A Study on Funeral Rites Workers in Tamil Nadu

In the Hindu religion, the death of a person is followed by many rituals which have to be carefully attended to in order to pay the deceased person the last respects. Unlike many other cultures, which will either bury or burn the dead, the Hindu tradition believes in cremating the dead. This goes back to the belief that the human body is made up of the five elements earth, water, fire, air and space and shall return to those five elements after death. This happens much faster when cremated than when buried and is thus the better way to dispose of the dead body with respect and dignity to the deceased person. The Last Rites: When a person dies, the family and relatives prepare the dead body before taking it to the crematorium. For this they first wash the body and gather firewood to burn it. To prepare the wood, they take some sand and cow dung from nearby, mix it with water and paste it onto the wood. Often the family members will also put rice in the mouth of the dead person, symbolically showing the unity of the family; for the family members have taken care of that person and provided him with food while he was alive and will do so even after he is dead. They also use some dried leaves to put them with some more firewood on the body. According to the Hindu customs and tradition, the youngest son cremates the father and the eldest son does the same for the mother. The main work of the cremator is to attend to the dead bodies until they have fully burnt to ashes, with only the bones remaining whole. After the body is fully burnt, the cremators send a message to the family members and the sons will sacrifice their hair in order to pay their respects to the deceased person. Again, the younger son will let his hair be cut if the father died and the elder son if the mother died. To pay the barber for cutting the hair, each family member throws some money in a white cloth, which is then given to the barber. Three days after the cremation the family members sprinkle milk on the ashes and the remaining bones. This symbolizes finishing the circle of life and death. The human being has started his life with drinking milk and shall end it with milk too. Dark Uses: An interesting fact about the cremation was the use of the distilled blood which remains after the body is fully burnt. The thick, dark liquid is often collected by people for purposes of black magic use. This concentrated blood is then mixed with the blood of a cat, monkey, snake, dog and donkey and put on a cloth, which is then burned to obtain black ink with strong magical powers. People usually use the blood in order to obtain the love of the person they want to marry. For this purpose the black magicians will write the name of the person they want to marry with this black ink on a piece of paper and burn it in a copper plate. To make sure this will affect the right person, the person using black magic writes down the names of all the family members too. This is believed to succeed under all circumstances. The last Vettiyans: A musical tradition and a degraded low caste profession: As the feudal, caste-based organization of labor in village India has given way to capitalist market forces and wage labor relations, traditional low caste professions are beginning to disappear. One of these professions is the inherited, highly stigmatized office of funeral drummer and graveyard attendant, called Vettiyans. In Tranquebar, only one person from the Paraiyar caste is still serving as vettiyan, and even he dreams about a better future for his son. This article examines the gradual disappearance of the Vettiyans profession in Tranquebar and the neighboring villages in relation to the general changes in the economic, social, and symbolic status of the low castes. It looks into the ambiguous symbolic meanings of drums and drumming, and compares the Vettiyans profession to that of other drummers and musicians from the Paraiyar caste. The article focuses on the subtle cultural encounters between people, who belong to the same caste and share almost similar cultural backgrounds, but still define each other as ‘others’. It argues that the few remaining Vettiyans are used by their Paraiyar caste fellows as symbolic repositories of the negative, degrading connotations of untouchability and impurity that are still associated with their existence and which they vehemently strive to escape. The last remaining Vettiyans in Tranquebar also dreams of a better future for his son free from the regular abuses at the funeral ceremonies of mainly the fishermen community and from the social isolation at home in the Paraiyar street. He is therefore determined to be the very last Vettiyans in Tranquebar, despite the fact that his teenage son is a very talented tappu player, who often goes along with his father to play at local funerals. If the Vettiyans son manages to find an alternative source of livelihood, the Vettiyans profession will completely disappear in Tranquebar and with that a distinct musical tradition, which for centuries has been closely associated with the cultural and artistic traditions of the Paraiyar caste. Do you know that there are significant differences in the funeral customs among lower and upper caste families? I am talking about funerals in Tamil Nadu villages where the old customs are still practiced (not in metropolitan areas). In the so-called upper caste families, the dead body is taken to the final resting place without much fanfare. There is usually a small or large gathering of friends and family but the funeral procession is a sober, quiet affair. On the contrary, among the so-called lower castes (or untouchables or dalits), the funeral procession is accompanied by musical instruments and much noise. Do you know the reasons for this difference? I heard the following explanation years ago from Kumari Mainthan, a rather lesser known writer-speaker but with some good and original ideas. In the bad old days, lower caste families were not allowed to celebrate their wedding functions with music and gaiety. Only the upper castes were allowed that privilege. It bothered the lower castes and they longed for some gaiety in their functions too. So they decided to conduct their funerals with music and noise. This is the root for the diversity in funeral customs between the lower and upper castes. IMPORTANCE OF VETTIYANS: Importance of Vettiyans can be clearly explained through the following case. CHENNAI: It is not an easy end, both for the dead and their relatives who arrive at the graveyard located at Ambedkar Nagar in Tambaram as there is no employee or Vettiyans to do the final rites there for many years. The graveyard, located in the 20th ward at Tambaram, is more than five decades old and is under the control of the Tambaram municipality catering to the needs of both Hindus and Christians. Absence of a Vettiyans had raised many problems among the residents as the relatives have to make the pyre or bury the body themselves that sometimes leads to improper cremation or burial. Residents claim that the bodies were cremated in odd hours especially between 4pm and 1 am, as there is no one to maintain the yard or question the people. The five-acre site is used for cremation by over 10,000 families of Ambedkar Nagar, Bharathi Nagar, Avvai Nagar, MGR Nagar, Indra Nagar and Rajaji Nagar. According to the residents, at least two to three bodies were cremated a week there. There has been no Vettiyans or a watchman to maintain the graveyard for more than 20 years. We should bury the bodies ourselves and cannot obtain a burial certificate. The worst is, at times, stray dogs drag parts of bodies even as it is in the pyre,† said 40-year-old Prakash, a resident. â€Å"Sometimes, we won’t even know if the person being cremated had a natural death or committed suicide,â₠¬  the resident quickly added. Many local youth offer to cremate the bodies and take Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 but they don’t stay there till it burns completely, complain people. Repeated requests to the municipality to come up with halls to perform final rites and meditation have not been yielded any result. â€Å"We have invited applications for both watchman and Vettiyans job, but none approached us. But another ground with all facilities for funeral rites is under construction at West Tambaram. That will solve the issue once it’s ready,† said Lion E Mani, President, and Tambaram Municipality. HISTORY: In the Indian subcontinent, human bodies were either exposed to the elements of nature, and to the birds, or buried in the earth, in a river, and sometimes a cave or an urn. Centuries later, cremation became the usual mode of disposal of the dead bodies, with certain exceptions – the exceptions being bodies of infants, yogis, sadhus, and a few others. Cremation became popular due to the Hindu concept of detachment of soul from the body at the time of death, and the transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Stages: Hindu funeral rites may generally be divided into four stages: * The rituals and rites to be performed when the person is believed to be on the death bed. Rites which accompany the disposal of the dead body. * Rites which enable the soul of the dead to transit successfully from the stage of a ghost (preta) to the realm of the ancestors, the Pitrs. * Rites performed in honor of the Pitrs. Process Preparation of the body Immediately after the death, family members close the mouth and eyes of the deceased, and put the arms straight. The body is placed on the floor with the feet pointing towards the south which is the direction of the dead. An il lamp is lit and placed near the body which is kept burning continuously for the first three days following death. In Hinduism, the dead body is considered to be symbol of great impurity hence minimal physical contact is maintained, perhaps to avoid the spread of infections or germs. Most often the body is bathed by purified water, and then dressed in new clothes. If the dead is male or a widow then generally white clothes are used, whereas if the dead is a married woman with her husband still alive or a young unmarried girl, then the body is dressed either in red or yellow. Sacred ash (bhasma) is applied on the forehead of the deceased if they are worshippers of Lord Shiva (Saivites), otherwise sandalwood paste is applied to the forehead, if the dead was a worshipper for Lord Vishnu (Vaishnava). Further, a few drops of the holy Ganges water may be put into the mouth of the deceased so that the soul may attain liberation, also a few leaves of the holy basil (tulsi) are placed on the right side of the dead body. The body then may be adorned with jewels, and placed lying on a stretcher, with the feet still pointing towards the south or kept in a sitting position. The stretcher is adorned with different flowers including roses, jasmine, and marigolds, and the body is almost completely covered with the flowers. Thereafter, the close relatives of the deceased person carry the stretcher on their shoulders to the cremation ground. If it is located at a distance, traditionally the stretcher is placed on a cart pulled by animals such as bullocks. Nowadays vehicles are also used. Cremation: The cremation ground is called Shmashana (in Sanskrit), and traditionally it is located near a river, if not on the river bank itself. A pyre is prepared, on which the corpse is laid with its feet facing southwards; this is so the dead person can walk in the direction of the dead. The jewels, if any, are removed. Thereafter, the chief mourner (generally the eldest son for those who have children, husband for the childless married or brother for the unmarried) walks around the pyre three times keeping the body to his left. While walking he sprinkles water and sometimes ghee onto the pyre from a vessel. He then lights a small fire inside deceaseds mouth, this is known as mukh-aagni. The pyre is then set alight with a flaming torch. The eginning of the cremation heralds the start of the traditional mourning period, which usually ends on the morning of the 13th day after death. When the fire has consumed the body, which may take several hours, the mourners return home. During this mourning period the families of the dead are bound by many rules and regulations of ritual impurity. Immediately after the cremation the enti re family is expected to have a bath. One or two days after the funeral, the chief mourner returns to the cremation ground to collect the mortal remains and put them in an urn. These remains are then immersed in a river. Those who can afford it may go to special sacred places like Varanasi, Haridwar, Allahabad, Sri Rangam, Brahmaputra on the occasion of Ashokastami and Kanya Kumari to perform this rite of immersion of mortal remains. The preta-karma is an important aspect of Hindu funeral rites, and its objective is to facilitate the migration of the soul of the dead person from the status of a preta (ghost or spirit) to the abode of the ancestors (Pitrs)[citation needed]. It is believed that if this stage of the funerary rites are not performed or are performed incorrectly, the spirit of the dead person will become a ghost (bhuta)[citation needed]. The rites generally last for ten or eleven days, at the end of which the preta is believed to join the abode of the ancestors. Thereafter, they are worshipped during the sraddha ceremonies. Manual burning: The following is a general practice in India. The body is handed over to the Government officials at the crematorium. The officials will give consent to burn the body once you produce a doctors certificate of death. The person in charge of the actual burning covers the body with wooden logs and then with dried dung cakes. The face is closed at the last minute. The karta is given burning pieces of coal and he places the coal very tenderly on the chest of the departed. Then the face is covered with cloth. The funeral party returns home after this. The person in charge takes care of the further burning. He ensures that the body is fully burnt. Electric burning: The body is kept on a bamboo frame on rails near the door of the electric chamber. The door is opened, the frame is moved, the body is put into position and the frame is pulled back. Then the operator turns the switch on. The target temperature is around 500 degrees Celsius. The chamber coils are kept on right from the morning, body or no body. It takes around an hour for the body to burn. The black smoke can be seen from the very tall chimney above the chamber. (Here also, the karta puts the burning pieces of coal on the chest of the body before the body is pushed into the chamber). The ashes are given to the karta. Again there are some mantras and work on the ground. Once over, the karta goes to a water body, such as a beach, and immerses the ashes in the water (sanjayanam). For electrical burning the body should not be bathed. Hindu Rites amp; Rituals: After the death of a family member, the relatives become involved in ceremonies for preparation of the body and a procession to the burning or burial ground. For most Hindus, cremation is the ideal method for dealing with the dead, although many groups practice burial instead; infants are buried rather than cremated. At the funeral site, in the presence of the male mourners, the closest relative of the deceased (usually the eldest son) takes charge of the final rite and, if it is cremation, lights the funeral pyre. After a cremation, ashes and fragments of bone are collected and eventually immersed in a holy river. After a funeral, everyone undergoes a purifying bath. The immediate family remains in a state of intense pollution for a set number of days (sometimes ten, eleven, or thirteen). At the end of that period, close family members meet for a ceremonial meal and often give gifts to the poor or to charities. A particular feature of the Hindu ritual is the preparation of rice balls (pinda) offered to the spirit of the dead person during memorial services. In part these ceremonies are seen as contributing to the merit of the deceased, but they also pacify the soul so that it will not linger in this world as a ghost but will pass through the realm of Yama, the god of death. CHAPTER 2 INTRODUCTION amp; RESEARCH METHODOLOGY GENERAL INTRODUCTION: A funeral is a ceremony of sanctifying or remembering the life of deceased person. It comprises of many complex belief and various types of practices followed by peoples of various community. This event of sanctifying or remembering is on the hands of FUNERAL RITES WORKER (VETTIYANS). It is a service motive work which involves lots of ethical values and customs on religious aspect. This work is very dangerous and hazardous work but there is no proper recognization given to them neither from society nor from government here the importance and need of this study arises. In the Hindu religion, the death of a person is followed by many rituals which have to be carefully attended to in order to pay the deceased person the last respects. Unlike many other cultures, which will either bury or burn the dead, the Hindu tradition believes in cremating the dead. This goes back to the belief that the human body is made up of the five elements earth, water, fire, air and space and shall return to those five elements after death. This happens much faster when cremated than when buried and is thus the better way to dispose of the dead body with respect and dignity to the deceased person. When a person dies, the family and relatives prepare the dead body before taking it to the crematorium. For this they first wash the body and gather firewood to burn it. To prepare the wood, they take some sand and cow dung from nearby, mix it with water and paste it onto the wood. Often the family members will also put rice in the mouth of the dead person, symbolically showing the unity of the family; for the family members have taken care of that person and provided him with food while he was alive and will do so even after he is dead. They also use some dried leaves to put them with some more firewood on the body. According to the Hindu customs and tradition, the youngest son cremates the father and the eldest son does the same for the mother. The main work of the cremator is to attend to the dead bodies until they have fully burnt to ashes, with only the bones remaining whole. After he body is fully burnt, the cremators send a message to the family members and the sons will sacrifice their hair in order to pay their respects to the deceased person. Again, the younger son will let his hair be cut if the father died and the elder son if the mother died. To pay the barber for cutting the hair, each family member throws some money in a white cloth, which is the n given to the barber. Three days after the cremation the family members sprinkle milk on the ashes and the remaining bones. This symbolizes finishing the circle of life and death. The human being has started his life with drinking milk and shall end it with milk too. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: There is a strong stigma on the Funeral Rites Worker through the ages. Most of the time they were all alone in the cremation ground and detached from the society. Though it is a dangerous and hazardous work government not provided any schemes and policies to the Funeral Rites Worker especially in rural setup. NEED OF STUDY: As per the Indian constitution Article 14 All human beings are equal in the eyes of law but these community people were highly exploited by the other people in various aspects like social, economical, political, psychological etc†¦.. Hence the need of this study arises. Definition: A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, respecting, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor. Customs vary widely between cultures, and between religious affiliations within cultures. The word funeral comes from the Latin funus, which had a variety of meanings, including the corpse and the funerary rites themselves. Funerary art is art produced in connection with burials, including many kinds of tombs, and objects specially made for burial with a corpse. GENERAL OBJECTIVE: * To study the status of Funeral Rites Worker (Vettiyans) SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: * To study the living condition of F. R. W (Vettiyans) * To study the livelihood conditions of the respondents * To study about the social capital of the respondents * To study the grievances in relation to the respondents * To study the government initiatives towards the respondents * To study the F. R. W in human right perspective * To study the nature of service of the respondents To study the impact of caste on F. R. W * To study the problems and issues related to respondents in various aspects like health, psychological, economical, life threat. * To study the policy and legislation frame work for F. R. W (Material culture) RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: 1. FIELD OF STUDY. This study was conducted in Tiruvalangadu block, Thiruvallur district, Tamilnadu. This consists of 48 villages. 2. PILOT STUDY. The researcher done his pilot study on 18th July 2012 to know about the research area and to collect information from the local funeral rites workers of Tiruvalangadu block at Thiruvallur district. This pilot study was very much useful to know about the (FRW) i. e. in regional language VETTIYANS. This visit helped the researcher to frame the interview schedule to collect data. 3. RESEARCH DESIGN. The researcher adopted descriptive design which is used to describe more clearly about the research topic because the researcher felt that this design will help the researcher to fulfill the objectives of the research. 4. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE. The samples were segregated under area sampling. The researcher selected each respondent from each village; hence it is called as area sampling. 5. TOOL FOR DATA COLLECTION. Collection of data is the basis for any statistical analysis and the data collected must be accurate. Researcher adopted interview schedule to collect data. 6. SOURCES OF DATA. A. PRIMARY DATA These are the actual information’s which are received by the researcher directly from the field of research. These data’s are collected by the researcher for a specific purpose B. SECONDARY DATA Secondary data’s are available generally from the published and unpublished materials. The researcher collected data from the available books, journals, magazines, newspapers and in relevant websites. . PRE-TESTING. The pre-testing was conducted by the researcher on 6th January 2013, with 3 respondents from three villages. 8. ACTUAL DATA COLLECTION. The actual data collection starts from February 9th to 24th in Thiruvallur district, Tiruvalangadu block. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY: 1. It was very difficult to collect the information from the FRW because most of the time they were using alcohol. 2. Availability of the respondents. 3. Finding the right man is too much difficult. CHAPTER – 3 ANALYSIS amp; INTREPRETATION EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF THE RESPONDNTS TABLE 1 EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF THE RESPONDNTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | ILLITERATE| 41| 77. 4| | PRIMARY EDUCATION| 8| 15. 1| | HIGHER SECONDARY| 1| 1. 9| | Total| 50| 100| | | | | | | | The above table and figure shows the educational qualification of the respondents. Almost majority of the respondents who involved in the funeral work are illiterate, i. e. 77. 4 % of the respondents were not studied at all. 15% of the respondents stopped their education in the primary level itself. Out of 50 respondents only 1 respondent studied higher secondary level. TABLE 2 MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | MARRIED| 49| 98| | WIDOW| 1| 2| | Total| 50| 100| | | | | | | | MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS This table shows the marital status of the respondents. From the above table and diagram we come to know that 98 % of the respondents were married and 2 % of the respondent is widow. TABLE 3 COMMUNITY OF THE RESPONDENTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | SC| 40| 75. 5| | ST| 10| 24. 5| | Total| 50| 100| | | | | | | | COMMUNITY OF THE RESPONDENTS This table and chart shows that 75% of the overall respondents were coming under the category of schedule caste. Remaining 25% of the respondents are schedule tribes. This chart and table helps the researcher to prove the hypothesis that the funeral rites work is seemed to be a caste based job. TABLE 4 OCCUPATION OF THE RESPONDENT| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | FARMER| 10| 18. 9| | COOLIE| 28| 52. 8| | LABOURERS| 12| 22. 6| | Total| 50| 100| | | | | | | | OCCUPATION OF THE RESPONDENT This chart helps us to find that 53% of funeral rites workers are working as a coolie. 3% of the respondents are working as a laborer and 19% of the respondents are farmers. Apart from the funeral work they are working no run their day to day life. TABLE 5 TYPE OF RESPONDENTS FAMILY| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | NUCLEAR| 48| 96. 2| | JOINT| 2| 3. 8| | Total| 50| 100| | | | | | | | TYPE OF RESPONDENTS FAMILY This table and chart shows that out of 5o respondents 48 respondents ar e living as a nuclear family. Only 2 respondents are living in joint family. TABLE 6 ANNUAL INCOME OF THE RESPONDENT| | NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | BELOW 24000| 50| 100| | | | | | | | ANNUAL INCOME OF THE RESPONDENT This table and figure clearly tells us that all the 50 respondents i. e. 100% of the respondents are earning below 24000 per annum which is very low in the present economic situation. TABLE 7 RELIGION OF THE RESPONDENTS| VARIABLE| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | HINDHU| 50| 100| | | | | | | | RELIGION OF THE RESPONDENTS This table and diagram shows the religion of the respondents. After data collection we come to know that all the respondents who are engaged in this cremation work are coming under Hindu religion. TABLE 8 MOTHER TOUNGE OF THE RESPONDENTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| | TAMIL| 48| 90. 6| | TELUGU| 2| 3. 8| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| MOTHER TOUNGE OF THE RESPONDENTS This table and diagram represents that the local language or the mother tongue of the respondents. The output is 48 respondents are speaking Tamil and 2 respondents speaking Telugu. TABLE 9 BOUNDNESS OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE RESPONDENTS| | NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 37| 69. 8| | NO| 13| 24. 5| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| BOUNDNESS OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE RESPONDENTS This diagram and chart represents the boundness of the family members with the respondents. After data collection we come to know that 37 respondents replied that they are having good relationship with the members of the family but rest of the respondents i. e. 13 respondents said that they are not recognized or there is no proper good relationship between the respondents and other family members. TABLE 10 NEIBHOURS RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPONDENTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| GOOD| 19| 35. 8| | BAD| 31| 58. 5| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. | NEIBHOURS RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPONDENTS This table implies the overall relationship of the respondents with their neighbors. The researcher come to know that 40% of the respondents only having a good relationship with their neighbors, but 60% of the respondents felt that they are not ok i. e. the relationship between them and neighbors. The same was represents in the diagram. TABLE 11 ENJOYING COM MON CELEBRATION WITH VILLAGE PEOPLES| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 7| 13. 2| | NO| 43| 81. 1| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| ENJOYING COMMON CELEBRATION WITH VILLAGE PEOPLES This table and diagram shows the respondents common celebration with the other members. It seems that only 7 respondents said that they are enjoying the common celebration in the village as like others, but 93 respondents said that they are not invited and they are not enjoying the common celebrations in the village. TABLE 12EARNINGS IN FUNERAL WORK| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| 2000 PER DEATH| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| EARNINGS IN FUNERAL WORK This table represents the income of the respondent per death for the cremation work. All the respondents said that they get Rs 2000 per death. TABLE 13 SATISFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 37| 69. 8| | NO| 13| 24. 5| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| SATISFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS This table and diagram shows the satisfactory level of the respondents who are engaged in the funeral work. 37 respondents said that they are satisfied with the present occupation and 13 respondents are not satisfied in this work. TABLE 14 RESPONDENTS ENGAGED IN ASSOCIATION| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 11| 20. 8| | NO| 39| 73. 6| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| RESPONDENTS ENGAGED IN ASSOCIATION This table and diagram shows that respondents membership in association. 11 respondents are engaged in the associations. 39 respondents are not engaged in any kind of association. TABLE 15BENEFITS RECIVED FROM THE ASSOCIATION| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| FEES FOR CHILDREN| 3| 5. 7| | INSURANCE SCHEME| 5| 9. 4| | ACCIDENT CHARGES| 3| 5. 7| | NO| 39| 73. 6| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| BENEFITS RECIVED FROM THE ASSOCIATION This table represents the benefits received by the respondents from the associations. Only 11 respondents received benefits. Out of 11 respondents 3 respondents received fees for their children education from the society. 5 respondents received insurance from the association. 3 respondents received accident compensatation charges from the association. TABLE 16 AVAILING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| NO| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| AVAILING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT This table represents the availability or support of government to the respondents. All the respondents said i. e. 100% of the respondents said that they are not getting any support from the government. TABLE 17 COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCES| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| WELLS| 20| 37. 7| | LAKES| 19| 35. 8| | PONDS| 11| 20. 8| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCES This table represents the usage of common property resource of the village by the respondents. All the respondents replied that they are using the common properties of the village like wells, lakes, ponds etc TABLE 18PROBLEMS FACED BY THE RESPONDENTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| VOMITING| 13| 24. 5| | FIRE ACCIDENTS| 23| 43. 4| | RESPIRATORY PROBLEM| 10| 18. 9| | COUGH| 3| 5. 7| | OTHERS| 1| 1. 9| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| PROBLEMS FACED BY THE RESPONDENTS This table shows the risk faced by the respondents in funeral work. All the respondents said that they faced some kind of risks. 13 respondents said that they will get vomiting sensatation while engaged in the funeral work. 23 respondents faced fire accidents. 10 respondents having respiratory problem. 3 respondents having cough. TABLE 19 RESPONDENTS UNDERGONE TREATMENT| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| RESPONDENTS UNDERGONE TREATMENT This table represents the respondent’s undergone treatment for the health problems while engaged in the cremation work. All the respondents i. e. 100 % of the respondents undergone treatment. TABLE 20 PLACE OF TREATMENT| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| PHC| 24| 45. 3| | G. H| 26| 49. 1| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| PLACE OF TREATMENT This table shows the place of treatment where the respondents undergone the treatment. 45% of the respondent’s undergone treatment in the public health centers. 55% of the respondents undergone the treatment in the government hospital. TABLE 21 AWARNES ABOUT INFERIOR JOB| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 28| 52. 8| | NO| 22| 41. 5| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| AWARNES ABOUT INFERIOR JOB This table represents the awareness level of the respondents. 53% of the respondents said that they know that this cremation work is the inferior job. 7% of the respondents said that they don’t know that this is the inferior job. TABLE 22 AWARNESS LEVEL ABOUT BASIC WORK OF HUMAN BEINGS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 17| 32. 1| | NO| 33| 62. 3| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| AWARNESS LEVEL ABOUT BASIC WORK OF HUMAN BEINGS This table represents the awareness level of the respond ents. 32% of the respondents said that they know that this cremation work is the basic work for human beings. 68% of the respondents said that they don’t know that this is the basic work for human beings. TABLE 23 AWARNESS LEVEL FRW IS WEPON TO SAFEGUARD THE BELIFS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 20| 37. 7| | NO| 30| 56. 6| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| AWARNESS LEVEL FRW IS WEPON TO SAFEGUARD THE BELIFS This table represents the awareness level of the respondents. 38% of the respondents said that they know that this cremation work is a weapon to safeguards the beliefs of the traditions of the family. 52% of the respondents said that they don’t know that this is a weapon to safeguards the beliefs of the traditions of the family. TABLE 24 NEW GENERATION RESPECTING FRW| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 26| 49. 1| | NO| 24| 45. 3| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| NEW GENERATION RESPECTING FRW This table represents the relationship between the respondents and the new young generation peoples. 49% of the respondents said that there is a good relationship between them and new young generation. They said that they are also respecting them. 51% of the respondents said that there is a no good relationship between them and new young generation. They said that they are also not respecting them. TABLE 25 DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS RESPONDENTS| VARIABLES| NO. OF. RESPONDENTS| Percent| Valid| YES| 29| 54. 7| | NO| 21| 39. 6| | Total| 50| 94. 3| Missing| System| 3| 5. 7| Total| 53| 100. 0| DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS RESPONDENTS This table and diagram represents the level of discrimination faced by the respondents by other members. 55% of the respondents said that they faced discrimination in the society. 45% of the respondents said that they didn’t face any discrimination in the society. Chapter – 4 Main findings MAIN FINDINGS: 1. It was found that 78% of the cremation workers are illiterate. 2. Almost 95% of the funeral rites workers are married. 3. It seems that 100% of the respondents who are engaged in the cremation work are coming under the schedule caste and schedule tribes caste. 4. All the cremation workers are engaged in the additional occupation to meet their day to day life expenses. 5. Majority of the funeral rite worker are engaged as a coolie to earn additional income. 6. All most majority of the funeral rites worker i. e. 97 % of the cremation worker living as a nuclear family. 7. Majority of the funeral workers are earning below 24000 per annum. . Most of the cremation workers are following the Hindu religion. 9. After proper and systematic analysis we come to know that Almost 30% of the respondents’ families are not supporting them or we can say that there is no proper boundness between them. 10. Almost 59% of the respondents are not supported by the neighbors. 11. Funeral rites workers are not allowed to engage in the common celebration of the village. 12. 74% of the cremation workers are not engaged in any kind of association. 13. Government is not considering these people as human beings. Government is also not providing any kind of support to them. 4. All the cremation workers are highly affected by the health problems. 15. Funeral rites workers are not getting any safety measures due to this they are spending their major portion of income for medical expenses. 16. Based on the analysis this cremation work is caste based occupations. 17. There is no proper reorganization to these peoples since this job is the basic work for human beings and it safeguards the customs and belief. 18. Casteism plays a vital role in this job. 19. Finally we can say that they are the poorest of the poorer Chapter – 5 Suggestions and conclusion SUGGESTIONS: 1. Government should look after these people, who are engaged in the inferior job. It is the responsibility of the government to take care of each and every individual in the society, but the whole cremation workers community is suffering a lot. 2. Government should impose some laws to safeguard the funeral rites workers. 3. Special allowances, schemes, policies should be implemented to protect the funeral rites workers. 4. Government should properly supply the required materials which are required for the cremation work. 5. All the cremation grounds should come under the surveillance of the local supervisor or local authority. . Government should provide proper medical facilities and free health checkups to the cremation workers because it is highly hazardous job. 7. Severe punishments should be given to the general public who are discriminating the funeral rites worker. 8. Government should introduce some income generation program to the cremation workers to meet their daily expenses because it is a low income job. 9. Being this job is safeguarding the customs and beliefs of the traditional and cultural families, but the payment which is given to the cremation worker is very low. So government should increase and standardized the charges to support the cremation workers. 10. More number of associations must be formed. Funeral rites workers should take necessary steps to appeal any kind of support from the government or government supported agencies. 11. Ngo’s should come up to work for the welfare of the funeral rites workers. 12. Fixed salaries and uniforms should be provided to the funeral rites workers. APPENDIX A STUDY ON STATUS OF FUNERAL RITES WORKERS IN THIRUVALLUR DISTICT TIRUVALANGADU BLOCKS TAMILNADU- 631210 INTERVIEW SCHEDULE DEMOGRAPIC DETAILS: 1. NAME: . AGE: 3. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION: A) ILLITRATE B) PRIMARY C) HIGHER SECONDARY D) UG/ PG E) OTHERS 4. MARITIAL STATUS: A) MARRIED B) SINGLE C) WIDOW D) OTHERS 5. COMMUNITY: A) SC/ST B) BC C) OC D) FC E) OTHERS 6. OCCUPATION: A) FARMER B) COOLIE C) LABOURERS D) BUSINESS E) OTHERS 7. TYPE OF FAMILY: A) NUCLEAR B) JOINT C) EXTENDED D) OTHERS 8. FAMILY DETAILS: S. NO| NAME amp;RELATIONSHIP WIT H HOF| AGE| QUALIFICATION| OCCUPATION| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9. ANNUAL INCOME: SOCIAL CONDITIONS: 10. WHAT RELIGION YOU FOLLOW A) HINDHU B) MUSLIM C) CHRISTIAN D) BUDHIST E) OTHERS 11. WHAT IS YOUR MOTHER TOUNGUE: 12. IS YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE CLOSE TO YOU A) YES B) NO 13. IF NO WHY? 14. HOW IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR NEIBHOURS B) GOOD B) BAD C) SATISFIED D) NOT SATISFIED 15. HAVE YOU ENJOY JOINING THE COMMON CELEBRATION IN THE AREA WITH ALL THE PEOPLE A) YES B) NO 16. IF NO WHY? SOCIAL CAPITAL: 17. HOW MUCH YOU EARN IN FUNERAL WORK A) 1000 B) 2000 C) MORE THAN 2000 18. HOW MUCH ARE YOU EARNING IN OTHER ADDITIONAL OCCUPATION: 19. DO YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATION C) YES B) NO 20. IF NO, WHY? SOCIAL SUPPORT: 1. ARE YOU ENGAGED WITH ANY ASSOCIATION A) YES B) NO 22. IF YES WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE ASSOCIATION 23. WHEN IT STARTED 24. BENEFITS YOU RECIVING FROM THE ASSOCIATION 1) 2) 3) 4) 25. HOW MANY MEMBERS IN THE ASSOCIATION 26. ARE YOU GETTING ANY SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES D) YES B) NO 27. IF YES, WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT COMMON PROPERTY RESOURSES: 28. ARE YOU AVAILING OR USING THE COMMON RESOURCES IN THE VILLAGE E) WELLS B) LAKES C) PONDS D) BORE WELL E) OTHERS 9. IF NO, WHY? RISK amp; NATURE: 30. WHAT TYPE OF RISK YOU FACED IN FUNERAL WORK F) VOMITING G) RESPIRATORY PROBLEM H) COUGH I) OTHERS J) FIRE ACCIDENTS 31. HAVE YOU UNDERGONE ANY TREATMENT? 32. IF YES, WHERE? K) PHC L) G. H M) LOCAL MEDICAL PRACTIONERS N) OTHERS 33. IF NO, WHY? 34. WHAT IS THE PROCESS IN YOUR WORK OR NATURE OF WORK 35. WHAT IS YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL FEEL WHEN YOU ARE ENGAGED IN THIS WORK. HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE: 36. DO YOU THINK, THAT THIS IS A INFERIOR WORK? O) YES B) NO 37. IF YES? GIVE 2 REASONS 1. 2. 38. DO YOU KNOW THAT FRW IS A BASIC WORK FOR HUMAN BEINGS P) YES Q) NO 39. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THE WEAPON TO SAFEGUARD THE CUSTOMS AND BELIEF OF THE TRADITIONS? 40. DOES THIS GENERATION OF PEOPLE RESPECT YOU? R) YES S) NO 41. IF NO? WHAT IS THE REASON 42. DO YOU FACE ANY DISCRIMINATION IN THE VILLAGE T) YES U) NO 43. IF YES? WHAT KIND OF DISCRIMINATION 44. DO YOU BELIVE THAT THIS IS A CASTE BASED OCCUPATION? V) YES W) NO

Evaluate the transition from oil based world economy to an economy Essay

Evaluate the transition from oil based world economy to an economy driven by alternative energy sources - Essay Example Further, there have been adverse effects on the environment from using oil. In the last fifty years, industrialization across the world has led to increases in carbon emission, depletion of the ozone layer, melting of ice caps and a general decrease in the quality of life. Besides this, oil is a non-renewable resource. This means that its quantities on earth are limited and will at some point be depleted. This makes the use of oil as a source of energy unsustainable and unreliable. Herald (12) uses the phrase ‘Peak Oil’ to describe the time when the world will reach its peak oil production. This will subsequently lead to decline in oil production and the rise in oil prices, causing a significant, yet unpredictable impact. At the moment, some of these consequences are already being experienced in the world. The amount of oil being produced surpasses the amount of new oil supplies being discovered. This indicates that the peak oil stage is fast approaching. With these fact s in mind, there is a greater need to shift the world economy to one that is dependent on renewable energy sources that can be replenished and which do not harm the environment. The following is an evaluation of the significance of this transition and its link to the economic and political processes of the world and the effects of this new venture on the world climate. To avert the effects of oil shortage on the world economy, there have been collaborative efforts to focus on alternative energy sources. These are other sources of energy besides fossil fuels. According to Michaelides (20), what constitutes to an alternative energy source is still being debated. However, the idea behind the term refers to any energy source that is environmentally friendly and not necessarily renewable. Some of these sources include wind, solar, ethanol, hydroelectric power, geothermal power and nuclear energy. These sources have enormous potential and they are able to meet the world energy demands man y times over. Their uptake despite being on the increase over the years has not yet surpassed that of traditional energy sources. Combined, these sources contribute up to only 20 percent of the world energy demand currently. Wind has been one of the best alternative sources which have become a competitive energy source in the world. It is preferred because is clean energy source and produces no pollution in generating power. Its rebirth was particularly focused on after the 1970 oil crisis. This saw a lot of research being conducted to harness wind and to improve wind turbines. Much more needs to be done to promote the use of wind energy such as the reduction of the cost of equipment, better policies to address the competitive land use and availability of distribution and transmission channels. Energy generation from wind is facing a challenge because it relies on high wind speeds, a factor which is not easily attained in densely populated regions. To tackle this hurdle, countries s uch as the Netherlands are opting to set up wind stations in areas which are far from the population although this requires for increase in distribution costs. Some of the countries that have fronted wind energy and encouraged its use include Spain, USA, Denmark and Germany. Wind energy is fast growing as a replacement for oil and these governments are giving incentives to encourage this

Ethics Worksheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics Worksheet - Essay Example The wife is, obviously, lying for her husband and trying to protect him. Socially, she has not done any wrong in doing so, and since the police have not been able to convict the husband, they are bound by law and cannot carry out further investigation without due cause. The other issue at hand is the belief of the police officers that the husband was driving while intoxicated. They checked the hood of the car, which was warm, suggesting that it had been very recently used. They also observed the husband drop the car keys and put them in his pocket while he was walking up to the front door. After carrying out a check, they retrieved a set of car keys from his front pocket, but the husband denied driving and said he was out walking. The wife maintained she had not driven either. However, it was obvious that the husband was lying. The husband failed to pass the intoxication tests satisfactorily, and it was established that he was, indeed, intoxicated; his alcohol was on the scale of 0.2 0 on his breath. It is socially unethical, and legally unlawful, to drive intoxicated. However, since the officers did not observe him driving themselves, they are unable to take any action. Q3: 3A: Claimant 1: The husband. He is the person who would be convicted of two crimes, domestic violence, and intoxicated driving, if the crimes were to be proven. Therefore, he would prefer that the police do not find sufficient evidence to convict him. To that end, he has got his wife to lie for him as well. From the perspective of the moral agent, the obligation of justice is owed to the husband. All the preliminary evidence points towards him being guilty. He is on socially and legally unethical grounds, and to make it worse, he is lying about it. He should be dealt with justice, and convicted. 3B: Claimant 2: The wife. She has a minor role to play in the case. She was the victim of domestic violence, but now she denies it, and there are no visible signs of violence about her to convict the husband for that. She is also lying for her husband. For the sale of her husband, she would prefer the authorities not to find him guilty, and she would prefer the police not to find sufficient evidence to convict him. That is the reason for her lying. The obligation owed towards her is beneficence, and she should be dealt with it. If indeed she is the victim of violence, then she should be taken into protective custody and her problem solved. She should also be given the confidence that she can still live her life with her husband convicted, so that there is no need for her to lie to protect him. 3C: Claimant 3: The police officers. They have strong belief of the husband being guilty based on their observations, and they would prefer for the husband to be convicted of the crimes, because they believe he is lying about them. The experience of the older police officer also point towards this verdict. However, since they do not have sufficient proof, such as visible signs of domestic violence and the actual observation of the husband driving while intoxicated, they should deal him with the moral obligation of non-injury, since they can protect bringing unnecessary harm to the couple. Q4: Alternative 1: The police do not convict, based on insufficient evidence. Best case scenario, the husband does not repeat the mistake again. Worst case scenario,

William Butler Yeats’ The Magi Essay -- The Magi Essays

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Original Course work †Urban Myths Essay

The scream rang through the trees. Pounding footsteps thudded their way through the wood. Twigs snapped and cracked like brittle bones. She slowed down to a trot, trying to make sense of where she was. Her ears pricked. Listening for following footsteps. Realising she had been holding her breath, she gasped and air flooded her body. Only half an hour before she had been sat perfectly happy with her boyfriend. Her vision glazed over as silent drops fell to the ground, remembering how Josh had got out of the car to investigate a noise they had heard. She sank down to the bottom of the tree, as she recalled how ten minutes later, when he hadn’t returned, she had got out, only to find his pale form hanging from the tree above. Blood stained the top of the car where it had spilt from his neck, draping down over his shoulder like a carpet of scarlet. Whoever done this mustn’t be too far away. They could be watching her, waiting for her†¦ â€Å"The bodies of two teenagers have been found in Thornby Woods early this morning by a local dog walker. The bodies have been described as horrifically mutilated and the result of a brutal murder. At the moment police are investigating leads including the name â€Å"Aidan† spelt in blood on the roof of the car. Hopefully this will bring the monster to justice.† â€Å"I can’t believe something like that could happen here, it’s just so unbelievable†, said Diana. The others nodded in agreement. The four were sat around a table in their local cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. There was Diana, Jack and the twins, Kerry and Kevin. The twins with their unique coppery red hair and blue startling eyes, stood out from Diana and Jack with his plain name, and fairly plain features. â€Å"You know what this sounds like†, said Jack then hesitated, â€Å"the urban legend about the guy in the car with his girlfriend†. The others looked at him. â€Å"But they’re made up stories, they would never come true†, argued Diana. The twins, who had a habit of speaking in unison, started speaking but then fell silent, as the television in the corner of the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ flashed on again and more about the murders was broadcast. Later that night, Kerry was sat in the library. The essay she was trying to write was starting to give her a headache. The ticking clock, mounted on the wall, showed her it was nearly midnight. As she stifled a yawn, she pulled the books shut and gathered up her stuff. Silently, she made her way down the deserted corridors and up the stairs to her room. When she arrived she turned the key slowly in the lock, so as not to wake her roommate, Stacie. She climbed into bed and her eyes shut as her head rested on the pillow. The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows. It was a Monday morning and everyone was trying to stay in bed as long as possible. Suddenly, the silence was broken as a scream rose from Kerry’s room. Kevin and Diana were first there. As they pushed the door open, they saw Stacie’s dead body surrounded by bloodstained sheets. Kerry was whimpering softly, slouched against the bed. Kevin noticed the mirror out of the corner of his eye. Smeared across the glass in blood-red lipstick were the words, â€Å"Bet you’re glad you didn’t turn on the light†. It was signed ‘Aidan’. Kevin rushed over to Kerry, trying to comfort her, glancing over his shoulder at Diana. She stood like a statue, a shocked expression spreading across her face. Jack came rushing into the room. â€Å"What’s happened†¦?†, he broke off. He had seen the body. The four friends sat bewildered, silently hugging each other. Kerry couldn’t concentrate. Everyone had thought it best if she went to her lessons and tried to forget about it, but she couldn’t. Her mind kept going back to that morning when she had opened her eyes. The first thing she had seen was the body. The bloody image flashed before her. Finally, after what had seemed like hours, the end of college bell rang. Kerry slowly made her way over to the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ where she was going to meet Jack and Kevin. When she arrived, no one else was there, so she pulled a magazine out of her bag. As she did so, a plain envelope came with it and dropped to the floor. Curiously, she tore it open and jerked the paper out. â€Å"You’re next†, it spelt out, in carefully cut out letters from a newspaper headline. Kerry crammed the paper back in the envelope, as Jack and Kevin came through the door. â€Å"You feeling any better?† asked Jack, concerned. Kerry nodded her head and had to force a smile. â€Å"You know, this murder also sounds like an urban legend, don’t you think?† Jack continued, ignoring Kevin’s warning look. â€Å"Who do you suppose is behind it?† Drew, the class swot, came over. â€Å"Have you not heard? The police are looking for a man with the name Aidan, round about 20 years old†, he recited, sounding like a news reporter. â€Å"Why?† asked Kerry, turning her head towards Drew. â€Å"The name has been found at both the murder scenes, so it’s likely it was left by the killer† â€Å"But I don’t know anyone called Aidan†, said Kerry puzzled. â€Å"Could be an outside job, it doesn’t have to be anyone on campus. Do you know anyone that would do something that sick?† â€Å"I suppose it makes it more likely to be some lunatic,† half-whispered Kerry, but Drew had already turned away and had started telling the news to the table next to them. â€Å"Hey guys.† Their conversation was interrupted by Diana’s arrival, which was always noticeable. Her slim figure and blonde hair made her popular with the boys. She joined them at the table. â€Å"So has everyone has a nice day?† she said with a smile. The others just looked at her. Kerry looked as though she was about to cry. â€Å"Oh sorry, I forgot about this morning,† she answered cheerfully. Kerry’s chair scraped back as she got up to go. She pulled her bag onto her shoulder and left without saying a word. â€Å"What’s up with her today?† questioned Diana. â€Å"Well maybe she’s upset ‘cos one of her friends was murdered right underneath her nose and she found the body!† exclaimed Jack. Kerry had gone to the library. She couldn’t stand being in her room after what had happened. As she sat, staring at the open book infront of her, but not taking one word in, a voice called out her name. Turning sharply around, thinking it could easily be the killer, she saw, to her relief, it was Jack. â€Å"I just came to see if you were all right.† He muttered his apology for scaring her. â€Å"Yeah. I’m okay†¦ well sort of,† she smiled back. â€Å"I just thought, well Diana wasn’t exactly being sympathetic before and when you walked out, you looked upset to me. I though someone had better come after you.† He paused and looked at her, â€Å"You sure you’re all right?† Kerry looked away and sighed. â€Å"Well not exactly, I got this letter, someone must have planted it in my bag.† She handed over the letter to Jack. His eyes scanned the letter and his expression turned into that of alarm. â€Å"You really should take this to the police,† he said, his eyes piercing her own with serious anxiety. She turned her head so she wouldn’t have to stare into his hazel eyes, so caring, so tender, so†¦ â€Å"What’s the point?† her voice shuddered, â€Å"It doesn’t mean its necessarily from him. It’s probably some dumb kid playing a sick joke to upset me† â€Å"Well, if you’re sure. But come on, don’t you think you should call it a day?† Jack said, standing up and taking Kerry’s bag. â€Å"Where am I going to sleep? I mean, I don’t want to sleep in my room tonight,† she shivered. â€Å"I’m sure you can share Diana’s room. Come on we’ll go up there now.† Kerry followed Jack and together they walked up the three flights of stairs to Diana’s room. Ten minutes later, Kerry sat on the spare bed, while Jack said his good byes. Finally they were left alone. â€Å"Look I’m really sorry about before you know. I really shouldn’t have said that,† apologised Diana, humbly. â€Å"Its okay,† said Kerry smiling at her friend and laying back on the bed. A large sigh rose from her chest. She looked around the room, so much different from her own. The walls were a soft shade of purple with various famous prints dotted around. Cream curtains hung at the windows, drawn back gracefully, allowing the orange, golden sunlight to stream in. Her eyes moved around the room and stopped at the desk placed in the corner. There, lying on a pile of schoolbooks, was a newspaper, maybe a day or two old. Kerry could clearly see off-cuts and torn pages nestled on top. â€Å"Have you been working on a project?† she asked, the sarcasm stung her words. â€Å"What do you mean, project†¦?† Diana’s eyes followed her gaze. Her laugh rang through the room. â€Å"Yeah, it’s a project all right.† Kerry instantly sat up on the bed and turned to face Diana. â€Å"You†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she spat accusingly. Diana let out a jeering laugh. â€Å"I wondered how long it would take you to realise,† she half laughed, half spoke. â€Å"Realise what exactly? That you sent me that letter? How could you be so cruel?† cried Kerry, scrambling off the bed and onto her feet to face Diana. â€Å"Cruel? You don’t even know the meaning of the word, cruel!† â€Å"What†¦What precisely do you mean?† questioned Kerry, her throat tightening. â€Å"When I saw that girl and boy in the car, I though that it was you and Jack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You mean, you†¦you didn’t, did you?† Kerry stared in disbelief. â€Å"Yeah, I followed them, then killed them, if that’s what you’re trying to say. The stupid thing was, I didn’t realise it wasn’t Jack until he was dead. And of course the girl had to go in case she saw anything,† sneered Diana, boasting about her serial killing. She quickly strode to the door and locked it before Kerry even had a chance to move. Kerry noticed for the first time, that even though Diana was pretty, she was tall, fit and could probably easily manage to hold someone in a struggle. Kerry caught her breath and inhaled deeply. â€Å"But why did you kill them because you thought they were Jack and I? Why did you want to kill us?† Diana hesitated. â€Å"You don’t understand anything? Do you? Well†¦ I suppose we have a few minutes before I have to kill you.† Her hand rose from behind her back. The sharp point of the knife sparkled in the autumn light, sending spears of the reflected spark, dancing on the walls. With the knife poised, ready for action, she continued. â€Å"I thought I could have anyone I wanted. But I didn’t want anyone I wanted Jack.† Her eyes flashed, dangerously. The knife still held, it’s flickering gleam reflected into Kerry’s eyes, dazzling her. Kerry swallowed, her heart beating faster, yearning to escape this torture. â€Å"I wanted Jack badly,† Diana continued, walking in circles around Kerry, as though she the predator and Kerry the prey. â€Å"But, he didn’t want me, did he? Oh no, he wanted you!† she hissed. â€Å"Me?† stammered Kerry, â€Å"I didn’t know.† â€Å"Of course, you, wouldn’t, spat Diana, â€Å"so I thought, well if I can’t have him, no one can. Especially you! So I came up with a nice, simple plan to kill you both. You could rot in hell together for all I cared.† â€Å"So when you killed Stacie, you thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I was killing you,† Diana finished. â€Å"Yeah! Stupid mistake really, but I made up for it by making it look like it was to scare you. Funny really how urban legends can come true, isn’t it.† By now Diana was stood face to face with Kerry. â€Å"Anyway, enough talk! Now you get what’s been coming to you.† She laughed and thrust the knife down infront of her, ripping the air apart. Kerry stumbled backwards to the other side of the room. Her sweaty palms clambered at the door handle. â€Å"Looking for this?† taunted Diana holding the key out. Staring blindly around, Kerry picked up a chair and threw it at Diana. It narrowly missed her and smashed into the wall. Diana was moving forward, knowing that Kerry didn’t have anywhere to go. Only the bed stood between Kerry and her attacker. Diana drove the knife into the bed, ripping the duvet and shredding the sheets. In the commotion of feathers from the pillow, Kerry ran to the door and started banging and shouting for help. Surely someone would hear. In the meantime, Diana continued to pursue her. Kerry grabbed at anything; books, furniture, pens went flying. Some managed to hit Diana, obstructing her. Trying not to get injured by the knife, Kerry attempted to take it off Diana. Diana stood up, her eyes blazing like the fires of hell. â€Å"One thing I don’t understand,† said Kerry, trying to buy more time, â€Å"is why the name ‘Aidan’ was found at the murder scenes.† â€Å"Ever though of rearranging my name?† panted Diana, â€Å"Diana spells ‘Aidan’. No one was clever enough to guess that. It even managed to put the police off. Now stop this idle chit-chat and let me kill you, nice and slowly,† her voice cackled as she flew at Kerry, the knife close to her throat. Kerry tried to push her arm away. She couldn’t keep her off for much longer. She battled with Diana and they both lost their balance. Tumbling over Diana had the better position, holding the knife inches away from Kerry’s neck. â€Å"Goodbye Kerry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The door to the room flew open. The surprise stopped Diana as she looked up. Jack and Kevin stood gaping in horror at the scene. Rapidly, they ran over and pulled Diana off Kerry. The knife dropped to the floor with a clang. Five policemen were standing in the entrance and with Kevin’s help, carried the screaming Diana away. Jack was left helping a very shaky Kerry to her feet. â€Å"I heard screaming,† he mumbled, â€Å"I rushed to help with Kevin.† Kerry didn’t say a word. Tears swept from her eyes, as she realised the terror was over, and she was still alive. A far away shriek disturbed the comforting silence surrounding Kerry and Jack. The wail of sirens echoed into the distance. â€Å"It’s all over now, I promise you,† Jack, holding Kerry, â€Å"I promise†

Poem, Mother Of Son, By Langston Hughes Essay - 1084 Words

Poetry Journal Assignment In the poem, Mother to Son, by Langston Hughes, the author highlights counsels a mother to her son, to be persistent, not to let discouraged by obstacles that arise in life, posing herself example, â€Å"Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair†¦But all the time I’se been a-climin’ on.†, the image of a mother lovingly, wisely talking to her son about life.The language used by the mother shows that she was not an educated person and words such as â€Å"Tacks†, â€Å"splinters†, â€Å"boards torn up† suggests that life was not so easy for this woman. Obstacles of life are often very sharp, the challenges are difficult and painful, like a ladder with all kinds of defects, which is very difficult to be ascent. The way this mother describes her journey through this life, make the reader to understand that she is a black woman who had faced a lot of obstacles in her quest to move forward in life from the whites , â€Å"And sometimes goin’ in the dark, Where there ain’t been no light. So, boy, don’t you turn back.† Any parent wants for his/her child to succeed in life and often he/she is able to sacrifice everything for that. Even an uneducated mother has in her the desire to see their child happy, and she is able to sacrifice herself. The mother in our poem encourages her child not to give up, not to stop no matter how hard will be, despite all the challenges of life, â€Å"So, boy, don’t you turn back. ‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard. Don’t you fall now - â€Å" In contrast with theShow MoreRelatedThe Poem Mother to Son by Langston Hughes690 Words   |  3 PagesThe poem â€Å"Mother to Son† by Langston Hughes expresses a message that society can relate to. The poet does not just write directly about life; he uses extended metaphor; he compares climbing up a staircase to life’s many obstacles. The poet does this so a substantial number of people can understand his definition of life. What is life, an organism that has a pulse? If you agree with this, you are wrong! The poet’s concept of life isn’t a wordy definition that revolves around science, but life comesRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem, Mother And Son1171 Words   |  5 Pagesbelt, life is not always easy. As Langston Hughes states in â€Å"mother and son life is not a crystal stair. With his brilliant writing, Hughes conveys to the reader to never giving up just because something is not easy (Langston2). In the poem â€Å"Mother to Son† by Langston Hughes. It seems that Langston Hughes wants the readers to understand that yeah life may be hard, but you have to get through it. One cannot give up just because things are not going their way. The mother explains how she has also enduredRead MorePersonal Reflection Of Langston Hughes s Poem, Mother And Son1289 Words   |  6 Pages1 English Composition II Chandler Dixon Personal Reflection of ?Mother to Son? In the poem ?Mother to Son? by Langston Hughes, the author describes a mother?s warning to her son about life?s struggles. This poem was written in 1926 by Hughes, during a time period known as the Harlem Renaissance. This was a time of expression for African Americans as the culture was two generations removed from the Civil War. The life of African Americans was completely different than their pre and post war relativesRead More Symbolic Imagery in Langston Hughes Poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Mother To Son1651 Words   |  7 PagesSymbolic Imagery in Langston Hughes Poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Mother To Son Langston Hughes uses symbolism throughout his poetry. In the poems The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Mother To Son, Langston Hughes uses symbolism to convey his meaning of the poems to the readers. Readers may make many interpretations about the symbols used throughout these poems. Throughout the poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers Hughes uses metaphorical statements to suggest to the readerRead More Struggles of African Americans in Langston Hughes’ Poems, Mother to Son and Lenox Avenue: Midnight1672 Words   |  7 PagesStruggles of African Americans in Langston Hughes’ Poems, Mother to Son and Lenox Avenue: Midnight The experiences, lessons, and conditions of one’s life provide a wellspring of inspiration for one’s creative expressions and ideas. Throughout life people encounter situations and circumstances that consequently help to mold them into individualized spirits. An individual’s personality is a reflection of his or her life. Langston Hughes, a world-renowned African American poet and self-professedRead MoreLangston Hughes: Spokesman for Civil Rights960 Words   |  4 PagesOctober 2012 Langston Hughes: Spokesman for Civil Rights The purpose of this essay is to examine the theme of three Langston Hughes poems; â€Å"I. Too,† â€Å"Mother to Son,† and â€Å"Theme for English B.† The theme of these three essays is civil rights. Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902. His parents separated early in his life, he lived with his mother in Kansas City. Langston Hughes attended High School where as a senior he wrote, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers.† Langston became a MerchantRead MoreAn Explication Of Langston Hughes Mother To Son1210 Words   |  5 PagesExplication of Langston Hughes Mother to Son Langston Hughes once stated in his own words that his whole purpose for writing was, to explain and illuminate the Negro condition in America. In the poem Mother to Son, he denotes his belief on racism in America. In Mother to Son, a mother is giving advice to her son about life from her perspective and experiences. She wants her son to keep striving on what he believes and to have a more prosperous life than what she had. Langston Hughes was bornRead MoreThe Writing Style Of Langston Hughes1001 Words   |  5 Pagescollective, is one of the many legacies of Hughes, who has been called â€Å"the architect† of the black poetic tradition. He is certainly one of the world’s most universally beloved poets, read by children and teachers, scholars and poets, musicians and historians. Langston Hughes became the voice of black America in the 1920s, when his first published poems brought him more than moderate success. Throughout his lifetime, his work encompassed both popular lyrical poems, and more controversial political workRead MorePoem Analysis : Langston Hughes Poem1258 Words   |  6 Pages Research Paper and Poem Analysis: Langston Hughes Poem Analysis: Langston Hughes’ poem â€Å"Mother To Son† is a twenty line poem that seems to be from the perspective of a prudent mother that is giving her son, and possibly the readers, some helpful and supportive advice, telling them that, no matter how many adversities they may face, they can not give up. I believe that this is the main theme of the poem, perseverance. â€Å"So, boy, don’t you turn back./ Don’t you set down on the steps./ ‘Cause youRead MoreAnalysis Of James Mercer Langston Hughes Essay1059 Words   |  5 PagesJames Mercer Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He was the only boy out of seven sisters, and he didn’t play many sports growing up. His parents divorced when he was a young child, and his father moved to Mexico. He lived with and was raised by his grandmother Dorian Rothsmith until he was thirteen. When James turned thirteen he moved to Lincoln, Illinois, to live with his mother and her husband, bef ore the family eventually settled in Cleveland, Ohio. It was in Lincoln

Should Marijuana Be Legalized - 986 Words

Drugs along with alcohol and tobacco are claimed to negatively affect human in both physical and mental ways. While alcohol and tobacco are legally sold and consumed, drug legalization is still a controversial issue in the America. There are twenty three states that have legalized marijuana-an iconic drug substance- for medical purposes. California is the first state in the country that legalized it in 1996, and New York State is the newest member. Even though marijuana is legal in these states, and so far, it has not created any outstanding trouble yet, it is just one type of the hundreds types of drugs. There are more dangerous drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or cracks that severely exploit human’s mind and body. These types of drugs cannot be legal because if drugs are legal, it is approachable for everyone evens children and youngsters, and even more, it leads to health problems. In addition, drug legalization was a failure in other countries and states. The legal availabilities of drugs make drugs easily obtainable. Once being legalized, drugs will be accessible to all drug users since drug users legally obtain drugs from personnel who are trained to prescribe an adequate amount of drugs for patients, which can be problematic (Rangel 288). The rate of addiction will be likely to skyrocket when drugs are available because with â€Å"legal obtained drug†, people will take advantage of it causing addiction (Rangel 288). Moreover, beside the legal drugs, there is still aShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?849 Words   |  4 Pageswhether marijuana should be legalized. Around 23 states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use. In the state of Illinois, medicinal use of marijuana has been passed on April 17, 2013. Since January 2014, patients are able to obtain marijuana with a doctor s recommendation. The new debate is whether marijuana should be legalized for the general public as a recreational drug. Although some believe that marijuana is harmless, and that it has beneficial medicinal uses, marijuana shouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1715 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana in Society Cannabis, formally known as marijuana is a drug obtained from the tops, stems and leaves of the hemp plant cannabis. The drug is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Only substances like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol are used more (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). In the U. S. where some use it to feel â€Å"high† or get an escape from reality. The drug is referred to in many ways; weed, grass, pot, and or reefer are some common names used to describe the drug (â€Å"Marijuana† 1). Like mostRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1489 Words   |  6 Pagescannabis plant or marijuana is intended for use of a psychoactive drug or medicine. It is used for recreational or medical uses. In some religions, marijuana is predominantly used for spiritual purposes. Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. Cannabis has been scientifically proven that you can not die from smoking marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized to help people with medical benefits, econo mic benefits, and criminal benefits. In eight states, marijuana was legalized for recreationalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1245 Words   |  5 PagesMarijuana is a highly debatable topic that is rapidly gaining attention in society today.   Legalizing marijuana can benefit the economy of this nation through the creation of jobs, increased tax revenue, and a decrease in taxpayer money spent on law enforcement.   Ã‚  Many people would outlaw alcohol, cigarettes, fast food, gambling, and tanning beds because of the harmful effects they have on members of a society, but this is the United States of America; the land of the free and we should give peopleRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe legalization of marijuana became a heated political subject in the last few years. Twenty-one states in America have legalized medical marijuana. Colorado and Washington are the only states where marijuana can be purchased recreationally. Marijuana is the high THC level part of the cannabis plant, which gives users the â€Å"high† feeling. There is ample evidence that supports the argument that marijuana is beneficial. The government should legalize marijuana recreationally for three main reasonsRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1350 Words   |  6 Pagespolitics in the past decade would have to be the legalization of marijuana. The sale and production of marijuana have been legalized for medicinal uses in over twenty states and has been legalized for recreational uses in seven states. Despite the ongoing support for marijuana, it has yet to be fully legalized in the federal level due to cultural bias against â€Å"pot† smoking and the focus over its negative effects. However, legalizing marijuana has been proven to decrease the rate of incrimination in AmericaRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1231 Words   |  5 Pagesshows the positive benefits of marijuana, it remains illegal under federal law. In recent years, numerous states have defied federal law and legalized marijuana for both recreational and medicinal use. Arizona has legalized marijuana for medical use, but it still remains illegal to use recreationally. This is absurd, as the evidence gathered over the last few decades strongly supports the notion that it is safer than alcohol, a widely available substance. Marijuana being listed as a Schedule I drugRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1457 Words   |  6 PagesSHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED? Marijuana is a drug that has sparked much controversy over the past decade as to whether or not it should be legalized. People once thought of marijuana as a bad, mind-altering drug which changes a person’s personality which can lead to crime and violence through selling and buying it. In the past, the majority of citizens believed that marijuana is a harmful drug that should be kept off the market and out of the hands of the public. However, a recent study conductedRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1596 Words   |  7 Pages But what needs to be known before a user can safely and completely make the decision if trying Marijuana is a good idea? Many do not want the drug to be legalized because they claim that Cannabis is a â€Å"gateway drug†, meaning it will cause people to try harder drugs once their body builds up a resistance to Marijuana, because a stronger drug will be needed to reach a high state. This argument is often falsely related to the medical si de of the debate over legalization. It is claimed that this wouldRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?985 Words   |  4 PagesLegalize Marijuana Despite what people believe about marijuana, it hasn’t once proved to be the cause of any real issue. It makes you wonder what the reason as to why there is a war on drugs. Why is marijuana the main concern? Since the time that alcohol and tobacco became legal, people wonder why marijuana isn’t legal yet. The fact that marijuana is illegal is mainly caused by the amount of money, jobs, and pride invested in the drug war. Once the government starts anything, they stick to it. At