An I.T. System for a Video Rental Store Essay Example for Free

An I.T. System for a Video Rental Store Essay Contents * Choice of Problem * Description of Problem * Investigation and Analysis of Problem * Specification of Solution * Design of Solution * Implementation of Solution: * Resources Required * Data Collection, Capture and Input * Data Verification and Validation * Output Format * Testing of Solution * Documentation of Solution * Evaluation of Solution Choice of Problem I live in large city called London. My Grandfather runs a video shop there under the name Video Rentals LTD. Has a large and varied amount of stock that he finds hard to keep track of. At the moment he employs a card index system but this has its limitations: * Cards often get misfiled meaning that extra time has to be spent refilling and amending lost data. * On average it takes 30 seconds to search for a record, at busy times this is too long. * The shop currently has about 150 customers, which means that to find a record it may take a long time, this will delay the time that it takes to sort through the records and therefore customers may not want to wait that long and may go to another shop. Description of Problem At my grandfathers video shop the current system involves filing all the information in a filing cabinet. This is a manual system as all the data is hand written. I believe that because of this the video shop needs a computerised system, which will make the database better. There will be graphical menu System that will link all the forms and queries together. My database project will allow the shopkeeper to edit, create and delete record details of members, videos and loans. Investigation To find out more about what the database required I phoned my Grandfather. I wanted to know: * The precise objectives of the new system * The problems or weaknesses in the current manual system * The information that needs to be kept on each customer * The required output * The volume of data (e.g. number of existing customers, number of new customers each year/month) * Any hardware or software constraints. My evaluation will be based firstly on whether it works properly, secondly that it is faster in finding a particular video or client than the existing manual system and thirdly that my Grandfather finds it easy to use. Specification of Solution Objectives of the new system * It should take less than thirty seconds to establish whether a customer is already on file. * It should be possible to go directly from the Customer Details form to the entry of a video that that customer has hired, without having to re-enter the customers name, etc. * Data entry should be as fast and as easy as possible, particularly as there are several hundred existing customers and videos to be entered when the system is first installed. * It be able to show who has rented what video and when. * There must be provision for more than one video to be hired at once by the same person. * The new system is required to provide the following information: * A list of all business customers * A list of all customers interested in a certain type of video such as horror, comedy etc. * A list of customers whose numbers of rentals exceeds a given value. * A list of all rentals that are overdue and need chasing. * It should be possible to send a standard letter to selected customers, using criteria mentioned above. * The user must be able to create new letters whenever needed and perform a mail merge to selected customers. * The main menu should be displayed automatically when the database is loaded, and the whole system should be menu driven. Design of Solution A database package will be ideal for implementing the system for my Grandfathers video rental shop. He has requested that it is done in Access 97 so this is the package that must be used. It would probably be possible to implement the system using Visual Basic or another programming language but it would take a lot longer and would involve the owners having to buy more software which is not really necessary, as Access has all the capabilities required. I already have some experience of Access 97 and it is available in my house for development. Using this package it will be possible to: * Set up the necessary tables and relationships * Produce customised input screens, using Visual Basic to automate data entry wherever possible and to perform various validations * Use Visual Basic modules to enable fast searches for a particular customer and past jobs * Design reports as needed * Make and save queries to select certain customers for a mail merge * Implement a customised menu system On starting up the database, I will design it so that you are presented with a main menu that is linked to the client and video databases, which in turn are linked to each other. I will make it so that on each of the forms there are buttons that enable you to scroll between records, delete records and search for records. If you choose to search for a record then you will be prompted to enter the details of the record you want. The database will be menu orientated so I will make a separate options menu that is linked to everything else. The options menu will also contain a help menu that will cover everything that is covered in the user manual. My system will be based on two separate files, one is of the customers and the other is of the videos in stock. Each record in whichever file will only contain one video or customer, and contain fields like name, address, video name, and certificate. The implementation will begin with the design of the database, then data capture forms, entry screens and output screens. Before the database is put in to use I will test the system using a range of valid and invalid data to make sure the system works as it should. I will then create a user manual that will support the system and its functions. Implementation of Solution Resouces Required I have chosen to design and make my database in Access version 97 because this is the program that the final product will be used on. It allows me to create customized data input screens and has a wide range of validation checks available, so unless a good reason transpires for using an alternative program or package, Access will be the first choice of software. In order to run Access 97 and be able to perform a mail merge using Word, a minimum of a Pentium 133 system with 16Mb, wil be required. A faster processor may be needed if the system is going to appear slow in switching between screens and searching for records. When the system is up and running it will take up about 5Mb. The user has a Pentium 300 with 16Mb, which will be perfectly suitable, and similar machines are available for development work in my house at school. My Grandfather is familiar with Word and has good keyboard skills, so should have no problem in entering the data but may need help in doing some of the more complicated functions. In the future he would like to improve his knowledge of Access so that he can perform new queries and reports as the need arises. Data Collection, Capture and Input Three data input forms are needed: 1. Customer Details This form will be used for several purposes so it needs to be able to: * Add a new customer * Look through the current clients and see what videos they have hired. Validations will be performed automatically. The Member ID field will be an integer and letter field so that it is more personalised. Wherever possible default values will be inserted automatically (e.g. most customers are from Ludlow so the relevant fields will default to those values). Tab order will also be used to speed data entry, so each field will have a certain order in which the data is entered. The form will be straightforward and follow in a top-to-bottom order. 2. Video Details This needs basically to be the same kind of layout and make up as the customer details form except that the fields are those to do with the video. I shall use a validation rule for things such as the videos certificate which can only be one of five (18,15,12,PG,U) and have validation text that warns if the data has been incorrectly inputted. 3. Hire Details This form is designed to make the inputting of information much easier and quicker than searching for a customer and ammending the details every time. It just requires you to input the video number and the client number. Everything else is done automatically. If the wrong client or video number is given then a dialogue box comes up telling you so. You will also have the ability to go staright to a clear form so that a new customer can be added or ammended. Validations will be performed automatically. The client number field will be made up of two numbers and a capital letter, 11A for example. All text that is inputted will automatically be put into upper case lettering for ease. A sample of a data capture form is in the appendix. This is how the system will operate: The diagram shows how the menus will be linked. The hire details are entered in and stored to the various tables. Then comes th possibility of ammending a current customer or adding a new one. Data Verification and Validation Access allows you to say what type of data is included in any field, and also allows me to say the maximum length allowed for any particular field. It also gives the possibility of making input masks for the field. The First and Last Name fields will always be text and most names will be shorter than twenty letters. The House Name/ Number field allows for three digits to be put in first eg 112 Orpen Drive. In fields like Sex, Title and Form Of ID, I have coded it so that only the abreviations of the input are required, and even then the input is one of a choice. This speeds up entry time and reduces the possiblilty for error. The input masks and validation rules reduce data being incorrectly inputted, but they do not completey reduces errors. Data such as name and address, can not be validated, so it has to be verified by the user when the information is being entered. This verification involves manually checking each record to ensure accuracy. Output Format I wanted the output in my database to ocupy 3 sections, the visual display forms, the query which was a search output and the mail merge. I will now show that I have completed those task. First of all here is my Main form, which links all the other forms and functions together. Another output would be the members table I Also designed a query to find all the curent videos that are on loan. ID number of Member ID number of DVD ID number of Video Date Out Date In Surname Of Member Name of DVD Name Of Video Old Member Cost She1 dv004 1 25/7/01 27/7/01 Sheppard The Mummy The Fast one Yes à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.95 My mail merge is contained at the end of this project. User Guide To load the database click on the database file twice quickly (double click) To save the database click file, the save. Or just click on the icon that looks like this. If you require any further help try microsofts built in help progam. Then is one in Help/Microsoft assistant. And also one accesible by pressing the start button. Then on the help file. Testing of Solution I am going to test my database using a variety of correct and incorrect data. In doing this I hope to find any problems with the system, and in doing this finding the solution. The test results for the major tests are shown below. Errors which came to light during the test were corrected and all tests gave expected results. Test 1: test password When the correct password was entered the database opened. Otherwise the following message was displayed: Test 2: Entering client information Client details entered. All different options, defaults and fields were tested during data entry. The tests resulted in some minor changes of the input masks, such as the number of characters allowed in the address field was not big enough for my address. Test 3: Deleting a record A client was deleted and the result were as expected, access alowed me to delte the record, after promiting me in what I was about to do. I also needed to test whether or not my query worked, to do this I first loaded it up. I was asked to type in th date when the video was due back so I typed in 27/11/01 and the query found the following result. As the query found the right result I believe that my query works correctly. Evaluation of Solution By looking at my testing I can conlcude that my database is succesfull, as all the buttons, tables and queries work correctly. If I look at my my evaluation crtitera I can say whether or not I have completeed them. * It should take less than thirty seconds to establish whether a customer is already on file (Query member search) DONE * It should be possible to go directly from the Customer Details form to the entry of a video that that customer has hired, without having to re-enter the customers name, etc. (Relationships) DONE * Data entry should be as fast and as easy as possible, particularly as there are several hundred existing customers and videos to be entered when the system is first installed. (Data flow) DONE * It be able to show who has rented what video and when. (loan table) DONE * There must be provision for more than one video to be hired at once by the same person. IMCOMPLETE * The new system is required to provide the following information: * A list of all rentals that are overdue and need chasing. (Date due back query) DONE * It should be possible to send a standard letter to selected customers, using criteria mentioned above. (Mail merge) DONE * The user must be able to create new letters whenever needed and perform a mail merge to selected customers. (Mail merge wizard) DONE Seeing as I have completed nearly all of my evaluation points I believe that I can say that my database project is a complete success.

European Union as an international organization Essay Example for Free

European Union as an international organization Essay The European Union cannot be an international organization and it is not a domestic political system. It is a new and unique trend in governance, which transcends the nation – state structure. In the EU the nation – state governments are drifting away from both sub national and supranational systems. This in turn raises questions about the EU’s capacity to govern and its democratic legitimacy. The European Union is composed of democratic nations that aim to achieve peace and prosperity. It is not a nation – state but an international organization with unique features (Europeans united in diversity). However, the events that took place in the period from 1960 to 1970 changed the thinking of federalism by the people. The then French president, Charles de Gaulle was very much interested in nation – state structure in the Europe. However, he rejected the federalist system. Subsequently, the European Council was created in order to take up the matters of the Union with administrative powers. Thus there is no centralized power in the European Union and it was distributed between the primary entities, which do not fall within parliamentary control (Europeans united in diversity). The significant characteristic of the EU is that the decisions taken at the European level are ratified by its Member States in order to establish EU level common institutions, by surrendering their sovereignty on certain specific issues. There is unity in diversity in Europe where there persists a multitude of different traditions and languages. Respecting these shared values, the EU promotes cooperation among the people of Europe and it protects the interests of the individual citizens of Europe. While respecting the sentiments of European citizens, the EU promotes cooperation with external nations without comprising its solidarity and in a spirit of tolerance (Europeans united in diversity). The European Union is a distinct entity. It is not a federation like the United States. Moreover, it is not a simple form of structure as it entails inter – governmental coordination and cooperation. The European Union is composed of a number of Member States. These Member States have combined their individual sovereignty and adopted a system of shared governance, in order to achieve unity and international importance. Nevertheless, as it is noteworthy to mention, these Member States did not relinquish their national sovereignty (McCormick). Further, there is a delegation of powers by the agencies of the European Union, in areas of joint interests, upon which the EU can impose its democratic authority for the benefit of Member States. Thus the European Union is to some extent an intergovernmental organization and to some extent it is a supranational organization. The supranational aspects of the EU include economic policy, social policy, immigration policy and education. The intergovernmental aspects comprises of mutual cooperation between the member states in order to formulate a common foreign policy and security policy (McCormick). The intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations are in general constituted by several states in order to promote voluntary cooperation and coordination amongst them (McCormick). The Member States of such an organization retain their independence and the decisions and agreements taken are not enforceable. The Member States of the European Union do not surrender their sovereignty to it. However, in the supranational organization, Member States are required to surrender their sovereignty in certain key areas to the governing body of the supranational organization (McCormick). Moreover, the Member States are also required to comply with the decisions taken at the supranational level. The Courts would initiate penal actions for violations by the member states. The European Union has both the characteristics of an intergovernmental organization and supranational government. An international organization is an entity which develops voluntary cooperation and coordination among its members (McCormick). Hence the European Union cannot be a truly typical international organization. The normal features and definition of an international organization is narrow in its scope. Therefore, the European Union cannot be compared to an ordinary international organization. The European Union is founded by an international treaty like any other international organization. However, it cannot be construed to be a proper international organization and a very close description is that it is not a state, nor a nation – state; but a characterization of sui generis (Vuorinen). The fundamental characteristic that differentiates the European Union from other international organizations is that it attempts to change the Member States. Integration is the process that brings about the coalescing of state structures. The European Union has several structures combined together some of these structures represent the characteristics of a federal state while other structures resemble an international organization. In the process of evolution, the EU had gone beyond an association of states and became an economic and political union. However, the EU is not a federal state (Vuorinen). The emergence of the European Community was the result of federalist views. Its drafters were of the opinion that federalism would be the solution to the persistent problem of war in Europe. Thus their main objective was to establish a federal state. These efforts resulted in the formulation of the European Coal and Steel Community in the year 1951, which created a common market for the coal and steel industries of that period. The objective of this institution was to combine the important and strategic resources of Europe. Subsequently in 1957 The Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community or EEC and the European Atomic Energy Commission or Euratom (Vuorinen). The federalist creation of the Union was based upon the three important pillars of the EU, namely, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice. These branches of the EU, which do not pertain to any single member state of the Union, aim to promote the common European policy. The federal structure could have operated with a sufficient degree of democracy (Vuorinen). The European Union has been described as an international organization and with the adoption of a constitution it can become a supranational organization in addition to an intergovernmental organization. The Maastricht Treaty of the year 1993 established two types of institutionalized cooperation in the European Community, the Common Foreign and Security Policy or CFSP and cooperation on justice and international issues. Since, the extant system in respect of functioning of the EU involves the surrender of sovereignty by states to the EU in certain areas and the dependence of the member states on intergovernmental cooperation in other areas, it can be describes as a hybrid system (European Union). Issues of international interests of the EU are regulated by the Integration Ministry; some of these issues encompass the cooperation of EU, Nordic legislation and cooperation with the United Nation’s agencies. Extension of such cooperation is frequent to the United Nations Refugee Agency or the UNHCR, the Council of Europe, Intergovernmental Consultations or IGC and the International Organization for Migration or the IOM (The Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs). Furthermore, the Ministry negotiates with many foreign nations on issues relating to repatriation agreements, other forms of practical cooperation as well as mutual exchange of information. The International Division of the Integration Ministry governs international cooperation and participates in meeting and makes the necessary preparations for meetings and discussions that involve other nations. This Division also prepares meetings in Denmark with regard to issues relating to asylum and immigration. It also makes the necessary preparations for EU casework in national procedure (The Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs). The destruction and loss of a large number of human lives in the Second World War resulted in European integration, which was expected to put a stop to such killing and destruction. In the year 1950, Robert Schuman, the French Foreign Minister proposed the idea of European integration. The present European Union consists of five institutions with specific goals. These are the European Parliament, which is elected by the citizens of the Member States; the Council of the European Union, which represents the governments of the Member States; the European Commission, which is the executive branch of the EU; the European Court of Justice, which ensures compliance with the EU law by the Member States and the Court of Auditors, which controls and ensures efficient and legal management of the EU budget (The European Union). There are other important agencies, which support these five driving forces of the European Union. They are, the European Economic and Social Committee, which reflects the opinions of the civil society on issues pertaining to economic and social interests; the Committee of the Regions, which is responsible for monetary policies and regulates the euro; the European Ombudsman, which deals with the complaints of individuals in case of breach of law or failure of proper administration by any EU institution or agency and the European Investment Bank, which promotes the objectives of the EU by providing financial support to investment projects. In addition, there are several other institutions to facilitate the smooth functioning of the EU (The European Union). The functionality of the EU is based on the Treaties, which were ratified by the Member States. In the beginning there were only six nations in the EU and these were Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. In 1973 Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom became members of the European Union and subsequently, in 1981 Greece became a member. In the year 1986 Spain and Portugal and in the year 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the European Union. In the year 2004 the largest expansion of the European Union took place with ten new countries being permitted to become members of the European Union (The European Union). In the beginning, much attention was bestowed on providing cooperation in the areas of trade and economy. Subsequently, the EU became the guardian of the Member States and commenced to deal with a wide range of issues pertaining to all aspects of society and humans. The EU protects the rights of individuals, ensures freedom, security and justice, employment, regional development and environmental protection. For more than fifty years the EU has been catering to the needs of its member states in respect of stability, peace and prosperity. It strived hard to enhance the standard of living of its citizens. It created a single European market, launched the euro or the single European currency and fortified the European Union’s stance on the international platform (The European Union). The European Union plays an important role in the field of international trade. It provides advantageous norms for trade to a large number of developing countries. The EU withdraws the preferential business terms from a country that violates these norms, while dealing with any member state of the EU. Moreover, the EU is the largest single donor of humanitarian and development aid in the world. The financial aid supplied by the EU and its member states comprises sixty percent of the total aid to the world. The EU also provides assistance for reconstructing nations ravaged by war and its aid projects are significant in promoting peace among warring nations and in settling disputes. The foreign assistance programs of the EU are remarkable in respect of the benefits offered to refugees of war and famine. Economic integration in the EU has become a role model for many upcoming trade blocs, which have consequently, sought the support of the EU in their financial reforms. Thus, the EU is an economic giant and a superpower. As a matter of fact, the EU influences the economic activities and policies of most nations of the world and plays a key role in the global economy and occupies the first rank in this area (The Rationale for Studying the Outcomes of European Foreign Policy Activity). In the international arena the EU had evolved as a superpower from its very inception. It underwent considerable modifications and later on it expanded itself by establishing common institutions and foreign policy requirements. In 1958, the Rome Treaty founded the European Community and established a legal pedestal on which the EU forged ahead to influence international trade activities, foreign aid programs and diplomatic terms with countries that were not its members. In 1970, the European Political Cooperation was established to facilitate governments to initiate dialogue and promote mutual cooperation with respect to foreign policy matters. In 1987, the Single European Act was developed. In 1993, the EU was institutionalized by the Treaty. The EU is supported by three pillars, the first is the European Community, the second is the New Common Foreign and Security Policy and the third pillar is comprised of by the policies with regard to anticrime and police cooperation (The Rationale for Studying the Outcomes of European Foreign Policy Activity). In 1998, the Treaty of Amsterdam had modified the Treaty of European Union. It brought about High Representation for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The European Security and Defense Identity was supplanted by the European Security and Defense Policy in 1999. This change facilitated the EU to establish a rapid deployment force to maintain peace in the region. The Common Foreign and Security Policy is a set of objectives, procedures and devices formulated to encourage sophisticated joint actions and positions in foreign policy. The CFSP also formed the link between joint actions and civilian foreign policy of the EC. These developments transformed the EU into an international organization in the areas of commerce, trade, aid and diplomatic relations. Moreover, the European Foreign Policy addresses civilian actions, policies, relations, commitments and choices of the EU in international politics (The Rationale for Studying the Outcomes of European Foreign Policy Activity). The nature of the EFP controls the competence of the organs of the EU, so as to influence matters pertaining to international politics. As an international actor the EU enjoys a special status in international politics. However, there is still some doubt regarding the nature of the EU because it has no polity and because it is not a state or a territory with fixed borders. There are an array of tests that measure the end results of the foreign policy and decision – making power of the EU. However the scope of the CFSP was not utilized to the fullest extent by the EU. The end results achieved through this instrument clearly establish the prominence and effective role of the EU as an international actor in international politics (The Rationale for Studying the Outcomes of European Foreign Policy Activity).

The Rise Of The Nazis History Essay

The Rise Of The Nazis History Essay Adolf Hitler was born an Austrian citizen and Roman Catholic at 6:30 PM on April 20 1889 at an inn called the Gasthof Zum Pommer in the town of Braunau-am-inn. Adolfs father- Alois Hitler- constantly reinforced correct behaviour with, sometimes very violent, punishment. After Adolfs elder brother- Alois- fled from home at the age of 14, Adolf became his fathers chief target of rage. At the same time, Adolfs mother- Klara Pà ¶lzl- showered her son with love and affection, as any mother would. When Adolf was three years of age, the Hitler family moved to Passau, along the Inn River on the German side of the border. The family moved once again in 1895 to the farming community of Hafield. Following another family move, Adolf lived for six months across from a large Benedictine monastery. As a youngster, the young boys dream was to enter the priesthood. However, by 1900, his artistic talents surfaced. Adolf was educated at the local village and monastery schools and, at age 11, Hitler was doing well enough to be eligible for either the university preparatory gymnasium or the technical/scientific Realschule (secondary school). Alois Hitler enrolled his son in the latter, hoping that he might become a civil servant. This was not to be. Adolf would later claim that he wanted to be an artist and he deliberately failed his examinations to spite his father. In 1903, Alois Hitler died from a pleural hemorrhage, leaving his family with enough money to live comfortably without needing to work. In 1905, Adolf left school for good. The following year he visited Vienna where he tried and failed to enter the School of Fine Arts, and the School of Architecture would not accept him without academic qualification. In 1907, Klara Pà ¶lzl developed terminal breast cancer. After an operation and many expensive and painful treatments with a dangerous drug, she died on December 21, 1907. Traumatized by the loss of his mother, Adolf moved to Vienna and, once again, failed to enter the School of Fine Arts. He stayed in Vienna, living in hostels and earning money by drawing posters for shops and postcard views of the city for passers-by. Adolf Hitler neither drank nor smoked. Being rather shy and awkward- with both men and women- he had few friends. Hitler read widely, losing all that remained of his religious faith, and replacing it with half-formed ideas of politics, philosophy and culture. World War One And The Peace Treaty of Versailles In 1913, Adolf Hitler moved to Munich, Germany, to avoid the risk of conscription in Vienna. However, this does not mean that he was a coward. When the heir to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by Slav terrorists in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, World War One began, and Hitler was quick to enlist in German Army. He joined the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment and, indeed, made a very good soldier. For once, his life had a purpose and he greatly enjoyed the comradeship, danger and the chance to wear a uniform. Excluding a short spell in hospital from 1916-1917, Hitler served as a company runner on the Western Front throughout the war. In reward for his brilliant service, Hitler was promoted to corporal and received two Iron Crosses, one of them the very rare Iron Cross First Class. Hitler, having been temporarily blinded by mustard gas in October 1918, was in hospital when an armistice was reached and the Great War ended. To him, the defeat of German was extremely devastating. The defeat was, in fact, devastating for all of Germany. The Treaty of Versailles, a peace treaty signed at Versailles in France on June 28 1919, punished Germany severely. In accordance with the treaty, Germany lost the following areas of land: Alsace-Lorraine (taken from France in 1870). Danzig (a strip of territory through East Prussia to form a Polish corridor to the sea). Areas in Schteswig, Silesia and on the Belgian Frontier. Saar Industrial region placed under international control but under French influence. Germany was also forced to comply with the following restrictions: Germany was forced to pay reparations for war damage. The price was fixed in 1921 at 132 billion gold marks. 9/10 of the German merchant fleet was confiscated. German rivers were opened to international traffic. Germanys overseas assets, totaling 16 billion marks, were seized. German colonies were taken over by the League of Nations and distributed as territories to Britain, France and Japan. The German army was confined to 100 000 men on long-service contracts. Most military installations and training schools were shut down. Military were withdrawn from the Rhineland and occupied by Allied Troops. The German Airforce was completely abolished. The German Navy was reduced to a maximum of 6 small battleships of only 10 000 tonnes each, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers and 0 submarines. In Clause 231 of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forced to confess guilt for the war, this being the basis for Allied punishment. The Formation Of The Nazi Party And Its Ideas: After World War One ended, Hitler remained for some time in the army. They put him to work gathering information on revolutionary political groups in Munich. On September12 1919, dressed in civilian clothes, Hitler attended a meeting of the Deutsche Arbeiterpartie (German Workers Party) in the back room of a Munich Beer Hall, with another twenty-five people. There, he listened to a speech by Gottfried Feder entitled, How and by what means is capitalism eliminated? After the speech, Hitler rose to leave when a man stepped forward and made a speech supporting the state of Bavaria breaking away from Germany and forming a new South German nation. This idea enraged Hitler to the point that he got to his feet and expressed his forceful opinion to the man for fifteen uninterrupted minutes. Anton Drexler, one of the founders of the party, allegedly whispered, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦hes got the gift of the gab. We could use him. After Hitlers outburst was complete, and Hitler started to leave, Drexler rushed to Hitler and invited him to read a forty-page booklet titled, My Political Awakening. Hitler was delighted to find that the German Workers Party reflected many of his own ideas- building a strong nationalist, pro-military, anti-Semitic party made up of working class people. However, in Mein Kampf, Hitler describes the condition of the party: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦aside from a few directives, there was nothing, no program, no leaflet, no printed matter at all, no membership cards, not even a miserable rubber stampà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦This absurd little organization with its few members seemed to me to possess the one advantage that it had not frozen into an organization, but left the individual opportunity for real personal activity. Here it was still possible to work, and the smaller the movement, the more readily it could be put into proper form. Here, the content, the goal, and the road could still be determinedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ After two days of thinking it over, Hitler chose to join the German Workers Party and became member no. 55. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I finally came to the conviction that I had to take this stepà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It was the most decisive resolve of my life. From here there was and could be no turning back. Hitlers hatred of the Jews rapidly became part of the organizations policy. Advertising for their meetings appeared in anti-Semitic newspapers. On October 16 1919, during one such meeting, Hitler delivered an emotional speech that left the audience awestruck. Donations came in from every corner, and hundreds of Germans attended the frequent meetings to hear Hitler speak. In February 1920, Hitler and Gottfried Feder prepared a 25-point summary for the German Workers Party. The summary was fervently anti-capitalist and anti-Semitic. Among the 25 points was withdrawing the Treaty of Versailles, confiscating war profits, confiscating land without compensation, revoking civil rights for Jews and driving out Jews who had emigrated after World War One had begun. On February 24, in front of more than 2000 spectators, the summary was presented at a public meeting. In April 1920, the partys name was changed to the National Socialist German Workers Party or NAZI Party, and the red flag with the swastika was named as their party symbol. Hitler discovered that a local anti-Semitic newspaper was on the verge of bankruptcy and so he was able to purchase it for the party. In 1921, Adolf Hitler was named chairman of the Nazi Party. The Beer Hall Putsch and Mein Kampf Hitlers strengthening of the Nazi Party was meant not only to win more votes, but also to overthrow the Weimar Republic by a putsch or violent uprising. Encouragement for attempting this came from Italy in October 1922, when Benito Mussolini, a 37-year-old former journalist, led a successful putsch. Marching with his paramilitary forces into Rome, Mussolini toppled the government. He named himself II Duce (leader) and his supporters the Fascisti (Fascists). The Nazis copied Mussolini shamelessly. In November 1922, the colossal inflation of the German Mark triggered a state of emergency in Berlin and Munich. Seeing this as his chance, Hitler, on May 1 1923, tried to organize a putsch but it was never any threat to the Reichstag. However, on November 9 Hitler tried again. One day earlier, Hitler had held a rally at the Munich Beer Hall and declared a revolution. Led by Hitler and former Quartermaster General Erich Ludendorff, around 3000 SA (Sturmabteilung) brown shirts marched from the Bà ¼rgerbrà ¤ukeller- the largest beer hall in Munich. However, the putsch fell to pieces when they were fired upon by police. Around a dozen of the SA were killed in the consequent fighting and many of the leaders of the putsch were arrested, whilst others fled the country. Both Hitler and Ludendorff were captured and put on trial. Whilst the latter was cleared on a technicality, Hitler was not so lucky. He received the minimum sentence of five years imprisonment in Landsberg Fortress, though he only served close to nine months. Hitler used this time to dictate the first volume of his political memoirs, which he titled- Mein Kampf (My Struggle). In Mein Kampf, Hitler argued for war in the east to create a Grossdeutschland- Greater Germany- by removing the Soviet Union. The book also reiterated Hitlers hatreds, especially against the Jews and the Communists whom he saw as part of the Jewish conspiracy. The following is a passage from Mein Kampf: [The Jews] ultimate goal is the denaturalization, the promiscuous bastardization of other peoples, the lowering of the racial level of the highest peoples as well as the domination of his racial mishmash through the extirpation of the folkish intelligentsia and its replacement by the members of his own peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Released in 1927, the book had sold over 300 000 copies within 6 years, and Hitler was able to live off his earnings. The Depression and the Elections of 1932-1933 On his release from prison, Adolf Hitler was banned from public speaking and the Nazi party was temporarily outlawed. In February of 1925, Hitler reestablished the Nazi Party, and its popularity rose rapidly. By 1929, the number of members had risen from 27 000 to 108 000. However, in the May 1928 elections, the Nazi party only polled a disappointing 2.5% of the vote. This was probably because, in recent years, the economic state of Germany had gradually improved. With Paul von Hindenburg as President, inflation eased, average wages rose, international agreement solved the problem of reparation costs and, in 1928, unemployment dropped below 1 million for the first time in years. The country was accepted back into the international community, and was accepted into the League of Nations in 1926. After the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler had accepted that his way to power was through politics rather than force. He did deals with nationalist parties, big businesses, landowners and the army. Before 1930, the Nazi Party began the Hitler Youth, the Student League and the Pupil League to win the support of the young Germans- Germanys future. The National Socialist Womens League even allowed women to get involved. On 24 October 1929, the Wall Street Crash triggered the Great Depression. Germanys rising employment rate dropped drastically and, by 1932, 6 million- or 1 in 3 people- were unemployed. Hindenburg decided to invoke Germanys emergency presidential powers, creating a new government made up of a chancellor and cabinet ministers to rule by emergency decrees, rather than by laws passed by the Reichstag. In September 1930, there was another election. The Nazi Party, mostly due to the Depression and a successful propaganda campaign, captured 18.3% of the vote, making it the second largest party in the Reichstag. In the July 1932 election, the Nazi Partys popularity once again rose, this time winning 37% of the vote. In the spring of that year, Hitler had opposed Hindenburg for the role of president in two democratic elections. The first, on March 13 1932, was disappointing for Hitler. He received just 30% of the vote, compared to Hindenburgs 49.6%. However, as the latter had just missed out on an absolute majority, another runoff election was scheduled for April 10 of that year. Hindenburg won the election again with 53% of the vote, but Hitler received 37%. In another party election, called for November 6 1932, the Nazi Party lost 34 of its seats in the Reichstag. It looked as though Hitler was going to be unsuccessful. Political Parties in the Reichstag May 1924 Dec. 1924 May 1928 Sep. 1930 July 1932 Nov. 1932 Mar. 1933 Communist Party (KPD) 62 45 54 77 89 100 81 Social Democratic Party (SDP) 100 131 153 143 133 121 120 Catholic Centre Party (BVP) 81 88 78 87 97 90 93 Nationalist Party (DNVP) 95 103 73 41 37 52 52 Nazi Party (NSDAP) 32 14 12 107 230 196 288 Other Parties 102 112 121 122 22 35 23 Hitler and Franz von Papen- a former chancellor and leader of the Nationalist Party- agreed to form a coalition. Hitler disagreed to a co-leadership, but instead promised that, if he were made chancellor, Papens supporters would be given important cabinet positions. They formed an alliance, though both were secretly planning to double-cross each other. Hitler waves at supporters after being named Chancellor- January 30 1933When the current chancellor, Schleicher, was forced to resign, Hindenburg was pressured by many- including industrialists, the military and even his own son- to offer Hitler the chancellor position. On January 30 1933, Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor. The Nazi Cabinet after when Hitler is named Chancellor January 30 1933Around noon, a teary-eyed Hitler emerged from the presidential palace. Surrounded by supporters, he got into his car and was driven down the street lined with cheery citizens. Weve done it! Weve done it! he exclaimed exultantly. The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Acts Despite his being sworn in as Chancellor, Hitlers coalition with the Nationalists still did not give them a majority, with only 247 seats out of a possible 583. On his first day as Chancellor, Hitler called for yet another election- to be held on March 5 1933. With the SS and the SA overcoming the police and ruling the nation, people who were being harassed or even murdered by the Nazis had nobody to go to. Several days passed and Hermann Gà ¶ring, an important member of the Nazi Party, claimed that he had uncovered plans for a Communist uprising. In actual fact, he had come across a membership list of the Communist Party and intended to arrest every one of its four thousand members. It is unknown what precisely happened on February 27 1933, but this is one rendition of the burning of the Reichstag Building. In Berlin, a deranged Communist named Marinus can deer Lubbe, 24, from Holland had, for the past week, been attempting to ignite government buildings to protest capitalism. It is though that Nazi Storm troopers had befriended the arsonist and even encouraged him to set light to the Reichstag. This happened at around 9 p.m. President Hindenburg and Vice-Chancellor Papen were dining at a club facing the Reichstag when they noticed the building was ablaze. Hitler was at the apartment of Joseph Goebbel- the Nazi in charge of Propaganda- at the time of the incident. When Hitler arrived at the scene, he told reporters the following: You are now witnessing the beginning of a great epoch [era] in German historyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Thus fire is the beginningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The German people have been soft for too long. Every Communist official must be shot. All communist deputies must be hanged this very night. All friends of the Communists must be locked up. And that goes for the Democrats and the Reichsbanner as well. The following day, Hitler used the Reichstag fire to issue an emergency decree. Thousands of Communists, Social Democrats and Liberals were taken away top SA barracks to be beaten and tortured. Fifty-one anti-Nazis were brutally murdered. Fire engulfs the Reichstag Building February 27 1933On March 5, after an enormous propaganda campaign, the election results were in. The Nazis did not receive a majority- they were given only 44% of the vote or 17 277 180 votes. However, with their coalition with the Nationals, they did have a majority of 16 seats. Hitler now had a new goal. If he could obtain a two-thirds majority, then he could alter the constitution and give himself dictatorial powers. Needing only another 31 seats to do this, Hitler made use of blackmail, threats and false promises to have his Enabling Act voted for by opposition parties. The Enabling Act would, for four years, transfer power from the Reichstag to the Reich cabinet, including the power of legislation, budget, approval of treaties and constitutional amendments. When the Reichstag voted on the Enabling Act, it passed 441 to 84. All opposing acts were from the Social Democrats. Leader of the latter, Otto Wells, told Hitler subsequently: We German Social Democrats pledge ourselves solemnly in this historic hour to the principles of humanity and justice, of freedom and socialism. No Enabling Act can give you power to destroy ideas which are eternal and indestructible. Hitler, shouting with rage, replied with: You are no long needed!.. The star of Germany will rise and yours will sink! Your death knell has sounded! PART 2: THE NAZIS IN POWER Anti-Semitism from the Middle Ages EUROPE: Jews have always been the topic of hatred and ridicule since the death of Christ. The Jews were named Christ Killers and Murderers of God. This crime alone was considered so horrible that Jews were believed to be capable of any devilry. Martin Luther, founder of Protestantism, claimed that they were the Christians most vicious enemy, second only to Satan himself. Their synagogues should be set on fireà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Their homes should likewise be broken down and destroyedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ let us drive them out of the country for all time. Martin Luther, 1542 During the Middle Ages, Jews were said to be responsible for the years of the Plague that killed millions of Europeans. They were also widely believed to murder Christians- especially innocent children- for use of their blood during religious ceremonies. The Nazis made good use of these stories, hundreds of years later. When Jewish blood spurts from the knife, then things go twice as wellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ From the Horst Wessel Song, a Nazi Anthem The Jews rarely lived in peace. Entire communities were raided and destroyed. Children were taken from their parents and raised as Christians. Some who refused to give up their beliefs were burnt at the stake. Jews were forbidden to be doctors, lawyers and teachers of Christians. Nor could they hire Christians to work for them, prepare food for Christians, be cared for by Christian nurses or live in the same household as a non-Jew. At many times, Jews were forced to wear a special badge so that Christians could recognize any Jews and easily avoid them. This treatment of the Jews was the basis of Hitlers persecution hundreds of years later. According to Christianity, lending money and charging interest- usury- was a sin. Jews were used to fill this job, used by the powerful to collect taxes and supervise peasant farmers of large estates. This role gave rise to such generalizations as, All Jews are rich, and The Jews control all money. After being pushed out of numerous countries, including England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany, Jews were forced to live in limited areas- Ghettos. GERMANY: During the 11th Century, Christian knights travelled to the Middle East to kill Moslems during the Crusades. However, many found easier victims closer to home. Massacres in German towns left thousands of Jews dead. In the years of the Plague, hundreds of Jewish towns were brought to ruins and the persecution continued. At all times, Jews found their homes attacked, their synagogues burned and their cemeteries dishonored. In many country villages it was custom to stone Jews during the Holy Week before Easter. The word Anti-Semitism was first used in 1873 in a small book called The Triumph of Jewry over Germanism by Wilhelm Marr. Nazi Anti-Semitic Laws The following timeline lists the Nazi restrictions against the Jews from 1933 to 1942: 1933 March- Jewish lawyers were forbidden to work as lawyers in Berlin. Jewish judges were suspended from office. April- Jewish teachers were banned from teaching in state schools. Aryan and non-Aryan children were forbidden to play with each other. Jewish civil servants were dismissed from public office. Jews were excluded from sports and gymnastics clubs. 1935 March- Jewish writers were not allowed to carry out any form of literary work in Germany. Jewish musicians were not allowed to work in state orchestras. April- Jews were only allowed to sit on benches marked For Jews. Jewish art and antique dealers were not allowed to carry out their trade. September- The Nuremberg Laws All Jews had their German citizenship removed. Marriage ceremonies and extramarital sex between Germans and Jews were punishable by imprisonment. Marriages that had already taken place were declared invalid. 1936 January- Jews had to hand over electrical and optical equipment, bicycles, typewriters and records. April- Jewish vets were banned from working as such. August- Anti-Jewish posters were temporarily removed during the Olympic Games which took place in Berlin. October- Even if Jews converted to Christianity and were baptised, they were still to be classed as members of the Jewish race. 1938 January- Jews were forbidden to become members of the Red Cross. March- Only Aryan Germans could hold allotments. April- Jews had to declare their finances so that their assets could be seized by the government. July- Non-Jews were forbidden to leave anything in their wills to Jews. Jewish doctors were no longer allowed to work as doctors. Jewish street names were changed. August- Male Jews were forced to add the name Israel and female Jews the name Sara to their first names. Jewish passports were to be stamped with the letter J. November- Nov. 9-10- Kristalnacht (Night Of Broken Glass). German Jews are ordered to pay one million Reichmarks in for damages of Krystalnacht. All Jewish children are expelled from German schools and can attend only separate Jewish schools. December- Jews are banned from public streets on certain days. Jews are forbidden drivers licenses and car registrations. Jews may no longer attend universities as teachers or students. Aryanization is compulsory for all Jewish businesses. 1939 February- Jews are forced to hand over all gold and silver items. April- Jews lose rights as tenants and relocated into Jewish houses. September- Jews in Germany are forbidden to be outdoors after 8 p.m. in winter and 9 p.m. in summer. Jews in Poland are ordered to register all family members and relocate to the major cities. November- Jews in Poland are forced to wear the Star of David. The first Polish Ghetto is established. 1941 March- Deadline for entering the Poland Ghetto. May- Romania passes a law condemning adult Jews to forced labour. 1942 June- The German government closes all Jewish schools. Nazi Education It rapidly became clear to Hitler and the Nazis that it would be difficult to convert many of the Germans who had voted against them in the democratic elections. Therefore, the Nazis especially focused on controlling the German educational system so that the youth of Germany would accept the Nazi Principles. As Hans Schemm- leader of the Nazi Teachers League, put it, Those who have the youth on their side control the future. In Warsaw, a street sign states: Jews are forbidden to walk on this side of the street.As soon as the Nazis gained power in 1933, they molded the educational system to suit their needs. Private schools were closed or taken over, and racial hygiene was introduced with much emphasis into the school curriculum. Though many teachers supported the new system, a very large number were fired or left teaching, with some of the best educators emigrating. In 1934, Hitler appointed Bernhard Rust the Reichsminister fà ¼r Wissenschaft, Erziehung and Volksbildung, or the Reich Minister for Science, Education and Popular Culture. Rust was a former school teacher who had been fired for molesting a student. Rust immediately altered the schools to suit the needs of the Nazi Party. Jewish teachers and others who opposed the changes were fired. The remaining teachers and university professors were forced to join the National Socialist Teachers League. Anti-Semitism was also emphatically thrust upon students. Exams were given on topics such as this, and Jewish children would fail if they did not admit to their racial inferiority. Bernhard Rust continued as Minister of Education for twelve years before, in May 1945, he committed suicide when the Germans surrendered to Allied Forces. Kristalnacht The Nazi restrictions against the Jews steadily worsened. On October 28 1938, 17000 Jewish Polish citizens living in Germany were arrested and relocated across the Polish border and placed in relocation camps. One deportee was Zindel Grynszpan who had lived in Germany since 1911. On October 27, he and his family were forced out of their home, their store and their family possessions confiscated. A shattered storefront Kristalnacht- November 9-10- 1938 A burning synagogue at Baden-Baden Kristalnacht- November 9-10- 1938Grynszpans 17-year-old son, Herschel, was, at that time, living in Paris. When he heard of his familys relocation, he was so enraged that he travelled to the German embassy in Paris, intent on assassinating the German Ambassador. Instead, he settled for a lesser official, Third Secretary Ernst vom Rath. Rath, critically wounded, died two days later. This assassination gave Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers Chief of Propaganda, an excuse to launch an attack against German Jews. On the nights of November 9 and 10, mobs throughout Germany and Austria freely attacked Jews in the street, in their homes, at work and their synagogues. This event came to be known as Kristalnacht or the Night of Broken Glass. At least 96 Jews were mercilessly killed, hundreds more were injured, more than 1000 synagogues were burnt to the ground and around 7 500 Jewish businesses were destroyed. Cemeteries and schools were vandalized and 30 000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps. It was unfairly decided by Nazi Officials that the Jews were to be held responsible for Kristalnacht. Accordingly, a fine of 1 billion marks was levied for the slaying of Vom Rath, and 6 million marks paid by insurance companies for broken windows was to be given to the state coffersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Snyder, Louis L. Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. New York: Paragon House, 1989:201) PART 3: THE HOLOCAUST The Creation of Ghettos in occupied Europe Though confining the Jewish race in ghettos had been occurring for centuries in numerous European countries, the Nazis ghettos somewhat differed. Whilst in previous centuries the ghettos had merely been a way to isolate the Jews from normal society, during the Holocaust they were a first step towards the Final Solution. In total, the Nazis established 356 ghettos in Poland, the Soviet Union, the Baltic States, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Hungary. The largest ghetto, in Warsaw, held 400 000 people. Other cities with large ghettos for Jews include Là ³dz, Bialystok, Czestochowa, Kielce, Krakà ³w, Lublin, Lvà ³v, Radom and Vilna. These large ghettos had brick or stone walls, wooden fences, barbed wire and guards placed at gateways. There were also a very large number of small ghettos, some housing as few as 3000 Jews. These were generally not sealed off as they were only used temporarily until the Jews could be sent to a larger ghetto. The conditions within these ghettos were very poor. Disease ravaged the over-crowded residents, and there was insufficient access to warm clothes and heating during the bitter cold winters. Starvation was an ongoing problem for many. Though it was illegal, parents continued to educate their children and many secretly held religious services and observed Jewish holidays. The Nazis built the Theresienstadt (or Terezà ­n) ghetto in northwestern Czechoslovakia to show visiting International Red Cross Inspectors the conditions in a typical ghetto. Flower gardens, cafà ©s and schools were constructed to shield the international community from the inhumane mistreatment of the Jewish and other people. The Einsatzgruppen The Einsatzgruppen (or Mobile Killing Units) were specially trained units of the S.S., whose orders were to execute on the spot all Communists, Jews, Gyspies and any other people deemed a threat or inferior. By the end of the war the Einsatzgruppen had murdered around 1.4 mill

Kurt Vonneguts Cats Cradle :: Kurt Vonnegut Cats Cradle Essays

Paradoxical Nature of Life Exposed in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle Kurt Vonnegut's apocalyptic novel, Cat's Cradle, might well be called an intricate network of paradox and irony. It is with such irony and paradox that Vonnegut himself describes his work as "poisoning minds with humanity...to encourage them to make a better world" (The Vonnegut Statement 107). In Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut does not tie his co-mingled plots into easy to digest bites as the short chapter structure of his story implies. Rather, he implores his reader to resolve the paradoxes and ironies of Cat's Cradle by simply allowing them to exist. By drawing our attention to the paradoxical nature of life, Vonnegut releases the reader from the necessity of creating meaning into a realm of infinite possibility. It appears that Vonnegut sees the impulse toward making a better world as fundamental to the human spirit; that when the obstacle of meaning is removed the reader, he supposes, will naturally improve the world. Like a dream filled with complex characters and situations which one is compelled to discuss and analyze the next day, Vonnegut uses dark humor to penetrate his reader's world. The Cornell medical student whom the narrator, Jonah, first interviews by mail turns out to be a midget. The brilliant nuclear physicist, the father of the atom bomb, is infantile. Writers and college professors are essential to human existence, and Boko-maru is a form of love that can happen anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. By creating new religious and scientific vocabularies, Vonnegut infiltrates the reader's very mind. Bokononist ideas and principles that are almost reasonable give the reader a temporary framework for interpretation, "'As it was supposed to happen,' Bokonon would say" (Cat's Cradle 63). Never too far from reality, "Bokonon tells us that it is very wrong to not to love everyone exactly the same. What does your religion say?" (CC 141). Vonnegut's prophet cuts close to the bone, and so he must in order to reach the philosophical roots of the reader's belief system. Yet, the security of any and every belief and interpretation of any and all of the characters is in one way or another polluted until there is nowhere to turn.

Misleading Perfume and Cologne Advertising Essay -- Advertising Market

Misleading Perfume and Cologne Advertising You sit down to watch one of your favorite TV shows one night and you see it, one of those perfume commercials. On the screen you see a beautiful woman walking up a flight of stairs in an elegant dress with diamonds hanging from her ears and neck. Her face is a picture of perfection, with a slight hint of a beautiful smile. Entering on the left of the screen is a man in a black tuxedo he; wraps his arms around her and kisses her passionately on the lips. They both look at the screen and smile. On the bottom of the screen is a small bottle marked with a label of a recognizable perfume company. Now coming back into reality from the mesmerizing commercial, consider what affect this perfume has to most of the typical consumers of this product. A consumer may wear the perfume while at a nightclub in order to attract some attention from members of the opposite sex. However relying on only the fragrance to make them attractive to others may not achieve the desired effect. Ev en though smell can be a very powerful sense, it does not affect desirability as much as we would like to think. In fact advertisers usually spend millions of dollars in order for these commercials to create ideal images for the perfume or cologne’s effect. Most cologne or perfume commercials are misleading because they try to portray an image that their scent, and their scent alone, will create effects that are often unrealistic. Some common ploys cologne and perfume company’s use are: that their product will make one feel good about themselves, make one look gorgeous and make one desirable to members of the opposite sex. Take for example the advertisements for Axe body spray, in whic... .... These commercials often portray unrealistic situations and reactions, which may mislead the consumer into believing the product will have an affect beyond the sense of smell. The most awful smelling scents could be the top selling cologne or perfume if advertised in a way to catch the attention of the audience. A recent cologne ad did a set of commercials utilizing this statement, â€Å"scent is one of the strongest ties to memory how do you want to be remembered?† This sentence is evidence that the advertisers are trying to make you think that if you buy their product you will be remembered any time that someone smells anything similar to that product. Most perfume and cologne ads rely on half-truths As far as shopping for fragrances I might suggest that you go with a scent that you yourself enjoy and don’t rely on others to enforce your opinion with false advertising.

Malcom Xs A Homemade Education Essay -- Papers

Malcom X's A Homemade Education Malcom X's "A Homemade Education" tells a story of how he gained knowledge by himself and how it guided his thoughts and ideas. Reading also molded his political views. Although Malcom X is a very outspoken person about racism in America, and throughout the world, I find that he has a right to be angry, but goes a little overboard on blaming whites. The story begins when Malcom is in jail and is given a book that he cannot understand because he can't read. This angered him a little and sparked a fire inside of him to learn how to read and write. Soon thereafter he went to the library in the jail and checked out a dictionary. He began to copy the whole dictionary learning word after word that he wrote. Upon completion of the dictionary, he started to read anything he could get his hands on. No matter what time it was, Malcom was reading. Despite being in jail, he felt as free as he ever could be. Reading and the ability to learn is what made him feel this way. After becoming a more educated man, he began to study the teachings of Muhamma...

Cape Literature Ia “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare Essay

The 1993 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, by Kenneth Branagh, differs in many aspects from the original script written by Shakespeare. Branagh employs brilliant cinematography, manipulating lighting, camera angles to produce a carefree version to the original text. The soundtrack is dazzling and his interpretation breathes life and vitality into this old world play. According to critic Vincent Canby, â€Å"He has taken a Shakespearean romantic comedy, the sort of thing that usually turns to mush on the screen and made a movie that is triumphantly romantic, comic and, most surprising of all, emotionally alive† (May 7th, 1993). Lighting, music and technology enhance the various moods that perpetuate the film and Branagh is thus able to overcome language barriers, which enables the performance to be more understandable for a modern audience. The movie is assumed to be more light-hearted and free flowing than the original text. According to critic Todd McCarthy â€Å"The film is continuously enjoyable from its action-filled opening to the dazzling final shot. † Much Ado about Nothing is a tale of friendship, betrayal and the power of love to conquer all obstacles. It is one of Shakespeare’s comedies and though it has a dark side, staying true to being a comedy, serious issues are treated light heartedly. Branagh moves the setting from Messina to the verdant hills of Tuscany. His choice of setting therefore determines his overall mood for the film. The production begins with the recitation of Balthazar’s song by Beatrice (Emma Thompson). When the scene comes to light the audience is exposed to a striking panoramic shot of the rich rural setting. The shot then pans down to a society picnicking under the Tuscan sun. The society seems relaxed and warm as they loll on the grass listening to Beatrice (Emma Thompson), who is perched in a tree, reciting the song. The pace quickly changes from lethargy to one of excitement, as a messenger brings news of the forthcoming arrival of Don Pedro (Denzel Washington) and his men. Men and women scurry to the villa amid screams and laughter to get ready for the prince. Thoughts of war are abandoned and replaced by thoughts of love. The plot then revolves around two couples, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), and Beatrice and Benedict (Kenneth Branagh). Claudio seeks Don Pedro’s help in wooing Hero. Once successful the prince then turns his attention to older, warring couple of Beatrice and Benedick and plots to gull them into falling in love. However, Don John (Keanu Reeves), the bastard, plots to destroy harmony in the play as he tries to foil the plans of marriage between the younger couple. His victory is fleeting as his evil plans are unearthed by Dogberry and his night watch. All ends well and the production ends in dancing and merriment. From the very beginning Branagh utilizes the advantages that technology has made possible producing a zesty film that is emotionally alive. He employs many techniques to make his production a success the first being the manipulation of different camera angles. As the film begins the audience hears the recital of what was originally Balthazar’s song by Beatrice, the words to the song appearing in white against a black backdrop, to the gentle lilt of a guitar. In this opening scene the screen comes to light with a magnificent panoramic shot of the countryside scenery. This establishes a very light-hearted and airy mood, and thus sets the tone for the production as blithe and jocular. Branagh sets his film at the Villa Vignamaggio in the hills of Tuscany, the bright Tuscan sunshine adds to the nature of the film giving it a jovial feel. The scene ‘pans’ down to men and women, sitting in the grass, occasionally playing with each other’s hair, allowing time to pass in a carefree manner. This slow ‘pan shot’ then quickly changes to a rapid flicking from scene to scene as Don Pedro arrives. The mood that is then highlighted is one of excitement as the camera switches from focusing of the scurry of characters to the villa and the victorious entrance of the prince and his men. As the film progresses Branagh exploits the use of the different camera angles to provide emotional information about the characters involved in the scene which thus allows the audience to form judgments about those said characters. For instance, when Benedick first speaks, the camera angle changes to focus on Beatrice – she scowls. This close-up allows the audience intimate details of the character’s emotional state. Here it hints to a history, a painful one at that, between the two. Even in the shaming scene, Branagh is able to focus on Margaret. In the original text Margaret is completely left out. Shakespeare was not privy to the advances of technology thus he was not able to do as Branagh did, thus Margaret was left out of the original scene. However through her show of guilt Branagh is able to reassure the audience that this will not last a feat Shakespeare achieved through manipulating language and plot structure. Significantly, when the villains tell of the â€Å"betrayal† of Hero the plan is never revealed however, and the camera angle switches to show Hero in her bed alone again reaffirming to the audience the truth something Shakespeare attained through language. Also as Branagh abridges the two gulling scenes, he is able to then superimpose the end of each scene, one over the next to show both characters experiencing the same thing. The cameras focus on their faces highlighting the immense joy they are both experiencing and relaying it onto the audience. Benedict is playing in the fountain and Beatrice is swinging on a swing, love is triumphant over the squabbles and the characters are now content. Another noteworthy technique that Branagh employs is that of character placement. In the opening scene Beatrice is shown perched in a tree, unlike the other women who are sitting, this immediately signifies that she is different. Shakespearean comedies usually have heroines possessing qualities beyond their time. Shakespeare is able to establish Beatrice’s character a witty and independent through her language and interaction with other characters. Through her interaction with the messenger who yields, and her witty repartee with Benedick, Shakespeare produces a character way beyond her time. However, managing simple character placement Branagh is able to visually complement what is set by language and that is an independent, strong character. Even when the soldiers arrive from war, the riding formation is to character role and status: Don Pedro, the prince, is place in the middle to the forefront and he is flanked on both sides, to the left by the ‘villains’ Don John and his henchmen and to the right by the ‘heroes’ Claudio and the others. Also in the shaming scene all the women take Hero’s side with the exception of Benedick who stays to support his love Beatrice, while the men are on the opposite side defending their honor against the ‘unchaste’ Hero. Costuming in this film is quite simple. The characters are dressed in white cotton which evokes a sense of simplicity which matches his vision for the play and complements the setting perfectly however, it does then produce a society that is quite leisurely and not like original society which was overly concerned with outward appearances. In Shakespearean times, dress was very important especially since it shows status and that was one of the most important things even in the original script of the play. However Branagh makes simple variations which are quite as successful. For instance Don Pedro and Don John don leather pants; all soldiers wear the same uniform with the exception of color to show their roles. The villains’ pants and jacket collars are black while the heroes don blue pants and blue collared jackets. The prince is the only character seen wearing a gold chain and pendant. With these slight variations in costuming Branagh is able to achieve the same means and stays true to his vision for the play. The soundtrack to the film was brilliant, at the beginning a cadence of guitar complements the languid feeling at the picnic as the mood changes so too does the music. The soundtrack soars to add excitement and hint victory as the Prince arrives. When the scene changes and Don John takes center frame the tune is ominous, the music is threatening and thunder booms as he puts his first plot to work. The soundtrack take on a melancholic tune as Claudio believes that the Prince is wooing Hero for himself. Shakespeare knew the importance of music. It is Balthazar’s song that Branagh employs suitably as the theme song for the film as it comments on the inconsistencies of men who â€Å"are deceivers ever†. Branagh’s use of props not only adds visual insight but comedy as well. In the beginning when the men arrive from war the flag thrusted upwards symbolizes their victory. For the masked ball, the characters wore appropriate masks which related to characteristics of the characters that wore them. Leonato wore a skull which signifies his old age, Borachio had a Cyclops mask which highlights his evil, Beatrice wore a cat mask which symbolizes her cunning nature and sexual prowess, Benedict wore a fool’s mask as he is frequently the joker, Hero had a pure white mask showing her purity, and Claudio had a baby mask symbolizing his youth. Benedict is seen fidgeting with his mask as Beatrice bashes him mercilessly, which shows his deflating ego as he endures the verbal abuse. Benedict has a fold chair as his prop for his soliloquy; he fidgets with the chair to add comedy. Once again this shows that Branagh uses his ability to have props to his advantage to make the movie more appealing to a modern audience. Branagh chose Denzel Washington to portray Don Pedro despite the fact that all Shakespeare’s actors were white. It was a smart thing to do however, because he is instantly recognized, being the Prince, and this blatantly shows the infidelity due to the stark contrast between him and Don John who is played by Keanu Reeves. The actors for Benedick and Beatrice are Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson who were married in real life and their natural chemistry comes out while portraying these characters. Shakespeare uses language to emphasize incompetence. Critics say that Dogberry’s language is lost in the squabble of Michael Keaton’s overacting. While Shakespeare depends on language Keaton is more dependent on his movements and antics to be comedic. According to critics from ‘Cinema For Crazy’ â€Å"Some of the characters are a bit annoying, like the constable played by Michael Keaton, and some of the scenes are overly dramatic, but it is Shakespeare after all and when it comes to playing with words, there’s no one better. Branagh and Thompson are wonderful together, Leonard and Beckinsale embody everything young lovers should be, Washington is powerfully sexy as the lonely leader and even Reeves delivers as the sullen villain. † Branagh makes full use of the lighting and setting, some of the things that Shakespeare was not fortunate enough to have in his time. All of the scenes where love blooms are usually outside in Branagh’s production; the outdoor landscape is very light-hearted and highlights the affectionate nature. The talks of love and courtship take place out in the green, in an airy setting where the mood is tranquil and cheerful. Villainy thrives in dimly lit areas. When the audience is exposed to Don John’s true nature it takes place in the dark sort of dungeon-like place, which is suited for evil. Branagh must also be commended on his use of the outdoors; he takes advantage of his environment by taking his production outside whereas Shakespeare was limited to the stage. Branagh’s use of this also enables his production to be more appealing to the audience and more understanding as most of the playful scenes take place outdoors. The wedding scene takes place outside in a merry environment which is supposed to make the shaming scene lighter. Branagh’s rendition of Much Ado about Nothing is very similar in meaning to that of the original text and deserves a certain level of credit for his precision. Branagh saw to the needs of a modern audience and set his production to their appeal. His use of comedy, lighting, cinematography and costuming each contribute significantly in their own way to the play. Although Branagh made a few mistakes; for example casting Keaton as Dogberry, which was the most negatively critiqued character. The critic James Berardinelli also says that Reeves’ casting has â€Å"missed its mark† and â€Å"modern actors who seem out of place in the period setting†. Branagh chose to base his main focus on the Elizabethans’ preoccupation with loyalty and chastity rather than on their fixation with outward appearances. It can be concluded that Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of Much Ado about Nothing is without a doubt considerably accurate in terms of its acquiescence with the text. Despite the fact that he does not capture everything in the play, the pieces which he does, enables a clearer understanding of the play for a modern day audience.