Blood Brothers Essay Example For Students

Blood Brothers Essay The play, Blood Brothers written by Willy Russell was set in Liverpool, Liverpool had been home to one of the highest levels of unemployment within the developed world. The play was set in the 1960s. Russell wrote it at this time because there was low morale and a lot of unemployment. Willy Russell set it at that time because there was a big difference between upper class and the working class. This affects our reading of the play because we feel sorry for the Johnstone family. We feel sorry for mrs Johnstone because she is struggling to keep up with payments for basic needs. At the beginning of the play we are introduced to the character Mrs Johnstone. She is aged thirty but looks more like fifty This illustrates how difficult her life has been. Immediately we, the audience feel sympathy for her. In the song Marilyn Monroe we see how her life was when she young. We realise she has been abandoned by her husband and sympathise that she has, seven hungry mouths to feed and no support from anyone. She is struggling to keep up with payments for basic needs such as milk, we feel sorry for her because the milk man is stubborn and arrogant, we see this when he says no money, no milk This shows us that the milk man has no sympathy and is not being very understanding towards Mrs Johnstones situation. To earn some money Mrs Johnstone the house of Mrs Lyons, she is so desperate to keep the job she makes commitments and says things such as I wont even need to take one day off, I love this job She is just managing to scrape by now that she has the job, this shows that the job means everything to her and she cant afford to lose it. During the fun song Mrs Johnstone acquires a mop and bucket, this shows how her boring job has changed her life. In the play we see that Mrs Johnstones life totally contrasts with Mrs Lyons life, we see this in many different ways during the play, one way is when Mrs Lyons walks through the door with a package in hand, Mrs Lyons walking through the door with a a package highlights the fact that she can afford to buy packages where as Mrs Johnstone cant afford to treat herself or her kids for that matter and struggles to pay for the basics. One of the other ways their lives contrast is when Mrs Johnstone comments on Mrs Lyons large house, this is one of the only ways Mrs Johnstone can get anywhere near such a house, we see this when Mrs Johnstone say Its a great job, Its such a lovely house, its a pleasure to clean it The shows us that she like cleaning the house not only for the money but to be able to be in a large house full of wealth and nicely decorated. Mrs Johnstone is a very religious person and Mrs Lyons uses this in many ways to weaken Mrs Johnstone. An example of Mrs Johnstone being weakened and manipulated is Mrs Lyons saying with two more children how can you possibly avoid some of them going into care? This weakens Mrs Johnstone because it makes her think and she might get very upset about the thought of loosing one of her own children. Mrs Johnstone gets blacked mailed by Mrs Lyons about the welfare of the children, we see this when Mrs Johnstone announces that she will be having twins, Mrs Lyons says Your already being chased by the welfare people this would make Mrs Johnstone think about what she is going to do, Mrs Lyons takes advantage of this situation and quickly says surely its better if you gave on child to me, at least if the child was with me you could see it every day, as you came to work this could put Mrs Johnstone on the spot and make a quick decision. Byre by Norman MacCaig EssayThere was a lot of action in the play, which there needed it to be if it was to be effective, such as when the twins got shot, it wouldnt have been as effective as it was if they had done a stylised scene, also using lots of action made the play easier to relate to, as it is harder to relate to characters if they are in stylised scenes, because too dont get to know their characters on a personal level. The moment in which Eddy and Mickey got shot had a lot of tension build up, but also an element of surprise, as the beginning of the play tells us that the twins will die, but the fact that the policemen came out of the audience and did it was unexpected, which made people jump, so it was more memorable. The play covers a long period of time (about 30 years) in two and a half hours, which would be quite hard to follow if it was done in a different way than Blood Brothers. Blood Brothers tells us the story firstly by the script, secondly by song then thirdly by the narration, doing it like this meant that we were told 3 times what was happening so it was easier to understand. I found that the narrator was the most memorable character as he had a strong voice and added an element of creepiness into the play, though in some parts the characters can see and hear the narrator they dont refer to him in the script, perhaps either because he is the devil in all of us, or maybe a voice in our heads. I think the issues raised in the play are quite taboo, the idea that perhaps generally all bad things happen to the working class and they turn to crime, and the upper class have it good. I thought that all the characters were superb, but especially the narrator and Mrs Johnstone. Overall, I enjoyed the play and thought it was well written and well acted, even if some of the songs werent particularly good.

Public Policy and Hurricane Katrina

Public policy refers to the guided approaches used by governments or government agencies to cover a specified class of issues that need the attention of the government (Stewart, Hedge Lester, 2007). Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Public Policy and Hurricane Katrina specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although public policy is meant to cater for a myriad of government initiatives, it sometimes become evident when a nation is faced with an emergency and it needs an elaborate plan to cater for such emergencies. When the US government was faced by the disastrous hurricane Katrina, it responded with elaborate policies to ensure that the disaster and its effects were contained. Hurricane Katrina is one of the most memorable natural disasters in the history of the United States due to its magnitude of destruction (Stewart, Hedge Lester, 2007). It led to loss of properties, loss of lives and deformation of the nat ural land, which is of great importance to human beings as well as for the economy of the United Sates of America at large. Its effects were extremely exhibited in such places like Mississippi, Louisiana City of New Orleans, and Alabama. Two days before the disaster, the president had declared a state of emergency in several regions such as Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama (Stewart, Hedge Lester, 2007) The government responded to the hurricane by use of several agencies. Among the agencies that were used by the government was Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Stewart, Hedge and Lester (2007) also note that other stakeholders that took part in this response were private individuals, NGOs and local-level agencies. This illustrated the concern and empathy that people showed towards the affected ones. People living in Louisiana and coastal Mississippi as well as in Alabama were quickly issued with evacuation orders either voluntarily or by use of force. Among those issued with evacuation orders were about one million, two hundred thousand residents in the Gulf Coast (Stewart, Hedge Lester, 2007).Advertising Looking for assessment on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was sued due to the failures of the hurricane protection measures especially due to the role of the identified agency in designing the levee system (Stewart, Hedge Lester, 2007). Army Corps engineers were found solely responsible, but their sovereign immunity protected them from being held accountable. The response that was received during the crisis from the federal state as well as local government was also investigated. This forced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director to resign (Stewart, Hedge Lester, 2007). The resignation of the director contributed to the slowness in the operation offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and of New Orleans Police D epartment (NOPD). However, there were areas where the response was highly commended such as the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the National Hurricane Center (Stewart, Hedge Lester, 2007). The government on its side failed in timely delivery of goods as well as early rescue of victims of the hurricane Katrina. Generally, the government of the United States of America should be solely committed to natural disasters that may occur in the country through timely response to the situation and provision of the necessities to the affected individuals. The public on the other hand should also play a role in giving support to the affected persons through their generous contributions. Non Governmental Organizations should offer their support to victims of such disasters fully. These include assisting homeless individuals through tent construction and also creating awareness on the effects of natural disasters. This would ensure full protection of the public as well as solidarity and un ity in the country. Reference Stewart, J., Hedge, D. M. Lester, J.P. (2007). Public Policy: An Evolutionary Approach.New York: Cengage. This assessment on Public Policy and Hurricane Katrina was written and submitted by user Delilah Benson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on The Rape Of The Lock

and armor. However despite the similarities of the subject matter there is a crucial difference between the two authors: the depiction of women Pope portrays women as shallow vapid creatures completely absorbed in the social trivialities of their upper crust world. Congreve on the other hand paints a kinder picture of the â€Å"gentler sex†. A woman, despite being a good herself, has certain resources at her disposal: wit (intellect), her sexuality, and wealth. The women in Congreve’s world all have some form of power and are distinctly aware that these are bargaining chips to â€Å"conquer† a man into a good marriage i.e. a marriage that provides wealth and respectability. Essentially Congreve portrays women similarly to men as creatures with real concerns, intellect, power but limited so that it is a struggle to achieve one’s goals while Pope portrays them as beautiful inconsequential ornaments. The pursuit of women, in Congreve’s it is the witty Millamant and in Pope’s it is the ravishing Belinda, drives the plots of both stories. In both texts these beautiful and virginal â€Å"prizes† can only be won through much verbal maneuvering and ambushes. In Congreve’s ... Free Essays on The Rape of the Lock Free Essays on The Rape of the Lock Dehumanizing Women Women are portrayed as commodities in both Alexander Pope’s â€Å"The Rape of the Lock† and in William Congreve’s â€Å"The Way of the World†. However in Congreve’s â€Å"Rape of the Lock† women play a more active and cognizant role wrangling a suitable marriage than in Pope’s poem. In both texts elite society is portrayed as a group that have complex social interactions. The stakes are quite high: marriage. Marriage in those days was not simply a matter of the heart, but it is an institution that defined people’s class status, wealth, and connections. This is a battlefield of affection and the spoils of marriage go to the victor. Here the weapons are verbal spars and witty parries replacing the clash of metallic swords and armor. However despite the similarities of the subject matter there is a crucial difference between the two authors: the depiction of women Pope portrays women as shallow vapid creatures completely abs orbed in the social trivialities of their upper crust world. Congreve on the other hand paints a kinder picture of the â€Å"gentler sex†. A woman, despite being a good herself, has certain resources at her disposal: wit (intellect), her sexuality, and wealth. The women in Congreve’s world all have some form of power and are distinctly aware that these are bargaining chips to â€Å"conquer† a man into a good marriage i.e. a marriage that provides wealth and respectability. Essentially Congreve portrays women similarly to men as creatures with real concerns, intellect, power but limited so that it is a struggle to achieve one’s goals while Pope portrays them as beautiful inconsequential ornaments. The pursuit of women, in Congreve’s it is the witty Millamant and in Pope’s it is the ravishing Belinda, drives the plots of both stories. In both texts these beautiful and virginal â€Å"prizes† can only be won through much verbal maneuvering and ambushes. In Congreve’s ... Free Essays on The Rape Of The Lock As the name indicates, the Mock-Epic is a literary form that ridicules the ‘classical epics.’ It does so by using characteristics of the classical epic; the invocation of a deity, a regular statement of theme, the division of the work into books and cantos, ostentatious speeches, battles and supernatural machinery; to reveal the absurdity of a certain subject. The main consequence of utilizing the style of an epic is, however, not so much to have fun with the epic, but to deflate a subject or characters that by contrast appear exceptionally insignificant. One of the best examples of a Mock Epic is Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock. Pope uses highly refined verses, pungent satirical heroic couplets, and intelligence to satirize not only the irrepressible intricacy and solemnity of subject matters found within epic poems, but the commotion that results when a young lord cuts a small lock of hair from the head of an young beauty. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope exhausts much energy preparing the audience for a ‘battle’ (card game) that will shortly take place, that of English intrigue at Hampton Court. Pope treats the subject with gravity, portraying the story as a true epic. Pope's intent was perhaps to weaken, with pleasantry, the adverse feelings aroused by the trial of the episode. Pope is asking the reader to laugh, to see how an event of little significance has been filled with importance. Though its manner may be light, its purpose is completely earnest; it keeps the public conscience mindful, it exhibits absurdity for what it is, and makes those prone to embrace senseless or garish customs conscious that they are ludicrous. Thus, his work is ranked more accurately as a bemused satire. In other words, Pope aimed to show to society the absurdity of the subject, rather than to abhor them as wrong. The main subject that Pope mocks is beauty. Pope addresses beauty in a multitude of ways. The Rape of the Lock discloses...

The Invention of Velcro

The Invention of Velcro Its hard to imagine what we would do without Velcro, the versatile hook-and-loop fastener used in so many aspects of modern life- from disposable diapers to the aerospace industry. Yet the ingenious invention came about almost by accident. Velcro was the creation of Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral, who had been inspired by a walk in the woods with his dog in 1941. Upon their return home, de Mestral noticed that burrs (from the burdock plant) had attached themselves to his pants and to his dogs fur. De Mestral, an amateur inventor and a curious man by nature, examined the burrs under a microscope. What he saw intrigued him. De Mestral would spend the next 14 years attempting to duplicate what he saw under that microscope before introducing Velcro to the world in 1955. Examining the Burr Most of us have had the experience of burrs clinging to our clothing (or our pets), and considered it a mere annoyance, never wondering why it actually happens. Mother Nature, however, never does anything without a specific reason. Burrs have long served the purpose of ensuring the survival of various plant species. When a burr (a form of a seed pod) attaches itself to an animals fur, it is carried by the animal to another location where it eventually falls off and grows into a new plant. De Mestral was more concerned with the how than the why. How did so small an object exert such a stronghold? Under the microscope, de Mestral could see that the tips of the burr, which appeared to the naked eye as stiff and straight, actually contained tiny hooks that can attach themselves to fibers in clothing, similar to a hook-and-eye fastener. De Mestral knew that if he could somehow recreate the simple hook system of the burr, he would be able to produce an incredibly strong fastener, one with many practical uses. Finding the Right Stuff De Mestrals first challenge was finding a fabric he could use to create a strong bonding system. Enlisting the help of a weaver in Lyon, France (an important textile center), de Mestral first tried using cotton. The weaver produced a prototype with one cotton strip containing thousands of hooks and the other strip made up of thousands of loops. De Mestral found, however, that the cotton was too soft- it could not stand up to repeated openings and closures. For several years, de Mestral continued his research, looking for the best material for his product, as well as the optimal size of loops and hooks. After repeated testing, de Mestral eventually learned that synthetics worked best, and settled on heat-treated nylon, a strong and durable substance. In order to mass-produce his new product, de Mestral also needed to design a special type of loom that could weave the fibers in just the right size, shape, and density- this took him several more years. By 1955, de Mestral had completed his improved version of the product. Each square inch of material contained 300 hooks, a density that had proven strong enough to stay fastened, yet was easy enough to pull apart when needed. Velcro Gets a Name and a Patent De Mestral christened his new product Velcro, from the French words velours (velvet) and crochet (hook). (The name Velcro refers only to the trademarked brand created by de Mestral). In 1955, de Mestral received a patent for Velcro from the Swiss government. He took out a loan to begin mass-producing Velcro, opening plants in Europe and eventually expanding into Canada and the United States. His Velcro USA plant opened in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1957 and is still there today. Velcro Takes Off De Mestral had originally intended Velcro to be used for clothing as a zipper-less zipper, but that idea was not initially successful. During a 1959 New York City fashion show that highlighted clothing with Velcro, critics deemed it ugly and cheap-looking. Velcro thus became associated more with athletic wear and equipment than with haute couture. In the early 1960s, Velcro received a huge boost in popularity when NASA began using the product to keep objects from floating around under zero-gravity conditions. NASA later added Velcro to astronauts space suits and helmets, finding it more convenient than the snaps and zippers that were previously used. In 1968, Velcro replaced shoelaces for the first time when athletic shoe manufacturer Puma introduced the worlds first sneakers fastened with Velcro. Since then, Velcro fasteners have revolutionized footwear for children. Even the very young are able to independently fasten their own Velcro shoes well before they learn how to tie their laces. How We Use Velcro Today Today, Velcro is in use seemingly everywhere, from the healthcare setting (blood pressure cuffs, orthopedic devices, and surgeons gowns) to clothing and footwear, sporting and camping equipment, toys and recreation, airline seat cushions, and more. Most impressively, Velcro was used in the first human artificial heart transplantation to hold together parts of the device. Velcro is also used by the military but has recently undergone some modifications. Because Velcro can be too noisy in a combat setting, and because it has a tendency to become less effective in dust-prone areas (such as Afghanistan), it has been temporarily removed from military uniforms. In 1984, on his late-night television show, comedian David Letterman, wearing a Velcro suit, had himself catapulted onto a Velcro wall. His successful experiment launched a new trend: Velcro-wall jumping. De Mestrals Legacy Over the years, Velcro has evolved from a novelty item into a near-necessity in the developed world. De Mestral very likely never dreamed of how popular his product would become, nor the countless ways it could be used. The process de Mestral used to develop Velcro- examining an aspect of nature and using its properties for practical applications- has come to be known as biomimicry. Thanks to Velcros phenomenal success, de Mestral became a very wealthy man. After his patent expired in 1978, many other companies began producing hook-and-loop fasteners, but none are allowed to call their product Velcro, a trademarked name. Most of us, however- just as we call tissues Kleenex- refer to all hook-and-loop fasteners as Velcro. Georges de Mestral died in 1990 at the age of 82. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999.

Most Beautiful Day Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Most Beautiful Day - Personal Statement Example My friend who was driving at this time has become quieter and the drive was going really smooth. We pulled off the road to re-fuel and after we left the gas station got a "low battery" sign on the dashboard light up. The vehicle also warned that we turn off all the electronics as soon as possible. We decided to do it right away only to be warned again with a "turn engine off immediately" message on the vehicle's computer. It was really dark outside at that point and we were scared some car would think our car is moving and would hit it, and we would be hit as well. By the time we crossed the highway to stop the car on the side, and run outside the car baffled and confused there was already heavy smoke coming from the car. We ran away from the car fearing it was about to explode at anytime. We only stopped at a road construction site where we could be safe from all the trucks and cars going at 100/150 km/h just 5 meters from us. We did not know what to do or exactly where we were. Since we had a French cell phone we could not call SOS in Italy. Survival time on a highway is estimated to be about 12 minutes, and we had been there for 40 minutes when finally we saw someone to come noticed us and slowed down. We arrived in Geneva at 2 am (had left Monaco at 5pm).

Term paper - micro eco Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

- micro eco - Term Paper Example The prices to be charged for the product are also negotiated in the market. The market structure is the term used to define the features of a market. This essay would provide a epigrammatic description of the general types of market structures in the economy. Situation Analysis This section of the essay would explain the different types of market structures: Perfect Competition This type of market structure is hypothetical in the real world at present. In a perfectly competitive market the number of sellers and buyers in the market are infinite in number. Since the number of sellers and buyers are infinite in number, the sellers and buyers are the ‘price takers’ of the products and the services in the market. Since the sellers cannot set the prices of the products, they try to maximize their business returns through the policy of revenue maximization. The types of the products sold by these sellers are homogeneous in nature. This is the reason for which the seller in thi s type of a market structure does not adopt the method of advertisement to sell their products. In the long run, all the sellers in this type of market structure enjoy normal profit (total cost = total revenue). ... Figure 2: Firms Demand in Perfect Competition (Source: McEachern 165) Since the product is homogeneous in nature, the price for every unit would be same so the sellers as shown in the above diagram would face a perfectly elastic demand curve (d). Figure 3: Firms Output Determination (Source: McEachern 173) The sellers in this market system would continue produce till the marginal cost curve would be >= the average variable cost curve. Thus the point 1 is the shut down point of the firms. This is a point in which the firm would only incur the fixed cost loss. This the portions of the marginal cost curve that a lie above the average variable cost curve is the supply curve of the perfect competitive sellers. Figure 4: Long Run Equilibrium (Source: McEachern 177) As shown in the above graph, in the long run all the firms would only enjoy normal profit. It would be at e, where the long run average cost curves (LRAC), average total cost curve (ATC), marginal cost curve (MC) and the demand or average revenue curve would intersect. Figure 5: Net Social Welfare Maximization (Source: McEachern 184) As shown in the above graph, the net social welfare is maximized in a perfectly competitive market structure, as it generates the maximum amount of consumer surplus. Monopoly Unlike perfect competition, the monopoly market structure is displays complete imperfect competition. In this type of a market structure there is only one seller and many buyers in the market. The single seller has the power to determine the price of the product of the service, thus a monopoly seller is a ‘price maker’ in the market. The monopoly seller may sell homogeneous or

American Literature Essay Example for Free

American Literature Essay On learning that his gay lover â€Å"Prior Walter† was infected with AIDS, Louis Ironson being unable to cope quits the relationship. Joe is offered a good promotion by fellow homosexual and lawyer â€Å"Roy Cohn†, unknowing to Joe, Roy has AIDS, which he contacted from Prior. Angels and ghosts visited Prior and told him he was a prophet, Joe struggles to reconcile his religion with his sexuality; Louis blames himself for leaving Prior and begins a relationship with Joe. Harper who was mentally derailed due to her addiction to taking pills regularly and had her problems worsened as she realizes that her husband ‘Joe’ is gay. She is very sensitive and weak, but loves her husband and wants to keep her home. Joe’s mother, Hannah moves to New York to attempt to take care of Harper and meets Prior. Harper separates from Joe and Roy is hospitalized. Tony Kushner shows some heavy Biblical references and references to American society, as well as some fantastical scenes including voyages to Antarctica and Heaven, as well as key events happening in San Francisco and at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. I think Kushner wants to show how unhappy people could be and have lots of secret and can’t trust themselves in the modern life.