house

Kayla Allison Markwood H English 12 18 March 2011 Carpentry Working with wood is a skill that has been around since man created his first tool. From carpentry’s beginnings, it has developed enormously, but in its essence, the tools and techniques our modern carpenters use today are the same as those used in the Stone Age. The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines carpenters as “people who construct, erect, install and repair structures and fixtures made from wood and other materials. This trade has an extensive history, an expansive modern field, and with it, I plan to build a tree house, thus making a difference in a kid’s life. The term “carpentry” comes from the Late Latin term “carpentum” which means two-wheeled vehicle. The woodworkers of the Roman Empire built the chariots that allowed the fast travel. They also built the foundation for early highways, between which concrete cement was laid. The innovative ideas of these workers allowed for the Romans to conquer and build such a vast empire.

The woodworkers were thus named carpenters. Carpentry began many years ago and emerged from nations all over the world. Early Europeans created long, wooden homes from planks of wood that measured up to one hundred feet. A Stone Age city from nine thousand years ago created their buildings from mud bricks, supported by posts and beams. The remnants of these buildings have allowed modern scholars to study the way carpentry has evolved over years and across the different cultures of the nations. The first known city’s population, who lived until at least 5600 B. C. lived in a unified series of structures that all linked together like a giant fort; they had heavy support beams in the walls and for a roof, smaller beams, reeds and packed mud. About thirty-seven centuries ago, on the island of Crete, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the natives used wooden columns with a downward taper (opposite of those later made popular by the Greeks) and stone and mud-brick walls to construct the Palace of Knossos, home of the labyrinth housing the fabled Minotaur. One very notable accomplishment was the early Egyptians of four thousand B. C. who were already using copper and metal tools for woodworking.

These people were proficient in some of the modern techniques we use now, such as drilling, dovetailing, which is a tight interlocking joint made by using a fan-shaped tenon fitted into a corresponding mortise, mitering, which is creating a diagonal seam at a corner in order to make a right angle, and mortising, or cutting square or rectangular holes, into the lumber. In the twelfth century, carpenter guilds began to form. There were three kinds of member in the guild: masters, journeymen and apprentices. The master carpenter would have a lot of experience and had the ability to take in an apprentice to whom he could pass on his knowledge.

The apprentice would live with the master, train with him and would receive food, clothing, shelter and the master’s wisdom in lieu of a paycheck. After a long enough period of time, anywhere between five and nine years, the apprentice could continue on and become a journeyman. He could then work for payment, start his own shop, and after gaining enough experience would take on an apprentice himself and would thus become a “master. ” The carpenter’s guilds were the beginning roots that would eventually grow into our modern labor unions and associations.

The first Carpenter unions began in 1724 which helped regulate hours and pay for workers and allow for benefits and assistance for the unemployed member workers. After the first Industrial Revolution, a few modifications were made to the basic carpentry tools for greater efficiency, but they retained many of the same characteristics from the original design, most of which we still use today. Axes, hatchets and other thick blades were common for chopping wood, just as it is now. Chisels, which are tools with a sharp beveled edge, originated back then, as did the gouge, which is a chisel with a concavo-convex cross-section.

Different kinds of saws were originated for different purposes and mallets, which are small, rubber hammers, and large metal hammers were also just as popular in the Middle Ages as they are now. In every modern carpenter’s garage or personal workshop, there are a few tools that are necessary for almost every project, whether it be large or small. The first one of these is the power circular saw. This is a power-driven saw in which a circular disc with a toothed edge that rotates at a high speed. It is particularly useful when used to cut across grains of wood on large or thick planks of wood.

Another important tool to have is the nail gun. It uses compressed air to drive the nails into the wood. This saves both on work time and on energy levels, but as long as there is a basic hammer, it will do the trick. The power drill is of vital importance. Also called a pneumatic drill, it drills holes through the wood and attaches or detaches screws. Another necessity is the router, which is used to create hollowed areas in wood. It has a shaped cutter and can cut grooves into the wood. Another basic, but necessary, carpentry tool is the level. This is a device that helps the carpenter ensure the final project has straight edges.

The old fashioned levels had two to four foot bars with a glass tube with a line on it in it. The newer levels, which are much more accurate, improved and user-friendly, are digital. Every house needs a tape measure, even for non-carpentry uses, but it is very important in a carpenter’s toolbox to have a tape measure so he or she can measure everything out accurately. The last vital thing to have in your toolbox is a framing square. Framing squares are steel L-shaped squares that are very simple, but very important as it helps you lay out accurate right angles.

Modern carpenters build all different things and use various materials, but true to their profession work primarily work with wood. There are a few popular kinds of woods often used by carpenters; three of these include ash, pine, and oak. Ash is usually found in northern latitudes. The color is greenish white when it’s young, but after it has matured, the older trees have turned into a dark, beautifully marked timber. Pine is a blanket term for all trees that bear cones, but it can be broadly distinguished into Red/Yellow (both of which are indifferently used) or White.

The first kind has a ground color of yellow with pale red markings across it, whereas the other kind is a whitish color, hence the given names. Oak is another commonly used wood among carpenters. The best place to find Oak is in America and Great Britain. The grain of the wood considerably open, or porous, however it is extremely hard and durable. This makes it difficult to work and can dull a worker’s tools very easily, but because of its durability, it makes for ideal medium to work with for building houses, floors, staircases, doors, wall panels, tables, chairs, sideboards, and other pieces of furniture.

It is dark in color and can be polished to a high sheen. The same basic steps are almost always used when getting ready before starting a job by all carpenters for the most part. They start by designing, if it is necessary to, and laying out their project; this includes all of the measuring, marking and arranging of the materials that needs to be done. After that, the carpenter will then cut and shape all of the materials, using a combination of his or her hand and power tools. The next step is to join the items together. This can be done by nails, staples or glue.

To increase the accuracy in the final project, it is necessary to implement the tape measure and framing square through the entire process. Many carpenters do different carpentry tasks, but a lot of them specialize in one or two tasks. Those who remodel homes for instance, use a wide variety of skills. They will need to know how to do everything from building countertops to window frames. Others market themselves as experts in their specific fields, such as cabinet installation or moldings. Working as a carpenter can be stressful physically and mentally.

The physical demands can involve standing for a long time, climbing, bending, kneeling and more. There is always a risk of getting hurt from slipping or falling from the roof or off a ladder or one could get seriously injured from working with the dangerous tools. As far as mentally, carpenters will usually work under independent contracts and with these can come a strict deadline. They usually average about 40 hours per week, which can also be stressful on the mind and body. About thirty-two percent of carpenters are self-employed. According to CollegeBoard, the average income of self-employed carpenters is $43,640.

In this economy, self-employment can be hit or miss, but my good friends Paul and Samuel Jobe, who own Jobe’s Carpentry, and have inspired me with their successful business and have helped in increasing my interest in the trade. I was influenced into studying carpentry for my senior project for a variety of reasons. I love taking things apart to rebuild them and learning how things work. This trait is a testimony to my manual dexterity and the way my mind thinks mechanically. I think carpentry would be a creative and interesting way for me to express these skills and something I would enjoy.

Another incentive that has drawn my interest has been that I really think it would be interesting to study the trade Jesus practiced, as part of my own walk of faith in an attempt to grow closer with Him. I wanted my project to affect more than my own life; I want to make a difference for someone, so I decided to rebuild a tree house that belongs to my 9 year old friend, Sam Ritner. The Ritners have had the tree house for longer than I’ve known them. They had it for their older sons who have long outgrown it. It is now falling part to the point that it is barely recognizable for what it truly is. I know that by rebuilding it, I will not only enjoy the work and the experience, but it will create a fun and exciting place for Sam and his friends to hang out which is fulfillment in itself. Making that sort of impact on a child’s life would mean the world to me. To begin, I’ll first go out to the tree house and evaluate the damage. Right now, it does not have a roof or walls anymore. I will then clear out all the ivy and debris that’s grown up around it and take the measurements needed for the final project.

As I previously mentioned, my friend, Samuel Jobe, is a carpenter and he has agreed to help me out through the design process and aid me in picking out the materials I need to complete it. This includes the measuring, marking and arranging the materials. After drawing up the blueprints for the tree house and taking a trip to the hardware store for all of our supplies, we’ll begin the actual construction on the tree house. First, I’ll stabilize the floor with crossbeams. The tree house currently has only one crossbeam still supporting the floor. I plan on installing at least two or three crossbeams in order to add more support to the floor.

Then, I’ll remake the ladder. The ladder currently is missing a step and is very unstable. I plan on making the ladder by putting two pieces of wood on either side, and putting at least three or four smaller pieces for steps in the middle. Next, I’ll construct the framework and the support system of the house. As of right now, there is no framework on the tree house; there is only a platform. I will pre-fabricate the frame on the ground so I don’t need to try to construct it in the air. I plan on using brackets to screw the uprights of the frame to the floor.

Then, I will erect the walls. At least one of the walls will have a window built in. I will use plywood for the walls and cover them in stucco or another type of siding. Then, I will make the roof. It will be a pitched roof, so rain water will easily roll off the top. To waterproof it and protect it from water, I will attach felt over a thin plywood base and then cover it with shingles. Also with applying these materials, we will add a waterproof stain as the first primer coat to the wood. Afterwards, I will put in the door and install the shutters of the windows.

The window will be a rectangular window and will have a cross in the middle with shutters extending to the outsides of the window. Finally, I will put an outdoor stain on the wood as paint. It will be a dark brown color and will go over the waterproof stain that had been previously coated. The shutters will be painted dark forest green to add to the ambiance of the tree house. This will be sure to make the tree house as waterproof as possible, while also adding style and making it stand out. While building the tree house, I will photograph the process. This will include the before and after shots as well as pictures of it being constructed.

The action shots will include me sawing the wood, drilling, and painting along with other challenging tasks. I will compile all of the pictures and create a scrapbook to bring in for my presentation to the judges. Carpentry is an interesting subject that has been practiced for thousands and thousands of years, since man created tools. To be using a craft that has been such an influence on the development of civilization and to be using it for to brighten a kid’s day makes the effort behind it so worthwhile. This project means a lot to me and I am proud to present it as my final project of high school.

For a Director of a Program, it is essential to come up with an effective plan or service. Hence, a clear presentation of the program and justification for its creation and retention is significant for the proposal to be considered. This paper is written from the perspective of a Program Director who suggests the establishment and retention of a Halfway House Program for California County Probation Department. In doing so, the Program Director will discuss several factors for the carrying out of the program such as the need to reduce the County’s operating budget which eventually results into the loss of a number of personnel.

Proposal for a Halfway House from the Program Director The programs and services of any County Probation Department are subjected to many factors and considerations which may lead into beneficial of harmful implications. Hence, efforts to support the retention and championing of the objectives of a particular program such as the operation of halfway house services are not spared from several hindrances. Operating budget and personnel are two major components which spell the success or failure of a halfway house program.

Working as a residential center type, which temporarily accommodates people who have been released after treatment or rehabilitation from drug dependency, mental illness and incarceration, halfway house serves as the middle house before such people are eventually reintegrated into the society. Such nature, therefore, exemplified the undeniable significance of a halfway house program for a County Probation Department. Taking this into consideration, operating and maintaining such service will be difficult especially when problems such as budget and workforce set in.

It is in this light that a clear presentation and discussion about halfway house service, such as its features, the public it serves, its history, its value and the reason for its retention, are entrusted in me as Program Director of the California County Probation Department. In particular, the Special Projects Group, which I am in charge, will initially address and perform the task of reducing the operating budget of the California County Probation Department by 20 percent.

In doing so, however, we have come to realize that 85 percent of the department budget is allotted to its personnel or manpower. Thus, cutting the department budget will mean the loss of approximately 200 officers and support staff. While it is inevitable to undertake budget and personnel reduction, it is ultimately imperative for me as the Program Director to justify with the Chief of California County Probation Department the need to support the creation of halfway house service or program.

This is because the prison system has now acknowledged the importance, benefits and value of such program. Its purpose of serving as the halfway accommodation for people who tend avoid relapse and to eventually reintegrate into the mainstream society is, in fact, equally important as far as the goal of operating and maintaining a county probation department. One way to achieve the halfway house service is not only by reducing the overall budget of the county but also through trimming down an obviously bloated workforce.

In fact, it is through reduction of operating budget and eventually retrenchment of oversized personnel will the County realize that the establishment of halfway house program is feasible, better and more productive than sustaining an over budgeted and over-staffed County. Since obstacles such as the ones facing the California County Probation Department should, in no way, pose a threat into the creation of halfway house program, the reduction by 20 percent of the Department’s operating budget and most importantly the creation and eventual retention of the proposed halfway house plan is highly recommended by the Program Director.

Halfway House Program, a Plan Overview By its features, a halfway house is a society-based housing provision for criminals and even those who suffered physical and mental disorders who, after their respective imprisonment and treatment period, are technically still carrying out a part of their prison terms and rehabilitation cycles guidelines (“Halfway House, 2001). However, the difference between a County Probation Department or related institutions is the fact that the subjects are this time being managed in a community with less restriction but nonetheless are still required to adhere to the service’s guidelines (“Halfway House, 2001).

Aside from the provision of round-the-clock management as well as a wide-ranging guidance and support to lawbreakers or others who underwent psychological and physical treatments, the activities within a halfway house are designed to pave the way for its tenants to continue studying, hunting for job working while completing their required stay in the service (“Halfway House, 2001). Similar to residential community program, halfway house is an ongoing corrective program or service wherein the offenders complete their prison terms, experience their steady recuperation until being fully released to the society.

Hence, it serves its dual purpose of providing the required treatment and housing services while at the same time offering a chance for its “residents” to be conscious and engage in various activities within the program and the community they will service once they left the halfway house. This is because a halfway house forms an essential link between the care provided by the rehabilitation or care provided by the prison system and related institutions and the opportunities offered by the mainstream society (“Halfway House, 2001).

Reduction of 20% County Budget, the Task Presented with the mission to cut the budget of California County Probation Department by 20 percent, I, being the Program Director recommends the planned reduction of the department’s operating cost based on the fact that 85 percent of the annual budget pertains to personnel allocation. This, therefore, necessitates that the streamlining should be focused on the retrenchment of personnel which is based on certain conditions and factual basis.

Since the department has a personnel plantilla of more than 1,000 officers and staff including 700 sworn officers of various ranks, the retrenchment would necessarily mean the phasing out of 200 plantilla items or so much thereof that shall exactly mean the equivalent of 20 percent of its total operating cost estimated at about $600 million annually. In specific figures, the plan should correspond to the trimming down of the present budget to only $480 million starting next year.

With the full knowledge of prevailing conditions and other factual basis such as statistics on basic concerns as daily average population of probation facilities and the average stay of those confined thereat, it is important that the reduction program shall proceed using quantifiable ratios in order to have it be implemented in the most judicious manner. Considering existing conditions in the department, procedures must be observed in the process of identifying who will be the 200 officials and support staff who will be covered by the retrenchment. In doing so, there should be provision of benefit packages and incentives for those to be affected by the retrenchment, including special incentives for those who will voluntarily retire or resign under this retrenchment policy or program.

An option to voluntarily resign should also be offered to those affected personnel and when all procedures and system are laid out, retrenchment will proceed Hence, the reduction of the County’s 20 percent budget which is synonymous to a significant impact to the personnel is planned to be carried out in a manner that benefit packages and incentive schemes for voluntary retirement and resignations must be attractive enough to encourage a good number of personnel to avail of it and thereby make the retrenchment process less painful.

The reduction in the budget and its effect, through retrenchment, in the manpower of the California County Probation Department are the primary grounds considered by the Program Director in suggesting the establishment and eventual retention of the Halfway House Program. This is because of the position that in order to create a beneficial plan, the reduction of budget and loss of some personnel in particular are definitely inevitable yet valuable decision which will pave the way for a new and more effective program.

Halfway House Program, the Rationale Halfway houses are already established since the half part of the twentieth century. According to Smith and Berlin (1988), halfway houses were built by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the cities of Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York (Smith & Berlin, 1988). In the said halfway house services, the offenders, while completing their prison terms, were counseled, employed and provided with worthy activities which helped them to effectively reintegrate into their respective societies afterwards guidelines (Smith & Berlin, 1988).

The said system and the creation of such program such as halfway house service have proven beneficial to both the prison facilities which previously house the offenders as well as the communities where the rehabilitated offenders were eventually assimilated. These worthwhile and beneficial effects to the prison system and the community are, in essence, the very objectives which halfway house program have attained in their efforts to effectively rehabilitate the criminal offender (Smith & Berlin, 1988).

Beyond such historical account is the rationale of proposing, supporting and eventually retaining a halfway house program or service. In fact, the underlying principle, which was fundamentally deliberated by the Program Director in this paper for the consideration of the Chief of the California County Probation Department, is the basic foundation that such program or service encompasses the goal of societal correction and improvement. The principle is that the halfway house program ultimately aims for rectification and eventual development of offenders.

This is because the lawbreakers and related nuisance in the society are being corrected while being accommodated in a venue which will enhance more their qualification into being members again of the societies. As what Beha (1977) learned from a research finding which examined the role and implication of the halfway house program, such service of program is definitely covered by the category “community corrections” (Beha, 1977). Additionally, halfway house program is an acknowledged effective plan or service even by the industry of probation service themselves.

In BBC interview with the chief officer of probation services, Kenyon (2006) learned that while risk and problems are not totally eliminated in carrying out such program, halfway house generally create the “very best picture” as far rehabilitating criminals and preparing them for their return into the society (Kenyon, 2006). Applying the said principles and proofs to the set-up of the California County Probation Department, it is then best considered and suggested to the Chief of the need to undertake, champion and sustain the existence of halfway house program or service.

In fact, this may not mean the loss of other programs of the County as the 20 percent reduction in the budget, which basically caters to a bloated personnel structure, will be the main source which will support the program. Conclusion Being the Director of a Program, my foremost objective is for the Chief of the California County Probation Department’s consideration and hopefully, approval of my proposed halfway house program or service. This is prayed for with the presentation of the needed 20 percent reduction in the County’s operating budget, which in general only satisfies an apparent over-sized workforce.

Such retrenchment is feasible and acceptable based from the benefit packages and incentives which the Program Director likewise proposed. It is through said grounds that the creation and retention of the California County Probation Department Halfway House are justified. This is because by cutting the budget of the County, the problem on bloated personnel is addressed and ultimately the collective goal to create an effective and beneficial program such as the Halfway House is achieved.

Compare and contrast A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. Write a brief essay (of approximately 1000 words) to comment on the two female protagonists’ (Nora Helmer and Blanche Duboi’s) relationship with men. A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen and A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams are two well-known plays that give rise to discussions over male-female relationships in old society. The female protagonists in the plays are women who are dependent on males.

However, the female protagonist in A Doll House is able to transcend her status by try to be dependent on herself at the end of the play, whereas the one in A Streetcar Named Desire still continues to depend on men. In this essay, I am going to discuss the relationships with men of the two female protagonists, Nora Helmer and Blanche Dubois. In A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen, Nora Helmer is the female protagonist of the play. She is a housewife in the Helmer’s family. She has undergone a transformation throughout the play that she reacts differently to her husband.

Nora’s relationship with her husband, Torvald, is important in the development of the plot. In the first scene, Nora appears to be happy and have an affectionate family. Although she tries to defy her husband in some unimportant ways, for example, she lies to her husband about eating macaroons, she still maintains a good relationship with her husband. However, minor incident actually foreshadows the confrontation between her husband and her later when the play continues. As the plot develops, Nora is actually not as simple as other wives that she does not totally obey her husband.

The contradiction between Nora’s independent nature and the tyrannical authority of Torvald arouses a climax in the play when Torvald discovered a lie of Nora. The lie shows a big contrast of their relationship before and after the disclosure. Before Torvald discovers the truth behind the deception, the relationship between his wife and him seems to be perfect and loving. At the beginning of the play, Nora does not seem to notice her life being manipulated by her husband; she does everything according to her husband’s taste and preference.

Meanwhile, she manages to save her husband from poor health condition by breaking the law to borrow debt from Krogstad and repaying it with pocket money from her husband. It is apparent that Nora is very smart and clever to handle difficulties not only for herself but also her husband. But instead of being a capable woman, she chooses to live up to the expectation of her husband, seeming to be isolated from the outside world but to live in the world that her husband and father has set up for her. When it comes to other relationships with men, Nora respects her husband.

She refuses to accept Dr Rank’s admiration of her, and she also defends and supports her husband in front of Krogstad. Besides, She practices the dance for him so as to defense her husband’s pride in front of people and not to embarrass him. These are the evidence proving that Nora is like a doll being controlled. She follows what men in her life, her father and Torvald, expect her to do, and this is the way she does to maintain good relationship with them. However, the relationship goes upside down after Torvald’s unveiling of the secret that Nora has been hiding from Torvald whom she borrows money from.

At the end of the play, the climatic confrontation between Nora and Torvald shows that Nora realizes the need to live for herself rather than men. She wants to put the marriage to a halt just because she does not want to rely on men anymore by pretending to be someone she is not in order to please her husband. As she determines to be independent, she left her husband and family at the end of the play to show that she will never be related to anyone but herself. This action represents the idea of feminism and arouses the awareness of woman’s rights. Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire, on the other hand, is contrasted with Nora Helmer.

When the play begins, she is portrayed to be educated and well-mannered woman. Blanche does not agree with the beastly lifestyle of her sister’s husband, Stanley. She thinks that he is so common and ape-like. This shows that they cannot get along well with each other during Blanche’s staying at their home. When the play develops, Stanley quickly seeks out that Blanche is actually a fallen woman. She lost her husband and her family fortune. She has sexual affairs with some men and addition to alcohol. Therefore, she needs much male admiration to maintain her remaining self-esteem.

Besides, she wants to marry a man as a shelter so that she can escape poverty as well as her bad reputation in society. Mitch, therefore, is a chance for Blanche because he likes her very much. However, before they decide to be together, Stanley tells Mitch about Blanche’s indiscrete sexual behavior in the past. This destroys Blanche’s pursuit of Mitch. After this incident, Blanche even makes up a story about going on vacation with a billionaire. It is obvious to see that Blanche always rely on men in her life, looking for admiration and a shelter for her from the tough reality.

So, she always pretends to be someone men like in order to please them rather than being a true self. She even acts in front of men in the way that she does not really feel like that. Unlike Nora, Blanche is pathetic when it comes to relationship with men. While Nora undergoes a transformation from a controlled doll to a strong woman who determines to restart her life again for the better, Blanche continues to rely on men heavily. In the last scene, Blanche is still so willing to be led away by a kind male doctor to asylum just because the doctor is a gentleman.

This tells us Blanche’s desperate and total dependence on men. When we compare Nora Helmer and Blanche Dubois, we can see that they are two females of the opposites. Although both of them shows a confrontation between men and themselves, and both of them seem to be manipulated by men, Nora demonstrates a more positive way to challenge with men’s dominance while Blanche shows a pathetic way which can be said a lack of feminism. The comparison of these two female characters stirs up a debate of women’s rights. It also brings us to a higher level of discussion on the tension of the gender roles in society.

Perspective of A Doll’s House Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House uses emotional conversations to depict a family living in false emotional circumstances and having to come to terms with reality. The title A Doll’s House describes the facade of a family living in a nice house. The platitude “All that glitters is not gold” means that not everything that looks good on the outside is not good on the inside, like a doll’s house. In the first part of the play, Nora’s old friend from school, Mrs. Linde arrives impromptu. Nora is very fast to describe to her what a good life she has; “So you are quite alone.

How dreadfully sad that must be. I have three lovely children. You cannot see them just now, for they are out with their nurse” (7). This shows how important it is to Nora to keep up her facade of having a nice home and a good life. It’s also makes a distance between the two women’s lives, even if Mrs. Linde tells Nora about her poor family situation, Nora still brags. During the conversation, Nora tells Mrs. Linde about her secret; that she has borrowed money from Krogstad, one of the bankers in town, to help her husband Torvald a long time ago.

Torvald does not know anything about the loan and Mrs. Linde is surprised about it and she thinks Nora should tell him about it. Nora answers; “… And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether; our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now” (12). This reflects the old sight of male and female position in the home or relation; the man is the one who should be responsible for the income and be independent. The female part is the opposite.

The last sentence from Nora, demonstrates once again how important it is for her that her life looks perfect from the viewer’s sight. Nora is in a very hard situation with Krogstad because of the loan she took a long time ago. Krogstad behaves insipid against Nora in the middle of the play, when he threats her to tell Torvald about the loan. She talks to Dr. Rank, an old friend of the family, and she is very close to betraying her big secret, but instead she just informs him; “You can do nothing for me now. Besides I really don’t need any help at all. You will find that the whole thing is merely fancy on my part.

It really is so-of course it is! ” (41). From this we learn that Nora changes her sight of her self. She acts very clearly to Dr. Rank for many reasons, for example to get rid of Dr. Rank’s curiosity and also to convince her self that she has done the right thing and that everything is going to be fine. It also shows one of her first steps into her independence. In the end of the play, Nora realizes that her life is not real, is not perfect, is not fantastic; it is just like a dream story from outside like she always wanted her life to be – but she is not satisfied.

Nora decides to tell Torvald about how she feels and she forces him to talk with her seriously; “I say that we have never sat down in earnest together to try to get at the bottom of anything. ” Torvald answers “But, dearest Nora, would it have been any good to you? ” (66). It looks like Torvald doesn’t think Nora has her own thoughts, or her own willing. He does not listen to her or maybe he does not want to listen to her. Nora continues to inform Torvald about her feelings, about how he and her father have made a big sin against her. “It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life” (66).

Nora is much older now then she was when she first met Torvald, and she has changed during the years. Both of them play their roles very well and it is not only Torvald’s fault that she has not been able to do something of her life. When it comes to someone’s life, it is very much up to the person herself. Nora tells Torvald that she has never been standing on her own feet, “I have been your doll wife, just as at home I was Papa’s doll child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it was great fun when I played with them.

That is what our marriage has been, Torvald” (67). Ibsen describes how Nora gets an insight about which kind of life she lives. The image pattern of Nora shows a change comparing of the beginning of the book when she brags in front of people. The three children stand for happiness but Nora does not seem to have a close and genuine relationship to them. It is just a scene. Nora comes to a point in her life when she understands that she lives an unreal life and she has to do something about it. Ibsen shows that she is able to take the step out of the marriage like an independent person.

Everyone thinks she lives her life like a doll in a perfect home. Ibsen’s choice of title is both good and ironic; good because it brings thoughts to the perfect family-life, and ironic because the play tells about how the inside of the house; the family, the marriage, the relations etc. , struggles with a lot of problems in contrast to the facade. One of Ibsen’s messages about marriage and family is to manage to be happy together, everyone has to take care and understand herself before she can take care of others. When a person is independent and safe on her own, she is able to love and take care of her true love and family.

“House Divided” Essay Discuss the relevance today of Abraham Lincoln’s statement, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. ” Abraham Lincoln’s statement in his 1858 speech that “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” is an extremely true statement that is as relevant today as it was when he originally stated it in 1858. Lincoln made this statement when he was accepting his nomination by the Republican Party to become the United States senator for the state of Illinois.

Lincoln was attempting to distinguish himself from his opponent for the seat in the Senate, Stephen Douglas, who was a major supporter of the doctrine of popular sovereignty. Lincoln disagreed with Douglas because he believed that the United States could not exist under two opposing forces, that of advocates for slavery and of abolition. Lincoln knew that the country would eventually have to decide between slavery and freedom, and the imminent Civil War is proof that he was right.

Lincoln’s statement in 1858 correctly predicted that the United States could not exist forever torn between the issue of slavery. His statement continues to be valid, even in today’s world, more than one hundred and fifty years later. When the country was divided about the existence of slavery, it was not able to cooperate. Proper authority could not be executed, because the leader had to choose a side. If he was pro-slavery, the north would not be devoted to his leadership. If he was pro-abolition, the south would refuse to acknowledge him as their leader.

This enormous dilemma wreaked havoc throughout the country, leading to the south’s eventual secession from the Union. Today, the concept of when an institution is on completely different terms with each other they cannot function properly can be applied to many situations, both specific and non-specific. This notion being misunderstood by the majority of the world is on display in daily life. When two parents are attempting to instill authority over their child but disagree on something, the child is erroneously disciplined.

When the child receives two conflicting views about something they should or should not do, they will not understand what is right. When two business partners are in disagreement about their business policies, the business will fail with no proper guidance. Two friends with seriously incompatible qualities or moral codes will not be able to maintain their friendship. Nothing can survive without unity, which is why slavery was unable to prevail. One specific example of the validity of Lincoln’s statement is the Civil Rights movement of the mid twentieth century.

The Civil Rights movement was an extension of the slavery issue of a century earlier. Black people were still not being treated as equal to whites in the southern part of the country. Because there was much division on the issue, there was political controversy during that time. However, just as with slavery, blacks eventually received equal rights and treatment. Another example of Lincoln’s statement being applicable many years after it was said is communism in Russia.

Communism and socialism in Russia eventually failed because it always had a clear winner and loser. One party was greatly benefitted, while the other party was severely disadvantaged. Because the country was so divided on the issue, communism collapsed in the Soviet Union in 1991. Perhaps the greatest and most relevant example of the validity of Lincoln’s statement is the current economic depression occurring in the United States. In the United States, the difference between the wealthy and the poor is by an extremely large margin.

The wealthy people of the country possess almost all of its wealth, while the vast majority of the people possess a much smaller portion. As a result, the economy of the United States crashed in the year 2008. This economic depression and the failure of the wealthy to help the poor have been the subject of much discussion and debate throughout the country. Almost everyone is divided on the issue, causing the economy to increasingly become worse. Hopefully, if the country can one day become united on the solution for the economy’s downfall, the economy will recover.

It is clear that Lincoln’s statement in 1858 that “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” was very on the point when he stated it, as well as in today’s world. Lincoln made this statement on the brink of the great Civil War, and he correctly predicted that if the United States continued to be divided on the issue of slavery, it would prove disastrous for the country. Today, this statement continues to apply to many of the world’s problems, both specifically an non-specifically.

The House of Lords was, until the early 20th century the senior of the two houses in the British political system. Its members enjoyed greater powers than the members of the House of Commons, but as the 1911 and 1949 acts were introduced the powers of the Lords were greatly reduced. The abilities of the upper house became an issue as society became more democratic and concerned about the unrepresentative nature of the House; after all it was at one point hereditary peers only.

It is now argued the House of Lords have become irrelevant because of its great reduction in powers and abilities to hold the lower house to account; it’s still unrepresentative nature and lack of legitimacy. Beginning at the start of the reforms, under the Liberal government Lloyd George purpose the introduction of a land tax which would affect rich wealthy land owners. This bill was challenged by the conservatives, as many of them where wealthy land owners and wanted to raise import taxes instead.

The bill went ahead and passed through the House of Commons, however when the Bill reached the upper house it was struck down by the Conservative lords. The Prime Minister Henry Asquith requested the king make sufficient Liberal Lords to pass the bill if the conservative lords reject it again. Edward VII refused which led to the reduction of power in the House of Lords being a priority issue in the 1910 General election. Once the Liberals were in government a mandate was used to make the necessary constitutional changes.

The Parliament Act removed the House of Lords right to veto legislation and restricted the amount of time it could prevent a bill passing through the house to 2 years. This first act did much to cripple the upper house and restrict its powers over the government; however it cannot be seen as irrelevant because the house still had substantial powers that could hold up legislation. The House of Lords were particularly effective of this shortly after the act had been introduced to the house.

In 1912 a bill was passed through the house of commons regarding Irish home rule, however the House of Lords were able to hold off passing the bill until world war one. At this point the bill was dropped because the threat of Germany was seen as a more important issue. After the Second World War the Labour government, under Clement Attlee, decided to amend the 1911 parliament act further. This was because they thought the House of Lords would interfere in their rapid nationalisation program and stop them from achieving their party goals before the next general election.

The new proposals meant the House of Lords could only hold up new bills for up to a year. It was argued that the time the House of Lords had become irrelevant for a times they held very little powers to hold the government to account or stop legislation. The act was used as a threat; however in 1991 the House of Lords used their remaining powers to slow the War crimes act that would extend the jurisdiction of UK courts to acts committed on behalf of Nazi Germany.

The parliament act was used (for the first time since 1914), but it showed the Lords were becoming more involved. Before the House of Lords would be forced to accept legislation through the parliament act once more, Labour in 1997, with the support of the Lib-Dems purposed to end the ‘right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords’ and committed it to their manifesto. This meant at all but 92 of the Hereditary peers would be removed from the House and replaced by appointed life peers; a right given to the Prime Minister through the Life Peerages act 1958.

This new act meant as a consequence the lords obtained greater authority through the fact the government wanted them there and are seen as less undemocratic because of this reform. This in turn had a great affect on the activities and use of power by the Lords, which made less irrelevant that they were previously. In the next 7 years the House of Lords opposed 3 acts; the European Parliamentary Elections Act in 1999; the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act in 2000 and the Hunting act in 2004, showing greater use of their authority and fulfilling some of the necessary tasks the Lords need to carry out in order to retain some relevancy.

One role of the House of Lords performs is acting as a second opposition for the Governing executive, which has been especially effective during times when the Government has a large majority in the commons because of the first past the post (FPTP) voting system. A good illustration of this role was when the Thatcher government enjoyed majorities of over 100 following the elections of 1983. This meant the House of Lords were improving parliamentary opposition, effectively holding government to account and making up for the opposition’s weakness.

This scrutiny of the executive is made clear through the huge amount of time (around 80%) the Lords spend scrutinising and revising legislation. Their regular attendance and increasing numbers means the House is adopting this role very seriously ensuring their relevancy in the British political system. Arguably the House of Lords have become even more effective at performing this role after The House of Lords Act in 1998 because party leaderships have been selecting more professional politicians to become Lords, who are, arguably, better at scrutinising the executive.

As we have seen before, the House of Lords is heavily involved in the Legislative process and although they can no longer stop bills that can (and commonly do) make amendments. A recent example of this was on the 3rd of November 2011, when the House of Lords made 6 amendments to the Armed Forces Bill. This is an important function of the House because it oversees the work of the executive and ensures the elected Government is remaining representative, ensuing accountability.

Some criticize this oversight of the executive as irrelevant because the house is not elected, and is a very unrepresentative elitist group. However there is defence for keeping an unelected second chamber as it is came when Labour was in power under the Blair government there were plans to change the House into a wholly elected House, Bob Marshall-Andrews importantly pointed out that “replacing a second chamber that was rotten because of inherited patronage with a second chamber which is rotten with contemporary patronage. Suggesting that having an elected chamber would not be an improvement, or any chamber in his opinion, however there are some strong arguments against having a wholly elected chamber. A key point is an appointed second chamber means there are specialists from a broad range of subjects present in the house meaning the quality of debate in the House of Lords is generally better than the quality of debate in the House of Commons, which is dominated by the executive.

The Lords are free to vote as they wish because they have no party whip and can generally be more opinionated and do not have to tow the party line. There is also the argument that if both chambers were elected then there wouldn’t be much difference between the chambers and there may be a demand for power off the commons as they are the higher house, Lord Wakeham, a Tory peer who used to head the Royal commission said the house of commons “would not give the upper chamber the authority to play an effective role” even if both houses were elected.

The House of Lords could be seen as been as relevant and as effective as they possibly can be in the situation they are in, besides the House has managed to effectively defy the will of the government on key issues such as the Anti-terrorism legislation purposed by Blair’s government. The House defeated the government on this issue and managed to make several key amendments on this bill. Although there are some strong arguments for keeping the House of Lords, many believe it is out dated and out of place in a modern democratic society; therefore it should not be in a position to judge or pass legislation.

Thomas Bingham, a writer for the Guardian suggested the House should ‘not exist’ because it ‘obstruct the will of the commons’, he like many other critics of the house believe it is unnecessary and is open to abuse. In 2007 the House came under attack from the press and the Daily Telegraph published the article ‘Cash for Peerage’ which suggested that Tony Blair had been accepting money in return for appointing members to the House of Lords.

Although this was never proved to be true, there was still substantial evidence that suggested it had gone on. This completely destroys the argument that the House of Lords is appointed because of their experience and could make it completely irrelevant. Some believe having a fully elected house would mean the House of Lords would not be open to critic’s claiming it was elitist and undemocratic.

Many are in support of giving the House democratic legitimacy, such as the Electoral Reform Society, who support an 100% elected House using STV, with election tied into the European Parliament cycle; Preventing the house from holding up the Government; Members of second chamber banned from standing for commons for 4 years; No reserved religious seats and thresholds to ensure candidate diversity. This clearly shows that many political elites see the House as irrelevant in its current state, and would be become more relevant, up to date and perhaps even more effective if these reforms were to go ahead.

The Electoral Reform Society see it as ‘removing the burden from parliament’. The House of Lords is seen by some as a irrelevant institute that is out of touch with modern society. However I think the second chamber is crucial as it acts as a political safeguard that effectively holds the government to account in the event of poor opposition in the House of Commons. Although the House faces criticism for its undemocratic nature, it is this that allows it to remain a relevant part of society that does no unnecessarily damage the House of Commons.

If the House were to be elected by a proportional representation system, such as STV suggested by the Electoral Reform Society, it would become a danger as it would be more representative of the people than the commons and could cause for a demand of power off the lower House. Overall I do not think the House of Lords is irrelevant in modern politics as it performs many important roles effectively, and although at first glance it seems out of place in a democratic society, it would be an executive dictatorship without it.

The angel in house concept was very popular in the 19th century and it was a custom that many wives conformed to. The “angel in the house” was described by Coventry Patmore’s poem towards his wife and how he fulfilled his needs by being altruistic.

Men and women also had “separate spheres” which was the ideology that men should conformed to public affairs and women should conform to private affairs within the home. However, by 1882, ideology changed and more women decided that they did not only want to conform to private affairs but they should be able to be public and voice their ideas, the concept had been changed slightly, however not completely overturned as many women still conformed to the ‘angel in the house’ concept.

Source F was written by Caroline Norton and published in 1854. It implies that the concept had not been overturned, as she is referring to the power that her husband still contained with the custody of their children. This shows that Caroline was rebelling against the norms that a wife should have towards her husband. In Caroline’s accounts of her years married to her husband she describes that he was physically violent towards her and on many occasions family members had to get involved.

Caroline speaking out towards her husband in court showed merely that she was courageous enough to rebel against the ‘angel in the house’ concept. Source G supports Caroline in a way that one of the images shows a husband being physically abusing his wife. This adds supports to Caroline as it portrays in the image the language in which Caroline uses to describe her feelings towards her husband which are negative and shocking as many women would not dare to talk about their husband in that way.

Source G challenges the concept because in 1864 there was the First Contagious Disease Act which was an act which was the need to reduce venereal diseases. This was strongly campaigned by Josephine Butler, one of the first emerging feminists. The cartoon claims ‘Is Marriage a Failure – As a rule –Yes! ’ which is ironic because it is claiming that marriage, the ballpoint of keeping society was failing, however, the concept of ‘the angel in the house’ was still being fought to stay within the household and the stronghold of keeping all women conformed to the ‘separate spheres’.

Source H is from Melanie Phillips, whose perspective on the ‘angel in the house’ is viewed nostalgically. In her analysis she is able to show the ‘paradox behind the double standard’ which was shown thoroughly through the Divorce Reform, it is challenging the idea that women cannot be in the house and speaking out, voicing their ideas publically. Nevertheless, it portrays that woman are still able to be in the house and also participate publically.

In conclusion, it can be argued that the ‘angel in the house’ was not overturned however women still wanted to voice their opinions and stand up for inequality even if it was in marriage which was seen as unacceptable but stay in the household supporting their family. Nevertheless the concept had been slightly changed with feminists such as Caroline Norton and Josephine Butler’s campaigns supporting women’s rights, which a century ago would seen as an abomination making a female speak out without the permission from her husband. The “angel in the house” concept had been slightly changed in 1882 however not completely overturned.