Police Patrol Essay Example for Free

Police Patrol Essay Section 1 – Introduction Indeed, the safety and prosperity of local communities is dependent upon, in large part, a prevention of criminal activity.   It is in safe communities that businesses grow and prosper, people bring their families to live, and others like to visit.   With this in mind, the classic way to ensure that communities are free of crime is through the use of police patrol.   It is the police presence that has typically kept crime in check (Sklansky).   However, the financial cost of police patrol often makes such protection quite difficult to put into action.    In this research, the cost of police patrol will be examined through the discussion of the following article: Farrell, Graham, Erin Lane, Ken Clark, and Andromachi Tseloni. What Does the World Spend on Policing? [*]. International Journal of Comparative Sociology (2001): 59. Conversely, alternative methods of crime prevention, aside from the use of the conventional police patrol will be examined through the discussion of this article: Rubin, Herbert J. Economic Partnering with the Poor: Why Local Governments Should Work with Community-Based Development Organizations to Promote Economic Development. International Journal of Public Administration 23.9 (2000): 1679. Additional sources will be cited where necessary to ultimately make the point that while police patrol is important, it is costly, and there are other methods/resources that can be tapped into to complement the effectiveness of police patrols without exceeding budgets or overextending the ability of small police forces to accomplish what they need to accomplish. Section 2 The Main Points of the Two Articles Farrell, Graham, Erin Lane, Ken Clark, and Andromachi Tseloni. What Does the World Spend on Policing? [*]. International Journal of Comparative Sociology (2001): 59. The main point of this article are that internationally, in small and large nations alike, the total amount of money spent on policing and crime prevention totals in the hundreds of billions of dollars, and with that, the question of whether or not that money is well spent.   Additionally, the article discusses the role of civilians in the process of preventing crime, which reduces the burden on the conventional police patrol. Rubin, Herbert J. Economic Partnering with the Poor: Why Local Governments Should Work with Community-Based Development Organizations to Promote Economic Development. International Journal of Public Administration 23.9 (2000): 1679. In close relation to the first article, this article makes the point that among other governmental organizations, local police agencies should work with community-based, civilian organizations to achieve the goal of fighting crime, which is one of the main reasons for the existence of police patrols themselves. Section 3 Comparison and Contrast of the Two Articles The two articles chosen for this research do in fact possess similarities and differences which, ironically, all contribute to making the point that police patrols are effective and necessary, but would not be effective, and indeed cannot be effective, if they are overburdened by too much work for too few officers, or if the police organizations are unduly restrained by a lack of economic resources. First, the Farrell article weighs the cost of police patrol against the results that are obtained for the money that is spent.   Far from saying that police patrols are ineffective, the article says that overburdened police patrols are ineffective, and therefore, in lieu of money that does not exist, police patrols should be aided by community/civilian resources whenever possible. Following on the heels of the first article, the Rubin article makes the very important point that local police agencies, if faced with a lack of funds, should work more closely with community organizations in order to achieve effective crime prevention and apprehension of criminal offenders after the fact. In a roundabout way, both articles do in fact make the same point; if police patrols are to be effective in the future as they have been in the past, they will need some help.   The answer is not to overextend patrols or to cut them due to underfunding, but rather to collaborate more closely with the community for the mutual benefit of both.   The modern police force faces challenges that those of the past did not; increasing need for diversity in police forces, additional personnel because of the increases in crime, and population increases make the scope of the traditional police patrol much more complicated and expensive than ever before (Sklansky).   Also significant is the huge cost of the processing of criminal cases in courts of law due to the increasing complexity of criminal law (Frodsham) Section 4 – Conclusion Based on the analysis of these articles and accompanying additional resources, the conclusion has been reached that police patrols are very effective, if and only if they are either properly funded or if they are assisted by civilians and community organizations in the absence of adequate funding.   Therefore, in conclusion, police patrols should be continued, and should be supported by communities if they are to continue to properly function.

The Work And Impacts Of Gertrude Wilson Social Work Essay

The Work And Impacts Of Gertrude Wilson Social Work Essay When pursuing a degree in social work, a student experiences equal exposure to group work and individual case work. The curriculum set out by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) requires that a healthy mixture of the two be taught in order to grant a degree in social work (CSWE, 2010). Every person becomes involves with different groups during their life, but within social work, groups are a tool for helping bring people together and solve problems, not only for recreation. One of the people responsible for the foundation of group work education in America was Gertrude Wilson. Gertrude Wilson was born in 1895, three years before the first course on social work was available at Columbia University in 1898. She was raised in a town with fewer than 200 people in Dana, Illinois (Chambers, 1986). Miss Wilson grew up seeing women like Jane Adams and Frances Perkins having an impact on the social fabric of America through the settlement house movement. She entered Illinois Womens College in 1915, but ended up receiving a Bachelors degree in Philosophy from the University of Chicago (Chambers). After two years of teaching high school, she became a secretary for the Young Womens Christian Academy (YWCA) in Pennsylvania. Ten years later, she returned to Chicago as the administrator of the new Women in the Workforce branch of the YWCA. Miss Wilson has stated that her experience with the YWCA opened her eyes to the ability of groups to influence peoples lives for the better (Greenwood, 1985). It was during her time with the YWCA that she met Grace Coyle, a sociologist, who convinced her to leave the YWCA and take a position teaching at Western Case University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1935. Wilson attended the University of Chicago part time while teaching in Ohio and received her M.A. from its School of Social Service Administration in 1938 (Chambers, 1986). She became a member of the American Association for the Study of Group Work (AASGW) and assisted Coyle with some of the first research done on groups in social work. Shortly after receiving her degree, Wilson moved to the University of Pittsburgh. It was here that she published her first two, and what many believe, most influential books (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). Her first book, Case Work and Group Work was published in 1941.When Wilson began writing, the field of social work was dominated by case work, a more individual based approach that applied methods of psychoanalytic theory rather than examine environmental factors. Along with Coyle, she was among the first to argue that personal problems were not solely internal, but also found in external sources such as family organization and interaction. She advocated an integrated approach that involved both case work and group work to treat separate issues together rather than individually (Wilson G. , Case work and group work, 1941). Case Work and Group Work was not written with the intent to make group work seem more important than case work. In the first few pages of Case Work and Group Work, Wilson decried the short-visioned little cults of method and function that claim their superiority at the expense of healthy clients (Wilson, 1941). Hers was an argument to consolidate the two approaches rather than create separate disciplines. Group social work existed, but still lacked any single academic foundation for study. She presented the book before the AASGW, the Psychiatric Social Workers Association (PSWA), and multiple schools of social work around the country. At the National Conference on Social Work in 1942, Gertrude Wilson further expanded on what she began discussing in Case Work and Group Work. Wilson believed that group work could bring about changes in the values of individuals and society as a whole. She argued that a worker could dynamically influence the environment of the group for the better by directing certain processes towards specific social goals (Wilson G. , 1942). At this conference she defined three different ways in which the worker might influence the group by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦directing the process toward the accomplishment of a social goal conceived in a democratic philosophy. They are 1) developmental, as it provided for normal social growth; 2) protective or corrective, in that it could be offered to people without groups; and 3) instrumental in achieving of socially desirable ends. (Wilson) Her view put forth the idea that the good of the one and the good of the many were dependent on each other and social workers had a social responsibility to address both in order to build society (Weil, K., Southerland, 1991) After several years at Pittsburgh University, Miss Wilson and her colleague Gladys Ryland published Social Group Work Practice. Group work had lacked this academic foundation for so many years. It offered a systematic method of applying group work for social work practice. As the first book to actually offer a process for applying group work, it became the first textbook for group work and was used in schools of social work across the United States. It was called the Green Bible due to the color of its cover and size (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). Many still consider it the most influential book on group work in social work history (Chambers, 1986). The 700-page book can be divided into two sections: practice methods and case studies. The first half of the book described group work methods and theories about groups. For the first time, a social group work method was described. This was based on Wilson and Rylands experience with groups and Grace Coyles research. Miss Wilson expressed the key goal of group workers as such: The workers aim is to help the members of groups develop the capacity to carry on their own group life and achieve goals (Wilson, 1949). This goal is still considered important and appears in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics to this day NASW, 2009). The second half of the book contained analyses of different groups, their specific activities and how the social group work method applies to them. Miss Wilsons research over the years is seen here in the detailed case studies included in this section. The case studies cover groups from preschool to retirement, reflecting the extent that Miss Wilson went to in researching the book. Significantly, much of the case study material was drawn from work in recreational and informal educational agencies because group social work was not practiced often in a clinical setting at that time (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). The case studies included in Wilsons book may be dated, but the concepts of group work that they represent have withstood the test of time. The last half-century has seen a great deal of social change and numerous group work textbooks since Social Group Work Practice, but Wilsons original ideas about group work have remained largely unchanged and few modern texts can refer to group work without referencing the work of Gertrude Wilson, especially this book. One of the most tempestuous times in Gertrude Wilsons life was during the time that she and Gladys Ryland were putting Social Group Work Practice together at the University of Pittsburgh. During the late 1940s, anti-communist politicians began attacking the field of social work because of its progressive views and support of New Deal policies to assist the needy (Andrews Reisch, 1997). One of the main targets was Marion Hathaway, the director of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh (Reisch Andrews, 2001). Wilson was among the several educators and students that supported Hathaway and her support (along with many other faculty members) caused friction between the School of Social Work in Pittsburgh and the university chancellor (Wilson, 1978). Wilson was one of the many professors who resigned from the college in 1950 under pressure (Wilson). Ryland was terminated after refusing to resign a few months after Wilson left (Andrews Reisch). Wilson did not let this controversy stop her career. She joined the School of Social Welfare at Berkeley in 1951. It was here that she developed a professional education program focused on training new social workers. Originally known as the Certificate Program in the Social Services, it contained specific courses over a two-year period that ended with a two-week seminar on campus (Greenwood, 1985). The Council on Social Work education (CSWE) in 1952 adopted this program as the model for national accreditation (Weil, Southerland, Chou, 1991). At Berkeley, Wilson taught courses in both theory and practice in group work. She was a frequent speaker at seminars and conventions all over the United States and she guest-lectured at the Columbia, Smith, and Tulane Schools of Social Work. Even after retirement, she served as a consultant to social agencies, schools of social work and professional associations. Wilson used her own experience to constantly refine what she considered a dynamic aspect of social work (From practice to theory: a personalized history, 1976). Wilson wrote dozens of conference papers, journal articles, chapters in books, and monographs although she will most likely always be remembered for Social Group Work Practice with Gladys Ryland in 1949. She was one of eight social work pioneers chosen for the NASW Oral History Project in 1978. Each participant took part in a 1-2 hour interview that was recorded and placed in the Library of Congress. Berkley performed a similar interview on videotape in 1982. Both recordings are very difficult to obtain. Although she officially retired from Berkeley in 1963, the college was very gracious following her death from cancer in 1985 (Greenwood, 1985). Gertrude Wilson was an amazing woman who pushed social barriers as an educator and activist. She was one of very few women with a full professorship in the 1930s. Her work in the first half of the 20th century still influences social work today in the 21st. She had a passion for helping people that encouraged her to study a field of practice that was barely recognized until the 1940s. Not only did she pursue that field, she made it possible for others to do so as well by writing the first textbook on the practice of group work. Her certificate program at Berkley was the foundation for modern undergraduate social work curriculum in universities across the nation. These are all accomplishments she made in her field that show her impression on the practice, theory and future practitioners of social work. Personally, I am inspired by her resolve to follow her passion even though there wasnt a road to follow; she dug it out herself so that she could reach her destination and so that others could follow her. It is this attitude that inspires me in my pursuit to implement school social work in Oklahoma. It will never exist in Oklahoma if people do not fight for it and have a practical way to practice it once it does.

Counterculture Analysis: The Manson Family

Counterculture Analysis: The Manson Family Sarah Blonarowycz In a world full of different continents, countries, and beyond, there are a vast variety of different societies, and within those societies, different cultures. While there is a general culture set by the majority of society, there are also branches of other cultures with their own set of values and norms. Some are simply referred to as subcultures, and others are referred to as countercultures. A counterculture refers to a group of people within a society that creates new norms outside the general culture that make coexisting difficult between the larger and smaller cultures (Sociology 39). While there are have been and continue to be countercultures living inside the culture of the majority, some countercultures have gone down in history for their notorious actions-countercultures like the Manson Family. The 1960s were quite a change from the modest 19050s. The Beatles took the world by storm, and half the American population were impressionable teenagers ready to take their lives by the horns, like questioning the validity of mainstream religious (PBS), and giving drugs like marijuana and LSD power (University of Virginia Library). Also, the rise of the civil rights movement influenced the opinions of citizens all across the country (History). All these concepts were new to the Americans, which made culture a volatile entity among society. Charles Manson, an ex-convict, saw the fluctuation in culture as an opportunity to display his ideas of utter chaos in front of the public in attempt of gaining followers and support, to which he succeeded. Manson utilized his charisma in manipulative ways by using sex as a way to gain followers, starting with his first lover after the time he did in California State Penitentiaries, Mary Theresa Brunner. After Brunner, other women began to band together in support of Manson, satisfying his ever desire, officially creating the group the world now knows today as the Manson Family (Virginia). The idea of this counterculture was created by Manson as a concept later coined Helter Skelter, the same name originally given to a The Beatles song. Helter Skelter was essentially the idea that the world was lingering on an impending apocalyptic race war between the white people and the black people. Manson believed that the blacks would dominate, but would fail to maintain their dominance, which would be Manson and his familys cue to weasel their way into power after surviving the war through hiding (Virginia). Mansons theory took the norms of this time period and added an element of violence and chaos. He took this theory into his own hands and made that violence and chaos a reality. In order to induce the race war he predicted, Manson had a plan. During this time of the clashing beliefs between black people and white people over civil rights, Manson and his family committed heinous crimes against white celebrities in attempt to frame black people and create more conflict between the two races (Virginia). The most famous cases held responsible by the Manson family were the murders of Gary Hinman, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, and Sharon Tate. The murder of Gary Hinman was carried out primarily by the Family members Charles Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Mary Brunner, Bobby Beausoleil, and Charles Manson himself. After a scam played by Watson under the orders of Manson, Hinman allegedly owed Manson Money. When Hinman was unable to cooperate under the pressure of Beausoleil, Atkins, and Brunner, Beausoleil stabbed and killed Hinman, finishing Mansons job after slicing Hinmans ear with a sword (Crime Museum). Atkins and Watson, along with Manson, were also discovered to have involvement in the murder of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca as well as other Family members, Steve Grogan, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel (Crime Museum). After attending a party at their house a year before their murder, Manson mercilessly killed the innocent grocery-chain owner and his wife in attempt to inflict more conflict to provoke his race war (Crime Museum). Both murders between Hinman and the LaBiancas were equally morbid, but the murder of Sharon Tate garnered the most attention. Actress Sharon Tate, pregnant with her baby, had had ex-fiancà ©e and celebrity Jay Sebring and heiress Abigail Folger and her boyfriend Voytek Polanski over as guests the night she was murdered, all of which fell victim to the Manson Familys schemes as well. The murder was carried about by Watson, Atkins, Kasabian, and Krenwinkel under Mansons instruction. After investigating this crime scene, police found drugs which initially lead them to believe the Tate case had no connection with the other murders, but eventually discovered the truth with the help of Atkins cooperation (Peacock). Sociology has coined terms in order to help people look at a situation that involves others actions that they might have not otherwise understood. The sociological perspective views society in a scientific manner, which prompts people to look beyond what they might personally believe and know in order to explain why people are the way they are (Sociology 4), which leads to the sociological imagination which conveys the idea that when having a sociological perspective, a person is able to connect personally values to the world outside of them (Sociology 5). For example, looking from the outside, the Manson Familys actions were completely inexcusable, but reading into those actions, their beliefs reflected the pop culture of that time greatly. Mansons theory was named after a The Beatles song, who were incredibly famous at that time especially. Furthermore, like a large portion of the population, the Manson Family were under the influence of drug, which influenced their decisions and a ctions. The Manson Family are a counterculture not because they lived in an entirely different culture than the rest of the American population at that time, but because they took pop culture to an entirely new level. Ethnocentrism is a concept that has its negatives and its positives, and each culture fails victim to it, including the Manson Family. Ethnocentrism is the belief that one culture is superior to all others, or culture bias (Sociology 35). The Manson Family had no regret for anyone else in the world but their own Family. They believed they could take over the world when it would be at its weakest. They killed people for their own gain. The Manson Family showed signs of ethnocentrism in their strongly loyalty and devotion to each other and their community, but ultimately their beliefs of superiority lead them to commit murder over and over again. Cultural relativism is used in sociology in order to eliminate bias of ones own culture. Cultural relativism states that culture should be judged independently and apart from the standards of all other cultures (Sociology 36). For example, by applying cultural relativism to this situation, one can evaluate the culture of the Manson Family by labeling them as violent, savage people that have committed horrible crimes, however, when it their own norms and values are taken into consideration it might not seem so out of character. People all around the world since the beginning of time have relied on religion, and they use that to make excuses for their behavior, which is generally socially acceptable. The Manson Family committed their crimes partly because they thought they were following their own beliefs. Some members of the Manson Family believed that Charles Manson was Jesus Christ, including himself (Peacock 78). When other factors that might not be so obvious are taken into consid eration, the actions behind the motives may be emphasized with. The Manson Family committed murder for their own selfish gain. The factors of sociological perspective, sociological imagination, ethnocentrism, and cultural relativism can be used in every direction possible, but their actions cannot be excused. Yes, they played their values and norms in a sense like any other culture that ever lived has done, but the degree the Manson Family took it to was unhealthy and unacceptable. The Family was misguided by their infatuation for their leader and, ignorantly unbeknownst to them, his manipulative ways. Charles Manson gathered his Family in order to carry out his theory of Helter Skelter by murdering people so he could take the reign of the world. The Manson Family will remain a counterculture with its negativity toward humankind. References Crime Museum. 2017. Web. 6 March 2017. History. 2010. Web. 11 March 2017. PBS. 2005. Web. 10 March 2017. Peacock, Nancy. Great Prosecutions. The Trial of the Manson Family. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2002. 73-81. Print. Sociology. Thomas, W. LaVerne. Cultural Diversity. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2003. 4-36. Print. University of Virginia Library. n.d. Web. 11 March 2017. Virginia. n.d. Web. 8 March 2017.

The Black Cat - Abnormal Madness :: Poe The Black Cat Essays

The   Black Cat - Abnormal Madness It seems that almost every Edgar Allen Poe story ever written has a much deeper and darker meaning hidden inside its lines. Many of these pieces are demented enough even if the reader does not read "between the lines." "The Black Cat" is an example of this kind of story. In this morbid look into the narrator's mind, the reader follows the narrator as he does many disturbing things in his household. This story, like many of Poe's other pieces, is a venture into abnormal psychology where the narrator is completely insane, not only because of the horrible things he does to his cat and his wife, but   because of his state of mind that he shows the reader throughout the story. At the beginning of the story, the narrator makes the writing out to be "plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events"   (p. 1495). As the story progresses, the reader finds out that this is > clearly not at all the case. The events within the text of this account are unmistakably the ramblings of a madman who cannot seem to control his actions and keeps drifting deeper and deeper into insanity. In the first paragraph of the story, the narrator begins to defend himself by saying that he is not mad. This definitely seems like he is trying to reassure himself more than the reader of his state of mind. This seems to be Poe's way of gradually   easing into showing the reader that this story is, in fact, an exploration   into the abnormal psychology of the human mind. The narrator says that from his childhood, he has been considered a very   docile person. He also mentions in the first part of the story that his "My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my   companions" (p. 1495). At the point in the story when he says all this, it seems fairly feasible. However, as the reader goes on to read, the rest of the story, they find out that this is not the narrator's present demeanor in the least. Just from seeing what is obvious about the narrator and not even reading deeper into his mindset, the reader can gather that the man is   probably not a reliable source for correct information.

Smoking: Hazardous to Your Health Essay -- Argumentative Rebuttal Essa

Smoking: Hazardous to Your Health A about two weeks ago I read an essay called, â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† by Peter Brimelow. This essay’s main point tries to explain how smoking can be beneficial in some ways. Brimelow’s essay claims smoking can help while driving. Brimelow also thinks smoking can help protect personal freedoms along with benefiting health in some ways (141). Nonetheless, cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report). Clearly then, smoking is a very hazardous activity and causes many deaths. Driving and Smoking Brimelow informs his readers that smoking can increase alertness and dexterity which will help when driving (Brimelow 141). It has been confirmed that this is true. Although I do not smoke, should I if I am getting sleepy while driving? Fortunately, it is not necessary. There are many other aids that can help with alertness, such as caffeine. Many popular drinks such as coffee, cappuccino, or pop contain caffeine which can help eliminate tiredness. There are hazardous of smoking while driving also. Cigarettes can be cumbersome and a distraction while driving. If there is anything flammable in the vehicle, a lit cigarette poses a possible hazard. Also, if other people are in the car at the same time, they will be forced to inhale the dangerous toxins floating around. Freedom While talking about freedom and personal choices, Brimelows’ essay notes that we are able to â€Å"†¦judge, as individuals, that the reward outweighs the risk. This is called freedom†(141). It is difficult to provide everyone with their desires associated with smoking. I hate the sme... ...enefit in a few small ways, but has many more negative consequences. Smoking, along with second-hand smoke, has caused many preventable deaths in the United States. Smoking is obviously hazardous, along with being the cause of many deaths in the United States. Works Cited Brimelow, Peter. â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thomson-Heinle, 1998. â€Å"Cigarette Smoking-Attributable Mortality and Years of Potential Life Lost—United States, 1990† 19 Sept. 1998 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2004 . Clark, Irene L. The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thompson-Heinle, 1998. â€Å"OMA position paper on second-hand smoke† Nov. 1996 Ontario Medical Association. 16 March 2004 . Smoking: Hazardous to Your Health Essay -- Argumentative Rebuttal Essa Smoking: Hazardous to Your Health A about two weeks ago I read an essay called, â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† by Peter Brimelow. This essay’s main point tries to explain how smoking can be beneficial in some ways. Brimelow’s essay claims smoking can help while driving. Brimelow also thinks smoking can help protect personal freedoms along with benefiting health in some ways (141). Nonetheless, cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report). Clearly then, smoking is a very hazardous activity and causes many deaths. Driving and Smoking Brimelow informs his readers that smoking can increase alertness and dexterity which will help when driving (Brimelow 141). It has been confirmed that this is true. Although I do not smoke, should I if I am getting sleepy while driving? Fortunately, it is not necessary. There are many other aids that can help with alertness, such as caffeine. Many popular drinks such as coffee, cappuccino, or pop contain caffeine which can help eliminate tiredness. There are hazardous of smoking while driving also. Cigarettes can be cumbersome and a distraction while driving. If there is anything flammable in the vehicle, a lit cigarette poses a possible hazard. Also, if other people are in the car at the same time, they will be forced to inhale the dangerous toxins floating around. Freedom While talking about freedom and personal choices, Brimelows’ essay notes that we are able to â€Å"†¦judge, as individuals, that the reward outweighs the risk. This is called freedom†(141). It is difficult to provide everyone with their desires associated with smoking. I hate the sme... ...enefit in a few small ways, but has many more negative consequences. Smoking, along with second-hand smoke, has caused many preventable deaths in the United States. Smoking is obviously hazardous, along with being the cause of many deaths in the United States. Works Cited Brimelow, Peter. â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thomson-Heinle, 1998. â€Å"Cigarette Smoking-Attributable Mortality and Years of Potential Life Lost—United States, 1990† 19 Sept. 1998 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 March 2004 . Clark, Irene L. The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thompson-Heinle, 1998. â€Å"OMA position paper on second-hand smoke† Nov. 1996 Ontario Medical Association. 16 March 2004 .

Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream society. Discuss the ways in which Atticus Finch and one other character are set apart from the society of Maycomb To Kill A Mockingbird was set in the 1930s in the south of USA, Alabama. At that period, slavery had already been made illegal. But people in the south were a bitter about it because they still believed that they needed the slaves to maintain their cotton farms. They didn't treat the blacks as though they had the same social status as them and basically still treated them as though they were still slaves. This unfair prejudice was widespread throughout the south. "Maycomb", didn't actually exist but was meant to be the embodiment of a typical town in the south at that time. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, she has created characters who seem a little different and thus, isolated from the rest of Maycomb's mainstream society. Prime examples of this isolation are Atticus and the Ewells; particularly Bob Ewell. Probably one of the most important and obvious point to Atticus Finch's isolation is his lack of prejudice towards black people. Although this might not be seen as something unusual at the present day, it was at that time. More obviously so because the story was set in the south where prejudice against the blacks was something that was taken for granted. The people in Maycomb knew that prejudice was wrong and yet, they didn't think that prejudice against the blacks was wrong. They saw it as a separate matter. An example of this would be the teacher telling the children that "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced." The irony in it is that the reader knows that the majority of Maycomb are prejudiced against the blacks and to say that Hitler was wrong in being prejudiced was hypocritical. Atticus though, wasn't prejudiced and this was what made him different. He lets Calpurnia, a black woman, take care and act as a mother to his children. This though is not really seen by the people of Maycomb. To the people of Maycomb, Calpurnia is merely a housekeeper; but she's actually much more than that. As he told Aunt Alexandra when Aunt Alexandra wanted to dismiss her, "She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Cal's lights are pretty good." Unlike others, he appreciates what Calpurnia did for him. "We couldn't operate a single day without Cal, have you ever thought of that? You think how much Cal does for you?" He says this to Scout when she wanted Atticus to Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays Many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird are isolated from mainstream society. Discuss the ways in which Atticus Finch and one other character are set apart from the society of Maycomb To Kill A Mockingbird was set in the 1930s in the south of USA, Alabama. At that period, slavery had already been made illegal. But people in the south were a bitter about it because they still believed that they needed the slaves to maintain their cotton farms. They didn't treat the blacks as though they had the same social status as them and basically still treated them as though they were still slaves. This unfair prejudice was widespread throughout the south. "Maycomb", didn't actually exist but was meant to be the embodiment of a typical town in the south at that time. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, she has created characters who seem a little different and thus, isolated from the rest of Maycomb's mainstream society. Prime examples of this isolation are Atticus and the Ewells; particularly Bob Ewell. Probably one of the most important and obvious point to Atticus Finch's isolation is his lack of prejudice towards black people. Although this might not be seen as something unusual at the present day, it was at that time. More obviously so because the story was set in the south where prejudice against the blacks was something that was taken for granted. The people in Maycomb knew that prejudice was wrong and yet, they didn't think that prejudice against the blacks was wrong. They saw it as a separate matter. An example of this would be the teacher telling the children that "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced." The irony in it is that the reader knows that the majority of Maycomb are prejudiced against the blacks and to say that Hitler was wrong in being prejudiced was hypocritical. Atticus though, wasn't prejudiced and this was what made him different. He lets Calpurnia, a black woman, take care and act as a mother to his children. This though is not really seen by the people of Maycomb. To the people of Maycomb, Calpurnia is merely a housekeeper; but she's actually much more than that. As he told Aunt Alexandra when Aunt Alexandra wanted to dismiss her, "She tried to bring them up according to her lights, and Cal's lights are pretty good." Unlike others, he appreciates what Calpurnia did for him. "We couldn't operate a single day without Cal, have you ever thought of that? You think how much Cal does for you?" He says this to Scout when she wanted Atticus to

Distinctively Visual †The Drover’s Wife & The African Beggar Essay

The poem ‘The African Beggar’ by Raymond Tong explores the despondency of humanity’s existence and our complete helplessness when faced with the adversity of ourselves and others through the distinctively visual description of an African beggar and his experience as an outcast to society. In the first stanza of the poem, the heterodiegetic narrator (considered to be Tong), introduces the beggar as a repulsive outcast. The description of the persona in the first line of the poem â€Å"sprawled in the dust†¦Ã¢â‚¬  immediately provokes an image of the beggar as something rather than someone, which has been alienated by society. This is further supported when the narrator describes the beggar as a â€Å"target for small children, flies,  and dogs† as it says that the character is an object of attack, something that occupies an existence that is considered lower than that of humans and other creatures. The metaphoric language used, â€Å"a heap of verm inous rags and matted hair†, persuades the audience to conjure an image of filth and poor physical hygiene, although this is followed by a juxtaposed metaphor, â€Å"he watches with cunning reptile eyes†, which challenges the previous image and suggests that the persona is subtle and scheming, like a snake. Both of these images are also contrasted by the use of pronoun, reminding the reader that this character is human despite his description suggesting otherwise. In the Second stanza of the poem, although the author’s image of the beggar as a filthy outcast is continued, the theme of humanity’s neglect and inadequacy is introduced to the audience. The metaphor use in the first line â€Å"he shows his yellow stumps of teeth† puts forward an image of physical ugliness and extreme lack of hygiene while the use of pronoun to refer to the beggar again reminds the audience that he is a human. The simile â€Å"With hands like claws about his begging bowl† compares the hands of humanity to that of a skeleton (death), clinging to his one source of survival, his begging bowl. The tone of the poem changes dramatically in the third stanza when contrasted with the first. The poet allows the reader to empathise with the beggar. This is done through different language techniques such as the tone used in the first line; â€Å"lying all alone† which proposes that the persona is not aware of others anymore as Tong recognises the beggar’s suffering. In the phrase â€Å"shadow of a crumbling wall†, the word â€Å"shadow† suggests that the persona is in darkness, suffering from loneliness, while â€Å"crumbling wall† represents the absence of a home for the man. The use of personification in the line â€Å"Clutching the pitiless red earth in vain† displays the character’s desperation. In the final line of the poem, the simile â€Å"whimpering like a stricken animal† exhibits the beggar’s total and complete defeat and creates an image of a defenceless man at the mercy of others. The poem ‘The African Beggar’ by Raymond Tong relates to the short story ‘The Drover’s Wife’, created by Henry Lawson, as both texts use distinctively visual language to surround the reader in a world of images that represent the story being told, and allow and encourage the audience to establish a relationship with the main persons of the text resulting in sympathising and understanding the characters. SHORT FILM TEXT ANALYSIS ‘My Constellation’ Director: Toby Morris The short film ‘My Constellation’, was directed by Toby Morris and won a place as a finalist in Tropfest 2014. The film follows a boy who is experiencing a deep loss and as a product embarks on an unusual adventure, leaving a trail of light bulbs wherever he goes. This text is distinctly visual solely through its cinematography due to the absence of dialogue, although sound contributes to the setting of atmosphere and direction in the short film. Morris vividly illustrates the image of the young boy’s lonely life and his experience of longing for someone that play an important role in his life. He does this through purposefully chosen sound and the careful thought of each mise en scene to allow the responders to either empathise or identify with the boy. The film is opened with a wide open shot of a starry night sky, followed by a close up shot of the protagonist, a small boy, who is laying upside down staring at the sky, quite obviously in deep thought. We see his mother leave the house and disappear into an unknown car. The darkness in the boy’s room as well as his lack of company and absence of his mother, as we had just seen, conveys to the responders that he is all alone, maybe isolated and there is a melancholic sense created through the featuring music as well as the protagonist’s expression and languid body language. Morris has then directed the camera to a medium shot, slowly panning to the left as the protagonist enters back into his bedroom shows an image of a close up shot of the light shining on a photo of a man who looks like a father figure, symbolizing the fact that this man is like a star, a bright part of his life, illuminating the darkness. This effect points out to the viewer of the protagonist’s experience of longing someone very important. Morris also creates a vivid image of the father’s importance for the protagonist, to build up the purpose of the film. He portrays the protagonist riding a bicycle with a string of shining light bulbs in the dead of night. The medium shot of him riding the bicycle panning upwards  symbolizes the journey that the protagonist goes through and the motif of light bulbs illuminating through the darkness symbolizes the stars in the night sky. This effect indicates to the viewer that the protagonist is alluding to his father being in space, going on a journey through the stars, emphasizing the idea that idolizes his father and wants to follow in his footsteps. In both â€Å"The Drover’s Wife† and â€Å"The Loaded Dog†, Lawson has used a variety of techniques to clearly depict vivid images of the experiences the characters have endured with each other and with the Australian outback. Similarly, in â€Å"My Constellation†, Morris has also vividly represented the journey and ambition the protagonist goes through, and specifically relates the expression of isolation and hardship that the woman faces in the absence of her husband. This text was chosen by me because I feel as though I can personally empathise and identify with the main character of the short film. The concept of feeling a little lonely and isolated when a significant figure or person is absent is universal and is definitely applicable to me personally as I have experienced this before. GREAT SOUTHERN LAND Standing at the limit of an endless ocean Stranded like a runaway, lost at sea City on a rainy day down in the harbour Watching as the grey clouds shadow the bay Looking everywhere ’cause I had to find you This is not the way that I remember it here Anyone will tell you it’s a prisoner island Hidden in the summer for a million years Great Southern Land, burned you black So you look into the land and it will tell you a story Story ’bout a journey ended long ago If you listen to the motion of the wind in the mountains Maybe you can hear them talking like I do â€Å"They’re gonna betray, they’re gonna forget you Are you gonna let them take you over this way† Great Southern Land, Great Southern Land You walk alone like a primitive man And they make it work with sticks and bones See their hungry eyes, it’s a hungry home I hear the sound of the stranger’s voices I see their hungry eyes, their hungry eyes Great Southern Land, Great Southern Land They burned you black, black against the ground Great Southern Land, in the sleeping sun You walk alone with the ghost of time They burned you black, black against the ground And they make it work with rocks and sand I hear the sound of the stranger’s voices I see their hungry eyes, their hungry eyes Great Southern Land, Great Southern Land You walk alone, like a primitive man You walk alone with the ghost of time And they burned you black Yeah, they burned you black Great Southern Land x 4 TEXT ANALYSIS ‘Great Southern Land’ Singers: Iceland The song ‘Great Southern Land’ by Iceland was written at the beginning of significant decade in relation to Indigenous affairs and the injustices done by the white settlers. Although there is ambivalence towards the land and the position of the indigenous and non-indigenous people are not mentioned, there is heavy use distinctively visual, sound, cinematography and metaphoric language in the text to convey the song’s purpose. The song opens on a strange, almost spooky, note which is held for a long duration; this immediately creates a mood of suspense and is some sort of vocal representation of the Australian land. The use of metaphor and simile in the  first two lines â€Å"Standing at the limit of an endless ocean, Stranded like a runaway lost at sea† create a vision of the first white inhabitants of Australia looking causelessly over the Australian land, and highlights the segregation of the continent from white civilisation. This idea of isolation and image of a never ending desert land is supported by the lead singer Iva Davies literally ‘walking alone’ on what looks like a desolate rocky hill. The specific camera angles used throughout the music video convey different images and moods, for example the high angled shots of the singer while walking down the rocky hill suggests that the harsh environment he is surrounded by is somewhat overwhelming, and soundly conveys the feelings that the first white settlers would have experienced. However, the low angles of the singer while walking and singing create an image of dominance over the land. This conjures an image in the responder’s mind of the white settlers ‘dominating’ the land in the form of deeply disturbing Aborigine culture/ land and oppressing the Indigenous people to extremes. The lyrics â€Å"I hear the strangers’ voices† and the personification in â€Å"I see their hungry eyes† really persuades the individual’s mind to envision the confused and frightened Aborigine people as well the white inhabitants of the land lusting after a land that does not rightfully belong to them, and allows the audience to empathise with their situation. The lyrics â€Å"million years† and â€Å"long ago† combined with the fading images of daylight to sunset encourages the audience to reflect on past injustices that have eventually lead to the current (at the time) Aboriginal movements. Then, as the remaining daylight fades from the sky, and the colour shifts from orange to blue, and the final repetition of the lyrics â€Å"Great Southern Land† is sung by Davies, the responders of accompanied by a sense of loss and a vision of the Indigenous people of Australia the suffering caused by the white settlers’ actions. This text relates to Henry Lawson’s ‘The Drover’s Wife’ through the use of several language techniques and the use of visual or verbal symbolism to express the isolation of its characters. This text was chosen by me for its nature. I like its metaphoric meaning and reference to the damaging of the Aboriginal civilisation by the white settlers. Aboriginal spirituality and the hardships they faced is something I’ve studied previously and have a thorough understanding of.