Analysis of Women Characters in Victorian Literature

Analysis of Women Characters in Victorian Literature The common line of criticism made on Anne and Emily Brontes works reflects the widespread belief that the female characters are victims of male cruelty. Critics of the Bronte novels have highlighted a pattern of male dominance and female oppression. For example, Arlene Jackson, in The Question of Credibility in Anne Brontes The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, elaborates on womens powerlessness and male selfishness in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. In the same vein, Juliet McMaster, in her article Imbecile Laughter and Desperate Earnest in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, criticizes the male oppression of the woman in the novel which, she argues, is emblematic of the general treatment of women as they were given no voice in society. In addition, in Hapless Dependants, Women and Animals in Anne Brontes Agnes Grey Grey, Maggie Berg has equated the treatment of women to the treatment of animals by which women are relegated to a secondary position where they can form no true sense of the self. This trend of viewing women as the victims of male hegemony makes it challenging to market the idea that these female characters do, in fact, have enormous power that they utilize in their relationships with men. Therefore this research proposal uses Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights and Anne Brontes Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall to issues pertaining to female behavior and male response that will indicate the extent of this female power. Through their strong wills, purposes, and desires, women characters in these novels often form mens characters, and define their behaviors. For example, in Wuthering Heights, Catherines headstrong and rebellious ways are partially responsible for Heathcliffs antisocial behavior, and it is through Catherines ideas of how men should behave and react to her demands that Heathcliffs character is formed and which leads him to his madness at her death. In Agnes Grey, Miss Murray manipulatively portrays women in a manner that makes Mr. Hatfield v iew women as helpless creatures in their need for rescue, protection, and provision. In light of this argument, how does the womans figuration of the patriarchal male character affect both the man and the woman,? Does this power result in ramifications for the woman as well? Are women aware of the power that they wield, and if they are, why do they blame the man for relationship problems? In my dissertation, I use evidence from the Bronte novels to show that it is womens unwillingness to engage in self-awareness and accountability that contributes to variant male behavior and perceptual outcomes. To that end, I argue that women have far more influence and power than is acknowledged by critics and this power and influence consistently contributes to the formation of male thinking and behavior. Summary Women have natural power in them. This power is not something magical or supernatural; it is part of their femininity. Women have intrinsic power by virtue of being women. In other words, a womans femininity is her powerful tool. Once used, this inherent power may constitute a strong weapon that influences mens lives either positively or negatively. An in-depth study of the emergence, construction, and outcome of female influence on men within myriad contexts is a sure way of vindicating the existence of this female power. Applying this theory to three British novels written by Emily and Anne Bronte Wuthering Heights, Agnes Grey, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall- this study will draw important correlations between female abilities, capacities, and innate talents and the use of these elements to alter or supersede male potentialities. For example, Catherines misuse of her natural female strengths and talents is used to override Heathcliffs reticence against and desire to withdraw from her controlling manipulation, culminating in tragedy for both characters. Additionally, in Agnes Grey, the protagonists yearning for independence and power has influence on both men and women. Similarly, female power and control in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is measured through Helen Grahams interactions with the men in her life. In this novel, Bronte reveals this power and manipulative awareness in her protagonist, but the theme remains intact: women often have inordinate amounts of power and control over men in myriad realms of their lives. In light of this argument, the purpose of this dissertation is to explore the aforementioned three novels to show the outcome of the immense power possessed by women. These powers possessed by females are mainly psychological. In other words, they affect the intellectual, spiritual, emotional and interpersonal world of men with different outcomes for both genders. Introductory Statement of Background, Purpose and Thesis I will analyze The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte and Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights with the aim of showing how they developed female characters whose power influence the men around them. The analysis will prove that this female power and influence affects the intellectual, spiritual, emotional and interpersonal world of men with different outcomes for both genders. The purpose of this study will involve comparing three British novels, written by sisters, whose female characters effect masculine changes, behaviors, and affect the outcomes of various situations. Demonstrating the application of feminine power in relationship dyads will support the hypothesis that women can manipulate, control, and cause harm to men and, through them, socio-political constructs which affect everyone. In addressing the research problem, a thorough review of the selected works, combined with a thorough literature review of existing studies will serve to show how this use of power manipulates or affects outcomes. My research topic is intended to be a significant contribution to socio-cultural, gender-based, and psychological awareness of conflict source and resolution. In other words, it will contribute to understanding the origins or beginnings of problematic relationships between men and women, and suggest how these problems can be solved. While the literature is rife with widely diverse discourse and study on feminism, the body of knowledge is seriously deficient in considering the research problem. That is because this issue requires a major paradigmatic change since the major outcomes of feminism have tended to reject feminine limitations while creating male-opposition toward many of its tenets. Signe Arnfred exposes a practical sense of feminine power in a non-western setting in her article entitled Sex, Food and Female Power: Discussion of Data Material from Northern Mozambique. In this article, she shows how women in a certain part of the world harness their mastery of feminine chores in both reproduction and family into a power tool that calls for respect from men (141). It is vital to note that what the characters in the Bronte novels do is not so much removed from what Arnfred tries to show in her article. The setting and tool might be different, but the game is the same. Arnfreds and the two Brontes women play on one critical point; namely the mans need. Man is need for womens domestic duties and reproductive function as well as their emotional interest. As the women in Arnfreds article employ this need to gain power, the Brontes women make use of the mens emotional need for to them as powerful tool. Abstaining from performing the chores (Arnfreds women) or paying attention (Brontes women) can have serious influence on the man. For example, in Wuthering Heights, Catherine leaves Heathcliff for Edgar, a move that creates confusion and antagonism between Edgar, Heathcliff and Isabella and ultimately leads to Heathcliffs madness. Had Catherine not chosen to withdraw her attention from Heathcliff, he would not have experienced the emotional turmoil th at he experienced. The question that may arises then is, was it within Catherines power to control the events through avoiding any association with Edgar? The answer to this is in the affirmative, and therefore she sought to push Heathcliffs emotions to the edge of a cliff. In fact, male dominance was common in Victorian times, as was female servility; But it is this servility that supported the dominance. Critics of the Bronte novels have noticed the male dominance in these novels, and identified the role women play in perpetuating this dominance. The feminine role in the advancement of male dominance is a power in itself, which, if withdrawn, can have a regulatory outcome on male behavior. In the article The Question of Credibility in Anne Brontes The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Arlene Jackson points out that, Anne Bronte also answers a question that other novels of her time do not ask: what happens to a marriage and to the innocent partner when one partner (specifically, the male) leads a solipsistic life, where personal pleasures are seen as deserved, where maleness and the role of husband is tied to the freedom to do as one wants, and femaleness and the role of wife is linked to providing service and pleasure not necessarily sexual, but including daily praise and ego-boosting and, quite simply, constant attention (203). On the surface, Jackson is asserting that powerlessness is another way of describing women. This is how she decodes the message that Anne Bronte is sending to society through her book. Obviously, numerous people agree with this position, considering the woman to be the victim, suffering silently without a means of escape from the cruel clutches of the man. But this is not the case because in the process of praising someone, there is the knowledge that the praise can be withheld. There is also the knowledge that the praise can lead to dependency as well as other undesirable manifestations of character that may be harmful to both the person lavishing praise, who is the woman, as well as the man, who is the recipient of the praise. An objective analysis of the message from Jackson reveals that men have a certain degree of dependency on the lavish praise they are showered with by women. As much as Jacksons work may have been an attempt to show the credibility of Anne Brontes literary skills, she helps in the identification of areas of female power that is sometimes wrongly interpreted to enhance female servitude and perpetuate male dominance. In the Bronte novels, it is not just praise that men get from women that create an atmosphere of dependency. As shown by Helen Graham, men can become dependent on the love they get from women. For example, under the chapter entitled Miniature, Anne Bronte shows how after showering Mr. Huntingdon with attention, she withdraws it, an act that upsets him. Maggie Berg, in her Hapless Dependants, Women and Animals in Anne Brontes Agnes Grey argues that, in a patriarchal society where women are faced with challenges of identity, expression and recognition- the general treatment of women is implied to be like the treatment of animals. This position is also shared by another critic of Anne Brontes The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Juliet McMaster, who takes the position that the Victorian period was characterized by a huge power imbalance that tilted heavily in favor of men. In her article entitled Imbecile Laughter and Desperate Earnest in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, McMaster talks of a Victorian power structure that did not allow women to have a say in society. All things were done according to the rules set by men for everyone (368). However Berg and McMasters view is harsh and seems to suggest that women have no place in their society. In support of the position that goes against this perception, several published works that have a stand on womens power in relation to men will be examined too. For example Naomi Wolfs critically acclaimed book entitled Fire with Fire: The New Female Power and How to Use it deconstructs McMaster and Jacksons positions on female victimhood. Wolf believes that women have always had more power than men. The biggest problem according to her is that women have not mastered the art of utilizing this power for their benefit (23-25). She further disagrees with women whose time is spent agonizing over a male dominated society where every woman is a victim (56). Evidently, Wolf is not ready to buy into the ideas of Jackson and McMaster. The areas where the latter two see oppression and injustice, the former sees opportunity and freedom that has not been seized by women. Wolf provides solid examples of women who have managed to live happily through the realization that female power is sufficient to combat what has come to be known as male dominance. She points out that politics, business, and family life are all potential areas of female excellence if women meet fire with fire and learn to use some of the tactics men use to manage affairs in society (34). This is the basis of her phrase, fire with fire. Applied to Brontes novels, Wolfs principles would appeal to female characters to not only be aware of how powerful they are, but also how to productively utilize these powers. Wolfs belief in the existence of feminine power greatly contributes to my thesis. Agnes, Helen, and Catherine, in addition to other female characters in the novels, are not the weak victims some critics view them to be. They are women who enjoy a great level of power that they use to influence their surroundings. Another female scholar who has done research on the issue of female power and influence is Margaret Beetham. In an article entitled Thinking Back Through our Mothers Magazines: Feminisms Inheritance from Nineteenth-Century Magazines for Mothers, Beetham, whose main objective is to survey the motherhood oriented magazines that existed in the nineteenth century, makes a refreshingly different statement based on what she discovers in the magazines she reads. As much as there was injustice in society during a greater part of the Victorian period, there was the acceptance that women were equal to men, but different. The admission of equality in these magazines that were published for mothers shows that the empowering element for women was present. What lacked was the will to pursue the path of equality through the elimination of obstacles that made it difficult for women to enjoy the trappings of a free life. It helps to point out that the writers and publishers of the magazines that Margaret Beetham analyzes in her work were both men and women, with most of them being in the hands of women. The significance of this is that women had access to the tools for empowerment as early as the Victorian time, a period that is attacked as highly paternalistic and patriarchal. This point is shared by Lisa Duggan and Nan Hunter. In Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture, the authors poignantly state that man and woman have always tried to live as a united pair, but the truth is that each is pulling in a different direction. The struggle is purely power based and is largely to blame for much of the s uffering that goes on in society (19-21). My study will be unique in the sense that it will depart from the traditional feminist readings and exegeses like that of Jackson and McMaster and utilize the arguments of the kind proposed by Wolf and others cited above. The dissertation will prove the existence of female power and influence in Victorian society, a society that is typically known as purely chauvinistic. Even in this analysis, my study will also go beyond the stress on the female power in the political and economic spheres as perpetuated by Arnfred, Wolf and Beetham. In contrast, I will focus on the psychological and personal dimension of feminine power. Through the critical examination of the Bronte novels, I will show that the power and influence held by women is not the literal political or physical power that society is used to, but rather the psychological one. It is partially the psychological dependency that men have on women that gives women the ability to manipulate circumstances and conditions in ways that can simultaneously hurt and heal both parties. I will use feminist theory to deconstruct the myth it perpetuates about the hegemony of man and the victimhood of woman. I will also use psychoanalytic theory to highlight the psychological power and influence women have on men. Through analyzing the three novels and borrowing from the other available materials and the theoretical framework, my study will purposefully prove that women have natural power and abilities. When these innate characteristics are applied to the intellectual, spiritual, emotional and interpersonal world of men, this power can control and define the opposite sex, with various results for both genders. The Design Chapter Summaries Introduction The introduction will set the pace of the dissertation by giving the background to my thesis. In this sense, the introduction will focus on reviewing the prevailing critical views that I will challenge in my dissertation. The aim will be to set up the idea that the dominant critical perspective views women as victims who are mistreated by men, a position that will be deconstructed in the later chapters of my dissertation. Such critical claims will include Arlene Jacksons The Question of Credibility in Anne Brontes The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Juliet McMasters Imbecile Laughter and Desperate Earnest in The Tenant of Wildfell Hal, and Maggie Bergs Hapless Dependants, Women and Animals in Anne Brontes Agnes Grey among others. Equally important, the introduction will survey some critical views that support the thesis. These include, Marilyn Graman and Maureen Walshs The Female Power Within: A Guide to Living a Gentler, More Meaningful Life and Dan Abramss Man Down: Proof Beyond a Reasona ble Doubt That Women Are Better Cops, Drivers, Gamblers, Spies, World Leaders, Beer Tasters, Hedge Fund Managers, and Just About Everything Else. In addition, Laura Donaldsons Decolonizing Feminisms: Race, Gender Empire Building will be used to reinforce the thesis. The rationale behind this literature review is to set the parameters that my study departs from and challenges. This departure will be illustrated in the chapters that follow. Chapter 1: The Bronte Women: The Dominant View This is the opening chapter of the dissertation. The purpose of this chapter will be to set the tone and lay the argument that will be refuted in later chapters. Thus, the focus will be on the picture painted in the three novels as far as women are concerned. The three sisters books present women as the abused and mistreated members of the society. For example, in Wuthering Heights, Catherine is depicted as a victim of Heathcliffs desires. Similarly, in Agnes Grey, the protagonists mother is portrayed as the gentle, loving woman who gives up her high life for the love of a poor man, Agness father. In The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Helen is shown as a victim not only of Arthur but also Gilbert, who is shown as the angry and irrational man who whips Lawrence and hurts Helen feelings on mere suspicion that she would be allowing Lawrence to court her while knowing that Markham is already into her. The chapter will review such depiction of women in the three novels in details. However, the point that will be highlighted is that a careful analysis of some of the events in the books enables the keen reader and analyst to have a more profound view of women, a view that shows that they are not the submissive women intended or viewed to be. Since the dissertation is about the provision of evidence towards the position that women are not the victims of male hegemony as they are thought to be, this first chapter will be critical in setting up the issue that will be opposed by use of analysis of both these primary sources as well as other credible secondary sources. In this regard, the link between this first chapter and the rest of the dissertation is that it will lay the foundation for the entire dissertation through the establishment of the contested opinion, which the rest of the dissertation will tear down, while building the alternative view. Chapter 2: The Bronte Women: The Hidden Face As chapter 1 illustrates the traditional analysis of the Bronte women, chapter 2 will provide a dissenting analysis to that proposed in the first chapter. Hence this chapter comes to form the crux of the dissertation as it elaborates on the thesis. The three Bronte novels will be critically analyzed in order to portray the often unseen powers of women. Areas where the female power appears in these novels will be highlighted to substantiate the assertion that women are not victims of male domination and abuse, but powerful members of the society whose powers, though not physical, can bring either unimaginable destruction or ultimate redemption. A careful analysis of the events and characters will be conducted to supports this assertion. For example, in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights, Catherines misuse of her natural female strengths and talents is used to override Heathcliffs reticence against and desire to withdraw from her controlling manipulation, culminating in tragedy for both characters. In Anne Brontes The Tenant of Windfell Hall, Mrs. Helen uses her feminine power to emotionally abuse Mr. Huntingdon through the withdrawal of her affection, which leaves him mad and angry. Another example of the powerful nature of women is shown by Miss Murray who is determined to use her feminine power to ensnare Mr. Weston into falling for her before she gets married to Mr. Hatfield, to whom she is already engaged. Agnes aptly describes Mr. Weston as Miss. Murrays victim (Bronte 212). Susan McKernans article entitled Feminist Literary Theory and Womens Literary History: Contradictory Projects, will be used to create a critical dialogue in this chapter. The article illustrates how some women have sought to absolve females from all that goes wrong in relationships in particular and society in general. My argument in this chapter goes against this contention and proves that women are active participants in relationship management. Another powerful secondary source that will be used in this chapter is Laura Donaldsons Decolonizing Feminisms: Race, Gender Empire Building. This carefully written book will reinforce the thesis by showing how female power has more potential that most people in society are willing to accept. It will therefore support the idea that women can only be victims of men domination willingly or unknowingly, but otherwise, they ought to have the potential to stand up for themselves. In connection to the entire dissertation, this chapter brings up the theme of the paper. It agrees with the thesis and validates the argument. Chapter 3: Female Power: When Women Admit It This chapter will support the theme of the dissertation through the usage of female voices in proving the existence of female power. The aim is to show that the claim made in the dissertation is largely shared by women themselves, and therefore has credence to it. There is no better way to confirm that someone is in possession of something than that person coming out and admitting it himself or herself. This is what this chapter does by allowing female voices to come out and assert that women are indeed powerful in their own right. The use of these female voices will be targeted towards proving the thesis with reference to the major primary sources. Examples on the secondary sources include Signe Arnfreds article entitled Sex, Food and Female Power: Discussion of Data Material from Northern Mozambique. As illustrated elsewhere in the proposal, this reference will be used to prove how the Bronte women may take advantage of the mans need to exercise their power. Another secondary source that will used in this chapter is Margaret Beethams Thinking Back Through our Mothers Magazines: Feminisms Inheritance from Nineteenth-Century Magazines for Mothers. Her article is a clear admittance that woman had access to the tools for empowerment in the Victorian period. Equally important is Naomi Wolfs book, Fire with Fire: The New Female Power and How to Use it. Along with Beethams analysis, Wolfs argument greatly contributes to my thesis. As mentioned above, it substantiates the idea that Agnes, Helen, and Catherine, in add ition to other female characters in the novels, are not the weak victims some critics view them to be. They are women who enjoy a great level of power that they use to influence their surroundings. Further careful analysis of the primary sources will be done in this chapter to substantiate this point. For example, in Wuthering Heights, Catherines headstrong and rebellious ways are partially responsible for Heathcliffs antisocial behavior, and it is through Catherines ideas of how men should behave and react to her demands that Heathcliffs character is formed and which leads him to his madness at her death. In Agnes Grey, Miss Murray manipulatively portrays women in a manner that makes Mr. Hatfield view women as helpless creatures in their need for rescue, protection, and provision. The reference to the primary sources and connection to the overarching theme will provide the necessary flow and linkage for this chapter to the rest of the paper. In more precise terms, the women voices used to reinforce the thesis provide a connection to the second chapter which endeavors to show that women are not victims but powerful individuals. It also provides the groundwork for the following chapter which surveys the impact of the womens realization or lack thereof of feminine power. Chapter 4: Female Power: Realization by Women or Lack Thereof This chapter surveys the effects that emanate from the discovery by some women that they are in possession of immense powers. It also looks at what happens when some women fail to realize that they indeed have these feminine powers that the dissertation seeks to prove that they indeed exist. Again, Naomi Wolfs book, Fire with Fire: The New Female Power and How to Use it will be of great significance to this chapter as she argues that the realization of this power provides a solution for the supposed male dominance. In addition, The Least Angelical Poem in the Language: Political Economy, Gender, and the Heritage of Aurora Leigh  by L.Dalley will also be used. Dalleys article gives insight into the Victorian womens power and thus annuls any contention for the absence of this power in women even in the supposedly most patriarchal society. Once again, this will be done with reference to Bronte novels. The focus will be on how the Bronte females realization of their potential or lack thereof creates a great difference for themselves and for the men in touch with them. The instances where women have realized how powerful they are and used this knowledge to accomplish certain actions will be dealt with. For example, Helens realization of her artistic talent encourages her to leave her husband as it constitutes a source of income. In the same vein, Agness belief in her potential for leading an independent life make her start her venture as a governess, which adds to her experience and potential. In relation to the other chapters, this chapter will be a final verdict that indeed women have powers as it will demonstrate what happens when these powers, which chapters two and three will have shown exist, are put into use by those who know of their presence, or not used, by women whose ignorance insulates them from knowing the powers at their disposal. To a large extent, this chapter legitimizes the dissertation as it takes the argument to the level of observing the outcome of what the thesis claims. At this stage, the argument is not about whether women have powers or not, but about what happens when these powers are or are not used. Conclusion The conclusion will restate the thesis as has been validated through the argument in the preceding chapters. The major ideas that are raised in support of the thesis and some of the readings, both primary and secondary, that have supported or opposed the argument will be briefly revisited. All in all, the conclusion will emphasize the validation of the thesis as logically put through the dissertation chapters. Annotated Bibliography Primary Sources Bronte, A.  The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. New York: Harper Brothers. 1999. Brontà «, C., Brontà «, E., Brontà «, A. The Brontà « Sisters: Three Novels.  New York: Penguin Books. (2009).   Secondary Sources Abrams, Dan. Man Down: Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt That Women Are Better Cops, Drivers, Gamblers, Spies, World Leaders, Beer Tasters, Hedge Fund Managers, and Just About Everything Else .New York: Abrams Image.2011. Based on evidence borrowed from the social and business world, Dan Abrams presents a powerful narrative of how women are better players in different games of life. This message resonates well with the thesis whereby it supports the claim that women have powers that can be a force for good or evil, depending on their usage. This is in opposition to the view that women are victims in society, whose suffering in the hands of men is evident throughout history. Berg, M. Hapless Dependents: Women and Animals in Anne Brontes Agnes Grey.  Studies in the Novel, 34(2), 177+. (2002). Comparing animals to the oppressed nature of women under a patriarchal society, Berg provides a viable contrast to Greys perceived fall from a moral governess to one who commoditizes relationships as she comes to see animals in relationship to food. This perspective will provide catalysts to the thesis since Agnes Grey is largely considered a non-philosophical text but has deep undercurrents to feminine power and control. Beetham, Margaret. Thinking Back Through our Mothers Magazines: Feminisms Inheritance from Nineteenth-Century Magazines for Mothers. Nineteenth Century Gender Studies. Issue 6.2, Summer 2010. Web. March 18, 2011. This article gives a picture of how mothers lived in the 19th century. This information is largely based on magazines, and the overarching message is that women were not under the apron strings of men with limited authority. Therefore, this article is part of the evidence that the is needed to validate the thesis. Braithwaite, W. S. The Bewitched Parsonage: The Story of the Brontes. New York: Coward-McCann. (1950).   Braithwaite provides germane insights into the lives of the Bronte sisters which informs their writing and perception of the world around them as well as their own influence and power (or lack thereof) in their lives. This work will contribute valuable insights into the sisters defenses, perceptions, and belief systems among an unusually tragic set of circumstances. Bump, J. The Family Dynamics of the Reception of Art.  Style, 31(2), 328+. (1997). Bumps article has been selected for this work due to his exploration of the self as it applies to understanding and applying the work of the Bronte sisters. A socially isolated and individualistic view of the self that precludes the possibility of enduring attachments or responsibilities to another (328) fully informs the thesis upon which this work is grounded. Coontz, Stephanie. A Strange Stirring: The Feminine Mystique and American Women at the Dawn of the 1960s .New York: Basic Books.2011. Stephanie Coontz is responding to the work of Betty Friedan, The Feminine Mystique. She agrees with Friedan that women may have undergone suffering in society, but they had the powers to alter these circumstances. Therefore, this book is in line with the assertion made in the thesis. Dalley, L. L. The Least Angelical Poem in the Language: Political Economy, Gender, and the Heritage of Aurora Leigh.  Victorian Poetry, 44(4), 525+. (2006). A decidedly secondary, perhaps even tertiary source to this work, Dal

Unreliable Memory in Memento

Unreliable Memory in Memento Thesis: The unique narrative structure of the film and the leading role, Leonard Shelby in Memento prove that memory is unreliable. . In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Samneric saw something moving, something large, which in reality was the dead body of a parachutist. But in the darkness and out of fear, in Samneric’s memory, the parachutist became a beast with leathery wings, teeth, and claws. He even claimed that he ‘saw it slinking behind the trees'. In this case, Samneric's memory were mastered by his personal feelings — fear.Thus memory is unreliable, as it can be manipulated by personal feelings. Similarly, the leading role of Memento, Leonard Shelby’s memory is also manipulated by his personal feelings. Leonard distorts his memory due to his desire to find and kill ‘the one and only' murderer of his wife. In the following, I am going to prove memory is unreliable through the unique narrative structure and Leon ard Shelby, the leading role of the film. Memento, the story features a man called Leonard Shelby, who has anterograde amnesia, a disorder that caused his brain to be unable to store new memories.From Leonard’s memory, the disorder was a result from a concession caused by the rapist murderer of his wife. From then on, Leonard's life is all about finding ‘the one and only' murderer of his wife and get him killed in order to take revenge. Firstly, it is the unique narrative structure. The film's events unfold in two separate, alternating narratives — one in color, and the other in black-and-white. The black-and-white sections are told in chronological order, beginning by showing Leonard conversing with an anonymous caller in a motel room.Leonard's actual investigation is shown in color sequences that are in reverse order. By the end of the film, when the two narratives converge, revealing the investigation and events that lead up to Leonard’s friend, Teddy's death. The narrative structure is literally a memory test that the director of Memento, Christopher Nolan gives to the viewer. As each color sequence begins, the audience is unaware of the preceding events, just like Leonard, giving the viewer a sense of his confusion.With the structure arranged in this alternating and reverse way, the confused viewer would be lost, in a way that they have no clue where the story is heading. At the end of the film, which chronologically is the first sequence, would only leave the viewer more question marks. Therefore, the narrative structure of the film, which is also the memory test, proves human memory is unreliable. For relying only on memory, the viewer cannot group all the puzzles — the reverse chronological scenes — together and have a full understanding of the events.Confusion is brought on by unreliable memories. As time goes, memory fades, based on this principle that everyone knows and even experiences, Nolan first gives thi s ‘memory test’ to let the viewer a firsthand experience that ‘memory is unreliable’. Zigzagging through the two separate and yet related narratives, Nolan brings out memory is unreliable not only due to physical reasons, but also mental ones. The black-and-white sequence is indeed the narration of Leonard, a former insurance investigator, telling the story of one of his claimants, Sammy Jankis before his injury.Jankis, just like Leonard, appeared to have anterograde amnesia after a car accident. Leonard explains how Jankis's diabetic wife tested Jankis to see if he really had a memory disorder or just faking to claim disability insurance, by repeatedly requesting insulin injections from him. She is desperately hoping that Sammy did not have a memory disorder and would remember the previous injection. As a result, she died from an insulin overdose from Jankis. While the viewer is puzzling why Leonard remembers Jankis so vividly, Nolan reveals a parallel sto ry of Leonard.Because of Leonard's condition and his denial of possibly killing his wife by overdosing her with insulin, he might have made up a different scenario in his mind. He constructed a rape-murder scenario for his wife’s death. He alienated his killing his wife by inventing Sammy Jankis, memorizing it as a separate event. He altered his memory to lessen his guilt. At the end of the film, Leonard confronts his memory and says,†Do I lie to myself to be happy? †¦ yes, I will. † This narration conveys that emory can be full of flaws, it can be distorted by personal feelings, it can be changed by one's desire, that memory can be no more than a tool of self-deception. Secondly, through the leading role of Memento, Leonard Shelby’s verbal expression, condition, tattoos and flashbacks, Nolan proves to the viewer that memory is unreliable. Leonard's lines point directly at ‘memory is unreliable'. In the film Leonard said, â€Å"Memory’s n ot that perfect. It's not even that good. †, â€Å"Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted.They're just an interpretation, they're not a record, and they're irrelevant when you have the facts. † Leonard stresses that ‘memory is not good'. Through Leonard's lines, the film emphasizes that, ‘memory is unreliable because they're just an interpretation'. Then moving on to Leonard's condition, anterograde amnesia is the significant feature of Leonard and it is also the heart of the film. Since Leonard has this disorder that he cannot form new memories, everything fades, memory is definitely unreliable for him. For the viewer, being put into Leonard's shoes, unknown to the preceding events, memory is unreliable as well.Again, Leonard's memory problem has directly pointed at ‘memory is unreliable'. Leonard's tattoos is also a significant feature of Leonard. In order to find his wife’s murde rer, Leonard relies on notes and annotated Polaroid pictures. But for vital information which he believes would lead him to the â€Å"murderer†, he tattoos that piece of information on his body instead of writing on a piece of paper because of his inability to form new memories. In one scene, Leonard gets a tattoo of the murderer's license plate number, relying on his memory, he has mistaken an I for a 1.Now this clue has really changed because of his unreliable memory. It tells us not to trust Leonard's believe-to-be-true facts, memory can indeed manipulate everything. As Leonard puts it, â€Å"Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car†¦ They're just an interpretation, they're not a record. † Also, according to Leonard's tattoo, the name of the â€Å"murderer† is John G. At the beginning of the film, which chronologically is the last sequence, Leonard does succeed and kill one John Edward Gammell, whose nickname is Teddy.Leona rd says he would remember he had killed that ‘one and only' murderer even with his condition, because that excitement of revenge would remain. However, at the end of the film (which should be the beginning of the story), reveals that Teddy is just one of the few John G. s that Leonard has killed. It turns out after Leonard has killed a John G, he copies Teddy's license plate number and gets it tattooed on his body annotating that is the license plate number of the murderer, making Teddy(John Edward Gammell) his John G, for the sake of his ‘meaning of survival'.Memory can manipulate, and at the same time, be manipulated. Leonard, in order to fulfill his goal and his desire of taking revenge, he lets his memory be manipulated by his personal feelings, and keeps on killing more and more John G. s. Furthermore, there are a few of Leonard's flashbacks throughout the film, one is preparing an insulin injection, one is his staying in a sanatorium (instead of Sammy Jankis does a fter he accidently killed his wife).The more significant flashback is of Leonard's wife waking up, opening her eyes, but if it is played backwards, it is very much like his wife is going into a coma. Leonard also recalls the scene that his wife crying out, â€Å"Ouch! † when he executes the insulin shot. However, the fact is Leonard manufactured Sammy Jankis in order to deny being the murderer of his wife. So, when he recalls that injecting scene from memory, ‘administrating insulin' has become ‘pinching his wife's thigh. There are actually quite a lot of Leonard's flashbacks giving proof that Leonard himself is the murderer of his wife, but it is clearly that Leonard wants to lessen his sense of guilt, so he distorts his memory, it shows that memory can in fact be changed to satisfy oneself, memory can be reconstructed. To conclude, â€Å"He took away my†¦memory. He destroyed my ability to live. † Just like Leonard, humans in general acknowledge †˜memory’ is one of the abilities that help us to live, however it is not a must that this ability is reliable, in fact memory practically cannot be trusted.From Memento’s unique narrative structure, a genuine memory test definitely created a certain degree of confusion to the viewer. It is impossible for humans to have everything well organized merely by memory. The ‘facts’ in one’s memory can be rebuilt, as Leonard says,†Do I lie to myself to be happy? †¦ yes, I will. † Memory can easily be manipulated by one’s personal feelings. In Leonard’s case, his memory is manipulated by his guilt; he uses his memory as a tool to cloud the fact that he killed his wife because of his lack-of-short-term memory disorder.Leonard's lines, physical problem, tattoos and his flashbacks all are important proofs of ‘Leonard is the murderer of his own wife', which Leonard does not want to admit. From the beginning, his true motive o f finding that rapist murderer is only for his own satisfaction, finding his ‘goal of life', and more importantly, for lessening his guilt. That is why — being unknown that he does it on purpose or unintentionally — Leonard distorts his memory and reconstructs it and in the film.Now the distorted memory became reality for Leonard, and the facts change according to his reconstruction. We can see that memory can also manipulate at the same time, â€Å"memories can be distorted. They're just an interpretation, they're not an record. † The unique narrative structure and Leonard Shelby, the leading role of Memento, have proved that memory is no more than an interpretation after all. For memory can be distorted and manipulated out of one’s own satisfaction and desire. Memory is not facts, it cannot always be trusted. Memory is unreliable both physically and mentally.

Biography of Túpac Amaru, the Last of the Incan Lords

Tà ºpac Amaru (1545–September 24, 1572) was the last of the indigenous rulers of the Inca. He ruled during the time of the Spanish occupation and was executed by the Spanish after the final defeat of the Neo-Inca state. Fast Facts: Tà ºpac Amaru Known For: The last indigenous ruler of the IncaAlso Known As: Tà ºpac Amaru,  Topa Amaru,  Thupa Amaro,  Tupaq Amaru, Thupaq AmaruBorn: 1545 (exact date unknown) in or near CuscoParents: Manco Capac (father); mother unknownDied: September 24, 1572  in CuscoSpouse: UnknownChildren: One sonNotable Quote: Ccollanan Pachacamac ricuy auccacunac yawarniy hichascancuta. (Pacha Kamaq, witness how my enemies shed my blood. Early Life Tupac Amaru, a member of the Incan royal family, grew up in the Incan convent Vilcabamba, the religious university of the Incas. As a young adult, he was against the Spanish occupation and rejected Christianity. Indigenous Incan leaders supported him because of that. Background When the Spanish arrived in the Andes in the early 1530s, they found the wealthy Inca Empire in turmoil. Feuding brothers Atahualpa and Huà ¡scar ruled over two halves of the mighty Empire. Huà ¡scar was killed by Atahuallpa’s agents and Atahualpa himself was captured and executed by the Spanish, effectively ending the time of the Inca. A brother of Atahualpa and Huà ¡scar, Manco Inca Yupanqui, managed to escape with some loyal followers and established himself head of a small kingdom, first at Ollantaytambo and later in Vilcabamba. Manco Inca Yupanqui was assassinated by Spanish deserters in 1544. His 5-year-old son Sayri Tà ºpac took over and ruled his small kingdom with the help of regents. The Spanish sent ambassadors and relations between the Spanish in Cusco and the Inca at Vilcabamba warmed. In 1560, Sayri Tà ºpac was eventually persuaded to come to Cusco, renounce his throne, and accept baptism. In exchange, he was given vast lands and a profitable marriage. He died suddenly in 1561, and his half-brother Titu Cusi Yupanqui became the leader of Vilcabamba. Titu Cusi was more cautious than his half-brother had been. He fortified Vilcabamba and refused to come to Cusco for any reason, although he did allow ambassadors to stay. In 1568, however, he finally relented, accepting baptism and, in theory, turning over his kingdom to the Spanish, although he consistently delayed any visit to Cusco. Spanish Viceroy Francisco de Toledo repeatedly attempted to buy off Titu Cusi with presents such as fine cloth and wine. In 1571, Titu Cusi became ill. Most of the Spanish diplomats were not in Vilcabamba at the time, leaving only Friar Diego Ortiz and translator Pedro Pando. Tà ºpac Amaru Ascends the Throne The Inca lords in Vilcabamba asked Friar Ortiz to ask his God to save Titu Cusi. When Titu Cusi died, they held the friar accountable and killed him by tying a rope through his lower jaw and dragging him through town. Pedro Pando was also killed. Next in line was Tà ºpac Amaru, Titu Cusi’s brother, who had been living in semi-seclusion in a temple. About the time Tà ºpac Amaru was made leader, a Spanish diplomat returning to Vilcabamba from Cusco was killed. Although it is unlikely that Tà ºpac Amaru had anything to do with it, he was blamed and the Spanish prepared for war. War with the Spanish Tà ºpac Amaru had only been in charge for a few weeks when the Spanish arrived, led by 23-year-old Martà ­n Garcà ­a Oà ±ez de Loyola, a promising officer of noble blood who would later become governor of Chile. After a couple of skirmishes, the Spanish managed to capture Tà ºpac Amaru and his top generals. They relocated all the men and women who had been living in Vilcabamba and brought Tà ºpac Amaru and the generals back to Cusco. Dates of birth for Tà ºpac Amaru are vague, but he was approximately in his late 20s at the time. They were all sentenced to die for insurrection: the generals by hanging and Tà ºpac Amaru by beheading. Death The generals were thrown in prison and tortured, and Tà ºpac Amaru was sequestered and given intense religious training for several days. He eventually converted and accepted baptism. Some of the generals had been tortured so badly that they died before making it to the gallows—although their bodies were hung anyway. Tà ºpac Amaru was led through the city escorted by 400 Caà ±ari warriors, traditional bitter enemies of the Inca. Several important priests, including the influential Bishop Agustà ­n de la Coruà ±a, pleaded for his life, but Viceroy Francisco de Toledo ordered the sentence to be carried out. The heads of Tà ºpac Amaru and his generals were put on pikes and left at the scaffold. Before long, the locals—many of whom still considered the Inca ruling family to be divine—started worshiping the head of Tà ºpac Amaru, leaving offerings and small sacrifices. When notified of this, Viceroy Toledo ordered the head to be buried with the rest of the body. With the death of Tà ºpac Amaru and the destruction of the last Inca kingdom in Vilcabamba, Spanish domination of the region was complete. Historic Context Tà ºpac Amaru never really had a chance; he came into power at a time when events had already conspired against him. The deaths of the Spanish priest, interpreter, and ambassador were not of his doing, as they took place before he was made the leader of Vilcabamba. As a result of these tragedies, he was forced to fight a war he may not have even wanted. In addition, Viceroy Toledo had already decided to stamp out the last Inca holdout at Vilcabamba. The legality of the conquest of the Inca was being seriously questioned by reformers (primarily in the religious orders) in Spain and in the New World, and Toledo knew that without a ruling family to which the Empire could be returned, questioning the legality of the conquest was moot. Although Viceroy Toledo was reprimanded by the crown for the execution, he did the king a favor by removing the last legitimate legal threat to Spanish rule in the Andes. Legacy Today Tà ºpac Amaru stands as a symbol for the indigenous people of Peru of the horrors of the conquest and Spanish colonial rule. He is considered the first indigenous leader to seriously rebel against the Spanish in an organized way and, as such, he has become the inspiration for many guerrilla groups over the centuries. In 1780, his great-grandson Josà © Gabriel Condorcanqui adopted the name Tà ºpac Amaru and launched a short-lived but serious rebellion against the Spanish in Peru. The Peruvian communist rebel group Movimiento Revolucionario Tà ºpac Amaru (â€Å"Tà ºpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement†) took their name from him, as did the Uruguayan Marxist rebel group the Tupamaros. Tupac Amaru Shakur (1971–1996) was an American rapper who was named after Tà ºpac Amaru II. Sources De Gamboa, Pedro Sarmiento, History of the Incas. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1999. (written in Peru in 1572)MacQuarrie, Kim.  The Last Days of the Incas, Simon Schuster, 2007.

The Factors That Influence Women s Participation

My purpose in this study is to identify and analyse the factors that influence women’s participation in sports. Employing an ethnographic approach, I wanted to discover the emic concepts of my participants. To achieve this goal, I followed Spradley (1979:3) who advocates â€Å"learning from people† rather than â€Å"studying the people†. I participated in and observed various sports and sporting activities. In this chapter I will present the research techniques that I used for the study. The topics I will cover include: study design and method, sampling, sampling units, data collection, study area, my personal experience, data analyses, practice and theory in the field, observer effect and reality on the ground, and ethics. 3.2 The study design and methods This ethnographic study involved the use of participant observation, interviews and autoethnography to document the factors influencing women’s participation in sports. 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