Book Review: Nemesis :: essays research papers

Book Review: Nemesis Name of Book: Nemesis Author:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Isaac Asimov was born in 1920 in Petrovichi, Russia. When he was three years of age, his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Brooklyn, New York. Asimov turned to full time writing in 1958. This accomplished writer is best known for his novels dealing with science fiction. However, his works extend to other subjects. These include humour, mystery, history, and some volumes involving the Bible and Shakespeare. He has published around 500 books for both young and adult readers. His most famous science- fiction writings are I, Robot (1950) and The Foundation Trilogy (1951-1953). Asimov was dubbed a Grand Master of Science Fiction in 1987 by the Science Fiction Writers of America. He died in 1992. Setting: The story takes place in two time periods. One set of events takes place in the present, while the other set takes place in the past, drawing closer to the present. It spans over a fifteen year period, beginning in the year 2220. Although most of the important incidents occur on the planet Erythro about 2 light years from our solar system, the novel shifts between Earth, space, and the Settlement named Rotor, which orbits the foreign planet. Main Character:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marlene Fisher is a very intelligent young woman at fifteen years of age. As a child, all who encountered her sensed that she was different. Her wide eyes absorbed all that was around her and seemed to know a great deal. Growing older, her â€Å"uniqueness† established itself as a gift in which she is able to read into the body language of others. A slight movement, a stuttered word, the smallest hesitation gives her indication as to one's true feelings and motives. Some mistake this gift as her being a â€Å"psychic†, but she is not. Marlene has only learned how to interpret little signs often overlooked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now a young woman, Marlene's uncanny ability has become quite developed. She finds herself constantly watching people's reactions, and does not hesitate to bluntly speak out what she has learned. Her intuitions sometimes get too interfering and she often crosses the line of being helpful. Many become extremely uncomfortable whenever in her presence, so she is advised by her mother against showing this talent. She tries to follow her mother's warning and her annoyance at the falseness of those surrounding her dwindles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Marlene is obviously an exceptional youth, she has troubles and stresses just like any other teenage girl. She knows she is rather plain looking and senses that others agree, but she has come to accept this fact.

Berger’s Portrayal of Men vs Women

John Berger’s Portrayal of Male versus Female Nudity and it’s relation to Modern Society In the book Ways of Seeing, chapter 3 by John Berger, Berger outlines his portrayal of the differences between men and women and the manner in which they are culturally represented by analyzing nude depictions of woman in the European artistic tradition through paintings. The paintings overtime have demonstrated that men have more power over women as they are the main spectators of the paintings, and the women are the object of the paintings.These standards described in his article are still significant in today’s society, as seen by the reaction of the public to the advertisement displays of male nudity for the Leopold Museum in Vienna. According to Berger, the male’s presence is all about potency, power, strength and his abilities. He is viewed as the dominant being over the woman whereas the women’s presence is about only her and what can or cannot be done to her. Women are more concerned with surveying themselves the way they think others will see them so that they can act in a way that is appealing toward the men.This suggests that the way she views herself is the way society will see her. This theory is displayed in the styles of the European paintings. The paintings are geared toward the male viewer which gives him a legitimate excuse for looking at the nude women in order to flatter himself. The paintings clearly demonstrate through the expression of the woman that the woman is aware that she is being viewed thus objectifying herself as a subject of a gaze. Berger simplifies this by saying â€Å"Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. † (Berger, 47).The overall point the chapter makes is that men have more power over women, and because of this, women are property of the men. Berger’s chapter gives many examples that support his portrayal that men are the more dominant gender. For example, when refle cting on the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it is Eve who gets punished, and Adam that becomes the agent of God. In another painting, The Judgement of Paris, Paris awards an apple to the women he believes to be the most beautiful thus turning beauty into a competition. The woman who is the most beautiful is to be owned by the judge, thus objectifying the woman to the man.Berger also mentions that some paintings also include a male lover however the attention on the women is rarely toward him, but is geared toward the viewer of the painting thus allowing the spectator the belief that he is the owner of the woman. Although Berger mainly talks about the cultural perspective of men and women, it is clear that his belief that men have more power over women are still occurring in recent society as seen in an article from The New York Times, and an article from BBC news on the public reactions to the nude male advertisements for the Leopold Museum in Vienna.Society today even creates this image that men have more power over women, and when the roles are reversed, as displayed in the male nude advertisements, it causes public outrage. In the BBC article, according to Tobias Natter, the director of the Leopold Museum, when it comes to male nudity, â€Å"Somehow it is taboo. † (Bell). It is true that male nudity is getting a new presence in modern society and is becoming increasingly more normal, however one can still assume a few reasons as to why there was an opposition to the display of the naked men on the posters.Going along with Berger’s view of women being the objects of the photos, the first reason is that having the men become the objects of the photos is extremely unusual and not something society is accustomed to. This is because the male is generally the power figure, and to see a man so vulnerable is such an unnatural thing. Another reason why these photos are deemed inappropriate is that because the male is now the object, the r ole of the spectator is now more difficult to define. Men do not want to be put in a position where they survey themselves. According to Berger, that role belongs to the women.Men also do not want to be seen as having less power and more vulnerability. Female nudity is associated with beauty and erotics. It is meant to be unthreatening. Male nudity however is much more challenging. Society in general is uncomfortable with seeing male genitalia in the public. Erich Kocina from the BBC news article states â€Å"We are not used to seeing a penis – I think that is the main problem for people. † (Bell). This opposition was reportedly greater among women because some women felt as though the images were pornographic and inappropriate for children to see.In the New York Times article, Klaus Pokorny, the museums spokesmen, stated that women had to shield their children’s eyes from the pictures of the naked men. (Cottrell). Also, because women are slightly more modest th an men, they might be more prone to embarrassment. Even though society has advanced in so many ways, it is still a little slow in adjusting to the views of men and women. Many people these days say that men and women are equal. More women are working â€Å"manly† jobs, and more men are becoming stay at home fathers. However, male versus female nudity still appears to be an issue.This should not be the way society thinks but unfortunately, nudity is still not totally accepted. The advertisements of the nude men should be a good way to open the eyes of the public to see the direction in which society is advancing and have awareness that men and women should not be portrayed so differently. Works Cited Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin, 1972. 45-64. Print. Bell, Bethany. â€Å"The shock of the (male) nude. †Ã‚  BBC News Magazine  [Vienna] 18 Nov 2012, Web. 19 Jan. 2013 Cottrell, Chris. â€Å"Viennese Museum to Cover Nude Ads. † The New York Times 17 O ct 2012, U. S Edition, Web. 17 Jan. 2013.

Taliban Decrees and Prohibitions Against Women

Immediately on taking over cities and communities in Afghanistan, the Taliban imposed its law, based on an interpretation of Sharia  or Islamic  law that was stricter than in any part of the Islamic world. The interpretation is at wide variance from that of most Islamic scholars. With very minimal changes, what follows are the Taliban rules, decrees, and prohibitions as posted in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan beginning in November and December 1996, and as translated from Dari by Western non-governmental agencies. The grammar and syntax ​follows the original. Those rules still prevail wherever the Taliban is in control – in vast parts of Afghanistan or in Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Areas. On Women and Families Decree announced by the General Presidency of Amr Bil Maruf and Nai As Munkar (Taliban Religious Police), Kabul, November 1996. Women you should not step outside your residence. If you go outside the house you should not be like women who used to go with fashionable clothes wearing much cosmetics and appearing in front of every men before the coming of Islam. Islam as a rescuing religion has determined specific dignity for women, Islam has valuable instructions for women. Women should not create such opportunity to attract the attention of useless people who will not look at them with a good eye. Women have the responsibility as a teacher or coordinator for her family. Husband, brother, father have the responsibility for providing the family with the necessary life requirements (food, clothes etc). In case women are required to go outside the residence for the purposes of education, social needs or social services they should cover themselves in accordance with Islamic Sharia regulation. If women are going outside with fashionable, ornamental, tight and charming clothes to show themselves, they will be cursed by the Islamic Sharia and should never expect to go to heaven. All family elders and every Muslim have responsibility in this respect. We request all family elders to keep tight control over their families and avoid these social problems. Otherwise these women will be threatened, investigated and severely punished as well as the family elders by the forces of the Religious Police (Munkrat). The Religious Police have the responsibility and duty to struggle against these social problems and will continue their effort until evil is finished. Hospital Rules and Prohibitions Rules of work for the State Hospitals and private clinics based on Islamic Sharia principles. Ministry of Health, on behalf of Amir ul Momineet Mohammed Omar. Kabul, November 1996. 1. Female patients should go to female physicians. In case a male physician is needed, the female patient should be accompanied by her close relative. 2. During examination, the female patients and male physicians both will be dressed with Islamic . 3. Male physicians should not touch or see the other parts of female patients except for the affected part. 4. Waiting room for female patients should be safely covered. 5. The person who regulates turn for female patients should be a woman. 6. During the night duty, in what rooms which female patients are hospitalized, the male doctor without the call of the patient is not allowed to enter the room. 7. Sitting and speaking between male and female doctors are not allowed. If there be need for discussion, it should be done with hijab. 8. Female doctors should wear simple clothes, they are not allowed stylish clothes or use of cosmetics or make-up. 9. Female doctors and nurses are not allowed to enter the rooms where male patients are hospitalized. 10. Hospital staff should pray in mosques on time. 11. The Religious Police are allowed to go for control at any time and nobody can prevent them. Anybody who violates the order will be punished as per Islamic regulations. General Rules and Prohibitions General Presidency of Amr Bil Maruf. Kabul, December 1996. 1. To prevent sedition and female uncovers (Be Hejabi). No drivers allowed to pick up women who are using Iranian burqa. In case of violation the driver will be imprisoned. If such kind of female are observed in the street their house will be found and their husband punished. If the women use stimulating and attractive cloth and there is no accompany of close male relative with them, the drivers should not pick them up. 2. To prevent music. To be broadcasted by the public information resources. In shops, hotels, vehicles and rickshaws cassettes and music are prohibited. This matter should be monitored within five days. If any music cassette found in a shop, the shopkeeper should be imprisoned and the shop locked. If five people guarantee the shop should be opened the criminal released later. If cassette found in the vehicle, the vehicle and the driver will be imprisoned. If five people guarantee the vehicle will be released and the criminal released later. 3. To prevent beard shaving and its cutting. After one and a half months, if anyone is observed who has shaved and/or cut his beard, they should be arrested and imprisoned until their beard gets bushy. 4. To prevent keeping pigeons and playing with birds. Within ten days this habit/hobby should stop. After ten days this should be monitored and the pigeons and any other playing birds should be killed. 5. To prevent kite-flying. The kite shops in the city should be abolished. 6. To prevent idolatry. In vehicles, shops, hotels, room and any other places, pictures and portraits should be abolished. The monitors should tear up all pictures in the above places. 7. To prevent gambling. In collaboration with the security police the main centers should be found and the gamblers imprisoned for one month. 8. To eradicate the use of narcotics. Addicts should be imprisoned and investigation made to find the supplier and the shop. The shop should be locked and the owner and user should be imprisoned and punished. 9. To prevent the British and American hairstyle. People with long hair should be arrested and taken to the Religious Police department to shave their hair. The criminal has to pay the barber. 10. To prevent interest on loans, charge on changing small denomination notes and charge on money orders. All money exchangers should be informed that the above three types of exchanging the money should be prohibited. In case of violation criminals will be imprisoned for a long time. 11. To prevent washing cloth by young ladies along the water streams in the city. Violator ladies should be picked up with respectful Islamic manner, taken to their houses and their husbands severely punished. 12. To prevent music and dances in wedding parties. In the case of violation the head of the family will be arrested and punished. 13. To prevent the playing of music drum. The prohibition of this should be announced. If anybody does this then the religious elders can decide about it. 14. To prevent sewing ladies cloth and taking female body measures by tailor. If women or fashion magazines are seen in the shop the tailor should be imprisoned. 15. To prevent sorcery. All the related books should be burnt and the magician should be imprisoned until his repentance. 16. To prevent not praying and order gathering pray at the bazaar. Prayer should be done  on  their due times in all districts. Transportation should be strictly prohibited and all people are obliged to go to the mosque. If young people are seen in the shops they will be immediately imprisoned. 9. To prevent the British and American hairstyle. People with long hair should be arrested and taken to the Religious Police department to shave their hair. The criminal has to pay the barber. 10. To prevent interest on loans, charge on changing small denomination notes and charge on money orders. All money exchangers should be informed that the above three types of exchanging the money should be prohibited. In case of violation criminals will be imprisoned for a long time. 11. To prevent washing cloth by young ladies along the water streams in the city. Violator ladies should be picked up with respectful Islamic manner, taken to their houses and their husbands severely punished. 12. To prevent music and dances in wedding parties. In the case of violation the head of the family will be arrested and punished. 13. To prevent the playing of music drum. The prohibition of this should be announced. If anybody does this then the religious elders can decide about it. 14. To prevent sewing ladies cloth and taking female body measures by tailor. If women or fashion magazines are seen in the shop the tailor should be imprisoned. 15. To prevent sorcery. All the related books should be burnt and the magician should be imprisoned until his repentance. 16. To prevent not praying and order gathering pray at the bazaar. Prayer should be done on their due times in all districts. Transportation should be strictly prohibited and all people are obliged to go to the mosque. If young people are seen in the shops they will be immediately imprisoned.