The title of the film was Amistad and the film was released in 1997 Essay Example for Free

The title of the film was Amistad and the film was released in 1997 Essay The title of the film was â€Å"Amistad† and the film was released in 1997 on the territory of the United States of America. The historical period, portrayed in the film, is the year of 1839. It was the year when a terrible rebellion took place on board the Spanish ship La Amistad, which transported salves. It was the time when the slavery was abolished in the North and the South of the United States of America was discontented for they desperately â€Å"needed† slaves to work for them. American courts still decide whether the black person is free according to the place he comes from. The trial over the rebels from La Amistad asks the main question: †Are these rebels slaves or free people? †. The â€Å"free giving† North and the â€Å"enslaving† South were already opposing each other and their relations were rather problematic. The incident became a scandal as it truly reflected the conflict of that time. According to the American laws back then only Africans could be considered free people. The story takes place in the time-gap before the Civil War, which lasted from 1861 till 1865. â€Å"Amistad† is a true story about the slaves that try to go back to their motherland – Sierra Leone. La Amistad† is the name of a Spanish vessel with 53 African slaves on board the ship. The whole story is told be spokesman for the slaves named Joseph Cinque. The film describes the story of a ship approaching the American shore, where trading slaves is illegal. On the way to America the slaves manage to release themselves and kill the whole crew of â€Å"La Amistad† except two crewmembers they leave alive to navigate the vessel. Nevertheless, as they have no idea what direction they need to sail the slaves find themselves near the seaside of New England. The vessel arrested by the coast guards and the rebels get to the court of Connecticut. The Court considers the slaves to be premises and for that reason the lawyer that defends the slaves is a specialist on questions of premises. He is an ambitious young lawyer named Roger Baldwin. The defendants are accused of murder but for them the case is the fight where they have to prove that they are free people and not anyone’s property. Baldwin’s way to defend is very skimpy from the beginning, as he does not seem to feel the problem completely. He does not seem to understand that it goes not about property but about personal freedom of the Amistad slaves in the first place. When Baldwin gets the support of America’s ex-president John Quincy Adams the things change. Adams teaches Baldwin how to feel the case and emotionally deliver it to the court. Adams makes a fifteen-minute speech in Court and put a â€Å"human face on the dispute† showing that the slaves who organized the rebels were free people who were forced to leave their native land, were seized and therefore had to protect themselves just as any other person would have done. Steven Spielberg directed the film and the main motivation of the author was showing that every single person, not depending on the color of skin has the right to be free. In other words each person is born free and nobody can take this freedom away from him. According to Spielberg own words the film tell the viewer about: â€Å"how these Africans are hopelessly caught in the quagmire of the American justice system[1]. This motivation is easily seen through the opposition of the slavery and justice. Spielberg reveals it through a true story to let the spectator understand that this will always remain a problem, even in the contemporary world. The film definitely does give the viewer more insight on the historical period of the 1839, as it in the first places tells about the story was forgotten even by the contemporary African-American representatives [2]. The majority of people do not realize how deep was the problem and the film shows that even twenty years before the Civil War slavery prospered and black Africans did not have many opportunities to defend themselves. It reflects the system of justice of those days where a person that could not speak English was put in Court without even realizing what was going on and without any possibility to explain anything or provide a disclaimer. The valued and the attitudes of the period which is portrayed in the film are primitive – a salve is someone’s property and should be treated as a property. Trial over a slave was a trial where the judge needed to decide â€Å"Whom does this â€Å"thing† belongs to†. The film also reflects the values of the time it was made in. In the first place it is still the problem of racism that is raised even nowadays. It shows the roots, the reasons of the insult that has drawn an invisible line between white and black people. Another attitude seem in the film is the attitude towards court. What the movie says is that the Court has to be independent from anything. As true justice cannot be bought every person needs to be sure that if he not guilty– he will never be convicted. The film is made in accordance with the values of that time; nevertheless the â€Å"waft† of present-day values is rather observable in it. For instance the fat that the defendants were in chains inside the courtroom seem to reflect that a person is not guilty until proved to be innocent and but on the contrary innocent, until proved to be guilty. The characters are not more important than the event, but they harmoniously fit into it. For instance the character of Anthony Hopkins John Quincy Adams shows that the most important thing is to see the human face of the situation, to feel the situation, to emotionally outlive the suffering of other people. This is something that the event itself does not say. It is a human interpretation of the situation and this makes the personage of John Quincy Adams very important to the film, but hardly more important than the La Amistad rebel and the subsequent court. Conclusion: The interpretation of the main characters relates to the most prominent value of the American nation – freedom. This outstanding value is immortal and is something that unites the values of both of the times. The film’s ideology is clear: no human being can be a property of another person; nothing can be called just until it depends on any factors except objectivity; each human being is free from the very moment he was born to the world. Each person can choose and not to be dictated what to do or say. People have the power to choose for themselves and express their will – in other words no discrimination can be made based on the racial differences. The film is a satisfactory historical source. It actually shares the whole story, which is unknown to the majority of the audience, including African-Americans. The strength is that it showed everything very realistic, especially the recollections of the slave, giving the audience the idea of what these people experienced being slaves. The weakness is that it is maybe a little too much concentrated on the characters, than on the event itself. Some things are ignored such as the reaction of public or what in fact people did think about the whole deal. This film can definitely an additional source to study American History, but should not be the only one.

Animals vs. Humans in Medical Experimentation Essay -- Biology, Animal

For centuries mankind has experimented on animals for a number of different reasons. Early experimentation with animals was originally born out of curiosity but eventually became a necessity to find medicines to cure viruses and a myriad of illnesses. If not for the existence of animals, humans would be left to experiment on themselves at a high rate which would create a worldwide moral dilemma. Such a dilemma could be dictated based on the question of who should be chosen for experimentation; should it be a particular race or class of people? Animals commonly used in medical research are rats and chimpanzees. Over time these species have proven to be plentiful and they have exhibited the ability to sustain the various testing regimens that mimic human experimentation. â€Å"The need for animals in research, particularly medical research, is because of the need to determine the toxicity and dangers of new drugs.† (Prater 1). Animals are great learning tools for medical students. â€Å"For basic research, to understand a disease, dogs are an excellent mimic of the human cardiovascular system.† (Dixon 1). As one may see using animals as cruelty, it avoids the death of numerous humans. Animals such as guinea pigs can be tested on as opposed to performing a huge surgery on a human being and he/she does not make it through. The effect of some animals does not always affect people, but it can give you an idea of what dangers you may encounter. Other animals like, cats, mice, hamsters, rabbits, pigs, and sheep are also tested in labs, â€Å"animal research has played a vital role in virtually every major medical advance of the last century – for both human and animal health. From antibiotics to blood transfusions, from dialysis to organ-... ...des Improvements." PubMed.com. N.P. May 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. Gargaro, Carolyn C. "Animals Used For Medical Research." Gargaro.com. N.P. July 1991. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. Greek, Ray. "Is The Use of Sentient In Basic Research Justifiable." PEHM.com. N.P. Sept. 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. Jessen, Walter. "Animal Research: Animal Welfare Vs Animal Rights." HighlightHealth.com. N.P Sept. 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. Prater, Alicia M. "Should Animals Be Used For Experimentation." Helium.com. N.P. Nov. 2007. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. Rolling, Bernard E. "Animal Research: A Moral Science." Emboreports.com. N.P. Aug. 2008. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. Tatchell, Peter. "The Long Fight Against Animal Testing." Guardian.com. N.P. July 2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. Trull, Frankie L. "The Essential Need For Animals in Medical Research." AmericanChronicle.com. N.P. Oct. 2005. Web. 21 Nov. 2011.

Tennessee William’s Battle with Homosexuality Through Brick in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”

Tennessee Williams' Battle With Homosexuality Through Brick Tennessee Williams wrote a variety of plays over the course of his life. Although all his characters have differences from play to play, there are many patterns that can easily be recognized which reflect his struggles in his daily life. What can be noted in the patterns is not only the words the actor speaks or what is said on stage, but also the direction Williams gives them. Certain directions seem to be subtle speeches from Williams. Much of the direction is not just a movement but a literal feeling from Williams.The portrayal of Brick in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof mirrors the emotional struggle Williams had with accepting himself as an openly gay man in a closeted society. Reading Williams' plays, you get the vague idea of what his personal life and family were like. He grew up with an alcoholic father. His mother was distraught. After a childhood illness, Williams didn't grow into the broad shouldered, strong man his father wanted him to be. Although he knew his sister, Rose, was in trouble living with his father, Williams still left for college.Rose was more outspoken about their father's insane behavior caused by the alcohol, however she was forced to have a lobotomy in 1937 which left her brain damaged. Williams could neither â€Å"assert himself during family quarrels nor retreat† (Hayman 44). After going to the University of Columbia for a stint and failing out of military training, his father pulled him out and put him to work at a shoe factory in St. Louis. His hatred for the monotonous work of the shoe factory drove him to fill all his spare time with writing. Williams' writing included much of his past with his dysfunctional family.After Williams' enrolled at Washington University, his parents separated due to his raging alcoholic father. His outlet for being so misunderstood by his family, but also for running away, was his writing. Throughout the 20th century, there were a number of plays written about homosexuality. Although the topic was either avoided or never straightforwardly asked nor answered, Williams' characters had an internal battle with themselves. Coping with vices such as alcohol was common in his writings. â€Å"The plays were appeals for tolerance,† Hornby states, Misunderstood and despised—sometimes even by himself†¦ the homosexual had to come to grips with an excruciating problem. † Brick portrayed through his physical ailment, alcohol abuse and heartbreak over his dear friend, Skipper, became the prime example of how â€Å"homosexuality became a metaphor for self-knowledge, a growing awareness of the weaknesses and mortality that we all have† (278). Williams' stage direction paints the picture before the play even begins. In stage direction prior, we find out that the plantation, which will at some point be inherited hopefully by Brick has an odd past. [The room] hasn't changed much since it was occupied by the original owners of the place, Jack Straw and Peter Ochello, a pair of old bachelors who shared this room and all their lives together. † An element of suspense through Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is that there is no solid proof of homosexual activity confirmed, only assumed by the audience. He goes on to state that, â€Å"the room must evoke some ghosts; it is gently and poetically haunted by a relationship which must have involved a tenderness which was uncommon† (880).In Bibler's analysis of the structure of plantation life during this time, he discusses the importance of this â€Å"mythic love, loyalty, and devotion† present in the past relationship their life is now built upon. Williams' addition of the stage designer notes cause Brick's insecurities to seem as though he is regressing from the strength of the previous owners' â€Å"unnatural† relationship. From the beginning of â€Å"Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,† Maggie is not appreciated, barely recognize d, and needs more out of their relationship, especially children.Going along with the consistence of most of Williams' plays, Brick is the self-loathing drunk and Maggie is the tense, crazy wife. She puts up with so much due to her goals of family money from Brick's side. Her husband is an attractive man despite his injury and vices as Maggie is also portrayed and beautiful yet Brick has no interest in her. She is on edge because she is lonely yet still in a relationship with the shell of a man she once knew. Brick refuses to make love to her so they will not have an heir of their own. He has an injury to his leg which is a constant reminder of memories with his deceased friend, Skipper.His literal injury needs his crutch while his loneliness relies on alcohol. In the first scene, it is brought to the attention of the audience that the relationship between Brick and Skipper was fueled by more than just a common friendship and was emotionally stronger than something which could be co nsidered so simple. The play opens with Maggie attempting to woo Brick and with no success, in the second scene, it seems she snaps. Maggie is dramatic trying to get a reaction out of Brick, yet his offer is for her to just take another man.Simple as that. She then tries to forcefully have him and there is then the comical scene of Brick fending Maggie off with a chair as if she is a crazed animal. The lack of a passionate relationship between Brick and Maggie is due to his closeted homosexual desires. Maggie is the sexually frustrated and figurative â€Å"cat† on a hot tin roof. The man she loves and wants has no interest in her. He is basically handicapped by, not only his sexual desires at that time, but also emotional. This as a mirror of Tennessee Williams' actual life.He was commonly, â€Å"wanted but women he quite liked, without feeling any desire for them† (Hayman 147). In another way, Williams felt guilt for leaving his sister behind much like Brick felt guil ty for Skipper's confession of his love followed by his death. Williams also had his own vices, whether it be alcohol or sedatives, to deal with the â€Å"crippled† aspect of his own life fueled by being misunderstood in a dysfunctional family. By this time of his career writing Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, he had the standing as a wealthy white man. He portrayed himself in Brick as a closeted homosexual regardless of being out.His lifestyle choices could be skated around in daily life yet he would never be accepted in society at that time. Nearing the end of the first act, Brick makes a statement of honesty that is close to admission. â€Å"One man has one great good true thing in his life,† Brick states, â€Å"One great good thing which is true – I had friendship with Skipper†¦ Not love with you, Maggie, but friendship with Skipper† (Williams 45). It is never fully stated through the play the full truth of what happened between Brick and Skipper other th an the two of them holding hands as friends across two twin beds.However, his statement addresses the emotional intimacy of their relationship between the men. Disregard physical judgements and the friendship between the them was still stronger than the marriage Brick has with his wife, Maggie. Williams struggled in his own personal life with all the personal issues he presented through Brick. â€Å"Williams exercised the caution of a man living in times of intolerance concerning homosexuality, homophobic sentiments which he did not share,† explained Canadas,† but, rather, challenged, subtle — even, covert — as his methods may appear with the benefit of hindsight† (58).

Gender Discrimination Essay - 819 Words

The topic of gender discrimination is certainly a controversial one. Some of our group remembers their LIBS 7013 course, an entire course dedicated to studying Race, Class and Gender. It’s interesting to look at these issues from a moral point of view, and apply different principles to the circumstances at hand. Utilitarian View When we use a utilitarian approach, it is believed that â€Å"productivity is optimized when jobs are awarded based on competency.† The clear conclusion from this statement is that skills and abilities should be the first requirement to consider when evaluating a potential new hire, or promoting them to a different position. This approach is somewhat objective because the person doing the hiring could have different†¦show more content†¦Your place is at home, barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen.† If this were not the case, then where lays the evidence that men in managerial positions were fired or reprimanded for sexual harassment and discriminatory hiring practices? Instead, company executives ignored complaints and on occasion escalated the discrimination themselves. We can speculate that they did this for a number of reasons. Primarily they felt, and by most accounts still feel, entitled to protect their high paying jobs and lucrative bonuses because of the power, prestige and influence that wealth provides them. Furthermore, the powerful, wealthy men of Wall Street do not want things to change. The Ethic of Care they have adopted ensures that male family members and long-standing friends who think alike â€Å"rule† together. Better to belittle, intimidate, oppress and pay fines than to share. Conclusion Wall Street by nature is also opposite of the theory of distributive justice. Bankers, investment brokers, and investment firms goal is to maximize their shareholders, companys or individuals wealth. The idea of sharing resources or applying the most fair decision is almost unheard of. That is one reason why we have seen these Occupy Protests around the world. It is not fair that wealth is not being distributed. In today’s world, the equilibrium is shifting. Men are starting to do more jobs and tasks that were traditionally female dominated, and vice versa. Men are starting to stayShow MoreRelatedRacial Discrimination And Gender Discrimination962 Words   |  4 Pagesincreasingly being seen, especially on social media. It s a single word which people are using instead of the longer phrases disability discrimination or disability prejudice. 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