Essay about Curley’s wife -- English Literature

Essay about Curley’s wife Curley’s wife is the only female character in the novel Of Mice of Men; Curley’s wife is never given a name and is only referred to in reference to her husband. Like the other people on the ranch, she is very lonely and has dreams of a better life which never come true. The author John Steinbeck introduces Curley’s wife in a symbolic ness way, this is shown when George is talking to Lennie about the dream and when Curley’s wife first meets both the men. â€Å"Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in.† The symbolic ness of the word sunshine is hope, freedom, happiness and dreams. This foreshadows that she may cause trouble or come in the way and could ruin it all for Lennie and George. Steinbeck also describes her as a ‘girl’, which tells us that she is very playful, childish and vulnerable. Curley’s wife is trying to make her self attractive by applying make up and dressing up as if she was going to a party. This is clear shown as Steinbeck describes her â€Å"She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes† This suggests she is trying to be provocative and incongruous. Curley’s wife also wears red, red gives the symbolic ness of danger and seductiveness. Curley’s wife is described â€Å"Heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers.† Again the red on her fingernails and the red mules are symbolic to danger. Steinbeck is again suggesting that women are trouble makers who ruin everything for the men. Curley’s wife is in a ranch and she dresses up as if... ...alk.† Steinbeck is clearly suggesting that not a single person would trust each other on the ranch. The presentation of Curley’s wife’s death was astonishing due to the way Steinbeck described her after the death. Steinbeck is suggesting that she was under pressure, trying to gain attention and she was mean. Steinbeck described her as she was â€Å"the meanness and the planning’s and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young† This suggest that she was under pressure all the time but when she died everything was just normal. It also suggests that the entire ache for attention was just gone and a simple beautiful woman was lying dead. Overall Steinbeck is suggesting that all the characters are cruel because they’re powerless and they all want to exercise their power.

BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Essay

1. The apprenticeship and your role In this induction section you will show that you understand the employer/employee relationship and what someone who works in the health and social care sector is required to do. The Workbook will help you to show that you follow agreed ways of working. KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING Task 1 WorkSkills: Unit 1: 1.1, 1.2 Task 1a Complete the spider diagram below to show that you understand what each component of the Apprenticeship is for and how it is assessed. †¢ In each box, for Number 1 say what the component is for. Read more: Explain the principle of informed choice in child care essay Diploma 1. Generic, dementia and learning disability. alongside other components. 2. Checked by the assessor Employment Rights and Responsibilities 1. ERR BTEC 1. Social care level 2 and 3 2. Checked by the assessor 2. Checked by the assessor alongside other components. Apprenticeship components alongside other components. Key/Functional Skills 1. 2. Functional skills English, Math Checked by the assessor alongside other components. Personal, learning and thinking skills 1. Skills for working life 2. Checked by the assessor alongside other components 2 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care †¢ For Number 2 say how it is assessed. Types of assessment are given in a list below. Choose the most appropriate one or two. Assessment methods: †¢ portfolio †¢ online test †¢ paper-based test. One example has been done for you. WorkSkills: Unit 1: 3.1, 3.2 ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 1 Task 1b In the table below write a list of different careers that you could aim to have after your Apprenticeship. In the second column, write in where you could get advice about how to progress on this career pathway. In the third column put two possible routes for this career path. An example has been done for you. Career Nurse Where to ï ¬ nd advice NHS careers advice website (www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nursing.shtml) Union website (www.unison.org.uk/healthcare/nursing/education) Progression routes 1. Level 3 BTEC 2. University Care Assistant Care Assistant advice website (www.careruk.orgs) 1. Level 2 NVQ Diploma. 2. BTEC Level 2 Diploma Senior Care Assistant Senior Care Assistant advice website 1. Level 3 NVQ Diploma 2. BTEC Level 3 Diploma Manager Care Assistant Manager Care Assistant advice website 1. Level 5 NVQ Diploma 2. College Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 3 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 BTEC: Unit 6:1.1 Diploma: Unit 6:1.1 Task 2 Task 2a For each of the ï ¬ gures below, ï ¬ ll in the box for who you have personal or working relationships with and the box on why. An example has been completed for you. Personal relationship Who? Why? Family Love Enemys Friends Ignore Friendship Working relationship Who? Why? Colleagues Managers Residents Team working Supervisory Between professionals BTEC: Unit 6: 1.2 Diploma: Unit 6: 1.2 Task 2b The table below lists different types of relationship. For each type, write what the relationship is. An example has been completed for you. Relationship type Supervisory Colleagues Between teams Between professionals With others Example e.g. Me and my manager Me and other care assistants Me and other staff members Me and the residents Me and their family 4 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care BTEC: Unit 4: 3.1, 3.2 Unit 5: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 Unit 7: 5.5 Unit 9: 2.2 Diploma: Unit 7: 5.4 ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 Task 2c i) Below are some case studies of problems at work. Select the aspect of employment law that each one relates to from this list. Aspects of employment law: †¢ discrimination †¢ working hours †¢ holiday †¢ sickness absence and sick pay †¢ data protection †¢ health and safety. 1 1 Salina was told that because of stafï ¬ ng shortages she would be expected to cut short her holiday this year. Aspect of employment law: 2 Although he was more experienced, Marc believes that he did not get promotion because of his sexual orientation. Aspect of employment law: 3 Melanie has not yet attended the moving and handling of people training but has been asked to help someone with limited mobility into their bed from a chair. Aspect of employment law: 4 Gina overheard staff discussing private information about her which she had shared with her supervisor. Aspect of employment law: Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 5 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 ii) List the main features of current employment legislation: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ iii) Complete the following sentence: Employment legislation exists because †¦ PLTS: IE3 iv) What kinds of information and support are there to help you with Employment Rights and Responsibilities? Complete the list below. An example has been done for you. †¢ HR department †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ What kinds of information and support are there to help you with Employment Rights and Responsibilities? 6 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care BTEC: Unit 8: 1.2, 1.3 Diploma: Unit 8: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Task 3 Produce a leaï ¬â€šet about health and safety for new starters at your workplace. You can ï ¬ ll in the example shown below or do your own, following the same structure, to give to anyone starting work. 1 HEALTH AND SAFETY IN OUR WORKPLACE There are many pieces of legislation that relate to health and safety. The main ones include: †¢ Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The main points of health and safety procedures that affect you are: †¢ Dealing with accidents and injuries †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Everybody in the workplace has responsibility for health and safety. You Look after your own health and safety Your Employer Provide training where necessary Others Look after their own health and safety Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 7 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 Task 4 BTEC: Unit 6: 2.2, 2.3 Diploma: Unit 6: 2.2 WorkSkills: Unit 1: 1.3 Task 4a It is important to be clear about the agreed ways of working in your organisation. i) Using the table below, complete the list of the documents that set out details of your employment. For each document on the list state where it is stored and how it can be accessed. Your assessor may ask to see the documents on their visit but you do not have to photocopy them. The list has been started for you. Fill in the blank spaces with any other documents. Exactly which documents are included on your list will depend on your organisation. It might include any of the following: †¢ health and safety policy and procedures †¢ equality and diversity policy †¢ policy on conï ¬ dentiality and data protection †¢ policy on harassment, bullying and conï ¬â€šict management. Documents setting out relationship with employer Job description Grievance procedure Employee handbook Contract of employment Apprenticeship Agreement Where they are stored/how to access Company website/from HR page ii) Why is it important that you have access to up-to-date versions of these documents? iii) What is the purpose of the Apprenticeship Agreement? 8 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 2.1 Task 4b Complete the following information about your role. My working hours are: 1 My place of work is: If I cannot attend work I should: If I am sick I should: If I am still sick after †¦.. days I should: If I continue to be sick my employer will: My sick pay entitlement is: My notice period is: Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 9 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 My probationary period lasts for: During probation, my notice period is: BTEC: Unit 2: 1.1,1.3 Unit 6: 2.2 Diploma: Unit 2: 1.2. 1.3 ERR/WorkSkills Unit 3: 2.5 Task 4c Complete the following examples to show how and when you have complied with policies and procedures in your workplace: i) To maintain my organisation’s good reputation I have: If I do not do this the consequence is: ii) To comply with my organisation’s health and safety policy and procedure, I have: If I do not comply the consequence is: iii) To comply with my organisation’s equality and diversity policy and procedure, I have: 10 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care If I do not comply the consequence is: 1 iv) To comply with my organisation’s conï ¬ dentiality and data protection policy and procedure, I have: If I do not comply the consequence is: v) To comply with my organisation’s policy on harassment, bullying and conï ¬â€šict management I have: If I do not comply the consequence is: vi) Ways in which I make sure that my personal attitudes or beliefs do not affect how I work with people using my services or with my colleagues include: †¢ Reï ¬â€šecting on my own work †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 11 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 2.4 Task 4d i) What personal information should you keep up to date with your employer? †¢ Phone number †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ ii) Why does your employer need to have this up-to-date information? BTEC: Unit 6: 2.1 Diploma: Unit 2: 1.1 Unit 6: 2.1 ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 Task 4e i) What is your role? You need to show that you understand what your job description means for you. Where there are job titles (for example reports to †¦ , responsible for †¦ ) you need to list the names of the actual people. Where it lists your duties, provide an example of what you should do. You can either write the information on a copy of your job description or complete the table below. The job description says . . . What this means is . . . 12 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care ii) How does your role help to improve the service provided for the people who use your organisation? 1 iii) Complete the spider diagram below to show how your role links to the wider sector. An example is completed for you. e.g. local mental health team refer people to my centre My role . . . Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 13 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 Representative body UNISON iv) The table below lists some of the representative bodies in the health and social care sector. Complete the table showing their roles and responsibilities. Role in the sector Skills for Care and Development British Association of Social Workers Care Quality Commission Criminal Records Bureau v) Why is it important that you do not carry out tasks which are not part of your own job description? ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 2.3 Task 4f i) What happens when things go wrong? Give an example of something that could be handled within the grievance procedure: 14 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care ii) Look at the grievance policy of your organisation. Do a ï ¬â€šow chart to show each step of the process that should be taken. You may add more boxes if you wish. 1 ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 2.2 Task 4g Do you know where your money goes? Annotate one of your pay statements with an explanation of what each section covers. BTEC: Unit 5: 1.1 Diploma: Unit 4: 1.1 PLTS: IE1 Task 5 Task 5a Duty of care is an important idea when working in health and social care. Choose which of the statements below you think are true. 1 a) Duty of care is a legal obligation. b) Duty of care is not a legal obligation. 2 a) You are required to work in the best interests of the person using the service. b) You are required to work in the best interests of the service provider. 3 a) You must carry out care only within the limits of your role. b) You must carry out any type of care the individual requests. Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 15 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 BTEC: Unit 5: 1.2 Diploma: Unit 4: 1.2 PLTS: IE2, IE6, EP3, EP4 Task 5b Complete the spider diagram below showing how duty of care affects your own role: I am accountable for my decisions and actions How duty of care affects me BTEC: Unit 5: 2.1, 2.2 Diploma: Unit 4: 2.1, 2.2 Task 5c i) Sometimes you will come across problems where an individual’s wishes go against your duty of care for them. For example, an individual may want to do something that could cause them harm. Write down an example of when this has happened in your workplace. 16 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care Remember that in order to meet conï ¬ dentiality requirements you must not include any information which will identify individuals. 1 ii) When you have a problem like this, there are many places you can go for advice and support. List three of them below. 1. 2. 3. ERR/WorkSkills: Unit 3: 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 Task 6 i) The health and social care sector is often in the news. List three occasions when concerns have been raised about the sector. Check in newspapers or on the internet. †¢ †¢ †¢ ii) For one of your examples, ï ¬ ll in the table below showing how three different people might feel about the event. Management of the service involved Relative of the person involved Person who works at the service involved (for example care worker) iii) How do you think negative coverage of the health and social care sector changes the views of the public about the sector? Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 17 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 a) Do they feel more or less positive about people who work in the sector? b) Are they happy with the service they or their relatives are receiving? iv) Have public concerns about the health and social care sector and the way services are delivered made any changes to your workplace? BTEC: Unit 2: 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.3 Diploma: Unit 2: 2.1, 3.1 PLTS: CT6, RL5, CT3 Task 7 i) It is important to consider your personal development. Throughout your Apprenticeship, your assessor and manager will encourage you to think about or reï ¬â€šect on what you do at work. How can reï ¬â€šection help you to develop your knowledge and skills? 18 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care It is important to consider your personal development 1 ii) Describe a learning activity that improved your own knowledge, skills and understanding. iii) What did you learn? Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 19 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 iv) Where can you go for support in your learning and development? v) This is a template for a Personal Development Plan. Below it are statements about what you should put in different sections. Match each statement to the correct section of the plan. Personal Development Plan 1. Review of strengths and weaknesses relevant to current and future roles 2. Learning topic to be targeted in the plan and how the learning will be used Name: 3. Knowledge to be learnt 4. Skills to be learnt and developed 5. Learning activities and dates 6. Assessment and dates 20 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care Insert the number of the correct section of the plan next to each description. This space should include a brief description of the area the person will be trying to develop and what difference the learning could make to their role. This space should include detailed information about which skills the person will develop. Objectives should be SMART (speciï ¬ c, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound). This space should include a description of what the person does well and where they do less well in the job. It should be based on evidence. It should identify changes in the job and possible changes in career and the relevant strengths and weaknesses of the individual. This space should include target dates for achievement and space for the comments of the person and their manager to assess the success of different objectives. This space should include detailed information about what knowledge the person will gain. Objectives should be SMART (speciï ¬ c, measurable, achie vable, realistic and time-bound). This space should include a description of any learning activities the person will do, what knowledge and skills they will gain and when the activities will take place. You will need to complete your own personal development plan. If your workplace does not have its own template, you may want to use the one above. You should complete the plan together with your manager. 1 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011 21 BTEC Apprenticeship Assessment Workbook Level 2 Health & Social Care 1 BTEC: Unit 2: 3.2, 3.4 Diploma: Unit 2: 2.2, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.4 WorkSkills: Unit 1: 2.1, 2.3 Unit 9: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 PLTS: EP4 EVIDENCE GATHERING In this activity you will identify an area of your work that will capture evidence of how you operate as a team leader. Your assessor will help you to identify suitable items of evidence. You need to gather evidence of activity within areas of your work to demonstrate: that you can complete a personal development plan and assess your own knowledge and skills. Suggested evidence may include: †¢ completed personal development plan †¢ diary or reï ¬â€šective account of your own learning †¢ witness testimony from manager about your participation in the process of building a personal development plan. Your assessor may wish to ask you some follow-up questions on the personal development plan process. These may include the following: †¢ How should you agree a personal development plan? †¢ What are the beneï ¬ ts of a personal development plan? †¢ Why should you meet deadlines and be organised? †¢ How has a learning activity improved your knowledge, ski lls and understanding? †¢ What happens if you do not complete learning on time? 22 Original text and illustrations  © Pearson Education Limited, 2011

‘Billy Liar’: Which of Billy’s three girlfriends is best suited to him?

The play ‘Billy Liar' concerns a nineteen-year-old boy who has three girlfriends. The Fisher family live in a typical lower middle class house in an industrial town in the north of England. The furniture is quite new but of dreadful taste. The Fisher family is very dysfunctional. The family consists of: Billy, a compulsive liar, who uses sarcasm to try and show his intelligence. He seems to be confused about life in general and is also very lazy. Billy is very intelligent. We know this, as there is evidence of this throughout the play. Billy has three girlfriends, I think this a signs of irresponsibility and that he is not very mature. Billy's mother, Alice, is a housewife. She is constantly fussing over Billy and mothering him. An example of Alice mothering Billy is ‘how do you mean? A job in London? What job in London? ‘ questioning Billy because she worries about him. Maybe this is one of the causes of Billy's many dilemmas. Alice seems very easy going. Geoffrey, Billy's father, does not have a good word to say about Billy. He does not trust his son one bit and has no faith in him. Geoffrey has his own business and he also has an obsession to saying the word ‘bloody'. Finally, there is Florence. This is Billy's Grandmother, Alice's mother. She is extremely racist and also forgetful. She is forgetful. She is almost senile and throughout the play she is found rambling to herself. She blames Alice for Billy being spoilt. At the beginning of the play when Billy is discussing Barbara with Arthur, he seems unbelievably sexually frustrated. He has had a plan to seduce Barbara by using a ‘passion pill'. Barbara is a girl of about nineteen who is large and well built. This gives the impression that Barbara is relatively old fashioned and prudish. Barbara has strong morals and refuses to have sex before marriage. We know this as in one part of the play Billy puts is hand on Barbara's knee (after she has taken the passion pill) and Barbara says ‘it seems†¦ indecent, somehow' this certainly makes Billy sexually frustrated. Barbara is very gullible. We can tell this because she believes all of Billy's lies. Also Billy's mother approves of Barbara and thinks she looks respectable. When Billy greets Barbara her reply ‘hallo, pet. ‘ Is spoken callously and flatly. This gives the impression that her feelings for him are not as strong as she believes them to be. Billy also tells Barbara more lies such as ‘Oh yes, I made all the furniture', and ‘ she might have to have her leg off' (talking about Florence) which Barbara again believes. One thing that Billy and Barbara have in common is that they fantasize extensively. Evidence of this is the way that they plan together their dream cottage in Devon with a little Billy and a little Barbara. They have really planed this in minute detail, down to the colour schemes and garden plans. My personal opinion is that Barbara has a greater passion for oranges than for Billy and is constantly eating them. Barbara and Billy address each other using pet names such as ‘pet' and ‘darling'. This shows some sense of relationship between them. Billy gets so frustrated at Barbara's addiction to oranges and lack of passion that he picks up her bag of oranges and, in total fury, throws it across the floor. Barbara is exceptionally helpful when she visits the Fisher household. She does the dishes and is egger to help Alice. This makes her seem incredibly domesticated. Alice thinks really highly of Barbara. I know this because she says ‘I'm glad he's found himself a nice sensible lass for once. I think Barbara and Billy are suited in one way because they both fantasize but in many other ways they are not. Barbara has some direction and plan to her life while Billy has no direction at all. Barbara has very strong morals; she does not believe in sex before marriage or in mixed sex holidays but Billy certainly does. I do not think that Barbara and Billy are well suited at all.. The y obviously do not love each other. Rita is first introduced in a phone conversation between herself and Billy. In the conversation Rita is being very forceful and she puts Billy on the defensive. While this phone call takes place Barbara is in the house. Rita wants her engagement ring back, the ring Billy has given to Barbara! This shows that he does not have respect for either of the girls. He is desperately trying to get the ring back off Barbara to return to Rita who is very annoyed. Rita is a small girl with blonde hair. She is seventeen years old but ‘dresses to look much older'. She is ‘common and hard' and works in a snack bar. When Rita is first seen she is coming to claim her ring back from Billy. As soon as she enters the garden, she instantly insults Billy, saying to him ‘look what's crawled out of the cheese'. This gives the impression that they do not really have any affection towards each other. When Billy tells her one of his extravagant lies Rita is not as gullible as Barbara. Billy and Rita do not have mutual respect in their relationship. You can tell this in their language and tone of voice. Despite all the negative points in their relationship, there is definite sexual chemistry and physical attraction. I know this because Billy attempts to quieten down Rita by kissing her passionately and, sure enough, Rita responds to this by kissing him back. Yet Rita threatens Billy by saying that her father is not happy that she has not got her ring back. I think she is trying to blackmail Billy here. Rita eventually leaves extremely angry and without a ring. She has left Billy in a predicament because has threatened that her father will come and sort him out! Later that day Rita returns to the Fisher house. She is now furious. She does not knock before going in. This is extremely rude. Rita is not intimidated by older people we can see this in the manner in which she talks to Billy's mother. While talking to people Rita frequently mocs the way they talk. She comes up with some amazing insults and dishes them out, one being ‘squint eyed, bow legged, spotty snotty nosed streak of nothing'. She directs this insult Barbara. She does not think much of Barbara at all. She says that Barbara needs to wash her ears because she has got ‘carrots growing out of them'. This means that she thinks that Barbara is naive and stupid. She is probably right in thinking this. I do think that Rita and Billy are suited because there is a definite sexual attraction between them. Yet that is all they have in common because they are both from different back rounds. Rita comes from quite a rough back round and this is probably the cause for her acting in the way that she does. Billy comes from a lower middle class up bringing. Billy's mother definitely would not like Billy marrying Rita as she would not fit in with their family. We do not meet Liz until the very end of the play. I like this aspect of the play because we hear about Liz very near the beginning of the play so this leaves a bit of mystery surrounding her character. At the beginning of the play Arthur makes a remark about Liz's skirt. He says ‘it's about time somebody bought her a new skirt'. He refers to her as ‘scruffy Lizzie' that agrees with comments that Alice makes about her. She says ‘that scruffy one' and also ‘her in that mucky skirt'. The play ‘Billy Liar' was written in the 1960's. We can see evidence in the way that society's view of women in the way that people think through the play; Alice's opinion of Liz's skirt which now seems to be a very old fashioned view. Also we can see how society has changed in the way Barbara views sex before marriage and mixed sex holidays. This also fits with the class Barbara comes from. Liz is a free spirit who travels around the country from job to job. Maybe this is why people cannot relate to her or regard her as a threat. During the time of which the play was set, people tended to stay within their own locality. Despite everyone making rude remarks about Liz, Billy seems to have genuine feelings. During one part of the play Barbara is talking to Alice about Liz and she says that ‘she used to put a lot of ideas into his head'. Possibly she is jealous of Liz, because she knows that Billy still has feelings for her. So she is trying to ensure that Alice does not like Liz. Right at the very end of the play Liz enters the scene with Arthur. Although Liz is about the same age as Barbara and Rita she has maturity and ‘self-possession'. She is dressed casually and is, infact, not as scruffy as we have been led to believe. She is not particularly pretty but is obviously a girl of ‘strong personality'. When she comes into the scene they just make polite conversation and Billy asks Liz when she got back. He seems hurt that Liz had not phoned him. After Liz and Billy have been talking for a while, Liz gets the idea of going away to London with him. Billy gives the impression that he definitely wants to go to London with Liz. When Billy tries to lie to Liz he cannot quite go through with it. Liz is a very good judge of Billy's character. Despite this it does not stop her from loving him. Liz gets the bizarre idea that she wants to marry Billy. She does not want to get engaged and she does not care about getting a ring, unlike Barbara and Rita. Billy and Liz seem to share the same dream. Billy loves talking to Liz. We can see this in the length of his of his speeches. At the end of act three, we can see that Liz is more optimistic than Billy. She makes her mind up about going London. She is sure but Billy is unsure and to some extent pessimistic about going. Liz just makes her decisions on impulse. Liz and Billy get along really well and enjoy each other's company. They have interesting conversations in which they are both fully involved. It seems as if they are sole mates. But maybe they would be suited better as just good friends. I do not think any one of the three girls is really suitable for Billy. Billy has things in common with each of the girls. Barbara and Billy both fantasize, Billy and Rita have a lot of sexual chemistry between them while Billy and Liz can talk to each other very well. But Billy has big relationship issues. He cannot commit in a relationship; he shows this in the way that he decides not to go to London at the end of the play. He cannot make decisions; he shows this numerous times throughout the play and one of his main goals should be to stop lying! I think Billy could learn to love each of these girls. But I am unsure he would be able to live with them or get married. Billy cannot keep still; he cannot stick to one girl; he cannot make a sensible decision. Billy is highly intelligent but his inability to make decisions stops him getting anywhere in life.

Foundation PART IV THE TRADERS

1. TRADERS†¦ and constantly in advance of the political hegemony of the Foundation were the Traders, reaching out tenuous fingerholds through the tremendous distances of the Periphery. Months or years might pass between landings on Terminus; their ships were often nothing more than patchquilts of home-made repairs and improvisations; their honesty was none of the highest; their daring†¦ Through it all they forged an empire more enduring than the pseudo-religious despotism of the Four Kingdoms†¦ Tales without end are told of these massive, lonely figures who bore half-seriously, half-mockingly a motto adopted from one of Salvor Hardin's epigrams, â€Å"Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right!† It is difficult now to tell which tales are real and which apocryphal. There are none probably that have not suffered some exaggeration†¦. ENCYCLOPEDIA GALACTICA Limmar Ponyets was completely a-lather when the call reached his receiver which proves that the old bromide about telemessages and the shower holds true even in the dark, hard space of the Galactic Periphery. Luckily that part of a free-lance trade ship which is not given over to miscellaneous merchandise is extremely snug. So much so, that the shower, hot water included, is located in a two-by-four cubby, ten feet from the control panels. Ponyets heard the staccato rattle of the receiver quite plainly. Dripping suds and a growl, he stepped out to adjust the vocal, and three hours later a second trade ship was alongside, and a grinning youngster entered through the air tube between the ships. Ponyets rattled his best chair forward and perched himself on the pilot-swivel. â€Å"What've you been doing, Gorm?† he asked, darkly. â€Å"Chasing me all the way from the Foundation?† Les Gorm broke out a cigarette, and shook his head definitely, â€Å"Me? Not a chance. I'm just a sucker who happened to land on Glyptal IV the day after the mail. So they sent me out after you with this.† The tiny, gleaming sphere changed hands, and Gorm added, â€Å"It's confidential. Super-secret. Can't be trusted to the sub-ether and all that. Or so I gather. At least, it's a Personal Capsule, and won't open for anyone but you.† Ponyets regarded the capsule distastefully, â€Å"I can see that. And I never knew one of these to hold good news, either.† It opened in his hand and the thin, transparent tape unrolled stiffly. His eyes swept the message quickly, for when the last of the tape had emerged, the first was already brown and crinkled. In a minute and a half it had turned black and, molecule by molecule, fallen apart. Ponyets grunted hollowly, â€Å"Oh, Galaxy!† Les Gorm said quietly, â€Å"Can I help somehow? Or is it too secret?† â€Å"It will bear telling, since you're of the Guild. I've got to go to Askone.† â€Å"That place? How come?† â€Å"They've imprisoned a trader. But keep it to yourself.† Gorm's expression jolted into anger, â€Å"Imprisoned! That's against the Convention.† â€Å"So is the interference with local politics.† â€Å"Oh! Is that what he did?† Gorm meditated. â€Å"Who's the trader'? Anyone I know?† â€Å"No!† said Ponyets sharply, and Gorm accepted the implication and asked no further questions. Ponyets was up and staring darkly out the visiplate. He mumbled strong expressions at that part of the misty lens-form that was the body of the Galaxy, then said loudly, â€Å"Damnedest mess! I'm way behind quota.† Light broke on Gorm's intellect, â€Å"Hey, friend, Askone is a closed area.† â€Å"That's right. You can't sell as much as a penknife on Askone. They won't buy nuclear gadgets of any sort. With my quota dead on its feet, it's murder to go there.† â€Å"Can't get out of it?† Ponyets shook his head absently, A know the fellow involved. Can't walk out on a friend. What of it? I am in the hands of the Galactic Spirit and walk cheerfully in the way he points out.† Gorm said blankly, â€Å"Huh?† Ponyets looked at him, and laughed shortly, â€Å"I forgot. You never read the ‘Bood of the Spirit,' did you?† â€Å"Never heard of it,† said Gorm, curtly. â€Å"Well, you would if you'd had a religious training.† â€Å"Religious training? For the priesthood?† Gorm was profoundly shocked. â€Å"Afraid so. It's my dark shame and secret. I was too much for the Reverend Fathers, though, They expelled me, for reasons sufficient to promote me to a secular education under the Foundation. Well, look, I'd better push off. How's your quota this year?† Gorm crushed out his cigarette and adjusted his cap, â€Å"I've got my last cargo going now. I'll make it.† â€Å"Lucky fellow,† gloomed Ponyets, and for many minutes after Les Gorm left, he sat in motionless reverie. So Eskel Gorov was on Askone and in prison as well! That was bad! In fact, considerably worse than it might appear. It was one thing to tell a curious youngster a diluted version of the business to throw him off and send him about his own. It was a thing of a different sort to face the truth. For Limmar Ponyets was one of the few people who happened to know that Master Trader Eskel Gorov was not a trader at all; but that entirely different thing, an agent of the Foundation! 2. Two weeks gone! Two weeks wasted. One week to reach Askone, at the extreme borders of which the vigilant warships speared out to meet him in converging numbers. Whatever their detection system was, it worked and well. They sidled him in slowly, without a signal, maintaining their cold distance, and pointing him harshly towards the central sun of Askone. Ponyets could have handled them at a pinch. Those ships were holdovers from the dead-and-gone Galactic Empire but they were sports cruisers, not warships; and without nuclear weapons, they were so many picturesque and impotent ellipsoids. But Eskel Gorov was a prisoner in their hands, and Gorov was not a hostage to lose. The Askonians must know that. And then another week a week to wind a weary way through the clouds of minor officials that formed the buffer between the Grand Master and the outer world. Each little sub-secretary required soothing and conciliation. Each required careful and nauseating milking for the flourishing signature that was the pathway to the next official one higher up. For the first time, Ponyets found his trader's identification papers useless. I Now, at last, the Grand Master was on the other side of the Guard-flanked gilded door and two weeks had gone. Gorov was still a prisoner and Ponyets' cargo rotted useless in the holds of his ship. The Grand Master was a small man; a small man with a balding head and very wrinkled face, whose body seemed weighed down to motionlessness by the huge, glossy fur collar about his neck. His fingers moved on either side, and the line of armed men backed away to for a passage, along which Ponyets strode to the foot of the Chair of State. â€Å"Don't speak,† snapped the Grand Master, and Ponyets' opening lips closed tightly. â€Å"That's right,† the Askonian ruler relaxed visibly, â€Å"I can't endure useless chatter. You cannot threaten and I won't abide flattery. Nor is there room for injured complaints. I have lost count of the times you wanderers have been warned that your devil's machines are not wanted anywhere in Askone.† â€Å"Sir,† said Ponyets, quietly, â€Å"there is no attempt to justify the trader in question. It is not the policy of traders to intrude where they are not wanted. But the Galaxy is great, and it has happened before that a boundary has been trespassed unwittingly. It was a deplorable mistake.† â€Å"Deplorable, certainly,† squeaked the Grand Master. â€Å"But mistake? Your people on Glyptal IV have been bombarding me with pleas for negotiation since two hours after the sacrilegious wretch was seized. I have been warned by them of your own coming many times over. It seems a well-organized rescue campaign. Much seems to have been anticipated a little too much for mistakes, deplorable or otherwise.† The Askonian's black eyes were scornful. He raced on, â€Å"And are you traders, flitting from world to world like mad little butterflies, so mad in your own right that you can land on Askone's largest world, in the center of its system, and consider it an unwitting boundary mixup? Come, surely not.† Ponyets winced without showing it. He said, doggedly, â€Å"If the attempt to trade was deliberate, your Veneration, it was most injudicious and contrary to the strictest regulations of our Guild.† â€Å"Injudicious, yes,† said the Askonian, curtly. â€Å"So much so, that your comrade is likely to lose life in payment.† Ponyets' stomach knotted. There was no irresolution there. He said, â€Å"Death, your Veneration, is so absolute and irrevocable a phenomenon that certainly there must be some alternative.† There was a pause before the guarded answer came, â€Å"I have heard that the Foundation is rich.† â€Å"Rich? Certainly. But our riches are that which you refuse to take. Our nuclear goods are worth† â€Å"Your goods are worthless in that they lack the ancestral blessing. Your goods are wicked and accursed in that they lie under the ancestral interdict.† The sentences were intoned; the recitation of a formula. The Grand Master's eyelids dropped, and he said with meaning, â€Å"You have nothing else of value?† The meaning was lost on the trader, â€Å"I don't understand. What is it you want?† The Askonian's hands spread apart, â€Å"You ask me to trade places with you, and make known to you my wants. I think not. Your colleague, it seems, must suffer the punishment set for sacrilege by the Askonian code. Death by gas. We are a just people. The poorest peasant, in like case, would suffer no more. I, myself, would suffer no less.† Ponyets mumbled hopelessly, â€Å"Your Veneration, would it be permitted that I speak to the prisoner?† â€Å"Askonian law,† said the Grand Master coldly, â€Å"allows no communication with a condemned man.† Mentally, Ponyets held his breath, â€Å"Your Veneration, I ask you to be merciful towards a man's soul, in the hour when his body stands forfeit. He has been separated from spiritual consolation in all the time that his life has been in danger. Even now, he faces the prospect of going unprepared to the bosom of the Spirit that rules all.† The Grand Master said slowly and suspiciously, â€Å"You are a Tender of the Soul?† Ponyets dropped a humble head, â€Å"I have been so trained. In the empty expanses of space, the wandering traders need men like myself to care for the spiritual side of a life so given over to commerce and worldly pursuits.† The Askonian ruler sucked thoughtfully at his lower lip. â€Å"Every man should prepare his soul for his journey to his ancestral spirits. Yet I had never thought you traders to be believers.† 3. Eskel Gorov stirred on his couch and opened one eye as Limmar Ponyets entered the heavily reinforced door. It boomed shut behind him. Gorov sputtered and came to his feet. â€Å"Ponyets! They sent you?† â€Å"Pure chance,† said Ponyets, bitterly, â€Å"or the work of my own personal malevolent demon. Item one, you get into a mess on Askone. Item two, my sales route, as known to the Board of Trade, carries me within fifty parsecs of the system at just the time of item one. Item three, we've worked together before and the Board knows it. Isn't that a sweet, inevitable set-up? The answer just pops out of a slot.† â€Å"Be careful,† said Gorov, tautly. â€Å"There'll be someone listening. Are you wearing a Field Distorter?† Ponyets indicated the ornamented bracelet that hugged his wrist and Gorov relaxed. Ponyets looked about him. The cell was bare, but large. It was well-lit and it lacked offensive odors. He said, â€Å"Not bad. They're treating you with kid gloves.† Gorov brushed the remark aside, â€Å"Listen, how did you get down here? I've been in strict solitary for almost two weeks.† â€Å"Ever since I came, huh? Well, it seems the old bird who's boss here has his weak points. He leans toward pious speeches, so I took a chance that worked. I'm here in the capacity of your spiritual adviser. There's something about a pious man such as he. He will cheerfully cut your throat if it suits him, but he will hesitate to endanger the welfare of your immaterial and problematical soul. It's just a piece of empirical psychology. A trader has to know a little of everything.† Gorov's smile was sardonic, â€Å"And you've been to theological school as well. You're all right, Ponyets. I'm glad they sent you. But the Grand Master doesn't love my soul exclusively. Has he mentioned a ransom?† The trader's eyes narrowed, â€Å"He hinted barely. And he also threatened death by gas. I played safe, and dodged; it might easily have been a trap. So it's extortion, is it? What is it he wants?† â€Å"Gold.† â€Å"Gold!† Ponyets frowned. â€Å"The metal itself? What for?† â€Å"It's their medium of exchange.† â€Å"Is it? And where do I get gold from?† â€Å"Wherever you can. Listen to me; this is important. Nothing will happen to me as long as the Grand Master has the scent of gold in his nose. Promise it to him; as much as he asks for. Then go back to the Foundation, if necessary, to get it. When I'm free, we'll be escorted out of the system, and then we part company.† Ponyets stared disapprovingly, â€Å"And then you'll come back and try again.† â€Å"It's my assignment to sell nucleics to Askone.† â€Å"They'll get you before you've gone a parsec in space. You know that, I suppose.† â€Å"I don't,† said Gorov. â€Å"And if I did, it wouldn't affect things.† â€Å"They'll kill you the second time.† Gorov shrugged. Ponyets said quietly, â€Å"If I'm going to negotiate with the Grand Master again, I want to know the whole story. So far, I've been working it too blind. As it was, the few mild remarks I did make almost threw his Veneration into fits.† â€Å"It's simple enough,† said Gorov. â€Å"The only way we can increase the security of the Foundation here in the Periphery is to form a religion-controlled commercial empire. We're still too weak to be able to force political control. It's all we can do to hold the Four Kingdoms.† Ponyets was nodding. â€Å"This I realize. And any system that doesn't accept nuclear gadgets can never be placed under our religious control† â€Å"And can therefore become a focal point for independence and hostility. Yes.† â€Å"All right, then,† said Ponyets, â€Å"so much for theory. Now what exactly prevents the sale. Religion? The Grand Master implied as much.† â€Å"It's a form of ancestor worship. Their traditions tell of an evil past from which they were saved by the simple and virtuous heroes of the past generations. It amounts to a distortion of the anarchic period a century ago, when the imperial troops were driven out and an independent government was set up. Advanced science and nuclear power in particular became identified with the old imperial regime they remember with horror.† â€Å"That so? But they have nice little ships which spotted me very handily two parsecs away. That smells of nucleics to me.† Gorov shrugged. â€Å"Those ships are holdovers of the Empire, no doubt. Probably with nuclear drive. What they have, they keep. The point is that they will not innovate and their internal economy is entirely non-nuclear. That is what we must change.† â€Å"How were you going to do it?† â€Å"By breaking the resistance at one point. To put it simply, if I could sell a penknife with a force-field blade to a nobleman, it would be to his interest to force laws that would allow him to use it. Put that baldly, it sounds silly, but it is sound, psychologically. To make strategic sales, at strategic points, would be to create a pro-nucleics faction at court.† â€Å"And they send you for that purpose, while I'm only here to ransom you and leave, while you keep on trying? Isn't that sort of tail-backward?† â€Å"In what way?† said Gorov, guardedly. â€Å"Listen,† Ponyets was suddenly exasperated, â€Å"you're a diplomat, not a trader, and calling you a trader won't make you one. This case is for one who's made a business of selling and I'm here with a full cargo stinking into uselessness, and a quota that won't ever be met, it looks like.† â€Å"You mean you're going to risk your life on something that isn't your business?† Gorov smiled thinly. Ponyets said, â€Å"You mean that this is a matter of patriotism and traders aren't patriotic?† â€Å"Notoriously not. Pioneers never are.† â€Å"All right. I'll grant that. I don't scoot about space to save the Foundation or anything like that. But I'm out to make money, and this is my chance. If it helps the Foundation at the same time, all the better. And I've risked my life on slimmer chances.† Ponyets rose, and Gorov rose with him, â€Å"What are you going to do?† The trader smiled, â€Å"Gorov, I don't know not yet. But if the crux of the matter is to make a sale, then I'm your man. I'm not a boaster as a general thing, but there's one thing I'll always back up. I've never ended up below quota yet.† The door to the cell opened almost instantly when he knocked, and two guards fell in on either side. 4. â€Å"A show!† said the Grand Master, grimly. He settled himself well into his furs, and one thin hand grasped the iron cudgel he used as a cane. â€Å"And gold, your Veneration.† â€Å"And gold,† agreed the Grand Master, carelessly. Ponyets set the box down and opened it with as fine an appearance of confidence as he could manage. He felt alone in the face of universal hostility; the way he had felt out in space his first year. The semicircle of bearded councilors who faced him down, stared unpleasantly. Among them was Pherl, the thin-faced favorite who sat next to the Grand Master in stiff hostility. Ponyets had met him once already and marked him immediately as prime enemy, and, as a consequence, prime victim. Outside the hall, a small army awaited events. Ponyets was effectively isolated from his ship; he lacked any weapon, but his attempted bribe; and Gorov was still a hostage. He made the final adjustments on the clumsy monstrosity that had cost him a week of ingenuity, and prayed once again that the lead-lined quartz would stand the strain. â€Å"What is it?† asked the Grand Master. â€Å"This,† said Ponyets, stepping back, â€Å"is a small device I have constructed myself.† â€Å"That is obvious, but it is not the information I want. Is it one of the black-magic abominations of your world?† â€Å"It is nuclear in nature, admitted Ponyets, gravely, â€Å"but none of you need touch it, or have anything to do with it. It is for myself alone, and if it contains abominations, I take the foulness of it upon myself.† The Grand Master had raised his iron cane at the machine in a threatening gesture and his lips moved rapidly and silently in a purifying invocation. The thin-faced councilor at his right leaned towards him and his straggled red mustache approached the Grand Master's ear. The ancient Askonian petulantly shrugged himself free. â€Å"And what is the connection of your instrument of evil and the gold that may save your countryman's life?† â€Å"With this machine,† began Ponyets, as his hand dropped softly onto the central chamber and caressed its hard, round flanks, â€Å"I can turn the iron you discard into gold of the finest quality. It is the only device known to man that will take iron the ugly iron, your Veneration, that props up the chair you sit in and the walls of this building and change it to shining, heavy, yellow gold.† Ponyets felt himself botching it. His usual sales talk was smooth, facile and plausible; but this limped like a shot-up space wagon. But it was the content, not the form, that interested the Grand Master. â€Å"So? Transmutation? Men have been fools who have claimed the ability. They have paid for their prying sacrilege.† â€Å"Had they succeeded?† â€Å"No.† The Grand Master seemed coldly amused. â€Å"Success at producing gold would have been a crime that carried its own antidote. It is the attempt plus the failure that is fatal. Here, what can you do with my staff?† He pounded the floor with it. â€Å"Your Veneration will excuse me. My device is a small model, prepared by myself, and your staff is too long.† The Grand Master's small shining eye wandered and stopped, â€Å"Randel, your buckles. Come, man, they shall be replaced double if need be.† The buckles passed down the line, hand to hand. The Grand Master weighed them thoughtfully. â€Å"Here,† he said, and threw them to the floor. Ponyets picked them up. He tugged hard before the cylinder opened, and his eyes blinked and squinted with effort as he centered the buckles carefully on the anode screen. Later, it would be easier but there must be no failures the first time. The homemade transmuter crackled malevolently for ten minutes while the odor of ozone became faintly present. The Askonians backed away, muttering, and again Pherl whispered urgently into his ruler's ear. The Grand Master's expression was stony. He did not budge. And the buckles were gold. Ponyets held them out to the Grand Master with a murmured, â€Å"Your Veneration!† but the old man hesitated, then gestured them away. His stare lingered upon the transmuter. Ponyets said rapidly, â€Å"Gentlemen, this is pure gold. Gold through and through. You may subject it to every known physical and chemical test, if you wish to prove the point. It cannot be identified from naturally-occurring gold in any way. Any iron can be so treated. Rust will not interfere, not will a moderate amount of alloying metals† But Ponyets spoke only to fill a vacuum. He let the buckles remain in his outstretched hand, and it was the gold that argued for him. The Grand Master stretched out a slow hand at last, and the thin-faced Pherl was roused to open speech. â€Å"Your Veneration, the gold is from a poisoned source.† And Ponyets countered, â€Å"A rose can grow from the mud, your Veneration. In your dealings with your neighbors, you buy material of all imaginable variety, without inquiring as to where they get it, whether from an orthodox machine blessed by your benign ancestors or from some space-spawned outrage. Come, I don't offer the machine. I offer the gold.† â€Å"Your Veneration,† said Pherl, â€Å"you are not responsible for the sins of foreigners who work neither with your consent nor knowledge. But to accept this strange pseudo-gold made sinfully from iron in your presence and with your consent is an affront to the living spirits of our holy ancestors.† â€Å"Yet gold is gold,† said the Grand Master, doubtfully, â€Å"and is but an exchange for the heathen person of a convicted felon. Pherl, you are too critical.† But he withdrew his hand. Ponyets said, â€Å"You are wisdom, itself, your Veneration. Consider to give up a heathen is to lose nothing for your ancestors, whereas with the gold you get in exchange you can ornament the shrines of their holy spirits. And surely, were gold evil in itself, if such, a thing could be, the evil would depart of necessity once the metal were put to such pious use.† â€Å"Now by the bones of my grandfather,† said the Grand Master with surprising vehemence. His lips separated in a shrill laugh, â€Å"Pherl, what do you say of this young man? The statement is valid. It is as valid as the words of my ancestors.† Pherl said gloomily, â€Å"So it would seem. Grant that the validity does not turn out to be a device of the Malignant Spirit.† â€Å"I'll make it even better,† said Ponyets, suddenly. â€Å"Hold the gold in hostage. Place it on the altars of your ancestors as an offering and hold me for thirty days. If at the end of that time, there is no evidence of displeasure if no disasters occur surely, it would be proof that the offering was accepted. What more can be offered?† And when the Grand Master rose to his feet to search out disapproval, not a man in the council failed to signal his agreement. Even Pherl chewed the ragged end of his mustache and nodded curtly. Ponyets smiled and meditated on the uses of a religious education. 5. Another week rubbed away before the meeting with Pherl was arranged. Ponyets felt the tension, but he was used to the feeling of physical helplessness now. He had left city limits under guard. He was in Pherl's suburban villa under guard. There was nothing to do but accept it without even looking over his shoulder. Pherl was taller and younger outside the circle of Elders. In nonformal costume, he seemed no Elder at all. He said abruptly, â€Å"You're a peculiar man.† His close-set eyes seemed to quiver. â€Å"You've done nothing this last week, and particularly these last two hours, but imply that I need gold. It seems useless labor, for who does not? Why not advance one step?† â€Å"It is not simply gold,† said Ponyets, discreetly. â€Å"Not simply gold. Not merely a coin or two. It is rather all that lies behind gold.† â€Å"Now what can lie behind gold?† prodded Pherl, with a down-curved smile. â€Å"Certainly this is not the preliminary of another clumsy demonstration.† â€Å"Clumsy?† Ponyets frowned slightly. â€Å"Oh, definitely.† Pherl folded his hands and nudged them gently with his chin. â€Å"I don't criticize you. The clumsiness was on purpose, I am sure. I might have warned his Veneration of that, had I been certain of the motive. Now had I been you, I would have produced the gold upon my ship, and offered it alone. The show you offered us and the antagonism you aroused would have been dispensed with.† â€Å"True,† Ponyets admitted, â€Å"but since I was myself, I accepted the antagonism for the sake of attracting your attention.† â€Å"Is that it? Simply that?† Pherl made no effort to hide his contemptuous amusement. â€Å"And I imagine you suggested the thirty-day purification period that you might assure yourself time to turn the attraction into something a bit more substantial. But what if the gold turns out to be impure?† Ponyets allowed himself a dark humor in return, â€Å"When the judgement of that impurity depends upon those who are most interested in finding it pure?† Pherl lifted his eyes and stared narrowly at the trader. He seemed at once surprised and satisfied. â€Å"A sensible point. Now tell me why you wished to attract me.† â€Å"This I will do. In the short time I have been here, I have observed useful facts that concern you and interest me. For instance, you are young-very young for a member of the council, and even of a relatively young family.† â€Å"You criticize my family?† â€Å"Not at all. Your ancestors are great and holy; all will admit that. But there are those that say you are not a member of one of the Five Tribes.† Pherl leaned back, â€Å"With all respect to those involved,† and he did not hide his venom, â€Å"the Five Tribes have impoverished loins and thin blood. Not fifty members of the Tribes are alive.† â€Å"Yet there are those who say the nation would not be willing to see any man outside the Tribes as Grand Master. And so young and newly-advanced a favorite of the Grand Master is bound to make powerful enemies among the great ones of the State it is said. His Veneration is aging and his protection will not last past his death, when it is an enemy of yours who will undoubtedly be the one to interpret the words of his Spirit.† Pherl scowled, â€Å"For a foreigner you hear much. Such ears are made for cropping.† â€Å"That may be decided later.† â€Å"Let me anticipate.† Pherl stirred impatiently in his seat. â€Å"You're going to offer me wealth and power in terms of those evil little machines you carry in your ship. Well?† â€Å"Suppose it so. What would be your objection? Simply your standard of good and evil?† Pherl shook his head. â€Å"Not at all. Look, my Outlander, your opinion of us in your heathen agnosticism is what it is but I am not the entire slave of our mythology, though I may appear so. I am an educated man, sir, and, I hope, an enlightened one. The full depth of our religious customs, in the ritualistic rather than the ethical sense, is for the masses.† â€Å"Your objection, then?† pressed Ponyets, gently. â€Å"Just that. The masses. I might be willing to deal with you, but your little machines must be used to be useful. How might riches come to me, if I had to use what is it you sell? well, a razor, for instance, only in the strictest, trembling secrecy. Even if my chin were more simply and more cleanly shaven, how would I become rich? And how would I avoid death by gas chamber or mob frightfulness if I were ever once caught using it?† Ponyets shrugged, â€Å"You are correct. I might point out that the remedy would be to educate your own people into the use of nucleics for their convenience and your own substantial profit. It would be a gigantic piece of work; I don't deny it; but the returns would be still more gigantic. Still that is your concern, and, at the moment, not mine at all. For I offer neither razor, knife, nor mechanical garbage disposer.† â€Å"What do you offer?† â€Å"Gold itself. Directly. You may have the machine I demonstrated last week.† And now Pherl stiffened and the skin on his forehead moved jerkily. â€Å"The transmuter?† â€Å"Exactly. Your supply of gold will equal your supply of iron. That, I imagine, is sufficient for all needs. Sufficient for the Grand Mastership itself, despite youth and enemies. And it is safe.† â€Å"In what way?† â€Å"In that secrecy is the essence of its use; that same secrecy you described as the only safety with regard to nucleics. You may bury the transmuter in the deepest dungeon of the strongest fortress on your furthest estate, and it will still bring you instant wealth. It is the gold you buy, not the machine, and that gold bears no trace of its manufacture, for it cannot be told from the natural creation.† â€Å"And who is to operate the machine?† â€Å"Yourself. Five minutes teaching is all you will require. I'll set it up for you wherever you wish.† â€Å"And in return?† â€Å"Well,† Ponyets grew cautious. â€Å"I ask a price and a handsome one. It is my living. Let us say, for it its a valuable machine the equivalent of a cubic foot of gold in wrought iron.† Pherl laughed, and Ponyets grew red. â€Å"I point out, sir,† he added, stiffly, â€Å"that you can get your price back in two hours.† â€Å"True, and in one hour, you might be gone, and my machine might suddenly turn out to be useless. I'll need a guarantee.† â€Å"You have my word.† â€Å"A very good one,† Pherl bowed sardonically, â€Å"but your presence would be an even better assurance. I'll give you my word to pay you one week after delivery in working order.† â€Å"Impossible.† â€Å"Impossible? When you've already incurred the death penalty very handily by even offering to sell me anything. The only alternative is my word that you'll get the gas chamber tomorrow otherwise.† Ponyet's face was expressionless, but his eyes might have flickered. He said, â€Å"It is an unfair advantage. You will at least put your promise in writing?† â€Å"And also become liable for execution? No, sir!† Pherl smiled a broad satisfaction. â€Å"No, sir! Only one of us is a fool.† The trader said in a small voice, â€Å"It is agreed, then.† 6. Gorov was released on the thirtieth day, and five hundred pounds of the yellowest gold took his place. And with him was released the quarantined and untouched abomination that was his ship. Then, as on the journey into the Askonian system, so on the journey out, the cylinder of sleek little ships ushered them on their way. Ponyets watched the dimly sun-lit speck that was Gorov's ship while Gorov's voice pierced through to him, clear and thin on the tight, distortion-bounded ether-beam. He was saying, â€Å"But it isn't what's wanted, Ponyets. A transmuter won't do. Where did you get one, anyway?† â€Å"I didn't,† Ponyets answer was patient. â€Å"I juiced it up out of a food irradiation chamber. It isn't any good, really. The power consumption is prohibitive on any large scale or the Foundation would use transmutation instead of chasing all over the Galaxy for heavy metals. It's one of the standard tricks every trader uses, except that I never saw an iron-to-gold one before. But it's impressive, and it works very temporarily.† â€Å"All right. But that particular trick is no good.† â€Å"It got you out of a nasty spot.† â€Å"That is very far from the point. Especially since I've got to go back, once we shake our solicitous escort.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"You yourself explained it to this politician of yours,† Gorov's voice was on edge. â€Å"Your entire sales-point rested on the fact that the transmuter was a means to an end, but of no value in itself, that he was buying the gold, not the machine. It was good psychology, since it worked, but† â€Å"But?† Ponyets urged blandly and obtusely. The voice from the receiver grew shriller, â€Å"But we want to sell them a machine of value in itself, something they would want to use openly; something that would tend to force them out in favor of nuclear techniques as a matter of self-interest.† â€Å"I understand all that,† said Ponyets, gently. â€Å"You once explained it. But look at what follows from my sale, will you? As long as that transmuter lasts, Pherl will coin gold; and it will last long enough to buy him the next election. The present Grand Master won't last long.† â€Å"You count on gratitude?† asked Gorov, coldly. â€Å"No on intelligent self-interest. The transmuter gets him an election; other mechanisms† â€Å"No! No! Your premise is twisted. It's not the transmuter, he'll credit it'll be the good, old-fashioned gold. That's what I'm trying to tell you.† Ponyets grinned and shifted into a more comfortable position. All right. He'd baited the poor fellow sufficiently. Gorov was beginning to sound wild. The trader said, â€Å"Not so fast, Gorov. I haven't finished. There are other gadgets already involved.† There was a short silence. Then, Gorov's voice sounded cautiously, â€Å"What other gadgets?† Ponyets gestured automatically and uselessly, â€Å"You see that escort?† â€Å"I do,† said Gorov shortly. â€Å"Tell me about those gadgets.† â€Å"I will, ?if you'll listen. That's Pherl's private navy escorting us; a special honor to him from the Grand Master. He managed to squeeze that out.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"And where do you think he's taking us? To his mining estates on the outskirts of Askone, that's where. Listen!† Ponyets was suddenly fiery, â€Å"I told you I was in this to make money, not to save worlds. All right. I sold that transmuter for nothing. Nothing except the risk of the gas chamber and that doesn't count towards the quota.† â€Å"Get back to the mining estates, Ponyets. Where do they come in?† â€Å"With the profits. We're stacking up on tin, Gorov. Tin to fill every last cubic foot this old scow can scrape up, and then some more for yours. I'm going down with Pherl to collect, old man, and you're going to cover me from upstairs with every gun you've got just in case Pherl isn't as sporting about the matter as he lets on to be. That tin's my profit.† â€Å"For the transmuter?† â€Å"For my entire cargo of nucleics. At double price, plus a bonus.† He shrugged, almost apologetically. â€Å"I admit I gouged him, but I've got to make quota, don't I?† Gorov was evidently lost. He said, weakly, â€Å"Do you mind explaining'?† â€Å"What's there to explain? It's obvious, Gorov. Look, the clever dog thought he had me in a foolproof trap, because his word was worth more than mine to the Grand Master. He took the transmuter. That was a capital crime in Askone. But at any time he could say that he had lured me on into a trap with the purest of patriotic motives, and denounce me as a seller of forbidden things.† â€Å"That was obvious.† â€Å"Sure, but word against simple word wasn't all there was to it. You see, Pherl had never heard nor conceived of a microfilm-recorder.† Gorov laughed suddenly. â€Å"That's right,† said Ponyets. â€Å"He had the upper hand. I was properly chastened. But when I set up the transmuter for him in my whipped-dog fashion, I incorporated the recorder into the device and removed it in the next day's overhaul. I had a perfect record of his sanctum sanctorum, his holy-of-holies, with he himself, poor Pherl, operating the transmuter for all the ergs it had and crowing over his first piece of gold as if it were an egg he had just laid.† â€Å"You showed him the results?† â€Å"Two days later. The poor sap had never seen three-dimensional color-sound images in his life. He claims he isn't superstitious, but if I ever saw an adult look as scared as he did then, call me rookie. When I told him I had a recorder planted in the city square, set to go off at midday with a million fanatical Askonians to watch, and to tear him to pieces subsequently, he was gibbering at my knees in half a second. He was ready to make any deal I wanted.† â€Å"Did you?† Gorov's voice was suppressing laughter. â€Å"I mean, have one planted in the city square.† â€Å"No, but that didn't matter. He made the deal. He bought every gadget I had, and every one you had for as much tin as we could carry. At that moment, he believed me capable of anything. The agreement is in writing and you'll have a copy before I go down with him, just as another precaution.† â€Å"But you've damaged his ego,† said Gorov. â€Å"Will he use the gadgets?† â€Å"Why not? It's his only way of recouping his losses, and if he makes money out of it, he'll salve his pride. And he will be the next Grand Master and the best man we could have in our favor.† â€Å"Yes,† said Gorov, â€Å"it was a good sale. Yet you've certainly got an uncomfortable sales technique. No wonder you were kicked out of a seminary. Have you no sense of morals?† â€Å"What are the odds?† said Ponyets, indifferently. â€Å"You know what Salvor Hardin said about a sense of morals.†

International organizations Essay

International organizations provide a common platform wherein representatives from different parts of the world can discuss and evolve solutions for contemporary issues. In common parlance, it is well known as intergovernmental organizations. The World trade Organization, European Union and Council of Europe are international Organizations to name a few. Evolution Of International Organizations There was need to have a neutral forum where countries could participate and discuss problems that were of significance the world over. This gave rise to international Organizations. Role Of International Organizations The participating countries define the function of the International Organizations. The objective of international organization is to study, collect and propagate information, setting up of laws that are internationally accepted. The international organizations also help in cooperation between different countries by setting up negotiation deals between them. The international Organizations also help in technical assistance. The International Organizations play an important role in collecting statistical information, analyzing the trends in the variables, making a comparative study and disseminate the information to all other countries. There are some intergovernmental organizations that have set international Minimum standards. Such norms are difficult to be set at the state level. There are some international organizations that perform certain supervisory functions. The supervisory system of the UN is very weak. In contrast, the supervisory mechanism of the ILO is quite strong. The European Union, together with the Commission and the Court of Justice, has a relatively strong supervisory mechanism. The third function of the international organizations is setting up multilateral or bilateral agreements between countries. Another function, that has assumed importance in the recent times, is lending out technical cooperation to the member countries. By technical cooperation we mean the provision of intellectual or financial material to the countries, which require them. Amongst all the roles and activities of the international organizations, the most important is negotiating and setting up multilateral agreements. Minimizing the transaction costs can strengthen the cooperation between different  countries. Beside they also provide lucidity and information. For negotiations, forums for bargaining are set up and focal point structures are constructed during negotiations. The multilateral agreements that are settled by the international organizations occur in sections like environment protection, development trade, crime human rights, etc. Success and failure of League of Nations The League itself was a success, as nothing like it had ever existed before. The League was successful in the 1920s in settling disputes between countries. Finland and Sweden argued over which country should own the Aaland Islands. The League settled the dispute in favour of Finland. When Greece and Bulgaria became involved in a border dispute, the League was called in to decide who was right. The League also did very good work in a campaign to stamp out the slave trade and in tackling diseases. In August 1923 five Italian surveyors were mapping the Greek-Albanian border for the League of Nations. They were shot and killed on the Greek side of the border and Mussolini, the Italian Prime Minister, demanded compensation from the Greeks. When the Greek government ignored the demand, Mussolini ordered the Italian navy to bombard and then occupy the Greek island of Corfu. Italy was also a Permanent Member of the Council of the League. Eventually the League backed Mussolini and forced the Greeks to pay compensation. Then Mussolini had to withdraw his forces from the island. The Corfu incident seemed to suggest that Permanent Members of the Council could get away with breaking the Covenant. It also suggested that while the League could deal effectively with small countries, it could not deal with large countries. The successes of the League of Nations In view of the League’s desire to end war, the only criteria that can be used to classify a success, was whether war was avoided and a peaceful settlement formulated after a crisis between two nations. The League experienced success in: The Aaland Islands (1921) These islands are near enough equal distant between Finland and Sweden. They had traditionally belonged to Finland but most of the islanders wanted to be  governed by Sweden. Neither Sweden nor Finland could come to a decision as to who owned the islands and in 1921 they asked the League to adjudicate. The League’s decision was that they should remain with Finland but that no weapons should ever be kept there. Both countries accepted the decision and it remains in force to this day. Upper Silesia (1921) The Treaty of Versailles had given the people of Upper Silesia the right to have a referendum on whether they wanted to be part of Germany or part of Poland. In this referendum, 700,000 voted for Germany and 500,000 for Poland. This close result resulted in rioting between those who expected Silesia to be made part of Germany and those who wanted to be part of Poland. The League was asked to settle this dispute. After a six-week inquiry, the League decided to split Upper Silesia between Germany and Poland. The League’s decision was accepted y both countries and by the people in Upper Silesia. Memel (1923) Memel was/is a port in Lithuania. Most people who lived in Memel were Lithuanians and, therefore, the government of Lithuania believed that the port should be governed by it. However, the Treaty of Versailles had put Memel and the land surrounding the port under the control of the League. For three years, a French general acted as a governor of the port but in 1923 the Lithuanians invaded the port. The League intervened and gave the area surrounding Memel to Lithuania but they made the port an â€Å"international zone†. Lithuania agreed to this decision. Though this can be seen as a League success – as the issue was settled – a counter argument is that what happened was the result of the use of force and that the League responded in a positive manner to those (the Lithuanians) who had used force. Turkey (1923) The League failed to stop a bloody war in Turkey (see League failures) but it did respond to the humanitarian crisis caused by this war. 1,400,000 refugees had been created by this war with 80% of them being women and children. Typhoid and cholera were rampant. The League sent doctors from the Health Organisation to check the spread of disease and it spent  £10 million on building farms, homes etc for the refugees. Money was also invested in  seeds, wells and digging tools and by 1926, work was found for 600,000 people. A member of the League called this work â€Å"the greatest work of mercy which mankind has undertaken.† Greece and Bulgaria (1925) Both these nations have a common border. In 1925, sentries patrolling this border fired on one another and a Greek soldier was killed. The Greek army invaded Bulgaria as a result. The Bulgarians asked the League for help and the League ordered both armies to stop fighting and that the Greeks should pull out of Bulgaria. The League then sent experts to the area and decided that Greece was to blame and fined her  £45,000. Both nations accepted the decision. The failures of the League of Nations Article 11 of the League’s Covenant stated: â€Å"Any war of threat of war is a matter of concern to the whole League and the League shall take action that may safe guard peace.† Therefore, any conflict between nations which ended in war and the victor of one over the other must be considered a League failure. Italy (1919) In 1919, Italian nationalists, angered that the â€Å"Big Three† had, in their opinion, broken promises to Italy at the Treaty of Versailles, captured the small port of Fiume. This port had been given to Yugoslavia by the Treaty of Versailles. For 15 months, Fiume was governed by an Italian nationalist called d’Annunzio. The newly created League did nothing. The situation was solved by the Italian government who could not accept that d’Annunzio was seemingly more popular than they were – so they bombarded the port of Fiume and enforced a surrender. In all this the League played no part despite the fact that it had just been set up with the specific task of maintaining peace. Teschen (1919) Teschen was a small town between Poland and Czechoslovakia. Its main importance was that it had valuable coal mines there which both the Poles and the Czechs wanted. As both were newly created nations, both wanted to make their respective economies as strong as possible and the acquisition of rich coal mines would certainly help in this respect. In January 1919, Polish and Czech troops fought in the streets of Teschen. Many died. The  League was called on to help and decided that the bulk of the town should go to Poland while Czechoslovakia should have one of Teschen’s suburbs. This suburb contained the most valuable coal mines and the Poles refused to accept this decision. Though no more wholesale violence took place, the two countries continued to argue over the issue for the next twenty years. Vilna (1920) Many years before 1920, Vilna had been taken over by Russia. Historically, Vilna had been the capital of Lithuania when the state had existed in the Middle Ages. After World War One, Lithuania had been re-established and Vilna seemed the natural choice for its capital. However, by 1920, 30% of the population was from Poland with Lithuanians only making up 2% of the city’s population. In 1920, the Poles seized Vilna. Lithuania asked for League help but the Poles could not be persuaded to leave the city. Vilna stayed in Polish hands until the outbreak of World War Two. The use of force by the Poles had won. War between Russia and Poland (1920 to 1921) In 1920, Poland invaded land held by the Russians. The Poles quickly overwhelmed the Russian army and made a swift advance into Russia. By 1921, the Russians had no choice but to sign the Treaty of Riga which handed over to Poland nearly 80,000 square kilometres of Russian land. This one treaty all but doubled the size of Poland. What did the League do about this violation of another country by Poland? The answer is simple – nothing. Russia by 1919 was communist and this â€Å"plague from the East† was greatly feared by the West. In fact, Britain, France and America sent troops to attack Russia after the League had been set up. Winston Churchill, the British War Minister, stated openly that the plan was to strangle Communist Russia at birth. Once again, to outsiders, it seemed as if League members were selecting which countries were acceptable and ones which were not. The Allied invasion of Russia was a failure and it only served to make Communist Russia even more antagonistic to the West. The invasion of the Ruhr (1923) The Treaty of Versailles had ordered Weimar Germany to pay reparations for war damages. These could either be paid in money or in kind (goods to the value of a set amount) In 1922, the Germans failed to pay an installment.  They claimed that they simply could not rather than did not want to. The Allies refused to accept this and the anti-German feeling at this time was still strong. Both the French and the Belgium’s believed that some form of strong action was needed to ‘teach Germany a lesson’. In 1923, contrary to League rules, the French and the Belgium’s invaded the Ruhr – Germany’s most important industrial zone. Within Europe, France was seen as a senior League member – like Britain – and the anti-German feeling that was felt throughout Europe allowed both France and Belgium to break their own rules as were introduced by the League. Here were two League members clearly breaking League rules and nothing was done about it. For the League to enforce its will, it needed the support of its major backers in Europe, Britain and France. Yet France was one of the invaders and Britain was a major supporter of her. To other nations, it seemed that if you wanted to break League rules, you could. Few countries criticised what France and Belgium did. But the example they set for others in future years was obvious. The League clearly failed on this occasion, primarily because it was seen to be involved in breaking its own rules. Italy and Albania (1923) The border between Italy and Albania was far from clear and the Treaty of Versailles had never really addressed this issue. It was a constant source of irritation between both nations. In 1923, a mixed nationality survey team was sent out to settle the issue. Whilst travelling to the disputed area, the Italian section of the survey team, became separated from the main party. The five Italians were shot by gunmen who had been in hiding. Italy accused Greece of planning the whole incident and demanded payment of a large fine. Greece refused to pay up. In response, the Italians sent its navy to the Greek island of Corfu and bombarded the coastline. Greece appealed to the League for help but Italy, lead by Benito Mussolini, persuaded the League via the Conference of Ambassadors, to fine Greece 50 million lire. To follow up this success, Mussolini invited the Yugoslavian government to discuss ownership of Fiume. The Treaty of Versailles had given Fiume to Yugoslavia but with the evidence of a bombarded Corfu, the Yugoslavs handed over the port to Italy with little argument

Enterprise Application Architecture Research Paper

Enterprise Application Architecture - Research Paper Example These three disciplines have each contributed to the development of this discipline. Computer science is a discipline that has been very important in the development of information science enterprise architecture. This discipline has been seen to be instrumental in developing underlying theory and scientific theories. The discipline is the mother of all other information technology ideas and theories. It is the one that has been seen to be used to develop architectures that are used in developing software. Most of the research about new paradigms in software development has been seen to be developed using computer science knowledge. Computer science is used to do research on the new ways of developing software. Most of the theories that have been seen to develop have been seen to come out of computer science. Computer science is not concerned with the application of the software and the various software paradigms that have been developed per se, but it has been seen to be used to dev elop architectures and prototypes that have been used to develop software (Sate University, 2011). On the other hand, information system has been seen to be instrumental to get the real requirements of the systems that are being used in organizations. The main aim of information systems is that of assessing the relationship that information systems have with the organizations that they are installed in. the relationship that exist between the organization and the enterprise information system not only deals with the theory that are used to develop the information system architecture that are installed in the organization but is also concerned with the development and the application of the architectures too (Sate University, 2011). It is also concerned with training of the users into good use of the software. The information system course is meant to help students to connect business and information technology and make strategic moves in this. Information systems are not meant to ru n on their own. This will enable the current methods in technology and the current trends to be adopted. The knowledge that is taught is geared to understand the application part of the application. Enterprise application software will be used to evaluate the performance of a given architecture and the features that these architectures. They will then be assessed and recommended accordingly. From this, it is clear that information systems course helps to understand the application and the effectiveness of a given architecture. On the other hand, library information science is a science is also equally important in enterprise application development and architecture. Although its contributions are minimal, it is hard to ignore this discipline as it is equally important. It adds to the knowledge of information systems. It has been used in the knowledge of information systems. References Sate University. (2011). Software development job description, career as a network administrator, s alary, employment. Infoworld, 63(2),

Heat Exhaustion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Heat Exhaustion - Essay Example Sunburns, heat cramps, heat stress, heat stroke and heat exhausting are some of the heat related disorders. While the symptoms and treatment may differ, in each case there is overexposure to heat or the person has over exercised for his/her age and physical condition in the existing thermal environment. Heat exhaustion is caused by a loss of salt and water from the body usually through excessive sweating (SJA, 2007). Severe debilitation occurs due to extreme body heat. Excessive heat and dehydration cause the body temperature to rise above 102 degrees (Alonzo, 2003). While the causes of heat exhaustion can be many, there are various ways in which people can protect themselves from the effects of prolonged exposure to extreme heat. The symptoms of heat exhaustion include paleness, nausea, extreme fatigue, dizziness, light-headedness, or even vomiting, fainting and cool and clammy skin (Alonzo). The treatment and prevention are issues which should be known to every individual. If the victim is out in the sun, he/she should be brought out of the sun and made to lie down after loosening the clothes preferably in an air conditioned room. Wet cloth should be applied and urged to take frequent sips of water. If this causes nausea then water sips have to be discontinued. Medical attention may be required if vomiting persists. There are various ways in which the people themselves or the organizations can reduce or even prevent heat exhaustion. First and foremost the body should be allowed to acclimatize to the difference in temperature especially for those who are not used to working in hot environment (Dresser). They have to get accustomed to working in the heat which normally takes a week or two to get used to. Reducing the physical demands of the job for a week or two allows a worker to acclimatize. Cool shady environments are prerequisites for prevention of heat exhaustion. Secondly, the body has to be well hydrated and this means