Rewriting the Fairytale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rewriting the Fairytale - Essay Example She put on her old but clean dress, wore a pair of torn down sandals, straightened her hair, and left for the party. At the party, the prince did not seem to be interested in any of the ladies. He looked at Cinderella, and offered her to dance with him. She was felling triumphant and looked at the step-sisters with pride. When the clock struck twelve, she decided to leave but when she was running down the stairs, she threw one of her shoes at the staircase, and returned to her home. When called upon by her step-mom, she replied that she was not going to suffer anymore. The next day, the prince’s men came over their place and asked Cinderella if that shoe was hers to which she replied in affirmative. Thus, they got married and lived happily ever after. Analysis The issue that was in my mind while modernizing the story of Cinderella was that: why, in this modern world, a woman should be treated like an inferior person by others. â€Å"Cinderella's story is a classic story of di scrimination† (Angie). In the original story, when she hopes that she will be offered to be taken to the ball, this means that she wants herself to be treated on an equal basis as her step-sisters.

Internet Research Project Topics (in US business law) Essay

Internet Research Project Topics (in US business law) - Essay Example limitations on punitive damages has the potential to wreak economic havoc by driving corporation after corporation out of the marketplace and, in so doing, discouraging business investments. From the ethical perspective, the issue is important both as regards corporations and consumers. As far as corporations are concerned, liability laws are intended to regulate corporate behaviour and ensure responsibility for their products and towards their customers. The threat of punitive damages arguably contributes to greater ethical compliance where corporations are concerned. Where consumers are concerned, however, the ethics of the issue assumes a very different hue. This is because consumers are becoming increasingly litigation minded and, indeed, more and more are seeking to profit by suing corporations and from punitive damage awards. A cap or limitation on the amount of damages which can be rewarded will curtail this tendency and contribute to the re-affirmation of punitive damages as a regulatory mechanism designed to ensure corporate responsibility. Added to the aforementioned, the issue is of particular significance to me since my father and I have corporate business interests in the United States. Even while recognizing that it is not a credible source which can possibly be included in this study, I commenced the research by accessing the Wikipedia website. The reason for doing so is that the said website provides concise overviews of topics, giving readers a sense of both sides of an argument. Reading through Corporate Liability and Punitive Damages on Wikipedia provided me with a good introduction to the topic and helped me identify possible search terms (Wikipedia, 2008). Following Wikipedia, I logged onto Google and executed a search for â€Å"corporate liability punitive damages.† Close to a quarter of a million results were returned. One of these was an article linked to a website titled Palm Beach Bar (http://plambeachbar.org). An exploration

Right to Education - Hurdles in Implementation Essay Example for Free

Right to Education Hurdles in Implementation Essay The Right to Education Act brought in its wake a new hope for universalization of education in the country. The children of the underprivileged section of the society who were deprived of this basic right can now demand it as their fundamental right. This does not appear to be just our problem but a general one across the country. Even in West Bengal according to the article in Teacher Plus (February 2010 issue) `What a clean toilet can do†, out of 1. 04 crore children who enroll in class 1, only 14. 05 lakh make it to secondary school – a shocking 90% drop out! There is a dropout rate of 4% at the primary level, 19% between classes 6 and 8, and 50% at the high school level. So, barely 25% of those who enroll at the class 1 level get to class 10! If at the primary level the child’s foundation is so weak she cannot survive at higher levels. Central Government figures show that 12 million children are engaged in child labour and out of school. Starting April 1 education is the right of every child in India but the Right to Education Act has not made any specific provision to bring the child labourers back into regular school. Seven-year-old Anil Patel doesnt go to school. He works with his parents on a small piece of land 70 kms from Ahmedabad. His parents say they could not afford the school fee. Even if I decide to teach him, where will I fund his expenses from? asks Anils father Narsinh Patel. After the sowing season is over, the Patels move to Ahmedabad as migrant labourers for six months and take Anil with them. The seven-year-old doesnt know what hes missing out on. Having spent most of his life away from school he says he doesnt want to attend class. I dont want to go to school. The teachers used to beat me up, he says. Like Anil, Kakali Baidya was also denied the right to education. The 14-year-old was studying in class 1 when her family moved to Kolkata for work. The shift cost Kakali her education and the city made her a domestic help. The Right to Education Act which makes elementary education compulsory for 6-14 year old aims to better the lives of children. But what about those like Anil and Kakali and other children working as labourers, as domestic help? The government needs to recruit 20 lakh teachers to successfully implement the Right to Education Act, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said on Monday. The implementation of the Act was a difficult task and the only solution would be to hire teachers even if they did not have the required qualification. by the end of the 11th [Five-Year] Plan, India will be fully connected with 22,000 colleges and 480 universities. We hope to connect all schools in a similar fashion by the end of the 12th Plan as well. Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs commitment to build 6,500 ‘model schools in backward areas; of these, 3,000 would be developed through public-private-partnership investment. 70 per cent of the workforce not having cleared the primary class exam and only 5-7 per cent having skills as opposed to 95 per cent in the developed world, advancement in human resource is the focal objective of the nation right now. With the human resource meltdown that is taking place globally, India holds the key to filling the huge demographic deficit by technically arming its people

Representation Of Women In Hindi Cinema Film Studies Essay

Representation Of Women In Hindi Cinema Film Studies Essay Hindi cinema has always been a major point of reference for Indian culture and society. Not only has it shaped but also expressed the changing scenarios and contours of Indias cultural and societal sentiments to such an extent that no other preceding art form could ever achieve. Hindi cinema has influenced the way in which people perceive and deal with various aspects of their own lives. Cinema means different things for different people, for some it is the greatest and the most appreciated medium of entertainment, while for others it is just a medium that disseminates moving pictures. And then there are people who think that it is a medium that reflects the true mood and the changing scenario or rather reality of the society that produces it. Not only does it reflect, it also shapes and influences a society. One can say that cinema and society influence each other. Cinema, is a true reflection of the society and what we see in movies actually happens, otherwise where do these films get their inspiration from? Movies now portray live-in relationships, girlfriends and boyfriends, pre-marital sex, corruption, people following live and let live policy in life and family, liberal parents, colleges are depicted like dating parties and professors like friends. Of course one has to admit that it is all exaggerated and blown up, sometimes even in epic proportions, but the core idea, the crux, the central theme, comes from the society itself. Obviously those situations and reflections of life and society are exaggerated and blown up converting it all into a motion picture with elements of drama, suspense and comedy so as to attract spectators. The society and the world that we live in is changing and these changes are echoed in the cinema. Lets take the example of the humble and illiterate mother or ma depicted in the Hindi movies of 60s, through the 70s right till the 80. The ma was a female figure, an epitome of sacrifice and hard work, caring and bothered about nothing but her children. She burned the midnight oil to stitch clothes to afford two meals a day and to pay for the heros BA degree, has slowly got replaced with the modern, educated and sometimes even independent mom. The heroine who was normally a simple homely girl has now been replaced by a woman who is not only educated and bold but is also confident about her sexuality. The hero no longer falls in love with a innocent uneducated gaon-ki-gori. He has now been replaced by a simple boy next door with no palaces to live in, with human capabilities, flaws and aspirations. The result is that the audience can now easily relate with the lead characters of the film. But there is a different aspect, a different side to the coin, as well; cinema itself can herald or bring about changes in the society. It inspires fashion and crimes when people try to mimic what they see in movies, failing to realise that what they see on screen is an altered or modified version of reality that is made to look glamorous though instruments and technology and that life like cinema is not predictable. But, there are some movies that bring about positive changes as well like the recent change in the old policy followed by CBSE as a result the movie Tare Zameen Par (2007). CBSE now gives extra time to dyslexic students for their board exams. Similarly, public interest in hockey was renewed after the hit movie Chak De (2007). So it wouldnt be wrong to say that cinema isnt just a source of popular entertainment for families and individuals, but also a vehicle of social change, as it should be. Audiences like to see the familiar on screen. They like to see what they know, what they are aware of, what they believe and it is this reflection on screen that caters to the tastes and sensibilities of the masses. People derive joy, pleasure and amusement when they watch such films and therefore it is the audience that decides what goes into a film. Next it is the investor. The producer of a film would want to invest in something that would fetch him some returns on his investment and therefore they put their money in films that would make the audience happy and consequently bring in the greens for the investors. Unless a film caters to the mass audience, it will not be economically viable. The representation of women is often used as a selling point of the films. Audience likes to watch women on screen in various song and dance routines, in stereotypical images, in various costumes ( as discussed in chapter 2) and the reflection of women on screen change from time to time with changing trends in the continuously evolving society ( as discussed in chapter 3). It is true that the changing ideologies of a society have the power over what is depicted on screen and how it is depicted but another truth is the fact that the patriarchal undercurrents in our society are still the same. Women are still depicted in a way that caters to the male gaze. Women are still categorised and this has been achieved through song and dance sequences, through various forms of dress and through stereotypical images. All these factors help to compartmentalise women, turn them into a fetish leaving no room for the real woman to be depicted on screen. A cursory glance on the history on Hindi cinema and the changing trends of society and cinema leads one to believe that Bollywood has progressed over time in terms of depiction of women. Globalization and western culture has had a strong influence and a huge impact on the content films, the locations where they are shot and even the settings. But a closer examination of the films reveal that indeed there has been progress, but only in terms of technological devices that are used for special effects, locations as in they are more scenic, the films have begun to represent N.R.Is, the speech has westernised, the dresses have a modern influence and the entire aspect of film making and marketing has becoming more commercial and corporate like. It has truly become an Industry, a business. Women are still depicted or portrayed in the old moulds of feminity. Heroines are westernised, as is everything around them, but this has resulted in turning a woman into a commodity that needs to be made a spectacle of so that the film can sell well. The western influence and modernisation has led to more skin show in order to make the film commercially viable as it is now sold to Indian as well as western audiences. Mythology, religion, notions and ideas about family and tradition, cultural ethos, all of these strongly influence Bollywood and consequently the representation of women on screen. But one must understand that all these values that dictate the trends of Bollywood are ruled and dominated by the premise of patriarchy and therefore women are represented in a manner which is submissive to these values and therefore subject to control by men. The women are shown in subordinate roles, upholding traditional values. They represent the community and are seen as repository of community values. Women authenticate a national/cultural identity. The body of the woman is the carrier of cultural signs. Symbols of marriage like the mangalsutra, sindoor etc. are fetishized. Women are represented as prototypes, one dimensional characters as daughters, wives, daughter-in-law, courtesan, lover, widow. Such stereotypes have no personal traits, no substance in terms of character and temperament; they only exist in relation to men, to heroes on screen. They are there as foils to the male characters so as to highlight their characteristics. Feminity as it is outlined by the premise of patriarchy is more often than not adhered to in Indian films. However, through an analysis of new emerging trends in Bollywood cinema as well as the parallel cinema, it becomes clearly visible that some women break this mould. There are films that portray women in bold and strong characters and sometimes even as individuals but such films are not very successful commercially. And also the answer to the question whether women in Hindi cinema are constructed so as to attract male gaze remains yes because even in those films, the heroines who played the bold, strong and individual characters were good looking and attractive, they were used in various song and dance sequences and were objectified through the use of costumes and other cinematic tools. There have been attempts to emancipate women from the constraining stereotypical moulds through representation of strong women characters in powerful roles in mainstream cinema but they have been only partially successful because those films were made but they werent very successful. The art movies or parallel cinema as they call it, emerging in the 1970s, avoided objectifying women, and focussed on showcasing the prevalent oppression and exploitation of women in our society. But the overriding themes, ideologies and concepts of religion, culture and tradition have a very strong foothold when it comes to Hindi cinema and they entrap representation of women in fixed moulds of stereotypes strengthened by patriarchy. Events seldom catapult women characters of Indian cinema to a white-hot spotlight. They are dumped into the quagmires of tension-packed fireworks of the home-prison or the ambitious exploitations of healers and killers, lovers and betrayers. The women are shown as having no spheres of their own, no independent identity, no living space. They go down in collective memory as organic imperfections, ramshackle, rickety, unhinged creations, mere fictional constructs of the fragile handle with care male ego. Hindi films with excellent photography, picturesque locations, designer costumes and gorgeous heroines enthral and influence audiences in a manner which slowly and steadily transforms the way they think and perceive the world around them. The youth that forms a large chunk of the audience start aping what is shown in screen in terms of costumes, language, style and above all the norms and ideologies highlighted by the films. These ideologies prescribe that domestic bliss and societal recognition is achievable only through submission to the pre-established hierarchies. One of the dictates of such ideologies is that women should be submissive and subordinate to the males in family and in society in general. Films often show heroes pursuing the heroines not with poetry, as the idea of chivalry preaches, but with songs and sequences that manhandle the heroine, pestering her with antics like playing with her dupatta, pulling and pinching her cheeks, blocking her path, coming too close for comfort and sometimes even kissing her without her permission. The girl initially tries to get away from this brute but finally gives in to him and accepts his love. The marvel of marvels happens when she succumbs to such degrading antics and is won over by his charm. Is it any wonder that eve teasing is rampant in this country when films show women giving in to such demeaning and crude gestures used by the male in the film in order to court her? In case a girl is raped in a film, the girl is compelled to marry the perpetuator of such a deplorable and detestable act. The girl isnt even asked if she wants to spend the rest of her life with the man responsible for violating her physically and psychologically in such a horrendous manner and robbing her of her freedom. The woman becomes the property of the man who ruined her life. If she refuses to marry her rapist she is immediately alienated from the society and is deemed undeserving of anyones sympathy and support for she refused to marry the man who violated her and then was willing to provide for her as his wife. The perpetuator, the criminal here becomes noble and self-righteous for in the act of agreeing to marry the woman he raped hes redeemed himself. The victim, if she refuses to marry him, becomes ungrateful, perverted and promiscuous for she refused a mans offer of marriage, a man who as per the norm, could have shrugged off all responsibility towards her. Most Hindi films portray love stories between a rich boy and a poor girl or vice versa. The predictable and often repeated story line being that they meet, fall in love, encounter opposition from their respective families, communities and society and finally they get married after innumerable trials and tribulations. The rich boy who wants to marry below his station is considered noble, heroic, sacrificing and generous while a rich girl who wants to marry the poor boy is often portrayed as fashionable, independent, spoilt, pampered and bratty who desperately needs to be tamed and domesticated so as to bring her in line with what the society expects. In other words she needs to wear Indian dresses with bindi and bangles, should be able cook and serve to the family and finally should see her husband as her sole reason for existence. This she is transformed into by the poor boy who as reward gets the woman as a trophy in the end. The whole idea defies logic. Why would a rich and pampere d girl want to marry a poor boy for there are enough good men in the world with the same moneyed background? The underlying patriarchal assumption being that any man is good enough to marry a girl, rich or poor doesnt matter. A woman, in a film, who puts her aspirations, ambitions and career before family is considered ruthless and also at time unwomanly but if a man does the same he becomes noble and virtuous. If a woman does it she is to be condemned for her professional goals come in the way of serving the family and her husband but if a man does it he is doing so to provide for his family which is commendable. The double standards of the society and hypocrisy of the patriarchal ideologies promoted by films are more than evident but such films are accepted by the audiences and they go on to become hits. The same ideology and story is repeated film after film transforming the ideology into a norm that soon becomes a trend followed by the people. Wielding the camera is probably a more onerous responsibility than wielding the pen, as the visual medium is several times more powerful than the written one. Add to this the sway that tinsel towns charismatic heartthrobs have over the masses and the job of film makers as arbiters of taste and public opinion becomes that much more accountable. The ideology of patriarchy works through the concept of female morality setting territorial limits for the whole idea of feminine identity and exposing the hypocrisy of male attitude that ultimately seeks patriarchal domination of women. A females body remains central to the societys as well as her realization of self. Patriarchy, that asserts itself through marriage, adultery and rape, works through the female body. On the other hand a female who tries to resist patriarchy uses her body to express her freedom, desire and sexuality. Powerful woman characters and their impact is eclipsed by the manner in which she is depicted as stereotypes trapping a woman in roles that submit to the dictatorial conventions of our society in the process inhibiting the qualities of a woman as an individual at peace with herself and comfortable in the world of her personal aspirations and interests. This is because a girl child in the formative years of growing up is conditioned through the process of socialization where her freedom and liberty is cut down drastically. At a very young age she learns to submit to the whims and fancies of the patriarchal society. She gives in to the tyrannies of our society and forgets all about her own emotional, social and financial needs along with her individual aspirations. Women in our society are perceived and therefore represented as inferior beings. The realities of the patriarchal society and the standards set by it make the woman under confident and make her believe that the only form of security she can achieve is through obedience to the society that terrorizes her to begin with. This ideology perpetuated by the masculine world around her makes a woman consent to the unreasonable emotional, social and financial demands made upon her, all in the name of peace, happiness, order and security.

Henry Hyde: Which Henry Hyde Will Show Up Today? :: EssayPapers

Henry Hyde: Which Henry Hyde Will Show Up Today? Henry Hyde has served on numerous committees and has participated in many of our nation’s most controversial issues over the past few decades. In this way, many have felt Hyde’s influence. In 1987, Hyde was a member of the Joint House-Senate Committee that investigated the Iran-Contra matter. In 1996, Hyde was the Chairman of the Republican Platform Committee at the National Convention, in San Diego. Most recently, Hyde served as the chief manager in the Impeachment of President Clinton during both the House and Senate proceedings. Henry Hyde is often heralded for the roles he has played in these events of national significance. From a political standpoint, Henry Hyde initially appears to be unflawed–what he says he seems to believe, and what he believes he appears to say. Although his views are often unpopular, he portrays a politician of set moral and ethical values, a set of values could have augmented his rise to his rise to power in the United States Governm ent. Unfortunately, this proves not to be the case. In fact, a comparison of the Henry Hyde in the Iran-Contra Affair to the Henry Hyde who levied an all out impeachment on William Jefferson Clinton illustrates many disturbing patterns. The Henry Hyde, whose political image is so aesthetically strong, represents anything but a pillar of political ideology or ethical value. Instead, Henry Hyde emerges as having no regard for political consistency and as a politician whose underlying political platforms are dictated by partisanship. In this way, Hyde has shown a willingness to extend his political platforms to opposite extremes, all in the name of doing Republican power. The hypocrisy that arises in Henry Hyde’s political discourse is unsurpassed. Due to his highly influential and esteemed role in our government I feel Henry Hyde’s behavior deserves to be criticized and the social implications should be understood. It is to this extent that I focus on the partisanship that dictates Henry Hyde’s every move and the hypocrisy that arises as a result. In 1986, Henry Hyde defended the Reagan Administration and Oliver North against Independent Council investigations by all means possible. Throughout the tumult Hyde stood by their side refusing to allow a fellow Republican lose power without a fight. Due to circumstances that surrounded the Iran-Contra Affair, the Reagan Administration and Oliver North were under intense scrutiny. The generalities of the case involved the illegal sales of weapons to the Nicaraguan Contra’s.

Sumartran Tsunami :: essays research papers

On December 26, 2004 a wave of destruction hit the coasts along the Indian Ocean, affecting lives all over the world. Not only did this disaster bring about a world wide relief effort, but caused a reevaluation of the lack of warning systems in place for many regions threatened by seismic activity and potential devastating coastal impact of seafloor earthquakes. Six months later, information abounds in text, television, and periodicals for any lay person to research. The diversity of perspective is another matter. Depending on the source, subjects will range from brief plate tectonic education to in depth geophysical analysis, from calls for aid involvement to calls for answers revolving around predictability and warning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If a curious student takes a sampling of just a few periodicals, two tuned to a general audience, and one designed to address information in a scholarly manner, that person can easily identify the characteristics and perspective of each. It is important to note, sources focused on human geography and public relations appear to have responded quicker with information and relayed simple geographical concepts, whereas scholarly journals and scientific periodicals are continuing the process of analyzing data and research-oriented information gathering, therefore these magazines are, even after six months, persevering in their quest to present articles, and will more than likely be publishing relevant articles in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The National Geographic Society is good source of information, and no person can argue the artistry of its presentation, however, the magazine, and its television and internet productions are directed toward a curious, but mostly naive audience. If searching for an overview, a middle man one may say, National Geographic does provide a history and account of the event in â€Å"The Deadliest Tsunami in History† (National Geographic News, Jan 7, 2005). Organized and succinct, the article begins with a few simple facts about the wave making process and tsunami characteristics, even dispelling myths that a tsunami is a single destructive tidal wave, but actually a series of wave building processes resulting from the shifting of the earth undersea due to seismic activity. The article goes on to include human interest stories, not overlooking an account where an Indian man after remembering a National Geographic program, saves the li8ves of more than 1,500 of his fellow villagers. Lastly, the article discusses potential residual hazards of the event, presenting issues such as famine and disease epidemics due to the lack of clean water and food supplies diminished from the disaster.

Effects of Optimism on Psychological and Physical Health

Effects of Optimism on Psychological and Physical Health Heather LaBombard PSY/220 The definition of the word â€Å"optimism† is a favorable attitude about conditions or events in life. Some believe that optimistic views in life will have beneficial effects on psychological and physical health. However, excessive optimism can have harmful effects on psychological and physical health. Many tests and research have been done on people to see if optimism does in fact have an effect on psychological and physical health. According to one of the articles that I researched about the effects of optimism on physical health suggested that people who have an optimistic view tend to engage in health-promoting actions such as: not smoking, not drinking alcohol, watching their diet, using sunscreen, taking vitamins, and other health-related actions. According to the Encyclopedia of Health and Behavior Management (2004) there have been studies on people who optimistic about their lives and the studies have shown that the optimistic people are less likely to become sick or to develop a disease as a person who is pessimistic. In a study that monitored the blood pressure of people doing normal activities the results showed that a person who was optimistic had less of a chance of elevated blood pressure than a pessimist. Another study has shown that optimism can lead to faster recoveries from surgeries or an accident. . However, a person who has an optimistic view may think that everything will go his or her way and that nothing can go wrong for either one of them. This could lead them to taking behavioral risks, such as: engaging in unprotected sex, drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking cigarettes and not taking care of their general health. I know that when I have been pessimistic about events going on in my life I have started to think unhealthy. I tend to become sick more often when I do not have a good attitude. When I do think optimistically I am full of energy and I act like I am happy. In my personal opinion I agree that optimism has an impact on physical health and it could be negative or positive. Optimism plays a part in psychological health. According to the article that I researched about the effects of optimism on psychological health optimists face challenges more effectively than pessimists and therefore benefit psychologically (Wimberley, Carver, & Antoni, 2008). The article is about women who have breast cancer and how optimism plays a role in their well-being. Optimism is associated with a lower level of distress on breast cancer patients. Studies show that optimistic women who have breast cancer feel physically attractive (Wimberley, Carver, & Antoni, 2008). The breast cancer patients were also optimistic about interpersonal relationships, which is also psychologically rewarding. Studies have shown that optimistic people have better interpersonal relationships and social support; therefore are more optimistic about their illness because they believe that they have a support system. An optimistic attitude about learning about the education of breast cancer also showed that the women had a better sense of well-being. Although being optimistic in life is good for psychological well-being, it can also bring some ill effects for a woman who has breast cancer. According to Pinquart, Frohlich, & Silbereisen (2007) a woman with breast cancer may develop an optimistic attitude about the diagnosis of breast cancer and expect a good outcome about side effects and the treatment. This does not happen very often, which could lead to psychological distress. I agree with both aspects of effects on psychological and physical health. A person who has a good attitude toward life in general tends to lead a healthier life physically and psychologically. However, having too much optimism in life may be damaging to a person’s physical health and psychological health. As long as optimism is used in a positive way, a person can lead a happy and healthy life. References OPTIMISM, PESSIMISM, AND HEALTH. (2004). In Encyclopedia of Health and Behavior Management, Sage. Retrieved from http://www. credoreference. om/entry/sageeohabm/optimism_pessimism_and_health Pinquart, M. , Frohlich, C. , & Silbereisen, R. (2007). Optimism, pessimism, and change of psychological well-being in cancer patients. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 12(4), 421-432. doi:10. 1080/13548500601084271. Wimberly, S. , Carver, C. , & Antoni, M. (2008). Effects of optimism, interpersonal relationships, and distress on psychosexual well-being among women with early stage breast cancer. Psychology & Health, 23(1), 57-72. Retrieved from CINAHL Plus with Full Text database.