Holy Spirit Essay Example for Free

Holy Spirit Essay Mary Magdalene along with other women visited the tomb of Jesus on Easter Sunday morning to apply fresh spices to the body of Jesus who was crucified on Friday. The agony and pain carried by Mary Magdalene for Jesus has lead to visit Jesus early before the sun rise. As a matter of fact, for all believers of Christianity, this moment of Mary Magdalene witnessing an empty tomb the absence of Jesus physical body provides a strength to the faith of believers with the fact that Mary Magdalene carried the message of resurrection of Jesus first to the disciples and to the entire world. On the other side, if Mary Magdalene would not visit the tomb of Jesus on Easter Sunday morning, how the world would view the death and resurrection of Jesus, and how the gospel and missionary work of Jesus would be carried on, such as these questions would arise whereas by witnessing an empty tomb, Mary Magdalene has brought a message to the world that Jesus has risen from the dead. This amazing fact and for this purpose, Jesus may have chosen Mary Magdalene in spite of the fact that, Jesus had 12 ardent and strong followers as disciples who knew and witnessed the Lord’s miracle work and missionary work. In Matthew 28:1-2 angels declare that Jesus has risen and Jesus cannot be found among the dead and this message was first disclosed to women who visited the tomb. In Mark 16:4-5 it was stated that stone on the tomb was rolled away, and an angel was seated in side the tomb to tell that Jesus has risen from the dead and this resurrection message must be carried to all. Among all women who visited the tomb of Jesus, Mary Magdalene was the first to meet Jesus after the resurrection and also as the first person to disclose the message of resurrection of Jesus to the disciples of Jesus. The life of Mary Magdalene was one part, wherein on several occasions, was pointed out as a rich woman who led a luxurious and lavish life, who lived a family life along with brother Lazarus and sister Martha, and who possessed demons and was also viewed by people as a sinner. The second part of Mary Magdalene life began with the association of Jesus gospel work , and there was a great transformation and change in the life of life of Mary Magdalene. Mary witnessed the life of brother Lazarus which was brought back by Jesus, Jesus participation with Pharisees and Sadducees along with disciples in feast and how Jesus motivated and preached the teachings. Mary Magdalene was present on several occasions with Jesus which provide an understanding that Mary Magdalene after choosing to follow Jesus did not go back to the old life and remained with Jesus until the resurrection and Jesus accepted the presence of Mary Magdalene every where. Many scholars also state that Mary Magdalene was the best female disciple of Jesus and men disciples disliked this fact. Jesus did not permit Mary Magdalene to touch Jesus, after the resurrection, and this is quite notable as â€Å"noli me tangere† which means â€Å"Don’t touch me, for I have not ascended to my father as stated in St. John 20:17. Just after this episode, a week later Jesus visits doubting Thomas along with other disciples and asks to touch Jesus hands and side as stated in John 20:24-28. With the above facts, it is a very strong and evidential fact that Mary Magdalene was the closest disciple of Jesus who maintained well tuned relation with Jesus in all respects and Jesus did not deny this. Mary Magdalene life after Jesus is another interesting point of view as Jesus and Mary Magdalene were lead to the birth and inception of The Holy Grail and it is also interesting to take note how this has been achieved. 2. Gospels of New Testament about Mary Magdalene All the four gospels of New Testament speak about Mary as Mary Magdalene. It can be stated here that if Jesus showed much appreciation for Peter among men disciples Mary Magdalene was the most appreciative among women disciples of Jesus and Peter disliked this and as per Gospel of Thomas, Peter on several occasions asked Mary to leave Jesus and disciples and also stated that â€Å"for women are not worthy of life† (Bart D. Ehrman, Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene, page. 254). There is also a question whether it was Mary Magdalene who laid the foundation for the birth of Christianity, and that Mary was the first apostle of Jesus who lead to the church movement. Mary Magdalene was cured from seven demons when Jesus was journeying from one place to another preaching the good news about kingdom of god. (Luke 8:1-3) This was the first inspiration that has drawn Mary towards Jesus. In the second instance, during crucifixion Mark 15:40 along with other women viz. , Mary the mother of James, Joses and Salome, Mary Magdalene was also present for visiting the tomb of Jesus. Again in Math 27:56 Mary Magdalene with other women Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of sons of Zebedee. In John 19:25 Mary Magdalene was standing at the cross along with Mary the mother of Jesus, mother’s sister and Mary the wife of Clopas. After the crucifixion of Jesus, Mark 15:47 states that Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking where Jesus was laid. Matt 27:61 states that Mary Magdalene and other Mary were sitting opposite the sepulcher. Mat 28:1 states that after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. Mark 16:1 states that after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome brought spices to anoint the body of Jesus. On the occasion of resurrection of Jesus, it is stated in John 20:1, Marg Magdalene came to the tomb on the first day of the week and it was still dark and Mary Magdalene saw that the stone was already taken from the tomb. Mark 16:9 states that Jesus after the resurrection, the first day of the week, first appeared to Mary Magdalene from whom Jesus casted out seven demons. In John 20:18, Mary Magdalene announced to the disciples as â€Å"I have seen the Lord†. Luke 24 states that women took the spices and went to the tomb of Jesus on the first day of the week and found that the stone was rolled away from the tomb. Women when entered the tomb, did not find the body of Lord Jesus and saw two men in dazzling garments who said â€Å"why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day†. Immediately women among whom was Mary Magdalene was present along with Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and others who visited disciples and unfolded the message of resurrection of Jesus. This fact was first not accepted by disciples who did not believe the fact that Jesus would definitely rise from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. This discussion clearly indicates that the presence of Mary Magdalene is constant from the time of crucifixion, during the burial of Jesus and most importantly the resurrection of Jesus. In all the three phases of Jesus crucifixion and resurrection Mary Magdalene was persistent and faithful to meet Lord Jesus Christ. This strongly communicates that Mary Magdalene was truly the first apostle of women who longed for the presence of Jesus and did not look back to the old life which was filled with luxuries and riches whereas Mary Magdalene was pursuing Jesus taking note of every good news of gospel work performed by Jesus. 3. Character analysis of Mary Magdalene Some people identify Mary Magdalene as â€Å"sinner† who anointed Jesus feet in the home of Simon, the Pharisee as stated in St. Luke 7:36-50 whereas there is no concrete evidence for this. Mary Magdalene is portrayed as an ardent follower of Jesus as it is revealed in the scriptures of New Testament in several places of gospels which describe about the association of Mary Magdalene with Jesus viz. , St. Mat 27:56, 61: 28:1, Mark 15:40,47. 16:1-19; 8:2, 24:10, John 19:25, 20:1-18. Magdala means â€Å"tower or castle† is a prosperous town on the coast of Galilee, three miles away from Capernaum, wherein there are many dye work factories and Mary is from this city which is why Mary is called as Mary Magdalene. The perfume/oil Mary uses to anoint the feet of Jesus was very expensive to an amount of $ 17,000 worth which was approximate wage of 300 days ($7 per hour x 8hrs per day) which strongly confirm the fact that Mary had great respect for Jesus and the fact that Jesus could forgive the sins of Mary Magdalene. Jesus clearly understood this fact and developed deep sympathy for Mary Magdalene and condemns the words of disciples against Mary Magdalene. St. Mark 14:3-9, St. Mat 26:6-13. The Gospel of John also identifies Mary Magdalene is also identified as a sister of Martha and Lazarus who was raised from the dead John 11:1-44 and the fact that Mary was at the feet of Jesus when a dinner was arranged in Martha and Mary’s home and did not participate in the domestic help for Martha. Mary as Magdalene is first introduced in St. Luke 8:2, and Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary, who is called Magdalene as stated in St. Luke. As per New Testament, Mary Magdalene presence is quite evident at the time of crucifixion and after the resurrection of Jesus. In fact, Mary Magdalene was the first person to meet visit after the resurrection of Jesus. Luke 23:27 says â€Å" a large number of people followed him, including women mourned and wailed for him†. Mat 27:55 †She was there at the cross† . It gives an understanding to the people that Mary Magdalene after meeting Jesus, never looked back to the old way of life, and continued to life with God. Mary was faithful, steadfast and strong follower of Jesus until crucifixion and after the resurrection of Jesus. At the time when Jesus was carrying cross to the calvary Mary was present among those women who wept for Jesus and also as a witness for the death of Jesus on the cross as stated in Mark 15:40, Luk 23:48 and John 19:25. Particularly, when Jesus body was wrapped in linen clothes and was kept in tomb as per Jewish customs, Mary Magdalene spends lot of amount for purchase of dry spices and liquid spices as stated in Mar 16:1 to be applied for the body of Jesus on the Sabbath day. Mary visits the tomb early before the sun rise and finds that the body of Jesus was not present in the tomb, and talks to two angels who question â€Å"Woman, why are you crying? † John 20:13 and Mary answered â€Å"They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put him†. The message of Jesus resurrection was first unfolded to the world by Mary Magdalene and Jesus first spoke to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection by saying â€Å"Greetings† (Mat 28:9) and Mary proclaims this message to the disciples as â€Å"I have seen the Lord† John 20:18. 4. Holy Grail The Holy Grail is a cup which was used by Jesus Christ at the time of Last Supper to drink wine and this was the same cup used by Joseph of Arimethea (12th Century) to hold the blood of Jesus while on the cross. The term â€Å"grail† is derived from Latin word gradale which means a dish brought to the table in various stages during the course of a meal. According to the Christian mythology, the Holy Grail is deemed to be possessed with miraculous powers and Joseph d’Arimathie late 12th century passed Holy Grail to Great Britain. The description of Holy Grail is 17cm high, in the form of a cup having a body and a base. The cup finely carved and carries 28 pea-sized pearls, two balaxes and two emeralds. An inscription is also ingraved on the back which was first read and publicized by the archaelogist Antonio Beltran. According to some documents, the Holy Grail stood at Saint Juan de la Pena Monastery at least in 1399 and in the same year, King Martin brought it to the chapel of Royal Palace at the Alfajeria in Zaragoa. After the death of King Martin, in September 1410, it was taken as a property of Barcelona. In 1424, The Holy Grail was transferred to Valencia Royal Palace and in 1437 Dan Juan, King of Navarran presented Holy Grail to Valencia Cathedral. From here, Holy Grail was moved to Alicante and to the towns of Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca. As on today, The Holy Grail is preserved in Valencia Cathedral. The Holy Grail was first discovered in The Last Supper, the painting by Leonardo Da Vinci who painted Last Supper on the wall for church community and there are questions whether the Holy Grail or the Holy cup was present in the painting. Leonardo drawn the sketch of painting from the Gospels as stated and there were many hypotheses to declare Holy Grail as a literary invention and also to decide whether it is a cup? , platter, stone or religuary. Many other writers also claim the Holy Grail as a fictitious device and there are many arguments about this. In Mat 26:27 it is stated â€Å"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;† and a similar verse in repeated in all other gospels, which indicates that in the Passover feast, Jesus did use cup which later took the form as The Holy Grail predicted to be used by Joseph Arimathea and Mary Magdalene. This vessel used by Jesus is presumed to be the Holy Eucharist as described in the Synoptic Gospels of the New Testament. There are also other arguments that Mary Magdalene, travelled along with brother Lazarus and Joseph Arimathea and brought the Holy Grail to the coast of France. Further there are arguments whether in the Last Supper painting, Mary Magdalene was present amidst of Jesus and disciples and to this Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code states that the person sitting next to Jesus in the Last Supper was not Mary Magdalene and it was John, the disciple of Jesus. Here John appears as a woman in the painting made by Leonardo and it depicts the art work and the imagination in that era. The Holy Grail is the preserver of Jesus missionary work and the service delivered by Jesus to the humanity. The comparison of the sacred vessel or Holy Grail with Mary Magdalene is made here that both the sacred vessel and Mary Magdalene had the presence of Jesus who performed respective jobs in the missionary work of Jesus while on earth. Sacred vessel indicates that Jesus did participate in the Last Supper along with disciples before the crucifixion and Mary Magdalene represents as the first woman apostle who lead to the movement of christian church. 5. Analysis from Old Testament about the word â€Å"Rabbi† In the gospel of John 20:13, Mary Magdalene says â€Å"They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him†. Even in spite of the fact that Jesus stood by the side, Mary Magdalene did not recognize and mistakes Jesus for a gardener and says â€Å"Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away† (John 20:15) In John 20:16 Jesus says â€Å" Mary† and immediately Magdalene recognizes Jesus and says â€Å"Rabbouni† which means â€Å"teacher†. In John 1:38 â€Å"Then Jesus turned and saw them following, and said unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master) The original language of Old Testament is Hebrew and Rabbis are fluent in Hebrew. Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi. Teachers of Jesus were Jewish Rabbis and the main book Jesus studied was the Bible – the Old Testament. Hebrew language is considered to be a holy language and God when created the universe, God used Hebrew Alphabets and each of these letters have a shape and a special meaning. In Hebrew language the Old Testament is called as Torah which means law. Therefore Rabbis according to Old Testament are the teachers of law and Jesus was a descendant from Jewish community and was also participating in the teaching and preaching about the kingdom of God and also about the laws of social issues as well political issues. In this manner, Mary Magdalene addressed Jesus as Rabbi calling Jesus as teacher. This clearly states that Mary Magdalene learnt many facts about spiritual living and how the kingdom of God should be practiced on earth. 6. Dan Brown â€Å"Da Vinci Code† Dan Brown’s â€Å"Da Vinci Code† states that Mary Magdalene was the Holy Grail, as the vessel that carried Sangreal (Holy Grail in the Medieval French). The French word for blood is sang, which indicates a fact that Mary Magdalene was carrying the royal blood or the holy blood of Jesus as stated in the books Holy Blood, Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code. As per this source, Dan Brown in the novel, depicts a fact that Mary Magdalene with at least one child secretly trying to enter France and seeking a refuge in Jewish community. According to this fiction, Jesus and Mary’s child called Sarah, is presumed to be an ancestress for Merovingian royals. At this period of 12th century, the popularity of Mary Magdalene was placed at greater heights and it was also one of the darkest period of civilization. It is stated that the wedding of Cana took place between Jesus and Mary Magdalene and mother of Jesus who was present instructed all the servants to carryout the instructions of Jesus when there was not enough wine. In the Jewish custom, bachelorhood was not acceptable and marriage was honored. In Matt 19:4-5 it is stated â€Å" Have ye’ not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh†. In weddings, mostly it is mother of bride or groom spend time and organize in the matters of food and drink and take interest to see that guests are satisfied. In the wedding of Cana, Mary the mother of Jesus was worried about the arrangements made at the wedding in spite of the fact being a guest as stated in John 2:3-10. There are many questions for a common man understanding whether was this acceptable to Mary Magdalene and whether disciples accepted this arrangement. This is one part of an argument whether did Jesus truly part of this fiction or was this a fact? And there is no end for such as these doubts who worship Jesus as Lord and Savior of the world. Some writers have truly suggested that the wedding at Cana was none other than Mary Magdalene’s own wedding with Jesus who was present with disciples. (Meera Lester, Mary Magdalene, page. 38) Another argument is that whether Mary Magadalene was present in Last Supper along with Jesus. The Da Vinci Code believes that Mary Magdalene was present in Last Supper and the novelists asks the readers to look for â€Å"V† created by the positions of disciples to the right of Jesus. The letter â€Å"V† stands for Sacred Feminine. â€Å"The symbol of hieros gamos, sacred marriage, is a six pointed star. One half of the star is made by a â€Å"V†. The other half of the star is a pyramid, a male symbol of power. The Da Vinci’s The Last Supper could reflect the artist’s beliefs regarding the importance of Mary in Jesus’ inner circle – that she was the wife of Jesus and also the Holy Grail, a human chalice to contain the savior’s blood line† (Meera Lester, Mary Magdalene, page 40) 7. Mary Magdalene bearer of the Holy Grail What is the significance of Holy Grail and what is it? These are some of the questions that interest the common man. According to the scholars, the sacred vessel that was used to hold the blood of Jesus while on the cross which was held by Joseph of Arimathea is termed as Holy Grail and another belief is that the sacred vessel that was used by Jesus to drink wine at the Last Supper is also termed as Holy Grail. Holy Grail is precious and is a historical evidence that Jesus did live and die on the cross. Another legend also states that a jar was held at the foot of cross to hold the blood of Jesus on the cross, which was held by Mary Magdalene. Vessel has become sacred because the vessel carried the holy blood of Jesus. (Margaret Starbird, Mary Magdalene: Bearer of the Holy Grail) The Holy Grail is a powerful symbol for Christianity for it is a sacred evidence of Jesus blood and chastity it carries to the entire world of christianity. The echoes of Grail promise many truths for Christian believers that precious blood of Jesus who died on the cross for bringing salvation to the entire world that whoever believes in Jesus and confesses sins, such people would be forgiven and are permitted to live a born-again life. Jesus emphasized on life of faith as the prime most important aspect in a Christian life. Why the Holy Grail is carried by Mary Magdalene and why not disciples or why not others? The answer to this question would be explained as, a story in Southern Coast of France states that Mary Magdalene was the bearer of the â€Å"sangraal†, the French word translated as â€Å"holy grail† as Magdalene was a devoted follower of Jesus and most prominently, the first person who met Jesus on Easter Sunday morning, Mary took note of all the events after the crucifixion of Jesus and silently decided to proclaim the gospel of Christianity which is why, Holy Grail is held as a sacred vessel by Mary Magdalene. In other words, the seed that was preserved by Jesus and Mary Magdalene is known as The Holy Grail which presumably carries mystical powers and also the presence of Christ. Here it can stated that Jesus has chosen Mary Magdalene to be the bearer of Holy Grail, or Mary Magdalene all by self, has consecrated the whole life to preserve the Holy Grail after the ascension of Jesus. According to the New Testament, all through the Gospels, there are no texts cited about either Holy Grail or about the life of Mary Magdalene after the ascension of Jesus. There are no evidences, how old are the gospels written in New Testament whereas going by the each scripture portion, it depicts the sanctity and power of Jesus on earth. Even in the letters written by Apostle Paul, there are no citations or discussion about Mary Magdalene as the bearer of Holy Grail. In the garden of Gethsmane, before the arrest of Jesus while Jesus was praying (John 17:1-26) (Mark 14:35-39, Mat 26:36-44). Therefore, historical evidence prove that Mary Magdalene as the bearer of Holy Grail whereas Holy Bible New Testament does not carry or state any scripture in this regard neither by Gospel writers nor essentially by Apostle Paul who has written 22 letters on the gospel of Jesus Christ which indicate that it was St. Paul who has brought a daylight to Christianity. 8. Conclusion Whether a fiction or a fact that is based on Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, according to the New Testament, Jesus came into the world as Messiah, â€Å"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us (Mat 1:23). The teachings of Jesus especially sermon on the mount Mat 5:1-19, miracles, parables and teachings are closely relevant to this day and the application and implementation of these theories have always given perfect results which is why Christianity is considered to be a fruitful and life giving religion in the world and any contradictory theories to this effect would disappear through the time whereas the teachings of Jesus, the works of Holy Spirit would continue to lead believers. References Bart D. Ehrman, Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene http://books.google. co. in/books? id=WsQpdzzC7oMCdq=Mary+Magdalenepg=PP1ots=FFCegubqjvsource=insig=isSozHQC45SGH8zIgm9Q3UUlMhl=ensa=Xoi=book_resultresnum=11ct=result Meera Lester (2005), Mary Magdalene Accessed 5 December, 2008 http://books. google. co. in/books? id=LIMBrOJ0zGgCpg=PA31lpg=PA31dq=Mary+Magdalene+and+Holy+Grailsource=blots=YJoq3ZwQ4ssig=JKSjW0tdg73-fsxgOVsO-LDoc_shl=ensa=Xoi=book_resultresnum=8ct=result Mary Magdalene and The Holy Grail Accessed 5 December, 2008 http://www. newconnexion. net/article/05-05/mary_magdalene. html

The History Of The Revisionist Western Film Studies Essay

The History Of The Revisionist Western Film Studies Essay Robert Altman chronicled his own 1971 naturalist motion picture McCabe and Mrs. Miller an anti-western perhaps due to the fact that the film blatantly ignores or subverts a number of Western conventions. Westerns, a term that is used to describe the landmark mid-20th-century American film genre, are nostalgic eulogies to the early days of expansion on the untamed American frontier where fragments of civilization border on typically warm, expansive, open landscapes. McCabe Mrs. Miller, however, ignores this idyllic representation of the American frontier and, instead, Altman sets his story in the cold, murky, mountainous wilderness. Furthermore, the protagonist in McCabe Mrs. Miller deviates strongly from the traditional gun-slinging, confident cowboy that characterizes the genre. With careful attention to hyper-realistic mise-en-scà ¨ne elements (most notably elements of setting) and naturalistic, largely non-obtrusive diagetic sound effects, Robert Altman crafts a successful revi sionist western that, while retaining many of the same themes and elements pertaining to the classic western genre, differs substantially in both tone and style in ways that promulgate Altmans revisionist approach to the established genre. Since the John Ford era of western cinematography, audiences of Western films had been primed to anticipate expansive, open landscapes, red-orange deserts and plains where a sweeping sense of freedom in interrupted only by the isolated smoke signal or Native American scout. Ford often contrasted this expansive terrain with the insulated chaos of his towns, bars, and other interiors which tended to make the lone ranger protagonist claustrophobic. Immediately in the opening scene of McCabe Mrs. Miller, John Fords idyllic frontier, perhaps one of the most adored staples of the Western, is challenged. In Altmans universe, the outdoors are cold, murky, rough, and unwelcoming. Any sense of freedom in this landscape has ceased to exist. Our hero John McCabe is burdened with trekking an uneven, rocky, meandering path through the snow-capped woods a path as restrictive and uncomfortable as the harshest of Fords interiors. The mise-en-scà ¨ne elements Altman employs in this case serve to di stinguish McCabe Mrs. Miller from the classic western formula by providing a stark contrast in setting (and, by extension, tone). It is not a complete contrast, however. As film reviewer and Altman scholar, Gregory Lallone writes, Altmans interiors are just as suffocating, his untamed towns just as dangerous and ruled by greed, brutality, and chaos. It is simply a little warmer inside. Thus we may begin to analyze the lighting elements Altman employs in depicting McCabe Mrs. Millers interior locations as similarly untamed but significantly warmer than the surrounding, harsh outdoors. Altmans interiors are met with a profound use of low-key lighting to reflect this dim, foreboding, and even risquà © nature of the towns bars, businesses, and brothels. Kerosene lamps are usually the only lighting sources that cast a warm orange light onto the cameras subjects a light that strongly contrasts with the drab whites and grays of the cold wilderness. Especially prevalent during scenes at the whorehouse and during Mrs. Millers opium dreams, this orange light gives off a suitably warm, inviting, dream-like quality to the picture. While still dim and claustrophobic, the low-key indoor lighting reflects a similar push for period-authenticity (via the kerosene lamps) in conjunction with the pictures incredibly authentic set, while also serving to categorize interior sequences as warm and safeguarded (e.g. whorehouse scenes and opium dreams) or dangerous and foreboding (e.g. gambling tables and shooting hideouts). In conjunction with period-appropriate setting and lighting, naturalistic sound elements are used throughout the film to convey a sense of uninterrupted continuity unusual to the medium. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert writes in his review of the film, The is the classic Altman style It begins with one fundamental assumption: All of the characters know each other, and the camera will not stare at first one and then another, like an earnest dog, but is at home in their company. Nor do the people line up and talk one after another, like characters in a play. They talk when and as they will, and we understand its not important to hear every word; sometimes all that matters is the tone of the room. (Ebert, 1999) Rather than presenting only the vital bits of information and dialogue to the viewer to forward the films narrative, Altman instead uses ambient sound and background conversation to embroider a profound sense of location that, oftentimes, favors realism over narrative efficiency. When John McCabe first enters a saloon and settles down at a table, everyone in the saloon is under the impression that he once shot a man The air is tense and, all the while, somebody is vaguely heard in the background asking, Laura, whats for dinner? With the exception of the occasional, dreary Leonard Cohen folk tune (which, admittedly, I found distracting and out-of-place), McCabe Mrs. Miller makes no use of non-diagetic sound for dramatic effect. This is another clear departure from the traditional Hollywood string instruments (notably banjos, guitars, and fiddles), harmonicas, and bum-bum-BUMs that embellish dramatic moments in traditional western cinematography. As such, the ambient, diagetic soundtrack plays an especially central role in establishing tone and dramatic tension. During the final shootout, silence dominates so much of the audio track that every rupture of silence becomes vitally important. Each footstep, each crack of a wooden plank, and each breath McCabe takes might very well give away his position and result in his death. Thus we see that the intentional absence of non-diagetic sound can be just as effective as (if not more so than) its inclusion. Just as the frontier landscape is modulated, made somehow more truthful with the insertion of a bit of dirt and realism, the protagonist himself is similarly transformed.  While differing in many respects to the conventional western hero, John McCabe is actually not too far removed. His fight is largely the same defending what is rightfully his against outlaws and big business. He differs in that he lacks the toughness, the braggadocio, and the super-human courage of the Gary Coopers and Henry Fondas. Any shred of idealism and heroism McCabe claims to embody is counteracted by a narrow-sighted quest for profit, instances of clumsiness, and displays of outright cowardice. John McCabe is not a cowboy, a homesteader, a sheriff, or of some honorable profession; he owns a whorehouse. McCabes non-traditional characterization is further evidenced during the final showdown where the shootout is more accurately described as a slow and anxious game of cat-and-mouse. McCabe hops from one hid ing place to another knowing that winning a gunfight out in the open Gary Cooper-style is unrealistic. A true Western hero might denounce McCabes tactics as cheating and cowardly. He shoots two of the three gunmen in the back from a concealed hiding place and he overcomes the third by playing dead. Departing from the larger-than-life nature of classical western heroes, director Robert Altman injects a darker realism into his protagonist that reflects the revisionist nature of the film. McCabe Mrs. Millers final twenty minute sequence, the climactic shootout, serves as an effective microcosm for how the aforementioned mise-en-scà ¨ne and sound elements contribute to the protagonists characterization and the films overall narrative themes. Beginning with setting, the scene displays and features all of the following: The harsh, unforgiving, cold wilderness that serves to contrast with the conventional warm, expansive Western landscape. The authenticity of the towns still-in-progress wooden infrastructure that serves to accurately encapsulate the harshness and resource-conscious realism of the period. Regarding lighting, the sequence displays: The low-key hideout interiors that signify danger and dramatic tension. The warmly-lit opium den, tragically contrasting with the bitter outdoors, which in this case, falsely indicates a safe haven or retreat. And finally, the sequence displays the following effective usages of non-diagetic sound techniques: The unfocused recording of background chatter during the moments surrounding the burning church which serves to further Altmans push for realism over narrative efficiency while simultaneously contrasting with [below] The dramatic silence during McCabes cross-cutting shootout sequence interrupted by the occasional dramatic footstep, creak, breath, or gunshot sounds that increase dramatic tension. The ambient snowfall which eerily serves as a hollow, bitter replacement soundtrack throughout the sequence that increases in amplitude as McCabes body is swallowed by the elements. These mise-en-scà ¨ne and sound elements work seamlessly together to achieve what I believe was Altmans ultimate goal in the making of McCabe Mrs. Miller: to approach the Western genre with a non-traditional sense of realism and authenticity that, while retaining some of the same conventional themes and elements of the genre such as the pursuit of justice and the championing of order on the American frontier, re-envisions the two most fundamental staples of the genre: the setting and the protagonist. By making particular, non-traditional use of various mise-en-scà ¨ne and sound elements in McCabe Mrs. Miller, director Robert Altman, refutes the conventional narrative pioneered by the classic Western that the American frontier was a sort of idyllic paradise. Ford depicted the frontier as the quintessential American arena where battles were fought and won by good men who, because of their very nature, triumph over the bad. Altmans western frontier is simply no more than a showcase of lawless capitalism and greedmen and women mercilessly arguing and fighting over profits like fleas over rotting flesh. However, one must not be too quick to conclude that McCabe Mrs. Miller exists solely as an attempt to challenge or ridicule the established themes and conventions of the western genre. For while Altman does in fact transcend a number of expectations and subverts a number of established norms, the archetypal structure remains the same. The audience remains sympathetic towards the her oic gunslinger, even though the scope of that heroism is somewhat narrowed. John McCabes role as the gunfighting goodie struggling against an oppressive force of injustice and greed stems directly from the Western genre. Rather than conceding to define McCabe Mrs. Miller as an outright anti-western, we can analyze how Altmans stylistic elements both propagate parallels to established conventions while, at other times, delineate clear departures from the genre that serve to effectively categorize the film as none other than a revisionist western narrative and a cinematographic work of art. ________________

Stress In The Medical Field Psychology Essay

Stress In The Medical Field Psychology Essay Problems of stress in various professions have attracted the attention of psychologists of different directions for a long time. A big majority of classical studies have shown that prolonged stress exposure leads to such adverse effects as the decrease in overall mental stability of the organism, the emergence of dissatisfaction of its activities, the tendency to reject assignments in situations of increased requirements, setbacks and defeats. Analysis of the factors that cause similar symptoms in different activities shows that there is a number of professions in which a person begins to feel self emotionally drained by the internal need for continuous contact with other people. It is a well-known fact that the medical profession like any other is related to interpersonal interaction, so timely diagnosis and correction of such violations are highly relevant to doctors and nurses. Thus, we are going to discuss stress in the medical field combining its impact on professional doctors a ctivities and personal lives. First of all, the interest in occupational stress in doctors is provoked by general trend towards the humanization of modern science, which is reflected in a wide variety of industries from the theory of management teams, to the fundamental philosophical epistemology and methodology of science. One manifestation of this trend is attracting the attention of researchers to the subject of professional activity, in particular the effect of chosen occupation on the nature and character of the person. Another reason for interest in this problem is the tightening of requirements for the professionals of different profiles and requirements tempo and rhythm of a modern lifestyle. The requirements for representatives of the so-called helping professions need additional attention, because their psycho-physiological state directly influences the effectiveness of their professional activities, whose importance in contemporary society can hardly be overestimated. In particular, studying of this problem in the annex to the medical staff is the question of extremely high importance, because exactly a human life is often the possible price of any mistake in their activities. Thus, the group of observation is doctors who provide mental, urgent, or palliative care and doctors in hospices. In psychology under the term stress we should understand the mental stress that occurs in humans under the influence of complicated, difficult, unfortunate circumstances of activities and daily life, or in special, extreme situations. As the stressors (the factors leading to the rise of human stress in short-term, and to the development of severe, long-lasting experiences) can be adverse physical effects of environmental emergencies, physical and psychological trauma, etc. Mental stress that arises under the influence of stressors may be a useful adaptive significance, mobilizing people to overcome difficulties. This phenomenon, for example, is well known to athletes or actors, prestarting excitement which serves as a setting for the upcoming activities. However, if stress is too high because of the intensity of exposure or its unexpectedness, human resources may be insufficient to cope with stress, and it begins to have a destructive effect on the person until the appearance of physiological disorders and complete disorganization of human life. Observing stress factors among doctors in hospices we see that exactly among people of this occupation the problem of occupational stress acutely announced itself at the present time, because in the modern post-industrial society, peoples attitude to work is changing at a pace that does not come across any previous generation. In developed countries, especially today, when the economic crisis continues, workers are increasingly losing confidence in the stability of their own social and material status, warranty in the workplace, and material well-being. Competition for the prestigious and highly paid job is rather high nowadays. On the one hand, parallel processes are taking a narrow specialization in the profession, and on the other hand the globalization of related industries is popular. Demand of the labor market is changing rapidly and facing some difficulties, one can not fully realize the accumulated energy due to physiological stress. As a result this energy begins to destroy human character and soul. In this case, instead of completely normal stress reactions the organism begins to literally tear apart the mechanisms of distress, when the energy can not be realized in constructive activities. As a consequence, a mental, emotional stress associated with stress in the workplace increases. People find in their behavior symptoms of revealed anxiety, depression, emotional burnout syndrome, psychosomatic disorders and other malfunctions. It leads to growing dependence on psychoactive substances, including alcohol, tranquilizers and other psychotropic substances. Thus, the data presented in Dollard, Winefield Winefield work shows that 81,4 % of examined doctors, 85,9% of nurses and 79,8% of medical students use alcohol. Also 33,3% of surveyed students regularly drink beer and other alcoholic drinks. (Dollard, Winefield Winefield, 2003). Thinking about the future of medical students and according to Levey we see that medical students are inundated with stress from the start of their medical training as they attempt to adjust to lifestyle changes and increasing hassles incurred by the demands of medical education. Characteristics commonly associated with medical training and identified as situational or professional stressors include: variable hour shifts, sleep deprivation, cumbersome administrative responsibilities, poor administrative support, and curriculum overload (Levey, 2001). Dollard, Winefield Winefield stated that Additional characteristics are: perceived lack of professional knowledge and skills, health care policy changes, difficult patients, patient care, life and death situations, and unexpected shill in academic performance. Further stressors mentioned in the literature include family responsibilities, incurring financial debt, decreased chances for social, leisure, or physical activities, decreased s upport network due to relocation, cultural and minority issues, and inadequate coping skills (Dollard, Winefield Winefield, 2003). The interest for the topic of stress in the medical field was provoked by Wicks words who wrote in the foreword for his own book, describing the appearance of stress and hardships of medical profession, the following: Who among us has not identified with the young leukemia patient who is refractory to treatment and scared to death, or the midcareer professional deeply unresponsive and too young to have had this massive stroke, or parents trying to absorb into their consciousness the sudden accidental death of a child? Instead of the afflicteds Why me? the caregivers frightened imponderable becomes Why not me? What roll of the dice, what act of fate, what divine intervention preserves me from any one of these circumstances? What makes it possible for physicians and nurses to confront these patients and circumstances day after day with caring and therapeutic resolve and to walk the balance beam between the paralyzing fear of their own mortality and the numbness of emotional disengageme nt or indifference? And while the hospital environment is the epicenter of personal exposure, the reminders are distributed ones day from office visits with patients to telephone calls with distraught family members. In each encounter, we see ourselves separated from our patients circumstances by the luck of the draw but believe at a subconscious level that we are somehow protected. Its like wearing a Red Cross arm badge in the battlefield. (Wicks, 2006) This phrase deeply impacts on people who work in the medical field and we can say with confidence that the structure of clinical manifestations of occupational stress among specialists of the helping professions (so-called emotional burnout) includes different features that bring together this phenomenon with the number of traditional mental (such as asthenic neurosis), and psychosomatic disorders. This state of affairs suggests the presence of etiopathogenetic structure of occupational stress in psychological level, playing almost the leading role in the origin and development of this phenomenon. WHO European Ministerial Conference (2005) noted that the stress associated with work, is an important issue for about one-third of workers in the European Union. The cost of solving problems related to mental health in this context includes in average 3-4% of gross national income of developed countries (Wicks, 2006). Observing literature about stress in medical field it was found that among physicians (as it was mentioned above the focus group for this project is doctors in hospices) as among other health professionals, there is a higher incidence of mental disorders compared with the averages in the population, and it is generally considered that it is connected with the peculiarities of the medical profession. In 1997, one of the issues of the journal Advances in Psychiatric Treatment was devoted to the overall theme of mental disorders among physicians with an emphasis on phenomenology and treatment. Interviewing Dr. Thomas, who is the doctor in hospice it was found that stress greatly influences not only professional life, but also personal life of any doctor. Dr. Thomas stated that often the patients life depends on the timely receipt of adequate medical care for high-quality rendering of which the doctor of hospice requires self-discipline, high level of concentration and clarity of action. The need for rapid decision-making under tough time constraints and information leads to long-term emotional suspense and, as a consequence, the development of stress. Dr. Thomas also mentioned during the interview that among health care workers professionals who are most distinguished by a heightened sense of responsibility, willingness to always come to the aid for the patient, the desire to be important, the desire to provide psychological support, a high degree of moral duty to the patient and the desire to conform to certain ethical-deontological requirements, experiences about their professional competence are in the group of risk for the stress development. While making the research of stress in the medical field it was found that according to British researchers as it was stated by Levey, in 41% of the cases among general practitioners high levels of anxiety are revealed, and clinically evident depression is present in 26% of cases. (Levey, 2001). The third part of doctors use medication for correction of emotional stress, and the amount of alcohol use exceeds the average level. According to Wicks stress is provoked by three types of factors in the big majority of cases (Wicks, 2006). In such situation personal role and organizational factors have the leading place in the medical field. Personal factor. It describes burning doctors as sympathetic, humane, gentle, fond, idealists, people-oriented, and at the dame time unstable, introverted, obsessed by fixed ideas, fiery and easily identifying themselves personalities. Role factor. The relationship between the role conflict, role ambiguity and emotional burnout was observed many decades ago. Wicks stated that employment in the case of a clear division of responsibility limit the development of stress in the medical field (Wicks, 2006). Moreover, doctors who feel fuzzy or uneven distribution of responsibility for their professional actions, understand that this factor increases sharply, even at much lower workload. Organizational factor. The main organizational factors that contribute to stress burnout include: high workload, lack or absence of social support from colleagues and management, insufficient remuneration for work, a high degree of uncertainty in assessing the work performed; inability to influence decision-making process; ambiguous requirements for the work; the constant risk of penalties, monotonous and unpromising activities, the need to outwardly show emotion, that is not conform to reality, lack of holidays, vacations and interests outside of the own medical profession. It is also necessary to mention that among the other important factors in the development of stress are the destabilizing organization of activities and unfavorable psychological atmosphere in the team. Making the accent on the development of stress among doctors of hospice we should mention that high medical pressure, twenty-four-hour regimen with the mandatory duty, the expectation of complications in the condition of patients require a high functional activity of the organism and can be qualified as the leading professional pathogenic factors. In addition, an aggravating effect on the health of workers has the contact with dying patients when the health worker does not see the positive results of the own efforts to save the patient and often feels his own weakness. As a result there can be mentioned developing brain disorders in the form of neurosis, hypertension, stenocardia, ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract and other health problems. It is obvious that professional activities often have an adverse impact on individuals that leads to depression. The greater medical workload lead to the fact that health care worker experiences less pleasure from the process of his own work. Exceeding regulatory number of patients, a large amount of clerical work-design, low technical equipment of the workplace and the permanent shortage of drugs also contribute to the manifestations of fatigue and nervousness. From the ergonomic factors doctors in the hospice often observe eye strain, overload of the musculoskeletal system. Thinking about the way how stress in the medical field relates to culture it is possible to say that the recent radical changes in society have an additional psychological burden on the medical staff, since society needs the higher quality workers in a much shorter time since economic restrictions are providing health services. Innovation activities of health care institutions is focused on the practical use of scientific and technical results and intellectual capacity to expand the range of services, methods for their production, to improve quality of care and meet patients needs for high quality medical services, and ultimately to optimize the level of health among population. The most part of health professionals who work in an innovative environment, have long working hours, overtime, associated with combining positions or additional training workload (training, development of new methods of diagnosis and treatment). Intensification of professional activities affects the health, helping to increase the level of overall incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases. In addition to the above observed facts Dr. Thomas stated that people working in health care facilities are often subjected to considerable personal stress They have problems in the private life because they cannot show their feelings to other people and have the predominant feature of the medical profession to deny the problems related to personal health. Due to the research work in the medical field we can state that among doctors in hospice there is a widespread idea that the stress at work is like a failure and doctors own weakness. Thats why stress calls denials based on the feeling of guilt and leads to the fact that doctors have many difficulties in admitting of the existence of these problems, respectively, it is difficult to share and solve them timely. Thinking about the negative impact of stress on the work of any doctor we should pay the specific attention to the fact that development of this state contributes to certain personality traits a high level of emotional lability (neuroticism), high self control, especially when expressing negative emotions with the desire to suppress them, the rationalization of the motives of personal behavior, a tendency to increased anxiety and depressive reactions associated with unattainability of internal standard and blocking negative emotions, rigid personality structure. The paradox is that the ability of health care workers to deny their own negative emotions can sometimes be a power in their hands, but often it becomes their weakness. Therefore it is useful to remember that we are always a part of our problem, or part of their solutions is always in our mind. Thus, the fieldwork shows that the syndrome of burnout is accompanied by the daily, routine professional work, often requiring from physicians a sufficiently intense, not spontaneous, unimportantly conflict, but for different reasons emotionally intense communication with patients, and therefore it is not associated with its extreme conditions. So, it becomes clear why frequency and intensity of this syndrome are much higher among oncologists and doctors in hospice than among surgeons or traumatologists. It is impossible to leave without attention the fact that the restriction of the possibility of using existing personal potential, the monotony of work, a high degree of uncertainty in the assessment of the work, dissatisfaction with social status are noted among the characteristics of communicative professions that have a significant impact on the development of stress. And only after the above numerated factors physicians emphasized that they considered low pay and poor working conditions as stress factors, considering them important, but not leading, as it often seems to be the sources of occupational stress in health care workers. Conformity / fail capabilities of professional in the medical field and social conditions of his activities lie in the focus of the problem of occupational stress. Therefore, this issue was explored in complex of specialist communication profession and its social environment. Emotional infectiousness burnout syndrome, which also emphasizes its social nature plays also an important role in the discussion of the information in this project. In conclusion, stress in the medical field and occupational stress in its wide sense are not the problem of difficult people, but the problem of difficult (unsolved) cases in the relationship and structure of interpersonal relations, fuzzy symbols of social roles and responsibilities, lack of emotional support from counterparts and leaders.

Comparing The Elements of Style and Grace and Style Toward Clarity and Grace :: Compare Contrast Comparison

Comparing The Elements of Style and Grace and Style Toward Clarity and Grace Webster’s dictionary defines style as a particular or distinctive fashion, form or manner. This leaves much unsaid in context to the world of writing. Everyone looks at style differently because everyone has their own interpretation of what it is. The Elements of Style and Grace and Style Toward Clarity and Grace are two different books. Though these books have many differences, a lot of the ideas are the same; they are just written in different styles. I do not believe either one to be overly better than the other. They were both written at different times with different objectives in mind, and you have to take that for what it is worth. Writing is hardly ever done with just one sentence. It is a combination of sentences that all have to coincide with one another to reach a goal of clarity. "A series of clear sentences can still be confusing if we fail to design them to fit their context, to reflect a constant point of view, to emphasize our most important ideas. These sentences could all refer to the same set of conditions, but each leads us to understand the conditions from a different point of view," (Williams, 45). It is always a good idea to start out small; take a sentence and make is clear. This then needs to be applied to groups of sentences together to make the whole sample of writing clear. Strunk and White had a lot of good advice about how to make writing clear and concise. One good point made in the book was about dialogue. When there is dialogue in writing, it is extremely annoying not to know who is speaking. "In long dialogue passages containing no attributes, the reader may become lost and be compelled to go back and reread in order to puzzle the thing out," (Strunk and White, 76). When a person is trying to read an extensive piece, it can become such a hassle to have to look back a lot to see which character is saying what. Not only does it deter the reader, but it greatly damages the credibility of the author and the work that he or she produces. In my writing experience I have had sentences criticized on the basis of length. Teachers always told me that they were too long.

Mexico and the Quest for Economic Improvement :: Free Essays Online

Mexico and the Quest for Economic Improvement Karl Marx once stated, â€Å" A commodity appears at first sight, a very trivial thing and easily understood. It’s analysis shows that it is in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties.† Ironically, Marx would have never anticipated the conflict over queer space that I am going to detail. The commodification of Aguascalientes, Mexico has been nonetheless a very queer thing indeed. The space in Aguascalientes has been torn apart by competing ideals surrounding sexuality and gay and lesbian identity, yet both sides in this competition have a common interest: selling a specific commodity—namely, the space of Aguascalientes In September 2000, Mr. Jorge Alvarez Medina, the Director of Regulations of Aguascalientes, in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes, publicly announced his opposition to gays, lesbians, and transgender people. He stated that he will â€Å"not allow ‘this type of people’ access to any public facility or allow them to work in the public sector.† Medina also claimed that Aguascalientes needed to portray a cleaner image to the public. Many LGBT and human rights organizations claim this act to be â€Å"prejudiced, corrupt, and violent.† The order made by Medina is also a threat to Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, â€Å"All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection before the law.† This is only one of the many events that have occurred in Aguascalientes pertaining to gay, lesbian and transgender relations, where, according to some estimates, there are more than 12,200 gays (more than 10% of overall population). By analyzing these statements made by Medina, many questions arise. If Medina is tying to portray a â€Å"cleaner image† in the city of Aguascalientes, for whom is this image? Curiously the Mexonline website gives Aguascalientes a different reputation, contradicting Medina’s biased proposal. The Mexonline website gives its audience the impression that Aguascalientes has a very accepting and diverse society. The website states, â€Å" Aguascalientes is well positioned to mull full-steam ahead into the 21st century. We are well aware that our future rests on our export capacity. World business leaders, who have already located in the state, share our vision and, together with our local business community, our industrious labor force, and our imaginative policy makers, have joined hands and laid the foundation for a prosperous and happy society in this, ‘the state of friendly people.

In Defence of Harry Flashman Essay

It is understandable why the first mention of the character of Harry Flashman – the opportunistic philanderer of his Majesty’s service who lied and cheated his cowardly way through the Victorian pages of his fictional memoirs by George MacDonald Fraser – is enough to deter the browsing lady, though far be it from anyone to say it should. Since patterns of book-buying snake across the sexes like a flailing sidewinder, it would be hopeless to say as to where on the shop shelf the hand might lay to rest. Nevertheless, for a series of stories far too overlooked for the public’s common good, what could the otherwise fairer sex also find to appreciate in a man whose charm seems as fictitious as the women who fall for it? To put it more simply: can this man – to borrow the blurb – be all bad? If the name â€Å"Flashman† is shouting forward from the back of your mind, dare the â€Å"Lord Flashheart† be named as the bothering heckler? Don’t think him an unwanted associate, for ‘Blackadder’s’ slavering womaniser could be seen as an exaggeration of the â€Å"Flashman persona† and certainly close to what Harry himself may have become had he not, by hand and boot of queen and empire, been thrown into the Flemingesque scenarios he haphazardly emerged from, some the wiser and better-shaped. Unlike the all-consuming debauchery of his comedic counterpart, Harry’s lechery is merely a tempered impetus; punctuating his desire for the English comforts that makes for the only form of patriotism you’ll see in him, if you can call it patriotism – the patriotism of Bond it most certainly is not. What differs Harry from James is awareness, and when taking stock, the idiom trumps the ammo. It would be daft to credit Harry’s decision making with the weighing of political consequence, however; that would be a laughable excuse; something he doesn’t begin to admit. It’s fear that has his mind running back to the jolly English riff-raff and the spread of beds that await. Though isn’t to think with your legs the best strategy for the reporter? Reluctant maybe, Harry is a better reporter than he is a soldier. This cowardice kept him alive ’til a time when he could afford to admit the truth. Concerning the First Afghan War, the truth about a man, General Elphinestone who single-handedly stripped the meat from his ranks as he rung them through the Khord-Kabul pass on their retreat from Afghanistan. Long after witnessing rom on high, the massacre of the regiments from which he had high-tailed the night before, Flashman verbally guts he whom he declares â€Å"No fate could be bad enough for†: â€Å"I still state unhesitatingly, that for pure, vacillating stupidity, for superb incompetence to command, for ignorance combined with bad judgement – in short for the true talent for catastrophe, Elphy outshines all as the greatest military idiot of our own or any other day†¦ † Now what a sorry waste of insightful wit it would have been to have it lost amidst the idiot pride of a fellow more gallant than Harry. Elphinestone is not alone; Harry considers many of the figures he meets to be – to varying degrees – morons, despite his care to concede a grace here and there. It’s no surprise that he met such a top-heavy pile of fools; he was, after all, involved in some of the worst disasters of British imperialism – all the more reason to flee when he could. But you know the fastidious type. Perhaps you’ve a friend whom fits this description, in which case, you’ll understand how empowering it feels to have them praise you – you’re worth a cheer! When chance encounter pairs Harry with one he considers of rare dignity, you too, as the reader, hold them as praiseworthy, or rather, worthy of investigation. It was in 1842 when he jumped into the carriage of Lola Montez – an Irish dancer girl turned adventuress of Europe whose life was spent â€Å"playing with kingdoms† as one might romantically say. Her appearances in ‘Royal Flash’ are glimpses; moments too brief to capture her entirety, yet he alludes to a life beyond the pages with so delicate a respect that one is inspired to follow. Whilst Harry never himself existed, he may as well have. It’s very easy to speak of his personality as anything but fictional. Perhaps to no great surprise considering we get to know the fellow through his own confessions, worded not merely to the benefit of his own authenticity, either. The true blue honesty rubs off well onto those he brushes shoulders with. It’s what we have to thank this bounder for – dramatising without disfiguring a past of characters pallid to most today and enriching the pursuit of history for ourselves. Harry once said about the Earl of Cardigan, that some human faults are military virtues; for Harry, some human faults are literary virtues.

How can we solve banning hijab problem Essay

The issue of hijab is one of the most controversial and hotly debated issue which has merged in the European, especially French scene with regard to racial and religious and gender based discrimination in the 21st century. It is sensitive religious issue which has impacted the education of a section of religious sect on a very substantial front. This ban got implemented by French government on 2nd September, 2004 and has been taken up by the legal and political activists in various parts of Europe like Germany, Belgium and other nations worldwide. This has brought to the surface the worlds conflict with regard to protection of women in Islam from gender discrimination and imposition of extreme fundamentalist view which reinforces the superiority. As Binnaz Toprak expresses; â€Å"The scarf is a symbol of the inferior status of women† (Viewpoint). It is important for Muslim men not impose such discrimination of gender publicly which reinforces in countries which support equality of status by forcing on young school going children the visible discrimination which is offensive to the society in which they have chosen to immigrate. The national laws and observances need o be respected an integrated whenever there is the possibility and intentional decision to chose a new residence with permanent status. The issue of banning hijab is an ethical issue which can have philosophical as well as ideological touch which makes the issue very controversial and complicated. This is also a very multicultural issue which brings the issue of world conflict into the classroom atmosphere and hence legislation and strong measures taken by the French government has been the triggering the issue which has been supported by many European and western nations even central Asian countries. â€Å"French right wing President Jacques Chirac’s poli cy to impose a ban on the wearing of the Islamic veil (hijab) by girls in schools has split the left – both in France and internationally.†(Workers Power). The issue is very sensitive issue which addresses the radical belief of very extremist and racist society which has chosen to immigrate in liberal nations worldwide. It is also a strong religious imposition which has been challenged by the secular countries which do not want such open expression to be part of the school atmosphere. The problem related to the ban on hijab should be encouraged as a message to this orthodox community. The extremist nature of such social order and racist belief does need to be addressed with firmness abut sensitive approach which is based on education and awareness rather than strong legal imposition. The issue should be addressed as secular issue which has to be made a fundamental pillar which should be presented as an integrated strategy to support the socialist and political issues which can be addressed by campaigns and education conferences. There should be introduction of programmes which support such campaigns and does not directly challenge the d ogmatic beliefs which reinforces religious teaching on and universal platform. The issue is more a socialist issue which aims to remove any strong religious bias which has been associated with the history of racism. The racist issue is another dimension to this problem of banning hijab, which has been a cultural expression which is indicator of oppressive status of women in certain cultural societies and which has not yet been challenged with force and support which is strong enough to break the dogmatic and extremist imposition. The stricture which provides the details of using veil and hijab in Muslim society has been clearly defined and dictated in Quran and has been an indicator of strong oppression toward feminine gender. It is important that people who take the imitative to move out for economic or social reasons to new liberal country would be open minded enough to embrace the progressive nature of the society and give opportunity to their children and women to have equal rights and respect them with civility. This would also allow for their easy assimil ation within the new social network and not make them stand out as different in an inferior sort of manner. It can also be an awkward situation for people who have not seen such treatment to women in their culture to accept such oppressive and discriminatory display by attire in their tradition. This can also lead to hostile situation in which oppression along with racial bias can make the transition difficult for the hijab wearing masses within the new liberal communities. The issue of hijab especially when dealing with extremist approach of the Muslim community who are staunch followers of the teachings of Quoran should be reinforced by the fact that support should be given to women’s right and religious based bias should not impede their children based on cultural and religious and racial impositions. The policy and legal support should reinforce tolerance as well as understanding which would go to an enormous way in making individual rights to have free expression as strong phenomenon which can support the issue with sensitivity and force which can help foster understanding and acceptance. It should be stressed that ban on hijab is to reduce the barrier which is an expression of oppression and gender bias, and the objective is to encourage gender integration and discourage gender segregation. The powerful message of integration would be the key to getting cooperation and support which can help the issue of banning hijab.