A Raisin in the Sun Character Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

The play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry has many interesting characters. In my opinion, the most fascinating character is Ruth because of her many emotions and captivating personality. She goes through extreme emotions in the play such as happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and confusion. Ruth is very independent, firm, kind, witty, and loving.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ruth has an intriguing personality. She is very loving towards her family. She will do all in her power to improve the lifestyle of her family. When it appears that the deal for the house in Clybourne Park will fall through, she promises to dedicate all of her time to make the investment work. â€Å"Lena-I’ll work†¦ I’ll work 20 hours a day in all the kitchens in Chicago†¦I’ll strap my baby on my back if I have to and scrub all the floors and wash all the sheets in America if I have to-but we have to MOVE!† she pleads to her mother-in-law (Hansberry140). Her plan is unrealistic and idealistic, but the well being of her family is more important to her than anything. Ruth is also witty and sarcastic at times. She cracks jokes to lighten the mood of her family when they’re worried. â€Å"Well that’s the way the cracker crumbles. Joke. (121)† When Beneatha and Mama are stressing over the neighborhood they are moving into, Ruth makes a witty joke to improve the mood. Ruth supervises the daily routine and well being of her family. She makes sure that everyone does what they are supposed to and stays on track. ...

On Culture and Socialization

I chose these articles and chose to use it in an example of culture and socialization between males and females (gender) and discuss more in the following paragraph. The research I used, strongly suggests that there are still and will always be gender-specific communication traits. In my experience, a major requisite for effective intercommunication is making sure the receiver understands the message sent. Effective communication is not so much that I send a message -verbal or nonverbal -but that the person I am communicating with gets the message and responds. If not, miscommunication and misunderstandings may result. An example is when my husband and I have a disagreement over something. It surprises me how this can come from out of nowhere. Another prime example of an underlying cause of miscommunication is obviously due to the many different communication styles, content and method of interpretation of males and females. The interest in and importance of this topic solely, can be found not only in scholarly journals and books, but also in bestsellers. I have the book by Deborah Tannen, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, which is one of the main reasons I chose the two articles, especially the self- maintenance in conversation (including not just the control category, but achievement, opposition, attribution, anger, denial, withdrawal, and prevarication). I do believe I have experienced all of these topics in my marriage, let alone other interpersonal communications. For example, if my husband and I are in an argument, I know I’m right, no, really, because I’ve done the research; yet he still insists on telling me I’m wrong. My blood boils, maybe he knows this. Regardless, I need to work on my fight vs. flight methodology. He is not right, period. I belittle him in my mind for not knowing what I believe everyone would know. My behavior is almost incomprehensible at times concerning my desire to control, my level of anger in a belligerent way, and my actual denial in questioning myself about marrying an idiot. I don’t know how many times I have said something to the tune of, look, this is just not going to work out, blah, blah, blah, you should think about looking for somewhere else to live (knowing this will never happen in my level of commitment). Relationship therapist John Gray's 1992 bestselling book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus explains the difference in communication styles of men and women by humorously suggesting that they are from different planets, and that these differences contribute to communication conflicts. Gray puts forward that men and women often appear to be speaking entirely different languages, even when the vocabulary, syntax, and grammar they use are the same. Deborah Tannen, whose book, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, was on the New York Times Best Seller list for nearly four years and brought gender differences in communication style to the general public. Tannen contends that differences between the communication styles of women and men are the result of more than culture and socialization, but are inherent in the basic make up of each gender. Tannen, 1990) Taking a more scholarly perspective, Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz contends that among other things, the field of communication includes â€Å"the study of meaning, the study of how people convey ideas for themselves and to one another† (Leeds-Hurwitz, p. xv). Saying the same thing may have different meanings for men and for women. (Tannen, 1990) argues that men and women have different styles of con versing, of listening, of talking, and even have different purposes at stake in most conversations. She concludes that these different styles produce different meanings of the same words, and lead to miscommunication. In the three preceding paragraphs, I learned something I never knew. Wood stated â€Å"Researching communications between men and women reveals that the rules taught through childhood play are evident in adult interaction† (Wood, J. , 2004, p. 117). She makes the point, however, that â€Å"not all women follow rules of feminine communication communities and not all men follow rules of masculine ones† (Wood, J. 2004). Tannen contends, differences between the communication styles of women and men are the result of more than culture and socialization, but are inherent in the basic make up of each gender (Tannen, 1990). I never knew that, but I personally don’t think there is enough evidence, nor do I agree. I think just because a child might see his parents arguing the majority of the time and eventually divorcing after staying together for the sake of the children; it’s not always true about rules being taught in childhood play being evident in adult interaction. I think this statement might just need more research on the age of the child, if by rules she is referring to interpersonal communication, etc. I know many now adults who have been through a lot of negative interactions between their parents (arguing, fighting, and yelling at each other) while growing up to include general observation of adult conversation(s). These individuals have become excellent communicators, and have even mastered an ability to successfully teach interpersonal communications. The majority have also been in long-term what appears to be a successful marriage or relationship. I researched further in my book (next paragraph) to find out Tannen has some of the same thoughts as Wood on children being socially molded and trained to speak separate languages based on their gender. Because I used a published book and a scholarly article, and because of the information I learned, I have gained a motive to dig deeper into researching their theories and/or ideologies. Both Wood and Tannen agree â€Å"socialization in different gender communities’ accounts for some common misunderstandings between women and men† (Wood, 2004, p. 118). Tannen contends that men and women speak differently in face-to-face conversation because children are socially molded and trained to speak separate languages based on their gender. They both offer examples regarding how males and females discuss problems. When a woman tells a man about something that is troubling her, he responds by offering advice or a solution. On the other hand, women view communication as a way to build connections and are looking for empathy and discussion of feelings prior to advice. According to Wood â€Å"the most common complication in gender communication occurs when a woman says â€Å"Let's talk about us. To many men this often means trouble because they interpret the request as implying there is a problem in a relationship† (Wood, 2004, p. 118) and men are socialized to regard talking about a relationship useful only if there is a problem to be solved. Wood contends, however, that women feel problems are not the only reason to talk about a relationship. Women use talking to build intimacy. Tannen (1990, 1993) points out that both men and women need to understand the basic differences in their communication styles to find common ground and understanding. In spite of any genetic, biological or socialization factors that lead to ineffective communication between men and women (specifically my husband and I), effective interpersonal communication can be learned. I think once an understanding is reached, through patience and time, we (my husband and I) tend to accept; and as inept as it sounds, positively tolerate the opposite genders communications, and have more meaningful exchange of information, ideas and feelings in our personal communication. I’ve found different meanings in his actions whether verbal or non-verbal. We now agree to disagree and long ago came to understand what we once misunderstood in our interpersonal communication. At one point, when Tannen concluded that the different styles (genetic, biological or socialization factors) produce different meanings of the same words, and lead to miscommunication; I immediately thought of how these different meanings of the same words, etc. , in an interpersonal conversation could lead to a conversation of misunderstanding without the participants even knowing. As stated in Bridges not Walls, Editor John Stewart, the statement â€Å"I want to be me, but I need you† (confirmed by Stewart J. 2009, p. 95), made me seriously think about my true need to be both intrapersonal and interpersonal. So, from here, I feel I need to maintain a sort of parallel twist in working on culture and socialization, but not only verbally. I think when people think of interpersonal communication, they don’t consider nonverbal communication; which can als o lead to misunderstandings, or different interpretations of the same set of facts, causing breakdowns in communication. Television and magazine advertisements, as well as media portrayals of men and women, often perpetuate stereotypes. Men are macho and women are happy housewives or submissive playthings. It is important for effective communication not to make assumptions. On culture and socialization; I cringe at the fact that physical appearance is the most obvious nonverbal cue we present; it prompts others to perceive us with certain expected personality traits. It is a huge part of culture and socialization. In previous sociology experiments I’ve done, i. e. , I went into a grocery store and purchased a few items. I had just gotten out of bed a couple of hours earlier; no matter whom I had said anything to; one out of five people would respond. Even the cashier and bagboy were kind of stand offish. One day later, I returned, dressed in my work apparel which consisted of a suit, short heels, minimal make-up and hair fixed. It was like a one-hundred eighty degree flip. Random people were friendly, a smile here and there, and even a conversation with the same cashier. They might not have even recognized me from the day before, but I learned a lot about nonverbal communication and how it too, plays a tremendous role in culture and any type of socialization. In an experiment conducted by Schellenberg (1993) reports that good looking subjects were rated more highly than less attractive ones on non-physical traits as well. More attractive persons were also perceived as being more socially sensitive, sexually warm, kind, poised, and interesting than less attractive persons. In sum, they were perceived as having all the more desirable traits. Not only were they rated higher on the personality dimensions, but they were seen as happier and more successful in their lives (p. 129). Old School-Research on nonverbal communication must be approached cautiously. Some studies mark masculinity and femininity as stable, individual traits, when current research has placed us in a better position from which to view masculine and feminine display â€Å"as operating in the service of impression management and social maintenance† (Epstein, 1988, p. 220). I say â€Å"old school† for the research conducted by Epstein in 1988, yet it amazingly still applies research done today on nonverbal communication and gender. Generally, the sexes are attracted to one another on the basis of what Walster and her colleagues called the â€Å"matching hypothesis† ( Knapp, 1989, p. 59). The matching hypothesis argues that we may be attracted to only the best looking partners, but we will accept someone at least as good looking as we are. In other words, we are realistic in our approach to matching ourselves with prospective partners. I know it is true, but it still makes me cringe. It is judgment and judgment is up to God, not us. Conclusion On Cu lture and Socialization and Self-Maintenance in Communication; bettering verbal and nonverbal performance may not change any societal hierarchies, social orders, interpersonal communications, but it may be a first step. Studies have shown that the ability to correctly interpret verbal and nonverbal communications leads to more successful personal relationships. Greater awareness of verbal and nonverbal communication skills may lead to enhanced assertiveness. Being aware of the relationships between power and verbal/nonverbal communications changes the way people view seemingly neutral interactions. The relationship among power, sex, and verbal/nonverbal communications is one that has not been studied sufficiently. Further study of this controversial subject can only help to improve interpersonal communications.

Nothing Good Ever Comes from Violence

The twentieth century was the century of discovery for life . Dreadful diseases like diphtheria and leprosy were halted; sterile women have been given children; handicapped people were made a part of society. Numerous vaccines have been found to stop the most dangerous diseases. New technologies have enabled the creation of better conditions for life. International humanitarian organizations were felt all over the world where living conditions were not acceptable. Humanitarian aid have been sent many times where they were needed: Africa, Haiti, Pakistan, etc..Under these conditions, feeding his superego with illusions, man has become complacent. He is gracious and fair. He is, finally, human. However, what ultimately is not understood is that violence, which has its roots deep infiltrated in human consciousness , cancels all these developments. For each cured disease , hundreds of ways to return it are invented. For every child saved in high-tech hospitals there are another hundred k illed innocent children. Not a virus manages to disappear as we rush to replace it with another. Violence is everywhere.In this situation , the following idea needs to be understood : violence , in the common perception of this word, destroys everything we dream for. In this essay I will try to argue my thesis, demonstrating why each type of violence in part must be avoided. In the beginning, I’m obliged to clarify the essence of the term violence. Violence is the expression of physical and / or verbal force of one person against himself or another person / group of persons ,that brings the pain to whom it is addressed. There are several forms of violence : Physical, Sexual, Emotional, Psychological, Spiritual, Cultural, Verbal, Financial.Each one is a tragedy for one against whom it is directed. Violence is a primal part of human nature. Since ancient times, it has governed human acts. His destructive tendencies and self-defense were the ones that have characterized all his actions. However, for some time, the state claims, for better or worse, a monopoly on violence practiced within the confines of a specific territory ( Max Weber) ,realised by law and education, to impose the man to conform himself to cooperation and group working, whitch is much more effective and productive than the free violence.Violence is everywere. In families were husbands abuse their wives and children we speak about domestic violence. Domestic violence' is a specific form of violence in which physical, psychological, or sexual abuse is perpetuated by one spouse upon another, or by both partners upon each other. It is caused by many factors , including : the pure impuls control , lack of education,social stress, need of power and control, mental illnesses , etc. Domestic violence has a lot of negative results. Broken bones, head injuries ,internal bleeding are some of the acute effects .Hundreds of thousands of dead women and children annually: it is the result of domestic vi olence. And those who survive have a nightmare during all their life. A life marked by depresion, stress, fear, and anxiety. These symptoms are generally experienced for a long span of time after the victim has left the dangerous situation. But problems do not stop there. If victims can escape the abusers, they are tortured by the society. They don’t have money , they don’t have the ability to get money, they don’t have friends that can help them†¦ This leads many times to the suicide.For children, domestic violence can become an enormous psychological trauma that will change the perception of the world. For example, Hitler was physically abused by his father in childhood. Because of this, he became a sociopath and did what he did. Franz Kafka was educated under the moral domination of his father, which made him one of the biggest pessimists in the history of mankind. So, the domestic violence pursues its victims till the grave. War is another manifestation of violence on a very large scale. It is thought to be the key of solving of the territorial, ideological and resources problems.During the war, violence is encouraged in the highest level. After the Industrial Revolution, that is percepted as a very good event, the number of war victims has grown. For example, World War I has caused 40 mln victims and World War II – 70 mln. New technologies are constantly developed to ensure the governments of all countries with weapons to bring as many victims as possible. From the machinegun to the atomic bomb, every discovery is greeted with applause. Death smiles at us and we applaud. Then we go home, satisfied of ourselves, and criticize the politicians.We applaud, but then we close our eyes in front of terror victims. Do you think that after Hitler has caused 50 million victims in his war people haven’t made new weapons? Do you think that after Hiroshima and Nagasaki haven’t appeared new types of atomic bombs? We applaud them all. Every year on May 9, Russia shows its military force one the Red Square. And we applaud, proud of what we’ve created. While we’re applauding, millions of Africans die in civil wars, progress in the black continent can not be put on wheels, people dying of hunger because of civil wars.And we applaud. Much more horrible are the conflicts caused by religious, racial and national hate. During the middle age, near 300  000 people ( especially women ) were killed because of their religion. The Jews were killed and chased all other the Europe. The Crusades against Muslim have caused a lot of human and material prejudice. Interracial hatred, maintained by Ku Klux Klan in America, which has started since the late 19th century and continue fruitful so far, does not allow free evolution of American democracy, as well as the evolution of democracy all other the world.Thousands of people are killed in Russia, according to race. The new national-socialist organization a re growing rapidly . In a world where the Hungarian National Socialist Party gain 9% in the elections, progress is a castle on sand. Well†¦ This is our world – a world of violence. It surrounds us , wispers sweet words to our ears , decieve our eyes, feed our egos by illusions, and continues its very productive work. Millions of people die from violence.Is not it enough that we die because of pollution and unhealthy way of life? Should we help nature in the murder? Is it not time that the understanding between people to become the engine of a better life? We arrived at times when the slightest mistake could cost us a lot. We are on an unstable platform and only on us depens our future. A future soaked in the blood of violence or dried by the Sun of welfare. It’s our turn to choose now. Listen Read phonetically Listen Read phonetically

Physiological Change Essay

What is a drug addiction? Why don’t people just simply quit doing drugs? Well here is a news flash, an addiction to drugs is a disease! Why is it when someone is diagnosed with cancer other people are concerned and feel horrible, however, when someone is diagnosed with an addiction to drugs they are faced with ridicule, and alienation? It seems that it may be this way since cancer has been researched for many years while drug addiction has not. People who abuse drugs are affected by physiological changes that occur in the brain, unfortunately these changes are what leads to addiction and should be treated as the disease it is and not as if it is a choice. The disease that addictions cause makes many physical changes to the human body but addiction is more than just a behavioral disorder, another thing that it can cause is emotional changes. The disease physically alters the way the user thinks. Over time consecutive use of the drug could make the users body immune to that dosage, therefore it makes them feel they need more to achieve their â€Å"High†, and here lies the start of an addiction. Many uninformed individuals would say if its bad quitÍ ¾ however, this problem isn’t that simple. Along with altering the way the user thinks, the disease also alters cells in the body.

The Operating Budget for the City of Cincinnati Ohio Research Paper

The Operating Budget for the City of Cincinnati Ohio - Research Paper Example Possessing the knowledge of budget is a pre requirement to have an impact on the city government. The local self government of the Cincinnati city is biennial. It can be seen that municipalities in Cincinnati have the power of the local self government to enforce sanitary regulations as well as other such regulations, which would not be in conflict with the general laws. Many of the important decisions regarding various operations in the city are done when creating the budget. The biennial has various responsibilities such as supplying clean and pure water to the public. In the city, various efforts were taken by the government to reduce violence through more stringent implementation of criminal justice system aided by law enforcement as well as other community organizations. 1. Budget Overview: 1. Financial Summary, including Revenue and Expenditures In the City of Cincinnati, Ohio, the biennial local governments utilize funds to maintain different types of revenue and expenditure a ccounts, keeping them separated from each other depending upon the goal of the fund. The budget of the city of Cincinnati is arranged on the basis of cash with the exemption of accrued employee benefit costs and personnel services. In the basis of cash accounting, revenue is identified when it is received and a cost is identified when it is paid. The city reports various governmental funds including General Fund, Capital Projects Fund, Debt Service Fund and other such important proprietary funds include Water Works Enterprise Fund. The city assembles, sells and purifies water to facilitate businesses and most importantly the residents of Cincinnati. Revenue consists mainly of user costs. 2. Department Budgets: The department budget of the city of Cincinnati permits to evaluate the costs and expenses connected to a particular section and whether the profits are adequate to convene these expenses or not. Furthermore, it allows the management to determine its financial performance. Fol lowing are the Department Budgets summary of the City of Cincinnati Ohio in Biennial. (financial plan) 2011 2012 2013 changes to 2013 Budget to 2012 Operating budget 28,120,790 29,221,010 28196430 (10245808) Other expenses 25,425,370 27,413,020 30,121,550 (2708530) Equipment 668,150 1,080,000 801,050 (278950) Operating total 54214310 57714030 59119030 (13233288) Employee Benefits 8, 5641,320 10,437,820 10,112,460 (325360) General Fund Overhead 1,403,550 1,421,590 2,424,890 1003300 Debt Service 2,403,550 2,421,490 2,324,790 (96700) Total 89448420 14280900 14862140 581240 3. Funding: Funding refers to the commercial action of providing capital and funds both in terms of fixed capital as well as working capital. The Cincinnati section of Community Development makes possible the process of funding as well as provides other resources that help in neighborhood revitalization, quality housing and human facilities. General Fund is the accounting unit in which every governmental activity is accounted for. Its incomes comprise intergovernmental shared revenues, taxes, investment income and charges for services. â€Å"General Fund expenditures represent costs of general government, economic development, public safety, public services, public health, parks and recreation, and other services† (City of Cincinnati, 2008, p.27). Capital Projects: Capital Projects are

The Image of the Rural Pride as it Relates to the American Identity Essay

The Image of the Rural Pride as it Relates to the American Identity - Essay Example Land ownership shifted from the elite who held the yokes of servants in the feudal system to that of the common man who either staked his claim or was given land on which his pride and his sweat coaxed out a living. In using the imagery of farms and rural life to express idealism, artists have made a commentary on what it means to work the land and the identity that this image creates in relation to that of American life. As a consequence, those same images have been used to relate the disappointments and changing ideals that have grown. The concept of the rural landscape or representation is not always defined by the image of a happy or successful representation of American rural life. In Grant Wood’s work American Gothic, one interpretation is to see a savagery in the faces of the farmer and his wife, their lives so cruel and harsh that they live with that impressed upon their faces. Charles Demuth resented his surroundings so much that his artwork was representative of that same hard lined concept which produced the idea that rural life was unacceptably harsh. The Rural Aesthetic One of the most iconic pieces of art in the American portfolio is that of American Gothic by Grant Wood. The image of the harsh and sober farmer, his wife looking at him with the barest disdain combined with a hint of respect, suggests both a satirical look at rural life, contrasted with a respect for the stoic and harsh nature of such a life. Corn (1998) argues that the work is not based on satire, but on the way in which Wood was raised, his background informing the aesthetic that he has adopted. As well, Wood, according to Corn (1998), had an aesthetic that was reflected in hard lines. Through the examination of the Midwestern lifestyle, he associated the difficulty of rural work to that of the hard line. Corn (1998) quotes Garland who defines the concept of the Midwest through the representation provided through hard lined works, which gave them the aspects of being †Å"rural, raw and tough – as hard ‘edged’ (p. 397). The work, American Gothic, is one of the most recognizable paintings done in the 20th century. It is often referred to as the â€Å"American Mona Lisa† because of its wide use in pop culture iconic works of advertising and social referencing, and because it is associated with American Art in a very central and meaningful way. Critics of the work often assign it to being either regional or satire, both which the artist believes diminishes his intentions with the work. Wood resented the idea that the painting represented specifically Iowa, the work having a more universal representation of the American farmer and not representative of Iowa. The criticism of satire also did not seem to fit the painting. According to Seery (2002), â€Å"the farther the critic lived from the Midwest, the more predisposed he or she was to read the painting as satire or social criticism† (p. 121). In fact, the painting was depicted as vicious by art historian Mathew Baigell who framed his interpretation as â€Å"a ‘vicious satire’ that depicts the couple as savage, exuding ‘a generalized, barely repressed animosity that borders on venom†

PAPER ON OBAMACARE FROM LIBERTARIANISM AND UTILITARIANISM STAND POINTS Essay

PAPER ON OBAMACARE FROM LIBERTARIANISM AND UTILITARIANISM STAND POINTS - Essay Example The care act would also bring a transformation in the US health care system which is necessary in containing costs. Obamacare from the utilitarianism view point Utilitarianism can also be referred to as the greatest happiness principle. According to this theory, an action can only be right if it promotes happiness to a large number of people (Sandel 200). The intrinsic value for this theory is happiness. The happiness of every one counts equally, and a moral action is the one which brings about the best outcome of all the available outcomes. From utilitarianism point of view, the Obamacare is morally right and morally wrong. The advantages of Obamacare to the US citizens are more than the disadvantages. Obamacare has had positive consequences on the lives of the US citizens and more so the poor and the middle income earners. The advantages of Obamacare include improved quality of health care, low costs of healthcare, new benefits and improved safety. A consequentialist would say that Obamacare is morally right as it maximizes the good part of it to the citizens of that country. Obamacare stands for things which are worthy promoting and pursuing when it comes to the issues of universal health care putting into consideration that health care is an vital part of human living. Obamacare also stands for the right actions and policies all which are in favor of its citizen’s well fair (Sandel 140). The greatest happiness of the people of USA obtained from Obamacare is the measure of right. Healthy living for the USA citizens is considered by utilitarian’s as part of happiness Obamacare is also morally right as it leads to a reduction in pain and an increase in pleasure which is part of the overall utility enjoyed by people. The fact the costs of drugs has been reduced under the Obamcare is enough evidence that it would lead to the reduction of pain for all suffering citizens since they would be able to purchase the drugs. Obamacare also leads to the redu ction in pain and an increase in pleasure for the citizens as care for patients is organized in a way which enhances the care of the patient. The benefit which comes with increase healthcare in US is exceedingly than the problems and the side effects are sufficiently limited which justifies Obamacare on acts of utilitarian grounds. Obamacare is also morally right as it is from its improved quality that infections which would have been acquired from hospitals will be prevented. It will also lead to the prevention of chronic diseases accompanied by improved public health. Utilitarian’s would consider this as being morally right as it would increase the pleasure of people by living disease free lives. The Obamacare would also improve the citizen’s access to innovative therapies which will lead to pain reduction for people suffering diseases requiring therapies. Utilitarian’s also think that the Obamacare is morally wrong. Though coupled with many advantages which m ake many citizens happy, it reduces the level of happiness to some extent. For example, the Federal Government of US forced the millions of uninsured people to get insured. The business people were also forced into paying high taxes in order to fund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This simply indicates that this was against their will which may not make them too happy. The actions and polices by the act are to a certain extend wrong as the business people