The Chains of Femininity Essay -- Gender Roles, Esther

Throughout The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath explores a number of themes, particularly regarding the gender roles, and subsequently, the mental health care system for women. Her 19-year-old protagonist, Esther Greenwood, is the vessel through which Plath poses many probing questions about these topics to the reader. In the 1950’s when the novel was set, women were held to a high standard- to be attractive but pure, intelligent but submissive, and to generally accept the notion of bettering oneself only in order to make life more comfortable for the significant male in her life. Esther not only deals with the typical problems a woman would face in her time, but has to experience those things through the lens of mental illness- though it is up for debate whether or not it was those same issues that caused her â€Å"madness† in the first place. In particular, Esther finds herself both struggling against and succumbing to the 1950’s feminine ideal- a conflict made evident i n her judgments of other women, her relationships with men, and her tenuous goals for the future. Whenever a new character is introduced, the reader is immediately subjected to Esther’s painstaking physical description of them, which leads to her ultimate judgment of their character. For instance, when Esther introduces one of her fellow interns, Doreen, in chapter one, she says â€Å"Doreen . . . had bright white hair standing out in a cotton candy fluff round her head and blue eyes like transparent agate marbles, hard and polished and just about indestructible, and a mouth set in a sort of perpetual sneer . . . as if all the people around her were pretty silly and she could tell some good jokes on them if she wanted to† (Plath, 4). It is clear that she admires Doreen’s ice... ...em, but choosing one meant losing all the rest† (77). As a woman, Esther feels that she cannot have everything that she wants in life, because becoming a housewife and a mother would immediately rule out her other ambitions of fame and travel. In today’s society, it would be quite possible for a woman to choose many, if not all, of the figs that Esther describes. However, even though Esther exaggerates the total black-and-white nature of the decision, there still remains an element of truth in her lamentation. While a male could feasibly choose both a successful career (or multiple careers) and a family, Esther would be expected to put taking care of a home and children ahead of making advances in her chosen field. Therefore, she is restricted by her femininity and cornered into making choices that will force her to make major sacrifices regarding her future.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Essay -- Race Ethnicity Health

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Large disparities exist between minorities and the rest of Americans in major areas of health. Even though the overall health of the nation is improving, minorities suffer from certain diseases up to five times more than the rest of the nation. President Clinton has committed the nation to eliminating the disparities in six areas of health by the Year 2010, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be jumping in on this huge battle. The six areas are: Infant Mortality, Cancer Screening and Management, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, HIV Infection and AIDS, and Child and Adult Immunizations. Infant mortality is considered a worldwide indicator of a nation’s health status. The United States still ranks 24th in infant mortality compared with other industrialized nations, even though infant mortality has declined steadily over the past several decades. Compared with the national average in 1996 of 7.2 deaths per 1,000 live births, the largest disparity is among blacks with a death rate of 14.2 per 1,000 in 1996 which is almost 2Â ½ times that of white infants (6 deaths per 1,000 in 1996). American Indians as a whole have an infant death rate of 9 deaths per 1,000 in 1995, but some Indian communities have an infant mortality rate almost twice that of the national rate. The same applies to the Hispanic community, whose rate of 7.6 deaths per 1,000 births in 1995 doesn’t reflect the Puerto Rican community, whose rate was 8.9 deaths per 1,000 births in 1995. The disparities may be attributed to the amount of prenatal care that pregnant women of different ethnicities receive. In 1996, 81.8% of all women in the nation received prenatal care in the first trimester--the m... ...east 90% coverage for all childhood vaccines in all populations. Increase pneumococcal and flu immunizations among adults 65 and older by 60%. Let’s all hope it can be done because in order for our nation to thrive, our nation needs to be healthy and there is no excuse for the disparities minorities face when it comes to their health. Works Cited United States. US Department of Health and Human Services. The Initiative to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparitites in Health. 26 May 1998. Online. Internet. 21 February 1999. Available <http://raceandhealth.hhs.gov/home.htm>. "Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health." Public Health Reports. July/August 1998: 372 EBSCOhost. Available <http://www.epnet.com/ehost/login.html>. (11 February 1999) Unknown Authors. "Health and Medicine." Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism. Volume 3. p 821

Business Lobbying Essay

The topic – It is always better to have clarity on the topic as it allows a clear flow of ideas. Lobbying, in fact, are the attempts made by certain corporate groups to influence the direction of legislative policy of a country/state in such a manner so as to bring benefits to them and safeguard their interests. The objective can be achieved by influencing legislators, members of Parliament and create a lobby to bring forth and get the favourable legislations passed. A lobbyist may be an individual or a group of individuals working for their employer or as an agent to them. Such people can be leaders of labour unions, corporate representatives, legislators, bureaucrats, and leading advocates, exercising influence in legislative circles or other private interest groups. India does not have any clear regulation for or against lobbying, especially when it comes by the name of lobbying. But it is not legal either. Lobbying has now become a well-established service industry, although known by different names such as public relations, external affairs managers, environment management experts, etc. Various established associations, federations, confederations of industry & commerce, etc function as lobbyists to get policies framed in favour of corporates. Dilip Cherian, a known lobbyist and founder of Perfect Relations, states that lobbying functions as a bridge between companies and the government. He speaks in no ambiguous tone, â€Å"We help our clients understand the policy environment of the country. We help them identify key players and their positions in the policy area. The key players could be political parties, bureaucrats, the central government, panchayat, etc.† The lobbying industry has been placing its demand for clear and transparent laws in countries like India where no clarity on the issue is available. So, it is high time that India should decide on making lobbying either legal or illegal by framing a detailed and clear policy. When you speak in favour of the topic i.e. lobbying should be made legal in India, the key points may be: 1. Whenever there have been some big leaps in policy framing in India favouring corporates in one or the other, the issue of lobbying has always come up. Whether it was Enron – the Dabhol power project in Maharshtra, foreign investment in corporate sector, big defence purchases, infrastructure development and now foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi brand retail, all have been shadowed by the issue of lobbying. The person or the company lobbying for certain favour cannot do so till the government, legislative bodies – Parliament or state legislatures – have not considered some path to move on. Lobbying would only smoothen the process. 2. Various chambers of commerce such as FICCI and CII, National Association of Software and Services Companies, and private firms like Vaishnavi Corporate Communications owned by Niira Radia and DTA Associates managed by Deepak Talwar are among top lobby groups. These organizations, however, maintain that they are not lobby groups and work to exercise influence to engage with the government on the policy issues. When so much of lobbying is done by the registered and legal firms and companies in the guise of some or other name and it is a well known fact, making lobbying legal will add to the government’s income by levying good amount of fee and charges on the same. Where does the amount, being paid now on lobbying, go – is anybody’s guess. A transparent legislation will definitely solve this ambiguity and loss of income. 3. The US and some European countries have made lobbying legal with specific conditions like quarterly disclosures on amount spent and the manner in which the same has been spent or so. This provides vital information and transparency to lobbying practices. The furor raised in Parliament over the issue of lobbying by Walmart in the USA could come up due to its disclosures. Corporate giants such as WalMart, Pfizer, Dell, HP, Qualcomm, Alcatel-Lucent, Morgan Stanley and Prudential Financial have been eyeing the Indian market for a long time and have spent millions of dollars to have their business interest move at a faster pace in the growing Indian economy. With the potential growth, more and more companies will engage lobbyists who can directly interact with politicians and bureaucrats and push their agenda. Lobbying, whether legal or illegal, will continue to remain integral to Indian businesses and politics. Doing away with it or making it illegal is not an option. It will be better to make business lobbying legal, of course with certain specific clauses to ensure transparency. 4. Making lobbying legal will bring forward open debates and discussions on all the forums. It will be possible to understand which option is better. Lobbyists and representatives of their companies will openly participate in such debates with the pros and cons on the performance and product. 5. At present, only the section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act may be invoked to call lobbying illegal. This section is not very sound. Think of the money spent on lobbying in a single year. If lobbying is made legal, at least a part of it will find its way to the government coffer. At present, it forms a part of unaccounted money going into the pockets of politicians, bureaucrats and other influential lot, the cost of which will eventually be recovered from the common people in the country. 6. Apart from saving millions of dollars, the country may see rampant corruption in the name of lobbying fading away. 7. Since India is in the process of establishing a larger institutional framework, the government needs creative inputs from various experts. As long as lobbying does not lead to ‘policy or regulatory capture’, it should be allowed. 8. The Indian government itself has a lobby firm presenting its case with American lawmakers, while a number of Indian companies and entities also indulge in lobbying activities in the US through their respective lobbyists. At various platforms like in the UN, World economic summits, in sports, in organizing Olympics, Commonwealth Games, etc, countries lobby their stake. Lobbying, in fact, brings more competitiveness and improvement in quality as things are to be explained and highlighted in comparison to any other stake holder. India would gain a lot by making lobbying legal. When you speak against the topic, the key points may be: 1. The common man of India, who is otherwise reeling under the pressure of corruption and unemployment, will be left penniless once lobbying is made legal. All the majors will lobby for their interests in the economy, will facilitate the entry riding the common man who hardly earns his bread and butter. Those who have more power and pelf will become greater lobbyist and will ensure that their interests are not compromised. 2. National interests will be cornered as lobbyists will have one-line motto of watching their own interest and will not at all be concerned about the country’s interest as they will not be from this country. 3. Lobbyists will make corruption legal. Politicians and influential people will still garner their share from lobbyists at the cost of the nation. 4. Legislators, who are law makers, if influenced by lobbyists, may get inclined towards serving them, becoming oblivious of the national interests. 5. Lobbying in defence production and purchases might put national security at stake. 6. India is a vast country and has a lot of complexities and problems. The lobbying company has no perception of the diversity and the nature of problems. The government might simply gamble on the tactics of the lobbyist and that might become harmful in future. 7. There is no mechanism in India to bring accountability to lobbying, and publicly reveal the lobbying positions of companies and the money spent. Self-regulation in lieu of a formal legislation is often proposed by industry players. In India, nobody knows the lobbying position of companies, leave alone looking for consistencies in lobbying positions and their impact on issues on sustainable development. Making it legal will add to the woes of Indian businesses. The efforts made so far in India- The Planning Commission has set up an expert group to look into the processes that comprise lobbying. Arun Maira, member of Planning Commission, stated â€Å"We will be considering various interests of all the stakeholders involved. This expert group comprises industries and government secretaries. There is an on-going dialogue with the industry associations for their views. We want lobbying to be transparent and representative. We are looking at the best benchmarks for processes of lobbying in other countries. However, this is a very large issue and the final solution is far down the road.† However, given the political exigencies of framing policies and complex nature of polity, this task will require the consummate skills of great statesmen.

Free sample - The Power Corruption Cycle. translation missing

The Power Corruption Cycle. The Power Corruption CycleCorruption is a social evil, which not only hinders the growth of organizations but also strains the relationship between management and subordinate employees in the workplace. There is therefore a need for all skillful managers to remain within the bounds of ethics in resolving all organizational and workplace problems and in devising innovative strategies that ensure the firm’s continued growth. Research carried out by Transparency International identifies that corruption is propagated by managers through acceptance of bribes by those in power so as to facilitate services against company policy. Bribes may be received as monetary rewards or indirect gifts that are bound to influence the manager inappropriately. This is not only considered illegal but it also hurts economic development and eventually leads to lower product quality and standards. This therefore implies that inferior products and services are introduced in the market at the expense of consumers. Further, the managers end up making poor decisions and hold a poor perspective of employees which destroys the relationship between seniors and subordinates. The case against corruption and the misuse of power can in no way be better illustrated than by the ongoing global financial meltdown whose onset is solely attributed to the mortgage meltdown. Chief Executive Officers of renowned banks such as those on the Wall Street ignored all core ethics in their lending to customers. In fact, little or no collateral was required and minimal investigation was carried out as to the client’s repayment capacity as far as the clients ‘convinced’ those in power that they could meet the demands of the agreement. This has consequently resulted in the world’s worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. (Lahart, 2007) Like all other societal problems, corruption, due to the misuse of power by those in authority, can be stamped out. Various measures such as installing a vigilance system to monitor the relationship between managers and their clients have been proposed. Further proposals are in support of a system that evaluates the manager’s economic standing and compares it to the status and living standards enjoyed. However, the easiest way to stamp out corruption is by appealing to the manager’s moral institution and ethics in combating this detrimental vice. In today’s world, a vital tool in combating leadership problems in any workplace environment is emotional intelligence. It has been defined as the ability of an individual, in this case, the manager, to influence emotions by managing and assessing them in oneself as well as in other people such as employees so as attain the set goals of the organization. Therefore, the inherent relationship between leadership and emotional intelligence cannot be ignored. First, emotional intelligence is crucial in creating self-awareness in the leaders. They ably recognize feelings as they happen, perform accurate assessments and therefore attain self-confidence. Secondly, it ensures managers acquire self-regulation such that they can aptly keep disruptive emotions and impulses at bay, thereby gaining self-control, honesty and integrity. Thirdly, it ensures managers remain motivated, which is the driving force towards attainment of goals. This enables the manager to have a healthy achievement drive, commitment towards the organization’s vision, optimism in the face of obstacles and initiative by acting on available opportunities. Fourthly, emotional intelligence goes a long way in creating empathy whereby the manager is aware of employees’ needs, concerns, feelings and their fears. Finally, it imparts social skills whereby the manager can successfully induce favorable responses in the workforce through effective diplomacy, open communication and listening ability, inspiration, bonding, collaboration and co-operation so as to create group synergy towards achieving the set goals. (Goleman, 1995) Therefore, training managers as to the essence of emotional intelligence shall be more successful than any monitoring tactics installed. This is widely supported by studies as that done by Sosik and Megerian (1999) in which they evaluated the change brought about by emotional intelligence. Findings showed that the managers had radically transformed in their leadership behavior and performance outcomes while their employees felt that their superiors were more receptive, transparent and encouraging (Sosik, 1999). Transparency and accountability go a long way in ensuring that ethics are upheld in an organization therefore leading to a healthy working environment. This serves to illustrate that there is no other greater weapon against power induced corruption than emotional intelligence. References Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Bantam Books. Lahart, J. (2007). Egg Cracks Differ In Housing, Finance Shells . Wall Street Journal , 12. Sosik, J. J. (1999). Understanding Leader Emotional Intelligence and Performance. In Group Oraganization Management (pp. 367-390).

Out Federalizing Federalists essays

Out Federalizing Federalists essays Jefferson, Out federalizing the Federalists? Jefferson appeared to be a die-hard Republican, however many people question whether or not Jefferson used Federalists ideals during his reign as President. Jefferson ran for president as a Democratic Republican. He was a very firm believer in a strict interpretation of the constitution, which was one of the many beliefs of Democratic Republicans. Many things that Jefferson did while he was in office represented what a true Democratic Republican would do. No matter what the case, Jefferson always tried to do what he believed any Democratic Republican would do. Although Jefferson always tried to follow his parties beliefs, sometimes he did sway towards Federalist ideals. It would be hard to say that Jefferson out federalized federalists, but he did follow many of their beliefs. Therefore it would be easiest to say that Jefferson was in the middle between the two parties, but leaning a little farther towards Democratic Republican. For the most part Jefferson was a Democratic Republican. He was a very strict constructionist. Before most important decisions, Jefferson would verify with the constitution to see if it was constitutional or not. Before buying the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson had to make sure that there was a way to prove that it was constitutional. Jefferson found in the constitution that is was a right of the president to make treaties, and that the Louisiana Purchase was a treaty. Also Jefferson thought that the farmers were the people1, which was another belief of many Democratic Republicans. The way Jefferson responded to the war with Britain and France was also a way of incorporating Democratic Republican beliefs. The embargo act and its effects responded in a negative effect, but was good for the nation in the long run. It proved that war would result in domestic reforms in many cases, and they would have to be dealt with. Jeffer ...

Ten Ways to Avoid Gender Bias

Ten Ways to Avoid Gender Bias Ten Ways to Avoid Gender Bias Ten Ways to Avoid Gender Bias By Mark Nichol How do you write around the outmoded usage of the pronoun he or him when a male is not necessarily the subject of the reference? Here are ten strategies none ideal in every circumstance for achieving gender neutrality. 1. Use He or She Before: â€Å"Ask the student whether he is prepared to give a presentation.† After: â€Å"Ask the student whether he or she is prepared to give a presentation.† This solution is stiffly formal and is awkward in repetition; use sparingly. Using he/she, s/he, or any such alternative (or an invented neutral pronoun like ze) is not advised. 2. Alternate Between He and She Before: â€Å"Ask the student whether he is prepared to give a presentation. If he is ready, tell him that he may begin when he is ready.† After: â€Å"Ask the student whether he is prepared to give a presentation. If she is ready, tell her that she may begin when she is ready.† This solution works only in the case of two or more references to a hypothetical subject of either gender. In the proximity of the references in the examples, this solution is awkward, but when the references are at some distance from each other, it can be effective in moderation. 3. Omit the Pronoun Before: â€Å"Ask the student whether he is prepared to give a presentation.† After: â€Å"Ask whether the student is prepared to give a presentation.† This revision does not clearly indicate whether the student or another person is being asked; writers must recognize and respond to such lack of clarity if it affects comprehension. 4. Repeat the Noun in Place of the Pronoun Before: â€Å"Ask the student whether he is prepared to give a presentation.† After: â€Å"Ask the student whether the student is prepared to give a presentation.† When the noun is repeated in the proximity shown above, the sentence is awkward; in a more complex sentence, the repetition may not seem so obvious. 5. Use a Plural Antecedent for the Pronoun Before: â€Å"Ask the student whether he is prepared to give a presentation.† After: â€Å"Ask the students whether they are prepared to give their presentations.† Employing a plural noun and a plural pronoun may change the meaning somewhat; writers must be alert as to which other nouns, if any, should be made plural as well. 6. Replace the Pronoun with an Article Before: â€Å"Ask the student to prepare his presentation.† After: â€Å"Ask the student to prepare a presentation.† 7. Revise the Sentence to Use the Pronoun One Before: â€Å"A prepared student is more likely to succeed than if he has not done sufficient research.† After: â€Å"A prepared student is more likely to succeed than an unprepared one.† 8. Revise the Sentence to Use the Pronoun Who Before: â€Å"A student is more likely to succeed if he does sufficient research.† After: â€Å"A student who does sufficient research is more likely to succeed.† 9. Revise the Sentence to the Imperative Mood Before: â€Å"A student must be well prepared for his presentation.† After: â€Å"Be well prepared for the presentation.† 10. Use a Plural Pronoun Before: â€Å"Ask the student whether he is prepared to give a presentation.† After: â€Å"Ask the student whether they are prepared to give a presentation.† Many writers reject this solution because traditional grammar rules frown on using a plural pronoun when the antecedent is a singular noun. However, the bewildering absence of a gender-neutral plural pronoun in English calls for a radical solution. This one is widely used in informal writing and in conversation, and it’s commonsensical to welcome it in formal writing. That welcome, however, has not yet been forthcoming, and, regrettably, writers should use the plural pronouns them and they in place of singular pronouns with caution. Some writers reject the notion that one should avoid gender-specific pronouns in universal contexts at all. After all, why change long-standing usage that has only recently been challenged? But these writers, though sensible in the logic of their argument, are culturally insensitive and, ultimately, are on the wrong side of linguistic history. I hope, too, that integration of the singular they and them in any usage will eventually occur. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund PhrasesDisappointed + PrepositionPreposition Mistakes #1: Accused and Excited

The Absolute Freedom of Expression through Journalism in the Modern Article

The Absolute Freedom of Expression through Journalism in the Modern World - Article Example In this same background, it is also important to redefine the true purpose and function of the global journalists. A prudent definition would instruct the journalists to persist their valuable efforts to invite the attention of the common people to incidents of similar nature and to the exact need for greater freedom of the press. The most recent attacks on the six journalists across the world and especially in South Asia once again draw the attention of international community to the question of journalistic function and many have responded to this essential topic of the time. In one of the most persuasive appeals to the recent atrocities on international journalists, Matt Wade’s article â€Å"Sword Mightier than Pen as Journalist Deaths Rise to Six† deals with the â€Å"bloody start to this year for media workers on the Indian subcontinent.† (Wade) In this article, Matt Wade convincingly summarizes the atrocities to journalists in the most hazardous region in the world for journalists to work and reports the several instances of media attacks in South Asia - which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. He illustrates the mounting attacks against the freedom of speech in the region with pieces of evidence of Lasantha Wickramatunga, the leading Colombo newspaper editor, Uma Singh, the young journalist in her 20s, and Sayed Perwiz Kambaksh, the journalism student in Afghanistan. By reporting and summarizing several instances of attacks on journalists in the region and by raising the issue of the sword is mightier than the pen, Matt Wade not only serves his journalistic function but, more importantly, proves that pen is mightier than the sword. An understanding of the rhetorical devices used by the author, one realizes that Matt Wade has been effective in catching the emotion of the readers and creating the exact feelings of pathos in them.