Friday, December 27, 2019

Van Genneps Rites of Passage and Durkheim and Turners...

Van Genneps quot;Rites of Passagequot;, Durkheim and Turners Theory of Communitas I. Classify using Van Genneps categories and point out aspects which would be of particular interest to Turner and to Chapple and Coons. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Mescalero girls puberty ceremony is an example of a quot;Rite of Passage,quot; a ceremony that marks the transition of an individual from one stage of life to another (Chapple and Coons, p. 484). The ceremony marks the transition from girl to quot;mother of a nationquot; (p.252). The ritual serves as a means of establishing equilibrium after the crisis of puberty (Chapple and Coons, p. 484). It is a method of making this transition from girl to woman easier. I classified this†¦show more content†¦The category quot;femalequot; is related to fire, the color yellow, and the idea of being protected. quot;Malequot; is related to the poles, the color red, and the idea of being the protector. Yellow pollen, symbolizing women, is applied to the girls early in the ceremony. Furthermore, rather than being stripped bare, the girls are ornately decorated. However, one may argue that they have been stripped of the attire they wore before the ceremony. According to Turner, the liminal period is one of humility, obedience, and danger. The girls do exhibit these qualities during the period of transition, particularly during the all-night dancing ordeal. I still would not interpret this as a quot;lowquot; because of the blessings the girls bestow upon the community and because of the massages they receive from the Godmothers. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The period of incorporation has been described as phase in which quot;. . . the individual begins once again his interaction with the members of his community . . .quot; (Chapple and Coons, p. 485). As noted earlier, the girls interaction with the community is maintained at different points in the ritual. However, the girls do undergo a radical change during the ceremony, culminating in their reincorporation into their communities as new individuals. The ceremony began with the males constructing a lodge and ended with the girls destroying the lodge. In the beginning, the girls gave blessings and in

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Animal Of Human Animals - 1424 Words

Abstract Uncertainty is one of the words that governs the way in which animal welfare has been scrutinised in the past years. This mainly happens due to â€Å"the role humans sentiments (moral and otherwise) play in justifying the judgements that we make about our moral community.† Consequently, the purpose of this essay is to analyse if the moral judgements humans make in respect to other animal species are legitimate and if so, to demonstrate that exploiting non-human animals is entirely natural excepting one case. As this essay is investigating the human-animal relationship in a changing environment, the values that lead to the creation of ambiguity towards what animal welfare mean will be looked at. By bringing to light those values, a better understanding of the controversity regarding the protection of animals will analysed.This paper will show that the animal legal debate has its roots in the natural world. Hence, the animal welfare debate will always encounter obstacles, esp ecially as â€Å"different people may have different values that give rise to disagreements about decision that affect animal welfare.† Introduction â€Å"One prioritize humans in such a way that even in cases where animals suffer a similar harm to that of a human, in interest of the animal are not given similar consideration.† What it can be seen from the human-animal relationship, is that the reason for which there is an animal welfare debate, is in strict connection with the fact that â€Å"we feel aShow MoreRelatedAnimals : Humans And Animals1724 Words   |  7 PagesAnimals play an important yet unique role in human culture. We use animals for our own benefit, and sometimes forget that they are also living things. Humans have established themselves as the greater species, therefore placing animals below them, causing us to lose sight of the fact that animals play a vital role in our society. We take advantage of animals and think nothing of it. Understanding this relationship between humans and animals comes from understanding the differences between humansRead MoreAnimal Farm : Human Nature in Animals823 Words   |  4 PagesHuman nature in animals. Was this really shown in George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’? In fact, there were several messages about human nature reflected in ’Animal Farm’. The messages that were expressed through many different characters and their behaviours, gave an insight into human nature, and showed many characteristics of it. The idea of equality â€Å"all animals are equal† and socialism would make an ideal society. It would be effective on Animal Farm if it were not for the pigs’ hunger for powerRead MoreAnimals And Society : An Introduction To Human Animal Studies907 Words   |  4 PagesScientifically testing an animal is another way people abuse animals. When testing on animals, it causes them harm throughout their life. In the book Titled â€Å"Animals and Society: An introduction to Human-Animal Studies† by Margo DeMello he explains how animals hurt from birth to their last breathe. DeMello says, â€Å"Animals used for medical experiments and product testing live – from birth until death – often painful, lonely lives in small cages† (p. 237). These animals are kept in laboratories to testRead MoreHumans Are The Lowest Animals1480 Words   |  6 PagesMarch 2014 ESSAY 1 Humans are trying to live their lives by establishing superiority over the other living species and human kind, too. They may have right when they think that is okay to do. They hunted animals greedly and as Mark Twain mentioned in his essay which is about The Lowest Animal man even said that they were patriots and religious –according to them they were the most one- on the World. However, human kind were wrong that they had misunderstood being the highest animal on the world. TwainRead MoreHuman Use of Animals1316 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Use of Animals: Summary and Critique Charles Hall Ivy Bridge College In his interviews with both The Open University and The Colbert Report, Dr. Peter Singer discusses the unethical human use of animals. Most of his claims are highly controversial and are not taken well by most people. Human Use of Animals: Summary and Critique The use of animals in modern civilization has been a controversial subject for the past few decades. Author and Philosopher Peter Singer has made his standpointRead MoreThe Between Humans And Animals1461 Words   |  6 Pagesves to kill of the unhealthy or weak members. When unnatural predation forced by humans makes way into the picture to simply hang the head of a beautiful, large mammal, it takes the important figures ability away to keep a population strong and protected. Another substantial issue caused by game hunts is when animals approached to be haunted escape, they pose a large threat on the native wildlife in natural ecosystems (Why Sport Hunting Is Cruel and Unnecessary, n.d.). Overall, this â€Å"exotic† pastimeRead MoreThe Domestication Of Animals By Humans884 Words   |  4 Pagesdomestication of animals by humans is an early example of eugenics. Animals were used for hunting, warning system against predators, and overall companionship. (History of Eugenics) H umans at the time wanted a powerful animal, that was able to protect their owner, and help be able to produce food and clothing Obviously a strong animal does not come from handicapped ancestry, rather it comes from a far more adaptive origin. Early day humans exchanged this idea that the fittest animal comes from theRead MoreThe Overpopulation Of Humans And Animals857 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many articles and newspapers about how bad the world is becoming overpopulated. The overpopulation of humans and animals is a constant threat to people way of life on earth. Monbiot states, â€Å"The growth in human numbers, they say, is our foremost environmental threat† (Monbiot 1). Suggestions for extending women’s reproductive choices should be made, and the world population would drop dramatically because of this. George states, â€Å"If this need were answered, the impact of population growthRead MoreHumans Vs. Animals : Humans1099 Words   |  5 PagesVigil, Adri ana Mr. Stevenson English 101 12/17/15 Humans Vs. Animals Humans, we believe to be on top of the Pyramid. The best of the best. Although many of us are connected and view our pets as family, we limit that â€Å"family† to dogs and cats. While at the end of the day, we are still considered their Owners and not vice versa. We tend to forget that animals were here way before us and they managed to survive without humans. What makes us think different as to their survival now, or even ourRead MoreHumans, Animals, And Nature2341 Words   |  10 PagesPY 4647: Humans, Animals, and Nature (Ben Sachs) Thom Almeida (110003776) Word count: 2,216 Introduction Modern technological advances in animal farming coupled with a greater desire for food production have led to increased suffering of animals to suit our own interests. Bernard Rollin has argued that unless this trend is discontinued, which he deems unlikely to happen, genetic engineering of animals is a morally preferable option compared to not intervening at all in order to ameliorate the frustration

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Economic Manager Consequences of Brexit

Question: Discuss about the Economic Manager Consequences of Brexit. Answer: Introduction: Allen, Oltermann, Borger and Neslen (2015) say that the event of Brexit may impact the global economy as well as the British economy mostly in a negative way (Allen et al., 2015). The primary message that has been transmitted by the article is the drawbacks of Brexit, i.e. the consequences of the exit of Britain from the European Union. It is important to note that Britain is one of the supreme powers of the 28 European Union states. Along with that, the economy of the country is considered to be on a hike before the Brexit (Hutchens, 2016). Hence, the article written by Allen, Oltermann, Borger and Neslen present an argument on the consequences of Brexit and shows how the British economy and the global market will be impacted by the event. The impacts of Brexit are presented in five categories that are known as Jobs, Status in Europe Trade, Immigration, and Position in the World. The estimate starts with the net loss that will be faced by the UK economy (Kierzenkowski et al., 2016). Researchers from National Institute of Economic and Social Research found that exit of Britain from the EU will result in a decline in its GDP by 2.25 percent mainly because of impact on the foreign direct investment (Allen et al., 2015). On the other hand, Centre of Economic Performance estimated a fall of 6.3 to 9.5 percent in the GDP of the nation. Along with that, some of the people believe that Britain will grow as a sovereign power with the development of the economy and get relief from the overburden of EU rules and regulations. It has been estimated that the UK makes a benefit of 5 percent of GDP that amounts to 78 billion through the EU membership (Kierzenkowski et al., 2016). Along with that, Germany, Netherlands, France and Ireland are a major export market for the United Kingdom that will have a high level of negative impact on the UK economy after the Brexit (Allen et al., 2015). Hence, a primary impact can be seen in the trade of the nation. A diagram has been presented below for better understanding. Figure: UKs top ten export markets Source: (Allen et al., 2015) Hence, it can be seen from the above figure that the event will highly impact the trade of the nation. Furthermore, looking at the job opportunities, it can be seen that Clegg and Farage debate that EU provides jobs to 3 million British people in exchange for a market of 500 million consumers (Allen et al., 2015). Hence, the exit of Britain from the European Union will lead to a job loss of 3 million people. According to Gerry Grimstone, the UK will face a serious damage of Jobs and Economic growth by leaving the membership of EU. When immigration is considered, it can be seen that around 624,000 people immigrated to the UK in the year 2014 that was much higher than that of the year 2013 (Sharma, 2014). Most of these people belong to other countries than that of European Union nations. The EU free movement allows people to immigrate to the UK that increased by 43000 between 2013 and 2014 (Allen et al., 2015). Hence, the exit of the UK from the European Union will lead to racism in th e country and people coming to the nation for a better living might be considered as outsiders. It will become harder for a person to migrate to Britain because of the British national law (Schiermeier, 2016). The EU citizens will also face same problems such as border checks and long queues while entering the United Kingdom. Oltermann says that Brexit would diminish the status of the EU and the UK in the European continent. It has been believed by Cameron that the primary risk of Brexit is the few favours offered by other nations. Hence, Britain will be left with a single market access that will gradually impact the status of the country in the European continent. On the other hand, Neslen states that the impact on the GDP of the nation will have a downturn positioning in the World market (Allen et al., 2015). Furthermore, the changes in the trade regulations of the nation will impact its foreign direct investment that will further impact the position of the country in the world market. Hence, it can be seen that the article mainly discusses the negative impacts of Brexit on the UKs economic position in the long run (Smales, 2016). The long-term, as well as short-run impact of Brexit, can impose significant cost on the UK economy, EU economy and global economy. In the current scenario, the estimations of the UK referendum leaving the EU zone can cover up long-term negative impact on GDP and economic prospects. According to the article, the Brexit event can lead to a lower GDP of the UK by the year 2030. The estimated GDP prediction has shown that the GDP of the UK will be lower by 2.2% under the economic uncertainties. Based on convenient research on the economic perspective, the imposing cost of Brexit is much more than the GDP fall. The liabilities of the financial banking system will be increased as the spending power of the UK investors will go down. Along with that, the economic uncertainties and political turmoil may have posed additional challenges to the business resources (Rimmer, 2016). Being within the EU, the UK economy has received significant amount of money as a budgetary procedure. In case of Br exit, such EU budget will not be available to the UK economy. On the other side of the scenario, the trade policy, employment structure and economic growth model of the UK will suffer a great deal in case of Brexit event. Moreover, the EU regulations will be available in a new format providing latest economic challenges to the UK participants. Hence, misguided regulations and investment fear can create adverse economic condition in the UK market. Figure: Brexit and the cost on the UK, EU and Global Economy Source: (Coulter and Hanck, 2016) To justify the above mentioned discussion, the example of Lehman Brothers can be considered that gave the world economy a good lesson regarding financial crisis in the globalised market in the year 2008 (Tabernero and Ciardiello, 2016). A small event of bankruptcy led to financial crisis in the global market, whereas the Brexit is a much larger event that can cause unexpected harm to the global economy in the long run. Researchers forecast the fall in the GDP of the United Kingdom because it can be clearly seen that the foreign direct investment of the economy will fall after the Brexit event (Wright, 2016). The reduction in the immigration of outsiders, restriction in free trade and movement of people among the EU nations will harm the global trade and investment opportunities of the country. Furthermore, the exit of Britain from the EU will also impact the GDP of the EU nations. Hence, the event will led to a global financial crisis again in the future that is expected to heat the market between 2020 and 2030. Hence, it can be justified by saying that the Brexit event will make the UK pay costs for the political move from all perspective. Britain needs to face different consequences after exiting from the European Union. It can be seen through the article of Allen, Oltermann, Borger and Neslen (2015) that the chances of occurrence of negative impacts are more than that of positive growth (Allen et al., 2015). Now considering the general rules, it can be seen that if a country like Britain discriminate against the individual EU member states after the exit from the European Union membership, it will face same sort of discrimination from rest of the EU members. Hence, the free migration of people between the EU nations will stop for Britain that will gradually impact the trade and job opportunities for the United Kingdom. The question is quite controversial because it is difficult to decide whether the United Kingdom should co-operate with the European Union after the Brexit. In order to answer the question, the long run negative impacts of Brexit must be forecasted (Clery, 2016). It can be seen from the article that pessimist research shows that the UK will face a job loss of around 3 million because of exit from the European Union (Carter, 2016). On the other hand, people from other EU nation coming to Britain for their daily earning will also feel burden of this political drama after the UKs exit. It is important to note that the United Kingdom will turn into a separate nation with different rules that will create problem for the people going out and coming in for jobs. Along with that, Britain will also face trouble due to legal bounding on free trade among the EU nations (Tarran, 2016). Hence, the Brexit will lead to fall in trade and job opportunities that can be forecasted in the current situation. Hence, it is recommended to the UK government to cooperate with the EU in regards to immigration and trade policies to safeguard its economic balance (Carter, 2016). By cooperating with the EU, Britain can maintain a free migration policy among the EU nations that will stabilise the trade of the country. The forecasted loss of 2.2 percent in the GDP will not occur for Britain if the government cooperate with the European Union (Tarran, 2016). Furthermore, the cooperation of the British government will increase the status of the economy in Europe as well as across the globe. The decision of the United Kingdom to exit the European Union has unleashed significant market turmoil and global uncertainties. The economic uncertainties of the global market have triggered political indecisions slowing the industrial productivity. Considerably, the Australian economy will not be immune to the event of British exit from the 28-nation European Union. Meanwhile, the uncertainties on offshore markets can determine a large impact on the economic standards of Australia. Precisely, the Australian stock markets and currency market can experience a sharp fall in the near terms effect of British exit event. As the investors of the Australian market will move towards risk-off mentality, the stocks and Australian dollar can plunge in a certain amount unleashing economic uncertainty. Along with that, the event of Brexit can create an adverse impact on the bond yields. Due to safe heaven strategy, the investors will take out the money from the risk assets and stock markets push ing the bond yields even lower. Moreover, the Australian financial banking services will find it difficult to protect the massive offshore funding due to sharp fall in stock prices. On the other side, the sustainable fall in the Great Britain Pound (GBP) can create negative consequences to the people of Australia dealing in pensions and assets in the United Kingdom. Moreover, the pressure in the GBP will force the UK tourists to lower the spending power in Australia. Hence, in case of long-term perspective the tourism industry of Australia will see a considerable downfall. In terms of Australias future trade perspective, the event of Brexit will bring adverse impact to the Australian economy. As the export of Australia has significantly contributed to the GDP growth of the country, exports to the UK market may seen a downfall with the latest consequences (Plumer, 2016). Currently, the United Kingdom is the seventh largest trade partner of Australia. Therefore, the Brexit event can force the export to get lower. Thus, there will be issues regarding unemployment and economic slowdown in the Australian economy. In the current situation, the majority of federal gove rnments will not promote any structural changes to influence the adverse effect of Brexit in the Australian economy. Therefore, the current trade policies and trade relations with the Great Britain will trigger significant slowdown in the economy (Yeates, 2016). Furthermore, for investment perspective, significant headwinds must be faced as Australian dollar will fall in the sluggish economic uncertainty. In such situation, the Prime Minister of the country, Malcolm Turnbull must evaluate sustainable economic policies to assure the investors in the unsettled economic circumstances. Figure: Impact of Brexit on Australian GDP Growth Source: (Bongardt and Torres, 2016) In the above produced figure, the Australian GDP will seem to be dipping down due to the event of Brexit. Meanwhile, in worst case scenario, the Australian GP figure may touch below 2.5% figures in the next decade or so. The referendum of The Great Britain leaving the EU has developed sharp short period market volatility in the Australian market. Though economic experts have believed that the Australian economy is unlikely face any short-term challenges, long-term economic uncertainties are on the cards (Tatham, 2016). The political links and intermediate renegotiation trade policy tactics of Britain may have mitigate some of the market challenges. Moreover, the free trade agreement talks between the European Union and Australia will be significantly delayed to the adverse consequences of Brexit. Now, the Australian federal government has to deal with Britain in a separate way due to the referendum of Britain leaving the EU. Invariably, in recent developments, the Australian investor s must have been reassured by the government so that the market uncertainties and fear among the investors can be reduced to a sustainable level. The Brexit referendum and pro-Brexit events will develop significant changes in the current global economic scenario. Nevertheless, being one of the most influential members of the European Union, the position of Great Britain would matter a lot in for the global economy. As the majority of people of Britain have voted for leaving the European Union, the foreign policies, trade relations, migration policy, and global job market and business environment will have been changed quantifying the economic effect of the event. First of all, the massive downfall of GBP has created significant fear among the investors (Birkinshaw and Biondi, 2016). As a result of scenario, global economic crisis can plunge the existing global market growth. Moreover, the negative sentiment of stock investors can create an adverse impact on the global economy as the liquidity will be dried up from the market all over the world. Additionally, the sceptical version of Brexit referendum may develop historical mar ket scenario such as Lehman Brothers in 2008. During the period of 2008, the world economy has noticed the worst ever financial crisis situation (Learner, 2016). The global commodity market, equities, stock markets, bond markets, currency markets, housing industry, mortgage industry and financial banking companies had faced unmanageable losses in the global crisis during 2008-2009. If a single event can cause such drastic global turmoil situations, the Brexit event can contribute to a major downturn of global economy. Figure: The Economic Impact of Brexit Source: (Birkinshaw and Biondi, 2016) In accessing the impact on the UK market, by 2020 UK GDP may see a downfall to -3.1% as shown in above figure. As the bilateral trade relations with the UK and other countries have been restricted with such political event, the market proposition and GDP growth of the global economy will be considerable hampered. Adversely, the spending power cuts and immigration regulations of the UK area can create fresh challenges to the global economy (Allen et al., 2015). As the global investors will focus on new investment routes in the economic uncertainties, the liquidity can be washed up from the global market creating financial crisis. In this regard, the biggest economies of the world such as the United States of America, China and other European countries must face new economic headwinds (Godlee, 2016). The pressure of the stock market and commodity prices can force the leaders to take actions. In current scenario, the debt situations of the US federal government will not allow the Centra l Bank of America to issue fresh bond-buying activities to inject fresh liquidity. As a result of the same, more economic crisis will be on the cards in near future. Figure: Potential Change in Eurozone area due to Brexit Source: (Ellison, 2016) Substantially, the event of Brexit can put a break on the EU zone investment as the investment will drop down to 2.8% in 2017 and 2018. In context to the broader market scenario, till now, the EU has been treated as a single market to the rest of the world. The event of Brexit will now force the economies to make significant changes in the trade policies and develop new regulations as per the latest developments. Therefore, more challenges can be established in the trading scenario linked to Britain and the European Union (Farr, 2016). The limitations of trade channels can be the biggest loss to the global economy as the GDP output from the EU will be reduced substantially. The complication of the trading perspective and political uncertainties will create undoubted economic slowdown in the upcoming financial years. References Allen, K., Oltermann, P., Borger, J. and Neslen, A. (2015).Brexit what would happen if Britain left the EU?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/14/brexit-what-would-happen-if-britain-left-eu-european-union-referendum-uk [Accessed Aug. 2016]. Birkinshaw, P. and Biondi, A. (2016).Britain alone! The implications and consequences of United Kingdom exit from the EU. Den Haag: Kluwer Law International. Bongardt, A. and Torres, F. (2016). The Political Economy of Brexit: Why Making It Easier to Leave the Club Could Improve the EU.Intereconomics, 51(4), pp.214-219. Carter, M. (2016). The Brexit broadcast that stoked fears over the NHSs future.BMJ, p.i4342. Clery, D. (2016). 'Brexit casts pall on future of U.K. science.Science, 353(6294), pp.12-13. Coulter, S. and Hanck, B. (2016). A Bonfire of the Regulations, or Business as Usual? The UK Labour Market and the Political Economy of Brexit.The Political Quarterly, 87(2), pp.148-156. Ellison, R. (2016). Brexit triggers uncertainty over future of research in UK.Prescriber, 27(7), pp.14-15. Farr, M. (2016).How Brexit decision will affect Australia. [online] NewsComAu. Available at: https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/brexit-how-the-result-will-affect-australia/news-story/e2826b95d588a92e6ab6aa644118d0b6 [Accessed Aug. 2016]. Godlee, F. (2016). Beyond Brexit.BMJ, p.i3615. Hutchens, G. (2016).Brexit and Australia: what would be the consequences if Britain left the EU?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jun/23/brexit-and-australia-what-would-be-the-consequences-if-britain-left-the- [Accessed Aug. 2016]. Kierzenkowski, R., Pain, N., Rusticelli, E. and Zwart, S. (2016).The Economic Consequences of Brexit. Paris: OECD Publishing. Learner, S. (2016). The EU Referendum: Brexit news analysis for carers in the UK.Nursing and Residential Care, 18(8), pp.402-402. Plumer, B. (2016).How bad will Brexit be? Here's what top economists are saying.. [online] Vox. Available at: https://www.vox.com/2016/6/24/12024728/brexit-economy-economists-recession [Accessed Aug. 2016]. Rimmer, A. (2016). What Brexit means for the European Working Time Directive.BMJ, p.i3748. Schiermeier, Q. (2016). Brexit looms large over EU climate agenda.Nature. Sharma, K. (2014). Horizontal and vertical intra-industry trade in Australian manufacturing: does trade liberalization have any impact?.Applied Economics, 36(15), pp.1723-1730. Smales, L. (2016).How a Brexit could impact on Australia. [online] Theconversation.com. Available at: https://theconversation.com/how-a-brexit-could-impact-on-australia-61301 [Accessed Aug. 2016]. Tabernero, J. and Ciardiello, F. (2016). Brexit: a European perspective.The Lancet Oncology, 17(5), pp.558-559. Tarran, B. (2016). The economy: a Brexit vote winner?.Significance, 13(2), pp.6-7. Tatham, A. (2016). The Legitimacy of Discriminatory Disenfranchisement? The Impact of the Rules on the Right to Vote in the Bremain/Brexit Referendum.Perspectives on Federalism, 8(1). Wright, O. (2016).What happens if Britain does vote for Brexit?. [online] The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/eu-referendum-what-happens-if-britain-does-vote-for-brexit-a7089336.html [Accessed Aug. 2016]. Yeates, C. (2016).Brexit: What it means for the economy. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/brexit-what-it-means-for-the-economy-20160624-gpr4cw.html [Accessed Aug. 2016].

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf Essay Example

Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Essay Professor Corin Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Before I read Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, I did a little research on Edward Albee the playwright. I realized that the assigned play would not be the first I have read by Albee but the second. A few years ago I read A Delicate Balance. Once I finished Virginia Woolf I was able to compare the two plays, which helped me develop an idea about Albee’s writing and his style. Edward Albee’s plays are usually unapologetic examination of modern society, usually to an extreme, like Edward Albee said himself Thats what happens in plays, yes? The shit hits the fan†, which tends to be true in most of his plays. Albee had an impact on theatre in the 1960’s when many people were still in the mindset of the of the 1950’s, Albee was doing the opposite in American Theatre, as Albee said his plays are â€Å"an examination of the American Scene, an attack on the substitution of artificial for real values in our society, a condemnation of complacency, cruelty, and emasculation and vacuity, a stand against the fiction that everything in this slipping land of ours is peachy-keen(Dircks). Many of his plays dissect the social convention of marriage and other conventions that are believed make the individual feel complete and apart of the American dream. His impact on American Theatre has been significant which has led him to be compared to famous American Playwrights Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. Edward Albee’s, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , premiered on Broadway in 1962. The play was viewed as controversial because of its’ sexual themes and use of profanity. We will write a custom essay sample on Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The major theme in Who’s’ Afraid of Virginia Woolf is reality and illusions which is common in many of his plays. Albee creates his characters with illusions that make them feel complete, and then he strips them away making the audience question what happens when the individual lose whatever it is that gives their lives meaning. The world no longer makes sense to the characters and this transforms their environment into an absurd one. For example, Martha and George talk as if they have son, often referring to him in conversation, but in the end of the play, George tells Martha there was a telegram saying that their son was dead, by killing their son , George is revealing how all their hopes and dreams had never come true. Another way the play is significant is because it portrays Albee’s discontent with the American Dream. George and Martha are named after the George and Martha Washington, whom represent the American couple. Keep in mind that the play was written in 1962 and many Americans were still in the 1950’s mindset, which pushed the idea of a perfect and happy home life with Leave it to Beaver type children and a Father Knows Best marriage, which is completely opposite of George and Martha and their nonexistent son, whom happens to be the only common dream they share. Albee is commenting on the American Dream and perhaps saying that behind these perfect 1950 marriages there are probably a lot of couples who would love to get a divorce if only it was socially acceptable. It’s not only Martha and George that represent the American Dream but so do Nick and Honey, the couple that is invited over by Martha, at first they appear as a fresh and attractive couple who seem to be quite opposite of Martha and George, but eventually we realize that they could easily be traveling down the same road as Martha and George had, which landed them in a miserable marriage. Once again Albee has destroyed the idea of the American Dream. I believe what was so significant about Whos’ Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is how progressive the themes were. Theatre was still stuck in the 1950’s and Albee’s play was moving theatre forward to a progressive era, where social conventions were challenged. Before I had seen the movie and the play which were great. Of all three forms of media, nothing can compare to the initial awkwardness that develops between the actors and the audience within the first few minutes of the play, of course this would not have been possible if it was not for the personal and blunt dialogue of the characters that Albee created. The story also enforced my own personal views on marriage and helped me develop my own ideas of what should be considered the American dream. I also enjoyed the mood of the play which was dark, bitter and usually humorous at another characters expense. So overall, yes, I absolutely enjoyed reading this play and if given the opportunity I would definitely see it again on stage! Works Cited Dircks, Phyllis T. Edward Albee: a Literary Companion. Jefferson, NC: McFarland , 2010. 151-53. Print.