Individuality and Self-Worth Feminist Accomplishment in Jane Eyre

Whether or not Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre is a feminist work has been widely debated among critics for decades. Some argue that the novel speaks more about religion and romance than it does of female empowerment; however, this is not a wholly accurate judgment. The work can, in fact, be read as a feminist piece from beginning to end.   The main character, Jane, asserts herself from the first pages as an independent woman (girl), unwilling to rely on or relent to any outside force. Though a child when the novel starts, Jane follows her own intuition and instinct rather than submitting to the oppressive statutes of her family and educators. Later, when Jane becomes a young woman and is faced with overbearing male influences, she again asserts her individuality by demanding to live according to her own necessity. In the end, and most importantly, Brontà « stresses the significance of choice to the feminist identity when she allows Jane to go back to Rochester. Jane eventually chooses to marry the man she once left, and chooses to live out the remainder of her life in seclusion; these choices, and the terms of that seclusion, are what prove Jane’s feminism. Early on, Jane is recognizable as someone atypical to the young ladies of the nineteenth century. Immediately in the first chapter, Jane’s aunt, Mrs. Reed, describes Jane as a â€Å"caviller,† stating that â€Å"there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in [such a] manner.† A young woman questioning or speaking out of turn to an elder is shocking, especially one in Jane’s situation, where she is essentially a guest in her aunt’s house. Yet, Jane never regrets her attitude; in fact, she further questions the motives of others while in solitude, when she has been put off from questioning them in person. For instance, when she has been scolded for her actions toward her cousin John, after he provokes her, she is sent away to the red room and, rather than reflecting on how her actions could be considered unladylike or severe, she thinks to herself: â€Å"I had to stem a rapid rush of retrospective thought before I quailed to the dismal present.†Ã‚   Also, she later thinks, â€Å"[r]esolve . . . instigated some strange expedient to achieve escape from insupportable oppression – as running away, or, . . . letting myself die† (Chapter 1). Neither actions, having to suppress backlash or considering flight, would have been considered possible in a young lady, especially a child of no means who is in the â€Å"kind† care of a relative.   Furthermore, even as a child, Jane considers herself an equal to all around her. Bessie brings this to her attention, condemning it, when she says, â€Å"you ought not to think yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed† (Chapter 1). However, when Jane asserts herself in a â€Å"more frank and fearless† action than she had ever before displayed, Bessie is actually pleased (38). At that point, Bessie tells Jane that she is scolded because she is â€Å"a queer, frightened, shy, little thing† who must â€Å"be bolder† (39).   Thus, from the very start of the novel, Jane Eyre is presented as a curious girl, outspoken and conscious of the need to improve her situation in life, though it is required of her by society to simply acquiesce. Jane’s individuality and feminine strength is again demonstrated at the Lowood Institution for girls. She does her best to convince her only friend, Helen Burns, to stand up for herself. Helen, representing the acceptable female character of the time, waves Jane’s ideas aside, instructing her that she, Jane, need only study the Bible more, and be more compliant to those of a higher social status than she. When Helen says, â€Å"it would be your duty to bear [being flogged], if you could not avoid it: it is weak and silly to say you cannot bear what it is your fate to be required to bear,† Jane is appalled, which foreshadows and demonstrates that her character will not be â€Å"fated† to subservience (Chapter 6).   Another example of Jane’s courage and individualism is shown when Brocklehurst makes false claims about her and forces her to sit in shame before all her teachers and classmates. Jane bears it, then tells the truth to Miss Temple rather than hold her tongue as would be expected of a child and student. Finally, at the end of her stay at Lowood, after Jane has been a teacher there for two years, she takes it upon herself to find a job, to better her situation, crying, â€Å"I [desire] liberty; for liberty I [gasp]; for liberty I [utter] a prayer† (Chapter 10). She does not ask for any man’s assistance, nor does she allow the school to find a place for her. This self-sufficient act seems natural to Jane’s character; however, it would not be thought of as natural for a woman of the time, as demonstrated by Jane’s need to keep her plan secret from the masters of the school. At this point, Jane’s individuality has advanced from the eager, rash outbursts of her childhood. She has learned to keep true to herself and her ideals while maintaining a level of sophistication and piety, thus creating a more positive notion of feminine individuality than was displayed in her youth.    The next obstacles for Jane’s feminist individuality come in the form of two male suitors, Rochester and St John. In Rochester, Jane finds her true love, and had she been any less of a feminist person, any less demanding of her equality in all relationships, she would have married him when he first asked. However, when Jane realizes that Rochester is already married, though his first wife is insane and essentially irrelevant, she immediately flees from the situation. Unlike the stereotypical female character of the time, who might be expected to care only about being a good wife and servant to her husband, Jane stands firm: â€Å"Whenever I marry, I am resolved my husband shall not be a rival, but a foil to me. I will suffer no competitor near the throne; I shall exact an undivided homage† (Chapter 17).   When she is asked again to be married, this time by St John, her cousin, she again intends to accept. Yet, she discovers that he, too, would be choosing her second, this time not to another wife, but to his missionary calling. She ponders his proposal for a long time before concluding, â€Å"If I join St. John, I abandon half myself.† Jane then decides that she cannot go to India unless she â€Å"may go free† (Chapter 34). These musings pronounce an ideal that a woman’s interest in marriage should be just as equal as her husband’s, and that her interests must be treated with just as much respect. At the end of the novel, Jane returns to Rochester, her true love, and takes residence in the private Ferndean. Some critics argue that both the marriage to Rochester and the acceptance of a life withdrawn from the world overturn all efforts made on Jane’s part to assert her individuality and independence. It should be noted, however, that Jane only goes back to Rochester when the obstacles which create inequality between the two have been eliminated. The death of Rochester’s first wife allows Jane to be the first and only female priority in his life. It also allows for the marriage that Jane feels she deserves, a marriage of equals. Indeed, the balance has even shifted in Jane’s favor at the end, due to her inheritance and Rochester’s loss of estate. Jane tells Rochester, â€Å"I am independent, as well as rich: I am my own mistress,† and relates that, if he will not have her, she can build her own home and he may visit her when he wishes (Chapter 37). Thus, she becomes empowered and an otherwise impossible equality is established.   Further, the seclusion in which Jane finds herself is not a burden to her; rather, it is a pleasure. Throughout her life, Jane has been forced into seclusion, whether by her Aunt Reed, Brocklehurst and the girls, or the small town that shunned her when she had nothing. Yet, Jane never despaired in her seclusion. At Lowood, for example, she said, â€Å"I stood lonely enough: but to that feeling of isolation I was accustomed; it did not oppress me much† (Chapter 5). Indeed, Jane finds at the end of her tale exactly what she had been looking for, a place to be herself, without scrutiny, and with a man whom she equaled and could therefore love. All of this is accomplished due to her strength of character, her individuality. Charlotte Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Jane Eyre can certainly be read as a feminist novel. Jane is a woman coming into her own, choosing her own path and finding her own destiny, without stipulation. Brontà « gives Jane all that she needs to succeed: a strong sense of self, intelligence, determination and, finally, wealth. The impediments that Jane encounters along the way, such as her suffocating aunt, the three male oppressors (Brocklehurst, St. John, and Rochester), and her destitution, are met head-on, and overcome. In the end, Jane is the only character allowed real choice. She is the woman, built up from nothing, who gains all she wants in life, little though it seems. In Jane, Brontà « successfully created a feminist character who broke barriers in social standards, but who did it so subtly that critics can still debate whether or not it happened.         References Bronte, Charlotte.  Jane Eyre (1847). New York: New American Library, 1997.

A Thousand Splendid Sunsâ€Discussion Questions

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is superbly written, has a page-turning story, and will help your book club learn more about Afghanistan. Use these book club discussion questions to probe deeper into the story. Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions reveal important details from the novel. Finish the book before reading on! Discussion Questions What did A Thousand Splendid Suns teach you about the history of Afghanistan? Did anything surprise you?Mariam’s mother says: Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have. In what ways is this true? How do Mariam and Laila endure? How is their endurance different from the ways their mothers faced their trials?Several times Mariam passes herself off as Lailas mother. In what way is their relationship like mother-daughter? How did their own relationships with their mothers shape how they treated each other and their family?What is the significance of Lailas childhood trip to see the giant stone Buddhas above the Bamiyan Valley? Why did her father take her on this trip? How did his influence shape the way Laila would cope with her future?Afghanistan changes rulers several times in the story. During the Soviet occupation, the people felt life would be better once the foreigners were defeated. Why do you think the quality of life deteriorated after the occupation rather than r eturning to the way it was in the pre-communist era?When the Taliban first enter the city, Laila does not believe women will tolerate being forced out of jobs and treated with such indignity. Why do the educated women of Kabul endure such treatment? Why are the Taliban accepted?The Taliban forbid writing books, watching films, and painting pictures; yet the film Titanic becomes a sensation on the black market. Why would people risk the Taliban’s violence to watch the film? Why do you think this particular film became so popular? How does Hosseini use films throughout the novel to symbolize relationships between people and the state of the country (i.e. Jalils theater, Tariq Lailas outings to the movies)?Were you surprised when Tariq returned? Had you suspected the depth of Rasheeds deceit?Why does Mariam refuse to call witnesses at her trial? Why didnt she try to escape with Laila and Tariq? Do you think Mariam made the right decision? Even though her life was hard, Mariam w ishes for more of it in the end. Why do you think that is?Do you think Laila and Tariq can be happy?Afghanistan is still in the news a lot. Do you think the situation will truly improve there?Rate A Thousand Splendid Suns on a scale of 1 to 5.

Is It Education †Education in Hong Kong Free Essays

Education is of utmost importance as it makes a great impact on a person’s whole life. In Finland, kids at the age of 6 or earlier do not have to go to schools, but learn at home through playing games and interacting with people. The teachers there accompany the same group of students for a long time owing to the 9-year compulsory educational system. We will write a custom essay sample on Is It Education – Education in Hong Kong or any similar topic only for you Order Now In Hong Kong, however, ‘education’ seems to have lost its meaning and the educational system is still problematic despite several modifications. The first and major problem is being too examination-oriented. This can be explained by the popularity of tutorial schools. Those ‘super tutors’ focus on helping students acquire a satisfied result in the examination. Many students seek help from them since whether they can further their studies mainly depends on their academic results. Another piece of evidence can be found on our textbooks. Many of them include a particular section merely for the examinations, such as ‘exam tips’, ‘exam skills’ or ‘exam practice’. This also reflects the phenomenon of examination- orientation. Setting academic results as the major criterion of school entry has twisted people’s receptions of education. The existing educational system puts much emphasis on students’ academic performance and neglects the significance of developing other aspects, including moral cultivation, life education and other abilities like interpersonal skills. As a result, people seem to have forgotten what the aims of education actually are. Apart from this problem, some social issues have arisen from Hong Gong’s ‘education’. One of them is the problem of impoverishment, especially the intergenerational poverty and youth poverty. The former one becomes more severe hen the educational system does not allow poor students to get rid of it via education. The latter one can be resulted when the tuition fees of universities are so high that some students have to grant loans from the government and repay them even when they have been working for years. Hong Kong government has spent many resources on education, though, there are still a multitude of problems that the government has to solve. Not only has it become too exam-orientated, but it also deepens some social problems. What the society wants is a real and comprehensive education which allows students to fully utilize their abilities. How to cite Is It Education – Education in Hong Kong, Papers

Financial Accounting Plant and Equipment

Question: Discuss about the Financial Accountingfor Plant and Equipment. Answer: Introduction: The present paper expects to explain about the estimation of property, plant and equipment (PPE) at either revaluation model or cost. The reason behind the revaluation of fixed assets is to present in the books "the fair market value" of the fixed assets. This might give the companies a chance of putting assets into different sectors. As pointed out by Hu, Percy and Yao (2015), fair value is the sum anticipated from the offer of a benefit or paid in moving a liability in an arranged transaction between the members in the market at the date of estimation. The non-current assets could be devalued, depleted or amortized. Be that as it may, the amounts of non-current resources are limited on the balance sheet, which result in loss recognition. Factors: The accompanying aspects are vital for an Australian company to consider at the time of revaluing its advantages: Firm Characteristics: The Australian populace is joined firmly to the conviction of work and social peace. At the time, the Aussie government officials question any contention situation that may bring about reprisals in the forthcoming races; they actualize measures to guarantee social peace. The force of political cost is related with firm size as controls and other enactment mediations as happenstance expenses. The perceivability of the enormous firms is more prominent in connection to existing riches, which could draw the consideration of the chose delegates focusing more on the benefit level. Because of this, the administrators of enormous associations may apply upward revaluations for limiting the profits on resources and value alongside the capital additions from resource deal to diminish political expenses. Foreign Partners' needs and Data Asymmetry: Because of the confined size of the Australian securities exchange, the recorded associations have expanded their business operations on the abroad budgetary markets. In this way, an Australian firm required in worldwide exercises needs to convey data to both the residential and outside partners. The outside partners need to change the money related reports into neighbourhood monetary forms; be that as it may, they need in significant learning and aptitude. Along these lines, the Australian associations have a motivating force in enhancing their money related quality through minimisation of data asymmetry. For this situation, the administrators of the Australian firms need to lead upward revaluation for finishing this goal. Audit Fees: It has been watched that the revaluation of assets would bring about more prominent costs identified with contracts. For example, the auditors dedicate more prominent measure of time in evaluating the detailed figures and talking about the same with the chiefs. The revaluation of fixed assets is reliant on the judgment of the auditors, which may prompt bias. The unscrupulous CFOs and CEOs are likely to utilize fair value accounting to the endeavors for control of net profit. The AASB 116 states that PPE has been hard to order as opposed to properties of investment. With a specific end goal to revalue the PPEs, the gathered devaluation should be foreseen and it should be subtracted from the re-esteemed sum at the assessment date. Consequently, the audit fees are firmly connected with the benefit revaluation strategy. Financial portfolio: At the point when a company measures its assets at the revaluation model, it should be updated quickly before being arranged as held available to be sales (Hu, Percy and Yao, 2015). The effect of such treatment is that the cost of sales would be put in the income statement when the asset is arranged as held available to be purchased. Examples: Two Companies Listed on ASX The two recorded ASX associations that gauge their PPEs with both cost and fair value constitute of Woolworths Limited and Telstra Corporation. Telstra Corporation: The PPEs of Telstra constitute of structures, communication assets and other plant and equipment. At the time of settling the deferred cash considerations, the future payable sum is marked down to existing value discounted on the acquisition date and it is perceived as finance expenses. Moreover, it applies straight-line strategy over the economic existence of the assets. Since Telstra works as both lesser and renter, the estimation of rented property is perceived at lower of the fair asset value or "fair value of least lease payments" if there should be an occurrence of the last mentioned (Telstra.com.au, 2017). If there should arise an occurrence of the previous, it perceives a lease receivable by the existing value of unassured remaining worth assessed after the lease term end. Then again, it has measured alternate PPEs in measured cost strategy, as there has been no adjustment in the value since the acquisition date. Woolworths Limited: If there should arise an occurrence of Woolworths Limited, the PPEs involve development properties, freehold land, lease improvements and other plant and equipment. It has been gathered that Woolworths has decided on cost basis in recording its PPE. The PPE carrying amount of the company less accumulated depreciation has remained at $10,062.10 million in 2016 (Woolworthsgroup.com.au, 2017). Regardless of such data reliability, this figure neglects to portray the financial sum anticipated that would be gathered from the sale of assets. For offering users more accurate data, Woolworths has conducted assessments for finding out the fair value identified with its PPE. It has recorded an impairment loss of $203.10 million related with "significant items of continuing with operations" and $1,431.80 million related with discontinued operations. The assets having a place with the last category have been considered for sale. This indicates the recoverable sum is lower contrasted with the carr ying amount. Such disclosure has delivered the users with reliable data about the total assets of the property. Conclusion: From the above explanation, it has been found that the main considerations required for asset revaluation incorporate firm attributes, data asymmetry, audit fees, foreign stakeholders needs and financial portfolio. The two companies recorded in ASX that utilization both fair value and cost in asset revaluation are Woolworths Limited and Telstra Corporation. This is primarily used to convey the users with relevant data about the actual estimation of the property. References: Hanlon, D., Navissi, F., Soepriyanto, G. (2014). The value relevance of deferred tax attributed to asset revaluations.Journal of Contemporary Accounting Economics,10(2), 87-99. Hu, F., Percy, M., Yao, D. (2015). Asset revaluations and earnings management: Evidence from Australian companies.Corporate Ownership and Control,13(1), 930-939. Telstra.com.au. (2017). Retrieved 14 April 2017, from https://www.telstra.com.au/content/dam/tcom/about-us/investors/pdf-e/2016-Annual-Report.pdf Woolworthsgroup.com.au. (2017). Retrieved 14 April 2017, from https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/icms_docs/185865_annual-report-2016.pdf