Literary Merit in Bram Stoker’s Dracula Essay

Although it is rather a subjective concept, â€Å"literary merit† essentially means the worth, quality, or excellence of a writing relative to other well-renowned literary masterpieces. In a Constitutional framework, the absence or presence of literary merit would determine the government’s limits to freedom of expression. To possess literary merit would mean that the work is not obscene. The landmark case of Miller vs. California enumerates key guidelines to ascertain the literary merit of a particular text, to wit: 1) Whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest†¦ 2)   Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law , and 3)   Whether the work, taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. (Miller vs. California, 37 L. Ed. 2nd 419, 431 (1973)) Fundamentally speaking, in any framework, to have literary merit is to have value. The popularity of Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula has reached such endemic proportions that it has been claimed to be the most recognized book next to the Bible. A Victorian novel with the distinctive gothic appeal toward the macabre, Dracula has undeniably become a classic milestone in horror fiction. Establishing its literary merit however, is a different matter. A review from The Athenaeum, an influential periodical in Victorian England described the novel as â€Å"sensational.† The review further states: Dracula is highly sensational, but it is wanting in the constructive art as well as in the higher literary sense. It reads at times like a mere series of grotesquely incredible events; but there are better moments that show more power, though even these are never productive of the tremor such subjects evoke under the hand of a master. (The Athenaeum, 26 June 1897). Emphasis supplied. The unremitting succession of the bizarre, the gross and the fantastic, as explained in the review, would seem tantamount to a lack of refinement in the â€Å"higher literary sense.† This observation was supplemented by another review of the same sentiment: The plot is too complicated for reproduction, but it says no little for the author’s power that in spite of its absurdities the reader can follow the story with interest to the end. It is, however, an artistic mistake to fill a whole volume with horrors. A touch of the mysterious, the terrible, or the supernatural is infinitely more effective and credible. (Manchester Guardian, 15 June 1897). Emphasis supplied. As interpreted, instead of relying on the intelligence of the reader to grasp on their own the significance of subtle nuances and take in the various shifts and twists in the story as it evolves, Stoker instantly and unceasingly bombards the reader with an onslaught of palpable and shocking horrific scenes as if the reader is too untrustworthy and unsophisticated to deal with subtleties. If there seems to be little literary merit in the intellectual or scholarly sense, Dracula is still credited for its universal allure. The Pall Mall Gazette, in a commentary of Dracula states: †¦the story deals with the Vampire King, and it is horrid and creepy to the last degree. It is also excellent, and one of the best things in the supernatural line that we have been lucky enough to hit upon. (Pall Mall Gazette, 1 June 1897). Emphasis supplied. The universal allure of Dracula is probably in its resurrection of the vampire lore in a straightforward, practical and illustrative fashion. A vivid and uncomplicated quote from the novel confirms this:   â€Å"I shall cut off her head and fill her mouth with garlic, and I shall drive a stake through her body† (Stoker, 261). The novel’s refreshing simplicity is also evidenced in the following review:   Here, for the latest example, is Mr. Bram Stoker taking in hand the old-world legend of the Were-wolf or vampire, with all its weird and exciting associations of blood-sucking and human flesh devouring, and interweaving it with the threads of a long story with an earnestness, a directness, and a simple good faith which ought to go far to induce readers of fiction to surrender their imaginations into the novelist’s hands. (The Daily News, 27 May 1897). Emphasis supplied. While Bram Stoker’s Dracula is deficient in literary refinement, it nonetheless is considered to have literary merit by virtue of the fact that it captures man’s imagination. It certainly has value for having the extraordinary capacity to fascinate multitudes across time. Ultimately, its worth, quality or excellence is confirmed by its ceaseless popularity. Works Cited Books Miller, Elizabeth. Bram Stoker’s Dracula: A Documentary Volume. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. London: Penguin Books, 1994. Articles â€Å"Dracula.† The Athenaeum 26 June 1897: 235. â€Å"Dracula.† The Daily News 27 May 1897. â€Å"Dracula, by Bram Stoker.† Manchester Guardian 15 June 1897. â€Å"For Midnight Reading.† Pall Mall Gazette 1 June 1897. Jurisprudence Miller vs. California, 37 L. Ed. 2nd 419, 431 (1973).

Conflicting Perspectives Essay

As Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius once suggested â€Å"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth†; embodying the notion that conflicting perspectives are held by different people towards both events and individuals. I believe that this common idea is held true in William Shakespeare’s production ‘Julius Caesar’, discussing the conflict between Brutus, Cassius and Antony, Richard Glover’s Sydney Morning Herald article ‘Take a Moment to Mourn the Mainstream’, debating against the depreciation of the respect over radio stations between generations, and Frank Capra’s classic film ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’, which expresses the triumph of American ideals through the conflicting morals of Senator Jefferson Smith and Joseph Paine. In each we see how the respective composers have used main protagonists as well as various literary and cinematic devices to express the the me of conflicting perspectives and influence the audience’s reception. During the initial scenes of his play, Shakespeare clearly outlines the distinct conflict of perspectives held by his main protagonists; Antony and Cassius regarding Caesar. Shakespeare’s representation of Antony incorporates that of a humble, loyal and devoted disciple of Caesar; embodied in his vow â€Å"When Caesar says, ‘Do this’, it is performed.† Antony’s obedient tone, linked with the concise manner in which he replies to Caesar, captures the utter willingness to serve â€Å"Caesar, (his) lord.† In contrast, Shakespeare exhibits Cassius’ bitterness and envy of Caesar as he influences Brutus’ inner confusion to the viewpoint he considers correct. Cassius provides an analogy further encouraging the traitorous desires; â€Å"he doth bestride the narrow world like a colossus, and we petty men walk under his huge legs.† Here Cassius employs a sarcastic tone to aggressively attack Caesar’s authority as a leader, â €Å"such a feeble temper should so get the start of the majestic world.† Following the assassination of Caesar, differing perspectives arise when these two protagonists present speeches to the â€Å"plebeians† of Rome in Act 3 Scene 2. Brutus’ natural, humble tone both calms and directs the crowd to believe Caesar’s death was for The good of Rome; â€Å"Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than Caesar were dead, to live all freemen?† With the use of a rhetorical question and repetition in his words, such as â€Å"valiant†, â€Å"honour† and â€Å"Caesar the ambitious†, Brutus is able to influence and manipulate the plebeians to what he considers the correct viewpoint; â€Å"let Brutus be Caesar!† In sheer contrast, Antony uses sarcastic, derogatory terms against Brutus to allow the crowd to truly question Brutus’ ‘honour’ and ‘nobility.’ â€Å"Caesar was my friend, faithful and just to me, but Brutus says he was ambitious, and Brutus was an honourable man.† Antony’s repetition of â€Å"Brutus was an honourable man† forms into sarcasm, thus influencing the crowd to disregard Brutus’ morality and entrust that Cassius deems the truthful perspective of Caesar. Relatedly, Richard Glover’s article written November 2nd, 2013 ‘Take a Moment to Mourn the Mainstream’ demonstrates the differing perspectives of audiences appreciating radio broadcasting over time. As stated by Glover, who himself is the protagonist as he is a radio presenter, listeners would tolerate willingly any radio station aired at the time; â€Å"Adults would endure a program designed for 12-year-olds.† Now, as a result of the growing social media; â€Å"There is a need to instantly inform the broadcaster of their song decision.† Glover’s repetition of â€Å"outrage† and â€Å"annoyance†, provides us with a strong observation of his view on the matter and what he sees to be the correct opinion, whilst coherently outlining the immense change in perspective of a common audience’s viewpoint on radio stations over the years resulting from social media, which is comparable to Antony’s speech. The protagonist Brutus and his association with honour stands a key notion in Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’. After the assassination of Caesar, conflicting perspectives arise when Brutus suspects that Cassius has been dishonourable by taking bribes, â€Å"Cassius, you yourself/ are much condemned to have an itching palm.† In response Cassius retorts â€Å"I an itching palm?†, with an exclamatory tone, provoking a fight. Through the use of emotive language and sickness imagery, such as â€Å"corruption†, â€Å"bleed†, and â€Å"contaminate†, Brutus spells out his contempt towards such poor principles and his powerful closing lines â€Å"I had rather be a dog and bay the moon/ than  such a Roman† cement this stance on the matter, whilst stating that he considers that his view on honour is the truthful viewpoint. Comparably, the related text of Frank Capra’s 1939 film ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ effectively represents the conflicting values of corruption and honour. Capra’s protagonist; the amateur senator ‘Jefferson Smith’ rises to express his knowledge that the scheme of a Deficiency Bill for a dam is fraudulent and that various corrupt congressmen are attempting to use it for their own profit; â€Å"A man who controls a political machine, a Mr. James Taylor, was powerful enough to buy men and put them in this congress to legislate his graft!† Through the use of an honest, pleading tone and low angle shots, Capra successfully provides Smith with a dominant and commanding image, captivating and entertaining his audience whilst showing that his perspective was truly the correct one. Evidently, Senator Joseph Paine attempts to prevent Smith from exposing the truth and abolishing his reputation numerous times. Capra has manipulated the light to give his glasses a white gleam, providing the antagonist with a spiteful frontage. Paine finally embraces an accusative tone and boldly declares that Senator Smith has â€Å"told lie upon lie†¦ and now, he is trying to blackmail this Senate as he tried to blackmail me!† before he ultimately storms off in rage. In Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’, Frank Capra’s ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ and Richard Glover’s ‘Take a Moment to Mourn the Mainstream’, each composer has uniquely represented the theme of conflicting perspectives by drawing upon devices specific to their textual form. These texts also hold the topic statement true, as protagonists do believe their own viewpoint is correct.

How do you view about the future of Korean Americans in the global Essay

How do you view about the future of Korean Americans in the global context - Essay Example Similar is the case with Korean Americans or if we use proper words â€Å"Americans of Korean Descent†. Korean Americans, despite having lived in America for decades, still maintain their characteristic identity. Koreans always value their Korean identity and origin. They are always proud to learn and speak their own language. The vast majority of Korean Americans are against the idea of inter-racial marriages. Most of the Korean Americans demonstrate a strong sense of ethnic pride, family priority and always prefer to attend a church of Korean ethnicity. The rate at which migration was taking place from Korea to America showed a dramatic decrease during the past ten years. Perhaps the reason behind such drop in immigration rates is the change that was witnessed in South Korea. The rapid economic growth of South Korea which made it the ‘Asian Tiger’ is the main reason behind this change. This phenomenon resulted in a reverse immigration pattern between the two countries. Internationally speaking, as the Korean land shows progress, it is a source of satisfaction and pride form the Korean Americans, since they maintain strong ties with their native land. A number of organizations are busy in improving the relationships between Korean Americans and Native Americans. A general trend has been an improvement seen in the English speaking abilities of the Korean Americans which has ultimately improved their life standards while improving their experience of exposure to the other nations of the world. Slowly, the level of isolation of Korean Americans is declining. From being a separate group of immigrants in a foreign land, they are being transformed into an active part of the American community. The Korean heritage which has been limited to the Koreans themselves is now being shared with Native Americans. A number of Korean festivals are held in American land where Korean people celebrate and

Reading Journal3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Journal3 - Essay Example Singer asserts that average families in U.S spend about one-third of their income on luxuries (Singer 1). Rogoff notes that the developed nations are seemingly preventing and fearing what will happen if the developing countries really did catch up with the developed nations (Rogoff 1). He reckons that such a scenario would lead to negative effects on the global environment, economy, markets, populations, global trade especially in developed nations (Rogoff 1). However, it would also foster greater diversity and knowledge spillovers, technological spin-offs, faster productivity growth, and rapid economic development in developing nations that would fully offset the losses to the rich (Rogoff 1). Rogoff states that we need to address the underlying fears for globalization to work. By giving up their own trade protectionism, corruption, overweening government intervention, and mountains of debt, poor countries would derive maximum benefits from globalization (Rogoff 1). Moreover, by giving up their outrageous farm protection, competition for anti-dumping champion, and doubling aid flows from developed nations would benefit poor countries (Rogoff 1). On the same note, Singer derives that many people are capable but unwilling to donate to charity citing various uncertainties (Singer 2). In fact, Rogoff reckons that developed countries could easily afford to triple their aid budgets for education, health, and infrastructure without running the remotest risk of a catch-up by the developing nations (Rogoff 1). Growth economics confirm that the catch-up rate is very small and might take generations to materialize. Singer believes that many readers will donate to charity after sacri ficing their luxuries according to their income levels. Rogoff People should give more than their fair share and desist from depending on the government to increase its overseas aid allocations (Singer 3). Rogoff concludes that Rich countries should give  generously to

Ethicsproject Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethicsproject - Case Study Example In turn, they mess up Bernie program of acquiring new television set on time. I think the proposals are well informed and ethical since they aim to improve the type of services the company offers to its guests. For instance, when Napoli Pizza brochures are given to each room and phone numbers provided, it would be easy to understand what guests needs and what they do not want. In turn, the communication between guests and the management improves the performance of the company. Further, it leads to customer satisfaction, which is the aim of the company. Jane acted ethically in that she wanted to satisfy the greatest number of people by supporting education. On the other hand, her parents are unethical since they only desire good things for themselves at the expense of others. This is the reason they were against Jane supporting education of people in the community. People should not use their grocery money to play lottery because it can interrupt other people. For instance, if they fail to win their desired prizes they end up losing what they have hence affecting people who depend on them. It is not ethical for Sal to direct Jim to increase the lottery when he understands that the chances of winning are slim. Further, they should target middle class not minority groups who rely on daily income from grocery for

Disition making Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Disition making - Statistics Project Example cted and the demand is low, the option of doing nothing will earn the company a profit of 140,000 or stimulating the demand via the local advertising. The feedback of advertising can either be modest or sizeable with their corresponding probabilities estimated at 0.3 and 0.7. When the advertising is modest the profit will be 70000, and if the advertising id sizable the profit will grow to 770,000. Consequently, assuming the facility to be built is larger, and the demand happens to be high, the recorded profit will be 280,000. The paper therefore, draws the help for the Director of Research and Development Department at Al Karim to decide on the best decision by embarking on the decision that will maximize the profit of the organization. The paper further draws the decision tree for the current situation of the company. Additionally, the paper calculates the anticipated revenue for the alternative (Fitzgerald, 2002). The sole objective of Al-Karim Inc. in the manufacturing industry is to make and maximize profits. The profits are gained from the operation of the company’s daily activities. The company operation involves producing Cleaning Vacuums in Qatar. The company through the office of the Research and Development Department will consider building a facility that will have positive revenue returns from its operation. The amount of profit that the company will earn depends on the demand of the product in the anticipated locations of Doha. Assuming the smaller facility brings forth a higher return than the larger facility, then the company will resolve on the same and vice versa. The choice of facilities depends on various variables like the demand, the probability of certainties, the external factors like advertising response, and the profit that comes along with the variables. The company will use the decision tree find out the best choice out of the alternatives. The choice of the fa cility will completely depend on the amount of the expected profit from the

Neurontin lawsuit against Pfizer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Neurontin lawsuit against Pfizer - Term Paper Example One of the major drawbacks of American healthcare system is that doctors are free to prescribe drugs for uses not approved by the FDA. But manufacturers are prohibited from marketing the drugs for such uses that they have not established are safe and effective (Neurontin Lawsuit Results in $142M in Damages Against Pfizer). Pfizer exploited this law very well. They canvassed the doctors with the help of lavish briberies and forced them to prescribe this medicine for uses other than the one prescribed by FDA. Pfizer with their immense monopoly in the drug manufacturing department, used every mean to sell this drug for uses other than the one approved by FDA. It is difficult for the people to analyse each and every medicine prescribed by the doctors against the FDA regulations. People put 100% confidence in the abilities of the doctors whom they are consulting and what ever the medicines prescribed by them will be used by the people without further evaluation. Pfizer knows this fact very well and they tried to canvas reputed doctors in order to sell their medicines. Doctors on the other hand, have forgotten the medical ethics and the basic responsibilities of their profession. Changing life styles and increasing family expenses forced them to accept bribes from all corners. Pfizer mainly focussed on recruiting sales personnel who was able to canvas the doctors for executing their mission. The relationships between a patient and a doctor were a divine one earlier. It was a common belief that a doctor always try to save the life of a patient. The first priority of the medical profession is to save the life of patients at any cost.

Research Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research Design - Assignment Example The design is appropriate since it reviews high-quality randomized controlled trials, which are key to evidenced-based medicine. Additionally, the design aimed at providing a comprehensive summary of recent literature from scientifically recognized databases. Blueman and Bousfield utilized several online databases while conducting the review. Some of the databases that they used include Medline, British Nursing Index, Athens, EMBASE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing (Blueman, & Bousfield, 2012). Since this type of design often utilizes transparent and objective approach to research synthesis and aims at minimizing bias, makes it appropriate for exploring the particular research question. Blueman and Bousfield concluded that the study provided strong evidence that link the use of larvae therapy to reducing the bacterial load in chronically infected wounds (2012). The authors, Blueman, and Bousfield acknowledge the limitations of this particular study. They point the application of liquid medium for studies that utilized live maggots as a key limitation. Additionally, they note the lack of standardization for the ecological niche of the bacteria as a

Effectiveness of Carling Marketing Campaign Coursework

Effectiveness of Carling Marketing Campaign - Coursework Example The above lines are not only mere scholarly phrase from two renowned research scholars but core essence of this piece of work. According to the above phrase of Mizik and Jacobson (2008), modern marketing managers face challenges regarding quantifying the outcome of marketing effort such as promotional campaign, advertising campaigns etc. Nias (2013) reported that Carling has launched  £10m campaign of â€Å"refreshingly perfect' strapline† on 1 June, 2013. Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) Ltd is parent company behind the Carling brand (Carling, 2013a). In the next section, the researcher will shed light on background of the research problem in this piece of work. Background Section Carling has launched a new advertising campaign, which has budget estimation of  £10 million, and they have hired a professional market research agency in order to conduct consumer research regarding the effectiveness of the campaign. In the background section, the researcher will not only try to understand alcoholic beverages market of UK in order to understand competitive positioning of Carling but also try highlighting theoretical aspects like how advertising works/how advertising effectiveness is measured. Part A- Marketing Environment of Carling Major market for Carling is UK hence the study will analyze the marketing environment of Carling in context to overall market for alcoholic beverages of UK. Collis, Grayson and Johal (2010) reported that UK households spend  £15 billion/annum for consuming alcoholic beverages. Hence, total market size of alcoholic beverage industry of UK is  £15 billion. UK based consumers spend at least 15% to 18% of their total expenditure food and drink on alcoholic beverage consumption.... c beverages market of UK in order to understand competitive positioning of Carling but also try highlighting theoretical aspects like how advertising works/how advertising effectiveness is measured. Part A- Marketing Environment of Carling Major market for Carling is UK hence the study will analyze the marketing environment of Carling in context to overall market for alcoholic beverages of UK. Collis, Grayson and Johal (2010) reported that UK  households  spend ?15  billion/annum for consuming alcoholic beverages. Hence, total market size of alcoholic beverage industry of UK is ?15  billion. UK based consumers spend at least 15% to 18% of their total expenditure food  and  drink  on alcoholic beverage consumption. Carling is known for their beer products while UK government has imposed tax duty in the range of ?5.09 to ?19.12/ hectolitre on beer products depending upon the extent of alcohol (HM Revenue & Customs, 2013). Collis, Grayson and Johal (2010) pointed out that price elasticity for Beer products lie in –0.25 to -1.00 which shows that beer is seen as substitute of alcohol by British customers and price plays significant role forecasting the demand for beer products. Price elasticity of beer products in UK for last 50 years can be depicted in the following manner. Figure 1: Price Elasticity of Beer in UK (Source: Collis, Grayson and Johal, 2010) It is evident from the above econometric estimation, demand for the beer decreases by two fold by one fold increase in price. As UK is still struggling with lag effect of previous economic recession and sovereign debt crisis, price of the beer products has significantly increased which negatively affected demand for beer products. Stagnant sales growth of UK alcoholic beverages industry can be depicted in the following

The impact of substance abuse in the work place Essay

The impact of substance abuse in the work place - Essay Example Being a supervisor, my responsibility involves maintaining a productive, safe and secure environment for all employees at the work place. It is also my responsibility to evaluate and conduct performance discussion with employees. In the course of my duty as a supervisor, it is expected of me to treat all employees fairly in a manner that does not demean anyone (opm.gov). During my supervisory duty, it came to my attention that Balbito exhibited the following problems of absenteeism at work missing work for about two days a week. In addition, Balbito also had the following problems; falling sick at work frequently, missing deadlines, sleeping at work, problems with handling recruits in a professional manner and being at loggerheads most of the time with other co-workers. Consequently, the situation prompted me to take intervention and referral preparation for the employee prior to the actual intervention and referral. To this regard, it became worthwhile to put down on paper the perfo rmance problem as concisely and precisely as possible. In addition, it was necessary for me to prepare myself professionally for a constructive confrontation with the employee, Balbito (opm.gov). The responsibility of diagnosing drug abuse or alcohol abuse is not among my duties. Furthermore, having all answers to problems of an employee is also not my duty. The responsibility of providing therapy or counseling is the duty of the EAP professionals not the supervisor. In my own perspective, these problems are mostly related to alcohol addiction. Although Balbito had earlier admitting having problems with alcohol abuse, I detected that it was rather an addiction. Balbito purportedly used alcohol for recreational purposes, but the symptoms of irresponsible handling of his duties suggested addiction of alcohol due to its use as a stress reliever. Since my professional requires strict supervision of the performance of employees, I intend to address the issue strictly with no sympathy in this context (opm.gov). First, am going to summon the employee (Balbito) and express my concern regarding his performance as a human resource professional. In the most precise manner, am going to inform him of the problem of alcohol addiction that has come to my attention. Additionally, I will avail the documentation of the problem to him in a professional way as the supervisor. At last, I will demand an explanation from him regarding his performance. Since the employee (Balbito) had already admitted his problem regarding alcohol abuse, I will refrain from personal issues and frame the discussion strictly to matters pertaining performance to resolve his problem. In a professional perspective, am going to address my concern regarding performance to get the employee (Balbito) to acknowledge the performance problem. During the performance discussion with the customer, I will order the employee (Balbito) to stop reporting to work under the influence of alcohol since it has a negative im pact on his performance. Adding to this, I will give the employee a fortnight to improve on his performance failure to which, he is subject to suspension from work for a period of one month. To make the intervention effective, am going to refer the employee (Balbito) to employee assistance program professional for counseling. By doing this, information concerning his privacy regarding this issue will be availed to him.

Show how Shakespeare employs tensions Essay Example for Free

Show how Shakespeare employs tensions Essay The Merchant of Venice can be seen as a series of tense oppositions. Shakespeare writes about many conflicting issues that were controversial at the time, but does not enforce any opinion on the audience, inviting them to form their own conclusions. The contrasts in The Merchant of Venice are important because they incite the audience to consider moral issues such as prejudice, discrimination and bigotry. Shakespeare creates the characters with the intention of relating them to the common person; the sins and discrepancies in their lives are typical of the everyday goings on in Venice at the time. I will consider love and hate, comedy and tragedy, justice and mercy, expectations versus reality and finally men against women. All of the oppositions are linked to the concerns of Shakespeares audience. This means that Judaism, for example, was a concern and also hatred to Shakespeares audience. The play was consequently very eye-catching and appealing to the people of Shakespeares time. The Merchant of Venice is a story of love and hate, and both emotions are expressed powerfully in the play. On the one hand the play appears to be full of love and friendship: Portia and Bassanio; Jessica and Lorenzo; Gratiano and Nerissa. However, bitterness and hatred are evident: Gratianos reviling of Shylock; Shylocks coldness towards his daughter and hatred of Antonio. Shylock sees himself as a victim of prejudice and maintains himself with his own aggression. The play is renowned for the bitter conflict between Jews and Christians. It appears that the main difference between the Christian characters and Shylock is that the Christian characters value human relationships over business ones, whereas Shylock is only interested in money (. Merchants like Antonio lend money free of interest, and put themselves at risk for those they love, whereas Shylock agonizes over the loss of his money and once ran through the streets crying, O, my ducats! O, my daughter! (II. viii. 15). These words suggest that his greed outweighs his love. However, his insistence that he have a pound of flesh rather than any amount of money also shows that his resentment is much stronger than his greed. Portia and Bassanio appear to love one another, however, Bassanio seeks her hand in the first place because he is greatly in debt and needs her money. The love between these two characters is therefore questionable and emphasises the love and hate oppositions. The themes are also emphasised in the settings of the play, Belmont symbolising love and Venice symbolising hate. The Merchant of Venice is set in Italy in Venice and Belmont, representing the two worlds of the play. Shakespeare uses these two settings to emphasise the themes of love and hate. Love is centred in Belmont, a peaceful paradise to which lovers can escape, and hate around Venice, a hectic place that exploits and corrupts. This can clearly be seen when various events relating to love and hate in the play take place. All prejudicial activity takes place in Venice, including the trial (IV. i. 15). This is also the only place where Jews are found (Jessica becomes a Christian when she moves to Belmont). The Christian couples live in Belmont, and there is hardly any talk of racial prejudice there. Belmont is where the Christians retreat to, after their triumph over Shylock in Venice. The surroundings match the events that are taking place in both Venice and Belmont. Shakespeare often included the themes of love and hate in his plays, either as the main plot, or as a sub plot as such in The Merchant of Venice. Love and hate are the central themes of the main plot they hold the story together. Many of Shakespeares plays are also centred on the themes of comedy and tragedy. The Merchant of Venice is a prime example. Shakespeare uses cross-dressing as a device to lay emphasis on the theme of comedy. The characters conceal themselves behind masks and costumes, which links with the topic of appearance versus reality. Twice in the play, brave escapes are carried out with the help of cross-dressing. Jessica escaped the hell of Shylocks house by dressing as a page, while Portia and Nerissa rescued Antonio by posing as lawyers of the court. This device was essential to the women characters since it was forbidden for them to act on stage in the Renaissance period. Their parts had to be consequently acted by young boys. This was common in Shakespeares time. Another debatable comedy moment is when Lancelot greets his blind, long lost father and gives him confusing directions and tells him that his beloved son Lancelot is dead. Lancelot says aside I will try confusions with him (II. ii. 25) the moment they meet. Since Lancelot is portrayed as a comical, clownish figure that is especially skilled at making jokes, this scene transmits a humorous tone. But deep down this moment could be considered harsh and unjust. It should be considered a joke but at someone elses expense. The play seems to end on a happy note, with the resolution of the test of the rings and the celebration of marriage. But many tragedies also occur in the play, some of which contrast greatly to the happiness. For example the joyful wedding of Portia and Bassanio in act 3 scene 2 is suddenly followed by a change of mood as Bassanio reads Antonios bad news. The atmosphere of joy and triumph gives way to one of tension and concern. Bassanio turns pale as he says, Here are a few of the unpleasantst words that ever blotted paper (III. ii. 250). Another darker aspect of the play occurs when Shylock is baited at the trial. Gratiano viciously abuses Shylock, saying O, be thou damnd, inexecrable dog (IV. i. 127). Another central theme of the play is that of justice: the right, proper and fair treatment of individuals according to what they deserve. The idea of mercy is important in The Merchant of Venice because it provides a focus for the contrast between Venetian Christian society and the alien invader, represented by Shylock. When Shylock asks Portia what could possibly force him to be merciful, Portias long reply, beginning with the words, The quality of mercy is not strained, (IV. i. 179) clarifies what the Christians believe. The Christian characters in the scene believe that justice and mercy are not separate but must be linked. Shylock receives judgement at the trial however he does not receive justice. This is due to the extreme prejudice of Jews at Shakespeares time. Shakespeare therefore employs this opposition to highlight the conflicting principals and prejudices of the time. The Merchant of Venice shows the danger of judging by appearances. This is not only a theme but also a moral of the story. Lancelot is a Christian and should hate Jews, but instead he is a trustworthy friend to Jessica, a Jewish girl. This is because he sees her as a nice and gentle young woman and comments, most beautiful pagan, most sweet Jew (II. iii. 10). Jessica trusts Lancelot since she gives him a private letter to take to Lorenzo. This friendship must have been conflicting to the prejudices of the time and is therefore a key factor of the theme. All that glitters is not gold (II. vii. 65). This is a famous quote from The Merchant of Venice and symbolises the theme of deception. This theme of deception is used throughout the play to mislead and confuse so things may not always be what they seem. Shakespeare also uses this to enhance the unfolding drama of the play and to make it more exciting. Dramatic irony is created when the audience know more than the characters themselves. For example the trial scene (Act IV) and the ring quarrel (Act V) are filled with amusing dramatic irony. The cross-dressing, as mentioned earlier, is also linked with appearances versus reality since it happens at times when disguise is important. The three female characters disguise themselves as males in the play. Portia and Nerissa conceal themselves as lawyers clerks in the trial scene whereas Jessica disguises herself as a page in order to flee from her master. Cross-dressing is important in the play because women roles are insignificant to those of men. For women, cross-dressing is a means of gaining respect and authority. The main events in the play unfold when women are in control. This is conflicting to the principals of the time. Venice and Belmont are both ruled by patriarchy. This means that men have complete control whereas women have no role at all in trade, politics, or law. It is also evident that they cannot even own property because Portia says, One half of me is yours, the other half yours, mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, and so all yours (III. ii. 16). Portia has an interest in the law, but has to resort to dressing up as a man before she can exercise her ability. Portias speech dramatically changes to suit her role as a man in the trial scene. However she continues with this attitude even after the trial is over and says, You were to blame, I must be plain with you, (V. i. 166). This emphasises the predominant influence of men over women. Throughout The Merchant of Venice there are many strong feelings displayed through the oppositions and conflicts. These contrasts are relevant because they portray the individual characteristics of each person. Most of the issues raised in the play are directed towards the prejudice of both women and Jews. The topics of love and hate, comedy and tragedy, justice and mercy, expectations versus reality and finally men against women were all important matters to Shakespeares audience. I have discussed each subject individually and conclude to state that they are all important and relevant to the characters of the play.

Impact of Music on the Body

Impact of Music on the Body Music and Success Music in itself has a strong impact on the emotional state of the human body. By listening to a certain type of tone or melody, it can make us feel happy or even sad. When listening to sad music, you can become saddened by it, relating to what the lyrics say, or the type of major its in. The same happens with happy or upbeat music, you tend to want to dance or jump around, or even sing along! Not only can music change the way you feel, but it can also, in some cases, help you concentrate better. If music is capable of changing your emotions, do you think that training with it could also determine how successful you are throughout your life? Albert Einstein is known worldwide to be one of the worlds greatest minds. A master of the sciences, a wonderful mathematician, and a great philosopher. His whole life, he had grown up listening, learning, and training with music because of his mother. She was a professional pianist and his father was a salesman with a passion for mathematics. His mother thought it would be nice to get her son into learning an instrument, so the violin became the instrument of choice. Einstein grew up with a passion and love for music Life without playing music is inconceivable to me. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music I get most joy in life out of music. (Bergland) I believe, as do others, that musical training had helped him develop certain skills sooner than he wouldve originally had in the first place. Of course, it could be because of his fathers influence of his passion for mathematics, but researchers say otherwise. There are many different kinds of benefits to musical training that are shown to be true. Musical improvisation is a type of special training that makes you rely on the working memory less, using instead more extensive connectivities to the brain. It can stimulate the area of the brain that can enhance your main senses such as touching, hearing, seeing, ect. Adult musicians and musically trained children in the new Boston study showed enhanced performance on several aspects of executive functioning. (Bergland) Musicians that have grown older have shown signs of acute hearing and enhanced and developed motor skills, being able to switch quickly from one mental task to the other. Even children who were training in instruments were tested in IQ and seemed to have a higher level of intelligence than those who did not, and naturally, a higher IQ means theres more likely of a chance for those children to become successful throughout their lives. The New Boston study was performed to test whether or not students with musical training helped them in their years of school. They decided to compare kids who had trained with instruments to those that had not, and put them through functional MRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging) scans. The children who had been through musical training had more activity on specific parts of the brain that had been proven to help them test better. Our findings suggest that musical training may actually help to set up children for a better academic future. (Flieser) A lot of people agree that instead of schools focusing their income on standardized testing, they should put more effort into musical arts.This would not only insure a higher success rate of fellow students, but it would also boost their levels of happiness. Who wouldnt want to replace a test for a chance at learning an instrument for free? Further research has proven that music taps into other skills other than simple aspects like hands or fingers, Making music involves more than the voice or fingers playing an instrument; a child learning about music has to tap into multiple skill sets, often simultaneously. (Brown) When playing an instrument, it requires a lot of effort and multiple things must all come together at once in order to perform the correct task. You use all different kinds of muscles to perform the actions such as your arm and finger muscles when playing a violin, or your vocal chords and esophagus when singing. You also use your eyes to read the notes off of paper, having to memorize what each little note sounds like, and then using those muscles to make that certain tune. Your ears, of course, are used to listen acutely to make sure youre playing the right note. Normally, if youve trained enough, you can tell when a note sounds out of tune, so your sense of hearing between different kind of sounds would naturally be increased. Learning an instrument also help with language development. They learn to process different sort of sounds better, and are able to make out and decipher words much easier. According to researchers, the effect of language development because of music can be shown in the more active parts of the brain. It increases the rate of growth in language development. The bond between language and music help compliment each other, so if a child studies in one area, they are more than likely going to get the hang of the other just as easily, The development of language over time tends to enhance parts of the brain that help process music, says Dr. Kyle Pruett, clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and a practicing musician. (Brown) Being musical, and being around people who are musically creative, can have a positive influence on the children, encouraging them to go to higher lengths and accomplish greater things. If you have an environment where there are a lot of people doing creative, smart, great things, joyful things, even people who arent doing that have a tendency to go up and do better.(Brown) According to Luehrisen, even those who are not involved in said activities can grow up to be more successful just because of the influence of the people around them. Just giving your child the opportunity to train with an instrument does not guarantee that your child will end up turning into some famous musician, but the fact that there is a connection there that exists with success does happen to mean a lot. He says music reinforces your confidence in the ability to create. (Lipman) Music in itself is a very creative hobby, but when training with it, it has the possibility to open your mind up to more ideas. That is why people who play with instruments often begin making a little tune of their own just for fun. Improvisation exists because of this reason as well. People play from their hearts and their minds making their tunes and melodies form together like a puzzle piece. Music is a wonderful thing. It has many, many positive aspects in life if you learn to get familiar with it. You dont have to be as skillful as Beethoven in order to insure success in your life. Just learning one instrument can have a dramatic change in your life, so if you havent already, go pick up one and see what lays in store for you. Work Cited Bergland, Christopher. Does Playing a Musical Instrument Make You Smarter? Psychology Today, Psychology Today, 25 June 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201406/does-playing-musical-instrument-make-you-smarter. Brown, Laura Lewis. The Benefits of Music Education. PBS, PBS, www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/. Lipman, Joanne. Is Music the Key to Success? The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Oct. 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/opinion/sunday/is-music-the-key-to-success.html. Fliesler, Nancy. Does Musical Training Help Kids Do Better in School? Does Musical Training Help Kids Do Better in School?, Boston Childrens Hospital, 19 June 2014, vector.childrenshospital.org/2014/06/does-musical-training-help-kids-do-better-in-school/.

Contemporary Concepts of Innovation and Organisation Changes

Contemporary Concepts of Innovation and Organisation Changes INNOVATION AND CHANGE MANAGMENT Q1. Describe contemporary concepts of innovation and organisational change. Ans. The concept of changing an idea or invention into a valuate service that create values or for which you can earn money/profit. The innovation idea must be satisfying all the needs and must be changeable at an economical cost. It includes deliberate application of imagination and information in creating greater and different values. If we talk about todays business environment innovation is very important to survive Change management entails thoughts planning and sensitive implementation and consultation with the involvement of the people affected by the changes. If the force change on people normally problem arise. Change must be realistic, measurable and achievable (Business dictionary). Q2. Describe the forms and types of innovation. Ans. There are more than 10 types of innovation, here i am explain some of them. SERVICE INNOVATION: it is very clear that god service is very important to run any business, if any business is not giving good service they cant survive in business environment. It also makes permanent customers if you give good service. SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION:- its all about describing your product that what are you selling, whats the product configuration and in every promotion what you introduced new or improved about your product. BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION:- In business environment there is lots of competition, so if you want to survive in the market you have to bring changes, come with new products to attract more customers. INCREMENT INNOVATION:- This innovation is all about improving you service, products. Make their product cheaper but good quality. PROCESS INNOVATION:- the processing of product, what we can change in that process to make them cheaper and good (Mok). Q3. Assess the role of innovation and organisational change at a strategic level for New Zealand organisations. Using innovative plans at different type of levels. To achieve the professional objectives making strategies and giving them direction is very important. VOLPARA Solutions is a wholly owned sales and marketing arm of MATAKINA Technology Limited of New Zealand. The company was founded with the vision to enable radiologists to give women the most accurate information about their breast health. VOLPARA Solutions gives an innovative range of volumetric breast imaging solutions that are specifically designed for the early detection of breast cancer. The company has been introduced new and improved solutions all over the globe, including the US, Europe, Asia and Australia. VOLPARA Solutions breast cancer detection technology used on 4 million women and GE Healthcare tie-up set to ramp up global sales. GE healthcare is one of the largest medical device companies. VOLPARA Solutions is the only company that offers a dose measurement tool specifically designed for breast imaging. (volpara solutions wins technology innovation awards, 2014) . Q4. Describe contemporary innovation frameworks. Ans. When employee are working on innovation first of all they make a plan/idea that how to innovate the company. They have to make proper plan and distribute work between the company members. It starts from the idea generation. The next step is making a decision that which project are persuade and which are not. Then they decide the idea to tangible technology or services and then they start making the technology and test them that it works in a good way or not. Then they launch it in the market and learn how the process works. There are some key points which implement innovation in an organisation Platform for success Principle should be correct. Role of employees/their ideas. Focus should be on innovation. VOLPARA SOLUTION FRAMEWORK VOLPARA is running with 53 employees and they all are the expertise. Any technology introduced are checked and tried by all expertise. VOLPARA was a slow service before developing the technology VOLPARA DENSITY. VOLPARA DOSERT provides clinicians with patient-specific x-ray dose. Now they got a technology from which they can detect breast cancer in earlier stage (INNOVATION MANAGMENT.SE, 2013) . Q5. Identify the factors that foster innovation. Ans. Great communication:- if there is a communication gap between the staff members, then the company may have to face lose/unsuccessfulness. There should be a good communication network between the staff, so they can talk to each other understand each other and work together. In VOLPARA there are 53 members, all have their own work and own expertise. Better monitoring of results:- To be successful you have to monitor your products , your past and you also have to think about future. VOLPARA introduce VOLPARA DENSTITY which is fast, from that technology their company is going up. After that they come with a software from which they do high quality breast screening. They are monitoring their older technologies and coming with the new ones to help patient. There are also some external and internal factors External factors: Costumers feedbacks Innovation Change in political or economical cycle. Needs of public Internal factors: Change in leader. Company performance rate Business facing problems (ONLINE JOURNALISM) . Q6. Describe different types of innovation strategy with appropriate examples from NZ organisations. Ans. Basically there are four types of innovation strategies that can be used by VOLPARA SOLUTIONS like Proactive strategy Active strategy Reactive strategy Last but not the least passive strategy PROACTIVE STRATEGY: In this approach companies tries to do more and more research and spend huge expenses to gain each and every information regarding new inventions so that they can adopt the new techniques quickly and become the market leader. In other words we can say they are the high risk taker in the market. The best example for proactive strategy is Singapore airlines and Apple. There are two types of technological innovations used in the proactive strategy is Radical and incremental approach. In incremental approach company tries to bring constant changes in their products and services till they get satisfied. VOLPARA is a research based company, they are researching day by day to bring new technologies. The latest technology they introduced is high quality breast screening, from which they can detect breast cancer in earlier stage. ACTIVE STRATEGY: Another strategy is Active strategy. In this type of strategy company tries to protect or defend their existing technology. Companies who follow this approach have broad knowledge about the market and even technology and they are treated as medium to low risk taker in the market. As per the case study, it is very clear that VOLAPARA has only 4 products in the market and they are best in what they are doing. REACTIVE APPROACH: Reactive strategy is used by the company who are treated as followers of other in the market and they mainly focuses on the operations, apart from this they always looking for low risk opportunities in the market. PASSIVE STRATEGY: last strategy is passive strategy company doesnt bring any change in their products and services until customer wants a change in their products or services (BUSINESS DICTIONARY, 2017) . Q7. Describe The Place Of Professional Values And Ethics In Innovation. Ans. PROFESSIONAL VALUES AND ETHICS IN INNOVATION: There is a relationship between ethics and innovations. Company do innovation to get more profit and ethics is a thing which stops them to take wrong decision/ wrong things for environment and health of public. Companies that foster one they mostly foster the other just because of critical values and respect and trust even they are encouraged and rewarded. Now a day company tries to hear more and more ideas or opinions from their employees and they try to adopt their ideas so that their employees get motivated and feel satisfied. Managers generally have huge responsibilities they have to balance the cost, innovations moreover they have to take care of corporate social responsibility. Even they have to forecast or monitor the ethics dilemma. VOLPARA SOLUTIONS got the award for innovation in health and science. Also, an organization which fosters ethics and values will easily attract good, talented and honest workforce which will eventually be instrumental in shaping the organizations future If we talk about VOLPARA SOLUTIONS their ethics and values are: Achieve the goals effectively and efficiently by taking care of the interest of the customers. Research for new technologies. Whatever they research they first it check it, for public safety. Like it may have side effects. Burdens of public health measures must be recognised. Burden should be minimized and there should be another alternative to reduce the burden. There should be balance between burden and benefits. Treating people with dignity. Treating people fairly. Supporting patients choices (NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY) . Q8. Explain why innovation may require change in organisations. Ans. If the company wants to grow, they have to stay firm with their resolution and ethics moving ahead with technologies. VOLPARA has a mission o reduce the mortality and cost of breast cancer by providing clinically-validated software that underpins personalized, high-quality breast cancer screening. also they need to innovate their software so they can research better and come with new technologies in market. Innovation is always better for organisation (VOLPARA SOLUTIONS). Its very clear that if the organisations is coming with changes or coming with new products. Customers/clients always like change. Its always attracted. If you are investing money in changing something in your organisation, it will definitely give you double time profits. VOLPARA is technology/research based company. Their expertises are always trying to find some new technology which can make people healthy. In past VOLPARA is not dealing with phone, now they launched VOLPARA DENSITY (ABOUT VOLPRA, 2017). Q9. Critically analyse the role of leadership and different leadership styles on innovation and change management. Ans. Role of leadership and different leadership styles on innovations and change management: No doubt successful implementation of change depends upon the leaders or managers of the organization. A leader plays an important role in innovation and change management like: Understanding the scope of change: A leader tries to find out the areas where there is a need to bring change in the organization and them also set the priorities that who will guide the change. They also try to measure the affects of change and innovations in the organization. Being to implement the change or bring innovations this requires focusing on who is most affected by new business processes and they also require leaders to take care of their whether they wants to adopt the change or not. Last but not the least makes adjustments. Focus on the outcomes and if there is requirement of bring changes then leaders should take care and make adjustments (IVEY BUSINESS JOURNAL, 2017) . Q10. Using individual ADKAR model or group Lewins model describe the effectiveness of various approaches to the management of resistance. Ans.LEWINS MODEL OF CHANGE: LEWINS model is 3step model. The three steps are: Unfreeze Change Refreeze UNFREEZE: In the first step the change is communicate within the whole organization and should motivate the employees to adopt these changes because these changes are necessary for them. If the organization is suffering from decrease sales, decrease in financial results and profits then should communicate with employees that they cannot work with the older ways or existing ways in the organization they should adopt new changes. It is the most difficult part of the process. Without motivation change cannot be bring in the organization. More participation is required to discuss about the change in the organization. CHANGE: In this people start working in a new way and start thinking new ideas and start supporting the new changes. Change cannot bring overnight in the organization. People takes more time and commit mistakes because everything is new for the whole organization. More contribution should be there so that change can be implemented successfully. People need to understand these changes organization should provide quickly solutions to the mistakes done by the employees. REFREEZE: Refreeze is the last step of LEWINS model. In this stage change become normal for the whole organization. Identify the more things that support the change and removing all barriers that create problem in adoption of changes. Leaders should support each and every employee. There must be rewards system to motivate the employee moreover frequently feedback should be taken from each and every employee. If there is a need of training then training should be given to the employees. Every information and support should be given and success of the organization should be celebrated in the organization. Q11. Draw conclusions about the place of innovation and change management for contemporary organisations. Ans. VOLPARA Is running successful with only 53 staff members, its difficult to manage everything if you got less staff. For the future innovation, researching for the solutions of other cancer, it will increase the business and profit too. For that we have to hire more staff and we can also open new branch, so people can come easily to us. As cancer is very dangerous diseases now a days and it causes death. So finding solution to prevent cancer is a better thinking for our business and public health also. References ABOUT VOLPRA. (2017). Retrieved 02 26, 2017, from VOLPARA SOLUTIONS: http://www.volparasolutions.com/about-volpara/ Business dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 15, 2017, from what is innovation : http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation.html BUSINESS DICTIONARY. (2017). Retrieved 02 26, 2017, from WHAT IS INNOVATIVE STRATEGY: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation-strategy.html INNOVATION MANAGMENT.SE. (2013). Retrieved 02 26, 2017, from SEVEN STEP TO CREATING A SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION FRAMEWORK: http://www.innovationmanagement.se/2014/01/27/seven-steps-to-creating-a-successful-innovation-framework/ IVEY BUSINESS JOURNAL. (2017). Retrieved 02 26, 2017, from THE LEADERSHIP ROLE: http://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/the-leadership-role/ Mok, C. (n.d.). Decision Innovation. Retrieved 02 15, 2017, from types of innovation: http://www.innovation-management.org/types-of-innovation.html NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 26, 2017, from VALUES AND ETHICS: http://www.au.af.mil/AU/AWC/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch15.html Online journalism. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 15, 2017, from five factors that foster innovation: https://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/11/05/five-factors-that-foster-innovation-in-the-online-newsroom/ ONLINE JOURNALISM. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 26, 2017, from FIVE FACTORS THAT FOSTER INNOVATION: https://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/11/05/five-factors-that-foster-innovation-in-the-online-newsroom/ volpara solutions wins technology innovation awards. (2014, 09 19). Retrieved 02 27, 2017, from health managment.org: file:///C:/Users/india/Downloads/volpara-solutions-wins-technology-innovation-award.pdf

Snow Storm Baby Essay -- Essays Papers

Snow Storm Baby The year was 1992; a cold December arctic wind had brought a chance of snow to the area. It was the weekend and time to relax after a long hard week at work. The weather service had predicted several inches of snow to blanket the region by the next day. Not to worry: it was the weekend and traveling was not a necessity. At the time, my wife Jeanne was pregnant with our soon-to-be daughter Tahlyn. We had waited eight long months for her to arrive, and finally her due date was getting closer and closer. The excitement grew stronger as the days went by. By Friday afternoon it had begun to snow and quickly several inches had accumulated. As the snow was falling, clean up quickly began. The neighborhood soon filled with children excited over the freshly fallen snow. Since all of the schools were closed, the children were assured enjoyment for several days. The sounds of the winter snowstorm were echoing throughout the town, from the snowplows in the distance, to the scraping of snow shovels that sounded like fingernails scratching a chalkboard. Neighbors were shoveling snow that had accumulated on their sidewalks and driveways. The snow that was predicted to be several inches by the end of the weekend quickly piled up to around eight inches by that evening. At times, the snow was falling so heavily you could hardly see the streetlights that glistened like beacons in a sea of snow. With the landscape draped in white, the trees hangi...

The Odyssey Essay -- Homer, Odyssey Essays

Q1. What are the characteristics of a hero in Homer's poems? What attributes are valued? The Homeric epics describe a race of heroic men: these men are more powerful than ordinary men, and yet, they are not quite as glorious as gods. The heroes are characterized by their strength, warfare skill, intelligence, moral character, and favor of the gods. The Homeric heroes are strong and skillful warriors. Achilles is noted for being the greatest Greek warrior. He is known as â€Å"the great runner† (109). He is fast, strong, and skilled with his spear. When Achilles confronts Hector, King Priam implores Hector to flee. He tells Hector that he â€Å"can’t face Achilles† for â€Å"he’s too much† (174). As Achilles closes in on Hector, he looks like the â€Å"God of War himself† (177). Brave Hector, the greatest of the Trojan wars, loses his nerve and flees in terror. Achilles is a brave warrior; he is not afraid of anything. He charges against the Trojan army single-handedly. He routs the Trojans, killing every Trojan in his path. When he refuses to fight due to his feud with Agamemnon, the Greeks are unable to stand without him. His very presence brings courage to the Greeks and sends fear to the Trojans. Physical strength is not the only thing that is valued. Odysseus is the hero who demonstrates the wit and intelligence can sometimes overpower brute force. Odysseus is introduced as â€Å"the man of twists and turns† (207). His cunning and crafty skills are mentioned numerous times in the poem. The best display of Odysseus’ cunningness is his plan of escape from the Cyclops’ cave. Odysseus knows that he cannot merely kill the Cyclops in his sleep; none of them are strong enough to roll back the immense stone. So, he devises a clever plan, calling himsel... ...shows himself to be the worst of the suitors, though he may be the handsomest. The other are horrified to see how Antinous treats the beggar. They know that â€Å"the gods do take on the look of strangers† (414). They know that Antinous’ â€Å"fate is sealed† (414). Antinous lacks any sense of morality and hospitality which a civilized Greek should display. The Odyssey illustrates the importance of hospitality. It shows examples of people who manifest hospitality and are blessed by it or who become instruments of blessing others. It also shows by contrast, guests who take scorn their host’s hospitality and hosts who are inhospitable to their guests. Those who manifest xenia, whether host or guest, are the civilized and moral characters. Those who violate the rules of xenia are seen as savage and ill-bred; they eventually incur judgment for failing in their religious duty.

Exercise Addiction Essay -- Exercise Dependence

Exercise is often thought of in a positive light. It is common belief in today’s society that a healthy diet and a regular exercise routine will lead to a long, healthy life. And in the simplest sense of the word, it will. It has been a tried and true method to control and lose weight, lift a person’s mood, boost energy, combat a variety of health conditions and diseases, promote better sleep patterns, and even increase libido. (Mayo Clinic, July 23, 2011). So with all of these being possible and probable benefits of working out, why would it possibly be anything other than good? Certainly, something with so many benefits can’t be a bad thing? However, we may overlook the fact that it is like any good thing; in excess it can become dangerous very quickly. In society, there are increasingly more athletes that are pushing themselves so hard to the point they are making themselves sick. Whatever happened to exercising for simple joy, or competing becau se of a love for sport? The motivations behind an individual’s exercise habits are directly related to whether they develop an addiction. There is even a term for this over exercising phenomenon: Exercise Addiction, or Exercise Dependence. Exercise dependence is a craving that a person would experience, manifesting itself in the form of compulsiveness in relation to exercise behaviour. It can show in physiological symptoms, such as withdrawal, or psychological signs like anxiety and depression. (Hausenblaus, Downs. 2000). Some of these psychological symptoms can be observed in anyone who is competitive and/or elite in their chosen sport, but it may not necessarily mean that they are â€Å"addicted†. It is not nearly as likely to see such behaviours in moderate exe... ...iate control that they are more at risk for addiction. Research still needs to clarify many facets of this affliction, so that the general public can access and be educated on the topic. If this is achieved, the incidence of exercise addiction should decrease, and eventually become just a shadow of its current state. Works Cited http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1751359/ http://drugabuse.gov/scienceofaddiction/brain.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32573781/ns/health-fitness/t/runners-high-can-turn-real-addiction/#.Ttg0LPLTpMY http://www.anorexiaathletica.com/ Carroll, D., S. Rodgers, I. Cockerill, and D. Bamber. "Diagnostic Criteria for Exercise Dependence in Women." National Centre for Biotechnology Information. British Journal of Sports Medicine, Oct. 2003. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. .

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences: Law and Its Effectiveness

PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES: LAW AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS *INTRODUCTION Childhood is considered to be the most crucial phase of human growth and also the most memorable one. It is much more than just the space between birth and the attainment of adulthood. It is a precious time in which children should live free from fear, safe from violence and protected from abuse and exploitation. It’s time for children to be in school and at playground, to grow strong and confident with the love and encouragement of the family and an extended community of caring adults.But what if the childhood becomes a never ending nightmare? A childhood where child refuses to go to school out of an unusual fear? A childhood where he refuses to play outside as he is scared to be surrounded by people? Just imagine a childhood when his own house, the safest place for a child turns out to be an exploitation camp by his own inmates. The entire childhood get raped! We can’t imagine of anyt hing more horrific. The stories of abuse and exploitation of children is all around us. We read about them in the papers, watch them in news and see hundreds of children being exploited as we go about our everyday lives.As per a study conducted by Ministry of women and child department, 53 percent of children in India have suffered some kind of sexual abuse in their childhood and the more shocking fact is that unlike the ordinary notion, 50 percent abusers are known to the child or in a position of trust or responsibility. *CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE DEFINED Child abuse may be emotional, mental, physical or sexual and encompasses a much wider gamut of actions . On the other hand Child sexual abuse is that which targets sexuality and/or sexual organs, involves sexual gestures, words, pictures, actions.It’s the most heinous manifestation of abuse of children as it traumatizes the child for the whole life in all ways, sexually, physically, psychologically and socially, leaving behind a scarred childhood and a disillusioned adulthood caused by the past memories. According WHO, child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give consent to or that violates the laws or social taboos of society. While releasing the Report on Child abuse in India, 2007, Women and child Development minister, Renuka Chaudhary said â€Å"child abuse is shrouded in secrecy and here is a conspiracy of silence around the entire subject†. Both the government and the NGO’S working in this field find it difficult to get the accurate data. *INDIAN CONSTITUTION, INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AND THE LEGISLATIVE LAWS: RECOGNITION OF THE CHILD RIGHTS AND THEIR PROTECTION Looking into the details of child abuse in India, our legal framework and the relevant legislations, Indian constitution recognising the vulnerable position of children and various crimes against children that are linked to sexual abuse provides fo r their protection from such offences.Article 15 provides for special attention to children through necessary and special laws and policies that safeguard their interest. Article 23 provides protection against human trafficking and forced labour. Article 24 and 39 specifically prohibits children from engaging in hazardous employment and protection from exploitation respectively. Thus Indian constitution has provided for a framework which serves as a direction to the legislature to make child protection laws.India’s commitment to the issue is also emboldened by the fact that India is a signatory nation to the UN Convention on the Rights of Child, 1989. One important regional convention here is the SAARC convention on preventing and combating trafficking in women and children, 2002. Looking at the legislative laws the parliament of India recently passed Protection of children from sexual offences Act, 2012. The act has filled a glaring lacuna in the law. We will get into the de tails of the Act at the later stage of the essay as the law has just come into force and we are yet to see its impact.To appreciate the new act we have understand the history of child sexual abuse laws in India and their effectiveness so far. Before the above mentioned law was passed the cases of child sexual abuse were dealt under the following sections of IPC. Section 375 defines rape; section 376 provides for the punishment of rape which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to ten years unless the women raped is his own wife and is not under twelve years of age in which case, he shall be imprisoned with a term which may extend to two years or fine or both.When the girl is less than 12 years or where the rapist is a person in authority (in a hospital, children’s home, a police station etc. ), the punishment is greater; section 377 which relates to unnatural offences. This section is generally invoked when boy children are sexually abused; section 354 whic h deals with outraging the modesty of a woman or a girl and section 509, which relates to insulting the modesty of a woman. The ordinary criminal laws are totally inadequate to protect the children from sexual abuse.IPC does not recognize the term â€Å"child sexual abuse†. Firstly section 375 restricts itself to just penile penetration. Secondly it does not treat forced sexual intercourse by a husband against the wife (above 15 years) as an offence. Thirdly there is no statutory definition of modesty. It carries a weak penalty and is a compoundable offence. Moreover it does not address outraging the modesty of a male child. Fourthly sexual offences against men are covered under section 377 which does not cover the offence adequately. The term unnatural offence in not defined.It only applies to victims penetrated by their attacker's sex act, and is not designed to criminalize sexual abuse of children . Lastly and most importantly IPC laws relating to sexual offences are not g ender neutral. This is due to an age long myth that only females are sexually abused and only males are abusers leaving the female abusers out. But the 2007 Report has given a severe blow to this long standing myth which revealed that out of total child victims, 52. 94 percent were boy children. Yes! It’s shocking. Male children are equally vulnerable and a boy being raped does exist!Besides IPC, there are other legislations also. Obscenity and pornography are dealt under the Young persons (harmful publications) Act, 1956. A young person means a person under the age of 20 years. It is an offence to sell, let, hire, distribute or publically exhibit harmful publications. Other than this under section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 publication and transmission of pornography through the internet is an offence. The Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 deals primarily with children in conflict with the law and their rehabilitation.It does not provide adequately for children in n eed or identify offences against child victims * In addition to children other than those who are abused within their family by their relatives or friends or by strangers at any public place, there are three organised form of sexual abuse of children which are globally prevelant and form a major percentage of sexually abused children. And these three forms are trafficking in human, child labour and child marriage. Human Trafficking as defined in the Un is  Ã¢â‚¬Å"the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by means of the threat or use of force or other forms f coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, force d labour or service, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. †Quoting from an article written by Havovi wadia â€Å"Among the Naths of Bihar, prostitution is a way of life.When a family doesn’t have a daughter, girls are purchased from other parts of the state and pushed into sex work so that the family can live off their earnings. † Children who work as domestic labour, or help in hotels and restaurants, are susceptible to sexual abuse at the hands of employers and customers. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention)Act protects children below the age of 16 from being used for the purposes of commercial sex. Immoral trafficking of children who generally leads to prostitution is one of the most heinous manifestations of violence against children.The US Department of State trafficking in Person report have placed India in Tier II watch list for a second consecutive year for having failed to combat human trafficking. A number of children go missing every year – some are sold by their families, some are kidnapped, others lured by the promise of a better life both for themselves and their kin. According to CRY (Child Rights and You). * 8,945 children go missing every year. * 500,000 children are estimated to be forced into the sex trade every year * Approximately 2 million child commercial sex workers are between the ages of 5 and 15 years * Approximately 3. million child commercial sex workers are between 15 and 18 years * Children form 40% of the total population of commercial sex workers * 80% of these children are found in the five metros – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore * 71% of them are illiterate. Child marriage gives the abuser a societal passport to sexually abuse the child. Child marriage is practiced globally but it is especially prevalent in India where more than one third of all child brides live. According to UNICEF, 47% of girls are married by 18 years of age, and 18% are m arried by 15 years of age.A study conducted in  India  by International research centre for women  showed that girls married before 18 years of age are twice as likely to be beaten, slapped, or threatened by their husbands  and three times more likely to experience sexual violence. ]  Young brides often show symptoms of sexual abuse and post traumatic stress. Though the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 makes the practice of marrying girls under the age of 18 and boys under the age  of 21 punishable but its implementation has not been very effective. We can still find minor couple tying the knot on â€Å"Akkha teej†, a summer festival believed to be auspicious for wedding.This is gross violation of law. Many in urban slum areas get their children married young to protect them from sexual abuse. Once a girl attains puberty she begins to be seen as sexually available. For some parents marriage is the only way to ensure that the girl is ‘unavailableâ€⠄¢ to others for abuse. The 2007 Report reveals the percentage of child sexual abuse is highest in work areas, which is 61. 61 percent. The Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 Section 26 (Exploitation of Juvenile or Child Employee) provides for punishment if a person procures a juvenile for hazardous employment.The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation Act) was enacted in 1986, to specifically address the situation of  children in labour. However, this law distinguishes between hazardous and non-hazardous forms of labour, and identifies certain processes and occupations from which children are prohibited from working. It leaves out a large range of activities that children are engaged in and are exploited and abused. The large-scale exploitation and abuse of children employed in domestic work and hotels are cases in point.The other abuse Child trafficking is one of the most heinous manifestations of violence against children. *PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT, 2012: ITS E FFECTIVENESS AND A CRITICAL ANALYSIS Now coming to the recent legislation which has addressed the various loop holes in the existing laws to a great extent is the Protection of children from sexual offences Act, 2012 . It’s a historic law . Though India became a signatory to the UN convention on the rights of the child back in 1992 but it took India twenty long years to enact a separate law dealing with the offences against children.The Act is headway stronger than all the earlier child sexual abuse laws. The Act, on the lines of the UN convention defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years and provides protection to all the children from the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography. These offences have been clearly defined for the first time in law. Firstly it acknowledges and engages with sexual crimes of all kinds — real/virtual; penetrative/ non- penetrative; homosexual/ heterosexual/ bestial; verbal/ physical.This is a major improv ement on the earlier situation, when child sexual abuse was clubbed with sexual abuse of adults. Secondly it acknowledges that sexual violations can be of various kinds and that in the case of children, the state must take a clear punitive stand on any kind of sexual violation. Thirdly  it is gender inclusive, accepting that the perpetrators as well as the victims may be either male or female. It is otherwise commonly assumed that sexual abuse can only be initiated by a male upon a female.Fourthly it lays down stringent punishments (up to life imprisonment) for a broad range of sexual crimes such as nonpenetrative sexual assault, sexual harassment, and the use of children for pornography. Fifthly the legislation is also marked by the introduction of special procedures to prevent the re-victimisation of children at the hands of an insensitive justice delivery system. These include measures for recording a child's evidence, for protecting his or her identity and for providing childr en with assistance and expertise from professionals in the fields of psychology, social work and so on.Sixthly for speedy trials the Act has provided for the establishment of special courts and the evidence of the child to be recorded within a period of 30 days. Also, the Special Court is to complete the trial within a period of one year, as far as possible. And lastly giving due attention to vulnerability and innocence of children the Act has put the onus of innocence on the accused. The present act is certainly welcoming and addresses the sexual offences against children effectively and efficiently. The bill has taken a comprehensive view and has broadened the sphere of child sexual abuse.That said there is one provision of the Act which has sparked controversy and that is the â€Å"age of consent†. Eighteen has been kept the age of consent and any sexual activity between consenting adolescents would be considered criminal. People from different sections of the society and those working in the field of child rights have shown their disagreement with the view taken. Since this Act criminalises any sexual activity with persons under the age of 18 years (even if it is consensual), is said that the police may misuse it to harass the young ouples or parents may use this law to control olden children sexual behaviour. Additional sessions judge Kamini Lau,of a Delhi court ,while acquitting a youth of the charges of kidnapping and raping a 17-and-a-half-year-old girl, to whom he got married and is now having a child with, called the said provision of the Act of increasing the age of consent from 16 to18 to be â€Å"regressive† and â€Å"draconian†. The remarks were made while referring to the conditions in western countries where there are adequate safeguards for protection against sexual offences. No doubt, there is an urgent need to protect children from sexual offences, harassment and pornography but at the same time it is necessary to ensure a close-in-age reprieve and a lenient view in case of close-in-relationship as adopted by various western countries where there is no exploitative coercive situation including impersonation, fraud, fear, threat and false promises. The need is to correct this behaviour and not punish† she said. Flavia Agnes in Indianexpress said that the age of consent for sexual intercourse has always been contested.In 1860, 10 years was the stipulated minimum age. But the furore caused by the death of an 11-year-old girl at the hands of her 35-year-old husband through forcible penetration led to the raising of the age of consent to 12 years in 1892. Later, during the nationalist movement, when women’s groups entered the political arena, they highlighted the adverse effects of early pregnancy upon women’s health, and demanded that the age of consent to marriage and sexual intercourse be raised to 14 years. Then, the age was raised to 15 years in 1949, and later to 16 years.Conse nsual intercourse with a girl under this age was construed as â€Å"statutory rape†. But the provision made a concession to the husband, who was permitted to have sex with his wife if she was above the age of 15. This dichotomy and confusion persists as the age of marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act and the Prohibition of child marriage act is 18 years and 21 years for a female and a male respectively. The proposed bill aims to resolve this confusion by stipulating a uniform age for marriage as well as sex, and inadvertently contributes to a puritanical notion that marriage and sex are synonymous.Ms Taparia, founder of Mumbai-based organization â€Å"Arpan† which works in the field of child sexual abuse says â€Å"We need to treat the bracket of ages 16 to 18 differently. If a child is raped, then you bring it under the judicial purview, but if it’s consensual sex between two people who are both within the age bracket 16 to 18 years, then it shouldn’t be criminalized. Puberty is coming early†¦So it’s regressive to take the age of legal sex to 18 years†. *RESPONSIBILTY OF CHILD PROTECTION Children are vulnerable sections of the society which needs care and protection for their normal growth.Children are primarily considered to be the responsibility of their family. It’s true that there is no substitute of family’s love and care and their can’t be a better place for a child to live in but what if their own house turns out to be an exploitation camp? For the formation of a protective environment at macro level and for the proper enforcement of child laws it’s the collective responsibility of the family, community, civil society and the state. India has always been on a denial mode when it comes to incest. But the truth is rather shocking!A report from RAHI, a Delhi based NGO working with child sexual abuse titled ‘Voices from the Silent Zone’, suggests that nearly three-quar ters of upper and middle class Indian women are abused by a family member — often an uncle, a cousin or an elder brother. The infamous Incest Mira Road case rocked the whole country. The girl victim said in her statement that â€Å"There were times when I had given up on life completely. When a child is in trouble, he first approaches her parents for help and protection, but who would protect me from my own father who had behaved like a beast? † Who is to look after children in such a situation?Family certainly is a stakeholder but they couldn’t and are not the only protectors. Children are â€Å"national asset† to this country and it’s the collective responsibility of the family, state, NGO’S, community and the civil society to protect them. A child that grows up protected from violence and abuse is more likely to grow up physically and mentally healthy, confident and self-respecting and less likely to abuse or exploit others. By contrast, when children are left unprotected and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse their childhood their rights are fundamentally undermined.It was pointed out in The Essentials of child protection that ensuring a protective environment is the responsibility the governments, international organisation, civil societies, families and individuals. A protected environment is one in which a child is assured of living in safety and with dignity. It is one that ensures that children are in school, laws are in place to punish those who exploit children, governments are truly committed to protection, communities are aware of the risks that children faces, civil society addresses certain â€Å"taboo† issues and monitoring is in place to identify children who are at risk of exploitation.Children will never be free from exploitation until all levels of the society from the family to the international community work together. *PRESENT LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILDREN: COMMISSIONS, POL ICIES AND PROGRAMMES The UN convention on the rights of the child has provided for four basic rights to every child and these are survival, development, protection and participation. India is a signatory to this convention. To fulfil its commitment we have already mentioned the various legislations that have been enacted to protect the child rights.Other than that to facilitate the laws made, several policies have been enacted. The National policy for children was enacted in 1924. The National charter for children was adopted in 2003. This charter consists of the inherent rights of a child and that the state is duty bound to provide the same. Among other rights it includes protection from economic exploitation and all forms of abuse. Several Ministries and Departments of the Government of India are implementing various schemes and programmes for the benefit of children.Integrated child development service scheme is one such scheme that has taken various other governmental schemes un der its purview. Government of India has also set up the childline India foundation, an organization to provide assistance to children. It has a toll free number on which anybody can seek help in the interest of the child. An important step has been taken by the govt with the establishment of National commission for protection of child rights under the commission of the protection of child rights Act, 2005. t is an important step because the Commission's Mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It also provides for the establishment of state commission for the protection of child rights. It mainly aims to decentralize the commission at district and state level so that grass root problems can be addressed effectively. NEEDED REFORMS IN THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK, GROUND WORK AND OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHILDREN *Governmental commitment towards child protection: The Government has got a very crucial role to play in the creation of protective environment for children by the formulation of effective policies, strong legal framework and programming and allocation of adequate resources to the programme. An exercise of budgeting conducted by Ministry of Women and child Development, revealed that the share of the union budget for children in 2006-2007 was 4. 91%, of this the share of child protection was 0. 34%. According to 2001 census, children constitute 42% of India’s population which is a huge population to look after. And with number they certainly deserve more space and attention in the annual budget. At the programmatic level, the existing mechanism for child protection in India is primarily based on several small schemes implemented by different ministries and department. The need is to centralize these schemes under a single programme which specifically addresses child protection rights. Setting up laws is not enough. Implementation has always been a problem in India.The concerned ministry must ensure that laws are being followed. *Attitude and Practices: It must be ensured that we are living in a society that does not facilitate exploitation. Such as even after strict prohibition laws we still see and read about child marriage, devdasis still exist in many parts of the country, female genital mutilation for the misunderstood religious beliefs, Myths such as sexual intercourse with children cures sexually transmitted diseases (this is rampant in Africa). society must be freed from such practices to create a child friendly environment. Open discussion including civil society and child participation: There should be open discussion about sexuality and some basic sex education must be added to the curriculum in schools. Very often children do not even realize that they are being abused. The children must be taught to break the silence and this can be done only by confidence building. The National commission for the protection of child rights has provided for state commissions. Till now 15 states have establish the commissions in their states. This should be followed in rest of the sates also.There should be further decentralization at the district and block level. The commission has also stresses on the participation of children. Children are less vulnerable to abuse when they know their rights are not to be exploited and when they know the services available to protect them. In Brazil, the street children have found in the National movement of street boys and girls, a space for participation that has permitted them to become aware of their rights and a platform to fight for their rights. Consulting children can be of immense help to policy makers and planners.In Bangladesh, to develop a national plan of action against sexual abuse and exploitation several children such as those involved in sex work were consulted. Most of the children’s recommendation were included in the National plan of 2002 a ‘child task force’ is also established as a part of monitoring and implementation of the plan. Youth parliaments both at the national and the state level should be established and this should be extended to street children also other than school going children. If not government than this can also be organized by NGO’S. let their voices be heard.It would give them a common platform to discuss their grievances and other issues. Capacity of families and communities:  All those who interact with children—parents, teachers, religious leaders alike – should observe protective child-rearing practices and have the knowledge, skills, motivation and support to recognize and respond to exploitation and abuse. As pointed out in Report 2007 parents do not speak to children about sexuality as well as physical and emotional changes that take place during their growing years. As a result of this, all forms of sexual abuse that a child faces do not get reported to anyone.It was pointed out in the Report 2007 that the girl, whose mother has not spoken to her even about a basic issue like menstruation, is unable to tell her mother about the uncle or neighbour who has made sexual advances towards her. This silence encourages the abuser so that he is emboldened to continue the abuse and to press his advantage to subject the child to more severe forms of sexual abuse. Parents should create friendly relations with their child and tell them about their sexual organs slowly. Children should be told about â€Å"safe and unsafe touch†.Parents should have an â€Å"I believe you† approach and must not blame the children for the abuse. IT’S NOT THEIR FAULT! Schools can play an important role here. Annual workshops on child protection should be conducted in schools. Every school should also have a grievance cell where child counselling can be done. M onitoring, reporting and oversight:  There should be monitoring, transparent reporting and oversight of abuses and exploitation. As per Report 2007, only 3. 4 percent of children were found to have reported to the police. Almost 12 percent told their parents where as 72. 1 percent of children kept quiet.Parents, individuals, friends and neighbour should always report the matter to the police or should at least seek help from any concerned Ngo’s. Any silence will only encourage the abuse. CONCLUSION Children while constituting 40% of our population are â€Å"national asset†. Their development, protection and safety are not only our responsibility but is essential for the country’s growth as a whole. As we said in the beginning of the essay, it’s just not the child but entire childhood gets raped. Most of children get raped even before they get to know that there is something called â€Å"rape†, â€Å"abuse†, or â€Å"sexual assault†. In fact the whole society gets raped. There cannot be anything more heinous than sexually targeting the vulnerable children who are absolutely unaware of the perverted thoughts prevailing around them. All the malpractices associated with the children should be seriously looked upon and we need to be more sensitive towards children. Protecting children is our collective responsibility. Moreover it’s high time we replace the word â€Å"vulnerable† with â€Å"empowered†. Our policies should be based on empowering the children. It’s their right to have a happy and save childhood.Legislature should make strict and effective laws. The present Protection of children from sexual offences Act, 2012 is certainly the strongest and most effective so far. The government must see that the implementation machinery is working effectively. The various NGO’S working for the child rights should keep a check on the implementation process. This is what they can do. Rep orting the matter to the police or to any concerned authority, looking after the child and breaking the wall of â€Å"silence† is our responsibility. Give the children what is theirs. All they are asking for is a happy and a safe childhood! ————————————————————————————————————– Submission by- Name: Swati Ghildiyal Course: LLB, 2nd year College: Campus law centre, Faculty of law, Delhi University. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. wcd. nic. in/childabuse. pdf [ 2 ]. ibid [ 3 ]. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights— civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. It stresses on special care and protection of children worldwide. 4 ]. http://infochangeindia. org/children/analysis/the-sounds-of-silence-child-sexual-abuse-in-india. html [ 5 ]. http://www. state. gov/documents/organization/47255. pdf [ 6 ]. http://america. cry. org/site/know_us/cry_america_and_child_rights/statistics_underprivileged_chi. html [ 7 ]. http://www. theelders. org/docs/child-marriage-factsheet. pdf [ 8 ]. http://www. unicef. org/infobycountry/india_statistics. html [ 9 ]. United States Agency for International Development, 2007, â€Å"New Insights on Preventing Child Marriage: A Global Analysis of Factors and Programs,† pg. 9 [ 10 ]. http://www. icrw. rg/child-marriage-facts-and-figures [ 11 ]. A lawyer and director of â€Å"Majlis†http://www. majlisbombay. org [ 12 ]. http://www. indianexpress. com/news/consent-and-controversy/948277/ [ 13 ]. http://www. arpan. org. in/ [ 14 ]. http://www. rahifoun dation. org/home. html [ 15 ]. http://articles. timesofindia. indiatimes. com/2009-03-21/mumbai/28047758_1_tantrik-hasmukh-rathod-girl [ 16 ]. http://www. childlineindia. org. in/pdf/Essentials-of-child-protection-Oct%2008. pdf [ 17 ]. http://wcd. nic. in/childabuse. pdf [ 18 ]. Child and the Law, by Laxmidhar chouhan, 2008 edition, page no. 48 and 53.