Curley’s Wife Essay

Curley’s wife presented in a complicated way.. She is ambiguous in some sense. Dangerous: ‘both men glanced up for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. ’ ‘She had full rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. ’ Red, foreshadowing danger. Vulnerable: ‘heavily made up. ’ Insecure. Hiding domestic violence. Mysterious. Outlet for feelings, only thing she has control over. Wants attention because she is neglected by Curley. ‘I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella. ’ She is a possession to Curley. She puts her hands behind her back leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forwards. ’ She is acting provocatively towards George and Lennie because she thinks that she can het their attention that she is lacking from her marriage. She closes off after she gets some attention from people especially Lennie because this is not what she wanted. She ‘looks at her fingernails’ which shows that she is not interested. She is commented in a derogatory way by the men. Steinbeck wants to teach people that we shouldn’t judge women. They think that she is immature and irresponsible. She is presented as spiteful and ungrateful in the middle of the novella by the way she treated other minor characters such as the black guy. ‘A bunch of bindlestiffs-a nigger an’ a dum-dum and lousy ol’ sheep. She is annoyed at how she is being treated by the other minor characters which lead her to this outbreak. She is worked up because she discriminates crooks by what she immediately sees. She repeats ‘and’ and this fractures her sentences. Curley’s neglected lead to her ability to act rational being affected. Exasperated and anguished by her own self because she likes talking to people. Women were treated worse than lowly ranch workers. Desperate and lonely way. Also relies on the American dream because she goes on multiple times about her dream to be a singer. She likes to be in the spotlight. Tumbled suggests that she is overwhelmed at the attention she is receiving from Lennie. Flowing out, hurried for her story to be heard. Afraid of Lennie neglecting her like Curley did. Curley’s wife is demanding and childish. She has restrictions from her husband. Acting like a child and questioning why. Confiding in Lennie because he has a low IQ level which means that he cannot tell everyone her secrets, hopes and dreams. When she dies she is presented in an innocent way. Her hair looks like a halo around her head. And she looks like an angel. This could suggest that people were recognised as important after they have died not when they are alive. Vulnerable because she is stripped of her make up. She has finally found peace and her pain was gone from her face. Makes us feel guilty about our assumptions on her. She questions people to start off a conversation; it is also a way to show that she wants answers. She is also insecure about who she can trust so she questions them to see if they are telling the truth. However, she will get defensive in the middle of the conversation when they have lied to her. Therefore, she uses sentences that do not make sense and exclamations. Juxtapositions in a paragraph could represent Curley’s wife’s ambiguous nature and her complex characteristics. Of Mice and Men is not kind in its portrayal of women. In fact, women are treated with contempt throughout the course of the book. Steinbeck generally depicts women as troublemakers who bring ruin on men and drive them mad. Curley’s wife, who walks the ranch as a temptress, seems to be a prime example of this destructive tendency—Curley’s already bad temper has only worsened since their wedding. Aside from wearisome wives, Of Mice and Men offers limited, rather misogynistic, descriptions of women who are either dead maternal figures or prostitutes. Despite Steinbeck’s rendering, Curley’s wife emerges as a relatively complex and interesting character. Although her purpose is rather simple in the book’s opening pages—she is the â€Å"tramp,† â€Å"tart,† and â€Å"bitch† that threatens to destroy male happiness and longevity—her appearances later in the novella become more complex. When she confronts Lennie, Candy, and Crooks in the stable, she admits to feeling a kind of shameless dissatisfaction with her life. Her vulnerability at this moment and later—when she admits to Lennie her dream of becoming a movie star—makes her utterly human and much more interesting than the stereotypical vixen in fancy red shoes. However, it also reinforces the novella’s grim worldview. In her moment of greatest vulnerability, Curley’s wife seeks out even greater weaknesses in others, preying upon Lennie’s mental handicap, Candy’s debilitating age, and the color of Crooks’s skin in order to steel herself against harm. Women had a profound sense of loneliness and they desire a friend or a companion. However, women like Curley’s wife will settle for an attentive ear from a stranger. Women were often unhappily married to help escape from the great depression in the USA. They were rendered helpless by their isolation and even at their weakest will seek to destroy those who were weaker. Oppression does not come from those who are strong or powerful but those who are also suffering. Strength is born from those who are weak and at their weakest. The American dream is impossible especially at the time of when of mice and men were set because this was the time of the great depression and the dust bowl where farmers were out of work and suffering. Therefore, Curley’s wife abandons her American dream and marries Curley for financial security. Women are not referred to by their names but by a pronoun. It shows that they are seen as mere possessions and not even real human beings. They are insignificant and inferior to others therefore they have no name. Curley’s wife is not given a name to represent the status of women in the 1930s. They were ranked as low as Black people such as crooks who is also not given a name. Alternative: Portrayal of women in of mice and men is unflattering and limited from the point of view of men. Women don’t have a place in the author’s vision of the world which was surrounded by bonds of men. Women are unimportant, thus they are portrayed in a negative light. Steinbeck: He was a feminist who helped raise the profile of women and their role in the 1930s. He also disagreed with the way women were treated because in the end he reveals the true nature of her and how she was not a bad person all along. He has also made Curley’s wife a complex character to teach readers of the 1930s that women also had feelings and were also as complex as the men. It also makes her not seem like a one dimensional character. The book only assigns women with two lowly roles of housewives or prostitutes. Female sexuality is a trap to ensnare men and ruin their lives. Temptation to men that will lead them to their fall from perfection. For example, George and Lennie who had their lives ruined by Curley’s wife. All characters are nearly all disempowered by Curley’s wife who discriminates the men by their race, intelligence and age. When Curley’s wife speaks to Lennie, the reader is afraid for Lennie because they can sense something bad will happen. Curley’s wife is depicted in a different way when she is speaking to Lennie because before she was easily dismissed as a flirt with a temper and a manipulator. However, in the final moments before her death, Steinbeck presents his sole female character sympathetically. Her loneliness becomes the focus of this scene, as she admits that she too has an idea of paradise that circumstances have denied her. Curley’s wife seems to sense, like Crooks (who notes earlier that Lennie is a good man to talk to), that because Lennie doesn’t understand things, a person can say almost anything to him. She confesses her unhappiness in her marriage, her lonely life, and her broken dreams in â€Å"a passion of communication. † Unfortunately, she fails to see the danger in Lennie, and her attempt to console him for the loss of his puppy by letting him stroke her hair leads to her tragic death. One might take issue with Steinbeck’s description of her corpse, for only in her death does he grant her any semblance of virtue. Once she lies lifeless on the hay, Steinbeck writes that all the marks of an unhappy life have disappeared from her face, leaving her looking â€Å"pretty and simple . . . sweet and young. † The story has spent considerable time maligning women, and much has been made of their troublesome and seductive natures. It is disturbing, then, that Steinbeck seems to subtly imply that the only way for a woman to overcome that nature and restore her lost innocence is through death. Because Curley’s wife cannot bare her lonely soul to the men around her, the men persist in believing she is merely a â€Å"lousy tart. † This is due to misinterpretations by other characters. Her unattainable dreams make he seem human and the writer reiterates this through the innocence of her face in the time of her death. In sharing his vision of what it means to be human, Steinbeck touches on several themes: the nature of dreams, the nature of loneliness, man’s propensity for cruelty, powerlessness and economic injustices, and the uncertainty of the future.

Miller’s portrayal of masculinity Essay

Analyse how the audience might interpret miller’s portrayal of masculinity in act one of â€Å"a view from the bridge†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A View from the Bridge†, is a probing psychological drama. A play script written by Arthur Miller during 1955. It is set in Red Hook Brooklyn New York. It is about an illiterate longshoreman named Eddie Carbone who has relatives come stay with him illegally from Italy who want to persue the America dream. Inspired by a true story of a Brooklyn dockworker who informed on two illegal immigrants. When Miller wrote this script it dealt with water front corruption and graft that questioned the reasonableness of U.S. immigration laws. Arthur Miller was strongly influenced after his father was ruined by depression and after reading Dostoevskys novel â€Å"the brothers karamazor† he decided to become a writer. After reading act one of â€Å"A view from the Bridge† I believe that masculinity is very important to the story because it is closely linked to the American dream and this is the reason why the cousins come to America, to pursue the American dream. Also I believe it is essential to the dramatic tension because if it weren’t for Eddie’s views on masculinity he would not hate Rodolpho, he would accept him and so there would be no tension between them and there would be no story line. This book was written during 1955 and during that time there was a stereotypical view of what masculinity was, it was seen as being strong and having power, authority and responsibility and perhaps demanding respect. It could be that a man was only a man if he had a family and took care of them or if he dressed a certain way. I have added a list on my views of what characteristics should be seen in masculinity: power, strength, authority, responsibility, respect, control, in charge and pride. In â€Å"A view from the Bridge† the protagonist Eddie Carbone shows most of these characteristics at the start but as the story progresses he looses these characteristics and so is seen as less masculine, he looses his pride, authority, leadership he looses the control of his house hold and he looses his respect. In act one of the play masculinity is shown in many different ways, a good example being Eddie carbone. He shows his masculinity in the way he acts. He cares for his family very much, he goes to work everyday or when ever there is work. He says â€Å"he took the food out of his mouth to feed his family† this shows he cares for them and shows his masculinity. Another example of his masculinity is when he drinks a beer or has a cigar this would be seen as a manly or masculine thing to do because women wouldn’t usually drink or smoke. He does this when he comes home after work he sits down and wants a cigar to relax and as a sign of his masculinity and authority, and the respect Catherine has for him she gets it because she has respect for Eddie and he has authority over her  Another reason for Eddie’s masculinity is his work, it could be that working as a longshoreman loading and unloading cargo all day is a different environment from any normal work, it is only men that work at the docks and he is surrounded by men all day so he Is masculine without realising and lifting heavy objects all day could be seen as masculine and only a real man could do this work.

Tun Dr Mahathir

This is a Malay name; the name â€Å"Mohamad† is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, â€Å"Mahathir†. Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad (pronounced [ma? hatir bin mo? hamat? ]; born July 10, 1925) is a retired Malaysian political figure. He was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest-serving Prime Minister, and one of the longest-serving leaders in Asia. [1] During his term in office, he was credited for engineering Malaysia's rapid modernisation. 2] Mahathir is also known for his criticisms towards western and developed countries. [3] During his administration, he was considered to be one of Asia's most influential leaders. [4] Mahathir is also noted in the Western world as an outspoken critic of Western-style globalization. [5] Mahathir was born in Alor Setar, Kedah,[6] the youngest of nine children[7] of a schoolteacher and a housewife. His father, Mohamad Iskandar, was of Indian origin, being the son of a Malayalee Muslim (who migrated from Kerala) and a Malay mother, while Mahathir's own mother, Wan Tampawan, was Malay. 8] During World War II, he sold pisang goreng (banana fritters) and other snacks to supplement his family income during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Mahathir attended a Malay vernacular school before continuing his education at the Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Star. Mahathir then attended the King Edward VII Medical College (the predecessor of present-day National University of Singapore) in Singapore, where he edited a medical student magazine called The Cauldron; he also contributed to the The Straits Times newspaper pseudonymously under the nickname â€Å"Che Det†. Mahathir was also President of the Muslim Society in the college. [9] Upon graduation in 1953, Mahathir joined the then Malayan government service as a medical officer. He married Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali—a fellow doctor and former classmate in college—on 5 August 1956, and left government service in 1957 to set up his own private practice in Alor Star. Mahathir thrived in private practice, and allowed him to own by 1959 a Pontiac Catalina and employ an ethnic Chinese chauffeur (at the time, almost all chauffeurs in Malaysia were Malays, owing to the economic dominance of the ethnic Chinese). 10] Some critics have suggested this foreshadowed a later hallmark of Mahathir's politics, which focused on the â€Å"cultivation of such emblems of power†. [11] From his marriage with Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali, they have seven children,[12] four sons and three daughters: Marina Mahathir, Mirzan Mahathir, Melinda Mahathir, Mokhzani Mahathir, Mukhriz Mahathir, Ma izura Mahathir and Mazhar Mahathir. [13] Both Mukhriz and Mokhzani [14] are involved in business as well as in politics while their eldest daughter Marina is a prominent local writer and AIDS activist. [15]

Women and Men Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women and Men - Essay Example institution of marriage, women seized the right to self-assertion.   Reacting to oppression women revolted against the implementation of feminine gender roles.† (Thomas, Deborah) To be able to function in her role as wife and mother, a woman needs love, understanding and support. This work is an effort to throw off the shackles that bind women in many ways because of her gender. Christopher Marlowe’s poem The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, deals with a shepherd who only wants his woman to come and live with him. But hidden in those loving words is an ulterior motive, quite practical in nature, although it is couched in the terms of true love, namely his â€Å"passionate need to possess the woman.† (The Passionate Shepherd to His Love / Critical Essay on â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.†). He is not in need of her love, but usefulness. The critic, Metzger, is of the opinion that she is â€Å"reduced to a caricature ridiculously clothed in floral tributes.† She does not have even a name, an identity or a voice but â€Å"exists only in the shepherd’s plea.† In short, if you are a woman, you are simply a nonentity. John Steinbeck’s masterly work The Chrysanthemum carries this idea further but in a different vein. Like the object of Marlowe’s lover, Elisa the central character of this story, also exists solely to play up to the male’s vanity. To function as a mother and wife, a woman needs support, appreciation and understanding, which she hardly seems to receive. The literary critic, Ernest W. Sullivan II, looks at the story from the perspective of Elisa responding as a dog. Elisa obeys her inner instincts and is submissive to the male characters in the story as a mongrel would to a male that exudes superiority. Here also the relationships are lopsided as in the foregoing works. Elisa is a lesser being because of the dictates of her gender. Thomas Hardy’s poem The Workbox is more morbid in its implications than the rest of the stories

Methods of Analysis - Horizontal and Vertical Assignment

Methods of Analysis - Horizontal and Vertical - Assignment Example The horizontal analysis for an income statement is taken out by considering two years data. By taking out the difference between both years, a further calculation is conducted. Similarly, the balance sheet also requires the same technique for conducting the horizontal analysis. Vertical analysis is a relative analysis of the financial data. In this particular case, each category of the financial statement is classified as a percentage of other related items. Basically, all the items are listed according to the percentage value of the total sales. Likewise, in the case of a balance sheet, all the listed items are derived from the percentage value of the total assets. This analysis is very helpful as financial decision-makers are capable of making the decision on the basis of account balances held within the single time span. With the help of ratio analysis, the decision makers take out quantitative analysis regarding the data provided by the firm’s financial statements. There a re certain formulas used to calculate the ratios. The basic motive of analysis is to measure the performance of the firm in comparison to the competitors, the historical data, and even the industry as a whole. In order to take out fundamental results, current year ratios are compared to the timeline results (Sinha, 2009). The main purpose of the analysis of financial statements is to recognize the advantages of the company and take the most out of them and to recognize the weakness of the company and take corrective measures (Cagan, 2005). In the horizontal analysis, the dynamics and the tendency of the position of the financial statements are examined. On the basis of the observed changes, the security and business efficiency is estimated. Whereas in vertical analysis enables insight into the structure of the financial statements. The structure of the financial information is very important in determining the business quality. Ratio analysis is divided into 2 groups; one group cont ains information within a certain period, typically one  year. Group 1 uses data from the cash flow statement and income statement.   Group 2 contains information from a particular moment and relates to data of the balance sheet.   Thus, this measures the quality of the business.

Marketing in Airline Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing in Airline Industry - Essay Example In order to attract customers and increase their loyalty, marketers today try to associate their products with an element of service attached to it. For example, when a customer buys a car, he enjoys the facility of free service for the first three years from the car manufacturer company ((ICMR)). If a goods and services are represented on a continuum with highly tangible goods on the extreme left and highly intangible services on the extreme right, the bundle of goods and services will fall somewhere along the middle of the continuum. The industry that has been selected for discussion in this paper is the airline industry. The airline industry is regulated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in the domestic market and by a system of bilateral service agreements in the international market. The bilateral service agreements regulate the prices offered by various airlines, capacity of the aircraft, and the routes to be served by these airlines (Sky News). The future of the airlines industry depends on the flight schedules, take-off time, in-flight and airport service, safety records, fleet capacity and efficiency, route frequency, strategic alliances with other airlines and businesses like hotels, etc. Characteristics of the airline industry Airline industry is highly competitive. Competition is intense on the routes which are more profitable. The growth of the industry is closely linked to economic growth. An airline seat is an intangible and perishable good and hence marketers need to take special care while formulating their marketing strategies. Demand is price elastic i.e. as the price of service goes down the demand goes up, and income elastic i.e. when the income of the general population goes up, more people tend to travel by air. The profitability of an airline increases, when the flight capacity is properly utilized and the aircraft spends less time on the ground. There has been a revolutionary increase in the number of low-cost airline which are otherwise called the budget airlines in the aviation industry over the last few years. The budget airlines are usually operators who provide low-cost travel options for the passengers. The budget airlines try and cut the indirect costs to the maximum possible extent. Passengers are not offered wet towels, meals etc. Sometimes it may even happen that they do not even offer water to the passengers flying the budget airlines (Phillip). Marketing of Airlines Like any other industry, promotional activities play an important role in the airline industry as well. Airlines today offer attractive schemes to woo customers. These include frequent flyer schemes, special benefits, discounts, festive season offs, gifts like electronic equipment or kitchen appliances, access to club lounges, and special discounts with the alliance's business. Quality of service can be a useful tool for airlines to gain a competitive advantage. This is because passengers expect airline crew to be efficient, friendly and helpful. Thus, proactive customer orientation is the need of the hour. Marketing Strategies Airlines must identify and eliminate non-value adding cost and use the money saved to provide better quality services. The company should find a niche market and cater to it. Identifying and flying to

Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Exam - Essay Example weighted-average cost of capital for a firm with the following sources of funds and corresponding required rates of return: $5 million common stock at 16 percent, $500,000 preferred stock at 10 percent, and $3 million debt at 9 percent. All amounts are listed at market values and the firms tax rate is 35 percent. 3- Firms A and B intend to merge and Firm A has calculated the NPV of the merger to be $2 million after paying $8 million for Firm B. If Firm A had a pre-merger value of $10 million and Firm B had a pre-merger value of $6 million, calculate the value of the merged entity, as well as the cost of the merger. 4- Circular File stock is selling for $25 a share. You see that call options on the stock with exercise price of $20 are selling at $3. What should you do? What will happen to the option price as investors identify this opportunity? Then you observe that put options on Circular File with exercise price $30 are selling for $4. What should you do? In the first case, I will be exercising the call option since it gives me the intrinsic benefit of $2 ($25 - $20 - $3). My total cost of the stock would be $23 however; I will still earn benefit of $2 as compared to market where the stock is selling at $25. When other investors would see this opportunity, there are two possibilities to happen. Firstly, the current share price is likely to reduce to $23 or secondly, the value of call option may increase to $5. In case of put option, I will be exercising the put option as it will allow me to generate the intrinsic benefit of $1 ($30 - $25 - $4). I would be purchasing the stock at a total cost of $29 i.e. $25 current price plus $4 the value of put option. I would then be selling the stock at $30, which would earn me $1

Who we really are Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Who we really are - Essay Example In the case of a country such as the United States, the exercise of locating and ascribing identities to individuals can be a complex process. A country renowned for being the 'melting pot' of cultures, languages and races, people here can draw upon a range of national, cultural and linguistic heritages. The literary works chosen for this essay deal with such complexities. By perusing these literary sources and by performing further analysis upon them, the rest of this essay will attempt to answer the topic 'Who we really are?'. The question mark in the title is taken as a rhetorical device, meaning that it implies a lack of clear-cut answer to the purported question. In other words, the thesis is that socio-cultural markers used to describe an individual's background cannot be given too much importance and should not be taken as definitive of the person; there are dangers and risks in doing so, and there are many advantages in treating identity as a fluid concept. (Evidence/Support 1) In the write-up The People In Me by Robin D. G. Kelley, the author talks about his own multicultural background and in the process makes a valid observation about Americans in general: â€Å"Although folk had trouble naming us, we were never blanks or aliens in a "black world." We were and are "polycultural," and I'm talking about all peoples in the Western world. It is not skin, hair, walk, or talk that renders black people so diverse. Rather, it is the fact that most of them are products of different "cultures" - living cultures, not dead ones. These cultures live in and through us every day, with almost no self-consciousness about hierarchy or meaning. "Polycultural" works better than "multicultural," which implies that cultures are fixed, discrete entities that exist side by side in a kind of zoological approach to culture. Such a view obscures power relations, but often reifies race and gender differences† (Kelley, 2011, p.483) (Evidence/Support 2) The above passage c learly illustrates how identities work in real-life as opposed to how governmental institutions perceive of them in their census statistics. Indeed, 'polycultural heritage' seems the more plausible characteristic of individual identity, as opposed to rigid categorizations. Similarly, in the poem Executive Order 9066 by Dwight Okita, what we see is an instance of the malleability of one's identity - in this case particularly that of national identity. Fourteen year old Ozawa, who is of Japanese descent, is nevertheless fully acculturated as an American girl. And this reflects in her food habits and other interests. (Okita, 2011, p.187) The poem does remind us of the dangers associated with stereotyping through the example of Denise O'Connor's hostile reaction to her friend Ozawa's heritage. For example, at the tender age of 14, young Ozawa must have found it extremely distressing to have been rebuked, snubbed and treated as a criminal by her closest friend Denise. Even if some member s of the Japanese American community had been spying for the benefit of a war enemy, it is totally not acceptable to include children in the suspects' list, let alone the entire community. The rounding up of Japanese Americans during the Second World War is a real event, albeit a disgraceful one in American history. Hence the poem by Dwight Okita has socio-historical significance. And the lesson we can take away is this: the government's distrust of a section of the population is a gross violation of basic rights of its citizens. And Denise's adverse reaction toward Ozawa is just one example of the unfairness of it. In this case of unwarranted distrust, the victimizers were the ones who acted and felt indignant toward the victims. With the unraveling of more information, it

Marketing Communications - marketing strategies of C&C's Bulmers & Essay

Marketing Communications - marketing strategies of C&C's Bulmers & Magners Brand Cider - Essay Example Figure 1 below illustrates the Blumer/Magner market in relation to the larger business domain of beverages. Having identified the operating space for the product, some companies choose to target and serve a single segment out of the market by practicing niche marketing strategies while others choose several segments out of the market and offer differentiated offers. Some companies on the other hand do not segment the market but target the whole market with a single offering. Figure 2 below illustrates the different targeting strategies available for a company. Segmentation, which is the first step of targeting, divides the market in to distinct groups of buyers with different needs, characteristics or behavior. Next step of targeting involves evaluation of each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more of the market segments to enter (Wisner 1996). In the case of Magners & Bulmers a niche marketing strategy is being adopted. Although segmenting can be based on factors such as demographics or geographic segregation or on economic classifications, the more sophisticated segmenting tools combine above factors with â€Å"Key Benefits Sought† (KBS) Analysis. These KBS are dependent on the alcohol content, taste and texture of the cider as well as the image factors. Table 1 below provides the segmentation of the cider market, which can be targeted by Magners/Blumer, based on â€Å"Key Benefits Sought† and further qualified by demographic, and Psychographics factors. From the above three target markets, the Magner is focusing on the Social Drink segment. In this category the product can effectively compete with mild and mid strength beers as well as wines provided the product image is developed to high standards. The Magner image has to change further to appeal to the sophisticated UK premium drinker category. The packaging still falls behind

Elder Abuse and Psychosocial Simulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Elder Abuse and Psychosocial Simulation - Essay Example Afterwards the interviewer remains alert and moderate in asking questions (Knapp, 2007). In terms of non-verbal actions the interviewer applied broad leads, such as neutral expressions. The intention was to support continued talking by the patient. However, the interviewer placed less time on open body posture. In terms of making observations, the interviewee appeared tense, especially in what appears to be some biting of the teeth. Nevertheless, the interviewer showed interest in the patient issues and still managed to come across as relaxed, by attempting to shift her body posture to a small level. The interviewer was trying to display an interest in what the client was saying. Gestures in some instances became an issue due to misinterpretations arising from the two diverse cultures. In addition, voice also became an issue due to timing and tempo since in some instances, the interviewer pitch and inflection did not bring out an understanding (Wachtel & Wachtel, 2011). The interview er applied non-verbal actions such as open facial movements displaying empathy as a part of intentional efforts to communicate experiences of suffering. For instance, the use of verbalizing implied thoughts such as the interviewer voicing what the client appears to have fairly evidently implied, instead of what the client had really said (Wachtel & Wachtel, 2011). The intention was to make conscious of the unconscious (Quinn & Tomita, 2002). Secondly, the interviewer applied neutral responses, and this displayed some interest and involvement in what the client was saying. The exact use of silence and some cases voice-tone was meant to offer time for the patient to present thoughts and feelings into expressions. The silence enabled the patient to verbalize while regaining composure. The interviewer seemed a little bit nervous initially when the camera gear was being setup, and this then reflected on the client sense of edginess. This was evidence by overusing of reflection which then made the client a little bit annoyed when her own words and statements were being continually repeated. However, as the interviewer began conversing with the client, she got somewhat more comfortable as both of them established a good human connection. The interview began with a chatting session with the client prior to the camera rolling. The intention was to first gauge the client awareness of the questions and then let him think about any solicitous responses. The caregiver managed to leave the room after a couple of questions were asked and she felt reassured about the interview session. However, the caregiver seemed to possess more ability in encoding the client emotional outlay. In particular, she was able to accurately decode the client body movements and voice-tone cues. On the other hand, the client did not know how to make clear his feelings, and he seemed to hold back tears at times while pacing and fidgeting, maybe because he feared that he will be labeled crazy. In wra pping matters up, I provided cues to the client that the session was coming to an end before summarizing the key answers and then thanking the client for his time. The interviewer was fairly comfortable with the questions concerning abuse and neglect as she used extensively reflective listening, while reacting with affirmative proclamations.

Definitions of Property in English Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Definitions of Property in English Law - Essay Example For instance, the Law of Property Act 1925 classifies property in terms of real and personal property, rather than defining it1. Therefore, the most common definition of property is derived from the case laws that emphasize the rights owned or enjoyed by a person that owns the property. This is the position in the holding of National Westminster Bank v. Ainsworth, where the House of Lords held that the right to a property must be definable, identifiable by third parties, capable in its assumption by third parties as well as have a certain level of degree of permanence or stability.2 This implies that property entails the idea of possession and control of particular rights by an individual. In England, there property may be defined into either private or public property. However, the common position is that property may be defined into the rights of a person with respect to a thing. In common law, which is practiced in England, this may be rights over real property, which is land, as well as personal property, which refers to the chattels. Within this classification, there may be the real property, which refers to the corporeal hereditaments that are the tangible real property and the incorporeal hereditaments that are intangible. The personal property on the other hand refers to any property that is tangible or intangible but excludes land3. One can only obtain the personal property through possession of a property interest on the property that excludes others. Similarly, the property may be obtained when an owner involuntarily parts possession of it through loss or abandoning it. The person to whom the property is transferred may also obtain it through confusion and accession as well as bailment. A person may also acquire the personal property as a bona fide purchaser for value.

Baker College Corporate Services Essay Example for Free

Baker College Corporate Services Essay Franklin Delano Roosevelt was one of Americas greatest Leaders. His accomplishments are discussed in this paper in a biographical manner, as well as other Authors opinions about them, including my humble self’s. This paper gives an example of a forward looking, charismatic leader. The whole population of this great country is benefitting from his accomplishments, and will continue to do so for generations, with only slight adjustments for technology and culture. Franklin Delano Roosevelt An Example to Remember When somebody asks to pick a favorite leader, a number of the great ones pop into mind, like Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Douglas McArthur, Franklin Delano Roosevelt among others. It is a tough choice. They were all great. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had so many great accomplishments during his life time; the only way to list and discuss them would be in the biographical manner the Author chose. The reason the author chose to write about Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the similarity of todays economy that he faced at the time of his first term in the office as well as our current president elects choice to use some of his strategies to correct the present state of our economy. Faced with World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), guided America through one of its greatest domestic crisis, His presidency, which spanned twelve years, was unparalleled, not only in length but in scope. FDR took office with the country mired in a horrible and debilitating economic depression which not only sapped its material wealth and spiritual strength, but cast a cloud over its future, not unlike what we are facing today. Roosevelts combination of confidence, optimism, and political savvy, all of which came together in the experimental economic and social programs of the New Deal helped bring about the beginnings of a national recovery (Baliles, 2005, p. 1). FDR also committed the United States to the defeat of Germany, Japan, and Italy, and led the nation and its allies to the brink of victory. This triumph dramatically altered Americas relationship with the world, putting the United States into a position of international power, as well as political and moral leadership. By virtue of its newfound political and economic power, the United States would play a leading role in shaping the remainder of the twentieth century. Inside the United States Franklin Roosevelt stirred a domestic political revolution on several fronts. FDR and the Democratic Party built a power base which carried the party to electoral and ideological, dominance until the late 1960s (Baliles, 2005, p. 1) . FDRs policies, especially those comprising the New Deal, helped redefine and strengthen both the country as well as the American presidency, expanding its political, administrative, and constitutional powers of the office (Baliles, 2005). FDR was born in Hyde Park, New York, in 1882, to James and Sara Roosevelt. His parents were well off, if not wealthy by New York High society standards. While growing up, they were able to provide a succession of nannies, and at age 14 send him to a prestigious boarding school in Massachusetts. He went on to Harvard College, where he spent most of his time at the college paper, where he declared himself a Democrat. While at Harvard, he grew close to his cousin Theodor Roosevelt, who was moving up the political ladder in the Democratic Party, and began courting his distant cousin, Elanor Roosevelt. Although FDR started attending law school at Columbia at this time, he had little interest and dropped out after one year. Elanor and FDR were married in New York City in 1905. He had six children: Anna Elanor, born 1906; James, born 1907; Franklin Jr. , born 1909 and died the same year in November; Elliott, born 1910; Franklin Jr. , born 1914 and John Aspinwall, born 1916 (Coker, 2005). In 1910 FDR ran and got elected to the New York Senate and was re-elected in 1912. One year later he began his tenure as assistant secretary of the Navy under the Wilson administration at the age of 31, helping to prepare the country for entry into the world war. He moved his family to Washington for this reason. WWI lasted from April1917 until November 1918. On more than one occasion, he was subject to ribbing by those around him as being a little boy. Nevertheless, in characteristic Roosevelt fashion, he was undaunted by his lack of experience and plunged into the job with enthusiasm and confidence (Coker, 2005, pg. 28). As a matter of fact, he did such a great job, that in 1920 the Democratic Party named him the vice-presidential candidate on James Coxs ticket. They lost the election in November of that year. Roosevelt’s most significant responsibility in the Navy Department had to do with labor negotiations with defense contractors. His primary goal in this area was to encourage positive relations between workers, industry leaders, and the military. In this capacity he gained appreciation for labor issues and learned how to handle sometimes rocky labor disputes (Coker, 2005). â€Å"FDR proved to have the exceptional ability to juggle various administrative and political responsibilities. Part of the reason he was able to do so many things simultaneously was that he insisted on bringing the indispensable Louis Howe to Washington with him to serve as his personal secretary. Howe seemed to be everywhere at once, assisting Roosevelt in all matters-scheduling appointments, helping with clerical work, and even helping Roosevelt keep an eye on, and a hand in, New York politics. † (Coker, 2005, pg. 31) In1921 FDR contracted polio, an incurable disease that left his legs paralyzed. By investing a considerable part of his fortune in renovating a spa in Warm Springs, Georgia, whose curative waters, together with strenuous physical therapy and the support of his wife, children and close confidantes, was he able to regain some use of his legs. By 1928 with the relentless help of his wife, Howe and a new personal secretary, Marguerite (Missy) LeHand, FDR was apparently sufficiently recovered to resume his political ambitions to run and win the governorship of New York. The very next year FDR had to cope with the stock market crash in October. The stock market was pretty volatile in the 1920s. With no regulation, Americans and investors bought stock on credit. By the second half of 1929 the economy slowed because of rising unemployment and high interest rates. When everybody started selling stock and found no buyers, the market nosedived. October 24th (Black Thursday) and October 29th ( Black Tuesday) were two days that marked the beginning of the depression, although not the only cause. At the same time, farmers were taking advantage of new technologies, which caused overproduction. The Stock market crash, along with overseas competition, and urban areas lacking the income to buy agricultural products, caused those prices to crash also. Because of the prosperity in the 1920 over 80% of Americans held no savings at all and the rich stopped buying. Because of all these factors, 5000 banks collapsed, one in four farms went into foreclosure and 100,000 jobs vanished each week. By 1932 one quarter of this countrys people in were unemployed (Baliles, 2005). FDR implemented a number of innovative relief and recovery initiatives: unemployment insurance, pensions for the elderly, limits on work hours, and massive public works projects. These programs labeled him as a liberal reformer and won him reelection as governor in 1930. It is important to note that FDR as Governor surrounded himself with best minds that worked with him in the State Senate, as well as some members of Al Smiths former gubernatorial administration, to solve his States problems. At the same time he had Louise Howe, as his chief campaign strategist and the head of the state Democratic Party, James Farley laying the ground work for a presidential campaign (Coker, 2005). In the grip of the great depression, the Democrats turned to FDR in the election season of 1932 to run for President. He was a popular and successful governor for two terms, with a recognizable last name, that could challenge President Hoover. He won the presidency in a landslide, promising the American People a â€Å"New Deal†. Voters extended FDR approval to both houses of congress, giving the democrats overwhelming majority, which would prove vital in FDRs first year in office. In his inaugural address, FDR promised the distraught Americans hope by telling them that they had â€Å"nothing to fear but fear itself (Baliles, 2005). † True to his character, FDR surrounded himself with a group of advisers nicknamed the brain trust. This brain trust included former progressives, liberal-minded professors and bright young lawyers. One of the traits FDR is consistent on is the ability to recognize when expert help is needed, and then surrounding himself with it (Dubrin, 2004). An array of emergency measures proposed by FDR, and passed by Congress reflected three basic goals: industrial recovery through business-government cooperation and pump-priming federal spending; agricultural recovery through crop reduction; and short-term emergency relief distributed through state and local agencies when possible, but directly by the federal government if necessary. ( Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). pg. 734) Between March and June 1933, a period labeled Hundred Days, Congress enacted more than a dozen key measures ( Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). pg. 736). These measures were all directed to solve every aspect of the depression, including regulating the stock market. Because so many people had been unemployed for some time, the help did not come fast enough. By 1934 the unity spirit of the hundred days was fading, industry was chafing under increasing National Recovery Administration (NRA) regulations. Even Nature seemed to work against recovery efforts. Between 1930 and 1939 the drought in the Oklahoma panhandle region turned much of the Great Plains in the Midwest into a dust bowl. Depression persisted, despite all efforts. FDR put great store in talking to the people, and he used radio to talk to them. He would talk regularly and informally on shows called fireside chats about results and plans to help the nation and alleviate peoples fears (Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). At this point in his research the author remembered the first four chapters of required reading for the class. It is without exaggeration, when saying, that it is hard to single out any one part of these chapters to describe FDR. They simply seem written about him. From the definition of leadership to the nine leadership roles in chapter one, the personality traits, motives and cognitive factors of effective leadership in chapter two, to initiating structure and consideration and attitude and behaviors of a leader in chapter four. FDR had it all. If it has been noticed the Author left out chapter three, because this chapter dealt with Charisma and transformational leadership. It would not be fair to pick any part of this chapter in the authors opinion FDR was the embodiment of this chapter (Dubrin, 2004). While he was loved by the people, the new deal was criticized from all directions. Some saying that the New Deal was going to far, others saying it was not going far enough. FDR seemed to relish the attacks of his critics, saying that the New Deal protected the average American, not the rich. In 1935 FDR fought back the criticism with a series of legislation that eclipsed the first hundred days termed the Second New Deal. He also lost support from the business community because of his support for the Wagner Act and Social Security. Both were the more memorable of FDRs accomplishments, the former allowed labor unions to organize and bargain collectively, the latter set up programs designed to provide for the needs of the aged, the poor, and the unemployed, but excluding farmers, domestic workers, and the self employed (Baliles, 2005). Because of his popularity with the American people, FDR wins the election of 1936 against Republican Alf Landon by a major majority. What this proved, was that the Democratic Party was the major party in the states. At his inauguration he promised the people to continue to fight for the nations underprivileged. FDR put together a group of voters from different regions of the country. This diverse group became the core of the Democratic Party. It came to be called the New Deal Coalition or Roosevelt coalition and included members from different labor, racial, religious and ethnic groups, along with academics and intellectuals (Coker, 2005). FDR is first to realize he can not do it all himself, and has the presents and humility to put together a group that can give him, information, ideas and feedback from every segment of the population he is trying to help (Dubrin, 2004). FDRs second term in office started with doing something about the resistance he has been encountering to his New Deal. The Supreme Court was on top of his lists of concern. They had overturned some agricultural and industrial New Deal reforms earlier and Roosevelt was concerned for future programs. He found it unbelievable that this body could overrule not only the presidency, but the Congress as well. He blamed it on the lack of vision of several older judges and was determined to do something about it. If they refused to retire or to die, he would find a more systematic way to protect his policies from them. He consulted legal experts and advisers within the organization and came up with the idea to expand the number of judges on the Supreme Court. In 1937 FDR proposed legislation stating that because the age of some of the judges, and in the interest of efficiency, adding an additional new and younger justice for every one of the sitting ones over the age of 75. Most of his opposition called FDR a dictator, but having such a majority in both houses of congress, the bill would have probably passed. Perhaps that was the reason later that year, that the Supreme Court upheld some state and federal legislation. By the time the bill reached the Senate, all the steam went out of the argument and did not pass. The possibility of the event coming to pass however, had such an impact on the Supreme Court that they have not invalidated any legislation concerning regulating business or expanding social rights for the remainder of the century. Having won his point with the court, he was finding the whole federal bureaucracy moving to slow for his tastes, started to bypass established procedures, creating emergency agencies to carry out policies. In 1937 Roosevelt had a plan for reorganizing his cabinet. It called him to receive 6 full time executive assistants, for a single administrator to head the Civil Service Commission, for him and his staff to assume all responsibility in budget planning, and for every executive agency to be under the control of a cabinet department. Although he did get some of these things passed by Congress in 1939, his opposition was able to paint him as imperious and power-hungry (Baliles, 2005). The Author can empathize with FDR on the point of the Judges, mainly because of a similar difficulty in his work environment, involving very high sonority workers that could retire and make room for younger people to work in this difficult economy. He would have told him that he is also of the opinion that any political appointment should not be for life. Frustrated by red tape of bureaucracy FDR shows a segment of entrepreneurial leadership (Dubrin, 2004). To top all this controversy, FDR also tried to eliminate some of the conservatives within his own party by supporting their more liberal opponents in the 1938 primary. This attempt was later labeled The great Purge and failed. Of the 10 Democrats targeted, only one lost. All these were reasons the party suffered significant setbacks, as the Republicans reclaimed 81 seats in the House of Representatives and 8 in the Senate in the 1938 midterm elections. In the midst of these setbacks, international events were becoming more important and harder to ignore. During the internal struggle of the depression the administration had adopted a position of isolation and neutrality toward the rest of the world claiming the United States was dragged into WWI by trade entanglements with European factions. The Japanese invaded the Chinese Mainland in 1937 and the fact this happened with very little resistance, FDR considered responding, concerned Japan might be encouraged to continue to press forward threatening crucial United States locations in the Philippines. Although FDR wanted to respond to the threat, he relented to his opposition. He sufficed to publicly quarantined Japan, mainly to express U. S. opposition to the invasion. He did ask and receive funding for increased naval development in the pacific under the guise of creating more jobs (Baliles, 2005). FDR shows his democratic leadership side as he cedes to the wishes of the population and the political majority and refrains from taking any direct and hostile action toward Japan. He probably realizes that the internal problems need the most focus as Japan has not physically attacked the U. S. Although, like the entrepreneurial and situational leader that he is, he sees an opportunity to use the goals of economic recovery and job creation to build up the countrys defenses. The Author would most likely have suggested using this creative plan to enforce the navy in the Atlantic as well (Dubrin, 2004). In Europe, Germany lead by Hitler was also invading neighboring countries under the guise of reuniting Germanic people under one nation. As long as his actions suited his declaration, France and England were content to stay out of the action. Russia under Stalin, seeing the lack of opposition, made a nonaggression pact with Hitler, and started seizing territory in Eastern Europe, while Hitler invaded Poland. These actions in 1939 shocked the world, with France and England declaring the start of World War II (Coker, 2005). Throughout this aggression in Europe, FDR was hamstrung because of the neutrality acts congress passed between 1935 and 1939. Being as staunch supporter of England and France, he did manage to relax them in 1939, accomplishing two goals, boosting our economy with our allies able to buy arms and munitions from us, as well as supporting them. In a speech to Congress he voiced his opposition to the neutrality laws and his regret of signing them. Explaining that none of our ships would enter hostile waters, the allies buying from us would transport the munitions. He also refrained from using military language, afraid of loosing hard won political support, needed in the upcoming election. At this time decisions war vying for supremacy in FDR between the future of the nation and his political career (Baliles, 2005). It is admirable and probably due to his inner circle of family and friend, that FDR has the presents of mind to divide his concentration between the troubles in Europe, trouble in the country and making sure he wins the election. FDR seems to see himself as a servant leader (Dubrin, 2004). Although expressing concern once that the Democratic Party was becoming to dependent on him, he was confidante he would win the nomination and be a favorite in the election. After a period of indecision, that left the party hanging, FDR announced his full support for the ticket. He did win the nomination and promptly announced his intention to replace the vice president, conservative John Nance Garner with Henry Wallace, a progressive who had been a major player in the administration. This caused a major disagreement within the party as nobody wanted a change. FDR got his way by a narrow margin, simply because he threatened to drop out of the race and resign from the white house immediately (Baliles, 2005). FDR seems to let his position go to his head somewhat as his actions describe a section of chapter 4 entitled the dark side of charismatic leadership. It describes that the end justifies the means (Dubrin, 2004). The race was the most challenging so far for FDR. The republicans, taking advantage of the strife in the Republican Party, tried labeling FDR as unstable and warmonger. In return FDR was warning the public of the threat the republicans would dismantle the New Deal and destroy the progress it had made. FDR would win the presidency for a third term with a narrower margin than the last two. Without the concern of the an election FDR proposed a bill to congress, which he promoted through a Fireside chat as well as a speech in congress, stressing that while the country was a peaceful one, with no intention of entering the war, the country had a good neighbor responsibility to help defeat Hitler through the production of goods and weaponry and a Lend-Lease program, under which the Allies could borrow military hardware to return after use. A bill was passed in congress in early1941 that greatly increased our help to Great Britain. As Hitler was fighting by now against England and Russia, having broken the nonaggression pack, FDR was able to increase the U. S. naval presence in the Atlantic on the threat that Hitler was out of control without breaking the neutrality act. This action caused our ships to come under fire, resulting in the sinking of several. In September of 1941, while mourning the death of his mother, FDR gave our navy orders to fire at will. Emboldened by its alliance with Germany, Japan attacked the U. S. at Pearl Harbor hoping to invade and secure the natural resources, denied them after their alliance with Germany, which they were importing from the U. S. before. On December 8, 1941, FDR delivered his famous A ate which will live in infamy speech, to congress asking for a declaration of war and getting it that same afternoon (Coker, 2005). Despite Roosevelts lifelong interest in diplomacy, he never held illusions that he would formulate strategy in case of war. He did, however, expect to stay in close contact with his officers and surround himself with an able advisory team (Coker, 2005, Pg. 134). He also took similar steps to reorient the country for war production, creating the War Production Board to oversee mobilization soon joined by an Office of War Mobilization. FDRs New Deal experience helped him create a cooperative venture between government and private industry to meet defense needs (Coker, 2005). During mobilization FDR brought about significant changes for the betterment of unemployed and minorities. Farmers streamed into cities, finding jobs, women were urged to work at jobs previously occupied by men and everybody was urged to join a union. Unions saw the peek of membership during these years. If the New Deal was slow in turning the economy around, although creating enormous deficit, the Second World War kick started the economy into high gear. Although reluctant and concerned about violating civil liberties, FDR, as was his policy in most military matters, listened to his military advisors and issued Executive Order 9066, which forced over 100,000 Japanese-Americans into internment camps, for security reasons. (Coker, 2005) Controversial and widely criticized later, this action was done out of fear of espionage. At that time, however not the Civil Liberties Union, nor the public objected to this action. If War was not one of FDRs strong points, organizing, creating smooth transitions using programs such as maintenance for membership and no strike-pledge was. He used fireside chats to explain to the public the need for such policies, applying to patriotism. While researching FDRs accomplishments during WWII, the author was amazed by his power of persuasion and organization during this time of mass confusion in this country. Had he lived in this time frame, the Author would have liked FDR to tell him how he kept it all straight (Dubrin, 2004). The outlook did not look promising for the allies in the first months of 1942, but things turned against Germany and Japan when the U. S. won victories in the pacific theater in 1943 and D-Day operation was a great success in France in 1944. On the home front, FDR had to concentrate internally again for several reasons. First the Republicans, having won major advancements in the election of 1942 in Congress, were making it almost impossible to pass legislation to fund the war, which mainly consisted of significant tax hikes. The Labor unions were also threatening to strike over this issue. Mainly the public was fed up with funding the war and having to do without. In 1944, FDR made it known to his party that he was willing to run for a forth term. The party acknowledged that he would be their best chance for victory, however, nominated Senator Harry Truman as Vice President. Although a sick man, run down from his years in office, his energetic campaigning and his medical condition, FDR downplayed the situation and convinced the public they should not change leaders in mid-war. He won the presidency against republican New York governor Thomas Dewey by 54% of the popular vote (Baliles, 2005). FDRs stamina and drive at this point in his life is a little disturbing from the authors point of view. Highly regarded as a great leader, it is surprising he does not recognize his deficiencies and recommends the party choose a different candidate. But then, if his wife, doctor and friends could not persuade him to retire, the author doubts highly that his own powers of persuasion could have influenced FDR to turn the country over to somebody else, and concentrate on his health and family. FDRs health deteriorated rapidly after the election. He would not live to see the end of WWII. Convalescing in Warm Spring, Georgia on April, 12, 1945; he collapsed and died of cerebral hemorrhage. His body was transported from Georgia to Washington D. C. and from there to Hyde Park, N. Y. for burial. Hundreds of thousands of people came to pay their respects during this final journey, attesting to the fact that he was considered the hero and savior of the 20th century (Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). Congress did limit the terms of a president to two terms shortly after FDR’s death. Actually, the Republican Party started legislation on this subject four years earlier, at the time of the last election. They did not pursue it on the grounds of seeming petty during the election. Over the decades the subject â€Å"FDR†, private life, political life and all his accomplishments, good or bad, would be studied by economists, politicians, and academics as well as students like us. One such example is a Policy Review interview of several students asked to compare the Contract with America which the 1995, 104th Congress and House Speaker Newt Gingrich promised to deliver in less than 100 days with FDR’s New Deal. The Author would like to show Quotes to prove several points. Sally C. Pipes, President of Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy â€Å"Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and the new Republican House Leadership deserve thanks and congratulations for the successful completion of the Contract with America. What a revolutionary series of events has taken place! With the Contract, a promise to the American people was made; in a little less than the promised hundred days, the promise was kept. Of what other Congress in this Century can that be said? † (Pitney, 1995) Mike Siegel, Former president of the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts. â€Å"The Contract with America committed the House Republicans to raising and voting on each of the Contract Items. This was accomplished and should be considered a major shift from politics as usual (Pitney, 1995). † Deroy Murdock, President of Loud Clear Communication. â€Å"Assuming the Senate and President Clinton cooperate, the enactment of most Contract items, per se, will not influence American politics as profoundly as did FDR in his First Hundred Days. However, the paradigm shift that has accompanied the Contract likely will parallel the new thinking that FDR inspired 62 years ago. † (Pitney, 1995) Mona Charen, Nationally syndicated columnist. â€Å"The First Hundred Days of the Republican majority were like a laser show—full of color and sound, but so fast and furious that it was difficult for voters to single out the benefits of tort reform, welfare reform, or regulatory reform. † (Pitney, 1995) Jeff Jacoby, Nationally syndicated columnist for the Boston Globe. â€Å"So, no, in terms of legislation completed, Gingrich’s First Hundred Days don’t compare with FDR’s. So thoroughly did Gingrich and his army upend that piece of conventional wisdom, that by the end of a hundred days, Bill Clinton was reduced to insisting he still mattered. â€Å"The President,† he sniffled in a mid-April press conference, â€Å"is relevant here. † (Pitney, 1995) William A. Rusher, Former publisher of National Review. â€Å"The First Hundred Days of the new House Republican Leaders will deserve that well-worn adjective â€Å"historic† even if relatively few of the measures listed in their Contract with America ever become law in the form they recognize (Pitney, 1995). † Burton W. Folsom Jr. , Senior Fellow in Economic Education at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan. â€Å"The House Republican Leadership did most of what it said it would do in the Contract with America. The Republican Contract was a conscious, thoughtful, and usually coherent plan that went from campaign document to legislative writ. The New Deal was improvisational and contradictory right from the start. † (Pitney, 1995) John J Pitney, JR. Associate professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. â€Å"The House GOP’s First Hundred Day compared badly with FDR’s. Although all the items in the Contract With America reached the House floor, only two of them became law before the hundredth day. By contrast, FDR signed bushels of bills during the Hundred Days of 1933. Crisis is the great lubricant of the legislative process, and the economic calamities of FDR’s early days briefly suspended Capitol Hill’s normal Friction. Government has become tangled in its own red tape. † (Pitney, 1995) The Author would like to point out, that there is hardly mention of the president of this time and then only to point out that he was left out of the loop. Apparently the House Speaker and the Republican majority in Congress decided they could upstage a Democratic President with a style of government by one of its own party example. As shown, none of the interviewees have lied, but it was entertaining to read just how much of the story a particular party adherent brings to light to prove his point of view. Clearly, the more is known of the story, the worse the scenario of the Contract With America sounds. We have just had a historical presidential election. If FDR started with having blacks, women and other minorities in high office, this country as a whole just elected a black man into the White house. In 1995 Congress took up FDR’s ideology but tried to upend the hierarchy. Since then the Country’s problems have just gotten worse. Again the cry has started and the president has taken up the challenge and stated publicly that he would use some of FDR’s strategies. Immediately the media, economists and scholars exploded with the similarities of the state of the country then and now, advice and warnings to the administration. We are closer to the FDR era state of the economy, the sharp rise in unemployment, the near collapse of the banking industry and the essential pessimism of the population. FDR’s overall message is less caution and more boldness. The congress will also have a democratic majority next year and one of the most liberal caucuses ever, which should facilitate cooperation by past experience. Together with the lubricant of crisis stated earlier should help (Schlesinger, 2009). Two other similarities are contributed to Barack Obama. He unusually charismatic person and is a great speaker, which should help him guide the general public through this crisis. He has surrounded himself with an experienced staff, headed by â€Å"101st Senator† Rouse. To get his agenda passed, he just needs to convince Congress to take some political risks (Drum, 2008). There is hardly any advice this Author can offer that has not already been offered by persons more qualified other than hope. Hope that lessons have been learned from history and similar situations. God knows this country has had most imaginable, and the

An Analysis Of A Thousand Splendid Suns English Literature Essay

An Analysis Of A Thousand Splendid Suns English Literature Essay At the time, Mariam did not understand. She did not know what the word harami- bastard meant. Nor was she old enough to appreciate the injustice, to see that it is the creators of the harami who are culpable, not the harami, whos only sin is being born. Mariam did surmise, by the way Nana said the word, that it was an ugly, loathsome thing to be a harami, like an insect, like the scurrying cockroaches Nana was always cursing and sweeping out of the kolba. (P.) As I read this passage, it elucidated the faulty mother-daughter relationship held between Nana and Mariam. While I was reading this passage, I predicted that regardless of what happens, this relationship will end up in betrayal and fear. What mother or guardian would call her child a bastard, something completely out of their control and decision? Mariam neither chose nor decided that she would be an illegitimate baby or an accident. Nanas insecurity is evident as she tries to place the overbearing guilt and anger she has in her own daughter. Although Nana may love Mariam, her failure to communicate a caring facet of her personality will ultimately, in my opinion, cause the failure of a loving relationship. Youre afraid, Nana, she might have said. Youre afraid that I might find the happiness you never had. And you dont want me to be happy. You dont want a good life for me. Youre the one with the wretched heart. Pg. 27 (C.) Throughout our lives, we often fuel our hatred toward our parents or guardians because of ignorance, disappointment, or failed expectations. In our adolescence, we fail to see how much parents sacrifice for us. We say things we regret out of frustration and anger. Much like Mariam, I have also doubted my parents intentions, and how miserable they were making my life. As I matured I began to realize many things lost to my parents by making the choice to have children: freedom, commitment to jobs, time. It would seem absurd to have children, but the chance that they may give the unrivaled unconditional love found nowhere else is a worthy cause. When Mariam left Nanas side, it was not only a physical abandonment but also an emotional one. Nana may have been cold and callous, but the love and care she offered Mariam were unrivaled. You go on and cry, Mariam jo. Go on. There is no shame in it. But remember, my girl, what the Koran says, Blessed is He in Whose hand is the kingdom, and He Who has power over all things, Who created death and life that He may try you. The Koran speaks the truth, my girl. Behind every trial and every sorrow that He makes us shoulder, God has a reason. But Mariam could not hear comfort in Gods words. Not that day. Not then. All she could hear was Nana saying, Ill die if you go. Ill just die. All she could do was cry and cry and let her tears fall on the spotted, paper-thin skin of MullaFaiuzullahs hands. Pg. 36 (E.) Mariam undergoes an extreme change in this passage. This initial conflict acts as a foundation for a series of complications that ensue, progressively destroying the little security Mariam has after this tragic experience. Through each emotional trauma Mariam encounters, she grows stronger. Her persona depicts a strong, independent individual, evident from the beginning of the novel where she often questions authority and dreams of a bright future with war, poverty, and death hovering in silence in the area around her. Mariam had so openly walked into Jalils empty gifts with high hopes, leaving behind the only love she would ever receive in this world. Consequently, as reality set in, Mariams hope is crushed: she is unwanted, alone, and guilt-ridden.Hosseini seems to reflect upon the endless cycle of hope and crushed dreams, similar to that of real Afghan women oppressed by sexist regulations. Mariam thought of Jalil, of the empathetic, jovial way in which hed pushed his jewelry at her, the overpowering cheerfulness that left room for no response but meek gratitude. Nana had been right about Jalils gifts. They had been halfhearted tokens of penance; insincere, corrupt gestures meant more for his own appeasement than hers. This shawl, Mariam saw, was a true gift. Pg. 68 (Q.) Gifts are always meaningful to me whether it is for self-appeasement or gratitude. I do not comprehend why Mariam would think any less of Jalils gift than Rasheeds. While Jalil was bounded by guilt, Rasheed too was bounded by marriage and love. Both gifts through Mariams perspective would be insincere. Every gift has a reason, why would Jalils be an exception. The same way Jalil tried to buy Mariams forgiveness through these gifts, Rasheed was trying to buy her love. Although Rasheeds deed seems nobler, in my perspective they are relatively the same. Mariam seems to be in denial about Jalils character and role as a father. As portrayed in the passage, she tries to exact her reasons to hate him by finding fault in his gifts and other things. Mariam lay on the couch, hands tucked between her knees, watched the whirlpool of snow twisting and spinning outside the window. She remembered Nana saying once that each snowflake was a sigh heaved by an aggrieved woman somewhere in the world. That all the sighs drifted up the sky, gathered into clouds, then broke into tiny pieces that fell silently on the people below. As a reminder of how women life us suffer, shed say. How quietly we endure all that falls upon us. Pg. 82 (P.) Throughout the book, Nanas stringent words seem emphatic as the novels universal theme. Mariams life begins to be the perfect definition of endurance, and the reader eventually sees how she grows to be the spitting image of Nana. In the passage, Mariam immediately recollects experiences with Nana following her death. The way Hosseini chose to particularly note female struggles and prejudice foreshadows the imminent future of abuse Mariam soon ensues. Another clue of foreshadowing is seen in the repercussions of Nanas words, especially endurance, which impacts Mariam greatly as she often associates Nana with it. It was Gods fault, for taunting her as He had. For not granting her what He had granted so many other women. For dangling before her, tantalizingly, what He knew would have her thegreatest happiness, then pulling it away. Pg. 84 (E.) Mariam, in her state of weakness, seems to need some reassurance that there is reason or fault behind her miscarriage. She feels the unbarring need to justify why her happiness had so easily been stripped away. Accusations were haranguing in her head, until eventually she reached the conclusion that Allah had been responsible. The way Hosseini makes Mariam question her own religion truly illustrates the extent of the scenario, where she would go as far as to question her own faith. This passage also portrays the desperate nature of Mariam. She believes that salvation can be found in the baby that had slipped away; Rasheed would be satisfied and she would be granted the privilege of being a mother. Her tower of security crumbles with this as her security and confidence idles away along with the baby. I know youre still young, but I want you to understand and learn this now, he said. Marriage can wait, education cannot. Youre a very, very bright girl. Truly, you are. You can be anything you want, Laila. I know this about you. And I also know that when this war is over, Afghanistan is going to need you as much as its men, maybe even more. Because a society has no chance of success if its women are uneducated, Laila. No chance. Pg. 103 (R.) Hosseini provides excellent insight of a postmodern Afghan family with this passage. Although Laila is an adolescent at the time, her fathers beliefs prove to influence the many decisions throughout her life. As the plot progresses we see Laila mature into a strong, persevered woman with the bulwark of her fathers aspirations. Hosseini brilliantly initiates this flashback to contrast the solidity of sexist attitudes portrayed by Mariams life, to provide as a beacon of hope that one day soon education will be the deciding factor of power rather than gender. A child of the revolution and the Soviet invasion, this passage foreshadows a bright future by characterizing Laila through this dialogue. Hosseini furthers his purpose beyond the plot to inspire readers to purse a future of education. Even in modern society, sexism is still an overbearing factor that continues to assault the security of women everywhere. Despite the antediluvian setting in which A Thousand Splendid Suns takes place, Hosseini exemplifies how hope still exists not only from women amidst female oppression. Sometimes Laila wondered why Mammy had even bothered having her. People, she believed now, shouldnt be allowed to have new children if theyd already given away all their love to their old ones. It wasnt fair. A fit of anger claimed her. Laila went to her room, collapsed on her bed. When the worst of it all had passed, she went across the hallway to Mammys door and knocked. When she was younger, Laila used to sit for hours outside this door. She would tap on it and whisper Mammys name over and over, like a magic chant meant to break a spell: Mammy, Mammy, Mammy, MammyBut Mammy never opened the door. She didnt open it now. Laila turned the knob and walked in. Pg. 107 (E.) This passage displays a critical point in the novel. Much like Mariam, Lailas self-worth had constantly been depreciated by Mammy, who failed to live up to the motherly figure that she was to her sons. Although Laila was too young to understand, Mammy was disillusioned by the past, lingering in memories rather than reality. The more Mammy continues to grieve about her two sons, the further away she pushes Laila. The emotional trauma Laila underwent is evident from the passage. As Mammy becomes less and less of a motherly figure, Laila too becomes less and less of a daughterly figure. I felt that throughout Lailas adolescent, she had tried to earn the respect and love of her mother. When Mammy failed to provide the care and love to quench Lailas desire for attention, Laila simply gave up. With this, Laila and Babis relationship flourished in ways Mammy and Lailas could not. In Tariqs grimace, Laila learned that boys differed from girls in this regard. They didnt make a show of friendship. They felt no urge, no need, for this sort of talk. Laila imagined it had been this way for her brothers too. Boys, Laila came to see, treated friendship the way they treated the sun: its existence undisputed; its radiance best enjoyed, not beheld directly. Pg. 119 (C.) More than once have I been in the situation Laila places Tariq in. The awkward silence between two close friends that are not exactly in a legitimate relationship. Although Lailas realization is stereotypical and a double standard, it does shed some truth for certain circumstances. I do not feel the need to express or display the obvious. I find that some girls feel insecure about friendships and constantly need clarification on the status of the relationship while boys just categorize most simply as friends. Rather than get complicated and over dramatic, boys simply enjoy the friendship as it is without labeling and categorizing. I personally do not enjoy public displays of affection mostly because I find that the constant need to satiate a girls desire grows to be a near impossible task. Women have always had it hard in this country, Laila, but theyre probably more free now, under the communists, and have more rights than theyve ever had before, Babi said, always lowering his voice, aware of how intolerant Mammy was of even remotely positive talk of the communists. But its true, Babi said, its a good time to be a woman in Afghanistan. And you can take advantage of that, Laila. Of course, womens freedom- here, he shook his head ruefully-is also one of the reasons people out there took up arms in the first placeGod forbid that should happen!Babi liked to say sarcastically. Then he would sigh, and say, Laila, my love, the only enemy an Afghan cannot defeat is himself. Pg. 121 (C.) This passage poses a very controversial issue plaguing the world today, religious practice versus feminist struggles. As portrayed in the story, religion has often sparked many complications when poised against more new world thinkers. Babi exemplifies revolutionist ideas, the same ideas being fought over in many parts of the world. Religion has enormous influence upon societies even in the present. Sexism still pursues the daily lives of many women even in modernized societies like America. Variegated by perspective, remnants of sexism may still exist in fundamental readings such as the Bible. Sexism has grown to seem inescapable because of ignorance that has stemmed from years and years of male superiority. Well take care of her, Lailajan, one of the women said with an air of self-importance. Laila had been to funerals before where she had seen women like this, women who relished all things that had to do with death, official consolers who let no one trespass on their self-appointed dutiesSome days, Mammy said in a hoarse voice, I listen to that clock ticking in the hallway. Then I think of all the ticks, all the minutes, all the hours and days and weeks and months and years waiting for me. All of it without them. And I cant breathe then, like someones stepping on my heart, Laila. I get so weak. So weak I just want to collapse somewhere.' Pg. 124-129 (Q.) The way in which Hosseini illustrates this funeral perfectly describes the supercilious nature of people. I fail to understand why these women feel so inclined to only take part of Mammys life when they are invited to do so. Furthermore, why is it that Mammy continues to neglect Laila even in her time of weakness? As Hosseini described it, these women were official consolers who let no one trespass on their self-appointed duty. Laila had tried to be there during Mammys moments of weakness, only to be pushed further and further away from any chances of a legitimate relationship. While Mammy mourns for her sons, she is completely unaware that Laila is her child. She laments how horrid life will be without taking into account of her only remaining child. What truly bewilders me is why Mammy insists to be so unaware of her own childs palpable state of depression. Mammy was soon asleep, leaving Laila with dueling emotions: reassured that Mammy meant to live on, stung that she was not the reason. She would never leave her mark on Mammys heart the way her brothers had, because Mammys heart was like a pallid beach where Lailas footprints would forever wash away beneath the waves of sorrow that swelled and crashed, swelled and crashed. Pg. 130 (CL.) Hosseini further elaborates upon the complications developing between Mammy and Laila. The figurative language justly describes the anguish subjected to Laila. Despite Lailas efforts to leave an impression on Mammy, Mammy remains lost in the memories of her deceased sons. Laila had been devoid of a motherly figure throughout her childhood, and still so even after the sole attention of Mammy had passed on. The dueling emotions Laila feels signifies one of the first internal conflicts Laila undergoes. This internal conflict ultimately clarifies the abandonment that Mammy had so long initiated. Faced with the harsh reality, this passage elucidates Mammys insecurities. When stripped of her very pride and glory, Mammy returns to the safety of her memories, longing for the impossibility of seeing her sons again. With the passing of time, she would slowly tire of this exercise. She would find it increasingly exhausting to conjure up, to dust off, to resuscitate once again what was long dead. There would come a day, in fact, years later, when Laila would no longer bewail his loss. Or not as relentlessly; not nearly. There would come a day when the details of his face would begin to slip form memorys grip, when overhearing a mother on the street call after he child by Tariqs name would no longer cut her adrift. She would not miss him as she did now, when the ache of his absence was her unremitting companion- like the phantom pain of an amputee. Pg. 168 (E.) Hosseini uses a flash-forward technique to drastically contrast how much Laila truly misses Tariq. Tariqs departure alters Lailas progressive thoughts about the future and replaces them with dismal illusions. This event symbolically marks when the repercussions of war finally reach Laila, as her life is slowly but surely destroyed by violence and terror. Throughout the first half of the novel, Tariq had always acted as hope and the very reason why Laila bothered waking up every morning. As Tariq and Laila split paths, the hopes and aspirations slowly disipate into a struggle for survival. She realizes now that forgetting Tariq is inevitable and prolonging will leave her with regrets, but cannot bring her to do so. Mm. He smiled sadly.I cant believe Im leaving Kabul. I went to school here, got my first job here, became a father in this town. Its strange to think that Ill be sleeping beneath another citys skies soon. Its strange for me too. All day, this poem has been bouncing around in my head. Saib-e-Tabrizi wrote it back in the seventeenth century, I think. I used to know the whole poem, but all I can remember now is two lines: One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.' Pg. 172 (C.) As Babi departs, he cannot help but mention the most prominent and significant lines in this novel. Hosseini brilliantly initiates these lines from the poem Kabul as a resolution for Lailas childhood, a subplot in the novel. The two lines flawlessly capture the essence of nostalgia, a feeling most readers are familiar with. While reading this, I remembered departing from Taiwan with the same feeling of nostalgia illustrated in this passage. At first view, Taiwan was just a mundane rural country infested with people; however, the memories I shared with my family here cannot be denoted by words. An authors job is to successfully build a relationship with the reader as Hosseini successfully does. Hosseinis choice in using figurative language allows for more imagination and understanding rather than a blatant perception of nostalgia. Laila wasnt listening anymore. She was remembering the day the man from Panjshir had come to deliver the news of Ahmads and Noors deaths. She remembered Babi, white-faced, slumping on the couch, and Mammy, her hand flying to her mouth when she heard. Laili had watched Mammy come undone that day and it had scared her, but she hadnt felt any true sorrow. She hadnt understood the awfulness of her mothers loss. Now another stranger bringing news of another death. Now she was the one sitting on the chair. Was this her penalty, then, her punishment for being aloof to her own mothers suffering? Pg. 188 (E.) Laila had already felt the repercussions of war before when Tariq had left her. Now, however, as the war scene shifts towards Kabul, she feels the overwhelming influence war has upon her and those close to her. The news of Tariqs death stabbed at Lailas old wounds. Hosseini draws a clear line between death and abandonment with this passage. This passage clearly defines the relationship in which Tariq and Laila had shared, one that was far greater than any other relationship. Despite how the war had killed all of her family members, Lailas security, that had remained untouched for so long, had finally broken. It is evident that Tariq was more than a mere friend or brother. Tariq was an unrivaled lover that Laila knew could never be replaced. A love that had blossomed as children, Lailas childhood had finally collapsed upon her. Why have you pinned your little heart to an old, ugly hag like me? Mariam would murmur into Azizas hair. Huh? I am nobody, dont you see? A dehati. What have I got to give you? But Aziza only muttered contentedly and dug her face in deeper. And when she did that, Mariam swooned. Her eyes watered. Her heart took flight. And she marveled at how, after all these years of rattling loose, she had found in this little creature the first true connection in her life of false, failed connections. Pg. 226 (CL.) Hosseinis use of dialogue in this passage truly makes for a heartaching moment in the novel. Never before has Mariam understood what unconditional love felt like. Mariam matured expecting the worse in people after having been surrounded by lies and deceit throughout her adolescence. Those she cared about were either guilt ridden or stripped away by the war. She was insecure, callous, and alone. When Aziza is introduced, Mariam finally realizes she is not alone, or rather; she does not have to be alone anymore. She tears down her walls that had so long prevented her from forming any true heartwarming relationships. Most of all, however, she learns how to forgive and forget, no longer grieving over what had happened by rather hoping for what has yet to happen. This passage clarifies very well the personality and persona of Mariam. Seasons had come and gone; presidents in Kabul had been inaugurated and murdered; an empire had been defeated; old wars had ended and new ones had broken out. But Mariam hardly noticed, hardly cared. She had passed these years in a distant corner of her mind. A dry, barren field, out beyond wish and lament, beyond dream and disillusionment. There, the future did not matter. And the past held only this wisdom: that love was a damaging mistake, and its accomplice, hope, a treacherous illusion. And whenever those twin poisonous flowers began to sprout in the parched land of that field, Mariam uprooted them. She uprooted them and ditched them before they too hold. Pg. 229 (R.) Hosseini augments the distinction between marriage and true love. Mariam, although forced into marriage, had remained optimistic, hopeful, that perhaps what had been simply a coincidence would blossom into contentment and what she believes to be true love. As disappointment after disappointment occur, this dream shatters and dissolves into torment. A prospect of human nature that Hosseini seems to instill into the reader is how emotional pain cannot be simply mitigated or eradicated. Moreover, such pain, if continually nurtured, will embody a permanent scar in ones beliefs, aspirations, and ultimately personality as witnessed in Mariam. The connotation of the figurative language used to describe Mariams feeling reflect the anguish and insecurity subjected to her, for example, She had passed these years in a distant corner of her mind. A dry, barren field, out beyond wish and lament, beyond dream and disillusionment. Hosseini elegantly words this passage to truly allow the reader to relate to the callous state Mariam has slipped into as a result of an arranged marriage. Love and hope, once regarded greatly by her, are simply whisked away. The security she once had with her loved ones had devolved into a void of self-pity. It wasnt the fear of bleeding to death that made her drop the spoke, or even the idea that the act was damnable- which she suspected it was. Laila dropped the spoke because she could not accept what the Mujahideen readily had: that sometimes in war innocent life had to be taken. Her war was against Rasheed. The baby was blameless. And there had been enough killing already. Laila had seen enough killing of innocents caught in the crossfire of enemies. Pg. 253 (E.) Hosseini captures the true essence of developing Lailas character as the protagonist of the novel. When faced with the realities of war invading every aspect of her life, Laila is lost, confused, and much like Mariam, alone. She attempts to cope with all the problems that shortly ensue after losing her beloved parents, but only manages to avoid them. Thoughts, opinions, and ideas were all things Laila could escape with perseverance and determination, however, reality soon catches up with a tangible breathing being. The moment Laila makes the distinction between politics and her personal life is when she fully matures into an adult. Shortly after this realization, Laila makes a connection with the baby- much like herself, he was the result of being caught in the crossfire of enemies, where in this instance are her and Rasheed. Laila begins understanding the true value of human life, and how easily it is taken away. Clearly against the mindless violence, Laila chooses not to stoop down to the Mujahideens method of murder. Death from starvation suddenly became a distinct possibility. Some chose not to wait for it. Mariam heard of a neighborhood widow who had ground some dried bread, laced it with rat poison, and fed it to all seven of her children. She had saved the biggest portion of herself. Pg. 272 (C.) Poverty and world hunger are two critical issues plaguing many parts of the world. Hosseini distinctly provides an example of how torturous life is in indigenous third world countries, where death is a plausible option of starving. Things we take for granted such as food, shelter, and family are scarce and near extinct in war-torn places such as Afghanistan. Hosseini instills a powerful image into the reader by bringing children into the equation rather than adults. Children that have been deprived of education, friendship, and other fundamental things such as fun are not given the opportunity to live life to the fullest extent. The most compelling aspect of this, however, is how the widow had chosen to take the lives of seven children, all of which were too young to make an adequate decision, in addition to her. It isnt your fault. Do you hear me? Not you. Its those savages, those wahshis, who are to blame. They bring shame on me as a Pashtun. Theye disgraced the name of my people. And youre not alone, hamshira. We get mothers like you all the timeall the timemothers who come here that cant feed their children because the Taliban wont let them go out and make a living. So you dont blame youself. No one here blames you. I understand. He leaned forward. Hamshira I understand.' Pg. 283 (R.) Zaman, the orphanage director, is one of the few characters that understands and relates to Laila. Often times people fall into a deep state of disillusionment when reality has grown too real, per se. As reality hits a breaking point where fault is found in near everything and no one takes blame, people begin blaming themselves. Bystanders that are powerless to make a change find fault in themselves for not having enough money, enough control, or enough courage. It is an innate behavior to always want to help whether you do or do not have the ability to. Finding someone who understands this, however, is rare in war torn countries like Kabul. The world is not fair; power does not directly correlate with hard work and perseverance. People will blame others for events that are completely out of their control, while others will take the effort to actually take part in the resolution. Mariam wished for so much in those final moments. Yet as she closed her eyes, it was not regret any longer but a sensation of abundant peace that washed over her. She thought of her entry into this world, the harami child of a lowly villager, an unintended thing, a pitiable, regrettable accident. A weed. And yet she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back. She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a guardian. A mother. A person of consequence at last. No. It was not so bad, Mariam thought, that she should die this way. Not so bad. This was a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate beginnings. Pg. 329 (R.) Mariam had throughout her life expected the worst in people and herself. Faith, hope, and trust had all withered along with each new chapter of her life. At these last moments of her life, Mariam finally begins to see the positive aspects of her life rather than the negative. People in general always bury themselves in a pit of self-pity when cornered, confused, and in their moment of weakness. They try to run away from realitys responsibilities through lies, rejection, and solitude. However, eventually, reality catches up to them and they realize the only person to blame is themselves for not taking a chance, the opportunity to love and trust again. Mariam took a leap of faith by extending her hands as a gesture of friendship toward Laila. Hosseini seems to have intended this passage to leave an everlasting mark on the reader: despite all of the things he or she was not able to complete, all the aspirations and motives he or she did try to achieve are what truly defines him or her as a person. Im sorry, Laila says, marveling at how every Afghan story is marked by death and loss and unimaginable grief. And yet, she sees, people find a way to survive, to go on. Laila thinks of her own life and all that has happened to her, and she is astonished that she too has survived, that she is alive and sitting in this taxi listening to this mans story. Pg. 350 (E.) Laila beings to realize how narrow minded she had been thinking ever since the ripples of war had destroyed the very essence of Kabul. She sees how the repercussions of war have simply augmented the problems of everyone including her. No longer is she in her own circle of torment when she realizes almost everyone is struggling for survival, some worse off than her. The belief that there are still people alive and trying to reconstruct their lives gives Laila hope that is not directly stated by Hosseini. This taxi driver, a seemingly insignificant character, introduces Laila to hope for Kabul and most of all herself. Before Laila had only taken into account her own life rather than Kabul in general. Laila watches Mariam glue strands of yarn onto her dolls head. In a few years, this little girl will be a woman who will make small demands on life, who will never burden others, who will never let on that she too has had sorrows, disappointments, dreams that have been ridiculed. A woman who will be like a rock in a riverbed, enduring without complaint, her grace not sullied but shaped by the turbulence that washes over her. Already Laila sees something behind this young girls eyes, something deep in her core, that neither Rasheed nor the Taliban will be able to break. Something as hard and unyielding as a block of limestone. Something that, in the end, will be her undoing and Lailas salvation. Pg. 355 (E.) This scene follows shortly after the death of Mariam as Laila visits Mariams old home. Laila has a flashback and sees Mariam mature progressively, however, rather than seeing the negative, she notes all the positive aspects of her life. This passage is critical in the story as it is one of the few scenes marked by salvation and generosity; one where a character is defined by her personality and traits rather than her tragedies and losses. This passage acts as Lailas show of gratitude without a direct statement. The most prominent quality Laila seems to emphasize the most is Mariams unfaltering loyalty to those she loves and cares about. Hosseinis use of figurative language and imagery makes this passage graceful and justified as a reminiscent of Mariam and her sacrifice. The interpretations of this passage are endless, as the figurative language invokes a more abstract definition of Mariam rather than direct characterization. I hope you do not think that I am trying to buy your forgiveness. I hope you will credit me with knowing that your forgiveness is not for sale. It never was. I am merely giving you, if belatedly, what was rightfully yours all along. I was not a dutiful father to you in life. Perhaps in death I can be.Now all