Murras Is a Significant Work of Literature Essay Example for Free

Murras Is a Significant Work of Literature Essay â€Å"Why is a play a significant work of literature? It is because the play presents enduring themes and ideas that continue to engage audiences.† The play Murra’s by Eva Johnson takes place between the late sixties and mid-seventies and focuses on one family and their struggle to come to grips with white Australia as they move from a fringe dwelling to life in the city This play was set at the time of the stolen-generation, which was when Indigenous Australian children were taken away from their families by British settlers and were forced to forget what little of their Aboriginal identity they knew, and live like â€Å"white people†. The ancestors of those people who were subject to the stolen generation still exist today that is why the ideas and themes that are conveyed in the play about the stolen generation continue to engage an audience particularly in Australia because the discrimination they experienced is still going on today and it might not ever go away. Throughout the play there are a number of themes and techniques showing and emphasising the treatment of Aboriginal people, how they lived, their thoughts and their opinions. The first theme displayed in the play is Gender. Gender is a social idea that creates roles and expectations based on people being either male or female. An example of gender is shown through the technique of characterisation. A significant character by the name of Wilba is characterised by the writer through dialogue and stage directions. He is seen as the dominant masculine figure of the family, greatly shown in scene one when he comes home carrying a bucket of water and food. The effect of the way Wilba is characterised emphasises the gender stereotypes that are very constant throughout the play. Another technique showing gender is costume. The women in Murra’s wear traditionally feminine clothing. For example mother Ruby comes home with a bag of dresses for her sixteen year old daughter Jayda to wear, as this is typical female attire. The expectations of the female gender are maintained through costume because what the women wear is stereotypical. Gender at the time was a significant issue, particularly within Aboriginal culture. Identity is a strong concept to most Indigenous Australians. It is a significant issue or theme in the play Murra’s. Identity is part of a link to culture. Due to government control at the time, Aboriginal identity was severely affected, illustrated by the families struggle to maintain it. Characterisation is used to show identity by the way Granny is characterised through her strong beliefs, shown in act one when she says; â€Å"Wudjella woman got different way to Gudjeri woman. They don’t have woman’s dreaming, special dance†. The effect of this is Granny is shown as a representation of the strong Aboriginal identity that the family cling to. Granny’s dying scene is another example of identity; this is shown through the technique of sound and lighting. â€Å"This is done to the music of the Didjeridu and Clapping sticks. At the end of the dance the lights slowly fade until the stage is totally black.† This symbolises her return to the earth and the traditional preparation of her body to return to the spiritual world of her dreaming. Granny’s death results in the metaphorical death of Aboriginal identity. Power is the ability to influence the behaviour of people and is a theme that is central to the play Murra’s. The characters within the play are very much affected by the power and authority that controls them, which essentially dictates the role of gender and identity of each character. One of the techniques used to show power in the play is setting. An example is â€Å"The year is 1970. The family have moved to the city.† This example shows that the government had the power to move them from the county where they were living to the city. Dialogue is another technique used to show power. An example is when Wilba says â€Å"I’m sick to the gut of their false promises of self-determination. Sick of their shit lies, their corrupt laws, their diseases and their gaols†¦ Yeah their chains, their chains.† The effect of dialogue within the play emphasises their strong opinions regarding the constant power struggle they are forced to deal with due to government control. The play Murra’s is a significant work of literature because the themes, gender, identity and power, to this day engage audiences as the issues displayed have still not been rectified and are highly controversial topics. The themes displayed are always present in society and are something that may never go away

Things Every Geologist Should Do :: essays research papers

As an experienced geologist, there are many things one could teach a new geologist. There are some basics recommended that every geologist be aware of. There are a variety of general geologic websites that a person could go to for information. One of them is called â€Å"Geysers and the Earth’s Plumbing Systems.† This website explains everything about geysers. Geysers are not often found on the surface of the earth and are considered very unstable hot springs. In order for a geyser to erupt there must be a water supply, a heat source, and a reservoir and associated plumbing system. There are only about fifty locations where geysers occur. In order for a geyser to erupt, boiling hot water and cool water must mix in the underground reservoir. When this happens the hot water rises and the cool water stays at the bottom. The water continues to rise until it comes out the top hole of the geyser. Sometimes the eruption is catastrophic while other times it is minor. Some characteristics that have an effect on geysers are the amount of rainfall, temperature of the water, and the barometric pressure. Even the smallest change in one of those can cause an eruption. Another interesting geological structure is slot canyons. This is something I have never heard about before, and I am assuming that not many other people have either. Slot canyons are hundreds of feet deep but only a couple of feet wide. They are mostly located in the southwest parts of the United States. They are very colorful due to the reflection of the sun off the walls of the canyon. It is said that they are hard to find but once located they are very beautiful. Lake Baikal is located in parts of Russia and southern Siberia. It is the deepest lake in the world, with an average depth of 730 meters, and the deepest part at 1620 meters. The lake covers over 31.5 square kilometers. That is one fifth of the world’s water in reserve. The Great Barrier Reef is a place that every geologist should visit at some point. It is located off the coast of Australia and extremely educational and beautiful. It is home to more than four hundred different types of coral, 1500 kinds of fish, and 4000 mollusks. The whole reef is over thirty-five hectares. After research in 1997 the reef was said to be in good condition and being well maintained.

Capitalist Hegemony

Capitalist Hegemony at its Finest Alex Jackson Sarah Ciurysek Capitalist Hegemony at its Finest. By Alex Jackson Throughout time different societies have seen their respective take on pop culture. Pop culture is not simply a culture that has suddenly sprung from the ground in the last 20 years and wormed its way into text books, periodicals and university debates; it is a culture built around a defined group of ideas, perspectives and attitudes. Pop culture in its evolutionary path has seen many changes from Roman sculpture to Baroque paintings to post-war Abstract expressionism, all amounting to what we know today to be our pop culture.However, the pop culture that we experience on a day-to-day basis in the 21st century is one unparalleled by the pop culture already seen and past. Today we are surrounded by the ever-expanding mass media. Since the invention of the Internet in the 1980’s, mass media has spread like wildfire and with it the furthering evolution of the 21st cent ury’s pop culture. With the growth of mass media in our pop culture we see new trends and patterns. As we all know, North America was built on a firm foundation of capitalism. This capitalism is the foundation not only for businesses and corporations, but for our developing culture as well.A growing notion and potential fear amidst this evolving foundation is the existence of capitalist hegemony. For one to understand this term one must know the definition of the two words individually. Mirriam Webster’s dictionary defines capitalism as ‘an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, prices, production and the distribution of goods†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Hegemony, defined also by Webster’s dictionary is ‘the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group. In combination, the two represent a power exerting itself over a group in atte mpts to feed and control consumerism. Capitalist hegemony can be seen on the television, in advertisements, film and video games. The method by which capitalist hegemony is spread, that we will consider in this essay, is the video game. Video games contribute to the spread of capitalist hegemony in two ways: through the easily-accepted method of suggestion of consumerist narratives; and through the extremist method of exerting complacency on a populous.From an early age, all of us have been bombarded with a consumer culture. We have been taught by mass media always to want, look for and buy the next big thing. Video games have taken up this torch in that easily-accepted, subtle way. There’s no need to tell a person to buy, the task is more indirect. Gamers play through a story, the narrative more often than not being all about consumerism of one form or another. As masked as the consumerist plot may be, it is more than likely there. Take for example a game such as Dead Space 2.This game involves the main character Isaac Clarke fighting his way through the Sprawl in attempts to destroy a giant relic called the Marker, which is responsible for an alien infestation. At first glance, the story line of Dead Space 2 gives no evidence of capitalist tendencies; however the player need only kill one of the creatures in the game and pick up the loot to enter currency into the game. Money and power nodes allow the player to upgrade Isaac’s abilities and buy weapons and suits, and additional ammo and med packs.The gamer thereby is subliminally being taught the values of capitalism, make money buy new things. In other approaches to video games the developers don’t go to such length to mask consumerism. In games such as Need for Speed Underground the player races for money so as to purchase upgrades for already purchased cars, and to buy new ones. In Digital Games and Cultural Studies by Garry Crawford and Jason Rutter, this point is explained: â€Å"N umerous games are based upon the principle of capital accumulation where the central aim and theme is to make more money to improve character’s avatar’s skills or possessions. (Crawford and Rutter) One might argue for sports-related games such as Madden NFL 12, or NHL 11 where the object of the game appears to be purely sport. Win a game, move to the next round is the essential plot; however, these video games have been sponsored by larger companies looking to get their name out to more consumers. Although the advertisements are small and only seen on the back boards of the field or ice rink where the game is staged, the information does go in. According to studies, advertisements need to be put in front of the viewer for an extended amount of time before he viewer picks up on it. What better place than a video game to expose a viewer to a continuous stream of advertisements. To add to the two previous methods of consumerism being pushed through video games, there rema ins a third methodology. Typically, a well received video game will be made into a series. The game that supersedes the one before it always promises to be bigger and better; better graphics, better sound, etc. This leaves the player wanting more and lusting for the next big chapter.Many large game development companies such as EA games with Battlefield, and UBISOFT with Halo follow this trend and have met been with great success. Crawford and Rutter, in reference to the Birmingham School can be quoted as saying that, â€Å"the shared values and culture of a society are those based largely on dominant (that is, ruling class) values and ideologies. † (Crawford and Rutter) If our dominant culture is founded on capitalism, then the governing values and ideologies have to be exerted via subcultures such as pop culture and the ways in which its groups communicate.We have looked at the spread of consumerism via video games. This concept is easy to swallow because we see evidence of it everywhere we look. However, the second theory of how pop culture contributes to capitalist hegemony isn’t so easy to digest. As technology continues to advance and things such as social networking and portable communications grow, we begin to see a decrease in the need to go outside and meet people. The same goes for video games.With the introduction to video games in the 1970’s we have seen the creation of a new kind of computer geek, the gamer. Gamers can spend extended amounts of time inside, staring at a screen. With the advancement of video game graphics, intriguing storylines and strategic challenges, it’s no wonder gamers would rather play video games than interact, play sports or become useful members of society. A sudden lack of community has sprung up in the midst of our new found technological enlightenment. Digital gaming could be seen (and has been seen by many) as a clear illustration of the individualization of society†. (Crawford and R utter) People no longer need to come outside to communicate, to do activity or exercise. â€Å"The rate at which these games are flying off the shelves would suggest more football is being played on home computers than on local fields†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O’Connor, 2002). The uprising of this new phenomenon is evidence of a growing complacency in our society. People needing to do less and less.Looking at this from the viewpoint of a large capitalist corporation, it means profit; maintaining ‘the existing status quo [to] promote dominant capitalist values,’ (Crawford and Rutter) keep people inside, in front of a screen absorbing information that fuels their desire to buy. Stuart Hall suggests that â€Å"cultural products (such as television programmers, popular music and digital games) may be ‘encoded’ with dominant values, ideas and beliefs. † (Hall, 1980) Albeit a little extreme, Hall is supported in an indirect way. John Hopson, a games researche r at Microsoft Games Studios holds a doctorate in behavioral and brain sciences.Based on one of Hopson’s studies, a gamer can in essence be persuaded to produce a set of behaviors the developers want, â€Å"each contingency is an arrangement of time, activity, and reward, and there are an infinite number of ways these elements can be combined to produce the pattern of activity you want from players. † (Hopson) Simply put, large corporations intend to subliminally brain wash us with messages of use to capitalist pursuits. These ideas are conceptual, large and potentially a bit fanciful, but the evidence supporting them is happening before our eyes.People keep on buying based on information consumed through media portals including game consoles. The emergence of gamers and the diminishing need to go outside is a constant reminder that, although seemingly unrealistic, someone is using the right approach to acquire profit. Video games, among other methods, contribute to so me form of capitalist hegemony whether intended or not. It would be frightening to know that a corporation would approach the market with such fervor as to send subliminal messaging through a game console. It’s surprising the very real effect of advertisement has on the consumer. -â€Å"Merriam-Webster. † http://www. erriam-webster. com/. N. p. , 2011. Web. 14 Apr 2011. -Crawford, Garry, and Jason Rutter. â€Å"Digital Games and Cultural Studies. † Sage Publications. (2006) -O’Connor, A. (2002) â€Å"Evan better than the real thing? †, The Times, The Game Supplement, 9 December. Pp 2-3. -Hall, S. (1980) â€Å"Encoding/ decoding†, in S. Hall, D. Hobson, A Lowe and P. Willis (eds) Culture, Median, Language: Working Papers in Cultural Studies. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Pp 215-43 -Hopson, John. â€Å"Behavioral Game Design. † Gamasutra (2001): n. pag. Web. 14 Apr 2011. .

My Love Of Basketball - 1060 Words

Basketball is my favorite sport because of how it is played and the style that the sport includes. I love basketball and it all started with my friend Brendon, at the time I was playing soccer before I found Brendon outside shooting a ball into a net I asked him what he was doing and he said playing basketball. I asked him if I could play with him and he said yes, at that moment I knew I would love basketball. Thats when I converted over from soccer to basketball, I would practice basketball everyday and try to get better and better. I became addicted to playing the sport and got super dedicated and kept practicing, my parents finally noticed, and they wanted to put me in a summer league and help me get better, which was the best†¦show more content†¦I kept going and going and going I didnt stop playing I was going to my full potential and didnt stop because I wanted to the best ever to play the game of basketball. My dad started to play basketball with me and I showed him w hat I have learned playing by myself and getting better, he couldnt believe how good I was getting. He was going hardcore against me now and I was ready the difficulty was rising and the pressure was all on me. I started and I played against him and it was hard to beat him but I one with a three pointer which was awesome. Something terrible happened... I tore my ACL I couldnt play anymore, no more summer league, no more anything!!! It was over for me and I couldnt play. I tried going back in the gym and I couldnt play because it hurt so bad, so my dad took me to the doctor and they did a little look up on it, they said I couldnt play for about 6 to 9 months. This was the worst thing ever for my basketball life and for teammates. My parents were devastated that I couldnt play and so was I. I kept going to the gym to help my ACL get better but, I didnt go hardcore when I was playing basketball because of my torn ACL. 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