The Letterbox

The Letterbox Essay By Lori Provan â€Å"The Letterbox† By Ann Marie Di Mambro is a dramatic monologue which discusses the theme of domestic violence. This essay will look at how the author uses a wide range of intense techniques to explore the theme. In â€Å"The Letterbox† housewife, Martha, has to suffer with her ruthless husband. Having been thrown out, Martha is slouched on a landing of her own flat. Throughout the monologue, she speaks to her young daughter, Wendy, through the letterbox. During their conversation only Martha can be heard.We can hear that she makes many unacceptable excuses to her young daughter made by the victims of domestic abuse. Her parenting skills are being questioned because of her instructions that are putting young Wendy under a lot of pressure. This essay will examine the following: how significant the title is; the fact that the monologue is distributed into two separate sections about Martha’s different excuses for her husbandâ €™s behaviour; the fact that the dramatic monologue is framed by the brief appearance of a young couple whose response to Martha’s situation makes it quite clear of theirs and the public’s intolerance.Also, Martha’s conversation with Wendy raises questions about the lesson she is teaching Wendy for her future life. The title of this dramatic monologue is successful as it gives nothing away about the play. A letterbox was designed to deliver messages or letters in and out of the outer world. Martha is sending messages to Wendy from outside of the flat. These messages are loaded with the significance about the difficulties of adult relations of which Wendy is far too young to understand. Therefore â€Å"The Letterbox† is an effective title because we understand that domestic violence is hidden of not fully understood.Besides this, a supplementary way the author deals with domestic violence is through Martha’s shameful excuses for her husband†™s disgraceful behaviour. To express this, Martha feeds Wendy many of these unacceptable excuses throughout the monologue. Martha is in an unpleasant situation as she tries to reassure Wendy that everything will turn out to be adequate. What makes this unacceptable is that this may lead Wendy to a violent future. When Martha tries to reassure Wendy and tells her not to it bother her, Martha starts to make unacceptable excuses. The author uses a range of irony in this paragraph.An illustration of this is â€Å"Just tickling me – that’s right, tickling. † for â€Å"fun†. The stage direction: â€Å"Wincing. Spits in her hanky moves her jaw around, feels inside her mouth. † Explains that she has been hurt earlier in the day. Martha also threatens her poor daughter that she will be taken away if the tells anyone about what is happening at home at a regular occurrence. Even though we cannot hear Wendy’s response during the dramatic monologue, we can only guess that Wendy is suggesting sensible solutions. We know this from Martha’s negative responses â€Å"No, no don’t wake him† and â€Å"No matter where we went, he’d only find us. In summary, Martha’s variety of unacceptable excuses has a large negative influence of Wendy’s future life. Over and above this, an additional way Ann Marie Di Mambro explores the theme of mistreatment is with the brief appearance of a young couple named Jack and Jill. The author uses the technique of dramatic irony to show the harsh words of society. Dramatic irony is when the audience or character knows something the other character is unaware of. When Jack and Jill approach Martha, slumped outside her flat, they automatically assume that she is a drug abuser or alcohol abuser. This is what a large part of society would judge Martha as.The stage directions â€Å"Jack puts his arm protectively around Jill† suggest that Jack is a very stereotypica l man. Jack also refers to Martha as being â€Å"Pissed! † Jack and Jill’s names contrasts with Martha’s plight as the nursery rhyme seems innocent but there is an undercurrence of violence, but nowhere as near as brutal as Martha’s non innocent story. Therefore the brief appearance of Jack and Jill explains a large part of the large part of the stereotypical society we live in today. Furthermore, another way the author highlights the theme of inhuman treatment is through Martha’s conversation with Wendy, and the fact that some of her onversation with her daughter raises moral questions about the lessons she is teaching Wendy for the future. Throughout â€Å"The Letterbox† Martha teaches many outrageous lessons to Wendy. For instance, Martha explains to Wendy that the way her brutal husband behaves is acceptable and that all men do it. The quote, â€Å"It’s just the way men are† shows objectionable parenting skills, as only a s mall fraction of today’s male population act violently towards their loved ones. However, the large majority of the population do not act in this manner. At the end of the play Martha sings Wendy a bedtime lullaby.The simple four lined song is adaptable and poignant. There are three symbols in this song. Light, darkness and sleep. â€Å"Light† is to signify hope, that the light of their lives are fragile and can be easily extinguished. â€Å"Darkness† is to represent despair, sorrow, trouble and hatred. Darkness is very effective as it contrasts light and dark to those who do not endure domestic violence with those who are victims. Lastly, the word â€Å"sleep† symbolises bringing an end to the day and all the terrible events that have happened. Sleep also symbolises a new day, but also foreshadows that the cycle of misery and violence may start all over again.In conclusion, Martha’s parenting skills have been questioned negatively and the authorâ €™s technique of â€Å"symbolism† and â€Å"dramatic irony† demonstrate this perfectly. In summary, Ann Marie Di Mambro has successfully explored topics such as the significance of the title, the different excuses Martha and other victims of domestic abuse use, how Jack and Jill are used to frame the play and to characterize society’s attitude to the victims; and the way that Martha speaks to Wendy which raises moral questions about her parenting skills, while Mambro talks powerfully about the theme of domestic violence.I have learnt many valuable lessons whilst studying this dramatic monologue. I have learnt that the theme of domestic violence in typical households is most undoubtedly kept a secret from the outside world. I have realised that the author is trying to say that domestic violence is hidden or not fully understood and that cruelty and injustice of domestic violence is intolerable.

Animal Behaviour Essay

Animals and their behaviour has been fascinating to behold and even more incredible to experience. Humans have been intrigued at how the most basic creatures can do the most complex things. Ethology or the scientific study of animal behaviour is responsible for numerous breakthroughs in the understanding of the animal world, and in turn the human one. Animal behaviour can range from being altruistic, to funny, to being lessons in teamwork and commitment. Dolphins have been observed to help sick or injured animals, swimming under them for hours at a time and pulling them to the surface so they can breathe. Male emperor penguins form a huddle during the cold and dark winter months where from tens to thousands of penguins lean on each other and gradually shift positions to obtain maximum warmth from the core of the huddle. Geese fly in a V formation as a flock to increase flight efficiency by 71% compared to one goose flying alone. Malaysian ants blow themselves up into a thousand bits of organic dust if they sense a threat to their colony. Elephants are known to mourn their dead. They stand around the body for days and pay respects to the dead elephant by touching their trunks to its body. Many animals, from earthworms to apes, are capable of learned behavior. They can alter their instinctive behavior by drawing on past experiences. With the help of technology, today scientists are able to find out much more about animal behaviour and the ways animals interact. If scientists in the Smithsonian can teach orangutans simple language using computers they can also find out if other animals think like humans. The knowledge they gain will help save wildlife and prevent endangered species from disappearing. So let’s hear it for the creepies and crawlies, the slimies and furries who have successfully learnt to establish and protect territories, find food and water, court, mate, reproduce, nurture their young, and play in a mind-boggling array of conditions far beyond our fragile human capacity. â€Å"God gave unto the animals wisdom past our power to see: Each knows innately how to live. Which we must learn laboriously†.

Applying Alpro herd management system (information system) to a small Term Paper

Applying Alpro herd management system (information system) to a small dairy farm - Term Paper Example The system has also assisted dairy farmers to monitor and keep the health of their herds. The system has been designed to be user-friendly and to fit in with the routines of dairy farmers all year round. The system also impressively withstands the aggressive gasses and the high humidity that is usually present in the dairy unit environment. A dairy ranch with a herd size of approximately 150, one manager, and two skilled laborers can be managed using the ALPRO System. The side opening milking parlor used here may be organized to allow the 80 milking cows to exit or cross over to a single return lane on one side. Using a single return lane reduces the cost of parlor and the facilities used when catching or sorting the cows leaving the parlor. The single return lane allows the cows to be released individually after milking. For a six-stall side opening milking parlor, the ALPRO system is efficient and comfortable. It shortens the udder to milker distance making it easy to see and reach the cows during milking and avoid the sideways twitching related to udder inspection or cluster attachment. The layout allows for smooth movement between the cows and complete view of the cow in monitoring feeding during and after milking. It also allows easy separation of cows that need special individual attention. The system adapts to v arious cow traffic patterns, and milking routines for it is versatile. It widens the choice of building a suitable layout and makes the utilization of an existing farm building more practical. The ALPRO System incorporates simple electronic photocells that track the progress of the milking cows through the side opening milking parlor and transmits the information to an ALPRO controller. After a cow leaves a particular milking stall, the system automatically closes the gate behind the cow and opens the entry gate for another cow to enter thus preventing traffic in the milking parlor. Similarly, the automation reduces the need

Favorite Place Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Favorite Place - Personal Statement Example The fascination for Hawaii grew more and more after watching every new episode. One odd day, I asked my Dad if he could send me on a vacation to Hawaii. Although I wasn't too optimistic but I was astonished when he agreed and brought the tickets the very same day. After a long flight, I woke up with the biggest smile because I was in Hawaii. I found heaven at twenty-one degrees North and one hundred fifty-six degrees West, in the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is heaven. I was in love with this place right at my first glance. From the scenic volcanoes to the picturesque coral reefs, Hawaii is picture perfect. The milieu is immaculate to showcase the contrasting nature. Even the most fastidious people on earth would find it difficult to argue. With the advent of the sun in the morning, I put on my freshly made orchid lei. I enjoy smelling the sweet, floral aroma all day long. The beach appeared tailored to hug the waves of the ocean. I strolled on the beach and could easily spend the entire day over it either listening to my IPOD or simply reading a book. The warm, soft sand is brownish-tan in color, and it feels so good when my feet sink into it. I love hearing the brilliantly blue ocean calling out to me with its mellifluous voice. The beach also has a very distinct smell, the mixture of tropical tanning oils and the salty ocean water.

See notes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

See notes - Essay Example A final demonstration of sensitivity is the teachers willingness to accommodate the parents work schedule by agreeing to stay until 8:00 on some evenings. First of all, I feel that these displays of sensitivity to the parents will show the parents that the teacher really is concerned about not only their child, but also about their personal situation that may prevent them from helping their child at home. This type of communication will help form a relationship of trust between the parents and teacher. This is especially true of the teachers explanation of jargon. Parents want technical information about their children from professionals, but they do not understand or appreciate jargon (Mendoza, 2003). By avoiding this, the teacher appears to be approachable and sincere. There were two quotes from the speech that were a bit insensitive. The first was commenting on the employment situation of the parents. The teacher said, "I realize that many of you work during school hours, so once a week I will stay at school until 8:00 PM." In this urban setting of low-income families, unemployment is probably higher than average. This statement could be misconstrued by those that dont work during school hours to be saying, "I will make exceptions for hardworking families, but not for people that have all day to contact me at school." Another insensitive comment is the teachers exclamation, "E-mail is one of the best ways for us to communicate!" Parents without internet access may feel that the teacher refers e-mails to other forms of communication. These two instances of insensitivity could lead to a breakdown in communication between the teacher and parents. The unemployed parent might not be able to meet with the teacher due to family obligations or the labor involved in searching for employment. The teachers insensitivity might dissuade this person from coming in to speak during the evening. The emphasis on e-mail communication might keep parents

Fair Use Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fair Use - Research Paper Example n the fair use specified in section 107 cover areas such as criticisms, research, news reporting, scholarship as well as educational purposes (Torremans 29). The pros and cons of fair use will be discussed in detail below. Section 107 which contains the far use has four specific factors that are used to determine whether any particular use is being fair or not and whether it the individual can be allowed to copyright the work or not. The first factor is to examine the nature of the copyrighted work. This is then followed by the next factor which is determining the amount and substantiality of the portion that will be used as compared to the whole copyrighted work. The purpose and character of the use being needed and determine whether the purpose is commercial use or educational purpose that is non-profit. Lastly is the effect of the use of the copyrighted work in the potential market or its value to the copyrighted work. When fair is employed, the work of the owner is being recognized and even diverted to a large number of people who may not have had a chance to read the work. This is especially true when the fair use is carried out by new reports or for educational purposes in classes as it reaches a large number of people. The other advantage to this is that the minimal excepts from the work may lead to curious people to want to find out more and hence end up purchasing the whole original work and this leads to financial benefits to the copyright owner. There are very many writers who have published their work in similar subjects and their work is not yet widely recognized. Having fair use is a way of the people recognizing the copyrighters work on the subject manner and this is an honor and a way to appreciate the good work of the writer. This is a good reason for even the copyright owners to encourage fair use and completely support it. The fair use advantage is not only to the copyright owner but also to the people using it. This includes the researchers,

Bead Bar Systems Development Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bead Bar Systems Development Project - Essay Example Order tracking, fulfillment, inventory and supply dynamics can be managed optimally. The proposed information system would departmentalize the operations of the various departments and make the organisation accessible to its stakeholders in a pre-approved and designed manner. Not everyone would be allowed to access all kinds of information and all activities can be tracked so as to ascertain the state of the organisation at every point of time. We desire to create a company website which can be accessed through the internet so that all the franchisee locations are able to access it and perform the business functions of recording and updating the system for all the business changes. All the franchisee locations are connected with the help of public data carriers so that it is able to access the company website to perform their functions. Each such franchisee would have their access privileges to enter the transaction section and operate their business process. The president and the owner, vice president’s of all the departments would have an Executive Information System (EIS) Management Information System (MIS) to manage their operations. The accounts department may use Transaction Processing System (TPS) and the ground level workers can use Knowledge Work System to measure worker output, productivity and others. Prior to outlining the input and output information, the system development life cycle must be in place so that the analysis is done accordingly. The correct nature of the inputs and the outputs would make the system design vary accordingly as it requires to capture the information and put it into a frame to interpret in a decisive manner to take further decisions. The new proposed system and the present working system are analyzed so that the ROI (Return On Investment) is obtained. The proposed system is further analyzed for economical, technical,