Friday, August 2, 2019
Crucible- Abigail Williams Essay
Due to our nature, the human race will do astonishing things in the name of love and fear. Abigail Williams in ââ¬Å"The Crucibleâ⬠is a fantastic example of this. Not only are her actions absurd to try and gain John Proctorââ¬â¢s whole hearted affection, who was her lover, but also to gain submission of an ample portion of Salem due to fear. A large part of the submissiveness was gained by her ability to manipulate others, especially those she knows well. She starts the fire of hatred, for witches and the townspeople, within Salem. The fuel was already there; all that was needed was the last spark to get the flame going. Abigail was this spark, created by her insatiable lust for John Proctor. She instigated the witch trials, and used the produced hysteria in an attempt at personal gain, using a step by step plan. This plan developed through the play, feeding Abigailââ¬â¢s ambition and power. Step 1. Manipulate the townââ¬â¢s girls into doing witchcraft in the woods. Abigail convinced some of the teenage girls in Salem to join her in the woods. Being unmarried teenage women in this time period, they had little to do, minimal social status, and undoubtedly yearned for adventure. There were only two people lower than them in status, and that would be Abigail and Tituba because Abigail was an orphan, and Tituba a black slave. She convinced Tituba, to sing songs from Barbados about witchcraft. Abby then persuaded Ruth Putnam to believe that Tituba would be able to conjure up the spirits of her dead siblings. If it worked then she could bring to light the mystery behind all of her dead siblings. In getting others to do it with her, she will not be the only one to be punished, therefore spreading the blame across many, and if caught the blame could be transferred to the one with the least status, the slave- relieving Abby of punishment. Step 2. Drink a potion to acquire John. While in the woods Abigail drank a charm in an attempt to kill Mrs. Proctor, which in her eyes is the only person between her and John. ââ¬Å"You drank blood, Abby! You didnââ¬â¢t tell him that!â⬠(Betty, A.1, p.1244). This quote begins to give the reader an idea of what Abigail will do to gain Proctor. It would take quite a drive for someone to willingly drink blood, and in drinking it, wish death upon another person. This was a very Puritan society, and all of her actions would be looked down upon by the townspeople. First she entered the forest (the place of the Devil), then she danced (unacceptable for women of that age), then she drank a charm of blood (not accepted by society), and lastly in drinking that charm she is wishing ill upon her ââ¬Ëneighborââ¬â¢ which is going against one of the Commandments. The Bible was the law at the time, and going against its foundation was disgraceful. Step 3. When discovered, blame Tituba. When Abigail is being questioned by Parris, the day after being caught, about the girlsââ¬â¢ doings in the woods, she gives away little. She reveals ââ¬Å"We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And thereââ¬â¢s the whole of it.â⬠(Abigail, A.1, p.1238). This sentence shows an insight to Abbyââ¬â¢s manipulative power over Parris. Fainting from fright from being caught by her father doing an illegal activity could be an explanation for Bettyââ¬â¢s inactivity. Abigail admits to what he saw, but makes it hard for him to push the question further when she says the finalized statement ââ¬Ëthereââ¬â¢s the whole of itââ¬â¢. The affirmation also denies any other doings, saying the girls are innocent. Parris then grasps at another chance to question Abby, this time about possible rumors of her in the town. She skillfully maneuvers around the interrogation, and then is saved by the entrance of Mrs . Putnam. Goody Putnam reveals her and her daughter (Ruth)ââ¬â¢s desires to figure out what caused her children to die in infancy. Step 4. Exploit Titubaââ¬â¢s weaknesses, while hiding behind lies. When questioned Abigail turns the accusation to Tituba saying she was alone in conjuring the spirits of Ruthââ¬â¢s siblings. This brings the pressure off of Abigail and onto two other people. She can then sink into the background, becoming invisible while Parris and Hale interrogate Tituba. Tituba is the unhappy slave, with witchery songs, low status, and desiring to be free and return home. Due to this, Parris and Hale break Tituba down till she admits to contracting with the devil. In a frenzy to bring pressure off herself and avoid hanging, Tituba then goes on to state names of women in the community. Sarah Good and Goody Osburn are first. Then Abigail stands up from the shadows seizing the chance of being able to accuse people and bring the attention to her in a positive way by saying ââ¬Å"I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I dance for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!â⬠(Abigail, A.1, p.1263). These exclamations go against what she has previously sworn, yet no one seems to notice anything besides her confession and the names she says. Abby repeated the names Tituba already said, along with another, therefore strengthening the accusations while playing on the slaveââ¬â¢s incompetence of missing one of the people, which strengthens her own position. Step 5. Use newfound status to demolish those who oppose her. Since there are so many people being accused, the town gets an aura of being unsafe and corrupt by the Devil. This causes the accused to accuse others, from old rivalries and suddenly having a chance to comeback, or from being interrogated till they give up names, multiplying the numbers, while they also believe the accusations out of fear. Fear of being accused, of being witched, or of getting hung for disbelieving the court and the Bible. In Act II sixteen people had warrants sent out for their capture. Abigail continuously accuses people who confess, adding to her credibility. She also has fainting incidents, trances, and other public displays which she credits to others using demonic powers on her, sending the message that she is an innocent orphan being harmed by the Devil because she is standing against him. This helps her gain pity, and brings more citizens to her side. An example is when Mary Warren tries to testify against Abigail, Mercy, and Susanna. The girls exclaim that Mary has sent her spirit out in a wind to make them cold. This is proven by their exclamations. Mercy: ââ¬Å"Mary, do you send this shadow on me?â⬠Susanna: ââ¬Å"I freeze, I freeze!â⬠Abigail: ââ¬Å"It is a wind, a wind!â⬠Danforth: ââ¬Å"Mary Warren, do you witch her? I say to you, do you send your spirit out?â⬠(A.3, p.1307) Danforthââ¬â¢s question seems to state what the other girls were implying. This goes to show what some acting can bring upon a girl and a town. By faking a wind, the girls make Maryââ¬â¢s testament against them invalid, therefore increasing Abigailââ¬â¢s power within the court, and getting rid of another challenger. Step 6. Secure Goody Proctor as a witch using credibility established within the court. After accusing Elizabeth in Act 2 because of alleged use of poppets, Abigail has to make sure there is no way out for her. When this is done and she is hung she can finally have her love, John Proctor. The townspeople generally ignore evidence and support her claims of witchery, most likely out of fear of her power. John Proctor is one of the few willing to stand against her. After many attempts, all of which failed, John resorts to drastic measures. He admits to committing adultery. ââ¬Å"I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name- you will believe me, Mr. Danforth! My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one!â⬠(Proctor, A.3, p.1309) In this statement, Proctor not only admits to adultery, and tries to protect his wife; he also calls Abigail a harlot. Abigail is astounded by his reveal, and undoubtedly worked up by his language towards her. This is the point where Abby seems to realize that Proctor does not love her and that she wonââ¬â¢t ever be with him, even if Elizabeth dies. Her plan has failed, and everything she has done was for nothing. Her astonishment turns to resentment, for she then makes no attempt to same John when he is sentenced to hang. Her only thoughts now seem to be of self preservation. She was the ring leader of the witch trials, and with them coming to the end, and no chance of being with John, her power will soon be gone. She steals her uncleââ¬â¢s savings then flees the city. She lost a love she never truly had, and in the process left behind a broken, manipulated town. Love and fear are two of the most influential emotions, and in ââ¬Å"The Crucibleâ⬠both are experienced firsthand through Abigail. The author, Arthur Miller, uses this to his advantage making the play and characters relatable to the audience. These universal themes are relevant at all times in history which is why the play is still shown to this day. Abigail is not only a great example of those traits, but also reflects a maniacal manipulator existing in many societies. This along with other traits makes her the most important character to the play, along with the witch trials which she helped instigate for personal gain. Itââ¬â¢s amazing what a teenage girl in a small town can do with a few words and manipulation.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
A Piece of String
Tim Gadwell Ms. Bryant April 12, 2010 Period 1-B Pg. 953 Essay In the story ââ¬Å"A Piece of Stringâ⬠the story focuses on an old man named Maitre Houchecome. The story goes through a certain timeline of cause and effect which in the end results in his demise. Then on top of that he was said to have a bad experience with lying in the past. The events in the story had coincidentally occurred in sequential order rather than occurring at random times. The causes in the story produced more effects than one. IT all starts when Market Day occurs and as a result farmers and gardeners were all taking their possessions they were ready to sell to get money. Maitre Houchecome was walking towards the public square when he stopped and saw a piece of string lying on the ground. The story says Houchecome was economically like a true Norman. So as he bends over to pick up the string his back is hurting due to his reumatism and then he notices his arch nemesis Maitre Maladain, the Harness-Maker. Because Houchecome and Maladain were not on good terms with each other Houchecome felt that he needed to watch what he was doing at all times so he didnââ¬â¢t look stupid in front of Maladain. This choice Houchecome made showed that he was a very pride filled person and worried what people thought about him especially Maladain. Houchecome then picks up the string but then tries to conceal it so that Maladain does not se what he grabbed. He thought that Maladain would surely judge him for picking up a useless thing like that. As the day went by people were finishing up there sales and all of them went into a restaurant to eat due to the all the sales they went through. Then when they finish an announcer walks up and says that Someone lost their pocketbook (wallet) that morning along the road of Benzeville, containing 500 francs. Then the police had come and specifically asked for Maitre Houchecome and they escorted him the Mayorââ¬â¢s office where he learns that he was suspected of stealing the wallet. This is where cause and effect ties in, because Houchecome was acting weird and didnââ¬â¢t want Maladain to see what he was picking up Maladain suspected that he took the wallet and went and told the Mayor. Also because Houchecome had lied in the past it made it very hard to believe that he was innocent. Also because he was suspected he turned out his pockets and grew very angry with them. Again because of his past it made the townspeople believe that he took the wallet. This made him plead his innocence but his words were empty in the ears of the townspeople. Then the wallet gets found and still no one believes him because they think that he had a partner that had the wallet and then turned it back in to prove his innocence. The townspeople found this situation very humorous from the jump and kept teasing him and poking fun at him. This troubled Houchecome very much and he thought night and day of how to make people believe that he was innocent. He was said to have gone home ashamed indignant and was choking with anger and confusion. The situation consumed his heart and made him wear himself out for no particular reason and then he wasted away. Even in the end he was very troubled and pleaded his innocence while he was dying.
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbour in 1941? Essay
In December 1941, the Japanese struck. A well-coordinated series of attacks across the Pacific, most notably the American naval base of Hawaii, bringing about Japanese dominance in South East Asia; sending a direct message to the ââ¬Ëoppressiveââ¬â¢ west. Japan for a significant period of time had been viewed by the US and its western allies as a major threat in the Pacific, and as a direct consequence of a series of the events tensions boiling point was reached and the climax of nearly 1/2 a century of rivalry exploded. ââ¬Å"The Great War destroyed the multilateral balance of power in East Asia and left Japan and the United States directly confronting each other across the Pacificâ⬠; Japanââ¬â¢s continued growth as the leading industrial giant in Asia, allowed an increase in global power but to the Japanese they were never recognised in the manner in which they believed they deserved. Americas realization that this growth could threaten their superiority led to a num ber of subjective decisions but where they left too late, so late in fact that it was a point of no return, the imperialistic mindset of the Japanese was too full of honor to back down in the face of what seemed uncertainty. In the years succeeding the Great War, Japan had embarked on a meteoric rise in its industrial power, and rising concurrently was their global power; this was all achieved under the control of Emperor Hirohito, a man determined to meet Japans goals on the Asian mainland. Nevertheless, this industrial growth would not have been possible without the importation of a number of vital commodities such as oil and aviation fuel. These commodities were imported primarily from the US and if not directly from the Americans from a country allied to the isolationist giant. Yet the US was not blind to the progress of the small island of Japan, the sudden increase had not gone unnoticed and at the Washington Conference of 1921 a report was released that described ââ¬Å"Japans naval armament as a ââ¬Ësilent powerââ¬â¢ with which is used to deter the United Statesâ⬠, in response to this the Americans ensured that the Japanese naval power was restricted to a position weaker than that of t heir own. Within Japan this was met with a feeling of aggravation with her status not being observed as that of a major global power; and not for the first time, Japan had been in a similar position following the Treaty of Versailles with land they had captured in the war being returned and her foreign ambitions once again quelled. Japan was becoming cognizant that ââ¬Å"at some date, the US would interfere and disrupt Japanese goalsâ⬠and having been used to foreign involvement the Emperor was not going to allow for the Americans to once again change Japanââ¬â¢s ambition: ââ¬Å"the political, commercial and military dominance of the Western Pacificâ⬠. This aggressive policy towards its rivals in the Pacific has been attributed to a collection of reasons that led to the attacks in December 1941. To the Japanese they believed that they were entitled to expand their territory and with this being restricted it pushed the ruling elite into a position that, despite experts claiming there were alternative solutions Japan only saw one; and ââ¬Å"war became the most viable optionâ⬠to render them useless in preventing the objectives of Japan being met. Japan then expanded into Manchuria a military move that left the country isolated internationally. This coincided with the US government banning the export of oil and scrap metals to Japan if not from a licensed company, the first steps towards a complete embargo. Once Roosevelt had given the green light for the complete embargo things began to change internally in Japan as the ultranationalistââ¬â¢s consolidation of power continued ensuring expansion was not held back. This consolidation of power by the ultranationalists was crucial in the decision to attack Pearl Harbor, they felt Japan needed to use what it had learned from WW1 and ensure a ââ¬Ëquick showdownââ¬â¢. With no oil coming into the country they were left with no choice but to go on the military offensive to keep their booming industry alive. This embargo had put the leading figures in Japan in a position of serious decision making, they could no longer allow being ââ¬Ëdisrespectedââ¬â¢ on the internationa l stage; and ââ¬Å"Japan now defined the United States as its foremost enemy in terms of both capabilities and intentionsâ⬠. Coinciding with the embargo President Roosevelt moved the US fleet to Hawaii in order to discourage Japans expansive ambitions in the Pacific, and with the army officers of Japan being of a militaristic nature it led to a push for action and this action was to be the first strike in what was to become the Pacific War. It can be therefore suggested that the reasoning behind the attack on Pearl Harbour came as a consequence of the humiliation Japan felt it had endured on an international level at the hands of the United States. The United States was a country that ââ¬Å"from the perspective of the Japanese government, was unnecessarily intervening in affairs in which it had little specific, concrete interestâ⬠. Despite the continued interference of the Americans in preventing Japans expansive actions, civilians paid little attention to Japan despite the strong racist feelings between the two countries, a feeling that was highlighted by the San Francisco School incident; further increasing tensions between the two feuding powers. The incident was one of five key provocations that the Japanese used to justify their surprise attack; yet despite the increasingly hostile foreign policy aimed in the direction of Japan, little was done to increase military support by the Americans; allowing the Japanese to feel confident enough to attack Pearl Harbour with the hope of undermining American morale, such that the US government would drop its demands contrary to Japanese interests. However, there is no hiding the pivotal reason behind the attacks and this was the defilement of the economy. The destruction of the Naval fleet was a direct ââ¬Å"retaliation for Americaââ¬â¢s existential attacks on Japans economyâ⬠. Coupled together with naval limitation, the unequal treaties and the continued dishonor on the international stage, Japan felt it best to strike swiftly rendering the US military presence in the Pacific non-existent. The elite of Japan was not prepared for the catastrophic consequences of their attack on Pearl Harbor, at the time what was such a successful foreign attack, it turned out to be the defining moment in not only the War but in Japanââ¬â¢s history. Some argue that the attacked doomed Japan by waking a sleeping giant, a giant that up until the point of attack was happy to find a compromise with Japan over the issues in the Asian region. Moreover, the awakening of this giant gave a reason for the whole US military machine to be set in motion; Clay Blair and Mark Parillo ââ¬Å"believed that Japanese trade protection was so incompetent that the US submarines alone would have strangled them to defeat.â⬠Had the Japanese put more time into planning out the response of the US they would have seen to enter the military conflict directly was not the way to go. However they did not highlight this as an issue and the awakening of the Americans ultimately led to the most devastating of con sequences, this was the subsequent dropping of the 2 atomic bombs on Japanese soil, killing 100,000 instantly with the death toll rising for decades thereafter. Despite this Japan did enjoy some positive consequences, the attack allowed a significant area of the Pacific to be conquered and held for a period of time. By conquering these lands, as a direct result of Pearl Harbour, Japans economy continued with a positive trajectory, and the populace continued its ââ¬Å"strong support for the Japanese attackâ⬠. Japan had met its goals, the Navy of the US had been removed as a threat for the time being and Japan won every major battle until Midway in June of 1942. However had the military officials of the rising power in Asia targeted the crucial shore facilities that housed the oil reserves, the damage inflicted could have been existential. Consequently, the attacks had the opposite impact on the Americans themselves, ââ¬Å"American attitudes about the war change radicallyâ⬠. This consequence allowed the full force of the US military machine to be put into action, a consequence that conclusively led to the defeat of Japan. Pain and rage swept across the states, a strong feeling of nationalism returned. The surprise attack was seen as ââ¬Ëunjust and malevolentââ¬â¢ and the racism that had been rife prior to the attack in 1941 was now at the point of Japanese immigrants within America being sent to detention camps for the duration of the war. A reaction that the militaristic government of Japan had not foreseen. And although attempts had been made to prepare the country for war through the publication and use of anti-US propaganda, many were still ââ¬Ëapprehensive and dismayedââ¬â¢ at the news Japan was now at war with the Americans. With this as a direct result of the Pearl Harbor attack, it did no favors for the morale amongst Japanese citizens who were aroused with both alarm and anger subsequent to the attack. In the long term, Pearl Habor bored more sententious ramifications that struck a blow to the honor and integrity of a once feared nation. Following the decimation of Japan with the dropping of the atomic bombs it was thought that the consequences to the attacks on Pearl Harbor had come to their end, yet this was not the case; American occupation was to follow. It is easy from here to trace back the source of this occupation, had the torpedoes not been dropped on the US naval fleet then it is highly unlikely that the ââ¬Ëgiantââ¬â¢ would have entered the war in the Pacific and engrossed itself in the dealings of Japan.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Jane Austen – Sense and Sensibility
Class, society, and politics in the home, on an interpersonal level among the characters, are themes of outmost importance in the novel ââ¬Å"Sense and Sensibilityâ⬠by Jane Austen. In this short essay, we shall discuss these themes in relation to the characters, as presented in the novel. Austen presents these social conditions throughout the story, as they were dominant in the society of her time. Laws surrounding inheritance, and property, social etiquette, and money matters in a time were gender limitations were very apparent, signified a person's position in the social scale. The Dashwood women, as they appear in ââ¬Å"Sense and sensibilityâ⬠, suddenly find themselves in a humiliating situation, when the mother, Mrs. Dashwood, becomes a widow. They were immediately cast into a dire situation. They were deprived of their estate and income when Mr. John Dashwood, became the legitimate heir of all of Mr. Dashwood's fortune, and decided not to support the Dashwood women financially. Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters, Marianne, Elinor and Margaret had no entitlement to any of Mr. Dashwood's wealth. Having no income resources, they depended on John's charity for support. This was a standard practice of the eighteenth century legal system. In Victorian times, women had, by law, no rights on property. They were seen as dependent on men not only to survive, but also in order to keep their status and respectability. Class divisions, social status and the struggle for its gaining and maintenance are important themes in the novel. All characters in the story come from wealthy, upper class backgrounds. They all belong to high society and their interests and occupations imply this. Sir John Middleton seems to symbolise the best of upper class society. Like the majority of upper class people, his occupation and marital status defined his high position within his social circle. His occupation is hunting, his wealth is inherited, and his wife's only occupation is to raise children. Lady Middleton gathers all the characteristics of the ideal upper class woman: she stays in the home, marries, and is very formal and extremely polite, perhaps to the point of irritation. Characters constantly seem to compete for financial and social power. Inherited wealth is presented as the trademark of high social status. The Dashwood women become deprived of both. As a result they are driven into hardship when they have to give up their house in Norland and all its comforts and luxuries and move to smaller, less luxurious premises in Devonshire. By using this relocation theme, Jane Austen could imply their descent from a high social position to a lower one. It seems almost as if the Dashwoods were ââ¬Å"expelledâ⬠from Norland's ââ¬Å"paradiseâ⬠to Barton Cottage's ââ¬Å"hellâ⬠merely because of their female nature. In Austen's world, being a woman in a man's world is a harsh, cruel reality. Marriage for status is an issue of great importance in Sense and Sensibilityâ⬠. It was seen as a common way in order to gain status. What is more, it was not seen as a choice, but a necessity. Men would seek status through inheritance and/or a wealthy marriage. Edward Ferrars is a typical example of this type of a man in the story. Women would not only opt for handsome and educated men, but mainly for wealthy ones, like Lucy Steele. Wealthier women were also more likely to be legitimate for marriage depending on the dowries they could offer. This put Marianne and Elinor in immediate disadvantage to other women in the novel (i.e. the Steele ladies), and subsequent pressure, in terms of their legitimacy. Their strife for successful marriages mainly stemmed from a desire for social settlement and a restoration of their loss of status. However, in Marianne's case, the main motive for marriage seems to be love (sensibility) and not money (sense), unlike Elinor. Nevertheless, she seems to be almost pushed in a ââ¬Å"properâ⬠marriage with Colonel Brandon in the end. Men seem to have a lot more space for manoeuvering through suppressive social rules than women do in the novel. Society appears to allow them more freedom in marriage and age issues; Colonel Brandon makes a good example in this case. His advanced age did not eventually stop him from getting married to Marianne. In Jane Austen's world as presented in the novel, social integration and acceptance depends on one's status and his/her sensible, controlled behaviour. There seems to be very little room for individuality and deviance. Elinor, Edward Ferrars and the Middletons make fine examples of sensible, controlled characters. As Austen describes: ââ¬Å"Elinor â⬠¦possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgmentâ⬠¦She had an excellent heart; her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong: but she knew how to govern themâ⬠(p4-5). Edward's propriety and the Middletons' formality also signify their extreme level of political correctness and adherence to strict codes of conduct in order to be accepted in society. Social etiquette, formal code of conduct, and discretion to the point of concealment of one's feelings, are also important features in the novel. Desire for social advancement is also evident. Mrs. John Dashwood, for example, was fast to install herself ââ¬Å"mistress of Norlandâ⬠. In the struggle for financial and social power, women appear to act within their own sphere of action: the home. Women like Mrs. J. Dashwood and Mrs. Ferrars, use domestic and financial politics to ensure their control over situations, within and outside their home environment. Financial and domestic politics seem to be the only means women can use to have their own way in the world of the novel. Ironically enough, even though the story is set in a male-dominated society, the male characters possess little power over women like, for example, Mrs. J. Dashwood and Mrs. Smith and Ferrars. In terms of politics in the home environment, it almost seems as if under the surface of a male-dominated society, what is actually going on is beyond what eyes can see. Austen successfully conveys this idea.
Apple and employee motivation Essay
Ideally, Apple wants to have a workplace that fosters creativity from all the employees. Apple combines extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in order to empower their employees to be innovative. There are numerous methods Apple employs to motivate its employees. Once, Apple rewarded its executives by giving them a recognition bonus of 3 to 5 percent of their base salary. This motivating incentive occurred despite the fact that they recently missed their target on a project. This implies that Apple upper management empathized with the groupââ¬â¢s efforts. Another motivating incentive is the discount on products that all Apple employees receive. Employees who work at corporate Apple can receive a free iPhone or iPod Shuffle. Giving products to employees rather than money can be a better an effective motivator because many Apple employees are simply motivated to see the end results of their efforts. It is also typically cheaper to give the employees products rather than a raise. Recently, Apple has given employees more vacation days due to the companyââ¬â¢s strong performance in product sales. These are all extrinsic examples of how Apple motivates its employees. Employee motivation also stems from the corporate culture. Most Apple employees are heavily committed to their work and can be described enjoying monotonous encoding. Perhaps it is even insightful to look at what intrinsic forces were driving Steve Jobs. Jobsââ¬â¢ Stanford commencement speech indicates that he knew he had a limited time on Earth and this motivated him to follow his heart and pursue his passion. His ultimate motivation for creating innovative products was not based around profit but what would he would personally want to have.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Juvenile Crime and Socio-economic Factors Term Paper
Juvenile Crime and Socio-economic Factors - Term Paper Example No one is a born criminal and it is evident that the surrounding socio economic environment acts as an important ingredient and a positive catalyst in turning a young boy or girl into a vicious criminal who might be breaking some oneââ¬â¢s house or threatening some one at his/her gun point. In the following paragraphs a detailed investigative analysis has been led to explore the different avenues through which these socio economic factors make their inroad into young blossoms to turn them into dried hays waiting to be ignited with faintest of sparks and provocation. Before moving into details it is worth mentioning that the following analysis would be based on a set of socio economic indicators that comprises of; family, socio-economic class and factors that also includes community factors, educational background, urbanization, media, exclusion and influence of the peers. Family: Juvenile period is the formative period of human life and family plays the most critical role in this juncture. A family with healthy atmosphere cultivate the socially acceptable norms within the siblings that help them to grow into responsible, matured social being in the long run. In sharp contrast a family that is subject to unhealthy environment and does not provide enough psychological nourishment towards the siblings might be considered as the breeding ground for juvenile criminals who in no time would become a social menace. Metaphorically a tree determines the kind of fruit it is going to produce in future. A strong statistical evidence might be produced here a ââ¬Å"study of 250 boys found that among boys at age 10, the strongest predictors of later convictions for violent offenses (up to age 45) were poor parental supervision, parental conflict, and parental aggression, including harsh, punitive discipline.â⬠(Shader, 6) Again if the seniors of a family are already engaged into anti social activities, then the child manages to witness such activities on a regular bas is and that work as a kindergarten, ironically for criminal lessons. Going by social process theory, individuals react to such conflict situations with hostility and anti social activities (Zarka). It is worth mentioning a study in this respect that was ââ¬Å"carried out in prisons in the United States reveals that families involved in criminal activities tend to push their younger members towards violating the law. More than two-third of those interviewed had relatives who were incarcerated; for 25 per cent it was a father and for another 25 per cent a brother or sister.â⬠(chapter 7: Juvenile Delinquency, 196) Evidence has also been found that a family where peace and love are distant issues between couples and that displays continuous marital disorder results in creating an environment that eventually promotes juvenile delinquency. This is also true for families with evidence of divorce, though at the end it depends much on family unity than on single or double parenthood. Socio-economic class and factors including community: It seems that children from economically weak background tend to be more into juvenile crime. This socio-economic class based idea held strong in 1950s and 1960s. However statistical analysis since 1960s revealed that youths belonging to the economically middleclass are also almost equally into juvenile delinquency. This is in accordance to the social structure theory of crime, which explains
Sunday, July 28, 2019
The Biographical Outlines of Hernando De Valencia, Damiana De Cunha, Essay
The Biographical Outlines of Hernando De Valencia, Damiana De Cunha, Enrico Martinez, Micaela Angela Carrillo, Diego Vasicuio and Antonio De Gouveia. Portuguese and Spanish America - Essay Example In the short period following the return of the governor to Portugal in 1783, Damiana De Cunhaââ¬â¢s life is a string of uncertain facts. It is speculated that she may have spent some time in the village of Sao Jose de Mossamedes as a ââ¬Å"domestic indianâ⬠(Karasch 106). It is still not determined whether De Cunha spent her young adult life in Sao Hose or as an interpreter settled amongst her relatives at Maria Pilera. The population of Sao Jose at this time was dwindling due to disease and desertion and had to be relocated to be joined up with Sao Jose, the population of which had also diminished significantly, for more efficient administration of both villages. Damiana De Cunha had been married at some point and it is claimed, romantically so, that her first husband was a Portuguese soldier. Nothing is known about him, except that he died and left De Cunha widowed. Her second marriage was to a Brazilian and ex-corporal of the militia named Manual Periera da Cruz. Da Cruz may have been a poor mulatto, judging from the racial make-up of the captaincy and of Sao Jose. Damian De Cunha was a central figure in the Sao Hose community. In later years she appears to have become the chief Indian leader of the community overseeing its transition from a missionary outpost to a peasant village. She was a loyal supporter of the church and acted as a mediator between the villagers and the colonial and Brazilian states. Her death struck a tragic blow to the existence of the many villages, which began to disintegrate one after the other. The Villages were under the supervision of an intricate hierarchy of Portuguese servicemen, headed by the Chief Administrator of Vila Boa. The result of this long chain of command and the death of the Great Angrai-oxa was the exploitation of the Caiapo. They were made to work under the supervision of mulatto soldiers and in return were given small rations. Much of the harvested products and the goods gained in exchange for these pr oducts were raked off by officials at each level. Villagers who slacked off were severely punished. Consequently, the Caiapo were unhappy with the hard work and harsh restrictions, such as needing permission to leave their village. The very location of the village added to their frustrations as it was unsuitable for fishing or good hunting. Some of the Caiapo members escaped from the village to return to their cousins in the backlands. As Damiana De Cunha had been raised in a foreign manner and believed in the religion of her foreign masters, she was more concerned in keeping the structure of the village together rather then in leading a Caiapo revolution. Many of the Caiapo had returned to their old ways of violence and plunder. However, De Cunha undertook an expedition to the Sertao to persuade some of the Caiapo to return with her in 1808. She was successful in convincing about seventy of her fellow tribes-men. She was convinced that civilization and Christianity were the only me ans of redemption and salvation for the savage Caiapos who were succumbing to starvation and epidemics. In 1819, the then governor appointed her to undertake another expedition to convince more of the Caiapo to return, and De Cunha embarked on a three month long journey to the Sertao. In 1921, she as dispatched on another expedition
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