Venus in Furs Book Review

'Venus in Furs' Book Review Not many writers have the distinction or the notoriety of having a psycho-sexual term named after them. The astonishing and ingenious sexual cruelties in the Marquis de Sades works, particularly in The 120 Days of Sodom, have made his name a byword, and in 1890 the German psychiatrist Richard von Krafft-Ebing introduced the word sadism into medical terminology (even though the sole manuscript of The 120 Days of Sodom had yet to be discovered and published, the full fury of which would wildly intensify the meaning of the term). Historian and Progressive Thinker Fittingly in the shadow of the overpowering de Sade, the Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch inspired the term for sadism’s flip-side, masochism, which was also introduced by Krafft-Ebing. Von Sacher-Masoch was a historian, folklorist, collector of stories, and progressive thinker, but even though he produced dozens of books in any number of genres, he’s almost solely known for his infamous novella Venus in Furs (its the only work translated into English). Initially meant to be part of an epic novel-sequence called (Sacher-Masoch abandoned that plan after a few volumes), Venus in Furs was published as the fourth part of the first book, which was entitled, Love. Each book was named after one of the â€Å"evils† that Cain introduced into the world, and with this underlying premise- that love is an evil- von Sacher-Masoch reveals a seriously uneasy view of human relations. Venus in Furs - Beginnings The book starts with an epigraph from the Bibles book of Judith, which narrates the story of a clever and powerful woman beheading Holofernes, an Assyrian general. An unnamed narrator, then, opens the book with a strange dream of an icy Venus, who wears furs and who leads a philosophical discussion about how women’s cruel nature increases mans desire. When the narrator awakens, he goes to meet with his friend Severin, to whom he relates his dream. ​ Introducing Severin Severin is a strange and sober man who at times, the narrator relates, had violent attacks of sudden passion and gave the impression of being about to ram his head right through a wall.† Noticing a painting in Severins room depicting a northern Venus who wears furs and holds a lash that she uses to subjugate a man who is clearly a younger Severin himself, the narrator wonders aloud if the painting perhaps inspired his dream. After a short discussion, a young woman enters to bring tea and food for the pair, and to the narrator’s astonishment, a very slight offense on the woman’s part causes Severin to berate, whip, and chase her from the room. Explaining that you have to â€Å"break† a woman rather than let her break you, Severin produces a manuscript from his desk that tells how he was ostensibly â€Å"cured† of his obsession with being dominated by women. Confessions of a Suprasensual Man Entitled â€Å"Confessions of a Suprasensual Man,† this manuscript comprises all but the last few pages of the rest of the novel. Entering into this frame, the narrator (and the reader) finds Severin at a Carpathian health resort where he meets and falls in love with a woman named Wanda, with whom he draws up and signs a contract that makes him her legal slave and gives her full power over him. At first, because she seems to like him and enjoys his company, Wanda shies away from the degradations that Severin asks her to subject him to, but as she slowly allows herself to take up her dominant role, she takes greater pleasure in torturing him and increasingly grows to despise him for how he allows her to treat him. Leaving the Carpathian mountains for Florence, Wanda makes Severin dress and act like a common servant, forcing him to sleep in disgusting quarters and keeping him isolated from her company unless needed to serve some whim or another. These changes make Severin feel the palpable reality of his desires- a reality that he was in no way prepared for- but although he loathes his detestable new position, he finds himself unable to resist (and to keep from requesting) new humiliations. At times Wanda offers to put an end to their game  because she still has feelings of affection toward him, but those feelings fade as her mantle of power gives her free rein to use Severin for her increasingly twisted devices. The breaking point comes when Wanda finds a nearly superhuman lover in Florence and decides to make Severin subject to him as well. Unable to bear subjugation to another man, Severin ultimately finds himself â€Å"cured† of his need to be dominated by women. Telescoping back to the novel’s outer frame, the narrator, who’s seen Severin’s current cruelty toward women, asks him for â€Å"the moral† to all of this, and Severin answers that a woman can only be a man’s slave or despot, adding the caveat that this imbalance can only be remedied â€Å"when she has the same rights as he and is his equal in education and work.† This egalitarian last touch squares with von Sacher-Masoch’s socialist leanings, but clearly the events and stresses of the novel- which were mirrored closely in von Sacher-Masoch’s personal life, both before and after writing it- prefer wallowing in inequity much more that eradicating it. And this has been the novel’s main appeal for readers ever since. Unlike the works of the great de Sade, which soar as striking feats of both writing and imagination, Venus in Furs is much more of a literary curio than an artistic piece of literature. Its symbolic orders are muddled; its philosophical excursions are both ponderous and corny; and although its characters are vivid and memorable, they too often fall into â€Å"types† rather than exist as fully explored individuals. Still, it’s a curious and often enjoyable read, and whether you take it as literature or as psychology- or as erotica- there’s no question that this book’s whip will leave a distinct mark on your imagination.

Inclusion in an Education Setting Essays

Inclusion in an Education Setting Essays Inclusion in an Education Setting Essay Inclusion in an Education Setting Essay Effective Inclusion Practices David Cooper, University of Phoenix Online January 21, 2008 Inclusion describes the development of services to those with disabilities, while attending classes in a general educational setting. The IDEA mandates that all children regardless of their disability have the right to a free and appropriate education, in the least restrictive environment. Although the IDEA does not require inclusion, the law requires that children with disabilities be educated to the maximum extent appropriate for them.The following interviews reveal the thoughts and ideas of school staff members about inclusion, and how inclusion works in their school districts. A list of professional roles has also been developed (Appendix). Regular Education As a regular education teacher, asking the inclusion specialist about the accommodations, as documented on the IEP, for each student is crucial. Without the proper accommodations for students in inclusion, you are setting them up for failure. Once asking what the specific accommodations are, you need to inquire or research how to best carry out each accommodation.What works for one student will not necessarily work for another student. Especially, if one student is an auditory learner, while another is a visual learner. Each student needs a fair chance at passing inclusion classes. Not only does the regular education teacher need to communicate with the inclusion specialist about accommodations, but also must keep the specialist up to date regarding the student’s progress. By law, the inclusion specialist is to document when the students are progressing or regressing in their academic studies.This process should be done twice per marking period. If the current accommodations are working, then the student may continue at pace. However, if the accommodations are not working or if there is a drop in the student’s grade, then the regular education teacher and inclusion specialist need to go back to the drawing board. This will help get the student back on track, unless there were certain life events that altered the situation. At those moments, other intervention is necessary. Helping a student of inclusion become successful may require some extra work on the teacher’s part.The students in the classroom should not be separated by ability; they should be seated together. The students who are on the inclusion program should not stand out from the rest of the class. This will encourage the students to participate more and feel accepted by their peers. When teaching new concepts or giving the students independent activities, the teacher and inclusion specialist should be walking around to monitor progress. Regardless of student ability, both the teacher and specialist should be helping any student that needs some guidance with the work.The teacher and specialist should not be helping just their’ students. When ownership is seen in the classroom, this makes the class feel divided. For students who may need extra assistance, the teacher or inclusion specialist should provide tutoring once a week or the day before an assessment. Tutoring should be geared toward the students in the inclusion program; however, it should be open for all students to get extra help. Another form of tutoring that is less visible consists of carbon copy paper and a kind regular education student.For students of inclusion who have a difficult time writing notes and listening at the same time, the teacher should give carbon copy paper to one of the oral skilled students to write the class notes. At the end of each class, the regular education student gives the carbon copy to the student who needs the notes. This allows the student to listen more to what the teacher is saying and then read the notes later for clearer understanding. If the carbon copy paper is too awkward or unavailable, then the regular education teacher should provide a copy of pre-printed notes for the student to follow along with during the lesson.For all students, inclusion or not, having an inclusion specialist in the classroom helps when the regular education teacher runs out of ideas on how to explain different concepts. As a teacher, you must provide every opportunity for the students in your classroom to succeed. This may require the concept to be explained three or four different ways until everyone understands. The regular education teacher sometimes has to be humble enough to ask someone else, either another student or the inclusion specialist, to expla in the concept or idea.After each of these accommodations and practices has been met, then the students in the inclusion program have no excuse not to succeed in the classroom. The regular education teacher should not grade the students any differently, when the accommodations have been provided. The accommodations help to put the students of inclusion on the same academic level as the other students. Therefore, they should be graded on the same rubric or value system. Grading them differently is only hurting the student, not pushing them to work harder to succeed.An interview was conducted with Mrs. R. Smith who is a second grade general education teacher at the Dawes Ave Elementary School. Mrs. Smith currently has two inclusion students in her classroom. She finds that it takes a lot of time and patience to design lesson plans and activities to meet the needs of all of her students while keeping to the included student’s individual IEP’s. Mrs. Smith sometimes finds i t a difficult task because of the structured curriculum that she has to stick to. Mrs. Smith states that there are advantages and disadvantages of inclusion.One advantage is that the special needs student is able to socialize and learn with their non-disabled peers. A disadvantage is that an included student usually cannot keep up with the rest of the students. It is her job to ensure that she is helping all of her students to succeed by evaluating her lesson plans, changing teaching strategies, and collaborating with other teachers. Administration Terry S. , an assistant principal in the Plymouth – Canton community school district, supports inclusion and values the role this form of education plays in the educational environment.Terry believes that inclusion not only promotes independence in students with special needs, it promotes a sense of acceptance from peers. This collaborative effort creates a well-balanced classroom that parallels a real-life experience. Terry often finds himself as part of the support group that helps to mainstream special education and general education. He is available for mediation as well as IEP assistance. He is also an integral part of collaborative efforts with the home and school environment (Terry Sawchuk, interview, 2008). Special Education As the Special Education teacher for over 30 years, Mrs. Susan Gregg as seen huge changes in legislation, educational practice, and social acceptance of students with disabilities. When she began teaching, the idea of mainstreaming had not yet come into fashion; and students in special education were all educated in self-contained classrooms where they ate, played, learned, and spent the entire day. Mrs. Gregg is by no means stuck in her ways as teachers with a long working history often are. She is on the cutting edge of RTI (Response to Intervention), follows legislative changes to IDEA closely, researches best practices regularly, and oversees student teachers in her classroom, on a regular basis.Her strong belief is that within the model of inclusion, it is the special education teacher’s sacred duty to make the life of the general education teacher easier any way she can. Mrs. Gregg believes that teachers will have more and more interaction with one another and is of the opinion that the more teachers engage one another in a professional way in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration, the better off everyone will be, be it the teacher, administrator, parent, or student (Susan Gregg, interview, 2008). Paraprofessional Sarah C. s a paraprofessional who has worked in Special Education for nearly seventeen years in both South Carolina and Michigan. She likes what inclusion offers for all students involved. Special education students are included in the general education classroom, and therefore have an opportunity to gain social acceptance with their general education peers. For the general education student, they have an opportunity to socialize with students within special education. They can see first hand that those with disabilities are not social outcasts and can become active, productive members of society, and are not much different from everyone else.The down side of inclusion is that the pace of the learning process is sometimes slowed when there are several special education students. Sarah C. states, This has been a concern for several teachers I have worked with. Although the classroom staff tries to keep on task, occasionally the pace is slowed. Overall, she thinks inclusion has many more positives for all students, because they are learning lessons that are not being taught by the staff members (Sarah Cribbs, interview, January 17, 2008). Inclusion is only successful when everyone involved works together in providing the best education for students with special needs.It is a shared responsibility among administrators, general education teachers, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals. For inclusio n to be successful, a plan of action needs to be in place that includes planning, communication, and support. The plan of action should include the lesson plan, the strategies necessary for the lesson, and the responsibilities everyone involved will carry out. One way the plan of action can be completed is through collaboration among the administrators, general and special education teachers, and the paraprofessional.It is through this collaboration that special needs students will be successful learners in the general education classroom. References Cribbs. , Sarah. (2008). Interview on Inclusion. Gregg, Susan. (2008). Interview on Inclusion. Sawchuk, Terry. (2008). Interview on Inclusion. Smith, R. (2008). Interview on Inclusion. Appendix Professional Roles Regular Education Teacher ? provide appropriate accommodations as required on the IEP ? communicate with the inclusion specialist about the childs progress ? sk the inclusion specialist or administrator for clarification of acc ommodations needed for the student ? provide the student with after school tutoring once a week or shortly before classroom assessments ? continually check with student to ensure comprehension of material/lesson ? encourage the student to participate as much as the other students in the classroom ? provide alternate explanations of material that is not easily understandable ? make sure the students with IEPs are seated in and amongst the regular education students ? prevent seclusion and to encourage equality provide pre-printed notes when necessary ? provide a note-taker when necessary ? grade the childs assessments equally as the other students in the class because accommodations have been provided Administration ? collaborate with regular and special education, as well as parents and support staff ? support regular and special education teachers, especially when a parent is concerned ? offer mediation ? attend IEP meetings Special Education ? support regular education teacher ? r esearch best practices ? understand laws, regulations, and current legislation collaborate with regular education, paraprofessionals, administration, support staff, students, and parents by holding seminars before or after school ? provide IEP’s for all regular education teachers who teach inclusion classes ? develop lesson plans Paraprofessional ? promote social acceptance ? assist with instructing student(s) ? help manage behaviors ? support regular education teacher and special education students ? assist with creating diverse lesson plans ? provide materials and activities that promote differentiated instruction ? help grade papers when necessary ? help give assessments when asked

Forum 6 - Chapters 11, 12 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Forum 6 - Chapters 11, 12 - Assignment Example It is the effort within agencies and individual executive departments that ensure the Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEFs) are carried out even during emergencies. The PMEFs should also be executed during accidents, localized acts of nature, as well as, technologically attack-related occurrences. The government has partnerships with players in the private sectors and non-federal government bodies that play crucial roles in maintaining homeland security. COOP also aims at protecting essential records, equipment, and facilities. The planning gives the opportunity to transfer statutory responsibilities and authority from the primary staff to employees in other agencies. Situational awareness is an important skill when it comes to port safety. Deploying competitive units at the ports ensures that the security forces and the nation at large stay aware of the surroundings. It ensures that the security environment at seaports is certain by undertaking comprehensive assessments of vulnerabilities and threats. Situational readiness establishes strategies to minimize and avert adverse impacts that are associated with emergencies. It facilitates port safety by means of immediate and active responses (GOA 2002). Technology in port facility plays a crucial role in securing critical infrastructure that is vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Lack of the technological systems would have debilitating impacts on all forms all national security. The technology also aids in scanning of shipping containers and cargo for drugs and nuclear threats (GOA 2012). GAO. (2012) Maritime Security: Progress and Challenges 10 Years after the Maritime Transportation Security Act. General Accounting Office. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/assets/650/647999.pdf on June 10, 2015 GAO (2002) Combating Terrorism: Actions Needed to Improve Force Protection for DOD Deployments through Domestic Seaports. General

For what reason has the role of the British Prime Minister been viewed Essay

For what reason has the role of the British Prime Minister been viewed by some critics as increasingly 'presidential' in nature - Essay Example 34). An individual has to justify some specified qualifications in order for them to be chosen as prime ministers. To start with, they ought to be members of parliament (MPs) before they are chosen to the position. The politician also needs to be a leader of any party so as to qualify as a prime minister. Lastly, for one to become a prime minister they ought to be leaders of a party that has mainstream control of the House of Commons. Once the prime minister has been given the position, he or she is charged with the responsibility of carrying out some duties. These are what are known as the roles of the prime minister in the constitution of the government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister is charged with the obligation of creating the government, leading administrative policies, supervising the cabinet, organizing the government, regulating parliament and to sum up, he or she offers state leadership (Bennister, 2012: pg. 150) The prime minister plays the role of supervising the cabinet in that, he or she is the chairperson of the same cabinet. He or she chairs the cabinet during the meetings in which they meet on an average of once during the week. The agenda to be discussed during the meetings are decided on by the prime minister who also approves the minutes of their meeting. The prime minister apart from convening the cabinet meetings, he spells the time it will last and the type of layout that will be followed (Thomas, 1998:pg.100). According to Baldwin, N., (2006: 60), the prime minister synchronizes the government policies with the help of specific ministers and also via the cabinet. The whole process of coordinating the government sets off even before the elections are determined. The person who is seen as the potential prime minister oversees the frameworks of the policy as they are drafted in their party proposal. Once these persons are elected in office, they are

Summary of an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Summary of an article - Essay Example In his article, Tiebout stresses that this concern is different if the governments can â€Å"provide goods to citizens who can move to distinct communities† (Stoddard n.p.). The rationale is that if the people are confronted with a collection of communities that afford various kinds or levels of goods or services, then the people will be placed in a framework wherein they are able to choose communities that best serve their interests. This is a potential resolution to this â€Å"free ride problem† as citizens will be given options based on their capacity to take on tax burdens: citizens with high demands for public goods may choose to focus on communities that provide the corresponding levels of services and taxes. On the other hand, those who could not afford high levels of services and taxes may choose to concentrate on communities has low demands. The gist of this potential intervention, according to Tiebout, is to ensure that every citizen get their fair share of pu blic goods and services. Tiebout believes that Samuelson’s article largely focused on the public goods at the central level. He observes that while Samuelson and Musgrave claimed that public good provision can be optimal, this can only exist if the citizens express their true preferences through voting. Nevertheless, in reality, this is not what is happening: citizens are devaluing their preferences and demands in order to preclude high taxes. He identifies that this model merely presumes that provision of public goods can only be carried out by central governments. Tiebout balks with this idea and resorts to local governments. He comes up with a model that considers local governments as providers of public goods. He proposes that local governments, like central governments, generate a parcel of public goods. Tiebout believes that local governments can provide optimum public

Khushwant Singh Writing Style

Khushwant Singh Writing Style Khushwant Singh is one of the major Indian English novelists of our times. He is not only a novelist but also a short story writer, a columnist, a journalist, an editor. He has five novels to his credit besides a large number of works on other subjects. He is a reputed social realist. He is a sensitive artist who has used realism so as to present his humanistic vision of life. He is very keen to explore the realities of life. He has a sensitive understanding of the problems of contemporary Indian society. His intimate knowledge of rural and urban India life is an out come of his minute observation of life. He is a product of western education and culture but he is at heart a Sikh and an Indian. Realism is a remarkable feature of Indian English novel in which Indian sensibility is expressed through a foreign language. T. Anganeyulu rightly says: Realism shows real life, facts in a true way. It omits nothing that is ugly and painful and idealizes nothing. The term realism means (1) a theory of writing in which the familiar ordinary aspects of life are depicted in a matter of fact, straight forward manner designed to reflect life as it actually is, ( 2) treatment of subject matter in a way that presents careful descriptions of every day life, often the lives of so-called middle or lower-middle classes. Realism which refers to both the content and technique of literary creation has been evident in literature from its very beginning. Indian novelists show a passionate awareness of life in India the social awakening and protest, the poverty and hunger of the peasants, various dimensions of the struggle for independence the tragedy of partition, social and political changes along with inner life of the sensitive, suffering individuals. Different Indian English novelists have treated different aspects of social life. Khushwant Singh, like other Indian novelists, explores social, political realities of contemporary Indian life. His main concern is the man and the reality. He has established himself as a distinguished writer of social realism with the publication of his first novel, Train to Pakistan. The term social realism means the depiction in literature of social reality in its true colours. The emergence of social realistic novel in Indian fiction in English is due to the rise of Nationalistic Movement. The novelists who have been influenced by this movement roused the feelings of nationalism in common man through their works. They also tried their hands to make the people socially and economically conscious. Most of Khushwant Singhs critics have talked about his realistic portrayal of sex and violence, they have not fully apprehended the expensive scope of his vision of humanism. Khushwant Singh is, no doubt, a writer of social novels but not only sex and violence. He does not keep the surface reality. Unlike the other social writers Khushwant Singh selects his material from the bewildering variety of life and his vision is truly comprehensive. In shaping the emotional world of an artist the social milieu is one of the determining factors. The more deeply he reflects on the basic trends of society and the more sensitive he is to its processes, the more significant is his work. Khushwant Singhs special contribution lies in the portrayal of political life in India. Sex, violence are not the only realities Singhs social novels transcend this ideological boundary and present the real picture of society, encompassing the broader humanity. Through his characters he enlivens the contemporary Indian life. He portrays man objectively in relation to society without making him a mouthpiece of any preconceived ideology. Khushwant Singhs fictional world indicates the richness and depth of his apprehension of reality. He deals with various aspects of social reality. He is the oldest living monument of Delhi. He himself is history. He is the witness of pre-partition national movement, post-partition, Independence, and the modern complex world. He is much interested in human relation. His East-West education and rural-urban life help his fictional world to record contemporary socio-political tensions. He, thus, presents a panoramic view of Indian life. The relation between literature and society is integral and eternal. The reflexive value of literature though important, cannot be the sole basis of evaluating literature. The angle of vision with which the artist undergoes the experience also shapes the picture of reality presented in his work. Khushwant Singhs work has socio-religion-political context, but he is not always in the mood of iconoclastic anger. He is not a committed writer in the narrow sense of being bound up with an ideology or a school. There is no didacticism or moralization in his novels. He neither uses his art for allowed propaganda, nor professes indulgence in art for arts sake. He is the artists detachment with a humanistic basis. Khushwant Singhs angle of vision is also shaped by his devotion to human interest. As for example Train to Pakistan shows the unconquerable spirit of man in the face of mighty forces of wickedness and savagery. The novel implies Khushwant Singhs optimistic and affirmative views and his enduring faith in the values of love and humanity. As V.A. Shahane observes Khushwant Singhs realism: Is not an attempt at a book-keeping of existence, but an artistic endeavour to transcend the actual, asserting the dignity of individual stimuli and expressing the tragic splendour of mans sacrifice for woman. (Khushwant Singh 347) It is a grim story of individuals and communities caught in the holocaust of partition of the sub-continent into two states India and Pakistan in 1947. Train to Pakistan is a social, realistic novel. Its social realism is found in characters scenes and language. As D.Prempati says: What sort of social realism does one find in Train to Pakistan? The formula which got this novel its well deserved popularity was: A sincere belief in traditional moral and social standards of Indian society and a charming narrative skillà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. It is, therefore, obvious that Train to Pakistan is a documentary novel with no claims whatsoever to the artistic technique and extra artistic philosophies of social realism and naturalism. (Three Contemporary Novelists 113-114) The setting of the first three novels, Train to Pakistan, I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale, Delhi is in the context of some historical framework. Khushwant Singh at the same time plays the role of a writer as well as historian. They have an intrinsic quality and ability to look beyond his time. As a novelist he is most responsive to the call of equality, freedom and human rights. It is the writer Khushwant Singh whose writing make the common people socially, politically and culturally conscious. He designed the novels not only to give insight into a period of history, but are exemplary; he illustrates action and are ideal in the sense of manifesting the universal form of human action. Like the other Indian writers, Khushwant Singh responded to these happenings with a sense of horror. A large number of novels were written on freedom movement and on the theme of partition. The novelists skillfully records the reign of violence and the complete destruction of human values. Literature is the reflection of life. Various events and experience find representation in books. Not all are good, pleasant or profitable. It is the business of a writer to hold a mirror to life. In doing so he may paint some ugly pictures. Who can label these pictures ugly and why if he has comprehended literature? There is nothing good or bad in literature. The writer espies a person or observes an event and records his opinion in a language and style known to him. It all scribblers were to subscribes their views identically, English would be reduced to sheer Arithmetic. Khushwant Singh very efficiently portrays the real picture of the contemporary society and the social, political and religious behaviour of the people. As we find in Train to Pakintan, the original pictures of the village Mano Majra before and after partition, the love story of Nooran and Jugga, the greedy people, death and violence. Khushwant Singh depicts the peaceful co-existence of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh in a multi-religion society. It has only three brick buildings, one of which is the home of Hindu money lender Lala Ram Lal. The other two are the Sikh Temple and the Mosque. Their common sharing of the large peepul tree is unmistakably the rich common heritage shared by different communities in India. Here life is regulated by the trains which rattle across the near by river bridge. Lala Ram Lal is murdered by Mali and his gang. Suspicion falls on Juggat Singh, the village gangster, who is carrying on a clandestine affair with Muslim girl Nooran, A western educated communist is al so involved. A train comes full of dead Sikhs. Some days later the same thing happens again, and the village becomes a battlefield of conflicting loyalties, and neither magistrate nor police can stem the rising tide of violence. I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale is appreciated for significant portrayals of the Sikh life and traditions in the days of pre-Independence India. Buta Singh and Wazir Chand both the magistrates cherish pro-British ideology. Their son Sher Singh and Madan are anti British in their attitude. The womenfolk of Buta Singhs family and of wazir chands family are not bothered about the political life of the country. They are mainly concerned with the security of family life and comfortable living. Sabhrai, wife of Buta Singh happens to be a very religious lady who believes in the sanctity of Granth Sahib and the supremacy of Guru Govind Singh. Champak represents the clandestine affair of the contemporary high society lady. The illicit relationship between Shunno and Peer Sahib is depicted as a counter part to the affairs between (the upper class) Madan and Champak. Khushwant Singh tells us that sexual and sensual urges are very common in all classes of society. Mundoo represents the poor con dition of child labour in pre-Independence India. Buta Singhs relationship with Taylor speaks about the behaviour of British rulers with Indian officials. The novel Delhi is full of Muslim customs and rituals. The novel is not a dirge sung over lost empires. It is a celebration of the unique power of a culture and civilization, the power to generate some of the finer values of life; the power to ensure the survival of these values in the face of a nation; collective debasement, and above all, the power to ensure that when all is lost, an awareness of loss remains. It is superb in its vulgarity and myriad evils of perversity. It is also superb in symbolism of the Indian society, its contradiction, balances, caste and religious communalism, racial and ethnic strife, the spirit of unity in diversity. The trio-Musaddi Lal Kaysatha, Nihal Singh and Jaita Rangreta in their monologues make a rational assessment of social and political situation and plight of the people in general. Musaddi Lal in his helplessness compares himself with a hijda,; as is the case of Bhagmati, a symbol of Delhi, for their inherent qualities to adapt themselves to any circumstances. The writer depicts every kind of sexual encounter efficiently. The Company of Women is also based on man-woman relationship. The novel begins with its hero Mohan Kumar, a successful Delhis businessman, breaking off with his wife and his everlasting lusty effort to set up more flexible arrangement for appeasement of his physical needs. The novel also provides middle class aspirations, the concept of arranged marriages in India, which are often akin to business bargains and the desire for scandalous gossip of the urban elite. The novel chronologically presents the women with whom the hero beds, including his wife. Here Singh seems to have been extending the idea that love and sex know no caste, class and community bar. Violence is another fundamental aspect in Khushwant Singhs novel. But his final aim is not only to highlight communal violence death, disaster, hate, and vendetta but also to show the path of humanism. Singhs protest against violence, bloodshed and hatred is not merely a physical phenomenon but a continuous process of human civilization. In Train to Pakistan the Hindu Muslim and Sikh Muslim riots, death, violence, disorder, chaos are intricately depicted not only at the political level but also at the personal level. At the end Khushwant Singh hints at the ultimate humanism through the love story of Nooran and Jugga. Love has great impact in human life and it seems to be the only resisting human power against all inhuman evil forces. In the days of communal riots, the human relationship among the Hindus Sikhs and Muslims determines the human values; man woman love relationship has greater power than the other evil forces. No evil force can subdue love in respect of time or societ y as the writer presents in the novel. In I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale, Khushwant Singh is again preoccupied by the theme of the antithesis between violence and right moral conduct and the notion that the only redemptive feature of a situation which justifies pessimisms, or cynicism of outlook depends on a single demonstration of personal sacrifice, honesty and moral consistency. In the novel Buta Singh and Taylor represent not only two different communities but also two different nationalities. At the end Mrs. Taylor and Sabhirai transcend all narrow thoughts of traditional and religious belief. The essence of humanism is in love not in hate and this we find in a micro level in the novel. Hindu-Muslim riots, Sikh Hindu riots, Jaliwanawala Bagh massacres and assassination of Indira Gandhi are efficiently depicted in the novel Delhi. The anti-Hindu feeling that has prevailed ever since the first Muslim invader came in is emphasized throughout the novel. The arrogance of the Islamic leaders, their dreams of uprooting Hinduism and their belief that they are the only race capable of salvaging the Hindus comes through a number of characters like Taimur, Augangzeb, and Nadir Shah. Sufi idealism is depicted here as the way of humanism. The Sufi way of life, its philosophy, is imparted to the readers through saint Nizamuddin in his long discourses with Sultan Ghiasuddin Balban. Bhagmati is a symbol of Delhi and from the beginning to the end displays non-communal attitude and has an intrinsic urge to protect the Sikh narrator. Ultimately, Khushwant Singh tries to establish his vision of humanism as an antidote against violence and communalism. Being a humanist, he cannot help speaking from the point of view of the common man. He warns us that we should stop letting the politicians use religion to take advantage of the sentiment of the masses. This only leads to bloodshed, tremendous loss of life and property. Singh very competently analyses the use of religion by the rulers from the earliest times. He indicates the politicians and holds them responsible for the ills that plague our society. Instead of addressing the real issues like economic disparity, the people in power are only concerned with consolidating their own positions. He also makes the readers aware of charlatans in our society who prey upon unsuspecting people in the guise of religion. He does this in a very genial, good-natured and humorous manner. He does not try to hurt the sentiments of any particular religious community in any of his writings. Neither does he mock at those for whom belief in their particular religion is something holy and sacred. Rather, he reveals the positive aspect of religion also in I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale. It is the intense faith of Sabhrai that provides succour to her family and holds it together in the face of crisis. Religion also provided comfort to the minorities and the down trodden as is seen in the case of Mussadi Lal and Jaita Rangreta, in Delhi. Down the ages, religion was exploited by successive rulers to strengthen their own position. Of these, it was the English who exploited it to the maximum to foster divisive tendencies. After they left, the national leaders ignored discontent among the masses. Over the years this dissatisfaction was channeled into communalism, again by leaders intent on securing power for themselves. This led to further alienation between the different communities. This is the sinister side of religion, and Singh tries to make one aware of this. Indian history is replete with examples of religion being used as a tool by rulers to secure gains for themselves. Khushwant Singh has desperately tried to expose this unpalatable fact through all his works, specially Train to Pakistan and Delhi. He exhorts people to see through the manipulations of the leaders in the name of religion, and to stop being used as hapless pawns by them. He writes of this so brilliantly that the reader cannot help being moved. In India there is an inexorable link between religion and politics. Khushwant Singh being a journalist and a sociologist of sorts has taken note of this fact. Khushwant Singh is able to write so feelingly about religion and politics because he has been personally involved with the subject. His earliest memories are those of his grandmother reciting passages from the Granth Sahib and the Sukhmani. Years later he was a spectator to the horror unleashed by the partition. He was also a witness to the terrible tragedy of the anti-Sikh riots. It is his close association with these subjects that has enabled him to write so poignantly about them. Beginning with Hadali and his grandmother, both of whom have been immortalized in his writings, Singh has written about every subject that has touched him. His friends, family, and his identity as a Sikh; all find a place in his fiction. Apart from this, he writes feelingly about the partition and the city of Delhi that has been home to him ever since he left Lahore. His writing has been enriched by the substantial autobiographical note which is all pervasive in his fiction. In fact, two chapters in Delhi , The Builders and The Dispossessed have been fashioned through the history of his own family. There has been a growth in the autobiographical content in Khushwant Singhs works. This is evident in Delhi where he is not afraid to speak his personal views and the details of his life. This reveals the maturing and innate honesty of the writer, whereby he is equally comfortable with the squalid, as well as the wonderful aspects of his life.

COLD MOUNTAIN Essay -- essays research papers

COLD MOUNTAIN The story of "Cold Mountain" is a best selling novel and it is the first book written by Charles Frazier. It took years of research before he could write this novel. The plot of Cold Mountain is really and old idea, in fact it is an ancient one. The plot is the same as the one in an ancient book by Homer. The story I am referring to is "The Odyssey". The Odyssey is a book about a wounded soldier trying to find his way back home and his sweetheart, Penelope that is waiting for his return. Cold Mountain is the story of a wounded Confederate soldier that was wounded, deserts, and begins a journey back to his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Cold Mountain. The plot of the book has two parallel stories. The first part of the plot is about a man named Inman. Inman is a Confederate soldier that is wounded in Virginia and spends several months in a hospital. After sneaking out of the hospital, he starts on his journey back home to his sweetheart, Ada. His odyssey is his long journey back to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. What makes is journey so interesting is the many people he comes in contact with along the way. Some of the people Inman comes in contact with are kind to him. They give him a place to stay and sometimes even a hot meal. Some of the other characters aren't so kind to him. The Civil War is still raging...

High Remarks for Hybrid Cars

QUESTION: Describe the different types of hybrid cars and how they are improving fuel efficiency. What are other pros and cons of driving a hybrid? —————————————————————————————————- High Remarks for Hybrid Cars It is no secret that one of the most popular trends in today's society is â€Å"going green† to help the economy, save the world, and so on. It is also no secret that gasoline prices have steadily increased over the years, and four dollars a gallon does not exactly agree with our wallets.In an effort to â€Å"go green† and save money on gasoline, hybrid cars have recently become a great option for those interested in getting high gas mileage and saving lots of money†¦ or so they think. Although hybrid cars have high gas mileage an d extend the time between visits to the pump, reviewing the raw facts about hybrid cars while asking the question â€Å"Do hybrid cars seem like a money-saving solution? † is a wise decision. While there are many different kinds of hybrid cars, they all share one common trait: a traditional, gasoline-powered motor and a new electric, battery-powered motor are both found within the vehicles.These vehicles use both motors at different times when on the go: the electric motor powers the vehicle when going less than 40 miles per hour, while the gas motor powers the vehicle at speeds greater than 40 miles per hour. While the functions of both motors may seem unimportant to some, consider stop-and-go rush hour traffic. Not only does the electric motor reduce smog levels due to its exhaust-free trait, but it also helps to save gasoline that is wasted when frequently pressing the accelerator.Another plausible scenario to consider is living in a small town where the speed limit rarely exceeds 40 miles per hour; traveling through these towns on electric energy can save gallons of gas, giving our wallets time to become more plump between each visit to the pump. The efficiency of hybrids are found in the vehicles' aero dynamics, weight reduction, and less powerful gas engine, making hybrid cars the most gasoline efficient vehicles on the market; these vehicles get an outstanding average of 48 to 60 miles per gallon.Although hybrid cars seem like the most logical way to go, a closer look at the cons of these vehicles can make anyone think twice. Because hybrids have both a gasoline-powered motor and a battery-powered motor, they are more likely to break down or malfunction due to the complexity of the system as a whole. These malfunctions can easily put the vehicle in an auto shop, causing an inconvenience on our schedules and our wallets. While hybrid cars do save gas when caught in stop-and-go traffic or driving through low-speed areas, the total savings aren't ex actly tremendous.Comparing a Honda Insight (hybrid car) and a Honda Civic (regular car), the annual difference between the fuel bills is only $230. While this may seem like a decent amount to save each year, take a closer look at the price of the two cars. Because hybrid cars are new, popular, and â€Å"money savers† (such as the Honda Insight), they costs a significant amount more than the standard cars equipped for saving gas (such as the Honda Civic); hybrid cars range from about $19,000 to $25,000, while gas-saving cars range from $14,000 to $17,000.People purchase these cars because the companies who sell them claim to save the consumers a fortune in gasoline expenses, however this doesn't seem to be the case when closely looking at these numbers. Over a ten year time period, a hybrid car would save approximately $2,300 in fuel expenses, but this amount of money fails to cover the payment difference for the car itself as opposed to a regular, strictly gasoline car (the d ifference between the cars being anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000). Hybrid cars also claim to get anywhere from 48 to 60 miles per gallon, which is a plus.However, this gas mileage is only about 20% to 35% better than a gas saving vehicle; gas saving vehicles, such as the Honda Civic, still get a decent average of 36 miles per gallon. After reviewing the price difference between the hybrid and a gas saving vehicle, the inability of the hybrid to replenish the money difference between itself and gas saving vehicles, the small amount of savings the hybrid annually provides at the pump, and the minuscule difference between gas mileage, an answer shouldn't be difficult to reach: Do hybrid cars seem like a money-saving solution?

How to Craft Professional Book Reviews under Time Pressure

How to Craft Professional Book Reviews under Time Pressure How to Craft Professional Book Reviews under Time Pressure Different readers will always be keen on your thoughts about the books youve read if you follow the following advice in this article. When writing professional book reviews, you ought to have two objectives. First, to educate the reader about the content of the book, second, to present an assessment concerning the book’s quality. Before You Begin Writing Start reading the book, from the title, considering the relevant information that can be revealed from the title, preface, and table of contents. As you read the whole book, make notes from the passages to cite in your review, as well as to clarify the following information: What is the book about? Does it fit its genre? What is the writer’s perspective? Do you agree with it? Who is your favorite character, and why? Did the story keep you guessing? What is your favorite part of the book, and why? Is there any part of the book you truly dislike? Which and why? As an audience, can you flow with the authors style, whether formal or informal? Does the author’s conclusion convince you? What did the book achieve? Is more work required? Compare the book with others written by this author, or books in this genre by other writers Your opinion? If you could change something, what might it be? (If you wish you could change the ending, dont reveal it!) Writing Your Review Set the tone of the review. Hook the reader with your opening sentence, so they are keen on reading the rest of the review. Begin with a few sentences describing what the book is really about. Ensure your opening statements directly relate to your critical response to the book and keep them concise. Relevant information about the author including reputation, qualifications, and their previous work should be included in the introduction. The fundamental themes you want to discuss may also be mentioned, as this gives the readers an idea of the context of book analysis. Write a summary of the book. You can begin the overview of the themes and main points in the book after setting up your introduction. The summary needs to be kept short, to the point, and informative. Make use of quotes or paraphrases from the book to back up your summary without uncovering plot twists or giving any spoilers. The crux of the book is the critical analysis, and this is usually done after your summary of the book’s themes end. You have to be clear and direct when writing this. Talk about what you specifically liked about the book, and point out anything you disliked about it. Try not to spend more than one-third of the paper summarizing the book. Avoid plagiarism and ensure your essay is based primarily on evidence drawn from a careful reading of the book. The objective is to give a coherent piece with a reasonable argument. Thus, review the book you read, not the book you wish the author wrote. Wrap up the review. Â  After you have argued your position on the book clearly, sum up your analysis of in few sentences, and this should naturally flow into your conclusion. Talk about questions, which were not covered, pay attention to unsettled points concerning the topic of the analyzed book, and problems that still need to be solved or require deeper analysis. Do not introduce new material at this point. You could suggest the kind of reader youd recommend the book to. For instance, youths, older people, fans of relationship drama/comedy/ mystery stories. Then give the readers your farewell statement, something to think about! Sometimes the best closing is a dilemma that will stick in readers minds. A starred or numerical rating is not a bad idea too. Consider these tips when writing your original book review and enjoy the result.

From Communism to Democracy essays

From Communism to Democracy essays Gradualism is naturally the most feasible approach to any situation. Since the fall of the iron curtain, these two Communist power houses have chose to move towards democracy. China has chosen to take the natural, more gradual approach to democracy where as Russia has chosen the fast-paced, more dangerous approach. These two nations have chosen to change their economies from a collectivized command one to a market oriented one in order to increase the ezdard of living in their countries. As we have seen in recent years, China is booming and becoming more and more successful, while Russia seems like it is regressing back to parochial ways. It is impossible to compare anything but Russia and China's approaches to change, and the results that incurred. The two nations have vastly different economies and to compare one economy to another would be illogical. China and Russia's approach to change are vastly different, almost like night and day. China's political and economic policy has always been to do things gradually. Whereas Russia believed in going through the necessary changes quickly, so that the hardship would in turn pass just as quickly. In the implementation of their policies, we have seen that China's approach has led to a 29% of growth in their industrial field. But in comparison, Russia only yielded 15% with their approach. But one must keep in mind that China has more industrial sectors than does Russia, so their job in improving industry is notably easier than Russia's feat in developing an Politically, the two nations have the same policies that they held in their economies. China believes in gradually letting the people have more access to political freedom. And again, Russia's policy has been to flood them all at once with these new found freedoms. Unfortunately Russia's policy hasn't been the most ...

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Management - Essay Example The company does not offer its clients any post-sales service of further support. Catherine's company is responsible for advertising campaigns for the business, thus it delivers the marketing message to customers directly. George’s company sells its products through builders, electrical retailers, and department stores. Therefore, the target market of this company is more definite than that of Catherine's business. Still, the business works with most of its clients indirectly. The target market is narrower than that of Catherine’s company. Though some clients are dealt with directly, most of the information the business can get about the end users may come from the retailers. The company offers its customers help repairing the goods and solving warranty issues. George’s company, though does implement some internal marketing, communicates its message to the customers through builders, electrical retailers, and department stores Alan’s company is a retailer of motor cars and, therefore, has direct contact with its customers. The target market is relatively narrow is even geographically bound. Nevertheless, the company’s salespeople closely work with the prospects. Therefore, the company, since has a direct communication with the customers, can gather information about them directly. The mechanics of the company are to help clients if they have any problems with the car after it’s purchased. Alan’s company’s direct responsibility is to implement its marketing strategies on its own. So company’s salespeople, in most cases, are the ones who deliver the marketing message to the clients. 2. How would these differences provide challenges for each general manager? Catherine’s and George’s companies have limited opportunities for receiving customer feedback. Such feedback, when integrated into the CRM process and communicated to the customer contact employees would improve the effectiveness of b usiness-customers communication. In addition, frequent and more improved communication would improve customers’ efficiency in using the products of the companies and, as a result, increase the rates of customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, such improvements in communication would require the companies to improve their internal communication channels and modify communication processes for them to deliver more valuable information about the customers. For Catherine’s company this would mean imposing on the franchisees the responsibility to gather customers’ feedback. George’s company would have to work closer with its retailers in order for them to give information about the end users of the company’s products. Alan’s company would have to implement a program that would ensure customer feedback is gathered, analyzed and used properly. Among the advantages of closer and improved communication with the clients is, first of all, leads gener ation. More personalized approach to sales would enable all the three companies to receive information on the potential clients from the existing ones. It is especially appropriate for Alan’s business model. In addition, word of mouth – information exchange between people – is to be of a great help if the company’s clients are satisfied and loyal. At the same time, improving communication with the customers, as well as communication channels, would require each company to somewhat restructure their sales strategies and business structures. New forms of communication should be

Range of materials for an event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Range of materials for an event - Essay Example (Charles Bal, 2004). This fact maybe used to convince the sponsors about sponsoring the event. The event: The event that is going to be staged is the Youth Athletics Championship organized by the councils of South London Boroughs including Croydon, Sutton and Bromley. The mission of the event is to raise funds for the regeneration of the area of South London. Youth Athletics Championship is a local public event for the secondary schools of the three boroughs of south London. It will be held on the weekends of 14th - 15th and 21st-22nd of May 2001 in the Crystal Palace Athletics Stadium located in zone 4 of London. 30 students from each of the 36 secondary schools would have a chance to take part in the competition. Objectives: The South London area is known to be one of the poorest areas in London that is lacking good sporting facilities as well as any good extra curriculum teams. One of the main objectives of this event is to encourage students to take part in activities, for exampl e, such as sports.