Collective empowerment Essay Example for Free

Collective empowerment Essay â€Å"To find out about my life. The truth. In the end. That’s all. † Nadine Gordimer’s 11th novel heroine, Vera Stark, takes over the hearts of literary critiques as she goes through the course of transition taking place in post-apartheid South Africa and in herself. â€Å"None to accompany me† is yet another Nadine Gordimer literary masterpiece that explores the dramatic effect of a country to an individual’s change on a personal level. The novel opens with Vera’s infidelity to her first husband; and as the story advances and she ages, she assesses her life and gains a new perspective on her relationship with her second husband, Bennett. Meanwhile, she tries to understand her daughter’s case on being a lesbian and why her husband pretends not to notice. Here, we see her struggle with her private feelings while engaged in civic issues where she had difficulty dealing with â€Å"relationships for which there was no preexisting formula of hostility or friendship, suspicion or trust. Note that the novel takes place in post-apartheid South Africa there’s been a radical change in social boundaries therefore, making it difficult to contend black interests. As Gordimer says, â€Å"When a railway line is abandoned, the tracks arent taken up. ; the railway referring to prejudiced white South Africans. Put in simpler terms, changing the law is one thing but changing the people’s attitude is another. Being a wife and a mother, a political activist and a lover, Stark’s sensible and sensual character reflects the author’s to some degree. Even her course of life takes resemblance to Gordimer’s: Vera Stark, a graduate of legal studies, becomes head of a Legal Institution established as a â€Å"reaction against the blackness of the black community, fights back the system with its own tricks. She will become the living example of how the collapse of an old regime allows us perhaps to abandon our old self. Maybe abandon an old personal life, too. Indeed, she will gradually see everything around her changing radically, and as consequences provoke other consequences, she will almost lose her life, after a murder attempt against her which will bring her face to face with the face of death, she will experience the fall of the frenzied racism monster as well as the transition towards a new regime with new supporters, ready like the others before them to be corrupted, the unjustified violence and the extreme poverty, she will revaluate her own existence, as a mother, as a companion and as a woman, she will watch her friends changing, she will be fascinated by the leader of the Black People and she will endure all these hardships with the stoicism of wisdom† (Nadine Gordimer on Vera Stark, â€Å"None to accompany me†); Likewise, Gordimer holds record for being a political activist throughout her lifetime and joined, as well as led, several organizations both legal and illegal that expressed her concerns on moral and r acial issues, especially the apartheid in South Africa. Meanwhile, the novel’s secondary characters put an intriguing twist to the story, somehow blending in whilst telling a story of their own: Veras second husband Bennet, a supposed sculptor downgraded to selling prestige luggage to provide for her; their son Ivan, a London banker, and their lesbian daughter, Annie, a South African doctor; Didymus and his wife Sibongile (Sally) Maqoma, Vera’s black friends who returned from exile after the apartheid; their lovely daughter Mpho, half-Zulu, half-Xhosa, whose been raised in London; Veras co-worker Oupa, former prisoner on Robber Island, who has big hopes and plans for South Africa; and Zeph Rapulana, one of the new black men with the skills and personal power to help makes such dreams come true. Gordimer’s portrayal of each minor character’s image was brief but delightfully vivid. Also, despite being the lead character in the novel, two lives are actually examined throughout besides Stark’s, thereâ€℠¢s Sally Maqona. After returning to South Africa from exile, she and her husband were received as heroes, for being part of the principal revolutionaries during the apartheid. However, an unexpected exchange in roles between the couple happened: Didymus, the male, was set aside the big picture for being a traditionalist whereas Sibongile, his wife, was selected to join high-profile politicians as she was regarded as one of the intellects and the most suitable to represent the new South Africa. Gordimer smoothly showed how these separate lives worked out how both women and their husbands are involved in taking down the apartheid system, and at the same time, how they handled more personal issues: a teen daughter’s pregnancy, the death of a co-worker, a son’s divorce, their own marital commitment, new employment and shifting friendships. All these are set in a growing complex political entity wherein each individual must somehow fit or adjust their identity. â€Å"Is there ever a really fair division of labour, as you call it, between couples? Vera’s daughter, Annie, asks her. Perhaps the answer to this question lies in the novel itself but then again, it’s uncertain will it be a yes or a no? Traditionally, so to speak, men take over positions dominating women. In this case however, one might find it amusing that it is the females holding the so-called ‘superior’ position instead of her husband, Sally is voted to preside over the board and even Vera has taken a seat amongst high-ranking officials. Moreover, I find it noteworthy to mention Vera’s alacritous acceptance of her daughter’s homosexuality at one part, she defends the merits of the male genitalia to her newly announced lesbian daughter. With such circumstances at hand, one wonders whether this novel was written to be intentionally inclined to feministic views or it’s just how it was meant to go. Nonetheless, this has nothing to do with Gordimer; in point of fact, she’s against sexism, racism, and the like as evident from her reactions in real life encounters. As to the novel’s setting, Gordimer’s ardent description of the South African post-apartheid is written in such a way as if meant to bring the reader inside the story itself. She highlights South Africa’s torment from racial discrimination and social division a glimpse of its ‘heterotopia’. Through Gordimer, one can not only see the narrative illustration presented but feel it, too, through the characters. It’s even more intense than reading a newspaper headliner, so to say. There’s no wonder Gordimer was able to come up with an excellent novel: she has ever since been a political activist in South Africa, expressing her thoughts through outstanding literary pieces concerning relevant issues facing the locals, and even being active in the anti-apartheid movement she joined the African National Congress during the days when it was still illegal. Her works dealt greatly with political issues, especially those of her own country, and love entwined with the lives of ordinary people. She’s won various awards through the decades including the 1991 Nobel Prize for Literature because her contribution is, in the words of Alfred Nobel, â€Å"of very great benefit to humanity†. All of her works are based from her own personal record, being one articulate witness of the contemporary world her country’s in, with a hinge of imagination reality and fiction combined. With â€Å"None to accompany me†, Nadine Gordimer certainly outdid herself this time a recollection of her previous notable works combined with a near-perfect replica of her own private life and personal beliefs on the inadequate development of her country: analphabetism and semi-alphabetism, poverty, racism, and the transition from the racist regime to the democratic state among others. Further additional concepts she used cover spatial control as a mark of repression and as an emphasis of political resistance, and a vague reference on South African urbanization. This particular flair of hers is quite remarkable, Gordimer is one of the few capable of delivering a composition where realpolitik meets the inner self it’s complex, intense, intriguing, and definitely fascinating. Regardless of recent reviews saying that her style of unfolding the narrative is more urgent compared to her earlier pieces, they commend her for keeping the ‘magic’ still. Her narrative form is unique to her she does it with sophistication and boldness; she writes what is there and she writes it with utmost comprehension and solemnity. Down to the last word, this read will leave you in awe. â€Å"It is not enough for someone to say that he is a writer. He must do what he can! †, so she says. The new South Africa that is evolving right now is coming to terms with the various repressions and discriminations it did in the past. South Africa is now freeing itself from the vestiges of apartheid and at the same time unmasking apartheid as it takes in different forms not only in society but in the hearts of its citizens. While apartheid is now officially denounced, there are still traces of it in many of its structures and apartheid still exists in the internal structures of culture and individual consciousness. One must be able to weed out apartheid inside one’s own heart even if the mind says you have already rid of it conceptually. There are practices and bad habits that are hard to break. Apartheid still exists in subliminal forms. The true affirmation and sense of self worth still needs to be developed. Collective empowerment still needs to be done on the structural level. This means poverty eradication, women empowerment, literacy programs, and economic programs that would provide labor and a genuine sense of self worth. In the area of economics, there should be access to opportunity and privilege not only for the white and the rich but also for the majority poor and the black. In the political level, the voice of the majority still needs to be heard and well represented. In the area of culture, there still needs to be a radical break from the past and a birth of a totally new culture that would define South Africa on a new level of its accomplishments and not its sins from the past.

Promoting A New Grooming Product For Men Marketing Essay

Promoting A New Grooming Product For Men Marketing Essay To be able to reap success in the field of business where competition is very tough, there is a growing need for organizations to pay and dedicate special attention in the evaluation and execution of their marketing mix, specifically in the aspect of promotions which deals with measures and practices directed towards increasing the markets awareness of the existence of the product. The element of promotion is very important especially for businesses which are just starting in the market or for products which are just in the introduction stage. A good promotional campaign will enable the company to establish a name and to establish recall since they are just new in the market. This will increase the awareness of the public regarding the existence of the product and will in turn generate revenue for the company in the long run (Kurtz et al, 2007). It is undeniable that the present time holds a notable growth in the success of personal care or grooming products for men which were introduced in the market. Vanity is no longer exclusive to women as the marketing trend nowadays suggests with the emergence of various grooming products which caters to the specific needs and requirements of the male market. This market holds a very strong potential for revenue generation as the market segment increased and continued its perpetual growth (Neff, 2010). To be bale to market mens grooming products, one specific aspect which needs special attention would be advertising. It has been noted in the past that advertising shows significant effect on the growth of the product in the market, especially for new products, as it instigates recall and awareness among the target audience. For grooming products for men, one of the most effective would be tri-media advertisement wherein basic advertising medium will be used including television, radio, and print ads. For television, a commercial will be aired with the central theme of promoting mens grooming products, making vanity not exclusive to women, targeting the male audience as it conveys a message which assumes the growing need for the male market to better take care of themselves so that they can look and feel better. The central theme of the tri-media advertisements would be increasing the confidence of the male market by looking good through the help of new grooming products. To be able to extend the anticipated reach of this commercial, a credible celebrity endorser will also be used. It must be remembered that the grooming product is new that is why it has a significant need to be endorsed by credible and known endorsers to be able to easily make its way and tap its target market. The commercial will show the celebrity endorser using the new grooming products, as he believes in its effectiveness and efficiency, and will include his testimonial regarding the benefits which men will get from using such products. Furthermore, to be able to target male who does not watch television at all, commercials will also be aired via major radio stations. The commercials which will be produced for radio will be focused on testimonials from projected users about the grooming products and endorsement of use while trying to convince more male that this new grooming product is a must-try. The radio commercials will be helpful especially to target males who are always on the go and those who listen to the radio while driving their cars to work or to wherever they will be headed. Lastly, to be able to complete the dimensions of tri-media advertisements, there will also be print ads which will be scattered in major places where the market demographics reflects the target market profile of the new grooming products. The display of these print ads will still be helpful in generating recall and awareness especially if they are posted on places in the target market of the grooming products is always staying or passing by. To be able to reach more of the products target market, event sponsorship will also be taken into consideration as a means of advertising, as increasing the level of awareness of the public regarding the new grooming products for men. The events which will be targeted for promotions or sponsorship will include those in which the main participants are men. This could include events such as fashion show for mens clothing and other men products. During such events, there will be company booths which will be installed in the venue and will be manned by a set of promodizers. Leaflets regarding the product details and benefits of usage will also be distributed to be able to disseminate information. Furthermore, there will also be free product samples in trial packs so that the target market can be able to try it with the hopes that it could lead to repetitive purchases in order to gain revenue for the business. In order to achieve maximum results for event sponsorships, it must be assured that only events with significant attendance from the target population will be considered. Moreover, the power of the internet as an effective marketing tool should not be disregarded in the execution of the promotions mix for the new grooming products for men. A relatively large number of populations in the entire market have access to the internet and literate about its usage. Therefore, marketing efforts should be also directed towards the utilization of internet to promote the new products. To start of, the company will build its very own corporate website. In building the website, the target market must be considered. Most male internet users want direct information and straight forward execution rather than the bubbly type of websites. Therefore, the website design should be minimalist in general and display only information which ae relevant and significant of the product. The pictures and general description of the products will also be displayed to give the market an image of what they can expect from the product line. Moreover, to be able to strengthen the claims of the product, there will also be testimonials from users and endorsers in order to convince the website visitors that they mus try and use the said products. Lastly, the website shall feature an interactive feed where there could be communication between the visitors and the administrators to answer their queries and also to ad a touch of personalization and interaction in the website. Moreover, public relations must not be also taken out of the picture when considering promotion strategies for the new line of grooming products fro men. In is always very important to maintain a good relationship with the public to be bale to be assured that they will patronize the products and use them in the long run. It is always important for the company to maintain a public image to be bale to make them aware of its practice. Part of the public relations measure of the company will be to be more visible in the eyes of the public, specifically to it target market, by establishing a series of events and product launches which will include the endorsers and the actual samples of the products. These product launches will be able to help the company establish public relationship and at the same time will set as a means of promotion for the grooming products.

Microwave-assisted Extraction Technique for Oil Extraction

Microwave-assisted Extraction Technique for Oil Extraction Result and discussion Optimization by central composite design An experimental procedure based on the CCD was adopted for three independent variables (extraction time, irradiation power and moisture content), which resulted in 20 experimental runs. Table 1 shows the responses obtained in the CCD experiments and the overall design. The results indicated considerable variations in the extraction efficiency of essential oil and TQ amount. These variations reflected the importance of optimization to attain higher productivity of essential oil and TQ. Table 2 comprises the equation of dependent variables and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the effects. Second-order polynomial models used to express essential oil extraction yield (YE) and TQ content. The R-squared statistic indicated that the model explains 97.04% and 92.26% of the variability in YE% and TQ%, respectively. The adjusted R-squared statistic was 0.93 for YE% and 0.83% for TQ%. The p-value less than 0.05 indicate the model terms are significant. The lack of fit p-values more than 0.05 implies the lack of fit is not significant relative to the pure error, which indicated that the models were accurate and satisfactory. The significance of each coefficient was determined by F-value and p-value listed in Table 2. The data indicate that irradiation power (P) and moisture content (M) have significant effects on both YE% and TQ%, but extraction time (ET) influences only YE%. The response surface methodology (RSM) is interested as an excellent tool for obtaining the maximum amount of complex information and the best way to predict the effect of the independent variables on the dependent one. Besides, RSM plays an important role in designing, formulating, developing and analyzing new scientific research, as well as improving existing studies and products (Bas and Boyaci 2007). Three-dimensional response surface of multiple non-linear regression models were applied to explain the interactions between extraction time, irradiation power and moisture content on the YE% and TQ% (Fig. 2A-D). Fig. 2A and C depict the interaction between extraction time and irradiation power on the extraction yield of essential oil and its thymoquinone content. Increasing the extraction time from 15 to 30 min with irradiation power from 180 to 450 W enhanced the YE% and TQ%, while both of them started decreasing when the extraction time and irradiation power were increased up to 4 5 min and 720 W. This might be the reason for the volatilization and decomposition of essential oil and its constituents when the irradiation power and extraction time increased (Qiet al. 2014). The effect of extraction time on TQ% was less than YE%. The results showed that a longer irradiation time and power were not suitable for essential oil extraction. Fig. 2B shows the three-dimensional plot of the response surface for the essential oil extraction yield as related to moisture content and time. The increase of extraction time from 15 to 30 min with an increase of moisture content from 15% to 50% significantly accelerated essential oil extraction, and extraction yield of essential oil decreased when moisture content was higher than 60%. At low moisture content, the evaporation rate was low, resulting in an incomplete extraction. On the contrary, a high proportion of water might lead to hydrolysis of some volatile components (Liet al. 2012). As illustrated in Fig. 2D, an increase in TQ% was observed by increasing the moisture content from 15 to 100% with extraction time from 15 to 30 min, while the TQ% was not more changed apparently after 45 min. Those results suggested that increasing moisture content from 30% to 50% together with an increase of extraction time from 15 to 30 min, the extraction yield reaches a peak value with a good recovery of TQ. The results showed that the amount of oil extracted increased at first when the power was increased, but started to decrease when the power passed 450 W. This reveals that an increase in power enhanced the mass transfer ratio until a certain value, thus increasing the extraction yield. However, the extraction yield of essential oil decreased slightly at higher irradiation power. This might be due to a quick change of temperature, leading to partially thermal decomposition of volatiles (Qiet al. 2014). Based on the results, the high content of TQ (20%) in the highest overall yield of essential oil (0.33%) was obtained through MAE extraction conditions of extraction time 30 min, irradiation power 450 W, and moisture content 50%. Verification experiments were conducted six times under these optimal conditions. The resulting mean extraction yield and thymoquinone percent were 0.32% and 19.47% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.16% and 3.78% respectively. Comparison of MAE with HD Compared with MAE method, conventional hydrodistillation (HD) was used as a reference method for essential oil extraction from N. sativa seeds (Table 1). The results revealed that the extraction yields of MAE for 30 min (0.316 0.01%, w/w) were higher than HD for 3 h (0.23 0.035%, w/w). Also, as seen in Table 1, the content of TQ obtained from HD dropped drastically (3.71%) compared with MAE. In contrast to HD, MAE could decrease the rate of oxidation and hydrolysis of bioactive compounds by reducing the extraction time (Qiet al. 2014). In the HD process, the samples were heated by the thermal conductivity from the outside to the inside of samples. However, in the MAE process, heat transfer arises from the samples center to the outer colder environment. Moreover, the internal heating of the in situ water produces areas of compression in the plant, resulting in the serious rupture of glands and oleiferous receptacles (Lucchesiet al. 2007). This might cause the considerable difference i n the extraction yield of essential oil between two extraction methods. Hence, MAE is an efficient, environmentally friendly and energy-saving extraction method. Consequently, microwave-assisted extraction is a promising alternative to extract essential oils from natural products. Structural changes after extraction SEM was employed to evaluate the structural changes of N. sativa seeds when subjected to different oil extraction procedures. Fig. 3A shows a micrograph of the untreated seeds (before extraction), and Fig. 3B and C are the SEM images of samples that have treated by HD (3h) and MAE (30 min), respectively. As illustrated in Fig. 3A, the presence of numerous essential oil cells with a full balloon shape is observed. Most of them became atrophic, rupture and appeared wrinkled after extraction by HD (Fig. 3B). In HD process, the heat transfer is mainly performed by conduction and convection only, while in the process of MAE, it is implemented in three ways: radiation, conduction and convection (Maet al. 2012). As a result, in MAE process, heat is produced from within the glands as well as from the outside. When the glands were subjected to more severe thermal stresses and localized high pressures, as in the case of microwave heating, the pressure build-up within the glands could have exce eded their capacity for expansion, and caused their rupture more rapidly and completely than in conventional extraction (Lucchesiet al. 2007; Qiet al. 2014). After MAE, most of cells appeared completely disrupted explaining that all the cell walls are finally damaged and collapsed, and have resulted into undefined boundaries (Fig. 3C). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry The components of essential oil from N. sativa seeds obtained by MAE and HD were analyzed by GC-MS. The detected constituents, their retention indices and relative percentages are given in Table 3. Thirty components were identified in the essential oil obtained by MAE and HD. The number of identified compounds was lower than that reported by Benkaci-Ali et al. (2007) and Liu et al. (2013). The different origin of the seeds and/or the lower sample injection volume may be the reason for this. The essential oils contained mainly of monoterpenes hydrocarbons (59.93% for MAE and 76.36% for HD) together with noticeable contents of oxygenated monoterpenes (24.61 for MAE and 8.2% for HD) and smaller amounts of sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons (5.57 for MAE and 5.69% for HD). In both methods, the monoterpene hydrocarbons were noticeably dominated by p-cymene (41.99% for MAE and 52.82% for HD) while ÃŽ-thujene, ÃŽ-pinenes, ÃŽÂ ²-pinene, sabinene and terpinene were present at lower amounts. A mong the oxygenated monoterpenes, TQ was the major bioactive constituent especially in oil isolated by MAE (20.41%), together with lower contents of linalool, terpinen-4-ol and carvacrol. In the HD method, the oxygenated monoterpene content of the essential oil was substantially lower than that obtained with MAE, because of the decomposition or hydrolysis of thymoquinone (see Table 3). These results are similar to those of Benkaci-Ali et al. (2007) who reported that the content of oxygenated monoterpenes of the oil obtained by MAE was higher than that by HD for N. sativa seeds. Li et al. (2012) suggested that during the procedure of MAE, microwave irradiation highly accelerates the extraction process without causing considerable changes in the essential oil composition, although the percentages of some components depend on the technique applied. Moreover, Benkaci-Ali et al. (2006) reported that MAE can reduce the time of extraction of N. sativa seeds essential oil to less than 10 mi n. However, the composition of the major products presented a fluctuation according the extraction time. Our results showed that N. sativa seeds purchased from Iran belong to the p-cymene/thymoquinone chemotype, which is in agreement with the results of Hajhashemi et al. (2004). A variety of chemotypes have been described in the literature. Burits and Bucar (2000) reported the chemical composition of the essential oils from N. sativa from Austria. They found thymoquinone (27-57%) and p-cymene (7-15.7%) as the major compounds. Another Iranian N. sativa essential oil was found to be dominated by phenylpropanoid components and displayed a trans-anethole chemotype (Nickavaret al. 2003). N. sativa essential oil from Bangladesh (Liuet al. 2013), Algeria (Benkaci-Aliet al. 2007) and India (Singhet al. 2005) was found to be a p-cymene/thymoquinone chemotype. A chemotype with 33.0% p-cymene and 26.8% thymol and the majority of monoterpenes was reported for N. sativa essential oil from Morocco (Morettiet al. 2004; DAntuonoet al. 2002) and a chemotype with 60.2% p-cymene and 12.9% ÃŽ-terpinene w as reported by Wajs et al. (2008) for N. sativa from Poland. This shows that the contents of compositions of essential oils of N. sativa seeds were dependent on the extraction method as well as the species. Antioxidant activity Owing to the complicity of essential oils, the antioxidant activities cannot be assessed by only a single method, but at least two test systems have been proposed for the determination of antioxidant activity to establish authenticity (Schlesieret al. 2002). In the present study, the antioxidant activity of N. sativa seeds essential oils extracted by MAE and HD were evaluated in vitro by DPPH scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays, and compared with traditional antioxidants. Free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) DPPH assay is often used as an indicator of free radical scavenging capacity; it is an electron-transfer-based assay, which is an important mechanism of antioxidant action (Bayramogluet al. 2008). As shown in Fig. 4A, DPPH radical-scavenging activity (SC %) increased when the oil concentration increased. A low IC50 value indicates strong antioxidant activity in a sample. The IC50 values of the essential oil, obtained by MAE and HD, were 28.10 and 36.90 Â µg/ml, respectively. In brief, the DPPH scavenging effect decreased in the order: VC > MAE > HD > VE. The results showed that essential oil obtained by MAE possessed a higher free radical scavenging capacity than HD. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) The reduction capacity of an extract or oil may use as an important indicator of its potential antioxidant activity (Maet al. 2012). A higher absorbance indicated a higher ferric reducing power. As shown in Fig. 4B, both the essential oil by different extraction methods and standards showed increased ferric reducing power with the increased concentration. Essential oil extracted by MAE at the highest concentrations analyzed, showed the highest ferric reducing capacity in terms of Fe concentrations (1670 Â µM Fe /g) with statistical differences with control VC and VE (1400 and 300 Â µM Fe /g, respectively. The reducing power of essential oil obtained by HD was slightly lower than that of MAE (1580 Â µM Fe /g). It can be due to the reduction of thymoquinone compound which is a major active chemical component of the essential oil studied. As mentioned above the antioxidant activities of Nigella sativa L. essential oil could be mainly due to the action of thymoquinone existing in the essential oil studied. In brief, the reducing power of essential oils and antioxidants revealed the descending order of: MAE > HD > VC > VE. Conclusion Microwave-assisted extraction technique (MAE) was considered for the extraction of essential oil from Nigella sativa L. seeds. Response surface methodology was successfully implemented for optimization of extraction yield of essential oil and its thymoquinone content. The optimum parameters were extraction time 30 min, irradiation power 450 W and moisture content 50%. Thymoquinone content of oil obtained by HD was reduced substantially due to the long time extraction of HD. The antioxidant activity of essential oils extracted by MAE and HD were evaluated by DPPH and reducing power tests, and compared with traditional antioxidants. Based on the results, we conclude that MAE method represents a valuable alternative to traditional HD for the essential oil extraction from Nigella sativa L. seeds owing to the excellent extraction efficiency, higher thymoquinone content and higher antioxidant activity of the essential oil. Further study is recommended to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and other bioactive properties of N. sativa essential oil extracted by MAE and compare this method with other extraction methods. Furthermore, essential oil from Nigella sativa L. seedswould be a novel nature resource for the usage in food and healthy fields.

Christian :: essays research papers

The Beginning of Christian Art   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first two centuries of Christianity there weren’t any form of art recorded. Christians meet in small groups in a private phone and conducted simple services. In these services they would eat wine and bread that reminded them of Christ sacrifice on the cross. (Lamm 175)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Christian symbols were a major form of art in the earlier years of Christian art. The Egyptian, Greek, and Romans artist had different symbols that represented different things. The Greeks created gods of their own image. For example, Zeus with the thunderbolt. This symbolized that this was the god of power. (176) Some artist cam e up with a variety of solutions using biblical stories, parables, and symbols to design Christian art.(177)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the age of Constantine, Constantine proclaimed freedom of religion in the Edict and Milan in 313. For centuries basilicas were constructed by the Romans. The basilicas served as meeting halls, mercantile centers, and halls of justice. There were two basilicas that were built in the early centuries. They were Old St. Peters and St. Paul’s. The outside walls of St. Paul were destroyed by fire in 1823 and rebuilt in 1854. (180)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 404 Ravenna became the capital of the Western Empire under Honorius. Ravenna fell under Odoacer in 476, but emerged as the capital of Theodoric Ostrogothic kingdom between the years of 489-526. Ravenna concluded its royal careen as the western capital of Justinian’s Byzantine Empire during 527-565. (181)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Justinian marked the beginning of the Byzantine style from 527-565. It was notable for artistic production and for Justinian legal code. Operating from his capitals of Constantinople in the East and Ravenna in the West, Justinian was the emperor of the Roman and Oriental potentate, in witch later became Byzantine Empire. (183)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 330 Constantine was known as â€Å"New Rome.† The city was very popular. It was the sumptuous of Byzantine civilization for over 1,000 years. The faith of Orthodox was totally dominate in that city. In 532 the Blues and Greens rival chariot-racing joined forces and revolted against the autocratic rule of Justinian and Theodora. The imperial troops put down the revolution by slaying about 30,000 people and most of the public buildings were destroyed, including Basilica of Hagia Sophia (The Church of Holy Wisdom).(185)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Because the first Hagia Sophia was destroyed, Justinian hired a mathematician to design another one. The new Hagia Sophia was beautiful.

The Speeches of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Declaration of Sentiments, Solitude of Self, and Home Life :: the women’s movement

The Speeches of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, â€Å"Declaration of Sentiments†, â€Å"Solitude of Self†, and â€Å" Home Life† Not long ago, in the nineteenth century, the words that our forefathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"that all men were created equal,† held little value. Human equality was far from a reality. If you were not born a white male, then that phrase did not apply to you. During this period many great leaders and reformers emerged, fighting both for the rights of African Americans and for the rights of women. One of these great leaders was Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Stanton dedicated her entire life to the women’s movement, despite the opposition she received, from both her family and friends. In the course of this paper, I will be taking a critical look at three of Stanton’s most acclaimed speeches â€Å"Declaration of Sentiments†, â€Å"Solitude of Self†, and â€Å" Home Life†, and develop a claim that the rhetoric in these speeches was an effective tool in advancing the movement as a whole. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born November 12, 1815, in Johnstown, New York. She was born unto a conservative, Presbyterian family of considerable social standing. Her father, Judge Daniel Cady, was considered to be both a wealthy landowner and a prominent citizen with great political status (Banner 3). Stanton was one of seven children, 6 of which were girls, to be born to Daniel and Margaret. Growing up in the period that she did, Elizabeth was very fortunate to receive the outstanding education that she did since it was not as important to educate daughters as it was sons. She overcame that boundary when she began attending Johnstown Academy. She was the only girl in most of her classes, which was unheard of in those days. Even when females did attend schools, they were learning about â€Å"womanly† things, like how to run a household, not advanced math and science courses, like she was in. She then went on to further her education at a very prominent educational institu tion, Emma Willard’s Troy Seminary. After that she studied law with her father, who was a New York Supreme Court Judge. It is through this training that her awareness was raised about the discrimination that women were subjected to. In 1840, Elizabeth married an abolitionist organizer named Henry Stanton, much to her family’s dismay.

On Drama Translation Essay

Like their contemporary prose translators who were introducing Western fiction to China, budding dramatists were enthusiastic about bringing Western plays to the Chinese stage. The first play was staged in Japan from an adaptation of Lin Shu’s translation of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. A Chinese student in Japan named Li Shutong adapted the script. The play was put on by members of the Chun Liu (Spring Willow) Drama Society. Their performance marked a complete break from traditional theatrical practices. After the May 4th Movement, complete translations of plays were published and used in productions. Many established writers began to try their hand at writing scripts for the stage. Also in the introduction of foreign masterpieces, a lot of famous translators were produced. If we have a try at drama, we can find it very difficult, more difficult than the translation of novels. Actually, drama is very different from novel. And drama translation must be done in a much different way. First, drama scripts are written for stage performance. So the translated scripts must be suitable for the audience. But poems, prose and novels are written for reading. Though sometimes foreign scripts are produced only for reading, there are seldom the cases. Also the foreign playwrights would be against that. Second, drama performance is a comprehensive ways of acting. It is an audio-visual art, which needs lighting, stage properties, and sound effects. The lines by the actors contribute a great deal to the success of the play. The audience relies heavily on the lines of the play. Most of them are ordinary people, but not erudite scholars. The actors usually don’t repeat the words except for the sake of laying stress. If the lines are too obscure, the audience will get confused as a play goes on without a stop. Third, there aren’t any annotations in a stage performance. In a novel, the hidden intention of the characters, the natural and social background, cause and effect of the subtle changes of the emotions can be stated by the narrator. So the readers can grasp the whole text and better understand it. But in a play performance, the audience get information only from the lines of the characters. Further more, foreign playwrights often use puns or allusions in a play. It is really difficult to translate them in simple language due to the cultural differences. For example, an allusion in the original play may be very appropriate and enlightening. But a literal translation of it may  cause great trouble to the Chinese. And an annotation for the allusion is not feasible because in stage performance, an actor can’t speak the annotation. He can only use sign language, stage properties to imply it. So drama translation sets higher standards for the translations. So the above-mentioned three characters of drama require a popular and simple language of the translation. For example, in the revised version of the translation by Yang xianyi of Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw, the translator adds some words, delegate some to make the second version simpler in diction and structure. Example 1: The Mother: (to Clara) Give it to me. (Clara parts reluctantly) Now (to the girl) this is for your flowers. (Act I) [First version] ( ) ( )( ) ? , [1](P. 9) [Second version] ( ) ( )( ) ? , [2](P. 462) In the first version, the translated sentence â€Å" †seems more faithful and close to the original text. But it is awkward sounding. But the revised version is easier for pronunciation and causes no cause in understanding: in the text, the money is surely the compensation for the flower but not other things. Example 2: Algernon: Ah! That must be Aunt Augusta. Only relatives, or creditors, ever ring in that Wagnrian manner. This is from the Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, a line by Algergon, when he hears the rings of the bell. Wagner refers to a famous German playwright Richard Wagner who is famous for his sublime style. A literal translation of it will cause great trouble for the Chinese because they don’t know Wagner, let alone his style. But Yu guangzhang translates it as â€Å" , †. [3](p. 129)The phrase â€Å" †is sonorous and a little bit exaggerating. But it is so vivid that it presents an arrogant aristocratic woman to us. Example 3: Hamlet: Look here upon this picture, and on this, The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. See what a grace was seated on this brow: Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself, An eye like Mars, to threaten and command, A station like the herald Mercury New lighted on a [ heaven] kissing hill, a combination and a form indeed, Where every god did seem to set his seal To give the world assurance of a man. This is your husband. ( The Tragedy of Hamlet, Act III, scene IV) [Liang shiqiu’ version] : , , , ; ; ; , ; , ; , , : [4] In this paragraph, the Gods Hyperion, Jove, Mars, Mercury are not familiar to the Chinese audience. They may be confused by a transliteration. Though Liang shiqiu uses annotations that will not help much. The audience cannot have a script while watching. But Zhu shenghao is more tactful in his translation. [Zhu shenghao’ version] : , , : ; , , ; , , [5] In this version, Zhu shenghao avoids the transliteration of unfamiliar names. Instead he grasps their symbols and personal traits. So the audience could follow the play more easily though they don’t remember the specific names of these characters. Since drama is mainly written for stage performance, it is different from novels, prose and poems. We can read novels slowly and casually. If we can’t understand some part of it, we can reread it and ponder on it. A first reading of a novel may mean nothing to you. As we read it time and again, we can dig deeper and deeper into it. But in drama performance,â€Å" its purpose is to bring about sudden upheavals of the highest moral nature. †[6](p. 44)So drama language should not only be simple and understandable, but also must vividly demonstrate the personalities of the characters in a specific historical period. To avoid the stereotype, the translator must pay much attention to the roles of the characters in relation to others. The tones, intonation and diction of the characters should also be noticed. Example 4 The BYSTANDERS GENERALLY (demonstrating against police espionage) Course they could. What business is it of yours? You mind your own affairs. He wants promotion, he does. Taking down people’s words! Girl never said a word to him. What harm if she did? Nice thing a girl can’t shelter from the rain without being insulted, ect. , ect, (Act I) [first version] ( )!! , , , [7](p. 17) [second version] ( )!!! , , , [8] (p. 465) The second version of the translation adds the exclamation â€Å" †. It can vividly show the questioning tone of the bystanders. If the actors tactfully express it on the stage, which will draw the sympathy from the audience toward the protagonist. Another example of the flexible translation can be shown in â€Å"Romeo and Julie† Friar Laurence: Here comes the lady;/ O, so light a foot /Will never wear out the everlasting flint; / A lover may bestride the gossamers/ That idles in the wanton summer air, / And yet not fall: so light is vanity. [Cao yu’s version] : ,? , , , , [9] [Zhu shenghao’s version] : , , ; , ,. [10] The second version of the dialogue is better. In the first version, the last sentence â€Å" , †is obscure. The second version of this sentenceâ€Å" † can fit in well with the profession of Fiar Laurence. It vividly depicts a priest who is greatly concerned about the properties of the church and is devoted to his work. Another important aspect of drama is the scene of movement. In drama performance, the movement of actors will cause conflicts. The conflicts will push forward the development of the story. Then the audience will be interested and follow the show. So the actor must act on their personalities, intentions and run into conflicts with each other. And language should show the kind of movement. In Thunderstorm by Cao yu, the fierce contradiction between labor and capital can be read in the dialogues. So the language is full of movements. For example: : ,! ,! —— Hai: You drowned two thousand two hundred coolies in cold blood, and for each life lost you raked in three hundred dollars! I tell you, creature, you’ve made your money by killing people, and you and your sons stand accursed forever! And now on top of that you—— [11](p. 492) Literally, the word â€Å" †is just calling the name of Zhou puyuan in an impolite way. But its translation shows the sharp opposition between him and Zhou puyuan. Also it hints that Hai will retaliate on Zhou. So it is full of movements. In the Importance of being Earnest, Yu guangzhong is also good at showing the movements in the language. For example: Algernon: how are you, my dear Ernest? What brings you up to town? Jack: Oh, pleasure; pleasure! What else should bring one anywhere? Yu guangzhong translates it as â€Å"? ,! , †[12](p.126)Yu knows that Jack is a dandyish play boy. In the play, he just comes to Algernon for fun. The translation is far better than â€Å" †. and will agree with his proposal to Miss Bracknell. Finally, dramatic language should be refined and full of emotions. Without poetic sentiment, dialogues are half-dead. [13] The language of drama should have rhythm, be rich in meaning and full of unspoken words. In the dramas by Ibsen, Shakespeare, and Caoyu, we can feel the strong emotions and mellowness of their language. For example, in Caoyu’s translation of Romeo and Julie, we are overwhelmed by his coruscating wit. Julie: Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray,/ Hunting thee hence with hunt’s-up to the day. [Cao’ version] , [14] In the original language, the word â€Å"affray† rhymes with â€Å"day†. So the sentence can be read fluently. Cao is clever enough to end each clause with â€Å"? † and â€Å"? †, so they still rhyme with each other. Also the rhythm and appeal are attained. Another example of the poetical emotions can be shown in Yang xianyi’s translation of Quyuan by Guo moruo. â€Å" , ,! , , ,! , ,?! ,?! ,?! , , ,! † [Cao’s version]

Family and friends everyday lives Essay

Write an essay describing how new media technologies affect you, your family and friends everyday lives. The media world is constantly changing as a result of new developments in technology. Therefore the media industry is dependant upon highly sophisticated technology, which can be used to influence and inform groups of people all around the world. It has been suggested that we live in a world that is ‘media saturated’ as it dominates our lives. This in effect is true as media is a central part of our lives, it can be used to deliver us news as well as a source of entertainment, and this is why media can be so influential. The internet is one of the most fast developing new media technologies, enabling users to contact people all over the world to shop, chat, play games, download music and information, send e-mails and keep up with current affairs. The Internet was developed in America in the 1960s and was introduced in the 1990s in Britain. Originally this technology was introduced as a way of bringing people all over the world closer together, enabling them to communicate with one another simultaneously, giving its name the ‘medium of the future’. It is constantly being developed to suit peoples’ needs, for example broadband internet offers faster connection and makes downloading easy, effortless and not so time consuming as it used to be. Many radio stations have recognised that people may wish to listen whilst ‘surfing’ the Net, so have incorporated a ‘live airplay’ programme on their websites so that it is possible to listen to the radio via a computer rather than the conventional radio device. Many websites also offer a service where downloading music is free, this means that many people can save large amounts of money on buying CDs and can obtain the latest music singles and albums from the comfort of their own home. Home shopping is also increasing due to Internet services allowing consumers to purchase a range of goods via the Internet using their credit/debit cards as a method of payment. The advantage of this is that the busy shopping atmosphere is avoided and time is saved, this is also the case in online banking systems where cardholders can view bank statements, credit details and communicate with their bank via email. The only problem with these systems is that credit card details are given out over the Internet and may be obtained by other companies or Internet users, meaning the risk of credit card fraud is higher. However, a select few internet based companies have introduced a card which can be used like a ‘top-up’ card bought for mobile telephones, in the sense that a card is issued to the internet shopper so that they are able to go a top-up point and pay for a certain amount of money to be put on their card, which can then be used to purchase goods from the internet. Not only is this a safer option, it is also more convenient for younger customers who are not yet eligible for a credit card. Due to improved media technologies, it is now possible to access the Internet through digital television sets and mobile WAP compatible telephones. This means information, entertainment and news can be displayed without the use of a computer. Revision websites make learning a more interactive experience for students, as well as being a useful alternative to other methods of learning such as flashcards. Students can also test themselves and the website can mark their answers, giving them a score to see how effective the revision has been. Other websites such as ‘lastminute. com’ allow holidays, rental cars and other goods to be bought at the ‘last minute’ at a reduced rate. This means considerable savings can be made and purchasing goods or booking holidays is made simple and easy. Another convenience of the Internet is that ‘Chat Rooms’ allow people to talk to various people all over the world and if desired become involved in group discussions. This can mean young people can meet and talk to people of their own age group and interests and exchange thoughts and ideas. Obviously as you cannot see the person you are communicating with, you cannot be sure that they are telling the truth about their age, gender etc which also means this may cause an increase of illegal groups operating in chat rooms, such as paedophiles who abuse the internet. This may affect many families in different ways for example, if a parent feels that their child may not be safe to talk to people on the Internet they may limit the child’s use or filter the system so that they cannot access the chat rooms. If a teenager arranges to meet up with a person that they believe to be of the same age group as themselves, to discover that they are not the person they described themselves to be on the internet, they may face serious problems such as stalking. This can lead to anxiety problems and distrust for some people as well as being a major worry for all parents. Instant messaging services (MSN etc) allow users to be informed when friends or other named people on their contact list are online and lets them automatically begin a conversation without needing to log onto a chat room. Voice conversations can also be made using these facilities. Email enables Internet users to send a succession of ‘letters’ around the world to various people within seconds, as they are delivered instantly. Not only does this save time and money as the service is free, but it means messages can be sent and received instantly rather than waiting days, or even weeks for a letter to be delivered by post. Many people find this an excellent way of keeping in contact with relatives and friends, particularly those who live a long distance away. The only social problem that has been recognised by researchers is that emailing has begun to discourage people from writing letters, therefore making us more computer literate but less inclined to keep up good standards of writing skills.