The Influence of Witchcraft on Feminism Essay Example For Students

The Influence of Witchcraft on Feminism Essay The witch-hunt that blazed a trail across Europe (and indeed the world) over the 15th to 18th centuries stripped women of much of the power they had historically held. Not 100% of all accused Witches were female but 75% to 90% of accused witches in Europe were in fact women (Levack, 1987, p. 124). Prior to the 15th century, rural European women were highly revered and respected pillars of rural community life. Women were not only considered as mothers and wives, but also as community leaders, physicians, and sources of strength and wisdom. They worked side by side with men toward the common goal of community growth and improvement. Though they were not seen as identical to men in the roles they played, they were considered mens equals. The roles of women were different but equally important and respected as those of men. Women had a special and imperative role in rural life. In this era, women who grew old or were unmarried were not considered marginal members of society who had outlived, or thrown away there childbearing years. Many of these old unmarried women were well respected as the village healers and wise women. We will write a custom essay on The Influence of Witchcraft on Feminism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The word hag comes from these wise and ancient women. The word hag in our language today implies a derogatory term directed toward older women. The original meaning of the word was women with sacred knowledge. These old women would possess the wisdom of the ages and pass it on to others (Armstrong Pettigrew, 1990) One may almost say that these women lived in a naturally occurring social feminist utopia. These women were not strictly speaking feminists, because there was no bias for or against men or women within the rural community and with out repression or bias there can be no feminist movement. On the other hand one can say that these women were natural social feminists without knowing it. Small rural communities were run in a semi-socialist manner. Inhabitants all had their homes or land, and some were wealthier than others but because of the community spirit within these small enclaves the children of your neighbor may as well be your children, and one would never consider withholding food or aid from a poorer neighbor. Women in these communities could choose their path and remain single and independent or marry and have children. A woman was also virtually unlimited in the number of children she could have. More children meant more hands to contribute to chores and farm work, which in turn meant there was more food for the family to eat. Extended family was also a large part of this lifestyle and as such there were always grandparents, and perhaps even great grandparents who would help to raise the communities children and allow the mothers to contribute more fully to community life. There were several events that led up to the century known as the Burning Times. By the middle of the16th century, the which-hunt was in full swing. In brief, the historical timeline of the witch-hunt and those events leading to the witch-hunt are as follows: Prior to the 11th century the Catholic Church did not even acknowledge the existence of Witches. To accuse or take action against one suspected of being a dark witch, Vampire or other supernatural being was punishable by cannon law. It was only towards the beginning of the 11th century that the church began to look upon the practice of healing arts as a possible form of witchcraft and began to dole out minor punishment for the practice of unlicensed healing. In 1227 Pope Gregory IX established the Inquisitional Courts to arrest, try, convict and execute heretics. This mandate did not include Witches per se. In 1252 Pope Innocent III authorized the use of torture during inquisitional trials (Trevor-Roper, 1969, p. 43). This greatly increased the conviction rate. In 1258 Pope Alexander IV instructed the Inquisition to confine their investigations to cases of heresy. They were to not investigate charges of divination or sorcery unless heretics were also involved. Needless to say, inquisitors soon found ways to introduce charges of heresy into sorcery trials (Russell, 1980, p. 1). In 1265 Pope Clement IV reaffirmed the use of torture. In 1326 The Church authorized the Inquisition to investigate Witchcraft. Its main effort was to develop demonology theory. .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 , .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .postImageUrl , .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 , .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5:hover , .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5:visited , .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5:active { border:0!important; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5:active , .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5 .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u86136de5c9f9b42fc232f24915ca61d5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Infinity Mirror Persuasive EssayBy this point in history, the popular concept of Witches as evil sorcerers had expanded to include belief that they swore allegiance to Satan, had sexual relations with the Devil, and kidnapped and ate children. During the black plague of the 14th century the European population searched for a reason for the plague. They began forming theories about Lepers, Jews, Muslims and Witches poisoning wells and spreading disease. The end of the 15th century brought with it the first of the major witch-hunts throughout Europe. It has been speculated that this religiously inspired genocide was motivated from a desire by the Church to attain a complete religious monopoly, and create scapegoats for spoiled crops, dead livestock or the death of babies and children. The people needed someone to blame and blaming a Witch was better than blaming God. At least one can fight back if a witch is to blame (Russell, 1980, p. 109) The advent of the movable type printing press ushered in an even darker era for the potential victims of the Burning Times. Gutenbergs revolutionary invention made mass printing possible, thus the distribution of mass anti-witch propaganda. In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII issued an official Papal bill condemning Witches Shortly thereafter Thomas of Brabant wrote Formicarius, a predecessor to the Malleus Maleficarum (The Witches Hammer), describing the prosecution of a man for Witchcraft. In1486 Heinrich Kraemer and Jacob Sprenger published the Malleus Maleficarum describing the activities of Witches, and methods of extracting confessions. It was abandoned by the Church, but became the bible of secular courts holding witch trials (Trevor-Roper, 1969, p. 24) The large-scale European extermination of individuals charged with Witchcraft or other heresies reached its apogee between 1550 and 1650 these years are what have popularly become known as the Burning Times. Most victims of the Burning Times seem to have been: midwives, native healers, single women who lived alone, and/or who owned property, people against whom neighbors had a grudge or practitioners of ancient pagan rituals. Other victims often accused individuals, usually while under torture. Others accused may have also simply been people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Women bore the brunt of these accusations because they were though to be morally weaker than men and driven by carnal lust. Weak morals and lusty appetites made them more susceptible to being bent by the Devils will (Levack, 1987, p. 126). During the Burning Times, many books were written both arguing for and against the widespread witch trials. Many of those who spoke out against the trials were accused and condemned a Witches or witch sympathizers themselves. Many wrote anonymously in order to evade suspicion. In 1684 The last accused Witch was executed in England, although executions throughout mainland Europe, North America, and South America continued until the mid 1800s. The witch-hunt over North America and Europe not only saw the death of millions of women but also served to set new standards for how women were treated in society. Women became marginalized members of society. A womans place was in the home of her lord and master, be that her husband or father. A womans function and role in life was to be the vessel for her husbands sons and the keeper of his castle. She was bound to love, honor, and obey her husband in all things until the day she died. If a woman chose not to conform to the roles of wife, mother, or daughter she was considered a harlot and branded as evil. According to the church, women bore the blame of original sin, and therefor had to be kept in line by their male keepers. Both by law and by custom women were not people, they were property and as property they could hold nothing of their own. This behavior was justified but the newfound facts of womans inherent inferior ability to be rational and her delicate nature. Most women conformed to their assigned roles and became what their husbands and fathers expected them to be. Not all women of the post-burn era were content to resign themselves to the position that their husbands and fathers assigned to them. In this era women began to occupy new places in society and gather their power bases in the domains that were still open to them. One of the areas of society that was placed under a womans control was child rearing. Women continued to be responsible for the formative years of a son or daughters life. This fact gave women access to the next generation of leaders and mothers. .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 , .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .postImageUrl , .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 , .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7:hover , .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7:visited , .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7:active { border:0!important; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7:active , .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7 .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua0ca22cfabf315610580ef728a5594d7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: George PolyaIf a mother could establish a fundamental respect for women in her sons mind during his formative years, it is less likely that the male dominated society that he is exposed to in later life will be able to completely undermine the lessons and values taught earlier in life. A doting son placed in a position of power would give the mother power by proxy and in the days of absolute rulers who ruled absolutely anyone who had the lords ear wielded a great amount of power. Some women, so intent on holding power, were able become the leader of their lands. Unfortunately it did not behoove most of these Queens and Ladies to use their positions of power to help improve the lot of other women of their time. Despite this one cannot say that the power-wielding noblewomen did not have an impact on the female population. Women in official seats of power made it more acceptable for women to participate in the realms of men and provided other women with strong female role models. Towards the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, there were several women who did proactively help to improve the lot of there fellow women. One such woman was Elizabeth Blackwell. She graduated from Genevas medical school in 1849 and later returned to her native North America were she became the first North American female doctor. She went on to become one of the founding members of the London School of Medicine. In this way Elizabeth Blackwell helped return women the domain of the healing arts. Alice Paul is another example of an early feminist. She was the founder of the National Womens Party, played a leading role in the Suffrage movement and helped to draft the U. S. Equal Rights Amendment. She helped return women to the domain of community leadership and political activism. It is from these examples that one can say that liberal feminism was born. These women wanted in they played the game in a mans world and played by the mens rules. They did not ask for any special treatment. They simply decided that they did have a choice in life and that they would choose a path of strength, reason, and independence. These women managed to break out of the private sphere that was long regarded to be the place for women, into the public sphere which had always (and to an extent still is) regarded as the domain of men. It has taken almost 3 centuries to repair the damage done to womens reputations and we still cannot claim success. The repercussions can still be felt to this day. Although the status of women in our modern society is improving everyday women are still not considered mens equals in the workplace or in the home. The average womens salary as of 1993 is still 72% of that of a mans (MacIvor; 1996; p112). Many women with family responsibilities work anywhere from 4 to 8. 5 hours of unpaid work per day (MacIvor; 1996; p107). If these women also work, this means they have little time for anything else. Because of the juggling act of home and family life, many women occupy part time jobs. In fact over 70 percent of the part-time labor force consists of women (MacIvor; 1996; p108). What this all means is that even in our enlightened modern era a woman has to work twice as hard as a man to achieve the same ends and heaven forbid that she be married or have children. The inclusion of children into that equation makes it near to impossible to be considered a mans equal. Men and women are different and they always will be, but it does not mean that women are not equally as important to a working society. It is only now that this realization of differences is being taken into account. Society is beginning to see that there are certain factors in a womans life that would prevent her from being a mans mirror image. The top item on that list of factors is family and children. The new laws surrounding maternity and parental leave provide evidence that society is truly beginning to recognize both the equalities and the differences between men and women and is forming law and social policy to reflect that.

The eNotes Blog 5 Reasons to RereadMoby-Dick

5 Reasons to RereadMoby-Dick Herman Melville’s classic novel about the grand whaling voyage of the Pequod first landed on bookstore shelves exactly 167 years ago. Moby-Dick was widely panned in both England and the United States- Melville’s experimental style flew over the heads of most critics. But today the book is widely read, loved, and discussed. To celebrate the novel’s anniversary- as well as its place in the running for the Great American Read- let’s look at five reasons why we should all reread Moby-Dick. 1. It’s epic. The story that drives Moby-Dick forward is Captain Ahab’s obsessive hunt for the white whale. He wishes to kill the beast that long ago took his leg and, in doing so, stare into its soul. After the ship launches, the crew slowly surmises the mysterious nature of their voyage- no typical whaling venture, but a quest to conquer and understand the godlike whale. He advanced towards the main-mast with the hammer uplifted in one hand, exhibiting the gold with the other, and with a high raised voice exclaiming: â€Å"Whosoever of ye raises me a white-headed whale with a wrinkled brow and a crooked jaw; whosoever of ye raises me that white-headed whale, with three holes punctured in his starboard fluke- look ye, whosoever of ye raises me that same white whale, he shall have this gold ounce, my boys!† (Chapter 36). 2. It’s funny. For all its grandeur and adventure, Moby-Dick is often side-splittingly funny. The narrator, Ishmael, has an eye for the quirks and oddities of human nature. At times, his shipmates seem more a troop of clowns than a crew of whalemen. If you’re looking for a chuckle, search no further. Least of all, did Flask presume to help himself to butter. Whether he thought the owners of the ship denied it to him, on account of its clotting his clear, sunny complexion; or whether he deemed that, on so long a voyage in such marketless waters, butter was at a premium, and therefore was not for him, a subaltern; however it was, Flask, alas! was a butterless man! (Chapter 34). 3. It teaches you all about whales. Melville was intensely fascinated by whales. In Moby-Dick, Melville devotes nearly as many pages to the behaviour, anatomy, and history of whales as he does to the story. Even though much of the science Melville cites is outdated, his keen attention and descriptive powers make Moby-Dick a continual source of inspiration to whale lovers. The lower subdivided part, called the junk, is one immense honeycomb of oil, formed by the crossing and recrossing, into ten thousand infiltrated cells, of tough elastic white fibres throughout its whole extent. The upper part, known as the Case, may be regarded as the great Heidelburgh Tun of the Sperm Whale (Chapter 77). 4. Melville’s writing is electrifying. Melville stands among the greatest prose writers in the English language. His keen eye, musical ear, and capacious mind make for a truly electrifying style. For lovers of language, Melville is the maestro- and Moby-Dick is his masterpiece. Through the lacings of the leaves, the great sun seemed a flying shuttle weaving the unwearied verdure. Oh, busy weaver! unseen weaver!- pause!- one word!- whither flows the fabric? what palace may it deck? wherefore all these ceaseless toilings? Speak, weaver!- stay thy hand!- but one single word with thee! Nay- the shuttle flies- the figures float from forth the loom; the freshet-rushing carpet for ever slides away. The weaver-god, he weaves; and by that weaving is he deafened, that he hears no mortal voice†¦ (Chapter 102). 5. The characters are unforgettable. After reading Moby-Dick, the rowdy crew of characters remains fixed in the mind: attentive Ishmael, steadfast Starbuck, stout Stubb, maniacal Ahab, courageous Queequeg. Melville’s characterizations are so detailed that each figure emerges from the page with a distinctive voice, gait, and attitude. And they are, for the most part, excellent company. And [his] tattooing had been the work of a departed prophet and seer of his island, who, by those hieroglyphic marks, had written out on his body a complete theory of the heavens and the earth, and a mystical treatise on the art of attaining truth; so that Queequeg in his own proper person was a riddle to unfold; a wondrous work in one volume; but whose mysteries not even himself could read, though his own live heart beat against them; and these mysteries were therefore destined in the end to moulder away with the living parchment whereon they were inscribed, and so be unsolved to the last (Chapter 110). Moby-Dick is a novel of countless depths and dimensions. There are as many ways- and reasons- to read it as there are readers. We’ve rounded up a handful of our favorite reasons to climb aboard Melville’s masterwork for another voyage. Can you think of more?

Dedham in the 1630s.in Massachusetts. use web resorce Essay

Dedham in the 1630s.in Massachusetts. use web resorce - Essay Example The Puritan communities participated through availing themselves in gatherings that marked the day of public shame. They participated in religious exercises that were conducted using the laws of the Sabbath. People in the communities also participated through dances, which were meant to condemn the law breakers. They made fun of the regressors and spat on them. As a transgressor, I would feel inflexible and uncomfortable due to the stillness. My physical motion of movement would be interfered with, which would make me sweaty and nervous. I would feel emotionally humiliated and that my dignity would be robed off me. Although I committed a crime, I would not find it fair to be embarrassed in public and would want to hide my face. My thoughts would be in line with the urge to cause a fight and declare my rights. They would also be in relation the kind of people existing in the society and their hostile nature. For instance, I once was forced to wear a stinking bone over my neck due to failure in accomplishing my assignments. Such a punishment would not have any control of my future behaviour because taking assignments should be more of a personal

Optimizing the Water Injection System in the Offshore Drilling Wells Research Proposal

Optimizing the Water Injection System in the Offshore Drilling Wells - Research Proposal Example As noted by Krupnick et al surface as well as subsurface situations and conditions of the discovery made have significant effect on the extraction work, related expenses and determine the success or failure of the whole project. Technical success maybe achieved but the project may fail economically. First hand experience has shown that the most technical success is easy to achieve, but economic success is much difficulty. According to Spellman, and Whiting the process of analyzing the best way to optimize extraction of recoverable reserves starts by formulation of a development plan (266). This development plan takes into consideration all existing geologic as well as engineering data and information to come up with initial ways of optimizing water injection systems Research aims The following research will have two aims: 1. What are the contaminants in sea water? 2. What are the main methods used in optimizing water for injection in the offshore wells? Research design methodology (d ata collection methods and analysis of data) Research Design This research will be carried out using secondary research also qualitative research. The methods used to get information will be collection, analysis and evaluation of past studies rather than primary research, as noted by Mason secondary research can obtain its data from internal or external sources (26). The current online libraries provide a source where extensive research can be carried out on this topic and latest information obtained. Methodology The research will be conducted using secondary sources, whereby it will be based on past studies that were done on the same topic in order to answer the formulated research question. The topic under discussion requires extensive resources for a researcher to carry out a primary research, this is because it would involve visiting a number of offshore wells, carrying out interviews and formulating questionnaires. Though there are some limitations towards this methods, like th e researcher has to depend on views of other researchers, its main benefits is that it avails a big database of information to the research, and he can select relevant and substantial material to use in the research (Robson 78). For the sake of keeping the data to managerial size, it was thought that the research should concentrate basically on the methods used to optimize water injection in the offshore wells. Methods of Data Collection Since our study will be based on secondary research, data collection will entail getting information results from the previously done studies and analyzing the information. Though the results from the previous studies may be not 100% accurate meaning that this will affect our final outcome, still, this will be reliable data. It should be noted that methods of optimizing injection of water in offshore wells requires extensive resources and technology used do not change quickly. Data Collection procedures and Data Analysis To evaluate and review the d ata collected from the study seeking to answer the research question, the study will use known database application like Microsoft Excel to compile table and other data to compilation. This data will be used to statistically determine if the studies relevance of data collected fr

Evaluation of Soil Management Strategies in Two Named Farming Systems Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of Soil Management Strategies in Two Named Farming Systems Essay Evaluation of the soil management strategies in the India The more time goes past, the more man starts realising how the management and the way we threat soils is important to insure its preservation and conservation. Nowadays, around 9. 4 million hectares of soil, which represent the 0. 5% of the land present on our planet, is irreparably damaged and has no longer any biological function. In other words, it can no longer be used in any useful way to provide food or other elements to the earth’s tenants. There are though, two factors that influence soil degradation; the human factor and the natural one. The most impactful one is the human one, as we tend to create disequilibrium in the rate at which soil forms and at which it is eroded or degraded. This is due to the fact that farmers work the soil too frequently or misunderstand and mismanage their lands. On the other hand, erosion and degradation, which embody the natural factors, are part of nature’s cycle and over time, they do not create imbalances. In poorer countries, farmers use subsistence farming and they are in a way constricted to do so, as they not only lack of economical resources to buy machinery and conditioners, but also because the quality of the soil often doesn’t give them the opportunity to be able to work the land more intensively. In the regions of West Bengal located in the northwest of India to take an example, the density of the population is so high that farmers only can use their little land holding to produce enough in order to feed themselves and their families. This way of managing the soil is called subsistence farming and is also used in the entire southeast of India, where the soil is so degraded that the population has no other choice but to use this agricultural strategy named sedentary farming. It involves farming always at the same place, living there and getting crops relying uniquely on labour and not on any capital investments. In India we can find a very large division, varying from economical to socio-political, and even agricultural. Up in the Northwest of India, within the hills of Jaipur in Rajasthan, intensive commercial farmers are predominant as the country represents the fourth biggest agricultural power of the world. The practices and components involved in intensive farming are harmful to the soil because farmers take advantage of the resources that are available and often abuse their terrain in such way that it harms it, leading to an increase of the rate at which the land is deteriorated. But not all methods are harmful to Nature; the method used in the forests of north India by the poorer citizens has a much better environmental impact than the industrial one used by richer farmers. As equally common, this method is called shifting farming which consists in burning a piece of land so that the ashes fertilise the soil. Then the famer grows its crops for around 2 to 5 years, until the soil’s fertility starts to decrease so he moves to another place repeating the same process. After a break more or less long 10 years, the farmer can go back to the first place as the terrain supposedly had time to regain its fertility and he can so for cultivate his crops again. In fact, the material and gears used, plus the methods are much different one from another. Within the subsistence one, natural fertilizers will be more likely to be used while on the intensive one, chemicals and heavy machinery often take the lead. These different strategies used to manage the soil comprise advantages and disadvantages, to both the farmers and the land. The sustainable farming strategy is on the short term less beneficial to the farmer as it will limit his production. But this technique won’t make any harm to the soil because the method used is less intensive, and natural fertilisers such as animal rejections and organic wastes replace chemicals and fertilizers used in the intensive method. But as stated above, India is the fourth largest agricultural force on this planet and that’s when the management of the soil starts becoming problematic in accordance to its sustainability and the preservation of its quality. The choice of a farmer to opt for a specific technique rather than another relies on the income on a short period of time. Even though in India this choice mainly depends on the financial resources available, the farmers using subsistence farming will be able to use their land for a much longer period of time than those who use intensive farming. It’s also in the farmer’s benefit to use its field in a sustainable way; for environmental ssues as well as for its personal profit as on the longer term, a farmer who farms on its land in a sustainable way will be able to get an equal amount of crops over a larger period of time. To conclude, if we keep abusing the soil as they still do in certain parts of the world, by 2050 we will severely lack of available healthy soil to satisfy our needs as a result of the population’s growth rate. And even though the governments and citizens didn’t realise that before severe issues and frightening statistical data came out from the topic. We know how to prevent soil erosion from natural factors by simply planting grass or other clumping vegetation; building shelter belts and hedgerows are other examples. We can also improve the methods of cultivation, using the techniques of terracing and contour ploughing. But to prevent the abusing human activity like deforestation, I believe that the only answer is the willing and devotion of individuals of using proper pesticides and fertilizers.

Music Industry Essay -- Music, Lyrics

People listen to music for a variety of reasons. Some listen to music to relax in which it serves as a sort of escape from everyday life, some because they are a fan and follow a certain artist, and others because they can relate the lyrics to their own personal experiences. Whichever the case may be, music has and continues to serve an important role in people’s lives. Music has been circulating the air across many cultures for centuries; however, in the last 50 years, the music industry has become an important global industry and an vital area for economic activity on many geographic scales (comp. 45). Over the years, music consumption has grown and spread across many areas. Music consumption has become â€Å"more of less.† This contradictory idea alludes to the fact that individuals are listening to music of many different artists rather than to an entire album by a singular artist. This causes people’s music collection to become more diversified. Likewise, more people are listening to music because it has become so accessible. Technology has undoubtedly changed the music industry and is perhaps the main reason why individuals no longer consume an entire album. Previously, people were required to buy an entire album or CD even if they only wanted a few specific songs. With new technological advancements, music consumption has become more fragmented. Individuals can instead purchase their favorite song by each artist while eliminating all others from their collection. Due to technological advancements such as the Internet, there is now a wider variety of music because a greater diversity is more accessible. An individual no longer has to leave his house and drive down the street to a store to purchase music. Instea... ...mething more. This is evident through a rise in concert attendance and prices. The prices of a tickets have increased dramatically over the past decade and fans continue to pay the cost of admission. Listening to an album no longer is the experience it once was, but fans crave the concerts which fill that void. As a CEO in charge of a record label, I would mainly focus my attention on concert promotion and production, as well as innovation. With the rapid development of technology, it is difficult to see too far into the future of the music industry. It seems that the best option is to focus on what works in the present, but being ever aware of change in the industry. It is impossible to tell what is far down the road, but taking advantage of the present while constantly adapting to changing times is what it takes to survive in such a tumultuous industry.

Contrast The American Dream With The Real Life Of The Migrant Worker Essay

In 1930’s America, most Americans had the so-called American Dream, which was to own their own piece of land and to be their own boss. The dream came into existence in the 1800’s, when land was readily available. By the 1930’s, when this novel ‘Of Mice And Men’ was set, it was almost impossible to make the dream reality as most land had been bought beforehand. Migrant workers are labourers who work on ranches as harvesters, skinners, and swampers, carrying heavy materials and doing many other manual jobs. They work hard and earn poor wages. They also have no friends or family as they continuously travel to different ranches in California, and so therefore they have very few possessions such as tinned food, small mats, blankets and shaving blades etc. They carry their possessions in a bindle and are commonly called ‘bindle stiffs’ or ‘bindle bums’, as they carried them on their back. Migrant workers sleep in bunkhouses which are situated on the ranch. They share a bunkhouse with other workers of that ranch. There is little privacy in the bunkhouses as there are usually between four and six workers in one bunkhouse. They are allocated their own shelf or cupboard in which to keep their very few possessions. Migrant workers wear denim clothes as denim is hard wearing and so they don’t have to keep on buying clothes with their hard earned money which can be spent elsewhere. Workers do not have any rights such as sickness payments, old age pensions etc, from their ranch. So when workers retire they have a very grim future in prospect. To be able to work, workers were issued with work cards from the local job agencies. The work cards were only given if a ranch boss wanted new workers. Work cards were important as it gave them a work permit. Workers also feared the sack, which was the case if someone done something wrong. The had no choice of menus as meals were cooked by other workers. If they wanted a different meal they would have to go outside the ranch in the town which workers have to pay for themselves. There was little justice on the ranches and workers had to develop their own rules of behaviour to survive. The novel we read is called ‘Of Mice And Men’. It is set in California, America, in the 1930’s. ‘Of Mice And Men’ is mainly about two American migrant workers. One of the workers is called Lennie and the other worker is called George. The writer of the novel, John Steinbeck, shows us in detail their lives as migrant workers, with the other workers, and Steinbeck also shows us the dreams and aspirations of these two migrant workers and the other workers. Steinbeck also shows the reality on the ranch and what they actually experience. George and Lennie are very close friends. In fact Lennie cannot move without George, as George is a father like figure to him. Lennie has a mental disability and acts like a small child, though he is a very powerful man as seen in his first description, ‘†¦a huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders, and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’. Lennie is frequently described through animal imagery due to his physical features, eg ‘like a terrier who doesn’t want to bring a ball to its master’, ‘strong asa bull’, ‘Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror,’ Lennie growled back to his seat†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ . This consistent use of animal imagery echoes Lennie’s love of and devotion to animals of his own, especially rabbits, mice and puppies. Lennie is a gentle giant, who brings out trouble. Lennie is doomed in a world o f desperate moral confusion. He cannot survive in a world of cruelty, selfishness, and disgrace. Throughout the novel, Lennie is portrayed as sympathetic in loving terms, eg ‘†¦..Lennie’s jus’ like a kid. There ain’t no more harm in him than a kid, neither, except he’s so strong’. George about (Lennie), ‘He ain’t bright. Hell of a good worker, though. Hell of a nice fella, but he ain’t bright’. Lennie’s innocence ‘I won’t get in no trouble, George. I ain’t gonna say a word’. Slim about (Lennie) ‘He’s nice fella. Guy don’t need no sense to be a nice fella’. George’s description is completely opposite of Lennie, and Steinbeck’s initial description emphasises the physical difference between him and Lennie, ‘ The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp strong features. Every part of him was defined. Small, strong hands, slender arm s, a thin and bony nose’ . The novel ‘Of Mice And Men’ commences a few miles south of Soledad, near the Salinas River. It is warm and tranquil. It is important to mention the opening part of the novel as this is where George identifies a spot where, if Lennie gets into trouble , he can go to and hide, ‘If you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before. (In Weed, Weed is a town in California where George and Lennie used to, before they had to run as Lennie was accused of raping a woman) I want you to come right here an ‘ hide in the bush’. This instruction ensures that the novel will end where it began. George and Lennie are looking forward to their dream which is to save money by working on the ranch in Soledad (the town where they arrived after Weed), and one day owning their own piece of land and being their own bosses, which is the American Dream. George and Lennie’s dream is more materialistic, as they envision a place where ‘nobody gona get hurt nor steal from them’. Their small piece of land will make them part of a stable and secure society, instead of being on its migratory fringes. The friendship between Lennie and George is firmly rooted in their dream. A dream that Lennie is never tired of hearing and which relieves them both from the pain of solitude. The dream is everything to Lennie and so George endlessly repeats descriptions of their idealistic future, a happy time when they will ‘Live off the fatta the land’. Lennie delightedly enjoys interrupting George†¦.. ‘†¦But not us! An’ why?†¦ Because †¦ Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you and that’s why’. George and Lennie’s dream introduces the theme of friendship and love, basic human needs that had all but disappeared at that time for millions of Americans. Candy and Crooks other migrant workers on the same ranch, are also caught up in this dream. On this ranch there was racial prejudice against non-whites, and the stable buck, who was black, has his own room. He reads books to pass his time alone and so therefore he is educated. A lot of migrant workers wanted their own room and privacy like Crooks, and were jealous of it. It was wrong for anyone to go into Crooks’s room as he was black, but one day Lennie went inside and started talking to Crooks. Lennie discussed his dreams with Crooks and he dejectedly and wryly commented, ‘Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody never gets no land’. Crooks also commented on how his father had a ranch when he was a kid and how he and his two brothers used to work on it. Candy was also caught up in George and Lennie’s dream and wanted to help by adding to the funds with his savings. Curly who is the son of the owner of the ranch, is married and his wife is also involved in a imaginary future and she has a dream of herself as a great movie star. But in one way or another all the dreams of these workers are smashed. This American Dream makes Lennie happy as here he gets to tend rabbits and mice which he loves as they are soft, and so therefore George always repeats the dream for him. And so it seems that George is trying to help Lennie achieve the dream. And helping each other on the ranch was seen to be unusual amongst the workers, and it was different between George and Lennie and the other workers. The reality of the lives of George and Lennie was that it was a struggle even to get a job, and even with a job, funds were still insufficient to buy land, (which was their dream), let alone enjoy themselves. Life involved hard work for George and Lennie. We can see strong devotion in George and Lennie but, in reality they were living with sadistic people such as Carlson. This was seen as he shot Candy’s dog which Carlson said was too old and smelly and suggested the dog was suffering and it would be better off it was killed, ‘That dog ain’t no good to himself. I wish somebody’d shot me if I get a cripple’. This comment seems to be the voice of Steinbeck, a pessimistic voice that understood the fate of all the disposable people. Carlson shoots the dog, and Candy’s final comment about the dog influences George’s decision to kill Lennie. Candy, ‘I ought to of shot that dog myself. I shouldn’t ought to let no stranger shoot my dog’. Although he earned poor wages George enjoyed himself by going to the brothel and drinking. And while Lennie was getting excited about living on his own land, he still had to sleep with four other workers in the bunkhouse with no room for and furniture and no personal possessions which was the same for all workers. George and Lennie had a relationship which was unusual. George always looked after Lennie, and they supported each other, which was unusual. Slim, who is a worker on the ranch, provides a strong contrast to the previous negativity and latent sense of danger. Slime moves ‘With a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsman’. Slim’s reaction to George’s protection of Lennie, seems to echo the feelings of Steinbeck himself, ‘Ain’t many guys travel around together ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ I don’t know why. Maybe every’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other’. Recreational activities for the workers on the ranch, apart from going to the brothel every Saturday and having Sunday off, included playing horseshoe which was a game played, outside the barn. The dreams articulates two essential themes in this novel; importance of dreaming and loneliness in the lives of the workers. George and Lennie are very different from all the other workers, mainly because of their relationship and their goals. This may seem odd considering that George always complains of how easy life would be without Lennie (due to his problems), George could spend the nights in ‘cat houses’ and drink quantities of ‘rotgut booze’. Yet his devotion to and protection of Lennie make it clear that he does not want this kind of freedom, as such freedom would leave him alone. In a different sens, Steinbeck continuously focuses on the isolation of loneliness. George is frequently playing ‘solitare’ (a card game for one person). However George is not a pathetic character. He has a will and he makes two critical decisions at the end of the novel. Loneliness is also seen through Cooks, the stable buck, in that, as he is black, he is isolated from all the other workers and therefore has his own room which nobody is allowed to enter. However one Saturday night, Lennie enters Crooks’s room and chats innocently to Crooks about the place he and George are going to have. Lennie is rapt in wonder of the dream and the delight of his new puppy, and is deaf to Crooks’s personal reminiscence. However, when Crooks starts teasing Lennie about the idea that George may not come back, Lennie is extremely agitated. Unable to cope with the thought that someone may have hurt his beloved George, Lennie is ready to attack Crooks physically. Crooks manages to calm Lennie down, and whilst Lennie dreams contentedly of their little piece of land, Crooks speaks of loneliness, and his life when he was a kid. Crooks, a victim of racial inequality, remarks cynically, ‘Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody never gets no land’. Candy joins Lennie in Crooks’s room. Crooks, desperately lonely, is secretly delighted to have company. George returns. He is angry that Lennie and Candy have shared their plans with Crooks. They all return to the bunkhouses and leave Crooks alone in his room to massage his crooked spine. The opening location and atmosphere reflects the ending of this novel. As this is the day (Sunday) where Lennie dies. While the men are noisily enjoying a ‘horseshoe tenement’ outside, Lennie is alone in the barn. He is distressed as he has accidentally killed his puppy. He’s terrified that George will punish him and he (Lennie) will not ‘get to tend no rabbits’. Curly’s wife, dressed in a tartish way, goes to Lennie. She consoles him about the puppy, ‘he was jus ‘ a mutt’. And settles down to talk to him. Lennie is disheartened with the dead puppy. Curly’s wife tells Lennie, ‘I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely’. She goes on to say that she can only talk to Curly otherwise he gets mad. Lennie tells her how he likes to pet soft things and Curly’s wife encourages him to stroke her hair; ‘Here feel right here†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ feel right aroun’ there ansee how soft it isâ€℠¢. As always Lennie has no understanding of his strength and as Curly’s wife becomes hysterical, Lennie, confused and terrified, prevents her from screaming. Her eyes are ‘wild with terror’ and her neck snaps under Lennie’s paw-like grip. The description ‘her body flopped like a fish’ contains identical imagery to that used when Lennie defended himself against Curly, ‘Curly was flopping like a fish†¦'(chapter 4). Lennie remembers George’s instruction at the opening of the novel and runs to hide in the bush where George told him to. Alerted by Candy, George steals Carlson’s gun and then joins the men. George reassures himself and says ‘maybe they’ll lock him up an’ be nice to him.’ Curly is bursting with rage when he finds out what has happened to his wife and is determined to kill Lennie because Lennie crushed his hand. George is aware that he needs to save Lennie from the fury of Curly. Candy spoke of his greatest fear ‘You an’ me’ can get that little place, can’t we , George?’ Before George spoke candy dropped his head and looked down at the bay. He knew the dream was over. George then faces reality and tells Candy, ‘I’ll work my month an’ I’ll take my fifty bucks an’ I’ll stay all night in some cat house’. George comes back to the barn, as if he did no know, with all the other workers. At this point George knows what he is going to do. Curly gathered his troops together with Crooks’s gun and went to search for Lennie. The death of Lennie will spell the death of his shared dream. He is figuratively as dead as Candy’s dog. The description echoes that of chapter 1, but the stillness has a sharper edge. A motionless heron swallows a water snake, the wind is a ‘gust’ and the dry leaves on the g round ‘scudded’. Lennie kneels down at the edge of the water and drinks, but whereas earlier ‘He flung himself down†¦. drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse’. Now he ‘Knelt down barely touching his lips to the water.’ The verb ‘Jerked up’ and the fact that he ‘Strained’ towards the sound of the birds, conveys his restlessness. Lennie is tormented with guilt and is confusion and anguish reveal themselves in a vision of his Aunt Clara and a gigantic rabbit. The rabbit seems to be imitating George, calling him a ‘Crazy bastard’. The arrival of George settles Lennie and pathetically, knowing he has done a ‘Bad thing’. He waits to be scolded. George goes through the motions of saying how easy life would be without Lennie but his voice is ‘Monotonous’ and has ‘No emphasise’. This leads automatically to the reinforcement of their friendship and their dream. As the shouts of the men come closer, George prepares to shoot the unsuspecting Lennie. George’s hand shake ‘Violently’ but he’s fully aware of the brutality of Curly, so pulls the trigger and this saves Lennie from the vicious brutality of Curly, so then throws the gun near the pile of old ashes. Just as the fire has been reduced to the ashes so to is the dream. Slim comforts George, ‘You hadda, George. I swear you hadda,’ and he takes George away to get a drink. The final word is given to Carlson whose emotional limitations and lack of sensitivity are shown in his remark, ‘now what the hell ya suppose is eatin ‘ them two guys?’