Edhec Family Business Essay

There are a few EDHEC Global MBA participants who decided to study in this program to search for better understanding of business disciplines in order to improve their quality as managers with the main goal of returning to their countries and continue their family business. Family business can be very large, a big example is Walmart that even after 43 years and being the third largest company in the world, the Walton family still owns 48% of the stake. However, most cases of family business still relate to medium or smaller sizes. The good thing about a family business is that it has a strong sense of commitment and honor from the members. Family businesses are more likely to last because there will always be an effort on the part of the family members not to let it die or fade related to their inner values. Brazilian candidate, Andressa Lass Santos provides us with her testimony on her family business case: â€Å"The EDHEC MBA program has been helping me gain a broader perspective in relation to several business facets such as leadership, accounting, management, studying the local economy and the industry and how to combine them all in a strategic manner. Every class has been helping me come up with ideas and is making me notice flaws that I had never perceived before, as well as areas where there are room for improvements in my family business. My father started a construction company and asphalt plant 25 years ago in Curitiba, Brazil. He is an engineer and agrees with me that if I gain more management skills it would be very useful for the company, since he has little time to invest in that, and in fact he is beginning to think to step out of the picture and work more as a counselor. As each single class goes by, I learn something new and try to think how to implement in our family business. My ideas arise from the hiring process, motivations of the employees until thinking globally of macroeconomics and strategically trying to apply how we could possibly expand our business or even find new ideas related to it, such as maybe starting another business or company that could support the construction company. For that reason I will choose the Entrepreneurship track in the MBA program, I believe it is the track that I will most benefit from when thinking about my family business and how we want to expand it. †

The Philosophy of Action in Hamlet

‘Words, words, words’: Hamlet’s philosophy of action Central to any drama is action. What distinguishes drama from other literary forms is the very fact that it is acted upon a stage, that voice is given to the words and that movement creates meaning. It is, therefore, puzzling that the most seminal dramatic work in the English language contains, arguably, precious little of what many might describe as dramatic action. Nevertheless it has moved, enthralled and, what is more, entertained generations of theatre goers across the centuries and is still regarded as one of Shakespeare’s most popular play.It has divided critics: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe regards as central to the play Hamlet’s inability to act[1] whereas T. S. Eliot reduces the work to ‘an artistic failure’. [2] If Tom Stoppard is to be believed, even the characters are at odds with this apparent lack of drama as Stoppard’s Rosencrantz asks ‘is it too much to expe ct a little sustained action?! ’[3] If then, we are to acknowledge that action is central to drama, it is important to remember that such action is usually derived from conflict.When regarding Hamlet through this basic philosophy, the play is in every way dramatic. The play is concerned with conflict. We have international conflict, familial conflict and internal conflict and it is these conflicts that drive the play. This is confirmed within the opening line ‘Who’s there? ’(I. i. 1)[4] Immediately we are plunged into the state of paranoia that envelops Elsinore, the question is confrontational and, furthermore, directs us towards the international conflict between Denmark and Norway. The drama of the play, however, is not as simple as this.For instance, we must also consider the dramatic structure of a play and apply this to Hamlet; a structure that goes from equilibrium to conflict and then on to a new equilibrium. It is impossible to relate this to the play; for who would agree that the Elsinore, at the start of Hamlet, is in a state of equilibrium? Indeed, as Stephen Ratcliffe points out, the catalyst for all action in the play does not occur within the play[5]. The murder of Hamlet’s father has already happened when Barnardo delivers that famous first line, a line which itself suggests a response to something that has happened offstage.Ratcliffe goes on to discuss that the line could almost be a response to a ‘knock knock’ joke but more seriously that it: begin[s] the play in response not only to some implicit, unspoken physical action- some motion or noise in the dark, [†¦] but to an implicit action not performed on stage – some motion of the Ghost of Hamlet’s father which Bernardo, who speaks this line, must imagine he has seen and/or heard. [6] Ratcliffe also suggests that the action not performed on stage does not happen at all.Alarmingly, he refutes Claudius’s confession of frat ricide in Act III, arguing unconvincingly that Old Hamlet’s murder had never taken place. [7] In spite of this he does raise an interesting issue that is concerned with the question as to why – when in Western literature dramatic narrative is defined by cause and effect – does Shakespeare place the primary cause off stage and beyond the gaze of his audience? We are left to imagine the dramatic possibilities of opening the play with the alarming and visually striking image of a brother’s murder.If Shakespeare’s decision to leave this exciting and sinister event in the wings confounds us, what, then, are we to make of the climax of the play? If we are to return to the classic dramatic structure of a play, we expect to see rising action leading to a climax that, in turn, leads on to the falling action culminated by the denouement. Hamlet gives us no such structure. There is no climax in the classic sense or if there is it appears in the final scene, n ot where one would expect. There is, nevertheless, one possibility that the climax may appear earlier in the play and that would be, in the traditional sense, in Act III.The murder of Polonius in Act III, scene iv might be regarded as the turning point of the play in the same way that Mercutio’s death in Romeo and Juliet is seen as such. It is at this point that we see Hamlet at a height of passion, ‘How now? A rat! Dead for a ducat, dead’ (III. iv. 23). The use of the word ‘rat’ shows Hamlet’s contempt for his supposed victim, the repetition of ‘dead’ embellishes his determination to kill, and the ducat is the small price Hamlet values the life he has just taken. The consequences of this action feed into every other event that is to happen: Claudius’s resolve to kill Hamlet, Ophelia’s eath and Laertes’s act of revenge which brings about the play’s final dynastic collapse. Once again, though, Shakespear e ‘removes’ the audience from the action, having the murder take place ‘offstage’. Polonius is murdered behind the arras and this takes us away from the immediacy of the action. There is no huge build up with a climactic duel as there is in Romeo and Juliet; we are not even given the drama of remorse that is evident in Macbeth. For these reasons, it is impossible to consider the death of Polonius to be the dramatic climax of the play, merely another cause leading on to another effect.This shortage of ‘action’, though, is illusory. A. C. Bradley comments on this when he suggests a hypothetical reaction to the play: What a sensational story! Why, here are some eight violent deaths, not to speak of adultery, a ghost, a mad woman, and a fight in a grave! [8] Hamlet does have a dramatic conclusion, of that no one is in doubt, but this has come after a series of procrastinations from the titular hero. All other action is kept firmly offstage. One mig ht hear Bradley go on to say ‘Treason, pirates, war, the storming of a castle and a regime change! The latter two were included in Branagh’s film version strongly alluding to the storming of the Iranian embassy in 1981 an event that was intensely exciting and dramatic for any that can remember it. For Shakespeare, however, such extravagant action appears to be superfluous to his play and is, therefore, not of importance. As a consequence, it would appear redundant to continue analysing what is not in the play, as Ratcliffe has done at length[9], and to focus on what Shakespeare does give us. What Shakespeare does give us is words, ‘words, words, words’(II. i. 192) and it is through these words that he provides the action. It is here where I must agree with Ratcliffe when he suggests that, in Hamlet, it is the language that is of importance and not the action. [10] It is necessary, then, to look at the power of language within the play and how Shakespeare fa cilitates it in order to sustain a dramatic structure. Firstly, as mentioned above, the catalyst for all the action in the play happens off stage but is delivered to the audience, and Hamlet, through the words of the ghost. We know that these ords are to hold significance as we have shared Horatio’s anxiety for the ghost to ‘stay and speak’ (I. i. 142). The appearance of the ghost is not enough. It is, therefore, the words that are spoken to Hamlet in conjunction with the apparition that help to creates the first piece of dramatic action in the play: Now, Hamlet, hear. ’Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me – so the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forged process of my death Rankly abus’d – but know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown. [†¦]Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts- O wicked wit, and gifts that have the power So to seduce! – won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen. (I. i. 34-46) What is striking about this scene is how it is dominated by the ghost and how little Hamlet actually says. If it were one of the lesser characters, it could be assumed that they were struck dumb and in awe of the presence of a spectre but, even this early in the play, we know enough about Hamlet to realise that this would not be the case for him.He mentions a few lines earlier that he is not afraid, saying ‘I do not set my life at a pin’s fee’ (I. iv. 65), so why now is he so quiet? Surely Shakespeare feels that Hamlet, like the audience, should be still with trepidation at the drama that is unfolding before them. In this short passage of the ghost’s speech we have incest, adultery, witchcraft, treachery, not to mention murder. Here we see Shakespeare using the power of words to create the action upon the stage, words that, like Ra tcliffe points out, enter through our ears as did Claudius’s poison. 11] Later on in the play we will see words used as poison, again by Claudius, when, in true Machiavellian style, he corrupts the mind of the vengeful Laertes. When discussing the power of words we must look at the play-within-a-play sequence of Act III, an aspect of the play which has been discussed at length by the critics but also one that brings into question another facet of action, that of acting. Hamlet is an extremely self-conscious play, bringing comedy into a highly dramatic moment in Act I, scene v when Hamlet asks the ghost ‘Canst work i’th’ earth so fast? (l. 170): this is an obvious comment on the crudeness of Elizabethan stagecraft. Earlier in the same scene Shakespeare has commented on the possibility of a bored audience when Hamlet comments on ‘this distracted globe’ (l. 97)[12] and, when Polonius states that when he played Caesar ‘Brutus killed me. â₠¬â„¢ (III. ii. 103) Jenkins points out that the actors playing Hamlet and Polonius were likely to have played Brutus and Caesar respectively in an earlier play and therefore are about to ‘re-enact’ the murder. 13] If we look at Hamlet’s instructions to the players: Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-cryer spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus but use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of your passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness.O, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termagant. It out-Herods Herod. Pray you avoid it. (III. ii. 1-14) Again, we have a very self-conscious speech where there seems to be an in-joke upon the acting style of the actor who plays Polonius, if not intended by Shakespeare it could certainly be performed as such.There is also the awareness of audience as well in the comments about the groundlings which is rather a brave joke which, had they been enjoying the play, would have gone down in good humour. It might also be considered that Shakespeare followed up the joke by including the dumb-show that followed! If we look closely at the instructions, however, we notice the emphasis on the words rather than the action. The opening imperative is ‘Speak the speech’ and interestingly ‘as I pronounced it’ not as I acted or showed it which seems strange to say when instructing actors.It is true that in the restricted views of an Elizabethan playhouse an audience would go to hear a play but this would not be the case in a private cou rtly performance. Also we must remember that Hamlet is only concerned with one member of the audience; someone who, one might assume, would have the best view of the play. Hamlet’s instructions are followed by references to the tongue and mouth where the words must inevitably come from and then the simile of the town cryer again placing stress on verbal communication.Hamlet requests a limit to the ‘action’, the body movement – the acting- so that it is the language that is of paramount importance. In such a self-aware moment of the nature of acting and drama in the play are we not to assume that this is coming from Shakespeare as much as Hamlet? The players’ sequence has significance because here we have on stage the mechanics of Hamlet. There is the murder of Gonzago/Hamlet acted out on stage, the betrayal of Lucianus/Claudius and the union between the Lucianus/Claudius and Queen/Gertrude.Here Shakespeare gives us what we were denied in the first a ct the event which sets the whole play in motion. Not only that but by having Lucianus as the nephew to Gonzago we are also witnessing the events that are about to happen on stage or, at least, those that we expect to happen. Interestingly enough, though, is that Shakespeare has included a dumb-show as if to appease the groundlings despite his earlier comments but it is not through watching this that Claudius reacts but rather the words of the players that follows.At the line ‘On wholesome life usurps immediately’ (III. ii. 254) Claudius can no longer remain seated for he cannot deny the words, something that has been discussed and embellished by Ratcliffe. [14] The question as to why Claudius does not react to the dumb-show can be resolved in performance by choosing to have Claudius showing signs of discomfort throughout until he can finally stand it no more as in Olivier’s film version. There is nothing in the text, however, that suggests that this is how it sh ould be performed. The king questions Hamlet, Is there no offence in’t? ’ (III. ii. 227) and in this dialogue there is nothing to suggest that he is suffering from any anxiety regardless of how this line has divided critics. [15] So once again we see that it is words that have more power, more effect and more significance than mere actions. In looking at the philosophy of action in the play one must recognise that the play is essentially a revenge play and that all action must stem from the concept of revenge. Michael Mangan defines the revenge play as a play which: harts the protagonist’s attempts to [revenge]: this may involve a period of doubt, in which the protagonist decides whether or not to go ahead with the revenge, and it may also involve some complex plotting (in both senses of the word) as the protagonist decides to take revenge in an apt or fitting way. The revenger, by deciding to take revenge, places himself outside the normal order of things, and often becomes more and more isolated as the play progresses – an isolation which at its most extreme becomes madness. [16] It would appear, from this definition, that Hamlet is, indeed, a revenge play but who is it that seeks revenge?I would argue that it is not Hamlet for, as Catherine Belsey notes, ‘[r]evenge is not justice’[17] and we are reminded throughout the play that Hamlet seeks justice. For instance, Hamlet does not act rashly for he states: Give me that man That is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him In my heart’s core, ay, in my heart of heart (III. ii. 71-73) This might suggest that Hamlet holds reason close to his heart. Here we see that contrary to popular belief Hamlet is not a man that is ruled by passion but that is not to say that he is not passionate.If Hamlet were ruled by passion he would not have devised such an elaborate ploy to confirm the guilt of the king but would have acted straight away. Gone would be the procrasti nations and Hamlet could have roused up the populace as easily as Laertes does in Act IV, as Bradley points out[18], and Claudius would have been dead by Act II. Many critics that have argued this case seem to suggest that Shakespeare’s reason for prolonging the action was to fill out the five act structure of the play. [19] We are given three possible revenge heroes in the play: Hamlet we can discount, Fortinbras and Laertes.Shakespeare has provided these two characters to put Hamlet’s inability to act into stark contrast. Through Fortinbras we see the noble prince revenging the death of his father through careful planning and sharp resolve and in Laertes we see a rash young man whose desperate bid for revenge only quickens his own demise. It is important to note that even with the careful planning Fortinbras still shares Hamlet’s prolonging of the act when we consider that Denmark’s defeat of Norway was at the time of Hamlet’s birth some thirty y ears previous.Hamlet, however, does not seek revenge. He could have easily been able to exact it when he says ‘Now might I do it pat’ (III. iii. 73). The semantics of the word ‘might’ suggest that he has no intention of committing the murder. ‘Will’ or ‘must’ would imply a more decisive move yet Shakespeare gives us a Hamlet who is questioning his actions. His decision to spare Claudius whilst at prayer further indicates that it is justice and not revenge that Hamlet desires.Claudius points out to Laertes that ‘No place indeed should murder sancturise’ but Hamlet delays his action because he wants justice – a death for a death- like for like. Significantly, Hamlet is a revenger who is unable to act as Calhoun states he is unable to ‘play the role’,[20] or to use Ted Hughes’s metaphor: Like the driver of a bus containing all the characters of the drama, he hurtles towards destruction, in slow motion, with his foot jammed down hard on the brakes. [21] Having established the substance and value of words in Hamlet it is necessary to return to the question of dramatic climax in the play.It has always been recognised that it is a dramatic impossibility to act Hamlet on the stage in its entirety and it is not unknown for students of the text to skip through sections when reading but one thing always remains and that is the soliloquies. Within the play we have the most beautiful speeches composed in the English language and it is one of these that, I believe, forms the climax of the play. The climax of language that we are given in the play does follow the classic dramatic structure coming in Act III and at the risk of sounding cliched I would suggest that it is the ‘To be or not to be’ speech.It is in this soliloquy that we have the nub of the play rests and that is Hamlet’s internal conflict on how he should act. It has long been considered to be the musin gs of a troubled mind contemplating suicide and whilst no one will argue that Hamlet’s is not a troubled mind is he really deliberating the end of his own life? I would argue no. Shakespeare has already given us such ruminations earlier in the play with ‘o that this too too sullied flesh would melt’ (I. ii. 129) and I find it difficult to accept that a dramatist of Shakespeare’s calibre would not have developed his main character by the third act.In fact, I would argue that after confronting the ghost and hearing the charge against Claudius, Hamlet has been given new meaning to his life and that all thoughts of suicide have faded. ‘To be or not to be’ should read as ‘To do or not to do’ or ‘To act or not to act’ for it is in this speech that we witness Hamlet’s thoughts on whether to proceed with the killing of Claudius. Not once in the speech is there an ‘I’, nowhere does Hamlet refer to himself. His examples of the ‘whips and scorns of time’ (III. i. 70) save one do not seem to be justifications for taking one’s own life:Th’oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of dispriz’d love, the laws delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th’unworthy takes (III. i. 71-74) Apart from unrequited love, for which many have taken their life, these seem to be the wrongs that are urging Hamlet to seek justice against Claudius. I might take this further and suggest a reading of the soliloquy where Hamlet knows that Claudius is eavesdropping, something that seemed to me implicit in Brannagh’s film. Through this reading we can see that Hamlet is acting a role for us as an audience but specifically for Claudius and Polonius.He is diverting attention from his true thoughts of murder whilst also confirming his ‘antic disposition’ (I. v. 180). In addition to this it explains why he apparently forgets the ghost of his father as he claims ‘No traveller returns’ (III. i. 80) as it would not be practical to reveal the truth at this stage. Also, the speech concludes that it is conscience that prevents him and the fear of the unknown when prior to this he has stated that it was because that God has ‘fix’d / His canon ’gainst self-slaughter’ (I. ii. 131-132).Arguably, this could be a variation of the same rationale yet there is a distinct change in tone which suggests a difference in attitude. Therefore, it is within this soliloquy where Hamlet reaches his decision which he reveals to Ophelia (and Claudius) when he says that ‘all but one – shall live’ (III. i. 150). One might argue that the opening line of this speech, ‘To be or not to be’ (III. i. 56), uncontrovertibly suggests that Hamlet is, indeed, reflecting on suicide but, once again, this is another self-conscious reflection upon the nature of drama.For Hamlet, the character in the play Hamlet, must act in order to ‘be’ and as a revenge hero, that act is the murder of Claudius. While Claudius is alive, Hamlet’s mind and soul are troubled and only through the act of revenge with ‘a bare bodkin’ can he bring about his ‘quietus’ (III. i. 75-6). Words, therefore, are the focus of this play. It is Shakespeare’s longest and in it we are given a character who ‘â€Å"comes alive† only in language’[22], it is through words that the dramatic action, except the final scene, takes place upon the stage.In terms of drama, the play is at odds with its form in that the driving action of the plot precedes the start of the play. We are given a revenge hero who is unable to live up to that title and only seems to spring into what one might call action when he has been hit by Laertes poisoned rapier and he knows that he is about to die, something which he poin ts out twice in the scene. Indeed, in performance, the final scene can be played as equally low-key as it can be played dramatic. In a self-conscious play such as this it seems clear that Shakespeare understands the power of words.To a dramatist, all action that can be created on a stage is a representation – one that is created through words. Crucially it is through language that the world of Elsinore is created and all those that exist within it exist through the words that they speak. It is, therefore fitting that Hamlet’s dying words are ‘the rest is silence’ (V. ii. 363) for he knows that without language he is nothing. Through Hamlet Shakespeare gives us a world where action is secondary to language because, in drama, one creates the other. 3967 words (exc. footnotes) 4338 words (inc. footnotes) Bibliography Primary SourcesShakespeare, William, Hamlet, ed. Harold Jenkins, The Arden Shakespeare, 3rd series (London and New York: Routledge, 1994) Stoppa rd, Tom, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (London: Faber & Faber, 1967) von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang, Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, ed. and trans. Eric A. Blackall (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995) Secondary Sources Belsey, Catherine, ‘Revenge in Hamlet’, in Hamlet: Contemporary Critical Essays, ed. Martin Coyle (London: Macmillan, 1992), pp. 154-159. Bloom, Harold, Hamlet: Poem Unlimited, (Edinburgh: Canongate, 2003) Bradley, A. C. , Shakespearean Tragedy, 3rd edn. London: Macmillan, 1992), pp. 84-166. Calhoun, Jean S. , ‘Hamlet and the Circumference of Action’, Renaissance News, Vol. 15, No. 4. (Winter, 1962), 281-298. Dickson, Andrew, The Rough Guide to Shakespeare, (London: Rough Guides, 2005) Eliot, T. S. , ‘Hamlet’ in Selected Essays (London: Faber & Faber, 1951), p. 141-146. Fernie, Ewan, ‘Terrible Action: Recent Criticism and Questions of Agency’, Shakespeare, Vol. 2, No. 1 (June, 2006), 95-11 8. Hughes, Ted, Shakespeare and the Goddess of Complete Being (London: Faber & Faber, 1992), pp. 233-239. Jump, John D. , (ed. ) Hamlet: A Selection of Critical Essays (London: Macmillan, 1968), pp. 2-32. Kettle, Arnold, ‘From Hamlet to Lear’, in Shakespeare in a Changing World, ed. Arnold Kettle (London: Lawrence & Wishart, 1964), pp. 146-159. Mangan, Michael, A Preface to Shakespeare’s Tragedies (London and New York: Longman, 1991) Ratcliffe, Stephen ‘What Doesn’t Happen in Hamlet: The Ghost’s Speech’, Modern Language Studies, Vol. 28, No. 3/4. (Autumn, 1998), 125-150. ——————–, ‘‘Who’s There? ’: Elsinore and Everywhere’, Modern Language Studies, Vol. 29, No. 2. (Autumn, 1999), 153-173. ———————– [1] Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, ed. and trans.Eric A. Blackall (P rinceton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995), p. 146. [2] T. S. Eliot, ‘Hamlet’ in Selected Essays (London: Faber & Faber, 1951), p. 143. [3] Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (London: Faber & Faber, 1967), p. 86. [4] William Shakespeare, Hamlet, ed. Harold Jenkins, The Arden Shakespeare, 3rd series (London and New York: Routledge, 1994), subsequent references are to this edition. [5] Stephan Ratcliffe, ‘What Doesn’t Happen in Hamlet: The Ghost’s Speech’, Modern Language Studies, Vol. 28, No. 3/4. (Autumn, 1998), pp. 125-150. [6] ——————–, ‘‘Who’s There? : Elsinore and Everywhere’, Modern Language Studies, Vol. 29, No. 2. (Autumn, 1999), p. 153. [7] Ratcliffe, ‘What Doesn’t Happen in Hamlet: The Ghost’s Speech’, pp. 135-139. [8] A. C. Bradley, Shakespearean Tragedy, 3rd edn. (London: Macmillan, 1992), Lecture III, p. 93. [9 ] Ratcliffe, ‘What Doesn’t Happen in Hamlet: The Ghost’s Speech’ pp. 125-150 [10] Ibid. , p. 129. [11] Ibid. p. 131 [12] Having opened my Christmas presents and receiving Bloom’s Poem Unlimited after I had written this essay, I feel obliged to cite him for what I assumed to be an acute and original observation.If only Father Christmas hadn’t been so efficient, I could have at least pleaded ignorance! Harold Bloom, Hamlet: Poem Unlimited (Edinburgh: Canongate, 2003), p. 10 [13] Jenkins (ed. ), Hamlet, p. 294 [14] Ratcliffe, ‘What Doesn’t Happen in Hamlet: The Ghost’s Speech’, pp. 131-132. [15] Jenkins explains how the line has been used to show Claudius’s calm attitude to the play and to prove his unease in Jenkins (ed. ), Hamlet, p. 301. [16] Michael Mangan, A Preface to Shakespeare’s Tragedies (London and New York: Longman, 1991), p. 67. [17] Catherine Belsey, ‘Revenge in Hamlet’, in Haml et: Contemporary Critical Essays, ed.Martin Coyle (London: Macmillan, 1992), p. 154. [18] Bradley, Shakespearean Tragedy, p. 98. [19] Notably the anonymous critic in ‘Extracts from Earlier Critics, 1710-1945’ in Hamlet: A Selection of Critical Essays, ed. John D. Jump (London: Macmillan, 1968), p. 22. [20] Jean S. Calhoun, ‘Hamlet and the Circumference of Action’, Renaissance News, Vol. 15, No. 4. (Winter, 1962), p. 288. [21] Ted Hughes, Shakespeare and the Goddess of Complete Being (London: Faber & Faber, 1992), p. 236. [22] Ewan Fernie, ‘Terrible Action: Recent Criticism and Questions of Agency’, Shakespeare, Vol. 2, No. 1 (June, 2006), p. 96.

Courage of a Black Women Essay

The story tells of one lady who goes through all kinds of hardships, discovers the proficient, content, and proud woman hidden inside of a young shut-mouthed girl. The Color Purple, the third novel written by the Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, has been both respected and berated in numerous essays and reviews. Although the critics agree to disagree about many aspects of this novel one thing is clear, The Color Purple shows that â€Å"the survival and liberation of black women through the strengths and wisdom of others. (Draper, 1810) In Walker’s personal view, the Black women’s history falls into three parts; the woman suspended, the artist confused and held back in her desires to create, living through two centuries when her main role was to be a used unvalued source of labor in the American society, and the modern woman. The feminist Alice Walker writes in a pattern. Her female characters move in a common cycle, first the woman were cruelly abused, and their spirits and bodies scarred, then the confused woman desires most to be a part of the American life, and lastly the modern woman shows the qualities of the developing an uprising model. Before Celie who is the main character, makes her way into the cycle the story sets her as a child with energy of wanting to learn, love, and enjoy life. She and Nettie, her sister attend school on a regular basis, complete all of their chores, and still make time to talk to play, or to just spend time together. Then, just as Celie reaches womanhood, she finds her way into the first stage of the cycle; the rejected woman. The rejected woman plays the role of the brutal abuse with a corrupted spirit as well as body. Celie’s body is first desecrated through her stepfather’s sexual abuse. Followed by this comes continuing sexual and physical abuse by her husband Mr. ______. Here, Celie slips into the second stage of the cycle; the woman who is held back. In this stage the character desires most to become a part of mainstream American society. In most cases, they are also victims of psychological abuse that separate them from their roots and real contact to the world. The profanity and abuse her body survives, not accepting that her spirit is broken when not only have her children been taken away from her by her stepfather, but Nettie is forced by Albert, to leave his and Celie’s house. During this time of sorrow and loneliness, there is one unique sparkle in Celie that surfaces with the thought of a lady named Shug Avery. â€Å"Shug Avery was a woman. The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She more pretty then my mama. She bout ten times more prettier then me. I see her in furs. Her face rouge. Her hair like somethin tail. . . An all night long I stare at the picture. An now when I dream, I dream of Shug Avery. She be dressed to kill, whirling and laughing. † (Walker 16) The final stage of the cycle; is the modern woman, one who realizes her strengths, her weakness and accepts them. In this stage, the lady works with what she has. Celie approaches this stage only with the help of Shug Avery during her stay with Albert and Celie. As fate would have it, Shug becomes deathly ill after a performance in Celie’s hometown. All of Celie’s years of wondering about Shug Avery comes to an end here. In the story, Albert goes to see Shug sing and Celie wants to ask him so many questions. â€Å"What she wear? Is she still the same old Shug, like in my picture? How her hair is? What kind of lipstick? Wig? She stout? She skinny? She sound well? Tired? Sick? Where her children at while she singing all over the place? Do she miss ’em? † Shug and Celie start off on a bad foot, however, after Celie begins to take care of Shug and nurse her back to health they develop the only kind of friendship and love, that can snap Celie back to reality. Through Albert and Shug’s relationship, Celie finally hears from her sister Nettie. Thirty years has passed since they last spoke. Why? Well, Albert never let Celie go through the incoming mail. By doing this, he keeps her in a innocent unaware state. Which anyways, thanks to Shug who takes the letter from the mailbox, she gives Celie a sense of hope for herself. In that letter Celie learns that Nettie is still alive and that her two children are with her. After searching the rest of the house, her and Shug find all of the letters that Nettie has sent to her for the past thirty years. Celie learns that her family is coming home. Eventually Celie leaves Albert, seriously only to become attached to Shug. Anyways, when Shug needs to have her â€Å"last fling† and leaves Celie, Celie realizes that she can do just fine by herself, like that completing the cycle. This is one of those stories with a lot of self-help potential. Celie loses everything that matters to her, becomes a victim of unthinkable abuse both in her child life and adulthood. Then, she reunites with her sister. Nothing is impossible for a woman to accomplish in this world. After Celie leaves Albert, she starts her own business and runs it throughout the rest of her days. The novel really declares the truth behind the belief of â€Å"survival and liberation of black women through the wisdom and strength of others. (Draper, 1810) Celie’s survival through this story is due greatly to Shug, and even Albert. Her gratitude to Shug is the most definitely recognized, because if it was not for Shug ,Albert never would have stopped beating her, in addition to that her spirit would never have been renewed, and lastly she never would have heard from her sister again. Basically if it isn’t for Shug, Celie’s existence will have been a pointless one. If she hadnâ€⠄¢t gone mad, she probably would have died from loneliness and despair. Like Shug, Albert is a character who significantly affects Celie’s life. Albert represents Celie’s stepfather at the beginning of their marriage. He controls her and aparts her of everything she holds with love, but him, himself, is victim. He has a weak will and no initiative to accept responsibility for his actions. He shows her that he is just as lonely as she. Albert helps her to reach an understanding about her stepfather and about himself. Through a friendship, that develops after their marriage ends, she also forgives them. Celie’s stepfather, who she calls Pa, and Albert are two of the major male characters in the novel. They share more similarities than what they differ. Celie’s stepfather, Pa, is a cheater . After Celie’s real father dies, this man who has received word that there is a new well-off, slightly out-of-sorts, widow in town, settles in and sweet-talks Celie’s mother right down the aisle. Celie is two years old at the time. Well, this man enjoys his new life and his new wife, but when she refuses to do as he says to him who does him turn to? Pa uses his power of authority to force Celie into a situation no barely fourteen year old girl should be in. Never had a kine word to say to me,† Celie says, â€Å"Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn’t. . . When penetration begins to hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it. But I don’t never git used to it. † (Walker, 1) Even sadder is that after her mother dies, not only must she take care of the house and her sisters and brothers, but she has to willin gly offer herself to Pa in order to spare Nettie. Pa is a true abstract of a tyrant, using his authority for low blows like this. Of course Albert begins the same way. Albert marries Celie because first of all he can’t have Nettie and secondly he needs someone to watch his children. After his decision to marry Celie, him and Pa have a little chat. â€Å"Pa say, Your sister thinking bout marriage. Didn’t mean nothing to him. My brother pull my dresstail and ast can he have some blackberry jam out the safe. I say, Yeah. She good with children, Pa say, rattling his paper open more. Never heard her say a hard word to nary one of them. Just give ’em everything they ast for, is the only problem. Albert say, That cow still coming? No love materializes between these two and their marriage is one similar to one of arranged royal weddings. Of course when he reaches his house, him on a horseback, her on foot, a young Harpo â€Å"laid her head open with a rock. † His punishment is a oral punishment. Albert is, like an uneasy child, running from his responsibilities and avoiding the consequences of his actions. Not to mention, Alber t has a set free quality he, like Celie finds an understanding about himself and attempts to adjust for all that he has done in the past. He makes peace with Celie, and although he releases himself from his past. Albert is truly the most compelling character in this novel, next to Celie. In looking at Albert and Pa we find many incite into the human psyche. As symbols, one represents an immense amount of bad will, the other represents the same but allows for change. The major symbol of the novel is the color purple. It has many meanings, positive and negative. Purple symbolizes love of truth, patience, humanity, and spirituality along with sublimination, martyrdom, and resignation. In connection with the novel, Celie is the symbol of patience and humanity. She never asks for anything from anyone. When things don’t go her way, she waits. For example, she waits for Nettie’s letters for thirty years. On the other hand, Celie also shows a great bit of surrendor in her patience. Culturally, purple signifies virtue and faith just as Celie does. During her and Shug’s conversation about sex, Celie tells Shug she feels nothing during sexual intercourse with her husband. Shug understands this to mean she is still a virgin, but in reality Celie provides her body to Albert but not her spirit or her soul. Another purple reference is to the Easter holiday. How coincidental that the color purple is associated with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and this novel, considering that Celie does have a â€Å"rebirth† of her own as she moves through Walker’s cycle. Overall, the color purple, as a prize, represents a winner over all classes, strangely coincidental isn’t it. The use of purple as a symbol is a virtue to this novel but also a fault. In the preparation of death, Roman soldiers carried amulets of purple amethyst. There are many virtues as well as faults in this novel. One of the most obvious faults in the story is its likeness to a fairy tale. â€Å"Celie becomes the ugly duckling who will eventually be redeemed through suffering. This trait links her to all the heroines of fairy tales from Cinderella to Snow White. † (Harris, 159) At the conclusion of the story not only does Celie find her sister but also both of her lost children. Another example of the novel’s surreal quality, the woman Celie fantasizes about for years, not only lands in her house but falls in love with her. Likewise, let’s ask what The Color Purple, ultimately, predicates. â€Å"In true fairy-tale fashion, it affirms passivity; heroines that do little to help themselves,† says Trudier Harris in â€Å"The Color Purple Stereotypes and Silence. † The entire novel contains a virtual acceptance of cruelty, violence, and violation. Some things about this novel are too good to be true. Others are too horrifying. In uncovering a novel’s differences and meaning, the story can become a vehicle of the social and political views of the author. Being a feminist, there are a few strands of admiration to the feminist community in Celie. She is a woman that triumphs over impossible odds. The feminine relationship between Celie and Shug has been said to pay a debt to lesbians. â€Å"She pays homage to the lesbians by portraying a relationship between two women that reads like a schoolgirl fairy tale in its ultimate adherence to the convention of the happy resolution. † (Harris, 160) Born-again feminists receive their dues in Albert and career-minded women are acknowledged in Shug. The Color Purple, a story of one lady, named Celie, who triumphs through adversity to discover a proficient, content, and proud woman hidden inside of a young timid girl, is one that brings hope to any woman. A novel written by Alice Walker, it has been reviewed many times over, but even though the critics analyze and pull apart what very well could just be an enjoyable yet thought provoking story, they agree that one thing is clear, The Color Purple affirms the idea that the survival and liberation of the black woman can only come through learning from our past misfortunes and manipulating them to meet beneficial ends.

Green buildings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Green buildings - Essay Example For example, the solar panels installed in green buildings are very energy efficient because their source of energy never depletes. Quality of water and air in the green buildings is better than what it is in the non-green buildings. Levels of air pollutants indoor are generally much higher than their levels outdoor. Many of these pollutants, like the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) originate in the materials that are used in the construction of buildings, yet there are other pollutants like the smoke that is generated by humans. Likewise, Asbestos is a material that is used for insulation purposes. It is made up of extremely minuscule fibers that are light enough to float in the air and are taken to the lungs with breath where they can cause serious damage to the lungs. Till 1980s, Asbestos was widely used as a construction material. However, as people began to gain awareness of its potential threats to health, they abandoned its use in construction. Green building makes sure that no such materials are used so that the environment both inside and outside the building becomes conducive for better health. Green buildings reduce waste. They mostly make reuse of materials or use renewable materials including sustainable lumber and plant matter. Recycled metal and stone are some of the primary building blocks of green buildings. Some green buildings even reuse byproducts of industries such as foundry sand, combustion materials as well as debris. One potential outcome of green buildings is that they inculcate motivation in the occupants to save resources and not waste things. Green buildings have a proper mechanism of disposal of waste. In addition to that, â€Å"green building furthers the... Since the onset of urge in people to make the buildings greener, architects have been adding numerous piecemeal elements for saving water and reducing the use of electricity in buildings. The structure of green buildings is not much different from the traditional buildings. They do not have to be designed in such a way that would make them look different from the conventional structures. In fact, green buildings have to be very much like the ordinary structures. It is only the addition of certain elements and avoidance of others that lends the â€Å"green† tag to a building. Such elements include installation of a solar panel for capturing sunlight, storing and converting it into the mechanical power. It is more of the occupants’ style of living that makes a building greener than installation or removal of elements. Occupants of a green building are very prudent in their use of things. They tend not to waste water, gas, or electricity. A building can not be expected to be green if the occupants living in it adopt such practices that are not consistent with the requirements of sustainable living. Nevertheless, there are certain factors that need to be taken into consideration while designing a green building. For example, there is sufficient water and heat proofing in the green buildings. In these structures, the roofs are covered with thick layer of soil to maintain a low temperature in the building and save it from the effect of hot weather. This obviates the need to install expensive and environment unfriendly HVAC equipment.

Financial Advisor Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Advisor - Assignment Example I intend to achieve this by offering financial advice on issues related to college funding, retirement plans, buying or selling a house, running a business, insurance, marriage or career plans, defining savings goals, creating an investment portfolio, tax preparation, estate planning, and dealing with a financial crisis, among others. I am a keen learner and do believe that knowledge is the biggest power to bring about a change in the world. Additionally, equipped with strong marketing and networking skills, I consider myself apposite to work as a financial advisor and proactively contribute to the society. Testaments to this are my memberships in different relevant committees such as National Association of Realtors, Colin County Association of Realtors, National Association of Professional Women, Professional Standards Committee and a graduation from Texas Realtor Leadership Program, to name a few. I enjoy networking with and learning about people. Having attended over ten conventions and seminars, I intend to foray into the domain of a financial advisor, with a bundle of new ideas and commendable people skills. Having established myself as a finance professional with superior problem-solving ability, exemplary research skills, and considerable experience in analysis of large sets of data in asset/wealth management roles to expedite and maximize investment gains, I deem myself a good fit as a financial advisor. I have expertly handled complex negotiations to close deals, influence change and drive parties towards desired outcome. Besides being highly motivated and organized, I excel in communication skills, computer skills, reports and presentations and possess expertise in Microsoft Office and over twenty transaction platforms/sources. My key technical skills and abilities include real estate asset management, auction and bankruptcy, property valuations, foreclosures and short sales, broker price options

Teaching Literacy in Reception Classes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Teaching Literacy in Reception Classes - Essay Example This essay stresses that the students who are coming from different nations around the world meet a challenge of dealing with the difficulty of living and getting used to a the living that is accustomed for the foreign land that they ought to fit into. In this paper, a comprehensive set of lessons shall be discussed that would be directly applicable to any subject in general. The applicability of the said lessons is attested by the fact that in dealing with multicultural classes, there is a certain need of having a variety of approaches as to how the subjects are presented. This paper directly refers to multiculturalism as an agent of interest among students in a certain class. As per mentioned herein, it could be noted that the lessons that are suggested for implementation in this paper are mainly focused in enhancing the respect that students have towards each other’s culture. There have also been other suggestions addressed to the instructors as to how they are supposed to deliver the lessons for better results for the class. Through the usage and application of the suggested aids and attitudes towards the subject or lesson implementation, it could be noted that the technological innovations would be much helpful in creating an environment that would be susceptible for everyone to understand the main reasons of the lesson implication. In an overall view, it could be observed that the entire paper gives a high regard for creating a peaceful environment for learning within a class that is composed of multicultural students.

Introduction to Special Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Introduction to Special Education - Essay Example These include reading disability, problems with expressive language, receptive language, poor hand-eye coordination, visual confusion, problems with socialization, behavioural difficulties, possible depression, social isolation, difficulties in visual motor skills, and over all learning disabilities. Each of these conditions would lead to disparate variety of educational needs for the student, and it seems none of these can be addressed at home, given the fact that Juan's mother is suffering from severe depression, and she needs Juan's help for her own care. Although his socialization, visual motor skills, and language had not developed, there is no help, supervision, or guidance at home that can help him improve. As is known, special education centres on a process of evaluation of Juan's development of skills in this area; it seems Juan is eligible for an individualized education programme. Examining the legal criteria for eligibility to be included in a special education programme, it must be stated that Juan satisfies the following criteria which qualifies him to be a child with disability. Juan is an individual between ages 3 to 22. He may have mental retardation, which has not been clearly mentioned in this case history. He has definitely established speech and language imp airment. Although he is not blind, he has visual impairment. Although there is no indication in the history about any serious emotional disturbance, from the case it is apparent that he might as well have depression. His socialization skills might have been lacking due to this. He was observed to be a loner in the class without any friends. His reticence in the class is pointing to this fact with stronger possibility. This may be due to his basic learning possibility, but a mental health assessment is necessary to rule out whether this is a mental health problem or a result of emotional disturbance. Fortunately, he does not have any orthopedic impairment. These disabilities are affecting Juan's academic performance. It appears from the very beginning, Juan was suffering from such problems, and these were affecting his learning and academic performance. Juan had severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading comprehension (Wolff Heller et al., 1996). It appeared that his mathematical calculation and mathematical reasoning was just age-appropriate. Assessing the student's needs and designing the modifications in instructions form the basis of special education. When Juan has been diagnosed with learning disability, he will need special education services, and it can also be expected that scientifically validated interventions against his problems in the rural primary school was not able to result in an expected positive response. This also indicates presence of some unique and individualized learning needs. This analysis does not point to the presumptive cause of this disability. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of the cognitive abilities, processes, and deficits in Juan must be available before a final decision. This would also need to include an assessment and correlation with the academic achievements and the forms of psychosocial functioning. His ability has been attempted to be characterised by the estimates of his IQ. For the reference of this discussion, his WISC-III profile indicated his verbal IQ to be 82 and the

Field trip Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Field trip - Essay Example In accordance with Jewish tradition, prayers should always occur in the entire community. Amidah, which is the third section of Shabbat service, forms the central point of Worship among Jews. During this section, the congregation normally engages in prayers and meditations. The word Amidah gives a description of prayers and the manner in which the Jews worship. Amidah has a small session for private prayers among its worshippers. Similar to any church service, the Shabbat also acknowledges rituals and their significance in worship. Consequently, Torah service forms the next section of Shabbat service. Torah service provides teachings on peace, justice, and truth in the society. In general, this section follows teachings of Moses as written in his five books. The last session of the Shabbat Service is concluding prayers where the whole congregation participates in recitation of Aleinu or Adoration (Abrams & Katherine 18). We chose Shabbat service as our field trip experience because of the perception that Jewish religion has unique philosophies and worship procedures. Majority of people in the society believe that Shabbat is different from other church services because of its restrictions and related philosophies. Consequently, attending the service would enable us to obtain philosophies and facts about the Shabbat Service. After attending the Shabbat Service, we were able to determine how philosophy influences the religion. According to the Jews, Shabbat Service must have five prayer sessions. All these sessions have different significance to the worshippers. For instance, Torah service teaches peace and justice in the community. In addition, the religion has a philosophy, which advocates for all members of the congregation to use the five holy books recommended by Moses to govern all rituals. Just like Christian services, the Shabbat service considers prayers as precious gifts from heaven. As a result, the Jewish considers Amidah as a special session of

Math Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Math Project - Essay Example The body structures like kidneys, respiratory structures have been able to be shown on their functionality which has played a major role in improving the treatment of its illnesses. Mathematical models have also helped in the coming up with structures like structures and machines contributing largely to the development of technology. Buildings are first sketched into shapes which are preferably and through that they are able to calculate on the materials to be used in the buildings. Through the models people have tried to come up with various ideas on how they can construct and also improving on the kind of structures to be put in place. Bigger and better buildings have been able to be constructed through mathematical models improving its technology as they use better machinery (Berry 2006, pg.41). Through the models most of the people who have visualize are able to put up into images and the mathematical modeling they are able to come up with building of various different shapes (Kl amkin 2007, pg.45). This has led to the emergence of machineries which are used in making work easier. Scientists find it easier to use models in coming up with ideas while creating machines in different fields. Mathematics models help in solving engineering complexities brought about by the technology evolution. It assists by giving out possibilities to be used in order to manage the technological complexities incurred. They are able to give new ideas or solutions in fewer periods thus more innovations leading to a positive effect to the industry saving time and money. Graphs have also contributed largely in determining the trend or behavior of certain things like in medicine it is used in hospitals in testing pulse rate, blood pressure and other illnesses. Through the graphics instruments in mathematical modeling various people are able to use in stating their industry’s potential like the industry is able to tell if there has been a rise in their profitability and also be able to see their trend and compare it with other competing companies (Gibbons 2005, pg.12). Mathematical models have been used as a teaching guide to the children as they are taught various shapes. In education and also industries it has been able to help in calculation of volume, mass which makes it easier. It has been used in calculating the amount of cement in building, construction and also in medicine in finding the amount or quantity of medicine to patients. Mathematics has contributed largely to the world’s technology evolution. Its contribution has played a major role in many technologies being discovered either scientifically as is assists in calculation etc. Most of the building or infrastructure has majorly depended on calculations in order to put up structures (Berry 2006, pg.67). Through calculus and geometry they are able to construct a sketch on the architecture world. Mathematics provides the platform for architecture through the measurements for example math ematics contributes the unit of measurement for building in meters, inches or feet in which technology simply encodes and decodes. Mathematics also contributes to building of technological hardware because it creates basis of forming these hardwares through shapes and sizes. Sizes in the sense that the developers use inches and centimeters to create these hardwares otherwise technology would not have a standard for example the developers of computers use inches to

Coca-Cola Fizz Factor Essay Example for Free

Coca-Cola Fizz Factor Essay 1) The Coca-Cola Company in my opinion has all the resources listed in the chapter. They have been such a successful organization over the years that they posses; financial, physical, human, intangible, and structural-cultural resources. It is because of their Global nature that I believe that they have these resources, and these are needed to for organizations to have capabilities and core competencies. Understanding that because Coca-Cola is such a global brand it means that their capabilities must stretch through culture so I do believe it is very hard to develop unique resources and distinctive capabilities. However, because of the resources behind them in some ways it is easier to develop strategies and gain that competitive advantage. 2) Coca-Cola has a number of distinctive capabilities. Its brand is one by itself, they have created a competitive advantage just by their name, Coca-Cola is known globally and it is a testament to the organization that it is so powerful. Another distinctive capability would be the shape and design of their bottles and cans, it may not seem like much but it can create nostalgia for and again turn in to a competitive advantage. Also with the patent for their designs it makes it impossible for competitors to imitate and take away that competitive advantage. 3) 127 Years of Happiness – This is a major strength; Coca-Cola’s history and tradition automatically give it credibility and make customers trust the brand. Other newer competitors just cannot compete with this, however it is extremely important that they continue to change and innovate. 200+ countries – This may mean a global organization, but this brings about some weaknesses. You have to deal with so many different cultures, languages, climates, and beliefs that it can be very difficult to keep everyone happy and keep providing a quality product. 3500 products worldwide – Again this is like the example above, it can be very challenging due to the diversity and target audience of all the products. However, it can be an advantage because of the variety of products you provide sets Coca-Cola apart from it competitors, giving them yet another competitive advantage. 1,322,000 Tweets per quarter – Twitter is becoming huge, and we saw during the Superbowl blackout how powerful a marketing tool it can be. Oreo cookies tweeted â€Å"Power out? No problem. You can still dunk in the dark† so in my eyes I see this growing number to be a huge positive on a marketing front. Although on the other hand, social media can be very damaging, and if Coca-Cola does something bad, a negative reputation could spread around the world in a matter of moments. Protest Group of 100,000 people wanting the original Coke back – this shows that if you get it wrong you can face a major backlash from your customers. But this also showed how loyal people were to the original Coke, yes it was a negative result but it really highlights to the Coca-Cola Company what a great product they have. 4) It has to be the capabilities assessment profile, by following the five steps of this option Muhtar Kent can truly analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the organization on a global scale. The key competencies and capabilities are what set Coca-Cola apart and they need to continue to focus on these aspects, it creates the competitive advantage and this must be maintained in the future. This is vital if Coca-Cola want to remain up there as on of the most popular brands in the world.

The Law Commissions review of the law of intention

The Law Commissions review of the law of intention 'The Law Commission's review of the law of intention confirms the viewthat the English law of intention for murder is based upon an understanding that lacks in two opposite ways. First, as regards direct intention, the law is morally under-inclusive in that it places too much moral weight on a psychological conception of the required mental state. It therefore fails to recognise properly the issue and significance of the concept of 'indiscriminate malice'. Secondly, as regards direct and indirect intention, the law is morally over-inclusive, failing to differentiate culpable and non-culpable acts.'(Norrie, 2006) Critically discuss the above statement with reference to the doctrine of intention in relation to the crime of murder and the Law Commission's Consultation Paper Homicide (No.177, 2005). Before we commence our discussion, let us first be quite clear on what is meant by ‘direct intention’, ‘indirect intention’ and ‘indiscriminate malice’ in the context of the above statement. Intention literally means ‘aim or purpose that guides an action[1]’. Therefore, ‘direct intention’, in the context of murder, means an act committed with the direct purpose of killing, or causing serious harm to, another. This has been one of the mens rea requirements for murder as far back as the 17th Century[2]. Clearly, this precludes an intention to achieve another criminal purpose altogether, where the actor ought reasonably to have foreseen, but did not directly intend, the death of another to be a virtually certain result of his actions, e.g. the intention of a ‘person who places a bomb on a plane for the purpose of making an insurance claim in respect of property but who foresees as a virtual certainty the death or serious injury of those who are on the plane when the bomb explodes.[3]’ This is what Norrie refers to as ‘indiscriminate malice’; ‘malice,’ in that the actor intended to perform an illegal act, and; ‘indiscriminate,’ in that the actor paid little or no regard to the virtually certain consequences of his actions, namely the death of another. It has long been recognised that the law should bring actions of indiscriminate malice within the scope of the crime of murder, but that a strict requirement of ‘direct intention’ would fail to do so; ‘direct intention is simply ‘too narrow for the purposes of criminal responsibility[4]’. Thus, the concept of cognitive ‘indirect intention’ was born, introduced into English law in the case of Nedrick[5]. Such intention does not have to be direct, but can merely involve a degree of foresight which, if possessed, should warrant a conviction of murder rather than manslaughter, a crime which denotes a too low a degree of criminal and moral culpability for actions where the death of another is virtually an incidental certainty. This doctrine, in its current form, was laid down by Lord Lane CJ Nedrick[6] in 1986, and modified by Lord Steyn in Woollin[7]: â€Å"Where the charge is murder and in the rare case where the simple direction is not enough, the jury should be directed that they are not entitled to find the necessary intention, unless they feel sure that death or serious bodily harm was a virtual certainty (barring some unforeseen intervention) as a result of the defendant’s actions and the defendant appreciated that such was the case.[8]† Some commentators have argued, as Norrie does at the top of this paper, that such an extension has gone too far; whilst indiscriminate malice now clearly comes within the scope of this extended intention requirement for murder, which is a good thing, other actions are now also included under the crime of murder, crime which, due to the lack of criminal and moral culpability involved, would be more fairly labeled as manslaughter. An example of such an action being so unfairly labeled was provided by Lord Goff in the Nathan Committee Report by the House of Lords Select Committee on Murder and Life Imprisonment [9]: â€Å"A house is on fire. A father is trapped in the attic floor with his two little girls. He comes to the conclusion that unless they jump they will all be burned alive. But he also realises that if they jump they are all [virtually certain] to suffer serious personal harm. The children are too frightened to jump and so in an attempt to save their lives he throws one out of the window to the crowd waiting below and he jumps with the other one in his arms. All are seriously injured, and the little girl he threw out of the window dies of her injuries.† The Law Commission, in citing and analyzing this example, came to the conclusion that the father in this case should not be labeled a murderer. Under the concept of ‘indirect intention’ however, the father should be guilty of this second-degree crime. As Norrie notes[10], the Law Commission were forced to conclude that ‘indirect intention’, by focusing on the knowledge of the father rather than the wishes behind his actions, was morally over-inclusive, failing to differentiate correctly between culpable and non-culpable acts, i.e. between actions of indiscriminate malice, such as the insurance fraudster who blows up the plane with no regard to the life of those on that plane, and actions involving no malice, but which are indiscriminate in their effects, such as the actio ns of the desperate father in Lord Goff’s example above. In this paper I shall address these concerns in detail, concluding that a cognitive approach to intention may simply be unsuitable for the crime of murder; it fails to adequately demark the boundaries of culpability between this crime and that of manslaughter. I shall then examine the Law Commission’s Consultation Paper Homicide (No.177, 2005), and shall critically discuss their approach to these problems, concluding with an assessment of how successful these reform proposals would be in their aim of differentiating correctly between culpable and non-culpable acts, if implemented. As we have already seen from the examples discussed above, Norrie is quite right in his assertions; the requirement of direct intention is too focussed on the specific mental state of the actor with the effect that the charge of murder would be precluded for anyone other than an offender who either directly intended to kill his victim, or at least intended to cause that victim serious harm from which death was a reasonably foreseeable result. Likewise, the extension of this requirement to include indirect intention, whilst at least serving to bring crimes of indiscriminate malice under the scope of ‘murder’, also serves to bring other such actions under this label, actions which should only be considered manslaughter, in light of the lower degree of criminal culpability possessed by their perpetrators. In other words, it is not always fair to equate foresight of a virtually certain result with intention. Let us now look at the reforms to the doctrine of direct intention, which have been proposed by the Law Commission in their Report on Homicide[11], and assess to what extent these reform might actually serve to correct the current inadequacies: In this Report, the Law Commission make two different reform proposals; the first of these is to create a statutory definition of intention which avoids the problems of indirect intention being construed too widely by a jury; the second is to codify the existing common law doctrine of indirect intention, but to modify it so that the current problems of indirect intention can be avoided. Both of these proposals are therefore designed to rectify the problem of indirect intention being construed too widely, whilst at the same time allowing this doctrine to continue its prosecution of indiscriminate malice as murder where appropriate. The rationale behind both of these alternative proposals is to rectify the distinction which can, in exceptional cases, exist between intention, in its natural form, and intention implied by reasonable foreseeability/ virtual certainty. They reform proposals recognise that it is possible for an offender to have not intended a particular outcome, even though he or she may have realised that such an outcome was a virtually certain consequence of their actions. This is commonly known as the ‘Woolin[12]’ problem. Under the first proposal, the Commission have state that ‘It is crucial that a statutory definition of intention should not cause injustice, or absurdity, by deeming certain conduct to be intended when the circumstances show it to be otherwise[13]’. Thus, under this first proposal, the Commission propose to insert a proviso into a statutory definition of intention, i.e. ‘A person is not to be deemed to have intended any result, which it was his or her specific purpose to avoid.[14]’ This should not be seen as reinserting a motive assessment into that of intention, but rather to provide a means by which a jury will not be forced to convict someone of murder, in an exceptional case where that offender specifically did not intend to cause death even though he knew it would almost certainly result from his actions. Under the second proposal, the Commission suggest a codification of the current doctrine of intention, modified to take account of those exceptional cases where it would be unfair to equate foresight of a virtually certain result with intention, might be as follows. Such a formulation might read as follows: â€Å"(1) A person is to be regarded as acting intentionally with respect to a result when he or she acts in order to bring it about. (2) In the rare case where the simple direction in clause (1) is not enough, the jury should be directed that: they are not entitled to find the necessary intention with regard to a result unless they are sure that the result was a virtual certainty (barring some unforeseen intervention) as a result of the defendant’s actions and that the defendant appreciated that such was the case. (3) In any case where the defendant’s chance of success in his or her purpose of causing some other result is relevant, the direction in clause (2) may be expanded by the addition of the following phrase at the end of the clause (2) direction: or that it would be if he or she were to succeed in his or her purpose of causing some other result, and that the defendant appreciated that such was the case.[15]† This would have the effect of maintaining the current law in relation to virtual certainty, which as Lord Steyn pointed out in Woolin, â€Å"has [over a period of 12 years since Nedrick] apparently caused no practical difficulties,[16]’ whilst at the same time, limiting the doctrine of indirect intention so as to exclude those situations where an offender might have seen death as being virtually certain, but where he specifically tried to avoid it. This proposal purports to do this by providing the jury with more specific guidelines as to when they are entitled to infer indirect intention. Both of these reform proposals are encouraging; it would seem that the Law Commission is heading in the right direction at last. The first proposal specifically precludes the Woolin problem with the insertion of a provision which, although purportedly reintroducing a motive element to the doctrine of intention, can actually be used to ensure that intention is not implied where it would be unfair to do so. The second is less specific, but purports to achieve the same ends by clarifying the necessary circumstances in which indirect intention should be implied. In conclusion, I would favour the first proposal for the following reason; the second proposal will only slightly modify the doctrine of indirect intention, and will only slightly limit its scope. The proviso contained in the first proposal however, is, as yet, unlimited in its scope, and as such, can be used by a jury to greater effect. This may have the result of reverse injustice, i.e. offenders who should morally be guilty of murder escaping this label for the lesser conviction of manslaughter, but I feel that it will so significantly decrease the chances of the reverse occurring, i.e. offenders who should only be found guilty of manslaughter being labeled as a murderers, that such a risk is justified; after all, it is more important to encourage this latter phenomenon than it is to prevent the former from occurring at all costs, especially in light of the huge sentences which are imposed on those offenders convicted for the crime of murder. Bibliography: Law Commission's Consultation Paper Homicide (No.177, 2005) Nathan Committee Report, Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Murder and Life Imprisonment (HL paper 78-1, 1989). A Ashworth, Principles of Criminal Law (4th ed 2003) A Norrie, â€Å"Subjectivism, Objectivism, and the Limits of Criminal Recklessness† (1992) 12 OJLS 45. A P Simester, â€Å"Why Distinguish Intention from Foresight?’† in A P Simester and A T H Smith, Harm and Culpability (1996) 71. Williams, G. (1955) The definition of Crime Current Legal Problems 8, 107-30 Smith, A. H. (2004) 'Criminal Law: The Future' Criminal Law Review, Dec, 971-80 1 Footnotes [1] A definition provided by the Oxford English Dictionary. [2] See Lord Coke’s classic definition involving ‘malice aforethought’. [3] Law Commission Report: Homicide [No.177; 2005] para 4.6 [4] Ibid, para 4.6 [5] 1986 (83) Cr App R 267 [6] ibid [7] [1999] 1 AC 82. [8] [1999] 1 AC 82, at 96 [9] Lord Goff in the Nathan Committee Report, Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Murder and Life Imprisonment (HL paper 78-1, 1989). [10] In the statement at the top of this paper, A. Norrie states: 'The Law Commission's review of the law of intention confirms the viewthat †¦ indirect intention†¦ is morally over-inclusive, failing to differentiate culpable and non-culpable acts.' (Norrie 2006) [11] Report No. 177; 2005 [12] In this case, D had a grudge against a woman and had threatened to ‘burn her out’. One night he poured paraffin through her letterbox and set it alight. One of the women dies in the fire. When asked why he did it, he replied ‘to wake her up and frighten her’. Here, he did not intend to kill the woman’s but the question is therefore whether or not he saw such a result as virtually certain. [13] Ibid, para 4.42 [14] Ibid, para 4.50 [15] Report No. 177 2005 para 4.69 [16][1999] 1 AC 82. at 94

Humans are More Alike than Unlike :: essays papers

Humans are More Alike than Unlike "I looked up the road I was going and back the way I had came since I was not satisfied I stepped off the road and created a new path"(Maya Angelou) Humans are more alike than unlike. Once we in America grasp this concept only than will we began to create a new path for the world we live. Many times the word diversity rings in my ear like an annoying telephone that I do not want to answer. Sometimes I feel as we are caught up in a diversity scandal: attending diversity days, diversity workshops, and taking diversity classes just to say we are trying to do something about our racial problem we have in America. Personally I had to step away from these things to re-evaluate my beliefs and values about my fellow brothers and sisters of my world. I was one of those people who was caught up in the going to the workshops and doing the training's and not doing the work within myself. I had to realize that humans are more alike than unlike. When I truly adopted this concept and lived it I finally began to accept that in order for us humans to live together we have to trust, accept and honor one another. Commitment starts within yourself. Once you commit yourself to a cause such as diversity it becomes necessary part of your life just as eating and sleeping. Finally when I figured out it was not the talk but the walk that made the difference I became more passionate about my cause. Being passionate made it easier to tell people what diversity and multicultralism was and what it meant to me. You can talk to you are blue in the face but what you live is truly how people learn, we learn through example. I learned a long time ago that I can not save the world but if I reach one person and they change their ways that one person may reach 10,000 others. That is what fighting for equality means to me. Truly that is what this game is all about changing lives and realizing you may never change the lives of the masses but you continue to fight for equality through diversity. I have dreamed of a world where everyone is equal and I have accomplished in my world this very dream. However, when we in America get and live this concept I have continually talked of throughout this essay only than will there ever be true change in the equality of people in our country.

They Call Me Anti-American :: essays research papers

Every time I have returned from Honduras I have gone into severe culture shock. It takes me many months to adjust to my native country. This may sound strange to many and others must surely think me insane for saying this thing. They probably wonder how one can experience culture shock in their homeland. To understand it one would have to open their eyes to some basic truths. Most do not want to admit to these truths. They exhibit all of the classic signs of those who have been indoctrinated into to the more controversial cults even down to the classic syndrome which CIA experts in the thought modification business term the â€Å"slide response.† In this response the person being confronted with the truth, or with the wrongness of their actions will attack desperately with illogical arguments. In severe cases they completely â€Å"shut down† mentally rather than face what their subconscious mind tells them to be true. One of the greatest ironies of today is the USA touting itself as the land of the free while individuals in many other nations – particularly some developing nations – enjoy more liberty than many Americans. The US is saturated with federal, state and local laws seeking to regulate and control individuals. That is not the case in many of the so-called third world nations I have visited. Politicians in this country would like for us to believe that the people would be like little lost children without their guidance and, more importantly, their protection. The latest tactics being used are trumped-up threats of terrorist bogeymen to frighten people into even greater submission.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps they are right and we have lost the ability to care for ourselves. Americans have been softened by consumerism. Generations of children have been dumbed down through entertainment and the educational system. The latest generation of children is being raised in an environment of tight security. Schools are heavily monitored with cameras, metal detectors, frequent locker searches, police presence and even the new RFID tags. When they become adults, this will all seem normal to them. They will not even remember a time when it was not this way. The essence of liberty is the lack of restraint on the individual. Freedom thrives when individual liberty is unbound. In America, the gospel of security is preached as the defense of freedom but it is a false gospel. In the context of the so-called War on Terror, this new security is actually the greatest threat against our freedom.

Kenya :: essays research papers

Kenya   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kenya is a republic of East Africa. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean on the southeast. The capital of Kenya is Nairobi. It is located in the south central part of the country. It has a population of 1.5 million. The National Musum of Kenya, the National Theater and the University of Nairobi are in the city. Kenya has a humid type of climate with little temperature variation from month to month. The average annual temperature along the coast is 27 degrees celcius, but in Kenya Highlands it is only 14 degrees celcius. About three-fourths of Kenya recieves less than 500ml of rain a year. Most rain fall occurs during the â€Å"long rains† from March to May.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kenya’s population is divided by language and culture into more than 40 different ethnic groups. The largest group is the Kikuyu which makes up 12 per cent of the population and is Bantu speaking. Swahili became the offical language of Kenya in 1974. It is grammatically a Bantu language even though it is heavily influenced of the population and is Bantu speaking. Swahili became the offical language of Kenya in 1974. It is grammatically a Bantu language even though it is heavily influenced by Arabic and is written with the Roman alphabet. English is also an official language and is still widely used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kenya has no official religion. More than 50 per cent of the population is Christian. Also, many of the people follow traditional religious practices. The population of Kenya was estimated to be about 27,000,000 in 1994. 85 per cent of the total population live in cities of Nairobi and Mombassa. Kenya has one of the highest rates of population growth in the world. It is predicted that the population may reach 120 million by the year 2050. This rapid rate of increase is due to the high birth rate and the low death rate. More than half of the population is under the age of fifteen. The rapid population growth has placed great strains on health facilities and other social services, especially in rural areas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main source of income for Kenya comes from agriculture. Coffee and tea are the most valuable crops. Together they account for approximately 50 per cent of all forigien exchange earnings. Because of the rapidly growing population, Kenya now imports large quantities of food, praticularly wheat. Unemployment is high. Expecally in the urban areas.

Money Is Everything

â€Å"Money isn’t everything. † To some people, this is an easy and preferred answer. It is an easy answer because it’s ideal and it gives hope. However, this idea is a common misconception and is dangerous because money is everything. Without the ability to purchase tangible items, intangible ideas would not be able to be pursued. Money is what helps people survive and pursue the ideological things in life. Therefore, the misconception â€Å"money isn’t everything† is a dangerous and mistaken belief. Money is what helps people survive.Sodapop Curtis, from The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, quits his high school and stops his chances of getting his dream job to get more money for his family to survive and help his little brother, Ponyboy, pursue his dreams. According to Sodapop, money is essential for survival, and without it, life would be very difficult to manage. He had dropped out of school because he needed money to help put food on the table for hi s family and helps his family when needed. Money isn’t a luxury but a necessity in order to survive in today’s world, so the idea that money isn’t everything is a misconception.The misbelief that money isn’t everything can result in devastating situations. A YouTube video, The Homeless Experiment, featured a man who did horrible in high school and eventually dropped out; he had thought that he did not need money do pursue ideological things. Although some people, such as Steve Jobs, may become a billionaire from dropping out, only a few actually become successful not having to chase after money. Many high school students believe in this misconception, and it may lead to dropping out to pursue a dream with false hopes.â€Å"Money isn’t everything† is a dangerous and mistaken belief that may foster fake hopes. â€Å"Money isn’t everything† is a dangerous misconception because money is necessary to survive in the world we live in today and because it can make people believe that dreams can come true without having money. Money does not buy respect, but is needed to gain authority which comes with respect. Money isn’t everything but most things require money. Therefore, it is crucial to use money and wealth wisely.

Mission vision Essay

Introduction This assignment is prepared to find out the mission, vision and value statements of some organizations from different industries. In this assignment I will also try to find out whether these firms put emphasize on quality in their vision and mission statement. This report looked into the mission, vision and value statements of McDonald’s, Bank of America, Rangs Group, BRAC University and IBA, University of Dhaka. Mission statement A mission statement defines the organization’s purpose and primary objective. Its function is internal; to define the key measure or measures of the organization’s success and its prime audience is the leadership team and stock holders. Vision statement A vision statement’s purpose is to explain the organization’s key values and does not refer to bottom line figures. It tells how a particular company believes things should be done. Additionally, it also gives direction to customers and employees. A vision statement also tells where the organization is heading and how it will complete its operations Value statement Value statement is an expression of a company’s or individual’s core beliefs. Companies write the statement to identify and connect with the consumer. Additionally, the declaration allows for the company’s staff to be aware of the priorities and goals of the company. Mission and vision statement of different organizations McDonald’s Mission statement â€Å"McDonald’s brand mission is to be our customer’s favorite place and way to eat. Our worldwide operations are aligned around a global strategy called The Plan to win which centers on an exceptional customer experience- People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion. We are committed to continuously improving our operations and enhancing our customers’ experience† Value Statement We place the customer experience at the core of all we do We are committed to our people We believe in the McDonald’s System We operate our business ethically We give back to our communities We grow our business profitably We strive continually to improve Comments McDonald’s doesn’t have a specific written vision statement. McDonald’s value statement specifically mentions the organizations commitment to quality service. McDonalds considers quality as key to ensuring positive consumer experience. McDonalds considers quality, commitment to its staff suppliers and shareholders, ethical business practices and CSR as integral to maintaining its spot as the industry leader. IBA, University of Dhaka Vision Statement â€Å"We strive to be visible among the respected business schools in the world, as we relentlessly pursue the goal of transforming the individual into a caring professional, who can make society just a little better† Comments IBA does not have a specific mission and value statements. The vision statement of IBA does not make any mention of quality. However, the goals stated in the statement require a strong emphasis on quality in order to achieve them. North South University Vision statement The vision of North South University (NSU) is to become a leading university and remain as a top center of excellence in higher education and research. It aims at attracting brilliant students, teachers, scholars, and from all over the world. Mission statement The mission of NSU is to produce highly skilled manpower, visionary professional leaders and responsible and enlightened citizens. This mission is achieved by imparting high quality higher education, and training, and by conducting useful research so that individuals can achieve their intellectual, social, and personal potentials. NSU is committed to developing human capital by sharpening creative thinking. In addition to creation and dissemination of knowledge, its mission includes promotion of humanism and peace through higher education. As a social institution, NSU endeavors to induce changes for betterment of the society as a whole through public services, and through promotion of ethical behavior and social justice. Comments NSU emphasized on quality in their mission statement. They have stated several long term targets for their organization in their vision statement and they have planned to achieve those by imparting higher quality higher education. Bank of America Mission Statement â€Å"Bank of America is all about providing people, companies and institutional investors the financial products and services they need to help achieve their goals at every stage of their financial lives. Our deep experience, broad range of services and global capabilities allow us to deliver comprehensive solutions that help customers and clients succeed in today’s market and prepare for the future.† Vision Statement â€Å"Our vision is to become the world’s finest financial services company.† Value Statement/ Core Values We deliver for our customers, clients and shareholders. We trust in our team. We embrace the power of our people. We act responsibly. We promote opportunity. Comments Bank of America emphasized a lot about quality in their value statement. Bank of America’s core value statement makes a declaration of quality in the form of consistency to all its constituents. Since, quality is considered a core value by the Bank of America; Rangs Group Mission and Vision Statement â€Å"Provide the population of Bangladesh with modern technology by offering quality products and proper after-sales-service through multi distribution channels to make their lives easier, more comfortable and convenient.The objective of our mission is by establishing a congenial working place with content employees and by offering quality products at reasonable prices we want to create a bond with every customer in order to maximize profit through perfect competition.† Comments Rangs group does not have a formal value statement. Rangs group places high emphasis on providing quality products and after sales service to its consumers. The group mission and vision statements are stated together. Besides they have emphasized on the modernization of technology.

Cliques in High School Essay

In high school, students feel presured to fit in with a certain group of people share the same intrests as them, this is better known as cliques. This makes many students feel left out and lonely while at school. Cliques are always around eachother wiether its in between classes, at lunch, or after school. There are many different reasons that cliques in high school are formed. The fear of surviving alone in high school is a main concen for many students that find it hard to make friends, this is one example of why cliques are formed. Cliques are developed by student’s needs to establish an identity and to be accepted. Students always seeks their identity and one way to do that is to choose a group of students who have the same identity as them. Teenagers love to explore and take risks. In forming cliques, especially with those groups who are popular, they develop a sense of power. Cliques are also formed because of peer preasure. This is because teenageres feel a sense of security when they are around people they look up to. There are many different types of cliques students form in high school. Typicly in highschool the athletes tend to hang out together. This clique is known at the jocks. The intrests of the students that make up this group include sports, dating, and their apperence. The guys in this clique are appealing to most girls in the school. Jocks feel a sense of superiority and tend to bully or pick on the other students they are not a part of this clique. The students in this group are made out to be the most popular kids in school and many others become envious of them. Another clique formed by highschool students are the nerds or the geeks. This students that make up this group are intrested in learning, computers, and video games. These students tend to make good grades and are very smart.  Most nerds tend to be in the school band. This group is most of the time known as the least popular in the school. Therefore they get picked on more than any of the other cliques, mainly by the jocks. The students who dress in dark colors and are very intriverted are refered to as the emo group or misfits. The intrests of the people who make up this group are loud music, skateboarding, and art. The apperence of this group differs from the others in that they have a very unique style. Dyed black hair, tight t-shirts and skinny jeans are only some ways this group would express themselves. There are many disadvantages of being involved in a clique throughout high school. For example, being in a clique can lead students to make stupid mistakes and decions. People involved in cliques are more likely to get pregnant or do drugs while in high school. Being involved in a clique could also spark jealously in less popular people. Along with the disadvanges comes many more advantages of being involved in a clique. Being involoved in a clique allows students to learn to be more comfortable around others. It also helps increase students’ self confidence. Students who are involved in a clique have a greater chance of not getting picked on throughout high school. Having a large group of friends and knowing that someone always has your back is another advantage of being in a clique. This, as many students should know, helps getting though high school much easier. In conclusion, being in a clique makes high school much easier to get through but can also cause a lot of unnesicary drama. Since fitting in is so important to in high school, cliques are an easy way for students to feel a sense of belonging. Cliques are very influencual in high school because they affect every student in some way or another.

Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities Essay

As a counselor we’re taught to put our own values and beliefs aside and provide services to our clients even if our values and beliefs do not coincide. When topics such as abortion and assisted suicide are brought up, I express my personal values about them. Abortion is a very sensitive topic for some individuals. My personal values towards abortion are I am for it and I’m speaking from my own personal experience. As a woman, it’s hard to decide to get an abortion but there are a lot of reasons as to why a woman may get the procedure done. For instance, a 19-year-old rape victim came to me for help because she wants to get an abortion and wants my help changing her parents’ attitude towards her wanting the procedure done. The ethical issue that I would have to consider while trying to consider on how I am going to counsel this client is trying to persuade her parents’ to have the same values and beliefs as her in order for her to have her parent’s blessing to get the abortion. This would be an issue because I have to be aware of her parents’ beliefs and trying to change their beliefs on behalf of my client would be wrong. My personal values towards assisted suicide are different than abortion. It is my belief that an illness should not make you want to take your life. If Eleanor came to me stating that she wants to end her life because of her health condition, I am responsible as a counselor to do my best and make sure she does not cause harm to herself. Even though I am against suicide, it’s my duty to counsel my client in need. The ACA (2005) states that counselors must take measures that enable clients to be given every opportunity possible to engage in informed decision making regarding their end of life care. Moreover, I would consult my supervisor as to how should I go about counseling Eleanor and I would also look into finding the appropriate professional to refer her too that specializes in end-of-life practice. Client Rights The four most important client rights that I believe a counselor has an obligation to protect are confidentiality, informed consent, privacy and cultural sensitivity. The first important client right is confidentiality. It is important that we ensure our clients’ confidentiality because it is our duty to make sure we do not provide any confidential information to another individual without consent from our client or if we have to there is a legal or ethical justification. Informed consent is the second most important client right because it allows clients the right to be informed about their therapy and to make decisions about it. Moreover, it is important to respect your client’s privacy. According to ACA (2005), a counselor should only solicit private information from the client only when the information will be potentially beneficial to the counseling process. Additionally, it is important to be culturally competent because â€Å"everyone is deeply embedded in one or more cultures and subcultures that shape the thinking, feeling, and acting of an individual and if counselors cannot see the ways that culture has shaped them, they are unlikely to be able to see the important and deep-seated ways that culture has shaped their clients (Values, n. . ). † As a counselor, I will incorporate these rights into my professional practice by following the Code of Ethics, consulting a colleague or supervisor and continuing my education to ensure that I am culturally competent. Responsibility to Warn and Protect One factor that will make me consider my â€Å"duty to warn† responsibility as a counselor is if my client has a contagious, life-threatening disease. When clients disclose that they have a disease commonly known to be both communicable and life threatening, counselors may be justified in disclosing information to identifiable third parties, if they are known to be at demonstrable and high risk of contracting the disease. Prior to making a disclosure, counselors confirm that there is such a diagnosis and assess the intent of clients to inform the third parties about their disease or to engage in any behaviors that may be harmful to an identifiable third party (ACA, 2005). Once I confirm that my client does have the communicable and life threatening disease, I would inform the individual that would have the possibility of contracting this disease. Another factor that will make me consider my â€Å"duty to protect† responsibility as a counselor is if my client disclosed to me during a session that they have plans to do harm to another individual. The ethical issues that I would consider while making my decision to ensure the well being of the individual would be if I should notify them of the potential harm or just notify the police. As a counselor, I still have to protect my clients’ confidentiality and my decision to disclose the possibility of harm to the individual would be based on the extent of the threat. Poland and McCormick (1999) stated that â€Å"notifying police is not sufficient action to protect the counselor from a lawsuit if the client’s threat is carried out. † Client Record-Keeping Client record-keeping is related to competent, ethical practice because as a counselor you have to document the clinical assessment and treatment process to ensure that the plan that was set for them is consistent with their diagnosis and assessment information. It is the responsibility of the counselor to make sure they document each time they have contact with their client in detail in order for their supervisor to review and ensure that the clients’ sessions are showing past progress and future outcomes. The components of a clinical record that I believe are most important for protecting the client’s right to a professional standard of care is informed consent to treatment forms, fee agreements, signed client rights statements, treatment plans, and treatment team staffing notes, often signed by clients or parents as well as by professionals. Authorizations to release information provide clients’ written consent to disclose protected information within very specific parameters (Poland & McCormick, 1999). Additionally, the components of a clinical record that are important for protecting the counselor from liability are a thorough assessment, a congruent treatment plan, detailed progress notes consistent with the plan, supervisory notes, billing notes consistent with the services documented, and the client rights documents (Poland & McCormick, 1999). As long as the counselor keeps detailed documentation of each meeting with each client, they will be able to defend themselves against allegations of misconduct. Topic of Choice One ethical issue that I find that will be controversial is confidentiality. This issue is significant for me because if I had a client disclose to me during a session that they had a communicable life threatening disease and they were practicing unsafe behaviors in order to pass the disease along to as many people as possible, I would find it hard to protect their confidentiality. Once I’ve received enough information from my client, I would consult with my supervisor as to what should be my next step. After I consult with my supervisor, I would take the proper steps to confirm that my client does have a communicable life threatening disease and if they do I would inform all possible parties.