Periodic and families relationship of typical element Lab Report

Periodic and families relationship of typical element - Lab Report Example The report focus on demonstrating that most element within the same family or group exhibit similarity in their chemical reactions. Across the period, however, they show very different chemical behavior. These similarities and differences helps in grouping, and classifying the elements on the periodic table . (GreenWood) Materials involved in the experiment are standard laboratory equipment, samples of Sodium (Na), Magnesium (Mg), Aluminum (Al), Carbon(C), Sulfur(S), and water (H2O). Each element is then burnt in oxygen, and later further adding water and acid test their resulting oxides. The data and observations are as follows If a little quantity sodium is burnt in air, it often burns with an orange glow. A larger quantity of sodium burns with a strong orange flame in oxygen. The result is usually a white solid mixture of sodium oxide and in some instances, sodium peroxide is produced. (van Spronsen) Sodium and Cesium are metals from group 1 elements on the periodic table. Cesium is more reactive than Sodium. These elements burn in oxygen to produce metal dioxides. Potassium is also an element in this group. Magnesium belongs to group 2 in the periodic table; it is reacted with Oxygen to form Magnesium Oxide. The chemical properties of elements in this group are marked by the high reducing power of these metals. It is worth to note that these elements are more electropositive down the Group. Metals of this group react vigorously with oxygen. (Mazurs) Group 1 and group 2 elements are metallic by nature; they burn in Oxygen to produce Metal Oxide. When these metals are put in water, they form basic substances. Aluminum is also classified as a metal, although and it belongs to group 3 called transitional metals in the periodic table. Aluminum Oxide though form amphoteric substance since it reacts as both the basic and acid. In the reactivity series, Aluminum metal is less reactive with Oxygen compared to both Sodium and Magnesium. As with all

Criminal Justice Theories Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Justice Theories - Research Paper Example Victim Precipitation Theory This theory suggests that most people initiate or cause a specific confrontation that may result eventually to that person being victimized by death or injury. Such kind of precipitation on the victim can be termed as either passive or active. Active precipitation on the part of the victim exists where the victim intentionally acts in a manner that is provocative, uses threats or fighting words, or simply initiates an attack first. For example, in cases of crimes such as rape, courts have presented verdicts such as not-guilty based upon whether the victim acted in away or not acted at all in away suggesting consent to the act of sexual relation like the dress code of the woman in question. On the other hand, passive precipitation occurs where the victim exhibits particular features and characteristics that unintentionally threatens or motivates the attacker. Such kind of crimes do happen may be due to conflicts at personal level like where two individuals compete for a job promotion, love interest, or any other rare or desirable commodity. For example, a woman may be promoted and end up being a victim of violence due to the jealousy of someone she may or may not know well from the work station or away. Passive precipitation may also be experienced in cases where the victim is part of a specific group that threatens or offends the economic well being of someone, reputation or even status. According to research, this kind of precipitation exists in situations where there is a relation to power. Hence, economic power minimizes the victimization risk (Samuel, 2007). Differential Association Theory This theory explains deviance and criminal acts in terms of the social relationships of an individual. The Differential Association Theory attributes the causes of crime to a person’s social context. The theory rejects the intense individualism of psychiatry and biological determinism and economic explanations as causes of criminal activ ities. Differential Association Theory poses no particular or obvious threat to the treatment of humane of the victims or the criminals who have been identified. This theory suggests that an individual turns to delinquent lifestyle due to excessive definitions that favor violations of the law over those definitions that are unfavorable to violation of the law. That is to say, deviance results in a situation where an individual is exposed to many social messages that favor conduct than those favoring pro-social acts. Sutherland suggests that the concept of differential social organization and differential association may be applied to aggregation level and an individual level respectively. Whereas differential association theory gives explanations why an individual may gravitate towards criminal and delinquent behavior, differential social organization gives reasons as to why the rates of crime among different social entities appear to differ from each other. The differential associa tion theory has 9 basic postulates: Criminal and delinquent behavior is learned; the theory asserts that delinquent behavior is not particularly inherited and an individual not with no training in crime do not invent any delinquent or criminal behavior; Criminal and delinquent lifestyle is learned from interaction with other people during communication including gestures, verbal or written communication; Learning criminal behavior and delinquent li

Judges Power to Override Legislation

Judges Power to Override Legislation INTRODUCTION The issue of judges having the power to override legislation can be linked to Judicial Review (JR) which has been a point of debate between different scholars. To understand judicial review, one must look at the definition of democracy and the nature of it. Democracy as described by A Weale is a government whereby important public decisions on questions of law and policy depend, directly or indirectly, upon public opinion formally expressed by citizens of the community, the vast bulk of whom have equal political rights.[1] Democracy can be seen as a good way of choosing government and as such the government cannot infringe on the rights of the people. This relates to the social contract theory which was given by John Locke whereby the people have to agree to give up their freedom as long as the government agree to do what is mentioned in the contract. The social contract theory was created to protect the natural rights of the people. For a democracy to exist, the people must have rig hts and this is the major reason Judicial Review exists; to uphold these rights for the system to be democratic. Therefore, I will be supporting the notion that the courts should be given the power to scrutinize, not override legislation if it conflicts with the rights in the Bill of Rights. I will be looking at arguments for Judicial Review put forward by Dworkin as well looking at the arguments against it given by Waldron and I shall give my conclusion. DWORKINS THEORY Firstly, the bill of rights according to Dworkin are the clauses of the American constitution that protect individuals and minorities from government[2]. Therefore, these clauses must be given the moral reading. Dworkin gives meaning to the moral reading in his book Freedoms law: the moral reading of the American constitution[3]. He explains that the moral reading proposes that judges, lawyers and citizens should interpret and apply the abstract clauses on understanding that they invoke moral principles about political civility and justice[4].   The moral reading brings political morality into the heart of constitutional law but this is uncertain and controversial, therefore any system of government that makes such principles part of its law must decide whose interpretation and understanding will be authoritative[5]. In the American System Judges have that authority and in his book, Dworkin disproves the critics that suggest the moral reading of the constitution gives judges t he absolute power to impose their own moral convictions on the public[6]. Democracy means government by the people[7] as seen in Dworkins article but he did point out that there are two ways in which democracy can operate. The first is the majoritarian premise[8] and the second is the constitutional conception of democracy[9]. The majoritarian premise is of the view that political decisions and procedures should be made based on the favour of the majority or the plurality of the citizens provided that they have adequate information and enough time on reflection[10]. Dworkin rejects the view of the majoritarian premise. This is because even though it seems that most people in the United States of America have accepted the majoritarian premise, there are still some who believe that the majority should not always be the final judge[11]. The reason for this is that there are situations where individual rights need to be protected and the decisions should not be based merely on what the majority want. The premise supposes that it is unfair when the political majority does not always get their way[12] which is unfair to minorities and individuals. Dworkin looks to a different, better account of the value of democracy[13]. This is the constitutional conception of democracy[14]. This takes on the view that collective decisions should be made by political institutions whose structure, composition and practises treat all members with equal concern and equal respect[15]. This is done out of concern for the equal status of citizens and not out of commitment to the goals of majority rule[16]. This is one major reason Dworkin argues in favour of the courts. He believes that an independent body such as the judiciary can make decisions which respect not only the majority but also individual citizens. In relation to Dworkin proving that JR improves democracy, he proposes three arguments that favour the majoritarian premise and he rebuts each of these arguments which demonstrates that the majoritarian premise is undemocratic. However, only two of these arguments will be looked at. The first argument in favour of the majoritarian view is liberty. People that are in support of the majority view argue that allowing judges to strike down legislation can be perceived as undemocratic because it infringes on the right to liberty. The right to liberty includes the freedom of the people to govern themselves by electing political officials. Dworkin rebuts this argument in two forms which are the statistical collective action and the communal collective action.[17] A collective action is statistical when a group of people do that action as only a matter of individual interest, that is, doing it for their own selfish gains but it leads to a result that favours everyone in the community[18]. While a collective action is communal when it cannot be reduced to some statistical function of individual action[19]. This is a matter of individuals acting together consciously to bring about a result. Dworkin believes that if a loss of liberty should exist then the collective action should be communal not statistical. Loss of liberty to any individual would be negligible. The communal collective action brings about how an individual voter can identify with the community. The community as a whole must treat an individual with respect and as an equal[20]. This relates to the concept of moral membership. Moral membership is how an individual should be treated as part of the community as a whole. There are two features of moral membership; the first is structural[21] which explains that the community must have a shared culture, history and language. The second is relational[22] which emphasizes on individual rights. As a member of the community every individual must have political rights. If every member has these rights, then everyone should all be treated equally as a member of the community. This also means that people have a part in collective decision making, as well as a stake in what happens and they also have independence from it[23]. Dworkin believes that without these rights then democracy cannot exist. The second argument is community. From the majoritarian view the argument would be that if the view of the majority is overridden then citizens are deprived of the value of participating in communal decision making. Dworkin rebuts this by saying that citizens can also participate in the political process through other ways. One of such ways is the power that is given to the people by the constitution to form non-political communities such as religious, professional and social groups[24]. Dworkin refers to the first amendments association of protection that prohibits religious discrimination which enhances that power[25]. The second way is through influence; citizens may have more influence over a judicial decision by their contribution to public discussion of the issue than they would over legislative decisions just through voting or even a referendum[26]. Dworkin reaches the conclusion that there is no loss in democracy if the final say is left to judges, therefore he believes that Judicial review can improve democracy. WALDRONS THEORY Waldron takes on a different view regarding Judicial Review and democracy. In his article THE CORE OF THE CASE AGAINST JUDICIAL REVIEW[27]Waldron begins by saying JR is just the subjection of the legislature to the rule of law and then he goes further by drawing a distinction between strong and weak JR[28]. Strong JR is a system whereby the courts have the authority to override a statute in a particular case or modify the statute to make its application conform with individual rights[29]. While weak JR is a system whereby the courts do not have as much authority; the courts may scrutinize legislation for its conformity to individual rights but they may not decline to apply it[30]. Waldrons focus is on societies that have strong JR. In making his argument against JR, Waldron makes four assumptions about a society. In this society there is a functioning democratic system, a set of judicial institutions that is functional, a belief and respect for individual and minority rights and disagreement over the meaning of rights among members of the society[31]. It is the disagreement over rights that Waldron lays emphasis on. In a society, people will have disagreement about the compatibility of the legislation and rights and when these disagreements exist there needs to be an ultimate authority that can settle the disagreements about rights. Waldron looks to two sort of reasons that need to be taken into account in evaluating the decision-procedure for settling disagreement. These are the outcome related reason and the process related reason[32]. The process related reason[33] are reasons for insisting that a person makes a decision that stands independently of the considerations about the appropriate outcome[34]. It is all about the process and the way the outcome is reached.   In politics, the most familiar process-related reasons are those based on political equality and the democratic right to vote, the right to have ones voice counted even when others disagree with what one says[35].   Waldron continues his process related reason argument by saying that the legislature gives each person the greatest say possible which is compatible with an equal say for each of the others[36]. He believes that representative system satisfies the demand for political equality which is equal voice and equal decisional au thority[37]. Waldron believes that this is preferable to the outcome related reasons. Outcome related reasons[38] are reasons for making the decision procedure in a way that will ensure the appropriate outcome[39]. It focuses on which institution brings about the best outcome. Waldron gives three reasons that favour JR producing a better outcome and he gives his reply to each argument. The first is the orientation to a particular case. The issue of rights are presented to the judges in the form of flesh -and-blood individual situations[40]. Since the courts are dealing with individual rights it helps to see how an individual is affected by a piece of legislation[41]. Waldrons reply to this is by the time these cases reach the highest court almost all trace of the original flesh-and-blood right holders[42] has vanished[43]. The judges tend to view these cases in an abstract way and the courts address these issue in a more general way[44]. The second argument is the orientation to a text in the bill of rights[45]. Waldrons response to this is that a legal right that finds protection in a Bill of Rights finds it under the supports of some official form of words in which the provisions of the Bill are articulated[46]. The written creation of the Bill of rights tend to encourage a rigid word based formalism which the courts may try to interpret in an obsessive manner[47]. Waldron believes that this can be avoided in a system of legislative supremacy because legislators can take on the issue for themselves without reference to the Bill of Rights formulations[48]. He also makes one final point which is judicial reasoning may be distorted by an omission in the bill of rights[49]. He gives a scenario of a disagreement between positive (socioeconomic) rights and negative(liberty) rights which may alter Judges understanding of the rights included[50]. They may give more weight to positive rights than negative rights which may l ead to Judges striking down statutes that are trying to make up for the rights that failed to register in the formulation of the bill of rights[51]. The third argument that Waldron gives his response to is stating reasons[52]. He says that Courts are concerned with the legitimacy of decision making therefore they focus their reason giving on facts that show that they are legally authorized by constitution, statute, or precedent[53]. This counts heavily against the court in the outcome related argument about JR over legislation[54]. The courts are distracted by the legitimacy issue they pursue and as a result they lose track of the heart of the matter[55], whereas the parliament go directly to it[56] and their reasons are given in debates and are published in Hansard or Congressional record[57]. He gives the example of Roe v Wade[58] whereby none of the judges in the supreme court paid attention to the plaintiffs position that was being discussed[59]. Waldron reaches the conclusion that the legislature is a better process than the judiciary because it is a legitimate and fair way of deciding disagreements over rights. The Judiciary being a non-democratic institution does not uphold democracy. MY OPINION In a democratic system rights that are upheld can be found in the Bill of Rights. For the sake of the question it is the British bill of rights that will be considered. This brings up the issue of JR. Judicial Review gives the court the authority to scrutinize statute or in some cases override statutes if it is incompatible with the bill of rights. One thing to remember is that the court is a non-democratic institution. Looking at both sides of the argument they each carry weight; Dworkin is of the view that JR improves democracy while Waldron is of the view that the parliament is better suited to improve democracy. From Dworkins argument I understood the difference between the majoritarian premise and the constitutional conception of democracy. In his book Dworkin thought the constitutional conception of democracy was a better way for democracy to operate. The constitutional conception of democracy is a good idea which upholds individual rights. Judges can be seen as independent bodies that can make decisions and interpret the law in a consistent manner unlike the government. In regards to governmental bodies in Britain, it can be seen that the executive and the parliament have some form of connection. It is possible that the executives may exert pressure on parliament seeing as how they make the parliament accountable. This could create inconsistencies. Dworkins theory relates democracy to rights, according to him without rights there is no democracy. As an individual in a community you need to have the sense of moral membership and as such the community treats you with respect and as an equal which means that all voices are heard and everyone can fully participate in self-government which is a political right. In reality to gain equal membership in a community would be impossible. Waldron also brought up some compelling arguments against strong JR. His focus is on the right-based JR; he believes that the process of JR is unsuitable for a democratic society whose main problem is the disagreement over rights. He believes that the disagreement can be resolved by adopting procedures that respect the voices and opinions of individuals whose rights are at stake and this procedure is done by the legislation. I agree with most of Waldrons theory but I still question some of what he proposes. Waldron explains the process related reasons and outcome related reasons as considerations that are separate but there are certain circumstances whereby the process and outcome work together as one. If the outcome is a bad one, then that means the process reasons that gave that outcome authority are invalid. It can be seen in Waldrons article he refers to process-related reasons including fair elections, majority decisions and citizen participation. I think this argument is biased in favour of the legislature, this is because all the processes he mentions are naturally associated with the legislature; they are legislative practices. Waldron believes that JR is not a good final decision procedure because it does not make proper use of these practices. These practices are meant for legislative procedures. This is not a good argument against JR because the courts have their own process related considerations which are hearing out the cases of individuals who are represented by lawyers, looking to precedents, making decisions and if the individual is still unhappy with the outcome, there is always a chance for an appeal. Just because the process is different does not mean it is not legitimate. He gave the argument of courts getting distracted because they seek legitimacy. Judges interpret the laws to the best it can be and apply it to the cases of individuals. They look for legitimate reasons because they are trying to protect individual rights in accordance with law. I agree with his outcome related argument that refers to the orientation of the bill of rights. I also accept that, that much power should not be left to the courts without a body to question them seeing as they are unelected, but in Britain there is a hierarchy of courts and it can be seen that various cases are taken from the magistrate court to the crown court, sometimes high court and finally to the supreme court. I would like to think that the judges in these different courts check and balance each other out. This is because different courts usually disagree with some of the decisions made. In addition to this, I would also like to make a point regarding the magistrate courts. In England, the judges in the magistrate are made up of people that come from the community, since these people come from the community, they can relate to the issues of majority and minority and that creates a chance for a well-rounded decision. In conclusion I am of the view that Judges should be given the power to scrutinize, not override legislation if it conflicts with rights in the bill of rights. [1]A Weale, Democracy (2nd edn, Basingstoke, Palgrave, 2007) p14 [2] Ronald Dworkin, FREEDOMS LAW: THE MORAL READING OF THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION, (Oxford University Press, 1996) p7 [3]  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Ronald Dworkin, FREEDOMS LAW: THE MORAL READING OF THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION, (Oxford University Press, 1996) [4] Ibid p2 [5] Ibid p2 [6] Ibid p2 [7] Ibid p15 [8] Ibid p15-16 [9] Ibid p15-16 [10] Ibid p16 [11] Ibid p16 [12] Ibid p17 [13] Ibid p17 [14] Ibid p17 [15] Ibid p17 [16] Ibid p17 [17] Ibid p19 [18] Ibid p19 [19] Ibid p20 [20] Ibid p17 [21] Ibid p24 [22] Ibid p24 [23] Ibid p24 [24] Ibid p29 [25] Ibid p29 [26] Ibid p30 [27] Jeremy Waldron, THE CORE OF THE CASE AGAINST JUDICIAL REVIEW (2006) 115 Yale L J 1346 [28] Jeremy Waldron, THE CORE OF THE CASE AGAINST JUDICIAL REVIEW (2006) 115 Yale L J 1346 p5 [29] Ibid p5 [30] Ibid p5 [31] Ibid p7 [32] Ibid p14 [33] Ibid p14 [34] Ibid p14 [35] Ibid p15 [36] Ibid p23 [37] Ibid p23 [38] Ibid p15 [39] Ibid p15 [40] Ibid p18 [41] Ibid p18 [42] Ibid p18 [43] Ibid p18 [44] Ibid p18 [45] Ibid p19 [46] Ibid p19 [47] Ibid p19 [48] Ibid p19 [49] Ibid p19 [50] Ibid p20 [51] Ibid p20 [52] Ibid p20 [53] Ibid p21 [54] Ibid p21 [55] Ibid p21 [56] Ibid p21 [57] Ibid p20 [58] Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) [59] Ibid p21

Speech Understanding Software -- Essays Papers

Speech Understanding Software In the past computers were completely impractical and never thought to be used for personal reasons. Today computers are a common household item easily accessible to anyone. In the future the computer will be even more focused around the user creating less work for the user. This future will be made possible through Human Centric computing. Human centric computing will make computers easy to work with. The main focus is to create a world where computers are everywhere and easy to use. One method of creating a more human interface is by implementing speech understanding software. This software is already improving at an amazing pace. Most reviews of speech understanding software I've read are highly critical about the speech understanding products. However in most personal reviews of the software people who have been using the currently available software are happy with the products. I think a big part of the problem is our expectations, and most people who have tried speech understanding products have succeeded to understand how the products perform once they are past the initial stages. One application for speech understanding software is the type that works with electronic documents. The User speaks into a microphone and the software translates the sounds into text on-screen. The text can then be saved into a file. That actually can work pretty well, but it still has a lot of weaknesses. Most people who use speech understanding software today don't use it to dictate letters and reports but to control computers, programs, and to process information online. A prime example of how efficiently speech-understanding software is working for those who need information from the Net is Tellme (1-... ...t also understand free flowing speech of multiple languages. Humans will be able to communicate with computers the same way they communicate with other people. When someone will need to ask for a document he or she will simply tell the computer what is needed without having to know where and how the information is stored. Users will be able to specify the information they want without having to go through fixed sets of choices. Computers and users will engage in interactive conversations, allowing the user to retrieve the needed information in a small number of steps. This process will not be restricted by a limited vocabulary, training, or any unneeded pauses. This will take the place of using keyboards and mice to communicate with a computer and will allow the user to be able to deal with the task at hand more efficiently and accomplish goals in a matter of minutes.

Course Syllabus Essay

COURSE DESCRIPTION An introduction to the authorship and contents of the New Testament books. Special attention will be given to important persons, places, events, as well as to key chapters in the New Testament revelation. RATIONALE The aim of this course is structured to help the student interpret New Testament biblical passages in their proper context. Within the New Testament, there are insights to mankind, teachings for virtuous living, truths about the Savior, and principles for living an abundant life for Christ. The student will also be challenged to evaluate traditional and critical options of interpretation. I.PREREQUISITES None II.REQUIRED RESOURCE PURCHASES Duvall, J. S., and J. D. Hays. Journey into God’s Word: Your Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008. ISBN: 9780310275138. Towns, Elmer L., and Ben Gutierrez. The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2012. ISBN: 9781433677052. Disclaimer: The above resources provide information consistent with the latest research regarding the subject area. Liberty University does not necessarily endorse specific personal, religious, philosophical, or political positions found in these resources. III.ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR LEARNING A.Computer with basic audio/video output equipment B.Internet access (broadband recommended) C.Microsoft Word (Microsoft Office is available at a special discount to Liberty University students.) D.The Holy Bible IV.MEASURABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: A.Explain the role and significance of the New Testament and how it pertains to the Christian today. B.Describe the content of the New Testament including authorship, literary style, theological development, and the major themes and key verse of each book. C.Correctly list the books of the New Testament in the order found in the English Bible. D.Organize the content of the New Testament chronologically, book by book, into the framework of the Gospels and Acts. E.Explain the historical, political, cultural, and religious background of the New Testament. V.COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS A.Required readings from the New Testament and course textbook B.Course Requirements Checklist After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in Module/Week 1. C.Discussion Board Forums (2) The student will complete 2 graded Discussion Board Forums. The student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum. Each thread must be at least 250 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 75–100 words. D.Interpretation Projects (2) The student will complete 2 Interpretation Projects. The projects are based on specified portions of the Duvall-Hays textbook. The student will study the specified New Testament text, and apply the various steps of interpretation in order to gain a better understanding of the biblical texts. E.Biblical Worldview Essay The student will describe what Romans 1–8 teaches regarding the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and culture. The student will  also be required to explain how this teaching affects his/her worldview. The paper must be 1,000–1,200 words and formatted in a single Word document using APA, MLA, or Turabian style (whichever corresponds to your degree program). F.Reading Reports (8) The student will read through the entire New Testament over the course of the term. A New Testament Reading Guide and Checklist is provided. Each module/week, the student must complete the assigned Bible readings and submit a Reading Report stating which of the Bible readings they completed. For each specified Bible reading, the student will check either yes or no. G.Tests (4) The student is required to take 4 tests. Each test contains 50 multiple-choice and true/false questions. Each test is open-book/open-notes and must be completed in 1 hour. In each corresponding Reading & Study folder, the student will find a document of study questions which will prepare him/her for the tests. VI.COURSE GRADING AND POLICIES A.Points Course Requirements Checklist10 Discussion Board Forums (2 at 37.5 pts ea)75 Interpretation Projects (2 at 75 pts ea)150 Biblical Worldview Essay75 Reading Reports (8 at 25 pts ea)200 Tests (4 at 125 pts ea)500 Total1010 B.Scale A = 900–1010 B = 800–899 C = 700–799 D = 600–699 F = 0–599 C.Late Assignment Policy If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must contact the instructor immediately by email. Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the instructor will receive the following deductions: 1.Late assignments submitted within one  week of the due date will receive a 10% deduction. 2.Assignments submitted more than one week late will receive a 20% deduction. 3.Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the class will not be accepted. 4.Late Discussion Board threads or replies will not be accepted. Special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, personal health issues) will be reviewed by the instructor on a case-by-case basis. D.Disability Assistance Students with a documented disability may contact LU Online’s Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) at LUOODAS@liberty.edu to make arrangements for academic accommodations. Further information can be found at www.liberty.edu/disabilitysupport.

Changing Role of Women Essay

During the Victorian Era, women often were forced to squander their entire lives conforming to the normalcy of the ideal Victorian woman. Despite Ibsen’s bleak picture of how women are expected to behave, Ibsen’s play, A Doll’s House, focuses on female sovereignty held by women of heterogeneous socioeconomic backgrounds during the Victorian era. Through thick and thin, it is women like Mrs. Linde and Nora who carry the culture from generation to generation as oppose to men such as Torvald, who are focused solely on suppressing women’s freedoms and opportunities. Similarly, â€Å"Under the 1884 Civil Code, Mexican women had no rights; even moving required a woman to legally obtain the permission of a male guardian: father, husband, brother, or son (â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†).† As alluded to by Coventry Patmore in his poem, â€Å"The Angel in the House†, the ideal women was expected to be submissive and devoted to her husband and family as a way to keep up appearances. Akin to their British counterparts, Mexican men during the pre-Mexican Revolution Era prevented women’s rights, allotting all home-related responsibilities to women. During times of upheaval, even when men held all of the power in both the public domain and the privacy of the home, male fragility is exposed by female sovereignty because women uphold society. Ibsen said, â€Å"A woman cannot be herself in the society of to-day, which is exclusively a masculine society, with laws written by men, and with accusers and judges who judge feminine conduct from the masculine standpoint.† Men of the Victorian Era held all of the power in both the privacy of the home and the public domain. However, even though men made decisions for society, creating laws for all its’ inhabitants, men of A Doll’s House are not only equally trapped as a result of societal expectations by gender roles, but also weak. Within his own home, Torvald treats Nora as his inferior, mirroring society’s expectations. Torvald once said, â€Å"It is already known at the bank that I mean to dismiss Krogstad. Is it to get about now that the new manager has changed his mind at his wife’s bidding.† (Ibsen, 40). The thought that others could think a woman might have power over him is terrifying to Torvald; he sees this as a great threat to his ego and status. In this traditional patriarchal run society, men are expected to provide for their family. Torvald suffers a great hardship because he is not the flawless breadwinner he should be according to society. Similarly, the men in Like Water for Chocolate are weak and naive as well in comparison to their decisive and stronger female counterparts. Pedro is a chief example of a man with a weak ego; since adolescence, Pedro is captive to his lust and passion for Tita. Unlike Pedro, the rebels and other male figures, Dr. John Brown is far more gender neutral than he is masculine, but equally insignificant. When needed most, Dr. Brown is too incompetent to heal beings such as Pedro after he is burned. It is Tita who takes action, employing techniques and remedies of her maternal grandmother in order to successful heal Pedro. It is combating the unexpected that puts willpower to the test. Society centers around those who change lives and uphold and rid of both culture and tradition; Tita conserves order, unlike men such as Torvald who made clear that he would not sacrifice his honor for the one he claims to love, society deems Nora the bad girl for leaving her husband and children. Nora’s choice to sacrifice a life with her family in pursuit of a finding her identity is beyond what her family, let alone Torvald, can understand. Nora removes herself from under the palm of her controlling husband exemplifying her sovereignty as a woman into the 20th century. Compared to this miserable Victorian image, the role of women in society today has undergone immeasurable metamorphosis. Women have more rights and social mobility than ever before. Conversely, this change has made the lives of women increasingly difficult as women seek to live free of society’s expectations as independent women pursuing their own ambitions, beliefs and identities today. By deciding to leave her family in pursuit of her own identity, beliefs and ambitions, Nora is a prime example of the modern woman. Today, women have more rights and opportunities than ever before; as a result women like Nora challenge societies pre-existing gender limitations every day. With Nora’s departure, Ibsen challenges both the normalcy of the ideal Victorian woman and societal expectations. During Victorian times, a wife’s role was to love, honor and obey her husband. Patmore writes about the â€Å"Angel† being passive and powerless, meek, charming, graceful, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, pious, and above all—pure. (Patmore). Unfortunately for Nora, in the context of the Victorian Era, her decision to leave her husband and family is considered an unforgivable scandal because women were expected to know their place. The relentless societal pressures of Victorian normalcy are what push Nora to the edge, resulting in her quest to find her identity. â€Å"Similarly, both Gertrudis and Tita reach the edge, responding to the changes of the revolution each in their own ways (â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†).† â€Å"Gertrudis engages in acts of sexual liberation and takes flight from the home in order to participate as an active hand in the Revolution (â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†).† â€Å"Conversely, Tita’s revolution is one far more personal and is not transparent until the next generation of women, represented by her niece, the narrator (â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†).† â€Å"However Tita envisions a different future for the child and names her Esperanza, Hope (â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†).† â€Å"Significantly, it is for Esperanza, and not for Tita, that the traditional happy ending is reserved (â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†).† Women like Nora and Tita wife strive to defy pre-existing societal stereotypes and expectations for women everywhere and in the process; it makes them stronger as women. When putting gender roles into perspective, it is necessary to discern the diffusion of responsibilities among a family. Today, gender-equality has made separation of duties among men and women possible. During these eras, women were expected to be passive, powerless and self-sacrificing to their husband’s wants and needs. Men were expected to provide for their family through thick and thin, allotting a great amount of hardship to the patriarch of the home. Yet in both A Doll’s House and Like Water for Chocolate, women carry the culture and emotions of one generation to the next through a variety of mediums. Regardless of religion, race and gender, it is in the best interest of mankind to cease the suppression of humans’ rights, allotting equal freedoms and opportunities to both men and women. While patriarchal roots are deep-seeded within western politics, economics and social aspects, men, no different than women, are flawed; it is women who are the immeasurable anchor of society. References: Fadanelli, Guillermo. â€Å"La literatura a la que estamos condenados.† Unomà ¡suno (April 28, 1990):4. â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate† World Literature and Its Times: Profiles of Notable Literary Works and the Historic Events That Influenced Them. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 18 May. 2012 . â€Å"Paterfamilias.† Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 02 June 2012. .