Crimonology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crimonology - Essay Example Biological influences on white collar crime are evident in sex differences between males and females. Sex of a person makes it possible to experience various life consequences. The belief that females, who are supposedly physically more weak, are mistreated more often is also inaccurate. Aside from rape, the only individual crime for which women are victimized more than men is robbery with contact. Men are twice as likely to be the victim of an assault or a robbery and 50 percent more likely to experience some crime of theft. Men are also the victims of strangers more than females (Friedrichs, 2006). Therefore, the idea that physically weaker people constantly fall prey to the criminal has no foundation in fact. Neither females nor older people are particularly prone to white collar crime. But, the lifestyles of these community groups may explain this fact better than their actual vulnerability to criminals. The advantage of this theory is that it explains roots of white collar crime , thus it does not take into account motivational factors and personal intentions of a criminal. Human biology and genetics are the two personal attributes most closely tied to antisocial behavior. Heredity and race are also related. ... ore frequently victims of white collar crime than others, while whites experience property crimes at higher rates than other ethnic and racial groups. For white collar crime, robbery accounts for the higher rate experienced by blacks (Friedrichs, 2006). It is still difficult to define the motivations of women when they commit their white-collar crimes at the workplace. But I am personally apt to think that if women have obtained such top positions at their companies - white-collar positions, they can hardly commit their crimes being motivated by poverty (according to economic marginalization thesis). Women rather try to cash in, in different ways, on their top-level positions. Thus, here opportunity thesis and sometimes, masculinity thesis can be more applicable in order to explain the motivation. As well, criminological theory states that opportunity is a more intense motivation for committing white-collar crimes. According to this theory, people who have achieved a lot on their liv es and have satisfied their needs as a result will need more goods to exchange with others, but not to use. Thus, this need for more possessions (or greed) can make people break the law and perpetrate crimes to receive what they want. Psychological predisposition may lead to antisocial inclinations and increase a possibility of criminal behavior patterns. The cultural ties associated with family income, race, and ethnicity also affect with whom one associates and the places of those associations. Housing, transportation, privacy, and leisure-time factors are related to income as well as to racial and ethnic segregation (Sutherland and Cressey 2001). To the extent that white collar crime varies according to place and event, individuals from different income levels and racial and ethnic

Raphael's influence on Peter Paul Rubens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Raphael's influence on Peter Paul Rubens - Essay Example s quite clearly that Raphael was apprenticed to the Perugian Pietro Perugino, and that this is where he learnt his trade, and his first documented work, and altarpiece for the church San Nicola da Tolentino, is in Citta de Castello, between Perugia and Urbino. Other important early works of Raphael are dotted around Perugia, most notably his Crowning of the Virgin in the San Francesco chapel, and his The Marriage of the Virgin, which shows much maturity of style compared to his earlier works. In the four years he spent in Peruginos workshop, Raphael learned all that his master could teach him, and the period passed without problems or challenges; in his early works, Raphael remained faithful to the Perugino School, which is understandable, as the stylistic characteristics he had acquired from his teacher, namely a clear organization of the composition and the avoidance of excessive detail, also provided useful means through which to express the new spirit of the High Renaissance (Toman, 1998). In 1504, in his new home town of Siena, and then later in Florence, where he based himself from 1507, Raphael came in to contact with many artists, most notably Da Vinci and Michelangelo, through whose influence he came to develop a more grandiose, expressive, style. Here, he also learned new techniques, such as chiaroscuro and sfumato, and came under the influence of Da Vinci’s bold figure placements and gestures. During this time, Raphael was also introduced to the works of Paolo Uccello, Luca Signorelli, Melozzo da Forlà ­, as well as to the emerging Flemish artists Hieronymus Bosch and joos van Gent (Toman, 1998). During this time, Raphael produced one of his most famous early works, The Marriage of the Virgin, the conception, structure and style of which corresponds closely to those of the work of the same name by Perugino, and it is assumed that Raphael was here executing a repeat commission passed on to him by his teacher, however, while the faces of the figures,

Cultural Background Paper Essay Example for Free

Cultural Background Paper Essay The fusion of cultures has been ever growing and I would like to say- being multiracial these days is not a new phenomenon. There are many of us who come from a similar status where we share different ancestors from different cultures. For instance, my own friend has a Hispanic father and an African-American mother. Both the parents come from different cultures and the instances have been increasing. However, I share an Indian background with a Hispanic background. The fusion of the two cultures was unthinkable but I believe it has to happen sometimes that way. The main reason why I believe we have cultural fusions is because of the increased ethnic and racial diversity in the United States of America. It is interesting to note how different parents from different cultures actually bring in their stories and traditions into our lives. I believe it is easy to distinguish characteristic traits from an Indian background and a Hispanic background. There are a few traits that make one easily recognizable and distinguishable from others. Importance to family ties and bonds is extremely crucial. I remember my father (who obviously shares an Indian background, American-Indian) who stressed on the importance of relationships. Grandparents, uncles, aunts and every relative had to be respected and served on their occasional arrival. Indians are particularly fond of spicy food with their own kind of spices which includes lots of chili, cumin powder and other so-called â€Å"masalas† in their food (Gawle, 2003). There is an obligation and responsibility that the Indians exhibit in their mentality which makes them extremely family-oriented. As Jean Bacon in his book, â€Å"Life-lines: Community, Family and Assimilation among Asian Indian Immigrants† states regarding this stance, â€Å"The notion of obligation perhaps encourages members of the second generation to follow the wishes of their parents regarding issues such as educational choices or choices of marriage partners more often than would be the case if this sense of obligation were not present. It was very surprising to me that none of the children in these families ever defied his or her parents desires. No one ever decided to move away and become financially independent in order to pursue his or her own, as opposed to his or her parents, desires. No one took out educational loans to secure the education of his or her choice† (Bacon, 1996). The system of joint-families and extravagant weddings with lots of food and numerous ceremonies is synonymous with them. Their music sense with the sitar and the classics by well-known singers was their favorite. Religion and spiritual obligations were also taken seriously. As Charles A. Moore in his book, â€Å"The Indian Mind: Essentials of Indian philosophy and culture† states regarding Indian culture, â€Å"It is common ground in Indian thought that the adoption of secular means and methods do not lead to freedom or salvation. It may be held that, if we could conquer Nature and fully exploit her resources, we might satisfy all our wants, and as soon as they arise. The modern man in the atomic age with his immense faith in technology is prone to think that the solution lies this way. But wants may still outstrip our ability to satisfy them; a leap-frog race may result. The root problem is left untouched. Technology cannot provide the wisdom and the good will necessary to make a wholesome use of our power. Control over Nature without control over oneself (self-restraint) can lead only to rivalry, domination, conflict, and suicidal warfare. The human problem is basically spiritual; it lies in self-control and self-education† (Moore Morris, 1967). The following quote from the book on the Indian culture shows the immense spirituality in the Indian community and how they try to resolve their problems through the means of self-control. Their religion and their belief in spirituality play a vital role in bringing out these characteristics. My mother who is a Hispanic lady submitted to the Indian culture as they shared a few common ideologies. On the whole, the Indian trait in my family background is dominant. An interesting study was done by Shamita Das Dasgupta on the gender roles and cultural continuity in the Asian Indian Immigrant community in the United States of America where she evaluates the attitude of women and dating in the Indian culture. Her revelation is as follows, â€Å"Where attitude toward women was concerned, there seemed to be great intergenerational similarities between parents and children. The belief in gender equality of both mothers and fathers was positively correlated with that of their children regardless of age. However, mothers egalitarianism seemed to be mitigated by their childrens age. That is, the older their children, the more conservative mothers became regarding womens roles. Since mothers own age was not linked to this relationship, it can only be speculated that as adolescents grew older, their mothers started to experience the pressures of socializing them in traditional gender roles. In the process, they themselves turned toward conservatism† (Dasgupta, 1998). Another interesting trait that can be drawn in the Indian culture is regarding the relationship between a boy and a girl. The Indian culture places an immense importance on the physical chastity. In other words, there is nothing like sex-outside-marriage for them. As Shamita Das Dasgupta in her journal article states, â€Å"Undoubtedly, a reason for instilling inhibitions about dating in girls more than boys is due to Asian Indian parents obsessions with maintaining sexual chastity. Dr. Prasad, a professor of engineering conducting a youth forum in New Jersey, stated, From an Indian Culture point of view, dating involving physical relationships before marriage is not permissible. Segal (1991) notes this fear in Asian Indian parents and believes most Indian immigrants who are not quite familiar with the practice tend to conflate dating with sexual activity† (Dasgupta, 1998). The idea of physical chastity plays an important role in the Indian community and any kind of illicit relationship outside the framework of marriage is taboo for them. It means absolute disgrace on the family if any such kind of an act is indulged by either the boy or the girl. In Hinduism particularly, such girls are exiled from the communities and their family members are disgraced and humiliated to a great extent. My parents value their own cultures and traditions. Though I come from a bi-racial background, my family has most of the Indian traditions in it as my mother had very willingly given herself to the Indian heritage. The freedom stories as well as the Indian history are still known to my father. My father stated in a brief conversation, â€Å"Indian culture imbibes its traditional roots from the Vedas. We have a deep attachment to it and we cannot forget what our country has done for us to bring us so far. Our Indian tradition and culture is our identity to who we are. Indian culture promotes an inner sense of brotherhood and unconditional love- something that I witness lacking in the West but we have a small world of our own here. I still value the Indian norms and I am proud of it as well. I cannot forget the freedom fighters that fought for our beloved country. I believe that is how we are here. I cannot forget the sacrifices given by our country’s soldiers to protect India from foreign invasion. The emotions are far too many to be forgotten†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (John K. Ram Prasad, personal communication, May 15, 2007). John Y. Fenton, in his book entitled, â€Å"Transplanting Religious Traditions: Asian Indians in America† lists some of the important characteristics that are found in the Indians and are most desired to preserve. He lists family as the most important trait and dominant in the Indian culture. Secondly, he states Indian character (pious and chastity) and thirdly, he states religion as the inherent trait amongst Indians. Fourthly, he finds cultural arts and language as important traits in the Indian culture. (Fenton, 1988). There are some hints on the Hispanic culture in my family background as well. Though they are not very dominant, they are worth looking into as the character traits are identifiable in their own way in my family. I believe the reason why it was easy for my Hispanic mother to accept the Indian traditions as her own was because they shared many similarities, one of them being their conservative or traditional lifestyle. Furthermore, the Hispanic culture also places immense emphasis on the family, religion and community (Sutherland, 1997). My father also exhibits similar characteristics as discussed above but he has evolved in some sense. As stated in several literatures above regarding religion, my father keeps his religion in his own personal space and allows his children to make their own decisions (which are very unlikely to happen in a typical Indian culture). Adapting to the American environment came easy on him and adapting to the Indian culture came easy on my mother. I have witnessed many occasions when my father gave his first priority to family and then on building a perfect human character in his children. His children and wife were always his first priority over everything and he made sure they received the best of education and lifestyle. Furthermore, his moral stories enlightened us to be good humans and be of good human character. His teachings also revolved on the aspect to respect our grandparents as well as our great-great-ancestors that he so proudly talks about. Though an American now, his Indian values are still present and he vows to pass it on in every way he can through us and though his grand children, as he says. He still celebrates all the festivals and all the Indian rituals. I have personally witnessed these traits in my family that show that my parents are indeed very knowledgeable about their culture. As we saw above, the traits of the Indians are very dominant in my family and most of them have been discussed and stated as being visible in my family. Yes- the traits have also been found visible in my close Indian relatives as well as grandparents who value their Indian culture and still prefer to eat chapattis, curry, sweets and love Indian music and ghazals (Ghazals are slow Indian songs with Urdu lyrics, sort of a beautiful poetry on subjects like love, life and sadness). Old Indian movies and soap operas still occupy a prominent status in my grandparents’ menu through which they cherish their Indian culture and the traits are obviously noticeable. As my grandmother stated a few days ago, â€Å"We cannot forget where we are from†¦ we cannot forget our land, no matter how long we have lived here. We cherish our cultures through centuries and no matter where we are, we will continue to cherish it till our death and pass it on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Jodha Ram Prasad, Personal Communication, May 20, 2007). Racism has been an old tale in the history of United States of America and still continues in different manners with different thinking patterns today. They label people like my parents and grandparents as â€Å"typical stereotypical characters† though they have lived all their life to this country. Personally, I have never had any racist experiences but my relatives who have been here for over three decades did. They had problems getting enrolled into American institutions and they would often be looked down as from the â€Å"third-world countries,† though they hold the American citizenship. My uncle states his story that depicted racism exhibited in his own words, â€Å"I was 18 when I had finished my high school and lived all my life in the United States. Even then, we had our house in such a locality where only immigrants lived. It was difficult for us to buy or rent houses in those locations where whites would live. Once I tried getting a house in a typical white locality and found that they gave me rates that were twice expensive than what they charged the white people. This would eventually force us to buy homes in immigrant localities, hence depicting discrimination. We were discriminated based on where we came from. We would be paid lower than the whites in our era when the fight against racism was still in its beginning stages. It was difficult to get the law in our support either. We were eventually marked as weak and powerless†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hardy Lewis Choudhry, Personal communication, May 21, 2007). There are many such stories that we would get to hear. These were not new then and are not new even now (though we have several legislations and agencies protecting us from racism). Our grandparents, parents and relatives have a lot more to say than anyone else as racism was extremely common when they immigrated to United States than it is now. Today, we have our rights protecting us from discrimination and racial profiling (that previously didn’t exist). Even today, as I see, Indians are marked stereotypically as foolish and old-fashioned thinking people. There are quite many things that I have learned about my family’s culture through this research and this includes the Indian philosophy and culture, including the racism stories and several other experiences from my primary care-givers. The American culture that I have blended in and the Indian culture that still persists in my family are poles apart in their philosophies and so are their lifestyles. I have witnessed that the conservative Indian thinking is actually a trait that is passed on and I have seen that the Indian culture values a person by his character. Earlier, my focus was never laid on my family’s culture as we lived the way as every American family would live but it was interesting to note the rich characteristics of Indian culture in my family, including my parents, grandparents as well as relatives who gave a tremendous insight into several notions of the Indian philosophy and Indian traditional values. I believe and I respect the traditional cultural values of my family (earlier to which I was not exposed to) and I have learned how spirituality plays a vital role in the making of a person’s character and mind. On the whole, the experience has been quite enriching as India is truly a country with diverse cultures and an interesting history. I am still reminded about Mahatma Gandhi and the times of the Mughals (ancient rulers of India) by my grandparents which show that the traits still exist in them and they want those traits to prevail in me as well which they hope I will pass on to my progeny too†¦ REFERENCES: Moore, Charles A. , Morris, Aldyth V. (1967). The Indian Mind: Essentials of Indian Philosophy and Culture. East-West Center Press. Page no. 323-389. Dasgupta, Shamita Das (1998). Gender Roles and Cultural Continuity in the Asian Indian Immigrant Community in the U. S. A Journal of Research, Vol. 38, 1998. Bacon, Jean (1996). Life-lines: Community, Family and Assimilation among Asian-Indian Immigrants. Oxford University Press. Page 242. Gawle, Rupa (2003). Ask not what your family can do for you†¦ Is obligation an exclusively Indian trait? India Abroad. Published on the 13th of June, 2003. Retrieved online on the 22nd of May, 2007 at http://www. highbeam. com/doc/1P1-78807655. html John K. Ram Prasad, Personal Communication, May 15, 2007. Fenton, John Y. (1988). Transplanting Religious traditions: Asian Indians in America. Praeger Publishers, Page 201. Sutherland, Jean (1997). Understanding Hispanic/Latino culture and History through the use of Children’s literature. Yale-New Haven Teacher’s Institute. Retrieved online on the 22nd of May, 2007 at http://www. yale. edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1997/2/97. 02. 06. x. html Jodha Ram Prasad, Personal Communication, May 20, 2007 Hardy Lewis Choudhry, Personal communication, May 21, 2007

Introduction Of Computer Virus

Introduction Of Computer Virus Computer Virus is a program that copies itself, Computer virus can infect your computer and slowing down your computer. And virus also can spreads computer to computer. The person who sends out the computer virus may use networking of the internet. The computer virus also can be spread by via disk, CD, thauDVD or flash drive or other devices. Usually, a virus is written to target a network file system or shared filet in order to spread from computer to computer using network. Worm or Trojan is slightly different from another virus it appears harmless, This is the type of virus which enters the programs exploits security hothatmay have spread through other networks or Internet users. Computer virus are usually small, which are design to spread from one computer to other computer and to enter and interfere Computer operation. Virus might corrupt your windows or might delete the important data on your computer, Normaly virus can be spread through e-mails program to other computer which can even delete everything on the hard disk. Often Computer viruses can be spread by attachments by e-mail massages or even can be instant massaging . that is why must never one a email which we dont know where it came from and who send it we may never know it could be virus. Virus can be as attachments of funny images or video or files it can spread when u download to your computer from the internet. HOW COMPUTER VIRUSES WORK Virus can infect a small section of software or it will be there when the user open the program or runs the programs . It could be attached word or excel or other software programs it can be in any form or in any types of files. Email viruses are totally different from the virus which uses email to infect computers. An attachment or files in a email that open or download from your email will be launch infection allowing to spread. An email virus cannot ifnfect your compur unless the malicious file is open. A virus called Trojans can work by claiming a game file or other file to get inside.It could then erase the content that stored on your hard drive or other drives. Trojans do not replicate like a virus but worms is able to attack the security holes and then replicate in the network to spread to other computer which uses network. COMPUTER IFFECTION first thing you might not realize win32, kido, conficker, trojans orviruses have not got into your computer if u dont have Internet Security and other antivirus software.the ability of the program to get inside an operation system undetected . Depending on the infection, you may be greeted with a black or blue screen when the OS is unable to load; you will not be able to access any files, documents or other information on the computer. If there is only one file infected, the computer may not be able to open the file . when shut down you may get massages that a program is still running but the program may have numbers and letters only. IT is most often not a program that you recongnise, even though it might state it is in the part of a system operation. Task manager is to stop the program without result since the virus,trojan or malicious entity has the control it to continue the infecting the computer until it has run its course,rendering your computer ineffective. WAYS TO SOLVE COMPUTER VIRUSES THE WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER Understanding what is virus and how is works the first step to obtaining the necessary protection of computer . Computer with the latest window. Window 7 have firewall , security updates / patches and windowa Defender.These devices are the first thing to protect your computer and they work as PC virus protection, but that is not enough to stop all the problems. You need to find additional antivirus protection. Antivirus software such as Mac antivirus or Windows 7 antivirus are further protection programs that will stop computer viruses. They are a second line of defence, if you will. Antivirus software tends to block holes left by PC virus protection. Hackers that encounters antivirus software will have to work harder to get through with thei computer viruses. Therefore you need not to worry about spending a lot of money for your anti-virus now day there many free anti-virus which can download in a secure web site which keeps your computer protected. There many free anti-virus which is designed to automatic run an initial scan of the computer to see if your computer is effected. It will then remove any infections you might have. It may be unable to remove the entire infection, in which case it will quarantine the virus in a place where it can no longer affect other files on your computer. It will also try to repair any damage. Other Protection Methods By Downloading any antivirus software helps, But there is also other measures your own to keep malicious viruses. First thing never open an email attachment if u canà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t identify the sender and also have your our own antivirus software runs a scan on the attachment in the event that the senderà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s computer has been infected. Second, do not download any items from a site you do not trust or that does not have the secured server symbol a lock. Download only files you recognize, including music, movies and other online media. Third, set up your wireless network security and obtain a mobile antivirus. An unsecure Internet connection is an invitation to hackers to try to download malicious threats. A mobile antivirus is also set up for wireless networks, whereas other antivirus software is meant for secured connections. TYPE OF VIRUSES Resident Viruses This type of virus is a permanent which dwells in the RAM memory. From there it can overcome and interrupt all of the operations executed by the system: corrupting files and programs that are opened, closed, copied, renamed Direct Action Viruses The main purpose of this virus is to replicate and take action when it is executed. When a specific condition is met, the virus will go into action and infect files in the directory or folder that it is in and in directories that are specified in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file PATH. This batch file is always located in the root directory of the hard disk and carries out certain operations when the computer is booted. Overwrite Viruses Virus of this kind is characterized by the fact that it deletes the information contained in the files that it infects, rendering them partially or totally useless once they have been infected. The only way to clean a file infected by an overwrite virus is to delete the file completely, thus losing the original content. Examples of this virus include: Way, Trj.Reboot, Trivial.88.D. Boot Virus This type of virus affects the boot sector of a floppy or hard disk. This is a crucial part of a disk, in which information on the disk itself is stored together with a program that makes it possible to boot (start) the computer from the disk. The best way of avoiding boot viruses is to ensure that floppy disks are write-protected and never start your computer with an unknown floppy disk in the disk drive. Examples of boot viruses include: Polyboot.B, AntiEXE. Macro Virus Macro viruses infect files that are created using certain applications or programs that contain macros. These mini-programs make it possible to automate series of operations so that they are performed as a single action, thereby saving the user from having to carry them out one by one. Examples of macro viruses: Relax, Melissa.A, Bablas, O97M/Y2K. Directory Virus Directory viruses change the paths that indicate the location of a file. By executing a program (file with the extension .EXE or .COM) which has been infected by a virus, you are unknowingly running the virus program, while the original file and program have been previously moved by the virus. Once infected it becomes impossible to locate the original files. PICTURE CONCLUSION To keep our computer safe we need to anti à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ virus programs that stores the definition known as virus and malware program. To keep our anti-virus active we need to update and scan our computer every time we use computer. Now it should be clear that how important to use a computer and keep it safe from viruses. and u should always full scan your computer for virus to prevent the loss of data. when ever u use a pendrive or external hard disk you must scan for viruses to keep your computer safe. 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Workplace Observation Essay -- essays research papers

My paper will talk about the communication in our department and company wide. The next topic my paper will talk about is culture that exists in our organization for safety in the workplace and home. Then we will move into a process that our company have which address conflict in the workplace. Finally, the technology enhancements that we have changed to improve our process, address customers concerns, and automation of some of our service we offer to our customers, which include our meter reading department. Communication   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  PECO Energy offers various types of communication in our organization. The types of communication can range from emails to voice mails depending on the type of information communicated to the timeliness of the information. We have company wide monthly meeting in which senior management communicate to the employees, what went well, what are the opportunities that exist and finally and pertinent information that would relate to company goals and objectives in each area. In our department we have setup a communication specialist. The role of the specialist is to be the liaison between the Call Center and the other departments in our organization who wish to communicate information to our employees. The specialist also transforms the information to a more clear, concise tool in which our employees can understand and utilize in the daily assignment or functions. The information for our employees can be communicated in several ways: A banner, which roles across the bott om of their computer screen, next is through a written bulletin which is number for identification, topic and what the purpose of the bulletin. We have several other methods that we utilize either daily or monthly. These methods are our newsletter, team meetings, tailgate meetings, which are held at the beginning of our employees’ shift, and all hands meeting which we discuss diversity, safety and any other topics that are on the agenda. Voice mail is another avenue of communication used company wide to pass along information. The last type of communication would be our intranet site for our employees and our Internet site, (www.exeloncorp.com) for our customers. Both sites contain pertinent information to either assist our employees with information on HR issues, processes and procedures and other types of information and our customers site address our services we... ...eading can now go through a wireless system to obtain daily readings. Summary In review, the information and processes we have in place to communicate with our employees, we are able to deliver the information in a timely, effective and efficient manner. Our culture for safety not only focuses on safety in the workplace but also focus on safety in the home. This offers reminder that we must not only remain focus in the workplace but we also must remain focus outside the workplace. In order to keep safety as a top priority we offer fire drills, emergency preparedness and the STAR principle for our employees to reinforce safety at all times. PECO Solve is the method in which we use to address our conflict in the workplace. In observing the various times this process has been utilize it seems to work well for the employee and the company in which it give the employee options to remember they company fosters an open door policy to address all issues with no retaliation to the employee. The technology in our company has moved from the manual and dark ages to a mode rn way of processing information across the board. Work that was previously done manually can now be performed online.

Our Town - An Essay On Theme Of The Play :: essays research papers

The theme of the play has to do with the way that life is an endless cycle. You're born, you have some happy times, you have some bad times, and then you die. As the years pass by, everything seems to change. But all in all there is little change. The sun always rises in the early morning, and sets in the evening. The seasons always rotate like they always have. The birds are always chirping. And there is always somebody that has life a little bit worse than your own. In act one when the stage manager pulls Mr. Webb out of the play to talk with him on page 528, the lady in the box asks "Oh Mr. Webb? Mr. Webb is there any culture or love of beauty in Grover's Corners?". Mr. Webb her, there isn't much culture the way she might think, but "... we've got a lot of pleasures of a kind here: We like the sun comin' up over the mountain in the morning, and we all notice a good deal about the birds. We pay a lot of attention to them. And we watch the change of the seasons..." These are the things that the people of Grover's Corners appreciate, the things we take for granted. Also in act one, after the choir rehearsal on page 532, Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs are gossiping about the town drunk. Dr. Gibbs says "I guess I know more about Simon Stimson's affairs than anybody in this town. Some people ain't made for small-town life. I don't know how that'll end; but there's nothing we can do but leave it alone." This shows that there is always someone that has things worse than you do. At the very beginning of act two when the stage manager tells that three years have gone by, but nothing has really changed, and the cycle continues. In act three at the beginning on page 547, the stage manager tells that nine years have gone by. "Gradual changes in Grover's Corners." He then tells how horses are being replaced by Fords, and that people lock their doors now at night. Then he says, "You'd be surprised, though—on the whole, things don't change much around here." Again this indicates the endless cycle. My idea of the theme of the play doesn't differ all that much from Wilder's theme. My idea of the theme only adds to Wilder's theme.

Language and Pragmatics Essay

Language is the common ground for everyone. It is the thing that links a society together because this is how they communicate and understand each other. It is common, therefore, that one culture can feel confused when dealing with other people from different cultures. This is due to the fact that even if they learn a certain language, they will still need to learn the culture of the people to be able to communicate properly. It is not enough that one learns the words. A person should be also knowledgeable of the ways certain words or phrases are used or what is proper or not to say during conversations for him or her to completely understand a particular culture. One of the things that I got interested in from the lecture was phatic communion, which is a â€Å"form of communication between people which is not intended to seek or convey information but has the social function of establishing or maintaining social contact. † This is very apparent in the American culture. People have the tendency to automatically ask how the other is doing and the other is expected to respond with just a simple answer. It is not meant to ask how a person is really feeling but it is just a polite way of acknowledging the person’s presence. I have experienced this form of communication since I started living in this country. It is hard to miss it because people use it everyday in the grocery store, at the mall, coffee shop, even at school. I can relate to the examples in the lecture notes because Spanish is my first language. I also had difficulty in learning the English language because of its complications like the phatic communion. At first, I thought that people were concerned about me and the things that are going on with my life. However, when I got used to the language, I came to realize that this was just some form of formality and that I am not expected to give a detailed response. Living in this country, I have also learned that it is not unusual for people to greet each other even if they are complete strangers. People say hello to each other when they pass them on the street. However, this is not being friendly for them. People have become accustomed to it and would feel uncomfortable if they did not acknowledge the other person. This is in contrast to other cultures where people would feel scared or uneasy if a stranger would say hello to them on the streets out of nowhere. They might think that the person has other intentions other than just to be polite. Personally, I think that people from different cultures talk fast because they are already used to the language and they have mastered it since the time they learned how to speak it. As such, fast-paced talking is not only applicable to the Americans but to everyone as well. Some cultures can only seem soft spoken because of their voices but they are still fast-paced if one listens carefully. Another interesting observation is the difference between men and women in terms of listening. As a woman, I can relate to the lecture notes where it is indicated that women tend to nod to show that they are listening to someone. I actually do this just to show appreciation to the speaker, especially when he or she is looking directly at me while speaking. It is a polite way of saying that I am listening although I may not be agreeing to what he or she is trying to say. This is different from what men do and I have noticed this in the way my husband reacts when someone is talking and he is in the audience. There is no indication that he is listening and will only be apparent when he nods his head in agreement with the speaker. I think that women’s reaction is better because if it were me speaking, I would like to know if my audience is listening or not even if they may not agree to what I have to say. It is encouraging to know that the audience is interested in my speech and that I am not being ignored. The last topic that I found interesting is the different ways on how to say no or refuse to someone. I agree with this because sometimes, people find it very difficult to say no in fear of offending the other person. As such, people find different ways to say no and this include offering an alternative, putting the blame on another, diverting the attention to another topic, or through postponement. Doing these things will make it easier to say no and will not make the other person feel bad about the situation. Personally, I do not have a hard time saying no to people, especially if I strongly feel that refusing is the right thing to do. However, it is still good to know how to say no indirectly because we have to realize that people react to things differently. One may be fine with accepting no for an answer while others may take this against you. I think that learning a language and the ways of a certain culture is essential in being able to communicate with the culture’s people effectively. This is the only for an outsider to become accepted and feel comfortable in using the language. It is also a way for a person to learn what is proper and what is unacceptable, which is important for some cultures because there are certain things that might offend them without the person even knowing. It can be said, therefore, that learning a second language is difficult, especially if the person learning it is not even living in the country or place where that language is being used. Exposure is needed for one to learn and acquire a culture’s language and customs. Without experiencing it first-hand, it is hard to practice the language and apply it to one’s everyday lives. It is also better to communicate with the people who use the language everyday so that the person can practice speaking it and using it much better. The person will be able to learn faster and easier if there is first-hand exposure.