Macbeth Act 1 Scene 1 Analysis Essay

A desert place. The setting of ‘Thunder and lightning’ depicts bad weather, which shows the eerie atmosphere and tense mood. The play opens on a note of noise and disorder, foreboding much evil to come. Witches, who seem to enjoy the chaotic weather, appear to hold alien values and preferences compared to normal men and women. The mood is sinister, dangerous and ominous; the immediate appearance of the witches starting from the first scene is used to inform readers of the underlying note of darkness. The witches speak in riddles, and seem to know Macbeth’s secret desires and are seen as mischievous, otherworldly and evil beings. By saying that the ‘battle’s lost and won’, many meanings emerge, such as the ‘battle’ refers to the fight with Cawdor and though Macbeth may have ‘won’ against him, he has ‘lost’ a battle to himself, by afterwards caving into the witches’ tempting words. They seem to refer the dark ‘ere’, which means after, ‘the set of sun’. This hints of their evil natures that seem to relate to their preference of bad weather and dark skies. They decide on the ‘heath’ to meet Macbeth. The rhyming words lead us to think of the ‘heath’, which is a wild and barren place, in relation to Macbeth and his future. This way, we are lead to think that Macbeth’s heart will too, become wild, dry and bare. This is the first meeting between Macbeth and the witches and we can see that they are keen to meet him. We can infer from this fact and what we have learnt about the witches’ that they plan to do him harm. The mention of familiars, ‘Graymalkin’, which is a grey cat and ‘Paddock’ , a toad, continues to inform us of the Witches’ supernatural status, as well as further deepening the theory of ‘evil witches’ as they have chosen to keep strange pets. Back in Shakespeare’s time, people believed that such familiars were actually spirits trapped in the bodies of animals, hence we see the witches as unnatural and demonic in nature. The next riddle, ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through fog and filthy air.’ Once again the seemingly illogical statement keeps the reader wondering. It could be saying that what appears to be good may not be so and that there is a thin line between good, ‘fair’, and evil, ‘foul’. It could also be warning readers of Macbeth and his deceptive personality, as well as not to take appearances and people’s personalities for granted as nothing is what it seems to be. Hence, the recurrent theme throughout this scene is the perversion of moral values and the disruption of all thing good, as well as that nothing is to be trusted as appearances are a form of deception. The witches’ evil is also a dominant theme throughout the scene as their preferences and actions give readers an overwhelming sense of evil and discord. There is an impending sense of disaster from their riddles and the belief that the witches are the embodiments of evil forces and the whole scene prepares the audience for the tragedy to come, as well as giving us a small peak into the future of the play. MACBETH The classroom analysis (generalized) (Previous analysis was June holiday homework) Act1 Scene 2: 9 / 7 /11 A camp. The scene starts with King Duncan himself asking an injured captain to report on the latest revolt. The scene serves a purpose of explaining the political situation in Scotland through the onlooker’s eyes. In other words, though the scene does not go directly into the battle zone itself, it still adequately informs the audience of what is going on both outside and inside of the battlefield. It also introduces some important characters, such as King Duncan, Ross, Angus and gives a few mentions of Macbeth and Banquo. Though not as dark and eerie as the previous scene, this scene uses battle scenes and the imagery of blood and gore to further establish a slightly dangerous, gruesome scene. An underlying note of darkness can also be felt throughout the scene, as the use of subtle hints about Macbeth’s future betrayal keep up a sense of foreboding. The battle is described as ‘two spent swimmers, that do cling together; And choke their art’. This tells us that the battle is very closely fought. No side is given a clear advantage but both sides are determined to keep the other ‘down’ for their own side to survive. The traitor ‘Macdonwald’ is also introduced as the enemy that King Duncan’s men are fighting in this particular battle. ‘And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling, Show’d like a rebel’s whore’, tells us that he at one point had seemed to be winning the battle, considering that ‘fortune’ is on his side. ‘Fortune’ is personified as a prostitute in this scene, giving him favors and such. Shakespeare also refers to ‘fortune’ as a goddess with a distinctly fickle nature that deceives the rebel (Macdonwald) with her smile before abandoning him. Following this predicament, Macbeth displays great courage and determin ation as he fought valiantly, undaunted by ‘fortune’. Because of his bravery and strong will, Macbeth is praised many times throughout the entire Act 1. The very first praise ‘brave Macbeth’, was given to him by the captain, because of his valiance and dauntlessness before Macdonwald. In this scene, Macbeth is constantly shown in a positive light. Multiple praises of him lead to the audience becoming in awe of him, as he appears very impressive. He is also praised as ‘Valor’s minion’. ‘Valor’ being considered as a goddess of valiance and bravery and Macbeth being thought of as a favorite of hers, hence leading to the conclusion that he is a valiant warrior. These praises help to raise suspense throughout the audience as the more in awe and impressed they become, the more they want to meet the glorious hero, Macbeth. However, even though Macbeth is constantly praised throughout this scene, the overwhelming presence of gore and blood show some character flaws in him as well. Macbeth ‘carved out his passage’ throughout the battlefield and ‘unseam’d [Macdonwald] from the nave to the chaps, And fix’d his head upon our battlements’. ‘Carved out’ gives us the image of constant killings, till a passage is carved out through a wall of men. This savage, sickening imagery is made worse when the image of Macbeth ripping open the rebel from his chin to his navel and then hacking off his head. The gruesome, gory image is the work of Macbeth. Hence, because of his savage kills and brutality of the battles, we can infer that he also has a strong, ruthless and slightly cold-hearted side to him. The blood and gore plays a large part in the play, as it is later on associated with Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan and his own eventual death. Here, Macbeth’s kills and the shedding of blood are glorified as it done in support of the King. The irony is that later on, Macbeth’s kills and the shedding of blood will be associated to the killing of the King and many other innocents. This scene is also ironical in the sense that Macbeth’s great achievement of killing the rebel will later be the very way he dies; his head will get chopped off. Hints of the future turn of events continue to appear as the Captain reports of Norway’s immediate attack right after their apparent victory over Macdonwald, ‘whence the sun ‘gins his reflection; Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break, So from that spring whence comfort seem’d to come; Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark’ . The meaning of this warning is that just as good things happen, bad things occur. This statement, though said with no reference to Macbeth, is immediately linked to him. This is due to Duncan’s praises of Macbeth just before the warning was said, ‘O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman’, hence it can be interpreted as a warning that while Macbeth seems to come across to the other characters as a savior and hero, he may actually end up as the source of all discord and enmity. This makes the audience think twice about Macbeth’s both future and current loyalty and starts off one of the major themes in the play: Appearance and illusions VS reality. What seems honest and beneficial may turn out to be the exact opposite. It also warns the audience of Macbeth’s future deceit and duplicity. The battle scene thickens as the Norweyan troops take advantage of their moment of victory to begin a fresh assault on them. Macbeth and Banquo are further praised here for their fearlessness and energy faced with yet another foe. They were said to be as dismayed and afraid as ‘As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion’, in other words, not afraid at all. The use of nature imagery here are compare them to the eagle, king of the sky, and the lion, king of land, implying them to be very noble and prideful in their fight for their king. Later on, when Duncan is murdered, the natural order of things is disrupted and the animals behave strangely. This fact further emphasizes the wrongfulness of murdering a good and lawful King, hence further condemning Macbeth. Ross later reports of betrayal of the Thane of Cawdor, and makes some comparisons with The King of Norway and Macbeth. ‘Confronted him with self-comparisons’, here implies that Macbeth and him were matched in strength and courage. However, as the King of Norway is considered to be treacherous and cunning, the words ‘self-comparisons’ further hint of Macbeth’s future treacherous personality. Ross also praises Macbeth, calling him ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’. Bellona is the roman goddess of war and by calling him her newly-wed husband; it implies that he too is a great warrior. His enjoyment of war and his enthusiasm and zeal over it also achieve the audience’s further questioning; in the case where Macbeth’s loyalty to Duncan is diminished, what will come of his enthusiasm for violence and love of war. Later on Duncan awards Macbeth with the title of ‘Thane of Cawdor’, unknowingly beginning to fulfill the prophecy which would lead him to his own demise. By condemning the current Thane of Cawdor, he blissfully is unaware of the fact that his presenting of the title to Macbeth will lead Macbeth to becoming a treacherous usurper. Duncan final words that close the scene are an ominous echo of the witches’ riddles in the first scene ‘When the battle’s lost and won’. ‘What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won’, makes it such that by becoming thane of Cawdor, Macbeth has entered some sort of curse, as though he wins the characteristics of the previous thane as well as his title but he eventually loses his future and sanity in the process. This shows the clear link between the King’s current actions and the scheme of the witches, which further leads to the fulfillment of the prophecy of the witches, which fuels Macbeth’s savage ambitions. It also makes the audience wonder the outcome of the play, had the King not given him the title. In summary, we can infer from act 1 scene 2 that Macbeth is brave, courageous, valiant, strong-willed, but at the same time hinted to be ruthless and slightly savage. Still, the audience will be mainly in awe of his loyalty and ability to overcome adversity in battle, as well as his apparent image as the embodiment of justice and valor. MACBETH The classroom analysis (generalized) (Previous analysis was June holiday homework) Act1 Scene 3: 9/ 7 /11 A heath. This scene marks the beginning of evil in Macbeth. It depicts his inner thoughts and struggles to keep his ambitious desires for the crown at bay. It is thought to be the ‘temptation scenes’, where Macbeth’s longings are further aroused by the witches’ words, instigating him with the hope of becoming king of Scotland with their prophecy. The 3 main purposes of this scene are 1. Characterization of the witches 2. Contrast in the difference between Macbeth and Banquo’s reactions to the witches’ prophecy. 3. Character of Macbeth is explored in greater detail. (Imaginative nature and high-strung temperament makes him inclined to soliloquy – ‘aside’ thoughts of character onstage, only audience can hear it.) With regards to the plot, the witches’ make the initial movement, through them Macbeth’s ambition crystallizes and his definite resolution to murder Duncan is established. However, bear in mind that Macbeth’s ambition was already present before the witches’ approached. Still, his meeting with them helped his vague aspiration take a definite shape. First and foremost, the scene introduces the witches’ sadistic and cruel nature, showing that they are vindictive, spiteful creatures who want to wreck revenge on the sailor’s wife, by giving out punishment on her husband which is out of proportion to the nature of the offence. Their reason for casting a spell on the sailor and his ship, cursing them to prolonged periods of suffering was simply because his fat wife refused to share her chestnuts with the First Witch. Such extreme measures emphasize the witches’ malicious natures, immediately giving the audience a poor impression of the characters. The animal imagery of a ‘rat’, tells us that they are sneaky, mischievous and harmful, biting a hole into the sailor’s ship. The way they chant ‘I’ll do, I’ll do and I’ll do’ appears to readers as eerie, almost definite manner of speaking. Their chants and ability to control winds further informs us that they are unnatural, almost magical beings. However, the witches though having powers beyond the norm are not completely powerful and are limited in their ability. Though they certainly can control winds, water, chant and attempt to place misguided thoughts in the characters minds, they cannot kill anyone nor can they force someone to bend to their will (as seen from the way they only influence the already ambitious Macbeth and not the honest Banquo). Furthermore, this indicates that Macbeth’s murder of Duncan and usurping was not because of the witches. He has evil thoughts already in himself, the witches only acted as guides, suggesting and tempting him with their words. The roles of the witches from the beginning were only insinuators, to provide suggestions and are not the direct cause for Macbeth’s actions. Hence, we can conclude that Macbeth is responsible for his own evil deeds and that the witches cannot be used to excuse Macbeth from his behavior. Still, the witches’ unyielding, cruel nature is still undeniable as they cause horrors for the people they target. The sailors are subjected to 81 days of wasting away, living like cursed men. Though they cannot completely destroy the ship, they can still cause it to be tossed and churned wildly through the storm. Also, we can tell that their cruelty and vindictive nature is apparent as jubilant is evident in their voices at Macbeth’s approach. From what we have learnt of their natures, we may conclude that they are deigning to work harm on Macbeth. Macbeth continues to link himself to the witches. His mention of ‘so foul and fair a day I have not seen’ reminds us of the ‘fair is foul’ comment that the witches used to close scene 1. It shows a clear connection between Macbeth and the witches’ evil. The ironic repetition is unconsciously echoed by Macbeth, indicating the changing direction of the battle or the weather, however it could also hint of Macbeth becoming further involved with the witches’ evil plot. The witches are also described in detail by Banquo here, seen to be strange looking and ‘withered’ and ‘wild’ in their dressing and features. However, their strange looks help to promote themes like appearance VS reality, as the women though seemingly women, have beards like men. This emphasizes their unnaturalness and status as perversions of nature. Their prophecy is also reviewed in this scene. First, Macbeth will become Thane of Glamis, which is more of a fact, seeing that Macbeth will inherit the title from his father. Next, they claim he will become Thane of Cawdor and then King. The last two are great prophecies; however it is the prophecy of becoming King that provides Macbeth the greatest temptation. It spurs him on for the most of the play, killing in hope to gain and keep the elusive title. Also, the witches are noted to not indicate how to achieve this title, giving only predictions and no suggestions. This further increases Macbeth’s responsibility for the murder of so many innocents. He crafted his own path and used his own means to achieve the titles and hence the murders committed in the process are more of his choice than any witches’ suggestion. Next, Macbeth is furthered introduced and the difference between Macbeth’s and Banquo’s reactions to the witches prophecies is explored. Through Banquo, we can see Macbeth is deeply shocked by the witches’ prophecies. ‘Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear. Things that do sound so fair?’ This suggests that the witches’ revelation was of Macbeth’s innermost thoughts, his dark hidden desire to become King. However, unlike Macbeth, Banquo sees no reason to fear the witches, indicating a strong sense of integrity and justice in him. While Macbeth is ‘rapt’, thinking of the King’s position; Banquo challenges the Witches’; fearing not as he does not have any greedy ambitions and a clear conscience. Hence, to summarize, Macbeth’s deep, dark innermost thoughts being revealed tell us of his ‘guilty’ status, who indeed, did have dark intentions towards King Duncan. Whereas, Banquo’s reactions are that of an honest man, skeptical and mistrustful of the witches as well as wary of his and Macbeth’s prophesized glory. More riddles follow, as the number of paradoxical statements (statement in which it seems self-contradictory, absurd, but in reality it expresses a possible truth) grows. First Witch Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Second Witch Not so happy, yet much happier. Third Witch Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none: So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo! The words could have many double meanings, for example ‘lesser’ and ‘not so happy’ could be referring to Banquo’s lack of titles and social status; whereas ‘greater’ and ‘much happier’ could refer to Banquo’s clearer conscience, honest character and upholding of morals. However, it is the last line of the riddle which though straightforward to a certain extent, tells us that Banquo will sire a long line of Kings. This is strange, as it makes the audience wonder how Macbeth will become King but have Banquo’s children gain the crown. Macbeth’s power hungry nature is emphasized as the witches leave the scene. He desperately wants to know more. As the witches refuse to direct or properly guide him, Macbeth is eager to learn how to make this prophecy come true. His commanding nature and forceful demand does not affect the witches. Hence we can infer from this that the Witches are mischievous, mysterious beings that do not listen to normal men. However, their elusive nature helps to add to a sense of suspense building up amongst the audience as it increases their fear of the unknown. This scene, especially this part, emphasizes how the Witches bait and lure Macbeth into their plans. The witches vanish suddenly, and are likened to ‘bubbles’ by Banquo, suggesting that just like bubbles the witches are insubstantial, as though they do not really exist and are unnatural occurrences. Furthermore, their disappearances fuel the uncontained hunger in Macbeth for the knowledge to become King. However, Banquo on the other hand is confused and bewildered by the Witches’ sudden appearance and disappearances. He wonders if they had eaten the ‘insane root’ and hence have gone mad. The men try to reconfirm the witches’ prophesies by repeating them to each other. However there is a difference in the tone of which the words are said. Macbeth seems wary and resentful of the fact that Banquo children are supposedly going to gain kingship, rather than his own children. Whereas, Banquo’s mood is light and joking, as he still is disbelieving and doubtful of the witches. The arrival of Ross and Angus interrupts the exchange between the two men. In summary, they inform Macbeth that Duncan is caught between praising Macbeth or expressing his amazement at Macbeth’s courage and skill. He also comments on Macbeth’s lack of fear of the distorted faces of the people he has killed, ‘strange images of death’, and this later becomes an irony as Macbeth will later make even stronger images of death later on, one of which being Duncan. Next, they deliver the message that the King has awarded Macbeth the title of Thane of Cawdor. This decision is Duncan’s undoing, as it was the gaining of this title that persuaded Macbeth to act on the prophecy and kill Duncan. Banquo is shocked by this revelation as he is still full of doubt and mistrust for the witches. On the other hand, Macbeth questions Ross and Angus, unaware of the Thane of Cawdor’s betrayal. The phrase, ‘dress me in borrowed robes’, is used to denote the new status or rank Macbeth has been give. It gives the image of unfitting clothes that do not rightfully belong to him, hence the term ‘borrowed’. This implies that the title is unsuitable for Macbeth and like ‘borrowed robes’ do not befit him. It is then revealed of the previous thane’s betrayal and efforts to destroy the country. The link between the new thane of Cawdor and the previous thane of Cawdor is the knowledge that they both betray the King’s trust, as Macbeth seems to be already in anticipation of his Kingship, ‘the greatest is behind’. Banquo then shares his opinion on the witches and the turn of events to Macbeth. His own thoughts are addressed to both himself and Macbeth, acting as a warning to Macbeth as he senses his excitement. That trusted home Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the thane of Cawdor. But ’tis strange: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence. Cousins, a word, I pray you. His words convey the message that the witches are not to be trusted and that if he believes in their words completely, he might burn with an unholy desire for the crown. He expresses his belief that the witches are agents of evil who tell them but simple truths to betray them in far important matters and are simply baiting them to their demise. Banquo’s remark is penetrating, having described the true nature of the witches in detail. He appears to us as a wary but honest man who holds a great deal of moral wisdom. However, with the use of soliloquy (as previously mentioned, it is when one shares his inner thoughts on stage with the audience but away from other characters), Macbeth expresses his confused and undecided feelings and is debating internally with himself. He is undecided if the prophecy is good or bad, ‘cannot be ill, cannot be good’. This paradoxical statement shows the sheer depth of the confusion in Macbeth as the statements directly contradict one another. This use of antithesis (the direct opposite: or in this case a balanced contrast of ideas), is used to show the conflicting emotions raging in Macbeth and uncertainty on whether he should trust the witches. However it also shows the inclination in Macbeth to evil as though deep down, he knows the implications of the prophecy are sinful actions, he still tries to justify the witches. Macbeth understands that if the prophecy is fulfilled, then one way or another Duncan must die. However, the repulsive thought of murder makes Macbeth’s hair stand on end and the mere thought of cold blooded murder make his heart, usually fixed within his chest, pound so hard it is as if it were pounding against his ribcage (exaggeration). He realizes that if this prophecy is good, he should not yield to the thought of murder, and the fact that it does, unnerves him. His every action is smothered in imagination of the King’s murder and he is so upset by the thought of murder that he quivers with fright. His mind is overwhelmed with such a thought that he is unable to think about anything else. Due to his cruel wishes, his inner stability is threatened and his inner peace lost. The next statement is also seemingly contradictory and paradoxical, ‘nothing is what it is not’, and yet it still tells us that the only thing real to him is what has not happened yet, the murder of Duncan, and the present is blotted out completely. Macbeth demonstrates a vivid but futile imagination and immediate fears do not worry him so much as his worries about the future. While he is lost in thought, Banquo comments on his ‘rapt’ state. Finally, Macbeth decides to wait for the opportunity to come, having decided that though seemingly ‘good’ as the prophecy has led him to the title of thane of Cawdor, the witches tempting of him to commit regicide (murder of monarchy) through dangling the prospect of becoming King before him may also be a ‘ill’ thing. He wishes for matters to be taken out of his hands so that he can become King without having to delve into foul means. Another imagery of clothing is also explored as Banquo comments that on Macbeth’s new titles. New honors come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use. This also provides the image of an unfitting set of clothes, referring to Macbeth’s new titles and honors. The metaphor takes on a role in which Macbeth is not suited or entitled to. Furthermore, Banquo says that the clothes need to be accustomed to, and that it is Macbeth’s thoughts and actions will fit the clothes to him and nothing else. This further emphasizes that what becomes of Macbeth is due to his own thoughts and choices. The scene ends with Macbeth claiming that the other men’s efforts are recognized before making their way towards the king. MACBETH The classroom analysis (generalized) (Previous analysis was June holiday homework) Act1 Scene 4: 24 / 7 /11 Forres. A room in the palace. This scene talks about the execution of the thane of Cawdor, praising of Macbeth and giving of title of crown prince to Malcolm. Imagery in this scene supports the sense of natural order in Duncan’s reign and the imagery of plants is used to describe Duncan’s nurturing of Macbeth and Banquo. In this scene, two things help mark a turning point in this play. 1. Duncan’s proclamation of his son as crown prince This clinches Macbeth’s decision to murder Duncan, as it confirms that Macbeth will never be king through natural causes. Unless Macbeth takes initiative to do something, the Kingship will slip out of his hands forever; hence he decides to murder the king. 1. Duncan’s decision to stay at Inverness Macbeth’s ‘chance’ to murder Duncan was produced due to Duncan’s foolish and fatal decision. The scene begins with the current situation of the previous thane of Cawdor. Cawdor, who had been executed, was reported as showing a ‘deep repentance’ before death. They even go so far to say that his death ‘became him’ and he was at his best right before dying. Duncan then comments that ‘There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face’, referring to Cawdor’s betrayal of Duncan’s complete trust in him. The irony of this situation is that Duncan still does not learn his lesson after this, and still continues to trust those around him, eventually being betrayed by the current Thane of Cawdor (Macbeth) in an almost similar fashion. Macbeth is someone who Duncan will put ‘absolute’ trust in, like the previous thane. However, Duncan appears to be a poor judge of character as he is soon tricked by the thane of Cawdor again. His comment ‘There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face’, basically means there is no technique or skill to see a person’s heart gives the scene a sense of foreboding and prophesy. It helps give rise to the theme of APPEARANCE AND REALITY, as well as injects a sense of dramatic irony as the audience knows he is about to make the same mistake again. As we can see, this line incorporates much dramatic significance, also because after this line is spoken, Macbeth enters. This link can only be seen by the audience and not Duncan; a subtle hint about the future. In this scene, we are able to characterize Duncan. He is a generous, appreciative, noble, naà ¯ve, trusting, gullible, gentle, dignified and benevolent king. He is associated with the natural order of things and even Macbeth recognizes me as a good king whom the subjects love. However he is also a poor judge of character as well as a tactless/thoughtless man. He gives Malcolm the crown before Macbeth, a tactical error which costs him his life. Macbeth would have be likely to feel jealous of Malcolm, not to mention having done so much in the war, he would feel as if his reward of the title ‘thane of Cawdor’ is small and insignificant compared to the crowning of the prince. However we cannot completely blame and ridicule Duncan for trusting Macbeth. Macbeth having had lain down his life for him, has earned Duncan’s trust. However we can still feel the irony as Duncan praises the treacherous Macbeth with words like ‘O worthiest cousin!’ etc. Duncan even says that Macbeth has done so many brave deeds that he has already been put in front of all of them, as if having been ‘elevated high above them all’. He expresses his internal gratitude, claiming that whatever reward is give to him is still not enough to fill the debt he owes to Macbeth. Macbeth replies Duncan claiming that there is no need to thank him as his service and loyalty to Duncan rewards him, and that he is full of love, duty and loyalty towards Duncan the country, him and his children. This provides a sharp contrast to the later soliloquy of scene 4, where Macbeth calls on the powers of darkness to kill the man he has just declared complete allegiance to. The contrast emphasizes Macbeth’s duplicity and double dealing nature. Duncan, as an appreciative and generous King, also does not forget to thank Banquo. The seed and plant imagery, otherwise known as a horticultural image, is used in Duncan’s speech to Banquo, to indicate a natural growth of appreciation for him, which is no less than the appreciation of Macbeth. Banquo’s reply is also less flowery and elaborate compared to Macbeth’s, making a clever conceit (does not mean arrogant, means something like ‘thought’) on Duncan’s embrace, and his desire to hold Duncan to his heart, hence showcasing his loyalty. Banquo continues the natural image of sowing and cultivating crops, then reaping them when ripe. Duncan is portrayed to be the rich soil in which Banquo has been planted and will thrive in. Banquo informs the King in a simple, straightforward manner that if he ‘thrives’ the King will naturally reap benefit from him, as well as that all his power, possessions and status belong to the King. We must take note of the differences between Macbeth’s and Banquo’s replies. MACBETH BANQUO Flowery stilted Elaborate insincere doesn’t seem to come from the heart Straight forward sincere full of humility humble simple Duncan, in his joy, thoughtlessly names his son as the successor but still claims that his son is not the only one to receive such honors as he still loves everyone equally. Macbeth however, is disappointed, troubled and is even a bit angry. He sees Malcolm as an obstacle and is now seriously thinking of treachery. Duncan does not recognize his displeasure. He decides to proceed to Inverness, Macbeth’s home, and the words ‘bind us further to you’, invoke a sense of irony in us. We can see that Duncan will be bound to Macbeth in a way that he has never dreamt of. He has no idea of what Macbeth is going to do to him in his stay in his castle. This will go on, unknown to Duncan but known to the audience, as they know of Macbeth’s evil plans. Macbeth lies to the King, pretending that he is rushing back to deliver the message of Duncan’s soon arrival to his wife, when the truth is he wants to hurry back to plan the murder of Duncan with his wife. He even says that â€Å"rest is labor, if not used for you’. In other words, resting feels more like labor if not done to help his King in any way. Duncan, naà ¯ve and trusting, calls him ‘worthy Cawdor’, not suspecting a thing. With the King’s decisions in mind (crowning of Malcolm and the decision to stay at his castle), Macbeth is now more determined than ever in his evil purpose. The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see He calls on the stars to block out their own light as what he is about to do is bad, terrible, treacherous and evil that he does not want anyone, even himself, to see it being done. He does not want to relive the full horror of his deeds and hence rather not let his eyes see his hands at work. This also tells us that Macbeth recognizes the evil and wrong in his actions and yet he still proceeds to carry out the evil deeds. He coveys this to the audience with the use of soliloquy and hence we understand that Macbeth’s invocation (to call on) to the stars to dim their lights are thoughts which are kept to himself and are only known to him and the audience, emphasizing the fact that these are thoughts running through Macbeth’s mind, unbeknownst to the rest. His words are like an inversion of nature; as if he were to ‘obliterate’ the light from heaven just to fulfill his dark purposes (MURDER DUNCANà ¯). Dramatic irony is continued as Duncan and Banquo proceed to discuss Macbeth’s nobility and courage after he leaves to discuss Duncan’s murder with his wife. They call him ‘a peerless kinsman’, in other words saying that no one is as good as him in terms of goodness and courage. This further emphasizes Duncan’s gullible, trusting and naà ¯ve nature, not suspecting Macbeth’s motives in the slightest. COMPARE AND CONTRAST†¦ In drama, it is more accurate to study the main character in relation to the roles that he/she/it plays and his/hers/its relationship to other characters. Macbeth VS Banquo 1. PARALLEL characters Characters which are very similar to one another Why? 1. both help kings fight the rebels 2. Both are captains 3. Both receive prophecies from the Witches 4. Both commended by the King However, that is where the similarities END. 1. Banquo is used to show CONTRAST with Macbeth Why? Stark contrast between Macbeth and Banquo’s 1. Reactions to the witches’ prophecies Macbeth – fearful, awed, eager to know more Banquo – wary, defiant, confused 1. Reactions to Duncan’s commendations Macbeth – flowery reply, full of insincere sounding praises Banquo – brief, humbling, sincere and self-evasing reply 1. Personality and character Macbeth – ambitious, deceptive, cunning, cruel and ruthless Banquo – full of integrity, honest, valiant, brave, loyal, and cautious 1. Royal line Macbeth promised to be king Banquo promised to be the father of many kings Banquo promised to be greater and happier than Macbeth 1. Attitude towards each other, before and later At first open with each other; later they will be wary and cautious with each other and unwilling to share their thoughts, hiding their intentions from each other. Macbeth VS Witches 1. Witches are supernatural beings with supernatural knowledge Offers go beyond that of ordinary human limits 1. Macbeth is embodiment of ‘man’; Full of apparent ‘valiance’ but actually easily mislead 1. We are rather unclear to witches’ intentions towards Macbeth in ACT 1 Later, Hecate scene indicates that they are supernatural agents of evil and destruction, holding power through surprise magical intentions Appearance VS Reality (theme) 1. Theme of FALSE appearance can thus be understood firstly in terms of conscious deception and hypocrisy 2. DECEPTION can thus be understood, secondly as part of the broader theme of concealment. From the beginning, Macbeth conceals his feelings about becoming King by speaking in ‘aside’ or soliloquy. 3. HYPOCRISY can be seen from Macbeth hypocrite actions, as he claims to be loyal and honorable but in truth; plots to kill his King (commit REGICIDE) Evil VS Fear 1. GOOD and EVIL are moral absolutes: The ethical view that certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, regardless of other contexts such as their consequences or the intentions behind them 1. Macbeth’s murder of Duncan is treated as a crime of the most terrible kind, of which he is deeply fearful from the moment he entertains the thought of it, which has far-reaching consequences. 2. 3. Recurrent images of darkness and night, illness and blood are all used figuratively to suggest moral significance, and to give a CONCRETE image of evil. Explain: REGICIDE, when it is performed of a good, lawful King, is considered EVIL. There is no moral objectivism, especially when the murder carries it out for his/her own benefit. This is emphasized by the many symbols used. 1. However, good and evil is also presented in a paradoxical way†¦ Macbeth expresses the most sensitive moral awareness: he accuses himself of the evil of his murder in the most eloquent terms; and experiences great horror and terror both before and after the deed. This contradicts the idea of good and evil as though Macbeth ‘knows the evil’, he still carries on to perform the ‘evil’, as if it were ‘good’ The choosing of wrong though aware of the right, causes good and evil to seem also like paradoxical ideas. INTO THE PLAY à ¯Ã‚ ¦ Macbeth’s soliloquy: 1. Macbeth speaks the greatest proportion of his lines alone; in a soliloquy or an ‘aside’ 1. Lack of interaction with other characters is very SIGNIFICANT in this kind of drama which usually relies upon dialogue to move the action forward. 2. This solitary speech produces a strong sense of Macbeth’s isolation especially later in the action, where he is virtually speaking alone even though there are many silent servants on stage. 3. This makes Macbeth a very internal character, whose inner life creates a kind of action in mind. His private speeches use vivid and moving images and develop powerful inner experiences at different points in the play. Scottish court: 1. Duncan, Malcolm and Macduff have distinct roles to play 2. However, thanes are apparently generalized in speech and decisions at the start of the play 3. Duncan’s role is that of a gracious but overly trusting and wrongfully murdered King. He relates to his scout with elaborate and formal courteousness 4. After Duncan is murdered, thanes become wary of each other and their surroundings

Research Paper on William James and Functionalism

PSY 101 4/7/13 â€Å"William James and Functionalism† I. Introduction William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was an American philosopher and psychologist who had trained as a physician. He was the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States. James wrote influential books on pragmatism, psychology, educational psychology, the psychology of religious experience, and mysticism. He was the brother of novelist Henry James and of diarist Alice James. In the summer of 1878, William James married Alice Gibbens. William James was born at the Astor House in New York City.He was the son of Henry James Sr. , a noted and independently wealthy theologian well acquainted with the literary and intellectual elites of his day. The intellectual brilliance of the James family milieu and the remarkable epistolary talents of several of its members have made them a subject of continuing interest to historians, biographers, and critics. James also worked on man y theories included functionalism which is the second paradigm in Psychology. According to William James, functionalism assumed that the human mind served an adaptive role.It explored the function of thoughts and behaviors. II. What is functionalism in Psychology? Functionalism is a theory of the mind in contemporary psychology, developed largely as an alternative to both the identity theory of mind and behaviorism. This theory is built on the premise that human mental states (beliefs, desires, pain, etc. ) are constituted solely by their functional role — that is, they are causal relations to other mental states, sensory inputs, and behavioral outputs . Functionalism is a theoretical level between physical implementation and behavioral output.Therefore, it is different from its predecessors of Cartesian dualism (advocating discrete mental and physical substances) and Skinnerian behaviorism and physicalism (declaring only physical substances): It is only concerned with the ef fective functions of the brain. Since mental states are identified by a functional role, they are said to be realized on multiple levels. In other words, they are able to be manifested in various systems as long as the system performs the appropriate functions. While computers are physical devices with electronic substrate that perform omputations on inputs to give outputs, our brains also act as physical devices with neural substrate that perform computations on inputs which produce behaviors. â€Å"The Principles of Psychology† is a monumental text in the history of psychology, written by William James and published in 1890. James's psychology included four methods: analysis (i. e. , the logical criticism of precursor and contemporary views of the mind), introspection (i. e. , the psychologist's study of his own states of mind), experiment (e. g. , in hypnosis or neurology), and comparison (i. . , the use of statistical means to distinguish norms from anomalies). III. The p aradigm of functionalism The subject matter of psychology: Psychology is the study of mental activity (e. g. perception, memory, imagination, feeling, judgment). Mental activity is to be evaluated in terms of how it serves the organism in adapting to its environment. The methods of psychology: Mental acts can be studied through introspection, the use of instruments to record and measure; and objective manifestations of mind, through the study of its reations and products, and through the study of anatomy and physiology. The functionalists tended to use the term ‘function' rather loosely. The term is used in at least two different ways. It can refer to the study of how a mental process operates. This is a major departure from the study of the structure of a mental process, the difference between stopping a train to tear it apart to study its parts (structuralism), and looking at how the systems interact while it is running (functionalism). The term ‘function' can also ref er to how the mental process functions in the volution of the species, what adaptive property it provides that would cause it to be selected through evolution. Functionalism never really died, it became part of the mainstream of psychology. The importance of looking at process rather than structure is a common attribute of modern psychology. As an individual approach it lacked a clear formulation and inherited the problems of the structuralist reliance on introspection. IV. William James’ approach on functionalism Unlike Many Psychologist who were interested on structuralism (structures of the mind), WilliamJames instead was interested in consciousness and how it functions in individuals, especially in relation to behavior. James’s psychology experiments with his students tended to be more curious adventures in consciousness and practical application. James taught at Harvard University from 1878-1890. During this time, he completed his renowned psychological work: â₠¬Å"The Principles of Psychology† in which he elucidated his functionalist insight into such subjects as consciousness, habit, and emotion. He was also became over saturated with the subject of functionalism and psychologyV. Functionalism vs. Structuralism As soon as psychology started to gain scientific relevance, so started the debate over how it was most appropriate to describe behavior and the human mind. Structuralism was first introduced by Wilhelm Wundt. It was then formally named and established by one of his students named Edward B. Tichener who broke away from many of the previous ideas put forward by Wundt. Structuralism aims to describe the structure of the mind in terms of the most primitive elements of mental experience. It focused on the breaking down of the brains mental rocesses into its basic components. These basic components were then attempted to be discovered by a method known as introspection. Introspection can be defined as the examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes. Structuralism is based on the idea tha t the aim of psychology is to investigate how the elements are relate to each other which is done by the study into sensations, images and feelings. Functionalism was formulated as a reaction to structuralism and aims to explain mental processes in a more accurate manner than structuralism.It does this by focusing on the purpose of consciousness and behavior. It was brought forward by William James (1842-1910) and was derived from the theory of natural selection created by Darwin which suggests that unless characteristics of a species, including the processes in the brain, served some sort of purpose they would not be selected over time by nature and would not have survived. There are weaknesses to both approaches. Structuralism was criticized for lacking reliability in its results due to the study of the structure of the mind being too subjective. Others argue that it was oo concerned with i nternal behavior that cannot be easily observed and therefore not easily measured. It could also be argued that everyday psychological problems cannot be solved by looking at the sensations of them alone and the mental operations that are promoted by functionalism have to be considered. VI. Conclusion Functionalism formed as a reaction to the structuralism and was heavily influenced by the work of William James and the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin. Functionalists sought to explain the mental processes in a more systematic and accurate manner.Rather than focusing on the elements of consciousness, functionalists focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior. Functionalism also emphasized individual differences, which had a profound impact on education. Work Cited: * James, William. The principle of Psychology. Vol. 1 and 2. 1890. Dover publications 1950. * James, William. Psychology (Briefer Course) (1892) University of Notre Dame Press 1985: Dover Publications 2001. * Wade, Carole. Tavris, Carole. Psychology Tenth Edition. Upper Saddle River. Pearson Education 2011, 2008, 2006. * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/William_James

Individualistic Culture in USA and the China Collectivistic Culture Essay

Individualistic Culture in USA and the China Collectivistic Culture - Essay Example In exchange, such persons are guaranteed protection and this is essentially the motivational factor in this system. The paper shall examine the United States and China with respect to individualistic or collectivistic cultures. In order to ascertain whether the US is an individualistic culture, it is essential to familiarise oneself with the traits synonymous with the individualistic culture. In such a culture, people normally empathise with their own goals and can also be considered as self centred. Additionally, such people communicate quite uniquely. In individualistic cultures, communication systems rarely make differences between out-group and in group communication. Consequently, their means of communication are also distinctive to this development. Most people who come from individualistic cultures tend to prefer using very direct and clear methodologies in communicating. This means that one is not likely to find them beating about the bush. (Hofstede, 1993) Success is a common goal in individualistic cultures. Usually, such persons take pride in private wealth or good job positions. It is usually common to find such people struggling to get up the corporate ladder. Such persons may not care much about what or who they have to eradicate in order to make it to the top. Besides these, these cultures are normally fond of creating business relationship that will benefit them personally. Normally connections are made in order to boost one' chances of making it i.e. they are well calculated. This also means that such cultures rarely pay attention to the mutual value that can come out of having a business relationship with another person and pay more attention to what that business relationship can do for them. In individualistic cultures, it is also common to find that employees found there are mostly interested in protecting their interests. This is the reason why law suits and litigations filed against one's employers are more common in individualistic societies than in collectivistic ones. Also, employees in these cultures are normally expected to take care about their own interests rather than looking out for the interests of others. (Chen, Meindl & Hunt, 2001) It should also be noted that this culture deals with problems in different ways to their collectivistic counterparts. Most individualistic people concern themselves with how they can change their environments to suit their circumstances. This is the same approach in problem solving; they always consider how other goals around them can be shifted to accommodate their needs. The United States was ranked as the country with the highest rate of individualism in the world. Hofstede conducted experiments where he wanted to study the level of collectivism and individualism in respective countries. These were his findings on cultural dimensions; PD= Power distance, ID = Individualism, MA = Masculinity, UA = Uncertainty Avoidance, LT = Long Term Orientation, H= top third, L = Bottom third, M = Medium third Country PD ID MA UA LT USA 40L 91H 62H 46L 29L China 80H 20L 50M 60 118 Source: Hofstede, p 91, 1993 Consequently, people from the latter country are likely to emanate from the collectivistic rather than the individualistic school of thought. Many leaders in the American culture have shown individualistic tendencies from time to time with some of them remarking that society

Training for Statesmanship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Training for Statesmanship - Essay Example However, the base-superstructure parameter of the Marxian precept is not what exactly Kennan talks about. In his opinion, the American people are in general conscious of the need to accept a multicultural environment, without a state centre having to exert power on them to think on terms of the greater common good. This innate accommodative sense of the American public that leads to progress is the most interesting point Kennan makes in this passage. The generalization that the American sentiments regarding national progress and general peace can be related to the concept of the American Dream where all those who came to the land and considered themselves as Americans were willing to work towards the common goal of building a paradise on the face of the earth. However, this common mission that Kennan tries to talk about had already been challenged during the World Wars and the Cold War years, due to the uncontrollable dimensions of ethnic diversity that made the America that we talk about now. Years of legal and illegal migration from many parts of the world to the American mainland has made many cultural collisions inevitable. The various ethnic and religious communities that settled in America for various reasons made it impossible to have a shared viewpoint on progress and peace. The fact that America gained immense amount of power in the international scenario through economic development has in fact led to a situation where the opinion of Kennan would seem like a joke. America is now seen by many other nations as exerting power even outside its administrative boundaries to gain and sustain more power. Its interference in the Palestinian issue and the the antagonistic relations with Iran and other Muslim nations have in fact made America notorious for using its military force for its selfish gains. Similarly, the American internal affairs are also much beyond the comprehensive and cooperative attitudes that Kennan talks

Macy's Department Stores - The Competency Research Paper

Macy's Department Stores - A Competency - Research Paper Example This pattern of choice must start with the individual; there cannot be a group ethic that is in agreement without individual ethics. At Macy’s as in any organizational environment, an individual is a person who must make choices regarding how to behave. This behavior can be broken down into two categories: the choice as it affects the society around the person making the decision, and the decision as it affects the person making the choice. An individual who is making an ethical decision must think of how the behavior will affect others in terms of positive and negative repercussions, and they must also think how the decision will affect themselves in terms Part of the ethics of Macy’s includes what the company sees as its duty, and its employees’ duty, to give back to the community. Individual ethics, after all, is just an extension of the ethics of the community and society. â€Å"Support for our communities comes through gifts from the company, the Macys Foundation, and our employees. We've also made it possible for our customers to join us in "giving back" through our programs such as Thanks for Sharing, Shop for a Cause, and Go Red, the American Heart Associations women's heart health program† (Diversity, 2009). A company can install a program that benefits them personally; however, it might not benefit the rest of society, because it represents them cutting corners to get ahead, or seeking credentials in a way that is fraudulent, and will make them ultimately feel bad. Ethics can be a personal decision that can also be reflected by an external group or group philosophy, and although some would argue against ab solutism in ethics, this absolutism is definitely strong in rational theory portrayals.  

English - Narrative Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English - Narrative Writing - Essay Example I then told her that I was not in the mood to go out, much more attend a party for the poor. The whole idea does not appeal to me. Jessica was insisting that it would be fun and that I will enjoy the activity. I thought to myself, why would an activity with the poor people be fun? I even asked her if there will be cute boys around. Jessica did not answer. I realized at that point that she really wanted me to come and that she felt bad that I would give so many excuses. After the brief silence on the phone, I thought I will just say yes to Jessica to make her feel good. When I agreed to come, Jessica told me that she will pick me up and we will go to the party together. The Christmas party was held in the community’s basketball court. There were lots of food on one table and another long table with numerous toys for children. Balloons, colorful trimmings and banners decorated the whole court. Christmas carols were being played in the background that gave a festive mood in the u sually drab basketball court. Looking around, I saw several children on wheelchairs, while others had crutches. In one corner was a toddler, obviously suffering from hydrocephalus, who was cradled by her mother. In the other corner of the court, I noticed a group of children who were doing sign language. They were deaf and mute. After a while, a group of blind children with canes entered the court. They were in one line and were being directed by their guide to sit on the chairs in front of the stage. Seeing all those people in the court, I approached Jessica and asked her why there were so many disabled children in the party. I thought all along it was a party for the poor. Jessica then explained to me that their parents were part of an organization which helped the disabled poor children of the community. In Jessica’s own words she said, â€Å"These are the poorest of the poor.† My heart sunk hearing those words. Yes, they were indeed the poorest of the poor. Being p oor is bad enough but being disabled at the same time is really unfortunate. Just seeing those kids made me feel so depressed. Jessica noticed the sudden change in my facial expression and she went towards the long table which contained the toys. She handed a doctor set toy and urged me to go to the boy on the wheelchair. At first, I was hesitant to go but something inside me was telling me to hand the toy over to the boy. I approached the boy and he smiled at me. He was a paraplegic and was unable to talk. I gave him the doctor set and told him, â€Å"Do you want to be a doctor when you grow up?† He nodded and grinned from ear to ear and accepted the toy. He hugged the toy as if it was his first time to receive a present. Oh, that smile! It was the most wonderful and genuine smile that I have seen. Not even the Mona Lisa can surpass that smile. I felt the joy that the little boy felt. My heart was leaping with joy. Now I know why the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta spent so m uch time with the poorest of the poor. The feeling is overwhelming that it encompasses your whole being. Suddenly, I was convinced that the saying, â€Å"It is better to give than to receive† is indeed true. Not long, the program started and in one part of the program a blind girl was asked to talk in behalf of the group of disabled children. She thanked everyone who made the event possible. Her speech was brief but very meaningful. She said that they are so blessed to have people like those in the organization who

APA and Scholarly Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

APA and Scholarly Research - Essay Example While there are other research citation styles used for academic research work, not all of these styles are versatile or efficient. MLA, for example, was designed to be mostly used for research work in the Humanities. Turabian style of citation is rather complex to use. The APA style is most versatile because it can be used in any kind of research work and is simple to apply. Since APA is simpler and more efficient to use in citing references for research work, it would then be of good practice for any researcher to develop the habit of doing proper source citation. As long as a researcher makes a good habit of being consistent when it comes to making the proper citation of references to the research work, the less chance there is for the researcher to commit plagiarism. Being consistent in proper source citing would also develop the researcher’s skill in analyzing information in the research

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY METAL IONS (LEAD ION AND Coursework

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY METAL IONS (LEAD ION AND MERCURY ION) ON THE ACTION OT TRYPSIN ENZYME - Coursework Example The above observation will get into the discussion in association with the dissociation of Mercury Nitrate and the lead Nitrate. The above observations might also be explained in terms some complex reactions which do involving the enzyme trypsin and metal ions. RESEARCH AND RATIONAL Enzymes are biological catalyst made up of proteins, they speed up the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy hence providing an alternative pathway (fig.1). Enzymes remain unchanged at the end of a reaction. They are classified as globular proteins, they are made up of polypeptide chains which coil and or fold up to give a 3D structure which determines the shape of the enzyme and hence, the shape of the active site. http://tfscientist.hubpages.com/hub/what-are-enzymes-where-do-they-work Figure 1http://www.biologyguide.net/unit1/2_enzymes.htm All enzymes have an active site, in 1814 Emil Fischer proposed the lock and key model. According to this theory, the substrate fits perfe ctly into the enzymes active site hence forming an enzyme substrate complex, causing the bonds in the substrate to change. This will eventually lead to the formation of products. The products are released from the enzyme active site leaving the enzyme free to accept another substrate. http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/571lockkey.html The diagram below illustrates this theory. Figure 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Competitive_inhibition.svg However X-ray crystallography and computer assisted modelling, research has shown that the lock and key model is not accurate. This has led to the introduction of the ‘induced-fit theory’. It assumes that the substrate influences the final shape of the enzyme active site and that the active site is malleable. Only specific substrates will be able to alter the active site slightly in order for a reaction to take place [1].The diagram below illustrates the induced fit theory. Figure 3: http://www.biologyguide.net/unit1/2_ enzymes.htm There are various factors that influence the activity of enzymes, these include; pH, temperature and Inhibitors. Inhibitors are substances that affect the activity of enzyme, if the site which active of the enzyme gets occupied by a substance which is not a substrate, the activity of the enzyme will decrease because the substrate cannot bind to the active site. This means that both the substrate and the molecule are competing for space on the active site. This is known as a competitive inhibition and can be reversed by the addition of more substrate.  Non-competitive inhibition is another form of inhibition where a molecule binds to the allosteric site on an enzyme hence changing the shape of the active site. This prevents the substrate from binding to the active point. Usually this type is reversible but cannot be overcome by increasing substrate concentration. Trypsin is a serine protease found in the human digestive system, it is essential for the hydrolysis of pro tean such as casein found in milk http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Trypsin.html. Without trypsin, it would be difficult for the human body to absorbed protein; Pb (NO3 )2 and Hg (NO3 )2 contain Pb2+ and Hg2+ ions respectively. These meal ions acts as non-competitive inhibitors and this means that there will be fewer successful

Moral Standing of Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Moral Standing of Abortion - Essay Example This paper is an attempt to undertake an objective approach to develop an unbiased and a logically sound thesis aiming at implying a set warrant of the issue by arguing that abortion is morally wrong and unjust, however only under special circumstances (like rape or mother`s like at risk) can abortion be justified as a morally sound decision. Abortion is defined as â€Å"the expulsion of a  fetus  from the  uterus  before it has reached the stage of viability† (Encyclopedia Britannica). The biological makeup of an embryo or a fetus, by any standard, resembles that of a human as the genetic makeup of the cells of the embryo is the same as that of a human, and the viability stage reaches at week 20 when the embryo fully resembles that of a human. Thus, at the stage of viability it would be only sane to regard abortion as an immoral act as murdering an innocent life negates all the principals of morality. However, under special circumstances, the woman may be allowed to a bort the baby, especially when the woman`s life is at stake or if the baby will result in the mental trauma for the woman in case the embryo is a result of rape or sexual abuse. However, if the woman was engaged in a voluntary act which resulted in the conception of an embryo, it would be insane to kill the baby if the embryo has reached the stage of viability. Thus, in any case abortion is an immoral act as an embryo older than twenty weeks is as alive as a grown up human being. However, some cases may be considered as exceptional ones and in some special circumstances abortion can be deemed as a moral act. Firstly, when the life of the mother is at stake for the reason that giving birth to the baby will risk the life of the mother, abortion is absolutely moral. Secondly, if birth resulted from rape or any kind of sexual abuse, which would cause mental trauma as the birth would constantly remind the woman of the unfortunate incident, thus in this case the woman should have the free dom to choose if she wants the baby or not. Thirdly, factor of viability is of importance to decide whether or not abortion is immoral i.e. an embryo if any younger than twenty weeks is conceived it will be fair enough to abort the baby as it won`t be a viable one. In this case, it is important to analyze the arguments and propositions put forth by Thomason (1971) which are referred to by many pro choice advocates. Thomason (1971) tries to negate the conclusion derived by two propositions that firstly, human embryo has the right to life, and if human embryo has the right to life it is morally impermissible to kill him. Thus, it is sensible enough to conclude that it is impermissible to kill the human embryo. However, she tries to negate the conclusion by replacing the second proposition by the relative rights of the mother and the child, i.e. she claims that the mother has a right to take decisions about her body and the fetus has a right to life. In other words, she is trying to ar gue that the pro-life advocate will then regard abortion as a breach in the rights of the mother as opposed to the rights of the baby. Though the argument seems to be valid, but it lacks soundness as it is a clear example of the fallacy of inappropriateness. Though it is true that a mother has rights, but at the same time she should be responsible enough to take precautionary

Cause and effect AID Essay Example for Free

Cause and effect AID Essay There are many factors that cause Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is a disease caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). First of all, HIV is caused by having sex through unprotected sex with a person who has infected by HIV. HIV may be transmitted through unprotected heterosexual or homosexual, vaginal, anal, or oral sex. The main routes of transmission are unprotected vaginal and anal sex. Besides that, one can be infected with HIV through blood transmission. Sharing needles and reusing syringes that contaminated with HIV-infected blood may cause blood transmission from one to another. In most of the cases, this incident occurs when there is sharing and reusing needles among drug users. In addition, HIV may be transmitted if there is use of contaminated surgical instruments or equipments and blood transfusion with infected blood during medical treatment or operation. It could happen when health care workers are involved in needle prick accidents. Moreover, one of the ways to be infected with HIV is through mother-child transmission infection. This is a condition where mothers who are infected by HIV are at risk of giving the disease to their baby during pregnancy and giving birth process. Besides that, HIV transmission can occur during breastfeeding by an infected mother as well which is called vertical transmission. Effects of AIDS AIDS causes damage to the human body in many ways. AIDS reduces the ability of the infected person to fight other diseases. HIV infection causes AIDS as well as a number of health problems. HIV infection affects many organs of the body, including those within the immune, gastrointestinal, mucosal, respiratory and neurological systems. First of all, HIV virus affects the immune system as the virus attacks lymphocytes called T cells. These T cells also called as CD4 are essential for fighting disease causing germs. When CD4 T-cells are infected, the count of T cells eventually decreases in the body of patient, it becomes susceptible to infections. Besides that, HIV infection that caused AIDS also contributes to weight effects. People who infected HIV may lose muscle and fat where they are difficult to regain the weight once they lost their weight. Complete loss of appetite is also one of the symptoms which may cause rapid weight losing or diarrhea which can lead to dehydration. AIDS wasting syndrome is one of the concern for HIV patients where they loss their 10 percent or more of their body weight. Presentation of argument The main reason that causes AIDS is through having unprotected sex. Unprotected sex is a term used to describe anal or vaginal sex without a condom. According to Health Protection Agency, most cases of HIV in the UK are caused by having sexual contact. HIV transmits through unprotected homosexual or heterosexual, vaginal, anal, or even oral sex. HIV moves from a body fluid of infected person into the body and bloodstream of their sexual partner during sexual contact. HIV can be transmitted via delicate and absorbent mucous skin of penis, vagina, lining of rectum and sometimes mouth and throat as well. HIV infection doesn’t occur every time unprotected sex takes place. However, it could happen any time unprotected sex takes place. According to scientists, an infected person will transmit HIV to their partner once in every 900 times they have unprotected sex. Thus, the more people one has unprotected sex with, the more chances HIV infection can passes on. There are different kinds of sexual behaviours according to relative risks. Sexual behaviours such as masturbation, kissing, touching, oral sex on a man with condom or oral sex on a woman with a barrier method may cause HIV infection at a very low risk whereas anal intercourse wand vaginal sex without a condom may cause HIV infection at high risk. It is possible to catch HIV through unprotected oral sex, but the risk is much lower. The risk of HIV transmission through oral sex will be higher if the person giving oral sex has mouth ulcers, sores or bleeding gums and/or if the person receiving oral sex has been recently infected with or another sexually transmitted infection.

An analysis of the Feminization of War

An analysis of the Feminization of War Throughout history, women have found ways to interject themselves into combat roles, whether openly or undercover. Stories about women serving in combat roles during the American Revolution and the Civil War have spread to groups who support the idea of including women in such roles. However, a womans traditional role during war has been to hold things together back home while the men were responsible for defending the nation. During the turn of the 20th century, the roles for women changed dramatically when it comes to the military. Some 33,000 women served in the US armed forces during World War I, most in the Nurse Corps; more than ten times that number served during World War II (Field). Additionally, women fulfilled roles in manufacturing plants that produced the equipment vital to the war effort. Recently, women have been indirectly attached to combat ground troops where they have been placed in a position to defend themselves from enemy combatants when necessary. Female vetera ns such as Catherine Ross feels, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦she faced the same dangers as her male colleaguesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦why arent women allowed to serve in full combat roles in the American army (Horn). Supporters make a very convincing argument for overturning the current exemption prohibiting women from serving in direct combat roles. However, Elaine Donnelly from the National Review believes otherwise. She states, Civil affairs, even in a combat zone, does not fit the definition of direct ground combat: deliberate offensive action, attacking the enemy under fire à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Rose has therefore not actually experienced the role she is advocating for her fellow women (Horn). The assertions that other countries have overcome the problem of allowing women in combat roles have been taken out of context when the details are studied thoroughly. Israel is a country that is frequently mentioned when debating whether women should fulfill combat roles. Dorian de Wind of the Moderate Voice states, The Israeli military have actively recruited women since the start of the Israeli state in 1948, and now allow women to serve in any role that men may (Horn). However, there are reports that contradict this statement. No Israeli woman has served in combat since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 (Van Creveld). The people of Israel, including feminist groups, have any objections to this situation (Dougherty). So the question remains, Should women be allowed to fulfill full combat roles within the United States military? The answer should be unequivocally NO! Women are physically incapable to handle the rigors of war, will cause a break-down in unit cohesion, and to be honest, Americans are not truly ready to see large numbers of young women returning home in body bags. The first major problem deals with the physical capabilities of the average woman entering the military. When in a combat situation, each member of the team will need to be able to pull their load, many times without the assistance from anyone else. One critic states, Women on average do not have the physical capability to lift a fully loaded male soldier who has been wounded under fire, in order to save his life. No one should have to die because women do not [have the capability] (Horn). Time is of the essence when in battle, and when a soldiers life is at stake, the unit will need capable individuals to carry-out the duties and responsibilities required to bring everyone home safe from a dangerous mission. Most women lack those very important skills crucial to combat. Some may argue to include those women who may be considered capable, but that will not be the correct answer due mostly to the difference in physical training standards. Proponents say, There are no current tests that specifically measure the physical skills required for each military occupation specialty the only way to test this is have the soldiers simply go out and perform their task. The goal is to create these gender-blind specific tests that more accurately predict a soldiers success in combat (Willens). The promotion of such tests will be disastrous in the end. To merely, test a soldier on how well he or she carries a gun is a far cry from the unpredictability of an intense combat situation. There is no way to predict each and every task that maybe required of a soldier when a combat situation arises; therefore, the task test for every specialty would only be beneficial to those specialties while in peace time conditions and would be thrown out in combat. As of now, men and women are held to two different standards. Men are required to do more, physically, than their female counterparts. Another critic states, If women were held to the same standards as men, more than 14 percent of our armed forces would not be women. Feminists aver that scrapping the double standard would be discriminatory (Kirkwood). These remarks speak for themselves. Everywhere in society, the physical standards differ between men and women. Lets consider the New York Marathon. The men and women start out at the same time and run the same course, but when it comes to finishing the race, the division begins. There is always a man that finishes the race first and shortly afterwards, the first woman crosses the finish line. When the top participants are identified, they are split between the top man and the top woman. If this split does not occur, the top performing woman would never be recognized even though she may have finished before hundreds of male participants . Proponents, deep down inside, recognize there are strength differences between male and female, and really do not want to push for the physical standards to match. Besides, the strongest woman is usually only as strong as the weakest man (Kirkwood). Does the military want a less than capable combat force? Most logical thinking human beings would say, No! The second major problem to be discussed is the disintegration of unit cohesion within the combat team. This disintegration takes place in many forms that are also found within civilian society such as mistrust and pregnancy. Trust within the unit is paramount. One scholar states, Just the perception of unfairness is often enough to poison the atmosphere (Simons). This perception of unfairness will be experienced by both men and women. For example, certain tasks are perceived to be unfairly assigned to men due to the mixed gender environment. Leaders do not want to be on the wrong end of such an intense situation and therefore chooses men to complete the task because they would be the ones performing it in an all male environment. When this takes place, mistrust in the chain of command creeps in and starts the breakdown in cohesion. On the other hand, if the women are assigned these types of tasks, they too will feel that the leadership is treating them unfair based on gender. Where is the leadership to turn? It takes a delicate balancing act to make such a situation work. And when in combat, the leadership needs to know that each service member completely trusts their decision making ability or the whole unit is lost. Take a look at the corporate world. Women are positioned throughout the company at all levels. Even though the women are there, they are still unevenly represented at the upper levels of management. Some may ask, Why? A simple explanation may be in order. There are things that only happen to women that may or may not impact their decision. The board of directors at these companies needs to be comfortable that their team will be intact for years to come and pregnancy disrupts this plan. In the corporate environment, many women extend their maternity leave and then willingly surrender high-status positions (or resign their commissions) after giving birth in order to spend more time at home (Simons). This type of behavior would not be acceptable in a Special Forces unit. These units spend years together perfecting their communication skills and fighting techniques. A decision of this magnitude cannot be made on a whim. No one has the right to tell a woman that she cannot start a family if she chooses to do so. The unit will suffer for this decision and will make it ineffective. Therefore, all women have to be considered potentially non-deployable for some length of time (Simons). The final problem with women being assigned in combat roles is that Americans are not ready for their daughters to be brought home in body bags. During World War I and World War II (WWII), Americans accepted the fact that war produces casualties on both sides and seen it was necessary to participate in such a horrific act. However, over the past forty years, some Americans have changed their perceptions on the need for war. Statistics show that the number of casualties have drastically decreased since WWII with Vietnam combat casualties being listed at 58,209 compared to the 5624 combat deaths of the entire Global War on Terrorism (Wikipedia). Now imagine that 14 percent of the deaths during the War on Terrorism were women. It paints a grim picture to know that nearly 800 women could have been killed in combat while performing a highly dangerous job that some feminists are advocating so strongly. If this was the case, the streets would be crowded with angry parents and family members protesting the use of their daughters in such combat roles. Women are needed to play the counterbalancing role for the men in society. If society is composed of individuals who all think alike, the country would go down the path of no return. Women should be spared the carnage and cruelty of war and turning a woman into the kind of person who views such gore without blinking an eye, or who participates in the wanton killing war requires, is a step down to cultural suicide (Kirkwood). It is usually the mothers who teach the youth of America and by turning them into killing machines, Americans are essentially destroying their future because the sanity check would not be place to keep this country from becoming the war mongering state that some Americans believe it is today. Movies make the case for including women in combat roles and there are some who have fought valiantly when thrust into a kill or be killed situation. However, the few women who have encountered such activities do not constitute the total restructuring of full combat units that are performing effectively as they now stand. Maybe in the future when strength capability and unit cohesion is not a part of the equation, then women will be utilized in a more modified combat role where service members will never come into contact with enemy forces. This would be the problem assigned to the Department of Defense Warfare engineers for a solution. How would combat units fight a close quarter without seeing the enemy face-to-face? When this problem is solved, then and only then women should be allowed to become a part of fully engaged combat unit.

The Graphic Language and Design :: essays papers

The Graphic Language and Design Evolution of Design The old saying necessity is the mother of invention "continues to be true, and a new machine, structure, system, or device is the result of that need. If the new device, machine, system, or gadget is really needed, people will buy it, providing it does not cost too much. Then, naturally, these questions may arise. Is there a wide potential market? Can this device or system be made available at a price that people are willing to pay? If these questions can be answered satisfactorily, then the inventor, designer, or officials of a company may elect to go ahead with the development of production and marketing plans for the new project or system. A new machine, structure, or system, or an improvement thereof, must exist in the mind of the engineer or designer before it can become a reality. This original concept or idea is usually placed on paper and communicated to others by the way of the graphic language in the form of freehand idea sketches. These idea or design sketches lead even more sketches, such as computation sketches, for developing the idea more fully. The Young Engineer The engineer or designer must be able to create idea sketches, calculate stresses, analyze motions, size the parts, specify materials and production methods, make design layouts, and supervise the preparation of drawings and specifications that will control the numerous details of production, assembly, and maintenance of the product. In order to perform or supervise these many tasks, the engineer makes liberal use of freehand drawings. He or she must be able to record and communicate ideas quickly to associates and support personnel. Facility in freehand sketching, or the ability to work with computer controlled drawing techniques, requires extensive training in drawing with instruments and a thorough knowledge of the graphic language. A typical engineering and design department, many of the staff has considerable training and experience; others are recent graduates who are gaining experience. There is so much to be learned on the job and it is necessary for the inexperienced person to start at a low level and advance to more responsibility as experience is gained. Very much to the point is the following statement by the chief engineer of a large corporation: "Many of the male and female engineering students whom we interview have the impression that if they go to work at the drafting board, they will be only draftspersons doing routine work.

Kate Chopins Desirees Baby Essay -- Kate Chopin Desirees Baby

Kate Chopin's Desiree's Baby This essay will focus on the short story by Kate Chopin and its use of symbols, setting and characters. Desiree’s baby was perhaps one of the best stories I’ve ever read. Analyzing it was not easy at all. Its use of symbols was very hard to comprehend. At first, it doesn’t make sense. But as you think critically, all the symbols, and setting and the characters in this literature plunge together in one amazing story. Literary Analysis on Kate Chopin's Desiree's Baby â€Å"Tell me what it means!† she cried despairingly.† It means,† he answered lightly, â€Å"that the child is not white; it means that you are not white† (Chopin, p. 192). Kate Chopin's "Desiree's Baby" is a well-known short story. â€Å"In her life, Kate Chopin actively searched for female spiritual emancipation and expressed it in her writing†(Deter, 2000). Throughout the story, Kate Chopin uses symbolism to convey her themes of racial predisposition, unequal gender roles, and social ladder in a society. The characters and the setting in this short story help provide the readers with more understanding of how patriarchal our society is at that time. The story begins with the narrator speaking of Desiree, and how she was found lying asleep, next to the property entrance. It was evident that she was abandoned; there were assumptions of who might have possibly left the small infant child. The story line took place in Louisiana. During the particular time era, and in this region, large plantations were very common, slavery too. The family who found Desiree was plantation owners an... ... wants the readers to know that if only women would have the courage to walk dangerously in life, women can succeed at anything. And Desiree didn’t look back. Fear was something Armand did not know because he always had domination over everything around him. It was on the last part of the story that he discovered a letter from his mother to his father that revealed that it was indeed he who was black. God did enact the final revenge with the appearance of the letter. The story touches on several social issues that would not be talked about in specific places and times. The struggle for women and the discrimination against certain races continue as of this moment. The symbols, characters, and setting of this short story helped me to analyze how Kate Chopin writes her work. I just wonder what would Armand Aubigny do after he found out that he is one of them.

Essay --

Legal Requirements for Obtaining a Search Warrant in the United States Search warrant is a request, in the name of the individuals, marked by a justice or other legal power, allowing an officer to search for specified particular property and carry it before the judge (Nova Scotia v. MacIntyre, 1982). The search warrant is a standout amongst the most capable and important devices in the law requirement. While the procedure of seeking and getting a search warrant ought to be ordinary to most officers, there are numerous specialized and lawful pitfalls that can discredit a search warrant, lead to the concealment of confirmation or rejection of cases and have obligation suggestions for incorporated officers (Holcomb, 2003). Therefore, it is the approach of this office that all officers have a sound learning of the legitimate necessities connected with acquiring a search warrant keeping in mind the end goal to anticipate concealment of evidence. Supporting the Constitutional privileges of subjects and to administer open trust in this organization's order to do the police work in a moral and lawful way. The right of the individuals to be protected in their persons, papers, houses, and impacts, against preposterous searches and seizures, might not be defiled, and no Warrants should be issued, yet upon likely cause, upheld by Oath or insistence, and especially portraying the persons or items to be seized and the area to be searched (Holcomb, 2003). The Fourth Amendment protects the individuals from irrational searches and seizures, which implies that numerous searches are fine if they meet certain necessities. Searches are for the most part acknowledged rational when: a judge provides a search warrant depending upon possible reason; or ... ...e a sensible conviction that a perilous subordinate could be stowing away inside a living arrangement. The point when making a defensive mechanism, cops can stroll through a habitation and make a "superficial visual review" of spots where an accessory could be covering up. A search warrant is not dependably lawfully important, and a cop may have data of which an individual is uninformed that permits a police to search a warrantless section. In the event that an officer publishes a plan to enter a home or building without a warrant, an individual ought not harm or a divide accuse of "meddling of a cop." Rather, the individual may as well stand still, let the officer continue and permit a court to decide later if the officer's activities were legitimate. In the meantime, individuals may as well make it apparent that they do not agree to the search.

“Blueback” by Tim Winton Essay

Essay Question: How does Tim Winton use the elements of narratives to covey his theme? Have you ever read a story about a boy whose best friend is a fish? In Blueback by Tim Winton this is exactly what happens. Like in many of Winton’s stories Blueback is set in a seaside town in Western Australia. Winton uses the setting, characters, conflict and resolution to portray the message that we should protect the environment and not plunder the oceans for our own benefit. The main Characters in Blueback are Able and his Mum, Dora, who live in the sleepy seaside town of Longboat bay. Winton constructs Longboat bay as a peaceful quite place that belongs only to Able, Dora and Blueback, a place were they enjoy diving and were â€Å"Able swims with his mother in turquoise waters †. Winton constructs this setting to make the reader think of it as a healthy easygoing place to live away from the city. Winton makes Abel’s home sound like a very pleasant place to live being nestled between Longboat bay with its abundant marine life and pristine national park, with thriving wild life. Able and Dora enjoy the simple life and are very self sufficient and do everything from fixing motors to collecting abalone and selling the shells. Able and Dora take advantage of the land and go fishing and planting crops Dora Tells Able that â€Å"Able and his mother lived of the sea and land. Jackson had been living here like this for more than a hundred years†. Able is constructed as a strong willed character that does his best to help other people and the environment. When Able sees Costello â€Å"stripping the reef bare† he goes out to try and stop him and in the process saves Blueback, this to me shows that Abel is a very unselfish person. Another example of able being unselfish is when Longboat Bay is almost ruined by an oil spill, and Able rushes home from the city to try and help. Able and his  wife even quit their jobs to look after his mum when she gets sick. Winton constructs Able as a character that makes us think about the environment and other people more. One of the main conflicts in Blueback is when Able and Dora try to save Blueback from Costello. Able sees Costello taking all the fish and all the Abalone from the bay attempts to stop him. Able quickly boards Costello’s boat and throws the abalone back into the water hoping they might survive. Meanwhile Dora swims down to check on Blueback. Able swam down to his mother and realised that Costello was trying spear Blueback, Costello had already shot one spear that had missed Blueback my the narrowest or margins and was reloading. Unexpectedly Blueback swam away. On the surface Dora told Able that she â€Å"Biffed† the fish on in the head to scare it away. Winton uses this conflict to make the reader think about not taking to much from the ocean for your own benefit and preserving what we have. Costello is constructed as a mean selfish character who is only interested in doing something for his own gain. Costello is the complete opposite of Able and only thinks about himself and doesn’t care for the environment at all. Dora describes Able as a â€Å"hard case† and says there is nothing Able can do to stop him taking all the abalone from Longboat Bay. Even though Able does stop Costello taking more Abalone he still took many undersize fish and broke the law. When Able got on Costello’s boat he saw that, â€Å" the deck was awash with blood, Able had speared fish nearly every day of his life but he had never seen such slaughter like this.† Winton uses Costello’s character makes the reader think about being more aware of actions that may impact other people and the image of a deck awash with blood to make people feel disgust. Winton uses the setting, characters, conflict and resolution to tell his story and to give us the message that we must protect the environment. He does this by having two main settings in Blueback, the first is Able’s home, a peaceful tranquil bay and the second setting, the city which is constructed as a dull noisy place that Able describes as â€Å"hemmed in†. The main message in this novel is that we must preserve what we have.

Animal imagery is a prominent and extremely important device in the novel

Of Mice and Men is a great novel written by John Steinbeck, a Nobel Prize-winning author. Based on Steinbeck's own experiences at the time, it tells the sad story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant workers who learn to look out for one another during the Great Depression in Salinas, California. For the duration of the tale, Steinbeck makes references to animals and their significance, both through symbolism and reflecting character's personalities. The mice, the rabbits and the dogs are three important recurring animal images in the novel. Mice have a crucial importance in the novel, as well as Lennie's relationship with the mice. Firstly, Lennie likes to feel soft things, and his obsession with with petting mice grants him with security and comfort. Even if the animal is lifeless, Lennie still pets it to comfort it as well as to comfort himself. The simple feeling of the mouse's smooth fur running between his fingers provide him with a sense of contentment. This symbolizes his soft and caring attitude along with his warm heart. Secondly, the dead mouse in Lennie's pocket is a strong symbol foreshadowing the end awaiting all weak and helpless creatures. This shows that not only is Lennie symbolically playing with death, but that, in his perspective, death isn't a fear of his. The reader learns that the dead mouse Lennie finds is not the first mouse he has had, but because of his strength, they always ended up dead if they were alive to begin with. Therefore, the mouse Lennie finds dies a fast untimely death. Thirdly, even with Lennie's physical strength and size, his childlike mental capabilities make him as helpless as a mouse. The fact that Lennie gets, and accidentally kills the mice he has, reveals his uncontrolled strength and his compassion for soft things. Rabbits are also another notable animal mentioned in the novel. Firstly, they are the only thing that Lennie does not seem to forget. Every time he asks George to tell him the story of their little house, he always mentions the rabbits, as if without the rabbits on their land, even if they would have a place they can call their own, it would not be the same. Secondly, the rabbits that Lennie hopes to have and care for give George control over him. Lennie's happiness is based on his hopes for this land, so he will be able to tend his rabbits. Knowing this, George constantly threatens him with not allowing him to tend the rabbits if he does not behave and follow his orders. George tells Lennie † if you do [get in trouble], I won't let you tend to the rabbits,† (p.17). This becomes Lennie's motivation to behave and to watch what he does. He imagines stroking an looking after his rabbits on the little house he and George plan on owning. For this reason, being he has something to hope for, he tries harder to be good and has no limits of what he would do for his dream to come true. And Finally, like mice, rabbits are soft creatures that Lennie does not only wish to tend but to pet as well. Dogs are principal animal figures stated in the novel. Firstly, Steinbeck starts by comparing Lennie's loyalty to that of a dog. † His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool, † (p.4). Although he does not do so directly, this image compares Lennie, when he is drinking from the pool, to, as the phrase goes, †man's best friend†. Throughout the book, Lennie proves his complete loyalty and unconditional love and friendship. Like a dog, he does not understand certain concepts. He also does not think about the consequences of his actions. Steinbeck's comparisons between Lennie and animals, like dogs, bears, and horses, reinforce the impending sense of doom. Secondly, Candy's dog has a great importance in the novel as well. His death is linked to the death of Lennie because this dog represents the fate awaiting anyone that becomes no longer useful. In other words, anyone who outlives his or her purpose will be put out, one way or another. The dog's death brings out a major fear in Candy. He himself is nearing an age when he will no longer be useful on the ranch and therefore will no longer be welcomed there either. Finally, Lennie's puppy is one of several symbols that demonstrate the victory of the strong over the weak. Lennie kills the puppy unintentionally, as he has killed many mice before, for the plain reason that he does not recognize his own strength. Animals in the novel, from mice to rabbits to dogs, all die untimely deaths and have an intense significance. Steinbeck's references to animals portrays the characteristics of the characters as well. These comparisons are not only meaningful in the book but also in real life.