Social Work :: Graduate College Admissions Essays

Social Work    It was the shrill ringing of my pager that jarred me out of the deep sleep I had been enjoying. The clock beside my bed read 3:30 as I fumbled around in the dark, reaching for the insistent pager. As I saw the code that flashed on its tiny screen, my heart sank. I thought of the sleet that had been falling as I had fallen asleep a few hours before, and of the warmth of my cozy bed. The very last thing I wanted to do at that moment was to get up and go out in the cold. Unfortunately, there was little choice; I was the only Crisis Companion available during the week between Christmas and New Year. Within a few minutes, I was dressed and en route to the hospital to pick up a woman and her small children, on the run from an abusive husband, and take them to our shelter several miles out of town. As both a hotline operator and Crisis Companion for a community organization called Avalon, I had been trained to be an active listener, crisis counselor, and advocate for survivors of domestic v iolence and sexual assault. I thought of all the training I had received, as well as the passion which had driven and encouraged my work with Avalon, as I neared the emergency room of the hospital and prepared to meet my newest clients.    Every 15 seconds a woman is battered. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 10 men will be sexually assaulted during their lifetimes. 4 women in the United States are killed every day by their husbands or male partners. When I first heard these statistics in a Women's Studies course my Freshman year, I was astounded and thoroughly incensed. The more I read, the more committed I became to doing something which would bring about a positive change for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. It was then that I learned about and began working with Avalon, which was active on campus and in the community. Through its outreach programs, Avalon is dedicated to educating the community about the issues of sexual assault and domestic violence. It also offers a shelter, as well as advocacy and education, to survivors and their families.    As a volunteer for Avalon I have answered a crisis hotline, acted as a court advocate, helped clients apply for food stamps, and been on call in the hospital to work with women and children.

European television Essay

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s. As a genre description, reality TV is widening its usage from ‘news magazine programmes based round emergency service activities’ to ‘talk shows, docusoaps’ and a variety of ‘first-person’ programmes (Creeber, 2001: 135). ‘Reality TV’ with extensive meaning becomes popular to describe ‘any factual programme based on an aesthetic style of apparent â€Å"zero-degree realism† – in other words a direct, unmediated account of events, often associated with the use of video and surveillance-imaging technologies’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). While Barnfield has criticized ‘the loose usage of the term, suggesting that over the last decade such a wide range of productions have been categorized as â€Å"Reality TV† that one wonders if the term is too general to be helpful'(Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 3). It is true that ‘reality TV’ is not explicit enough in meaning. However, it is the best word applicable to all situations and never unilateral. It gives producers more space to innovate new programmes as to prosper this genre. Reality TV evolves with the development of new technologies. New sub-genres emerged as the hybrids of established genres. It challenges traditional documentary and changes the serious content to more entertainment elements. Every format is close to everyday life to convince the audience as ‘real’ programming. In the short history of only two decades, reality TV has evolved into various formats. I will focus on five main forms which have either had a remarkable effect on television history or unprecedented audience ratings with reference to relevant representative programmes of British television. Contested Generic Identification: Definition of Reality TV It seems difficult to issue a particular definition of ‘reality TV’ to attest to debates over it. As Su Holmes and Deborah Jermyn point out: Producing a particular definition of Reality TV is nevertheless complex. This is partly because of the fundamentally hybrid nature of the forms in question. Yet it is also because of the range of programming to which the term ‘Reality TV’ has been applied, as well as the extent to which this has shifted over time with the emergence of further permutations in ‘reality-based’ texts. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 2). Jon Dovey characterised this genre by ‘reference to the dominant and original forms of Reality TV that feature police and emergency service work’ (Dovey, 2000: 80). In his opinion, as form and construction, reality TV should be: i camcorder, surveillance or observational ‘actuality footage’; i first-person participant or eye-witness testimony; i reconstructions that rely upon narrative fiction styles; i studio or to-camera links and commentary from ‘authoritative’ presenters; i expert statements from emergency services personnel or psychologists. (Dovey, 2000: 80) These elements are helpful in interpreting the origins of reality programmes and in understanding its sub-genres and new development. Only by bearing these elements in mind can we make reference to relevant programmes when we trace back history to discuss the evolution of reality TV. Is it American Innovation? : Historical Precedent of Reality TV There is no consensus about the first reality programme. Jon Dovey thought that ‘Reality TV is generally historically located as beginning in the US with NBC’s Unsolved Mysteries in 1987’ (Dovey, 2000: 81). While Bradley D. Clissold considered that ‘during the years that it aired, Candid Camera (US, 1948- ), arguably the first ‘Reality TV’ programme, proved itself to be one of US TV’s most memorable, enduring and popular shows’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 33). There is a consensus that the earliest reality programme came out in America. In addition to these mentioned above, other commentators like Richard Kilborn, Chad Raphael and Gareth Palmer all agreed with this conclusion (Kilborn, 2003: 55; Palmer, 2003: 21). In the commercial environment in America, technologies like cable, satellite and digital prospered reality programmes in television market. However, reality TV as a television genre has evolved into ‘a very strong Eurpoean form with regional variations in each country’ (Dovey). In mid-1980s, when surveillance technology such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) became accessible, Britain produced its own reality programmes, which revealed real accidents, crimes and emergencies. By using CCTV footage, these reality programmes departed from traditional documentary and were quickly accepted by the curious audience because of their witness techniques. They were real shows without actors and noted for low-cost which was attractive to most programme-makers. Among these early reality programmes, Crimewatch (BBC, 1984- ) was most influential. Jon Dovey said it ‘has been seen as central to the development of the form, particularly in respect of debates around criminology and the media’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). Deborah Jermyn, who is experienced in studying television crime appeal, commented on Crimewatch: Promoting the growth of crime-appeal programming in Britain – with a format where serious unsolved crimes are reconstructed, police and victims’ families interviewed, images of suspects publicized and the public encouraged to phone in and volunteer information – by this time the series had comfortably established itself as Britain’s foremost crime-appeal programme. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 71) The effectiveness of Crimewatch as a detergent to crimes has been under much debate. It entertained the audience, but it was weak as a warning to the criminals. As Jermyn commented: ‘indeed some criminals have claimed that the poor-quality CCTV footage they witnessed on Crimewatch actually gave them an incentive to commit crime’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 82). ‘The use of CCTV conspicuously enhances the programme’s claims to authenticity and underlines its sense of a privileged relationship with real crime and actuality, qualities which programme-makers evidently believe to be ratings winners’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 83). In this case it is exciting for the audience to see the ‘raw’ footage without caring much about its effect of crime appeal. These early reality programmes about crime appeal, accidents and emergencies formed a new documentary format, which was the precedent of a new genre-reality TV. Later popular factual entertainment programmes are based on these elements to innovate. Their effect is remarkable in a long term. ‘Fly-Off-the-Wall’: Video Diaries Known as Access TV The 1990s was a golden era for the prevalence of reality TV. Jon Dovey points out: ‘it seems that â€Å"ordinary people†, non-professional broadcasters, have never been more present on our screens’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 163). Camera is no longer simply ‘fly-on-the-wall’ to observe and record, but closes to the object to become active ‘fly-off-the-wall’. For a long time, access TV, as new reality television, has been in a great demand. According to Jon Dovey, ‘there are some fundamental principles that identify access programming; they centre around control and power over the programme-making process’, especially ‘the authors should have control over the whole process of representation’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 165). Camcorder and video technology opened up expansive space for access TV. ‘Non-professional broadcasters’ became a leading role in making these programmes. As Patricia Holland commented on this innovative style: The video diary style, in which programmes are made with domestic video equipment by members of the public rather than by television professionals, has introduced a new way of making programmes. Low-tech, with a less polished appearance, they seem to bring the audience even closer to the realities they show. (Holland, 1997: 158) Video Diaries, produced by the BBC Community Programme Unit from 1990-1999, was a representative of access TV. From these series of programmes, Jon Dovey noted: the Unit solicits and researches ideas from potential diarists with a compelling story to tell. Once chosen, the diarist is trained in the use of an S-VHS camera and packed off to shoot their story, with support from the Unit should it be needed. In this way the diarists are given not only editorial control but also control over the means of production. They return with anything up to 200 hours of material and attend all the edit sessions, from an initial assembly which is viewed and discussed at length to the offline and online edit processes. (Dowmunt, 1993: 167) The format of Video Diaries is a development of documentary. Gareth Palmer has explained that it ‘imported the authorizing and legitimizing discourse of documentary into the personal, and in doing so it imported also documentary’s ordering principle into individual lives’ (Palmer, 2003:168). It was popular to the audience and also gained acclaim from the critics because of its flexibility in recording reality. Nevertheless there were debates that the producers had already controlled the programme by selecting the diarists, and there were also problems of quality and legality. New Observational Documentary: Emergence of Docusoap Docusoap is one form of the new observational documentary and one sub-genre of reality TV. It is a hybrid of documentary and soap-opera. It improves from serious documentary to emphasize on entertainment, especially everyday lives. ‘Developed in the UK in the mid-1990s, the docusoap enjoyed unprecedented success for roughly a four-year period (1996-2000)’ (Kilborn, 2003: 87). Docusoap combines documentary and drama. There are elements of narration, interviews and background music, and similar sequences as soap-opera. Each episode has a certain title and focuses on character, personalities, plot or situation. Technological advances promote the development of new observational documentary. New technologies like lightweight cameras, ‘portable sound equipment’ and ‘non-linear editing system’ accelerate editing process with better quality and effect. Besides, financial benefits also attract producers to choose new technologies. ‘As Paul Hamann has commented, docusoaps already cost on average only a third of the price of the equivalent in light entertainment or sitcoms’ (Bruzzi, 2000: 77). The entertainment factor of docusoap makes it popular with audience. Driving School ‘peaked at 12. 45 million’ viewers (Bruzzi, 2000: 86). It ‘focused on the trials and tribulations of people preparing for their driving test’ (Kilborn, 2003: 96). Compared to the core character of reality TV, docusoap is blamed to be less factual with aesthetic reconstruction. According to Bruzzi: The sequence most frequently cited is that in which Maureen Rees, on the eve of another attempt at her theory exam, wakes in the middle of the night and asks her husband Dave to test her on the Highway Code. The sequence is a reconstruction, and Jeremy Gibson (head of BBC Television Features, Bristol) and others have gone on record exonerating themselves from blame, commenting that, having gleaned that Maureen did get up at night ghrough panic, it was perfectly legitimate to recreate such a sequence without the film crew having to camp out in her bedroom for an entire night. (Bruzzi, 2000: 87) The producers’ intervention revealed obvious dramatic skills, which aimed at telling a complete story. In any case, under these circumstances one can never expect a totally natural performance from the character with the presence of camera.

Ghost that Appears to Hamlet - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1724 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/04/05 Category Literature Essay Level High school Topics: Hamlet Essay William Shakespeare Essay Did you like this example? What is the nature of the Ghost that Appears to Hamlet? Prince Hamlet went back home to Denmark with the aim of attending his late fathers funeral. The ghost of his father appears to him and reveals to Hamlet that he was murdered when somebody poured poison inside his ear while he was asleep. He charged Hamlet to avenge his death for his soul to rest in peace. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ghost that Appears to Hamlet" essay for you Create order Hamlet is also discontented with the hasty marriage that had taken place between her mother Queen Gertrude and his uncle Claudius. Since he believes that their relationship is questionable, Hamlet pretends to be crazy so he could stay and spy on their motives. He does this by acting all delusional around Polonius to convince him that his grief had made him lose his mind (Brown 30). However, Hamlet is not sure of the actions he is taking with the motive to avenge his fathers death. He begins to doubt if the ghost was real or it was a demon that had the intentions of tricking him into killing someone. He is afraid of being compelled to live with his memories for all eternity and rounding up in hell when he is dead. As a result of fear, hamlet gets caught up in his thoughts and becomes a victim of his conscience which results to him being unable to avenge the death of his father. Since Hamlet does not want to kill his uncle then end up being the victim of evil spirit betrayal, he decides to get proof that Claudius did kill his father. Hamlet decides to help a team of actors by instructing them to do a play that enacted his fathers death and alleged murder in front of his mother the queen and his uncle the king. When the play is done, Claudius is drowning in guilt and Hamlet can prove that his uncle is responsible for his fathers death just like the ghost had told him. He decides that he was going to kill his uncle to avenge what he did to his father, but then he begins to doubt the action he is about to take. Hamlet even confesses that conscience can make a coward out of anyone. He says this because he had a duty to seek vengeance for his fathers death and had gotten the proof he needed to clarify it was his uncle but he is still reluctant to kill him (Schimdt 27). At the time when the play was written, it was perceived that the souls of dead people usually came back from purgatory but only with a very good reason like to give a message to their loved ones, to take care of unfinished or for revenge. In the case of Hamlet, the ghost of the late king came back to seek vengeance on his brother for betraying him. At that moment people were usually scared of dying without getting a chance to ask forgiveness for their sins and cleanse their souls. People knew all about the afterlife, and they were afraid of messing it up for themselves. They also feared the unseen and the unknown. The ghost helps proof to the then audience of Shakespeare that there is an ever-present world where people live in when they live this world. In this case, the ghost character is unquestionably real to the characters and the audience even if today the audience may find the ghost unrealistic and vague due to a change in religious beliefs and practices. When Hamlet saw the ghost at first, he doubts his message and is reluctant to take any action against his uncle. He says that spirits can either be healthy or damned and can either bring fortune from heaven or misfortune from hell. Also spirits can either be wicked or charitable .He doubts the intention of the ghost and doubts if it was his fathers ghost but does not doubt its genuineness and acknowledges it as a spirit (Hawkes 41). Hamlet is curious to hear what might have brought his father back from the grave and he quickly accepts the ghost as his fathers .He even offered to call him Hamlet, king, father, royal Dane .O, answer me. When the ghost tells him the story, he is not hesitant to believe it and uses it as evidence to satisfy his previous doubts about his uncle. He accepts the duty to avenge his death as soon as he hears the story. He then begins to doubt if the ghost was good or evil but still commits himself to seek vengeance by pretending to be mad so that he could investigate the actions of Claudius and Gertrude. Nonetheless, Hamlet decides not to take action against his uncle immediately because he had seen him kneeling defenceless praying. He assumed that Claudius was praying to seek forgiveness from God and killing him would only send him to heaven. This way the vengeance would not be enough because Claudius would not pay for his sins by facing the wrath in hell. Claudius deserved to be punished for what he did, and even he thinks so. He prays for forgiveness for his actions but thinks he doesnt deserve it because he kept all the benefits he gained from his actions including the throne, his brothers wealth and even his wife. Hamlet taking matters into his own hands as the ghost had instructed leads to the death of innocent people like Polonius and his daughter Ophelia. The entire play revolves around th e results of the ghost appearing until the end of the book where Hamlet finally kills his uncle with a poisoned sword, and his mother accidentally drinks poisoned wine that was intended for Hamlet (Shakespeare 32). How much does Gertrude know about the Truth of her husbands Death? Gertrudes knowledge about old Hamlets death is a situation in Shakespeares book Hamlet. There is no conclusive evidence from the book about Gertrude knowing about her husbands death. There have been a lot of contrasting readings with some writers suggesting that she knew and others disagreeing. Shakespeare leaves the situation as suspense to the reader to keep them on their toes to think and create their mental dilemmas. After her husbands death, Gertrude marries her brother-in-law Claudius and she remained queen and Claudius becomes king. Claudius killed his brother by pouring poison inside his ear while he took a nap. This is reviled to Hamlet by his dead fathers ghost that appears to him. Queen Gertrudes marriage to her husbands brother who murdered him seems very suspicious. She does not even mourn her husbands death like their son Hamlet did and instead she quickly got married to Hamlets uncle who took over the throne. The marriage could mean a lot of unclear things that Shakespeare does not speak about in the book (Shakespeare, Holdernes and Loughrey 73). Gertrude marrying her husbands brother may mean that she could not deal with her loss and sadness and she thought that Claudius was the closest thing to her husband that she could find comfort. In this case, she does not know about her husbands murder and marrying a possible hair of the throne was the only way she could remain queen. Hamlet also never suspected anything of his mother before the ghost appeared and he was only pissed off by the hasty marriage between his mother and his uncle after the death of his father. The spirit also tells Hamlet to avenge his death on Claudius and did not speak of anything against Gertrude. There is also no evidence that Gertrude had a relationship with her husbands brother before his death. Considering that Gertrudes goal is to stay queen, her hasty marriage to Claudius is because he was the heir of the throne and so it was more of a political kind of marriage than a love marriage. Marrying her husbands brother may also mean that she had an affair with Claudius and they boy planned on killing Old Hamlet so that they could get married and Gertrude would remain queen of Denmark and Claudius would become king. Gertrude may be experiencing a state of denial and avoids thinking about the situation at all to avoid feeling guilty or talking about it. When Hamlet confronts her at the closet, and she discovers about her husbands murder, she still goes back to Claudius. In the later scenes, she does not seem angry about Claudius not only being a murderer but also killing her husband (Shakespeare et al., 54). Claudius defends himself by saying that he married his sometime sister for the good of Denmark. He says that he wanted to make sure that the overwhelming country of Denmark stayed out of chaos. Gertrude also asks her moaning son why he was upset which is an unclear statement. It may seem that she is not upset at all and she does not see sense in being upset because she knows about the murder or she may be comforting her son and making sure he is okay after losing his father. She may also be clinging too much to her choice of marrying Claudius to remain, queen, that she does not see sense in being sad about the past (Ackerman, 17). On act five when Hamlet reveals his uncles guilt on the death of the late king, Gertrude drinks to it. The drink she took had been poisoned to kill Hamlet. This brings a lot of suspicions too since it is not clear if she knew about the poisoned drink and took it to commit suicide as a result of guilt or she knew nothing about the poison and was innocently taking a drink. However, her actions throughout the text portray a lot of uncertainty, and her death causes more uncertainty since we are not sure if it was an accident or she did it on purpose to commit suicide. Works Cited Shakespeare, William, Laurence Olivier, and Jean Simmons. Hamlet. University Press, 1948. Shakespeare, William, Graham Holderness, and Bryan Loughrey. Hamlet-The First Quarto (Sos). Routledge, 2014. Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. 2018. Hawkes, Terence. Meaning by Shakespeare. Routledge, 2003. Schmidt, Jeremy. Melancholy and the care of the soul: Religion, moral philosophy, and madness in early modern England. Routledge, 2016. Brown, Sarah Annes. Bibliography. A familiar compound ghost. Manchester University Press, 2017. Ackerman, Alan Louis. Seeing things: from Shakespeare to Pixar. University of Toronto Press, 2011.