Employment law 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employment law 3 - Assignment Example Karen files a complaint of sex/gender discrimination with the EEOC and Harrison is called to testify during the investigation. The EEOC decides not to pursue the matter. A month and a half after the investigation is closed, Tabernacle management moves Harrison from his cubicle to a cubicle on a vacant floor. All other aspects of his job remain the same. Harrison files a complaint of retaliation.   A.   Harrison cannot pursue a case of retaliation because the relocation of his work area between cubicles did not materially affect the terms, conditions, or privileges of his employment at Tabernacle. 10. Randi has been placed by a staffing firm in a temporary secretarial position with USD Industries. Randi is an employee solely by the staffing firm. The day after she reports, USD calls the staffing firm and requests that she be replaced due to her race. 11. In order to win a â€Å"quid pro quo† case, but not a â€Å"hostile work environment† case of sexual harassment, plaintiff must prove that some psychological injury resulted from the harassment. (F) 12. Maxwell Corp. distinguishes between applicants that it is willing to interview for any position, and those that it is not, on the degree to which an applicants handwriting is determined, by a qualified graphologist, to indicate high emotional stability and ambition. On the basis of this test, 70% of male applicants are deemed interviewable, while 45% of female applicants are deemed interviewable. The use of the handwriting analysis as a distinguishing factor has a disparate impact on women. (T) 15. Chip Onsholder is a welder for Mac’s Machine Tools. He cannot seem to please his new boss, Ms. Perfection. He suspects she doesn’t like him because she’s a liberal Democrat, and he’s a rock-ribbed Republican. One day, Chip makes a joke about the stupidity of donkeys and she fires him. When Chip sues for discrimination under Title 7, he will probably: 16.

Intangible Asset or Liability Essay Example for Free

Intangible Asset or Liability Essay CSR requires organizations to adopt a broader view of its responsibilities that includes not only stockholders, but many other constituencies as well, including employees, suppliers, customers, the local community, local, state, and federal governments, environmental groups, and other special interest groups. Although CSR is often spoken of as if it were a relatively new concept, it is in fact an idea with a long pedigree. In the 1950s, the chief executive officer of the American retailer Sears said that the â€Å"four parties to any business in the order of their importance† were â€Å"customers, employees, community and stockholders†. Current discussions about CSR evoke old questions about the place of corporations in society, the manner in which corporations are governed, and the ways in which corporate governance arrangements do not compel corporations to respond to claims from society, in addition to claims from shareholders. While CSR is an old idea, its emergence as a significant factor in relation to corporate decision-making is relatively new. The old idea – CSR – has been rising over the past 10 years or so to a prominent place on the corporate agenda. The world is witnessing what appears to be a transformation in popular views about the role of business in society that is on a par with major shifts in attitude, at other points in history, about large issues such as racial discrimination, the environment, and the role of women. By the end of that decade, popular opinion about the role of business in society had evolved to a point which suggested a widespread rejection of Friedman’s â€Å"the business of business is business† dictum. The reason for the shift can be attributed to various factors such as; globalization, loss of trust, society activism, and institutional investor interest in CSR. These trends suggest that there is both a growing perception that corporations must be more accountable to society for their actions, and a growing willingness and capacity within society to impose accountability on corporations. This has profound implications for corporate governance. CSR in India With the retreat of the state in economic activity in India, the imperative for business to take up wider social responsibilities is growing. The situation is complex and India is facing a compounded set of corporate responsibility challenges. At all levels, there is a felt need for companies to graduate to strategic interventions in CSR, which at present in many cases remain ad hoc. There are many companies that may spend for long-term development. A sense of strategic direction is a vital component in an effective approach to corporate responsibility. Yet, for all these signs of progress, CSR in India has yet to realize its full potential. Individual and collaborative initiatives continue to be dominated by self-assertion rather than accountability. There is certainly no lack of CSR programs and projects in India: what is absent, however, are clear metrics for evaluating their actual impact in improving social conditions. Many Indian business houses, private sector and public sector companies have undertaken major initiatives till date and have adopted several modes of practice related to CSR in India. Several innovative measures have also been adopted by companies towards the institutionalization of CSR that includes CSR initiatives by Lupin, Cipla, Ranbaxy, NIIT, TCS, BPCL, and Ion Exchange. To understand the current status of CSR in India, it is important first to map out the landscape and identify the main families of corporate responsibility. For long-established industrial dynasties, such as the Birlas and the Tatas, concepts of nation- building and trusteeship have been alive in their operations long before CSR become a popular cause.

Problem Based Learning PBL

Problem Based Learning PBL Introduction Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical tool in which students engage in a problem without introductory knowledge; they work to solve the problem by using existing knowledge and applying it to the situation in order to reach a solution (Wirkala Kuhn, 2011). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics describes technology as an essential element in teaching and learning mathematics (NCTM, 2000). The use of computers influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students learning (2000). When implemented effectively, technology can be a tremendous tool for learning. Computers can be usedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as an environment for exploring mathematical concepts through interaction (Huetinck Munshin, 2008, p. 87). In this study, students will explore mathematical concepts using computers via a problem-based learning approach. Specifically, this research study will investigate how computer-assisted PBL effects student interest and achievement in a high school mathematics co urse. Much research has been done to investigate PBL in medicine and science. There has been more research in mathematics education that investigates the effects of PBL on achievement than of PBL and interest. I would like to examine both of these factors. The question of interest is as follows: How do using computers to teach problem-based learning (PBL) in high school mathematics classrooms increase student interest and achievement in mathematics? Following the introduction, in section 2, relevant literature about PBL will be discussed. In section 3, the statistical methods will be stated. In section 4, the analysis of the data will be presented. In section 5, my conclusion and discussion will be given. Literature Review PBL in Medicine Various researchers in the medical field have studied problem-based learning for quite some time. In the 1980s and 1990s, PBL was used in medical schools and began to be accepted by schools in North America and Europe (Savery, 2006). Researchers have studied how PBL effects achievement and/or knowledge. One group of researchers studied academic achievement of students in two medical schools (Verhoeven, Verwijnen, Scherpbier, Holdrinet, Oeseburg, Bulte, Van Der Vleuten, 1998). One school had a PBL instructional design and the other used a non-PBL instructional design. Test results showed no significant differences on total test scores. After the test was split into three categories, a few, non-systematic differences were found (p. 310). Hmelo (1999) studied how PBL in medical education can affect cognitive skill. The study found that the PBL students increased the accuracy of their hypotheses more than the nonPBL students (p. 197). The conclusion of the findings show that using a PBL approach in medical education does make a difference in what students learn. Another study examined students performances on Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination(USMLE) following the implementation of a problem-based learning curriculum (Blake, Hosokawa, Riley, 2000, p. 66). This study analyzed scores and found that students in the PBL classes scored higher on USMLE Step 1 than did students in the traditional classes. For the USMLE Step 2, the average test score for students in the PBL classes were above the national mean. In contrast, score were below the national mean for classes in the traditional curriculum (p. 66). Based on the data, the study concluded that the use of a PBL curriculum as a major educational method during the first two years of medical school does not compromise performance on standardized tests (p. 69). Other researchers found that in a PBL program; there were significant knowledge gain (Schwartz, Donnelly, Sloan, Young, 1994, p. 148). Knowledge gain was measured by giving students a pre and posttest. Students were administered an NBME surgery shelf examination on the first day of the clerkship (pretest) and a different one of the last day (posttest) (p. 148). Another study compared clinical performances in a medical clerkship of students who were enrolled in a class that used a PBL approach versus students who were enrolled in a class that used a traditional style approach (Richards, Ober, Cariaga-Lo, Camp, Philp, McFarlane, Rupps, Zaccaro, 1996). The PBL participants consisted of 88 third year internal medicine students. The lecture-based learning (LBL) participants consisted of 364 students in the same program. The researchers compared examination scores between the two groups. The results reveal that the students who had completed two years in the PBL curriculum had a higher medicine clerkship rating (p. 189). Thus, this study determined that a PBL curriculum may enhanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦clinical perfo rmances (p. 187). A similar study was performed in a postgraduate medical education program in The Netherlands. The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of problem-based learning in comparison with lecture-based learning (Smits, de Buisonje, Verbeek, Dijk, Metz, Cate, 2003, p. 280). Knowledge, in terms of achievement, was measured by tests. They found that under PBL instruction, performance increased more. In the conclusion, the researchers state that this study shows evidence that the problem-based program has some small extra value for the participants in improving their performance (p. 285). Although there is a limited amount of research on the impacts of PBL on interest, there have been a few researchers to study this situation. Biley (1999) studied PBL in a nursing program. The study found that there were both advantages and disadvantages of using PBL in instruction. A disadvantage the study found is that tension occurred during the process of changing from more traditional forms of education to PBL (p. 587). The findings also showed benefits of PBL which coincide with previous studies; the benefits include the recognition of increased self-motivation, team work, and a more accurate theoretical representation in the classroom (p. 588). Smits, et. al (2003) studied students satisfaction in addition to knowledge. Satisfaction was measured by a rating. Researchers found that the problem-based group was significantly less satisfied than the lecture-based group (p. 284). Another study found dissimilar data relating to interest and enjoyment. Sobral (1995) found that PBL stu dents had a higher level of enjoyment and reported that they enjoyed their learning experience and would be more likely to look for studies in the same field (99). The researchers concluded that the PBL approach can improve the quality of the learning environment in both cognitive and emotional ways (p. 93). PBL in Science Education Researchers in science education have also studied the impacts of problem-based learning on achievement. One study (Gà ¼rses, Aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±kyÄ ±ldÄ ±z, DoÄÅ ¸ar, Sà ¶zbilir, 2007) examined the impact of PBL in a physical chemistry laboratory class. Researchers looked at students attitudes towards a chemistry laboratory course, scientific process skills of students, and their academic achievement in relation to PBL (p. 99). They found that after students were exposed to PBL, their test scores were considerably higher. A similar study was done in a chemistry class. Tarhan and Acar (2007) examined how effective PBL is in increasing student achievement. Results from the post-testà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦showed that PBL is effective on students achievement (Tarhan, Acar, 2007, p. 351). One group of researchers investigated the effects of PBL for female students enrolled in a STEM program (Lou, Diez, Tseng, 2011). They found that students tended to gain more solid science and mathematics knowledge through STEM learning in PBL (Lou, Diez, Tseng, 2011, p. 195). Another study investigated PBL in science by conducting research using an experimental (PBL group) and control group (textbook group) (Inel Balim, 2010). Researchers examined how PBL affected academic achievement; they found a significant difference between the groups. Specifically, researchers concluded the problem-based learning method in scienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦teaching is more effective in enhancing students academic achievement than simply using the scienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦curriculum (Inel Balim, 2010, p. 16). Similarly, Sungur, Tekkaya, and Geban (2006) conducted a study to examine the effect of PBL on academic achievement and performance in a biology class. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the control or experimental group. Students were given a pre- and post-test that measured academic achievement and performance. Researchers concluded that PBl instruction caused a si gnificantly better acquisition of scientific conceptions than the traditional instruction (Sungur, Tekkaya, Geban, 2006, p. 158). AkinoÄÅ ¸lue and TandoÄÅ ¸an (2007) investigated PBL in science education. They gathered research to determine how PBL effects achievement, attitude, and concept learning. Researchers concluded that the implementation of problem-based active learning model had positively affected students academic achievementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [in] the science course (AkinoÄÅ ¸lue TandoÄÅ ¸an, 2007, p. 71). Chang (2001) conducted research in several 10th grade science classes to study how problem-based computer-assisted instruction (PBCAI) impacts science achievement (p. 147). The researcher compared the PBCAI to a direct-interactive teaching method (DITM) (p. 147). He determined that more students in the PBCAI group had higher scores than the DITM group in terms of achievement. Chang concluded, the PBCAI was more effective in promoting students achieve ment than was the DITM (p. 147). Liu, Hsieh, Cho, and Schallert (2006) studied self-efficacy, attitudes, and achievement in a computer-enhanced PBL class. This study is similar to the research of the present study. The participants of interest in this study were middle school students. Researchers collected data from 549 sixth graders from two middle schools. Data was collected from a pretest/posttest, questionnaire, and interviews. Data indicated an increase in students science achievement and self-efficacy for learning science after their engagement in a computer-enhanced PBL environment (Liu, Hsieh, Cho, Schallert, 2006, p. 225). Researchers in science education have also studied the impacts of problem-based learning on student interest in and attitude of science. Gà ¼rses, Aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±kyÄ ±ldÄ ±z, DoÄÅ ¸ar, and Sà ¶zbilir (2007) collected data from a physical chemistry lab regarding students attitudes towards the class through a PBL treatment. They found students attitudes towardsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the course were not changed significantly after PBL treatment (p. 109). Liu, Hsieh, Cho, and Schallert (2006) found an increase in science achievement in a computer-enhanced PBL class. They also collected data about students attitudes towards science. Based on their findings, they found no significant change. Besides studying achievement in a PBL class, Tarhan and Acar (2007), also conducted student interviews and found that students enrolled in the PBL class were more motivated (p. 351). Motivation relates to attitude in and interest of science. Another study, by Ferreira and Trudel (2012), inves tigated how a PBL curriculum in science impacts student attitudes toward science. Participants answered survey questions, wrote in student journals, and took an assessment. Data was gathered from these instruments in addition to teacher observations (Ferreira Trudel, 2012). Researchers found that there was a significant increase in student attitudes towards science (Ferreira Trudel, 2012, p. 23). Lou, Diez, and Tsend (2011), who studied the effects of PBL for female students enrolled in a STEM program collected data related to student attitudes (Lou, Diez, Tseng, 2011). Researchers found that the participants from the PBL curriculum attitude towards STEM improved. AkinoÄÅ ¸lue and TandoÄÅ ¸an (2007) investigated the effects of PBL in science education. They collected data to determine how PBL effects students attitude towards science. Researchers concluded that the implementation of problem-based active learning model had positively affected studentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦attit udes towards the science course (AkinoÄÅ ¸lue TandoÄÅ ¸an, 2007, p. 71). Nancy Cerezo (2004) examined PBL in middle school math and science classes. The study investigated students perceptions of PBL in regards to its effectiveness and students interest in the content. Results from the study indicated that students perceived problem-based learning encouraged their interest and provided a more in-depth understanding of the concepts. Students indicated that problem-based learning helped them learn more about a topic and created a feeling of excitement about coming to class. (Cerezo, 2004, p. 9) This study related to the present study since it investigated PBL in mathematics and how students interest in mathematics changes. All research pointed to increased achievement or improved knowledge when a PBL curriculum was implemented in a science classroom. Gà ¼rses, Aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±kyÄ ±ldÄ ±z, DoÄÅ ¸ar, and Sà ¶zbilir; Liu, Hsieh, Cho, and Schallert; provided conclusions that were contradictory to the findings of Tarhan and Acar; AkinoÄÅ ¸lue and TandoÄÅ ¸an; Lou, Diez, and Tseng; Ferreira and Trudel; and Cerezo in regards to interest in the subject or motivation. Specifically, the latter being the researchers who saw a significant difference in interest towards the subject. That is, that they found that there is a relationship between PBL and increased interest in a subject. PBL in Mathematics Education In mathematics education, PBL is relatively new, but many researchers have found that it is effective in increasing achievement. One team of researchers found no statistically significant data in favor of PBL (Tarmizi, Tarmizi, Lojinin, Mokhtar, 2010). Researchers conducted a study to investigate the effects of PBL on mathematical performance, measure of instructional efficiency, and perceived advantages or disadvantages of the approach (Tarmizi, Tarmizi, Lojinin, Mokhtar, 2010, p. 4683). They used a quasi-experimental design and gathered data via a posttest. Each variable of interest of the study was measured using a specific tool. First, scores from tests measured mathematics performance(p. 4685). Next, researchers collected data for mental effort via a nine-point symmetrical category scale (p. 4685). Efficiency index is a term which shows the relationship between learning and test (mental) effort and performance (p. 4685). Researchers used a mathematical formula to calculate dat a for this variable. Last, affective attributes were measured using Likert-style questions. Researchers found that the average scores for the overall achievement for the PBL group were greater than the control group. After researchers statistical analyzed the data, they determined that the mean difference was not statistically significant (p. 2685). Another group of researchers, Clarke, Breed, and Fraser (2004), studied participants at three high schools in California. Researchers investigated how a problem-based mathematics curriculum, the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP) were related to student achievement (p. 8). Researchers also collected data to measure achievement or mathematical performance. They compared PBL/IMP students to their peers in conventional classes. This data came in the form of test scores from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Findings show that IMP students averaged higher SAT scores than did pupils of conventional classes (p. 14). PBL was studied in ano ther area of mathematics, Statistics (Tarmizi Bayat, 2011). Researchers compared data between a PBL group and a conventional group. Two posttests were administered and the scores were analyzed. They concluded that there was a significant difference between the mean performance of the PBL group and that of the conventional group indicating PBL efficacy (p. 344). Bostic and Jacobbe (2010) studied PBL in a fifth grade mathematics classroom. Researchers collected data by administering a pre-test, posttest, and student interviews. Data from the pre-test and posttest showed statistically significant growth in students ability to solve problems correctly (Bostic Jacobbe, 2010). Similarly, there has been some research to investigate the relationship between PBL and interest in mathematics. An indication that students are interested in mathematics is the students level of engagement. Tarmizi, Tarmizi, Lojinin, and Mokhtar (2010) also studied the effect of PBL and student engagement. Student engagement was measured by an open-ended survey. The mean average rubric engagement score was a 2.08, which indicated that the PBL group had benefited from the learning experiences with a proficient level (Tarmizi et al., 2010, p. 4687). Another research team studied the relationship of PBL in mathematics and student perceptions of mathematics (Clarke, Breed, Fraser, 2004). A problem-based mathematics curriculum, the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP), was implemented in three California high schools (p. 7). Researchers collected data from two questionnaires. The Mathematics Belief questionnaire examined student perceptions of their mathematical competence, and student beliefs about mathematical activity and the origins of mathematical ideas (p. 9). The Mathematics World questionnaire required students to identify the extent to which specific everyday activities were mathematical (p. 9). In comparison to traditional Algebra classes, researchers found that IMP students help a significantly more positive attitude towards mathematics (p. 14). The IMP participants also felt more mathematically able than their peers (p. 14). Use of computers in mathematics In mathematics, using computers and other related technologies to enhance instruction can greatly affect student achievement. Computers can be usedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as an environment for exploring mathematical concepts through interaction (Huetinck Munshin, 2008, p. 87). When students are actively interacting with new ideas, their level of engagement and knowledge increases. Computers enable students to quickly explore many varied examples to generalize about the underlying characteristics of mathematical entities (p. 89). If students can make more generalizations, they will be more likely to be able to apply the concepts later. One group of researchers investigated how implementing a dynamical geometric software such as Geometers Sketchpad (GSP) affects mathematics teaching (Nordin, Zaharia, Mohamed, Embi, 2010). They found that this exploratory learning method and the discussions involved in understanding the mathematical concepts adopted from the gsp digital module can help boost hi gher order thinking skills (Nordin, Zaharia, Mohamed, Embi, 2010, p. 116). OCallaghan (1998) found that a computer program implemented in Algebra had greater achievement than their peers did in traditional algebra classes. Palmiter (1991) conducted research with university students and compared achievement between students enrolled in a class taught using a computer algebra system and students enrolled in a class taught using paper-and-pencil computations (1991). The researcher found that students enrolled in the class that was taught with the computer system had higher test scores for both the conceptual and computational exam (1991). Ragasa (2008) investigated the effects of computer-assisted instruction on achievement of college students in a statistics course. The researcher found that the mean score of the posttest of the achievement test for the computer-assisted group was significantly higher than that of the control group (Ragasa, 2008). In mathematics, the use of computers to aid instruction can improve students attitude and interest in mathematics. Ragasa (2008) also studied students attitudes in response to computer-assisted instruction. The researcher was unable to conclude that there was a significant effect on student attitude. OCallaghan (1998) studied the effects of Computer-Intensive Algebra (CIA) and traditional algebra curricula on students understanding of the function concept (p. 21). Among other findings, OCallaghan discovered that the CIA students attitudes were significantly different higher (1998). Another study examined college students attitudes towards using computers as an instructional aid in an Algebra class (Ganguli, 1992). The researcher determined that the attitudes of the students in the computer group were significantly increased. I hypothesize that in high school mathematics, problem-based learning, through the use of computers, will increase student interest and achievement. Previous studies have demonstrated similar findings. In the following section, methods will be discussed.

Catherine Slopers Self-realization in Henry James Washington Square E

Catherine Sloper's Self-realization in Henry James' Washington Square In his essay, "Washington Square: A Study in the Growth of an Inner Self," James W. Gargano argues convincingly that the Henry James's novel, Washington Square, revolves around the emotional, psychological, and spiritual development of Catherine Sloper. With one small exception, Gargano makes his case so persuasively that it seems hard to believe that there could be any other view of Catherine and her role in the book. Yet, Gargano asserts that James scholars before him have persistently focused elsewhere leaving Catherine to be categorized much the same way her father characterizes her as dull and listless (Gargano 355, 357). Gargano rightly shifts the critical debate from fascination with the ethical conundrum of Dr. Sloper's behavior to concentration on the process of self-realization which takes place slowly and silently in Catherine's mind (Gargano 355). Finding proof of his thesis in the exacting way James investigates Catherine's growth, Gargano sees that James has purposely shown Catherine as innocent in the beginning of the story to demonstrate a contrast to who she becomes as she begins to wake up to herself as the story progresses, and contends that upon meeting Townsend, Catherine "emerg[es] from a sort of dormancy" (Gorgano 356). Gorgano astutely points out that meeting Townsend is not a horrible mishap in the life of Catherine Sloper, but an event which catalyzes the girl to mature in her thinking and feeling. Gargano pays special attention not only to Catherine's behavioral changes, but to the way James notes those changes as part of an inner process (Gargano 356). From her deceptive replies to her father's straight forward questions t... ...orsel of fancywork, [and] seat[ing] herself with it again-for life, as it were" imply an empty period of waiting for death (Gargano 362, James 219). This interpretation of the end of Washington Square is inconsistent with Gargano's earlier contentions, and should be re-examined. Another possible and significantly more powerful interpretation of the ending of the book-that James is showing Catherine as fully self-contained and ultimately satisfied with the choices that she has made-makes more sense. Despite his final reticence, the quality of his thinking and the quantity of his evidence suggest that James Gargano has a good understanding of Henry James's main artistic occupation in writing Washington Square. Works Cited Gargano, James W. "Washington Square: A Study in the growth of an Inner Self." James, Henry. Washington Square. New York: Signet, 1979.

Environmental Degradation – Air Pollution

The environmental degradation is the deterioration of environment through depletion of resources, such as soil, water and air. When natural habitats destroyed or natural resources depleted, the environment are degraded. Here's, one example of air pollution which lead to environment degraded in London. London in SE England had the reputation of one of the most polluted cities in Europe in the 1950s. Air pollution had reached such a serious stage that it caused the London Smog in 1952 that caused 4000 deaths and a host of other related ailments among the Londoners. One of the main causes of the serious air pollution was the burning of fossil fuels by the many manufacturing industries producing iron and steel, automobiles, machinery, textiles and food. Coal and Oil were the main sources of fuel for the factories which resulted in the release of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, smoke, soot and other particulates. Inefficient machinery and obsolete techniques coupled with the improper monitoring worsened the air pollution. the severe air pollution was causing acid rain, smog and health problems. London being the capital city has a very population density and a large volume to transport vehicles such as aircrafts landing and taking off at the Heathrow airport, lorries and buses on the streets, steamships and boats along the Themes River and private cars; all which were burning up coal, petrol and diesel in large quantities. This led to additional pollutants such as carbon monoxide, lead and carbon being released into the air. Fossil fuel combustion was also prevalent in the domestic households. Even fuel wood was burned to provide heating for homes. Inefficient combustion techniques and building construction led to incomplete burning and excessive release of air pollutants such as gases, smokes and particulates. Thermal electricity generation using fossil fuels further contributed to the worsening of the air quality. n addition, ignorance on the part of individuals and the authorities as regards the burning of garbage, accidental fires and burning of forests aggravated the air pollution. The lack of proper monitoring, legislation and implementation of environmental quality laws did little to alleviate the situation, thus leading to serious degradation of air quality with its heavy toll on human life, livestock, fish and vegetation.

The Picture of Dorian Gray †Film Essay

The Picture of Dorian Gray – Film Essay Free Online Research Papers The Picture of Dorian Gray Film Essay The MGM film â€Å"The Picture of Dorian Gray† was directed by Albert E. Lewis, in i945.This film was based upon Oscar Wilde ´ s unique novel which has the same name. Lewis was an American filmmaker, producer and screenwriter born in 1894 who first worked as an English instructor and after several and diverse labor activities, he entered to the cinema world as a drama and film critic before working at the MGM in 1924 where he developed his main career. The movie, which is classified as a horror film, tells the story of Dorian Gray, an aristocrat from London who sells his soul to remain young and handsome after meeting Lord Henry Wotton whose influence over Dorian lead the latter to a sordid way of empty pleasure, luxury and sin where morality was a ridiculous word. Albert Lewin personally selected Hurd Hatfield to play the role of Dorian Gray in the 1945 movie version. It was an â€Å"astonishing performance, one that proved virtually unstoppable for Hatfield†; according to The New York Times All Media Movie Page. Hatfield was born in New York, in 1918. George Sanders portrayed Lord Henry Wooton. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, 1906; he â€Å" was the personification of cynicism, an elegantly dissolute figure whose distinct brand of anomie distinguished dozens of films during a career spanning nearly four decades.† Lowell Gilmore performed Basil Hallward. Gilmore was born in New York, 1906. According to comments taken from All Movie Guide, he was a suave-looking, wavy-haired supporting actor who always seemed more British than American, despite his Midwest origins Angela Lansbury, who performed the famous Jessica Fletcher between 1984 and 1996 on the television series Murder, She Wrote, played the role of Sybil Vane. She won the Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe Award in 1945 for her role in the film. The plot is as follows: Basil Hallward, an artist, painted a young handsome man named Dorian Gray. During the last section of the painting, Dorian met Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil. Lord Henry made Dorian realize of the great but ephemeral beauty he, Dorian had and advised him to enjoy life to the fullest without taking care of any moral principle. Then, looking at the portrait, he wishes out that the painting would get old, but not he. Dorian Gray fell under the influence of Lord Henry, due to the clever way he had to convince him and his good manners. Years went by, and Dorian found certain joy in committing sinful. Each time he did a bad action, the painting became older and uglier while he did not lose his beauty or youth. He was able to destroy lives and also killed Basil, the painter. At the end of the story, he decided to be a good person again and destroyed the picture with the same knife he used to kill Mr. Hallward. When he did it, Dorian Gray was found dead on the floor and the portrait new and beautiful as when it was painted. This film is essentially a black and white one that bursts into Technicolor whenever the picture is shown in close-up. The impact is great each time the picture is seen in color, but in my opinion, the black and white atmosphere made the movie convincing about the theme, definitively. The cinematographer Harry Stradling won as the Best Black and White Cinematography Academy Award in 1945. The sound designer was Douglas Shearer and the music composer was Herbert Stothart. They both were responsible of the music when the picture is finally revealed in all its decay and horror. According to Judith Mayne in her essay Cinema and Spectatorship (1993), the film is about portraiture, and therefore shows an obvious connection to spectatorship. Mayne notes that she is also interested in the gay persona of the author Oscar Wilde and the homosexual implications of the novella on which the film is predicated. Despite some commonalities with classical Hollywood cinema, the film focuses primarily on the looking relations between the male characters in the film and, Mayne suggests, an implicit homosexuality and I agree with her. In conclusion, I can say that the film represents the novel very well. This version evokes the Victorian age perfectly. While Dorian was full of beauty of his eternal youth, his picture not only got older and older, but also assumes a repulsive ugliness that materializes his terrible sins. The room in which the portrait is held is perceived as a forbidden zone set apart from reality, but the only place where he could see himself without any mask. The death of Dorian is a representation of the death of immorality which is, somehow, a symbol of Wilde ´ s conflict because of his own homosexuality, very difficult to face and accept in such an oppressive society. The film begins and ends with the following verses taken from the Roubaiya of Omar Khayyam: â€Å"I sent my soul through the invisible Some letter of that after-life to spell† And by and by my soul returned to me And I answered :†I myself am Heaven and Hell† These verses express conflict, opposition of ideas about the good and the bad. The meaning of them can be interpreted along the development of the movie. At the beginning they sound like introductory questions, at the end, they sound like answers. 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