Marital harmony Essay Example for Free

Marital harmony Essay The Taming of the Shrew is a play written by Shakespeare in Elizabethan times to examine many complex ideas, including those of social roles and marital harmony. These two in particular relate to the character of Kate, and the way her circumstances change and the way she reacts creates the main interest of the play. At the beginning of the play, we meet Katherina, also known as Kate, as a fiery, wilful, aggressive and apathetic young woman of the Italian town of Padua. We learn she is known for these undesirable traits, and laughed at by the men and women of Padua alike, and a common target of hurtful ridicule. All the strain of this is merely worsened by the apparent perfection of her sister, Bianca. As much as Katherina is rebellious, shrewish and undesired, Bianca is her opposite and has many suitors. Bianca fits the Renaissance female ideal in her unassuming, graceful, intelligent and mild nature. The light in her father, Baptistas eye, and the hearts desire of so many, Bianca is a source of much jealousy and insecurity for Kate. Katherina is clearly intelligent and independent, and so refuses to play her social role as the maiden daughter. Instead, she would always insult and degrade all men she came across, and fiercely deter all suitors, much to the anguish of her father, determined to have her wed. Kate detests societys expectations of her, like how she should obey her father and show grace and courtesy to all her suitors. However she must also see that she must eventually conform to a role, and given the inflexibility of her current one, the best hope is to get married. The unhappiness and conflict of desires would only exasperate her poor temper, and this can only alienate her further. Petruchio, an eccentric, boastful, astute and quick-witted gentleman from Verona on the quest to wive and thrive in Verona, has set his mind on marriage to Katherina, with only her enormous dowry in mind. He meets with her, and engages in a barrage of insults. Here he proves himself to be Kates intellectual equal, as he quashes every insult laid unto him. She is her usual shrewish self to him, but he resists and tells her he will marry her with or without her consent. Baptista then tells her that Petruchio has claimed he will marry her the next Sunday, and Kate makes no objection, so the wedding goes ahead.

Fight Club: A Battle Between Humanity and Capitalism Essay -- Palahniu

Within the past few millennia, people have socially evolved away from the aggressive, deep-rooted nature they have been biologically programmed over the past million years to feel (Palahniuk 4). While most have embraced this approach, whether it be through religion or other means, many people, mostly men, feel this suppression is unhealthy and unnatural. Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, a transgressional piece of fiction, was set in a world of parental abandonment, womanly men, and corrupt political and corporate practices, a dark, nameless city in modern day America (Palahniuk 28). This setting allows for the author to provide a stark comparison over what we have become as a nation compared to what we should be, a nation of self-respecting people with a lack of value on materialistic things, and a push towards Buddhist principles (Reed). Fight Club is about how feminism, commercialism, religion, and politics in modern day America have caused a decline in the masculinity of American, mi ddle-class men and how that has destroyed society as heavily demonstrated by the support group he attends, the fight club he helps start, the terrorist group that sprouts from this, and the Narrator's second personality (Tuss). The story's second chapter starts the flashback that comprises all but the first and last two chapters of the book. In this scene, the Narrator has been suffering from chronic insomnia and is attending a self help group meant for men suffering from testicular cancer, a treatment sarcastically "prescribed" by his doctor in an effort to make him, the Narrator, feel less narcissistic since the physician himself was unwilling to give him the medicine to treat his insomnia. All of the men in this group have become feminine due to ... ... Literary Reference Center. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. Palahniuk, Chuck. Fight Club. New York: W.W. Norton &, 1996. Print. Price, Bryan R. "A Psychological Analysis of Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club." Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo, 3 May 2007. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. Price, Bryan R. "A Psychological Analysis of Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club." Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo, 3 May 2007. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. Reed, Charley. "Journal of Religion & Film: Fight Club: An Exploration of Buddhism By Charley Reed." Journal of Religion & Film: Fight Club: An Exploration of Buddhism By Charley Reed. University of Nebraska at Omaha, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Tuss, Alec, SM. "Masculine Identity and Success: A Critical Analysis of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley and Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club." Journal of Men's Studies. University of Dayton, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Coffee Bean Essay

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was founded by Mona and Herbert Hyman and it is established in Los Angeles, California in the year 1963. The first Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf were established here in Malaysia in 1997. The company offers a wide variety of its own signature beverages that ranges from coffee to non-coffee drinks and launched their very own signature drink; â€Å"The Original Ice Blended† in 1989 and has been the main highlight of its company ever since. We will take a look into the possibility of bringing in a new product that could be a mainstay for the Ice Blended range that is already available here in Malaysia. Currently, the range of its Ice Blended drinks is limited to several coffee and non-coffee drinks. Although from time to time Coffee Bean has been introducing promotional and seasonal Ice Blended drinks, none of these drinks will be served in the main menu after that the promotion is over. With this. Although a majority of Malaysians like to drink coffee oriented drinks, With the introduction of the Honeydew Ice Blended to the market, it will help boost the challenge of bringing in new flavors for the market. Situation Analysis The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is entering its fifteenth year of operation in Malaysia with many of its products ranging from its well known â€Å"The Original Ice Blended† beverages which carries coffee and non-coffee drinks have been well received by the public. However. 2.2 SWOT Analysis The following SWOT analysis captures the key strengths and weaknesses for the proposed product and describes the opportunities and threats that it will face. 2.2.1 Strength The Honeydew Ice Blended drink is offered during the summer seasons and it is well known as the refreshing summer drink in United States. With summer all year long in the South East Asia region, this product has also been proven as a main-stay in the Philippines and Singapore’s The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. This product carries a cool, chilling and refreshing sweet taste which suits the pallets of the South East Asian region. 2.2.2 Weaknesses This product may not be suitable for coffee drinkers as the drink does not offer any coffee taste and it’s a fruit oriented drink. It’s also not suitable for those who are watching their calories and diet as the drink carries a high calorie range due to the sweetness and the cream that the drink offers. As this product targets the youth which comprises of teens and working adults in their twenties, some may be price sensitive to this beverage offer as it may be expensive compared to the local. 2.2.3 Opportunities Younger generations, whom fell under the legal drinking age, are known as one of the fastest-growing segments of the beverages market. These generations prefer fresh and upcoming products rather than stagnant products that they have consumed daily. With a brand new product being introduced, it will trigger the targeted younger generation with the enthusiasm to go. The lifestyle factors converger. 2.2.4 Threats Global coffee and tea market have been increasingly growing and it has since been an extremely competitive sector. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf goes up against its closest rivals such as Starbucks, Dome, Cha Time and Old Town Cafà © here in Malaysia. Competition The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has been a powerhouse brand in providing its ice blended beverages. However, there are companies that do make similar ice blended beverages such as Starbucks and Cha Time. The Coffee Bean & Tea Lead has the upper hand because of the creation of the â€Å"The Original Ice Blended† line which gives the company the extra edge. Although the mentioned competitors have been making ice blended beverages, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has its own signature way of making these beverages special and cannot be matched with its competitors.   

The Adventure Of The German Student - 1175 Words

The Adventure of the German Student Thesis: The relationship made with people in life helps one stay in reality and keeps one grounded in morals. If one completely blocks out society and get lost in their imagination it can progress into an unhealthy alternate reality. Without the support of friends and family one can dwell in an irrational state of mind. INTRO: I. Washington Irving’s, â€Å"The Adventure of the German Student† is a story about a young German student named Gottfried Wolfgang that travels to Paris at the end of the eighteenth century during the French revolution. Wolfgang is a recluse that spends hours of his time studying old literature with an unbiased approached. Wolfgang is horrified of the guillotine and expresses disgust for such bloodlust, yet at the same time awe struck by the contraption. The site of blood shed had a negative impact on Wolfgang’s mentality. Wolfgang over time became obsessed with thoughts of a beautiful woman. One woman in particular haunted his dreams and consumed his thoughts. Later this woman appears on the steps near a guillotine. He professes his love and they become intimate that night. Wolfgang leaves the room briefly and upon his return he notices the awkward posture of the woman and attempted to wake her. The woman was dead; she had no pulse and was cold to the t ouch. An officer is left puzzled about the whole matter; he explained that the woman had been guillotined the day before. Wolfgang believed that a demon had possessedShow MoreRelatedAn Extract From Fallen Soldiers : Reshaping The Memory Of The Wars1046 Words   |  5 PagesSource E Extract form the diary of Miss G.M West, a middle class woman who enrolled as a policewoman in 1916. Describe the early attitudes of British and German soldiers to the war. Use Source A and your own knowledge to answer this question. (4 marks) The early attitudes of British and German soldiers to the war were immensely supportive. Hundreds of thousands of men eagerly lined up at the enlistment offices in Britain to fight on the Western Front. As Source A outlinesRead MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer As Well1350 Words   |  6 Pageshis sense of humor to criticize the 19th society in America’s and propagate his ideal world through The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. People commented Twain as â€Å"Twain does not confine himself to telling a simple children s story. He is, as always, the satirist and commentator on the foibles of human nature†(Roberts), Twain does use his sense of satire in the classical America book: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as well. The novel is about a group of young children who feels abhorrent about the rigidRead MoreThe Hitler Youth Organization Essay860 Words   |  4 Pagessurrendered to the Allied forces and Hitler committed suicide in 1945; the future for Germ any became strongly invested in the hands of the younger generations. The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization formed in 1926. It gave kids excitement, adventure and new heroes to idolize. Hitler admired young kids drive, energy and strong love for Germany. He recognized these qualities and made it part of his plan to control the future world but the real question is why did Adolf Hitler pick children forRead MoreThe Effects Of Nazi Youth On Children1468 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Young boys were organized into the Deutches Jungvolk (German Young People, informally called Pimpfe), older boys into the Hitlerjugend (HJ). The Deutches Jungvolk could have boys from the ages of 10-14 and the Hitlerjugend could have boys from the ages of 14-18. When World War II started, more than ninety percent of German youth were members of these organizations. Ninety percent is a huge percentage. That means that almost every teenage German, Gentile was a member of some kind of Nazi Youth O rganizationRead MoreAmerican Jewish History Essay835 Words   |  4 Pagesyear 1841-1920, the German period began when a German colleague joined the Sephardic Isaac Leeser. The Germans adapted well in the Americas, and, by the 1860’s, they had established all the basic Jewish institutions because they were masters of manufacturing. Meanwhile, from 1852-1920, East European immigrants joined the lives of the German immigrants. They were orthodox and devout Jews who cared passionately about their Jewish culture. Eventually, the harmony between the Germans and East EuropeansRead MoreVoltaires Use Of Distortion1620 Words   |  7 Pagesof your analysis. Voltaire uses the literary device of distortion throughout his novel Candide. By exaggerating and satirizing the adventures of the characters, Voltaire successfully illuminates his underlying ideas about the tyranny and persecution by the elite in the church and state that existed in 1694-1778. Through the character Candide and his adventures, Voltaire exhorts his audience to address his subversive ideas with laughter and horror and then to address the problems in the world.Read MoreFilmreport All Quiet on the Western Front1363 Words   |  6 PagesBà ¤umer is a German, young boy, who, together with his classmates, enlists for the army to fight in the Great War. Full of enthusiasm and adventurous thoughts, they arrive at the front, but then are faced with the horrific and soul-destroying war. One by one the classmates are fall in action†¦ 1. What is the title of this film? When was it made? Who wrote the original novel? Title: All Quiet on the Western Front Made in: 1979 Author: Erich Maria Remarque 2. Why did the students join theRead MoreMy Life With Nature And The Study Of The Environment1253 Words   |  6 Pagesmy final year in High School as I was sitting in my German class, just like any other day. I often looked out the window at the Ginko tree next to the building, and the grassy field around it, which has since been replaced by a new building to accommodate the ever increasing numbers of new students. My mind was wandering outdoors, where I could feel the sunshine on my skin and the faint breeze in my hair, but the commanding voice of our German teacher, Frau Helbing, snapped me back to the classroomRead MoreNazi Propaganda1653 Words   |  7 Pagesescape and millions of ordinary Germans came across Propaganda every day. Not all the propaganda in Nazi Germany was successful but I believe that overall propaganda was massively successful in gaining Hitler and the Nazis support and influencing Germans with Nazi ideas and attitudes. By dominating all aspects of societ y many Germans were well informed about the policies of the Nazis and the success of the propaganda used made Hitler extremely popular amongst Germans. However despite my opinion notRead MoreLord of the Flies and World War Ii1737 Words   |  7 Pages28-30). Golding was referring to his experiences as captain of a British rocket-launching craft in the North Atlantic. He was present at the sinking of the Bismarck, a German battleship, and participated in the D-Day invasion of German occupied France. He was also directly affected by Englands devastation as a result of the German Air Force that severely damaged the nations infrastructure and marked the beginning of a serious decline in the British economy. Wartime rationing continued well into

Terms of Arithmetic and Math in Spanish

You can talk about math in Spanish by learning a few basic terms. Many of the words are ones you already may know from other contexts. Spanish Terms of Arithmetic Here are the words for the simple mathematical functions and how theyre used with numbers: Addition (Suma):  Dos mà ¡s tres son cinco. (Two plus three is five.) Note that in other contexts, mà ¡s is usually an adverb. Subtraction (Resta):  Cinco menos cuatro son uno. (Five minus four is one.) Multiplication (Multiplicacià ³n):  Tres por cuatro son doce. (Three times four is twelve.) In other contexts, por is a common preposition. Division (Divisià ³n):  Doce dividido entre cuatro son tres. (Twelve divided by four is three.) Doce dividido por cuatro son tres. (Twelve divided by four is three.) Entre is another common preposition. Note that all of these sentences use the verb son, which is plural, in contrast with the singular verb is of English. It is also possible to use es or  the phrase es igual a (is equal to). Other Mathematical Terms Here are some less common mathematical terms: el cuadrado de — the square ofel cubo de — the cube ofecuacià ³n — equationelevado a la enà ©sima potencia — raised to the nth powerfuncià ³n — functionnà ºmero imaginario — imaginary numberpromedio — average, meanquebrado, fraccià ³n — fractionraà ­z cuadrada — square rootraà ­z cà ºbica — cube root Sample Sentences Solo un idiota que no sabe que dos mà ¡s dos son  cuatro le creerà ­a. (Only an idiot who doesnt know that two plus two equals four would believe him.) Una fraccià ³n es un nà ºmero  que se obtiene de dividir un entero en partes iguales. (A fraction is a number that is obtained by dividing a whole number into equal parts.) Pi se obtiene al dividir la circunferencia de un cà ­rculo del dià ¡metro. (Pi is obtained by dividing the circumference of a circle by the diameter.) El triple de un nà ºmero menos el doble del mismo nà ºmero son ese nà ºmero. (Three times a number minus two times that number is that number.) Una funcià ³n es como una mà ¡quina: tiene una entrada y una salida. (A function is like a machine: It has an input and an output.) Una ecuacià ³n es una igualdad matemà ¡tica entre dos expresiones matemà ¡ticas. (An equation is an equality between two mathematical expressions.) La ciudad està ¡ dividida en dos partes iguales. (The city is divided into two equal parts.)  ¿Cuà ¡l es el resultado de dividir 20 por 0.5? (What is the quotient of 20 divided by 0.5?) El cuadrado de un nà ºmero menos el doble del mismo nà ºmero son 48.  ¿Cuà ¡l es ese nà ºmero? (The square root of a number minus double the same number is 48. What is that number?) El promedio de edad de los estudiantes es de 25 aà ±os. (The average age of the students is 25.) La divisià ³n entre cero es una indeterminacià ³n. Asà ­Ã‚  la expresià ³n 1/0 carece de sentio. (Division by zero yields an indeterminable number. Thus the expression 1/0 doesnt make sense.) Los nà ºmeros imaginarios pueden describirse como el producto de un nà ºmero real por la unidad imaginaria i, en donde i denota la raà ­z cuadrada de -1. (Imaginary numbers can be described as the product of a real number by the imaginary unit i, where  i denotes the square root of -1.)

Analysis On Silver Linings Playbook Essay - 1299 Words

Ailleene Mendoza Interpersonal Communications-Section Intercultural Film Analysis Paper Dec. 10, 2016 Analysis on Silver Linings Playbook The film I chose to analyze is Silver Linings Playbook because I was interested in the story when I read the synopsis of the movie. I thought that this would be a simple movie where the main characters would help each other because they had something in common. Reading the synopsis, I also thought that Pat would be back together with his wife, but at the end he found another love. In the next paragraphs I will show my knowledge on what I have learned this semester. On my analysis of Silver Linings, I will give examples that has the concept of language, nonverbal communication, listening, emotions, conflict, and close relationships. The first concept is language (a system comprised of vocabulary and rules of grammar that allows us to engage in verbal communication, Ch. 4, pg 72). The whole movie it was in English, so everyone understood each other. When watching, everyone understood what each other were saying but sometimes they don’t because they are using words that the other side wouldn’t understand. There was this scene where Pat and Tiffany were talking about what medication they use to have during dinner. The wife and husband who invited them didn’t really look at their perspective in a deeper level. People who surrounded Pat and Tiffany sometimes wouldn’t â€Å"acknowledge their viewpoint† and this is called perspective taking (Ch. 4,Show MoreRelatedAnalysis of Silver Linings Playbook1818 Words   |  8 PagesEmily Kraft, RN â€Å"Silver Linings Playbook† Review: Family Dynamics Trocaire College Everybody has a little bit of crazy in them right? The film Silver Linings Playbook is the perfect example of this statement. The movie was released in 2012 and was based on the novel The Silver Linings Playbook. The film was a blockbuster in the theaters along with winning countless Academy Awards and Golden Globe nominations. The Solitano family had many issues that were portrayed over time such as marriageRead MoreFilm Analysis On Silver Linings Playbook1972 Words   |  8 Pages Film Analysis on Silver Linings Playbook Life is hard and a struggle, but even tougher for someone who struggles with a psychological disorder. Bipolar disorder is a well-known psychological disorder and has effective treatment methods. Although, ultimately it is up to the patient with the disorder. The reason I chose the film Silver Linings Playbook is because not only did I enjoy the film, but I can relate to it. For I know someone who suffers from bipolar disorder, and even though they encounterRead MoreAnalysis : Silver Linings Playbook1181 Words   |  5 PagesCassidy Malchow PSYC 275 Dr. Jones Assessment Summary Paper Film: â€Å"Silver Linings Playbook† Identifying Information Patrick Solitano Jr., better known as Pat, is a white male of about 35 years of age who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is undergoing treatment. He was released from a mandatory hospitalization in a detention facility after eight months on the premise that he would continue taking medication, attend therapy, and comply with his restraining orders. He was also assignedRead MoreAnalysis Of Silver Linings Playbook1373 Words   |  6 PagesDirected by David O. Russel, Silver Linings Playbook is a movie about Pat Solitano, who experiences bipolar disorder. Pat Solitano was required to stay in a mental institution for eight months, due to almost beating his wife’s lover to death. After his court-ordered stay, Pat moves back into his parent’s home. In Pat’s quest to recouple with his wife and reconstruct his life, he meets Tiffany, who has borderline personality disorder. Throughout the film, an unexpected bond begins to form betweenRead MoreAnalysis Of S ilver Linings Playbook1090 Words   |  5 Pages The 2012 movie â€Å"Silver Linings Playbook† is a drama-romantic comedy written and directed by David O. Russell and among others, stars Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro. The film received eight academy award nominations, was nominated in all four Oscar categories, and does a fairly accurate job of portraying an individual with a bipolar disorder, who was just released into the care of his parents, and his segue back into his family and social life after eight months of clinicalRead MoreSilver Lining Playbook Analysis1311 Words   |  6 PagesBipolar Disorder in Silver Linings Playbook The film Silver linings Playbook is directed by David O. Russell and it was released in 2012. Patrick or â€Å"Pat† Solitano, which is one of the main characters, suffers from Bipolar Disorder. He is put in a psych ward because he of his manic episodes, one of which he violently attacked the man his wife was having an affair with.. The affair was not the only thing that triggered him into acting how he did. He also has irrational thoughts that they were plottingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Silver Lining Playbook 1564 Words   |  7 PagesThe movie Silver Lining playbook is an award winning movie that exposes some social disorders that the community as a whole as engaged in for years. â€Å"A word-of-mouth hit in 2012, David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook has been popularly discussed as successfully targeting an adult audience under-served in contemporary Hollywood, as â€Å"authentically† reflecting the parenting challenges of its star and director, an d as portraying a â€Å"modern† romance about a sympathetic, deeply damaged protagonistRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Silver Linings Playbook 1347 Words   |  6 Pages Silver Linings Playbook begins with the one of the main characters, Pat Jr., being released from a mental hospital by his mother. He has been institutionalized due to his bipolar disorder, because he severely beat the man his wife was cheating on him with. Pat later meets his love interest, Tiffany, through his best friend at dinner. Viewers are able to assume that Tiffany suffers from a borderline personality disorder due to her actions throughout the movie. Pat’s father, Pat Sr., also seems toRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Silver Linings Playbook 1389 Words   |  6 Pageslifetime. These disorders are more common than we know and the way they are treated will determine the individual’s psychological outcome. The movie â€Å"Silver Linings Playbook† does a great job depicting a charac ter with Bipolar disorder and the struggles the main character Pat faces on a day-to-day basis through his road to recovery. Silver Linings Playbook displays many types of psychological disorders that include Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar disorder, and a slight sexual disorder. BradleyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Silver Linings Playbook 1122 Words   |  5 PagesIn the movie Silver Linings Playbook, we follow Pat Solitano Jr., a man recently released from a mental institution (Cohen et al., 2012). He is a Caucasian male, likely in his early to mid-thirties and of Italian descent. He was a high school history teacher, living with his wife, Nikki, an English teacher. Upon finding his wife in the shower with another man, he nearly beats the man to death leading him to be sent to a psychiatric facility for eight months with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. In

The sons veto free essay sample

The Son’s Veto The mother in this short story sacrifices everything for a son who doesn’t even care about her. ‘Women today would not behave like this.’ Do you agree with this statement? You should explain how you feel about the characters and their relationship with each other. Remember to refer closely to the text. Hardy opens the story with a very detailed description of a woman’s hair. He is commenting on fashion of the time, he says ‘One could understand such weaving and coiling being wrought to last intact for a year, or at least a calendar month; but that they should be demolished regularly at bedtime, after a single day of performance, seemed a reckless waste of successful fabrication.’ He goes on to explain that this woman didn’t have any maids, which tells us her position in the class system. Hardy pities this woman because she had done it all herself, ‘poor thing’. Her name was Sophie; she was born in the country village of Gaymead in a remote nook of North Wessex. It happened when she was just nineteen, the first event that got her, to her present situation. She was working as a maid in the village’s vicarage when the wife of the parson Mrs Twycott, died. At the same time, Sophie had a young man, Sam Hobson, a gardener in the village. Sam proposed to Sophie. So a few months later, Sophie asked to leave the vicarage. Mr Twycott asked her why and Sophie explained that Sam had asked to marry her. A few days later Sophie asked if she could stay on, because her and Sam had quarrelled. At this Mr Twycott realises how dependant he was on Sophie ‘She was the only one of his servant with which he came into immediate and continuous relation. What should he do if Sophie were gone?’ This rhetorical question reveals Mr Twycott’s deeper feelings. Mr Twycott became ill, and whilst he was ill Sophie brought his meals to him, when one day, she slipped on the stairs whilst taking a tray down. She  twisted her foot in the fall and the village surgeon was called. Mr Twycott became better, but Sophie was no longer able to walk. The Parson felt guilty for Sophie’s predicament and her suffering on his account. ‘You must never leave me again.’ He asks her to marry him, and she feels that she is unable to refuse someone who is so important, she doesn’t marry for love. This happens on both occasions, when Sam proposes her reasons for accepting are not love, but a home. Women in this period were unable to live independently of their family the only way to escape the home was to get married. She didn’t marry Sam, which shows how unstable the relationship was. Mr Twycott committed social suicide by marrying beneath himself, and also the age gap meant the couple became persona non-gratis ‘despite Sophie’s spotless character.’ Marriage totally changes her situation. Geographically, she moves to London because in Gaymead they were shunned because of the marriage, and also Mr Twycott tried to refine her, to make her a lady and educate her in the ways of the upper class. Although she still couldn’t get-to-grips with the uses of â€Å"was and were†. They made few acquaintances, and those few were not impressed because she couldn’t ‘talk proper’. This is Hardy’s attempt to sneer at the class system, with all the snobbery and hypocrisy. She gives birth to a son, Randolph. He is given the best of everything and a first class education. As he gets older and becomes inevitably like his friends, a snob, he grows away from his mother and starts to resent her failures ‘he loses his wide infantine sympathies’. At the concert in the park he corrects her speech and she accepts it without retaliation. She is subservient, because she was a maid and so would be used to obeying orders. She married the Parson because of this, also she didn’t have the power to retaliate against her son due to being a maid for years, and this fealing of incapability and dependency on her son would make her do anything to keep him coming home. ‘It is not you who are the child but he’. He grows up a snob, ‘a gentleman’ Hardy refers to the son as ‘a gentleman’ a few times, sarcastically. Its ironic because as hard as the  son tries to be upper-class he will never be, his mother isnt the reason, as he thinks, but its because of himself. The son is a spoilt brat. This is Hardy’s attitude towards the son. When Mr Twycott died, her situation changed. He had foreseen his death long before hers, and had planned for it. She was left with a house and enough money to live. She had no choice or control over anything ‘throughout these changes Sophie had been treated like the child she was in nature though not in years’. This is why Hardy took so much time at the start to describe her hair and how pointless it was, just as her life was. Also she had so much spare time that her hair was the only thing she could be proud of, and taking care of her appearance gave routine to her life which helped her to get through each day. As Randolph grew he became worse in his views and opinions. He was reducing their compass to a population of a few thousand wealthy and titled people. The mere veneer of a thousand million people or so others. Also after Mr Twycotts death she lost the few lady-like habits she had aquired. She had become-in her sons eyes- a mother whos mistakes and origin it was his painful lot as a gentleman to blush for. Again Hardy ironically refers to Randolph as a gentleman. In the next few linesHardy gives his opinion on the boy. As yet he was far from being man enough -if ever he would be- to rate these sins of hers at their true infinitesimal value. He goes on to say how Sophie is penned in and a mothers love for her son is the most powerful thing in the world, and he still may yet need it but as yet, it remained stored As time marches on her health deteriorates and she finds it difficult to sleep beacause she is taking no excersise. She doesnt live, she exists, eeks by, day-by-day, monotonous and without purpose. Everyday she sits in the window watching the farmers, going to market in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Fate is a continuing theme throughout this story, Hardy questions our existance, is choice merely an illusion, are we just puppets on a string reading from a script? Is everything pre-determined? If this is true then fate has a cruel sense of humor. One day whilst sitting in her window, Sam  Hobson, her childhood sweetheart finds her. He had heard she was living in that area of London and so had aquired a job taking produce to the market. This shows how much he feels for Sophie, he had gone through so much effort on such a slim chance of finding her. I knew you lived along here somewhere. I have often looked out for ee. She tells Sam how she misses Gaymead and the life they could have had tgether. After some time Sam proposes to her and she would love to but voices concerns about her son. Sam replies, very wisely in my opinion, with You can do what you like Sophie. It is not you who is the child but he. This epitimises the relationship Sophie has with Randolph. All her life she has been downtrodden and even her son pushes her around, she has always been told what she can and cant do. Sams reply is Hardy showing his dissaproval. When she talked to her son he was positive about the idea of re-marriage but when he found out that it wasnt to a noble gentleman but to a commoner, a farmer! He became angry and had a tantrum. After that Sophie was fearful of challenging her son and thought he would mellow with age. He didnt mellow, he continued to deny Sophie her sole desire. In a fit of rage he made Sophie swear on the cross that she would never marry Sam Hobson. Its difficult to believe how the son could be so cruel but also how Sophie could put up with him, in my opinion if he fell off a cliff it wouldnt be a bad thing. In the end she dies, alone, unhappy and senile. She spent her dying years talking to herself and sitting in her window. At the funeral her only mourner was her son, the clergyman. Who was supposed to represent God and christian valuesyet shows himself to be a snob and a hypocrite. Sam strove to better himself and became a well respected Green Grocer whereas Sophie sacrificed her health and hapiness all because she couldnt stand up to her son. I think Sophie was a weak, subservient person, but through no fault of her own, its due to having been a maid and servant all her life. She was a sad character who was a victim of the world in which she lived. Mr Twycott was a straight laced vicar who was always thouroughly organised. I feel he took advantage of Sophies kind and generous nature and that her situation is  partly his fault. Sam Hobson was Sophies childhood sweetheart, I dont think Sophie realised how much she loved Sam and she was foolish for marrying Mr Twycott. Sam is the hero of the story, he was dedicated to Sophie and showed this by following her to London, getting a job, and going through all that effort just to find her again. Personally I detest the son, he is a little swine whos   too-big-for-his-boots, he is a bully, he is snobby. Hes also a wannabe. He wants to be upper-class although he isnt upper-class at all. The way I feel shows Hardy has done a good job in making the reader feel antagonistic towards the son and sympathetic for Sophie. He makes me feel strongly about fictional characters. I enjoyed the story, my favourite character was Sam Hobson for being so noble, he was by far more of a gentleman than Randolph ever could be even though he was from a lower social class. This is Hardys aim, to highlight the stupidity of the nobility system. Even though he was from a lower class he was noble because of his actions and how he truly loved Sophie. In conclusion I think that women today would not act like this. Women are independant and dont need to rely on marriage to escape from their home. Society is no longer prejudiced as much, although some people still, sadly, are living in the dark ages and believe that a womans place is in the home. A womans place is wherever they want to be.