He Company Vision and Superordinate Goals Essay

He Company Vision and Superordinate Goals - Essay Example The report seeks to establish the relationship between United States Army Training and Doctrine Command’s (TRADOC) vision and super ordinate goals. Their interaction is affected by the organization’s staff, skills, structure, strategy, style and systems. The organization undertakes initial military training and education of agile soldiers, leaders and civilians suitable for any operational environment in a prolonged time. United States Army Training and Doctrine Command TRADOC is a command organization of the United States military that is situated in Virginia. According to US Army website (2012), the organization is involved in military training, formulation and development of operational doctrines and presiding over the development of new weapon systems. Vision The organization is involved in the development and training of soldiers, leaders and civilians. It also designs, integrates and develops capabilities and doctrines through professional use of equipments and fo rmations geared towards strengthening the United States military through army force generation. The attainment of this vision requires interconnecting of the staff roles to ensure efficient leadership and achievement of super ordinate goals. The organization management is charged with the responsibility of organizing the system structures and elements to ensure efficiency. ... This will enable the development of professional leaders and efficient military personnel (US Army, 2012). Additionally, the general applies the current technology in improving equipments and revolutionizing training to ensure that the personnel adapt to the changing technology. Some of the measures applied in improving the performance of the organization are professional examination of the future trends within the organization, proper role definition and prior professional planning for implementation of the proposed strategies. Super Ordinate Goals The super ordinate goals dictate the essential purpose of the organization. Most of these goals are related to the development of the essential work force. TRADOC is involved in leadership development whereby candidates are professionally trained to efficiently cope with the changing leadership environments. Leadership training involves the analysis of the current leadership deficits in the military and closing the information gaps and in consistencies that causes the deficits. A successful future requires efficient leadership that has the capacity to adapt and ensure mutual reinforcement among the organization’s elements (Bolman and Deal, 2002). The organization undertakes initial military training and education of agile soldiers, leaders and civilians suitable for any operational environment in a prolonged period. Another goal is the creation of dominant land force through evaluating, developing and integrating talents and abilities. Finally, TRADOC formulates doctrines and concepts that are flexible and efficient enough to adapt to the evolving technologies. The doctrines provide the guidelines required for

Gender Analysis of The Crying Game

Gender Analysis of The Crying Game Through a close analysis of The Crying Game, examine Judith Butler’s notion of the performativity of gender There appear to be many similarities between Neil Jordan’s 1992 movie The Crying Game and Judith Butler’s theory of the performativity of gender as promulgated in her seminal book Gender Trouble, which has been one of the most hotly contested intellectual studies on feminism published in the past fifty years. Both managed to cause major controversy by turning the traditional notion of gender on its head and both invite the audience/reader to question society’s making of ‘man’, ‘woman’, ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’. The following analysis seeks to show how Butler’s ideas managed to permeate Jordan’s film, which is – it should be noted – a much more complex movie than a mere study of gender issues. First, however, a definition of the ‘performativity’ of gender must be attempted so as to establish a conceptual framework for the remainder of the discussion. Judith Butler’s theory on gender should be interpreted within the broader social and political context of feminist theory that came in two distinct ‘waves’ during the 1960’s and the 1970’s. After securing the requisite political achievements gained by the advances of the first wave, the second, more radicalised wave of feminism sought to challenge historical notions of man and woman in western society, â€Å"which maintains male dominance by co‑opting women and suppressing the feminine. These arguments link dominant western forms of rationality with male power and control over women and nature, which is associated with violence, oppression and destruction.†[1] Thus, while Butler’s views are doubtlessly revolutionary, they should also be read within this dominant feminist climate of deep‑seated change that characterised the second half of the twentieth century in the West, which sought to deliberately create divisions between heterosexual men and heterosexual women in order to further the feminist cause. This is also the reason behind the alliance between radical feminism and the gay and lesbian communities, which was forged at this time and which is directly relevant to the performativity of gender as seen in The Crying Game. Butler’s views deviate from the feminist norm with regards to the way in which she formulates the idea of having to ‘perform’ the parts of man and woman in contemporary society. In this sense, she sees both masculinity and femininity as being manufactured by culture and she plants the idea that if this culture were structured along less visibly male‑female lines, then the two g enders would behave in a discernibly different manner. This is the idea which is used in The Crying Game to which attention must now be turned. The Crying Game is a movie that is as much about the Troubles of the IRA as it is a film about trans‑gender analysis. The plot concerns the nucleus of a small band of Irish terrorists who kidnap a British soldier (Forest Whitaker) for the purpose of exchanging him in order to secure the release of captive IRA operatives in UK jails. The gang is led by Maguire (Adrian Dunbar) and also contains Jude (Miranda Richardson) and Fergus (Stephen Rea.) It is the character of Fergus who will become the main focus of the film as first he finds himself unable to the kill the British soldier, Jody and subsequently he embarks upon discovering the dead man’s lover, Dil (Jaye Davidson) to whom he finds himself immediately attracted. This burgeoning relationship between Fergus and Dil is fraught with tension as Fergus feels tortured by guilt for the death of Jody (although Fergus lets him go, the soldier is still accidentally killed by a British tank). This tension is an essential cinem atic precursor to the movie’s central plot twist, which comes as a major surprise to the viewing audience. Before moving towards a critical appraisal of the revelation that occurs within the relationship of Dil and Fergus, mention must be made of the way in which Neil Jordan manages to exploit the traditional notions of woman in film. By picking an androgynous looking actor to play Dil, the director tricks the audience into believing a traditional heterosexual relationship between a man and a woman is about to take place – a relationship rendered tragic by the loss both characters have already suffered. This coupling, in film history, has usually seen the man seducing the woman who acts as the aesthetically beautiful centrepiece of the action. â€Å"In the celluloid brothel of the cinema, where the merchandise may be eyed endlessly but never purchased, the tension between the beauty of the woman, which is admirable, and the denial of the sexuality which is the source of that beauty but is also immoral, reaches a perfect impasse.†[2] Therefore, when it slowly transpires that Dil is not yet another example of the cinematic female beauty but is in fact a man, the sense of shock is all the more pronounced. As with Butler’s idea on the performativity of gender, Jordan stops short of stating this development as a fact; instead, it is left open to conjecture as a philosophical question: does Dil’s biology mean that he is a man no matter what or does the fact that he has assumed a female role mean that he has transgressed the gender divide to become a woman in the cultural sense? This is a key line of inquiry in radical feminist ideology and one that has no direct answer. For instance, although traditionalists would argue that no‑one can ever reverse the gender of their birth liberals would likewise state that gender is a construct of society and that both males and females should be freely able to choose not only their sexuality but also their gender. This is a direct descendent of Judith Butlerâ⠂¬â„¢s Gender Trouble where the author argues the case that men and women both perform the roles of masculine and feminine without ever questioning its validity in this way. â€Å"Gender is †¦ a construction that regularly conceals its genesis; the tacit collective agreement to perform, produce and sustain discrete and polar genders as cultural fictions is obscured by the credibility of those productions – and the punishments that attend not agreeing to believe in them.†[3] Fergus’ response to the realisation that Dil is a transvestite is typically male and typical of society’s general horror at such transgressions of sexuality and gender. His first response is to punch Dil in the face and retract his previous statements of affection. He exits the scene, leaving Dil lying bloodied on the floor. Fergus’ disgust is mirrored in the shock felt by the contemporary cinema audience, which was manifested in mass protests from Christian and conformist communities when the film was released both in the UK and abroad. The director makes sure not to over or under dramatise the revelation of Dil’s transgression of gender, preferring instead to let the remainder of the plot play out to the backdrop of the shock of the ongoing relationship between the two main characters. With the spectre of the IRA unexpectedly re‑appearing towards the end of the film, the audience is transported away from the notion of the performativity of gender to see how Fergus is able to rise above his initial feeling of disgust to save Dil from prison after the shooting of Fergus’ old comrade, Jude. Interestingly, Dil is compelled to murder Jude when it transpires that she had enjoyed a sexual relationship with Jody while the soldier was in her captivity. Thus, there is no doubt that – after all that has transpired – Dil still identifies herself as a woman and is directly challenged by the more obviously feminine Jude. At this point, mention must be made of the difference between Butlerâ€⠄¢s notion of the performativity of gender and the kind of transgender concepts encapsulated in drag and cross‑dressing. â€Å"In the majority of the works that have followed in Butler’s wake, drag (as the parodic enactment of gender) is represented as something one can choose to do: the imputation is that one can be whatever type of gender one wants to be, and can perform gender in whatever way one fancies. This is what you might call a voluntarist model of identity because it assumes that it is possible to freely and consciously create one’s own identity. Whilst in many ways this voluntarist account of gender performance is in direct contrast with Butler’s notion of performativity, it is also, at least in part, a consequence of the ambiguity of Butler’s own account of the distinction between performance and performativity in Gender Trouble.†[4] Appropriately, Neil Jordan never alludes to whether or not Dill is voluntarily transgressing gender or whether it is a biological necessity for man to have morphed into woman. This mirrors Butler’s ambiguity and the ambiguity that pervades every aspect of the notion of crossing gender, which is one of the more intellectually challenging concepts for any society to grapple with. Ultimately, though, The Crying Game ends with a hint of the director’s views on the subject. During the final scene, which is set years later, Dil asks Fergus why he took the blame for her. Recounting an earlier scene, Fergus replies, â€Å"It’s in my nature.† This implies that there is no choice with regards to gender, sexuality and performance. We are what we are. Conclusion The Crying Game is a challenging film that operates on a variety of levels. Politics, race and gender are all subject to scrutiny without being dealt with in a moralistic way. Judith Butler’s notion pertaining to the performativity of gender is likewise a multifaceted study that has greatly influenced feminist ideology and has clearly infiltrated the mind of director Neil Jordan. In the final analysis, there can be no doubt that there is a strong link between the two without any simple, broad‑based conclusion being put forward by either party. In both instances, it is left up to the reader and viewer to make their minds up concerning gender and the wider issue of whether it is nature that constructs our sexual being or whether it is cultural nurturing that subconsciously encourages us to play the roles of heterosexual men and women. This is a difficult sensible balancing act to maintain, yet it is also ultimately sensible as both The Crying Game and Gender Trouble arriv e at the opinion that there can be no one deduction that manages to satisfy everyone. The conclusion, like the choice of gender and sexuality, must in the end be wholly subjective. BIBLIOGRAPHY Butler, J. (1990) Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity London: Routledge Carter, A. (1978) The Saideian Woman and the Ideology of Pornography New York: Harper Row Featherstone, M. (Ed.) (2000) Body Modification London: SAGE Shaviro, S. (1993) The Cinematic Body: Theory out of Bounds, Volume 2 Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota Press Stallybrass, P. and White, A. (1986) The Politics and Poetics of Transgression London: Routledge Sullivan, N. (2003) A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press Weedon, C. (1987) Feminist Practice and Poststructuralist Theory London and New York: Blackwell FILMS The Crying Game (Neil Jordan; 1992) Footnotes [1] Weedon, C. (1987) Feminist Practice and Poststructuralist Theory London and New York: Blackwell, p.7 [2] Carter, A. (1978) The Saideian Woman and the Ideology of Pornography New York: Harper Row, p.60 [3] Butler, J. (1990) Gender Trouble London: Routledge, p.140 [4] Sullivan, N. (2003) A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, p.87

the mind Essay -- essays research papers

Free Your Mind - Free Your Life. Escape entrapment by developing: thought emotion, and communication. Clear out your mental garbage and Develop new ways of thinking. Avoid being overwhelmed - by your emotions or by another's. Be in control of your feelings and be in control your life. Renew your mind and renew your existence. We are trapped within our minds within our universes. Like the maker of the computer who becomes controlled by his creation, we as spiritual beings have become entrapped within our own creations - our minds. Developed, like the computer, to free us from the tedium of routine existence, our minds have become our masters. Made originally for us to control, they now control us. Minds full of junk As beings living now, we have minds filled with junk - perhaps from many aeons ago. And ways of doing things that belong in the days of tooth and claw! We need to both clean out our minds, and remake new, more useful programs to help us live effectively and to continue our spiritual quest. Our minds contain thoughts, procedures and images - pictures, sounds, feelings and taste-smells. We think by following procedures we have developed - but probably long forgotten and long been unaware of. For example, in a phobic situation, we see something which we associate with some emotions and consequently behave in a certain way. In the phobic state the emotion is fear and the behaviour is probably escape or attack. In a phobia the thing we are afraid of is not a threat to the body. "Nothing is a threat to the spirit!" (Nothing is a threat to the spirit!) The fear is irrational or extreme. Even if we do not have phobias, the principle affects all of us. The way we think in phobicly does not help us at all. At the very most it is a relic from some past threat. Phobias are not usually big issues with many of us, but their principle affects us all, when we think of irrational nervousness in situations where there is no physical threat. And the same mechanism works whenever we loose control of ourselves, either due to extremely pleasurable or painful emotions. We react with too much emotion and overwhelm ourselves. When we hear speech in a certain tone, for example, and we note certain actions we might conclude that the other person doesn't like us, and we think we should get our own back. Mental program: ... When ... ...fainted in a certain situation. She could not recall the image she made in that situation - that frightened her so much she fainted. So Freud sent her back to that situation, with the instructions that she should remember the image this time! By becoming aware and confronting the image, the girl was able to overcome her fainting attacks! Making Progress In making our progress we need to clear the mind of old, useless thoughts. We need to be aware of them and deal with them appropriately. These thoughts can be mental images, sounds, etc, and also language. Our minds can generalise and the troublesome thinking might be extremely abstract generalisations. By clearing the mind of this debris and replacing old, useless procedures with useful ones we can begin to make spiritual progress, and begin to learn about our true nature. Minds are useful, but not minds filled with garbage. The answer isn't to throw out the mind, but to clean it up and put the right data in it this time! Freed of our fears and our excitements, we can begin to live live more fully and happily, attaining our goals for the benefit of all. We will also have removed some of the impediments to spiritual development.

Rhetorical Analysis on Lux Toilet Soap Ad Essay

Lux Toilet Soap Susan Sanders Devry University Lux Toilet Soap A 1954 ad for Lux Toilet Soap states, â€Å"Luscious is the word for Greer Garson’s complexion and she keeps it that way with Lux Toilet Soap. †This statement is an example of how emotional appeal is used in the ad to grab the reader’s attention. The advertiser uses character appeal by including information about Garson’s success in the ad to make the reader want to use the product. Logical appeal is used when a refund is offered to leave the reader with no objections to trying the product. The Greer Garson Lux Toilet Soap ad was effective in raising product awareness and profits due to its usage of these appeals. Garson is pictured against a white background with a vine of grapes in hand in the ad. Purple is the color theme here, as Garson’s eye makeup, necklace and grapes are of this color. This gives the ad a sense of sophistication, warmth, luxury and even a little mystery. This grabs the reader’s attention and makes her want to read the ad. The reader’s attention is then drawn to a sentence below Garson in which the first word, â€Å"Luscious,† is of a larger font size than the rest of the text. The color pink draws the reader to look in the bottom right corner of the ad, where a Lux Toilet Soap wrapper reveals the bar of soap. This completes the attraction, femininity, and smooth texture of the ad. The image and larger-sized text are present in the advertisement to appeal to the reader’s emotion of craving for Garson’s flawless skin. Women of this time were open to ideas on how to look as beautiful as possible. This could have been to succeed in their careers or simply to please a man. Looks play a large role in any aspiring actresses success because she is trying to talk people into casting her for roles. In addition, having and taking care of a family was a very important part of women’s lives. They had to look their best in the hopes of getting a husband. This advertisement had their solution and informed the readers to use Lux Toilet Soap to get that desired look. If the picture of Garson wasn’t enough to get the reader to find character appeal in the advertisement, there is also smaller blue text at the bottom of the ad informing them of her credentials. The ad states, â€Å"Besides being beautiful, Greer Garson is intelligent (she’s lectured Shakespeare), talented (probably won more awards than any other film actress)†¦ † There is also a statement at the top of the ad promoting a movie Garson most recently starred in, â€Å"Her Twelve Men. † The ad then goes on to state her insistence on the use of Lux Toilet Soap in her home and dressing room, as well as the statistic â€Å"Greer’s used Lux for years now-she believes in it, like 9 out of 10 Hollywood stars do.This information about Garson’s career leads readers to trust in her belief of the soap’s effectiveness. It suggests that the reader should want to use the Lux soap because successful and beautiful people like Garson do. If it plays some part in Garson’s success, then the reader might have that same luck with life as well, after using Lux soap. As the reader continues through the text, the final appeal is utilized, logic. The ad states that â€Å"Miss Garson’s luscious complexion is as good a recommendation as we know of for using Lux Toilet Soap. If you find Lux isn’t everything a good soap can be, we’ll return what you paid for it. Fair enough? † After being presented this offer, the reader runs out of objections to trying the product. Reasoning tells them to buy it, try it, if it isn’t satisfactory, get a refund, and no loss would be incurred. The offer leaves the reader with a feeling of obligation to buying the product. It is important that the ad achieves this because it ultimately leads to higher sales profit. Lux Toilet Soap was not the only solution to uneven or imperfect complexion.

Organizational Conflicts and Building Coalitions

Conflict within the organization is an every day reality as no one individual will have the same opinion or style. The differences found amongst people in the workplace has required perceptions to change when it comes to leading a team and implementing strategy. One's attitude must be flexible and tolerant of change and conflict. Conflict must be an accepted factor or otherwise the organization will not survive. In many ways, leaders and management look at conflict as a positive. Because conflict taking time and effort to resolve, it also allows for critical thinking and opening the path for new ideas and solutions. This works to the company's advantage over the long run as it continues to think outside the box or get do away with the box entirely. This leads to innovation. The attitude toward knowledge has evolved because more than one type is needed in order to implement a new idea. This changes the needs of workers and organizations as diffusion of innovation takes place as many different points of view are considered. While the idea that conflict can be a positive, leaders must also keep in mind the other side of the spectrum or the negative. While conflict can lead to innovation, it can also open up the employee to too many opportunities, which can influence their creativity and productivity. It produces a whole new reality that employees may not be prepared to handle. Product diversification could mean failure. Technology, while it is wondrous and makes jobs easier, can also be dangerous. With telecommunications, a new breed of crime has been created with identity theft and corporate brand protection becoming important. Technology can be disastrous if put in the wrong hands. With innovations come new inventions that make our lives easier but also have a higher risk when used. This is the nature of the realm of possibility. This can backfire as it can also destroy and impose new rules of conduct upon communities. As much as many like the idea of innovation, for those scared of change, it is difficult to embrace fully. This leads to further conflict or counter movements to conserve what is left because the longer a conflict goes unresolved, the harder it is fix. This like a lack of communication can lead to a break in the cycle for the organization. Still organizational conflict and change is about the future. However, as more products and services are produced and distributed throughout the world, debate continues regarding leaders' obligation to take on more social responsibility. To change the way business is conducted, we may need to establish new operational styles that set new expectations for both today's work force and corporate accountability. Looking at a corporation like Johnson and Johnson, one realizes within a team everyone has a function to meet production quotas and the harmony produced translates into efficiency. Total Quality Management (TQM) is still evident as companies push to analyze productivity as it reflects success, profit, as the numbers still remain the bottom line. Change means introducing new players to the reality, which one takes the risk, could lead to further conflict or creation. This means the possibility of interacting with outsiders or traveling in other countries for opportunities. One such situation can arise when an American company sets up shop in England. How will the locals react to such international involvement and on what levels will this be tolerated? How much will gained by so much change or resulting conflict? It is the ability to accept the new reality of today's workplace that makes an organization competitive. A company like Johnson and Johnson faces many challenges in the future due to this new reality.

Depiction of character through music and words Essays

Depiction of character through music and words Essays Depiction of character through music and words Essay Depiction of character through music and words Essay so alive. Released from the constraints of social etiquette and expected respectability, the unsavoury side of Jekyll becomes powerful, ruthless, and free. The same happens in the reprise of Alive, after Hyde has wandered the streets and committed his first murder. In contrast to Jekyll singing about sitting with the Gods, Hyde states I feel Ill live on forever, with Satan himself as my guide, and Ill show the world that tonight and forever, the name to remembers the name Edward Hyde! ) Both sides of Jekylls character want recognition and fame for completely different reasons although, ironically, recognition of either side will prove that Jekylls theory was indeed true, if poorly thought out and underestimated. The next song we hear from Jekyll is the haunting Obsession in which he considers what is happening to him and accepts that Hyde is indeed a darker side of himself, and that he must have been harbouring these feelings and depravities deep inside himself in order for them to be brough t to the fore by Hyde. We hear Jekylls remorse, his self doubt, and his desperation. We also hear resignation and exhaustion. What streak of madness lies inside of me, what is the truth my fears conceal, what evil force makes Edward Hyde of me, what darker side of me does he reveal? Am I the man that I appear to be, or am I someone I dont know? Jekyll is desperate, feeling himself being dominated by the character of Hyde, and yet he manages to gather his strength and resolves to put things to rights, to conquer the evil inside himself and get back to where he began. In the song The Way Back he remembers the dream he first had, the reasons he wanted to undertake his experiments, and that the good side of him is what matters. He sings Somehow Ive got to rebuild all the dreams that the winds have scattered, from what fate has shattered, Ill retrieve what mattered. He also asks God for his help, in contrast to Hyde being with Satan (God you must help me carry on, when it seems all hope has gone) The most effective song through which to examine the way the characters are portrayed in the musical is the Confrontation wherein Jekyll and Hyde battle for survival. It begins with Jekyll singing a reprise of the first verse of Lost In The Darkness, which takes us, and him, back to the beginning of the story. This time, however, it seems it is he who is lost in the darkness, he who is experiencing endless night rather ironic when we consider it was his original intention to free his own father from such a plight. Hyde then takes over and sings, again with short, rhythmic phrases, telling Jekyll he will never set him free, never let him go. He expresses his supremacy over Jekyll (Im what you see when you face in the mirror. ong as you live I will still be here You cant control me, I live deep inside you. Each day youll feel me devour your soul) Jekyll tries to reply, tries to tell Hyde he will be rid of him, but Hyde states that he will never be free of him, that in fact Jekyll IS Hyde, and always will be. This confrontation signifies Jekylls realisation that as long as he lives, Hyde will live too as they are one and the same. His repeated shout s of NO! convey his desperation, his anger, and his refusal to admit that he has such an evil side. The music and orchestration of this piece add considerably to the atmosphere of the musical as a whole and to the representation of each side of Jekylls character. The roles of the orchestrator is vital in the success of a piece of musical theatre Snelson states that in the 1960s, orchestration progressed from the traditional woodwind, brass and strings structure to a sound more akin to a big band, centred on reeds and brass, supported by drum kit and (often electric) bass. He says this created the archetypal Broadway sound to which we are now accustomed. This certainly is true of this score. In addition to excellent orchestration, as in Bizets Carmen and also in Wagners Tristan und Isolde Wildhorn utilises leitmotifs throughout the piece to signify which character is dominant at a particular time. The use of motif and leitmotif in the composition of music has been apparent for centuries Sadie (1985, p. 59) states that Composers have always used melodic recurrence as a means of giving shape and artistic unity to a composition. He also goes on to say that . it may be a phrase, of perhaps six or seven notes, or even a motif, or a figure, of two or three. Sadie explains that the composer uses the motif persistently, so that it becomes familiar to the listener and imprints itself on their mind, therefore giving the piece a sense of unity. Specific instruments are also used to enhance the quality of each song and to intensify and exaggerate the personality and mood of each side of the character. Jekylls songs, before the introduction of Hyde, are written in the major key, with the exception of the first song, Lost in the Darkness, which begins in G# Minor but has a Major section, reverting back to the Minor towards the end. Take Me As I Am and This is the Moment are written in B flat major and E major respectively and as such are positive, uplifting and essentially Broadway Musical style songs. In contrast, the songs sung by Hyde, and also the Confrontation, which involves both personalities, are written in the minor key. Alive and the Alive reprise are written in A Minor, Confrontation and Dangerous Game are in E Minor, and the song I Need To Know, despite being sung by Jekyll, is in C# Minor as it is subsequent to Jekyll having begun to be dominated by Hyde. These minor keys create a sense of foreboding, of menace and danger, and are very effective in conveying the characteristics of both Jekyll and Hyde as the story unfolds. Another effective way of enhancing the portrayal of the characters is through the use of different orchestration. For Jekylls songs, the scoring mainly uses piano, keyboard and strings, particularly violin and viola. This creates a light, mellow but thought provoking atmosphere, and suggests a character who thinks deeply, who is sensitive and who is not threatening. In comparison, the orchestration for Hydes songs also includes piano, but always alongside frantic fast percussion and drum rhythm. Tremolo is used to great effect in the string section, which creates tension and suggests the anticipation of impending disaster. Hydes songs are also enhanced by choral backing, occasionally using whispered text which is a repeat of lyrics sung by Hyde himself, but mainly singing, in harmony in minor chords, on an ah sound, creating an almost ethereal effect, an eerie addition to the orchestration which sounds threatening, frightening and intimidating. This adds to the effect of Hyde being like Satan. There are several time signature changes in Hydes songs, reflecting his unpredictability, and strong, punchy brass is used to punctuate his vocal line. His melody lines are short, repetitive and contain many accidentals, flattened or natural notes which further enhance the effect of the use of the minor keys. Hydes songs are driven, relentless, and have strong, final endings. All these aspects of orchestration underpin the strength and urgency of Hydes character. Later on in the score, as Jekyll begins to be dominated by Hyde, we hear the instruments which have signified Hydes character beginning to appear in Jekylls songs. This is most apparent in Confrontation wherein although in the beginning Jekylls motif is clearly signified, eventually the brass, glissando in the strings section and the choral section begin to become more dominant than Jekylls instrumentation as Hyde emerges as the dominant force. I will conclude by stating that I feel the depiction of character in the musical Jekyll and Hyde is very effective. Although the main protagonist (and, incidentally, antagonist) is more prominent in the musical than in the original novel, I do not feel that this detracts from the narrative indeed I feel it adds depth to the character and helps us as the audience to be drawn into the action and to empathise with a character who we could have regarded with disdain and disgust. The libretto by Leslie Bricusse uses the clever repetition of phrases from the original novel, the addition of extra characters to give the protagonists existence more credence, and lyrics which give an insight into the emotions, motivations and dilemmas of the characters. Upon reading the original novel, I found it difficult to warm to any of the characters no empathy was encouraged and the reader was never given the opportunity to discover the true personalities of the people involved in the story. The musical addresses this by providing more background to the characters and their relationships with each other, making them more believable and encouraging more depth of thought on the part of the audience as the tale signifies that the horrendous subject matter of the story could indeed apply to any living human being. After all In all of us there is the duality of good and evil and the only thing that is constant is change. (Stevenson, 1886)

Edible Glowing Blood Slime

Edible Glowing Blood Slime What couldnt Halloween costume or party benefit from some blood slime? This particular slime is also edible, non-sticky and glows blue-white under a black light. Its easy to make! Glowing Blood Slime Materials 1 teaspoon soluble fiber (e.g., Metamucil)8 ounces (1 cup) diet tonic water red food coloring Make the Slime! Stir the fiber into the tonic water.Add a drop or two of food coloring. The slime gets darker during preparation, so dont add too much food coloring.Heat the liquid in a microwave-safe container until it boils. Depending on your microwave power this may be anywhere from 1-4 minutes. When the mixture boils, pause the microwave and stir the slime.Cook the microwave another 1-2 minutes. Stir it.Repeat the cooking/stirring cycle a total of 4-5 times, until the slime develops a gelatinous consistency. Carefully remove the slime from the microwave. The container will be very hot!Let the slime cool before you handle it. You can play with it, decorate with it, or even eat it. No matter what color you made your slime, it will glow blue-white under a black light or ultraviolet light. The glow is fluorescence from the quinine in the tonic water.Store your slime in a sealed bowl or plastic bag. If you are just decorating with it, its fine at room temperature, but if you plan on putting the slime in your mouth, its a good idea to refrigerate leftovers. While the slime wont stick to most surfaces, the food coloring will cause it to stain fabrics and skin. Clean up slime with soap and water. Your favorite stain remover will take out the food coloring. Watch a video of this project.