Clear and Simple as the Truth in Dressing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Clear and Simple as the Truth in Dressing - Essay Example Meaning (p.59) that writing is thinking about the paper and thought is writing on the mind.   Before the ideology of the war tragedy come to be on the paper, it must be concrete in the writer’s mind, thus the time comes when the stylistic ability of the writer brings the war tragedy already written the mind to be as concrete as it should be. In what seems practical, thought proceeds speech, meaning that writing is not thinking, but rather the reverse is true. Keagan's war tragedy is written as a stylistic output of the written story in the mind of the writer that it becomes more concrete and tangible. Truly, a classic writer presents the concrete diamond and its aesthetic beauty as if both are visible, clear, and exact. Before the ideology of the war tragedy come to be on the paper, it must be concrete in the writer’s mind, thus the time comes when the stylistic ability of the writer brings the war tragedy already written the mind to be as concrete as it should be.

History of American policing(5 pages), history of Gainesville, Georgia Essay

History of American policing(5 pages), history of Gainesville, Georgia police department - Essay Example The city of Detroit in the same year decided to have the first group of civilian people to be already considered as officers. Then finally in 1804, there was already the existence of mobile patrol to be used by the officers (Morris, 1999, page xxxi-xxxvi). It was in the year 1844 when in New York, the first police department was modeled together with Peel law officials. These American watchmen were expected to roam around the city as silent as they could and they had to stand up straight and listen to intently. They were also required to guard the weather conditions along with the street lamps. Each time they had to do their job, they had to say the statement â€Å"The police department and the police force, has the power and it is their duty at all times of the day and night to protect the life and property, prevent crime, detect and arrest offenders, and preserve the public peace and enforce all laws, ordinances and provisions of the administrative code over which the police department has jurisdiction.† This is the start of their oath of protection for the people of America (Morris, 1999, page xxxi-xxxvi). But aside from the short summary of how policing came to America, as stated above, there are still a lot of happenings that should be considered as one tries to study the existence of police officers, the department and their duty to people. Little details must also be considered as part of its history. One of these important information that needs to be acknowledged is the office of the sheriff being very ancient. The history of the office can be related to the institution of the king’s reeves whose main purpose is to guard over the king’s possessions and even interests in the nineteenth century. At the end of the century, the guard has already owned or acquired for himself power for judgment and finances. For the same reason, his position got elevated to being a shire and no longer just an

Plagiarism Essay Example for Free

Plagiarism Essay Plagiarism is taking credit in terms of the words, ideas as your own without implicit or explicit expression of the owner or proper referencing. It can be defined in simple terms as presenting other peoples work including the work of fellow students, academicians, researchers, magazines, newspapers, whether electronic or non electronic as your own without proper citation. It involves use of ideas, opinion or facts may be taken from another source which is either oral or written but are not common knowledge. The issue common knowledge is subjective and debatable. Plagiarism takes many forms such as including words, opinions and ideas in academic paper without citing the source. This may be intentional or an intentional. In some instances it will be copying, cutting and pasting from electronic sources, borrowing a document without proper reference, presenting a research paper. A student may reproduce theories, formulas, opinions and ideas and without proper citing or acknowledgement of the original owners. It is always prudent for a student or any other person to worry of plagiarism since it waters down the purpose of the academic paper presented. Students always are caught with various forms of plagiarism such as; direct quoting of the actual work of a person without taking credit and this has serous repercussions. There are instances that Using somebody’s ideas as your own, forming opinions on somebody’s research and assuming that it is yours. It also takes the form of paraphrasing ideas opinions words theories as if you are the originator. Borrowing facts, statistics or any other materials can also amount to plagiarism. It may also take a form of careless use documents copying and poor citing. Attitude towards plagiarism Plagiarism is deception act that should be punished at costs. It is an immoral act that portrays the writers’ inability read and comprehends ideas, opinions, and other materials and inability to cite and reference. The level of plagiarism is not an issue when considering the ability of the writer to be able to write a good paper. What matters is ability to write a document independent In my opinion I feel plagiarism is part of piracy although it occurs in academic circles. Take an instance of a person presenting plagiarized papers to academic institution. American universities have many penalties for plagiarism. They range from expulsion to reaping the papers depending on the level of plagiarism. Some levels of plagiarism such as cut and paste, copying a colleague’s work, wrong paraphrasing, and quoting direct without citing the originator will carry different penalties. Strategies of avoiding plagiarism There are many strategies that can be used to avoid plagiarism. To avoid plagiarism one must give credit or acknowledge the originator of the opinion idea or theory that has been used. Issues like facts graphs drawings, graphs which are borrowed from a certain source must be acknowledged and the source be acknowledged. Speeches or paraphrases must also be taken care of. Taking credit may be in a form of citing which is an authority to allow one to use the information that is not his. It also ensures the future users of your documents are able to tress and locate the original data. Plagiarism is theft of intellectual property, I totally agree with this statement, taking some ones quality work presenting as if it belongs to you is same as stealing another person’s brain and use it to earn yourself fame and money. This is the most discouraging thing for writers and artists, it threatens the industry of art and can halt this interesting and important industry in our society. Most amazing is the way comedians steals each others lines and even some times even the listeners get bored, they just don’t want to come up with new words, song writers repeat the same lines too, and for along time we only listen to same words and similar lines sing with a different tunes. People just fall to use their intelligence and steal from one another, this should be ended if people want to grow intellectually measures should be put to curb plagiarism and people be warned of the dangers of plagiarism and its effects Plagiarism can be avoided by all means if we want intelligent work, this bad practice can ruin our generation especially through the internet , a lot of discipline can be installed in learning institution and make sure that whoever is caught plagiarizing is punished or even expelled from the institution, this will encourage student to work hard genuinely . Harsh penalties should be passed for anyone caught copying another persons work and especially those found to be selling it and these thieves should be prosecuted in court and let them be an example for others. This would instill fear and reduces cases of this illegal practice and at the same time encourage people to come up with original work and ideas of their own and ideas of their own, and in this way the will be a lot of quality work in the market and employment opportunities created as more work force will be needed when the market gets busy and the profits are high. Plagiarism can be avoided by all means if we want intelligent work, this bad practice can ruin our generation especially through the internet , a lot of discipline can be installed in learning institution and make sure that whoever is caught plagiarizing is punished or even expelled from the institution, this will encourage student to work hard genuinely . Harsh penalties should be passed for anyone caught copying another persons work and especially those found to be selling it and these thieves should be prosecuted in court and let them be an example for others. This would instill fear and reduces cases of this illegal practice and at the same time encourage people to come up with original work and ideas of their own and ideas of their own, and in this way the will be a lot of quality work in the market and employment opportunities created as more work force will be needed when the market gets busy and the profits are high.

Importance Of Stretching Before Exercise Physical Education Essay

Importance Of Stretching Before Exercise Physical Education Essay Stretching before participation in athletic activities is typical practice for all levels of sports, competitive or recreational. Athletes, coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, and physicians recommend stretching in an effort to both prevent injury and enhance performance. Several papers have been published which has produced a significant body of evidence that stretching may not be the way to improve performance and decrease risk of injury. Recent research demonstrates that stretching prior to physical activity decreases performance. However, these stretching bouts are not representative of athletes during warm up procedures, as they are usually time consuming. The aim of the this study is to examine whether the duration of acute static stretching is responsible for losses in sprint times compared to increased/decreased flexibility.   Research has shown the reduction of peak flow force when using static stretching but research has also shown the reduction of injury and the improve ment of flexibility in the long term which also assists in sprinting performance. Research in this area has sometimes been vague involving the time of the static stretched used. Bandy (1997) used 57 subjects from the age of 21 to 37 years old, 40 of these being male and 17 female with all participants having limited hamstring flexibility. These participants were randomly assigned to four groups. Three groups stretched 5 days per week for 15, 30, and 60 seconds, Group four served as a control group, and did not stretch. The test was ran over a six week period. The results showed that holding a stretch for 30 seconds was optimal as it had a greater effect on range of motion than the 15 seconds and control group and the same effect as the 60 seconds. Bandy (1997) concluded that because there was little difference between no stretching and 15 seconds coaches and athletes must raise the question of the effectivness of static stretching for periods less than 30 seconds. Although this study supports its hypothesis it is very specific to the hamstring and lower body. Muscle such as the gasrtocnemuis may show different results due to the higher percentage of fast twi tch muscle fibres which performs larger, more powerful movements REF. The study did not show the acute effects of static stretching so we cannot assume these results would or would not enhance range of motion/flexibility gains prior to any sporting events. Also this study is excessively narrow in subject focus and as all participants had limited amount of range of flexibility within the hamstring, with a higher majority of subjects being men. Therefore this makes the results only valid to this population. Due to the length of the study and the uncontrolled environment I would have to question the suitability of the research design and the effectiveness of the data collection. The subjects were only tested once after the six week period, therefore subjects were subjected to outside environmental factors during the six weeks which may have affected results. Testing and monitoring constantly throughout the six weeks would improve the reliability of this study. A more controlled study was done by Shirer (2005). This study focused on muscle performance rather than flexibility. He conducted a study using males from a university population who were pre and post tested for isometric force and surface electromyography activity. (Shirer 2005 pg 22) tests were performed on only lower limb muscles, range of motion in seated hip flexion, prone hip extension, ankle planter and dorsi flexion, no-counter movement jump height, and ground contact time. Male participants were tested 30, 60, 90, and one120 seconds after static stretching. The group partake in an 18 minute static stretch routine for the lower body (hamstrings, quadriceps, and planter flexors). 45 seconds was the protocol stretch time used for each muscle group and was repeated four times with a 15 second break in-between. Shirier (2005) found differences in the acute (just before exercise) and regular stretching (over a period of time). Results stated that there was no significant benefit o f acute stretching on isometric force production, isokinetic torque, or jumping height. In addition, (Shirer 2005 pg 25) concluded by saying that regular stretching after exercise may improve strength, jump height, and running speed. As a result these findings imply that acute stretching before exercise had no positive effects on strength and power while regular stretching after training or competition improved strength and speed. Results did not relate to the acute effects of static stretching but only the acute effects of isometric force. Again this study provides significant evidence for the effects of stretching on performance, however the time frame used for the stretches in this study was 45 seconds and 30 seconds has been proven in the previous study to be the optimal time. This extended period of time could therefore affect the force production and therefore the results. A similar study by Fowles (2000) that supports Shirer (2005) body of evidence showed the effect of stretching on muscular strength over time. (Fowles 2000 pg 1179) Subjects performed 13 stretches of the plantar flexors, holding each stretch for 135 seconds during a time frame of 33 minutes. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was assessed 6 times during the ensuing 60 minutes. Fowles (2000) concluded that an intense extended stretch (of the plantar flexors) reduces MVIC for up to 1 hour after stretching. Although this evidence supports that of Shirier (2005) it is not relevant to sports performance as proven by Bandy (1997) the time for both holding the stretch and time spent on stretching is too long and therefore is not specific to sports performance and is not relevant. A more sport specific study was done by (Sayers AL 2008) who performed a study using 20 female football players to determine which phase of the 30 meter sprint (acceleration and or maximum velocity) was affected by performance static stretching. Participants were assigned at random to either a stretch or no stretch condition on two non-consecutive days. The athletes in the no-stretch condition completed a standard warm-up protocol and then performed three 30-m sprints, with a 2-minute rest interval between. The athletes in the stretch condition performed the standard warm-up protocol, completed a stretching routine of the lower limbs which included calf, quadriceps, and hamstrings and then without delay performed three 30-m sprints, also with a 2-minute rest between each sprint. The groups would then reverse the next day, and indistinguishable procedures were followed. A considerable statistical difference in acceleration maximal-velocity sprint time, and overall sprint time between the stretch and no-stretch conditions was seen. (Sayers AL 2008 pg 1420) concluded by stating that static stretching before sprinting resulted in slower times in all three performance variables. Although this study proves that static stretching diminishes spitting performance it does not state the time held with the stretches. Again this study is gender specific and as studies has proven significant differences between male and females relating in flexibility and spots performance we cannot assume these results are relevant for both genders. Favero (2009) took this further by relating flexibility to performance investigating the effect of stretching on sprint performance and baseline flexibility. 10 trained male subjects (age 22 to 23 yrs) were randomly designated to Rest and Stretch conditions. (Favero 2009 pg 52) A low intensity 5 min running warm-up procedure was followed by either 12 min of inactivity (Rest) or lower-limb stretches. No statistically significant difference in measures of sprint performance between conditions were seen, however there was a significant correlation between baseline sit-and-reach scores and mean change in mean velocity between conditions. There was an preference for stretching to a harmful affect on sprint performance in subjects with moderately high baseline flexibility. (Favero 2009 pg 54) concluded by saying an acute bout of stretching does not exert a significant effect on sprint performance under prescribed conditions. This research therefore disputes previous studies which state tha t stretching effects sprinting performance. Unlike the previous studies Favero (2009) compared the difference in flexibility compared to the sprinting performance, therefore making the results specific, reliable and valid. Unfortunately there is a lack of evidence and current data to support this conclusion. Kistler (2008) conducted a similar study to see what would happen to these performance effects at longer distances such as those seen in competition.(Kistler 2008 pg. 2281) This study investigated the effects of passive static stretching vs no stretching on the 60- and 100-m sprint performance of college track athletes after a dynamic warm-up. Results discovered a considerable slowing in performance with static stretching in the second 20 (20-40) m of the sprint trials. Following the first 40 m, static stretching exhibited no added affect on performance in a 100-m sprint. However, even tho there was no further time loss, athletes never retrieved back the time that was initially lost in the first section of the trials. Therefore, in strict terms of sporting performance, it is probable that including static stretching will have a diminishing affect of sprinting performance up to 100 meters. (Kistler 2008 pg. 2283) went on to say that the study found no additional inhibition during the final 60 m of a 100-m dash, therefore it is possible that performance in even longer events could actually benefit from static stretching. This study supports that of previous literature and supplies solid evidence to propose that static stretching has an effect on sprinting performance at short distances; however many athletes use stretching as a method of injury prevention and increase range in motion, and this study does not provide any information about the effectiveness of static stretching in this regard. Summary All but 1 study found that an acute bout of stretching diminished performance tests of sprinting, or jumping performance Even though most studies used a randomised cross-over design some studies used a pre-post design. Results were in general constant across designs. Static stretching was used in most of the studies, even tho there are many other appropriate methods used to stretch. Affects were however was observed with other forms of stretching as well. The review showed body of evidence suggesting that these affects were consistent across different types of stretching for isometric force, isokinetic torque, and jump height. Even though different types of stretching in running produced incompatible results, the main methodological difference was the duration of stretch, which was inconsistent and had no explanation for the use of the time used. As a result it was found that longer stretch produced worse results. In relation there was limited research on acute effects after stretching in relation to range of motion and flexibility. A huge variable to consider was the subject population as most studies found similar results across age, gender and level of athletic ability. This may suggests the results are due to fundamental physiological adaptations that occur in the muscle, a hypothesis that is supported by the critical science evidence on stretch-induced muscle damage and stretch-induced hypertrophy (Morgan 1999). Possible improvements in performance may be at the expense of an increased risk of injury. Therefore the advantages and disadvantages of stretching need to be considered for individual athletes, together with but not partial to competition level, competition timing (e.g., early or late in the season). Although different forms of performance were tested in these studies, including isokinetic, isometric force, jump height, jump velocity, acceleration, and sprint speed, these do not account for all aspects of performance. In addition, stretching may be a method of relaxation for athletes, and may possi bly affect performance. If this were a method to improve performance, then stretching should be compared with other methods of relaxation for quantifiable effectiveness. In summary, the literature suggest that for athletes who take part in sports that require power, strength, and explosive movements need to consider that static stretching before activity may cause a short-term decline in sprinting performance. Conversely, frequent stretching will advance the results for all activities. This is comparable to the fact that stretching directly prior to exercise does not diminish the possibility of injury, nevertheless regular stretching may reduce the risk of injury. Therefore, athletes should stretch after exercise, or at a time not associated to exercise. Further research is necessary to ascertain both the degree of pre-stretching necessary to cause a damaging effect, and the time-course between the preservation of the increased range of motion and the prolongation of the capacity to generate maximal power. Methodology The focus of this study was to test the length of time taken with a stretch and compare this to the performance of both sprinting and flexibility. 30 male participants were recruited from Cheddar Football club. Subjects were required to read and complete a health questionnaire and sign an informed consent document. The appropriate institutional ethics committee approved the study. The participants were not informed of the results until the study was completed. A convenience sample was used as a high volume of participants were readily available and allowed basic data and trends to be obtained without the complications of using a randomised sample. All participants regular play football and are subjected to sprinting. This makes my sample specific and relative to athletic performance where as an ideal sample results may differ due to gender, age, and athletic ability differences. A secondary observer was used to record the results and help time the pre stretches. This ensured subject were monitored, and therefore helped ensure the test procedure was followed correctly. The 30 males partaked in both a pre sit and reach flexibilit y test and a 40 meter sprint. Participants were subjected to a 5 min protocol warm up prior to the pre test comprising of jogging 400 m, forward skips 2 x 60 m, side steps 4 x 20 m, backwards skips 2 x 60 m. Participants only had 1 attempt at each of the pre test. To minimise variation in climatic conditions, all sprints were performed on an indoor track using running trainers. The sprints were initiated from a standard stationary split stance with the dominant foot to the front and foot behind the starting line, with no rocking movements and were timed with (Omoron electronic timing gates). Timing gates were used to ensure the most accurate readings as the difference in times will be minimal, therefore this will ensure there is no room for human error, therefore making the results more reliable. The time would start as soon as the participant travels through the first beam and then would stop when the participant travels through the beam 40 meters from the starting line. To control for error, the laser beam was positioned so the height above the ground approximated the height of the runners waist. The sit and reach test was then performed 2 minutes after the 40 meter sprint. A modified sit and reach test was used to control for the variable lengths of peoples arms and legs, which is a limitation of the standard test. The equipment was set up that, the zero mark is adjusted for each individual, based on their sitting reach level. This ensured that the result would be a positive number which is necessary for a statistical analysis. An (Acuflex) modified flexibility sit and reach test box was used to record the test. Procedure Three different stretch protocols were used, with each protocol being performed on a different day. Group 1 would hold the stretch for 30 seconds, group 2 for 15 seconds and group 3 would stretch for 5 seconds. All groups were given the same protocol warm up as the pre test. The stretching activities were ones that the athletes normally used in their daily warm-up rituals. All groups then stretch their hamstrings, quadriceps, and gastrconemuis for their given times. For each activity, the range of motion was increased until the person acknowledged a stretch-induced discomfort similar to that normally felt during their daily stretching activities. At this point, the stretch was maintained for their given times. The first stretch was a hamstring stretch. The subjects laid down in a supine position on the floor with a leg extended. The opposing leg was flexed at the patella at 90 degrees and hip 45 degrees, with the sole of the foot planted tightly on the floor. From this pose, the extended leg was raised to an upright position. The second was a quadriceps stretch. The participant adopted a vertical position, standing on one leg with the other leg flexed with the heel pulled close to the glutes with the help of the hand. The last stretch was the glastocnemius. The participant adopted a split stance shoulder width apart with the front leg slightly bent. The body weight is transferred forward whilst keeping the heel of the back foot on the ground. All stretches were performed in the order mentioned above, in accordance of a 30 second rest interval dividing each different stretch. Once this sequence of stretches was finished, the leg was rested for a further 30 seconds and then the sequence was repeated until all muscles were equally stretched 3 times. One full cycle of stretches on one leg was performed before changing legs. Following the stretching regime, the athletes were told to relax for 3 minutes before beginning the 40 meter sprints. The modified sit and reach test followed the 40 meter sprint. The test involved sitting on the floor with legs stretched out straight ahead. Footwear was removed. The soles of the feet were placed flat against the box. Both knees were locked and pressed to the floor with the palms facing downwards, and the hands on top of each other or side by side, the subject then reached forward along the measuring line as far as possible. The hands had to remain at the same level, not one reaching further forward than the other. The subject then reaches out and holds that position for two seconds while the distance is recorded.  Groups repeated the test 1week later changing the time of the stretch. 1 week wash out time was given to ensure significant time to recover. This was again repeated the following week with the groups changing the times once again. I have used repeated measure as it ensured the experiment was more efficient and helped keep the variability low. This therefore helped to ke ep the validity of the results higher, while still allowing for smaller than usual subject groups. It also allowed the experiments to be completed more quickly, as only a few groups need to be used to complete the entire experiment. It is important to make sure the experiment is completed quickly as changes in participants may occur due to practice effects. The two pre- and two post-sprint times were averaged. Data was analysed using qualitative measures. The reliability of the 40 meter times for each stretch condition was calculated using an intraclass correlation coefficient on pre test measures. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was used to compare the times for each stretch condition. I have used this method of testing as it will reduce the likelihood of a false positive (type 1 error). For this reason using the ANOVA will help me compare three means. In addition to the above analysis on the average 40 m sprint times, a post-hoc analysis was done on the best time for each trial. I have used these methods of testing as they have been used in many of the reviewed literature. Therefore I know these methods are applicable and will therefore allow me to easily compare my results to previous literature. To prove my hypothesis, I have used a common alpha value of 0.05 (5%). Parametric (anova) or non Parametric

The Tempest - Barbarism versus Civilization :: English Literature Essays

The Tempest - Barbarism versus Civilization In Shakespeare’s play, "The Tempest," an underlying theme of barbarism versus civilization appears. Shakespeare creates characters that exemplify symbols of nature or nurture. The symbolism of the characters is derived from their actions. These actions show Shakespeare’s view of the uncivilized and the civilized, as well as help the reader develop his own opinion of each side. In this whimsical play, Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, after being supplanted of his dukedom by his brother, arrives on an island. He frees a spirit named Ariel from a spell and in turn makes the spirit his slave. He also enslaves a native monster named Caliban. These two slaves, Caliban and Ariel, symbolize the theme of nature versus nurture. Caliban is regarded as the representation of the wild; the side that is usually looked down upon. Although from his repulsive behavior, Caliban can be viewed as a detestable beast of nature, it can be reasonably inferred that Shakespeare’s intent was to make Caliban a sympathetic character. During the first encounter, Caliban comes across very bestial and immoral. While approaching Caliban’s cave, Prospero derogatorily says, "†¦[he] never/Yields us kind answer," meaning Caliban never answers respectfully. When Prospero reaches the cave, he calls to Caliban. Caliban abruptly responds, "There’s wood enough within." His short, snappy reply and his odious tone, reveal the bitterness he feels from leading a servile life. Caliban’s rudeness makes him seem like an unworthy and despicable slave. Also, Caliban displays an extreme anger toward Prospero. When Caliban is asked to come forth he speaks corruptly, "As wicked dew as e’er my mother brushed/With raven’s feather from unwholesome fen/Drop on you both!†¦And blister you all o’er!" Caliban’s attitude and disrespect is unfitting for a servant. However, his actions are justified. Until Prospero arrived on the island, Caliban was his own king. The island was left to him by his mother, Sycorax. Nevertheless, Prospero took charge of the isle and eventually enslaved Caliban. "†¦Thou strok’st me†¦I loved thee†¦" is part of a quote that illustrates Caliban’s relationship with Prospero before he was his slave. Prospero comforted Caliban and gave him water and berries; he taught him how to speak, as well. During this time Caliban loved Prospero and showed him the features of the island, "The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile†¦" Caliban regrets helping Prospero as he says towards the end of his speech, "Cursed be I that did so!" Caliban feels this way due to his imprisonment.

Americas Downward Spiral Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

America's Downward Spiral In recent years, the economy in the United States has been in what most would see as a recession. American people differ in the way they react to a recession. Some, such as Michael Moore, feel it becomes a downward spiral as big business and it’s stockholders gain more money and power, and it’s workers gain less money and stability. With a loss of stability for the American worker there is a fear of losing their health benefits, social security, pension plan, and most of all, their job. Moore’s reaction to this big business take over was to create several documentaries, Roger and Me, Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint, and The Big One. Along with Moore’s reaction to this recession there were several authors who printed pieces describing things such as; downward mobility, wilding, starvation, poverty, and homelessness. In Moore’s documentaries he targeted big tycoons such as Roger Smith of GM, Phil Knight of Nike, and companies like Johnson Controls. All of these companies have something in common, greed and money! He dug up the facts on all of th...

Economic/Social transitions in literature Essay

The great plays staged in London and its more modern counterpart, the films, that are accessible to all, depict the social issues, biases and struggles of not only the characters in the plays or the films, but also the society of that time. As for instance, the acquisition of wealth as a social activity, which is very primitive to man, as primitive as his quest to survive, has been portrayed in varying degrees of need, as if so urgent. The problem arises when one realizes that the quest is not a solo act. There are still other members of the society one belongs to and interacts with, who seek wealth in their own ways. Since man made discoveries of and developed the tools or things he could use for purposes that serve him, benefit him, and enrich him, man became a part of the race for the survival of the fittest. Self-interest is his order of the day that, by hook or crook, he has to engage in activities that will earn for him his status, prestige, monetary rewards, properties and other ‘successes’ or things he finds worthy of his taste. The means by which such ‘rewards’ are achieved are just an afterthought, and most of the time, immaterial to him. The beginning of the 16th century marked the trend towards Industrial Revolution in England and writers have recorded in their manuscripts the daily ordeals their society faced, literally and figuratively. In Christopher Marlowe’s â€Å"The Jew of Malta† as in William Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†, it is evident that religious differences or conflicts are present and the Jews figured greatly in these conflicts. They are despised by the locals – Maltese and Venetians alike. They are spat on and called by other names for the Jews are easily identified by the red wigs they are required to wear at all times. Shakespeare echoes the thoughts and social issues regarding the Jews of their time. Sentiments against the Jews are present in both plays although it still remains debatable if Marlowe or Shakespeare were anti-Semitics. The term anti-Semitism came about in 1879, but anti-Jewish agitation was already present for thousands of years. Even during the ancient Roman Empire, the Jews were already discriminated upon politically for their religion and special forms of worship. Discrimination was also used as a ground against the Jews from obtaining Roman citizenship. As they were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ during his time, they have been considered a race with a bad reputation. As the gospel of Christ spread from Jerusalem to surrounding Gentile lands to as far as the western hemisphere and brought about the eventual domination of Christianity, Jews had been the object of universal and systematic hatred where religion is concerned (â€Å"Anti-Semitism†, 2009). Equally disdainful are the Jews’ regard to the Christians’ religious hypocrisy. Both plays present the utter hypocrisy of Christians who are superficially devout but are inwardly rotten as Barabbas’s slave, Ithamore. The materialistic friars Jacomo and Bernardine, leaders of Christianity from different orders in a certain locality, are keener at the wealth of Barabbas than of the heavenly riches they preach. Evidently, social structure is at play. An invisible social structure somehow manipulates important social systems that includes the manner society conducts its trade, or handles and interprets its laws, its political affairs, its cultural norms and other areas. All institutions of human affairs are considered social structures, including family, religion, law, economy and class and all these are under a larger and more encompassing chunk called â€Å"social system† (Lopez and Scott, 2000). Marlowe’s portrayal of Barabbas, closely resembling the murderous Barabbas who was freed during the time of Christ, also performed a killing spree he masterminded. There was no telling at the end, though, of the motivations that drove him to such state, especially after he has regained his wealth after streaks of political deceptions. Poor men marrying wealthy women as a form of emancipation from their present state seems acceptable. In â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†, Bassanio’s urgent love for Portia is ambiguous that he even tells Antonio to consider the arrangement an investment. In â€Å"The Jew of Malta†, Barabbas dislikes the Christian men courting his daughter for he does not want any of them sharing the wealth he stored up for her. Men and women are used to cross-dressing. On the very stage where Shakespeare’s plays are performed, no women are allowed to take part. So men in women’s roles cross-dress. Quite intriguing also is the love of Antonio for Bassanio that he was willing to shed off a pound of flesh to prove his great love for his friend. â€Å"The Shoemaker’s Holiday†, Thomas Dekker’s comical play, was staged around the time the fame of Shakespearean plays were a hit in London and it also echoes the type of social structure where men of stature cannot marry women of lesser stature as the characters of Rowland Lacy and Rose Oteley depict. There was prejudice among the lower class and vice versa but for true lovers, social classes do not matter. The working class, as in this case, the shoemakers, are at the forefront and where one of them by deception and sheer luck makes it to become Lord Mayor Simon Eyre. According to Lopez and Scott (2000), distinctive between institutional structure and relational structure are some patterns that exist within each structure. They stated that â€Å"social structure is seen as comprising those cultural or normative patterns that define the expectations of agents hold about each other’s behavior and that organize their enduring relations with each other† (Lopez and Scott, 2000, p. 3). They contrasted it as such, â€Å"social structure is seen as comprising the relationships themselves, understood as patterns of causal interconnection and interdependence among agents and their actions, as well as the positions that they occupy† (Lopez and Scott, 2000, p. 3). Both in the former merchant plays of Marlowe and Shakespeare, deception has always been present in the situations, whether for good intentions or to inflict harm. However, Dekker’s play is more idealistic than it is a real depiction of the working class and the government of his time, for unlike Shakespeare, Dekker did not have the same privilege Shakespeare enjoyed. Meanwhile, Charles Dickens’ â€Å"A Christmas Carol† portrays the now evident gap between the rich and the poor in 18th century England and the deeper problems the gap brought in with it ? poverty and social injustice. As Dickens’ play tackles serious issues present in society during his time that no one but Ebenezer Scrooge can greatly personify, it is unmistakable that Dickens was calling on his fellowmen to take a closer look at the plight of the others who were not as fortunate. Dickens asks, in effect, that his fellow Englishmen understand and act on the dilemma facing those displaced and eventually sent to poverty by the dark age of the Industrial Revolution (Dickens, 2003). The Scrooge’s utter disregard towards everything but money makes him the monster that will invoke doom for all. If from the earlier merchant plays, self-interest seems like the rule-of-thumb, in â€Å"A Christmas Carol† the call for selflessness points out that social responsibility does not end when taxes are filed. The story has become one of Dickens’ best and one of four other Christmas books he had published. In fast-paced New York, the 80s â€Å"Wall Street† film by Oliver Stone (1987) revolves around the ruthless corporate character Gordon Gekko played by Michael Douglas. This film depicts human nature back to its fullest and is personified by greed and corrupt morals. The film deals with the basic craving for wealth and power, getting things done at all cost in no time. Honesty and simplicity have no place; if someone has to go up the ladder of success quickly be greedy. Gekko’s portrayal of the â€Å"Greed is good† speech came from complaints that management owns little of its stock while it supports too many vice presidents, an allusion to real-life speeches and comments signified by Carl Icahn, known as the shrewdest investor in the planet, regarding companies he tried to take over. Also, the defense of greed came from a paraphrased commencement address on May 18, 1986 at the UC Berkeley’s School of Business Administration, delivered by Ivan Boesky, now a Wall Street incognito as he was found guilty of insider-trading. In his address he said that greed is just all right, healthy and still feels good about it. The â€Å"Greed is Good† line may also be adverted Adam Smith, the leading expositor of economic thought on his conclusion about human nature. Smith believed â€Å"rational self-interest in a free-market economy leads to economic well-being. † Smith wrote in his â€Å"Theory of Moral Sentiments† that no matter how selfish a man may be, there is in his nature that will always interest him in the fortune of others and render their happiness necessary to him though he derives nothing from it except the pleasure of seeing it. His view on self-interest is benign and denies that self-love can be virtuous in any degree and that charity, though virtuous, cannot in any way provide the essentials of living by itself. â€Å"Wall Street† mirrors a society so laid-back it has to time for hard work and doing work well; a society that got used to getting big bucks quickly (Stone, 2003). Another New York-based film, â€Å"Working Girl† (Wade, 1988), directed by Mike Nichols shows how Tess McGill, a character played by Melanie Griffith, decides to climb up the ladder of success, out of the secretarial pool she has been in for so long. Despite her resourcefulness, hard work, and degree earned from college, she stands no chance as she lacks the prestige of acquiring a degree from a prestigious school. Intelligent as she is, it is her boss who sucks out good ideas from her. A person’s social position within the social hierarchy in a society indicates a set of people’s opinion of their own place or position in society; and these are very subjective, depending on who a person talks to or who a person associates himself/herself with. Kristina Lindemann (2000) adds that education, occupation, and income are also related to the subjective social position where a person’s environment provides great impact on how an individual sees himself in the context of social hierarchy in society or one’s objective characteristics. Lindemann (2000) further divides these characteristics into ascribed and achieved characteristics. Ascribed characteristics are innate as age, gender and ethnicity while achieved characteristics are acquired or learned as education, occupation or income. While studies show that acquired characteristics are relevant to how one sees himself positioned in the hierarchy, some theorists do not believe so (Lindermann, 2000). The environment McGill works in is too competitive where everyone keeps a watchful eye as to whose idea works and whose idea will push one higher. Reaching the top then has to be done with cutting-edge guts. Out-witting her boss in presenting what is her own original idea for the company, she has to deceive their company’s major client. Other moral issues may also come into play as, to be able to advance notches higher in the corporate world, one has to have to sleep with who is in charge, one has to be mindful of what his colleagues are up to, which may be translated to office politics. REFERENCES Anti-Semitism (2009). Retrieved August 3, 2009 from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761574855/Anti-Semitism. html Lopez, J. and J. Scott (2000), Social Structure, Buckingham and Philadelphia: Open University Press. Murdock, G. (1949). Social Structure. New York: MacMillan. Dickens, C. (2003). A Christmas Carol. Grand Rapids: Saddleback. Stone, O. (Writer) (1987). Wall Street. USA: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Wade, K. (Writer) (1988). Working Girls. USA: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Vitt, L. A. (2007). Class. Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology Retrieved August 3, 2009, from http://www. blackwellreference. com. libproxy. lib. unc. edu/subscriber/tocnode? id=g9781405124331_chunk_g97814051243319_ss1-49 Lindemann, K. (2007). The Impact of Objective Characteristics on Subjective Social Position. Trames, 11, 54-68.