Dramatic techniques Essay Example for Free

Dramatic techniques Essay In act four Proctor has to make the decision whether he should or should not confess. Arthur Miller uses dramatic techniques such as the use of descriptive stage directions. These tell you of the feelings emotions and actions of the characters such as in the opening of the act were Miller sets the scene by saying The place is in darkness but for the moonlight seeping through the bars. Arthur miller also describes sounds such as the sound of footsteps the shouting and the drums used to add drama and tension to the act. Hale has considerably changed from when we first saw him, as now he is no longer self-assured or confident like when he was first introduced. The audience sees a change in which Hale is presented as a different character to the beginning of the play, Hale is now described as being guilty and he is noticed to be different by the other characters They look at him for an instant in silence. He is steeped in sorrow, exhausted, and more direct then he ever was as opposed to his first description of a Tight skinned intellectual. Hale decides to try to convince Elizabeth to help them as they think that she is the only one who can convince proctor to confess, and as Proctor is a respected man within the village they hope that the other accused will also confess. Hale knows that neither he nor Parris could convince Proctor to confess so Elizabeth is there only hope of persuading Proctor before dawn.  When hale pleads with Elizabeth to talk to Proctor to persuade him to confess she is silent and will not speak to hale, but Hale then tells her Proctor will die at dawn, which makes Elizabeth ask if she can speak with proctor. Elizabeth dose not promise to convince proctor to confess however she pleads with Danforth to allow her to speak with Proctor as she knows that he will die at dawn and she wants to see him one last time before he is hung. Proctors appearance is now a visual shock as he is a contrast to when he was first introduced, as he is now a shadow of his former self. When we were first introduced to Proctor he is described as powerful of body and not easily led which is the opposite of how he is described now. Proctor is now described as being another man, bearded, filthy, his eyes misty as though webs had overgrown them. This shows the audience he is no longer the once proud Proctor who was gained the respect of people as he entered the room. Proctor is pressured to confess as he loves Elizabeth and dose not want to leave her as now she has a child on the way and when Proctor questioned her on what he should do she told him I wan you living John, thats sure. Elizabeth also tells him that a hundred or more have confessed. However Proctor is also pressured not to confess as people which he knows have not confessed such as Giles. Elizabeth tell Proctor that Giles stood mute and did not answer his indictment so that he would be pressed and die a Christian death, she also tell him that Giles said only two words More weight. This adds conflict to proctors decision as Giles was an old man and yet he died for his beliefs so that his sons would get his farm. Proctor is also told that Rebecca nurse has still not confessed. Proctors body language towards Elizabeth is different to how he used to address her. Proctor now shows himself to be guilty and dose not know what to do with great force of will but not quite looking at her this show the audience that Proctor dose want to talk to her but his guilt is holding him back. In this section of act four Proctor is shown to be in turmoil as he is not sure whether or not Elizabeth dose want him back or not and whether or not she loves him still pauses- then with a flailing of hope. Emotive language is used in the stage directions to suggest that Proctors decision to confess or not is emotional words such as pain and agony show how Proctor feels although he is not physically in pain he is emotionally torn between his the decision he must now make. Proctor realises that Elizabeth still cares for him when she tells him that there is still some good in him. This adds to Proctors confidence allowing some of his guilt to be lifted and gives him the strength to look into her eyes and ask for her forgiveness. Elizabeth realises that Proctor is about to makes his decision and knows what it will be this adds to the emotion. Proctors decision to confess is dramatic as it builds up wen he rises slowly until he cant hold in what he wants to say anymore and shouts out in great pain Enough, enough-. Proctors decision to confess leads the audience to believe that because he has decided to confess then maybe this will influence Elizabeth and Rebecca nurse to confess. It also makes the audience think that Proctor will live.  The speed of Danforth and the others adds tension as it shows the audience the urgency of getting Proctor to sign as it will soon be to late as its not only Proctor they want to confess. Danforth also wants Rebecca as they feel that hanging these people will cause the villagers to rebel as Proctor and Rebecca, are respected people. Danforth is and the others are so rushed as time is running out and dawn is nearing this means that it will soon be to late for them to save Rebecca and also Proctor may change his mind to confess.

Literary Modes in War Literature, Such as The Things They Carried Essay

Literary Modes in War Literature The immediate impact of The Things They Carried is based on O'Brien's fidelity to detail. The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water. Together these items weighed between 15 and 20 pounds. These facts are combined with the intangible and the psychological. They all carried ghosts, they shared the weight of memory and they carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die or already have passed away. O'Brien uses his detail and sense of war to bring meaning to his war story. I felt that the use of Tragedy, Myth and Gothic were well constructed literary modes in the novel "The Things They Carried". These men in the story carry heavy physical loads, they als o all carry heavy emotional loads, composed of grief, terror, love, and longing. Each man's physical burden underscores his emotional burden. After the war, the psychological burdens the men carry during the war continue to define them. Those who survive carry guilt, grief, and confusion, and many of the stories in the collection are about these survivors' attempts to come to terms with their experience. Repeatedly in The Things They Carried O'Brien forces this image before us to convey the tragedy of war. It also serves as a metaphor for combat to American soldiers in Vietnam "the shit" referred to "the day-to-day combat operations endured by GIs in the field" (Clark 463). O'Brien relays this conventional metap... ...trasting external mythologies to internal mythologies and comparing them both to real truths. O'Brien begins to make these comparisons right from start, as he presents the external mythology of courage in opposition to the experience of his soldiers. O'Brien says, "The war is entirely a matter of posture and carriage" (15). This is not merely a reference to how the soldiers must stand or how they carry their packs. It is also about the things the soldiers carry in their minds, and the posture they must maintain is the challenge to show bravery in the face of immense fear. Myth, such as O'Brien at the helm of modern war novels, the term courage takes on new dimensions. It becomes more personal. It requires an honest quest by the individual to discover his or her own internal truths. Once found, we need to have the courage to defend it against the enemy that is myth.

Birth Control Controversy

Contraception is a critical issue for women of all ages and social class because the decision to have a baby impacts a woman’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Contraception is also very costly and is an expense that a woman primarily shoulders. Not every employer’s health insurance plan provides benefits for prescription contraceptives and devices. A personal survey of 50 adults with varying types of insurance plans, asked if their health insurance plans provided coverage for birth control, Viagra, or abortion.Everyone surveyed maintain that his plan provides coverage for Viagra, a sexual enhancement drug, and abortion. The same survey showed that 26% of the insurance plans do not provide benefits for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved prescription contraceptives or devices for the solitary purpose of preventing pregnancy (personal communication, 2010). Not providing coverage for birth control, yet providing coverage for other types of prescription drug s, services, and devices, is discriminatory against women and has a negative impact on an employer’s and the government’s economics.The federal government should mandate that all health care plans provide coverage for FDA approved contraceptives because not providing them is discriminatory against women. Preventive Health Care and Finance Women that plan their pregnancies usually obtain pre-natal care and take better care of themselves and unborn child. Moreover, women who have planned their families put enough distance between each pregnancy so not to put a strain on their physical, mental, and emotional welfare. This is better for both mother and child.Furthermore, to obtain FDA approved prescription birth control, women must first be seen be a licensed physician and have an examination. That examination includes a Pap smear, breast exam, and screening for sexually transmitted diseases. Without the motivation of obtaining contraception, women may not schedule an exam that could detect, and treat, potentially life-threatening diseases. Early detection of disease, such as cervical and breast cancer, is vital to making a full recovery.Family planning devices and prescriptions should be a benefit that all health insurance plans provide because more than half of the pregnancies that occur within this country are not planned. The United States has the highest rate of accidental pregnancies of the entire industrialized world. Of those pregnancies, only half come to term. The other pregnancies end because of spontaneous abortion, also known as miscarriage, or the woman elects to have an abortion (Roan, 2009).With insurance provided birth control these statistics can decrease considerably. Lack of coverage, and the out-of –pocket expense for birth control, is a factor in the high rate of unintended pregnancies because women are going without birth control, or opt for less effective methods for family planning. Women spend approximately two-thirds of their lives in an attempt to avoid pregnancy, but still a majority of women experience an unplanned pregnancy by the time they reach age 45 (Vargas, 2002).Women are primarily responsible for preventing pregnancy and rely on prescribed contraceptives and devices because there is no effective form of over-the-counter birth control available for women’s use. The most effective form of birth control, other than abstinence, is oral contraceptives, which is better known as â€Å"the pill. † With insurance, co-payments for the pill range from $10 to $50 per month (Andrews, 2010). Without insurance coverage, the expense of the pill can range from $20 to $75 per month. Over a 25-year period this could amass from $6,000 to well over $20,000 (Guttmacher, 2010).Therefore, women are paying upwards of 68% higher health care expenditures than their male counterparts (Zolman, 2002). In comparison, the only form of birth control used by men is a condom, and they are available witho ut prescription and not costly. Pictured above are different types of birth control available. All, except condoms, require a prescription and are used by women. Photo courtesy of Dawn Stacey Sexual Discrimination Some health insurance plans exclude contraceptives because it views them as quality of life drug and not medically necessary.If a doctor deems a woman to have a clinical need for contraception, such as recurring headaches, endometriosis, acne, or irregular menstruation, an insurance company may choose to authorize benefits. However, Viagra is one quality of life drug that insurance plans cover without question (Vargas, 2002). Viagra is an oral treatment that a doctor prescribes exclusively to men who suffer from erectile dysfunction. Covering expenses for one quality of life drug, aimed for the improvement of men’s sex lives, and denying benefit of another quality of life drug, intended to prevent pregnancy for women, is undoubtedly discriminatory.The Equal Employme nt Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sustain employers are legally bound to provide a full range of family planning options if other forms of preventive health prescriptions and devices are part of their benefits package. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 says it is unlawful when employers â€Å"fail or refuse to hire or discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin† (Zolman, 2002, p. 8). Health and prescription coverage is part of the compensation and terms of employment as mentioned in Title VII. To provide further clarification, the United States government added an amendment in 1978 called the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), and it reads â€Å"†¦women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all employment related p urposes, including of receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs† (Vargas, 2002, p. 9).The current regulations for health insurance governance vary and are subject to different protocol. The Employment Retirement Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that oversees self-funded insurance plans. A self-funded insurance plan, also known as self-insured, is a plan that an employer provides and pays for from a self-established fund. ERISA oversees the compliance of procedure, such as providing insurance information and instructions on how to file grievances, however; it does not require employers to provide specific benefits (Zolman, 2002).Within ERISA is a loophole that self-funded insurance plans have used to avoid following mandates that may be in effect through state legislation. Fully insured health plans contract through insurance brokers, are subject to state insurance mandates, and are not governed by ERISA (Zolman, 2002). The Equity in Prescription Insurance and Cont raceptive Coverage Act (EPICC) is a federal contraceptive prescription and device mandate that has gone before Congress on several occasions but has not been successful in passing into law.Nevertheless, there have been 27 states that have passed there on version of EPICC since 1998 (Andrews, 2010). However, requirements for coverage vary from state to state and self-funded insurance plans are exempt from complying. Throughout the last decade there have been several lawsuits filed against employers unwilling to include prescription contraception benefits. The first such case was Erickson versus Bartell. In 2001, Jennifer Erickson brought a lawsuit of sexual discrimination against Bartell Drug Company for failing to provide birth control in a prescription drug benefit package.Federal Judge Lasnik determined that Bartell Drug Company was in violation of Title VII and the PDA (HRMagazine, 2005). Sadly, the majority of employers who exclude prescription contraceptives choose to wait for legal action before changing policy. In those cases, society loses as precious taxpayer dollars are spent. Employer Expenses Many people have the misconception that it is expensive for an employer to provided prescription contraceptive benefits and that the employer should be able to limit available benefits to help keep health insurance premiums to a minimum.A study conducted by the Washington Business Group on Health concluded that employers experience greater direct and indirect financial losses when an employee becomes pregnant. The indirect expenses include the employee’s absence for doctor’s appointments, fatigue, or illness. Indirect costs can also include reduced productivity, and the need to train another person to fulfill the pregnant employee’s position when absent. Direct costs can reach well above $10,000 for expenses related to pre-natal care, delivery, and one-year of infant pediatrics (HRMagazine, 2005).

To Fight in a Righteous War Varna and Moral Duty in India Free Essay Example, 1750 words

How did the Bhagavad-Gita reinforce the system of varnas, or castes? Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita (4.13) says â€Å"According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. † He furthers says that â€Å"Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras are distinguished by their qualities of work in accordance with the modes of nature† (Bhagavad-Gita, 18.41). Thus we can find that the varnas or classification of one is not determined by birth. The quality of work done by one ascertains his/her varnas. The divisions are created by the Lord himself so that every one is placed in the work that most suits him/her or in which they are most comfortable. â€Å"By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, man can, in the performance of his own duty [or occupation], attain perfection† (Bhagavad-Gita, 18.45-6). Whatever professional inclination a person may have is decided by the styles of material nature one has gained, or in which he or she connects. We will write a custom essay sample on To Fight in a Righteous War: Varna and Moral Duty in India or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page It survived in the Mahabharata story, and to Alexanders time (perhaps in the modern Punjabi surnames Puri). † Dharmanand (1966) also states that: â€Å"The cause of the Ten-Kings battle was that the Ten tried to divert the river Parushni. This is a stretch of the modern Ravi which, however, changed its course several times. Diversion of the waters of the Indus system is still a cause for angry recriminations between India and Pakistan.