The Glass Menagerie Essay Example for Free

The Glass Menagerie Essay Throughout â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† Tennessee Williams creates an intricate dynamic between the three main characters, as well as symbols and symbolic language in order to exemplify the fragility of livelihood. Without a single one of the members of the Wingfield family the other’s lives would be dramatically different. Much as the collection of glass menagerie would not be the same collection without one of its pieces. As many collectors know the presence or absence of one item can drastically change the value of the whole collection. So also is a family unit, as one member affects the others, they form an identity they become accustomed to and often cling to. Amanda exemplifies how vital it is that a family unit stay loyal. After Mr. Wingfield disappeared her life has become a constant struggle in order to survive, a far cry from the Blue Mountain setting she idolizes in her past. Amanda symbolizes a downfall, but she also symbolizes drive for her children, encouraging Laura to blossom into something that they can both be proud of and encouraging Tom to keep his job and support his family until they can fend for themselves at least. Laura symbolizes fear and instability through the first five acts. She failed out of her class, that was a hope for a better future, because of her fear and doesn’t let herself actually try to engage in social interactions for fear that she will be inadequate in another’s eyes. Without Laura to feel sorry for and take care of Tom most likely would have left Amanda on her own in Mr. Wingfield’s footsteps a long time ago. Tom represents unrest and boredom, but he also provides the money and stability for the family to keep living in its present state. Though Tom is uneasy he still gets up in the morning and performs his duties knowing that he is a key member of their family unit, or the most valuable piece in the collection. When Tom and Amanda’s fight breaks some of the pieces of the Glass menagerie it symbolizes the breaking of a family unit, making it less valuable. As the pieces are easy to break so is the bond that holds the  family together as Mr. Wingfield showed how easy it was to separate this bond. As Tom distances himself the strength of the bond becomes less and less strong and it is only a matter of time before it breaks if it is not mended.

Measuring the Cost of Living - The Impact of Technology on our Standard

Measuring the Cost of Living - The Impact of Technology on our Standard of Living Measures of the cost of living, like the retail price index (RPI), are inadequate, failing to reflect fully the impact of technological advances on our standard of living. This leads to a substantial upward bias in our estimates of inflation, perhaps as much as 1.6% a year. That is the contention of Professor William Nordhaus of Yale University. If he is right, then we may have to rewrite history: l Increases in the price of lighting services since 1830 may have been overestimated by as much as a thousandfold! l US real wage growth between 1959-95, currently measured at a very modest 10%, should be revised to a healthier 70%. l And estimated average annual rates of US productivity growth of 0.6% between 1973-95 should nearly be tripled. Nordhaus notes that consumer price indices like the RPI are some of the most important measurements generated by economists and statisticians. Ideally, they are designed to measure the cost of attaining a given level of economic well-being. In practice, statisticians take a ‘basket of goods’, which represents the consumption patterns of the ‘average consumer’, and measure how the cost of this fixed basket changes over time. This statistic is used to define ‘inflation’, and hence determines changes in a wide range of inflation-indexed state payments and benefits, as well as setting the background for pay settlements. It is also crucial for measuring the real growth of the economy, a key statistic in assessing the economic and political performance of the economy and government policies. Nordhaus argues that the current methods for measuring the cost of living are inadequate and fail to refl... ...s and output. Over the period 1959-95, the increase in real wages is currently measured at a very modest 10%: it should be revised to a healthier 70%. Estimates of productivity growth over the period 1973-95 indicate an average annual rate of 0.6%: this should nearly be tripled. ‘The fact that we may be getting such an important statistic as the RPI wrong by so much indicates that we really need to look again at the way it is calculated in the UK’, claims Professor Huw Dixon of the University of York and CEPR. ‘Since so much depends on the inflation rate measure, we need to make sure we are getting it right’. Note: ‘‘Traditional Productivity Estimates are Asleep at the Technological Switch’ by William B. Nordhaus is published in the Controversy section of the Autumn 1997 issue of the Economic Journal. Nordhaus is Professor of Economics at Yale University.

Health Psychology Essay

In this assignment I will be explain two different health psychology issues and explaining them. The two different issues I have decided to talk about are eating disorders and childbirth. I will then compare the two health psychology issues in relation to their common themes and also their different. P3 Explain specific health psychology issues. Using two health psychology issues of interest to you, you should explain the specific issue in detail Eating Disorders (anorexia and bulimia) Anorexia and bulimia are caused through psychological issues. Eating disorders are known by an unusual attitude towards food that causes someone to change their eating habits and behaviour and also their image. An individual with an eating disorder will focus on their getting their weight, shape, size down to the least they can, and also change the way they look. This causes them to make unhealthy choices about eating which then causes damage to their health and other things. Around one in 250 women will experience anorexia at some point in their lives, and the condition usually starts around the age 16/17. This is because at this age girls want people to like them and boys to start being attracted to them, so they feel the need to become skinny and different. Also a lot of celebrities battle with the weight and some have become anorexia so teenage girls don’t see anything wrong with it. Sometimes there are biological and other things influencing someone to have an eating disorder. They are often responsible because of the pressure from friends and the media to be thin, as a lot of young girls feel they should look a certain way to be popular and for boys to notice them. The consequences from an eating disorder can be more serious than the way someone looks. Spotting that a person has an eating disorder can be very difficult to see, especially if it is someone close to yourself. If an eating disorder is not spotted and treat it can have a major impact on someone’s life. It can effect someone’s job or schoolwork, and can also break up relationship with family and friends. The effects of an eating disorder can sometimes be fatal. To treat an eating disorder and recovering from one can take a long time. To treat a disorder usually involves monitoring a individuals physical health and helping them deal with psychological problem. It is important for friends and family to be there for the individual and help them believe they can get better with time and support from the loved ones. Examples of treatment could be cognitive behaviour therapy also known as CBT, another method is interpersonal psychotherapy, dietary counselling and also medication. Psychological Causes of Obesity Many people today eat when their emotionally such as because the person is bored, sad, anger or even happy. Obesity can be caused by things like stress or depression and can cause a number of different health implications. For example a person that is obese is more likely to have diabetes later in life and also suffer heart problems. Over 30% of today’s population seek treatment for weight problems and this is all caused through binge eating. Binge eating is when someone eats large amount of food while feeling they can’t control how much they are eating, people who seriously binge and a very obese develop a disorder call binge eating disorder. The people with this kind of eating disorder find it difficult to lose weight and also find it difficult to control how much they are eating. Many people may need serious help for example counselling or medication or even operation to make the stomach smaller to help there binge eating addiction. Childbirth Childbirth today is most likely in the hospital and a team of midwifes help delivery the baby, in today’s society childbirth is very all to do with the medication given. Epidurals are the most common drug used in childbirth, and are used for over half of all child birthday in hospitals. An epidural interferes with normal bio-feedback between the pelvic muscles and the mother’s brain during labour. The drug slows down the labour, which can cause some serious things happen during giving birth. Things such as making the mother three times more likely to be given a drip, and it can also double the chances of the mother having to have a caesarean. There are different side effects when using an epidural such as a drop in the mother’s blood pressure leading to lack of oxygen for the baby. When an epidural is given, the baby can have some difficulties with taking the milk from the mother and maybe some behaviour problems. Home births are now a very rare thing and can only go forward if the midwife says it can, and can only occur if the baby’s head is upside down. There can be risks and benefits to having a home birth, these are: previous difficultly giving birth or heavy bleeding after the birth, previous c section, raised blood pressure and finally anaemia. There are many different cultural and religious views of childbirth. Caesarean section rates have been increasing due to higher number of caesarean section for the baby’s sake, and keeping the baby from getting upset and distressed through labour. Water births are a nice way for women to give birth, this is because water is an effective pain relief in labour. When women are having a water birth warm water is usually used to help the woman unwind and relax, it eases aches and pain. More woman are choosing to have a water birth, and women who have impaired mobility may find giving birth in water helpful rather than in the hospital. The culture which the mother of the baby has been brought up in always plays a big part of how women deal with their pregnancy and labour. Some Christians believe that the labour pain can be seen as ‘the way God intended it to be’. This is something strong Christians believe and will go through labour with no pain relief, this may inspire some women who are not Christian to go through without pain relief and give a natural birth. In cultures such as Japan, the woman must not express much distress through labour, she has to be seen very calm and composed. In the Middle East and Mediterranean area women are expected to scream and cry uncontrollably in the childbirth. The woman of the east doesn’t always use pain relief, the screaming and crying throughout labour is to express her labour pain and message to her support people that she needs loving and sympathy. The Western are often see labour pain as something to be fixed or stopped, in some cases the western turn to medical resources to relief the pain of labour with gas and air, and maybe an epidural. Now woman a trying to use natural therapies to minimise using pain relief.

Analyzing Past And Present Hip Hop - 1590 Words

Examining past and present Hip Hop Lyrics: How has the culture of Hip Hop changed overtime How has the Hip Hop culture changed overtime? In looking at the dynamic in which music has changed by its usage of language and various forms of dialect and productivity it is clear that Hip Hop is a lot different in today s modern society then in the 80 s and in the 90 s. In dissecting the lyrics of the Modern day lyrical rapper J.Cole and High End rapper Nas in order to understand the level of distinction that has taken place within the Hip Hop Culture overtime. J. Cole is best known for his realism, and authentic truth displayed in his music. J. Coles and his songs No Role Model and It Won t Be long His song No Role Model focuses on†¦show more content†¦According to Scholar Maulana Karenga It means never having to turn their backs away from their blackness and truly embrace their cultural background and upbringing. Hip Hop can also be classified as a Hip Hop was a way of life, and having the freedom of expression and escape from the harsh reality of being black while havi ng to grow up in a society that seeks to dehumanize African Americans and that screams superiority. The purpose of this essay is to examine the theme of Superiority by exploring racism, classism and sexism through the eyes of contemporary artist J.Cole and lyrical legend Nas. The aggressive and emotional expression of superiority through racism in J.Cole s It Won t Be Long is demonstrated takes the time talk about his life growing up, and he burns with pain and fury to see his mother work tirelessly. Within the lyrics he acknowledges his mother and addresses all of the hardships that she had to endure while working for the white man. The primary source which provides real evidence of what once was his reality is shown in his lyrics by saying, Racism is alive, I see the disguise/ Mamma I know it hurts/ It hurts me to watch you go to work barely hanging on/ some rich man getting richer while you slaving for him. (J.Cole line 47-50) Racism is seen through J. Coles perception as being a form of oppression in the life of him and his mother. She is an African American Women who strains and struggles to make it. This serves as a pure example of racism