Self Control Theory of Crime

Self Control Theory of Crime Self control theory, also known as General theory of crime is a criminological theory about the lack of an individuals self-control, which is the main factor behind criminal behavior or conformity. Self control theory places much of its emphasis on parental upbringing it suggests that individuals who were ineffectually parented before the age of ten develop less self-control than individuals of roughly the same age who were raised with better parenting, even though others play a vital role in the process of proper or improper socialization (Muraven, Pogarsky and Shmueli 2006). Children with behavioral problems will tend to grow into juvenile delinquents and eventually into adult offenders according to Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990 because the path toward or away from crime commences early in life. If a child has an abusive or neglectful upbringing, he will tend to be impulsive, insensitive, physical, risk-taking, short-sighted, and nonverbal, and they will also tend to engage in the c riminal acts outlined above (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). Children whose parents care about them and supervise and punish their misconduct will develop the self-control needed, through socialization, to resist the easy temptations offered by crime. This will help them in future school, work, and relationships. This theory was originally developed by criminologists Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson, but has since been the subject of theoretical debate. Hirschi once focused on social bonds rather than individual and self control as a source for criminality, but his viewed shifted and Gottfredson and Hirschi strayed from Hirschis previous theory that continuing social bonds cushion against criminal behavior in favor of the proposition that self control, internalized early in life, determines who will be likely to commit crime (Grasmick, et al. 1993). This theory is more practical, according to Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990 this theory propose that self-control is the general concept around which all of the known facts about crime can be organized. Hirschis former theory of criminality was a classical theory and according to Brownfield and Sorenson 1993 à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"classical theory and the concept of self-control are remarkably compatible. Self-control theory is similar to learning theory because learning theory believes that lack of self-control is a basic component or element of the deviant learning process. Even though one learns from the stimuli around them behavior is also the result of something within us, which is self-control. Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990 define crime as, acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self interest. This definition leads to the conclusion that any law violation, including murder, robbery, or property crime, that is done for reasons other than self-interest is not crime and cannot be explained by their theory (Grasmick et al. 1993). Low self-control is supposed to explain an individuals propensity to commit or refrain from committing crimes, just as high self-control explains an individuals likelihood of conforming to social norms and laws (Akers 1991). The authors explain that the concept of self control is not deterministic and that people involved with crime also engage in similar behaviors that provide short-term gratification (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). Smoking, drinking, gambling, irresponsible sex, and speeding in cars are all examples of risky behaviors that may be noticeable in criminal individuals who seek immediate gratification. Six elements of self-control are presented, one of which is that crimes require little skill or planning (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). Naturally, this is a source of criticism, since many criminals do plan their deviant acts and have become quite specialized in these activities. Self-control theory argues that a lack of self-control is neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition for crime to occur, because other properties of the individual or of the situation may counteract ones likelihood of committing deviant acts (Hirschi and Gottfredson 1993). The theorists have absolutely stated that their viewpoint, not like many others, is not meant to predict any particular type of activity since most deviant behavior, by its very nature, is impulsive and opportunistic. Therefore, everything else being equal, low self-control and a weak bond to society should positively and significantly predict a variety of deviant and criminal conduct (Polakowski 1994). Though lack of self-control and the familys role in its failed development do not mean that one will become deviant but it will provide circumstances that will make conditions favorable for delinquency. Hirschi has written supplemental information regarding the dynamics of the familys important role in reducing delinquency. He says that some aspects of family structure and practice appear to have an impact on delinquency in their own right, over and above their influence on the childs level of self control or socialization. This theory is applied to age, gender, and racial variations in crime, peer groups, schools, and the family, cross-cultural comparisons, white-collar crime, and organized crime. Gottfredson and Hirschi say there are differences among racial and ethnic groups, as there are between the sexes, in levels of direct supervision by the family (Gottfredson and Hirschi 1990). It is not the gender, race, or age of an individual that directly influences his criminality, but these factors indirectly affect the amount of socialization by parents. An evaluation of the age-crime relationship, however, has shown that for certain crimes, the variable of age may actually be a dire ct result of lack of self-control (Greenberg 1994). Hirschi believes that policies put in place that are designed to deter or rehabilitate offenders are failures, but effective policies that support and enhance the socialization in family would strengthen the family dynamics by improving the quality of family child-rearing practices. Therefore, effective policies would not only focus on preventing teenage pregnancies, but on maintaining a fathers involvement with the childs life. Hirschi contends that initiating these public policy reforms would strengthen family bonds, increase socialization, and create greater self-control in the child that will make it unlikely that he will exhibit deviant behavior (Hirschi 1995). This theory alleges to address all types of crime that Hirschis first theory in Causes of Delinquency did not, but many simply find Gottfredson and Hirschis definition of crime to be unconvincing. Though studies in general support the theorys major conclusion that low self-control is linked to criminal involvement, they do make some valid points regarding weaknesses inherent in the self-control theory of crime. In A General Theory of Crime Gottfredson and Hirschi offer no general or specific empirical test of the theory (Akers 1991). This makes their claims seem grandiose, though the major view appears to be true. The theory has also been accused of being tautological, because they do not define self-control separately from the propensity to commit crimes and analogous behavior (Akers 1991). They use the term criminality and self-control synonymously, which is like saying low self control causes low self-control, or criminality causes criminality. Critics have suggested that an indep endent indicator of self- control is necessary to truly define self-control. It has also been suggested by critics that this theory wrongfully claims other theories are unimportant (Akers 1991). Counter-intuitive to the logic of self-control theory, a longitudinal study was conducted showing that adult social bonds, like stable employment and cohesive marriages for example, can redirect offenders into a lifestyle of conformity beyond the childhood years of socialization. Studies have also shown that the relationship among self-control, crime, and analogous behaviors was also questionable. Overall, it seems that this theory carries heavy paternalistic undertones and the key to developing self-control is proper socialization, especially in childhood. Gottfredson and Hirschi find the traditional role of women and men to be crucial to the development of children. They seem to feel that if society could regain traditional American values with the woman staying at home, the husband working during the day, and the children disciplined by both parents, criminality would decrease. They do not even consider the outcomes of single-parent, divorced or un-wed parents, but they are a reality in contemporary society. In summary, Travis Hirschi has had a significant impact on the world of criminology. His two major theories, the control theory of delinquency and self-control theory, despite criticism have guided public policy reformations, and are quite popular today. Akers, Ronald L. Self-control as a general theory of crime. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 1991: 201-211. Brownfield, David, and Ann Marie Sorenson. Self-control and juvenile delinquency:theoretical issues and an empirical assessment of selected elements of a general theory of crime. Deviant Behavior, 1993: 243-264. Gottfredson, Michael R., and Travis Hirschi. A General Theory of Crime. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1990. Grasmick, Harold G., Charles R Tittle, Jr., Robert J Bursik, and Bruce J Arneklev. Testing the core empirical implications of Gottfredson and Hirschis general theory of crime. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 1993: 5-29. Hirschi, Travis, and Michael Gottfredson. Commentary: Testing the General Theory of Crime. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 1993: 47-54. Muraven, Mark, Greg Pogarsky, and Dikla Shmueli. Self-control Depletion and the General Theory of Crime. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 2006: 263-277. Polakowski, Michael. Linking self-and social control with deviance: illuminating the structure underlying a General Theory of Crime and its relation to deviant activity. Journal of Quantative Criminology, 1994: 41-79.

The History of the National Transport Safety Board

The National Transport Safety Board in the United States of America was established on the 1st of April 1967, basically relying on the Department of Transportation, for its funding and the administration maintenance. In 1974, the Safety Board Act (in P.L.93-633) was passed by the Congress, which thereafter, separated the board from the department of transportation which allowed the safety agency to carryout the unbiased investigations and also to make recommendations about the safety regulation sine then the NTSB has received a momentous respect from the Congress for its hard work in discovering the needed transportation safety enhancement and maintaining the civic confidence in transportation safety. On 1st October 2002 the funding authorization for the National Transport Safety Board expired but in the second session of the 107th Congress, bills that is the CRS-43H.R. 1527/S. 579 grants for authorization of the funds that are necessary for the expenses of the board. Senator John McCain introduced the reauthorization of the safety board which was therefore prepared and reported positively without adjustments by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. We see that on 13th March 2003. Representative Don Young established a bill for reauthorization of the board that was to be done on 1st April 2003. Also the House Committee covering Transport and Infrastructure reported a bill on May 1, 2003 the two bills, were to authorize the boards’ appropriations from the year 2003 to the year 2006 in which the same funding was to be provided. [1] Since its launch, the board has been given the responsibility of carrying out investigations on aviation and surface transportation accidents. Due to its high number of investigation recorded, the board is ranked as the worlds leading accident investigation agency. These transportation modes include the highway, marine, pipeline and railroad, therefore, it core objective is presenting safety recommendations that are meant to prevent future transportation accidents, and therefore it comes up with capable causes of the accidents. These investigations are carried out by the boards regional and field officers though they are not the basic sources of information to the board. The board has headquarter offices for all modes of transportation in which various information is requested from. The headquarter offices are situated at 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20594 and they can be contacted by telephone (202) 314-6000 while its conference center is located at 429 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC   20594 the location of the offices vary, depending on the mode of transport that the board deals with . The board is also dependable for maintaining the governments records on transportation issues, these records are normally accrued from special studies on transportation protection that are conducted by the board,   these studies basiaclly come up with factual and safety recommendations that are of a nationalized importance. Under this, the board provides investigators who always serve as qualified legislative body which is specified in the international agreements for aviation accidents overseas that usually involve the United States registered aircrafts. The National Transport Safety Board does not carry out regulations over the transportation apparatus, operation and the transportation personnel. The boards’ success in the formation of the transportation safety comes as a result of, its character for fairness and care. The National Transport Safety Board has five Board Members, who are normally chosen by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve for a period of five years. Therefore a member is nominated by the President as Chairman and another as Vice Chairman for a period of two years These Chairmanship requires a separate Senate verification. In a situation where the chairman is not designated, then the vice chairman acts in place of the chairman. [2] Since the board has no power to regulate the transportation laws in the country it only causes change in the safety implementation of the transportation systems in the USA, therefore, it submits safety proposals to managers, workers, and the users of transportation systems. The safety measures include: improvement of child protection in automobile industry, reduction of fatigue of people from transportation operations, creation of event recorders that includes; video systems, commercial highway vehicle recorders, and an improved flight data recorder. Averting runway incursions at airports; justifying the risks of structural icing on aircraft; and the elimination of the explosive fuel in fuel tanks from the aircrafts to prevent explosions. while on the rail roads, the board comes up with a suggestion of avoiding collision systems, it also improves the safety standards of trucks and buses on the roads, this may require the use of seat belts, it also implements the promotion of highway safety through licensing and also ensuring that the driving laws are adhered to by the members of the country, and in marine transportation, the board enhances the recreational boating safety; and the post-accident drug and alcohol testing. Reports say that, these safety recommendations across all modes of transportation for over 35 years, through which about 82% of the recommendations has led to the implementation of acceptable safety improvements in the United States. The board normally works in collaboration with the department of transport agencies during the drafting of these measures so as to ensure that they are issued earlier and also in a satisfactory manner. The national transport board is given the authority to sign contracts for facilities, technical services, and training in accident investigative theories and practices. Like in a case where the board was given a one year contract for a training site to the George Washington University, and in the year two 2003 it established the National Transport Safety Board(NTSB) Academy on London County Campus of the George Washington University in Ashburn, Virginia. It is also allowed to engage in agreements and other dealings that are important in accomplishing its mission without undergoing the normal procedures of contracts, though the board has been criticized over its financial management it has been struggling to create a balance between the issuing of responsibilities to its investigators to complete their duties on time and efficiently and also providing a better financial management system that is effective in curtailing the fraudulent risks and wastages of resources. [3] Despite the alleged financial mismanagement, the board had to establish a strategic plan that is meant to last for 4 years, the plan was established in the year 2006 and is expected to accomplished its objective in the year 2010, this plan is meant to guide the Agency’s work, by enabling the planning, budgeting and accounting for the work performed by the board. This strategy is to cover various issues, including the accident investigation, support and the boards’ employee’s development and resource management. The current technological complex in the transportation system has made it hard for the agency to meet the challenge of accidents, thus making the agency to enter into a resource declination period whereby, planning is seen to be the most important factor in the utilization of the declining resources. For this reasons, the aircrafts, vehicles, trains, pipelines and marine vessels have safety features integrated in them. Therefore the assignment of the National Transport Safety Board is to, recognize and converse the lessons learned from investigation of transportation accidents. this investigation is normally watchful, experienced and self-regulating in order to prevent the loss of possessions, individual injuries, loss of life and also the environmental harm. Apart from safety measures, the board also carries out the coordination of tragedy backing for, victims and families affected by the transportation accidents; it also arbitrates for the airman and mariner petition, this services are used to maintain the reputation that the transportation system of America   as the safest in the world. [4] Therefore the national board of safety have set plans to have a careful use of the resources by maintaining a motivated, experienced, well trained, equipped and supported workforce which will enable it accomplish its mission this motivation is to be done through   intellectual selection of attempt and masterful implementation of objective; this goes hand in hand with the contribution of the private and public sector partners, who are always cooperative and supportive, the communication of these   recommendations for change in the directive and functions of the services of transportation is also considered. The goals set by the transportation safety board in conjunction with its mission include: Accident investigation under this the board has been maintaining its reaction competence of the accidents and has also increased the examination of occurrence and other negative issues that predicted to be of consequences in the improvement of public transportation protection. The boards’ approaches to accident investigation involve the enhancing of the organizational capacities and investment of the resources to enable the board to recognize and analyze the incidents which will further identify the origin of the transportation accidents. The second goal of the board is the support and Outreach this, objective is to enhance the presence of the national transport safety board in the transportation system whereby, leadership and technical support is used as a factor in giving support to the safety issues in transportation, thus promoting the safety recommendations of the board, this is normally done by, advancing the technical understanding and awareness of the safety issues which reflects the leadership role in the workforce performance. The board also expands and performs procedures that always support the safety recommendations. The board also carries out the reviewing and analyzing the results of the recommendations, whereby the board chooses what measure is proved to be better. While playing its role of leadership the board usually solicit the support of external agencies which may be industries or the government, that assist in the bringing of the transportation issue to the awareness of the transportation society. [5] The board also ensures that, its workforce maintains its knowledge by giving them a chance to play the leadership role with the board and other agencies locally and internationally. The board seeks to improve the productivity of the employees and their satisfaction through a vigilant recruitment, performance compensation, having an interest on their personal needs. It also maintains a working environment that facilitates the performance and the fulfillment of the boards’ workforce. To deal with financial frauds, the board has come up with a resource management system, whereby it evaluates expenditures and fiscal commitments, so as to have an efficient asset management, to enable it have its mission accomplished, this course of management involves the budget implementation as a factor of performance for all stages of management. The reviewing of all actions and costs is carried out whereby; the board members expect the board to finish its mission at a considerable time and with the use of limited resources therefore the national safety board is expected to carry out more investigations on accidents in shorter time and with fewer resources. The cost accounting tools and methods is normally provided by the agency to the program officers so that they can manage resources more effectively. The boards’ performance is usually evaluated by the office of the management and supplemented by the boards’ annual financial audit. The national board of transportation safety provides a room for safety studies that is termed as an assessment of the effectiveness of rules, curriculum, program management and operational regulations and other government agency actions that are implemented to reduce the transportation losses; these studies result in the issuance of a narrative report on the information, conclusions and any valid recommendations on the safety of the travelers. They are normally scheduled irregularly about six weeks after a board meeting is carried out covering the same subject. The schedules for such meetings are usually presented under news and events on the boards’ website, and announced via a press release. [6] Since the board is basically an investigative agency, it carries out a special investigation that is divided into two segments, whereby the first one is defined as an effort of gathering any information concerning the programmed focus selected in support of safety studies under this a report is usually issued, but a file is usually preserved, this file normally contains details, circumstances, and conclusions but will not include the possible cause of the accident. While the second one is an examination of the mechanical issues and safety problems recognized in one or more accident investigations, under this a detailed narrative report is usually developed and approved by the Board, it contains the details, circumstances , conclusions and safety recommendations if necessary. All these records are always available from the boards’ records management division. References: Coyle, J.J.; Bardi, E.J. and Novack, R.A. (2004): Transportation. 5th Edn: Southwestern College Publishing, Cincinnati OFCM (1999): Public-Private Partnership Symposium: Panel on Successful Transportation Partnership; Presentation at the Volpe Center, Boston M A. TRB (2001): Critical Issues in Transportation 2002. Reprinted from TRB News 217; November-December 2001: Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C TRB (2000): Highway Capacity Manual 2000. D.C.: Transportation Research Board. Washington [1] Coyle, J.J.; Bardi, E.J. and Novack, R.A. (2004): Transportation. 5th Edn: Southwestern College Publishing, Cincinnati [2] TRB (2000): Highway Capacity Manual 2000. D.C.: Transportation Research Board. Washington [3] Coyle, J.J.; Bardi, E.J. and Novack, R.A. (2004): Transportation. 5th Edn: Southwestern College Publishing, Cincinnati [4] [5] TRB (2001): Critical Issues in Transportation 2002. Reprinted from TRB News 217; November-December 2001: Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C [6] TRB (2000): Highway Capacity Manual 2000. D.C.: Transportation Research Board. Washington   

Grasshoppers The Family Acrididae

Most grasshoppers that you find in your garden, along the side of the road, or perhaps while walking through a summer meadow belong to the family Acrididae. The group is subdivided into several subfamilies that include slant-faced grasshoppers, stridulating grasshoppers, Band-winged grasshoppers, and some of the better-known locusts. Most of the 11,000 or so species grasshoppers are medium to large in relation to other insects but members of this huge family vary greatly in size, ranging from less than half-an-inch to more than three inches in length.  Since many are gray or brown in color, they are easily camouflaged by the vegetation in their natural habitats. In the Acrididae family, the ears, or auditory organs, are located on the sides of the first abdominal segments and are covered by the wings (when present). Their antennae are short, typically extending less than half the grasshoppers body length. A plate-like structure called the pronotum covers the grasshoppers thorax, or chest, never extending beyond the base of the wings. The tarsi, or back legs, have three segments. Classification Kingdom:  AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass:  InsectaOrder:  OrthopteraFamily: Acrididae The Grasshopper Diet: Eating and Eaten Grasshoppers commonly feed on plant foliage, with a particular fondness for grasses and spurges. When grasshopper populations become large, swarms of them can defoliate grasslands and agricultural crops over large areas. In addition to natural predators, grasshoppers are consumed as human food in many countries, including Mexico, China, and nations in Africa and the Middle East. Life Cycle Grasshoppers, like all members of the order Orthoptera, undergo simple or incomplete metamorphosis with three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Egg: Female grasshoppers lay fertilized eggs in midsummer, covering them with a sticky substance that dries to create an egg pod. Pods contain between 15 to 150 eggs, depending on the species. One female grasshopper may lay up to 25 pods. The eggs remain buried beneath one to two inches of sand or leaf litter for about 10 months over autumn and winter, hatching into nymphs in spring or early summer.Nymph: Grasshopper nymphs, a.k.a. molts, resemble adult grasshoppers, except they lack wings and reproductive organs. Nymphs begin feeding on plant foliage as soon as one day after hatching from the egg and undergo five substages of development, known as instars before reaching full maturity. During each instar, nymphs shed their skin cuticles (molt) and their wings continue to grow. It takes five to six weeks for a nymph to mature into an adult grasshopper.Adult: After the final molt, it may still take a month before an adult grasshopper’s wings are fully developed. While their rep roductive organs are fully grown, female grasshoppers do not lay eggs until they’re about a week or two into adulthood. This allows lets them gain enough bodyweight to accommodate egg-laying. Once a female begins laying eggs, she continues to do so every three to four days until she dies. The lifespan of an adult grasshopper is about two months, depending on the weather and other factors such as predation. Interesting Behaviors Many male grasshoppers in the family Acrididae employ courtship calls to attract mates. Most of them use a form of stridulation, in which they rub pegs on the inside of their hind legs against a thickened edge of the wing to create their familiar songs.Band-winged grasshoppers snap their wings while in flight, making an audible crackle.In some species, the male may continue to guard the female after mating, riding on her back for a day or more to discourage her from mating with other males. Range and Distribution: Most Acridid grasshoppers inhabit grasslands, although some live in forests or even habitats that feature aquatic vegetation. More than  11,000 species have been described worldwide, with more than 600 of them living in North America. Grasshoppers in Folklore The ancient Greek storyteller  Aesop  is credited with  The Ant and the Grasshopper, a tale in which an ant works  hard preparing for winter while the grasshopper plays. When winter comes, the grasshopper asks for shelter and food from the ant, who refuses, leaving the grasshopper to starve. The folklore of many Native American tribes includes grasshoppers. The insects’ roles in these stories vary greatly, depending on whether the tribe is an agrarian or hunter-gatherer society. In agrarian cultures, grasshoppers are viewed in a negative context, since swarms of them often decimated crops. Theyre often portrayed as lazy, shiftless, or greedy characters, and theyre also associated with bad luck or discord. (Amongst the Hopi, grasshoppers are said to nip the noses of children who disobey elders or violate tribal taboos.)   Grasshoppers fare much better in the folk traditions of hunter-gather tribes, who imbued them with the powers not only to predict the weather—but to change it outright—bringing rain to end a drought, or causing rain to cease during a deluge.   Sources: Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th Edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonFamily Acrididae - Short-horned Grasshoppers - BugGuide.NetSpot ID - Acrididae

Essay about Our Value of Art - 918 Words

Our Value of Art Art is a thoughtful, emotional expression. It has many forms, such as painting, sculpture, architecture and the written word. Rousseau proposes, Instead of thinking of life as something to which signs and texts are added to represent it, we should conceive of itself as suffused with signs (Culler 12). For these purposes the signs which Rousseau identifies are works of art. This statement speaks to the inseparable quality of life and art. Since life and art are connected they invariably affect one another. Life is inherently chaotic. This prompts the creation of art, which consequently promotes the stasis of chaos. Arts effect on society demands that we decide whether we value art enough to risk our own undoing.†¦show more content†¦For instance, William S. Burroughs wrote his most famous novel, Naked Lunch, while under the influence of drugs. Rather than focusing on his personal problems he wrote. This addiction progresses so aggressively that he eventually shot his wife in the head while under the influence. In this instance Burroughs art did nothing to mend his troubled existence, if anything his art perpetuated it. Chaos manifests itself in many forms and can affect us independently, as it did with the Beats, or as humans collectively. It reaches all of us to varying extents in each aspect of our lives. Art is a symptom of chaos. Art cannot exist without chaos and chaos inevitably leads to the production of art. There is evidence of art reaching back to ancient cave drawings. Often the artists would depict hunt scenes, which are a smaller, more controlled example of chaos, on the cave walls. A life without such chaos, whatever the degree of severity, is not, to the best of our knowledge, possible because people have never existed without art. In fact, all that we learn about our ancestors come from the artifacts they left behind. 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Essay on The Handicapper General - 803 Words

It is the year 2081. Because of Amendments 211, 212, and 213 to the Constitution, every American is fully equal, meaning that no one is stupider, uglier, weaker, or slower than anyone else. The Handicapper General and a team of agents ensure that the laws of equality are enforced. One April, fourteen-year-old Harrison Bergeron is taken away from his parents, George and Hazel, by the government. George and Hazel aren’t fully aware of the tragedy. Hazel’s lack of awareness is due to average intelligence. In 2081, those who possess average intelligence are unable to think for extended stretches of time. George can’t comprehend the tragedy because the law requires him to wear a radio twenty-four hours a day. The government broadcasts†¦show more content†¦Hazel thinks George looks exhausted and urges him to lie down and rest his â€Å"handicap bag,† forty-seven pounds of weight placed in a bag and locked around George’s neck. He says he hardly notices the weight anymore. Hazel suggests taking a few of the weights out of the bag, but he says if everyone broke the law, society would return to its old competitive ways. Hazel says she would hate that. A noise interrupts the conversation, and George can’t remember what they were talking about. On TV, an announcer with a speech impediment attempts to read a bulletin. He can’t overcome his impediment, so he hands the bulletin to a ballerina to read. Hazel commends him for working with his God-given abilities and says he should get a raise simply for trying so hard. The ballerina begins reading in her natural, beautiful voice, then apologizes and switches to a growly voice that won’t make anyone jealous. The bulletin says that Harrison has escaped from prison. A photo of Harrison appears on the screen. He is wearing the handicaps meant to counteract his strength, intelligence, and good looks. The photo shows that he is seven feet tall and covered in 300 pounds of metal. He is wearing huge earphones, rather than a small radio, and big glasses meant to blind him and give him headaches. He is also wearing a red rubber nose and black caps over his teeth. His eyebrows are shaved off. After a rumbling noise,Show MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis : The Pit And The Pendulum 1100 Words   |  5 Pagesis something all the antagonist share. They all have their own version of evil, either traditional and strict evil , or insidious and sadistic evil either way there evil is still morally wrong. Okeke is not as evil as the three Judges and Handicapper General. This is because he is not as cruel as the rest. Okeke’s punishments were not the worst possible. Nnaemeka explained to his father, Okeke, that he did not want to marry the women that was chosen for him instead he wanted to marry Nene. â€Å" HisRead MoreThe Lottery and Harrison Bergeron1100 Words   |  5 Pagesa citizen is entitled to do. In todays day and age, life without basic freedoms and rights sounds unthinkable. However, in Shirley Jacksons â€Å"The Lottery† and Kurt Vonneguts â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† this is the reality. Old Man Warner and the Handicapper General show that people in positions of authority encourage outdated traditions that ultimately lead to innocent people getting hurt. Old Man Warner, an important person in society, advocates villagers continue to participate in the dated traditionRead MoreTheme Of Harrison Bergeron806 Words   |  4 PagesNo one should change a person in anyway not even if they tried. In the beginning of â€Å"Kurt Vonnegut’s short story, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† is taking place in George and Hazel Bergeron’s lifes . It begins in mid April with United States Handicapper General Taking Hazels and Georges fourteen year old son, Harrison away. But so then Hazel and George couldnt think about it much it would hurt them physically. George was overly intelligent so they had puttin a little mental handicap radio in his earRead MoreSimilarities and Differences Between ‚Äà ºthe Lottery‚Äà ¹ and ‚Äà ºHarrison Bergeron‚Äà ¹950 Words   |  4 Pageshandicaps by Handicapper General. They would either boost their abilities to an average human or decrease their abilities to an average human. Even though people did not like the way Handicapper General was treating them, they did not protest against her. It is not bad to change the lifestyle if it’s for the best. â€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† describe how people are vulnerable to great leadership and are blinded in how it is affecting their lives. In â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† the Handicapper GeneralRead MoreHarrison Bergeron998 Words   |  4 Pages all to the same measure of intelligence and strength. In Harrison Bergeron the society has become apathetic and equally conformed because of the power of the Handicapper General, the forced use of handicaps, and the people within the society who continued to let themselves be controlled. Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, is the person in control of this societys laws determining what handicaps people should have. She also is the enforcer of keeping these handicaps on and keepingRead MoreEssay about False Perception of Equality in Society1262 Words   |  6 Pagesthe United States Handicapper Genera1 while the country is under totalitarian control. Handicaps are forced upon the people by the Handicapper General to create an all-equal society. The character George Bergeron is forced to stay equal by the government’s laws of equality while his wife, Hazel Bergeron, is of only average intelligence, and consequently not given a handicap. Their son, however, has broken the laws of equality and is fugitive of the United States Handicapper General. The conflict betweenRead MoreSociety In Harrison Bergeron, By Kurt Vonnegut Jr1176 Words   |  5 PagesVonnegut Jr demonstrates how the three main characters; George, Hazel and Harrison act in this new futu ristic society. We get a small glimpse of what the year 2081 will most likely be made of. This will be ruled by the agents of the United States Handicapper General. The people will be force to be equal in every way; their appearance, their intelligence, their religion, etc. We get to see people who obey the laws as well as people who want to overthrow the government. In this futuristic society, intelligenceRead MoreHarrison Bergeron Character Analysis756 Words   |  4 Pagesthe couch watching television. George is intellectually superior so every few seconds a raucous noise is played in his ear to keep him from being able to hold a consistent thought, which happens continuously throughout the story. This system of â€Å"handicappers† is overseen by a rather unsympathetic woman named Diana Moon Glampers. As George and Hazel are watching a ballet on the T.V., the show is interrupted by a bulletin warning viewers that Harrison Bergeron, George and Hazel s son, has just escaped Read MoreEquality And Diversity In Kurt Vonneguts Harrison Bergeron1263 Words   |  6 Pagesis equal in every conceivable way. When introducing the reader to this future reality Vonnegut says â€Å"All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments in the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of the United States Handicapper General (Vonnegut 1).† The reader can tell this is sarcastic because America currently does not have nearly that many Amendments, and the phrase â€Å"unceasing vigilance† has an underlying sarcastic tone of its own. Two hundred and thirteen amendments isRead MoreI Am A Cripple By Nancy Mairs1420 Words   |  6 Pagesthem as â€Å"My God is not a Handicapper General† (Mairs). The Handicapper General is a character in the Harrison Bergeron story by Kurt Vonnegut. In this story, everyone is given handicaps (prep) to make every person the same. For example, if someone was really pretty, the Handicapper General would m ake that person wear a mask so they would be the same as everyone else. She implies that someone who takes away others’ good qualities by changing them, like the Handicapper General, is not needed because

Music of the 1950s Free Essays

Kayla Curlett Period 5 Music of the 1950’s Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pop, RB, and Swing are some of the popular genres of music during the decade of the 1950’s. Music during this time period had a major influence on the people. It influenced their clothes, hair, fashion, dance moves, and their independence. We will write a custom essay sample on Music of the 1950s or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many teenagers during this time used the slogan â€Å"Sex, drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll. † Some famous artists included Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Fats Domino and Pat Boone. One of the biggest hits about the decade was Don McLean’s â€Å"The Day the Music Died. † Classic Pop dominated the charts for the first half of the decade. Classic Pop often used orchestras to back up the vocalists. Pop music often included elements from other styles like urban, dance, rock and much more. However these elements defined pop music. These songs had repeated choruses and catchy hooks. Electric guitars, drums and bass were some of the main instruments used in these songs. Despite the racial problems during the time, there was a sense of equality in Rock ‘n’ Roll. Chuck Berry was one of the first black Rock ‘n’ Roll performer that appealed to both audiences. He combined the sound of Rhythm and Blues with Rock ‘n’ Roll. The movie, â€Å"Blackboard Jungle,† gave Rock ‘n’ Roll a huge audience when Bill Haley and the Comets performed â€Å"Rock Around the Clock. † Bill Haley and the Comets practically became famous overnight. Elvis Presley was the king of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He was said to have the greatest impact on early Rock ‘n’ Roll. For Elvis Presley, 1956 was a year like no other. In January he became a regional sensation but by the end of the year he had become a national prodigy. His first two albums were million dollar sellers which included top songs like â€Å"Hound Dog,† â€Å"Love Me Tender,† â€Å"Don’t be Cruel† and â€Å"Heartbreak Hotel. † He appeared on national television eleven times and appeared in his first movie called â€Å"Love Me Tender. † Elvis Presley had a unique style that was either loved or hated. He became a cultural icon especially to teenagers. In March of 1958, Elvis was inducted into the army for two years; however, the Memphis Draft Board postponed his leaving so he could finish filming his fourth movie, â€Å"King Creole. Elvis’s famous ducktail hair, crazy dance moves, and popular music make him the legacy that he is today. Another popular Rock ‘n’ Roll artist of the 1950’s was Buddy Holly. He was described as â€Å"the single and most influential creative force in early Rock ‘n’ Roll. † His signature style was his wayfarer glasses. Buddy was first inspired by Elvis Presley but as Buddy became famous his popularity rivaled Elvis Presley’s. In 1952 he recorded the song â€Å"I’ll just pretend† with Bob Montgomery. Later on he formed his own band, â€Å"The Crickets. † In 1958, Buddy decided to open up his own recording studio called Prism Records. He earned a huge amount of success in such little time; unfortunately On February 3rd, 1959 he died in a plane crash along with two other Rock ‘n’ Roll legends Ritchie Valens and J. P. â€Å"The Big Bopper† Richardson. This was considered the first and greatest tragedy that rock ‘n’ roll has ever suffered. It later became known as â€Å"The Day the Music Died,† in Don McLean’s song â€Å"American Pie. † The single â€Å"American Pie† was a number one U. S. hit for four weeks. Although the lyrics to this song may be puzzling, they have a significant meaning. Each verse represents important events that took place during the 1950’s. In the lyrics, â€Å"That music used to make me smile,† represents the happiness and optimism of the 1950’s in America. Buddy Holly was McLean’s idol and when Holly died the day the music died became the day innocence and optimism died. American pie and Chevrolet are both references to the 1950’s in America. American pie was a common symbol or an American icon used during that time. A Chevrolet was one of the most common cars during the 50’s. The verses â€Å"If the Bible tells you so, do you believe in rock ‘n’ roll, can music save your mortal soul† represent how America was shifting from faith in God to faith in music. â€Å"And while the King was looking down, the jester stole his thorny crown,† this represents how Bob Dylan stole Elvis Presley’s fame and became the number one musician in the hearts’ of the fans. And the three men I admire the most, the Father Son and Holy Ghost,† McLean is referring to the Father Son and Holy Ghost as Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. â€Å"They caught the last train for the coast, the day the music died,† here McLean is referring to the plane crash that killed three amazing musicians of the 1950’s. Some may say that music has no significance to an era, but it does. It i s what shapes a culture and the people during a time period. It changes people’s thoughts, style, and actions. Even music from past decades has a significant impact on our society today. Elvis, Pat Boone, and Ricky Nelson were all popular back in their time, yet they are still widely known in the present. With the downturn of quality of music today, there has been an increase in preservation of keeping old school music popular, in hopes to re-shape the minds of young people in our society. It is widely believed that music is a reflection of society and the people in it, and for that reason, positive and inspirational music of the 50s must be introduced to the young ears of society for decades to come. How to cite Music of the 1950s, Essay examples

Is Mulan a Special Disney Classic Character free essay sample

She was a remarkable woman who totally changed the views of ancient Chinese women and encouraged them to pursue their dreams and to do what they want to do. However, throughout the years, the story of Fa Mu Lan has changed from storyteller to storyteller, each with its own dramatic difference. To illustrate the dramatic changes that occur among storytellers, one can compare Kingstons interpretation of Fa Mu Lans story to Disneys Mulan. Although changing some parts of the original story is necessary for the film producer to make a fantastic movie, the adaptation of Disneys Mulan loses the essence of this legendary woman. Mulan† still falls into the Disney classic princesses’ stereotype. Although Mulan totally changes the classic princess face, which is highly curved bright female body, big breasts, tiny waist, fluttering eyelashes etc, the story of â€Å"Mulan† is still similar to those classic princess movies. Disney embraces normative gender roles and promotes marriages. Because the market tends to favor the classic spirits of those traditional princess, the semi-change of Mulan is just for getting into Chinese market and gets more attention from the public. The Chinese market is quite attractive to western companies, including the Disney Company. However, Chinese children are not like American kids who have spent time with Disney cartoons, Disney toys, and Disneyland. So the Disney Company decided to make a film to get into the Chinese market. However, the Chinese government hates the Disney’s princess’s images terribly, because Chinese people suffered for thousands of years’ domination under of the royalty. The idea of royalty is not worth of being praised in China. In Shu Ping’s article, she points out that Chinese government was afraid that any emotions towards royalty would lead people nostalgia about the past, the royalty lives, which would influence the peace of the new country (97). For these reasons, Disney Company had to make a special and new style of the Disney princess, a non-royalty blooded woman, Mulan. In 1998, Disney’s Mulan helped Disney Company successfully got into the Chinese market. Generally, Mulan looks different from the classic princesses. Because she is Asian, she is not a blond, and she is not really a princess in China. In addition, she has no talent for housework. She cannot cook, or weave. She cannot even remember those rules for taking care of men. She was not born in a wealthy and high status family. On the surface, Disney makes a lot of effort to correct their stereotype that women can only be blond and pretty and good housewives and that only those born in wealthy families, can be a great princess, who absolutely deserves people’s love and recognition. Disney did a lot to modify this Chinese princess, and wanted to inspire girls all over the world, just like how Mulan’s legend inspires Chinese women from one generation to the next. The Disney movie producers attempted to make Mulan to be a new image of the Disney princess, but the story possesses a lot of stereotypes that classic Disney princesses usually have, which leads the image of this legendary woman to fade. For example, in the legend, Mulan did not fall in love with any man, but in the film, it indicates the romance between Mulan and Sheng Li (Zhang Renjie). In traditional Disney movies, some romance is always added in the cartoon so that children will begin learning traditional courtship rituals, and that little girls will learn that marriage is the most important ending for a story. In a classic Disney movie is that princesses always want to meet their princes and get married with them so that they can live happily ever after. In fact, the similar scene just happens in â€Å"Mulan†. In â€Å"Mulan†, Sheng Li appears at Mulan’s house and prepares to give her a big surprise. Later, Sheng Li with Mulan’s family has a great dinner, and Mulan looks so pretty nearby him. Although the movie does not directly tell the audience that these two will get married, its strong implication makes people believe that this movie’s happy ending should be these two people finally can get together without war. This guess is not unreliable. In the later comic series about â€Å"Mulan†, these two are a real happy couple (Beth Hannan Rimmels). Obviously, Disney’s â€Å"Mulan† is just another version of classic princess story. But this time, it is not about prince and princess, but the captain and female warrior. The only way to make Disney producers satisfied is always to let the main characters get married. Whether it is Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty, Ariel or Mulan, the princess’s beautiful life always has her handsome prince. If adding romance was not enough to place Mulan as a classic Disney princess, Disney also misrepresented her family and discarded important history in the film. One such drastic difference is that of how Mulan enters the war. In Disneys version of this myth, Mulan is at home at the time of her fathers conscription into the army. To prevent her father from dying in battle, she steals his armor and weaponry, and enters the war as his only son, having had no previous battle experience ( Shen Qi 667). It is just like the â€Å"Beauty and Beast†; in the name of saving father, Bella decides to go alone to meet the beast secretly. Because the love from daughter towards father is touching for audience, the Disney cartoon uses this trap in every film, including â€Å"Mulan†. However, Kingstons story of Fa Mu Lans entrance into war is quite different. Fa Mu Lan has been off training to be a warrior for 15 years before she returns home to take her fathers place in war. In the myth, the reason that she went to war is that she wanted to. This special Chinese girl loved to practice Kongfu and was a professional warrior after fifteen years training under her father’s instruction (Zhang Renjie 781). Instead of using this amazing fact, Disney changed the story to make â€Å"Mulan† unique for being brave enough for sacrificing herself for saving her dearest father. The reason Mulan became Chinese legend is that she was unique, because she wanted to fight for the country, not because she had to. Fa Mu la is the best representative of the bravest women, who was not afraid of going to the war. The reason why she was a remarkable woman is that she had the strongest desire to save her country and thousands of families. If Disney intended to show the brave woman through â€Å"Mulan†, they have not succeeded. It is true that Mulan is a masculine among those other Disney princesses, because she went to war and saved the country. Usually, Disney princesses are well protected and far away from the war, and always the ones who need to be saved by their horse-riding princes. However, the ugly truth is that Disney just does not want to admit the fact that Mulan had masculine tendencies, so Disney gives Mulan the excuse that she has to go to the war so that she had to be disguised as a man. At the end of the movie, it still shows how cute Mulan is, the girlish and pink inside of her heart. Mulan wears a pink dress under the tree and smiles shyly towards Sheng Li. This completely shows a girly side of Mulan, which interprets by Disney producer that this is supposed to be Mulan’s original side. According to the history, this is not the case. The truth is that Mulan started to practice Kongfu at the age of three and had fifteen years training after went to the war. Disney uses different ways to get rid of the fact that women are not all born in feminine way. Masculine girls deserve people’s love, too, just like Mulan. Disney always wants to deny the fact that their movies persuade girls to be pink and cute by adding different features. However, it always ends at the same. Disney pushes normative gender roles in â€Å"Mulan† , just how they did to the Disney princesses’ movies. Disney princess movies are almost imaginary. They are not real. However, Mulan was a real woman, but the Disney company still produces her story as fantasy. Just like the Snow White, who will be woken up by a kiss. Cinderella’s crystal shoes have never disappeared. Bella’s tears will change the beast’s scary face. This time, Mulan saved the whole country through lack of experience and illegal access to the war. Disney’s â€Å"Mulan† ignores some important facts of history. According to Myth, Fa Mu Lan tells her father she will take [his] place (Zhang Renjie 34). Not only does her father accept that she will take his place in war, but so does most of the town. How beautiful she looks, the people said, [as she] put on mens clothes and armor (Zhang renjie 36). The town accepts the fact that a woman is going into battle, and men even decide to fight under her. Although it is quite strange that the Chinese executed women who disguised themselves as soldiers (Zhang Renjie 39), at that special time, the government terribly needed soldiers to defend the country. However, half the young and strong men died in war. Using women was a smart way to increase the population, because women can take some men’s places so that men could stay at home. This special time did not last a long time and disappeared immediately, but this was the main reason that Mulan could go to war. On the other hand, it shows how girls improved their social status by going to the war. At that time, there were a lot of poems to praise those women’s beautiful images when they practiced Kongfu. InOde to Mulan, Zhang Renjie argues that Chinese knowledgeable man were willing to marry women, who know Kongfu, because it is also a way to show off their haracteristic that they do not choose their wives by their appearance. In addition, women were proud that they could practice Kongfu to protect themselves. (754) That means, in China, people accepted and respected women who were masculine and powerful. However, the Disney Company just treats our legendary lady as other princesses. They care more about fantasy more than t he value of the real original story itself. Although Disney’s â€Å"Mulan† makes a lot of mistakes about the history and decreases the charm of Mulan, at least, the purpose of making this film is good. No more blonde ladies, no more house cleaning with traditional folk songs, and no more princesses victimized by their families. Disney has made progress by creating this film. However, in Chinese people’s eyes, the story of Disney’s â€Å"Mulan† is too easy and simple. Disney only preserve a traditional view of women as sweet, passive and only interested in marriage. It cannot contain Mulan’s special features that she behaved like a boy and her masculine tendencies. In addition, it does not reflect how special the time for women in China to get a chance to fight with men with glory.