How the misrepresentation of war and conflict can lead to a false view of events

How the misrepresentation of war and conflict can lead to a false view of events Introduction In June 2009, it was announced that there would be an Inquiry looking into the Iraq War, and the United Kingdoms involvement within it (â€Å"About the Inquiry†, 2009). The Chilcot Inquiry aimed to cover the period between the summer of 2001 and the end July 2009, looking at not only the run-up to the conflict, but also the period during, and the outcomes after measures had been taken. Its aims were set to find out the legality and legitimacy of the conflict (Hirsch, 2009), and how it was presented to the public, prior to engagement. There has been much debate over whether what the public are presented with is as truthful as it states to be. Whether it be giving a cleaner depiction, with exaggerated sophistication, or â€Å"inflated claims† (Meacher, 2010, para. 2), such as the ‘weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, it can be debated that a fair representation is somewhat hard to find. The purpose of this dissertation is to look at how conflict can become misrepresented via the media. It aims to look at the various ways that the media communicate the conflict to the public, and how it poses itself as a watchdog, supposedly working as the publics eyes and ears, as well as giving them an outlet via which their ‘voice can be heard. Whilst one initially thinks of war as a brutal and life affecting situation, more recent war seems to leave most western citizens relatively untouched, and therefore, perhaps less informed. What little they may know tends to be gathered via television or print media, and tends to somewhat be taken quite literally as the ‘way it is. Chapter one brings together these ideas, and explores how the news present conflicts to its audiences. The dissertation then goes on to address the problematic representations that have occurred, and looks at how news can be manufactured for audiences, depicting situations in differing ways to how they are really occurring. It also looks at the idea of propaganda, and the negative and positive ways in which it can be used. This second chapter also addresses the Abu Ghraib situation, and how such a horrific situation can by-pass the media, and perhaps be covered-up. The media however, proved to play a positive role, informing the public of the situation, bringing them into the loop. Other elements which must be addressed is alternative representations. From documentary to video games, people now often use media which originates from conflict as a form of entertainment. Whether it be to inform themselves further, in the cause of documentaries, or to entertain and ‘participate, the media enables audiences to approach the idea of conflict from other angles. This is therefore why it is vital that such genres be addressed when looking at the representation of war and conflict. Chapter One: The Media; Our Eyes and Ears and Voice? When considering how most people get their news and current affairs information, most tend to trust and favour certain institutions. They trust these sources to deliver them accurate and truthful reports. Few people would question their favourite institutions ability to do so, or would question the validity of the ‘stories, consuming them as factual information, and would rarely think beyond it. As discussed by McChesney and Nichols, ideally, the media is supposed to â€Å"serve as a stern watchdog over those in power and those who want to be in power† (McChesney Nichols, 2002, p.24). This supports the idea that the media can be used to aid a countrys citizenship, helping those who do not have power to have a voice. Without the media, the public would find it hard to be heard, so they need to have the media on their side, likewise, the government must have the support of the media to influence the public (Katz, 2009, p.200). But whether the media really honours its role as ‘watchdog is questionable. When considering the media, particularly in relation to reporting conflict, it seems somewhat unlikely that a completely fair and accurate representation, to all audiences, could occur. The BBC, according to Aitken (2007, p.8), is thought of as one of the most trustworthy places that one can gather news and information. This could be due to a sense of ownership in which the UK public feel (via the license fee), or due to it being the most historically established. Either way, nationally, and internationally, it has become a trusted organisation. Zelizer and Allan even argue that, particularly post September 11, the BBC has become an organisation that the American public trust to deliver what they see as more extensive information. In comparison to US media representations, the BBC â€Å"provided a much more in depth approach, [] along with [a] ‘blunter attitude† (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.12) . According to Aitken, (2007, p.2), the BBC does have a duty under its Royal Charter, in order to maintain the license fee, that it must not be biased or favour views. This may indicate why it is seen as a more trustworthy source of information. However, as questioned by Aitken, it may be seen as the BBC holds people and organisations to account, but â€Å"who holds the BBC to account?† (Aitken, 2007, p.2). Particularly, when as Aitken suggests (2007, p.20), the political opinion within the organisation would be formed by those working within it. As Navasky discusses, â€Å"journalism, the flow of news, information, and ideas, is the circulation system of our democracy, the way we find out whats what. It is based largely on journalism that we make up our national mind† (Navasky, 2002, p.xiii). The medias influence over the public is tremendous, especially as it may be the main influence over many of ones beliefs. It therefore shows that there is a sense that the media should be aware of its power, and should therefore be regulated in such a way that it does allow diversity of representations to occur. As Doyle asserts, it is vital that there is a number of â€Å"different and independent voices, and of differing political opinions and representations† (Doyle, 2002, p.11). However, as Aitken continues, journalists report using their own views, and may do so completely unintentionally. However, when many journalists within an organisation are of similar beliefs, it could be hard for them to realise they may be bia sed. This is an â€Å"institutional deformation, invisible to the people working there, unless you were one of a small minority who happen to take a different political view† (Aitken, 2007, p.20). When considering journalism of attachment, it is easy to see where one may be unable to stand neutrally. As it is a â€Å"journalism that cares as well as knows† (Bell, 1998, p.15), the journalist is increasingly likely to be more emotionally entwined with the story, and therefore may find it harder to stand in a non-biased position. As Ellis addresses (1998, p.167), moral responsibility often takes over when journalism becomes closer to the victims. Emotion is a powerful tool used by the media, it can help to draw in an audience, and get them following along. According to Boltanski (1999, p.5), there must be sufficient contact between the ‘victim and those who are ‘fortunate for one to be able to connect with the victim or ‘unfortunate.   Despite this though, as Boltanski (1999, p.27) states, the two groups actually mean nothing to one another. Therefore, it is believed that the emotional effect of such reporting is relatively short lived for the audience consuming. Bystander journalism however, seems to be the more idealistic approach that media organisations may favour, if wishing to be non-biased. This form of journalism is more concerned with factual elements of war. This is a less biased approach, as it tends to report an overall representation via factual elements. It allows audiences to walk away without feeling an attachment or moral obligation. Whilst audiences may tend to favour this form of reporting as more accurate, it can cause problems. According to Sanders, there is â€Å"a time to be passionate and a time to be dispassionate† (Sanders, 2005, p.43). As he continues, this approach to journalism allows a â€Å"more truthful depiction of the horrors of war† (Sanders, 2005, p.43). It may give a more accurate reading into the devastation (on paper), but how one interprets that information though is where the problems occur. If one is not given the chance to physically see the devastation, it is hard to really understand. Therefore, by dispassionately reporting, one may lack the emotional tie, and get a cleaner depiction of what is ‘intended to be communicated. Whilst one may feel they understand the situation, they are only being told facts, and whether they can really translate these into reality, is problematic. If one does not get the full picture, including the emotional and social impact that such a war may have over others, it is an unfair representation. Economical and statistical figures only tell so much, and do not communicate a reality. As Nichols and McChesney discuss, we â€Å"dont see the reality of war† (Nichols McChesney, 2005, p.v). Although this is in reference to the US press and public, it could be applied to any countries depiction, according to the countries own national belief, even if not to the same extent. â€Å"War is the most serious use of state power: organised, sanctioned violence† (Nichols McChesney, 2005, p.37). It is therefore a serious issue if one is not being given the chance to see the reality of a conflict, and the arguments behind it. It is all very to have a vague understanding behind a conflict, via information received from the media, but many audiences may take this information too literally. They may not look beyond the information offered, and may take the medias chosen narrative as a truthful and fair depiction, without questioning why the media has taken that particular angle. As discussed by Aitken, it is about â€Å"constructing ‘narratives which give the audience a coherent framework within which to judge current developments† (Aitken, 2007, p.17). But as Aitken continues, most people consume and trust one narrative, despite there being many other competing versions of the same situation, which may be a more accurate representation. Narratives give audiences a platform to work on, and a basis to which they can base their beliefs. If however, there are many competing versions a situation, as Aitken suggests (2007, p.17), this demonstrates the various views that a broadcaster may possess. It would be hard for a broadcaster to deny their biases, particularly when there are other similar reports of other viewpoints. No one can truly asses a situation fairly without viewing every angle of the situation, not only from the home governments wished depiction, but also from the ‘enemies depiction. This draws onto another point. Due to the technology of today, audiences are now able to access news instantly as situations are occurring. They are led to believe this gives them a bigger picture. It is also a good position for the public to be in, as they are therefore able to access the same information as others, and are less likely to be misled. This however can be problematic for controlling bodies, particularly in relation to conflict. â€Å"Leaders must be prepared to handle the rapid pace of global communication and to avoid serious policy mistakes deriving from global televisions demands for a fast and effective response† (Gilboa, 2005, p.24). They have little time for preparation, and therefore have to be somewhat careful in what they say, and aim to be somewhat vague, to give them the ability to be able to change their angle later if necessary. Videophones have also proven problematic for those reporting via the media. Whilst they can â€Å"empower journalists [], documenting the effects of battle while capturing a dramatic but information-rich account of war† (Livingstone, Bennett Robinson, 2005, p.34), they can display more than a chosen government may have wished audiences to witness. However, it must be recognised that even with such resources, reporters are often not actually at the ‘frontline, and are still some distance from the actual action, and therefore may only have the details which they may have been given by officials. It may also vary with the type of people which they are surrounded by, i.e. civilians or the military. Another issue to discuss when considering reporting a conflict is where the information reported has been obtained from. Reporters are often â€Å"given access to a steady and predictable supply of information that is typically provided by official government sources† (Livingstone, Bennett, Robinson, 2005, p.34). This therefore, shows that the information may not be directly from the source, even if we are led to believe so. It therefore may not be the full bulk of the situation, particularly when the government is the middle man, as it may wish to represent its own view. If the government is passing the information on, they are able to edit the information into a situation that compliments their desired standpoint. Why would one wish to humiliate or inflate problems for itself when it is unnecessary to do so? This therefore raises the question of whether we should be in fact more concerned by what we are not being shown, rather than what we are. This process of eliminating a nd censoring news via gatekeeping is a way of ensuring only ‘newsworthy subjects reach the public, whilst other things they deem unnecessary, do not. The reporting of the 1990-1991 Gulf War can demonstrate where a lack of information was relayed to the public. During the conflict, the public were given a cleaner depiction, and were under the impression that bombs dropped were precise and accurate. However, â€Å"after the war it was revealed that in fact only 7 per cent of bombs were ‘precision or laser-guided weapons† (Philo McLauglin, 1995, p.149). Throughout the conflict, there was an obsession around the sophisticated weapons that were being used, which could now be seen as somewhat misleading. As cited by Philo and McLauglin (from The Daily Mirror), â€Å"The world watch in awe yesterday as Stormin Norman played his ‘home video revealing how allied plans are using Star Wars technology to destroy vital Iraqi targets. Just like Luke Skywalker manoeuvring his fighter into the heart of Darth Vaders space complex, the US pilots zeroed into the very centre of Saddam Husseins Baghdad† (Philo McLauglin, 1 995, p. 149). Such an article would give a very unfair representation of the real effect, but this may not be clear to audiences until after the situation has taken place. Surely therefore, this misleading of the public could be seen as a form of propaganda? As Rosenfeld suggests (2007, p.70), it may be necessary to represent events in certain, perhaps biased ways, as this should encourage support and patriotism within the public. Today one may assume that due to our knowledge and understanding of propaganda, it is less likely to happen to us. But as a victim of propaganda, would you really realise you were being subjected to it? According to Edward Bernays, propaganda is seen as a vital tool for societies. â€Å"Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are together as a smooth functioning society† (Bernays, 2005, p.37). Essentially, propaganda is â€Å"the establishing of reciprocal understanding between an individual and a group† (Bernays, 2005, p.161). So if as Bernays suggest, propaganda is needed to obtain a joint understanding within a group, this may indicate why it may be used by governments to persuade t he public to join their beliefs, in order to get a desired outcome. This can show why, it is essential that certain representations be presented to the public, however inaccurate or biased they may be, to create an alliance of beliefs. This would also support the idea behind over-emphasising the sophistication of war and cleanliness, in order to maintain support. As you can see from this chapter, the media are there as our eyes and ears, feeding us information, but also serves, as a watchdog over government and other elite bodies. Also demonstrated is how the media have a great responsibility when reporting, due to their persuasiveness, and the fact that the public can be easily manipulated, and often follow and gather their national belief via what the media feeds them. It shows how ones understanding of a situation may differ depending on how it is reported. If reported using emotions, it may create a different perception to if it was reported factually, even if the factual representation, on paper, gives more information. This gives a good basis upon which to discuss why such reporting takes place, and how it may benefit those in power. It also raises the questions around what is not being shown to audiences, and what happens when the media or government are shown to have been untruthful. Chapter Two: Censorship, Deceit and Propaganda As discussed in Chapter One, it can be somewhat confusing to consider the various ways that the media can present particular views. As suggested previously, it is thought that they do so consciously, but other views suggest that it is often unintentional. Whilst aiming to appear open, they often present a marginal view of the information they themselves are aware of. It therefore must be questioned why such actions are implemented, rather than presenting as much as possible, and why particular views are manufactured for audiences. Ellis (1998, p.170) considers the lack of information reported about a conflict to be incredibly important. The national security of a country could be jeopardised if one were to report everything occurring, on both the front line, and the tactical decisions behind it. As Ellis continues, it is thought that the media coverage of the Vietnam War was partially to blame for the conflicts failure. It is thought that â€Å"television coverage critically sapped the support of the American public† (Ellis, 1998, p.170). As this was the first war that was able to be broadcast ‘live, the problems were unforeseen, and therefore led to a problematic position for the government. Whilst the government was saying one thing, images shown were undermining their words, subsequently making the government appear somewhat untrustworthy. This, therefore, would show that it is necessary that the media and its coverage of a conflict should be censored and paid close attention to, so that support is maintained by the public. But, if censorship is in such a way that it helps the audiences to form a chosen opinion, effectively, this could be seen as propaganda. As Bernays states, propaganda is â€Å"the conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses† (Bernays, 2005, p.37). But, also adds that it is important for democratic society, and without which, it would be hard for one to live harmoniously, especially if everyone was of differing opinions. Therefore, presenting a situation in a particular way should help society to form a joint understanding. For example, when thinking in relation to Iraq, the main reason for intervention was due to supposed ‘weapons of mass destruction. If the public understand the threat, they are more likely to consent. As demonstrated durin g the ‘Iraq Enquiry, when it was discovered that there were no weapons, the public support was threatened. It therefore is essential that the politicians defend what they have formerly said, just as Alistair Campbell has demonstrated, defending their statements as not misrepresentative (â€Å"Alastair Campbell defends†, 2010). As Bernays reiterates â€Å"We are governed, our minds moulded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of† (Bernays, 2005, p. 37). Therefore, whether it is government who we have chosen, the military, or other leaders that we have not, this would support the idea that our feelings about conflict are generally dictated to us. So, as it would appear, sometimes the restriction of coverage may take place when it is not entirely necessary. As Ellis addresses, during both the Falklands War in1982 and the Gulf War of 1991 â€Å"citizens were prevented from learning information which in a democratic society, they had a right to know† (Ellis, 1998, p.170). This seems particularly unfair, as citizens were unable to witness the real war that was being fought in their name, paid for by themselves. Since technology developed though, it would appear that censorship has become more necessary. As discussed in the previous chapter, videophones and correspondents worldwide enable audiences to access the action, at a much closer distance than previously (Livingstone, Bennett Robinson, 2005, p.34). This gives an impression to audiences that there is nowhere to hide, and they may believe what they are seeing is a fully representational true account, rather than the edited snippet that it really is. This kind of opinion, of knowing more, does not take into account that there are plenty of other journalists who are not as close to the action, or those who are closer to it, who may wish to protect the interests of those surrounding them. As previously stated, there is always fear that public support may be jeopardised, which is why on occasions there may be a haze over what is reality, as well as what is fabricated truth within the media. When one is able to ‘witness war from multiple angles, from multiple genres, and even witness it live, it creates public curiosity. Especially since problematic representations of previous conflicts have been reported, the public fight harder to know the truth, so they no longer have the wool pulled over their eyes. They want to ensure the war fought in their name is a war which they support. Particularly, when considering the fact that many nations are bound together as ‘one for the purpose of the media, forgetting the fact that there are many cultures, viewpoints and faiths with differing opinions. The public need the media to take on their role of ‘watchdog, and need it to marshal what is taking place beyond their vision on their behalf. The media, therefore, it seems has begun to honour this role more greatly. In 2004, the media brought us evidence of what is referred to as Abu Ghraib. It was revealed that some Iraqi detainees had been subjected to torture and other physical abuse. According to Miles, an Al-Jazeera cameraman, who was mistakenly arrested for a crime he did not commit, found out that â€Å"torture was still standard in Americas principle military detention centre in Iraq† (Miles, 2005, p.326). According to Miles, as the time of the accusations against the American military, â€Å"few in the West believed their stories at the time, probably because they were Arabs, perhaps because they worked for Al-Jazeera† (Miles, 2005, p.326). The US government and military repeatedly denied the accusations, â€Å"Donald Rumsfeld has described Al-Jazeera as ‘consistently lying, [and] accused the network of causing ‘great damage and harm in Iraq by continuously broadcasting wrong and inaccurate information, impairing what the coalition forces [were] trying to achi eve† (Miles, 2005, p.327). As Miles describes (2005, p.328), it was US officials that were angry, believing that such allegations would fuel Iraqi hatred against the West further. At the time, the officials may have not known of the occurrences, but it cannot be ruled out that they had no knowledge of it. This demonstrates an example whereby the American media were feeding the public with false information, whether it was intentional or not. If it was intentional though, it would have been in favour of government, who would obviously not want to be painted in a bad light. It was not until the New Yorker magazine published evidential pictures of the abuse that it was uncovered and believed, and finally admitted to be the truth (Miles, 2005, p.328). However, this is not where the only problem lies. Since then, it has been debated whether or not all of the images should be released for the public to view. One the one hand, it is believed that the images should be realised due to the fact that it was the American citizens own troops causing the offences, under the American name, whilst others believe it could potentially cause further harm. According to a report, â€Å"Obama said he believes release of the abuse photos would incite hatred against American troops† (Alberts, 2009, para. 4). This again brings up the subject of national security. Understandably the release of such images during a time of conflict could incite further hatred, but due to freedom of information, what right do officials really have to withhold them? Surely if one is to fully understand war, they must have the full picture, however horrific and problematic it may be. If the images are not fully released, is there a reason behind this other than prot ecting our conscience? What is being hidden? Could it be contributing to part of a ‘cover-up, with fear of something more sinister than what we already know being revealed? If therefore, officials had known about the situation (prior to it being confirmed), yet it had not made its way to mainstream media, this is misinforming the public, giving them a one sided ‘clean account of their position in the conflict. By never witnessing the faults of ones own government, one cannot really claim to know. Even by withholding the images, it does not allow the American and Western democratic public a clear view as to what is really occurring under their name. Particularly as it is ‘our men, who are normally painted as positively heroic, committing such horrific offences. This sort of behaviour by the media and government causes other problems too. Conspiracy theories to try and help explain other supposed reasonings behind war and decisions made by government begin to emerge. It helps give a new blame figure, and is perhaps fuelled by paranoia and suspicion (Knight, 2003, p. 20). As Knight asserts, conspiracy theory may put â€Å"forward the idea that sometimes people at the very centre of power might create (or perhaps just cynically promote) a popular outburst of demonology in order to further their own political schemes. This view is sometimes known as the elitist theory of moral panics, because it suggests that the elite deliberately fuel moral panics in order to legitimate repressive measures that would otherwise be unacceptable† (Knight, 2003, p.20). When the public begin to doubt their own government, feeling they are being fed propaganda, it is obvious they should want an explanation, so may turn to conspiracy theories as an alternative and comfort. For example, the documentary The Conspiracy Files (Rudkin, 2010, January 10) demonstrates how one may begin to become suspicious. It claims that a video of Benazir Bhutto talking after her first attempted murder was edited to exclude a statement she made about Osama Bin Laden. The version it claims the BBC presented cut out this section, for no apparent reason, so it is questionable as to why it was censored. A further example where the Western governments fear of what could be revealed via the media was demonstrated in October 2009 (Gray, 2009, October 25). Lance Corporal Joe Glenton was a soldier once serving in Afghanistan, who now faces a court martial and has been arrested. He claimed that he had â€Å"witnessed sights during his time in Afghanistan that forced him to question the morality of his role† (‘Soldier arrested, 2009, para. 8). Alike him, many other documentaries and interviews with ex-soldiers seem to unveil similar situations, where soldiers have a different picture of the war than the media have led the public to believe. The sanitization that takes place in the media is a view which soldiers alike Corporal Glenton would like to set straight. Glenton began to get the medias attention when he spoke at an anti-war demonstration that called for the British troops to be brought home. He claimed that many of the soldiers and demonstrators believed that it was not longer justifiable to have troops in the Middle East, and was trying to raise public awareness of this. This particular story came at a time when the public in both the UK and America were starting to doubt whether the war was really getting anywhere. Jeremy Corbyn MP is quoted as stating that the â€Å"war in Afghanistan had no clear war aims† (â€Å"Britons believe ‘Afghan war is failing†, 2009, para. 15). He also states that it is now â€Å"the time to change policy and bring the troops home to prevent Nato involving itself in a Vietnam style quagmire† (â€Å"Britons believe ‘Afghan war is failing†, 2009, para. 17). With such stories and statements emerging in the media, it does cause the public to question why the media and government would not present the ‘full picture. Especially when thinking about how the US media is less open about situations than the UK and other countries media (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.2). Previously, it was easier for a government to deny that they knew about a situation, but technology has now taken this advantage away, making it impossible not to know. However, as Zelizer and Allan argue, the media may be used in such a way that it helps the public. â€Å"Journalism plays a key role in moving whole populations form trauma to recovery† (Zelizer Allan, 2002, p.2). It can therefore help to unite a nation, regardless of differing backgrounds, and help them to work together, particularly through traumatic times like conflict. With this view, it would seem that the US in particular may have needed such treatment. As the targeted nation in the 9/11 attacks, the y may have required more help than other nations to come to terms with the situation, as well as needing ‘encouragement in the right direction, and perhaps protection from the truth.. However, there is no doubt that this is a form of propaganda, as it does not demonstrate a clear communication of all the information one would need to make a fair judgement in order to make a justified opinion. This may demonstrate why the American citizens have trusted foreign institutions such as the BBC for increased information, as previously addressed The media also tend to emphasise violence and negative features of the enemy in order to justify the conflict in hand. Today, â€Å"terrorists have been given a voice† (Liebes Kampf, 2004, p.78). Since technology has greatened, other views, beyond just violence, have been represented. Interviews and arguments have been appearing in the media, with direct responses from the ‘enemy. Despite perhaps this being a positive thing, it can be used by government and the media to paint their own picture. They do not have to show everything, and can edit it as they desire, as previously discussed with the Bhutto footage. Another clear example is in the Joint Forces military publication. It has a dismissive attitude when discussing anything anti-American. It even addresses the problems of ‘foreign propaganda. It gives a sense of heroism, stating that via the American efforts in the war on terror, that they will â€Å"enable populations misinformed by censorship and other impediments to hear the truth† (Dailey Webb, 2006, p.46). It does not take into account the use of their own propa

Psycho 1960 Alfred Hitchcock | Analysis

Psycho 1960 Alfred Hitchcock | Analysis Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock was considered one of the scariest films of its time. Created in 1960 it broke the conventions of film shocking audiences, leaving it rated X, now rated at 15 people of today wouldnt understand the shock factor it had in the 60s but is instead seen as a classic and a great horror film for the conventions it broke for all films. Psycho: The best horror film of all time is the headline of a recent article on the Guardian website proving that still in 2010, 50 years on that its still considered the greatest. Horror as a genre holds many codes and conventions of its own that psycho portrays for example the big house in the middle of nowhere and obviously the rain. Things like this are aimed to create fear, to deal with things from nightmares, to elicit suspense, which was the aim for Hitchcocks films. Psycho was Hitchcocks first horror film and from then on hes been known as the master of suspense. He was the creator of the MacGuffin, something that drives the story, he used sharp violins to create suspense, while the audience let their own minds create the rest. In this essay I plan to deconstruct two scenes from the film, looking at the Mise-en-scene and mise-en-shot. Mise-en-scene being everything in front of the camera that creates the scene, Hitchcock only puts something in shot if it meant something. Mise-en shot-being the opposite everything behind the scenes the camera work that helps create the emotion in Hitchcock films, the construction of the shots. Opening scene The opening scene begins with the credits criss-crossing in a pattern with the images mirroring, which could be seen as foreshadowing the schizophrenic personality of Norman Bates. A wide panning shot establishes the surroundings being a city and the audience see the exact time of day( 2:43pm). The camera zooms into a room window the blinds are drawn and the camera sneaks in as if it were a peeping tom. The characters in the room, Marion and Sam, are obviously hiding something having the blinds drawn in the middle of the day and the audience sneaking in makes them a part of the secret. Once in the room we see Marion laid on the bed half naked which was unheard of in films of the 60s let alone being in the room with a half-naked man that she isnt married too. Even the implication of sex was a taboo in films. Marion brings up the subject of marriage whilst in his embrace. The camera shot is a close up as if we are a part of the situation. When he doesnt give her the answer she was looking for her body language changes, as does the camera angle. She is giving him the cold shoulder as does the audience, which shows Marion as the main character, that we are on her side. He gives in and tells her what she wants to hear not before leaving the guilt trip on her because of how emasculated he felt. The camera angles represent the distance and emotion between the characters. Sam begins to moan about his lack of money and mentions his Ex-wife as opening the blinds and looking out as if to look for her, trying to find reasons not to get married. The camera is pulled out again showing the characters relationship troubles. We know Marion wants to marry Sam and would do anything for it to be possible. The Parlour scene Marion is in her hotel room waiting for Norman when she hears arguing between Norman and his mother. She becomes concerned as Norman comes down looking nervous and stuttering. He doesnt want to enter Marions room for fear of upsetting his mother he even found it difficult showing her around the room because he feels uncomfortable with being alone in a room with her, especially showing her the bathroom which he cant even say because its even more uncomfortable being in a room where people are naked. He suggests going to the parlour where he feels more comfortable using the excuse of warmth, all the time the camera stays mainly at mid shots perhaps showing how uncomfortable he is. The room is filled with stuffed birds of prey as if he has her in his trap, as if she is his prey. The conversation is small; his weird nervous comments are seen as small talk and not all threatening. He comes across as lonely when he brings up his hobby of taxidermy, which explains the mass of birds Well, its, its more than a hobby. A hobbys supposed to pass the time, not fill it, and a boys best friend is his mother proving he has no friends. The conversation stays conventional and each character is framed by medium shots. As the subject of his mother becomes a bigger topic he leans forward as if on the edge of his seat. Norman explains how he resents his mother and would like nothing more than to just leave her, but he cant because shes ill. The camera angle is now to the side and just below Norman r evealing and owl in the striking position as if he is the prey this time, he is captured by his mother. The atmosphere becomes very defensive when Marion suggests sending his mother to a home. The camera closes in on Normans face showing his reaction he becomes short and snappy describing a mental home as if hes been there before or as if he is afraid of it. He doesnt feel she deserves to be in a home, stating she is harmless But shes harmless! Shes as harmless as one of those stuffed birds! giving the audience a foreshadowing that shes actually a corpse. The camera angle becomes less intense in the change of subject when Marion wants to return to her room, Norman stays sitting when she gets up to leave as if it will make her stay, he wants to stay in her company. Marion slips up when Norman asks her name again telling him where shes going and her real name rather than the one she wrote in the logbook. He asked her these questions just as she was leaving as if he knew she was lying. A more sinister look comes across Normans face when he realises hes been lied too; he knows his mother wouldnt like it and would think she was a trouble maker. As Norman leaves the parlour to go back and tend to his mother we see the change happening like something switches in his head. In conclusion we see how important mise-en-scene and mise-en-shot is in every aspect of the film; Hitchcock uses camera angles to depict emotion in all of his characters, wide shots to show cold emotions, close intense shots to show anger and low angles to show vulnerability. Also Hitchcock proves that it doesn t have to be the same MacGuffin to push the story along throughout the film as Marion is killed early on. Psycho is the proof that horror doesnt just have to be gore and blood its more psychological than that.

My Mom is a Pathological Liar :: Personal Narrative, essay about my family

I think it was my mother who taught me the meaning of honesty. Not because she was honest, but because she lied all the time. She felt that the easiest way out of any given situation was generally the best way out. And, for her, that generally meant telling a "little white lie." As a young child I thought it was kind of cool. And, naturally, when I would come to her with a concern or question wondering what I should do, she generally advised me to lie. "Mom, I told Theresa that I would go over to her house, but now I would rather go to Sue's house to play." "Tell Theresa you're sick," she would advise. And generally I did. But I didn't seem blessed with her lack of conscience. On many painful occasions Theresa would find out that I really went to Sue's house without her. These occasions taught me that it is more painful to be caught in a lie than it is to tell the truth in the first place. I wondered how it was possible that my mother had never learned that lesson. I started thinking of all the lies that I'd heard her tell. I remembered the time she told someone that her favorite restaurant had closed, because she didn't want to see her there anymore. Or the time she told Dad that she loved the lawn mower he gave her for her birthday. Or when she claimed that our phone lines had been down when she was trying to explain why she hadn't been in touch with a friend of hers for weeks. And what bothered me even more were all the times she had incorporated me into her lies. Like the time she told my guidance counselor that I had to miss school for exploratory surgery, when she really needed me to babysit. And it even started to bother me when someone would call for her and she would ask me to tell her that she wasn't there. So, I started my own personal fight against her dishonesty. When I answered the phone and it was someone my mother didn't want to talk to, I said, "Louise, mom is here, but she doesn't want to talk to you. My Mom is a Pathological Liar :: Personal Narrative, essay about my family I think it was my mother who taught me the meaning of honesty. Not because she was honest, but because she lied all the time. She felt that the easiest way out of any given situation was generally the best way out. And, for her, that generally meant telling a "little white lie." As a young child I thought it was kind of cool. And, naturally, when I would come to her with a concern or question wondering what I should do, she generally advised me to lie. "Mom, I told Theresa that I would go over to her house, but now I would rather go to Sue's house to play." "Tell Theresa you're sick," she would advise. And generally I did. But I didn't seem blessed with her lack of conscience. On many painful occasions Theresa would find out that I really went to Sue's house without her. These occasions taught me that it is more painful to be caught in a lie than it is to tell the truth in the first place. I wondered how it was possible that my mother had never learned that lesson. I started thinking of all the lies that I'd heard her tell. I remembered the time she told someone that her favorite restaurant had closed, because she didn't want to see her there anymore. Or the time she told Dad that she loved the lawn mower he gave her for her birthday. Or when she claimed that our phone lines had been down when she was trying to explain why she hadn't been in touch with a friend of hers for weeks. And what bothered me even more were all the times she had incorporated me into her lies. Like the time she told my guidance counselor that I had to miss school for exploratory surgery, when she really needed me to babysit. And it even started to bother me when someone would call for her and she would ask me to tell her that she wasn't there. So, I started my own personal fight against her dishonesty. When I answered the phone and it was someone my mother didn't want to talk to, I said, "Louise, mom is here, but she doesn't want to talk to you.

Borderline Personality Disorder Explored in Girl Interrupted Essay

Girl Interrupted is a 1999 film in which Susanna, a high school senior on the verge of graduating with her class in 1967, is rushed to the Emergency Room because she consumed a whole bottle of Aspirin, followed by a bottle of Vodka. After being treated, Susanna is seen by a friend of her fathers, who is a Psychiatrist who believes that her actions were an attempt at suicide. Susanna, of course denies this, instead stating that she was making an effort to rid herself of a headache. The Psychiatrist recommends that she stay at a mental hospital named Claymore for a rest. While there, Susanna meets a number of individuals with a diverse array of disorders. One individual in particular, Lisa essentially runs the group of girls because they either fear or confide in her. As we later find out, Lisa actually displays the symptoms of the borderline personality disorder, the disorder that Susanna is believed to have (Mangold). Individuals with borderline personality must be at least 18 years old and display shakiness in all social relationships and the way they see themselves and spontaneous thoughts that must be noticeably disturbed by early adulthood. Strong, often out of the way attempts, at avoiding any type of abandonment is a key element. Should an individual with borderline personality disorder feel abandonment drawing near in their life, their thinking, behavior, and self-image will change drastically. Five of the following nine statements must apply to an individual for them to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. 1) Attempts to avoid abandonment, whether it be real or not, 2) unstable relationships with people that are unrealistically amplified to more, or devaluated to less, than what they... ...ess and ways of thinking. This treatment makes sure to keep the bond between the client and therapist at the center so that no boundaries are crossed, giving it a hint of the humanistic psychodynamic approach. Clients who undergo this therapy tend to be able to handle stressful life situations better and mature in their social skills. Less suicides and hospital visits are also reported with those who receive DBT (Comer). Works Cited "Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center." Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Center. New York-Presbyterian The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, 2004. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. . Comer, Ronald J. "Personality Disorders." Abnormal Psychology. 7th ed. New York: Worth, 2010. 523-529. Print. Mangold, James. Girl Interrupted. 08 Dec. 1999. Movie.

Rerum Novarum :: essays research papers

Rerum Novarum The opening words and the title of the Encyclical issued by Leo XIII, 15 May, 1891, on the "Condition of Labour". Although the Encyclical follows the lines of the traditional teaching concerning the rights and duties of property and the relations of employer and employee, it applies the old doctrines specifically to modern conditions. Opening with a description of the grievances of the working classes, it proceeds to refute the false theories of the Socialists, and to defend the right of private ownership. The true remedy, continues the pope, is to be found in the combined action of the Church, the State, the employer and the employed. The Church is properly interested in the social question because of its religious and moral aspects; the State has the right and the duty to intervene on behalf of justice and individual and social well-being; and employers and workers should organize into both mixed and separate associations for mutual protection and for self protection. All this is set forth with sufficient detail to reach the principal problems and relations of industrial and social life. Probably no other pronouncement on the social question has had so many readers or exercised such a wide influence. It has inspired a vast Catholic social literature, while many non-Catholics have acclaimed it as one of the most definite and reasonable productions ever written on the subject. Sometimes criticized as vague, it is as specific as any document could be written for several countries in different stages of industrial development. On one point it is strikingly definite: "Let it be taken for granted that workman and employer should, as a rule, make free agreements, and in particular should agree freely as to wages; nevertheless, there is a dictate of natural justice more imperious and ancient than any bargain between man and man, that remuneration should be sufficient to maintain the wage-earner in reasonable and frugal comfort. If through necessity or fear of a worse evil the workman accept harder conditions because an employer or contractor will afford him no better, h e is made the victim of force and injustice.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-one

Sansa They came for Sansa on the third day. She chose a simple dress of dark grey wool, plainly cut but richly embroidered around the collar and sleeves. Her fingers felt thick and clumsy as she struggled with the silver fastenings without the benefit of servants. Jeyne Poole had been confined with her, but Jeyne was useless. Her face was puffy from all her crying, and she could not seem to stop sobbing about her father. â€Å"I'm certain your father is well,† Sansa told her when she had finally gotten the dress buttoned right. â€Å"I'll ask the queen to let you see him.† She thought that kindness might lift Jeyne's spirits, but the other girl just looked at her with red, swollen eyes and began to cry all the harder. She was such a child. Sansa had wept too, the first day. Even within the stout walls of Maegor's Holdfast, with her door closed and barred, it was hard not to be terrified when the killing began. She had grown up to the sound of steel in the yard, and scarcely a day of her life had passed without hearing the clash of sword on sword, yet somehow knowing that the fighting was real made all the difference in the world. She heard it as she had never heard it before, and there were other sounds as well, grunts of pain, angry curses, shouts for help, and the moans of wounded and dying men. In the songs, the knights never screamed nor begged for mercy. So she wept, pleading through her door for them to tell her what was happening, calling for her father, for Septa Mordane, for the king, for her gallant prince. If the men guarding her heard her pleas, they gave no answer. The only time the door opened was late that night, when they thrust Jeyne Poole inside, bruised and shaking. â€Å"They're killing everyone,† the steward's daughter had shrieked at her. She went on and on. The Hound had broken down her door with a warhammer, she said. There were bodies on the stair of the Tower of the Hand, and the steps were slick with blood. Sansa dried her own tears as she struggled to comfort her friend. They went to sleep in the same bed, cradled in each other's arms like sisters. The second day was even worse. The room where Sansa had been confined was at the top of the highest tower of Maegor's Holdfast. From its window, she could see that the heavy iron portcullis in the gatehouse was down, and the drawbridge drawn up over the deep dry moat that separated the keep-within-a-keep from the larger castle that surrounded it. Lannister guardsmen prowled the walls with spears and crossbows to hand. The fighting was over, and the silence of the grave had settled over the Red Keep. The only sounds were Jeyne Poole's endless whimpers and sobs. They were fed—hard cheese and fresh-baked bread and milk to break their fast, roast chicken and greens at midday, and a late supper of beef and barley stew—but the servants who brought the meals would not answer Sansa's questions. That evening, some women brought her clothes from the Tower of the Hand, and some of Jeyne's things as well, but they seemed nearly as frightened as Jeyne, and when she tried to talk to them, they fled from her as if she had the grey plague. The guards outside the door still refused to let them leave the room. â€Å"Please, I need to speak to the queen again,† Sansa told them, as she told everyone she saw that day. â€Å"She'll want to talk to me, I know she will. Tell her I want to see her, please. If not the queen, then Prince Joffrey, if you'd be so kind. We're to marry when we're older.† At sunset on the second day, a great bell began to ring. Its voice was deep and sonorous, and the long slow clanging filled Sansa with a sense of dread. The ringing went on and on, and after a while they heard other bells answering from the Great Sept of Baelor on Visenya's Hill. The sound rumbled across the city like thunder, warning of the storm to come. â€Å"What is it?† Jeyne asked, covering her ears. â€Å"Why are they ringing the bells?† â€Å"The king is dead.† Sansa could not say how she knew it, yet she did. The slow, endless clanging filled their room, as mournful as a dirge. Had some enemy stormed the castle and murdered King Robert? Was that the meaning of the fighting they had heard? She went to sleep wondering, restless, and fearful. Was her beautiful Joffrey the king now? Or had they killed him too? She was afraid for him, and for her father. If only they would tell her what was happening . . . That night Sansa dreamt of Joffrey on the throne, with herself seated beside him in a gown of woven gold. She had a crown on her head, and everyone she had ever known came before her, to bend the knee and say their courtesies. The next morning, the morning of the third day, Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard came to escort her to the queen. Ser Boros was an ugly man with a broad chest and short, bandy legs. His nose was flat, his cheeks baggy with jowls, his hair grey and brittle. Today he wore white velvet, and his snowy cloak was fastened with a lion brooch. The beast had the soft sheen of gold, and his eyes were tiny rubies. â€Å"You look very handsome and splendid this morning, Ser Boros,† Sansa told him. A lady remembered her courtesies, and she was resolved to be a lady no matter what. â€Å"And you, my lady,† Ser Boros said in a flat voice. â€Å"Her Grace awaits. Come with me.† There were guards outside her door, Lannister men-at-arms in crimson cloaks and lion-crested helms. Sansa made herself smile at them pleasantly and bid them a good morning as she passed. It was the first time she had been allowed outside the chamber since Ser Arys Oakheart had led her there two mornings past. â€Å"To keep you safe, my sweet one,† Queen Cersei had told her. â€Å"Joffrey would never forgive me if anything happened to his precious.† Sansa had expected that Ser Boros would escort her to the royal apartments, but instead he led her out of Maegor's Holdfast. The bridge was down again. Some workmen were lowering a man on ropes into the depths of the dry moat. When Sansa peered down, she saw a body impaled on the huge iron spikes below. She averted her eyes quickly, afraid to ask, afraid to look too long, afraid he might be someone she knew. They found Queen Cersei in the council chambers, seated at the head of a long table littered with papers, candles, and blocks of sealing wax. The room was as splendid as any that Sansa had ever seen. She stared in awe at the carved wooden screen and the twin sphinxes that sat beside the door. â€Å"Your Grace,† Ser Boros said when they were ushered inside by another of the Kingsguard, Ser Mandon of the curiously dead face, â€Å"I've brought the girl.† Sansa had hoped Joffrey might be with her. Her prince was not there, but three of the king's councillors were. Lord Petyr Baelish sat on the queen's left hand, Grand Maester Pycelle at the end of the table, while Lord Varys hovered over them, smelling flowery. All of them were clad in black, she realized with a feeling of dread. Mourning clothes . . . The queen wore a high-collared black silk gown, with a hundred dark red rubies sewn into her bodice, covering her from neck to bosom. They were cut in the shape of teardrops, as if the queen were weeping blood. Cersei smiled to see her, and Sansa thought it was the sweetest and saddest smile she had ever seen. â€Å"Sansa, my sweet child,† she said, â€Å"I know you've been asking for me. I'm sorry that I could not send for you sooner. Matters have been very unsettled, and I have not had a moment. I trust my people have been taking good care of you?† â€Å"Everyone has been very sweet and pleasant, Your Grace, thank you ever so much for asking,† Sansa said politely. â€Å"Only, well, no one will talk to us or tell us what's happened . . . â€Å" â€Å"Us?† Cersei seemed puzzled. â€Å"We put the steward's girl in with her,† Ser Boros said. â€Å"We did not know what else to do with her.† The queen frowned. â€Å"Next time, you will ask,† she said, her voice sharp. â€Å"The gods only know what sort of tales she's been filling Sansa's head with.† â€Å"Jeyne's scared,† Sansa said. â€Å"She won't stop crying. I promised her I'd ask if she could see her father.† Old Grand Maester Pycelle lowered his eyes. â€Å"Her father is well, isn't he?† Sansa said anxiously. She knew there had been fighting, but surely no one would harm a steward. Vayon Poole did not even wear a sword. Queen Cersei looked at each of the councillors in turn. â€Å"I won't have Sansa fretting needlessly. What shall we do with this little friend of hers, my lords?† Lord Petyr leaned forward. â€Å"I'll find a place for her.† â€Å"Not in the city,† said the queen. â€Å"Do you take me for a fool?† The queen ignored that. â€Å"Ser Boros, escort this girl to Lord Petyr's apartments and instruct his people to keep her there until he comes for her. Tell her that Littlefinger will be taking her to see her father, that ought to calm her down. I want her gone before Sansa returns to her chamber.† â€Å"As you command, Your Grace,† Ser Boros said. He bowed deeply, spun on his heel, and took his leave, his long white cloak stirring the air behind him. Sansa was confused. â€Å"I don't understand,† she said. â€Å"Where is Jeyne's father? Why can't Ser Boros take her to him instead of Lord Petyr having to do it?† She had promised herself she would be a lady, gentle as the queen and as strong as her mother, the Lady Catelyn, but all of a sudden she was scared again. For a second she thought she might cry. â€Å"Where are you sending her? She hasn't done anything wrong, she's a good girl.† â€Å"She's upset you,† the queen said gently. â€Å"We can't be having that. Not another word, now. Lord Baelish will see that Jeyne's well taken care of, I promise you.† She patted the chair beside her. â€Å"Sit down, Sansa. I want to talk to you.† Sansa seated herself beside the queen. Cersei smiled again, but that did not make her feel any less anxious. Varys was wringing his soft hands together, Grand Maester Pycelle kept his sleepy eyes on the papers in front of him, but she could feel Littlefinger staring. Something about the way the small man looked at her made Sansa feel as though she had no clothes on. Goose bumps pimpled her skin. â€Å"Sweet Sansa,† Queen Cersei said, laying a soft hand on her wrist. â€Å"Such a beautiful child. I do hope you know how much Joffrey and I love you.† â€Å"You do?† Sansa said, breathless. Littlefinger was forgotten. Her prince loved her. Nothing else mattered. The queen smiled. â€Å"I think of you almost as my own daughter. And I know the love you bear for Joffrey.† She gave a weary shake of her head. â€Å"I am afraid we have some grave news about your lord father. You must be brave, child.† Her quiet words gave Sansa a chill. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Your father is a traitor, dear,† Lord Varys said. Grand Maester Pycelle lifted his ancient head. â€Å"With my own ears, I heard Lord Eddard swear to our beloved King Robert that he would protect the young princes as if they were his own sons. And yet the moment the king was dead, he called the small council together to steal Prince Joffrey's rightful throne.† â€Å"No,† Sansa blurted. â€Å"He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't!† The queen picked up a letter. The paper was torn and stiff with dried blood, but the broken seal was her father's, the direwolf stamped in pale wax. â€Å"We found this on the captain of your household guard, Sansa. It is a letter to my late husband's brother Stannis, inviting him to take the crown.† â€Å"Please, Your Grace, there's been a mistake.† Sudden panic made her dizzy and faint. â€Å"Please, send for my father, he'll tell you, he would never write such a letter, the king was his friend.† â€Å"Robert thought so,† said the queen. â€Å"This betrayal would have broken his heart. The gods are kind, that he did not live to see it.† She sighed. â€Å"Sansa, sweetling, you must see what a dreadful position this has left us in. You are innocent of any wrong, we all know that, and yet you are the daughter of a traitor. How can I allow you to marry my son?† â€Å"But I love him,† Sansa wailed, confused and frightened. What did they mean to do to her? What had they done to her father? It was not supposed to happen this way. She had to wed Joffrey, they were betrothed, he was promised to her, she had even dreamed about it. It wasn't fair to take him away from her on account of whatever her father might have done. â€Å"How well I know that, child,† Cersei said, her voice so kind and sweet. â€Å"Why else should you have come to me and told me of your father's plan to send you away from us, if not for love?† â€Å"It was for love,† Sansa said in a rush. â€Å"Father wouldn't even give me leave to say farewell.† She was the good girl, the obedient girl, but she had felt as wicked as Arya that morning, sneaking away from Septa Mordane, defying her lord father. She had never done anything so willful before, and she would never have done it then if she hadn't loved Joffrey as much as she did. â€Å"He was going to take me back to Winterfell and marry me to some hedge knight, even though it was Joff I wanted. I told him, but he wouldn't listen.† The king had been her last hope. The king could command Father to let her stay in King's Landing and marry Prince Joffrey, Sansa knew he could, but the king had always frightened her. He was loud and rough-voiced and drunk as often as not, and he would probably have just sent her back to Lord Eddard, if they even let her see him. So she went to the queen instead, and poured out her heart, and Cersei had listened and thanked her sw eetly . . . only then Ser Arys had escorted her to the high room in Maegor's Holdfast and posted guards, and a few hours later, the fighting had begun outside. â€Å"Please,† she finished, â€Å"you have to let me marry Joffrey, I'll be ever so good a wife to him, you'll see. I'll be a queen just like you, I promise.† Queen Cersei looked to the others. â€Å"My lords of the council, what do you say to her plea?† â€Å"The poor child,† murmured Varys. â€Å"A love so true and innocent, Your Grace, it would be cruel to deny it . . . and yet, what can we do? Her father stands condemned.† His soft hands washed each other in a gesture of helpless distress. â€Å"A child born of traitor's seed will find that betrayal comes naturally to her,† said Grand Maester Pycelle. â€Å"She is a sweet thing now, but in ten years, who can say what treasons she may hatch?† â€Å"No,† Sansa said, horrified. â€Å"I'm not, I'd never . . . I wouldn't betray Joffrey, I love him, I swear it, I do.† â€Å"Oh, so poignant,† said Varys. â€Å"And yet, it is truly said that blood runs truer than oaths.† â€Å"She reminds me of the mother, not the father,† Lord Petyr Baelish said quietly. â€Å"Look at her. The hair, the eyes. She is the very image of Cat at the same age.† The queen looked at her, troubled, and yet Sansa could see kindness in her clear green eyes. â€Å"Child,† she said, â€Å"if I could truly believe that you were not like your father, why nothing should please me more than to see you wed to my Joffrey. I know he loves you with all his heart.† She sighed. â€Å"And yet, I fear that Lord Varys and the Grand Maester have the right of it. The blood will tell. I have only to remember how your sister set her wolf on my son.† â€Å"I'm not like Arya,† Sansa blurted. â€Å"She has the traitor's blood, not me. I'm good, ask Septa Mordane, she'll tell you, I only want to be Joffrey's loyal and loving wife.† She felt the weight of Cersei's eyes as the queen studied her face. â€Å"I believe you mean it, child.† She turned to face the others. â€Å"My lords, it seems to me that if the rest of her kin were to remain loyal in this terrible time, that would go a long way toward laying our fears to rest.† Grand Maester Pycelle stroked his huge soft beard, his wide brow furrowed in thought. â€Å"Lord Eddard has three sons.† â€Å"Mere boys,† Lord Petyr said with a shrug. â€Å"I should be more concerned with Lady Catelyn and the Tullys.† The queen took Sansa's hand in both of hers. â€Å"Child, do you know your letters?† Sansa nodded nervously. She could read and write better than any of her brothers, although she was hopeless at sums. â€Å"I am pleased to hear that. Perhaps there is hope for you and Joffrey still . . . â€Å" â€Å"What do you want me to do?† â€Å"You must write your lady mother, and your brother, the eldest . . . what is his name?† â€Å"Robb,† Sansa said. â€Å"The word of your lord father's treason will no doubt reach them soon. Better that it should come from you. You must tell them how Lord Eddard betrayed his king.† Sansa wanted Joffrey desperately, but she did not think she had the courage to do as the queen was asking. â€Å"But he never . . . I don't . . . Your Grace, I wouldn't know what to say . . . â€Å" The queen patted her hand. â€Å"We will tell you what to write, child. The important thing is that you urge Lady Catelyn and your brother to keep the king's peace.† â€Å"It will go hard for them if they don't,† said Grand Maester Pycelle. â€Å"By the love you bear them, you must urge them to walk the path of wisdom.† â€Å"Your lady mother will no doubt fear for you dreadfully,† the queen said. â€Å"You must tell her that you are well and in our care, that we are treating you gently and seeing to your every want. Bid them to come to King's Landing and pledge their fealty to Joffrey when he takes his throne. If they do that . . . why, then we shall know that there is no taint in your blood, and when you come into the flower of your womanhood, you shall wed the king in the Great Sept of Baelor, before the eyes of gods and men.† . . . wed the king . . . The words made her breath come faster, yet still Sansa hesitated. â€Å"Perhaps . . . if I might see my father, talk to him about . . . â€Å" â€Å"Treason?† Lord Varys hinted. â€Å"You disappoint me, Sansa,† the queen said, with eyes gone hard as stones. â€Å"We've told you of your father's crimes. If you are truly as loyal as you say, why should you want to see him?† â€Å"I . . . I only meant . . . † Sansa felt her eyes grow wet. â€Å"He's not . . . please, he hasn't been . . . hurt, or . . . or . . . â€Å" â€Å"Lord Eddard has not been harmed,† the queen said. â€Å"But . . . what's to become of him?† â€Å"That is a matter for the king to decide,† Grand Maester Pycelle announced ponderously. The king! Sansa blinked back her tears. Joffrey was the king now, she thought. Her gallant prince would never hurt her father, no matter what he might have done. If she went to him and pleaded for mercy, she was certain he'd listen. He had to listen, he loved her, even the queen said so. Joff would need to punish Father, the lords would expect it, but perhaps he could send him back to Winterfell, or exile him to one of the Free Cities across the narrow sea. It would only have to be for a few years. By then she and Joffrey would be married. Once she was queen, she could persuade Joff to bring Father back and grant him a pardon. Only . . . if Mother or Robb did anything treasonous, called the banners or refused to swear fealty or anything, it would all go wrong. Her Joffrey was good and kind, she knew it in her heart, but a king had to be stern with rebels. She had to make them understand, she had to! â€Å"I'll . . . I'll write the letters,† Sansa told them. With a smile as warm as the sunrise, Cersei Lannister leaned close and kissed her gently on the cheek. â€Å"I knew you would. Joffrey will be so proud when I tell him what courage and good sense you've shown here today.† In the end, she wrote four letters. To her mother, the Lady Catelyn Stark, and to her brothers at Winterfell, and to her aunt and her grandfather as well, Lady Lysa Arryn of the Eyrie, and Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun. By the time she had done, her fingers were cramped and stiff and stained with ink. Varys had her father's seal. She warmed the pale white beeswax over a candle, poured it carefully, and watched as the eunuch stamped each letter with the direwolf of House Stark. Jeyne Poole and all her things were gone when Ser Mandon Moore returned Sansa to the high tower of Maegor's Holdfast. No more weeping, she thought gratefully. Yet somehow it seemed colder with Jeyne gone, even after she'd built a fire. She pulled a chair close to the hearth, took down one of her favorite books, and lost herself in the stories of Florian and Jonquil, of Lady Shella and the Rainbow Knight, of valiant Prince Aemon and his doomed love for his brother's queen. It was not until later that night, as she was drifting off to sleep, that Sansa realized she had forgotten to ask about her sister.

Related Local Literature Essay

This study deals with the review and analysis of the literature and studies relevant to inventory management techniques that the researchers will be using in the optimization. It consists of information culled from studies and literature, both local and foreign, from which this study is subject to. This chapter will certainly help in giving the reader a better understanding of what is Economic Order Quantity model and Dynamic Programming to optimization of the inventory system. Definition: Inventory Inventory refers to any kind of resources having economic value and is maintained to fulfil the present and future needs of theconsumers.It is a physical stock of items that business or production enterprise keeps in hand for efficient running of affairs or its production. Inventory is the quantity of goods, raw materials or other resources that are idle at any given point of time. Inventory control is the means by which materials of the correct quantity and quality is made available as a when required with due regard to economy in storage and ordering costs and working capital. It is also defined as the systematic location, storage and recording of goods in such a way that desired degree of service can be made to the operating shops at a minimum ultimate cost† (S.C sharma (1999). P. 509, 512). Inventory model: Economic Order Quantityand Dynamic Programming For over a century, the literature encompassing hundreds of books and journals has included frequent writings of management scientists applying quantitative methods to help inventory managers make two critical decisions: how much inventory to order, and when to order it. Inventory management started as early as the beginning of the 20th century when F. W. Harris originally developed the lot size formula or the EOQ model in 1915. R. H. Wilson independently developed the same formula in 1918. Apparently, Wilson popularized the model so the EOQ model is also referred to as the Wilson EOQ model. The EOQ formula has been independently discovered many times in the last eighty years. It is simplistic and uses several unrealistic assumptions. In Cargal discussed the basic EOQ model; he said that they cannot determine what quantity of an item to order when ordering supplies. Despite the many more sophisticated formulas and algorithm available, some large corporations still use the EOQ formula. In general, large corporations that use the EOQ formula do not want the public or competitors to know they use something so unsophisticated. The variables, graph, and the formula was also discussed in this paper. The classic EOQ model has been directly used in practice but which, more importantly, represents the key foundation of decision rules dealing with more complicated circumstances.Different variations and applications of the EOQ model in production and inventory operations were expanded over the years such as dealing with the quantity discounts, shelf-life considerations, replenishment lead time and constraints on the replenishment. Further advancements in inventory management took place when dynamic programming was used, with R. Bellman as its founding father. However, earlier works in DP were produced by Arrow, Karlin and Scarf. Bellman, who popularized DP, used the stochastic models for the inventory management problems. But in 1958, Wagner and Within started with a deterministic model, referred to as the Wagner-Within method, with known demands in each period, and fluctuating costs from one period to the next. A few years later, results for the stochastic model were established by Iglehart and Wagner with Veinott, which involves a demand with a continuous distribution. Inventory models have been applied and adapted by organizations. Silver enumerated the extensive research and application done over the years. In retail inventory management, retail outlets are increasingly adopting equipment that permits capture of demand data and updating of inventory records at the point of sale. In integrated logistics, a very complex system, it utilizes operations inventory management where maintenance, transportation and/or production are involved. In interactions with marketing, inventory management is applied on how to routinely take account of the effects of promotional activities on the control of inventories, how to predict and account for the effects of the system on the demand pattern, and the allocation of the shelf space in outlets such as supermarkets. Stock on Inventory The American Institute of Accountants defined the term inventory as â€Å"the aggregate of those items of tangible property which (1) are held for sale in the ordinary course of business, (2) are in process of production for such sale or (3) are to be available for ‘sale’. In Nigeria, inventory is usually referred to as stock-in-trade or work-in-progress. Stock may consist of (i) Raw materials and supplies to be consumed in production (ii) work-in-progress, or partly manufactured goods, (ii) Finished stock or goods ready for sale. Stocks are valued in a fundamentally different way from fixed assets; the latter are usually valued at cost less accumulated depreciation. No method of stock valuation is suitable for all types of business in all circumstances. Stock is valued at cost less any part of cost, which needs to be written off when net realizable value or the replacement price is lower than cost. The Functions of Inventory Inventories perform a number of vital functions in the operations of a system, which in turn makes them critical to the production sector as well. Without inventories, organizations could not hope to achieve smooth production flow, obtain reasonable utilization of machines and reasonable handling cost or expects to give reasonable service to customers. The basic function of inventories whether they are raw materials, work-in-progress or finished goods are that of decoupling the operations involved in converting inputs into outputs. This allows the successive stages in the purchasing, manufacturing and distribution process to operate reliance on the schedule of output, of prior activities in the production process. Furthermore, the decoupling function allows both time and spatial separation between production and consumption of products in the operating system. Lastly, inventories can also be used for other purposes apart from the decoupling functions. For example, when inventories are displayed, they serve as promotional investment. Raw materials and finished inventories are frequently accumulated to wedge against price rises, inflation and strikes. Inventories also serve to smooth out irregularities in supply. In essence, inventories act to decouple organizational activities, thereby achieving lower costs of operations. Inventories act to reduce procurement costs, and inventories act to provide good customer service and smooth production flow by providing onetime delivery and avoiding costly stock shortages. Inventories ordered in large quantities can result in lower freight charges and price discounts. On the other hand, inventory requires tying up capital that would otherwise be invested elsewhere. Inventory also requires costly storage space; and such costs as insurance, spoilage obsolesce, pilferage and taxes must be incurred as a result of maintaining inventory. Hence, there is an appropriate opportunity cost associated with their value. It is therefore, the duty of the management to seek decision rules that will actually balance these controversies of costs for a given system. It is in response to this management quest for guidance in handling inventory decision situations that a number of techniques (models) have been developed to serve as aid to management in achieving optimal inventory solutions. Inventory Cost The objectives of materials management are to minimize inventory investments and to maximize customer service. It is a plan to see that, the goals can be inconsistent or even indirect conflicts the role of the materials management is thus to balance the objective in relation to the existing conditions and environmental limitations. The basic object of inventory management is to maximize customer service through maintaining appropriate amount of inventory with minimum possible cost. Inventory costs are costs associated with the operation of an inventory system. Thus the relevant costs included inventory are the following: The purchase cost (P)The purchase costs of an item are the unit purchase it is obtained from an external source or the unit production costs it is produced internally. For the purchase items it is the purchase costless modified for different quantity levels manufacturing items the unit cost include direct labour or company overhead. Ordering or set up cost (C)This is the cost of placing an order. This cost directly with the number of order or setups placed and not at all weigh the size of the order. The ordering cost included making analysing materials inspecting materials follows up orders and doing the processing necessary to complete the transaction. Carrying costs or holding costs (H)There are costs of items (inventories) in storage. These costs vary with the level of inventory and occasionally with the length of item an item is held. The greater the level of inventory overtime, the higher the caring cost caring casts can be included the costs of losing the use of funds field up in inventory like storages casts such as rent of building heating cooling righting security, record keeping, deprecation obsolescence, product deterioration etc. Stock out cost (shortage cost) This is the cost as a result of not having items in storage. This can bring loses of good will profit loss of incur back order cost and delay in the customer service. Establishing the correct quantity to order from vendors or the size of lots submitted to the firms productive facilities involves a search for the minimum total cost resulting from the combined effects of fewer individual costs holding costs, setup costs ordering costs and storage costs (Tersine, R.J, 1994. PP. 13-15) Inventory Costing Method There are three methods of inventory costing method. These are:First – in First – out (FIFO)This method is based on the assumption that costs should be computed out in the order in which incurred. Inventory is thus stated in terms of recent costs. Last – in First – out (LIFO)is a method based on the assumption that goods should be charged out the latest cost be the latest cost be the first that are charge out. Inventories are thus stated in terms of earliest cost.Weighted average method is a method based on the assumption that goods should be charged out at an average cost such average being influenced by the number of unites acquired at the price. Inventories are stated at the same weighted average cost.