Fight Club (Film) by David Fincher Essay Example for Free

Fight Club (Film) by David Fincher Essay This confronting movie casts the brilliant Edward Norton and the extremely popular Brad Pitt as they team together to bring the public one of the greatest suspense movies of all time. Norton plays Jack, a middle-aged man, who isnt sure what his purpose for living is anymore and Pitt plays Tyler Durden, a soap salesman, who has come to the same realization about life. Directed by David Fincher, written for the screen by Jim Uhls, and based on the acclaimed novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club is a powerful film, which fuses the highly sensitive issues that haunt its frustrated and confused protagonist with the visual representations of his mental states. It all begins when Jack becomes so frustrated with his life that he just cant take it any longer. For his entire life, the media has painted a glorious image of wealth for everyone and has made everyone believe that they would be rich and famous eventually, while in fact they werent. Flooding society with more useless products and making them slaves to their own needs, Jack realizes that it is all just a joke. Under the realization of this, Jack searches for a way to find new excitement away from the material world. He starts to visit numerous support groups for cancer victims and other diseases. This is where he meets Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), a middle-aged woman who is also going through the same thing as he is. Together these seem to be the only places for them to find real emotions, and to be able to express their own emotions at the same time. One day while on an airplane, Jack meets Tyler Durden. While talking with Tyler, Jack notices that they have the same exact suitcase along with many other things in common. Tyler gives Jack his business card and tells him to call if he ever needs anything. When Jack returns home, he finds that his entire apartment has been blown to pieces. With nowhere to go, he takes out Tylers business card and proceeds to call him. Tyler comes to Jacks rescue and the two begin living together in an old run-down house. One night outside a bar, confused in their frustration of the world, they begin hitting each other for the pure excitement and adrenaline rush. After much thinking, Tyler has made up his mind about society and has created his own beliefs. He opposes all material wealth and lives for the moment, unafraid of pain or death. Slowly he teaches Jack these traits as well, as they now begin to build Fight Club, an underground association where equally frustrated men can take out their emotions by fighting with one another. Soon many Fight Clubs spring up across the country and Tyler is hailed as a celebrity among the members. With Fight Clubs popularity increasing, Tylers plans become much bigger and he establishes Project Mayhem, his plan to destroy the material world. He recruits an army of equally powered men and goes on a spree to destroy all signs of materialism he sees. While watching the mayhem Tyler has created, Jack becomes disturbed by the idiocy of the followers and the violent acts they are committing. He wants to put an end to the insanity, but without Tyler he cant stop it, and Tyler is nowhere to be found. With Tyler now missing, Jack begins travelling from city to city in search of Tyler. When asking people if they know Tyler Durden, he is given the same answer over and over: Yes sir, youre Tyler Durden. Jack finally comes to the conclusion that he and Tyler are the same person. Tyler is simply a figment of Jacks imagination. Tyler is everything that Jack wishes he could be. He looks how he wants to look. He acts how he wants to act. He is Tyler Durden. This movie combines great action sequences, romance, and suspense all rolled up into one. The great casting of Edward Norton and Brad Pitt give the movie just the right amount of masculinity it needs. How the composer creates meaning The composer creates a chilling setting, which is familiar and stereotypically American with its high-tech devices, also with fast and crisp movement of camera angles to show some extraordinary effects. The composer also used lighting to create meaning. The lab in which Jack was sitting down which we witness in the fast and crisp movement of camera shots, had very dark and dull colours. The music also rolled along to help create this setting, which is very important within the film. The director David Fincher utilizes a number of techniques to present his ideas of change. The film opens with voice-over from our lead character Jack, played by Edward Norton. He hasnt slept in months and its beginning to take a toll on his sanity. He finally finds release from his troubles by going to support groups for people with various diseases testicular cancer, bowel disease, etc. where he finds freedom in pretending hes a survivor, that he has nothing to lose. Thus, it also represents a new foundation as a result suggesting a change in Jacks lifestyle. Through the character Jack the composer is also able to create meaning. Here we see that through zoom and close-up camera angles the composer shows a change in the behaviour of Jack. It becomes evident that after bearing in mind explosion of his apartment, he becomes astound and through the facial expressions we see that he is discontented. The smile that was witnessed prior to this terrible tragedy has mislaid as a consequence symbolizing a change in his attitude and his perception of the slight civilization. The composer also creates meaning, through the use of Jacks lifestyle. In this motion picture the main character Jack, changes his lifestyle through self-destruction rather than self-development. The composer has done this to show that there is more than one way to change, that change does not always have to occur in a positive way. This is one of the most important themes running through the movie. Fight Club; a movie about the change within one mans life, Jack, with the help of his friend Tyler, who is actually a creation of Jacks mind. Jack breaks away from all of societies conventions and this leads to the many changes in his life. Jacks changes are made all the more significant through the use of colours. Before Jacks enlightenment all the colours used are dull blue-greys. The camera angles are narrow and focused. This creates a tone of monotony and boredom. Later, the scenes become brighter and colours are powerfully contrasted. Many of the scenes take place at night with neon lights in the background with contrast with the bright red leather jacket worn by Tyler throughout much of the film to create an exciting, almost surreal element to the scene. The camera angles become wider, reflecting Jacks broader perspective of life. A further structural device used by David Fincher is to allude to Jacks earlier life. One example is when he receives a phone-call from the detective looking into the explosion of his house. Jack responds to his questions by discussing how much the things in his apartment meant to him, how they were part of his identity. When the phone-call is over he says, I would like to thank the academy. From this statement, it is obvious that he looks back on his former lifestyle with contempt. From this film we can see how difficult it can be for one to move to another door of perception when everything around them reinforces the accepted view of the world. It is easy to accept everything that is occurring and live in denial without changing. Jack would not have been able to escape from the media induced, corporate driven life that he led if his brain had not created Tyler Durden. In Fight Club we see there are many reasons for people to choose not to change. The risk may seem too high. It might be hard work. There is a loss of the security a person has when he or she is in familiar territory where everything is known to them. Even when the opportunity stares at them right in their faces they refuse to take it. In the movie, we see Jack struggling at first with quitting his ikea-guy life but is soon able to boldly step away from the illusions that held him. Explanation of how the text links to both a text from the Stimulus Booklet and the play Away Clearly, change brings consequences. These consequences can vary in importance and significance; they can be beneficial, detrimental or even impartial. Change, its impact on self and the resulting consequences, which it inevitably brings, is an issue explored by many composers in a variety of texts. Change is the process of being made different. Change can be caused by anything such as time, birth, death, people and fighting The concept of changing self and its significance to the individual is explored in a number of texts including the play Away written by Michael Gow, Sky High by Hannah Roberts (BOS Changing) and the film Fight Club by David Fincher. All these texts symbolise change in a variety of ways. To show the consequences of change composers have used a number of techniques in terms of language, imagery, contrast and repetition. This film Fight Club deals with the approach in which we transform ourselves. In this film Jack transforms his standard of living through self-destruction to assertion self-development. The director David Fincher has fulfilled this to exemplify that the things we own, actually end up owing us. The change occurs when Tyler opens the door for him to amend. Unfortunately, Tyler becomes too powerful. This shows the rituals of both sides. Allusions is a structural device used by the director Fincher to contrast the Jack-then to the Jack-now, constantly making references to his earlier life presented at the beginning of the film. An example of this is when Jack is living in the dilapidated house he often receives calls from a Detective Stern from the arson unit, inquiring about his destroyed condo or feeding him information about it (the police suspect he did it to claim insurance). Jack often replies by talking about how much the things in his condo meant to him and how they were a part of his identity. When the phone-call is over he says; I would like to thank the academy. From this statement it is obvious that he looked back on himself with contempt. The director shows that the choices that one makes during his or her life, defines the changes that would occur to them in the future. When one looks back at the decisions that they had to make, the difference before the choice was made and after becomes quite obvious. Another aspect of change presented in the film is that change is often cyclic. As we make one decision, we are soon required to make further decisions and it is a never-ending cycle until the day we die. Therefore one never stops changing until their death. From this film we can see how complex it can be for one to move to another door of perception when everything around them reinforces the accepted view of the world. It is easy to accept everything that is occurring and live in denial without changing. Jack would not have been able to escape from the media induced, corporate driven life that he led if his brain had not created Tyler Durden. In link to Sky High by Hannah Roberts it demonstrates that responsibilities force a person to change, and that the change is not always optimistic, other than it has to be embraced for a character to established, and that although there is a change it is most undoubtedly not an end, but rather a progression. This text has contributed a great deal to my understanding of change. It helps us to see how difficult it can be to change ones lifestyle and to change their view of the world when it is reinforced as being the accepted view of the world that we must adhere to, and sometimes it requires something as drastic as an imagined person to change that view. The other thing it has contributed is that there are many reasons for a person not to change, risk, too hard work or the loss of security in their new life, but once that change is made, the persons old lifestyle seems contemptibly inadequate. In Sky High by Hannah Roberts, it is not another person, which outlines a change in self of the persona, but an object (a clothesline) that triggers a memory from the personas youth. Personification of the clothesline, and its relation to the authors own change in self since her youth, is one technique incorporated by Roberts. When describing her and the clothesline in the first two paragraphs, we are given the phrases silver skeletal arms and smooth, sweat damp hands. Comparing this to age-warped washing line and hands, beginning to accumulatewrinkles one can see the dramatic realisation of the changed persona. Another representation of the changing influence of the clothesline is the descriptions of the hanging clothes. Where as in her youth the clothesline was festooned with socks and knickers and shirts like coloured flags in a secret code, Roberts now write(s) my own semaphore secrets in colourful t-shirts and mismatched sock. This suggests that as a child, the author thought that the clothes were hung out in secret code. Now as an adult she realises the ordinariness of the practice. The semaphore secrets that she writes as an adult expose to the reader the question if these are messages of unhappiness. The narrator utilizes an analogy to illustrate how responsibilities and social conventions limit a persons ability to follow urges. The writer wants to fly as she did when she was young, but she is concerned that the conventions of her modern life will not allow her to do so. Remembering the minute details of the garden develops a nostalgic mood. This is so as a person remembers details such as these if they treasure the memories Sky high has contributed to my understanding of change by showing that responsibilities force a person to change, and that the change is not always positive, but it has to be embraced for a character to mature, and that although there is a change it is most definitely not an end, but rather a process. On the surface Away by Michael Gow, may possibly appear like a simple narrative about three families who take off for a holiday. People are shown as going away, being pulled away, being washed away, walking away and so on. What is also stressed however is the act of recurring, regrowth and renewal that results from their away experience. Away presents the concept of change as self-recognition and renewal through the portrayal of the key characters who journey from fear, isolation and delusion to an understanding and acceptance of themselves and their relationships with others. Away is a short though direct play, which deals with many variations of change, each of which is a change of character or personality, which occurs as a realization as the events in the play, get through to them. A perfect example is Gwen, a middle-aged mother with the need to control. Her resistance to change is of an attitude as her family suddenly becomes separate in reaction to her behaviour. The family is on a holiday and what was meant to be enjoyable, becomes a conflict which causes her daughter Meg to isolate herself from her. Gwen depicts this resistance to change with the importance of it. Simply compare changing toothbrush to changing personality, which will have a resisting effect. Michael Gows play is very theatrical. While much of the dialogue is realistic, drawing on the idiom of the day, the storm and the appearance of the fairies break away from realism. Gow draws on the conventions of comedy and tragedy as the play moves from the comic to the tragic. Many of the characters appear as stereotypes found in comedy- the nagging wife, the henpecked husband, the pompous teacher, but as the play progresses these stereotypes are abandoned as the characters are confronted by the need for change. They become individuals capable of change. The composer exploit Language to provides a precious impending into the intelligences of the protagonists. Gwens continuous and tedious use of clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s creates her the parody of a middle-class housewife with high-class aspirations. In the final act, mime plays a vital role. It is the explicit lack of language here that provides the audience with a perceptive of the high level of self-awareness and imminent that is now shared by the protagonists. Perhaps the two most significant characters in Away who experiences the most profound changes are Gwen and Coral. * Gwen is one of the most momentous protagonists in the play. She changes from being a stress ridden control freak of a mother and wife to coming to an understanding of life and the fact that humans are not in control. The plainest demonstration of this is the storm, which trashes her perfectly planned holiday. Note that in the stage directions, the fairies single Gwen out for particular attention in the storm. Gwen experiences an epiphany during the walk with Vic, presumably in reaction to the news that Tom is dying. She returns from the walk a changed woman, and it is she who stands and applauds Coral as she walks in Strange on the Shore. * Coral has lost her grip on reality. At the beginning she is a woman pervading grief at the death of her only son in the Vietnam War. In attempting to respond to her husband (Roys) plea that she behaves normally, she enters a relationship with a young recently married man named (Rick). She than adopts the persona of the artist on the beach, and it is Tom who recognises her as the headmasters wife. She achieves some kind of acceptance of life and loss through her performance in The Stranger on the Shore. (Im walking, Im walking represents a return to life). The walking becomes symbolic of Corals return to reality, her final acceptance of the death of her son who died in Vietnam. Tom is responsible for her healing. He determines Corals role in the play. In Act 5 scene 1 we see her reconciled with her husband Roy. These changes are represented dramatically in the play. Her situation in Away is symbolized by her role in the little play- when she walks at the end, she is retuning to life where she belongs. Opening on the last day of the school year in 1967 and closing on the first day of the next school year, the play spans only a few short weeks in the lives of its characters and yet their perspectives and understandings have changed radically over that time. Possibly the character who experiences the most philosophical change is Gwen. Through the intensity of the emotional conflict she encounters, she has had to acknowledge the inevitability of change in life and has adjusted her expectations accordingly. This change of perception over time can be contrasted to the reminiscing of Hannah Robert, in her story Sky High, Text 3 in the Board of Studies Changing Booklet. Where the older narrator looks back on a lighter, less burdened childhood. The rewarding repercussions of confronting change and of living for the present have been highlighted by the texts I have studied which in turn delineate the integral nature of change in the lives of people and their relationships.

Supporting the US Patriot Act Essay -- Privacy

The US Patriot Act should stay in effect indefinitely because it helps to remove barriers to investigate terrorism, it strengthens the criminal laws against terrorism, and it gives the government the authority to intercept wire, oral and electronic communications relating to terrorism. "Originally passed after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Patriot Act was formed in response to the terrorist attacks against the United States. This law dramatically expanded the authority of American law enforcement for the stated purpose of fighting terrorism in the United States. It is used to enhance domestic security against terrorism, and enhance surveillance procedures. It gives the government the authority to intercept wire, oral, and electronic communications relating to terrorism. It has also been used to detect and prosecute other alleged potential crimes, such as providing false information on terrorism. It was renewed on March 2, 2006 with a vote of 89 to 11 in the Senate and on M arch 7 280 to 138 in the House. The renewal was signed into law by President Bush on March 9, 2006."1 (USA Patriot Act" www.wikipedia.org on 02/08/2007). The Patriot Act has been very important to winning the War on Terror and protecting the American people. The signed legislation allows intelligence and law enforcement officials to continue sharing information and using the same tools against terrorists already employed against drug dealers and other criminals. This legislation helps to strengthen the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) so that it can better identify and interrupt terrorist threats. It also provides law enforcement officials new tools to combat threats, while safeguarding Americans' civil liberties. America still faces dangerous en... ... remember about government powers is not to necessarily only worry about what they do but what they allow the government to do (because eventually they likely will). These provisions in and of themselves are not a ridiculous assault on liberty but they do increase powers and reduce rights incrementally. And it is likely that any overall reduction of rights will be incremental and always driven by government 'necessity' to protect or provide. The Patriot Act is one of these measures that will allow each American life, liberty, and the pursuit happiness. Although, some laws might seem intrusive in nature; that intrusiveness provides Americans with a feeling of safety. Sources: 1. "USA Patriot Act" www.wikipedia.org. accessed on 02/08/2007 2. "USA Patriot Act" www.whitehouse.gov accessed on 02/07/2007

Lee Harvey Oswald Was Not the Lone Assassin

On November 22nd, 1963, President John F. Kennedy (JFK) was shot and killed in a motorcade running through Dealy Plaza, in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the murder of President Kennedy. Over the years there has been much controversy over if Lee Harvey Oswald was in fact, the only man involved in the assassination of JFK. The assassination is still a topic of debate to this day and has spawned many conspiracy theories. At the time, there was little persuasive evidence to prove that Oswald was involved in any sort of conspiracy to assassinate the president, but as time went on people began to grow suspicious of certain things. In 1966, Mark Lane was one of the first to introduce the idea that Oswald did not act alone with the publication of his book Rush to Judgment. Now today, 75% of people believe Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone[1], 70% of respondents believed that the assassination involved more than one person[2]. Also 66% of Americans believe that there was a conspiracy, while 74% believed that there was a cover up[3]. It is inevitable that there is much confusion as to who was involved in the assassination of President Kennedy, but I firmly believe that there is indisputable evidence that shows that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in the assassination. To start off, after the assassination took place and Oswald was captured, authorities changed the identity of the murder weapon many times. For instance, Deputy Sheriff Eugene Boone and Deputy Constable Seymour Weitzman both initially identified the murder weapon as a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle, but the following day Weitzman signed affidavit describing the weapon as a 7. 5mm Mauser bolt action rifle, equipped with a 4/18 scope. Later on, investigators identified the rifle as a 6. 5mm Carcano, proving that Weitzman lied about the murder weapon. In his book, Mark Lane exploits this as the strongest reason why there was a cover up. He says â€Å"The strongest element in the case against Lee Harvey Oswald was the Warren Commission's conclusion that his rifle had been found on the 6th floor of the Book Depository building. Yet Oswald never owned a 7. 65 Mauser. When the FBI later reported that Oswald had purchased only a 6. 5 Italian Mannlicher-Carcano, the weapon t police headquarters in Dallas miraculously changed its size, its make and its nationality. The Warren Commission concluded that a 6. 5 Mannlicher-Carcano, not a 7. 65 German Mauser, had been discovered by the Dallas deputies. † Also many witnesses to the assassination were aggressively confronted and were told to keep quiet about what they saw. Acquilla Clemmons, who claimed she saw two men, not only Oswald, at the scene of Officer J. D. Tippet’s[4] murder, says a man armed with a gun confronted her at her house and told her not to speak of what she saw. Leading off of this, in the next three years following the assassination, 18 witnesses were mysteriously killed along with many people dealing with the investigation process. This is significant because it shows that it was not just a coincidence that out of the small number of people that were testifying as witnesses already, many were being killed off. Somebody wanted these witnesses quiet. These deaths seemed to follow a pattern. Whenever various government agencies started a new investigation to look further into the assassination, key people within the agency would be killed, and the investigations halted. Key people were murdered when the New Orleans District Attorney, Senate Intelligence Committee, and House Select Committee on Assassinations started to conduct efficient investigations. Another claim by the Warren commission is that a single bullet killed the president and wounded the governor. There are many flaws with this theory, most prominent being that if there was in fact only one bullet shot, it must have traveled through 15 layers of clothing, 7 layers of skin, approximately 15 inches of tissue, struck a necktie knot, removed 4 inches of rib, and shattered a radius bone. Apart from this being very unlikely, the Zapruder film[5] shows President Kennedy being wounded in between frames 225 and 226, while Governor Connelly appears to have been wounded in frame 240. Pro conspiracy theorists believe that this is indisputable evidence that there were two shooters, because it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds (43 frames in the film), meanwhile for anti conspiracy theorists it proves the single bullet theory correct. The evidence tips in favor of the pro conspiracy theorists because this shot is irtually impossible to successfully make. With the angle the bullet entered and the fact that there was so much to go through and the bullet came out in near perfect condition, with some bend in the back of the bullet, it is more likely that there were in fact two shots fired. Judging by the fact that it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds, and the president and the governor were h it within 15 frames of each other on the Zapruder film, it only makes sense that there were two separate gunmen. Another reason why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin is that he himself was assassinated two days after capture. While Oswald was being transported to the county jail, he was shot point blank on live television by a man named Jack Ruby. Ruby claimed to authorities to have murdered him to avenge the death of President Kennedy. He wanted to avenge Kennedy for patriotism and out of pity for the widow. Ruby owned a nightclub in Dallas at the time, and was also a known gangster and women and drug trafficker. Although Ruby claims to have murdered Oswald as revenge for killing President Kennedy, most people believe it was part of a cover up for a much larger conspiracy. After Ruby’s arrest, he was sentenced to death, only to have his trials postponed and die of lung cancer shortly after postponing the trial. While Oswald was in interrogation, he changed his story many times when asked routine questions such as â€Å"where were you at the time of the shooting†, or â€Å"explain to us what you did the day of the assassination†. He also denied any involvement in the incident even though there was evidence against him. Oswald was bound to face further, more intense interrogation in the future, and this is the reason most people believe that assassination of Oswald was to prevent him from talking about what actually happened in the Kennedy assassination. There were also many strange reports of President Kennedy’s brain being switched from when it was seen in evidence, to when the autopsy was performed. There were pictures of Kennedy’s brain for evidence showing immense damage to the rear, consistent with an exit wound and therefore evidence of a shot from the front. Meanwhile, the autopsy brain did not nearly show the same amount of damage in the back of the brain, and an exit wound in the front. Douglas Horne, the Record Review Board's chief analyst for military records said that he was â€Å"90-95%† certain that these brains were not the same. The idea of a brain switch is highly likely according to many investigators on the subject. This is evidence of a cover up because the way the bullet entered the brain could have shown numerous things to investigators. For one thing, it could have shown the angle and direction in which the bullet entered, proving that Lee Harvey Oswald could not have shot Kennedy from the 6th story of the Texas Book Depository because of the difference in the angles. It could have also shown multiple bullet wounds, disproving the single bullet theory, and ruling out Oswald as the lone assassin. In all, having investigators obtain Kennedy’s real brain would have been catastrophic to any conspiracy, for it would have proved that the conspiracy’s scapegoat Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin. The situation in which Oswald had supposedly shot Kennedy continues to seem less and less likely to be possible. Both Craig Roberts[6] and Carlos Hathcock[7] said that this assassination could not have been done how the Warren Commission says it was. â€Å"Let me tell you what we did at Quantico, we reconstructed the whole thing: the angle, the range, the moving target, the time limit, the obstacles, everything. I don’t know how many times we tried it, but we couldn’t duplicate what the Warren Commission said Oswald did. Now if I can’t do it, how in the world could a guy who was a non-qual on the rifle range and later only qualified ‘marksman' do it? â€Å"[8] This quote vividly disproves the idea that Oswald was the lone gunman. Two highly qualified snipers completely recreated the scene of the assassination, and could not make the shot in a copious amount of attempts, but a mere marksman Oswald could make the shots perfectly in one? These odds are extremely unlikely, and to think that it is even possible that Oswald could make a shot of this caliber is absurd. There are countless reasons why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone gunman in the Kennedy assassination. The final verdict on the assassination of President Kennedy, is that Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots from a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle out of the 6th floor window in the Texas Depository building, with one bullet missing the motorcade entirely, one bullet going through Kennedy’s back, and one bullet puncturing the back of Kennedy’s head, straight through to Governor Connelly, wounding him severely. An abundance of witness accounts clearly state that they heard shots elsewhere, and were told to be quiet about this, the shot Oswald would have had to make was impossible, Oswald was murdered two days after his arrest, the Zapruder film disproves the idea of the lone gunman, and there were many falsifications in the stories of Oswald and investigators about what happened that day, what weapon was used in the murder, the brain description, and what happened in interrogation. The lack of paperwork itself should have been enough to sway the opinions of a higher authority that there was something wrong with the investigation. Even when researching this topic, it is still not even clear what did happen on that horrible day. The Warren Commission, along with the Dallas Police, the FBI, and many other organizations, did an atrocious job of properly investigating and documenting the investigation of this assassination. If that is not sufficient, there is the fact that the way the final report claims this assassination happened is not humanly possible. This has been proven by highly trained snipers and well informed authority. Lee Harvey Oswald was not a sniping guru, nor was he the man who by himself killed President John F. Kennedy.

Fanon, Kanye, and Gandhi Essay - 1277 Words

Gandhi and Fanon both believed in what was correct and just. They believed that the man should be free, especially if they are being controlled by the colonists’ ideals. This was the case for both Algiers and India. These two countries were being controlled by that one principle of the colonizers which is that they are better and therefore should be in control. In the case of India, they were being oppressed by the British and deprived of having their own land for themselves. Then there was Fanon’s battle, which had a different approach to it. The French were the ones colonizing Algiers and they were being repressed into living in misery and oppression. They understood that the colonization of people not only affected them physically†¦show more content†¦We must not cultivate the spirit of the exceptional or look for the hero, another form of leader. We must elevate the people, expand their minds, equip them differentiate them, and humanize them†(137). Violence is the way to make sure there is a consciousness is present in every peasant, which wont let the colonized be manipulated by either the ex-colonizers nor the new governors of their country. For the third part of his argument Fanon shows what usually happens after the decolonization of a country. Here he exposes the methods in which the leaders of bourgeois nationalities enrich themselves by abandoning the long term development of their country so they can earn as soon as possible and as much as possible. Even if it means staying bound and subjugated to the interests of developed countries. In the fourth part it’s about the development of a culture that is immeasurable nor cares about the European culture. This one is important because just like the success of everyone depends on the masses, the international culture depends on the construction of the culture of every sub-developed nation. â€Å"It is the national liberation that puts the nation on the stage of history. It is at the heart of national consciousness that international consciousness establishes itself and thrives. And this dual emergence, in fact, is the

How to Learn from Your Math Mistakes

The most powerful learning experiences often result from making mistakes. I usually address my students with the above phrase after handing out marked papers, tests and exams. I then provide time for my students to carefully analyze their errors. I also ask them to keep a running record/journal of the patterns of their errors. Understanding how and where you go wrong will lead to enhanced learning and improved grades—a habit often developed by strong math students. Its not unlike me to develop my next test based on a variety of student errors! How often have you looked over your marked paper and analyzed your errors? When doing so, how many times have you almost immediately realized exactly where you went wrong and wished that if only you had caught that error prior to submitting your paper to your instructor? Or, if not, how often have you looked closely to see where you went wrong and worked on the problem for the correct solution only to have one of those A Ha moments? A Ha moments or the sudden enlightening moment resulting from the newly discovered understanding of the misconceived error usually means a breakthrough in learning, which often means that youll rarely repeat that error again. Instructors of mathematics often look for those moments when they are teaching new concepts in mathematics; those moments result in success. Success from previous errors isnt usually due to the memorization of a rule or pattern or formula, rather, it stems from a deeper understanding of why instead of how the problem was resolved. When we understand the whys behind a mathematical concept rather than the hows, we often have a better and deeper understanding of the specific concept. Here are the three common errors and a few remedies to address them. Symptoms and Underlying Causes of Errors When reviewing the errors on your papers, its crucial that you understand the nature of the errors and why you made it (them). Ive listed a few things to look for: Mechanical errors (transposed number, sloppy mental math, hurried approach, forgotten step, lack of review)Application errors (misunderstanding of one or more of the required step(s)Knowledge based errors (lack of knowledge of the concept, unfamiliar with terminology)Order of Operations (often stems from rote learning as opposed to having a true understanding)Incomplete (practice, practice and practice, this leads to having the knowledge more readily available) Success Is Failure Inside Out! Think like a mathematician and learn from your previous mistakes. In order to do so, I would suggest that you keep a record or journal of the patterns of errors. Mathematics requires a lot of practice, review the concepts that caused you grief from previous tests. Keep all of your marked test papers, this will assist you to prepare for ongoing summative tests. Diagnose problems immediately! When you are struggling with a specific concept, dont wait to get assistance (thats like going to the doctor three days after breaking your arm) get immediate help when you need it, if your tutor or instructor isnt available - take the initiative and go online, post to forums or look for interactive tutorials to guide you through. Remember, problems can be your friends!

The Process of Writing - 1075 Words

The Process of Writing Throughout my whole life I have been taught to write many different ways and on how I should approach my writing assignments in and outside of class. But there was one particular method that was taught a lot more than others such as the five paragraphs method. Some assignments were very easy that I could write off the back of my head and some of the harder one’s I have think a lot more critically. All I ever did was follow the five paragraph process and nothing more. This is what I led to believe be my downfall in my writing skills because I was unable to use any other methods. So throughout my essay I will explain the steps of my writing process such as finding my personal space, understanding the difficulties, and†¦show more content†¦There are a couple of ways on how I want to expand on my writing skills as a new college student. One way I want to change my writing process is that I want to be able to think more critically about what I am writing. When I mean more critically I mean about like putting a lot more thoughts and explain more in detail in what I really want the reader to understand, such as the main ideas that I want the readers to learn or grasp. I think that’s one of my other biggest weaknesses which is not being able to give enough detail into what I am writing. Sometimes when writing I get that â€Å"writers block† where I can figure out what to write anymore and I want to get passed that. I also really want to expand beyond the five paragraph process because this just won’t do for college at all well that’s what I believe. The amount of research paper that will be thrown at me in college I really need to go â€Å"Above and Beyond† if I want an A or B in the class, a little phrase I learned from my government teacher in high school. So I need to be more open and try out some other type of styles of writing. There is one way I think is a good way how to expand on my writing skills is by reading a little more. So I can see how authors write articles, books, or even online. By doing this I can learn how the authors write and get ideas on their writing process from the beginning of where they started and how theyShow MoreRelatedWriting Process : Writing And Writing862 Words   |  4 Pages Composing Process Essay As a writer, I can adopt a system of writing that I can use most of the time. To be involved through all the composing process, I need to gather all the tools that I need such as paper and a pen, a typewriter, or a computer. I must also choose a suitable writing environment or place, and then apply my writing techniques and skills. The writing process has different ways and steps, allowing each writer to develop his or her writing in his or her own way. By describingRead MoreWriting A Writing Is A Process911 Words   |  4 PagesOption A Writing is a Process Writing had always seemed so calculated. Since fourth grade I was taught that when you write a paper for school it should be a five paragraph essay with an opening paragraph, three supporting paragraphs, and then a closing paragraph. If you wrote in this exact format then you were sure to get a good grade. Up until college writing had always lacked creativity for me and seemed more like formula that was to be followed. Writing had always seemed dull to me and moreRead MoreProcess Of Writing : Writing1232 Words   |  5 PagesProcess Of Writing It s not complicated; we are doing this since young age. Think about it, the first thing we learn when starting the path of learning is listening. A long time ago, my grandfather used to say for me, â€Å"Do you listen to learn something or do you listen just to reply?† If you think about it, it’s true, and I believe most of us just listen to reply. Writing skills can never be separated from important skills such as quotation, citation, grammar and spelling. If a writer can establishRead More The Writing Process996 Words   |  4 Pagescomposition instructors agree that writing should be taught as a recursive process, rather than a liner process, and they also agree that most writers employ certain writing strategies as they produce drafts. Sandra Perl’s article, Understanding Composing† shares these beliefs because she states: â€Å"writing does appear to be recursive, yet the parts that recur seem to vary from writer to writer and from topic to topicâ⠂¬  (142). Perl explains that throughout the writing process, writers employ a â€Å"forward-movingRead MoreThe Process Of Writing : My Personal Writing Process1316 Words   |  6 PagesThose that write always have a writing process whether they know it or not. A writing process can be defined by the way an individual gears up for the project at hand. It can be as simple as finding a favorite chair to write in or the act of planning out the writing beforehand. My own personal writing process varies from task to task with a few constants. I generally start my writing process by first reconciling my project; figuring out the best way to express the needs of the work. I do not writeRead MoreMy Writing A Writing Process848 Words   |  4 PagesA writing process is the way in which someone goes about writing. Everyone has his or her own way of approaching a prompt. Mine is to use my smartphone. With the advanced used of technology is the classrooms today; it is easier to obtain info rmation needed to write an appropriate paper for the prompt given. With the use of the Internet at our fingertips, it makes one’s writing process go a lot smoother and allow one to create a paper that is well above what is expected. My writing process is slightlyRead MoreEditing And The Writing Process1512 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Review In examining recent literature on the topic of â€Å"editing† in the writing process, three areas appear to be of some concern in dealing with this issue: 1) The true definition of editing and the editing process, 2) The perceived role and responsibilities of the teacher and students, and 3) Effective editing strategies that will increase student learning. In order to truly implement editing strategies that will impact the learner, the first two areas must be addressed. In the reviewRead More The Writing Process Essay608 Words   |  3 PagesThe Writing Process Writing a paper on the writing process is pretty hard. The writing process is different from one person to another. You come across questions like, What exactly is the writing process?; and Must you follow one persons writing process if yours is different?; This is where I came across the answer to my questions, write however you wish to write. If one person likes free write first and another person likes to write a draft first, let them do how they please. The writing processRead MoreWriting Is Not A Simple Process921 Words   |  4 PagesMy English 1301 Experience Writing is not a simple process. Sure, it is easy to write down some of thoughts, but writing properly is complex and takes some time to learn. Before I took this class I considered myself an excellent writer. Now I see that there is more to it. It took a lot of research and multiple sources but it’s safe to say that this class helped my writing skills improve. I have plenty of weaknesses, but I also have strong points that benefit my writing. Even though my strengths suchRead MoreThe Process of Writing Essay815 Words   |  4 Pagescatastrophe. I take each step with caution, slowly putting my thoughts on paper, exposing myself to scrutiny. The answers do not present themselves with the concrete certainty of mathematics and science, they are subjective and open to interpretation. Writing for me is an uncomfortable experience filled with irrational fear and trepidation. The first obstacle on my journey confronts me, the topic. It is an auspicious occasion when the topic is preselected, it is one less obstacle for me to overcome

Nazi Germany Essay Example For Students

Nazi Germany Essay GermanyOn October 3, 1990, the states of the German Democratic Republic (EastGermany) shed their last ties to their Soviet created structure and joined theFederal Republic of Germany (West Germany). The 23rd article of West Germanys1949 constitution, the Basic Law, had been drafted specifically to allow forsuch an arrival from the East. But as the 1980s drew to a close, few Germans oneither side of the border expected it to be used in their lifetime. Yet, in lessthan a year the beginning of an upsurge of popular protest came together againstthe communist regime in East Germany and the formal unification of Germany onWest German terms. At a simple level, the constitution may be seen as a representation ofthe traditional German desire for clarity and order, applied to the rights andduties of the individual. It can also be described as a way of ensuring that theevents of the 1930s, particularly the rise of facism and dictatorship, willnever recur. As a result of historical roots in West Germany and past abuses bycentral government, Germany is a federation. The powers of the states cannot bereduced. Each of the federal states and Berlin has its own constitution, ademocratically elected Parliament, a government, administrative agencies andindependant courts. However, states are binding to the federal constitution, thefederal constitution is binding upon the states and the federal parliament isresponsible for major legislation and policy. The state parliaments mainresponsibility is in two major policy areas: education, and law and order. Administration of federal legislation is mainly the responsibility of the states,allowing for greater consideration of local needs and issues. This system ofgovernment ia also intended to bring government closer to the people. In manycases, state powers are delegated further to local authorities. A further area of responsibility for the states arives from theparliamentary structure. The legislative body is the Bundestag, but theBundesrat (anupper house representing )the states must approve most legislation. Each state has between three and five votes in the Bundesrat, dependingon the size of its population. Members of the Bundesrat are appointed by thestate governments for their duration within the state government. Since stateelections are held continually during the term of federal parliament, themembers of the upper house may alter during the life of a federal government. The approval of the Bundesrat is required for certain types of legislation,Particularly the budget and those affecting the states. Differences are usuallyovercome by a joint committee from the two houses. The lower house, or the Bundestag, consists of a minimum of 656 deputies. The Bundestag has a speaker, or president, usually elected from among thelargest parliamentary group. It has three main tasks: to act as the legislativebody, to elect the federal chancellor, and to control government activity. Anychanges to the Basic Law requires a two-thirds majority in both houses ofparliament. Thus the opposition parties can prevent amendments to theconstitution through their representation in either the Bundestag or Bundesrat. The electoral system, finalized in 1956, is designed to both provide agovernmentrepresenting the wishes of the people and proportionalrepresentation. Candidates are elected by a majority vote in 328 constituenciesof roughly equal size. Each state is allocated a quota of MPs for each party,derived from the second, or party vote. The difference between these numbers andthe numbers of directly elected representatives is then made up from party lists. A party can win more seats on the directly elected segment of the vote than thenumber given by the party list results, in which event the size of the lowerhouse is enlarged. This provision was used in 1990, with the addition of sixseats. To prevent fragmentation, a party must secure either three directmandates or 5% of the total vote to be represented in parliament. This resultsin a barrier to the development of new parties, which must fullfill the 5%criteria without the help of representation in parliament. Also, when thepractice of vacancies exist in parliament the positions are filled from theparty list of the previous election rather than by a by-election, hampering newor small party formation. In the 1990 elections the small, and largely new, EastGerman parties were allowed, for on time only, to form umbrella groups, side-stepping this constraint. However, state elections occur almost always once a year allowingparties to try and gain representation in a state parliament, often byconcentrating their efforts. The lower house is elected for a fixed term of four years and earlyelections may only be called in specific circumstances. The chancellor (head ofgovernment) is elected by the Bundestag on the proposal of the federal president. In practice each of the main parties announces its chancellor candidate beforethe election, making the task of the president somewhat of a formality. Onceelected, the chancellor nominates his or her cabinet for presidential approval,but is still personally responsible to parliament. Individual ministers cannotinitiate a vote ofno-confidence. A government can only be voted out if theopposition can establish a majority for what is known as a constructive vote ofno confidence. In other words, the opposition must be able to provide a workingmajority in favour of a new government. This occurred in late 1982, when thesmall Free Democrat Party changed itsfollowing from the ruling Social Democratsto the Christian Democrats, enabling the Christian Democrats to form a coalition. The ability of a government to resign in order to call early electionsis also restricted to cirtain circumstances. When the new government of theChristian Democrats and Free Democrats formed after the events of 1982 theydecided early elections would be appropriate. However, this decision was forcedto be brought up before the constitutional court, and only because it was theparties only tactic was it allowed. Although the federal president performs some of the usual formalfunctions of a head of state, including signing treaties and following theprocedures for appointing the chancellor, the role is basically ceremonial. Allpresidential orders require the counter-signature of the chancellor or relevantminister. This obligation is concerned with the alleviating a number of theproblems which arose under Germanys constitution of 1919 which gave thepresident too much power and not enough to the parliament. The president iselected for a five-year term by the full Bundestag and an equal number ofdelegates from state parliaments. In the past the election has usually been aformality. Richard von Weizsacker, formerly Christian Democrat mayor of WestBerlin, was elected president in 1984 and re-elected in 1989. His second, andfinal, term comes to an end in May 1994. Although usually a former politician,the president is expected to stand above party politics. In the summer of 1989 the German Bundestag passed the so-called Stageone Postal Reform which came into effect on January 1, 1990. The reformsincluded a division between jurisdictional and regulatory functions andentrepreneurial functions. The reform also resulted in associated businesssectors making up telecommunications, postal services and postal banking. Theaim of these reforms was to allow for more competition, hoping this would leadto more innovation and development in the telecommunication sector. The reformsrepresented to many in Europe a tremendous liberalization of the Germantelecommunications market. Under the new structure, the Telekom branch ofDeutsche Bundespost (DBT) was granted a network monopoly. All other sectors ofthe telecommunications market, including mobile and satelite communications,which both legally belong to the monopoly were liberalized. Gradually, licenceswere sold to private enterprises in these small and limiting areas of themonopoly. Within the framewo rk of its economic capabilities, Telekom is legallybound to provide both the infrastructure and the infrastructure services. As the new Telecommunication structure was being omplemented theunification of Germany began, delaying the objectives of the postal reform. ManyMinisters used the successfull expansion of Telekom as a means of recognition,while postponing a rapid seperation of the political and entrepreneurialfunctions. At the beginning of 1990 Telekom had only just started changing froma public administration to an undertaking based on entrepreneurial basedorganization. Telekoms actions during and immediately following unification werestill largely focused on the objectives and procedures of the old Germany. Therefore, there has been no real debate between Telekom and the FederalMinister of Posts and Telecommunications (BMPT) on what gudelines Telekom shouldfollow when investing in the new federal states of the East. Telekomfrom mustdecide whether it should follow its original political standpoint or its newentrepreneurial approach, or whether the two even differ. Such a judgement isnot only desirable, but necessary to determine where the responsibilities ofTelekom lie. Why Cells Are Small EssayAs a public service, the West German telecommunications system is run bythe federal counties. The legal basis of this state monopoly is found in Article87 of West German basic law, which states that the West German PTT has to beconducted by a direct federal administration with its lower level ofadministrative offices. The right of legislation on postal and telecommunicationmatters falls exclusively on the federal county, according to Article 73 of thebasic law. The federal minister for postal and telecommunication services is thehead of the West German PTT. According to Article 65 of West German basic lawthe federal minister for postal and telecommunication services, shall conductthe affairs of the West German PTT autonomously and on his own responsibility. Telecommunication policy formation as well as the management of administrationis the responsability of the federal minister for postal and telecommunicationservices,. However, his power is is restricted and controlled by the PostalAdministration Council (Para 1, Art 1 of the postal administration law). Themembers include the West German Bundestag, the West German Bundesrat andrepresentatives of the different areas of the economy as well as seven membersof the West German PTT trade union, the Deutsche Postgewerkschaft (DPG), andexperts from the fields of broadcasting and finance (Para 5, Art 2). All 24members of the Postal Administration Council are appointed by their nationalcouncils or by the minister for postal and telecommunication services (expertfrom the field of broadcasting) and the minister for finance (expert from thefield of finance). According to Para 12 of the postal administration law, thecouncil decides on the budget of the West German PTT. Further executive rightsexten d to conditions on the use of postal and telecomunication systems,including pricing (ara 12, Art 4), decisions on the field of activities (Para 12,Art 5), as well as changes in the technical telecommunication infrastructure(Para 12, Art 6). As an important control body, the Postal AdministrationCouncil has to approve all regulations proposed by the federal minister forpostal and telecommunication services.However, the minister for postal andtelecommunication services has the power to annul decisions of the postaladministration council (Para 13, Art 1,2). Despite this kind of veto right, the federal government as well as theBundestag have no direct control over the West German policies oftelecommunication. Yet the West German PTT is obliged to respect the principlesof the politics of West Germany, according to Para 2, Art 1 of the postaladministration law. However, the principles defined by the federal governmentare so vague that they cannot properly act as a stern basis for engaging intelecommunication policies. The influence of the Bundestag is even weaker sincethe budget of the West German PTT forms a special fund (Para 3, Art 1 of thepostal administration law), over which the West German PTT exercises its ownbudgetary rights. The influence of parliament is only by the participation ofmembers of parliament in the postal administration council as well as inpolitical positions in the federal postal and telecommunication administration. The result is that West German telecommunication policy is designed andimplemented around the postal administration council and the postaladministration. In spite of occasional accusations of opportunism aimed at thepostal administration council, its believable that the post administration hasadjusted itself to the potential compromises in the council. This can be backedup by the strong clashes in the council, and by that overruling the postaladministration council too often would likely lead to harmful campaigns againstthe council. The development of the telecommunication infrastructure within thispolitical and institutional framework became more and more criticized in the1970s. Finally it caused the demand for reform within the institutional andpolitical framework. The origins of the criticism came from the rapidtechnological developments of the 1960s and 1970s. Spectacular developments inthe realms of microelectronics and transmission technology as well as thecontinuing digitalization made merging telecommunication and data-processingpossible. This resulted in new quantitative and qualitative demands on thetelecommunication infrastructure. According to critics, the West German PTT, by not allowing competition,had not been in a position to complete these demands. This criticism, mainlyforwarded by the Liberal Democratic Party, was mostly concerned with theinternational competitiveness of West Germany. Further demands for the openingof markets were created by those countries which have already deregulated theirtelecommunication systems, for example the UK, USA, and Japan. Germany has eight main political paries: Christian Democratic Union(CDU), Christian Social Union (CSU), Free Democrat Party (FDP), Social DemocratParty (SDP), The Greens, The Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), TheRepublicans, and the Deutsche Volksunion. Christian Democratic UnionThe CDU, combining Catholics abd Protestants, has been the mostimportant single party in the development of post-war Germany. Its foreignpolicy was forged by Konrad Adenauer and is based on the Atlantic alliance. Although it also accepted the opening to the east initiated in the late 1960sand early 1970s by Willy Brandt and it is currently concerned with stability inpost-communist Eastern Europe. Its leader, Helmut Kohl, has been chancellorsince 1982 and still exercises a powerful personal control over the party. TheCDUs domestic policy is based on the concept of the social market as developedby Ludwig Erhard in the 1950s. Christian Social UnionThe CSU is a sister party of the CDU. It is Catholic and operates onlyin Bavaria where it is not challenged by the CDU. Under the leadership of thelate Franz Josef Strauss, it was more openly assertive in the pursuance ofGerman interests than the CDU. Its present leader is the finance minister, TheoWaigel. Howevere, Edmund Stoiber, the prime minister of Bavaria, as a moreaggressive politician in the tradition of Franz Josef Strauss, is equallyimportant. Free Democrat PartyThe free democrats are basically a liberal party in the European ratherthan the American sense; they believe in limiting government interference in allwalks of life, including both questions like divorce and abortion, and theeconomy. On the latter they are generally to the right of the CDU. However, theFDPs most dominant personality in the second half of the 1970s, and until hisresignation in 1992, was Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who made his name as foreignminister. The present leader, Klaus Kinkel, is also foreign minister. Social Democrat PartyOnce Marxist (though always democratic), the Social Democratsestablished a programme of pragmatic reform known as the Bad Godesberg programat the end of the 1950s. This paved the way for Helmut Schmidt, two of Germanysmost influential post-war politicians. The difference between their economicphilosophy and the Christian Democrats social market is not fundamental. Atpresent, however, the SPD believes the CDU has failed to face up to the need topay for unification, and advocates higher taxes, especially on the better off. The SPDs foreign policy has always emphasized openings to the east, but not atthe expense of the Atlantic alliance or the EU. There is a strong pacifistelement which currently opposes any German military activity outside Germany,including participation in UN peacekeeping operations; however, it should besaid that there are pacifists in all major parties. The GreensThe Greens had a major influence on German policies of all major partiesduring the 1980s, having surmounted the 5% threshold needed to be represented inparliament in the 1983 elections. However, in December 1990 they just failed tomeet this threshold in western Germany, partly because of an internal divisionbetween realists and purists. They are represented in the Bundestag because ineastern Germany, where a seperate threshold was provided, they won more than 5%in alliance with Bundnis 90, a group of protest parties from the former EastGermany. They also participate in governing coalitions in some state parliaments. The Party of Democratic SocialismThis is the former SED or ruling party of East Germany. Under a moderateleader, Gregor Gysi, who was never closely associated with the Honecker regime,it has attracted the support of some of those who have lost their jobs or homesas a result of unification. The Republicans and Deutsche VolksunionThe Republicans and Deutsche Volksunion represent nationalist forces onthe far right of German politics. They have played on the immigration issue.