r=.433,n=244,p0.05 but a small significant relationship between the PSYGAT and the Queendom culture fair for the non English speaking background group , r=.238,n 93,p0.05. Z scores were also used to determine if there was a significant difference in validity coefficients between the two groups regarding the PSYGAT and Queendom verbal and the PSYGAT and culture fair IQ. Pearsons r-values were transformed into Z scores to determine a statistical significance of the correlations between groups. Pearsons r-values were also transformed into z scores because of participant difference for each group. Results show that there was not a statistical significant d ifference in validity coefficients between the English and non English speaking background of the correlation between the PSYGAT and the Queendom verbal IQ z=-1.39,p>0.05. However a large statistical significance was shown in the correlation between the PSYGAT and the culture fair IQ z=3.73, p> 0.05. Discussion The aim of this study was to check for sound psychometric measurments and culture bias when comparing different groups and the intelligence test taken. It was hypothesized that the PSYGAT and the Queendom verbal would show no statistical significance in validity coefficients between the English speaking groups and non-English speaking groups. It was also hypothesized that there would be a statistical significance in validity coefficient between the PSYGAT verbal and the Queendom culture fair. The study showed that there was weak validity regarding the PSYGAT and Culture Fair IQ tests. Although there was The results of the study-undertaken reveal that intelligence tests can show bias of different groups. These biases from this study can be related to lack of understanding cultural backgrounds as well as using relevant psychometric measures, which can be linked to low validity in intelligence tests. Bonds argument that social and environmental differences in groups can affect test scores are may suggest similarities within this study in regards to the social setting and environment of participants that took the test. The Intelligence and School Achievement of Negro Children also showed that social conditions were highly correlated with low-test score (Franklin 2007). The results from this study show a significant statistical result between groups for the PSYGAT and culture fair test suggesting that social and environmental differences upon taking the test could have caused bias. In addition, The Brisbane Catholic Education argues that psychologists assessing refugees for intellectual abilities may show bias in their assessment due to lack of proper interpretation (Fraine and Mcdade). That is background-schooling experience, level and quality of education and conceptions of behavior test taking experience can reduce a test score for a certain type of group (Fraine and Mcdade). Th is Study could have affected one group more than another because of such factors. Suggestion of having psychometric instruments that can measure intelligence scores for different types of groups should also be developed in both countries to reduce bias in regards to cultural differences. In this case, Intelligence tests need to have psychometric properties that can be valid for analyzing score between different groups Cohen and Swerdilk 2010). Similar findings were found when people from English speaking background and non-English speaking backgrounds were tested on their IQ. Results show that although the Ravens Progressive Matrices is supposed to be a culture fair IQ test people from English speaking backgrounds did much better scoring 96.71 that people from Zimbabwean sample that scored 72.36 (Shuttleworth-Edwards, Kemp, Rust, Muirhead, Hartman, and Radloff 2004). Zindi also suggests that lack of westernized test sophistication may be the cause for lower scores (Shuttleworth-Edwards, Kemp, Rust, Muirhead, Hartman, and Radloff 2004). This study may have contribu ted to some cultural bias in regards to scores because of one of the test may not have been up to standards in regards to psychometric measures regarding content validity. The limitations in this study could have affected the results. Firstly, the way the three tests were administered could have yielded different intelligence scores for both the groups. Supervising the test takers making sure that the tests were taken without any aid of books or other people could change the results, which could have yielded different interpretation of the validity of the tests. In addition, although there was good internal reliability between the groups the large difference in participants could have changed the chronbachs alpha to either a higher or a lower value. Participant range could have also affected the statistical difference between the groups when assessing the PSYGAT and culture fair IQ component of the study. In addition item analyses should also be investigated to check whether the items begin tested are fair to all participants taking the intelligence test. That is one question could portray more than one meaning to different participants taking the test . Cole suggests item analyses is a difficult task because one must ensure that the item being used is relevant in construct therefore affecting bias (Cole 1989).