Monday, December 30, 2019

Theories of Sociology A Bugs Life Essay - 939 Words

The movie â€Å"A Bug’s Life† shares the story of a colony of ants that are trapped in a vicious cycle of gathering food for the powerful grasshoppers year after year. The ants become wary of collecting food and soon realize a revolution is needed to free themselves from the grip of the grasshoppers. Throughout â€Å"A Bug’s Life†, a critical analysis of character interaction contributes to a greater understanding of the functionalist theory, conflict theory, and Marxism and how these sociological principles create a competitive society and inevitably lead to societal change. In order to understand the entirety of a society, we must first understand each part and how it contributes to the stability of the society. According to the functionalist†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"As one part of a system changes, other parts have to readjust to accommodate the change that has taken place elsewhere† (Stolley). This aspect of functionalism explains why the grasshoppers are so adamant in preventing an uprising from the ants. The ants begin to realize after years and years of gathering food for the grasshoppers, that this system is not necessarily ideal for their colony. The grasshoppers sense this hesitation from the ants and quickly assert themselves to make sure the ants do not rebel. The head grasshopper makes it clear to his pack, â€Å"if we let one ant stand up to us then they all might stand up. Those puny little ants outnumber us 100-1 and if they ever figure that out, there goes our way of life. Its not about food, it’s about keeping t hose ants in line†(A Bug’s Life). Similarly, a functionalist society is inordinately dependent on maintaining the status quo to ensure the stability of the broader society. In addition to stability, a society also depends on social order, according to the conflict theory. This theory emphasizes, â€Å"a society is fragmented into groups that compete for social and economic resources† (Crossman). This is especially exhibited in â€Å"A Bug’s Life† due to the scarcity of the food each year that creates conflict between the ants and grasshoppers. At one point in the movie, an ant expresses his concern by saying â€Å"if we collect more food for [the grasshoppers], there will be no food left to feed us!† (A

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Cumulative Inequality Theory And Social Science - 1166 Words

Ferraro et al. (2009) developed cumulative inequality theory by integrating various theories in a systematic way incorporating elements of both macro and micro sociological content. In order to clarify the meaning of cumulative inequality theory, Ferraro et al., (2009) offered many inter-related axioms- and propositions that aided in the further development of the theory. While developing the theory, the authors critiqued the cumulative advantage/disadvantage theory and provided their rationale for why they developed or preferred the term cumulative inequality instead of advantage/disadvantage. They critiqued that cumulative advantage/disadvantage theory lacked the essential elements they considered necessary to be a theory (Ferraro et al., 2009). Further they argued that many social science scholars use the terms disadvantages and risk interchangeably, however, they are separate terms and therefore it is necessary to understand the difference between them. They defined disadvantage as â€Å"an unfavorable position in a status hierarchy due to structural determinants and/or behavior that reflects the past and the present circumstances of one’s life†. In contrast, they referred to risk as â€Å"the probability of hazard or a negative event occurring in the future† (Ferraro et al., 2009). Eventually risk becomes a disadvantage when it turns into a negative outcome. Disadvantages increase risks which in turn lead to subsequent disadvantages and the cycle continues. The authors believeShow MoreRelatedLiterature Review Of Literature On Economic Inequality1470 Words   |  6 PagesEconomic inequality and how it affects various aspects of quality of life. The literature is diverse with recent works such as Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett’s The Spirit Level, which suggests that economic inequality has a detrimental effect on several factors such as increased crime, increased obesity, and worse mental health within a country. Simon Kuznet s, an influential America economist set an economic paradigm which established that that economic growth and increased inequality was a partRead MoreWomen Are Living Longer Than Men2230 Words   |  9 Pagesperson ages from their SES becoming more fixed. Therefore, researchers see more cumulative effects into middle and later ages in adults (Geronimus 1992) (House 1994). According to Arber and Cooper (2000), â€Å"age and gender differences in health are likely to reflect the socially constructed nature of gender roles and expectations regarding chronological age. [The researchers] therefore expect the nature of inequalities in health for men and women to vary for different age groups†. The stratificationRead MoreA Diverse And Wide Range Of Collected Works On Gender And Education1797 Words   |  8 Pageseducation. Gender inequality is more noticeable in some different aspects of the educational systems than most others. This will also cover the following: access to education, college education, and post-graduation results. Throughout this essay I will I will discuss the disparities in questions referring to the relationship between gender inequality and education. Which aspects of education create the most disparities in gender? How does gender plays a role in not just education but inequality in the workRead MoreEvaluating Health Policies T hat Are Targeted At Health Inequality1948 Words   |  8 Pagesmonitor and evaluate health policies that are targeted at health inequality. What is equity? Although equality and equity are not the same, the concepts are intimately related. With the absence of a single accepted definition of equity, there is general agreement that equity implies quality. The measurement of inequality pertains to statistical variation. Equity on the other hand requires normative judgements based on moral theories. Inequality in consumption means that different people receive differentRead MoreEffects Of Low Socioeconomic Status On Mental Health1440 Words   |  6 Pagesespecially in children and adolescents. Low poverty levels have been specifically identified as a key causal factor in developing mental health problems in children. There has been much discussion over the different theories as to why this is the case, but only two of these theories seem to hold a lot of evidence. Certain interventions and preventative measures can be employed in order to improve an individual’s mental health by altering socioeconomic status and they have proven to be successfulRead MoreStratification And Inequality Essay1497 Words   |  6 Pagesinterested in three areas: 1) stratification and inequality; 2) immigration and globalization, 3) work and labor markets. Specifically, I focus on examining how class structure and migration patterns contribute to social inequalities and labor market outcomes. 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Early in American history stereotypes of Negroes and Mexicans predominately associate them with lower-class attributes (Campbell, 1967). Major social events can have an effect on how various groups of people are viewed. For example, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, where several individuals of Arab decent brutally murdered hundreds of unsuspecting American citizens. The terrorist hi-jackedRead MoreEssay on Social Connotations of Name and Well Being1548 Words   |  7 Pagesmeasures to confirm that you are not a terrorist. Stereotypes have existed in American culture for centuries. Early in American history stereotypes of Negroes and Mexicans predominately associate them with lower-class attributes (Campbell, 1967). Major social events can have an effect on how certain groups and assemblies of individuals are perceived. On September 11, 2001, nineteen hijackers associated with al-Qaeda brutally murdered hundreds of American citizens. The terrorists commandeered several aircraftRead MoreEffect of Media and Mass Communication Essay1386 Words   |  6 Pagesdecisions. It is clear the media has a huge impact on our culture. The media influences a number of subjects in our culture; one of which is deviance. Deviance can be described as the fact or state of diverging from usual or accepted standards within both social and sexual behaviour. Our cultures view on deviant behaviour is moulded by rules carried out by the government. It provides the basis of our morals and views which guides us through being a law abiding citizen. The media however plays an important

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Lost Symbol Chapter 93-97 Free Essays

string(76) " He followed Katherine at a jog across the lawn toward the open front door\." CHAPTER 93 Franklin Square is located in the northwest quadrant of downtown Washington, bordered by K and Thirteenth streets. It is home to many historic buildings, most notably the Franklin School, from which Alexander Graham Bell sent the world’s first wireless message in 1880. High above the square, a fast-moving UH-60 helicopter approached from the west, having completed its journey from the National Cathedral in a matter of minutes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Symbol Chapter 93-97 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Plenty of time, Sato thought, peering down at the square below. She knew it was critical that her men got into position undetected before their target arrived. He said he wouldn’t be here for at least twenty minutes. On Sato’s command, the pilot performed a â€Å"touch-hover† on the roof of the tallest building around–the renowned One Franklin Square–a towering and prestigious office building with two gold spires on top. The maneuver was illegal, of course, but the chopper was there only a few seconds, and its skids barely touched the gravel rooftop. Once everyone had jumped out, the pilot immediately lifted off, banking to the east, where he would climb to â€Å"silent altitude† and provide invisible support from above. Sato waited as her field team collected their things and prepared Bellamy for his task. The Architect was still looking dazed from having seen the file on Sato’s secure laptop. As I said . . . an issue of national security. Bellamy had quickly understood Sato’s meaning and was now fully cooperative. â€Å"All set, ma’am,† Agent Simkins said. On Sato’s command, the agents ushered Bellamy across the rooftop and disappeared down a stairwell, heading for ground level to take up their positions. Sato walked to the edge of the building and gazed down. The rectangular wooded park below filled the entire block. Plenty of cover. Sato’s team fully understood the importance of making an undetected intercept. If their target sensed a presence here and decided just to slip away . . . the director didn’t even want to think about it. The wind up here was gusty and cold. Sato wrapped her arms around herself, and planted her feet firmly to avoid getting blown over the edge. From this high vantage point, Franklin Square looked smaller than she recalled, with fewer buildings. She wondered which building was Eight Franklin Square. This was information she had requested from her analyst Nola, from whom she expected word at any moment. Bellamy and the agents now appeared, looking like ants fanning out into the darkness of the wooded area. Simkins positioned Bellamy in a clearing near the center of the deserted park. Then Simkins and his team melted into the natural cover, disappearing from view. Within seconds, Bellamy was alone, pacing and shivering in the light of a streetlamp near the center of the park. Sato felt no pity. She lit a cigarette and took a long drag, savoring the warmth as it permeated her lungs. Satisfied that everything below was in order, she stepped back from the edge to await her two phone calls–one from her analyst Nola and one from Agent Hartmann, whom she had sent to Kalorama Heights. CHAPTER 94 Slow down! Langdon gripped the backseat of the Escalade as it flew around a corner, threatening to tip up on two tires. CIA agent Hartmann was either eager to show off his driving skills to Katherine, or he had orders to get to Peter Solomon before Solomon recuperated enough to say anything he shouldn’t say to the local authorities. The high-speed game of beat-the-red-light on Embassy Row had been worrisome enough, but now they were racing through the winding residential neighborhood of Kalorama Heights. Katherine shouted directions as they went, having been to this man’s house earlier that afternoon. With every turn, the leather bag at Langdon’s feet rocked back and forth, and Langdon could hear the clank of the capstone, which had clearly been jarred from the top of the pyramid and was now bouncing around in the bottom of his bag. Fearing it might get damaged, he fished around inside until he found it. It was still warm, but the glowing text had now faded and disappeared, returning to its original engraving: The secret hides within The Order. As Langdon was about to place the capstone in a side pocket, he noticed its elegant surface was covered with tiny white gobs of something. Puzzled, he tried to wipe them off, but they were stuck on and hard to the touch . . . like plastic. What in the world? He could now see that the surface of the stone pyramid itself was also covered with the little white dots. Langdon used his fingernail and picked one off, rolling it between his fingers. â€Å"Wax?† he blurted. Katherine glanced over her shoulder. â€Å"What?† â€Å"There are bits of wax all over the pyramid and capstone. I don’t understand it. Where could that possibly have come from?† â€Å"Something in your bag, maybe?† â€Å"I don’t think so.† As they rounded a corner, Katherine pointed through the windshield and turned to Agent Hartmann. â€Å"That’s it! We’re here.† Langdon glanced up and saw the spinning lights of a security vehicle parked in a driveway up ahead. The driveway gate was pulled aside and the agent gunned the SUV inside the compound. The house was a spectacular mansion. Every light inside was ablaze, and the front door was wide open. A half-dozen vehicles were parked haphazardly in the driveway and on the lawn, apparently having arrived in a hurry. Some of the cars were still running and had their headlights shining, most on the house, but one askew, practically blinding them as they drove in. Agent Hartmann skidded to a stop on the lawn beside a white sedan with a brightly colored decal: PREFERRED SECURITY. The spinning lights and the high beams in their face made it hard to see. Katherine immediately jumped out and raced for the house. Langdon heaved his bag onto his shoulder without taking the time to zip it up. He followed Katherine at a jog across the lawn toward the open front door. You read "The Lost Symbol Chapter 93-97" in category "Essay examples" The sounds of voices echoed within. Behind Langdon, the SUV chirped as Agent Hartmann locked the vehicle and hurried after them. Katherine bounded up the porch stairs, through the main door, and disappeared into the entryway. Langdon crossed the threshold behind her and could see Katherine was already moving across the foyer and down the main hallway toward the sound of voices. Beyond her, visible at the end of the hall, was a dining-room table where a woman in a security uniform was sitting with her back to them. â€Å"Officer!† Katherine shouted as she ran. â€Å"Where is Peter Solomon?† Langdon rushed after her, but as he did so, an unexpected movement caught his eye. To his left, through the living-room window, he could see the driveway gate was now swinging shut. Odd. Something else caught his eye . . . something that had been hidden from him by the glare of the spinning lights and the blinding high beams when they drove in. The half-dozen cars parked haphazardly in the driveway looked nothing like the police cars and emergency vehicles Langdon had imagined they were. A Mercedes? . . . a Hummer? . . . a Tesla Roadster? In that instant, Langdon also realized the voices he heard in the house were nothing but a television blaring in the direction of the dining room. Wheeling in slow motion, Langdon shouted down the hallway. â€Å"Katherine, wait!† But as he turned, he could see that Katherine Solomon was no longer running. She was airborne. CHAPTER 95 Katherine Solomon knew she was falling . . . but she couldn’t figure out why. She had been running down the hall toward the security guard in the dining room when suddenly her feet had become entangled in an invisible obstacle, and her entire body had lurched forward, sailing through the air. Now she was returning to earth . . . in this case, a hardwood floor. Katherine crashed down on her stomach, the wind driven violently from her lungs. Above her, a heavy coat tree teetered precariously and then toppled over, barely missing her on the floor. She raised her head, still gasping for breath, puzzled to see that the female security guard in the chair had not moved a muscle. Stranger still, the toppled coat tree appeared to have a thin wire attached to the bottom, which had been stretched across the hallway. Why in the world would someone . . . ? â€Å"Katherine!† Langdon was shouting to her, and as Katherine rolled onto her side and looked back at him, she felt her blood turn to ice. Robert! Behind you! She tried to scream, but she was still gasping for breath. All she could do was watch in terrifying slow motion as Langdon rushed down the hall to help her, completely unaware that behind him, Agent Hartmann was staggering across the threshold and clutching his throat. Blood sprayed through Hartmann’s hands as he groped at the handle of a long screwdriver that protruded from his neck. As the agent pitched forward, his attacker came into full view. My God . . . no! Naked except for a strange undergarment that looked like a loincloth, the massive man had apparently been hiding in the foyer. His muscular body was covered from head to toe with strange tattoos. The front door was swinging closed, and he was rushing down the hall after Langdon. Agent Hartmann hit the floor just as the front door slammed shut. Langdon looked startled and whirled around, but the tattooed man was already on him, thrusting some kind of device into his back. There was a flash of light and a sharp electrical sizzle, and Katherine saw Langdon go rigid. Eyes frozen wide, Langdon lurched forward, collapsing down in a paralyzed heap. He fell hard on top of his leather bag, the pyramid tumbling out onto the floor. Without so much as a glance down at his victim, the tattooed man stepped over Langdon and headed directly for Katherine. She was already crawling backward into the dining room, where she collided with a chair. The female security guard, who had been propped in that chair, now wobbled and dropped to the floor in a heap beside her. The woman’s lifeless expression was one of terror. Her mouth was stuffed with a rag. The enormous man had reached her before Katherine had time to react. He seized her by the shoulders with impossible strength. His face, no longer covered by makeup, was an utterly terrifying sight. His muscles flexed, and she felt herself being flipped over onto her stomach like a rag doll. A heavy knee ground into her back, and for a moment, she thought she would break in two. He grabbed her arms and pulled them backward. With her head now turned to one side and her cheek pressed into the carpet, Katherine could see Langdon, his body still jerking, facing away from her. Beyond that, Agent Hartmann lay motionless in the foyer. Cold metal pinched Katherine’s wrists, and she realized she was being bound with wire. In terror, she tried to pull away, but doing so sent searing pain into her hands. â€Å"This wire will cut you if you move,† the man said, finishing with her wrists and moving down to her ankles with frightening efficiency. Katherine kicked at him, and he threw a powerful fist into the back of her right thigh, crippling her leg. Within seconds, her ankles were bound. â€Å"Robert!† she now managed to call out. Langdon was groaning on the floor in the hallway. He lay crumpled on his leather bag with the stone pyramid lying on its side near his head. Katherine realized the pyramid was her last hope. â€Å"We deciphered the pyramid!† she told her attacker. â€Å"I’ll tell you everything!† â€Å"Yes, you will.† With that, he pulled the cloth from the dead woman’s mouth and firmly stuffed it into Katherine’s. It tasted like death. Robert Langdon’s body was not his own. He lay, numb and immobile, his cheek pressed against the hardwood floor. He had heard enough about stun guns to know they crippled their victims by temporarily overloading the nervous system. Their action–something called electromuscular disruption–might as well have been a bolt of lightning. The excruciating jolt of pain seemed to penetrate every molecule of his body. Now, despite his mind’s focused intention, his muscles refused to obey the command he was sending them. Get up! Facedown, paralyzed on the floor, Langdon was gulping shallow breaths, scarcely able to inhale. He had yet to lay eyes on the man who had attacked him, but he could see Agent Hartmann lying in an expanding pool of blood. Langdon had heard Katherine struggling and arguing, but moments ago her voice had become muffled, as if the man had stuffed something in her mouth. Get up, Robert! You’ve got to help her! Langdon’s legs were tingling now, a fiery and painful recovery of feeling, but still they refused to cooperate. Move! His arms twitched as sensation started to come back, along with feeling in his face and neck. With great effort, he managed to rotate his head, dragging his cheek roughly across the hardwood floor as he turned his head to look down into the dining room. Langdon’s sight line was impeded–by the stone pyramid, which had toppled out of his bag and was lying sideways on the floor, its base inches from his face. For an instant, Langdon didn’t understand what he was looking at. The square of stone before him was obviously the base of the pyramid, and yet it looked somehow different. Very different. It was still square, and still stone . . . but it was no longer flat and smooth. The base of the pyramid was covered with engraved markings. How is this possible? He stared for several seconds, wondering if he was hallucinating. I looked at the base of this pyramid a dozen times . . . and there were no markings! Langdon now realized why. His breathing reflex kick-started, and he drew a sudden gasp of air, realizing that the Masonic Pyramid had secrets yet to share. I have witnessed another transformation. In a flash, Langdon understood the meaning of Galloway’s last request. Tell Peter this: The Masonic Pyramid has always kept her secret . . . sincerely. The words had seemed strange at the time, but now Langdon understood that Dean Galloway was sending Peter a code. Ironically, this same code had been a plot twist in a mediocre thriller Langdon had read years ago. Sin-cere. Since the days of Michelangelo, sculptors had been hiding the flaws in their work by smearing hot wax into the cracks and then dabbing the wax with stone dust. The method was considered cheating, and therefore, any sculpture â€Å"without wax†Ã¢â‚¬â€œliterally sine cera–was considered a â€Å"sincere† piece of art. The phrase stuck. To this day we still sign our letters â€Å"sincerely† as a promise that we have written â€Å"without wax† and that our words are true. The engravings on the base of this pyramid had been concealed by the same method. When Katherine followed the capstone’s directions and boiled the pyramid, the wax melted away, revealing the writing on the base. Galloway had run his hands over the pyramid in the sitting room, apparently feeling the markings exposed on the bottom. Now, if only for an instant, Langdon had forgotten all the danger he and Katherine faced. He stared at the incredible array of symbols on the base of the pyramid. He had no idea what they meant . . . or what they would ultimately reveal, but one thing was for certain. The Masonic Pyramid has secrets left to tell. Eight Franklin Square is not the final answer. Whether it was this adrenaline-filled revelation or simply the extra few seconds lying there, Langdon did not know, but he suddenly felt control returning to his body. Painfully, he swept an arm to one side, pushing the leather bag out of the way to clear his sight line into the dining room. To his horror, he saw that Katherine had been tied up, and a large rag had been stuffed deep into her mouth. Langdon flexed his muscles, trying to climb to his knees, but a moment later, he froze in utter disbelief. The dining-room doorway had just filled with a chilling sight–a human form unlike anything Langdon had ever seen. What in the name of God . . . ?! Langdon rolled, kicking with his legs, trying to back away, but the huge tattooed man grabbed him, flipping him onto his back and straddling his chest. He placed his knees on Langdon’s biceps, pinning Langdon pain fully to the floor. The man’s chest bore a rippling double-headed phoenix. His neck, face, and shaved head were covered with a dazzling array of unusually intricate symbols–sigils, Langdon knew–which were used in the rituals of dark ceremonial magic. Before Langdon could process anything more, the huge man clasped Langdon’s ears between his palms, lifted his head up off the floor, and, with incredible force, smashed it back down onto the hardwood. Everything went black. CHAPTER 96 Mal’akh stood in his hallway and surveyed the carnage around him. His home looked like a battlefield. Robert Langdon lay unconscious at his feet. Katherine Solomon was bound and gagged on the dining-room floor. The corpse of a female security guard lay crumpled nearby, having toppled off the chair where she was propped. This female guard, eager to save her own life, had done exactly as Mal’akh commanded. With a knife to her throat, she had answered Mal’akh’s cell phone and told the lie that had coaxed Langdon and Katherine to come racing out here. She had no partner, and Peter Solomon was certainly not okay. As soon as the woman had given her performance, Mal’akh had quietly strangled her. To complete the illusion that Mal’akh was not home, he had phoned Bellamy using the hands- free speaker in one of his cars. I’m on the road, he had told Bellamy and whoever else had been listening. Peter is in my trunk. In fact, Mal’akh was driving only between his garage and his front yard, where he had left several of his myriad cars parked askew with the headlights on and the engines running. The deception had worked perfectly. Almost. The only wrinkle was the bloody black-clad heap in the foyer with a screwdriver protruding from his neck. Mal’akh searched the corpse and had to chuckle when he found a high-tech transceiver and cell phone with a CIA logo. It seems even they are aware of my power. He removed the batteries and crushed both devices with a heavy bronze doorstop. Mal’akh knew he had to move quickly now, especially if the CIA was involved. He strode back over to Langdon. The professor was out cold and would be for a while. Mal’akh’s eyes moved with trepidation now to the stone pyramid on the floor beside the professor’s open bag. His breath caught, and his heart pounded. I have waited for years . . . His hands trembled slightly as he reached down and picked up the Masonic Pyramid. As he ran his fingers slowly across the engravings, he felt awed by their promise. Before he became too entranced, he put the pyramid back in Langdon’s bag with the capstone and zipped it up. I will assemble the pyramid soon . . . in a much safer location. He threw Langdon’s bag over his shoulder and then tried to hoist Langdon himself, but the professor’s toned physique weighed much more than anticipated. Mal’akh settled on grabbing him beneath the armpits and dragging him across the floor. He’s not going to like where he ends up, Mal’akh thought. As he dragged Langdon off, the television in the kitchen blared. The sound of voices from the TV had been part of the deception, and Mal’akh had yet to turn it off. The station was now broadcasting a televangelist leading his congregation in the Lord’s Prayer. Mal’akh wondered if any of his hypnotized viewers had any idea where this prayer really came from. † . . . On earth as it is in heaven . . .† the group intoned. Yes, Mal’akh thought. As above, so below. † . . . And lead us not into temptation . . .† Help us master the weakness of our flesh. † . . . Deliver us from evil . . .† they all beseeched. Mal’akh smiled. That could be difficult. The darkness is growing. Even so, he had to give them credit for trying. Humans who spoke to invisible forces and requested help were a dying breed in this modern world. Mal’akh was dragging Langdon across the living room when the congregation declared, â€Å"Amen!† Amon, Mal’akh corrected. Egypt is the cradle of your religion. The god Amon was the prototype for Zeus . . . for Jupiter . . . and for every modern face of God. To this day, every religion on earth shouted out a variation of his name. Amen! Amin! Aum! The televangelist began quoting verses from the Bible describing hierarchies of angels, demons, and spirits that ruled in heaven and hell. â€Å"Protect your souls from evil forces!† he warned them. â€Å"Lift your hearts in prayer! God and his angels will hear you!† He’s right, Mal’akh knew. But so will the demons. Mal’akh had learned long ago that through proper application of the Art, a practitioner could open a portal to the spiritual realm. The invisible forces that existed there, much like man himself, came in many forms, both good and evil. Those of Light healed, protected, and sought to bring order to the universe. Those of Dark functioned oppositely . . . bringing destruction and chaos. If properly summoned, the invisible forces could be persuaded to do a practitioner’s bidding on earth . . . thus instilling him with seemingly supernatural power. In exchange for helping the summoner, these forces required offerings–prayers and praise for those of Light . . . and the spilling of blood for those of Dark. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the power that is transferred. Mal’akh had begun his practice with the blood of inconsequential animals. Over time, however, his choices for sacrifice had become more bold. Tonight, I take the final step. â€Å"Beware!† the preacher shouted, warning of the coming Apocalypse. â€Å"The final battle for the souls of man will soon be fought!† Indeed, Mal’akh thought. And I shall become its greatest warrior. This battle, of course, had begun long, long ago. In ancient Egypt, those who perfected the Art had become the great Adepts of history, evolving beyond the masses to become true practitioners of Light. They moved as gods on earth. They built great temples of initiation to which neophytes traveled from around the world to partake of the wisdom. There arose a race of golden men. For a brief span of time, mankind seemed poised to elevate himself and transcend his earthly bonds. The golden age of the Ancient Mysteries. And yet man, being of the flesh, was susceptible to the sins of hubris, hatred, impatience, and greed. Over time, there were those who corrupted the Art, perverting it and abusing its power for personal gain. They began using this perverted version to summon dark forces. A different Art evolved . . . a more potent, immediate, and intoxicating influence. Such is my Art. Such is my Great Work. The illuminated Adepts and their esoteric fraternities witnessed the rising evil and saw that man was not using his newfound knowledge for the good of his species. And so they hid their wisdom to keep it from the eyes of the unworthy. Eventually, it was lost to history. With this came the Great Fall of Man. And a lasting darkness. To this day, the noble descendants of the Adepts soldiered on, grasping blindly for the Light, trying to recapture the lost power of their past, trying to keep the darkness at bay. They were the priests and priestesses of the churches, temples, and shrines of all the religions on earth. Time had erased the memories . . . detached them from their past. They no longer knew the Source from which their potent wisdom had once flowed. When they were asked about the divine mysteries of their forebears, the new custodians of faith vociferously disowned them, condemning them as heresy. Have they truly forgotten? Mal’akh wondered. Echoes of the ancient Art still resonated in every corner of the globe, from the mystical Kabbalists of Judaism to the esoteric Sufis of Islam. Vestiges remained in the arcane rituals of Christianity, in its god-eating rites of Holy Communion, its hierarchies of saints, angels, and demons, its chanting and incantation, its holy calendar’s astrological underpinnings, its consecrated robes, and in its promise of everlasting life. Even now, its priests dispelled evil spirits by swinging smoke-filled censers, ringing sacred bells, and sprinkling holy water. Christians still practiced the supernatural craft of exorcism–an early practice of their faith that required the ability not only to cast out demons but to summon them. And yet they cannot see their past? Nowhere was the church’s mystical past more evident than at her epicenter. In Vatican City, at the heart of St. Peter’s Square, stood the great Egyptian obelisk. Carved thirteen hundred years before Jesus took his first breath–this numinous monolith had no relevance there, no link to modern Christianity. And yet there it was. At the core of Christ’s church. A stone beacon, screaming to be heard. A reminder to those few sages who remembered where it all began. This church, born of the womb of the Ancient Mysteries, still bore her rites and symbols. One symbol above all. Adorning her altars, vestments, spires, and Scripture was the singular image of Christianity–that of a precious, sacrificed human being. Christianity, more than any other faith, understood the transformative power of sacrifice. Even now, to honor the sacrifice made by Jesus, his followers proffered their own feeble gestures of personal sacrifice . . . fasting, Lenten renunciation, tithing. All of those offerings are impotent, of course. Without blood . . . there is no true sacrifice. The powers of darkness had long embraced blood sacrifice, and in doing so, they had grown so strong that the powers of goodness now struggled to keep them in check. Soon the Light would be entirely consumed, and the practitioners of darkness would move freely through the minds of men. CHAPTER 97 â€Å"Eight Franklin Square must exist,† Sato insisted. â€Å"Look it up again!† Nola Kaye sat at her desk and adjusted her headset. â€Å"Ma’am, I’ve checked everywhere . . . that address doesn’t exist in D.C.† â€Å"But I’m on the roof of One Franklin Square,† Sato said. â€Å"There has to be an Eight!† Director Sato’s on a roof? â€Å"Hold on.† Nola began running a new search. She was considering telling the OS director about the hacker, but Sato seemed fixated on Eight Franklin Square at the moment. Besides, Nola still didn’t have all the information. Where’s that damned sys-sec, anyway? â€Å"Okay,† Nola said, eyeing her screen, â€Å"I see the problem. One Franklin Square is the name of the building . . . not the address. The address is actually 1301 K Street.† The news seemed to confound the director. â€Å"Nola, I don’t have time to explain–the pyramid clearly points to the address Eight Franklin Square.† Nola sat bolt upright. The pyramid points to a specific location? â€Å"The inscription,† Sato continued, â€Å"reads: `The secret hides within The Order–Eight Franklin Square.'† Nola could scarcely imagine. â€Å"An order like . . . a Masonic or fraternal order?† â€Å"I assume so,† Sato replied. Nola thought a moment, and then began typing again. â€Å"Ma’am, maybe the street numbers on the square changed over the years? I mean, if this pyramid is as old as legend claims, maybe the numbers on Franklin Square were different when the pyramid was built? I’m now running a search without the number eight . . . for . . . `the order’ . . . `Franklin Square’ . . . and `Washington, D.C.’ . . . and this way, we might get some idea if there’s–† She stalled midsentence as the search results appeared. â€Å"What have you got?† Sato demanded. Nola stared at the first result on the list–a spectacular image of the Great Pyramid of Egypt– which served as the thematic backdrop for the home page dedicated to a building on Franklin Square. The building was unlike any other building on the square. Or in the entire city, for that matter. What stopped Nola cold was not the building’s bizarre architecture, but rather the description of its purpose. According to the Web site, this unusual edifice was built as a sacred mystical shrine, designed by . . . and designed for . . . an ancient secret order. How to cite The Lost Symbol Chapter 93-97, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Underlying Standard Deviation System †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Underlying Standard Deviation System. Answer: Introduction: The suburb 1 has been taken as New Town while the suburb 2 has been taken as Hurstville. A sample data of 50 samples for the weekly rent has been collected for both the suburbs (Source: https://www.realestate.com.au/buy ). The population of interest in each case would be all the rented apartments which are located in the respective suburbs. From this population, for the given task, 50 samples have been randomly selected. Hypothesis Testing Rent in New Town The objective is to determine on the basis of the collected sample management as to whether the average weekly rent in New Town is greater than $ 450 or not. Since inference about the population has to be drawn using sample, hence inferential statistics would be deployed. The relevant hypotheses for the given test are indicated below. Null Hypothesis (Ho): $450 i.e. the weekly rent of apartment in New Town is less than or equal to $ 450 Alternate Hypothesis (H1): $450 i.e. the weekly rent of apartment in New Town is more than $ 450 It is apparent that the given hypothesis test would be a right tail test. Also, since the standard deviation of the weekly rent of the population is not known, hence the appropriate test statistic to be used would be t and not z. Sample mean = $ 661.7 Sample standard deviation = $ 300.99 Sample size = 50 Hence, standard error = 300.99/50 = 42.57 Thus, t statistics = (661.7-450)/42.57 = 4.97 Degrees of freedom = 50-1 = 49 For the above degree of freedom and t stat = 4.97, the corresponding p value comes out as 0.00. Assuming a 5% significance level, it would be fair to conclude that null hypothesis would be rejected as the respective p value is lower than the assumed significance level. Hence, the alternative hypothesis would be accepted which implies that the weekly rent of apartments located in New Town is higher than $ 450. Hypothesis Testing Comparison of Rents The objective is to determine on the basis of the collected sample as to whether the average rent in suburb 1 (New Town) is greater than the average rent in suburb 2(Hurstville). Since inference about the population has to be drawn using sample, hence inferential statistics would be deployed. The relevant hypotheses for the given test are indicated below. Null Hypothesis (H0): New Town Hurstville Alternative Hypothesis (H1): New Town Hurstville The appropriate test to be deployed t test for 2 independent samples as the underlying standard deviation for the respective population is not known. The respective output obtained from Excel is indicated below. The relevant p value would be one tail which is 0.0499. Assuming a 5% significance level, it would be fair to conclude that null hypothesis management would be rejected as the respective p value is lower than the assumed significance level. Hence, the alternative hypothesis would be accepted which implies that the weekly rent of apartments located in New Town is higher than the weekly rent of apartments located in Hurstville. Conclusion Based on the collected sample weekly rents for apartment for the two suburbs, it would be fair to conclude that the weekly rent for apartments located in New Town (Suburb 1) would be greater than $ 450. Also, it may be concluded with 95% probability that weekly rents for apartments in New Town are comparatively higher than the corresponding values in Hurstville.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Pluralizm Essays - Elite Theory, Military-industrial Complex

Pluralizm Pluralism is a group theory of democracy. Pluralism is a theory of many different competing groups with political power that try to shape the government decisions. The two main political groups in the United Stated are the Democrats and Republicans. There are many others activist, unions, associations and environmentalists that try to shape government decision. Yes I believe Pluralisms help explain the tea party. Pluralism plays a major factor in describing the Tea Party by stressing social diversities and civic virtue as private life over the public life. Pluralism does influence the federal budget deficit through the specialist groups, organizations lobbying congress and the private sector for allocation of funds. I think Pluralisms plays part in both the strength and weakness of the country. As for what it dont explain why the country is in the predicament we are in, we are in a recession. The theory of Power Elites are the most wealthiest individual , they hold powerful positions in society and having the most influence in politics. They rule the country positions there members occupy. The elite does not look out for the best interest in society, they look after their own interest. The protest our country saw in the Occupy Wall Street see the influenced of the elites. Yes, because money talks and Congress is influenced by the wealthiest Americans. So yes this helps explains the low esteem in which congress is held. Yes it helps explain the budget deficits because many times votes are bought. The Elite theory does not explain why the country is not in better shape, with all the power and influence they have. I would say Pluralism would best explain my view because I believe in listening to all voices not just who has the most money. I think the pluralist view is more accurate of our political system.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Industrial Revolution1 essays

Industrial Revolution1 essays Prior to the 18th century, in the United States and Western Europe, the majority of the population lived on farms. However, during the 1700s many remarkable new innovations came into being which caused an upheaval of sorts. New forms of power, such as steam, replaced animal strength and human muscle. The factory system of making goods came into use. All of these advances affected patterns of living as well as working. Because society was so transformed, this time of great change is known as the Industrial Revolution. (Perry, Scholl, Davis...491) The Industrial Revolution brought upon many changes in society. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the United States had established an agrarian society and soon, the Industrial Revolution would lead to rapid urbanization. There were many revolutions that took place within the Industrial Revolution. A revolution in agriculture had paved the way for the Industrial Revolution. (491) Farmers were in dire need to increase production, which in turn would increase trade. The Agricultural Revolution began in 1701, when Jethro Tull invented a mechanical drill for planting. (492) A Transportation Revolution broke out when traders and commuters needed better methods of transportation. The Transportation Revolution led to the building of canals and railroads. The poor conditions of roads led to the building of canals. It was far less costly to transport heavy goods by waterway than by land. (491) Railroads, at the time, were the fastest method of transportation on land. A trip that might take days would only be a few hours by train. Railroads would also aid in trafficking raw materials, machinery, and finished products from north to south in far less time. A demand for better methods of transportation would lead to more innovative designs in the field of transportation. One of the greatest problems that existed in the South was how to produce enoug...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How upper classed brands in John Lewis are able to get lower classed Assignment

How upper classed brands in John Lewis are able to get lower classed individuals to buy their products also - Assignment Example John Lewis fashion department can be considered as a store within a departmental store. This is a new approach comprising of brands like Mint Velvet, Damsel, Coast, Miss Selfridge and Whistles. There is even a beauty department located in the store encompassing brands like Benefit, Tom Food and Jo Malone. Menswear section within the store also highlights some well-known brands such as Levi’s, Barbour and Polo Ralph Lauren. There are even some new brands included in this departmental store like Penfield and Eleven Paris. Upper class brands are usually purchased by customers who are brand conscious. There is a link between brand and culture. Societal cultural dimensions play a significant role when it comes to purchase decision. It can be stated that social class, gender and race are key elements during final purchase decision making. Lower class people often do not purchase such high valued items. The reason behind this is it is perceived that such upper class brands are purcha sed only by upper class market segment. This kind of perception influences all key factors that are involved in buyer decision making process. In this study it shall be analyzed how upper class brands within John Lewis are able to attract customer’s attention belonging to lower income class segment. According to Holt (2004), a brand can be defined as a term, name or a design that distinguishes product or service of one manufacturer from others. Brands are normally utilized in advertising, business and marketing. In accounting terms, brand is an intangible asset which is present within every organization. It is most valuable asset that is outlined in the balance sheet of a company. Brands owners need to effectively manage their brands in order to enhance shareholder value. Brand valuation is an important technique that associates money with a brand. Effective branding often results into high sales volumes of a particular

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Managing Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Organizational Change - Essay Example However, it is critical that an organization takes into account the effect of the organizational culture defining the organization whenever contemplating change because it greatly influences the performance of the organization through defining the organization’s goals and giving the organization direction. Analyzing an organization’s culture is critical whenever change is bound to be commenced because not all cultures embrace change and as such some are seen to be rigid therefore necessitating special care and attention. In the event that a culture is rigid to change, it is always necessary that the management devise ways to have the culture changed to embrace change. As earlier said, change to any organization is inevitable and as such, any inhibitor such as the organization culture would be needs to be addressed. Changing the rigidity of habits, norms, systems and believes in an organization would influence the entire culture hence influencing organizational change. R esistance to change Changing an organizations structure and administration enhances quality and service delivery. Since the change entails a wide range of rearrangement of the organization structure, proper preparation is essential. ... It emanates from the fears that are experienced by the employees concerning the outcome of the change. This is because change entails a wide range of rearrangement of the organization structure through which there is the possibility of job loss to some employees and also the reassignment to different job designations, which implies that there would be change in social relations. The reaction to an organizational change by employees goes through different phases among which is resistance as is experienced (Bovey and Hede, 2001, 372).The most efficient tool to address the resistance to change that is bound to be experienced in the process of organizational change is through proper communication. The management is obligated to have a clear communication strategy, which will inform the employees of the intended move, the reasons to the changes and the accompanying benefits to the employees in the event of the change. Through resistance assessment, it is usually clear that employees are u sually concerned about their job security in the event of change as well as their social relations. It is therefore necessary that the management employees effective communication tools whenever contemplating change to avoid the occurrence of such resistance to change. Vision Unlike a mission statement, which gives the statement of purpose of an organization, the vision statement is designed to offer directions to the course of any organization besides giving the perspectives to cooperate values embraced. It is instrumental in guiding an organization in a given span of time while at the same time upholding the organizational values such as integrity, openness, transparency and hard work among others. A

Monday, November 18, 2019

Discuss the uses of recombinant DNA technology with respect to Essay

Discuss the uses of recombinant DNA technology with respect to medicine - Essay Example From a medical viewpoint, recombinant DNA technology can have immense potential. For example, many diseases are caused by the lack of certain genes or faulty protein production which leads to impaired functioning of important biochemical pathways. By using recombinant DNA technology to complement those defects and producing the lacking protein it is possible to effectively treat these diseases. An extremely successful example of this particular use is the case of insulin production for the treatment of diabetes. Previously, insulin for treatment used to be isolated from bovine sources, by extracting the pancreatic tissue and purifying insulin from here. However, two major problems are immediately obvious: first, this is extremely labor-intensive, yields are low and therefore it becomes expensive and quantities are limiting, thus treatment becomes an expensive option. Second, due to the exquisite specificity of our immune systems, the bovine protein is immediately differentiated from the human and this could lead to rejection by our immune system. Recombinant DNA using the human gene would solve this problem as the gene and therefore protein would be the human variety and would not be rejected. Second, since cloning is most often done in bacteria which have short doubling times, the massive amplification of the gene and therefore the protein leads to cheaper bulk production and lowers costs. Insulin therefore has become far more available for treatment with the advent of recombinant DNA technology. Growth hormone has also been successfully used this way. Another application of this technology is in the production of vaccines. Historically, the identification of antigens and the production of vaccines against them has been a laborious task. It involved purifying various protein components from viruses or bacteria after culturing them, and testing them in animal subjects to determine their antigenicity. The major problems there were, first, the difficulty in purifying those microbial toxins due to contamination, low concentrations etc., and furthermore, viruses and certain bacteria, like Mycobacterium, are obligate parasites and cannot be grown in vitro cultures in order to purify their components. By cloning their genes via PCR amplification and cloning into bacterial expression hosts, we can circumvent these issues and skip past the rate-limiting step of purification since cloning produces proteins in bulk. This strategy has been used with some success for many viruses, including the HBV virus. (Medscape). However this is not without its own problems when one looks at the evolution of viral antigens and the rate of mutation and development of new strains. Nevertheless DNA technology has speeded up the development of vaccines to a point where we now hold a sporting chance against these diseases. The technology is also used in the field of diagnostics. PCR and other DNA technology techniques are used to determine if people are carriers of cystic fibrosis genes, Huntington's disease gene and to help in gene therapy for these diseases. PCR and DNA

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Assess the artistic limitations of the dogme 95 vow of chastity

Assess the artistic limitations of the dogme 95 vow of chastity Assess the artistic limitations of the Dogme 95 â€Å"Vow of Chastity† In the mid 1990s, a creative and low cost filmmaking was created Dogme95. The founders were two Danish directors, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg. (Hudson, 2005). Unlike any other film, it follows different set of rules. Written in Vow of Chastity, a rulebook of Dogme95, it restricts the use of props, sets, lighting, sound, and music. The camera is handheld and simply captures what is taking place (Schlosser, 2000). Dogme 95 is certainly a departure from the conventions of the film-making process. The statement â€Å"Dogme 95 is a rescue action!† was stated in the manifesto if the Dogme 95 which perhaps is true for most filmmakers who wanted freedom of their ideas and faithful presentation of scenes. Mark Paul of Wayne State University agreed that Dogme 95 films have rescued the cinema from the conventional films of Hollywood which are ‘overly polished, ‘undemocratic in art, and ‘superficial.  Ã‚   Directors have enough freedom to showcase the ‘truth without addition, reduction, or any manipulation (Paul, 2002). In order to resist superficiality in Dogme films, von Trier and Vinterberg wrote â€Å"The Vow of Chastity† which consists of the specific rules that are mandatory in order to categorize a film as a Dogme. Von Trier asked Vinterberg if he â€Å"wanted to start a new wave with him?† In less than one hour, they already had the rules (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). As a guest in Thà ©atre de LEurope in Paris during the 100th anniversary of the birth of film, von Trier proudly announced Dogme. The rules are: (1) shooting must be on location without bringing any props, (2) sound and image are produced together, (3) the camera to be used is handheld, (4) use of natural light only, (5) no optical filters, (6) no superficial actions, (7) no geographic alienation, (8) no genre films, (9) the film format should be in Academy 35mm film format, and (10) the director must not be credited (Trischak, 1995). The last rule sounds unusual since the directors are always credited in the conventional films. At the end of the ten rules, the director should swear to refrain in creating based on personal taste. Only the real events should be presented based on the real settings. The reason behind the prohibition of the use of props is to challenge the filmmaker into creating authentic films and portray the ‘truth. More time is dedicated into developing a good acting because breaks for hair, make up, costume, and light change are eliminated. The use of handheld camera is intended to follow the actors instead of the actors following the camera. In this manner, the actors could really perform their characters while the camera captures the scene. Additionally, using handheld cameras provides more takes with longer time (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). The first Dogme creation by Vinterberg, The Celebration, was one of the best cinematic explorations which covered the issues on a dysfunctional family in the middle of a celebration. The film won many awards and was nominated in various prestigious awards associations. Among the awards it received were Jury Prize from the Cannes Film Festival, Best Director from Gijà ³n International Film Festival, and Independent Spirit Award (Hudson, 2005). The second film of Dogme was The Idiots, which was written and directed by von Trier. The film featured young characters who go around to spasse (Danish term which means to intentionally act like idiots). Watching the film might turn off its audience because of the hilarious acts and abhorrent ways of responding to the problems faced by young people (Schwartz, 1998). The third Dogme film was Mifune by Sà ¸ren Kragh-Jacobsen, which became one of the multi-awarded Dogme films. A.O. Scott of the New York Times reviewed it as â€Å"by any standard, a pretty good film† and was given the awards Silver Bear and Special Jury Prize for Kragh-Jacobsen from the Berlin Film Festival (Hudson, 2005). Mifune was able to present the real people in real situations and would surely attract the audiences attention. The scenes appear so realistic and painful at the same time (Ilic, 2005). The creation of Dogme 95 and the implementation of its rules have been the subject of questioning and curiosity from directors. The production cost of Dogme films is relatively cheaper because crews are eliminated; however it does not mean that this is a resort to producing low-budget films. There are no limits as long as it will compromise to the Vow of Chastity. In Denmark, a low-budget film could cover more than half a million. Nevertheless any Dogme film can be produced around a million or more than a hundred million dollars. Among the Dogme films, â€Å"The Idiot† was the most expensive. The introduction of Dogme 95 however did not receive much criticism especially from the Danish government wherein the state willingly increased the filming fund by 70% (Trischak, 1995). Another issue on the production of Dogme films is the use of the old fashioned Academy 35mm film format because is considerably expensive. The 35mm film is used so that Dogme films can be shown in all movie theatres. However, because of its cost some directors resort to shooting film with Digital Video first then transferring it to the 35mm. The recorded images through DV, on the other hand, are strictly prohibited from editing considering the Vow of Chastity (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). Classifying a film as a Dogme has become harder. The first four to six Dogme films were originally discussed by the first directors and founders of the Dogme 95 films including Vinterberg, von Trier, Kragh-Jacobson, and Levring. They reviewed each film according the rules in the Vow of Chastity; however, as the directors became busier in their own Dogme film productions, not enough time was allotted to discuss the other films. In Julian Donkey Boy, the story about a schizophrenic man, the rules created was pushed to its limitations. It all now depends on the judgment of the directors (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). However, Vinterberg argued that if the director feels that the film might not be in accordance with the rules then, he must do something about. Another question raised was about the synchronization of a foreign language, say English or German; can it be certified as a Dogme? If it will be based on the second rule: sound and image must be produced together; technically it cannot be classified as a Dogme. Watching a Dogme film in foreign language therefore is not very entertaining (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). The Vow of Chastity provided both freedom and restriction to the directors. With the limited resources such as props, music, sounds, and lights, the director is challenged to be resourceful and creative in filling these gaps. In the film The Celebration, Vinterberg was able to incorporate music by placing the story on a Danish gathering tradition wherein the people are accustomed to celebrate while singing. On the other hand, in â€Å"The Idiots†, a musician character played a toy-like instrument in the beginning of the story (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). In the conventional films we see these days, there are different genres such as science fiction, animated, action, adventure, comedy, romance, horror, war, musicals, historical, and many more. However, in Dogme films it becomes selective because you only present what is happening then and now and not what is in the past or what will be in the future (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). Therefore, war and historical films are impossible because flashbacks should not be used. Neither do sci-fi, animated, and musical films. These genres require musical equipments and props and the scenes are time manipulated. In the history of filmmaking, Dogme 95 is notably one of the best cinematic explorations of realism. The presentation of this realism is only possible through the elimination of the traditional cinematic process accompanied with various experimentations on the production and presentation (Vaughan, 2004). The Vow of Chastity made it possible to restrict and compress it down to what is real only. There is no addition, reduction, or, any manipulation to the story that a director wishes to tell. It is obviously anti-film tradition in nature however its simplicity and honesty offer a different kind of pleasure and emotion. Unlike the usual films, our minds are already set to decipher the ending. However, in Dogme films, the audience could only figure what is being shown at a time. The first three Dogme films have been very successful. After ten years since its beginnings, Dogme films are getting less and less popular. Von Trier and Vinterberg are now working on different kinds of films aside from Dogme. The brothers now are no longer managing and judging Dogme films. They have decided to allow the directors to judge their own creations but still following the rules. Producing one is a big challenge. Ironically, Vinterberg confessed that The Celebration was the easiest he made.9 Dogme is still alive and more and more films are released and reached the number to Dogme 254th film (Dogme 95: Frequently asked questions). Nowadays, the films that the brothers are releasing are combination of filmmaking from the conventional and from the Dogme. According to Jack Stevenson, film journalist in Denmark, Its All About Love and Dogville by Vinterberg and von Trier respectively can be classified as anti-Dogme films. Both directors have departed from Dogme and now making films beyond the Vow of Chastity. (Mitchell, 2005) In an interview with Kristian Levring, one of the founder of Dogme movement; Susanne Bier, the director of The One and Only and Open Heart; and Anders Thomas Jensen, a famous writer and director, the screenwriting processed was discussed. Thomas Jensen said that the scriptwriting is very different because there are limitations like superficial violence and action. Bier added that due to these limitations, â€Å"Dogme tends to lend itself to realistic storytelling.† Levring agreed that these liberated and improved Dogme including his film The King is Alive. (Kelly, 2008) Dogme offered an incredible twist in filmmaking, surprising the audience in ways that are not expected. In the presence of restrictions and limitations, it has entitled directors with freedom of creation with aesthetic value and provided a different kind of satisfaction.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Dimmesdales versus Danforths Sins in Hawthornes Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

In the words of Alexander Pope 'To err is human.' Everybody makes mistakes. It is human nature. However, how one deals with the mistake is much more important than the mistake itself. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Dimmesdale and Danforth's sins have similar motives, but the characters have distinctly different methods of sin and resolution. Dimmesdale is a selfish coward. He does not work toward anything substantial. Although he supposedly loves Hester, he refuses to admit that he was her ?fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer? ( Hawthorne, 65). When Pearl asks Dimmesdale to accompany her and her mother when they stand at the scaffold, he refuses for fear of public exposure. He has put Pearl and her mother through a lot, but will not stand along side them during their public shame, even though he is the cause of it. Danforth, like Dimmesdale, is cowardly and selfish. He thinks solely of himself and his position of power as he sends dozens of people to the gallows. He refuses to let the accused have fair trials, denying their requests for legal representation and having a jury of corrupt young girls in charge of sentencing. He does everything he can to keep himself from losing credibility. Both Dimmesdale and Danforth put their careers first. Dimmesdale proves this constantly throughout the book by considering his own career and distinction a higher priority than Hester, the woman who loves him, and his child, who must grow up, corrupt in the eyes of society, like her mother. Danforth cherishes his position above all else. When Parris, fearing for his well-being, asks Danforth to postpone further sentencing, he replies ?There will be no postponement? (Miller 128). He does not want the townspeople to think he is wavering and fears they will begin to doubt the so-called ?good? of what he is doing for the town and its God-fearing citizens. Danforth and Dimmesdale contrast in the way of their sins of commission and omission. Although Dimmesdale does not openly admit his sins until the end of the story, they feed on his conscience, causing him to engage in self-torturing practices. He confuses the destruction and weakening of himself for penance for his sin. Aided by Hester?s angered husband, Dimmesdale weakens himself so much, that he uses the last of his strength in his confession and he dies in Hester?s arms. Danforth suspects he is sending innocent people to their deaths, but through the love of his office, he does not stop his corrupt practices nor attempt to right his wrongs.