The Motive Of Imposters Essays - Italian Films, British Films

The Motive of Imposters William Shakespeare attained literary immortality through his exposition of the many qualities of human nature in his works. One such work, The Merchant of Venice, revolves around the very human trait of deception. Fakes and frauds have been persistent throughout history, even to this day. Evidence of deception is all around us, whether it is in the products we purchase or the sales clerks' false smile as one debates the purchase of the illusory merchandise. We are engulfed by phonies, pretenders, and cheaters. Although most often associated with a heart of malice, imposture varies in its motives as much as it's practitioners, demonstrated in The Merchant of Venice by the obdurate characters of Shylock and Portia. We frequently see the intent of greed and selfishness covered up by the words and face of virtue. Such exploit is displayed by the exceptionally stingy Shylock, an unpopular Jew who makes his living through the practice of usury. When confronted about his unsympathetic trade, he resorts to citing scripture, thus comparing his selfish trade with the actions of holy men (I, iii, 73-87). Antonio, a well respected and honorable merchant, sees right through the falsehood of the justification and asks Shylock, "Was this inserted to make interest good? Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?" (I, iii, 91-92). The response from Shylock to the question reveals a glimpse of his true meaning. "I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast" (I, iii, 93-94) is a rather boastful reply of his wealth than a righteous rationalization. To which Antonio can only turn to his friend and say "The devil can site Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling chee k" (I, iii, 95-97). Words alone are not the only means by which imposters operate. A far more effective mode is one that fools the eye for it cannot pierce through the surface. Portia, the new wife of Antonio's friend, dresses as a lawyer in order to deceive the court. However, unlike Shylock's motive, Portia's intent is far more noble and selfless. She manipulates the law in such a way to save Antonio from certain death by the hand of Shylock. Through the eyes of the law, the imposture of a lawyer, especially by a woman at that time, was seen as extremely illicit. But Portia saw impersonation as the only means by which to save a man's life. The action more than warranted the cause. Unquestionably a motive of honorable ethical values. The distinction between the intentions of Shylock and Portia is clear. Even though Portia did save the life of a noble man, she did use deception in order to do so. Nevertheless, one may argue that imposture of any form is dishonesty and the motive behind it cannot change that. The only way to preserve absolute truth would be with steadfast integrity. -Stan Szubiak, 9/22/99

Free Essays on Roaring 20

Free Essays on Roaring 20\'s Americans, in the years following the end of World War I found themselves in an era called â€Å"The Roaring Twenties.† Americans in â€Å"The Roaring Twenties† found themselves in an era, where the people simply wished to detach themselves from the troubles of Europeans and the rest of the world. During the 1020’s the economy proved prosperous for the middle and upper class, crime lords and businesses; however, it was not a prosperous period for minorities and farmers. The Eighteenth Amendment (1919), which banned the manufacturing, sale of or transportation of liquor, caused breweries and saloons a great demise; however, it reaped profit for bootleggers. This also meant a rise in organized crime. Events such as the â€Å"Saint Valentines Massacre† took place. Callous criminals such as Capone, was worth an estimated 60 million dollars. Although Capone was indeed a criminal, he shared his wealth with charities, and provided the public with goods and services that they wanted. . (Tindall, et al., 434) Middle- Class Americans were moving into a period of economic prosperity. Even industrial workers whose strikes for higher pay had availed them little in the previous decades benefited. When the American people saw that the economy was flourishing, they felt that they were on a pedestal, protected from the river of uncertainty, economic depression and the failure of the â€Å"American Dream.† Many Americans found a way to improve their lifestyle. Whether it had been through hard work, or luck in the stock market. Since the economy was in such good shape, many Americans could afford to purchase items they could not have purchased in the past. Items such as camera’s, appliances, and radios were now affordable not only to the rich, but to the middle-class as well. (Tindall, et al., 446) Low-income families could afford to buy an inexpensive Model T, which Henry Ford developed in 1908. The number of passenger cars in the...

Feminism Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Feminism Article Analysis - Essay Example Ann Tickner in her work â€Å"You Just Don’t Understand: Troubled Engagements Between Feminists and IR Theorists,† that is, the eradication and repudiation of gender inequality that traditionally characterized the relationship between man and woman. With it also is the breaking of the glass ceiling or the â€Å"objectification† of women either as a sexual subject or an entity that can be exploited or abused. I agree this has to be relegated to history and people should move forward with renewed vigour to pursue and work as equals to build a more harmonious, more productive and better society. Women, after all, compose a half of our population, which means half the talent that could make our lives better, and half the capacity to produce. Therefore, it is not only a matter of political propriety that women should be equal to men, but also as an economic and political imperative. This however is only limited to personal, economic and societal relations, and not to international relations. Thus, I disagree with Tickner’s approach of transcending the feminist perspective to international relations. Feminist theories and approaches just got it wrong in interpreting international relations in terms of the feminist approach. International relations cover a complex and wide array of interests that intersect with one another and require balancing, better judgement, relevance and efficacy. Resolving this complexity that characterizes international relations with the epistemological and ontological perspective of feminist body of knowledge is just too simplistic. For example, we can cite the Kantian tradition and solution as a workable approach to an economic problem such as the recent financial crisis that almost dragged the world into recession whose Kantian solution that have been adopted by many, such as Obama’s Stimulus Plan, and for most part it has succeeded in saving jobs and in general, the economy of the United States and most part of the

Global transportation issues and challenges Thesis - 1

Global transportation issues and challenges - Thesis Example It is not only trade-related challenges that plague the transportation industry across the world. There are problems with urban congestion, making effective usage of alternative energy to reduce pollution, shortages of drivers, regulatory concerns, political issues and constraints, and even global price fluctuations in various nations and markets. Any breakdown in transportation can create societal hardship and even impacts the positive socio-economic growth of a country (Harriet, Poku and Anin, 2013). Therefore, failure to recognize and address the many different issues and challenges of transportation maintains long-term consequences for national and human development. The main problem of this research study is to uncover what specific challenges and issues are facing the global transportation industry. Without comprehensive knowledge of these problems, economic growth and social development of a nation can be gravely impacted. This study, therefore, attempts to address contemporary transportation challenges and, through comprehensive review of transportation-related literature, propose potential recommendations for professionals in the transportation industry to address these problems and achieve efficiency in transportation activities. Investment in infrastructure is fundamental for ensuring effective transportation systems. Nations must be considerate of such infrastructure dynamics as parking lots, traffic lights, roadway networks, and ports (to name only a few). Lack of investment in these transportation-related aspects creates substantial inadequacy in transportation systems (Yu, De Jong, Storm and Mi, 2012). Control, investment and management of traffic improves productive use of transport infrastructures and, as one relevant example, traffic lights in an urban region which are allowed to become malfunctioning increases traffic congestion and creates

'The Iceman Cometh' by Eugene O'Neill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

'The Iceman Cometh' by Eugene O'Neill - Essay Example That which separates them paradoxically joins them, suggesting the principle of complementary opposition uniting yin and yang. The relationship of Harry Hope and Jimmy Tomorrow is more complex; for the focus on past and future they respectively symbolize takes us closer both to the pipe dreaming that is the thematic core of Iceman and to the Taoist manner in which ONeill structures the plays thematic oppositions. In a sentimental monologue halfway through act one, Harry Hope remembers the time he almost ran for alderman, and vows to renew his political involvement; moments later Jimmy Tomorrow, in counterpoint, dreams about regaining his former position in public relations. For both, however, pipe dreams for the future rest on self-deceit about the past. With no chance of winning twenty years ago, Harry used his wifes death as an excuse to withdraw from the race and the world; Jimmy conveniently forgets being fired for drunkenness. The close proximity of their speeches, however, allows Larry Slade to articulate their symbolic connection. Harrys maudlin reminiscences about Bessie prompts Larrys remark, "Isnt a pipe dream of yesterday a touching thing?" And when Jimmy vows to spruce up his appearance for a future interview, Larry sardonically comments, "The tomorrow movement is a sad and beautiful thing, too." While Hope focuses on illusions about the past and Jimmy leads the "tomorrow movemen t," they actually form another complementary couple who represent the interdependence of false memories and empty ambitions--the neurotic state of mind that afflicts virtually all the barroom derelicts. As Larry laughingly crows to Jimmy, "Worst is best here, and East is West, and tomorrow is yesterday. What more do you want?" The identity of "yesterday" and "tomorrow," apparent opposites, again resembles that of yin and yang: past and future interpenetrate at Harry Hopes saloon. Iceman also mingles another pair of

The Cinematography Of American Beauty Film Studies Essay

The Cinematography Of American Beauty Film Studies Essay Cinematography is an art form, not just an aspect of a movie. Cinematography affects the mood and tone of a movie as well as the viewers feelings while watching a movie. In American Beauty this is demonstrated beautifully through camera techniques, lighting, and the framing of the shot. Camera techniques include aerial, deep focus, pan, shallow focus, slow motion, soft focus, and the tracking shot. Lighting is more than just shining a light on a character. The cinematographer must know how to manipulate the lighting to create the mood and the correct throw of the light. He must know when to use soft light and when to use hard light to create the lines and shadows desired. The framing of a shot also adds to a movie. Framing the shot is the placement of objects and people in a scene to create the mood or to direct the viewers focus. These are all elements to think about when watching a movie and they are all shown superbly in American Beauty. American Beauty is narrated by Lester Burnham, the husband of Carolyn Burnham and father of Jane Burnham. He informs the audience that he has less than a year to live but in reality he is already dead; and the whole movie looks back at his life through his eyes. Lester Burnham is a 42-year-old who is unhappily married and is despised by his wife and daughter. Behind the red door of their home, the family is falling apart. The dinner table is a battleground, where the mother and father tear apart one another s unhappy lives and their daughter retreats into a balanced yet flawed reality she has no thought of being loved. Carolyn is only driven by success and Lester has just had enough. He makes friends with the cool, confident Ricky Fitts (who supplies him with drugs) and becomes a rebel, no longer even pretending to accept his family s criticisms. Meanwhile his wife has an affair with the real estate King, Buddy Kane, and even when Lester finds out he does not care. Lester develops an obsession with his daughter Jane s friend Angela and his only goal in life is seducing her because he believes she is the personification of beauty. Ricky likes to film things that are beautiful which includes Jane. At first this freaks her out, but in the end the two develop a relationship. Lester attains his chance with Angela but he discovers that he has been living a fantasy and she is nothing more than a scared little girl. In the end, Lester is killed by Colonel Fitts (Ricky s father). The movie opens with an aerial shot of the street where the Burnhams live. The nameless, one of many streets in the city, provides a sense that the Burnhams are small and unimportant in the world. For the first part of the movie, Lester is shot from above and small in the shot, making him seem small and unimportant. However, as the film progresses and Lester becomes more powerful, shots of him tend to come from below, depicting his power. Also in the office the camera shoots a still deep focus shot, or a shot that keeps the entire image in sharp focus, of the cubicles in the office showing the ceiling. The shot of the ceiling with the lights glaring down makes the scene feel oppressive, like the office is more powerful than man. When the neighbors come to welcome the Fitts to the neighborhood, the camera shows Colonel Fitts opening the door and when the door; swings in front of the camera, it switches to a shot of the people at the door. Cutting the scene when the door swings by make s the scene appear seamless and smooth to the viewer. A swish pan, or a very fast panoramic camera movement, is used when Ricky is filming Jane through his window and his dad comes in yelling. Ricky turns fast to look causing the camera image to blur giving a sense of chaos to the scene. After Lester is shot, he talks about his life and remembers the good times. A left to right tracking shot is used for this scene, making all the memories flow together smoothly and the left to right movement of the camera imitates his life. These are just a few examples of the camera techniques used in American Beauty to help bring the movie to life. Lighting also plays an important role in the audience s perceptions of characters while creating the mood for the scene. Lester has a dream where he walks down a hallway and finds Angela in a bathtub in a room filled with steam at the end of the hall. The entire scene is in soft light, light not directly from the source, to provide the impression of a dreamlike state. Also whenever Jane and Ricky are together, they are filmed in low soft light. The darkness and the soft light help add to the romantic mood and create a kind of calm feeling about the shot. Lester wants to get in shape for Angela so he goes down to the garage to find his old weights. He then undresses and looks at his reflection in the window. The shot of Lester looking at his reflection is lighted from above to make him seem overly chubby. One of the best example of framing the shot are the shots of the Burnham family at the dinner table. Carolyn is seated at one end, Jane in the middle, and Lester at the other end of a long table. This long shot frame that includes all the people and some of the surrounding environment shows the distance between Carolyn and Lester and yields the impression that Jane is just caught in the middle. After an argument at the dinner table Lester talks to Jane in the kitchen. The camera shot from outside through the window shows the window pain splitting Lester and Jane as a sort of dividing line between them giving the impression of a wall. Another example of framing the shot is that of Carolyn driving home from the gun range and the camera shows her gun sitting on the seat next to investment books, suggesting that money kills. Many people share the opinion that American Beauty is a great movie. Michael Wilmington and Jay Carr, two men that review movies, both agree. Its a picture with a great cool shiny surface, and it boasts superb actors, witty and iconoclastic writing, vigorous and imaginative direction and brilliantly stylized cinematography states Wilmington (Wilmington). Also, a millennial classic says Carr (Carr). American Beauty received five, well deserved, Academy Awards one of them for cinematography. For cinematography to be good, the techniques used should not be apparent to the viewer: they should only add to the movie. Conrad Hall shows his style and mastery of the camera and lighting in American Beauty. The audience is not consciously aware of the techniques used but subconsciously they have a big impact on the viewers emotions. Truly, Conrad Hall is a master of the big screen.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Cinema

Recreation is as much necessary for healthy growth as work. Life will be dull and unpleasant if there is no occasional amusement to cheer it up. Therefore, from the earliest limes recreation in different forms has been introduced in healthy and civilized society. Dance, drama, singing, puppet show and various other forms of entertainment have found favour with the people. Today life of man has grown complex, full of worries, cares and anxieties. The mechanized Way of life has bred monotony, therefore his modes of entertainment have also undergone revolutionary change. The latest and the most popular form of recreation is Cinema.Its phenomenal popularity and development is due to its mass appeal and that it is well within the financial limitation of common man. The people belonging to different walks of life patronize it and find it equal to their varied Interests. The power or the motion pictures as an instrument of culture and education is immeasurable. We know that a motion picture based on a classical novel will induce thousands of people to read Or reread the book; the introduction of a classical composition into the picture stimulates the demand for recording of that composition. Lessons of history, geography and everyday science life imparted through it. Associated essay: Pestle Analysis – Odeon CinemaThe man of today is better informed than his ancestors due to cinema. Thus they give food for thought and imagination to the common people by showing on the screen grand objects ; sublime beauties and epoch-making events. The great personalities of former times come to life and their message is communicated to the people The lives of saints and seers set high ideals before the people. They enlarge our vision and broaden our minds. FILMS DEPICT Historical, mythological and social themes bearing on Indian lives, whether of the past or the present make a special appeal to the people.The Cinema has been found to be the most effective method of exposing social evils such as dowry system, etc. Civic sense and public morality is engendered through them. The political awareness, fight for the rights and the general awakening of the masses is largely contributed by Cinema. As a means of propaganda, publicity and advertisement its services are invaluable and it must be preserved and fostered at all costs. Cinema has also thrown down the barriers of time and space. It has made man truly cosmopolitan in outlook. A grand sight in cold Norway is reproduced vividly to people in hot Africa.A political or social revolution in one part of the country is shown the world over. Moreover, it can be used as a medium for the enlighten ­ment of other nations about our own culture, customs, manners and policies. It has often been said that one of the potent causes of international misunderstanding, hot and cold wars, is that people of different countries do not have the means to understand and appreciate each other adequately. In this respect cinema can serve the goodwill mission of presenting the correct image of the country and the people abroad.Thus, Cinema can be used for establishing mutual international understanding and paving the way for permanent world peace. However, it cannot be neglected that they are the major single factor which earn substantial and much needed foreign exchange. Commercially also Cinema has opened up a lucrative pro fession. Besides encouraging young men and women to enter the field of acting, in has provided employment to millions of people as technicians, designers, photographers, dressmakers and various allied agencies. The artists right from the storywriter to a poster designer have found a ready market for their talent. Poets and even literary men who had been looked down upon for ages have found with Cinema a fresh lease of life and livelihood. Apart from its various advantages, Cinema is not free from its evil effects. Film artistry is, unfortunately, compelled to compro ­mise with people’s popular taste and appeal to their lower instincts. Too many films dealing with sex problems and with the ways of the criminals are now shown, f These are apt to affect public morality. The substandard catering of music I and recreation is likely to injure public taste and out look and is not ultimately good for the art.The Cinema has far reaching effect upon the youth of the country. The ftlms make them prematurely sex conscious and they start reacting the scenes of romantic pictures in their regular life. A sense of dissatisfaction with life is engendered among them. Vandal ­ism and increasing acts of rowdyism in the student community are attributed to their indiscriminately frequenting the cinema halls. Again the youth imitating all sorts of fashions from the films lead to the development of expensive tastes and manners. They grow divorced from grim and dismal realities of life and start living in the fairyland pictures on the screen.In this respect the role of Government is significantly felt. Further in India Cinema has to attain the artistic and technical perfection, Government aid by way of subsidy, helping manufacture of raw film and other equipment in the country; admission tax reduction, encouragement to talented artists and techni ­cians mu st be forthcoming. We must not forget that with wide range of depiction and with universality of its appeal, Cinema has tremen ­dous possibilities in our country. With our abundant and natural wealth and inexhaustible fund of rich literature, our Cinema, though young and unstable, its growth is inevitable.