Monday, August 24, 2020

YMCA by Village People as example of disco Essays

YMCA by Village People as case of disco Essays YMCA by Village People as case of disco Paper YMCA by Village People as case of disco Paper Exposition Topic: Casablanca â€Å"YMCA†, discharged in the fall of 1978, has gotten one of the extraordinary overcomers of the disco time not just on the grounds that it followed precisely the witticism of disco: ‘anyone could move to this song’, yet in addition in light of the fact that the Village People, looking so enthusiastically American in their ensembles, transformed it into a hybrid hit. The occasions that prompted this achievement were fluctuated: sociological, political and social. The reason for this paper is to examine how the tune â€Å"YMCA† mirrors the occasions of the decade that settled disco music and how it fits into this class which has freed minds up to another experience that has stayed healthy to this day.OverviewIn request to comprehend the Village People wonder we should think about a portion of the pertinent realities of the decade (70’s). In spite of the fact that disco was destined to suit underestimated crowds (blacks, latinos and gays), it before long traversed to the standard. The most different crowds acknowledged it and received its standards of shared concordance. The Stonewall Riots of June 1969, which began with one more police attack into a Greenwich Village gay bar, formed into a progression of savage fights that continued for a considerable length of time lastly denoted the start of the gay rights development in the United States (Kelly Boyer Sagert 31) As an outcome of the Stonewall Riots, the gay network won, among others, the option to move and collaborate in their own bars and clubs from police provocation. Discotheques turned into the primary site of gay freedom. As Robert Walser calls attention to, the music of the 70’s was, from numerous points of view, a response to the disappointed standards of the 60’s. Punk and overwhelming metal assumed control over the monetary droop, the incessant social issues and the political doubt however â€Å"the new sex characters and mutual ideals† were tak en up by disco (â€Å"The Rock and Roll Era 374)As its essential point was causing individuals to get together and move, disco became from various perspectives, the studio-made ‘product of producers’, consigning entertainers to a condition of close to namelessness and making artists the stars. On account of Village People, this was the activity of two French music makers: Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo who began to look all starry eyed at disco and chose to move to the United States to be a piece of the extraordinary development. They composed and co-delivered for the female trio The Ritchie Family. Before the finish of the seventies, Morali’s virtuoso for the business recognized an American Indian who moved in a gay disco down in the Village, as they watched him move they saw a cowhand who was trusting that his turn will perform. The two makers had a similar thought: combining in one disco band the male generalizations of America that the gay network reacted t o. They put an advertisement and in the long run filled the jobs of cattle rustler (Randy Jones), cop (Victor Willis), development specialist (David Hodo), trooper (Alex Briley), calfskin clad biker (Glenn Hughes), and Indian (Felipe Rose).Description and analysisJacques Morali concocted composing a melody about the â€Å"YMCA† in the wake of visiting Randy Jones who was remaining there as he moved to New York in 1975. As indicated by what the individuals from the Village People said in a meeting for SPIN Magazine, Morali composed the tune shortly during a mid-day break without acknowledging it was to turn into a disco hymn (Jeff Pearlman 74)YMCA was the first of the five tunes which shaped piece of the LP Cruisin discharged by Casablanca Records in 1978. As most disco tunes, it was intended for moving in a club. The melody mirrors the association and recognizable proof of the people with a network. A few creators propose that such encounters are fundamental to the disco musi c: â€Å"To comprehend this music it is important to comprehend (and regard, and presumably love) the vibe of being one among several others on a stuffed move floor, moving in light of the fact that moving is the thing that we appreciate most, and on the grounds that move music (like sex) ties us intimately.†(Watney 9)â€Å"YMCA† is sung essentially as a lot of suggestions to accomplices who have recently shown up in New York with no cash and no place to remain. In this tune the gathering vocals can be comprehended as speaking to the network and the soloist, the person. Each line of the tune is in a call-and-reaction design. First all the individuals from the Village People sing a short word or expression, at that point Victor Willis, with his expansive chested lead vocal, includes a more extended line.The tune comprises for the most part of six refrains, each pair followed by a similar ensemble. The tune tunes are shut, independent. This is accomplished by a practical ly exacting melodic structure (AABB) and the word by word worry of the last section in a refrain, punctuated by synthesizers. There is an unobtrusive textural crescendo after the principal ensemble, however the force level example remains essentially the equivalent all through the tune. All melodies are for all intents and purposes indistinguishable expressively as well as far as instrumentation. The melody begins with a metal presentation which is promptly trailed by the four-four heartbeat beat of disco as the band sings.  Many various instruments are utilized: clavinet and electric piano (Nathanial Wilke), drums (Russell Drabney), lead guitar (Jimmy Lee), cadence guitar (Rodger Lee), synthesizer (Richard Trifan) however metal instruments stick out. Before each of the melodies we can hear five eruptions of metal which appear to report the significant message:It’s amusing to remain at the YMCAThe rest of the refrains are there to clarify why it is so much fun:They have eve rything for you men to enjoy,You can spend time with all the young men You can get yourself clean, you can have a decent meal,You can do shouldn't something be said about you feel Having taken off in gay discotheques, the Village People figured out how to make their songs’ relationship with gay way of life evident yet by one way or another barely perceptible. They just decided not to say much regarding the subject and let everyone accept what they wanted.It was this procedure, along with their mystique and the correct social conditions which made â€Å"YMCA† sell 12 million globally and be continually reissued and repackaged.ConclusionDisco sound was ultra-comprehensive. Jazz, traditional, calypso, rock, latin, soul, funk were blended in an ideal formula inside a studio to make a creative sound. It, thusly, impacted 1990’s and 2000’s rhythms like house, techno and hip-jump demonstrating effectively that disco is a truly noble connection of the chain of mu sic.Although in 1977 it may have been difficult to accept, the Village People involved an outrageous spot throughout the entire existence of music. It was a short, furious second when the social guideline was ‘if it feels better, at that point it’s ok’, yet with their pleasant looks and their infectious mood, they got one of the disco decade most suffering marvels. There is certainly not a game, wedding gathering, biker meeting where â€Å"YMCA† isn't played affirming it as one of the disco hymns of all times.As Richard Dryer composed â€Å"disco can’t change the world or make the revolution† yet it opened up understanding and changed definitions (â€Å"In Defense of Disco† 151)

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - Book Review

Nightfall by Stephenie Meyer - Book Review Theres an explanation in excess of 10 million Twilight arrangement books are in print. Sundown, the first in the arrangement, is the addictive story of two young people â€- Bella, a customary young lady, and Edward, an ideal respectable man, and a vampire. This is the kind of book you may peruse in only a couple of sittings, getting charmed in its fantastical world and unmindful of your physical environmental factors. While not the following incredible thing in current writing, its a great book to lose all sense of direction in and reaches a conclusion far and away too rapidly. Aces Exceptionally engaging, quick paced story of sentiment and suspenseRelatively clean for a high school vampire love storyThe idea of good vampires is bizarre and charming Cons The composing can be burdensome at timesEdwards flawlessness can be over-the-top, in any event, for an imaginary super-humanAt times, Edward and Bellas relationship can appear to be increasingly similar to that of a dad and girl Portrayal Nightfall by Stephenie Meyer was first distributed in October 2005.Publisher: Little, Brown512 Pages Dusk by Stephenie Meyer: Book Review Dusk is told by 17-year-old Bella Swan, who moves from Phoenix to the unassuming community of Forks, Washington, to live with her father for the rest of secondary school. There, she meets Edward Cullen and his family, who have an other-common and overwhelming magnificence and beauty to which Bella is drawn. Sundown is the story of Bella and Edwards prospering relationship, overflowing with standard high school show nearby the unforeseen, in light of the fact that, all things considered, Edward and his family are vampires. These undead companions have decided to deny their inclination to drink human blood, rather slaking their thirst with the blood of creatures. Bella before long discovers, be that as it may, that not all vampires throughout her life are compelled by such qualms. The book has been adulated for its treatment of sexuality and profound quality. In spite of the fact that theres a lot of longing and exotic nature, there is no sex, drinking, or medication use. Edward declines Bellas want to be transformed into a vampire herself, on grounds that it wouldnt be the correct activity. Sundown is a simple and agreeable read. Its first-individual perspective keeps the pages turning. This isnt a magnum opus of artistic accomplishment, nonetheless. You need to take it for what it is â€- a special and engaging, if not faultlessly composed, story. Dusk will in all likelihood claim to young ladies and numerous ladies all things considered, yet most likely not to most of guys. Its sure to make perusers anxious to eat up the following three books.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Welcoming Our New Team Members Tom, Seamus, Meli, Neel Adam - Focus

Welcoming Our New Team Members Tom, Seamus, Meli, Neel Adam - Focus It’s been all hands on deck at MeisterLabs the last few months, as we’ve been implementing a bunch of new, exciting updates for both MindMeister and MeisterTask. With it being all go, we’re delighted to welcome five new team members to our Seattle and Vienna offices, bringing a breadth of experience to our MeisterLabs team ?? Introducing Our New Team Members With skills spanning the realms of front and backend development, design, and support, we’re chuffed to have Tom, Seamus, Meli, Neel Adam on board. Here’s a little about each of them: Tom Alexander â€" Support Specialist Hi there, I’m Tom, I joined the MeisterLabs team a couple of weeks ago and I’m working as a support specialist out of Seattle, WA in the USA. My Background I live and work in Seattle but I recently moved from Detroit, Michigan (the state that’s shaped like a mitten). Before joining MeisterLabs, I did quite a few different things after college, I worked as a freelance photojournalist covering sports, both professional and college, as well as musical groups, which involved touring the country, doing photo and video work at shows and documenting day to day tour life. About a year and a half ago, I started learning web development, which I then worked in freelance. Most recently, I worked at the Genius Bar at an Apple Store here in Washington, supporting customers. My role at MeisterLabs As a support specialist, I handle part of the help desk ticketing system that takes queries from our users when they have questions, concerns or problems that need fixing. I work in tandem with the development team to relay user issues and implement strategies to fix them. I like the work because I like to solve problems and love the satisfaction when I can help a user come away from an experience feeling like they were heard and their issue was taken care of, no matter how big or how small it was. About me Outside of work, I like to hang out with my dog, Nightmare and my girlfriend, Kristin. I’m a hardcore gamer, mostly playing competitive games like League of Legends, Overwatch, and Player Unknown Battlegrounds, but occasionally return to my roots of Call of Duty when I just wanna mess around with some old friends. In addition to games and dog and girlfriend, I love professional wrestling, good beer, and pizza. Seamus Gallagher â€" Frontend Developer Hi there, I’m Seamus and I’m working as a Frontend Developer in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I grew up in rural Ireland and studied Mathematics at the University of Limerick. After graduating, I moved to Vienna and took an Analyst role with the Austrian Power Grid. It was there that I was introduced to Software Development and decided to pursue it professionally. After a year working in Dublin as a Software Developer with Guy Carpenter, I moved back to Vienna again and joined the MeisterLabs team. My role at MeisterLabs My main role is to advance the development of our mind mapping tool, MindMeister. I strive to develop intuitive and well-structured software using appropriate tools, in order to create an experience where all aspects are considered. About me When I get the chance, I love to get outdoors and get active, whether that’s a quick bouldering session, trying to surf a few waves near my hometown in Ireland or a weekend skiing in the Alps. I also enjoy hanging out with friends, cooking and experiencing new parts of the world. Meli Muir Fernandez â€" Support Specialist Hi there, I’m Meli and I’m working as a Support Specialist in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I’m originally from Costa Rica but have lived in Europe now for over 16 years. I went to school in Vienna, before moving to the UK to go to university. Since graduating, I’ve been moving through Europe, trying out different jobs and different cities, before finally settling with Technical Support back home in Austria, formerly in Linz and now in Vienna. My role at MeisterLabs As a support specialist, I’ve joined MeisterLabs’ technical support team, based in the head office in Vienna. My interest in support stems from a love of troubleshooting it’s like a puzzle that allows me to find a solution for both us and our users. I also like being the connection between the company and the outside world, balancing both of our interests. About me I love watching movies and shows and being a huge couch potato, but I also really enjoy coding and am always trying to teach myself new programming languages. Its so satisfying to be able to build incredible things from just some code on my screen! Neel Shah â€" Backend Developer Hi there, I’m Neel and I’m working as a Backend Developer in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I’m Indian by origin and moved to Vienna around 4 years ago. By training, I’m an Electrical Engineer / Computer Scientist, though I’ve been working on software since leaving academia a couple of years ago. My last stint was as a Full Stack Developer at Pioneers.io, building foundational infrastructure for scaling their events with a matchmaking and meeting allocation system. My role at MeisterLabs At MeisterLabs, my role will be mostly as a backend programmer, though I can also take up some UI work if need be. The fact that MindMeister has been around for over 10 years and has an extensive user-base is definitely appealing, since I’m sure this will translate to a challenging and interesting set of engineering problems. About me I read a lot, mostly literature. My current fascination is Alchemy and Jewish Mysticism and more generally the history of occult movements. I enjoy the occasional long weekend walk and spend an unhealthy amount of time in smoky Viennese Cafés. Adam Buckley â€" UI/UX Designer I’m Adam and I’m working as a UI and UX Designer in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I’m a designer from Ireland who moved to Vienna 7 years ago. My background is in Industrial Design but I found my interests shifting away from physical products and towards digital products. Prior to joining MeisterLabs, I spent 5 years leading UX Design at a mobile payment startup. My role at MeisterLabs As UI/UX Designer at MeisterLabs, I work with both the MindMeister and MeisterTask teams, while also providing graphic design for the Marketing team. What I love about this role so far is the wide array of different projects I have the opportunity to work on daily. In any one day, I could be designing image assets for an app, working on website wireframes, creating an illustration for a blog post or discussing new features with management and developers. I love to have feedback and input from as many different sources as possible and I find the atmosphere at MeisterLabs promotes collaborative teamwork really well. About me In my spare time, when I’m not hanging out with my awesome daughter, I like to play squash, darts and in the winter time, ski. To keep my creative juices flowing, I like to work on personal projects, such as illustration and creative writing. We’re delighted to have Tom, Seamus, Meli, Neel Adam on board! There’s still space in our bustling offices in Vienna and the U.S. though. Check out our jobs page to find out the positions we’re hiring for. If you don’t see an opening that fits, get in touch via [emailprotected] to let us know where you see yourself on our team! Welcoming Our New Team Members Tom, Seamus, Meli, Neel Adam - Focus It’s been all hands on deck at MeisterLabs the last few months, as we’ve been implementing a bunch of new, exciting updates for both MindMeister and MeisterTask. With it being all go, we’re delighted to welcome five new team members to our Seattle and Vienna offices, bringing a breadth of experience to our MeisterLabs team ?? Introducing Our New Team Members With skills spanning the realms of front and backend development, design, and support, we’re chuffed to have Tom, Seamus, Meli, Neel Adam on board. Here’s a little about each of them: Tom Alexander â€" Support Specialist Hi there, I’m Tom, I joined the MeisterLabs team a couple of weeks ago and I’m working as a support specialist out of Seattle, WA in the USA. My Background I live and work in Seattle but I recently moved from Detroit, Michigan (the state that’s shaped like a mitten). Before joining MeisterLabs, I did quite a few different things after college, I worked as a freelance photojournalist covering sports, both professional and college, as well as musical groups, which involved touring the country, doing photo and video work at shows and documenting day to day tour life. About a year and a half ago, I started learning web development, which I then worked in freelance. Most recently, I worked at the Genius Bar at an Apple Store here in Washington, supporting customers. My role at MeisterLabs As a support specialist, I handle part of the help desk ticketing system that takes queries from our users when they have questions, concerns or problems that need fixing. I work in tandem with the development team to relay user issues and implement strategies to fix them. I like the work because I like to solve problems and love the satisfaction when I can help a user come away from an experience feeling like they were heard and their issue was taken care of, no matter how big or how small it was. About me Outside of work, I like to hang out with my dog, Nightmare and my girlfriend, Kristin. I’m a hardcore gamer, mostly playing competitive games like League of Legends, Overwatch, and Player Unknown Battlegrounds, but occasionally return to my roots of Call of Duty when I just wanna mess around with some old friends. In addition to games and dog and girlfriend, I love professional wrestling, good beer, and pizza. Seamus Gallagher â€" Frontend Developer Hi there, I’m Seamus and I’m working as a Frontend Developer in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I grew up in rural Ireland and studied Mathematics at the University of Limerick. After graduating, I moved to Vienna and took an Analyst role with the Austrian Power Grid. It was there that I was introduced to Software Development and decided to pursue it professionally. After a year working in Dublin as a Software Developer with Guy Carpenter, I moved back to Vienna again and joined the MeisterLabs team. My role at MeisterLabs My main role is to advance the development of our mind mapping tool, MindMeister. I strive to develop intuitive and well-structured software using appropriate tools, in order to create an experience where all aspects are considered. About me When I get the chance, I love to get outdoors and get active, whether that’s a quick bouldering session, trying to surf a few waves near my hometown in Ireland or a weekend skiing in the Alps. I also enjoy hanging out with friends, cooking and experiencing new parts of the world. Meli Muir Fernandez â€" Support Specialist Hi there, I’m Meli and I’m working as a Support Specialist in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I’m originally from Costa Rica but have lived in Europe now for over 16 years. I went to school in Vienna, before moving to the UK to go to university. Since graduating, I’ve been moving through Europe, trying out different jobs and different cities, before finally settling with Technical Support back home in Austria, formerly in Linz and now in Vienna. My role at MeisterLabs As a support specialist, I’ve joined MeisterLabs’ technical support team, based in the head office in Vienna. My interest in support stems from a love of troubleshooting it’s like a puzzle that allows me to find a solution for both us and our users. I also like being the connection between the company and the outside world, balancing both of our interests. About me I love watching movies and shows and being a huge couch potato, but I also really enjoy coding and am always trying to teach myself new programming languages. Its so satisfying to be able to build incredible things from just some code on my screen! Neel Shah â€" Backend Developer Hi there, I’m Neel and I’m working as a Backend Developer in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I’m Indian by origin and moved to Vienna around 4 years ago. By training, I’m an Electrical Engineer / Computer Scientist, though I’ve been working on software since leaving academia a couple of years ago. My last stint was as a Full Stack Developer at Pioneers.io, building foundational infrastructure for scaling their events with a matchmaking and meeting allocation system. My role at MeisterLabs At MeisterLabs, my role will be mostly as a backend programmer, though I can also take up some UI work if need be. The fact that MindMeister has been around for over 10 years and has an extensive user-base is definitely appealing, since I’m sure this will translate to a challenging and interesting set of engineering problems. About me I read a lot, mostly literature. My current fascination is Alchemy and Jewish Mysticism and more generally the history of occult movements. I enjoy the occasional long weekend walk and spend an unhealthy amount of time in smoky Viennese Cafés. Adam Buckley â€" UI/UX Designer I’m Adam and I’m working as a UI and UX Designer in MeisterLabs’ Vienna office. My background I’m a designer from Ireland who moved to Vienna 7 years ago. My background is in Industrial Design but I found my interests shifting away from physical products and towards digital products. Prior to joining MeisterLabs, I spent 5 years leading UX Design at a mobile payment startup. My role at MeisterLabs As UI/UX Designer at MeisterLabs, I work with both the MindMeister and MeisterTask teams, while also providing graphic design for the Marketing team. What I love about this role so far is the wide array of different projects I have the opportunity to work on daily. In any one day, I could be designing image assets for an app, working on website wireframes, creating an illustration for a blog post or discussing new features with management and developers. I love to have feedback and input from as many different sources as possible and I find the atmosphere at MeisterLabs promotes collaborative teamwork really well. About me In my spare time, when I’m not hanging out with my awesome daughter, I like to play squash, darts and in the winter time, ski. To keep my creative juices flowing, I like to work on personal projects, such as illustration and creative writing. We’re delighted to have Tom, Seamus, Meli, Neel Adam on board! There’s still space in our bustling offices in Vienna and the U.S. though. Check out our jobs page to find out the positions we’re hiring for. If you don’t see an opening that fits, get in touch via [emailprotected] to let us know where you see yourself on our team!

Friday, May 22, 2020

Climate Change Causes And Effects - 1113 Words

Climate Change: Causes and Effects Student’s Name: Institutional Affiliation: Climate Change: Causes and Effects According to Adger (2010), the combined effect of climate change and limitations of resources is serving as a threat to the sustainability of the current social-economic systems and is poised to affect our way of life. Climatic change is more than global warming. The rise in temperatures is but part of the broader changes leading to extreme temperatures, drought, flooding, storms, rising sea levels, impacts on food production and a range of infectious diseases. Despite the awareness of the situation by the scientific community, it has been slow to react and implement measures to mitigate their effects. According to the club of Rome, the limited resources of the earth cannot support the earth’s exponential growth, due to the slow renewal. It estimates that we are currently using 50% more resources than the sustainable level, with a current projected population of above 8 billion to the sustainable one. Global warming and climate change is accelerating the issue, through reducti on of the agricultural production and will effectively lead to physical damage that may lead to catastrophic effects like extreme weather patterns and sea level rise Adger (2010). Accelerated climate change is anticipated to have massive effects on the sustainability of the earth due to adverse ecological, social and economic impacts (Milfont, 2012). This is fueled by anShow MoreRelatedCause And Effect Of Climate Change Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesCause and effects of Climate Change. General purpose: to inform. Specific purpose: After hearing my speech my audience will know what climate change is, what causes it and its effects now and in the future. Thesis Statement: Climate change is a very important issue that affects all of us. Organization pattern: Cause and effect. Introduction: I. (Attention-getter): How do you explain that 30 years ago we had a different weather than today? When you look at yourself in a dirty mirror; can you seeRead MoreCauses And Effects Of Climate Change1706 Words   |  7 PagesDiscuss the causes and effects of climate change. Present any solutions that are relevant to these issues. Probably the most anxious threat to our earth in these two decades is climate change. Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other saying, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, among other effects, that occur over several decades or longer (Epa.gov, 2015). The rateRead MoreClimate Change : Causes And Effects934 Words   |  4 Pages Climate Change Paper Kaitlyn Yinger 4-17-15 Erin Reese Biology 122: 10:30-12:45 Climate Change What really causes climate change? Is it human cause or is a natural process that is happening? I think that us as humans contribute more to climate change then natural causes. Human Causes Humans affect climate change in different ways, three main ways that humans caused climate change is deforestation, greenhouse gases and Agriculture. Deforestation causes change to the landscapeRead MoreThe Causes And Effects Of Climate Change1084 Words   |  5 PagesAs a result of climate change, natural disaster has increased extremely, especially droughts and floods around the world. In the past several years, it can be seen that various news concerned critical climate variability and extreme weather. For instance, the United States Department of Agriculture (2013) pointed out that the US agricultural land suffered from drought about 80 percent in 2012, while BBC (2015) reported that one of four districts in Myanmar, which were warned of flooding caused byRead MoreCauses And Effects Of Climate Change Essay1260 Words   |  6 PagesCommunication 11, Section D23 Informative Speech 14 November 2016 Causes and effects of Climate Change. General purpose: to inform. Specific purpose: After hearing my speech, my audience will know more what climate change is, what causes it and its effects now and in the future. Thesis Statement: Climate change is a very important issue that affects all of us, we need to know more about this issue. Organization pattern: Cause and effect. Introduction: I. (Attention-getter): When you look at yourselfRead MoreThe Causes And Effects Of Climate Change1690 Words   |  7 Pagesdebates about the pros and cons of climate change and what are the causes and effects of climate change. There are those who argue that the rising levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases in our environment are as a direct result of human activities. Some activities that are at the top of the list include but are not limited to the burning of fossil fuels, the cutting down of our forest, these activities are causing significant and increasingly severe climate changes which include global warming. GlobalRead MoreClimate Change : Causes And Effects1347 Words   |  6 Pagesdebated topic of climate change. Climate change is no myth; it’s a further analysis of how our planet is suffering the negative effects of human carelessness, which can be observed through the glaciers worldwide. Due to fossil fuel consumption and deforestation, greenhouse gasses are beyon d regular amounts and affecting the glaciers, causing them to melt and increase ocean and sea levels. To further understand Climate Change, one must recognize what it is. When people ponder about climate, they thinkRead MoreClimate Change : Causes And Effects1781 Words   |  8 PagesClimate change, either caused by humans, or naturally occurring, is beginning to affect several areas around the world and is causing human environmental insecurity in some already weakened states and regions. Climate change is defined simply as changes in the earth’s weather patterns. Change in climate becomes a security concern, for example, if decreased rainfall equates to decreased crop production in what was once a dependable food source that has now disappeared. The lack of this resourceRead MoreClimate Change : Causes And Effects Essay1856 Words   |  8 PagesClimate change: Climate change is caused mainly by increase of human activity and industrialisation. For example, activities such as driving cars, farming, burning coal and cutting down forests produce greenhouse gases – mainly carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide which are emitted into the atmosphere, which create a layer of greenhouse gases around the earth and trap the sun s heat. The earth over its 4.5 billion-year history has naturally fluctuated from ice ages to extreme droughts, howeverRead MoreClimate Change : Causes, Effects And Solutions1774 Words   |  8 Pageslately on the causes, effects and solutions of global climate change. Nearly every day, scientists and politicians speak about the subject, or we hear about it in the news media. On September 23, 2014, President Obama remarked at a U.N. Climate Change Summit that â€Å"-- there’s one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent and growing threat of a changing climate† (The White House). The science of climate and climate change involves many

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Effect of Nutrition on Academic Performance - 895 Words

Effect of Nutrition on Academic Performance RGS6035.E2 - Chapter 1 Kurt Cornett Amberton University Effect of Nutrition on Academic Performance Every year millions of tax dollars are spent on school nutrition programs all over the United States. Legislators across the nation lobby for coordinated school health programs and place increasing emphasis on student nutrition. Television commercials remind kids to eat a balanced diet and food products aimed at students are everywhere. In recent years a sudden increase of new breakfast related foods has flooded the market and never has there been so much information about the vitamins and minerals children’s foods contain than now. For years†¦show more content†¦The federally assisted meal program was created to safeguard the health and well-being of the nation’s children and to encourage the consumption of American-grown commodities. The federal government would reimburse schools for student who qualified for free or reduced meals. Students who didn’t qualify were able to purchase lunch, and their money was used to off-set the costs of building new facilities for the expanding program. The program started to expand because of the increasing number of women working outside the home during the war (Winchell, 2009). Since 1946 the National School Lunch Act’s laws and regulations have been amended twenty-two times. Today’s program has over 100 years of testing, evaluating, and constant research to make sure the program provides the best in nutrition, nutrition education, and foodservice for millions of students. The school lunch program has become so accepted that most Americans don’t think of it as welfare (Winchell, 2009). The USDA still maintains control over the program, but there are still funding issues with more than half of school lunches free or reduced. According to the National Nutrition Standards, which are published by the School Nutrition Association, in order for schools to receive federal subsidies for free or reduced lunch meals they must follow Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). With all of these programs and importance on nutrition, howShow MoreRelatedEffects of Nutrition on Academic Performance Essay723 Words   |  3 Pagesbefore the school day starts. The program helps educate students, at an early age, on the importance of eating nutritious food to start their day. Problem Statement Knowing the effects of nutrition on your brain growth and consuming what is necessary for brain function and growth will better prepare you for successful academic completion. Studies have shown that â€Å"students who had better nutritional quality and habits were ‘significantly less likely to fail the literacy assessment[s]’ (Florence et alRead MoreThe Findings From My Current Research Indicate That It1697 Words   |  7 PagesThe findings from my current research indicate that it is true that poor nutrition negatively affects the academic performance of the students. Also, the study shows that when the students are given meals with good nutrient content, it is significant because it supports their growth and development as well as improve their cognitive development (Langford, et. al, 2014). The study showed that majority of the students who performed poorly in their tests are the one that is fed in meals that lack nutrientsRead MoreBharadwaj, Là ¸ken, Neilson (2 013), Have Revealed That911 Words   |  4 Pagesof research has been put on the relationship between the brain function and nutrition. The brain needs a proper diet which improves its performance and function (Bharadwaj, Là ¸ken, Neilson, 2013). More than 60 percent of the human brain is made up of fat which plays a role of the messenger that control aspects such as mood. For instance, the Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to be significant for the optimal performance of the brain, and when a person lacks this kind of fatty acids, he or she mayRead More Psychology Studies Essay1522 Words   |  7 PagesTwo-Year School Breakfast Program for Preschool-Aged Children on Their Nutrient Intake and Pre-Academic Performance. Child Study Journal, 29, 113-131. This study contains information dealing with the relationship between nutrition and academic performance. The A variable consists of eating a well-balanced breakfast with a School Breakfast Program (SBP), while the B variable consists of pre-academic performance. The procedure these researchers used to study a nutritional breakfast was to provide preschoolersRead MoreEssay on Breakfast as a Scholastic Tool1448 Words   |  6 Pageshowever, may bear more significant than was ever thought before. Researchers now believe that breakfast indeed is the most important meal of the day, resulting in academic and psychosocial improvements that last a lifetime. While many may have trouble believing that a piece of toast in the morning can produce increased academic performance as well as a healthy mind, the fact is it has been proven to be true. It is for this reason that the federal government should establish a universal free breakfastRead MoreDo Children That Eat Breakfast?1701 Words   |  7 Pagesfinished their homework†.(Better Grade Through Breakfast Vibrant Life Mar.2001:8 Health Reference Center Academic. Web.1.Nov 2015). Research also indicates that children who skip on an average on breakfast at least a couple of hours a week develop behavioral problems is what studies are indicating and that is due to lack of concentration and behavior problems that develop. Nutrition also plays a role in how we function and develop when it comes to eating breakfast or not. Research indicatesRead MoreThe Effect Of Poor Nutrition On The Student s Academic Achievements1606 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The purpose of this research paper is to examine the impact of poor nutrition on the Student’s academic achievements. Therefore, this chapter presents and describes the methodology that is used in completing this research paper. The methodology will include the systematic as well as theoretical analysis of methods that will be applied in collecting data, and this is significant in proving whether the hypotheses have been confirmed or not. Inappropriately describe the methodology usedRead MoreLife Chances Of Poor Children Essay1423 Words   |  6 Pages and at least some of these problems might be addressed without substantial increase in resources.† Children in poverty need special support in order to achieve academic success. These flaws will only hold these children back from succeeding. Research Question: Are government assistance programs helping improve the academic performance of children in poverty? Methods Sample The population being studied in this research is families currently living in poverty with middle school age childrenRead MoreNutrition : A Healthy Health, Growth And Development1065 Words   |  5 PagesOne of our goals as parents is ensure we provide adequate care and nutrition for our children. Most parents know that proper nutrition of their baby is imperative, since proper nutrition promotes a healthy life. For that reason, parents may find themselves having to make some tough decisions when it comes to feeding their children. Proper nutrition of children is the key to determine good health, growth and development. In this article, I will provide parents with information to help them make theRead MoreChildren ´s Diet and Nutrition, An Anotated Bibliography Essay1156 Words   |  5 PagesBauer, K. W., Berge, J. M., Larson, N., Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2011). Are Parents of Young Children Practicing Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors? Pediatrics, 127(5), 881-887. doi: 10.1542/peds.1010-3218. The authors of this article present an investigation on the changes in health behaviors during parenthood. The study examines health behaviors, such as nutrition and physical activity, of both parents and young adults without children. Based on the findings, the authors concluded

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Analyze the causes of the Rwandan Genocide Free Essays

string(65) " asserting that they want â€Å"to promote a democratic revolution\." Introduction The term ‘Genocide’ is derived from the combination of the Greek word ‘genos’ (race) with the Latin word ‘cide’ (killing) which was created by Raphael Lemkin who was a Polish writer and attorney in 1941. The definition of the tern ‘Genocide’ according to the UN Convention on Genocide of December 1948 states â€Å"any of the following acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such†: this incorporates the following; such as the killing members of a group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring-about its physical destruction in whole or in part or imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. http://www. We will write a custom essay sample on Analyze the causes of the Rwandan Genocide or any similar topic only for you Order Now bbc.co.uk/news/world-11108059 The Twentieth Century witnessed an unprecedented numbers of genocides. However the most chilling of them all was the Rwandan genocide because it was the most rapidly executed state sponsored mass murder and it could have been prevented. Between April and July of 1994, an estimated eight hundred thousand people were murdered in Rwanda, in what was eventually called a genocide. It was the genocide of the Tutsi by the ruling class Hutus. There were many key contributing elements that culminated in the the execution of a targeted race on such a large scale. The source of the cause of the genocide was a result of ethnic tension between the Hutus and Tutsi race. Historical factors One of the main causes of the genocide in Rwanda can be traced back to the period of colonial rule over Rwanda, where numerous policies of the imperialists left the Rwandan society divided with tensions searing among its population during and after this colonial period. Rwanda was originally ruled by the German empire but later by the Germans after World War I until the independence of Rwanda in 1962. During the Belgian rule, the ruling Belgians had initially favored the Tutsi minority and used them to rule over Rwanda indirectly. For years the Tutsi minority had power and control, this is because the Europeans saw the Hutu as inferior, this in turn saw the systematic oppression of this group. This had lasted until the independence of Rwanda in 1962. (Destexhe, 1995) For 60 years, the colonial policies of divide and conquer strategy to rule over Rwanda, caused fierce resentment. Before the colonization, according to Melvern (2000:11) the two ethnic groups, the tutsis and hutus had shared various social commonalities, he pointed out that they shared the same language, way of life, existed and lived alongside each other in the same community , they were said to have also intermarried. However, the Belgian implemented various reforms on its colony Rwanda during the period from the mid-1920s to the mid-1930s, where they had determined a crucial distinction between the natives, they claimed the Hutus to be the indigenous Bantu and Tutsis as alien Hamites. As the Europeans imperialist came to Africa they developed admiration for the ruling Tutsi group. They were convinced that the success of the Tutsi political and economic sectors revealed their superiority. Europeans concluded that since the Tutsi ruled over the Hutu and Twa, they were also like them. (Destexhe, 1995) This view held by the colonialists of one race superior above another, was a major cause for the subsequent genocide. The Europeans deduced the Tutsi race were not really sub-Saharan Africans, instead they were those who were likely from the ancient Egyptians lineage. This view led to the creation of a a disturbing and controversial fallacy, the colonialists spread the ‘Hamitic myth’, which supported the view the â€Å"Tutsi and everything humanly superior in Central Africa came from ancient Egypt or Abyssinia†. Melvern argued that this Hamitic theory, â€Å"explained away every sign of civilisation in tropical Africa as a foreign import.† The fabrication of the Hutu and Tutsi races were based on categories of different socio-economic positions within Rwandan society. In order to categorise them the Belgians adopted a measure to divide the people of rwanda, they used ownership of cows as the key criteria for deciding which group an individual belonged to. Those with 10 or more cows were Tutsi along with all their descendants in the male line and those with less were regarded as a Hutu. Although it has been argued by some the Belgians did not arbitrarily cook up the Hutu/Tutsi distinction, but what they did was to take an existing socio-political distinction and radicalize it. this also explains that ‘Rwanda’s bloodbath was not tribal. It was rather a distinctly modern tragedy, a degenerated class conflict, according to Pottier (2002:9), The 60 years of such prejudicial fabrications might have ‘ended by inflating the Tutsi cultural ego inordinately and crushing Hutu feelings until they coalesced into an aggressively resentful inferiority complex’. this was an important factor, in-regard-to the causes of the genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda because of the resentment that had boiled up among the Hutu populations over the colonial preference of the Tutsis. The colonization of Rwanda played a major role in the contributing elements that lead to the genocide, for example, the policies implemented by the Belgians saw the adoption of identity cards, which highlighted the ethnic background a person; whether they were a Tutsi, Hutu or Twa. This had the effect of attaching a sub national identity to all Rwandans and dividing the nation into categories. This lead to, a perception of a hierarchy among these race groups, which further added to the resentment, which added to the bitterness; this would later help to fuel the massacre at an alarming rate. However, during the late 1950s Rwanda witnessed a shift in colonial attitude, the Belgian rulers changed their â€Å"policy of discrimination in the to favour the Hutu†, as they had realised that dominance of the Hutu majority was almost certain. Therefore colonial empire took their side and , asserting that they want â€Å"to promote a democratic revolution. You read "Analyze the causes of the Rwandan Genocide" in category "Essay examples"† 1957 saw a significant development, that highlighted the level of division that was created, in that, a group of nine Hutu intellectuals had published the Hutu Manifesto, which protested against the political, economic and educational dominance of the Tutsi ‘race’ and set apart the Tutsi race as foreign aggressors, it called for Hutu in all discipline, also it insisted that identity cards were to remain in order to keep track of the ‘race monopoly.’ However, theTutsi elite had refuted this Hutu Manifesto and held the colonial rulers for the racial problems within the country. Rwanda gained independence on 1 July 1962. After independence was declared, The Hutus secured control. This was a major turning point in Rwanda, as this would lead to actions adopted by this Hutu government that would marginalise the Tutsi minority. As the Hutus utilised this moment to weaken the Tutsis by using â€Å"false propaganda† of the Tutsis having â€Å"usurped Hutus in secondary and higher teaching institutions and in employment, public administration, and the private sector to advance their cause.† The measures employed by the Hutus against the Tutsis was more than spreading propaganda, they used this method to sanction the killing and isolation of the Tutsi race by prohibiting them from teaching themselves and from playing a role in the government, most crucially from the military. This led to the displacement of many Tutsis trying to avoid these measures. The tables had now turned on the once ruling Tutsi people, clearly bringing to light the discriminatio n faced by them. This was a significant aspect in the years leading up to the genocide. Environmental factor Environmental factors have also played a key role in causing and shaping the genocide. â€Å"Rwanda, is a small country whose population increased from 1 887 000 in 1948 to more than 7 500 000 in 1992†. In other words, this rapid rise population within a small land area made it densely populated which placed pressures on both the land and population. It has been argued that Rwanda’s overpopulation and poverty problems undoubtedly set in place increasing racial antagonism. The increasing population and subset amongst family members increased, the amount of available land for subsistence purposes decreased drastically, leaving many landless and unemployed. As a result, people were easily encouraged by political leaders to kill the Tutsis so that they could take possession of their land. Therefore it is clear to see that population growth and land scarcity was a major cause for the genocide in Rwanda. Economic Economic factors have also conditioned and exacerbated the effects the magnitude of the massacre in Rwanda. There are four key socio- economic factors include the following; the price of coffee which fell suddenly along with the 1989 currency devaluation and the subsequent rapid inflation after 1990; the structural adjustment programme combined with a drought in the southern regions which turned into a famine; the 1990 war in the north that had exhausted government funds, the war also created huge refugee camps in the north of rwanda, finally the ‘paradox of democratisation in Africa’ which caused opposition to the already embattled government. As Rwanda faced a serious food–people–land disproportion. In the first half of the twentieth century, severe food insufficiency were linked with the death and migration of many of the Rwandan population to neighbouring lands. From 1928–1929 Rwanda suffered from famine and famine of 1943 took the life of approximately â€Å"30,000 people and forced over 100,000 to leave for the Belgian Congo and Uganda.† In the years leading to the genocide, there had been a noticeable slump in the â€Å"availability of kilocalories per person per day and overall farm production.† Famines occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s in several parts of the country. Emergency sources of food in neighbouring countries also were limited. Another contributing factor that made worse the already dire situation in Rwanda that lead to the genocide was that for two decades before the 1994 mass murder, was ‘land acquisition’ carried out by military personnels and persons with influence with political connections, this led to the formation of a rural elite. However, â€Å"only 17 per cent of all Rwandan farms exceeded one hectare, they accounted for 43 per cent of Rwanda’s total arable land.† For most part of the land in Rwanda, the typical family had just about half a hectare of land plot. What makes clear, that environmental and economic elements, was a route cause for the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 was that before all the problems with population and food these various race groups had to some extent lived together by comparison peacefully before the mid-nineteenth century, at a time when their total population was comparatively low and land supply for both farming and cattle grazing was enough. But with rapid population growth in the twentieth century, the situation changed. A cultural difference between the Hutus and Tutsis had also aggravated the bitterness between the rival ethnic groups. This is due to their documented contrast in-regard-to their practice of â€Å"ecological adaptation†; such as the Hutu horticulture approach and Tutsi cattle pastoralism approach, within the context of a society over 90 per cent agricultural, and fast increasing rural population, with no major job opportunities, with dwindling food output and consumption for each person, the Hutu and Tutsi groups turned into natural adversaries. â€Å"Those Tutsi still engaged in cattle pastoralism wanted open ranges to graze their herds. In direct opposition, landless Hutu wanted those very lands, marginal as they may have been for agriculture, to build homesteads and to farm.† (Spalding, F, 2009) The consequence of land shortage saw more than half of Rwanda’s Tutsi population from the early 1960s to 1973, removed from their land, the land was vacated for Hutu settlement and cultivation. This move, had appeared to show that the problems faced by the Hutus could be resolved if the Tutsi were eradicated. For example, the Hutu farmers could have enough territory if the Tutsi were not there. A development during the 1980s, had again witnessed a population increase which had exceeded the amount of cultivable land. This saw Farmers’ overcompensate and increase food production however this had in effect led to soil exhaustion. This period also saw â€Å"over 50 per cent drop in the price of export coffee in 1989 adversely affected the 60 per cent of Rwandan farmers who cultivated coffee for cash income.† On the international level , the Rwandan export stcok market had disintegrated resulting poor farmers facing new levels of anguish. This made it easier for manipulation of the people by the political elite, who were looking for â€Å"extreme solutions to their country’s (and their own) growing insecurity†. It was argued by Des Forges that because of this occurrence, â€Å"those inciting Hutu civilians to murder Tutsi† were given rewards, this in effect gave the Hutus a permission to target and steal from the Tutsis and giving them hope of attaining land and businesses of the victims’. (Prunier, 1995) It is therefore made obvious that economic state of despair, and lack of hope, was a major cause and player in the readiness of thousands of poor farmers and urban residents â€Å"to fear the possibility of a Tutsi land- and jobs-grab under a victorious RPF regime; to be tempted by more specific hopes for land and jobs, or, more crudely still, to participate in order to grab a share of the victims’ property.† Thus this explanation provides a reason why the massacring of a race was possible and fast. The 1990–1992 war with the RPF contributed further to the devastation of Rwanda’s economy. It displaced thousands of farmers in the north, which also caused reductions in food and coffee production. (Spalding, 2009) A â€Å"Malthusian† theory of population growth and overpopulation being major causes of environmental degradation, hunger, poverty and war, which in turn lead to the hostility and subsequent killing in large scale of a targeted race, thus it is quite useful in helping to further explain the cause of the genocide in Rwanda. On the other hand an alternative view can be argued in criticizing the Malthusian explanation for the cause of the genocide in Rwanda must be considered. According to Boudreaux’s (2009:85) who provides some useful insights on why Rwanda is not ‘a modern day Malthusian Crisis’. She contends, no reason was provided as to why Rwandans were tied to their land. These are: One criticism was that due to Rwanda’s lack of a formal market, that would otherwise enable its people to put their land on the market and migrate to more urban districts, and also the government rules that restricted the movement of the populace from the countryside to city centers, â€Å"the government firmly controlled markets that limited entrepreneurial opportunities for people who might wish to leave farms, and a general pro-rural ideology imposed by the pre-genocide Habyarimana government† (Boudreaux 2009:85). She also argues that land disagreements was not the chief drive for hostility and genocide, against the Tutsis but the policies of the ruling party that limited selling of land, and lack of freedom of movement and work prospect and the fact that many people did not use family planning, which had the effect of rising population at uncontrollable rates. In addition to this carelessness in dealing with conflict, in a peaceful way especially the 1990–1992 war with the RPF were key contributing causes that led to the discontent of people in the country (Boudreaux 2009:85). Boudreaux also claimed that the problem of land scarcity is insufficient to give explanation of the slaughtering of a race which took place in Rwanda. As she points out those states such as Belgium and Swaziland which are about the same size as Rwanda never witnessed genocide. Therefore poverty and overpopulation are not the decisive causes of the genocide but they are amid the factors which made possible the conscription of militias of young people, ‘who had nothing to lose’, just before 1994 (Semelin 2005:26–30). Furthermore, African Rights (1995:6), also make claim that on the surface examination of the genocide would point the finger at â€Å"poverty, overpopulation, environmental and economic crisis for the tensions which led to the killings†. They also assert that the likely motive for the genocide rest within the socio-political structures that influenced people from sources of bitterness and hopelessness to committing to carrying out brutality (African Rights 1995:6). http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajcr/article/viewFile/63313/51197 Ideological cause Another cause for the genocide was down to the ideological imposition on the population, persuading the people of Rwanda to accept an ideology that justified the ruling tutsis outlook and convinced them that their interests are being looked after. During 1960s when the Hutus gained control till 1994, the ideology promoted by the Hutu ruling elite was the Tutsi race were foreign intruders, who â€Å"could not be considered as citizens.† It was held that the were Hutu had been enslaved by the aristocratic invaders, now as they ruled, they proclaimed that they were now the only inhabitants with the right to live in the country. A Hutu-controlled government was now not only automatically legitimate but also ontologically democratic.’ This political ideology legitimised both the oppression of Tutsi group and the rule by some Hutu elites. Propaganda-media During the devastating genocide in Rwanda, the media in Rwanda had a major role in producing and maintaining an environment which validated the massacre that took place. Rwandan media’s promotion of hatred for Tutsis was magnified; the view that genocide of Tutsis would be the answer for the ethnic issues within Rwanda. Hutus who were once oppressed during the colonization had in essence attempted to be set free by becoming the oppressors themselves. (Thompson, 2007) Religion Religious point of views also contributed to the country’s deepening division problems. The majority of Rwanda’s population was Catholic. Despite Rwanda’s evident overpopulation, those in the church and government hierarchy not only refused to promote birth-control programmes; they actively opposed them. ‘Radical Catholic pro-life commandos raided pharmacies to destroy condoms with the approval of the Ministry of the Interior.’ it was suggests that the introduction of Christianity during colonization of Rwanda changed the Rwandan culture and helped to shape the mental culture that led to genocide. Rwandans have traditionally viewed people as family, friends, and third parties; but, as the influence of the bipolar Christian social identity increased, Christianity replaced the traditional religions as well as the traditional Rwandan view. Christianity led Rwandans to identify people as either friend or foe, especially when the people in question were Hutus or Tutsis. Semujanga suggests this gave rise to stereotypes and prejudices against Tutsis that labeled them as â€Å"power-hungry,† â€Å"dishonest,† and â€Å"the absolute enemy.† (Destexhe, 1995) Conclusion The genocide in Rwanda was a tragedy in which over 800 000 were killed. As with other genocides in the world, the one in Rwanda was complex with multidimensional causes and effects. In short, the ultimate cause of Rwandan genocide was the increasing imbalance in land, food and people that led to malnutrition, hunger, periodic famine and fierce competition for land to farm. Too many people were relying on rapidly diminishing amounts of arable land per capita for their subsistence level existences. Although it has been clearly argued that the causes of the genocide go beyond this and there is a deeper level which when analysed blames the manipulation by the ruling government at the time of the genocide and also the policies adopted by them goes further to explain the causes of the Genocide in Rwanda. References Destexhe, A, 1995. Rwanda and genocide in the twentieth century. 1st ed. London: Pluto Press Prunier, G, 1995. The Rwanda crisis: history of a genocide. 1st ed. London: C Hurst Co Spalding, F, 2009. Genocide in Rwanda. 1st ed. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group inc Thompson, A, 2007. The media and the Rwanda genocide. 1st ed. London: Pluto Press http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajcr/article/viewFile/63313/51197 (last accessed 4th May 2011) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11108059 How to cite Analyze the causes of the Rwandan Genocide, Essay examples

Monday, April 27, 2020

The Handmaids Tale in regards Essay Example

The Handmaids Tale in regards Essay Margaret Atwood having wrote ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, a novel about a society in which all women rights have been removed would have come across as extremely startling to a world where the women’s suffrage movement in America had started over 100 years earlier and women had finally been given the right to vote 25 years beforehand which had essentially been the point where the feminist movement had become widely acknowledged with the literacy studies on feminism such as that of Kate Millett’s. Margaret Atwood’s thoughts on her novel ‘a book about what happens when certain causally held attitudes about women are taken to their logical conclusions’, explores the feminist theory by creating a society in the near future in which the rights of women, which women all over the world had worked hard for, for centuries are taken away giving women a new role in life. The protagonist Offred lives in a time where a revolution had happened years previously which put into authority authoritarian power. The new government see the Handmaid’s as an instrument of the government as they are the only women who can reproduce due to the dangerously low reproduction rates as a result of nuclear results which led 99% of women to be sterile. ‘Distribution of power over the male and female partners mirrors the distribution of power over males and females in society’. Women’s relationship with men especially those of the Handmaid women is that of servitude with women being seen as possession of men. We will write a custom essay sample on The Handmaids Tale in regards specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Handmaids Tale in regards specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Handmaids Tale in regards specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Offred is named so because she is seen as the property of the commander who is named Fred as is such with the other handmaids that are mentioned in the novel such as Ofglen and Ofwarren. Even the Commander’s wife who is meant to have more power than the handmaidens is only known by her previous name Serena Joy due to Offred having previously read about her. This feature of the novel relates the feminist criticism of women being degraded and treated as objects. The diminution of each social type of women from the Commander’s Wife to the Martha’s in each household mirrors the struggle for power of every woman in the Republic of Gilead. The idea that women are encouraged and socialised to hate other women rather than sympathise if a woman is in a similar or different situation stems from the feminist view that men have created stereotypes of women through literature and art which becomes widespread as other women start putting themselves and others into these stereotypes. ‘Once I’d merely hated her for her part in what was being done to me; and because she hated me too and resented my presence’, the women’s lack of unification is hinted as one of the reasons that the authoritarian regime still existed. Being unable to sympathise with the other types of women groups; with the Martha’s, The Commanders wives and the Econowives all thinking that the handmaidens are sluts for sleeping with the Commanders even though they know that the Handmaidens have no choice. This assists into creating a society where there are no female friendships and bonds, where the only relations females have with each other are built of fear and jealousy. The protagonist isn’t one typical of a feminist novel, as even though she longs for freedom and hasn’t completely converted by keeping her memories and occasionally breaking rules she is still a passive and essentially helpless character. Atwood deliberately uses a protagonist that the feminist theory criticises in literature; Offred is passive and only possibly escapes due to a man (Nick) possibly saving her, creating a damsel in distress character. However Atwood does this because Offred is a symbol of the majority of young women in the 1980’s, acceptant of her position as a woman, having some freedom but not as much as she should, this illustrated as she tells the readers of her life pre-revolution as she worked in a library with only females. Her affair with her later husband Luke while he was married also goes against the sisterhood that feminists encourage, however it makes for a more relatable and human character, someone the female readers that Atwood was addressing the novel to would sympathise with. Her memories of the past during the sexual revolution introduce to us characters such as Offred’s mother and her best friend Moira are the feminist literary constructs in the novel. Offred’s embarrassment of her mother’s actions, formerly desiring for a mother who women had been oppressed into being for centuries – a domestic mother. ‘You young people don’t appreciate things she’d say. You don’t know what we had to go through, just to get you where you are’, there is a sense of foreshadowing as Offred will later appreciate the life she once had, however she only does this once it is too late to change anything. The feminist and woman’s suffrage movement fought to be from oppression of the duty that they are told they are made to do. These rights have been revoked in The Handmaid’s Tale where the only purpose of the Handmaids is to reproduce. ‘We are for breeding purposes. There is supposed to be nothing entertaining about us, no room is to be permitted for the flowering of secret lusts. We are two-legged wombs, thats all’. These views on women- that they are only useful to bare children dates back to centuries and is a view that feminists criticise due to the basic perception it puts on women. To be barren such as the Unwomen are in The Handmaiden’s Tale is to be seen as useless as they aren’t even able to do the only job that women are expected to. ‘It’s only women who can’t, who remain stubbornly closed, damaged, defective’. Handmaidens are put into households where the commander’s wife isn’t able to have children due to the nuclear weapons that made women infertile. It is suggested that it is actually The Commander who is infertile instead of his wife but in the Gilean society it isn’t possible for men to be infertile, the blame is rested solely on women if they are unable to conceive. This highlights the unfairness of society and what women had to face before all the women’s suffrage came into place emphasising the importance of feminism and its fight for equality. ‘The problem wasn’t only with the women, he says. The main problem was with the men†¦You know what they were complaining about the most? Inability to feel. Men were turning off on sex, even. They were turning off on marriage. Do they feel now? I say. Yes, he says, looking at me. They do. ’ The explanation by the commander as to the reasons why women’s rights had been taken away back to the ‘natural’ order of things is due to the effects the liberation of women had on men. Men found things too easy to get as there wasn’t a challenge in getting women to sleep with them, also with women having new found freedoms such as being able to work and have money of their own left the men with no purpose, as they were no longer the heroes or the providers like they had been portrayed to be in literature as the women were no longer damsels in need of saving. ‘Most of the male characters that she examined were denigrating, exploitative, and repressive in their relations with women’. ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ presents the true nature of men in the novel, hiding from any assumptions that they repressed women’s rights in order to protect women, but rather so that men could stay in the same position in life. The only way they could get their purpose in life back was to revoke women’s freedoms, at the cost of the happiness of most women. This supports the extremist feminist view that men purposely suppress women so they can have total control. Atwood’s novel can be regarded as a feminist piece due to the portrayal of a society where women’s rights are infringed even more than it had previously been in history. She encourages her female readers embrace the female history in order for history not to repeat itself which she feared when she wrote the novel, due to conservative people coming to power condemning the sexual revolution.