Gender Issues And Feminism Theories Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Gender Issues And Feminism Theories. Answer: Introduction: Published in the year of 1985, The Handmaids Tale is regarded as one of the most recognized literary works of the Canadian author, Margaret Atwood (Dvorak, 2016). Since the most significant theme of the novel is the subjugation of women, it is almost impossible to read the novel without referring to the gender issues and feminism theories which are integral to the theme of the novel. Gender Studies: A Literary Theory of Criticism: Gender Studies is an integral theory of literary criticism which critically analyses and evaluates the presentation of masculine, feminine as well as queer (third) gendered people in the literary creation. Ideologically speaking, most of the literary authors have rendered voice to the male perspective, and have successfully suppressed the other perspective rightfully belonging to the women and the members of the LGBT community. The Gender Studies, takes into careful consideration, how the other voice has been coerced into silence for ages, and how this has led to the subjugation and denial of rights of the weaker sex. Thus, this form of literary criticism challenges and interrogates the validity of normative definition of gender and sexual identity, and reinforces the importance of canonical inclusion of the female authors in literary studies. Feminist Gender Theory: An Integral Branch of Gender Studies: The Feminist Literary Criticism intends to challenge the ideological representation of women in accordance with the sexual identity they are born with, in different literary articles, and examines how women are conditioned and socialized to participate in their own subjugation by men. An important feminist critic, Judith Butler considered gender as nothing more than a human and social construct that has been enacted by the continual repetition of social performance, as seen in real life as well as portrayed in literary creations. The feminist literary critics such as Simone de Beauvoir, Helene Cixous, and Julia Kristeva, examine and discuss the gaps, silences and spaces inherently present within the language or symbol system of a culture in which there should be a space for a womens language, highly distinguishable from the normative male-dominated discourse. This literary theory critiques male dominance, female subjugation and challenges the validity of social roles assigned to peop le, on the basis of the sexual identity they are born with. Feminism: The Handmaids Tale: There can be no point stating the fact that the novel The Handmaids Tale is not merely a story about women, but is essentially a novel with a strong feminist propaganda. The very name of the protagonist, Offred, which literally means Of Fred, signifying the name of the commander she belongs to, supports the theme of social objectification of women in the novel. In the novel, she portrays the miserable lives of the handmaids whose very identity gets subsumed by the males who exercise sexual control over them (Campbell, 2016). The women are no longer treated as separate living entities, enjoying rights of freedom, but are rather objectified and treated as the property of the master, as evident in their names- Offred, Ofglen and Ofwarren. The novel clearly shows how Gilead most ruthlessly tries to divide women based on their reproductive abilities, as the fertile females are being assigned to become the handmaids, while the ardent feminists like Offreds mother and aunt are referred to a s the unwoman (Timonen, 2015). Queer Theory: The Handmaids Tale: The patriarchal regime suppresses the voice of the gay and homosexual characters as well. The novel shows how Offred and Ofglen, while returning back to home, witnesses the hanging of a man who was A priest, a doctor and a gay man. His greatest and perhaps the only sin must have been his identification as a gay. Similarly, Moira who prefers to dress herself like men, and exhibits strong lesbian proclivities find herself shut up in a women-only enclave' - which men run for their own pleasure (Donahue, 2016). At the same time, when women refuse to act in accordance with the sexual roles assigned to them, they are punished. As Ofglen turns out to be a rebellious, gender traitor, she receives the harshest punishment. She finds her lover hanged, though she is kept alive, as she herself is capable of bearing children (Fitch, 2015). The incident clearly shows how women are made subservient to the needs of the men, and are punished or spared as per their ability to satisfy the parochial need s of a male-dominated social-set up. The individual identity of the other sexes has been totally denied, and conforming to the male-centred ideology is the only way to survive. How are Gender Roles Defined in The Handmaids Tale: The value and importance of the women in the novel, largely relies on their fertility and reproductive ability. The handmaids are expected to deliver children for the infertile wives of the commanders, failing to do which, they are identified as the unwoman. It clearly shows a society where the women are deemed as nothing more than the sex slaves, whose sexual identity are defined or degraded based on their ability to fulfil the traditional gender roles (Timonen, 2015). The novel draws a horrific picture of sexual enslavement in the lines : Women kneeling, sucking penises or guns, women tied up or chained or with dog collars around their necks, women hanging from trees, or upside-down, naked, with their legs held apart, women being raped, beaten up, killed . Race, Class and Gender: The Handmaids Tale: The Handmaids Tale is a dystopian novel that explores the theme of white feminism, and focuses less on the women of colour. Though Atwood herself has stated in an interview that the novel is inspired by the highly oppressive system of the American slavery, it does not refer to the atrocities inflicted on the black characters, such as Martha. The black denizens, or the people of colour have been sidelined in the narrative, and their stories are left unexplored. The reader finds Offred enduring domestic slavery and forced sexhardships that are exactly the same as experienced by a much higher number of non-white women throughout history, and in various parts of the world. Yet, despite the clear parallels to the oppression of African Americans in the United States, the novel does not portray black female slave experience (Campbell, 2016). References: Campbell, L. (2016). Feminist History in Canada: New Essays on Women, Gender, Work, and Nation, edited by Catherine Carstairs and Nancy Janovicek. Campbell, L. (2016). Feminist History in Canada: New Essays on Women, Gender, Work, and Nation, edited by Catherine Carstairs and Nancy Janovicek. Donahue, D. (2016). Unruly Women: Performance, Penitence, and Punishment in Early Modern Spain by Margaret E. Boyle. Dvorak, M. (2016).Lire Margaret Atwood: the handmaid's tale. Presses universitaires de Rennes. Fitch, D. (2015).From The Handmaids Tale to Bumped: Dystopian Fiction and American Womens Reproductive Rights(Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University). Timonen, J. (2015). Women and Women: Use of Women Types as Rhetorical Techniques in Atwoods Handmaids Tale and Teppers Gate to Womens Country. Timonen, J. (2015). Women and Women: Use of Women Types as Rhetorical Techniques in Atwoods Handmaids Tale and Teppers Gate to Womens Country. Wilson, S. R. (Ed.). (2014).Women's Utopian and Dystopian Fiction. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Confucius free essay sample

A lot of people in the world ask this question. The answer to that question is that Confucianism is a religion based in Asia that was made before Christs birth. Confucianism is a religion that teaches you how you should live your life. All of the information was found on religioustolerance. org, and was written by B. A. Robinson. This essay will tell you all about Confucianism. The roots and history of Confucianism are based in a time very long ago. The religion of Confucianism started in the mid- 500s before Christs birth. The religion started in the Asian city of China by a man named Kung Fu Tzu, also known as Confucius. This religion is very closely related to the religion of Taoist in its social ethics and moral teachings. There are about six million Confucians living in the world. Around twenty-six thousand live in North America. We will write a custom essay sample on Confucius or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most of the rest of the six million live in China and the rest of Asia. The founder of this particular religion is named Confucius, which was stated earlier. This man was born in five hundred fifty one B. C. in the the state of Lu which is modern day Shantung Province. He lived during the Chou dynasty. As he grew older, he traveled through China and gave advice on how to live to rulers and many people. The last few years of Confucius life was spent in Lu where he taught students. He taught them of individual morality and ethics, and the proper exercise of political power by the rulers. Confucius finally died in 479 B. C. which was was found on calendarmine. com. There are six schools of Confucianism. These schools consist of Han Confucianism, Neo- Confucianism, Contemporary Neo-Confucianism, Korean Confucianism, Japanese Confucianism, and Singapore Confucianism. There are many rituals and rites of Confucianism. One of the many is that during birth, a special procedure is taken and is followed when the placenta is disposed of. Another ritual is of marriage which is done in six parts. In proposal, the couple exchanges the eight characters: the year, month, day, and hour of each of their births. If any events occur with the family that seem that the marriage is unlikely, the woman is believed to have rejected the proposal. The next part of marriage is the engagement. After the wedding day is chosen, the bride announces the wedding with invitations and a gift of cookies made in the shape of the moon. The third part is dowry. This is carried to the grooms house in a serious procession. The money is then sent to the bride by the grooms parents. Gifts by the groom to the bride, equal in value to the dowry, are sent to her. The fourth part is the procession. In this part, the groom visits the brides home and brings her back to his place, with a lot of commotion. The fifth part is of marriage and reception. In this, the couple recites their vows, toast each other with wine, and take center stage at a banquet. The last part of marriage is of the morning after. During this period, the bride serves breakfast to the grooms parents. There are many celebrations and ceremonies celebrated in Confucianism. A lot of these ceremonies and celebrations consist of life passages. One of the ceremonies of these life passages is of reaching maturity. This life passage is no longer celebrated, except in traditional families. It takes the form of a group meal in which the young adult is served chicken. One other ceremony that takes place in Confucianism is during death. During this sad time, families mourn to let their neighbors know that they have lost someone special. The basic beliefs of Confucianism are based on six parts. Li, includes ritual, propriety, etiquette, and more. Hsiao, which consists of love within the family, Yi, which is righteousness, Xin which is honesty and trustworthiness, Chung, which is loyalty to the state, and Jen which is kindness and compassion towards others. Jen is the highest Confucian virtue. In the religion of Confucianism, there are no gods. The writings and scriptures on which the religion is based on is the sacred texts. The sacred texts consist of the Si Shu or Four Books and Wu Jing or Five Classics. The Shi Shu contains the books of Lun Yu, which is Analects of Confucius made by Confuciuss students, Chung Yung, the doctrine of the mean, Ta Hsueh, the great learning, and Meng Tzu, the writings of Meng Tzu. Meng Tzu was a philosopher who was comparable to Confucius in the way of how he traveled from state to state talking about the religion to rulers. The Wu Jing consisted of Shu Ching, Shih Ching, I Ching, Chun Chiu, and Li Ching. Shu Ching is the classic of history which is the writings and speeches from ancient Chinese rulers. Shih Ching is the Classic of Odes which is three hundred poems and songs. I Ching is the Classic of Changes which is the description of a divinatory system. Chun Chiu is the Spring and Autumn Annals. Li Ching is the Classic of Rites.

Teenage Suicide free essay sample

An examination of the phenomenon of teenage suicide through the use of a review of Dr. David Lesters book, The Cruelest Death: the Enigma of Adolescent Suicide. This paper uses this book as its main source to examine the trend of suicide among adolescents. By using two case studies, this paper explores the helplessness that some teenagers feel and how they resort to this final desperate measure. The paper compares trends between males and females and older and younger teenagers. It also examines psychological disorders which lead to suicide such as depression. Dr. David Lesters book, The Cruelest Death: the Enigma of Adolescent Suicide, presents alarming findings of fact about the third leading cause of death in the USA among those below 24 suicide. It points to the recent and dramatic rise in the incidence of the last 20 years as suggestive of an epidemic (Lester 1993) that warrants greater attention and sobriety among those who can and should do something about it. We will write a custom essay sample on Teenage Suicide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is a frank inquest into the social phenomenon by providing information support to theory, research, management and intervention helpful to professionals particularly clinicians, crisis workers and parents and the entire family with greater insights that can help them device more effective, responsive and successful strategies in the clinic, school and at home, all with the end-view of reversing the trend.

Analyse Porphyrias lover by Robert Browning Essays

Analyse Porphyrias lover by Robert Browning Essays Analyse Porphyrias lover by Robert Browning Paper Analyse Porphyrias lover by Robert Browning Paper Essay Topic: Poetry The Secret Life Of Bees Porphyrias lover is one of the most dramatic monologues written by a Victorian poet. Many tried to grasp new concepts of sensuality and brutality but it was Browning who captured these themes perfectly. As the Victorian society developed its understanding on sexuality and morality, people realized how many problems they have to face due to the idea of bad and wrong. Consciousness was a new idea so many poets didnt look at the normal side of the society but tried to develop their understanding and reflection of the insane minds. Porphyrias lover is a great example of such a reflection. Through the monologue we are pushed to face the conflict within the mind, the most twisted endeavors of our souls and the tip of a huge mountain of insanity. The narrator of this great piece is a complex multi layered character who shows us the problems and conflicts within his mind. Browning unfolds the secrets of the narrator very subtlety. The murder is described with a passive and apathetic voice which makes this poem seem so unreal and abstract. The author touches the most delicate and dark sides of our mind and shows us what would happen if the was no conscious present or if it was understood differently. The narrator describes his actions as I found a thing, thing to do,( )and strangled her. This is a very passive description of a action. It tells us that the narrator believed it was a natural action; killing the girl. Her love was so dear to him, that he decided to keep it in her for eternity. This action could theoretically be considered romantic. However, isnt killing someone a brutal action. Here we are facing a great conflict. Were his actions romantic or rather brutal, is taking someone elses life a loving or a evil action? The narrator doesnt even see other possibilities. He is so satisfied with the love and compassion she is showing him ( happy and proud; at last I knew Porphyria worshiped me) On the other hand Browning tells us there was some questioning to his actions. No pain felt she, Im quite sure she felt no pain the narrator is reassuring himself that his actions were right and loving. This tells us that there was some rational thinking in his head. However, rational doesnt mean the same thing to everyone. There is no clear description of what is rational or not. If there is enough evidence to back up your action then it may as well be considered rational. The point is that the narrator does back up his actions with reasoning, unfortunately his reasoning and his action do not weigh each other out meaning that in our modern reality his mind is unbalanced and incorrect. To show the deep complexity of ones mind, Browning uses a very particular rhyme pattern through out the piece ABABB. The intensity and asymmetry of the pattern suggests the madness concealed within the speaker’s reasoned self-presentation. The speaker uses a few great metaphors. As a shut bud that holds a bee, I warily opened her lids. This could indicate the reflection upon his actions. As we know bees sting, the narrator doesnt want to feel the painful truth. A beautiful flower has died with his love hidden inside. It is now not visible so he opens her eyes again, afraid of what he might see; pain, horror, hate. Hes scared that once the bud id open his love will sting him and fly away. In the last line of the poem the author talks about the result of his actions, and yet God has not said a word. This tells us that the narrator knows his actions could be considered as bad but yet no one has done anything. No one stopped him from doing what he had done therefore it was right. This also indicated that our speaker is religious and is scared aware of heaven and hell, this could suggest that to hold Porphyrias love and passion was so dear to him it was worth more than being a good man or going to heaven.

The problem of corruption in Liberia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The problem of corruption in Liberia - Essay Example At the beginning of 2002, UNHCR assisted the refugees who voluntarily wanted to repatriate to Sierra Leone, and by the end of September, close to 13,000 refugees had been repatriated. UNHCR intends to continue its work in close cooperation with the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), which is the government institution responsible for constructing and implementing programmes for the displaced in Liberia (UNHCR, 2002c; Kamara, 1999b). Many of the studies on the topic of resettlement and repatriation emphasise the security conditions and the importance of guaranteeing protection for the refugees. This seems to be a major concern not only throughout the conflict but also in the postwar period. In late 1992 there were reports of security problems, especially in the northern Lofa County, and as a result UNHCR and NGOs were unable to reach the Sierra Leonean refugees in that area. Moreover, although UNHCR has had a voluntary repatriation plan in place since July 1991, the ongoing fighting has prevented Liberian refugees from returning (Jesuit Refugee Service, 1993:7). According to UNHCR, the security situation improved somewhat in 1993. However, the implementation of the Cotonou agreement, which was argued to be a condition for the return of the refugees, was behind schedule (UNHCR, 1993). Furthermore, in early 1994, UNHCR was asking donors for funds regarding the voluntary repatriation of some 700,000 Liberian refuge es residing in neighbouring countries at that time (Jesuit Refugee Service, 1994). Abdi and Tinstman discuss voluntary repatriation to Liberia, and they too argue that the security situation in Liberia is precarious and that there is a need to ensure that the refugees are protected (Abdi and Tinstman, 1995). Paul Stromberg reports that, in late 1997, the UNHCR shifted its policy of facilitating repatriation to a more active policy of promoting repatriation, but progress has been slow. The problems have been several, for instance, the cross border insurgencies, together with the lack of interest from the international donors which have resulted in lack in funding (Stromberg, 1998). In a paper by Tom Kamara, several aspects concerning returnees and repatriation are discussed. Kamara argues that security issues, as well as the economic environment, make the conditions for repatriation and reintegration difficult (Kamara, 1999b). Along the same lines, Philippa Atkinson has conducted a study of the political and socio-economic conditions facing the Liberian refugees as they returned from neighbouring countries to Liberia. She analyses a number of different factors, including shelter, food aid, income distribution, and employment (Atkinson, 1992). In a more recent study on economic opportunities for those returning home, Rein Dekker studies a group of Ghanaians who moved to Liberia, but due to the war returned to resettle in their home country. The government of Ghana and international agencies were focusing on the Liberian refugees while Ghanaian refugees were left to fend for themselves. However, loan schemes were offered by an NGO, and it is this scheme which Dek ker evaluates in her study. Dekker examines the factors that determined whether the refugees were successful in making use of this economic opportunity and able to repay their loans (Dekker, 1995). Jeff Crisp reports on

Profitability ratios in financial ratio analysis Essay

Profitability ratios in financial ratio analysis - Essay Example Ratio Analysis is a popular technique which helps in analysing a company’s performance over a given period of time.Although this technique has some limitations, it is broadly used around the world in analysing the performance of different organisationsAs per the Income Statement and the Balance Sheet, the company seems to be a very good profitable organisation but a mere look upon these two financial statements do not give a decisive position about a company’s performance, hence proper analysis needs to be done. Ratio Analysis is one of the popular technique which helps in analysing a company’s performance over a given period of time. Although this technique has some limitations, it is broadly used around the world in analysing the performance of different organisations around the world. The performance of Uffington Plc is analysed by using the ratio analysis technique. The ratio analysis uses different types of ratio which are based upon different aspects of per formance in a company and finally a company’s performance is evaluated under all those different ratios.â€Å"Profitability ratios show a company's overall efficiency and performance. We can divide profitability ratios into two types: margins and returns. Ratios that show margins represent the firm's ability to translate sales pounds into profits at various stages of measurement. Ratios that show returns represent the firm's ability to measure the overall efficiency of the firm in generating returns for its shareholders† (About.com).... The ratio analysis uses different types of ratio which are based upon different aspects of performance in a company and finally a company’s performance is evaluated under all those different ratios. â€Å"Profitability ratios show a company's overall efficiency and performance. We can divide profitability ratios into two types: margins and returns. Ratios that show margins represent the firm's ability to translate sales pounds into profits at various stages of measurement. Ratios that show returns represent the firm's ability to measure the overall efficiency of the firm in generating returns for its shareholders† (About.com). Gross Profit Margin ratio is a profitability ratio which reveals the amount of gross profit as a percentage of the sales revenue. Uffington plc’s Gross Profit Margin has improved from 30% in 2008 to 35% in 2009. This indicates that the company has improved its performance during the year 2009 but if these results are compared with the indus try average trends for Uffington plc, the company has not performed although the company is trying to achieve the industry average gross profit margin of 50%. Uffington plc would need to increase its revenue or cut its costs dramatically to reach the industry average gross profit margin of 50%. Liquidity ratios are a measure of ascertaining the day to day running of a company; it is merely a measure of ascertaining a company’s ability to pay off its obligations as they fall due. These obligations are generally the current liabilities and these current liabilities can be met by having appropriate current assets. The current ratio is a measure that analyses a company’s ability to pay off its current liabilities by negotiating its current assets. Uffington plc

Story Titled The Accident

Story Titled The Accident When we about to sit in a car, we usually take safety for granted. Many people dont even realize the dangers when driving from one place to another. Driving has become routine. People cant predict the dangers they face when driving, or even the tragic and disastrous moment when something goes wrong. I get asked this question quiet often, Why I am so scared to drive a car? August 6th 2007 is the date that I will never forget; that day changed my life. My perception, my thinking and social life was affected. It was the day when Ali got his license. It was 3:00 A.M in the morning, the air was misty, freezing and dark, and the streets lights were barely on. The streets were deserted and empty as if no one existed. It felt as if we were the only people in this city. There was a feeling of freedom but then something evil began to take its place, we decided to race. Even though the road was bumpy and uneven, the race seemed like a brilliant idea. Speeding up to 110mph we did not care about anything except going faster. It was fun and as far as I can recall, I was really enjoying it. Until the moment I turned my head to the right and saw Ali pointing with a smile, better keep up boy he said, this picture kept playing in my head constantly; at that very instant I felt the something wrong was about to happen. With fear I reduced my speed; just before I began slowing down, I heard a bang Alis car had flipped over, and the screech of grinding metal filled the empty streets. I used all my force to stop the car and get out. As the front wheel spun freely and oil was dripping to the ground, shards of the glass and other debris littered the crash scene like a pià ±ata spilled candy after being struck. My heart was beating rapidly, and my mind felt as if it was frozen. I rushed towards the car and saw Ali struggling with pain as cold as death itself screaming for help; his face was covered with blood and his hand was stuck behind his back. He was jammed in a very awkward position. I tried to help, and kept trying until I realized my help was not sufficient I needed more hands. Thinking of whom to call, I knew the best thing at that time was to try to keep him calm. I quickly dialed Alis residence. I called five times and every time the answering machine went on. Frustrating and panic filled my head. I then dialed the police. Thankfully, they were there in five minutes, but those five minutes felt like years. Watching Ali struggle with pain was disturbing; I felt helpless and des perately wanted this situation to end. Ali was finally dragged out of the car and was rushed to the Hospital; his condition was bad because too much blood had been lost. I finally got through to Alis parents. After an hour inside the emergency room the doctors were finally out, and what I was about to hear was something that changed my life. His spinal chord had broken. The doctors believed that he might not be able to walk. This was a very sad moment; his mother was crying hysterically, I still remember her saying no, no, no this cant be. Mr. Khan was constantly trying to comfort her, and she looked at me and shook her head with disappointment. At that very moment I felt that it was all because of me. I felt that I was not mature enough or responsible enough. I felt I had betrayed his parents; his mother always used to tell me to look after Ali. She thought I was the responsible one; it was hard to stand even a second there of her stare. Ali was not the same; we never hung out the way we used to. He was quiet and lost in his thoughts, and whenever I went to his house, he would tell his mother that he didnt want to meet me. He used to sit at home crying with disappointment when his attempt to walk failed. Every time I looked at him the picture of the crash kept playing in my head and his struggle to walk and his depression made me feel guilty every time I saw him. Eventually a gap started developing, and soon Alis isolation made him feel that I was the sole reason for this accident. The rare calls from Ali had stopped; months had passed and one day I found out Ali had moved to Dubai. I used to wonder if I am or ever will be same the person I used to be. He made a difference in my life by always being there for me and caring about me. I used to be a happy and optimistic person. My closest friend Ali made a major impact on my life; it was a major shock; that guy used to be my best friend; we hung out together; we were partners and did almost everything together. This accident that was an act of immaturity, caused an event because of which I not only lost a friend, but a great person who was also a good athlete lose his legs. The worst part is that he still feels its all because of me. His suspetition made a big impact on my life; I used to doubt myself and my ability to make friends. I got so afraid that sometimes I didnt even feel like tracing and locating him because I feel that even if I try to clarify myself it wont make a big difference; I stayed quiet most of the time and getting along with people wasnt my thing, I think it was all because I was conscious and I feared that I might end up hurting someone else. Through all of these thoughts and feelings, an annoying voice in the back of my head kept making feel that something could be wrong, that something or somewhere I must have gone wrong. Now four years have passed and I have no Idea of what Ali is up to, I never called nor I ever received a call from him, but now my views have changed. The car accident is and will always be a major moment in my life, it made me realize that God has a plan for every one and there is a hidden message behind everything. I had a great friend and probably best times in my life. Our life changes every second, this accident made me realize to value every single moment has as if it was my last, because its really difficult to predict when it all will be over.