Youth Cultures Able To Incite Moral Panics Media Essay

Youth Cultures Able To Incite Moral Panics Media Essay So what the media produces is what the public wants to here. The intensification of the medias articles on subjects are ready-made and they have usually an emotional and far reaching opinion about what should be done. Again Cohen says these are (Cohen, 1980: p 199) the moral barricades are manned by editors, bishops, politicians and other right-thinking people; socially accredited experts pronounce their diagnoses and solutions Really what we mean is that if there is a potential to threaten social order then currently Youth Culture is probably the number one culprit. Looking into the Mods and Rockers era of the 1960s the media was criticised for over-reacting. Reporting huge clashes with young out of control teenagers who were only there for one thing and that was to fight and cause as much chaos and havoc on the beaches of many resorts throughout the UK. Eamonn Walsh (2009) I predict a riot: Panorama on Mods and Rockers [Online Image] Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/panorama/2009/05/i_predict_a_riot_panorama_on_m.html ( Accessed 10 November 2010) In fact many of them liked to have a day out in their particular youth culture. What the public saw as a riot was seen by the Mods and Rockers as having a good time. Moral Panic therefore can be seen as a perception it can define certain criteria and characteristics of modern day social problems. These problems emerge from time to time and can be directed by the media into their judgement on what the answer or remedy should be. In fact this can increase in intensity and ceased upon by so called specialists or experts, that will maintain that particular theme of contemporary youth culture at the time and make it into a frenzy. So it is easy to see that Moral Panics are reactions to perceived threats. So how can I liken an event in the same way in these days. Since the election the Conservative and Liberal parties have shown their own government figures that (D. Martin August 2010) more than 100,000 young people are living on benefit. What the government are saying is that up to 75% of claimants are able to work and are not sick at all. They can use the figures to blame the outgoing government and create a modern incitement into the current youth, this in turn invokes a moral panic. One M.P was even quoted as saying (Mr Grayling M.P) These figures are a sad indictment. and I am shocked at the challenge we now face. The public are now seeing that many young people are living of benefits that they are paying from their taxes. This clearly can show some intense responses gathering momentum to hysterical effects. This is in many ways is an exaggerated perception that the Coalition wish to cover as a social issue and need the public reaction to be expressed in outrage. But at the same time giving the impression that they are best suited to be able to overcome this fear and do something about it and get young people back into the working environment. Moving on to a slightly different tack, but still using the same route mentioned above in young people and contemporary youth culture. We can look at young unemployed girls who deliberately get themselves pregnant. This is seen as a social issue that has caused moral panic in the media by what is reported as thousands of young girls staying single getting pregnant and then asking the local authority to house them taking them out of the labour market. As they dont work they also live on state benefits jump the housing cue and have been given the designation of deliberately getting pregnant to get all handouts This ran for a long time in the late 90s and still comes back into the media as a moral threat to society. This sensationalism I suspect has now bought an urgency into the coalition government where they will stop this freeloading and will deal with part of Youth Culture which will see them in a light of dealing with the situation in what will be seen as a popular and welcome mov e. A similarity with current trends with Cohens study of the Mods and Rockers is young people going around in hoodies. If a crowd appear, the moral panic appears to be that if you wear a hoodie you will be part of a gang on the rampage or maybe even involved gun crime or knives. In an article from Workers Liberty dated 5th June 2005 one of the largest retail parks in the Country Bluewater, in Kent decided to ban the wearing of hoodies in their shopping centre. The reason given was that groups of people, young males in particular wearing hoodies might cause customers to find them threatening and stay away from their retail park. I personally think that the moral panic here worked in Bluewaters favour. It sent an immediate message to all customers, dont go anywhere your hoodie-infested local shops and come to our safe environment. Apart from stereotyping the youth, there were many retail clothing outlets that actually stocked hoodies and in fact promoted the purchase of them because they knew that young people walking around Bluewater would buy them. They came in their thousands! Interestingly it could be that such topics involved in Moral Panics have existed for some time. Then suddenly along comes an incident that can start the concept. In fact on most occasions this comes and goes and is soon forgotten ready for the next occasion. One of the occasions that has had very deep and lasting obsession to do with Youth Culture was the Leah Betts episode. This involved drugs abuse in youths and was and still is a relevant contemporary part of youth culture. Another study which had a lot to do with young people taking drugs was written by Jock Young. This was a study into youths smoking cannabis. This time of behaviour was soon latched onto and vehemently condemned. In her book Postmodern and Popular Culture McRobbie says of Young (McRobbie, 1994 p.204) Young, increased the likelihood for further deviance. Young, argued that the media can contribute to social problems. With that said looking at the Leah Betts case, It was one of the biggest media episodes in histor y. The drugs abuse circus was in full swing and although it keeps appearing now and again, Leah Betts bought it right into the front line. A classic Moral Panic headline was given by the Independent on Sunday on January 21st 1996. Ecstasy is the equivalent of slaughtering babies This made compelling headlines and allowed the paper to sell many additional copies. The emotional lines of a few simple words was in fact not strictly true. Leah Betts death it was officially stated died from drowning because of the excess water intake she had from taking the Ecstasy Pill. The whole feeding circus would not let go and her parents made many sacrifices in trying to pursued the general public that ecstasy was the number one danger to youth in this day and age. Even to the point of showing Leah unconscious on the ward of her hospital. So a Contemporary Youth Culture such as Drug Taking is looked at in terms in society, of perhaps unable to take accountability of its own failures. Just before leaving the Leah Betts story, An unfortunate internal memo from the Glasgow Social Services Director in 1996 was leaked, where the Director had said Ecstasy is a relatively safe Drug So was this director being sensible and was her memo taken out of context. She likened E as nothing like as dangerous as drink and tobacco, for instance, and three times more people die of paracetemol, while thousands more young people die driving their first car. Some people even warned her Public people cannot speak honestly about drugs and hope to live! In conclusion I will use a quote from Cohen as to why Moral Panics in Contemporary Youth Cultures will continue to flourish and will not go away. (Cohen, 1987. P 204) More Moral Panics will be generated and other, as yet nameless, folk devils will be created. This is not because such developments have an inexorable inner logic, but because our society as present structured will continue to generate problems for some its members The examples I have given outline contemporary youth cultures in different aspects and undoubtedly are still being able to incite moral panic and will continue in the foreseeable future. Perhaps if the media were unable to do this how would they provide a popular point of view for people to support or indeed worry about that it could affect them.

Night World : Huntress Chapter 14

Did you have trouble getting away?† Hugh said It was the next morning, a very different sort of day from yesterday. The sky was overcast and the air was heavy. Everyone Jez had passed at the Concord BART station looked a little depressed. â€Å"Eh, a little,† she said, and sat down by Hugh on the platform. They were at the far end of the station, beyond the covered area with benches, beside a little concrete security house. It was a safe and private meeting place since the station was almost deserted after the morning commute. â€Å"They chained up my bike with this huge chain. Claire drove me to school-she's been watching me like a werewolf guarding dinner. And Aunt Nan called the office to make sure I didn't cut† Hugh shifted in concern. There was a tiny breath of warm wind, and it stirred his fair hair. â€Å"So what did you do?† Jez grinned. â€Å"I cut.† She shrugged and added, â€Å"I got a guy from my auto shop class to drive me here. It wasn't hard.† He smiled at her sadly, his gray eyes distant. â€Å"But they're going to find out. Jez, I'm really sorry for completely messing up your life.† She shrugged again. â€Å"Yeah, but if I don't do it, everybody's life is going to be even more completely messed up. Every human's.† â€Å"I know.† He shivered slightly. Then he drew up his legs, clasping his arms around them. He looked at her with his chin on his knees. â€Å"So what did you find out?† â€Å"That the girl Morgead thought was the Wild Power isn't.† He looks so cute that way, Jez thought helplessly. So-compact. Morgead would never sit like that. Hugh winced. â€Å"Great. You're sure?† â€Å"Yeah. It was a little kid, eight years old, and she was something special-but not that. She was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jez tried to think of a way to describe it. Hugh watched her with eyes that were clear and fathomless, sad and wry and gentle all at once. And suddenly Jez got it. She gasped. â€Å"Goddess-I know! She was like you. That kid was an Old Soul.† Hugh's eyebrows went up. â€Å"You think?† â€Å"I'm sure of it. She had that same way of looking at you as if she's seen all of history and she knows that you're just a little part. That†¦ trig picture' look. As if she were beyond stupid human things.† â€Å"But not a Wild Power,† Hugh said softly. He looked half discouraged and half relieved. â€Å"So then the Morgead connection is useless.† â€Å"Actually, no. Because he's got evidence for the Wild Power on videotape.† Jez explained about the movie and the fire and the blue flash. â€Å"So somebody around that kid is probably it. I know that area and so does Morgead. We may be able to find out who.† Hugh chewed his lip. Then he looked directly at her. â€Å"It sounds dangerous. Just how is Morgead taking tins-you coming back and all?† Jez stared out across the BART tracks. They looked like regular train tracks, except for the big one labeled danger electric third rah.. There was a sound like faraway thunder, and then a train came whizzing up like a sleek futuristic white dragon. It stopped and a few people got on and off in the distance. She waited until it left again to answer. â€Å"He†¦ wasn't very happy at first. But then he kind of got used to it. I don't think he's going to make any trouble-unless he finds out, you know.† She wasn't sure what else to say. She didn't want to talk to Hugh about Morgead-and she certainly didn't want to explain what had happened. Especially not when she was so confused about it all herself. â€Å"You still think he'd hate you if he found out you were half human?† Hugh's voice was quiet. Jez laughed shortly. â€Å"Believe it. He would.† There was a silence, while Hugh looked at her. Suddenly Jez found her mind posing an odd question. If it were Hugh or Morgead, which would she take? Of course, it was a completely ridiculous question. She couldn't have either of them. Hugh was an Old Soul, and beyond her reach. Not to mention that he only thought of her as a friend. And Morgead might be her soulmate, but he would murder her if he ever discovered the truth. But still, if she did have a choice†¦ Hugh or Morgead? A day ago she'd have said Hugh without question. How strange that now it came up the other way. Because, impossible as it was, deadly as she knew it to be, it was Morgead she was in love with. And she had only just understood that this moment. What a pity that there was no hope in the world for them. Jez found herself giving another short laugh- and then she realized that Hugh was still looking at her. She could feel color rise to her cheeks. â€Å"You were miles away again.† Tm just foggy. Not enough sleep, I guess.† Plus all that fun yesterday. She was still sore from the stick fight and the fall with Iona. But that wasn't Hugh's problem. She took a breath, groping for another subject. â€Å"You know, there was something I wanted to ask you. Morgead said the Council had dug up another prophecy-about where each of the Wild Powers is from. Have you heard it?† When he shook his head, she quoted: â€Å"One from the land of kings long forgotten; One from the hearth which still holds the spark; One from the Day World where two eyes are watching; One from the twilight to be one with the dark.† â€Å"Interesting.† Hugh's gray eyes had lit up. † ‘One from the hearth'†¦ that's got to be the Harman witches. Their last name was originally ‘Hearth-Woman.' â€Å" â€Å"Yeah. But the line about the one from the Day World-that one's a human, right?† â€Å"It sounds like it.† â€Å"That's what Morgead thought-that's why he thought the little girl might be a Wild Power even though she was human. But what I can't figure out is what it means by ‘where two eyes are watching.'† â€Å"Mmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hugh gazed into the distance, as if he liked the challenge. â€Å"The only thing I can think of that combines the idea of ‘Day* and ‘eyes' is a poem. It goes something like ‘The Night has a thousand eyes, and the Day only one.' The one eye being the sun, you know, and the thousand eyes the stars at night.† â€Å"Hmpf. What about the moon?† Hugh grinned. ‘I don't know. Maybe the author wasn't good at astronomy.† â€Å"Well-that doesn't help much. I thought it might be a clue. But the truth is that we don't even know if it's the human Wild Power we're after.† Hugh put his chin on his knees again. â€Å"True. But I'll let Circle Daybreak know about that prophecy. It might help eventually.† He was silent a moment, then added, â€Å"You know, they dug up something interesting, too. Apparently the Hopi Tribe predicted the end of the world pretty accurately.† â€Å"The Hopi?† â€Å"I should say, the ends of the worlds. They knew that it had happened before their time, and that it would happen again. Their legend says that the first world was destroyed by fire. The second world was destroyed by ice. The third world ended in water- a universal flood. And the fourth world-well, that's ours. It's supposed to end in blood and darkness- and end soon.† Jez murmured, â€Å"The first world-?† â€Å"Don't remember your Night World history?† He tched at her, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. â€Å"The first civilization was the shapeshifters'. Back when humans were scared to go out of their caves, the shapeshifters ruled and the humans thought of them as gods. Animal spirits, totems. It was Shapeshifter World. That lasted for about ten thousand years, until a bunch of volcanoes suddenly became active-â€Å" â€Å"Fire.† â€Å"Yeah. The weather changed, people migrated, and the shapeshifters lost control. After that it was really Witch World. The witches did better than everybody else for ten thousand years, but then there was an Ice Age-â€Å" â€Å"And the Night Wars,† Jez said, remembering. â€Å"When the vampires fought the witches.† â€Å"Right. And after all that, the vampires were in control; it was Vampire World. Which lasted about another ten thousand years, until the flood. And after the flood, human civilization really started. It was Human World, and it has been for a long time. The Night People have just been hanging on around the edges, hiding. But. . .† He paused and straightened. â€Å"That started about eight thousand B.C.† â€Å"Oh.† â€Å"Yeah. The millennium marks the end of our ten thousand years.† He gave his gentle, half-mocking smile. â€Å"We humans are about to lose our lease. Something's going to happen to bring blood and darkness and then there'll be a whole new world.† â€Å"Only if we don't stop it,† Jez said. â€Å"And we will- because we have to.† Hugh's smiled changed, softening. â€Å"I think we're lucky to have people like you trying.† Then he lost the smile completely. He looked uncertain. â€Å"Jez- you know, Old Souls aren't really beyond ‘stupid human things.' We're as human as anybody. And we †¦ I mean, and I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jez's heart was beating uncomfortably fast. The way he was looking at her-she'd never seen Hugh look like that at anything or anyone. Another rumble in the distance, and then a train came rushing in. Hugh blinked, glanced up at the digital clock display above the platform, then checked his watch. He cursed. Tm supposed to be somewhere. I'm late.† Jez's heart gave a strange thump. But not of disappointment. Weirdly, it was more like relief. â€Å"Me, too,† she said. â€Å"I'm supposed to meet Morgead before everybody else gets out of school. I ought to take the next train to San Francisco.† He still hesitated. â€Å"Jez-â€Å" â€Å"Go on,† she said, standing up. â€Å"Ill call you if I turn up anything. Wish me luck.† â€Å"Be careful,† he said instead, and then he was hurrying away. Jez watched him go. She couldn't help wondering what he had been about to say. Then she turned to walk back to the central part of the station. She was partway around the concrete guardhouse when she heard a noise on the other side. A stealthy, sneaking noise. Not the kind a security guard would make. Jez didn't hesitate. Smoothly, completely soundless herself, she changed course, turning back and going around the structure the other way to get behind the sneaker. The instant she had a clear view of the intruder's back, she jumped. She landed on top of her quarry, with a control hold on the person's wrist. But she already knew that this wasn't going to be a fight to the death. â€Å"Jez-ow-it's me!† Claire spluttered. â€Å"I know it's you, Claire.† â€Å"Let go of my arm!† â€Å"I don't think so, Claire. You having an interesting morning? Hear any good jokes?† â€Å"Jez!† Claire struggled, hurting herself, then got mad and hurt herself more trying to hit Jez. Jez allowed her to sit up, still keeping hold of her. Claire's face was flushed and wrathful, her dark hair sticking in strands to her cheeks. Her eyes were shooting sparks. â€Å"Okay, so I'm sorry for eavesdropping. I followed you when Greg Ludlum drove you here. I wanted to know what you were doing. I didn't know that you were completely freaking insane!† â€Å"Well, it's too bad you didn't figure it out earlier. Because unfortunately I have to kill you now to keep you from talking.† Claire's eyes widened and she choked. Jez suddenly realized that underneath all the sparks and the yelling her cousin was terrified. She let go of Claire's arm and Claire slumped away from her, rubbing it. â€Å"You-you are insane, aren't you?† Claire looked at her sideways, through clinging strands of hair. â€Å"I mean, all that stuff about the world ending-it's some kind of bizarre game you're playing with your weird friends, isn't it? Some kind of Dungeons and Dragons stuff†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What do you think, Claire?† Jez stood up and offered Claire a hand, worried that someone might notice them. She kept that hand on Claire as she herded Claire back behind the guard house. The truth was that this situation wasn't funny. Claire really was in trouble-because Jez was in trouble. Her entire cover was blown. Everything she'd worked for in the past year-Claire could destroy it all. Claire knew way too much, and Claire hated her enough to use it. â€Å"I think †¦ I don't know what to think.† Claire swallowed. â€Å"Who was that guy?† â€Å"One of my weird friends. Right?† â€Å"He didn't seem so weird. When he said things- I don't know. They sounded†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Claire's voice trailed off. Finally it came back, almost inaudibly. â€Å"Real.† â€Å"Great.† I am going to have to kill her. What else can I do? â€Å"It's not a game, is it?† Claire said, looking at her. All the anger was gone from the dark eyes now. They were simply bewildered and frightened. Then Claire shook her head. â€Å"But, I mean, it's impossible. Vampires and shapeshifters and witches-it's all just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off again. Jez was simply looking at her, with eyes that might be less silvery than a year ago, but that she knew were still pretty strange. And after a few moments Claire's gaze lost its focus and her whole body seemed to fall in on itself, as if it had lost something vital. Innocence maybe, Jez thought grimly. â€Å"Oh, God, it is true,† Claire whispered. ‘I mean, it's really true. That's why you're gone all the time, isn't it? You're off-doing something.† Jez said, â€Å"Yeah.† Claire sagged against the guardhouse. â€Å"Oh, God. I †¦ God. I feel so strange. It's like-nothing is what I thought.† Yeah, I know the feeling, Jez thought. When the whole world turns around and you have to adjust in two seconds flat. It happened to me, too, a year ago. But none of that was going to help Claire. All she could say was â€Å"I'm sorry.† Claire didn't seem to hear her. She was speaking in a voice that was just a breath. â€Å"That's why†¦ that's why all that weird stuff with your father. Nobody knowing anything about his family and all. I knew from the beginning that there was something about you; I just couldn't tell what it was.† Oh, great, Jez thought. Here it comes. She tried to keep her face impassive as Claire faced her squarely, raising her eyes with a look somewhere between wonder and dread. â€Å"That guy-he said you were only half human. Which means you're half†¦ something else?† â€Å"I'm half human and half vampire,† Jez said quietly. The interesting thing was that it was so easy to get out. She'd only ever spoken the words aloud to one person before: Hugh. Now she looked to see if Claire would actually faint or just fall down. Claire did neither. She just shut her eyes. â€Å"You know the really insane thing? I believe that.† She opened her eyes again. â€Å"But-I didn't know you could be. Half and half.† â€Å"Neither did anybody else, till I was born. I'm the only one.† Jez examined her cousin, realized that she really wasn't going to faint. When she spoke again, her voice came out more challenging than she meant it to. â€Å"So now that you know, Claire, what are you going to do about it?† â€Å"What do you mean, what am I going to do?† Claire glanced around, then her voice dropped as her eyes glinted with interest. â€Å"Look-do you, like, have to drink blood and everything?† â€Å"Not anymore,† Jez said shortly. What was this? Who would have thought that studious, straitlaced Claire would have such an interest in vampires? â€Å"But you mean you used to?† â€Å"Before I came to live with you guys. I thought I was a full vampire then. But I found out that I could live without it, as long as I didn't use my powers.† â€Å"You've got powers? Really? What kind?† â€Å"No kind. Look, enough with the questions. I told you, I'm not a vampire anymore.† â€Å"And you're not evil.† Claire said it flatly. Jez looked at her, startled. â€Å"What makes you say that?† â€Å"I heard what you were talking about, saving the world and all. I didn't understand it, but it sounded like you were on the right side. And-† Claire hesitated, then shrugged. â€Å"And I know you, okay? I mean, you're arrogant and stubborn and you never explain anything, but you're not evil. You just aren't-inside. I can tell.† Jez laughed. A real laugh. She couldn't help it. Of all people, Claire. She'd misjudged this girl who was her own age but had nothing else in common with her. Her cousin had unexpected depths. â€Å"Well, thanks,† she said. â€Å"I try not to be too evil- these days.† Then she sobered. â€Å"Look, Claire, if you really think that, and if you really believe that the stuff you heard was true-â€Å" â€Å"About the end of the world? I don't believe it. I mean, I heard it, and I believe you believe it-and when I first heard it I kind of believed it, but-â€Å" â€Å"Just-skip the rest and plain believe it, Claire. It happens to be the truth. And I'm trying to do something about it.† â€Å"Something about a Wild Power, right?† Claire wasn't sagging anymore. She looked almost excited. â€Å"But what's a-â€Å" â€Å"You don't need to know. The point is that if you want to, you can help me.† â€Å"I can? Really?† â€Å"You can help me by going back to school and forgetting that this ever happened. You can help me by keeping my secret and not ever saying a word about this to anybody. And, incidentally, you'll be keeping your family safe at the same time.† Claire looked away, worked her jaw. â€Å"This stuff you're doing is pretty dangerous.† It wasn't a question. â€Å"Very dangerous.† Jez stepped back. â€Å"And I'm late for it right now. So do we have a deal? Will you help me or not? Can I trust you?† â€Å"Or otherwise you're gonna kill me, right?† Claire looked at her sarcastically. Jez rolled her eyes. â€Å"Don't tempt me. Seriously, are you going to help?† â€Å"No.† Jez froze, looking down at the shorter girl. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Jez-don't get mad, but I don't think I can. Not that way.† Claire was looking back up steadily, her small face serious and surprisingly determined. ‘I mean how can I possibly just walk away, after hearing all that? If everything you said is true, how can I forget?† â€Å"You can because you have to. We all do what we have to do.† Jez looked around the station. Another train should be coming any minute. She simply didn't have time to spend convincing a human to stay out of business that would kill her. To properly explain it to Claire would take days. All she could do was ask for something she never would have imagined Claire could give her. â€Å"Claire†¦ there's no way I can convince you or make you do what I want. But I'm asking you-† She let out her breath and went on: â€Å"I'm asking you to trust me. I'm asking you to walk away and at least try to forget this. And to believe that I'm trying the best I can to do the right thing.† Claire kept looking at her steadily for a moment. Then, all at once, the dark eyes filled. They turned away, and Claire's throat moved once as she swallowed. Then, slowly, she nodded. â€Å"Okay,† she whispered. â€Å"I mean-it's okay for now. I mean, I guess I can talk to you later about it.† Jez let out her breath. â€Å"That's right.† Claire stood there for another second, then straightened her shoulders and turned away. But just as suddenly she turned back, looking tense and almost explosive. â€Å"There's something I have to say to you.† Jez glanced down the tracks. No train. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"It's-it's†¦ that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I bugged you and tried to get Mom mad at you and everything. I was just-I was jealous because they let you get away with anything, and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She shook her head fiercely and then went on, shrugging grimly as if she hated to admit it. â€Å"And, yeah, because you're so gorgeous and confident and everything. It made me feel bad and I wanted to hurt you. So. Anyway. There. I'm sorry.† She started to walk away, wobbling a little. â€Å"Claire.† Claire paused, then turned around. Jez spoke a little hesitantly around the obstruction in her throat. â€Å"It's okay. And thank you.† â€Å"Yeah.† Claire grinned and gave a little shrug. â€Å"See ya later.† She turned around and started walking again. See ya, Jez thought. She felt suddenly tired and strangely emotional. There was too much inside hen sadness and relief and worry and a new feeling for Claire. She crossed her arms and looked around the station, trying to relax, taking deep, even breaths. And saw two werewolves coming straight for Claire.

Wisdom in Revenge

A Savage Wisdom is a novel that chronicled the fictionalized life of Toni Joe Henry as inspired by the life and crime of Annie Beatrice McQuiston. She was the first and only woman to suffer the penalty of dying in an electric chair at a basement in a courthouse at Lake Charles. She was convicted of murdering a Houston businessman that was her lover.She turned into a cold-blooded murderer because she was consumed with passion and feelings of betrayal. However, at the beginning of the novel she is depicted as beautiful, naà ¯ve, Southern girl that would elicit sympathy from the readers. Because of her naivety, she was taken advantage by Herald Nevers. It is unknown to the girl that Nevers is selling indecent pictures of her. Furthermore, Nevers allowed other men to watch them make love with each other.She then realized that this man has turned her into a prostitute. She was eventually rescued by Arkie Burk. One incident leads her to the killing, while she and Burk were traveling; they encountered a hitchhiker that turned out to be Nevers. Consumed by anger, she lost control and killed Nevers. After the death of her ex-lover, she was imprisoned. While in prison, she had a love affair with a deputy that impregnated her. Before she was executed, she gave birth to a child.The author has been successful in inciting feelings of sympathy towards the protagonist from the readers. That is exactly what I feel towards the protagonist’s predicament.I do not necessarily like and agree to her life’s choices and her life’s decisions; however, she is not to blame. She appears to be a very beautiful, good, and naive girl that deserves love and attention more than what was given to her by Nevers. I pity her because her naivety was taken advantage of by Nevers.Her act of killing him is a kind of revenge for the humiliation that he has done. Women abuse are palpable because of a common belief that women are naturally, biologically, and emotionally weak in relat ion to men. Cases of sexual abuse spawned from another common belief that it is difficult for women to defend themselves.However, this was proven wrong by Toni Jo Henry. Her act of killing Nevers is exemplary. It serves as a model for men and even for women to take heed on the fact that women should not in any way be taken advantage of because they have the capacity to defend themselves by any means. This is where the title of the novel best works. It suggests the wisdom and realization that people get from the incident despite a savage one.While the act of killing may serve a purpose and Henry had a reasonable justification for it, I still believe that she deserves to be punished. I understand that she did the crime because Nevers has done her wrong. She needs to fight for her right as a woman and as a human being that should be respected despite her status in life. But that does not justify the killing itself.I believe that she has to be punished for the crime that she has done. I t was no doubt an act of retaliation and revenge that would not be justified in the eyes of criminal justice. For her to attain justice is to make the law work for her and not against her. A wrong done would not be made right by doing another wrong. I believe she has reasons to kill but those reasons are never justified in the eyes of the law and morals.Works CitedGerman, Norman. A Savage Wisdom. Thibodaux: Thunder Rain, 2008.

Societal Views of Women in the Victorian Era in Henrik...

Societal Views of Women in the Victorian Era in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, creates a peephole into the lives of a family in the Victorian Era. The play portrays a female viewpoint in a male-dominated society. The values of the society are described using the actions of a woman, Nora, who rebels against the injustices inflicted upon her gender. Women’s equality with men was not recognized by society in the late 1800’s. Rather, a woman was considered a doll, a child, and a servant. Nora’s alienation reveals society’s assumptions and values about gender. A woman was considered by society to be a doll because she was expected to be subordinate to her husband’s whims. Referring to a ball that she†¦show more content†¦She alludes to a child’s character when she says, â€Å"everything I think of seems so silly and insignificant† (26). Torvald replies with a condescending statement: â€Å"Does my little Nora acknowledge that at last?† (26). Torvald expects only childish talk from her. He even tells her she is â€Å"little,† like a child, and although he expects nothing more than child’s talk from her, he does expect to be obeyed. Nora plays the part of a slave in her subservience to her husband, for she is supposed to abide by his rules and be dependent on him. She is not supposed to think for herself and repeatedly told so by those around her. When speaking about Nora in her presence, Torvald says, â€Å"She is so terribly self-willed† (55). Nora has a conversation with Mrs. Linde, who also tells her, â€Å"Don’t be self-willed† (57). Torvald tells her, â€Å"I will advise you and direct you† (64). Nora is expected to be a dependent slave who follows her husband’s advice and directions. Women were also legally dependent upon men. The society’s laws of that time even required the male to cosign everything that a woman had to sign. Nora’s naivete in forging her father’s signature and trying to pay off the loan further emphasizes Victorian society’s assumptions about women’s inability to deal with a â€Å"man’s world.† These assumptions about women caused their gender value to be vastlyShow MoreRelatedA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1135 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play, â€Å"A Doll’s House† by Henrik Ibsen, and the novel, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, the two protagonists named Nora Helmer and Edna Pontillier depict feminist ideals during the Victorian era in their struggle for independence, both sexually and emotionally. Nora and Edna are feminists in the late 1800s, trapped in an era and a society dictated by men. Both works parallel together and are significant because they show how Edna and Nora awaken, as their roles and self-realization progressRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s A Doll s House2019 Words   |  9 PagesHenrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House† is a play that gives insight to the way of life in the Victorian era. What starts out as a story of a man and his lovely wife, begins to evolve into a story of Nora and her role as a woman in society at the time. Th e role of gender has always been a means for strife between man and woman. Despite the current times, there is still a wedge between expectations of a man or woman. During Victorian times, that wedge was much larger and the roles of Torvald and Nora were