Gender Criticism based on Feminism and Masculinism in the Book “Skin” Essay Example for Free

Gender Criticism based on Feminism and Masculinism in the Book â€Å"Skin† Essay The book entitled, â€Å"Skin† is written by Ted Dekker and is a fiction novel about a killer who took as captives five people who each had stories to tell and had things about their past to confront. They were brought together by such deadly circumstances and despite their individual differences and suspicions drawn against one another, they had to work together somehow against a common enemy, their captor. â€Å"Skin† covers issues of feminism and masculinism in the details about how the captured characters – namely, Wendy, Colt, Jerry, Nicole and Carey were victimized by the killer, Red. For Wendy, it all started one rainy night when she was driving herself to the place where her estranged mother was. The horror of all that they have gone through, all five of them, turned out to be something none of them was ever prepared for. Thesis The novel â€Å"Skin† relates a story that supports the thesis that the gender-defined roles of the characters therein damaged both sides. The story also presented the question of what true beauty is, both masculine and feminine beauty. Beauty is explored both as an external quality and as something that is more than what meets the eye – in men and in women. It turns out that beauty can be perceived by people as gender-defined. Beauty in men, thus, can be judged by parameters that are supposed to apply to men, and then beauty in women can be judged by altogether different parameters that, in turn, are supposed to apply to women. Feminism in the Story Wendy is an escapist from a cult where men reigned as the superior sex. In fact, even decisions pertaining to her life – who she was to wed eventually, who she could date and kiss – were made by the acknowledged head of their tribe, a man much older that her who was even supposed to be her future husband. Her mom was in the cult, too. As a member of it, she submitted to such leader and went to wherever the group went, never deciding for herself where and how she wanted to live her life. Through it all, she allowed the cult leader to make decisions that she should have made for herself and her daughter, Wendy. Wendy has become a prime feminist since her escape from the group whose members made up her world. She then became totally free – free to make choices for herself, free to make decisions concerning herself, her life and her personal interests. She has been equipped with good education and having been a scholar who made it through college by herself – with no help from parents, whose support usually comes in the form of financial resources to enable their children get through college as a way to have much better chances for a bright future. During her traumatic childhood experiences in the cult where the male leader was practically the ruler of all, Wendy had known what it meant to be eyed or even â€Å"reserved† for an older man. In the story, there was the pre-arranged marriage that Wendy had no choice but to succumb to when the time for it would come. For this reason, Wendy was even punished at one time for having kissed a guy. Through it all, Wendy came to have this fear of men. It was the same fear that went in the way of her having a serious relationship with a guy even when she was already a young woman. Thus, during years since her escape, Wendy had only female friends. Given the life she lived and the role of men in her life, Wendy has grown to be an independent woman who definitely did not need a man to make life easier for her. In contrast, Nicole had her brother, Cary, to adore her, to take care of her and to protect her. She grew up depending on the love and security that her older brother represented. Nicole represents the very image that present day feminists want to totally disassociate from women in general. She’s a victim of men who, like her brother, have to be needed by the women in their lives as the only way they would feel strong, masculine and happy. In such a trap, the likes of Nicole have been raised to believe that women are weak and are in constant need of the protection and support that only men can provide. For an independent woman like Wendy, it was indeed a novelty to watch Carey carry his younger sister all the way and to see for herself how much Carey loves his younger sister, Nicole. And Nicole, loved him, too. He was her older brother who has always been her source of love and protection. The same love and protection, though, can serve to curtail Nicole’s potentials as a person – a free thinker, a decision-maker and the master of her fate. Thus, the protective love of men – in this case, Nicole’s older brother – can be likened to a trap that can prevent women from going out into the world, making mistakes and learning in the process, and living their lives to the fullest. Curtailed freedom was one thing Wendy and Nicole had in common, but Wendy had chosen to break out of her prison cell and fly away toward freedom and self-realization. Men, as oppressors, can clip the wings of the women in their lives either intentionally or not, either lovingly or not – the manner, though, does not change the meaning of what is going on. Masculinism in the Story Colt’s masculinity would seem readily obvious in the light of his being a policeman. His marked skill as a gunman would serve to give his masculinity an added boost. After all, his being an adept shooter can easily be surmised to mean his being a good protector of people under his wings. As a great gunman, then, Colt has won the respect and admiration of his fellow cops in the police department, both male and female. And also as a great gunman, Colt would seem the kind of man who has little or nothing to fear. No one would guess, therefore, that for all his seemingly apparent masculinity, Colt has fears and has doubts of his capabilities and qualities as a man. In fact, the story says that having a woman around or being with one is enough to break Colt’s cool demeanor and to reduce him into a bundle of nerves. He therefore has neven been close to a woman. His life has been lived and has revolved pretty much around male friends. The story has mentioned Colt’s mom who has been murdered but was believed to have committed suicide – she might easily have been the only woman in his life. One’s childhood always leaves its imprints on the person. Events during Colt’s childhood have caused him to have insecurities and doubts about himself. These self-doubts leave no sign in the policeman that Colt has become. Such doubts and insecurities have stayed within him but have been buried way under Colt’s demeanor. In a way, Colt has been victimized by the way ladies ridicule guys they are not interested in, more so when ladies spurn those suitors whom they do not at all find attractive. Being rejected by a girl can have such an adverse impact on a guy’s confidence. Some guys even find it hard to recover their self-esteem after having been rejected by the ladies they loved. While Colt avoided women as characters he was not ready to have in his life, Cary was the type of guy who was instinctively protective of women he loved, like his sister, Nicole. Cary has grown up believing that the male sex is the stronger sex and that the females are therefore to be taken care of and sheltered. While adhering to this belief, being in helpless situations would kill the likes of Cary in their insistence that they be the protectors of the women they love. Thus, in the story, it tore Cary apart to watch his younger sister in pain and so helpless. It likewise broke his heart that he could not do what had to be done to keep them all safe from harm. Thus, independent women like Wendy would be a novelty to Colt, whose perception of women would be more of the clinging and needy sort. In the same way, frail and fragile women like Nicole would disarm Colt’s defense and lead him to overcome his fear of women, who in the person of Nicole can seem to be such weak, dependent and powerless creatures in need of somebody like himself. The story is adroitly set with twists that all served to help the characters eventually face their fears and find themselves. Works Cited Dekker, Ted. Skin. Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2007.

A.M.Holmes Music For Torching, Seth MacFarlanes Family Guy, and Tony

A.M.Holmes' Music For Torching, Seth MacFarlane's Family Guy, and Tony Kushner's Angels in America The social progression of America in the 20th and 21st centuries has been arguably advantageous. In the years following the feminist and civil rights movements, the United States has undeniably developed into the world’s leading democratic system. Women and minorities have equal citizenship status under the law. There are more females in the workforce than ever before, and formerly guarded issues such as homosexuality and domestic problems can now be addressed openly in social and political forums. However, the question remains as to whether or not such progression has benefited American culture and its population as a whole. Perhaps we have become too liberal, too timorous at addressing one another’s differences, resulting in the perpetual fear of coming across as too politically incorrect when expressing one’s opinions. Perhaps our social order has become excessively inverted; women are born intended to slave over the hot stove, and only males and females are b iologically prearranged to copulate. Perhaps we are still not tolerant enough, as many minorities still suffer quietly under a largely heterosexual-Caucasian-male-dominated regime. What we have gained from free thinking and global assimilation, we have also lost in traditional principles. Despite the cultural uncertainties that have risen from national change, it is evident that the â€Å"American dream† is no longer the embodiment of attaining the white picket fence and happy home that it once was. Postmodern texts seek to examine this social revolution by examining and questioning our social evolution. Three examples of such texts, A.M. Homes’ Music For Torching, Seth... ...ent of theories and doctrines? Have the values of America diminished because of such progression? Or has our nation not progressed at all, and remained stagnant because, as Kushner would contend, we have repeatedly committed the same societal mistakes throughout history? Though we have solved certain dilemmas, new ones have arisen. Americans cherish free enterprise, yet we have come to recognize that money cannot buy happiness. Women may now enter the workforce, but are forced to arbitrate between a career and children. Husbands face mid-life crises about the issue of their masculinity. In general, the simple idealism of the rags-to-riches success story is no longer the dream of the postmodern American. Our ambition has instead become a fixation with establishing and accepting one’s own identity and the identities of others despite continuing social uncertainties.

Attachment and Imprinting Essay

Attachment Attachment is an emotional bond which we as people depend on for our sense of security . Attachment is not just a connection between two people; it is a bond that involves a desire for regular contact with that person we want to remain close to one another. But also we can have the distress of separation and joy and being reunited. As we form attachments throughout our lives there is a particular attachment between babies and their main primary carer According to psychologist Mary Ainsworth , attachment â€Å"may be defined as an affectional tie that one person or animal forms between himself and another specific one – a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time.† Attachment behaviour in adults towards a child includes responding sensitively and appropriately to the child’s needs. Such behaviour appears universal across cultures. Attachment theory provides an explanation of how the parent-child relationship emerges and influences subsequent development. John Bowlby’s theory of attachment led to believe the importance of the child’s relationship with their mother in terms of their social, emotional and cognitive development. Specifically, it shaped his belief about the link between early infant separations with the mother and later, led Bowlby to formulate his attachment theory. Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson studied the progress of 60 babies starting from a few weeks old to 18 months. These children were observed in their own home , and a pattern was identified in their development of attachment. They found that babies attachment developed in a sequence Up to 3 months of age – Indiscriminate attachments. The newborn is predisposed to attach to any human. Most babies respond equally to any caregiver After 4 months – Preference for certain people. Infants they learn to distinguish primary and secondary caregivers but accept care from anyone; After 7 months – Special preference for a single attachment figure. The baby looks to particular people for security, comfort and protection. It shows fear of strangers (stranger fear) and unhappiness when separated from a special person  (separation anxiety). Some babies show stranger fear and separation anxiety much more frequently and intensely than others, but nevertheless they are seen as evidence that the baby has formed an attachment. This has usually developed by one year of age. After 9 months – Multiple attachments. The baby becomes increasingly independent and forms several attachments The results of their study found that attachment were most likely to develop with carers who responded to their needs , rather than the person that spent most of their time with . Schaffer and Emerson called this sensitive responsivness .But the most important fact in forming attachments is not who feeds and changes the child but who plays and communicates with him or her. Bartholomew gathered evidence that attachment behaviour exists across many different cultures . Bartholomew thought it was relevant to study adults as well as children and found evidence to suggests that adults have the desire for closeness with and attachment figure especially under certain conditions . Attachment has proved to be an invaluable in understanding the relationship between early experiences and later development. A secure attachment greatly advantages the child in its later development . Imprinting Is a rapid learning process by which a newborn or very young animal establishes a behaviour pattern of recognition and attraction to another animal of its own kind or to a substitute or an object identified as the parent. A form of imprinting is filial imprinting, in which a young animal acquires several of its behavioral characteristics from its parent. Imprinting is the term used in psychology to describe any kind of phase-sensitive learning (learning occurring at a particular age or a particular life stage) that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behaviour. It was first used to describe situations in which an animal or person learns the characteristics of some stimulus, which is therefore said to be â€Å"imprinted† onto the subject. However, in child development the term is used to refer to the process by which a baby learns who its mother and father are. The process is recognised as beginning in the womb, when the unborn baby starts to recognise its  parents’ voices. Konrad Lorenz , a scientist who studied animals in their natural environment and their behaviour , found imprinting is an inbuilt tendency for a young animal to follow a moving object and form an attachment . Konrad Lorenz conducted an experiment with greylag goslings who were reared from an egg by humans and did not mix with their own speicies . He found that they imprinted to the first large moving object that it sees Lorenz also found that imprinting occurs in other kinds of animals too . He found many types of birds , some insects , fishes and some mammmals , for example deer and sheep . However imprinting not occur in human infants but they do form close relationships with others . An infant will behave differently with its mother and recognise her voice when heard , or follow her movements round the room , stop crying when they are picked up by her , a baby will recognise its own mother 2 How can studies of animal behaviour and reactions be applied to human psychology ? .Write 500 words to elaborate and justify your answer. The study of animal behaviour can lead to a deeper and broader understanding of human psychology. Research on animal behaviour has led to numerous discoveries about human behaviour, such as Ivan Pavlov’s research on classical conditioning or Harry Harlow’s work with rhesus monkeys. Many psychologists studied animals to gain an insight into human development so they could understand human behaviour without studying humans for moral and ethical reasons . This would also restrict the type of research that they could use on a human being. They also found you could control the animals environment and animals are quicker at reaching adulthood allowing them to research in a short time . Harlow did a study/experiment on young rhesus monkeys were he separated them from their mother at birth , he wanted to show the importance of a mother’s love for a healthy childhood . His study was cruel yet they uncovered truths that influence our understanding of child development .Harlow’s most famous experiment was when he separated two monkeys at birth and placed them with two artifical surrogate mothers, a wire mesh â€Å"mother† and a cloth â€Å"mother† one was not so nice to cuddle and the other ( cloth mother) was more soft and cuddly. . Both had tubes in which the monkeys could obtain food . the experiment discovered that the  monkeys spent more time with their cloth mother than their wire mother , which concluded that â€Å" contact comfort† was important in the development of affection. Harlow also found the attachment of infant monkeys to their surrogate in other experiments that he did . An example is that he placed a moving toy into the cage ,the monkeys reaction would be of one of fear or they would scream or cry, however if the wire mother was present it would stop , but with the cloth mother they showed initial fear but would quickly calm down when close to her and would explore the object with the security of the cloth mother . Harlows experiments showed proof that love is vital for normal childhood development â€Å"These data make it obvious that contact comfort is a variable of overwhelming importance in the development of affectional response, whereas lactation is a variable of negligible importance,† Harlow explained (1958). Ivan Pavlov classical conditional theory is based on his observations, he focused on investigating exactly how these conditioned responses are learned or acquired. Classical conditioning is often used to treat phobias, anxiety and panic disorders. It’s important to note that classical conditioning involves placing a neutral signal before a naturally occurring reflex. In Pavlov’s classic experiment with dogs, the neutral signal was the sound of a tone and the naturally occurring reflex was salivating in response to food. Behaviorism is based on the assumption that learning occurs through interactions with the environment. Two other assumptions of this theory are that the environment shapes behavior and that taking internal mental states such as thoughts, feelings, and emotions into consideration is useless in explaining behaviour. A understanding of human behaviour and development through studies of social behaviour in monkeys has relevance for general and child psychology . Especially in Harlow’s learning research it demonstrates that animals , like humans are able to learn and apply stategies to situations , so we have a better understanding on why we behave the way we do .

Essay on Eyewitness Error - 1177 Words

Memory is a cognitive function of the brain that is often taken for granted. Memory may have many purposes, but most importantly it is essentially a record of an entire life span. From this perspective memory is the most important aspect of consciousness. Unfortunately, through formal experimentation it has been shown that memory is fairly inaccurate, inconsistent, and often influenced by our own experiences as well as the bias of others. Memory is not only affected during an observed event, but there are instances where memory can be influenced after an event as well. There are also instances where memory can be affected retroactively due to personal experiences and biases. Incorrectly recalling the memories of one’s life is usually not†¦show more content†¦After fighting for his innocence for four years it was found that neither his DNA nor the victims DNA was able to be located at the scene of the crime. Mr. Bravo was also cited as wrongfully convicted due to erron eous eyewitness testimony (â€Å"Innocence Lost,† 2004). In the case previously described there are several moments where the witness could have recalled a false memory. Eyewitness error can occur during short-term memory or long-term memory function. From the constructive memory approach the witness could be influenced in a number of ways. If a male of Latino descent had attacked the eyewitness in the past, this could influence not only his or her perception, but also the consolidation of memory. The prejudices and bias of the eyewitness could also affect his or her memory. When the eyewitness is called to the stand for testimony there are many instances where their eyewitness testimony could be convoluted. According to the constructive memory theory memory also becomes less accurate over time. The eyewitness may remember the event in general, but after a period of time the specific details will usually be forgotten (Hudson, 1990, p. 180). Unfortunately error in memory recall is not the only difficulty facing those who have experience wrongful conviction. In Mr. Bravo’s case he was unable to produce a strong alibi due to the lack of assistance from his council (â€Å"Innocence Lost,† 2004). This setbackShow MoreRelatedFalse Memory Eyewitness Testimony Essay1590 Words   |  7 PagesFalse Memory and Eyewitness Testimony PSY363 False Memory and Eyewitness Testimony A false memory is simply a memory that did not occur. An actual experience can become distorted as best illustrated by the Cog Lab experiment on false memories accessed through Argosy University. The experiment is outlined as follows: a participant is given a list of words that are highly relative in nature at a rate of about one word every 2 seconds. At the finish of the given list, the participantRead MoreEssay on Problems with Eyewitness Testimony1395 Words   |  6 PagesEyewitness testimony has been used for many centuries and continues to be a part of our criminal justice system. Although, there has been many controversy debates on whether to allow the continuation of these testimonies in court, and allow it to be used as evidence. Eyewitness testimony can either be harmful or useful for an individual. We must fully analysis and see what certain factors (psychological, and age wise) come into the equation before coming up with final conclusions. A case studyRead MoreHow The Justice System Is Run? Essay1211 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom planted or tampered evidence, and they must ensure that they complete all of their duties, investigations, and documentation completely, accurately and maintain the integrity of the case. 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