Analysing The Theories Of Social Behavior Sociology Essay

Analysing The Theories Of Social Behavior Sociology Essay The Green Mile movie was fundamentally made to show the harm that human beings inflicted on other members of their species, some degree of corruption and high levels of crime in the society that called for large number of executions in Green Mile. Seemingly, there was little or no regard for morality and obedience to social norms governing the society. Greem Mile was a term reffering to death row in Louisiana State Penintiary, where prisoners were held as they waited for their execution. The movie illustrates the true nature of death penalty, showing how cruel and barbaric it was (Darabont). The symbolic nature of the film portrays a care-free type of society, whereby Eduards adopted mouse represents freedom. The mouse could come and go away without any restrictions. He was never trapped and he seemed to fully enjoy life as clearly seen through his daily circus activities. This clearly shows the level of freedom enjoyed by members of this society, without cultural or social barriers. This is evidently so due to high levels of crime comitted. Too many executions were carried out in Green Mile (Darabont). This is a clear presentation of Durkheims theory of functionalism perspective which embraces crime as a normal and functional practice in any society. According to this theory, crime is normal because in every society, there exists some level of crime. It is equally functional as it serves to reinforce social norms, provide the raw material for social change and provide a kind of safety valve for social discontent, where people could simply disobey the law, rather than se eking to change it (Anderson and Kaspersen 158). In Green Mile, everyone was seeking to harm the other. The society lacked compassion and had no respect for humanity. There was no social order and stability but only a collective will to maintain order through executions. This is a society where killing was the order of the day The parents of a girls believed to have been killed by Coffey had a venom in their minds against him. Percy and Maniacal prison inmate Sam Rockwell sought nothing more than perverse destruction. Even the prison guards had one sole purpose, to kill (Darabont). This is in line with Durkheims theory, who insists that crime is both functional and inevitable in any society (Anderson and Kaspersen 28). Corruption was evident in this society. It was revealed that Percy was a nephew to the governors wife, and his powerful political connections got him hired as a prison guard. He had no regard for work ethics. He derived pleasure from frightening, humiliating and hurting other people, contrary to what was expected of him as a prison guard (Darabont). His deviance began with the society as explained by Durkheims theory of functionalist perspective. The societys collective sentiments seem to be too weak to prevent any deviance from the law as clearly seen through corrupt acquisition of his job using political connections. This shows that there was neither constant reaffirming of shared values nor was there passing of the same values from one generation to another, a critical situation responsible for the collapse of this society. People such as Percy and the Governors wife do not seem to follow any collective society conscience. They are naturally selfish by all means and only preffer t o satisfy their own interests regardless of who is hurt in the process. Even law and primary socialization of the family does not seem to stop them (Anderson and Kaspersen 258). Coffeys magic healing power could be said to represent perfect power of God which was at work. Even though the society was going through a period of social strain and dramatic change, religion could playe a key role in bringing back the shared norms and values of the society thus restoring social order as well as helping the society to distigush the good in those around us and resist evil (Anderson and Kaspersen 541). Conclusion This paper has discussed Emile Durkheims theory of Functionalist Perspective with special emphasis on events witnessed in the movie Green Mile. From issues discussed, the movie seems to have targeted the corrupt leaders and unjust systems of justice that contributed to selfishness as people undermined social expectations that call for respect of rights and needs of others and preffered to look after their own interests regardless of who was hurt in the process. This is evidently seen in unjust execution of Coffey who is believed to have been innocent. People in this society only seem to obey their natural state of greed and selfishness, a condition that has accelerated erossion of society values and led to total disregard for order and harmony. This is anomie which is very dangerous and harmful to all as seen through charcters like Percy and Maniacal prison inmate Sam Rockwell whose main desire was to destroy and kill. The power of collective conscience, social norms and values in th is society have been weakened through external shocks. However, through education and religion, society values and collective conscienceness could be restored to bring back the shared norms, values and social order. social systems could be highly valuable in working to maintain equilibrium and to return to it after such external shocks that have disturbed balance among members of this society. Strong emphasis put on socialization of members of the society into basic values and norms of the society could help the society to reach a consensus. A society should be viewed as totally united with all parts of institutions working in oneness and quasiamatic fashion toward achieving overall social equilibrium.

Corruption in US Government Essay -- American Government

The story of the founding of the United States is a story nearly every United States citizen understands at the very least a rough version of. The story of how a group of patriots overthrew standing British power who were invading their rights to privacy, taxing them unfairly, and overall not giving the colonials a square deal. This story gives American’s pride in their identity and government. It also serves to legitimize the current US Government, for the current officials follow the same Constitution set up by those Patriots who fought the British. However, since the founding of the US Government there have been numerous cases in which the government has betrayed its people and committed corruption. When the media finds out about such a corrupt act, generally a scapegoat bears the entirety of the blame. In this paper I will argue that this is wrong, and in reality corruption occurs on several different levels and is carried out by multiple people. One of the examples of US government corruption that had a major impact on the American people is often overlooked. Fred Hampton, a leader in the Black Panther Party during the late 1960’s was deliberately and brutally murdered by the US government on December 4, 1969. This act not only infringed on his rights in the worst possible way, it also had an immeasurable impact on the progress of African Americans in American society. Hampton was a rising leader within the the Civil Rights Movement, and at the young age of 22 had a lot of potential. There is no way for us to know exactly what his impact would have been had he been able to live his life to it’s natural death, but we can be sure that he had great skills and worked hard when it came to the advancement of the African American... ...ntative democracy, which means that the people govern through representatives. When the public has no way to know the full truth of which representatives have been true to the will of the people, then we lose the democracy. It is admittedly easier to simply choose a single person to cast the full blame of corruption on an individual. However, it is not a practical way to allow the public to govern. They have a right to the truth and both the media and the government have responsibility to see this right is fulfilled. Works Cited Hampton, Fred, Mike Gray, and Howard Alk. The Murder of Fred Hampton. Chicago, Ill: Facets Video, 2007. Krakauer, Jon. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman. New York: Doubleday, 2009. Print. Lardner, Richard. "Retired Three Star General Kensinger Censured in Cover Up after Tillman Death." Associated Press (2007): Web.

African Resistance to Colonial Rule Essay

Industrialization stirred ambition in many European nations they wanted more resources to fuel their industrial production. They compete for new market for their goods .they looked to Africa as a source of the raw material and as well as market for their goods. However European had earlier establish contact with Africa as early as the 1450s, they actually controlled very little land. Powerful African armies were able to keep the European out of most of Africa for four centuries.it was gathered that the first explorer of Africa were the Portuguese in the 15th century, at that time the gap between the European and the African in term of development was not much. Thus four centuries had marked a significant change in term of development in Europe which Africa cannot match. That prompts the European occupation of Africa. The berlin conference which took place between the 15th November ,1884 and 26th November,1885,the berlin west African conference, to prevent fighting 14 European nation met at the berlin conference to laydown rules for the division of Africa. The essence of the conference as it were was to laydown rules of the game, the do and don’ts of European occupation interest in Africa which were later articulated. However in achieving total occupation of Africa the Europeans used diplomacy or military invasion or both in achieving their aim. Every nooks and cranny of Africa followed in most cases by military invasions, conquest, and occupation by armies of varying sizes and discipline. The period from 1800-1900 marked the highest level of European conquest and occupation of Africa. During these time all African had same objective that is defending their sovereignty and traditional way of life, it is the strategies that varies. Three options were opened to African, that of confrontation, that of alliance and that of acquiescence (accept without protest) or submission. The strategy of pg. 1 confrontation involved open warfare, sieges, and guerrilla tactics, scorched earth policies as well as diplomacy. However various rulers choose method that suited them their understanding, the likes of the Asante’s who choose confrontation as a resistance against the European after many years of resistance fell in 1896 when the British army raided the then Asantehene Agyeman Prempeh 1 of the Asante empire capturing him along with his loyal chiefs and as well as his mother ,who were sent on exile first to sierra Leon and later to Seychelles .Another prominent African ruler who successfully resist European rule was Emperor Menenelik 11 of Ethiopia used what I described as alliance and pretence, through these he gain the trust of the Italian, reached an agreement them to sign the treaty of Occiat. History has it that there were two version of the treaty one in Italian and the other one in Amharic; both treaties were different in content. Emperor Menenelik 11 of Ethiopia was wise to have signed the in his language. After the signing of the treaty Italian declared themselves as the representat ive of Ethiopian on foreign affairs, Emperor Menenelik 11 of Ethiopia knowing exactly what he signed sent a circular letter to Italy and the European power stating his case. Before Italian could realized they have been cheated it’s already too late. They invaded Ethiopia in 1986 only to have lost to a tactically and wellarmed army powered by the Italian themselves. This shame of these defeat lead to Italian invasion of Ethiopia by Benito Mussolini’s in1936. Elsewhere, when the French attacked Ouagadougou the deposed Mogbo of Naba, Wobogo made sacrifice to the earth shrine, tradition has it that he sacrificed a black cock, a black donkey and a black slave on a large hill near the Volta river beseeching the earth goddess to drove the French away and to destroy the traitor Mazi who they had placed on the throne. In the aftermath of the European conquest, Africa resisted European occupation of Africa from the Asante, the Ethiopians and the Mossi of Ouagadougou each ruler choose different approach to resistance. In which that of Menelik11 was the most successful.it could be noted that lack of common front lead to the fruitless, unrewarding effort against the European conquest. Thurs the great Egyptian empire as they were, the Asante empire,the Somoury Toure of Senegambia, the Ethiopian and the Zulu empire could have fought together to resist the European on common front of which would pg. 2 have been successful. In spite of this the various African communities were facing vast tussle for empire from their neighbours even when one calls for help the other saw that as a means to acquire more empire. However territorial conflict triggered the ineffectiveness of the resistance, the British used the conflict between the Fante and the Asante to declare Asante a savage land, thereby acquiring both at the long run However it could be noted that African lacks courage and military science compared to their European counterpart. African is at heavy disadvantages in the face of the invaders. During the scramble for African the European had advanced military power compared to that of Africa, Africa could not defend against the canon and the Maxim gun when African were still using old ways of combat that involve bow, arrow, spear and machete. Moreover the European used vast experience they acquired from their long history of colonial rule and exploitation around the world in fact by 1885weatern European had already mastered the art of divide, conquer and rule having skilled over four centuries of imperialism and exploitation in America, Asia and the pacific. Nonetheless African resistance not be said to be fruitless effort but a partly won battle which at an enormous degree of experience. The resistance gave birth to nationalism, in fact by 1935 when the Italian conquered Ethiopia under the rule of Benito Mussolini, Africans were united on the need to wrestle back Ethiopia from the Italian by mean means of radical nationalist movement in Africa. Other African countries had looked upon Ethiopia as a source of hope. Its long history and culture were impressive. Its independent was used to prove the ability of African to conduct their affair. African nationalist and pan Africanist everywhere were united in their condemnation of colonial and their resolve to seek all possible means to end it. I will conclude ‘A lesson well learnt’ the African resistance to colonial rule. REFERENCE: 1. oxford advanced learners dictionary 7th edition 2. Age of African imperialism, imperialist divides Africa pg 685 pdf

T.S. Eliot and the Objective Correlative - 1026 Words

Kyle Mootry Charles DeShong American Lit. II 4/24/2013 T.S. Eliot is thoroughly viewed as one of the most significant poets of the twentieth century, and one of the most important writers of the modernist era. He hated traditional realism by responding against Romantic poetry. His collection of work was extremely experimental and he repeatedly deals with the views of symbolism and imagism in his poetry. America in the early part of the twentieth century was changing quickly and becoming more and more complex and the modernist authors and artists set out to prompt this in their works. Pound, Yeats, and Eliot, to name a couple, were all trying to ‘make it new’ and put a new spin on older genres of prose or art. Eliot used this idea of†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, he draws a parallel—or seems to—between the carpet on which Agamemnon walked and the grapes and wistaria (wisteria) mentioned in the poem. The carpet was purple; grapes and wisteria are usually purple. .......Since ancient times, purple has been the color of royalty –of kings capes, of emperors robes, and of other trappings surrounding a monarch, including carpets. Now then, notice this development: After the waiter brings in fruit, Ms. Rabinovitz â€Å"Tears at the grapes with murderous paws.† Is she another Clytemnestra, ready to strike out at the royal purple that is the symbol of kingly power? At this point in the poem, Sweeney leaves his chair (or shall we call it a throne?) and goes outside. There, he looks in through a window, his face framed by wisteria. .......Nightingales begin singing at a convent. What do nightingales have to do with this tale? Another name for a nightingale is philomel, a term derived from the name Philomela. In Greek mythology. Philomela was a princess of Athens. Her sister, Procne, was married to King Tereus of Thrace. Not satisfied with only one of the sisters, Tereus lusted after Philomela and one day raped her. To prevent her from revealing his crime, he cut out her tongue. However, Philomel embroidered a tapestry depicting his brutality and showed it to her sister. The two women then plotted against Tereus (like the two women in the poem who appear to be conspiring againstShow MoreRelatedModernism - Araby and the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay1382 Words   |  6 Pagesview of the world as fractured and chaotic, especially due to paralysis and alienation in modern society. This newly perceived reality is reflected through techniques of fragmentation in modernist works such as James Joyce’s sh ort story â€Å"Araby† and T.S. Eliot’s poem â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock†. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, fundamental and far-reaching changes in society often made individuals feel wary and estranged from their surrounding world. 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