Critically Evaluate the Case for Social Partnership Between Unions and Employers

Critically evaluate the case for social partnership between unions and employers The concept of social partnership originates from the Rhenish model of industrial relations. It has passed in to the British lexicon through the European Union. At a European level the social partners are trade unions and employers federations. However in the UK the employers peak federation the CBI has indicated that it is unwilling to fulfil such a role at a national level. Instead the Anglo-Saxon model of social partnership operates a company and workplace level. This essay will investigate the arguments for and against social partnership on the Anglo-Saxon model from the perspective of the employer and trade union. It will recognise that the criteria for judging the efficacy of social partnership differ between employers and unions. The case for social partnership from the employer perspective is ambiguous and will be contingent on management attitudes and business strategy. It will argue that while social partnership undoubtedly presents problems for trade unions it is by far the lesser of two evils when compared with individualised employee involvement and human resource management policies. Trade unions should promote partnership as an alternative ideology to capital driven unitarism. If implemented in the context of collective bargaining mutual gains principals offer a model for company level social partnership. Proponents of the mutual gains enterprise are quite clear that it is not a universally applicable prescription. To be made to work it requires high levels of investment in human resources, employees cannot be treated as just another cost, to be trimmed where possible. However companies willing to pursue ‘mutual gains’ policies benefit from increased productivity and creativity, and consequently higher profitability. Companies that are trying to compete purely on the basis of lowest cost would not be able to implement the principles. Kochan and Osterman marshal considerable case study evidence to support their theory. However at the moment the empirical research to validate it does not exist . Freidman (1977) has proposed that employer strategies towards the workforce are contingent on the economic cycle. When factors are favourable employers are more likely to emphasise policies with elements of employee involvement and greater trust that are likely to win loyalty and support of the workforce. While in times of recession, declining profitability and an unfavourable labour market positionemployers are more likely to fall back on authoritarian policies, cutting back wages and increasing supervision. This may provide a framework for understanding the conditions in which employers are prepared to enter into social partnership agreements. Kochan and Osterman offer the further hypothesis that mutual gains theory will work better if the enterprise recognises independent trade unions. They argue that union based voice mechanisms are more effective than the alternatives because they recognise that the interests of the workforce and the company will not always be in unison. Where conflicts do arise union voice mechanisms allow them to be negotiated and resolved without compromising the climate of co-operation and trust. This is not a view shared by everyone. Nestle provide an example of a company introducing HRM practices to achieve mutual gains objectives in parallel with traditional collective bargaining. In the long run Nestle management expect traditional industrial relations to wither away, replaced by individual relationships between the company and its employees. (Taylor, 1994:131). Given that there are conditions in which employers are more likely to pursue employee involvement policies I would offer the hypothesis that the union attitude is an important factor influencing the way in which an employer introduces HRM and employee involvement strategies. If the union is not prepared to work in partnership the employer may proceed with policies that would have the effect of de-collectivising the workforce and marginalising the union. If the union side are prepared to engage in partnership at a strategic level then the form of partnership may be considerably more favourable to unions and there members. There is currently no data available to test this hypothesis rigorously, however case studies may shed some light on the area.

The Role of Mass Media in the World of Politics

The mass media plays a very important role in everyday life. It is often the only form of education which is available to some, and as such has a very powerful influence over people†s beliefs and opinions. This influence is never more evident than when analysing the relationship between the media and politics. Politics can justifiably be described as THE main determining factor in our lives, the major influence over many facets of day to day living, such as finances, healthcare and employment. The media is the major source of information about political affairs, and as such has control over what we actually know about the political system and what we may never find out. As a result of this, it becomes inevitable that the media has a certain ‘hold† over the political arena. The media can judge, approve and criticise. It can make or break political careers, even parties, and the information which the media provides helps the public to form attitudes, responses and opinions towards political events and actors. Thus it becomes very important for the political parties to keep the media ‘on-side†. It is obvious that the media does have some impact on politics, but the main question should be to what extent, how does it manifest itself and why should we care anyway? For the purpose of this essay the media will be described as the press, TV and radio. On the face of it the media is there simply to communicate, or act as a transmitter of information between the political world and the consumer. However, probably since the end of the second world war, it has become clear that the media can often have a hidden agenda when reporting politics. Indeed, one of the most contentious issues over the last few years, at least since I have been ‘consuming† media products, has been the debate over media ownership. This has been particularly evident in the press, the most notable case being the Rupert Murdoch 'empire† – News International. I will start off by discussing the case of the press, as I believe that this is traditionally where much of the impact on politics has occurred, although I will discuss later how this may be changing. One major area of concern about press reporting of politics is the apparent ‘dumbing down† of the coverage, even amongst the broadsheets, and the effect that this may have on politics. In 1993 Labour MP, and current Home Secretary, Jack Straw published a short research report into the press coverage of parliament, ( Negrine, 1998,p1). In doing the report he discovered how Parliamentary issues were now covered to a much lesser degree than in the past, going from between 400-800 lines per day in The Times in 1988, to fewer than 100 lines in 1992. This seemed to show that the broadsheets were following the tabloid example of dumbing down. This has led to the worry that the press is trivialising the political process in the UK. Politics is becoming increasingly personality led, rather than policy led. An event may have political significance or importance, but it will only really be seen as such if the press frames it in a way that makes it interesting and palatable to the reader. It therefore becomes a fact of political life that personalities are more interesting to the majority of the public than policies. This has inevitably led to a change in the political landscape, initiated and perpetuated by the media. There are now several key features to politics in the late twentieth century which were not there before. ‘Political marketing†, the use of ‘negative campaigning† and the introduction of spin doctors have all led to fear of an ‘Americanisation† of the political process. As well as the press, TV has played a major role in ushering in the age of the soundbite. The media has opened up a larger, more accessible audience to the politicians, which many of them find hard to resist. Institutions such as the House of Commons are becoming less and less a way of relaying policy issues and raising concerns, as the political arena is increasingly acted out in the media. Which publicity seeking politician, trying to gain support for their party, would choose the Commons over a highly publicised TV programme such as Question Time, or a high circulation newspaper such as The Sun. There has also been a decline in local party politics, as political communication has become more and more a national rather than local event. The American way of leader based, rather than party based politics has become a reality. This has been evident in the way that Tony Blair has become a media star, never more so than when his wife recently became pregnant. The celebrity image of the Prime Minister has also led to accusations that he lacks real political substance. Some would say another example of the ‘trivialising† of politics has been the introduction of TV cameras into the House of Commons. When it was first proposed in 1966 it was heavily defeated on the grounds that TV cameras would ruin the unique and intimate atmosphere of the house. In 1989 the house first appeared on television. Strict guidelines were issued over what could be shown, including the use of head and shoulder shots only and the banning of reaction shots. There was great unease amongst the sitting MPs, including the then Prime Minister Mrs Thatcher, who said at the time: â€Å".. if you are not careful you can freeze with TV there†¦. it is going to be a different House of Commons, but that is that†, (Politics UK, 1991, p208). There was a gradual thawing of hostile opinion towards the TV cameras, with some exceptions. David Amess, MP, protested that the cameras had managed to, â€Å".. trivialise our proceedings and spoil that very special atmosphere that we had here†, ( Politics UK, p208). The main political parties now recognise the crucial role the media has to play in their success and have reacted accordingly. Political strategies now incorporate media strategies. They try to manipulate the media in order to create a favourable image of themselves. In order to achieve this we have seen the introduction of professional media managers. The media dominated world of politics now needs professional management. Peter Mandelson and Alistair Campbell are two such media experts. They have been partly responsible for transforming the Labour Party from being unelectable to gaining a runaway victory in the 1997 general election. Indeed it has been said that Tony Blair spends more time in meetings with his image and media advisors than he spends discussing policies with his cabinet, which may be a worrying trend for UK politics. There are several ways that these people can attempt to manipulate the media. One such way, many would say to the detriment of the democratic process, is the manufacture of debates which are stage managed to ensure a friendly audience and the communication of well rehearsed answers. There is also a great deal of emphasis placed on image management, and specifically the image of the party leader. This is very evident when looking at the current leaders of the two main parties in the UK today. Despite the best attempts of Conservative central office to jazz up the image of William Hague, he still retains the image of a dull, almost incompetent twit. On the other hand Tony Blair has the image of a dynamic, if slightly shallow, leader. This tends to ignore the fact that Hague is possibly a more intelligent and thoughtful politician than Blair. Another good example of this is the differences between Ronald Reagan and Michael Foot. Reagan was a remarkably unskilled politician, but, being a trained actor, he was very good at conveying what was essentially a simple message. Foot, on the other hand, was a very skilled politician and public speaker. However, his unkempt appearance was not at all media friendly, and after defeat in the 83 general election he was cast aside in favour of a more media friendly Neil Kinnock. Reagan had two successful terms as US President. Many fear that this indicates a move away from real political issues towards a fickle political world where image is everything and political substance nothing. It is clear that a personality clash or a sex scandal can now be more damaging to a political party than an actual policy disagreement. But should we be very concerned about this, and exactly how much of the shifting political tide is down to the media. Some observers point to the fact that plain, unassuming politicians such as John Major and George Bush have enjoyed immensely successful political careers. This may suggest that the public can only be fooled to a certain degree by slick media management, and may eventually get sick of being ‘force fed† so called perfect politicians, with little or no political ability.

Technology and Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology and Capitalism - Essay Example This advertisement peg for his discourse allowed Hochschild to strongly argue that American society is currently being flooded by goods and services that promises people – busy people – of saving their precious time. Meanwhile, Sherry Turkle discourse on technology in Alone Together reinforced this take on capitalism today by explaining how tools and machines such as the Internet, personal computers, mobile phones and gadgets all became indispensable in modern way of life. Capitalism and Efficiency The concept of efficiency has been put forward in Hochschild’s culture of time (184). The argument is that in modern America, people are faced with the time dilemma. Most individuals have to balance personal/family life with work and career and all things in between. Here, the experience of American mothers was used as an example. With the Quaker Oats ad, it was depicted how mothers find it extremely challenging to spend quality time with their children when their job and occupations are also vying for an equal degree of attention. Hochschild identified that breakfast cereal – as suggested by its marketer – emerged as the solution for the dilemma. Modern capitalism made this possible. The oat brand is delicious and healthy, solving several problems for children as it provides a quality mother-child experience at the breakfast table and solves the child’s requirement for attention, love and well-being. The deliciously prepared oat meal, which any child will supposedly love is seen to qualify as sufficient for parents in order for them to let their children know they are loved and taken cared of. Finally, the oatmeal and the ease in its preparation provided the mother an opportunity to lessen time spent at home so she could be at her work or at her appointment on time. Turkle’s discourse on technology further explained Hochschild’s conception of time, efficiency and the permeation of goods and services that cater to the past two variables. She used technology and how it affected the lives of people today as the basis for her insights. The analogy is that technology has successfully ingratiated itself in the lives of people today because it addresses their main vulnerabilities. For instance, Turkle argued that people today are lonely and technology provides a convenient and perfect answer by providing an illusion of companionship without the demand for friendship (263). The pattern is clear: people are becoming dependent on the goods and services that can meet their demands for time and efficiency. The consequence is that people are increasingly substituting them for what is real. Substitution In Hochschild’s observation, people still value the conventional concepts of human relationship such as the family. Here, work and all other preoccupations are supposedly being undertaken in order for the family to survive and, do so comfortably. Ironically, this brings them further to it because the culture of work relegated family as a mere ideal, separate from what is real. To many people, wrote Hochschild, family is important morally and that they certainly cherish such ideal but â€Å"we don’t link what we think with what we do,† or we often say at work that we â€Å"don’t walk the talk at home (186). This perspective – the encapsulation of family as a mere ideal - supposedly make people reconcile the dilemma of the competing meanings in modern capitalism and its impact on modern necessities to traditional concepts such as the family. With technology, Turkle, provided several examples to this emerging preference for illusion and the substitution of goods and services for what is real. She pointed out, for instance: Some people are looking for robots to clean rugs and help with the laundry. Others hope for a mechanical bride. As sociable

Polychlorinated Biphenyl Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 188

Polychlorinated Biphenyl - Assignment Example Therefore, when we were digging through the building walls contaminated with PCBs, we had to be careful with how we were going to make the overhead bay extension in the Aluminum Casting plant. Basically, we first took precaution by wearing protective gears before going to the area. Next, to avoid any physical contact with humans, we used the help of an excavator which was manually controlled by a specialist. Basically, as we did the excavation, we managed to decontaminate the building wall by use of diesel fuel plus rags. The very purpose of the exercise was not to produce any liquid so that no one in that area could get exposure through breathing. After the exercise, we were left with two issues. How to dispose of the contaminated rags? and How to decontaminate the excavator?. These were challenging for us, but we opted to place the rages in containers and labeled with symbols that said hazardous. The very purpose of labeling the containers as hazardous was to avoid people from mistaking it from other containers while transporting and disposal. The containers had to be sealed tightly to ensure that in the event of the containers dropping off, they would not cause the contaminated rags to fall off. Another precaution that was used was the decontamination of the excavator which had been exposed as it bore through the contaminated building wall that had PCBs. The process of decontamination of the excavator had to be done by chemical means. In this process, we had to use chemical agents that caused dechlorination of the compound. Basically, the chemicals acted by breaking down the compound into chlorine and biphenyl. Furthermore, to ensure completed decontamination, we had to ensure that the excavator had been successfully removed from the warm zone so as not to contaminate the excavator again.

International Marketing( Pizza hut in China) Essay

International Marketing( Pizza hut in China) - Essay Example success story due to the specialized and far sighted strategies followed by the company in expanding its business into the high potential market of China. Pizza Hut is one of the most famous fast food centres specialized in a wide variety of pizzas with different crusts and toppings. Pizza Hut is based in Texas and is the largest pizza restaurant in the world. There are more than 7500 Pizza Hut restaurants in the United States alone. The company also operates more than 5600 Pizza Hut restaurants in almost 100 countries in different corners of the world. The first fast food restaurant of Pizza Hut was opened in 1958 in Kansas by two brothers named Frank Karney and Dan Karney. The company followed a franchisee based strategy to expand its operations (Bradley, 1999, p.118). The first franchisee of Pizza Hut was opened in Topeka region of Kansas. After the opening up of this franchisee, the company continued to grow in terms of size, popularity as well as scale of operations. The company currently has more than 8000 units of food chains operating across different countries in the globe. The company introduced the delivery system in 1988 a fter which the sales of the company were boosted to a high extent, especially in the United States. Apart from a variety of pizzas, Pizza Hut also offers other fast food items like Garlic bread, chicken wings, soups, pastas, nachos, cornitos and lasagnes in its menu. The company offers a wide range of food items and is famous for its excellent quality and efficient services provided to the customers. Pizza Hut emerged as a highly popular fast food company in the United States. After the success in their home country, the company focused on expanding their operations in other suitable international markets to tap in new opportunities and increase their revenues and customer base. The high market growth and profitability of Pizza Hut in the domestic market provided the company with the necessary backup and resources to internationalize

Shopping Centres in Prague Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Shopping Centres in Prague - Essay Example They are also choosy in selecting the shopping centres. This research is aimed at studying the shopping centres in Prague and what are the preferences that the people who use it have. In today's modern world, time is perceived as a precious commodity; accordingly the society is very much concerned with time management. Therefore, it is expected that in order to be as time efficient as possible people avoid visiting shopping centres, which require an extended travelling time. They are more likely to visit frequently the shopping centre, which is easily reachable and accordingly requires a less time consuming travel. Transportation by car is to be expected when travelling to an edge-of-city shopping centre, on the contrary people are more likely to use public transport, bicycle or simply walk when travelling to an in-town shopping centre. Congestion and other traffic problems have made access to in-town shopping centres increasingly difficult, consequently this became a highly time consuming transportation method. Therefore, public transport is the solution, as it is not affected by traffic, thus it is expected to be used along with other methods like foot and bicycle which likewise are not influenced by traffic. Nevertheless, edge-of-city shopping centres are more easily accessible by means of car transportation as they tend to be located in areas where road communication is designed to create comfortable approach, these areas usually do not suffer from high levels of congestion. Moreover, car transportation allows people to carry bulky goods easily, this is of high importance as shopping tends to be one of the main reason for the visit. Methods of data collection A list of all Prague's main shopping centres was made. This was then divided into in-town and edge-of-city shopping centres. The entire investigation is then based on this assortment. The Annexure-I gives the list of shopping centres. Both the hypothesis needs to be tested with the available number of shopping centres. Since it is difficult to check or study every one of the shopping centres available, it was decided to take two randomly selected shopping centres, one each from either of the groups, for this purpose2.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Marketing - Essay Example To change the image, those in the fashion industry are required to think like the customer by finding presentations that ensure high quality and modern looks for the fashion styles that are being presented (Cachon, Swinney, 2009: pg. 15). The strategic buying of those interested in fashion, as well as the decisions which are made is based on the trend of fashion conscious behaviors that are within society. This is especially high among females who are interested in different looks and styles and which are trying to find an image which can present them most effectively in a given situation. The style includes the shape, fit and the colors that work together to present a specific image (Nam et al, 2007: pg. 102). The fashion conscious behaviors make the celebrity endorsement practical to use. When one can see the celebrity approving the styles and looks, it changes the decisions by consumers while showing the effectiveness of the specific look. Celebrities can be used to communicate a message about the specific style, how effective it is and the quality that the brand maintains, allowing conscious consumers to respond in a positive light. While the general trend with using celebrities is one which produces a positive response, there are also non – practical applications of using celebrities. The main problem which occurs is based on negative information transference to consumers. If the celebrity isn’t regarded as fashionable or has a reputation which doesn’t fit with a specific person, then it can lead them away from the brand. This is not only specific to general attitudes, but is also reflective of demographic differences that are in society. If an older woman wants to buy a brand but finds a celebrity that is focused on youth, then they may not think the brand will fit their style or will have a quality that is negative. The brand meaning can change according to the celebrity and alters based on the impact that the celebrity has in societ y (White, Goddard, 2009: pg. 322). The negative information may include pricing, quality and the overall brand image that fashion conscious individuals are looking for within a given trend. This paper will examine the effects of celebrity endorsement as well as the practical and non – practical uses of having an individual represent a brand name. The hypothesis states that the celebrity endorsement is based on attractiveness and credibility of the celebrity. If this is positive, then it can raise the purchase intention of those who are interested in a brand; however, if it is negative, then purchases will diminish. This hypothesis can be seen in figure 1. Figure 1: Celebrity Endorsement This particular chart shows how there are both positive and negative implicatinos that are based on the celebrity endorsement as well as the conscious of those who are interested in buying a specific product. By creating the correct image, brands can leverage their identity; however, without t his, there isn’t the ability to build a strong reputation among potential customers. Examining the ways in which this works positively and negatively can then help determine how the fashion industry can redefne the way that fashion is presented in given circumstances. Celebrity Endorsement and Communication Processes The first way that celebrity endorsement affects those who are interested in a given product is through the communication processes exhibited through the image. When a celebrity endorses a specific fashion product, it is considered as a

Customer Integration and Satisfaction Forum 5 TLMT 441 Assignment

Customer Integration and Satisfaction Forum 5 TLMT 441 - Assignment Example During the September 1 attack on the U.S, the terrorists hijacked a passenger carrier airplane sending worrying signals to customers regarding their safety. Customer’s reaction in relation to the safety concern is evident in all motor carriers within the U.S. In examining whether strategic change is essential for the long-term benefits of an organization, the study: To change or not to change, takes a close examination on customer’s feelings regarding all motor carriers’ firms’ response after the September 11 incident (Atwater et al, 2011). The data gathered indicates a huge disruption and downturns following the terrorist attack. For example, the normal operations in the motor carriers firms declined by more than half. Although, some carriers changed their strategies after the attacks, performance was still not impressing. All the carriers performed awful following the attacks as customers grew fear irrespective of any security measures the firms included (Atwater et al, 2011). As a matter of fact, a declined performance was achieved by firs that opted change their strategies as opposed to those that stuck with earlier strategies. In conclusion, adopting strategic measures after a strategic surprise is not a guarantee of developing customer satisfaction (Kotler, 2010). As evidenced through the change of strategy by the carrier firms that changed their strategy following the September 11 terrorist attacks. Other than adopting strategic changes, the study finds out that customer satisfaction and integration is a continuous

Assessment, Measurement, and Research Assignment

Assessment, Measurement, and Research - Assignment Example   The culture fair test is relatively valid considering that it only reduces cultural bias and as stipulated in its construction, it admits impossibility to eliminate cultural bias. It only seeks to reduce biases during the performance of intelligence tests. The first time of use of the culture fair test was after the World War II and involved screening American soldiers of average intelligence and non-native English speakers. Since its first use, the test has gained widespread application in schools and other institutions and applied in screening non-native English speakers (Messick, 1999). The culture fair test instrument is relatively reliable considering the various steps used in its construction and initial implementation. To begin with, there should be no timing of the test and if possible, directions can be oral or in pantomime. Secondly, the instrument has been the use of a draw a person tests that measure body concepts and differentiation to define culture fair indices of intellectual ability (Ungar, 2011). Thirdly, the structure of test allows room for use of nonverbal responses for children whose languages are different from the ones presented in the standardized test. During the consultation, the counselor noted that there is no educational threshold to guide or prove the applicability of the cultural fair test in counseling. However, the counselor reiterated that practitioners need to have at least a certificate or any higher training in counseling psychology. The method that led to the selection of the culture fair test involved listing and sampling of the tests with reference to the critical cultural issues eminent in the field of psychology.  

Health Condition and Childhood Obesity Assignment - 81

Health Condition and Childhood Obesity - Assignment Example Obesity or overweight is a significant health issue, which must be dealt with accordingly due to its risk factors, for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Stanhope and Lancaster (2012), in chapter 28 and 29 of Public Health Nursing: Population-Centered Health Care in Community, identifies and describes some family health risks one of them being a child and adolescent health. These authors also identify that obesity is one of the most significant health issues affecting both young children and teenagers. Childhood obesity, in children and adolescent, has both short-term and long-term effects on well-being and health, which makes it a public health challenge. Obese teenagers have higher risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and their health-related conditions than adults are. For instance, according to CDC report, 70 percent of teenagers, in 5- to 7-year-olds, had a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CDC, 2013). Additionally, obese adolescents are at higher risks of having prediabetes, which is a health condition where blood glucose level shows high chances of developing diabetes. Obese children and teenagers are also at higher r isk for joint and bone problems, and psychological and social problems such as poor self-esteem and stigmatization (CDC, 2013). Obesity’s long-term effects, which make it a public health challenge, include the likelihood of children and adolescent becoming obese adults and its related health conditions such as osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, stroke and several types of cancer. Moreover, overweight is associated with an increased risk factor for a number of cancer such as kidney, colon, breast, ovary, prostate, cervix, bladder and pancreas cancer (CDC, 2013). Ophthalmologists being medical practitioners need to understand the effects and prevention of obesity in children and adolescent. The primary  prevention strategy for this health condition is adopting healthy lifestyle habits. These include having regular physical activity and adopting healthy eating as these can lower the risk of developing obesity and related diseases (CDC, 2013).  

Teaching assistant Essay Example for Free

Teaching assistant Essay A child’s main development from a new born baby to a 2 year old infant consists of a completely dependent newborn to a child who can lift their head and crawl within 6 months. Around this age a child’s growth begins to slow down to a weight gain of 450-600 grams a month, to then developing those skills to being able to walk within 2 years. A 3 year old would increase by roughly 1.8 kilograms and 5-8 centimetres, stereotypically they should continue to grow taller and slimmer however this will depend on nutrition and genetic makeup. At the age of 6 a child continues to gain, specifically between 8 – 9 years old. 2. Analyse key social, economic and enviroment factors, which may influence development. Approximately around 2.5 million children in the UK live in poverty, this ineffectively creates a social disadvantage, resulting in parents not being able to provide the necessary nutritional balanced diet because they are unemployed or on a low income. Parents and children within this category tend to live in poor housing, which can lead to overcrowding which lack the physical and personal resources needed for a child’s growth. 3. Describe children’s overall development needs. A child’s environment is a key factor that can prohibit or aid development. A positive environment with love and care will develop their socialising ability into creating relationships with others. Factors such as overcrowding, air, water and noise pollution have been proven to prohibit a child’s growth and development.

Strategies for Learning Mathematics

Strategies for Learning Mathematics Introduction: This essay focusses on assessing and monitoring the progress of learners using different strategies during the period of ten lessons focussing on two units of mathematics. School X has structured assessment for learning, every lesson is designed in a way that every student is assessed in different ways. The research is focussed on year 7 mathematics lesson. This class is set 2 mostly high ability students however few students should be achieving their targets. Gould and Roffey-Barentsen (2014) provide a useful definition of assessment as having a key role in the planning process as well as delivery of teaching. Assessment serves a number of important uses in that it helps consolidate and check learning as well as providing feedback to those who require it. My school expects me to use a vast number of assessments when teaching. We use many forms of assessment such as, initial, diagnostic, formative, and/or summative to be able to deliver inclusive teaching and learning. I have selected two units 1) surface area and volume of prisms and 2) Ratios and proportions. The purpose of unit 1 is to help students extend their knowledge of area, perimeter, and volume to include surface area. The major goals NCTM proposes are for students to understand quantifiable characteristics of objects and the units, systems, and procedures of measurement. The purpose of unit 2 is that the concepts of ratio and proportionate fundamental to mathematics and important in many other fields of knowledge. Many phenomena can be expressed as some proportional relationship between specific variables (Chaim,Keret,llany, 2012). Literature Review: Monitoring is the skill of effectively overviewing and analysing a learning situation (Headington, 2000). In schools context, professional monitoring systems (Tymms 1999) exist in parallel with the monitoring of learning in the classroom. Assessment is the closer examination of pupils learning (Headington, 2000). It is reporting as a central issue in teaching and learning throughout education as it lacks consistency primarily due to each teacher within the school has adapted a different method of assessment and this is what makes one teacher a good and another poor. In England, since 1988 Education reform act national testing has taken central stage in monitoring standards in schools (Capel, 2009). Assessment for learning is Any assessment for which the first priority is to serve the purpose of promoting students learning'(Black et al, 2003) . AFL aims to close the gap between a students present situation and where they want to be in their knowledge and attainment. Accomplished teach ers plan tasks which support learners to do achieve their targets. Since 2002 there has been an obvious inclination in some assessment strategy reports in the UK to study alternatives to using external exams for summative valuation of pupils performance. Several research studies have shown that the use of assessment to develop pupils future learning makes a substantial difference, not just to pupils attainment, but to their attitude to learning, their engagement with school subjects and their motivation to do well in these subjects (Black and Wiliam 1998). Formative Assessment A key literature investigation of over 250 sources on formative assessment (Black and Wiliam 1998) found that effective assessment practices can play a influential role in the learning experience, moving an average student, for instance, to the top third of the class but only if certain settings are satisfied. Student tasks required to be aligned, or on target, with learning goals, and students need to obtain meaningful and appropriate response on their performance, as well as targeted follow-up work. To adjust their learning effectually, students need to understand three things: (a) the measures on which they will be judged, (b) where they stand on these measures, and (c) how they can improve (Black and Wiliam 1998, p. 143). Formative assessment has been thought of as providing teachers with more frequent evidence of students mastery of standards to help teachers make useful instructional decisions. In this way, formative assessment is intended to enhance student learning. Research carried out by Balck and Wiliam, and also by projects such as Suffolk Advisory service (2001) into feedback and marking indicates that improving learning through formative learning depends on the following five key factors. These are: Modelling Quality: According to (Bourdillon and Storey, 2002) pupils are more successful when they know what they are learning. This means communicating clearly what the pupils will be learning and how they can recognise their success. Therefore, learning intentions can be shared with pupils through modelling and how learning objective is achieved. According to Lee (2006), objectives can be broken down into small steps called success criteria, therefore its easier for pupils to know what that need to achieve and they can measure it at the end of the lesson. Questioning and dialogue with pupils: Clarke(2005) gives a wide range of suggestions for varying the format of questions in classrooms as it is the quickest and easiest way to assess pupils. I have also developed skills in asking questions across the full range of Blooms taxonomy, from simple recall and comprehension to complex evaluative questioning. The key to success in developing fruitful channels of dialogue with pupils about their learning lies in creating a relaxed and trusting overall climate in the classroom, so that pupils are not afraid to answer, contribute to discussions and make public their thinking or volunteer their uncertainties to you and rest of the class (Clarke,2005). It is best to plan questioning strategy, for instant questions on prior learning to setup the major themes of the lesson, also to check learning and to reinforce learning that has taken place. It is also important to plan how questions will be asked, whether from the whole class, just one group or an individual. Sometimes teachers give no time to students to think and accepts answers from those who raise their hands, and some teachers use no hand policy and giving pupils thinking time (Brooks, Abbott, Bills, 2007). Mini white boards: Another formative assessment idea that engages the entire class and provides evidence of student learning is the white board. Teachers can quickly grasp student understanding and adjust how they move forward. According to Black and Wiliam (1998) teachers need to build in opportunities for pupils to express their understanding. Pupils benefit from opportunities of formal feedback through mini white boards, as this gives chance to pupils to express their knowledge and understanding and to articulate their thinking, and also misconceptions can be spotted straight away. The figure below shows how students learning can be assessed through mini white boards. Dialogue and effective feedback through marking According to the National Research Council report How People Learn (Bransford et al. 2000), timely feedback and revision, on activities congruent with learning goals, is extremely important for developing adaptive expertise, learning, transfer and development. Constructive feedback is vital in helping pupils to progress. Nevertheless, one review of the literature on feedback found that two out of every five feedback effects were negative (Black and Wiliam, 1998). According to Ofsted (1996) marking often fails to guide on how work can be improved, as the information about pupils performance received by the teacher is insufficiently used to inform subsequent work. Target settings can address these difficulties, by taking a defect and converting into a target, offering guidance on how to improve. It has been found to increase pupils motivation and sense of purpose and accelerates rate of progress (Black and Wiliam, 1998). I will be marking books every two weeks, giving pupils targets and showing them example questions to help throug positive feedback on the things they have done well. Marking is guidance to pupils so that they can react upon provided feedback and the aim is for the student to reà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ect upon their mistakes and answer accurately so that adequate notes are made in their exercise books for revision, it must also include dialogue between the teacher and student so that informed feedback is provided which underlines pupils strengths. School x has a strict book checks every three weeks which focuses on timely and constructive dialogue between teachers and pupils. Self-assessment and understanding how to improve Formative assessment achieves its full potential when pupils become engaged with the process through self-assessment. Pupils who become skilled in self-assessment make impressive learning gains. According to one study, pupils were trained to make regular self-assessment over20-week period and that group made double the progress of the group who were not trained for self-assessment. However, Black and wiliam have concluded that self-assessment is too difficult for pupil, unless they are trained in self-assessment and can understand its main purpose and reflect on their learning effectively. Throughout my lessons self-assessment was vital at the end of each lesson, showing what went well and even better if. Summative assessment: Preparing pupils for external exams and assessment has been an increasingly important part of the secondary teachers role. The purpose behind national external assessments has been clearly formulated, to identify individual achievements, strengths and weaknesses in order to help them in next stages, to enable parents to put their childs attainment in context, to make available to public schools attainment and to help school evaluating their own teaching (Bourdillon and Storey, 2002) . Case study and students progress: My case study includes five students selected after observations and from discussions with my mentor, who I will assess. Their names are coded as Student E,F, G, H and I and in the table below I have mentioned why I would like to assess them during this course of study and check if by the end of the research they have achieved their targets. Table 1: Shows the description of students and their current and target grades I have monitored throughout the course of 10 lessons of the above students when the learning outcome does not meet the learning objective for the class or groups or individuals. Such monitoring when analysed, can provide an insight into the teaching and learning which is taking place. The subject monitoring sheet for maths lessons (Figure 2) shows an example of this. The learning of the five targeted students was monitored for a course of two units against learning objectives drawn from national numeracy strategy. The monitoring was coded as follows: Figure 2: Subject monitoring sheet for maths This data shows the results through the formative assessment I have collected. The research proves one of the best ways to check if pupils understanding is to ask questions. During my first few lessons, the typical response was same children continually have their hands up, and usually in order to elicit the right answers , teachers uses the right children, and I did the same in my first 2 lessons. From third lesson I changed my tactics and targeted students who were not participating in the class, or I used to wait for more hands up, and encouraged students to raise hands through E-praise. Student E is very shy, she was reluctant in the beginning to answer, but I encouraged and praised her to answer, since then I can see her raising hands for not all questions but some Students E, F and H has shown significant improvement during target questioning, they were more attentive and responsive. Setting a routine of target questioning resulted in pupils raising their hands up without asking. I cultivated the classroom atmosphere where more and more pupils are prepared to open up and share their thinking about their uncertainties. To accomplish this approach requires full sensitivity, knowledge of your pupils, first-rate interpersonal skills as well as perceptiveness in formulating adroitly posed questions. In my practice, I always start with open end questions to give students a chance to think and then I try to develop a structure in their mind through these questions and then moving on to close end questions to scaffold their understanding. Target questioning helped me to clear misconceptions throughout my lessons. Refereeing to all my lessons, I have used mini white boards instantly in each lesson, introduce a topic, show them at least two questions and then check their understanding on the mini white boards, I get instant feedback from every child. They arent broadcasting that they think they dont understand something, they give me an actual mathematical answer from which I judge the accuracy and target the misconceptions. It is more subtle than directly admitting you cant do something in front of your peers. They allow algebraic answers just as easily as numerical or wordy ones. You know which kids to differentiate for at both ends. For example student E and H along with some other students showed weakness understanding the concept of surface area of prisms, and picked it up their misconceptions through mini white board activity, it was mostly to do with area of a triangle. Therefore, The next lesson I did a revision lesson on same topic so that all misconceptions were cleared, and in lesson 3, both student E and H showed significant strengths. Similarly in lesson 8, student G showed weakness, which I assessed during white board activity and I made sure that student G understands it properly, as I probed targeted questions throughout lesson. This data also helped me to mark students work, so that I can compare the assessment I performed during class through mini white boards and questioning is correct or not. I marked students work and homework. Homework in school x is given twice a week to each year group. According to Ofsted, marking reinforces underachievement and under expectation be being too generous or unfocused. Therefore, I marked with feedback on each mistake as shown in the example below. I modelled the incorrect questions step by step and asked them to do it again. I also made homework spreadsheet, which showed me exactly how many questions students attempted were correct as shown in table below. Table 3: Shows the percentage of correct answers students did in each homework. This table helped me to understand pupils misconceptions and therefore, I gave questions as starter which I saw were most difficult. I also followed students homework by rechecking if they have corrected the mistakes in the following lesson, as the list provided me clear instructions which students book I have to check. By following this routine, Student G made remarkable change in providing her homework with full potential. The class slowly developed the routine of teacher and student dialogue, by making students aware that if I have made any comments, its students responsibility to check it and comment on it, and if the comment is about redoing the questions than it has to be done again. It can be noticed from the table that students homework percentage got better each week. Year 7s were not aware of self-assessment, therefore I briefed them with three key points with: During my first three lessons I used the slide given below, by giving them examples of how they can think and evaluate their learning. Students were questioned to summarize the learning objectives and success criteria before they embark on the task. From lesson four, when people were confident I used the slide below to make them think themselves without giving the example. Students F, H and I books showed clear evidence that they were honest about their reflection and were trying in the next lesson to make their learning better. Figure 6 and 7 shows some examples of pupils reflection Summative assessment was done by unit test after each unit. Before each unit test, a revision lesson was run to clear the misconceptions as the books were marked before the revision to check students understanding, their homeworks and self-assessment. After each unit test, teacher marked the test and made two comments on what students did well at, and two comments what they need to improve on. As shown in the picture 9 below. Students evaluated their performance in the yellow sheets provided by teacher, on their strengths and on action points. A spreadsheet was also created for each question, which helped me to create green pen questions for students and to check which part of unit test students found most difficult, as shown below in table 7. Green pen questions were prepared by teacher, and were allocated to each student according to the action points as illustrated in the figures below of student E and H. These action questions helps them again to reflect on their mistakes and improve their mistakes. The summative assessment results after two unit test I performed with year 7s are shown below which has shown significant improvement in their grades from previous grades, that they have moved a grade higher from their previous targets. Analysis: Analysing the sequence of lessons and assessments methods used during the period of 10 lessons, assessing through questioning and mini white board activity showed very good results as , it showed me clearly students misconceptions and cultivated the culture of engaging and thinking before answering, but when I marked their books, I saw some very obvious mistakes repeated which I pointed during mini white board activity. There is a potential risk of students copy the answers from peers just of the fear of getting pointed for mistakes and they are hesitant to ask questions. Therefore, mini white board activity is a very effective way to assess students understanding and it has shown a tremendous effectivity during all my lessons as it enables to test the depth of students understanding but it is not 100 percent accurate as students sometimes tend to copy from their peers, if they were targeted and the answer was wrong, they potentially can copy answer of next question from their peers to avoid embracement. It is the same case in questioning, mostly gifted students answer questions. Targeted questions help to encourage students to answer questions, as through diagnostic assessments and marking books, teachers knows which student to target. But if the culture of questioning and use of mini white boards remain there, it will help students to try harder and remain attentive throughout lessons. Assessing through marking books gives a very clear idea that how much progress student has made in the class and by doing their homework. Spread sheet of homework helped me and I asked some students to come during break time to clear their misconceptions, I also ran revision lessons where I cleared those concepts and did target questions from less progressing pupils through marking books. During marking books I started a dialogue with students, for example how this question can be made better and by giving them model answers, as soon as pupils got their books back they had to comment on their mistakes, which helped in building an environment of students teachers dialogue. Similarly self-reflection helped students to start thinking about their strengths and weaknesses and it consolidates their learning more. In each lesson they commented about something to improve and what they did well at, it improved the sequence of learning and each lesson showed evident improvement. Since year 7s started to reflect on their learning during my teaching, it is still very confusing for some students what to write but I still encourage them to summarize their learning objective and think before writing. Finally the summative assessment triangulates the research, Students E,F,G,H and I have made tremendous effort through these weeks and shown that through these assessments they have already reached their targets. References Headington, Rita. (2000). Monitoring, assessment, recording, reporting and accountability. London: David Fulton, 8,9 Last name, First initial. (Year published). Title. Edition. (Only include the edition if it is not the first edition) City published: Publisher, Page(s). Gould, Jimm. And Roffey, Jodi. (2014). Achieving your Diploma in Education and Training. Sage publications ltd. Chaim, Keret, IIany, David, Yaffa, Bat-Sheva. (2012).  Ratio and proportion. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers, 1. Cambridge-Community. Getting started with assessment for learning. [online] Available at: URL [http://www.cambridge-community.org.uk/professional-development/gswafl/index.html] Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment, Phi Delta Kappan 80(2), 139-148. Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L. and Cocking (2000). The Design of Learning Environments: Assessment-Centered Environments. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC, National Academy Press, pp. 131-154. Wilson, M. Scalise, K. 2006, Assessment to Improve Learning in Higher Education: The BEAR Assessment System, Higher Education, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 635-663. Stiggins, R. 2005, From Formative Assessment to Assessment for Learning: A Path to Success in Standards-Based Schools, The Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 87, no. 4, pp. 324-328

Analysing The Dowry System Religion Essay

Analysing The Dowry System Religion Essay Dowry or Dahej is the payment in cash or/and kind by the brides family to the bridegroom s family along with the giving away of the bride in Indian marriage. Kanyadanam is an important part of Hindu marital rites. Kanya means daughter, and dana means gift. Dowry originated in upper caste families as the wedding gift to the bride from her family. The dowry was later given to help with marriage expenses and became a form of insurance in the case that her in-laws mistreated her. It continues to be highly institutionalized. The groom often demands a dowry consisting of a large sum of money, farm animals, furniture, and electronics. The practice of dowry abuse is rising in day by day. The most severe in bride burning, the burning of women whose dowry was not considered sufficient by their husband or in-laws. Most of these incidents are reported as accidental burns in the kitchen or are disguised as suicide. It is evident that there exist deep-rooted prejudices alongside women. Cultural practices such as the payment of dowry tend to subordinate women in Indian society. When the dowry amount is not considered sufficient or is not forthcoming, the bride is often harassed, abused and made miserable. This abuse can escalate to the point where the husband or his family does burn the bride, often by hammering kerosene on her and lighting it, usually killing her. A woman is burned to death almost every twelve hours. The number of dowry murders is increasing. In 1988-2209 women were killed in dowry related incidents and in 1990, 4,835 were killed. It is important to repeat that these are official records, which are hugely under reported. According to figures there were a total of 5,377 dowry deaths in 1993, an increase of 12% from 1992. Despite the existence of rigorous laws convictions are rare, and judges are often uninterested and susceptible to bribery. An accurate picture is difficult to obtain, as statistics are varied and contradictory. In 1995, there were about 6,000 dowry deaths. Many of the victims are burnt to death-they are doused in kerosene and set light to. Routinely the in-laws claim that what happened was simply an accident. The kerosene stoves used in many poorer households are dangerous. When evidence of foul play is too obvious to ignore, the story changes to suicide-the wife, it is said, could not adjust to new family life and subsequently killed herself. 2. Introduction The right to life of women in Pakistan is conditional on their obeying social norms and traditions. â‚ ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚   Dowry is given as gift but it becomes violence when it is demanded. Reasonable dowry for a reasonable match was advocated in our male-dominated society in the name of religion and culture, in some cases to deny a girl her share in the inheritance, They said dowry was a form of social security for the girl and more of a burden on the father to the extent that it sometimes made him commit suicide. Dowry is one of those social practices which not educated people would possess up with pride, although many still adhere to this much deplorable practice. Dowry is continued to be given and taken. Even among the educated parts of the society, dowry is continued to make an essential part the negotiations that take place in an arranged marriage. Dowry deaths of a newly married bride are still regularly in the news. Although it may not be possible to determine when and where these practices started, it can be thought that dowry and bride price are subsequent to the organization of monogamy. A search for the origins of dowry would have to move backwards into antiquity afar. This is the same as saying that dowry and bride price came into being after the practice of monogamous marriage had become prevalent. Although the practice of dowry exists in many of the countries, it has been assumed that the quantity of a challenge to the forces of modernity and modify only in sub-continent and the complex in the running of high class of the society. Many reasons are put forward for explaining this practice to compensate it. It is said that a dowry is meant to help the newly-weds to set up their own home with new house hold things. Dowry as we all know is paid in cash or sort by the brides family to the grooms family along with the giving away of the bride. The custom of Kanya-danam is an essential aspect in Hindu marital rites: Kanya = daughter, danam = gift. A reason for the origin of dowry could possibly be that the groom and his family had to take up the onerous liability of supporting the bride for the rest of her life. 2.1 Duties and Rights of Husband and Wife after marriage Allah has informed us about the just rights of each other on us: the wifes rights (with regard to their husbands) are equal to the (husbands) rights with regard to them, although men are a degree above them; and Allah is Almighty, Wise. Quran [2: 228] The statement that men are a degree above than women means that authority within the household has been given to the husband in preference to the wife because a heavier burden has been placed on his shoulders by another verse of the Quran which says: Men shall take full care of women, because Allah has given the one more strength than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husbands) absence what Allah would have them guard Quran [4 : 34] 2.2 Marriage as a financial transaction Young married women are particularly vulnerable. By custom they go to live in the house of their husbands family following the wedding. Dowry is just not the end in terms of transaction because the greedy parents of the groom do not end their curse. The wife is often seen as a servant of husbands family, or if she is working outside, as a source of income, but has no extraordinary relationship with the members of her new household and therefore no base of support the family. Some 40% of women are married before the legal age of 18 years. Illiteracy amongst women is very high, in some rural areas up to 63 %. As a result they are isolated and often in no position to assert themselves. Demands for dowry can go on for years. Religious ceremonies and the birth of children often become the occasions for further requests for money or goods. The inability of the brides family to comply with these demands often leads to the daughter-in-law being treated as a pariah and subject to abuse. In the worst cases, wives are simply killed to make way for a new financial transaction-i.e. threat of second marriage marriage. The will to obtain large dowries from the family of daughters-in-law, to demand more in cash, gold and other liquid assets, becomes vivid after leafing through pages of official reports that dutifully record the effects of gratitude, foreclosures, barren plots and cattle dying for lack of fodder. Dowry becomes dreaded payments on demand that go together with and follow the marriage of a daughter. Newspapers are filled with pages of women seeking husbands and men advertising their eligibility and social prowess, usually using their caste as a bargaining chip by telling their status positioning. A successful marriage is often seen by the wifes family as a means to advance up the social ladder. But the catch is that there is a price to be paid in the make a truck of dowry including furnishing of room, split AC, complete furniture of a home, kitchen use things and electronic home appliances etc. If for any reason that dowry preparations cannot be met then it is the young woman who suffers in terms of violence and threats. The price of the groom astronomically enlarged and was based on his qualifications, occupation and earnings. Doctors, charted accountants, lawyers and engineers even prior to graduation widen the marvelous right to expect a fat dowry as they make the most hunted after cream of the graduating and educated dowry association. 3. OBJECTIVE 3.1 Arranged Marriages and Dowry We are all familiar with the story: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy and girl gets married. For the preponderance of the western world, this is our ideal of a great beginning to a perfect marriage. It is significant to realize that while Pakistan is much rationalized in some aspects they still keep to the tradition of arranged marriages. Marriages formed out of love love marriages do happen in Pakistan but it is not the part of custom. It is an accepted fact that a persons family will play a role in choosing the marriage partner. It is significant to keep in mind that in Pakistani society an arranged marriage is seen as an act of love. Since marriage is one of the most important decisions a persons life he will ever make and because divorce is not accepted among the most families, it is imperative that the marriage choice is carefully thought out and planned by the head of the family. How can a young person make such an important decision on his/her own? Instead, the family (usually the parents) seeks for certain qualities in a life partner. Some popular traits are looked for in both male and female are: matching levels of education, matching cultures, close parental cities, matching religions, just to name a few of these. Potential brides also come under scrutiny by the boys parents. Since it is a commonly held belief that brides are the personification of that familys honor and pride, the girl must be from good family and have good etiquettes. She should be respectable and have no stain on her name. Now before we make that frown of revulsion. The dowry system has been in practice since before the written record and it has been used by parents in every country imaginable, including USA in older times. The main idea of the dowry system was to provide some kind of security for the bride if something unfortunate occurs with her husband such as death or divorce. As you can possibly imagine, daughters can be exceedingly expensive issue. Today this age can vary from 18-25 though exceptions do apply depending on socio-economic factors in the society. If a good dowry is not made, the girl is unlikely to have a proper match. This again, is typically random. While the dowry system is still in place, it has become more of a bride-price paying system. A proper match for a very poor family for marriage of their daughter into a somehow better financed family or a good match for a middle-income family might be finding a husband that is a doctor or engineer. As you have almost certainly guessed, there are a very few brides who in fact keep hold of their dowry after marriage. A good number practiced form of use of the dowry does not meant to be disgraceful and is far away more sensible for many families. More often than not, the brides dowry gets engrossed into the household for the greater good of the entire family. Not only people who receive dowry but also blame those people who pay dowry. People from poor or middle class families who cannot afford to give dowry to their daughters are either killed, stressed, or are not taken home by their in-laws. Our country shoddily needs girls who daringly stood up against dowry. It should be stopped by us. 4. HISTORY 4.1 Woman can decorate a house better than man Dowry system was introduced in many civilizations after the passage of time in history; this was introduced to share the burden in terms of expenses for settling a new household. In Athens the absence of dowry would call into question the legitimacy of the marriage. Kyrios (Guardian) was required to provide dowry to bride. In ancient Egypt during Pharaohs there was no sign of dowry as woman had right to inherit parents property along with brother. But When Greeks and Roman took control of Egypt signs of dowry began to appear gradually. In Ancient Roman time, it was responsibility of the parents to provide dowry to the bride, which was to be managed by her husband after the marriage. 8th century BC pre-Roman Hammurabi code of conduct parents was responsible for giving dowry to daughters. Rather Mother-in-laws role has more importance in creating this situation, mother-in-law had also gone through wives position in her past time and same wife, today being tortured, will repeat the same with future sons of wife. What the sense seems as there is a woman psychology behind this Mother-in-law has unmarried daughter to be married away. An ego-clash for manage (one is on the queens seat and the other to invade queen seat) in the house or change in sons attitude after new womans arrival thus two women (two grinding stones) and son in between two (grain) is ready to be flour. unfortunately, hate of wife and mother-in-law is all over the place in the world. 4.2 Background Reasons Originally, the purpose of a dowry was to provide seed money or property for the establishment of a new household as the beginning of the new life, to help a husband feed and protect his wife, and to give the wife and children some support if he were to die. This property was beyond the dowry (Greek: parapherna, the root of paraphernalia) and was known as paraphernal property or extra-dotal property. One of the basic functions of a dowry has been to serve as a form of defense for the wife against the possibility of ill treatment by her husband and his family. In other words, the dowry provides an incentive to the husband not to harm his wife. A husband thus had certain property rights in his wifes dowry. In addition, the wife might bring to the marriage property of her own, which was not included in the dowry and which was, as a result, she is alone responsible. 4.2.1 European History of Dowry Dowry was widely practiced in Europe before the European revolution. In Homeric times, the usual Greek practice was to pay an amount as bride price. Ancient Romans also practiced dowry, though Tacitus notes that the Germanic tribes practiced the reverse custom of the dower. Dowries were exchanged in the later classical time (5th century BC). One common penalty for the kidnapping of an unmarried woman was that the abductor or rapist had to provide the womans dowry. Until the late 20th century this was sometimes called wreath money, or the breach of promise. The Domostroy, a Russian advice book of the sixteenth century, includes advice to set aside property for purposes of a dowry so that a women can also get equal rights in property, and use it accumulate linens, clothings, and other things for it, rather than have to suddenly buy it all for the wedding; if the daughter should happen to die, the dowry should be used to give alms and for prayers for her soul, although some might be set aside for other daughters. In some areas of Europe, most recallable Eastern Europe, land dowries were very common. It was commonly given with the condition that he will take the surname of his bride, in order to continue the family name. 4.2.2 Asian History of Dowry Dowry is a common practice in many Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and many others. In India, where incidents of bride burning and dowry death acquired notoriety, the payment of a dowry has been prohibited under. Then 1961 Dowry Prohibition Act in Indian civil law and subsequently by Sections 304B and 498a of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Electronic items like refrigerators, television and washing machines are given by the brides parents as part of a ceremony along with clothes, jewelry, shoes and many other accessories. In recent years there supposedly has been a rise in dowry deaths even when law enforcing organizations claim that the situation is under control where as situation shows vice versa. 4.3 The curse of Material The practice of dowry is prevalent in India since olden times like centuries ago. The custom first started in Vaishya community of Hindu society but later all other communities in the Hindu society adopted this practice rapidly. Later, this practice spread into the Muslim society in places where Muslims lived as traders and not as rulers with Hindus in joint India. The evil practice of dowry has turned the blessed relationship of marriage into a profitable relationship which makes the life of chaste girls and their parents a hell, giving rise to suicide, corruption and moral degradation. The difficulty of dowry is directly connected to Muslims economic, social, educational and religious life. One of the reasons of these social evils is lack of knowledge and refusal with Islamic teachings and practices are not being implemented. Hundreds and thousands of educated and well mannered Muslim girls are leading unmarried lives or believe in late marriages. In a society where this is the case with unmarried girls, who will bother about the marriage of widows and divorcees? The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) and his companions have set many practical examples for their followers by marrying widows and divorcees. Young Muslim girls have to lead unmarried life because of financial difficulties of their parents or because of the non-availability of appropriate matches and if matches are available then demands are very much high. 4.4 Displaying wealth at marriage ceremonies Some of us have faithfully held onto the familiar theme of over-spending at our marriages and its related ceremonies only to cite the example of how insensitive can be the richer sections of this society to avoid an over and improper display of wealth and prosperity. In the society like ours, this display could easily be regarded as a kind of crime or social disparity, argue some discriminating citizens who have been even candidly protesting about this extravagant and shameful side of our lives. They do not believe in simplicity, modesty and moderation. They do not understand that in their pretentious style of celebrating marriage ceremonies, or even birthday parties and anniversaries and other such occasions, they set poor examples for a Muslim society, and make the lesser privileged sections of society feel wretched. Lets see what has been suggested by Law and Justice Commission: The relevant laws about marriage ceremonies, including the serving of lavish meals, decorations, aerial firing, cracking of explosives, and exhibition of dowry, should be appropriately amended to provide serving of a single dish to a limited number of guests, not exceeding 300, in the valima and baraat functions. It makes one think of the magical number of 300, and how a manipulation of such numbers can and does occur in our system. A person would like to state the challenges that are arisen, and the new complex, depressing contexts that have been created in the field of arranged marriages specially. Why dont we get example of simplicity from the role modal of all the Muslims through out the world Holy Prophet P.B.U.H that how he spent his life, how did he arrange marriage ceremony of his beloved daughter Hazrat Fatima R.A.? One is harshly referring to the financial side of the picture. For example, how the bride or groom with the green card or the immigrant status in the West is a valued customer in the business of marriage bureaus, and varied match-makers. Certainly, marriage bureaus are a flourishing lot these days. Even the trend of online marriages has been in widely practice now! 5. ANALYSIS OF DATA 5.1 From Cradle to Grave Along with cash and gold, the dowry includes cars, televisions, refrigerators and a house no matters whether or not the grooms family already having them is immaterial. And if the groom has a Government job, the dowry would include the bribe for a good posting at the desirable station. In 1999, their number was 3,886, 3,739 in 2000 and 3,191 in 2001. Some cases ended in suicide accidental death in police parlance but not at all. Taking into account 1,774 suicide cases in 1999, which came down to 1,632 in 2001, and 3,378 accidental deaths in 1999, which declined to 2,750 in 2001, it is clear that the problem of dowry continues to trouble women. And it is certainly no coincidence that nearly 80 per cent of the suicide cases and accidental deaths occurred in kitchens and the daughters-in-law were the only victims. Education and prosperity have only increased the practice of dowry. And prosperity has given rise to demands for costlier things. In fact, affluence is responsible for the system, she argues. All rich land-lords started the practice of giving riches to their daughters during marriage which slowly became a tradition among all of the society. Dowry system seems to be common amongst a section of Muslims too, though in the Shariah it is prohibited. The better the grooms educational qualifications, the higher the demand is the dowry to make up for the expense incurred on his education. They prefer to call it voluntary aid from the brides family though. They name it the happiness of brides parents. Though, among tribes, the dowry system works in the overturn direction the grooms family pays out money. 5.2 Dowry- main cause of domestic violence: Due to not giving Dowry to bride by her parents there has been a increase in death. Three examples are given here which are most likely to those which we read almost daily news papers: Young housewife burnt alive for dowry by his husband Woman ends life due to dowry harassment Woman killed for seeking dowry The giving or receiving of dowry usually money or gifts to is illegal. But the practice remains widespread in both rural and urban India with cases of women being tortured and even burned to death by their husbands and in-laws. 5. 3 Worst Drawbacks Dowry refers to a marriage practice in our society where gifts of cash or other valuable items are exchanged between the families of the bride groom. Dowry is paid in the form of cash, furniture, jewelry, property etc and it is paid before or during the marriage ceremony, sometime after marriage. The custom of giving Dory has changed it is now more essential part in good marriage and has taken a harmful form. This is a social practice carried out both in urban and rural areas in different manner according to the expectation. Violences related to Dowry Rape beating Acid throwing Female infanticide Forced suicide Homicide (as bride burring) According to researchers that dowry is the common cause to rise the domestic violence. Laws Implementation Strategies against Dowry Violence 6. Dowry and Islam Most of the marriages are arranged in the South Asian countries like Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. There are lots of rules and regulations before and after marriages, especially in Malabar area. As for the arranged marriages, the initial step is arranging a broker to find out appropriate bride or groom. After the completion of this procedure the broker would play as an intermediary between the two parties. Next step is prenuptial investigation. Both parties would investigate each other (via relatives or neighbors) about the family back ground, lineage and financial status. If both parties are satisfied with the investigation, the next step would take place. If the boy and girl liked each other, the final step prior to the confirmation would take place. Dowryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Eh..thats it..Dowry. Lets take a look upon the common people. How they manage to make a large amount (as for them) for dowry? They take severe struggles to give their daughters to appropriate grooms. Many poor families even tend to suicide due to this compulsory system if they have more than one girls to be married. Most of the divorces in India take place on account of dowry. After marriage some sisters would encounter severe harassments from husband or his family in terms of dowry. In this case, the wife can complaint against everyone whoever participated in this torture. As per the Indian Penal Code 498 A, the accused would be prosecuted with fine. Although the dowry makes many problems, the political parties and feminist organizations are keeping silence. Actually they dont raise their voice sincerely against the dowry system. They would only try to solve the individual problems. Plenty of dowry based marriages are going on with Malabar Muslims. Actually I dont know in which era this system crept int o Indian Muslims. One who knows Islam and Quran will never support this kind of system which is contrary to Islamic law and culture. Allah apparently explained about dowry via Quran. Dowry is privilege of women (not men). She deserves it out of her husband on marriage. And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (Obligatory bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) with a good heart [Al Nisaa 4:4] But if you replace a wife by another and you have given one of them a cantar (of gold i.e. a great amount) as Mahr, take not the least bit of it back; would you take it wrong fully without a right and (with) a manifest sin? And how could you take it (back) when you have gone in unto each other, and they have taken from you a firm and strong covenant? [Al Nisaa 4:20-21] Explanation: If any one of you wants to divorce his wife and replace her with another, you should not take anything from what you have already given the first wife, even it was a huge amount of wealth. The Mahr is given in exchange for the right to enjoy marital relations (Explained by Ibn Katheer). Its obvious out of the above verses that women hold a prominent status in Islam. Dowry should be given to her on marriage. Its her right. But people follow just opposite irrespective to these verses. Islam lets men to accept any gifts from bride or her family. But this gift should not be dowry or upon any persuasions. He can only accept this gift if they are providing it based on their own will. But people misinterpret it (deliberately) and consider it as a compulsory dowry system. In fact men undervalue the right of women. After receiving a huge amount as dowry from girls family, he gives a bit from it to her as Mahr. 7. Conclusion: Best education is the best dowry. Parents are advised to educate daughters the best as the time has changed and it is time that education has more value in the employment market and fields have been opened for women to become entrepreneurs. Amount of dowry may be invested for her secured future. Girls parents should help reporting Governments or related authorities about the dowry demand by groom parents. Marriage with such boys should be discouraged as demand of excessive dowry means they do not want girl but money this would result to extortion after marriage by torture. Besides are arresting blacklisting in communities of dowry extorters most basics. Will help not only to deject, will also help other girl parents to keep away from such people. Our younger generation should come forward to rectify this trend and reform the society. They should set an example by neither demanding nor offering dowry. Those who demand dowry should be persuaded by explaining to them religious and Quranic commands. If they still persist in their evil demands, they should be socially boycotted and the matter reported to the police. Demanding dowry is a legal offence also. Anti-dowry committees should be set up. This will bring positive results for the unmarried daughters of the poor. These steps are in accordance with the commands of God and His Prophet. These will create a good society free of evil. Unless the younger generations volunteer for such noble tasks, no reformatory projects can succeed. 8. Suggestions Dowry is considered as an illegal act and giving and taking dowry are panelized. Even it is in practice in rural and urban areas in different ways. Government should pass Dowry Prohibition rule Violence against Women and Children. Both government and NGOs should work together to fight dowry problem and the steps they should take against dowry are: Activities against Dowry Creating awareness Educating women about the legal right Providing legal assistance Empowering women Campaigns against dowry

Survival Technology Essays -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Survival Technology Arnold Pacey's book, Technology in World Civilization: A Thousand Year History argues that survival technology, the technology of production of food and other basic necessities, is dependent on the local environment and requires local solutions rather than solutions dictated by "technologically superior" scientists from other areas. Every culture has had a long experience with the environment they live in and have developed ways to make food and other basic necessities. When outsiders with advanced technology interfere without taking input from the natives they can cause more damage then they solve. One of the most basic principles of survival technology is that the most advanced solution is not necessarily the best solution. An example of this principle occurred in the 1940s in India and China. Both countries took different approaches to solve there malaria problems. India which was more open to western ideas decided to spray the walls of every dwelling in India with DDT to kill the malaria carrying mosquitoes. On the other hand China, which was not able to afford DDT, decided to inform the populace on how to avoid malaria, redesign the water courses and improve housing all in an attempt to reduce malaria. India had a more drastic drop in malaria cases, but China's drop was more permanent. By the 1970s malaria cases began to rise in India, because of mosquitoes with immunity to DDT.(1) The quick technologically advanced solution was inferior to the steps the Chinese took to reduce the amount of malaria. Forcing advanced technology onto areas without that technology is usually not a good idea without proper thought put into it. A tractor would be less than useful... ...re the techniques that the farmers have already developed. This is unique to survival technology as there is no other technology division where the researchers would totally ignore the contributions and suggestions of those using the technology. These problems are only exacerbated when the scientists come from different areas and cultures than the farmers there supposed to be helping. In those cases the scientists not only ignore the contributions and suggestions of the farmers they generally are ignorant of the environment as well. It would probably be best if the scientists would talk to the farmers they are trying to help. Works Cited 1.Arnold Pacey, Technology in World Civilization: A Thousand Year History, Basil Blackwood, 1990, pg 189 2.Ibid, pg 199 3.Ibid, pg 199 4.Ibid, pg 199-200 5.Ibid, pg 199 6.Ibid, pg 192-193 7.Ibid, pg 193

COACH K :: essays research papers

The emotions Mike Krzyzewski displays on the courtare the hallmarks of any college basketball coach.His angry stare from the bench seems to sear referees. A snarl of disgust from the Duke leader gets his team back in line, and fast.showed a softer side. He cried. From those tears sprang a new beginning. Duke’s loss to Connecticut in the NCAAchampionship game no longer mattered. The stunning departure of five players, three of those leaving early for the NBAdraft, became distant memories. His physical pain became an afterthought on that April day when, recovering from hip-replacement surgery, ChrisCarrawell, Shane Battier and Nate James paid a visit to his home. â€Å"With all the stuff that was happening, they just came out and said, ‘Coach, we just want to know how you’re doing,’†Krzyzewski says. â€Å"It made me cry. It was like, ‘You care.’ We talked for a long time that afternoon, and we talked about next year. That was the start of this year’s team.† This year’s Duke team was minutes removed from cutting down the nets Sunday at the ACCTournament when Krzyzewski opened up about his team’s emotional journey this season. Acursory glance shows few changes from last year: Duke stormed to the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2000, finishing 18-1 in the league; the 1999 squad did the same, only without the one loss. Both Duke teams stood No. 1 in the final AP Top 25 polls and had No. 1 seeds in the NCAATournament. Even the talent level and sky-high expectations heaped on both teams are remarkably similar. And that may be the root of the biggest emotion of all at Duke these days. Surprise. n A decade of Duke dominance ended with a thud last March. The Huskies stunned the nation with a 77-74 win in the NCAAchampionship game, and the bad news kept flowing out of Durham. Sophomore Elton Brand, the national Player of the Year, announced his intention to enter the NBADraft. He made history as the first player in Krzyzewski’s 19-year reign at Duke to leave school early for the pros. Then, in rapid-fire succession, sophomore point guard William Avery and freshman sensation Corey Maggette also declared for the draft. Junior forward ChrisBurgess, disappointed with a lack of playing time, decided to transfer. The team’s rock, five-year star Trajan Langdon, graduated in May and also headed for the NBA. â€Å"Everybody was leaving us,† Carrawell says. â€Å"Quin Snyder left (to take over the head coaching job at Missouri). We lost a couple people off sports information! â€Å"We went over and saw coach. I was like, ‘Are you going to be ready to coach us this year?’† Carrawell says. â€Å"He was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to be ready,’ and

Essay examples --

The Blind Watchmaker In 1986, Richard Dawkins, an eminent ethologist and evolutionary biologist, published a three-hundred-plus page refutation of William Paley’s watchmaker analogy. The writing itself is thorough, elegant, and forceful. Dawkins possesses what is possibly the most blunt yet poetic scientific writing style that exists, sometimes even quoting pieces of poetry and literature in his writings. While previous works such as The Selfish Gene and The Ancestor’s Tale were scientific masterpieces unto themselves, the insights contained in The Blind Watchmaker are among some of the most important and impressive ever offered by a human being. In writing this paper, it was difficult to decide exactly what to highlight; the book itself is dense, although that’s not necessarily a hindrance to its effectiveness. A good place to start would probably be Paley’s watchmaker analogy itself. To paraphrase, Paley asks you to imagine stubbing your toe in the middle of a grassy field. If you asked yourself how the stone got there, you might just assume it had always been there. However, if you were to stumble upon a watch in that same field, you would not assume the same. You would suppose that at some point in time, a watchmaker designed and created it for a purpose. Paley goes on to explain that â€Å"every indication of contrivance, every manifestation of design, which existed in the watch, exists in the works of nature† (Dawkins 5). To strengthen his argument, life is immensely more complex than a watch. The crux of Paley’s argument was the eye, and in his work Natural Theology he compares it to the man -made telescope. On its face, this appears to be a strong, scathing argument against the natural appearance of life, but the analogy begins... ...rking on randomly mutating, self-replicating creatures in order to create the variety and abundance of life on our planet is surely one of the greatest revelations mankind has ever produced. Chemistry and physics alone are capable of colluding and eventually creating not just life, but sentience, intelligence - no divine nudge necessary. That’s not to say that this idea is entirely original to Dawkins (David Hume was capable of constructing an argument against design by only philosophizing), but that doesn’t diminish the accomplishment this book represents. While many freethinkers out there disagree with his tactics and approach as a proselytizing atheist, he’s certainly earned a level of frustration. In The Blind Watchmaker, Dawkins has done all the footwork for us already. We need only open its pages and utilize the relatively large brains that nature has given us.

“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare Essay

The plays of William Shakespeare definitely sustain their ability of staying relevant in today’s contemporary world. This can be seen in the play Macbeth by Shakespeare and the modern version of the play, Macbeth Retold, directed by Mark Brozel. The main issues of the texts include the inversion of the gender roles and how power and greed can take its wretched toll on people’s lives. Women still carry the expectations of being reliant on their husbands and there are certain power-hungry individuals that will do whatever it takes to reach the top of the leader board. These two texts contain various literary techniques such as imagery and sarcasm to support the themes mentioned. Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, has a considerably interesting viewpoint on the gender roles as the women behave more masculine whilst the men are embodied in an inferior manner. The theme is represented by ‘Lady Macbeth’ who is quite a manipulative character. Lady Macbeth demonst rates the inversion of gender roles when she tells Macbeth to act more manly and asks the spirits to unsex her so she can be a man since she feels the need to compensate for Macbeth’s lack of masculinity. She is also seen to be quite a violent person with cruel intentions which is illustrated in the line, â€Å"I have given suck and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me- I would, while it was smiling in my face, have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums and dash’d the brains out had I sworn as you have done to this† (Act 1, Scene 7, Line 3). The literary technique used here is imagery as a full detailed idea is given of just how much aggression Lady Macbeth possesses to the point where she would brutally murder an innocent baby. The gender roles are reversed once again in the film, Macbeth Retold, focusing particularly on Lady Macbeth’s modern version Ella Macbeth. This is relevant to our time because it is reflecting the authority that women now have. Interestingly though, the play was written in the 17th century where women were expected to be silent and obedient to their husbands so maybe it could be considered that Shakespeare pa ved the way to the liberation of women. In the modern version Ella best demonstrates the theme when she pressures Joe Macbeth, modern version of Macbeth, into killing Duncan who takes the credit for Joe’s hard work as a chef in the restaurant. The evidence that this character illustrates this theme can be seen when she says â€Å"He milks you for everything you’ve got†¦no amount of money covers what you do for him†¦You’re too full of the milk of human  kindness Joe. Thank you, Duncan, for the slap on the back, I’m so very, very grateful†¦It is shaming to hear the truth Joe? What kind of man is it who doesn’t feel humiliated in the position you’re in. what kind of man is that?† The technique that Ella uses is sarcasm, which is shown when she insults Joe’s manliness and she asks him rhetorical questions that she already knows the answer to so she is mocking his intelligence. The theme of the destructiveness of power and greed is ever-present throughout the play, Macbeth. The character Macbeth craves success so much that it gets to the point where he is lead into a paranoid madness. The prophecies made by the witches are what sparked his ambitions for power. Macbeth doesn’t favour committing evil deeds as much as his wife Lady Macbeth but his burning desire for power and progression blinds his better judgement and he kills Duncan. After he has killed Duncan he displays imagery when describing his intentions, â€Å"†¦For mine own good all causes shall give away, I am in blood stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er† (Act 3, Scene 4, Line24). In this line Macbeth is making a comparison with his actions to that of wadding through a bloody river which also displays irony as his wicked action is murder which is associated with blood. He suggests that it’s impossible to stop onc e a man commits murder for their advantage. It is visible that Macbeth is becoming addicted to killing as it gives him a sort of ‘boastful high’ but this is short lived as his guilt sends him crazy and inevitably gets him killed as well. The same happens to Joe Macbeth in Macbeth Retold. The theme of power and greed is expressed in Macbeth Retold which is the retelling of the original Shakespeare play, Macbeth, but it is still seen everywhere from the media to the school ground as everyone wants to be at the top of the food chain. This is still relevant in today’s world through the businessmen and women who sabotage their ways towards a higher career position. The character that best demonstrates this theme is Joe Macbeth when he murders Duncan, and then Billy who he sees as a new threat, he does whatever it takes to reach his goal but ends up becoming engulfed in paranoia to the extent where he mistreats those who respected him. After a heated discussion Ella says to Joe â€Å"Men don’t run over by buses† which he then replies with, â€Å"No†. In the movie the technique used is the silence as the camera pans across their faces. This shows the suspense and tension present in the scene as they’d  just decided to go ahead with the plan to kill Duncan and get the restaurant. To conclude, William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth has endured the test of time and proven itself to still be relevant in our current day through the discussion of the themes of gender roles and power and greed. Both of these themes appear in the original version of the play, Macbeth, and a modern version, Macbeth Retold. The themes were presented in many ways in the texts through the use of literary techniques. In the original play, imagery and irony were used and in the modern film, sarcasm and suspense were used.

This Way to the Gas

The holocaust, some know it to have been one if the most horrifying and bureaucratic events to be caused by man or a man in history. The man responsible for this event was the great tyrant Adolf Hitler who was responsible for the death of six million Jews, gypsies, poles, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. A polish writer and Auschwitz survivor Tadeusz Borowski buts in great detail how these people were treated in his then and now famous book this way for the gas ladies and gentlemen. Tadek a character in the story shows conflicting attitudes with other in the camp with sympathy, anger, and moral outrage.Borowski’s short stories show mans inhumanity towards man. There are events from the shorty stories that make his descriptions of the horrors of Auschwitz so shocking and memorable. Memories are short stories like the beginning of This Way for The Gas, A Day at Harmenz, The People Who Walked On, and Silence. In the beginning of the first story This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gen tlemen Borowski starts off with supersizing details â€Å"all of us walk around naked†(29). This is all the Jews and other travelers are ticked on the train being promised to a safe place.Then stripped away of their luggage at Canada, â€Å"take your luggage with you†¦pile your stuff near the exits†(37). Then everyone is stripped of his or her clothing â€Å"thousand of naked men shuffle up and down the road†(29). Women would have their hair shaved off, and everyone is given stripped suits. â€Å"Their nude, withered bodies stink of sweat and excrement; their cheeks are hollow†(31). Again very descriptive about how the malnourished and over worked people looked. These people were as close to skeletons as you could get.On page43 a women denies her on child after she cries out â€Å"Mama! Mama! † just so she won’t have to go to the gas champers. Also in this short story Tadek experiences some things that any man or women wouldn’t d ream of doing. â€Å"I seize a corpse by the hand; the fingers close tightly around mine. I pull back†(48). Tadek in this situation in taking all the dead bodies off the ramp and was discussed and freighted with what he saw. At one point he runs off the ramp because the sight was unbearable. The short story in the book A Day at Harmenz also gives graphic details on ow not only Tadek, but also how others tried to survive. The story begins with Tadek doing hard labor for punishment for not getting up. Mrs. Haneczka Is a women that lives in the village of Harmenz that treats him nicely and gives him food. So Tadek seems to like this women but short with others when people ask him to ask her for food. Tadek’s attitude towards other victims of the camp is expressed there. â€Å"When your time comes to go to the gas, ill help you along personally, and with great pleasure†(53).Tadek showing extreme and hate towards Becker because he believes he was a camp senior at a J ewish camp out side of Poznan and had his own son killed for stealing. Could you blame Tadek for being mad? When the time came for Becker to go to the cremo Tadek actually felt a little sympathy for him. Another example of brutality being shown was in on part of the story a man named Ivan had stole a goose and was furiously whipped, â€Å"the whip hissed. Deep, bloody gashes stood out on Ivan’s face†(79).Another important short story in the book was The People Who Walked On. In the story there’s a shift in tone, at least in the beginning of the story. The story opens up in a peaceful setting; building a soccer field. This is the total opposite then the frenzied horror of the first story. A soccer game on the outside of the fence on a warm day and inside the fence was hard labor. There is a women in the story that secretly has a child Tadek looks at the child and whispered to the mother, â€Å"what a pretty child†(89). â€Å"All you know is pretty!It can die at any moment†(89). The mother is not so happy about the birth of her own child but worried that it’ll be a matter of time before it dies from the gas champers. After that Tadek walks away as if it’s not his concern. This shows not only Tadek’s sudden change of feelings towards this women and her child, but shows the worry in the peoples eyes they have of thinking when the day will come for them to be sent to the gas. The story Silence was somewhat of a turning point in the book that has conflicting instincts of forgiveness vs. evenge. The Americans with the freedom are oblivious of how the prisoners felt or had to deal with in the camps. The statement Silence is about the freedom of the prisoners. In this story Borowski also suggest that human beings have a need for vengeance. â€Å" With hate dragged him into a dark ally†¦ they began tearing at him with greedy hands†(161). The quote shows great detail on how they take their anger and hatr ed on the S. S. soldiers how treated them like dogs. This even tells how the camp drove them to insanity.Not event the motivated speech by the American on page 163 could stop the prisoners from trampling the S. S. solider to death, showing how deep their hate went. Borowski along with other writers who have written about the holocaust serve a good purpose. That purpose is remembrance. Remembering tragic events like this is important because it helps us know and appreciate life that we have now. It’s important that the past things like this should be recognized so we wont be doomed to repeat it.