Atomic bonb Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Atomic bonb - Essay Example They placed the onus on the prevention of apocalypse on mankind. This was then seen as a reclamation of agency on the part of a beleaguered species which felt that it was doomed as a result of the inexorable progress of science and technology. The world wars made it clear to man that science was something that could be used for causing unimaginable misery on mankind. The atomic bombs that were dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki proved to even those who were not directly affected by the destruction the power of such bombs. There was thus, a fear of atomic power as something that could trigger off apocalypse or the end of mankind as a species. This fear was then expressed through movies such as The Day the Earth Caught Fire and The Day the Earth Stood Still. These movies were made in the wake of the world wars and the effect of these wars and the incredible human loss that they caused can be seen in them. The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a movie that was released in 1961 and it was dir ected by Val Guest. The movie narrated the story of a possible apocalypse and how the human race attempts to avert this crisis. The movie makes it very clear that the reason for the crisis to have happened in the first place was a series of nuclear explosions that were conducted by the Soviet Union and The United States of America. These explosions are then said to have an effect that is catastrophic and the future of the whole of mankind is then in jeopardy. This ability of science to affect the whole of mankind is something that arises out of mankind’s recognition of itself as a singular entity. This recognition came about in a major way as a result of the world wars where the world was united in war, with the whole of humanity fighting on one side or the other. Humanity then was seen as a whole. This however, also meant that nothing could be completely local ever again. The atomic bomb and its ability to wipe out the whole of humanity in a single strike was something that created a great deal of fear amongst the people of the world for whom even the unity of humanity and its future lay in the answer to certain questions. These questions centred on how to use science and the way in which it would progress. This was then seen in movies that were a part of the genre of science fiction. Science fiction could then be employed to articulate the fears of an entire generation of people who had no say in their own future where it would be decided by the ruling class of politicians. The dehumanizing ability of the bomb, where millions of people would be wiped out without leaving traces of individuals was also something that the people of this era was extremely fearful of. The movie’s depiction of individual human beings can then be seen to be a consolation of the desire on the part of the audience for individuality (Guest). Another aspect of the movie is its focus on the Cold War. Released in 1961, the movie talks of the nuclear explosions that were con ducted by the Soviet Union and the United States of America. The tussle between these major powers led to countries becoming a part of one power bloc or the other. However, it also led to fear among mankind as to what the ultimate outcome of such rivalry would be. It is significant that the arms race that took place between these two powers is referred to in this movie. It is thus, again the fear of science and the pace of its progress that leads to fear amongst the masses. It is this fear that movies of the

Writer's choice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writer's choice - Assignment Example The case begins with the law enforcement officers, the do investigations on a crime while gathering evidence that they present before the court. The court then takes over and weighs the evidence hence reaching a judgment resulting to either acquittal or being given to the correctional systems. The correctional systems use incarceration and probation to ensure they correct and punish the criminal. The rights of the accused are safeguarded throughout the criminal justice system. One distinct difference between the two groups is in their organization. The Italian mafia is well organized in a hierarchical systems which means they have leaders that control them from the top most to the least. On the other hand, the Russian Mafia is disorganized due to their fluidity and lack of adequate structures to control the group. This difference brings another, the law enforcers are able to identify the mafia members in Italy while in Russia, it is very difficult, the Russian mafia can go silent for some time and then reappears later depending on the prevailing situation. The origin of the mafias brings a sharp difference in the way they respond to situations; those of Italy have roots from poor Sicilian people while in Russia they are the elite that understand a lot of intelligence affairs. Despite being cruel, the Italian mafia upholds some morality; believe in God and shows fairness. However, their Russian counterparts are extremely immoral, they can easily kill or ma im. The mafias are involved in a number of organized criminal activities. In both countries, they use the criminal activities as a mode of airing their views or showing their dissatisfaction. However, In Russia, the organized crimes are quite sophisticated and they address mainly economic issues. They commit crimes such as credit card fraud, tax evasion, stocks and

Ways Of Overcoming These Barrier English Language Essay

Ways Of Overcoming These Barrier English Language Essay Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Today I would like to give a speech on the effect of communication barriers and overcoming these barriers. As we all know, communication is the basic needs for everyone to communicate in order to develop in social skills. Sometimes communication can involve only one person, usually when the individual is having a self-thought over something or making a decision. Communication is also an activity which allows each party who communicate to share information through the exchange of thoughts, messages or information. Communication in an organization usually requires more than one person in order in work out on daily productivity and being successful. Communication usually requires a message sender and a recipient to receive the message by the sender. There are different types of communication usually involve in an organization, one of them is the verbal communication. Verbal communication includes sound, language, speaking and words. Verbal communication occurs in an organization usually when one person involves face-to-face conversation to other, meeting, teleconference and presentation. A good verbal communication is inseparable part of business of organization communication. Since business requires you to be able to communicate with the person you come across with various races or culture, a fluent verbal communication is important as it will help you deal better with people in business or during a meeting. Self-confidence also plays an important role in business and communication which with the fluency of communication skills it will lead to success. Public speaking is also a verbal communication which a group of people have to be addressed. Preparing a speech before it starts is important in order to be effective. In public speaking, it is necessary to prepare according to the type of audience you are going to give speech to. The way, you can prevent any boredom from the audience while you are giving speech. Your speech should contain a content which is authentic and prepare enough information on the topic chosen for public speaking. The main point of your speech must be delivered in a correct order. There are many skills in public speaking and these skills should be practiced well in order to have an effective speech. Another type of communication would be the non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is a communication which involved in a physical way and no words are used, it is also known as body language, for example the motion of the body, tone of voice, appearance, or eye contact. Body posture and physical contact can convey information. Non-verbal communication is also important as it can express the feelings of an individual through facial expressions. By non-verbal communication, it helps you understand better on how the person you are communicating with feel and know the person better. Written communication is a communication which words are written in the order you want to communicate. In written communication, we exchange information with language written. Well written communication is important in business. It provides proof and exchange of documentation Examples of written communications are E-mail, memo, faxes, reports, article or letters. Before written communication take place, it is possible to make amendment and edit limitless of times before the message of the sender was sent to the receiver to whom the communication is intended. This is one of the advantages in written communication as one of the major means in business which provides black and white statement. Written communication is not only used in formal business purposes but it can also be used informally. Mobile short messaging system (SMS) is one of the informal ways in written communications. Visual communication is visual display of information which usually involved pictures. In visual communication, the recipient receives the message from a signboard, banners, advertisement, display or maps. The signboard or banner of McDonalds indicates that the fast food eating joints, which is a form of visual communication. Visual communication is also important but it depends on how the recipient interprets the message with the sign on it. Effective communication is important in order to success in any type of business and also in an informal way. Without a good communication skill, nothing can be archived. Therefore, it is important to develop in communication skills. One must understand the type of communications which are equally important and it is a must to develop in such skills in all medium. Communication Barriers However, if any disturbance blocks the step of communication, the message is destroyed. This is called communication barriers. Communication Barriers involved distraction from noise, language understanding difference or using jargon, and lack of interest in topic during a conversation, lack of focus from distraction and the use of over complicated or unfamiliar terms to the recipient. The common thing in communication barriers is both sender and receiver have an absence of common frame of reference which is affecting the smooth interpretation of meaning, feeling, attitude and thoughts from the sender to the receiver from the specific topic of conversation. Distractions from noises which causes communication barrier usually take place in an environment which is crowded, where renovation takes place nearby or when someone else is also talking nearby when your conversation take place. A sender sends out the messages which he or she wanted to say, but with the distractions of noise, the receiver could not fully receive the message and could not interpret the message sent by the sender, which misunderstanding in the conversation will occur. Language barrier indicates the difficulties faced when both the sender and receiver do not have any languages in common attempt to communicate with each other. Language barrier happens usually when travelling abroad for a business trip. This is common during multinational meetings. Different countries have their own local language, foreign who visited the other country who does not know their language find it difficult to communicate with the local people is also a language barrier in communication. Even communicating with both using the same language, a linguistic difference will also lead to a communication barrier. Certain same words with many different types of meaning will lead to misinterpretation. For example the word value, it can represent the meaning of worthiness of something with its importance and usefulness or a principle standard or quality which is worthwhile or desirable. Communication barriers will occur if the perception is wrong received by the receiver. Sometimes when you speak too much in a presentation or in a meeting, you have to be aware on the information you shared out rather if it is necessary. This is because the more unnecessary info being shared out, there will be a risk which your listeners will misinterpret your point. Lack of focus from the listeners will occur when the speaker prepares a topic which is not interesting, having loads of information which is not really necessary in the presentation or taking long hours in the speech. This will sometimes relate to listeners getting distracted or thinking of something else not related to the speaker. When listeners have lack of knowledge of what is presented by the speaker, it will also cause communication barrier. Too much information from the speaker will lead to the listeners harder to focus effectively on the key point and important messages. Speaking too fast in a presentation can also cause communication barrier, listeners will not likely get the main point which the speaker is trying to share out. Another problem in an organisation which leads to communication barrier is the status of each party. Usually when a listener of the meeting in an organisation has a lower status than the speaker may be very cautious when sending message back and respond to the speaker. They will only talk about something which is related to the topic or something which they think the speaker is interested in. It is related to an organisation which higher status people will refuse in discussing anything which would tent to undermine the authority of the organisation. Some people may think that they should treat people differently based on what status or power they perceive in an organisation. If the employees think that managers or supervisors have power to control over staffs, for example allocating duties for them, promote, reward, or dismiss staff, it may lead to communication barriers before communication even takes place because employee will think that if they say anything which will offend thei r manager, it will affect their productivity. Ways of Overcoming These Barriers Effective communication in an organisation is very important for in order for an organisation to succeed. It is necessary to cope up and deal with these communication barriers to ensure an effective and smooth communication in an organisation. To overcome with the distraction of noise where conversation take place, both the speaker and listener must overcome the barrier by changing their ways of communication or eliminate the noise pollution. Firstly, try to detect the source of the noise, if the noise is possible to be eliminated, consider if its removal is practical. For example, noise outside can be reduced by closing the window or move to an inner place in the building which is far from where the noise come from. Sometimes if there is any renovation nearby the building, consider when is the right time to plan to have your oral communication. It will not be possible to completely remove the noise, but it is possible for the speaker to raise the speech volume. If the listener could not hear properly due to noise, then the listener should request the speaker to speak louder. Listener should practice active listening, this means paying attention to what the speaker is saying, not just hearing what the speaker is saying but also try to understand the speakers point of view. Language barrier is one of the major problems in an organisation as communication is a two-way process. To overcome language barrier, it is advisable to use only one type of language which is used globally and by everyone. Try practise using English in an organisation because it is a language which is used globally. However, dont forget to show respect for local language as well. Adding subtitle or having a translator is also a great way to overcome language barrier. Dont just practice with one language, try to make effort to learn some words either the some or different languages. Just a basic way of saying good morning, hello and thank you in the local way. Before travelling abroad for a business trip, do learn and find out about the culture, language and the local customs of the country first. Especially on body language and how the locals behave. Dont be too sensitive when you are in a foreign country, this is because you are the foreigner and oddity. You may have to respect thei r culture of the country when you are paying a visit or having a meeting with the local people overseas. Do ask for clarification politely and make sure the information is correct when you do not understand what is being told. Never assume that you understand what the speaker has said. Be patient in overcoming this barrier. Cross-cultural communication requires additional time. You cannot expect your communication to occur with the same ease when you are communication with someone else with the same culture as yours. The way to overcome lack of concentration in a presentation or oral communication is to add some image or sound effects which may attract the attention of the listener. Pictures or animation with colours will make a good presentation and would have overcome this barrier. Avoid using idioms in an oral communication. This is because idioms will cause the listener harder to understand the point given by the presenter. Speaker should consider using language clearly and straightforward. By doing so, it is able to prevent unnecessary confusion and misinterpretation. Before planning on a presentation, it is necessary to realize that some information is not essential, this information are advised to be remove from your speech as it will be harder for the listener to get your key point. Try using simple language which is easily understood by many people and only present what is important with information meaning rather than just passing a message itself. Speak slowly and clearly with proper e nunciation and slow down your speech. Try to manage your time and plan well on your oral communication. Even if youre pressuring for time, do not rush through your communication. This will ended up taking more time to clear the confusion if the listener could not really get your point and cause miscommunication and misunderstanding. The reason that status is part of communication barrier is because one in an organisation with a lower status may think that talking directly to their manager or someone with a higher status are not interested in listening what the speaker wants to say or being too serious with a topic which is not related to work. To overcome such barrier, the managers and colleagues should be well informed in what they are doing. Try encouraging employees with a lower status to keep you informed by being respectful and fair-minded in their opinions. Be open-minded in a communication, this will make employees with a lower status feel that saying out their opinion will be considered rather than being rejected. Always be prepare on receiving information even if you think it is not necessary. Because sometimes employees have information to share out, they will first think and afraid that their manager might not like. Status which cause communication barrier can be overcome by the willingness to give an d receive information regardless rather it is good or bad. Conclusion To conclude my speech today, allow me to summarize the main point of my speech. Plan a time and place well to prevent noise distraction from your conversation. Speak louder if necessary to prevent noise distraction to break down your communication. Get everyone to practice using only one language practiced globally, get a translator or add subtitle if a foreigner who doesnt understand your language is attending your presentation. But also dont forget to respect local language and culture. Summarize what you are going to say in an oral communication, longer time or too much information will make the listener confuse and hard to get the point of your view. Prepare what is necessary in your presentation. And lastly, be open in communication in the organisation and always be ready to receive information even if it is going to be a good or bad opinion to prevent communication barrier due to status. Practice the way to overcome these barriers to archive an effective communications in any business organisation in order to succeed. Thank you.

Henry Fleming In Red Badge Of Courage Essay -- Red Badge Of Courage

Henry Fleming in Red Badge of Courage The Civil War forced many young boys out of childhood and into adulthood. Most of these young boys were not prepared for war, and Henry Fleming was one of these boys. Henry Fleming's life in New York was routine. He had his normal share of friends and lived on a farm. When Henry got up in the mornings, he always knew exactly what the day had in store for him. This simple and boring life drove Henry to enlist. Henry wanted some excitement and to be seen by everyone as a hero. He wanted to be a man. However, his mother was strictly against his joining the Union Army. She thought that the Army was for rough and uncivilized heathens. His mother's greatest fear was that these heathens would influence Henry to start drinking and swearing. Despite his mother's concerns, Henry enlisted in the Army. But being in the Army wasn't enough, Henry was anxious to go to battle. All along the way to his station he and his fellow recruits were treated kindly. Old men patted them on their backs and young boys admired them when they stopped for rest. This warm feeling faded when they reached the camp. Here life was boring for Henry. The only thing his company did was drill day in and day out. All of the experienced soldiers told war stories every night by the campfire. Henry could only listen because he was still 'wet behind the ears'. He felt left out and often sat alone wondering about battle. War was like an illusion to him....

Iran Awakening

Jessica Muhr May 2nd, 2012 History of the Middle East â€Å"Iran Awakening† â€Å"One Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Life and Country† This book, â€Å"Iran Awakening†, is a novel written by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi. Ebadi weaves the story of her life in a very personal and unique way, telling the account of the overthrow of the shah and the establishment of a new, religious fundamentalist regime in which opposition to the government are imprisoned, tortured, and murdered.By simply reading the Prologue, one can see the love Ebadi has for Iran and her people. This love that Ebadi has for the oppressed of Iran is a theme that appears throughout the book and seems to be a large factor behind her drive to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. In the first chapter, Ebadi recounts her childhood from her birth on June 21st, 1947 in Hamedan, to her childhood in Tehran. Something that may come as a surprise to a reader was the equality between m ale and female in Ebadi’s home.This equality, however, was not common in most Iranian households, â€Å"Male children enjoyed an exalted status, spoiled and cosseted†¦ They often felt themselves the center of the family’s orbit†¦ Affection for a son was an investment†, says Ebadi. In Iranian culture, it was considered natural for a father to love his son more than his daughter. In Ebadi’s home, though, she describes her parent’s affections, attentions, and discipline as equally distributed.This equality in the home seems to play a large role in creating the strong, determined woman Ebadi would come to be, â€Å"My father’s championing of my independence, from the play yard to my later decision to become a judge, instilled a confidence in me that I never felt consciously, but came to regard as my most valued inheritance. † (Ebadi, 12). One may also find it interesting that as a child, Ebadi did not know anything of politics; until the coup d'etat of 1953. On August 19th, 1953, the beloved Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh was toppled in a coup d’etat.Ebadi says that, as children, this news meant nothing. But the adults could see what Ebadi, at the time, could not. The book makes it clear that, to those of Iran who were not paid to think otherwise, Mossadegh was revered as a nationalist hero and the father of Iranian independence for his bold move of nationalizing Iran’s oil industry which had been, until then, controlled by the West. Therefore, it was obvious that this was the beginning of a vast change for Iran. Before the coup, Ebadi’s father, a longtime supporter of the prime minister, had advanced to become minister of agriculture.In this new regime, Ebadi’s father was forced out of his job, fated to languish in lower posts for the rest of his career. This was what caused a silence of all things political in the Ebadi home. Entering law school in 1965 was a â€Å"turning point for me†, says Ebadi. The vast interest in Iran’s politics was shocking to her after coming from a home in which politics were never spoken of. After toying with the idea of studying political science, Ebadi decided on pursuing a judgeship; which is exactly what she did. In March of 1970, at the age of twenty-three, Ebadi became a judge.In 1975, after 6 months of getting to know each other Ebadi married Javad Tavassoni. Her husband, unlike many Iranian men, coped well with her professional ambitions. In the autumn of 1977, there was, what Ebadi describes as, a â€Å"shift in the streets of Tehran†. The shah’s regime was trying to reduce the power of the judiciary by setting up the ‘Mediating Council’, an extrajudicial outfit that would have allowed cases to be judged outside of the formal justice system. Some of the justices wrote a protest letter arguing against the council, demanding that all cases had to be tried before a court of law .This was the first collective action taken by the judges against the shah. Ebadi signed the letter. In January of 1978, President Jimmy Carter arrived in Tehran, Iran and described it as an â€Å"island of stability†, something he later came to regret. Not long after President Carter’s statement, a newspaper article aggressively attacking Khomeini inspired a revolt among the people of Iran, calling for his [Khomeini’s] return; the police shot into the crowd and killed many men. By the summer of 1978, protests had grown larger, making it impossible to avoid them. In early August, a crowded cinema in Abadan was burned to the round. This horrific event burned 400 people alive. The shah blamed this event on religious conservatives; Khomeini accused the SAVAK, the regime’s secret police, which was a force of legendary brutality against the government’s opponents. This tragedy pushed many Iranians against the shah. They now realized that the shah was no t merely an American puppet. Ebadi herself says that she was ‘drawn’ to the opposition. She says that it did not seem a contradiction for her, an educated professional woman, to back it (Ebadi, 33). She had no idea that she was backing her own eventual defeat.Ebadi uses something close to irony as she describes a morning when she and several judges and officials stormed into the minister of justice’s office. The minister was not there, instead a startled elder judge sat behind the desk. â€Å"He looked up at us in amazement and his gaze halted when he saw my face. â€Å"You! You of all people, why are you here? † he asked, bewildered and stern. â€Å"Don’t you know that you’re supporting people who will take away your job if they come to power? † â€Å"I’d rather be a free Iranian than an enslaved attorney,† I retorted boldly, self-righteous to the core. (Ebadi, 34) On January 16th, 1979, the shah fled Iran, ending two m illennia of rule by Persian kings. The streets were over-crowded with euphoric citizens, Ebadi herself being one of them. On February 1st, 1979, Khomeini returned to Iran. For about a month, the country of Iran hung in the balance. In most of the cities an emergency military had gone into immediate effect and Khomeini had ordered people to go back into their homes by nightfall with the instruction to go onto their roof at 9pm and scream, Allaho akbar, â€Å"God is greatest†.On February 11th, Khomeini exhorted people to defy the 4pm curfew the military had imposed by coming out into the streets. Ebadi remembers going into the streets, hearing sounds of the gunshots echoing, and taking in the frenzied scene of emotion. The next day, the 22nd of Bahman on the Iranian calendar, the military surrendered and the prime minister fled the country. The country rejoiced, including Ebadi herself. She says, looking back, she has to laugh at the feeling of pride that washed over her for it took scarcely a month for her to realize that she had willingly participated in her own defeat. Ebadi, 38) Merely days after the revolution’s victory, a man named Fathollah Bani-Sadr was appointed provisional overseer of the Ministry of Justice. Expecting praise from this man, Ebadi was shocked when he said, â€Å"Don’t you think that out of respect for our beloved Imam Khomeini, who has graced Iran with his return, it would be better if you covered your hair? † This headscarf â€Å"invitation† was the first in a long string of restraints on the women of Iran. After being away for less than a month, Ebadi could already see the changes that had taken place in Tehran. The streets were renamed after Shia imams, martyred clerics, and Third World heroics of an anti-imperial struggle. † (Ebadi, 41) Her fellow co-workers, male and female, were dirty and smelled. The bow tie had been banned, being â€Å"deemed a symbol of the West’s evils, smelling of cologne signaled counterrevolutionary tendencies, and riding to the ministry car to work was evidence of class privilege† (Ebadi 42). Rumors spread that Islam barred women from being judges. Ebadi was the most distinguished female judge in all of Tehran.So, upon hearing these rumors, she tried to counter her worries with her connections; but even this small comfort proved to be in vain. In the final days of 1979, Ebadi was effectively stripped of her judgeship. She stubbornly stood, though six months pregnant, as the committee flippantly tossed a sheet of paper at her and said, â€Å"Show up to the research office when you’re done with your vacation†, her ‘vacation’ being her maternity leave. The men then began to talk about her as though she was not there, saying things like, â€Å"Without even starting at the research office, she wants a vacation! † another said, â€Å"They’re disorganized! and another, â€Å"They’re so u nmotivated; it’s clear they don’t want to be working! † †¦ The point Ebadi was trying to make is clear by the telling of these statements. Most men, especially those in the government, had lost what little respect they had previously held for women prior to the Revolution. That much, at least, seemed very clear. The post-Revolution’s effect on women was a grim one. As Ebadi read in a newspaper piece titled â€Å"Islamic Revolution†, â€Å"the life of a woman’s was now half that of a man (for instance, if a car hit both on the street, the cash compensation due to the woman’s family was half of that due the man’s), a oman’s testimony in court as a witness now counted only half as much as that of a man’s; a woman had to ask her husband permission to divorce. The drafters of the penal code had apparently consulted the seventh century for legal advice. † (Ebadi, 51). Ebadi’s head pounded with rage as she read this news. â€Å"The grim statues that I would spend the rest of my life fighting stared back at me from the page†, she writes. One effect of the new Islamic penal code was the imbalance it caused within Ebadi’s marriage. â€Å"The day Javad and I married each other, we joined our lives together as two equals†, she writes. But under these laws, he stayed a person and I became a chattel. They permitted him to divorce me at will, take custody of our future children, and acquire three wives and stick them in the house with me. † (Ebadi, 53). Ebadi knew her husband had no intentions of putting this new law to use, but she still could not accept the distraction the imbalance between them was causing her. At length, Ebadi came up with a solution: within the course of the next morning, her and her husband drove to the local notary where her husband readily signed a postnuptual agreement.This granted Ebadi the right to divorce her husband without permissi on, as well as primary custody of their children in the event of a separation. â€Å"Why are you doing this? † the astonished notary asked [Javad]. â€Å"My decision is irrevocable, â€Å" Javad replied. â€Å"I want to save my life. † This eased Ebadi’s feeling of unrest greatly, her and her husband were equals again, but a small part of her was still at unease. â€Å"After all, I couldn’t drag all the men of Iran down to the notary, could I? † (Ebadi, 54). September 22nd, 1980 marked the day that Saddam Hussein launched a full-blown invasion on Iran.Though the popular discontent with the revolution had by no means abated: as Ebadi mentions, during the war, â€Å"the newspapers still had long lists of the executed, all the former regime’s officials and counterrevolutionaries who had been shot or hung, and sometimes pages filled with macabre photos of gallows and dead bodies. † Despite all of this, the people went on, just as they h ad through the upheaval after the revolution. In short, the decade after the revolution was one filled with much strife, war, and repression.This strife first became personal to Ebadi in the form of the political imprisonment and murder of her brother-in-law Fuad at the young age of 24. â€Å"Fuad’s death made me even more obstinate†, she writes. â€Å"We had been told not to discuss his death with anyone, so I talked about his execution night and day. In taxis, at the corner shop, in line for bread, I would approach perfect strangers and tell them about this sweet boy who was sentenced to twenty years in prison for selling newspapers, and then executed. † (Ebadi, 89)This tragic event in Ebadi’s life, the hot outrage that it made her feel, is remembered as the spark which would lead to her return to legal practice in the 1990’s. Things had, of course, continued to happen since Fuad’s death in the fall of 1988. In 1989, Khomeini had died, the komitehs harsh, unnecessary punishments grew more serious and frequent: Ebadi writes of one instance in which her friend’s fiance is whipped 80 times with no legal grounds whatsoever. The extreme laws against women grew more and more severe.When Ebadi was arrested for the first time (for a crime of wardrobe), she mentions an elderly woman who was arrested for the â€Å"crime† of wearing slippers. Yet over time, it again â€Å"became fashionable for the daughters of Traditional families to attend college†, Ebadi writes. â€Å"Throughout the nineties, the number of women with college degrees rose steadily, and eventually the women began to outnumber the men in universities by a small margin. † This new wave of educated women emerging from Iran created a people that was no longer content to slip back into their old, traditional roles in the home.This new attitude was often met by extreme clashes within the family. Ebadi writes of one such woman who, upon re questing a divorce from her husband, was refused by her father. Facing a lifetime of unhappiness, the woman doused herself in gasoline and set herself ablaze. In 1992, Ebadi again began practicing law, this time exclusively taking on pro bono cases. She pored over religious texts, attempting to gain sufficient knowledge to argue against particular interpretations that would claim that, within Islam, discriminatory interpretations were to be made.Ebadi began to take on only the cases of women and children, for these were the ones who were constantly at the mercy of a sick, twisted government. Ebadi took on many cases; one was that of the family of Zahra Kanzemi, an Iranian journalist who had been killed in police custody in 2003. Another was that of a student who was beaten to death by paramilitaries during a 1999 protest; Ebadi herself was imprisoned during the course of this case. While digging through the paperwork for a case representing the children of a couple who had been slai n in their home, Ebadi stumbled across the official authorization of her own assassination.The response Ebadi has to this shocking information was one of the major instances that. I believe, greatly endears her to the reader as an extremely brace and powerful woman. â€Å"I wasn’t scared, really, nor was I angry†, she writes. Instead, Ebadi simply wanted to know why. One thing that is truly unique about Ebadi is the way in which she writes about her life choices. She writes about them as if they were natural, obvious, and just the thing anyone would have done in her place. In reality, this is not so.Many others around Ebadi had the education and ability to make the same choices that Ebadi had made, but they did not, some even emigrating during the Iran-Iraq war. For Ebadi, patriotic to the core, the only choice was to stay. She has a love for her country that defies the instability and repression the government tries to place upon her. Ebadi knows, deep within herself, that the government is not the country. The only moral choice she could live with was to fight injustice with law; the very law the injustices claimed themselves to be. Following the ‘Reform Era’, you can see Ebadi breathe a huge sigh of relief.The years of constant anxiousness over everything, even her girl’s birthday parties, were behind her. The days when young people would be whipped for venturing into the mountains together, women would be detained or lashed for simply wearing a smudge of makeup or nail-polish, or for wearing any color clothing besides navy or black tones, were happily retired. Moderate President Khatami sought to pull back the system’s interference in the people’s private lives, but as Ebadi states, â€Å"President Khatami deserves only a measure of credit for this shift.Really it was because my daughters’ uncowed generation started fighting back, and, through the force of their sheer numbers and boldness, made it unf easible for the state to impose itself as before. † This book was, in my opinion, a fantastic portrait of a life lived in truth. It was a delight to see how Ebadi’s simple courage and outright stubbornness made a vast difference in the lives of many, even in the face of extreme adversity, like her own possible assassination. In conclusion, I will once again quote Ebadi, as she articulates the dignity of the reform movement within Iran. It so happened that I believed in the secular separation of religion and government because, fundamentally, Islam, like any religion, is subject to interpretation. It can be interpreted to oppress women or interpreted to liberate them†¦ I am a lawyer by training, and know only too well the permanent limitations of trying to enshrine inalienable rights in sources that lack fixed terms and definitions. But I am also a citizen of the Islamic Republic, and I know the futility of approaching the question any other way.My objective is not to vent my own political sensibilities but to push for a law that would save a family like Leila's† — a child who was raped and murdered — â€Å"from becoming homeless in their quest to finance the executions of their daughter's convicted murderers. If I'm forced to ferret through musty books of Islamic jurisprudence and rely on sources that stress the egalitarian ethics of Islam, then so be it. Is it harder this way? Of course it is. But is there an alternative battlefield? Desperate wishing aside, I cannot see one. † – Shirin Ebadi

Frankenstein, By Mary Shelley - 1112 Words

Mary Shelley introduces science, in her novel Frankenstein, using her understanding of the scientific developments of her time about chemical physiology. She illustrates her fears about unrestrained science on the hands of ambitious people which can only lead to disasters. Shelley successfully show that the abuse of science represents a threat to the society. Shelley shows that science is, at the same time, a powerful and a dangerous instrument, as it can be used to improve or destroy people’s life. Within science, electricity is the instrument and the medium that Shelley uses, in a fictional way, to illustrate the power of Science. Victor Frankenstein studied chemical physiology and his experiments with electricity were within this†¦show more content†¦Shelley’s message about science is to warn society of the consequences of unrestricted developments. In special, if science is used by greedy people or ran by uninhibited desires to control nature. A controversy about science practices was another experience that drove Shelley’s fear toward science. Prior to Shelley’s novel, a public debate between John Abernethy and William Lawrence, two surgeons, on the nature of life became a public controversy. Abernethy argued that life was an essence bonded to the body, and that there was no way to bring a body ba ck to life once this essence was gone. On the other part, Lawrence argued that the body was a machine; it could be brought back to life if the damage was not extensive. Lawrence believed that humans did not have souls and that the body was no more than a complex apparatus (McLarren 26). Shelley was well aware of this controversy as Lawrence had been the Shelley family’s doctor (Ruston 8). Lawrence’s position clearly shows that science does not have a position in human’s desires. Moreover, science, by itself, cannot be good or bad; this quality depend on how it is applied and used. Therefore, Shelley’s message is still valid; scientist and the society have the responsibility to ensure that science is not misused. Victor’s unlimited ambition and desires of fame added to his skills in science created an evil blend that led to his destruction. Shelley’s uses Victor

Olaudah Equianos Influence - 1139 Words

The Influence and Career of Olaudah Equiano There have been many authors throughout history who have impacted America, amongst them is Olaudah Equiano. Olaudah Equiano, a slave who wrote about his terrible experiences, not only changed America, but changed the world. Equiano s life and career were divided in two parts: his life as a slave and his life as a free man. He battled the slave ships and helped abolish the slave institutions with the power and depth of his writings. Equiano s most powerful piece of literature was The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano because of its devastating impact on the slave trade. Olaudah traveled from country to country selling his book and promoting the anti-slave movement. He†¦show more content†¦While alive, he and William Wilberforce fought with other abolitionists to bring down slavery. After his passing the world changed for the better when slave ships were no longer permitted in England. Once this happened, ripples s pread throughout the world, leading many other countries to abolish slavery including the United States of America. â€Å"Equiano exhibited no bitterness or anger, revealing a moral superiority over his tormentors that spoke volumes about the potential of the human spirit.† He in his very actions and way of treating others proved that he was in fact completely correct. (norfolkblackhistorymonth.org). His spirit led the abolition movements even after he died. He not only changed the world s morals as a whole, but also changed how slaves themselves stood up to slavery. Equiano impacted the whole entire genre of slave writings. He was a major example in encouraging slaves to stand up and fight with the use of language. Olaudah s left behind his memories to the people of today, showing that slavery is wrong. Equiano proved to everyone that a black man could be just as smart, and in this case even smarter than many white men. A young boy, born in Africa, stripped of his name, and sold into slavery would become an anti-slavery hero. Olaudah Equiano became one of the most powerful leaders ever to live. Equiano could haveShow MoreRelated Jessica Rodriguez Essay1364 Words   |  6 PagesMoton and Paradise Historical Accuracy in Equiano’s Novel Olaudah Equiano’s autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, has become a very important piece of literature. Equiano established a new type of literature with this novel. It was the first autobiography/slave narrative ever written. Many other slaves, such as Fredrick Douglass, followed his example in writing autobiographies or slave narratives. EquianoRead MoreA Narrative Of Captivity By Mary Rowlandson Essay962 Words   |  4 PagesA Narrative of Captivity by Mary Rowlandson and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano are captivity narratives in which the two narrators share their individual stories of being abruptly kidnapped and enslaved. Equiano was an black 11 year old boy who was stolen from his home by African slave traders in 1756. Rowlandson, a 39 year old Puritan woman, was taken in 1675, during King Philip’s War, after Indians raided her town. Although the two authors are both kidnappedRead MoreThe Narrative Of Olaudah Equiano1123 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew Parrill Christopher McBride LITR220 July 2, 2017 Does It Matter Where Olaudah Equiano Was Born? The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, by Olaudah Equiano, can be described as one of the most successful literary prose written by an African-American up to the start of the Civil War. Autobiographies were not considered a form genre in the literary field at the time it was published in 1789 and few books that had been produced in America gaveRead MoreThe Persuasiveness of the Captivity Narrative955 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican author of his time, in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, Olaudah Equiano illuminated for the masses many of the inhumanities and atrocities associated with the slave trade that previously had been known only to those more intimately involved with it and began an entire new genre known as the slave narrative. Part of the success of Equiano’s narrative must be ascribed to the familiar themes of capture, captivity,Read MoreSelfdom in Slavedom: Gustavus Vassa1503 Words   |  7 PagesFrom Africa, to Barbados, to Virginia, to a ship that travels the British Empire, if a steady location were the basis of identity, Olaudah Equiano would surely have none. However, he still develops a specific identity throughout his narrative, a striking task as he is ripped away from the family and c ulture he is born into and then never remains in one place for too long. In contrast to this, Harriet Jacobs develops an identity based largely on the family and community that surround her. Jacobs andRead MoreA Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano1246 Words   |  5 Pagesand of Africans being enslaved by whites. Two captivity narratives that were widely read during the time are A Narrative of the Capture and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson by Mary Rowlandson and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano. They relate the experiences of a married white Puritan woman captured by Native Americans and an African boy captured for the American slave trade at a young age respectively. They were often used as propaganda, Europeans duringRead MoreOlaudah Equiano, A Reliable Source For Historians, Educators, And Students1140 Words   |  5 Pagesmanipulate this criterion, allows for the successful creation of an environment that builds a connection between the audience and his journey. The author, Olaudah Equiano, was born in African Providence of Eboe. Eboe was a small providence of the Kingdom of Benin. Up until 1756, Equiano had never encountered a white individual. In 1756 at the age of 11, Olaudah Equiano and his sister were kidnapped and taken to serve as slaves within Africa. After serving many years as a slave in Africa, he traveled acrossRead MoreOlaudah Equiano And Mary Rowlandson Essay1264 Words   |  6 PagesEnduring through hard conditions, facing unbearable horror, and events that deteriorated their lives forever, both Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano share similar experiences they encountered in their lifetime, as well as differences, allowing us to compare the two and the hardships they faced. As Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano had variation between both of their experiences, such as gender roles and different ages and past life, they both experienced relatively the same horror nobody shouldRead MoreOlaudah Equiano Essay1128 Words   |   5 Pagesneed for labor, which led to plantation owners to buy slaves for cheap work. There were no laws during this time that kept men from doing this type of act. Olaudah Equiano was an African slave from Essaka that has experienced many hardships as a slave. He wrote about his life as a slave in his book â€Å"The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African†. Equiano uses his experiences during slavery to show the type of difficulties slaves encounter in their lives, theRead MoreEssay about History At Its Best1616 Words   |  7 Pagesperiod of time in which the most advancement has occurred in society, in the shortest amount of time. The three books, The Interesting Narrative, by Olaudah Equiano, Victors and Vanquished, by Stuart B. Schwartz, and A Social Contract, by Jean-Jeacques Rousseau, each provide a view of the modern era in their own individual ways. Olaudah Equianos account of his life as a slave is directed at the problem of slavery. Stuart B. Schwartz Victors and Vanquished, provides a collection of personal