Belonging Essay Essay Example for Free

Belonging Essay Essay Concept, perceptions and ideas to belong or not to belong differ from person to person. This is due to experiences that shape ones personality that come through personal, cultural, social and historical context. The idea of belonging allows one to have some sort of connection and communal with people, places, groups, communities and the wider world. In contrast not belonging causes one to suffer from alienation, exclusion and marginalisation. As a result these factors can cause an individual to be at different states of depression depending on one’s personality and situation. However in society, belonging has become and essential to life. Many texts have explored the notion of belonging and not belonging; the play Rainbows End by Jane Harrison and the short film Between the Flags Produced by Jayce White explore the concept of belonging and not belonging to place and people through several forms. Rainbows End by Jane Harrison is a play that explores the concept of belonging and not belonging thorough Harrison’s choice of cultural and historical context at the time. The play is set in the 1950’s during the time Queen Elizabeth II was visiting Australia and whilst many racist policies where practiced such as the Assimilation, Paternalistic and the White Australia policy which all discriminated and alienated the Aboriginal people from the wider community. Throughout the play, it is manifest the Aboriginal people belong and do not belong to certain placed and people. This is shown through a conversation that Nan Dear his with Dolly about her birthplace, â€Å"Well, of course I’m not gunna die. Not here anyway. Gotta go back to my old place to do that. Nan Dear Act One Scene One. This quote conveys Nan Dear’s idea of belonging to place, she assertively expresses to dolly that this is not her place and she will eventually return to where she fits most, through this may not be physically but rather spiritually, which is also part of the aboriginal culture and traditions. The understanding to belong, not belong and the longing to belong alters from one individual to another, this is extensively due to one’s overall background experiences which have ultimately shaped ones thoughts and ideas on the various notions of belonging. This is very evident throughout the play, Rainbows End as different perceptions of belonging are conveyed through conversations and incidents that occurs from characters of different social and historical background. An example of such is the conversation that Errol and Dolly have about the differences in their families. Errol attempts to convince Dolly that he is willing to give her a better life, if she agrees to marry him but away from her family. Dolly does not agree with Errol Fisher’s views on a better life and continues to question his thoughts through the repetition of his words. DOLLY: You want me to leave here for ever? ERROL: I’m offering you a better life. DOLLY: A better life? ERROL: In the city there’s department stores so big that you can spend all day in them. Why in the city there’s even little restaurants you can eat spaghetti, just like Italy. DOLLY: Spaghetti? This conversation portrayed Errol and Dolly’s different perceptions of belonging. The use of the repetition is ironic as Dolly has her family and place does not understand the meaning of â€Å"better life†. The connection that dolly has with her family and place has created her to feel comfortable there regardless of all the discriminatory acts of the time. Errol and Dollydiffering opinions come through their social and cultural context which causes them to continuously clash between each other. â€Å"Your world. And you’re just assuming that your world is better. But actually, when I think about it- when I think about nasty Nancy – she has everything that opens and shuts. I’m not sure it isbetter. I wouldn’t trade placer with her for anything. And as far as you’re offering †¦ no thank you. This is my place. I’m staying right here with my Mum and Nan† despite Dolly not being a young adult who has subjected to racial incidents, that could be prevented in the future if she accepts to marryErrol The short film Between the Flags is a Tropfest film that references and represents the incident that had occurred in the year of 2005, Cronulla riots, concerning two racial groups; the Australian and the Lebanese, which caused violence and division amongst the two races. If mixing of the two diverse racial groups had occurred at the time it often resulted in a brawl and further conflict; however the filmBetween the Flags argues this conviction through a humorous way. Several forms such as: humour, irony, popular culture and themes such as the beach and â€Å"typical Australian bloke† support the idea that two or more people can intertwine together regardless of any dispute one being removed from the external society. The use of irony is used throughout the complete film, it creates humour in-between the two characters which generates harmony amongst them, this is apparent in the film. An example of this is when the Lebanese character (character are not given names instead each represents an ethnicity which is shown through their choice of costume) approaches the Australian bloke: â€Å"What’s goin on† – Lebanese boy â€Å"G’day mate† – Australian bloke â€Å"Here for the riots† – Lebanese boy â€Å"Yeah, looks like we’re the first ones here† – Australian bloke â€Å"Maybe we should wait for a more people† – Lebanese boy  The conversation between them continues the irony of the situation is the conversation that occurs, and also the use of such words such as â€Å"mate†, as both of them are at the beach to riot against each other; instead they involve themselves together in a communal conversation. Throughout give-and-take of words between the two characters they both felt a sense belonging and ease towards each other even through the beach was supposed to be a place of non-belonging and dispute. This was majorly due to them being part of the popular culture and sharing the same interest. Their reactions were shown through the use of close up camera shots, as they enable the viewer to understand the characters emotions and have a sense of empathy towards them. The short film Between the Flags uses the beach as the setting to the film, as this is also references to the Cronulla riots as they had occurred at the beach. The attitudes that the characters have towards the beach affirm that it is a place of regular social call, also part of each ones character regardless of their ethnic background. Two characters connection with the beach enables the viewers to have an immediate understanding that it is a place of belonging to one another. This is manifest in the film through the connection that the characters grow due to playing a game of cricket, nevertheless in the film the beginning of the game the Lebanese character says â€Å"umm I don’t usually do this but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this had displayed to the audience that he is not too liking of cricket but he starts to play as it is most appropriate to do so. This was shown through a continuous full camera shot to show the characters interaction with each ther and to also display the setting of the film. Throughout exploring and analysing texts it has become most evident that people views of belonging is constructed through their perception on the place. This concept was explored in the two texts Rainbows End by Jane Harrison and the short film Between the Flags produced by Jayce White as both texts had explored belonging, not belonging or the longing to belong to a place through the perceptions and the social, historical, cultural and personal context of an individual determined their sense of belonging and not belonging.

Satire and Fantasy in Kurt Vonneguts Cats Cradle Essay -- Kurt Vonne

Satire and Fantasy in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle For this essay, I decided to pick two terms that describe Cat's Cradle. I felt that satire and fantasy were two terms that suited the novel quite well. The book qualifies as a satire because it makes a mockery of things that were of concern in the sixties. For example, the Cuban missile crisis was a big issue in the early sixties. Religion was taken much more seriously, and the family unit was more tightly wound. In the novel, the threat comes not from a large warhead, but from a small crystal of Ice-nine. Religion is satired in Bokononism, which is a religion that is based on lies. The family unit is satired by the Hoenikkers. The father is detached from reality, the sister is a giant, and the brother is a midget. The Cuban threat is also satirized by San Lorenzo and it's dictator Papa Monzano. Cat's Cradle also has many elements of fantasy woven throughout. A small crystal that can freeze water and can destroy the world and can only be stopped by a temperature of 114 degrees is a good example of the fantasy element in the novel. It gives the story an almost futuristic feel, even though by modern standards the book is dated. Jonah's whole adventure is reminiscent of mythological tales. He journeys to a far away land, San Lorenzo. He is called to adventure by Newt's letter. He finds a mystical talisman, Ice-nine. He falls in love with the beautiful maiden, Mona. The religion of Bokononism has a fantasy element to it. Johnson changes his name to Bokonon much like in Buddhism. There are all the writings in the Books of Bokonon, and the Boko-maru which are both fantastic ideas in themselves. Cat's Cradle contains many elements of many types of genres. It could be consider... ...t has no real motivation, and why should he when he is going to be taken care of by Angela for the rest of his life. I like Newt because he does not feel sorry for himself, and treats everything matter-of-factly and as if it is obvious, "Isn't everybody [self-taught]?" Newt appears to be a person who does not care what everyone else thinks and always strives to be an individual. I think that the satire alone in Cat's Cradle is enough to encourage humanity to make a better world. Vonnegut makes things seem funny in the book that really are not funny in real life, such as an atom bomb, a father who ignores his child and everyone else, and an island where people are hung for practicing a certain religion. The book is amusing, but it made me think about what the world would be like if it really was that way. It would be horrible, and definitely nothing to laugh at.

Adriaen van de Venne’s “Moralizing Scene with an Old Woman and a Man”

Adriaen van de Venne is perhaps one of the more popular Dutch painters from the Baroque era. Although he was not formally trained as an artist, a number of Dutch artists have influenced Adriaen van de Venne’s style. Jan and Peter Brueghel are two of the artists whose styles have influenced van de Venne quite greatly, both employing their painting style and the over-all theme of their chosen subjects.His experiences as a book illustrator, painter and draftsman, and the time he spent learning art with local artists enabled Adriaen van de Venne to come up with his own signature style, of which the grisaille technique appears most commonly.His painting, Moralizing Scene with an Old Woman and a Man was painted by Adriaen van de Venne in 1631. The oil on paper painting measures 6 9/16 inches by 4  ½ inches and is quite characteristic of the artist’s later style, specifically the grisaille technique.The grisaille technique primarily makes use of different shades of gray for a monochromatic, more dramatic effect. Perhaps the most striking characteristic of the painting is the use of subtle tones of the only one color to depict the entire scene.An old woman carrying a cat is seen smoking an older man’s pipe, which he carries close enough for the woman to take a puff. Another old man who is partly hidden behind the old woman is seen tapping her shoulder, while a boy patting a dog is seen behind the old man with the pipe.Another significant element in the painting is the use of light. The old man with the pipe carries a lamp on his other hand which lights his face quite clearly, as well as his hands and also the old woman’s face. The light that the lamp gives off makes it possible to see the finer details of the painting such as the old man’s thick beard; the old woman’s wrinkled face and also their soiled hands.The crescent moon on the upper left corner of the painting also makes wise use of light in the painting itself, adding more flair and making the otherwise dull night more dramatic. Art enthusiasts believe that Adriaen van de Venne’s Moralizing Scene with an Old Woman and a Man is one of his works which makes the best use of light to highlight the features of the subjects on his painting.True to Adriaen van de Venne’s certain quality of painting scenes that depict normal people in their daily routine in a satirical, often symbolic light to warn against a number of unpleasant behavior. The particular painting might be suggestive of this particular characteristic; however, one cannot derive an absolute notion as to what the painting specifically depicts.Only inferences may be derived from the said painting as to which â€Å"immorality† it may warn people against, owing to the seemingly innocent act of the old woman smoking an old man’s pipe. Perhaps it talks about the immoral behavior that both the old man and woman exhibit especially during the period it was painted.The ol d woman smoking the pipe may suggest her unfounded extravagance, while the old man offering his pipe may suggest his unclear intentions for the woman. The man tapping the woman in the background may perhaps be suggesting that the woman should not be smoking from somebody else’s pipe in the first place while the child petting the dog provides a great contrast with the immoral behavior going on in the foreground.Personally the grisaille technique is not one of my favorite painting styles because of its subdued and monochromatic colors; however, having this particular painting of Adriaen van de Venne hung as part of my collection will surely be a delight because it will always serve as a reminder and a warning of the immorality that exists in society.The artist’s real intentions behind the painting may no longer be discovered but how one looks at it and interprets it may hold different significant meanings for different people.

Essay on Sweden’s Position on Personal Privacy in Cyberspace

Sweden’s Position on Personal Privacy in Cyberspace The Internet and computer age has enabled people to work faster and more efficiently, with practically unlimited access to information. As much as the technology boom has made our lives easier, as with most good inventions, there is some negativity that must be dealt with. The dissemination of information on the global network has put personal privacy at risk. Obviously, we are not going to give up new technologies that enrich human life for the sake of maintaining our privacy; however, measures must be taken to keep the public, or government, from abusing the Internet and computer databases for malevolent reasons. Every country in the world has its own policies on human rights to†¦show more content†¦Chapter 1, Article 2 of the Instrument of Government Act deals specifically with Swedish fundamental rights to privacy as provided by the government. This article promises that the government will conduct itself â€Å"with respect for the equal rights of all and the liberty an d dignity of the private person.† Moreover, the â€Å"public institutions shall secure equal rights for men and women and protect the private and family lives of private persons.†[2] The Swedish Constitution also guarantees individual protection against body searches, house searches, mail and other written correspondence searches, and eavesdropping on telephone conversations (Chapter 2, Article 6). In perusing Chapter 2 in its entirety, protection from political and religious discrimination is very important to Swedes. The articles within this chapter unequivocally declare Swedish and foreign national rights to gather, assemble, worship, express, have access to information, and to associate with public institutions of their choosing. Sweden enacted laws concerning personal privacy several years before the European Union did and is even considered the forbearer of such landmark legislation in the entire world.[3] Such legislation that will be discusses within this paper include the Data Act of