The Status Of Childrens Rights In Nepal Children And Young People Essay Essays

The Status Of Childrens Rights In Nepal Children And Young People Essay Essays The Status Of Childrens Rights In Nepal Children And Young People Essay Essay The Status Of Childrens Rights In Nepal Children And Young People Essay Essay The intent of this study is to measure the issues environing the childrens human rights in Nepal by knocking their position in concurrence with the applicable International Treaties. Simultaneously its purpose is to exemplify the current state of affairs, by supplying information from findings sing the misdemeanors on the rights of the kids. Particularly it focuses on wellness position, sexual development, forced labor and instruction and it reflects those misdemeanors, by supplying statistical informations and paradigms during and after the armed struggle. It would besides give accent, on whether Nepal has complied with the International Conventions every bit good as whether any NGO.s gave any attending towards the crisis sustained in Nepal. Finally the study would do a general rating by supplying recommendations in regard of Nepal s executions and promises for the betterment of kids s human rights, including the demand of their protection and their hereafter concern. II.Introduction Nepal in world is one of the poorest and undeveloped states in the universe, which tries to be reborn from its ain ashes, after witnessing and sing a 10 twelvemonth internal violent armed struggle, due to the Maoist insurgence which ceased in 2006. However the last old ages have been made important alterations and developments. In 2008, Nepal went from political instability to a Federal Democratic Republic as the UCPN-M[ 1 ]had agreed with the Nepali authorities to come to an terminal with that struggle. Thus was guaranteed a peaceable authorities harmonizing to the CPA,[ 2 ]set uping equality and safeguarding cardinal human rights and freedoms. Despite the fact that, there is a gradual recovery and advancement, serious human rights misdemeanors continue to happen, as Nepal still faces the aftershocks of the crisis. Arguably the armed struggle has stigmatised the most vulnerable group and has deprived from them their basic rights. Childs have been victimised and faced banishment of their houses, forced to be soldiers and randomly detained by the authorities, subjected to maltreatment and even anguish. Others were used for development and being subjected to sexual maltreatment striping their right to be educated and besides their wellness position has been deteriorated. Immediate aid from human rights guardians and INGO s[ 3 ]was quickly given globally, but still it is an imperative demand as kids demand their protection. Most of them still live under insecurity and instability confronting hazards of farther misdemeanors of their rights. Frankincense is due consideration to foreground the current state of affairs. III.Children s Health Status and Human Exploitation in Armed Conflict It is claimed that kids are bulk in statistics but minority on societal position in existent universe .[ 4 ]This statement reveals the current state of affairs refering kids s rights position in Nepal. Recent studies indicate that there have been dangerous misdemeanors of kids s rights as 100s have been killed by armed groups due to the political state of affairs and others continue to be at hazard even if the state is in a post-conflict phase. Furthermore 1000s were earnestly injured and others have died because of diseases peculiarly from HIV/AIDS.[ 5 ]Their wellness position has been degrading[ 6 ]both physically and mentally as the armed struggle deprived from them their basic rights such as the right to household, nutrient and shelter. The unfriendly environment had exposed orphaned kids to conditions which had neer experienced before. Furthermore 100s have been displaced from their households and have been subjected to misdemeanor, harlotry and nonvoluntary servitude without their consent going vulnerable to high hazards of infective diseases. During and after the ceasefire, kids development had worsened their wellness as the bulk of the exploited kids have been unlawfully treated and exposed in awful conditions, confronting subjugation and coercion. Simultaneously the unequal wellness system, resources and the insufficient work force has worsened their wellness position. Even if Nepal has attained to streamline kid s wellness the last decennaries by cut downing mortality under 5 from 118 % in 1996 to 61 % in 2006, nevertheless disparities exist by different societal groups sing handiness in the wellness system. The phenomenon of kid trafficking is Nepal s one of its major jobs. Yet, no formal studies have been prepared by the Nepali authorities but the Committee concerned that there is deficiency of existent statistics of kids victims on development and trafficking.[ 7 ]However a research conducted by CWIN[ 8 ]in association with Save the Children revealed that 73,8 % of 110 male childs populating on the street, had had non-consensual sexual intercourse.[ 9 ]Another tragic survey conducted by ILO[ 10 ]estimated that about 5000 kids, chiefly misss are working as commercial sex workers.[ 11 ] However Nepal had successfully ratified and had abided by the footings of OPSC.[ 12 ]Besides the Interim Constitution of Nepal guarantees the protection of kids against any signifier of maltreatment and development every bit good as many Acts of the Apostless such as the Children s Act[ 13 ]and Human Trafficking and Transportation Control Act[ 14 ]is opposed to CSEC.[ 15 ]However the survey of the CRC[ 16 ]Sub-Committee of the HRTMCC[ 17 ]reveals that the Nepali commissariats do non explicitly address the issues that autumn under OPSC[ 18 ]and neglect to harmonize with the CRC. Consequently that means the statute law does non safeguard the rights of the kids from CSEC. Harmonizing to the same survey it was observed that even if establishments, Centres and enterprises are combat against CSEC there is a deficiency of coordination between them[ 19 ]as there is an overlap due to authorities establishments. At the same clip different undertakings cease to go on their work as there is no equal fiscal support and besides there is no specific programme to work against CSEC for the best involvements of the kid. Notably kids who have participated in audience meetings did non cognize about the authorities programmes sing OPSC airing. Since most of the kids are illiterate they can non understand the commissariats conducted by the Nepali authorities battling CSEC ; so without holding the proper cognition and support it would be an Utopia for them to contend for their rights against CSEC which could be characterised as a modern type of bondage. IV.Forced Labour-DCL Myriad surveies, indicate that the mission of the authorities is to enrich the position of the kid in Nepal and do efforts in order to explicate schemes so as to extinguish the worst signifiers of DCL.[ 20 ] Nepal has one of the worst backgrounds sing the signifiers of forced labor particularly in the DCL. Frans Roselaers claimed that unacceptable signifiers of development of kids at work exist and persist but they are hard to research due to their hidden, sometimes illegal or even condemnable nature. [ 21 ]The phenomenon of child labor in Nepal takes tonss of dimensions the last decennaries as kids are economically active from their immature age. In conformity to NFLS[ 22 ]the engagement rate for kids is estimated at approximately 40.4 % .[ 23 ] The current political state of affairs, poorness and the harmful traditional patterns use kids to be exposed in the worst risky conditions and forced them to drop out from school striping from them their instruction. The fundamental law of Nepal prohibits child labor and the Nepali authorities after the confirmation of CRC indicated the committedness of guaranting that kids do non hold to work. Therefore Nepal was obligated to ordain several domestic Torahs. Within this context enacted the Children s Act[ 24 ]and besides Child Labour Act[ 25 ]purely forbiding and eliminating child labor. Furthermore in 1997 ratified C138[ 26 ]with object the abolishment of child labors and became a member of the SAARC.[ 27 ]Besides, the IPEC[ 28 ]operates in Nepal with purpose to make policies against child labor. An issue which is yet due consideration is whether kids rights have so made advancement after the confirmation of the Conventions in concurrence with the new democratic system of Nepal by ordaining esteeming statute law, policies that present a development on their human rights position. It must be emphasised that there is a important decrease of bonded labor to 40.4 % compared to 47.0 % of the entire kid population which was detected in NLFS 1998. Although the Committee in its one observation concerned that despite the attempts of the province party to get rid of the worst signifiers of kid labor, the prevalence of child labor remains high peculiarly in risky conditions of work .[ 29 ] In 2009, the CEACR[ 30 ]despite Nepal s confirmation of C182[ 31 ]and Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict[ 32 ]requested the authorities to take steps in order to amend its domestic statute law and forbid the forced enlisting of kids less than 18 old ages for usage in armed struggle. The Committee besides observed that the authorities has non made respective Torahs which are consistent with the commissariats of the Convention in order to forbid a individual below 18 old ages to be exposed in risky work. V.Education Education is kids s premier concern and besides it could be considered the footing of making a safe hereafter for a state. Children are the chief participants of a state and particularly Nepal which is a state where instruction must be promoted among other developments made by the province. Nepal has ratified the ICESCR[ 33 ]where Articles 13 and 14 highlight the issue of free compulsory instruction. Although Nepal consented to the footings in order to supply free instruction between the ages of 6 and 11 ; the commissariats sing the Covenant are non followed. Besides in one of its latest studies the UN[ 34 ]Committee observed that Nepal has yet to follow a policy of mandatory instruction and farther remarks that there is a spread refering the attending between misss and male childs every bit good as there is great disparity between castes cultural and autochthonal groups. The emancipation of kids from a immature age had used them to work hard as their households do non put in their educational demands because of pecuniary adversities. Statisticss from a recent study conducted by the ILO showing the earnestness of the state of affairs ; 9 % of the entire kid population, have neer attended school and 59 % have non even completed their primary instruction.[ 35 ]Unusually the gender spread remains a job as largely misss are discriminated from instruction due to the patriarchal traditions who want misss to be married from their immature age. VI.Human Rights Defenders NGO s such as UNICEF[ 36 ]play a cardinal function as their mission is to safeguard the rights of the kids in Nepal. UNICEF had provided mechanisms for the demands of the kids back uping them in assorted ways: providing rehabilitation and wage programmes every bit good as reintegration programmes. A NGO named Salvage the Children focuses chiefly in the development of instruction and wellness of the kids by seeking to modulate and cut down youth mortality. set uping strategic partnerships with the authorities. VII.Conclusion Therefore the hapless economic position, poorness and besides the bad cultural patterns in Nepal, illustrate kids s human rights in their worst signifier. Even if the province has made measure frontward by signing international conventions there is deficiency of enforcement of the jurisprudence and policies which in world constitutes the chief spread for any solutions. However, Nepal could non be the lone combatant of safeguarding the kid rights through its legislative model, but the cardinal prevarications on the general system of human resources and society which must be sensitive on issues environing kids s rights. IX.Recommendations Effective schemes must be conducted by the PPCC[ 37 ]which would implement policies for work outing the issues of DCL. Even if instruction has been hindered by poorness, it could be the response to decrease child labour and enrich the position of the kid. The Nepali authorities must instantly sign the 3rd Optional Protocol,[ 38 ]as pursuant to it, abused kids that became victims of harlotry and trafficking could hold the chance to raise their voice and bring ailments for misdemeanors of their rights. The province must give attending to the UN observations refering favoritism in instruction in which it must extinguish gender disparity in primary and secondary instruction. Trade brotherhoods should go on to promote these challenges in the procedure of educational restructure and set force per unit area to the authorities of altering its policies in all degrees of instruction matching to the commissariats contained in ICESCR. Streamline 2000 words. X.Bibliography-References Rehman, J. , ( 2010 ) . International Human Rights Law ( 2nd edition ) . Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Naftali B. , 2011. International Human-centered Law and International Human Rights Law ( 1st edition ) . Oxford: University Press. Gajurel, D.P. , 2007. Child Rights in Nepal , [ on-line ] .Unpublished Menuscript, Kathmandu: Nepal Law Campus, Faculty of Law, Tribhuvan University. Available at hypertext transfer protocol: //papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm? abstract id= 1106619. [ Accessed 27th November 2012 ] . Aruna, J. , 2008. Impact of Armed Conflict on Children in Nepal: Situation Analysis of their wellness position. [ on-line ] . Kathmandu School of Law Child Rights Search and Resource Centre, Nepal. Available at: www.ksl.edu.np/crc_students-article.asp. [ Accessed 27th November 2012 ] . Child Rights NGO Report Prepared by: CRC Sub-committee, Human Rights Treaty, Monitoring Coordination Committee ( HRTMCC ) , Secretariat: Child Nepal ( CN ) . , 2011. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of kids, kid harlotry and kid erotica ( 2000 ) . [ on-line ] . CN Promoting Child Rights through Education. Available at: www.childrennepal.org/showmodule.php? url=crc. [ Accessed 27th November 2012 ] . Child Rights NGO Report Prepared by: CRC Sub-committee, Human Rights Treaty, Monitoring Coordination Committee ( HRTMCC ) , Secretariat: Child Nepal ( CN ) . , 2011. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of kids, kid harlotry and kid erotica ( 2000 ) . [ on-line ] . CN Promoting Child Rights through Education, 2011, 21. Available at: www.childrennepal.org/showmodule.php? url=crc. [ Accessed 27th November 2012 ] . Child Rights NGO Report Prepared by: CRC Sub-committee, Human Rights Treaty, Monitoring Coordination Committee ( HRTMCC ) , Secretariat: Child Nepal ( CN ) . , 2011. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of kids, kid harlotry and kid erotica ( 2000 ) . [ on-line ] . CN Promoting Child Rights through Education, 2011, 13. Available at: www.childrennepal.org/showmodule.php? url=crc. [ Accessed 27th November 2012 ] . International Labour Organization ( ILO ) Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal, . 2008. NEPAL CHILD LABOUR REPORT based on informations drawn from the Nepal Force Labour Survey. [ on-line ] . ILO 2008, xi. Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ilo.org/kathmandu/whatwedo/publications/WCMS_182988/lang en/index.htm [ Accessed 27th November 2012 ] . International Labour Organization ( ILO ) Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal, . 2008. NEPAL CHILD LABOUR REPORT based on informations drawn from the Nepal Force Labour Survey. [ on-line ] . ILO 2008, xii. Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ilo.org/kathmandu/whatwedo/publications/WCMS_182988/lang en/index.htm [ Accessed 27th November 2012 ] . UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2008. Nepal: Persistent misdemeanors of kids s rights. [ on-line ] . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp? ID=29608. [ Accessed day of the month 27th November ] . Karen C.T. , 2000. Trafficing in kids in Asia ; a regional overview. [ on-line ] . ILO. Available at: www.ilo.orf/asia/whatwedo/publications/WCMS_BK _PB _7 _EN/lang en/index.htm. [ Accessed twenty-seventh November ] . Gonzalez, Z. , 2002. International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour El Salvador, The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents: A Rapid Assessment [ online ] . Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ilo.org/public/spanish/standards/ipec/simpoc/elsalvador/ra/sexexp.pdf. [ Accessed 26th November 2012 ] .

Collins Last Name Meaning and Origin

Collins Last Name Meaning and Origin The Collins  surname has a number of different possible origins: In England, the name may have originated as a double diminutive of Nicholas, or as a patronymic surname meaning son of Colin, a short form of Nicholas. The given name Nicholas means victory of the people, from the  Greek ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ºÃŽ · (nike), meaning victory and ÃŽ »ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š (laos), meaning people.In Ireland, a name derived from cuilein, meaning darling, a term of endearment applied to young animals.  The medieval Gaelic surname was Ua Cuilà ©in, most often seen today as  Ãƒâ€œ Coilein.As a Welsh surname, Collins may derive from collen, signifying a hazel grove.The French name  Colline, meaning hill, is another possible origin of the Collins surname. Collins is the 52nd most popular surname in the United States, the 57th most common English surname, and the 30th most common surname in Ireland. Alternate Surname Spellings:  Collin, Colling, Collings, Coling, Collen, Collens, Collis, Coliss, Coleson Where Do People With the Collins Surname Live? People with the Collins surname are most prevalent in Ireland, especially the southwestern counties of Cork, Limerick, and Clare, according to WorldNames Public Profiler. The name is also extremely common in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Forebears surname distribution data has the name pegged as very common in Ireland, Liberia, Australia, the United States, and England. Within Ireland, Collins ranks as the 9th most popular surname in County Cork, 11th in Limerick and 13th in Clare. Famous People With the Last Name Collins Phil Collins - English singer, songwriter and musician.Michael Collins - American astronaut, part of the Apollo 11 mission that first landed on the moon.Michael Collins -  The hero of the Irish struggle for independence.Patricia Hill Collins - American feminist sociologist (Collins is her married name).Marva Collins - American educator and civil rights activist (Collins is her married name).Joan Collins  - English actress, best known for her role in the television drama,  Dynasty.Suzanne Collins  - Author of the popular book trilogy,  The Hunger Games.Anthony Collins - English philosopher.Arthur Collins - English genealogist and historian. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Collins Over 320 group members belong to the Collins DNA surname project, working together to combine DNA testing with traditional genealogy research to sort out Collins ancestral lines. Includes individuals with Collins, Collings, and similar surname variants. Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Collins family crest or coat of arms for the Collins surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   Check out the Collins family genealogy forum at Genealogy.com, the popular genealogy forum for the Collins surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or use it post your own Collins query. Use FamilySearch.org to access over 8 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Collins surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Collins surname. You can also browse or search the list archives to explore over a decade of postings for the Collins surname. Explore DistantCousin.com, which hosts free databases and genealogy links for the last name Collins. The Collins page at GenealogyToday.com allows you to browse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Collins around the world. References Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Bergenfield, NJ: Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia.  Bergenfield, NJ:  Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Hoffman, William F. Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings.  Chicago:  Polish Genealogical Society, 1993. Rymut, Kazimierz. Nazwiska Polakow.  Wroclaw: Zaklad Narodowy im. Ossolinskich - Wydawnictwo, 1991. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

Effective Employee Communication (in perspective of Employee to Essay

Effective Employee Communication (in perspective of Employee to Employee) - Essay Example In organisations, communication plays a key role in the efficiency, effectiveness and ultimately the overall performance of the organisation. Communication in an organisation mainly takes two forms based on the direction of flow of information in the organisation. They include vertical and horizontal communication. Vertical communication takes two forms, which is defined by the downward flow of information from the management to the subordinates, mainly in the form of directives and instructions, and upward communication which exemplifies the flow of information in the form of feedback and requests from the subordinates to their supervisors and managers. Horizontal communication on the other hand is the conveyance of information between employees at the same level in the organisation e.g. departmental heads and same level managers or even the lowest level of employees. The main focus of this paper however, will be on the ‘employee to employee’ communication within the organisation and its effectiveness. Generally, employee communication inter se can either be formal or informal. Formal communication involves transmission of information in an official capacity, mainly written or documented within the employees of the organisation while informal or grapevine communication involves the exchange of information between the employees on an unofficial capacity and they do not need to follow proper channels in relaying information on the grapevine. Communication between employees is also a key pillar in the success of an organisation even though most organisations pay little attention to it. Research conducted over the years in many organisations has shown that peer communication and relations between employees can be of great source of employee motivation, can alleviate job-related stress and hence worth reducing the levels of job satisfacti on and employee turnover. It is hence key for the management of the

Sears Goes Swingy for Tweens and Teens Term Paper

Sears Goes Swingy for Tweens and Teens - Term Paper Example A balanced market price was formed as a result of the implementation of the various strategies into use. Sears has invented diverse strategies to control shopping tendencies. It included rewards and grants into its system. It created a self image through various strategies, like the use of social net, leading to dynamic relationships within the society through partnership with other companies. Sears is an example of the firm that incorporates successful marketing activities into its operation. The company is working towards becoming an investment boulevard because of the high level of retail target it makes compared to other retail stores. Introduction Consumer behavior is an issue of concern amongst consumers and relevant authorities. Sears is the company that is constantly changing its advertising techniques to gratify the requirements of clients. The company targeted markets are teens, and the promotion systems the company uses are online and social network scenes. These technique s create awareness of the needed products that the firm offers to its targeted clients. This unit examines the images, commodities, and the marketing strategies used by Sears in the achievement of its objectives. 1 The image of the company immensely determines how a business is perceived amongst various concerned stakeholders. Stakeholders of a company comprise of individuals contributing the start-up capital, the purchasers of end products, and individuals affected by the company’s actions. Company’s image is what attracts clients to choose a business over other existing businesses providing the same products or services. â€Å"Do not Just Go Back. Arrive,† Arrive Lounge is an attractive site commonly associated with the teens. Sears had noticed a decrease in the purchasing trends of the products it produces, therefore, having invented the strategy â€Å"Don’t just Go Back. Arrive, â€Å"to help in augmenting the sales of its products by enticing the c lients to purchase from their departmental stores (Nickels, 1980). The partnership between Sears and social networking cites was aimed at improving the company’s image and increasing product sales of the company. Social network scenes serve as effective channels for reaching targeted markets in scenarios where the targeted market is composed of teens and tweens. The scenes also serve as interactive forums where a significant number of teenagers spend their time searching for new information or interacting with friends online. The choice by Sears to reach its targeted market via the social network scenes is of immense benefit to the company because it easily identifies with the client’s needs. The identification with the clients creates for the company an upstanding image leading to the development of brand loyalty by consumers (Hadden & Luce, 1923). 2 Sears offers diverse fashionable clothes to clients and to the wider targeted market. Consumer behavior in the purchase of the clothes is different amongst clients because of demographic features present in the society. Families prefer shopping for Sears’ clothes to other clothes produced by other companies. This because it offers descent clothes like maternity clothes that are relatively affordable and are designed according to an individual’s taste. Secondly, the company presents a range of clothes to Christmas shoppers. Families round the globe highly uphold festivities period, and Sears provides clothing solutions during these periods. The designs for

Analysis Of The Bridge Of San :: essays research papers

People who thinks of Thornton Wilder primarily in terms of his classic novella â€Å"Our Town,† The Bridge of San Luis Rey will seem like quite a switch. For one thing, he has switched countries; instead of middle America, he deals here with Peru. He has switched eras, moving from the twentieth century back to the eighteenth. He has also dealt with a much broader society than he did in â€Å"Our Town,† representing the lower classes and the aristocracy with equal ease. But despite these differences, his theme is much the same; life is short, our expectations can be snuffed out with the snap of a finger, and in the end all that remains of us is those we have loved. The novella begins by describing the quest of a Franciscan monk, Brother Juniper, to figure out why some people’s lives are cut short while others, apparently less deserving of life, live well into their eighties and nineties. He has happened to witness a terrible accident (the sudden collapse of a national landmark, the Bridge of San Luis Rey) which five people were crossing at the time of the disaster. All five were killed instantly: a little boy, a young girl, a wealthy old woman, an old man, and a youth. Brother Juniper is shocked into a metaphysical thought: â€Å"If there were any pattern in the universe at all, any plan in a human life, surely it could be discovered mysteriously latent in those lives so suddenly cut off. Either we live by accident and die by accident, or we live by plan and die by plan. And in that instant Brother Juniper made the resolve to inquire into the secret lives of those five persons, that moment falling through the air, and to surprise the reason of their taking off† (Wilder, 5). This is the wonderful premise behind Wilder’s examination of the connected lives of these five people. Several of them never actually meet, any more than we â€Å"meet† people with whom we happen to ride an elevator but, each of them knows someone who knows one of the other victims. Wilder goes on to clear up the stories of their lives, devoting a chapter to each of the major characters: The old woman, The Marquesa; The young man, Esteban; and the old man, Uncle Pio. (The other two victims, the young maid Pepita and the child Jaime, are not really explored, because they are seen primarily in relationship to the adults they accompany.

Hanging Fire Essay

Self-centered Teen or Thought-invoking Speaker : â€Å"Hanging Fire† by Audre Lorde The speaker in Audre Lord’s poem â€Å"Hanging Fire† is extremely self-centered. Does this limit the poem’s ability to say anything of general value? A simple read of â€Å"Hanging Fire† by Audre Lorde might lead one to conclude that there is no real value in this self-centered poem. However, upon critical analysis, one can obtain valuable insights from the poem. The 14-year-old speaker deals with major issues that plague the adolescent generation such as peer acceptance, race and gender inequality, sexuality, death and communication with parents. In the following paragraphs, I will demonstrate the speaker’s feelings on each of these matters. One issue that the speaker addresses is the pressure to fit in with her peers. The poem deals with such topics as dancing and upcoming parties (â€Å"I have to learn to dance/ In time for the next party†), the importance of fashion (â€Å"I have nothing to wear tomorrow†) and physical appearance (â€Å"Why do I have to be/ The one/ Wearing braces†). These are typical topics that cause teenagers to fear failure in terms of social acceptance. The pressure of not fitting into societal norms can oppress these young individuals, both emotionally and socially and the speaker is quite clear in the poem that she is concerned with these issues. Secondly, the issue of racial and gender inequality is evident in the poem. The speaker appears to be an African American girl. The poem begins with â€Å"I am fourteen/ And my skin has betrayed me†. This line could be interpreted in two ways. First, it could indicate that the speaker is dealing with pimples and blemishes, another example of a teenager’s concern about physical appearance. On the other hand, a more interesting interpretation is that the speaker is indicating that she is black. This reference to race indicates the speaker’s awareness that racism has caused and will cause her many frustrations in life. Another line in the poem states that â€Å"I should have been on the math team/ My marks were better than his†. The use of this incident is very creative because it deals with two issues: racial inequality and gender inequality. The speaker feels the unfairness of discrimination because she believes the spot on the math team should have been for her but, instead, was rewarded to the boy due to her gender and the  color of her skin. This line provides the reader with an example of the oppression and hardships the speaker is suffering as a black girl in school. The speaker later states in the poem, â€Å"There is nothing I want to do/ And too much/ That has to be done†. She recognizes that it will be hard to step forward and join the fight to have society accept equality. In fact, at times the speaker feels the task is too hard and that she does not want to try at all. Her adolescent desire to be accepted in society without ridicule further impedes her efforts to overcome the oppression. The third issue in the poem is sexuality. In the third line, the speaker states â€Å"The boy I cannot live without /Still sucks his thumb / In secret†. It is here that she tells the reader that she is not comfortable expressing her different views about her sexuality. The â€Å"boy I cannot live without† refers to the boy inside her and the reader sees that the speaker is aware that her feelings, emotions, and preference to the female sex must remain a secret for fear of scrutiny and non-acceptance. The secret thumb-sucking may refer to her insecurities of being gay. The speaker feels compelled to live a lie to avoid further shunning by her peers and society. The statement in the poem â€Å"Suppose I die before graduation/ They will sing sad melodies/ But finally/ Tell the truth about me† describes the unveiling of the truth of the speaker’s secret life upon her death and so reinforces the fact that she is not ready to publicly acknowledge her sexuality. Another topic in the poem is the communication problem between the speaker and her mother. Each of three stanzas ends with the same two lines: â€Å"And momma’s in the bedroom/ With the door closed.† It is obvious that the speaker feels that her mother is unapproachable. The door between the mother and speaker represents the lack of communication flowing between parent and child. The speaker, as a teenager, wishes to exercise her independence but still requires guidance in order to deal with adolescent issues such as social acceptance, racism, gender, sexuality and death. However, the conflict between the teenager’s growing pains and the mother’s reluctance to acknowledge her child’s independence has caused their communication to become obstructed. The speaker feels alone in the world and believes that she has nowhere to turn. Lastly, the speaker describes her adolescent fascination with death. The speaker refers to death in each of the three stanzas. As a teenager, the speaker is not only feeling overwhelmed by adolescent problems, but is also becoming aware of the future obstacles in life. The speaker sees death as a way of escaping these troubles. Death would allow her communication problems with her mother to disappear, cause her secret about her sexuality to be uncovered and save her from having to fight against societal oppression to accomplish the acceptance of equality. The speaker is seen to contemplate the common, yet unfortunate, adolescent idea of whether death and suicide is a real way to avoid the pressures of life and growing up. Therefore, if the reader of Audre Lorde’s poem â€Å"Hanging Fire† is able to move past the adolescent’s self-pity and into the substance of the poem, the reader is likely to gain an understanding of the serious topics being contemplated by a 14-year-old black girl. In this poem the speaker considers issues such as peer acceptance, racism, gender, sexuality, death and the importance of parental communication. Even the title, in association with the poem, provides value as it communicates to the reader that the speaker wishes to â€Å"hang fire† or delay dealing with the many pressures and obstacles in her life. Thus, even though the speaker in this poem is extremely self-centered, it does not limit the poem’s ability to say something of general value.

Now Then by John Locke Book Review

Now and Then is an exciting and captivating book by John Locke, a famous author who has written a number of novels and fiction books. The author, whose works and collections have famously been identified as the Donovan Creed, has gained fame across the globe as a result of the attractiveness of his compact content. In this case, I shall give a brief review of the book whose title has been given above with regard to a few aspects of writing and expression of facts. The plot of the book is based on a story which revolves around the life of a reformed criminal. The main character here is a former CIA assassin, a freelance killer who through his crafty ways has succeeded in stealing lump- some amounts of money from some of the most dangerous criminals in the world. After gaining all that, he simply wants a quiet romantic life away from the noisy ever congested environment, a vacation which he chooses to have with the sexy- Rachel. This is another interesting book by John Locke whose contents are both interesting and enjoyable. It is a fresh sadistic twist of the life of an individual who is struggling to balance a cool life with a dirty noisy one, both of which he has been part of. The way the author has been able to arrange the facts and the elements that make up the whole book brings a lot of entertainment to the reader. This is perhaps one of those famous books which keep the readers guessing what is coming next since the author manages to hide it with a healthy portion of suspense at the end of each case. In a nut shell, I would like to say that the book is filled with both action and adventure if not to mention deeds which I can only describe as dastardly. Locke has managed to come up with another intriguing Donovan Creed which will probably leave readers doing it late into the night. Just in case you have never had the pleasure of doing the creed series, it only would be a healthy step to pick up your copy today.