College Writing II Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

College Writing II - Coursework Example In some countries, nearly ninety percent or more than women are working women while in some countries, the ratio of working women is very negligible. The research on this topic will be a great help for people who deny the importance of women. Moreover, this topic will also facilitate towards knowing about the real part that working women play in the lives of their family. Some people regard working women as neglecting their children and family for their own interest while others regard the working women as supportive and helpful for their family. The research will inform in detail about the role of working women, the problems that they face in performing their role and how men look towards the role of working women in a society. The target audiences of this paper are my class fellows, teachers and other people who want to know about the real role of women in any society. Women have to face many problems in their workplaces but they cope up with the difficulties they face in order to support their family. Also, if the male member of the family is unable to earn on the basis of some problem like physically disability or unemployment, the working woman is always there to let its family fulfill their basic needs. The paper will start with an introduction in which, working women and their role will be introduced in terms of different professions in which, women can be found. The introduction will also introduce my basic theme that I want to discuss in my research paper that is the beneficent role of working women. The introduction will give an overview of the whole topic. After introduction, a literature review will be added to the research paper that will contain an argument by means of authorial writings of writers who have written on the topic of working women. The literature review will be the major part of the research as with the help of

Islamic Change Over Time Essay Essay Example for Free

Islamic Change Over Time Essay Essay By the early eighteenth century, the Ottoman Empire was in decline. The weak rulers of the empire left the way open for power struggles among officials, religious experts, and Janissary commanders. Provincial administrators and landholders conspired to drain revenue from the central treasury. The general economy suffered from competition with the West as imported goods ruined local industry. European rivals took advantage of Ottoman weakness. The Austrians pushed the Ottomans from Hungary and the northern Balkans. Russia expanded into the Caucasus and Crimea. The subject Christian peoples of the Balkans challenged their rulers: the Greeks won independence 1830, and Serbia won independence in 1867. European military assaults and diseases destroyed existing civilizations. African and Asian civilizations were able to withstand the early European arrival, but the latter’s continuing development by the end of the eighteenth century made them dominant. The subordinate civilizations reacted differently. Some retreated into an idealized past; others absorbed ideas from their rulers. The various efforts at resistance did not all succeed. Some civilizations survived; others collapsed. The leaders and thinkers of the Islamic world were divided about how to reverse decline and drive back Europeans. They argued over a spectrum ranging from a return to the past to the adoption of Western ways. By the nineteenth century, the Arabs under the weakened Ottoman Empire were exposed to the danger of European conquest. The loss of Islamic territory to the Europeans engendered a sense of crisis in the Middle East. The Muslims had faced the threat of the West since the Middle Ages. Muslims shared many aspects of culture with Judeo-Christian and Greek tradition; their civilization had contributed to the rise of the West. The Muslims had many centers to defend; the fall of the Ottoman Empire did not mean the end of Islamic independence. They had time to learn during the long Western advance. Muslims could cling to the truths of Islam and survive as a people,

Operation Management Analysis Of Hard Rock Cafe Brand Tourism Essay

Operation Management Analysis Of Hard Rock Cafe Brand Tourism Essay Hard Rock Cafe is a success story in operation management . From its very first London pub in 1971 , after 39 years of existence Hard Rock cafe continued expanding and succeeding in many different countries. This paper will discuss how the 10 decisions of the Operation management were made on Hard Rock Cafe as well as operation management challenges and opportunities confronting Hard Rock Cafe when considering an expansion of its business in Hanoi. Critical evaluation of the operation management strategy of Hard Rock Cafe as described in the case materials. With the mission to spread out the spirit of rock n roll by delivering creating authentic experiences that rock, Hard Rock cafe has won continued success since it was founded in June 14, 1971 when the rock music was explosive in England. Hard Rock Cafe has uniqueness and more importantly it has launched an excellent strategy in operation management. Hard Rock cafe strategy is to provide not only a custom meal from the menu, but a dining event that includes a unique visual and sound experience not duplicated anywhere in the world. (1) That strategy has helped Hard rock cafe grow from its first Cafe to 129 world wide locations. Bellow is the discussion on some out of 10 decisions of opreration management run on Hard Rock Cafe. Taking the success of the Hard Rock Cafe into consideration means considering its service quality and product design. The Cafe offers a range of services from cafes, live music, Rock concerts to hotels and casinos. They serve customer by modifying the menu from classic American burgers and chicken wings- to include higher-end items such as stuff veal chops and lobster tail ( P.56). And of course, its quality must be the top charts. They always usually change their menu based on the frequent customer survey and localized food taste. Surveys are done on a regular basis to evaluate quality of food and service at the cafe. Scores are rated on a 1 to 7 scale. And if the score is not a 7, the food or service is a failure (Jay Barry, n.d,P.56). Hard Rock not simply offers meals and drink, it provides a unique different experience in each location. Experiences are not exclusive about entertainment; company stage an experience whenever they engage customers in a personal and memorable way. (Harvard Business Review, Welcome to the experience economy, B,Joseph Pine II Jame H. Gilmore, 1998) Surely, the key has driven Hard Rock Cafe to success is to build a standard of quality and keep its product and service meet the standard. One factor that brings success to Hard Rock Cafe is Human resource strategy.   Based on their specific services, from the recruitment Hard Rock Cafe looks for people who are passionate with music, like to serve people and have ability to tell story. Hard Rock builds on a hiring criterion of bright, positive attitude, self-motivated individuals with an employee bill of rights and substantial employee power. These people will surely inspire customer and make them happy. Hard Rock Cafe also created a great working environment with people who have the same interest but different personality. Besides, training plan is also a very good strategy at Hard Rock. The companys training is very specific, with job-oriented interactive CDs covering kitchen, retail, and front of the house service.   Through the training, employees improve themselves both personally and professionally. Staffs are highly motivated because they can see their opportunities in Hard Rock even they are from a low level as 60% of the managers here are promoted from part time staff. Such strate gies have reveaved that the Cafe really cares about their employees and their employees do not only come for money but also to obtain job satisfaction. Because location is such a significant cost and revenue driver, location often has the power to make (or break) a companys business strategy (Jay Barry, n.d, P.364) therefore, Hard Rock Cafe has been spending much time and great efforts to analyze location whenever they want to open a new Cafe. Focusing on tourists and people who love music therefore demographics, visitor market, transportation, restaurants/night clubs and political risk are emphasized factors for researching to make sure that Hard Rock Cafe is located in a convenient place for their potential customers. The analysis also helps them have a long term investment in each Hard Rock cafe. Every opened cafe is a result of an extremely careful decision after investigating the target markets, the proper places and considering the future success in a long period of time. Therefore, location contributes a crucial role in expanding Hard Rock Cafe popularity to world-wide nowadays. The layout is also another important decision that management has to make. The kitchen is set up to be not just only a normal kitchen but also a comfortable working space for all the staff. The kitchen flows are designed in order to make sure that the chief, waiters and waitresses have enough space to do their work. The bar and restaurant are designed to bring the highest income for Hard Rock Cafe. The installation of lighting, sound, screens, music and circulation paths is in order to praise memorabilia and as a result, customers are convinced to buy souvenirs naturally. In fact, the retail shops produce about half the companys profit and they are always displayed at eye-catching areas such as within the restaurant space, flow and work stations. Its obviously that scheduling is one of the most important decisions at Hard Rock Cafe. With Mr. Ken Hoffman, Hard Rocks General manager takes scheduling very serious. There are some factors that affect sales that Ken Hoffman cares when he makes schedule. The number of occupied rooms in nearby hotels is important because not all guests will have dinner in the Hotels. They will look for dinning spots and of course Hard Rock cafe will be their destination because of it uniqueness and well-known. The next factor that they consider is how many events will occur in the area. The third one is they examine the sales at the same day of previous year. Another factor that Hard Rock Cafe takes into account is the entree sales data, each entree is present 1 customer. With the result of the forecast, Hard Rock Cafe estimates the number of guest will come and they can have an appropriate plan on staffing and menu. There is a fact that inventory management is a different side of Hard Rock cafe. It is not too much when saying that the collection of rock and memorabilia is a trademark that makes Hard Rock cafe widespread everywhere around the world.  Customers come to Hard Rock Cafe not only for the meals they serve there but also for the items of their favorite artists that they can find on the cafe walls. These items;  including autographed guitars, outfits from world tours and rare photographs;  are collected and taken care by a special group in Orlando. They manage every single item with every single history, know exactly which item is being exhibit in which cafe on which wall through an inventory system using advantaged technology. An life circle of the exhibition of an item is around 5 to 7 years. After these years, the item is brought back to Orlando and renovated while another item is being replace it on the wall Hard Rock Cafe has lunched the first restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City through franchise license bought by Viet Thai International Company (VTI). This restaurant chain has been successful for since 1971 and in more than 166 worldwide locations. It seems that after a year launching, Hard Rock Cafe Vietnam (HRCVN) is on a right direction to the success. VIT (HRCFVN franchisee) has also a long term vision to expand the chain in Vietnam. Director of VIT announced on the launching day that his company will have at least two more Hard Rock Cafe in Vietnam in 2012, one in Hanoi and another one in Dang Nang city (Rock Passion, 2010. n.d.). In order to evaluate if HRCFVN will be a successful model in Hanoi, this writing will examine opportunities and challenges for HRCFVN based on its some key decisions of operation managements. Goods Services Design: As franchise, HRCFVN has been benefited from Hard Cafe international in providing the best quality of goods and services for its customers. Hard Rock Cafe Ho Chi Minh city can served more than 500 customers at the same time, as a result, if Hard Rock Cafe expand its business in Hanoi, this scale would be considered to apply. This would be a good point to served big events and parties meanwhile not many restaurants in Hanoi are large enough. Based on menu of Hard Rock Cafe Ho Chi Minh, they are offering a very diversified and good menu from drinks to eats and even a special menu for kids. These is only one thing that would be a challenge for drinks and eats menu is that the Northern foods are quite deferent with the South. The restaurant needs to do researches to make food and drinks suitable for the Northern peoples taste. Besides, a series of rock t-shirts and pins collections are also offering at Rock Shop. This is unique selling point which is no single restaurant in Hanoi can offer. This would offer Rock lovers opportunities to own a rock t-shirts. As Hard Rock cafe is changing its strategy to response to operation management, they believe that they dont sell meals or drinks, Hard Rock Cafe offers an unique different experience (Hard Rock Cafe Mission). At HRCF Ho Chi Minh, they are offering Rock n Roll memorabilia with hundreds of pieces of guitar, dress of Rock n Roll legends such as John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Pantera, Kiss, Van Halen, Motorhead, Pearl Jam, Eagles, Scorpions, Jon Bon Jovi, Steven Tyler, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley. By offering these items in Hanoi, it would be another key point to pull customers coming to the restaurant. Regarding service design, as Jey and Barry comment that designing services is challenging because they often have unique characteristics and in reality. Seeing s ervice quality point only, there is a big gap if compare Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Service quality in Ho Chi Minh city is always evaluated much better than Hanoi. It would be a challenged point for Hard Rock when they expand to this location. However, Hard Rock Cafe is well know in flexibility with the product, design and so many other aspects of their restaurants based on the local market they enter into. It means that they try to present themselves customizing things to the likes of their local customers. They empower the local franchisee to create their own unique Hard Rock Cafe that delivers unique  guest experience. There is no doubt that they would respect the tradition and culture of the locals and design your restaurant settings with that view in the mind. That would be a key to lead to the success when they do business in Hanoi. Quality Management: As franchisee, HRCFVN will be provided, guided and trained international management standard which Hard Rock Cafe is applying worldwide with almost 40 year experience. The local owner VIT will have many opportunities to learn how to manage Hard Rock Cafe in Ho Chi Minh and then apply key learning for location in Hanoi. In addition, VIT is also a big name in food and beverage industry in Vietnam. They are owning and operating High Land Coffee brand which has more than 60 high class coffee chain nationwide with more than ten years experience. They also have a high qualified management team who would be a good source for the business expand. Location:. It is clear that Vietnam in general and Hanoi in particular are a safe place to invest with high stable political conditions. Furthermore Vietnam is the second fastest economy growth in Asia Pacific with the 13rd largest population in the world. The capital of Vietnam is a good location to invest as the income of people is increasing quickly. As a result, customers would welcome a high end restaurant with deferent selling points as Hard Rock Cafe even they have to pay more. Besides, Vietnamese society is more open with Western life style, thus in term of social norm, it is not hard for customers to experience a new style in town. There is an another key point that need to clarify that any restaurant must pay much consideration location of restaurant. Location is sometime considered counting up to 80 percent of successful opportunity in restaurant business. In fact that Hanoi is now hard to find a good location to Hard Rock as good and convenient venues are been already occupying by other competitors. Thought the current owner of Hard Rock cafe Vietnam is very successful in finding perfect location for their High Land Coffee chain, but to open a Hard Roack cafe would be definitely harder because they need a much larger location than a coffee shop. Supply Chain Management: It is not difficult to find a qualified suplier who can provide fresh, quality materials and products to the restaurant. Metro supermarket (a giant wholesales supermaket from Garmany) has at leat two distribution centers in Hanoi which are current main suppliers for five star hotels and retaurants in the city. In addition, there are ten of smaller supliers who can meet whatever Hard Cafes demands. The distant from Metro and other suppliers to the dowtown of Hanoi is around 15km, 40 minutes for trucks or vans reaching any place in the city to provide foods and drinks on time. There is a taugher task which would be a moving the memorabilia among locations to change the experience every time a guest visit. This is a key point in supply chain to create the best circulation items among its members. Human Resources: It is a strengthen point if Hard Cafe expand its business to Hanoi. As one of the best high end coffee chain, VIT has a large number of qualified employees who are ready to start these project as key members. In reality, VIT has several other restaurant projects and they have successfully used their current human sources to solve one of the most difficult tasks in any business ventures people question. Regarding recruitment of employees who are are passionate about music, love to serve and convey the experience to customers, it is not a big challenge as Hanoi labor force are young and well educated. The recuitment can target to hundred of thousand students who are learning at ten of colleages and universities in Hanoi. These targeted employees are passionate to RocknRoll lyfe style and would be the best front liners to spread the spirit of this concept to local customers. As an international restaurant chains, Hard Rock will provide professional training courses for local employees with international standards which will be opportunity point for Hard Cafe in Hanoi to have better employee team with international standard. Inventory Management: There is no big challenge for inventory of Hard Cafe as key supplier can be reached by in 40 minutes by vans and there are many alternative suppliers who ready provide and meet all demands. Thus, inventory should limit to minimize volume except special food and raw material which take time to import. Memorabilia are more challenge for Hard Rock inventory as it 0000 pieces will be circulated among 160 locations around the worlds. However, it seem that this work has been well organized by Hard Rock Cafe International with $40 million valued memorabilia are catalogued, each piece is known where to be (Gusa and Inci, 2008) Scheduling: Based on the current business model of Hard Rock Cafe in Ho Chi Minh city is offering full service event planning facility for all events. Catering, entertainment, and event merchandise can be customized to complement every event (Hard Rock Cafe HoChi Minh, n.d.). if this scale is applied to Hanoi location, this restaurant can be seen as a medium and large size in the city. All community event in the area will be targeted. With the unique and deferent point of sales, it is potential that Hard Rock Cafe would be a favorite venue for events related to young customers. However, there is only challenge can be seen that the restaurant will not be an attractive place for tourists, especially for those who come from Western countries. The reason can be explain that if you travel to The U.S, it would be good to explore Hard Rock Cafes Rock n Roll experience right in the home land of this music. However, this purpose will less attractive when the restaurant is locating in an Orien tal country likes Vietnam. It is also a challenge point that Hard Rock Cafe will take longer time to reach ROI (Return on Investment) points than Hard Rock Cafe in Ho Chi Minh city because, outside dining culture is more popular in Ho Chi Minh city. People spend much more budget to eat outside any place in Vietnam, particularly during the weekend. Second, Hard Rock Cafe needs to invest a large of capital to reach premium standard as requested by Franchiser. However, to expand business in Hanoi is a right direction and it should take action as soon as possible as they as have set successfully a first step in the main market of Vietnam.

Essay --

In the Crito, Socrates debates with his friend and follower Crito on escaping from prison where Socrates awaits execution. Crito unsuccessfully attempts to persuade Socrates to escape from prison but the latter is adamant and opts to remain in prison and meet his fate. This paper argues that Socrates had strong convictions in his arguments. Therefore, the paper defends Socrates decision citing it as accurate and commendable even though it marked the end of his life. Firstly, the paper examines Crito’s propositions exhibiting the eminent strong points as well as the destabilizing shortcomings. The second part examines Socrates defense outlining why it was the rightful choice. The main attention will be on Socrates core argument founded on justice and doing injustice maligns one’s soul. Therefore, the paper concludes by phrasing that it is not worth to live with a tainted, distraught and ruined soul. Propositions by Crito According to Crito, there are three major reasons as to why Socrates should escape from the prison. Notably, Crito offers lame self centered excuses for Socrates escape. Indeed, two of the reasons do not stand ground whereas the third concentrates on the victim’s responsibility to his offspring. Crito begins by proposing Socrates escape because failing to do so will doubly hurt him. Firstly, Crito enjoys a warm and cordial friendship with Socrates. Therefore, his execution would distraught and melancholy him. On the other hand, Crito says that the execution of Socrates will harm his reputation. People will tantalize, taunt and jeer him for valuing his monies more than the life of his friend. This is because Crito can bribe Socrates way out of prison. According to Crito, the population will be prejudicial to him un... ...educed that it is not significant to live but instead to live a just and moral life. The second argument that supports Socrates decision to stay in prison is that of the repercussions to the city of Athens. If Socrates escaped, the Athens city together with its fabric, laws, would be annihilated. By the extension, destruction of the Athens’ city equally destroyed the lives of people of Athens. Socrates argues that harming others is similar to harming ones soul because such an act constituted an unjust act. Therefore, it was a wiser decision to meet death rather than escape. Finally, Socrates considers the consensus argument in his decision to stay in prison. Escaping from prison broke his consensus with his city and such an act constituted injustice. Therefore, it constituted maligning one’s soul and, therefore, it was better to die than live with an unjust soul.

Ap 1988 Euro

1988 MC National AP European History Exam 100 questions in 75 minutes. 1. Salvation by faith alone, the ministry of all believers, and the authority of the Bible are principles basic to (A) the Christian humanism of Erasmus (B) the Church of England (C) Catholicism after the Council of Trent (D) Lutheranism in the early sixteenth century (E) the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order) 2. The Edict of Nantes in 1598 did which of the following? (A) Ensured Anglo-French cooperation throughout the seventeenth century. (B) Created a French church separated from papal authority. (C) Ended the War of the Spanish Succession. D) Proclaimed the toleration of Calvinism. (E) Precipitated the French Wars of Religion. [pic] 3. The sketch above, drawn by Galileo in 1610, was used to argue that the Moon (A) has no phases (B) has an irregular surface (C) is one of the planets (D) does not revolve around the Earth (E) is illuminated by Mars 4. â€Å"You venerate the saints and delight in touching their relic s, but you despise the best one they left behind, the example of a holy life †¦. If the worship of Christ in the person of His saints pleases you so much, see to it that you imitate Christ in the saints†The quotation above expresses the views of which of the following? (A) Henry VIII of England (B) Catherine de Medici (C) Erasmus of Rotterdam (D) Leonardo da Vinci (E) Niccolo Machiavelli 5. John Locke based his Two Treatises on Government primarily on which of the following views of human nature? (A) People are basically rational and learn from practical experience. (B) People are weak and sinful and need the guidance of organized religion. (C) People are fallible and need guidance from the cumulative wisdom of tradition. (D) People are inherently quarrelsome and should never be encouraged to revolt against state authority. E) People are born with all knowledge, and learning is the process of remembering that innate knowledge [pic] 6. The map above of eighteenth-century R ussia suggests which of the following about Russian territory between 1689 and 1796? (A) The Ottoman Empire annexed the Crimea (B) Peter the Great added more territory to Russia than did Catherine the Great (C) Most Russian expansion took place in the east (D) Russia ceded territory to Poland in the late eighteenth century (E) Russia acquired navigable seaports in both the north and the south 7.Which of the following best describes the political and economic environment of much of fifteenth century Italy? (A) A few large states dominated by a wealthy landed nobility (B) A strong unified Italian monarchy that patronized the arts (C) Many independent city-states with prosperous merchant oligarchies (D) Control of most of Italy by the pope, who encouraged mercantile development (E) Support of the arts in Italy by the kings of France and the Holy Roman emperors, who were competing for influence 8. The response of the Roman Catholic church to the Protestant Reformation included all of th e following EXCEPT A) the abolition of the Index of Prohibited Books (B) the establishment of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order) (C) the convening of the Council of Trent (D) the founding of women’s orders active in education and care of the sick (E) an increase in the number of parish grammar schools [pic] 9. The Pieter Brueghal painting (circa 1569) shown above depicts the massacre of villagers in A) the Netherlands by Spanish troops B) Russia by Ottoman troops C) Spain by English troops D) France by Swedish troops E) Hungary by Austrian 10. The first political use of the terms â€Å"right† and â€Å"left† was to describe the A) division of France into predominantly Protestant and predominantly Roman Catholic areas (B) seating arrangements in the French National Assembly chamber during the French Revolution (C) party alliances in the English House of Commons during the debates prior to the American Revolution (D) two wings of the Versailles palace that housed the Roman Catholic and the Huguenot nobility (B) factions in the English Parliament that supported James II or William of Orange 11. Which of the following statements best describes the writers of the Romantic school? (A)They stressed emotion rather than reason. B)They continued the traditions of the Enlightenment. (C)They were advocates of increased political rights for women. (D)They modeled their work on the classics of Greece and Rome. (E)They based their writing on scientific and mathematical models. 12. During the Crimean War (1854-1856), most deaths among the military occurred as a result of (A) trench warfare and poisonous gas (B) guerrilla warfare (C) naval engagements (D) disease and inadequate medical care (E) heavy artillery bombardment 13. In fifteenth-century Europe. Muslim culture exerted the greatest influence on which of the following societies? A) English (B) French (C) German (D) Italian (E) Spanish 14. In 1500 the two most powerful autocracies in Eastern Europe were (A) Muscovy and the Ottoman Empire (B) the Ottoman and the Byzantine empires (C) the Byzantine Empire and Poland-Lithuania (D) Poland-Lithuania and Hungary (E) Hungary and Kievan Russia 15. The principal reason why Louis XIV (1643-1715) built his palace at Versailles was to (A) tighten his control over the nobility (B) strengthen ties with the Huguenots (C) move the king’s residence nearer to the center of the country (D) provide thousands of jobs E) absorb the excess revenue produced by mercantilist tax policies 16. In the second half of the seventeenth century, which of the following countries dominated European culture, politics, and diplomacy? (A) England (B) The Netherlands (C) Russia (D) France (E) Prussia 17. Which of the following best characterizes the Western European economy, as a whole, in the sixteenth century? (A) Widespread unemployment (B) Declining trade and commerce (C) Technological breakthroughs in production (D) Unrestricted trade among nations (E) S piraling inflation 18.In the first half of the seventeenth century, the Austrian Hapsburgs subdued revolt and centralized control in their territories by doing which of the following? (A) Emancipating the peasantry and encouraging agricultural development (B) Allying with the urban middle classes and encouraging commercial development (C) Establishing a national church headed by the Hapsburg emperor and redistributing former church properties (D) Creating a customs union to promote trade and acquiring new territories to supply merchants with raw materials (E) Waging warfare against rebel groups and supporting the Catholic Reformation 9. Which of the following was a major result of the Thirty’ Years’ War (1618-1648)? (A) The long-term strengthening of the Holy Roman Emperor’s authority (B) The banning of Calvinism in the German states (C) The establishment of strong Russian influence in the northern German states (D) The loss of as much as one-third of the German -speaking population through war, plague, and starvation (E) The encouragement of rapid economic development in many German-speaking cities 20. After the defeat of King Charles I in the English Civil War and his execution in 1649, England was governed for a decade by A) a democratic republic with universal suffrage (B) a commonwealth led by Oliver Cromwell and his son (C) a constitutional monarchy under King James II (D) the king of Scotland (E) a parliamentary council dominated by egalitarians 21. Which of the following most clearly distinguishes the northern Renaissance from the Italian Renaissance? (A) Interest in science and technology (B) Greater concern with religious piety (C) Cultivation of a Latin style (D) Use of national languages in literature (E) Admiration for Scholastic thought 22. Adam Smith maintained that A) workers real wages decrease in the long run (B) population always tends to outstrip food supplies (C) monopolies benefit the state (D) competition is socially beneficial (E) social revolution is inevitable 23. Which of the following early nineteenth-century political figures was most closely identified with the concept of â€Å"the concert of Europe†? (A) Castlereagh (B) Napoleon I (C) Talleyrand (D) Alexander I (E) Metternich 24. A factor accelerating the British government’s repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 was the (A) South Sea Bubble scandal (B) American Revolution C) Irish potato famine (D) development of relatively inexpensive ocean transport (E) worldwide mechanization of grain farming 25. Which of the following spared Europe a general multinational war during the second half of the nineteenth century? (A) The functioning of an effective balance of power (B) Europe’s preoccupation with industrial development (C) The strength of the German navy (D) Fear of Ottoman expansion into the rest of Europe (E) A policy of free and unrestricted trade 26. The eighteenth-century philosophes believed that society could best a chieve progress through A) prayer and contemplation (B) intuition (C) hard work and self-denial (D) scientific empiricism (E) analysis of Greek and Latin texts 27. The model of the universe which resulted from the scientific work of Galileo and Newton embraced (A) Aristotelian philosophy (B) a belief in an ascending â€Å"chain of being† (C) a conception of a spiritually animate universe (D) the belief in the fixed, central position of the Earth (E) the science of mechanics 28. The sequence of events that led to the French Revolution of 1789 is best summarized by which of the following? A) Lafayette’s call for democracy, royal suppression of the National Assembly, Robespierre’s leading a peasant revolution (B) Peasant uprisings, royal abdication, election of the National Assembly (C) Franco-Austrian war, urban riots, convening of the Assembly of Notables (D) Widespread famine, repression of riots, guerrilla war (E) Royal financial crisis, convening of the Estate s General, storming of the Bastille 29. â€Å"In place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonism, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all. These words express the ideas of (A) Alexis de Tocqueville (B) John Locke (C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (D) Edmund Burke (E) Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels 30. Which of the following best describes an important trend in typical family size in Western Europe after 1870? (A) It increased in urban areas due to improvements in public health and housing for workers. (B) It decreased in working-class families due to legislation limiting child labor. (C) It decreased sharply because of chronic food shortages (D) It decreased initially in the middle classes because of the increased costs of rearing children. E) It remained unchanged because of massive emigration overseas 31. English economic expansion was severely threatened in the eighteenth century by a rapidly diminishing supply of (A) peat (B) wood (C) coal (D) oil (E) water power [pic] Left side of graph should read â€Å"Population (in millions)†, the first number is 1700 not 700 32. All of the following statements about Europe’s population in the eighteenth century can be inferred from the graph above EXCEPT: (A) For most of the century, France had the largest population of any European power. (B) The population of Eastern Europe outstripped that of Western Europe in size. C) Russia experienced the largest increase in rate of population growth. (D) The population of the British Isles grew throughout the century. (E) Rates of population growth increased after 1750. 33. â€Å"The salon was a weekly gathering held in the home of one of the dominant ladies of the society, at which dinner was usually served, cards usually played, but conversation led by the hostess predominated. A few salons were known as having the ideal mixture of leading intellectuals, open-minded nobles, and clever, elegant women. † The passage above describes an important aspect of social life in which of the following? A) Geneva during the Reformation (B) Florence during the Renaissance (C) London during the Glorious Revolution (D) Paris during the Enlightenment (E) Berlin during the Kulturkampf 34. Enlightened monarchs of the eighteenth century supported all of the following EXCEPT (A) religious tolerance (B) increased economic productivity (C) pacifist foreign policy (D) administrative reform (E) secular and technical education 35. Which of the following characterized European warfare between the Peace of Utrecht (1713) and the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789)? (A) Standing armies pursuing limited strategic goals B) Citizen armies fighting for their native lands (C) Feudal armies fighting for their lords (D) Mass armies pursuing global strategies (E) Highly mobile armies unhampered by traditional defenses 36. Under the Napoleonic system, peasants in territ ories conquered by French armies were generally given (A) the right to vote for representatives to serve in newly created parliaments (B) control over the appointment of village priests (C) freedom from manorial obligations (D) free lessons in the French language (E) sets of laws designed specifically to fit local conditions 37. The greatest happiness for the greatest number† was the explicit goal of which of the following movements? (A) Romanticism (B) Utilitarianism (C) Pietism (D) Anarchism (E) Jansenism 38. â€Å"In the presence of my guests I reduced the telegram by deleting words, without adding or altering a single word . . . which made the announcement appear decisive. [My guest] said: ‘Now it has quite a different ring. In its original form it sounded like a parley. Now it is like a flourish of trumpets in answer to a challenger. ’ I went on to explain: ‘ . . . it will have the effect of a red flag on the Gallic bull’†The individual re counting the story above was (A) Napoleon III (B) Cavour (C) Disraeli (D) Bismarck (E) Alexander II 39. The disease most common in industrialized areas of nineteenth-century Europe was (A) bubonic plague (B) tuberculosis (C) smallpox (D) malaria (E) leprosy 40. In 1917 the Bolsheviks sought to rally support from the Russian people with which of the following slogans? (A) â€Å"Peace, land, bread† (B) â€Å"Socialism in one country† (C) â€Å"Blood and iron† (D) â€Å"Family, work, fatherland† (E) â€Å"Liberty, equality, fraternity† 41. French leaders decided to occupy Germany’s Ruhr Valley in January 1923 in order to A) counterbalance Soviet influence in Germany (B) incorporate German territory permanently into France (C) halt the rise of the Nazi party among workers in the region (D) use the region’s industrial production to accelerate France’s rearmament (E) seize goods as payment for Germany’s reparations debt 42. By 1948 Soviet-dependent regimes existed in all of the following countries EXCEPT (A) Bulgaria (B) Hungary (C) Poland (D) Rumania (E) Yugoslavia 43. The French monarchy in the seventeenth century sought to expand France’s borders to its â€Å"natural frontiers† by gaining control of (A) Schleswig-Holstein B) Milan (C) Alsace (D) Spain (E) Tuscany 44. Which of the following caused the deepest and most persistent internal opposition to the French Revolution? (A) The Great Fear (B) The storming of the Bastille (C) The publication of Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France (D) The advent of the Thermidorean reaction (E) The enactment of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy 45. Architecture produced in the Napoleonic Empire was influenced most by (A) ancient Egyptian pyramids (B) classical models (C) Romanesque churches (D) Islamic structures (E) Gothic churches [pic] 46.The graph above depicts the lengths, from longest to shortest, of the railway systems of (A ) the United Kingdom, the Italian states, France (B) the United Kingdom, the German states, France (C) The German states, the United Kingdom, the Italian states (D) France, the German states, the Italian states (E) France, the United Kingdom, the German states 47. Mary Wollstonecraft and John Stuart Mill both wrote (A) critiques of the French Revolution (B) tracts on liberty and the rights of women (C) Utopian novels (D) polemics against alcohol consumption (E) satires of George III of England 48.All of the following cities experienced major uprisings in 1848 EXCEPT A) Paris B) Berlin C) London D) Rome E) Vienna [pic] 49. The image shown above is an example of a new technique for examining the human body which was discovered by (A) Faraday (B) Pasteur (C) Lister (D) Roentgen (E) Planck Questions 50-51 are based on the passage below. Where liberal parties, now liberal only in name, remained in power, they embraced protectionism and imperialism, undertook social regulation, and retain ed from the old liberal creed only Opposition to the extension of the franchise and to the church. 50.In what era did the developments described in the passage most probably take place? (A) 1715-1788 (B) 1789-1800 (C) 1815-1830 (D) 1880-1905 (E) 1945-1970 51. Which of the following factors best explains the transformation and decline of liberalism described in the passage? (A) The continued deference of peasants to aristocratic influence (B) The rise of industrial society and of mass political movements (C) The general decline in literacy rates (D) The inability of laissez-faire economics to uproot traditional communal agriculture and guilds (E) A strong popular reaction against liberal anti-clericalism 2. Which of the following ideas did Darwin draw on in developing his theories of evolution? (A) The Romantics’ ideas about the importance of heroic individuals (B) The scientific view that species are eternal and unchanging (C) The Biblical account of creation in Genesis (D) N ineteenth-century theories of manifest destiny (E) The population theories of Thomas Malthus [pic] 53. The nineteenth-century English cartoon above depicts (A) the weakening of Great Britain caused by emigration (B) Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice (C) the pollution resulting from industrialization D) British naval losses (E) criminals lurking around British waterways 54. The immediate cause of the 1905 Russian Revolution was social strain resulting from (A) the agitation of the Russian Social Democratic party (B) the mass emigration of skilled workers to the New World (C) attempts by the government to reform the Russian Orthodox church (D) the demands of ethnic groups for political autonomy (E) Russian losses in the Russo-Japanese War [pic] 55. According to the graph above, which class in sixteenth-century England benefited most from the trends shown? (A) Landowners B) Landless laborers (C) Household servants (D) Merchants (E) Small-scale artisans 56. Which of the following was a primary result of the Glorious Revolution of 1688? (A) The establishment of universal male suffrage (B) The restoration of Roman Catholicism to both England and Scotland (C) The limitation of monarchical power (D) The execution of Charles I (E) The triumph of Puritanism 57. Important prerequisites for Great Britain’s industrialization in the mid-eighteenth century included which of the following? (A) Innovations in agricultural techniques and increases in food production B) Dramatic improvements in workers’ housing in the cities (C) A rapid increase in the amount of gold imported from New World colonies (D) Rapid growth of a national system of rail transport (E) Strong monarchical leadership and a centralized government bureaucracy [pic] 58. The shaded areas on the map above represent which of the following? (A) Dynastic lands of the Hapsburgs in the sixteenth century (B) Participants in the Thirty Years’ War in the seventeenth century (C) Protestant regions in the eighteenth century (D) Members of the Holy Alliance in the nineteenth century E) Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the twentieth century 59. Which of the following European countries experienced the greatest degree of political instability in the nineteenth century? (A) Austria (B) France (C) The Netherlands (D) Prussia (E) Russia 60. When Sigmund Freud remarked that â€Å"in mental life nothing which has once been formed can perish,† he meant that (A) human beings are rational creatures (B) human beings can remember and recall all experiences at will (C) all mental acts are conscious mental acts D) the unconscious preserves unpleasant as well as pleasant thoughts (E) the unconscious obliterates excess thoughts [pic] 61. The chronologically arranged maps above illustrate the (A) concluding phases of the Franco-Prussian War (B) Schlieffen Plan (C) concluding phases of the First World War (D) settlement of the Treaty of Versailles. 1919 (E) invasion of France in 1940 62. Which of the following ideas is common to the works of both Karl Marx and the classical economists? (A) The overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the revolutionary proletariat is inevitable. B) Class struggle is the mechanism of historical progress. (C) The free exchange of wages for labor ensures social harmony. (D) The value of a product is largely determined by the value of the labor used to produce it. (E) The triumph of the proletariat will bring about a classless society. 63. During the last third of the nineteenth century, new industries, such as those producing electric power and chemicals, advanced most rapidly in which of the following European countries? (A) France (B) Italy (C) Germany (D) Belgium (E) Spain 64. What the breechloader, the machine gun, the steamboat, the steamship, quinine, and other innovations did was to lower the cost in both financial and human terms of penetrating, conquering, and exploiting new territories. So cost-effective did they ma ke imperialism that not only national governments but even individuals like Henry Stanley’ and Cecil Rhodes could precipitate events and stake out claims to vast territories which later became parts of empires. † The historian quoted above would most likely use which of the following statements to explain imperialism in Africa after 1870? A) Europe’s major corporations used ruthless force in their search for overseas trade and profits. (B) The power of European technology provided the mechanism that made imperialism cheap and easy. (C) European politicians were willing and eager to risk war for the sake of national prestige. (D) Individuals like Stanley and Rhodes were more important than economic forces in the conquest of Africa by Europeans. (E) The European officer class was eager to use Africa as a testing ground for new weapons. 65. All of the following were invented in Western Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries EXCEPT A) firearms (B) movabl e printing type (C) the compound microscope (D) the compass (E) the flying shuttle 66. â€Å"It was an important confederation of commercial towns in northern Germany with its own laws, diplomats, and flags. Its membership of merchants earned large profits shipping fish, timber, and other resources to areas to the west and to the south. Prosperity declined, however, when trade routes shifted from the Baltic to the Atlantic after 1500. † The description above refers to the (A) Confederation of the Rhine (B) Hanseatic League C) Merchants of the Staple (D) Holy Roman Empire (E) Schmalkaldic League 67. In the sixteenth century, all of the following had religious civil wars or political insurrections EXCEPT (A) Muscovite Russia (B) England (C) the Low Countries (D) France (E) the German states 68. The teachings of which of the following had the greatest impact on the Reformation in Scotland? (A) Ignatius of Loyola (B) John Calvin (C) Martin Luther (D) Desiderius Erasmus (E) Ulrich Zwingli 69. Mercantilism was principally characterized by (A) government efforts to build a strong. elf-sufficient economy (B) the efforts of the merchant class to influence policy by subsidizing the government (C) efforts by bankers and exporters to establish free trade (D) the theory that gold and silver were not real wealth (E) the view that labor ought to be able to seek its own market 70. In the late seventeenth century, which of the following countries led continental Europe in shipbuilding, navigation, and commerce and banking? (A) France (B) Russia (C) The Netherlands (D) Denmark (E) Spain 71. In eighteenth-century Europe, the most important imperial rivalries existed among which three of the following? A) Russia, France, and Great Britain (B) The German states, the Italian states, and Great Britain (C) The German states, the Italian states, and France (D) The German states, the Italian states, and Spain (E) Spain, France, and Great Britain 72. All of the following occurred as a result of the settlements reached at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) EXCEPT: (A) A balance of power was reestablished. (B) Belgium was united with the Netherlands under the House of Orange. (C) The neutrality of Switzerland was recognized. (D) Italy was unified under Sardinian leadership. E) A personal union between Sweden and Norway was created. 73. In the mid-nineteenth century, industrial growth in Western Europe was significantly stimulated by the (A) abolition of national customs barriers (B) introduction of assembly-line production (C) investment of United States Capital (D) expansion of transportation systems (E) expansion of labor unions 74. Which of the following factors most stimulated the entrance of large numbers of women into the labor force in many European countries during the First World War? (A) The decline in the average size of families (B) The increase in divorce rates C) Woman suffrage (D) The spread of Wilsonian principles (E) The shortage in the labor supply 75. A social historian would be most likely to research which of the following topics? (A) French diplomacy, 1742-1763 (B) Frederick William I and the General Directory of War, Finance, and Domains (C) The philosophical assumptions of Montesquieu’s Persian Letters (D) Napoleon’s Freudian relationship with Madame de Stael (E) Family life in a French village 76. In late nineteenth-century Great Britain, women were in the majority in which of the following categories of employment? (A) Transportation B) Mining (C) Factory work (D) Domestic service (E) Construction work 77. Which of the following scientific theories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was used to support notions of racial superiority? (A)James’s theory of pragmatism (B)Freud’s psychoanalytic theory (C)Darwin’s theory of natural selection (D)Planck’s quantum theory (E)Pavlov’s theory of conditioned response [pic] 78. The painting above, Musical Forms (1931 ) by Georges Braque, is an example of which of the following schools of painting? (A) Romantic (B)Impressionist (C) Cubist (D) Expressionist (E) Realist 79.Albert Einstein is well known for theorizing that (A) atoms are stable, basic building blocks of nature (B) time and space are unconnected concepts (C) light contains energy only when it is visible (D) mass and energy are interconvertible (E) the speed of an aircraft cannot exceed the speed of sound 80. Most historians would agree with which of the following descriptions of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919? (A) A treaty that spelled out the Soviet Union’s reparation obligations (B) A triumph of farsighted political and economic planning (C) A treaty that dismantled the British Empire D) A destructive peace dictated by the United States (E) A treaty that the defeated thought too harsh and the victors thought too lenient 81. The political and social values of the Vichy government in France during the Second World War are best described as (A) democratic, socialistic, peaceful (B) radically fascistic, antichurch, antielitist (C) conservative-authoritarian, corporatist, Catholic (D) monarchist, nationalistic, antimilitary (E) republican, liberal, expansionist [pic] 82. The map above represents the British Empire in (A) 1776 (B) 1850 (C) 1919 (D) 1950 (E) 1961 83. Man, being the servant and interpreter of Nature, can do and understand so much . . . as he has observed.. . . Beyond this he neither knows anything nor can do anything. † The passage above was written by (A) Francis Bacon (B) Martin Luther (C) Rene Descartes (D) Georg Hegel (E) Friedrich Nietzsche 84. Which of the following European states was the last to eliminate legal discrimination against Jews? (A) Austria-Hungary (B) France (C) Great Britain (D) Italy (E) Russia 85. All of the following were among President Wilson’s Fourteen Points EXCEPT (A) an independent Poland (B) absolute freedom of navigation C) the limitation of armament s (D) the autonomous development of the peoples of Austria-Hungary (E) the autonomous development of the peoples of the Russian Empire 86. The major objective of the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) was to (A) end the use of war for solving international controversies (B) end the Russo-Polish border conflict (C) end tensions between France and Great Britain over the export of French farm surpluses to Great Britain (D) end the French occupation of the Ruhr (E) replace the Dawes and Young plans [pic] 87. The illustration above from a 1940 German magazine suggests that women should A) bear as many children as possible (B) not be discouraged by shortages of food and consumer goods (C) not work outside the house (D) support the war effort by doing their sons’ and husbands’ jobs (E) enlist in the army to help the war effort 88. The primary instrument of economic integration in Western Europe since the Second World War has been the (A) North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (B) European Economic Community (EEC) (C) World Bank (D) United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (E) European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 9. The most notable social effect of the 1923 inflation in Germany was the (A) depletion of the savings and income of the middle class (B) encouragement of population shifts from cities to the countryside (C) strengthening of the position of women in the work force (D) acceleration of a trend toward the establishment of cooperative pension plans (E) reduction of social tensions 90. All of the following are policies to which totalitarian states have traditionally adhered EXCEPT (A) encouragement of multiparty political systems (B) promotion of social welfare measures C) expansion of the military (D) economic planning (E) holding of periodic elections 91. Which of the following was a major factor in German military victories in1939-1940? (A) Overwhelming German technological and numerical superiority to the French an d the English (B) French insistence on continuing to fight, regardless of the cost (C) Britain’s campaign in Norway, which diverted British troops from Western Europe (D) The German army’s effective use of armor and air power in the Blitzkrieg (E) The German defeat of the Russian army at Tannenberg in August 1939 92.Which of the following statements about twentieth-century existentialists like Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre is true? (A) They questioned the efficacy of reason and science in understanding the human situation. (B) They counseled an integration of Christian principles into everyday life. (C) They promoted the development of nuclear technology. (D) They advocated a return to the ideals of the Enlightenment. (E) They advocated nationalism and the strengthening of the individual nation-states. 93. In the 1960’s a factor that distinguished Soviet social structure from the societies of advanced industrial nations in Western Europe was theSoviet Unionà ¢â‚¬â„¢s (A) lack of linguistic and ethnic divisions (B) high percentage of workers engaged in agriculture (C) rising number of workers in service-sector jobs (D) integration of women into the political elite (E) system of compulsory education 94. Which of the following was the major reason for the establishment of the Dual Monarchy in 1867? (A) To satisfy the demands of the Magyars (B) To resist Turkish encroachment into Europe (C) To resist demands made by Napoleon III (D) To balance the power of the North German Confederation (E) To curb the growing strength of a united Italy 5. The immediate aim of the Truman Doctrine of 1947 was to (A) promote the economic recovery of Europe (B) block the spread of communism in France and Italy (C) prevent the overthrow of the Greek and Turkish governments (D) bring about Soviet withdrawal from Czechoslovakia (E) forestall Soviet plans with regard to West Germany 96. Which of the following areas was conceded to Hitler at the Munich Conference o f 1938? (A) The Polish Corridor (B) The Rhineland (C) The Saar (D) Silesia (E) Sudetenland 97. The Western Allies and the Soviet Union agreed to all of the following easures to be implemented after the Second World War EXCEPT (A) the division of Berlin into four occupation zones (B) an international trial at Nuremberg of major Nazi leaders (C) a denazification program (D) the placing of Germany under the control of the United Nations (E) the disarmament of the German military 98. Nikita Khrushchev’s program of de-Stalinization involved all of the following EXCEPT (A) curbing the power of the political police (B) attacking Stalin’s cult of personality (C) disbanding agricultural collectives (D) reestablishing the primacy of the Communist party E) loosening controls over culture and society 99. Which of the following characterized Mussolini’s ideal of the fascist corporate state? I. Organization of the population into syndicates of employers, employees, and govern ment arbitrators II. Establishment of semiautonomous regional governments III. Abolition of strikes, lockouts, and the older trade unions (A) I only (B) II only (C) I and II only (D) I and III only (E) I, II, and III 100. Which of the following was a central part of National Socialist ideology? (A) Anticommunism (B) Conservatism (C) Protestantism (D) Utilitarianism (B) Syndicalism

Dystopian Literature and Film †The Matrix and V for Vendetta

Dystopian Literature and Film – The Matrix and V for Vendetta Free Online Research Papers How does The Matrix blend most of the other works of dystopian fiction we have discussed in class? Which familiar dystopian elements do the filmmakers take up and how do they play with them/ change them? It is a little bit more challenging to compare The Matrix to other dystopian works because you have to be clear if you speak about the whole world including the matrix or just the world inside the matrix. But if we are speaking about dystopian elements we can find some in both of them. Even in the matrix we can make out hints of a system that is in control. Namely the law enforcement, that works like in the United States of today. It is safe to say that such a system does not have to be too suspicious, because it reflects our current world which is not widely considered a dystopian nightmare. Even from the protagonist’s perspective, who knows that he is a criminal, everything is explainable till the agents use a robotic bug to keep track of him. Now we can start to speak of technological control, which becomes more obvious when we learn more about the outside world and how humans are controlled by the artificial intelligence. The protagonists struggle to escape the current system is also considered as a dystopian element. Other elements are the ones revolving surveillance and control. It starts with the wire tapping in the matrix and ends with the ultimate form of control. The matrix, which is applied to all humans from infancy to death, controls everything from information over freedom of speech to time. In a way, for the masses, the matrix also seems to be kind of an utopia. Like in the book of Genesis in the Bible, Agent Smith says that the first matrix was too perfect and therefore implies that this â€Å"twentieth century city life† is, what seems best for most humans. An interesting question is, if The Matrix really is a dystopian work. There is no question that the matrix is the ultimate dystopia, but the work definitely lacks the typical â€Å"warning message†. Novels like 1984 or Brave New World try to warn us how future could change the Society and focus more on individual values like freedom or tolerance. At least the reality (outside world) in The Matrix ignores these questions. It is more comparable to stories like Terminator which brings it nearer to works of science fiction. The Questions that arise in The Matrix are not the ones of other dystopian works. The whole concept of a dystopia is so overdone with the creation of the matrix, that you do not have to worry about certain elements like propaganda or surveillance. In theory, humans can have everything they want inside this artificial world and do not even have a realistic chance to revolt against from inside. Where The Matrix really shines, is its play with reality. Life inside the matrix is that much superior to the reality in the outside world, that, even after the humans have won, they do not seem to abolish the matrix. This makes becoming aware of reality even less desirable than in any other dystopia before. And because there is no relief when you have defeated the system the remaining questions are more like â€Å"is life really better when you know everything about it† or â€Å"what is human†. Another uncommon way is the role of the â€Å"hero†. No one wants to be Winston Smith in 1984 but Neo’s character is far more attractive. If the same â€Å"no rules† would apply to everyone, maybe life in the matrix would not be so bad. Is the movie comparable to the novels of ideas we discussed (Brave New World or Nineteen Eighty-Four) or do you also find formulaic elements that links the film to works such as The Island and Northern Lights? As hinted at before, The Matrix is more a progression of the ideas in these books. If we see the loss of human identity in a more and more mechanized world as the key message of Brave New World, The Matrix goes one step further in two ways. The first is the total control the machines have achieved over the human life cycle. The second, and more interesting, is the question, if a virtual human identity counts. Inside the matrix, humans are relatively free to live their life. Restrictions are just a means to an end and not to suppress their identity. But to decide, if life inside the matrix means more or less than in our so called reality, is not an easy task. Even today more and more people start to spend more time online than in â€Å"real life†. In respect to 1984 which revolves much about topics like surveillance or control of thoughts, Big Brother would have found the ultimate tool in the matrix. It solves all his problems at once and works far more efficiently than his apparatus of ministries. So for me it is less comparable to 1984 because it does not give you, as an individual, much to think about except do not loose the war against the machines or do not nuke our planet. It is especially one aspect that resembles Brave New World. When Aldous Huxley, with his work, wanted to express his fear of what the industrial revolution might bring to mankind, The Matrix might do the same for the internet or virtual realities. The striking resemblance to The Island is the perverted way human bodies are used. They are only raised to serve a certain purpose (human spare parts or batteries) and are killed when they are no good any more. Although it does not matter for the protagonist’s decision to explore the â€Å"outside world† in The Matrix and here actually is true, the idea of a deserted uninhabitable world is also used in The Island to keep people from fleeing. In Northern Lights, apart from the less important use of robotic bugs, it is more the role of the â€Å"hero†. Both are irreplaceable and born to â€Å"save the world†. They have mystic powers which they have to master during the story. Also terms like oracle or prophecy strengthen the mystic notion. Assignment 16.6 What filmic devices are used to render the graphic novel V for Vendetta? How do the filmmakers show that their movie is based on a comic? Interesting, from the side of the filmic means, is first and foremost how the movie renders the relationship between V and Evey. In this movie it is a exceptionally difficult situation because the main character wears a mask and therefore is not able to show any emotions. The Wachowski Brothers try to solve the dilemma by trying to give life to the man behind the mask. They just take close ups and two shot as are commonly used in other movies to emphasise on emotions and focus to give more life to the mask. This is achieved by continuous fluid movements in close ups and lots of dramatic gestures ore movements like body language in wider shots. Then there is the contrast in the use of colours and lighting. In peoples homes more friendly colours are used, but when it comes to the outside world, namely under government influence, the atmosphere more and more becomes one of anxiety and alienation which is supported by extreme close ups. Slow motion scenes are also used either to stress a moment like when Evey steps out in the rain after her fake imprisonment or to demonstrate V ´s fighting skills â€Å"the matrix way†. Also worth mentioning is the use of the flashback scenes. They do not only carry much important information like when they hint at the origins for the suppression of homosexuals, but also change during the course of the movie. They become more real the nearer they come to the current time of the plot. Even though V is no typical comic superhero there are still some points that remind the viewer of the films origin. The most eye catching ones are for sure the overdone action sequences. V is fighting like a bulletproof superhero that simply can not lose. Not only using karate or blades against guns, but also dramatizing every moment. This impression is also underlined by the Wachowski Brothers, when they chose to use matrix style slowdowns or blades that leave echoes in the air as effects during the fighting scenes. Other examples are the overdrawn stylistic demolitions when V even uses fireworks to manage more impressive explosions. Also noteworthy is the overly clear definition of the â€Å"bad† side. Even when his role (terrorist or political activist) is not that much defined, the bad ones definitely are. A dictator, the evil secret police, a paedophile bishop, a tv moderator greedy for power and several high ranked characters involved in suppression of undesirables leave no room for further prejudices. How does the movie tie in with the other dystopian works we have discussed so far? Which elements does it take up? Are there any new themes or angles the movie introduces? V for Vendetta the film plays in a typical dystopian world. The easiest way to proof this, is to compare certain elements with George Orwells 1984 because there several references to this work. In a not too distant future, England is ruled by a totalitarian government. It uses various measures to suppress the freedom of the people. There is only one tv-station that is controlled by the government and used to influence people from large screens or in their homes. Unwanted people are persecuted and imprisoned in mysterious â€Å"prisons†. There is also a secret police that â€Å"misuses† its powers and finally the guilt for all this is laid on the public, for knowing something is wrong with this country and sitting on the couch doing nothing. This is all very close to 1984. A definitely wanted impression because of the open use of similar ideas like the party slogans or the â€Å"big brother likeâ€Å" tv performances of chancellor sutler. Even the end is typical. Its open endedness still leaves some hope that a revolution can save the world. In spite of the obvious similarities there are also some differences. The hints at actual events of political interest are more direct. For example the use of black bags over prisoners heads as were seen on photos of US prisoners in Guantnamo Bay. This is also a good connection to the question of terrorism. Vs actions are also defined from his quest for revenge and the movie does not clearly mark them as good or bad. There are definitely on the fine line between terrorism and political activism. Also interesting is the comparison between the two main protagonist from V and 1984. Especially the question if one man can do something is handled differently. V also needs the support of the masses to achieve his revolution, but it seems as if he wins all important battles more or less alone. He has become â€Å"the idea himself†. In contrast to this 1984 only shows the way to go, when Winston says â€Å"the hope lies in the proles† ,but never comes close to face a change. Comment on intertextuality and intermediality in V for Vendetta. First there is the obvious influences from George Orwells 1984 that underline the dystopian setting. When we subsume intertextuality and intermediality under medial relations or influences, we find connections to wide range of works. The party slogan â€Å"Strength through Unity. Unity through Faith† is very similar to the slogans like â€Å"War is peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strengthâ€Å" from 1984. Also the tv performance of chancellor sutler and the network itself are reminiscent of Big Brother from the same work. Then there are several references to Alexandre Dumas The Count of Monte Cristo. The count also suffered from an unjust imprisonment and prepared himself for the day of revenge with maximum effort. The movie version is even watched by Evey and V in the actual film. Also somewhat related to revenge but also a guideline for the relationship between Evey and V was Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera. Notably here are for example the use of roses or the protagonists lair under the city. Finally stays the relation to current events. The before mentioned black bags in Guantnamo Bay or the governments influence on the media are a too obvious hint at current US policies to be ignored. Research Papers on Dystopian Literature and Film - The Matrix and V for VendettaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMind TravelBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfOpen Architechture a white paperNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceCapital PunishmentTrailblazing by Eric AndersonGenetic EngineeringAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementEffects of Television Violence on Children