Pressure Groups Essay Example for Free

Pressure Groups Essay Pressure groups play an important role in indian politics Pressure groups provide the link between the people and the government. A pressure group is an organised body of individuals who share some goals and who try to influence public policy. Pressure groups are a vital part of a healthy democracy. Indeed the sustained and rapid expansion of pressure group activity and involvement in the political process is often heralded as a sign of growing political involvement among many thousands of people. Pressure groups Promote discussion and debate and mobilise public opinion on key issues ,they perform a role in educating citizens about specific issues , they can enhance democratic participation, pluralism and diversity, they raise and articulate issues that political parties perhaps wont touch because of their sensitivity e. g. The 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement were a series of demonstrations and protests across India which intended to establish strong legislation and enforcement against endemic political corruption. ake the example of the recent gang rape case. The people of delhi, and then the entire country joined to form a pressure group and forced the govt. to make fast track courts so that the culprits could be punished as soon as possible. There is intense pressure on the government to make harsher laws for rape . pressure groups provide an important access point for those seeking redress of grievance They represent minorities who cannot represent themselves Groups can be an important and valuable source of specialist information for an overloaded legislature and civil service Many groups play an important role in implementing changes to public policy Pressure groups encourage a decentralisation of power within the political system. They act as a check and balance to the power of executive government. Several laws have been made , several ministers and beaureacrats who were corrupt, were asked to go because of the pressure groups. Several states have been made because of pressure groups. Prices of public utilities like electricity , water have been reduced because of pressure groups. Farmers have got the right price for their commodities because of pressure groups. So we can see that pressure groups are a must for democracy, and they strengthen democracy and not weaken it.

EU Commission on Auditor Liabilities

EU Commission on Auditor Liabilities Auditors are increasingly finding that they are being targeted by those who feel that they have been wronged by the quality of the financial accounts. Auditors are required to consider the financial accounts that are prepared by the company and to establish whether they believe that they give a true and fair representation of the underlying financial position. By ‘true’ they are looking for whether the transaction actually occurred and by ‘fair’ they are looking to ascertain whether the value of the transaction has been accurately recorded. In the UK, there is a rule that liability for misstatement is joint and several between wrongdoers. This often results in auditors taking a much greater portion of the liability than would seem just. Auditors are often seen to have deep pockets due to their insurance policies and, as such, make more promising targets for those who believe that they have lost out financially due to the inaccuracy of the accounts[1]. Background to the EU Consultation on Auditor Liability There have been widespread concerns over this practice, with many countries operating a more proportional approach where the extent of the blame dictates the extent of the liability. The European Union has shown particular concern over the potential reduction in competition that this lack of capped liability leads to. With the limit level of professional insurance policies playing a huge role in the company’s decision as to which auditor to appoint, this is thought to favour the larger auditors and exclude the smaller players from some of the larger lucrative contracts. It is also thought that this requirement presents such a great barrier to entry for auditor firms that there is a real danger that the audit market is not operating competitively. The EU consultation undertook a study based on four possible options that were available to produce a cap for auditor liability. Firstly, they considered a monetary cap on a Europe wide basis. Secondly, they considered a monetary cap based on the size of the auditor firm. Thirdly, there was an option to produce a monetary cap based on a multiple of the audit fee and finally, they considered the option of member states entering into a policy of proportionate liability, which would require the courts to split the liability based on the level of responsibility for the breach and on a proportional basis. This could either be achieved through statutory provisions or through the contractual provision between the company and the auditor. Upon consultation, the commissioners found that there was overwhelming support for the concept of having a cap on auditor liability, both from inside and outside the auditing profession. The Commission noted that the issue of auditor liability was not a new one, with consideration having been given, in 2001, to whether the extent of the differences between the countries in relation to auditor liability would prevent a single market across Europe. Although, at this stage, the substantial differences across jurisdictions were recognised, they were not thought to be so large that anything had to be done to rectify the position. However, since 2002, the large scale collapse of Arthur Andersen has occurred, bringing the issue of potential liability caps back into the forefront. The Commission initially identified the potential problems that the current auditing regime causes in terms of market stability and competition within the auditing function. Considerable attention was paid to the issue of public interest and the need to have a stable auditing function which can be relied upon to be accurate. For an auditing function to be efficient, the company must be able to select an appropriate auditor for its business needs but still allow it to maintain the independence of the function so that the stakeholders can rely on the statements. It is accepted that auditors will not always be 100% accurate; however, they should be able to be relied upon as this is critical to the overall efficiency of the European capital markets. Concentration of the Audit Market The central importance of the auditing profession is not disputed, with investors relying on the financial statements in order to make investment decisions. However, the magnitude of the risk that auditors are exposed to is becoming increasingly worrying both for the auditors and for the general competitive landscape. Due to the nature of internationally listed companies, there are only four companies that are capable of providing the necessary auditing services. These are refereed to as the ‘Big Four’: Deloitte, KPMG, Price Waterhouse Coopers and Ernst Young. It is not necessarily the expertise that prevents others entering the market, but rather the high level of professional indemnity that is required which is simply not cost effective for smaller firms entering the market. It is recognised that there is little or no chance of a new entrant into the market, yet there is a danger that any one of the four could be forced out of the market, at any point, thus further re ducing the competition in large scale auditing. In reality, international auditing firms are not actually one large firm but are a network of smaller firms that recognise they are not able to manage the level of risk that is required for international auditing. With strict rules relating to auditing firms, it is unlikely that another network will emerge, making the international audit market particularly fragile[2]. Auditors often become the target in cases of insolvency as they are the ones with the resources available to deal with any financial losses due to misstatement. It is this potential redress that offers investors a degree of confidence in the market and, therefore, it is seen as desirable that auditors are held to be liable in situations where they get it wrong. However, it is recognised that the current joint and several approach is simply inefficient and consideration should be given to alternatives. For the auditing profession to be truly efficient, it is necessary for there to be a substantial degree of choice. This is not currently the case and effort should be made to ensure that the auditing options are widened so as to become accessible to other medium sized firms. One of the recognised ways of doing this is to have a liability cap or a proportionate regime so that the deep pocket syndrome does not restrict the choice of auditor to the hands of the big four[3]. Extent of Risk for an Auditor The major barriers for mid sized auditor firms are recognised as being the lack of available indemnity insurance and the large amount of potential risk that is involved when auditing large international firms. Clearly, an auditor has a duty towards the company itself, based on either contract or tort when it has behaved negligently or with wilful misconduct. The vast majority of cases are related to negligence and it is this area of liability that has generated the most interest from the European Commission[4]. Liability is clearly owed to the client itself; however, this has also extended to be liability towards third parties, causing further barriers to entry for mid sized auditing firms. For a third party to bring a claim, it is necessary for there to be a causation link between the act of negligence and the damages suffered by the third party which, although difficult to prove, has resulted in some high profile payouts further jeopardising the chances of mid tier firms entering the international auditing market[5]. At the heart of this widespread liability is the concept of joint and several liability. Under this process, a third party who has a claim against a director can also bring a claim against an auditor who has given an unqualified opinion as to the accuracy of the accounts. In a case of corporate insolvency, the directors rarely have any finances available to pay out third party losses, therefore, encouraging actions against the auditors who are seen to have ample financial backing. It is this high level of risk that the cap on liability is aiming to address. Oppositions to an Auditors’ Liability Cap Despite the overall acceptance of the need to do something to alter the balance of power within the international auditing market, one of the main objections was that placing a limit on liability would give the auditing profession a privileged position in comparison to other professions. A main aim of establishing a cap was to encourage mid sized firms to enter into the market and it is feared that a liability simply would not achieve this aim. Much of the exposure faced is outside of the EU (i.e. in the US)[6] and, therefore, the cap would make little or no difference. Equally, the insurance requirements would remain high. A cap would not make the insurance requirement less; it would simply make it more ascertainable. There are also concerns that the cap would encourage poor performances and weaker audits. From a competitive point of view, those in opposition to the cap were concerned that such a move would reduce the competitive position of European companies in comparison to other international jurisdictions where no such cap exists. Concerns were also raised that a cap on auditors’ liability would be contrary to the overall proposition of better regulation that the EU has been working towards, in recent years[7]. Alternative Options As it is accepted that the main reason for imposing such a cap would be to open up the international auditing market to other mid sized auditing firms; alternatives to a cap on liability were also considered by the EU because of the potentially negative competitive impact of such caps. One of the possible options is to impose a compulsory insurance on audit firms. There is currently an insurance gap where the amount that an insurer is prepared to insure an auditor for is substantially less than the potential liability. Forcing the auditor to take out insurance to cover all losses would not be practicable due to the high level of potential risk. Therefore, the premiums would be prohibitively expensive, particularly for the smaller firms. Alternatives to funding this additional insurance would have to come from investors or the companies themselves. Another approach would be to reduce the potential risk faced by auditors by introducing safe harbours. This would involve carving out certain areas from the potential liability of the auditor such as any external reviewers’ comments on the company or any future plans which have happened after the end of the financial accounting year. However, in doing this, there are fears that the underlying principle of professional judgment would be eroded in favour of formalised approaches to ensuring that as much of the safe harbour carve out could be enjoyed. EU Recommendations On considering all of these factors and a widespread discussion of the pros and cons of the possibility of a cap on auditors’ liability, the EU commission has established a proposal that aims to achieve the middle ground[8]. When considering the four options as stated above (cap for all European audits, cap based on size of audit firm, cap based on the fee and a proportionate regime), the EU Commission concluded that a combination of a proportionate liability and an auditors’ cap on liability would make the foundations of their recommendations. The report advised member states to require a limitation to auditors’ liability to be established either through a statutory cap, a limitation based on proportionality or limitation of liability through the contract between the audit company and the auditor. Proportional liability gained considerable support from the non-auditing respondents to the proposals as it was felt that this would deal with the issue of reliance on auditors’ deep pockets, but would also ensure that the quality of the audit would be maintained. The commission recommended that any member state implementing this approach should not set a specific proportion and should simply set the principle in place to be applied through the judicial processes, where necessary. Unsurprisingly, the auditing profession preferred the concept of a cap on liability, arguing that it would have no long term impact on the quality of the audit and would allow mid sized firms to enter the market. This was not entirely followed by the EU Commission who preferred to suggest a principle of proportionate liability. Based on all arguments, the EU Commission has advised a regime of proportionate liability across all member states. Conclusions The issue of auditors’ liability and how risk is apportioned has been raising concerns on an international level and has, therefore, become the subject of an EU Commission report. Currently, the international auditing market is heavily dominated by the big four accounting firms and several barriers of entry exist to prevent mid sized firms entering the market. Many of the barriers result directly from the fact that auditors are jointly and severally liable for misstatements in the financial accounts. Therefore, due to their deep pockets, auditors are often the main target for those taking actions against struggling companies[9]. Based on this position, the EU Commission looked into the option of establishing a cap on liability (either statutorily or through contractual provisions). After careful consideration of all of the options, it was felt that a principle of proportionality would be the best approach, given all of the issues raised. It was concluded that proportionality would reduce the deep pockets issue, yet would still ensure that the level of quality of auditing work is maintained. This level of proportionality should not be cast in stone and should be established on a case by case basis. It is anticipated that this will provide sufficient security for the smaller auditors to compete on a level playing field with the domain that has traditionally been that of the big four firms. Bibliography Allen, Robert D., Hermanson, Dana R., Kozloski, Thomas M., Ramsay, Robert J., Auditor Risk Assessment: Insights from the Academic Literature, Accounting Horizons, 20, 2006 Clarke, Frank L., Dean, G.W., Oliver, Kyle Gaius, Corporate Collapse: Accounting, Regulatory and Ethical Failure, Cambridge University Press, 2003 Garner, Don E., McKee, David L., McKee, Yosra AbuAmara, Accounting and the Global Economy After Sarbanes-Oxley, M.E. Sharpe, 2008 Hay, David, Davis, David, The Voluntary Choice of an Auditor of Any Level of Quality, Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory, 23, 2004 Hillison, William, Pacini, Carl, Auditor Reputation and the Insurance Hypothesis: The Information Content of Disclosures of Financial Distress of a Major Accounting Firm, Journal of Managerial Issues, 16, 2004 Pacini, Carl, Hillison, William, Sinason, David, Auditor liability to third parties: an international focus, Managerial Auditing Journal, 15, 8, 2000 Pong, C.K.M., Burnett, S., The implications of merger for market share, audit pricing and non-audit fee income: The case of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Managerial Auditing Journal, 21, 1, 2006 Smith, Roy C., Walter, Ingo, Governing the Modern Corporation: Capital Markets, Corporate Control, and Economic Performance, Oxford University Press US, 2006 Soltani, Bahram, Auditing: An International Approach, Pearson Education, 2007 Footnotes [1] Pong, C.K.M., Burnett, S., The implications of merger for market share, audit pricing and non-audit fee income: The case of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Managerial Auditing Journal, 21, 1, 2006 [2] Clarke, Frank L., Dean, G. W., Oliver, Kyle Gaius, Corporate Collapse: Accounting, Regulatory and Ethical Failure, Cambridge University Press, 2003 [3] Soltani, Bahram Auditing, An International Approach, Pearson Education, 2007 [4] Hillison, William, Pacini, Carl, Auditor Reputation and the Insurance Hypothesis: The Information Content of Disclosures of Financial Distress of a Major Accounting Firm, Journal of Managerial Issues, 16, 2004 [5] Pacini, Carl, Hillison, William, Sinason, David, Auditor liability to third parties: an international focus, Managerial Auditing Journal, 15, 8, 2000 [6] Garner, Don E., McKee, David L., McKee, Yosra AbuAmara, Accounting and the Global Economy After Sarbanes-Oxley, M.E. Sharpe, 2008 [7] Hay, David, Davis, David, The Voluntary Choice of an Auditor of Any Level of Quality, Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory, 23, 2004 [8] Smith, Roy C., Walter, Ingo, Governing the Modern Corporation: Capital Markets, Corporate Control, and Economic Performance, Oxford University Press US, 2006 [9] Allen, Robert D., Hermanson, Thomas, Dana R., Kozloski, M., Ramsay, Robert J., Auditor Risk Assessment: Insights from the Academic Literature, Accounting Horizons, 20, 2006

Kenneth Branaughs Hamlet or William Shakespeares Hamlet? Essay

Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet or William Shakespeare's Hamlet? Kenneth Branaugh may have had the script of William Shakespeare's Hamlet spoken down to every last thee and thou, but one must remember that this is Hamlet through Branaugh's eyes, not Shakespeare's. Therefore, dismissing obvious additions made for adapting the play to film, such as having a real castle instead of a stage, it is possible to observe the unique characters, interpretations, actions, and setting that make this version the director's own.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the time of Shakespeare, one of the actors main challenges was to use the words to paint the scene for the audience, since, for the most part, they were looking at a bare stage. However, this use of imagination and portrayal is no longer needed when the script is brought to film. Every pearl and snowflake have been placed strategically before the audience, so that there is no need to listen to the language to create your own vision of Hamlet's world. Branaugh's world is full of lavish affairs, freezing winters, and halls of mirrors. The use of the camera has some definite advantages and disadvantages. First, since the characters are no longer limited by a defined space, they are able to deliver their long speeches while being in a constant state of motion. This occurs in the scene with the guards, and most noticeably in the scene with Laertes and Ophelia, before he leaves for France. This same scene demonstrates how the camera enables the characters to switch from one setting to the next, as when Laertes, Ophelia, and Polonius are taken from outside to the church. This, in turn, helps Branaugh set the scene for Ophelia and Polonius, in which, Ophelia confesses everything to her father, perhaps only because she is in a confession booth. Filming also allows for clarification of what is being said through silent plays. During characters' dialogue, the scene switches to actions of the past, present, and even to things that could happen. This seems to be used to give the audience a better understanding of what is happening, and it also helps to further develop the characters so that the story is built up to the audience, rather then being tossed into the middle of the storyline. Young Fortinbras is often shown in these silent plays and is the only way his character is able to be developed to such an extent. This technique is... ...h Hamlet being carried out in a cross formation, perhaps suggesting that Hamlet's pursuit of vengeance was his crucifixion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are so many ways this work can be interpreted and acted out, and that makes it hard to be critical when there is no standard to compare it to. This film was Kenneth Branaugh's vision of Hamlet, and so to him it is magnificent. To myself, this film had many brilliant spots and was very thorough and well acted out. However, at times, the action and music became a bit overwhelming. Perhaps Branaugh got a little to caught up in the moment, it is hard to say. The silent plays that were shown throughout ( King Hamlet's death, the drowned Ophelia, Hamlet's childhood days with Yurich, Priam's slaughter, Fortinbras) added a lot to the film, because it gave the characters a history and allowed for a non-shakespearean audience to better understand what was being said. The adaptation from play to film is not always very easy, and obviously some changes have to occur. Branaugh's version of Hamlet definitely had some additions, but it still captured the essence of Shakespeare making it an interesting piece of work, and an enjoyable film.

Jacob Lawrence :: essays research papers

Jacob Lawrence Jacob Lawrence's unique career has earned him a National Medal Of Arts , election to the National Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Academy of Design,a National Council of the Arts commisionership, and dozens of honorary degrees and awards, including the NAACP's Spingarn Medal. His paintings has been freatured in several major art exhibitions and many different museums. Lawrence's parents came from the south but they moved to Harlem where Lawrence grew up. Lawrence was born in 1917 and grew up in Harlem during the Great Depression. He had many extraordinary educational oppurtunities as well as his first employment as an artist. In the studio of his mentor, Charles Alston, young Lawrence painted while the Harlem Renaissance was blooming with a generation of young artists and writers. He studied at the Harlem Art Workshop from 1932-1937 and at the American Artists School from 1937-1939. In the 1930's there was two main art groups,realism art and abstractionism art. Lawrence rejected both of them and made up his own style of art. His paintings are alive with human figures, usually African Americans,engaged in all different types of activities. He dipicted the figures in his paintings with dignity and grace. He got his ideas from several different sources. He used repetitive paterns and a lot of different colors and design which are commonly found in a quilt or an African textile. He made up to as many as 60 paintings which are each telling a story and the messages are usually of human triumph over oppression and injustice. Although his paintings often relate to the history and experience of black people their themes are universal. Lawrence allso made murals for his story telling. Throughout most of the 20th century , art institutions within black communities were the only places that exhibited the work of black artists. If other galleries did have black exhibits they were singled out as "Negro artists" or "Negro Art". Without gallery exposure, they were rarely noticed by influential people or obtain appropriate prices. In 1941 Alain Locke, a friend of Lawrence's introduced Lawrence's Migration series to the owner New York's Downtown Gallery Edith Halpert. Edith immediately organized an exhibition for Lawrence's art work, and Lawrence joined the select few group of artists she presented, which included Stuart Davis, Charles Sheeler, and Ben Shahn. Lawrence's Migration series was purchased and divided between the Museum of Modern Art and the Phillip's Collection.

Marion Barry :: essays research papers fc

Marion Barry, good mayor but bad man. Marion Barry former Mayor of the United States capital. Most known in America for his "Bitch set me up", video taped, Ramada Inn arrest. Charged with possession of a controlled substance, he was still reelected in 1994. This proving Mayor Barry was respected by many Washington citizens and a good Mayor. Marion Barry was possibly a great man with great intentions but weaknesses to sex, drugs, racism and pressures of the position of taking care of a city. Marion Barry born in Mississippi 1936. Raised in a poor family with a yearly income of $250, Marion grew a hatred for the white ruled society around him. Wanting so much more than what he had Marion always struggled to earn as much money as he could. Marion had many jobs as a teenager and teachers often understood he was a very hardworking individual. Barry always stayed out of crime devoting himself to hard work at school and work. (Agronsky 79-85) Upon graduating from high school the same year of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas Supreme Court case, Marion would be the first Barry to attend college (Agronsky 87). Growing up in the desegregation period of America shaped the racially focused person Marion Barry became. Marion Barry attended LeMoyne College in South-Memphis were he majored in Chemistry. Teachers and Students alike agree he studied Chemistry to be different from the rest of black students attending LeMoyne (Agronsky 87). Marion claims to have had very different values than others brought up in the same area as he and he was always an individual (Agronsky 88). Unlike many black students in the fifties Marion was very driven by a struggle for civil rights and racial equality. When LeMoyne trustee Walter Chandler made several anti-integration statements Marion took his first action against racism. He wrote a letter to the school newspaper demanding Chandler's resignation. The letter was eventuall y reprinted in several Memphis newspapers. Upon reading the letter the NAACP executive Roy Akins stepped in and Prendergast 2 heralded Marion as "one of the most righteous young men in Memphis!" (Agronsky 91). Even though the college was not very happy about Barry's remarks, the students and people of Memphis regarded him as a hero and a hope in the new civil rights movement "sweeping the south" (Agronsky 93). (Agronsky 90-93) While getting his Master's Degree in Chemistry at Fisk University in Nashville, Marion Barry would continue the struggle for integration.

Lord of the flies by William Golding Themes Essay

Ralph says, â€Å"Why do things break up as they do?†. Explain why things went wrong on the island, and say what this tells us about human nature in general. Aspects of media throughout the world contain true meanings, in some cases general but in others unambiguous and very strong. These meanings are often shown clearly through books, sculpture, music and other consumable media. It is important for these meanings in connection with human nature to be shown through these means to represent the ‘real’ and ‘true’ things that relate to us as humans, also these meanings offer strong links between things showing that happenings in a microcosm relate to humans and show some similarities. The artists who create the media are often well known and respected for there clever but unadorned creations the public domain look for these links and usually publicise successful ones. The question posed gives students an opportunity to reflect there opinions and thoughts regarding the novel Lord of the flies. The question is open and allows for a range of answers, there is no specific model answer, however the response to the question should be focused directly on why things break up, showing links from the island to the rest of the happenings in the world, the response to the question needs time, as the answer could become too long and most importantly missing the point of the essay, there is a need for a balanced view and this should reflect in several points being raised within the answer. Golding is renowned for his imaginative and meaningful novels, all created to show strong links with Human nature in a specific scenario in comparison to Human nature in general, from this there is usually a message which is true and probably undertakes in an every day situation. From the beginning of Lord of the Flies there are signs of misjudgement and disrespect, as the novel continues these implications become much stronger consequently leading to an up rise in rivalry and jealousy, the first meaningful misjudgement in my opinion begins with the fact of the beast, jack says, â€Å"A snake-thing. Ever so big. He saw it.†, this shows exaggeration and misjudgement, in comparison to Ralph who says, â€Å"There isn’t a beast†, showing consideration for the little uns’ and offering reassurance. From the early encounters and ideas of the beast up to the very latter stages of life on the Island fear and horror loomed with uncertainty being the main feeling, this feeling of fear is one of the first signs of a break up, the little uns separate and change into scared and unsettled beings, the respect from the big uns was required and from the outset simply wasn’t. Ralph however along with a minority offered reassurance, this shows respect throughout the novel and this reflects his personality and character, this difference also adds to the reasons for the break up of Ralph’s society. The fire appears the next apparent reason, Ralph as chief says, â€Å"A fire, make a fire!†, from the outset this appears a good idea with the main purpose of signal being for rescue, a clever but original method of attraction used first by the Indians, this shows that Ralph can produce ideas which could have excellent purposeful results, however the fire is also a signal of misjudgement, with no true thought and planning going into the idea leaving devastating outcomes, the alleged opposition saw this as a weakness although they weren’t respectful themselves offering comments in the nature of, â€Å"he was only a little un anyway†, this whole compilation of disrespect and misjudgement all cluster together and yet again provide a reason for break up. Things could of been different if more rules and regulations were introduced from Ralph’s hierarchy, if rules and punishments were enforced more order probably would have been present within life in general, the behaviour represented from the big uns isn’t uncommon, there is a certain expectancy for some controversy and child play, in relation to the whole world boys on a daily basis will issue a sense of stubbornness. The absence of adults has led to a break up in communications and rather than everybody pulling together trying to formulate an escape plan a majority instead enjoy the whole experience and use the time to absorb freedom, this has been a disadvantage of the island scenario and again builds up to create another reason for the break up, piggy says, â€Å"no adults†, this shows that there is a realisation of absence, however in comparison to the current happenings in the world (within book) the adults suppress themselves just as bad, rather than been guiders they are destroyers after all they are fighting a war wiping out generations of people, so as the ‘war’ unfolds within the island environment as a mini scenario the adults who were respected as supreme change into beings ten times as worse fighting a large scale war, in context the adults or just as worse as the island inhabitants if not worse. Golding has created a perfect world within the island scenario, almost in comparison to Eden, with perfect tranquil surroundings and from the outset a smooth collection of objects to make life on the island so perfect, with provisions for eating and accommodation, consisting of different panoramic areas to suit the needs of different characters. Although life on the island was set up to be perfect, the attitudes exposed from the humans were in absolute differential comparison to the island, with obscene behaviour changing the surrounding area worsening as life carried by. The thought that the island inhabitants could have such an impact; showing total disrespect and selfishness for human nature, just as Golding had planned when he wrote the novel. When the humans arrived they participated in an act which is specific to human nature in general, at first things were fine just as in Eden, however as time advanced the destruction and disrespect followed, with an up rise in jealousy and rivalry, this being the result of freedom and sense of boredom. From this there is a strong link to the real world which proves against the actions from humans. As with the other strong meanings throughout the novel this joins to form a worrying concept, it shows that humans have no respect for nature and the surrounding environment, taking actions irrespective of the long term effects, the main theme therefore relates to selfishness and disregard. The three deaths on the island were drastic and devastating, with outcomes which were preventable. They were the result of rivalry jealousy and domination, all sharing the causes. The most significant death was that of Simon, his death was the result of carelessness and the obsession to kill. Ralph says, â€Å"that was murder†, piggy replies â€Å"what good are you doing talking like that?†, there is a mixture of emotions within the characters, some showing anger and retaliation with the others showing remorse and giving forgiveness for the opposition, from this a link between a happening and human nature can be established, showing that no matter how bad an action there will always be a sense of exoneration and mercy. The death of Simon was the most significant because of his characteristics, different, sensitive, wise and also introverted, this reflected through his personality consequently making him an outcast and excluding him from the others. His death was preventable, although blame cannot solely be burdened to jack as this shows selfishness and a sense of an easy route out of the scenario. The death of piggy was again preventable with the happenings being extreme and malicious. There was an urgency for jack to withhold power and authority, to the extent where protection and barricades had to be enforced. If power is so valuable and meaningful, why are outcomes of its effects so devastating? The death of piggy was the result of two people, jack and Roger, with jack indirectly offering his alternative to Ralph’s society, and roger directly carrying out the death, this shows in comparison to human nature that an event is not just the sole responsibility of a single human, instead there are indirect effects which link the action with other people. Power and authority made up to be a significant part of the break up, from the beginning of the novel there were early signs of conflict and rivalry, showing also jealousy and an urgency to withhold it. Ralph says, I’m chief!†, in comparison to jack who says, â€Å"Follow me, not him!†, this shows that there are leadership issues with jealousy being the main feeling from the oppositions point of view. Authority and power means respect and influence, allowing for somebody to rise above the rest and be noticed, in comparison to human nature some beings live from power and would be out of control without its presence. There are certain turning points within the novel and the necessity for power became much clearer, showing through characters actions and emotions. There were a number of beings throughout the novel who showed emotive actions seeking power, these included Jack, roger and piggy, all from the outset different in character although in some instances harsh and exploiting. From this there led to be a clear split between the group leaving the democratically elected chief with just a handful and the opposition with the majority. Power and authority can have devastating outcomes and results when used within the wrong context, consequently within the novel ending the life of an innocent opposition member, there are certain limits and extremes in which power should be used, this shows in comparison to human nature that power and authority should be respected and not misused as in some scenarios. The main and most revealing cause appeared to be that of the long and uprising rivalry between the two main characters Jack and Ralph, from the early encounters of island life an apparent clash of personalities was shown between the two members, starting from the initial meeting of the characters, up to the very latter stages of island life. There was a range of activities which uprooted a long and uprising feud, which was consequently going to lead to an all over split of the whole group. Ralph says, â€Å"I’ve been thinking†, in comparison to jack who says, â€Å"three blind mice†, this from the outset shows that Ralph from the beginning shows thought and respect for his fellow inhabitants, in contrast to jack who is more interested in criticising and himself, the two characters are of very different natures and consist of different mannerisms, in comparison to human nature this shows that every one is different and should be respected for their individually an d also for their own characteristics. Also in context the rivalry between two humans in a small scenario relates to rivalry within a big scale scenario for example jack Vs Ralph in comparison to contention between world leaders. Leadership was an important aspect of life for Jack and Ralph, this became clear when things started to go wrong and eventually leading to Jack taking over as the chief, the rivalry could be classed as a cause for the deaths with indirect effects. Golding used this idea of indirect killing and outcomes to create a suppressed atmosphere and to give the reader a much more enjoyable read. The differences between the wide range of characters personalities proved to be another cause, each individual offers different opinions and participates in different activities to each other, however there are some similarities amongst humans and this was shown through a simple means of mutual bonding, some characters naturally bond forming a strong relationship on the other hand some people do not bond and instead hold grudges and other similar feelings against each other. Jack says, â€Å"piggy!†, in context the comment seems harmless, just a remark expressing his surprise at the unusual name, however from between the lines there is more depth to the comment showing that he is horrified at his outset appearance, attitude and emotions, this simple comment led to hatred been displayed from a stronger character towards a much weaker one. A clash of personalities can consequently erupt to a much bigger scale, with more harmful and demoralizing effects. This shows that in relation to human nature, everybody is an individual with their own personal morals and emotions. In comparison to the world it shows that there will always be a group of people who’s personalities clash consequently leading to a much bigger dispute. The simple fact of boredom and isolation from the real world led to an up rise in misjudgement and unforeseen consequences which arose from actions which were that of an unformed decision. Within the island scenario there were a collection of beings that were under the influence of boredom and isolation, piggy says, â€Å"when are we going home?†, this question shows clear thought making it a valuable contribution, however there is another meaning to the statement, it shows boredom and also reflects that he and other island inhabitants are worrying about the return to normal civilisation, the separation from the real world allowed for signs of misjudgement and actions were taken from outside the beings conscious, this meant that emotions took control of their actions allowing for unusual activity, the worst outset scenario was the killing of Simon, in relation to human nature this shows that humans cannot always control their actions and instead undergo actions which are that of an unusual outcome. The title ‘lord of the flies’ suggests a leader of a small group, this shows that the title is meaningful and contains a link to the bigger world. Golding in comparison to other superior writers made his novel title significant, with a true meaning, Golding constantly throughout the novel tried to offer this image of a happening within a small environment links in context to a large scale meaning. The idea of a fly leader appears preposterous, but in relation to the real world the idea appears more explanatory, with clear motives and reasons, Golding was trying to portray an idea of a microcosm within the title also stating that all things must have a leader. The novel in general consists of many true and meaningful links between happenings within a small scale happening, in comparison to happenings within a large scale. Golding successfully transferred a wide range of human nature into a novel. The links within the island represent a small earth, technically called a microcosm, generally this shows that small things relate to big. The main reasons for the break up fall into certain themed categories; good Vs evil, authority Vs weakness, law Vs order and mentality Vs immaturity. Golding’s main strength shown in the novel is the use of irony showing how seemingly good events often lead to bad. There were a variety of reasons for the break up of Ralph’s society and they all have some meaning, Golding was a successful writer and his writing displays true significance with all of his wishes displayed clearly and thoughtfully.

Peer Relationships

Having arrived at the gateway to adulthood, the teenage years are an exciting time of freedom, no responsibilities, and supposedly the best time of your life; unfortunately it is not always a cake walk. Whether it is maintaining good grades or keeping up with what the plans are for the weekend, there is a serious amount of pressure throughout high school and it becomes easy to get lost in the madness. Studies show that the qualities of peer relationships at this time are key contributors to mental health now and throughout life.Positive relationships are beneficial to young adults because it helps in gaining a sense of what good social interactions are and produces equal or greater relationships in the future. On the flip side, poor peer relationships can have negative effects on adulthood mental health and social relations. Unforgiving social cliques and high societal expectations are a few causes of the shrinking of teen self-esteem and disruption of stable mental well-being. When students start high school they quickly find their place on the social ladder.Some students find themselves at to top, some find a place in the middle they’re comfortable with, and others are sometimes cast out and pushed to the bottom by the rest. Social status and cliques rank unnecessarily high in importance amongst adolescents; teens are consistently pressured to maintain their high social standing. This chronic stress leads to their disengagement from classroom activities (McGrath & Noble, 2010). Even pupils that seem to be at the top of their social ladder develop conflict among one another, disrupting school performance.These students become more focused on the trifling drama and maintaining social stature and find the importance of school beginning to decline. Research conducted by Helen McGrath and Toni Noble shows that, young adults that have poor relationships with their peers, show lower levels of school achievement and higher levels of school avoidance. Once teen agers’ attention is elsewhere in the classroom, they begin to fall behind on school work due to the fact that they are more focused on their life outside of school.Bad study habits can develop if they are engrossed in their social life and they can carry those bad study habits with them through high school to college. Pupils with high social standing are not the only ones affected by negative peer relationships; it influences students at the bottom of the social ladder as well. The so called â€Å"bottom† of the social ladder is made up of persons that have often times been rejected by their peers for one reason or another; they may dress different, act a certain way, or lack some sort of attribute that society believes is necessary.Students that are excluded from their peers still seek the same social fulfillment as others; in a way this causes them to be more desperate for that fulfillment. Being bullied by social exclusion may appear less visibly harmful than verbal or physical forms of bullying but may be more detrimental to children’s participation in learning activities and have more impact on their academic outcomes, states McGrath and Noble.Social exclusion and bullying can go even further than classroom disengagement; as a result of bullying, people can lose their ability to love and trust, denying them the chance to experience a quality relationship later in their life. They might find themselves as a submissive partner or they may want to be completely alone. Aside from its long-term effects, some consequences of bullying can be seen and felt immediately. When one calls another a harsh name, the victim might cry, just like a bruise might appear after a punch to the arm. However, some effects of bullying are not always obvious to the naked eye.The results of bullying might grow and appear over time, damaging a person in profound ways for the long term. Victims often develop eating disorders, begin to self-injure, or require exten sive counseling. Social bullying can also leave people without a supportive group of friends that they can lean on and spend time with. Isolation amongst peers has negative repercussions towards young adult mental health because at this age, according to Kingsly Nyarko of the University of Ghana’s psychology department, being accepted by peers has important implications for adjustment both during adolescence and into adulthood.Friends are supporters and motivators, they help you feel better when you’re sad and can talk you through any problems you are facing. When that support is missing from a person’s life, they have no one to talk to, making them feel alone and excluded. This can damage an adolescent’s ability to maintain healthy friendships and possess adequate social skills. Being teased, rejected or socially excluded by other pupils on an ongoing basis has been identified as the single most common characteristic of children who are at high risk for developing emotional and behavioral disorders (McGrath & Noble, 2010).Isolation makes adolescents feel as if there is something wrong with them, thus lowering self-esteem and creating disorders such as anorexia, depression, anxiety and bipolar disorders. Some individuals recover from loneliness by using their own strategies, or by letting time do the healing. Others require outside professional help. The most obvious approach is to help people develop satisfying personal relationships. This can be done by improving how they interact with others through social skills training or forms of psychotherapy aimed at changing dysfunctional interpersonal dispositions (e. g. fear of rejection). It can also be done by improving opportunities for interactions through programs aimed at removing barriers for social interaction (e. g. , providing transportation) or at bringing people together (e. g. , discussion groups). Major depressive disorders in early adulthood range from 10%-17% (Maughan & C ollishaw & Stringaris, 2012). One of the biggest issues for teens is fitting in. Society tells young adults that they need to act a certain way or look a certain way, and when a teen doesn’t feel they follow that socially acceptable conduct, they often become repressed within themselves.They want to be accepted and there is a fear of being alone and not being wanted. Popularity is a huge social factor for any teen, especially in High School. Everyone wants to be part of the â€Å"in crowd† and if you cannot be a part of them, you want to dress like them or act like them. Pressures like this do tend to be worse for girls; about twice as likely to be affected as men (Maughan et al. , 2012). Girls feel the need to please others and seek approval while boys learn that it is ok to be themselves and do their own thing.Boys tend to be able to deal better with these social issues then girls do. They are able to put events behind them, and not depend upon others for reassuring them of their self-worth. One example is when an adolescent boy and girl are equally interested in each other; the boys seem to be able to cope with love's losses better than girls do. They put it behind them and move on, while girls focus on the breakup and keep talking about it, stirring the emotional pot. These depressive episodes are not just short term; 50-70% are likely to develop a further episode within five years (Maughan et al. 2012). However, sometimes depression can be avoided all together. Having a good home life and a high self-esteem would be primary for people not to be depressed. Although in some cases you are predisposition to have depression, little things do help. Talking about your problems and not bottling them up helps immensely to avoid emotional breakdowns and blowups. Avoiding extreme â€Å"stressers,† like putting yourself in a situation you cannot get out of, also helps. Avoidance of cigarettes and alcohol also helps with staying healthy and happy. Despite the vast amount of negative effects peer relationships have on young adults there are a substantial amount of positive effects as well. When healthy peer relationships are established early on, they positively affect every aspect of everyday life; one facet being school attendance and performance. The link between pupil engagement, achievement and well-being appears to is bi-directional, i. e. the more pupils are actively engaged and achieving in learning, the greater their sense of well-being and vice versa (McGrath ; Noble, 2010).When students are treated well by other pupils it makes them more enthused about participation in school activities. Positive peer relationships are also linked to higher levels of school attendance and pupil engagement with learning and a reduction in the likelihood of dropping out in secondary school (McGrath ; Noble, 2008). When students find their school environment to be supportive and caring, they are less likely to become involved in substa nce abuse, violence, and other problem behaviors.They are more likely to develop positive attitudes toward themselves and pro-social attitudes and behaviors toward others; supportive schools foster these positive outcomes by promoting students’ sense of â€Å"connectedness†, â€Å"belongingness†, or â€Å"community† during the school day. Additionally, this time during adolescence is imperative because, the development of strong interpersonal skills and relationships during emerging adulthood is an essential component of effective career and role functioning throughout the adult life span.Comments by others, particularly parents and peers, reflect appraisals of the individual that some adolescents may incorporate as part of their identity and feelings about themselves (Nyarko, 2012). Negative experiences in early adulthood are often particularly damaging to self-esteem. In early years, personality and sense of self is being formed, and harmful experiences can leave one feeling that they are not valued or important.Even though one is close to adulthood, there has still been too little amount of time to build any resilience, so these negative views can become the ones that teens believe about themselves. The way one may view them self can be tainted by society’s ideas of ‘beauty’; this is where helpful friendships are essential. When a teen’s self-esteem is disintegrating they need constructive re-affirmation to keep a positive attitude; this can be accomplished through strong friendships.Frequently, the friendships we make during our youth fade or dwindle as we grow up and move on to new places in life. Yet when our childhood and school-year friends stay with us into adulthood, they are often the most important friends we have. Our common history and the length of time that our connection has continued becomes the glue that keeps us together, even if we’ve changed significantly from when we first met . Our most valuable friends are the ones with whom we feel the deepest connection and greatest trust.It is with these friends that we share our fears, secrets, desires and problems and dreams. There are many unexpected benefits from this type of relationship, including such things as lessening stress, limiting depression, lowering blood pressure, keeping our minds agile, and lessening the debilitating effects of old age. Research has even shown that people with close friendships are more likely to exercise regularly, avoid excessive alcohol and even be more inclined to quit smoking. Positive peer relationships in early adulthood have positive effects on self-esteem.Chen, Cohen, Johson, and Kasen (2008) summary article on Psychiatric disorders during adolescence and relationships with peers found that, during adolescence, friends are providers of companionship, social and emotional support, and intimate self-disclosure and reflection. Group activities such as sports are an effective way to gain self-esteem boosting encouragement and relationships. Being involved in a team allows teens to build relationships and social skills that will help them further in life. Other group activities such as school extracurriculars have similar constructive effects on teen contentment.Peer relationships play an important role in pshyco-social development and well-being throughout life (Chen et al. , 2008). Young adults’ body image often times can be influenced by their relationship with peers. For some it is viewed as the lowest point in their life; others claim it to be the highlight of their years. No matter what personal opinion individuals express, it is evident that early adulthood is a key turning point in life. The experiences at this time, positive or negative, set the very foundation for later adulthood.