Government & The Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Government & The Economy - Essay Example d inequality within the United States are cheap labor from Asia, unreasonable exchange rates, outsourcing, corporate greed, illegal immigration, discrimination, and involvement in global wars, but policy changes like increase in minimum wages, innovative tax systems, earned income tax credit (EITC), Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), etc can reduce this inequality to an extent. First of all, the challenge of cheap labor from Asia is an important reason behind the inequality in the United States. For instance, globalization transformed the US role within the global trade relations. The Asian nations began to exploit the scope of globalization because human resource is comparatively cheap in Asian context. So, the American companies began to recruit Asians due to less economic burden. This eventually led the educated US citizens towards economic problems related to joblessness. From a different angle of view, cheap labor from Asia benefited the American companies, but affected the educated US citizens. But the policy makers within the US political context were not able to foresee this problem. Besides, the Asian nations accelerate the challenge of cheap labor because the same is helpful for those nations to gain more revenue. To be specific, the difference in exchange rate helps the Asian nations to benefit from working for American companies. Similarly, unreasonable exchange rates result in inequality within the American context. For instance, the initiatives undertaken by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy resulted in the decrease in interest rates. To be specific, the Federal Reserve aimed to help the housing market by decreasing the interest rates. But this initiative did not help the Americans to own homes because decreased rate was not enough attract them towards the housing market. This proves the drastic effect of the ineffective economic policies within the US context. One can see that good jobs help citizens to own homes. On the other

Economics and Global Business Essay Example for Free

Economics and Global Business Essay A) Elasticity of demand is describes as the degree of percentage change in demand for a good or service due to variation in price. Elasticity measurements can be expressed by three types of demand; inelastic demand, unit elastic demand, or relatively elastic demand. To determine the percentage of change in demand for a product or service the price elasticity equation and coefficient are used. The coefficient Ed is defined as â€Å"the percentage change in quantity demanded of product divided by the percentage change in price of product X† (McConnell, Brue, Flynn, 2012, pg. 76) The three expressions of Ed are Elastic, Inelastic, and Unit Elasticity. Elastic demand occurs â€Å"if a specific percentage change in price results in a larger percentage change in quantity demanded† (McConnell, Brue, Flynn, 2012, pg. 77). For a product with inelastic demand Ed 1. An example of elastic demand is when there is a 2% decrease in the price of chocolate that results in a 6% increase in quantity. Ed= .06/.02 = 3 Inelastic demand occurs â€Å"if a specific percentage change in price produces a smaller percentage change in quantity demanded.†(McConnell, Brue, Flynn, 2012, pg. 77) For products with inelastic demand Ed 0 .Inferior goods are goods that yield a negative income elasticity, Ei 0. As consumer incomes increase, demand and purchases of these foods decrease. Examples of inferior goods are bus tickets, consignment clothing, and retreaded tires to list a few. D) Demand of a product will be elastic when there is a higher number of substitute available. This happens because consumers can easily swap one product for the other based on price. An example can be the purchase of soda. A consumer can go to the store to buy Pepsi but arrive and find a sale on Coke and buy Coke instead. The variety of soda a consumer can chose, makes the demand for Pepsi highly elastic. The same rule applies for inelastic demand of a product. If there is a limited number of substitute goods available the product or service is highly inelastic. An example would  be medical procedures or surgery. The alternative to surgery are very few, making medical procedures or surgery inelastic. E) The proportion of Income devoted to a good or service effects the elasticity of demand for that good or service. For goods that are of a higher proportion of income, a 15% increase in price would make the good highly elastic. But for goods that are of a lower proportion of income, a 15% increase in price would only slightly change the demand, making them lower in elasticity. An example would be a car priced at $13,000. If there is an increase by 15% the car now costs $14,950. This increase in price requires more of the consumer’s income making them highly elastic. Another example of how proportion of income devoted to a good effects elasticity of demand, is a pair shoes that cost $20.00. If there is a 15% price increase on the shoes, they now cost $23.00. The increase in the price of the shoes requires about the same proportion of income that the original price required. The lack of major proportional change to income makes the shoes elastic. F) Time is a factor that effects consumers demand elasticity of a product. â€Å"Short-run† demand for a product is often more inelastic than â€Å"long-run† demand since consumer have less time to find an alternative and normally don’t feel the effects of a price increase until â€Å"long-run.† An example would be an increase in the price of salmon. â€Å"Short-run† demand of Salmon is more inelastic since the effect if the price increase hasn’t been felt drastically by consumers. But, in the â€Å"long-run† demand for salmon will decrease making it more elastic as consumers find alternative to salmon. G) 1) Elastic demand range occurs when total revenue can be increased by decreasing price. The range for elastic demand on the graph is between $80 and $50. Total revenue increases as the price decrease. 2). Inelastic demand range occurs when total revenue can be increased by increasing price. The range for inelastic demand on the graph is between $40 and $0. Total revenue is decreasing as the price decreases. 3). Unit elastic range occurs when a  percentage change in price results in the exact same percentage change in quantity. When the price changes it does not affect total revenue on the graph. The unit elastic range for the given graph is $50-$40. References McConnell, Campbell R., Stanley L. Brue, and Sean Masaki Flynn. Elasticity. Economics: principles, problems, and policies. 19th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2012. 76-77. Print.

What Caused The Korean War History Essay

What Caused The Korean War History Essay The North Korean leader, Kim Il Sung invaded South Korea on 25th June 1950, with about 89,000 of his troops and tanks achieving total tactical and strategic surprise against only 38,000 South Korean soldiers. They were fully armed with heavy weapons and equipment supplied by Stalin and the Soviet Union.  [1]   The war that started in 1950 which lasted for three years can be analysed under two aspects: political and ideological. Analysing ideologically, communist within the region of China, Soviet Union and North Korea, desired to secure the Korean Peninsula to be a part of communist bloc. Politically, the West and the USSR growing tensions and the emergence of the cold war intensified the stability that stemmed from a divided Korea. This essay will examine the causes of the Korean war including factors such as the historical, ideological differences and the primary causes of the war which are believed to be the division of Korea in 1945, the character of both leaders, kim II Sung and Sungman Rhee, as well as the influences of International actors, in particular capitalist West (namely the US) and the communist East (namely the Soviet Union but to a lesser degree, China), and the difference in policies of the United States and the Soviet Union toward North and South Korea. In order to understand the causes of the war in Korea, it is essential to look at the history of the country. When in the 1880s Korea opened its gates to the western world, pro-Chinese, pro-Japanese, pro-Russian and pro-American factions all emerged, It is also to be kept in mind that Japan ruled Korea for more than 40 years from 1904 to 1945 until the USA and Soviet Union agreed to expels the Japanese territory by the USA taking over the southern region of Korean to the 38th parallel whilst the Soviet Union would occupy the northern part.  [2]   In 1910, when Japanese ruled Korea and established a rough direct over its people, It was then that the elite class such as businessmen, landowners and manufacturers were not irritated but merely continued to do their jobs as the circumstances facilitated them. Conversely, the lower and workers class emerged in opposition and demanded urgent reforms in the country. The Japanese plan was to defend home islands by maintaining control of Korean Peninsula which resulted in political and cultural repression, there was also growth of Communism and Conservative nationalism at that time. As soon as World War II ended the tension was clear, one of the most important features of the post-world war was the appearance of a clear and obvious global competition for spheres of influence between the Soviet Union and the USA. The division of the country by 38th parallel by US and USSR had implicit the continuation of the civil tension as the people were divided politically and ideologically.  [3]  The Koreans were not trusted to rule Korea independently. The region being separated by the USA and USSR was the reason that the country had to remain separated into two halves as both super power countries had their own way to set up the legitimacy and execution of the political and economic issues of the country. These changes having being occurred in the region came to the situation that the regions could not be joined again as a single territory.  [4]   William Stueck argues convincingly;Soviet-US occupation of Korea, especially without precise agreements on its nature and duration, greatly reduced Koreas prospects for a smooth transition toward independence and unityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[and furthermore] the division of the independence movement into Communist and anti-Communist groups compounded the potential problems in constructing a unified, indigenous government.  [5]   This division was possibly the most significant event in the history of Korea, as, if the country had not been separated by force by the outside powers, arguably there would not have been a Korean War. Of course, this is debateable as, when the Japanese surrendered, the possibility of a civil conflict due to those inequities and imbalances Koreans had suffered historically, was in fact defeated by the involvement of the Soviet Union and the USA.  [6]   The division had many consequences on the economy, one of the most pressing issues was the economic crisis between the two territories following a mass departure of around 2 million Koreans from the North to the South, today the South Korean population is double that of North Korea. This mass exodus was due to the fact that resources were also divided, the North gained in natural resources, whereas the South now had two-thirds of the workforce and the country was in crisis, Therefore, civil tension continued between varying ideologies in the two territories throughout. Furthermore, this division affected the cultures of both Koreas especially in regard to military, political, ideology and foreign alliances. On both sides the tension caused by division meant that the military became important.  [7]   The USA established a military government in South Korea whereas Soviet Union did so in North Korea. The region rule by the Americans was given to 24th corps US Army headed by General John R. Hudge whereas; the Soviet Union gave this responsibility to the 25th Army, the 1st Front of Soviet Far Eastern Front Forces (under Col. General Ivan M. Chistiakov). The masses of Korea opposed the military rule in their respective countries, which caused a high level of dissatisfaction, especially in the South. Furthermore, the US Army was unprepared for the mission to rule South Korea as compared to the Soviet Union.  [8]   The Moscow agreement was a great shock to the Korean people, who expected independence. They directly launched a nationwide movement opposing the trusteeship. The communist initially opposed trusteeship, but quickly changed their attitude later under a directive from the Russians. After Moscow conference divisions deepened between North and South, resulted in an economic, political and social unrest in South. The USA support was wavering and hesitate to support South who wanted a change in their political and economic position. However, the Soviet determination for North was to dominate through Communism. The USA still kept on safeguarding its own interest and tried every way in which Communist party could be stopped to come into power if Korea was reunited.  [9]   The United States policy toward Korea was non-ideological, at that time, the US considered Korea nothing more than a secondary objective to the security and defence of Japan. Korea continued to be a secondary objective because partly of the great distance between the two countries and partly because the US thinks that Korea is a minor strategic value.  [10]   On the other hand, the Soviet Union had a historical interest in Korea, North Korea was vital to the ideological interests, and strategic objectives of the Soviet Union to safeguard the rights obtained in Manchuria in return for the declaration of war against Japan in the final days of World War II, This was all the more so because of their need to cope with the American influence in South Korea, and the growing communist influence in China. Therefore the policy of the Soviet Union toward North Korea was constantly strong from the start.  [11]   With the rise of Marxism- Leninism in Russia in 1917 and the emergence of the struggle between Nationalists and Communists in China in the 1920s, Korean exiles inevitably took sides, with traditionalists of a Confucian stripe looking to the Nationalist Chinese, Liberals of a capitalist, democratic bent appealing to the Unites States, and radicals casting their eyes toward the Soviet Union and/or the communist Chinese.  [12]   Americans entered South Korea to keep Japan disarmed, but it was clear that they were unaware of the development they had to make in the region. The United Commission as forced by the USA voted for elections in Korea, the communist bloc of the region boycotted the elections and Syngman Rhee was declared as the President of South Korea.  [13]  It can be argued that the UN intervention is a fledging organisation which been forced into action. There was a little credibility due to alignment with the US. South Korea was not fully prepared for the war because the South Korean leader had not been much aware of the war issues as compared to North Korean leader Kim II Sung who appeared to be in power assisted by Colonel Alexandre Ignatiev and General Ternetiv Shytykov who were a part of the Soviet occupying force. Communism was quickly spread throughout the country by the police oppression, pressure and violence.  [14]   There was no attempt to examine closely the communist ideology of the leftists, to discover how far they were the creatures of Moscow, and how far they were merely vague socialists and nationalists who found traditional landlordism repugnant. No allowance was made for the prestige earned by the communists dominant role in armed resistance to the Japaneseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Given time and encouragement, [the KPR]..might have offered South Korea its best prospect of building a genuine democracy.  [15]   The failure then, ultimately of the US in Korea, was to side with reactionary, conservative factions who were inextricably linked to the period of Japanese colonial rule. In their view, they found it easier to deal with the ones that have had been for the same tasks and orders at the times when Japanese used to rule the nation, as opposed to helping to organise and mustering a viable future leadership from the many leftist factions, which though often divided among themselves nevertheless had the genuine support of a significantly large section of the Korean population. But if this was a US failure then it was also a failure of the Soviets as both countries chose to exclude the Korean leaders from any representation of the country, aimed at setting up a five-year trusteeship for the nation in question, prior to free elections being held. In the meantime, it was decided that the US and USSR, respectively, would take responsibility for governing the two halves of the country: in the s outh General Hodge led a US military government, and in the north the Soviets oversaw a communist-style rule.  [16]   It was decided in 1946, that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) would start to shape her military in order to protect her interdependence, this idea was urgently shaped into reality and at the end of that year they had created two divisions. North Korea kept on doing reforms in the army so that the South could find no way to harm it. By 1949, the military was equipped with a tank brigade, engineers, signals, anti-aircraft artillery, and one more infantry division. They were also on the initial stage to create their navy and air force, furthermore they sent two infantry divisions to fight in Manchuria against the Chinese Nationalists specifically in order to gain experience needed to be ready for any offensive attack against South Korea.  [17]   The main aim of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea was to safeguard the workers republic and the acts and the efforts of the Workers Party as well as the creation of forces was the reason why the government remained active. In the meantime, Kim II Sung kept on getting stronger and appeared as the Premier of DPRK in 1948 and was nominated as the Chairman of North Korean Workers Party in 1949.  [18]  He was Known as great leader in North Korea. Conversely, Rhee appeared as a leader of South Korea who was anti-communist. He wanted the China civil war to end in favour of the Nationalists. Among his concern was to wash away the Communist and demolish any Communist power or influence in Korea before the situation get worse and developed into a civil conflict. He, as with the Americans, believed that the Communists in Korea were a puppet of the Soviets; therefore, he believed that some kind of police intervention was needed to limit their influence. As his thoughts involved any actions that kept the communists away, he ideologically influenced the minds of people and made certain reforms to forcefully strengthen the country which drew an ideological line between North and South Korea.  [19]   The USA did not seem to back any actions or thoughts of Rhee as they were aware of the fact that Rhee attempts to attack the Northern part, the circumstances would not appear in favour of either. The USA could not be seen to be supporting any attack against the North as it would be regarded as an attack against the Soviet Union. South Korea was somehow in control of Rhee and he kept on using the force against the communists especially after 1946 elections.  [20]  South Korea was blamed for the start of the conflict. Rhee prompted border clashes prior to the invasion from the North such as that he executed some of the Northern civilian because they were spying and this was the ignition of the war. This idea that South Korea began the war was also insisted by Cummings who said that Rhee deliberately went for such actions so that the USA would support and intervene which will allow Rhee and his forces to invade North Korea.  [21]  On the other hand some argue that it was indeed North Korea who began the war and therefore had to plan the situation before hand and did such actions to initiate the war. Nonetheless this does not mean that Kim II Sung from North Korea was the one who necessarily caused the war. In May 1950, the strengths and weakness of North Korea and South Korea described as follows: It says that North Korea had organised areas with strong military and efficient divisions. North Korea had the potential that if guerrilla war started, it would be able to defeat the other side. Conversely, the South Korea did not have much potential to fight against the North as it was politically bent into conflicts and was equally losing its economic grip. Moreover, the military was far less efficient than that of the North. Tension along the 38th parallel had been serious since 1947 but was worse on some cases. It was assumed that any time the civil war could begin nevertheless the tactics that were to be used in the war were still unknown.  [22]   To understand the reasons for the escalating hostility between the super powers countries over Korea, related in developments in China. As the year 1949 was marked with the independence of Peoples Republic of China, it was then that the communist leader Mao Zedong appeared as victory over Nationalists forces on the country.  [23]  The Chinese were fully supporting the Communists in North Korea, Furthermore, tens of thousands of North Korea troops were receiving their military training and equipment from China. Mao Zedong also attempted to insist for a reunite of Korea in which communist will rule and the whole region will appear as a strong communist bloc of the region. South Korea and the USA were totally aware of the developments and were really concerned about the strong communist being spread in the area.  [24]  It worth mentioning here that North Korea assisted Maos communist during civil war. From UN perspective, UN refused to accept Legitimacy of communist rule and sus pended Chinas membership. As the communists gained strength in the region, the Americans and South Korea feared that this will end in a complete failure of the Nationalists. For this reason, Taiwan was used as a final weapon to weaken the communists. It is evident that the inhabitation and alteration in Taiwan were clearly tied to the Korean issue as the Nationalists could only be strengthened in that way. The Nationalists on Taiwan heartedly supported South Korea and showed full opposition to the emergence of communists strengths. The USA feared that having communists spread in the region means that the full control of region will be under the Soviet Union or China power, For the Americans, the advantage they feared which could be gained by Stalin in case the Taiwan was occupied or won by communist and therefore made them decide better defensive action for the stabilisation of South Korea.  [25]   In terms of President Truman involvement and the USA, it is obvious that they were awkward as they had not completely closed the chapter of World War II and still feared the Communist lobby to overrule them. As McCarthyism spread and communism kept on making its roots stronger across the world. This fear was also felt in Trumans government and they were afraid of the spread of communist around the world. As Mao Tse-tung gained power in China and the Soviet Union went for nuclear tests in 1949, the USA was even worried about communism and altered their foreign policy which was deeply dependent on the developments of Asia.  [26]   The Soviet Union did not cooperate with the USA and did not answer any attempts that the USA military governments in South Korea made. For this reason, the problem of solving the dispute between the North and South Korea was moved to the back row. The Americans tried to discuss and come up with an agreement to solve the economic and refugee problems and establish political measures for the future of Korea. The first priority of both super power governments was to have their own problems solved.  [27]   Developments in Asia were the reason that the USA feared the world to a large extent depended on the South Asia politics and the decisions that the countries in South Asia made. North Korean invasion made the USA redesign their thoughts about Asia. The American foreign experts thought that the Soviet Union has somehow lost some power in the region and it is China that gained power gradually and become a danger in South east Asia.  [28]   Americans at that point realised significance importance to remain in the scenario. It argued that Domino principle of Stalins communism had to be stopped in the region and if not urgently brought to a halt, communism will influence the Western Europe and therefore will be a great danger to invade Europe as well. Analysing all the circumstances, it was decided that the USA start aiding South Korea which was formally announced by President Truman on 27th of June 1950.  [29]   In Conclusion, it is illustrated that no one can ignore the differences in the ideology and political affiliation of North and South Korea; this was not necessarily the basis for the conflict in Korea. It is evident that the attempt of North Korea to invade the South ignited war, but the attempts of South before invasion could not be simply ignored. The situation that created instability from 1945 to 1950 was because of South Koreas attempts to stop communism from being spread at any cost. Before being invaded, Korea as a country had many social and political issues that needed to be dealt with sincerity. The activates and policies of the two super power are the reason that Korea could not be reunited afterwards. The United States did not wish to see South Korea incorporated within the communist sphere but would make the defence of South Korea a priority. It was the Soviet Union that supported Kim II Sung to act against South Korea from April 1950 to June 1950. It was perceived by Russia that it will result in support of North Korea from inside the Southern part and that the USA might not be able to handle the issue. China was involved deeply before June 1950 and Kim II Sung told Mao Tse-tung that it would be necessary for China to intervene. The Korean War was both a civil and an international war. The two Korean states failed to resolve the issue. 38th parallel kept on bearing tensions ignited by both North and South Korea for many years which finally made North Korea to start war against South in which the Soviet Union completely supported North Korea. Kim II Sung and Syngman Rhee equally heated the issue and remained the centre of wrong activities from 1948 to 1950.  [30]   The Korean issue could not be tied to just one actor; it had many actors that acted for their own benefit with non-playing role for the benefit of united Korea. It is understood that the international powers played their role as per the wishes of Kim and Rhee but more specifically all the super powers deep inside wanted their own interests to be safeguarded behind the curtains of Korea. The Soviet Union and the USA never purely identified that reunited Korea as the major cause but their failure to understand the issue and act accordingly brought the situation to such an extent where war continuously emerged. North and South Korea both are to be blamed for making matters worse as well as the super powers that did not understand the conflict from its soil. After Chinese military intervention, the USA was more concerned about communism being spread. Korea was a victim of her own leaders and of the mutual suspicions and hatreds of the superpowers in the Cold War. Finally, it is very vital that this essay has shown the international and historical context of the conflict. However, due to the conflicting ideas from revisionists and traditionalists it is difficult to establish a clear blame here. Although, North and South leaders were not passive in this war, they had a very strong military and political role to play. Both Kim and Rhee managed to use their international actors. James Matray argues that ultimately Soviet- American failure to co-operate prevented Koreas peaceful reunification  [31]  which is a major factor to cause the war.

How Do Fake IDs Assist In The Corruption Of Minors :: essays research papers

How do fake IDs assist in illegal activity in underage minors? We think that with the use of fake IDs, minors are able to obtain things they would not be able to get without a fake id, thus increasing the use of alcohol (going to bars), and underage smoking. It also increases other things that minors would not be able to do, such as get into over 18 clubs, R rated movies, buy spraypaint and weaponry such as boxcutters. The problems of the underage youth using fake IDs to buy substances, and do things that they would normally not be able to do without the use of a fake ID, is an age old problem. With the help of computers and scanners, making fake IDs is simple, and the results are usually high quality.1 Computer technology offers rich possibilities for fraud. A document scanner can "read" a picture and "draw" a copy onto the memory of the computer. Laser techniques are used to convert the image to digital data. A copying machine developed by Xerox for the Department of Defense as a tool in high-speed map making can also make good copies of driver's licenses. It is also possible to rearrange images on a computer. Document scanners and fast color printers make it easy to fake images and documents. Through digital retouching, computer-generated images can be combined in new ways, unwanted images can be deleted (such as UNDER 21 written on a license), and colors and fonts can be added and changed. What is usually changed on a fake ID used by a teenager is the birthday, thus making the person older then they are. Although many states offer ID cards with holograms, double pictures of the person, and other features that thwart alterations and reproduction of the ID cards, the use of fraudulent identification is increasing in the United States.2 Obtaining ID cards is incredibly easy for an underage teenager. They can be obtained from older siblings, friends, and relatives. Another thing that underage people do is buy a friend's ID who is over the age of 18 or 21, and have them report it stolen. In addition to that, there are stores where you can go to buy fake IDs. On the web, you can just type in www.fake-id.org and you have access to buy fake IDs. When buying a fake id, the store or webpage usually has a disclaimer saying they will not be held liable for your actions, and that the ID is a "novelty card". Before entering most "how to make/buy fake

How to Lift Heavy Objects :: essays research papers

How to Lift Heavy Objects It is important to understand how to lift objects correctly. The results of improper handling of materials may result in a painful hernia, a strained or pulled muscle, or a disk lesion. The following rules are to be observed when lifting heavy objects. 1. Do NOT lift an object if it is too heavy or too bulky for good balance. Get help or use mechanical aids such as a dolly or hand truck. 2. Keep the load as close to the centre of your body. The farther the load is from the small of your back, the greater the strain. That is the reason a heavy compact load is easier to lift than a bulky, lighter load - you just cannot get the bulky object close to you. The best way to handle a compact load is to squat down close to the load with one foot alongside it and the other foot behind it. With the feet comfortably spread, you will have better stability with the rear foot in the position for the upward thrust of the lift. 3. Pull the load toward you, then lift it gradually. Avoid quick and jerky motions. Push up on your legs while keeping your back straight. A straight back keeps the spine, back muscles, and other organs of the body in the correct alignment. Tucking in your chin helps to align the spine. No matter what size the load, get as close to it as you can; then get a good grip by using the full palm and extending your fingers and hands around the object. Remember that your fingers have very little power and need the strength of your entire hand. Keep your arms and elbows tucked into the side of your body to help keep the body weight centred. Avoid twisting your body during the lift or while moving the load; change directions by moving your feet. Twisting your body during a lift is one of the most common causes of back injury. 4. Be sure to have a clear vision over the load you are handling. 5. Do NOT change your grip while you are carrying the load. 6. Face the spot in which you intend to set the object down; bend your knees keeping your back as straight as possible and the weight of the object close to your body. 7. Always allow enough room for the load to prevent injury to your toes and fingers.

Learning to Read and Write: Language on the Brain :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Learning to Read and Write: Language on the Brain When I was little, my favorite book was Happy Birthday Moon. For a while, it was my nightly bedtime story. Anyone who offered to read aloud to me was immediately proffered this book. After some time, I knew the story by heart, word for word. I could not quite read the book but I had memorized the framework of it and so could tell the story myself. The day that I learned to finally recognize the words themselves was so exciting. When the blur of squiggly lines on the page became letters with sound and meaning, a whole new dimension opened up. Every form of human expression is codified within some framework of language. As an English major, I study how people manipulate and interpret language in order to communicate. As a tutor with a reading enrichment program, I sometimes encounter kids who do not share this love of reading and writing. As it is my job to help them master and gather more enjoyment from their dealings with language, and since brain equals behavior, I thought this web paper the perfect opportunity to ask few questions. How does the brain process language? Why do some people enjoy reading and writing better than others do? Why is it easier for some people to learn to manipulate language? And which came first the brain, or the linguistic framework that defines and identifies it? I have learned that language, like the nervous system, is a complicated blueprint which humans use to communicate with, navigate, and interpret, the world. For most people, the parts of the brain that process language are located in the left hemisphere (3). The primary sections in the brain that allow us to read, write, and speak communicably are: the left frontal cortex or Borca's Area, the posterior part of the temporal lobe or Wernicke's Area and a bundle of nerves called the arcuate fasciculus (3). The angular gyrus, at the back of the brain, interprets the words and letters that compose language (4). In order for a word or a sentence to be understood when it is read, an action potential must travel the network of these various parts. First, the information must get from the page to the primary visual cortex. From there is must go to the posterior angular gyrus, near Wernicke's area. Then, if the word or sentence is to be read aloud, it must travel to Borca's Area and the primary motor cortex (3).

How does Brian Friel establish the theme of language Essay

How does Brian Friel establish the theme of language and its effects on communication, power and identity in Act one? In the play Translations, language and its effects is clearly one of the central themes. This is evident because the characters all show what language means to them ranging from Hugh who uses his knowledge of languages as a form of power over the British to Owen who does not show any concern for his language and identity and allows the British to call him Roland. Furthermore the title of the play Translations is ironic because although one of the themes of the play is keeping your identity the book itself looses its identity. This is because although the play is written by an Irish author and set in Ireland, it is written in English. Thus the title foreshadows the outcome of the play. One of the ways Brain Friel establishes the theme of language is by using Sarah as a device to convey the bare minimum of language. Her limited knowledge of language limits her communication. However this could also be a benefit to her as she is able to have secrets without being expected to share them. Sarah is first introduced in the play by the stage directions which say â€Å"Sarah shakes her head vigorously and stubbornly† this is because Manus wants her to speak so she has an identity in the world. This could foreshadow that the Irish, who do not want to speak English will be forced too for there own good as it will help their country prosper. The character Sarah can be interpreted as the symbol of Ireland due to the play opening with her trying to claim her identity by saying â€Å"My name is Sarah†. This achievement of Sarah saying her name at the start of the play shows just how powerful language can be as just a few words can turn you from someone who is unknown to a person who has status in the world. Manus understands this and reacts by saying â€Å"nothing’ll stop us now†. This can either be interpreted as nothing will stop Sarah from learning Gaelic now or that the â€Å"now† in the quote refers to all of Ireland and that as long as people are still learning Gaelic the British will not stamp out their language. The character Manus is Hugh’s eldest son and is a teacher at Hedge School. The relationship that Manus has with his father is made very clear by Brain Freil when Hugh first enters the play as he treats Manus like a slave by handing him his hat and coat â€Å"as, if to a footman†. Brain Friel shows that due to Manus’s lack of communication with his father and his willingness to do all the things his father asks of him, that he has become a servant. Out of all the characters in the play it is only Manus who really sees the British as an enemy in the First Act. This is likely to be because Manus clearly loves his country and his language and sees these two things as part of his identity. Also although the play is not overtly political, political issues do run under the surface. For example when Dan Doalty moves the British’s poles Manus says this is just a â€Å"gesture† to indicate a â€Å"presence†. However when analysing Doalty’s character it can easily be seen that it is highly unlikely he was doing it for this reason and was more likely just looking to make fun of the British. Furthermore Manus is the only one who sees Owen’s job as traitorous to Ireland. All the other characters do not even mention it. However although Manus feels this way about Owen, he himself is guilty of betrayal as he â€Å"ignores† Sarah when she tells him that she said her name. As Sarah symbolises Ireland’s identity ignoring her is like a betrayal to Ireland. The character Jimmy, although contributing to the comedy in act one when Doalty and Bridget are making fun of him. I believe also that this represents just how different the British and Irish culture was in the nineteenth century as his character reveals that in Ireland even the most poor man can speak Greek and Latin. In England it is most likely only the richer upper class people would be able to speak these languages revealing that language doesn’t represent status in Ireland. Furthermore Jimmy’s character is also the only character that stays true to his identity as he is unable to speak English and shows know signs of wishing to learn English â€Å"I have only Irish†. However although Jimmy shows know signs of wanting to learn English his love of Latin and Greek have caused him to be unable to communicate properly with other characters as they only speak Gaelic. Thus Jimmy portrays what could happen to Ireland if they do not learn English as they will be cut off from the world. Additionally Jimmy’s character also uses his knowledge of languages as a power over the British as he mocks captain Lancey for not being able to speak Latin â€Å"Nonne Latine loquitur?†. Brain Friel also shows that due to Jimmy’s reading of Greek stories such as the â€Å"Odyssey† he has created an alternative reality for himself in which figures of myth are as real to him as the people he sees everyday. This is revealed as he imagines situations when he would have to choose between Athene, Artimis and Helen. Due to these fantasies Manus calls Jimmy â€Å"a bloody dangerous man† suggesting that living in the past is dangerous. Thus foreshadowing that Manus, who does not embrace the English language in his country, may be dangerous as he is still living in the past The characters captain Lancey and Yolland although both working for the British army have very different views on what they have been ordered to do in Ireland. This is apparent by the way that they act when they first meet the Irish people. Captain Lancey who clearly symbolises England as his manner is polite and imperative, is very patronising when he talks, thinking that if he just talks slow and loud as if to a child the Irish will some how be able to understand him â€Å"a picture- you understand picture?†. However even though he uses this patronising tone it is clearly unjustified because when jimmy asks him â€Å"Nonne Latine loquitur?† he mistakes it for Gaelic showing that he is not as intelligent as them. Furthermore the language used by Lancey although already in English is very political and imperialistic and it is likely some British people wouldn’t understand what he was saying. In comparison Yolland although a soldier has few characteristics normally associated with the military as he is shy and awkward. This is shown when Yolland says â€Å"I – I – I’ve nothing to say – really -â€Å". The quote reveals that he is not uncomfortable being in Hedge Schools as he stutters. Furthermore unlike Lancey, Yolland is uneasy about not being able to speak Gaelic as he says â€Å"Sorry – sorry† when he can’t understand Maire. Additionally Yolland shows very clearly that he values language and identity as he wishes to learn G aelic. The â€Å"strong-minded, strong bodied women† Maire is a very pragmatic character as she will do things to better herself. This is shown by her willing to embrace the future and learn English so that she can move to America as it is the land of opportunities. This reveals that learning English to Maire is a form of power as it will allow her to escape her poor life in Ireland. However although she desires this, there is a clear uncertainty in what Maire wants as she speaks approvingly of â€Å"modern progress† but on other occasions finds comfort in the belief that things will never change. This is shown when she talks about Baile Beag’s potato crop never failing. The repetition of the word â€Å"never† suggests that her willingness to embrace the future is idealistic and selective showing that she wants some things to change while finding a misplaced assurance in the belief that something’s will never change. This could suggest that although she is willing to give up part of her identity, she is comforted by the fact that it is unlikely to happen. The character Owen is Hugh’s youngest son an presents a striking contrast to Manus, as he is lively and charming. Furthermore although Owen is the son who left his father to pursue his own ambitions he is treated more warmly then Manus. This could be why Owen and Manus’s relationship is uneasy. Owen can either be interpreted as a traitor or as a pragmatic character like Maire. This is because although Owen is helping the British â€Å"standardise† Irish place names, he could just be doing this as he believes embracing English is the only way Ireland will prosper. However due to Owen allowing the British to call him Roland, which is a common British name it is likely that the former is true. This is further apparent as when questioned by Manus about why the British call him Roland he replies with â€Å"It’s only a name. It’s the same me isn’t it?†. This quote reveals that Owen places know value in his identity. Owen’s translation of what Lancey is saying on pages 31/32 also show how Owen uses his ability to communicate with the English as power over the Irish. This is because his mistranslation of what Lancey is saying to the Irish allows Owen to make it seem that the British are in their country to help them, not remove their language. The character Hugh although conveyed as a figure of dignity in Baile Beag is ironically a heavy drinker and is shown little respect by characters such as Daolty as he mocks him behind his back by impersonating the way he acts. Hugh, who is fluent in English, Latin, Greek and Gaelic is very critical of the British language referring to it as a language for traders. Furthermore the distain with which he speaks of Lancey for not knowing any Gaelic, Latin and Irish shows how he uses his knowledge of languages as a weapon against the British as he is able to show his superior intelligence. In conclusion Brain Friel’s uses characters, dramatic setting and many other devices to show how language plays a key role in this play. Furthermore his use of characters in the play to convey the bare minimum of language (Sarah) and the height of language (Hugh) add to the effect of how he uses language.