Analysis Of The Lord Of The Rings - 1934 Words

Danielle McDermott Dr. Oldakowski College Writing Research Paper 12/3/14 J.R.R Tolkien and WWI Influence in The Lord of the Rings War has affected the lives of people since the beginning of civilization. Even General Sherman, famous for his March to the Sea in America s Civil War, was known for his saying, War is Hell. That idea would only prove to be all too true for the soldiers of World War I. J.R.R Tolkien was among the young men that struggled for survival in the damp and deplorable trenches as enemy fire hailed from the sky and bombs decimated the terrain around them. Many soldiers returned home, physically and mentally traumatized. J.R.R. Tolkien was no different, and returned home from the war after losing two of his closest friends, suffering from trench fever, and struggling to acclimate back into normal civilian life (Wood 7). The war left an imprint on him, just as it did many other WWI writers, such as Ernest Hemingway and Robert Graves (Ott 1). Tolkien used his writings as a way to escape his trauma, but the scars followed him even into his mythopedia of Middle-earth as he wrote The Lord of the Rings. Sam, Frodo, and other characters, like Aragorn, suffered through similar physical tribulations such as horrid sights of rotting corpses, as well as emotional struggles, such as feelings of despair, similar to the soldiers of World War I (Ott 5). The various emotional and physical vicissitudes that Sam and Frodo encountered were similar to those suffered byShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Lord Of The Rings Essay1506 Words   |  7 Pagesyears (halfway) into The Tribulation. There will be some who read this marvelous verse and conclude, â€Å"The similarities between The Antichrist and Donald Trump are a curiosity, but wild statements that appear as if swiped from a script of a â€Å"Lord of the Rings† film are too sensational for me to accept.† If you feel that way, it is probably because you are either a materialist convinced that the physical world is all that exists, or a Christian whose theological conclusi ons cannot allow the possibilityRead MoreLord Of The Rings Character Analysis723 Words   |  3 PagesThe film, The Lord of the Rings displays many occurrences of the three stages of faith, â€Å"Childhood†, â€Å"Adolescent†, and â€Å"Adult† throughout the movie. An example of the childhood stage is when Bilbo was talking to Gandalph about adventuring beyond the shire once again and Bilbo then says, â€Å"I’d take Frodo on my adventure but I’m afraid he’s still in love with the shire.† This is a clear example of the childhood stage of faith because the childhood stage is a time when someone has no true beliefs andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Lord Of The Rings 771 Words   |  4 Pagescheerful evenings in a hotel to intense battles in the middle of a doomed volcanic-evil-orc-ridden land, Lord of the Rings is an exhilarating adventure through the lands of Middle Earth. The following text you all about the characters, settings, and plots throughout the LOTR. In order to understand the story, you will need to know the major characters in the story. Frodo is chosen to destroy the Ring, and in the course of this mission, he proves to be a brave and intelligent leader. Sam is a crucialRead MoreLord Of The Rings Language Analysis1292 Words   |  6 PagesThe Power of Language in The Lord of the Rings How powerful can language really be? In The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien there are a lot of powers that the characters have and what I noticed most was the power of language. The characters I found most knowledgeable and skilled with the power of language are Tom Bombadil, Frodo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, and Galadriel. The power of language is shown in a variety of characters and is used to guide the story, also, Tolkien viewsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Lord Of The Rings 2028 Words   |  9 PagesOne Ring of Power. This magical ring has the ability to play on the desires of its’ bearer in order to get what it wants, which is to return to Sauron- the dark lord who forged it. When the One Ring works its corruptive powers on its’ beholder, temptation plays a tremendous role in the Ring’s attempt to make the bearer value the Ring’s desires over one’s own. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s alternate universe is ruled by m oral conflicts, much of which can be attributed to the existence of the Ring andRead MoreAnalysis Of Peter Jackson s The Lord Of The Rings 1426 Words   |  6 Pagesof The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Jackson’s genius overwhelmed the fantasy genre of film. His innovative use of technology, enormous accomplishments, creation of a mythical world, and respect for the story confirms Jackson’s spot in film history. Despite the opinions of critics, Jackson’s epic trilogy remains a masterpiece of fantasy cinema. His films have inspired amazement and generated many devoted followers. Of its many remarkable components, Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings may be celebratedRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwell s The Lord Of The Rings 747 Words   |  3 Pages1) To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee 2) 1984 by George Orwell 3) The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy by J.R.R Tolkien 4) The Catcher In The Rye by J.D Sallinger 5) The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald 6) The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe by C.S Lewis 7) Lord Of The Flies by William Golding 8) Animal Farm by George Orwell 9) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller 10) The Grapes Of Wrath by John Steinbeck 11) Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell 12) Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 13) Lolita by VladimirRead MoreEssay on Tolkien: A Racist, Sexist, or Not?1665 Words   |  7 Pagesfantasy stories. Eventually, type I diabetes caught up with Mabel and at the age of 34 she died. As Tolkien became older, he began to write literary essays about middle-earth. He also is the author of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Critics and historians often debate The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’s depictions of evil characters, often classifying J.R.R Tolkien as being a racist and a sexist or defending J.R.R. Tolkien by stating that his character descriptions were merely used to advance the plotRead MoreThe Lady Of The Rings1547 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish CCA The Lady of the Rings Thesis: While some claim that due to the stereotypical roles and lack of female characters in Tolkien’s works makes him sexist, the female characters in The lord of the Rings are far more important and powerful than many make them out to be. The Lord of the Rings is arguably J.R.R. Tolkien’s best and is unquestionably his largest work with mind blowing amounts of details and background texts created to take his world of Middle Earth and make it the definitiveRead MoreThe Lord Of The Rings1736 Words   |  7 PagesThe Lord Of The Rings The story began as a consequence to Tolkien s 1937 fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually improved into a much larger employment. Written in stages between 1937 and 1949, The Lord of the Rings is the second pick-selling surprising ever written, with over 150 million carbon copy sold. The Lord of the Rings is an epopoeia exalted-imagination recent written by English subcreator J. The toil was initially intended by Tolkien to be one roll of a two-volume put, the other to

Analyzing “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty - 1 - 875 Words

Analyzing â€Å"A Worn Path† by Eudora Welty In the story â€Å"A Worn Path†, Eudora Welty shows an old woman living in a time period where racial prejudice is very high and out of control. Phoenix Jackson is a grandmother whose motivation for living seems to be to nurture her grandson back to health. The strength of love may make people do or say unusual and implausible things. The central idea of this story is that love can empower someone to overcome many life threatening obstacles. This idea is shown when an old woman conquers all odds against her to show her everlasting love for her grandson. Throughout the story, Phoenix Jackson has to overcome many types of obstacles that hinder her in her devotion to help her grandson. To begin†¦show more content†¦The grandson may be too young to realize what his grandmother is doing for his safety. The empowerment of love in this situation enables Phoenix to put aside her fatigue and to continue with her journey. This story made me believe that no matter what happens, Phoenix will hold her principles to make her journey. To continue, the social obstacles that she faces on her journey are perhaps the most difficult to overcome. One of these obstacles is that Phoenix Jackson lives a life of poverty. She accepts charity, but knows that’s what she must do to survive. She takes a nickel from the man in the field and she also accepts money from the nurse at the clinic. Another social obstacle is that she is illiterate. This makes it very difficult and embarrassing at the clinic because she does not know how to read the prescription of the medicine. Instead she has to look for a gold emblem of the doctor’s office that helps her recognize the right medicine. The third social hindrance is again her old age. People she encounters on her journey are very condescending towards her and have no respect for her. The hunter in the field mocks her by pointing a gun at her, while laughing at her. The nurse’s attendant scorns her because she does not feel comfortable talking in the office . All these social obstacles are as a result of her race. Phoenix Jackson is a black woman in the 1930’s during the depression. She has to go through

Good Night and Good Luck and Belonging Free Essays

How has the film Good Night and Good Luck contributed to your understanding the experience of belonging? In your response identify 3 observations about belonging and analyse 3 techniques used to convey this experience. ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- The 2005 black and white film Good Night and Good Luck is able to present multiple views and perspective of belonging through the threats of communism and the sense of belonging that is associated by this context. The three most prominent ideas placed forth throughout the film about belonging are that belonging comes at the price of conformity, that fear can be used to silence those who choose to challenge the authority of the group and that choosing not to belong requires great courage and the acceptance of ostracism. We will write a custom essay sample on Good Night and Good Luck and Belonging or any similar topic only for you Order Now The idea of Belonging comes at a price of conformity is strongly represented throughout the film as McCarthyism is presenting the idea that to belong or fit in one must believe what everyone else must believe in and act likewise. At the beginning of the film no one is prepared to confront or disobey what is considered the ‘right’ thing by McCarthy and his committee as they were too afraid of being accused themselves. Those that did not oppose McCarthyism and their leaders felt that they could belong as they shared a common belief and all acted in the same way to keep their sense of belonging intact and preserved. Edward Murrow uses a metaphor to display this idea of belonging through the statement, â€Å"I see a chain reaction that has no end. This quote displays that if people are pressured to conform to the majority, it will be a never ending cycle with all choice and freedom taken from the individual. A second observation of belonging I observed in the film, Good Night and Good Luck, was that fear can be used to silence those who choose to challenge the authority of the group. Joseph McCarthy uses fear to control the country by accusing anyone that opposes him by declaring them to be communis ts themselves. This fear prevents people from speaking up against McCarthy as they are afraid of being ostracised and from not belonging. This is shown when Edward Murrow stands up to McCarthy and speaks against him, and in response McCarthy discredits Murrow by claiming he is a communist and cannot be believed. Throughout the film, particularly towards the end we get the sense that choosing not to belong requires great courage and the acceptance of ostracism. At the beginning of the story we see that McCarthy has everyone under his control and he has the power of the country. However as the movie progresses we see that Murrow and the CBS news team begin to rebel against McCarthyism and are required to show great courage to do what everyone else is too afraid to pursue. Also we see that as their movement persists, Murrow is framed by McCarthy as he attempts to be ostracised from the mainstream society and not allowed to belong. Good Night and Good Luck has altered my understanding of belonging as it has opened my eyes to the negative aspects of belonging and the harmful consequences that result from belonging. The film is a strong text to be able to create awareness of belonging requiring courage as it can bring fear and conformity among those in the group. How to cite Good Night and Good Luck and Belonging, Papers

Obasan Book Report Essay Example For Students

Obasan Book Report Essay Obasan Book ReportI decided to read the novel by Joy Kogawa entitled Obasan.The novel was written in 1981 and told the details of how the Japanese were discriminated against during World War 2.The authors main purpose was to educated the reader on how hard life really was for her family and other Japanese Canadians living in British Columbia, and especially in Vancouver.Joy Kogawa tried to show how ignorant British Columbians really were, and that we still do not fully understand what really happened during the war.She also tries to teach Canadians the culture of the Japanese. The novel starts in the seventies with Naomi a teacher in Northern Alberta finding out that her uncle has died.When Naomi returns home to console her Aunt Obasan, she begins to relive the difficulties of her life.She recounts the struggle against the government and themselves while trying to stay in Vancouver.Naomi is very small at the time of the war and did not really fully understand what was happening to her race.The novel recounts the struggle of Naomis Aunt Emily to ensure that her family would be together in whatever place they were sent to.Aunt Emily wanted to head east to Toronto, but was unable to get the documentation for the entire family which included her sister children, who she was taking care of.The novel discuses the camps that the Japanese families were sent to in Hastings Park during the war.It described the treatment the families received while there, including the lack of food and the smell of manure.Naomi during this time was being sexually molested by her next door neighbor and did not tell anybody about this.Naomi seems resentful during the novel, as she comes across as a quiet little girl, who does not seem to interact with many people. Aunt Emily finally finds a place in Slocan for the family to go live, but just before they leave finds out her and her immediate family could go to Toronto.This leaves Aunt Emily going to Toronto and everybody else moving to Toronto.In the end almost everybody ends up dying. The novel had many strengths and weaknesses.One strength that really got to me is the great detail in how the Japanese were treated, though they were Canadian citizens.Obasan also taught me a lot about the Japanese culture and background.I enjoyed learning that it was custom to take a bath with your family when you were younger.I also learned that the government took away the vehicles of the Japanese and auctioned them off, which really shocked me.Joy Kogawa also brought in a good insight about what the Japanese Canadians were really feeling and going through during these tough times. On the flip side there were also many weaknesses in the book Obasan.One major weakness was the failure to distinguish between present time and the past.There were to many times that I did not realize that Naomi had switched into a flashback or vice versa.This left me rereading many pages over.I also did not like the way that the novel would drag on.It sometimes failed to have much to do with the rest of the story, and is to wordy.I believe the story could have been told in about one hundred and eighty pages instead of the two hundred and fifty pages.I think that the novel could have also gone into a little more detail about the living conditions at Hastings Park, and also a political aspect of why this was happening to these people. All and all I would have to say this novel helped me a lot in understanding what happened during the Second World War.Before reading this novel, I would have to admit that I really did not even know this happened in Canada, which is really sad.I did know though that the Japanese in the United States were sent from the west coast, but did not realize that it reached the west coast of Canada.Obasan is a very good novel for anybody who did not know what happened during the Second World War.I would recommend this novel to all Canadians, but especially to British Columbians.Obasan was on the most part well written and gives an excellent account of the

In Praise of Illiteracy Essay Example Essay Example

In Praise of Illiteracy Essay Example Paper In Praise of Illiteracy Essay Introduction By Hans Magnus Enzensberger This essay was adapted from a talk given by the author and translated from German, which I took from Harper’s Magazine. Can we dispense with the written word? That is the question. Anyone who poses it will have to speak about illiteracy. There’s just one problem: the illiterate is never around when he is the subject of conversation. He simply doesn’t show up; he takes no notice of our assertions; he remains silent. I would therefore like to take up his defense. Every third inhabitant of our planet manages to get by without the art of reading and without the art of writing. This includes roughly 900 million people, and their numbers will certainly increase. The figure is impressive but misleading for Humanity comprises not only the living and the unborn but the dead as well. If they are not forgotten, then the conclusion becomes inevitable that literacy is the exception rather than the rule. It could occur only to us, that is, to a tiny minority of people who read and write, to think of those who don’t as a tiny minority. This notion betrays an ignorance I find insupportable. I envy the illiterate his memory, his capacity for concentration, his cunning, his inventiveness, his tenacity, his sensitive ear. In Praise of Illiteracy Essay Body Paragraphs Please don’t imagine that I am speaking not about romantic phantoms but about people I have met. I am far from idealizing them. I also see their narrow horizons, their illusions, their obstinacy, their quaintness. You may ask how it comes about that a writer should take the side of those who cannot read. But it’s obvious! -Because it was illiterates who invented literature. Its elementary forms-from myth to children’s verse, from fairy tale to song, from prayer to riddle-all are older than writing. Without oral tradition, there would be no poetry; without illiterates, no books. But† you will object, â€Å"what about the Enlightenment? † No need to tell me! Social distress rests not only on the ruler’s material advantages but on immaterial privilege as well. It was the great intellectuals of the eighteenth century who discerned this state of affairs. The people had not come of age, they thought, not only because of political oppression and econ omic exploitation but also because of their lack of knowledge. From these premises, later generations drew the conclusion that the ability to read and write belongs to any existence fit for a human being. However, this suggestive idea underwent a succession of noteworthy reinterpretations in the course of time. In the twinkling of an eye the concept of enlightenment was replaced by the concept of education. â€Å"In terms of the education of the populace,† according to Ignaz Heinrich von Wessenbergm, a German schoolmaster in Napoleon’s time, â€Å"the second half of the eighteenth century marks a new epoch. The knowledge of what was accomplished in this regard is joyous news to any friend of mankind, encouraging to the priests of culture, and highly instructive for the leaders of the commonwealth†. As far as the project of literacy goes, we’ve made great strides. Here, it seems, the philanthropists, the priests of culture, and the leaders of the commonwea lth have scored triumphantly. By 1880, the illiteracy rate in Germany had fallen below one percent. The rest of the world has also made enormous progress since UNESCO raised its flag in the fight against illiteracy in 1951. In short: Light has conquered darkness. Our joy over the triumph has certain limits. The news is too good to be true. The people did not learn to read and write because they felt like it, but because they were forced to do so. Their emancipation was controlled by disenfranchisement. From then on learning went hand in hand with the state and its agencies: the schools, the army, the legal administration. The goal pursued in making the populace literate had nothing to do with enlightenment. The friends of mankind and the priests of culture, who stood up for the people, were merely the henchmen of a capitalist industry that pressed the state to provide it with a qualified workforce. It was not a matter of paving the way for the â€Å"writing culture†, Let alon e liberating mankind from its shackles. Quite a different kind of progress was in question. IT consisted in taming the illiterates, this â€Å"lowest class of men,† in stamping out their will and their fantasy, and in exploiting not only their muscle power and skill in handiwork, but their brains as well. For the unlettered human to be done away with, he had first to be defined, tracked down, and unmasked. The concept of illiteracy is not very old. Its invention can be dated with some precision. The word appeared for the first time in a French publication in 1876 and quickly spread all over Europe. At about the same time, Edison invented the lightbulb and the phonograph, Bell he telephone, and Otto the gasoline motor. The connection is clear. Furthermore, the triumph of popular education in Europe coincides with the maximum development of colonialism. And this is no accident. In the dictionaries of the period we can find the assertion that the number of illiterates â€Å"as compared with the total population of a country is a measure of the people’s cultural condition. † And they do not fail to instruct us that â€Å"men stand on a level higher, on the average, than women. This is not a matter of statistics, but a process of discrimination and stigmatization. Behind the figure of the illiterate we can discern Hitler’s concept of der Untermensch, the subhuman who must be eliminated. A small, radical minority has reserved civilization for itself and now discriminates against all those who will not dance to its tune. Today we find that the illiteracy we smoked out has returned. A new figure has conquered the social stage. This new species is the second-order illiterate. He has come a long way: his loss of memory causes him no suffering; his lack of will makes life easy for him; he values his inability to concentrate; he considers it an advantage that he neither knows nor understands what is happening to him. He is mobile. He is adapti ve. He has a talent for getting things done. We need have no worries about him. It contributes to the second-order illiterate’s sense of well-being that he has no idea that he is a second-order illiterate. He considers himself well-informed; he can decipher instruction s on appliances and tools; he can decode pictograms and checks. And he moves within an environment hermetically sealed against anything that might infect his consciousness. That he might come to grief in this environment is unthinkable. After all, it produced and educated him in order to guarantee its undisturbed continuation. The second order illiterate is the product of a new phase of industrialization. An economy whose problem is no longer production but markets has no need of a disciplined reserve of army of workers. The rigid training to which they were subjected also becomes redundant, and literacy becomes a fetter to be done away with. Simultaneous with the development of this problem, our technology has also developed an adequate solution. The ideal medium for the second-order illiterate is television. The educational policy of the state will have to align itself with the new priorities. By reducing the library budget, a first step has already been taken. And innovations are to be seen in school administration as well. You can go tot school now for eight years without learning German, and even in the universities this German dialect is gradually acquiring the tatus of a poorly mastered foreign language. Please do not suppose hat I would want to polemicize against a situation of whose inevitability I am fully aware. I desire only to portray and, as far as I can, explain it. It would be foolish to contest the second-order illiterate’s raison d etre, and I am far from begrudging him on the pleasures or his place in the sun. On the other hand, it is safe to say that the project of the Enlightenment has failed the slogan â€Å"Culture for Everyone† begins to sound comical . And a classless culture is even further from view. On the contrary: we can look forward to a situation I which cultural castes will become more and more distinct. But these castes can no longer be described by using the traditional Marxist model, according to which the ruling culture is the culture of the rulers. Indeed the divergence between economic position and consciousness will continue to grow. It will become the new rule to see second-order illiterates occupying the top positions in politics and in business. In this connection, it is sufficient to indicate the current president of the United States and the current chancellor of the Federal Republic. On the other hand, you can easily find whole hordes of cabdrivers, newspaper hawkers, manual laborers, and welfare recipients whose thoughtfulness, cultural standards, and wide-ranging knowledge should have taken them far in any other society. But this kind of comparison falls short of portraying the true state of affairs, which admits of no clear analysis. For even among the unemployed you can find zombies; even in the presidential office there are people who can read and write and even think productively. But this also means that in questions of culture social determinism has become obsolete. The so-called privileges of education have lost their fearfulness. If both parents are second-order illiterates, even the wellborn child has no advantage over th worker’s son. One’s cultural cast will hencefoth depend on personal choice, not origin. For all this I conclude that culture in our country has come to an entirely new situation. As for the perennial claim that culture provides a common denominator for all people-that we can simply forget. The rulers, mostly second-order illiterates, have lost all interest in it. As a result , culture cannot, and need not any longer, serve the interests of a ruling class. It no longer legitimates the social order. It has become useless-but there is a kind of f reedom in that. Such a culture is thrown back on its own resouces and the sooner it realizes this the better. Where does all that leave the writer? For some time now it has not been a class privilege-or requirement to be concerned with literature. The victory of the second-order illiterate can only radicalize literature. When it has lost its value as a status symbol, as a social code, as an educational program, then literature will be noticed only by those who can’t do without it. Whoever wants to can bemoan all this. I have no such desire. Weeds have always been a minority, and every city gardener knows how hard it is to do away with them. Literature will continue to thrive as long as it commands a certain agility, a certain cunning, a capacity for concentration and a good memory. As you recall, these are the features of the true illiterate. Perhaps he will have the last word, since he requires no other media than a voice and an ear. http://www. gardensofresistance. com/ed/i lliteracy. html We will write a custom essay sample on In Praise of Illiteracy Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on In Praise of Illiteracy Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on In Praise of Illiteracy Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Varnasrama-dharma, the Hindu Caste System

Varnasrama-dharma, the Hindu Caste System Free Online Research Papers This paper will explore the Hindu caste system. Varnasrama-dharma, as applied to the varnas, or castes, is one of the fundamental aspects of Hinduism. Its origins trace back to the 1500’s, when the Aryans invaded India from then Persia. The complex hierarchy was devised as a system to facilitate the subjugation of the conquered tribes. The caste system is based upon the principle that human society is like a complex machine, with individuals and communities as its parts. If the parts are weak, broken, or asked to perform a function it was not designed for, the machine will not work. Likewise, each part has its place and function; no part can do the job of another, and all must keep their place for the machine to function smoothly. This Dharma, our place within and duty to the machine of society, is not just essential to our happiness, but the happiness of all. Hindu society is traditionally divided into four main castes, with each main caste divided into hundreds of sub-castes, or jati. The function of these castes is to quantify how ‘pure’ a person is, and thus how close he is to reaching Moksha, or enlightenment. Being born to a higher caste is an indication that one had lived one’s previous lives in a holy manner. As a result, the higher castes must live holy lives themselves, or they will regress to a lower caste in their next life; or worse, be born outside of the castes entirely (Flesher). The highest caste is the Brahmins, the priestly caste. Their dharma is to study and understand the Vedas, Hindu’s four holy texts, and bring this knowledge to others. The second caste is the Kshatriya, the warrior/ruling class, who protects and guides the people. Vaishya, the professional caste, work in business and production to provide economically for the people. The Shudra, lowest of the castes, are servants to the higher three castes, providing the labor which moves society. Some upward mobility is possible, in that each caste has hundreds of jati. It is possible in one’s lifetime, by marriage or economics, to attain a different jati, but never to transcend or fall from the main caste one is born into. There is a segment of society that is so low that it was once not officially considered a caste. These are the Harijan; once known as the untouchables. The untouchables were considered wholly impure, and were given positions within society to reflect that. These jobs typically involved handling dead matter and filth; such as street sweepers, butchers, latrine cleaners, and the like. They are outcast from society to the point that they may not come into physical contact with one of the pure casts. If such contact were to occur, or even if an untouchable were to touch a casted person’s possessions or furniture, the casted person would immediately be required to cleanse his person or property (Anand). At first appearance, the Hindu caste structure and the social laws pertaining to rights based on caste seem to be prejudicial and exclusive. The lowest caste, Shudra, is not allowed to hear or study the holy Vedas. However, from a religious standpoint, the caste system is not abusive in itself. The Shudra are not allowed the Vedas, but they are allowed to participate in the Hindu religion. It may seem counterproductive to deny them the very texts that dictate their caste and dharma, but Hindus believe that everyone who is born into a caste is there for a reason. Karma, how you spend a lifetime, which follows you throughout your many lifetimes, determines which caste you will be in for the next lifetime. You may be demoted to an animal, repositioned within the castes, or granted Moksha. One’s karma and success in fulfilling one’s dharma determine if one is ready for a caste in which he will be allowed to study the Vedas and progress along Samsara; the cycle of lif e, death, and rebirth. Proponents of the caste system argue that it provides the answers that people turn to religion for. It gives the people a social structure that encourages closeness with other members from your caste. It gives an individual a meaning to life, even if that meaning is to serve or sweep the street. It provides a goal and a purpose. The caste system has the advantage of clearly defining morality and giving people a firm place in society. Though one may not be able to raise is caste within a lifetime, neither can his caste be lowered. It enables one to concentrate upon their dharma, to improve their karma, and progress toward rebirth in a higher caste. â€Å"Since it is accepted that one’s caste is determined by one’s past karma, there is no reason to be bitter about one’s lot or envy others† (Ludwig, 109). Granted, the caste system has not been implemented as the Vedas instruct. The system has come to be a hierarchy wherein the lowest levels are not given the respect commanded in religious texts (Embry). Detractors point to this as why, even with the caste system officially dissolved by the Indian democratic government, caste-based discrimination continues to be a hardship on the lower castes when it comes to employment and economic improvement. Today, things are much improved with the introduction of programs similar to Affirmative Action, and free education for all Indian citizens. Still a complete and genuine equality for all continues to elude them. It should be pointed out, with the official removal of the caste system; the door has been opened to social backlash, often referred to as ‘reverse discrimination.’ Policies originally meant to equalize the treatment of all citizens have been over extended and misapplied. Opportunities once reserved for the higher castes are now available to Harijan and Shudra, and actually denied to Brahmins. This upturn has triggered a re-stratification of society, converting it to a new system the where once oppressed become the oppressors. Every society naturally stratifies its population on the basis of influence, wealth, or education. The varna system ensures a high standard of craftsmanship, a sense of community belonging, family integrity and religious-cultural continuity. Indians have clung to these traditions as a source of economic and social stability in an often distressed society. It is unfortunate that the varna system has ended this way. However, it does not mean that classification is wrong. Rather than scrapping a major tenant of the national religion, it should be restructured to properly reflect karma as set in the Vedas. References Flesher, Paul. Social Organization; The Caste System. Retrieved February 02, 2010 from http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/hinduism/HORGS.HTM Anand, Mulk Raj: Untouchable. London. Penguin Putnam, 1940. Embree, Ainslie T.: Indias Search For National Identity. Delhi, India. Chanakya Publications, 1980. Research Papers on Varnasrama-dharma, the Hindu Caste SystemBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfCapital Punishment19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalPETSTEL analysis of IndiaGenetic EngineeringInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceTwilight of the UAWDefinition of Export Quotas

Power Tactics and Sources of Power Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Power Tactics and Sources of Power - Assignment Example Charles was trained to take over from the father since childhood, and he portrayed traits of a great Chief Executive. The training through life involved strict and sometimes harsh treatment from his father that hardened him. Their mother, Mary somewhat protected Bill and David, who were twins. David was athletic and competitive and grew up to be the perfect business partner for Charles. Bill, on the other hand, was the jealous type, always picking fights with David since childhood and often losing. He grew up to be a threat to Charles’s peace, taking Koch industries through strenuous legal proceedings. The brothers owned percentages of Koch industries, each with his shares (Schulman, 2014). Both Charles and Bill Koch had power in Koch Industries. Charles’ sources of power included reward power whereby he was handed the mantle of CEO by his father having been trained since childhood. The father had earlier lost hope in his eldest son Frederick, who was mostly involved in art and theater. Charles also had legitimate power in Koch Industries being the legal CEO. Therefore, he was in charge of many key decisions made within the company and also directed management of funds regardless of how happy or angry others would be with the cash distribution. Charles was well educated in terms of business and market and therefore had expert power which saw him, together with the help of other business partners, grow Koch Industries. Bill’s sources of power included the coercive power that he gained by threatening Charles to make Koch Industries public if he did not meet his demands. These threats were tabled to Charles in writing and got him shaken for some time. Bill always wanted liquidity of assets so that he could benefit from the riches he only had in paper. He even tried to convince Frederick, who had lesser shares in the company to join his course. Bill also had legitimate power in that he owned slightly over twenty