Sunday, November 10, 2019
Psychology and Language: Research Proposal Essay
The relationship between psychology and language is a moot point among some scholars. However, when the two disciplines are taken into account in terms of their contrast and comparison, it merges jarringly clear that a relation exists between them. The two are either inextricably bound, or one of the discipline is overly dependent on the on the other. This study is aimed at unveiling the relations that exist between the two. And for this to be realized, the opinion of various targeted respondents will have to be solicited through interviews. Besides, scholarly opinion will also be collected and collated from publications, both recent and past. Their review will therefore assist to come up with a condensed conclusion about the study. In essence, this research will bring to the connection between the two disciplines, how one influences the development of another. Literature Review The relationship between language and psychology can hardly be gainsaid. Various scholars have delved into this discourse, offering their varied opinion supported by their informed arguments.            According to some theories, language do exists as a system of signs, the meaning and implications of which are entirely dependent on their relation to other signs of the system, and of the structure of linguistic expressions in which they occur. Other theories have it that language is a system of syntactic forms which come ready made in the mind of the speaker from birth, and which gives speakers the competence to generate and understand infinitely many different propositions. And this is independent of the experience and knowledge that speakers have of that which they speak or of the context in which the propositions are generated and understood. (Paetorius, 98)            The study of languages, otherwise termed as linguistics can sometimes be a technical discipline with a reality and a vocabulary of its own. This best explains why psychologists have often waited for linguists to offer them education on the meaning of language. This meaning helps the psychologists in the quest to further study its comprehension, processing and acquisition. (Tomasello, 1)            In The Grammar of Autobiography, Quigley aptly relates the two disciplines by arguing that psychology operates in an unstable, developing world that is open to change as a consequence of our communicative activity, rather than in the independent knowable reality of cognitive psychology. He adds that linking psychology with our social world is hardly a new phenomenon. Instead, proposing language as the mediator between the two is novel. (6) Currently, language isn’t only representative but also formative. It does functions to construct situations as they are, instead of just to reporting them. He argues that our thoughts aren’t just the source of our talk; they are constituted and/or formulated in our talk. Since psychology is the science of the mind, then the objects of psychology is not individuals but what goes on in the space between them. While studying the relation between words and world, it is not cognition but language that gives us the world. (6) In Language as Social Action: Social Psychology and Language Use, another scholar, Holtgraves, point out that language use is interpersonal in many ways. For one, it is a rich source of identity- relevant information. This is because many aspects of language use, for instance accent, speech rate and politeness level, provide crucial information that can be used by others in forming impressions of people. (6) Besides, many of these variables can be changed strategically as means of managing the impressions that people convey to others. Holtgraves therefore concludes that the use of language plays a significant role in both person perceptions; how people perceive one another and impression management: how people vary their talks strategically to achieve particular effects. (6) From the above discourse we can infer that the correlation between psychology and language is best demonstrated by the fact that words, which are the predominant tools of human communication bear meaning which are not independent from the though process of individuals. Michael Forrester argues in Psychology of Language: A Critical Introduction, that there has always existed a link between psychology and philosophy which has been close and occasionally complementary. And this is particularly the case within psychology of language, especially when the question of meaning arises. Therefore it is hard, even impossible to discuss to discuss language as such without looking into the nature of meaning. This makes it difficult o consider key topics in language for instance, communication, language acquisition and comprehension, without the understanding of what is at issue when people use the word ‘meaning’. (56) Forrester adds that the use of a word or a phrase in appropriate way makes one immediately accountable for whatever they say. As a result, we assume that people mean what they say and also intend others will understand the acceptable meaning of the utterance and act accordingly. Therefore, language without meaning is not language at all. This overview study of meaning, otherwise termed as semantics, makes it clear that although there are particular gains in adopting approaches where appropriate, any consideration of what language user mean when they make an utterance in context imputes us to go beyond truth-conditional semantics. In sum, the contemporary study of semantics can hardly be taken without due consideration of the function of language. (56) One universal design feature of language is that their meaning bearing form is that they are divided into two different subsystems: the open class otherwise known as the lexical and the closed class otherwise refereed to as the grammatical. The difference between the two is that open classes do have many members and can easily add many more. These include nouns, verbs and adjectives. On the other hand, closed classes have relatively few members and are hard difficult to augment. They consist of such bound forms as inflections as found in verbs and such free forms as prepositions, conjunction and determinants. The meaning that open-class forms do express are virtually unrestricted, whereas those of closed-class forms are highly constrained both as the conceptual category they can refer to and as to the particular member notions within any such category. (Tomassello, 15) In essence language has a more profound implication s fro our social existence. It plays a role in virtually every aspect of our dealings with others. Therefore understanding what we are doing when we use language can help us to understand what it means to be a social being. (Holtgrave, 8)            Possibilities have been explored for studying language at its functional roots as well as its structural realization. This is in the sense that human speech may be formed by general adaptive semantics at the limbic core of the brain as it is then articulated within specific sensory and motor routines of the neocortical shell. (Givon and Malle, 71) This argument can be made on anatomical grounds, interpreting function through the density of connections. It can also be made on psychological grounds, interpreting the excitability of limbic-cortical connections as reflective of the process of memory consolidation. (Givon and Malle, 71)                                               Research Hypothesis The conduction of this research will involve both the independent and dependent variables. The independent variables in this study are language as a tool that facilitates communication and psychology as the science of the mind. On the other hand the dependent variables are language speakers, communication and psychologists.            The independent variable in this study are related to the dependent variable in that, it is from the language speakers that the in-depth meaning of words is unveiled, further revealing the underlying intentions behind the spoken words. This relations goes ahead to shed additional light on how the mind is the source of words. Therefore, the spoken word does betray the intention of the mind. The other independent variable, in this case the psychologists, through their informed opinions help to shape the realism and surrealism of the link between psychology and language. Research Methods Research Design The relevant data that will facilitate the comprehensive conclusion of this study will be gathered by the use of both qualitative and quantitative techniques. In essence, both primary and secondary data will be whereas probability and non-probability methods of sampling will be employed in selecting the representative sample of the population.            Target Population. The study will be conducted nation-wide amongst language students (those learning a new language), language teachers, linguists and psychologists. The targeted respondents will fall within the age bracket of 16 and 60 years of age.                    Data Collection Instruments For constructive findings to be reached, this study will warrant that various instruments of data collection be employed. For one, quantitative data will be collected by the use of structured interviews: questionnaires will be served to the targeted populations, with questions bearing some slight differences according to the specific ages or occupation of the respondents. Other quantitative data will be gathered by the use of service statistics, which will compare the results of a particular previous relevant studies conducted nationwide. Secondary data sources from books, magazines, journals and legal documents will also offer quantitative data. On the other hand, qualitative data will be gathered through unstructured interviews, whereby experts in law and sociology will be interviewed. Qualitative data will also be gathered from focus group discussions, direct observation in the court proceedings and juvenile jail routine, and content analysis of published material.       Expected Results This study will likely reach the following results: It is anticipated that most respondents will concur with the fact that there is a relation between language and psychology; this response is likely to come from linguists, language scholars and psychologists, who through in-depth study have come into access of this relation. The relationship between language and psychology can easily escape the knowledge of many. This is expected to be the confession of many language speakers who have never had the opportunity through study to both consider how the two disciplines differ and compare. They of course will confess their ignorance about the subtle technical similarities and difference between the two disciplines. However, given a chance to muse over it, the above respondents will readily agree that there is a relation between the two disciplines. This will come easily since they can visualize the link between their thoughts and words. The literature from which the secondary data in this study will be gathered will likely demonstrate views of the correlation between the two disciplines. Some scholars will definitely beg to differ with this argument, though they are not going to outnumber those who support the argument that indeed a relationship exists between the two. Reference Michael Tomassello, The New Psychology of Language: Cognitive and Functional Approaches  to Languages Structure, 1. Nini Praetorius, (2003) Principles of Cognition, Language and Action, 98.  Thomas M. Holtgraves (200) Language as Social Action: Social Psychology and Language Use,  6, 8. Givon and Bertram F. Malle (2002) The Evolution of Language out of Pre-Language, 71. Jean Quigley, The Grammar of Autobiography, 6. Michael A. Forrester, (1996) Psychology of Language: A Critical Introduction, 56. Â
Friday, November 8, 2019
European Nationalism in Africa
European Nationalism in Africa Free Online Research Papers A careful examination of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Adam Hochschild’s King Leopold’s Ghost shows the fascinating ways in which fact and fiction intertwine. Hochschild describes the nature of Belgian King Leopold the II’s acquisition and enslavement of the Congo, one of the most violent examples of Colonialism. This is in turn the central theme of Heart of Darkness, as Conrad observed its effects first-hand. Just as Hothschild relates that the reign of Leopold cost the lives of millions of Congolese, so too does Conrad portray the devastation that his â€Å"Company†has created in the Congo. There are interesting similarities in the perceptions that the novelist and the historian have on the subject. Both books point to an arrogant, racially motivated air of superiority that illustrates the way that Europeans chose to advance their nationalistic colonial aims. The egotistic perspective of European colonialists is embodied by the racial prejudices they had toward the natives of the African continent. In Heart of Darkness, this sentiment is pervasive; the way in which the natives are summarily dismissed as being unworthy of consideration is complete throughout the novel. The narrator, Marlow, is shown to be more contemplative and sensitive than the rest of the Company, yet he continually shows a disregard for the lives and well being of the native people. When Marlow first reaches the Outer Station, he notices a number of natives lying among the trees, waiting to die. There is no great sense of compassion in Marlow as he describes these â€Å"black shadows of disease and starvation†(Conrad 14). In fact, all of his descriptions seem to dehumanize the people in this passage, using such descriptions as â€Å"moribund shapes,†â€Å"black shapes†and â€Å"bundles of acute angles.†These descriptions give the reader a sense of the way in which the natives are devalued by the European traders, as even the man who the reader will regard as the conscience of the novel dismisses the plight of these enslaved people. For Marlow, and in turn for all of the men of the Company, the natives become part of the background, as Marlow struggles to refute the â€Å"suspicions of their not being inhuman†(Conrad 32). The attitude toward the native Africans that pervades the European men in Heart of Darkness is also prevalent in King Leopold’s Ghost. Hochschild first draws the overlap between the fictional characters in Conrad’s fiction with real people and events, showing that the fiction accurately mirrors the historical events. Hochschild recounts the story of George Washington William, an early proponent of sovereign rights. His argument that the Congo state was guilty of â€Å"crimes against humanity†(Hochschild 112) was rebuffed by King Leopold, and his untimely death brought an end to this movement. In fact, the conceit of European colonialists led them to feel that they were actually suffering more than the enslaved natives. Hochschild gives an example of this in the form of Raoul de Premorel, who ran a Congo rubber-collecting post. In his memoirs, de Premorel describes punishing the leader of a mutiny, concluding ultimately that â€Å"sometimes I think it is I w ho have suffered most†(Hochschild 295) for having to mete out punishment against men struggling to free themselves from enslavement. In a sense, European arrogance allowed the oppressors to perceive themselves as victims. The disregard for African life was perpetuated by Imperialist greed for the natural resources of the region. Foremost among these was, at least initially, the lust for ivory. Conrad writes, â€Å"The word ivory rang in the air, was whispered, was sighed. You would think they were praying to it.†(20), Hochschild refers this notion to a historical perspective. He describes the trickery King Leopold perpetrated to gain a foothold in the Congo- the false threat of Arab slavers- that allowed him to exert his influence to harvest ivory, and later rubber. In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz becomes the evolutionary conclusion to this greed and plundering. Conrad alludes to this with the physical movement of the story, from the Outer Station to the Central Station to the Inner Station, where Kurtz is located. It is a symbolic movement as well, as the Company members espouse more genteel descriptions of their business in Africa as â€Å"trade;†this notion become harsher, more brutal as the reader travels into the Inner Station, to Kurtz’s world. Even dying, Kurtz cries out, â€Å"Oh, but I’ll wring your heart yet†(Conrad 63), suggestive of the utter completeness of the devestation of the land and people of the Congo. Kurtz embodies the core of the Belgian endeavor in Africa laid bare, a pure exploitation that doesn’t care about preservation of a people and their culture. Hochschild expresses Conrad’s rendering of the individual and cultural destruction in the Congo through a sense of the legacy of colonialism in Africa. He describes in great detail the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Brussels. However, as he writes, â€Å"in none of the museum’s twenty large exhibition galleries is there the slightest hint that millions of Congolese met unnatural deaths†(Hochschild 293). Hochschild also relates that this omission is not unique to Brussels, as other European capitals have forgotten this chapter in their history as well. Hochschild clearly illustrates the way in which European Colonialism has purposely forgotten the havoc it wrought. Hochschild also alludes to this in an alternative way, describing how Belgium went from oppressor to victim in the eyes of the world when Germany invaded them, precipitating the events of World War I. The utter arrogance and complete disregard for African life is shown in the fact that there is no acknowledgement of the devastation, in terms of human loss, on the Congo in specific or Africa as a whole. The other aspect of this legacy is the way that violence and exploitation has survived in Africa. Hochschild recounts the way in which school textbooks selectively erased the horrors of the rubber trade by omitting them from the curriculum. He also shows that western interference also prevented sovereign rule from establishing itself in the Congo, as colonial forces opposed Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister after Belgium ceded control, ultimately aiding in his assassination by supporting rebel forces. Hochschild then asserts that the CIA aided in establishing the regime of Joseph Mobutu, who would not oppose the perpetuation of a colonial economy, as Lumumba did. This shows how the colonial arrogance of the west was perpetuated even after rule of the Congo was returned to Africans. There is a clear overlap in both of these books in the way the authors describe the conceit of European colonialism in Africa, both in scope and meaning of the destruction it brought to Africa. In both books, the reader gets a sense of a basis for this exploitation, which clearly stemmed from the notion of the natives being â€Å"inhuman.†Conrad details this directly, and Hochschild alludes to it in the way the history of this exploitation has been erased from African history. In the end, it is apparent that Belgium and the other European colonial exploiters cannot look at their actions, as Kurtz does, and unflinchingly acknowledge them. It is easier to deny this dark legacy. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Ed. Stanley Appelbaum. New York: Dover, 1990. Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold’s Ghost. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Research Papers on European Nationalism in AfricaMind TravelBringing Democracy to AfricaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoCapital PunishmentThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Solons Reforms and the Rise of Democracy in Athens
Solons Reforms and the Rise of Democracy in Athens First coming to prominence (c. 600 B.C.) for his patriotic exhortations when Athens was fighting a war against Megara for possession of Salamis, Solon was elected eponymous archon in 594/3 B.C. and perhaps, again, about 20 years later. Solon faced the daunting task of improving the condition of: debt-ridden farmerslaborers forced into bondage over debt, andthe middle classes who were excluded from government, while not alienating the increasingly wealthy landowners and aristocracy. Because of his reforming compromises and other legislation, posterity refers to him as Solon the lawgiver. Such power I gave the people as might do, Abridged not what they had, now lavished new. Those that were great in wealth and high in place, My counsel likewise kept from all disgrace. Before them both I held my shield of might, And let not either touch the others right.- Plutarchs Life of Solon The Great Divide Between Rich and Poor in Athens In the 8th century B.C., rich farmers began exporting their goods: olive oil and wine. Such cash crops required an expensive initial investment. The poorer farmer was more limited in choice of crop, but he still could have continued to eke out a living, if only he had either rotated his crops or let his fields lie fallow. Slavery When land was mortgaged, hektemoroi (stone markers) were placed on the land to show the amount of debt. During the 7th century, these markers proliferated. The poorer wheat farmers lost their land. Laborers were free men who paid out 1/6th of all they produced. In the years of poor harvests, this wasnt enough to survive. To feed themselves and their families, laborers put up their bodies as collateral to borrow from their employers. Exorbitant interest plus living on less than 5/6ths of what was produced made it impossible to repay loans. Free men were being sold into slavery. At the point at which a tyrant or revolt seemed likely, the Athenians appointed Solon to mediate. Relief in the Form of Solon Solon, a lyric poet, and the first Athenian literary figure whose name we know, came from an aristocratic family which traced its ancestry back 10 generations to Hercules, according to Plutarch. Aristocratic beginnings did not prevent him from fearing that someone of his class would try to become tyrant. In his reform measures, he pleased neither the revolutionaries who wanted the land redistributed nor the landowners who wanted to keep all their property intact. Instead, he instituted the seisachtheia by which he canceled all pledges where a mans freedom had been given as guarantee, freed all debtors from bondage, made it illegal to enslave debtors, and put a limit on the amount of land an individual could own. Plutarch records Solons own words about his actions: The mortgage-stones that covered her, by me Removed, the land that was a slave is free;that some who had been seized for their debts he had brought back from other countries, where so far their lot to roam, They had forgot the language of their home;and some he had set at liberty, Who here in shameful servitude were held. More on the Laws of Solon Solons laws do not appear to have been systematic, but provided regulations in the areas of politics, religion, public and private life (including marriage, burial, and the use of springs and wells), civil and criminal life, commerce (including a prohibition on export of all Attic produce except olive oil, although Solon encouraged the export of artisans work), agriculture, sumptuary regulation and discipline. Sickinger estimates there were between 16 and 21 axones that may have contained 36,000 characters total (minimum). These legal records may have been placed in the Boulouterion, Stoa Basileios, and the Acropolis. Although these places would have made them accessible to the public, how many people were literate is not known. Sources: J.B. Bury. A History of GreecePlutarchs Life of SolonRichard Hookers (wsu.edu/~dee/GREECE/ATHENS.HTM) Ancient Greece: AthensJohn Porters SolonUniversity of Keeles Classics Departments Athenian Democracy (www.keele.ac.uk/depts/cl/iahcla~7.htm - accessed 01/02/2000)History of Greece Vol II, by George Grote (1872).
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Acquire the varied competence skills in service to older adults Personal Statement
Acquire the varied competence skills in service to older adults - Personal Statement Example All this results in that in the process of communication I teach them to look for the right decisions in every aspect of their life. For example, a lot of older adults do not pay enough attention to their diet, but I urge them to place an emphasis on that part of their activities (Niedert, 1998, 190). While talking to an older adult I am able to build a relationship that is full of trust which ultimately leads towards contributing to the personal grown of a person and acknowledgement of the necessity for introspection (Magniant, 2004, 180). In other words, I try to direct the attention of this people to the treasure of wisdom that they have. In addition to that, I focus a lot of our communication to finding opportunities for active lifestyle if the health condition permits. For example, I encourage adults to see travel more as this might be a wonderful experience for them (Patterson, 2006, 4), leading to widening of their outlook. I often analyze what a particular older adult values a lot in his or her life and determine if one is able to benefit from a religious approach towards understanding getting older. In some cases, Bible studies appear to be quite encouraging and motivating for the people to understand the meaning of their life and what waits for them (Dunson, 1999, 1). While interacting with an older person, I usually try to put emphasis on the need to exercise one’s will when it comes to improving one’s life. For example, a lot of people might face problems with alcohol and become slaves of the bottle at the final stage of their lives (Barry & Oslin, 2001, 19). However, it may be avoided if a person knows the true power of one’s will. Finally, while helping an older adult, I try to utilize a systemic approach towards evaluating different aspects of one’s life which provides me with a broad picture of the environment that one is surrounded
Friday, November 1, 2019
Analysis of Environmental Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
Analysis of Environmental Issues - Essay Example This has led to a rise in the processes of energy production. The mining and burning of coal account for a few processes which are used for the purpose of energy production. The impact of coal on the environment is an issue of environmental concern. It serves as a threat to the environment owing to the production of hazardous substances which tend to alter the normal environment as well as lay effects on the health of the individuals (Finkelman et al 1999; Hill 2010). The burning of coal takes place in houses for domestic purposes in third world countries where there is the unavailability of gas. This is accompanied by the use of coal as an energy source for industries across the world. The process of coal mining precedes the process of coal burning. It is the procedure used for the extraction of coal. The processes of coal mining, as well as the burning of coal, lead to the release of harmful substances into the environment. These include carbon dioxide, nitric oxide and sulfur diox ide which are all harmful to the environment (International Labour Office et al 1994). Coal mining should be a regulated process and the sites should be away from places where people reside. Strict regulations should also be followed in these areas to prevent exposure to individuals. Ash should be deposited in safe sites where they are away from the water reservoirs to prevent contamination.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Race relations Act 1976. (Amended 2000) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Race relations Act 1976. (Amended 2000) - Essay Example which are equivalent to those in his/her special group (Cross, 1989, p. 85). It is believed that equal opportunity in the UK may be taken in the context of the third meaning given. The Race Relations Act of 1976 changed the general concept of racial discrimination in the United Kingdom. Firstly, the Act widened its scope of discrimination by including indirect and unintentional forms of discrimination. Secondly, the Act also fortified the implementation of the law. As stipulated in its provisions, the Race Relations Act of 1976 created the Commission on Racial Equality (CRE), replacing the Race (RRB) Relations Board. In terms of substance, the CRE is endowed greater power than the RRB or the Community Relations Commission. The CRE was mandated to enforce the law in England, Scotland and Wales (Bolaffi, 2001, p. 42). A separate institution, the Commission for Racial Equality for Northern Ireland, is tasked with the implementation of the law on discrimination in Northern Ireland. By virtue of an Order in Council, the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 was enacted to provide protection against race-related discrimination in 1995 (Rogers, 1999). The Race Relations Act of 1976 was passed on November 22, 1976. The legislation was enacted to intensify existing regulations against race-related discrimination and to guide relations between individual of different ethnic origins. The Act also introduced amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 by instituting provisions aimed towards consistency in the supervision and implementation of such amendments (Ministry of Justice 1991). The Race Relations Act of 1976 was revised by virtue of the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment ) Act of 2000 on November 30, 2000. This 2000 amendment broadened the application of the Race Relations Act of 1976 to the police and other public authorities. The amendment also altered the stipulations for exemption under the 1976 Act
Monday, October 28, 2019
An Inspector Calls Essay Example for Free
An Inspector Calls Essay I believe that An Inspector Calls is a successful play because all audiences enjoy suspense and tension, and in this story they run rampant. The tense atmosphere and great pace means that the audience never gets bored. The feelings from the characters can be related to real life and this makes the play that bit more believable. The issues in the play are also issues of today, the prejudice and social class, mean a lot in the play and to some extent they also appear in modern day life. The rich expect different treatment from those of lower classes and also expect a different set of laws. The way the inspector talks to the Birlings and to Gerald Croft brings them down to a different level to the one that they are used to. The inspector questions things that Mr Birling thinks are not for him to question. Mr Birling: . I refused of course Inspector: Why? Mr Birling (surprised): did you say why? The inspector, it seems, will not be intimidated by Mr Birling. Mr Birling: How do you get on with our Chief constable, Colonel Roberts? Inspector: I dont see much of him. Mr Birling: Perhaps I ought to warn you that hes an old friend of mine, and that I see him fairly regularly. .. Inspector (dryly): I dont play golf. This shows that the inspector means business and will not be threatened off the case. This conflict runs through the play and the audience is awed by the way that the inspector coolly and calmly handles the investigation. He has an aura of mystery about him that audiences love. The name Goole, could be a clever trick on words, Goole sounds the same as Ghoul. One meaning a supernatural beast and the other a simple name. This theory fits in with the content of the play, the inspector is not intimidated by threats, each line of enquiry has a result, this is incredible almost as if he knew what they were going to say, as Sheila notes Sheila (slowly): We hardly ever told him anything that he didnt know. Did you notice that? It is almost as if the inspector has been sent from the future to show the Birlings the error of their ways. Sheila points out again; Sheila (passionately): Youre pretending everythings just as it is before. And Sheila: I tell you whoever that inspector was it was far from a joke. You knew it then. You began to learn something. And now youve stopped. The inspector wrenches them from their cosy world and shows them a bit of the real world. None of the family (Except the younger generation) knows what their town is really like, as Mrs Birling exclaims; Mrs Birling (staggered): Well, really! Alderman Meggarty! I must say, we are learning something tonight. The atmosphere also has a large influence on the audience. It fluctuates greatly from being light and airy when they are celebrating to when the inspector is questioning and during the final part it is dark and sombre. This has a very dramatic effect and compels you to continue reading the play if you are watching the play unfold before you the effect, I expect, is magnified. Most plots have one twist but this play has several. The audience is enthralled that a respectable middle class family could be responsible for such a death. The audience waits patiently for the inspector to implicate and arrest one but much to their surprise he implicates all of them in the suicide, each accusation getting worse from firing her as an employee to being impregnated by a young drunkard. This fact means that the audience gradually build up their suspense for the final character Eric. But another twist is evoked and the inspector does not arrest anybody. The final twist though is the greatest. As the play draws to a close, the phone rings it is the Police Station phoning to say that a young girl has just died and that an inspector will be over to ask a few questions. This is ironic in the extreme, the play has come full circle and is about to start all over again it seems. Any thing that keeps the audience waiting or does not expect, the audience likes and this final twist is certainly not expected. Another factor to the written marvel that is this play is the timing of bells or the telephone. At the beginning of the play when Mr Birling is giving the two young boys some good advice he is interrupted by the arrival of the inspector. Mr Birling (solemnly): .. that a man has to mind his own business and look after his own and We hear the sharp ring of a frond door bell. BIRLING stops to listen. It is ironic that Mr Birling is saying that every man has to mind of his own business and should look after himself. The inspector makes them see other peoples problems and not just there own. Each of the characters are implicated, this is ironic because they all say that they had nothing to/or to do with the girl. It is also ironic that Mrs Birling implicates her son. Mrs Birling(severely):. And if youd take some steps to find this young man and then make sure that he is compelled to confess in public his responsibility- instead of staying here asking unnecessary questions then you would really be doing your duty. ..Mrs Birling (understanding now): But surely I mean. its ridiculous The whole play is set in one room. This means that the characters have to focus on the characters because there is no new scene for their eyes to explore. As a result they can get an understanding of the characters that some other plays dont allow, the audience feels that they are a part of events they can relate to images and ideas explored in the play and so this makes the play that bit more vivid and exciting. It is for these reasons that the play is so successful. There are many topics that can be related to todays life, this provokes thoughts from the audience that they would not otherwise had. The characters in the play are easy to relate to and are a masterful creation, because of this the story is easy to follow and involving for the audience. The plot has been written so that things you expect to happen, happen, but they still surprise you, and things that you as the audience dont expect to happen still happen. All of these things contribute to a beautifully crafted and thought out play and this makes it one of my favorites.
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