Stereotypes in Film Essay Example for Free

Stereotypes in Film Essay Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary clearly defines ethnocentrism as the â€Å"characterization by or based on the attitude that ones own group is superior. † To address the deeper issues associated to ethnocentrism requires a more explicit definition. In this sense, ethnocentrism can be defined as the making of false assumptions regarding others ways based on our own limited experience. The key word is assumptions, because oftentimes we are not even aware that we are being ethnocentric we dont understand that we dont understand. These mannerisms lead to seeing other ways of life through a slanted perspective which can lead to unhealthy feelings of haughtiness and self-righteousness. A variety of cultures can appear differently, depending on our perspective. In many ways we are like the blind men in the fable written by the Persian poet Jalal al-Din Rumi, The Blind Men and the Elephant. â€Å"A beast of mystery appeared in the land of the blind. The raja sent his advisors out to investigate. Waiting until the mysterious beast was sleeping, they touched it. When the blind men had felt the creature, the raja went to each of them and said to each, Well, blind man, have you seen this beast? Tell me, what sort of thing is the creature? There upon the men who were presented with the body answered, Sire, this beast is like a wall. While the men who had observed the ear replied, No, this animal is like a fan. Those who had touched the tusk said, ‘The beast is like a spear. ’ Those who knew only the trunk said it was a snake; others said the leg was a tree; the tail, a rope. All of these blind men described parts of the same thing a sleeping elephant. As you can see, the blind men had only a partial view of the elephant. There moral here is that if you put together your partial views in proper order, you will get an idea of what an elephant looks like. As Americans we seem to be limited by our own perspectives of given cultures and groups of people and fail to see the variety of viewpoints present. Assumptions can also reflect false positive attitudes about others ways. For example, we in an urban industrial society frequently think of other cultures as being free of the stresses of modern society. Unfortunately this view fails to recognize that many stresses are present in their way of life, including the threat of disease, risk of starvation, and lack of transportation to name a few. False positive assumptions are just as misleading as false negative assumptions. Ethnocentrism leads to misunderstanding others and the generalization regarding a person or group of persons, stereotyping. We falsely distort what is meaningful and functional to other peoples through our own point of view. We see their ways in terms of our life experience, not their context. We do not understand that their ways have their own meanings and functions in life, just as our ways have for us. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. In the absence of the total picture, stereotypes in many cases allow us to fill in the blanks. Our society often innocently creates and perpetuates stereotypes, but these stereotypes often lead to unfair discrimination and persecution when the stereotype is unfavorable. For example, if you were walking downtown late at night and come upon three senior citizens walking with canes and wearing fur coats, you may not feel as intimidated as if you encountered three college-aged boys wearing leather jackets. Why is this so? In each case we have made a generalization. These generalizations have been formed based on experiences we have had ourselves, read about in books and magazines, seen in movies or television, or have had related to us by friends and family. In many cases, these stereotypical generalizations are reasonably accurate. Yet, in virtually every case, we are resorting to prejudice by ascribing characteristics about a person based on a stereotype, without knowledge of the total facts. By stereotyping, we assume that a person or group has certain characteristics. Quite often, we have stereotypes about individuals who are members of groups with which we have not had firsthand contact. So here we have a paradox: we falsely assume because we are not even aware we are assuming and furthermore it is the normal thing to do. We cannot not be ethnocentric, and we cannot will it away or make ourselves have a completely open attitude. Is it ever possible not to be ethnocentric?

The Importance of a Sound Mind and Body in Homers Odyssey Essay

The Importance of a Sound Mind and Body in Homer's Odyssey      Ã‚  Ã‚   If one were to only have a very fit and strong body, lacking mental ability, to the Greeks it would not suffice. If a man were merely smart and intelligent, without much physical capability, the Greeks would feel that he is not complete. They believed an individual must have have both, a well developed mind and a fit body, not only one or the other, to be ideal. This is the Greek concept of a sound mind and body. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus and Telemachos, had to have and/or achieve a sound mind and body, to be the successful and outstanding characters of the epic. The ones who lacked these quality suffered and paid for it in the end.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Books one and two, Telemachos acts immaturely and lacks mental prowess. For this reason he makes his life difficult. Yet, Later on he matures and gains a sound mind. Telemachos certainly has a sound body. Menelaos says of how "...it amazes me quite, how this young man(Telemachos) looks exactly like Odysseus, strong and mighty"{page 47}. Yet, he is criticized by others, for the reason that he does not have a sound mind. In an attempt to stand his ground, in front of the council he breaks down into tears. Antinoos says "Telemachos you are a boaster, and you don't know how to keep your temper!"{page 24}. Telemachos made an attempt to express his valid point of view, and does so, but fails to convince the council. He breaks down in tears, showing how immature he really is. He does not have a sound mind. The council basked in this weakness and was even more critical of him at that point. Later on, he is told of how "(Tele... ...the other-hand, the ones that lacked either a sound mind or body, failed. Odysseus and Telemachos were able to find each other and win back their home, while the suitors and even Achilles were robbed of their lives. It is a fact that a sound mind and body were an essential ideal in the ancient Greek society and The Odyssey.       Works Cited and Consulted Crane, Gregory , Calypso: Backgrounds and Conventions of the Odyssey,   Frankfurt, Athenaeum 1988 Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988 Homer (Translated by Robert Fagles. Preface by Bernard Knox). The Odyssey. New York: Viking Penguin, div. of Penguin Books, Ltd. 1996. Rengakos, Antonios. Homertext und die Hellenistichen Dichter. Hermes. Einzelschriften, Heft 64. Stuttgart, F. Steiner, 1993.    The Importance of a Sound Mind and Body in Homer's Odyssey Essay The Importance of a Sound Mind and Body in Homer's Odyssey      Ã‚  Ã‚   If one were to only have a very fit and strong body, lacking mental ability, to the Greeks it would not suffice. If a man were merely smart and intelligent, without much physical capability, the Greeks would feel that he is not complete. They believed an individual must have have both, a well developed mind and a fit body, not only one or the other, to be ideal. This is the Greek concept of a sound mind and body. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus and Telemachos, had to have and/or achieve a sound mind and body, to be the successful and outstanding characters of the epic. The ones who lacked these quality suffered and paid for it in the end.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Books one and two, Telemachos acts immaturely and lacks mental prowess. For this reason he makes his life difficult. Yet, Later on he matures and gains a sound mind. Telemachos certainly has a sound body. Menelaos says of how "...it amazes me quite, how this young man(Telemachos) looks exactly like Odysseus, strong and mighty"{page 47}. Yet, he is criticized by others, for the reason that he does not have a sound mind. In an attempt to stand his ground, in front of the council he breaks down into tears. Antinoos says "Telemachos you are a boaster, and you don't know how to keep your temper!"{page 24}. Telemachos made an attempt to express his valid point of view, and does so, but fails to convince the council. He breaks down in tears, showing how immature he really is. He does not have a sound mind. The council basked in this weakness and was even more critical of him at that point. Later on, he is told of how "(Tele... ...the other-hand, the ones that lacked either a sound mind or body, failed. Odysseus and Telemachos were able to find each other and win back their home, while the suitors and even Achilles were robbed of their lives. It is a fact that a sound mind and body were an essential ideal in the ancient Greek society and The Odyssey.       Works Cited and Consulted Crane, Gregory , Calypso: Backgrounds and Conventions of the Odyssey,   Frankfurt, Athenaeum 1988 Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988 Homer (Translated by Robert Fagles. Preface by Bernard Knox). The Odyssey. New York: Viking Penguin, div. of Penguin Books, Ltd. 1996. Rengakos, Antonios. Homertext und die Hellenistichen Dichter. Hermes. Einzelschriften, Heft 64. Stuttgart, F. Steiner, 1993.   

Constitutional Amendments

The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited liquor with the exception of the use of liquor for religious purposes. As a result, it became difficult to consume let alone obtain alcohol at the time. Organized crime in the country became prevalent as people began to obtain alcohol illegally and as people began to organize themselves for alcohol trade and sales despite the increasing pressure brought forth by the government. Corruption in several government agencies became prevalent as people were tempted to bribe government officials in order to obtain alcohol with their approval.The Amendment’s impact on contemporary society is that it gave the government a learning lesson with regard to unpopular legislations in the face of the demands of the public. Today, the effects of the Eighteenth Amendment can no longer be observed as the American public is now allowed to purchase and consume liquor and other alcoholic drinks. Nevertheless, there are existing government restrictions on the legal age of obtaining and consuming alcohol. There are also current restrictions on drinking when together with other activities such as driving.Less than two decades after the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment, the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified. The latter Amendment repealed the provisions of the Eighteenth Amendment concerning the nationwide prohibition on the use of liquor. However, the second section of the Twenty-first Amendment prohibits the importation or transport of alcoholic beverages to States where doing so would violate the laws thereof. One of the effects of the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment is that numerous states retained their laws prohibiting alcohol consumption long after the Amendment was enforced.Countless public bars remained under State prohibition from selling intoxicating liquor to the public which effectively gave States control over liquor. Today, numerous States have passed the authority to control public alcohol distribution or sale s to their different counties and municipalities. In any case, the industry of alcoholic beverages in the United States is now thriving to the point that the manufacturers of these beverages continue to export their products abroad on a regular basis.While some of the prohibition on local bars on a municipal or county-level led to lawsuits citing First Amendment rights, alcoholic beverages continue to be distributed, sold and consumed for the most part of the country although their distribution, selling and consumption are required to be within the legal limits. The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution proscribes both the federal government and the different states from denying Americans from their right to vote on the basis of a person’s sex.The apparent result of the ratification of the amendment is that women became part of the population eligible to vote for candidates running for government positions. The amendment effectively abolished the limitation of the right to suffrage which was previously accorder only to men. Women became entitled with the right to vote without having to worry about legal restrictions imposed by the government and opposition from other individuals. The effect of the Amendment continues to this day as women continue to partake in the American electoral process.In essence, the consequences of the Amendment are very visible in public especially during elections. The Twentieth Amendment puts in detail the start and end of the terms of elected federal government officials such as the President and the Vice-President. The Amendment further specifies the role of Congress in appointing a President when the Presidency is vacant. It specifies the order of succession to the Presidency in times when President dies. It also specifies the day in which Congress shall convene unless otherwise legally appointed on a different day.The effect of the Amendment after ratification is that it gave elected federal government officials the urg ency of time to immediately occupy their positions in order to deal with important matters the soonest time possible. It also prevented Congress from convening for a futile session right after the elections as the start of the Congressional session was moved to every third day of January, less than two weeks before the start of the term of the newly elected President and Vice-President. The case of President Barack Obama serves as a contemporary example.His case illustrates the urgency for the President to start working the soonest time possible in order to address important national concerns, one of which is the current economic crisis that has hit the country and other parts of the world. Finally, the Twenty-second Amendment to the U. S. Constitution sets the limit for the Presidential term. Specifically, the elected President is given up to two four-year terms in office. However, an acting President who has served the remaining two years of office is also entitled to a full two f our-year terms in office—the maximum term that a person can hold the position of President is ten years.As for acting Presidents who have held the position for more than two years, they can only hold office for no more than one term after completing their term as acting President. At the time after the ratification of the Amendment, Dwight Eisenhower was the President. He argued that a second-term President would simply be reduced to a â€Å"lame duck† because his political influence and vested powers would be diminished considering that such a President faces an apparent and irreversible deadline on his term.The President who is about to leave office becomes ineffective to a certain degree because politicians in the government will become more interested in the search for and support of their presidential candidates than in the affairs of the executive branch. These things have been one of the main concerns of the incumbent president—Dwight Eisenhower—at the time of the ratification of the amendment. In more recent times, Americans who oppose the Bush policies on war saw the two-term limit as their saving grace. After the inauguration of George W.Bush for his second term in office, he was quick to issue several foreign and local policies because he understood that he faces the risk of being a â€Å"lame duck† president by the time his second term in office is about to expire. As for current U. S. President Barack Obama, he is entitled to the same two four-year terms that former president George W. Bush had since the time of Eisenhower. Reference Constitution of the United States: Amendments 11-27. Retrieved March 1, 2009, from http://www. archives. gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27. html

The Foils of Hamlet Essay - 646 Words

A foil is a minor character in a literary work that compliments the main character through similarities and differences in personality and plot. In William Shakespeares play Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, has three major foils. These foils are his close friend Horatio, Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, and the brother of his love, Laertes. These three characters contradict and enhance Hamlets major characteristics. Hamlets friend Horatio is a foil for him because he brings out the revenge and betrayal in Hamlet. He is a listener for Hamlet. Horatio seems to be the only one who is sympathetic of Hamlet concerning the death of his father and his mothers quick remarriage. He is very loyal to Hamlet. Horatio, through†¦show more content†¦Laertes also brings revenge and betrayal out of Hamlet. Though an enemy, Laertes is a foil to Hamlet. Laertes helps in the development of Hamlet through the similarities they share. These include anger over the death of their fathers, and desire to exact revenge. Betrayal is also relevant because Laertes betrays Claudius in the end, revealing his plan to kill Hamlet. Hamlet betrays his father by verbally abusing his mother, against the wishes of his father. The differences between the two men are very strong. Hamlet would not kill Claudius in the church because he was praying. Laertes, however stated that he would kill Hamlet in a church, praying or not. Another difference is that Hamlet cannot be a man of action and a man of thought at the same time. He does not use his mind when he acts. He just acts. When he is pondering something, he is unable to act out his thoughts, and keeps quiet. Laertes, however, is able to act while thinking. He finds out that Hamlet killed his father and immediately devises a plan to kill him. This flaw makes Hamlet dangerous to himself, and is ultimately his downfall. Through the different minor characters, the true feelings and personalities of the main character in a n ovel or a play come out. Hamlets weaknesses, strengths, thoughts, and desires came out because of his relationships with others. Without Horatio, Fortinbras, or Laertes, the small aspects of HamletsShow MoreRelatedThe Foils in Hamlet Essay871 Words   |  4 PagesFoils in Hamletnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp; A foil is a minor character that helps the audience better understand a major character. A foil may exist as a comparison character, with similarities between the two, as well as differences that bring to light an important contrast between the foil and the main character. A foil may also just be someone for the main character to talk to, so we can know and understand their thoughts and feelings. Foils help us understandRead MoreLaertes And Hamlet Foils In Shakespeares Hamlet958 Words   |  4 Pagesand characteristics. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Laertes serves as a foil for Hamlet in which their contrast presents pivotal themes that reveal Hamlet’s character. While the play has many themes, morality, revenge, and honor specifically relate to the contrast between Laertes and Hamlet, consequently resulting in Laertes purpose as a foil for Hamlet. Hamlet’s religion shapes his view on morality, ultimately guiding many of his actions regarding death. Hamlet is a afraid of life after death as demonstratedRead More Foils as Reflections of Hamlet Essay1042 Words   |  5 Pages     Ã‚   Foils are minor characters, that through similarities and differences, set off or accent the main characters of a play. There is a strong connection between the foils in a play and ones final perception of the main characters. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, there is a continuous shifting of the main characters emotions. These emotions range anywhere from madness and rage to grief and sorrow. In Hamlet there is a foil that represents each emotion and behavior that isRead MoreThe Characters Of Foils In William Shakespeares Hamlet860 Words   |  4 Pages Foils In Hamlet   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In fiction, a foil is a character whom contrasts with another character in the story, typically the protagonist. The foil is able to highlight certain aspects of their opposing character. A foil can differ dramatically or be extremely similar but tends to have key qualities that distinguish the two apart from each other. When an author uses a foil in literature they are emphasizing not only strengths and weaknesses the main character poses, but also understanding the obviousRead More The Foils of Laertes and Fortinbras in Hamlet Essay1031 Words   |  5 PagesThe Foils of Laertes and Fortinbras in Hamlet  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare wrote the classic play, Hamlet in the sixteenth century.   Hamlet would be a very difficult play to understand without the masterful use of foils.   A foil is a minor character in a literary work that compliments the main character through similarities and differences in personality.   The audience can identify similarities and differences between any of the characters and Hamlet, however, there are two characters thatRead MoreThe Examination of Hamlet and Laertes as Foils Essay946 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet relays Hamlet’s quest to avenge the murder of his father, the king of Denmark. The late King Hamlet was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who took the throne and Hamlet’s mother Gertrude for himself. Hamlet is beseeched by the ghost of his father to take vengeance upon Claudius; while he swears to do so, the prince inexplicably delays killing Claudius for months on end. Hamlet†™s feeble attempt to first confirm his uncle’s guilt with a play that recountsRead More Ophelia as a Foil to Shakespeares Hamlet Essay875 Words   |  4 PagesOphelia as a Foil to Hamlet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚      In Shakespeares tragedy, Hamlet, the audience finds a docile, manipulated, scolded, victimized young lady named Ophelia. Ophelia is a foil to Hamlet. Plays have foils to help the audience better understand the more important characters in the play.   The character of Ophelia is necessary so that the audience will give Hamlet a chance to get over his madness and follow his heart.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Similarities are an important part of being a foil. One similarityRead More Fortinbras as Foil for Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1033 Words   |  5 PagesFortinbras as Foil for Hamlet In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the character of Fortinbras, has been used as a foil for the main character, Hamlet. Hamlet and Fortinbras have lost their fathers to untimely deaths. Claudius killed Hamlets father, King Hamlet, and King Hamlet killed Fortinbras father. Both Hamlet and Fortinbras have vowed to seek revenge for the deaths of their fathers. Since the revenge tactics of Hamlet and Fortinbras are completely different, Hamlet perceives theRead MoreFoils Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay1130 Words   |  5 PagesA foil is a character who acts as the opposite to another character and consequently highlights important features of that character’s personality . A foil character often contrasts with the features of another character. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet , there are obvious foils for the main character, Hamlet. These foils include Horatio, Fortinbras, Claudius, and Laertes. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is a an excellent demonstration of character foils. A foil is also known as a literary device that revealsRead MoreThe Foil Of Shakespeare s The Tragedy Of Hamlet 901 Words   |  4 PagesIn literature, the foil is a person whose traits, by differences and similarities, help to emphasize and enhance the qualities and actions of the protagonist. Many characters, such as King Claudius, Fortinbras, and Laertes, in William Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark† qualify as foils for Hamlet, the protagonist. However, Laertes is the most appropriate foil for Hamlet. Laertes’ similarities and differences with Hamlet along with his actions and traits allow him to be an effective