Rights and Responsibilities Essay Example for Free

Rights and Responsibilities Essay First of all, I want to tell you one important thing. Everybody has some rights and some responsibilities. Our rights are what every human being deserves, no matter who they are or where they live, so that we can live in a world that is fair and polite. Of course since these rights are for everybody, that means we all have to take a responsibility too. A responsibility is something that is your job to do something about, or to think about. It is something that affects our lives and other peoples lives. As everybody knows, children have rights and if you want to know them, you should read UN convention. There are a lot of types of rights. The most important rights is right to protection, because nowadays there are a lot of stories about exploitation and neglect. Perhaps every day somebody talks about this topic on TV. To be honest, I know my rights, but I don’t forget about my responsibilities. It’s very important to me, because It’s very hard to live only by rights. We should think about every person, because they might lose their rights, if we don’t know about our responsibilities. When we move out into the world, we learn more about the responsibilities which go with our rights. We learn that some things that humans do are not acceptable because we are not considering the rights of others. For example, things like telling lies, cheating, bullying, violence, destroying others belongings and stealing. Children are curious about the world, and it seems no matter how much information that you give them they are continuously seeking more. Political views are typically something that children at least initially pick up from their parents. Regardless of a parent’s political affiliation and viewpoint, it is only fair to teach children about a bigger picture so they can grow up informed and capable of making their own decisions. Teaching children about politics can be either a path you choose for them or a doorway to their own political feelings.

Lizzie Borden Essay -- essays research papers fc

It is best described by the closing arguments for Lizzie Borden's defense, made by her attorney, George D. Robinson: The Lizzie Borden case has mystified and fascinated those interested in crime forover on hundred years. Very few cases in American history have attracted as much attention as the hatchet murders of Andrew J. Borden and his wife, Abby Borden. The bloodiness of the acts in an otherwise respectable late nineteenth century domestic setting is startling. Along with the gruesome nature of the crimes is the unexpected character of the accused, not a hatchet-wielding maniac, but a church-going, Sunday-school-teaching, respectable, spinster- daughter, charged with parricide, the murder of parents, a crime worthy of Classical Greek tragedy. This is a murder case in which the accused is found not guilty for the violent and bloody murders of two people. There were the unusual circumstances considering that it was an era of swift justice, of vast newspaper coverage, evidence that was almost entirely circumstantial, passionately divided public opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the accused, incompetent prosecution, and acquittal. 	Not much is described of Lizzie Andrew Borden's childhood. On March 1, 1851, Emma Lenora Borden was born to Andrew and Sarah Borden, and on July 19, 1860, Lizzie had arrived. While Lizzie was at the young age of two, Sarah died of uterine congestion. In 1865, Andrew Borden wed Abby Durfee-a short, shy, obese woman who had been a spinster until the age of 36. Abby's family were not as well off as the Bordens. 	Lizzie suffered from psychomotor epilepsy, a strange seizure of the temporal lobe that has one distinct symptom: a "black-out" in which the patients carry out their actions in a dream state, aware of every action without knowing what they are doing. Lizzie Borden seemed to have two entirely different personalities: the good daughter (a member of the Congressional Church, and a brilliant (conversationalist), and the bad daughter (deeply resentful of the patriarchy). These two personalities could be explained by the families' contradiction about their social statuses. She also had a habit of stealing from the local merchants. The Borden family of Fall River, Massachusetts, was well known-not only because of Andrew Borden's wealth, but also because of the New England name. Lizzi... ...rders took place. The Lizzie Borden House Bed and Breakfast Museum was to open on, appropriately, August 4. The breakfast includes food eaten the morning of the murders, such as bananas, johnnycakes, sugar cookies, and coffee with the management dressed as and playing the part of the Bordens.   Bibliography "Borden Murder Trial Begun." New York Times June 6, 1893. Clover, Carol J. Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. Princeton: Princeton Publishing, 1992. Kent, David, ed. Lizzie Borden Sourcebook. Boston: Branden Publishing Co., 1992. The Legend of Lizzie Borden. Video. Director William Bast. George Lemaire Productions in association with Paramount, 1975. Starring Elizabeth Montgomery. "Lizzie Borden is Acquitted." New York Times. June 21, 1893. Porter, Edwin H. The Fall River Tragedy: A History of the Borden Murders. Portmand, Maine: King Phillip Publishing, 1985. http://www.sirus.com/~rlf/lizzie/chronology.html "Lizzie Borden Basic Chronology." http://www.bram.addr.com/newpage41.htm "Try to Catch Forty Whacks†¦ Er, Winks†¦ At This B&B." by Bram Eisenthal

Discuss how Baz Luhrman reaches his audience Essay

In this essay I am going to discuss how Baz Luhrman reaches his audience and establishes mood in his film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. To do this I am going to discuss the difference between the screenplay and Shakespeare’s original text, the genre of the film, the mise-en-scene, lighting, camera shots and soundtrack. Baz Luhrman wanted to reach a teenage audience this is portrayed through clothing, the fast pace action, and the soundtrack. Luhrman may have wanted to reach a teenage audience because there is no other recent film adaptation of Shakespeares’ plays catering for a teenage audience. Baz Luhrman reaches his audience and establishes mood in the opening credits and first scene of his film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by his use of modernisation of the original text. The genre is communicated to the audience immediately in the opening credits in the screenplay. The prologue from the play is used in the form of a news report. We then hear a voice over that sounds as if he is writing what he is saying. The main points of his speech are shown in the form of newspaper headlines or flashed up on screen. When we hear the voice over stating the prologue his last fatal line is, â€Å"A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. † This is the last sentence flashed on screen before the audience see the characters picture and their name in a freeze frame. Luhrman could have done this to show the audience who the possible main suspects were for the cause of Romeo and Juliet’s deaths. There are shots of the film shown in quick succession which builds to a climax. In these shots are images of shooting, fast cars and police. These all show conflict, action and death i. e. tragedy. As the film progresses, it shows the audience that there are going to be deaths. Also the operatic music we hear becomes faster and faster. This goes well with the sequence of quick film images helping to create the feeling of tragedy. In the news report there is a picture of a broken wedding ring, this also helps to portray the message of tragedy and heartbreak. In the screenplay Shakespeares’ original text has been adapted to suit the modern audience. This is seen clearly in the first scene at the petrol station. The screenplay shows a Montague biting his thumb at the Capulets, whereas in Shakespeares’ original text, it is a Capulet that bites his thumb at the Montague’s. The roles may have been reversed because the Montague’s seem childish and the Capulets are more serious. The biting of the thumb is an immature thing to do, therefore suiting the Montague’s. In Shakespeares’ text the Capulets are at fault for starting the fight. In this screenplay both the Montague’s and the Capulets are to blame for the fight. Baz Luhrman has adapted the original text in this way because he wanted to show that both families had involvement in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, and it was not more the Capulets fault then the Montague’s. They were both at fault. To get this message across, Luhrman started at the beginning showing continuity. Also certain lines from Shakespeares’ text have been left out of the screenplay. For example, in the original text a Capulet states, â€Å"Let us take the law of our sides, let them begin. † However this is not included in Baz Luhrmans’ screenplay. This maybe because he wanted to make their actions and statements spontaneous. If he had included that line it would have shown that they have thought about their actions, which could then lead to the Montague’s being the cause of the fight. The film is set in Southern California. The first scene is set in a petrol station; this is so there can be a fire at the end of the scene. The cars both families drive have the first three letters of their family name as the license plate, which would make the audience believe they are wealthy. The Capulets’ car is dark signifying evil, whereas the Montagues’ car is bright revealing their childlike, playful personalities. The Capulet’s guns have their family logo on it and the word ‘sword’ (because it was the term used for gun at that time) as do the Montague’s. The Montague’s are portrayed in quite a ‘laddish’ manner and come across as harmless. They wear bright coloured clothing, have dyed hair, bald heads, fair complexions, clean shaven skin and behave scandalously. They seem more like boys, rather then men and come across as quite laid back and relaxed. These characteristics show their personality. The Capulet’s have a Latino look about them; they have a darker complexion, dark facial hair, and are stylishly dressed. Stereotypical archetypes (dark meaning villainous). They have slick gelled back hair which suggests to the audience that they take pride in their appearance and like to display their wealth. With the Montague’s, they do not seem to care what people think and so do not dress to impress. The Capulet’s also have silver heeled boots and one in particular has a silver cap over his top teeth saying ‘sin’. This shows the Capulet’s hypocrisy because they wear Catholic waistcoats. A better example of the Capulet’s hypocrisy is Tybalt who has a picture of God on his waistcoat and says he hates the word ‘peace’. Because the Capulet’s are conscious of their reputation, they are keen not to be insulted. Tybalt is smoking a cigarette in the petrol station showing rebellious behaviour and a danger to others. Unlike the Montague’s who appear harmless. During the gunfight, the Montague’s continuously fire off target and the Capulet’s shoot accurately and have a stylish handling of their guns, (Tybalt in particular). This along with appearance and behaviour, show the audience aspects of the character and a contrast of personality. There are a variety of camera shots in the opening credits of the film. There is lots of zoom in and out, when words flash up on screen and fast panning. There are high and low angle shots in a rapid sequence which creates visual excitement; it is very dramatic and almost confusing. Luhrman chose to use these types of camera shots because it escalates to a climax and adds to the mood being created. The first scene is top lit, has a quick fiery pace, uses slow motion when Tybalt drops a match and his cigarette. This creates suspense. There are lots of close ups used and one of most significant is the close up of the eyes (Benvolio and Tybalt, highlighting their evil intent) before the gunfight. This shoes intensity. Fast moving cameras make it hard to keep up with the action. This affect has been produced via the editing and helped with the formation of mood. Also a comical effect is created when a woman in a car is hitting a Montague in the head with her handbag. This is to try and relax the atmosphere because the scene is so tense. Luhrman has used a steady camera shot to involve the audience into the movie. This also adds tension as it makes the audience feel as if they are part of the gunfight. The operatic music in the opening credits reaches a climax. In the first scene, the Montague boys have their own introductory music called ‘The Boys’. It is an up beat retro sound revealing their adolescent characters. This caters for the teenage audience Luhrman is trying to reach because it is a modern style of music revealing their adolescent characters. The Capulet’s have a Western type music mirroring a cow boy style to represent their villainous characters. The soundtracks introducing the two families give the audience a sense of their personalities. The sound effects of the screenplay are Western; this creates a Country and Western style atmosphere and tells the audience there is going to be a gunfight. Also the pan pipes (symbolising the whistling of wind) and the creaking of a rusty sign, indicate a gunfight in the making and create a comical effect to relax the intense atmosphere. When the Montague’s and Capulet’s meet there is complete silence suggesting the starting of a gunfight. During the gunfight there is a blend between opera and a western style of music, showing equality at that point. In this essay I have explained how Baz Luhrman has reached his audience and established mood in the opening credits and first scene in his film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by his modernisation of Shakespeares’ original text. I have done this by discussing the genre, the difference between the screenplay and the text, the mise-en-scene, lighting and camera shots and the soundtrack. Baz Luhrman has made clear changes in his screenplay and has produced a successful modernised film of Romeo and Juliet.

Chinua Achebe s Things Falls Apart - 969 Words

Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Falls Apart, displays the struggle between tradition and changes which were brought by the British to the Umuofia tribe. The Igbo community of Umuofia was led by a man named Okonkwo, who is the main character of this story. Okonkwo is a vigorous and brutal man. However, his fear of weakness leads him to tragedy. Okonkwo, the leader of the Umuofia tribe, is described as tall and massive. He is also powerful, and everyone respects him. Okonkwo is a prosperous farmer of yams with his three wives and multiple children. Even though many admire Okonkwo s strength and leadership, they are afraid of him. Okonkwo has many positive characteristics, yet he also has his flaws. Okonkwo’s nature is symbolized as fire because he is fierce and destructive. He often acts before he thinks, is abusive, stubborn, demanding, and impulsive. He often acts before he thinks. His irrational behavior was caused by the fear of being weak. Throughout his life, as told by the book, Okonkwo tries hard not to be like his father, Unoka. According to Okonkwo, his father was an embarrassment because he was lazy and a coward. Okonkwo fears that he will become like his father, which drives him to become successful in life. Achebe, the author, explained, â€Å"his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness.† (13) Due to his fear, Okonkwo does not want to lose his self-worth. Therefore, he pushes himself and everyone around him. Okonkwo s hard work andShow MoreRelatedChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1719 Words   |  7 PagesThings fall apart is a classic novel written around the turn of the century, the novel focuses on the protagonist who we can also call a hero, Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a wealthy and respected leader within the Igbo tribe of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Strong individual with a passionate belief in all the values and traditions of his people. Chinua Achebe presents Okonkwo as a particular kind of tragic protagonist, a great man who carries the fate of his people. Okonkwo is a man who is inflexible andRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1033 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Chinua Achebe is a famous Nigerian novelist in worldwide. Things fall apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel published in 1958, the year after Ghana became the first African nation to gain independence. And this novel is one of the first African novels to gain worldwide recognition. (Phil Mongredien, 2010) This novel presents people a story of an African Igbo tribal hero, Okonkwo, from his growth to death. The fate of Okonkwo also indicates the fate of Africa caused by the colonizationRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart883 Words   |  4 Pagesdehumanize the native population and convince themselves that they are helping. Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart attempts to correct these misguided views of African societies by portraying a more complex culture that values peace, and the art of conversation. Achebe also tries to portray the idea that not all European people they come in contact with are aggressive, and misconstrued in their view of the African societ ies. Achebe tries to show us the value of his society through repeated views into conversationsRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1410 Words   |  6 PagesTeddy Manfre Ms. Blass ENG 209-001 April 24, 2017 Things Fall Apart In 1958, Chinua Achebe a famous Nigerian author publishes one of his most famous novels Things Fall Apart. The novel takes place in a Nigerian village called Umuofia. During the time that this novel is published Nigeria is being criticized by the Europeans for being uncivilized. In response, Achebe uses his brilliance in this novel to express the valued history of his people to his audience. His focus in the novel is on the pre-colonizedRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1015 Words   |  5 PagesIn his novel Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe utilizes his distinctive writing style in order to accurately capture the culture and customs of the Igbo people despite writing his story in a foreign language. Five aspects of Achebe’s style that make his writing unique is the straightforward diction present in dialogue, the inclusion of native parables convey Igbo life authentically, the inclusion of native Igbo words and phrases, detailed descriptions of nature and the usage of figurative languageRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1702 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Things Fall Apart Biographical information about the author: Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He had an early career as a radio host, and later became the Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria. After moving to America, he became an English professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Achebe has won numerous awards for his poetry and fiction, including the Man Booker prize and Commonwealth Poetry Price. He currently teaches at Bard College. Author: Chinua AchebeRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is an Important Element of Society Chinua Achebe is the author of when Things Fall Apart while Joseph Conrad authored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture isRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1248 Words   |  5 PagesChris Lowndes Ms. Cook A.P.L.C. 21 October 2015 We Are Family: Hardships in One s Family in Things Fall Apart Specific attributes correlate with each other to help create or not create the ideal strong family. However, through those attributes arise conflicts and major disputes. This issue of trying to achieve and create a strong family is of immense importance in one’s life, especially in Chinua Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, a milestone in African literature. For instance, the father leaves his legacyRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagescertain degree of the priest class, libation, holidays, creation stories, divine systems of punishments and rewards. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a story of tragic fall of a protagonist and the Igbo culture. Achebe demonstrates different examples and situations of where an African culture, in the instances of tribal religions, did certain things because of their tradition is and the way they developed into. African cultures pondered life mysteries and articulated theirRead Mo reChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1314 Words   |  6 PagesChinua Achebe masterpiece â€Å"Things Fall Apart† (1959) is the classic story of Okonkwo, a young man who strives to be revered by his village and family but because of his own internal character flaws meets his own demise. In the Igbo culture, family traditions are an important narrative throughout the novel. Okonkwo, the protagonist character of this story, begins with many attributes of what would be concluded as a hero with his cultural society. He is hard working, a material provider, feared and