Interpersonal Attraction Essays - Social Psychology,

Interpersonal Attraction Relationships with the individuals around us are key to ones social existence. Personal accounts by people who have been isolated from the outside world serve as a reminder of our dependence on others. What draws us into these relationships? Studies of interpersonal attraction have concluded that people are attracted mostly to those that they find physically attractive and who are geographically close. The first step to understanding why we are attracted to certain individuals we must first understand an individuals person perception or the process of forming impressions of others. First impressions often help us to determine whether we are attracted to another individual. Our first impressions of an individual has a great impact on our perception of that person, even though we encounter that person for only a brief period of time. When we perceive a person we account for both the positive and negative characteristics of that individual. Although most people seem to be interested in another individuals positive characteristics, the negative information is usually weighed so heavily that it overrules all the positive information about that person. What makes another person attractive? Researchers have identified five factors that are important in determining whether we are likely to find another person attractive. These factors are physical attractiveness, proximity, competence, mutual attraction or liking, similarity or complementarity of interest and beliefs. Physical attractiveness is the most important factor in the early stages of relationships. In general, people are more likely to interact with people who they find physically attractive. As Krebs and Adinolfi once stated there is a growing body of evidence which shows that the average person drastically underestimates the influence of physical attractiveness. Although this factor is highly important in affecting the initial attraction, it tends to diminish over time. Physical closeness or proximity is another important factor in interpersonal attraction. Obviously, in order to meet, two people must share close proximity. The sharing of this space will help you to get to know a person better. In some cases becoming more familiar with an individual can lead to a dislike of that individual. More often, though, getting to know someone leads to a deeper relationship with that individual. . The third factor of interpersonal attraction is competence. People tend to be attracted to individuals with the same qualities that they possess, such as intelligence, strength, social skill, education, and athleticism. People who appear too competent may suffer a loss of attractiveness, because the individuals around them feel inferior when near them. Attraction is defined as a force that draws people together. Often times one individual's attraction of another will lead to a liking in return. One possible reason for this is that liking someone actually makes you more physically attractive. Many times a person will improve on their physical appearance to get others to notice. For example, when one wears more fashionable clothing. Another reason that ones attraction leads to mutual attraction is that you tend to be nicer to the people that you like, which in return makes you more attractive to them. We are most attracted to and become more involved with individuals that share similar backgrounds, educational levels, beliefs, values. But what about the theory that opposites attract? The principle of complementarity states that people are attracted to others whose traits or characteristics supplement or contrast their own. This is illustrated by the belief that outgoing individuals are attracted to individuals who are shy and reserved. Statistics show that individuals in long-term relationships prefer to associate with other people who are similar to them. Application of interpersonal attraction do not deal just with the search for love, but stem into the work environment and the classroom . Many researchers used personality test to find suitable college roommates. Also, studies have concluded that students tend to have higher grades if they relate well with the teacher. In conclusion, people tend to be attracted to individuals who are physically attractive, physically accessible and socially available; and similar in terms of purposes, backgrounds, beliefs, and needs. However , interpersonal attraction is not the only factor that effects the building of a strong and health relationship. A good relationship requires communication and the ability to adapt to one another Psychology Essays

Serious About Success Becoming A Business Savvy Author

Serious About Success Becoming A Business Savvy Author Self-publishing continues to gain traction and popularity as more and more established and aspiring authors choose to forge their own path in the publishing industry. At the same time, new technologies are making it seem almost effortless to upload a book and showcase it to the world- or, at least to whoever might find it on Amazon. The evolving publishing landscape has created an industry in which authors are much more likely to publish before they’re ready. If an author is serious about being successful, one of the biggest mistakes they can make is entering the book market with no plan or platform. Simply writing and uploading a book to Amazon isn’t enough to make a splash in the current book market, which is why it’s important for authors to develop a marketing plan that begins before publication. Crowdfunding is quickly becoming one of the steps authors choose to take in the pre-publication phase of their marketing efforts. People are able to raise funds for a creative project or business venture Campaign creators are able to devise reward tiers that aim to incentivize their audience to pledge financial support to their project. Rewards should be cost-effective for the campaign creator, but also provide value to the supporter. This means that every supporter receives something in exchange for their financial pledge, so authors shouldn’t be weary that they’re asking people for money. Through the reward-based model, authors are able to offer their book as a reward, which essentially allows them to collect pre-orders through their crowdfunding campaign. This presents not only a way for authors to gauge their audience, but also get a head start on book sales and encouraging reader reviews. Conducting a crowdfunding campaign also provides authors with a tangible way to market their book before publication. It can be difficult to promote a product that doesn’t yet exist, but a crowdfunding campaign serves as a landing page for readers to learn more about the author and their upcoming book. Even if an author doesn’t need funding, there is a great promotional opportunity that comes along with conducting a crowdfunding campaign. Lastly, this tool can help to forge a direct connection between authors and their readers. Authors don’t have access to their readers through marketplaces such as Amazon and traditional bookstores, but through a crowdfunding campaign, authors are able to engage with their supporters and can also receive data on who their supporters are and where they came from. Engagement is key to building a readership community and market analytics from campaign supporters will help authors focus future marketing efforts. Being an author is no longer about writing and publishing. Authors need to be business-minded and cultivate their writing into a platform. Being familiar with industry and market trends and also knowing what tools are available to help them engage with their audience are the keys to success. Crowdfunding may only be one step in the publishing process, but it’s quickly becoming one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Article Analysis - Essay Example The researchers divided the whole procedure into preference assessment, functional analysis, discrimination training and experimental design. For phase 1, the students were given a tight schedule and requirements, which were required to be fulfilled and they were asked to pick one coupon. They were allowed to opt between food item and a break (Kodak, et. al, 2007). Students showed a preference for food item in phase 1. In phase 2, many tangible items were also added to the second reinforcer of break in order to check the preference of students. In second phase, the children showed preference for food item again. In phase 3, the students were allowed to choose between the options a number of times by adding to one option or minimizing from other option such as the food item of high preference was changed with low preference food item or the break time was facilitated with toys, adult attention and so on (Kodak, et. al, 2007). The results obtained from three phases were assessed by the researchers against each other in order to know as to what choices are effective in improving the problem behavior of the child. The children showed a preference for food item when a brief break was available with less facilitation. However, in later phases, when different tangible items were added to the break, the children also showed a preference for the break. According to Kodak, Lerman, Volkert and Trosclair (2007), the inappropriate behavior of children can be improved if highly preferred items are used by teachers and parents as children with autism show a clear indication of diversion towards high preferred items. The reinforcers that are highly preferred should be employed for treatment of problem behavior of children. People should be able to assess individual needs by evaluating the preference of each and every child with developmental disabilities or autism. After

Climate Change in the boreal forests Research Proposal

Climate Change in the boreal forests - Research Proposal Example Migration rate of trees and plants will be explored through review of the available scientific literature and by studying applicable data as well as geographical maps pertaining to the subject. Scientists have been able to record the travels of boreal forest species in the past by linking the appearance and disappearance of tree with the Earths carbon dioxide level and temperature. These data will be further investigated and analyzed so that migration rates could be accurately established. The paper will also try to explore available models that have been employed to study the migration rate and consistency among the results derived from them. This will help correlate the results derived from the other statistical methods. That is how the true picture of migration rate can be found. Due to migration, boreal forests are likely to reduce at a much faster rate compared to what they can expand. The net effect will be drastic reduction in boreal forest cover releasing considerable amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. That will further speed up the rate of climate change setting a vicious cycle. The rate of migration, thus, will help predict the likely consequences in coming years and help us take remedial measures for the survival of

Oil & Gas Operations Industry Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Oil & Gas Operations Industry - Research Paper Example Despite these challenges, analyst have continued to forecast positive trends in this industry, particularly because the demand of gas and oil is on the rise, coupled with more advanced technology, which has improved production processes and fundamentally reduced production cost. My choice of portfolio in this industry is majorly motivated by the need to strike a balanced diversification, with the aim of spreading risks across different companies with different risk profiles, as well as maximizing the returns. In particular, I have diversified the portfolio across different companies that have invested from different geographical background, including the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Russia. Although the 10 companies that my portfolio cuts across, deals with similar products, there are slight differences on the combination of products that they deal with, which boost my diversification profile. This report will also provide a brief summary of each company, and some key re asons why I intend to invest in them. Most of the reasons are motivated by the need to diversify and mitigate the risks from different companies. The report has identified various challenges that this industry is undergoing, which has led to a conclusion that it has a high risk profile, but one worth investing in because of its optimistic long-term prospects. A comprehensive analysis of movement of prices of the shares for four weeks that ended mid May has been undertaken. Evidently, there has been a decline of share prices for all companies, which has led to loss of value of my portfolio, but this has not significantly affected my goals of making capital gain in the long-term, because these are short-term fluctuations, which are not likely to last for long. Essentially, I have undertaken the valuation of my portfolio in terms of US Dollar, and hence had to convert the value of shares that are traded in other currencies such as Chinese Yuan. This has significantly affected the accur acy of valuation of the portfolio as the exchanges rates are mere estimates. Different trends are made clear by use of tables and graphs. At the end, I have carried out a percentage analysis and found that the shares have fundamentally lost value. I have also used the Dow Jones Industrial Average as a benchmark to assess the performance of my portfolio. Investment Analysis A brief overview of Oil & Gas Operations Industry The oil and gas industry is operating under a challenging and a dynamic global marketplace and a progressively more adamant group of participants. The regulatory demand is increasingly putting pressure on the operations, and the demand growth is becoming sluggish, while the existing reserves are more expensive and difficult to generate. As the demand to meet future demand builds up, worldwide alliances are becoming more significant. Over the recent years, oil price fluctuation has become the order of the day. In spite of this, the companies in this industry have a challenging task of ensuring they focus on the medium to long-term conditions if they are to make credible decisions and achieve their growth targets. Investing in people, technology and R&D are critical to ensuring a lasting competitive edge (Dybvig & Stephen, 1985). The industry has to contend with mounting uncertainty that is particularly typical of the current decade. With tighter regulations and new policies to adhere to, long term planning and strategy are very critical, given the uncertain environment. In a bid to balance the mounting demand with sustainable and sufficient energy, oil and gas companies are adopting new technologies to supply

Feminist Research Into Soap Opera Audiences

Feminist Research Into Soap Opera Audiences Feminist Research into the field of television has made a vital contribution by studying the genre of soap opera and its audiences. The understanding of the relationship that the genre share with its audiences is important in gaining knowledge about why this genre has remained such a popular form, despite the continuous criticism that has been receiving from the television critics and journalists. Feminist researchers such as Ien Ang, Dorothy Hobson, and Lesley Henderson etc focused their research of soap operas in exploring how soap opera audiences use this genre as a medium to engage into social debates and interpret the drama in their own ways. Rather than focusing on the text alone, they have elaborated on how audiences bring their perspectives in the stories. These authors have tried to put themselves in this scenario and explored the study as fans rather than just being critics. As Brunsdon(1995, p.50, cited in Henderson, 2007, p.8) notes, On the one hand, there is a perceived incompatibility between feminism and soap opera, but, on the other, it is arguably feminist interest that has transformed soap opera into a very fashionable field for academic inquiry. The aim of this essay is to out light on and the work of this feminists by analysing and exploring the key concepts such as active audiences, and breaking away from the allegory that soap opera audiences are passive watchers. The aim is also to understand why women have always been the dominant members of the soap operas. Do they enjoy this genre merely for entertainment? If no, then what understanding do they bring to soap operas? Another aspect that this essay touches upon is to critically understand whether soap opera writers lack creative ability, as people especially non soap opera viewers, often think that the storylines of such genre are dragged and over dramatized. Lastly, it touches on the social relevance that soap operas have, apart from just being considered as a source of melodrama and entertainment. Talking about television is part of the everyday work culture of both men and women (p 175). Discussing storylines in the form of gossip or debate, criticizing or applauding, sympathizing with the characters and relating to incidents that unfold in reel life with the real lives, are some of the processes through which soap opera audiences find this genre so entertaining. Breaking the myth of passive viewer One of the most crucial contributions made to the media studies by feminist researchers is the understanding of the relationship between soap operas and its audiences. The answer to the question why the soap opera is so popular lies in understanding the relationship it shares with its audiences. The effects that soap operas can possibly have on its viewers form the basis of their success or failure on television. Feminist researchers have time and again exhibited the importance of understanding the audience/text relationships. But, often soap opera audiences are stereotyped as passive viewers. As the term suggests, passive viewers are the ones who just blindly accept the information that is provided to them. There is a misconception that the members of this category do not use their own knowledge and understanding while watching the soap operas, as they are a product of fiction and fantasy. According to Hobson (2003, p.166), journalists and critic s often stereotype the soap opera audiences as easily duped mass, who fall prey to the melodramatic storylines. This assumption is stated by Seiter et al too (1997, p. 162). They add that critics feel that viewers usually turn off their brain cells while watching a programme, hence losing any critical ability to judge the merits and demerits of a soap opera. They do not understand the difference between what is real and what is fictitious. In a recent episode of BBCs Eastenders, the show tackled with the issue of cot death and baby swap. The episode was subject of a lot of debate and criticism. Viewers termed this particular storyline as awful tragic and sensationalism, especially since it was aired during the New Years time. Joyce Epstein, director of the Foundation For The Study Of Infant Deaths (FSID) was quoted in Mailonline saying, I just hope that people realise that this is fiction, this is not real life. I would hope people can view it as something that happens on screen and is not real life. Apparently, the show received around 5000 complaints about how the subject was so sensitive and the events were exaggerated. This means that the viewers were in fact critical of the subject and brought their own understanding to the topic. Another analysis of this could be that maybe viewers always have had opinions about soaps, its just that now their opinions are more visible because more and more people are using web tools and the whole issue is sometimes blown out of proportion to gain the attention. A viewers interpretation of the text could be in any form a moral argument, a social debate, a group discussion or a part of everyday gossip. Through all these means, it can be said that audiences are bringing their own experiences and opinions to the show and also add their perspectives to the stories. Soap operas depend on the audience following the stories and need their audience to be loyal and watch regularly (Hobson, 2003, p.161). This exemplifies that soap operas are constantly thriving on the support of its audience, and if the audiences discontinue their support, then soaps cannot run for a long time. According to Gillespie (1996, p.13), spending time on watching soap operas is a productive way to understand how viewers consume the text, images and narratives. This thought is also resonated by Slade, who supports the concept of active audience and asserts that viewers do not just accept a producers perspective of a particular story, add their own meaning to it through their reactions. This statement in a way contradicts the famous Hypodermic syringe model which subscribes that audiences are under the spell of media producers and that the audiences act and think according to what the media is trying to tell us, rather than putting your understanding to the media texts. Philip J. Hanes(2000) suggests that rather than understanding the audience/text relationships through effects model terming audience as passive viewers, it is important to focus on a new approach through Uses and Gratification model , as this model focuses on how audiences use and interpret media texts rather than focusing on what effects media has on the audiences. According to the model, audiences have specific needs and actively turn to the media to consume various texts to satisfy those needs (Hanes). Originally targeted towards women above the age of thirty, are shows like Desperate Housewives and Sex And The City. These are now widely popular amongst women in their twenties. Male viewers also e njoy these shows because of the glamour quotient; these viewers would otherwise avoid soap operas. Audiences are not blank sheets of paper on which media messages can be written; members of an audience will have prior attitudes and beliefs which will determine how effective media messages are (Abercrombie 1996, 140, in Hanes April 2000). In her research on audience reception of American Prime time show Dallas, Ien Ang (1985, p.26) found that each of the viewers watching the show shared an exclusive relationship with its characters and storyline. This experience or bond that they feel could be a product of their thinking, their social surroundings, and their background or depending on their social class and age group. Gender studies Why do women audience dominant this genre? As mentioned, soap operas heavily thrive on their viewers attention. And a large part of this audience is dominated by women. Because this genre deals with storylines and themes that are melodramatic, emotional, fantasy based, critics would argue that that are the reasons that soap opera producers can easily attract womens attention. But, feminists researchers believe that there are valid and important reasons as to why women love viewing these types of programmes. Undoubtedly, Soap operas are a means of entertainment, and provide the pleasure of viewing fictitious lives. Emotional realism, the fantasy world, melodrama are some of the reasons that evoke women to watch soap dramas but at the same time, it is important to note that female audiences bring a whole new meaning and knowledge to the soap opera viewing experience. One of the most exceptional qualities that women possess (as a gender) is the ability to relate and empathize with experiences. However, Ang(1985, p. 82) argues th at the fact that women love watching soaps is not so much associated with their social surroundings, especially housewives per se and that they are inclined towards a melodramatic lifestyle. Rather she points out that women are accustomed to tackle any situation psychologically, filled with a lot emotions. Hence, it becomes easier for them to identify with tragic structure of feeling inscribed in the dramas. In her work on audience reception of Crossroads, Hobson (2003, p.168) observed that women related the content of Crossroads, with their own personal lives, by relating the stories and characters with everyday lives. The problems depicted in the programme bore resemblance with the problems that they experienced. A lot Indian audiences, (again mainly women) enjoy watching soap operas because they feel that some of the situations or events in these programs teach them how to tackle family issues, since most of the dramas revolve around family lives as the main theme while rivalry, extra marital affairs, form the sub themes. Another important aspect that attracts women towards soap operas is fantasy world, which offers things and experiences that one cannot experience in real life. It acts a mode of escape from a daily routine in to the world full of possibilities. Pleasure of fantasy lies in its offering the subject an opportunity to take up positions which she could not in real life.The best example could be that contemporary soap operas such as Desperate Housewives and Sex And The City (SATC) narrate the story of women who are independent, powerful and charismatic, but at the same, they are shown to have their share of lifes struggles, and as expected they manage to work their way through domestic problems and family quarrels. For women viewers, such situations act as a means of forgetting their own personal problems by getting engrossed in such programmes. It gives them a chance to divert themselves from the pressures of their mundane life. Women form a personal bond with such characters and start im agining themselves to be like those fictitious characters. For some women, solving a domestic issue is too serious an issue, but when from a third persons point of view, they watch a TV character going through the similar situation, it tend to imagine the issue as a minor one. Moreover, apart from emotional involvement, these shows celebrate free spirited nature of womanhood by focusing attention on female friendships. In her interaction with women via group discussions on SATC, Deborah Jermyn found out that the programmes realism lay predominantly in its depiction of the womens friendships and conversation particularly within the scenes where they meet together as a group to talk.(Akass and McCabe, 2004, p.214) Moreover, the location of the show, New York, for some women, added the escapist quality to their life. However, Mary E. Brown makes a contrasting point here. She argues that soap operas usually portray women characters as passive and powerless on one hand, and sexual objects for men on the other (Brown 1990, p. 75). She gives the examples of strong and positive women characters such as Christine Cagney from Cagney and Lacey, and Maddie Hayes from Moonlighting. The former portrays the life of two strong, independent, working women living life in a modern way. Brown stresses that such positive representation of women on soaps operas act as potential role models of its female audiences. From such a perspective, it is only logical to claim one should strive to offer positive role models by supplying positive images of women. (Brown, 1990, p.83). Hobson (2003, p. 178) echoes Brown views by noting that The women characters that were seen as the most popular were those who had to struggle against the vicissitudes of life. British soap operas often are based on the topic of emotional realism. They are considered to be realistic in nature. In her discussion on English soap operas, Hobson found out that women audiences felt that the female characters in the show held strong popularity because they had the ability to cope with difficulties. Such qualities, as per Hobson are considered as admirable (Hobson 2003, p.178). Many of the characters in the series Coronation Street and Crossroads were women who themselves had to confront problems in their everyday lives, and the resolution or negotiation of these problems within the drama provided point of recognition and identification for the women viewers(167-68) Gender studies play a vital role in understanding how different members (male or female) of audiences think about a particular soap drama. It has been mentioned above how women have the ability to relate to the fiction and bring their own meanings to the soaps. Women, especially housewives who are considered as the prime targets of this genre, generally find this medium to get away from their mundane domestic life. Hence, they switch on to soap operas and watch stories of women who either have better or worse lives than theirs. It gives them a reason to escape from their own surroundings for a while. Men, on the hand, ideally prefer entertainment. They think that soap operas are dramatized beyond belief. They believe that soaps are generally slow and even a little fictitious incident in them is dragged and hyped. Moreover, they cannot be bothered to watch every episode of the show. In short, they are not brought to think emotionally as women usually do. This is an argument put forward by some theorists that identity of a soap opera viewer is inscribed in the soap itself. Soap operas identity is most dominant by women viewers. The competences necessary for reading soap opera are most likely to have been acquired by those persons culturally constructed through discourses of femininity. (Morley, 1992, p.129 cited in Chandler, 1994). Death of creative writing? Due to the qualities that soap operas inherit: exaggerated storylines, melodramatic imagination, tragic structure of feeling, emotional realism, escapism, it is often assumed that they tend to lack creativity and originality in terms of writing. In the recent years, there has been an increase in number of soap operas that are being produced. This might give television critics a reason to think that soap operas have nothing new to offer to its audiences, except stretched storylines and themes. This genre is originally meant to provide entertainment and the reason that it is successful in doing so, is because its audience loves it. They love being a part of writers fictitious world and then, also have the advantage of bringing their own endings or beginnings to these soaps. Moreover, it should be noted that the makers of such soap operas often take examples from real life events and situations and then play them out by adding drama and fiction to it. More importantly, the issues that formed the basis of stories were those which were important and relevant at the time when they were conceived and had a place within the planned storylines (Hobson 2003, p. 201). Since, they cater to a vast amount of audiences, it is impossible to the soap producers to not be reflective and not tackle the everyday issues. In a recent episode of BBCs Eastenders, the show tackled with the issue of cot death and baby swap. The episode was subject of a lot of debate and criticism. Viewers termed this particular storyline as awful tragic and sensationalism, especially since it was aired during the New Years time. The example that is previously mentioned about Eastenders, also to a certain extent implies that soap opera storylines do take instances from real life events. Another quote by Joyce Epstein, (FSID) saying, I would hope people can view it as something that happens on screen and is not real life. However, she did say that, But cot death does happe n (Thompson, 2011). This shows that scriptwriters do take instances from real life or issues that affect people and played them out on screen. Rather than saying that soap opera writers lack creativity, it should be said that they possess reflectivity, the tendency to reflect their views through dramas, while keeping in mind its relevance. As Henderson notes, Creeber challenges the perception of a decline in quality programming and argues that we should not lament the death of the single play but should instead celebrate the generic hybridity of television drama (Creeber, 2004, p.15, cited in Henderson, 2007, p.15). A T.V drama writer has the whole world of imagination to choose from, (Henderson, 2007, p. 9). They have the gift to experiment with the storylines, introduce new characters from time to time, bring mini climaxes and dramatize cliff hanging moments. The Eastender example manage to grab the eye balls apart from becoming a topic of debate, and both these points work in the favour of the show, because it keeps the audiences hooked and possibly also get the attention of viewers who are not regular watchers. According to Henderson, 2007 (p. 168), the production team behind the working of soap operas most often bring their own experiences to the show, hence acting as surrogate audience. Hendersons thoughts are echoed by Hobson as well. Hobson argues that the biggest advantage soap operas have as compared to other genres is that this genre has the scope to engage the audiences by exploring the events based on daily lives. Soap opera writers stay true to their audiences by showing their high creative ability to adapt real life situations rather than manipulate them. The repetitive nature of soaps, with its core of established characters, may also allow a level of identification and empathy which is impossible to replicate in other fictional forms. (For example, the single play) p 174 h) Ang states a rather different view on this. She asserts that exaggerated plots and themes function as metaphors for lifes torments.(Ang, 1982, p.63) She adds that this should mean that there is a lack of creativity or originality in the soap operas as critics who opine this ignores the structural function that lays this genre. The repetitive nature of soaps acts as metaphors for lifes torments in our culture, speaking directly to the imagination of the public.(Ang, 1982, p.64). An exploration of the important issues in everyday life, the soap opera provides a set of representations which can be seen as vibrant reflections of reality. They work because they reflect important issues and they connect with the experiences of the audience; unless they make that connection they will not succeed. After all, shows like Eastenders have always talked issues such as teenage pregnancy, issues related to drugs, suicides and extra marital affairs. Social relevance Lesley Hendersons research in the field of television fiction stresses on the argument that television fiction is not simply is a site of pleasure but it also is a site of definitional power (Henderson, 2007, p.8). She also adds that Soap opera has emerged as a format within which controversial or socially sensitive issues are played out (Henderson, 2007, p 12). As soap operas cater to a wide range of audiences across the world, it becomes important for the broadcasters to own up a moral responsibility by imparting social education to the audiences, apart from just entertainment. When producers realised that the audiences were slowly getting alienated from family dramas, they shifted their focus on socially relevant issues like Child marriage, eve teasing, female infanticide and other important issues and incorporated them into stories. Soon, the television fiction saw a huge change in the way soap operas were earlier perceived. Women, Men and children and elders, everyone started wa tching soap operas again and applauded the creative teams for talking about issues that were long ignored. Television fiction has largely been studied as a site of entertainment and pleasure despite its importance in relaying social meanings and cultural forms (Grispurd 1995, p.21, cited in Henderson, 2007, p.7). A recent T.V drama, Nivedita, talks about the issues of HIV/AIDS. Inspired from education oriented soaps operas produced in South America, this soap opera follows the route of education as entertainment, as described by its makers. Its a 26 episode series and at the end of episode, viewers get to see a short message on HIV/AIDS awareness by celebrities. In a developing country like India, where HIV/AIDS epidemic is one of the major concerns, a soap opera like Nivedita is a good way to educate the audiences about the epidemic. Besides, in India, television and film actors are considered as demi gods, whatever they do, good or bad, audiences keenly observe them. According to marketing strategy followed by media owners, incorporating a social message as a part of storyline is an eff ective tools because viewers relate to them in a better way (Pain, October 2010). The secret is to make sure that the drama remains recognisably real while subtly redefining reality in such a way as to alter perceptions of what is normal and good (Carlin 2003 in Henderson, 2007,, 2007, p.18-19). The fictional soap operas and the situational comedies give us an impersonal way to begin a debate about moral issues. (Slade, 2000, p. 424) Slade(2000, p.422-423) provides an example of Mirada de Mujer, a Mexican high quality telenova. Based on the life a women character Marie- Inà ©ss, this soap opera dealt with controversial themes such as AIDS, unwanted pregnancy and extra marital affair. It became a topic of debate not only in domestic sphere but also in the Mexican press. The life events of this central character were a constant topic of debate among Mexican household. Thus, this telenova was successful in generating enough controversy and encouraging people as well members of the audiences in participating in social debates. But, in order to be a success in terms of attracting the audiences, such soap operas need to thoroughly understand the audiences needs as well. The producers of soap operas that deal with a certain social message need to make sure that the message is clearly put across to the audience, for them to continue watching the show. (Henderson, 2007, p.19) They should avoid making the drama look like a documentary or a commentary. Contemporary soap operas audiences feel the need to be entertained with every scene. Hence, a right balance of entertainment and seriousness is a must for such a soap drama. How is this genre different from other dramas? Unlike some of the other genres such as crime, the format of soap opera is not meant to be full of suspense, where the audiences are supposed to tune in everyday to see the suspense unfold, rather this genre is a product of a long, slow, and complex fiction which becomes successful in engaging the audiences, as they are tempted to know more about the storyline and characters. According to Ang (1982, p.57), even as the theme is recurring and repetitive, it works in the favour of the audience, as they start viewing the show not as an outsider but as one of members of that show. aUnlike a talk show, where audiences are just made sit and watch two people converse, in soap operas, the main theme is constructed in a way that it seems never ending. Life in a soap opera is full of troubles crime, rape, burglary, extra marital affairs. The French semiologist Violette Morin points out, for example, that the popularity of the television serial could derive from the fact that the life depicted in it seems to proceed more slowly than real life. (Morin cited in Ang, 1982, p.81) This could mean that in todays contemporary society, where people have to just rush through moment, due to time constraints, they till crave for a life in slow motion. A small incident in a soap drama stretches for minutes, sometimes days, hence bringing a melodramatic meaning to audiences life, which they normally do not experience. The longer they run the more impossible it seems to imagine them ending.(Geraghty, 1991, p. 11, cited in Chandler, 2004) Conclusion: Undoubtedly, as Charlotte Brunsdon put it, soap operas today have become a subject of many syllabuses, rather than being considered merely an object of ridicule. While it has been mentioned that audience engage and contribute their understanding in the viewing of soap operas, it should also be kept in mind the judgment of this knowledge and comprehensive study largely depends on a viewers own awareness of culture and experiences, meaning that a particular story or a scene in a soap, could possibly have different meanings. It can also be concluded that soap operas take the process of communication beyond the experience of television viewing itself, in the form of social debates, imitating the fictional characters and their lives. Through the analysis of Angs work, it can be said that soap opera audiences relate to the metaphors that storylines often depict and this is study is relatable to contemporary soap opera audiences as well. The pleasure of watching a soap lies in i ts exaggerated plots, emotional sufferings and cliff hanging plots. The experience of watching a soap drama is very personal too, because everything is told from a personal viewpoint. Another assumption that can be disrupted from the research on Active audience is that contemporary soap opera audiences have become smart and aware of that content they are watching. They can no longer be fooled by the programme markers. That means, even programme makers have to deal with certain challenged to keep the viewers engaged. So, it is a possibility that in an effort to keep the audiences glued to the drama, producers today resort to techniques such as over dramatizing the events, sensational stories, spreading true or false link up stories of their TV actors in media, because today since news spread really quickly, owing to the internet and hence, such means help the producers in grabbing eyeballs. After all, any publicity is considered to be good for such shows. Lastly, it is important to understand that soap operas were originally meant to offer a company to housewives, who fitted their daily routine work around soaps. A domestic life of any person is filled with all kinds of emotions. These are used as metaphors to depict situations and events in soaps. While it is a valid argument that emotions are portrayed in extreme ways of melodrama, it cannot be denied that these metaphors are sourced from real life events, more or less. Apart from providing entertainment to their audience, a soap opera producer also holds the responsibility to regular be reminded of their social responsibility as a broadcaster. Critics, who view soap operas as merely a source of repetitive pleasure, need to understand that socially relevant themes can also act as means of pleasure for the audiences. After all, bringing up socially relevant issues too form a source of moral debate in the contemporary society. But when what has happened in the last thirty years or so is, a strange restructuring of presenting women on screen. This point is most valid with context to contemporary shows such as SATC and Desperate Housewives. While it has been pointed out that such shows celebrate the true spirit of women, but at the same time, shows trivialises the female condition by making them into money hungry, male craving pieces of physicality. A valid query could be do they want anything else? is the changing the attitude of the people or are people forcing their opinions onto shows? Similarly, another stereotypical notion arises when one views Indian TV soaps, where the traditional housewife is shown as the positive role model while the sexy modern thinking woman is the vamp. The strange aspect of this is that these stereotypes are still prevalent; somehow these facts are overlooked by audiences because of the popularity this genre holds. Lastly, the reason that audiences keep coming back to their favourite soap operas each and every day lies in the fact that they not only do they relate to the storylines and characters but it is the personal experiences and memories that these soaps show which intensifies their relationship with this genre, because they feel that they have been through such situations at some point of time. As Hobson (2003, p.202) puts it, The future of soap opera of intricately interwoven with the power and desire of the audience.

Of Mice And Men - Curleys Wife Essay -- English Literature Essays

Of Mice And Men - Curley's Wife â€Å"I never seen no piece of jail-bait worse than her† (George) what is the reader supposed to think about Curley’s wife? In the Steinbeck novel ‘Of Mice and Men’, he introduces us to the character of Curley’s wife. She could be interpreted as a mis-fitting character in the novel, as no one relaters to her. This essay will go on to examine the character of Curley’s wife and how characters perceive her and how this influences the readers interpretation of her. The social setting of the novel is also important, as it could later explain characters attitudes towards other people. It is set in the U.S. in the 1930s; this is the time of the Great Depression. This was a result of the First World War. It affected the rich and poor alike, factory workers and farmers, bankers and stockbrokers. In short, it affected everyone; no one was left untouched. But of all the people hurt, farmers were the worst off. John Steinbeck chose to write about farmers hoping that Americans would recognize their troubles and correct the situation. The great depression is known to be the worst economic disaster in the U.S history. For this reason the depression caused many people to change their ideas about the government and economy. Curley’s wife is probably the most loathed on the ranch. The way she looks and acts leads other characters in the novel to see her as a â€Å"tart†. George makes his opinions clear just after he first met her â€Å"Jesus, what a tramp†, and â€Å"So that’s what Curley picks for a wife†. She just wants some one to talk to. Males on the ranch don’t like her because they think she will get them into trouble. They make judgments without getting to know her first. They judge a book by its cover. Curley, her husband doesn’t trust her with the other ranch hands. She was just out of place on the ranch, and because of that, must have been a really lonely person with lonely feelings. Curley’s wife is given a reputation of causing trouble between other characters from different characters in the novel. There is no evidence of her living up to all of the reputation in the novel. Candy says â€Å"Well she got the eye† which could have many meanings and then he backs that up with â€Å"I seen her give Slim the eye† and finally he says â€Å"Well I think Curley’s married†¦a tart.† This explains his views on Curley’s wife. And when she dies he calls her a ... ...mass of emotions between the men, the conflict of killing Lennie. And Curley finally showed some caring emotion â€Å"I know who done it.† â€Å"That big son-of-a-bitch done it† Is when he begins to show the love for his wife. Curley talks about going to kill Lennie, which shows that his wife may have been a big part of his life a nothing is going to replace her. Curley’s wife is a difficult character to understand. Steinbeck hasn’t named her; this could be for a number of reasons. He may have wanted her to be seen as lonely therefore not naming her shows no one gets close enough to her to call her by her first name. He may have done it to show the other characters only see her as the wife of Curley rather than an individual. He may also have done it to show the male attitudes towards females. Curley’s wife also helps to provoke mixed emotions in the reader. We often feel sorry for her such as when she talks of her loneliness, but on other occasions the reader can find her cold hearted. This is seen when she is racist towards the other characters. Most of Steinbeck’s characters are stereotypical, or have some form of a stereotypical view towards them and Curley’s wife is no exception.