The topic can be proposed by the writer Movie Review - 1

The topic can be proposed by the writer - Movie Review Example Told from the stories and recollections of the people who experienced the revolution, the film depicts the tragic turn of events from an initial noble intention to create an equal society, to the creation of a starving and perishing society, through the introduction of the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward initiatives (Williams, n.p.). These reforms caused the starvation of the majority of the Chinese rural population at the time, resulting to the death of approximately 30 million people. The brutality with which the processes of collective agriculture and rural industrialization were introduced, further served to disorient the already capitalist tendencies of the traditional Chinese population, while resulting in the dispossession of lands and property for the initial landowners. In this respect, the Chinese revolution in the periods spanning 1949-1962 served to create more poverty for the country and its people. This necessitated a change of strategy towards partial acceptance of some concepts of capitalism, which saw the Chinese economy start recovering from the initial depression brought about by the revolution (Williams, n.p.). Nevertheless, the most notable transformation of the period 1949-1976 in China is the transformed gender role for women. It is during this period that the undermined rights of women both domestically and politically started being recognized, with women gaining full political democratic rights. Additionally, the foreign policy of China, especially regarding its relations with the USA and the rest of the capitalist western world was shaped (Williams, n.p.). Thus, the Chinese involvement in the Korean War was as a result of forging its new identity as a communist nation that was opposed to the capitalist intrusion of its neighbors. Thus, the negative implications of the Mao Years revolution have been effectively demonstrated in the film. The film has

Museum 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Museum 2 - Essay Example At a glance, one is not able to make out what the painting represents (â€Å"Clyfford Still Museum†). The PH-61 is a representation of several conservative issues and interpretation challenges (â€Å"Clyfford Still Museum†). The issues include the reflection found on the surface, the painting’s chemical change and its cracking. When the â€Å"conserve a painting† interaction is used, it changes the various treatment choices made. The painting challenges people to look beyond a glance. It catches an individual’s attention and makes one spend quality time looking at the painting. I think that the blue part looks like a creature raising its head and hands up. The red part may be blood. I liked the painting because it catches one’s attention. It makes one spend time there just trying to figure out what it is. The most amazing thing is that different people interpret it differently. To me it looks like an animal but to other people it looks like a mountain or something else and it makes a good topic for debate among peers on a boring

The Murray Darling Basin: An Analysis

The Murray Darling Basin: An Analysis The Murray-Darling Basin covers 1,061,469 square kilometres or approximately one-seventh (14%) of the total area of Australia. The Three longest rivers in Australia the (Darling River, the Murray river, The Murrumbidgee river) all run through the Murray-Darling Basin. The Murray Darling Basin is home to the most diverse ecosystem in Australia. It has at least 35 endangered species of birds, 16 species of endangered mammals and over 35 different native fish species. Unfortunately 20 species of mammals have already become extinct. It supports hydroelectricity, irrigation, domestic, industrial, recreational and leisure activities. It also produces over 40% of all Australian yield which is used in domestic and overseas markets. The aim of this report is to look at the three main issues regarding the Murray Darling Basin; the water quality, Droughts and Flood in the river and Blue-Green Algae. This report reflects on some of the effects these issues are having on the Murray Darling Basin. The final section of this report will make some recommendations to solve these problem. These issues are effecting the health of the Murray River and are damaging it as we speak. Current precautions and programs have not been able to arrest environmental damage. Blue Green Algae Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria known as Cyanobacteria. Blue-green algae are a natural part of the freshwater environment. In favourable conditions they reproduce at very high rates to form blooms which are explosions in growth that dominate the aquatic environment, forming scums that can be toxic. Blue-Green algae interfere with other uses of the water and can affect human health and have far-reaching consequences for the environment and the economy. Algae need stable water columns, Nutrients and sunlight to bloom. If these factors all combine together and then persist for a few days, blue-green algae cells will accumulate in the surface layer of the water body and if the conditions persist for several days or more, the cells can multiply to dramatic numbers eventually forming a bloom. They need little or no flow, calm weather with little or no wind and hot sunny days; these factors allow the water column to stratify, which is where a layer of warm surface water remains unmixed with the cooler, deeper water. Stratification can also result from differing densities through the water column, where saltier, denser water at the bottom remains unmixed with the fresher surface water above. There are many Dams built along the Murray-Darling Basin which restrict the flow of the river (little or no flow). As we are one of the hottest nations in the world it is natural to have hot weather. European farming have removed 15 billion trees. They: Influence water quality by initiating undesirable tastes and odours Discolouration and unattractive scums. Are toxic with some species producing toxins Can cause liver damage, stomach upsets and disorders of the nervous system in humans. Contact with high centralizations of blue-green growth can result in skin and eye aggravations. Although: Each State has extensive monitoring arrangements to detect and measure algae comprehensive emergency plans for dealing with algal blooms detailed arrangements for alerting the public about health risks Water supply authorities have advanced treatment techniques to remove dissolved toxins. The problem of Algae is still a big threat to the basin and it is increasing. I advise the construction of more sewage treatment plants along the Murray-Darling Basin. Instead of dumping the sewage straight into the Basin it would be wise to treat the water before dumping the water into the Basin or we could re-use the water after it is treated. I will also like to recommend to increase the flow of the river. A big machine similar to a blender be planed inside the basin which would blend the water in the river preventing Algae to bloom. If such technology is not available then maybe the government would consider to fund engineers to come up with a device/machine like described above or even better. Changes in Drought and Flood patterns Drought and flood are a natural phenomenon in the Murray–Darling Basin. Throughout wet years, the streams of the Basin will overflow into floodplains. However during times of drought the rivers become strings of disconnected waterholes along the course of the riverbed. On average, the natural flow into the Basin is around 33,000 GL per year but this varies greatly from year to year. Human uses of water has highly regulated the system with many structures such as dams, locks and weirs resulting in increasing impact on both drought and flood. After almost a decade of drought, a return to wetter conditions throughout the Basin in 2010 led to widespread flooding. This resulted in the inundation of many floodplains and refilling of the Basins water storages. The basins total water storage increased from 32% to 81% during 2010-11. It enabled numerous species to recover from the impacts of a long dry season. Climate change studies predict that the climate of the Murray–Darling Basin is likely to become drier in the future, due to the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Many places along the basin suffer the worst from drought as they are in risk of not obtaining enough drinking water to support its population let alone its farmers. There is a projected impact of a 10% reduction in the average surface water availability across the whole Basin in 2030. Total losses caused by the severe 1982-1983 drought, for example, were estimated by the Australian Government to exceed $3 billion. The long-term health of the whole system is currently in danger. It has also been discovered that 4% of water that Australia gets from rainfall reaches the sea from the basin. Operation of the River Murray system is based primarily upon the control and management of the four main storages: Dartmouth Reservoir Hume Dam Menindee lakes storage scheme Lake Victoria In times of drought water is used from the dam’s storage for all activities. They provide safety to towns and cities from the tolls of flood and it will take a lot of time and money to recover. The government of Australia provides drought packages to support our farmers in major water crisis. Many areas in Australia have water restrictions to help conserve water for future use. Some areas also usewater recycling,desalinationplants and dig bores into the ground to get more water for their residents like that in Western Australia which was the first state to tap the ocean as a source of public drinking water produces 130 million litres of freshwater a day. I would like to recommend large scale constructions of desalination plants along coastal areas, it will help Australia to meet the demands of the increasing population of Australia at present and in the future; and to cope through major droughts. I would also like to recommend construction of dams in Queensland as they receive the most rainfall, but the water is not trapped and is hence wasted. Instead of using the rain water, they take water from the Basin to support their needs. The water can be used for all purposes. I would recommend the construction of more water storage facilities in drier parts of the county like Adelaide. It would also be wise for the government to stop the 4% of water obtained by rain from reaching the sea. Water Quality Salinity means the amount of salt content in soil or water. European farming practices replaced native vegetation with crops and pasture. As a result, the plants designed to deal with salinity issues were removed. This resulted in the increasing of salinity problem. It affects ecosystem health, reduce drinking quality and cause economic loss in agriculture. It affects native vegetation, crops, pasture, wetlands and river systems; it destroys native habitat and decreases biodiversity. With current practices there are no signs that the process of salinisation will slow down or be reversed within the foreseeable future. The quality of the Murray darling basin can also trigger algal growth. Matter disposed in the water carries nutrients which reduce the penetration of light which affects aquatic plants and animals. Lower water temperatures due to the release of water from deeper layers held in dams during summer can damage downstream ecological systems. Higher temperatures resulting from lack of flow from clearing of vegetation may worsen algal blooms. The water has low levels of dissolved oxygen because floodplains are flushed with organic matter which discolour the river water and make it appear blackish. The blackish water can sometimes become very low in dissolved oxygen resulting in the harm of aquatic plants and animals. Although these events can have a positive impact on the environment as they put nutrients back into the system which promotes the growth of many aquatic organisms. Although, there have been actions taken to solve these issues: The setting up of salt interceptions schemes throughout the Basin has helped to alleviate the problem of salinity. Toxins produced by Algae and other harmful particles are filtered and the water is purified before it is supplied to places. Many nutrients are put back into the water to promote the growth of many aquatic organisms. The government of Australia funds many water cleaning programs like: The Australian Government has signed an agreement with the Australian Capital Territory that will see up to $85 million of Australian Government funds available to help clean up Canberra’s lakes and waterways. Have not had a very significant effect on the issues. The government of Australia funds many water cleaning programs like: The Australian Government has signed an agreement with the Australian Capital Territory that will see up to $85 million of Australian Government funds available to help clean up Canberra’s lakes and waterways. I would also recommend the government to encourage farmers to practise water efficient farming and use pants that have roots which go deep into the earth to get their nutrients. The government should plant trees or bushed which remove salt from the water and soil like the salt bush. If current water problems continue Adelaide will run out of healthy drinking water by 2020. The government of Australia should also consider the introduction of strict laws and heavy penalties for dumping waste into the basin. Conclusion The issues of the Murray darling basin are increasing. Ninety percent of Adelaide’s population is dependent on the basin for their drinking water. Most of these issues were not an issue in the early 18-19 century. Everything was natural and all issues had a solution, but increase in human activities have made these issues big. If nothing is done about these issues, Australia will have a very tough time surviving. These issues are increasing even with the current actions being taken, because of the increasing population, activities and demand of Australia. Australia is growing vastly every day; new towns are being constructed, people are migrating, increase in mining and increase in farming. Australia needs water to support all these activities. If current conditions continue Australia will not be able to produce enough food and water to support its population let alone export anything. The agriculture industry consistently accounted for around 20 per cent of manufacturing sale s and service income and in 2009–10($24.3 billion) it provided jobs for 226,750 Australians. The economy of Australia will crash and it will have to import even the basic of foods. The ecosystem will not be able to recover and eventually Australia will run out of water. It has also been predicted that in the future there will be many wars for the sole purpose of obtaining water. Many advices included in this report will help solve other inter related issues, e.g. Construction of de-salination plant will help improve the water quality and to cope through major drought as well as Algae. The Australian government should consider the advices included in this report as they will help improve the health of the basin and ensure that Australia will have enough water in the future to support its increasing population. Bibliography

The Downfall of Macbeth Essay -- Macbeth essays William Shakespeare Pa

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, is the tragic tale of   Macbeth, a virtuous man, corrupted by power and greed. This tragedy can be classified by one of two theories. One theory suggests that the tragic hero, Macbeth, is led down an unescapable road of doom by an outside force; namely the three witches. The second suggests that there is no supernatural force working against Macbeth, which therefore makes him responsible for his own actions and inevitable downfall. Macbeth is indeed responsible for his own actions which are provoked by Lady Macbeth, the witches,   his ambition, and an unwillingness to listen to his own conscience. These forces had no direct control over his actions but simply pointed out different paths for him to follow. Ultimately, Macbeth chose the path of darkness.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout   the entire play Macbeth ignores the voice of his own conscience. He knows what he is doing is wrong even before he murders Duncan. His own conscience is nagging at him but he allows Lady Macbeth and greed to cloud his judgement. In referring to the idea of the murder of Duncan, Macbeth first states,"We will proceed no further in this business"(I, vii, 32). Yet, after speaking with Lady Macbeth he recants and proclaims, "I am settled, and bend up /Each corporal agent to this terrible feat"(I, vii, 79-80). He allows himself to be swayed by the woman he loves. Lady Macbeth gave him an ultimatum and provoked him by saying:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When you durst do it, then you were a man;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And to be more than what you were, you would   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Be so much more the man..... (I, vii, 49-51)    She provokes him ... ...cally cause an increase in his desires. He willingly committed the crimes to fulfil his ambitions; not because of a spell cast by the witches.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While purposely played in a mysterious setting, the location is not meant to cloud the true theme of the play with the supernatural. Macbeth simply succumbs to natural urges and his own ambitions which lead him to a fate of his own making. The provocations of   Lady Macbeth, the witches, his ambition and his reluctance to listen to his conscience were the deciding factors in his life. He was not supernaturally controlled by the black magic of the witches nor was he purposefully led down a path of destruction. He was fully aware of the consequences of   all the decisions he made.   Everyone has character flaws that they must live with; Macbeth simply allowed those flaws to destroy him.

Do Parents Matter

Within today’s society and the way the family is portrayed within the media, the family life has changed considerably. The family setup and how parents now discipline their children and their skills to do so, have come under attack. With the increase of children committing crimes and anti social behaviour orders being handed out like sweets its seems that almost everyone is looking for someone to blame for the up rise in bad behaviour with the children of our country. There has been blame pointed at the lack of discipline given out by the courts, the television and media, how family’s are structured in today’s society’ compared to years ago and the majority of blame lies with the parents. This essay will look at â€Å"Do parents matter† as this is a huge issue and has vast implications I am going to look at the issue of Divorce. I will be looking at the theories of attachment and separation and how children who are involved with divorce cope and if the issue of gender, culture or ethnicity differs ahead to the outcome of â€Å"Do Parents Matter† The government’s reports that roughly 50% of all marriages in today’s society fail, reasons for the failure include poor communication or lack of communication, financial issues and even the circumstances of the marriage all contribute to the ending of what once seemed the perfect relationship. Within these failed marriages are children, confused and unsure of what the future holds for them. Unsure of how to deal with the split, having to choose which parent to leave behind and which parent to stay at residence with, decisions like these can cause trauma within certain children, thus the question is raised â€Å"Do parents matter? † According to John Bowlby, Attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care, and pleasure. John Bowlby devoted extensive research to the concept of attachment, describing it as a â€Å"lasting psychological connectedness between human beings† Bowlby shared the psychoanalytic view that early experiences in childhood have an important influence on development and behaviour later in life. Our early attachment styles are established in childhood through the infant/caregiver relationship. In addition to this, Bowlby believed that attachment had an evolutionary component, it aids in survival. The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals is a basic component of human nature† (Bowlby, 1988) Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment: Proximity Maintenance – The desire to be near the people we are attached to. Safe Haven – Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a fear or threat. Secure Base – The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment. Separation Distress – Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure. With James Robertson he identified three stages of separation response amongst children, Protest to the mother figure for re-attachment (related to separation anxiety) Despair and pain at the loss of the mother figure despite repeated protests for re-establishment for relationship. (related to grief and mourning), and Detachment or denial of affection to the mother-figure. (related to defence). These phases are universally seen in children who go through separation, either by loss of parent/s due to death, divorce or through boarding school. Bowlby identified that infants need one special relationship for internal development. No variables have more far-reaching effects on personality development than a child's experiences within the family. Starting during his first months in his relation to both parents, he builds up working models of how attachment figures are likely to behave towards him in any of a variety of situations, and on all those models are based all his expectations, and therefore all his plans, for the rest of his life. † (J. Bowlby, Attachment and Loss (1973, p. 369)) Children’s parents, who separate in the younger years of the child, are more likely to suffer under Bowlby’s theory, due to the absent of the early attachment bond. Bowlby in 1951 produced a report which argued that infants form a special relationship with their mother which is different from any relationship which they form with any other kind of person. Attachment is formed with the mother within the first six months of life and if the attachment or bond is broken either by death or separation the child would suffer considerable consequences. Although the attachment to either parent is still a considerable one, Bowlby’s work looks at the mother in particular or a significant caregiver. Bowlby theory of separation has great strengths within the family structure, it explains how early attachment is essential for a stable life span of the child. â€Å"The Nature of the Child’s Tie to His Mother† (1958), â€Å"Separation Anxiety† (1959), and â€Å"Grief and Mourning in Infancy and Early Childhood† (1960) are Bowlby’s first formal statements of attachment theory, building on concepts from ethology and developmental psychology. Bowlby theories of attachment are followed closely by Byng-Hall and Mary Ainsworth. Byng-Hall suggests that the family contributes to attachment by providing a secure family base. He’s definition of secure base is â€Å"a family that provides a reliable and readily available network of attachment relationships, and appropriate caregivers, from which all members of the family are able to feel sufficiently secure to explore their potential†. Byng-Hall suggests that there are two factors associated with a secure family base. First, he suggests that there is a shared awareness that attachment relationships are important and care for others is a priority in the family. Second, he contends that family members should support one another in providing care for each other. The weakness factors that undermine a secure base in families include fear of losing an attachment figure or actual loss of an attachment figure. A child clings to one caregiver and rejects relationships with other caregivers. Byng-Hall refers to this as â€Å"capturing† an attachment figure. Turning to an inappropriate attachment figure (i. e. , if one parent is not supporting the other parent, a child may be used as an attachment figure). Conflict within relationships particularly abusive relationships. Negative self-fulfilling prophecies, there is an expectation that losses from other generations will be repeated. Mary Ainsworth â€Å"Strange Situation Procedure† study confirms the theory of Bowlby and investigates how a child makes an attachment to its mother or main caregiver. Ainsworth's research revealed key individual differences among children, demonstrated by the child's reaction to the mother's return. Ainsworth categorised these responses into three major types. Anxious/avoidant—the child may not be distressed at the mother's departure and may avoid or turn away from her on her return. Securely attached—the child is distressed by the mother's departure and easily soothed by her on her return. Anxious/resistant—the child may stay extremely close to the mother during the first few minutes and become highly distressed at her departure. When she returns, the child will simultaneously seek both comfort and distance from the mother. The child's behaviour will be characterised by crying and reaching to be held and then attempting to leave once picked up. Using the Strange Situation procedure, many researchers have studied the development of child attachment to the mother and significant caregiver. However, the weaknesses show there continues to be much debate about the origins of the child's reaction in the Strange Situation, and about what factors influence the development of an infant's attachment relationships. The attachment and separation theory is apparent when Divorce occurs within the family home. Children involved show emotional upset to a parent that leaves the residential home, thus causing a disturbance to the dynamics of the family structure. Behaviour of children is displayed in a number of formats from acceptance to the extreme of being issued an anti social behaviour order. The development of a child is determined by the nature of the environment and the nurture that has been given. The different stages of attachment are related to the age of the child, thus gender, culture, ethnicity and socio-economic status are not considered, however all of these areas do influence the situation considerably. Children are known to favour one parent more so than another, Divorce within a white European family compared to a black West Indian family can have extreme differences. Due to culture beliefs’ and family pressures. West Indian and Asian family divorce rates are far lower than the European statistics. Ethnicity of a family also influences the up bringing of a child and how the parents are treated and perceived. Bowlby theory states that the mother or main caregiver is needed for a stable upbringing. Younger children in particular have a hard time dealing with the changes that are occurring at this time. A child’s reaction to this depends upon their age and their ability to comprehend what is happening. Consistency is very import to younger children and the trauma of their parents separating is extremely difficult for them to handle. The loss of routine, the change in daily habits and the loss of friend’s school and other familiar patterns is especially difficult. When a father is excluded from the family home, reports show that the majority of crime and anti social behaviour are committed from one parent families, studies of young criminals show that over 70% of juveniles imprisoned come from fatherless homes, once the influence of a strong male character disappears the child reacts in a negative manner, acting up, causing a disturbance are some of the symptoms a child goes through. It appears that father absence may have different effects on boys and girls. Boys tend to experience more academic and social disruption when fathers are not present in the household. Father absence challenges girl’s emotional stability but does not seem to undermine their school performance. A boy who lives alone with his mother does not have a male role model in the home to teach him how to shave or kick a football or ask a girl out for a date, all of these things are extremely important to our social integration. Children who grow up without fathers in the home seem to have more likelihood to experience, drug and alcohol abuse, poverty, lack of opportunity to succeed, sex at an early age, pregnancy, behaviour problems, crime involvement, dropouts from school. These experiences are more likely to occur during adolescence because changes are happening so fast in this age group. Much supervision is needed at this time and is hard to enforce without a dad in the house, especially with teenage boys. As teens enter these years they tend to be closer to the same sex parent and look in that direction for guidance. Girls are stressed and likely to be depressed having no father in the home. â€Å"Stepmothers are found to have more problematic relationship with stepchildren; while children, particularly girls, also experience higher stress when they are living with their stepmothers. (Jacobson, 1987 in Visher ; Visher, 1993). Visher ; Visher (1979) suggested that teenage daughters identify strongly with their mothers and resent any woman who replaces their mother for the father's affection. Teenage daughters also exhibit much competitiveness with their stepmothers for their father's affection. These findings suggested that there are strong situational dynamics at work that create special relationship problems for stepmother families. Difficulty between the children's mother and stepmother has also been mentioned as a possible contribution to the greater stress in stepmother families. (Visher & Visher 1988)† Boys are more likely to act out and become discipline problems which upsets the mother. They try to take over the role of the dominant male in the household. Girls show their longing for a father figure by getting â€Å"boy-crazy† and can tend to end up with men who treat them badly. Girls need a father to demonstrate how a man acts in a family relationship. It seems that girls who have to guess pick the wrong boys and men. † Biblarz and Raftery (1999) show that mother-absence is much more detrimental than father-absence to children's educational and occupational attainment. They find that once parents' socioeconomic status is taken into account, children raised by single mothers are much better off than children raised by single fathers or fathers and stepmothers, and are just as likely to succeed as children raised by both birth parents. Biblarz and Raftery conclude that the pattern of effects across family types and over time is consistent with an evolutionary perspective which emphasizes the importance of the birth mother in the provision of children's resources (Trivers 1972). According to this view, children raised by their birth mothers do better than children raised apart from their birth mothers. Furthermore, being raised by a single birth mother is better than being raised by a birth mother and step-father since step-fathers compete with children for mother's time and lower maternal investment. Dealing with children who suffer from the separation of a loved parent is difficult. Social Services and Social Workers have to treat and understand the child’s needs in relation to its personal case. The Children’s Act 2004 assists with the legal framework and legislation of needs but it is that of a Social Worker and their ability and knowledge that assists with the emotional needs of the children, thus enabling them to deal with the separation to the best of their ability and co-ordinate any addition services that may be required. Behaviour, socialisation skills, and how we treat other people are pronominally learnt through our parents. It is the nurture of a parent that encourages a child to develop into a citizen that society requires and needs. It is fully reported that Divorce causes catastrophic effects on certain children; I believe that this is true due to non communication from the parents involved, what, how and the effects the children experienced are due to how the situation was tackled. Parents have an integral position in children’s lives whether they own biological offspring or offspring obtained via a separation or new relationship. Children from a Divorced separated family background are more likely to experience difficulties later on into adult life, male children having anger related issues, female children having trust and insecurity problems all transpiring from the divorce of the parents. These extremely worrying issues can be overcome with the communication, knowledge and experience of the parents in educating their children and showing a positive influence in their lives, with the theory of Bowlby and Ainsworth, I would like to conclude that in my opinion, yes parents do matter. References http://www.litnotes.co.uk/mass_media.htm http://www.sociology.emory.edu/tdowd/SOC769rsyllabus.htm http://www.psychology.sunysb.edu/attachment/online/inge_origins.pdf

European Gothic Sculpture

â€Å"Name and discuss in detail two Gothic sculptures making references to the period in which they were produced, them, composition and style. Discuss briefly the role of a sculpture in a named Cathedral from the Gothic Period. † The word â€Å"Gothic† was given to the style of architecture that evolved between 1150 and 1499 in Europe. It was invented by the Renaissance historians and artists to express their negative attitude to an art they thought was barbaric. Gothic culture was urban based unlike Romanesque culture which was, for the most part, rural based.Cathedrals became retreat centers for education and political power during the Gothic period. Initially, it was slow to spread throughout Europe but it lasted for a long time. The Gothic style evolved through three distinct phases; The early or Archaic phase which retained a lot of Romanesque features such as heaviness and solidity, the middle phase which captured Gothic features and characteristics in perfect h armony and the Flamboyant phase where the features were wholly gothic and the cathedrals were mainly skeletal structures made mainly with glass.The sculptures I will discuss from the Gothic period are the Well of Moses and the tomb of Philip the Bold, both sculpted by Claus Cluster. The hexagonal â€Å"Well Of Moses†, which is now lacking the crucifixion scene it originally possessed, presents six life-sized prophets holding books, scrolls or both. The theme is that o sadness and deeper as the hexagonal base is surrounded by the figures of the six prophets who had foreseen the death of Christ on the Cross. Standing on slender colonnades on the corners between these prophets are six weeping angels.The figures, beginning with Moses, continue anti-clockwise around n subculture to David, Jeremiah, Escherichia, Daniel vigorously points to his prophecy. On the other side of Daniel, serving to balance Daniels passionate temperament, is the calm and reflective, Isaiah. This Juxtaposi tion defines Cluster's use of alternating naturalistic balances. The head and torso fragment of Christ from the Calvary reveals a power and intensity of retained expression that conveys overwhelming grandeur.Christ is portrayed as suffering and being resigned, this is epitomizes by the fact that his brow is knitted, though the lower part of his face, narrow and emancipated, is alma and free of stress. In my opinion, Moses is the most accomplished figure in this sculpture as the detail in his beard is outstanding on Cluster's behalf. He is depicted as powerful being as a result of the barely noticeable pair of horns on his forehead. The detail in his face has also been beautifully executed.The figures of the composition dominate the architectural framework but also reinforce the feeling of support that the structure provides through the figures' largeness of movement. It is unfortunate that this sculpture was damaged by weathering as a result of being coated outside and then again da maged in the 17th Century during the French Revolution as it is an extraordinary piece of work. The Tomb of Philip the Bold is located at the Dijon Cathedral in France. It was made by Claus Cluster and Claus De Were, Cluster's nephew, and commissioned by Jean De Marvel.It is an example of Cluster's latest preserved work. Jean De Marvel was only responsible for the arcaded gallery below the slab of black marble from Dianna. The theme of this sculpture is one of sorrow and death as it was created to hold the body of Duke Philip when he died. The tomb itself was not ready when Duke Philip died in 1404 and it was rather the Duke's son, Duke John the Fearless, who resides in it today. There are forty figures, each about 41 CM, that make up the mourning procession. These were either designed or executed by Cluster himself.Not all of these figures are still with the tomb, however. Three are lost, three are in the Cleveland Museum of Art and one is in a French Private Collection. These figu res are all unique as although Cluster did not invent the mourning procession, nor did he like it, he conceived some of the figures as weepers, of whom no two are alike. Some openly express sorrow while other contain their grief. However all are wrapped in heavy wool, draping garments that occasionally veil a bowed head and face to convey a hidden mourning.The style is wholly gothic and intricate as the folds in the garments of the mourners are meticulously sculpted and one could mistake them easily for being real. One of the few structures to survive the Gothic period was that of Chartres Cathedral and the Royal Portal which was integrated into the design of the Cathedral after the fire in 1194. This portal which was begun in about 1150 gives us an idea of the imagery and he technical aspects of Gothic portals which were partially inherited from Romanesque portals.The theme is a brief summing up of the CHristian doctrine of the time and it illustrates the links between the New and Old Testaments. On the jambs are he prophets and the forerunners of Christ and on the tympanums from the left to the right are depicted as the Ascension, CHrist of the Apocalypse and the Mystery of Incarnation. The harmonious appearance of the facade results from the relative proportions of the central and lateral portals, whose widths are 10:7. Although the upper parts of the portal are treated separately, two sculptural elements run horizontally across the facade, uniting its different parts.The most obvious of these are the Jamb statues attached to the columns flanking the doorways which consist of tall, slender standing figures of kings and queens from which some think the Royal Portal got its name. Some believe these figures are the past monarchs of France and others believe they are monarchs from the Old Testament. Some also believe that the term ‘Royal Portal' refers to the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven. The tympanum on the left portal shows Christ standing on a cloud, supported by two angels.Some see this as a depiction of the Ascension of Christ while others see it as representing the Second Coming of Christ. There are angels in the upper lintel, descending from a cloud and apparently shouting to those below. The archivists on this tympanum contain the signs of the zodiac and the labors of the months. These aspects can be seen in many different gothic portals. In the centre of the tympanum Christ is depicted as being surrounded by four symbols of the evangelists. The lintels also show the Twelve Apostles while the archivists show the twenty-four Elder of the Apocalypse.Less obvious than the Jamb statues but far more intricately carved is the image that stretches all across the fade in the sculpted capitals on top of the Jamb columns. Carved into these capitals is a very lengthy narrative depicting the life of the Virgin and the life and Passion of Christ. As we can see, this Royal Portal on the West of CHartres Cathedral is one of the more impr essive structures from the Gothic period. In conclusion, it can be clearly seen here that the sculptures from the Gothic centuries were of grandeur quality and the artwork that was executed in this time is truly amazing.