Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Princess Bride Book and Film Essay Example For Students

The Princess Bride Book and Film Essay In 1987, the classic tale of The Princess Bride went from being on the pages of a book to coming to life on the big screen. Though the novel and film both have many strong points and similarities, there are numerous differences between the two works. What can be questioned is whether the setting is as pictured, whether the chosen actors characters are as lively as those written, whether the amount of back story, absence of certain characters, and changes to the framing story throughout the film has greatly alters the finished product, and whether the film has the same magical impact as the initial written tale. We will write a custom essay on The Princess Bride Book and Film specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The novel gives an astounding amount of detail in regards to setting. For instance, the Cliffs of Insanity, the Snow Sand, and the Zoo of Death; The words that describe these places paint a vivid picture. After The Princess Bride was brought to film, the lively setting came with it. The setting throughout the film brought the fantastic lands of Florin and Guilder to life. The Cliffs of Insanity are among the similarities in setting within the two works. They look as described in the novel, a sheer and vertical face that proves difficult for even the most experienced climber. The immense height of cliffs, coupled with the terrifying thought of having death looming over ones head, waiting 700 feet below in the crashing waves are well-demonstrated deliciously frightening, as it was presented in the written text. Though the film stays true to the setting in most instances, the movies frames do not allow for the commenting upon the action that the novel does. In one instance, after Buttercup has plunged into the Snow Sand during their travels through the Fire Swamp, Goldman lengthens his sentences to give the effect of how suffocating is Buttercups fall. Buttercups ears were now caked with Snow Sand all the way in, and her nose was filled with Snow Sand, both nostrils and she knew if she opened her eyes, a million tiny bits of Snow Sand would seep behind her eyelids, and now she was beginning to panic badly. How long had she been falling? Hours, it seemed . . . (Goldman 203) In the novel, Goldman gives a vivid description of how Buttercup feels as she is being consumed by the Snow Sand. She is suffocating, panicking, and paralyzed with fear. In the medium of the visual effects of the film, the effects of this quote are lost as there is no indication of how she feels when she is submerged in the pit of the Snow Sand. All that is shown is Buttercup stepping in the region of the Snow Sand and disappearing among in. The novel ultimately gives a better understanding of the characters thoughts of terror, invasion, and paralyzing shock. In retrospect, the loss of the impact of the Snow Sand seems to be a minimal alteration as compared to the completely refashioned Zoo of Death. The original underground area consists of five levels where Prince Humperdinck saves a variety of creatures that test certain abilities, such as speed, strength, immunity to poison, fear, and ego. In the novel, Westley is thrown among these creatures, where Inigo and Fezzik later defeat these creatures, level by level, to save him. Though the pair were sabotaged and ambushed by such creatures as an Arabian Garstini and king bats, they manage to reach the fifth and final level, only to find a supposedly dead Westley, who is later taken to Miracle Max. After Westley is given the miracle pill, he is immediately revived and prepared to fight for Buttercup. It presents a lovely sentiment, but overall it is anticlimactic. Consequently, the Zoo of Death becomes the Pit of Despair. The location and purposes are vastly different, as well as the description of its interior. Quite unlike the Zoo of Death, which was used for Prince Humperdincks hunting enjoyment, the Pit of Despair is a secret dungeon whos sole purpose seems to be to contain The Machine, a torture device nvented by Count Rugen. Westley is captured and taken there, where the Albino nurses him back to health so he can be tortured thoroughly. He is then put through excruciating pain. .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 , .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .postImageUrl , .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 , .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5:hover , .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5:visited , .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5:active { border:0!important; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5:active , .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5 .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub99e9eb7287b51587f1c668a47b73bf5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Wizard of Oz - Movie EssayOnce Inigo and Fezzik hear his cry of complete agony, they come to his rescue, and eventually find Westley strapped to The Machine, limp, drained, and seemingly dead. Similar to the novel, he is taken to Miracle Max. However, once Westley is given his miracle pill, he is conscious but remains in a state complete and total paralysis. Westley is shown strapped to the torture device and remains paralyzed after receiving the aid of Miracle Max for the sole purpose of drama. It can be seen as rather anticlimactic if Westley had simply been on a bed, seemingly dead, and later completely and easily revived. The agony and later paralysis that Westley undergoes in the film adds drama, give an additional dimension of suspense, and demonstrates just how far he is willing to go for Buttercup, and how unbreakable the promise of their love to each other is. The chosen actor for the role of Westley played this part extremely well with ingenious wit and an air of the swashbuckling heroes of early cinema He, along with the remainder of the cast, were noted as doing exceptionally well in portraying the characters of The Princess Bride. They look as described, act as one would imagine, and played their respective parts extremely well. The magic of the characters within the novel were carried over from their pages with stunning wit and perfection. The differences to the characters throughout the screenplay, which was also written by Goldman, were made for the sole purpose of keeping the film within a reasonable time frame. Though the novel can render the reader with a better understanding of emotions of the characters, the film gives the viewers a more vivid image of the characters themselves, for they are right before their eyes. One example is Inigo Montoya. The actor chosen for this role, Mandy Patinkin, states that. the moment I read the script, I loved the part of Inigo Montoya. That character just spoke to me profoundly. I had lost my own father . I didnt think about it consciously, but I think that there was a part of me that thought, If I get that man in black, my father will come back. (Princess Bride: The Reunion) The life events of Patinkin gave him the passion of the love for his father that is shared with Inigo Montoya. As he says, My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die(Goldman 340), his accent is heavy, the revenge is burning in his eyes, and the scars on his face reveal the damage that the Count has done to him. The medium of the film more effectively shows his etermination of avenging the death of his father. Patinkin brings the character of Inigo Montoya in numerous ways the written words simply cannot. This logic also applies to the case of Fezzik. By some impossible feat, a man by the name of Andre the Giant was found that fit the enlarged physical specifications of Fezzik the Giant. The actor portrayed Fezzik to be the gentle, helpful, and lovable brute that he had been depicted as. The differences and condensations throughout the screenplay, which was also written by Goldman, were made for the sole purpose of keeping it within a reasonable time frame. Numerous aspects are lost, such as the quantity of back story that is given for the characters. In the novel, the first chapter chronicles her early years. It shows the history of her family, their farm, her pastimes, and her struggle with beauty and jealousy. S. Easternmost even goes so far as to say that she is the fourth worst case of jealousy in all of history. During the beginning of the film there is simply a clip of Westley working on her familys farm. Following this shot, they are instantaneously in love. Her motivation in the novel differs greatly from that in the book. .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 , .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .postImageUrl , .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 , .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43:hover , .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43:visited , .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43:active { border:0!important; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43:active , .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43 .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue00f301501c380cc20c9ff1e40243e43:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Animated television series EssayShe is not the sympathetic, gentle, and wise character that she is presented as in the film. On the contrary, she seems to be rather simple and haughty. After Westley has saved her and taken her through the Fireswamp, she still agrees to marry Humperdinck, for she believes it is better to be alive and wealthy than penniless and perished. Without the somewhat extensive back story and lengthy descriptions of Buttercups behavior that were given in the text, it could be said that the character of Buttercup is perceived in a completely different manner. As a whole, The Princess Bride is an accurate adaptation of the 1973 novel of the same name. Throughout the film, that majority of the dialogue holds true to that of the original text. The modest changes made to the dialogue, along with the loss of back story, do not take away from the film or the original plot; it simply shows The Princess Bride in a different medium. They each have strong and weak points when compared to one another. However, the original novel and the film ultimately give the desired effect of this tongue-in-cheek fantasy. They are different in their own distinct ways, though separately are impeccable pieces of work.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Essay on Legalize Marijuana Teen Esaay

Essay on Legalize Marijuana Teen Esaay Essay on Legalize Marijuana Teen Esaay Esthela Obregon Per 3 Legalize Marijuana The use of marijuana is a very controversial issue today because many people only see it as a way to get â€Å"high†. It is true that marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a huge recreational drug but it is also a very big help to people with medical problems. It is a great remedy for anxiety issues, stomach pains, and sleeping problems as well. There are many drugs used for what marijuana implements to. It has been legalized in Colorado and Washington recently and seems to be a big hit as far as the amount of people consuming it so far. Marijuana is an all-natural plant that grows without any person making and producing it. It is a plant that is dried and consumed, it is not some pill you take that is produced and created that you have no idea what it is made up by. Marijuana can help cure many problems around the world such as insomnia, stomach pains and headaches. There are many more small problems that can be solved by a natural plant that is considered illegal. It c an be said that marijuana is abused but there are many legal drugs that are abused just s much if not more. I don’t believe that saying marijuana is abused is a good argument for it to be illegal. Vicodin, Tylenol with Codeine, OxyContin and Percoset and many more are all drugs that are highly abused and legal. These drugs are highly abused and much more dangerous than marijuana. These other drugs that are abused are also on the market to cure one issue of the body and cannot be used for other illnesses while marijuana can help to take out many issues at once with one â€Å"medication†. Glaucoma is one condition that can be relieved by marijuana. It is a condition in which pressure on the eyeball increases over time causing blurred vision, pain and could possibly lead to loss of vision. Cannabis has active chemical compounds called cannabinoids that aid in limiting pressure in the eyes. Limiting the pressure in the eyes limits the damage being done to the eye. This is just one example of marijuana helping medical conditions. THC is the substance that naturally occurs on the marijuana plant that is responsible for the cannabis high. Marijuana is illegal because the government believes there is not enough research and tests done. The affects of marijuana could be a reason most people believe it is bad and should be illegal. With a little research, you will find that it is not that bad. The public spends tax dollars on many projects researching hoe much THC it takes to make a person severely ill when it is nearly impossible to make someone virtually ill from THC. My opinion on the affects of marijuana is that it does not affect the brain, or as

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Primary Source Evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Primary Source Evaluation - Assignment Example REBA is an assessment tool that can be used to assess the performance of employees giving recommendations to the suitability of the jobs that they do The assessment tool provides categories upon which score are given depending on the critical tasks that the job poses to the employee, this is achieved by assessing the different postures and giving scores to each region. The Reba value totals represent the scores in the groups. The decision table which is shown at the end of the table is used to tell the level of risk that the particular worker is exposed to. After getting the final tally, a recommendation can be given to cushion the employee against an extreme risk that could be exhibited from the assessment. The work is then replaced or dropped. The following is an assessment of a worker, who has been shovelling snow for considerable lengths of time. Step 13 here, he gets (+13) since it can b seen that the one or more of his parts of the body. Similarly its evident that he held on for a long period of time, at least more than a minute. This means that with regard to table C I have to add his activity score 1 = 11 (REBA 2012) The final assessment score becomes 11. According to REBA assessment worksheet, the worker is exposed to a high risk. The best solution is therefore to change the kind of work that he is doing or to discourage it completely for the best interest of the employee.  

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Letter of Motivation in masters of public policy Essay

Letter of Motivation in masters of public policy - Essay Example As a responsible citizen I would like to participate in the process of addressing delicate questions of internet regulations, regarding protection of privacy, security and access of information. The main problem is the misuse of these media for crimes including terrorist activities. Thus, I personally feel that framing suitable public policies has become a matter of top priority in the modern world. My basic interest in this branch of academics stems from my realization of the problem in its right perspective. I further feel that I will be able to contribute to positive outcomes in this regard, if I can combine personal interest with academic knowledge. My keen interest in gaining in depth knowledge on this topic and my yearning to contribute to this field has bred in me the desire to pursue a Masters in Public Policy. I want to explore the possibilities ICT holds for improving information and service delivery. In order to achieve my objectives, a more pluralistic approach for internet governance is required. This will enable me to incorporate in my professional life an understanding of the different industries affecting public policy today. The MPP program, in its broad and contextually imbedded approach, would provide ample opportunities to develop and expand the necessary skill sets to understand technology driven governance. I am eager to develop an understanding of the complexity behind the questions of media globalization and to master the skills to analyse and employ this shift of power in modern democracies. I also expect the course to equip me with the ability to understand these two forces which are indispensable in the c reation of modern public policy. My degree in Global Communications and Business Administration from the American University of Paris, serves as a solid base. I chose this program to establish a broad perspective of cultural,

Monday, November 18, 2019

Freshmen in the University (problem and solution) Essay

Freshmen in the University (problem and solution) - Essay Example This paper discusses some of the potential problems that freshmen experience in universities and offers amicable solutions to the students to help them work their way out of the commonly encountered problems. Problems: Many students have to live on-campus during the university life. Students come from far off places to renowned universities in order to gain high quality education, and have to reside in hostels. They may feel homesickness in the initial days. Some students feel so disturbed because of homesickness that they find it difficult to adjust in the hostel and lave the university. Others, that survive through it may be bullied and threatened by their hostel fellows. With increased freedom that a university has to offer, students normally tend to hangout too much with friends. Bunking is normal. Education becomes a secondary purpose of being in the university, and building the social relations for future needs becomes the primary purpose. The trend, if not controlled in the ve ry first days in university only grows with time until one’s grades start to suffer. Solutions: If a student can not help feeling homesick, and also can not live at home because of its distance from the university, he/she should go for renting a room in the vicinity of the university. Many flats are constructed around universities to serve the very purpose.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Research Paper on Dowry System in India

Research Paper on Dowry System in India In todays world, we are surrounded by media. Our lives are saturated by newspapers, radio, books, television, movies, the Internet, and many other aspects of media. These can be broadly classified into two types: news media and popular media. In India, both these types provide an insight into Indian life, which is filled with romance, tradition, and all the other day-to-day experiences and situations one might come across. But, even though they might seem the same, they both play very different roles in society. Popular media represents and recounts a vast number of real life stories, and portrays them in a manner enjoyable for the audience. News media on the other hand, provides more facts and raw information for the audience to understand, with or without a firm opinion of its own on the matter. Popular media reaches out to a much larger audience, as both literate and illiterate people are able to access it, while news media only reaches out to the literate and wealthy people. This difference can become a problem in certain situations. Both these parts of media reflect society constantly, as they are shaped from and around experiences and stories of the people in the society. Usually, both these types concur with each other in the content and representation of society, but there are specific cases in which this ceases to be true. An example of this is the portrayal of the prominence and effects of the dowry system in India today. For a long time, both popular and news media reflected the a spects of the dowry system in the Indian society very vividly and comprehensively, and shared the same view on the topic. But over time, it was noticed that popular media deviated from this pattern and no longer reflected the prominence of the dowry system in society, while the news media continued to do so, thus creating an ideological difference between the two. The problem of the dowry system is still prominent, and the news media continues to reflect this. But since popular media does not reflect society anymore, a majority of the society comes under the impression that there is nothing wrong in what they are doing. This can cause the dowry system to be persistent in the everyday lives of Indian families. The dowry system is a cultural system in India in which the parents of the bride pay a large sum of money, and give expensive jewelry and other gifts such as car or other household items, to the parents of the groom during marriage (Borah 2). Traditionally, there were many reasons for the establishment of this system. It was a form of inheritance for the bride, since all the family property was inherited by men. It was supposed to be the security for the bride in case any misfortune befell her husbands house. It was also a system of honoring the groom for his willingness to accept the bride as his wife in marriage, and the gifts given could range from anything significant to even a small token of good wishes (Borah 2). However, the greed for dowry has affected almost all ordinary families in India. Nowadays, in marriages between or amongst all hierarchal levels of society, dowry is generally an unspoken requirement. And due to the exposure to mass media, the gifts given in dowry have transformed into a large transfer of wealth, making it an important factor in marriage. The social and cultural effects of the dowry system are devastating to the society as a whole. The system reduced women to a commodity and a source of wealth. Even if the dowry is paid, in most cases, the bride is tortured by her in-laws, mentally and physically as their demand for more dowry becomes endless (Chirmade 1992). This torture generally leads to suicide or murder of the bride. The reason why dowry is still persistent in India is not only because it is difficult to enforce the law against it or because the grooms family is very demanding, but also because the brides family continues to bear with it. Despite the widespread awareness of the negative consequences of dowry and the problems cause by it, it is still seen as a way of buying happiness for the bride (Stone and James, 1995). Many families believe that giving a large dowry would result in better treatment of the daughter by the grooms family. This has only aggravated the problem as the standard for dowry became high and marriage was made dependent on whether the brides family could meet that standard of dowry or not. A study was done in 1980 which examined students expectations of dowry for people with various education backgrounds. Even though majority of the students viewed the dowry system as an evil in society and considered it unimportant for marriage, most of the brothers of the respondents gave or received dowry for their sisters marriages (Rao and Rao, 1980). Also, depending on the social status and affluence of the family, and the education qualifications of the bride and the groom, the amount of dowry needed to be given varies significantly. There is a positive correlation between a mans education and status to the dowry his family demands. As a grooms educational experience increases, the dowry demanded for the marriage also increases. In 1961, the payment of dowry was prohibited under the Indian Civil Law, and also under sections 304B and 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Despite this, this system of dowry has been a continuous and never ending menace in Indian society. These laws were made in order to make it easier for women to seek redress from the harassment she is under by the mans family. But these laws have been of little help to brides, who are harassed even today by their in-laws. Instances of such situations have constantly been shown to the public by the media. The power of media in todays world is surprising. The media has the freedom to form opinions, and through this they can change the opinions of people. But, people forget that in the end, all media is doing is reflecting society. The stories the media covers, and the plots of the movies that are made (except fantasy fiction of course), all are based on situations which may occur in day to day life, or real life situations. Same was the case with the dowry system. The media clearly depicted the agonies and pain of Indian women as they were suffering from the cruelties of the dowry system. This can be seen from very far back in popular as well as news media. Dowry-inspired murder cases received immense coverage by news media in the late 1970s and 1980s due to the active role played by womens organizations. The womens organizations played a very important role in increasing awareness and coverage of dowry related cases. A study done on the coverage of dowry related cases from 1979-1984 concludes that there was a noticeable improvement in the coverage of dowry in the national papers due to the womens organizations, although the coverage in regional papers remained the same. By 1979, one dowry related death received serious press coverage. A 24 year old bride from New Delhi, Tarvinder Kaur, was set on fire by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law due to an insufficient dowry paid by her parents. Another significant dowry-related murder case was that of Tripti Sharma, who worked at the Ministry of Defense. She was burned to death by her husband and his family in 1986. A more optimistic and recent case is that of Nisha Sharma. In May 2003, she handed over her future husband to the police on the day of the wedding itself as he was demanding more dowry from her. This example shows what women need to do in cases of dowry abuse. Nisha refused to come under the pressures of the grooms family, and decided that she was not going to sustain it. These examples from news media are clearly reflective of the state of affairs in India at that time, and the case with popular media was similar. In 1992, the movie City of Joy depicted a family which had really high dowry demands. In the movie, the grooms father clearly states, I am firm in requiring for my exceptional son the bicycle, 1000 rupees, and one ounce of gold. The brides father responds by saying, The child of a king might be worth that, and Im not even sure of that! (City of Joy) Another 2001 movie, Lajja, clearly displayed the consequences of the dowry system, its working, and how it may be a big burden on the brides family. In the movie, Maithili (Mahima Chaudhary) is about to be married to a wealthy man of a family with a high social status. Maithilis parents give away everything they have in the dowry, including their land and saved money. Upon still falling short, they take loans from their friends, but they are still not able to gather the full amount. Maithili requests her future husband to convince his dad to let the rest of the money be, but he is too scared to do so. Seeing this, and seeing her dad beg i n front of the grooms father to accept the money he has, she rebels, and calls off the wedding. She was not able to bear to see her father being humiliated in such a manner by the grooms father. Both these movies showed that the brides family has to struggle a lot in order to gather the dowry for the grooms family, and thus is a big burden on them. This depiction of the dowry system by popular media was in concurrence with its reflection in the news media, but as we move ahead on the timeline, this concurrence slowly fades away. The movie Lajja was the last movie to clearly depict the pain inflicted due to the dowry system. The 2006 movie Lage Raho Munna Bhai also had the concept of dowry, but it did not demonstrate the consequences of the dowry system, and only showed that the concept of dowry existed. Since then, popular media has not depicted any case of dowry related abuse or murder. This would have been perfectly fine if the society had transformed to this effect and there were no more dowry related crimes taking place, but this was not true, as news media still continued to report about such crimes taking place. Number of dowry cases goes up (The Hindu, January 2008); Dowry death after love marriage (The Times of India, April 2008); Harassed for dowry, teacher ends life (The Indian Express, November 2007). These are just three headlines from three of Indias popular newspapers that show the persistence of the dowry system and its consequences in modern India. Dowry is still prevalent in modern India, in not only the illiterate section of the population, but also the educated elites in Indias major metropolitan cities. Surprisingly in the past decade, the number of dowry related crime cases has actually gone up, despite dowry being banned since 1961 by Indian law. According to the statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 8391 dowry deaths were reported in 2010 itself, which means that a bride was killed every 90 minutes due to dowry related reasons. In 1988, this number was 2209; in 1990 it rose to 4835; in 2000 (a decade earlier), this number was 6995, and in 2007 it climbed up to an astounding 8093 (Bedi 2012). According to other government records, Delhi itself records a few hundred dowry deaths every year, while womens rights groups estimate this number to be at 900 per year. This is a phenomenal increase compared to the numbers for the 1990s, which were about 300 per year (Bedi 2012). It is important to note that these are just official records, and are thus immensely under-reported. 90% of the cases in which women are burnt are recorded as accidents, 5% as suicides, and only the remaining 5% of the cases are shown as murder. These shockingly high numbers clearly reflect the continuous increase in dowry related crimes and deaths in India. This is due to the continued commercialization of marriages in the modern Indian society. Indias economic liberalization has seen a proportionate rise in the levels of greed as compared to 1990, and a bride is now perceived by her future in-laws as a source of potential cash flow. A famous quote from former Justice Markandey Katju reads, On one hand, people regard women as goddesses, and on the other hand they burn them alive. This is against the norms of civilized society. Its barbaric (Bedi 2012). This is in response to an appeal filed by a husband who had just been sentenced to imprisonment for life by a Sessions court for burning his wife due to dowry related reasons. The effects of the dowry system are so far and wide ranging, that they can even be traced back to the womb. This system is the primary cause for female feticide and infanticide as poorer parents get to avoid the lifelong burden of saving up for the dowry for their daughters marriage (Krishnamurthy, 1981). The commercialization of marriage and female infanticide is clearly reflected in the movie Matrubhoomi, in which a reverse dowry system is depicted. The movie shows a society in which there are no women left due to excessive female infanticide, and the men have grown to be so sexually frustrated, that they are ready to pay large amounts of money to get a wife for themselves or their sons. So as soon as the head of the family finds Kalki, they literally buy her from her father, by giving him five lakh rupees and five cows, and marry her to all five of his sons. Kalki simply becomes a source of money for her father, and a sex object for her husbands (Matrubhoomi). Nowadays, there are famous advertisements which have been put up in many of the rural villages, which read, Spend 500 rupees today, save 5000 rupees later. This is a reference to the cost of abortion compared to the cost of the dowry which they might have to give. It basically encourages the families to get an abortion if their child is a girl, so that they dont have the burden of paying the dowry while getting her married in the future. This is the primary reason why India has a distorted sex ratio of 933 girls for every 1,000 boys. As is evident, the problems due to the dowry system have only been rising over the past decade. Despite this, popular media has failed to reflect these problems. News media has continued to keep up with these updates, and report about them, but popular media has deviated into its own path. Since popular media has a much larger audience compared to news media, this results in the society getting a skewed viewpoint of what is happening in their world: an incorrect portrayal of society in which what they are doing is not wrong. Also, since popular media has a much larger international audience as compared to news media, people from other countries get a totally different view of India: a world in which the dowry system does not exist and is not causing any problems at all. Thus, an untrue version of the society is shown to the world outside, which is not good, as when these people actually come to India and read about the truth, it is a shocking revelation for them. A shift in Indias attitude towards the dowry systems is urgently due. In simple words, dowry is equal to a family paying a man to accept their daughter as his wife, while the man along with his family, tries to get the maximum price out of the womans family. This association of economic gain with women in marriage is something which has long been persistent in India, and needs to stop. Simply making anti-dowry laws has proved to be inefficient. We need to make the society see their mistakes and realize what they are doing wrong, and this can only be done if popular media continues to reflect society as it did before. India must come together to end this practice. This could see couples channel their funds to provide education to their daughters, instead of saving money for years and years for dowry. The days of the persistence of the dowry system in India must be numbered, or Indian societys claim to be progressive is disingenuous.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

An Ethical Responsibility Essay -- Essays Papers

An Ethical Responsibility Ethics and morals, two of the most important traits in an educated human being, are interestingly not taught by schools. Ethics is defined, in Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, as the discipline dealing with what is good and what is bad. Morals are defined in the same dicitonary as those principles of right and wrong in behavior. For Jonathan Kozol, in The Night Is Dark And I Am Far From Home, ethics and morals have similar meanings but extend to include a sense of compassion for others. I agree with his argument that the purpose of schooling is to educate an ethical human being: a person who not only lives his life by facts and knowledge but also by ethics and morals. The need for schools to address ethics and morals is important in the 1990s, due to the emergence of the single-parent family. This new type of family, along with the family with two working parents, has caused the "latch key" child to become commonplace in many schools today. Since their parents are still working by the time they are dismissed from school, these young, elementary school children have a key to get into their homes everyday after school. Without parental supervision, they begin to believe that the decisions and actions in surreal comic books, popular, (at times pornographic), magazines, and violent television programs are acceptable. Such a situation results in children with a warped sense of reality, ethics, and moral, allowing them to easily become susceptible to delinquency. Proponents against the inclusion of ethics in schools argue that since ethics and morals are personal they should be taught in the home. However, for many of these children, an academic environ ment is the only place where they interac... ...e which do not. A child will be able to identify not only with his own mother's dying of cancer but also with another child's mother dying from cancer. The need for ethics and morality in education is more important now than ever before. The "latch key" child and single parent family have led schools to consider an ethical dilemma: are they responsible for the ethical and moral education of children. To see an end to teenage pregnancy, violence, and death, schools must teach their students what is ethical and moral and what is not. To secure our future as a provacative, risk taking, concerned society schools must not consider an ethical dilemma but rather accept their ethical responsibility. Works Cited Carballo, Jose. Personal Interview. 20 Sept. 1997. Kozol, Jonathan. The Night is Dark and I am Far From Home. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1975.