The Catcher In The Rye! Essay Example For Students

The Catcher In The Rye! Essay The TitleHolden sees his purpose as protecting children from a world that does its best to ignore them. He sees himself as the catcher in the rye, saving kids from the unknown. Eventually, Holden realizes that he cannot protect children from the adult world and that they must grow up, and learn by making their own mistakes. Eventually, he will realize that he must enter the adult world too. The CharactersHolden CaulfieldHolden is both the main character and the narrator of the novel, everything I learned is filtered through Holdens consciousness. I only know of Holden what Holden himself chooses to tell us, and what he chooses to report of what others say about him. Holden is sixteen, thin, wears his hair in a crewcut, doesnt eat much, smokes too much, and is somewhat out of shape. Holden is thoughtful, sensitive in his treatment of others, and that his family is quite rich. Its also evident that Holden is friendly, but seems very lonely. Holden feels most comfortable relating to children, especially his younger siblings Allie and Phoebe. Only children have the honesty and lack of prejudices that the idealistic Holden expects of the world. Grown-ups inevitably disappoint and show themselves to be hypocrites, like his older brother D.B., prostituting his talent in Hollywood, or his former teacher, Mr. Antolini, a drunk stuck in a loveless marriage. Holden associates agin g with hypocrisy and death, and this explains his appreciation of the innocence of children and also his own resistance to becoming an adult. We will write a custom essay on The Catcher In The Rye! specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The plot revolves entirely around Holden, the action of the novel is Holdens adventures while unchaperoned for three days, and other characters are only important in as much as they are important to Holden. What is most interesting about the novel, however, Holdens psychology through the course of the story. The two people Holden says he likes are Thomas Hardy and his younger brother Allie Caulfield. Both are dead. Allie has died of leukemia, and Holden has witnessed the death of a classmate as well. Holdens parents are distant and seemingly unconcerned with their children: instead of getting parental attention he is shipped off to boarding school after boarding school, and when ten-year-old Phoebe admits to smoking a cigarette her mother hardly bothers to scold her. Phoebe CaulfieldPhoebe is ten years old, with red hair she wears short in the summer and long in the winter, skinny (Holden calls her roller-skate skinny), sensitive, affectionate, and mature for her age, but very emotio nal. Phoebe goes to the same elementary school in New York City as Holden did; in her spare time she writes stories about her alter ego, a girl detective named Hazle Weatherfield, and skates in the park. In Holdens descriptions she is almost a prodigy, but in her reported conversations she seems simply to be an intelligent and sensitive little sister. Ackley StradlaterAckley and Stradlater are the two schoolmates of Holden who receive the most attention, and are in many ways flip sides of the same coin. Robert Ackley is a tall, pimply, slouching, slovenly kid (a virgin if I ever saw one, Holden says) who is always hanging around Holdens room, but who instantly disappears whenever Holdens roommate, Ward Stradlater, shows up. Stradlater is the same height as Holden, but is much stronger, more confident, and less thoughtful. He is also arrogant, lazy, and successful with women. Holden himself is somewhere between these two extremes, and tries to mediate between Ackley and Stradlater. J.D. Salinger seems to use this dislikable pair as character foils for Holden, presenting Holden as the happy medium. .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 , .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .postImageUrl , .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 , .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4:hover , .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4:visited , .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4:active { border:0!important; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4:active , .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4 .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud9ecebf88f714197bd27974a483667e4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Martial Arts Influence in Indonesia EssayThe StoryHolden Caulfield is both the narrator and main character of The Catcher in the Rye. He opens the novel by announcing what happened to him over the course of a few days in December, a few months before. Holden had just gotten kicked out of Pencey Prep, a boarding school in rural Pennsylvania, only a few days before Christmas vacation. It is Saturday afternoon when the action begins, and Holden plans to stick around at Pencey until Wednesday, when Christmas break begins. He stops to say goodbye to his favorite teacher, who lectures him on finding direction in life. Holden returns to his dorm room, and thinks about his brother D.B., a talented short-story writer whos sold out to write scripts for Hollywood. After a while Holdens roommate, Ward Stradlater, returns from the football game to get ready for his date. He happens to mention that his date, Jane Gallagher, knows Holden. Holden remembers Jane quite well: he spent a whole summer with her the year before. Stradlater suggests that Holden go downstairs and say hello, she is waiting for Stradlater downstairs. Holden, however, declines, although he thinks about her and considers calling her throughout the book. When Stradlaters leaving he asks Holden if he will write a composition for him for English class. Later that evening Holden writes the descriptive composition for Stradlater, deciding to write it about a baseball glove his little brother Allie had owned. Allie died of leukemia several years before, and Holden describes him as the smartest, funniest, nicest person he ever knew. Holden took it very hard when Allie died, broke some windows with his hand, and spent some time in the hospital recovering. Holden thinks about Stradlater with Jane, on whom he seems to have a crush. When Stradlater returns and wont tell him how the date went, Holden tries to fight him and quickly loses. After Stradlater is asleep, Holden decides to leave tonight rather than wait for Christmas break. He plans to get a hotel room in New York until hes expected home on Wednesday. After getting off the train in New York, he gets a hotel room, and goes to the bar on the first floor. He tries to get a drink but cant and dances with some women twice his age. Then he goes to another bar. When he arrives back at his hotel, he accepts the elevator boys offer to fix him up with a prostitute. The prostitute arrives but Holden doesnt feel like sleeping with her. In the morning, the elevator boy comes back with the prostitute and beats him up, taking the money he supposedly owes. The next day he arranges to go to see a theater show with a girl named Sally Hayes, and buys a record for his kid sister, Phoebe. On the way to the show, he and Sally kiss and he suggests they elope to some little cottage in New England. Afterwards, they quarrel and Holden leaves. He meets up with a former classmate at a bar that night and gets drunk. He thinks about his brother Allies grave, but he never visits it because he hates to think of it getting rained on. He walks across Central Park, accidentally breaks the record for his sister, and decides to go home to see his sister. Phoebe is happy to see him, but gets mad when she realizes hes been kicked out of another school. Phoebe asks him what he wants to do whens hes grown up, and Holden says he pictures a big field of rye, with lots of children playing in it. At one end of the field is a giant cliff, and Holdens job is to catch the little kids if they get close to the edge, so that they dont fall off the cliff. Holden calls a former teacher of his, Mr. Antolini, who says he can spend the night there. Holden sneaks out of his familys apartment without his parents realizing he has been there. .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 , .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .postImageUrl , .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 , .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5:hover , .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5:visited , .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5:active { border:0!important; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5:active , .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5 .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1818ee1409197c14de2875c67313ffe5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Gender Stereotypes In Advertising EssayMr. Antolini has been drinking, and lectures him on his direction in life. Holden falls asleep on the couch and Mr. Antolini makes a pass at him. Holden leaves and sleeps at the train station. That morning, Holden goes to Phoebes school to arrange to meet her at lunchtime to say goodbye. He decides to take off to go out west and live in some isolated cabin away from New York and from school. While there, he rubs off where someone has written Fuck you on the wall, worried that some kid might see it. On his way out he sees another Fuck you, and realizes that he cant rub them all out and cant protect all the children. When Phoebe meets h im at lunchtime she wants to go with him and cries when he says she cannot. He eventually relents and gives up the idea. He buys her tickets and she rides on the Central Park carousel while he sits on a bench and watches her. Whats the author trying to say?I think the story is about his life. I think he used different events in his life, made up some characters and made a book out of it. I think what he is trying to say is that so many bad things can happen in your lifetime but instead of worrying about them, think about the good things that can happen in the future. The characters I liked. I liked Ackley. He just seemed like a funny guy. I have allot more then just one friend but he has my kind of personality. He liked to go through things and ask questions about them which is something that I love to do. He also is very quiet when he is around people he doesnt like very much, which is another thing I seem to do allot. The characters I didnt like. I didnt like Stradlater. He wasnt a very good person and he liked to use girls for sex and other stuff like that. He is the type of person that I hate, allot. He didnt have a very good personality. He was very demanding, like when he told Holden to write that essay. Holden wrote it for him but didnt write what Stradlater wanted him to write about. So he got angry at Holden. He should have appreciated the fact the Holden wrote anything despite the fact he was getting kicked out of school. I also didnt like Holdens parents. You really didnt hear much about them but they just didnt seem to care about their children at all. They just shipped them off the boarding school without a care, which makes them really bad parents. How the story relates to my life. The story didnt really relate to my life at all. I mean I have good friends who treat me with respect, I never got kicked out of school or anything like that. Holdens life is allot different from mine, his whole outlook on life seems so different and in parts of the story wrong to me. I mean, children do look at the world in a whole different way but when you see the reality of it as you get older, the thing to do is to not let it get you down, but find the good in all of it. Which is technically what a child pretty much does.

Sample Torts Battery Essay Question - How to Choose the Best Law School

Sample Torts Battery Essay Question - How to Choose the Best Law SchoolA sample torts battery essay question will help you decide if the law school you're applying to is right for you. Most law schools will offer at least one or two courses on the subject, but it's important to choose a highly ranked school that matches your needs. With this in mind, here are some tips to help you get started.Ask previous students who enrolled in your classes. They will be able to give you information about which ones provided good, and which didn't. Find out if they can give you a few recommendations.Make sure that you understand what courses are offered at each law school. You don't want to know a law class from another school, if the course is similar at all. Know the specific course requirements, as well as any continuing education requirements.After you've found the best law school for you, check out their website to find out what they offer. Read through the syllabus, and learn about the profes sors, their accomplishments, and their research and teaching experience. Carefully consider how much time you have available to take the course, and how your personal life will impact your ability to concentrate.There are also a few things you can do to help you avoid cheating, while still completing the course work. One is to review the tests in advance, so that you know what questions are coming up. Another is to seek a mentor from the course so that you can ask questions or check out their course material.Don't forget that you need to complete the course before trying to pass it. That means that you need to study, pay attention, and make sure that you understand what you're reading. In order to get a good grade, you need to make sure that you put forth an effort, which is something that you can't fake.With all the choices available, there is a good chance that you won't be happy with your choices for your first year. However, the courses are all related, so it shouldn't be too di fficult to choose a good second year. Take your time, and find a course that will fit your needs, and make you happy.Find the best course for you, and make sure that you really enjoy it. When you choose a law school, make sure that you have a realistic assessment of what you'll be doing. This will make choosing the right program easier for you.

20 Sociology Essay Topics How to Write about Drug Use and Its Consequences

20 Sociology Essay Topics How to Write about Drug Use and Its Consequences If you are looking for a topic on which to write your drug abuse essay and the consequences of drugs, then review the topics below: The Size of Substance Misuse and Limitations on Data for Substance Abuse. Different Trends Relating to Drug Use and How It Has Changed Over Time. History of Psychoactive Substances in the Country of Your Choosing. Reasons Why Individuals Use Drugs. Different Categories of Drugs. Government Drug Misuse Strategy and Legislation. Attitudes and Values toward Drug Use. Key Areas of Response to Drug Use. Signs and Symptoms of Misuse. Popular Drug Use Paraphernalia. Range of Services Available for Drug Misuse and Organizations Available for Help. Issues Associated with Alcohol Misuse. Different Drinking Habits and the Effects of Alcohol Consumption. Myths about Drug and Alcohol Use and Ways to Respond to Alcohol Abuse. What Communities Can Do to Help Fight Substance Abuse. Why Community Responses Are Necessary and What Barriers Exist for Community Based Action Plans. Personality as a Factor in Drug Abuse. Importance of Knowing First Aid in Helping People Fighting Drug Misuse. Barriers in Effective Communication with Young People. The Screening Process for Drug Use and Its Effectiveness. Sample Expository Essay on the Personality as a Factor in Drug Use An article published in PsychologyToday.com in 2009 stresses personality as a powerful factor that helps answer why some are prone to abusing drugs and becoming addicted while others aren’t. According to the author, an addictive personality trait, owned by about 10-15% of people, makes them prone to becoming addicts. However, according to an article published four years earlier in MedicalNewsToday.com, among people with similar personality traits some are known to develop an addiction while others aren’t quite as prone. The article accounts for this phenomenon by claiming that favourable environmental and cultural conditions can help offset addictive personality traits. There is a complex interplay of societal, community, peer, family and individual factors accounting for negative behaviour such as substance abuse, according to the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2000). Globally, it has been observed that a member of a family with a history of drug abuse and dependence is more prone to drug abuse. This finding is corroborated in many studies, such as Wu et al. (1996), Wester-meyer and Neider (1994) and Madianos et al. (1995). In other studies, Jauhar and Watson (1995), and Curran et al have found the same pattern to occur with respect to alcohol abuse and dependence. Bierut, Dinwiddie, and Regleiter (1998) have established the significant influence of genetics in alcohol dependence, while Tsuang et al. (1996) have established the same causal link between genes and drug dependence. Thus, family environment is instrumental, both in promoting drug abuse and dependence and in providing protection from it. In this section, a few of these factors have been reviewed. The limitations concomitant with the chosen research design render a large number of these findings as purely correlative rather than causal. Below are several factors associated with family environment. Physical and sexual abuse in childhood: despite its design limitations, relating either to use of clinical samples or retrospective designs, research suggests that childhood abuse appears as a risk factor with regard to substance abuse. Thus, risk of alcohol abuse in adulthood is enhanced in women subjected to physical or sexual abuse in childhood, as delineated in studies done by Langeland and Hartgers (1998) and Rice et al. (2001). Curiously, with regard to males research points to contradictory evidence; perusal of studies done by Galaif et al. (2001) and Langeland and Hartgers (1998) shows this contrast. Jarvis, Copeland and Walton (1998) go a step further, establishing direct correlation between adolescent drug abuse among women and childhood sexual abuse, accompanied by the extrapolation that such drug use could be in the form of self-medication aimed at reducing emotional pain induced via childhood abuse. Family practices and attitudes relating to substance abuse:   Lane et al (2001) stressed the importance of peer influences leading to substance use among youth; however, one cannot neglect the significance of family practices and attitudes. The predominance of parental influence over that of peers is especially true in Hispanic/Latino youth, as established by Coombs, Paulson, and Richardson (1991). The frequency of youth substance use is greatly influenced by use of substances by family members and family members’ attitude with regard to it. For instance, Lane et al (2001) have referred to a household survey on substance use done in 1997 that revealed the lowest incidence of substance use among youth in the age group of 12-17 years. Said youth were said to perceive their parents as being very upset with binge drinking, cigarettes and marijuana. Swaim, Nemeth, and Oetting (1995) have highlighted a similar reduction in alcohol use among girls in Hungary, owing to strong family sanctions against such substance abuse. Boyle et al. (2001) have established that drug use by an older sibling is a greater influence than parental drug use in leading to youth substance abuse. Problematic relations with family members and partners:  the risk of substance abuse has been found to increase in direct proportion to problematic relations with family members and partners. Lane et al (2001) have brought attention to the fact that youth who had several weekly arguments with their parents showed a greater tendency to have used marijuana during the previous year than others who had one argument a week or month, as revealed by a national household survey done. Studies have established that the direct correlation between problematic relations with family members and drug abuse by adolescents manifests internationally. Women in Zagreb were more prone to alcoholism due to problematic relations with family members and partners. Other studies have shown how more than 75 of 100 Scottish males admitted for alcohol abuse blamed failed marriages and family neglect on their alcoholism. References: Barlow, K. (2000).  Substance misuse: A rationale for compulsion. Bourgois, P. (2008). The Mystery of Marijuana: Science and the U.S. War on Drugs.  Substance Use Misuse,  43(3), 581-583. doi: 10.1080/10826080701884853 Bretteville-Jensen, A. (2006). To Legalize or Not To Legalize? Economic Approaches to the Decriminalization of Drugs.  Substance Use Misuse,  41(4), 555-565. doi: 10.1080/10826080500521565 Cozic, C. P. (1998).  Illegal drugs. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Gorta, A. (2009). Illegal drug use by police officers: Using research and investigations to inform prevention strategies.  International Journal of Police Science and Management,  11(1), 85-96. doi: 10.1350/ijps.2009.11.1.112 Grossman, M., Chaloupka, F. J., Shim, K. (2002). Illegal Drug Use And Public Policy.  Health Affairs,  21(2), 134-145. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.21.2.134 Harrison, L. (1993).  Substance misuse: Designing social work training. London: Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. Miller, K., Hoffman, J., Barnes, G., Sabo, D., Melnick, M., Farrell, M. (2005). Adolescent Anabolic Steroid Use, Gender, Physical Activity, and Other Problem Behaviors*.  Substance Use Misuse,  40(11), 1637-1657. doi: 10.1080/10826080500222727 Trathen, B. (2003).  Guidelines for the best practice treatment of substance misuse. [England?]: B. Trathen. White, H. R., Tice, P. C., Loeber, R., Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (2002). Illegal Acts Committed by Adolescents Under the Influence of Alcohol and Drugs.  Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency,  39(2), 131-152. doi: 10.1177/002242780203900201

Analysis of the Nation of Brazil and Its Classification as A Developed Nation or Not

Analysis of the Nation of Brazil and Its Classification as A Developed Nation or Not In this project I have collected, analysed and evaluated evidence to help me to decide whether Brazil is a developed country or a developing country. Introduction to Brazil Brazil is the largest and most influential country in South America with a population of about 176 million, which is greater than the combined total for the whole of the rest of the continent. Brazil takes up almost half of South America. The 6,448km long Amazon River runs through the North of Brazil and is the second largest in the world, and the Amazon Basin is the largest River Basin the world. The River and over a thousand tributaries drain an area of 6,150,000km and carry one fifth of the worlds fresh water out to sea. In the North East, Brazil has arid deserts with rolling grasslands in the South. The Amazonian Rainforest covers more than one third of Brazil and its exploitation has become a major environmental worry. Brazil borders the Atlantic Ocean down the eastern side with the following countries bordering the North and West: French Guiana; Suriname; Guyana; Venezuela; Columbia; Peru; Bolivia; Paraguay; Argentina; and Uruguay. Brazil lies between 5 North and 30 South of the Equator. So, it is possible to stand with one leg in the Northern Hemisphere and the other in the Southern Hemisphere! The Equator, therefore, runs through the extreme North of Brazil with Macap and the Mouths of the Amazon on its line. Brazils correct title is The Federal Republic of Brazil and its 26 states are administered from its capital, Bras, which was purpose built and now has a population of between 1 and 1.9 million people. However, S Paulo has 17 million inhabitants. (See population map). The highest point in Brazil is Pico da Neblina which is 3014m (9,888 ft) above sea level. Brazils main language is Portuguese and its main religion is Catholic Christianity. Brazilian society is a vibrant, diverse mix of cultures. Brazils share of the Amazon basin, occupying half of the country, has a model equatorial climate. The 150-200cm (59-79 inches) of rain are spread throughout the year, although some periods are rather wetter than others according to the region. (See rainfall map) Temperatures are high, with almost no seasonal variation, but scarcely ever rise above 38 (100). The Brazilian plateau, which occupies most of the rest of the country, has far greater temperature ranges. Rain falls mainly between October and April. However, the Northeast, the least productive region of Brazil, is very dry and in past years has been suffering from severe drought, which compounded its problems. (See map on rainfall) The southern states have hot summers and cool winters, when frost may occur. The currency used on Brazil is the Real. 1 real = 100 centavos. The average wage per person per year is about ,570. The following evidence I have gathered describes how Brazil may have become a developed country. Economy Brazil has one of the worlds major economies and is now the ninth wealthiest country in the world. Economic reforms in the 1990s have bought some stability to the countrys finances. Reforms have included privatisation and the opening up of its markets. During the 1960s and 1970s, GDP expanded by an average of 11% a year. At this time the country enjoyed massive industrial growth, but then the Boom and Bust pattern hit and Brazil went bust! It became the worlds greatest debtor. The economy underwent major diversification and industrialisation, and today Brazil is a significant producer of cars and computers. In fact, Brazils car industry is acclaimed as being the success of the decade. Economic reform, initiated in 1990, enabled Brazil to reschedule its debts, but a steep recession followed in 1990-1992. The launching of the new currency, the re, in 1994 was the fifth attempt at monetary stabilisation since 1986. It contributed to the dramatic reduction of inflation from around 50% a month in 1994 to around 80% a year in 1995 and less than 20% a year in 1996. Economic growth of 5.7% in 1994 was the highest since 1986. This boosted regional confidence and facilitated the launch of MERCOSUR, the common market with neighbouring Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. In 1995, a fractious Congress blocked constitutional reforms of the tax and social security system, but finally agreed to end state monopolies in such sectors as telecommunications and oil, thereby reviving the governments privatisation programme. Rio de Janeiro is a major city on the East Coast, and although not the biggest, was once the capital city of Brazil. It was the area where the earlier Portuguese settlers (who have always claimed that they discovered it) landed and immediately began cultivating the rich soil. At this stage, it was all tropical forest in the area, but over many centuries it has been cleared and it is now Brazils political and economic heartland. Many people enjoy the white sandy beaches of Copacabana, which is overlooked by Sugarloaf Mountain. Many centuries of colonisation, conflict and slavery, and massive immigration from Europe have left Brazil a Country full of many different races and cultures. Lying mid-way between Salvador in the North and Porto Alegre in the South, and occupying only 7.7 per cent of Brazils total area, Rio De Janeiro supports over 30 per cent of its population. The annual carnival in Rio takes place over fives days where parades, balls, street dancing and samba and bossa nova music fill the streets. Brazil is also revered for its football prowess, having won the world cup 5 times. Vast sugar cane plantations mean that alcohol production is huge, and when oil became scarce and expensive in the early 1970s it caused many to use industrial alcohol as a fuel for the vehicles they then began building. Politics Brazil is a democratic federal republic with 26 regional parliaments and a national congress. Brazil became independent of Portugal in 1822 giving the country the opportunity to develop to its best potential, and current borders were established. Women in Brazil have had the vote since 1934 and in 1993, Brazilians voted to retain directly elected presidents. In 1997 the constitution was changed to allow a president to run for re-election. Reformists want provisions to curb tax evasion, and were successful in 1995 in ending state monopolies and allowing foreign investment in telecommunications, oil, mining and shipping. Many also want to see changes in the electoral system in order to curb the increasing involvement of small parties in government. In October 2002, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, won the elections and became president. A former shoeshine boy he will head Brazils first left-wing government for more than 40 years. At his inauguration in January 2003, Lula promised to make major political and economical reforms and pledged to eradicate hunger. He also pledged to tackle corruption and Brazils economic woes, improve education and create 10 million jobs. He plans to rid Brazil of its reputation for the biggest gap between rich and poor in the world. He did warn that this might take him longer than his initial 4-year term. Plans to develop nuclear weapons have now been abandoned by the military. Industry Local industry is well developed, making Brazil dominant in the region. Major industries include, Agriculture, Mining, Iron and Steel, Motor vehicles, Oil and Mineral refining, Chemicals, Wood pulp and paper, Machinery, Food processing, Consumer goods, Textiles, Rubber processing and Fertilisers. Brazil is one of the worlds most important steel producers, and it has large deposits of gold, silver and iron. Agriculture and Products Brazil has a huge, successful agricultural base and produces the worlds largest quantities of coffee and Soya beans. It also has immense natural resources. It also produces Cereals, Cassava, Sugar, Oranges, Cocoa, Rice, Cotton, Tobacco, Bananas, Rubber, Timber, Iron ore, Bauxite, Manganese, Crude oil and Natural Gas, Coal, Chromium, Nickel, Tin, Zinc, Gold, Silver, Diamonds, Phosphates, Salt, Quartz crystal, Beryllium, Graphite, Titanium, Tungsten and Asbestos. Exports Total products exported are valued at $58.2 billion. Brazil has previously built its wealth on the exports of coffee, but more recently on sugar exportation and that of its other many natural resources. Brazil is now one of the largest sugar and orange juice exporters. Other products exported are Sugar, Machinery, Animal feed stuffs, Coffee, Cocoa, Iron ore, Motor vehicles, Soya beans and oil, Oranges, Iron and Steel, Chemicals and non-ferrous metals. Resources Under the military, Brazil commissioned several power stations from former West Germany. Energy from these has been more expensive than expected, but the construction of the Angra-2 nuclear station was approved in 1996. Hydropower has been more successful, accounting for 90% of electricity generation. An agreement to build a 2,200km (1,370 miles) pipeline from the Bolivian gas fields to Brazils industrial south was signed in 1996 and put out to private tender. Ethanol is being made from sugar in an attempt to reduce petrol imports. Within the agricultural sector, Brazil is the worlds largest producer of coffee and the third largest producer of maize (corn). The total amount of electricity generated is 251bn kW/h. of this 93% is generated by hydroelectric power and 6% is thermal. The total electricity capacity is 56.21 million kW. In the South, the forces of the Paran and Paraguay Rivers have been harnessed to form the worlds largest hydroelectric project, the Itaip Dam. Regional divide Brazil can be divided into 5 regions (see regional map) North, Northeast, Centre West, Southeast and South. The North has several resource sites, from which the following materials are mined: Gold Bauxite Lead Copper Tin Iron Nickel Diamonds Common Salt (Sodium Chloride) Oil But the north does not have any industries. This is because of the enormous Amazon Rainforest and the inability to build upon it. In the Centre West, there is a similar amount of resources, which also includes zinc, limestone and quartz. As in the North, the Centre West does not have any main industries. Down in the South there are not as many resources as in the North and Centre West, but there are many industries. Moving back up into the South East there are many resources such as Iron, Nickel, Oil, Gold, Quartz etc. and also quite a few industries which include Textiles/Clothing, Iron and Steel sites and a shipbuilding site. Finally, in the Northeast of Brazil there are many resource sites and industrial sites. These include Bauxite, limestone, sea salt and oil refineries, mechanical engineering and textiles and clothing. Communications A vast road network is being built to link the main centres of Brazil, and five river systems are being harnessed for a total of 8,000km (5,000 miles) of waterways. The antiquated railways are increasingly unreliable. S Paulos metro is being extended to cope with the citys rapidly expanding population. Media Brazil is the largest exporter of TV programmes. South Americas biggest media market is home to thousands of radio stations and hundreds of T.V channels. The constitution guarantees a free press and vigorous media debate about controversial political and social matters is common. Media ownership is highly concentrated. Globo and Abril dominate the market and have interests in T.V and radio networks newspapers and pay T.V operations. Education Education follows the French system with a bachillerato (baccalaur) at the end of secondary schooling Society Brazil has targeted eco-tourism as a major growth area. The government is encouraging foreign investment in tourist facilities in Amazonia. Health There is a free health service available. This chapter includes evidence to suggest that Brazil may not yet be a developed country, but may still be developing. Politics The reduction of the fiscal deficit is a key objective. The government aims to dramatically reduce overstaffing at all levels of government, reduce social security payments and address the problem of the high real level of interest rates. The 1988 constitution, detailing promises for a better future, has proved to be unworkable in practice. The state cannot afford its social security, health and pension commitments. The proliferation of local governments, designed to check federal power, has led to a duplication of functions and is very expensive. Former President Collor de Mellos 1992 impeachment for fraud underlines the depth of the problem of corruption in Brazil. Many are now demanding an end to parliamentary immunity: under the current system, elected officials cannot be prosecuted unless they have been suspended from office by a two-thirds vote. The military, in power between 1964 and 1985, was responsible for human rights abuses, particularly against Amazon Indians. Its economic mismanagement left Brazil with a legacy of huge debts and inefficient state industries. Regional Wealth The government is facing increasing pressure to redress what some say is one of the worlds most unfair distributions of wealth. Much of the countrys arable land is controlled by a handful of wealthy families, a situation which the Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST) seeks to redress by demanding land redistribution. It uses direct protest action and land occupation in its quest. Society Social conditions are harsh in the big cities of Rio de Janeiro and S Paulo, where a third of the population lives in favelas or slums. In the 1970s a major drive was initiated to move settlers to the Amazon region. This caused considerable damage to vast areas of the rainforest. The high rate of destruction of the Amazon by loggers and cattle ranchers remains controversial today. However, these government sponsored migration programmes have now been halted. Many people work in fields for little pay, while a few rich landowners benefit from the huge profits. The ownership of consumer goods is not high. Out of 1,000 people: 278 own a T.V, 83 own a VCR, 13 own a PC. A lack of money, health and education forces over 500,000 girls into prostitution. Many street children are murdered by vigilante groups, who believe they are cleaning the streets. 90% of these murders go unpunished. Amerindians suffer prejudice from most other peoples in Brazil. Since 1900, 87 Amerindian groups have become extinct as a result of disease, starvation or the forceful taking of their land by miners, settlers and loggers. The Amerindian population today is estimated at just 220,000. Migrants from the poor Northeast suffer considerable discrimination in Brazils larger cities. Health Brazils Aids programme has become a model for other developing countries, having succeeded in stabilising the rate of HIV infection and cutting the number of Aids-related deaths. However, it is a controversial programme since it involves bypassing the big drugs firms to produce generic copycat Aids medicines. There may be as many as 2,000 street children who are HIV positive. The major causes of death are Heart diseases, Cancers, Accidents and Violence. There are 681 patients per doctor. Only 2.8% of the GNP (Gross National Produce) is spent of health. The public health system is limited. Less than 20% of hospitals are state-run and private care is very expensive. The World Bank has criticised the under-financing of preventive health care. On average, only 15% of the health budget is allocated to child health, immunisation and other preventive programmes. Reported malaria cases tripled between 1980 and 1990; 90% are in Amazonia, mainly in settler towns. Leprosy and parasitic skin infections are also becoming more common, again often affecting settlers. Unfortunately, the building of the Itaip Dam caused the lake it created to drown a set of waterfalls and this created a breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The forest contains many plants that provide the basis for many valuable products, the most important ones being those for medicines. The bark of chinchona supplies the quinine to treat malaria, for example. Other plants supply substances used in the fight against cancer. Brazil nuts too are of-course famous all over the world. The constant stripping and attacking of these natural resources is doing much harm. Economy Brazil has a history of boom and bust, with its attempts at development hampered in the past by high inflation and one of the biggest foreign debts. It has had to be bailed out in times of crisis. The total value of Brazils debt is a staggering $250bn! () Chaotic finances of the states threatens national economic stability. Foreign investment is deterred by corruption, the fragility of economic reforms and preferences given to national companies in the sale of state companies. Congressional opposition delays urgent tax and social security reforms and privatisations. Savings and investment rates are about half those of leading East Asian competitors. Despite enormous natural and economic resources, Brazil still has 32 million of its people living below the poverty line, and has not begun to tackle the problem of homelessness and street children in Rio, S Paulo and other large cities. An estimated one to five million families remain landless, while nearly 80% of farmland is owned by 10% of farmers. Brazils large wealth disparities have been growing during the last decade. Relatively low levels of unemployment conceal large-scale underemployment, and the UN classifies over 50% of the population as suffering poverty. The large numbers of poor rural migrants who move to the cities live in the favelas, or shantytowns. Favelas are now also appearing in the countryside. The wealthy like to drive European cars, holiday in Paris or ski in Switzerland, where most of them keep their money to avoid scrutiny and interference in their accounts by the government. Brazil experienced an energy crisis in 2001. It is a country very dependent on water to fire its hydro-electric power stations, so when they had droughts so bad that the reservoirs were drained dry, they had a major catastrophe on their hands. At that time, hydroelectric plants and reservoirs produced over 90% of the countrys electricity supply, and the dry weather and insecure infrastructure issues caused major shortages. In 2002, they introduced some energy rationing, even declaring public holidays in an attempt to keep the demand for power by the large industries down. This in turn has led to a more immediate need for an alternative fuel source, and to not keep all ones eggs in one basket so to speak. They are currently importing oil from Venezuela and Argentina. Many large foreign firms have placed serious bids for the rights to drill and excavate for oil in the rich off-shire reserves 6,560 feet below the waters surface off Brazils Atlantic Coast. BP Amoco, for example, won a bi d for an area located 186 miles from the mouth of the Amazon River. A second, third and fourth round of bids was even more successful, with large investments being made in Brazils oil reserves. Aid Brazils main aid donors are the USA and the EU. The World Bank provided $2 billion in 1996 for environmental, basic sanitation, road building and anti-poverty projects. As well as official aid, much comes from NGOs, (non-Governmental Organisations) mainly for environmental and housing projects. Education Not all children in Brazil are registered. Of those that are; 90% receive Primary education, 19% receive Secondary education and only 12% receive Tertiary education. The adult literacy rate is 84.9% of all registered people compared with 99% in the UK. State schools enjoyed a good reputation until the 1950s, but have declined since then. Most middle-class parents now send their children to private schools. The wealthy send theirs to Switzerland or France. Millions of the poor receive little education especially those living in the Northeast and Amazonia, and the urban poor. Brazils three million street children have no schooling at all. Public degree courses work on credits, as in the USA. Of Brazils 95 universities, 55 are administered by the state. Sao Paulo University is the most prestigious. Communications In Brazil, only 49 out of 1,000 people own a car and only 75 out of 1,000 people own telephones. Media Although there is now no official censorship, TV and radio operating licences are awarded as political favours, and state advertising is so extensive that it cannot fail to influence editorial policy. Media ownership is also highly concentrated, 3 main companies own 293 daily newspapers. There are 19 state owned TV stations and 218 independent stations. There 2000 independent radio stations, but only 1 state owned. Environment Federal agencies charged with protecting the Amazon are insufficiently funded, understaffed and accused of corruption. The Amazon rainforest contains an estimated 90% of the entire worlds plants and animals and is the most complex ecosystem known. However, the demands of agriculture are leading to its destruction at a rate of 4 square km (1.5 square miles) per hour, or 35,000 square km (13,510 square miles) per year. As a result of such massive clearances, usually for conversion to cattle pasture, vital genetic diversity is being lost. Brazil faces other environmental problems. Opencast bauxite mining is polluting rivers and threatening the livelihoods of indigenous Amerindians. In the cities, widespread industrial pollution and untreated sewage are major problems. Crime The total population in Prison is 87,053. There is no death penalty. There are 2 murders and 3 rapes per 100,000 people. Urban life in Brazil can be violent. The incidence of armed robbery and drugs-related crime is rising. Human rights abuses by the police are frequently reported. Death squads, uncontrolled by the government, target street children in particular, especially in Rio, S Paulo and Recife. Since 1985, the rate of street child murders has been rising. However, international condemnation of the crimes has led to action in some areas. In the countryside, violent land disputes are common. Landless workers are repeatedly displaced and indigenous peoples driven from land to which the government has, in theory, guaranteed their rights. Tourism Brazils border with Argentina and Paraguay, boasts a natural wonder of the world, the massive Iguazu Falls. This is a remarkable sight much bigger than the Victoria Falls in Africa or North Americas Niagara Falls. Yet, the rest of the world barely knows of its existence. If marketed correctly, this could be a major tourist attraction. Brazil needs to extend this tourist resource and do more with it. Its 2,000 km (1,240 miles) of Atlantic beaches, the folklore and music of the north-east coast, and the annual Mardi Gras carnival in Rio de Janeiro are Brazils major attractions. However, the increasingly affluent and international audience now controls the carnival. The largely Afro-Brazilian residents of Rios favelas, or shanty towns, can often no longer afford to take part in the parades that originate in their culture. However, Brazilians show little interest in Eco-tourism, preferring to visit Amazonia for the duty-free shopping zone in Manaus. Brazil is still a relatively cheap destination for European and American tourists. Despite this, visitor numbers are declining, falling from 0.5% to 0.1% of the world market since 1970. Many visitors have been put off by the negative publicity generated by the conditions in the shantytowns and by Brazils past human rights record. Housing shortages in Brazil mean that about 25 million people live in sprawling shantytowns, called favelas that surround the cities. Most of the homes are built by the families themselves, sometimes from waste materials but more often from wood, bricks and cement bought from builders merchants. For the population who live in the favelas, 70% have no running water, 60% have no toilets or drains and 52% have no waste collection. Conclusion On analysing the evidence found, I have drawn the following conclusions. I think that Brazil is still a developing country despite its enormous agricultural/resource exports and its current attempts to repay its immense $250bn debt. There is such a massive divide between the rich and the poor, with the poor being in the majority that no developed country would have allowed this to remain for such a long time. A developed country would not have accrued such a high debt and would have used its natural resources to its advantage. There needs to be an equal distribution of the countrys wealth. I feel that in order to address some of Brazils problems, there needs to be a major re-allocation of land so that the very poor have a fighting chance of earning a decent living from working the land and selling the produce. There needs to be a massive campaign to re-educate the whole population of Brazil, which should address the need world-wide to stop destroying the rainforest, and all its natural plants. I think Brazil is no where near being a completely developed country. I believe that its only just started developing.

Art Criticism Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art Criticism Paper - Essay Example It stimulates different parts of our brains to act in a particular way and it gives us a way to be creative and express ourselves.Basically, art plays a very significant role in our daily lives. It is a form of communication that uses the aid of symbols and pictures that depict various meanings in our social lives. A critical analysis of the first picture, (brothers of fire) depicts that there is an element of unity and love in various images shown. However, it must be noted that different meanings of symbols are culture specific. They mean different things depending on the cultural values of any given society. In the picture given, the images of clasping hands which are symbolic to different cultures are the most captivating and they depict different meanings. In most cases shaking of hands is a sign of greeting each other and is symbolic of love and affection. There is an element of unity and brotherhood whenever different people greet each other. People often greet each other in many different ways using their hands and it may vary from one society to the other. Greeting each other with a sign of bringing to contact clenched fists is typical of Rastafarians and is often associated with the notion of â€Å"one love† and â€Å"peace† which characterises their religion. There are however, different interpretations that are often associated with this gesture depending on the cultural background that often determine moral values of a particular group. Normally, in the world of Christianity, clasping both hands in the upward direction is a sign of offering a prayer to the lord while in some sections of the society it is a sign of paying tribute to someone. It is a sign of showing respect and honour. On the other hand, a sign showing only one finger and thumb pointing in the front direction is often associated with paying homage to someone and

3 Ps Self-Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3 Ps Self-Assessment - Assignment Example These were due to unavoidable circumstances that were explained to respective lectures in advance. My interpersonal relations with both lecturers and students have also been good without even a single reported case of conflict. This is because I always respect people’s opinions and personality and I have excellent communication skills towards approaching people (Lambert, p. 3-6). My level of preparation for class work has similarly been outstanding with a 46 points rating. This includes my readiness with respect to assignments, presentations, and class readings. My assignments and presentations have always been done and reviewed in time, before submission time, a fact that has facilitated my excellence as I have always had time for revision and editing of my work. Both lectures and classmates have also recommended my preparedness for class readings (Lambert, p. 3-6). My participation is similarly highly rated at 45 points. While I am always ready to participate in discussions and class exercises, I normally allow other people to participate and only engage when called upon. The relatively lower score in my participation can be explained by my passive nature (Lambert, p.

Rethinking Leadership in the Learning Organization Essay -- essays pap

Rethinking Leadership in the Learning Organization A proclamation by a CEO that â€Å"we are going to become a learning organization† will likely be met with collective eye rolling and wonderings of, â€Å"What workshop did he attend last week?† Indeed, many employees are so accustomed to these management â€Å"initiatives-of-the-month† that seeing any results from such a managerial decree is extremely unlikely. Another of the main barriers to creating a learning organization, Senge says, is the difference between compliance and commitment. The employees are loath to accept change that starts at the top of the managerial hierarchy. A value is a value only if voluntarily chosen. We cannot force others to learn. Since it is really the individuals that comprise a learning organization, there is no substitute for a personal desire to learn. Decisions made by managers can also have the effect of paradoxically moving an organization backwards. Downsizing can lead to increased competitiveness, which is a hindrance to productivity. Competitiveness can also undermine collaborative efforts and thereby affect a company’s economic prosperity. Senge defines three leadership types that he says are essential to building a learning organization: 1. Local line leaders. These are leaders who undertake meaningful experiments to test whether new learning capabilities actually lead to improved business results. 2. Executive leaders. They provide support for line leaders,...