Death of a Salesman †Arthur Miller Essay Example for Free

Death of a Salesman – Arthur Miller Essay The original title for Miller’s play was ‘The Inside of His Head’. How does Miller’s use of set, lighting and stage direction help us to understand this idea? Arthur Miller wrote Death of a Salesman in 1949. This date is the period after the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression and this is significant, as one of Miller’s aims in writing this play was that it would be a tragedy that American workers could relate to. The central themes and issues in the play are consumerism and exploitation; Miller wanted to write a play that was critical of capitalism and that would expose the falseness of the American Dream. The original title reflects one of the underlying themes in the play – the central character’s struggle to grasp the distinction between illusion and reality and the past and the present; often Willy Loman’s thoughts and views do not comply with those of the majority of the remaining cast. Miller uses symbolism, set, lighting and stage direction to help us to understand what is happening inside Willy’s head. One of the several symbols that give us an insight into Willy’s thoughts is the athletic trophy. It is placed on a shelf in the sitting room where it can be clearly seen; this demonstrates how important it is to the family. This importance then in turn shows that winning and competition are key ideas here and that this part of the American Dream is important to Willy and he prizes the achievements his son made as they show him as being superior to other people, which is what Willy is always striving to achieve, particularly in regards to Charly. In the same scene is the use of the melody of the flute. It reflects Willy’s father’s success as an entrepreneur (making wooden flutes), something Willy is always striving to achieve, and also the strong influence this has on his son. Also, the actual melody that is being played ‘tell(s) of grass and trees and the horizon’, and reminds us of the stark difference between the life Willy lived as a young child (with the father who he idolises) and the position he is in now; in an overcrowded area of New York, working for someone else (i.e., not working on his own terms, like his father) on commission. Another of the important symbols in the play is the lighting at the end of Act One. Just as Willy is talking about how great Biff was when he was younger, on another part of the set Biff walks into a gold pool of light, which is reflecting the praise Willy is giving him, the gold symbolising the initial power and success that he had. Also, just after this the light fades on Willy, representing the fact that his career, his influence on his children and possibly his life are drawing to a close. A further example of Miller’s symbolism in this play and his manipulation of non-naturalistic elements is in Act Two, the restaurant scene, with varied use of both lighting and music. The first of these symbols is the use of the ‘single trumpet note’ used in conjunction with ‘the light of green leaves’. This initiates the start of Willy’s mind thinking back to an event several years ago, the green of the leaves symbolising the time when the house was not surrounded by high rise flats, noise and pollution. Miller also says that the light ‘holds the air of a†¦ dream’, which is insinuating that at this point in time Willy’s dreams for himself and his children had not yet been ruined. This is upheld by the naturalistic state of his living environment. Throughout the scene the light continues to fluctuate and highlight different places and times. Another important part in this restaurant scene I when the music changes dramatically to accompany the presence of The Woman in Willy’s mind. The music is now ‘raw and sensuous’ highlighting one major part of Willy’s life, at this point in time, that does not fit into the same mould as the rest of his life; he is a family man, supportive of his children and striving to achieve new heights for his family, but now he is doing the very opposite of this by cheating on his wife, and so the music does not reflect any of the other, often light and cheerful melodies played on the flute. Up until Biff discovers his father with The Woman, no one else is aware of her part in Willy’s life, so even at this early stage, Willy will have thoughts inside his head which do not relate to those of an of the other central characters.

The Use Of Mobile Devices In Schools

The Use Of Mobile Devices In Schools Most of our classrooms of today do not differ much from those of the 19th century, chalk and talk, as well as desk and texts (Roschelle et al. 2000: 76) are still the primary structure of classroom lessons as they were back then. But yet, as explained by Roschelle et al. (2000), todays curricula, together with societal demands, expects students to learn and know a lot more than previous generations. With time, technology increases rapidly and becomes more ubitquitous. Mobile devices have become an integral part of the 21st century student. From cell phones to mp3 players, digital cameras to mobile tablets. These are their tools that is like extentions to their brain (Prensky 2005: 10) that they use in their everyday lives. Educating students without these tools is like educating a doctor whithout a scalpel. The use of mobile technology to facilitate learning is slowly starting to emerge as an area of its own and refered to as m-learning. This review will be looking at what research has been done in the literature regarding the use and integration of mobile devices in the educational system. Research Topic The chosen research topic is part of an existing research project where Android mobile tablets are distributed to schools with mathematics content on. The purpose of my research will be to evaluate the usefulness of the mobipads in supporting mathematics learning in classrooms. This research topic falls into the broad area of mobile learning (m-learning). Problem Outside of schools, new technology such as mobile devices is changing the way we find information, how we learn and even how we are entertained, but, although our education institutes are aware of these happenings outside of schools, they still prohibit the use of mobile phones and other mobile devices (Squire 2009: 73). It is inevitable that technology, but especially mobile devices, needs to be integrated into the schooling system which leaves us with the question: How can mobile devices be integrated into our learning institues to be perceived useful by both educators and learners? Main Research Question As stated is Section 2, I will be conducting research within an existing project which aims to suggest one way to address the problem as stated in Section 3. My main research question then will be: Are mobile devices such as Android mobile tablets a useful tool to support the learning of mathematics in classrooms? Background Background to Topic Digital natives is what students of today are called according to Prensky (2005: 8), because they grew up and live in the digital world of today (Franklin Peng, 2008: 69). Consequently they are very familier with all types of mobile devices as they use it in their everyday lives in numerous day-to-day activities. When mobile devices (excluding mobile phones) first made their appearance, they were referred to as handheld computers and where merely just stripped down versions of their more complex desktop predecessors (Squire, 2009: 71). Squire (2009) further explains that researchers began to study mobile devices more in depth to find out what makes it unique and how it can be utilized. Anytime/anywhere is the most unique characteristic of mobile devices. Mobile learning (m-learning) is a phenomenon that is rapidly evolving as more and more people rely on their mobile devices to provide them with needed information at any time and any location. According to Chang, Sheu and Chan (2003: 337) m-learning consits of three necessary elements: the mobile learning device; the communication infrastructure and a learning activity. Huang and Lin (2007:585) defines mobile learning as activities in which people use mobile devices such as cellphones, personal digital assistants (PDA), mobile tablets (mobipads), etc. to facilitate learning, studying or teaching of any kind. Ting (2005) goes further by stating that mobile learning is not aimed at replacing the traditional classroom learning system, but it provides an additional way to get learning content and to embed learning into the daily lives of people. Huang Lin (2007) cunducted research in the user acceptance of m-learning. Their reseach findings suggest that individuals perceive m-learning a s omnipresent and easy to use and with the mobility it offers, m-learning is regared as a very useful by students. Mathematics has always been known as a problem subject that students underachieves in and struggles to understand. Rubin (1999: 3) argues that it is due to the fact that mathematics is often viewed as an abstract topic, filled with symbols and invisible concepts. He continues to argue that the lack of dynamic and visual illustrations of the maths concepts, makes it all the more difficult to understand, especially for the 21st century student that is more visual orientated. According to Rubin (1999: 3), technology can help to create dynamic visual images. Franklin and Peng (2008) did just that. They distrubuted iPod Touch mobile devices in an eighth grade math class where the students created math videos to explain difficult math concepts to their fellow students. Some of the students responded by saying that in order to be able to create proper videos, it required them to think harder and longer about the mathematics concepts and that they realized how hard it is to explain maths to others. Swan, van t Hooft and Kratcoski (2005: 100) supports Franklin and Pengs (2008) findings by stating that the use of mobile devices can support personalized and collaborative learning. Swan et al. (2005) provided a sample of students with mobile computing devices to take home with them. Their results shows that these devices were not only used inside the formal environment of school, but also infomrally outside of school boundries to facilitate learning. This can be partly explained by the fact that students having a mobile device in hand feels like second nature to students of the contemporary age, it keeps them busy and entertained. Swan et al. (2005: 100) found that students were more motivated and engaged in more learning activites which resulted in students being more productive. Students using mobile technologies to collaboratively perform problem-solving activities, proves to have a positive influence on their level of understanding of the processes and content (Klopfer, Yoon Rivas 2004: 348). In their research case study, Franklin and Peng (2008: 78) found that using technology even helped special education students to better understand the concepts of the mathematics and kept them interested in the content of the work for longer. As previously discussed, the current generation of students grow up constantly exposed to technology and thus are more technology literate than those students of a decade ago (Swan et al. 2005). Keeping in mind the increasing use of mobile gaming devices and video gaming consoles, Squire (2009) investigated how the use of mobile devices ousite of the school environment impacts learning and education. Squire (2009: 72) argues that although the utilization of mobile devices in formal schooling environments are coming around slowly, there already is a big emerging market for gaming companies to develop games for learning. Nintendos Brain Age product and More Brain Training advertising campaigns and UbiSofts My Spanish Coach is a few examples the Squire (2009:72) mentions were one can see that more gaming companies are developing educational games that facilitates some sort of learning. Squire collaborated with Klopfer in (Klopfer Squire, 2008) to investigate the use of augmented reality (AR) games for learning purposes in educational institutes. AR games were developed on the concept that students are players within virtual worlds that are created by the game based on real worlds, and move around, interact and respond to simulated activities (Squire, 2009: 73). Squire (2009: 73) explains further that while students move through this virtual version of a real world, they get access to news clips, historical photographs and other multimedia data relevant to the specific place they are in within the game. Squire (2008: 73) found that through this kind of learning, students develop a tendency to ask deeper questions in problem-solving situations. More reseach done by Klopfer and Squire (2008: 6) brought to light that there are numerous entertainment and educational applications for mobile devices that only enhances these devices teaching potential. All of these apllications are developed with the chatacteristics of mobile technology in mind that includes portibility, connectivity and individuality. These entertainment and educational application offers features like real-time data on a wide range of subjects, immediate feedback on questions and aswers and facilitation of group work by students. Through the literature, it is becoming evident that educators are starting to believe that they can use the unique facilities that mobile devices offers to keep students engaged and more easily distribute the coursework and content to them (Franklin Peng, 2008: 71). Schools of thinking emerging from literature In the literature it comes across that the general school of thinking falls within an interpretivism paradigm which, according to Oats (2006: 291), is used to understand the social context of something. The use of mobile devices is by itself of social nature because it is used to communicate with others, work collaboratively with others and to entertain. When one studies the use of mobile devices, the use of data gathering methods like interviews, questionnaires and diary studies or journal studies are used were the learners are asked to analyse themselves in terms of their own thought and learning experiences (Pachler et al. 2010: 71) with regards to using these mobile devices. This goes together with observations that the researcher does in the natural environment where the mobile technology are being utilized. This kind of research is usually done over a time period, to be able to get a more holistic view of the specific phenomenon. The case study research strategy allowed Frankli n and Peng (2008) to give an indepth discussion of the utilization of iPod Touch mobile devices in two middle schools. Klopfer and Squire (2008) conducted a series of discriptive case studies to learn what the users experiences were of learning through augmented reality games and found it to be a strategy that gets user data quickly and leeds to a rich and detailed description thereof. They gathered their data through participant observaton, unstructured interviewsTo research the use of mobile tablets in a classroom environment for learning mathematics, I will be following the above school of thinking as I think it is most relevant. Many studies do follow the more scientific methods by making use of experiments that they implement in the field to determine the effect of the implementation of the mobile devices. Scanlon, Jones and Waycot (2005:7) refers to an experiment done on a sample of secondary school students. Each student was given a Pocketbook and were instructed to do a few activites with it. Questionairs served as a pre- and post-intervention measurement. A simmular research structure was followed by Klopfer et al. (2004). Rivera (n.d.) conducted a quasi-experiment with a control group and treatment group to test the effects of integrating technology such as skype to communicate with educators and online interactive white boards for online tutoring sessions. Rivera used the course exams as a measuring instrument as well as the amount of times the students accessed the online help site for the course. Observing the two control groups in their classroom environment and online was another gata gathering me thod that she utilized. Sometimes authors combine different research strategies to best suit their research objectives. Huang and Lin (2007) made use of an online survey as a means of gathering data which they then statistically analysed to be able to prove or disprove hypothesis. When authors follow a more scientific school of thinking, generally the data is statistically analised to answer their research questions and draw conclusions from. Challenges The following are challenges that have been identified by the literature regarding the use of mobile devices for educational purposes in classrooms: Lack of technical support. During their research Franklin and Peng (2008:75) that the need for quality technical support is critical. Challenges that they came accros was the provision of wireless technology without an expert to set it up. Although, the teacher had to contact the principle everytime a website that the students needed to work on, got blocked. It is not uncommon that schools are provided with technology to use in their classrooms, but without the necessary technical support and expertise. This can place a big damper on the idea that technology in classrooms is a fun experience and rather easy to use. The scarcity of recharging stations for the mobile devices. Providing facilities for roughly 40 students per class is a primary challenge (Franklin Peng, 2008: 76) that cannot be avoided when wanting to introduce mobile devices into classrooms. Technology skills of educator. Educators of the classes where the mobile devices are implemented, first needs to develop and learn the necessary technology skills to operate the mobile devices (Franklin Peng, 2008). This will be a challenge especially when the educator is of an older generation that did not necessarily grow up with technology and was not previously exposed to a lot of technology. Roschelle et al. (2000: 90) argues that technology support for teachers is often overlooked easily. The curriculum needs rethinking. Squire (2009: 73) expresses difficulties of trying to integrate the mobile media devices into the traditional schooling structure. Franklin and Peng (2008: 76) argues that presenting subjects like maths visually and with the use of technology, is a foreign concept for most educators in schools. The schools capacity to change. Roschelle et al. (2000: 91) argues the some schools are more reluctant at accepting the use of technology into their classrooms and curriculum. They still view the use of mobile devices for learning as foreign and unknown and therefore prefer to hold on to their current schooling structure. Opportunities The following opportunities for further research in the field of m-learning and mobile devices in education that have been identified by the literature: Huang and Lin (2007: 586) states that not much empirical research has been done on on mobile learning from the perspective of the learner. They argue that m-learning can only be improved if the behaviour, experiences and acceptance of the user of m-learning is studied. According to Squire (2009: 70) there has been little research done on to study and understand the impact of mobile media on learning where the mobile device is used outside of formal structures and in students own time. This is supported by Scanlon et al. (2005: 2) when he identifies that there is a need for research on the learning of science on mobile devices in an informal setting. Roschelle et al. (2000: 76) states that further case study research is needed to identify ways to use mobile technology that will support learning most effectively and the successful implementation thereof. More case study research is needed to investigate and better understand the aspects of peoples daily lives where they use mobile devices (Scanlon et al. 2005) and how m-learning relates to that. The use of mobile devices for educational purposes in classrooms as an m-learning tool offers several advantages and opportunities for the students as well as their society: Students can share the knowledge on the mobile devices with their peers in collaborative activities and with other friends or family at home. This opportunity was revealed when Franklin Peng (2008: 77) saw students sharing their earphones with someone else so both can whatch the educational videos on the iPod Touch. Students are provided with the opportunities of anytime/anywhere learning (Squire 2009: 71). Scanlon et al. (2005: 6) supports this by stating that due to the fact that mobile devices are rather affordable and provide portability, accessibility and immediacy, students can get what they need, when they need it (Staudt Hsi, 1999 In Scanlon et al. 2005: 6) and not be bound by their physical location. Students do not just learn about the subject presented by the mobile device, but they also learn how to use the technology, as some students do not have the technology at home and thus not the opportunity of learning about it otherwise (Franklin Peng 2008). This is valuable to the students development and crucial skills to have in their future. Roschelle et al. (2000: 88) identify a few advantages that doing mathematics on technology devices have for the students: (1) students can explore different ways of solving problems by because they can change and manipulate mathematical notations quickly and then (2) receive immediate feedback on the correctness of their notion and (3) students can make more sence out of the maths contect by either associating mathematical concepts to data from the real world or simulations thereof. Conclusion From the research it is clear that both researcher and educators have noticed the fast growing phenomenon that is m-learning through mobile devices. It is slowly but surely redesigning the chalk talk and desk and texts structure of our classrooms. Numerous studies have been done by researchers, some even collaborated with educators, to examine the presence, effects and uses of mobile devices in schools that facilitate learning in both formal and informal settings. Mobile devices offer some unique opportunities: Learning is no longer dependent on the location of the learner, but rather, anyone with a mobile device and the needed wireless connection can learn anything, anywhere and anytime. Knowledge can be shared a lot easier and promotes collaborative learning. Users of the device do not just learn about the content on it, but also about the technology they are working with. The different uses of mobile devices in peoples everyday lives. Because the use of mobile devices in schools is still relatively new, there are some challenges that were identified through literature: Lack of technical support with problems and queries in the classes where mobile devices are being used. The scarcity of recharging stations for the mobile devices in classrooms. Educators need to develop or update their technology skills before they can facilitate a class where the devices are used. The education curriculum needs to be revised in order to facilitate the use of mobile devices and utilize it to its full potential. Some schools still view the use of mobile devices for learning as foreign and unknown and therefore they are reluctant to change. It is sure that, by time, these challenges will be overcome more easily. Drawn from the research, it can be said with certainty that the use of mobile technology in education institutes is the way of the future, but a lot more research is needed on how to utilize it successfully to provide the youth with quality education that will allow them to strive in the world. By researching the effectiveness of using mobile tablets (mobipads) in classrooms as a tool for learning mathematics, will contribute to the m-learning body of knowledge in a much needed way. Word count: 3160

Models In The Fashion Industry Cultural Studies Essay

Models In The Fashion Industry Cultural Studies Essay In the contemporary world, fashion has become a powerful force. For most of the people in our daily life, fashion is something they read about or buy in stores. In a broad sense, fashion means all things and a global business which covers a diverse range of commercial activities, ranging from the unglamorous worlds of mass garment production to celebrity- patronized fashion shows and the associated reportage in the fashion press (JacksonShaw, 2009). In the fashion world, modeling industry plays a central role in its developments. Thousands of people, especially those little girls, are dreaming to be involved in the fashion industry. In their impression, models work in photographers studios or runways or on the cover of magazines, they are in a fun; models are creative because they create their own look (Parmentier Fischer, 2011). They are the representation of artistic creativity and self- expression who always change their performance to project an appropriate image for different si tuations and specific clients and designs. In this sense, despite whether those youngsters have ever sought or gained entry into the field of fashion, in nowadays, they are encouraged to regard the life of the fashion model as an ideal myth. It is no exaggeration to suggest that many young girls treat being a fashion model as among the most glamorous and desirable of possible futures (Wolf, 1991). This article focuses on the real status of models in the fashion industry. Viewing models self-commodification as forms of aesthetic, entrepreneurial, and immaterial labor, I turn my attention on the polarized work of fashion models. Basing on the critical theory, this article uses three approaches (The culture industry, Governmentality, creativity) to explore how certain actors in a dynamic, constantly contested, cultural field may experience constraints on their individual identity quests. First, I argue that how the life of models looks like to the masses, and look for some reasons that why people would like to pursue the life of being a model. Then I focus more discussions on the unsustainable modeling identity projects in the fashion industry. Act as the aesthetic labor, models are faced with many restrictions and risks not only come from the groups that they cooperate with like agency, designer, editor, but also their competitors. Besides of that, some models also suffer from t he discrimination and inequality because of the divisions of the fashion modeling industry. So in this sector, I will take the plus- sized model for example in order to advance our understanding the institutional contexts in fashion industry and our insight into the limitations of those not general models face in pursuing their careers. Searching method For the sake of a deep and comprehensive understanding of fashion modeling, the best way to do the research is using participant observations and interviews. According to many scholars, they adopt this method interviewing models in different levels, gender, age and so on. Basing on the questions and contents, they do data selection to integrate the valuable information and report the results. Because of some limitations, however, I cannot do such interview, so I take full advantage of other resources. This thesis mainly adopts two methods of study. One is documentary research method, which is collecting a large number of materials about the modeling fashion industry in order to understand this field and occupation more comprehensively. First, I select some books and journals which ranging from the history of fashion industry such as marketing todays fashion (Paola Mueller, 1980), to the development of this field like Angela McRobbies British fashion design: Rag trade or image industr y? (1998). Basing on the predecessors research achievements I document an intensive aesthetic labor process. I also search information on the internet to see the characters of fashion models and some debates on the fashion modeling industry. Besides, I pay close attention to a reality show American Britains Next Top Model. By observing and analyzing the process of the competition and track the future development of participants I realize the ruthlessness of fashion modeling industry. The other searching method is comparative analysis approach. In order to highlight the contradictory work in this aesthetic labor market, I compare the different treatment between the high fashion models and commercial models, and the discrimination of those plus-sized models. Literature review Since it is considered to have originated in the mid- nineteen century in Paris, models has appeared in the view of the public. With confidence and enthusiasm, significant numbers of young women launched their own labels from the mid-1980s onwards. Back to the history, there are some critical factors to the success of start of fashion industry which include the support from the government and local authority by subsidy; the cooperation between designers with the producers, agencies and labors; recognition of the distinctiveness of fashion work as an independent cultural and artistic practice, not a conventional business activity. The recent researches have focused attention on different aspects of embodiment in contemporary labor practices, such as detailing the ways in which bodies are managed and surveyed at work (Freeman, 2000; Entwistle, 2004), how bodily performances at work are gendered (Taylor and Tyler, 2000; Gottfried, 2003) and the role of dress in marking out identities at work (Entwistle, 2001). Then a classic account of emotional labor as important in terms of opening up questions about the ways in which contemporary work practices harness the many embodied capabilities of workers. Within this broad research agenda, analysis has been directed towards aesthetic labor as one dimension of current trends in work practices (Pettinger, 2004; Speiss and Waring, 2005). In this article, I argue that previous scholarship on modeling fashion industry seldom explore the tensions between fashion as art form and the demand of a ruthlessly commercial industry. Building on previous research that has examined the staged performance of fashion models, I look for the backstage aesthetic labor process. Combining culture industry, governmentality and creativity, I focus on the unsustainable identity projects in the modeling fashion industry. The contradictory work in the modeling fashion industry From the catwalk to the high-style boutique, the common perception of the modeling fashion industry is glamour and indulgence. Indeed, to many people especially in nowadays, fashion modeling is much more than an occupation, but a dream of every little girl. Just as the feminist scholar Naomi Wolf suggests that it is a fantasy that probably the most widespread contemporary dream shared by young women from all backgrounds (Wolf, 1991). People aspires the ideal model life, which means to become a member of an elite and small group. Their bodies and personalities are intensely sought after for their aesthetic singularity and in return they can get some rewards such as money, fame, luxurious goods as well as celebrity status. Undoubtedly, those models careers not just limited in the field of fashion but extend to other culturally celebrated professions like singer or film actor. The models work as the aesthetic labor, which combines the affective, emotional and physical labor, they play to an advancing self production to extend beyond the confines of modeling work into daily life experience. As aesthetic laborers, they are demanded the effort of body in the production of an appropriately attractive appearance for work. However, in practice, models are always subject to fashions gaze, and endure many restrictions or discriminations coming from both outside and themselves, such as they have to engage in a range of bodily disciplines that relied on thin aesthetics, and do on beyond work hours, etc. We will talk about the restriction from the following aspects. 3.1 Personality In contemporary society, models are regarded as walking mannequins or passive hangers for clothes. The modeling industry moves in shorter cycles than ever before, comparing with other sectors, it is a personality based and subjective industry. In modeling much emphasis is placed on the projection of personality (Entwistle Wissinger, 2006), which forms an integral aspect of the aesthetic labor of freelancing models. Thus models see their bodies as objects of aesthetic contemplation through all manner of bodily work. It just adapt to the governmentality theory that Banks (2007) comes up in his book. It demonstrates that instead of using force and coercion, how the cultural worker has come to be governed only by subjectivizing discourses of enterprise. So models who want to succeed talk of having to become self-managing and astute about their product-their entire embodied self, must do self-control to ensure their current status. To produce a fashionable look, models need to wear the mo st fashionable clothes and go to the most fashionable parties. This situation will not be changed until they are successful. In the case of supermodels, they may no longer have to obey others instruction; they will be given the designer clothes, can cooperate with distinguished photographers and even can expand the career into other sectors. Take Tyra Banks for instance, as an excellent multi-dwelling star, she began her career as model, simultaneously she steps into other professions being the host of reality show, the actress, singer and dancer. Each of this field she has achieved remarkable achievement. These practices involve both aesthetic labor, in which workers invest in styling their bodies and personalities to get and keep work (Entwistle Wissinger, 2006), and entrepreneurial labor, in which workers invest time, energy and funds to foster professional relationships, and build their productive capacity in return for uncertain rewards. These two labors demand workers be enterprising, which they work to create an image that will sell. Models valorize their image, an image that is constructed on a whole day basis, making it difficult for models to distinguish between when they are on or off the job. This work to produce an image may be understood as aesthetic labor (Entwistle Wissinger, 2006). 3.2 Marginalization within the field The fashion system places a quite different valorization on different types of work within the field. There are quite lot of discriminations and unequal treatments between commercial models and editorial models. Commercial work is done for catalogues, website, and department stores; the aim is promoting products ranging from food to drink. While the contracts are regarded as relatively low status compared with the high-status brands promoted by editorial models. While one of the essential features of editorial models is being featured on the cover of or within the fashion pages of high fashion magazines like Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Elle. Be the supermodel also means to modeling for couturiers and designers fashion shows and to be hired as the face for an international luxury brand of a fashion product such as shoes, clothing, or cosmetics(McRobbie, 2002). In contrast to commercial models, whose look are more conventionally beautiful or handsome, fashion models are referred to as ha ving an editorial look, their extreme appearance are often be described with such adjectives as quirky or edgy. A professional model is someone who consents in writing to or performs modeling for the transfer of the exclusive right to the use of his or her name, portrait, picture or image, for advertising or trade purpose. Models engage in identity construction within a field comprised of an international net work of relationships between various mutually dependent, but unequally powerful. But most models will do some of the less prestigious types of commercial work over the course of their careers, only a small set engages in editorial work, as it is much more restricted and competitive. When watching the American Next Top Model, the competitors are required have some personalities to be outstanding but as the same time observe the rules of the industry. They must match up what the photographers and judges demands and satisfied their clients. To those competitors they scarcely make their own decision, and the emotions and attitudes cannot express in the process of work. The payment between commercial models and editorial models also has a big disparity. The structure of the work means that models are usually hired by the hour, day or project, which means they have no guarantees of continued employment. Rewards for top models are disproportionately high but most models incomes are modest at best. Like other artistic careers, fashion modeling consists mainly of short-term contractual ties, in which employment is on a per-project basis, and teams are assembled around specific jobs which are then dispersed after the project is finished. In this sense, it is hard for many commercial models to find a permanently clients to afford their basic life.

Car Wax :: essays research papers

ALL ABOUT CAR WAX A waxed painted surface protects the paint from many contaminants including minor abrasions, along with protection from UV rays and infra-red light. Waxes which supposedly clean and wax in one application compromise both processes. Brazilian Carnauba (car-NOW-ba) wax is wax of choice for automotive paints. Wax provides an invisible barrier to protect the paint. Since carnauba is hydroscopic, meaning that it naturally absorbs water, it expands upon application to a car's painted surface and protects it from the elements. Pure carnauba is impossible to apply in such form -- it is rock-hard. Pure high grade carnauba, when mixed with natural oils in ranges from 25 to 50 percent produce the deepest and richest shine to a painted surface. There are compromises in achieving such a result. Ease of application durability, and speed in getting the job done often require a greater mix of silicones and polymers and less carnauba. Those types of waxes often sacrifice depth of gloss and shine to t he paint. Your needs may be suited by specific products which balance the ease of application, depth of shine, and durability of the end result. With pure waxes with natural oils as the carrying agent, wax will adhere to the paint immediately without white residue or deposits left. Wax is applied in straight strokes in either direction and taken up with a clean terry cloth towel before it dries at the point where it becomes tacky. If wax is applied in high humidity it may streak. It may also streak due to uneven application if you apply the wax in a circular motion. Small areas should be waxed at one time. Constantly rotate the cleaning towel to apply a fresh area of the towel for proper wax removal. Use a foam applicator for the wax application rather than a cloth. The closed cell foam will not absorb wax into the material -- all you want to do is apply a thin film onto the paint for a proper application. Only a microscopic portion of wax adheres to the surface of the paint. Excess wax will only be wiped off and wasted in the process if too much wax is applied at one time. An eight ounce container of wax should enable you to do ten to twenty applications of your car's finish. The Facts Behind Wax For many detailers, nothing finishes off a well-detailed car like a high quality finish wax or polish.

The Sun Also Rises 5 Essay -- essays research papers fc

Brett Ashley: Whore or Herione   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a thorough reading and in-depth analyzation of Ernest Hemingway's riveting novel The Sun Also Rises, the character of Brett Ashley may be seen in a number of different ways. While some critics such as Mimi Reisel Gladstein view Brett as a 'Circe'; or 'bitch-goddess,'; others such as Carol H. Smith see Brett as a woman who has been emotionally broken by the world around her. I tend to agree with the latter of these views, simply because of the many tragedies that befell Brett. She is a heroine who, despite being wounded by love and war, continues to pursue true love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mimi Reisel Gladstein does make an excellent case for Brett as a 'modern-day Circe'; or 'bitch-goddess.'; Brett is a '. . . drunkard, a nymphomaniac, or a Circe who turns men into swine. . .'; (58). She has this transforming effect on several men throughout the course of the novel. Because of her extreme physical beauty, men such as Robert Cohn and Mike Campbell place Brett on a pedestal where she can do no wrong. Robert offers himself to Brett, then follows her around as if on a leash, 'sniveling and squealing as if he were swine'; (58). While Brett saunters around on her sexual escapades, she does not take into account the feelings of Jake, the man who truly loves her, because he is unable to meet her sexual needs. Brett does bother with Jake's frustrations; she uses him only as an emotional support to fall back on when the flings leave her emotionally unsatisfied. 'Brett's bitchery is fully revealed by her treatment of Jake. . . he truly loves her but she uses Jake to get the emotional fix she cannot find is sexual union . . . this is ironic since she would most likely find both if Jake were fully functional'; (59). By looking at her treatment of Robert Cohn, Mike Campbell, and Jake Barnes, Brett could easy be seen as a self-centered, promiscuous nymphomaniac whose quest for love destroys men but leaves her relatively unharmed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Carol Smith points out, however, '. . . analyzing Brett in terms of bitch-goddess or Terrible Mother does not do justice to her'; (55). Smith's quotation is well-founded. Hemingway has done much more with the character of Brett than it may seem. 'She is a good woman the world has broken . . . a complex woman who has endured much'; (55). T... ...p;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited Bardacke, Theodore. 'Hemingway's Women: 1950,'; Ernest Hemingway: The Man and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His Work. Ed. John K. McCaffery (Cleveland: World Publishing, 1950), pp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  342-44. Rpt. in Brett Ashley. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: G.K. Hall and Co.,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1995. pp.12-13. Gladstein, Mimi Reisel, 'Hemingway,'; The Indestructible Woman in Faulkner,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hemingway, and Steinbeck. (Ann Arbor, UMI Research Press, 1986), pp. 59, 62.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rpt. in Critical Essays on Earnest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises, ed. James   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nagel. New York: G.K. Hall and Co., pp.58, 59. Hemingway, Ernest. The Sun Also Rises. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1926. Smith, Carol H., 'Women and the Loss of Eden,'; Ernest Hemingway: The Writer in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Context, Ed. James Nagel (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1984),   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  pp132-4. Rpt. in Critical Essays on Earnest Hemingways The Sun Also Rises,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ed. James Nagel. New York: G.K. Hall and Co., 1995. 54-

Japanese Occupation Affect Nationalism in Indonesia

Assess the impact of the Japanese Occupation on nationalism in Indonesia â€Å"Nationalism† is generally defined as the increasing desire in people to determine their identity, existence and destiny for themselves. For the Netherland Indies, nationalism movement can be traced back to around 1900, which finally led and gave rise to a new nation, Indonesia. Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge that nationalism movement existed prior to the Japanese occupation and therefore should not be consider a turning point that altered the entire landscape of nationalist movement in Indonesia.In addition, the Japanese’s brutality and cruelty could have potentially hindered the progress of nationalism, as they were primary driven by their self-interest in war efforts. This paper will attempt to argue how the Japanese Occupation acts as a catalyst that sped up nationalist movement led by pre-war nationalist leaders in Indonesia, eventually paving the way for its independence. In the initial stage of the occupation, the Japanese was determined to exploit the resources and not make any political concessions to Indonesian nationalism.The first attempt at such mass propaganda without major Indonesian nationalist leaders turned out to be a comprehensive failure. From its launch in March 1942, the Triple A movement that consist of the slogan that Japan as the leader of Asia, the protector of Asia, and the light of Asia, did not gather much support from the local. In general, the Triple A movement did not achieve its objective as few Indonesian Nationalist leaders were involved and the propaganda was too heavy-handed even in those days of early occupation for the locals to take it seriously.Therefore, it was only because the Japanese needed the help of the locals to aid war efforts that led them to give political concessions to nationalist leaders. Having failed to get anywhere by making no concession to nationalism and with increasing new doubts among the Japane se about the outcome of the war, the Putera — Centre of People’s Power (Pusat Tenaga Rakjat) was formed in March 1943. The Japanese selected nationalist leaders who had been imprisoned or ignored by the Dutch.They were resigned to the fact if they were to rally the masses of Java, the Japanese would have to use the leading figures of pre-war nationalist movement such as Sukarno and Hatta. The Japanese implementation of a simplified Malay language, Bahasa Indonesia, to replace the 250 languages and dialects used in the Netherland Indies it became the main lingua franca which significant in fostering a common national identityWhen they first took control of Indonesia, the Japanese decided to ban the use of Dutch language with immediate effect.Throughout the country, the locals started to see themselves as true modern nations rather than a mixture of rival religions, languages, cultures and races. This greatly galvanise nationalist effort, as it was easier to reach out to masses comparer to before under the Dutch rule. Under the Japanese Occupation, political boards were formed and nationalism was encouraged by the new regime as the Japanese mobilized the whole population for the war effort. The Japanese utilized Sukarno, along with the other nationalists, in order to unite the Japanese and Indonesian causes.While the Japanese military authorities were wary of giving Indonesians too much license, they recognize that they could not maintain their position by force alone. Hence, The Japanese give positions of responsibility to nationalist leaders like Sukarno and Hatta who had previously been imprisoned by the Dutch, and afforded the nationalist movement new scope for development (Vickers, 2005). Even though the original intention behind this move was to achieve Japanese war aims, such opportunity was never allowed under the Dutch Colonial rule.Therefore, Sukarno who was enlisted by the Japanese to help them govern the country seized every opportunity to educate the masses and indoctrinate nationalist consciousness into the masses. Sukarno was a crucial figure that contributed to the rise of nationalism in Indonesia. His eloquence at political rallies was instrumental in spreading the message of freedom across a diverse Indonesia, galvanizing them to set aside their differences to united and oppose against their colonial masters.This can be reinforced by the account of Hideo Fujiyama, who decided to desert the Japanese Army and remain in Indonesia to fight along side the nationalist army. He was primary motivated by Sukarno as he recalled the reason that inspired him to make the decision was listening to Sukarno’s speech at a mass rally on September 19th, 1945 in Jakarta. He described Sukarno’s speech to be â€Å"so energetic and impressive† which resulted to him â€Å"being moved† and led him to join Indonesia nationalist movement military.Therefore, the Japanese Occupation gave Sukarno the platform to reach out to the masses as his eloquence and inflammatory speeches managed to convince them to participate in his nationalist movements. The Japanese administration gave nationalist’s opportunities to become involved in government in ways that they had never known before under the Dutch rule. These opportunities include the access to experience and connections, which were later proved to be highly effective.In particular, nationalist usually came to control many propaganda activities mounted by Japan, including publication and circulation of newspapers such as Sumatra Sinbu (Sumatra News), radio broadcasts, mass instructions, films and meetings. Under the networking and communication capacities offered by such propaganda bodies as BOMPA (Bodan Oentoek Membantu Pertahanan Asia- Bureau to Assist in the Defence of Asia) in East Sumatra, nationalists were able to develop and spread popular understanding of the idea of Indonesia through the layers of indigenous society.For the first time in decades, the masses, and not just alienated urban activists and intellectuals became continually engaged in political activity and thus, accelerated the fervor of nationalism throughout the country. The Japanese Military also help set up the formation of volunteer army, PETA (Pembela Tanah Air- Defenders of the Homeland) and provided the large number of officers and soldiers with military trainings and weapons. Few Indonesians had been given officer training by the Dutch, and they were always under the Dutch commanders.This military training was instrumental to nationalist movement as it allowed them to be better equipped in the battle with the colonial masters between 1946-1949 when the latter tried to return and reassert their authority. It was not only the military training in PETA, but also the specific ideological training in the institute which emphasis on discipline and loyalty to country that awakened the national consciousness of the young men who enlisted int o the volunteer army.Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge that the Japanese who set up PETA had their own interest in mind as they were planning to use PETA for costal defence against allied troops. They knew the limitations of PETA, and understood that they were not able to withstand a full-scale allied onslaught. Therefore, PETA was used to delay the enemy’s advance by deploying along the coastline and obstructing an allied landing or harassing the rear wherever the allied troops might come, thus allowing time for the Japanese army to retreat.For that reason, PETA soldiers were distributed throughout the island and were requested to remain in respective region, where they had intimate knowledge of the terrain. At the end of the war in 1959, the Indonesian government had as many as 500,000-armed fighters at its disposal. Therefore, PETA greatly strengthened nationalism efforts and represented potentially the most effective legacy of the Japanese period in both ideolog ical and structural terms. This paved the way for the formation of the nationalist army after the Japanese Occupation to fight against the returning Dutch colonial master.However it is also important to acknowledge that the Japanese Occupation had detrimental effect on nationalism in Indonesia even though they allow political concession for nationalist leaders to reach out to the masses. As the Japanese were primary driven by self-interest, they were not willing to compromise war efforts in order to accommodate nationalist movements. This can be seen in their brutality towards locals, the deliberate fragmentation of Indonesia into three divisions and the Romushua program of forced labour.By splitting Indonesia into three jurisdictions to be controlled by different divisions of Japanese military forces, nationalism in Indonesia was greatly disjointed. The three divisions consist of Java who was controlled by the 16th Army, Sumatra under the 25th Army and the rest under the 2nd Southe rn fleet. These became various political units with tight Japanese control together with separate administration. The notion was to ensure that any nationalist aspiration from Java to the outer islands was strongly discouraged.As a result, political activities tumbled to an all time low as from March 1942, all political activities were disallowed and all existing associations were thus dissolved. This resulted to breaking the unifying development of Batavia as Indonesia’s centre, which the Netherlands had emplaced over the years and thus compromising the idea of Indonesia as a single nation. The Romusha program was a mandatory forced labour implemented by the Japanese to aid them in their war efforts. This initiative destroyed stability and order within Indonesia and greatly hampered nationalist movements.The Romusha normally consists of peasants from the poorer region of Central Java. They were forced by various means to contract themselves to work on military construction p rojects. Many of them were sent away from their homes such as Sumatra, and even away from their countries to Brunei, Siam and eastern islands. The Japanese often treated them with extreme brutality and cruelty. Even after the war, only a small handful out of the estimated 500,000 who were mobilized to work outside their hometown managed to return back home.Amongst these people were ordinary Javanese like Sarmann Praptowidjojo, who were forced to slave on the Burma railway. Originally from Surakarta, he had been a railway worker in Surabaya before being sent to Singapore and then on to Thailand to work on the railway, where he witnessed the destruction of the bridge on River Kwai. He and his fellow Javanese worker saw those around them dying initially at the rate of three a day, den five, then ten. Even though Savramn survived, he joining the thousands who did not return to Java after the war, preferring to marry and live in Bangkok.The Romusha program hinder the progress of national ism movement as almost every echelon of the Indonesia social class was forced to comply by the Japanese to assume responsibility for the program such as organizing recruitment at village level, by propagandizing at higher levels, or simply by doing nothing to obstruct the program. Village chef and district officers in charge of running the program compounded its effect by designating the Romusha service in rural society they dislike or fear. Despite the political concessions given to nationalist leaders, the Japanese treated the locals with great brutality.Apart from the Romusha program, there was a botched biological warfare experiment in 1944 carried out by the Japanese. Between 5000 to 10,000 men from a group of Romushua forced labourers held on the outskirts of Jakarta, awaiting shipment outside Java, died writhing in agony from injection of tetanus. Japanese scientist had prepared the lethal vaccines to see what their effects would be. This further reinforces the idea of Japane se brutality and cruelty towards the local. Therefore, we see how Romusha’s domino effect on the masses greatly hampered nationalist movement in Indonesia.Even though the Japanese provided military training and platforms for nationalist leaders to reach out to the masses, it is too sweeping to label the occupation ‘a turning point’ in the history of nationalism in Indonesia. This is the fact that nationalism movement such as the Indonesian Nation Party (PNI) existed way before World War II, and Japanese occupation merely provided nationalist leader a platform to reach out to the masses and this in turn strengthened the nationalist movements. Nationalist sentiments were already common in the 1930s despite the Dutch colonial master clamping down hard on nationalist leaders.A key moment which highlights the growth of nationalist consciousness came in 1928, when the the All Indonesian Youth Congress proclaimed its pledge, establishing goals of one national identity ( Indoneisan), one country (Indonesia) and one language (Bahasa Indonesia). The emergence of Indonesian Nation Party (PNI), led by the young and rising Sukarno was rapidly becoming one of the most powerful nationalist organization (Vaisutis, 2007). PNI brought all non-communist nationalist groups under its umbrella to unify them as one.Nonetheless, there were limitations on nationalist movement prior to the Japanese Occupation. First, the emphasis on unity for the sake of the struggle meant that almost no attention was devoted to discipline, creative and accommodative thinking about the form and content of the free Indonesian state which nationalist leaders wished to create. Second, the over-emphasis on unity, together with the fiercely competitive and highly personalized world of elite Indonesian politics, effectively meant that no serious efforts were made to build bridges and create political compromises.Thirdly, political leaders of the 1930s used strikes and revolutionary languag e to challenge Dutch rule but they did not have strong enough organizational vehicle to spread their actions. Once there was a problem in their individual nationalist group, there was no longer a sense that one was able to move in and out of various groups and body. People had to give their exclusive loyalties as members of parties. The consequence of this was a splintering of the nationalist effort.Nonetheless, the Dutch recognizes the potential influence and threat to their authority and subsequently jailed Sukarno in 1930. Therefore, we see how nationalism existed way before Japanese occupation, and nationalist leaders eventually seized the opportunity under the Japanese Occupation to spread nationalism throughout the country. In conclusion, this paper argues that Japanese Occupation acts as a catalyst that sped up nationalist movement led by pre-war nationalist leaders such as Sukarno that eventually paving the way for its independence.Prior to the Japanese Occupation, there was subsequent number of problems that hindered nationalist efforts as political parties were full of conflicts and disunited. In addition, the Dutch clamped down hard on radical leaders and would imprisoned or exile them from Indonesia. Therefore, it was due to the Japanese occupation that provided a platform for nationalist leaders to reach out to the masses. In addition, the Japanese provided political concessions and military training which were instrumental in later years with the Dutch.However, it is too myopic to label the Japanese Occupation as a turning point in the history of Indonesia’s nationalism. This is due to the fact that nationalism was already active with the formation of the PNI and other nationalist groups. Also, the Japanese Occupation had the potential to greatly hamper nationalist efforts with own self-interest if not for Sukarno skilful manipulation and eloquence that steer the masses towards his nationalist cause. Thus, this paper will reinforce the sta nd that Japanese Occupation act as a catalyst toward nationalism in Indonesia.

Healthy Combination

Seniority plays an indispensable role in the military. Rank is highly important because their efficiency of getting things done depends on fast commands corresponding fast implementation. That is why leadership here is very crucial. One does not easily get promoted or get his own ship to command. Despite the fact that everyone already looks up to you and no matter how worked yourself off, these simply aren’t enough. 1 Like what The Captain said to Lt.Tyler, one has to â€Å"be able to make hard decisions based on imperative information asking men to carry out orders that result to their deaths. † Because the true test of being a soldier-leader is not only willingness to lay his own life on the line for his men, not only his bravery, but his strength to have to lay someone else’s life for the crew, for the mission and then, at the end of the day, having to pay for its consequences. In U-571 (2000), maybe the character that noticeably best depicted being an astound ing leader and, at the same time a follower, is The Chief.Being somewhat a middleman between the new Captain and the crew, during their battle with the Nazis, Chief, in his years in combat, was able to successfully be a good leader and follower whenever the times demanded it of him. Some of the crewmen might have thought that, when The Captain died when the S33 was blown up, The Chief was the one that should take command instead of the much younger Lt. Tyler. Once, a crew member kept saying â€Å"†¦this is crazy, this is crazy†¦ he’s gonna get us killed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to the idea that Lt. Tyler didn’t want to use the Nazi’s Enigma to radio for help. The Chief said, â€Å"Navy said it’s more important than you, him, me—fine. We’re gonna die trying. That ain’t crazy. That’s our job. † The stubborn crewman responds with â€Å"what I don’t seem to understand Chief, is how come you’re not in-charge. à ¢â‚¬  In the middle of his blabbering on about ____________________ 1. Military Rank. [2004]. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www. militaryspot. com/military-rank. htm 1why Tyler shouldn’t be in command, The Chief suddenly grabbed hold of his shirt and held him by the neck. â€Å"Lt. Tyler is your commanding officer and you will respect that man as such. † In this particular scene, The Chief was a leader in a sense that he recognizes when a crewman needs some straightening up and, also he is a very good follower in a sense that he defended the superior being insulted at the back. At these moments, he displayed glory when he was effortlessly able to go over the praises, and get down to serious business.His principles are unwavering, unconditional. Attitude such as these give a command consistency and action in highly unfavorable situations such as battlefields. Contrary to conventional point of view, being a follower and a leader seems to be much more of a role pla yed in an interrelated way than a role as played in completely opposite ways. Yes, one cannot be a leader without being a follower and following cannot be without leading. To be able to fully understand one, one has to understand the other, or both will not stand.One cannot exist without the other; they complete each other. In the context of this film, or life in general for that matter, it is impossible to discuss leadership without discussing followership, and vice versa. 2 This concept can be seen in the persona of the Chief. The concept of leadership and followership is healthily embedded in The Chief’s heart and mind, and through this, he is able to contribute significantly to the welfare of the crew and the accomplishment of the mission. If too many soldiers were to lack this, it will â€Å"kill a crew.† Doubt is a given when there are high risks involved. Playing with the lives of men is never easy. There are a lot of gray areas, areas where a soldier is confron ted with dilemmas. The Chief experienced this at 160 meters below water surface. Despite the risks involved The _____________________ 2. Lt Col Sharon M. Latour and Lt Col Vicki J. Rast, â€Å"Dynamic Followership,† (2004) Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www. govleaders. org/dynamic_followership. htm. Chief followed Lt. Tyler to dive the extra meters. If Lt.Tyler made a mistake in his calculations or estimations, they all could’ve drowned when the submarine barely held itself together under the pressure of 200 meters underwater. But they were lucky. What seemed to be wrong turned out to be right. In reality, perhaps it is much harder to choose. A young enlisted officer also came to this situation, where his ability to follow was thinning. Lt. Tyler had to order him to swim under the flooded pipes and tighten those that need tightening so that a torpedo can be launched.Obeying might kill him and not obeying might kill the crew. This time though, it wasn’t as happy an ending as The Chief’s was when he followed orders. The kid drowned. They were able to beat the enemy but they sacrificed a life. There are no clear lines as to which extents will a soldier follow or not. There are no set qualifications as to who must go first. Maybe there never will. But one thing is clear, leading or following, the sake of the crew as a whole must be put first before an individual’s, the country’s first before the self. ____________________1. Lt Col Sharon M. Latour and Lt Col Vicki J. Rast, â€Å"Dynamic Followership,† (2004) Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www. govleaders. org/dynamic_followership. htm. 2. Military Rank. [2004]. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www. militaryspot. com/military-rank. htm BIBLIOGRAPHY Lt Col Latour, Sharon M. and Lt Col Rast, Vicki J. Dynamic Followership. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://www. govleaders. org/dynamic_followership. htm, 2004. Military Rank. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from h ttp://www. militaryspot. com/military-rank. htm, 2004.