Analysis of the Star Wars Films

Analysis of the Star Wars Films A change in the force When I think of the term A Heros Journey the first image that comes to mind is Luke Skywalker standing proudly holding an outstretched lightsaber pointing to the stars with Princess Leia kneeling at his feet clutching a blaster as depicted on the cover of the 1978 movie Star wars IV: a New Hope. Like millions of other children, this film was, unknowingly, my first introduction into the idea of heroic archetypes. It was a story of a heros awakening and the struggle between the forces of light and dark, with glorious space battles, cocky space pirates and a pretty princess. I would watch the VHS tape multiple times a day. It had a very profound impact on my young mind and although the concept was used many times before, its sci-fi themed setting was more than enough to attract the attention millions of other kids and adults alike. It is well documented that George Lucas was heavily inspired by joseph Campbell (1904-1987) and his work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949). In this Campbell outlines what he calls the heros journey; this is a motif of adventure and personal transformation that is used in nearly every cultures mythical framework. This is mirrored in A New Hope where in act one of the heros journey we meet Luke Skywalker who lives on the desert planet of Tatooine and works on his uncles moisture farm. It is soon after we learn of Lukes dreams of becoming a pilot but is bound by his obligations to his uncle to help with the harvest which will be ripe soon. When he receives the message contained within the R2-D2 droid from a princess in obvious distress it serves as his call to adventure and inspires his first steps on his journey which will lead him to Obi Wan Kenobi, his future mentor. Luke initially denies the call only changing his mind when his family and home are destroyed, only then accepting the first stage of his journey which is to rescue the princess. The second act is generally when the hero meets allies, enemies, undergoes life and death conflict and completes the main task in his journey. This can be seen when Luke and Ben enlist the services of rogues Han and Chewbacca and experience their first confrontation with the evil empire. As Luke escapes Tatooine in search of the princess on the planet Alderaan it is truly the beginning of his journey as he ventures into space on his quest. Luke receives training from Obi Wan and bonds with Han during this time and eventually meets the princess by the end of act two. Luke is also portraying similar characteristics of the epic hero during this time, starting in his humble beginnings as a farm boy to completing a task meant only for him and displaying many ideals of the epic hero such as morals, strength, faith, intelligence and bravery. While all these characteristics are vital to fulfil the epic hero role, it is faith that Luke must find in the force before he can truly achieve his heroic status. When Luke and the crew of the Millennium Falcon are captured by the death star, the audience is unsure if they will succeed in escaping and weather they rescue the princess along the way. Of course our hero finds the princess and achieves the goal while nearly being killed along the way. Luke escapes the death star and his task is achieved. Over the course of the second act Luke begins to displayÂÂ   the qualities of an epic hero, Luke is seen as morally positive intelligent man, optimistic about his mission and displays strength and bravery in a number of ways. His faith in the mystical force also develops as he preservers to continue forward after the death of his mentor Obi Wan. In the third act Luke displays what he has learnt over the course of his journey. It is only then that the hero can gain the true reward -in Lukes case this is knowledge. Lukes final task is to aid in the destruction of the Death Star and will only return if his mission is a success otherwise he will be killed and his journey will be over. During the final assault Luke displays growth as a hero, his belief in the force and his alliance with friend Han Solo further shows his hero status. Luke uses his new knowledge gained from his journey and the force to destroy the Death Star and save the rebel alliance from total destruction. It is at this point Luke Journey comes to an end for a New Hope but is continued by Lucas over the course the trilogy, this even continues into the latest instalment, The Force Awakens released in 2015. Although I have focused on Lukes role up until this point is also important to note the other archetypes present in The Star Wars movies.Firstly is Han Solo who is possibly the most beloved character in the original trilogy. This is mostly because of his bad boy image and that he is a cynical anti-hero figure and a bit of a cowboy who relies mostly on courage and the use of his blaster to escape tight situations. He is an independent and strong character as his name SOLO would suggest. In the first film Han can be seen as a shape shifter, perceived by the main character as someone he is unsure of trusting. Hanss intentions are hidden as well as his loyalties as he doesnt want to care about the rebellion or their struggle against the empire. He only wants to care for himself and problems directly affecting him. In the final moments of the battle at the end of Episode IV Han comes to Lukes aid and ends up joining the struggle with the rebels. Hanss journey is more about learning to car e for others rather than just about himself, this journey continues throughout the second and third films as Han the proven warrior now learns to love. Han is accompanied through the trilogy by his trusty companion Chewbacca. It is common for a hero to befriend a beast along the way as this helps the hero to be reminded of the natural world. Lukes main companions include the droids C3PO and R2-D2. They mostly serve comic relief and the everyman archetype. They react to situations much like the audience would if they were thrown into the action. They cower and flee from danger but are also the heralds who issue challenges to the hero as well as announce the coming of change in the heros future. R2-D2 also serves as the Catalyst of the story. He is passionate and helpful, and is completely dedicated to the cause, he delivered the first call to arms to Luke and eventually accompanying him to his next stage of training with the last remaining Jedi master Yoda. Yoda, similar to Obi Wan before him is the old man mentor archetype, although he also embodies multiple archetypes also. When Yoda first meets Luke in the swamps of Dagobah, he is the trickster who is pretending to be a senile old creature, later it is revealed that he is a threshold guardian who is protecting the wisdom and secrets of the Jedi order until the hero proves himself worthy of such gifts. These secrets also contain the truth about Lukes family and the eventual downfall of his father, Anakin Skywalker. Yoda is also represents the oracle that possesses the ability to see beyond the present to future possibilities. Lukes father Anakin Skywalker experiences a true Visionaries arc throughout the series. From a simple slave on Tatooine to becoming one of the last Jedi knights, he remained committed to the order until a vision of his dying mother and death of his beloved wife lead him to the dark side only to be reborn as the tyrannical Darth Vader. Vader is committed to the vision of the empire and remains its most staunch supporter until the undeniable force of change returns him to the light side of the force. This happens as a result of this long lost son Luke who he sacrifices himself to save from the emperor and herald in a new era in the process, which would be led by his children Luke and Leia. Princess Leia represents the feminine in the otherwise male dominated Star Wars universe. In the original trilogy she is firstly depicted as a damsel in distress who is captured by the empire and has to be rescued by the heros. She then reveals herself to be a warrior as she fights to escape the Death Star. Later in the series she takes on a leadership role in the rebel alliance and also a romantic role with Han Solo. In the final film of the original trilogy she is revealed to be the twin sister of Luke Skywalker, thus becoming a female counterpart to Luke with the same strength and potential he has. Leia and her mother Padme are also good examples of what may be perceived as gender bias in the original and prequel trilogies. Aside from these characters the Star Wars universe is practically devoid of female characters. Similar to the society we live in, the Star Wars universe is predominantly patriarchal with characters such as Luke Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi garnering more attention with the female characters usually taking a back seat to the action when they are around. Characters such as Luke and Obi Wan show qualities such as loyalty, integrity and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, while the females are mostly submissive with very few opportunities to be heroic themselves. While the male characters mostly fill the role of the archetypal male hero that the audience is used to seeing, they do have some differences. Han Solo for example is good looking, adventurous with a bad boy attitude while at the same time being irresistible to the opposite sex. Luke Skywalker is also adventurous but is different in that by the end of the original trilogy does not win the girl and forgoes the stereotype of ladies man in favour of the serious hero with a solemn nature similar to the samurai found in the Kurosawa films that originally inspired Lucas. The Jedi from the prequels follow much the same archetypes, female Jedi are present in these movies but are mostly relegated to the background in scenes with no input of value coming from them during the course of the movies. Female villains are also noticeably missing from the films and females in general and are nowhere to be found in the ranks of the Galactic Empire, with the addition to the noticeable lack of alien creatures as well. Although, this may have been a product of the times of the original films production as women in general would not be viewed as legitimate villains. Regardless of the real reasons for this the Star Wars universe is practically devoid of female heroes and villains alike. also worth noting is that the female characters do little to further the cause of the heros and will often get in the way, requiring the heros take time to rescue them. Leia may be an exception to this; she is the most influential female character by far in the Star Wars universe and after the release of Episode IV in 1977 lead to a noticeable uprising in strong female leads in film. Two years later we would see possibly the most heroic female character ever, Ellen Ripley appears in the hit horror movie Alien. With Linda Hamiltons Sarah Connor furthering the cause in 1984s The Terminator a few years later. How much influence Princess Leia had over these characters is easy to see. Leia is headstrong and cocky and when we are first introduced to her she is perceived by the audience as an authority figure being no way over sexualized. Even in the face of her captures she is fearless which is uncharacteristic of the damsel in distress idea. Episode IV is basically a story about a princess who needs to be rescued from the villains stronghold. Women are seen to be on a lower threshold than men and require rescuing as they cannot do so themselves, interestingly, as soon as the male heroes rescue Leia, she takes control of the situation telling the heroes what to do, even rescuing them in the process. At one point she even takes the weapon from Luke to open up a pathway to escape. When they finally escape the Death Star, Leia is also the only one to realise that their escape may have been too easy with the real reason being that they would be used to track the location of the rebel bases. As part of the Rebellion, Leia is also regarded as an authority figure. She orders the all-male rebel pilots around throughout the original trilogy. She is seen as an important and influential strong female protagonist.ÂÂ   Gwendolyn Glover, a noted feminist blogger writes, I know that for many, Princess Leia is a sex symbol. The unattainable and perfect woman. For me, Princess Leia is my feminist icon. She was my first (and pretty much only) female role model for feminism. In a male dominated universe, she stood out as a force to be reckoned with. Tough, smart, and outspoken, she typified everything that I wanted to be,(Glover, 2009). Leias role in Episode IV does a lot for female protagonists in the film industry. With the release of Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 Leias character conforms more to the traditional female character roles seen up until then in film. Her romance with Han Solo is a stark contrast to her disinterest in the male leads in the first film and she quickly becomes useless for the majority of the film. In the first 15 minutes of Episode V Han is required to rescue her from the crumbling ruins of the rebel base on Hoth while she displays fear of rodents and requires a male to kill them for her. Which all seems out of place for such an independent character who, in the previous film required none of this attention from her male counterparts and spends the majority of this film falling in love with one of them. One scene in particular stands out in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. When Leia is confronted by Han, she is backed into a corner and asked about her true feelings, the male character takes her hands preventing her escape. The scene ends as she succumbs to her feelings and passionately kisses her capture. This scene can easily be construed as disturbing as it may teach men that borderline violent behaviour or intimidation is a viable way to a womans heart. This trend continues in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi when after rescuing Han from Jabba the Hutt, Leia is herself captured and forced to wear a gold bikini and lie at the foot of Jabbas bed with a collar around her neck, waiting to be rescued by a man. in this we see leias change from the first film where she is dresses from head to toe in white to the final film where we see her practically naked creating one of the most iconic images of male fantasy ever to be seen on the big screen. After she is rescued by Luke she succeeds in killing Jabba (who resembles a giant phallus) with the chain that was previously used to hold her. Towards the end of the film, Leia redeems herself by saving Hans life by shooting attacking Stormtroopers in the films final battle. Thus, although Leia conforms to the traditional gender roles, she does project some positive traits throughout the course of the original trilogy. With the release Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens in 2015, popular culture was still lacking adequate female representation and role models. When a woman was cast as the lead character in the latest instalment of the Star Wars Saga it was a regarded as a big deal. Rey, played by Daisy Ridley was both a protagonist and a hero, she has no romantic interests, wears combat outfits and fights villains just like Anakin and Luke in the trilogies before her . Starting out as a scavenger on Jakku she combines some of the best traits of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Han Solo and is both a relatable and believable female lead which is rare to see in films even today. This leads to breaking the stereotype which is present in the earlier films and reinforces the gender balance. Young girls growing up with these new films will have a role model to look up to, while boys will see Rey as a hero regardless of gender. Rey, and her companion Finn mirror well-known initiation myths from mythology: While Finn draws from various Biblical folktales and Celtic myths, Reys story is a updated version of one of the oldest myths, The Epic of Gilgamesh, while adding a feminist interpretation (Glen Robert Gill, 2016). Reys struggle with the main villain Kylo Ren, who is later revealed to be the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, resembles mythic themes of relations and rivalries between siblings. Although Reys lineage is kept secret from the viewer, the idea that she is a Skywalker would make perfect archetypal sense. When we are introduced to Rey we quickly realise she will follow much of the same traits as J.J. Abrams previous leading female characters such as Jennifer Garner of Alias and Anna Torv of Fringe. Rey is a solitary hero who resides in the desert. Her name evokes ideas of light or solar heroism (Ray) and royalty with Rey meaning King in Spanish. Rey however starts at the bottom of the social hierarchy unlike Gilgamesh. While stranded on the planet Jakku we see her scavenging parts from crashed Imperial ships as a means to survive which may be a forecasting of her future as a rebel. Rey is an inverted feminist version of Gilgamesh that will have to be trained and moulded with the martial tradition of the Jedi order to become a Jedi and possibly even becoming immortal during the course of the new films. Rey is also an orphan similar to Finn that reminds us of many female examples such as Daenerys Targaryen from Game Of Thrones, Jane Eyre or even Annie.ÂÂ   This can have special feminine implications as the search for her family is not just about parental affirmation but also about overcoming social vulnerabilities and inequities. Similar to the first meeting between Gilgamesh and his companion Enkidu, the first time Rey and Finn meet they begin fighting and arguing with each other, only to later find a common purpose. Just as Rey is an inverted feminist Gilgamesh, Finn is an inverted version of Enkidu, Enkidu can be seen as a representation of the natural or uncivilized side of humanity. As Finn is spurred to escape the soulless structure of the First Order to the natural environment of the Resistance by the cold toughness of Captain Phasma, who is the negative projection of the maidenly anima. Phasmas chrome covered armor projects the mythological idea of the mirror, as this symbolizes self-contemplation and self-examination. As Finn and Rey grow closer as friends, we see in them less as deserters (Finn deserted the First Order, Rey was deserted on the desert planet by her family) but an updated version of the archetypal friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The friendship that develops between Rey and Finn during The Force Awakens reminds us that friendships born in the midst of battle do not need to be exclusively masculine, and do not have to be endorsed or convoluted by a romantic element. When Rey and Finn escape the planet Jakku they are introduced to Han Solo and Chewbacca, the original trilogys version of the same archetypal characters. Han Solos return also brings with it the Jungs archetypal figure the wise old man. Just like Obi-Wan Kenobis role to Luke in A New Hope, Han becomes a mentor figure to our main characters. Han also affirms the existence of the Force to Rey in the exact same location on board the Millennium Falcon as Obi-Wan Kenobi tutored Luke. Soon after our four heroes meet they must work together to escape gangsters who are attempting to capture Solo, the archetypal significance of this is found in the pursuing groups destruction by the hideous rathtars that escape their cages during the course of the action, these snake-tentacled creatures are reminiscent of the mythical Medusa that is itself a demonic incarnation of the yonic symbol that Freud called the vagina dentata(Leah12. 2012) In relation to Reys journey, this can be seen as a parallel of Gilgameshs battle with the monstrous Humbaba. In a archetypal sense monsters are generally projections of the negative self or extensions of the viewers self-image, it is also worth noting that while Gilgamesh decapitates his monster in an egoistic search for prestige, Rey only dismembers her monster to aid her companion, Finn. It is also notable that during Reys martial induction, she generally only uses her developing abilities for defence and enemy persuasion just as the Jedi code demands, and only time she is openly aggressive is when Finn is cut down during his battle with Kylo Ren in the films climax. Rey is basically the 21st century version of Luke Skywalker, a young 20 something character who is possibly the last hope for the Jedi order. Early in the film when Rey first meets Finn and they are fleeing from pursuing Stormtroopers, Finn repeatedly reaches for Reys hand to aid in her escape. Rey snaps at him I know how to run without you holding my hand. She also outmatches the main villain Kylo Ren both mentally and physically during the course of the film. One of the more notable scenes involves Han Solo recognising that Rey is somebody who can handle herself, in one scene in particular he offers to show Rey how to use a blaster to which she replies I think I can handle myself, his agreement reminds the viewer of how Leia saved his life at the end of Episode VI. He then continues to approve of her proficiency without coming across a patronising, even offering her a job alongside him and letting her fly his beloved Millennium Falcon. Rey is also an example of the young, maidenly aspects of Jungs term anima, which describes the archetypal feminine. Like much of Abrams previous work it shows an understanding that the anima does not need to be a companion or object of the masculine self which presumes the perspective of the audience, instead being a representation of that perspective. It has also been claimed that Reys character is whats described as a Mary Sue type anima archetype (Zulai Serrano, 2015), which claims the character can do no wrong, making her a character too unrealistic for some viewers. The rich feminine dimension of The Force Awakens makes itself very apparent with the first appearance of the droid BB-8, who serves as Reys heroic token just as R2-D2 served as Lukes. The figure eight body shape of BB-8 resembles that of theNeolithic Venus, which contrasts against the small phallic structure of R2-D2. BB-8 is what is called ayonic symbol, this is the archetypal image of female embodiment (the chassis of BB-8 houses the reward of the quest which is the map to finding the missing Luke Skywalker, this can also be seen as a sort of rebirth for the character in the process). As stated earlier, the original trilogy had only one main female character and although the Prequels had more female characters their representation was even worse, even going as far as to have Padme (Leias mother) dying of a broken heart in Episode VI. The new film takes steps to address this by having several women in key roles. General Leia is the leader of the resistance and has been allowed to age gracefully on screen, she is seen as the role of leader while still being a mother figure throughout. Over the course of the films Leia has moved from a Princess to a General and from a lover to a leader of the Resistance. Leia also functions independently without either Luke or Han which is very different than the last time we seen her in Return of the Jedi. Leia also conforms to the mature pole of the anima archetype, named by Jung as theGreat Mother. This marks a major archetypal change for Leia from the original trilogies, where she often functioned as the pure aspect of the anima, a role now taken by Rey. Leia still remains a positive representation of the anima as she continues to oppose the negative aspects of the anima, which Jung calls theTerrible Mother. This figure is not represented by one character in particular but by a vast destructive power such as the Death Stars of A New Hope and The Return of the Jedi, and its most recent incarnation Starkiller base in The Force Awakens. Where the Great Mother supports and upholds, similar to what Leia does, the Terrible Mother consumes all, as shown in the Death Stars ability to destroy planets from afar. We are also introduced to the character of Maz Kanata an old, wise mother figure who has been referred to as a female Yoda. It is Maz who gives Rey Luke Skywalkers lightsaber and Awakens the force in her. The fact that this character has been given Yodas role is very noticeable and can be seen as a major step in the gender balance issue. To a lesser extent Captain Phasma as a woman under the Stormtrooper suit is completely new to the Star Wars universe. It is also the first time we see female pilots at the controls of the X- wings during the final assault on Starkiller base which was unheard of before the release of the film. The Force Awakens is a game changer in many respects. It honors and updates the themes and tropes fans expect to find in the Star Wars universe by reiterating and reinterpreting compelling characters and symbology from known mythology. While still retaining its traditional values and fearlessly putting a female character such as Rey as the main protagonist and keeps a healthy mix of old and new characters that continue to transcend their archetype roles. The The Force Awakens can also be seen as more of a reboot than a sequel that builds on the best elements from the previous films and what it promises in the future.Whether the story of the Skywalker family continues throughout the course of the new trilogy is still to be determined but with the inclusion of Rey as the hero a new generation of fans (Male or Female) will look up to promises to bring us in new, fascinating directions. References Andrew Yang. (2015). The Archetypes Of Star Wars . Available: https://www.archetypes.com/the-archetypes-of-star-wars/. Last accessed 04th Jan 2017. Glen Robert Gill. (2016). Star Wars: The Force Awakens: An Archetypal Review. Available: http://brightlightsfilm.com/star-wars-the-force-awakens-archetype-gilgamesh-joseph-campbell-hero-mythic-myth-deepens/#. Last accessed 13th Jan 2017. Gwendolyn Glover. (2011). Women Role Models. Available: http://anna-reinertson.livejournal.com/. Last accessed 04th Jan 2017. John Paul Pianka. (2013). THE POWER OF THE FORCE: RACE, GENDER, AND COLONIALISM IN THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE. Available: http://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1040context=etd_mas_theses. Last accessed 14th Jan 2017. Kristen Brennan. (2013). Star Wars Origins. Available: http://www.moongadget.com/origins/myth.html. Last accessed 7th Jan 2017. Laura Hudson. (2013). Leia Is Not Enough: Star Wars and the Woman Problem in Hollywood. Available: https://www.wired.com/2013/02/opinion-star-wars-females-media/. Last accessed 04th Jan 2017. Leah12. (2012). The Monstrous Feminine. Available: http://monstrous-fem.blogspot.ie/. Last accessed 11th Feb 2017. Lucas Seastrom. (2015). Mythic Discovery Within the Inner Reaches of Outer Space: Joseph Campbell Meets George Lucas Part I. Available: http://www.starwars.com/news/mythic-discovery-within-the-inner-reaches-of-outer-space-joseph-campbell-meets-george-lucas-part-i. Last accessed 8th Feb 2017. Samuel James. (2015). How does Star Wars: The Force Awakens represent women ?. Available: http://screenprism.com/insights/article/what-does-star-wars-the-force-awakens-tell-us-about-its-representation. Last accessed 04th Jan 2017. WD TR. (2016). Star Wars : The Heroines Journey Of rey. Available: http://www.starwarsintheclassroom.com/content/hj/rey_hj.asp. Last accessed 16th Jan 2017. Zulai Serrano. (2015). Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Is Rey A Mary Sue? Twitter Sparks Fanboy Debate. Available: http://www.idigitaltimes.com/star-wars-force-awakens-rey-mary-sue-twitter-sparks-fanboy-debate-499248. Last accessed 20th Feb 2017.

Comparing the Managerial Styles of Males and Females Essay -- Business

Comparing the Managerial Styles of Males and Females Nearly half of the U.S. workforce is now made up of women, and women are a growing percentage of the workforce in most countries throughout the world (Robbins, 2005:18). It is common to find a woman supervising or managing a group of men. This paper will discuss the difference, if exists, between the managerial styles of males and females. First, we will shed some light on the basic differences in personality traits and competencies between men and women, and then will analyze the different cultural perceptions of a working man and woman, after that, we will discuss the interaction effect of gender of supervisor and gender of subordinate on perceived mentoring, and finally will discuss the selection differences in recruiting men and women for a managerial position. Differences in personality between men and women: Intellectual Ability There is an interesting pattern of gender differences on the various cognitive measures. Women performed better than men on most of the memory tests, while men performed better than women on most of the executive function tests. The gender difference on memory is in line with many published studies, but the gender difference on executive function measures has received relatively little attention to date. Socially, women are encouraged to be good mothers while men are encouraged to work and protect family and to make money. Commonly held views regarding men and women continue to suggest that women are more committed to family than to work and that men are more committed to work than to family (Cook, 1994: P85-95). Further, employers are likely to view family responsibilities as a sign of limited work commitment... ... L. McShane & Mary Ann, 2000, Organizational Behavior, McGraw-Hill, US. The CPA Journal, 1996, ‘Female management accountants are better off’, [Online], Mar 1996.Vol.66, Iss. 3; p 13, Available: Proquest 5000, [Accessed 30 June 2005]. Training Strategies for Tomorrow, 1998, ‘Women, management and change’, [Online], Nov/Dec 1998.Vol.1, Iss. 6; p 12, Available: Proquest 5000, [Accessed 30 June 2005]. Williams M. Lee, 1999, ‘Supervisor Mentoring: Does a Female Manager Make a Difference?’, Metacomm, Available: http://www.imetacomm.com/otherpubs/pdf_doc_downloads/supervisor_mentoring.pdf#search='williams%20male%20and%20female%20mentoring' [Accessed 23 June, 2005]. Wood, Chapman, Fromholtz, Morrison, Wallace, Zeffane, Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2004, Organizational Behavior a Global Respective, 3rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons Australian Ltd, Australia.

Relationship Between Religious Beliefs Essay

‘The relationship between religious beliefs, religious organisations and social groups is complex and diverse. Different groups have different needs and priorities.’ To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view? Statistics show that women have a greater participation rate in religious organisations than men. Women are more likely to express a greater interest in religion, to have a stronger personal faith and believe in life after death. They are more likely to involve themselves in religious rituals and worship, for example, attend religious services and lead a more religious life generally. There are many sociological explanations as to why women are more religious than men. Firstly, Miller and Hoffmann suggest that gender socialization means females are brought up to be more compliant, obedient and nurturing than males. They state that women are more involved with feelings, co-operation and caring for others. However, Walter and Davie see women as more exposed than men, to the ups and downs and changes of life. This is because of their biological involvement through childbirth, and through their greater participation in paid caring jobs, for example as teachers, nurses, social workers. Davie suggests that these factors give women a closer association with birth and death than men, and these are also central issues for many religions. They make women more aware of the helplessness of human life, and more familiar to the spiritual dimensions for human existence. Women are also more likely to turn to religion as a result of feeling deprived; they are more likely to experience poverty, family problems, less self confidence and less power. This means they turn to religion for comfort, particularly in religious sects and new religious movements which provide theodicies explaining their feelings, as well as solutions and support. Status frustration may be experienced by some women, who lack personal fulfilment or status as a result of being restricted to the home by the constraints of housework and childcare, or are in unsatisfying lower-middle-class jobs, which are mainly done by women. Religious participation, particularly in religious sects or new age cults, may help to overcome or compensate for this. Due to women staying at home for child care or having part time jobs, some would argue that this allows women to have far more spare time to be able to attend religious groups, therefore increasing their attendance. Statistics show women’s attendance to religious organisations are higher than men’s, however some Marxist  feminists such as Bevoir and Bird argue that religion is used to oppress women. The view that religion has negative consequences for women is conveyed in the study by Bevoir, who sees religion as patriarchal and oppressive. She supports the Marxist perspective and suggests that religion is oppressive and serves to control and reimburse the second class status given to woman. Which is similar to Marx’s viewpoint on the polerteriants who believe religion gives women a false belief that they will be compensated for their suffering on earth by equality in heaven. This argument suggests that religion is patriarchal therefore it is inevitable that it will end up having negative consequences for women. According to feminists there are countless example of patriarchy which have been used to control and later oppress women. Places of worship show this as they often segregate the sexes. An example of this is the Jewish synagogue in which women are placed behind screens separate from the men who in turn are situated in the main centre space. This highlights the marginalisation between the men and women. Although there are some rising female readers of religion, scriptures were first and foremost written and interpreted by men and it is men that are the head of the churches in Islam and Catholicism. This could mean that many values and ideologies such as wearing the Burka, beatings, female circumcision and bans on contraception may have been misinterpreted for men’s gain and passed on through generation to generation. May religious women are still not permitted to become priests or are only allowed to work themselves up to a certain level before they hit a religious ‘glass ceiling’, identifying where they want to be, but not being able to reach it due to the constraints set upon them. On the other hand, there are views to suggest that women are no longer oppressed in religion. For example, many cults are run by women and Paganism, from which many New Age religions originate, remains the most female-friendly approach to religion with a strong feminist element, where God is a mixture of male and female, and strong female leadership is common. Individuals seem to develop a greater attachment to religion as they grown older. Religious belief is lowest among those under 34, and highest among those over age 55. Young people are not only less likely to participate in mainstream religious activity than older people; more than half of them say they don’t regard themselves as religious at all, as shown in such studies as the British  Social Attitudes survey and the European Values study. There are three main reasons as to why older people might be more religious than the younger generation. The first being disengagement. This means that as people get older, they become detached from integrating mechanisms of society, such as participation in workplaces through paid employment. Older people may face increasing social isolation as partners and friends die. Participation in religious organisations provides a form of social support in this situation, and a network of people to relate to. The second is religious socialization, where older people are more likely to have a greater emphasis places on religion through the education system and socialization in the family when they were younger. Lastly, ill health and death. Older people tend to be faced with declining health, and death looms on the horizon. These are the very things that religion concerns its self with. The aging process and disengagement from society may therefore generate an engagement with religion for comfort, coping, meaning and support. Young people are less religious in terms of their expressed religious belief in surveys and their participation in mainstream religions, however this may be because these are simply being expressed in new, private ways which are difficult to record in surveys. Lynch suggests that young people may be running away from conventional ideas of religion as they can now go ‘spiritual shopping’. This involves an increasing exposure and accessibility to a diversity range of religious and spiritual ideas. This has encouraged new ways of exploring religion and spirituality. Young people may be choosing to take of their religion, of whatever faith or mix of beliefs, as a private matter. Davie expressed this in the words ‘believing without belonging’. This is where individuals may have a belief in something, however they do not chose to practice this belief. Secular spirituality and the sacred, Lynch suggested that young people may not have lost all religiosity , but that is simply finding new forms, many of which are associated more with the secular and non-religious world than with religious as it is currently understood by most people. Pragmatic reasons also mean there are a range of possible more practical or pragmatic explanations for the decline of religious belief and commitment amongst young individuals. Leisure activities have become a much bigger part of life, and shops and pubs all open for very long hours, including Sundays. Young people have more demands on their time and they may  simply have more interesting ad enjoyable things to do.

Israel votes to refund settlers essays

Israel votes to refund settlers essays Title of the article: Israel votes to refund settlers This article can be summarized in three main points. (a) Ariel Sharon wants to remove 21 Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and four of 120 in the West Bank by compensating the Israeli settlers in these areas. (b) Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's questionable proposal can cause great problems within the Likud Party, even though many Israeili citizens support it. (Four Likud ministers opposed the proposal) (c) Mr Sharon supports his proposal basically because he thinks by removing the settlements in these areas the security in Israel will develop for the better. First when I heard about this I thought it was a great idea. I couldn't understand why some ministers opposed the proposal while almost 65% of the Israeli population liked it. Now that I've thought about it I've reached a conclusion. I don't think a person like Ariel Sharon would just decide to remove Israeli settlements from areas they've fought so hard to get. I think he has other motives such as concentrating on larger areas that could give the Israelis more control. Realistically I don't think that this would develop the security of the country. Removing the Israeli settlements in the specific areas would mean that he has to find somewhere to place them. Therefore I believe that this so called withdrawal is just a way for Israel to expand its territory and trick the Palestinians into thinking they're slowly being given a chance to a Palestinian state. Mr Sharon is very clever but I think that if he was really going for peace he would withdraw all the Israeli settlements from the West Bank and not only some. Also, if it was a real withdrawal, the Palestinians would be able to live anywhere in Israel. Therefore I don't think this proposal would bring peace. What we have in these areas is clash of civilizations and therefore I don't thin ...

Hopes Up High Professor Ramos Blog

Hopes Up High What stops someone from really striving for their dreams like becoming an astronaut or rockstar? Often it can be those that are the closest to us that do not want us to get hurt if we stumble and fail in the pursuit of them. In the song â€Å"All I want† by A Day to Remember the band explores this topic and what it means to have a place to call your own. The band has a mix of punk and metalcore genres and uses that to their advantage to speak on things most will often avoid. The band has been together for fifteen years, has had multiple songs at number one, in their respective category, has two gold-selling albums and singles, selling out entire continental tours this band has been around the block (ADTR). In this particular song, the lyrics play on the idea of what it means to say what one wants and what needs to be done to get there. The music video is just as interesting as it brings in an assortment of well-known and established bands to further get the idea across of what it is that they are saying. The band also holds an almost yearly rock concert titled â€Å"Self-Help† which often has performers leaving audiences with ideas of bettering oneself and ignoring what the world will say. While not a new band A Day to Remember has many songs that people can find easily relatable to. The first verse of the song jumps straight into the idea of someone not willing to keep their voice down and speak out. Which really has no specific audience as there are many people who often feel that what they have to say does not matter to those that are listening. Sherman argues that there are 3 reasons for someone would feel that their voice cannot or will not be heard, the first being they really just do not understand what is being spoken to them, second the listener does not want to understand, and third being the speaker thinks that the listener will not understand what is being said. When the lyric, â€Å"Im always screaming my lungs out til my head starts spinning† one can assume that pathos is at work drawing a potential response from the audience of relatability, that everyone often feels like they are not being heard. Pathos in this instance referring to the speaker’s ability to feel something or invoke some sort of emotional response from the audience. At some point in life, there are going to be times that when one’s opinion can be disregarded completely and the band combats this with the suggestion to scream it out till sickness ensues. â€Å"Won’t keep my voice down†¦ words I speak are the words I think out loud† are the following lines that apply to the band’s ethos. The ethos being a source of values such as credibility, trustworthiness or in this case character. Showing the point of view the band holds, thinking the same things that they are speaking, not holding some sort of double-sided meaning to everything they say. â€Å"I like to keep things honest I’m a safe bet like your life’s staked on it†¦ I’m constant like the seasons I will never be forgotten† are the next lines that follow, all the previous quotes were part of the same stanza or verse. Applying to both pathos and ethos in these lines, pathos in the sense that the band is showing their values and linking them with the audiences by using a simile. The band uses ethos in an attempt to establish credibility that they do not easily change their minds like the seasons a character trait of someone steadfast in their beliefs. With the beginning of the chorus â€Å"All I want is a place to call my own, to mend the hearts of everyone who feels alone† appealing the audience’s pathos of pity and self-interest. According to Fikes, â€Å"three-fourths of Americans experience moderate to high levels of loneliness† feeling alone is a very common issue that one will experience in their life and as stated in the article the chances are high. The following verse â€Å"Keep your hopes up high and your head down low† give the audience ethos in the respect that they are understanding of their problems and should ignore the naysayers and be ever hoping for the best. The rest of the lyrics have the same message of leaving no words unspoken and to live life with no regrets regardless of the world’s doubts and harsh words. Silverstein The music video only adds to the message of the song, strengthening it and making the song really stand out. Testimonials are a strong resource and that, â€Å"power of persuasion comes from the person selected to be the authority† (Gourley). Where ethos comes into play, more specifically testimonials are in the entirety of the music video as it features a multitude of well-established and well-known bands all singing the same words rocking out with the rest of the band. The plethora of artist that are shown singing are not doing so grudgingly but with enthusiasm, as it helps to engage the audience and makes it more motivational (Why Speak 17). If someone was speaking in a monotone way or with little to no emotions it makes it hard to relate or want to understand what is being spoken, so when various well-known bands are all singing the same thing it adds to their credibility and overall message of the song. The influence of celebrities is immense and very useful for selling various things sometimes without even uttering a word. While in the case of this video it is used in a positive manner, the celebrity power remains, â€Å"Studies have concluded that customers are more likely to choose goods and services endorsed by celebrities than those that are not† (Schiering). The entire video is also annotated with animated texts and drawings that emphasize key phrases that audiences can identify with making the words seem more relatable as they are in plain view and easier to focus on. A song that talks about not listening to doubts and striving for one’s dreams are emphasized by the various artist singing how even successful people have felt oppressed at some point in their life but still managed to achieve great success. At the end of the day, there is no one else but oneself so keeping a low head and hopes up high is the best thing that someone could ask for. A Day To Remember tackles this topic using different forms of rhetoric such as pathos, things like emotion, and ethos, such as credibility and values. Their song is full of concepts that audiences that have felt oppression or alone at some point in their life can relate to in one way or another and is what arguably makes them so successful. The world is full of people that will wish for the downfall of others and will say harsh things but those that can keep striving for what they desire are the ones who will achieve it. The music video shows popular bands singing the same message so one can assume they have felt the same way or believe the things that they are singing, tying the whole song together. When the world is tearing one down all said person can do is keep their head down drowning out the doubts and keep striving for greatness. Work Cited A Day To Remeber â€Å"A Day To Remember All I Want (Official Video).† YouTube, Victory Records, 30 Sept. 2011, youtube.com/watch?v=Pn-6eOxnEMI. â€Å"A Day To Remember.† Facebook, ADTR, 18 Sept. 2018, www.facebook.com/adtr. Fikes, Bradley J. â€Å"3 Out of 4 Americans Are Lonely, Study Says.† Phys.org, Phys.org, 20 Dec. 2018, phys.org/news/2018-12-americans-lonely.html. Gourley, Catherine. â€Å"How Advertisers Persuade.† Writing, vol. 22, no. 1, Sept. 1999, p. 6. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=2761897site=ehost-live. Schiering, Matt. â€Å"Red Carpet BRANDING.† Brandweek, vol. 44, no. 33, Sept. 2003, p. 28. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=10920906site=ehost-live. â€Å"Why Speak with Enthusiasm?† Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY, wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101972644.

Psychology Lession3 and Part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Psychology Lession3 and Part 2 - Essay Example In the former, the response is a reflex, whereas in the latter, the response is nothing but a neutral piece of behaviour which has occurred previously. In operant conditioning, the event between the response and the reinforcement is unforeseen, whereas in classical conditioning, there is no such event. No environmental consequences are seen with classical conditioning unlike in operant conditioning. Also, the response in classical conditioning is involuntary and that in operant conditioning is voluntary. Example of classical conditioning: A cologne may result in intense emotion, but this is not due to the smell of the cologne but because the smell was previously associated with that particular emotion. 1. Recall: In this type of memory retrieval the information will be accessed without being cued with any memory part. A good example of this type of memory retrieval is answering fill-up-the-blank questions. 2. Recollection: In this memory retrieval reconstruction of memory occurs with the utilization of certain logical structures, partial memories and narratives. A good example of recollection type of memory retrieval is answering an essay question in exam. 3. Recognition: Identification of information after re-experiencing is known as recognition. A good example of this type of retrieval is answering a multiple choice question where you recognize the answer after seeing it in one of the choices. 4. Relearning: In this type, the information which is already learnt is relearnt, thus making it easier to remember the information and retrieve it more easily. This type of memory retrieval strengthens the memory. Disruption of memory retrieval can be explained by decay theory. According to this theory, traces of memory begin to fade and gradually disappear over a period of time. Hence if information is not retrieved and rehearsed at regular intervals it can get

Case study analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Case study analysis - Essay Example The report also encompasses a SWOT analysis of Netflix along with recommendations for future development. The movie rental and streaming industry offers movies and streaming videos to customers at a monthly charge. Over the years, this industry has grown significantly, with customers spending increasing amounts on video and streaming services. According to Snider (2014) spending on digital video content increased by over 30% in 2013 in comparison with the previous year. Snider (2014) also been mentioned that, with the rise in popularity of streaming content, the DVD rental service is gradually declining. Over the past year, it has dropped by 9% and is predicted to keep on falling in the coming years. The movie rental and streaming industry is characterized by the presence of several well established brands other than Netflix such as Hulu, Amazon prime, HBO Go, Vudu, Apple TV, among others (Donfro, 2014). These firms compete among each other to gain the maximum possible number of subscribers by offering higher value propositions and, among all the competitors; Netflix has managed to attract the highest market share. One of the key drivers of the movie rental and streaming industry is the growing popularity of the online streaming services. The constant increase in the usage of high speed internet services has made it easier for customers to stream their favourite movie or TV series at a time of their own choosing. Moreover, another key driver for the growth of the industry is the increasingly hectic lifestyle of the people, which leaves hardly any time to catch a movie in theatres and watch a TV show at specific airing time (Marketline, 2014). Thus, the video and movie streaming service has gained huge popularity as its services allow customers to watch movies and TV shows at their convenience. Moreover, technological advancement has also allowed