Problem question on consideration and promissory estoppel Coursework - 1

Problem question on consideration and promissory estoppel - Coursework Example The two lecturers wish to remain anonymous throughout the programmes. The Jubilee Media has contracted Bobby Bodgit Ltd (BB), a construction company to build a studio for filming and Voice Over facilities to safeguard the identity of the lecturers. The contractor has promised to complete the work in twelve weeks. However, after eight weeks the contractor claims that the work requires an additional eight weeks to complete and the value of the contract has to be increased by  £100,000 due to increase in the cost of labour. The Jubilee Media has agreed to pay the additional amount to the BB contractor due to the importance of the event. The Jubilee Media hired to Voice Over experts and an editing engineer to edit the voices of the lecturers. The two exerts are supposed to be paid  £1,500 each while the engineer was supposed to receive  £2,000. However, after paying the contractor the additional sum of  £100,000 the Media gets into financial difficulties and offers to pay the voice editors and  £1000 each of which they agreed to take reluctantly. Media should extend the contract period by eight weeks as requested by the contractor. Also, there is another issue as to whether the two Voice Over editors and the Voice Over engineer should accept the payment of  £1000 each from the Jubilee Media as a settlement of the entire amount or whether they should claim for the balances in accordance to the terms of contract. The issue focuses on whether these parties terminate the contract in case the other party decides to breach the agreement. The court has to determine whether the unwritten promises can form a bidding agreement between the parties. Jubilee should claim the additional  £100,000 paid to the contractor BB and request the contractor to complete the contract within the agreed duration of twelve weeks. Similarly, the Voice Over engineer should claim for the remaining balance of  £1,000 from the Jubilee Media after completing the contractual obligation. Finally,

Simulation and systems modelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Simulation and systems modelling - Essay Example It provides an overview of DES, DES adoption challenges, and DES application main areas in manufacturing. The report also represents three selected famous systems appeals for small, medium, and large companies. Finally, the report gives a conclusion and future directions for simulations. First of all, to define simulation, The Oxford English Dictionary describes Simulation as: "The technique of imitating the behaviour of some situation or system (Economic, Mechanical etc.) by means of an analogous model, situation, or apparatus, either to gain information more conveniently or to train personnel." Also, computer simulation methods have developed since the early 1960s. (Holst, 2001) Holst defines discrete event simulation (DES) as "The modeling over time of a system all of whose state changes occur at discrete points in time those points when an event occurs". In discrete event simulation, the operation of a system is represented as a chronological sequence of events. Each event occurs at an instant in time and marks a change of state in the system (Banks et al, 2005) The need for simulation applications in management is increasing. First of all, Simulation is considered to be a powerful decision making tool for managers. Xianglong et al (2001) provided simulation system that can provide the decision-maker a sequential decision-making environment by establishing a virtual reality simulation system. Also, it could be used for experiments planning and results analysis. Semini et al (2006) listed several reasons why a simulation can support manufacturing logistics decision-making: It facilitates understanding of the real system and its behavior. It reveals previously hidden relationships and provides a systematic way to analyze the situation Can facilitate communication and provide a basis for discussions. "What-if" analyses can be carried out, allowing the decision-maker to test the affects of different alternative scenarios without having to make changes in the real system. Also, Simulation applications are used for risk and disaster management for businesses, organizations, or even countries. It could construct useful visualizations of risk, as provided by triangular decompositions and trade risk profiles, and calculating relevant risk measures. For example, it can provide additional

How to Write a Briefing Document Essay Example for Free

How to Write a Briefing Document Essay The policy briefs you will write will be aimed at a particular audience, and should represent that audiences perspective and reflect its interests. Content The brief should accomplish the following: †¢ Identify the problem and convince the audience of the importance of addressing it. From their perspective, what is important and what is not important? Highlight what aspects of the status quo are relevant to the problem. This should include a full treatment of any underlying technical issues. Identify a solution. This solution should include some course of action to be taken by your audience. Doing nothing is a sometimes valid course of action. Guidelines †¢ †¢ †¢ Tie the audiences interests to the means and the end. Identify other solutions and point out why the proposed solution is better for the audience (if it is useful or relevant). Discuss your solution’s feasibility and the initial steps that can be taken, as well as obstacles to its implementation. You are encouraged to explore a wide range of solutions. Think about technology (including changing infrastructure or client-side capabilities), government regulations (including direct mandates, incentives or changes in liability), and market tools (including new markets or marketing campaigns to realign incentives). Addressing your audiences needs is as important as solving the larger problem. You should understand what it is they hope to accomplish, and what tradeoffs they would be willing to make. Attributes of a successful briefing memo †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Short: Your audience will not have an attention span for a long document. Succinct: Be brief and clear; avoid empty rhetoric and sweeping generalizations. (Such as this.) Persuasive: You are aiming to convince your audience on the best course of action. Evidence-based: Cite specifics, and use empirical data wherever possible. Accessible: Incorporate critical technical facts and trends without jargon, in a fashion understandable to a non-technical audience. Realistic: Be careful with the assumptions you make. State the important ones.

Complex Narrative Structure Of Memento

Complex Narrative Structure Of Memento Due to the nature and complex narrative structure of Memento (Nolan 2000), one has to closely evaluate the succession of events before one could make the assumption that this film is a typical Hollywood mainstream motion picture. It is easy to assume that this film would in fact fit the criteria of the Hollywood mainstream motion picture, only upon looking at the cast and A-List director- Christopher Nolan- who one could assume would use his usual cinematic style to ensure the success of this film. The complex introduction to the film already creates the anxiety-driven need to finish watching the film, due to the unusualness of the opening scene that distinguishes Memento (Nolan 2000) from other classical Hollywood films. Jean Baudrillard: brief biography Jean Baudrillard, the French sociologist, cultural critic, and theorist of post modernity were born in Reims on the 27th of July, 1929. Even though his parents were civil servants and his grandparents were peasant farmers, Jean Baudrillard was the first University graduate from his family. He later went on to teach sociology at University and was named one of the most intellectual figures of his time. Throughout his childhood, he was exposed to the Algerian war of the 1950s and 60s, which had a significant influence on the way he thinks and perceives society (Jean Baudrillard-Biography [sa]). After becoming an assistant at Nanterre University of Paris in 1966, he was quickly connected with Roland Barthes and used Bartheses analysis of culture in his first book, namely The Object System (1968). When the students of Nanterre University revolted in 1968, Baudrillard joined in the action, and through inspiration, assisted with a distinctive journal of the time, Utopie. This journal was clearly influenced by situationism, structural Marxism and various media theories wherein he issued numerous theoretical articles about/on the environment of capitalist prosperity (affluence) and the evaluation of technology. Baudrillard then went on to teach at the European Graduate School (EGS) from the day that the school opened to the day of his death on the 6th of March, 2007 (Jean Baudrillard-Biography [sa]). Marxism and (post-) Marxism: Marxist film theory The Marxist approach to the study of films centres (focuses) on the continuous ways that cinema ideologically allow and even betrays the devises that diminishes the middle-class (bourgeois) view of society and the world. These devises (mechanisms) of ideology comprise both the social organisations (institutions), as well as the industrial knowledge that vigorously function to create (produce) the middle-class culture which society consume daily. Several precise illustrations of such social and industrial organisations are: (1) the way labour is divided to ensure revenue (capital); (2) hierarchy (social order and class-structure); (3) industrial transformation of revenue of production; and (4) replacing services (commodities). Each (and all) of the mentioned devices (mechanisms) have been incorporated into (and informed) the film trade since it originated. In the sphere of cinema and film, these mechanisms shape the influential culture-producing section of societal apparatuses that Ma rxist film theorists calls the cinematic apparatus (Netto 2000:[sp]). Jean Baudrillards opinion of Marxism In his book, The consumer society (Baudrillard 1998:183), Baudrillard makes the conclusion and commends multiple forms of refusal of common ruling (convention), obvious notable and eye-catching utilisation (consumption), and conventional thinking and behaving, which can ultimately be merged (combined) into a practice of radical change (Baudrillard 1998:183). Baudrillard then goes on to describe a state (situation) where isolation (alienation) in its entirety cannot be improved on since it is the very structure of market society (Baudrillard 1998:190). Baudrillard argues that in a social order (culture), in which everything is seen as a product or service that can be purchased and put up for sale, that isolation (alienation) is total. Thus, isolation (alienation) is ever present in the social order where everything (from products to services) can be bought (Kellner 2007:[sp]). In the early 1970s, Baudrillard had an unsure (ambivalent) relationship with the theory of conventional Marxism in the since that he agreed with the Marxian analysis of the production of social commodities, which ultimately defined and critiqued the various notions of estrangement (alienation), dominant power, and exploitation that was shaped by capitalism. One could say that Baudrillards evaluation of these notions corresponds with the traditional (standard) neo- Marxian viewpoint which puts emphasis on the culpability of Capitalism and makes the assumption that Capitalism is homogenizing, domineering and ruled social class systems whilst depriving individuals of their liberty, originality and imagination, time, and potential (Kellner 2007:[sp]). In contradiction, Baudrillard could never emphasise any revolutionary forces and above all, didnt argue the circumstances and prospectives of the working class as a driving force for an altered (changed) social order of consumption. Thus, with no suggestion of the subject as a participating driving force of societal modification, Baudrillard pursued the structuralist and poststructuralist assessment of the truth-seeking (philosophical) and practical subject matter which was extensively governed in French deliberation. Practitioners of structuralism and post structuralism argued that bias (subjectivity) was shaped by verbal communication (language), societal establishments, and cultural appearances and wasnt sovereign of its creation in these establishments and preparations (Kellner 2007:[sp]). Classical film noir: Definition, Primary characteristics, conventions and historical surroundings The role of the male protagonist In (post-) Marxist noir films, the protagonist is frequently depicted as a single white male, who is usually psychologically troubled due to disloyalty or some form of loss of something in particular. The male protagonist is also usually emotionally crippled or psychologically injured. This summary of the post Marxist noir leading male is applicable to the post Marxist neo-noir picture Memento (Nolan 2000) (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In Memento (Nolan 2000), Nolan presents the character of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pierce) who could be seen as a combination of the typical private investigator that thrives in noir and neo-noir films and the defective (flawed) insurance salesman of the noir crime picture. The result is a brain damaged insurance investigator. This character in itself is already a complex and interesting one, but Nolen makes Leonard even more complex by turning Leonard into a serial killer who is unaware of the driving forces that influences him to commit these crimes (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Further characteristics of classical film noir: mood, tone, visual and cinematic elements According to the British Medical Journal (BMJ), that did a study on films dealing with memory, and made the conclusion that in Memento (Nolan 2000)- different from other films dealing with the memory genre- Leonards character (with some form of amnesia) maintains/retains his identity and puts emphasis on a number of strenuous daily problems regarding recollection related to mental disorders (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). After watching this film one could argue that the disjointed, mosaic-like quality of the succession of edited scenes in Memento (Nolan 2000) ingeniously simulates the perpetual present characteristics of memory loss related conditions. The film does not however merely represent mental/neurological illness, but furthermore supports the (post-) Marxian notion of the leading white male point of view. This notion is supported by purposely bringing in a cruel femme fatale character named Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss). Natalie makes use of Leonard by lying to him, whilst telling him that she is using him, since she is fully aware of Leonards condition and knows that his memory will fade. Yet again, Nolan does so to make a victim of the protagonist in order to distract the viewers from the plot by making use of empathetic relation to the character (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Neo noir films In the 1990s, spectators all through the world were presented with a newer and darker adaptation of noir, which was concealed within old methods, yet they were presented as fresh and sleek narratives in magnificent colour. One of the things that make 90s neo-noir different from previous recreations of film noir is the reoccurring focal point on mental illness and the dilemmas caused by psychological struggles. Within this new neo-noir, a white male middle-class outlook was reflected, articulating the fear of becoming the solitary objective in an innovative bold politically correct society. neo-noir also emphasised the increasing statistics of mental illness of the 90s in America (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Neo-noir films were made to retaliate against a variety of minorities occupied with complicated interior clashes that inhabits not only the minds of the characters, but also the mind of the filmmakers. Whereas this is a presumption as to why noir returned (resurfaced), it is evidently apparent that noir- exclusively composed of method (style) over matter (substance) was a new way of thinking in (post-) Marxist filmmaking. By entering the unknown territory of the inner workings of the mind (psyche), as supposed to the usual physical plane of existence that regularly surfaces in the narrative cinema, the matter (substance) was produced (formed) (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In these types of films, making use of the psychological (mental) state whilst attacking unfit elements disrupting the social order, a new innovative way of filmmaking ensured an interesting and attention-grabbing combination (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In 90s American cinema, audiences were extremely wrapped-up in paranoia. It was a time of confusion and society was faced with a civic (public) crisis when the need for truth, the status of information, and the determination of truth surfaced (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). It is ordinarily noticeable that postmodern, post-industrial, post- Marxist, and post- cold war social orders (society) shaped and produced an ongoing concern to what is real and how reality could be established and the authorization thereof. The continuing psychological (mental) focal point in/of 90s contemporary American cinema- mainly of neo-noir- revolves around the postmodern panic (fear) and uncertainty over truth and reality. The internet (made available to the public in the 1990s) not only brought an increasing stream of information, but made it more difficult for society to know what to trust and what not to trust. The 90s is known as the era where it was the fastest and easiest way of distribution of propaganda and misinformation, which added a spiralling effect of cynicism and disillusionment of a nation (Szyszka 2007:[sp] ). Strategy of the real The way in which text positions and/or fixes the viewer (consumer) is revealed first and foremost through a significant assessment surrounding the dominant (governing) structures of cinema, demonstrated by the Hollywood system (structure), and its utilization of narrative and realist forms (BaraÅ„ski and Short 1985:276). One could argue that the dominating shape of narrative used in mainstream cinema and Television creates a meticulous mode (way) of interpreting the world (dominant society): rather than focussing on the subject matter of the motion picture it is concerned with mysteries and anxiety that focuses on the attention of the audience to the method of narrative resolution, it demands and supplies endings which appear to present straightforward resolutions and conclusions to the struggles it has symbolized (represented), so that it gives a closed view of the world (modern society); attention (interest) is frequently concerned on a single protagonist rather than grou ps, and driving forces is understood in the psychosomatic rather than societal conditions (BaraÅ„ski and Short 1985:276). In the same way that it is impossible to rediscover a total (absolute) level of reality it is also impossible to stage a false impression (illusion) of what is real. The possibility of illusion is not possible anymore because the possibility of the real does no longer exist. for instance, should one fabricate (simulate) a break in at a local department store, it would be an interesting observation as to how one would be treated by the repressive state apparatus, as sopposed to what would happen to a person who organised a real brake in. A real brake in would ultimately disturb the natural order of things- individual property rights- whereas the simulation of a robbery ultimately obstructs the code of reality. Misbehaviour and aggression (committing a crime) are not as serious, because it simply challenges the natural (real) order and will be delt with. Simulation of the real is considerably more hazardous given that it constantly implies (suggests), in addition to its object, that re gulation (law) and instruct (order) in itself are merely simulations (Simulacra and Simulations 1988:[sp]). Nevertheless, after simulating a fake robbery, how would one convince the repressive state apparatus that it was merely a simulation of theft? One couldnt, for the reason that there is no objective distinction. Identical motions (gestures) and identical signs are apparent in a simulated robbery as it would in a real theft. As far as the dominant power (Ideological state apparatus and repressive state apparatus) is concerned, they (the gestures and signs) resemble those of a real robbery. After the fake robbery, one would- without knowing- find oneself instantly in the real (one of whose purpose is specifically and ideologically produced to consume all efforts of simulation) reducing everything to reality (Simulacra and Simulations 1988:[sp]). Socialist and radical practitioner have been using realism as a narrative structure, and although they have been criticised since they are significant to the realities they depict, have been presenting information of reality as trouble-free and doesnt properly give possible methods of altering (changing) the world. in addition, they present an uncomplicated truth regarding society. This is the innermost predicament of realism: that it presumes a representation which it considers as the truth, neither inquiring the course of representation nor inserting audiences into position from which they have to work to create an understanding of the text. The significance to the workings of Marxism and (post-) Marxism is that dominant cinema and TV are viewed as two of the positions through which dominant ideology is symbolized (represented) and accomplishes its effects. Narrative forms and realist forms are ideological, and their naturalness and obvious impartialities are conducts of disguising the fact that they create a meticulous vision of the world (BaraÅ„ski, Z.G Short, J.R 1985: 277). The revenge film By convincing the viewer that Leonards murderous ways are driven by vengeance (Leonard wants to avenge the rape and murder of his wife by hunting down the alleged murderer, John G) one could say that Nolan relies on the aspect of sympathy .i.e. to sympathise with a character to justify his/her actions (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Common characteristics Although the film humorously simulates the authorative power of the case-hardened private detective (private- eye) by giving Leonard a voice-over narration, his weakening state-of-mind (short-term memory loss) undermines/and challenges any assertion that Leonard is creating a continuous, consistent narrative- either about himself or about other characters. One could say that one of the main purposes of the confusing voice-over narrative is to include comical relief throughout the picture. This is applicable in the scene where Leonard is apparently chasing a man: Okay, what am I doing? Im chasing this guy. Nope. Hes chasing me. (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Memento (Nolan 2000), in addition to coming across as a series of fragmented scenes, is also edited so that the narrative plays out backwards. This becomes evidently clear as the protagonist (Leonard Shelby) vigorously lies to himself. One could make the assumption that Leonards condition not only makes the creation of self- trickery (dece ption) achievable but also possibly fatal (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Analysis of the narrative structure of Christopher Nolans Memento Memento (2000)is a film written and directed by Christopher Nolan (and adapted from the short story of his brother, Jonathan Nolan), revolves around memory. In the film, Leonard Shelby (Guy Pierce), is the protagonist who has lost the ability to/of forming new memories when he was violently assaulted during the rape and murder of his wife in their own home. Now suffering from short-term-memory-loss, Leonard is not able to remember, nor recognise people even after just having interaction with them (people such as the clerk of the hotel where Leonard is staying). Leonard does, however, recall everything that happened in the past preceding his accident. The plot revolves around Leonards condition (as he calls it) and the determination of avenging his wifes death(He has a clear recollection of the actual murder of his wife) (Clarke 2002:167). The combination of his condition and the yearning to avenge the death of his wife requires him to constantly refresh his memory, which he does by making and keeping loads of mysterious/ puzzling (cryptic) notes, by taking Polaroid pictures of everyone he meets (to remember them) and even going so far as to tattoo the facts that leads his investigative search, on his body. Even though Leonard has all these clues, his memory is constantly fading and he has to function in perpetual confusion when he meets people for the first time or when he finds himself at a different location. Thus, one could say that Leonard is constantly exposed to submission (he is easily persuaded or convinced). Leonards condition is so severe that he can instantly forget what he was doing or talking/thinking about. One could argue the hilarity (comical aspect) of this situation of memory loss throughout the film (Clarke 2002:167-168). One such an example is when Leonard is running but doesnt recall why he is running. As he looks around, he quickly becomes aware that someone is running parallel/next to him, when suddenly, one can hear Leonards thoughts. He is thinking: Okay, now, what am I doing? Oh, I must be chasing that guy (Clarke 2002:168). The comical aspect arises when Leonard changes his course and starts to run after the unknown male, when suddenly, the unknown male points his gun at Leonard and starts chasing him (forcing Leonard to change his direction again when the gun is fired) after almost shooting Leonard (Clarke 2002:168). Leonard is also constantly manipulated throughout the film, not only by his own mind, but also by the characters. Various characters (will be made clear later on) misleads Leonard due to his condition and manipulates him into doing their dirty work (Clarke 2002:168). Spectacle has always been the major field of entertainment, but in todays society that is mainly concerned with infotainment, spectacle and entertainment have come into the area of society, economy, politics, and existence in significant original customs. Building on the convention of manifestation, modern figures of entertainment stretching from Television to stage include spectacle society into their schemes, changing film, television, music, Drama and other areas of society, as well as creating original structures of society, such as cyberspace, multimedia, virtual reality and psycho-crime Drama (Kelner, D 2003:4). A plot summery Leonard Shelby had been struck in the back of the head by the rapist/murderer when trying to save his wife, which resulted Leonard to sustain severe mental and physical trauma and nearly destroyed the function of memory making entirely. After recovery, Leonard is now faced with the difficult role of functioning in society without any short-term memory reconciliation. Leonard is, however, able to function in society after learning to retain information through impulse (instinct) and repetition (replication) .i.e. conditioning. He does so by taking Polaroid pictures and writing short notes (information) on them, thus, using the pictures to simulate short-term memory. This simulation evolves further, one could say, due to the fact that Leonard tattoos the fact of his investigation onto his person (like a bodily map of facts and clues). In a classical (post-)Marxist noir-ish style of filmmaking, Leonard is surrounded by characters who exploit his misfortune by helping (assisting) him, mi sleading him, and/or achieving a little of both (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). The narrative structure In the film Memento (Nolan 2000) which could be perceived as a (post-) Marxist film- it is evidently clear that the film relies on gimmick ( a devise used to grab attention). The fact that one has been hailed (interpolated) into a chain of lies can be terrifying upon watching this film, however, what is more terrifying is that the lies were created by ones own need to fabricate a real narrative (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Just before the ending of Memento (Nolan 2000), Nolan actively places the viewer into Leonard shoes in the scene where Teddy tells Leonard the truth about the death of his wife, creating final confusion to ensure that the viewer partakes in the movie. Nolan does so by actively ensuring that the viewer takes on the role of detective (just like the role of Leonard Shelby) by trying to make sense of (decipher) the narrative truth. This however posts the question: Does one believe the character of Leonard Shelby who constantly confesses to his unreliability? Or does one believe the character of Teddy who discloses that he had been lying to Leonard and that he, himself, is also named John G Gammell? (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). In order to answer this question one has to closely evaluate various scenes from the film. One of the scenes that stands out meticulously (by using flashbacks) is the scene just before the climax of the movie where Teddy informs Leonard that Sammy Jenkins (a man described by Leonard when he talks about his job where he had to investigate an insurance claim made by the wife of Sammy Jenkins) did in actuality, not exist. The viewer is presented with a sequence of flashbacks that changes momentarily which furthermore contributes to the constant confusion of who and what to believe. One thing is certain though, given that the viewer is restricted to Leonards point of view (perspective), that when Leonard makes the subtle realisation (the flashback where he injects his wife with insulin) and squats down to the floor while convincing himself that his wife didnt have diabetes that Sammy Jenkins is in fact just a fabrication in Leonards mind, thus, showing that Teddy tells a version of the t ruth (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). Another scene that convinces one that Leonard is the one lying to himself, is the scene where Leonard tells the story of Sammys wife not believing that Sammys condition is real. She then goes on testing Sammy- according to Leonard- by telling him (Sammy) that it was time for her to be injected with insulin. After Sammy had injected his wife with the medicine she is still convinced that her husband is lying, so she turn back her wristwatch by 15 minutes and tells him that it was time for her to be injected with insulin (she was diabetic and relied on him to inject her even though he suffered from short-term memory loss). After repeating this process yet again Sammys wife overdoses on insulin and dies. Sammy was then placed into a mental asylum and in the final seconds of the black-and-white scene, just before it ends as the camera is closing up on Sammy a nurse walks past the camera-obstructing the view of Sammy- and for a brief second the shot is edited so that one sees Leonard sitti ng in the same chair as where Sammy sat, thus, emphasising that Leonard was in fact the one who was lying to himself through conditioning his mind and ultimately fabricated the story of Sammy Jenkins (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). One could say that in this particular scene, that Leonards memory of Sammy Jenkins is a simulation of himself in order to detach from the traumatic loss of his wife whom was raped and murdered before his very eyes. Here, the (post-) Marxist notion of neo-realism hits the most confusing plane of paranoia by making use of a protagonist who will never be able to believe himself and must constantly remind himself of where he is by leaving himself a postmodern network of clues to function in society (Szyszka 2007:[sp]). unified social reality In cinema, spectacle is presented as all of society, forming a part of the social order and as an instrument of unifying the general public, all at the same time (simultaneously). The spectacle is not a compilation of imagery, but rather a way for people to relate to one another socially, by mediation of imagery. An immense variety of obvious phenomena is explained and unified by the notion of spectacle. Measured in its own conditions, the spectacle confirms how everything should look (appearance) and confirms the nature of humanity (how humans should live), i.e. social life, as mere appearance. However, further analysis of the truth of the spectacle depicts it as noticeable contradictions of life, since spectacle is no longer about visual aesthetic and enriched text, but rather about mainstream cinematic ideology and revenue (Debord 1967:[sp]). Conclusion The master/slave dialectic is the story of the actualisation of a unified social reality. It is also an extension of the story of how the identity of the self is constituted in and through another. It is the story of desire (Diprose 1994:46). Even though the above mentioned excerpt speaks of the female form in modern day society, one could argue that just like the master/slave dialectic, that Leonard represents the slave and everyone else that is using and deceiving him- even his mental condition- are the masters. One could make this conclusion since Leonard is the one being used and mislead (just like the typical female character is usually exploited) without his knowledge. He thus creates, within himself, the longing (desire) to avenge his wifes death. One could thus conclude, that due to the fact that one is presented with a male protagonist, driven by loss and vengeance, in order to find closure and move on with his life, that Memento (Nolan 2000) does represent some form of unified social reality .i.e. the need to move forward. The fact that he never does move on with his life, almost contradicts the previous statement, except, the fact that Leonard is unable to realise this tragedy due to his mental trauma-paired wi th the fact that he is in actuality a serial killer- ensures the unified social reality (in accordance to the dominant power) that he gets what he deserves, an ongoing struggle of redemption. Sources consulted BaraÅ„ski, Z.G Short, J.R. 1985. Developing Contemporary Marxism. London: The Macmillan Press LTD. Baudrillard, J. 1998. The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures. Gateshead: Athenà ¦um Press Limited. Clarke, M. 2002. The Space-Time Image: the Case of Bergson, Deleuze, and Memento. The Journal of Speculative Philosophy 16(3): 167-168. Debord, G. 1967. Society of the Spectacle. [O]. Available: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/debord/society.htm Accessed 5 October 2010 Diprose, R. 1994. The bodies of woman: ethics, embodiment, and sexual difference. London: Routledge. Hurd, R. 2003. Christopher Nolans Memento Analysis of the narrative structure of a noirish revenge film. Paper presented at the Seminar: Decadence and Modernism in Late 20th Century American Cinema, 23 February 2003, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Jean Baudrillard-Biography. [Sa]. [O]. Available: http://www.egs.edu/faculty/jean-baudrillard/biography/ Accessed 2 October 2010 Kelner, D. 2003. Media Spectacle. New York: Routledge Kellner, D. 2007. Jean Baudrillard. [O]. Available: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/baudrillard/ Accessed 1 October 2010 Netto, J.A. 2000. Marxist film theory. [O]. Available: http://www.nettonet.org/Nettonet/Film%20Program/theory/marx-theory.htm Accesed 2 October 2010 Simulacra and Simulations. 1988. [O]. Available: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/Baudrillard/Baudrillard_Simulacra.html Accessed 30 September 2010 Szyszka, E. 2007. Brain Damage: Neo Noir in the Nineties. [O]. Available: http://thecinephilenewyork.blogspot.com/2007/08/brain-damage-neo-noir-in nineties.html Accessed 3 October 2010

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde :: Picture Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde Essays

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde â€Å"Like the painting of a sorrow, A face without a heart.† - Hamlet When I went to the movies, I didn’t expect to be so intrigued by the characters that I would want to read about them individually. â€Å"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen† had many interesting characters: Mena the vampire, Alan Quartermain the hunter, Skinner the invisible man, Nemo the pirate, Dr. Jekyll the scientist, Tom Sawyer of the CIA, and Dorian Gray the immortal. Out of all the characters, Dorian Gray seemed to have the most interesting story to tell. I didn’t know anything about the book, but when I went to the book store, I asked for anything about Dorian Gray that they might have. I was both embarrassed and surprised when the lady picked out several books and asked which one I wanted. The Picture of Dorian Gray was the story of a man who starts out as an innocent, loving boy, but then he made the â€Å"Devil’s Bargain-- the exchange of one’s external soul for extreme but, alas, temporary gratification.† His sins, pa in, and suffering go into a painting of himself made by his friend, Basil Hallward. Lord Henry Wotton was the older man who began corrupting Dorian and made him more vain and cynical. A big part of the story was the relationship between Dorian and his cursed painting, and I believe the painting has more than one meaning in this book. The first thing the painting reminded one of was a drug addict and his drug. After Dorian brought the painting home and realized that it was aging and he wasn’t, he hid it under a screen. Eventually, he hid it away in a locked room because his servants were curious as to why he had kept it covered. Yet, even though he was ashamed of it, he kept going into the room to study the portrait, such as an addict going back for more supplies.

Futile Dreams of Escape in The Glass Menagerie :: Glass Menagerie essays

Futile Dreams of Escape in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "I have always been more interested in creating a character that contains something crippled. I think nearly all of us have some kind of defect, anyway, and I suppose I have found it easier to identify with the characters who verge on hysteria, who were frightened of life, who were desperate to reach out to another person" (Rasky 134). This statement of Tennessee Williams supports the idea that he incorporates something crippled into all his major characters.   In his play, The Glass Menagerie, Williams portrays a crippling mother and child relationship. He clearly illustrates that none of the characters are capable of living in the present. The characters believe that happiness will be found in their repeated quests for escape from the real world. As such, they retreat into their separate worlds to escape life's brutalities.    Set in Depression-era St. Louis, the overbearing Southern ex-charmer, Amanda Wingfield is the de facto head of the household. A former Southern belle, Amanda is a single mother who behaves as though she still is the high school beauty queen. Williams' still-resonant study reveals her desperate struggle with the forces of fate against her dysfunctional relationship that looms and grows among her adult children. (Gist)    Laura, Amanda, Tom, and Jim resort to various escape mechanisms to avoid reality. Laura, fearful of being denigrated as inferior by virtue of her innate inability to walk, is shy and detaches herself from the unfeeling modern world. Amanda tries every means to integrate her into society, but to no avail. She sends her to business school and invites a gentleman caller to dinner. She is both unable to cope with the contemporary world's mechanization represented by the speed test in typing and unable to make new acquaintances or friends due to her immense inhibition with people. Her life is humdrum and uneventful, yet it is full of dreams and inundated with memories. Whenever the outside world threatens Laura, she seeks solace and retreats to her glass animal world and old phonograph records. Amanda, her mother hints at the alternative of matrimony for fiasco in business careers and Laura "utters a startled, doubtful laugh. She reaches quickly for a piece of glass." (Williams, ). The gl ass menagerie becomes her tactile consolation.    The little glass ornaments represent Laura's self and characterize her fragility and delicate beauty.

Good vs Evil in Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked” Essay

What is good and what is bad seems pretty easy to define. Good is being morally right, an action or a quality that does not cause harm to people, harm to self, nor cause sadness. Goodness benefits others, if not the self, and it causes happiness. Evil is the opposite of good, or the absence of good. But these are only the general meanings of these two concepts. In religion, good and evil are represented by different beings. In Christianity, being good means to please God, the Creator. Jesus Christ is also good, and heaven is where good souls go to. On the other hand, the Devil, being a fallen angel, represents evil, and hell is where bad souls are tortured for eternity. Other religious practices in the world may or may not have divine beings that people worship, but they also have concepts of good and evil. Evil is defined by goodness. If good is defined, bad is automatically defined as well, because bad is, to put simply, not good. For example, if good would be represented by a child who obeys his/her parents, then bad would be a child who does not obey his/her parents. The question is what if the â€Å"bad† child has a reason to not obey his/her parents? What if the reason is besides being bad, such as what if the child disobeyed his/her parents to fulfill a promise to a friend? Good and evil only represents the black and white, but reality tells us that there are also grey areas, some things which are not exactly bad, but not exactly good either. Gregory Maguire’s novel, â€Å"Wicked†, a sort of prequel to the classic children’s novel, L. Frank Baum’s â€Å"Wizard of Oz†, is about good and evil, and these grey areas in between, which are acts done by people which are not good but also not evil. It tells of the story of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. In the original â€Å"Wizard of Oz† books, the witch is not named, only given the title of The Wicked Witch of the West. Described as green-skinned, wearing black clothes with a black pointed hat, riding on a broomstick, and afraid of water, this witch character became almost a stereotype for all other witches. In â€Å"Wicked†, this witch is given the name Elphaba Thropp, with the first name take from the initials of the original author of â€Å"Wizard of Oz†. One of the first things that readers will notice and perhaps find interesting is the quotations in one of the first pages. Maguire quotes three, one of which is from â€Å"The Wizard of Oz†, about the dialogue between the Wizard and Dorothy. The Wizard requests Dorothy to kill the Wicked Witch of the West, and in return he will help her return to Kansas. This quote may make a child think, given that the child fully understands what is morally right and wrong in the society. Killing is wrong. Why should Dorothy kill the witch? Because she is bad? But killing a bad person will not make a person good. Or does it? Does a wrong action turn into a right action if there is a good reason for committing the action? With this quote, a person who is about to read â€Å"Wicked† will start thinking about the nature of good and evil, and will get the central idea of the book. In the first part of the â€Å"Wicked†, the birth of Elphaba is told. Readers will learn the occurrences when she was born and the background of her parents. From the time she was born, Elphaba had skin of â€Å"undeniable green† (p. 20). She also had sharp fangs that she bit off the finger of the fisherwife when she was still a baby (p. 20). These different characteristics makes her an oddity, and somehow inhuman. For this reason, it is assumed that Elphaba grew up being a victim of prejudice. This prejudice later proved to be an important experience for her, because her intentions and motivations all came from the prejudice and cruelty that she experienced as a child, and even as an adult. Despite this, she grew up smart and curious. She also questions things that most people accept, such as the concept of evil. In a conversation with Galinda, she asks if evil does exist. â€Å"They seemed to be obsessed with locating it [evil]†¦ an evil spring in the mountains, an evil smoke, evil blood in the veins†¦ â€Å"†¦ The early unionists†¦ argued that some invisible pocket of corruption was floating around the neighborhood, a direct descendant of the pain the world felt when Lurline left. Like a patch of cold air on a warm still night. A perfectly agreeable soul might march through it and become infected, and then go and kill a neighbor. But then was it your fault if you walked through a patch of badness? If you couldn’t see it? † (p. 80-81) This is foreboding, because later in the story, Elphaba does â€Å"walk through a patch of badness†, though she does not mean to walk into it.