Free Essays on Logical And Critical Thinking

Have you ever noticed that there are some individuals who always seem to have the best solution to any problem? If they are believers in critical thinking this may just be the case? â€Å"Critical thinking is the careful, deliberate determination of whether we should accept, reject or suspend judgment about a claim and of the degree of confidence with which we accept or reject it.† (Moore & Parker, p.6) Critical thinking is a process used to come to the most logical of conclusions to a problem. When we choose to think critically, we have decided to perform a process that will allow us to come to the most informed and logical of conclusions and not simply accept the opinions of someone else. Assumption, perception, emotion, language, argument, fallacies, and logic, are some of the processes used in critical thinking. It takes great effort and persistence for one to come to a logical conclusion. Our personal experiences and views may assist us in the decision making process, but in reality they would most likely hinder the use of logic and informative information when making decisions. To successfully implement critical thinking we must first be aware of our perceptual blocks to effectively perform our perceptual process. Perceptual Blocks â€Å"Who we are is how we think. Where and how we were raised may determine whether we are pessimists or optimists, conservatives or liberals, atheists or theists, idealists or realists. Our upbringing shapes our fears, which keep us from facing thoughts. It shapes our self-concept, which moves us to defend our thoughts. And it shapes our emotions, which can distort our thinking to an exceptional degree.† (Kirby, Goodpaster and Levine, p. 13) Whenever I am thinking, I am taping into all that formulates me into the person that I am. If I were using the processes of critical thinking correctly I would be accessing information, past experiences, beliefs, preferences,... Free Essays on Logical And Critical Thinking Free Essays on Logical And Critical Thinking Have you ever noticed that there are some individuals who always seem to have the best solution to any problem? If they are believers in critical thinking this may just be the case? â€Å"Critical thinking is the careful, deliberate determination of whether we should accept, reject or suspend judgment about a claim and of the degree of confidence with which we accept or reject it.† (Moore & Parker, p.6) Critical thinking is a process used to come to the most logical of conclusions to a problem. When we choose to think critically, we have decided to perform a process that will allow us to come to the most informed and logical of conclusions and not simply accept the opinions of someone else. Assumption, perception, emotion, language, argument, fallacies, and logic, are some of the processes used in critical thinking. It takes great effort and persistence for one to come to a logical conclusion. Our personal experiences and views may assist us in the decision making process, but in reality they would most likely hinder the use of logic and informative information when making decisions. To successfully implement critical thinking we must first be aware of our perceptual blocks to effectively perform our perceptual process. Perceptual Blocks â€Å"Who we are is how we think. Where and how we were raised may determine whether we are pessimists or optimists, conservatives or liberals, atheists or theists, idealists or realists. Our upbringing shapes our fears, which keep us from facing thoughts. It shapes our self-concept, which moves us to defend our thoughts. And it shapes our emotions, which can distort our thinking to an exceptional degree.† (Kirby, Goodpaster and Levine, p. 13) Whenever I am thinking, I am taping into all that formulates me into the person that I am. If I were using the processes of critical thinking correctly I would be accessing information, past experiences, beliefs, preferences,...

Biography of Mary, Queen of Scots

Biography of Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (December 8, 1542–February 8, 1587), was the ruler of Scotland as well as a potential claimant to the throne of England. Her tragic life included two disastrous marriages, imprisonment, and eventual execution by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England. Fast Facts: Mary, Queen of Scots Known For: Queen of Scotland and cousin to Queen Elizabeth I who eventually had Mary executedAlso Known As: Mary Stuart or Mary StewartBorn: December 8, 1542 in Linlithgow Palace, ScotlandParents: King James V and his French second wife, Mary of GuiseDied: February 8, 1587 in Fotheringhay Castle, EnglandEducation: Extensive private education including instruction in Latin, Greek, poetry and prose, horsemanship, needlework falconry, Spanish, Greek, and FrenchSpouse(s): Francis II, Dauphin of France, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney and 4th Earl of BothwellChildren: James VI of England (also James I of Scotland)Notable Quote: Marys last words are recorded as: â€Å"In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum† (â€Å"Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit†) Early Life The mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, was Mary of Guise (Mary of Lorraine) and her father was James V of Scotland, each in their second marriage. Mary was born on December 8, 1542, and her father James died on December 14, so the infant Mary became queen of Scotland when she was just a week old. James Hamilton, Duke of Arran, was made regent for Mary, Queen of Scots, and he arranged a betrothal with Prince Edward, the son of Henry VIII of England. But Marys mother, Mary of Guise, was in favor of an alliance with France instead of England, and she worked to overturn this betrothal and instead arranged for Mary to be promised in marriage to Frances dauphin, Francis. The young Mary, Queen of Scots, only 5 years old, was sent to France in 1548 to be raised as the future queen of France. She married Francis in 1558, and in July 1559, when his father Henry II died, Francis II became king and Mary became queen consort of France. Marys Claim to the English Throne Mary, Queen of Scots, also known as Mary Stuart (she took the French spelling rather than the Scottish Stewart), was the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor; Margaret was the older sister of Henry VIII of England. In the view of many Catholics, the divorce of Henry VIII from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and his marriage to Anne Boleyn were invalid, and the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth, was therefore illegitimate. Mary, Queen of Scots, in their eyes, was the rightful heir of Mary I of England, Henry VIIIs daughter by his first wife. When Mary I died in 1558, Mary, Queen of Scots, and her husband Francis asserted their right to the English crown, but the English recognized Elizabeth as the heir. Elizabeth, a Protestant, supported the Protestant Reformation in Scotland as well as in England. Mary Stuarts time as queen of France was very short. When Francis died, his mother Catherine de Medici assumed the role of regent for his brother, Charles IX. Marys mothers family, the Guise relatives, had lost their power and influence, and so Mary Stuart returned to Scotland, where she could rule in her own right as queen. Mary in Scotland In 1560, Marys mother died, in the middle of a civil war she stirred up by attempting to suppress the Protestants, including John Knox. After the death of Mary of Guise, the Catholic and Protestant nobles of Scotland signed a treaty recognizing Elizabeths right to rule in England. But Mary Stuart, returning to Scotland, managed to avoid signing or endorsing either the treaty or recognition of her cousin Elizabeth. Mary, Queen of Scots, was herself a Catholic and insisted on her freedom to practice her religion. But she did not interfere with Protestantisms role in Scottish life. John Knox, a powerful Presbyterian during Marys rule, nevertheless denounced her power and influence. Marriage to Darnley Mary, Queen of Scots, held on to hopes of claiming the English throne which she considered hers by right. She turned down Elizabeths suggestion that she marry Lord Robert Dudley, Elizabeths favorite, and be recognized as Elizabeths heir. Instead, in 1565 she married her first cousin, Lord Darnley, in a Roman Catholic ceremony. Darnley, another grandson of Margaret Tudor and heir of another family with a claim to the Scottish throne, was in the Catholic perspective the next in line to Elizabeths throne after Mary Stuart herself. Many believed that Marys match with Darnley was impetuous and unwise. Lord James Stuart, the Earl of Moray, who was Marys half-brother (his mother was King James mistress), opposed Marys marriage to Darnley. Mary personally led troops in the chase-about raid, chasing Moray and his supporters to England, outlawing them and seizing their estates. Mary vs. Darnley While Mary, Queen of Scots, was at first charmed by Darnley, their relationship soon became strained. Already pregnant by Darnley, Mary, Queen of Scots, began to place trust and friendship in her Italian secretary, David Rizzio, who in turn treated Darnley and the other Scottish nobles with contempt. On March 9, 1566, Darnley and the nobles murdered Rizzio, planning that Darnley would put Mary Stuart in prison and rule in her place. But Mary outwitted the plotters: she convinced Darnley of her commitment to him, and together they escaped. James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, who had supported her mother in her battles with the Scottish nobles, provided 2,000 soldiers, and Mary took Edinburgh from the rebels. Darnley tried to deny his role in the rebellion, but the others produced a paper that he had signed promising to restore Moray and his fellow exiles to their lands when the murder was complete. Three months after Rizzios murder, James, the son of Darnley and Mary Stuart, was born. Mary pardoned the exiles and allowed them to return to Scotland. Darnley, motivated by Marys split from him and by his expectations that the exiled nobles would hold his denial against him, threatened to create a scandal and leave Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots, was apparently by this time in love with Bothwell. The Death of Darnley- and Another Marriage Mary Stuart explored ways to escape from her marriage. Bothwell and the nobles assured her that they would find a way for her to do so. Months later, on February 10, 1567, Darnley was staying at a house in Edinburgh, possibly recovering from smallpox. He awakened to an explosion and fire. The bodies of Darnley and his page were found in the garden of the house, strangled. The public blamed Bothwell for the death of Darnley. Bothwell faced charges at a private trial where no witnesses were called. He told others that Mary had agreed to marry him, and he got the other nobles to sign a paper asking her to do so. Immediate marriage, however, would violate any number of etiquette and legal rules. Bothwell was already married, and Mary would be expected to formally mourn her late husband Darnley for a few months at least. Before the official period of mourning was complete, Bothwell kidnapped Mary; many suspected that the event occurred with her cooperation. His wife divorced him for infidelity. Mary Stuart announced that, despite her kidnapping, she trusted Bothwells loyalty and would agree with the nobles who urged her to marry him. Under threat of being hanged, a minister published the banns, and Bothwell and Mary were married on Mary 15, 1567. Mary, Queen of Scots, subsequently attempted to give Bothwell more authority, but this was met with outrage. Letters (whose authenticity is questioned by some historians) were found tying Mary and Bothwell to Darnleys murder. Fleeing to England Mary abdicated the throne of Scotland, making her year-old son James VI, King of Scotland. Moray was appointed regent. Mary Stuart later repudiated the abdication and attempted to regain her power by force, but in May 1568, her forces were defeated. She was forced to flee to England, where she asked her cousin Elizabeth for vindication. Elizabeth deftly dealt with the charges against Mary and Moray: she found Mary not guilty of murder and Moray not guilty of treason. She recognized Morays regency, and she did not allow Mary Stuart to leave England. For nearly 20 years, Mary, Queen of Scots, remained in England, plotting to free herself, to assassinate Elizabeth, and to gain the crown with the help of an invading Spanish army. Three separate conspiracies were launched, discovered, and squelched. Death In 1586, Mary, Queen of Scots, was brought to trial on charges of treason in Fotheringay castle. She was found guilty and, three months later, Elizabeth signed the death warrant. Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed by beheading on February 8, 1587. Legacy The story of Mary, Queen of Scots, is still well known more than 400 years after her death. But while her life story is fascinating, her most significant legacy resulted from the birth of her son, James VI. James made it possible for the Stuart line to continue, and for Scotland, Ireland, and England to unite through the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Famous Quotes The best-known quotations from Mary, Queen of Scots, relate to her trial and execution. To those who stood in judgment of her relative to accusations of plotting against Elizabeth: Look to your consciences and remember that the theatre of the whole world is wider than the kingdom of England.To those executing her: I forgive you with all my heart, for now, I hope, you shall make an end of all my troubles.Last words, prior to beheading: In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum (Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit). Sources Castelow, Ellen. Biography of Mary, Queen of Scots. Historic UK.Guy, John. Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart. Houghton Mifflin: New York. April 2004.â€Å"Queens Regnant: Mary, Queen of Scots - In My End Is My Beginning.† History of Royal Women, 19 Mar. 2017

A New Empirical Model for Predicting the Sound Absorption of Polyfelt Article

A New Empirical Model for Predicting the Sound Absorption of Polyfelt Fibrous Materials for Acoustical Applications - Article Example Empirical models do not require detailed knowledge of the internal structure of the material nor are they derived from theoretical considerations. Delany and Bazley [1] showed that the values of the characteristic acoustic impedance and propagation coefficient for a range of fibrous materials, normalized as a function of frequency divided by flow resistivity could be presented as simple power law functions. Model for Impedance The model is based on numerous impedance tube measurements and is good for determining the bulk acoustic properties at frequencies higher than 250 Hz, but not at low frequencies [2,3]. The validity of this model for lower and higher frequencies was further extended by Bies and Hansen [4].Dunn and Davern [5] calculated new regression coefficients between characteristic acoustic impedance and propagation coefficient for low airflow resistivity values of polyurethane foams and multilayer absorbers. To that effect, engineers can obtain the absorption coefficient of sound at normal incidence by using the equation below: ZR = P0 * C0 (1 + C1 ((P0f)/r)-c2) The final model which comes as a derivative of the first model is Zt = (ZR + iZl)[coth(a + iB) * l] Zt = ZIR + iZIl Qunli [6] later extended this work to cover a wider range of flow resistivity values by considering porous plastic open-cell foams.Miki [7, 8] generalized the empirical models developed by Delany and Bazley for the characteristics acoustic impedance and propagation coefficient of porous materials with respect to the porosity, tortuosity, and the pore shape factor ratio. Moreover, he showed that the real part of surface impedance computed by the Delany’s model converges to negative values at low frequencies. Therefore, he modified the model to give it real positive values even in wider frequency ranges. Other empirical models include those of Allard and Champoux [9]. These models are based on the assumption that the thermal effects are dependent on frequency. The models wor k well for low frequencies. The Voronina model [10] is another simple model that is based on the porosity of a material. This model uses the average pore diameter, frequency and porosity of the material for defining the acoustical characteristics of the material. Voronina [11] further extended the empirical model developed for porous materials with rigid frame and high porosity, and compared it with that of Attenborough's theory. A significant agreement was found between their empirical model and Attenborough's theoretical model. Recently, Gardner et al. [12] implemented a specific empirical model using neural networks for polyurethane foams with easily measured airflow resistivity. The algorithm embedded in the neural networks substitutes the usual power-law relations. The phenomenological models are based on the essential physics of acoustic propagation in a porous medium such as their universal features and how these can be captured in a model [13]. Biot [14] established the theo retical explanation of saturated porous materials as equivalent homogeneous materials. His model is believed to be the most accurate and detailed description till now. Among the significant refinement made to Biot theory, Johnson et al. [15] gave an interpolation formula for â€Å"Dynamic tortuosity† of the medium based on limiting behavior at zero and infinite frequency. The dynamic tortuosity employed by Johnson et al. is equivalent to the structure factor introduced by Zwikker and Kosten [16] and therefore

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Marketing Research - Essay Example Consumer psychology being used as a factor to charge a high price is a strategy known as premium pricing. It might be assumed that this kind of strategy would be used to skim the market and take as much profits as possible and finally will have to be abandoned. This hypothesis is, however, incorrect to assume. As Smith (1997) alludes, premium pricing strategy might not simply aim to skim the market rather to maintain a high priced brand value without straining the consumer to an extent leveled with the skimming strategy. If the company prices its wines at a price much higher than the actual cost, but keeps it within affordable limits of the targeted market segment, the product is likely to establish a significant brand value. Brand value, however, is dependant on the kind of advertisement that has been done and the branding cost to establish the product while pricing itself is an independent variable as the actual costs of the product are not a deciding factor. Brand value in the example research were measured by mere exhibition of cost to the sampling participants. The assumption of a better reputation and taste based on the cost confirms the premium pricing method for the product to be an effective technique that utilized the expectation of the participants from a high priced wine to be better in taste as per Emmerich’s (2005) research. Other variables, as Emmerich (2005) states, that could affect the results of such a strategy include competitive forces; competitors will have the advantage to sell their products at lower prices and continuously challenge the price of the product. Researches could have measured comparison with competitive brands as an additional variable. An experiment to test this will require each participant to test and sample the wine qualitatively only knowing the tagged prices and not the actual prices. The given example employed a simple random sample of 20 participants, in a

How a Christian might apply their beliefs Essay Example for Free

How a Christian might apply their beliefs Essay In this, my second piece of coursework I will be looking at how a Christian might apply the beliefs that I just outlined in A01 and will refer to specific situations of conflict to illustrate this. A Christian could apply the beliefs I recently mentioned in A01 through all different means. The most recent event of late to do with war conflict is the Iraq war. Saddam Hussian we were told and could see was not a particularly pleasant man. I heard in papers and through television what he was doing to people and how he treated them. As Christians then in one point of view from the Sermon on the Mount we should forgive this man for his wrong doings and let him repent his own sins. This belief of forgiveness decelerates that should he recognise his wrongs and change his behaviour he could then be forgiven of his previous sins. Unfortunately Saddam was tolerant of the pain and suffering caused under his regime and unwilling to recognise a need to change his behaviour. However once captured Saddam was not subjected to the torture that he imposed but treated in a Christian and humane manner. Though as the passage states we should still maintain our Christian values and be forgiving, `to turn the other cheek`. An issue closer to home regarding conflict and Christianity is the fighting in Northern Ireland regarding the Catholics and Protestants. The two communities are constantly at war with one another over their faiths and in doing so are abandoning the core values of their religions. These two sets of people are following the `eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth`, way of dealing with their problems and issues, which has proven itself through twenty years of conflict to be ineffective and destructive. As again the passage from the Sermon on the Mount comes into effect and the two sides should realise that when a person of one side is killed they should not seek revenge and to kill, but to `live and let live`. Then this may result in an end to the violence and tragedies that are so often occurring. In the other effect towards Saddam Hussian issues we as Christians could most notice the quote of `An eye for and eye and a tooth for tooth`, from the Old Testament and do to Saddam the horrific things that we hear of him doing. Not many Christians, today I believe see this way of dealing with things. More to the point would not be really able as out generation of law and order would just not allow it. When people saw Saddam Hussian damaging an empire and country most I would have believed that they were angry and human instinct gets the better of belief. It is a natural feeling to become angry and upset with something or somebody. And this combining with believing that it is right to acknowledge the passage from the Old Testament results in terrible effects to peoples lives. Also this relates to the Wars going on around Northern Ireland. The two religions are constantly battling each other. We have seen the results of this situation and there is no justice to the trauma and deaths that are carried out.

Characterization in The Glass Menagerie Essay -- Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie makes use of the characters to not only show a story but to also tell a story. Characterization is how characters are represented and the ways in which this is accomplished, such as, how an author limits one’s responses, questions or observations, for instance. An author may also characterize a character through his or her gestures or speeches. The idea of characterization and how one character’s actions may enlighten audiences to issues surrounding another character is brilliantly illustrated by Williams in his The Glass Menagerie. On the surface of the play the issues present seem to be rooted in the fact that Laura is â€Å"crippled† and unwed, however, upon further examination it is seen that there are other deeper issues. Williams writes in his production notes that this is a â€Å"memory play† (1041). What is interesting about The Glass Menagerie is the point of whose memory the audience is exposed to. Tom acts as the protagonist because it is his memory that audiences must trust, as the narrator in addition to being the man of the house in the absence of his father. As the play progresses we see the relationship and conversations between Tom and his mother Amanda. In this we see Amanda’s character (not the actor) as overbearing, fantastical and controlling. Upon further assessment of Amanda’s character audiences may concede to the fact that she is these things while acknowledging a more admirable facet to her character. As pointed out in a lecture by Dr. Pearl McHaney there are lines in the play in which it is evident that Amanda is trying to love her children. For example, in Scene four during a conversation between Amanda and Tom, Amanda confides, â€Å"I’ve never told yo... ...point in that the title of the play is The Glass Menagerie. This title does present different ideas and themes such as, the idea of the family being so fragile. The menagerie is beautiful on the outside but easily broken much like the family. They have hidden secrets and fears. However, when one examines the story through a lens focused on characterization and how each character is depicted a conclusion may be drawn that the title serves as a hint for audiences to pay closer attention to Laura as she is the one most closely connected to the menagerie. Works Cited McHaney, Pearl A. Lecture on The Glass Menagerie. Engl 3860-American Drama. Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. 20 June 2006. Williams, Tennessee.   The Glass Menagerie. 1945.   The Bedford Introduction to Drama. 5th ed.   Lee A. Jacobus, ed.   Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005.   1041-1069.

Macbeth: a Dead Butcher

Parker Durham Far From a Dead Butcher â€Å"Producing forth the cruel ministers of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Malcolm spoke these words in the closing lines of the play shortly after Macbeth was killed by Macduff. While it is true that Macbeth could be characterized as a â€Å"dead butcher,† I do not believe those two words do justice in describing the person Macbeth truly is. While Macbeth commits atrocious acts of violence and murder, he did not do so without feeling regret and remorse.In Act II, Scene II, we see how Macbeth regrets slaying his king almost immediately after he pulls his dagger from Duncan’s body. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that so great was his guilt that he could not utter â€Å"amen† when he heard â€Å"God bless us† come from a nearby room. As humans, we all make mistakes. Usually, a single or even multiple mistakes do not define our lives. However, in Macbeth’s case, his mistake was so severe tha t it would ultimately lead to the loss of everything he loved.Killing Duncan would nullify all the good things Macbeth accomplished in his lifetime. Instead of being remembered as the valiant leader he was, he was remembered as a murderous fiend. One committing an act as foul as Macbeth’s would make one’s peers quickly forget about all of that person’s previous accomplishments and honors. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is respected and revered by his fellow officers and countrymen.So great were his accomplishments in the Scottish war against Norway that King Duncan awarded Macbeth the title of the Thane of Cawdor (Act I Scene II). After this appointment, Macbeth held the titles of both Thane of Cawdor and Thane of Glamis. He was the most noble of all the noble, so much that the king himself visited his home. He forfeited all of this due to his moral ambivalence and greed. Ambition is a good character trait to possess. However, Macbeth’s ambition wa s so unbridled that it caused him to lose his peace of mind, his friends, and his honor.Macbeth had everything men envy and was far from a â€Å"dead butcher,† but due to one decision, his whole reputation and character were tarnished. Macbeth himself said it best in Act V, Scene III, when he said, â€Å"Is fall’n into the sear, the yellow leaf; and that which should accompany old age, as honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have; but, in their stead, curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, which the poor hear would fain deny, and dare not. †

Opportunity to make this film Essay

â€Å"Let him have it, Chris† are the words used by Derek. The audience could interpret this statement in two different ways – as an instruction to shoot or as a request to hand the weapon over. The audience is led to believe that Bentley meant the latter, but Craig interprets the line in the first way. He fires at the detective, wounding him in the shoulder. The impulsive movement of the camera and the unmistakeable sound of a gunshot are both used, with great effect, to scandalize the audience. The detective then retreats for cover, verbally and physically abusing Derek, â€Å"Have you got a fucking gun, too, eh? † He pushes him hard against the wall using his own body as a ram. This may have been to increase his levels of cover, reducing a possible target, but the audience think of it as intimidating Derek. The detective then proceeds to caution Bentley, but groans with pain before he can finish. He then finds the knuckle duster Bentley is carrying, a present from Craig. He seems to blame Bentley, forcing him against the wall, causing the audience to feel sorry for him even though what he has done is clearly wrong. The next scene is showing Craig reloading his weapon behind an access point to the roof. After each round he loads into the magazine, a police officer is shown in a police station being handed a gun before running out of shot. This gives the viewers the impression that each round in Craig’s weapon is meant for that particular officer. This again makes the audience feel that he’s there to kill, not just to get away, condemning him as some sort of maniac. The next thing shown is Chris firing randomly into the air as he moves closer to the camera. It shows him as being much more confident than before, as though this event was his rite of passage, his destiny. His teeth are clenched, ready for war and he wears a crazy smile, as though he is indeed insane. This confidence is not shared by Bentley, however, who is shown to be scared and worried. Later on, the same actions are taking place but as Craig walks amongst the skylights on the roof they light up, signifying that police were now inside the building. Police are shown to be in the very stairwell that Derek and the DC are hiding behind. An officer approaches the door, but before he can open it, another says â€Å"Here, let me†. This is ironic as the next sequence of events will show. The colour inside this tiny room is once again gold, annotating these characters as friendly. As the first officer jumps out from the door to join up with his colleague he is immediately shot by Craig. As this happens, the speed of the film slows, showing you the full gore of the fall the policeman has to take. The music then turns low as if to say ‘that wasn’t a good idea†¦ ‘. As DC Fairfax runs inside shouting â€Å"Get me a fucking gun†, Derek wanders to the body. The camera then switches to a different shot, this one as though the audience are in Derek’s head. The camera tentatively swoops from normal eye level to the body and then back up. He then gazes back at Craig, muttering â€Å"You shot him†. â€Å"Stay back†. At this point the audience does know that Craig has turned into a maniac, rejecting one of his friends. Two officers then grab Derek and use him as a shield to retreat back to the stairs. This makes Bentley appear as just a tool rather than a person, the police regarding him as a means to an end rather that an end in itself. â€Å"You bastard† uttered a police officer lingering in the stairwell as the two grasped him in a head – lock. Now the door was open the colour inside the building had changed, or been infected with the chilling blue. Because of that the police had changed from someone the audience could trust into someone to be wary of. Meanwhile, Craig continues to fire randomly into the air, shouting abuse at the people present, â€Å"You ain’t getting up here that way copper†, â€Å"Come on then, I’m only sixteen†. This action shows the audience his insanity and the amount of courage he has because this statement makes the audience believe that he feels he can take on the world. Eventually DC Fairfax re-emerges with a revolver too. He bides his time, waiting behind the cover of the stairwell. After a burst of fire, the audience hear a click. It is clear to all but Craig what this means. Fairfax advances, into no – man’s land, ready to face off his opponent. â€Å"Stay back†, says Chris, pointing the gun at the detective. But he continues to advance. Click. Click, Click. Craig’s out of ammunition. He begins to step backwards, away from Fairfax. In a desperate attempt to end it, Craig turns the gun on himself and pulls the trigger, braced for impact. Click Click Click. He now begins to whimper, Fairfax pushing him further and further away. In a last – ditch attempt, Craig summersaults from the roof onto a nearby greenhouse. The siege had ended. Throughout the whole of the scene, chilling blue was used to amplify the feeling of dread the audience are already feeling. This case is well publicised in all types of media, although not all sources sympathise with Derek. The Daily mail, the best selling newspaper at the time, printed a highly sensationalised and inaccurate report which claims Craig was in possession of a sten gun, a fully automatic weapon of devastating proportions. After the â€Å"battle† they report a heroic chase of the gunmen, over rooftops and down fire escapes. This relates to the film well, as this is biased, but on the part of the police, a normal response to murder. Another curious aspect of the investigation is whether Bentley actually even said the words that eventually killed him. During the trial, Craig denied the words were said. One police officer confirmed this in his statement, writing, â€Å"I did not write it down because I did not hear it. I did not hear it down because it was not said†. Claude Pain’s statement was later lost by police. Controversy still shrouds this topic, and, indeed, the whole court case’s truth. It has been suggested in the book ‘Let Him Have It, Chris’ by M. J. Trow that the words that hung Bentley may have been ‘borrowed’ from the case of Rex V. Appleby who was hung for inciting his accomplice to kill a policeman by shouting â€Å"Let him have it, he is all alone†. Did the police believe what had hung Appleby would hang Bentley? These statements point out yet more bias acts to swing the trial in favour of the police. It seems that there is much biased activity within the real life events as well as the film. While the director has chosen that the character should say these words, he has ignored the fact the police constable killed on the roof, Sydney Miles, was a father of two. This may have been omitted so as not to prevent the audience feeling sympathy towards Derek and even some sympathy towards Chris. The next scene is after the court case and the sentence has been passed. The family has campaigned Bentley’s innocence and found many to believe this too. The trial, too, has been uncovered as a sham. It is discovered that Derek has the mental age of eleven and should never have been tried. Victory seems almost certain for the Bentley’s, but their pleas for a pardon have been rejected. Many feel this an injustice. The scene starts with Derek’s father walking out, into his street, and looking around in despair. Although this action is shown for a mere two seconds, if that, a lot can be deduced. His pace is slow, his face pensive. As he walks out, the postman greets him with just one letter, a great deal less than days before. The camera zooms out, to reveal the street empty. This creates a sense of solace, that no-one is there to support the family. The roads are lined with decaying leaves, a sign that Derek is missed, for it was his job to clear them up. Their position is important, too. They are all in the gutter, suggesting that the father, like the leaves, is in the gutter too. The leaves are also dying, a subliminal message of what’s to come. The next event is the constant switching of shot from the cell of Derek to the family’s sitting room with them all gathered round, supporting each other. Nothing happens during these scenes, but the family is shown expressing their emotions. The use of this technique shows a direct link between them and Derek. Once again, Derek, or at least his face, is bathed in an almost angelic light. Close ups of everyone’s faces are used to convey just how much emotion he family are feeling. This technique also causes the audience to feel their sadness with the family, as though they were a member of that family. The section following that is of Bentley sitting down, crouched forward, over himself like an animal trying to protect itself. The vicar is reciting the Lord’s Prayer and Derek is saying as much as he can. This action suggests he now has no-one that can help him but God. He has stopped denying the inevitable and has accepted it. Gold is the predominant colour in this scene, warming the characters involved as though they are saints. The prayer is also what was said by the little girl before she spots Craig and Bentley climbing over the gates of the factory. This provides a waypoint in the film the audience can revisit, as though to say â€Å"What if†¦? † The family is shown in the living room once again, but this time from above. This effect makes it feel like Derek is looking down at them, as though already dead. It tell the audience that there is only one future for Derek. This reciting is interrupted, however, by the guard telling him it’s time in a more forceful way. As soon as the door is flung open, the colour inside the room is changed by that of the outside. It is now dark and blue once more, suggesting, quite rightly, that the mood inside the cell has changed. The ensuing action is very rapid, providing a harsh contrast between the relaxed readings of the vicar and the short, sharp officials. The first line said is â€Å"Here, drink this†. Once Derek has drunk the liquid the camera acts, once again, like the audience are looking at the events through Derek’s perspective. This rapid series of events gives the audience an impression of force, that Derek is being pushed into something that should never have happened. The camera cuts to Derek’s supporters outside the prison, showing he audience that even the general public believe what will happen is wrong, reinforcing the audience’s belief. The camera shows the crowd and then pans upward, showing the large towers of the prison. This is to show that the government is more far powerful than the people below. The coat of arms lies on the wall, meant to signify justice. The audience are now mentally branding everyone running the prison as evil. The scene shows that everyone is behind Derek, and makes the viewers ask why? Why did this happen? The camera shows Derek being led to the gallows, between two lines of executioners. The camera pans around these lines, showing, once again, the full might of authority. It makes the audience as well as Bentley feel as though there is no way out, no going back. Derek is taken into the execution room, blindfolded and hung. Once the blindfold is added, the music stops and now all the audience can hear is Derek’s loud breathing. This creates a sense of apprehension, like they don’t want to see what is about to happen. The action is once again very rapid, like the executioners don’t even want to be there. The room is dark and has no source of light apart from a small window. As the execution is completed, Derek’s shoes are shown falling off his feet and hitting the floor. There is now a lingering shot of them. They symbolise Derek, in a way. They give the impression that this is all that is left of him. They also highlight his mental age once more as they aren’t tied. After Derek is killed, the camera flies up, out of the room and returns to the family. This could be his spirit, flying away and returning to his home and family once more. As this takes place, there is no music, just the scared and agitated breathing of Derek. As the spirit enters the home, the audience can see the colours have changed. What was once lit with gold and yellow is now illuminated using the same chilling blue of that fateful night. This signifies that the mood inside the house has changed from warm and welcoming to cold and unforgiving. The family are shown crying on each other’s shoulders and the camera pans round the room to the clock, which is now the only thing audible over the crying. As the whimpers grow louder, the clock stops. This signifies that time has run out for Derek. As the credits begin to roll, the crying is faded out and silence follows. Medak has used every tool at his disposal to promote sympathy for Bentley and his family. The lighting is dark and harsh when showing characters that bring Derek down, while those that are friendly towards him are lit using gold and yellow. The music is repetitive and unforgiving, creating links to previous scenes it the audience’s mind. Often there are large gaps with no music whatsoever to emphasize the action taking place. The camera often switches from a third person view to the action as though it were Derek to show the audience exactly what he can see. The camera also persists in showing the audience of Derek’s suffering. The dialogue of many other characters involves swearing regularly, but not in the case of Derek or his family. They are shown to be as near angelic as humanly possible. Derek’s dialogue is childlike and predictable, another method of showing the audience his mental age. The director has achieved his goal tremendously well. The director, in my view, has strayed from the truth very little, but has neglected to include certain aspects of the story altogether to promote sympathy for Bentley and his family. The film is, indeed biased, and that is clear in the audiences mind as the film ends, but then, most people, having been given the opportunity to make this film, would have produced it as biased.

The Cone Gatherers by Robin Jenkins essays

The Cone Gatherers by Robin Jenkins essays The Cone Gatherers written by Robin Jenkins covers many topics. The two topics I shall mainly focus on are the eventual insanity of Duror the gamekeeper and also his evil towards Calum and Neil, the two cone gatherers. As I read the book, I discovered that Duror was an evil and disturbed human being who was driven to insanity by his hate towards the cone-gatherers. The evil inside Duror is the books focus, although other themes appear throughout the book. Evil is described in Chapter 8 as a presence like air, infecting everyone. From the start of the book, Durors cold evil is made very clear. Duror the gamekeeper, in an icy sweat of hatred. This is referring to one of the opening images when Calum, who loves everything about nature, bends over to pity a poor rabbit caught in the gamekeepers trap. It says that Duror keeps his gun targeting the hunchback whilst Calum is bent over. Durors hate for Calum I assume, is because Calum is happy. Jealousy is apparent when he realises that although Calum is a hunchback, he is happy and loves everything about nature. Whereas, Durors marriage is not the happiest because his wife is ill and has to be helped to do everything. In Chapter 2, Duror says that he wishes that he was Calum with a hunched-back and hellishly beautiful face and idiots mind. He feels that if he could cleanse the wood of his defiling presence, he would be all right and he would be happy again to see that no one lesser than him, was happier than him. I feel that Durors hate for the cone-gatherers deepens and becomes more complicated. I think that Duror feels that because the cone-gatherers are his inferior, they should not be happy if he isnt happy. Although he isnt technically their boss, he wants to feel power over them and this is the only way he can get the feeling of power he craves for so much. To try to sati...

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