Casual Argument essay based on an article by charles Murray

Casual Argument based on an article by charles Murray - Essay Example would like us to believe that the following data he claims to have collated over time proves that the decline of marriage has a direct effect on the economic status of the middle class (Murray, Charles "Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960–2010"): In 1960, extremely high proportions of whites in both Belmont and Fishtown were married—94% in Belmont and 84% in Fishtown. In the 1970s, those percentages declined about equally in both places. Then came the great divergence. In Belmont, marriage stabilized during the mid-1980s, standing at 83% in 2010. In Fishtown, however, marriage continued to slide; as of 2010, a minority (just 48%) were married. The gap in marriage between Belmont and Fishtown grew to 35 percentage points, from just 10. Basing his explanation on those statistics, he argued that the lack of marriage resulted in a lower economic growth for the middle class. After all, the double income family no longer existed in his opinion. Murray basically wanted his readers to equate marriage and economics as a partnership that grows the social class. Regretfully, his claims lacked any solid basis as his essay failed to present supporting data and information to back up his claim. Aside from a changing moral outlook within the middle class society, there truly does not seem to be any solid proof that his claim pertaining to the decline of the middle class economy in relation to the decline in marriage has a direct relation. In a modern society, women are expected to be financially independent. Thus, they are no longer beholden to men for their financial survival. Working class women have increased their participation in the modern work place and as such have managed to prove that they are quite able to take care of themselves, without a man. Although there are some who are in agreement with Murray about the decline of marriage existing in the lower income levels of our society, that does not mean that there has been a change in the moral

Why does Mackie think we need an error theory Do you think he is right Essay

Why does Mackie think we need an error theory Do you think he is right to believe that we need it - Essay Example The error theory suggests that morals are not absolute, that what is morally right or wrong vary from one society to another. It is a theory that states that morals are judged, not by the universal moral norms, but according to the society within which a circumstance calls for moral clarification (Dorsey 2006, p.495). When one considers the definition above, it can be stated that the morals are no longer absolute in different societies because of the fact that they have evolved over a long period, changing considerably from one society to another. A good number of the proponents of this theory, such as John Mackie, believe that morality was an invention of societies to maintain control over its members, and it is because of this that morality varies. If, for instance, morals and social norms were universal in all the societies, in the world, then there would have been no differences in morals, and as a result, the error theory would not have been developed. The error theory states th at the idea of morality or the adherence to morals depends on the assumption that they exist; this assumption being false because morals are not based on the reality of the situations being judged. Error theory can be considered a viewpoint where there is the belief that morality is dependent on the norms of the cultures, which practice it. It is these societies which determine whether the actions of individuals is morally right or wrong and those who propagate this theory believe that there is nothing that can be said to be the absolute truth concerning morality because what is considered to be right in one society may not be considered the same in another. If one were to consider Mackie’s statements concerning the error theory, the fact that what is considered morally right in one society may not be so in another show that morality is not a universal norm. There are often chances where what is considered morally right in one culture may be considered wrong in another, an ex ample being the situation of homosexuality. While, in the western world, homosexuality is an accepted norm in society, in other parts of the world, especially in Africa and Middle East, one would find that this practice is frowned upon, and those found in the act tend to be severely punished. Therefore, when it comes to the concept of the error theory, the opinion of what is right or wrong is not judged by norms that would be considered universal because of the fact that it cannot be measured nor do the said morals exist (Delapp 2009, p.8). Morals, if one were to follow Mackie’s argument, are made up by the societies, which put them in force and because of this, these societies become slaves to concepts, which are logically nonexistent. Among the main advantages of using the error theory when considering morals is the fact that a broad range of views concerning morals is taken into consideration. Since there is a wide variety of cultures and practices, it is easier for one to adapt to any situation that one may encounter through the understanding of the motivations behind the development of various cultural norms as well as look upon such morals in an objective way. Moreover, it can be said that the error theory can be used towards the development cultural understanding, which ensures that people are judged, not according to the opinions of other cultures, but according to that of their own cultures and societies. It recognizes that fact that morals are nonexistent and this creates a situation where societies can be studied on an equal footing. Since it is the society which judges what is right or wrong, the people within it have a clear understanding of what is

Gileadean regime Essay Example for Free

Gileadean regime Essay Explore the way in which Margaret Atwood presents Moira The Handmaids Tale. Refer closely to any literary and linguistic approaches where necessary. Within The Handmaids Tale Atwood presents us with many characters that are emotionally weak; Janine, Offred and even the Commander residing in the higher echelons of society all possess a deprivation of spirit brought about by the oppressive and restrictive nature of the Gileadean regime. In contrast to this we are presented with Moira and through her Atwood is able to create tension, conflict and a rebelliousness that is otherwise only seen in the recollections of Offreds mother. Moira acts as a representative for independence and liberty in the novel, she defies her oppressors and is seen by Offred as a role model that she finds impossible to aspire to. Moira constantly battles the status quo; she parades her lesbianism and manages on two occasions to defeat the system at the disgrace of the much-hated Aunts. She is confidant in both manner and speech. Dont move said Moira or Ill stick it all the way in The boldness of this imperative paired with the violent connotations attached to the  verb stick gives Moira the sinister tone she needs to intimidate Aunt Elizabeth. Moira is portrayed as an activist, she does not merely contemplate the possibilities of freedom as Offred does and Offred recognizes this with dissatisfaction as she muses the prospect of what she can do with the fan that she has been given. If I were Moira I would know how tot take it apart, reduce it to its cutting edges. I have no screwdriver but if I were Moira I could do it without a screwdriver. Im not Moira. This quote clearly outlines the practical nature of Moira juxtapositioned with the more theoretical approach that we would associate with Offred who loathes herself for it. The syntactic parallelism If I were Moira but if I were Moira points to the irony that Moira, in the same situation as Offred could use the fan to aid her escape. When we first learn of Moiras disappearance in chapter 22 we are not fully informed as to the details of her flight; the thought of Moiras freedom made the other Handmaids feel dizzy. Atwood purposely withholds this information to let the reader share in this feeling of suspense; the mystery surrounding Moira at this point  enhances her charisma. Offred recalls the Handmaids feeling a sense of victory over the aunts; Moira had shown that they could be defeated and so easily too, through Moiras actions the Aunts power was diminished. Having belittled the enemy she is seen to have great power, Offred refers to her as a loose woman a clichi connoting sexual freedom but cleverly a second implication of the characters unbridled power now that she is free. When Moira escapes, the future seems to hold promise for the Handmaids. The thought of what Moira could do now that she is free gives them a sense of presence, a  pressure reaching its climatic point. Moira was like an elevator with open sides. She made us dizzy This simile poses threat and the sense of freedom that Moiras escape gives the other women. Much of Moiras character is revealed to us through direct speech; This is a loony bin, Moira said. Im so glad to see you, I said Where can we talk? said Moira. The used of direct address here brings the reader closer to the story and builds tension and suspense through the feeling that they are present at the time of conversation. The colloquialism loony-bin reveals that Moira is a non-conformist; Atwood  creatively uses her as a reminiscence of the time before. Moiras interrogative response Where can we talk? conveys that Moira does not linger over sentimentalities as Offred would; it shows that she is active rather than passive. The clipped syntax reflects the rushed exchange of spoken discourse giving a nervous quality to both characters and reminding the reader of the volatile situation that the Handmaids are in. Moira is incredibly blas throughout the novel; her nonchalance shows even in her response to working at Jezebels which will lead to an impending death in the Colonies. Youd have three or four good years before your snatch wears out and they send you to the bone-yard. The vulgarity of the expletive snatch corresponding with the verb wears describes the female body in a manufactured way, dispensable for male pleasure and just as easily disposed of. It is this taboo language that Atwood uses to familiarize us with Moira. Her reference to the Colonies as the bone-yard is further evidence of Moiras ability to perceive things in a brutally realistic way. The fact that she is graphically aware of the inevitable doom she faces and does not react over-  sentimentally show Moiras unwavering courage. When Offred reflect on her student life in the time before we see that Moiras attitude to sex was then just as relaxed and liberal as it is under the Gileadean rule Im giving an under-whore party Tarts stuff, lace crotches, snap garters. Bras that push your tits up Here the three-part list indicates the casual attitude that Moira has towards sex, she is comfortable with her sexuality and her taboo language reflects this. The portmanteau under-whore adds humour to Moiras character and so contrasts with the present  where humour is essentially forbidden. Moira is irreverent and shows contempt to every aspect of injustice; Camaraderie shit How much do you want to bet shes got Janine down on her knees I bet she got her working away on that dried up, hairy old withered This quote is evidence of Moiras iconoclastic beliefs; there is a linguistic shock between the positive noun Camaraderie and the negative expletive noun shit. This shows the complete disrespect that Moira has for those who blindly follow the theocratic regime. Offred sees her irreverence as a source of power. There is something in the whispering of obscenities about those in power it deflates them, reduces them to the common denominator where they can be dealt with. Here Atwood uses visual language comparing those in power to something that can be deflated. This gives connotations of a balloon filled with air and its course is therefore precarious and fickle as to where it could blow. This is allegorical to the regime; Atwood makes the point that wherever there is oppression there is unavoidable rebellion. Moira sees through all aspects of the regime with explicit cynicism, in Jezebels she  analyses the actions of all the men in power with insulting accuracy. Its like screwing on the altar, your gang are supposed to be such chaste vessels they like to see you all painted up. Just another crummy power trip The pre-modifier crummy reduces the Commanders who perceive themselves as omnipotent to mere perverts. The use of the expletive screwing is further evidence of Moiras iconoclastic views. The use of the collective noun all painted up reduces the Commanders desires to petit and perverse, there is a linguistic shock to aid Moiras criticism in the antithesis of screwing and chaste vessels. Through Moira Atwood reminds us that Jezebels is a prescribed reality for those in power. The architects of this new society who claim their actions were to protect women from the world by eradicating pornography and prostitution are now seen as absolute hypocrites. Jezebels exposes the hypocrisy of the men who prate about sexual morality and then spend their evenings sleeping with prostitutes in a club, purpose built. The most poignant aspect of the novel is realised through the change in Moira. In their last encounter Offred learns that the spirit of both Moira and her mother, both  figures of transgression and resistance in the Handmaids life, have been broken. Throughout the novel, Atwood has set up a heroine in the eyes of both the Handmaid and the reader who believe that if there is to be a fortunate end to this grim tale then it will be accomplished through Moira. In their last meeting at Jezebels we disappointingly realise that this is not so; She is frightening me now because what I hear in her voice is indifference and a lack of volition. It is the abstract nouns indifference and volition that indicate the chance in Moira, the woman who, in times of need, Offred looked to as a source of hope has now become just like her, instead of embodying defiance Moira now embodies Gileads ability to crush even the strongest of spirits. I dont want to be like her as far as something I lack. Give in, go along, save her skin I want swash-buckling heroism from her, single handed combat. Something I lack. This three-part syndetic list describes Offred who has romanticised and projected on to Moira the qualities she wished she possessed and is here, along with the reader, sorely mistaken. I dont know how she ended Because I never saw her again What has happened to Moira is an anticlimax; we do not expect to be left unknowing, the novel now seems closer to real life than fiction and this brings the starkness of Offreds reality to the readers attention. Moiras spiritual demise and erasure is an elaboration of the full force of oppression Margaret Atwood presents us with, once a courageous, outspoken woman has become a despondent pessimist with no hope of escaping Gilead. It is this change in Moira that makes us realise the true awfulness of the situation so many women in the novel are in.

Reflective Essay on Developing Care Skills

Reflective Essay on Developing Care Skills Part B Value 1 : Caring One of the values that I had learnt is caring. Caring meant concern about others. Caring for others starts from taking initiative to approach people with sincerity, care for them, to know them and care for their feelings. If everybody in this world does not care about each other, they will become selfish and do not have friends. Therefore, we must care for each other, so that everyone in every corner of the world is able to feel the warmth. As a future nurse, I must be more caring for my patients. I should not only be concerned about the diseases on the patients, but also concerned about psychological reactions of the patients. I believe that one warm word, a gentle attitude, a friendly expression can encourage patients to speak out the truth and this may facilitate the nurses to find out patients’ psychological problems. By this, I believe that I can understand my patients very well. During my Primary 3, I always asked my classmates why they did not want to make friend with me and they told me I was very selfish and arrogant. I knew that they always bad- mouthed about me. I knew the reason, but I did not bother it. I was so stubborn and did not want to change it. For me, I thought that it was not my fault. I blamed them for ignoring my feeling. In childhood, I was this kind of person, a very rebellious person. Time to time, I realized that I was quite lonely. At this time, I was very upset. Consequently, I told my dad about my problem. My dad was listening to my complaint patiently and he even did not scold me. He just smiled and told me I must change my attitude towards people around me. He wanted me to imagine the feeling if I have a friend with a bad attitude like me. He also told me that people will treat us for what we had done for them. He wanted me to be more caring about others’ feelings. I agreed to what he said. From that time, I just realized th at how bad I was. I did not want to continue to be like that anymore. I want to change! I want to be a caring person. I must care about people’s feelings. My dad and my classmates had changed me. After changing the attitude, I gained back my friends. The happiness was beyond description. Till today, I am still very grateful to them. Without them, I think I was still behaving like what I had done before. Value 2 : Responsible Another value that I had learnt is responsible. Responsible meant to complete the duty with a high spirit. Someone who is responsible will not make any excuses. In any case, we will always be faced with several factors beyond our control and irresponsible people tend to blame on these factors, take them as an excuse. To be a responsible people, we should make sure that we do not go the same way. As a future nurse, I must be responsible to my patient. By this, I must fully grasp my patient’s condition, care and treatment. Be a responsible nurse, I must closely observe patient’s symptoms and signs and identify changes in the disease as well as provide an effective intervention for medical diagnosis. I must not only alleviate the suffering of the patient, but also obtain the patients trust, give the patient a sense of security. It was happening during my secondary school time. It was still fresh in my memory. He is the one whom I admired the most. He is just a cleaner, but his spirit cannot get out of my mind. I truly admired his hardworking from my bottom heart. He had given me a deep impression until today I still cannot forget him. The first time I saw him was on the way going home from school. I still remembered it was raining cat and dog that day. People on the street all dressed in a raincoat and hurried home under the umbrella. At this time, I saw a huge rubbish heap next to my house. There was a man standing there. â€Å"Who is in there? It was raining heavily. It should not be a cleaner at there, right? † I mumble. With questions, I walked past. I cannot believe that I saw an uncle with a dusty face, wearing a tattered raincoat. He was very carefully cleaning up the rubbish. I was surprised by his action. I had never seen a cleaner still working in the heavy rain before. â€Å"Uncle, why ar e you still working in the heavy rain? You can do it tomorrow. Why are you working so hard?† I asked him. â€Å"No, I am just unhappy if I do not clean it by today. Then, there will be more bacteria growing and it was smelly as well as affecting our health.† he answered. This time, I was stunned. He was very responsible in his job. Since then, I have never seen him, but his spirit had inspired me to be a responsible person. Part C During my life journey, I had learnt the value of caring. I learnt I should care about my health. Health is the valuable asset. For having a healthy lifestyle, I must care about my eating habits. First of all, I must eat at least two servings of vegetables and one serving of fruits every day. Eating more vegetables and fruits can gain vitamins, strengthen the immune system and even reduce the chance of illness. On the other hand, breakfast is the most important meal, if we do not eat breakfast, we will lack of energy for the day and over time it will be harmful to the body. Moreover, a snack is a big killer. Snack contains much of salts, sugar and chemical components which may cause a lot of problems to our body. I also must exercise at least twice a week in order to achieve the effect of exercise. I also had learnt the value of responsible. Be a responsible person, I do not smoke. Smoking is harmful to our health and it may even causes lung cancer and other diseases. Not only that, I also must have a good mind state to evaluate myself properly and deal with the pressures of my life. I must be an optimistic, cheerful and open-minded attitude to life. On the other hand, I must also set a target to establish good relationships with people around me and also actively participate in social activities. This will help me to maintain my mental balance. Furthermore, I also practice meditation every day. Meditation can promote blood circulation and even relieve the stress. It is a good way to make myself to calm down. Part D During my clinical attachment in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, I met a patient named Mr. Khoo. He is a Chinese and his dialect is Cantonese. He now aged 60. I am also a Cantonese. So, sometimes I spoke Cantonese with him. He was admitted to the hospital because of foot ulcers which was caused by diabetes mellitus. Before he was admitted to the hospital, he stayed in Ren Ci Community Hospital. His left leg was amputated. During our conversation throughout one week time, he had told me his life experience. He had suffered from diabetes for 5 years. He had eaten a lot of hypoglycemic drugs. He told me that he did not take care of his health condition since young. He liked to drink Coke. He basically did not do any exercises. Due to long-term work at the grassroots level and slept late, so he accustomed not to get up early in the morning. Due to sitting in the office for a whole day or business meetings, he basically did not participate in any sports. He also told me he liked to eat meat. Duri ng the past, he had always eaten lamb stew as his supper before going to sleep and he usually did not take his breakfast the next morning. Due to the long-term excessive meat, plus he did not like to eat vegetables, fruits, beans and his daily staple food are meat, so his weight in the past 10 years has severely excessive. He suffered from diabetes because of the previous living conditions. From his life experience, I noticed that healthy lifestyle plays a vital role in our life. (1419 words)

moralant Essay on the Moral Dilemma in Sophocles Antigone

Antigone:   Barbaric King, Hopeful Princess and Moral Dilemma Antigone is a play that mainly deals with differences among characters that cause life long drawbacks and threatening resolutions. The drama is portrayed through Antigone and Creon's characters who undoubtedly resemble each other. Although they try to be masters of their own fate and eventually succumb to grieving outcomes, they both seem to have the values of a tragic hero. Although, they have their differences, their battle with one another illustrates them both as moral characters full of pride and arrogance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antigone was born full of superiority and courage, yet leaves the world as a conquered person. She respects her family despite what has happened in the past and always seems to be loyal towards her brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, as well as her sister, Ismene. Antigone feels that abiding by the laws of the gods, is a valuable merit to follow. This theory gradually affects her actions and behavior towards Creon. The tragic flaw of Antigone leads to many lamenting events in the play. The manner she poses her characteristics in such as being stubborn and her raggedness portrays her flaw in the play. Antigone attempts to challenge Creon's love for power and accepts the punishment given to her. She bows to death because she is aware that she has done a good deed and she will inhale her last breath in honor. Whether Creon thinks of her as a traitor or not, Antigone knew the gods would reserve their judgment in favor of her. She never once reg rets burying her brother, which makes her character all the more admirable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alt... ...ys. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Be careful not to write sentence fragments. If your sentence does not have a subject and a verb, then tack it on to the end of the last sentence. . Who is the moral one of them? A barbaric king or a hopeful princess?   The last phrase is a sentence fragment because there is no verb.   Putting it onto the end of the last question would solve the problem.   Who is the moral one of them, a barbaric king or a hopeful princess? 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proofread carefully, there are several misspelled words in the paper. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Use quotes to strengthen your argument.   Using a quote for each point that you make backs up what you are saying.   You are giving proof that your argument is valid by pointing out where in the play the characters act as you say they do.     

Government and Politics - No Peace for the Middle East Essay -- Argume

No Peace for the Middle East Since its inception the State of Israel has been at war with the Arab countries surrounding it. Dating back to biblical times when the Israelites left Egypt after two hundred years of bondage there, they began forty years of wandering the desert in which they encountered many enemy tribes such as their sworn enemies, the Amalekites. Thousands of years later, the Arabs and Israelis are still fighting. The State of Israel began with the War for Israeli Independence in 1948. Israel has kept on fighting ever since. Over the lengthy span of time in which Israel has been at war with the Arabs, the people of Israel and the Palestinians have developed a deeply rooted hatred for one another. Terrorism has been another factor which has contributed to this loathing. On top of all this, is the cultural and religious clash which the two populations experience. However, in the past twenty years, Israel and the Arab countries surrounding it have begun taking the first few strides toward peace. The meeting of Menachim Begin and Anwar el-Sadat created the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979. This marked the beginning of the never ending struggle for peace. Despite the overwhelming political endeavor for peace, the people of Israel will never fully achieve a peaceful coexistence with their Arab neighbors, due to the dark history between the nations and the years of hatred which have transpired. In recent years, the Middle East has made serious advances toward peace. Menachim Begin and Anwar el- Sadat formulated and signed the historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979. It took immense preparation and the active participation of many of both countries?highest ranking officials and leaders to ... ...t with it many positive changes in the Middle East. In spite of what appear to be insurmountable obstacles, one can only hope for continued progress in the direction of peace and the best possible future for the Middle East. Works Cited 1. Weizman, Ezer. The Battle for Peace. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. 2. Gervasi, Frank. Thunder Over the Mediterranean. New York: David McKay Co., Inc.,1975. 3. Lustick, Ian. Arabs in the Jewish State. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1980. 4. â€Å"Middle East.?Microsoft Encarta. 1995 ed. 5. Friedman, Thomas L. From Beirut to Jerusalem. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1989. 6. Chafetz, Ze’ev. Double Vision. New York: William Morrow and Company Inc.,1985. 7. â€Å"Kol Israel News Broadcast.?http://www.artificia.com/ (January 17,1997) 8. â€Å"Daily News from Israel?http://www.iclick.com/news (January 21,1997)

The Language of Mistrust and Fear

From the beginning, Bram Stoker makes it clear that Count Dracula should be viewed as The Other, a psychological distinction that has been used to describe the way people view the world in â€Å"them† and â€Å"us†. Stoker uses the concept of The Other to show how different Dracula is from the English and to create an underlying tension between the remaining characters and the vampire. He also uses the psychological distinction as a means of preventing the characters from determining the nature of the vampire earlier as they are aware that they have societal differences from the count.The characters choose to overlook many of the first warnings of the oddness of the Count because they were afraid they were acting out of a misunderstanding about the cultural differences. Stoker manages to establish Count Dracula as the other easily within the first chapter of the novel. In the first chapter, the impressions we have of Count Dracula all come from Jonathan Harker’s journal and Stoker establishes early on that Harker is uncomfortable with his surroundings.â€Å"The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East; the most western of splendid bridges over the Danube, which is here of noble width and depth, took us among the traditions of Turkish rule† (Stoker, Chapter 1). Even in his writing, Stoker decides to play up the strangeness of the land with the strange spelling of Budapest as Buda-Pesth. He establishes immediately that Harker is leaving the civilized world and going to a completely different land.He uses the lure and the mystique of â€Å"the East† to establish the difference all within the first paragraph of the book that Count Dracula is different from everyone else. As Harker travels inland, we learn that the count is from the edge of Hungary near the Carpathian Mountains, â€Å"one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe. † (Chapter 1) This is another attempt by the author to establish that Dracula is weird, and unlike the other characters. By claiming that he is from a wild and unknown region, Stoker is relying on the themes of Romanticism to imply that he is potentially evil and dangerous.And just a few paragraphs later he tells us that â€Å"I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool; if so my stay may be very interesting. † (Chapter 1). These lines establish clearly that Harker believes the people of Hungary to be less educated and different from the people of England. Furthermore, by establishing that he has heard they are a superstitious folk, he can justify their odd behavior to himself and not question the decisions that he is making (going alone to the Count’s castle despite their warnings).Throughout the novel, Stoker relies on the concept of the other to isolate his main characters from the world around them an d never is this as evident as in Harker’s initial journey to meet the count. All along the way, Harker is the tourist, intrigued and yet critical of local population. â€Å"The women looked pretty, except when you got near them, but they were very clumsy about the waist. † (Chapter 1) He describes the traditional dress and the more rotund nature of the populace as â€Å"clumsy about the waist† emphasizing the fashion of the time in Britain to be very thin with corsets cinching the waist in even farther.And, to the men, he is even less generous. The strangest figures we saw were the Slovaks, who were more barbarian than the rest, with their big cow-boy hats, great baggy dirty-white trousers, white linen shirts, and enormous heavy leather belts, nearly a foot wide, all studded over with brass nails. They wore high boots, with their trousers tucked into them, and had long black hair and heavy black moustaches. They are very picturesque, but do not look prepossessin g. On the stage they would be set down at once as some old Oriental band of brigands.They are, however, I am told, very harmless and rather wanting in natural self-assertion. To the average reader at the time of this writing, Stoker’s words about the people of Europe would have been strange and more than a bit fearsome, driven by the fear of the unknown. The author, realizing this, includes that very observation in Harker’s journal, when he hastens to explain that despite the many odd things in his journal, he had not overindulged in either food or drink, going so far as to list what he has eaten.There too, Stoker attempts to make the reader revile the locals with a comparison of their dinner to the â€Å"simple style of the London cat's meat! † (Chapter 1). Having established the physical differences between the inhabitants of Eastern Europe and those in London and draw attention to their different manner of dress and food, Stoker is ready to cut the last tie w hich might bind the two groups together: religion. On the eve of Harker’s approach to Dracula’s castle, the innkeeper’s wife attempts to prevent him from going.She relays the fear that something untoward will happen to him at the Castle and begs him to take her crucifix. I did not know what to do, for, as an English Churchman, I have been taught to regard such things as in some measure idolatrous, and yet it seemed so ungracious to refuse an old lady meaning so well and in such a state of mind. She saw, I suppose, the doubt in my face, for she put the rosary round my neck and said, â€Å"For your mother's sake,† and went out of the room. I am writing up this part of the diary whilst I am waiting for the coach, which is, of course, late; and the crucifix is still round my neck.(Chapter 1) In this short passage, Stoker firmly establishes that the Hungarians are not like the English, establishing them firmly as The Other, but he also manages to establish the ir humanity. When the woman asks him to take the crucifix, â€Å"For your mother’s sake†, Stoker overcomes the barrier between them, pointing to a common bond among all humans, the love of a mother for her child. This is done for two reasons: first, to illustrate to the reader that the oddities of the count are in fact unnatural and second, to begin to create a mood, to explain the beginnings of the fear that Harker feels as he approaches the castle.The reader is meant to feel that Harker’s observations about his trepidation as he approaches the castle at midnight are justified, that he is not merely some frightened little boy who starts at the darkness. This concept that the fear might be justified is building all along Harker’s journey to the castle and might have built more if he had understood the languages his fellow passengers spoke, Stoker writes, again playing to the classical definition of the other as someone outside our normal understanding, se parated by culture, religion and sometimes, by language.Then, in a subtle criticism of the Carpathians, another form of creating distance between groups, Harker observes that the roads and rough and that the driver seemed to â€Å"fly over it with a feverish haste. † (Chapter 1) This observation is meant to again set the people apart from the English who, it is implied, would never think of driving at such a pace and would have most certainly kept the road in better repair. â€Å"I was told that this road is in summertime excellent, but that it had not yet been put in order after the winter snows.In this respect it is different from the general run of roads in the Carpathians, for it is an old tradition that they are not to be kept in too good order. Of old the Hospadars would not repair them, lest the Turk should think that they were preparing to bring in foreign troops, and so hasten the war which was always really at loading point. † (Chapter 1). Even in his discuss ion of the fear of the Turks, Stoker is driving a wedge between the English and the Hungarians, as the British never feared invasion from aggressive neighbors thanks to the fact that they were on an island.This is just another means of driving a stake between the two cultures. For the normally reserved British, the thought of strangers giving Harker gifts along the way also helps to establish the difference between the cultures. â€Å"One by one several of the passengers offered me gifts, which they pressed upon me with an earnestness which would take no denial. These were certainly of an odd and varied kind, but each was given in simple good faith, with a kindly word, and a blessing, and that same strange mixture of fear-meaning movements which I had seen outside the hotel at Bistritz– the sign of the cross and the guard against the evil eye.† (Chapter 1). This passage actually plays on English attitudes in two matters: First, it would have been unconscionable to give a random gift to a stranger and make him feel that he must accept it. Second, the fact that they were actively demonstrating their religion and superstition was an act the British of the time would have found completely unacceptable. The British largely believed that church, the Church of England, was something you did when you went to services and not something to be practiced at any other time.Furthermore, the concept that you would let someone catch you making a hex sign of any sort was simply unbelievable. The British would simply be too polite to have anything in common with these heathens, further establishing them as The Other. In the end, Stoker’s work is masterful at clearly establishing the differences between class lines and cultures and creating The Other on numerous different levels. He establishes that Mina and Jonathan are the others when compared to Lucy and her well-to-go friends, both of them having been raised with next to nothing.He establishes Renfield a s the other via his madness and his actions during his fall to Dracula’s control and even Lucy is somewhat established in this manner, being the least learned and scientific of the group. Stoker made each of the characters unique and bound them to one another, but also invested in making clear divides between them to create an additional tension and confusion in the book that is just complicated by the arrival of Count Dracula. Upon the count’s arrival in London, he is regarded as exotic and interesting, a facet as completely a portion of The Other as the fear and trepidation.Often we are fascinated by those things that are different from us and we desire to see them, to learn more about them and even to imitate them while still holding them at a distance, knowing that they are not like we are. The fact that Stoker felt it necessary to establish this extreme difference when Dracula could easily have become the other certainly by virtue of being a creature of the night implies that Stoker was perhaps attempting to force the scholars that would read his novel to recognize a certain xenophobia within their culture.His depiction of the Eastern Europeans as highly different, almost medieval compare to the bustling and modern London can hardly be considered accidental. Stoker clearly had some thoughts about the way that the British observed the world around them and made Harker the extreme viewpoint of that British charm. Harker had to be an extreme, the most British of British subjects in his observations for stoker to force his audience to see how absurd such characterizations could be. Works Cited Stoker, Bram. â€Å"Dracula† Accessed at http://www. literature. org/authors/stoker-bram/dracula/chapter-01. html, December 9, 2007.