What Causes Social Intolerance?

‘Across multiple disciplines in the social sciences, the study of social inequality represents a prominent area of research. ’ Social tolerance has commonly factored as a point of political study. This can be seen as a result of an increasingly pluralistic society, which encompasses vast elements of race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality and general diversity. Due to this greater emphasis has been cast upon the concept toleration. To a degree this can be perceived as a result of globalization, which has seen a vast influx of people from low income to high-income countries. Social intolerance can also be viewed within a historical context, for example a prominent area of study is the Nazi Germany treatment of the Jewish race, as well as modern day relations. Throughout my study, I am going to break down with the help of political research, what the main causes of social intolerance are, as the issue of social tolerance continues to be prominent within today’s societies across the globe. There are varying arguments regarding what is the root cause of such intolerance, however, we must recognize that the effects of social intolerance is one which is hard to quantify. This is because ‘how one responds to a survey question concerning attitudes toward a group will not accurately reflect how the respondent will react when encountering an individual from that group. ’ Therefore it is questionable to what degree we can rely on surveys, as often people responses do not always reflect true attitudes, as people can be dishonest, or answer in ways they believe to be more appealing than their true feelings. Social tolerance is a somewhat broad concept. As argued by Professor Popper, ‘Toleration is a necessary consequence of our being human we are all products of frailty: fallible and prone to error. So let us mutually pardon each other’s follies. ’ Thus meaning that we are all subject to such a disposition. Susan Mendes defines tolerance as an appeal to the propriety of allowing each individual to pursue his own life in whichever way he thinks best for him. This justification often refers to the requirement that we show respect for persons as autonomous agents. Such descriptions of tolerance infer that open-mindedness is a crucial condition for peace and stability and a balanced co-existence. It places emphasis upon the individual’s role within society and their responsibility to act in accordance. There is also a moral element in relation to such attitudes ‘a principled recognition that the â€Å"others† have rights even if the exercise those rights in unattractive ways. ’ Within my study, I will be drawing upon research data from previous experiments, and will be using data from the European Social Survey, as the areas I have been predominantly looking at are within Europe and on a personal level, this information is relative to where I live. I believe that ultimately one of the main elements of social intolerance are based amidst certain elements of the demographic. I believe characteristics such as age, religion, education and region shape our prejudices. Our society is ever evolving and broadening, and diversity has become a way of life to many. However, I believe that the older more sheltered and less educated population are more likely to be less tolerant and likely to support false and negative stereotypes, this is because they are less likely to engage with individuals from said groups, therefore they are more likely to support negative stereotypes, and integration helps eliminate such prejudice. Research suggests that those with education, who live in urban areas, or are religious liberals tend to hold more positive attitudes’ I believe that these views will be reflected in on the European Social Survey regarding ‘Qualifying for Immigration’. I am going to focus on the variables demonstrating the influences of economic considerations as well as nationality, as these reflect further arguments demonstrated within my essa y. ‘The immigrant is committed to the way of life in the country they are moving to’. The results support the idea that the immigrant being committed to the way of life ‘is extremely important’ across Europe. It also supports the belief that although economic factors are important, in relation to the immigrant assimilating to the nation states way of life, and both tie in with the arguments regarding social identity. (See Appendix 1 & 2) Social identity theory states that an integral element of an individuals’ sense of who they are is based upon groups that they belong to or identify with. This concept of identity can be related to various levels, such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, color or other characteristics. The result of this is that individuals are able to place themselves within groups that embody such characteristics. Individuals can maintain membership of more than one group. Social Identity theory believes that ‘humans define themselves, as well as others, largely in terms of the social groups to which they belong’. Social intolerance can be seen to develop from relations between different groups, ‘One of the major motivational assumptions of social identity theory is that all people will strive to achieve a positive social identity. ’ As a result of the desire for positive affiliation, to evaluate their own group positively, they are often – though not always motivated to evaluate other groups negatively. This underpins the tendency for social tensions to develop, as it is often installed by the conviction that certain groups are superior. Pressures therefore often arise, as groups believe that the positive elements within ones own group needs to be protected from the negative influences attributed to others. This can result in social prejudice and discrimination where ‘subordinate groups have predominantly negative stereotypic attributions when evaluated by dominant group members. ’ Social dominance theory begins with the observation that all human societies are inherently group-based hierarchies and are inherently oppressive. This therefore means that social intolerance is derived from the hierarchal structure of society, which is composed of domineering group-based structure. Grouping reflects the differing elements within society, such as nation states, races, class, ethnicity, religion, etc. It is believed that only certain individuals are able to be obtain positions of power, and certain characteristics are deemed necessary, such as intelligence. Within this theory it is believed that men are more suited to domineering positions of group power than women. In order for this there are ‘Hierarchy –enhancing environments are social contexts that encourage or reinforce the acceptance and support for social inequality. ’ Legitimising myths are a way in which hierarchal order can be maintained; they are seen as ‘attitudes, values, beliefs, or ideologies that provide moral and intellectual support to and justification for the group’. To phrase it differently, legitimising myths are seen as a way in which discrimination and intolerance can be justified in order to promote structure. This theory is clearly limited in its views, as it does little to explain outer group relationships which may go against the grain of hierarchy. It can be seen that to a certain degree we do construct such social orders within society, but this theory is far too totalitarian and does not fit well within society as it does not explain a magnitude of group relationships. Group conflict theory, as is demonstrated in Sherif and Horland’s Robbers Case Experiment (1954) helps reflect the tensions that can arise through group competition. The Robber’s Cave experiment, between two groups of young middle class boys concluded that ‘intergroup competition rather quickly leads to ethnocentrism and group conflict, but increases levels of inter-group morale, cohesiveness, and cooperation as well. ’ This experiment supports the belief that groups compete and conflict, as these ‘are largely functions of â€Å"realistic† competition between groups over scarce resources. ’ It’s therefore supports the rational choice theory that humans are predisposed to act selfishly and intolerance is often a product of this. For instance if a group hinders another’s best interests either economically, politically or socially, this can cause an out lash of intolerance. Threat to national identity can be seen as a motivating factor in anti immigrant sentiment. It can often be hard for new immigrants to assimilate into another country’s culture, as often issues especially those such as religion and race can make assimilation difficult. The Sniderman study into Dutch culture draws to attention and quantifies these perceived threats to society and identity regarding new immigrants. Sniderman argues that the perceived threat to culture overrides economic threats ‘perceiving a threat to Dutch culture has by the far largest impact in provoking hostility. ’ He argues however that positive economic conditions, as seen within the Netherlands, results in the greater perceived threat against culture. This perceived threat is reflected in Sniderman’s research, which shows that four of every five Dutch want to stiffen immigration requirements when immigrants do not speak Dutch fluently and do not have a good chance to fit in smoothly ith Dutch culture, compared to two of five when they do. To look at the causes of social intolerance, we ought to look more closely at the psychology of the individual. Experimental research has demonstrated that unspoken racial attitudes exist even for individuals who score low on the measures of explicit racial prejudice and these beliefs influence judgements and perceptions. This can be reflected in survey results, as deep within our consciousness, as we are, to a certain extent, affected by the stereotypes and hierarchies that surround us. The psychological view is that implicit racial stereotypes and prejudices are held by everyone because they are part of how the human mind works in the context of a culture including stereotypical representations. ’ The question therefore is, how do we develop such a consciousness? It can be seen through a number of studies which point towards ‘stereotypical portrayals in the media and analyze the history of these portrayals’. It can also be seen that from a young age, those around us, for instance parents and social groups, influence our ideals. We can be seen to adapt to the beliefs of others through the ‘process of self-selection (i. e. , the process by which individuals within a peer group influence each other and become more similar on a characteristic over time). These beliefs can manifest into discriminatory treatment, for example in the understanding of ‘implicit prejudice studies suggest that even among persons who hold sincere belief in race blindness, images and depictions of racial groups learned beginning in childhood are influential on their thinking’. These attitudes can come to surface in particular situations, for instance job discrimination. The regular use of symbols can help change and condition the way in which we think, and can without knowing perforate into our consciousness. ‘Symbolic predispositions are usually strong attitudes normally acquired through classical conditioning in early life. ’ It can therefore be seen as a lengthy and gradual process. The careful use of symbols can play to different ideals of the human condition, for instance certain symbols, such as flags, can install a sense of patriotism and pride, but in contrast, they can also be used to represent social evils, such as the Nazi swastika. People can also be used as symbolic images to install emotion and can represent social freedom, strength and empowerment, as seen through the imagery of Jesus and Martin Luther King, Jr. However, symbols can carry what seems like disproportionate power and can be used to, ‘evoke and mobilize human emotions. Virtually every war in America has been fought around such rallying symbols. Symbols can be manipulated and spun in order to represent something more credible, an example of this is the British National Party, rousing up symbolic patriotic imagery of Winston Churchill and the Union flag to help motivate emotion and support in regards to their immigration policies. Symbols can be used as a tool to play on fear, and can therefore help to breed intolerance by appealing to people’s emotions. It has previously been argued that increased amounts of immigration has generated greater racial friction, it was believed that ‘a superordinate group (e. . , whites) becomes more racially hostile as the size of the proximate subordinate group increases, which punitively threatens the former’s economic and social privilege (Oliver and Wong 2003, 568)’. Therefore it can be seen that the increased levels of immigration generates greater social intolerance. However, in contrast to this argument, recent studies have contended that actually ‘increased contact makes it difficult for groups to accept typically negative stereotypes and also increases the probability of both groups’ holding shared values (Forbes 1997). This supports the belief that racial segregation contributes considerably to social intolerance, as it is believ ed through integration and contact, negative stereotypes and general ignorance can be dispelled when personal relationships are developed. I believe that is a vital factor in the promotion of inter-group relations, that a greater emphasis is played on increased contact. Even though higher immigration levels can cause anti-sentiment, I believe this predominantly affects highly segregated areas, as can be seen within parts of the United States. Economic factors can be a key feature contributing to attitudes of social intolerance. This can be seen upon a personal as well as a collective level. The degree one feels affected by economic threats can be seen as objective, it is argued that ‘opposition to immigrants is rooted ultimately in the economic logic of people’s situations. ’ Therefore it can often be perceived that attitudes to immigrant minorities regarding economic factors are determined by individualistic circumstances. This is evident in regards to unemployment and financial instability. People who can be perceived to be in an awkward financial situation are therefore more likely to be less tolerant, as they are more prone to support the belief that immigration has contributed to their own lack of welfare, jobs and resources. It should not be overlooked that economic factors contribute towards intolerant sentiment, especially as it involves the concept of promoting self-interest. But immigration can also contribute to economic success as reflected through Locke’s line of argument for toleration in regards to Huguenot refugees ‘claiming that the refugees should be accepted since they would bring economic advantages to England. Therefore it must be understood that causality can run both ways. Changes within the demographic can also be seen to have a prominent effect on attitudes towards social tolerance. ‘Research suggests that those with more education, who live in urban areas, or are religious liberals tend to hold more positive attitudes’ G reater education is a vital way in which social intolerance can be controlled. This is mainly due to the enlightenment education casts upon the collective ills and ignorance’s of elements of society which often results in discrimination and social intolerance. Greater toleration can be seen as a result of living in urban areas, as they are more likely to offer diversity and promote assimilation. This supports the social contact theory, which argues that ‘The presence of a large minority population in a highly integrated area will result in more interracial contact, initiating a corrective for the hostility that threat otherwise produces. ’ Both these lines of argument support the theory that segregation helps install greater social intolerance, as through racial integration, individuals can break through barriers such as misconstrued racial stereotypes and prejudice. In conclusion, a common theme throughout has been the presence of different factions within society. Groups have provided the basis for division, therefore resulting in competition, generating all different causes of social intolerance. Ultimately I believe that one of the greatest factors which has contributed to one of the most predominant reasons for social intolerance is the lack of interaction between groups, especially those of race. This has meant that different cultures and groups have found it difficult to assimilate especially within Western society, this has resulted in a lack of understanding and empathy between cultures. This I believe has helped enforce stereotypes bridging a further gap, and therefore greater levels of intolerance. However, ultimately we as individuals need to break these boundaries. From a young age, imagery and symbols are presented to one another, and walls are built between the different sects. However, they can be broken down and proper stable relations can be built between groups, helping a respect and cultural understanding, ultimately resulting in less causations for social intolerance.

English Literature Commentary Essay

‘The Crystal Cabinet’ is an outstanding example of Blake’s use of an alternative reality to evoke readers to contemplate the boundaries of their society in light of knowledge about another world where these boundaries do not exist. Through the poem which was written just after the French Revolution, Blake offers the extreme of human experiences; as the central metaphor of the poem symbolizes a deep human truth which can be adopted with his poem, ‘London’. The poem’s simple goal is to tell a story and share a wisdom. The poem contains seven stanzas, several stanzas containing a different world and a different boundary; within each stanza one is able to find a rhyme scheme which closely follows a broken dactylic tetrameter. The Crystal Cabinet’s seven stanzas forms a superstructure upon which the story elements can be intertwined, and imagination can be overlaid as deeper themes of Blake’s philosophy can be also be embedded. The first stanza is the main and central metaphor which one should focus on as it unfolds line by line before connecting with the second stanza to further evoke readers on the different dimensions and boundaries. The first two lines in the first stanza seemingly represent’s a form of innocence, a new born into a new world that deserved a celebration which is where and why Blake uses the term â€Å"merrily†. However, one notices the semi-colon after the â€Å"merrily† as it drifts further away from the supposed celebration, as the narrator’s ‘Maiden’ puts the persona into a cabinet and â€Å"lock’d me up with a golden key†; the poems happiness and joy thus comes to a dramatic halt. The broken dactylic meter in the first stanza seems to be contradicting, as ‘merrily’ representing a form of happiness and freedom, is partnered with ‘key’ which in terms symbolizes a place where freedom is lacked and limited, where one is locked. The cabinet in which the narrator/Blake finds himself in is â€Å"form’d of gold, and pearl and crystal shining bright†, a contrast to the large and dull world of nineteenth century London. The second stanza, from lines 5-9, Blake is using the cabinet for which the narrator is locked in to emphasize an escape to a different world as opposed to a world for which he lives in, a dull and fearful nineteenth century world, in London. The second stanza contains two broken rhymes/dactylic meters as Blake rhymes â€Å"gold† and â€Å"world†, and â€Å"bright† and â€Å"night† together. Inside the cabinet is where we find â€Å"another London with its tower† – Blake uses to represent a temporarily forgotten evil of which the real city contained and the imaginary one within the cabinet was freed from. The cabinet that is described through the second stanza is a cabinet full of dreams and light, of beauty and no fright. A â€Å"world† that is surrounded by â€Å"gold†, a â€Å"night† that has a â€Å"crystal shining bright† light; this as opposed to a world where the narrator/persona is captured dancing merrily and locked up into a world of limits. The images inside this crystal cabinet â€Å"translucent, lovely, shining clear†; all of the people and places are presented in their perfect forms. Here, Blake comes to an agreement with Plato’s philosophy ‘that a world of ideal forms only exists beyond our perception’. His poem presents an encounter with the world, as the fourth stanza seems to be Blake pleading in hope that his readers will one day realize the possibility and potential which one can escape from their repressed society. â€Å"O, what a pleasant trembling fear!† is not necessarily speaking of fear itself, but the fear that this translucent, lovely and shining clear world of his will dissipate and once again, be ruined by repression – in contrast to the French Revolution and its impact on England and the people of England. Here, Blake uses another broken dactylic meter of ‘clear’ and ‘fear’; the ‘clear’ representing/symbolizing a form of clarity, purity, innocence, and happiness and the ‘fear’ that represents the loss of that clarity. Thus, allowing one to see the desperate desire that the narrator must have towards a peaceful world, a peaceful life that is not full of danger and fearfulness. Through this poem which catapults the reader into a realm of the persona’s imagination, Blake description and different realm throughout the fifth stanza is a world containing ‘love’, for which was given and returned. This particular stanza differs from the first four as it is filled with joy, happiness and love, without having a halt. ‘O, the happiness and joy for which fulfilled my soul as though a flame being burnt, no composition, no question, I seek the love as I kiss the lovely ‘Maid’ and found that the love I seek was returned.’ Notice the ‘Maid’ in the third line of this stanza, is capitalized, which in terms represents something more than just a maid we understand in modern day, for this ‘Maid’ is not one who cleans up after our mess, but a context used metaphorically to describe a woman in particular, a woman whom the persona is trapped with respects and cares about, perhaps a lover. Linking to Blake as the poet of this poem, must represent a time in his human experience of a lover which made him burn like a flame and smile ‘threefold smiles’. Another point for which one notices while reading this poem is the broken rhyme of ‘burn’d’ and ‘return’d’; the burn’d here represents a fire (danger), a wrath, however symbolizing much more than just a fire object itself, as it symbolizes a warmth, the warmth of love, which in contrast was ‘return’d’. Here in this new world of The Crystal Cabinet, the persona trapped is happy and is in a world where his desires are fulfilled, as is the desire of his lover, his ‘Maid’. When the persona suddenly breaks the crystal cabinet in the fifth stanza, after having tried to â€Å"seize the inmost form†, the world was ‘fierce’ and shattered; and the reader is convinced that both imagination and reason are incompatible to one another. Here, the poem suggests that our lives have been so dominated by the doctrines of society that if we do try to find any reason in anything beyond the confines of the familiar lives for which we’ve been put in, we will not succeed, but will fail. In terms of Blake during his time, this particular part of the poem suggests that people during this time, their lives, are so dominated by not only the doctrines of society, but the doctrines of the Church, that if they do find reasoning and truth beyond those lines that have been drawn for them, they will die, and that truth does not prevail because of the imposed laws and rules. Therefore, the realm of the imagination that is transcended can not be quantified by either science or mathematics, nor can it be philosophized according to the laws of the State or the Church’s teachings, limiting the human minds, locking each human up with a golden key, only allowing the locked up humans to use their ‘alternative reality’ minds to go into other realms of the world. The last stanza, striking to the reader as to the narrator, basically states that ‘although one has been locked up into a crystal cabinet with a golden key, having experienced different realms of the world and having loved and loved back, one opens their eyes (†¦seize the inmost form†¦ but burst the Crystal Cabinet†¦) they break through the cabinet and once again, is back into the reality of fear and danger, back to the fearful nineteenth century world of London. As babies crying because their births are of no happy events as it only represents a continuation of this ‘woe’ (linking to ‘London’ as well as last line of ‘The Crystal Cabinet’), and ‘weeping Woman pale reclin’d’, representing the ‘plague’ from the Sexually Transmitted Diseases woman get from their husbands; there is no happiness, no other dimension that is capable of allowing one to escape reality forever, as the persona is born i nto a world ‘fill’d with woes the passing wind’. In conclusion, this crystal cabinet symbolizes a unique opportunity to unfold meaning and explore further into those minds of the nineteenth century. Using the metaphorical visionary/images to help set a stage for a greater understanding of the environment, situation and journey for which is also a realization of the philosophy of William Blake. This poem is independent, yet linked through the narrative, using color scheme and the re-use of objects and words from other narrative elements, these different realms of world’s and spaces produces a unique, harmonic, and fearful resonance to viewers. It is when the four-fold vision is sought as the Crystal Cabinet breaks, in the seventh and final stanza, summing up everything the poem means and has stood for, is returned back to the original place and location for which they had entered, in the town squares of London. Here, the readers experience has thus triggered a new perception of London, as this perception is the perception seen through the eyes of William Blake himself.

A Sense of Sin Essay Example for Free

A Sense of Sin Essay ? No one doubts the presence of evil in the world. We experience it in a variety of ways: national and international conflict; domestic and street violence; political and corporate corruption; and a host of manifestations of sexism, clericalism, racism, ageism, and other violations of justice. All such forms of brutality, disorder and discrimination, seem from a theological perspective, are rooted in sin. But do we ever recognize the sin and name it as such? 1 For some reason, sin seems to have lost its hold on us as a way of accounting for and naming so much of the evil we know. Among the many other reasons, the eclipse of the religious world view through the rise of the secular spirit accounts significantly for the loss of the sense of sin. In fact, in his post-synodal exhortation, Reconciliatio et Penitentia (1984), Pope John Paul II credits â€Å"secularism† above all with contributing to a loss of a sense of sin.2 The secular spirit questions the relevance and meaning of all Christian symbols, and even of religion itself. One effect of this secular spirit on the meaning of sin, for example, has been to reduce sin to some form of psychological or social disorder. The therapeutic perspective which pervades the secular spirit looks on behavior as either healthily adaptive-problem-solving behavior, or as unhealthy, nonadaptive, and problem-creating behavior.3 It does not call the latter sin. For a survey at major attempts in the past twenty years to explore the mystery of sin, see James A. O’Donohue, â€Å"Toward a Theology of Sin: A Look at the Last Twenty Years,† Church 2 (Spring 1986): 48-54. 2 The other factors of a non-ecclesial nature which John Paul II lists as errors made in evaluating certain findings of the human sciences, deriving systems of ethics from historical relativism, and identifying sin with neurotic guilt. Within the thought and life of the Church, certain trends have also contributed to the loss of the sense of sin. Among these he lists the movement from seeing sin everywhere to not recognizing it anywhere; from an emphasis on fear of external punishment to preaching a love of God that excludes punishment; from correcting erroneous consciences to respecting consciences but excluding the duty to tell the truth. Two other ecclesial factors are the plurality of opinions existing in the church on questions of morality and the deficiencies in the practice of penance. To restore a healthy sense of sin, the pope advocates â€Å"a sound catechetics, illuminated by the biblical theology of the covenant, by an attentive listening and trustful openness to the magisterium of the church, which never ceases to enlighten consciences, and by an ever more careful practice of the sacrament of penance.† See Origins 14 (December 20, 1984): 443-444, quotation at p. 444. 3 The research of the team headed by sociologist Robert Bellah which has produced Habits of the Heart (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985), a study of the American beliefs and practices which give shape to our character and form our social order, shows that the therapist is the newest character forming American culture. See Chapter Two â€Å"Culture and Character: The Historical Conversation,† pp. 27-51, especially pp. 47-48. 2 Moreover, the secular, therapeutic perspective tends to look on persons more as victims of unconscious or socio-cultural influences than as agents of free actions. Psychiatrists Karl Menninger in Whatever Happened to Sin4 and M. Scott Peck in People of the Lie5 want to make full allowance for those conditions which cause people to do evil. Yet both insist on a strip of responsibility which cannot be negotiated away to these determining influences. While the behavioral sciences provide us with helpful explanations of human behavior, they do not give a full account. Sin is real, and we need a fresh way to get at it and call it what it is. What do we need to grasp in order to retrieve a sense of sin in an adult manner? Contemporary moral theology says a â€Å"sense of responsibility.† Christian theologians find in â€Å"responsibility† the essential theme of Christian faith and the central characteristic of the moral life. A leading Protestant theologian of this century, H. Richard Niebuhr, has done much to give impetus to the â€Å"responsibility† motif in Christian morality. 6 He summarizes the constituents of responsibility by describing the agent’s actions as a response to an action upon him in accordance with his interpretation of the latter action and with his expectation of response to his response; and all of this is in a continuing community of agents. (The Responsible Self, 65) Since God is present to us in and through all that makes up our lives so that we are never not in the presence of God, our responses to all our actions upon us include our response to God. As Niebuhr asserts, â€Å"Responsibility affirms: God is acting in all our actions upon you. So respond to all actions upon you as to respond to his action† (The Responsible Self, 126). If â€Å"being responsible† sums up the quality of character and action marking Christian moral living, sin will mark the failure to be fully responsible. â€Å"Responsibility† as a motif for the moral life has found its way into Catholic moral thinking with the strong support of the biblical renewal in the Catholic Church. Bernard Hà ¤ring, who has been instrumental in renewing Catholic moral thinking, has used this notion of â€Å"responsibility† with great success in reconstructing Catholic moral thought. Along with other Catholic theologians, Hà ¤ring has found in the biblical renewal a fresh theological framework and an orientation for understanding the moral life.7 We turn, then, to the biblical perspective on sin. Menninger, Whatever Happened to Sin? (New York: Hawthorn Books, Inc., 1973). Peck, People of the Lie (New York: Simon and Shuster, 1983). 6 See especially Niebuhr, The Responsible Self (New York: Harper & Row, 1963), pp. 61-65. 7 Bernard Hà ¤ring’s writings are vast and wide-ranging. His early three-volume work, The Law of Christ (Westminster: Newman Press, 1961, 1963, 1966), was one of the first major works by a Catholic moral theologian to rethink morality in light of the biblical renewal. His most recent three-volume work, Free and Faithful in Christ (New York: Seabury Press, 1978, 1979, 1981), is an expression of Hà ¤ring’s more mature thought. This work is not a revision of The Law of Christ, but a completely new work. Charles E. Curran, a student of Hà ¤ring, has followed his teacher’s lead in making efforts at renewing moral theology in light of the biblical renewal. Some of Curran’s pertinent articles are â€Å"The Relevancy of the Ethical Teaching of Jesus† and â€Å"Conversion: The Central Message of Jesus† in A New Look at Christian Morality (Notre Dame: Fides Publishers, Inc., 1968), pp. 1-23 and 25-71. From the Bible we see that Christian morality is primarily a â€Å"vocation.† This means that our life is a response to the word of God spoken to us preeminently in Jesus, but also in and through the people and events of our lives. From the perspective of vocation, wherein God calls and we respond, responsibility replaces obligation as the primary characteristic of the moral life. Also, the relationship that we establish with God in and through our responses to all things becomes the focal point of the moral life. From this point of view, practicing the presence of God becomes essential for Christian responsibility, Christian moral growth, and our awareness of sin. A consistent theme of contemporary theology has been that we cannot have a proper understanding of sin unless we have a proper understanding of the nature and implications of the covenant God has established with us. â€Å"Covenant† and â€Å"heart† are the dominant metaphors of biblical faith for understanding the moral life. They provide the biblical horizon against which to recognize sin. The two frequently used terms for sin in the Old Testament point to violations of relationships. Hattah is the most common term. Its meaning, â€Å"to miss the mark† or â€Å"to offend,† points to a purposeful action oriented toward an existing relationship. The existence of the relationship makes the offence or failure possible. Pesa, meaning â€Å"rebellion,† is a legal term denoting a deliberate action violating a relationship in community. The New Testament term for sin is hamartia. It connotes a deliberate action rooted in the heart and missing the intended mark. 8 These terms acquire theological significance when used in the context of the covenant which expresses the most personal kind of relationship between God and us. The primary aim of the covenant is that God loves us without our having done anything to attract God’s attention or to win that love. God’s covenant is a bond of completely gratuitous love, pure grace. But God’s initiative of love (grace) does not destroy our freedom. Unlike the Godfather, God makes an offer we can refuse. God’s offer of love awaits our acceptance. Once we accept the offer of love we commit ourselves to living as the covenant requires. The covenant context lifts the notion of sin out of a legalistic framework to set it on a level of a personal relationship with God. In worshipping the golden calf (Ex 32), Israel missed the mark of covenant love, or sinned, not so much because Israel broke one of the laws of the covenant, but because Israel broke the personal bond of love of which the law was an external expression. The law was not to be the final object of Israel’s fidelity. God was. Sin in the Bible is not merely breaking a law. Sin is breaking or weakening the God-given bond of love. The law was an aid to Israel’s fidelity and pointed to the responsibilities of being in relationship to God. A Sense of Sin. (2016, Dec 10).

Logbook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Logbook - Essay Example The defender is left for dead by the striker but he manages to stick a foot and catches the striker on his right leg and he goes down. In my opinion Mario Ballotelli is a very competitive player with what is known in sports psychology as a NACH personality. He has the in-built desire to succeed in all that he does as a player and has very high levels of motivation. In sports psychology the personality of the player if of importance especially as relates to the mental toughness of the player, self-efficacy and arousal. Self-efficacy is influenced by four main factors and these are vicarious experiences, performance accomplishments, verbal persuasion and emotional arousal (Russell, 2008). Vicarious experiences involves seeing your competitor as someone with the same skill set as yourself or as someone with lower sets of skill therefore enhancing an individual’s confidence that they can be able to achieve and complete their set tasks. Arousal can be defined as an individualâ€⠄¢s cognitive activation and psychological awareness (Singh, 2005). In my opinion Ballotelli exhibits aggression as based on the aggressive cue theory as first proposed by Leonard Berkowitz. The theory seemed to suggest that certain social settings and environment would make acts of aggression acceptable. Therefore I would employ the concept of arousal regulation in sports science .This is where the player uses techniques such as meditation and breathing in order to achieve the optimum cognitive state for maximum results. I would also use the concept of self-talk on the player. The player can use this technique in order to remain calm. Goal setting is a classic coaching principle that can be used in such a situation. I as the coach can set a specific number of matches that he expects the player to go without having any discipline issues (Blair, 2012). In this particular scenario, Alvaro Negredo, the new star player of the team is

Discuss the possibilty that Hamlet never encountered the ghost of this Essay

Discuss the possibilty that Hamlet never encountered the ghost of this father, that the ghost was all a figment in the imagination of a troubled mind - Essay Example Making things worse, Claudius is now married to Hamlet’s mother. Trying to figure out whether the ghost is telling the truth or is instead a manipulation of the devil, Hamlet pretends to be insane in order to discover the truth, but there have been numerous critics who have claimed Hamlet is actually crazy. In fact, a ‘mock’ court case held to determine the answer to whether Hamlet was sane or insane resulted in a deadlocked jury (Vicini, 2007). While there are several good arguments that there is a definite method behind Hamlet’s madness, there are several ways in which Shakespeare leaves the question open. One of the areas of doubt is whether the ghost that Hamlet sees is real or if it is only a figment of his imagination. The state of Hamlet’s mind is thrown into doubt from the very beginning of the play, thereby opening up the question of whether the ghost is real or imaginary. Even this early in the play, Hamlet is seen to be a man divided. The first thing he says is not to anyone in particular but instead muttered under his breath to himself, â€Å"a little more than kin, and less than kind!† (I, ii, 65). These words indicate the level of disgust he has toward the actions of his mother and uncle, but has been used to indicate his insanity because he’s talking to himself. When he tells his uncle he is â€Å"too much in the sun† (I, ii, 67), he illustrates that he has a strong tendency to turn phrases so that they mean something other than what was intended. His tendency to always find a double meaning in things can be seen again when he responds to his uncle’s question about why he’s still wearing black. Instead of answering the question directly, he indica tes his uncle is watching him too closely already and that he does not appreciate being considered his uncle’s son. This ability to always find a double meaning in what is being said is itself a sign of insanity.

Harvard Business Review Competitive Forces Paper Essay

Harvard Business Review Competitive Forces Paper - Essay Example However, the risks can be translated to a competitive advantage (Porter, 2008). Areas where IT represents a risk to company’s competitive advantage Physical threats Physical threats arise from damage of company servers and other IT resources e.g. by fire, theft and floods. It may also happen as a result of unauthorized access of information by malicious employees. Electronic threats Such risks when they materialize aim at compromising the information security of a company. They come in the following ways: virus attacks e.g. luv bug and Melissa viruses; attach by black hat hackers who are usually malicious and crack your IT system hoping to gain something out of the information; fraudulent emails and websites. These threats can cause fraudulent transactions. The staff also misuses organizations emails and web. Organizations bandwidth can also be misused by Staff who performs peer-to-peer file transfer and sharing. Failure to update or configure the organization's software usual ly brings about these types of threats. Technical failure Occur when a hardware device ceases to function or some of its components get damaged. In some instances, it occurs when a software bug is introduced to the system or shows up due implementation errors. This failure can occur due to large, complex systems which are unstable and are frequently maintained and updated. Infrastructural failure Occurs when network and power outages occur and one cannot access the internet. These will definitely interrupt the business process and valuable transactions might be missed out. A company may have an Uninterrupted Power Supply, but in other cases, they seem to fail. Human error These happen when an employee fails to adhere or to be keen to IT stipulated policies and procedures or when an employee accidentally deletes important business data. Specific areas in which IT may support or promote a company’s competitive advantage Know the IT environment/estate In order to manage risks, a company needs to know all its IT assets. It needs to know how many servers are there, how many PCs per department, the applications running on the servers and client PCs. The company should also keep track of who uses which IT asset, who manages the assets, supports the systems, the data stored and processed in servers and machines, the workflow of the processes e.tc. A company might rate the importance of an asset by the data they store the liability which can be got when the data gets mishandled. Companies also have tools which track the assets even by the person who uses it and can even happen in real time, but the most important thing is arranging the assets in groupings which are organized e.g. as a business unit, data center product line. It can be put in any grouping which allows the analysts to do their job without too much consultation or up and down movements. A manager may want to view analysis reports or an auditor may want to view compliance reports. Identifying risks and policies The organization needs to identify the risks which are a likely and their probabilities. It should also identify the policies which can be utilized in managing risks. The starting point is identifying the operational policy controls which are usually under the company’s IT Governance and risk compliance (GTC) program. The operational controls standards used

Chinese Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Chinese Popular Culture - Essay Example The wealthy had the opportunity to invest in the property markets and the rural households acquired partial property rights that allowed them to accumulate wealth in the form of consumer durables. These reforms introduced discrepancies in the distribution of wealth. The Urban household had a greater opportunity to accumulate in the form of financial assets. Rural household, on the other hand, has had limited access to financial instruments and hence owning a house of lower value than their urban counterparts have. Even within the urban areas, the benefits of reform from property rights have not been shared equally. The distribution of housing wealth contributes about two-thirds of the overall housing inequality in China (Luigi Tomba, 4). The rural poor cannot afford the prices of house in an urban setting. The Urban poor as well cannot access modern housing units because due to the rent effects resulting from the methods of house acquisition. The middle class can afford apartments in urban centers. The apartments are highly subsidized with prices that bear little relationship with market values. For instance, in northern Beijing, Chaoyang District, Hopetown is one best example of a quarter developed because of the property rights reforms. The residential area is home to most of the middle-class members of the public in Beijing. This group of middle-class dwellers represents a social identity of persons who have the ability to afford home ownership. In the PRC, the wealthy members of the society are not well educated. This leads to the need to acquire educational credentials to enhance their social status. Since 1999, higher education has been expanded, especially in expensive executive programmes. The wealthy are having access to higher education. The middle class has higher regard for education because it a symbol of high social status are a post-communist class that has managed to accumulate wealth through handwork and quality education credentials that made them access to well paying jobs. At the Hopetown estate, the majority of the residents are the middle class of educational affluence with well paying jobs-the salaried population. The middle class is also composed of rich entrepreneurs that were co-opted by the Communist Party (CCP) with constitutional amendments to embrace capitalists. The poor have limited access to education. The decentralization the fiscal system in China has increased the dependence of the poor in th e rural regions on their own resource base to access education. The local

Land Law terms and conditional Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Land Law terms and conditional - Essay Example The most common problems resulting from tenancy agreements border on landlord ignorance of tenant rights or problems of transfer as the one detailed in this case. This is a situation where a current owner sells the property to another, the major question being whether current tenants are bound by agreements made under the previous owner. Most times, the two forms of tenancy are referred to as either assured or shorthold tenancy. However, there are other forms of tenancy that result, not because they are assured or recognized by the law but because they fail to meet the provisions stated for these two forms of tenancy. A license to occupy A license to occupy is appropriate only for temporary arrangement; it is less detailed in comparison to a full lease. For this reason, it cannot be used in place of a full lease, or where the occupant is going to occupy property for a lengthy period of time. License to occupy is adaptable to diverse situations, and is frequently used when a tenant is only interested to occupy property momentarily or when the procedures of a lease are being concluded. Individuals wishing to occupy property for a temporary time can avoid such long term commitments by drafting a license to occupy, in which case rent is to be paid in the next week or month. If such obligations are not met, the License will come to an end. Under a License to occupy the Landlord has exclusive rights to property access at any time. Lease Agreement Unlike a license to occupy, a Commercial Lease Agreement is appropriate for letting property for a period not less than six moths and not beyond three years. The longer the lease period, the more detailed the lease agreement becomes. An agreement which is anything beyond three years requires a well detailed agreement which should be prepared and reviewed by a qualified solicitor. One major difference between leases and other forms of tenancy is that lease agreements accords exclusive rights of occupancy to the lease holder. The implication of this is that the landlord cannot access the property unless under any identified circumstances specified in the agreement. Exclusive rights to property also mean that the tenant reserves the right of the owner for the period of the lease, this means he can sub let, through a Sublease Agreement. Leasing is not common for residential property but is mostly embraced for commercial reasons. Lease forms a contractual obligation binding the property owner the lessee, however, it also creates an interest in property. For this reason, it must be issued for a definite period of time, but can extend beyond this period. In such a case, it becomes a Tenancy at Will which can be terminated through an adequate notice. Adequate time for the notice might be detailed in the lease agreement, however, if such is not included the notice period will equate to the frequency of payment of rent as indicated in the agreement. The main difference between a lease agreement and a License is that a lease conveys interest in land, something which a license does not. This was well indicated in a 1673 case, Thomas v Sorrell: In this case, it was passed that a license passes no interest, and does not alter or transfer property; all it does is make an act lawful which without the license had been unlawful. A similar, position was taken by Justice Macdonald in Baker v Gee, the Justice held; that according to the provisions of

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Case study - Essay Example and Hasan, H., n.d.) At the outset, the environment although polite and formal, breeds division between management and employees. This is shown by the set up of physical structures, by not inviting employees to participate in management’s plan, with a notion that there is nothing more to learn from them. Result of this environment showed that while it was a good design of operational efficiency and control, there was no flexibility that resulted in loss of motivation and trust that led to unsatisfied performance in the long run. Because there is no chance of communication, even the best intentions could be clouded with suspicions as in what happened to John who failed to see the good intention of training and further development. If the democratic leadership is adopted, as initiated by new manager, there is a fair chance that employees will be more motivated in the work performance, John will not quit as things are communicated well, and system will lead to a collegial system whose basis is teamwork. Sundarasadula, D. and Hasan, H., Closed system and organizational theories, Chapter  11.  A unified open systems model for explaining organisational change Retrieved 15 2010 from http://epress.anu.edu.au/info_systems/mobile_devices/ch11s02.html This case describes a situation of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Interestingly, it is related to career opportunities, work life policies and job characteristics as could be seen with the problem of Suzanne Chalmers. Money, benefits and stress on the job are out of the question since these are not the reasons for her resignation. But why would she quit, along with other IT professionals who quit to later joining start-up software firms that give lesser benefits? In my analysis, management failed to see that job satisfactions among professionals has something to do with †upward mobility† as they are seeking for higher status and

In Burmese Days George Orwell vividly describes life in a British Essay

In Burmese Days George Orwell vividly describes life in a British overseas colony in the waning days of imperialism - Essay Example Though the Europeans do little work, they complain about the prick heat and the possible acceptance of the locals into their exclusively European club. An overwhelming majority of British holds themselves superior to the Burmese and feel they should rule over the less intelligent niggers. In the story Elizabeth, the orphaned niece of Lackersteen’s, is surprised by Flory soft nature towards the locals. Elizabeth also learns from Mrs. Lackersteen’s that Flory keeps a native Mistress while she detests the locals and views them as ‘beastly’. The relationship between the Europeans and the natives can be further described as discriminative. European men have intimate relationships with the natives, but the natives are strictly prohibited from marrying Europeans. A child born of a native and a European is regarded as an outcast and denied a job by the government until they denounce their European blood (Orwell 98). Further cruelty between the native Burmese and th e Europeans is shown when Maxwell, the acting Divisional forests officer shots a local rebel. Maxwell is brought back to the town dead a few days after that. A tense situation occurs between the locals and the Europeans, and the situation deteriorates after Ellis launches a spiteful attack on the local native children. Ellis decision to punish the children instead of the culprits responsible for Maxwell’s death proves that the relationship between the natives and the Europeans is that of a slave to a master (Orwell 84). Though the British do not despise the Asians as much as they detest the local Burmese natives, the relationship between the two is not hospitable. The European community is highly against the acceptance of Dr. Veraswami an Asian into the exclusive European club. Based on Dr. Veraswami’s thinking, the British also views their position as superior to the Asians. Dr. Veraswami views his Asian kind as lesser humans compared to the Europeans (Orwell 59).This view can be presented as the same view possessed by the Europeans as majority of them are against acceptance of Dr. Veraswami into the all inclusive European club. Finally, Dr. Veraswami is demoted after the death of Flory, his only European supporter. U Po Kyin a corrupt magistrate plots the escape of a prisoner, causing a rebellion which is blamed on Dr. Veraswami. Magistrate U Po Kyin plans to deny the doctor a position in the European club and claim the membership instead as he feels a non European is not deserving of a position in the club. The Asians view the Europeans as superior, and the gulf between them is widely divided by race and classifications of the inhabitants of the small town. The race composition is divided into: Europeans, Chinese, Asians and at last Burmese natives. In the story we find that Dr. Veraswami wants to be part of the exclusive European Club although he doesn’t plan to attend any of the sessions (Orwell 101). Dr. Veraswami only wants to be pa rt of the club because of the social prestige and respect that is given to members of the European club, particularly because he would be the only Asian member of the club. Dr. Veraswami also views his kind as lesser human beings, stressing the fact that the Asians considered the Europeans superior. The British view their main mission as economic exploitation and colonization of the

Stirling Sports Essay Example for Free

Stirling Sports Essay Stirling Sports opened their first Store on Dominion Road in Auckland in 1964. The first Stirling Sports franchises were awarded in 1983 after Stirling Sports had invested almost 20 years in developing the best sports retail stores in New Zealand. Stirling Sports Dunedin’s mission statements asserts, ‘The Dunedin community speaks positively about their Stirling Sport experience’. Their logo is ‘We love our sport’, an apt summary of the passion held by management and staff for their products, service and the specialist knowledge they provide. Stirling Sports is the one of the New Zealand leading retailers of sporting goods. Stirling Sports has a huge range of sports clothing and mens and womens shoes, supporter gear and more. In 2004, Russell and Sue became aware of an opportunity to purchase the Stirling Sports Dunedin area franchise and made the decision to buy within a week. Since they originated from the Otago region, this was an opportunity ‘to come home’. After some negotiation they successfully acquired the franchise and began to determine how best to manage the two operations. After some deliberation, the  decision was made that Sue would move to Dunedin and manage that store, while Russell continued to manage the Kapiti store. Russell and Sue decided to buy the franchise with the existing staff at the Dunedin store. The store had to become profitable, so changes needed to be made. However, the change in structure and process did not suit everyone and staff left. Previously, the store had been managed from Auckland, so some having the manager on-site was very different from the previous management style. Stirling Sports adopts marketing strategies based on the seasonal nature of  various sports, student population migration during semester and holiday periods, public holidays and festive seasons Christmas is one of the biggest financial periods with equipment, clothing and shoes being in demand for Christmas gifts. In-store specials, glossy flyers, and newspaper and radio advertising are all useful means of marketing their products to all of their customer segments. The March/April period is the second-largest cash-flow period with the beginning of winter sports, such as rugby, soccer, netball, volleyball and basketball, traditionally boosting sales. September/October is also a peak period, with the focus particularly on fitness and getting ‘back into shape’ after the ravages of winter lifestyle choices. Sports such as cricket, tennis and softball also begin which may require the purchase of new equipment, uniforms and speciality footwear. Many sports are now played all year round, which is beneficial in maintaining an acceptable level of monthly sales in addition to seasonal cash-flow peaks. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://STIRLINGSPORTS. CO. NZ Rebel Sport is a well known brand name throughout New Zealand and Australia. Until 2006, Rebel had no big-box sports competitor, prompting the use of the well-known slogan No ones got more sports gear. However, Lane Walker Rudkin, owners of sports franchise Stirling Sports, have announced plans to launch several large format stores across the country, beginning with a store in Christchurch, which opened in mid-2006. This followed the collapse of a deal between Briscoe Group and LWR a year earlier, which would have seen Briscoe buyout the Stirling franchise. Since Stirlings big box launch, Rebel has dropped their original slogan, which has been replaced with Lets Play, backed by a new  marketing campaign which targets a wider audience from the traditional club-orientated team sport audience. The company is also continuing their aggressive expansion programme, launching several smaller-format stores such as Napier and Taupo to allow branches to reach further into provincial areas. Briscoe Group. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 15, 2014 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Briscoe_Group The latest retail customer satisfaction report for New Zealand from research organisation Roy Morgan Research reveals that Rebel Sport has emerged as the  sports store with the highest percentage of satisfied customers. Rebel came in at at 82. 0 percent for the 12 months to December 2009 (up 4. 4 percent points from the 12 months to December ‘08). Stirling Sports was third with 77. 5 percent (down 2. 9 percent from the same period). â€Å"The category as a whole has performed below the average for all non-food stores. It seems all sports stores need to close the gap in improving their levels of satisfaction. † Sports Link. Sporting Goods Outdoor Retailing. (May 17, 2010). Retrieved from http://www. mysportslink. net/rebel-sport-leads-the-way-cms-837.

Horniman Horticulture Essay Example for Free

Horniman Horticulture Essay Executive Summary: Horniman Horticulture is a wholesale nursery located near Lynchburg, VA. Its owned by Bob and Maggie Brown. From 2002-2005, the nursery’s operations grew by more then 40%. Revenue growth has exceeded the industry benchmark. The nursery now consists of 52 greenhouses, 40 acres of land, and 12 full-time workers as well as 15 seasonal workers. Problem: While experiencing booming demand and improving margins, the Browns are confused by their plummeting cash balance. Analysis: Horniman’s current assets are growing over time, but in a less liquid fashion, less from cash and more from receivables and inventory. Horniman is not receiving money as quickly as they would hope, which is shown by the 9-day increase in receivable days since 2002 (exhibit 2 p.141). This figure is also well above its benchmark. The Inventory days increased every year as well and was well above the benchmark of 386.3. Payable days decreased much more than was expected, to 9.9 in 2005 when the benchmark was 27. What most likely happened is that as Horniman grew, it began selling inventories with higher margins and better financing options were being offered to its customers. Favorable terms are attractive to new clients but it can also increase risk of non-payment from customers. In terms of where the cash they have made is going, we must look at how they are distributing their cash flow. Most cash was invested back into the business itself to build capital. It seems as if every dollar of profit was put towards more net working capital. Recommendation: Increasing the payable days or lowering the day’s receivable outstanding would reduce the cash conversion cycle. Although it is important to invest cash back into the company for growth, a more conservative approach of holding on to more cash would benefit Horniman in the future.

Motivation n Second Language Learning

Motivation n Second Language Learning It is natural that students achieve differently in the same class, learning from the same teacher. How students learn and why they achieve differently has been a field of interest among many scholars, especially in the field of second language (L2) learning. Many studies have been conducted about the different factors that affect learner variables, both cognitively and affectively. On a general basis, there are mainly three factors that contribute to the individual differences in L2 learning experience: learning styles, learning strategies and affective variables; Motivation being one of the most important issues in affective variables. (Ehrman et all, 2003) According to Wigfield (1994), motivation is based on how much the individual expect to succeed and their value of their success. Gardner defined motivation as the combination of effort plus desire to achieve the goal (learning the language) and favorable attitudes towards it. (Gardner, 1985) Although the theories and researches c oncerned on motivation have never been free from criticism, it is generally agreed that motivation have great impacts and influences on individual learners. Based on the classification of different types of motivation, this essay aims to explore how it affects a students learning experience, particularly in L2 learning. This essay also provides some suggestions on teaching which might provide help to the formation of a positive motivation. The different types of motivation Theories and models of motivation began to appear in the 1950s, when Gardner and Lambert proposed the Socio-Educational model of language learning, which contained two types of motivation: integrative and instrumental. (Gardner Lambert, 1959). Such model laid the ground work for further research, being developed by following scholars. Deci and Ryan (1985) distinguished between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations; the motivation inside and outside the individual. And based on Skehans (1989) four hypothesis, Ellis (1994) categorized four types of motivation: integrative motivation, instrumental motivation, resultative motivation and motivation as intrinsic interest. (Ellis, 1994) While Lambert described integrative orientation as a sincere and personal interest in the people and culture represented by the other language group, (Lambert, 1974) Ellis (1994) emphasized that orientation and motivation are two concepts which need to be considered separately. While Orientation refers to the underlying reasons for studying an L2, i.e. the effort plus desire; motivation is the directed effort that learners make. (Ellis, 1994) In other words, integrative motivation is the desire for students to want to become part of a speech community, an important aspect of which is using the target language for social interaction. Immigrants are usually examples of people with high integrative motivations. Integrative motivation is normally considered oppose to instrumental motivation, and often believed to be more powerful in its effects than the latter. Gardner and Lambert studied English speakers learning French in Quebec and argued that integrative motivation led to greater suc cess in L2 learning. (Gardner and Lambert, 1959) Instrumental motivation developed from Skehans (1989) The Carrot and Stick Hypothesis, which originally implies external influences and incentives. (Ellis, 1994) Different from integrative motivation, which appears to be less achievable and requires longer time as well as effort; instrumental motivation is more centered on concrete goals such as a job, diploma, or the ability to read academic articles. This form of motivation is thought to be less likely to lead to overall success than integrative motivation, as the ultimate goal is more feasible. Rewards could also be seen as an instrumental motivation, which could aid the learning process to some extent. Gardner and MacIntyre (1991) reported a study for a vocabulary task in which the group of students who were offered awards did significantly better than the comparable group, although the positive effects decreased as soon as the reward stops. Generally, the effects of instrumental motivation tend to maintain for a shorter time per iod. Unless the individual pushes himself further by setting up new goals, the effect ends as soon as the goal is achieved. Despite the differences in integrative and instrumental motivation, some (Muchnick Wolfe, 1982) argued that it is impossible to separate the two in certain occasions, when students have strong motivations for both. (cited from Ellis, 1994) Resultative motivation is concerned with the relationship between motivation and achievement, which Ellis (1994) identified as interactive. Learners motivation is strongly affected by their achievement. Students who perform well in classrooms are more likely to gain confidence and to be more willing to participate. However, Gardner, Smythe and Clement (1979); suggested that while greater motivation and attitudes lead to better learning, the converse is not true (Cited from Ellis, 1994). But the vicious circle of low motivation = low achievement = lower motivation could always develop. (Ellis, 1994) Interest is a powerful psychology tool in receiving attention from students and urging them to make efforts. There are various ways that teachers could help students to develop their intrinsic interest motivation, such as welcoming students with a big smile, or introducing new activities into the classroom. The effects of motivation From the psychological perspective, motivation could also be categorized as positive and negative motivation. Positive motivation means an optimism and upbeat response towards the tasks being assigned to. Negative motivation implies unwillingness and is often companied with anxiety. Nearly all students will experience both positive and negative motivation in some level of their studies; therefore, it is important for them to understand that both positive and negative motivations could be helpful or harmful. Positive motivation It is generally believed that positive motivation leads to better results in the learning process. Students who enjoy learning a L2 or have a clear aim tend to work harder that those who have no interest. However, one of the limitations of the studies in motivation is that the main tool is normally questionnaires, which has questionably validity. There is always the possibility that students would write down what the teacher hopes them to, or what makes them look good, even if the questionnaire is confidential. Also, motivation is different from the actual effort that people make. A student could be highly-motivated judging from his questionnaire but might not have made any efforts in his studies. (Ellis, 1994) In terms of the learning process, motivation itself is not enough. It is just an urge which pushes the student work harder, which means nothing if not taken action. Adoring the teacher and enjoying the class does not necessarily imply that the student understood what he should have learned. Also, motivation is quite changeable; making it difficult to measure which against time and persistence. Besides, a positive attitude might lead students to be overly relaxed or improperly prepared and perform worse than they could have. There is a thin line between confident and arrogance. Negative motivation Negative motivation is normally associated with anxiety, unsatisfactory performance and low achievement. But it might not necessarily be like that for every one. Oller and Perkins suggested that negative motivation might be more powerful to some learners in motivating them to excel, which they referred to as Machiavellian Motivation. (Oller Perkins, 1978) I recall a similar situation from my own learning experience. When I was studying English in primary school, one of the strongest motivations that drove me to work harder was a Korean girl who used to make fun of me. I had the urge to show her that I was capable of learning the language. Although Machiavellian Motivation did not always work that way. I did not like my French teacher when I was studying French as a L2 in my university. But I was never intrigued by the idea of working hard and proving to her that I could manage to learn the language properly. Instead, I got trapped between Elliss vicious circle of low motivation = lo w achievement = lower motivation. (Ellis, 1994) Supposable Machiavellian Motivation is more likely to domain when the imaginary opponent is of the similar level. When the opponent is far more advanced than the learner himself, the idea to conquer would not easily arise, although there could always be exceptions. The formation of a positive motivation Although negative motivation may lead to positive results in the learning process, Machiavellian Motivation is quite risky which might not be suitable for all learners as well. It is generally more simple and beneficial to form a positive attitude when learning an L2. As Pintrich and Schunk (1996) indicated, motivation depends greatly on context, the people involved and specific circumstances. (cited from Ehrman et all, 2003) Motivation is never a fixed dimension; teachers could always help students to form positive motivations. Not all L2 learners have the opportunity to be integrated in a country where the target language is used as L1. However, there are other methods which teachers could use to help students form integrative motivation, such as introducing the culture, using authentic reading material, or asking students to watch foreign movies in the target language. One of the methods that my English teacher used when I was in primary school was asking us to write letters to our American pen pals. We were all deeply engaged in the activity and highly motivated by the desire to communicate with our friends on the other side of the world. Teachers could help their students to form instrumental motivation by setting up clear goals and aims. There could be little steps for beginners, and gradually help students to form the habit of setting up goals for themselves. Realistic and feasible short term goals are very helpful to students in finding their weakness and knowing where they want to be. Teachers could also encourage students to set up long term goals and set up study journals to record their progress. Motivation is always closely linked with performance. To avoid the vicious circle of low motivation = low achievement = lower motivation, (Ellis, 1994) it is necessary to form a positive motivation towards all learning process. In helping students to form a positive resultative motivation, teachers should always consider the difficult of tasks. Students could easily be depressed by their work and put in less effort or all effort when they have decided that it is too difficult for them. The instructions should also be clear so that they would understand what they are expected to do. The tasks should be deigned to suit the demand of the majority of the class, within their cognitive ability and slightly out of their reach so that they would make an effort to accomplish it. Also, how to give feedback and what type of feedback should be given to students is another important issue. An assignment all in red marks would easily discourage anyone. What the teachers could do, particularly for writing class is to have one focus each week such as future tense or pronouns and only look for mistakes in the specified area. The errors could be marked by letters or underlined and ask the students to correct them by himself. Teachers need to understand that errors are inevitable in the learning process and actually a sign that learning is taking place. (Broughton et all, 1980) In SLA theories, error analysis (EA) is a technique which aims to describe and explain the systematic nature of errors generated in the learners language which was established in the 1970s by Stephen Pit Corder. (Corder, 1967) The errors that people make reveal patterns of L2 language development and the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition. Errors provide valuable feedback to both teachers and learners regarding learner strategies and the learning progress; help the teachers to understand the students level and reflect on their own teaching methodology. They also indicate whether the students are rea dy to further their studies. Moreover, errors provide insights into the nature of SLA process. As mentioned before, interest is a powerful tool in L2 learning. To start with, teachers should always try to create a comfortable atmosphere within the classroom. A teacher with a good personality, someone who is adored by the students could make the class much more enjoyable. To boost students interest, teachers could always being new activities into the classroom. Task based learning combined with stories and games would easily attract young learners. For more advanced learners, teachers could occasionally bring culture and drama into the classroom for a change. Also, according to a study by Bachman (1964), students are more motivated when are involved in decision-making, which lead to overall productivity. (Cited from Ellis, 1994) As indicated, students will show more interest in their studies when they feel that they have made decisions. Consequently, teachers could ask for the students opinions to decide on a particular subject for their assignments. Group work also has signifi cant values in increasing students interests, providing with the students an opportunity to interact with each other and share their opinions. Small group tasks are particularly motivating as the students know that their peers are working towards the same project. (DÃ ¶rnyei, 2001) By working cooperatively, students will be urged to perform better, being a representative of their own group. Conclusions As how motivation works and the effects of motivation differ among each individual, also being influenced by many variables, the studies regarding motivation have never been free from criticism, including its classification. However, the impact and value of motivation is generally impossible to ignore. Although both positive and negative motivation could lead to higher achievement in L2 learning, students should be encouraged to form positive motivations as it is more likely to encourage success than Machiavellian Motivation. (Oller Perkins, 1978) Motivation is not an unchangeable domain; teachers could help students form motivation in all of the four categorizes identified by Ellis: integrative motivation, instrumental motivation, resultative motivation and motivation as intrinsic interest. (Ellis, 1994) Also, it is important for students to learn to control their motivation and use it in an active way; to maintain longer motivation for greater success. (Word Count: 2310)

TERRORISM: DEFINITION, TEMPLATE, AND EXAMPLES Essay -- essays researc

TERRORISM: DEFINITION, TEMPLATE, AND EXAMPLES In order to determine whether an action is a terrorist act or not, terrorism must first be defined. Terrorism is the use or threatening the use of violence as a weapon to influence a person or a group of people to change policies or influence decisions according to the terrorist’s desires. The terrorist can be a single person acting on personal wishes or a group of people with an ultimate goal. The goals of a terrorist are normally political, ideological, or religious in nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once an action has been identified as a possible terrorist act, it now becomes necessary to further explore the reason(s) of the individual(s) behind the action. The elements that are consistent with every terrorist are motive, planning, and recognition. It is necessary to have at least all three of these elements in order to be considered a terrorist or terrorist organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every terrorist has a motive. Even the terrorist who can be proven as clinically insane has a motive at the root of his actions. Most generally the motive of the individual or a group is political, religious, or ideological in nature. Keeping the three elements in mind, the following examples are provided.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One group that has used terrorism in order to bring about recognition to their group is the Aum Shinri Kyo (Supreme Truth). This group of Armageddonist (normally a religious group that... TERRORISM: DEFINITION, TEMPLATE, AND EXAMPLES Essay -- essays researc TERRORISM: DEFINITION, TEMPLATE, AND EXAMPLES In order to determine whether an action is a terrorist act or not, terrorism must first be defined. Terrorism is the use or threatening the use of violence as a weapon to influence a person or a group of people to change policies or influence decisions according to the terrorist’s desires. The terrorist can be a single person acting on personal wishes or a group of people with an ultimate goal. The goals of a terrorist are normally political, ideological, or religious in nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once an action has been identified as a possible terrorist act, it now becomes necessary to further explore the reason(s) of the individual(s) behind the action. The elements that are consistent with every terrorist are motive, planning, and recognition. It is necessary to have at least all three of these elements in order to be considered a terrorist or terrorist organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every terrorist has a motive. Even the terrorist who can be proven as clinically insane has a motive at the root of his actions. Most generally the motive of the individual or a group is political, religious, or ideological in nature. Keeping the three elements in mind, the following examples are provided.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One group that has used terrorism in order to bring about recognition to their group is the Aum Shinri Kyo (Supreme Truth). This group of Armageddonist (normally a religious group that...

The Butterfly Effect :: Personal Narrative Essays

The Butterfly Effect If you hold a piece of string between your hands you have an "end" in each hand, but in more ways than one each end can also be called a beginning: The beginning of the string, the beginning of the transition from string to hand, or the beginning of the transition from string to air. Quantum physics has taught us that nothing is absolutely any one thing. The string--be it nylon, hemp, or cotton--has electrons, and those electrons, busy critters, move, flux, and orbit, constantly redefining the space of that piece of string. The electrons of your hand, too, constantly shape and reshape your "personal space" by their activity. In the resultant intermingling of the subatomic parts of your body and the string you become, to some extent, an extension of that piece of string and it becomes a part of you. Astronomers speak of a similar idea called "The Mediocrity Principle." This idea says that, at this time, the view of the universe from earth is no better or no worse than from anywhere else in the universe. As Chet Raymo says in his book The Virgin and the Mousetrap: "We're cosmically mediocre." But because the universe continues to expand, there must have been a time when it began to expand. Though with today's technology they have no way of knowing when exactly this occurred, astronomers have formed a hypothetical idea called zero time. Even this, zero time, is not the beginning of the universe, however; that's just when it began to take its current shape. You can trace the evolution of a loaf of bread back to when it was just a lump of ingredients, and you can trace it to a time when the ingredients came together, but even beyond that all the ingredients were still there; they just hadn't come together yet. Cosmologists differ on what they think the universe was before the ingred ients came together or how they got there in the first place, but even the strictest of evolutionists believe in the literal truth of at least one bible passage: Ecclesiastes 1:9: "That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun." For the past twenty-five years or so Chaos Theory has been one of the hottest, most interesting fields of scientific study.

The village by the sea :: essays research papers

ESSAY NO.2 In Annita Desai’s novel, the treatments between male and female characters are totally different. It is described in the novel that the male characters are always lazy, selfish drunkards while the female characters are diligent and always keeping the family together. Annita tried to illustrate the readers how Indian people live in the village of Thul and how urban Indians live in the capital city of India, Bombay. In the creative novel of The Village by the sea, the two characters that play the most important roll in the play are Hari and Lila. Hari is the one who find some food and some earnings for the family, and also the one who decides to go to Bombay because he thinks that he certainly cannot get a job in an industry. On the other hand, Lila is the one who takes care of her two sisters, Bela and Kamal, and also her sick mother. In every morning, she needs to make tea for her two sisters before they go to school and also her mother who is sick of an unknown disease. Both Hari and Lila cannot go to school because the family does not have enough money to support all the children’s school fee. Despite the facts that Annita Desai describes the village of Thul as a mini paradise which lived there happy people, but apart from that she tries to focus at Hari and Lila’s hut. All the people and houses around their hut seem so colourful and joyful. However, Annita describes Hari and L ila’s hut as a small, old patched hut which has a feeling of unhappiness and sickness. The earthen walls are crumbling and the windows gapped without any shutters. She illustrates the readers that this hut is such a colourless hut apart from all the other huts around it. The mother, who is sick, of this family is the one who plays the most important part in keeping the family alive, well and together. Although Annita just writes in the novel that the mother is very sick and cannot move anywhere, but she was the one who keeps this family joined together. Because the father, who is the leader of this family, is a drunkard who is irresponsible about taking care of the family Hari and Lila needs to find some way to survive and to earn some money to take their mother to the hospital.

“Let Him Have It”: How does the director encourage the audience to feel sympathy for Derek and his family?

n this film â€Å"Let him have it† how does the director, Peter Medak, encourage the audience to feel sympathy for Derek Bentley and his family? Refer to three specific episodes from the film in you answer. â€Å"Let him have it† by Peter Medak is a very powerful film based on a controversial true story. The narrative is about a murder committed by Christopher Craig and Derek Bentley. Peter Medak, the Director, explained â€Å"I made this film to break hearts† and the way the scenes have been established and portrayed by the actors increase the emotional response of the viewer. The reason that this film is so effective is due to the amount of emotion and sympathy the Director portrays towards Derek Bentley. However, the film has a distinct bias towards Derek Bentley as it follows his characterisation compared to that of the other actors. Within this essay I will draw out the techniques the Director has uses to create a truly emotive production. I have chosen three episodes from the film where I believe the Director has emphasised the sympathy towards Derek and his family most effectively; the opening chapter, this depicts Derek when he was a young boy during World War II, the murder of the police officer, this is when Derek and Chris Craig attempt to break into a premises and the hanging. As the film opens it immediately provides the feeling of; sadness, sorrow, grief and unhappiness. The background to the credits are pitch black and the credits are written in old style, types set with white writing, establishing the feeling that the film is set in the past. The background music is sad, gentle and to some extent slightly emotional providing a sense of unhappiness. As the credits continue, the music gets louder and louder. This creates suspense in the audience, making the viewer believe that something is going to happen. The credits dissipate and then we can here bomb blasts, providing an indication that the first scene is going to be set during a war. This is effective because we can imagine the scene from the sound before we can view it. The first scene reveals the trauma suffered by people living in London during World War II. As the camera pans the set it shows the demolished houses and the devastated families with their personnel belongings scattered over the rubble. This creates a strong emotional response in the viewer for all of the people caught up in the air raid that has hit the street. The camera pans across a demolished house and the distraught family and then focuses into a body shot of a mother crying over her dead child. A lady calls for help, the attention is focused upon the lady shouting, â€Å"I have found him†, as they lift the rubble away, revealing Derek for the first time. The scene reveals a helpless, weak and vulnerable young boy surrounded by rubble and covered in dust. The Director increases the emotive effect of the scene by lighting the childs' face and zooming into the boy, which then reveals blood seeping out of his ear. The boy starts to shake and fit, this completed the effect the Director was aiming for, to create the initial sympathy for Derek. The trauma Derek experienced within the first scene could provide the reasons for his learning difficulties and disability. The Director has built this scene to explain to the audience what is happening to Derek and to create sympathy for him due to this incident, although at this stage it is unclear that he is suffering from. The Director has clearly identified this scene to underpin the whole film and I believe it provides a very descriptive and highly emotive start to the film. The film transports the viewer to when Derek was 19 years old, this is expertly delivered by focusing in on Derek in the rubble, followed by a close up of Derek as a teenager and pans out to show who he is with. The boys are about to break into an old persons shed, the mood is sad and sombre. The music is slow and deliberate, using the ‘miner keys' making this scene uncomfortable and provides the feeling that something bad is going to happen. Then you see the boys breaking into the old person's sheds, the lighting suggests Derek's innocence due to him being highlighted and the boys shadowed. The music gets louder and louder when the boys are vandalising the shed. Derek had no intentions of going into the old persons shed until one of the boys encouraged him, â€Å"Hoy Derek†. The Director is showing the audience how easily led and vulnerable Derek is whilst under the influence of others, which could be due to Derek's learning disability. It looks obvious throughout the scene that Derek is playing and he does not understand what he is doing wrong. He is trying to be part of the gang. During the scene Derek tries to eat the old person's supper that the other boys ruined with coffee, this is out of character for him and supports the conclusion that he is trying to fit in. When the man comes back the rest of the boys flee but Derek just freezes, he then starts fitting. This scene is powerful due to the high camera shot indicating his harmlessness and his lack of power. The Director uses this technique to establish sympathy for Derek, so you feel that he is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The scene shows how the character of Derek is fragile and how easily he gives into peer pressure. This provides the impression of weakness within his character. The Director has again uses this scene to depict the major events that affect Derek's life and sets the scene of how Derek ends up in Kingswood Approved School (a young offender's institute) and raises the question as to whether it is his fault that he is in there. The scene has a big impact on the film; the audience would not feel as much sympathy for Derek because they may think that he was ill-disciplined and badly behaved for being in the institute. In the institute the music starts slowly to create sadness in the audience, as the camera tracks through the institute to a long shot of Derek in a long narrow corridor. This makes him look alone, harmless and sad as if he is waiting to be disciplined by the Head Master of the institute. The following scene is of Derek's father and the Head Warden in the office discussing Derek's low intelligence and his disability, epilepsy. This make the audience feel sympathy for Derek because he has been categorised and is not capable of fitting into a young offenders institute. Derek needs specialist help, which he never appears to receive. After Derek is released from the Institute he takes it upon himself to become reclusive and agoraphobic probably due to this being easier than facing life and its dangers. It takes allot of persuasion by his sister, whom he loves, to overcome this feeling and become more extravert. This also provides the audience with impression that he feels unwanted because of being rejected from the school. This could have resulted in how easy it was for Derek to join Chris's gang, because he felt wanted. Prior to the scene where Derek and Chris attempt to break in to the butchers shop, Derek is portrayed as someone who is trying to fit in and that is why he takes the keys to the shop. Throughout this scene there is clear evidence that Derek does not realise the potential implications of what he is doing, he believes he was only having fun. When Derek hands over the keys to Chris he comments, â€Å"you be in charge Chris,† as if he is a child. As they jump off the bus the boys play together, just like young children. Chris then hands a knuckle duster to Derek; he takes it like a child taking a new toy from his parents. This helped establishes to the audience that Derek's intention on the roof was not to kill but to just following the gang and try to be one of them, as portrayed in the gangster movies that the boys watched at the cinemas, prior to this scene. Chris applies a great deal of peer pressure to Derek, â€Å"are we going to do this or are you going to piss off too? † this shows how easily he is led by Chris. The Director shows a family observing Chris and Derek climbing up the fence, they immediately call the police. The audience is now aware that the police are coming; it also creates suspense, as you wonder what will happen to Derek and Chris if they get caught. The Director keeps switching to the police and their movements setting the scene for what is about to happen. The viewers can see the level of police presence surrounding the boys where as Chris and Derek are completely unaware as they are playing on the roof, running around like children catching each other in a school playground. When Derek and Chris are surrounded by the police, Derek exclaims, â€Å"my dad is going to kill me†, he could not think of anything worse than being reprimanded by his father. A police officer enters the roof and Derek struggles with Chris to try to prevent him shooting him, he warns the officer that Chris has a gun. Derek does not move when he was warned to stay still by the officer. It is at this stage when a critical point of the whole film is depicted, the officer asks Chris for the gun. Derek shouts to Chris â€Å"let him have it† meaning to give the gun to the officer; however Chris shoots the officer. Throughout this scene, Derek is portrayed as trying to help. The audience can feel sympathy for Derek because when he is trying to be of assistance but is being pushed around by the police. The audience do not feel as much sympathy for the policeman as they do for Derek because the viewer does not know about the officer's background, as we do with Derek, he is not characterised. The Director makes it very clear that Derek does intend to hurt or kill anyone and has no animosity towards the police officer. The Director shows a clear bias towards Derek in the way the scene is depicted. The audience could feel some sympathy for Chris because his brother has just been sent to prison; he shouted â€Å"you gave my brother twelve years†. It is effective when the Director shows a close up of all the policemen loading up their guns, and showing Chris loading his gun with six bullets, to show how outnumbered Chris is compared to the police. When the Police Officer was murdered, the Director includes a close up of all of the faces looking at the body, Derek was shocked, sad and stunned at what Chris had committed. When Derek walks towards the body he looks physically shaken, the viewer can feels a lot of sympathy towards him because he is genuinely sorry for the policemen. Derek knelt by the policeman's side, lowering himself down to his level, to show his respects towards the policeman. As the policemen take Derek away he does not resist arrest because it was never his intention to hurt anyone, after all he was just playing, or so he thought. In the third scene I have chosen, Derek and his family are awaiting the hanging. The Director creates a large amount of sympathy towards Derek and his family throughout the final episode. Once again the lighting and camera position is used to increase the emotive effect of the scenes. After Derek is taken down, following the court case, Derek and Chris are in two different cells looking at each other, this is the first time in the film where the Director places Derek in the shade. This is because he fared worse following the court case due to his age compared to that of Chris and he is facing execution. In the scene just prior to the hanging a light is tracked from the window through to the bath full of letters showing the support received for Derek's cause. The Director again is using this effect to show Derek's innocence, this creates sympathy in the audience as they know what is about to unfold and that it is unjust. When Derek's parents were informed that he should never have been tried in a court of law because of his mental age, the audience feel pity towards him because of what he went through in court, the stress of it all, when he should never have been there in the first place. The audience feels sympathy when he says â€Å"I am not afraid to die†; it gives the impression that he has given up and accepted the fact that he will die. It also emphasises the fact that he is still a child inside. The audience feels sorry for Mr. Bentley as the letter to the Queen is his last hope of saving his son. The Director has added this scene to depict the desperation of the Bentley family. During Derek's last conversation with his family he says goodbye as if he will never see them again, he tries to stay positive when his mum and dad are around â€Å"cheerio, see you tomorrow†. The music in this scene gradually gets louder to increase the emotion between the family also increases the sympathy towards Derek and his family, especially when you realise Derek can not touch or kiss his family for the last ever time before the hanging. They then place their hands together on either side of the glass barrier. Derek dictates his last words to a prison warden because he can not write for himself, he states in his letter to his mum â€Å"I tell you what mum, the truth has to come out, and when it does a lot of people will get hurt†. As Derek dictates this the camera gradually zooms in as he signs his name showing that he is struggling to spell his name and has the handwriting of a child. The Director chooses to show a scene where Derek's dad is in his bedroom holding his toy aeroplane, waiting for a verdict, this reminds us that Derek is mentally still a child. It makes you feel sorry for Derek because he is going to be executed for a crime that he would never be able to even conceive, never mind commit. You feel like they are hanging a child, an eleven year old child. What's more, in the scene the Director uses a close up of the officer scribing for Derek, the officer has a tear in his eye, as he sees the injustice unfolding. Within the execution scene there is a close up of the clock above the fireplace in the Bentleys house, this is very effective as it symbolises Derek's life ticking away. Mr. Bentley walks out into the middle of the street making him look small and helpless, like he has given up all hope. The street looks long and lonely, a postman walks up to Mr. Bentley giving him a pat on the back saying â€Å"this is all today† this shows the contrast in letters. A couple of days before there had been hundreds of letters being delivered, but now there was only one letter. This tells the audience that even Derek's supporters have given up on the possibility of a reprieve. As the clock is ticking away the camera delivers a high shot looking down on the family in the middle of their living room, hugging each other for comfort. The high shot makes them look helpless' you feel that there is nothing they can do to help Derek now. It makes the audience feel sorry for the family as they have tried everything they could; petitions, trying to get a retrial, writing to the queen etc, but in the end nothing had worked. The Director increases the sympathy for the family when he uses a close up of them crying together for Derek. This is jucsiposed to Derek saying his pray the Director shows the grieving and scared, sad Derek, to maximise the suspense and the sympathy for him and his family. Outside of the prison, protesters are singing hymns asking for God's mercy for Derek. The Director shows this shot of all the protestors singing, in front of the huge walls of the prison and a huge solid door. This shows that the protesters can't do anything for Derek but pray, sing and hope. This is creating sympathy for Derek because it is clear that everyone is on Derek's side even the officers inside the prison and the executioner. The executioner says to Derek â€Å"everything is going to be alright† to provide him with some encouragement. When it is time for the execution a clock is ticking, this links Derek's scene to his families scene, then the clock strikes 9 o'clock and Derek's breathing becomes louder. This is creating the tension in the audience, and also showing how nervous and scared Derek is towards the execution. Derek does not struggle or shout protesting his innocence, if the director didn't show this the audience would not feel as much sympathy for him. All the prison officers stopped working and after he was hung they bowed their heads showing their sadness for Derek. The protesters are now singing hymns for him as if they were at a funeral. When Derek is hung the camera closes in on his shoes in order to try to achieve the atmosphere, yet not showing the macabre hanging. The camera pans towards the light coming from the ceiling, as if Derek was escaping from the prison and going home or towards heaven. The camera flies over Derek's town into his bedroom and down the stairs, as if he was walking towards the living room to his family. The camera makes the audience feel like Derek is now a ghost or an angle. The camera zooms in towards Derek's family together in the middle of the living room. Then over their shoulders to the clock on the mantelpiece, it stops ticking. This sequence of camera shots maximises the sympathy towards Derek and his family and creates an overwhelming feeling of injustice. The Director used multiple techniques in the film to create sympathy for Derek and his family for example; panning, high shot, low shots, close ups, body shots, etc. The music throughout the film is similar, slow and, sad using the ‘minor key' to create a slightly uncomfortable feeling. The lighting of Derek and the people around him, for example, Derek was predominantly in the light when he was around Chris, this suggests his innocence. The cumulative effect of the techniques creates a powerful, highly effective and emotive film which provides the viewer with a compulsion to keep watching and till the conclusion. After the conclusion the viewer is left with a true feeling of injustice and sadness especially when you find out it is based on a true story.