Black Thusday: The Crash :: essays research papers

In the roaring 1920s, the United States bathed in previously unheard of prosperity. Industry and agriculture alike profited from the thriving economy. The Federal Reserve Board (known as "the Fed") practiced a policy of easy money, and consumer conf idence was high. Average income grew steadily throughout the decade and production soared. Levels of investment grew to new heights. At year's end in 1925, the market value of all stocks totaled $27 billion. By early October of 1929, that number had g rown to $87 billion. However, the economy began to slow down in 1928, and the trend continued in 1929. Agricultural prices slipped, a result of production surpluses and a downturn in business activity. In July of 1928, the Federal Reserve Board, took n otice and hiked interest rates in an attempt to slow investment to a pace more appropriate to the economic decline. Despite this and other warning signs, patterns of investment continued much as they had in the mid-20s, giving littl e recognition to the e conomic slowdown. The stage was set for a major market correction. On October 24, 1929, dubbed Black Thursday, the stock market crashed. Prices began to decline early in the day, triggering a selling panic in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). When trading closed the Dow Jones Industrial Average had fallen 9 percent and 12,894,650 shares of stock had changed hands, smashing the previous record of 8,246,742. Despite the crash, reports remained optimistic. Major New York banks united to buy up $30 million worth of stock in efforts to stabilize the market, and president Herbert Hoover announced that recovery was expected. Hoover's claims had little merit; the situation became bleaker during the next week. October 29 broke the now four-day old NYSE record for number of transactions: 16,410,035 shares changed hands in total. The market dropped 17.3 percent, confirming, and cementing, the permanency of the crash. The coming months saw no recovery. The crash in the market spelled disaster for the national economy. Corporations with heavy investments faced a sudden and almost insurmountable shock to their assets. Investing froze. As a result, the national economy fell into an unprecedented period of depression. Import spending dropped from $4.399 billion in 1929 to only $1.323 billion by 1932. The same period saw a sharp drop in exports as well. National income slipped lower each year from 1929 to 1932, and did not return to pre-depression levels until World War II.

New Personality Self-Portrait Text: Why you think, work, love

Personality inventories have always been a popular topic with people, as they hold within them the power to reveal to us something about our innate selves which we didn’t know before, and the possibility of helping us understand ourselves better, and in turn, making us happier people. As psychological knowledge advanced, in the United States personality inventories became a much-appreciated subject of books, articles and researches as most of these sought to exaggerate the impact of individualism while downplaying the effects of social and economic factors on upbringing and social behavior. Personality tests have often been criticized personality tests and placed them on the continuum of astrology, fortune-telling and horoscopes, calling their content equally generic and simplistic in nature so that people find at least something in the tests which has a relation to their life or self, and they ignore the rest of the contents of the tests which do not have such a relation. Another critical view is that these tests overly simplify personality, which inherently is a complex phenomenon, and that these tests often lack scientific descriptors. The conventional tests all contain a series of random questions and individual scores are tabulated based on the polarity of responses generated by these questions. While these tests maintain that no one person can fit completely and wholly into one category, yet the presentation of the personality types themselves is at best, rigid and highly categorical. However, John M. Oldham, a physician, psychiatrist, researcher, academic administrator and writer has developed a personality test which counters these criticisms and emerges as one of the more reliable assessment tests out of the various options available. Oldham's personality test also has an inventory of questions and just like other tests before it, it assigns points on answers and reveals personality types based on points. But it is better than other popular inventories because the personality types are not the conventional ones, derived from popular consensus, rather, they are based on psychiatric medical categories of personality disorders in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Then, Oldham has identified â€Å"the common, utterly human, nonpatholocial versions of the extreme, disordered constellations† from this manual. He has followed this approach because according to him, personality disorders are the â€Å"extremes of normal human patterns†, basically, what personality comprises of. Hence, the book is based on the premise of defining the normal personality styles, the extreme versions of which translate into personality disorders. Critics of Oldham's book, which is a popularization, have said that while the test works fine, the examples Oldham has used can be distracting and misleading. The situations and reactions that have been attributed to these fictitious characters have the risk of not being taken seriously by people as their characterization lacks any cultural, socio-economic, environmental or ethical element, which is what makes characters believable. Another drawback of the test is that the validity is completely dependent on the responses of the individual, and there are no correction scales, which are present in other standardized personality instruments. One of the strong points of this test is that the descriptors are short, yet clear in their meaning, and in all, manage to provide comprehensive coverage of all types of personalities. By giving a personality style-disorder continuum, Oldham has recognized that personalities are not just groups of character traits; rather, they exist on a spectrum which ranges from normal personality styles to their counterpart personality disorders. The book is a popular one, and its intended audience is laypeople and not medical professionals. It provides a simple view on personality styles and to some people, might appear to be lacking the technical sophistication which more rigorously developed and standardized personality inventories might contain.

Hamlet Nunnery Scene Analysis

In this essay, I am going to write about the themes and techniques in the â€Å"Nunnery† scene in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. All of the points I am going to cover have been expressed through different mediums for example in film and televised dramatic plays where the concept of Hamlet’s anger or use of nunnery is perceived to be different through artistic licence and also I will talk about the themes raised during the scene like corruption, deception, passion and betrayalThroughout all the adaptations of the â€Å"Nunnery† scene, deception is a pivotal theme carried and sustained. The universal concept of deception in the scene is presented by three points. Hamlet is being spied on, by Claudius and Polonius. The reason for this is that they both become extremely suspicious of Hamlets current behaviour. They are convinced his new â€Å"madness† is not genuine. The way they go about spying by using Ophelia as a device to retract information for their own personal benefit is a way deception is conveyed.Ophelia is lying to him; this is also a way the theme of deception is successfully carried through the scene, the fact that Hamlet himself lied to Ophelia as defence mechanism to catch out Ophelia’s lies and to reinforce the point that he has a far superior intellect. Another devices or technique that you could say that Shakespeare uses to create and maintain the deception in this scene is that, whenever Ophelia answers Hamlet, she lacks detail and tries to avoid and abetting questions and pretend as if the questions were never asked.An example of this is when Hamlet asks â€Å"Ha, ha, Are you honest? Ophelia replies â€Å"My lord â€Å". Again Hamlet asks â€Å"Are you fair â€Å". And he receives this answer from Ophelia â€Å"What mean you lordship†. This is a clear example of her stalling or ‘beating around the bush’ as it were, to find time to come up with an answer that would bait her out as a spy and a liar. In every single Adaptation and dramatization of the play, the sense of fear and confusion in Ophelia’s voice is extremely apparent. In my opinion this fear she has originates from two possible scenarios.Firstly; she is exposed as a liar. Secondly; she fails to gain any conclusive information from Hamlet and this would lead to the probability her father and Claudius wouldn’t be too pleased with her seeing as they put far too much effort in to this operation and its likelihood of success. I can say this because Claudius and Polonius both went to the extent of eavesdropping on Ophelia so no detail was missed and also to eliminate the possibility that Ophelia would fabricate some elements of her conversation/confrontation with Hamlet to protect him.Corruption and betrayal are two themes that tie in with each other rather well. Corruption is far clearer and more apparent as it is carried throughout the whole play. It is present by the fact Claudius makes it his mission to destroy Hamlet, so he can keep the throne he longed for quite some time seeing as he killed his own brother to obtain it. The only way he can find out what Hamlet is thinking is by using Ophelia as a makeshift operative to extract the information they need. They do this as Ophelia is only person other than his mother he can fully trust.However betrayal is more complex. It is displayed in the so-called â€Å"Turning point† of the Nunnery scene, there are several possibilities for this depending on the type of adaptation the main ones are: when Hamlet asks â€Å"Where’s you Father† and also when a noise (A sound made by either Polonius or Claudius) is heard by Hamlet. In the Mel Gibson version of Hamlet there is no noise but a shadow seen by Hamlet, also in the contemporary Ethan Hawke Version when Hamlet approaches Ophelia for a hug he feels the wire planted on Ophelia to spy on him.However in the Kozintsev version this â€Å"Turning point† arrives much earlier it is not as climatic and chronic as the other adaptations. This discovery made by Hamlet in all its forms opens up the dormant suspicions and reservations of Ophelia thought up by Hamlet. The reason why his suspicions were dormant was that Hamlet generally is a very melancholy young man who has been prevented from attending university, his father dead and he knows who killed him and he’s now married to his mother as we all know. Hamlet always wears both black or unexciting dull colours like brown, grey and a very dark crimson in his clothing.The fact is, Ophelia is after all, his girlfriend and possibly a potential wife therefore she is a person of a great importance in his life. If Hamlet had let her in his life, he clearly would have never expect edto have been betrayed by her at all. Seeing as Hamlet is an extremely complex and possibly insane character so This causes his unstoppable rage which in itself is another theme in the Nunnery scene, which i s carried till the end where he storms out while he shouts that he know he is subject to espionage and he is being lied to. â€Å"God ath given you a face and you go and make yourself another†. He isn’t happy about it (evidently) and he threateningly tells Ophelia to go to a nunnery. â€Å"To a nunnery go! † Love and Passion in a sexual/relationship context, are two other themes that drive both Ophelia and Hamlet to do things, react or act a certain way in the Nunnery. The truth is that they are both in love but because of the complications in the environment in which they live and also the constant interference of their relationship by other people, such as Ophelia’s father Polonius. No my good lord, but I did as you command, I repel his letters and denied his access to meâ€Å". These are the instructions Polonius handed to Ophelia much before the Nunnery Scene in act 2 scene 1. Starting from â€Å"Turning point† Hamlet uses his love for Ophelia as a weapon against her several times. An example of this is when he says: â€Å"I loved you notâ€Å", â€Å"I did love you once† and â€Å"I say we have no mo marriages†.Hamlet does this because he has previously shown his inner character to Ophelia by trusting her and to show that he actually angry he must use a weapon that Ophelia can see through or expect and also a weapon that he has used against her before especially his love for her as she never doubted. The theme of passion however is portrayed in Hamlet’s anger, his reaction shows his disappointment in Ophelia, by shaking her and gripping her tightly and in some adaptations e. g. the Branagh and Lawrence Olivier version Hamlet physical strikes her.This is the one of the clearest indications of the intensity of the love they both shared and the loved they were denied. The set and the setting play a major part in intensifying the themes explained above throughout the Nunnery scene. The generic setting or basis of all the setting in the scene for all the adaptations is Elsinore Castle, the locations that are most commonly used are the court yard or a large hall. In the BBC version takes place in a very enclosed space, strangely this is one of the only version where visually it Hamlet shows absolutely no anger at all and show compassion rather to Ophelia and pities her.However in the other entire version I have seen the setting helps creates a hostile and fragile environment, where hamlet is able do use the acoustic to project his voice and also ironically to aid Claudius and Polonius to eavesdrop. In most versions the Openness as space in which the scene takes place creates a sense of exposure and insecurity for both characters especially for Ophelia as she is trapped both physically by Hamlet and mentally/emotionally by her Claudius and Polonius because she has to complete her ‘mission’ assigned to her. Another Technique used in the Nunnery scene is the dialogue and the conflict within it.These techniques are the main aspect of the theme of deception and betrayal; this is what carries these to themes through the scene and therefore the rest of the play. As mentioned the use of rhetorical questions and sarcasm especially in Hamlet’s tone. For example: â€Å"That is you be honest and fair your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty† this is a clear example of Hamlet’s sarcasm and rhetorical question. The trigger for all this form of communication is the sudden addressing of Hamlet in a formal way when they never talk in that way.The conflict in the dialogue also helps to know Ophelia is lying. â€Å"My honoured lord, you know right well you did †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Take these again for the noble mind , rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind†. The combination of assonance and alliteration in Ophelia’s line fails to make her spontaneous and genuine it rather makes it sound rehearsed and fake. Also aft er Ophelia’s failed attempt to deceive hamlet in think he gave the remembrances. His response â€Å"Ha, ha are you honest? † shows his far superior intellect.

Movie review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Movie Review Example Many of the music and songs instead reflect the nightlife and cabaret culture of the time. This, in my opinion, is a very effective device in transforming the movie into an interesting and original take on what otherwise could have been a very standardized movie. Unlike most other musicals, it also integrates songs into the narrative, to elaborate and comment on the storyline, instead of isolating them as separate elements. The setting of the movie in Berlin in the 1930’s and the focus on nightlife and romantic relationships, sets the movie up for some unexpected musical numbers. Instead of the nightlife being portrayed as a blissful escape from the impending horrors of the outside world, it is shown as extremely seedy and somewhat distasteful in its’ indulgence of decadent behaviour. One of the first musical numbers is a flirtatious, provocative number, performed by the protagonist, Sally Bowles. The song ‘Cabaret’, perhaps the most well-known of all the musical numbers in the movie, is in my opinion, the darkest and most effective song performed. The lyrics and performance of the song are high-spirited, careless and jovial, utterly contrasting with the environment within the movie – both geographically and within the seedy Kit Kat Klub itself. The way in which the songs provide a commentary for the movie, and are integrated within the dialogue, to an extent, is a useful technique. Instead of being separated from the movies development, they are made a part of the development, elaborating on information, feelings and occurrences, much in the same way as spoken dialogue. This provides another interesting and effective use of song, which makes the movie stand out as an original creation. Another effective use of song can be found in the contrast between the opening and closing performances of the song ‘Willkommen’. At the beginning, it is performed in a

How and why did European states abandon or redefine their empires in Essay

How and why did European states abandon or redefine their empires in the 1950s and 1960s - Essay Example 15). In 1956 France passed laws that allowed elected officials in colonies to decide labor legislation. The French would continue to give sovereignty to these colonies until France many colonies in Africa their independence in 1960, and then Algeria at the end of the Algerian War in 1962. The case was different in colonial Sudan under Britain. America once supported British imperialism. However, according to White by the 1950’ the Americans came "to view controlled decolonisation as an essential element in Cold War strategy; the continuance of European imperialism would only drive nationalist movements into the arms of the Soviet Union" (p. 68). After the United States withdrew its promise to help construct the Aswan Dam due to Egypt’s increasing relationship with the U.S.S.R. the Egyptian president nationalized the canal, leading to the Suez Crisis. After the crisis and America failing to step in and aiding its allies, the U.S.S.R. accused the West as being weak and di vided. Several colonies in Africa, including the British colony Anglo-Sudan gained their independence in the following years.

Guide Lines for Selecting a Career Personal Statement

Guide Lines for Selecting a Career - Personal Statement Example Career choice is one of the most important decisions in anyone's life, and yet countless young people enter careers that later prove to be wholly unsuitable. Even today most young people have no way to find out if a particular career would really suit them. Decisions that are central to future happiness and success are therefore very often being taken in the dark. Hence young people can take advice from older people in their family or can look at examples; that is people who have achieved success in their desired career. It also happens that halfway through their career people realize this was never meant for them. All this is part of life but there are also people who successfully achieve their target careers and are successful in them. Its necessary to adopt a career that u have an interest in. The reason being that a person who selects a career of his interest is more dedicated to his profession. One of the greatest misfortunes in life is to be superior at something you don't like. You may be skillful in mathematics, but you may hate it. You may be proficient public relations communicator, busy interacting with people every minute of the day but my love life of isolation and meditation. In order to be able to select the right career, one has to reflect, analyze, know one's inner self, and be able to clearly differentiate between what one is good at (proficiency, competence) and what you like and want to do in life (interests, principles). The first thing to do is to build up a concept of the person you would like to be. Let your personal sense of right and wrong be your guide and resist enticement and pressures from elders and peers. Choosing a job you like which is not in clash with your values and lets you apprehend your full individuality and creative potential will enable you to achieve a sense of completion. It is recommended to interact with career counselors and in par ticular near and dear ones such as parents and peers, and elders, and taking their suggestions. Read some good books on career guidance and take a few career tests. A person can either visit a career counselor or psychologist who will administer relevant tests to him/her. Or try online tests. The role of my father's firm is to manufacture and sell electric generators. In reference to the work, I can adopt two educational lines in the future that can help me become the head of the firm. The first one is of getting a degree in Electrical Engineering and the second option is doing a Masters in Business Administration. After studying both critically the first option is not as agreeable and suitable as the second one. The second option can give me a better all-round knowledge about how to run an organization, which things to check and how to manage the resources. The first option restricts me to the technicality of the job. Having talked about this I will come to my college and high school responsibilities. I will have an open choice until my high school in the matter of my professional career, but things will start to take a certain direction as I enter my college. From my college, my aim towards my professional goal would start to clear up and I will start to go in details o f managing a business.  

Renaissance and Reformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Renaissance and Reformation - Essay Example Prior to this period, the pope was generally recognized as the spiritual leader by all Christians in the west, who adhered to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. However, following the reformation, there was a proliferation of churches opposed to the pope, and this gave rise to a number of churches that exists to date. On the other hand, renaissance means rebirth in the French language. The period marked a rebirth in the human spirit, creativity. It gave to the rise of new ideas, which had various impacts on the social structure of the French, and the Holy Roman Empire. The essence of this paper is to compare and contrast the impacts, on the social fabric of France and Holy Roman Empire. The Catholic Church was faced with a great schism between the years 1378-1417, which was given impetuous by a papal scandal that (Hunt et al, 2010, 405) negatively and severely impacted on the spiritual life. The papacy had been moved from Rome to Avignon, and was heavily influenced by the Fr ench monarchy. This brought distraught among the Christians, particularly the Italians, who were angered by the continued election of the French Popes. Marsilius of Padua, through his writings in the defender of peace (1324) argued that since the source of all power lay within the people, who were the effective source of law. Accordingly, since the people created the church, they ought to be involved in the election of the pope. Pope Gregory finally succumbed to the pressures and returned the papacy to Rome in 1377. The Romans were determined than ever to lose the papacy again, and therefore lobbied the election of an Italian pope. Consequently, Urban V was elected as the pope, and he curtailed the powers and privileges of cardinals. This angered the cardinals, some of whom elected Clement VII as the pope and who moved back to Avignon. Thus, the church was split into two, and this caused a lot of hate and discord among the Christians in Europe, with each group excommunicating the fo llowers of the other (Hunt et al, 2010, 410). The council of Europe met in 1414-1418 to resolve this standoff, and precipitate reforms in the church. This marked the end of schism, in that, one single pope; Martin V was elected, while all the important rulers in the world withdrew allegiance to the Avignon papacy. Therefore, the Holy Roman Empire prevailed over France. However, the Schism had a far reaching impact among the Christians, and affected the social fabric of both France and the Holy Roman Empire equally. The Christians were deeply worried about their salvation and they sought some other forms of religious solace. The plenary indulgence which was originally used for the crusaders who died, was extended to all those who made a pilgrimage to Rome or other designated holy places. The clergy and the laity became more interested in the religious education of the young in order to deepen their faith and the spiritual life. New ways to deepen the faith of the Christians came into being. Portable images of Mary, mother of God, and those of passion of Christ proliferated, so that the ordinary Christians would contemplate them, throughout the day, at the convenient moments. To add, the advent of the printing press was employed by the people who purchased commissioned book of hours that contained the prayers that could be said at the appropriate hours of the day and hours. France, unlike the Holy Roman Empire emerged as a strong and powerful unitary state, within the meaning of sovereignty that is applicable today. France made quick recovery from the hundred year’s war and greatly expanded under Louis XI. He captured a lot of territory,