Social Media Impact on How We Interact Research Paper

Social Media Impact on How We Interact - Research Paper Example For example, improved technology in information systems nowadays contributes to increased terrorism activities globally as it also helps in curbing the activity. However, apart form global issues, there are legal, social, and ethical issues resulting from the use of information technology in daily activities. The work that follows shows how security as a global issue relates to consumption of digital media or how the world incorporates digital media to present information. Most undertakings in the current world have adopted and started using the rising technology in information. Technology has even spread in areas that are desperately poor. There are many issues associated with global security which affect the world given that insecurity is now an issue of concern in the world. The rising insecurity in the world is a major concern that needs all countries’ preparation to curb its rise. ... Rise in global insecurity has led to introduction of education to fight terrorism and other related practices for example, studies on criminology is as a result of increased rates of insecurity. Information technology acts as a medium and opportunity for learners and educators to access information on various curriculums on fight against insecurity or crimes. This is because literacy in information technology offers scholars information on doing more compared to doing things that they did by hand for example, data processing, retrieving or passing information from one person to another (Menten, 2013). Digital media nowadays allows scholars to participate in the most sophisticated global experiences in education. How does Digital Media help students in Education? 1. Global Media Literacy Proper utilization of Information technology, if well utilized can help students studying criminology and other security related curriculum. Development of media literacy globally helps students to ac cess media from different countries around the world which contain news from international angles. This helps them evaluate how different countries fight insecurity, information which other countries can apply to their fight against insecurity because mass media brings out various’ countries perception on various issues. 2. Opinions on Global issues Exposure about other countries’ opinions helps students to evaluate how the countries argue regarding fight against insecurity. It is only through improved information technology such as social media that students have access to these arguments (Menten, 2013). Menten gives an example where Muslim students design digital audio slideshows of the

The Role of Peer Feedback in Improving EFL Writing Skills of Saudi Essay

The Role of Peer Feedback in Improving EFL Writing Skills of Saudi English Major Students - Essay Example The essay explains the role of peer feedback in helping them improve their EFL writing competencies. Following this, a section of the paper presents the concept of peer feedback in detail. Finally, the last section looks at the issue of collaborative learning, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the process of peer feedback to help better understand this type of approach. Many researchers have found a positive relation between students’ writing achievements and the provision of feedback. It is seen that feedback improves writing skills since it gives both students and teachers a picture of students' progress and improvement. It is also considered to be â€Å"a key element of the scaffolding provided by the teacher to build learner confidence and the literacy resources to participate in target communities†. This paper makes a conclusion that peer feedback as it was presented in this essay can be a very beneficial collaborative activity in EFL writing sessions. Unfortunately, this kind of feedback is novel in many non-Western teaching contexts such as Saudi Arabia where teacher-feedback based classes are still dominant. The education system in Saudi Arabia is in the traditional style where it is loaded by rules, and is bound by a certain structure. Saudi students are taught writing by structured written exercises and traditional drills. Students’ writing is most often controlled and guided with model writings provided by teachers rather than allowing them to write freely. However, this situation could be changed with proper awareness of the educational problems and with appropriate writing instructions such as applying cooperative learning and peer feedback to make students better writers.

The Role of Psychology in Understanding Essay Example for Free

The Role of Psychology in Understanding Essay General Health Problems such as Coronary Heart Disease and Chronic Headaches Psychology has done a great deal in educating people about the processes and the ways the human mind impacts and affects body systems. Over the years, this field of science has provided people bases of understanding several cognitive processes and problems which people deal with everyday. However, as a broad field, psychology branches out to explicate other general health issues in terms of psychological causes, effects, and interventions. Some of these health problems which psychology covers today are the Coronary Heart Ailment and cases of Chronic Headaches. Hence, this paper aims to discuss and explain how the field of Psychology can be related to and how it can elaborate on these health problems. Psychology in Coronary Heart Disease Heart disease has been known all over the world to be one of the most common causes of death. In the United States alone, two weak hearts give off and die every minute due to heart ailments and other heart-related conditions (Clay, 2007). Considering this thought, it is not just the field of Cardiology that is working out on eliminating these fatal health problems. Over the recent years, a field called Psychocardiology or cardiac psychology now opens doors to explain how psychosocial factors and interventions can contribute to the acquisition of the disease (Clay, 2007). Coronary Heart Disease or CHD is a general term which pertains to the condition wherein cardiac ailment results from the shortage of oxygen that reaches the heart (Feuerstein, Labbe, Kuczmierczyk, 1986). The disease is widely recognized all over the world due to its horrible fatal rates which make information campaign about the disease very significant. Although many people know the basics about CHD, what some of them do not know yet is that there is a certain part of the disease that can only be explained by psychocardiology. Psychocardiology defines the distinct personality which has been found to be at risk of acquiring CHD the most. This was identified as the Type A person. Feuerstein, Labbe, and Kuczmierczyk (1986) explained this construct in their book, Health Psychology. Type A individuals are characterized as people who easily and/or frequently get impatient over usual everyday activities and experience difficulty in focusing on one activity at a time since they are always in a hurry accomplishing their daily tasks. People with ac Type A personality also tend to take more and more responsibilities than what they can actually accommodate (Feuerstein, Labbe, Kuczmierczyk, 1986). These kinds of people are found to be more prone to CHD since their behaviors and activities greatly induce stress and depression. Greater psychological reactivity, which causes their cholesterol levels and their blood clotting times to rise, and imposes heavier work load for the heart, was also found among Type A individuals (Feuerstein, Labbe Kuczmierczyk, 1986). Aside from this, various studies still further prove that there is direct and solid connection between psychological conditions and CHD. Psychological researchers have already focused on internal factors in order to view this presumed relationship between psychology and CHD closer. It has been discovered that factors such as depression, anxiety, and social isolation, which are all symptoms of certain psychological disorders, seem to contribute greatly to the acquisition of CHD (Clay, 2007). At some point, international cardiologists performed a world-wide survey and assessed 12,000 CHD patients. The survey includes criteria which determine whether they qualify to a state of depression before the diagnosis of CHD. The results report that 50% of the surveyed patients showed histories of depression which more likely can be considered as a major factor that led them to CHD (Marano, 2003). In reviewing these studies and researches in the field of psychocardiology, it may appear that psychology indeed associated with a lot of other health problems and issues such as alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction, eating problems and many others. Just like in CHD, all of these health conditions consist of factors and interventions which are attributed to people’s behavior, social stability, and personality and can only be explained through the principles and concepts in psychology. Psychology can enter the serious picture of CHD in a simple factor as stress. Stress is often taken for granted as a common phenomenon, but with the study of psychology and its relationship with CHD, it can be seen that stress has more to it than what people know about, because with the study of psychocardiology, it can be understood that stress can actually lead to the fatal CHD. Thus, several factors and interventions such as restlessness and stress can be taken for granted if not for the explanations brought by psychology. However, aside from CHD, there are still a great number of common health conditions which psychology tries to explore. One of these conditions is the common case of Chronic Headaches. Psychology in Chronic Headaches The pain and terrible uneasiness brought by headaches cause depression among patients all over the world. This disease has also been one the most common sources of frustration and despair due to the aggravating pain it causes (Disorbio, 2008). The main focus of relief and cure in chronic headache cases is the source of pain. Pain can be considered to be the major frustrating factor in these cases. As a physiological sign, pain is generally attributed to physical factors. However, several comprehensive studies on pain like in chronic headaches conditions have been conducted having particular focus on the psychological perspective. These studies work on identifying behavioral and cognitive factors that affect pain and also the appropriate behavioral treatment for this condition. In understanding chronic headaches in this perspective, one may discover that the process of thinking of emotional and sensory ideas has a direct effect on the intensity of the felt pain (Borkum, 2007). Related studies also show evidence that an individual’s attention to and focus on the pain indeed cause the condition to get worse in varied levels. Psychology also plays a relevant part in identifying several psychological factors which can bring about chronic headaches. The usual cases of headaches like tension headaches and migraines have been found to have some connection to an individual’s emotional stability. A person was found to be more prone to suffer these kinds of headaches when he or she is exposed to depressing family environment and is isolated from friends and other significant others (Disorbio, 2008). This was discovered to be possible since these people who have weaker emotional states tend to deal with frustration and depression more inadequately, and they also tend to have a more negative outlook on things, including pain. Thus, through psychology, chronic pain can be treated through understanding how thinking can get over the individual’s tolerance of pain. Several studies have also proven that a degree of pain control can be accomplished by deviating one’s attention to other tasks and objects aside from the pain (Borkum, 2007). In most clinics, it can be noticed that doctors are starting to teach their patients several ways on diverting their attention from the pain to other things. This is because of the consideration that psychological processes play an important part in one’s tolerance and forbearance for pain. Hence, it may appear that although these health conditions typically have the biological explanation and background in discussing their nature and treatment, the field of psychology apparently greatly contributes to understanding the other aspects of these conditions by explaining the psychological interventions and causes of such health conditions. Although the psychological explanation for these health conditions may not be as popular as the knowledge of people about their physical reasons, it still appears evident that psychology plays a significant role in understanding these health problems from a different perspective. References Borkum, J. M. (2007). Chronic Headaches: Biology, Psychology, and Behavioral Treatment. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence and Erlbaum Associates. Clay, R. A. (2007). One Heart- Many Threats. Monitor on Psychology, 38 (1), 46. Retrieved December 17, 2008 from American Psychological Association (APA) Online: http://www. apa.org/monitor/jan07/threats. html. Disorbio, M. (2008, March 27). The Psychology of pain- headaches. National Pain Foundation. Retrieved December 18, 2008 from http://www. nationalpainfoundation. org/MyTreatment/articles/Headache_TO_Psychology. asp. Feuerstein, M. , Labbe, E. E. Kuczmierczyk, A. R. (1986). Health Psychology: A Psychobiological Perspective. New York, NY: Springer Publication. Marano, H. E. (2003, Januray 3). Heart saved: treating depression may prevent heart-related deaths. Psychology Today. Retrieved December 18, 2008 from http://www. psychologytoday. com/articles/pto-20030103-000011. html.

Global Trends in Economic Justice

Global Trends in Economic Justice Introduction Throughout this course, I continually questioned my understanding of economic justice. With all that is changing throughout our world, the spectrum of economic justice will continually evolve, as interests, laws, human interactions, and politics change. It was especially interesting to see that the majority of the country falls in the top one percent of global wages, making and annual personal income of thirty four thousand. Which brings me to the issue of poverty, and how the global economy operates in a fundamentally unfair manner. Although our economy itself is improving and our nation is becoming stronger, this doesn’t mean much when a significant percentage of the population is struggling to survive. We have discussed the theories and concepts of what is fair through three different views: Libertarian Capitalism, Socialism and Welfare State. I will discuss my interpretation and personal reflections on economic justice in the world, and what I determine, based off of our class discussions and readings, to be fair and just. My Personal Reflection When discussions of poverty consumed the class, I decided to examine the way the world focuses on what needs to be changed to better the economy and end poverty, mostly within the media, versus what is actually being done about this situation. There have been a lot of positive changes made throughout the world, first with Social Security after the Great Depression, to the now popular food stamps, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, earned income tax credits, and on and on. But there are not enough jobs available to most Americans that pay above the minimum wage. There is also not enough investment in education or skill development trainings. Although the minimum wage was never intended to support an entire family, due to the lack of education and skills, a large percentage of Americans are only able to work where the pay is minimum. I feel that basic human rights and freedoms are being compromised by allowing the poverty level to continually increase. I support a welfare state and its ability to help those stricken with poverty, however I feel that there needs to be major changes before the government ends up bankrupt, from the inability to control how much is going out versus what is coming in. Throwing money at the problem has not assisted in lowering poverty or making those who are in poverty, self-sufficient. Instead of making people in poverty more comfortable, we need to create more prosperity, to provide a way for these people to get out of poverty. The more money that the United States spends on means assisting programs, it seems the poverty level increases, and according to president Barak Obama this budget for these programs will only increase over time. The best way to increase wealth in this situation is through the power of a free market. Protecting capital investments, giving people opportunities to start new businesses, encourage the failed government school system by encouraging competition and choice, and finally encouraging and educating the poor on how to save and invest. Poverty in the World vs three Approaches to Economic Justice â€Å"Since the beginning of the War on Poverty, government has spent nineteen point eight trillion (in inflation-adjusted 2011 dollars) on means-tested welfare. In comparison, the cost of all military wars in U.S. history from the Revolutionary War through the current war in Afghanistan has been six point nine eight trillion (in inflation-adjusted 2011 dollars). The War on Poverty has cost three times as much as all other wars combined.† (Rector, 2012) So what do we do? How do we make this fair and just? According to Stephen Nathanson, in the book Economic Justice, there are three approaches: Libertarian Capitalism – rewards people for their efforts and contributions, you can work hard and make more contributions but you don’t always earn more than people who work less and contribute less. Supports private ownership, a market system, supply and demand, inheritance, and charity. Socialism – believes an equal distribution would prevent despair, everyone has a share by virtue of their humanity, â€Å"from each according to his ability, from each according to his need.† (Nathanson, 1997) Supports public ownership, a planned economy, with a centralized publicly controlled system, and allocation based on need or the egalitarian principle. Welfare State – Allows people to get ahead by virtue of their efforts and contributions, while not judging them based on their success in the market, but that they have a legitimate claim to some resources. Supports primarily private ownership, a market system with some government intervention, and allocation based on some share of resources, market values and gifts. Libertarian Capitalism on Poverty â€Å"Despite the fact that states have long been globalized in terms of their economic relations, it is only in recent years that scholars have begun to pursue the problem of distributive or economic justice on the wider stage provided by world politics.† (Kapstein, 2006) The past 25 years have witnessed the greatest reduction in global poverty in the history of the world. â€Å"The credit goes to the spread of capitalism.† â€Å"Over the past few decades, developing countries have embraced economic-policy reforms that have cleared the way for private enterprise.† (Irwin, 2014) Even philosopher Adam Smith described the economy as a â€Å"commercial society.† Capitalism tends to cause some issues with regards to the poverty level because it encourages companies to shut down their factories and invest their money elsewhere, leaving people without a job. It basically is all about accumulation of wealth. Charles Murray suggests that people are in poverty beca use something in them is missing, and he believes that liquidating the welfare and government programs would leave those in poverty using these â€Å"crutches,† only the resources of the job market, friends, family, or private or locally funded services, encouraging use their merit and earn. Socialism on Poverty Individualism is promoted and views on capitalism from a socialist point of view is that of tyranny. They also tend to demand what the rich save and encourage wealth distribution through social entitlement programs, and because fair is never defined it cannot be measured. This view also likes to focus on production for need, not profit. They approve of increased and expanded government welfare assistance, as well as free quality education in a safe and secure environment. â€Å"Socialism will establish a new social and economic order in which workers and community members will take responsibility for and control of their interpersonal relationships, their neighborhoods, their local government, and the production and distribution of all goods and services.† (Socialist Party USA: 2013-2015 National Platform , 2014) Socialist believe that poverty is caused by the natural workings of a capitalist marketplace that has always excluded a significant part of the population from decent jobs and, thus, from the ability to purchase on the private market goods necessary for a decent life for themselves and their children. Welfare State on Poverty It is a theory that affords for the total security of its residents and is similar to socialism. It provides entitlement programs and some social insurance to its residents, and provides for persons in need, through an unnumbered amount of programs known as welfare. Welfare incorporates government programs that provide benefits and economic assistance to Americans with little or no income. One of the main goals of welfare in the United States, is to improve the quality of living standards and life, for the underprivileged. Welfare help is usually extended to people other than just the poor and underprivileged and includes students, unpaid workers, caregivers, mothers and the elderly. One of the foundations of this country is personal liberty, and dependency on a government agency for financial assistance can detract from this feeling, and way of life and move into more of a welfare state condition. Below is a 1940’s cartoon of William Beverage the founder of the Welfare State waiving a wand over big giant â€Å"wants.† People got used to living the easy life with all the benefits and they became dependent. Social policy has come to be driven by the very policies that the welfare state was supposed to replace. Poverty in the welfare state, even with all the additional benefits provided, to those with lower or no income, is still increasingly high. One reason is because there are some things that the welfare state cannot control, for example: Being disadvantaged in the labor market Can’t end inequality Cannot guarantee full employment Cannot provide stable marriages We have to remember that welfare was not created for the poor, it was created to prevent people from becoming poor. Conclusion The many issues and opinions with Capitalism, Socialism and the Welfare State, and the effects of each on poverty are almost one sided. Everywhere you research you will find that each is to its own. So I came to the conclusion that what is â€Å"fair† in economic justice with regards to poverty is that the government should continue with the welfare state, fund those in need, and continue to fight discrimination, to the best of its ability. With that said, I don’t believe in our lifetime we will see a major change in the poverty level, as our country continually accumulates debt to protect the underprivileged. So what is â€Å"fair† in this case is just making sure that everyone has an equal chance and opportunity to make a better life for themselves. This includes state and government funded programs that can provide people with the opportunity to better themselves. There needs to be better regulations and a limit to the amount of help one person or family can r eceive, so that each person isn’t just living off the government and increasing taxes for those that work. We as a country, especially with the new Obama Care laws are working to find a suitable solution to decreasing poverty, however, sharing the worlds wealth has never been an easy issue to address and correct. It will take a lot of time and effort, and newer more suitable laws that protect the working class as well as the underprivileged in an equal manner before I believe that there can be a major change in poverty. References Irwin, D. (2014, November 02). The Ultimate Global Antipoverty Program. Retrieved from The Wall Street Journal : http://www.wsj.com/articles/douglas-irwin-the-ultimate-global-antipoverty-program-1414972491 Kapstein, E. (2006). Economic Justice in an Unfair World:Toward a Level Playing Field. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Nathanson, S. (1997). Economic Justice. Pearson. Rector, R. (2012, May 03). Examining the Means-tested Welfare State: 79 Programs and $927 Billion in Annual Spending. Retrieved from The Heritage Foundation : http://www.heritage.org/research/testimony/2012/05/examining-the-means-tested-welfare-state Socialist Party USA: 2013-2015 National Platform . (2014, December 10). Retrieved from socialistparty-usa.net: http://socialistparty-usa.net/platform.html Yates, M. (2004). Poverty and Inequality in the Global Economy. Monthly Review, 55(9).

Mohandas Gandhi: Experiences and Influences :: Mohandas Gandhi Essays

Mohandas Gandhi Born into a merchant family in 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was under the influence of powerful people. Members of his family had served as prime ministers of an Indian state for several generations. His parents were strong in their religion, being devout and earnest Hindus. They were a part of a Hindu sect that worshipped Vishnu and promoted non-violence. Apparently, he was most influenced by his mother, a gentle and intelligent person. According to Hindu custom, he married at an early age and grew to love his wife greatly. Together, they had four children and adopted a fourth. Later, in 1888, he travelled to England to become a barrister-at-law. There were several important influences that he encountered here: the Western material style of life, which he decided not to follow, and in the simple Russian way of living he found: the New Testament, and the Bhagavadgita, the bible of the Hare Krishna movement. It was here that he developed a sense of the presence of God in his life and the lives of men. Gandhi then returned to India and studied law in Bombay, but he quickly denounced it, feeling that it was immoral and could not satisfy one's conscience. Despite this, he used his schooling to help plead for Indian settlers in South Africa that were being oppressed by the white population. His personal experiences, including being ejected from a train in Maritzburg, of not being allowed the same rights as others lead him to begin a movement to help his people. While in South Africa, Gandhi made himself poor so that he could identify with his the peasants. He then proceeded to start a colony that consisted of abused labourers. The colony became very large and many cities were crippled by the lack of labourers. The government reacted to this by jailing Gandhi several times along with many other of his followers. The war he fought was one without weapons, already Gandhi was on his way to starting his career of non-violent campaigns. The main idea behind Gandhi's teachings was non-violence. The words of the Sanskrit language: ahinsa and sayagraha clearly express Gandhi's beliefs. The former means non-killing, non-destructive and the latter means the force of universal truth. He believed that the killing of man or beast is an unforgivable sin. Many who promoted these teachings of Gandhi simply believed that it was their only option for resisting imperialism rather

Essay --

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to absolute (Type 1 diabetes) or relative (Type 2 diabetes) deficiency of insulin hormone (World Health Organization, 1999). Diabetes affects almost every organ system in the body due to metabolic problems caused by hyperglycemia, especially in undiagnosed or uncontrolled individuals (World Health Organization, 1999). Until recently it was believed that diabetes affected mainly developed countries, but recent research reveals an increase in the number of type 2 diabetes cases in developing countries (Chuang, 2002; Kinra, 2010; Narayanappa, 2011). Diabetes is associated with complications such as cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, loss of vision and neurological impairment, which can lead to a chronic disease state and even death (American Diabetes Association, 2004). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 350 million people worldwide have diabetes. Almost 80% of deaths caused by diabetes occur in countries with low income. According to WHO, India is currently the country most affected by this disease with more than 32 million diabetic patients (Mohan, 2005). Background Insufficient response to insulin in what causes diabetes. The pancreas, an accessory gland of the digestive system, is the organ that produces insulin (ref Human Biology Book). The pancreas has a dual function because it features as both an endocrine and an exocrine gland. The part of the pancreas with endocrine function is organized in cell clusters called islets of Langerhans, which contains four main cell types that can be classified according to their secretion: alpha cells secrete glucagon, beta cells secrete insulin, del... ...cose multiple times each day and dealing with the various highs and lows (both physical and emotional) of life with diabetes can make all the difference. Conclusions To prevent diabetes related morbidity and mortality, there is an immense need of dedicated self-care behaviors in multiple domains, including food choices, physical activity, proper medications intake and blood glucose monitoring from the patients. Though multiple demographic, socio-economic and social support factors can be considered as positive contributors in facilitating self-care activities in diabetic patients, role of clinicians in promoting self-care is vital and has to be emphasized. Realizing the multi-faceted nature of the problem, a systematic, multi-pronged and an integrated approach is required for promoting self-care practices among diabetic patients to avert any long-term complications. Essay -- Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to absolute (Type 1 diabetes) or relative (Type 2 diabetes) deficiency of insulin hormone (World Health Organization, 1999). Diabetes affects almost every organ system in the body due to metabolic problems caused by hyperglycemia, especially in undiagnosed or uncontrolled individuals (World Health Organization, 1999). Until recently it was believed that diabetes affected mainly developed countries, but recent research reveals an increase in the number of type 2 diabetes cases in developing countries (Chuang, 2002; Kinra, 2010; Narayanappa, 2011). Diabetes is associated with complications such as cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, loss of vision and neurological impairment, which can lead to a chronic disease state and even death (American Diabetes Association, 2004). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 350 million people worldwide have diabetes. Almost 80% of deaths caused by diabetes occur in countries with low income. According to WHO, India is currently the country most affected by this disease with more than 32 million diabetic patients (Mohan, 2005). Background Insufficient response to insulin in what causes diabetes. The pancreas, an accessory gland of the digestive system, is the organ that produces insulin (ref Human Biology Book). The pancreas has a dual function because it features as both an endocrine and an exocrine gland. The part of the pancreas with endocrine function is organized in cell clusters called islets of Langerhans, which contains four main cell types that can be classified according to their secretion: alpha cells secrete glucagon, beta cells secrete insulin, del... ...cose multiple times each day and dealing with the various highs and lows (both physical and emotional) of life with diabetes can make all the difference. Conclusions To prevent diabetes related morbidity and mortality, there is an immense need of dedicated self-care behaviors in multiple domains, including food choices, physical activity, proper medications intake and blood glucose monitoring from the patients. Though multiple demographic, socio-economic and social support factors can be considered as positive contributors in facilitating self-care activities in diabetic patients, role of clinicians in promoting self-care is vital and has to be emphasized. Realizing the multi-faceted nature of the problem, a systematic, multi-pronged and an integrated approach is required for promoting self-care practices among diabetic patients to avert any long-term complications.

Feminist Undertones in Pride and Prejudice

FEMINIST UNDERTONES IN ‘PRIDE AND PREJUDICE’ Introduction Jane Austen authored the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in 1813, a period in the social history of England that saw most women as best equipped for the private and domestic realm. An ideal woman was the picture of chastity, innocence and compliancy. Even women authors in this period were expected to adhere to genres that were considered to be solely their domain- the refined arts, household management, love, courtship, family life and fidelity in the face of temptation.Although ‘Pride and Prejudice’ was primarily a romance between two free-thinking individuals, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, it has grave feminist undercurrents that are displayed to the reader in many incidents and conversations that ensue between the characters. The nineteenth century was one of progressive transience, especially for women who forged a new identity for themselves. Literature was a vital mouthpiece f or their miseries. Jane Austen takes a strong jibe at the existing patriarchy under the more dulcet tones of feminine affairs like love, courtships, gossip and bitchery.Austen’s protagonist Elizabeth Bennet is the second of five sisters in the Bennet family. Out of all her sisters, Elizabeth is the only one who exhibits a bent of mind that was rational and somewhat gumptious. Her principal concerns in life were not winning the affections of wealthy men in order to find herself a suitable match. Austen penned ‘Pride and Prejudice’ much prior to the time referred to as the age of New Woman Fiction and yet her writing is a powerful satire on the position of women in society and how this position limited their viewpoint to petty affairs.A good instance of this is the character of Mrs. Bennet or even Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Jane Austen explores various facets of the middle class society of nineteenth century England, successfully giving a panoptic view of the preval ent social mores and mindsets, especially those pertaining to the status of women. The different characters in her novel render a variegated purview of feminist notions. The Character of Mrs. Bennet and Austen’s Satirical Critique From the opening lines of the story Mrs. Bennet is put forth as a dominating, albeit directing, force in the Bennet household.Her very first dialogue with Mr. Bennet, wherein she tries to convince him to meet Mr. Bingley, a man of a fortune as handsome as his appearance, to try and fix a match for one of their daughters, is evident of her mindset. Her scope of interests in life is limited only to the stable marital settlement of her five daughters. Her husband is not of much interest to the reader because of his almost insipid outlook of affairs. Mrs. Bennet inspite of her condescending and parochial behavior is a multi dimensional character, interesting readers very much.Her outragous schemes to send Jane on horseback to Netherfield so as to make h er contract a cold to extend her stay at the Bingleys’ home, manage to shock those who believe in subtlety. Some critics have also referred to Mrs. Bennet as vulgar, a term too extreme for our times. However back then it probably had the connotation of something that was socially hideous. Mrs Bennet is also a prototype of how the women, repressed by society, had stopped striving for social and intellectual advancement. Mrs Bennet’s mental horizons are extremely narrow and she is not ashamed of this fact. Rather she is voluble, to an annoying extent.Mrs Bennet is unable to meet the parameters of decent conduct and behaviour as illustrated in many instances throughout the story. Mr. Bingley’s sisters are extremely repelled by her brash outspokenness, so much so that they use it as a means to break off Mr. Bingley’s association with Jane. Mrs. Bennet also displays an almost obnoxious double standard towards Charlotte Lucas, a very close friend of Elizabeth, by demeaning her appearance in front of her daughters and also Mr. Bingley. However Mrs. Bennet also exhibits some positively feminine inclinations in the course of the novel.One such instance can be her complete disdain for the fact that despite having five daughters, their estate should be inherited by Mr Collins, a complete stranger. Austen makes remarkable use of wit and sarcasm to impersonate Mrs. Bennet. Her novels use comic fiction as a chief means of exploring the individualisation of women’s lives and the revolution in the relation of the sexes at the beginning of the 19th century. Heroine Centric Novels Almost all of Jane Austen’s works feature a female protagonist and most of the other characters are women with a miscellenia of personalities.Austen’s heroines are free spirited young women who have a wide horizon of interests, be it Emma Woodhouse (Emma), Catherine Morland (Northanger Abbey), Marianne (Sense and Sensibility) or Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice). In all of these novels the heroine is shown to have her own subjectivity and opinions of life, rather than play a restricted role in the background of the plot. Austen’s stories portray women and the problems faced by them in their daily life through a union of comic and moral indignation. Robert M Polhemus writes, Austen was disposed through comic license to ridicule the inadequacies and constraints of her society. † Through a lens of satire, Austen gave a candid view of the existing social, financial and sexual hierarchies in the middle class landed gentry of eighteenth century England. Women are a prime focus in all her stories and their methods of dealing with situations relating to love, marriage, family, inheritance and courtships. Virginia Woolf once said, â€Å"Austen’s characters are so rounded and substantial that people treat them as if they are ‘living people’. † The heroines in the novels had enough agency to exerc ise their will.They overcame obstacles very modernisitically. In the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, the social world of Elizabeth, is scrupulously described, but within these limitations, the heroine as well as the hero, Mr. Darcy are allowed to achieve self expression. Love and marriage for them signify the control of egoism and misperception and the regenerative merging of the self with the ongoing community. With their earnest tone, clear narrative line, contemporary settings, drama and pathos, Jane Austen’s writings become a persuasive communicator of significant beliefs and values.Elizabeth Bennet is a vivacious young woman who, inspite of living in a society that curtailed the thoughts and actions of the fairer sex, lived freely and almost on her own terms. Her opinions of people and situations are rational and her sense of judgement is almost always sound. She possesses not only intelligence but is also sharp and has a great presence of mind. She reads books , plays the piano and loves walking in the outdoors, an act deeply condemned by Mrs Bennet as well as the Bingley sisters as not ladylike. However these attributes endear her even more to Mr. Darcy.Rachel Trickett, in her essay ‘Manners and Society’, writes â€Å"Jane Austen singles out the snobbery and limitation to censure it. She is the enemy of any kind of distinction that fails to take into account personal merit, worth and intelligence. † Elizabeth has clarity of thought and farsightedness that helps her to see things in the right perspective. Early in the novel she is depicted as being arrogant of her wit and her accuracy in judging the social behaviour and intentions. She believes not in a marriage of economic convenience, but in a marriage that is a result of love.Her acuity and sharpness is much admired by her friends, acquaintances and men who look to court her. However Elizabeth’s quickness also sometimes leads her to misunderstand the actions of others, like in the case of Mr. Wickham’s opnions of Mr. Darcy which are dispelled after she receives Darcy’s self explainatory letter, following his first proposal of marriage to her. Through Elizabeth, Austen tries to promote the image of a sovereign identity of a woman who is as subjective as her male counterparts. Narrative style used to convey feminist themeThe novel in some instances does objectify men, though in obvious humour. This is hinted in the opening lines of the story, â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrouding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. † The author gives an exhaustive overview of each character’s mindset, adhering to no stereotypes. The man and the woman are treated equally, the description of their human psyche not influenced by any sexual convention. Their characteristic virtues and shortfalls are viewed through an objective lens. Mr. Darcy’s disposition isn’t perfect, nor is Elizabeth’s. If Mrs. Bennet is shown to be an annoying, domineering figure then Mr. Bennet’s sarcasm and witty remarks are equated with almost indifference. Jane’s kindness is sometimes over-the-top and in many instances harms her own situation rather than helping her. Charlotte Lucas’ marriage of convenience to Mr. Collins doesn’t turn out to be exactly as comfortable as she had imagined.From the above examples, one may say that Austen’s narrative style is lucidly analytical of personal psyches, interpersonal relationships and social mores. The heroine is a woman of substance, not bowing to set patterns of society. The strings of relationships are drawn and managed by her while the men, though attractive in their characterization are usually arranged in the backdrop. Jane Austen cannot be called a feminist openly, because she never ventured into this foray directly. Rather, her works contain her feminist recollections running collateral to the story, which can be easily enough interpreted.Austen’s writings cannot be termed as a feminist rhetoric because they positively lean towards a humourous critical overview of the prevalent attitude towards women in the middle classes of England and the usual perception one had of them. Austen’s representation of the characters and incidents in familiar context to the readers made their acquaintance with her feminist impartations more intimate. One could connect and emapathise with the characters due to their individuality and familiar spirit. Elizabeth Bennet could easily be imagined as one’s own sister, friend or neighbour.Thorugh the novel, Austen doesn’t disgrace any character for cutting t hrough conventions. For instance, frivoulous Lydia is finally honourably united to Wickham. By the mores of her own society, Lydia must, and it turns out to be no great embarrassment or humiliation to either party. Their fate is that they deserve each other and are completely unabashed by their mutual unworthiness (a very different conclusion from the conventional fate of the ruined girl in the late- eighteenth-century novel and a comic reversal of the expected and entirely typical of Jane Austen’s realism.Jane Austen’s own childhood and upbringing indicates that despite rigid codes of manners in the conduct of everyday life, the education and sphere of action of a young woman of the time was considerably less restricted. Her writings denounce the objectification of women for social dissection and analysis. Arnold Kettle, in his 1951 essay on ‘Emma’, saw Jane Austen’s highly critical concern over the fate of women in her society as a â€Å"positive vibration†. Austen showed a clear and commitment to the rational principle on which women of the Enlightenment based their case.Many parallels have been drawn between Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Austen herself, illustrating the positively feminine and rational side of the author. In a Victorian social structure that had incorporated an idealized version of femininity, repressing the woman figure into the margins, Austen’s fresh approach to regarding women in a progressive light, through literature has been widely acknowledged and appreciated. She is very often referred to as the most loved feminists of all time. In Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth Bennet breathes life into a new perception of a New Woman.BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Grey, J. David ed. The Jane Austen Handbook ( London, 1986) 2. Southam, B. C. ed Jane Austen- The Critical Heritage (London and New York, 1968) 3. Watt, Ian â€Å"Introduction to Jane Austen- A Collection of critical essays† (Englewood Cliffs. N. J. , 1963) 4. Luria, Gina The Feminist Controversy in England (New York, 1972) 5. Kirkham, Margaret Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction (London, 1982) 6. Harman, Clare Jane’s Fame, How Jane Austen Conquered the World (Edinburgh, 2009)