Analysis Of Of Mice And Men - 2046 Words

‘Prejudice is a burden than confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible’. This quote from the famous activist ‘Maya Angelou’ presents us with the unbelievable truth of human history. Prejudice can alter us for the better, encourage us, creates us as a person, to be strong, we can’t change it, and it makes us who we are. Prejudice; when a person outcasts someone before knowing the facts. Reasons can be due to a certain trait, characteristic, ethnic background etc. This includes racism, sexism, and ageism to name but a few. I am exploring the issue of prejudice, in three different texts ‘Of Mice and Men’, ‘Half Caste’ and ‘Still I Rise’. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is a novel published in 1937 by John Steinbeck, set in the 1920’s. It follows George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression. Next, ‘Half Caste’; a poem written by John Agard, an Englishmen with Jamaican origin, published in 2004. He explores the issue of the racist term ‘Half Caste’ and how the situation on racism in society. Lastly, ‘Still I Rise’ also a poem, but written by ‘Maya Angelou’, published in 1978. This world famous activist explores the racism and sexism towards black women. She also explores how these terms won’t weaken people but strengthen them. These texts all cover the issues of racism, as well as sexism. Prejudice is an opposing force in society which historyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men1132 Words   |  5 PagesMax Nesins Mrs. Thompson HSE 1; Period 3 November 3, 2015 Analysis of Of Mice and Men. During the 1930’s Great Depression, author, John Steinbeck (1902-1968) wrote many books regarding the difficulties and tragedies that struck farmers who strived to make a living in a rural, and destitute California. One intriguing novel that exhibits his common themes is Of Mice and Men. People similar to Lennie, strive to achieve their dream in America, the land of unlimited potential, despite the depressionRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men996 Words   |  4 PagesCritical Analysis on â€Å"Of Mice and Men† In 1992 Gary Sinise directed the tragic film â€Å"Of Mice and Men.† The story is about George Milton and Lennie Small, two friends who travel together in search of work. Though Lennie is very calm and harmless he isn’t very smart and is unaware of his strength, which leads him into trouble. A New York Times article describes him this way; â€Å"Lennie is a gentle giant of a man with the mental capacities of an 8-year-old. He loves to fondle soft things, like mice, puppiesRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men 1687 Words   |  7 PagesWalt Disney once said that â€Å"all of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.† The concept of dreams and aspirations are what connects the two seemingly different Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun. Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, portrays a story of two poor farm hands living in California, one of which is handicap. This pair, despite all efforts, fail to accomplish this dream, showing a very anti-american dream aspect of this novel. On the other hand, A RaisinRead MoreAn Analysis Of A Of A Mice And Men 1576 Words   |  7 PagesCharacters who are different from society are marginalized. In the book Of a Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Lennie Small and, Curley’s wife are marginalized throughout the book. Lennie Small is a strong and kind man who suffers from a mild mental disability. Curley’s wife, is young woman who isn’t given a specific name throughout the book. She is the only woman on her husband s ranch. Because she’s the only woman in the ranch, the only people she has to talk to is her husband, and the ranch workersRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men 971 Words   |  4 PagesJarrod Homer 9th 2015 Of Mice and Men Summer Reading The novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck tells the story of two unexpected friends traveling together in California. The two are quite different from each other, Lennie is brawn but not bright whereas, George is smaller and more of a thinker. Although near opposites of each other, these two have held a strongRead MoreAnalysis Of Mice And Men 1390 Words   |  6 Pagesdespondent characters who are sick of their provincial lives. Loneliness is the feeling of isolation and no hope or dreams in your life-which is what Steinbeck achieves by portraying this theme effectively through key fictional characters in Of Mice and Men. By living in the town of ‘Soledad’ (Spanish for loneliness), the audience gets an overwhelming sense of the depressing environment that the migrant farmers are living through by their repetitive lifestyle and the consequences they face throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men Essay1053 Words   |  5 PagesRachel Pavelka Quarter 1 Book Report English 9 10/12/16 Of Mice and Men Written by~ John Steinbeck Report written by ~ Rachel Pavelka The book I am reporting on is Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The setting of the story is in Salinas Valley in Soledad California. The book was set around the 1930’s during The Great Depression. The historical context of the book shows how agriculture affected the Great Depression. During this time the nation’s grain was harvested more and more by machinesRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men773 Words   |  4 PagesThere are three major and outstanding themes in Of Mice and Men, they consist of, strength and weakness, hopes and dreams, and my personal favorite, friendship and loneliness. There are so many examples of this theme throughout the story. â€Å"They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shouldersRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men 903 Words   |  4 PagesThe character in Of Mice and Men that is most similar to Tom Buchanan in The Great Gatsby is Curley. Curley and Tom Buchanan have many similarities throughout both books. These shared chara cteristics stem from one thing both men have an abundance of: privilege. Curley and Tom are easily two characters with the least amount of struggle in The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men. Inheritance of power is prevalent in both Tom and Curley’s lives. Tom lives in East Egg, known for â€Å"old money† and highRead MoreAnalysis Of Of Mice And Men 1099 Words   |  5 Pagesimportantly, one who can always be there for you no matter what happens. The relationship between the intelligent and feeble George Milton and the imbecile, but vigorous Lennie Small is displayed as the main objective in Steinbeck s novel, Of Mice and Men. The description among these two characters is a form of juxtaposition because the two characters vary in several ways. The author’s intention of using this technique points out the differences between characters and how their personalities counteract

Hamlet, By William Shakespeare - 1219 Words

In Shakespeare’s classic play Hamlet, there are certainly a host of contrasting and influential characters that come together to naturally unfold the surprising events that make up the story. One such character is Ophelia, who spices up the play quite a bit. One of the main components, aside from her unrequited love of Prince Hamlet and her spying on him on behalf of her father and brother, that allows her to be such a central character is her madness, which leads up to her death. Not everyone agrees on the subject of Ophelia’s madness, especially if it was real or feigned and if it’s actual cause. In my opinion, Ophelia was driven to genuine madness out of grief and confusion. Ophelia’s biggest downfall was the fact that she fell in love†¦show more content†¦When Laertes and Polonius tell her that Hamlet is only using her for sex and that she needs to wait for the proper husband that they choose for her and stay a virgin until she becomes a wife, she doesn’t know whether to believe them or go with her heart. Hamlet doesn’t make it any easier on the poor girl (or the audience) to decipher his true feelings. One moment he tells her that he loves her ­Ã‚ ­the next he is insulting her and assuring her that he never did love her. This is enough to make any woman go insane. After all, Ophelia was quite honestly dazed and confused about the entire situation and didn’t know who she was supposed to trust and believe. There is speculation that Ophelia may have been pregnant with Hamlet’s child. If this is true, it gives even more reason for Ophelia to have been confused and mad. â€Å"Get thee to a nunn ry, why woulds t thou be a breeder of sinners?† (Hamlet to Ophelia, Act III Scene I, 121). In this famous scene, Hamlet tells Ophelia that he never loved her and that she should be sent to a brothel. He also goes on to declare that breeding would be stupid, because bringing children into the evil world they lived in would be selfish. This has led people to believe that Hamlet got Ophelia pregnant and then convinced her to get an abortion. Losing a child is, of course, a painful and emotionally scarring experience for any woman, so it would make perfect sense for that to

World Bank free essay sample

And then, critics argue the bank’s members are unaccountable. â€Å"In April 2010, Management presented a set of operational and institutional reforms aimed to enhance the overall effectiveness, efficiency, legitimacy, and accountability of the WBG† (WB, 2010). Some of these reform areas have direct implications on the governance of the institution, from the perspective of Board / Management relations, institutional accountability, and relations with external stakeholders. AS a result the Bank uses the methods to solve the current problems, such as reforming the voting system and presidential selection and makes the bank’s accountability. B. Governance: â€Å"Since the World Bank was established over 60 years ago, its role in supporting economic and social development has expanded and deepened with changes in the global context and the evolution in the financial architecture†(Jeff, 2007). The focus on strengthening internal governance systems and structures is driven by external and internal forces. There is little of bank basic structure has been altered, even though the World Bank’s members have been changed considerably. We will write a custom essay sample on World Bank or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The main problem of the World Bank’s governance is that developing country has weak link with bank’s decision making process, because they do not have their own executive director. â€Å"The World Bank’s internal governance mechanisms reflect the political and power relation which dominated World Bank’s politics in the decades following World War II. The five large shareholders in the Bank is the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France which maintain more than two-thirds of the voting power, effectively ensuring that decision reflect the policy views of America and western Europe†(Leech, D. 2003)). Developing countries influence on the Board of Executive Directors is limited. â€Å"The remaining 16 Board seats are split among 177† (Leech, D. (2003), this has the consist with large number of individual countries. People suggest two ways: one is reforming current voting system, and another is selecting the bank’s pr esident. 1. Reforming voting system: Many people argue the bank’s current voting system. When the executive board makes decision about loan or other policies, voting is not based on one vote per country rule. Voting power is weighted and is based on a country’s quota†(Leech, D. (2003). Under the current quota, â€Å"each country has base of 150 votes, the country which has good economic can add votes, it means one additional vote for each share of stock held by that country, which depend on that country’s relative economic and financial strength†(Daniel Kalinaki, 2002). For example, United State is a large shareholder, and it holds 16. 4% votes (see table below). Member of the country that holds large shares has more power than the poor country during decision making process. Unfortunately, the developing countries need more loans, but they have the least amount of voting power to make loan decision. The quota system dictates that a handful of developed countries hold a majority of shares, these members are able to dominate the bank’s decision making process. Table: Voting Weights and Voting Powers in the Governors Member countries have suggested proposal for reforming the voting system to Increase representation of the borrowing countries. Double majority voting is one reform that may enhance developing countries’ participation. Under this system, decision would require to pass by two majorities that are majority of shareholder votes and majority of developing countries votes†(World Bank Group, 2003). This would give developing countries more opportunities to say what they want to say, because decision would not pass without support with a majority. And this system also allows the industrialized donor countries and the developing reci pient countries to assert their claims. 2. Selection of the World Bank President The selection of president is another argument relating to bank governance. The board of governors selects the president for a five year, renewable term†( Jeff powell, 2007). According the bank’s Article of Agreement state: â€Å"Executive Directors shall select a president who shall be chief of operating staff of the bank and shall conduct, under the direction of the Executive Directors, the ordinary business of the bank†(World Bank Group, 2003), â€Å"the Board of Executive Directors selects the President, in practice the head of the Bank is selected by the United States while the head of the IMF is selected by Europe†( David Theis, 2010). This gentlemans agreement between the US and Europe reduces the legitimacy and credibility of the World Bank. No clear procedures exists for ensuring the qualifications of a candidate, nor does a process exist for other member states to review and question appointments. The World Bank President should be selected through an open and transparent process. Now, many people and the global expert and world bank employees disagree the way the president choice and argue that the selection process should be a democratic, not only focuses on one country. They think that United States is no longer valid to be president because the united state account for 16% of the world bank’s share now, it does not play a dominate role in world bank. It is also unfair that united state hold a monopoly over the World Bank’s leadership. Many people give the advice to the World Bank for changing in the selection process. The one way they support is selecting process should be open and based on merit. They believe that opening up the selection process will ensue among qualified candidates’ and it also like a competition, which help the World Bank to get qualify president. The way is simulate new voting system. The new president should pass double majority. This means the president should be approved by a majority of the member countries and group of countries representing majority. This gives everyone opportunity to select who is the best president. The World Bank responses the working group and makes suggestion for selection process. The working group advice (1) the selection should oversee cannot focus on single country. (2) They should have a specific standard for choose candidates. (3) Every country has opportunity to provide candidates†(Daniel Kalinaki. 2002). The most important is candidate that was selected should have more experience and qualifications, and the selection process should be open and transparent. C. Accountability Critics argue that the Bank is u naccountable to its members, because they have charter which is immunity from lawsuits. The bank’s charter grants the bank immunity to the extent that member countries or persons who can not sue the bank about it do not follow its police. And it is fail to make it more accountable. Therefore, many people advice that the bank need to improve their accountable. If the bank cannot show their accountable, the member countries cannot trust what the bank does. As a result, the bank develop many horizontal accountability mechanisms which including the operation evaluation department, the department of institutional integrity. 1. Transparency While the Banks internal governance structures minimize the ability for developing countries to engage, the lack of transparency in decision making reduces the effectiveness of external stakeholders to engage in Bank affairs. The lack of Board transcripts leaves stakeholders with no way of knowing where individual Executive Directors stood on issues. This reduces their ability to effectively advocate their position. â€Å"In 1933, the Bank restricted public access to almost every type of document that related to bank’s project. Consequently, people do not know bank’s lending operation, nd they do not know where their money is going†(Jeff powell, (2007) Public scrutiny harm the bank’s decision making and effect its deliberation, the reason why they do is they think that the bank does not have the rights to disclose the documents. It is borrowing country’s property. When the number of public scrutiny and criticism increase, the bank attempts to increa se its transparency. The bank has expanded the information that allows public to access. As we can see, the bank uses its website to show public what it is doing and publish more research to people. The website that bank published shows the thing it will do, and annual report and presentation. The bank starts to improve transparency policy and create operations manual, and this change make the bank is more accountable to their member countries. It also creates many mechanisms to enhance horizontal accountability, which means department can check the abuses by other department. 2. Dual Feedback Performance Dual feedback performance is an important part to improve governance structure and accountability framework of WBG (World Bank Group). The feedback system is agreed by the executive directors, and it will be a part of WBG’s governance and accountability with next presidential selection round. The main object of Dual feedback performance is creating a dynamic relationship between Board and Management to improve in governance and effectiveness of the Board and president. A Committee on Governance and Administrative Matters (COGAM) Working Group composed of Board and Management representatives was established to work on developing a framework for the dual feedback performance of the Board and President. COGAM discussed a report from the Board members of the Working Group and endorsed the report as a significant input to continued work on the framework, which would be taken up by a renewed, integrated Board-Management Working Group in the next term of the Board† (World Bank Group, 2003). Dual feedback Performance can help each other to measure their performance and it can cause the governance of the bank mo re reliable. Each of department monitor other’s action and the bank will be dependable, because everyone is under the control, and there is less collusion between the departments. The Board and president wish to begin with a structured conversation on their respective effectiveness, measure against the institutional achievement as captured by the corporate scorecard. Conclusion: To improve the World Bank internal governance and ensuring the consistent with Department for International Development’s own objective, reform must take place at The Bank to achieve transparence and responsibility. An improved policy on information discloses would foster transparency and enables stakeholders to hold the Bank and their representatives to account. Improved selection procedures for the President alongside more equitable control among member states on the Board of Executive Directors would expand ownership of the organization to developing countries thereby increasing legitimacy and enhancing credibility and effectiveness and developing countries more opportunities to show their opinions. An improvement of Dual feedback performance helps the World Bank has more accountability to all departments; each of department can monitor each other and everything they is under the control.