Plastic Theatre in A Streetcar Named Desire

Plastic Theatre in A Streetcar Named Desire 1. Introduction â€Å"I don’t want realism. [] I want [] magic!† (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 130) It is Blanche DuBois who states this quotation in Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire. In this drama from 1947, two worlds, embodied by the two characters of Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski, clash. That conflict between realism and a romantic view of things is visible through the whole play, increasing from scene to scene, and reaches its peak in Stanleys rape of Blanche in Scene Ten. After that suppression of the romanticism and with Blanche going to an asylum, one might think that the realistic point of view triumphs, but in my opinion her leaving and her acting, still relying on the kindness of strangers (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 159), leads to the impression of a survival of her fantasy world. She just escapes from the demonic night world and completes the cycle of romance (Thompson 28). But I dont think that her illusions win over Stanleys realism, as she is a Romantic protagonist committed to the ideal but living in the modern age, a broken world (Holditch 1 47). In Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire, things are not always called by their names, but he creates a sense of indirectness. With the aid of telling names and special attitudes of the characters, he caricatures a truth behind things. However, this is not restricted to the protagonists and their quotations, but also concerns the play itself, including the stage directions. The feeling of hidden truths is supported by effects and motifs, for example the adoption of light and music or the gestures of the actors. This realization of a play on a stage is called the Plastic Theatre, as the audience gets more involved through the use of different senses. This leads to a vivid impression of the feelings and thoughts of the protagonists. Williams himself created the term of the Plastic Theatre in his production notes to The Glass Menagerie. There he writes about a conception of a new, plastic theatre which must take the place of the exhausted theatre of realistic conventions if the theatre is to resume vitality as a part of our culture (Williams, Glass Menagerie 4). 2. Definitions To provide a solid basis for the following thoughts concerning the different characters of A Streetcar Named Desire and their points of view, I want to introduce and explain the two terms of realism and romanticism briefly. Both of them can also been seen as epochs in American Literature, but I just want to focus on the general statement. In addition, I want to expose further information about the idea of the Plastic Theatre. 2.1. Realism In the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, realism is described as accepting and dealing with life and its problems in a practical way, without being influenced by feelings or false ideas. This means that one takes things as they are, evaluating situations only with the aid of the visible facts, not relying on false hopes or following non-realistic ideals. The human reason has, from a realistic viewpoint, a higher value and is more important than emotions or spontaneous impressions. 2.2. Romanticism The romantic perspective is in contrast to the realistic one. Romanticism is related to highly imaginative or impractical (Longman Dictionary, Romantic.) attitudes, admiring ideals which are not realistic or even unachievable. In romanticism, feelings and emotions are stated higher than rational thinking and human reason, not only in the context of love issues, but also in the way of dealing with situations and problems. Impressions are not based on visible facts, but on ideal conceptions, and these conceptions might be sometimes quite fictional or utopian. 2.3. The Plastic Theatre To express his universal truths Williams created what he termed plastic theater, a distinctive new style of drama. He insisted that setting, properties, music, sound, and visual effects all the elements of staging must combine to reflect and enhance the action, theme, characters, and language (Griffin 22). Like Griffin, many authors, including Tennessee Williams himself, tried to explain the Plastic Theatre, but it was barely discussed in public. After he established the idea of the Plastic Theatre in the production notes to The Glass Menagerie, Williams never publicly discussed it again. But from that moment on, his plays were very theatrical, with lyrical and poetic language, his scenic descriptions draw on metaphors from the world of art and painting and with quite symbolic use of sound and light (Kramer). 3. A Streetcar Named Desire: The Truth Behind Things In Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire, the audience gets the impression that facts are not just stated within the text, but between the lines. The characters are often described better through their behavior and gestures than through their actual quotations. From scene to scene it gets clearer that Blanche and Stanley are embodiments of two very contrasting viewpoints of life: extreme romanticism and down-to-earth realism. This is also visible through different symbolic motifs, which emerge various times in the play. Connected with a very evocative use of music and light and many telling names from the beginning on, the whole play seems conspicuously allusive. 3.1. Romanticism and Realism in A Streetcar Named Desire We are presented in A Streetcar Named Desire with two polar ways of looking at experience: the realistic view of Stanley Kowalski and the non-realistic view of his sister-in-law, Blanche DuBois (Kernan 17). Williams brings the two views into conflict immediately. 3.1.1. Blanche DuBois as the Romantic Protagonist When the audience meets Blanche, her appearance is described as incongruous to this setting (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 8). In Scene One she arrives at the Elysian Fields, where her sister Stella and her brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski live. Her clothes are white and fluffy, looking very delicate and as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 9). She is very shocked about the habitation of her sister and calls it a horrible place (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 13). The reader is confronted instantly with her deranged self-awareness, as she asks Stella to turn the merciless (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 13) light off, because she does not want to be looked at in the bright light. This behavior is visible through the whole play. Blanche always tries to avoid over-light and glare. Her vanity about her looks is also remarkable in the way Blanche presents her figure to her sister, fishing for compliments and stating that she has the same figure as she had ten years ago. (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 18). She often states very romantic quotations through the whole play, e.g. concerning the pretty sky where she ought to go [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] on a rocket that never comes down (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 44). When the relationship between Blanche and Mitch, a friend of Stanley, becomes more intimate, the audience gets an impression of Blanches romantic conception. She calls him her Rosenkavalier and wants him to bow, just like the gentlemen in the Old South would do (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 90). Although she was married once, she tries to behave like she would be untouched and a virgin, which she is obviously not. When Mitch says that he cannot understand French, she asks Voulez-vous couchez avec moi ce soir? (Would you like to have sex with me tonight?) (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 95). The information about her past, that she had many men in a hotel called the Flamingo, and the way she speaks about her relationship with Mitch, that she does not love him, but just want a man with whom she can rest, brings certainty for the audience. So Blanches character can be described as a very romantic one. For her, outwardness is very important, and to appear very delicate and pure she is not afraid of telling lies. She is a fake, a person who likes to be better than she actually is, living in a fantasy world which has nothing to do with the real life. Already damaged by [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] the harsh realities of disease and death, Blanches Romanticism is reduced in some moments to nothing more than sentimentality (Holditch 155). 3.1.2. Stanley Kowalski as the Realistic Protagonist Stanley Kowalski seems as the embodiment of a real man, opposed to or ignorant of the transcendent, very sexual and physical. When the audience gets in contact with him for the first time, he carries a package of meat and throws it to his wife Stella. He is described as strongly, compactly built. Animal joy in his being is implicit in all his movements and attitudes (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 24). His relationship to his wife is a very sexual one, as Stanley treats his wife in a very physical way and Stella states that she is very attracted to him. When Blanche leaves to the asylum and Stella cries, he consoles her by touching in a sexual way (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 160), which is characteristic of their relationship. His view of things is a very realistic one. When Blanche informs Stanley and Stella that she had lost the plantation of their parents, Belle Reve, Stanley thinks that in fact she did not lose it, but perhaps sold it and did not give them their part of the money. For him, this would be an affront against himself, as the property of his wife Stella is his own, too. He thinks Blanche bought jewelry, clothes like a solid-gold dress and Fox-pieces (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 32) from the returns of the plantation. In reality, the furs are inexpensive summer furs (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 33) and the jewelry is glass. This mistake is the mistake of the realist who trusts to literal appearance, to his senses alone (Kernan 18). Stanleys view of things, the realistic one, is the one which works in the modern, broken world. He embodies this harsh world with all its physical, material and sexual aspects. His strong appearance and his human reason is all he needs to get along in the real world. 3.1.3. Conflict between Romanticism and Realism The two points of view clash from the beginning of the play on until the end. Blanche embodies the romantic one, whereas Stanley stands for the realism. In the course of the play Williams manages to identify this realism with the harsh light of the naked electric bulb which Blanche covers with a Japanese lantern. It reveals pitilessly every line in Blanches face, every tawdry aspect of the set. And in just this way Stanleys pitiless and probing realism manages to reveal every line in Blanches soul by cutting through all the soft illusions with which she has covered herself (Kernan 18). Kernan explains very descriptive the relationship between the two protagonists. Stanley does not treat Blanche with much respect, which is visible through the way he talks about her bathing and her way of dressing. But also Blanche has an aversion to him, calling him sub-human something not quite to the stage of humanity yet (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 74). For her, Stanley is a threat, because he is able to destroy her fantasy world and to uncover her past and her real face. The conflict increases from scene to scene and reaches its peak in the rape of Blanche. Stanley has to prove his dominance and therefore rapes her to force his reality on her. But she is not broken after the rape, she is just even deeper in her fantasy world, which is shown by the way she trusts the doctor, holding tight to his arm, still depending on the kindness of strangers (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 159). Finally the audience gets the impression that the realistic point of view has the advantage of being workable. Blanches romantic way of looking at things, sensitive as it may be, has a fatal weakness: it exists only by ignoring certain positions of reality (Kernan 18). 3.2. The Plastic Theatre in A Streetcar Named Desire Williams tried to communicate circumstances not only by the acting of the protagonists, but also through symbols and various effects. The setting, lighting, props, costumes, sound effects, and music, along with the plays dominant symbols, the bath and the light bulb, provide direct access to the private lives of the characters (Corrigan 50). The many telling names in the play give additional information and enforce the impression of a truth behind things. In the following subchapters I want to discuss exemplary Blanches bathing, the adoption of music and sounds and the use of telling names. 3.2.1. Blanches Bathing Blanche bathes very often in this play. She obviously wants to clean herself from her past. After the bathing, she feels all freshly [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] like a brand new human being (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 35). Every time she is confronted with the real, brutal world, she wants to escape in her dream world, which is strongly connected with bathing. In Scene Three when the men have a Poker Night and Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand on Stellas thigh, she instantly says I think I will bathe (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 49). In Scene Seven, she bathes again, little breathless cries and peals of laughter are heard as if a child were frolicking in the tub (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 110), while Stanley tells Stella about Blanches past and her affairs with a seventeen-year-old boy and many other men. The title of the song Blanche sings while bathing is It Only a Paper Moon and it is described as a saccharine popular ballad which is used contrap unctually with Stanleys speech (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 106). Especially the verse - But it wouldnt be make-believe If you believed in me! (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 107) is very ironic, because Blanche does not seem very trustworthy at all, and so the song even accentuates her disreputable past. After the rape, she bathes again in Scene Eleven and is very worried about her hair, as if the soap would not be completely washed out. The many baths in the play show that Blanche will never be done with bathing, because she is always confronted with the real world and could not clean herself from her past. It gives her a brand new outlook on life (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 115), but cannot change her life really. 3.2.2. Music and Sounds The use of music and sounds is also very theatrical in the play. The Blue Piano expresses the spirit of the life which goes on (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 6) and is always heard when the conflict between real world and Blanches fantasy world seems to increase. It is heard, for example, when Blanche arrives at Elysian Fields and grows louder when she informs Stella about the loss of Belle Reve as well as when Stanley tells her that Stella is going to have a baby. It also suggests the fall of Blanche as it is swelling when Stanley rapes Blanche and afterwards when he consoles Stella, who cries because of Blanches leaving. Another music, which is strongly connected with Blanches past, is the polka music. It is always heard when Blanche talks about her dead husband. It emerges for the first time when Stanley mentions that Blanche was married once (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 28). She tells Mitch the story about her husbands death, he shot himself after dancing with Blanche in a casino. He was homosexual and she discovered him with another man and said while dancing he disgusted her (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 103) and therefore he shot himself. It also appears when Stanley gives Blanche a ticket back to Laurel where she lived and when he takes Stella to the hospital and Blanche remains in the flat. So the song predicts Blanches downfall, as it is always heard when she is haunted by her past. 3.2.3. Telling Names There are various telling names in Williams play. Blanches name itself is quite telling, as blanche is French and means white, which is very fitting when looking at her character. The name of her plantation, Belle Reve is also French, meaning beautiful dream. Blanche behaves like she would still live in this dream, refusing to face the truth and the real world. There are many more telling names, but I want to concentrate now on the perhaps most important one, the Streetcar Named Desire as it is the title of the play. Blanche takes the streetcar named Desire (Williams, Streetcar Named Desire 9) to get to the apartment of the Kowalskis. This is very telling itself, as the audience finds out more and more about her past and that she leaved Laurel as a broken woman somehow, but her desire to live her life as an elegant, trustworthy and honest woman is still present. So she tries to live a, for her, desirable life, and she hopes to find that in New Orleans. By the aid of the telling names, which are visible from the beginning of the play on, the use of music and the different symbols which appear often, it seems very theatrical and plastic. The audience gets an impression of the characters and the circumstances in various ways. 4. Conclusion In Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire, the conflict between Romanticism and Realism, embodied by the two protagonists Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski, is the major theme of the play. With the aid of the characterization of these protagonists and the explanation of the conflict between them I was able to verify this thesis. These two persons are very polarized, visible through their points of view, their behavior and gestures. But in the end, only one point of view is workable, namely the realistic one of Stanley. Blanche lives in her dream world, even in the end after her rape. Stanley is not able to crush her, but she can only survive in her romantic fantasy world, which leads to the impression that she cannot exist in the modern age. The Truth behind things in this play is also visible through the Plastic Theatre. Williams caricatured this hidden truth by the use of music and sounds, symbols and motifs, and telling names. My notions about Blanches bathing, the Blue Piano and the Polka in the play, and the telling names were exemplary for this plastic and sculptural theatre, and therefore I showed the existence of a truth behind things and that the term of the Plastic Theatre fits for A Streetcar Named Desire.

Forest Fires :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the year 2000, fire fighters battled raging infernos as some of the worst wildfires in 50 years rampaged across a dozen states. Not only were these fires the worst in half a century, but they may be the worst ever recorded.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a single week in mid August, 86 major wildfires were raging in a dozen states from Arizona and California up to Colorado and Wyoming to Montana, Oregon and South Dakota. Five million acres of land burned, more then double the annual average for the past decade. A controlled fire six miles southwest of Los Alamos that was implemented as a fire prevention measure would not stop. First consuming dry grass, then ponderosa pines, then gobbling up hundreds of homes and buildings, the fire spread through Los Alamos, the home of the atom bomb. Some 20,000 people had to be evacuated and luckily the fires never came close to a building that held drums of transuranium mixed waste and a metric ton of plutonium. Noxious fumes wafted from the lead paint, rubber and plastics in burning cars and buildings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Due to the destructive wildfires, interest in fuel management to reduce fire control costs and damages has been renewed. Although several tools, such as prescribed burning and salvage timber sales can address these problems, the extent of the problem and the cost of needed treatments are generally unknown. There are few documented estimates of the decline in control costs or damages associated with fuel treatments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The roles and responsibilities of the Federal and State governments in fire protection may be subject to further debate. Laws state that a permit must be required to start a fire outside.

A Comparison of the Divided Self in Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein :: comparison compare contrast essays

Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein - Theme of the divided self Theme of the divided self within Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Thematically, the divided self is one of the most interesting themes within both novels and is of great importance to the development or ruin of the characters in both 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Frankenstein.' Both authors when primarily exploring this theme focus upon the physical, mental or spiritual division within certain characters. In Emily Bronte's novel 'Wuthering Heights,' the principal characters Cathy and Heathcliff are presented as needing this division within themselves to recognise their need for each other. This endurance of physical, mental and spiritual division whilst alive, allows them only tragically to experience when in death, complete entity within themselves. Primarily Cathy is not depicted as divided; instead, she is presented as belonging to a family unit, which seems to stay intact until the arrival of a 'gypsy brat.' Although Heathcliff creates a divide within the family due to his arrival, Cathy is seen to gain a friend with whom she feels she has an affinity both physically, spiritually and mentally, which will become increasingly evident as the novel progresses. However, this alliance throughout the novel is frequently thrown into turmoil by outside influences or factors. As we are informed from the onset, the "greatest punishment" that could be bestowed upon Cathy was separation from Heathcliff. Cathy and Heathcliff's separation only therefore ensues as a result of their initial outing to Thrushcross Grange. Their promise to grow up together as 'rude as savages,' is destroyed when Cathy and Heathcliff are separated physically by many factors resulting from this visitation. Just as the Linton's dog 'holds' Cathy, so too is the Linton's house symbolically presented as separating her from Heathcliff, when Heathcliff resorts to peering in through their 'great glass panes' to see Cathy, after being physically 'dragged' out of Thrushcross Grange. Cathy is also depicted as physically separated from Heathcliff even when she returns to Wuthering Heights. Instead of a 'wild, hatless little savage' with whom Heathcliff has an affinity with, she returns as a 'very dignified person.' Heathcliff is now therefore separated physically from Cathy, not only by appearance but as he said in the previous chapter, her superiority "to everybody," including him. The presentation of Cathy and Heathcliff as physically divided is not only literally seen through the differing households but also through Cathy's own actions and attire.

Cash Advance Loan Companies Essay -- Financial Debts, Capital Advances

Having hundreds of online loan companies giving short term capital advances, finding a capital advance mortgage company is straightforward and straightforward after you are usually tight having online and computers. Ever since economic become softer down, your pay day loan trade may be raising at a immediate pace substantially in the united states. With plenty of and a great deal of Americans looking at short-run funds in order to tide about capital emergencies, your financial area provides identified the following being an excellent chance to make a effective buck at your price of your borrowers. Interpersonal activists, Senators and sometimes your fundamental may be arrested of your immediate increase on the short term mortgage buy and sell and some practices adopted by your buy and sell. Your interpersonal activists are usually speedy in order to indicates the financial community is definitely exploiting your unfortunate borrowers by substantial price financial furthermore stipulations of which alone make things even worse for all of them. For a consequence, many countries through the condition have got developed crucial adjustments to your laws governing short term financial. and so individuals craving to get a respectable capital advance mortgage company could be for a furthermore updating independantly on your suitable provisions of which govern your performance of a capital improve mortgage company in his or her condition. It can be necessary but, that you only notice a respectable capital improve lender in order to stimulate competitive premiums and practical terms of which line up with your condition laws. a method you are going to simplify your workout is definitely by craving for web sites of which bring an indivi... ...proved within minutes and your checking account is credited often on the same day or at best the very next day. Most lenders do not insist on a credit check since the loan is secured through your next pay check and repayable in a maximum of 14 days or the next pay check whichever is earlier. Borrowers with stellar credit do have more affordable options and that is another reason why the credit is waived for sub prime borrowers. A cash advance loan company is the best option for borrowers who are looking for small sums of money ranging between $100 and $1500 and have strong reasons to opt for this expensive form of borrowing. One way borrowers can minimize the impact of interest and finance charges levied by a cash advance loan company is by using the loan amount to pay off another debt or a bill that would anyway attract penal charges if the payment is delayed.

Arctic Survival Simulation

Arctic Survival – From Success to Failure Contrary to the outcome exhibited by most other groups during the Arctic Survival exercise, our team score (34) was lower than my individual score (64). This is not to suggest that group collaboration is detrimental; in fact, our outcome was unique among the class and of great surprise to uk/the-professor-is-a-dropout/">the professor and entire class section. To be sure, pooling resources, elaboration of material, and support and motivation, while perhaps more time consuming, typically offer improved results.In theory, this model implies that a team’s collective knowledge can maximize utility and ensure the best outcome given the available information and perspectives. In our case, our group dynamics were such that we did not effectively utilize the resources we had, and consequently pooled a very limited amount of information. Rather than minimizing our risk, we increased it. I attribute much of our group’s failure at th is simulation to process loss, which is defined as the problems that arise from lack of effective coordination among group members.A number of factors at play could explain the process loss which led to our counterintuitive results. First and foremost, one must consider the way in which group dynamics impact the overall productivity of group collaboration. Our team consisted of K, R, W, J and myself. K and W were quite opinionated, and in contrast, both R and J were quiet – I did not have a sense of what their true opinions were. K dominated the group by putting forth an idea and adhering to that idea in spite of other opinions. Both K and W were vocal in reiterating what they thought were the most important elements of survival.In our case, we took no measures to counteract the impact of clashing personalities. Subsequently, a lack of civil discussion led to uncoordinated efforts with regards to how we should begin to approach a systematic analysis of the situation. An effec tive manager, however, should be skilled at identifying employee team dynamics and personalities; in order to maximize potential, the manager must have the emotional intelligence (that is, the ability to perceive, decipher, use, and pinpoint emotions accurately) to understand how team members differ with respect to emotions, motivation, perspectives, experience, and intentions.For example, though J was quiet and rarely spoke up or defended her ratings, I knew of J’s work ethic from class and understood that it was not as though she avoided work or pulling her weight. In other words, I recognized that her behavior was not attributed to social loafing, but to some other phenomenon. In this case, our group members seemed to exhibit varying levels of psychological safety, which is the belief that little to no risk exists in a particular group environment, and consequently each member feels free to contribute their true thoughts. I presumed that J and R did not feel psychologicall y safe.Anytime a group member disagreed and pressed them to argue for their position, they wavered and complied, indicating that they felt uncomfortable in taking a risk and voicing dissenting views. Their low psychological safety led to an apparent mode of groupthink, in which R and J preferred unanimity in the group over their perceived accurate valuations of arctic survival tools. Similar to the Asch experiment in which a dissenter purposely responded with the wrong answer regarding which stick length was equal, R and J were often silent even though their scores later revealed that their ranking of the rope was more in line with the ideal.Indeed, both R and J, but particularly J, demonstrated a primary symptom of groupthink by censoring herself and failing to communicate her unique viewpoints. Managing a group of people requires careful consideration of the group dynamics in play, paying close attention to symptoms of groupthink and low psychological safety which might lead to pr ocess loss. A manager must use his or her emotional intelligence and leverage group members’ differing perspectives.In doing so, team members will not fall victim to process loss, but will instead pool resources and elaborate on them, thereby facilitating healthy debate and a better end result than one could achieve on his or her own. In addition to identifying how team members differ with respect to emotions, motivation, perspectives, experience, and intentions, a manager must be cautious about his or her own actions and biases. While being confident and resolute is often positive, it can also blind a manager or group member to other valid viewpoints.Many fall victim to commitment and consistency, which is the tendency for individuals to adhere very strongly to a course of action because they feel pressure to act in line with their original declared commitments. Indeed, K exhibited strong commitment and consistency to certain declarations and did not back down. In particular , he was quite stubborn in his opinion that rope was the second most important asset for survival behind matches. When pressed to explain his case, his justifications were vague; yet, he was very insistent.I mentioned, for example, that rope was not necessary in killing prey for food (in comparison to the hand ax), and challenged him to elaborate on his view. He tried to reason by convincing me that rope was the better choice, but ultimately did a poor job at elaborating. The more we debated, the more steadfast he became – he had committed to a course of action, ranking the rope highly, and felt the pressure to follow through. He couldn’t back down now. Rather than counteracting my challenge that a hand ax was more important, he simply offered that he did not agree without any explanation as to why.What’s more, he did not listen to the ways in which an alternative solution might be better (in this case, the hand ax), but instead disregarded my perspective and st ood firm that the rope was more crucial to survival, thus confirming his previous beliefs. He defended his position and avoided information that potentially proved his theory wrong. Not only does this exemplify commitment and consistency, but also confirmation bias, which is an individual’s tendency to disregard information that would contradict his or her views and instead only focus on those explanations that confirm them.K’s adherence was convincing to W, who soon after agreed with his valuation of the rope. W’s support coupled with the others group members’ lack of any objections whatsoever throughout the simulation led to my almost immediate compliance on the subject matter. I let them have the rope, and they let me have the hand ax to follow. The next point of contention was the canvas. Though they all agreed that the hand ax was important, they did not believe the canvas to be significant. I was the only obstacle who expressed a different opinion.K and W’s mutual agreement coupled with R and J’s silence, seemed to bolster their insistence that the canvas was unnecessary. Eventually, J broke the silence and agreed with K and W. J was more likely to feel as though the canvas was insignificant given K and W’s dominant opinion regarding the matter. Once again, I succumbed and agreed to rank the canvas lower down. Though I certainly did not consider myself a manager in this simulation, it allowed me to reflect on my own dealings within a group context and as a potential manager.I was aware of the group dynamics and recognized the limitations that commitment and consistency, social proofing, confirmation bias, and groupthink provided, but also knew that likeability was a key strategy for influencing others. I prodded R and J to offer more insight, but my efforts often fell short. Rather than taking any methodical approach, K and W would dominate conversation, and I assumed the role of mediator, trying to compro mise between all perspectives. I could not claim to have expert power, but perhaps I could convince the group that we should take a more systematic and methodical approach to analyzing this situation.Unfortunately, my efforts probably provided more harm than good. I used reciprocity by telling K and W that he could have rope, if I could have the hand ax next. We continued to negotiate – W could have navigation guide next if the canvas could follow shortly after. The simulation consisted of many exchanges such as these. Reciprocity, which is the tendency for members to agree to a course of action of an individual who has done them a favor, miserably backfired in our case.Not only did group members (myself included) interrupt each other and fail to exert any sort of coordination, but my attempt to give everyone what they wanted eventually led to a higher valuation of the navigation guide. I should have known that R and J were easily persuaded and would not speak up about this u nwise decision, and yet I went through with it. In an effort to gain support through likeability and reciprocity, I sacrificed an effective decision-making process that would have led to a higher probability of success.Group collaboration is typically expected to prevail in this simulation due to pooling of resources and elaboration of material, and in retrospect, our group did a poor job of doing so; framed this way, it is not surprising that our outcome was the exact opposite of the simulation’s intended effect. Though only a simulation, the Arctic Survival exercise certainly illuminated the various ways in which I could be susceptible to ineffective managing. These models and concepts are not simply applicable to this and other simulations, but also provide insight into my potential downfalls.Perhaps it is necessary to assign a devil’s advocate to the group so that teams are not victimized by groupthink; instead a concerted effort to have varying opinions would insp ire thoughtful debate and ultimately more effective outcomes. Likeability is an important weapon of influence, but should not come at the expense of sound decisions – a manager must always exhibit a healthy balance of likeability and firm consideration of all the options. I must be cognizant of my team members and make sure to harness each individual’s strengths, going to great lengths to avoid the common pitfalls exhibited in this simulation.

Modern: Technology and Social Networking Essay

â€Å"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.† – Albert Einstein  © 3.1. INTRODUCTION How are we to obtain the measure of the distance between basic research and the essential technologies of the modern age? Are we in the process of building the bridge that will unite the two domains or is the gulf between them growing wider by the day? Reconciling the interested parties in any definitive way remains difficult as each side can furnish multiple examples to support their perspective on the matter. Perhaps the best illumination can be provided through a retrospective approach that highlights numerous pertinent discoveries and in doing so clear up some of the fog that surrounds the debate. 3.2. BACKGROUND CONDITIONS Modern Technologies have made us complete slaves to machines. There is no work which cannot be done without the assistance of machines and there is not a single area of human activity where machines don’t have to be used. No one can deny the fact that gadgets have not only simplified our lives but also made them more comfortable and luxurious. But on the contrary man’s dependence on them has increased so much that we just cannot do without them at all. If cabs go off the road we cannot reach our destinations. No cooking without LPG cylinder or cooking flame. No, we can’t do even simple calculations, what to talk of washing without washing machine or electricity. If electricity fails, life for each one of us comes to a standstill as all gadgets are operated with it be it AC, TV, computer, a telephone, or any other modern appliance. Perhaps there were times when every work was done with hands be it grinding or travelling far off places. People were tough who could walk for miles and work ceaselessly. In modern times we can’t ascend the stairs without feeling a burden over our stamina. Modern gadgets have completely transformed the human life and health to a great extent. It a fact that machines have become like servants without which life comes to a standstill. Thus we can say that our dependence on modern gadgets has made us complete slaves to machines and that we have lost our spirit to work and vitality, vigor and stamina and therefore no more good health and cheerfulness and endurance prevails. This dependence on machines has transformed the very human psychology. â€Å"All the biggest technological inventions created by man-the airplane, the automobile, the computer- says little with his intelligence, but speaks volume about his laziness† A warm greetings of peace and love ladies and gentlemen We have come to an era where everything inconceivable for the past 50 years has been made possible and actual. Once a dream, now a commodity. Once a prospect, now outdated. Once a thing of imagination, now an item of sensation. We can say that everything, I mean, everything, is now made available and accessible. Modernization takes a great part in the life of people. Effects that these products brought affects every aspect of human life. The effects of these technologies can be bothh positive and negative. Technologies are designed to make man’s life more easier. Technology makes communication more faster and easier. With the modern and improved equipments in our hospitals and other medical facilities, it saves more innocent lives. Transportation is also improved and more faster. Modern technologies are also used for security purposes. Crimes and other cases are easily solved with the help of these gadgets. But did we ever think that it could also destroy and degrades our very own life? Benfits also has its price, while it makes our lives and works easier to deal with, it can also have disturbing impacts to our lives. While some technologies are used in security purposes, some are also used to destroy security and peacefulness in the society. Let’s talk about social networking now. Social networking is rampant these days. I am too have my own facebook account. Social networking helps communication more fasters, but are we aware of news regarding social networking? Man use social networkings to find prospective victims of their selfish desires. I had read news about these in the web. Security of users are not assured and privacy is being invaded. Women are more prone to this kind of schemes. Man is the only living specie with boundless needs, but thankfully, with immeasurable capacity to invent things and satisfy his insatiability. Technology accommodates every human and inhuman want – pampers every fancy of human fiber. Look around. People manipulate the environment to achieve practical goals – goals that respond to their physiological drive. Technology is always about satisfaction, gratification and indulgence; technology is about excess, as in excessive entertainment of human needs. While new technology can provide advances for humanity, it can also have disturbing impacts. Our youth is the most vulnerable to any unfavorable bearing technology may bring. With the flood of modern equipment, gadgets and devices, we are deprived of the basics and fundamentals and essentials of things; we are estranged by sound judgment to determine what is right or wrong, what is appropriate or not, what is effective and not so. With the advent of PlayStation and the likes, who would prefer to gather around grandmother’s cradle and listen to her old-age stories? Who would have the thought of grabbing a book and have the religious habit of reading when internet is inviting? Who would flip pages of encyclopedia if they can just surf at Wikipedia and other educational portals? Gone are the days for serenades – cellular phones radically take over the courtship activity; say goodbye to airmail – electronic mails revolutionize the mailing system.

Motifs and Characterization in Macbeth Essay

The Tragedy of Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, uses various literary elements; among the strongest are motifs and characterizations used to express and symbolize important changes and events throughout the play. Macbeth is a brave and ambitious man full of self-doubt who is driven by evil forces into bad situations. The motif of light and darkness symbolizes the conflict between good and evil. A motif is a significant word, phrase, image, description, idea, or other element repeated throughout a literary work and related to the theme. Manhood is a motif used throughout the play to symbolize the manly and weak sides of people and what qualities people expect a man to have. Blood comes to symbolize guilt and violence. The clothes as titles motif symbolizes the title a person holds in the Kingdom. Characterization is used to explain how each character changes throughout the play and the reasoning behind their actions. Shakespeare also uses characterization to develop his plot. Shakespeare shows that Lady Macbeth is a very ambitious, dominating, and controlling character throughout the play. She is the reason Macbeth decides to kill Duncan. King Duncan is loved by everyone in the Kingdom. He is characterized as praiseworthy, caring, naà ¯ve, and trusting. Banquo is characterized as brave, innocent, logical, and full of reason. He is the mastermind behind the murder of King Duncan. Shakespeare uses many motifs throughout the story but he uses a lot of imagery of darkness and light. This is one of the strongest motifs used in the play. The motif of light and darkness symbolizes the conflict between good and evil. This motif is used to foreshadow when something good or bad is going to happen. It also shows the readers which characters are good and which characters are bad. In this play, darkness stands for evil, bad deeds, and hell. It is always dark when something bad is going to happen like when Lady Macbeth decides to kill Duncan. When she makes her decision she says, â€Å"Come, thick night, / And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, / That my keen knife see not the wound it makes† (Act 1. Scene 5. Lines 49-51). The darkness she calls on shows the evil or darkness in the act she plans to commit. The witches are also associated with darkness. They always meet in dark, stormy scenes and talk about wandering in foggy and filthy air. They symbolize evil. Light is associated with Heaven, God, and goodness. When Lady Macbeth calls on the murderous spirits saying, â€Å"Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark† (Act 1. Scene 5. Line 52), she is implying that light is the only thing that could stop her from murdering Duncan. Also, when Macbeth is fighting his ambition to kill Duncan and become King, he says, â€Å"Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires† (Act 4. Scene 4. Lines 50-51). This statement is implying that he is thinking evil thoughts and he does not want God to know his evil desires. Light and darkness are very prominent in all the characters’ actions and thoughts. Macbeth is a man that at first seems content to defend his King and country against treason and rebellion, and yet, his desire for power plays a major role in the way he commits the most heinous acts. Macbeth is characterized as brave, valiant, and loyal. The witches also awaken Macbeth’s ambition in the first act. The act gives the initial impression of Macbeth as a brave hero and then shows us how he changes. It reveals his fixation on the witches’ prophecy. Macbeth is characterized as a brave and noble warrior when King Duncan says, â€Å"For Brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name† (Act 1. Scene 2. Line 16). But, Macbeth’s reaction to the witches’ predictions emphasizes his great desire for power and prestige. Macbeth realizes that murder might be required to achieve this. He thinks about it but has no means of acting on it. He begins to be confused and he is conflicted. He is caught between his loyalty to the King and his desire for power. He yearns for a simple way out, free of guilt and consequence. He implies this when he says, â€Å"If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well/ It were done quickly† (Act 1. Scene 7. Lines 1-2). Lady Macbeth finally emerges and drives the hesitant Macbeth to act; she is the will propelling his achievements. Macbeth knows what he does is wrong, and recognizes there will be consequences. He is tempted but tries to resist it. He is not strong enough to stand up to his wife. Literary elements like motifs and characterization help develop the entire plot. By using characterization, Shakespeare is able to reveal the characters’ thoughts and feelings in order for readers to analyze the characters’ motives for their actions. Characterization gives the reader a better understanding of each character. The use of motifs in â€Å"Macbeth† help define the setting and mood of the Act, as well as the good or bad intentions of the characters. For example, darkness or night in Macbeth is associated with evil, murder, murderous intent, and mischief, and death. Light is feared by those who wish murder on the King, because they do not want their evil thoughts/deeds revealed. Characters who are innocent were always shown in bright, lighted scenes to stress their goodness. Darkness was the background for evil, as exhibited by the scenes where murder occurs, or where the mischievous, evil witches appear. Blood is a recurring symbol or motif that symbolizes death, and later, Macbeth’s guilt. These are just a few of the many motifs and symbols found in Macbeth. Motifs are used to add depth and richness to characters and settings, and bring out the major themes and ideas of the play.