A Good Man is Hard to Find and Everything that Rises Must Converge Essay

A Good Man is Hard to Find and Everything that Rises Must Converge - Essay Example Flannery O’Connor is known for her few short stories that were published during and after her lifetime. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† was released in the year 1955 along with other short pieces of fiction. In these two stories we can see how the characters’ beliefs and their lack of ability to adapt themselves to their surroundings and the daily changes that are occurring in the world have an impact on their lives as well as of those around them. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is a story about a middleclass family living in the Atlantis. The family consists of a grandmother, her son and his wife, and their three children. It is the unnamed grandmother who is shown to be having the strongest character out of all of them. She is the prime example of someone who thoroughly showcases her belief in Christianity – or the way that she interprets the religion to be like – and is very selfish with respect to others and what they want. To her, i t is only her needs that count and the others should ignore theirs just to fulfill what she wants. She believes in knowing her family roots and acting appropriately so she dresses like a lady even though they are not rich. The way she reacts later on when the family is passing by the cotton fields makes it clear that she is also quite prejudiced against the African Americans even though the others are more accepting. When her son informs her of the trip to Florida, she gets into a rage and insists on going to East Tennessee instead since that is where the family home is and she wants to visit it. However, the rest of the family does not agree with her plans and to take revenge, she tries to make the journey as uncomfortable as possible for the rest of them. Clearly, she is not the stereotyped grandmother who sacrifices her wants for those of her grandchildren or her own children but, rather, it is the other way round. She shows her son news – â€Å"Now look here, Bailey, see here, read this† – about a gang in Florida who were known murderers, the head of which was a man called the Misfit (O'Connor, A Good Man Is Hard To Find par. 1). This was to warn him off since travelling in the same area where a gang of murderers was rumored to be was not safe for the family to go to – anything that would influence her son into changing his mind about going to Florida was welcome regardless of how serious the news actually was. However, that tactic did not work either as Bailey just ignores her. It is because of her selfishness that she wants to ruin the vacation of the rest of the family since her demands are not being fulfilled. During the road trip, she mentions remembering a mansion in Florida and, surprisingly enough, the children express intent of seeing it for themselves. The family – not realizing that her old age and manipulative streak meant a conveniently faulty memory – agree to go and look for it. Bailey tells the fami ly that it would be â€Å"the one and only time ... (they were) going to stop† (O'Connor, A Good Man Is Hard To Find par. 53) as they could not afford to do that repeatedly. Ironically enough, his last words do come true to the last bit. That stop does end up being their last stop to anywhere on earth. The grandmother’s cat creates chaos, distracting Bailey and leading to a car accident. That is not the real tragedy though; they do come out safe, the wife with the broken arm being the only casualty other than the busted up car, of course. But, the crash nudges the Misfit and his crew out of hiding. Once they see the family, the Misfit stays with the grandmother who professes that she recognized him from the papers and unconsciously leads

Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Homeland Security - Essay Example This essay discusses that the Threat Analysis Division is entrusted with the duty of detecting vulnerable areas in USA’s critical infrastructure framework and its vital resources. It functions through its four main divisions. The Alternative Analysis Division utilizes alternative analysis instruments and techniques to recognize critical assumptions, challenge their results and finally arrive at a conclusion. This Division works in collaboration with the analysts of the I&A. The Collections and Requirements Division has been allotted the duty of identifying fundamental ISR capabilities of the DHS and accordingly constructs the required ISR enterprise architectures. The Plans and the Integration Division is responsible for integrating the plans and programs of the overall intelligence enterprise of the DHS. The Information Sharing and Knowledge Management Division monitors the information technology resources of the DHS and ensures their proper governance.In conclusion, It is ev ident from the above discussion that, The United States has to deal with the potential threat of the internal terrorist organizations along with the external dangers of terrorism. In fact, the US intelligence agencies have identified these home-grown branches of the militant groups as an immediate danger to the country considering their easy access to America’s resources and its people. After the September 11, 2001’s terrorist attacks the Federal Government had adopted a two-pronged approach to counter-terrorism.... Security agency studies have predicted that this trend will continue in the future as well. Ever since the Al-Quaeda’s attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the United States has intensified its efforts to counter terrorism and eradicate the terrorist groups completely. The US Homeland Security Advisory Council has set up a special cell called the ‘The Future of Terrorism Taskforce’ for this purpose. According to a report of the Taskforce, there is a high possibility that the US and its allied countries will experience an increase in the frequency and magnitude of terrorist activities in the near future. Thus, the Federal Government should consider ‘terrorism’ as a chronic problem and adopt a sustained evolutionary strategy to counter its ill-effects. In fact, there are international terrorist organizations which have established their bases in the country and conduct their militant activities centering round these operational camps . The after-effects of globalization, the polarization of the US economy and the rising income-inequality have all created a conducive atmosphere for these terrorist groups to flourish and expand their networks in the domestic territory. The US needs to be extra careful regarding these indigenous terrorist groups since they pose an immediate danger to the national security. (Lijn, 2011,p.2) American security experts have not been satisfied by the existing US Homeland Security System in the past. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 had prompted the Federal Government under President Bush to implement a two-pronged strategy to counter global terrorism. On one hand the Government undertook a security intelligence operation to identify and locate the terrorist groups and their sponsors and

Land Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Land Law - Assignment Example In order to acquire Valiant Villa, Ben and Ali agreed to approach Cantander bank to negotiate for a mortgage worth ? 125,000. Notably, Ben and Ali are freehold owners of the property. As such, this form of mortgage is an equitable mortgage since it is created after the legal owners of the property negotiated an instrument with Cantander bank that demonstrates a binding intention to create a security in favor of the mortgagee as opposed to legal mortgage where the mortgagee remains the legal owner of the property. However, Ali who is a model scout and agent was later on entered into a contractual agreement with Cait Miss- a high profile model where Ali agreed to fund her travel commitments, provide her with personal assistants and manage her portfolio work. The entire cost for this work was worth ? 110,000. Ali unduly influenced Ben to signed mortgage forms that lead to release of some security in Valiant Villa to cover the costs. Ideally, not all mortgages are utilized to buy propert y. As in this case, it is apparent that Ali who also worked as a model scout and agent committed himself to fund Cait. ... held that the mortgagee has unqualified right to repossession in the event that the mortgagor defaults in mortgage repayment.2 Cantander bank has the right to repossesses the villa and either uses it to generate income or sell it to recover unpaid mortgage amounts. The mortgagee has the right to decide when to sell the property since one a property is repossessed; the bank will not be holding it in fiduciary capacity. In China and South Sea Bank Ltd v Tan Soon Gin (1989), the court held that the mortgagee was not obliged to sell the property at any particular time and was as such entitled to act in its own interest.3 Surprisingly, Ben was not fully aware of the whole deal as he thought the second mortgage was a form of mortgage repackaging. Unluckily, Cait Miss was embroiled in a drug scandal which dented her image making it difficult to continue working in the model industry. Indeed Ali’s reputation as her agent was also shattered and could no longer earn revenues to cover mo rtgage repayments. Cantander bank is now seeking repossession of Valiant Villa which has indeed caught Ben unaware. Ben should understand that mortgage as a contact is primarily based on contract law in regard to formation, terms and termination. As such, a mortgage differs from an ordinary loan since the mortgagee has equal rights to the property as the mortgagor. A mortgage has a proprietary interest since a mortgagee has rights over the property and can therefore take possession of that property in the event of non compliance to the repayment schedule agreed. Ben should be aware that Cantander bank has right to repossess Valiant Villa as governed by section 85 of the Law of Property Act (LPA) 1925 and in common law and rights of sale under statute.4 In addition, it is clear that Ben signed

Is Privacy in the 21st Century Possible Essay Example for Free

Is Privacy in the 21st Century Possible Essay Privacy in the 21st century will affect every human beings life as we know it in the future. Is privacy in the 21st century possible? No. Whether we are talking about issues like video surveillance detecting our every move or computer hackers stealing identities, privacy is dead as we know it. The only way to bring more privacy back is if we all come together and demand the privacy we deserve. Making correct decisions at home, work, and church, about who we vote for and the groups of people we support, will greatly impact our world around us and the freedoms we strive to keep for our children and generations to come. Three areas of concern for many people are having a government with too much information and too much control, having less and less privacy as the years go by, and how some religions are responding to certain privacy issues that some say are talked about in the bible. These three topics or issues are some of the most controversial areas of concern and is also growing at an exponential rate. When studying the fourth amendment and what our forefathers were trying to preserve and protect, we realize that we have been given the right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures, and that is why we need to make sound educated decisions when trying to correct the negative problems in our world. Rights and freedoms do not need to be sacrificed. Having many wonderful rights and freedoms is one of the main reasons this country has become such an inventive and successful country, like the world has never seen before. As we venture into the 21st century, our freedoms and the way we are supposed to live and act, has changed dramatically. It seems that every time we turn around we have less privacy and government has more control. When it comes to our rights and freedoms, the governments ability to make us feel safer and more secure has made us except policies and procedures that normally would not even been thought about in the past. Not all the spy technology that humans create is going to cause harm though. Biometrics is a technology that applies a persons unique physical traits to a sophisticated electronic device or system to confirm identity. This kind of technology has its upsides and downsides. Facial recognition is one aspect or system of biometrics. Facial recognition biometric systems are everywhere today. We can find them in many places throughout large cities. Places like transit vehicles, city streets, casinos, banks, hospitals, and many other common places people are found have facial recognition technology. The upside to having this type of technology is that it would be a good crime deterrent. Crime is probably the number one reason having this type of technology would be a huge benefit. Law enforcement departments would be able to sometimes prevent crimes before they happen and definitely have concrete evidence if the crime is not stopped beforehand. Recently, after the Boston Marathon bomb exploded, the different law enforcement agencies used the cities video surveillance technologies to track down and find the criminals. Finding the bombers before they were able to do more damage would probably not have been possible without video surveillance. The downside to this technology is the assumption that people are secretly being videotaped. According to a study by the New York Civil Liberties Union, people in Manhattan are being secretly videotaped on public streets, outside buildings, and even in their backyard, by hidden surveillance cameras. Most hidden surveillance cameras are secured to rooftops, lampposts, and building entrances, but almost four hundred rotating cameras are hidden in light bulbs that look like street lights stated Dority (2001). People that are constantly in fear of crime will sometimes sacrifice freedoms to insure their family safety and security of the world around them. This could be the reason why so many are flocking to the idea of having security with video surveillance and other surveillance technologies without thinking about the consequences of what freedoms and rights might be given up. Video surveillance and other surveillance technologies are everywhere. We can find them at A. T. M.  machines, convenience stores, parking garages, corporate offices, hotels, storage facilities, amusement parks, supermarkets, and do not forget about all the webcams all over the world, stated Soat (2005). The political and commercial applications of invasive surveillance technologies, together with gathering large quantities of data made possible by the Internet and high-speed computers, have brought frightening scenarios uncomfortably close to the realm of possibility, according to Jasper (2003). When government  knows everything we say and do, including passport information, drivers license information, etc, then what is to stop nefarious people from trying to carry out their own agendas? The right and the left wing people in this country will sometimes do anything to accomplish their goals, including attempting to use any type of technology at their disposal. These types of technology could be used on people that are behind on their taxes, having traffic violations, or people who just own gold and silver. In the past gold has been rounded up and confiscated said Jasper (2003). Tyrannical governments have been around since the beginning of time. Why would we not at least have some officials in our own government that have tyrannical tendencies and will do everything in their power to capitalize on new invasive technologies that will further their cause or propose? Talking to many people and researching the ways and means of some tyrannical governments in this world, one could only imagine what certain human beings will do for more money and power. The more privacy we give up empowers some government officials to use the system no matter how invasive on we the people to acquire their own agenda. Our forefathers fought very hard to protect the rights and freedoms that we are losing more and more of everyday. When too much money, power, and control is given to so few individuals, it seems they become corrupt. The old saying Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The bigger that our government becomes our freedoms disappear and we are told how to live by someone else. There have always been, and there always will be people that have evil tendencies and motives. If they are able to create this type of power, they will use it for selfish and evil deeds. Clark (2009) stated when large corporations and governments get together they become an entity that believes their way is the only way. When we look at the history of privacy and the human race, it has only been in the last forty to sixty years that we have had to really protect our privacy rights as governments work with large corporations to gain more control over us. Even before the digital revolution, the ability of individuals to maintain control over the improper discovery, dissemination, or misuse of their identity was threatened by the potential for governments to wiretap telephone lines or impose overly broad restrictions or burdens on speech for businesses to misuse customer data and for thieves to steal personal information said Jasper (2003). Privacy today is definitely a more pressing issue than ever before. If we as people ever needed to think about and make the correct decisions, now is the time. If there was ever a time in the history of the world to protect ourselves from the hand of Big Brother, and all of the devious ways it is coming up with to grow bigger and control everything it can touch, now is the time. One issue that stands out when it comes to privacy is religious beliefs. Religious Beliefs and Privacy when it comes to implanting human computer chips has very much intensified in recent decades. Not only has putting computer chips into animals been a hot topic, computer chipping everything from humans to the products we buy is also an issue many are concerned about. According to Katherine Albrecht (2005), when it comes to implanting computer chips into humans, some very powerful people are pushing for this very technology. This issue is gaining momentum in the religious communities because of its resemblance to the Mark of the Beast in the bible. Ever since the introduction of the implantable computer chip, the issue has been gaining momentum in religious circles because many are worried about going to money less economic systems that can only be accessed by a implantable computer chip. There is quite a bit of evil that is involved with this topic in the bible. Bamford (2002) stated that when there is such a large religious base, and one looks at how passionate people can become over different issues, it is easy to see that these kinds of decisions need to be well thought out to prevent riots and wars. Just about every person in America has some kind of data file on them by one or more of the big private companies, let alone the databases compiled by the Government. When we lose privacy we are told it is for our own good, or our own protection, or to make our lives better. But is it worth it? With companies like Google reading all the contents that travel through their computers then, handing all of the information over to the government, what are we supposed to do? Technology is like a gun. A gun is neither good nor evil. It is who is using the technology, or gun, and what their intentions are for using it. If people do not stand up for their rights, big government will take more and more freedoms and rights away. Since the beginning of time governments have become large and then they destroy the country from within before anyone realizes what has happened. Technology is clashing with privacy. We need to figure out how to have the benefits of technology while keeping the privacy we need and deserve. There needs to be a happy medium. Could you imagine the freedoms we would lose if we had to obey a one world government? Most other leaders from other countries do not believe the average person deserves the rights and privacy that we as Americans have. Our forefathers understood that if you give the government unchecked powers, you were inviting abuse of power and tyranny. Whether we are talking about the decisions we make today affecting or our world in the future, when it comes to privacy issues, it is safe to say that looking out for our own privacy is just going to be normal. Life as we know it can change in a heartbeat if we as human beings cannot make the right decisions to impact our world in a positive way.

Free College Admissions Essays: Friday :: College Admissions Essays

Friday    It arrived on a Friday afternoon. The idea probably originated somewhere over the Atlantic, off the coast of Africa. It slowly spun its way to the northwest, and the thought finally made landfall in Florida. From there it gained speed and zipped across the eastern seaboard, through South Carolina, over D.C. and up the New Jersey Turnpike. There the idea slowed again, and had been downgraded to a concept by the time it crossed the Hudson. Once across the water it regained speed at the expense of power, and it flew like a sparrow, darting through cars and trucks and people, until it finally found me, stuck in traffic, and flew through my ear into my head. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. It was as close to perfection as I could imagine. History had always been my academic passion. I've sucked each and every history textbook dry of information and it's not slaked my thirst. I've sat down and read countless encyclopedia articles, books and websites, and I've watched m ore hours of the History Channel than anyone I've ever met. I've come to admire the great men and movements in our history that have gotten our country to where it is today. I've also thought about the men and movements that will carry it into the future, and I know that I want to have a hand in guiding the progress of our nation and world. My passion for history has only been matched by my love of mental competition. I live for arguments, debates and discussions, and when history, its interpretation and the ensuing disagreement meet, I find my heaven on earth. I slam down on the clutch, shift into sixth gear and my mind races. I search my brain for examples and draw upon the knowledge that I've amassed in my learning. The points and counterpoints come out hard and fast. I make my statement and discredit that of my opponent, I respond, I parry, I dodge. I feel content, happy and fulfilled. It was the synthesis of these two ideas that found its way to me on that Friday afternoon, a p rofession that would combine my two passions: Campaign Management. My love for mental combat would be used to its fullest in matching wits with the opposing campaign staff, and my passion for history would be more than sated by my involvement in what I consider to be its most interesting aspect: its creation. Free College Admissions Essays: Friday :: College Admissions Essays Friday    It arrived on a Friday afternoon. The idea probably originated somewhere over the Atlantic, off the coast of Africa. It slowly spun its way to the northwest, and the thought finally made landfall in Florida. From there it gained speed and zipped across the eastern seaboard, through South Carolina, over D.C. and up the New Jersey Turnpike. There the idea slowed again, and had been downgraded to a concept by the time it crossed the Hudson. Once across the water it regained speed at the expense of power, and it flew like a sparrow, darting through cars and trucks and people, until it finally found me, stuck in traffic, and flew through my ear into my head. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. It was as close to perfection as I could imagine. History had always been my academic passion. I've sucked each and every history textbook dry of information and it's not slaked my thirst. I've sat down and read countless encyclopedia articles, books and websites, and I've watched m ore hours of the History Channel than anyone I've ever met. I've come to admire the great men and movements in our history that have gotten our country to where it is today. I've also thought about the men and movements that will carry it into the future, and I know that I want to have a hand in guiding the progress of our nation and world. My passion for history has only been matched by my love of mental competition. I live for arguments, debates and discussions, and when history, its interpretation and the ensuing disagreement meet, I find my heaven on earth. I slam down on the clutch, shift into sixth gear and my mind races. I search my brain for examples and draw upon the knowledge that I've amassed in my learning. The points and counterpoints come out hard and fast. I make my statement and discredit that of my opponent, I respond, I parry, I dodge. I feel content, happy and fulfilled. It was the synthesis of these two ideas that found its way to me on that Friday afternoon, a p rofession that would combine my two passions: Campaign Management. My love for mental combat would be used to its fullest in matching wits with the opposing campaign staff, and my passion for history would be more than sated by my involvement in what I consider to be its most interesting aspect: its creation.

The Baader-Meinhof Gang

The Baader-Meinhof or the Red Army Faction (RAF) was a prominent militant outfit of the ‘German Autumn. ’ A terror era that lasted for nearly three decades was marked by the rise and fall of several terrorist organizations. One of the most dreaded of these was the Baader-Meinhof Gang. Originally formed as a revolutionary organization that would put an end to German fascist era, the gang went off-track with its goals and resorted to unlawful activities.At their peak, they had perpetrated numerous acts of terror including bank robbery, kidnapping and murder. They had become so infamous that the German Government labeled them as a terrorist organization. The origin of the Baader-Meinhof can be traced back to the late 1960s and early 1970s when West Germany reeled under a series of terrorist bombings by radical leftists in Augsburg, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Munich and at American installations in Frankfurt and Heidelburg, and bank robberies and Molotov cocktail attacks on public offices (Christenson 20).Two groups claimed responsibility for the attacks and one of these groups was the June 2nd Movement, which along with the other group was later known as the Baader-Meinhof gang (Christenson 20). A couple of the people involved in these activities were Andreas Baader, the man responsible for the formation of the gang, and his girlfriend Gundrun Ensslin. A prominent journalist who worked for the Konkret – Ulrike Meinhof – had interviewed the two people and justified their deeds, and later joined the gang after helping Baader escape from a jail (Christenson 20).Essaywriters 2 The formal establishment of the RAF or Baader-Meinhof gang was done on 5 June 1970, but the gang’s terrorist acts caught serious attention only since 1974 (Fulbrook 229). The gang, comprising mostly of people who were middle class and well-educated, was formed with the frustration that had crept in to their minds after witnessing their families die in the 1940s (Fulbro ok 229). This was one of the primary reasons given by the gang, which felt that the government’s true, oppressive face has to be brought before the public.As a result, they started attacks on property and also engaged in bank robberies to fund their activities (Fulbrook 229). However, the real threat had begun when they had started to commit murders of popular people like the banker Jurgen Ponto; General State Prosecutor Buback, who they accused of causing the deaths of terrorists – Holger Meins, Siegfried Hauser and Ulrike Meinhof; and employers’ leader Hanns Martin Schleyer (a high-ranked official in SS) (Fulbrook 229). The most prominent of their involvements was in the Munich Olympics Massacre of 1972 (Reeve 37).The Organization The Baader-Meinhof Gang was formed out of the New Left and Extra Parliamentary Opposition student movements that had huge support from the German students in the 1950s and the 1960s, especially against the U. S. war in Vietnam (Tucke r 95). With the passage of time, further student demonstrations took place and on June 2, a university student called Benno Ohnesorg was shot dead by the police, adding fuel to the fire burning in the students’ hearts (Tucker 96). Andreas Baader encouraged student Essaywriters 3activists to overthrow the German Government as it was a part of the corrupt International system and was dominated by the United States (Tucker 96). The real terrorist group was formed after a left-wing lawyer named Horst Mahler suggested the creation of a German urban Guerilla Movement, like the Tupamaros in Uruguay, and engagement in greater violence than arson (Tucker 96). Mahler, along with Baader and Ensslin were the leaders of this small terrorist group. When Baader was arrested after the group was formed in 1970, Ensslin asked Meinhof for help and the journalist helped him escape (Tucker 96).Terror Activities The terrorist gang started its first few attacks on symbols that represented the capit alist system and in 1968, after Baader led left-wing student group Kommune I was released for arson activity, Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin and two other colleagues placed bombs in two department stores in Frankfurt am Main (Tucker 96). Andreas and his girlfriend, Ensslin, were arrested for the act, but were later released in 1969 (Tucker 96). In the period 1970-1977, the gang targeted a number of government top-ranked officials for assassination.They were successful in this goal when they assassinated prominent individuals like Jurgen Ponto, Prosecutor Buback and Hanns-Martin Schelyer (Fulbrook 229). Schleyer’s body was dumped inside the boot of a car after a hijack attempt by the gang was stopped by Federal Border Police in Mogadishu (Fulbrook 229). The hijack had been planned to force the government to release the gang’s top leaders Baader, Raspin and Ensslin. When Holger Meins, one of the people arrested in 1972, died Essaywriters 4of a hunger strike, the group ki lled Judge Gunter Von Drenkkman in response (Christenson 21). When police arrested many supporters of leftist terrorist organizations in connection with this incident, the June 2nd group kidnapped West Berlin mayoral candidate Peter Lorenz and demanded the release of five convicted people, and in March, another group bombed the Paris office of West German publisher Axel Springer demanding the release and pardon of Baarden-Meinhof group’s members (Christenson 21).In another incident in April 1975, six guerillas killed three people and took 12 hostages in the West German Embassy in Stockholm demanding the release of the gang and when the government refused, they killed two diplomats and set the embassy on fire (Christenson 21). Main People in the Group Andreas Baader The most prominent name in the Baader-Meinhof gang is Andreas Baader and the group was named after him. Baader was attracted to the leftist-student movement and he was one of the people responsible for the bombing of a Frankfurt department store in 1968. He was a criminal even before his involvement in the Baader-Meinhof gang.He was arrested for the department store bombing, but was released. He was arrested a second time in 1970, when Ulrike Meinhof helped him escape through the library outside his prison. After the escape, he had spent some time in Jordan in a militant training camp. After he returned to Germany, he was involved in many bank robberies and bombing activities from 1970-1972. In June 1972, Baader and other members Jan-Carl Raspe, Essaywriters 5 Holger Meins and Gudrun Ensslin were arrested and they were tried till 1977. Baader had committed suicide in October 1977 inside the prison cell. Ulrike MeinhofUlrike Meinhof was not a part of the group from the beginning. She was a sympathizing journalist who helped Baader escape from jail. Along with Baader and other prominent people, she became a part of the Baader-Meinhof gang. On May 9, 1976, Ulrike Meinhof was found hanging from t he ceiling of her prison cell in Stuttgart-Stammheim. Gudrun Ensslin Although the group was partly named after Ulrike, the gang’s main female leader was Ensslin, who was also the girlfriend of Baader. She had participated in many student protests in the 1960s. Ensslin had assisted Baader in many terror activities.She was also found dead with Baader and Raspe in the prison cell in 1977. Horst Mahler Horst Mahler was also one of the founding members of the Baader-Meinhof gang. He was formerly a left-wing militant. He was later kicked out of the gang. Jan-Carl Raspe Jan-Carl Raspe was one of the early members of the gang. He was arrested along with Baader and the rest. He was also found dead in the prison with others in 1977. Essaywriters 6 The Diffusion of the Group Although the government believed that the Baader-Meinhof gang stopped functioning after the death of its main leaders, the group continued to function till 1998.The media company Reuters had received a message in 19 98 that formally announced that the gang had been dissolved. It was the end of the ‘German Autumn. ’ Essaywriters 7 Works Cited Christenson, Ron. â€Å"Political Trials in History: From Antiquity to the Present† (1991): 20-23 Fulbrook, Mary. â€Å"History of Germany, 1918-2000: The Divided Nation† (2002): p. 229 Reeve, Simon. â€Å"One Day in September† (2000): 37 Tucker, Jonathan. B. â€Å"Toxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons† (2000): 95-96

Dead Poets Society Relationships Essay Essay

Due to their complex nature, human relationships present many challenges thus making them integral in the shaping of an individual’s experiences. These complexities are often caused by the power dynamic, where one parties assumes dominance over the other. Peter Weir’s 1989 film, Dead Poets Society explores the overpowering relationship between Neil and his father where Neil’s true self is stifled in his role as the compliant son. Similarly in Roger Dean Kiser’s short story Elvis Died at Florida Barber College (referred to as Elvis), the oppressive relationship between the orphan and his matron negatively affects his experiences, resulting in a suppression of individuality. Complexities also arise from the lack of power in relationships as shown through Neil and Mr Keating where the authoritative figure of the mentor is undermined by his student. However, this is not always the case as in 48 Shades of Brown by Nick Earl where a relationship between Dan and his Aunt allows for the discovery of independence and development of self. The complexity of power dynamics within relationships may suppress an individual’s identity in order to conform to the expectations of the other. In Dead Poets society, the relationship that Neil has with his father is atypical of a father-son relationship in the fact that the authority lies with the father. However, what differentiates this relationship from other father-son relationships is the extreme power dynamic between the two where Neil’s father is overly controlling to the point where he dictates his son’s life. The nature of the relationship is portrayed the beginning of the film when Neil’s father pins him up against a wall upon discovering Neil had chosen to undertake additional extracurricular activities. This action, accompanied with a high angle short of Neil’s father, communicates his extreme dominance in their relationship. Neil’s overt passion for performance is suppressed as he is subdued by the expectations of his father, forcing him to maintain a front as â€Å"the academic student†. This entrapment is expressed through the recurring theme of inside-outside where Neil constantly gazes out the windows of the pragmatic institute at the romantic natural world which seems far out of reach, embodying his longing to escape from his father. Thus it is Neil’s relationship with his father governs his decision making, hindering the development of his true identity. Similarly to DPS, Roger Dean Kiser explores the abuse of authority in relationship in his short story Elvis. The plot follows the first person point of view of an orphan boy who anticipates getting an Elvis haircut only to have his head shaved when his matron does not allow for it. The complex nature of the relationship between the orphan and his matron is conveyed in his first person narration where he addresses her as â€Å"the matron† rather than â€Å"my matron† thus creating a sense of disconnection between the two. The use of the word â€Å"the† also evokes a sense of sovereignty reflecting her overbearing dominance on the orphan boy. As a result, the Orphan’s attempt to create his own identity is denied when he does not receive his â€Å"Elvis haircut† but rather has it all his hair shaven off in the same manner that his sense of individuality is stripped from him. This harsh dictatorship on the matron’s part denies the growth of the orphan’s sense of self as his hopes of becoming like Elvis are metaphorically killed as reflected by the name of the short story. Hence, it can be seen in Dead Poets and Elvis that those complexities which arise from the exploitation of power in relationships can have a negative impact upon an individual, impeding the development of self-identity. Although the abuse of power in relationships may have negative impacts on an individual, a lack of authority in a relationship may have equally bad consequences. The relationship that Mr Keating has with the boys in particular Neil in Dead Poets juxtaposes that of Neil and his father; the power play distributed evenly between student and mentor. This can be seen through the eye-level shots in the film representing them as equals in the mentor-student relationships thus allowing Neil to be comfortable and himself around his mentor. The colloquial language which Neil employs around Mr Keating juxtaposes the formal and distant language and tone such as â€Å"yes sir† of which he expresses around his father. However, as Mr Keating brings himself down to the same level as Neil, his authority is undermined as seen when he tells the boys that â€Å"There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for† and when he advises Neil to express to his father how he feels. On both occasions, his advice is ignored resulting in Neil’s suicide and the demise of the Dead Poet’s Society emphasising consequence of the complexities which arose from the lack of a dominant role in his student-mentor relationship with Neil and the boys. On the contrary, the lack of authority in the relationship can also have positive effects on the experience of an individual as seen in  Nick Earl’s novel 48 Shades of Brown. The novel delves into the journey of protagonist Dan’s self-discovery as he moves away from his mother Madge in Geneva and in with his young aunt Jacq in Brisbane. The two prevalent relationships within this book are Dan’s relationship with his mother and his aunt; of which contrast greatly. Alike to Dead Poets Society, Madge possesses a controlling relationship with Dan however unlike Neil and his father; the terms of this power dynamic stems from Madge’s imposed perception of Dan’s fragility which has driven her to â€Å"coddle† him in order to shield him from the world. This has resulted in Dan lacking independence and identity as his decisions are often governed by his mother. The quote â€Å"There’s still the concern, though, that it’s all up to me now. As though, in the past, if I’d forgotten something really important my mother would have remembered and things would have been okay† convey Dan’s anxiety when suddenly removed from the confines of this relationship. Due to the close age gap, and the â€Å"coolness† of his aunt, the relationship between Dan and Jacq is more or less a friendship. The absence of a dominant figure which controls him allows, and instead aided by the support and encouragement from his Aunt; Dan becomes more independent and in the process develops a stronger sense-of-self. This is seen through the exchange of post cards between Dan and his mother which decreases as he becomes less dependent upon her. Thus the egalitarian relationship between Dan and his aunt has a positive impact on his experiences. Whether positive or negative, the complexities in relationships shape our experiences in the world. More often than not, these complexities present challenges to individuals however when overcome; one can then define themselves and take control over their life.