Trench Life During World War One Essay Example for Free

Trench Life During World War One Essay The life of a soldier in the trenches during World War I was unimaginable to the people back home in Canada. Soldiers carried out their duty to their country in the most horrifying conditions. The trenches were rivers of mud and blood, food rations were very basic and designed only to keep the soldiers alive, hygiene was non-existent, and military direction was poor as these men fought for their country. Constant shelling and gas attacks made many soldiers feel that death was imminent and a great deal of men suffered from mental breakdowns due to the war. During World War I soldiers spent most of their time involved in trench warfare. A typical day in the trenches began at night when the sentry was relieved and replaced. This individual was responsible for watching No Mans Land and reporting changes to the man sitting with him. The companion of the sentry would then inform the platoon officer about changes in No Mans Land. Men in the trenches at night sat around telling stories, smoking cigarettes, and writing home. It was too uncomfortable and crowded to sleep wearing all their ammunition and clothes. When a soldier did doze off he was likely to awake startled as a rat passed over his face. When morning finally came rum was issued and then breakfast was served. The soldiers would try and sleep in the morning and then have dinner at 12:30pm. Four oclock was teatime and then it was night again. The days of the soldiers were filled with idleness if the men were not involved in combat. Every four days the soldiers were relieved from the trenches and sent to billets for four days of rest. A typical day in the billets would see the soldiers getting up at six oclock, washing, taking part in roll call and inspection, having breakfast, and then participating in drills with the company at 8:45am. At around 11:30am the soldiers were dismissed, had dinner, and were then on their own for the rest of the day if they had not signed up for a digging or working party. During the soldiers four days of rest they were sometimes ordered to visit the Divisional Baths. The Divisional Baths contained a bathroom with 15 tubs (barrels sawed in half) half-filled with water and containing a piece of laundry soap. The men were told they had twelve minutes to take their baths and then the water would be turned off even if the men were still soapy. After their baths the  soldiers were treated to clean underwear and sent back to the billets. The conditions that the soldiers had to deal with while living in either the trenches or billets were inhuman. Men in the trenches were surrounded by the horrific smell of death. Soldiers killed in the trenches would lie unburied for months and when they were eventually buried they had hardly enough earth over them to conceal their clothes. In some cases the dead were only covered by chloride of lime or became unearthed by shells. There were so many dead soldiers that eventually collection points were set up to collect the bodies. Wounded men in the trenches were given little time to recover and were then sent back to the front lines. Shelter from gunfire was hard to find. Sometimes the soldiers hid in holes with no overhead cover and when it rained the holes would fill up and the men would be flooded out. Even the trenches were waste deep in mud when it rained hard. The rain soaked everything including their clothes and their rations. Rats constantly scurried through the trenches an d lice plagued the soldiers. The soldiers equipment was heavy and poorly made. An ordinary pack was heavy to start with and even heavier when the soldiers were told to pack machine guns and ammunition. Bad shoes gave a lot of soldiers painful blisters. Their boots were so badly made that their toes stuck out and the holes had to be patched up with newspaper or cardboard. Moving from one area of engagement to another was very difficult. This was usually done at night and many soldiers got lost in the dark trying to relieve other soldiers. Moving to another trench was also life threatening due to the constant shelling. Sometimes the soldiers traveled from one place to another by train. Box cars, that had never been cleaned and had little protection from the elements, transported the soldiers for up to twelve hours. It was a very uncomfortable journey and the soldiers ended up stiff and wet. Nights in the trenches were spent repairing damaged trenches with barbed wire, filling sandbags, and digging new trenches, instead of sleeping. Soldiers were also sent out into No Mans Land, crawling about on their  hand and knees, to find out information about the enemies military plans. It was too cold for the soldiers to sleep with no blankets and they could not even try to keep warm by exercising. Exercising would have the soldiers moving around too much, making them targets for the enemy. When the men did try to sleep they often froze. Even though the soldiers were supposed to only spend four days at a time in the trenches it often ended up being longer. In fierce battles the men were sometimes in the trenches for up to twenty days with practically no food or water, and very little sleep. When the soldiers came out of the trenches they were enclosed in a practically bullet-proof casing of mud. The men then had to march from the trenches to the billets and were often shot down on their way. Life in the billets was not really much of a rest. Cleaning muddy clothes for inspection was not easy and in the evening the soldiers had to carry rations or mail up to the trenches. The men also helped the cook chop wood or helped the quartermaster draw coal. The billets were better then the trenches but still far from being luxurious. An old stable previously occupied by cows or tents with no floorboards usually served as shelter. These tents got very wet when it rained, making it difficult to get a decent comfortable sleep, and were very crowded. The camps were very untidy and littered with refuse. Food supplied to the soldiers was very basic. Rations were brought up to the trenches every night. These rations included all the bully beef a soldier could eat, biscuits, cheese, tinned butter (seventeen men to a tin), jam or marmalade, bread (ten men to a loaf), tea and stew when possible. Sometimes the soldiers made Trench pudding consisting of broken biscuits, condensed milk, jam, and water flavored with mud. This concoction was cooked over a spirit stove in a canteen until it became the consistency of glue. Soldiers also received parcels of foodstuffs, cigarettes, [and] candy from back home to add to their menu. In the trenches each soldier also carried emergency rations in case they were cut off from supplies. These rations included one tin of bully beef, four biscuits, and a tin containing tea, sugar, and oxo cubes. Rations issued while soldiers where stationed in the billets were a little bit better. Rations for nineteen men for one day would include six loaves of bread (loaves were of different sizes and usually at least one was flattened, possibly caused by someone putting a can of bully beef on top of it during transport), three tins of jam (one apple, two plum), seventeen Bermuda onions, a piece of cheese in the shape of a wedge, two one pound tins of butter, a handful of raisins, a tin of biscuits, and a bottle of mustard pickles. In the billets the soldiers also received spuds, condensed milk, fresh meat, bacon, Maconochie Rations (can filled with meat, vegetables and greasy water), tea, sugar, salt, pepper, and flour. Out of these rations three men shared one loaf of bread, seven to twelve men shared one tin of jam, nine soldiers shared a pound of butter, and each man got an onion and a small portion of cheese. The bottle of pickles was usually drawn for; everyone put their name in a hat and the last name left in the hat got the pickles. The soldiers were also issued between twenty and forty cigarettes every Sunday morning and paid twenty-four cents a day. This money was spent on fresh eggs, milk, bread, pastry, and an occasional tin of pears or apricots. Constant shelling at the front was one of the most difficult things for a soldier to endure. Shelling was especially dangerous during the winter when the ground was frozen. The shell[s] [would burst] on impact and the bits [went] out sideways and [were] very dangerous over a radius of a hundred yards or so. When it was muddy the shells would penetrate into the mud a ways before exploding, therefore they were not as dangerous. There was a constant threat from the shrapnel of shells that exploded very close to the soldiers. Flying shrapnel commonly killed wounded men carried out on stretchers. Attacks on the enemy were almost always preceded by artillery bombardments to try and get more soldiers out of the trenches and over onto the enemys side. Millions of shells were fired each day with thirty percent of the shells failing to explode due to poor manufacturing. About one out of every ten shells contained poisonous gas. Shells damaged wells, decreasing the amount of fresh water available to the soldiers, and partially buried people without killing them. Soldiers throwing bombs often held them for too  long, before throwing them, to make sure the bombs were not thrown back by the enemy. This led to many soldiers losing arms, hands or even being killed altogether. Shell shock was one of the most common ailments to affect soldiers during the war. For every one thousand men with physical wounds ËÅ"combat stress affected a further two hundred. Ninety-eight percent of fighting men cracked after thirty-five days of active front line fighting. Only two percent of soldiers enjoyed battle and did not crack; doctors considered these people to be aggressive psychopaths. Many men found it very difficult to bring themselves to fire a gun even when being fired upon. A lot of soldiers became sick to their stomach, felt faint, and lost control of their bowels in battle. Men sent to the base suffering from battle fatigue were often sent back to the front lines, by doctors who said they were fine. One example of this is a man who was mentally and physically unfit to be a soldier. He was just like an animal and had not even got the sense to take his trousers down when he needed to relieve himself. This particular man was sent down as mentally deficient three times and sent back to the front lines three times. Eventually he became so unstable that he killed himself. Many soldiers also died due to extreme exhaustion caused by lack of sleep and proper food. Going over the top and into No Mans Land was something every soldier dreaded. Before this event occurred, many men made out their wills or wrote letters home. If the letters reached their destination then that meant the writer had been killed. It was a nerve-racking wait for the bombardment to end so that the soldiers could run to their death. The shelling was so loud the soldiers had to yell [orders] using [their] hands as a funnel into the ear of the man sitting next to them. The soldiers went up scaling ladders, or Ladders of Death as they were called, and tried to make their way as fast as they could over the to the enemy trenches, while the enemy fired upon them. The whole situation was futile, as men running towards guns will surely die. Gas attacks were a common occurrence in the front lines. When a gas attack  was announced the soldiers only had between eighteen and twenty seconds to put on their masks and try to save themselves. The gas helmets carried by the soldiers were made of cloth treated with chemicals, had two glass windows to see through, and a rubber-covered tube on the inside through which the soldier exhaled (the tube was constructed so that the user could not inhale through it). The soldier inhaled through the nose and the gas filled air passed through the cloth helmet and was neutralized. Each soldier had to carry two of these helmets in a waterproof bag at all times in case one of them did not work. These helmets often gave the soldiers headaches and were only good for five hours of the strongest gas. When a gas attack did occur the gas quickly filled the trenches and lurked around for two or three days until the air [was] purified by means of large chemical sprayers. Animals suffered the most as they had no masks and had very little chance of outrunning a gas cloud. The soldiers in the front lines also had to deal with poor military planning. Few preparations were done before a battle and artillery bombardments were poorly planned. Orders were not promptly given to fill in the gaps of attack lines when men were killed and hundreds of thousands of lives were lost to capture a few square miles of mud. Weapons supplied to the soldiers were of poor quality and sometimes ended up killing the user. Orders were often given to retreat and hundreds of soldiers were left out in No Mans Land wounded. These wounded would try to crawl back to the trenches at night or be taken prisoner. Officers led men through shelling, causing casualties and deaths, instead of waiting for the shelling to stop and then continuing on. Officers also often got shot while guiding troops to their new location and then the soldiers were left to fend for themselves. Army discipline during the war was very strict. The punishments ranged from death to humiliation. The worst punishment was death by a firing squad. This punishment was given for desertion, cowardice, mutiny, giving information to the enemy, destroying or willfully wasting ammunition, looting, rape, and robbing the dead. If a man was executed the event was covered up and in the public casualty list their name would have ËÅ"Accidentally Killed or ËÅ"Died written beside it. Where there [was] a doubt as to the willful  guilt of a man who [had] committed an offence punishable by death the individual was given sixty-four days in the front line trench without relief. There were also several other punishments given to soldiers depending on the severity of the crime they committed. Field Punishment #1 included the soldier being attached spread [eagle to] a limber wheel, two hours a day for twenty-one days. During this time the soldier was only given water, bully beef, and biscuits for food. Field Punishment #2 confined the soldier in the ËÅ"Clink with no blankets. The soldier would be punished for twenty-four hours or twenty days with only water, bully beef, and biscuits as rations. Pack Drill was when a soldier was subjected to drilling for two hours wearing full equipment. The men tried to get away with filling their packs with straw, to make them lighter, but usually got caught and were then sentenced to the limber wheel. Confined to Barracks was when a soldier had to stay in his billet from twenty-four hours to seven days as punishment. The life of a soldier during the First World War was cruel and inhuman. The men lived in trenches drowned in mud, surrounded by rats and bodies, and infested with lice. The food supplied to them was barely palatable and the military command in charge was not always well informed. Death surrounded the soldiers as they were constantly fired upon and subject to frequent gas attacks. Although these men were fighting for their country, the high loss of life was hardly worth it.

Fairy Tales Are The Favourite Bedtime Stories Cultural Studies Essay

Fairy Tales Are The Favourite Bedtime Stories Cultural Studies Essay Fairy tales are the favourite bedtime stories for young children; one of the reasons is because they can teach morals. Fairy tales have been around for centuries; even before they emerged as a literary genre of their own. Children the world over have been exposed to different fairy tales and folklore. Fairy tales have also been known to be essential in a childs development, because of its suitability to teach young children moral values while helping children distinguish between deeds that are good and deeds that are evil, such as vengeance. Fairy tales accomplish this by casting protagonists as ordinary children with whom young audiences can easily identify (Cashdan, 2000); in other words, children are able to relate with the protagonists of fairy tales and as they are just like any other children, except for their titles (Cashdan, 2000). Fairy tales have also been described by Bettleheim (1962) as key means by which culture is assimilated by children. Bettelheim (1976) suggests that our unconscious desires are expressed through fairy tales and fairy tales symbolize deep hidden meanings within our beings. For children, he asserts that fairy tales are a wonderful experience because the child feels understood and appreciated deep down in his feelings, hopes, and anxieties, without theses all having to be dragged up and investigated in the harsh light of a rationality that is still beyond him (Bettelheim, 1976). Christians (2009) summarizes this as fairy tales are more naturally suited for children because children can fill a deep psychological need with stories. Fairy tales have also received increasing research as a literary genre because of its influence on children who have been exposed to fairy tales from a young age. Fairy tales, particularly Western European fairy tales have secured a unique place in literature written in English because they have entered our cultural shorthand via the popularity of English translations of the works of Perrault and the Brothers Grimm as well as Disney movies (Schanoes, 2007); making fairy tales a fairly an integral part of childhood. It is also because of the popularity of Western European fairy tales that Christians (2009) derives that fairy tales can now be defined on their own while receiving considerable scholarly attention due to its widespread influence. On the other hand, feminist writers have cited fairy tales as an effective means of submitting women to the values of a patriarchal society, particularly through depicting the fairy tale heroines as beautiful and passive. Fairy tales as a literary genre have also been used in Western cultures to safeguard the values and conventions of its patriarchal societies (Comtois, 1995). These values and conventions embedded in fairy tales, Comtois noted, were consistent with the values that were enforced during the times the tales were written. Fox (1997) notes how the feminine beauty can be seen as a normative means of social control whereby social control is accomplished through the internalization of values and norms that serve to restrict womens lives. Doll (2000) also states that good girls become idealized, perfected objects, pedestaled for the males gaze, further enforcing that women are shaped into characters that are appealing to males. Many feminist writers such as Freedman (1986), Fox (1977), Dellinger and Williams (1997), Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz (2003), and Stone (1985) have noted how fairy tales, particularly princess-themed fairy tales, often employ the portrayal of feminine beauty as a means of control over women by men and the patriarchal societies in which we live in. Beauty is a key element in the lives of many women who spend time, resources and effort in the pursuit of the ideal beauty, most often depicted in numerous media. Women relentless strive to pursue the feminine beauty ideal, which is viewed largely as an oppressive, patriarchal practice that objectifies, devalues, and subordinates women (Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz, 2003). Despite this, many women continue to strive for beauty, believing that it plays a major social role in their lives. Backman and Adams (1991) and Suitor and Reavis (1995) assert that beauty is one of the main ways self-esteem and social status are gained by young women and adolescent girls. Women not only want to be beautiful for self-gratification, but also for social purposes, particularly the approval and appraisal by men, whereby according to Freedman (1989), women are aware that beauty comes heavily with men and they therefore work hard to achieve it. The frequent portrayal of women merely as pretty things to look at often create stereotypes that women are exactly that-beautiful dolls who are meant to be seen, and never heard; and all those who do not adhere to such femininity are incompetent and lacking. Dellinger and Williams (1997) found in their study Makeup at work: Negotiating appearance rules in the workplace that women who wear makeup in the workplace are seen as healthier and more competent while those who do not are seen in a negative light. Women who achieve a high degree of attractiveness are psychologically and socially rewarded (Dellinger and Williams, 1997; Hatfield and Sprecher, 1986). This patriarchal society where women are meant to pursue the ideal feminine beauty is mirrored very heavily in fairy tales, especially princess-themed fairy tales, where beauty is often the only power granted to the heroine (Christians, 2009). Jorgensen (2012) declares that beauty is not only linked with success of the heroines in fairy tales but also with character. Fairy tale princesses like Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty all rely on using their beauty to entice a prince to liberate them from their burdens; depicting the man as the only key to women to free themselves from problems and to upgrade their social status. The way most classic fairy tales depict women is capable of exposing young children to womens role stereotyping. According to Comtois (1995), feminist writers such as Lieberman (1972), Bottigheimer (1987), Stone (1985), and Tartar (1987) have contended that folklore has at least resulted in the perpetuation of stereotypes in society. These feminist writers also assert that traditional fairy tales have not only served as a mirror of society but have been intentionally used to promote societal values which often depict gender roles in narrow, predetermined ways (Comtois, 1995). Feminist scholars often consider females in fairy tales to be too passive, pretty, and domestic (if protagonists), or alternately too wicked, ugly, and vicious (if antagonists) (Jorgensen, 2012); and these passive, pretty fairy tale heroines receive rewards when they adhere to said roles (Gauntlett, 2002). 1.1 Statement of the Problem While research on fairy tales is not new (with studies of fairy tales dating back as far as the 19th century and early 20th century), its research is not widespread, though gaining momentum because of the popularity of Western European fairy tales. Research on feminism and gender stereotyping in fairy tales have dated back as early as the 1960s with Bettelheims Use of Enchantments (1962) and Heuschers (1963) A Psychiatric Study of Fairy Tales: Their Origin, Meaning, and Usefulness for example. Much of feminist fairy tale researches focus primarily on the sexual stereotyping of women in fairy tales, as carried out by feminist writers such as Bottigheimer (1987), Stone (1985), Comtois (1995), and Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz (2005). Some research also focuses on the negative impact of fairy tales as found in Stones 1985 study The misuse of enchantment: Controversies on the significance of fairy tales. According to Stone (1985) stereotypes are engraved in the perceptions of young women from early childhood and it is possible that as these young girls progress into young adults, the gender stereotypes created in their childhood will still persist and perhaps result in negative effects regarding their perceptions of gender roles and even confidence and self-image. This study aims to discover the impacts of fairy tales on young adult males who have been exposed to fairy tales, particularly princess-themed fairy tales, to determine what kind of gender stereotypes have been conceptualized and their perceptions towards gender roles depicted in fairy tales. This study also aims to determine whether feminism has had an impact on altering the stereotypes created by fairy tales. Moreover, much of the feminist researches focus more on womens responses and opinions towards fairy tales and these researches are mostly theoretical in nature. Previously, there have been two researches conducted on the impact of fairy tales on people: Kay F. Stones 1985 study which involved a sample consisting of women, children, and men; and Rita Comtois 1995 study which featured a sample of women only. According to Comtois (1995), despite a number of feminist writers who have studied the potential impact of sexual stereotyping in fairy tales (Bottigheimer, 1987; Stone, 1985; Tatar, 1987), the majority of their opinions are speculative, based on conclusions drawn from and implications of a fairy tales exposure on its audience. This study will be similar to Rita J. Comtois 1995 qualitative study of the perceived impact of fairy tales on a group of women. This study will also be similar to K. F. Stones 1985 study on the impact of fairy tales, which she conducted in a series of interviews, with a sample of forty-four people, whereby 6 of her respondents were boys. While Comtois research explored the psychological impact fairy tales have had on a female audience which has reached adulthood, this study will instead use a male audience as the sample. With the use males as the respondents, this study, which adopts a feminist approach, it will be possible to collect data on the opinions of males on the topic without resorting to speculative theories. The results of this study whereby a bigger male sample is used, as opposed to the 1985 study carried out by Stone (with only a small sample of 6 males), it will also be possible to gain more insight into what males think without resorting to conjectures. Purpose of this study This study aims: To determine the effects of exposure of fairy tales from an early age on young male adults regarding the way they perceive stereotypical gender roles. To establish whether the gender stereotypes in young male adults have slowly changed over time or are carried well into adulthood due to these effects of exposure to princess-themed fairy tales. To determine how feminist views have altered and changed the way young adult males view the stereotypical female characters depicted in fairy tales and women in real life. Research questions At the end of this study, the researcher hopes to answer the following research questions: What are the effects of exposure of fairy tales on young adult males regarding their perspectives of stereotypical gender roles? How have the effects of exposure to princess-themed fairy tales on young adult males from their youths persisted over time? How have feminist views changed the perception of gender stereotypes formed in young male adults regarding female characters depicted in fairy tales as well as woman in real life? 1.4 Significance of the Study The results from this study will help to increase the knowledge and awareness on the impact of fairy tales on the development of stereotypes of women in young adult males who have been exposed to fairy tales at a young age. From the study, it will also expand the knowledge base on what kind of gender stereotypes are formed and whether they are identical to the stereotypical characteristics of women (particularly princesses) that have been depicted in fairy tales. It will also help to shed some light on whether these stereotypes have degraded over time in the mindset of young adults, whether they have applied these stereotypes onto women in real life, and whether the onset of feminism has in turned further altered these stereotypes. If the gender stereotypes formed through the exposure of fairy tales from an early age still persist throughout the lives of the respondents well into their young adult years, then it will show that fairy tales do have a lasting impact on young adult males. The results of study will provide more insight into how much fairy tales have affected young adult males and what kind of stereotypes have formed as a result of fairy tale exposure. Apart from that, based on the results from this study, it will shed some light on whether young adult male still hold stereotypes towards feminine beauty and women (whereby women who make an effort to enhance their appearance are more valued than those who do not) as suggested by Dellinger and Williams (1997) as well Hatfield and Sprecher (1984). Instead of drawing conclusions from theoretical analysis and assumptions of what kind of impact fairy tales have on men, the data collected from this study will provide will help to clarify what sort of stereotypes that males really have towards women as a result of exposure to fairy tales. 1.5 Scope of Study and Methodology The independent variable of this study is the princess-themed fairy tales. The dependent variable would be the responses provided from the respondents towards the princess-themed fairy tales text. The hypothesis of this study is that fairy tales do have some impact on the formation of gender stereotypes in men. In this study, the respondents will be male Faculty of Arts and Social Science students studying in UTAR. A total of 50 respondents will be chosen through two sampling methods to participate in this study where respondents will be required to answer an online questionnaire based on their cognitive knowledge of fairy tales. The first will be the purposive sampling method which is a form of non-probability sampling technique by which the researcher chooses the sample based on who they think would be appropriate for the study. The second method used will be snowball sampling, a non-probability sampling technique where the participants that have already been selected will be asked to recommend new respondents from their friends and acquaintances. In this study, purposive sampling will be used because the selection of respondents will not be random as only male respondents will be chosen; and the snowball sampling method is used to gain access to a larger sample of young adult males. 1.6 Limitations of the study This study will be conducted among Faculty of Arts and Social Science students in UTAR, which would mean that the scope of respondents is limited as the findings cannot be generalized to all students. In this study, there will be no equal distribution of race, so it would not be possible to examine the different responses among races and cultures. Moreover, this study will only focus on princess-themed fairy tales, namely Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. Therefore, the finding cannot be generalized with other non-princess-themed fairy tales. Furthermore, the use of an online questionnaire, despite its advantages, will not guarantee absolute control over the respondents. Additionally the use of snowball sampling might result in wrong anchoring, whereby there is a lack of definite knowledge on whether the respondents are from the intended target group. Time constraint is also a limitation in this study. With a set time limit allocated, it was not possible to gather more thorough data for more conclusive findings. 1.7 Operational Terms 1.7.1 Fairy Tale A fairy tale, according to Anderson (2000) can be defined as short, imaginative, traditional tales with a high moral and magical content. Heuscher (1963) defines the fairy tale as a narration which is not based on historic persons or events, as opposed to an epic or saga. 1.7.2 Gender Stereotypes Gender stereotypes  are simple generalizations about the gender attributes, differences, and roles of individuals and groups. Gender stereotypes are widely held beliefs about the characteristics and behaviour of not only women and men but also transgendered people (Manstead and Hewstone; 1995) which suggest how men and women should and should not behave. These stereotypes can be positive or negative, but are rarely accurate. 1.7.3 Feminism Feminism is the championing of equal rights for men and women. It is defined as the belief in the social, political, and economical equality of the sexes (Rowe-Finkbeiner, 2004) such as the right to vote; pursue a career and to have equal social status. 1.7.4 Feminine beauty ideal Femininity is a set of womanly qualities, behaviours, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz (2003) define the feminine beauty ideal as the socially constructed notion that physical attractiveness is one womans most important assets, and something all women should strive to achieve and maintain. 1.8 Organization of the Thesis This study consists of a total of five chapters, which are Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings Analysis, and Discussion Conclusion. The Introduction, which is the first chapter, addresses the background of study, statement of problem, purpose of study, research questions, significance of study, scope and limitations of study, the definition of key terms and the organization of the thesis. The second chapter, Literature Review, will outline the definitions of fairy tales, feminine beauty ideal, gender stereotypes, as well as men and their negative reaction towards feminism. Additionally this chapter will also explore some of the previous feminist critiques on fairy tales, the feminine beauty ideal, and gender stereotypes; investigating the relationship between fairy tales and feminism through past research, and briefly address the present study. The third chapter, Methodology will explain the research design, sampling, instruments used for data gathering, the pilot study, procedures, and the data analysis. The fourth and fifth chapter will present the findings and discuss its significance in relation to the study as well as provide recommendations for further research and conclusions respectively. CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction This chapter will highlight more on the definitions of fairy tales, feminine beauty ideal, gender stereotypes, as well as men and their negative reaction towards feminism. Additionally this chapter will also explore some of the previous feminist critiques on fairy tales, the feminine beauty ideal, and gender stereotypes; investigating the relationship between fairy tales and feminism through past research. 2.1 Fairy tales In order to find out about the impact of fairy tales on young adult males, it is first crucial to understand the meaning of fairy tales as well as their purpose in society, and the relationship between feminist criticism, fairy tales, and society-which first begins with the question: What is a fairy tale? 2.1.1 What is a fairy tale? A fairy tale is a very powerful literary piece that undoubtedly resonates throughout the entire world as everyone has been exposed to fairy tales at one point in their lives, most notably during their childhood. Rohrich (1986) describes fairy tales as one of the deepest and most enduring childhood impressions. If one were to be asked to define a fairy tale, no doubt it would be described as a story with magical elements where a hero does a good deed while rescuing a princess in between, thus saving the day. According to Anderson (2000), fairy tales can be defined as short, imaginative, traditional tales with a high moral and magical content. Heuscher (1963) defines the fairy tale as a narration which is not based on historic persons or events, in contrast to an epic or saga. Jack Zipes (2012) has described the fairy tale as both an elaborate and simple narrative. Various fairy tale scholars consider fairy tales to be highly structured fictional stories wherein youth protagonists attain riches, marriage, and social justice by means of cleverness, beauty, endurance, and magic (Christians, 2009). However, even with all the definitions provided on fairy tales, it has been noted that fairy tales cannot easily be defined. Rachael Burkholder (2011) explains that even within the genre itself, there are minor discrepancies in definitions, causing overlap within the definitions and such variations within the genre make clear definitions difficult. Author J.R.R. Tolkien has also confessed to being a fairy tale lover though he uses the term fairy-stories instead. Tolkien himself has found difficulty in defining fairy tales or fairy-stories in his study On Faerie Stories: You will turn to the Oxford English Dictionary in vain. It contains no reference to the combination fairy-story, and is unhelpful on the subject of fairies generally. In the Supplement, fairy-tale is recorded since the year 1750, and its leading sense is said to be (a) a tale about fairies, or generally a fairy legend; with developed senses, (b) an unreal or incredible story, and (c) a falsehood. (Tolkien, The Tolkien Reader, 1966). 2.1.2 The purpose of a fairy tale It is also important to understand the purpose of the fairy tale. The goal of the fairy tale is to describe the marvellous and mysterious; that is, happenings which transcend everyday reality and as such are impossible to study by any scientific method (Comtois, 1995). Cashdan (2000) states that fairy tales are more than suspense-filled adventures that excite the imagination, more than mere entertainment; Cashdan stresses that while the initial attraction of fairy tales may be for entertainment and enjoyment purposes, its lasting value lies in its power to help children deal with the internal conflicts they face in the course of growing up The fairy tale genre has roots deeply embedded in the traditions of oral tales, myths and legends (Christians, 2009) and many scholars classify fairy tales with folklore narratives-which are the various genres such as legends, fairy tales, myths, epics, ballads, folktales and so on (Christians, 2009). The emergence of the fairy tale as a literary genre has been fairly recent; the fairy tale has evolved through many cultural changes, making it one of the more diversified genres (Christrians, 2009). While many people of today often classify fairy tales as childrens literature, these stories were in fact intended for adults instead. However, the tales have been adapted and revised for children because they are a suitable medium for teaching morals (Christians, 2009) because children find it easy to identify with the protagonists in fairy tales, whom they regard as ordinary and therefore similar to themselves (Cashdan, 2000). It is because of this that fairy tales, particularly fairy tales by the Grimm brothers in the nineteenth century were originally used as primers for relatively affluent European children and served to impart moral lessons to them (Zipes, 1988a as cited in Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz, 2003). Bettelheim (1976) has also noted how fairy tales manage to connect with children on a deep psychological level, as opposed to adults, where he argues that for adults, the fairy tale motifs are something one is better off understanding rationally so one can rid oneself of them. As Zipes (2002) states, Most fairy tales are an imaginative depiction of healthy human development and help children understand the motives behind their rebellion against parents and the fear of growing up. Today, fairy tales especially those that have survived the test of time are one of the most widely read genres in the world. They are actively read by children across the globe and its readership transcends the borders of social class and racial groups (Zipes, 1997) while continuing to contain symbolic imagery that legitimates existing race, class, and gender systems (Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz, 2003). 2.1.3Fairy tale as a mirror of society It is generally recognized by fairy tale scholars such as Jack Zipes (1988), Kay Stone (1985) and Maria Tatar (1987) that fairy tales have been known to reflect the culture and values of the society of their time. As fairy tales are one of the most influential forms of literature, one of the more important purposes of fairy tales was to teach children good moral values as well as the norms of society. Bettelheim (1976) suggests that fairy tales symbolize deep hidden meanings and desires within our unconscious mind, therefore it is much easier for children to identity with fairy tales as children can fill a deep psychological need with stories (Christians, 2009). Folklorists thus utilize fairy tales to transmit the cultures and traditions acceptable in society to young children. According to Glassie (1999), folklorists learn to emphasize transmission and to think of traditions as things, items, as song texts and quilt patterns passed from generation to generation. Considering the impact of fairy tales on young children, it is not surprising that fairy tales have been made into a medium used to imprint desired gender roles before being transmitted to the young. Therefore it should also not be unforeseen that childrens literature contains messages, both implicit and explicit, about dominant power structures in society, particularly about gender roles (Clark, Lennon, and Morris, 1993; Crabb and Bielawski, 1994; Kortenhause and Demarest, 1993; Weitzman et al., 1972; as cited in Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz, 2003). With the rise of technology in the 18th century due to the development of the printing press, the publishing power and distribution were in the hands of the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie (Comtois, 1995) who had originally considered fairy tales to be lacking in morals for their failure to promote hallowed virtues such as order, discipline, and modesty which were needed to cultivate and thereby ensure newly rising capitalist interests and which were consistent with the Christian ethic (Comtois, 1995). In order to keep with the socio-political era in 19th century Germany, many tales were sanitized and adapted by the Grimm brothers. Zipes (1988a, 1988b) had noted that apart from teaching young children appropriate values and attitudes of the time, fairy tales were also intended to teach young girls and women how to become responsible, domesticated and attractive to a marriage partner during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Bottigheimer (1986) also found that tales reinforced womens silence, a cultural preference at the time-a trait noticeable in fairy tale heroines who often stay silent and only speak in response to a question posed by a male character. 2.1.4 Feminism, Fairy tales and Patriarchal Society One of the main concerns of feminist scholars is the way traditional fairy tales are used by patriarchal societies to promote narrow, predetermined views on gender roles whereby women are portrayed in a shallow light. Feminist writers like Lieberman (1972), Bottigheimer (1986), Stone (1985), and Tatar (1987) maintain that fairy tales have resulted in the formation of gender stereotypes. Women are expected to behave like fairy tale heroines and thus be seen and not heard-they are expected to be pretty, passive, domesticated and silent. It is a common opinion among feminist writers that fairy tales are indeed a tool used by men in patriarchal societies to impart what they think is considered as proper behaviour for women, setting the blueprint for what they see as proper gender roles in society. Therefore, fairy tales are used to shape and mould women to conform to the patriarchal values and norms; or simply as a form of control on womens behaviour. Taking a closer look at the use of fairy tales to promote norms and values that are viewed as acceptable in a patriarchal society, Tatar (1987) uncovered some interesting details about fairy tales, prior to and after the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In her 1987 work The hard facts of the Grimms Fairy tales, Tatar notes that prior to the 18th century, male and female Cinderellas were found in equal frequencies in European folklores. The male counterparts of the present-day female fairy tale heroines were not limited to Cinderella alone-documentations of male Snow Whites were also found in Turkish folklores as well as a Russian male Sleeping Beauty (Tatar, 1987). From this knowledge, it is rather interesting to ponder on the reason for the sudden drastic change in the role of the rescuer and the rescued. When early European folktales have clearly placed women in the roles that, in todays patriarchal society, would conventionally be bestowed on males, Tatar (1987) prompts us to think twice about male hero patterns when we come across a collection of tales depicting heroines who carry out tasks normally put to male heroes alone or who denounce fathers too weak to protect them from evil stepmothers. 2.1.5 Female heroines and patriarchal society Consistent with the values of the era, the Grimmss tales made it clear that domestic talents were a heroines ideal (Comtois, 1995). However, Tatar (1987) questions the motives of the Grimm brothers, who were responsible for collecting, rewriting and adapting the folklores for the German audience to ensure that the folklores to fit in with the morals, values and norms in 19th century Germany. Women, who were once revered as brave and worthy, were suddenly reduced to the role of damsels in distress; morphing into what Kohlbenschlag (1988) refers to as the formula female. The formula female, according to Kohlbenschlag, has two personas-the desirable object, and the woman who is geared to live for another person (Comtois, 1995); she is a woman who will sacrifice her own needs in order to achieve these two personas. Atkins (2004) states that fairy tale heroines like Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are schooled through their gender constructions, must participate in patriarchal society because their happiness depends on conformity to [its] rule (Zipes, 1983). Atkins further asserts that these fairy tale heroines are left with no choice as they have no right to challenge their roles as idealized women. There are fairy tale females who do not fit into the passive, obedient category and as these female characters fail to conform (Zipes, 1983), they are typecast as wicked women. These are the wicked female antagonists that we see in fairy tales-mothers, step-mothers, stepsiblings, and evil witches. These women are punished at the end of the tales for their contravention (Mueller, 1986) against the good-girl heroines (Atkins, 2004), usually during, immediately after or before the wedding of the heroine princess. This, according to Atkins (2004) makes it clear to readers of fairy tales that the choice is simple-conform to the norms of patriarchal society or suffer the consequences. Atkins (2004) further states that conformity is the key to the kingdom where women must submit themselves to the patriarchal rule, because they are compelled to do so (Rowe, 1979; Atkins 2004). According to Rowe (1979), fairy tales perpetuate the patriarchal status quo by making female subordination seem a romantically desirable, indeed and inescapable fate. 2.2 Gender Stereotypes Gender stereotypes are also an important key term in this study as the main objective of this research is to explore the effect of fairy tales on the formation of gender stereotype

Youth Violence Essay

Youth Violence Essay Youth violence is increasing and quickly becoming one of the major concerns in American today. Frequent youth violence can be found at schoolyard, at home, outside, and everywhere in the community. Why dont people ask themselves what is making the youth today so violent, and is there anything they can do to stop this trend? Youth violence is a serious issue, and there are many factors that contribute to youth violence; they are domestic violence, negative media and gangs. The truth is if a child grows up in an unhealthy household then there will more chances for he or she to grow up to be a violent person. Every day, a child witnesses an act of violence not only on television, but also in their own home, from their parents. A home is supposed to be a safe place where children learn how to love and relate to others. However, if they usually see violence in their parents relationship, they would assume that all relationship is always filled with violence. As a result, they look at their parents and think they have the right to do that too, so they will not care what parents have to say to them and just get ideas from the streets which are not good. That is why they are dropping out of school and just hanging out with their friends, which only brings them into trouble, lead to violence. How violence in the media contributes to the many other factors that lead to violent and aggressive behavior in youth? Most of the violence is directed mainly many children and adolescents. However, not every kid who partakes of violent TV shows, movies or video games will become a violent criminal. Two common effects from media are imitation and fear. Todays youth are constantly surrounded by significant acts of violence on TV, in movies, and in video games. Many experts in education and psychology believe that children are acting out what they see. The acts can easily be reacted due to constant exposure. For many children, TV and video games have become their primary role models. Unless parents and teachers take the time and responsibility to teach children respectful values, they will learn problem solving, coping skills and conflict resolution from video role models. Another result is they would be fear from watching unrated movies. Some movies that are meant for adults can be qu ite scary for younger kids, which can cause problems later on in the socialization process. The last common reason that causes youth violence is gangs. There are many of teenagers in gang, who come from bad friends, friends in gang. The only thing they want when join there is just to prove them, to be cool; even they have to fight or kill someone to get in it the gang. That is why they are always ready to do stupid things without thinking about the results, just to let their friends know that they are acting like a hero, a big brother in their group. Another reason is they are always thinking that they are lonely in this world, they have to do everything to survive and their gang friends are only people, who they can do everything and die for. For example, there was a horrific shooting in a Vietnamese restaurant a few months ago. A young guy came into the restaurant, and then he killed all the people around a table in the corner. The reason of his action was he hated a guy in the group of those people. The list of contributing factors to violent behavior in youths is never ending. One thing that the society should remember though is that not just one single factor can be linked to youth violence. To prevent youth violence enlarge, not only an individual do, but the society also has some responsibility to it. For example, the society should limit games and videos that have many violent scenes; parents should take care of their kids much more than at the present.

roses :: essays research papers

Change is Memorable When readers read a book that they like, they will remember at least one character in the book for some specific reason. Authors have many different ways to make a character memorable but one of the most common ways that characters become memorable is the way that they change throughout the story. William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, Anton Chekhov’s â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog†, and Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"Good Country People† all have main characters that are memorable because of the changes that take place physically and mentally in their respective stories. In the story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, William Faulkner creates a mysterious yet respectable character. The changes that Miss Emily experiences in the story make her a memorable character. Faulkner uses symbolism in order to show the changes that take place with Miss Emily. The changes in Miss Emily’s hair can be taken as a symbol for the changes in Miss Emily herself. Before the death of Homer Barron her hair is â€Å"cut short making her look like a girl, with a vague resemblance to those angels in colored church windows.† As the story moves on her hair â€Å"grows grayer and grayer until it attains an even pepper-and-salt iron-gray.† Her hair grows a dull color as Miss Emily turns into a dull person. Her hair, in the beginning, is described as one of an angel, and then described as one you would find on a witch. In the beginning of the story Miss Emily has no bad intentions and later, her fears of being alone lead her to turn evil as she poisons Homer Wagoner 2 Barron. As her hair’s appearance goes from innocent to evil Miss Emily goes from being innocent to evil. Her hair loses its life, foreshadowing the future of Miss Emily. Another memorable character is that of the womanizer Dmitri Gurov in â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog.† Gurov is the protagonist in â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog† and the readers get to view the changes of a man who has fallen in love but then is forced to examine the way that he looks at the world. Gurov is memorable because the things that he does and says on the surface are not the way Gurov actually feels about the world. Although he looks down upon women and refers to them as "the inferior race," Gurov furtively admits that he feels more relaxed with them than he does with men.

Sophocles :: essays research papers

The Way of Greek Play Wrights   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Greek Play Wright, Sophocles, wrote both the Antigone and Oedipus the King. Sophocles wrote Antigone around 441 B.C. and followed with the writings of Oedipus the King around 425 B.C. In Antigone King Creon decides that Polynices the traitor is to be buried, but his sister Antigone dislikes the order. She is caught, and sentenced by Creon to be buried alive-even though she is betrothed to his son Haemon. After the blind prophet Tiresias proves that the gods are on Antigone’s side, Creon changes his mind but too late. He goes first to bury Polynices, but Antigone had already hanged herself. When Creon arrives at the tomb, Haemon attacks him and then kills himself. When the news of their death is reported, Creon’s wife Eurydice takes her own life. Creon is left all alone at the end of the play. In Oedipus the King it was said that the king and queen of Thebes would give birth to a child who would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. His parents feared this, so they nailed their son’s feet together and left him stranded on a mountainside. He was founded by a wondering shepherd and taken to the town of Corinth. He was then adopted and raised as the prince in the royal household. After he grew older he heard about the prophecy. He left Corinth to wander around Greece. Along the way he met a group of travelers, killed an old man, his real father. Later he arrived in Thebes and met the Sphinx, a monster who guarded the gates of the city. He answered the riddle correctly and was named King of Thebes. He was then married to a woman named Jocasta, his real mother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why did men play the role of women in early Greek playwrights? Once a woman was married her husband had complete control of her. He controlled all property that she may have inherited. She had no rights to wander about the town, without a sufficient reason. Any respectable women would not be seen in public. They contained no political rights and were run by men at every stage of their lives. Since men spent so much time away, women dominated Greek households. The wife was in charge of raising the children and making the clothes for the family. The only appropriate time for a woman to leave her house was to visit a female neighbor.

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IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIP When parents and practitioners work together it has a positive impact on children’s development and learning. This can be achieved through communication, learning together (e. g. actively involving fathers) and respecting diversity. Be sure to send a text to parent(s) during the day should their child say/do something cute or just to let them know that you’re both having fun together.You could even send them a picture of the delicious pizza their child just created, for example. Parents then feel included and have peace of mind knowing that their child is happy and healthy. First impressions last and so carers, making you and your home warm and welcoming will immediately put parents at ease. Likewise, parents should also be neat and presentable when meeting a prospective childcarer. A two-way flow of information and knowledge between parents and carers ensure effective communication.Having posters and pictures on display which reiterate the car er’s positive attitude towards social and cultural diversity as state in their Equal Opportunities policy will not only give parents a feel for the environment that their children will be in, but also help children and families to recognise that they are valued. Routines are very important for children as they like to know when certain things are going to happen i. e. mealtimes, sleep time, drop-off and collection etc. – they’re key to establishing a sense of stability and care for children and allowing them to master their environment.Wherever possible, all routines should fit in with parents’ wishes (i. e. attitudes re TV, food and sleeping) and should meet the child’s needs. i. e. incorporating child’s interests in nature by collecting leaves/flowers/sticks/stones on walks and perhaps creating a piece of art with them. Make sure routines are based on each individual child and their specific interests/needs. All children develop different stages at different time, but the general sequence of milestones is the same. This means you’ll need to constantly adapt some routines to accommodate the changing needs of children as they develop.For example, as boys get older they really need a lot more physical activity to burn off the energy they have and so more ball games or longer outdoor activities may be required. Upon arrival in the mornings greet each child individually with a warm voice and smile. Mention or comment on something specific that they’re wearing or carrying. Throughout the day listen to them and don’t rush daily tasks. This will make them feel important and cared for. Sources: Riddall-Leech, S, Home-based Childcare pg 131, Essex, Heinemann EYFS 2008 2. 2 Parents as Partners, Communication

Case Study Analysis

Ethical Case Study 2: Sally Goes to School Shanda Woody Montreat College Ethical Case Study 2: Sally Goes to School A fundamental aspect of ethics in counseling is the right to informed consent. Informed consent reflects respect for the client as an individual and promotes self-governing during the counseling process (Pope & Melba, 2011). The American Counseling Association Ethical Decision Making Model provides counselors with a blueprint for making ethical decisions while placing an emphasis on values and principles and is appropriate in resolving the ethical dilemma contained in this case study (Miller & Davis, 1996).ACA Model The ACA Code of Ethics states, â€Å"when counselors are faced with ethical dilemmas that are difficult to resolve, they are expected to engage in a carefully considered ethical decision making model† (ACA, 2005). This model directly applies the ACA Code of Ethics while combining Kitcheners (1984) virtue ethics, counselor consultation, and self-determ ination (Corey, Corey & Callahan, 2011). The model also includes the work of Van Hoose and Paradise (1979), Stadler (986), Haas and Malouf (1989), Forester-Miller and Rubenstein (1992), and Sileo and Kopala (1993).The ACA model encourages a counseling relationship based on trust and states when counselors are faced with an ethical dilemma they apply careful consideration to the decision making process (Corey, Corey & Callahan, 2011). ACA Decision Making Model Process The ACA model identifies Kitcheners five moral principles as the cornerstone of the decision making process and they include: autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and fidelity (Forester-Miller & Davis, 1996). Upon eviewing these ethical principles, the model outlines seven steps in the decision making process including: identify the problem; apply the ACA Code of Ethics, determine the nature of the dilemma, determine a possible course of action, consider potential consequences for all options and determine a course of action, evaluate the course of action, and implement the action (Forester-Miller, & Davis, 1996). The first step in the model is to identify the problem by gathering as much information as possible.It is important to outline the facts and eliminate any assumptions so that the counselor can determine the ethical dilemma and the course of action needed. In this phase, the model suggest asking questions such as: Is the issue related to me and what I am doing or not doing? Is it related to the client and/or the client’s family? Is the issue an ethical, legal or clinical problem? (Forester-Miller, & Davis, 1996) The next step is to apply the ACA Code of Ethics. If there is a standard or standards that apply, the model recommends following the course of action indicated which should lead to a solution.It is important that counselors be familiar with the ethical standards and understand the implications (Forester-Miller et al. ,1996). The next step in the model is to deter mine the nature and dimensions of the dilemma. In this step, the counselor would consider the moral principles and decide which principles apply, then review any professional literature to help reach a decision, consult with colleagues and other professionals, and seek out assistance from state and national associations.At this point in the decision making process, the counselor may want to refer to Kitcheners (1984) five moral principles to ensure autonomy, justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity are being used as a guide in the decision making process. (Forester-Miller et al. , 1996) Next, counselors begin to brainstorm and create possible solutions for the ethical dilemma. After this stage, counselors will consider the information gathered during previous stages, assess each option carefully and consider the implications for the course of action. The ACA model stresses the mportance of eliminating options that will not result in the optimum outcome and to avoid making decisions that will be more problematic that the situation at hand. (Forester-Miller et al. , 1996) The final two stages include evaluating and implementing the selected course of action. At this point, it is imperative that the counselors consider any new ethical dilemmas that may have been created by the decision made and if it is determined more harm will come to the client the counselor must go back to the beginning and reevaluate the process to ensure the best possible outcome.Once it has been determined that this ethical decision made is appropriate, the counselor will implement the plan and follow up with the situation to ensure the course had the anticipated results. Ethical Decision and Implications After reviewing the ACA decision making model, the counselor would choose to discuss the purpose of treatment, the goals, procedures and techniques provided during the therapeutic relationship (Corey & Herlihy, 2006). Any testing or diagnosis needs to be explained as the client has a right to be an active participant.Implementation of the ACA Code of Ethics A. 2. a Informed Consent which states clients have a right to choose and remain in the therapeutic relationship and counselors have an obligation to inform clients of the ongoing counseling process is imperative(ACA, 2005). At this juncture, the counselor would also want to refer to ACA Code of Ethics E. 3. a which states counselors must explain the nature and purpose of assessments in a way that the clients can understand (ACA, 2005).Reflections on the Decision Making Process Upholding the ethical standards of the counseling professional can be a difficult task due to a myriad of reasons. An ethical dilemma can prove to be overwhelming and complex but if the counselor utilizes an effective decision making model, refers to the ACA Code of Ethics as a guide, and upholds professional ethics by maintaining the best interest of the client the result should be positive and a learning experience for all invol ved.References Forester-Miller, H. & Davis, T. (1996). A practitioner’s guide to ethical decision making. American Counseling Association (1996) Corey, G. , Corey, M. , & Callahan, P. , (2011). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. 8TH edition. American Counseling Association (2005). Code of Ethics, Alexandria, VA: Author. Corey, G. , & Herlihy, B. , (2006). ACA ethical standards casebook. 6th edition Pope .