Qualitative Assessing of Tongan Mothers Using WCH Books Essays

Qualitative Assessing of Tongan Mothers Using WCH Books Essays Qualitative Assessing of Tongan Mothers Using WCH Books Paper Qualitative Assessing of Tongan Mothers Using WCH Books Paper Essay Topic: Mother To Mother Over the last few decades, the backbone of monitoring child health has been the use of growth chart and childcare records (King, M. 1978). These have been more widely used in developing countries than in developed countries because of lower accessibility of health services. Since the universal promotion of Primary Health Care in 1978 (WHO/UNICEF, 1978), there has been an increase in the investment on child health monitoring, albeit insufficient, especially in deprived communities of both developing and developed countries. In New Zealand, monitoring of child health have been systematically developed through Plunket and Public Health nursing services (MOH, 1998). The focus has been the use of Well Child Health book (WCH). Over the years, the WCH book have developed from growth monitoring using weight, height and age to a comprehensive booklet to cover growth monitoring, immunization, nutritional status, records of sickness episodes and other reasons for use of health services. The latter version has also included health promotion materials for mothers and health care workers. The wide use of the WCH book has not been accompanied by stringent research to assess its efficacy. That is, the book has been widely used but to date no research have demonstrated that the health of children using the book is better than those not using the book. Much of the work done has been focussed on the utilization and coverage. This project is a pilot study qualitatively assessing the use of the WCH book among Tongan mothers. There is no ethnic specific data available to examine ethnic specific aspects of use of the WCH book among communities wherein English is a second language. This study will also contextualise the knowledge, attitude and practice of the WCH book of Tongans in Auckland. The research objectives were:  · To explore Tongan mothers attitudes towards the Well Child Health book and its usefulness  · To develop recommendations for better utilization of the Well Child Health book by Tongan mothers. What is Well Child Health book? It is an information book about health and development of child. This book is for the mother to keep and use for your child. It is part of the Well Child Tamariki Ora Program. The program helps parents and caregivers keep children well by providing:  · Support  · Information and advice and  · Regular health checks as your baby grows. All children develop at different rates. Your child will have her own state of wellness and health. The Well Child-Tamariki Ora checks is done by a nurse, doctor or midwife who has been specially trained to do immunization and child screening checks of babies and children. The Well Child-Tamariki Ora health workers include midwives, nurses, doctors, community health workers, dental therapists and vision-hearing testers. These health workers are all there to help you bring up a healthy happy child. METHODS Five Tongan mothers in the Auckland area were selected to take part in this research. Convenience sampling method was used, as they were easy to be recruited, likely to participate and respond and near at hand (Bowling, A. 1997). Moreover, there is no language problem. These mothers were recruited during a Pacific consultation for maternity review in Auckland. Having identified their names, they were then approached about the research, which they were all happy to participate. Names, phone numbers and addresses were taken so I could contact them for the interviews. The youngest respondent was 21 and the oldest was 38 years old. Of the five mothers, one was a single mother and the rest were all married. Geographically, one respondent was from Pakuranga; one from Otahuhu and the other three respondents lived in Mangere. Contact was made and time was arranged for the interview. Each prospective participant was met and explained about the research at their own place. An information sheet (information sheet enclosed) outlining the research project and what is involved was given to these respondents. Two of the respondents needed the information sheet and consent forms explained and translated into Tongan. Once consent had been obtained, a face to face interview was undertaken. The interview were semi structured (Robson, C. 1993). The interview began with an introductory talk in which thanks was extended to them for their participation, explaining the project briefly, explaining the consent form and confidential issues, explaining her right to ask questions, withdraw herself or any information from the study (Robson, C. 1993). When all the above issues were dealt with, the respondent was asked to sign the consent from (consent from attached). Questions asked were related to these areas:  · Understanding of WCH book  · Usage and usefulness of the WCH book  · Duration of use and why stopped  · Recommendations An open-ended question for each area was prepared in order to get a checklist for the interview (Robson, C. 1993). Probing questions to clarify answers and to cover the area followed each main question (Bowling, A. 1997). Each interview lasted around 30 45 minutes and took place at the participants; home. All interviews were undertaken in the participants first language (Tongan) and audiotaped with the consent of the participant. There was no objection at any point in time about being audiotaped. Relevant facts were also noted during the interview, which would help clarify specific issues. Audiotaped interviews and notes were transcribed into English. During the analysis stage, the information from the transcription was first categorized according to the main areas (David, R.T. 1996). Then the frequency of each datum was counted in order to get quantitative data set of the research. Data, which go together, are grouped so as to develop sub-categories under the main categories. Repeated scrutinizing the quantitative data set (David, R.T. 1997), the recorded tape and the transcription helped to do a qualitative data analysis, which is described in the research finding section. RESEARCH FINDINGS Research findings are presented under these main headings: 1. Understanding of WCH book 2. Understanding of usage of the book 3. Usefulness of WCH book 4. Duration of usage of book 5. Barriers to using the book 6. Recommendations 1. Understanding of WCH book According to the research findings, 3 of the 5 participants had a very good understanding of the book. One had a fair idea of what the book was about and one participant had no idea of what the book was used for except for immunization records. The five participants had different level of understandings, which depended a lot on who and how the information was explained to them. 1.1 Where the WCH book was given Four of the participants said that the book was given to them at the hospital before they left the hospital. One of the participants got given the book at home when the nurse visited the next day after being discharged. The respondent said: I saw the nurse giving the book to one of the mothers. When I left I wasnt given a book and I was worried and concerned that something might happen to baby and I wouldnt know what to do especially when this is my first baby. 1.2 Who gave the book? All the five participants mentioned that a nurse gave them the book. One responded: I was not sure what sort of nurse gave me the book because they all looked the same and they were all nurses to me. Another respondent said: There were so many nurses there, I was not sure whether they were mauli (midwife), doctor or just a Pink nurse (trainee nurse in Tonga), you know what I mean eh! All I know I got given a book by a nurse. 1.3 Explanation of the book All five participants mentioned that there was minimal explanation about the book by the nurse. The degree of explanation ranged from heres the book, go and read it to assuming that we all know about the book. Three of the participants spoke fluent English, and the other two had very little understanding of the English language. One respondent said: The nurse came and gave me the book and said, this book is for baby, take it home and read about it. Before I said anything she had walked off. I was too shy to call her again in case she gets angry with me. Another respondent said: The nurse said to me take to Plunket for her needles and she will tick, tick, and tick. All I understood was the Plunket and the tick, tick, and tick bit. Fortunately my mother was home to help me with baby but not the book. The Plunket nurse came and did just that, tick tick, ticks. All the participants mentioned that the most they heard from the nurse was about babys growth and immunization and no further explanation. 2. Understanding of the Usage of the book All the respondents were aware that the book was to be used for the baby for some reason or another. The degree of use varied from record to resource and immunization. 2.1 As record All the respondents mentioned and understood the book as keeper of records for the baby. One respondent said: I use it to keep all the records of my babys activities. Ive kept a diary since I was 13 years old, I know it is good and I want to do the same for my baby. Another respondent said: The only time I use this book for is to keep a record of my babys immunization when I go to the Plunket or the family doctor. 2.2 As resource Majority of the respondents mentioned that the book has plenty of information about babys growth, first aid, nutrition that any mother or caregiver could look up if they need any information and still feel comfortable at the end. One respondent said: As a first time mother, I feel good and confident that I can look up any information I need for my baby when no one is around until nurse comes. Another said: Even though I dont understand or speak much English, I feel ok when I see the pictures in the book until the nurse comes. 2.3 To confirm information One respondent in particular said: I have my family to support me and I use this book as a way of confirming what my family tells me about my baby. I am young and sometimes they tell me things that are old to my way of thinking. I use the book to keep the balance. 3. Usefulness of the WCH book All the participants mentioned that the book is very useful once you understand. Two of the participants who had little understanding of English said: 3.1 For me Although our English is not very good, we know that the book has lots of information for me and my baby which are useful in order to keep my baby healthy. 3.2 For my baby One respondent said: This is my Bible. I take it with me whereever I go. I feel safe with it because its just so useful; it has everything I would need if my baby were not well. Another respondent said: I dont have my mother with me all the time, so this book is good for me. I dont feel lost and I dont have to rely on my family for every thing to do with my babys health. 4. Duration of use of book All the participants had varying time of usage ranging from 0-5 years. Majority of the participants mentioned that they religiously used the book for their first baby only. Being a first time mother, you just want to do everything right for the baby, come second baby and the rest, you loose that novelty because its the same thing over again. One respondent said: Its the same old thing, why bother using the book. I am an old hand at it now. Another said: Theres nothing new, so Ill just use it for the immunization; at least my babys immunization record will be kept up to date. Another said: I stopped using the book after my first baby. I know that my Family Doctor was keeping a record of my babys health etc which is exactly what Im doing. Why should I do the same when my Doctor is doing it for me, beside I pay her enough so she should. So Ive stopped using the book since my second baby and I have four children now. 5. Barriers to using the book While all the participants agreed that the book is useful and an asset to the mother and child, there were aspects of the book they did not quite like which made them stopped using the book. 5.1 Size There was mixed feelings about the size of the book. For the mothers with 2-4 children, they felt the book was too thick and unnecessary extra weight to carry around especially when its the same thing. One respondent said: Its just too bulky. Sometimes I cannot fit it in the nappy bag so it gets left behind. Another said: It is much too thick for us mothers with many children because theres nothing new in it. It should be smaller in size for mothers with second, third babies etc. 5.2 Content All the participants stated that the content is fine for first time mothers but felt that it is boring and monotonous for second time round mothers. One said: I would like to see something different. It is boring looking at the same thing day in day out. Another said: There is no specific Tongan illness like mavaeua (natural closure of the fontanels) or tapitopito (umbilical hernina) or makehekehe (winding condition). If some of the Tongan illnesses or conditions had been included in the book, then I would use the book more often. 5.3 Presentation Majority of the participants liked aspects of the book. All stated that they did not like the cartoon type pictures and the dull colors. One said: I want to see the real thing. I want real baby pictures instead of the cartoon type, and Id like to see more bright colors used. 5.4 Language All participants stated that the WCH book should be translated into Tongan. Those that could understand English felt very strong about it. The few that could not speak English well were adamant that if the book had been translated into Tongan, they would have understood and used the book more often and more importantly more effectively to ensure their baby is healthy and stay healthy. One said: I swear if the book was written in Tongan, I guarantee my child would have been more healthily because I would have read and understood what the book was about and give my best to my baby. 6. Recommendations 1. Awareness program for hospital nursing staff on full and clear explanation about the WCH book and its use. 2. Using real baby pictures and events. 3. Use bright colors to attract attention. 4. Reduce size of book for mothers with two or more children so that its not boring and repetitive. 5. Include specific Tongan childcare practices and illness common to them and to other ethnic groups. 6. A separate card system for immunization records. 7. Keep the WCH book at the clinic. 8. Use of ethnic specific interpreters for better understanding. DISCUSSIONS The five Tongan mothers selected for this research were willing and keen to talk about the WCH book They talked openly about their perceptions and experiences both as a mother and a caregiver. They were very keen to share their likes and frustrations about the use of the book. Although the majority of the participants had a clear understanding of the book and usage, a few had little understanding which was mainly due to minimal explanation by the nursing staff at the hospital and more importantly the language barrier.

Golden Notebook Essays

Golden Notebook Essays Golden Notebook Paper Golden Notebook Paper Book Report: The Golden Notebook Meg 1011325 The author Doris May Lessing is a British writer. Her novels include The Golden Notebook, The Golden Notebook, and five other novels collectively known as Canopus in Academy. Lessing was awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in Literature. She was described by the Swedish Academy as that epicist of the female experience, who with skepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilization to scrutiny. She was also the eleventh woman and the oldest ever person to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is a book that expresses the major themes of the world in its century. What we now call gender issues occupy a major portion of the novel, but it is just as much a picture of the Fear of humanity during the Cold War times, when everyday people were 30 minutes from doomsday. It is about racism and colonialism and the fading of empire; it is about the breakdown of society in the technological age; it is about single mothers; it is about mental states and breakdowns. It is about Communism, and have we not heard the 20th century called the Age of Communism? : All this is not what makes this a great novel. Each time Ive reread it, the more it seemed I could almost put my finger on something-a question of identity, or what it means to be human. Breakdown is a word appearing throughout the novel-by the end; it almost seems to mean breaking through: break through the rhetoric, break through the categories. The Golden Notebook speaks to deep emotions-something there is that needs to shine through, to grow, to love and to be loved. This novel reached down to that. It is sometimes painful, sometimes provoking a fear/hate reaction, or a feeling of dislocation. This is the kind of book that you often have to slap down on the table, pace the room, and work off the tension that has built. Doris Lessing wrote once that she considered this novel something of a failure, for it only names the issues, exploring briefly, but not solving. I can see what she means-this is a novel that forces the reader to wrestle with themselves as much as the characters. This is why some people read the novel and yawn, and why some

Airborne express Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Airborne express - Case Study Example The company should consider acquiring technologies such as Digital Assisted Dispatch Systems (DADS) for the sake of increasing the effectiveness of their operation. Advancement in technology will also mean that they might be able to operate at lower costs. Given the fact that Federal Express has reviewed their pricing policy in the recent past, it will be in order for Airborne Express to do the same with their pricing policies. Federal Express adopted the distance based pricing which saw pricing for delivery being made on the basis of the distance to the point of delivery. Some of their customers have been inquiring about the same. However, it will be prudent for Airborne Express to come up with an offer that is even better than that that is being offered by their competitors. In addition to distance based pricing, the company might consider a pricing system that would see to it that the customers who frequently use their services are charged lower prices. This would imply that the more a customer used their services the more chances they had for paying less for the services. This will enable them to enhance customer loyalty. Another thing that the company needs to consider is taking advantage of the strike that led to the dismal performance by UPS. Given the fact that this is the time when UPS will definitely loss a number of their customers, Airborne should make sure that they are in a position to win them. One thing that the company should do is developing a good customer service that will enable them to know the areas in which their customers wish that they could improve in. This will be beneficial in reaching the expectations of the customers, thus earning their trust and loyalty. This can also lead to positive publicity which will attract new customers. Given the fact that Airborne Express does not pay any charges for landing, they should take advantage of the situation

Analyzing and Reporting Results Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyzing and Reporting Results - Essay Example The objective was to produce a forceful story which would bring in or introduce the latest product, THE 2014 CLA coupe. The objective was to not only get in the public talking but also to start getting the public to pay attention and get engaged (Daimler, 2013). The CLA will be having a class that would not be comparable with others. As the car is another version of the CLS, therefore this one would also appeal and attract to the target customer groups that have a unique approach or non-conformist approach. The advertising campaign therefore places the car as an extraordinary vehicle as mentioned by Mr. Anders-Sundt Jensen. Mr. Anders-Sundt Jensen is the Head of Brand Communications at Mercedes-Benz Cars (Daimler, 2013). This tool is used by the Mercedes Benz Company to evaluate the effectiveness of the advertising campaign in terms of how much target market respond to the advertisement campaign, and how they perceive the brand, do they perceive the brand according to the company’s perception. And the brand is presenting some uniqueness or not.   According to Ace Metrics, an self-governing analytics corporation which measures the effectiveness of advertising campaign, â€Å"Soul† scored the uppermost of any automotive commercial and joined for the 4th highest score on the whole for all advertisements on the Super Bowl,† stated the Mercedes-Benz press release. As mentioned, there are number of statistical analysis methods that can be used. However BevCo should use moving average as the statistical tools. In the beverage industry, the sales are seasonal and therefore exponential smoothing moving average should be used in order to reduce the impact of seasonal variation and other irregularities (Hyndman, Koehler, Ord, and Snyder, 2008). Daimler. (2013). Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class establishes new segment: Sleek as they come. Retrieved May 31, 2013 from

Great response from Arthur Miller Essay Example for Free

Great response from Arthur Miller Essay The Crucible was written in 1953, by Arthur Miller. Miller has said that the purpose of the play is to comment on the parallels between the unfair Salem Witch trials and the Red Scare that lasted eight years 1948-1956. A Crucible is a large container that is used in the production of steel, where they are heated until they melt. A Crucible can stand extremely high temperatures. This is a direct comment on what the play is about. Arthur Miller provided an artistic response to the political climate and he wrote to tackle certain issues such as intimidation. Under McCarthyism, the United States was afraid of communisms influence. McCarthyism came from Senator John McCarthy, who set out to find any threats to the American life and their security. Anybody suspected of communism, mainly those in the entertainment industry, either confessed and gave names of other people or the American Government blacklisted them. Miller, in the entertainment industry, who was protecting his business and friends from any negative outlook it gave, refused to testify to the Committee and was blacklisted. McCarthyism has a great likeness to the play The Crucible. In both situations people only wishing to save themselves falsely accuse many people who suffer. John and Elizabeth Proctor dont have a normal husband and wife relationship, although they are married. They are distant with one another. Their relationship is full of suspicions and clearly has a lack of trust: What keeps you so late? is an accusation. Elizabeth really means what have you been doing or where have you been to keep you so late. The strength of their relationship is tested. John tries to please Elizabeth but she cannot forget her suspicions. John explains to her: I have not moved from there to there without I think to please you, and still an everlasting funeral marches around you heart. This shows that John feels guilt. John Proctor is an honest man. We see this through the way he acts and what he says. John works hard to provide for his family. He has a good clean name in the village and is well respected. However, when the hysteria begins, he wonders whether to expose Abigail for what she really is, even though his name will be ruined. We see that he truly loves Elizabeth when he confesses lechery in order to protect his wife. The audience are drawn to John Proctor. He is one of few people in the play to be truthful throughout, along with Reverend John Hale. Elizabeth is also an honest person. She is a good Christian woman and acts the way shes supposed to as a wife and mother. However, sometimes she can be very cold. She, along with many others, is accused of witchcraft simply because she fired Abigail when she suspected that her and John were attracted to one another and didnt want it to go any further. Even though she has suspected John of lechery and is distant towards him, we know that she deeply loves him. Hale is called into Salem to find out what is going on. He seems a respectful man and gives everyone a chance to prove his or her innocence. He is sort of the plays saviour or hero.  We get to know Abigail Williams through her language and what other characters say. We see that she has power over the other girls and just how far she will go to protect herself, especially in Act 1: I have seen some reddish work done at night and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down! Abigail leads the girls in accusing innocent people of witchcraft. Abigail saw the Indians murder her parents. This could have had an affect on the way Abigail is and how she acts. I think that she is able to threaten danger to the girls partly because of her childhood and what she has seen. In Act 3, Abigail shows her power by the way she speaks to Danforth in the courtroom. She even threatens him, saying that the Hell can take him: Let you beware, Mr. Danforth Beware of it! After realising what she has said, she immediately pretends she is in another trance and can see things. This is to allow her to get away with what she has said and so Danforth cant reply to her. There is a great change from Act 1 to Act 3 with regards to hysteria. In Act 1, the girls accuse a few names and they tell just enough lies to protect themselves. Abigail and John Proctor take a gentle lighthearted approach to it in Act 1 and they laugh and joke about it. However, in Act 3 it becomes much more serious. They tell a massive amount of lies and act to make their story believable. Act 3 starts straight away with hysteria. The audience are aware of the gradual build-up because of the characters dialogue. As the play moves further along, the plot thickens as more names are thrown into it and even more unbelievable acting takes place with more and more lies being told. In Act 3, Mary Warren tries to go against the girls with the help of John Proctor in order to save Elizabeth and the other innocents. Mary Warren is already a weak and feeble character and when Danforth questions and speaks to her, he uses cruel vocabulary to fade her. It is obvious that he is on the girls side and doesnt believe a word of what Mary Warren is saying. The girls then accuse Mary Warren of witchcraft. Then she sees that she cannot tell the real truth and overcome the girls lies so she decides to rejoin the girls. To protect herself she accuses John of making her go against the girls and tell lies to them by threatening her. The stage directions in this act build up tension. They add to the drama and the way the girls convincingly act. The stage directions are just as important as the speech. They let us know what is going on and help us understand the characters more. The language also builds up tension. There is a lot of talk about God in the courtroom. Also, there is a lot of cutting each other off. Abigail always tends to cut off Danforth from speaking, so he cant respond to her, this also shows her power. It is almost like Abigail is speaking and saying things just to stop anyone else from doing so.  Personally, I really like the play. I think its a great response from Arthur Miller. There is a mixture of characters and its interesting to see how they interact with one another. I like the play partly because its a true story and I was interested in finding out what happened.

Analyzing Ibsens Character, Hedda Gabler Essay -- Character Analysis,

Henrik Ibsen's character, Hedda Gabler, is a woman who is torn between her desires and the expectations required of someone of her social standing. At the onset of the play, Hedda has been married for six months, but she still clings to her maiden name, as evident in the title of the play, â€Å"Hedda Gabler.† Her reluctance at accepting her new name is symbolic of her dissatisfaction of being married; she misses the freedom of being single, while at the same time longs to be married to an aristocrat, to someone who is more important in society than her husband is. Hedda was raised under the rule of her military father, General Gabler, and was probably subjected to strict rules and discipline. Growing up she learned nothing of the domestic skills and expectations required of the women of her social standing; she also learned nothing about motherhood, which left her feeling terrified and lost once she learned she was pregnant. Instead, she learned how to shoot pistols and ride horses. Her high social standing never left her in want of any possessions; Hedda was â€Å"used to having things in the General's time† (168). She was constantly engaged in social situations with suitors who, though she was beautiful, did not want to marry her. Her lack of prospects within the aristocratic class led her to accept a marriage proposal from Jà ¶rgen Tesman, a scholar of lower social standing. Her husband's potential failure at being able to obtain a respectable position at a university leaves Hedda fearing her security and the possibility of not being able to afford new and expensive possessions. Upon her first appearance on stage, one can garner some very important clues as to Hedda's personality. She is â€Å"aristocratic and elegant† (175) and ... ...p† (203) between herself, her husband, and Brack. The inevitability of an impending affair, coupled with her unwanted pregnancy and loveless marriage, convinced Hedda that she was losing all control of her life. Suicide was Hedda's final attempt at regaining her control. She destroyed her and Tesman's child, just as she had done with Mrs. Elvsted and Là ¶vborg's â€Å"child;† if she did not love the unborn child, no one else was going to be able to. But foremost, she wanted to be able to escape male dominion, most notably that of Brack's. She did not relish the idea of having to cater to his needs and abhorred the idea of having an affair because, if someone found out, it would cause a scandal. In Hedda's eyes, the only way out of this dire situation was to commit suicide. But her death was not going to be hideous like Là ¶vborg's was; hers was going to be beautiful.

West Side Story

In the context of 1960s, chain gangs and gang wars are prevalent between Latin and White American adolescents. For the reason that the White American adolescents despise and discriminate against the Latin Americans (particularly the Puerto Rican race), the Whites resort to bully the minorities and they even ostracize the Latin Americans by depriving them of their rights to use recreation places like the street’s basketball court, food houses, and the like upon believing that the White Americans are the most superior and the better race than the Latin Americans; and in so doing, the White Americans perceive and believe that should not mingle with those inferior and minority race (such that of the Latin Americans as an example) who were different from them (Brian 2005). Moreover, in this movie directed in 1961 by Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise entitled: West Side Story, the conflict between the two opposing races namely the White and the Latin Americans was further described through presentation of some prevailing scenarios that the Latin Americans unjust encounter and experience with the White Americans. Body The West Side Story is a movie adapted from Broadway’s musicale. It was an adaptation of the infamous Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet (UAPI 2009). Starred by Natalie Wood as â€Å"Maria,† Richard Beymer as â€Å"Tony,† and George Chakiris as â€Å"Bernardo,† the rest of supporting characters of the film includes: Russ Tamblyn as â€Å"Riff,† Rita Moreno as â€Å"Anita,† Simon Oakland as â€Å"Lieutenant Schrank,† Ned Glass as whom they call â€Å"Doc,† William Bramley (as the notorious police of the street) named, â€Å"Officer Krupke,† Tucker Smith as â€Å"Ice,† Tony Mordente as â€Å"Action,† Eliot Feld as the â€Å"Baby John,† and lastly, David Winters, as the one who portrayed the character of â€Å"A-Rab (Shulman 1961). † The Plot of the West Side Story The Movie West Side Story was depicted in the life of the citizens of the White and Latin Americans living in the 1950’s in Manhattan streets of the United States. A division was clearly evident as it was created and recognized by the adolescents of the east coast and west coast of Manhattan. The setting begins in the mentioned streets of Manhattan as a self-gratifying and self-centered musical song was sung by the Jets (the name for the White Americans’ gang and clique). Throughout the song sung by the Jets, the Puerto Ricans/Latin American adolescent gang led by Bernardo were discriminated and ostracized. First instance was when a fruit held by one of the Sharks (the name of the Latin adolescent Americans)–it was abruptly grabbed by another member of the Jets without consent and respect to the quiet Latino. Moreover, the Latin Americans/ Puerto Ricans were mostly driven away and out of establishments and public leisure places. It was evident in the entire film that the height of discrimination and prejudice occurred in the late 1950s to early 1960s and it was shown how the Latinos were mostly bullied by the White Americans (Dirks 1961). The setting of the West Side Story is at the basketball court of Manhattan. Even if the scenario in the court, it was obvious that the Latin Americans were discriminated as they were not favored to play in the same court with the White Americans. It was evident however, that there was a rival even in basketball for the two different races. Furthermore, a representative member of the Jets (White American adolescents) vandalized a wall and wrote: â€Å"Sharks stink! Upon catching this adolescent in the act, the Sharks saw what the White American adolescent did and so they chased after him and the riot between the White and the Latin Americans began (Howe 2003). The Sharks (East side) and the Jets (West side) A hot-tempered and authoritative cop was assigned in monitoring the activities of the two distinct groups, The Sharks and Jets. The cop’s name was Officer Krupke, played by the actor William Bramley. Officer Krupke’s major task and obligation is to control and to minimize the rate of crime and therefore maintain peace and order in the streets of Manhattan. Meanwhile, the Jets (West side) were preoccupied in praising themselves with all pride and self-centered egoism. According to the Jets, they walk tall as they consider themselves the kings of the streets in Manhattan. The Jets perceive that the east side, Sharks (the Latin Americans) were a threat to their dream of being the king of the streets, in so doing, the Jets consisting of the White Americans just would not stop throwing mock at the Latinos and drive them away wherever the Jets hang out. Further, the Sharks or the Latin Americans led by Bernardo just kept themselves mum at a time just to keep their group away from trouble. However their threshold of patience was reached at a certain point of them when Bernardo was mocked by the cop, Officer Krupke himself—showing that he was in favor of the White Americans. In this case, Bernardo decided he would stand up for his group and race and they decided to fight in defense of those Jets and other White Americans who interfere with their freedom and right of peace (RC 2008). Upon Bernardo’s (leader of the Sharks in west side) and his group’s implicit decision to fight for their right of freedom, respect, and peace in Manhattan, they resort to fight with the Jets in a dance showdown. From that dance, the difference of the two cultures was shown in terms of their specialties in music genre: the Latinos were good dancers of boogie, salsa, twist, and cha-cha, whereas for the white Americans, they are good dancers but not as good and as creative dancers as the Latin Americans. During the dance showdown, two eyes met as if they were magnetized to notice each other inspite of the numerous Sharks and Jets dancing on the floor. The two love birds were Maria (played by the famous Natalie Wood) and Tony (as portrayed by Richard Beymer). Maria (a Puerto Rican/ Latin American woman) fell in love at first sight with Tony ( a member of the Jets, a white American) during the first dance showdown between the White Americans and the Latin American adolescents. Further, the dance showdown halted as soon as Bernardo (Maria’s brother) noticed the undesirable scene. Bernardo obviously did not want his sister to fall in love with a White American especially with belonging in their opponent Jets (Shulman 1961). In the next scene of the film, the West side Jets claim they have departed the social norm that is why they are anti-social and juvenile delinquents. According to the songs they sing, they need help and they could not be blamed for their behavior since each one of them have their issues and problems in their families. Most of them were misunderstood and belonging in broken family set-up. At the end of their song, they address officer Krupke (RC 2008). The climax of this move is when the conflict between the Jets and the Sharks became intense up to the point that both parties decided to pick a fight and end their rival in duel. ON the other hand, Maria (Bernardo’s sister and Tony’s girlfriend) secretly meet with Tony even she knows that it is dangerous for the both of them. Since Tony was madly in love with Maria, he took the risk and courted Maria. However, Maria requested and pleaded her Tony to try to stop the war between the two groups. Tony, hesitant at first for the difficult request of Maria, agreed to do his best and try to stop the fight as soon as possible (Shulman 1961). The West Side Story: A grand slam receiver of Academy Awards Having been released by the United Artists in 1961, the West side story gained praise and at the same time critiques from the viewers and it also achieved the title of: â€Å"the 2nd highest grossing movie† in 1961. The West side story received a total of ten Academy awards and it achieved several nominations and recognitions in the United States. This award winning movie, West Side Story achieved success in depicting the current existing culture of the Americans (both for the White and Latin Americans) during the 1960’s. The West side story achieved several honors and Academy awards namely for the following categories: for Best Picture, considering Robert Wise is the producer; Best for Supporting Actor played by George Chakiris as â€Å"Bernardo;† Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno who portrayed the role of â€Å"Anita;† another Academy award for the film’s Best Art Direction category considering the aspects of the right choice of set color and design, claimed by Victor Gangelin and Boris Leven; Best in Cinematography category: good choice and quality for the film’s color which induces the movie’s theme, claimed by Daniel Fapp; another award of Best in Costume Design for Irene Sharaff; Best in Directing for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins; Best Academy award in Film Editing for Thomas Stanford; Award for the film’s Original Music Score and of the Musical Picture credited to Johnny Green, Saul Chaplin, Sid Ramin, and Irwin Kostal; and last but not the leas t, the West side story also gained the Academy award Academy for Best Sound as credit to Fred Hynes (Todd-AO SSD) and Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD) (Howe 2003). In addition, the West side story achieved further recognitions, awards, and nominations were the result of the cooperation of the cast and those working staff behind the scenes. In 1997, the film was promoted by the United States Library of Congress (USLC) as it has been considered as a film that is being â€Å"culturally significant† and it was chosen to be preserved in the collection of the National Film Registry. Similarly, the West side story achieved further awards and recognition as Best in Writing and Screenplay based on material from another medium, as credited to Mr. Ernest Lehman; another received award by this film is the Academy Award for Brilliant Achievements in the Art of Choreography on Film credit to and for Jerome Robbins (one of the directors of the West side story). Furthermore, the west side story achieved 1998 American Film Institution Recognition (AFI) as rating number 41 out of 100 movies in the United States. In 2002, it also gained American Film Institution Recognition (AFI) as rated number three in the Passions of the United States for 100 years. The songs used in the West side story also top rated the charts especially for the songs: Somewhere (rated number 20 for 100 years), also for the song America (rated number 35 for 100 years), and also including the song, Tonight (rated number 59 for 100 years) consecutively as recorded in 2004 charts. In 2006, it achieved recognition of100 Years of Musicals rating number 2 from AFI and apparently, the West side story achieved the recognition of 100 Years for 100 Movies in its tenth (10th) Anniversary Edition rating number 51 from AFI, as put into account in year 2007 (Howe 2003). The Soundtrack used in the West Side Story In order for a great multi-million dollar winning movie to become possible, the choice of songs as background music for the movie’s soundtrack plays a very important factor in determining the success of the movie. Originally, the West side story was a musical created by Johnny Richards. In 1961, West side story was adapted and recorded by the Stan Kenton Orchestra as musical collection jazz orchestra using Bernstein scores. However the Stan Kenton Orchestra’s version was viewed and evaluated by the film directors of the West side story, it was the different version of musicale from the musicale included in the ongoing film. In fact, upon seeing the Stan’s orchestra jazz version, the directors claim that they should have used Stan’s version as soundtrack of the film but it was too late and a new and different version was created by the song directors to be used in the West side story. Although The Stan Kenton’s version was not used as the basis of musicale background of the film, it gained a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Recording of a large group in 1962 (Shulman 196). This is not saying that West side story was free from flaws and considered therefore as perfect, but it was generally agreed by majority that the film was a good and timely musicale reflecting the current cultural norms and values of the Americans in 1960s. In manner of clothing, perception of power, basis for conflict, the prevalent prejudice and discrimination, and the diverse nature of language, music, and dance steps. The difference between the White and Latin Americans was explicitly described and presented in the portrayal of the main and supporting characters of the movie (RC 2008). Characteristics of the Characters in West side story Described as â€Å"New York’s classic of the 1960s,’’ West side story was astoundingly studded with magnificent and good starts who sang the songs like Tonight, Maria, I Feel Pretty, America, Officer Krupke, A Place for Us, and I Have Love (citation). Although Maria was criticized for delivering some lines the songs with uncertain accent, the musicale was a success for its overall success in portraying the life and culture of the adolescent, White and Latin Americans in 1960s. The characters of the West side story played a major role in making the film on of the best musicale created in the United States. First and foremost, Rita Moreno (girlfriend of Bernardo) and the one who played the role of â€Å"Anita,† delivered a great portrayal of her character in the movie. Anita, as a Latin American, was a graceful and flexible dancer, and at the same time, was good singer as she sang some songs in the film. Similarly, Russ Tamblyn, who played the role of Rif, was the persuasive leader of the Westside Jets and portrayed his character fairly as well. Having been playing the role of Maria, Natalie Wood portrayed her character as an innocent-looking, young, and a graceful dancer and singer, Maria. The character Maria fell in love with Tony, the member of the Jets gang in the west side. On the other hand, George Chakiris playing the role of Bernardo, as the brother of Maria and leader of the Sharks in the East side, portrayed the role of a discriminated leader of a minority group of the Latino adolescents in Manhattan. Bernardo could be quiet and soft spoken at times but he has the tendency for aggression to assert himself and represent his group in defending their race against discrimination and prejudice of the white Americans. Most and the rest of the characters exerted their best performance level in portraying their roles for the West side story (UAPI 2009). The Significance and Recommendation of the West side story Thought the West side story was just presented in such a simple way, it successfully addressed the important issues and problems in the society existing long, long time ago at the onset of 1960s and still exists nowadays. The social issues of family set up of the adolescents (particularly as sung by the Jets), the lack of attention parents and school personnel who should aid the personality development of the disturbed adolescents, the racial issues, conflict, discrimination and prejudice existing among culturally-diverse communities, increased the awareness of the viewers (who may be a parent, a policymaker, or district guidance counselor) and so, they could devise ways and create programs for the benefit of the currently growing adolescents. Even if the culture describe in the film was during the 1960’s it is obvious that discrimination and prejudice is still occurring in some communities in the United States; in so doing, this film may serve as a guide for the adolescents and the adults to address and provide solutions to current problems in the society and its members—especially for the benefit of the adolescents who are in pressing need of guidance, understanding, attention, and advice from the adults. In such case, the West side story is must-seen (UAPI 2009). Indeed, the West side story is a re-tell or a remake and a musical version of the popular novel/movie Romeo and Juliet (citation). It is a musical drama with soul-inspiring and enervating song lines sung by the stars of the film. Just like the tragic Shakespearean play Romeo and Juliet, the West side story ended with a tragic accident of killing the major characters in the movie namely Bernardo and Tony. Maria was left alone by her two loved ones due to the hatred built between the Jets and the Sharks of Upper West side Manhattan, New York City (RC 2008). Compared between the rival between Montague and Capulet families of Romeo and Juliet, the gangs Jets and Sharks hate could not stand each other as well. And so the gang wars between the two different races began (war existed between the Latin and White Americans in Manhattan, New York). Thus, the creation of the West side story was just in time to support the cinema/ silver screen in competition with the shows on television popularized during the 1960s (UAPI 2009). The Staff behind the Scenes of the West side story The film version of the West side story was based from the book of Arthur Laurents having the same title. Further, the musicale collection based from the collection of musical scores of Leonard Bernstein. The lyrics of the songs sung by the stars in the West side story were composed by Stephen Sondheim. Moreover, the choreography and the musical concept were contributed of Jerome Robbins. Further, the screenplay was written by Ernest Lehman. Producers of this film were Walter Mirisch, Robert Wise, and Saul Chaplin respectively. The cinematography on the other hand, was powered by the creative mind of Daniel Fapp. Color for the film was also powered by Technicolor and thus, the film itself was taken in Panavision 700. This movie was astoundingly directed two of the greatest directors of the era: namely, Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise (UAPI 2009). The Relationship of the West side story to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet The West side story was indeed a vibrant film which is full of life among the characters. Further the Broadway musicale style of the 1961 film written by Laurents and directed by Robbins was a â€Å"hit† top-notching the charts of the best movies in 1960s in the silver screen. Replicating the tragic, Shakespearean novel, Romeo and Juliet, the West side story has the same characteristics of the play Romeo and Juliet since the lovers in the story, Tony and Maria attempted to risk the danger of having a relationship despite of their difference in their races. Maria was Puerto Rican and Tony was a White American making them members of the two opposite races (UAPI 2009). The two opposing and distinct races and ethnicities, White and Latin Americans were the focus of this movie. In order to present the differences in culture of the White and Latin Americans, the movie was able to show the attitude of White, European adolescents towards the Latin, Puerto Ricans. Further, the story was presented by producing the story using a ground-breaking, exhilarating musicale with an astounding well-performed choreography by the various outstanding artists. The West side story poses the emerging conflict present among the inhabitants of the Upper West Side Manhattan in New York City during the 1960s. The movie poses the problems of the adolescents in engaging in criminal chain and gang wars which obstructs the peace and order in the community of Upper West side New York. Moreover, in order to present such existing culture and social problems of the United States in 1960, the entire movie was taken and shot in the streets of Upper West side New York City and in Manhattan. However, some of the parts and scenes in the movie were shot and recorded on the improvised sets and studios prepared by the floor directors (UAPI 2009). In comparison of the West side story in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, The Montague family came to be the counterparts of the White American Jets in the West side story. Similarly, the Capulet family was the counterpart of the Puerto Rican/ Latin American Sharks. Relatively, Bernardo’s abduction of Riff in a gang fight (Tony’s elder brother), simulates the similar scenario of the tragic accident of Mercutio (Romeo’s friend in Romeo and Juliet) being killed by Tybalt, who appears to be Juliet’s cousin. As a result, Romeo resorted to kill Tybalt as well as a revenge for the death of his friend Mercutio. Apparently, the same related scenario of revenge in a fight simulates the scene where Tony abducted Bernardo after stabbing Tony’s elder brother, Riff. Furthermore several characters in the west side story have their counterpart or equivalent characters that portrayed similar roles in Romeo and Juliet and these are the following: Anita in the West side story portraying the â€Å"Nurse† (Juliet’s confidante in Romeo and Juliet) and Doc in the West side story portraying the role of â€Å"Friar Lawrence† in Romeo and Juliet novel. But it is to put into account that the tragic suicide of Romeo and Juliet at the end of the story was not the same with the ending of the West side story since Maria, after the death of her beloved Tony, did not kill herself but she just furiously pointed the blame to the pointless, mad desire of the Shark and Jets gang (citation). Critiques argue for the West side story that the movie was a similar recreation of other classic hit musicales like the â€Å"Gypsy† and the â€Å"Dolls. However it was interpreted that way by critiques and viewers, The West side story is considered as one of the America’s masterpiece production in the global silver screen. The West side story was a hit for it was a divergence from the current popular culture of movies in the 1960s. The unique musicale of the West side story discussed social problems in the United States: gang wars, racial discrimination, juvenile delinquencies and family problems through the songs sung by the adolescents, Jets in the entire movie (Zoglin 2009). Salient points to consider and some important scenarios in the West side story Focusing on Maria and Tony’s love affair, they seem to risk what danger could happen the moment the other members of the Sharks and Jets the get to know the forbidden relationship of Maria and Tony. When the lovers hear the arrival of Anita (Bernardo’s girlfriend) Tony quickly escaped his way out of the house and he said Maria that they should meet at the drug store owned by Doc to elope and get married. However, Anita accidentally caught the presence of Tony quickly escaping the house. Anita was startled and reacted negatively at first but she listened when Maria explained how she loved Tony so much. Inspite of Anita’s grievance over Bernardo’s death she resorts to help Maria arrange their plan of eloping and getting married. Moreover, Anita gave Maria a hint that Chino of the Sharks is after Tony to kill him with a pistol (Zoglin 2009). As the officer, Lt. Schrank arrived at Maria’s house he questioned Maria for the riot/gang wars that recently occurred between the Sharks and the Jets. Maria was careful enough for covering up Tony in order to protect him from the further questioning and investigation of the officer. Maria lured the Lt. Schrank by se nding Anita as an errand to Doc’s drugstore to buy a medicine to relieve the pain she is feeling in her head. Such action of Anita was for the purpose of delivering a message to Tony at the drugstore that Maria could not come and meet her for Maria was held as a detainee a under investigation of Lt. Schrank. However, upon entering the drugstore, Anita did not expect that she was going to be mocked by the White American, Jets. Not only this, the Jets tried to harass her as an insult to her being a â€Å"Puerto Rican. † Maria was disrespected by the rest of the Jets not giving her a chance to deliver Maria’s message for Tony. In so doing, the circumstance really made Anita really furious. Consequentially, Anita distorted the real message that she has to deliver (that Maria was detained due to Lt. Schrank’s queries) and she imparted that her message was to tell Tony that Maria was shot dead by Chino with a gun. The chaos was stopped by Doc as he yelled to them inside the drugstore and also, for the Jets to stop harassing and making fun of the Puerto Rican lady, Anita. The jets stopped and listen to the old man (Doc). However, Doc went down to the basement and checked out the hiding Tony. Further, he relayed Anita’s untrue, bad news to Tony that Maria was shot dead by Chino. So, Tony abruptly ran his way up and out of the drugstore’s basement and then he searched for Chino with desolation and hopelessness and how he’d wish that Chino would kill him as well (Zoglin 2009). While searching for Chino, Tony saw Maria on the road. The lovers were so happy to see each other again especially Tony when he thought that his beloved Maria was already dead. Suddenly, Chino appeared in the scene and shoot Tony. Maria was so startled as her lover fell on his knees and landed on Maria’s arms. Maria, trying to comfort her dying lover sang a song for him so that he will not be afraid. The lovers affirmed that if their love was not possible here, they should continue their love somewhere place as they should see each other again in their next life and in the other world. The White Jets and the Puerto Ricans Sharks ran towards the death scene together with the cops (including Officer Krupke in the scene). Maria was infuriated with the mere presence of officer Krupke and she yelled at him not to even dare to come closer the dead body of his beloved Tony. Maria took the gun from the suspect Chino and there she pointed the gun ate everyone: the Sharks and the Jets. She blamed that the death of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony was the fault of the both gangs and the result to all their selfish hatred. So for the reason that Officer Krupke was hindered by Maria to get even closer to Tony, some of the members of the Jets and Sharks took the initiative in carrying Tony’s corpse. After the tragic killings of the leaders of the Jets and Sharks in the streets of Manhattan, New York, the gang war between the two gangs was considered over (Zoglin 2009). Realism was shown and achieved in the West side story since the songs used in the entire movie were a mixture of English and Spanish songs. In order to reflect the underlying multicultural theme of the story, the songs were carefully selected and very well performed by the actors/singers. Together jam-packed with a set of dance steps, pirouette, leaps in its choreography, the overall mood of the movie was an exciting one (citation). The West side story was indeed a must-seen movie since it is very substantial and culturally significant. In order for people to understand the nature of conflict in different groups, and the reason for discrimination and prejudice, the West side story successfully presented the conflicts occurring among the adolescents resulting to their behavior problems and maladjustment in the society. In the form of musicale of songs and dances, the message of the film was carried out through the innovative and creative performances of the carefully-selected artists of the film (Zoglin 2009). Modified by Ernest Lehman, the rewrite version of the West side story had remained a striking and filled with energetic and enthusiastic songs reflected from its lyrics. Furthermore, the book version of the West side story play was containing songs which are mostly composed by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. The talented directors of the West side story are Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Considering Robert Wise’s expertise I the field of directing, the collaboration with the professional dance choreographer, Jerome Robbins was a very intelligent decision and resulted to make the movie a real big hit in the silver screen (Zoglin 2009). Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins respectively gained recognition for the West side story. However, Jerome Robbins was pulled out of the West side story project since he was frequently the reason for procrastination of the shoots, budget-exceeding production rates, and also, Robbin’s frequent disagreement with Wise was a reason for the rest of the staff to remove him from the direction of the West side story. Robbins’ ideals for the completion of the West side story were becoming overwhelmingly expensive just for his wish to make the movie close to perfection. Four of the dynamic dance steps which Robbins choreographed in the West side story were the following: â€Å"Something’s coming,† â€Å"Prologue,† â€Å"Cool,† and â€Å"America. † The West side story is also focused on the love story of two different people having different races. However love was the foundation, Tony and Maria were separated due to hatred and violence. Tony was Maria’s first love. She loved the man inspite of the fact that they were belonging in different race and that her brother and their group of minority Puerto Rican gang (Sharks) not in good terms with the White American gang (Jets). When Maria first set her eyes with Tony, she fall (right then and there) madly in love with Tony and vice versa; these first encounter of Maria and Tony happened during the dance showdown between the Jest and the Sharks. Tony’s on the other hand, who was previously preoccupied with the activities with his gang in the West side has diverted his attention to Maria when he fell in love with her. However, considering the obvious fact that Maria’s brother, Bernardo was a leader of the Sharks and his prospect lover Tony was member of the opponent Jets, Maria still persists to pursue her forbidden and controversial love affair with Tony. Maria knows that Bernardo would never approve of her love affair with Tony for Bernardo knows how cruel, prejudicial, and discriminating the White American race was. Meanwhile, Jets Sharks just would not stop claiming right over the west side streets of New York for their gang’s territory. At first, the Sharks could be observed that they do not have any intention of keeping the streets to their own, but the Jets just would not stop bullying and discriminating, and driving them away wherever they see them. The Sharks think, especially Bernardo (as their leader) that this was too much and they believe they deserve a right to whatever the White Americans enjoy doing and hanging around. So what the Sharks did is to engage in a fight with the Jets most of the time to defend themselves from the unjust dominance of the Jets. Consequentially, the rival lead to a fight between the Jets and the Sharks and this caused the death of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony as well (Zoglin 2009). Maria requested Tony if he could no something to stop the mad fight between the two gangs. At first, Tony hesitated to give in to Mari’s request but because he loves her so much and he would love to marry her, he agreed with Maria and he said he would do everything he can to stop the war between the two gangs. The sad thing is, Tony did not expect that his brother Riff was going to be killed in the gang war. So, to avenge the sudden death of his brother in Bernardo’s hands, Tony resorts to abduct Bernardo as well due to the sudden rage of his emotions (Zoglin 2009). The 1960s showed a great importance to the subculture created by adolescent Americans. Although the Americans are a culture in itself, it has different influence of subcultures branching out and one example of this subculture is the Puerto Ricans. The multicultural society of the gangs among the adolescent White Americans and Puerto Ricans in the New York, West side community was emerged during the 1960’s where gang wars chain gangs had become eminent and widely spread in the local news (Zoglin 2009). The West side story was indeed an enticing film by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise. Similar to the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, the west side story successfully addressed the social problem of juvenile delinquency and discrimination in the multicultural society of the United States during the 1950s to 1960s. Relatively, the love story of Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) is similar to the love story of Romeo and Juliet that the lovers crossed boundaries despite their difference in ethnicity, race, and culture. This shows that the heart does not choose the one to love. For Tony, It does not matter if Maria is a Puerto Rican, discriminated and a member of their enemy, Sharks. Same for Maria: she does not care if Tony is a white American, a mocker, discriminating, and a member of the Jets gang which is the opponent of Maria’s brother, Bernardo. The west side story was able to accomplish a creative, upbeat, and ardent choreography of dance steps and overwhelming lyrics of the songs sang by the characters in the West side story (Zoglin 2009). This invigorating and elating film is dazzling with the combination of songs and dance steps interpreting the lifestyle and culture of adolescent Americans in the United States during the 1960s. It was plausible to the extent that the prevalent gang wars among the diverging culture of the Puerto Ricans against the White Americans was portrayed in such a way that it seems less violent and therefore, there was no violent bloodshed in the movie. However, there was no need for blood-shedding, serious fight in the entire film in order to present how serious the outcome would be for engaging in gang wars of the New York streets (Zoglin 2009). Officer Shrank warned both the Jets and the Sharks to avoid fighting on his streets or else, Officer Shrank threatened the boys that he would beat the boys up. After the encounter with Officer Schrank and Officer Krupke, Riff led his group to sing a song which is praise for the Jets. The Jets despise the Sharks for they were a threat to the streets in which the Jets wants to own. He persuaded the rest of his Jets members to perceive that their gang is the most strenuous, invincible, and superior team and that they deserve the right to everything especially in the streets of the Upper West side New York. Riff was very anxious to control the spreading volume of the Sharks since it was a tendency that the Sharks might dominate the streets of New York, should the latter multiply its members. In so doing, Riff persuaded his gang mates that they should fight against the Sharks/Puerto Ricans and kill them if they have to so as to control their proliferation in the streets. The one who should win the fight would be declared as the winner and therefore, would have the right to dominate in the Manhattan streets of New York. Moreover, Riff resorts to fighting their rival gang, Sharks with deadly weapon like a dagger for instance (Zoglin 2009). Overall, the story shows that there is both a similarity and difference in the culture of the Puerto Ricans and the White Americans. Though they are different in race, color, and ethnicity, both races was shown to have the same interests like in dancing, singing, basketball, and favorite hang-outs. Because of such similarity and interests, the White American Jets, led by Riff was pissed off upon always seeing the Puerto American Sharks wherever they go and spend their time. Further, it was explicitly shown that the Jets are more confident than the Puerto Ricans since they are the majority of inhabitants or citizens in New York during the 1960s (Zoglin 2009). From a challenge to a dance night out with the Sharks, the Jets just would not stop pissing the Sharks and driving their rivals away so that the Sharks would not be a threat to their desire of keeping their authority and ownership of the streets of New York west side. But what happened in the dance was overlapped with the instance when Maria and Tony saw each other and locked each other’s eyes for long time as if they are not seeing anybody but the two of them. Bernardo caught the both of them in the act that is why he did not decide to finish the dance; hence, he took his sister’s hands and pulled her off the dance floor (citation). Because of pride, the Jets boosted their egos by singing themselves song of somewhat victorious melodic songs as if they were the superior race and the others are just second class. Riff (the current leader of the Jets) decided that Tony should be the one to coordinate the challenge of the Jets to the Sharks. At first, Tony was hesitant to give in to the request. However later on, Tony agreed to tell the message to the Sharks. For the reason that Tony was once the leader of the gang since Tony was also a mastermind in co-founding the group of White Americans. On the other hand, Maria was conversing with Anita at a bridal shop where Maria is working. Maria told Anita (Bernardo’s boyfriend), how much Maria loves Tony and that she explained to Anita that his brother Bernardo, should not be that too much, extreme protective of her (Zoglin 2009). Inspite of the distinct difference of the Puerto Ricans from the White Americans, the two divert gangs were shown to be enjoying themselves using their talents in dancing and singing which makes them similar in their interests. The gang members Sharks and Jets may have experienced conflict between their groups because of their overt difference. The majorities of the White Americans dislike the minorities of Puerto Ricans because the Whites believe and perceive that they are the strongest race, invincible, and therefore, they should walk tall and act like kings! For the Jets: they should own, rule, and dominate the streets and they should have the right to the territory no matter what it takes (Dirks 1961). Conclusion The West Side Story highlights the following scenarios which had occurred in the 1960’s: During the 1960’s, juvenile delinquencies are rampant among adolescents. Similarly, there is also prevalence of discrimination and prejudice among the White and Latin Americans. Puerto Ricans are disliked and bullied by the White Americans upon thinking that the White Americans are the superior race that should own the streets and that the Latin Americans, specifically the Puerto Ricans, have no right to be in places where the White American adolescents hang out and play. In so doing there were chain gang fights are everywhere. Emerging in late 1950s and early 1960s, the streets of Manhattan had become a place where there is no peace and order due to the frequent gang wars that occur between the two distinct races of the Whites and the Puerto Rican adolescents. However, the love story of Maria and Tony having the opposite race shows that love does not choose the color, race, and ethnicity of a person as a basis of whom it should love. Works Cited Brian, Paul. 28 November 2005. Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story. 29 April 2009 . Dirks, Tim. 1961. West Side Story. American Movie Classics Company LLC. 29 April 2009 . Howe, Matt. 03 April 2003. West Side Story Impresses. 29 April 2009 . Shulman, Irving. A Novelation by Irving Shulman: West Side Story. New York: Simon & Schister Inc, 1961. â€Å"West Side Story (1961). † 16 December 2008. Reel Classics, L. L. C. 29 April 2009 . â€Å"West Side Story. † 1961. United Artists Pictures, Inc. 29 April 2009 . Zoglin, Richard. 25 March 2009. Is West Side Story Overrated? 29 April 2009 .

Leaving the Cave by John Artibello Essay

It is only through a man’s deliberate attempt to understand his world and ultimately himself that he is able to achieve a truly meaningful life. True, ignorance saves a person from the tedious process of knowing the answers to every difficult question, yet it is ignorance that imprisons the person to what is superficial and illusory. In a day and age of a market-driven society, people easily fall into the trap of the same run-of-the-mill desire for material things and for the glitz and vivid colors of the media (Artibello YEAR). Indeed, so much so that their blind adherence to material and physical pleasures prevent them from breaking away of such a cycle. Such a problem is not new but in fact has been addressed by Socrates two thousand years ago. He said that most men cannot see beyond the illusions of life and are stuck with the shallow and false appearances of the world the surface level. This is so because they are like men chained to the ground inside the caves since childbirth that they are unable to plumb the true meaning of what they see. However, once a person is set free to investigate the outside world, he will at once begin to perceive reality in all its overwhelming plenitude, and from there pursue, a life full of meaning and significance and then achieve lasting happiness (Artibello YEAR). Reference Artibello, J. (YEAR). Leaving the cave. [Insert PLACE OF PUBLICATION: PUBLISHER].

Free Essays on California Blackout

California Blackouts Beginning in the winter of 2000, California’s power supply has had a shortage leading to many blackouts across the state. Electricity cannot be stored; it has to be generated, transformed, and distributed to meet the exact demand. Therefore, a power shortage occurs when the demand is not immediately met. There are four main causes of the blackouts: restricted hydroelectric power, no new facilities, growing population, and price mitigation. First, California has been relying on Pacific Northwest power industries to supply the generation of power. Because of recent droughts in the area, reservoir levels are too low to keep up with the growing demand for electricity in California. They cannot generate enough power to be considered a reliable source. Hence, the hydroelectric power companies have breached their agreement to supply power. Second, since 1970 there have been no new nuclear power plants built. The reason is that there has been tremendous pressure from environmentalists to keep the area free of the nuclear power industry. In addition, there have been no new generators produced to keep up with the growing population. Third, the growing population has posed to be another source of the problem. There have been dramatic increases in computers, air conditioners, and entertainment systems. Also, there have been increases in energy intensive businesses. Fourth, power shortages have created an increase in demand for electricity. The price for electricity has now increased dramatically from five cents per KWH to over one dollar per KWH. However, the Public Utility Board has limited distributors to charge only seven cents per KWH. Due to these conditions, suppliers are in billion-dollar debt. The government needs to use its powers of the utility industry to aid California in its power shortages. In order to get the region back into the 21st century the local governments are going to have ... Free Essays on California Blackout Free Essays on California Blackout California Blackouts Beginning in the winter of 2000, California’s power supply has had a shortage leading to many blackouts across the state. Electricity cannot be stored; it has to be generated, transformed, and distributed to meet the exact demand. Therefore, a power shortage occurs when the demand is not immediately met. There are four main causes of the blackouts: restricted hydroelectric power, no new facilities, growing population, and price mitigation. First, California has been relying on Pacific Northwest power industries to supply the generation of power. Because of recent droughts in the area, reservoir levels are too low to keep up with the growing demand for electricity in California. They cannot generate enough power to be considered a reliable source. Hence, the hydroelectric power companies have breached their agreement to supply power. Second, since 1970 there have been no new nuclear power plants built. The reason is that there has been tremendous pressure from environmentalists to keep the area free of the nuclear power industry. In addition, there have been no new generators produced to keep up with the growing population. Third, the growing population has posed to be another source of the problem. There have been dramatic increases in computers, air conditioners, and entertainment systems. Also, there have been increases in energy intensive businesses. Fourth, power shortages have created an increase in demand for electricity. The price for electricity has now increased dramatically from five cents per KWH to over one dollar per KWH. However, the Public Utility Board has limited distributors to charge only seven cents per KWH. Due to these conditions, suppliers are in billion-dollar debt. The government needs to use its powers of the utility industry to aid California in its power shortages. In order to get the region back into the 21st century the local governments are going to have ...

Whats the Best Food to Eat Before a Test

Whats the Best Food to Eat Before a Test Proper nutrition is important, and doubly so on important days like when you take a test. Keeping up your energy during the exam is crucial to your success. Ever had one of those times when youre staring at the sheet and are just drawing a blank, even though you know for sure youve studied this? It might be because you didnt pay proper attention to what you ate, and it resulted in your blood sugar flatlining at the worst moment. Heres a little guide on how to avoid it happening again. Eat Light the Night Before If youre cramming the night before a test (like any proper student would), it might be hard not to get pizza as a way of rewarding yourself. You should consider putting off that reward until you actually write the test, though. Its best to wake up hungry and not with that pregnant feeling everyone gets when eating right before going to bed. Drink Water First thing you should do for energy is drink water. Americans, as a whole, dont drink enough liquids, if you discount for sugary drinks. A glass of cold water on an empty stomach is a great way to start the day and boost your metabolism – which means youll have more energy throughout the day. Eat Your Vitamins Starting your day right means getting all the vitamins your body is going to need throughout the day. Consider, at the least, fish oil and a vitamin B supplement. Fish oil is great for energy boosting, as well as increasing metabolism and clearing up skin, and without sufficient B12, your body is not going to have proper energy reserves, and thats just two of them. Getting a blood test from your doctor will tell you better what daily supplements you should be taking. Caffeine and Energy Drinks Unless youre a total, complete addict, youll want to go without coffee and especially energy drinks. Drinking them gives an energy boost, but the crash or comedown is not worth it, especially if it happens while youre taking your test. If you absolutely cannot start the day without a beverage to bolster your energy, try green tea. It has lower amounts of caffeine, but does have anti-oxidants that coffee lacks. Eat Breakfast The most important meal of the day. If youre one of those people who doesnt have their first meal until lunchtime, you should think about having a proper breakfast. This will provide you with the energy boost you get from coffee, and sustain you until you have lunch. Since breakfast is the most vital meal of the day, you should be all that choosier with what you eat. Try and avoid sugary cereals. Yes, theyre pretty much the best, and you might say, why even wake up if I cant have my sugar fix right away? The same reason as coffee: sugar, as well as all carbs, gets you going fast, and you crash just as hard. Its the thing that metabolizes the fastest, so it wont sustain you for very long, and, as has been said above, were trying to avoid that crash. Instead of Lucky Charms, try something thats high in fat and protein. Eggs with hummus, for instance. Some sort of lean meat, like grass-fed beef or salmon is also a great way to start the day. Try it with some avocado for those healthy omega acids, and eat it on an English muffin to avoid being completely boring with your food choices. If youre a vegan, try mixing quinoa or chickpeas with some spinach or kale, add some nuts, and dress with vinegar for a morning salad. Whatever youre eating on exam day, be conscious of how long its going to sustain you for. You know your body best, and if you know a Red Bull in the morning and a Red Bull before the test is going to get you through it, then, by all means, indulge. Keep in mind, though, youre not going to be 20 forever, and at some point youre going to have to think about how healthy the choices youre making are. Until then, have fun.

Conditions under which Exchange Rate may overshoot Even in the Research Paper

Conditions under which Exchange Rate may overshoot Even in the Presence of Rational Expectations - Research Paper Example    John F. Muth of Indiana University coined the theory of rational expectations in the early sixties. He used the term to describe economic situations under which, the outcome depends on peoples' expectations. For example, as discussed by Sargent J. Thomas (Rational Expectations) "The price of an agricultural commodity depends on how many acres farmers plants, which in turn depends on the price that farmers expect to realize when they harvest and sell their crops". The theory greatly applies to the stock markets around the world, as, if investors expect the price of common stock of a particular company to come down they go on a selling spree and the result is obvious, and when they expect it to go up they buy heavily and hence, the prices spirally. To conclude the cornerstone of the theory, we can suggest that, people behave or take decisions in order to maximize the value of an outcome and they keep getting feedback from the transactions, as to what they expected and what they ac tually received. In this way, their expectations over a period of time tend to stabilize because of the result of the past outcomes. In other words, their expectations become rational. To put the theory in mathematical perspective, let us assume that P* is the equilibrium price (a price at which demand equals supply) in a market, then according to the rational expectations theory (Pe) will be the function of P* + e, where (Pe) is the expected price and e is the random error term, which is independent of P*. (Sargent J. Thomas, Rational Expectations). The theory of rational expectations is often put into practice in many economic as well as finance models. One such execution of the model is related to The Efficient Markets Theory of Stock Prices, which states that there are three forms of the efficient-market hypothesis, namely, weak form, semi-strong form, and strong form (Fischer Donald and Jordan Ronald 540). Weak form, which is also known as the Random-walk theory suggests that there is no purpose of examining the charts as the share pieces fully reflect the historical sequences. Semi-strong form, on the other hand, suggests that current market prices not only reflect the historical chart patterns, but also reflect all the publicly available knowledge, so this kind of information is almost always useless for the analysts and the investors. The theory maintains that as soon as the information is made public, the price plays catch-up and soon starts to reflect the new announcement. Finally, strong form suggests that not only pub licly available information is useless, but also all the information concerning the company is useless, as that will have no impact over the stock price.  

Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The Ministry of Fish Resources is now in charge of all fishing enterprises in territorial waters. This organization tracks the status of the various fisheries and conducts studies designed to improve the status of all fisheries under their scope of responsibility. With this supervision, several restrictions and controls have been implemented, which have had the effect of developing fishing seasons and identifying the various types of shrimp and other marketable fish such as Alenagel. Thanks to the modern media, the benefits of modern fishing have been demonstrated to traditional fishermen in Saudi Arabia. With the increasing demand, Khalifa Algosaibi helped establish the kingdom’s first modern fishing company in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The company introduced modern fishing boats and founded a facility for the manufacturing and storage of fish and fish products. With this introduction, the kingdom witnessed a leap in their economy, marking the foundation of this company as a turn ing point in the country’s efforts to diversify from its main export – oil. This shift caused a change in the pattern of domestic consumption as well as an increased demand for fish from both the local population and those individuals who have been recruited to work in Saudi Arabia. The primary means for catching fish in both the Gulf and the Red Sea are now benthic trawls and Shanchola nets. The primary seafood caught in the Gulf regions are Kofi shrimp, Gulf shrimp, bathroom fish, Alhamur, Alkanad, and others.