In the Realm of the Queen of the North Reading between the Lines of Erin Robinsons Work

It is hard to nail down what exactly makes dark stories so appealing to the general audience. Whether it is the fact that the author leads the reader beyond the boundaries of the socially acceptable or makes a cautious warming about the threats that await for the reader in the craziest of all the crazy worlds, the weird charm of â€Å"dark† stories magically works, and Edin Robinson’s â€Å"The Queen of the North† is a graphic example of that.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on In the Realm of the Queen of the North: Reading between the Lines of Erin Robinson’s Work specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A very dark parable about a young teenage girl who had her fill of suffer, â€Å"The Queen of the North† offers a journey into the mind of the victim who managed to fight her own way to finding her own identity and leaving the tragic past behind. Among the issues that immediat ely drive the reader’s attention, the scene where Jimmy finds the gift and tries to take his revenge on Josh on Karaoke’s behalf (Robinson) must be the most tension-filled elements in the whole story. As a matter of fact, the vengeance thread in the story disrupts the atmosphere of desperate, yet accepting state that Karaoke is in. Though one might think that the given thread is included into the fabric of the story to restore the balance between the good and the evil and introduce the idea of a noble vigilante, the actual meaning of the given scene is much more prosaic. Succumbing to the cruelty of the world around her, Karaoke is dragged to share the same ideas of morality as her offenders have. Thus, the picture of despair is complete – even the victim is unable to escape the vicious circle of meanness. At the same time, the fact that Karaoke and Jimmy succumb to the meanness of their environment means that they finally become accountable of their actions and are ready to take decisive steps. The above-mentioned turns the story into a farewell to the childlike innocence that the lead character used to have and signifies her maturity and readiness to enter the world of adult life. Among the specifics of the Queen of the North, the fact that Robinson put Karaoke’s life track in the context of history is rather peculiar. Helping Robinson allude not only to certain issues, such as feminist or anti-colonial movement, but also to exact instances of violation of people’s rights, the historical context serves its purpose perfectly in the book.Advertising Looking for critical writing on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The novel renders the numerous aspects of feminism as much as it explores the gloominess and loneliness of being a teenager. Karaoke is, perhaps, one of the few female teenage characters that are neither taken for granted, nor introduced i nto the novel as a token girl and a damsel in distress. The story is told from the perspective of the lead character, and even the title of the novel points to Karaoke and her life track. At this point, the reader starts understanding that the scenes of violence in the book were actually added not for the sake of raising shock values, but for the sake of showing the audience the reverse side of chauvinist world. Finally, the issue of anti-colonialism should be addressed. Though voiced in a much more subtle way than the feminist ideas and having considerably less emphasis on it, the problem of colonialism is also considered in the novel. On a more subtle level, the idea of colonialism as a completely pointless practice that was bound to wear its welcome very early is expressed through the liberation of the main character. As it has been mentioned above, getting rid of her naivety, Karaoke finally learns to take account of her actions and make mistakes. The given transformation makes Karaoke a symbol of the victim of colonialism that was finally liberated. However, even incorporating the elements of feminism and hope into her work, Robinson still does not let the reader shake the weird feeling of despair off the shoulders; in the chosen settings and with the chosen life story to tell, there is no wonder that the reader feels dismay. Absorbing the bitter experiences that the humankind had to go through over the past few decades, including the new wave of feminism that has helped women win over several positions, yet did not lead to any cultural revolution; the effects of colonization and the hopes that went astray as soon as the colonization showed its negative side; and the relations of power, which proved another bubble to burst, the story leaves a lot of food for thought and even more questions to be answered. Erin Robinson has shown the reader the dark side of life, leaving no room for naà ¯ve delights. However, the darkness pays off; knowing the enemy means winning half the battle, and Erin Robinson knows it. The Queen of North still keeps hear head high, which means that not all hope has been lost.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on In the Realm of the Queen of the North: Reading between the Lines of Erin Robinson’s Work specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Robinson, Erin. â€Å"Queen of the North.† Traplines. Toronto, CA: Knopf Canada, 2011. 207–208. Print. This critical writing on In the Realm of the Queen of the North: Reading between the Lines of Erin Robinson’s Work was written and submitted by user Jorge Winters to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The 7 Biggest Social Media Mistakes

The 7 Biggest Social Media Mistakes Social media can be an incredibly valuable tool for you professionally, either for networking or in a  job search. It can also derail your best and most professional efforts by giving a potential employer the wrong impression of you at the worst possible time with these 7 biggest social media mistakes. Here are 7 common social media mistakes you should avoid.1. Inappropriate photosEasiest step: make all of your photos private. More nuanced step: go through and take down any pictures of you high, or partying, or wielding a gun, or wearing an offensive t-shirt, or making an obscene gesture, etc. Sit down with your profile and try to view it as if you were a very conservative professional recruiter. If you cringe, take it down. If it’s even just iffy, take it down.2. DiscriminationNo matter what your personal views, never ever ever post things which discriminate against any person or group on the basis of sex, gender, color, religion, etc., etc. No one will hire you if they thi nk you’re a bigot.3. Badmouthing your current employerâ€Å"Ugh work today sucks #fml† (or equivalent). If a recruiter sees you complaining about your job, your coworkers, or your boss†¦ forget about it. Save those complaints for happy hour with your out-of-work friends.4. Posting during work hoursThis might seem nit-picky, but recruiters might look at the time stamps of your posts. If you’re posting during work hours, they’ll take note. Stick to after hours and weekends for your social media sharing.5. Being a social media ghostConversely, recruiters might just be plain weirded out if you don’t have any social media presence. At very least, make sure you have a LinkedIn profile that’s searchable and recognizable as yours.6. Friending your interviewersJust because your interviewer is being super friendly and you have tons in common, resist the temptation to follow or friend them. This crosses unwritten boundaries and can make people su per uncomfortable. Wait until you get the job.7. Rehashing your interview  onlineOnce you’ve had your interview, resist the urge to post about how well/awful/catastrophic/fantastically it went. Chances are, they’ll see it and it won’t reflect favorably on you.

Will There be Peace in the Middle East essays

Will There be Peace in the Middle East essays Imagine going to sleep every night not knowing if you were going to wake up the next morning. This is what the Israel and the Palestine citizens have to think about every day before they go to sleep. This problem has been going on with Israel and Palestine for the past fifty years. They have been fighting over land they both believe is their holy land. They have tried splitting the land equally in half but both the leaders want it all. So the main cause of them still fighting is both the leaders are being stubborn. I have been studying this situation for the past fifty years I have been working with the CIA. The most recent attack happened last week where a Palestinian suicide bomber went to Rishon Letzion and killed more than fifteen people (CNN). In retaliation to the attacks of last week Israel positioned their tanks on the border of Palestine. This conflict is occurring because of a 50 year problem over religious land. Every day the citizens of these countries have to live their lives in fear wondering if there was an attack planned for that day against their community. For the past fifty years both Israel and Palestine have been competing to see which country will wave the white flag and give up the land. Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled Tel Aviv's Rabin Square Saturday in a massive peace rally to urge Israeli forces to pullout of Palestinian territories for Israel's sake.(CNN) Israel has pulled into Gaza with tanks and it look like that there will be an attack in retaliation to last week where a Palestinian suicide bomber killed more than 15 people. Israel has stalled since Saturday not knowing if they are going to attack. This 17-month-old cycle of killing in Israel and its occupied territories has become a death spiral from which there seems to be no escape. More than fifty people died in a three-day exchange of suicide attacks and air strikes that left even hardened veterans of the Israeli-Palestini...

Biography of John Garang de Mabior, Sudanese Rebel

Biography of John Garang de Mabior, Sudanese Rebel Colonel John Garang de Mabior was a Sudanese rebel leader, founder of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) which fought a 22-year civil war against the northern-dominated, Islamist Sudanese Government. He was made vice president of Sudan on the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, shortly before his death. Date of Birth:  June 23, 1945, Wangkulei, Anglo-Egyptian SudanDate ofDeath:  July 30, 2005, Southern Sudan Early Life John Garang was born into the Dinka ethnic group, educated in Tanzania and graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa in 1969. He returned to The Sudan and joined the Sudanese army, but left the following year for the south and joined the Anya Nya, a rebel group fighting for the rights of the Christian and animist south, in a country which was dominated by the Islamist north. The rebellion, which was sparked by the decision made by the colonial British to join the two parts of Sudan when independence was granted in 1956, became a full-blown civil war in the early 1960s. 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement In 1972 the Sudanese president, Jaafar Muhammad an-Numeiry, and Joseph Lagu, leader of the Anya Nya, signed the Addis Ababa Agreement which gave autonomy to the south. Rebel fighters, including John Garang, were absorbed into the Sudanese army. Garang was promoted to Colonel and sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, USA, for training. He also received a doctorate in agricultural economics from Iowa State University in 1981. On his return to the Sudan, he was made deputy director of military research and an infantry battalion commander. Second Sudanese Civil War By the early 1980s, the Sudanese government was becoming increasingly Islamist. These measures included the introduction of  Sharia law throughout Sudan, an imposition of black slavery by northern Arabs, and Arabic being made the official language of instruction. When Garang was sent south to quell a new uprising by the Anya Nya, he instead swapped sides and formed the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) and their military wing the SPLA. 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement In 2002 Garang began peace talks with Sudanese president Omar al-Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir, which culminated in the signing of the  Comprehensive Peace Agreement on January 9, 2005. As part of the agreement, Garang was made vice president of Sudan. The peace agreement was supported by establishing a United Nations Mission in Sudan. U.S. President George W. Bush expressed hope that Garang would be a promising leader as the U.S. supported South Sudanese independence. While Garang often expressed Marxist principles, he was also a Christian. Death Only a few months after the peace agreement, on July 30, 2005, a helicopter carrying Garang back from talks with the president of Uganda crashed in the mountains near the border. Although both Al-Bashirs government and Salva Kiir Mayardit, the new leader of the SPLM, blamed the crash on poor visibility, doubts remain about the crash. His legacy is that he is considered to be a very influential figure in the history of South Sudan.

Economic Force that Have Shaped the Development of this Country Essay

Economic Force that Have Shaped the Development of this Country - Essay Example Scare resources have contributed to the unfavorable living conditions in Jamestown in 1607. Famine had greatly reduced the population of settlers over the course of a few years. In 1620, the search for a more favorable location led other immigrants to a New England coastal site they called Plymouth. Though severe weather had caused casualties, some were able to survive and in 1621, they reaped the village’s first harvest. This subsistence economy shaped the development of the first immigrant settlements in British America. Several years later, with the development of proprietary colonies south of New England, a new economic force began to shape the settlements. In Carolina, the effect of dissimilar production approach showed different economic results. The southern part of the colony focused on cultivating the highly profitable rice. They managed huge crop plantations with the help of black slaves. The economic condition in the north, where tobacco was cultivated in small plantations, was less prosperous. During the 1700s, London imparted a blow to the budding economy of the colonies. From 1764, British taxes were imposed on goods imported by British America. These taxation policies affected imports of sugar, wine, and textile (Sugar Act of 1764), newspapers and legal papers (1765’s Stamp Act), and paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea (Townshend Acts of 1767). The colonies responded by boycotting British goods, and this led to the growing political tension between London and British America. During the early years of the independent America, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison advocated economic policies to improve the condition and overall well-being of the country. These policies exemplified an agrarian model of commercial society (Henretta, 1995). While the system allowed the farmers to manage the productive sources, it left them with the

Internet Companies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Internet Companies - Case Study Example It has accorded both parties with increased cost-efficiency and has allowed greater expansion of business scope (PC Week, 1999). By means of more dovetailed customer centric approaches, competitive advantage has been redefined. For instance, data from consumers are being garnered by online vendors to be able to more effectively cater to their needs. The substantial information permits these entities to design high impact promotional strategies. E-trading has been effectual in leveraging on price (Munk, 1999). The notable availability and the ease of e-trading have been the features that lead to its acceptance and increasing popularity. Moreover, this suggests being very cost-efficient, obviating the need for overhead attributed to rent and labor. Cutthroat competition in brick and mortar businesses and the big fixed expenses have welcomed online trading (PC Week, 1999). The wide range of offerings in both products and service are welcomed and has won the loyalty of customers. The information that they have garnered from consumers online have also allowed sellers to optimize on cost. Another benefit has been the fact that it permits them to save much time (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). It is for these reasons that sellers have seriously considered setting up online stores, resulting in the establishment of cybershops and many more of this kind (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). ... These entities are involved with software, printed news, magazines, music, and film. Varied industries have also gone into the online retailing bandwagon in lieu of these benefits (Leong, 1999). The current study aims to describe the promotion and marketing differentiators of online companies that are utilized by online vendors which the consumers patronize. The following sub problems shall be addressed in the research: 1) What are the drivers of carrying out an online purchase' 2) How do consumers assess online sellers with which they have dealt with in terms of the following strategies: a) Ease of clicking a button rather than dialing a website number b) Varied products c) Wide market networks and synergistic partnerships d) Selling more digital instead of physical offerings e) Projecting oneself to be a well-renowned global brand f) Maintaining a good, long-term relationship with its on-line clients g) Having attractive promotional offers 3) Among these promotion strategies, which will garner significant correlations with consumer satisfaction in general' Review of Related Literature Online Strategies and Competitive Advantage Strategic frameworks have been integrated of late, especially those focusing on crises or situations with markedly high uncertainty. The ultimate goal was to avoid impending failure in such difficult circumstances (Urban, Carter, Gaskin, & Mucha, 1986). Conventionally, those who have become successful early on allow their long-term survival; in contrast, those who have failed in the beginning are likely to close shop early on. Such victory causes organization to uphold strategic HR practices (of

Organization Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organization Management - Term Paper Example He apprehended that the merger would result in creating a tier one organization but opera would eventually lose its identity. This would mean that the opera would come down from the highest step of ‘self actualization’ in Maslow’s need hierarchy to a lower order need which is ‘recognition or self esteem’. According to Maslow’s hierarchy people prefer to meet their lower order needs when the higher order needs remain unsatisfied. For Opera to lose its identity would eventually mean stepping down from its higher order need to a lower order one (O'Neil & Drillings, 1994, p.146). Question 2 2. Scott Parker could convince Mr Abravanel using Maslow’s theory of motivation. Abravanel has the reputation of spending 32 years with Symphony which has taken the orchestra from a part time community band to a world class and famous symphony. As per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Abravanel had attained the level of safety and security since the org anization had attained a level of stability under Abravanel’s leadership. However, Parker could convince him on the ground that the merger would uplift the status of the organization even further as Opera was also a world class musical organization. Making the merger a success would take him to a higher level of the hierarchy, i.e., the level of self actualization. Parker could convince him on the fact that the merger should be considered as a challenge for Abravanel and fulfilling the challenge would ultimately result in attainment of a higher reputation which would meet his self actualization need (Harris, McCaffer & Fotwe, 2006, p.99). Question 3 3. Personal power is that which is acquired through expertise, effort, personal attraction and legitimacy. Personal power reflects task relevant knowledge and experience, high commitment; and other desirable characteristics which are consistent with the organization goals and objectives (Whetten, 2008, p.280). On the other hand po sitional powers are acquired through one’s position and the responsibilities and tasks which are assigned to him. This refers to the degree of access to information that he has, or the amount of discretion that is vested on him. Anne’s positional power seems to be stronger than her personal powers having served the Boston Lyric Opera as the general director. This also gets reflected through the growth of Opera under her guidance from three to four production houses. She had gained immense reputation and recognition through her previous works. Her entire career depicts certain successful performances as the stage director in more than sixty opera productions in US. However, the fact that she was against the merger shows that she had little confidence in herself to drive the merger process. This demonstrates her weak personal power and fears. Her weak personal power gets reflected through her resistance against leading the merged entity as a CEO, although she had previou sly led a number of organizations in UK. a. Anne had the responsibility to taking forward the merged body of Opera and Symphony. Since she was particularly successful in the field of raising funds, it would be prime responsibility to raise funds such as to relieve Opera of the deficit it was running. Anne could use her positional powers for soliciting donations from different states which would be possible because of the reputation she had gained so far. This would account for the main positional powers she could use to lead the merger efforts. Her positional powe

Ancient and Medieval Political Theory Assignment - 1

Ancient and Medieval Political Theory - Assignment Example This is because men are their traditional enemies. Furthermore, Pisthetaerus explains to the birds that they are the original gods, and hence they should reclaim their position by building a city in the sky. This would blockade the Olympian gods, into accessing the worship of men, and hence force them into submission2. In the context of this text, power means the ability of making other people to be submissive to an individual. Furthermore, it means the ability to reclaim the past glory or honor. That is, the birds were once gods, and hence, they should reclaim their position from the Olympian gods. This concept of power has been extensively discussed in this class. For example, we learn of authoritarian rule, democracies, and tyrannies. All these are different types of powers and authorities exercised by governments. Democracy, is the rule of many, while tyranny, is the rule of minority, and by force. Authoritarian rule and tyranny are examples of dictatorships. All these are aspects of power. Political power is an aspect that affects the contemporary society3. States are normally encouraged to establish a democratic system of governance. This is because democracy ensures that there is transparency in the governance process. Countries such as United States is a democracy, and it rarely has a good diplomatic relationship with countries that are authoritarian and

Drama 115 - Construct a Dialogue on Hamlet & Daly's, Under the Glass Essay

Drama 115 - Construct a Dialogue on Hamlet & Daly's, Under the Glass Light - Essay Example WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: Argh. First of all my plays aren’t as pretentious as you’re making them out to be. During my time they were attended by many people from the lower classes. They were regarded as popular entertainment, while other playwrights like Christopher Marlowe were considered intellectual and pretentious, as you so politely indicated (Greenblatt). As for filler, the opening scene of Hamlet opens to a ghost sighting. A terrifying ghost sighting! The play is immediately in the thriller/horror genre, not like yours which just meanders around for a -- WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: Look I wrote long monologues because it allowed me to capture the character’s in-depth thoughts. This way I was able to explore aspects of the human condition that typical dialogue can’t attain. It was also the style of the time; sure I could have written realistic dialogue, but it wouldn’t have appealed to as large as an audience. I worked within the conventions of my time, but explored timeless themes. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: Partially I wrote that way so my actors could learn their lines easier (Greenblatt). I also wrote that way because it more closely approaches the sonorous quality of music. This way my characters weren’t merely talking, they were singing to the essence of the heavens and human condition! AUGUSTIN DALY: Are you really this full of yourself? Your ego has been blow up beyond all proportion. You think you’re like God or something. Look, with my work I’m not trying to explore the meaning of life, I’m just trying to make a statement of society. Expose some hypocrisy. Maybe change some minds. AUGUSTIN DALY: You obviously don’t understand subtlety. So for instance, consider the scene when Pearl tells Ray that Laura was actually a poor pickpocket and instead got brought into aristocracy at the age of 6. AUGUSTIN DALY: So in this scene Ray, who had been professing his unending love for Laura just 2 minutes earlier, starts saying that he can

Italy embraces Welsh Literature Essay Example for Free

Italy embraces Welsh Literature Essay The Italians have fallen for Welsh literature, if the trend of publication (18 books in 9 years with more to follow) has anything to go by. However, its not exactly a sudden connoisseurship that this country, an inveterate contributor of Arts and literature, is bent on to prove. It has more to do with the bond that developed through the migration of a chunk of Italians to Wales in the 20th Century, besides having somewhat similar appetite for Romantic art and culture. The latest from the Welsh stable are, The Canals of Mars (poetry collection) by Patrick McGuinness, Minhinnick (anthology of contemporary Welsh poetry), The Prince of Wales (a novel on modern Cardiff) by John Williams and Y Pla (The Plague, a novel) by William Owen Roberts. Thus, translations are doing fine with experts in zone like Andrea Bianchi and Silvana Siviero, who are translating their 11th book from Wales. Bianchis own poetic prowess joined with Ms Sivieros 13 years of on the soil experience. High on success, they have branded their works as Parole dal Galles (Geiriau O Gymru). Close on the heels are six other publishers. The literary magazine from the University of Venice through its ‘Welsh Literature Section’, also provides encouragement. With three volumes of poetry by Robert in the pipe line, along with publishing prospect of the books by poets Gillian Clarke and John Barnie or the novelist Caradog Prichard, both the market and its producers are upbeat about the future. The poet, Gwyneth Lewis or Sioned Puw Rowlands, the director of Welsh Literature Abroad – all attribute this enthusiasm to the orchestrated effort produced by the parties from both the sides, save the Italian readers interest, which they have already proved by their rousing reception to the novelist Trezza Azzopardi.

Stem Cells for Cell Replacement Therapy in Parkinsons

Stem Cells for Cell Replacement Therapy in Parkinsons Stem Cells for Cell Replacement Therapy Said AL Hakmani Introduction Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that results from damage to the neurons in the brain that produce the chemical named dopamine. The dopamine sends signals to parts of the brain that controls movement, allowing movement of smooth muscles. In Parkinson’s disease there is loss of the dopamine neurons. Symptoms of the disease include abnormal movement and tremor when a significant amount of dopamine has been lost. It is still not known exactly what causes Parkinson’s disease and the detailed pathophysiology is an area of active research (1, 13). Parkinsons disease is of progressive nature, which implies that it deteriorates with time. But this happens gradually over numerous years. On the other hand, researchers are doing a great deal of exploration to better comprehend what is occurring in the cell. Some studies show that Parkinson disease is associated with an abnormal gene in some individuals, however so far there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that it’s genetically inherited (1). Braaks hypothesis recommends that Parkinsons disease starts in the digestive tract and in the brain’s centre of smell. The hypothesis is upheld by the way that side effects connected with digestion and smell happen at an early stage of the disease. Professor Jia- Yi Lis research team has now possessed the capacity to tack this methodology further, from the gut to the brain in rat models. The experiment demonstrates how the poisonous protein alpha-synuclein is exchanged starting with one cell, then onto the next before arri ving at the brain’s movement center, leading to the characteristic movement impairment seen in Parkinsons disease. He proves that disease process really can go from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system, in this situation from the wall of the gut to the brain (3, 23). Usually people start to have symptoms of Parkinson’s disease between the ages of 50 and 60 years. But in certain cases it starts earlier. The first presenting symptom of Parkinson’s disease is tremor (shaking or trembling). It affect the hands, arms, or legs. It is one of the most common signs, but not everyone has it. Also, not everybody with a tremor has Parkinson’s disease. The tremor often starts only on one side of the body or just one arm or leg. In addition, Parkinson’s disease can cause stiff muscles all through the body, so it causes problems like inconvenience gulping or constipation. In the later phases of Parkinson’s disease a person may have fixed expression, trouble talking and other problems. Some individuals lose mental skills (1, 22). Figure 1 shows the nerve cells in the brain (1) The power of stem cell Stem cells have the potential to develop into various cell sorts in the body during life and schedule growth. In many different tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing without limit to replace other cells as long as the animal or person is alive. At the point, when a stem cell divides, every new cell has the capacity either to remain a stem cell or get to be an alternate kind of cell with a more specific function, for example, a red blood cell, a muscle cell, or a brain cell and other cells (5). The stem cells are featured from other cell types by two essential characteristics. First, they are capable of renewing themselves through cell division, frequently after long periods of inactivity. Second, under some physiologic or trail conditions, stem cell can become tissue- or organ-particular cells with special functions. In particular organs, for example, the gut and bone marrow, they consistently separation to repair and supplant exhausted or harmed tissues. Moreover, in diverse organs, for example, the heart and the pancreas, stem cell just partition under exceptional conditions (5, 20). Researchers fundamentally worked with two sorts of undeveloped cells from animals and human: embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic stem cells. Researchers in 1981 found approaches to get embryonic stem cells from early mouse embryos. In 1998 the definite investigation of the science of mouse undifferentiated cells prompted the revelation of human stem cells. However, these cells are called human embryonic stem cells. The embryos utilized in these studies were the result of invitro fertilization strategies for reproductive purposes. When they were no more required for that reason, they were donated for research with the informed consent of the donor (5, 21). Scientists made an alternate achievement by distinguishing conditions that would permit some particular adult cells to be reprogrammed to accept stem cell-like state in 2006. This new sort of stem cell, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) (5). These IPS cells may be used in the future to make the patient’s own cells, a safe cell source that is free from other factor which affects the patient. Animal studies in rat and mouse have been carried out to test the possibility of replacing the lost neurons and results have shown that these cells can develop into dopamine neurons. In human studies, it is possible to measure the increase of dopamine neuron function in the striatum of the patient by using positron emission tomography (5). The Stem cells are essential for living organisms for different reasons. In the three to five days old embryos, called a blastocyst, the internal cells give rise to the entire body of the organism, including all of the many specific cell sorts and organs for example, the lungs, heart, skin and other tissues. In certain adult tissues, such as bone marrow, brain, and muscle, the adult stem cells create replacements for cells that are lost through ordinary injury, or disease. The stem cells make new potentials for treating diseases such as heart disease and Parkinson disease. However, much work remains to be carried out in the research facility to understand how to use these cell therapies to treat disease (5).Research on stem cells continues to advance about how can an organism develops from a single cell and how can healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. The stem cell research is one of the fascinating areas in contemporary biology (5).Many researchers believe that em bryonic stem cell could be an excellent source of dopamine neurons because they can grow in a culture dish and make into any type of cell after long time in culture. Now, the dopamine neurons have been generated from the Human embryonic stem cell. One research study used the special type of companion cell with specific growth factors to promote the differentiation of the embryonic stem cell through several stages into dopamine producing cell (5). Growth of the Human Embryonic Stem Cell To grow the human embryonic stem cell, the cells will grow in the culture dish and will spread and divide on the surface of the media. The culture dish contains the mouse feeder cell which provides the nutrients into the culture media to grow the cell. However, researchers now devised a method to grow the embryonic stem cells without mouse feeder cells to avoid the risk of transfer of viruses from the media to the human (5,6 ,18). The tests used to identify embryonic stem cells in the laboratory are lacking. But, the laboratories that grow the human embryonic stem cells use different types of test such as: Growing and subculture of the stem cell for many months to make sure of the health of the cell. The use of techniques to determine the presence of transcription factors that are produced by undifferentiated cells. There are two important transcription factors Nanog and Oct-4. Both factors help the genes to turn on and off to maintain stem cell undifferentiation and self-renewal (5, 24). Conversion of human ES and iPS cells One study of culture of stem cell found that the effectiveness of PSCs mouse derived DA neurons have shown efficacy in the models of Parkinson Disease. The developing midbrain is characterized by expression of the floor plate (FP) marker FOXA2 and the roof plate marker LMX1A. Canonical WNT signalling is critical for both roof plate function and midbrain DA neuron development. WNT activation incite LMX1A expression and a neurogenic change of PSCs derived midbrain FP towards DA neuron fate. Exposure to CHIR potent GSK3B inhibitor known to strong activate WNT signalling induce LMX1A in FOXA2 and FP precursors. CHIR is more potent than recombinant WNT3A or WNT at inciting LMX1A expression. The efficiency of LMX1A induction depends on the time of CHIR exposure it effect from 3-11 days. Thus, CHIR is the most critical factor for inducing coexpression of FOXA2/LMX1A. FOXA2/LMX1A coexpression require strong expression of SHH signalling using purmorphamine small molecule agonist. Treatment wi th SHH agonist and FGF8 in the absence of CHIR show significant lower expression of FOXA2 by day11 and complete absence of LMX1A expression. An expression of, NGN2, LMX1A and DDC showed establishment of midbrain neuron precursor fate already by day11. Both midbrain FP and DA neuron induction ready to reproduce in independent ES cell and human induced PSCs line. In culture TH positive cells showed coexpression with NURR1 only in FP derived DA neurons coexpressed FXOA2 and LMX1A. Few GABA and serotonin can observe. But, DA level present in culture about eight times higher in FP (9, 12, 15, 19). There are several lines of evidence to demonstrate a crucial role for SMAD signalling during neural induction. Studies in frog identified bone morphogenic protein (BMP) inhibitors, including, follistatin, chordin and noggin as the basic neural affecting factors in the Spemann organizer (10). The drug SB431542 was demonstrated to improve neural prompting in an embryoid body-based hES cell neural induction protocol. SB431542 inhibits the Lefty/Activin/TGFÃŽ ² pathways by blocking phosphorylation of the ALK5, ALK4, and ALK7 receptors. In addition, Noggin or SB431542 treatment improves the neural induction and blockade the SMAD signalling to achieve full neural conversion. The hES cells were exposed for 72 hours to the drug SB431542 or Noggin and observed the growth factor of neural induction was monitored by expression of PAX6 earliest marker of neuroectodermal differentiation. The combined treatment with both Noggin and SB431542 increased the efficiency of neural induction to more than eighty percent of total cells , compared with less than ten percent PAX6 cells when used Noggin or SB431542 alone(10, 17).However, the only PAX6a converts the human embryonic stem cell to neuroectoderm (11, 16). Figure 2: show the model of proposed mechanisms contribute the action of Noggin and SB431542 (10). From the diagram above at the higher density, essentially CNS cells that are PAX6 are formed which are equipped of giving rise to R-NS cells and example capable neuronal populations of motoneurons and dopaminergic neurons inside 19 days of differentiation. While at lower densities both CNS fates and neural crest fates are observed. The neural crest lineages include melanocytes and the neural crest precursor cells amenable to designing and subtype determination reactions (10, 18). In this figure3 shows one research on mice how the people try to make new dopamine. Isolated ventralmidbrain cells were expanded and patterned in vitro before to transfection to overexpress WNTs. The cell phenotype was examined following in the vitro differentiation or transplantation into Parkinsonian mice. Morphogens SHH and FGF8 significant increase the proportion of TH positive spheres out of total spheres compared with FGF2 treatment alone (13). Dopamine Dopamine is a chemical signal that transfers information from one neuron and the next neuron. The receptors found on the cell surface bumps the signals down to the receiving neurons. The dopamine interested in many different important pathways and it found primarily in the mesolimbic pathways which starts with cells in the ventral tegmental area in the midbrain (2).Dopamine plays a number of roles in human and other animals. It controls many functions such as movement, memory, pleasurable reward, attention, sleep, learning, mood, inhibition of prolactin production, and behaviour. The increase and deficiency of this dopamine chemical are the cause of several diseases like Parkinson’ disease. In the brain, part called the basal ganglia controls movement. Basal ganglia thus rely on upon a certain amount of dopamine to function. The action of this occurs by dopamine receptors D 1-5. The deficiency in dopamine in the brain may become delayed and uncoordinated the movement and other function of the body (3). The dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in the brain. Substantial part of the overall dopamine in the body is produced outside the brain by mesenteric organs. The production of dopamine within the central nervous system, depend on the dopamine biosynthesis. There are two steps of dopamine biosynthesis takes place in the cytosol of CAergic neurons and starts with hydroxylase of L-tyrosine at the phenol ring by tyrosine hydroxylase to produce DOPA(4, 14). Figure4 shows the neuronal dopamine metabolism(4). This figure5: show how process of the fibroblasts are taken to culture to induce neural stem cells to make dopamine neurons and transfer to the patient to functional recovery (25). Good Manufacturing Practice There are many challenges to the use of stem cells for replacement therapy. However, the good manufacturing practice (GMP) is a quality assurance system that is used to make sure the product of stem cells is good and safe to use for treatment. The GMP in human embryonic stem cell culture required several components for good clinical practice. First, the culture or the feeder media that use in the laboratory must be reached with standard of GMP. That is why so many are now trying to grow these cells in feeder free conditions. Finally, all components of the culture and cryopreservation media should be validated for use in the GMP system and be non animal derived products (7). The ethical issue surrounding the use of embryonic cell need be carefully controlled. In UK human embryonic stem cell can gathered from left over embryos produced as part of in vitro fertilisation. This can done under strict UK guidelines from Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority (HFEA) and the human tissue authority (HTA) only in the early stage embryos can be used in research up to a maximum of fourteen days of development(8). Conclusion In my conclusion, the development of the research in the recent year will found the treatment of some diseases that affect the human in the neuron system like Parkinson’s disease. In addition, the study of stem cell research may treat disease by transplanted the cell to the body of the human, but the risk factor that makes this study difficult is the potential of the stem cell growth. The study of stem cell factor may solve the problem of cell growth. Also, the feeder that use to make culture is important to grow the cell without any contamination. There are many factors that help the stem cell to grow in the culture dish. These factors make stem cell to grow fast and convert to the different type of tissue organs. Also, there are some inhibitors that inhibited the factors when stem cells are converted to the different sorts. The research on the stem cell still under the process of trail. It is successful to treat some disease, but in other disease is still trying in animal model if it’s successful may try with human, those have Parkinson’s disease.

Response to Article about Cystic Fibrosis Essay -- Biology

Cystic Fibrosis - Summary of Article It has been known for quite some time that CFTR is a cAMP regulated chloride ion channel whose mutation is intimately linked to cystic fibrosis (CF). However, the abnormality in the chloride ion channels is not the only biochemical peculiarity associated with the disease. Of particular interest to researchers is the finding that sodium ion (Na+) absorption in the cells of CF patients is both elevated and positively related to the cAMP concentration, whereas, in normal cells, cAMP concentration is inversely related to the rate of Na+ absorption. The malfunction of the Na+ pump becomes immediately apparent, for the primary symptom of CF is a chronic bacterial infection of the lungs, due to the abnormally low viscosity of the fluid which bathes the cellular epithelium; by pumping ions into the airway, rather than into the cell, a thermodynamically unfavorable concentration gradient of sodium ions is is established, in which the airway is hypotonic and osmosis is kinetically favored. In the case of CF, the local chloride pump is inoperative, and the sodium pumps are incredibly overactive, importing Na+ from the airway, and taking water out of the fluid inside the lungs in the process. Therefore, is is inappropriate to place the sole responsibility for the low fluid viscosity directly upon the mutation of the CFTR protein. Studies have demonstrated that the elevated Na+ absorption is not due to an overexpression of the Na+ transport protein, ENaC, in the membrane, nor can cAMP sensitivity be linked to a genetically mutated ENaC. The possibility that the altered CFTR indirectly led to the Na+ channel phenomena by altering the functionality of normal ENaC formed the basis of a hypothesis which ... ...The use of amiloride as a form of treatment is significant because amiloride actually helps the body in correcting the chloride and sodium ion concentration, thereby rehydrating the cells and thinning the mucus. This process differs from current treatments which loosen the mucus or dilute it so the patients can rids their lungs of the infectious substance more easily. Works Cited 1.) Purves, WK, Orians GH, Heller HC. Life: the Science of Biology. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates, Inc.; 1995. Chapter 15, Genetic Disease and Modern Medicine; pages 334-352. 2.) "CF-FAQ Part 1." Ed. Ron Trueworthy. CF-WEB. Internet. 10 September 1996. 3.) S. H. Wright, interview by group members. Tucson, Arizona, 22 October 1996. 4.) M. J. Stutts, C. M. Canessa, J. C. Olsen, M. Hamrick, J. A. Cohn, B. C. Rossier, R. C. Boucher, Science, v. 269, 11 August 1995, pages 847-850.

Medieval Castles :: History

Medieval Castles In 1494 the armies of the French king, Charles VIII, invaded Italy to capture the kingdom of Naples. They swept through the country and bombarded and destroyed many castles. This invasion signaled the end of the castle as a stronghold of defense. For centuries it had been the dominant fortification in Western Europe for the defense of kings, nobility, and townspeople. Ancient cities were often walled to keep out invaders, and within the walls there was usually a citadel, a strongly built fortification occupying the highest or militarily most advantageous position. A castle is much like such a walled city and its citadel contracted into a smaller space. Castles were basically fortified locations. The word itself comes from the Latin castellum. Up to the 6th century fortifications were primarily communities in which most of the population lived. But in the middle of the 6th century, the armies of the Byzantine Empire began to build strong forts as defensive positions. For the next few centuries this castle building was confined to the Byzantine Empire, but later hordes of Islamic warriors who swept out of Arabia to conquer the Middle East, North Africa, and much Byzantine territory also started building such forts. Western Europe, in the depths of the Dark Ages from the 5th through the 9th century, had no such works. But late in the 9th century, as local lords and kings began to consolidate power, castle building began probably in France. Once begun, castle building spread rapidly to other areas. But it was not until the 12th and 13th centuries, after the Crusaders returned from their wars against Islam in Palestine, that castles as imposing as those of the Byzantine or Islamic empires were constructed in Europe. Many of the stone castles of the late Middle Ages still stand. Some are tourist attractions, in various states of repair, along the Rhine River from Mainz to Cologne in Germany, dotted about the French countryside, or perched on hilltops in Spain. The original French castles had been built on open plains. Later ones, however, were situated on rocky crags, at river forks, or in some position where advancing enemies would find approach extremely difficult, if not impossible. The fortifications became more elaborate with time, with considerable attention paid to making the living quarters more comfortable. A typical castle was usually guarded on the outskirts by a surrounding heavy wooden fence of sharp-pointed stakes called a barbican_. Medieval Castles :: History Medieval Castles In 1494 the armies of the French king, Charles VIII, invaded Italy to capture the kingdom of Naples. They swept through the country and bombarded and destroyed many castles. This invasion signaled the end of the castle as a stronghold of defense. For centuries it had been the dominant fortification in Western Europe for the defense of kings, nobility, and townspeople. Ancient cities were often walled to keep out invaders, and within the walls there was usually a citadel, a strongly built fortification occupying the highest or militarily most advantageous position. A castle is much like such a walled city and its citadel contracted into a smaller space. Castles were basically fortified locations. The word itself comes from the Latin castellum. Up to the 6th century fortifications were primarily communities in which most of the population lived. But in the middle of the 6th century, the armies of the Byzantine Empire began to build strong forts as defensive positions. For the next few centuries this castle building was confined to the Byzantine Empire, but later hordes of Islamic warriors who swept out of Arabia to conquer the Middle East, North Africa, and much Byzantine territory also started building such forts. Western Europe, in the depths of the Dark Ages from the 5th through the 9th century, had no such works. But late in the 9th century, as local lords and kings began to consolidate power, castle building began probably in France. Once begun, castle building spread rapidly to other areas. But it was not until the 12th and 13th centuries, after the Crusaders returned from their wars against Islam in Palestine, that castles as imposing as those of the Byzantine or Islamic empires were constructed in Europe. Many of the stone castles of the late Middle Ages still stand. Some are tourist attractions, in various states of repair, along the Rhine River from Mainz to Cologne in Germany, dotted about the French countryside, or perched on hilltops in Spain. The original French castles had been built on open plains. Later ones, however, were situated on rocky crags, at river forks, or in some position where advancing enemies would find approach extremely difficult, if not impossible. The fortifications became more elaborate with time, with considerable attention paid to making the living quarters more comfortable. A typical castle was usually guarded on the outskirts by a surrounding heavy wooden fence of sharp-pointed stakes called a barbican_.

In the Time of the Butterflies Analysis

Analysis of Alvarez’s In the Time of the Butterflies In the Time of the Butterflies, written by Julia Alvarez, is the story of four sisters who take an emotional journey while becoming a symbol of hope in the corrupt Dominican Republic, as they seek to make a political revolution. Throughout the story, we dig deeper into each sister’s life and learn more about her individual traits. In the book, Alvarez makes the Mirabal sisters come alive throughout the book with her use of foreshadowing, detailed characterization, and selection of detail.The more the reader journeys farther into the book, the more the aforementioned devices become of importance Throughout In the Time of the Butterflies Alvarez does an impressive job using selection of detail to create a strong mental image of the characters and setting for the reader. In the opening lines of Chapter One Dede describes the area of where she lives as the interview woman is coming over soon when she says, â€Å"The woma n will never find the old house behind the edge of towering hibiscus at the bend of the dirt road† (3).By using visual imagery Alvarez gives a clear description of where the Mirabal sisters reside. The sisters live in the foothills of the tobacco fields, a very unpopulated area, which is hard to find as no street signs exist in the country. On the way home from Trujillo’s residence after the disastrous skit put on by the sisters Alvarez writes,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"As the road darkened, the beams of our headlights filled with hundreds of blinded moths. Where they hit the windshield, they left blurry marks, until it seemed like I was looking at the world through a curtain of tears† (29).Alvarez compares the blurry marks to a curtain of tears, giving the reader a sense of the somber mood in the car. Alvarez tells of the dismal mood because the sisters had let Sor Asuncion down, she was not happy they didn’t act as the ornaments of the nation as they were supposed to. So r Asuncion was telling Patria to pray to the Virgencita for guidance in her future involving the church when Patria says, â€Å"And I prayed with her, a Hail Mary and an Our Father, and I tried hard but I could not keep my eyes from straying to the flame trees, their blossoms tumbling in the wind of the coming storm. (47). By using great detail the reader can almost imagine the flame trees swaying before them with their blossoms turning in front of their own eyes. The quote brings Patria’s character alive as well, giving the reader a look into one the key aspects of her life, religion. Selection of detail is just one of three literary devices used In the Time of the Butterflies that makes it an exciting book; it compels the reader to continue reading as the characters and scenery comes to life.Alvarez consistently uses the device of foreshadowing to drop subtle hints of what is to come later in the book. Dede was helping her father up the stairs after he had discussed their possible futures with them on a clear moonlit night, when Alvarez writes, â€Å"She realizes that her future is the only future he really told† (10). Referring to Dede, a possible storyline that is constant throughout the book is revealed by her father; she will be the only sister of the four to survive the revolution.Dede gives the interview women a quick tour of the house, and when walking down the hallway Alvarez describes it, â€Å"There are three pictures of the girls, old favorites that are now emblazoned on the posters every November, making these once intimate snapshots seem too famous to be the sisters she knew† (5). The same storyline is mentioned in the quote; three of the sisters have a picture on the wall, but Dede does not because she’s the only one still alive.With the sisters having pictures of them on the walls that were considered â€Å"old favorites† it foreshadows their deaths at the end of the book. Chapter four begins with Patria des cribing her childhood from the day she was born , â€Å"Even being born, I was coming out, hands first, as if reaching up for something† (44). This quote foreshadows Patria’s loving character that the reader discovers later in the book. Patria loves automatically and is naturally generous which is later shown with her early commitment in life to the church.In In the Time of the Butterflies foreshadowing lays the foundation for the rest of the book, which is vital for the reader to grasp. Alvarez uses detailed characterization to give the reader a clear idea of the characters personality as well as their physical appearance. Minerva begins chapter two by comparing herself, â€Å"Sometimes, watching the rabbits in their pens, I’d think, I’m no different from you, poor things† (11). She compares herself to a rabbit stuck in their pen; Minerva is living at home with her parents and cannot find a way to get out from their grasp.Alvarez gives a look into Minerva’s life being one of â€Å"Papa’s little girls† as well as being the second youngest of the four sisters, a tough situation to leave. In one of Mate’s earliest diary entries we get a look into her young mind, Mate writes, â€Å"I had such a time deciding between the patent leather and white leather for church today. I finally settled for the white pair as Mama picked those out for my first Communion, and I wanted her to feel that they were still my favorites† (36).This quote shows us how Mate is not yet involved in the complexities of the revolution and is more worried about what clothes she’s wearing, giving the reader insight into another sisters character. Before the volleyball game at Tio Pepe’s where Dede was looking to impress Lio, Alvarez writes, â€Å"She knows she looks especially good in her flowered shirtwaist and white sandal heals† (70). Referring to Dede, the quote reveals her self interest into her beauty , and her lack of interest in the revolution compared to her other three sisters.Detailed characterization helps give the reader a sense of what each sister is like, and helps them put the story of the Mirabal sisters into place. Alvarez uses the device of foreshadowing brilliantly to develop the plot that will come about later in the story. Alvarez utilizes detailed characterization to allow the reader to personalize the characters and distinguish the differences between the qualities of the four sisters.She uses selection of detail to describe characters, setting, and scenes throughout the book, thus allowing the reader to create a mental image of situations at hand. When putting the three literary devices together, it makes In the Time of the Butterflies a fascinating book that the reader doesn’t want to put down. Alvarez does a splendid job of using literary devices including foreshadowing, selection of detail, and detailed characterization to make the heroic story of the Mirabel sisters come alive.

Is the American Dream Dead? Essay

The notion American dream is a fundamental part of the American society and culture, dozens of books, articles and songs deals with this topic, politicians often mention it in their speeches. Though the phrase has different meanings to different people, it suggests an underlying belief that hard work pays off and that the next generation will have a better life than the previous generation. Nowadays this belief is challenged and more and more concern is articulated in connection with the American dream in the 21st century. As comedian, author and social critic George Carlin have put it: â€Å"It’s called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.† In what follows I would like to explore the theme of the American dream as a whole and consider its juncture in the 21st century by elaborating on its past and present. The evolution of the American dream Historian James Truslow Adams is credited for being the first popularizing the idea of the American dream in his book The Epic of America (1931). He characterizes the American dream as â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.† But the same idea existed since the colonist times. In 1630 John Winthrop give a sermon to his fellow Puritan colonists in which he detailed his vision of a society in which everyone would have a chance to prosper, as long as they all worked together and followed Biblical teachings. Eventually, the hope for equality of opportunity evolved in colonists’ mind into a God-given right. More than a hundred years later Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence  asserted that every American – except the slaves – have the right to â€Å"life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.† As grew America in the 19th century, so did the number of immigrants who saw the continent as a land of opportunity where anything could be achieved if a person dared to dream big enough. The words â€Å"American dream† gradually began to appear in newspaper articles and books in the mid- to late-1800s. The first difficulties appeared during the Great Depression in the 1930s. It affected both the rich and the poor. The self-made millionaires lost their fortune, Americans of humbler means lost their jobs and homes. With the beginning of Roosevelt’s presidency a new era begin in the American history and so did in the evolution of the Dream. In a 1941 speech Roosevelt visioned a new, government-assisted American dream, which included full employment, government help for the elderly and those unable to work, and â€Å"enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living.† Previously the achievement of the American dream depended on the individual’s ability and hard-work, now, due to the Depression the government’s assistance was needed. The post-World War II prosperity meant for many Americans the fulfillment of the Dream, so that he faith in the American dream was restored least for the majority. By this time the American dream was equal to amassing wealth, but the other important aspect sank into oblivion. In a 1964 speech entitled â€Å"The American Dream,† civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr voiced this other aspect which Thomas Jefferson’s statement: â€Å"All men are equal†. For King the Dream was that same rights and opportunities would be granted for everyone regardless of skin-color. In the 1970s, with the U.S. economy stalling, inflation on the rise and the nation torn by both racial strife and an angry divide over the Vietnam War the idea of the American dream got questioned once again. A french historian Ingrid Carlander in her book (Les Americaines) claimed that the American dream was dead. These circumstances lead to the transform of the Dream again. In 1980 Ronald Reagen took office, who was the embodiment of the American dream. He had risen to presidency from a humble farm family in Illinois.  Therefore his words seems to be credited when he claimed that America is still a place where â€Å"everyone can rise as high and far as his ability will take him†. His solution to the crisis of the Dream was to disestablish the dependency on the government by cutting taxes. At first sight it seemed to be successful, but Congressional Budget Office data shows the opposite. Between 1979 and 2005, the income of the bottom 99 percent of U.S. households grew 21 percent after taxes, a rate of less than one percent a year, not enough to keep up with inflation. But during that same period, the after-tax income of the richest one percent of Americans grew by 225 percent. In 1979, the richest one percent made eight times as much as the typical middle-class family. In 2005, the richest made 21 times as much as the middle-class. The data shows that the inequality between the rich and the poor broadened the tax cuts were too efficient for the rich. The American dream in the 21st century In the modern American society the faith in the American dream is declining. Zachary Karabell in his article â€Å"American Dream May Have Waned for Some, But Lives On for Many† claims that opinion about the American dream’s existence appears to be split 50-50. In spite of this the lost in faith is much more emphasized in the press. The skepticism grows and it is mainly because of the Great Recession. The financial and opportunity differences between the poor and rich which started under Raegen deepen. A recent New York Times study confirms the inequalities, it shows that income mobility greatly depends on what part of the U.S. you live in. As Karabell have put in his other article† A new American dream for a new American century† â€Å"Those who live in metropolitan areas, as well as those with more higher education and wealthier parents, have significantly more upward mobility than many in rural areas.† These obstacles to the upward movement on the â€Å"income ladder† is something truly against the American dream. Those who did not lose faith in the dream completely, redefined it. The survey, conducted by GFK Custom Research for Credit.com, found that most respondents (27.9%) said the American Dream is retiring financially secure at 65, though coming in at second place, 23% defined it as being debt-free. The other options were owning a home (18.2%), graduating from college or  paying off your student loans (6.6%) and joining the 1% (4.3%). The responses were rounded out by: other (11.4%), none (0.2%) and don’t know/no response (8.5%). The old definition of the American dream was two and a half thriving, college-bound kids, a dog or cat and not one, but two cars in the garage that were owned outright, finally and most importantly owning a house according to Adam Levin (â€Å"The New American Dream: It’s Not What You Think†) As we can see the new generation have much less expectation, the dream would come into reality if they could achieve basic financial stability. To conclude, the American dream is an as old idea as the country itself. It went through hardships erstwhile and thrived after them, what changed is that Western-Europe closed up in providing equality of opportunity so that America lost its uniqueness in this respect. Stating the American dream’s death is maybe premature, but in the long run its distinctness as a land of potential and possibility will fade out, and becomes one out of my where the individual can realize his/her dreams.

Unity in Diversity

INTRODUCTION One of the greatest leaders that the world has ever seen, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was a political figure, a social and political reformer, a humanist, a visionary and a spiritual leader, who took the country on the road to freedom. Gandhi, popularly known as the Mahatma, not only led the freedom struggle in India but also performed a pivotal role in the struggle of the Indians for civil rights in South Africa. Victimized by incidents of racial discrimination, Gandhi embarked on a crusade against injustice in South Africa that he continued the rest of his life.The twenty long years that Gandhi lived in South Africa, had a considerable influence on the formation of his political ideologies and the philosophies of his life. It was in South Africa that Gandhi's stature gradually began to gain height. His experiences and activities in South Africa provided the necessary background for his subsequent emergence onto the Indian political scenario. His greatest achievement in South Africa was perhaps the unification of the heterogeneous Indian community that comprised of disgruntled merchants and the bonded laborers.The ideological concepts with which Gandhi revolutionized the Indian political scenario were molded to a large extent in South Africa. The celebrated notion of Satyagraha emerged as a consequence of various influences that worked on him. He extensively read religious books on Hinduism, like the BhagwatGita, and Christianity in South Africa. The works of Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, John Ruskin and Ralph Waldo, also had significant influences on his thoughts.The notion of non co-operation, as a civilian weapon to fight governmental tyranny was discussed by all these major writers, but it was Gandhi who gave practical shape to the concept. He was the first one to organize Satyagraha struggle in South Africa. For Gandhi the doctrine of Satyagraha entailed passive resistance and commitment to the forces of truth. His second weapon, non viol ence or ahimsa also evolved in South Africa. This cardinal principle of Gandhian philosophy was imbibed from Jainism and Vaishnavism. Gandhi showed to the world how non violence could be used as an ffective political tool to fight the injustices hurled by an oppressive government. For Gandhi, ahimsa entailed self control, swaraj or self rule, and chastity. Alongside, Gandhi embraced a philosophy that disapproved of the norms of Western civilization and conceived of moral reformation of the Indians. Gandhi's Arrival in South Africa Upon returning from England with a degree in law, Gandhi began a legal practice in Mumbai and Rajkot, Gujarat. However, he was unsuccessful to establish a career as a lawyer in both the places.At this point, Gandhi received an offer from the firm Dada Abdulla Seth and Company, to be the legal representative of the firm in South Africa. Gandhi accepted the offer and set sail for a whole new world in April, 1893. In the month of May, 1893, Gandhi reached Dur ban. Accompanied by Dada Abdulla, one of the richest Indian traders in Natal, who also happened to be his employer, he went to visit the Durban Court. The European magistrate at the court instructed Gandhi to remove his turban. He not only disobeyed the commands of the magistrate but issued a protect letter to the press.This was, however, just the lull before the storm. The final provocation took place during his journey to Pretoria from Durban shook the consciousness of the young lawyer to such an extent that he assumed a staunch position against racial prejudice. This incident played a major role in carving out the future course of Gandhi's life. As Gandhi was preparing to return to India, after the completion of his lawsuit, the news of a proposed bill, to be introduced by the Natal Government, reached him. This bill would lead to disenfranchising of the Indians in South Africa.Pleaded by his fellow Indians, Gandhi remained back and took up the issue. Although the bill was passed inspite of Gandhi's attempts, his crusade continued for twenty long years. As part of his struggle, he drafted memorandums, distributed petitions and wrote to the newspapers. His activities in South Africa enabled him to gain an image as the patron of Indian civil rights and an important political leader. In the year 1896, Gandhi returned to India for a period of six months. During this period, he sought to present before the Indians, the pitiful situation f their fellow men in South Africa. However, Gandhi's activities were blown out of proportion by the press in South Africa. When he landed in South Africa, an agitated mob comprising of the whites, attacked him. As the news of this attack, spread rapidly, Joseph Chamberlain, enjoined the prosecution of the assailants. During his second phase of stay in South Africa, Gandhi adopted a simple mode of living, renouncing the lavish standards of living. When the Boer War broke out, Gandhi requested the Indian community, to extend their support to the British.In 1901, Gandhi returned to India but he had to return to appear before Joseph Chamberlain, to plead the Indian case. However, he failed to win over the understanding of Joseph Chamberlain. It was also at this time that Gandhi resolved to lead a celibate life and took to reading Ruskin. Satyagraha in South Africa The first Satyagraha struggle that Gandhi launched in South Africa was against the background of the passage of Asiatic Registration Act by the government of Transvaal in 1907.Realizing that his techniques of prayers and petitions had been rendered ineffectual, the tactic of passive resistance emerged as the new method of opposing. He urged the Indian community to disobey the Act and resort to picketing of the major offices like the permit offices. In 1908, in the month of January, Gandhi and other satyagrahis were jailed. Following this a movement commenced where the satyagrahis began to burn the certificates in a bonfire. In the month of September, Gandhi was arrested for the second time, this time sentenced for two months.The following year, saw Gandhi once again behind the bars for three months. It is pertinent to mention here that Gandhi founded a small colony by the name Tolstoy Farm, where his fellow satyagrahis could lead a bare existence. The Indian women joined the Satyagraha struggle, with the pronouncement of the Supreme Court judgment that annulled all Muslim, Hindu and Zoroastrian marriages. As the women satyagrahis were arrested following their march to Newcastle, several Indian miners, under the guidance of Gandhi, decided to cross over Transvaal border, resorting to non violence means.Even Gandhi's wife Kasturba Gandhi was included among the imprisoned women satyagrahis. In the year 1913, in the month of November, fifty seven children, one hundred and twenty seven women and two thousand and thirty seven men resumed the march. Following the ‘blood and iron' policy adopted by government of South Africa, two Christian men Pearson and C. F Andrews were sent to aid Gandhi. This initiative was taken by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, one of the most prominent Indian politicians. The Viceroy of India, Lord Harginge, criticized the policies of the South African government.Pressurized by London, negotiations commenced between South African Government and Gandhi. In an agreement that was finally arrived upon, certain concessions were made. The 13 taxes imposed on the previously indentured laborers were abolished, marriages performed according to Indian customs received legal acceptance and a domicile certificate, with the thumb impression of the holder, was adequate to permit entrance into South Africa. With a trail of significant achievements behind him, Gandhi finally returned to India in the year 1915, and within a brief span of time became the leader of the Indian Nationalism.Champaran First Satyagraha Gandhi, the exponent of the  Satyagraha  movement, staged his first Satyagraha in Champaran, in Bihar. It was in 1917. The poor peasants, the  indigo  growers, of the district invited Gandhi to go there to see for himself the grievances of the much exploited peasants there. Champaran was on the North-western corner of the  Bihar  Province. The River Gandak flows through this area. The river changed its course from time to time, leaving large lakes along its dried up courses. It was along the banks of these lakes the indigo factories were set up.There were two towns and three thousands villages in Champaran. 98 per cent of the people out of the 2 million lived in villages. And most of them were Hindus. Indigo farming was going on there for almost two centuries. In the beginning, the land was owned by the local people. But the white people from Britain grabbed the land and instead of the traditional sugar cane cultivation, the land grabbers compelled the people to enter into indigo cultivation. The British Indigo planters coerced the poor people to grow indigo on 15 per cent of their land and part with the whole crop for rent.Indigo cultivation was profitable only for the British. The local peasants had only misery and penury and poverty. It was on hearing about this predicament of the poor farmers there that Gandhi decided to go there. He left for Champaran along with a Bihari called Rajkumar Shukla. Babu Rajendra Prasad, who was to become the chairman of the Constituent Assembly for drafting a constitution for the new Republic of India, and who became the first President of the Republic of India, was not there, as he was practicing in the far away Patna as an advocate.He was a special person with lot of interest in public affairs and so Gandhi went straight to his house to find that he was away in  Patna. ————————————————- Champaran, Bihar In Champaran, a district in state of  Bihar, tens of thousands of landless  serfs,  in dentured laborers  and poor farmers were forced to grow  indigo  and other cash crops instead of the food crops which was necessary for their survival. These goods were bought from them at a very low price.Suppressed by the ruthless militias of the landlords (mostly British), they were given measly compensation, leaving them mired in extreme poverty. Now in the throes of a devastating famine, the British levied an oppressive tax which they insisted on increasing in rate. Without food and without money, the situation was growing progressively unlivable and the peasants in  Champaran  revolted against indigo plant cultivation in 1914 (at  Pipra) and 1916(Turkaulia) and  Raj Kumar Shukla  took  Mahatma Gandhi  to  Champaran  and the  Champaran  Satyagraha began.Gandhi arrived in Champaran with a team of  eminent lawyers:  Brajkishore Prasad,  Rajendra Prasad,Anugrah Narayan Sinha  and others including Acharya kripalani. ———â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Kheda, Gujarat A famine had struck the district and a large part of Gujarat, and virtually destroyed the agrarian economy. The poor peasants had barely enough to feed themselves, but the British government of the  Bombay Presidency  insisted that the farmers not only pay full taxes, but also pay the 23% increase stated to take effect that every year. ———————————————— Gandhi's solution While many civic groups sent petitions and published editorials, Gandhi proposed  satyagraha  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ non-violence, mass  civil disobedience. While it was strictly non-violent, Gandhi was proposing real action, a real revolt that the oppressed peoples of India were dying to undertake.. Gandhi also insisted that neither the protestors in Bihar nor in Gujarat allude to or try to propag ate the concept of  Swaraj, or  Independence. This was not about political freedom, but a revolt against abject tyranny amidst a terrible humanitarian disaster.While accepting participants and help from other parts of India, Gandhi insisted that no other district or province revolt against the Government, and that the  Indian National Congress  not get involved apart from issuing resolutions of support, to prevent the British from giving it cause to use extensive suppressive measures and brand the revolts as treason. In Champaran Gandhi established an  ashram  in Champaran, organizing scores of his veteran supporters and fresh volunteers from the region.He organized a detailed study and survey of the villages, accounting the atrocities and terrible episodes of suffering, including the general state of degenerate living. Building on the confidence of villagers, he began leading the clean-up of villages, building of schools and hospitals and encouraging the village leaders hip to undo purdah, untouchability and the suppression of women. He was joined by many young nationalists from all over India, including  Brajkishore Prasad,Rajendra Prasad,  Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Ram Navami Prasad and  Jawaharlal Nehru.But his main assault came as he was arrested by police on the charge of creating unrest and was ordered to leave the province. Hundreds of thousands of people protested and rallied outside the jail, police stations and courts demanding his release, which the court unwillingly did. Gandhi led organized protests and strike against the landlords, who with the guidance of the British government, signed an agreement granting more compensation and control over farming for the poor farmers of the region, and cancellation of revenue hikes and collection until the famine ended.It was during this agitation, that Gandhi was addressed by the people as  Bapu  (Father) and  Mahatma  (Great Soul). In Kheda In Gujarat, Gandhi was only the spiritual he ad of the struggle. His chief lieutenant,  Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel  and a close coterie of devoted Gandhians, namely  Narhari Parikh,  Mohanlal Pandya  and  Ravi Shankar Vyas  toured the countryside, organized the villagers and gave them political leadership and direction.Many aroused Gujaratis from the cities of  Ahmedabad  and  Vadodara  joined the organizers of the revolt, but Gandhi and Patel resisted the involvement of Indians from other provinces, seeking to keep it a purely Gujarati struggle. Patel and his colleagues organized a major tax revolt, and all the different ethnic and caste communities of Kheda rallied around it. The peasants of Kheda signed a petition calling for the tax for this year to be scrapped in wake of the famine. The government in Bombay rejected the charter.They warned that if the peasants did not pay, the lands and property would be confiscated and many arrested. And once confiscated, they would not be returned even if most compli ed. None of the villages flinched. The tax withheld, the government's collectors and inspectors sent in thugs to seize property and cattle, while the police forfeited the lands and all agrarian property. The farmers did not resist arrest, nor retaliate to the force employed with violence. Instead, they used their cash and valuables to donate to the Gujarat Sabha  which was officially organizing the protest.The revolt was astounding in terms of discipline and unity. Even when all their personal property, land and livelihood were seized, a vast majority of Kheda's farmers remained firmly united in the support of Patel. Gujaratis sympathetic to the revolt in other parts resisted the government machinery, and helped to shelter the relatives and property of the protesting peasants. Those Indians who sought to buy the confiscated lands were ostracized from society. Although nationalists like  Sardul Singh Caveeshar  called for sympathetic revolts in other parts, Gandhi and Patel fir mly rejected the idea.The Government finally sought to foster an honorable agreement for both parties. The tax for the year in question, and the next would be suspended, and the increase in rate reduced, while all confiscated property would be returned. Gujaratis also worked in cohesion to return the confiscated lands to their rightful owners. The ones who had bought the lands seized were influenced to return them, even though the British had officially said it would stand by the buyers Non-Cooperation Movement The  Non-Cooperation Movement  was a significant phase of the  Indian struggle for freedom  from  British rule.This movement lasted from September 1920 to February 1922. It was led byMahatma Gandhi  and was supported by the  Indian National Congress. It aimed to resist British occupation in India through non-violent means. Protestors would refuse to buy British goods, adopt the use of local handicrafts, picket liquor shops, and try to uphold the Indian values of honour and integrity. The  Gandhian  ideals of  Ahimsa  or  non-violence, and his ability to rally hundreds of thousands of common citizens towards the cause of Indian independence, were first seen on a large scale in this movement.Among the significant causes of this movement were colonial oppression, exemplified by the  Rowlatt Act  and  Jallianwala Bagh massacre, economic hardships to the common man due to a large chunk of Indian wealth being exported to Britain, ruin of Indian artisans due to British factory-made goods replacing handmade goods, and popular resentment with the British over Indian soldiers dying in  World War I  while fighting as part of the  British Army– , in battles that otherwise had nothing to do with India.The calls of early political leaders like  Mohammad Ali Jinnah  (who later became communal and hardened his stand),  Annie Besant  and  Bal Gangadhar Tilak  (Congress Extremists) for  rule were accompanied only b y petitions and major public meetings. They never resulted in disorder or obstruction of government services. Partly due to that, the British did not take them very seriously. The non-cooperation movement aimed to ensure that the colonial economic and power structure would be seriously challenged, and British authorities would be forced to take notice of the people's demands. Here we should know that many evolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad were supporters of this very movement but were really dissatisfied by the dismissing of movement by Gandhiji. Civil Disobedience Movement Under the leadership of Gandhiji, the Civil Disobedience Movement was launched in AD 1930. It began with the Dandi March. On 12 March 1930, Gandiji with some of his followers left the Sabarmati Ashram at Ahmedabad and made their way towards Dandi, a village on the west coast of India. After travelling for twenty-five days and covering a distance of three hundred and eighty-five kms, the group reached Dandi on 6 April 1930.Here, Gandhiji protested against the Salt Law (salt was a monopoly of the government and no one was allowed to make salt) by making slat himself and throwing up a challenge to the British government. The Dandi March signified the start of the Civil Disobedience Movement. The movement spread and salt laws were challenged in other parts of the country. Salt became the symbol of people’s defiance of the government. In Tamil Nadu, C Rajagopalchari led a similar march from Trichinopoly to Vedaranyam. In Gujarat, Sarojini Naidu pretested in front of the slat depots.Lakhs of people including a large number of women participated actively in these protests. The Civil Disobedience Movement carried forward the unfinished work of the Non-Cooperation Movement. Practically the whole country became involved in it. Hartals put life at a standstill. There were large-scale boycotts of schools, colleges and offices. Foreign goods were burnt in bonfires. People sto pped paying taxes. In the North-West Frontier Province, the movement was led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as ‘Frontier Gandhi’. For a few days, British control over Peshawar and Sholapur ended.People faced the batons and bullets of the police with supreme courage. No one retaliated or said anything to the police. As reports and photographs of this extraordinary protest began to appear in newspapers across the world, there was a growing tide of support for India’s freedom struggle. The Civil Disobedience Movement led by M K Gandhi, in the year 1930 was an important milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism. There are three distinct phases that mark the development of Indian Nationalism. In the first phase, the ideology of the moderates dominated the political scenario. This was ollowed by the prominence of the extremist ideologies. In the third phase of Indian Nationalism the most significant incident was the rise of MK Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, to power as the leader of Indian National Movements. Under his spirited guidance, the National Movements of the country took shape. The Indians learnt how apparently philosophical tenets like non violence and passive resistance, could be used to wage political battles. The programs and policies adopted in the movements spearheaded by Gandhi reflected his political ideologies of ahimsa and Satyagraha.While the Non-Co-Operation Movement was built on the lines of non violent non co operation, the essence of The Civil Disobedience Movement was defying of the British laws. Through his leadership to the National Movements, he not only buttressed his political stance but also played a crucial role in unification of the country, awakening of the masses, and bringing politics within the arena of the common man. Factors Leading to the Civil Disobedience Movement The prevalent political and social circumstances played a vital role in the launching of the Civil Disobedience M ovement.The Simon Commission was formed by the British Government that included solely the members of the British Parliament, in November 1927, to draft and formalize a constitution for India. The chairmanship of the commission rested with Sir John Simon, who was a well known lawyer and an English statesman. Accused of being an ‘All-White Commission', the Simon Commission was rejected by all political and social segments of the country. In Bengal, the opposition to the Simon Commission assumed a massive scale, with a hartal being observed in all corners of the province on February 3rd, 1928.On the occasion of Simon's arrival in the city, demonstrations were conducted in Calcutta. In the wake of the boycott of the recommendations proposed by Simon Commission, an All-Party Conference was organized in Bombay in May of 1928. Dr MA Ansari was the president of the conference. Motilal Nehru was given the responsibility to preside over the drafting committee, appointed at the conferen ce to prepare a constitution for India. Barring the Indian Muslims, The Nehru Report was endorsed by all segments of the Indian society.The Indian National Congress pressurized the British government to accept all the parts the Nehru Report, in December 1928. At the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress held in December, 1928, the British government was warned that if India was not granted the status of a dominion, a Civil Disobedience Movement would be initiated in the entire country. Lord Irwin, the Governor General, after a few months, declared that the final objective of the constitutional reforms was to grant the status of a dominion to India.Following this declaration, Gandhi along with other national leaders requested the Governor General to adopt a more liberal attitude in solving the constitutional crisis. A demand was made for the release of the political prisoners and for holding the suggested Round Table Conference for reflecting on the problems regarding the constitution of the country. None of the efforts made by the Congress received any favorable response from the British government. The patience of the Indian masses were wearing out. The political intelligentsia of the country was sure that the technique of persuasion would not be effective with the British government.The Congress had no other recourse but to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement. In Bardoli, the peasants had already taken to Satyagraha under the guidance of Sardar Patel in the year 1928. Their non tax agitations were partially successful. The Congress took the decision to use the non violent weapon of Satyagraha on a nation wide scale against the government. The Launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement MK Gandhi was urged by the Congress to render his much needed leadership to the Civil Disobedience Movement.On the historic day of 12th March 1930, Gandhi inaugurated The Civil Disobedience Movement by conducting the historic Dandi Salt March, where he broke the Sa lt Laws imposed by the British Government. Followed by an entourage of seventy nine ashramites, Gandhi embarked on his march from his Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi that is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea. On 6th April 1930, Gandhi with the accompaniment of seventy nine satyagrahis violated the Salt Law by picking up a fistful of salt lying on the sea shore. They manually made salt on the shores of Dandi. Dandi Salt March had an immense impact on the entire nation.Each and every corner of the country was gripped in a unique fervor of nationalism. Soon this act of violation of the Salt Laws assumed an all India character. The entire nation amalgamated under the call of a single man, Mahatma Gandhi. There were reports of satyagrahas and instances of law violation from Bombay, Central and United Provinces, Bengal and Gujarat. The program of the Civil Disobedience Movement incorporated besides the breaking of the Salt Laws, picketing of shops selling foreign goods and liquor, bonfir e of cloth, refusal to pay taxes and avoidance of offices by the public officers and schools by the students.Even the women joined forces against the British. Those from orthodox families did not hesitate to respond to the call of the Mahatma. They took active part in the picketing exercises. Perturbed by the growing popularity of the movement, the British government imprisoned Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, in a bid to thwart it. Thus, the second struggle for attaining Swaraj launched by the Congress, under the able guidance of Mahatma, served the critical function of mobilizing the masses on a large scale against the British. Gandhi-Irwin PactIn the March of 1930, Gandhi met with the Viceroy, Lord Irwin and signed an agreement known as the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. The two main clauses of the pact entailed; Congress participation in the Round Table Conference and cessation of The Civil Disobedience Movement. The Government of India released all satyagrahis from prison. Renewal of t he Civil Disobedience Movement Gandhi attended The Second Round Table Conference in London accompanied by Smt. Sarojini Naidu. At this Conference, it was claimed by Mahatma Gandhi that the Congress represented more than eighty five percent of the Indian population.Gandhi's claim was not endorsed by the British and also the Muslim representative. The Second Round Table Conference proved to be futile for the Indians and Gandhi returned to the country without any positive result. The political scene in India thereafter assumed an acute dimension. The Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, in the absence of Gandhi, adopted the policy of repression. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was violated and the Viceroy took to the suppression of the Congress. The Conservative party, which was in power in England, complied with the decision to assume a repressive stance against the Congress and the Indians.The Congress was held responsible by the government to have instigated the ‘Red Shirts' to participate in The Civil Disobedience Movement, led by Khan Abdul Ghaffar and provoking the cultivators of U. P to refuse to pay land revenue. Adding to this was the serious economic crisis that took hold of the country. Under such circumstances, the resumption of The Civil Disobedience Movement was inevitable. The Congress Working Committee took the decision to restart The Civil Disobedience Movement, as the British government was not prepared to relent.Gandhi resumed the movement in January 1932 and appealed to the entire nation to join in. The Viceroy was also informed of the stance assumed by the Congress. Four ordinances were promulgated by the government to deal with the situation. The police was given the power to arrest any person, even on the basis of mere suspicion. Sardar Patel, the President of Congress and Gandhi were arrested, along with other Congressmen. The second phase of The Civil Disobedience Movement lacked the organization that marked its first phase.Nonetheless the entire nation put up a tough fight and the movement continued for six months. Gandhi commenced his twenty one days of fast on May 8th, 1933, to make amends for the sins committed against the untouchables by the caste Hindus. The Civil Disobedience Movement was suspended, when Mahatma Gandhi withdrew mass Satyagraha on July 14th 1933. The movement ceased completely on April 7th 1934. Although The Civil Disobedience Movement failed to achieve any positive outcome, it was an important juncture in the history of Indian independence. The leadership of Mahatma Gandhi had a beneficial impact.The warring factions within the Congress united under the aegis of The Civil Disobedience Movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi. Satyagraha was put on a firm footing through its large scale usage in the movement. Last but not the least India rediscovered its inherent strength and confidence to crusade against the British for its freedom. Quit India Movement The ascendancy of Mahatma Gandhi in the political scenario of pr e Independence India, bears a close relationship to the roles that he discharged in the three National Movements; namely The Non Co-Operation Movement, The Civil Disobedience Movement and The Quit India Movement.All the three movements were structured following the celebrated political ideologies of Gandhi. Satyagraha or passive civilian resistance and ahimsa or non violence became the unique weapons of Indian National Movements. However, The Quit India Movement departed significantly from the preceding movements in that it lacked organization and widespread violence became a common feature of the movement. Nevertheless, The Quit India Movement occupies a special place in the history of Indian struggle for freedom for taking the final step towards India's independence under the able leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.Gandhi's inspiring statement – â€Å"We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery† ignited the sen timents of Indians across the nation. Factors Contributing to the Launch of Quit India Movement In 1939, with the outbreak of war between Germany and Britain, India was announced to be a party to the war for being a constituent component of the British Empire. Following this declaration, the Congress Working Committee at its meeting on 10th October, 1939, passed a resolution condemning the aggressive activities of the Germans.At the same time the resolution also stated that India could not associate herself with war as it was against Fascism. There was hardly any difference between British colonialism and Nazi totalitarianism. Responding to this declaration, the Viceroy issued a statement on October 17th wherein he claimed that Britain is waging a war driven by the motif to strengthen peace in the world. He also stated that after the war, the government would initiate modifications in the Act of 1935, in accordance to the desires of the Indians.Gandhi's reaction to this statement wa s; â€Å"the old policy of divide and rule is to continue. The Congress has asked for bread and it has got stone. † According to the instructions issued by High Command, the Congress ministers were directed to resign immediately. Congress ministers from eight provinces resigned following the instructions. The resignation of the ministers was an occasion of great joy and rejoicing for leader of the Muslim League, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He called the day of 22nd December, 1939 ‘The Day of Deliverance'. Gandhi urged Jinnah against the celebration of this day, however, it was futile.At the Muslim League Lahore Session held in March 1940, Jinnah declared in his presidential address that the Muslims of the country wanted a separate homeland, Pakistan. In the meanwhile, crucial political events took place in England. Chamberlain was succeeded by Churchill as the Prime Minister and the Conservatives, who assumed power in England, did not have a sympathetic stance towards the clai ms made by the Indians. In order to pacify the Indians in the circumstance of worsening war situation, the Conservatives were forced to concede some of the demands made by the Indians.On August 8th, the Viceroy issued a statement that has come to be referred as the â€Å"August Offer†. However, the Congress rejected the offer followed by the Muslim League. In the context of widespread dissatisfaction that prevailed over the rejection of the demands made by the Congress, Gandhi at the meeting of the Congress Working Committee in Wardha revealed his plan to launch Individual Civil Disobedience. Once again, the weapon of Satyagraha found popular acceptance as the best means to wage a crusade against the British. It was widely used as a mark of protest against the unwavering stance assumed by the British.Vinoba Bhave, a follower of Gandhi, was selected by him to initiate the movement. Anti war speeches ricocheted in all corners of the country, with the satyagrahis earnestly appea ling to the people of the nation not to support the Government in its war endeavors. The consequence of this satyagrahi campaign was the arrest of almost fourteen thousand satyagrahis. On 3rd December, 1941, the Viceroy ordered the acquittal of all the satyagrahis. In Europe the war situation became more critical with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the Congress realized the necessity for appraising their program.Subsequently, the movement was withdrawn. The Cripps' Mission and its failure also played an important role in Gandhi's call for The Quit India Movement. In order to end the deadlock, the British government on 22nd March, 1942, sent Sir Stafford Cripps to talk terms with the Indian political parties and secure their support in Britain's war efforts. A Draft Declaration of the British Government was presented, which included terms like establishment of Dominion, establishment of a Constituent Assembly and right of the Provinces to make separate constitutions.These wo uld be, however, granted after the cessation of the Second World War. According to the Congress this Declaration only offered India a promise that was to be fulfilled in the future. Commenting on this Gandhi said; â€Å"It is a post dated cheque on a crashing bank. † Other factors that contributed were the threat of Japanese invasion of India, rule of terror in East Bengal and realization of the national leaders of the incapacity of the British to defend their India. Gandhi's Call for Quit India Sir Stafford Cripps left the country amidst unprecedented excitement.Immediately after the return of Sir Stafford Cripps, Gandhi announced ‘Quit India' as the war cry for the Indians. To quote Gandhi, â€Å"The presence of the British in India is an invitation to Japan to invade India. Their withdrawal removes that bait†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å". Gandhi realized that the time was ripe to take some strong and quick actions. He wrote a series of articles in Harijan wher e he urged the people to rise in action. He was in favor of resorting to direct action. In order to give effect to the Mahatma's views, The Congress Working Committee adopted the well known ‘Quit India' Resolution, on July 14th 1942 at Wardha.The All India Congress Committee accepted this resolution with some modifications, on 8th August, 1942 in Bombay. The very next day, on 9th August, eminent Congress leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Vallabhbhai Patel, Jaeaharlal Nehru and Abul Kalam Azad were arrested. The masses were left without any guidance. Gandhi's ‘do or die' call for the people created an upheaval in the country. But at the same time, Gandhi mentioned specifically that mass movement should be conducted following non violent means.The Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow, adopted a policy of harsh repression all over the country and gory instances of British atrocities abounded all over. This ruined the atmosphere of non violence in the country. Unlike the other two movements, the Non-Co-Operation and the Civil Disobedience Movement that unleashed under the aegis of Mahatma Gandhi, the Quit India Movement captures the quintessence of a ‘spontaneous' rising by the people. The Quit India Movement, inaugurated at the call of the Mahatma, unfolded in four phases. In the first phase there were strikes, processions, demonstrations and processions.This phase lasted for a period of three to four days and commenced from the day of Gandhi's arrest on August 9th, 1942. The factory and mill workers rose to the cause and displayed maximum vigor and enthusiasm. The government took recourse to repressive measures to subdue the movement. In an incident of open fire in Bombay, the casualties included large number of women and children. Raids of municipal and government buildings characterized the second phase of the movement. Police stations, post offices and railway stations were attacked and set ablaze.Attempts were made by the agitated mobs to capture court buil dings. Troops fired to control mob fury. September 1942, marks the beginning of the third phase of the movement. It is said that during this phase of the movement, the mob threw bombs on the police in Madhya Pradesh, Bombay and Uttar Pradesh. With the emergence of the movement into the fourth phase, it gained back its peaceful character and extended till Mahatma Gandhi was released from prison in May, 1944. Quit India movement was Gandhi's final bid to secure India's independence.Although, many diverse political ideologies crowded the scenario of Indian National Movement at that time, yet it was the Satyagraha adopted by Gandhi that finally had the most telling effect in challenging the British authorities. India was at the very threshold of Independence by the end of the Quit India movement and Gandhi's long cherished dream was about to be realized. Quit India movement sealed the success for satyagraha as a policy of political resistance, and Gandhi's role as the chief moving force behind India's Independence came to be universally accepted, although dark clouds of a communal fissure still lurked in the background.