Playing Upon the String of Emptiness Essay

Nowadays, the search for something new has been greatly pursued. The availability of resources helped individuals to innovate. It impels them to work beyond the existing rules and surpassing limitations, be it in the field of music, architecture, literature, etc. The modernity of this world brought upon by globalization made it easier to reach cultures. Cultures that were bound by their physical territories before have been accessible because of modern technologies. This easy, unlimited exposure provides endless ideas and innovations that bring about different works of art. For Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, this infinite flow of innovations or novelties offers unrestricted venues for artists to produce their works—venues that are free from rules and do not conform to a certain set of standards. According to him, this poses a threat to the morality of society as well as of the artists’. He argued that novelty is an art with unlimited freedom and thus equates to a soulless art. This perspective was explained in the context of Russian’s struggle with communism which Solzhenitsyn directly experienced. He focused on the deterioration of arts’ standard after the fall of Communism, specifically with literature. Due to the given freedom, arts do not fall under a set of standards, causing the artistic value to suffer. He then related that Communism promoted a new society. To be able to build a new one, the old cultures and traditions should be thrown away: To start a new world is to start from scratch. Solzhenitsyn then compared this situation to the literary artists in his country. They were writing outright criticisms of every aspect of Russian roots like language, religion, and traditional cultures—a move that was so desperate for a change to be made by who he termed as ‘desperate innovators’. The author disapproved of forgetting the roots of any artistic work, for this is important in the development of a new face of art. Solzhenitsyn does not believe in the aggressive step of aiming forward in the arts starting from nothing. Novelty becomes relentless with the absence of ancient roots. It is an unintelligible art with no significant value to the world—an art without a purpose and is useless. Solzhenitsyn cited what kinds of arts were produced because of the frantic novelty frenzy. The arts arising from novelty does not have that spiritual connection from the artist with the world. Since the ‘great cultural tradition’ has been detached, the spiritual grounds that were developed from it are missing as well. Arts were not produced for a greater purpose anymore. Thus, it does not emanate a higher sense of value for the world. It is reduced to a mere display without a profound significance. It was from the author’s observation that the absence of artistic limits has resulted in irresponsibility and apathy. Solzhenitsyn mentioned the ‘what do you care’ attitude of the Russian writers who created literary works when the censorship has been lifted after the downfall of communism. This kind of artistic mindset alienates the welfare of its audience. The line between right and wrong has become thinner, its boundaries blurry and sometimes interchanging. The arts, according to Solzhenitsyn, have been turned into more of a personal ambition of the artists rather than an intentional product of passion and love. He stressed that artists do not bring the world as the subject; they are the focal point. The arts became a movement of personal interests of the artists. Novelty becomes like a venue for affectation. Going back to Solzhenitsyn main argument, novelty became ruthless because it eradicated the classical foundation of arts. Arts cannot push for development if its foundation will be forgotten. It would be more disruptive if it will be forced to progress aggressively without any fundamentals to back it up. Alexander Solzhenitsyn sees novelty as a cause for a more individualistic nature rather than being communal in interaction. He was alarmed by how the current generation responded to old traditions. These traditions were treated as something useless and irrelevant in the present. Novelty was portrayed by the author as something anti-cultural and antagonistic of anything universally accepted. The saying ‘to each his own’ in arts or in general constitutes obscure distinction between good and evil. Another supporting factor for Solzhenitsyn’s argument is that this particular freedom attached with novelty developed into a negative relativity. This has been embraced by young artists who turn self-expression into a lack of sensitivity with regard to the effects of their work to other people. Social responsibility slowly ceased to exist anymore. Artistic freedom has always been believed to be helpful in maximizing an artist’s work. However, Alexander Solzhenitsyn presented an opposite view. The freedom vested on the artist implies a threat of producing an art with is a much lesser value. With no artistic limitations and no principles to follow, art becomes less of a recreation instead of serving a higher purpose. Solzhenitsyn emphasized the need to take the cultural tradition into account because without it, progress will be impossibly successful. He sees novelty as a trend resulting in chaos—socially and morally disruptive. It promotes an individualism that is obviously selfish and divides humanity even more. Innovations should be created for the benefit of others. Arts may be a compiled output of an individual’s unique skills and talents, but there will always be a responsibility attached to it because people get to grasp these works. An art is a huge factor in contributing to the formation of an ideology in a society. It is a powerful tool to propagate a message that can reach a huge number of people. Hence, Solzhenitsyn sees its development as critical because this will determine where the world will be heading to. The world will not be able to move forward without revisiting and considering the past. The cultural traditions within human society should be embedded for development. It is an important basis to learn from past mistakes and to improve on the present. It can be seen that Solzhenitsyn somehow views relentless novelty as the anarchism of art that will later on transcend into society. He mentioned the absence of laws in the process of arts and the lack of absolute truth. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn provided the view of novelty enclosed in a reckless handful of freedom and a lack of traditional grounds. He presented it as something negative because he had witnessed what it did to his people especially to the younger generations. As an artist himself, the author poses a huge concern on what kind of directions the arts would take since he knows the powerful influence of it to the society. He hopes to spread his view to make the younger generations be exposed of what history has brought the Russian country and what were its implications. Solzhenitsyn firmly believes that through history, it may shape the new artists to work for a greater purpose for humanity.

In Man and Superman Shaw Was Not Writing a Regular Play Essay

In Man and Superman Shaw was not writing a regular play; he only united up dialogue, discussion, arguments for the purpose of making them appear as plays. Still the incidents of situations in the play do in one way or the other perpetuate the pursuit of man by woman—of Tanner by Ann. The most interesting is the Hell Scene where the traditional Don Giovanni motif is most comically inverted in the spirit of parody to substantiate Shaw’s thesis that it is the woman basically who is boa-constrictor from whom the new Don Juan flies away to save his person. The Hell Scene has been grafted on the plot from outside and it does not grow from the soil of the story. Its central business is to highlight the central motive of the play—the chase of man by woman as part of the process of Creative Evolution as well as the edification of hell as a most dynamic, therefore desirable condition of existence which ensures happiness of humanity. The metamorphosis of the characters like Tanner and Ann suiting the atmosphere is amazing; but soon the dramatic interest wanes as the arguments start rattling the pros and cons of the Scene. From the point of view of the force of the arguments the Hell Scene has significance, otherwise it looks just bizarre and from the point of view of the force of the plot extraneous. It cannot be denied that the Hell Scene is a most powerful tour-de-force of Shaw’s imagination. Shaw had added to the play a lengthy Preface, rich in thought and content and at the end we get the Revolutionist’s Hand Book and Pocket Companion. The overriding Shavian pre-occupation with his philosophy gets to be continued in Hell Scene. Whenever Shae has an opportunity, he expresses his views (although comically) on happiness, love, marriage, sex relations, women, art, socialism, democracy, industrialisation, religion, morality, virtue, sin, death, peace, war, slavery and a host of other topics. Shaw has been impartial enough to allow even the Devil to have his say and freely express his point of view. The spur behind all this is the assumption that woman is far from weak and helpless and that sexually woman is Nature’s contrivance for the perpetuation of human race. A more intimidating fact is, sexually man is woman’s contrivance for fulfilling nature’s behest in the best possible way. Possessed by the blind fury of creation, woman searches for a male biologically most desirable and when she finds him, she is most ruthless in her pursuit of him. The Don Juan in Hell Scene lifts up this basic theme of life-Force and Creative Evolution with Superman and Superwoman into the realm of Shavian-Socratic dialogue. Shaw comically swaps the Superman of Nietzsche (who was a ruthless being and an embodiment of might! ) by a new Don Juan; Tanner who sees life as co-operation with woman in its upward struggle. If the evolutionist’s account is accurate, life has developed in the waters of the ocean and the slime of the beaches until it reached the gigantic and long since extinct creatures that peopled the earth in pre-historic times. In his vision Tanner hears Don Juan say this to him. Life is a force which has made innumerable experiments in organising itself. He further tells him that as long as he can conceive something better than himself, he cannot be easy unless he is striving to bring it into existence or clearing the way for it: â€Å"That is the law of my life. That is the working within me of life’s incessant aspiration to higher organisation, wider, deeper, intense, self-consciousness and clearer self-understanding. † The Devil in his turn expresses himself eloquently and forcibly about man’s conduct in the world and takes a pessimistic view of him. He holds that human beings are both stupid and evil and on the road to utter destruction. Shaw makes a firm distinction in the process between his two functions as writer: the function of an essayist on the one hand and on the other, that of a playwright. The important difference is that a playwright has to put on the stage a number of characters whose opinions differ and clash for the vital element in drama in conflict. It may be physical conflict, the conflict of emotions, of ideas or even of beliefs. The audience watches and hastens to the conflict; it hears the characters putting forward opposing views; and having heard the arguments the members of the audience use their own thinking powers and reach their own conclusions. Much of what is said by the Devil in Man and Superman is fair statement of the parts of human behaviour is endorsed in other plays by Shaw. What is in doubt is the conclusion the Devil draws from the facts. Can man be saved from his own destructive tendencies? The Devil declares that he cannot. Don Juan believes that he can if he is given the great idea to live for—the great idea, for example, that man can, if he wills, can carry out the divine purpose (read the purpose of Life-Force). The brain will not fail when the will is earnest to Life, the force behind the Man, and intellect is a necessity because without it he blunders into death. Just as Life, after ages of struggle, evolved that wonderful bodily organ, the eye, so that the living organism ould see where it was going and what was going and what was coming to help or threaten, and thus avoid a thousand dangers that finally slew it, so it is evolving to date in mind’s that shall see, not the physical world, but the purpose of Life, and thereby enable the individual to work for that purpose instead of thwarting and baffling it by setting up short-sighted personal aims as present: â€Å"I sing not arms and the Hero but the philosophic man; he who seeks in contemplation to discover the inner will of the world, in invention to discover the means of fulfilling that will and in action to do that will. The supreme triumph of Shaw’s dramaturgical dialectics is to be found in the renewal of renovation of the 18th century image of Don Juan or rather the Spanish Don Giovanni. It is important because Tanner receives the mantle of the incendiary from this super human image. Of course, the method has been one of conversion of old materials in to 19th century terms, both thematic and technical. He rejects altogether the schism oIn Man and Superman Shaw was not writing a regular play; he only united up dialogue, discussion, arguments for the purpose of making them appear as plays. Still the incidents of situations in the play do in one way or the other perpetuate the pursuit of man by woman—of Tanner by Ann. The most interesting is the Hell Scene where the traditional Don Giovanni motif is most comically inverted in the spirit of parody to substantiate Shaw’s thesis that it is the woman basically who is boa-constrictor from whom the new Don Juan flies away to save his person. The Hell Scene has been grafted on the plot from outside and it does not grow from the soil of the story. Its central business is to highlight the central motive of the play—the chase of man by woman as part of the process of Creative Evolution as well as the edification of hell as a most dynamic, therefore desirable condition of existence which ensures happiness of humanity. The metamorphosis of the characters like Tanner and Ann suiting the atmosphere is amazing; but soon the dramatic interest wanes as the arguments start rattling the pros and cons of the Scene. From the point of view of the force of the arguments the Hell Scene has significance, otherwise it looks just bizarre and from the point of view of the force of the plot extraneous. It cannot be denied that the Hell Scene is a most powerful tour-de-force of Shaw’s imagination. Shaw had added to the play a lengthy Preface, rich in thought and content and at the end we get the Revolutionist’s Hand Book and Pocket Companion. The overriding Shavian pre-occupation with his philosophy gets to be continued in Hell Scene. Whenever Shae has an opportunity, he expresses his views (although comically) on happiness, love, marriage, sex relations, women, art, socialism, democracy, industrialisation, religion, morality, virtue, sin, death, peace, war, slavery and a host of other topics. Shaw has been impartial enough to allow even the Devil to have his say and freely express his point of view. The spur behind all this is the assumption that woman is far from weak and helpless and that sexually woman is Nature’s contrivance for the perpetuation of human race. A more intimidating fact is, sexually man is woman’s contrivance for fulfilling nature’s behest in the best possible way. Possessed by the blind fury of creation, woman searches for a male biologically most desirable and when she finds him, she is most ruthless in her pursuit of him. The Don Juan in Hell Scene lifts up this basic theme of life-Force and Creative Evolution with Superman and Superwoman into the realm of Shavian-Socratic dialogue. Shaw comically swaps the Superman of Nietzsche (who was a ruthless being and an embodiment of might! ) by a new Don Juan; Tanner who sees life as co-operation with woman in its upward struggle. If the evolutionist’s account is accurate, life has developed in the waters of the ocean and the slime of the beaches until it reached the gigantic and long since extinct creatures that peopled the earth in pre-historic times. In his vision Tanner hears Don Juan say this to him. Life is a force which has made innumerable experiments in organising itself. He further tells him that as long as he can conceive something better than himself, he cannot be easy unless he is striving to bring it into existence or clearing the way for it: â€Å"That is the law of my life. That is the working within me of life’s incessant aspiration to higher organisation, wider, deeper, intense, self-consciousness and clearer self-understanding. † The Devil in his turn expresses himself eloquently and forcibly about man’s conduct in the world and takes a pessimistic view of him. He holds that human beings are both stupid and evil and on the road to utter destruction. Shaw makes a firm distinction in the process between his two functions as writer: the function of an essayist on the one hand and on the other, that of a playwright. The important difference is that a playwright has to put on the stage a number of characters whose opinions differ and clash for the vital element in drama in conflict. It may be physical conflict, the conflict of emotions, of ideas or even of beliefs. The audience watches and hastens to the conflict; it hears the characters putting forward opposing views; and having heard the arguments the members of the audience use their own thinking powers and reach their own conclusions. Much of what is said by the Devil in Man and Superman is fair statement of the parts of human behaviour is endorsed in other plays by Shaw. What is in doubt is the conclusion the Devil draws from the facts. Can man be saved from his own destructive tendencies? The Devil declares that he cannot. Don Juan believes that he can if he is given the great idea to live for—the great idea, for example, that man can, if he wills, can carry out the divine purpose (read the purpose of Life-Force). The brain will not fail when the will is earnest to Life, the force behind the Man, and intellect is a necessity because without it he blunders into death. Just as Life, after ages of struggle, evolved that wonderful bodily organ, the eye, so that the living organism could see where it was going and what was going and what was coming to help or threaten, and thus avoid a thousand dangers that finally slew it, so it is evolving to date in mind’s that shall see, not the physical world, but the purpose of Life, and thereby enable the individual to work for that purpose instead of thwarting and baffling it by setting up short-sighted personal aims as present: â€Å"I sing not arms and the Hero but the philosophic man; he who seeks in contemplation to discover the inner will of the world, in invention to discover the means of fulfilling that will and in action to do that will. † The supreme triumph of Shaw’s dramaturgical dialectics is to be found in the renewal of renovation of the 18th century image of Don Juan or rather the Spanish Don Giovanni. It is important because Tanner receives the mantle of the incendiary from this super human image. Of course, the method has been one of conversion of old materials in to 19th century terms, both thematic and technical. He rejects altogether the schism of Byron and Tanner can be the rake or a mindless Philanderer as Byron’s Don Juan has been. Shaw’s claim to be returning to a pristine Don Juan is valid to the extent that the theme had originally been less of psychological than of philosophical or even indeed theological interest. It is true that Don Juan runs away from them only after possessing them. Tanner in Shaw’s play runs away rather to prevent them from possessing them. That old motif has been deliberately turned upside down in a vein of parody, embodying Shaw’s standard new motif. Shaw substituted an utterly Scribean closed structure. The Don Juan episode in Act II is neither a well-made play, nor a portion of a well-made play. It stands out apart as something appropriately more austere and august. As Eric Bentley points out, â€Å"It is not a traditional work of any kind, not even a Platonic dialogue, the relation between Socrates and his interlocutors being quite different. † Nor is it s debate for two of the speakers, the Commander and Ann hardly present arguments at all. They simply represent a point of view. Do even the Devil and Don Juan discuss anything between them? A Devil is scarcely a being one can convert to a cause: â€Å"and if the Don is busy convincing anyone it is himself. † Certainly it is the philosophy of Bernard Shaw that he parrot-preaches. But one doubts if persuasion is exercised by that on the audience. Rather, the contribution of the four presences come together as a vision of life and an intimating of super-life—Man and Superman. The comedy of John Tanner of the vision of Don Juan Tenoria—Shaw and counter-Shaw thesis and antithesis are to be sure, of separate interests, and yet, as usual, the great Shavian achievement is to have related one to the other. Tanner seems a wise man, proves a fool. Don Juan passes for philanderer but proves an explorer and a missionary of the truth. In our trivial, tawdry, clever, Scribean world intellect is futile and ever at the mercy of instinct. Take away the episode in Hell and Shaw has written an anti-intellectual comedy! The episode assigns to the intellect the highest role. No longer, therefore, is Ann the centre and source of things—only a possible mother for Superman. Here Don Juan dominates. Here (or rather in Heaven) intellect is at home, and the Don is cured of that occupational disease of Shavian Heroes of homelessness. â€Å"He comes to a good end†Ã¢â‚¬â€only it is not an end, it’s an episode, and from these celestial infernal heights we must descend to earth with the shock of Shavian anti-climax, to earth and to tanner, from Superman. f Byron and Tanner can be the rake or a mindless Philanderer as Byron’s Don Juan has been. Shaw’s claim to be returning to a pristine Don Juan is valid to the extent that the theme had originally been less of psychological than of philosophical or even indeed theological interest. It is true that Don Juan runs away from them only after possessing them. Tanner in Shaw’s play runs away rather to prevent them from possessing them. That old motif has been deliberately turned upside down in a vein of parody, embodying Shaw’s standard new motif. Shaw substituted an utterly Scribean closed structure. The Don Juan episode in Act II is neither a well-made play, nor a portion of a well-made play. It stands out apart as something appropriately more austere and august. As Eric Bentley points out, â€Å"It is not a traditional work of any kind, not even a Platonic dialogue, the relation between Socrates and his interlocutors being quite different. † Nor is it s debate for two of the speakers, the Commander and Ann hardly present arguments at all. They simply represent a point of view. Do even the Devil and Don Juan discuss anything between them? A Devil is scarcely a being one can convert to a cause: â€Å"and if the Don is busy convincing anyone it is himself. † Certainly it is the philosophy of Bernard Shaw that he parrot-preaches. But one doubts if persuasion is exercised by that on the audience. Rather, the contribution of the four presences come together as a vision of life and an intimating of super-life—Man and Superman. The comedy of John Tanner of the vision of Don Juan Tenoria—Shaw and counter-Shaw thesis and antithesis are to be sure, of separate interests, and yet, as usual, the great Shavian achievement is to have related one to the other. Tanner seems a wise man, proves a fool. Don Juan passes for philanderer but proves an explorer and a missionary of the truth. In our trivial, tawdry, clever, Scribean world intellect is futile and ever at the mercy of instinct. Take away the episode in Hell and Shaw has written an anti-intellectual comedy! The episode assigns to the intellect the highest role. No longer, therefore, is Ann the centre and source of things—only a possible mother for Superman. Here Don Juan dominates. Here (or rather in Heaven) intellect is at home, and the Don is cured of that occupational disease of Shavian Heroes of homelessness. â€Å"He comes to a good end†Ã¢â‚¬â€only it is not an end, it’s an episode, and from these celestial infernal heights we must descend to earth with the shock of Shavian anti-climax, to earth and to tanner, from Superman.

Achievements of the EU

Achievements of the EU Mao Julin Hay Jean Leang Pisey Kim Chansreynich Hao Kanhamonisopea Bun Kimsour European Union (EU) is a union formed by mainly European countries, which is established in term of economy and politics. Its origin is European Community that formally created in November 1, 1993 which involves with 6 members-Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and Netherland. Nowadays, there are 28 members. EU’s headquarter is located in Brussels, Belgium. So far, European Union has reached many achievements such as the promotion and expansion of cooperation with its Member States in economic, trade, social issues, foreign policy, security, defense, and judicial issues. Another major accomplishment of EU is the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) that makes EU succeed in having a single currency (EURO) along with a common monetary policy. EU is famous for its economy on which many countries around the world are being focused. Economic integration is one of the main goals that EU has considered since its first establishment in 1957, and it has a significantly visible success based on fundamentally by a single currency-the Euro. It is a common currency in the circle of euro area that recently can facilitate the monetary circulation in 18 countries of the member states. Interestingly, its achievement of becoming the second largest currency of the world after dollars has pushed the European community’s economy to flourish further. Euro contributes to maintain the stability and prospect of economic society climate, which attract more investment and international or regional trade through the convenient calculation without involving with the foreign exchange rate. The common monetary policy has been adopted in order to acquire greater achievement, common objective and ensure benefits of all euro area states that use euro as their currency. In addition, cross-border trade and investment are the ultimate goal of Euro zone countries. EU removed trade barri ers in order to facilitate the flow of goods and services, which can fill in each other’s gap between the Member States. The common purpose is to increase competition and take away all restriction obstacles of the free movement of goods in the Common Market so that they can accelerate the economic development. The mobility of products, goods and capital facilitate human consumption within the region. Moreover, the free movement of capital is intended to permit movement of investments such as property purchase and buying of shares between countries. All intra-EU transfers in euro are considered as domestic payments and bear the corresponding domestic transfer costs. Another EU achievement is a so-called Custom Union, which was established in an attempt to adopt the common arrangement for imports from other countries based on common external tariff, provides to all members. This effort is made to develop the world trade and facilitate trade beyond border from all countries arou nd the world. What is more important about its achievements is to establish a society with the same rule for different nationalities; for example, people from each country in the name as membership of EU can possibly travel and move freely to settle down, work, retire, or vote, either permanently or temporarily, without any discrimination. For students who want to experience cross-border education. Thousands of students from EU citizen can get a common standard of education simultaneously experience intercultural understanding and good condition of living and studying in other European member states annually. Due to common passport creation, it has been granted to EU people in order to be indicated as EU citizen and move freely.

Writing the supernatural Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing the supernatural - Essay Example The appearance or the way the ghost has been launched in the story, â€Å"The Story of Salome† is more mystic and a tone of melancholia pervades or consistently operates throughout the background of the story, which makes it more pleasant and touches the heart with clear and concise effect. The appearance of the ghost in the story, â€Å"The Weir† is comparatively more transparent and soon after the beginning of the plot itself, there are certain clear indications like relentless rain and some elements of mystery such as the priest’s search for the men from Glen for couple of Carrick fellows for digging the grave and the weird smell of the sheep, all these incidents indicates certain sense of continuous foreboding. But in â€Å"The Story of Salome†, the playful display of light and shadow, the sun and the cloud builds a unique kind of background and prepares the different plane for the evocation of the ghost in the story. The evocation of the ghost is equivalent almost to the evocation of a muse in an epic. After the introspection into the evocation of ghost in both the stories, the differences in the studying of the ways the men in both the stories are haunted is also important. There is no doubt in the fact that the story, â€Å"The Story of Salome† is more serene in nature than the story â€Å"The Weir†. The haunted man in the story â€Å"The Weir†, Jim is a young fellow who appears in the story for the purpose of digging grave and help the priest in certain funeral rites. Whereas, the man who is haunted in the story, â€Å"The Story of Salome† appears to be a matured man disturbed and attracted by some unknown occult and weird beauty. Both of the men in the two different stories are disturbed by few unknown facets but again a major difference in the stories can be drawn from the way, the haunted men are represented respectively. In the story , â€Å"The Weir†, J im, the haunted man is

Ernest Hemingway Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ernest Hemingway - Research Paper Example Ernest Hemingway lived a colorful and heroic life, and the reflection of the incidents he encountered, some of them near death situations, the two World Wars and the holocaust make his literature the storehouse of rich experiences. His writing style is unhurried and unique. Ernest Hemingway: Biography Ernest Miller Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois and he is the second child of his parents Grace Hall and Clarence Edmonds Hemingway. His father was a medial practitioner and his mother was a teacher of music. They took interest in serving the Church and did their duties there. Hemingway’s latent literary genius was showing as a student, but his teacher had problems with his handwriting. After graduation, he shifted to Kansas City and joined as a cub reporter for the Star Newspaper. The ongoing World War excited him and he joined Red Cross as an ambulance driver. He was injured in the war and during the course of his recuperation, he met Agnes von Kurowsky. Ernest took the relationship seriously but Agnes treated him as a kid. The result of his war-related experiences was the book â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†. He returned to America to be honored as a war hero. With the termination of relationship with Agnes, Hemingway was heart-broken. In Chicago, when on freelance assignments, he met Hadley Richardson and they got married in 1921. Both of them moved to Paris, on the advice of a friend, to live in association with other writers. That move brought Hemingway to the limelight in the world of literature. Ernest Hemingway was on the move on the literary canvas. In Paris he did some writing for the Toronto Star newspaper. In 1923, His work â€Å"Three Stories and Ten Poems† was published I n Paris. His first child was born, a son who was affectionately called â€Å"Bumby†. â€Å"The Sun Also Rises,† a novel published in 1926 brought him to the international circuit in literature. Soon the marriage with Hadley ended , but Hemingway remarried Pauline Pfeiffer and they moved to Key West, Florida. His father committed suicide while he was completing â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† and his writing was interrupted. By then Hemingway had taken to heavy drinking. They had two sons during the period 1928 to 1931. He had a disciplined approach to hid work, notwithstanding his drinking habit. Further books followed like, â€Å"Death In the Afternoon†, â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro†, and â€Å"The Green Hills of Africa.† The marriage again was on the rocks and he went to Spain accompanied by his new love Martha Gellhorn. In 1940, he was celebrating the publication of â€Å"For Whom the Bell Tolls† and in the same year he divorced Pauline. They jointly bought a house in Cuba and World War II broke out and Hemingway went to Europe to cover the war. Martha was already there to work. Their relationship however ended in 1945. He was in love again and he married Mary Welsh in the y ear 1946.They returned to Cuba and Hemingway was on his writing assignments again. Soon his great novel, â€Å"The Old Man and The Sea† was published and that fetched to him the Pulitzer Prize. In 1954 he won the Nobel Prize for literature. He met with an accident; as such he was unable to remain present in the Nobel Award presentation ceremony. The next phase in his life was full of tragedies. Ernest and Mary were enjoying a safari in Africa, and they were involved in a plane crash. The injuries were minor and the rescue plane

Employee Relations concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Employee Relations concepts - Essay Example The grievance redressal procedure of an organization enables employees to air their dissatisfaction. It is important that organization has an effective grievance redressal system. This helps the organization to solve problems at the level of an individual rather than have them result in industrial unrest. Keeping track of employee grievances also helps an organization check its policies and procedures to avoid similar problems in the future and at the same time maintain good and relations with its employees. Grievances can arise out of the day-to-day working relations in an undertaking. Relations with supervisors and other colleagues also determine employee's job satisfaction. According to the National Commission on Labour, "the complaints affecting one or more individual workers in respect of their wage payments, overtime, leave, transfer, promotion, seniority, work assignment and discharge would constitute grievances." Such grievances, if not dealt with immediately and in accordance with a procedure that secures the respect of all parties, can result in climate of industrial conflict. In the absence of a grievance redressal system, an employee could either keep his dissatisfaction to himself or share it with his colleagues. ... Denial of leave, overtime or other benefits. Grievance Redressal Procedure - The Need There are a number of advantages that accrue to an organization because of its grievance redressal procedure. In the absence of a grievance redressal system, an employee could either keep his dissatisfaction to himself or share it with his colleagues. If an employee has not means of expressing his dissatisfaction, he will get frustrated and this would affect his performance. If he chooses to share his grievances with his colleagues, it could lead to unpleasantness and an unhealthy work environment. It might even lead to industrial unrest. If the settlement of the grievance at the first level does not satisfy the employee, he can approach the next level. The employee is given more than one opportunity in an effective redressal procedure. Grievance procedures keep a check on arbitrary actions. As a result, supervisors usually do not indulge in biased decisions. They are apprehensive of the employees approaching higher levels of management in order to redress their grievances. Grievance procedures help in upward communication. Employees are free to express their discontentment, problems or frustrations to the top management. By this, the top management becomes increasingly aware of the problems of the employees. Previous knowledge and experience, captured in the grievance redressal system, helps the management when formulating major plans like plant expansion or installation of latest technology. The management can take into consideration the problems that may be encountered by the employees. A good grievance redressal system helps to maintain harmonious industrial relations as employee grievances are settled before they turn into industrial conflicts. Trade

Behavioural Intervention Grading Scheme Case Study

Behavioural Intervention Grading Scheme - Case Study Example Alyssa will get a chance to showcase her potential and overcome the obstacle of Autism to thrive in the world of education just like her peers and mentors. Alyssa’s problem behaviour of punching and scratching her legs and arms when upset has led to her being moved away from her peers and other care givers. This has led to her being examined by her physician, Dr. Taylor who has recommended a rationale and monitoring her behaviour since she does not have any history. The Joint attention process is one of the underpinning skills of communal behaviour. A joint attention is a communal contact between a child and another whereby they carve up attention on a familiar subject matter or purpose. Joint attention develops by whats more responding to one’s awareness directive or developing joint attention with an extra person. The major rationale of the Joint attention program is the â€Å"application of an objective as the way for obtaining a grown-ups attention†. The involved child (in our case Alyssa) develops a significant social contact with the adult care givers by directing their gazes at the mutual objective or coming to terms with the adults’ satisfaction of the objective by smiling and responding properly. Imitation is the foundation for gaining a new-fangled skill set. A child suffering from autism will observe a skill and emulate the behaviour in anticipation of competently learning and generalizing the new skill into all domains. Alyssa will definitely benefit from taking part in such a task since she will feel accommodated and gain the confidence of her peers and care givers. Social play manners is a multifaceted set of inherent behaviours used to pilot peer play. Restricted ability to act in response to joint attention bids, kick off social interaction and emulate social behaviour diminish social play

Business Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Research - Essay Example To quote Henry R. Luce, "Business more than any other occupation is a continual dealing with the future; it is continual calculation, an instinctive exercise in foresight." This extract alone tells us the importance of Business Research; the process of obtaining information. This paper, in its first part, will discuss the purpose and importance of business research in detail. It will also put light on how it is conducted and its strength and weaknesses. The second part of my paper will examine and analyze my own business research proposal.With globalization taking its toll in its truest sense, the business world has become more competitive than ever. New businesses are formed, the market keeps growing and changing, competition keeps increasing. In order to remain informed, it is absolutely essential for businesses today to carry out research about the market, about businesses and about anything that helps them to make informed decisions. Research is not only for scholars, but it is for anybody, any business that wishes to update its knowledge base.In the past, there was no such (or maybe just a vague) concept of information. Firms used to sit in their seats and guess which decisions will be successful and which will fail. Today, fortunately or unfortunat ely, guess work will not get most businesses far. It is important to have information before making the right decision. This is the most important aspect of business research; it facilitates in smart decision making.... If, for instance, a firm has some kind of knowledge about some new, relevant technology being developed in the market, and none of the other competing firms have this (because they don't carry out market research), this firm will be at a much better position in its market only because it carried out business research and thus was informed. Finally, some importance should be given to another, related and spawned off advantage; it helps in problem-solving. Business Research is a great tool used for solving any business problem. It makes it easier to see all sides of a problem and gives firms a 360 degree, comprehensive view of the problem at hand. How Business Research is Conducted There are many different ways that a business can conduct research. There is primary research, which means researching a question yourself by going out in the field and then there is secondary research, which means searching using second-hand or desk information. Different groups and sources have different names for methods. Essentially, they are all the same. The following primary methods are useful for our purpose: Appreciative Inquiry, Case Study Design, Focus Groups, Interview Designs, Questionnaire, Observations and Surveys. Some of these are qualitative, for example, interviews while some are quantitative.Additionally, business research is conducted as a process. There are many different stages in the process of business research. It starts off with formulating a research question, that is, the focus of the research must be specified here. Then there is the hypothesis that gives your predictions and analysis of the answer to you research question. To test this hypothesis, some kind of a method (discussed earlier)

Personal health and safety at the construction site Essay

Personal health and safety at the construction site - Essay Example A high level of risk is inherent in the construction work. The heavy equipment, channels of electric supplies, and mechanical operations all make construction work very risky from the point of view of safety. Almost a third of all fatalities in the construction projects happen during the execution of a project (hes.gov.uk, n.d.). If the CDM coordination is not done appropriately, the finished structure might be unsafe for use and maintenance, and lack its potential to deliver good value for investment to the client. Ideally, the CDM coordinator is appointed while the project is in its conceptual stage before the completion of the initial design work of the project (hse.gov.uk, n.d.). This provides the CDM coordinators with an opportunity to decide the feasibility of the project and identify possible constraints related to client’s expectations and project’s execution. It is crucial to appoint a CDM coordinator before the commencement of the detailed design. The client h as to appoint a CDM coordinator when the duration of a project is more than 30 days or when the number of person days of work exceeds 500 (cdm-regulations-uk.co.uk, n.d.). This requirement also stands for the planning supervisor, though a CDM coordinator, unlike a planning supervisor, needs to help the client fulfill the duties, particularly the adequacy of arrangements of other duty holders. Before the appointment of a CDM coordinator, nothing more than the initial design work should be completed. The CDM coordinators that are appointed on the construction sites assume the responsibilities declared in the CDM 2007. These responsibilities include cooperating and coordinating with the organizations for the personnel’s health and safety benefits. The CDM coordinators need to ensure that their training is up-to-date and the work is done safely. They need complete briefing before doing work that is high in risk. The CDM coordinators should get appropriate certifications to do the work competently (newlifecleaning.com, n.d.). A CDM coordinator can provide a principal contractor with assistance in numerous aspects of health and safety including development and implementation of a documented plan and rules of the construction site, advice on the facilities of site security, evaluation of the appointees’ competence, and advice on the site induction training (SHERWOOD SURVEYORS, 2013). Evaluation of the duties and responsibilities of a CDM coordinator suggests that he assumes a major role in the entire project life-cycle starting from the concept of the project through to the feasibility studies, design, execution, monitoring and control, and the delivery of the project. As the name of this job suggests, the CDM coordinator ensures coordination between the design, construction, and management of the project. This includes all aspects that are directly or indirectly related to the work, such as management of health and safety of the personnel, protection o f environment, and flow of communication between the project parties. Analysis of these responsibilit

Ritz Carlton Case Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ritz Carlton Case Studies - Essay Example In Malaysia, McBride, the general manager, introduced the practice of extending a welcome to passengers at the airport by giving discount coupons and mimosas, amongst others, not to mention the presence of a fully furnished room of Ritz-Carlton in the airport. All these were totally novel and unique concepts of marketing that go on to fortify the hotel’s image as a leader in the realm of customer care.† (1) Another vital factor contributing towards the hotel’s success story is the tremendous amount of importance that is accorded to people associated it – both employees and also the customers. The consistent growth of any organization is heavily dependent on the manner in which the people associated with it are treated. This very factor is all the more relevant for entities operating in the sphere of hospitality. â€Å"It is the firm conviction of Ritz-Carlton that when a customer stays in its premises, for the entire duration, the hotel is the home for them. Hence, the hotel’s 7 Day Countdown Orientation program for new recruits is predominantly aimed at making them fully understand the relevance of this concept. One of the first precepts communicated to the new employees is â€Å"We all are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen†. This speaks volumes about the friendly and amicable treatment that Ritz-Carlton gives to its employees. Additionally , it is in this very cordial atmosphere that the skills of the employees are honed, ensuring that they run the extra mile in addressing the all-important aspect of customer service. Last but not the least, the various things inclusive in the orientation program such as The Credo, The Employee Promise and The Twenty Basics, to cite a few, go a long way in making sure that employee efficiency would invariably lead to customer satisfaction.† (1) At this juncture, it would be worthwhile to understand as to what actually is being sold by Ritz-Carlton. The answer to that resulting from a mere

Information Policy and Governance Essay Example for Free

Information Policy and Governance Essay Besides the security loopholes and privacy demands from information providers and users, there are various issues that have drawn the attention of information management from the novice systems to advanced information management systems. Policies, in the management worlds have been used as guidelines against which certain safety frameworks are checked. In the information management sectors, policies are guidelines against which the integrity of information and its security can be formulated. Complexity  Whilst I have recognized that a governance copycat seems now to be undulating, I am reluctant to have a definite conclusion and certainly not in a gullible fashion. Instead, I believe that governing complexity of information is far from straightforward and, indeed, that governance malfunction in an organization is custom. Where there are not corporate strategies to guide information management, computer executives will be in risk when making long-term technology choices making it imperative for top-management executive and possibly shareholders to be involved in any decisions that involve governing of Information. The dangers of internal or external threats to a company’s data are becoming more complex as the profundity, extent of a company’s information expands hastily, and data is collective with business partners, suppliers, and customers. The complexities involved in the policy formulation process may be mainly sourced from the end users who may not always be agreeable to the draft policies and without adequate coordination, the process can collapse. Massive training programs, in-depth directives, guidelines and basic instructions, must all be considered as part of the policy formulation processes hence the complexity. Although the complexity of policy formulation may be in the initial stages, governance poses a challenge in the implementation phases. Information Policy Formulation of information management policies involves both the policy formulators and the information users. There is much coordination and interpretation needed. In many instances, there would be several drafts, approvals, debates and eventual releases. Though the information users may agree to the underlying policies on how they would create, have or gain access to, store, as well as dispose of information be it personal or business information, there may be numerous challenges to top management on how to govern and manage the long-term adherence to the formulated policies. Accountability procedures have to therefore be implemented to ensue that the policies agreed upon are not only implemented but adhered to. Policy Frame works. Besides the challenges involved in making agreeable terms upon which information management can be based, basic policies have to be formulated to guide all the stakeholders on the foundational frameworks of information integrity and security. In this case, the attention is then drawn to some basis questions: who makes the information management policies? How are the information management policies made? â€Å"Traditional organizational structure is crumbling under the weight of ever increasing egulations that drive greater accountability and transparency. Smart companies are on the forefront of building new and improved structures that support and enhance this new compliance environment, and best practices are emerging† (Atkinson Leandri, 2005, p. 37). The foundational frameworks upon which information management policies are formulated are key. Basic consideration, in this process, is given to the particular organizational needs as well as long-term goals. Both short-term as well as long-term organizational information needs have to also be evaluated, both Bookmark Privacy In any democratic society privacy is an essential human right. And now organizations are evolving in their thoughts about information privacy. More focus is being placed on the value it can deliver to an organization, and how it can contribute to enhanced and sustained stakeholder value. Most businesses are very particular about data privacy by making sure that certain data does not end up in wrong hands. As part of putting into practice this requests, the business logic section executes functions that make compulsory privacy rules which are a derivative from business rules and sources for government, industry and consumer privacy rules. Rules Traditionally, law and government policy have customary default rules for information policy, but for network environments and the information society the government is not solely responsible for making this rules. In any organization that shares data both internally and externally rules have to be put in place to govern who and when information can be accessed. And if the information is accessed there has to be certain checks and balances that make sure only the information required can be accessed. Linked Data Linked data is the aptitude of an organization to add one information set to another data set and use it for further relevance. This can be achieved by making some changes to the way information is presented to the public and some naming standards have to be implemented and followed. This is not a necessarily complex change that an organization needs to make but it will require alto of expertise, strategy planning and implementation. Places that offer information to public, such as libraries would benefit enormously from using linked data design. It means that they will stop spending time on data aggregation and start spending it on analysis and action of the already existing data. An example is linked data can be used in secure surroundings to help partners share personal, sensitive or profitable information on presentation and resources and help better target those in need or areas for improvement. Conclusion Not every organisation has setup an information management policy, and many carry out their business commendably without one. However, certain occurrences can occur and will alert such organisations to the necessity for one, however, and perpetually this will be at that dangerous ‘its too late’ moment. To avoid such kind of mishaps it is always good for organization to start planning on how they will manage there information and govern it within the company.

The Homo Erectus vs Modern Man Essay Example for Free

The Homo Erectus vs Modern Man Essay The 2002 discovery of a1. 77 million year old bones of an old man in Dmanisi, Georgia unveiled fertile grounds for a plethora of information about the Homo erectus. Dmanisi, a village characterized by its medieval ruins, is not far from Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital. Dmanisi has been the focus of archaeologists’ explorations since the early 1990s. Findings up to 2002 were typically comprised of early human fossils. The latest evacuations of 5 Homo erectus vertebrae in 2005 was even more infinitive providing anthropologists with a unique opportunity to make instructive comparisons to modern human beings. Anthropologist Marc Meyer from the University of Philadelphia together with David Lordkipandize and Abesalom Vekua from the Georgian State Museum in Tbilisi said that the vertebrae were compared to those of modern man, chimpanzees and gorillas. It is possible that the ancient Homo erectus spoke to one another. The Homo erectus’ remains unearthed at Dmanisi in 2005 and compared to modern man, chimpanzees and gorillas reveal that the ancient remains were capable of supporting respiratory organs that are necessary for oral speech. Although Meyer notes that it is not possible to prove that prehistoric man spoke, the Homo erectus remains evacuated at Dmanisi did not exhibit respiratory constraints relative to speech. The vertebrae of the Homo erectus, although significantly smaller than that of modern man is vastly similar. The similarities in vertebrae structures are indicative of similar human physical traits in terms of posture, mobility and quite possibly communication. This might explain why there is a large debate over the characterization of a 1. 6 million year old skeleton unearthed in Kenya in 1984. The skeletal remains were small and similar to that of a chimpanzee leaving some scientists to conclude that it was the remains of Homo ergaster rather than a Homo erectus. The fact is, scientists are more inclined to conclude that the Homo erectus was possessed of a speech-friendly physique. Previously, all other Homo genus forms were devoid of the vertebrae supportive of speech and had limited speech range. References Beers, K. ; Odell, L. ; Arpin, G. ; Brinnin, J. and Hermacki, T. (2003) Holt Literature and Language Arts. Holt, Rinehart and Winston Bower, B. and Lobdell, J. (2004) History Alive! Teachers’ Curriculum Institute. National Geographic (April 2005) â€Å"Human Erectus Discovery†. http://ngm. nationalgeographic. com/ngm/0504/feature2/gallery4. html (Retrieved July 7, 2010). The Dmanisi Site (n. d. ). http://www. donsmaps. com/dmanisi. html (Retrieved July 7, 2010).

Devolution In The UK | Analysis

Devolution In The UK | Analysis This essay has explained the process of devolution in the UK. It has also compared the UK with other countries, such as, Iran, Iraq, Spain, Belgium and Bahrain in respect of devolution. It has been discussed the differences between the above countries in respect of continental, geopolitical, cultural and religious factors. The process of devolution in the UK has been mentioned as a democratic process, and how nations have been allowed to express their political and cultural solicitations. Comparisons and the differences between Catalans, Flanders and Bahrainians have been analysed. The essay also compared the differences between Wales and Kurdistan in respect of devolution. It has been found that the people of Catalonia in Spain and Flanders in Belgium have got similar problems which are based on linguistic and historical conflicts. It has been considered that the main problem between people in Bahrain, based on religious differences, because of the Sunni Muslim being in minority rule the Shi`i Muslims are in the majority. According to the content of this essay, one of the main factors that encourage the minority nations towards separation and devolution is based on discriminatory policies by central government. It has been mentioned that in democratic countries the process of devolution is more peaceful and more successful in comparison to non-democratic countries. Devolution in the UK Introduction This assignment explains and covers the process of devolution in the UK and the advantages and disadvantages of devolution. It also compares the UK to other countries with similar situations, in respect of political, geopolitical, national, cultural and historical factors. It will also discuss what shifts the nations towards devolution, why nations want more power from central government what are the barriers in the fore front of the process of devolution, who is slowing down the speed of decentralisation. In order to compare and contrast the process of devolution in the UK ,with other countries in Europe and even other countries outside of Europe, for example, countries such as Iran, Iraq, Spain, Belgium, Turkey and Bahrain. To explore these information within this essay some sources need to be searched, such as, internet, books and journals. This essay will cover the history and foundation of devolution in the UK; it will explain the process of devolution in countries within the UK, such as, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In terms of barriers in the fore front of devolution by political parties in the UK, this assignment discuss and discover the reasons, why those parties preventing the process of devolution, such as , Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Main body History and foundation of devolution in the UK It looks at the history of devolution in the UK, how a form of administrative devolution started in Scotland in 1885, when the Scottish Office was established as a department of the UK government. The Scottish Office for some issues had more responsibility which in England and Wales was dealt with by Whitehall departments. (Jennifer, 2008) There were some other attempts by the Scottish government such as the referendum in 1979 to establish a Scottish Assembly which wasnt supported by the majority of the electorate. In 1989 the Scottish Constitutional Convention was established which was supported by the people of Scotland and political parties to draw up a detailed blueprint for devolution including a proposal for a directly elected Parliament for Scottish with wide legislative power. (Jennifer, 2008) There are some other countries with similar geopolitical situation as the UK. The comparison of the UK with countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria, Spain and Belgium, there are differences between each country, in respect of geographical, cultural, political, and economical factors and religion but they have something in common. All of them have been established by a variety of nations, and these countries have been ruled by one nation which is in the majority, however, the nation rule such countries often is not in majority. For example, over 70% of the population in Bahrain are Shi`i Muslim but the government run by Sunnis in the minority. (Ojallan, 1999, p 120) There are some reasons why other nations in those countries want more power, autonomy or independence. A reason could be that the nation which is in power deprives and tries to assimilate the smaller nations, therefore, deprived nations attempt to obtain their own independence or autonomy or to have more power to make appropriate and enthusiastic decisions for their own regions. (Ojallan, 1999, p 134) To gain these kinds of powers two things have usually been used as political tools, devolution and revolution. In terms of devolution there are some similarities between the UK and Spain in respect of multinationals, there are other nations in Spain such as Catalonia and the Basques, they have their own autonomy. (Ojallan, 1999, p 140) The effect of devolution in the UK and how nations such as Wales, Scotland, and Ireland have been affected by devolution, People who lives in Wales see the advantages of devolution in Wales. As Welsh people are in the process of devolution they see how devolution create a greater regional identity and develops those structures that support the growth of business, political power, social welfare and culture which suit the people in the region. (Mitchell, 2009) Devolution enables Wales, Scotland, and Ireland to have more power to make their own decisions on the basis of cultural, politics and economical factors relevant for their regional demands. (Ryder, 2004) HISTORY OF DEVOLUTION IN WALES To really understand the importance of devolution in Wales, people need to look at the history of the country. As in every country in the world, the people of Wales have got their own geographical, cultural and political identity. People in the Wales faced a linguistic challenge from 18th century till 20th century, when the Welsh language was forbidden by the government in Westminster. In 1845 the Minister of State of Education was summoned to the Westminster parliament for an inquiry. As a result of that a commission of 3 young English advocates carried out an examination and ended up with a report which was published in 1847. Finally, they came to the conclusion that as well as poverty and degradation, the Welsh background and language had created barriers and affected the economical, educational and moral progress. As Sir Reginald Couplad mentioned It is not surprising that the Commissioners should have swept aside the ancient language of Wales as ruthlessly as Macauley a decade earlier had swept aside the ancient languages of India. But the commissioners ignored the fact that the reasons for poor educational, economical, moral conditions and poverty in Wales were discriminatory policies in central government. Thus, people of Wales had no chance except being poor and that is why Wales wanted more power and the people of Wales continued to fight to protect their identity and prevent the English ruling class from considering Welsh people as the same contempt with the people of Africa and India 50 years ago. (Kireey, 2007) By looking at the history of the United Kingdoms flag how introduced and imposed to the UK by two Acts then you see the advantages of devolution in Wales. Henry VIII announced himself as king of Wales. Those acts forbade the Welsh language from being used in official places, this encouraged young wealthy Welsh man to go to London for their fortune and influence, and stop speaking Welsh. The English rulers attempted to change or remove the Welsh cultural principles and identity. This trend continued until 1746 when a Law was passed by parliament stating any Act by English Parliament automatically would include Wales, this process continued until 1967. (Kireey, 2007) In the 20th century Wales started getting back what they had lost in identity, accordingly, the Ministry of Education was created in 1907 and in 1957 Wales got Minister of State and gradually in 1964 he was given a position in the cabinet of the UK. From 1979 till 1997 when the Tory party was lead by Thatcher and Major, unemployment rose, coal, steel mines were destroyed, thus, the relationship between Tories and the Welsh people got darker and people lost their hope with the Tories. These poor policies and (historical conflict and cultural differences) were a good start for Welsh nationalists to encourage the public to decentralise the power and prepare Wales for a referendum in 1979 when the Labour Party took over the government. By the time Labour came to power in 1979 devolution was promised along with Scotland and Ireland. The first referendum occurred in 1979 whether to have a devolved Assembly or not. However, the majority of Welsh the people voted against devolution in the referendum. (Kireey, 2007) Discriminatory policies from Central Government towards Wales were sceptically considered as factors of devolution in Wales. Three decades ago majority of Welsh voters rejected the government Wales devolution Act in a Referendum in 1979 by 79.8% to 20.20%. Nearly two decades later Welsh people voted in a referendum in 1997 for devolution which resulted in 50.3% in favour and 49.7% against .( Kireey,2007) Therefore, the referendum in 1997 delivered the establishment of the National Assembly of Wales; this referendum shows how people`s opinion has changed in Wales during these two decades. According to E.S.R.C (2004), (Economic and Social research Council) in a series of surveys they found out how Welsh people welcomed devolution and the continuation of that process and even in some cases demand a strong and powerful parliament for Wales and how these trend became a popular opinion. (Wyn , 2004) According to the same survey, nearly two -thirds of the Welsh population are now in favour of devolution compare to 1979. People in Wales have more trust in National Assembly of Wales to act in Wales than the central government in Westminster. For instance, the same survey shows that 67.6% of Welsh people trusted in the Welsh Assembly at least most of the time, to act in Wales but only 23.1% of people said it doesnt make any difference for them. Wales as other nations has got internal differences, thus, these differences undoubtedly played a great role to change people`s attitude to welcome the referendum in 1997 and 1999 National Assembly for Wales election. Politician in Wales focused on three suggestions in order to encourage Welsh voters to vote in favour of devolution, these were: Strengthen the sense of Welsh national identity Help to develop a more civic (rather than ethnic) Welsh identity Strengthen Wales affinity with Britain According to ESRC (2004) the sense of Welsh national identity is stronger amongst younger voters. For example, this tables in below shows the differences by age. (Wyn , 2004) National Identity 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-59 60-64 65+ Welsh, Not British 27.4 22.3 25.9 23.1 20.0 20.0 20.8 More Welsh than British 36.9 32.5 30.7 24.5 25.0 28.8 21.9 British not Welsh 8.3 9.5 11.6 12.5 5.0 9.8 9.8 NATION IDENTITY BY AGE COHORT, 2003 (%) (Wyn, 2004) The three referendums in Wales It was for the third time that the Welsh people voted for devolution in a referendum since 1979. There are some differences between the referendum in 1979, 1997 and 2011. The referendum in 1979 was the foundation of devolution for further referendums in Wales. In spite of that, Welsh people voted against devolution in the first referendum. The first referendum in 1979 created a positive atmosphere, however, the majority of the Welsh people voted against devolution because it was an informative start for future devolution referendums in Wales. The comparison of the second and third referendums shows the difference between now and thirty years ago in respect of people`s understanding about the advantages of devolution for the Welsh economy and cultural identities. (O`Reilly, 2011) In a speech in Cardiff University the Former First Minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan, said that since the first devolution in 1979, Wales has created 120,000 more jobs and he believed it was the right time for Wales to have what Scotland and Northern Ireland had obtained decades ago. On the other side, unofficial spokeswomen for True Wales group NO campaigner, Rachel Banner, believes that Wales is in different stage compared to Scotland and Northern Ireland. She said, Northern Ireland has got its own particular traditions and Scotland has got its own educational system for hundred years. (Withers, 2011) Abby O`Reilly a news paper writer, believes that one of the main reasons that the majority of people voted against devolution in 1979 referendum was because people werent informed about the content and advantages of the devolution. She believes that a lot of the Welsh people were still confused whether vote yes or no. She also mentioned in her Guardian article, February 2011, My friends either have no interest in voting, or plan to vote yes .A vast number of the electorate currently range from confused to indifferent, with 29% unsure how to vote or planning to abstain. (O`Reilly, 2011) She believes over 90% of welsh people read English newspapers which are devoid of Welsh news. She also believes Welsh politics are marginalised by English press. However, one of the most effective tools to inform people about the content of voting is an official campaigns which is absent in the most of the time in Wales. (O`Reilly, 2011) O`Reilly claims that, the main campaigner for True Wales tactically was short sighted and her aim wasnt only to inform people about the risk of yes vote for referendum, However, she was confused and didnt know the exact aim of referendum. Banner was supported by Welsh rugby union executive Roger Lewis, however, she said, Yes for Wales was nonetheless denied public funding because legally campaigns must be funded on both sides, or not at all. (O`Reilly, 2011) The common interest of nationalist parties in Wales and Scotland The referendum in 1979 was a good opportunity for the nationalist parties in the UK to accelerate their political activities, such as Plaid Cymru and SNP (Scottish National Party). Nationalism is used as a strong political method in politics in the UK. (Fusaro, 1979) Unlike Nationalist parties in Northern Ireland, the two nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales they werent violent and they were less familiar to the English people. Plaid Cymru and SNP both used the logical method of the referendum to raise people`s attention and they have been more successful in elections in recent years. The important ideological differences between SNP and Plaid Cymru were based on historical differences between Wales and Scotland. Another difference is Plaid Cymru usually is to the left in respect of politics, whilst SNP usually stands to the right of the centre. But they have got common interests to support each other in order to reduce the power of Westminster. (Fusaro, 1979) The last referendum on 3th of May 2011, gives more power to Wales. This referendum was very vital and important for Welsh people in general and politicians in particular. Politicians as true representatives of the public in Wales can pass its own laws without asking for permission from Westminster. The majority of constituencies in Wales voted in favour of allowing the Welsh Assembly to legislate instead of Westminster in devolved policy areas, such as health, education and transport. These new powers will be executed in May 2011. This is a clear indicator of a new history of true Wales to determine its own destiny and take the appropriate steps for a better Wales. However, there are areas which will remain within the responsibility of central government; these are economy policies, defence and foreign affairs, policing, criminal justice, social security, employment and energy. (Wyn J, 2011) Political parties have different views about devolution in Wales Most of the Conservatives in Wales believed that the Plaid Cymru see devolution as a tool towards independence, thus, they were opposing Plaid Cymru idea of devolution. They were determined to confront further devolution in Wales, but in recent referendum on 3th of March 2011, the leadership of Conservatives in Wales was supporting the YES campaign. (Jones, 2010) This change in Conservatives policy towards devolution in Wales shows that people in Wales are determined to continue the process of devolution. On the other side, Labour, Plaid and Liberal Democrats as usual supporting the process of devolution for further referendum, however, there are some members of Labour and Liberal Democrats are have no desire to show further devolution in Wales. The coalition between Labour and Plaid could squeeze the power of the Conservatives in Wales. (Copus, 2009) Other significant reason that might help Nationalist Parties and Labour in Wales and Scotland was the discriminatory and wrong policies by the government of Thatcher before 1997. During 1979 and 1990 when Thatcher was prime minster she changed the economical policies and deregulated the financial sector then as a result of that unemployment rose rapidly especially in Wales. All these factors and discriminatory policies of Conservatives made Thatcher the most unpopular prime minster in Wales. The only political party in the UK that uniformly antagonised the devolution when it was approved in 1997 was Conservatives. (Jones, 2010) One of the main reasons that Plaid Cymru is more successful, in compare to other political parties in Wales, Plaid Cymru was established in Wales in 1925 and the main ideology of the party was independence for Wales and Social Democracy. Plaid Cymru unlike other parties in Wales concentrated on promoting and defending the culture and identity of Wales. The majority of Plaid Cymru supporters are located in the Welsh speaking areas in Wales; this is an indicator of how successful it was the nationalism slogans and policies of the party. (Simon, 2008) The leaders of plaid Cymru focuses on Waless economy, culture, language and identity. In the most of their speeches they dont mention England or other part of the UK. For instance, in a speech the leader of Plaid Cymru said that our party guaranteed over 50,000 jobs and 30,000 apprenticeships for Wales. He also said that Plaid `s policies have protected thousands of jobs in Wales during the hard recession and he also added that Wales economy will recover and once again will grow and the nation became wealthier. (Simon, 2008) Brief comparison of Kurdistan and Wales The first kingdom of Kurdistan was established 2711 years ago by king Dieko and they were known as median. Medians were in power until 580 BC, then gradually Cyrus the Great became the king of Median and Persian and incorporated both Median and Persian. One of the main reasons that Cyrus could rule these two nations was because his mother was Median and his father was Persian, thus, it was more possible for him to incorporate both nations under his kingdom. (Atroushi, 1994) In the 19th century Kurdistan was divided by two emperors the Sunni Muslim Ottomans and the Shi`i Muslim Safavids until the last Kurdish prince of Ardalan in 1865. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, President Woodrow Wilson tried to help to establish the Kurdish state in 1919. The Lausanne Treaty in 1923 completely undermined the issue of an independent Kurdistan. Having an independent country among Kurdish people anywhere in the world became a dream. One of the main differences between Wales and Kurdistan is the geopolitical location; the place where Wales is located in is Europe, this continent is the epicentre of democracy, tolerance and socialism in the world but the place where Kurdistan located is a place where countries still execute, imprison and torture the political activists. Unlike Wales Kurdistan has been occupied by some non democratic and dictator countries such as Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey they dont allow the Kurds to have referendum on independence. Kurdistan unlike other occupied nations in the world has got more potential to be an independent state. Kurdistan is rich in oil and other minerals such as; copper, iron, coal. Kurdistan is one of the best places in the earth for agriculture and as we know Kurdistan is the mother of Neolithic revolution in Mesopotamia which is now known as Kurdistan. (Atroushi, 1994) In March 1988 the world witnessed genocide against humanity in Halabja Kurdistan of Iraq. Friday March 1988 over 5000 humans lost their life by the chauvinist Arab government of Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of people fled Kurdistan to neighbouring countries to save their lives. However, after second Gulf War the resolution 688 of no fly zone was imposed to on the Iraqi government, under that resolution a part of Kurdistan got half autonomy. After the war against Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the collapse of the regime of Saddam Hussein in the same, Kurds in Iraq changed their solicitation from autonomy to federalism and this solicitation has been admired and accepted by international society and the majority of the Iraqi parliament. (Atroushi, 1994) The differences between Catalan and Wales in respect of devolution Catalonia incorporated with Spain for nearly 300 years, the existence of Catalonia goes back for more than 2000 years. Catalonia declared independence many time but hasnt been recognised by the Spanish government. Catalonia was a separate country and they had their own law and privileges until Felipe IV died in 1700. Gradually Catalonia`s ancient right were abolished and they were banned from speaking, reading and writing and Catalan, it was a crime for anyone to speak Catalan and they were imprisoned and punished for it. They closed down all Catalonia`s universities and replaced them with censored universities, they tried to destroy the Catalan culture and identity. Finally, the first Spanish Republic was formed in 1873, the most important thing which surprised the Catalonia was, and the first two presidents of the Spanish republic were Catalan. However, this republic didnt last more than one year but it was a good start and the opportunity for political parties to express themselves freely in other regions of Spain such as, Galicia and Basque country. In spite of all barriers, attempts and ethnocentrism by the Spanish central government, Catalan not only didnt become a lost nation, the Catalan language and traditions once again continued and showed its enriched culture. The Catalan economy`s success in the 19th century surprised the world and Spanish people in particular, these successes convinced central government, to accept and to believe in the ability of Catalonia . The great culture, economy, politics and traditions of Catalans encouraged central government and various political parties in Spain with different ideologies such as, socialists, Republicans and Carlists to pay more attention and to show more support to the Lliga Regionalista. Finally, in 1914 central government was convinced to offer some autonomy to Catalonia. But once again these concessions didnt last long, in the beginning of the 20th century, when Miguel Primo de Rivera came to power in 1923 he executed his as a dictator in Spain, thus, once again the Catalan language was banned, his dictatorship lasted until 1930. In 1931 the president of Generalitat came to power and he declared the federal republic of Catalonia but two years later a right wing government came to power in Madrid by general election. In 1936 dictator Franco became head of state of Spain. Franco was supported by his fascist allies, Italy and Germany. He killed, tortured and imprisoned many people in Spain. (Harris, 2008) President Luis Companys was captured by Nazis in France and extradited to Spain where he was executed in 1940. Catalonia was under bad economical, political, cultural and linguistic repressions. In the 1950s some Catalan groups organised under cover activities. Abbot Escare of Montserrat, a religious leader, who was supported by the Vatican, determined to fight against Franco. Catalan once again took control of Catalan society after the death of Franco in 1975. Finally, in 1980 the democratically elected Catalan parliament officially opened under the presidency of Jordi Pujol. In 2005 a new statute of autonomy was passed which guaranteed the Catalans identity as a nation but within the Spanish state. (Harris, 2008) Devolution in the Northern Ireland As we know the Northern Ireland and the republic of Ireland they were one nation and one country in 1169. Ireland was occupied by the Romans in 1169 and they ruled Ireland until middle Ages. After British victory in 1603 over Ulster, Britain controlled completely whole Ireland until 1801, but Irish people like other occupied nations resisted freeing their country. (NK, 2003) Finally, Britain inevitably signed a truce in 1921 which was considered as final solution of Irish problems to solve the dispute between the Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants and the ends of British occupation on the whole country. The above Armistice recognised the Free State of Republic of Ireland and continuation of the Northern part of Ireland as a part of United Kingdom. One of the main factors which encouraged the division of the Ireland and separated Ireland to the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland was religion. Majority of the southern part of Ireland are Catholics and the majority of the Northern part of Ireland is Protestants, thus, these religious differences since the Romans occupation in 1169 created conflict between Irish people in North and south of country. (NK, 2003) In 1997 along side of the Scotland and Wales, devolution return to the Northern Ireland in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement, as the result of this agreement, the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly and power sharing executive was occurred. In March 2010 the Hillsborough Agreement, transferred the power of policing and justice to the Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement in 1998, transferred the below matters to the Northern Ireland: Transferred Matters: Education, Health and Agriculture. Reserved Matters: Policing and Criminal Law, which will be transferred to the assembly at the later date. Excepted Matters: Matters of National importance, such as defence, taxation and foreign policy.( NK,2003) The devolution in Belgium To find out the conflict between Dutch speaking Flanders and French speaking Francophone Wallonia we have to look at the history of Belgium. The name Belgium comes from Begae a Celtic tribe. Belgium existed before the first century. Belgium was occupied by Romans during the first century. Gradually, Romans lost their control over Belgium, and then Spain in 1519 invaded Belgium until 1713.The Belgium was occupied by Austria in 1713 to 1794. Belgium was ruled by different invaders since first century, but after all these rulers, once again Belgium was occupied by Napoleonic France in 1795. During the French Revolution but after the defeat of Napoleon`s army, Belgium divided from French territory and joined the Netherland as a part of the country by the congress of Vienna in 1815. (Humperdink, 2011) Finally, Belgium became independent from the Netherlands via an uprising of Belgians. The celebration of an independent Belgium didnt last longer than 1914. Belgium was occupied twice during 1914 and 1940 by Germany. Belgium was liberated by British, Canadian and American armies in 1944; these liberties helped Belgium to regain the economic and political power. But the language and political differences between Dutch Speaking Flanders and French speaking Wallonia encouraged the increase of division between them. The linguistic differences in Belgium encouraged Flanders and Wallonia people toward separation. According to a poll by Le Soir newspaper, over 49% of Wallonia people who are French speakers would like to become French if their country broke up. The majority of Flanders welcome autonomy because Flemish people are richer than Francophones. Flanders comprises 60% of Belgium population and they produce 75% of GDP and they pay more than 80% of the net taxes. Therefore the above economical differences might encourage the Flanders to attempt for more devolution and these kinds of nationalist movements alarmed the Francophones that Flanders nationalist encouraging Dutch speakers towards independence. (Humperdinck, 2011) However, Kriss Peeters the Ministry President of Flanders, in an interview with to BBC News said I am not in favour of independence , he also insisted the solidarity between Flanders and others will remain. Gie Goris the editor of Mo Magazine believes the countries which the political parties formed on the basis of ethnics, for instance, like Sri Lanka are inherently unstable. The aim of the New Flemish Alliance (NVA) separatist party is an independence country for Flanders the Dutch speakers in the Belgium. In an election in 2010 NVA took 27 seats of 150 seats of Belgium parliament. This support by Flanders, to NVA in the above election, indicates the interest of Flanders towards an independence country for Flanders. (Hughes, 2010) These Linguistic borders are one of the main factors to create fundamental division within the countries like Belgium. The comparison of countries, such as Belgium and Wales in respect of devolution, explains the impact of nationalism on public policies and how this ethnic linguistic differences divide the societies and creates separatist opinion and accelerate the this kind division towards independence. (Erk, 2003) Conclusion This assignment has discussed the idea of nationalism as one of the main factors that encourage people towards devolution. The activities of nationalists based on geopolitical, cultural differences and these differences created a kind of cultural and political hegemony. Thus, the countries such as Wales and Scotland, feel that their culture and identity assimilated, they believe the way central government dealing with their regions is based on discriminatory policies. It has been found that Religion as culture and linguistic differences is also one of the factors that divided the nations. Referencing Copus C(2009) English national parties in post devolution,(online) www.palgrave.journal.com. Accessed 18/01/2011. Erk J (2003) Linguistic borders, Journal of Public Policy, volume 23, issue 2. Ferhadi A (1992) The Kurds in Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria, (online) www.wrmea.com. Accessed 29/03/2011. Fusaro A (1979) Nationalism in the UK, (online) Polity journal, cited in ww

The Harlem Renaissance: Writers Reacting To Their Political Environmen

The Harlem Renaissance emerged during turbulent times for the world, the United States, and black Americans. World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had left the world in disorder and stimulated anticolonial movements throughout the third world. In America, twenty years of progressive reform ended with the red scare, race riots, and isolationism throughout 1919 and led to conservative administrations through the twenties. While blacks were stunned by racial violence near the end of the decade and were frustrated by the lack of racial progress that progressivism had made, they were now armed with new civil rights organizations and confronted the approaching decade with new hope and determination. Education and employment opportunities had led to the development of a small black middle class. Few blacks thought that their future lay in the economically depressed rural South and hundreds of thousands migrated to seek prosperity and opportunity in the North. As these more educa ted and socially conscious blacks settled into New York’s neighborhood of Harlem, it developed into the cultural and political center of black America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1910s also marked the rising of a political agenda advocating racial equality throughout the black community, especially in the growing black middle class. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), founded to fight for the rights of blacks, and black sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois pushed the agenda. Black nationalist Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association’s efforts also reflected the agenda and helped to inspire racial pride among working class blacks in the 1920s. This decade would bear witness to the long struggle against political disenfranchisement in the South and a change from traditional black political alignments in the North. Feminists too, having achieved victory in their campaign for suffrage, still faced more subtle obstacles on their road to equality. In addition, the ghettoization of American cities, the persistence of poverty in the midst of prosperity, and the disproportionate involvemen t of blacks in both of these processes challenged perceptions about the effectiveness of the American system.1 In 1926, professor Alain Locke observed, â€Å"The younger generation is vibrant with a new psychology.† which was shown by a shift from â€Å"†¦soci... ...nce. NY: Doubleday, 1991. Gates, Jr., Henry Louis and McKay, Nellie Y. African American Literature. NY: W.W. Norton and Company, 1997. The Harlem Renaissance. University of North Carolina. 20 March 2001.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Haskins, Jim. The Harlem Renaissance. Brookfield, CT: The Millbrook Press, 1996. Hornsby, Jr., Alton. â€Å"Black Americans.† The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago, World Book, Inc., 1992. Langston Hughes. University of North Carolina. 20 March 2001.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  < http://www.unc.edu/courses/eng81br1/lang2.html>. Lewis, David Levering, ed. The Portable Harlem Renaissance Reader. NY: Viking Penguin, 1994. Meltzer, Milton. The Black Americans: A History in Their Own Words. NY: Ty Crowell, 1984. Rampersad, Arnold. The Life of Langston Hughes. 2 vol. NY: Oxford Publishing, 1988. Turner, Darwin T. â€Å"Langston Hughes.† The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc., 1992. Wintz, Cary D. Black Culture and the Harlem Renaissance. Houston, Rice University Press, 1988. Wintz, Cary DeCordova. â€Å"Harlem Renaissance.† The Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Danbury, CT: Microsoft, Inc., 1999.

The Bean Trees :: essays research papers

There were many sacrificial elements that existed in The Bean Trees. Sacrifices that the characters in the novel made for the benefit of others or themselves. These sacrifices played a role almost as significant as some of the characters in the book. Some prime examples of these sacrifices are Mattie’s will to offer sanction to illegal immigrants, the fact that Taylor sacrificed the whole success of her excursion by taking along an unwanted, abused Native-American infant, and Estevan and Esperanza’s decision to leave behind their daughter for the lives of seventeen other teacher union members. Mattie sacrifices her business, her reputation, and her life to help out illegal aliens that are running, for one reason or another, from their original country. Most of these aliens are searching for a better life in America. Mattie assists them by providing them with housing, food, and medical attention whenever needed. She knows the consequences involved, and yet she perseveringly volunteers to give these people sanction. "There was another whole set of people who spoke Spanish and lived with her for various lengths of time. I asked her about them once, and she asked me something like had I ever heard of a sanctuary."(Kingsolver 105) It’s amazing how Mattie’s morals and beliefs make her sacrifice her everyday life for the benefit of people whom she had never met before. Taylor Greer had been running away from premature pregnancy her entire life. Afraid that she would wind up just another hick in Pittman County, she left town and searched for a new life out West. On her way getting there, she acquires Turtle, an abandoned three-year-old Native American girl. Taylor knows that keeping Turtle is a major responsibility, being that she was abandoned and abused. Yet, Taylor knows that she is the best option that Turtle has, as far as parental figures go. "Then you are not the parent or guardian?’†¦. ‘Look,’ I said. ‘I’m not her real mother, but I’m taking care of her now. She’s not with her original family anymore." (Kingsolver 162) As the story progresses, Taylor accepts Turtle as part of life. This sacrifice later turns into a blessing. Estevan and Esperanza’s sacrifice involved a major part of their lives. Both Estevan and Esperanza sacrificed their daughter for the lives of seventeen other people. Back in Guatemala, they were part of an secret underground teachers union where important information was passed by word of mouth.

Clockwork Orange :: essays research papers

The movie A Clockwork Orange takes place in the future of London. Anthony Burgess originally wrote it. Later on made into a movie, and directed by Stanley Kubrick. The movie is to represent ultra-violence and how there is no scientific cure yet. The social context is very violent in the beginning showing scenes of rape and assault. The movie shows a violent killer and rapist, and an attempt to cure him that fails. The author of A Clockwork Orange is Anthony Burgess, also went by the name Joseph Kell. He was born on February 25, 1917, in Manchester. His family was middle class, and their religious background was Catholic. His family life was not easy. His father was a cashier and piano player. His mother died of the flu in 1919, two years after he was born. So with his mother gone and his father not doing to great financially, his maternal aunt then raised him. His stepmother then raised him. Despite the many changes in where he was living, he always was good in school. He continued his studies at Xaverian College and Manchester University. When in college he studied the English language, and literature. He finished school in 1940, which was right around World War II. So he now had to serve at the Royal Army Medical corps. He fell in love and got married in 1942, to an alcoholic named llwela Isherwood, who passed away in 1968 due to alcohol. Burgess was released from the medical corp. around 1945, and then started teaching. He held down to jobs from 1946 to 1950. The jobs were a college professor at Birmingham University and a teacher at Banbury Grammar School. He was not writing that much at this point, only studying music. Anthony Burgess completed his first novel in 1949, although it was finished, it was not published until 1965. In 1954 he was an education officer, he then wrote a trilogy. This trilogy included Time for a Tiger, The Enemy in the Blanket, and Beds in the East.

What is Art?

Art has no agreed upon definition. Art appears In many different forms, from paintings and sculptures to crafts and even tattoos. Art Is an expression of what one thinks is beautiful and captivating. Art could be a song that makes you remember cherished memories or one that allows you to imagine the future. A painting of a beautiful field that looks so peaceful and inviting a person could escape from their reality and picture themselves surrounded by the serenity the artist has portrayed. Most everyone has his or her opinion of what art Is.A sculpture like Michelangelo, David, depicts the beauty of the male form, although some people might find It offensive, It has been considered a masterpiece of the Renaissance period. The Nude Magma by Francisco Soya this portrait is controversial for obvious reasons, while some may see the beauty in the nude woman form; others may regard this painting distasteful. Leonardo dad Vine's, famous, Mona Lisa has long been a topic of discussion in regar ds to what the painting itself represents, is it a man or a woman?Is there really a mystery behind that smile or Is she attempting to hide the pain? Art Is open to Interpretation, and that Is one of the many great things about It. Buildings like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Bucking Palace, and the Pyramids of Gaza, as well as structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, are designed in ways that took an immense amount of skill and imagination. These masterpieces are not only works of art, but they are all famous landmarks.Music Is also a form of art that has been around for a very long time. In the early period, there were composers of medieval music and Renaissance music. The Common Practice period brought us Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music and the Modern and Contemporary period brought Modern, 20th Century, Contemporary, and 21 SST Century music. The commonality, no matter what period, is the feeling one gets when one listens to the music. You can feel the music deep within as If It is awakening every cell In your body.Music of all genres Is considered art, and when you pair It with dance, It brings the art to another level. There is no simple answer to the question, what is art? To me, art is something beautifully unique. A piece of the artist that was created to make people understand and experience what the artist was feeling at the time. Some of the best art I have ever seen and cherish the most are not the Mona Lisa or David. They are the photographs I have taken of my family and friends with huge smiles or goofy expressions.The macaroni necklaces and handmade Christmas ornaments my children have made me over the years. The pictures colored for me by my granddaughter. To me, they are priceless masterpieces. Therefore, in my opinion, art truly is in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately, I have not has a great deal of exposure to the works of any particular artist. When it comes to art in any form, for me, I will know if I like o r dislike any piece as soon as I see it. I have found that what draw me in are the various colors used, as well as the style. What is Art? Art has no agreed upon definition. Art appears In many different forms, from paintings and sculptures to crafts and even tattoos. Art Is an expression of what one thinks is beautiful and captivating. Art could be a song that makes you remember cherished memories or one that allows you to imagine the future. A painting of a beautiful field that looks so peaceful and inviting a person could escape from their reality and picture themselves surrounded by the serenity the artist has portrayed. Most everyone has his or her opinion of what art Is.A sculpture like Michelangelo, David, depicts the beauty of the male form, although some people might find It offensive, It has been considered a masterpiece of the Renaissance period. The Nude Magma by Francisco Soya this portrait is controversial for obvious reasons, while some may see the beauty in the nude woman form; others may regard this painting distasteful. Leonardo dad Vine's, famous, Mona Lisa has long been a topic of discussion in regar ds to what the painting itself represents, is it a man or a woman?Is there really a mystery behind that smile or Is she attempting to hide the pain? Art Is open to Interpretation, and that Is one of the many great things about It. Buildings like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Bucking Palace, and the Pyramids of Gaza, as well as structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, are designed in ways that took an immense amount of skill and imagination. These masterpieces are not only works of art, but they are all famous landmarks.Music Is also a form of art that has been around for a very long time. In the early period, there were composers of medieval music and Renaissance music. The Common Practice period brought us Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music and the Modern and Contemporary period brought Modern, 20th Century, Contemporary, and 21 SST Century music. The commonality, no matter what period, is the feeling one gets when one listens to the music. You can feel the music deep within as If It is awakening every cell In your body.Music of all genres Is considered art, and when you pair It with dance, It brings the art to another level. There is no simple answer to the question, what is art? To me, art is something beautifully unique. A piece of the artist that was created to make people understand and experience what the artist was feeling at the time. Some of the best art I have ever seen and cherish the most are not the Mona Lisa or David. They are the photographs I have taken of my family and friends with huge smiles or goofy expressions.The macaroni necklaces and handmade Christmas ornaments my children have made me over the years. The pictures colored for me by my granddaughter. To me, they are priceless masterpieces. Therefore, in my opinion, art truly is in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately, I have not has a great deal of exposure to the works of any particular artist. When it comes to art in any form, for me, I will know if I like o r dislike any piece as soon as I see it. I have found that what draw me in are the various colors used, as well as the style.