A Vivid Dream Zechariah 31-10 Free Essays

Introduction The book of Zechariah is full of vivid imagery and peculiar visions that all help in the conveying of God’s message. This paper will examine the specific vision described in Zechariah 3:1-10. The intent of this essay is to examine the message of this vivid vision that Zechariah received and also to determine the application for readers at that time and for believers today. We will write a custom essay sample on A Vivid Dream Zechariah 3:1-10 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Compare English Versions The first step in studying this passage had been to read it over and over in multiple English translations to get a feel for how it could be interpreted in English. While there is some difference in the wording of different English translations it does not seem to change what is being communicated in the text. Some interesting differences in v. 4b do appear when describing the new clothing that is given to Joshua, it is described as simply a â€Å"change of raiment† (King James) or more elaborately â€Å"pure elaborately† (ESV) and in the NRSV â€Å"festal apparel†. The following verse describes the charge unto Joshua from the Angel of the Lord as being â€Å"protested† (King James) or â€Å"gave his charge† or even â€Å"spoke very solemnly† (Living Bible) which all seem much different than â€Å"assured† (NRSV). There is obviously some discrepancy as to the tone of this charge. Overall, the different English translations all describe a very similar vision experience. Structural Outline 1. Clean clothes for Joshua (3:1-5) 1. 1 Set the scene (3:1) 1. 2 Rebuke of Satan (3:2) 1. 3 Removal of iniquity (3:3-4) 1. 4 Clean garments and turban (3:5) 2. Promises from the Angel of the Lord (3:6-10) 2. 1 Joshua’s Commission (3:6-7) 2. 2 Promise of a coming Servant (3:8) 2. 3 In that Day (3:9-10) Genre of the Text This section of text is from the Prophet of Zechariah which places it in the genre of prophetic literature; however it also resembles apocalyptic iterature like that found in the book of Revelation. What distinguishes this type of literature as apocalyptic is the obvious vision that is being described here (Miller 134). The scene for this vision is a courtroom with Joshua being on trial before the angel of the Lord. The vision then concludes with some messianic prophecy referring to the Messiah as â€Å"the Branch† (v. 8) and a promise is made for that day when â€Å"every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and his fig tree†. This is apocalyptic literature in the form of a vision conveying a messianic promise to those who will listen. Research the Text When reading this genre of literature, understanding whom it was written by is important to fully interpret the text. Zechariah’s name means â€Å"the Lord remembers† and is one of the most commonly used names in the OT (Miller 135). Zechariah’s name, along with his message, consistently reminded the nation that the Lord had made a covenant with Israel† (Klein 20). It is also a priestly name which could indicate Zechariah was a Priest as well as a Prophet (Miller 134) but this could also mean that he simply comes from a line of Priests (Klein 21). The first two chapters develop Zechariah as a â€Å"young man† (v. 4) who has an ear turned toward God in a difficult time in Israel’s history. It is also essential to understand the historical context that this text was written into. The book of Zechariah would fit into the Post-Exilic era of Israel’s history, after the return of God’s people to the city and the re-construction of the temple in Jerusalem had started. The message was directed to the â€Å"struggling Jewish returnees† (Miller 134) who would have been largely affected by the time in exile in Babylon. The Babylonians had recently been conquered by the Persian Empire and so great change for the nation of Israel was happening once again. Haggai and Zechariah (written at the similar time periods) both emphasize the everlasting Kingdom of God and the coming of a Messiah. The people of Judah would have been concerned about how their nation would survive in a world of such large superpower empires like Assyria, Babylon and now Persia. Would God ever demonstrate his power and establish his people as the most powerful of nations? Have the people paid their dues in exile? Why had he allowed them to go and return to their land and rebuild the temple? These questions would have been on the minds of the people at the time when Zechariah received this vision. This vision describes a courtroom scene involving some specific characters. The first character is introduced simply as â€Å"he† (3:1). This would be the same he as is mentioned in the previous chapter as â€Å"a man with a measuring line in his hand! † (2:1), and this man continues to be a messenger declaring the coming of the Lord (2:10) from his Holy dwelling (2:13). It seems as if it could be the same angel who â€Å"came again† in 4:1. Other commentaries say it is more likely that â€Å"the Lord himself made the revelation since the fourth vision, unlike the former visions, does not identify an angelic interpreter† (Klein 131). It seems however that ch. 3 continues on from the vision in chapter 2 and all the visions so far have had an angel to guide Zechariah through what he is seeing not the Lord personally. The next difficult part of this text is the uncleanliness of the High Priest named Joshua. The rebuilding of the temple was occurring at this time in Jerusalem and the High Priest would have been needed to oversee the running of the temple when it was completed but here Zechariah receives the revelation that the high priest is not fit for this service. The scene is this; the Angel of the Lord is the judge, the High Priest is on trial and the ‘adversary’ or the persecutor is â€Å"Satan† who is accusing the High Priest (3:1). The mention of the â€Å"filthy garments† (v. 3) was significant when referring to a Priest in particular as the clothing of the Priest was to be to very specific standards (Lev. 8:5-9). This indicates that Satan’s accusations would have proved true. Yet, the Lord rebukes Satan. It seems that the Lord is asserting his authority and making the statement that he is the one who declares purity and innocence, he is the judge not Satan or the enemy or the adversary (the word Satan could be interpreted with any of those words). One commentator comments on this section that â€Å"Satan was reminding the Lord of the nation’s past wretchedness (1:2,4-6) and its unworthiness† (Miller 163) another commentator emphasizes this point â€Å"If the high priest is so filthy, how much more the nation as a whole† (Klein 133). Klein goes onto describe how this Joshua figure played a key role in the restoration of the returning community at this time in history and would have served as an excellent symbol to represent the returning remnant. So the beginning of this text paints a significant picture of the nation of Israel’s guilt and the Lord’s rebuking of Satan for being so audacious as to make such a claim. The Lord responds by declaring Joshua’s innocence. In v. 4 the angel who is standing as Judge (most likely the LORD himself as he has the divine authority to bring judgment) declares that the filthy garments shall be removed. This reveals not the innocence of guilt but the pardoning of guilt. There is a demonstration of God’s forgiveness happening in this vision. Another question that arises has to do with who the witnesses are that are surrounding this trial scene and assist with the redressing of Joshua the High Priest as his pure clothes (vv. 45)? They are also brought up in v. 8 as â€Å"your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign†. Klein refers to them simple as the â€Å"unknown angels† (139). The imagery of the Priest being dressed in clean garments is a common imagery and is used in Ps 132:9 â€Å"May your priests be clothed with righteousness†. The clean turban seems to be â€Å"the finishing touch. On the high priest’s turban was a plate of pure gold inscribed with the words: â€Å"HOLY TO THE LORD† (Exod. 28:36; 39:30). All of this is witnessed by the â€Å"Angel of the LORD [who] was standing by† (3:5b), adding to the legitimacy and importance of what is occurring. The Lord has sent his personal emissary to oversee what is occurring (Klein 141). The filthy garments have been removed and replaced with pure and clean clothes, now Joshua is ready to receive his commission. Now we arrive at the angel of the LORD’s commission of Joshua in v. . The discrepancy in the English translation of the description of this commission (described above) is not commented by Klein or Miller. The best translation seems to be â€Å"solemnly assured† (ESV) as it raises the importance on what it about to be said and that it will be a positive commission, an assurance. The commission has three parts. The first part is a call to be obedient, the second part is the reward if he is obedient which includes authority to rule in the temple, and the third part is the right to be included in the witnesses who surround them. Klein comments on this second reward, that it will allow Joshua â€Å"the high priest, whom the Lord exalts still higher, will have a direct access to the throne of God. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies, and only once a year (Lev 16), but the declaration made to Joshua far surpasses this privilege by granting Joshua entry into the Lord’s heavenly throne room. † The scene in the courtroom has now moved from one of accusation to a scene of forgiveness and of honoring the high priest and therefore also the people of Judah. Next, the angel of the Lord prepares to make a promise (v. 8a) by calling Joshua to listen! â€Å"The verbal form mirrors that found in the Shema in Deut. 6:4, emphasizing the importance of the message to follow† (Klein 143). The message is to be directed to Joshua’s â€Å"friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign† (3:8a). It would seem reasonable that these friends of Joshua are fellow priests, or at least people who also hold a place of leadership among the returning community of Judah. Klein comments that this sign is that â€Å"Joshua’s fellow priests, however, symbolize good things the future will bring† (143). The future embodiment of this blessing will be in the servant who is the one called â€Å"the Branch†. These titles â€Å"servant† and â€Å"the Branch† are very common in the OT. The title â€Å"the Branch† links the messiah figure directly to the line of David (Miller 165) and the title of servant is reminiscent of the significant affirmation God gives to characters such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Deut. 9:27) and the same Hebrew word (ebed) is translated as â€Å"servant of the Lord† (Klein 145). The messianic imagery continues with the imagery of the stone as it has elsewhere in scripture, â€Å"The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes† (Isa 8:13-15; 28:16). Other interpretation of this stone is that it is referring to the cornerstone that would be used to build the new temple (Klein 147). This entire passage however seems to be concerned with the messiah and continued representation of him seems to be more likely, especially when considering the temple was most likely already completed at this time (Klein 147). The seven eyes on the stone would then represent the all-seeing and all-knowing power of this messiah. The concluding verse of this text affirms that this Messiah figure will bring about the desired peace and continued relationship that his people desire. The imagery of sitting under a vine and â€Å"his fig tree† seems related to the title of â€Å"the Branch† as well and links the time of well-being with the Davidic Messiah who is to come. The vision concludes with an image of peace, prosperity, community and relationship. Relate the Parts In the concluding image the main purpose of this vision seems to be captured. The opening scene acknowledges the guilt of the accused and then removes that guilt, rebuking Satan, declaring that no one but the LORD is the judge. It welcomes the community to come around and participate in the removing of the guilt and the placing on of purity. However, the second section reveals that there is a further command now to live a life worthy of these shiny new clothes. Then it all concludes with the revelation of the source of this forgiveness and acceptance, who is â€Å"the Branch†, servant and stone, the messiah. The Theology How does this text reveal the nature of God? The vision sets God up as the Judge, but what kind of judge? One who sees the guilt of his high priest and the people of Judah but removes that guilt. What gives him this kind of power? The prophets serve to remind God’s people of the covenant that they have with God and this should be kept in mind when considering who this Judge is. He made the law that the people are guilty of iniquity against. They sinned against him. Just as a debtor is the only one who can release someone from their debt, so the lawgiver is the only one who can forgive the lawbreakers. What is the Judge’s reason then for pardoning his people? The iniquity of the priest would have prevented the coming of his people to worship at the temple. Here is a judge that longs to be part of his people’s lives. He will also provide the means for this to happen in the future with the coming of his servant, he wants to be directly involved, personally involved. The end result of all this sounds much like street party. Through the cleansing of our iniquity we gain the honor beyond or expectation and with our neighbor in a prosperous land (v. 10). This is God’s reason for pardoning his people; this is the God we worship. Application How often have I worn the filthy clothes around this week? I constantly believe in the accusations of Satan, that I am a terrible friend, a terrible boyfriend that I simply use the people around me. What happens then? I live like that. When I believe those accusations I lie in light of those accusations. The importance of believing that God has dressed me in clean clothes is undeniable; he has got me ready for a party and declared me worthy of that invitation. Now it is time to live like I am heading to that party. I am who God declares me to be. Another application exists communally. Now the church knows who the messenger who was spoken of here is. We know Jesus and in this text in Zechariah he is once again emphasized as the one who came from God to bring about the peace and love of community when he comes. Should not the church also live as people free to enjoy the community of each other and of God? That is why Christ came, that is why he was sent. How to cite A Vivid Dream Zechariah 3:1-10, Papers

Insolvency and Wounding up of a Limited Liability Company

Question: Discuss about the Insolvency and Wounding up of a Limited Liability Company. Answer: Neptunes Prize Seafood Restaurant Pty Ltd The name of a limited Liability company can be changed by a special resolution of the members in a general meeting. In addition, the name can be changed by the directors without necessarily consulting the shareholders. Gracie and Tasia as directors of Neptunes Prize seafood Pty Ltd had legal rights to change the name of the company to Poseidon Prize seafood Restaurant as an administrative action to save it from the dwindling prospects. People had lacked interest in the restaurant leading to myriad of financial challenges such as the unpaid tax liability, lack of credit extension services by the bank and lack of supplies due to financial constraints. Having formed a new company by the name Neptunes Triumph Seafood Restaurant Pty Ltd, the previous company ceased to exist. It had to be wounded up. However, several considerations need to be done in order to liquidate Poseidons Prize Seafood Restaurant Pty Ltd. The business owners Tasia and Gracie had a responsibility properly dissolve the previous company under the State Law to avoid any lingering liability brought about by the outstanding business debts. The liquidator of the Poseidons Seafood must properly dissolve as outlined in the business code that formed the company. A proper dissolution of a Limited Liability Company requires company liquidation, paying off the creditors and distributing off the remaining assets to the shareholders based on their ownership percentages (Cartano, 2008). This particular case involved an incorporation of a new company and transfer of the whole assets without settling the debt liability for the previous company. Although the directors of a Limited Liability Company cannot be held liable for companys debts, the courts of law can occasionally intervene on behalf of creditors and hold directors personally liable for companys debts especially in an insolvency procedure. The owners of Poseidon seafood which was formerly known as the Neptune seafood Restaurant are Gracie and Tasia. They have a statutory duty to act in the best interests of the creditors by demonstrating their resolve into ensuring the repayments of all creditors are done using the companys resources. If they fail to meet their fundamental duties of acting in the interest of the creditors, while the company is trading insolvent, they can be personally liable including disqualification from acting as directors for any Limited Liability Company in future (Godbole, 2013). Poseidon Seafoods assets are subject to sharing by the shareholder only after all the companys tax liabilities and debts to suppliers are settled. Directors can be directly liable only if it is proved that they performed the following actions Used fraudulent methods to gather funds for the payment of creditors (Godbole, 2013) Withdrew company funds for no-business related activities (Newton, 2010) Entered into personal guarantee and then breached the terms Disposed off the companys assets at lesser value than the real value Paid dividends to shareholders while the company was insolvent In this particular case, the directors did not do any action that was contrary to the companys code of conduct. Tasia bought the state of the art refrigeration system and stove on behalf of the company. In that regard she acted as an agent of the company and all activities done by her in the absence of the other director Tasia binds both of them. Owing to the fact that the directors did not misappropriate the companys funds, during the time of operation, no suit can be brought against them. The company was wounded up due to failure to sustain itself as a result of financial distress. In that regard, the company should file for bankruptcy and allow the court to determine the priority of payments to the creditors. The transfer of Poseidons Seafood Restaurant Pty Ltd business assets to Neptunes Triumph Seafood Restaurant Pty Ltd is quite a tricky affair because the liquidator will be concerned with the motive and the intended purpose of the transfer. For instance, if the company that you are transferring the assets away from is under insolvency or is facing dissolution, then the transfer of assets can be perceived as an attempt to obstruct the process of claiming debts by the creditors (Newton, 2010). The transfer should be done correctly to ensure that two corporations are treated as separate entities and the assets and liabilities of the two corporations are treated as separate. One of the best ways to transfer assets and liabilities of one corporation to the other is by selling them at a fair market price from the first to the second. In that regard the proceeds from the sale of assets by the corporation under insolvency can be used to settle all debts from the creditors and tax liabilities (Alberty, 2003). Poseidons Prize Seafood Restaurants assets were all transferred to the new company by the directors Gracie and Tasia with no consideration. They flouted the insolvency rules that demand that the company being wounded up must settle all the creditors debts as well as tax liabilities through liquidation of the remaining assets. Having transferred the assets to Neptune Triumph Seafood Restaurant Pty Ltd without a consideration is not the correct practice because the assets and liabilities of the two companies are viewed as the same. These companies are separate entities despite the fact that they are owned by the same people. An action can be brought against the new company for receiving assets of another Limited Liability company without making payments for the same. However, no action can be brought against the directors of the new company because the company is a separate legal entity from the owners (Hnig Hammerl, 2014). The new company will be required by the law to pay a consider ation for the assets received. Bearing in mind that the shareholders were in agreement to transfer the assets of Poseidon to Neptune triumph sea food, their action was lawful. However, transferring the assets with the intention of hindering the process of claiming collections by creditors is unlawful and an action can be brought against each of the directors for personally executing transfers to evade tax claims and creditors collection claims (Hnig Hammerl, 2014). Personal liability comes when the individuals actions goes against the laid down rules and procedures of insolvency. References Alberty, S. C. (2003). Limited Liability Companies: A Planning and Drafting Guide. New York: American Law Iinstitute American Bar Association. Cartano, D. J. (2008). Federal and State Taxation of Limited Liability Companies. Riverwoods, Illinois: CCH. Godbole, P. G. (2013). Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Restructuring, 2nd Edition. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. Hnig, C., Hammerl, C. (2014). Insolvency and Restructuring Law in Central Eastern Europe: An Introduction for Practicioners. Scheydgasse : Linde Verlag GmbH,. Newton, G. W. (2010). Bankruptcy and Insolvency Accounting, Forms and Exhibits. Hobboken: John Wiley Sons. Rocap, D. E. (2016). Mergers, Acquisitions, and Buyouts, March 2016: Five-Volume Print Set. New York: Wolters Kluwer Law Business.

Representation of Masculinity in Billy Elliot Essay Example

Representation of Masculinity in Billy Elliot Paper Jacky is doing his best as a lone parent, but is pre-occupied with the ongoing strike, so Billy is left tending to himself and his Grandma (Jean Haywood). At all times Jacky rules his house with a stern hand and has the same prejudices towards ballet as every other typical man in the country. So, when he finds out that Billy has been skipping his Boxing lessons and going to Ballet instead he is furious. Jacky reasons that Ballet is for poofs and that boys should be doing boys stuff like football and wrestling. One critic wrote that the movie is a catalyst for shifting attitudes and prejudices in the western world where male dancers are considered effeminate or queer. Ballet is a threat and blow to ones masculinity in peoples minds. Billy Elliot breaks through that prejudice and claims ballet to be an art that transcends gender. Jacky is under immense pressure, he can no longer support his family and his masculinity is compromised and he cannot fulfil the role of breadwinner. This is further emphasised when he breaks down in tears in the scene on Christmas day, which shows Jacky, Billy and His Grandmother in the picture. We will write a custom essay sample on Representation of Masculinity in Billy Elliot specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Representation of Masculinity in Billy Elliot specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Representation of Masculinity in Billy Elliot specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The mantelpiece is centre screen and this highlights the family feel, it is lightly decorated with tinsel this indicates there financial dire straits. On the whole, the audience gets the impression that Billys father has been overwhelmed by life in general. Jacky has had to cope with the loss of his wife and deal with the burden of the financial consequences as a result of the strike. Times are so bad that in order to stay warm, Jacky is forced to chop up his wifes piano for firewood. On the night of Christmas, Billy and his friend Michael sneak into the Gym. Billys friend Michael is close to adolescence and is becoming aware of his sexuality, this is implied by his secret pastime of wearing his sisters clothes and his mild attraction to Billy. Billy Elliot plays on the stereotype of homosexual men being very feminine; this is further accentuated by his need to wear a tutu in the Gym. It seems that his main purpose in the film is to establish Billys heterosexuality. In the centre of the boxing ring, a confined area usually reserved for two combatants to do battle becomes an arena for ballet. Billy begins to dance and show what he is really capable of by dancing to the music in freestyle. Whilst Billy is dancing he is stopped for a brief moment by his father Jacky whose face expresses a deep disapproval. However, in defiance, Billy carries on dancing is further fuelled by his frustration at his father for his tyrannical attitudes towards ballet. The camera is always on Billy who is cast in the spotlight whilst the background is faded away in black. This scene shows Billy to be the true star and protagonist. Jacky is emotionally moved after witnessing Billys performance and runs away with a silent pride and incentive to support his son and his new found love. In the context of the film, there is a great hatred towards the scabs. The mineworkers, who have decided not to strike and carry on working down in the mines, are regarded as the lowest of the low. So, it is one of the key moments of the film when Jack decides to go back down the pits in order to fund Billys ticket to London. Just as he is about to sign on, his son Tony (Jamie Draven) and his own sense of disgrace stop Jacky from committing this unforgivable act of duplicity. Billys brother, who is older by some number of years, also works in the mines. The first impression that the viewer gets of Tony is that of a stereotypical big brother, who would give his younger sibling a slap round the head just for listening to his record collection. However, there is a lot more to Tony then just the big brother slant. Tony, who like his father, is on strike against the closure of the mines. He is young and hot headed, and prepared to go to the extremes in order to achieve his purposes. This is evident when he tries to arm himself against the riot police who are an imposing and faceless opposition, were deployed to stifle the protests made by the striking workers. Tony who is somewhat of a working class rebel, he has been hardened from working in the mines and can be very aggressive, this is evident in the scene where Tony and his father meet a non-striking mineworker in the supermarket. An action totally justified by the cause of the striking miners. Tony, like his father, has found himself in a position where he has had to cope with the possibility of losing his entire future. He is emotionally unequipped with the ability to express himself properly so he does so by using the strike and picket lines as a medium to release his locked away emotions. Tony shares the same attitudes towards ballet that everyone else in the community has and he is deeply displeased to find that his younger brother has taken it up as his main pastime. I think that Tony sees this as just another problem, and this affects the relationship between he and Billy. Only when Billy gains acceptance and support from his family does Tony finally rebuild his bond with Billy. After Billy gains support from his family, it seems that the entire community is feels the repercussions and all of their anti-artistic, anti-intellectual not to mention anti-gay prejudices disappear with Billys elation. However unrealistic this seems, I feel it is a dramatic device to emphasise the acceptance and the broadening horizons of the Billys family. Some of the characterisations tend to be overly simple and stereotypical. For example, Billy friend Michael who is coming to terms with his homosexuality leans far to much towards the old stereotype of gay men wearing womens clothes and being a right sissy. Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry has woven into the cloth that is his debut piece a recurring Swan Lake theme. In one scene, where Billy is visiting Mrs Wilkinsons house he is upstairs with her daughter Debbie. The walls of her room are adorned with wallpaper that is covered with swans. Later Billy and Debbies talk is followed with a pillow fight, which results in several of the pillows ripping and feathers filling the room like some sort of mystical snow storm. The Middlesborough transporter bridge is featured symbolising the industrial might of the North, which is falling into rapid decline, this is juxtaposed with the musical score of Tchaikovsky written for Swan Lake. All of these references give the audience ammunition to make the connection with the old allegory of the ugly duckling that turned into the beautiful swan. The director also added various other images that denote the situation that mining communities were faced with. For example, Daldry pictures a large billboard advertising a state-of-the-art washing machine. The mise-en-scene shows a very satisfied handsome young man on the advert. The caption on the board reads, Your every faithful washday slave. In the poor and gritty community of Billys town, a luxury of a washing machine is almost unheard of and the idea of a man doing it is even more rare. The advert is not at all representational of the people in Billys town. The price of the machine alone is enough to make it an unattainable item, but also the new man pictured within it is pure fantasy to the people of Everington. When Billy and his family find out the good news that he has gotten into the Royal School of Ballet, Jacky rushes down to the local Workingmans club, only to find that the Union had finally given up. Jacky and Tony later follow this scene in their overalls and safety gear going back down into the pits via an elevator. This is perhaps symbolic of their situation, no secure job and literally going down the lift toward social depression and financial hardship. In the context of the film, the plight of the miners strike is just a background detail that aids the narrative. However, it is worth reading into as it gives the audience a means to understand their situation. In 1979 the Thatcher government was elected into power. This was on the basis of an anti-collectivist program of economic reform and social discipline that was to bring devastation to the north of England over the whole of the 1980s. In England, the North became seen as an enemy within, a phrase actually used to describe the NUM (National Union of Mineworkers). Billy Elliot has a very one sided point-of-view of the miners strike of 1984-1985. Thatcherism had an adverse effect on the north of England, the policy by which the free market approach to politics and economics rewarded the individual over the wider community, basically increasing the gap in between the rich and the poor. However, if Thatcher had given in to the Unions, England might not be in the state of prosperity that it currently is. The economic rebirth that England now enjoys is owed to Thatchers long-term strategy and ruthlessness she showed in carrying out her job. This waning industrial background that Billy Elliot is set against could be compared with that of The Full Monty. In The Full Monty, an example of postmodern bricolege combing Ealing humour with social realism is a story about male unemployment in a depressed industrial city. The men in the film are struggling to come to terms there ever-changing masculinity or for some it seems lack of it. The two main characters are Gaz (Robert Carlyle) and Dave (Mark Addy). In the film, after finding out about the Chippendales are performing in the Mens working bar Gaz is greeted with a poster depicting several muscular semi-naked men covered in oil. Obviously threatened by this show of physical masculinity he immediately attacks the most important aspect of any mans manhood, his penis. Gaz makes a comment on what sort of women would attend such a spectacle only to find that his best mates wife is in the club watching the strippers. Gaz immediately remarks that Dave should put his foot down a forbid his wife from going to such a thing, he adds I saw you hovering and I let it go, implying that Daves masculinity is undermined by carrying out conventional house-wife pursuits. The Full Monty in terms of masculinity addresses a slightly different aspect in comparison to Billy Elliot. Both of the films share a specific style of communities; the stories of each revolve around communities and proceedings that are of direct consequence of the socio-economic realities of the places they are set. The communities represented have both experienced redundancy on a large scale as a result of Thatcherite reform. In The Full Monty the characters are striving to re-establish their own masculinity, this is achieved by being able to overcome the bigotries from within the community and to fulfil the role of the provider. An intrinsic principle of manhood and masculinity in the film is to have your dignity and respect of your family and peers. Billy Elliot on the other hand, copes with a very different part of the masculine make-up. It deals with establishing your own identity and treading your own path through life. Billy Elliot is structured around the motif of escape; this involves rejecting the aggressive attributes of masculinity as portrayed by Tony, and replacing it with the desire to escape the constrictions of what is seen as violent, masculine culture of the working class. It is Billys escape into dance which he describes as a feeling of fire, of electricity in the body, everything else is forgotten that allows him to define his masculinity in a way that you would hardly ever find in a male dominant community such as Everington. This masculinity seems more manly than ever at the end of the film, in which Jacky and Tony go to the opening night of Billys rendition of Swan Lake. The audience watches in anticipation as the entire screen is taken up by a huge and muscular back of a ballet dancer, the areas that surround the adult Billy (played by professional ballet dancer Adam Cooper) are mainly dark, stressing the importance of his role. Then finally as the opening of the performance has just begun, Billy makes a climatic leap into the air. This is juxtaposed with his fathers tears of pride. The end of the film ultimately underlines that masculinity has many forms and features, and is thus defined by the persons attributes and actions rather then the environment they inhabit.

Informal Essay about Friendship

Informal Essay about Friendship Informal Essay about Friendship Friendship can be defined as a personal relationship between two or more individuals, grounded in feelings of concern for one another and includes intimacy to a certain degree. Given that human beings are generally considered social, friendship is an important part of every individual’s life. Most people dedicate a portion of their day to interacting with friends, whether face-to-face or by phone or on the computer. Given the vital role that friendship plays in the lives of almost all human beings, it is prudent to friendship from different perspectives, including the nature of friendship. How does one know what true friendship is? Friendship is demonstrated through mutual care, acts of intimacy, and activities that individuals share with those whom they consider friends. Friendship is always valued and justified by examining both its individual importance and social worth. Individual value of friendship is gauged from the perspective of an individual who considers the amount of resources, time, energy that he or she is willing to invest in the relationship. The value an individual places on a friendship can also be measured from the perception of whether the friendship makes one’s life feel better or worse. Whether an individual appreciates the friendship of another, though, is sometimes tied up with how that person feels about himself. If one does not value himself, that person is less likely to value someone else or the friendship offered by someone else. People often form friendships based on what they have to offer each other. Sometimes they share a mutual problem or concern. Through collaborating with each other to solve the problem, they often form a mutual bond. Social factors can also significantly help an individual to determine the value of a friendship. For instance, if one’s friendship influences one to promote the general good and consideration for others, then that friendship can be considered to be of value. Moreover, morality issues can play a significant role in helping one to determine if a relationship is of significant value. Fighting a common cause can result in friendships forming. Finally, no one really knows who is true friends are except in times of trouble. Those who run away when needed cannot be considered true friends. On the other hand, individuals discover during difficult times new friends, individuals that perhaps they knew but did not previously value. Some informal essay writing tips: Since this is an informal essay which is written mostly for entertainment purposes, a few of the rules that guide essay writing can be skipped. These include a comprehensive introductory paragraph which ends with a comprehensive thesis statement. This essay began with a brief definition of friendship before delving into the various aspects of friendship. By examining the issue of friendship from different perspectives, this essay is designed to help its readers to understand the concept of friendship on a deeper level than perhaps they previously considered it. If you need a superior-quality custom informal essay about Friendship contact our essay writing service provided by professional paper writers.

Our impact on the environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Our impact on the environment - Essay Example ties includes the element of pollution, which is currently a major global threat that has been increasing in a dramatic rate due to the increase of industrialization and other human activities that involve use of energy. This essay is going to focus on the impacts of human activities on the environment, analyze how different sources of energy affect the environment as well recommend usage of the most sustainable and friendly sources of energy. Carried out studies have proven that one of the major factors contributing to the high levels of pollution to the environment is the type of sources of energy that human beings use in fueling their industrial activities (Jaccard 63). Most of these sources of energies used in almost all countries are nonrenewable and highly unsustainable, a factor that have made them a chief threat to the environment (Jaccard 65). However, some sources are known to have more adverse effects to the environment than others with oil, coal and natural gas being the main sources that environmentalists blame much for the high level of pollution in the modern world. Statistics show that oil is the most common source of energy with oil being used to fuel over 80% of all the activities undertaken on daily basis such as in factories, cooking and for transport. However, combustion of oil leads to emission of greenhouse gases that have detrimental effects to the environment (Curley 95). The main constituents of products released after burning oil, natural gas and coal are carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide that have significantly contributed to global warming or climate change. In addition, combusted fossil fuels lead to formation of other harmful gases which ends up forming acids such as carbonic acids and sulfuric acid. Carbon dioxide and suphurous gaseous produces once fossils are combusted combine with moisture or rain in the atmosphere to form acidic rainfall. Acidic rains are a major threat to plant and fish health once they get on to the ground.

UK Industrial Restrictions on Labour Relations Essay

UK Industrial Restrictions on Labour Relations - Essay Example Industrial Relations and the UK lawsContrary to common practice, the UK has demonstrated significant laxity in promoting exclusive protection of human rights as stipulated in the European Convention on Human Rights. Specifically, the laws governing the entire United Kingdom are all statutory provisions with no written constitution. In addition, the UK government and the bicameral legislative system believe that all actions of the multitude must be controlled to ensure peace and vigilant administration (Geyer, Mackintosh and Lehmann 2005, p.137). For that reason, the legislature has since passed resolutions and Acts of Parliament that are essentially retrogressive to the freedom from forced labour or slavery in general. Ideally, the UK laws are strict in nature and most of them empower the government and employers to take necessary course of action against potential or actual breach of employment contract. While the law provides for industrial intervention, it is cumbered with several restrictions that render the practice a perpetual impossibility.On the other hand, Trade Unions in the UK are prohibited from supporting acts that might construe an inducement to breach employment contract or performance of such duties as appertain to the agreement between individuals and their employers (Gladstone and Wheeler 1992, p.35). Besides, the UK perceives strikes as an expressed act of breaking employment agreement while such actions ought to mean a suspended contract rather than breach.

The Pleasure of Eating by Wendell Berry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Pleasure of Eating by Wendell Berry - Essay Example Urban dwellers mostly rely on fast food and processed food because they find it easier and faster. So what is the importance of food and do people eat with pleasure? People are supposed to rediscover the pleasure of eating as the author claims. Then how is this possible? The question, of finding pleasure in what you eat, is what Berry answers in his book. Berry illustrates the pleasure of eating by empowering consumers to be involved in agriculture and the food they eat. Being an active participant in deciding the kind of food to eat and how it is production takes place makes the consumer more knowledgeable. Knowledge, as we know equals power and freedom of choice as passive consumers do not enjoy the freedom of choosing between healthy foods and unhealthy foods. Eating healthy makes one feel energetic, and end up appreciating food. Berry’s purpose in his book, Pleasure of Eating is to make the audience find pleasure in eating healthy meals. Most city people are passive participants when it comes to deciding the food they eat. Berry tries to stop this by offering solutions to the consumer on the choice of food they consume. He asks, â€Å" How do you get out of this problem?†, is an illustration to the audience to finding the solution to the unhealthy eating problem. The target audience of the author is the passive, uncritical and dependent person who does not care about food production. Food production has been industrialized, and a few individuals get in contact with the product directly. The patron of the food production thought that it was helping the consumer by making their work easier. The food production industries have tried so hard to convince consumers that processed food is what they need because it is easier that way. The industries will grow and prepare your food for you and even beg you to eat it. The industries only do this because they are benefiting from it.